Rick didn't know whether he would be able to achieve what he wanted on that organization or not, even so that was his best hunch. There was no other way around. He chose to trust in Elise and her group instead of walking on his own for any longer.
Years went by after he arrived at Nemesis since then. He worked day and night to accomplish his goals and acquire more knowledge about Nocturne. Those years passed like days, the minutes like seconds, as his mind was so focused on his work.
During the three years that he spent traveling around Saphyr in order to know more about the Sinful Flame, he felt that time went by quickly. However, when at Nemesis, his conception of time got completely lost. He was two times more absorbed in his objectives than before.
