Chapter Text
The luggage packed for him contained the fragments of his life—items and clothes that Grace found both familiar and dear. Everything was as it should be, except for the name tag on the bag: a jarring slip of paper with handwritten letters.
During his period of amnesia, Grace had subconsciously imitated the strokes of that handwriting. But as his memory gradually returned, the script began to feel foreign. After all, it wasn't his style.
Given Eva Stratt’s personality, every prediction, assessment, and action was backed by a meticulous plan. From the grand design of the Hail Mary, its experimental equipment, and computer software versions, down to the smallest personal items for celebration or entertainment—everything had been prepared.
Naturally, this precision extended to their uniforms. Every piece of clothing and spare gear for the three astronauts had their names and mission patches embroidered on them—except for the name tag on Grace's luggage bag.
Grace suspected this anomaly was not part of Stratt’s plan. Though he didn't know who had left it, a thought took root in his mind: he didn't believe it was left by just "anyone".
Because of that handwritten slip, Grace felt a sense of warmth, as if someone had wanted to accompany him in a different way.
-
The Eridians were wondrous beings; like whales, they communicated through beautiful melodies. Every time they spoke, it felt as if they were composing a piece of music. This made Grace suddenly crave to hear some music of his own.
The Hail Mary was equipped with everything. Soon, Grace brought up the playback function from the system. The database was filled with a staggering variety of music, covering such a broad range that Grace found himself paralyzed by choice.
What should be the first song? ...In the end, Grace selected a classical music playlist, feeling a strange sense of familiarity deep in his memory regarding this choice.
-
When Grace learned that Eridians watched over their companions while they slept—according to Rocky, their bodies underwent repairs during sleep, leaving them paralyzed and unable to wake—he understood they needed someone to "watch" them to prevent danger.
Being watched while sleeping was a social norm that, for humans, usually only appeared in horror movies. Grace believed most humans would find it a bizarre behavior.
However, Grace quickly accepted Rocky’s proposal and moved his bedding to the tunnel so that Rocky could watch over him while he slept.
Initially, Grace thought it was simply because he was highly adaptable to new things; if circumstances permitted, he truly wanted to spend the rest of his life studying the Eridians.
Sleeping in a new place was no problem for Grace. The light didn't bother him, and Rocky's rhythmic tapping was quite conducive to sleep. What Grace found strange instead was a sense of familiarity—as if... he had experienced this before. But why?
Grace’s self-perception was that he was single; he could find no memory of a partner in his mind.
Could it really be a plot from a horror movie? Was there some presence that couldn't be defined by science, watching over or staring at him every night?
Grace shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought.
No, it wasn't because he disbelieved in the supernatural as a scientist. It was because the experience in his memory didn't bring him fear, but rather peace.
How strange.
-
After the Hail Mary launched, Earth faced a long wait to see if it would escape the catastrophe. Twenty-six years was too long for humanity—long enough for them to forget what hope looked like.
Order, like overripe fruit, began to rot from the unseen places first. The frequency of natural and man-made disasters rose every year, and the uncertainty of the future drove society into chaos.
K didn't understand. To ensure the survival of the species, they needed cooperation now more than ever to weather the crisis—just as they had during the original Hail Mary project. But clearly, not everyone felt that way.
After Stratt’s team disbanded, ownership of K returned to his original unit. He followed the orders of the U.S. government, executing various missions. K didn't choose to run away then, because he knew that only by staying within the government could he possibly receive any news regarding the Hail Mary.
So, he waited quietly for that moment to arrive.
Deep in his heart, K believed Grace and the others would succeed, and he wanted to know the news as soon as possible.
-
There was still a group of people in the world who believed Stratt shouldn't have met such an end: the person who saved Earth, spending the rest of her life in a prison cell. These people gathered, much like the original Hail Mary project, with members from various countries and fields, aiming to break Stratt out of prison.
K knew of this organization. They occasionally interfered with K’s missions, but for the most part, K turned a blind eye. After all, to K, their goals were aligned.
During this long period, K had many partners. His current partner was an agent codenamed Six. K had never doubted Six’s loyalty to the government, but now, the other clearly had different ideas.
"Humans are more complex than you think," Six shrugged. "Want to join?"
K remained silent.
This scene felt somewhat familiar—K remembered when Grace had given him a "choice", and he remembered their conversation about "bravery".
-
Perhaps that moment is near.
Even as the world order grew fragile, people still held onto hope, looking up at the sky day and night for an answer for Earth.
As the predicted time for the probe’s return drew closer, those who still remembered the Hail Mary felt as if they were seeing the last sliver of light from a dark box—the existence of hope.
-
K had seen countless acts of cooperation and betrayal. Later, he and Six left the government agency. Social chaos intensified to the point where no one cared where they went.
It was Six who recruited him. Six must have had some reason driving him to participate in the rescue mission, and K thought the same of himself.
Grace was like hope itself. K simply didn't want to miss it.
-
The moment the Hail Mary set sail years ago, Stratt’s power had instantly collapsed.
Predictably, accusations from governments fell like snowflakes. She accepted them fearlessly and calmly, showing K another form of human bravery: knowing the hardship of the path but still willing to shoulder the burden and move forward.
"Long time no see," K said.
Though replicants aged, it was much slower compared to humans. Stratt looked different from K’s memory; time had carved indelible marks upon her.
"You haven't changed much, K," Stratt said quietly.
"No," K replied, gesturing to show the way. "We’ll talk later. Everything is ready outside".
Though there might not be a chance to talk, as they would be very busy. This was a piece of human culture K had learned during this time. Stratt might have noticed, as she offered a faint smile.
-
Stratt hadn't originally intended to escape punishment. Her goal had been achieved; as long as Earth was saved, she asked for nothing more. But years later, someone brought news of the probe into the prison and finally convinced her to agree.
"We need you," Six said, grabbing Stratt’s hand and pulling her onto the truck. "We’ve detected the signal from the probe. It’s almost at Earth".
After Six covered them with a large amount of fabric to hide, K pressed down hard on the accelerator, driving the cleaning truck out of the prison.
-
K watched the recorded video of Grace on the Hail Mary. He gently touched the screen, tears streaming down his face.
Grace was exactly what K had once called him—a brave man. Even though he was afraid, he had bravely completed the mission.
And that bravery had inspired K. It was Grace who had given him a choice, allowing K to have secrets, to have a soul, and finally, giving him the courage to choose.
“This is Dr. Captain Ryland Grace reporting from the Hail Mary.”
Look... that was his hope, the hope that supported him to live on before being retired—to witness Grace's success.
-
K knew he would never see Grace again, but looking up at the night sky now, his hope surely existed among the stars.
Having lived for so long, K knew that even if he wasn't forcibly retired, his gradually declining body would bring him to the end of all things. Though he wouldn't witness the sun returning to its full brightness, it was enough.
Snowflakes fell upon his face. K offered a satisfied smile and closed his eyes.