53.Protection

Bill visits Claude at Gamma Pavonis to convince him to abandon the system and move to Earth in preparation for an anticipated Others attack, but Claude refuses, arguing that the system is worth defending and that they have time to build defenses. The conversation ends in stalemate. Bill then travels to Delta Pavonis to monitor the recovering planet, reflecting on the ongoing resource conflict between defending multiple systems and concentrating forces against the Others threat.

Bill meets Claude in the latter's VR beach environment to discuss the evacuation of Gamma Pavonis. Bill argues that with the Others likely heading for Earth, all available Bobs should relocate there rather than split resources defending a second colony target. Claude counters that Gamma Pavonis is an ideal colonization site and that they have roughly a decade before the Others could arrive, giving them time to build adequate defenses using geometric progression. He also notes that the Delta Pavonis losses proved that mere numbers of small weapons cannot stop the Others—they need nuclear weapons and other heavy armaments. Bill maintains that splitting efforts weakens both locations and that Earth must be the priority. Their discussion circles back over arguments already made at a prior moot, and they part in disagreement with no resolution. Bill then travels to Delta Pavonis and takes control of an orbital drone to monitor the planet's recovery from the Others' scourging thirteen years prior. He reflects on Jacques' refusal to share biosamples for ecosystem restoration, understanding the reasoning but frustrated by it. Bill concludes that meaningful recovery efforts must wait until the Others threat is contained.