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Dr. Ryland Grace woke up in his own bed, half dazed and groggy, as he always was when given something to help him sleep. Unfortunately, that feeling was becoming more and more common the longer he was on Stratt’s Vat. And as much as he enjoyed the actually decent coffee that he was being gifted (it was kilometers better than the stuff in the Teacher’s Lounge at Grover Cleveland. ….Yes, kilometers. If he was going to work with the greatest minds on the planet and with the sharpest scientists alive, he was going to at least attempt to use the measurements they were accustomed to. It was only polite if Dimitri was going to explode things with him and the Hail Mary Crew was going to give him sweets they had grown up with.)
And, frankly, as much as Ryland hated waking up in the slow manner that he associated with whatever sedative Lamai had decided to provide his “babysitter” with this time, he could grudgingly admit that he often felt better after however long the meds took to wear off.
See, Carl, Grace was capable of being altruistic when it suited him. He knew very well that Stratt had assigned him a babysitter so he didn’t accidently blow up Humanity's last hope (and their backups. Because redundancies). Astrophage was just so interesting! Its uses as a clean, renewable energy source were nearly endless. Especially with the potential for generators and crop growth….
Ryland almost fell out of his bed with how much of his strength had rocketed him off his mattress (….get it? Rocketed him, like…oh nevermind. His puns were best appreciated by other scientists, not his own inner musings.).
The Greenhouse! The GREENHOUSE!! Where had he left the designs for the (almost) fully automated greenhouse that had come to him while brainstorming ways to annoy Ilyukhina. Ryland frowned for a moment. Annoying Ilyukhina….what had the plan been? Something about using potatoes to ‘make’ vodka….oh well, he’d think about it again later. Right now, he needed to find Asa Gray. He couldn’t leave the poor Greenhouse schematic alone! What if someone tried to build him and messed up one side? The whole thing would fall apart. And that would be too much for poor Gray.
Ryland rummaged through the half folded pile of punny tee-shirts, looking for the cleanest one he could find before finally landing on “Avogadro’s Number”, complete with avocado and a beaker. It was the nearest one he had to something botany related, and he was not going to wear anything with a potato on it. (It was not currently “Fry-o’clock-somewhere” thank you.)
He slipped his heels into his worn converse and pulled his door open.
Carl stood outside his quarters, leaning against the wall across from him, holding a steaming cup of what might be coffee. He held it out to Ryland, before ducking into Grace’s room to grab the tablet off the side table and the messenger bag from it’s place by the floor. Then he made sure the door was pulled shut behind them as he followed the blond down the hall.
”Carl,” the other man hummed in acknowledgement, “do you know where I left my…”
“Dr. Komorov has your latest project proposal, Grace.” The grin that spread across the biologist’s face brought an ache to his cheeks. He beamed at Carl before almost skipping down the hall towards the Engineering labs, either unaware of uncaring of the time, and the meeting he had to leave for in an hour.
(Carl would remind him when it was time to head to the flight deck. By that point, Grace would have asked for his schedule for the day and remembered the UN meeting in time to have a minor freak out about it.)
Ryland pulled the door to the lab open with a flurish and almost skipped into the room. He waved at a few of the engineers he knew better, before scanning the room for Dimitri.
He quickly found the man reviewing a stack of papers strewn across the workbench that the Head Engineer often claimed for himself. As he drew closer to the Russian man, Ryland was pleased to note that the papers were for Asa Gray…..the Greenhouse.
”Dimitri!!” Ryland called over to the man, grabbing his attention. He watched the Russian Engineer look up, a smile already spreading across Dimitri’s face as the other man turned towards him, raising a hand in greeting.
”Ryland, my Friend! Come! Tell me of greenhouse!” The plans Dimitri gave him an exaggerated double thumbs up, eyes shining with a fiery mischief Grace wasn’t sure he appreciated near his greenhouse plans.
Pulling up next to the other, Grace scanned the documents currently laid out and pulled the proposal document towards them before turning fully to his friend.
”During my last round of reaction testing, I was thinking of how best to annoy Olesya and ended up recharging a dead battery with the reaction I was running. After discussing the potential implications of using the astrophage as a recharging source for our batteries, I realized that it would be really useful to power existing designs to better support the current architecture we have in place. Especially as resources wane. We don’t want to rely on having more supplies for new pipes, powerlines and such during any shortages that may occur.”
