Investigating the Space Patrol cutter docked to the Lady Jane, the single unconscious pilot is mind probed by Carson and brain scanned by Hector
Hector rigs a visual feedback loop on space suits to counter mental illusions which seem to combat the mind control
A female clone avatar manifests to Carson only and appears to be a child-mind interested in information
Cloner Dreadnought on fast approach, Carson, Hector and Richter take Space Patrol cutter to the Cloner transport. Carson convinces avatar to let them in. Hector repairs engine while ship is investigated
Gestalt alien/
lovecraft chips/tech Cloner network discovered where new clones have their minds join.
Cloner transport and cutter jump to nearby system to avoid dreadnought, which shows up later (as does Wodehouse's ship)
Parker and Adiss get subsummed by hive mind and teach it how to fix the ship as well as instilling some of their personality in it.
Carson convinces hive mind to go to safe moon nearby. Hector remote controls the ship to land and overloads the drive so ship can't leave. It was too interested in devouring minds for information, starting with the dreadnought
Carson volunteers to join the hive mind to teach it ethics
O2STK to be informed and keep an eye on the progress of the hive mind