Dr. Mav

Now, his spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing thud against one side of the biodome. Grace jumped and let out a regrettably embarrassing screech, spinning towards the noise to see a large indent in the clear xenonite— and some large object that was probably what caused it.

After taking a couple of breaths, Grace stepped over to the wall, trying to see the object through the thick atmosphere of Erid beyond. He could see a couple Eridians hurry over, scuttling around in something of a panic. The ship looked… vaguely human-made. And… was that English on the side of it..?

"What the hell are those...?" She whispered, leaning as much as she could to get a better look at the creatures outside of her ship. She couldn't let herself be distressed by them for too long.

Over the years of space travel, she knew better, and she knew she had to get her bearings and she had to get them fast. It was the only way to survive. Her mind was still hazy as she realized her ship was moving.

Many of those roughly dog-sized creatures were pulling her ship.

Thoughts spiraling, Grace wondered if the person inside was okay or not. The landing sounded rough, to say the least— and from what he could see, the ship had definitely fallen apart a bit on atmosphere entry.

A loud thunk and hiss spurred Grace from his mind, turning to the airlock. Hurrying over, he bounced on his heels impatiently, hearing some faint sound of metal, then oxygen flooding the airlock.

Finally, the airlock beeped, confirming it was stabilized— and the ship was probably on the other side— so he opened up his side of the airlock. On the other side, secured and sealed to the open airlock door, was the other ship. It was human made if he ever knew it.

Was she dead? Had the heat become too much? She had never been frankly religious, but she would not be surprised if this was an angel.

But as the angel came into better view, her eyes widened. Grace?

A look came across her face akin to someone seeing a dead man claw himself out of his grave.

Dr. Maverick recognized him, but this was no face that Grace recognized himself.

His expression settled into an awkward, anxious smile that was higher on one side than the other. Desperately, he tried not to excitedly burst out words of relief and excitement and— whatever— instead, taking a slow breath.

“H—Hello—!” Grace waved awkwardly. “This is the planet Erid in the Star system 40-Eridani. Lucky for you, you crashed right into the one planet for light years that has a place suitable for Earth life!”

Her arms wrapped around Grace with a startling tightness. With the rigorousness of the action, it could have been seen as an attack if it were not for the way she loosened her grip. She was hugging him.

"I don’t know what this is," she managed to say as she drew back. Her shoulders trembled. "I might be dead," she muttered to herself, glancing back at the airlock behind her before looking at Grace.

"Wait," she stood up straighter, "40-Eridani? Don't you mean 41?" She leaned in close, inspecting Grace's face and squinting, "are you real?

Then she pulled away and he blinked out of his thoughts. Right. New person. And she’s freaking out. Reasonably.

“No— you’re not dead,” Grace said sincerely, with the tiniest bit of an amused smile. “I’m telling the truth. The rocks you probably saw dragging your ship are called ‘Eridians’. They saved my life. And helped save Sol. The— the sun. And their sun. Y’know. Astrophage.”

He doesn’t remember me? Eridians? Like-

Mav realized she wasn’t responding and cleared her thoughts. She pinched the bridge of her nose, massaging the corners of her eyes before speaking, “My name is Dr. Maverick. You can just… you can just call me Dr. Mav.”

Mav gripped the side of the airlock to lift herself onto the sand. Honestly, she was surprised to feel the sand crunch underneath her doodled on sneakers. How long had it been since she felt that feeling? She hadn’t been to the beach since she was a kid.

Mav cast her look to the Eridians. They were fidgeting with their fingers, if that’s what they were, and chittering in various tones amongst themselves.

“Eridians?” She whispered. “I know you,” she pointed a finger at the creatures, swinging her point over the crowd, “I mean, I know what you are!”

She looked from the Eridians to Grace, back and forth one more time before taking a sharp breath.

“Seeing you know who Eridians are— does that mean the beetles arrived on Earth? Is the sun back to full luminosity? Did… did I go fast enough?” He rambled off the questions before stopping himself to take a breath and think.

But if Earth was fine, why would they send someone up to 40-Eridani AB?

“…but, then— why are you here?” He mumbled.

