- Deryn is on the spine of the ship, getting ready to ascend in a Huxley; she's already checked on Mr. Rigby, who is recovering quickly, and now she sees an uninjured Newkirk.
- Deryn reflects on how close of a call she had: if she'd been injured, the surgeons might have undressed her.
- Captain Hobbes blows his whistle for attention, and gives the crew the good news: things are getting repaired. Then he gives them the bad news: not enough things are getting repaired, and they may have to let the Leviathan die in order to save the people aboard.
- Deryn isn't okay with this though, and she tells Newkirk that Alek is going to help them.
- In a hurry to find out where Alek lives, she ascends while the captain is still talking.
- Up in the Huxley, Deryn scans the horizon, discovering the castle Alek came from.
- Then she spots the walker heading toward the Leviathan; she flashes a message down.
- She sees the Austrian crest and figures out that Alek isn't Swiss—and therefore, isn't neutral—so she jabbers a message to her message lizard and sends it down the rope.
- She realizes that only Alek will be able to stop the walker from attacking. The message lizard isn't moving fast enough.
- Deryn needs to go down herself, however tricky that may be.