Dimitri nodded along, mind racing through potential solutions to a materials shortage while Ryland detailed some of the schematic he had brought.
”So, I was thinking we could use existing infrastructure, powered by Astrophage, to make an almost entirely autonomous greenhouse.”
The space around the two department heads fell into stunned silence as the engineers turned to stare at the American with wide eyes.
”It would revolutionize how crops can be grown! And if we use the same ideas as terrariums or “water cycle in a jar” experiments, combined with modern hydroponic watering, we could easily create localized community greenhouses that would be powered by astrophage. We could even use solar panel glass as the entire roof, and use whatever power we can pull to help heat the house.” Ryland continued to ramble, knowing he was getting off topic as he pointed out the various features of the structure and how they could use existing buildings to help minimize the up and coming resource scarcity.
”Ryland, you are GENIUS! Oh, this will be perfect way to throw those Government stooges that try to take funding away from the project for while!” The two shared another giddy grin before leaning over the schematic together.
Ryland was only too happy to have the Engineer take over the structural aspect of the plan. Ryland may be many things, but an engineer he was not.
Carl appearing at his elbow eventually pulled Grace away from the eager conversation the two were having to bounce ideas around.
”Grace, you have to prepare for the meeting with the UN shortly.” Ryland pouted at Carl. “Sorry, you know that doesn’t work on me, it’s time to go. I’m sure Dimitri will start to pull a team together while you’re gone.”
Ryland’s eyes snapped back to the Russian, face betraying his excitement. The other man nodded with a fond smile.
”I get team pulled together to help build some kind of model. Some may be here when get back. Go, my Friend. Director not wait well.” Dimitri smiled and waved Ryland to follow Carl.
(The security agent led the American Biologist away from the lab, standing between the blond and the lab assistant that was standing near the door. Dimitri was not blind to the sneer Ryland was gifted.
That sneer dropped quickly when the man saw Dimitri’s glare.)
*********
Ryland knew Carl was at his shoulder, leading him down any number of hallways, while the teacher kept his face in the tablet in his hands.
”Carl, why is the amount of media and how it will be used in this meeting brief? I thought that was already explained? Also, why does the UN want a detailed breakdown on how Astrophage is being used and any, and I’m quoting here, ‘nightmare scenarios’?” He followed his security agent towards the flight deck. He knew he would be joining Stratt in Australia for this meeting. Grace was half hoping that he would be able to see his Brother while they were there. Maybe Carl would be able to send someone to bring Colt somewhere Ryland could meet him. He’d check after they landed.
”Dr. Grace, those are on the agenda because the UN wants the information spelled out for them again. Maybe you could give them a more detailed information session to answer their questions.” Stratt’s gentle accent at his left brought his attention to the woman standing at his shoulder.
”Ma’am. I assume we’ll be there for a few days.” At her nod, he stepped slightly to the side to follow her lead, as he was accustomed to. “I’ll think of something.”
Ryland looked down at the tablet still in his hand and then looked up sharply.
”How…..UNESCO….are you hoping for, Ma’am?” Stratt’s lips twitched around her travel coffee cup. She met his gaze, face flat outside the slight quirk of her mouth and the mischievous eyes that matched his for a moment before dulling back to her normal stoney look.
”I’m sure you can read the room well, Dr. Grace. I’ll take your…suggestion into account when the questions start coming.” He smirked at her before attempting to straighten his own look to match hers. He must have failed terribly as Carl snorted and shoved a bag into his arms.
”Come on, Dr. Grace. Let’s get you to the meeting. Director, we’ll meet you at the hotel later.” The security agent nodded at her before leading his Principal over to a waiting helicopter.
”Do not be late, Dr. Grace. Minimal stunts, please.” Stratt’s words had him freezing. He forced out the breath that had locked itself in his chest and followed Carl onto the chopper.
”….Does anyone else know about my brother?” Ryland’s words were quiet through the headset both he and Carl had pulled on after liftoff.
”No, just the Director and I. We both felt it best to leave the information for you to spread at your own pace. We’ll be landing at the movie set first and then taking a cleared vehicle to the main meeting hotel. You’ll have three hours before we have to move on for the day. The helicopter will meet us back there after the conference and take us back to the Vat by that evening.”
His friend met Ryland’s gaze evenly.
”She’s hoping this will make up for your lost phone. A new one will be delivered to the hotel while we’re in Sydney. I have the sim card and number, we’ll leave the number with your brother before we leave.”