“Ryland Grace, you’re… you’re supposed to be dead.”

She squared her shoulders, tense as she gave her surroundings a better look.

“You exploded with the vat of astrophage. Years ago,” she explained.

“I came here because I noticed the star for Eridiani 41 wasn’t dimming, even if it was supposed to. I wanted to figure out why.”

“No, I’m not— I didn’t die,” he said, his tone nearly baffled. “The other two scientists that were supposed to go on the Hail Mary are the ones who… who died like that. Wait— vat? Why was there a vat of astrophage?”

Grace rubbed his face, trying to breathe and sort out his thoughts. “I… 40-Eridani isn’t dimming because Rocky, one of the Eridians, and I found a predator for astrophage and sent some back to earth and brought some here. So— no more dimming.”

“I— That is the Hail Mary. And the vat, it’s where we held the astrophage, for fueling the ship, for its eventual blast off.”

Mav shook her head, picking at her nails as she breathed in.

“And I… I still have the beetles. In my ship,” she continued, “so one of us has to be wrong, or I’ve gone stir crazy from being alone. Maybe the coma did a few more numbers on me than I thought.”

Mav was nearly as confused as Grace was. She had to be in some kind of afterlife, right? She had seen the explosion Grace died in, she had seen a flicker in Stratt’s steely eyes when it happened. And then… well, then, Mav was sent away in the place of the dead.

“That… doesn’t make any sense,” he mumbled under his breath. “I sent the beetles back with the taumeoba. All of them that had fuel left.” He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

Putting a hand to his face to rub his eyes, Grace made himself take a breath. “You’re not crazy because I’m not that crazy. The coma was… not great for me, either, but you’re not crazy,” he insisted.

“Sorry,” she murmured barely loud enough to hear, “It has been… a very long time since I’ve been on a beach.” Not to mention that the last time she had seen waves were when they were lapping at her fingertips as she got sand under her nails being dragged away.

Now, his spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing thud against one side of the biodome. Grace jumped and let out a regrettably embarrassing screech, spinning towards the noise to see a large indent in the clear xenonite— and some large object that was probably what caused it.

After taking a couple of breaths, Grace stepped over to the wall, trying to see the object through the thick atmosphere of Erid beyond. He could see a couple Eridians hurry over, scuttling around in something of a panic. The ship looked… vaguely human-made. And… was that English on the side of it..?

"What the hell are those...?" She whispered, leaning as much as she could to get a better look at the creatures outside of her ship. She couldn't let herself be distressed by them for too long.

Over the years of space travel, she knew better, and she knew she had to get her bearings and she had to get them fast. It was the only way to survive. Her mind was still hazy as she realized her ship was moving.

Many of those roughly dog-sized creatures were pulling her ship.

Thoughts spiraling, Grace wondered if the person inside was okay or not. The landing sounded rough, to say the least— and from what he could see, the ship had definitely fallen apart a bit on atmosphere entry.

A loud thunk and hiss spurred Grace from his mind, turning to the airlock. Hurrying over, he bounced on his heels impatiently, hearing some faint sound of metal, then oxygen flooding the airlock.

Finally, the airlock beeped, confirming it was stabilized— and the ship was probably on the other side— so he opened up his side of the airlock. On the other side, secured and sealed to the open airlock door, was the other ship. It was human made if he ever knew it.

Was she dead? Had the heat become too much? She had never been frankly religious, but she would not be surprised if this was an angel.

But as the angel came into better view, her eyes widened. Grace?

A look came across her face akin to someone seeing a dead man claw himself out of his grave.

Dr. Maverick recognized him, but this was no face that Grace recognized himself.

His expression settled into an awkward, anxious smile that was higher on one side than the other. Desperately, he tried not to excitedly burst out words of relief and excitement and— whatever— instead, taking a slow breath.

“H—Hello—!” Grace waved awkwardly. “This is the planet Erid in the Star system 40-Eridani. Lucky for you, you crashed right into the one planet for light years that has a place suitable for Earth life!”

Her arms wrapped around Grace with a startling tightness. With the rigorousness of the action, it could have been seen as an attack if it were not for the way she loosened her grip. She was hugging him.

