Their first sleep period on Glory of God had taken place after darkness fell. That had been followed by what was apparently the traditional “day” of something closer to rest—a period of activity in what was the middle of the planet’s night. The cold and dark outside limited agricultural tasks, so the settlers remained in the caves, doing handiwork, meeting, conducting business, and attending prayer meetings.

Residents of Fortitude who suffered from minor ailments or needed routine care went to see the doctor, but the schedule was light enough that Simon was able to attend Book’s sermon. The presence of an outside shepherd was apparently something of a novelty—the sermon was well-attended, but Simon noted that most of the people there, himself and River included, did not take communion.

Book had a warm and engaging speaking style, but Simon felt his attention wandering to his own moral quandary: Annelore. River was one thing—Simon would go to the ends of the galaxy to help her, even just a tiny bit. But Annelore was, to put it simply, not his sister. And River didn’t insist on having the exact same conversation every time she saw Simon.

But who else was there to help? The Lis may have good intentions, but what could they do except observe the length of time Annelore could retain memories get ever shorter? Annelore had helped him out when he needed it—“I’m a sucker for the underdog,” she had once said—and what really, was being asked of him? To smile when she saw him and screamed his name with excitement. To tell her, once again, that he had done well at the medacad, thank you very much. To explain to her that help was on its way. In a couple of “days,” Serenity would return with Sisyphus, and Simon would be relieved of the burden of being the only person Annelore remembered.

He spent the rest of the dark day instructing the Li sisters and assisting with patient care. He had not slept well the previous “night”—Glory of God’s sleep periods were somewhat out of synch with Serenity’s—so at the end of the