Ryland felt his cheeks start to burn as he beamed at Carl. He was going to see his brother!!! Man, it had been too long. He’d not been able to do more than email him since arriving on the Vat a few weeks ago.
Colt had been less than pleased until Ryland had explained the nature of the project he was working on. Above top secret wouldn’t unseal the project documents for anyone short of Eva Stratt herself. And maybe the First Officer of the project, whoever that poor person was.
(Ryland hoped they had learned when to bring Eva her coffee properly. The last assistant the Director had messed up more than once on the timing and ended up being returned to port after being on the ship for less than a day. Ryland hadn’t been privy to the conversation between the two when the woman had been fired, but Carl had been and had categorically refused to tell Grace anything that had been said. You know, like a party pooper.)
For the first time since arriving on the Vat, Ryland was happy to be told his schedule without providing any input.
”Lean back and think of skittles. We’ll be there before you know it.” That was one of Carl’s best suggestions, ever. Which, considering “The Carl Hypothesis”, was saying a lot.
***************
Colt Seavers rubbed Jody’s shoulder with one hand, leaning over slightly to watch the stunt take one more time.
”Pause.” The video froze on the moment he pinpointed. “There.”
Jody examined the moment Colt was pointing out. She didn’t know what he was pointing out. The lab equipment in the villain's lair looked fine to her. Was one of the props misaligned between shots.
”Colt, what?” She looked up at her blond, wondering what he was seeing, “What am I looking at?”
”Well… for starters…” A different voice behind the two had them both frozen in their shoes.
”That kind of beaker would not hold any liquid or alloy that didn’t fill at least half the bottle. If you need something that large, you would have an equal amount of liquid. Otherwise you're compromising lab safety and potentially wasting the solution by wasting portions of it on the sides of the glass as you pour it into something else.”
Both Jody and Colt whipped around to stare at the man grinning at them.
”Hi, Colt, Jody.” He spread his arms slightly, barely taking his eyes off his twins form. “It’s so good to see you. I missed you so much.”
Colt had crossed the distance before Jody could turn to look at him, the air blowing her bangs into her face when he passed her. She saw Colt slam into his twins chest, nearly knocking them both to the ground. The quick movement of the man she finally noticed behind the scientist kept the pair from falling to the dirt, barely.
”Whoa… Careful, Dr. Grace, please.” She chuckled at the man’s gentle chidding. She moved forward to help the black man lower the two blonds into the dirt gently.
”They are always like this.” Once the now giggling maniacs were safely in the dirt, tussling goodnaturedly, she held her hand out to the man who straightened next to her. “I’m Jody Moreno, Colt’s girlfriend. Pleasure.”
”Carl.” The man shook her hand quickly, gaze falling back to the scientist before flicking to the surroundings.
”Hey!” The brothers had finally gotten to their feet, still holding on, arms slung across the other’s shoulders. The scientist pouted. “How come she gets a handshake? All I got was a terse name! And not even your full one! What gives?”
Jody giggled and Colt snickered at his twin. The two newcomers were obviously good friends.
”Dr. Grace, we’re on a time limit, do you want to get into this now?” The pout disappeared and Ryland turned Colt. The Stuntman watched his brother, taking in the slight bags under his eyes, the labcoat that fit across his shoulders, and satchel with an embroidered patch that he didn’t recognize.
The biologist grinned at his brother sheepishly, arm moving in a familiar motion.
”Carl’s right. I only have a few hours before I have to be on my way. I’ll be able to visit again before heading back to the lab.” His gaze turned melancholy. “I’m sorry, Colt. I wish I could stay longer, but needs must, unfortunately.”
”Hey, no, Ry. It’s ok. I get it. You have to work, too.” Colt patted his younger twin on the back before leaning on him again. “Come on, Ry, let’s catch up. Jody and I have a trailer over there,” he motioned off towards the right, “we’ll chat.”
His little brother’s grin brightened the people surrounding them, as it always did.
(Ryland was the sun. Everyone who met him couldn’t help turning to him, basking in the warmth he spread. Even when he left, the people watching him leave would want to be better, do better. It was part of what made him a perfect teacher. Colt just wished people didn’t want to hoard it for themselves.)
Colt grabbed Ryland’s hand and dragged his flailing brother to his trailer, an amused Jody and a …Carl followed behind them. When Colt pulled the door open, Carl stepped in front of the brothers before they could enter. He scanned the interior before nodding to Ryland and took a sentry position outside the door.
