The Dauntless patrols the coastline, searching for the Ray. While Nailer believes the Pole Star has Nita, the crew hopes that isn’t true because the Pole Star has missile and torpedo systems, while the Ray is a pleasure yacht. Lieutenant Reynolds doesn’t believe that the Pole Star is anywhere near the Gulf because her trade routes would put her near Japan at this time, but Captain Candless has the crew practice drills for the worst-case scenario. Half of the Pole Star’s crew are “augments,” a swank euphemism for half-men.

Nailer has mixed feelings about returning to Bright Sands once they find Nita because he wants to stay aboard the Dauntless as crew. However, whole clans are dedicated to working on the clippers; they buy positions as deckhands and work their way up. Even Captain Candless’s family has worked on the clippers for three generations. When Candless gives Nailer a gun and orders him to drill with the crew, Nailer asks him for a job. Candless agrees, and Reynolds assigns Nailer to the gear room below deck with the half-man Knot.

The gear room makes Nailer “vaguely ill” because it smells like grease and metal (254), reminding him of being on the light crew.