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After the successful launch of the Hail Mary the world leaders needed something to blame for the atrocities that took place over the last three years. Or someone.
Eva Stratt knew the moment she was unanimously voted to take the role of director of the Taskforce that she would become the world’s personal whipping boy. So when all of the world leaders turned on her and condemned her for using the power they gave her, she wasn’t one bit surprised.
She had destroyed Antarctica, the Sahara, and many many other environments to the point that it would take generations until they returned to something that would loosely represent what they had once been. And in the eye of the public, she was the one to kill the three astronauts.
Trial after trial she never once wavered in her decisions. She did what needed to be done to save humanity. They didn’t trust her though. The fact that it would take at least twenty-six years until they could hear anything from the Hail Mary didn’t sit well with anyone.
She prepared herself to stand alone against the ruthless trials that stood before her but something caught her by surprise.
Ryland Grace.
Grace stood right by her side just like always. He defended and stood up for her, fighting for her unlike anyone had ever done before. At first she didn’t want him there, she didn’t want blame to fall onto him. He had been her second in command, whether he knew it or not, so the blame game could easily befall on him. She couldn’t bear the thought of him being punished for her actions.
But he stayed. Never wavered. Never gave up on her. And somehow, Grace convinced the courts that Eva Stratt was innocent. That she only did what the UN had voted her to do. He convinced them to let her walk free.
That day, the UN court room was packed. It was the deciding day of whether she would be found guilty or not guilty. Both sides had given their one last stance. The judge sat silently, looking over the notes and files. The room was suffocatingly silent. Eva Stratt, years ago, had already labeled herself guilty. So she sat there stone walled not daring to show any emotion. Grace sat right next to her, his hand tangled with hers. Something he started doing early on. It had startled her how much she longed for it.
His hand gently squeezed hers as his leg bounced at damn near light speed.
“The court has made its decision.” The judge's voice cut through the silence like a knife. Grace froze and gripped her hand harder. Stratt stopped breathing. Here it came. Here came the order for her life to halt to an end all because she wanted to save humanity. She was scared, she realized. She was scared because Grave was there with her. She would have to face him directly when they found her guilty. She couldn't bear the thought of seeing him in that kind of pain.
“After looking over all of the testimonies and evidence. Eva Adriana Stratt, you have committed horrible crimes. Nuking Antarctica, paving over the Sahara, sending three astronauts on a suicide mission, and many other crimes on a list far too long.”
Grace closed his eyes and bowed his head as his hand tightened around hers again. She knew that he now realized that there was no hope for her. Everyone in that courtroom knew it.
“And yet, you did all of these things for the sake of humanity.”
Her eyes widened and the air in her lungs left. Grace’s head shot up as a collective gasp moved across the room.
“Eva Stratt, you were placed into a position you did not ask for and were forced to do things no human should have to do against their own kind. Eva Adriana Stratt, you have been found innocent in the eyes of the UN courts.”
She barely registered the yells and cheers that erupted around her. The ringing in her ears was too loud. She felt someone pull her arm up and then grab her shoulders and pull her up so she was standing in a hug. The person was crying and she realized that it was Grace. Her shoulders started to shake and she began crying herself as she buried her face into his shoulder and grabbed onto him like a life line. She felt her body sag as relief washed over her. Grace had to all but hold her up as her knees gave out from underneath her.
That was the day the world saw the humanity in Eva Stratt. They finally saw the person who loved and cared for humanity more than anyone. They finally saw a human after four long years of calling her anything but.
She was now hailed as a hero alongside the astronauts and the countless people who were a part of the original taskforce. She resigned from her position as director and moved into a small house in the forest with Grace. Over the long four years of trails the two of them grew even closer. Eva had refused to let them get any closer because she had thought she would be sent away forever and she couldn’t do that to him. But now they had time.
Time was something they never once had.
It was now seven years after her innocence was proven and she had become a person she had not been in a long time. Her witty comebacks, her nerdy hobbies, her long winded rants about history, and lastly her smile and laugh all came back.
The first time she did her wheezing laugh in front of Ryland he froze and stared at her with so much love.
The first time she started ranting about history Ryland had listened to every word with so much intent as she went on for over an hour without realizing.
The first time she told Ryland that she had watched every Critical Roll campaign his jaw dropped. He later managed to get a poster signed by the entire cast.
The first time she snarked back at him he stuttered over his words as his brain processed her remark.
They had their routines they did every week and they were so content with each other. Ryland still worked as the leading Astrophage scientist so he would be gone from the house most of the day but Eva had taken teaching history to college kids while occasionally being called in to help the Taskforce.
But today was a Saturday and Saturday’s meant their weekly morning walk. They decided to go on a trail they hadn’t been on yet before but the sights were absolutely stunning. They rounded a bend and came across an outlook. They stared off at the mountains and forest when Ryland spoke, “Can I ask you a question?”
She rolled her eyes as a smile warmed her face. The way he asked it reminded her so much of their time on the Vat. “As long as it’s not, ‘Will you marry me.’” She chuckled slightly as the sun hit her face.
Silence.
Her eyes widened as she let out a small gasp. She turned around to face him. His hands shoved deeply into his fox cardigan as he made a face she could only describe as a well shit face. Her hands came up and covered her mouth. “Oh god. It is, ‘Will you marry me?’”
He chuckled slightly, his face starting to burn red. “Well I’m not gonna say it now.” Her heart stuttered. She felt her own face start to go red.
“No, no wait! Let’s do it over, start again!” She said as she grabbed his wrist to bring him back down the trail.
He pulled against her, causing her to stop. Her head hung low as she closed her eyes shut. Of course she would ruin the day she had been waiting for far longer than he could ever know. “Eva,” His voice was soft and gentle. She slowly turned around to face him. His face was so kind she let out a breathy laugh. His hand still gently held hers as he slowly knelt on one knee. A wide smile fell across her face as her free hand covered part of it.
“Eva Adriana Stratt, you are the most beautiful, kind, smart, funny, and honestly the most down right terrifying person I know.” She let out a giggle as he let out an anxious laugh. “Will you marry me?” He pulled out a ring from his cardigan pocket and held it up to her. It was such a stunning ring and it was exactly the one she wanted.
“Yes, oh my god yes, Ryland!” She said with so much joy. He gently slipped the ring on before standing up to pull her into a kiss and a hug. They stayed there for who knows how long, just holding each other. Taking all of the time in the world.
Eva Stratt woke up abruptly as she always did. The pains and the aches of her body presented themselves again as she stood up and walked over to the window. She stared out into the night’s sky watching the stars shine. She wondered what it was like for him to see the stars up close instead of behind the bars of her cell.