"I don’t know what this is," she managed to say as she drew back. Her shoulders trembled. "I might be dead," she muttered to herself, glancing back at the airlock behind her before looking at Grace.

"Wait," she stood up straighter, "40-Eridani? Don't you mean 41?" She leaned in close, inspecting Grace's face and squinting, "are you real?

Then she pulled away and he blinked out of his thoughts. Right. New person. And she’s freaking out. Reasonably.

“No— you’re not dead,” Grace said sincerely, with the tiniest bit of an amused smile. “I’m telling the truth. The rocks you probably saw dragging your ship are called ‘Eridians’. They saved my life. And helped save Sol. The— the sun. And their sun. Y’know. Astrophage.”

He doesn’t remember me? Eridians? Like-

Mav realized she wasn’t responding and cleared her thoughts. She pinched the bridge of her nose, massaging the corners of her eyes before speaking, “My name is Dr. Maverick. You can just… you can just call me Dr. Mav.”

Mav gripped the side of the airlock to lift herself onto the sand. Honestly, she was surprised to feel the sand crunch underneath her doodled on sneakers. How long had it been since she felt that feeling? She hadn’t been to the beach since she was a kid.

Mav cast her look to the Eridians. They were fidgeting with their fingers, if that’s what they were, and chittering in various tones amongst themselves.

“Eridians?” She whispered. “I know you,” she pointed a finger at the creatures, swinging her point over the crowd, “I mean, I know what you are!”

She looked from the Eridians to Grace, back and forth one more time before taking a sharp breath.

“Seeing you know who Eridians are— does that mean the beetles arrived on Earth? Is the sun back to full luminosity? Did… did I go fast enough?” He rambled off the questions before stopping himself to take a breath and think.

But if Earth was fine, why would they send someone up to 40-Eridani AB?

“…but, then— why are you here?” He mumbled.

“Ryland Grace, you’re… you’re supposed to be dead.”

She squared her shoulders, tense as she gave her surroundings a better look.

“You exploded with the vat of astrophage. Years ago,” she explained.

“I came here because I noticed the star for Eridiani 41 wasn’t dimming, even if it was supposed to. I wanted to figure out why.”

“No, I’m not— I didn’t die,” he said, his tone nearly baffled. “The other two scientists that were supposed to go on the Hail Mary are the ones who… who died like that. Wait— vat? Why was there a vat of astrophage?”

Grace rubbed his face, trying to breathe and sort out his thoughts. “I… 40-Eridani isn’t dimming because Rocky, one of the Eridians, and I found a predator for astrophage and sent some back to earth and brought some here. So— no more dimming.”

“I— That is the Hail Mary. And the vat, it’s where we held the astrophage, for fueling the ship, for its eventual blast off.”

Mav shook her head, picking at her nails as she breathed in.

“And I… I still have the beetles. In my ship,” she continued, “so one of us has to be wrong, or I’ve gone stir crazy from being alone. Maybe the coma did a few more numbers on me than I thought.”

Mav was nearly as confused as Grace was. She had to be in some kind of afterlife, right? She had seen the explosion Grace died in, she had seen a flicker in Stratt’s steely eyes when it happened. And then… well, then, Mav was sent away in the place of the dead.

Now, his spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing thud against one side of the biodome. Grace jumped and let out a regrettably embarrassing screech, spinning towards the noise to see a large indent in the clear xenonite— and some large object that was probably what caused it.

After taking a couple of breaths, Grace stepped over to the wall, trying to see the object through the thick atmosphere of Erid beyond. He could see a couple Eridians hurry over, scuttling around in something of a panic. The ship looked… vaguely human-made. And… was that English on the side of it..?

"What the hell are those...?" She whispered, leaning as much as she could to get a better look at the creatures outside of her ship. She couldn't let herself be distressed by them for too long.

Over the years of space travel, she knew better, and she knew she had to get her bearings and she had to get them fast. It was the only way to survive. Her mind was still hazy as she realized her ship was moving.

Many of those roughly dog-sized creatures were pulling her ship.

