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The cooks prepare a grand meal at Reburst Station, as a celebration of their victory. Elaborate dishes of American cuisine waft smells from the kitchen into the main corridors.

Blake sniffs the sweet and tangy smell as he enters the dining hall. Alex is at his side, looking like a ravenous animal. All soldiers sit down at the empty tables. Someone drapes a victory banner across a plain wall in the dining hall. Everyone claps. Alex whispers in Blake’s ear.

“Not too shabby,”

As Blake nods, General Lead walks into the dining hall. The soldiers rise to attention. General Lead stands in a crisp charcoal outfit with gold medals in his breast pocket. Commander Lee hands a microphone to General Lead.

“At ease. Reburst Station successfully mounted a mission against the extraterrestrials known as Leafeans. Another day for humanity is possible,”

Applauses and cheers from the soldiers.

“Get food and rest, tomorrow is the clean-up operation,”

Platters of meals fill the stomachs of the soldiers. For the first time since arriving at Reburst Station, Balke hears laughter. He remembers the waves of laughter of Alex and Lily back on the Oasis years ago.

The morning on Mars starts with units rearranging into larger carrier teams. Each carrier team includes essential teammates to accomplish the clean-up process. As a mechanic specializing in wires, Blake’s task is to assess alien technology aboard the Lafean spacecraft. Alex catches up with Blake in aerial section 1.

“Carrier team B?”

“Yes, how do you know?”

“Your name is on the roster,”

All team members dress up in space suits. Blake adjusts the size of his space suit until it is snug against his body. Everyone boards large rectangular carriers. All the needed tools arrive inside the carrier before closing the cargo doors.

Once in space, the soldiers break into subunits organizing into the force teams. Pulling close to the main leafean spacecraft, the soldiers arrive to clean up the site. Headgear supplies oxygen. Soldiers are to head outside into the space void. Blake palaces the headgear until he hears it close. Click. He breathes fresh air. A harness anchors him to the carrier as Blake jumps into space. The gravity makes Blake’s body light and bounce. He lands on the opposing platform. A harness line passes through the carrier to allow Blake to explore the spacecraft.

On Blake’s waist is his toolkit, which he touches to make sure it is there. He passes the bodies of Leafeans decomposing. Balke takes no bodily samples as the biology team is in charge of this task. Inside the entrance of the Leafean spacecraft lines of hard plastic, shapes run horizontally along the walls. Pulling with pliers, Blake can extract the substance underneath it as fluid in the air. Blake collects the fluid into an empty tube. Continuing the search for technology, Blake is on the spacecraft until his oxygen levels decrease to low levels. Passing by the fallen bodies, Blake contemplates the future of the Vexes. Is this what the Earth plans to do to the Vexes, even if they do nothing to provoke them? Blake clutches onto a sample of Leafean technology. Perhaps they will gain information on Leafean's intent.

Blake takes a cleansing shower on the carrier spaceship to eliminate any bacteria from the outside. Steams vaporizes Blake’s body. Changing into a new spacesuit, Blake’s mind wonders about the fluid on the tube. His judgment deduces it is propelling fluid for the spacecraft for space travel.

Once in Reburst Station, all samples arrive in Scientist Jane’s laboratory. Blake hands over his tube of Leafean fluid and plastic tube fragments to the laboratory assistants.

Typing his fifth letter to Lily a year after arriving at Reburst Station, Blake shakes hands to stretch his cramps. There are time delays in receiving letters, delays occur every time Lily responds. Their relationship became a two-lane romantic relationship when Lily became his girlfriend. After saying yes it is now their first anniversary. Blake ends the letter with “forever your love”.

Today, after sending in the fifth letter, a meeting calls Blake to make an important decision. Sitting in the dining hall with his comrades in arms. Blake knows them well by now and feels comfortable with them. At 08:00, Mars time, Commander Pixar strides into the hall. Quick strides lead him into the center of the dinner hall.

“Today you decide if you will sign a contract to remain an additional three years with the Space Force or go back to Earth. The choice is yours,”

Two papers lay in front of each soldier. One is the extension contract, and the other is the exiting form. Blake needs to head back to being with Lily. He must help his father continue fighting for the Vexes. The Vexes still have a chance of survival and Blake’s life deserves love. After five minutes, everyone finishes signing their paper. Blake stands to talk to Alex, who is across the room. Alex wears a sober expression.

“We head home now,”

“No, you head home,”

“What do you mean, Alex?”

“I am staying at the Space Force,”

“Oh, good for you. Stay in touch then. Don’t have too much fun without me.” Blake punches Alex’s shoulder.

Alex grins. Together, they talk to the other unit members to ask about their choice.

At the disembarkment area, Alex stands beside Blake shaking hands.

“Send regards to Lily,”

“I will take care on Mars,”

Climbing aboard the carrier, Balke returns to Earth, where he plans to stay with Daniel in Albany, New York, Daniel’s hometown.

Landing at the New York International Spaceport requires all soldiers to check in and then receive their luggage. Blake slings his bags and heads to ask about the Hawk, his spacecraft. He pays the fees for an additional month’s deposit. This is the time he needs to plan his journey into the open space to find the Oasis leading to Lily. He yearns for the warmth of Lily in his arms. Whenever her face enters his mind, he feels colors of lights bursting in his heart.

