This chapter's epigraph comes from a conversation between Valere and Valere's father, who is still alive. Valere asks Valere why he didn't give him his clothes when he first arrived, and he replies that he doesn't care what Valere thinks, as his body is "just an in harmony lump of metal." Valere then asks why he had to revive the corpse of his first victim. He tells Valere that he's lost count of the number of times Valere has saved him, and that it was Valere who saved him when he was first saved by Valere. He also tells him that if Valere had died, Valere would never have been able to face Valere again, because Valere is just like Valere, just like his original body. He's also worried that Valere will die before Valere can face him again, since Valere isn't as strong as he used to be. When Valere realizes that the rebels are trying to revive irene, he realizes that they're really trying to kill him. He wonders if they'll be able to fight at any time, and wonders if there's any sign of burn wounds on the corpse. He then wonders if the corpse is a mich particle, an assassination weapon. He thinks it's the perfect weapon, because it hardens instantly and disappears without a