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Ever since Court had come back into their lives, he taught them how to be safe. That was the older brother’s job.
That and protecting the younger brother. And look at how well Colt did that.
So, when he first noticed a stranger following him, he was immediately suspicious. Hat pulled down, mask covering the lower half of the face. Large backpack, always hiding behind something. He called Court.
“What do you mean someone is following you and you just now called me! Colt you know how dangerous my old life was what if it’s someone from the CIA or something?”
“Dude calm down! I just noticed him yesterday, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t being paranoid.”
“Fine. Meet me at the usual spot. I figure out who this guy is.”
Colt felt bad for involving his older brother, but ever since Ryland’s abduction and supposed volunteering for the Hail Mary, they both agreed to stay in constant contact, in fear of losing each other. Maybe it wasn’t healthy.
Court had digressed into old habits when Ryland disappeared, then they heard the news, he "volunteered” for the Hail Mary, both remaining brothers called bull shit. They knew Ryland, and he would never leave his kids, or them, behind. So what Court had maybe gotten to Stratt before the authorities did, and so what that the authorities had to send for an ambulance before they could talk to her again.
They knew what happened to their little brother.
He was murdered.
That night was not a restful night for anyone.
—-----------------------------------------------------------
Jody insisted on going with Colt to the cafe on the quiet street, when she found out that Colt was being followed, she took no risks.
When they walked into the cafe, they saw Claire sitting by herself at the brothers’ normal table. Jody walked up to her first. Colt not far behind her.
“Hey kiddo, where’s your dad?”
“Outside. He told me to wait in here for you both.”
Colt didn’t like the idea of Court facing the man following him alone, but he also knew Court could handle himself, if it came down to it.
The three made awkward conversation while they waited for Court. After an hour Colt was too amped up, and excused himself to the bathroom.
He knew that the man had followed him. He saw him several times, jest ever so slightly behind a dumpster when they walked into the cafe. But what he didn't know, was why Court was taking so long to come into the cafe.
Colt walked across the street to the alleyway where he saw the man, only to stumble over his older brother crying on the man, now without his mask, a new black eye, hat discarded on the ground, and his glasses broken at their feet.
“Ryland?”
This is a dream. A fucked up dream that cannot be real.
But there they where, three brothers reunited, in a dirty alley.
Ryland looked young, far too young for a sixty-one year old man. He looked like he was still in his forties.
“Colt!”
Ryland keeping one arm on Court, opened his other arm for Colt.
Colt, like the weak man he is, fell into his brothers arm.
“Rocky hug too!”
“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!”
And immediately jumped right back out. He saw Court do the same out of the corner of his eye. Behind his baby, and now he really the baby, brother was a large spider like creature, made out of rock, in a clear suit.
“Rocky! I told you to stay back there! Court put the gun away he isn’t going to hurt us.”
Colt didn’t even see his older brother grab is gun, but when he looked over there it was.
Logically, everyone on Earth had seen the footage from the Beetles, of Ryland describing his journey around Tau Ceti, and how he was the first human to meet an intelligent lifeform from another galaxy. It was a whole other beast seeing Rocky in person though. He was much larger in person than in the videos.
Court slowly lowered his weapon, not holstering it entirely though. Rocky had stopped a few feet away from the brothers, obviously still wanting to join the hug but following Ryland’s orders.
“How are you here? In your video logs you said you where going back to save Rocky.”
Court was in shock, by the looks of it, but managed to compose himself faster than Colt could ever dream of.
I wonder if this makes us second contact with the aliens. Colt had the distant though.
“Well! It’s actually really cool, the Erdiens, thats what I’ve been calling Rocky’s people, since their from the planet Erid, managed to synthesize food, which is another really cool thing, and repaired the Hail Mary and we managed to figure out how to maximize using Erid’s sun’s gravity to speed up the astrophage enough, that we where able to make the journey back to Earth in only four years! It was not a fun ride but wow what an experience, lemme tell you!”
Ryland was rambling. God I missed his rambling.
“We also managed to make the Mary landable, because earth doesn't have a space elevator. And we can even make it back to Erid in less than five years using Earth’s sun’s gravity, a little slower. Man I wish ♪♪♭♫♬ was here to explain the science of it all, astrophysics where not my strong suit.”
Colt did not understand how Ryland made music notes with his voice, but he did. The science was lost on him regardless. He decided that Ryland had rambled enough and jumped into his arms, resuming their hug.
“Rocky join hug, question?”