“Colt,” Ryland’s voice was soft as he tilted his head toward the door. “I’ll explain what I can.”
Colt’s shoulders lowered as he entered the trailer and motioned for Ryland to take a seat before turning to grab him a drink. Ryland waved it away with a grimace. Colt settled across from him and Jody joined the twins, having pulled the door shut behind her.
”Ok, Ry. What is going on?” Ryland heaved a breath, leaned back, ran his hands down his face, glasses lopsided beneath his chin. He laid his hands on the table between his brother and sister-in-law (to be, but semantics).
”So, this is literally all I am allowed to say.” He let out a bitter snicker. “I even asked the Project Director what, exactly, I couldn’t share. She told me it would be easier to ask what I could share.”
The pair watching him (his family) exchanged a look and took one of his hands in each of theirs. Colt squeezed his left hand comfortingly, nodding for him to continue.
”You know the Arclight probe?” The pair nodded, so Ryland continued, “I was brought in to study the initial samples.”
The hands on his clenched almost painfully. Grace squeezed back, giving both a fond smile.
”I ended up naming the organism and identified…well, a lot of traits that the best minds around the globe were struggling to figure out.” He sighed, eyes tracing the hands clutching his. “I was pulled onto the project fully after a week. I went from the lab I was brought to in San Fran to an aircraft carrier in the middle ocean. I can’t tell you anything about it, or where it is, but the Project is using it to study the organism and its usage. We have an idea on what to do next, but we need to get to that point first. I’m working on studying the potential usages and further applications.”
He looked up at two of the people he loved more than anything.
”I didn’t even get to pack my apartment myself. I was in the lab one moment and jumping around the western hemisphere for the next day.”
Grace leaned back. Colt was looking fit to burst, questions pooling in his eyes. He was being amazingly reserved about them, knowing Ryland couldn’t answer.
”So Carl is…” Jody’s voice was quiet.
”Assigned to me.” The couple shared a look, probably knowing the youngest Grace was understating why he was assigned a security agent.
Colt took his brother in from across his kitchen table, hand still clutching his twins tightly. He met Jody’s eyes once more before huffing out a laugh and leaning forward to settle his elbows on the surface between them.
”Ok.” Jody looked startled by Colt’s easy acceptance. “I know you want to tell me everything. You’re practically buzzing with everything you’ve discovered in the last few weeks. I also realize that would put you in danger, and Ry, I don’t want to do that.”
He smirked, mischief settling between the twins like a warm, familiar blanket.
”So, what pranks have you pulled on the idiots on the ship? Any wastes of carbon I can help plot against?”
Jody shook her head. These two, she swears.
She stood to check with Carl how long the two had left, sighing to herself.
The things one Grace brother could reap was a lot, two was a level of mayhem most prayed they never saw. Jody wasn’t sure what she would do without it.
*********
Colt and Ryland both sobbed when they hugged a few days later as the younger prepared to return to sea.
Jody and Carl gave them as much time as they could before finally taking one twin and leading them away.
Watching Carl bundle the younger twin onto the chopper, she was a bit relieved someone was watching his back. He deserved friends who cared about him outside Colt and herself.
It seemed like he had finally been given some of what he deserved.
(And if she and Colt bombarded Carl and Ryland’s phones a couple weeks later after hearing about the Scientist’s kidnapping, that was between the four of them. The two deserved the telling off they had received when they stopped by the set on the way back to the ship. Colt had to be dragged back by Dan before the chopper could leave. Jody hoped the project was worth this.
By the end of May, both Colt and Jody received an email later that day with several phone numbers and travel confirmation for December. From Eva Stratt, unofficially titled “World Dictator”, of all people!)
*****************
It was the end of June before the initial team of Dimitri’s contacts could be pulled together and begin work on the greenhouse.
Between two new batches of scientists being trained by Grace, Engineering expanding their focus beyond the spin drives to other major portions of the ship, plans on integrating Dr. Lokken’s centrifuge, and both Carl and Grace recovering from exhaustion, there had been no time to start projects that would need as much care and oversight as the greenhouse would.
Now, though, things were on track, and Stratt had forced Carl to take a break. Grace wasn’t entirely sure who all the new guards he suddenly had were, but if having so many stopped his friend from collapsing next to him, he was all for it.
