Story so far
Raised in the mids, Peter Billings worked as a court assistant and shadowed a judge after an earlier deputy apprenticeship failed to produce a vacancy. His father, a hydroponics plumber, died a few years ago; his mother, Rebecca, works in the nursery. Bernard Holland promoted Peter’s candidacy for sheriff and claimed he had already accepted, but Peter instead became Juliette’s deputy. Acting on orders, he took her into custody, later charged her with conspiracy, and escorted her toward her cleaning preparations. He wore her sheriff’s badge but stayed in the office rather than joining Bernard to watch the cleaning.
As the new sheriff, Peter defended IT’s gate with a small gun and fell clutching his shoulder when an attacker fired. After the blast, he roused Bernard and reported three dead on their side, several wounded, and heavier losses among the attackers. He later brought Lukas food during his confinement, sought his company, and considered joining the planned assault on Mechanical. He attributed Bernard’s strange behavior to stress and expected the rebellion to end soon.
Peter eventually escorted Lukas up the stairs toward death but began to doubt the march while hearing Juliette and Bernard argue over the radio. He listened to Lukas after Juliette’s voice reached them and pointed out that IT security was a hundred levels away while only his gun was up top. Peter found Juliette in the airlock, called for help, and visited her frequently during recovery. He now hopes she will become mayor and asks her to postpone rash action until their next meeting; Lukas observes that Peter has held his post longer than the other current leaders.
Role
Peter remains sheriff and participates in discussions about the silo’s leadership after helping rescue Juliette.
Relationships
Juliette — Once Juliette’s deputy and later her custodian, Peter called for help after finding her in the airlock and now supports her becoming mayor.
Lukas — Peter brought Lukas meals during confinement, later escorted him toward cleaning, and listened when he challenged the course they were following.
Bernard Holland — Bernard Holland backed Peter’s appointment; Peter later began doubting the march toward Lukas’s death while overhearing Bernard’s argument with Juliette.
Sources — 50 recorded facts, by chapter
Chapter 8
- Peter Billings is among the candidates being considered for sheriff.
- Jahns remembers Peter Billings working in Judicial as either a clerk or a judge’s apprentice.
Chapter 10
- Peter Billings currently shadows Judge Wilson.
- Peter Billings is third on Jahns’s list of sheriff candidates.
- Bernard says Peter Billings has accepted the sheriff position.
- Bernard says Peter Billings already lives in the up top.
Chapter 14
- A prepared contract for Peter Billings lies among Jahns’s paperwork.
Chapter 16
- Jahns worries about Peter Billings’s disappointment over the sheriff appointment.
- Jahns considers the possibility that Peter Billings might someday preside over hearings as a judge.
Chapter 23
- Peter Billings has just been sworn in as Juliette’s new deputy.
- Bernard says Peter Billings was a candidate for Juliette’s position.
- Peter Billings previously shadowed a silo judge.
- Juliette gives Peter Billings a list of apartments and merchants to visit the following day.
Chapter 25
- Peter is serving as Juliette’s new deputy.
- Peter worked as a court assistant in Justice.
- Peter previously shadowed in the mids’ deputy office but could not obtain a vacancy there.
- Peter grew up in the mids.
- Peter’s father was a hydroponics plumber who died a few years earlier.
- Peter’s mother Rebecca works in the nursery.
- Peter believes server operation and maintenance explain the cost of sending wires.
- Peter tells Juliette that he has orders to take her into custody.
Chapter 26
- Bernard says Peter has removed Juliette’s computer for evidence.
- Peter escorts Juliette to the stairs wearing her sheriff’s badge.
Chapter 29
- Peter Billings charges Juliette with conspiracy.
- Peter takes Juliette from her cell to the yellow door for her cleaning preparations.
Chapter 30
- Peter remains inside the sheriff’s office rather than joining Bernard to watch the cleaning.
Chapter 36
- In her confusion, Juliette looks for Peter Billings at his desk beyond the other silo’s airlock.
Chapter 51
- Peter Billings, the new sheriff, takes a position at IT’s security gate with a small gun.
- Peter Billings falls clutching his shoulder after a large attacker fires toward the security station.
Chapter 52
- Peter Billings rouses Bernard after the blast.
- Peter reports three men dead and several wounded on their side.
- Peter reports that the opposing force suffered much heavier losses.
Chapter 57
- Bernard says he will send Peter to collect Lukas’s dishes later.
Chapter 60
- Peter Billings brings Lukas dinner at the server-room door.
- Peter presses Lukas to eat with him and asks what he does in the server room.
- Peter says he is considering joining the planned assault on Mechanical.
- Peter predicts that the rebellion will be over within a few days after Sims blasts the barricade.
- Peter says Bernard has been acting strangely and attributes it to stress.
Chapter 67
- Sheriff Billings is assigned to escort Mrs. Kyle out after her visit.
Chapter 70
- Lukas remembers Sheriff Billings inspecting his gun during Lukas’s mother’s visit.
Chapter 76
- Sheriff Billings answers Bernard’s radio call as Bernard reports that Lukas wants out.
Chapter 78
- Peter escorts Lukas up the stairs by holding his elbow.
- Peter begins to doubt the march toward Lukas’s death while overhearing Juliette and Bernard’s argument.
Chapter 81
- Peter Billings finds Juliette in the airlock and calls for help.
- Peter visits Juliette frequently during her recovery.
- Peter listens to Lukas after Juliette’s voice is heard on his radio.
- Peter points out that IT security is a hundred levels away and only his gun is up top.
Chapter 82
- Peter hopes Juliette will accept the mayoralty.
- Lukas says Peter has held his post longer than the other current leaders.
- Peter asks Juliette to postpone rash action until their next meeting.