Chapter 14

In this dual-perspective chapter, Murderbot and its human companions search the abandoned Adamantine space dock for clues about ART's missing crew, discovering evidence they survived and escaped to the planet below. Meanwhile, a parallel narrative reveals how Murderbot apprehended a GrayCris assassination agent on Preservation Station. As the team prepares to descend to the surface via a hidden maintenance capsule, ART departs to intercept the approaching explorer vessel.

Murderbot, Overse, and Thiago board the derelict Adamantine space dock via airlock. After taking control of its malfunctioning DockSecSystem, they discover four dead Barish-Estranza employees and a dead SecUnit that was ordered to stand down and subsequently killed by its own governor module. Searching the control room, they find artistic installations and colony infrastructure plans marked with Variance063926 language, which ART translates. Overse locates records of two recent drop box trips to the planet surface.

While reviewing corrupted security footage, Murderbot spots images of four humans in ART's blue crew uniforms, including one matching a crew member's description, and another figure sprinting past—evidence the crew is alive. The footage also shows eight Targets moving through the dock and the SecUnit sending an emergency warning. An explorer vessel suddenly appears on scan with hostile intent and acquires target lock. ART immediately departs to engage it in combat, cutting off communications and leaving Murderbot, Overse, and Thiago stranded on the dock.

Investigating the drop box, the team finds blood on the acceleration chair platform consistent with someone being wounded during escape. The drop box's log confirms two recent surface trips with the second lasting only fifteen minutes, suggesting the crew descended to the planet. Unable to contact ART or use the conspicuous main drop box, Murderbot decides to take Overse and Thiago down via the smaller, hidden maintenance capsule that has remained undiscovered for thirty-seven years.

Before departure, Murderbot records a comprehensive report with all findings and video evidence, storing it in a drone left hidden on the dock for ART's return. The three prepare to descend to the planet surface as Overse initiates the capsule drop.

A parallel narrative reveals Murderbot's earlier actions on Preservation Station: after Dr. Mensah was attacked by two augmented human assassins, Murderbot identified and apprehended a GrayCris handler in the port transient housing using security system access. Despite its initial intention to kill the agent, Murderbot instead contacted Mensah and Senior Officer Indah, who arranged for the agent's arrest and transfer. Mensah confirms the situation will be sealed from public records for two to five years while GrayCris dissolves, and praises Murderbot's actions. The narrative ends with Murderbot sharing encrypted code to disable governor modules, positioning itself as trustworthy to an unspecified recipient.