Chapter Text
This was not at all what Stratt had planned, no, but bacteria from outer space decided the sun was a tasty snack and now she had to go undercover as a middle school teacher. No she did not feel like reflecting on and explaining that now she had a science teacher to recruit for a save the sun mission.
Stratt walked up and sighed taking in the middle school she was to spend the next how ever long it took to draft Dr. Ryland Grace for Project Hail Mary. The only solace in this whole affair was the Petrova line had yet to be bright enough for the public to see in the night sky giving them a few years before they had to go public with, the sun is fucking dying. Yeah thats going to be a fun one to explain to the masses. Like global warming wasn’t enough of a mess now they had to deal with sun eating parasites.
The school wasn’t too decrepit and soul sucking that when Stratt walked through the door she wanted to wrinkle her nose, instead it was bright, tons of windows and colors. She hummed in observation as she walked to the front office students turning their heads to whisper and watch the ‘new teacher’ walk the halls for the first time. Stratt tried to ignore how uncomfortable her disguise made her but it was necessary to blend in. As far as the team was concerned she was the most natural choice for this mission. Despite being the ‘head commanding officer’ for Project Hail Mary Stratt was still answering to government heads, for now. She knew it was only a matter of time if they didn’t make any progress before the situation grew to dire and they would need to rush through the work to have any chance of surviving. In that event Stratt had already accepted she would become the scape goat for these ‘leaders’.
For a second Stratt considered walking out the building and refusing to do the mission. She above all others understood the need for secrecy and why their recruits must be all in.
But noooo, Dr. Grace just had to leave the field of microbiology because some old dog of a scientist couldn’t take an insult from a 20 something year old.
The principal was sitting at their desk waiting for Stratt as she expected. She took a seat across from him and he smiled warmly.
“It’s nice to see you again Ms. Stratt. Here you keys for your classroom, roasters, and schedule for today. Thank you for coming on, on such short notice-” He said and Stratt nodded having to stop herself from letting a yes Prime Minister slip out.
“If you need anything Dr. Grace can help, he’ll be in the classroom across from you. And thank you again for coming on in such short notice its nice to have a STEM activities teacher for the students again.” The principal waved her a goodbye before going back to his ever more important paperwork and Stratt quietly left with a polite thank you glad her stony stare didn’t unnerve him. That had been the big thing the trainer had tried to drill out of her, she was supposed to be warm and welcoming as a teacher not the cold calculating commander she was.
She supposed she did see why discretion was choosen for this recruitment as she walked down the hall watching students come and go. A popular teacher suddenly going missing after climbing into a strange black van would raise suspicions, especially at such a large school, Stratt thinks it was called a 5A, with the size of the student body being in the 1000s, while a teacher leaving their position for a new one wouldn’t attract any attention at all.
That and the previous attempt to recruit Dr. Grace
…
Stratt had been waiting in the van with a walkie watching the front door as Karl approached knocking. Dr. Grace lived in a small modest home, dozens of bird feeders littered the yard along with wind chimes and science themed bird houses, Stratt was almost impressed by the microscope one. While Dr. Grace answered the door as expected, he froze at the sight of strange, dark, muscular man in a suit and sunglasses at night along with the equally dark van behind him waiting with an open door.
Strat commanded into the walkie “bring him in.” In her lap she had held his doctoral thesis something she wouldn’t admit to anyone, had been one of the most fascinating reads she ever had to sit through. It was a real shame he had decided to leave his field, the doctors that pointed them in the direction of him had been right, he was a genius struck down too soon and likely would have been the leader in his field had he stayed.
He thought he was slick but Stratt had tracked down his anonymously published papers, none as groundbreaking as the thesis but clearly advanced. There was also the insane amount of references to just his thesis alone that she was positive he had no idea about. She would be the first to admit she was expecting more of an eccentric hermit genius but, he was just a guy really.
“Dr. Grace if you wouldn’t mind coming with me theirs some very important people that would like to speak with you.” Carl started gesturing to the van and Dr. Grace ducked back hiding behind his door only peaking out a little. Dr. Grace shaking moved to answer only to be cut off by a loud cat yowling.
“Um, just a minuet,” He ducked back behind the door making Karl wait before appearing again with a small can, he set it down and soon Karl was nearly swarmed off the little front porch.
“Sorry, started feeding them last week, um who did you say you were again?” Dr. Grace asked trying to hide the quiver in his voice clearly nervous. Carl quickly recovered and adjusted his suit, one of the more personal members of her team which is why she had chosen him to be the one to approach the door, especially considering how ‘skittish’ was one of the most common ways he had been described to them.
“I hadn’t,” Karl said gesturing to the van again and getting a bit impatient.
“Oh um, no thank you I’m good.” Dr. Grace said trying to duck back inside. Karl caught the door forcing it to stay open and a bit frazzled, pleaded his case one last time.
“Dr. Grace please reconsider.”
