Reinhard von Müsel proceeds with the plan of using a predicted solar eruption to provide the destroyer Hameln II the necessary speed boost to escape from the rapidly closing in Alliance ambush squadron. One bridge crew member, fearing that the ship will be drawn by the gravity of the star into oblivion if the predicted eruption does not occur, tries to escape in an escape pod but is prevented with the combined effort of Reinhard and Siegfried Kircheis. Meanwhile, repairs on the ship's engines are unable to be completed due to a malfunctioning thruster that has to be repaired from the exterior of the ship. Lieutenant Bertram volunteers to take on this extremely dangerous outboard mission, hoping to atone somewhat for his killing of Rolf Zaidel...