Panel 1
View from just behind Kwame's shoulder. Regent Prodótis walks past him across the stage, his gold and red robes catching the warm amber light. As he passes, a small crescent-shaped marking is visible on the back of his neck beneath his swept-back hair.
Kwame thinks: "Is that an imperial marking?"

Panel 2
View from the audience. Kwame stands tiny and alone at centre stage beneath a hard white spotlight. Behind him the Soteria hovers magnificently, filling the entire background with cascading multicoloured light in teal, violet, rose and gold. The contrast between the spectacular ship and the small nervous boy is stark.

Panel 3
View from the stage looking out. An overwhelming sea of expectant faces stretches back into the vast darkness of the chamber — row upon row of richly dressed citizens, all eyes fixed silently forward.
Caption: Kwame froze as he looked out at the expectant audience.

Panel 4
Kwame stands alone under the spotlight facing the audience, mouth open. From his lips floats a single tiny musical note. The audience stares back in total silence, expressions patient and unreadable. Nobody moves.
Caption: That was all that came out.