Part 6 [spoiler]1 Year Later, 365 Days until end of Contract Davidson traveled along on his rig, headed back to the shaft that would take him back up to base. He and Brendus were the last ones to finish up for the day, and both met at the same time, and dismounted their vehicles. Brendus made his way over to the lift, as did Davidson. "Aye, a good day's work for the start of your last year no?" "Yeah." There was an awkward pause between the two as they both stepped into the lift. Brendus was having a hard time, doing his best to cheer up Davidson. Ever since the incident, Davidson hadn't been the same. "Aye friend, want to go up topside and see the storm comin' in? She's goin' to be a big one!" "No thanks." Brendus lowered his head in silence. The water pressure began to lower as the chamber began to empty itself slowly, depressurizing the room. It was uncomfortable before Davidson suddenly broke the silence. "I don't want to go home Brendus. But this place, it's not beautiful anymore." Brendus tensed up. "Aye. But you'll have some money to come back to, at least." "I don't care about that." Brendus stayed quiet. "I don't care about anything. I don't want to go back home. I don't want to stay here. I just want to go somewhere, and die." Brendus reeled back from Davidson's words. But, he didn't really have anything to say. But he was going to try. "Aye. Davidson. Ye remember what I told you about me mum?" "Yes." "Imagine how that felt. But not just me mum. All me friends, all me family, all gone. And there wasn't a right bloody thing I could do about it. But I blamed meself. And I blamed meself a lot. And I was right here, where ye are standing now, in the same way." Davidson looked over. "Then how'd you beat it? You know what it feels like then? The world is empty. And all I have are the memories of the kids I never saw grow up. The kids I'll never see grow up. And my wife, oh god my wife. I pushed her away until she couldn't take it anymore." Brendus nodded silently. "Aye, was just like that. All me friends and family gone, like the snap of a finger. Me home world, even. I'll never see those low plains again, or the glint of the low valley I grew up in, as the sun shined over its ancient rocks that shined so bright from the metals in 'em. But I hung on to somethin'. Aye, don't know what, but I found somethin' to care for, some reason to live." "What would that be?" "Aye. When me home system went, all of a sudden, all the natives to me world, Human and alien, were refugees, because we had no government. We were all suddenly the last of our kind, and we had no place to call home. But we organized, and tried to rebuild. We tried to find a new world to call home. And we found one. But the cost for it, was too great for those that were left. Even with help from outsiders." "That's why you're here?" "Aye. When I heard about what happened, I left me job, and went over to the rally fleet. It was chaos. But I found this wee little girl. Her parents were on her home when our sun went. She was on a trip out of the system, and came back homeless and alone. So, Aye, I knew what I had to do. I had to fight for all of them, in any way I could. And we all started something, together. Now, we're paying off our debt, and rebuilding our home. Every five years I come and visit that not so wee little girl now. I pay part of her funds as well as putting the rest to the species we owe our new home from." Davidson simply watched. "That's respectable Brendus. But, no offense, that's not my case." "Aye, I know lad. But it is. Just on a smaller scale. Ye need to find something to keep ye going. Some little light in the dark to shine yer way out. Count yer blessings. Remember those years back, when ye were trapped under all that blasted ice? Ye saved me, and fell down, for miles. But ye came back alive. How lucky is that? And ye would throw that gift away now?" Davidson nodded quietly. "Okay Brendus." Brendus chuckled, only lightly. "Aye, that's me city boy! Yer tougher than ye look ye know!" 360 Days until end of Contract Davidson stirred in his sleep, as he was having a vivid dream. Brendus's words were ringing past him in clumps, but amidst flashes of other things as well, his kids, his wife, and strange patterns that he vaguely remembered. He was surrounded by darkness, a familiar feeling, as he reached out for anything at hand, but found nothing. And then, like a small dot of light, something shined out. He ran towards it instinctively, and then, it suddenly exploded into a dazzling show of lights, as two large black eyes stared at him from an extremely vague humanoid face, that was transparent, showing all of its inner workings underneath. Davidson woke up with sweat sliding down is face, as he looked up and around his room in the darkness. This was the second time he had remembered his dreams so vividly, and rubbed his forehead before going back to sleep. He thought about all those years ago, down at the bottom of the ocean. And a revelation visited him. It had saved him. It had opened his suit, out of curiosity, and triggered the failsafe. And then, carried him in the ice chunk without his suit to the safe waters of the mining outpost. It wasn't hostile. It was curious, like a child. Davidson went back to sleep not long after, but a fire was ignited in his head, one that wouldn't be put out. 305 Days until end of Contract Davidson rode down the elevator shaft with Brendus, waiting for the right time that they were deep enough. The AI up above monitored everything, but couldn't pick up transmissions down this far. He didn't want to risk Devski hearing what he was going to say. He made sure his comms were closed off to the others in the elevator, and spoke to Brendus.[/spoiler]