“The Saviour soldiers have come to Avij…” the diver says. Tirad looks at him, confused. It is not the first time the soldiers have come to Avij. In the past eight months that Tirad has lived on the Avij Ship with Dalia, the soldiers have come to search the ship many times. But Tirad had introduced himself as ‘Narivan’ from the start and had managed to hide himself. Dalia had stolen oxygen masks from the divers and every time the soldiers came, Tirad would take the mask and hide under Asin’s boat. The soldiers never searched under the boats. And one of the times, Tirad had gone on a diving trip and the soldiers had returned without finding him. When Tirad and Dalia came to Avij, Tirad changed his name and they gave their boat – stolen from the Oxan boatman – as a good offering to the Avij Ship. The Avij chief, Ardaz, had asked Dalia where her mother was and she had told him her mother died at childbirth. She had said the boatman had become ill and they had to go to Parsana to cure him, but the boatman had died in Parsana. She told them that she met Narivan on Parsana and they were married there and the boat they had was Narivan’s wedding gift to her. Ardaz hadn’t asked further questions. Even though Dalia’s father hadn’t returned, Ardaz had taken the boat and let the newlyweds stay on Avij. Tirad is sure the Saviour soldiers are not looking for him. They have already come to find him five times in the rain season. They must be mad to try again!

“The soldiers have the Circle’s order… The Circle has asked every ship to send thirty fighting men and women. They have come with boats waiting for us to give them a list and take the men with them,” the diver continues. The war is not just a rumour amore. It has begun and whether Tirad wants it or not, he will be a part of it.

“Why are you telling me this?” Tirad asks the diver who is looking down shamefully. He must have said this at the wrong time for Tirad is now the hero of the day and the Avij Ship will owe him their newly found wealth!

“Ardaz has given your name in the list. He has sent a courier boat to take you and Shirang back to Avij. You will be sent to the Saviour Ship with the soldiers,” the diver says, still avoiding Tirad’s face. Tirad is shocked by this news. He must have known! Ardaz is still unaware of his great discovery, he understands Ardaz’s choice. If he were in his place, he would also send the new comers, still learning to dive instead of professional miners. Yet Tirad can’t go back. If he disobeys the chief, he will be expelled from the ship but he has many reasons not to be sent off. The first reason is his true identity and then Dalia’s due date which is close. They had entered Avij without any problems, but leaving it seems difficult. He shouldn’t say anything to the diver. He has to return to the ship and decide what to do with the help of Dalia. The diver points at the courier boat floating around the diving boat stern. He says Shirang is already on the courier waiting for him. Arjia and the rest of the diving team give him a warm, friendly farewell and promise him a good reward for his discovery. They escort him to the courier and return to their mining plans.