Just as Ros Lai is about to kill Quinlan Vos, her sisters arrive, to find the beautiful woman that she has become. Her identity revealed, Ros uses the opportunity to vent her anger by killing two of her sisters. The last one standing, Vonya, attempts to kill Ros Lai, but is stopped by Quin. Vonya then vanishes, using the Force, and reports back to her mistress. On his way to find his friend Yag Shushin, Quin was attacked and captured by a patrol of Nightsisters, who take him back to Mistres Zalem for interrogation. There, Vonya injects him with deadly artery worms. Meanwhile, Yag arrives at his ship, only to find Ros Lai inside. She convinces him to fly the ship for her, as long as they rescue Quin. They burst into the Queen’s chambers to find Quin, and rescue him, but the worms have wreaked havoc on his body. Ros Lai gives Quin a potion made of her own blood in an attempt to save him, just as an enemy ship fires its torpedoes on them.