“No I’m good.” Dr. Grace struggled to try and get the door closed again but Karl was stronger. “Please leave before I call the police.” He then threatened and Stratt smiled watching seeing a bit of the back bone that had been hidden in the man that was the same that called the man that tried to deny him his doctorate a waste of carbon. She was smitten with that insult it was simply only one scientist would get upset over.
The two struggled with the door and Stratt sighed watching before sending another order.
“Just drag him in,” The walkie let out a beep noise and soon two more agents stepped out of the van joining Karl at the porch. Dr. Grace started to panic and the cats spooked scattered.
“We insist,” One agent sneered and they ripped the door open and grabbed Grace dragging him out. Despite not having neighbors Grace screamed and flailed then from somewhere a taser was pulled and Dr. Grace jammed it into one of the agents. That agent dropped and the taser still on was swung around getting the other agent showing Grace had taken one of theirs from their belts and now was waving it at Karl in a crouch over the two groaning unconscious agents in nothing but a bathrobe, fox slippers, and pants that only Ms. Frizzle and her magic school bus would be caught wearing. Stratt blushed as she realized she was looking at the man’s exposed chest, shaved smooth but much more muscular then one might expect of an eight grade science teacher. He was handsome even if he didn’t seem to know it with askew glasses and rumpled fluffy blond hair.
“Stay back! I’m armed!” He warned and Karl sighed giving an I told you look towards Stratt who sighed having shot down doing this in the daytime thinking the cover of night would help keep them more discreet.
“Dr. Grace please- Dr. Grace!” Karl screamed out as Grace turned around and ran for the lake coast as fast as a jack rabbit.
...
The chase lasted about two hours before Dr. Grace lost them in the woods, that had been about three weeks ago and trying to cover it up had been a paper work nightmare. Hence the new attempt, they already had journalist sniffling around for a scoop thanks to the black vans in the town, they just knew something was up, blood hounds the whole lot of them, but its what they had to work with.
Stratt finally made it to the STEM room, the door opened for her and the class already set. There was a little card with other signatures on it that covered a kid made welcome card along with messier hand writing who she assumed must be the students. She threw it on her desk knowing if she tossed it in the trash like she wanted some one would notice.
She was in the middle of going through the cabinets placing everything she now had to take care of in the room when she heard a knock. She turned around and there was Dr. Grace standing awkwardly with a friendly smile holding a basket full of school supplies. Stratt raised a brow and mentally smirked with her target approching her first making this a lot easier now since clearly didn’t suspect a thing and was probably shaking off the scare of that night three weeks back.
“Hi, are you Ms. Stratt? Here, we meant to have it waiting for you but Greg forgot where he left it.” Dr. Grace said leaving it for her on her desk next to the card, a small smile crossing his face as he noticed it. She walked over and nodded trying to put on the friendly persona her commanding officials had ordered of her.
“Thank you, and just Eva will be fine,” She said though internally she was cringing at the correction having liked that he called her by a formal title but she needed to gain his trust and that started with making herself seem like an approachable person.
“I’m Ryland, Ryland Grace your hallway neighbor, they asked me I show you the ropes and help you settle in,” Grace or she supposed she have to start calling him Ryland to not arouse suspicions.
“Thank you, nice to meet you,” Stratt gritted through her teeth forcing a smile and praying to what ever god answered that she was believable. Ryland didn’t seem to notice and smiled nodding.
“Classes start in a bit, you first group will be sixth grade.” Ryland said before leaving the room back to his own class. Stratt watched him go before reviewing the schedule and class roasters. She hadn’t spent much time reviewing or studying the art of teaching, after all they were children how hard could it be?
…
Stratt was ready to run her commanding officials over with a bus at the end of the day, groaning face first into her desk.
“Rough first day?” Ryland asked suddenly appearing to check on her as the final bell rang.
“Animals, the whole lot of them animals,” Stratt mumbled and Ryland had the audacity to laugh but she could tell he meant no malice behind it. She looked up surprised as he set a coffee in front of her.
“Its a bit of a learning curve and not for everyone.” Ryland offered taking one of the desk to sit in and watch her collect herself. She had seen him a few times inbtween her classes how he seemed to control the room effortlessly and direct the children, he was a natural Stratt hated she was impressed by this more then she had been the thesis it was a bit unreal. Her classes had been out of control all day, students talking over her lessons, throwing things around the room and the spit ball, god she hated the spit balls.
“I’m starting to see that.” Stratt groaned grabbing her purse. Ryland nodded and joined her in walking to the parking lot to leave now that the busses had moved on.
“You mind giving me some tips? Tomorrow.” Stratt asked getting a surprised look from Ryland who shrugged.
“Sure not that I minded today I don’t really have anything going on… at the moment I do stuff.” Ryland shared and Stratt took the opportunity. If she could get him somewhere isolated they could maybe speed things up.
…
The bar was not at all what Stratt expected Ryland to pick but the bikers were nice enough.
