“If you mean the ventasium, I doubt they care,” Boo replied. “But they’ve obviously lost so much more.”

The group of six rounded a series of huts and Leo found himself staring at a giant stone bowl, thirty or forty feet across, fashioned out of the same yellow rock as the buildings nearby. This, apparently, was a cistern. Or at least what was left of it. Nearly half of it had collapsed—destroyed, Leo guessed, by the quakes. The Orin had already gathered up new stones to be used as replacements along with a handful of basic tools. Two more of the planet’s natives were busy grinding white powder in barrels and mixing it with some noxious-smelling liquid poured from carved wooden pitchers. Without a word their two escorts quickly set to work doing the same.

“So what do we do?” Leo asked.

Boo pointed to the pile of stones and then to the collapsed wall. “We get our hands dirty.”

Skits swiveled her head. “I think we mechanicals should sit back and supervise for a change,” she said.

“And I think you should start hauling stone,” Boo countered, taking one of the smooth yellow rocks from the pile and fitting it into place where the damage began.

Shree and Rint dragged over one of the small barrels they’d filled and set it by Leo’s feet, giving him his first look at the mixture inside, the color and consistency of glue. Shree pointed at the barrel, then at the stone Boo had placed. She dipped her hand into the goop and smeared it into the gaps, completely coating the new stone on both sides. She stared at Leo. “Lark?”

“You want me to just stick my hand in that stuff? What if it eats my skin off?”

Shree just smiled and scooped up another mittful of sealant for the next stone.

“I think you’ll be okay,” Boo said. “They intend to drink out of this thing, you know.”

Leo wrinkled his nose and looked back into the barrel. He thought back to long summer afternoons at the community pool. How Gareth would always jump straight in, claiming it was the only way to do anything—full bore, headfirst—while Leo skimmed a toe and said he needed to warm up first. Leo took pride in being cautious and thoughtful.

He dipped in a finger. Turned out there was nothing to fear. The mixture didn’t instantly dissolve it down to the bone. He took a handful and followed Shree’s example, earning him another toothy smile. “Lark,” she said. “Hertru.”

At least you’re happy, Leo thought.

A couple of miles away Zirkus Crayt was hard at work building a device to save the galaxy. Somewhere out there his father was attempting to sabotage the Djarik, and Gareth was wandering, lost and alone. There were battles raging all across the galaxy and here he was, patching holes. “This is stupid. We’re supposed to be finding my brother and saving the world,” he muttered.

“One stone at a time, Leo,” Boo replied, though he was, in fact, placing two. “If you can’t help the ones you want, then help the ones you can. Also, you missed a spot.” He pointed to a gap between two rocks.