"Ah, you're so cute," she coos to the pup as she pets her head, careful not to dislodge the barrettes. "Cricket, you really have to show Willie to Caspar sometime, he'll love her."

She's mindful of the way she hugs him, not wanting to set him off balance. There's some silent fretting as she gets a closer look at him, but she tries to keep it to a minimum, not wanting to wound his pride.

"I wish I could have helped," she says sadly. "But you're right, it's probably for the best. I've lived on rations before, but I always had the Nexus to escape to. Do you think you'll keep living here? Things like this seem to happen more and more frequently."

She sits down, rather than hovering next to him, giving him space to retrieve the sand globe. "I have some good news, too, if you'd like to hear it?"