Having discovered the cargo container that was holding the saboteurs, and having accounted for four of them, the characters know that there are possible three remaining. They search a bit more near the hull breach but find no clues as to the identity or origin of the intruders. Moving further forward they find a comms terminal and relate what they’ve found to Reade and Landau. Landau asks them to scan the ID module of the open container.
Jack and Fred move quickly over a raised platform to the starboard side of the forward section while Nevada and Tenken scan the ID module. As Jack steps back down onto the main deck, a laser beam streaks by him and hits the back wall. Fred pushes himself toward the starboard wall and takes cover behind a container as more laser fire lights up the darkness.
Nevada and Poole soon arrive to support Jack and Fred. Fred attempts to grapple one of the intruders into submission, but just as he is about to succeed, one of the other invaders shoots his companion dead. Their foes clearly do not mean to be taken alive.
A second intruder goes down leaving only the one that shot Fred’s captive and presumably the leader. The characters try to capture him as well, but before he can be subdued, he commits suicide by ripping off the glove of his own vacc suit and asphyxiating.
The bodies are searched, but as with the others, there are no identifying marks or symbols on either their suits or their persons. With all the intruders accounted for, the characters and Poole recover all the bodies, including the dead crewmen and begin moving them past the heavy doors between the forward and mid sections. Poole closes the doors and atmosphere, and gravity are restored to the mid-section.
Back on the bridge, the characters consult with Reade and Landau. Based on the ID module scan it’s been determined that the cargo container holding the intruders was loaded on Mimere and headed for Pryden. The motive for blowing the hole in the cargo bay was uncertain, either deliberate sabotage or escape. Reade suspects that the low berths were on timers, and that the intruders meant to wake up when on Pryden, but instead exited early due to Reade’s unplanned side trip to Khunimmam. Reade suggests that the characters make no mention of the sabotage when on Arges as Helios and Malik will want to make their own “arrangements” before involving the authorities.