Calling Daniel on his handheld device, Blake communicates his arrival. Daniel sends him directions to his house. Paying for a rideshare service, Blake enters a black car that pulls to the curb.

“Blake Sharp?” says a female with knots of brown hair.

“Yes,”

“Buckle up,”

Spring weather brings green buds onto the trees. Through the gape, then a light breeze slaps Blake’s face. The three-hour drive starts with pop music vibrating in the car. By the end of the ride, Blake and the driver slip into a shouting conversation.

The black car pulls up to a two-story brick house with ivy running up its sides. A spacious, short, trim yard spreads on the side of the gravel. Black pays for his passage through his handheld.

“Thank you,”

“Good luck,”

Blake knocks on the wooden door, pulling hard on the golden metal knocker. Suddenly, black strands of hair peek through - Daniel.

“I am glad you’re here,”

“We have so much to talk about,”

It’s the first time Blake sees Daniel with glasses. Daniel and Blake sit at dinner with Daniel’s family, including his mother, father, and younger sister. They ask Blake many questions about space, especially Ruth, who is Daniel’s sister. Ruth suddenly leaps from the table to grab a notebook from her book page. She writes notes down about Blake.

“You’ll scare him, sis,”

“It’s alright,”

Days at Henry’s include ample time to plan his next move. Blake reads on piloting. Without Alex, he needs to fly alone in space. Daniel helps find source material for the nets piloting. Of course, reading differs from the action. With his base knowledge, Blake feels confident with his journey coming soon. Daniel hands Blake an entertainment device that will keep him company during those long hours.

In their spare time in Albany, New York, Daniel takes Blake to the theater.

On Blake’s last night, they ate at a restaurant with their friend Kiana. Daniel and Kiana sit close together. They seem to stare and look away quickly from each other. Blake notices after consistently probing, Daniel confines his secret. Kiana has had messages with him over the past few months. There is someone else she is waiting for. Daniel runs his hand through his hair.

“Who is it? Do I know them?”

“Um, yes, Alex,”

“In love, there is nothing more heartbreaking than the action of inaction,”

The Henrys wave goodbye to Blake, who sits in a New York cab; the Henrys graciously pay for the fare.

Upon arrival at the New York International Spacecraft, Blake signs papers to allow him into space. All is clear by late morning. The workers polish the Hawk on the inside and outside, and Blake inspects it until he is content.

Ascending into Earth’s atmosphere floods Blake with past space memories of the Oasis. How the cosmos glows from the main bay windows. The blues, reds, and pinks with splats of lights. Blake enters his trajectory at the closest Central Station. The travel is boring apart from Daniel’s entertainment device. It contains comedy and romance films. With only one pilot, Blake uses an automatic pilot when needing to sleep. Moving his body inside the Hawk, he maintains a calm mind.

The Central Station comes upon him. Blake walks into the information center to search for the location of the Oasis. Lily. Planet Kronos. Now he has a sense of direction. After resting for a few hours, Blake’s throat feels parched, like a desert, thinking of Lily. Bringing back her words from her letters, he tries to smooth his nerves.

The Oasis is harder to find on Planet Kronos than Blake expects. Asking trading centers, Blake finally pinpoints their location on a trading route in Orange City. Orange-colored water fills the rivers of this city, which is inside a wooded forest. The town built inside many trees lies against one side of pink rock formations. Lush-fire-colored mountains cascade against the horizon.

The first person Blake meets from the Osis is Rex, the man who raised him.

“Blake, you’ve grown so much, my dear boy,” Rex says as he stops unloading a product in the cargo area. They embrace in a hug.

“Rex, I’m happy to see you,”

“Where’s Lily?”

“At the nurse station,”

Blake walks into the familiar hallways of the Oasis, finding his way to the sterile medical center.

Knocking politely, Blake awaits, slightly trembling. As if in slow motion, Lily appears in a nursing gown by the door. Her face has matured into an impossible blend of simplicity and sophistication. Her lovely features surprise Blake. He forgets to speak.

“Oh. My! You’re here,” Lily runs to embrace him.

“Yes, finally,”

Blake pulls back enough to turn his head as Lily turns her head. Their lips meet in a soft pull and tug of bursting emotions popping like explosions. After reaching for air, they talk about a time to meet for a walk. Lily needs to finish her work for the day. Before the walk, Blake pulls the jade necklace. He traces the gold inscription with his forefinger as he waits.

Lily emerges from the doors in a different outfit fitting for the weather, a sweater, and leggings. Blake resists the urge to pull her close and never let her go. He holds her hand as they walk along a trail in the wooded forest. Orange leaves fall around them as they walk. Placing the necklace on her, Blake kisses her forehead lightly.

“This is for good luck,”

“You’re the only good luck I need,”

A passionate kiss lifts Blake into bliss like no space trip ever has.

Once returning to sleep in the Hawk, Blake notices a message.

Sender: IIF. Settlement for Jupa Galaxy will begin on Planet Lyra. Earth is allowing the Vexes on their home planet. 7.3.80. Receiver: Blake Sharp.

Blake’s feelings turn inside him. With a sense of relief, the Vexes can live in peace. He knows his father will need his help. Blake does not want it apart from Lily now that he is next to her.

The next morning, Blake shows the message to Lily.

“Come with me,” says Blake, grasping Lily’s.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Blake,”

Aboard the Hawk, Blake and Lily wave to the Oasis crew beneath them. Into space, they go holding hands.