Chapter 102

***This article contains spoilers.***

## Highlights

* Devereux accepts John's offer to have him heal her, and has Jade feed her.
* Jade remembers the names of the four Lenarrans: Marika, Leylira, Betrixa, and Neysa. She becomes depressed when none of them show signs of independence or past memories.
* Alyssa projects Baledranax's memories of Larn'kelnar, the other Progenitor, confirming most of what the team already knew. The team also thinks Larn may be John's brother, based on something Mael'nerak said about Ranagon: *"One of my brothers ... another Progenitor seeks to challenge my dominion."*

## Notes

### Miscellaneous

* Alyssa is furious at Edraele for giving John a realistic appraisal of the situation, where the odds aren't great and lives will be lost. ***Fuck that!*** *Alyssa snapped, cutting Edraele off as she gave full-bore to her rage.* ***I’m in charge when it comes to John! You don’t get to go behind my back like that!*** Edraele thinks it's a terrible mistake not to prepare John for reality, but concedes to Alyssa, who thinks John's not ready to handle it.
* Tashana makes a fire halo on her head while joking around with the team during the debriefing watching footage of the battle. Alyssa was shocked she didn't have to use hand gestures. Apparently it's possible, but it just takes more concentration.
* Alyssa had read Baledranax's mind shortly before his death, and projects her memories of his memories of the other Progenitor to the team. The Progenitor's name, Larn'kelnar, means "Soul Reaver" in ancient Maliri. The team thinks Larn may be John's brother, based on something Mael'nerak said about Ranagon: "One of my brothers ... another Progenitor seeks to challenge my dominion."
	+ Alyssa's memories of Baledranax's memories of Larn'kelnar confirm some of what they already know: Larn made contact with the Emperor, then promised to support the Kintark in their conquest of the Terran Federation. Baledranax knew all about the Dragon March traitors and used the information Norwood was sending to orchestrate some stunning victories for the Empire. Lynton never dealt with the Emperor directly; she used Norwood as her puppet.
	+ The Brimorians have been allied with the Kintark for over a century. Both empires kept it quiet, but they were acting together to counter Terran expansionism. After the Brimorians captured all those Terran colonists in the Callopean Shoals, Baledranax traded the gene-modification tech with Deep Lord Athgiloi’s predecessor. The Brimorians kept most of the young women to breed the Abandoned, giving the Kintark all the men and older women to work to death in slave camps like the Xen-Nuchek mine.
* Lieutenant Commander Tom Walker is the fiancé of Buckingham's daughter, Annabelle Newmont, and friends with Buckingham's son, Mason Newmont, with whom he's stationed on the same ship. On a call, Anna tells him to look after her brother, Mace.

### Minor Characters

* Tom Walker: Lieutenant Commander. Anna's fiancé.
* Annabelle Newmont: Lieutenant Commander. Tom's fiancée. Buckingham's daughter. Mason's sister.
* Mason Newmont: Commander. Buckingham's son. Anna's brother.

### Locations

* Epsilon Aquarii
* Genthalas Shipyard: The colossal orbital facility is shaped like a wheel, with over two-thirds of the station now brightly illuminated, and more facilities being brought online by the day.