63.      The Pav

Howard receives an email from Dexter with updates about the colony system, including news that the Brodeurs have had a son and named him Howard. The chapter provides broad context on improvements across the system while Howard processes the personal significance of this naming honor.

Howard is traveling toward his destination when he receives an email from Dexter. The message covers multiple developments in the colony system: Butterworth has retired, the population has grown to around a hundred thousand, human-crewed spaceships are becoming common, donuts are less central to food supply, Dexter has free time to work on asteroid movers, and New Jerusalem has transitioned to a full democracy after incriminating videos led to Cranston's resignation and separation of Church and State. Howard finds this news about Cranston satisfying, knowing Will and he cannot be traced. He then turns to the personal news: the Brodeurs have had a son and named him Howard. The revelation deeply moves him, bringing him to tears.