Thoughts spiraling, Grace wondered if the person inside was okay or not. The landing sounded rough, to say the least— and from what he could see, the ship had definitely fallen apart a bit on atmosphere entry.

A loud thunk and hiss spurred Grace from his mind, turning to the airlock. Hurrying over, he bounced on his heels impatiently, hearing some faint sound of metal, then oxygen flooding the airlock.

Finally, the airlock beeped, confirming it was stabilized— and the ship was probably on the other side— so he opened up his side of the airlock. On the other side, secured and sealed to the open airlock door, was the other ship. It was human made if he ever knew it.

Was she dead? Had the heat become too much? She had never been frankly religious, but she would not be surprised if this was an angel.

But as the angel came into better view, her eyes widened. Grace?

A look came across her face akin to someone seeing a dead man claw himself out of his grave.

Dr. Maverick recognized him, but this was no face that Grace recognized himself.

His expression settled into an awkward, anxious smile that was higher on one side than the other. Desperately, he tried not to excitedly burst out words of relief and excitement and— whatever— instead, taking a slow breath.

“H—Hello—!” Grace waved awkwardly. “This is the planet Erid in the Star system 40-Eridani. Lucky for you, you crashed right into the one planet for light years that has a place suitable for Earth life!”

Her arms wrapped around Grace with a startling tightness. With the rigorousness of the action, it could have been seen as an attack if it were not for the way she loosened her grip. She was hugging him.

"I don’t know what this is," she managed to say as she drew back. Her shoulders trembled. "I might be dead," she muttered to herself, glancing back at the airlock behind her before looking at Grace.

"Wait," she stood up straighter, "40-Eridani? Don't you mean 41?" She leaned in close, inspecting Grace's face and squinting, "are you real?

Then she pulled away and he blinked out of his thoughts. Right. New person. And she’s freaking out. Reasonably.

“No— you’re not dead,” Grace said sincerely, with the tiniest bit of an amused smile. “I’m telling the truth. The rocks you probably saw dragging your ship are called ‘Eridians’. They saved my life. And helped save Sol. The— the sun. And their sun. Y’know. Astrophage.”

He doesn’t remember me? Eridians? Like-

Mav realized she wasn’t responding and cleared her thoughts. She pinched the bridge of her nose, massaging the corners of her eyes before speaking, “My name is Dr. Maverick. You can just… you can just call me Dr. Mav.”

Mav gripped the side of the airlock to lift herself onto the sand. Honestly, she was surprised to feel the sand crunch underneath her doodled on sneakers. How long had it been since she felt that feeling? She hadn’t been to the beach since she was a kid.

Mav cast her look to the Eridians. They were fidgeting with their fingers, if that’s what they were, and chittering in various tones amongst themselves.

“Eridians?” She whispered. “I know you,” she pointed a finger at the creatures, swinging her point over the crowd, “I mean, I know what you are!”

She looked from the Eridians to Grace, back and forth one more time before taking a sharp breath.

“Seeing you know who Eridians are— does that mean the beetles arrived on Earth? Is the sun back to full luminosity? Did… did I go fast enough?” He rambled off the questions before stopping himself to take a breath and think.

But if Earth was fine, why would they send someone up to 40-Eridani AB?

“…but, then— why are you here?” He mumbled.

“Ryland Grace, you’re… you’re supposed to be dead.”

She squared her shoulders, tense as she gave her surroundings a better look.

“You exploded with the vat of astrophage. Years ago,” she explained.

“I came here because I noticed the star for Eridiani 41 wasn’t dimming, even if it was supposed to. I wanted to figure out why.”

Now, his spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing thud against one side of the biodome. Grace jumped and let out a regrettably embarrassing screech, spinning towards the noise to see a large indent in the clear xenonite— and some large object that was probably what caused it.

After taking a couple of breaths, Grace stepped over to the wall, trying to see the object through the thick atmosphere of Erid beyond. He could see a couple Eridians hurry over, scuttling around in something of a panic. The ship looked… vaguely human-made. And… was that English on the side of it..?

"What the hell are those...?" She whispered, leaning as much as she could to get a better look at the creatures outside of her ship. She couldn't let herself be distressed by them for too long.

