In the infirmary of Bastion Station, your favorite space hero gets an update on the efforts to protect his fellow Zozians from the diseases that have been floating around the rest of humanity while they’ve been separated for the last thousand years. As it turns out, enough Zozians have gotten their immune systems ready that Doctor Taylor is happy to report that Zik and the crew of the station will be able to leave quarantine soon. Zik also gets an update on Tanaka’s condition, which has stabilized following his surgery.

Taking his leave with Amelia, Zik inquires as to the reason the Doctor seemed annoyed with her.  Amelia discloses that she’s been having a hard time sleeping on the space station, because it’s so quiet compared to her tent on the Zernabian prison planet, and because she’s getting nightmares about all her friends dying in the factory explosion.

Zik sympathizes, and says that he’s noticed the difficulty the Zernabians have been having adjusting to all that’s happened. That he’s been keeping things fun during quarantine hasn’t gone unnoticed by Amelia, and while she’s grateful, she just can’t sleep.

To cheer her up, Zik lets her know that the Temerity is being prepped for launch, and that if she wants to copilot with him, she’s welcome. An excited Amelia heads off to get suited up, while Zik boards the elevator to the bridge of Bastion Station.

Defender Zik checks in with the engineers on his new ship, The Temerity, so see if they can take her out for a spin.  Chief Engineer Dakaasin lets Zik know that all systems are ready to go! Sten is always obsessed with doing calibrations to optimize weapon performance, so he’s tinkering with the Point Defense System, and will be working on the big Vakarian cannons next. Zik wants to go on a journey, so it’s time to get the sleek spaceship ready to fly!

As Zik heads to the bridge, he decides to take a detour into the infirmary.  Dr. Lucien Taylor has been working closely with doctors and hospitals across Zoz to help everyone on Zoz get their immune systems ready for contact with the rest of the galaxy! No one wants a repeat of what happened when Europeans and North Americans started mingling for the first time in the 1500s.

But when Zik gets to the infirmary, he sees Amelia in her pajamas apologizing to the doctor for something. What’s going on?