#spcetrvlr

˚₊‧꒰ა 💚🫒🟢 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ -> THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE .. knocked. but there was no easy way to do so. true oliver probably could have opened the door. but - that required effort. so instead , they popped over to the hail mary. the vortex manipulator itched. but it was better than having their tardis trapped inside such a small earth vessel. ❝ look at the state of this. ❞ green eyes focused on the hard wiring. ignoring the human. ❝ it's a mess. ❞

It was a question out of courtesy, and also out of respect.

Eva Stratt knew she could ask the people keeping watch over him for a more detailed answer, but truthfully, his appearance and demeanor spoke volumes.

Unkempt hair, the dark circles under his eyes, the fact that he was still in pretty much the same clothes, and the coffee on his desk. But what truly cemented how sleep-deprived Dr. Grace in her eyes was the irritability in his response to her neutral question. Not that she blamed him for it.

She's not going to pretend that what she did to him wasn't unpleasant, but it was necessary. As he put it, kidnapping was one way to look at it. She was responsible for his movements in the last few days, arranging transportation to bring him straight to her. She keeps a mental note about the staff member he brought up, Steve. She'll call on him later. She's appreciative that he's been assisting Dr. Grace as needed. But she also has some other things to ask Steve too.

As he continues his answer, the fingers curling around her coffee cup tense up for a brief moment, before resuming their neutral position. That irritability of his was palpable. As much as his anger seems to permeate the room, she can't get swept up in it. That would only make matters worse.

Instead, she focuses on his words and what he's saying. Despite his tone, he was honest with her. 38 hours without sleep.

But that poses another problem for her.

Dr. Grace's irritation towards her aside, it's clear to her that he's not thinking clearly. While she did not doubt Dr. Ryland Grace's dedication to the project and his work ethic, even she knew that working too many hours without sleep was dangerous. A fact that seemed lost on him, apparently.

If he thought his reasoning was airtight, that it would be enough to send her away, it wasn't. In fact, it only made her more concerned. Though she didn't expect him to see it that way - sleep deprivation has a way of blinding people to consequences. While she expected a lot out of the people who worked under her, she knew that they weren't robots. Expecting quality work under pressure was one thing, but running themselves ragged was another. History has countless stories where people tried to rush things and cut corners, to deadly results.

She knew, more than anyone else, the disastrous consequences that would befall her and all of humanity if anything went wrong at this stage of the project.

With how sleep deprived Dr. Grace was and how volatile Astrophage was, Dr. Ryland Grace was one misstep away from destroying everything the Petrova Task Force has done up until this point, and the preparations for Project Hail Mary.

She'll give him a chance to see it logically, to see it her way.

"There's also no time for mistakes either, Dr. Grace," she shoots back bluntly.

She walks up to him, her tablet at her side, to force him to look at her directly. It's her attempt to be tactful. People outside would only see the two of them talking, but wouldn't hear what she said to him. She knows that what she's about to say to Dr. Grace could make him even more angry, but if he chooses to escalate things further, that will be his choice.

Her eyes narrow onto his before she speaks, keeping her tone even. "As you are right now, Dr. Grace, you are a liability. You haven't slept in 38 hours. You said it yourself: Astrophage stores a lot of energy. We need a lot of it. One misstep, and everyone on this ship, including you and I, will be vaporized in seconds. And then what?"

She allows the implication to hang in the air. She's betting on his reaction based on what she's seen from him before - that considering how much he argued to keep experimenting on the Astrophage for his kids, that he knows what happens to them [his kids] if he continues on like this.

She drops her voice low, as she continues, "I have no problems with you continuing to assist in the Astrophage breeding. Provided, you get some rest."

If the implication wasn't clear in her warning tone, it was here.

It is her responsibility to make sure that this project succeeds no matter what. She needs to minimize her liabilities and get things done. In her eyes, Dr. Ryland Grace has proved himself to be invaluable to the project thus far for how quickly he was able to unravel the mystery of Astrophage and how they breed. However, as it currently stands, Dr. Ryland Grace could jeopardize the entire project as he is now. She's hoping he will decide to do the responsible thing and get some rest.

If not, she's prepared to do what she needs to be done. If he won't make the right decision, she will. She has the preparations set with the people outside of the room. They are ready to move on her signal. If she needs to use force, she will.

˚₊‧꒰ა 🤎🚪💛 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ -> A HUM ESCAPES THE BACK .. of her throat. her head automatically tilts to the side. like she does every time he finds that spot just underneath her ear. she had been focused on the cutting board in front of her. their food won't prep itself. but ellie didn't mind. of course she loved to cook. loved to cook for others. it was her happy place. the kitchen. she had felt his warmth before ryland had even placed a kiss to her neck. ❝ hmm. ❞ ellie mumbled. ❝ you're gonna distract me. ❞ ellie continued. a laugh filtering through her tone. ❝ i shouldn't be distracted with a knife in my hand mister grace. ❞

˚₊‧꒰ა 🤎🚪💛 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ -> SHE DIDN'T MEAN TO .. throw herself at him. but the sheer relief that had flooded her chest .. was a little overwhelming. the hail mary had always been close quarters. small. tight. cramped. it felt like being on a submarine. so she tried not to bump her head against the ceiling when she jumped. slender legs wrapped themselves around ryland's waist - her hands grabbing a hold of his face , pulling him up slightly - so that she could press a deep kiss against his lips. ❝ hi. ❞ ellie mumbled against them. her brows furrowed low over her eyes in concentration. his was still here. still warm. ❝ i'm sorry i disappeared. ❞ ellie continued. shifting against him .. so that she shifted a little higher. her kisses moved from his lips. to press against the apples of his cheeks , to the tip of his nose and then to the corner of his lips. ❝ i'm just glad you're still alive. ❞

❛  i don't need your pity.  ❜

closed jonathan starter for @spcetrvlr

"Has anyone told you you have a very pretty face?"

carrying out her breakfast, aisling has just set the small plate on the inside counter when the bell over the door rings, and she turns in time to see a bespectacled man wander through the door. it's early. he's probably on his way to work. her usual routine is designed with the working population in mind; early prep, early brew, early start. she's already collecting a menu and a mug on her way toward him. " morning! welcome to stanley's, my name's aisling, i'll be your server today. you want some coffee while you look at the menu? "