A dust storm begins. At first, the settlers think it will only last a few days, but it is later confirmed to be a Big One—a planet-wide storm—that could last an indefinite amount of time. Power is rationed, as the storm is preventing the sun from reaching the solar panels and a lot of the batteries are still failing. The children spend their time in the mess hall doing puzzles, and the adults tell stories about their time on Earth. One day, Meems and Salty Bill recall the best meals they have ever had. Meems says that she visited France, which the children find surprising due to their hostile encounter with the French settlers, but she explains that relationships between countries can change.

After Chapter 15, a Secure Communication transcript sent by Sai to Earth states that they are following protocol about the dust storm.

Eliana gets sick with dust cough, as the air scrubbers cannot filter out the smaller particles of dust. Meems is the second adult who gets sick. The next morning, Sai wants to check if there are any cracks in the communications room roof that may be letting the dust in. Trey volunteers to help and is happy when Sai agrees.