[KESTREL BUILDER] Kestrel is in the archives of Isla Tienne, poring through dusty histories looking for precedent for Crow and Lycelle’s marriage. Six generations ago, early in House Tamar’s history, she finds a case where a Forged Lord was grievously injured, and her heir assumed power. After a decade, the original Lord regained consciousness and tried to reclaim power, but after a brief conflict the nobles declared that the title could not be reverted once it was given.
[CROW COLOR] Crow and Lycelle are married in a short, simple, sweet ceremony before their families and officiants of both the New Horizon and the Mundus. It’s beautiful - Crow has crafted glass ornaments that shine rainbows of light over the party, and Meyers has written some special music for it. Crow and Lycelle celebrate their long, many years of love.
[YVENNE INTERSTITIAL] Yvenne pulls Kestrel and Meyers aside to express her concerns that Crow will make a move to take over now that he and Lycelle are married. Meyers urges Kestrel to talk to Crow. “I mean, I know, you all are Tamars, you’re all good at the passive aggressive thing.” Yvenne backs him up. Kestrel sighs and agrees.
[MARIS COLOR] While Maris watches the wedding, the HUD in her Iron shows her horrific scenes of the battle against the Vaylen on Isla Norte, Sodalis being splayed redly across the snow.
[CROW INTERSTITIAL] Crow confronts Maris and apologizes for... everything. “Dad... I cared about being a sixteen year old girl in heavy armor being shot at.” Maris tells him that she has spent her life alternately looking for guidance and blaming those who haven’t provided it to her - but she cannot and won’t anymore, she needs to own her own choices without putting them either on Crow or on the Wheel. Crow asks her why she killed Phoenix and he explains - it was as much about feeling betrayed by Locke as any duty to destroy the Vaylen - then shares his pain in part through the Psychologist’s Touch. “I will never be a parent. I can’t understand. But I can share some of the pain you felt at Phoenix’ death, if you want me to.” They both collapse into each other, sobbing.
[KESTREL INTERSTITIAL] Kestrel deadpans, “Father, I need to let you know how truly happy I am for you and Lycelle.” They exchange brief pleasantries, then jump right to what this means for Avarine. “Couldn’t quite keep politics out, hunh?” Crow tells her that Lycelle and he feel that Kestrel is endangering Avarine, and that Lycelle’s rightful place as eldest Tamar is as Forged Lord. “What should I have done when the Vaylen invaded, father? Made a deal with them? ‘Oh, you can only hull half the planet, and the rest of us will sit tight?’” “It doesn’t have to get ugly, Kestrel.” “It will get ugly, father. I am telling you right now, if you are tired of war, you need to put away these foolish ambitions.”
[KESTREL CONFLICT] Kestrel tries to convince Crow that resisting her would be foolish. Crow wants her to stop using force to bring the nobles in line. Kestrel agrees to at least listen to Crow’s counsel.
[QUINN INTERSTITIAL] Quinn brings Maris the external womb device.
[MARIS BUILDER] Maris and Quinn meet in the hulk of a destroyed Church vessel to hand over the external womb. Alix accuses Maris of hypocrisy, for being willing to work with the Vaylen. Maris tries to shoot Quinn in response, but they beat a retreat into their shuttle. Maris takes the womb to Isla Norte, where she is confronted by Yvenne, who DOES NOT BUY FOR A SECOND Maris’ explanation that she wants to use the device to study Vaylen genetic constructs. Yvenne accuses Maris of coldly killing Sparrow; Maris accuses Yvenne and Kestrel of caring more about the war effort and politics than Sparrow’s death. Maris says she knows she can’t bring Sparrow back, but this is the only way she can be a mother. Yvenne storms out, calling her Brotherhood to destroy the lab. Maris calls up her Sodalis to protect her, and begins splicing her DNA with Sparrow’s, running her blood into the womb in its eerie light.
[TORRENT COLOR] Farouk and Torrent discuss tactics. Then we see a ship flying in fast, through the planetary defenses, and bombs the Glass Palace to glorious splinters.
[KESTREL COLOR] Kestrel is on board the Leviathan playing with Dove when she gets the alert, and watches helplessly as the Glass Palace explodes on her screen. She lays in orders to pursue the bomber.
MANEUVER: HUMAN TA (ACTIVATE NOBLES) vs. VAYLEN TA. Both succeed. Nobles are activated, but Humans take -6 (-2 net).
EPILOGUE: Lady Aruna holds high a large shard of the palace as her pilotry pump their fists in the air, and commoners clasp smaller shards beneath giant posters of the Tamar royals. Torrent and his crew make sure the horrifying images of the attack play 24/7.
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