Just Add Water

They're among the confirmed dead at the Farms.

"Oh, gosh, I am sorry to hear that. Look, kid, it's hard. Some of my people are gone too, you can be sure. Better get used to it, anyway. 'The blood of explorers must continually water the tree of settlement,' you know the saying...but it's not the end. Never is."

Here's Sind. Sind, meet Bear. We get free beer.

"Well hello, Sind. Katie, two Lunabrews, please."

Can you recommend a place to hole up down here? "Aw, you should stay here in the bar. We intend to make it comfortable for as many folk as we can for as long as needed. I've got room for a couple dozen sleep pallets in the back, more here, and we could even put 'em out in the hall...."

Oh, thanks, but we just want a quiet spot to curl up on. "Good for you, kid. I think I know where you're going with this. OK. There is a green down the hall, south, and some nice empty holes further on, near the Main Drop access. You want privacy?" Uh, Sind can you hear? No? Maybe something very private. "OK. One cave has a basement dug. It's gonna be a warehouse, you'll recognize the wide door frames. Check that out."

Sind, here's a beer. You want to put the food in my pack?

"Say, you guys are just hooking up, aren't you?" Ah, yes. "Mmmmm. You gonna record it?" What? "You and her?" Well, yes, of course.

The cave that Bear suggested is perfect. Sind and I have set up camp in the basement among piles of carpet and tiles. There is a bit of light from an opening in the cave's ceiling, but we eat by the light of my com's screen.

</feed> ...ten centimeters, splashing the walls of Dee hall near the Main Drop and getting deeper. Security believes that burst sewage lines may have flooded the drop landing there... I repeat, no water main that is controlled by this company has been breached... <Just Add Water>

Sind has pulled everything out of the pack and is taking inventory. Gym clothes, food packs, tool kit, shoes, antique painting. "What's this?" Old painting we had. Supposed to be real valuable. "Why did you take it?" I don't know. I took it because Tom and Gin loved it, and I was the only one home. They would have wanted me to take it. Guess it's mine now.

"On the back it says 'Appenines'." That's right. See, it's looking north...that's Archimedes to the west... "And these craters must be Autolycus and Aristillus heading north. Where's the base at Fresnel Promontory?" It wasn't there yet. The painting is over a hundred years old.

"Well, at least you have this. I wish I had some of my stuff." Yea. The dorm is probably wasted. "I think if the Plaza is ruined, and the Farms dome, then most of the college is too." Look at me, Sindara. Maybe I can keep my cave if I have a roommate...I mean, it's Farms property, but they might let me... "Jon?" It's very small, but... "Jon?" I'm not trying to... "Jon? Can I say something?" OK. "Look. Good luck keeping the cave, right? We both know that. But I accept anyway. I'm with you whatever happens. And if we have to find someplace else, we'll do it. Let's just stick together." I agree. Yes, I definitely agree.

OK, you want me to make a bed with the carpets back here? "Yea. Can I wear your gym shirt? I want to get out of my overalls. We could use 'em as covers." Mine too.

We are watching a most interesting thing on com.