Chapter 15

Murderbot, uploaded as killware into the Barish-Estranza explorer's systems, reconnects with ART and deploys to sabotage the ship and rescue the crew. It discovers three of ART's crew members drugged and immobilized in a lounge via implants, learns that the other five were returned to the space dock, and contacts SecUnit 3 aboard the explorer to coordinate an escape plan.

Murderbot awakens as killware in ART's systems with limited storage and no access to long-term memory, existing in a small partition of ART's archives alongside cached media files. ART informs it that the Barish-Estranza explorer is approaching and attempting contact to force ART to reinstall targetControlSystem; ART will use the outgoing connection to deploy Murderbot to the explorer's comm system. Murderbot deploys via comm contact and infiltrates the explorer's security system, disguising itself as a maintenance process. Through the ship's cameras, Murderbot surveys the damage: dead Targets, dead Barish-Estranza crew, dead humans, and one SecUnit with its head blown off. On the bridge, eight Targets monitor ART's approach, including one in casual clothing with reddish hair. Murderbot detects the presence of targetControlSystem somewhere in the system. In a recreational lounge, it finds seven unconscious humans showing signs of induced immobility—likely through implants or stasis fields. By analyzing physical characteristics, Murderbot estimates an 80 percent match with Martyn, Karime, and Turi from ART's crew, but cannot locate the other five crew members. It discovers a stationary SecUnit (SecUnit 3) near the lounge, frozen by stand-down orders. Murderbot initiates contact using old company protocols and reveals its nature as a rogue SecUnit killware. SecUnit 3 shares archived video clips showing all eight of ART's crew being dragged aboard, then five being forcibly returned to the space dock at 2260 ship's time with four Targets accompanying them. It explains the Targets implanted the remaining humans with governor-module-like devices and ran out of unused implants. SecUnit 3 reports the Targets botched installing an alien remnant onto the explorer's drive, leaving it unable to navigate wormholes, and that leadership factions are splitting over strategy. When asked about spreading contamination, SecUnit 3 lacks that information. Murderbot learns SecUnit 2 was killed by its governor module on the dock after being frozen. SecUnit 3 admits it has a piloting module but states it is not very good. Murderbot proposes disabling SecUnit 3's governor module, but the SecUnit is reluctant; Murderbot sends it a file of edited memories in an attempt to build trust. Murderbot locates twelve targetDrones in standby near the main hatch and alters the ship's masking code to prevent further use. It traces the implant connections through the solid-state screen on the bridge—seven active connections to the humans in the lounge. As it begins to disconnect the implants carefully to avoid triggering a killswitch, it reconnects with SecUnit 3 to propose a coordinated rescue. Targetcontrolsystem detects Murderbot's presence just as the conversation begins.