"The mind is its own place, and in itself

Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n."

John Milton, Paradise Lost

"I'm sorry."

Dick stood in front of a broken Koriand'r, internally begging his own resolve not to shatter. His heart ached for her, but as far as he was concerned, the outcome was what it was - devastating, but inevitable. He took a deep breath as he prepared for the worst, but even though he knew it probably wouldn't happen, hoped for the best.

"No." Kory whispered, disbelieving, as she stared out the ship's window. Yellow-orange flames danced violently with purple and brown debris in the distance where Tamaran once orbited. Now, all that existed was death and destruction.

"Please don't-" Dick continued, carefully approaching her.

"NO!" She screamed, violently shrugging off his sympathy as she flew over to the window and pressed her forehead against the cold glass. "No…"

"Kory, you can't blame yourself," he inched closer. "I know what you're thinking…"

"You have no idea," she growled.

Dick ignored her outburst and took another step forward. "There's nothing you could've done. If you would have stayed there, you would have died."

"Maybe that was my fate," Kory turned away from the window and stared into him, her emerald eyes glowing with emotion. "I am a coward."

Dick felt the sting of her words. She'd paid for Tamaran's peace with her own flesh - her own sacrifice. How could she believe that her fate was to die for a planet that had done nothing to repay her? A planet that didn't love her as much as he did. "You aren't a coward," he said, soothingly. "No one thinks that."

"I think that!" Kory yelled. "Do you not realize that you stole away every ounce of honor or dignity that I had?"

Dick blinked. "Wait, you're blaming me?"

"Had you not stopped me, I would have been able to do whatever necessary-"

"No, had I not stopped you, things would have been much worse, you'd be -" Dick stopped himself and took a deep breath, suppressing the anger rousing within him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean -"

"Worse?!" Kory fired back, not accepting his apology. "My planet, my people, are gone and I am to blame for it! I am a murderer and a traitor! There is nothing worse."

"Are you even listening to yourself?" Dick ran his fingers through his shaggy hair and tugged at the strands lightly, feeling the pressure against his scalp. Normally, it was an act that would calm him, but today, it only added to his frustration. He clenched his jaw and roared, "Your 'people' betrayed you, Kory. They murdered themselves, you just happened to be there when it happened."

Kory hung her head in shame before turning back around to face the explosion. "It's easy for you to feel that way." She pointed at the glass and turned back to face him. "Look at it, Dick! Tamaran is demolished. Everyone I ever grew up with, every Tamaranian that I've ever known, every animal and creature and living thing that called that planet home is gone. Forever. Until you know how that feels, do not try to justify its demise."

"I'm not trying to justify anything except your life. Hate me all you want, but I was not going to let you die for a race -no, an entire planet - that's done nothing but cause you pain and suffering."

"You act as though you wouldn't be willing to die for your people," Kory said, tears filling her eyes. "They killed your parents, has that not brought pain upon you? The planet is full of crime,terrorists that bomb cities and evil monsters that kidnap children and sell them into slavery just as I was. Still, you would do everything in your power to protect them; stop being a hypocrite."

"My people?" Dick looked at her incredulously. "They are your people, too. They have embraced and loved you for as long as you've been on Earth. The Kory I know wouldn't disregard them that easily."

"Maybe I am not the Kory that you know, anymore." She picked her head up, meeting his eyes. Dick shook his head and tried to place a hand on her shoulder, but she shoved off with ferocity, making him frown. "You don't get to play God with me, Dick. Dying was my choice -"

"What about me, huh?" Dick cut her off, tears of combined anger and sadness finally rising to the surface of his lids, threatening to pour over onto his cheeks. "Just the thought of leaving you there to die makes me sick; do you think I would just be able to go back home and resume life without you? Like you never existed?"

"Stop it." Kory threw her hands up and brushed past him.

Dick followed right behind her as she walked briskly toward the back of the small ship. "Do you need an apology? Is that it?" she shook her head, but he ignored it. "I'm so sorry for saving your life, Kory, because I can't even imagine living in a world without you in it."

"This isn't about you," Kory opened the hatch to the sleeping chambers. "I am retiring now; do not follow me."

Dick stopped in his tracks and let her disappear; she was right, it wasn't about him. He walked back over to the window where Kory previously stood. At least, in the back, she wouldn't be able to stare at the explosion. Tamaran was, truly, a beautiful planet; too bad it's beauty had become masked by hatred and treachery that resided within it.

Dick let out a sigh as he choked back tears.

He'd been on this ship for way too long – he just wanted to be home.

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