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When the news of a documentary on Project Hail Mary came out- Colt hated it.
Hated that his brother was now some tv worthy history moment. He was a person. A real person- not some tragic heroic concept made for TV viewers to coo and cry over.
Ryland had been so imperfect in a perfect way. He’d been human. Colt still thought about the way he bounced his knee up and down when he got too nervous- or how he chewed his fingers when he was deeply concentrating. He remembered the stupid science and pun shirts that he wore. He remembered how he spoke like everyone was one of his middle schoolers without even realizing he was doing it.
And now they were going to plaster some look-a-like face on a screen for other people’s entertainment.
And the proceeds and ad revenue went to building him a statue.
A statue. They wanted to build a statue of his brother. It hurt. It hurt so much. This wasn’t what Grace had wanted. He hadn’t wanted to be a hero. He’d just wanted to help- help his middle schoolers-help the people- help the planet.
He’d hated compliments and bemoaned excessive praise. He would have scoffed at a statue of himself - he always believed that someone else was more deserving.
But then they asked him.
“Will you do it? You’re his brother- his twin- you look just like him. You can capture him the best,” they’d said.
Fuck.
They wanted him to do it- they wanted their perfect little look alike so they could recreate everything that happened and make the world Grace’s fanboy.
And Colt hated it- but he hated the idea of someone else doing it more.
They wouldn’t play him right- if anyone else played him- they’d make him heroic and brave and ego centered- and Grace wasn’t any of that. They’d file away everything that Grace really was and mold the idea of him into what they wanted it to be.
So, he begrudgingly said yes. But he had conditions. He wanted control over specific pieces- especially where Grace was sent to space against his will.
Initially- the media had said that he’d volunteered. Colt knew that was bullshit. His brother was scared of airplanes- let alone space ships. His brother had feared the idea of leaving or dying alone since he’d been born.
When it came to light that Stratt had lied- Colt already knew. Could feel the dread in his bones.
The documentary was set to show a mix- he hadn’t wanted to go but relented eventually. Colt refused to be a part of it unless they showed the truth- he hadn’t wanted to go and he’d been forced.
Surprisingly, they also wanted Stratt.
She was still in jail- but was moved into strict house arrest just so she could play herself in the documentary. Incredible what leading a project to stop the end of the world can get you.
She’d refused at first- and no one had known why she’d changed her mind. Colt knew. She felt guilty. Colt was going to make her feel even more guilty. She deserved that much after what she’d done to his brother.
Carl had agreed to be a part of the documentary as well. Although his agreement was hesitant, likely because it meant working alongside Stratt again. He hadn’t forgiven her for sending Grace.
They let Yao’s daughter play Iliyukina. And Dubois’s nephew played Dubois. Lokken’s godson played Yao. Lerlec’s granddaughter played Shapiro.
It all felt unreal. When they showed Colt the lab- the actual lab Rylie had worked in- the place they planned to film in-
Colt broke down at his brother’s handwriting on the equipment- detailing what each piece did.
How- how could he reenact his brother’s life- how could he act out the end and then return to his apartment with Jody like nothing had happened.
He got to live and Rylie didn’t. It wasn’t fair.