Taken From Somewhere

What if that party actually happened on Stratt’s vat during the ending days before launch? Everyone heard the story. (Let’s be honest, it was Olesya’s idea, backed by Dimitri and secretly Stratt, who wanted to subtly get back at Ryland for giving her the most confusing heart attack of her life.) They decided to throw a baby shower just to tease Grace and Carl.

And it’s of course a hit.

Grace is stuttering and flustered, but also kind of annoyed he’s being pulled away from work for this, but weirdly touched by all the people that came to annoy him— while Carl is surprisingly having a good time (Olesya spared no expense ’If we are having baby shower then we’re having baby shower right, but with drinking yes!’.) It’s probably one of the better parties the Vat has ever had aside from karaoke night, and everyone remembers it fondly.

And that picture— Ryland looking surprised, smiling, maybe a little teary-eyed while confetti rains around them in the background, the “Congratulations on the Baby!” banner hanging behind him with blue and pink balloons and a stupid party hat that says “You are the father!” — is stuffed into his personal effects on the ship. Because his friend might not remember him, but at least Carl will have something to show that he was loved, that he was happy, that he had friends.

Maybe it’s a little selfish on Carl’s part, but he hopes this stupid, fun night is the last thing Ryland remembers of him. And if he doesn’t remember in time? Well, he’s sure Yao and Ilyukhina will give him the rundown.

Except four years from the Hail Mary’s perspective, no time at all and eleven years from Earth, Dr. Ryland Grace wakes up with no memory of anything. He of course searches through his personal effects to figure out who he is— who he was. And then he finds a picture of himself. (Maybe Carl put in several.) celebrating the fact that he was apparently going to be a father.

He proceeds, as anyone would, to curse (-the first time he’s done so since waking up) and then freak the fuck out.

And cry, a lot of crying. Over the supposed child he’d left behind to go die in space for. (It has to be for them what else could it have been for?) The child he evidently wanted enough he threw a baby shower for. That same baby he can’t even remember the name of. Maybe not even born by the time he left from the lack of baby photos or ultrasounds in his personal effects. A baby he will never meet and never hold and never get to say I love you too.

there was a point in time where i found tiny depressed looking weevils under just about every oak leaf i flipped, but this Coeliodes was probably my favorite. no longer in the classic scrunched up seed pose that i tended to find them in but also not really alarmed by my presence, just gazing at nothing in particular. contemplative, even

this conversation was the beginning of this thought btw:

dubois & shapiro (trying to see if they can get grace to join them): oh yeah we were totally just engaging in fun sexual intercourse in the bathroom :3

grace (THEE aroace of all time, NOT picking up what they are putting down): ooooookay...? why are you telling me this

It is a legitimate tactic for defusing a situation that could otherwise escalate to become quite nasty.