Twenty-Three

In this chapter, Dafyd puzzles over Carryx behavior while in an intimate moment with Else, questioning why the alien species seems unable or unwilling to learn from or teach humans. Meanwhile, Jessyn—medicated and emerging from suicidal ideation—joins Tonner, Rickar, and Campar in a raid on the Night Drinkers' lair using a bioweapon derived from modified berries, achieving a decisive victory that leaves her exhilarated and transformed.

The chapter opens with Dafyd and Else in her bedroom, where Dafyd's contemplation of the Carryx's window placement leads to broader speculation about the alien species' incomprehensible logic and methods. He struggles to understand how beings capable of conquering multiple worlds refuse to engage in meaningful dialogue, withhold critical information (like the threat posed by the Night Drinkers), and dismiss concepts of possibility and probability. Else asks why it matters, and Dafyd insists it may help them survive their captivity.

The narrative shifts to Jessyn, whose depression and suicidal thoughts have begun to shift toward violent fantasies following medication provided by Tonner. She meets with Synnia, who believes the medicine is working, though Jessyn recognizes she is simply exchanging one form of psychological suffering for another—fantasies of murder replacing fantasies of suicide. Back in the common area, the team (Tonner, Rickar, Campar, and Jessyn) examines their bioweapon—modified berries containing a signaling protein lethal to the Night Drinkers.

Jessyn proposes field-testing the weapon directly on the enemy, a suggestion that opens a psychological door the group readily steps through. The four venture to the cathedral where the Night Drinkers nest. Jessyn begins throwing the weaponized berries into the creatures' holes. The weapon proves devastatingly effective—the gel dissolves the fungal material of their walls and causes excruciating deaths. The Night Drinkers emerge but are disorganized and terrified, unable to mount an effective counterattack. Rickar strikes one with his crowbar, and the humans retreat with minimal effort, leaving two bulbs unused.

The team returns to their quarters where Else, Synnia, and Dafyd are waiting. Dafyd expresses concern that they are playing by Carryx rules, but Campar and Jessyn reject his caution, with Jessyn citing Irinna's death as justification. That night, Jessyn sleeps peacefully for the first time, having transformed herself—through medication and action—into something capable of violence and victory.