Using Walter's ornithopter and their own wings, Envoy, Walter, Icarus and Violette fly to New Zion. After securing Walter's craft, they head for the industrial district metalworks, in hopes of finding aluminum Envoy can work with.

There's a slight altercation where an armored Silent-One is rude to Envoy, and Icarus demands that he apologize. The Silent-One is curious about Icarus, and Envoy explains that she and he are Exiles, and not 'abominations' as the man had called her earlier. The Silent-One turns out to be Born-in-War, part of the Silent-Ones Consulate, and actually extends an invitation for the them to visit (and notes that turning it down would be an insult).

Icarus pouts silently after Envoy corrects him for challenging the man over a minor insult. Inside the store, she purchases some scrap aluminum to test, and finds she can mold it easily with magic. Turning it into sapphire takes considerably more effort, even with the battery crystal, until Icarus boosts the local magic field. The resulting crystal is nearly perfect, and the vendor gives Envoy a huge discount on her order in exchange for it.

Once they get to the brighter (and noisier) shopping district, Icarus seems to lose his glum demeanor, even though the group is getting many strange looks. They settle on an outdoor cafe that serves ice cream, and Envoy introduces the treat to Violette and Icarus, while Walter points out a shady figure that seems to be watching them. Envoy suspects a government or civilian tail, until the man talks to a compatriot and then vanishes.

Moments later, an apparently out of control automobile races through the street on a collision course with them, driven by the man who was spying on them.