Gaeta's jaw tightens. He's listening, but his thoughts are stuck on John's first sentence, unable to dislodge themselves.

"I'm sure they will," he mutters, not sounding like he really believes it, but willing to play along for the moment. (Sometimes, even Gaeta needs to let himself have a little hope.) "But with all due respect, sir, don't tell me there's some great cosmic mystery to the way the gods work. I'm not a fan of leading by prophecy and scripture."

He gestures to the distant lanterns again.

"That's why we spent four years chasing after a planet that was DOA. The 'mysterious ways' of the gods got us frak-all."