Four

Rickar Daumatin announces that he has accepted a position at Dyan Academy, which will dissolve the research team that Tonner has led for eight months. The team reacts with shock and anger, and Tonner strategizes ways to fight the decision through the colloquy before the vote. Later, Tonner confides his fears about losing the project to Else on their balcony, and they share an intimate but strained evening together.

Rickar reveals to Tonner and the research team in their laboratory that Samar Austad, chief administrator at Dyan Academy, is pushing the colloquy to offer him a position that would scatter the team. Despite Tonner's protests that refusing the offer was an option, Rickar argues he had no real choice and invokes resignation to inevitability. The team members express varying degrees of disappointment and anger. Tonner declares the lab is still his until the colloquy votes and demands Rickar leave. After Rickar departs, the team discusses countermeasures. Dafyd, a research assistant, advises against a loud public campaign, which could backfire with the colloquy, and instead suggests identifying Austad's allies and enemies to construct a counterproposal that would fracture Austad's coalition. Else supports the idea of fighting, while Nöl expresses fatalistic doubts. Later, in Tonner's apartment with its balcony overlooking the city—a space he chose partly to attract Else—Tonner confides his existential anxiety about losing the project, saying it defines who he is. Else challenges him to articulate his fear fully. They spar verbally about Dafyd's trustworthiness and scheming nature, with Tonner revealing his distrust while Else defends the boy as charming and kind. Tonner acknowledges he is being irritable because of his anger rather than at Else specifically. She brings him whiskey, and they retire to bed. Tonner dreams of ground collapsing beneath him as he tries to reach his labs.