I wonder if it's speed increased on it's way out. Maybe it's on a multi-system route, using gravity assist as it goes to cut the route time down by a few thous

I wonder if it's speed increased on it's way out. Maybe it's on a multi-system route, using gravity assist as it goes to cut the route time down by a few thousand years here or there as it circles back around to it's home system. Must be very patient aliens, assuming no FTL messaging tech.