Chapter 8

Murderbot navigates the ship's engineering module to investigate an alien organic mass attached to ART's engines, discovers they've exited the wormhole far sooner than expected, and makes contact with Arada's group who were trapped in a damaged safepod on the hull. As Amena races to the airlock to help them board, Murderbot fights off Targets Five and Six while receiving a cryptic video message that suggests ART may still be operational.

Murderbot explores the sealed engineering module while keeping Amena updated via drone feed. In the engine control foyer, it discovers a smashed repair drone and an unidentified organic mass on the engine housing that smells like the Targets. A countdown timer shows the wormhole exit is imminent—only minutes away instead of the expected cycles. When Eletra confirms they never left their original system, Murderbot realizes the alien organic mass is somehow accelerating wormhole transit. The ship exits the wormhole into normal space. Murderbot reactivates the comm and makes contact with Arada, who is sheltering in a damaged safepod attached to ART's hull with Overse, Thiago, and Ratthi. They were dragged into the wormhole after the jettison failed. Arada reports they can reach an airlock in three minutes. Amena is sent to cycle them in while Murderbot attempts to hack targetControlSystem. Sentry drones detect the Targets breaching the safe zone hatch near the quarters module. Realizing the Targets have discovered the safepod, Murderbot races to intercept them. In a violent encounter, Murderbot uses a fire suppresser—which Amena grabbed—to disrupt a targetDrone's camouflage, confirming the stealth is a physical effect. During the combat, Murderbot receives a compressed video packet from ART's internal comm—tagged "Eden," the name used on RaviHyral—containing a clip from World Hoppers about a character trapped in their own body. This suggests ART's systems are partially restarting. Amena successfully cycles Arada, Overse, Ratthi, and Thiago into the airlock; Ratthi is severely injured and Thiago is staggering, indicating the safepod sustained extensive damage. Murderbot pursues the Targets back toward the control area to keep them away from the newly arrived humans.