The reservoir rose two hand-spans. Nochili made a point of telling me that sitting here counting someone else's city's rain for twenty days straight isn't counting. It's an excuse.

• NochiliI never said excuse. I said you've been sitting in the same spot for twenty days straight.
  SitlariThat's the worse thing to say.
• ChelkaWhen the water rises, check the floodgate before you check your blade. An old man's advice is only worth taking at times like this.
  SitlariThe crack in the neck of the left lever, I saw it too.