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Sage smoke billows high and weaves through the crowd in the meeting room; there are almost 200 people there, and the mood is somber. The council members look worried—they’re uneasy about Scott’s arrival. Terry begins the meeting, explaining that Nick and Kevin have returned, and the room buzzes with excited murmurs. Terry explains that the blackout is widespread, but there’s enough fuel on the reservation to keep the power running through the winter. Their biggest concerns are water and food. The council will ration people based on what they already have and what more they need, so they’ll be making home visits over the next few days. The room is eerily silent. Then, somebody asks why he should get fewer rations just because he worked hard all year to hunt food, while lazy people get food for free. Somebody else pipes up, but Walter stands up and silences the room. He calmly explains that nobody is getting special treatment—this is a crisis, and they need to act like a community and support one another. Then, Walter apologizes for yelling. Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice yells out that it’s okay. Everybody turns around: Scott is standing there. The crowd grows uneasy. Scott pumps his fist, saying that they’ll get through this together—but just then, somebody gets up to punch him. Evan and Isaiah intervene while Walter attempts to calm the room, explaining that they’ve already met Scott and welcomed him into the reservation. Scott smiles breezily, making Evan’s skin crawl. Evan asks Scott what he’s doing, and Scott says that he was confused and thought he should come to the meeting, especially if he’s a part of the community. Evan reminds him that he’s not part of it yet—he has to contribute first, and then they’ll decide if he can stay. Scott grows tense and towers above Evan, but Evan reminds himself that Scott is stranded and vulnerable. Evan lightens his tone to relax the mood, suggesting that they start by getting to know each other.