Defender Zik remembers just in time that he’s exposed himself to the other sniper! As Trent Quickdraw lays down a barrage of suppressing fire, he dives back under cover.

Morren takes advantage of the situation to launch another batch of grenades, laughing at his opponent’s error. But being distracted by his prey, Morren fails to notice that Tanaka and Sten have managed to sneak up on him, and are now on the rim of the crater right on top of him!  Keeping under cover so the other Jairian sniper doesn’t see him, Tanaka leans out to get a clear shot on his prey, but the boulders under his feet shift! This cliff face is dangerously unstable!

But that gives the ever-resourceful Sten an idea: If they can’t get a clean shot on Morren without exposing themselves, why not just drop the boulder on his head? Even in this lower gravity, the great rock must have enough mass to crush their foe! Tanaka gleefully agrees with the plan, and the two get ready to create an avalanche.

While Trent Quickdraw tries to get a message back to the Temerity, Amelia coaxes the crystals out of the cave. But there’s a problem with each plan: the ship still isn’t responding, and the crystals have balked at the cave entrance!

Even though there are some crystals outside of the cave, the bulk have moved to the cave entrance and seem to be unable to leave. Frustrated, Amelia starts to go back into the cave to find Defender Zik before the crystals grow too thick to pass. But Trent tries to stop her from rushing back in.

Amelia’s temper flares, and she rounds on Trent.  She indelicately reminds Trent that the two of them survived the factory explosion because Zik decided to move an unconscious Trent out of the riot. She refuses to abandon Zik to the crystal-filled cave!

Trent finally gets a word in, and explains his plan to use the Temerity’s much stronger broadcasting abilities to lure the crystals out of the cave. Realizing she was wrong to assume Trent was giving up, Amelia apologizes for her short temper and jumps on the new strategy.. but will it work?

As the crew of the Temerity coasts over the savage landscape of planet Hypnos, Francisco notices a strange lack of readings nearby, like a shadow on his monitor. Zik decides that’s as good a place to start a close-up investigation as any, and spots a small valley to land in.

After landing, the crew gets ready to head outside. Francisco declines to join the away team, because he wants to follow up on his investigation of the debris field following the planet as it hurtles between the stars. He’s noticed a strong similarity between the debris and parts of the planet that are at higher elevations, and wants to confirm his suspicions.

A foursome comprising Mizhakwan, Trent, Amelia and Zik descends the ramp and steps onto the surface of the mysterious world. Amelia and Zik are struck by a landscape bearing the scars of some mighty cataclysm. Intrigued by Francisco’s line of reasoning, Zik suggests setting out for a spot where two types of terrain seem to intersect.

However, Mizhakwan is getting some strong feelings about the planet, and the shadows on the scans that brought the crew here to begin with. Zik goes along with the suggestion, because they can always check out the geology on the way back, right?