He held the door open for her and the rough burly men started hooting and hollering, thats what Stratt thinks the phrase was as Ryland walked her in across the main floor to the balcony overlooking the vast lake front under a starry sky.
“Aye Grace finally got a lady friend?” One of the bikers teased and Ryland laughed it off.
“Nah, new coworker,” The light teasing continued as the other regulars all said hi before
“I like to come here and watch for stars.” Ryland shared. Stratt ordered herself a Bloody Mary while Ryland had the usual, a Shirley Temple, Stratt couldn’t stop the snort that slipped out of her as their drinks were left for them on the outside bar. They also ordered a light dinner, splitting a basket of fries and
“Hey I’m here for the view not the food,” Ryland joked and Stratt found herself genuinely enjoying his company, how strange.
“So you had tips for teaching for me,” Stratt asked and Ryland grinned nodding.
“Yes, you’re far to formal with them, these are middle schoolers,”-
...
Stratt would be the last to admit it but the more Ryland explained the more she realized she was way out of her depth when it came to public school teaching.
“If you don’t mind me asking just how did you get into teaching?” Rlyand asked they had to gather up actual papers as Stratt ran out of napkins to take notes on and they were no where even near done.
Stratt was about to repeat the line they had given her when debriefing her for the mission when a load crack and boom sounded over the lake.
“Holy smokes!” Ryland exclaimed, turning with Stratt to look out at the massive fireball that was barreling towards the lake. It landed in the center, sending a massive wave out that crashed against the rocks and pier, shaking the bar. Ryland and Stratt grabbed it for cover and looked out at the huge plume of fire that then died down as what ever it was was swallowed up by the lake. Inside voices and swearing were heard as the bikers all recovered themselves a small crowd of leather and spike clad middle aged men joining them on the pier.
“What in the world was that?” One of the shouted over the hullabaloo.
“A meteorite I think,” Both Ryland and Stratt said at the same time before sharing a look and grinning. Choruses of ohs and aws went out from the crowd, and they watched boats armed with bright lights rush towards the crash site.
“Uh I don’t think that was a rock,” One voice called out above the hollering. The group quieted and a phone was passed around showing a photograph of the fireball mid-flight. It eventually ended up in Stratts hand and she blinked as she looked at the strange blurry H shape that had been wrapped in the fire.
“What do you make of that?” Stratt asked turning on instinct to Ryland knowing his insight would be more then hers. He adjusted his glasses that always seemed to be hanging off his face by a thread and watched his expression. He sighed rubbing the back of his head.
“Yeah I don’t think that’s a natural rock formation especially for space,” Ryland agreed but if he had more thoughts on the matter like if he thought it was a ship like Stratt did he didn’t say like her. She looked back out onto the lake and the boats circling the crash site and wondered.
...
Rocky shook themselves awake their two hearts pounding wildly in their chest as they felt freezing cold water start to fill the cabin.
“Oh, no, oh no, no no nononono-fuuuuuck” They mumbled under his breath before screaming in pain as they body flared up in a burning sensation on the inside with each breath he took. They knew they must have crashed onto the mysterious planet he had detected before begin knocked off course by the what ever it was that had hit their ship.
They quickly tried to recover coughing up smoke as it forced it way out through the vents in their body leading him to think their insides might be on fire. Struggling they managed to grab their EVA suit and throw it on climbing the rest of the way out of their workshop to the upper deck where the mobile terrain. They needed to get to the rover suit as more water filled the ship it was the closest they had to something that reasonably could keep them from drowning. Fire was flaring and both extinguished as they finally picked up speed and made it to the bridge of the ship.
Rocky smashed in the emergency air lock key and cut of the lower levels quickly he grabbed the rest of their tool belts and made for the rover. It was like a giant ball, like one pebbles would play with, but they sucked it up and got in. Quickly they sealed that and started rolling. They just barely made it in time rolling out the front of the ship that had a hole in it that had ripped off during the crash.
They were disoriented for a bit but eventually managed to stay on the surface, the water distorted their view of the sinking wreckage but Rocky didn’t have time to try and watch instead rolling toward the largest form in the distance.
“Mother fucking, son of a bitch, piece of crap, god damned-” Rocky swore or at least in the Eridian equivalent of such. In the distance, they saw boats and what they assumed must be the life forms on this plant. One one hand, he was compelled to head towards them, they were sentient and intelligent they built fucking boats surely they could help him. Then on the other hand, they could try eating him or laying eggs in his stomach so they came bursting out his ass.
“Nope, nope, hell fucking nope not happening, mother fucker!” Rocky screeched as they were knocked off their rolling course and sending them carening out into the water body as they circled his wreck missing him entirely. He wondered how considering he was being knocked around like a damn lose nut in an engine.
…
Ryland watched from his back yard having gone home after making sure Stratt made it to a taxi, he refused to let her drive home on her own after three bloody marys even as she insisted she was fine, she had looked fine too which had been the strange part.
He saw something reflecting on the water heading towards him off the surface right towards his house. Curious he headed down to the shore.