Chapter Four

Murderbot secretly boards the terraforming facility while posing as an augmented human consultant named Rin. While the assessment team investigates the bio pod, Murderbot retrieves data from dormant diggers in the geo pod. A fast-moving hostile attacks the team, attempting to capture Don Abene; Murderbot intervenes and saves her. The team discovers one of their researchers, Hirune, has been taken by the creature, and Murderbot's true nature as a SecUnit is revealed to Wilken and Gerth, forcing Murderbot to claim it was sent by the fictitious "Consultant Rin" for extra security.

Murderbot accesses the terraforming facility through Miki's systems while the team arrives via shuttle. The facility is massive, suspended in a perpetual storm, with minimal power and no active security systems. The team suits up and proceeds to assess the facility, entering through a passenger dock in the habitation pod. Abene expresses unease despite Miki's reassurances. Kader and Vibol remain on the shuttle while Wilken, Gerth, Hirune, Brais, and Ejiro accompany Abene and Miki into the facility. Murderbot slips away from the shuttle undetected and travels to the geo pod to retrieve data from dormant diggers—geological manipulation devices whose logs contain information GrayCris failed to completely delete. While Murderbot extracts this data, Miki detects an incoming hostile moving rapidly toward the assessment team. Murderbot attempts to guide Miki's emergency response, warning of an approaching threat. The team tries to flee but cannot reach the shuttle in time. Murderbot exits the lift at the bio pod junction as the attack intensifies. A red, eight-fingered creature attempts to drag Don Abene through a closing hatch by her helmet. Murderbot physically intervenes—using superhuman strength to hold the hatch open and remove Abene's helmet to free her from the creature's grasp—then catches her as the hatch seals. Hirune is discovered missing, dragged away by the hostile. Wilken and Gerth recognize Murderbot as a SecUnit and point their weapons at it. To manage the situation, Murderbot claims to be a SecUnit contracted to a "Security Consultant Rin" sent by GoodNightLander Independent for additional security. Miki, compromised by prior knowledge of Murderbot's presence, supports this cover story by calling Murderbot its friend and asking Abene to confirm she knew Rin was deployed. Abene, quick-thinking, backs up the story and insists they focus on rescuing Hirune rather than interrogating Murderbot. Wilken agrees to pursue the hostile with Murderbot while Gerth escorts Brais and Ejiro back to the shuttle with Abene. The group moves forward to search for Hirune.