Content Warning: This section includes brief discussions of sexual violence. 

Enae goes through many security lines to get into Zeosen System. The heightened security is because of the AI conclave. When sie eventually reaches Rurusk Station, sie is greeted by Reet Hluid, hir Foreign Affairs liaison. Reet brings Enae to hir accommodations. After a nap, Enae goes out to get food without informing Reet; sie likes hir freedom. While Enae is eating a plate of dumplings, a woman grabs hir bag and hits hir over the head. The woman, who was in the same security lines as Enae, then runs away. Enae ends up in a medical bay, where Reet finds hir. He assures Enae that the authorities will find the attacker and asks Enae not to leave hir accommodations without notifying him again.

Enae’s attacker is arrested. She had been waiting for Enae’s arrival because she heard someone was coming to investigate the Hikipi and assumed Enae was working for the Phen. The attacker has said nothing besides “Death to the Phen oppressors” (109). Enae admits that sie is trying to contact the Hikipi community to see whether the fugitive arrived on a Hikipi refugee ship. Reet offers to introduce Enae to the Siblings of Hikipu, who might have some answers.