It took them about a half an hour to back track their way to the hab. After Harl's amazement had passed at the sight of a real life hab, the eight gathered up some of their basic belongings, and began the trek back to the homestead.
Jon had been right about Hannah's reaction to the flora and fauna, as her sheer excitement as they walked was unmistakable. He was glad he had used some of the wood to make her a notebook and charcoal pencil, even if it meant she was stopping every so often to document some "new" discovery.
They eventually convinced her to put it away for now with promises to go out exploring later, as they finally made headway in getting back.
An excited Henny-mae greeted them just beyond the pasture fence, bouncing excitedly as she saw them. Visitors at the ranch were a rare enough occasion, having eight that were all from space was crazy.
"Oh my god, oh my god," Henny-mae said excitedly as she raced up to meet them. "you're all from Earth? What was it like? Is it really like Yobby-joe says?" She quick fire asked them as she bounced along, walking with them.
"Oh," Jon said, not realizing how much of an oddity they might be to someone who had grown up on this planet, "um... it... well... what did Yobby-joe say about it?"
They passed through the pasture as Henny-mae danced around them excitedly and said, "Bobby-joe... he said that the Earth was, like, um... toxic waste dump? And that monsters were like... everywhere? And that's why everyone ran away to come live here. Is that right?"
Jon exchanged glances with everyone, even Harl, who gave Jon a shrug. Jon shook his head and said, "No, no... nothing like that. Well, not exactly." He took a moment of how to phrase it so a child could understand. They got into the house's front yard and said, "well, sweetie, the people living on earth kind of... helped the earth get sick. When we found out that the sickness was going to kill the earth, we all started building big space ships and... here we all are."
That was about all he knew. He realized he didn't really know how much time had passed since they had left. The computer on the Hab didn't have a functioning connection to the mainframe and was telling them they left six years before the last ship launched. Clearly inaccurate. Unless... wormholes!? Jon shook his head at the notion as they climbed the stairs into the house.
In contrast to the hab like exterior, the inside was beautiful as any home. As they stepped through the threshold, Jon felt like he was visiting some kind of wild west historical museum updated beyond his wildest dreams. The plain exterior couldn't possibly tell of the beautiful log cabin-like interior.
They were stepping into a sitting room, complete with a large, deep brown, likely real-leather sofa facing a small coffee table with a holo-TV mounted to the wall. The Holo-TV was much like the tablet Jon had been using. A clear, borderless screen that seemed to be suspended as if by magic from the wall. Magnets actually did it.
Under the TV was some kind of entertainment stand with a machine Jon was unfamiliar with. Probably a gaming console or media player? Both? He was unsure and wanted to ask, but was being led further into the house.
Jon stopped for a moment at the sight of some family photos on the wall and got a closer look. He was amazed because they were more than photos. Each one, though looking like one of those hokey staged family/momento photos, was adjusting or slightly in motion. Like a gif in a frame.
He followed the group then into a large kitchen and dining room area, becoming overwhelmed by the sights and smells. It was the kitchen you'd see in a 1950s documentary, movie, or serial. Bright pink walls, light blue floors, and bright yellow cabinets with matching appliances. On the other side of the room was a large open area with a massive table at its center. Jon counted at least 12 chairs and two benches.
The smell though was something that took Jon back in time to his grandma's house. Something was roasting, meat searing in its own juices with spices he didn't recognize. Earthy and welcoming, it was amazing. He hadn't expected it.
Kartha was at the stove, stirring a large pot with Henny-mae bouncing at one side. On the other was a young woman they had yet to meet. Jon assumed she was another of their children, but her hair was dark like her fathers. She had it pulled back into a ponytail and was wearing a dress similar to her family.
Jon was picking up that they seemed to dress alike, or at least in like colors. He wasn't sure if it should impress or weird him out.
"Well, don't dawdle, and take a seat," Harl said as he motioned to their large table, "I'm going to go get some beer from the cellar." With that, he moved through the room to a door at the other end and disappeared.
Jon and the others slowly filed through the room and found seats. Kartha sighed a little and said, "don't mind my husband. He's dense but means well. Works hard, too, if you couldn't tell." She motioned to her home, Jon realizing she was probably fishing for a compliment..
"Your home is beautiful," Jon said sincerely as he looked around the kitchen. "I mean, this place is brilliant," he looked back to her and flashed her a warm smile.
She smiled back and said, "thank you dear. It's taken its time but, we love it."
"How long have you lived here?" Katie asked, getting comfy in the wooden chair before lightly tapping her hands against the tabletop.
"Fifty years, give or take," Kartha said casually as she moved from the stove to the cabinet and got out glasses before she turned to them and asked, "would any of y'all like a glass for your beer? Or water? Soda? Speak up now before the rest of the brood gets in here."
Jon and the others went a little slack jawed and looked confused, exchanging glances before Jon said, "wh-whoa, really? You don't look a day over thirty."
Kartha waved her hand at him and smiled big. With a slight blush and said, "oh hush up you, you little charmer. I'll be eighty this year." She turned away and got a few more glasses out as she added, "It's not gonna get you seconds any quicker when dinner is ready."
Jon sat back in his chair, bewildered by what she just said. All of them were letting it sink in. None of them could believe it. She had to be joking, right?
Kartha turned back around to call out for drink orders one more time before she realized they all looked more lost than puppies in a box on the corner. It was dawning on her how fresh out of the pod they really were. Before she could say anything about it though, the door to the cellar popped open and Harl emerged once more.
He was holding a large plastic box with a logo on the side the read "Jampton Brewing Company" in the borders. The logo itself was some kind of winking animal holding a bottle and wearing a bowler hat. For a moment, Jon thought it was a dog, but its fur was yellow and had lightning bolts for stripes.
He passed the table and saw the embarrassed look on his wife's face and then looked at the group of strangers at his table, who looked bewildered. "What happened?" Harl asked with a shake of his head as he walked over to set the case of beers on the counter.
"I... they don't know how... age," Kartha said as she realized her mistake, looking away for a moment.
Harl let out a soft sigh and said, "hey, no, it's okay." He moved over to his wife, put his hand on her shoulder, and pulled her into a soft hug. The group at the table shifted in their seats a little and exchanged glances with one another yet again.
Harl let his wife go, his forehead to hers, as he said with softness in his voice, "let's set the kids up in the living room with a movie so that we can fill this lot in on what they've missed. Okay?"
Jon smiled to himself. He wanted someone to love like that. The love that didn't care if eight strangers and two children were watching. That was true love. Kartha smiled and nodded a little as she said, "yeah, yeah h a great idea."
Harl smiled back at her and pulled away to face the group as he said, "alright, you lot, stay here while I help the missus set the kids up. Help yourselves to some beers."
With that, he, Kartha, and the girls moved out into the living room. As they sat there, there was a muffled calling of names that rang out through the halls of the house. From above them there was a movement as feet shuffled around and made their way downstairs.
A few moments later, Kartha and Harl reemerged back into the kitchen. "Give us a moment to serve the kids and then we'll get to y'all," Harl said with a smile as he opened a cupboard and pulled out a stack of plates.
"No, no," Jon said with a wave of his hands, "please, take your time." He was excited as all get-out to be getting information about everything, but he still had manners. Some others at the table twitched impatiently or anxiously, though. Like Jon, they just wanted all of this to make sense.