For a moment, Astrid accepts the brevity of what he's saying, her eyes meeting his, looking right at him in an unspoken understanding, thoughtful contemplation. The thud of her heart amplified in the brief silence that follows. It's clear he's talking about more than just the past few days, but what he's apologising for or what she thinks he's apologising for isn't something she wants to hear. So now it's her turn to be dismissive, to change the subject in a moment of eager evasiveness.

"Did you know that humans think they're it, the only lifeform in the universe. Can you imagine that?" She lifts her brow in surprise, an amused grin of disbelief allowing her to release the tension from the awkwardness. "Not knowing there's anything out there waiting to be discovered?"