A week passed since Zero died. In that time, a lot of things happened. Dakota witnessed Veir fly off the handle more than once, leaving the base in a fit of rage, lest he hurt someone badly. He could be heard through the wails at night, crying, lonely. A man of survival reduced to something like this, brought down by the most powerful destructive force there was. Love itself.
But still, Dakota could not lose the idea that love was something he wanted. If it had the power to hurt so bad when it was gone, then having it must be amazing. Right?
It was his goal from the first few days he had arrived. He knew Max was who he wanted. She was a badass, but kind. They were great friends even as she turned him down every time he asked her to be his. She was the deadliest fighter he had ever met, and he knew in his heart that he would never be able to settle for someone less than her.
And so he didn't give up. Every week he would broach the subject of getting together to her, and every week she would say no. She still wasn't ready. She didn't want him or herself to die, and leave the other alive in a state of wretched loneliness for years to come.
But even now, seeing her greatest fear come true through the eyes of Zero and Veir, it seemed to have taught her something. What was really a worse fate? Was it worse to have loved truly, living every day with a companion who loved you as fiercely as you loved them? Spending countless nights together, tangled in the other's limbs, blissfully overwhelmed by their own happiness and their own unfathomable joy... only to lose it all in the end?
Or was it worse to have never experienced such happiness in the first place?
"Dakota..."
The man was already grinning back. He knew Max would turn him down yet again, and he was okay with that. He would just ask again later, when their safety was more guaranteed than before.
"Of course I want to be with you, you big dummy." She said. "I just hope you can forgive me. I'm sorry that it took me until now to realise how dumb I was being."
Dakota's heart leaped with joy, but he was sure to look cool and collected on the surface. "Hey, I knew you'd come around eventually!" His smile spread to a full-on grin. "Dakota Freedom, kung-fu badass. I knew I was irresistible."
Max slapped his arm playfully. "Come here, my kung-fu master." She laughed, wreathing her arms around his neck. "Tonight, I'm going to show you a few skills of my own."
In contrast to the sorrows of Veir, alone in his bed, dreadfully aware of the emptiness of its other half...
Jutsu and Max spent their night in bliss.
Meanwhile, Azure has created another massive sculpture. This may be the one that gets us out of here.
It's a sculpture in honor of Zero :)
"We did it! It's finally happening!" Max burst through the front doors, cheering. There were tears of joy in her eyes. "Azure, your sculpture got us the rest of the plasteel we needed. We should have the ship built by tomorrow! We're going to make it!"
"Wow, really?" He asked. "Man, it's been so long that I wasn't really expecting we'd ever make it. Sweet."
Everyone stopped what they were doing, watching a rather-annoyed Errorblender and Veir as they constructed the newest wall of their ship. Here was where they would strap the last cryosleep casket, although they had room for more now, if there were more people...
"Oi, mates! Blimey, that's quite a fuckin' ship you got there, aye?"
As one, everyone whirled to see the wanderer who had accidentally made himself at home.
"I'm Scarecrow. Pleased to meetcha. I've been wanderin' round this forest for almost a year now. Thought I'd check and see what all the commotion over here was." Casually, he chewed on a straw of wheat. "Say, I don't suppose you fellas have room for another?"
Max looked at Dakota, who looked at Errorblender. He shrugged helplessly.
"Sure, why the fuck not?" Dakota laughed. "We have plenty of room. Go ahead and make yourself at home, Scarecrow. We'll be another day or two yet."
