Some dejointed drawings and doodles of my own post-canon headcanons! Where humans send a ship to their neighbors in order to meet them, and make sure their sun didnt die in case Rocky wasn't successful, but end up finding a very much alive Ryland Grace, looking younger than he should and living his best life on Erid
I'm just fascinated by the idea of āāhumans and eridians collaborating and what that would look like. We are so advanced in some areas they lack, while they are so advanced in some areas where WE lack due to our respective biologies, the progress from both sides would be insane.
Of course, Eridians would also want to go to Earth, and is only fair they get a nice place to stay too. Maybe is then Grace decides to go back, to act as an ambassador for the Eridians, to see the place he worked so hard to keep alive. But i think eventually, after many years living on Earth (specially with the extended lifespan) he would want to go back, yeah the 2gs suck on his bones but he has more of a home on Erid than he ever did on Earth, anyway, there's people waiting for him there.
Thank you. So comforting! More of this!! Earthās best molecular biologist and an entire alien species should be able to figure out extending the human life span!! I agree! (I love this thank you)
Itās so important to me that he says āDr. Captain Ryland Graceā when sending the Beatles back to Earth. Because the Hail Mary was made for a Captain, a Scientist, and an Engineer. And Grace only claims the Captain and Scientist parts. Because Rocky is the Engineer! Rocky is the Hail Maryās Engineer!!!
One thing Project Hail Mary did that I havenāt seen in another space movie, is show space in the context of being afraid of heights.
I literally donāt know how it never occurred to me before but like- in space thereās nothing below you. If there was gravity youād literally just fall. And of course your body assumes thereās gravity because there has been for your whole life.
So the scene when he first goes out in the EVA suit and looks down and just sees *space* is super cool and interesting!
Iām surprised this is the first time Iāve seen this tbh
I need more crossovers! Currently thinking about Mark Watney and Simon. Guy who grew potatoes on Mars and guy whoās only ever seen one plant before. Guy from Mars and guy from Mars. Guy who curses like a sailor and guy who curses like a sailor.
I genuinely think Simon would be entranced fr. Mark teaching him botany, Mark being capable of growing plants on Erid. I think Simon would see Mark being able to grow plants on a non-terraformed Mars and on Erid as like the highest possible achievement. Something only the most qualified people can do.
I do think itās odd that so much of the fandom headcanons Grace as being lonely/ desperately touch-starved/ needing another human around when the point of Project Hail Maryās ending is that heās not lonely and touch-starved and needing to be around other humans.
The point of the ending is that Grace is happy and fulfilled and safe. He lives with his best friend. Heās home.
Idkā¦ itās not a criticism or anything, I definitely like the crossover stuff (throw all the space guys into the same space!!) but I am a bit confused by some of the headcanons.
I havenāt read the book yet so if heās lonely etc in the book ending then the headcanons would make more sense.
I wrote a little something about Aroace Grace. Very self indulgent. Like super self indulgent. Basically just Rocky being sweet to Grace after Grace figures out heās Aroace.
Genre: Hurt/ Comfort
Relationship: Rocky and Grace (platonic or qpr if youād like)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It hadnāt been intentional, just another product of the boredom that came from a four year trip to an alien planet, but of course it had led to Dr. Ryland Grace curled up upon himself with tears streaming down his face. Rocky was right, he really was quite leaky.
Or: Grace finds out what being aroace is, and it puts a lot of things into context
It hadnāt been intentional, just another product of the boredom that came from a four year trip to an alien planet, but of course it had led to Dr. Ryland Grace curled up upon himself with tears streaming down his face. Rocky was right, he really was quite leaky.
Itād started with the usual conversation: āWhat are we going to do on Erid?ā āWhat will it be like living there?ā No different than any previous conversation in concept, but then Rocky had said he intended to have babies with Adrian. And of course Grace was curious, heās a molecular biologist! So heād asked, and Rocky had explained. As it turns out, all Eridians can lay eggs, and a baby was made when two eggs from different Eridians were kept close together and warm. The eggs would join together and make one larger egg which would eventually hatch a small Eridian child. Rocky had explained that most Eridians were capable of laying an egg past a certain age, but would only do so if they followed a certain procedure with specific food and sleep patterns. As fascinating as that had been, Grace really should have expected Rocky to ask about how humans have babies.
Itās not that Grace wasnāt capable of explaining or anything, it was justā¦ Eridians didnāt really have concepts similar to āsex.ā The egg laying was only slightly more uncomfortable than eating, and there was nothing about the process that necessitated the two Eridians involved to be physically close together, although that was often preferred. So Grace had stiltedly walked Rocky through it, and tried to ignore how uncomfortable he felt. He explained that humans had evolved to enjoy the experience so they would have more kids. Heād even explained that there was a specific feeling people had for eachother that was sometimes part of why they had kids. Rocky had predictably reacted with a strong āDisgust! Disgust! Disgust!ā and Grace couldnāt help but agree on that.
