Chapter 3

Murderbot has survived being shot during their first assignment as Survey Security Consultant on a preservation facility. After medical treatment, they reflect on the incident and interact with team members, then a separate narrative reveals their time at a festival on Preservation where they provided security for Dr. Mensah and observed troubling behavior from a man pursuing Mensah's adolescent daughter Amena, ultimately intervening in a situation that created tension with multiple family members.

The chapter opens with Murderbot recovering from gunshot wounds sustained during a hostile encounter on the survey facility. After reluctant medical treatment by Ratthi, Arada seeks reassurance that shooting the attacker was necessary, and Murderbot confirms it was the only viable option. Thiago confronts Murderbot about whether they killed people; Murderbot deflects by referencing their contract with Arada and refuses to justify their actions to him.

The narrative then shifts to a flashback of Murderbot's time at an Art Festival on Preservation Station. Dr. Mensah had asked Murderbot to accompany her to various events, including attending 32 performances at a festival. When Mensah abruptly calls Murderbot away from a play while she's with family members Thiago and Farai, Murderbot determines she's tense but not in immediate danger. On the ride back to their camp house, Mensah admits she's been having nightmares about her previous abduction by GrayCris and fears being away from Murderbot without security. She reveals her trauma hasn't been treated and she needs to learn to be independent again, asking Murderbot to join Arada's survey mission with Amena and Thiago instead.

The section includes a detailed account of Murderbot's security concerns about Amena. Murderbot identifies a man pursuing Amena as a potential threat based on evidence including age deception, isolation tactics, inappropriate attention, and coercive behavior. When the man invites Amena to his house under false pretenses, Murderbot infiltrates and reveals their presence, causing the man to flee. Afterwards, Murderbot confronts Amena about her overconfidence and lack of awareness regarding her changed circumstances as the daughter of a planetary leader targeted by hostile corporations. Amena initially resists but eventually acknowledges the seriousness of the situation.