Hope

Chapter 3: Monty and Harper

"Are you going to be okay?" I ask.

"Yeah... I'll be fine, just play it," Jordan responds. I hit enter.

"Hey, guys... It's been about a year since you all went to bed. Not much to report really. My algae farm is awesome. No surprise there. Oh... I'm able to monitor conditions on the ground using the ship's geological equipment so I'll know when it's safe for us to go back down. It gets a little lonely sometimes without the rest of you but the peace and quiet is what---" Monty gets cut off by Harper.

"Monty... I've been waiting for you..."

"Harper, wait I'm in the middle---"

"You promised me and we have another 40 staterooms that---" She must have realized the camera because she runs away and chuckles. "Ah! Why didn't you tell me?" she asks, still laughing.

"There's ah... not a lot to do in space..." Monty says, addressing the cameras.

"I so didn't need to see that," Jordan remarks, standing next to me.

The next clip is them announcing their pregnancy. The next is a video of a baby Jordan in Monty's arms.

"Awh! You were so adorable." I whisper to Jordan.

The following clip is of Monty. He explains the conditions of the ground. The next is when Jordan was 8. I remember the day they put him in cryo. Harper was never the same. She would visit him every day.

"Hey, Bellamy. Hey, Clarke. We wanted him to wake you up first so we could talk. Earth... isn't coming back. You've been asleep for over 28 years and it's as dead as the day we left. I'm working on a plan 'B', though. If you're awake that means I've found it. I'll see you again when I do." he goes to turn it off.

"Wait, not yet... Take care of our boy," Harper says. The clip ends.

The next clip plays. Monty looks... empty.

"Jordan... your mother died today. She was pretty sick for the last few years. Clarke, you were right... her dad's genetic condition finally got her." A tear rolls down Clarke's face. My eyes start to swell. "We had a good life. Sometimes... I know she wanted to be with you guys. Maybe, I did too. But if we did that I want to be able to show you this. Son." Jordan pulls a switch down. The windows start to open. We all walk over. After my eyes adjust, I see it. A beautiful planet.

"It took me 30 years but I finally cracked the eligius 3 mission files. Turns out it wasn't a mining mission. After sucking the Earth dry of oil they went looking for another planet to tap."

I am stricken with awe.

"Two suns?" Clarke remarks.

"I set the coordinates a week ago. If I'm right you should get there in... 75 years. I'm tempted to put myself in cryo to see it but... without Harper... Anyways it's in the Goldilocks zone out of a binary star system, but that's all I know. Eligus three never radioed back or if they did it was after apocalypse one so no one heard it." Jordan grabs my hand as a tear rolls down his cheek. "Can you see it? Is it beautiful? I see it in my dreams. I hope we do better there. I hope Jasper was wrong and we aren't the problem. I hope your lives there will be as happy as mine has been. Be the good guys. May we meet again." I lean into the man holding my hand as tears flow out of my eyes.

"May we meet again." we all whisper.