SIDE C | CHAPTER 7

May 1st, 2032

Andrew sat in the center of Aria and Lindsey. They sat in a triangle formation and they both held him in an embrace. "Did I make up for my mistakes? Can you forgive me?"

Outside the ship, a light so bright it filled the innards of the ship with blinding brightness caused him to sit back. The two at his side faded away without answering. Andrew stood tall as he saw out the window to see the Earth enveloped in the lights—hundreds of thousands of explosions intermingling and tearing the planet apart at the seams. He felt like everything had gone wrong...like every choice he made was building towards a million upon a million of horrible futures. Was it always fated to be this way? Was this supposed to be how it went? Was all the suffering he faced—all the growing and pain and eventual defeat of Jack leading toward the end of the world? Death...destruction. A lingering doubt that had always existed in his heart began to latch on tighter.

He couldn't let himself say that he made the wrong choice. He couldn't accept that he made a grievous error, but...Khap-En had told the truth about the explosions. He had told the truth about how it would have been the end of them all if he hadn't complied...and yet, Khap-En was lying about how strong he was. He could have sent them to England and brought them back. It wouldn't have solved anything...but he could have. Was there something there that could have brought about an even better alternative—one that didn't suit Khap-En specifically? Now was a pretty awful time to consider that possibility. Although, then again...he had a long time now until they reached Charon to think on things. Alone...he was alone. Khap-En and Larry were here—the only other two living beings with bodies inside the ship's interior, but he had no desire to speak to either of them. Much the same he thought they to him.

Andrew sat back down next to the computer that held everyone he loved that remained and hundreds of thousands he didn't, but wanted nothing more than to save. If he closed his eyes he could almost hear their voices in his ears, each wrapping him in a similar embrace.