Back on the Temerity, Defender Zik decides that the danger of an impending meteorite storm is too great, and it’s time to move the ship. But Mizhakwan doesn’t want to leave the crystals behind!

Zik agrees that these crystals are very much worth studying, but not at the risk of their lives. The tenacious Mizhakwan insists that they stay, because she’s convinced that the crystals are alive, an idea that’s met with incredulity by Francisco.

But wait, Trent has noticed something on this monitor… the Temerity is receiving some kind of signal! They’re in a very remote location, between the stars, so it’s very odd to be receiving a transmission. Trent plays the audio of the transmission…

Incredibly, it’s from the crystals! They are transmitting back what Mizhakwan said to them when she wanted them to stop moving!

Zik decides that since they’re communicating, they must be alive!

The fire is out! Zik manages to contact Arata on the intercom, which is somehow still operational despite the wreckage of the mine access building. Coordinating with the guys down at the bottom, he hauls on the elevator cables, trying to save the trapped miner, but to no avail! They barely manage to budge it. If only they had a little more help! Suddenly, Ryan appears at the opening of the building and gets the drop on Zik. Zik turns on all his charm to try and convince the young man to help him rescue the miner instead of killing him. Ryan thinks about it. He thinks about everything he’s seen his side do in the last hour, and he comes to a decision. He isn’t on the right side of this fight. He tosses aside his gun and prepares to join Zik to help the miner!