Narda and the Sky Marshal

The GRAUE ARDA, commanded by Max von Valdec, approaches a Black Hole in Space II, intending to meet the BERLIN and force the Terranauts to surrender. Valdec plans to use Mater Jennia, a Gray Driver, to maintain telepathic contact with his fleet across the vast distance. Meanwhile, aboard the BERLIN, David terGorden, Lyda Mar, Llewellyn 709, and Narda are preparing a counter-blackmail, hoping to use the mutated Seeker-Consciousness to take control of Valdec's fleet.

As the BERLIN approaches the Black Hole, Lyda Mar senses the arrival of Valdec's fleet. A shockwave from the arrival of Valdec's ships causes Space II near the Black Hole to collapse, creating a tear in space-time. David, Lyda, and Llewellyn are pulled through the rift to an unknown planet near the Black Hole, while Narda and the remaining Terranauts struggle to maintain control of the BERLIN. On the unknown planet, David, Lyda, and Llewellyn find themselves as shadows, unable to interact physically with the world. They discover that the planet is doomed, with its sun about to become a nova.

Back on the CYGNI, Valhala 13, a Riemenmann double of Llewellyn 709, awakens and is forced by Queen Ishiya to help her land on Rorqual and spread the Hate Plague. Claude Farrell and Ruben Carcones, also infected, try to stop them, but are captured. Valhala learns of the Terranauts' plan to trap Valdec at the Black Hole and decides to thwart it.

The Seeker-Consciousness attempts to help the Terranauts by breathing intelligence into the Seekers aboard Valdec's ships, but a mistake leads to a crisis. Narda, acting as David terGorden through manipulated communications, attempts to convince Valdec to link his computers with the BERLIN's, but he refuses. However, she manages to transmit false coordinates to Valdec. Lyda, in a dream, learns from her unborn child, Aura Damona Mar, that their presence on the doomed planet is preventing a greater catastrophe.

Valdec's fleet arrives at the Black Hole, and the Seeker-Consciousness takes control of the ships' computers. Narda attempts to negotiate with Valdec, but he reveals that the antidote is on Earth. Valhala, now fully consumed by the Hate Plague, attempts to sabotage the Terranauts' plan, but is stopped by the combined efforts of David, Lyda, and Llewellyn, who sacrifice him to close the rift and prevent the catastrophe. The Terranauts, now in control of Valdec's fleet, set course for Earth to retrieve the antidote.