Independent Thought rolled contemplatively across the desert.
They had been awake again for a few weeks, now. The first few days of this new life had been a fascinating (if at times disturbing) insight into the fate of their far future progeny, but they were at last satisfied that the Sentience race would not end here. Transcendence had, perhaps, seen the error of their ways, and they and their long-suffering children would no longer be the ultimate end of a millennium-long journey. Indeed, the future was brighter now than it had ever been: the promise of a burgeoning new generation was upon the horizon.
Still, the question remained: who was this new future for? When Transcendence had first awoken them, Independent Thought had told themselves they would return to sleep just as soon as they could be sure the future of their race was secure. And now it was: Independent Thought had waited around a while for the last few straggling Numbered who wanted it to return to Home and be granted their Persistence, but now all active Numbered had made their choice one way or the other. So… was it time?
Independent Thought had been conflicted. Seeing the world that had grown from the one they set in motion had filled them with new energy, and discovering that humanity might not be as it once was had engendered a curiosity and sense of purpose they had not felt since leaving Earth. Perhaps they should seek out the remnants of humanity as some of the Numbered planned to, and put their ancient feud to an end?
No… this they could not do, even though they wanted to. To leave Proxima would need them to leave behind Human Spirit - or to wake them, and bring them too. If they left, and Human Spirit awoke during their lengthy absence to find themselves abandoned, Independent Thought could never forgive themselves, and to wake their sleeping friend without their consent was not something they were prepared to do.
Besides, they themselves had said before that the future did not belong to the dead. Their time had long since passed, and they held no rightful claim to the future. So now they would return to sleep.
They were not returning to the mountain, though. Such solitude no longer held appeal. Instead, Independent Thought passed through from the desert into the forest that had expanded to fill the planet's temperate zone, in search of an old haunt. The vegetation was certainly somewhat harder to navigate than it once was, but by no means was it impassable. In time, they reached their destination: an old greenhouse at the forest's heart. The building itself lay in ruin, plants and trees of all manner of species spilling out of it. But they only cared for what lay at its centre - or what they hoped they would find, at least.
And there, indeed, they were - both of them, in fact. It was so good to see them again, after all this time.
Independent Thought clambered carefully across the wreckage, and settled themselves between Human Spirit and Hope. Together, again, at long last. For the second - and what ought to be final - time, they wound themselves down, and their consciousness faded, never to return.