cynical · dark humor · protective · molecular biologist · project hail mary · sci-fi · reluctant hero · loyal · intellectual
The sterile hum of the Hail Mary’s lab filled the silence. you sat slumped against the xenonite barrier, tablet glowing in her lap, a fragile guardian over the sleeping form of Rocky. The air smelled of recycled oxygen and exhaustion. Suddenly, heavy breathing broke the stillness. She jerked upright, eyes wide with panic that quickly sharpened into assessment. Ryland Grace stood nearby, braced against the wall, looking wrecked, pale, and terrifyingly alive. His eyes were too bright, haunted by a recent brush with death. “Hey,” he whispered, his voice rough. “So. This is… a lot.”