In their interview, Kira tells Captain Akawe that she can understand the Jelly language. She also tells Akawe that the Jellies will come for her, and she wants to go look for the Staff of Blue. The League is calling the new aliens “nightmares,” and they have been attacking settled space for about a week. Akawe considers taking Kira in search of the Staff of Blue but needs proof of her story to make a decision. Akawe’s body is an artificial construct, so he proposes to interface directly with the xeno; after some unsuccessful attempts, Kira is able to show him her memories. He believes her story and agrees to search for the staff. Kira suggests that the Wallfish and the Entropists be brought along, and Akawe agrees.

Akawe sends men to stay on the Wallfish, along with the antimatter necessary to fuel the Wallfish’s Markov Drive for their journey. They also bring Casaba-Howitzers, fission bombs that are nearly as dangerous as antimatter. The Wallfish and the Darmstadt will go into FTL to reach their destination, sixty light years away, further than most humans have been into deep space. That night, they see a recording on the news of Kira’s attack on the Jelly and the Numenist.