"This whole display is a new tactic, as far as I know," Jim tells him. "I honestly think just letting us have some time to explore the station and process everything was a little better, less overwhelming. But maybe some people will find the distraction more comforting."

He's sympathetic without being emotionally gooey about it, though melancholy isn't enough to scare Jim away in the first place. This sucks for all of them-- whether or not what they've been told is strictly true, they're cut off from everyone and everything they've ever known.

"I'm adaptable, so it's going alright." Jim's smile is subdued, bracing. "I think there's hope for just about everybody."