Part 2, Chapters 33-36 Summary

In Chapter 33, Pham loosens restrictions on Blueshell as the pursuers draw closer, argues with Ravna, and he sits for hours in "godshatter state," his mind entirely taken over and functioning at superhuman speed. When OOB's ultradrive and automation fail and the workshop catches fire, Pham accepts Ravna's earlier suggestion to contact SjK. Ølvira's Group Captain, Kjet Svensndot, is already contemplating mutiny when Ravna appears on-screen, denying that OOB belongs to the Alliance or the Blight. Fleet Central under Owner Giske Limmende and Chief of Staff Jan Skrits are about to order Svensndot to ignore the "unknown vessel," when communications end. The channel to OOB stays open long enough to conclude that through Riders aboard the flagship, the Blight has taken over. Svensndot agrees to rally friends.

When the storm front blows in laterally, communications are lost and, deep in...