The Archon orders Koenig killed but a guilty Varda persuades the ruler to spare his life. As the Archon withdraws, the Commander is secured in a force-field until the meson converter's antimatter coils recharge; the attack has temporarily drained its power. Malic approaches Varda with a sly proposal: allow his uncle to die and when he is named Archon, she may have anything she desires. The Consul's reply is blunt. The Archon fosters peace and stability, while Malic's ambitions will plunge the empire into war and misery. Now that Malic has shown his treasonous intent, she bars him from the Archon's presence.