Orion lives among the people who are buried. Her people moved underground long ago after a disaster, and they have evolved to grow lichen on their bodies in the place of hair. She is currently imprisoned for killing a man out of self-protection, and her child Vega has been taken away from her. He is now being cared for by her fellow warrior and friend Cassiopeia, who has taken him to the sands, a cave deep in the earth close to the core, to help him sleep. Geminii comes to visit her in her cell, and Orion expresses her fear for her surfacing which will happen later that day as her punishment. Geminii is her mother, although that is a sacred word used sparingly. Orion is afraid of the surfacing because she is convinced it will kill her. Geminii gives her hope, however, explaining that some of their people still believe there are survivors on the surface, known to some as the people of color or, to others, as the people of plastic. There is an ancient prophecy that the people who are buried will reunite on the surface with the people of color. Long ago, some of the people who are buried ventured to the surface to see if other survivors existed, but they never returned. Some of the groups never went through with the surfacing, and the supplies they had gathered were hidden. With the help of other believers, Geminii was able to find some of the supplies, such as maps and warm clothing, and has placed them on the platform where Orion will be surfaced. She tells Orion to be brave and to find the supplies, even though she will be disoriented during the surfacing. When it is time for her surfacing, Orion enters the antechamber and becomes overwhelmed with the fear of dying. As she makes her way through the tunnel and to the platform, she sees the crowd that has been gathered to watch and searches for Geminii's face. When the platform begins to rise, she sees Geminii mouthing something, but she cannot make out the words. Though the moving of the platform causes a strong wind and she struggles to stay on her feet, Orion manages to grab the pack of supplies before surfacing.