The ship sailed through the cosmic void, a vessel carrying not only its mechanical parts but the heavy weight of grief and betrayal. The cergon, still clutching the seed that held the essence of his fallen brother, sat in a somber silence. The crew, uncertain of how to console him, respected the space for mourning that enveloped the ship.

Breaking the heavy quietude, the cergon spoke with a weary sigh, his eyes reflecting the pain of loss. "So how do you know my brother?" His voice carried a mix of exhaustion and curiosity.

Rayla, the first to respond, recounted the connection. "He was my teammate in the force," she explained, her eyes mirroring the sorrow etched on the cergon's face.

"He helped save my life," Rito added, a solemn acknowledgment of the fallen hero's deeds.

"He helped us all," Tobi chimed in, his voice resonating with gratitude and regret.

The cergon's gaze remained fixed on the seed, a tangible reminder of the sacrifice his brother made. "And in the end, no one could help him," he growled at himself, the pain of self-blame palpable.

Rayla attempted to console him, offering a defense for their efforts. "We got to you as soon as we could, at full speed, no pit stops. We tried so hard. You're not the only one hurting over his loss. If I could change reality, I would."

The cergon's response was a heavy silence, his eyes averting from Rayla. The seed, a silent witness to the turmoil within him, remained clutched in his hands. Finally, he spoke again, revealing a bitter truth. "Do you know why the peacekeepers didn't come?"

Rayla, taken aback, whispered an assumption. "I assumed they were busy with other matters..."

"Apparently his so-called team sold him out," the cergon declared, his words laced with a deep sense of betrayal. With a hint of irony, he pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his clothes. "It was so nice of my captors to let me keep their object of deception."

Rayla, now visibly hurt and confused, took the paper, unfolding it carefully. "This is a note from Yuka?"

"It's a note from them, leading him into an ambush, and then they sent Yuka to rescue me. You saw how that turned out."

"Why would they?" Rayla questioned, her hand running through her tendril hair as she attempted to unravel the motives behind such treachery.

"Why do you think? Money," the cergon answered bitterly, exposing the ugly underbelly of betrayal that had marred the integrity of those they once considered allies.

"We are, um, here?" Tobi ventured, seeking to divert attention from the escalating tension within the crew.

The cergon sighed, a weariness evident in his voice. "Let’s get this over with. Follow me, and keep your head down. We aren't very welcoming to outsiders." With that, he disembarked from the ship, finding himself in the midst of a small clearing surrounded by fellow cergons peering out from the shadows of the trees. The largest among them, a yellow-brownish and wrinkled elder, approached with a suspicious gaze.

"So, you have returned, Oros, and you've brought outsiders," the elder remarked, unamused by their presence. "I hope they aren't staying for long. You know what happened last time someone was here."

"Don't worry; we aren't staying long," Oros reassured.

The elder's tone shifted, his focus turning to the absent Yuka. "And brother Yuka? You told me he was supposedly going to free you from living here." His skepticism hung in the air.

Oros averted his gaze, presenting the seed as a solemn response. The elder sighed, a mix of sadness and understanding etched on his face. "I see. Can't say it was unexpected." Addressing the others, he continued, "This is what happens when we leave our planet's grace! The universe has demonstrated time and time again that we are not welcome out there, and that is exactly why we don't welcome them here!" He pointed his cane accusingly toward the trio.

"We aren't here to pick any fights," Tobi explained, hands raised in a non-threatening gesture. "Just here to mourn."

"Why should you be allowed to mourn for our kin, not your own? It was probably your kind that killed him!" the elder accused.

"It was your hostility that drove him away!" Oros countered, his frustration evident. "He wanted to help people like Rosa."

"Don't you dare say that name in my presence. That heathen destroyed our family, brought them here!" The elder's anger flared.

"Rosa didn't mean to. I didn't believe it at first either, but he left all of us for that woman. He believed in all the good she did," Oros asserted, taking a step forward. The confrontation escalated, and Oros seemed on the verge of launching at the elder, halted only by Rayla's firm grip on his arm.

"We are here to mourn, nothing more," she declared. Oros turned away with a disgruntled sound.

