Back on the spaceship, Avi and Charlotte, worried, were waiting for news from Luna, who, after almost half an hour, returned covered in blood, but with good news.

“He needs to rest.” - Luna suggested. - “Charlotte, can you watch after him, while Avi and Virka help me to learn what that astronaut was doing here?”

“Just be careful, please.” - Charlotte answered.

“The danger has passed, you have my word.” - Luna tried to reassure Charlotte. - “Give us about forty minutes and we'll be back on the spaceship.”

Charlotte nodded, still teary, and before Avi left, she hugged her. - “It's for luck, please return with good news.”

Once again, Luna led the girls into the middle of darkness, where the infected astronaut lay on the floor, wobbling with his head back and forth. His eyes were bleeding, apparently it was a side effect of his hysterical cry.

Luna knelt next to him and checked his spacesuit, which appeared completely useless at this point as most of its devices had stopped working due to age. The only things that were still functional were his life support systems and invisibility technology.

“It's awful, his spacesuit modules were infected by Anaari's plague and grew into his body.” - Luna explained. - “I can cure the infection, but I can't reverse the physical alterations. His body and psyche will stay mutilated, which must cause him extreme pain.”

Virka glanced at the Astronaut. - “In his state, death would be mercy.”

“Don't say anything like that!” - Avi protested. - “Every life is invaluable.”

“Life?” - Virka sighed. - “I wouldn't call this kind of torture, life.”

Avi leaned over the astronaut, gently assuring him. - “We will help you.” - Then asked Luna. - “Please, heal him.”

“Consider it done.” - Luna laid her hands on the astronaut's chest, which caused him to wail in agony.

“IT HURTS! HURTS! HURTS! IT HURTS SO MUCH!” - After this, a white foam combined with gluey grey goo started to ooze from his mouth.

“Luna?” - Avi uttered, no longer confident in what Luna does.

“It has to hurt.” - Luna informed.

“ATALA! WHY!? WHY!? IT HURTS, TERRIBLE PAIN.” - The three-eyed alien kept sobbing, even if it was clear he lacked the strength to continue. After a longer moment, his head dropped to the floor, panting loudly.

“Done.” - Luna declared.

“I'm sorry... please... no more pain.” - The astronaut spoke.

Avi pitied him. - “No more, I promise.”

Astronaut just attempted to close his eyelids as much as it was physically possible and rested.

“He can't possibly tell us anything useful in his state.” - Luna noticed.

“We can't leave him here, let's take him on the ship. After he rests, we can still try at least.” - Avi suggested.

“Well, we don't have too much space. He'll have to occupy our medical room, but Nicolas is already there.” - Luna reminded.

“Will my dad stay there for long?” - Avi raised her eyes to Luna.

“I see that I'll be unable to make you forget that idea.” - Luna sighed. - “Basically, no. The wound was pretty shallow, and lately, I improved my knowledge about the modern medicine of biological beings.”

“Luna, that's not what I asked about.” - Avi pointed out.

“It will take half a day.” - Luna informed.

“Good. That's settled, then.” - Avi declared.

---

While Nicolas was getting better, Avi was taking care of the infected Astronaut by offering him a vegetable soup. Luna, on the other hand, tried to repair the void hermit's brain and connect it to a device that would allow communication.

Only Virka, just by herself, was on the bridge. She held a glass of wine, gazing at the gradually changing desert landscape. When the new day dawned, she was already asleep there, and an almost empty bottle of alcohol lay next to her.

Nicolas let Charlotte rest after taking care of him, and when he felt better, he walked right there, waking Virka, who was still half-drowsy, half-dizzy. The eyes of the Khazan woman wandered around, trying to figure out where she was, and when she noticed the man in front of her, she quickly became aware of how disheveled she was.

“Sorry...” - Virka uttered. - “I didn't want anyone to find me in this state.”

“May I?” - Nicolas asked as he picked up the bottle.

“Go ahead.” - Virka whispered, still embarrassed.

“Charlotte wouldn't approve of drinking to cope with stress. It's a bad habit...” - Nicolas commented, then took a few sips straight from the bottle. - “...but I think that after everything we've been through, it's okay to make an exception.”

He wanted to pass the bottle to Virka, but she said. - “Thank you, but I think I overdid it yesterday.”

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“Drinking alone is another bad habit, but well, if that's the case, I'll have to step in and finish the bottle.” - Nicolas replied.

“Yesterday...” - Virka interrupted it. - “...I was wrong. Chivalry is not dead, you proved it.”

“I'll accept the compliment, although I don't really think you were incorrect.” - Nicolas answered. - “Women often carry the burdens bigger than men. That's why we sometimes have to act egoistically and save our ego.”

“That's an interesting way to describe your sacrifice...” - Virka giggled. - “...but well, even though you acted from such shady motives, I still owe you thanks.”

“If that's the case, I'll accept credits.” - Nicolas added. - “It's hard to live knowing that I'm financially dependent on you and Luna. It might seem silly, but I miss my honest, corporate job.”

Virka appeared gloomy. - “You shouldn't. Life should be enjoyed, not wasted on people who treat you as something to be exploited and replaced when you stumble.”

“It didn't happen to me, but maybe I was lucky.” - Nicolas said. - “I feel that you were not, though.”

“No... I...” - Virka bit her lip. - “...I stumbled more than once, and I was always forced to crawl back to the people who ruined my entire life. No amount of credits or wealth was worth it.”

“I don't envy what you've been going through.” - Nicolas replied. - “If you didn't work for money, then was it for family, like many people do?”

“Yes.” - Vikra confirmed quietly. - “Although I understood too late that they weren't my family at all.” - She looked at the bottle, and Nicolas passed it to her without a word.

