Scene Seven: Interdicted Space, between Quadrants III and IV of the Yami Belt, above a bitterly cold planetary fragment dubbed “Ice Station Zebra”.

Captain Chabra commands the helm to break orbit while maintaining emissions control conditions in engineering. Zhe is still potting an escape trajectory when the Abhva work-camp launches Combat Orbital Patrol fighters. The crew does their best to slink away unnoticed, but in the end the Abhva fighter detect the Parindra II (even if they don’t manage to catch up).

Meanwhile, Chief Niazi, inspired by Captain Chabra’s spiritualism magic, patches up Gunnery Chief Mala.

Scene Eight: Back on Mahanadi

Captain Chabra and Chief Mala try to drum up sympathy for the war casualties inflicted on Mahanadi since the start of the latest conflict. Unfortunately, they’re not having much success. The executive staff of the Parindra II mete with the Fleet Intelligence officer assigned to the world, Lieutenant Nishad Surasena. Through a combination of deception and diplomacy, the crew manages to convince the Lieutenant to arrange an orbital strike on the Abhva work-camp…but only after the Parindra II liberates the camp of its prisoners. It’ll mean less glory for the privateers, but a safer quadrant.

On the way back to the ship, the crew picks up some medical supplies, and a handful of Janya roughnecks looking to take the fight to the Abhva.