Luna woke up in her harden, lying on Avi's lap again. However, this time, she didn't see her smile, but instead was greeted by a depressed expression and noticed dark circles under her tired eyes.

“You're awake.” - Avi muttered. - “Will you be fine alone?” - It was obvious she had to rest.

“Yes.” - Luna uttered as she moved aside.

Avi didn't even utter a goodbye or look at Luna as she was walking out of the room. Once Avi was gone, Luna curled up and began to cry.

---

For half of a day, neither Avi nor Luna came out of their rooms. Only during late night, when Luna overheard Avi's screams, she flashed to her room. Avi's nightmares returned, and this time, Luna had to hold her so she wouldn't hurt herself.

“Avi! Avi!” - Luna tried to wake Avi up, but her calls weren't effective. Only after she turned the lights on, Avi's chest shot out of the bed, gasping for air.

Sweaty and panting, Avi stared at the opposite wall, disoriented, while Luna attempted to calm her down in her embrace.

“They are dead.” - Avi uttered after a minute. - “They are dead.”

Luna dug her fingers deep into Avi's pajama as she hugged her even tighter.

---

Avi couldn't fall asleep again due to her miserable state. She and Luna sat at the edge of the bed, not saying a word.

Only once the clock struck four in the morning, Avi uttered. - “I have to bury them.”

“Do you want me to help?” - Luna asked.

Avi's fingers dug into her pants, trembling. - “There is nothing left of them. You have to.”

Luna lowered her gaze. - “Do you want to do it now?”

Avi, with clenched lips, nodded. She got up without putting her slippers on and, barefoot, led Luna outside. When she was in the corridor leading to the recreational room, she silently stared at the ashes scattered around.

Without a word, Luna materialized an urn over her hand and collected what was left of the incinerated corpses, then put it into Avi's quivering palms. Avi simply hugged the container, sobbing again.

“If I can still do anything for you, please tell me.” - Luna said.

“We have to find a good place for them.” - Avi uttered and opened the door in front of them. She looked around for a long time, then finally decided to clean up the top of a small bookshelf. She put some potted flowers there, then placed the urn between them. - “Photos. They're in my room.”

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Luna teleported the requested items to Avi and let her take her time before she placed them around the urn.

“Incense sticks.” - Avi said, and once her small altar was ready, she folded her hands to pray, and Luna joined. This one time, with an honest heart, she asked to turn back time, so they couldn't find hope again.

---

“Goodbye. See you in a better future.” - Avi finished, her hands gently touching a photo of her and her parents. She stepped back and sat on the sofa, completely devoid of strength. She couldn't even cry or feel sad anymore, and at this point, was feeling nothing, or perhaps emptiness.

Luna still wasn't feeling fine with accompanying Avi, mainly due to guilt. She didn't feel like she had any right to be next to Avi, and at the same time, the lack of her presence would also be inadequate, so she sat at the opposite corner of the sofa, trying to keep her distance.

“What now?” - Luna asked, trying to sense if Avi wanted to talk.

“I don't know.” - Avi uttered, powerless. - “I've had enough.”

Luna's light, weaker than ever before, grew dimmer.

“I don't know where to run, and I don't know how to face it...” - Avi continued. - “...but we've decided to complete our mission, and now we have to live with consequences.”

“The astronauts should have paid for this, not us.” - Luna commented.

“They should have...” - Avi whispered. - “...but what can we do? I'm not interested in lecturing them, and I'm sure they won't listen. They are also not worth our hatred.”

Luna curled up. - “...but they deserved it. When I recall...“ - Tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to shake. - “...the indifference with which I was hurt, I want to gouge their eyes out.”

Avi has realized she was too focused on her own sadness and how much she had neglected what happened to Luna, and felt bad about that. She moved closer to her friend, uttering. - “I'm sorry you had to go through this again.”

Luna's tearful face turned to Avi, asking. - “Do we really have to follow this path? Is there no other way?”

“We can always turn back.” - Avi quietly said.

“You would do that? Resign?” - Luna asked.

“Yes.” - Avi confirmed. - “That dream isn't worth your suffering.”

Luna, despite still being distressed.calmed down slightly.

“Luna, do you want it? To resign?” - Avi asked.

“Yes, but I can't. Not when I have this Anaari's cursed leash on me.” - Luna confessed.

Avi lowered her gaze. Their plan didn't work. - “We have to choose.”

Luna buried her face in her arms, crying. When Avi came closer and hugged her, Luna asked in a stammering voice. - “Fifty-two stars... we will do it. I don't know how, and I hope every one of them gets what's coming to them! They won't take it from me! They won't take my dreams, they won't take my life, they won't take you away from me.”

Luna's declaration was the opposite of what Avi was expecting. This determination was so different than the fear Luna had after visiting the 'Rebirth' station. There still was fear, but Luna decided to keep on going despite it.

“Luna...” - Avi uttered. - “...don't force yourself to do it.”

“Avi!” - Luna yelled. - “Don't you see it!? You were the one who always knew what was right, and now you want to give up on our freedom!? I can't stand to live knowing that I let this evil win!”

“I'm sorry.” - Avi whispered. - “You're right. We'll continue as soon as you're ready.”

Luna stood up abruptly, angry at herself. - “I'll never be ready. We are heading out there right now, and the universe will sooner burn than I let myself be stopped again.”

Avi stood up, too, and moved behind Luna, worried about the hatred she had. She neither stopped her from going to the bridge, nor from starting the spaceship. Only once Luna cooled off and their gazes met, Avi let her know how worried she was.

“Luna. I don't want to lose you.” - Avi said. - “Don't let anything or anyone take you away.”

The meaning behind those words was obvious to Luna, and she broke down in tears of regret.