But once Rocky had calmed himself down, he had asked Grace if he had ever done that. Not have kids, of course, but be in romantic love and have sex. A mix of familiar feelings ran down Graceās spine, dread and inadequacy. The conversation reminded him of the fact that he really wasnāt the best human for alien beings to learn from. Because no, he hadnāt ever had sex. And now that meant he couldnāt properly explain human behavior to his alien best friend! The Eridians deserved a full understanding of humans if there was going to be any sort of inter-species communication or alliance in the future. Especially the things humanity considered most important. And Grace knew that sex and love were considered the absolute most important thing in the world to most people. So heād told Rocky he hadnāt experienced that, but that he would do more research on the topic so Rocky could understand. That had resulted in Grace going on the computer and attempting to find more information about romantic relationships and why people have sex. Heād be a bad teacher if he didnāt explain queer people and sex-ed stuff.
Grace was a biologist, so he knew he knew most of this, but medically induced amnesia had its consequences. It was justā¦ Rocky had asked about him. And that felt different than the fact that other people did it. It made him uncomfortable. Sex seemed justā¦ gross. It made him feel like he wanted to leave the proverbial room. Romance felt similar, just an instinctual feeling of no. He couldnāt explain it. Then while looking at the Wikipedia pages for different sexualities, he stumbled across it. Aroace. People who felt little to no sexual and romantic attraction.
The ship had felt infinitely more quiet in that moment than before it. Like gravity had loosened its grip on his shoulders. Things clicked into places he hadnāt even known were empty. So much of his life and experiences suddenly made sense. That was Grace. He was this thing. It was a thing. Grace was aroace. But the context also painted a brutal edge on so much as well. Things people whispered behind his back in elementary school. The anger, frustration, and disappointment his one and only girlfriend had felt the night theyād broken up. But most of all, Stratt.
āYou donāt have any immediate family, you donāt even have a dog.ā The words echoed in his head. Oh god that hurt so much more than before. Grace knew, logically, that Stratt wouldāve sent him anyway, no matter what heād āhadā on Earth, butā¦ the fact that she had tried to persuade him with that. The fact that sheād tried to justify it with that. Grace had known many people had seen his life as āsadā because he was single, but to know that it was because of this? Because he was aroace? He knew queerness occurred in nature as well, so it was normal. There was a word for it so it was something someone could be. He felt more whole than ever and Stratt had weaponized the very thing that gave him that feeling against him. The cruelty was so magnified by this he almost felt it all over again. So he sat, curled up into himself, ringing in his ears as he sobbed.
He couldnāt notice the world around him for a while as he rocked back and forth, but eventually the numbness faded slightly and a warm pressure was up against his side. Rocky.
Grace attempted to clear his vision and turned to his best friend. āR-Rocky?ā
Rocky shifted his carapace to Grace and set a limb on his knee. āGrace sad sad sad, Rocky fix. How Rocky help?ā
The tones of his voice comforted Grace immensely. Rocky was here, his new softer Xenonite suit pressed up against Graceās body, a calming presence. Rocky spoke again, āGrace leak about beingā¦ about being forced again. Question?ā
His voice broke on the words. That was a good hypothesis. Grace hadnāt lasted long after rescuing Rocky until breaking down and telling him about it. The reaction had been better than Grace couldāve ever expected, with Rocky insisting that Grace was brave, and that being forced to sleep and die in space was an unimaginable punishment for an Eridian. Rocky had refused to let Grace call himself a coward, had insisted on making the new Xenonite suit so they could sleep closer together, had constantly repeated how much he loved Grace and was glad he was here, but that he hadnāt deserved what was done to him. The idea still horrified Rocky, and was definitely the main reason Grace had been āleakingā for the pastā¦ almost a year now. So it was a good theory.
āNo, wellā¦ yes but not- not the same.ā Grace said, leaning into his best friendās warmth.
āRocky no understand, how the same but not the same.ā
Grace took a deep breath. He wanted to tell Rocky. He wanted to tell his best friend that heād figured out something about himself that made so much sense. And from an educational perspective Rocky deserved to know about the existence of aroace people too. Butā¦ what if Rocky was disappointed in him? What if Rocky realized that he couldāve had a more human human? Grace knew Rocky wouldnāt react that way but the thoughts still spun in his mind.
āFriend Grace?ā
Friend Graceā¦ yeah, Rocky would be okay about it. He would. Grace trusted him.
āRocky, you know how we were talking aboutā¦ uhm, how humans make babies? About sex and romance?ā
āYes, Rocky remember. Of course. Though Rocky kind of wish Rocky had human brain to forget. How relevant?ā
Grace couldnāt help but snort. āI was, doing some research, like I said. And uhā¦ I found something. Something about me.ā
āGrace find self in screen. Question?ā
āNot- me literally, but something I am.ā Grace slide the screen towards his best friend before remembering Rocky didnāt have his screen reader with him currently.
