Move 19 Recap

Near Medical: Alaric, Crowned-With-Eyes, Fluffy, Mikodez, and Sulen; messages from Ashari and Sasha

Sulen receives lokwor messages from Ashari, telling them to return to the Wasp and prepare to confront the magistrate, and from Sasha, warning that Mikodez had access to the 3D printer on the station. However, they are not able to read their messages because they are holding the backpack containing the mothling Crowned-With-Eyes. As Mikodez leaves Medical, where he has been harassing a nurse for news of Istradez' condition, Sulen adjusts their grip on the bag, snags Mikodez' sleeve, and instructs him to clean up the spilled drink. Mikodez stumbles into Sulen, attempting to free Crowned-With-Eyes; instead, Sulen grabs him by the neck. Mikodez admits that Security has been called.

Alaric asks a grumpy nurse to provide a float chair so the group can move Istradez to the ship. He then joins Mikodez and Sulen, saying he promised the nurse they would leave as soon as the float chair is located, and that he hopes there won't be any more fuss. Mikodez points at the backpack. Alaric peeks inside and discovers that, in addition to Crowned-With-Eyes, Mikodez' backpack contains a gun. Mikodez states that Sasha gave him the pattern and he's sure she can dispose of it.

On the Wasp: Ashari, Gerae, the moth, Sasha, and Virmad; messages from Kaliyan and Yehan

Sasha and the moth agree, using a logarithmic scale, that they will sing more loudly once the ship has left the station. Sasha notices that the moth is quieter when contemplating mathematical notation, and asks Yehan whether giving it puzzles is a good idea; Yehan approves. Sasha sends the moth a problem set that guides the student through an introduction to magic squares and coding theory. It becomes silent. While communicating with the moth, Sasha reports to Kaliyan that she has finished re-seating the Wasp's air filters. Kaliyan asks whether Sasha has slept; Sasha promises to do so in 10.5 hours, once her anticipated second dose of stimulants wears off. Sasha hopes she will be able to fulfill her promises to Kaliyan and to the moth.

Meanwhile, Virmad is visiting Gerae in the room where the magistrate has been confined.

Through the grid, Sasha asks Virmad whether he'd like to prepare for his meeting (with the station administrator), and offers to find food for Gerae. Gerae is unnerved by her voice. Virmad leaves, telling Gerae, "I’ll come by again when I can. In the meantime, hang in there, friend."

Sasha is increasingly worried about surveillance due to Iawa's messages. She inspects Virmad's lokwor and finds that it is bugged with a tiny device that will transmit lokwor audio. She asks the grid to tell team members on the Wasp to refrain from making lokwor voice calls until further notice. She then wipes Virmad's lokwor and resets the number, to prevent other team members from calling it. She promises to print Virmad a new lokwor, and accuses him of lying about the physical security of his device. Virmad, embarrassed, says that he doesn't sleep deeply when sharing a bed and is confident Teo did not touch the lokwor. He adds, "Who makes lokwor voice calls, anyway? Or, more to the point, who that's engaged in any kind of subversive activities do they expect to make lokwor voice calls?" Sasha looks more closely at the bug and discovers that it is mobile. She places the lokwor and its passenger in a transparent box from the galley, and gives Virmad a list of reasons people might make voice calls, ending with "hack the teenager's lokwor to find out where the fuck he is." Virmad inquires about the location of Avrayen (Mikodez) and Fluffy, adding that retrieving Fluffy is the best way to entertain Gerae and ensure his cooperation. Sasha says that Avrayen (Mikodez) has Fluffy, but she doesn't know what he has been doing or why he didn't report that Imsayed (Istradez) was hurt. She then asks whether Virmad would like to keep the bugged lokwor, in case it's useful in providing disinformation. Virmad tells her to give it to Ashari.

Sasha prints various items, including a new lokwor for Virmad, and provides Gerae with a tray of food and some instant coffee. She sets up a brief meeting with Ashari, gives them Virmad's bugged lokwor, and explains how the device works. Ashari says, "I always did want a pet," and strokes the box containing the lokwor and the bug. They then warn Sasha, "You seem to have certain...ideas about my relationship with Sulen. I advise you to stick to your job," pretending to tuck a strand of hair behind their ear. Sasha is furious at the implied threat but chooses to reply with ostentatious formality rather than confronting Ashari immediately.