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“How long can the seed beds go without it?”

“I don't know.”

Dreven reached for the speaking tube connected to the upper platform. “Pela will.”

Keth answered from above. Dreven explained what they had found and asked for the garden figures. The reply took less than a minute. Kesta could hear Pela’s voice faintly through the tube before Dreven turned toward her.

“Twelve hours before the shallow-root beds begin failing. Less for some seedlings.”

“And if we don't isolate the line?”

“The primary seal probably goes before dawn.”

Ena looked down at the red growth.

“If the primary goes, the garden loses water anyway.”

“So does everyone else,” Kesta said.

The condenser coughed again. A gauge near Dreven’s shoulder dropped another fraction. He reached toward the valve. Kesta caught his forearm.

“Wait.”

Dreven looked down at her hand and then at her face.

“We know what the technical choice is,” she said. “That doesn't make the consequences ours alone.”

“We may have less than an hour.”

“Then they get ten minutes.”

His jaw tightened. “To debate whether they would rather lose vegetables or drinking water?”

“To know what we're doing before we destroy part of their food supply.”

“The answer is obvious.”

“To you.”

“To anyone who wants to live.”

Kesta heard the frustration in his voice and understood it. She also remembered the people carrying their ration vessels toward the cistern before anyone had ordered them to. These were not civilians waiting for a commander to save them from knowing how survival worked.

“They may make the same choice you would,” she said. “That doesn't make it meaningless that they make it.”

Dreven looked toward the failing gauge. For several seconds the only sound between them was the rasp of the condenser struggling to pull moisture through the damaged line. Then his shoulders lowered slightly.

“Ten minutes.”

Kesta released his arm.

“Thank you.”

“I still think it is unnecessary.”

“I know.”

His mouth tightened at one corner. “You are becoming disturbingly comfortable with my disagreement.”