Cesca found packets of Bram’s favorite pepperflower tea and brewed him a cup, though the old man had great difficulty sitting up to take a sip. He did, however, smile at her in appreciation.

He slept for about an hour. Cesca sat restlessly next to Jess, and the two talked in low voices. Although she ached to do so, she dared not speak to Jess about whether they could finally accept their love for each other. That would take time, she knew.

With this startling new information, Jhy Okiah would call her back to Rendezvous as soon as possible, but she hated to leave Jess alone with his sudden responsibilities. His four uncles had already picked up the work of pumping and shipping the water, as well as electrochemical conversion into traditional high-energy fuels. The Plumas water industry had been in the Tamblyn family for generations, and it was their duty to keep it functioning, regardless of family disasters. Many of the Roamer clans depended upon it.

Cesca squeezed Jess’s hand. “You’ll manage, Jess. The crews are all trained, the equipment runs smoothly. Your uncles know what they’re doing. You’re strong and smart, and you’re a good man.”

“Ross was a good man, too.” Jess did not look at her, but stared instead at his father’s drawn face as he slept. “That didn’t help him against the alien attackers … or even with my father.”

With a commotion that seemed calculated to destroy any peaceful rest her father might have gotten, Tasia entered the dwelling, pushing through the insulation seal and stomping her booted feet, with EA following her. Her face was pink from the cold, as if she had paced around the ice shelf, mulling over her thoughts. Tasia’s face was screwed up with determination. Cesca didn’t know Jess’s little sister as well as she’d hoped, but she could see that the girl had not come for the purpose of comforting her father.

Jess obviously recognized his sister’s mood. He immediately tried to deflect whatever outburst Tasia was about to make. “Did the message runner depart yet? You can escort him back to his ship, if he needs the company.”

“He’s gone, but before he left, he showed me King Frederick’s recruitment message.”

Cesca felt a coldness in her heart, already anticipating what the young woman was about to say.

Struggling to sit up, Bram reached over to find his cup of now-cold pepperflower tea, scowled at it, and looked back at Tasia. “What are you thinking, young lady?”

“I’m thinking of my duty, Dad. You’ve told us enough times that we have to think of the Roamers, and not ourselves.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “What if I offer my services to the Earth Defense Forces?”