Over the years of space travel, she knew better, and she knew she had to get her bearings and she had to get them fast. It was the only way to survive. Her mind was still hazy as she realized her ship was moving.

Many of those roughly dog-sized creatures were pulling her ship.

Thoughts spiraling, Grace wondered if the person inside was okay or not. The landing sounded rough, to say the least— and from what he could see, the ship had definitely fallen apart a bit on atmosphere entry.

A loud thunk and hiss spurred Grace from his mind, turning to the airlock. Hurrying over, he bounced on his heels impatiently, hearing some faint sound of metal, then oxygen flooding the airlock.

Finally, the airlock beeped, confirming it was stabilized— and the ship was probably on the other side— so he opened up his side of the airlock. On the other side, secured and sealed to the open airlock door, was the other ship. It was human made if he ever knew it.

Was she dead? Had the heat become too much? She had never been frankly religious, but she would not be surprised if this was an angel.

But as the angel came into better view, her eyes widened. Grace?

A look came across her face akin to someone seeing a dead man claw himself out of his grave.

Dr. Maverick recognized him, but this was no face that Grace recognized himself.

His expression settled into an awkward, anxious smile that was higher on one side than the other. Desperately, he tried not to excitedly burst out words of relief and excitement and— whatever— instead, taking a slow breath.

“H—Hello—!” Grace waved awkwardly. “This is the planet Erid in the Star system 40-Eridani. Lucky for you, you crashed right into the one planet for light years that has a place suitable for Earth life!”

Her arms wrapped around Grace with a startling tightness. With the rigorousness of the action, it could have been seen as an attack if it were not for the way she loosened her grip. She was hugging him.

"I don’t know what this is," she managed to say as she drew back. Her shoulders trembled. "I might be dead," she muttered to herself, glancing back at the airlock behind her before looking at Grace.

"Wait," she stood up straighter, "40-Eridani? Don't you mean 41?" She leaned in close, inspecting Grace's face and squinting, "are you real?

Then she pulled away and he blinked out of his thoughts. Right. New person. And she’s freaking out. Reasonably.

“No— you’re not dead,” Grace said sincerely, with the tiniest bit of an amused smile. “I’m telling the truth. The rocks you probably saw dragging your ship are called ‘Eridians’. They saved my life. And helped save Sol. The— the sun. And their sun. Y’know. Astrophage.”

He doesn’t remember me? Eridians? Like-

Mav realized she wasn’t responding and cleared her thoughts. She pinched the bridge of her nose, massaging the corners of her eyes before speaking, “My name is Dr. Maverick. You can just… you can just call me Dr. Mav.”

Mav gripped the side of the airlock to lift herself onto the sand. Honestly, she was surprised to feel the sand crunch underneath her doodled on sneakers. How long had it been since she felt that feeling? She hadn’t been to the beach since she was a kid.

Mav cast her look to the Eridians. They were fidgeting with their fingers, if that’s what they were, and chittering in various tones amongst themselves.

“Eridians?” She whispered. “I know you,” she pointed a finger at the creatures, swinging her point over the crowd, “I mean, I know what you are!”

She looked from the Eridians to Grace, back and forth one more time before taking a sharp breath.

Now, his spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing thud against one side of the biodome. Grace jumped and let out a regrettably embarrassing screech, spinning towards the noise to see a large indent in the clear xenonite— and some large object that was probably what caused it.

After taking a couple of breaths, Grace stepped over to the wall, trying to see the object through the thick atmosphere of Erid beyond. He could see a couple Eridians hurry over, scuttling around in something of a panic. The ship looked… vaguely human-made. And… was that English on the side of it..?

"What the hell are those...?" She whispered, leaning as much as she could to get a better look at the creatures outside of her ship. She couldn't let herself be distressed by them for too long.

Over the years of space travel, she knew better, and she knew she had to get her bearings and she had to get them fast. It was the only way to survive. Her mind was still hazy as she realized her ship was moving.

Many of those roughly dog-sized creatures were pulling her ship.

Thoughts spiraling, Grace wondered if the person inside was okay or not. The landing sounded rough, to say the least— and from what he could see, the ship had definitely fallen apart a bit on atmosphere entry.

