After several days without a sign of Ariadne, Philip is very surprised to encounter Bendix, who flies into the House with a large casket.  He informs the baffled Philip that Ariadne is inside, but there appear to be no hinges or locks.  Philip and Jesse examine the casket, discovering two musical staffs engraved onto one side.  Jesse takes out his ocarina, but before he can attempt to play the notes, a voice coming from the box itself warns him against it.  Ignoring the cryptic warnings, Jesse plays the song and the box cracks open, revealing an unconscious Ariadne in fifty gallons of water.

 

Valero manages to revive Ariadne, but her behavior is erratic and she seems unable to use words to communicate, but continues to sing the same song over and over again.  After careful examination, Casey and Valero determine that Ariadne is suffering from sensory deprivation, a form of torture known to cause severe mental damage to Andorians.  Philip takes it in stride, exposing Ariadne to as much sensory imput as possible and Ariadne slowly recovers.

 

Meanwhile, the advance team travels to the abandoned building where Ariadne ran her sweep.  They find freshly shattered glass, which Casey determines has been broken by sound waves.  Bendix offers to take a team to the theatre where he found Ariadne and Philip, Tranns, and Amorette quickly volunteer to go.  In the theatre, they are surprised to find Rufio, the musical stranger who nearly broke up Philip and Ariadne a year ago.  He gloats over his "wedding present" to Philip, but admits that they're now even after Philip threw him out of the House.  Rufio agrees to return and fix Ariadne.

 

In the House, Ariadne has grown more lucid, in part thanks to the efforts of Adriana.  When she is offered the option of speaking to Rufio, she accepts and Philip takes her down to the lobby.  Rufio turns cold at the sight of her and begins tormenting Philip with sound waves.  When Philip strikes back, Rufio sings the song that Ariadne's been repeating over and over again.  She goes rigid and suddenly turns on Philip, attacking him with the full strength of an Andorian warrior.

 

The fight tears up the lobby, knocking Rufio unconscious.  Philip tries his best to reach Ariadne, but she shows no sign of recognition, so he knocks her out just as the noise summons Casey and Shawn.  Rufio is thrown into the basement while the kitchen crew examine Ariadne.  They determine that the song Rufio sang was a trigger which was programed into her unconscious memory during her sensory deprivation.  Casey explains that the trigger can be removed if Ariadne is put back in stasis for awhile.  Philip reluctantly agrees.  Meanwhile, in the basement, Rufio is soliticited by Kazuo with the option of joining the Ebene.  He accepts.