Epilogue: Fifty Years Later

"You can't change the destination an hour before launch!" Rachel squawked. "What were you thinking?!"

"Those Pathfinders we sent out a hundred and fifty years ago?" Nick told her. "We're still receiving readings from them all. One of them… sent back something interesting."

Rachel looked at his Screen. "We got these scans fifty years ago. Habitable zone planets, possible water. We knew that before."

"Yeah, but that was fifty years ago. Now we're getting confirmation on water and plantlife."

"We have neighbors?" Rachel said in disbelief.

"No sign of any animal life yet, but… Think about this for a second: We did get the scan fifty years ago. None of this was visible then. Something has changed. Plantlife in the oceans creates more than half the atmosphere on this planet." He started counting on his fingers. "Planet in the habitable zone, day/night cycle; liquid water, ocean life, atmosphere. What does that sound like to you?"

Rachel stared at the screen in awe. "Same thing it sounds like to you."

Nick nodded. "My question is: Is this Second Genesis for us, or for some other people that are yet to be made? I remember we once had a conversation about how no artist stops at one painting, no engineer stops at one invention. The Big Question was answered years ago. Maybe He was just waiting for the moment."

"Either it's for us, or for someone else. Either way, we get to watch a whole 'Genesis Arc' play out." Rachel said in wonder. "You told the rest of the crew?"

"The Pathfinder scans are public record. The world will know any second."

And then He spoke. "This is not for new people. This is for you; and your children. But there will be others. For now, all My worlds are yours, to do as you see fit; subject to My laws. I told Abraham once that his descendants would be as the stars of the sky. There are stars enough that you don't have a number big enough to count them."

"No, we don't." Nick agreed. "But we will, one day."

"Yes. And if, at any point in the whole of the future, one of them were to ask why they should follow Me? That's when I will send them My answer. Someone who can teach them the folly of trying to rule themselves, in the Universe I created for all My children. I will send them an experienced teacher. Someone they can admire, for having overcome the ultimate test; and more than once."

"Us." Rachel said quietly.

"You." Her Father confirmed. "The first ones of my creation. Once before, I looked forward to the days when My oldest friends, like Abel, Enoch, and Noah; could meet My newest friends, like you. One day, you will meet My youngest children. They will learn much from you, and you'll learn too. A good teacher always learns as much as the student."

Nick felt a lump in his throat. "I look forward to it."

~~/*\~~

Outside the Ryker family house, Isobel and Grant were setting up the tables, laying the cloths over the top. "Irony of all is that the launch happened tonight." Grant commented.

"I know." Isobel sighed, glancing back at the house. "I could never say this in front of Megan, but Family Dinner Night seems to be getting smaller with each passing century."

"That's an illusion. The new people are still little." Grant scoffed.

As if to make the point, Kassie Ryker came along, walking the horses. She was too young to ride without her father present, but she took her responsibility of caring for the animals seriously; walking them by the reins to food and water; and brushing them down as best she could reach.

"Kassie, it's time!" Megan called from the house.

At Grant's gesture, Kassie left the horses with him and hurried into the family home.

"You don't want to go in?" Grant asked Isobel. "I can set up the rest."

Isobel gestured towards the house; and then the other way, towards the olive trees, where Beckah and Alec were just opening the wine. "There's family, and then there's family."

Grant smiled a bit sadly. He'd been declared an official member of the family due to his actions during the Final Test; but he and Isobel still felt like they'd been adopted by the 'real' family circle. A feeling that would fade with time.

~~/*\~~

The broadcast was something her family had been talking about for weeks, and even if Kassie didn't understand everything that was going on, she knew it was a really big night for her family. She almost dove into her seat, wriggling between her mother and father. Megan quickly lifted her teacup higher, so that her excitable ten year old wouldn't knock it over. The family tea set beside her lounge didn't quite have the same luster as the one her mother had spent so many years with, but Megan knew it would eventually, the tea ritual so familiar she could do it in her sleep.

"Uncle Nick and Aunt Rachel have been working on this for at least as long as I've been alive." Megan whispered to her youngest daughter. "When you get to be my age, you'll be telling everyone you know that your kin were doing this."

An Auto landed outside, and Rika came rushing in. "Did I miss it?"

Biggs waved her over. "Just in time."

Rika bit her lip. "Alec and Beckah are still outside. Aren't they going to join us?"

"They will." Biggs shushed her. "When they're ready."

~~/*\~~

Alec and Beckah were stretched out on a picnic blanket, and had a great view of the stars. Alec poured from the dusty bottle of wine, his wife laid out the well-aged cheese and crackers. It was a very muted version of their usual ritual. They would normally have Rachel and Nick with them.

"We knew it couldn't last forever." Beckah murmured to her husband. "Old traditions."

"I know." Alec admitted. "Wherever they go, they'll be sharing a thought for us too. They'll come back one day. Who knows, maybe we'll go out to them. But we'll keep the tradition alive."

Far in the distance, a point of bright light rose through the darkening sky, rising higher and higher until it was all but indistinguishable from the myriads of other lights that shone above them eternally. "There they go."

Beckah and Alec stayed where they were, curled against each other. They could smell dinner being laid out back closer to the house. They would have to go back soon; but there was no rush.

Kassie came out of the house and wandered over to them. "Mama says I shouldn't bother you. Mama says you might be sad, because your friends are leaving."

Beckah chuckled and held out a hand to the little girl, who came over and flopped down on the blanket beside them. "Your mom is right. We are a little sad. But we're happy too, because it's a happy thing when your friends have something wonderful happen to them. Especially when they've been wanting it a long time."

Kassie's eyes were glued to the crackers; as only a little kid could notice.

Alec chuckled and gave her one. "You know why we're out here?"

Kassie shook her head.

"Well." Alec began the story grandly, and his wife rolled her eyes with affection. "It all started, just after A-Day. Your great-Aunt Rachel was summoned to a Conference, and Beckah and I were giving her a ride, when we came across this little restaurant…"

As Alec told the story, Beckah spared a glance up at the stars. Father, she prayed. The story begins again, somewhere else; from page one of a whole new Bible. But this time, there will be no detours, no rebellions. A world that never has to experience even the fleeting memory of suffering, or the concept of death. What a wondrous world it will surely be.

"It will be." The answer came promptly. "But don't let familiarity keep you from noticing: The world you have is full of My wonders too. And there is still so much more to come."

I look forward to it. Beckah answered, looking at her husband with Kassie. I envy her. She's just at the start of the story.

A warm laugh filled her senses. "So are you, daughter. What is behind you is finite, and what is ahead is infinite. The story goes on forever; and every page is more wonderful and exciting than the last."

"Amen." Beckah said aloud.

Alec looked up at her, not knowing what she was talking about, but certain of who she was talking to. "Amen." He agreed.