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By Root 1462 0

the names. The young girl was Alice Cox, the woman with the tray of hot coffee—real coffee!—was her mother, the burly men with the challenging stance were both Christophers, and so was the one who'd wanted to know about the war, only that one had gone inside with Deke Wilson and Johnny Baker, leaving Mrs. Cox to be hostess. There was a man introduced as "Mayor" and another whom everyone called "Chief," but there was something subtle Rick didn't understand, because the Christophers, with no title, seemed to have higher status. All the men seemed big, and they were all armed. Was he already so used to the half-starved look of Deke Wilson's band?

"The Senator says we can spare some light," Mrs. Cox announced after one of her trips inside. "You can talk to the astronauts after it's too dark to work. And maybe we'll have a party Sunday."

There were murmurs of agreement, and goodbyes, and the crowd melted away. Mrs. Cox took them inside, and brought more coffee into the living room. The perfect hostess, and Rick found himself relaxing for the first time since they had landed. At Deke Wilson's there had been coffee, but not much, and it was consumed hurriedly by men about to go on guard duty. No one sat relaxed in a parlor, and the coffee certainly wasn't served in china cups.

"I'm sorry there's nobody around to keep you company," Mrs. Cox said. "Everyone's got work to do. They'll be back tonight, and then they'll talk your head off."

"It is not important," Pieter said. "We thank you for the welcome." He and Leonilla sat together, apart from Rick. "I hope we are not keeping you from your duties."

"Well, I've got dinner to cook," Mrs. Cox said. "If you want anything, just call me." She left them alone, pointedly setting down the coffeepot. "Better drink that before it gets cold," she said. "I can't promise there'll be any more for awhile."

"Thank you," Leonilla said. "You are all so kind to us … "

"No more than you deserve, I'm sure," Mrs. Cox answered, and then she was gone.

"So. We have found a government," Pieter said. "Where is General Baker?"

Rick shrugged. "Back there somewhere with Deke and the Senator and some of the others. Big conference."

"To which we were not invited," Jakov said. "I understand why Leonilla and I are not needed, but why are you out here?"

"I thought about that," Rick said. "But they all left pretty quick. You know what Deke's got to tell them. And somebody had to stay out there and talk to the crowd. I took it as a compliment."

"I hope you are right," Jakov said.

Leonilla nodded agreement. "This is the first time I have felt safe since we landed. I think they like us. Surely they do not care that Rick is black?"

"I can usually tell," Rick said. "No. But there was something strange. Did you notice? After they found out about the war, all they wanted to know about was space. Nobody, nobody at all, asked about what was happening to the Earth."

"Yes. But soon we will have to tell them," Pieter said.

"I wish we could avoid that," Leonilla said. "But yes, we will have to."

They fell silent. Rick got up and poured the last of the coffee. From back in the kitchen there were sounds of activity, and outside they could see men carrying rocks, others plowing fields. Hard work, and it was certain that there'd be plenty for all of them, even Leonilla. Rick hoped so. He realized that he had been silently praying that there would be work, something to do, something to make him feel useful again, and to forget Houston and El Lago and the tsunami …

But for the moment he'd been given a hero's welcome, and so had Leonilla and Pieter, and they were safe, surrounded by armed men who didn't want to kill them.

He heard a low buzz of voices from somewhere at the back of the house. That would be the Senator and Johnny Baker and Deke Wilson and the Senator's trusted staff, planning … what? Our lives, Rick thought. Was the Senator's daughter there, too? Rick remembered how she and Johnny had looked at each other, their voices inaudible, their noses almost touching, no thought of anyone around them. How would