It took a while for the courtyard to settle.
People kept drifting into small groups, the grey jackets in one corner, the former inmates in another, the Suwon group near the gate, and Jin's own people scattered between them all, not quite sure who they were supposed to stand with. Somebody from the station was asking one of the cooks if there was food. Two of the prison men were staring up at Mirim's silver tree with their mouths open. Echo had already found someone to argue with.
Jin climbed the steps of the main building and stood at the top where everyone could see him. He didn't raise his hand or call for quiet. He just stood there, and the noise in the courtyard slowly died down on its own, one group at a time, until every face was turned up toward him.
He looked out over all of them for a moment before he spoke.