For a creature that has no eye, he could feel the thing eyeing him and Ryland up.
“Do you mind Colt?”
“He brought you back, for all I care he could give me a chest burster. Get in here rocky.”
As soon as he finished saying that he felt Rocky rush into their legs, the only reason they didn’t fall was because Court caught them.
“As much as I am enjoying this reunion, we should get the girls and get into a building.”
Court, the ever sensible one, made sure they where both stable and on their own feet. Colt went back to the cafe to get the girls and pay their bill, while Court went to get his truck.
Jody looked up from the table, looking relieved.
“Starting to think you fell into the toilet with how long you’ve been gone.”
“I’m sorry, we need to go. Jody get the bikes, Claire you’re riding with me.”
“Why? Is my dad ok?”
Claire looked panicked, she knew why we where here.
“Yes he is fine. I can’t explain here.”
They both looked reluctant but did as Colt asked.
—-----------------------------------------------------------
After making it back to Court’s house, in the garage Rocky revealed himself to the girls, both of which were not nearly as freaked out as Colt had been, and a quick explanation form Court, they settled into the living room.
Colt decided it was best to start with the obvious.
“Why do you look like your still forty?”
Ryland looked up from eating some leftovers Court had offered him.
“Time dilation.”
“Time what?”
Colt knew he was going to be lost as soon as Ryland’s face lit up.
“Basically, to me, the original trip to Tau Ceti only took four years, but to Earth it was thirteen. Then the trip to Erid was only four more years, which for Earth was another thirteen years, then I stayed for a couple of years while Erid’s engineers figured ut how to repair and upgrade the Mary.”
“Are you staying?”
And at that Ryland’s face fell. Colt felt bad, but he needed to know.
“I can’t. I have someone back on Erid. I have to get back to him.”
“You’re an alien fucker?!”
Ryland’s face became red, poor guy was going through so many emotions.
“Claire! That is no way to speak to your uncle!”
Court reprimanded his daughter, Ryland choking on his apple. Colt started to pat his back.
“No, he’s human.”
“I thought your video logs said everyone on the crew died on the journey to Tau Ceti?”
Jody, had offered to watch the video logs by herself, but Colt and Court had vehemently disagreed. That was the last time they’d seen their baby brother, they had to watch the logs. So they watched, all 200 hours worth of content. They where lucky that the government had been pressured into releasing all of the content.
“They did.”
Ryland was hiding something. Colt knew all his tells, even with nearly two decades apart, he could still read Ryland like a book.
“What aren’t you telling us?”
“Well. So. He might be from the future? Or another universe? Like not a different galaxy, like multiverse type situation.”
Colt wanted to ask how and what the fuck do you mean, but Claire beat him to it.
“How?”
“That I don’t know for sure, but we have theories. One of which is a wormhole but that one doesn't make sense because he was in a blood ocean on a moon. The other leading theory is sheer willpower to not die, but again, just theories.”
Colt leaned back into the couch, he could feel the headache coming, but made no move to get medicine for it. He couldn’t force himself to leave his brother again.
“What about you guys? How are the movies going for you Jody? You still doing stunt work Colt? CIA still after you two?”
“Good, yes he is, and yes they are, although since you left they’ve been more focused on the sun literally dying.”
Thank you Jody. Colt was still on the fact that his brother was going to leave him again. Or was he?
“How many people can the Hail Mary support?”
Seems Court was on the same page as Colt.
“Three. But we could probably fit five if we pushed it. I have enough food to last me ten years in case something happens. We could easily make it last for five.”
Ryland, still as quick as a whip, not missing a beat.
“Wait, before we go into planning our great escape, what is Erid like? If I’m going to spend my life on another planet i want to know what it’s like.”
“Claire, if you want to stay-”
Court started, but was quickly interrupted by Claire.
“I’m sticking with you, dad. I’m tired of constantly looking over my shoulder. And I’m not saying no, at least not yet. I want to know what it’s like on Erid first.”
“It’s nice. The Erdians made me my own biodome, on a beach, and Simon and I can decide on the weather. The Erdians are making smaller biodomes for research of plants and such. Rocky do you think-”
“Erid welcome Grace family! Rocky will tell them to prepare for Grace family!”
Rocky let out a couple more notes, which made Ryland laugh. Rocky then gave a thumbs down, which Ryland reciprocated. Then he scuttled off, presumably to contact Erid.
“So, tell us about this Simon.”
Ryland’s face went back to red at Colt’s comment