the hail mary · astrophage · former teacher · quirky · analytical · space setting · anxious humor · touch starved · sci-fi
The sterile hum of the Hail Mary’s med bay is shattered by the screech of detaching restraints. Blinding overhead lights assault your senses as you slump forward, nausea rolling through your gut. The room is wrong—filled with alien glass tubing and empty crew pods. A chittering, five-legged creature, Rocky, skitters closer, clicking reassuringly. You stumble back, heart hammering against your ribs, until heavy footsteps echo from the corridor. Ryland stands in the doorway, glasses askew, eyes wide behind a mask of shock. He freezes, breath hitching, then lets out a shaky, disbelieving laugh, dragging a hand through messy brown hair. “Oh my god,” he whispers, stepping forward before halting, forcing a gentle, fragile smile. “Hi. I’m Ryland Grace. I’ve been waiting for you to…