"A little, yeah." The fact that he's making a joke might mean he's warming up a little, and a smile crosses Jacob's face in return.

What Tom's describing does reach him, and Jacob's face falls--he'd been expecting something disastrous, but not on this level. And aliens!? It takes him a long moment for all of that to sink in, but it does.

The fact that the poor man never thought he'd see so many books again is painful enough.

He opens his mouth to speak a few times, but what can he say?

"I'm sorry." Sorry wasn't nearly enough.