āUhm. Ok. Thereās this thing, that some people are. Where they donāt like sex or romance. Not like- they are against it, but just. Itās not for them. They donāt experience those feelings like most people do. Itās called aroace. And thatāsā¦ thatās me.ā He said it all quietly, knowing Rocky could hear it.
Rocky said nothing for a moment, then spoke. āGrace leak about this. Grace stupid. Rocky know about this. Not feel romance feeling is on Erid too. Eridian word is šµš¶šµšµ. Is normal. Why Grace upset about this. Question?ā
Grace couldnāt help but choke on a sob. People on Erid were aroace too? Itās normal?
āI didnāt know I wasā¦ I didnāt know it was a thing until now. But- but, Rocky you donāt understand. I- I canāt teach you about the whole human experience, Rockā¦ and itās-ā
Rocky cut him off, āGrace still stupid. Grace is human. Grace can teach about whole human experience because Grace human. Grace explain romance earlier. Also Rocky understand romance. Rocky romance Adrian. Grace no romance. Simple.ā
Again, Rockyās words floored Grace. Rocky was right. Romantic love and sex were not some sort of special human magical thing. And humans treating those things like they were would likely be detrimental to inter-species relations, as it implied humans had something special that other aliens didnāt. Like how Grace was treated less than.
āYouāre right buddy, I- on Earth those things are seen asā¦ very important. Itās not seen as good to be Aroace. Like me.ā His mind interjected with joy, like me. āBut youāre right that thatās not true. Iām sorry.ā
āUgh. Humans are stupid. Smart in science ways but stupid in this way. Earth treat romance more important is bad bad bad. Grace no need to apologizeā¦ Earth apologize to Grace. Grace is good good good, important important important. Rocky tell Grace many times, will continue to tell.ā
Grace reached down and hugged Rocky. He cried onto the Xenonite suit, and let himself take comfort in his best friendās words.
After minutes had passed, and Grace was not leaking as much, Rocky seemed to take this as a cue to ask another question.
āGrace say this same but not same to force. Seem only not same to Rocky.ā
Oh. That. Grace considered it. He knew Rocky would comfort him. But Rocky would also be very upset.
āIt will upset you, Rock. I donāt have to tell you right away.ā
Rocky was dissatisfied with that answer.
āGrace tell if Grace comfortable telling. No worry about Rocky. Rocky can handle.ā
Grace sort of doubted that. āYouāre sure?ā
āYes, Rocky say yes many times.ā
āUhmā¦ I mean. Itās not a big thing? But- me being Aroace, it was, sort ofā¦ used to justify forcing me to go to space. That my life wasnāt worth as much because I didnāt have a- a, a romantic relationship?ā
The silence after his words didnāt last long. Rocky scrambled up in clear distress.
āWHAT!!!!! No no no bad bad bad! Is not true, tell Rocky is not true!!ā
Grace had known Rocky would react like this. He sighed.
āI mean, she didnāt- they didnāt know. It wasnāt- I wouldāve been sent anyway. It was just a thing that was said Rock.ā
This did not appear to comfort Rocky much.
āNo. Bad bad bad. Isā¦ need wordā¦ cruel! Is cruel cruel cruel. Grace life worth huge! Like universe! Need human conceptā¦ infinite! Humans who sent Grace not understand? On Erid all Eridians equal. With Eridians everyone worth huge. No romance needed! Grace no romance no mean less worth!! Humans stupid.ā He appeared to calm himself down enough at this point.
āGrace life worth infinite to Rocky. Grace Rocky family. Grace Rocky best friend. Grace understand. Question?ā
Grace understood. At this point he was crying again. Rocky always did this, heād react so strongly then immediately re-orient to helping Grace. It felt so good to know this attitude extended to this feeling Grace had been so confused by his whole life. Rocky understood him. Rocky valued him. Grace felt the same about Rocky. It was the core of their relationship. Grace laid down and let Rocky lay down on top of him, his carapace a weighted blanket to keep Grace safe. To keep Grace loved.
āI understand buddy. Grace love Rocky.ā
The response was immediate, āRocky love Grace.ā
That had been emotionally exhausting. Grace felt tired.
āIām going to go to sleep for a bit ok Rock?ā
āYes, Rocky watch Grace sleep.ā
So Grace let himself relax into a peaceful sleep, knowing Rocky would keep him safe and loved, always always always.
I see no reason that they couldnāt also upload his consciousness to an Eridian body, or even genetically modify him to live longer and be able to survive within Eridās climate with like 10x the amount of time.
What was done to Grace shouldnāt have had to happen. He shouldnāt have had to experience that.
Andā¦
Ultimately his joy matters more. Heās happy. He has friends and family that love him. Heās able to practice his passion in peace. Heās finally home.
You think they ever considered blowing up Venus as a solution to the astrophage problem? Can't dim the sun any further if they cant reproduce. Project use astrophage to explode astrophage nursery.
See i thought it probably wouldāve been easier to just genetically engineer a predator or disease for the astrophage considering what weāve done with bananas and dogs
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