(Lucretia opens her mouth, then closes it, taking a moment to think on that.

Val does seem like a good listener... and there are things she can talk about without having to get into everything, so. After some hesitation, she clears her throat and glances down at the unmarked lantern in her hands. This might be a little confusing, sorry in advance Val.)

I used to be part of a team that travelled from planet to planet; we visited one hundred all up in the end. When we started, we didn't know we were being chased by a powerful force, determined to find what we were also looking for. In a number of instances, it did find that resource before us and the planet was lost.

(Though she's trying her best to sound distant, practical about this (these are the facts, that's all), it's clear that this really bothers her. She runs her fingers gently over the top of the lantern, expression somber.)

I thought about... about dedicating a lantern to the planets we failed but I don't... some of them were more than fifty years ago. I don't remember all of the names. The gesture feels so empty.