Without running into any further problems, Arrakis, Finn, and Lena made their way back to the forest that bordered the village of Payden. 

The way had stretched into the unpleasant long, especially for Finn, since Arrakis was the one to ride Chione, but the walk downhill was still much quicker than the one going up. 

The weather had settled to a gloomy sky with no view of stars, still, snow had not fallen any more, and by following their own footprints, the three teenagers passed all that existed between the burned down wood at Pacu's barren fireplace, and the shore of the deadly frozen lake. 

Emotions of any of them remained unclear, for no one said a word to the other, and looks were exchanged just as scarcely. A vile silence accompanied them through the whole hike, which finally ended with Arrakis' scornful uttering of sarcasm.

"Good talk," he said, then got off Chione. "I'll have to go alone from here."

With suspicion, Finn's eyes squinted at Arrakis who then pursued to say, "I can't be seen, I'll get arrested. With you and the wanted thief, and this five-foot animal, I'm kind of in the spotlight. So, I have to go alone."

"And alone you shall stay," muttered Finn and grabbed Chione's reins as Arrakis walked toward the gallery of trees. 

Though Lena felt less scared of him, the hair still raised on the back of her neck as he walked past her, and as if he had smelled her fear, he paused to turn and look at her.

After he scanned her from head to toe, he lifted one corner of his mouth, looking nearly friendly at that moment. It was a kind of expression which Lena had not seen on his face before. It looked sincere, yet Lena's body was stiff, and when Arrakis came closer, her pulse quickened, as did Finn's. 

Lena did not notice that Finn made a step every time Arrakis made one, for her attention was fixed on the drumms she heard throbbing beneath her ears, and the fact that they gained volume when Arrakis started talking to her.

"Thank you," he said and gave a very swift stare at Finn, only to enjoy his fury.

"What?" asked Lena, startled, expecting Arrakis to threaten her at the least.

"You brought me back; you saved my life," answered Arrakis with that imprefect, childish smirk.

Lena was undecided which smile made her feel more uneasy; the one that could make her beg for her life, or the one she studied right now, that made her wonder if his smile was indeed real and what more personalities lay beneath that horrifying mask of his.

"You're welcome," Lena replied in a tone more suitable with a question, then looked at Finn for confirmation. Her eyes were pulled back to Arrakis when he said that he had something to give to her.

"I want to show my gratitude," but before Arrakis could say more, Finn stepped in and jerked Lena away from him.

"Whatever you're doing, stop it!" Finn demanded. "You're neither thankful nor have you got anything to offer her. You can consider yourself lucky that I'm not turning you in! Be smart and keep away from us both."

"Try meditation. It helps to act less like a killjoy." Arrakis' smile had changed in the blink of an eye. "May I finish now? I was going to offer her to take my ship."

"Your ship?" Lena asked, "Didn't it crash into the ocean?"

"Not that ship. There is another, smaller one, hidden. I can point it out on your map."

"What's the catch?" Finn remarked.

While rolling his eyes, Arrakis said, "there is no catch."

"How stupid do you think we are? It's a trap, admit it."

"It's not a trap."

"You don't seriously trust him, do you?" Finn asked Lena, seeing her thoughts were still unresolved. "KSP will follow you, thinking it's him."

Lena swallowed and kept quiet. She wanted to believe that Arrakis may have changed for the better, or was trying to do the right thing, but Finn's point was not very disagreeable, and she tended to think rather badly of the idea, until Arrakis said, "You can detach the tracker. No one will follow you." He laughed and shook his head, "You're more stupid than I thought you are."

"No," said Finn with confidence in his decision.

Lena turned to him, "I have to get to Pluviam somehow. I doubt that your crew will give me a ride. If I take his ship, trap or not, it's the best shot I've got to get back unnoticed."

There was no debate. Finn agreed with Lena and let Arrakis mark the ship on his map before their ways ultimately parted. Goodbyes were not said, additional words were not shared. Finn and Arrakis were happy to walk opposite ways, and only Lena was free of anger. Nevertheless, she carried the burden of questions to which she may never find answers.

"It'll be weird going back to my empty apartment," she said, walking beside Finn. He wanted to interrupt her but decided against it. "At least a new book will join my collection."

"You're not going home," he said, assuming that she was finished.

"I'm not? Then why are we going to the ship?"

"If there really is a ship, there is no way you'd land on Pluviam unnoticed. You're coming to Kepler with me."

"Kepler? Hold on a second. KSP will never let me come along."

"I know. That's why I'm hoping Arrakis told the truth. Oh, how stupid I sound."

"What? You have a perfectly fine rocket waiting to take you home, and instead, you want to risk your life again to take me to Kepler?"

"Yes."

For a brief moment, she did not know what to say. His answer was short and honest, which she had not expected. "And then what?"

"I don't know."

"We can't just fly to Kepler and make spontaneous decisions. We'll both end up imprisoned on Pluviam."

"Do you have a better idea?" asked Finn, as frustrated and despaired as her. "You can't stay here, you can't go back, what else do we have left?"

"I'd have to live a life in hiding!"

"You won't have to hide. I know a place, free from trouble, where no one will search for you. It'll be a million times better than your life on Pluviam."

"If they catch you helping me, you'll be punished."

"Is that your only argument?"

Lena made no answer.

"Good, make hassle."

"Finn, wait." Lena cut his way and made him come to a halt. "I—I don't want to put you in danger."

"You're not. I made that decision."

"Against my will."

Finn walked around her and kept to the plan. His plan. But up to the moment that they found the ship, Lena did not stop to voice her dispute.

"He didn't lie," Finn murmured to himself and opened the door to a silver vehicle.

"Stop ignoring me," Lena cried and slammed the door shut before Finn could enter. "You're not taking me to Kepler! I refuse!"

"Don't you want to live?" he asked her as an attempt to convince her of his plan. "Don't you want to have a place you can call home? Don't you want to be at peace?"

"Yes, of course, I want all of those things, but I don't agree with your idea."

"Just get in," he opened the door but she shut it.

"No."

"Come on," he said calmly, and still, she refused.

"I can't let you risk your life for me anymore."

"Please!" he begged, "I'm not ready to lose you, too!" And when he finally got around to asking her to stay with him, her tense muscles loosened and she gave a nod to rid Finn of his discomfort.

"It's not that I don't want to go with you," she added to her sigh, "it's just—If anyone sees me, I'll be sent to die on Pluviam. Alongside you."

"Just get in," he said, this time offering a profound smile that persuaded her to consent at last.