Chapter 15: Lysander: Earth

Summary

• Chapter 15 of the book introduces Lysander arriving at New Sparta to meet his old friend Ajax.
• Lysander is still recovering from injuries, and Ajax playfully mocks his appearance and state.
• Lysander has spent recent times working on his reputation as an administrator and peacemaker, while Ajax has been working to rebuild his own reputation as a warrior.
• They discuss Ajax's recent failed attempts to hunt their common enemy Darrow and Ajax's lack of trust from their leader Atalantia.
• Ajax warns Lysander of how to behave around Atalantia, advising him not to retaliate if she strikes him.
• A cold exchange occurs between Ajax and his father Atlas, showcasing strained family relations.
• Atlas is involved in broader strategic plans regarding the ongoing battles and warns Ajax about his position and duties.
• Atalantia hunts on the African plains and discusses her plans to rebuild and claim the Earth as her domain.
• Atalantia makes it clear that her nephew Ajax won't be given a governing position; instead, she prefers the leadership of Scipio au Falthe.
• Lysander realizes Atalantia's grasp on power and the immense military resources at her disposal, as well as her intentions to consolidate holdings following a military debacle on Venus.
• Atalantia informs Lysander of her plans to invade Luna and assigns him to lead the vanguard in the upcoming Iron Rain.
• Atalantia manipulates Lysander by playing to his rivalry with Ajax and preparing him for a political demonstration of fidelity.
• Atalantia cruelly showcases her power by having Glirastes, a friend of Lysander's, beaten and paraded before him as a warning against disloyalty.
• Lysander is compelled to profess false remorse and apologize to Atalantia to save himself and Glirastes.
• Ajax visits Lysander, and they have a candid conversation about their lives, Atalantia, and the politics surrounding them.
• Lysander is confronted with the reality that Atalantia was responsible for the death of his parents.
• The chapter concludes with Ajax reluctantly leaving Lysander after realizing that the issue of his parents' death could be a ploy from either side, revealing the deep deceptions at play.