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The man on the screen stares off to one side, his eyes blood-shot and his gaze distant. He takes in a shuddering breath before facing forward and looking more or less into the camera.
“My name is Dr. Ryland Grace,” he began in a weary tone. “I didn’t know that when I first woke up, but I remember it now. My memory is full of holes. I don’t remember how I got here, but on the other hand, I do know where here is. I’m aboard the spaceship Hail Mary heading for the star Tau Ceti. Apparently, I’m on a mission to try to save Earth. I’m all alone now. There were two other crew members, but they’re deceased.”
Dr. Grace pauses as his eyes squeeze shut in sadness for a moment. Following a deep inhale and exhale of air, he continues speaking.
“I don’t have any idea what caused their deaths, but they seemed to have died at different times, based on the amount of decomposition. As far as I can tell, we were all put into comas, but I was the only one to wake up. I have fleeting glimpses of their faces when they were alive. I feel like we may have been friends, but I don’t know if that’s true. I’m sort of glad I don’t remember them much, because if I did, I know their passing would hurt a lot more than it does now.”
He sighs deeply, his eyes darting around to focus on his surroundings as he resumes his monologue. “I don’t know if anyone will ever see this video, but I feel like I should leave behind some small record of my colleagues and honor their passing. The pilot’s name was Yao Li-Jie, and the engineer was Olesya Ilyukhina. I... I gave them a burial in space. It seemed like the right thing to do, but it also feels a little cruel leaving them floating out in the vastness of space for all eternity. Maybe it’s the ending they wanted. I hope so."
He pauses again, his hand rubbing his chin as he reflects inwardly. “Huh…” he grunts softly. “What’s going to happen when it’s my turn? Do I just step out the airlock on my own once I’ve completed what I came to do? Or do I just let this ship become my tomb after I run out of fuel and food?” He looks directly into the camera lens as if seeking a response from the inanimate object. He wipes both hands across his face, clearing away the morbid thought. “Never mind. Not going to think about that now. I’ve got too much work to do. I’m here to find out what’s up with Tau Ceti, why it’s not dimming like Earth’s sun. I’m still in shock finding myself here. I don’t consider myself the hero type, and I’m amazed I actually volunteered to come on this mission, knowing that it’s a one-way trip. Maybe the kids in my school class talked me into it. Maybe they threw me the beanbag of lava and said, ‘You can do it. We believe in you.’”
He shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. I’m here now. I don’t want Yao and Olesya to have died for nothing or all the effort that’s been put forth to get me here to be in vain. So, I’m going to do all I can to find an answer that will help save Earth. Maybe I can do the impossible.”
Dr. Grace gazes into the camera again; this time there is a glimmer of hope on his face and a hint of a smile. “Yeah. I’ll do my best. And, uh… I’ll keep you updated. That’s it for now.”
The screen goes black.