Following my last post, as is always the case when I get in my feelings about Iron Lung, I will resort to the Hail Mary crossover for comfort. I'm not a writer, though.
There is a tree in Erid. It grew during the four years Dr. Ryland Grace and Rocky set sail for Erid together. It is an unexplainable scientific phenomenon. The tree sprouted in a burst of this unidentifiable red substance, and caused a terrible disturbance. The second it arrived, it began to sort of... terraform the land around itself. It mutated the earth, the water, the very atmosphere, in a tight little area itself. The mystery of the how was a welcome distraction for the Eridian scientists at the time, who otherwise only spent their time stressing over the fate of their star.
The Eridians don't tend to be the superstitious bunch. But one day, there's a transmission from the last surviving crewmate of the Blip-A telling them to construct a place of rest for the alien that saved them, and the conditions required for said place of rest match exactly to the ones they tree they were studying had already created for itself. Meaning their research into the tree ends up being a headstart on their savior's biodome. That almost sounds like fate, right? Or divine intervention of a sort.
Grace's biodome is a gorgeous area. It's spacious and calm. But by god, is the the organism at the center of it a breath-taking yet intimidating sight. It's tall like a Sequoia Redwood, with a thick trunk. Its branches were long and lazy like a Weeping Willow's. It has somewhat raised roots, like a Poplar tree might. Its leaves are dark red and thin with winding veins. It is a beautiful specimen. Not quite like anything back home on Earth.
He gets used to it though! Grace gets used to it. It's a little nice, actually, the fact that there is something organic in his dome. Something from Erid, alien that is safe to be around abd touch. Listening to the creaks of the trees branches ends up making him, sentimental? Almost?
So one day, he's out and about. Rocky can't keep him company literally 24/7 (try as they might and they do try. Grace and Rocky would be literally joined at the hip by now if Rocky had hips). After a long walk, he lays down to rest and winds up asleep at the base of the tree.
Like many dreams, his is a little disjointed at first. He dreams of a red desert landscape. He dreams of a town like something out of the Jetson's (... or maybe the CW's gritty remake of the Jetson's). He dreams of a little boy who doesn't want to move to a new- town? or a new space station, it seens, The kid introduces himself to Grace in a mumble. In the haze of the dream, the name is swiftly forgotten. The poor kid is clearly trying to be strong about how sad the thought of moving makes him, maybe trying to be strong for his mom who stands just barely out of reach, His situation is familiar in ways that pull at Grace's heartstring. Moving can be heard for any kid. Changing schools, leaving close friends behind. Grace has had to comfort his fair share of heartbroken students before. So, through the haze of the dream, he reaches out.
The second Grace's hand touches the young boy's shoulder, the world shudders. The dream changes. He's not in the set of the Dark Realistic Jetsons anymore. He's somewhere a little bit cramped. He doesn't know how he knows, but it feels like a tree's hollow. There's no visible lightsource, but he can see clearly. Before him stands a man.
Dark long hair, dark clever eyes. He's got some nasty scarring near his temple and over his nose, as well some holes on the side of cheek. But, he seems healthy. Nothing about his posture betrays any pain. His clothes are a little ragged, but he looks cozy. Unlike the boy's mumbled introduction, when the man speaks, it's clear as crystal. His lips twists, his eyes spark curiously.
He says in a tone that’s not angry, just incredulous, "How the fuck did you find me?"
and Grace wakes up.