(The heart stopping moment of hearing Carl hit the ground still haunted him, and Grace hadn’t complained about the extra security once since he had been released from Dr. Lamai’s gentle (stern, terrifying, nightmare enducing…pick one or two, they all work) care.)
The man standing next to him was dressed much the same as Carl always was. Plain button down, tie, suitcoat that made Ryland feel like he was underdressed and being escorted to the principals office. He lacked Carl’s easy smile and Steve’s (one of Eva’s guards that was always stationed outside wherever the Director was holed up that day) relaxed demeanor. This man barely seemed to blink, eyes icy shards of pumice in a nondescript face below thick eyebrows.
There was nothing distinct about this man, and he didn’t fully engage with Grace the way most of the other people onboard the Gansu did. As the pair neared the upper deck and carrier, the man started directing Grace towards the preparation area.
”Um…is there something wrong?” Grace watched the man’s face, hoping for even a twitch to give him something to work with. He slowed his steps, glancing around in hopes that someone would give him an excuse to deviate from wherever this man was trying to lead him.
It seemed like Grace’s luck had finally decided to clock in as a voice called from behind him.
”…Grace. DR. GRACE! Hang on!” A young Korean man wearing an oil-stained orange jumpsuit, a safety harness covered in secured tools, and deep brown gloves, ran up and stepped in front of Ryland, positioning himself between the biologist and the security agent.
He met Grace’s eyes, eyebrows raising as he gestured to the man behind him. Grace rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.
”Sorry to catch you out like this, Dr. Grace, but Dr. Komorov sent me to get you. Something is up with the Greenhouse schematic you provided.” The man’s voice was lower than Ryland’s, and carried a soothing lilt that the blond couldn’t place. He found himself easily being ushered back towards the inner workings of the ship and went gladly.
”Oh, that is a pickle. Please, lead the way. I’m sure my next appointment will understand my tardiness if it’s to help with engineering.” Grace evaded the guard’s outstretched hands as he ducked back into the safety of the winding hallways. The man Dimitri sent pulled the door latched behind them and backed them both further down the hallway, hand reaching for the radio on his shoulder. Grace hadn’t noticed it amongst all the tools secured everywhere.
”This is Engineer Anguilla-Fiesher, employee code SAFDK0628-1, seeking verification on Dr. Grace’s Guard. I repeat, this is Engineer Anguilla-Fiesher, employee code SAFDK0628-1, seeking verification on Dr. Grace’s Guard, over.”
Engineer Anguilla-Fiesher was tense, eyes never leaving the security personnel watching them from behind the locked door out to the carrier’s flight deck. The man was banging his fist into the door, scowling at the pair from the other side of the ID card locked door. If you didn’t have the proper badge, you would not be able to enter.
This man didn’t have a badge.
”On Duty Guard never reported in. Repeat, on duty guard never reported in. Does anyone have eyes on Dr. Grace? Over.” The voice on the radio was frantic.
Grace’s eyes darted from the man outside the security door and the Korean engineer standing between the man and Grace.
”This is Engineer Anguilla-Fiesher. I have Dr. Grace. Main hall to flight deck. Eyes on a man acting as a guard standing outside the security door. Please send assistance. The man does not have a security badge. Over.”
”Wilco. Hang tight.” The tension in the hallway was making Ryland twitchy. He tapped his fingers against legs, fighting to stay where he was.
”Hey,” the soothing tones from Engineer Anguilla-Fiesher had returned. “It’s alright. Someone will come to grab him and we’ll head down to meet with Dr. Komorov on your greenhouse idea. Just a couple more minutes, ok?”
Ryland found himself nodded frantically, feeling his oxygen starved lungs suck in the breath greedily.
The security team was there within a minute, checking Anguilla-Fiesher’s employee ID before checking Grace’s. Once they were both cleared, Ryland was lead down the familiar path to Dimitri’s lab.
The (his?) engineer stopped before they could turn down the hall to the Engineering wing they were heading towards and looked Ryland over carefully.
”Thank you for trusting me. I had a gut feeling that he wasn’t supposed to be here. I’m glad I listened to it.” The laugh left Ryland’s lips before he could fully process what he’d heard. The other man’s eyes were kind, and crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
”I’m Simon, by the way. Simon Anguilla-Fischer. Dimitri brought me onboard as the mechanic and botanist for the Greenhouse.” He held out his hand. Grace shook it eagerly, fingers almost refusing to let go.
”Nice to meet you, Simon. I’m Ryland. Ryland Grace.”