A loud thunk and hiss spurred Grace from his mind, turning to the airlock. Hurrying over, he bounced on his heels impatiently, hearing some faint sound of metal, then oxygen flooding the airlock.

Finally, the airlock beeped, confirming it was stabilized— and the ship was probably on the other side— so he opened up his side of the airlock. On the other side, secured and sealed to the open airlock door, was the other ship. It was human made if he ever knew it.

Was she dead? Had the heat become too much? She had never been frankly religious, but she would not be surprised if this was an angel.

But as the angel came into better view, her eyes widened. Grace?

A look came across her face akin to someone seeing a dead man claw himself out of his grave.

Dr. Maverick recognized him, but this was no face that Grace recognized himself.

His expression settled into an awkward, anxious smile that was higher on one side than the other. Desperately, he tried not to excitedly burst out words of relief and excitement and— whatever— instead, taking a slow breath.

“H—Hello—!” Grace waved awkwardly. “This is the planet Erid in the Star system 40-Eridani. Lucky for you, you crashed right into the one planet for light years that has a place suitable for Earth life!”

Her arms wrapped around Grace with a startling tightness. With the rigorousness of the action, it could have been seen as an attack if it were not for the way she loosened her grip. She was hugging him.

"I don’t know what this is," she managed to say as she drew back. Her shoulders trembled. "I might be dead," she muttered to herself, glancing back at the airlock behind her before looking at Grace.

"Wait," she stood up straighter, "40-Eridani? Don't you mean 41?" She leaned in close, inspecting Grace's face and squinting, "are you real?

Now, his spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing thud against one side of the biodome. Grace jumped and let out a regrettably embarrassing screech, spinning towards the noise to see a large indent in the clear xenonite— and some large object that was probably what caused it.

After taking a couple of breaths, Grace stepped over to the wall, trying to see the object through the thick atmosphere of Erid beyond. He could see a couple Eridians hurry over, scuttling around in something of a panic. The ship looked… vaguely human-made. And… was that English on the side of it..?

"What the hell are those...?" She whispered, leaning as much as she could to get a better look at the creatures outside of her ship. She couldn't let herself be distressed by them for too long.

Over the years of space travel, she knew better, and she knew she had to get her bearings and she had to get them fast. It was the only way to survive. Her mind was still hazy as she realized her ship was moving.

Many of those roughly dog-sized creatures were pulling her ship.

Thoughts spiraling, Grace wondered if the person inside was okay or not. The landing sounded rough, to say the least— and from what he could see, the ship had definitely fallen apart a bit on atmosphere entry.

A loud thunk and hiss spurred Grace from his mind, turning to the airlock. Hurrying over, he bounced on his heels impatiently, hearing some faint sound of metal, then oxygen flooding the airlock.

Finally, the airlock beeped, confirming it was stabilized— and the ship was probably on the other side— so he opened up his side of the airlock. On the other side, secured and sealed to the open airlock door, was the other ship. It was human made if he ever knew it.

Was she dead? Had the heat become too much? She had never been frankly religious, but she would not be surprised if this was an angel.

But as the angel came into better view, her eyes widened. Grace?

A look came across her face akin to someone seeing a dead man claw himself out of his grave.

Dr. Maverick recognized him, but this was no face that Grace recognized himself.

Now, his spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing thud against one side of the biodome. Grace jumped and let out a regrettably embarrassing screech, spinning towards the noise to see a large indent in the clear xenonite— and some large object that was probably what caused it.

After taking a couple of breaths, Grace stepped over to the wall, trying to see the object through the thick atmosphere of Erid beyond. He could see a couple Eridians hurry over, scuttling around in something of a panic. The ship looked… vaguely human-made. And… was that English on the side of it..?

"What the hell are those...?" She whispered, leaning as much as she could to get a better look at the creatures outside of her ship. She couldn't let herself be distressed by them for too long.

Over the years of space travel, she knew better, and she knew she had to get her bearings and she had to get them fast. It was the only way to survive. Her mind was still hazy as she realized her ship was moving.

Many of those roughly dog-sized creatures were pulling her ship.