It was a long night. Calm enough not to interrupt either of them. Icarus remained on the outskirts of the refuge, calmly looking at the starry sky while he considered the possible ways to resume his path. On the other hand, Wag Too could not fall asleep. The lurmen lay on his bed, staring up at the rustic metal ceiling. The room was quiet and only the sound of the small fan cooling Wag Too's unkempt fur could be heard.

The first rays of sunlight marked the awakening of Wag Too who, after thinking about his bed for a long time, managed to fall asleep for a few hours. Wag Too rose to his feet, somewhat dejected. At night he remembered everything that had happened since he had to leave his village, until the last days he shared with the droid. He had made up her mind about what he had discussed with Icarus the day before, and he couldn't wait to give him an answer.

Seeing that Icarus was not inside the shelter, Wag Too went outside to have a long conversation with the droid. But to his astonishment, Icarus was nowhere to be found. The lurmen searched everywhere. In every corner of the shelter, on the roofs and the surroundings. He went down to the surface, and he could see that the cart where they used to take the parts and scrap from the city to the shelter, was in its place. Exactly the way he had left her the day before, hinting that Icarus hadn't touched her since. Did Icarus leave during the night? -

Wag Too couldn't believe it. How was he able to do something like that? Why didn't he leave a warning, a note, an indication of where he was going? The Lurmen was very distressed, so much so that he completely forgot to eat anything for breakfast. He simply went back inside the shelter and sat next to the batteries that were being recharged by the solar panels outside.

The lurmen experienced a shower of emotions as strong as the day he saw his village and all his loved ones consumed by searing fire. He felt sadness, fear, loneliness, anger, anxiety and a huge emptiness in his chest. All because of the fact that his only company during these long years had disappeared. But while he was fighting against his feelings, a bitter thought ran through his head with such force that it made him forget everything else.

"I can't blame him. After all, he's a droid. And there are things I just can't help. Icarus was created for battle... To overthrow his enemy... And he's programmed to do it... I just... I can't help it... I can't blame him for being what he is... In any case I was the selfish one for not taking his goals into account... I... A wanderer lost wandering through a vast desert of ruins ... No goals... No aspirations... Icarus at least has a purpose and is willing to move on... I am not worthy of keeping him in this dump". Wag Too thought.

The lurmen hunched over, holding his knees with his hands and couldn't help but cry in the corner of the shelter where he was. The weight of all those years had fallen on his shoulders suddenly, and it was pressing enough to prevent him from standing up. And so, without even realizing it, Wag Too remained locked in his own mental prison for a long, long time.

The heat began to show up, suggesting that the sun had reached its highest point in the heavens, however, the lurmen still remained hunched over in that peculiar corner of the shelter. Without realizing it, he had fallen asleep, due to the tiredness of his eyes after crying and a night without being able to fall asleep. And he was only able to wake up when a strange noise caught the attention of his sensitive ears.

Wag Too was still half asleep, but he could feel it clearly. It was a metallic sound, similar to that produced by a metal cable being subjected to a lot of tension. Whatever it was, it wasn't far away, so he decided to get to his feet as fast as he could, but his disoriented body turned out to be more clumsy than usual. When he finally managed to keep his balance, the strange sound had stopped, and instead, a strange knocking on the metal was getting louder. Wag Too approached the entrance of the shelter, when suddenly, the curtain that served as the door shook vigorously. The lurmen thought it was a strong wind, but such was his surprise to see Icarus right in front, no one more and no one less.

Icarus: - Good morning. Your red eyes imply that you have not been able to rest properly. -

Wag Too was silent. Seeing Icarus right before his eyes gave him a feeling of happiness that he had not experienced in a long time. With almost no control over her body, he inched closer to the droid and rested her forehead on the Icarus plates. The specialized combat droid had no idea what was happening. His enhancements allowed him to understand and manipulate fear and the impulses of the enemy, but emotions such as affection and happiness were completely unknown terrain for him. So, he just kept quiet, waiting for the lurmen to react.

After a few minutes, Wag Too managed to recover. And as he turned back to the stove to make himself a drink similar to morning coffee:

Wag Too: - Where have you been? -

Icarus: - I went to the ruins of the city. I wanted to check one thing. - He said while he sat next to the batteries and connected a cable to his body to charge himself.

Wag Too: - What were you looking for exactly? -

Icarus: - Information. -

Wag Too: - Information? - He said shocked.

Icarus: - Yes. With my core charged to 100% I was able to connect to the computer at the old command post in the city. Although it was only for a few minutes, I managed to retrieve a lot of valuable information. -

Wag Too: - What kind of information? -

Icarus: - Outpost, trade routes, chains of command, droid factories, and basically, any relevant data from the Separatist Army before the computer was taken offline after the bomber five years earlier. -

Wag Too: - I see... - A somewhat sad tone was noticeable in his voice. - So you're not going to give up? -

Lurmen's words stirred Icarus's computations once more, as he had spent the whole night computing about it. The droid wasn't devising a plan of action or a strategy to defeat the Empire, that was something he had developed long ago. Icarus spent the whole night trying to analyze Wag Too's reaction when he found out that he had to go on his way, in order to understand more deeply these emotions of affection and attachment that the lurmen had developed towards him. After all, for Icarus it was an unknown field, and he had to learn it on his own, and step by step.

Ícaro: - Look... Wag Too... What we talked about yesterday I... - He made a brief pause to better compute his ideas. - Look... I have to go back. I know it sounds selfish, but it's something I have to do. If what you say is true, many must be suffering. And as a remnant of the Separatist army, my mission is to confront them and reclaim our former glory. The Republic you once knew is no more, and this new regime oppressing the galaxy has no rival to stand up to them. But it's 87% safe to say that there must at least be someone fighting them. Whether it be Separatist remnants, or some new force, I must find them and join their fight. That is my... purpose. -

When Icarus finished speaking, Wag Too simply sighed heavily as he stared into the bubbly drink that was heating up. The droid didn't know what else to say, and didn't even know if what he had said was correct, so he simply kept silent. Finally, Wag Too turned around, drink in hand, grabbed a chair and set it in front of the droid only to sit on it. The lurmen looked at Icarus with sad eyes, who had no idea what was happening.

Wag Too: - So... Is it your final decision? - Ícaro paid him more attention than usual. - Whatever happens, will you continue on your way? -

Icarus: - Yes. I must do it. -

Wag Too: - Will you be true to your purpose regardless of the circumstances? -

Icarus: - That is the reason for my existence. It is what I was created for. -

Wag Too: - Will you go even if I ask you otherwise? -

The droid's words trailed off as he lowered his head slightly. In a way, he was able to experience something within his core, something that would resemble a "short circuit". Maybe that was pain? Emotional pain? Icarus couldn't make it out, but his resolve was unwavering. The droid raised its head and looked Wag Too square in the eye.

Icarus: - Yes. I would. -

The atmosphere became quite dense. Icarus didn't want to keep hurting Wag Too, but he had to keep going. The lurmen leaned back in the chair, sighed deeply, and calmly drank his drink. A few seconds passed and neither of them said anything. Until:

Wag Too: - Well... I guess I can't keep you. You are true to your purpose, and I respect that. It's much more altruistic than what I would do. So I won't try to stop you. -

Icarus felt that strange sensation that he classified as "pain" within his circuit. After having shared these more than thirty days together, he really felt attached to the lurmen, so the reality of having to part was really painful. However:

Wag Too: - Well. - He stood up energetically. - I guess I have no choice but to go with you. - He looked at him with a smile on her face.