[ID: A Project Hail Mary comic. Grace is frowning as he works on a report, and Carl asks from offscreen, "Have you ever thought about getting out of your own way?" Grace, confused: "Huh?" Carl, unimpressed: "You're smart, man, but you cut yourself off halfway through all your sentences. Why?"
Grace hunches in and says, "Guess I was bullied a lot growing up, haha-" Carl cuts in. "So was I." Grace: "What? Really?" Carl pops Skittles in his mouth as he replies, "I grew up fat and black, I got my fair share of shit. Sure, it got to me, but I came around to the idea that those teenage dipshits were wrong about me. What's your excuse, man?"
Grace says uncomfortably, "I never- Uh. I, well-" Carl looks very unimpressed and says, "See? You're doing it again. Say what you mean to say." Grace slumps. "I guess I never thought about it that way." Carl: "Yeah. I know. That's why I said it. Get out of your own damn way."
We see the first panel in color: Grace floating outside the Hail Mary, surrounded by the red glow of Astrophage, as Carl says, "And once you do that? Hoo, man. You'll be unstoppable."
Back to black and white, Grace smiles emotionally and says, "Thanks, Carl." Carl stands up to leave and points at his paper. "Remember, Stratt wants that report by end of day." Grace hunches again and scowls, "Thank you, Carl." End ID]
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