Now that it’s clear that the crystals are reacting to the signals the crew are emitting, Defender Zik has gotten everyone to switch to a compressed burst transmission setting, so that they are only broadcasting a small amount of data instead of a full audio stream. Next, they step away from the edge of the crevasse that Mizhakwan fell into, because the last thing they need is another fall! Then Zik explains that he’ll lure the crystals on one side of the cave while Amelia and Trent Quickdraw quietly make an escape from the other side.

When Amelia asks what he’ll do, Zik explains that he intends to help Mizhakwan out of the pit. While he’s doing that, he asks the other two to lure the crystals from outside the cave in order to facilitate Zik and Mizhakwan’s exit. A nervous Amelia follows Trent as he picks his way through the lengthening crystals.  As they proceed, Zik switches off his burst transmission and begins luring the crystals towards him.

The plan works! Trent and Amelia make it out of the cave, but the crystals have grown so thick behind them that they can’t see Zik anymore! Worse, they’re absorbing nearly all of Zik’s broadcast signal, and they can no longer make out what he’s saying!

Defender Zik rushes over to the edge of the crevasse that Mizhakwan disappeared into and tries to establish radio contact with her.  A weak, unintelligible signal comes back, but they can hear her voice!

As relieved Amelia asks how they’ll get her out, Trent interrupts with another problem he’s found.  The crystals that are all around them are growing and moving closer! What’s more, they seem to get more energetic every time they speak!

A sudden realization dawns on Zik, and he gets everyone to stay silent for a moment. After switching his own broadcast settings to use a burst transmission, he explains how to do it to the others. This mode will compress what they say to each other into a tiny data packet so that they keep their emissions to a minimum.

It seems to work; the crystals react only mildly to Zik’s explanation. Everyone’s favorite space hero then begins to explain his cunning plan…