Two

Jessyn celebrates her research team's breakthrough success at a scholar's gathering, reveling in their achievement of translating between Anjiin's two incompatible biomes. Her euphoria is abruptly interrupted when Tonner Freis messages her late that night, summoning her to an emergency meeting and instructing her to keep it secret.

The chapter opens with exposition on Anjiin's two distinct trees of life—the native biochemical system and the human-brought biome that arrived three and a half thousand years ago—and how Tonner Freis's breakthrough allowed these incompatible systems to coexist and interact. Jessyn attends a celebration at the Scholar's Common with Irinna, Nöl, and Synnia. The four enjoy drinks and dancing, reflecting on their successful research team and the magic of the moment when they first detected a radioactive marker from native Anjiin biology showing up in a human-origin plant. Jessyn feels profound satisfaction and belonging within the team, considering them almost family despite their different roles and personalities. After dancing and parting ways with Irinna, Jessyn walks home through the carnival atmosphere, savoring her rare sense of accomplishment and contentment. Back at her quarters, she finds herself grinning at her success, expecting a message from her brother Jellit. Instead, she receives an urgent message from Tonner Freis, whose face appears visibly enraged. He summons her to an emergency meeting at the lab the next day and explicitly instructs her not to tell anyone about it. The chapter ends on this ominous note, disrupting the chapter's celebratory mood.