You've been gone for.. eh, a while.

No one knew where you went. One day you were in orbit, the next boom! Gone. Every planet was worried, or some didnt care, who knows at this point.

But Earth?

He did honestly somewhat miss you, but refusing to accept defeat, he ignored those feelings. Instead focusing on trying to defeat the others in Space Poker or trying to get his earthlings to stop attempting to colonize other planets or moons.

Which is why it was a shocker when you came back.