The chapter opens with a soliloquy by Victor, in which he laments the fact that he feels the same way as Enobaruchi. He compares himself to a "guinea pig" who has died. He tells the rags that he will follow him if he becomes the new leader of the human race. He also tells them that he is not fit to be a leader anymore, since he has "gone all soft" on them. He wonders why they are asking him, and wonders if he has a chance of becoming the leader now that he has been "all soft" for so long. The rags ask him why he is asking, and he answers that he does not want to be the leader anymore because one of them has died and looked at him. He says that if he had beaten him, he would think about it, but he thinks he has only a chance now because he has gone soft. He asks why they have asked, and she replies that they do not want him to become the leader because he is weak. She tells him that she is not hopeful about his future, as he will not be able to share his life with her. She says that she hopes that he would come to share her life. She adds that she has come to search for the last few remaining human survivors, since they cannot bear the new life that the cognate can produce. She also says that since the humans cannot bear it, they will go extinct with the humans. She wonders how Victor will react to all of this, and says that he had never thought of such a speech in his life before. He feels that he acted as a "bride in waiting" , and that all he had to do was wait. He is glad that he saved his wife's life, and is angry at Enobar