He is sure now that his return has been useless. They just need to get out of there somehow and save their own lives. The war that Mart had started was not based on reason and won’t be stopped by Tirad’s surrender. His reasons for starting this war is beyond the excuses he had given to the people and the rumours he had spread on the ships and islands. Tirad will go away from here for good! But he needs to take his revenge for the deaths of Hurmaz, Lealy, the Oxan refugees and the Parsana healers. He is sure now that all this has been done by Mart and it is his right and responsibility to avenge him.

“Are you sure you said the name Farnab correctly to the courier?” Tirad asks Dalia. She confirms. He is still not sure what Farnab could do with the letter and the original documents he has sent him? He hopes when Farnab reads about the parallel Narratives and his account of last year’s calamities, he and the other third tier disciples would spare his life. As long as they all believe he is guilty, he has no way out. But even the smallest doubts could make them listen and see things differently. He has written to Farnab explaining everything and asking him to judge for himself and decide who has gained power and wealth after the Oxan fire and who has lost all he had? Tirad hopes after he gets his revenge and escapes the Saviour Ship, Farnab would be able to clear his name. But it depends on Mart’s influence on the third and fourth tier disciples and whether or not Mart has already bought them. Farnab was the only person Tirad hoped to have stayed away from Mart’s agendas. It might be a false hope but it’s the only hope he has. He needs to wait and see what will happen. There is nothing useful in the cabin to help them escape. If the Ship didn’t have electricity, he could easily burn the piled up papers with an oil lamp and get out. He seems to be thinking aloud and Dalia has heard him.

“We can connect the wires and make the Ship power go down…and then escape…” Dalia says pointing to the wires on the ceiling. Tirad looks up at the lamp and the wire stretched all the way on the roof to the top of the cabin door. He doesn’t say anything. But he knows they will need more than darkness to get away. How will they get rid of the guards? Dalia must have known her words were not practical enough. She tries again.

“We can wait until midnight. They will turn off the electrical power then…” Dalia suggests.

“There has to be another way…” Tirad replies, brooding. He needs a knife or a dagger. He could take down one of the guards with the chains but what will he do with the second and the third and so on. The guards must be armed, having a dagger at least. He needs to do something to get rid of them at once and make them clear the floor. He says this to Dalia and points at the paper piles.