Horah-Marash tells the members of the provisional government that if they want to stand in the elections, they need to resign soon. O'Reilley, the reconstruction all but complete, decides to stand. Merith arrives from the Darwin, with a message for Stadi from Kartal saying that Eve misses her. She gets leave to visit the Darwin. Vox tells M'Kress that the extent of Rasa's telepathy is well beyond Vulcan norms. Horah-Marah appoints M'Kress as O'Reilley's replacement, mentioning to both that David Heart is in a relationship with the Chief Medical Officer. Before Stadi and O'Reilley leave their posts, Stadi leads an expedition into the furthest extent of the caves beneath the greatest density of the New Lhasa syndrome (Anapurnna's Journey).
They discover an artifical chamber of unknown design. A wall materialises behind them, the room begins to flood with methane, helium, and hydrogen, and other advanced, alien, technology is in evidence. A gloss black panel is identified as a door control and, with difficulty (and too little help from Merith on the bridge), activated. It leads to a vast chamber, with dimensions measured in kilometers. The chamber is criss-crossed with paths and columns; the columns are decorated with a writhing tentacles motif. There is also a more complex control panel which M'Kress uses to reopen the way back and restore the class M atmosphere in the previous room. The team survey, and return to the Brunel. Where O'Reilley meets Dr. Jo Hillback, the CMO, and they recognise each other ...

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