“What have you found, shipman?” Hedonius asked the young woman who had summoned him to this part of the complex.

“We believe this to be some kind of medical facility, sir.”

“It seems quite large for the amount of staff that would’ve operated this base.”

“Judging by the layout, sir, it’s more of a one-way system that you funnel people through.”

“Passengers.” Macdecan said, looking surprised.

The woman nodded. “My thoughts exactly, sir, but that’s not why we called you. This is.” The woman held up a stasis field which contained a faded poster of what was clearly a Hextic skeletal system. “And there’s more in the room behind me on just about every aspect of our biology, eyes, ears, even reproductive organs.”

Macdecan gulped. “How could they ha-“

“By the saviours! We-we-we’re here… I’M HERE!” Surelia shouted when he spotted a different poster in a different room he had stuck into. He fell to his knees, pulled a medallion from around his neck and kissed it, before he began sobbing with joy.

“Heavens, man! What has gotten into you?” Macdecan demanded.

Surelia took a moment to compose himself. “What do you know of the beliefs of us Lodnors, Sir?”

“You believe that we were banished from your true home, and fell from the sky to Alfa Kenturae, doomed to live our lives there until we were once again worthy to take to the stars and reclaim our home, right? There’s even that old pile of scrap in Bringstap City that you claim is the remains of whatever container brought you here.”

Surelia chuckles quietly. “A little but rough around the edges, sir, but you be getting the jist of it, I be thinking. The story goes that we was unworthy of our home in Sol’s life-giving light, and were driven away on great arks, one of which made it to Alfa Kenturae. For millennia, my people have dreamt of finding our way back, of proving that we be worthy, and now we’re here, I am here! I be worthy, and there be no greater joy than that.”

“And you think this planet is your long-lost home?” Macdecan replied sceptically.

“I don’t be thinking, sir, I be knowing it to be true. Look for yourself sir.” Surelia pointed at the poster that had caused him to collapse; it showed a stylised version of the planet they were standing on, half obscured by the large ovaloid ship that was pictured in the foreground. “The writing be in ancient Lodnonian, sir. It be saying ‘We leave today, for a better tomorrow’. And look at this, sir!” Surelia turned the medal in his hand to show Macdecan the image on it, which was of a ship near-identical to that on the poster. “The Ark! We be standing were they launched! How blessed be we!”

“My word.” Macdecan gasped out, and the woman behind him paled.

“Welcome Home, Sir.” Surelia said jovially as he pulled himself to his feet, tears of joy still streaming down his cheeks. “Welcome to Earth.”