“We were living in two different worlds.” - Nicolas commented. - “I don't know how much of a friend I am to you, because we didn't talk too much, but you can always consider me a drinking buddy.”

Virka emptied the bottle. - “Likewise, as long as we still have time.”

“As long as we still have time.” - Nicolas repeated.

---

Luna wiped the sweat off her forehead. Her gadget was ready. She only had to invent appropriate adapters for neurotransmitters and the void hermit was connected to their TV in the recreational room.

Luna turned the device on and increased volume, then reconfigured the cognitive systems and connected the microphone.

“Halo? Can you hear us?” - Luna asked as she turned the knob on the remote.

“He... hears you.” - The hermit spoke.

“I'm sorry for damaging your shell, but it was the only solution that allowed us to save everyone.” - Luna explained.

“Shell... is just a bowl. The thought decides about existence.” - The hermit commented, then pondered. - “Although, I wonder, for what purpose do you need my thought?”

“We need you to help us get across the fallen lands.” - Luna revealed. - “We heard that you know the way.”

“The fallen lands... are plagued by Anaari's curse.” - The hermit spoke. - “What are you trying to find there?”

“The path to the fathers of Soul Forge.” - Luna answered.

“In order to offer a sacrifice, so it can be born anew?” - The hermit inquired.

“No, we're looking for administrators.” - Luna clarified.

“Ah, the great ancestors.” - The hermit pondered again. - “Your names aren't known to me, so your journey is pointless.”

“We'll see.” - Luna declared. - “Are you going to help, or not?”

“I can lead you, but it has a price. I was infected, but your touch cured me. If you don't leave your brothers and sisters without mercy, I'll help.” - The hermit requested.

Luna narrowed her eyes and stomped her foot. - “I feel like you're not telling me everything. How many people am I supposed to save?”

“Every living being that we meet.” - The hermit added. - “That's the Goliath's will.”

“I won't refuse when I'm asked to help, but there are limits to what I can do.” - Luna stated. - “If there are entire infected subsectors, then before I manage to save a few dozen people, the virus will keep evolving and bring death to other places.” - She attempted negotiation. - “We should see the administrators first, and with their knowledge, I might be able to develop a widespread solution.”

“It's a futile endeavor...” - The hermit spoke. - “...the administrators won't listen, when they have millions of scientists waiting to be heard.”

“Not even when I'm Anaari's daughter?” - Luna wondered.

“The knowledge of Anaari.... we tried to steal a fraction of it, and now we are suffering gargantuan consequences.” - The hermit recalled. - “The administrators are no longer interested in your technology. They are too scared of what they can't understand and control. You will need to bring the change with your own hands.”

Luna sighed. - “I see there is no point talking, but you're correct – something needs to be done, and it needs to be an efficient solution.” - Luna sat on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. - “I will need more samples.”

“We will find them.” - The hermit promised. - “I'll lead you to the places where the hope died a long time ago.”

---

Avi entered the medical room, carrying a cup of warm tea. She wanted to make sure that their patient was alright. Right now, his veins were connected to the synthesizer, which automatically supplied the painkillers. It was the only way to help him, but it caused the Astronaut to lose touch with reality. Initially, he didn't answer even the simplest questions and gestures, and lay dormant, drooling.

Avi was pretty sure that she won't learn anything in his current state, but when she put the cup on the table and looked closely, she noticed that the astronaut was whispering. She moved her ear closer and heard.

“The Witch infiltrated the Red Fortress. The Witch infiltrated the Prion of Eons. The Witch infiltrated the God's Sickle.”

The astronaut repeated it to the microphone that was grown in his swollen neck, and it was only then that Avi noticed a small display with a flickering phrase – 'No reply'.

“Who do you try to contact? Astronauts?” - Avi asked quietly and leaned over the screen, under which there were coordinates in symbols that she couldn't understand.

“I think it might be important to note it down somewhere.” - Avi reached for her wrist guard and recorded the data. - “Maybe Luna will understand something.”

When Avi was done, she offered the tea to the astronaut. His pupils kept dilating and constricting as he stared at Avi. - “Daichi...?” - He whispered suddenly.

“No, I'm Avi.” - Avi stated. - “...but I'm from Earth too.”

“Earth.” - The astronaut whispered and began to sob. - “Daichi... he didn't want to... he didn't.”

“Didn't want what?” - Avi inquired.

“He was missing home... please... forgive him.” - The astronaut added, his eyes slowly closing.

“Rest, you need it.” - Avi said as she put away the leftover tea.

---

When Avi exited the medical room, she walked to the bridge, where Luna already waited with some good news.

“I know where we need to go.” - Luna informed.

“That's wonderful.” - Avi replied. - “I also found something.” - She showed the Astronaut's coordinates to Luna.

“I noticed it too...” - Luna stated. - “...but it's encrypted, we can't decipher it without the private key.”

“...wait, so you knew, but didn't tell me anything?” - Avi complained.

“I didn't consider it an urgent matter.” - Luna said.

“He also muttered something about a witch and mentioned that she infiltrated a few places.” - Avi added.

“That... I didn't hear.” - Luna stated.

“It must be a warning, he might want to inform his friends...” - Avi explained. - “...but why is it directed precisely to these coordinates?”

“There must be a reason.” - Luna pondered. - “It'll be safer if we keep that information to ourselves.”

“I will trust your judgment...” - Avi added as she turned the knobs on the spaceship's panel. - “...so, where should I head?”

“To the Ashen Gate.” - Luna informed, pointing at the terrain scanner. - “It's there.”

“Not too far away.” - Avi said and accelerated. - “Are we supposed to land there?”

“No, it's merely a landmark.” - Luna informed. - “We'll be able to see it in about half a day.”