Work Text:
Stratt stared into the sky, the light of thousands of stars illuminating her face.
And as she gazed, she reminded herself that by the time any visible rays reached her eyes, those stars were likely dead.
She sat down on a chair, looking to Grace. He waved at her, smiling.
Did Dr. Grace ever tell his students that the night sky was one large graveyard? That with the discovery of extra-terrestrial life, their own sun would end up just as dead as the past humans stared at when looking into the night sky?
She slowly exhaled, squeezing her eyes shut. The DNA results showing the list of eligible science officer replacements sat heavy in her hand.
Could she accept that sending Dr. Grace on the mission would add to that graveyard?
A deep, hollow feeling made itself known in her chest, and she sighed.
She would accept it. She had to. She knew that eventually it would become clear that Dr. Grace was the only correct replacement.
She only hoped that with it, these horrible feelings would dissipate.
That maybe, when put on trial after the project was over, she could still believe she did the right thing.
Just maybe.