"After we bury him, we are leaving, and we aren't coming back," Oros announced, directing his attention elsewhere.

"You know I only wanted to keep you two safe," the elder offered, his voice tinged with regret, addressing Oros, who handed his back to them.

"Well, we all wanted a lot of things. Life's cruel like that, and if no one stands up like Yuka did, everything would end up like he did," Oros muttered, signaling the urgency to depart.

"Are you okay?" Rayla inquired as they distanced themselves from the clearing.

"I'm fine, just the sooner we leave, the better," Oros grumbled, a heaviness in his words betraying the pain and turmoil within.

"We're here," Oros stated, standing on a cliff overlooking the valley. In the grass below, a small ring of stones encircled a sapling with delicate leaves swaying in the wind. "I'm sorry, Rosa." Oros began to dig a hole next to her, contemplating the space where his departed friend, Yuka, would find his final resting place.

"So, who's Rosa?" Tobi inquired as the seed was placed in the hole.

"A sad story," Oros responded, pushing the dirt to fill the hole. "Her people attacked us after she crashed here. Yuka nursed her back to health and loved her, but our elder killed her for what she did to us, leading them here. Yuka swore she had nothing to do with it. His feelings for her must have been something to him, as he left the planet, saying he was going to live out her dream and help the universe."

Oros sighed as he placed stones around the disturbed ground, and the other cergons emerged from the shelter of the canopy.

"Today we cast Yuka back into the soil from which we rose, so that he may sprout again in a new form," the elder from before began, walking calmly towards them. Two others carried a large leaf filled with water, which was poured onto the freshly turned dirt.

The elder continued the eulogy, "He was taken from us too soon. We may not be able to talk to him in his new form, but he will always be with us in spirit, connected to us through the planet we thrive on." He placed his hand on Oros' shoulder. "Even through the furthest reaches of space."

Oros looked at the elder, feeling conflicted between anger and thankfulness. The elder offered him a slight smile. "I know I can't convince you to stay, but our last moments should not be of hate. Though they will be mournful, you will leave us as a brother, something I wish I could have said about Yuka." The elder sighed tiredly. "The last things we said to each other were not pleasant, and I will live with one brother's regret. Please don't let it be another."

"Thank you," Oros stated, looking at the moist dirt. "It's what Yuka would have wanted." He sighed. "One last request?"

"If it's doable."

"Keep Rosa watered and cared for. I won't be able to keep it up anymore. They deserve each other in this life after being denied it in the last."

"You have my word."

As the ceremony concluded, Oros looked around at the familiar faces of his fellow cergons. The heavy weight of grief and the swirling emotions of anger and sorrow lingered in the air. Rayla, Tobi, and Rito stood nearby, offering silent support.

Oros approached the elder, his eyes searching for a resolution. "I appreciate what you said, and I don't hold any ill will against you. But I can't stay here. Yuka believed in something more, and I want to honor that belief."

The elder nodded understandingly, his weathered features showing a mix of regret and acceptance. "You have your own path to follow, Oros. I won't hold you back."

Turning to the trio from the spaceship, Oros hesitated before speaking. "I... I know it's a lot to ask, but can I travel with you? I need to find my own way, and I can't think of a better group to be with."

Rayla exchanged glances with her companions, contemplating the request. The grief in Oros' eyes was evident, and the connection formed during their shared sorrow made the decision easier.

"We can't promise it'll be an easy journey, but if you're willing to take the risk, you're welcome to join us," Rayla said, her voice carrying a mixture of compassion and understanding.

Oros nodded gratefully. "Thank you. I won't be a burden, and I'll help however I can. Just give me a chance."

With that, the decision was made, and Oros became an unexpected member of their group. As they left the somber clearing, the seed of Rosa carefully cradled in Oros' hands, they made their way back to the ship. The journey ahead was uncertain, but the bonds formed in grief had laid the foundation for an unlikely alliance.

As the ship's engines hummed to life, Oros took a last look at the planet below. "Goodbye, Gaia," he whispered, a mixture of sorrow and determination in his voice. The ship soared into the vastness of space, carrying with it the stories of lost loved ones and the hope for a new beginning.