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  1. Public Bookmark *

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    He sees them round the corner, Rocky's brown and green carapace leading ahead of a larger Eridian. They were a gradient of blues and greens, the colors reminded him of turquoise, or maybe jade, and had spots of warm black dotted around their form. They had a splotch of brown on one their arms, mirroring the one he has seen on Rocky.

    "Grace!" Rocky bounds over, the other Eridian swiftly coming with him. "Grace meet Mate Adrian. Adrian meet Friend Grace."

    It really is them Grace thinks, giddy with joy.

    Grace meets Adrian of Erid

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    6,303
    Chapters:
    2/2
    Collections:
    1
    Comments:
    168
    Kudos:
    1,659
    Bookmarks:
    336
    Hits:
    7,973

    06 Jun 2026

  2. Public Bookmark *

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    We're almost at Erid. I have to tell him before we get in range of whatever radio-equivalent they use. He deserves to know, to have the chance to tell everyone before I land. He should know I’m a coward before he convinces his planet to funnel all their resources into keeping me alive.

    I've thought it through so many times, in the years since I remembered.

    ‘Hey Rocky, I need to tell you something.’

    ‘Hey Rocky, you know how you always call us brave? Well…’

    ‘Hey Rocky so the actual reason I had amnesia when I met you was because I said no when they asked me to save my planet even though I was the only qualified candidate and they forced me to and I said if they sent me I'd kill everyone by sabotaging the mission so Stratt gave me some insane amnesia drug.’

    Not exactly a conversation anyone wants to have ever, let alone with their roommate in a ship with no escape. Not something anyone wants to hear from the person they're relying on to save their people, either.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    3,666
    Chapters:
    2/2
    Collections:
    1
    Comments:
    144
    Kudos:
    3,031
    Bookmarks:
    431
    Hits:
    15,925

    06 Jun 2026

  3. Public Bookmark *

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    “Rocky, I’m here, okay? Come back to me, pal, please.”

    Of course I will, I think, drawn to that voice, that strange, wobbling voice, which I care about without knowing exactly why, and I should – it makes me angry, not knowing – I should know –

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    9,016
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    136
    Kudos:
    1,350
    Bookmarks:
    402
    Hits:
    8,536

    06 Jun 2026

  4. Public Bookmark 68

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    Summary

    Rocky tries his best to reassure Grace, they have a slight misunderstanding, and a new Eridian word is coined.

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    2,348
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    167
    Kudos:
    690
    Bookmarks:
    68
    Hits:
    2,968

    04 Jun 2026

  5. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    People have a image of Dr. Ryland Grace. A bit of an oddball, hard working, loves a punny shirt, and is still very much a teacher for all that he's head scientist. Sometimes, however, he does something that is outside expectations. Even the ones he has of himself.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    9,493
    Chapters:
    6/6
    Comments:
    177
    Kudos:
    818
    Bookmarks:
    226
    Hits:
    5,109

    04 Jun 2026

  6. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    Rocky's main specialty was engineering, definitely not understanding aliens from a different solar system.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    3,004
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    177
    Kudos:
    4,637
    Bookmarks:
    589
    Hits:
    21,438

    04 Jun 2026

  7. Public Bookmark *

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    “Rocky,” I say sharply. The irritation feels unpleasant inside me, foreign like a toxin.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    4,286
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    186
    Kudos:
    4,639
    Bookmarks:
    926
    Hits:
    18,480

    04 Jun 2026

  8. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    He catches a glimpse of himself in the small mirror across the room.

    It’s as if he’s been frozen in time. Nothing about him has changed since he last touched the surface of his home planet.

    But of course, that’s not true. Everything has changed.

    He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know what this means. He’s a man of science. There are rules, immutable laws of the universe, no matter where in the universe one is. Entropy, decay, deterioration. Everything in the universe experiences it.

    Everything except him, it seems.

     

    Or: While on Erid, Ryland Grace makes a startling realization: he seems to have stopped aging.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    8,569
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    203
    Kudos:
    3,264
    Bookmarks:
    614
    Hits:
    13,626

    04 Jun 2026

  9. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    Once Rocky learned that Grace can whistle, he decided to teach him how to say some basic words in Eridian
    One day when they were close to Erid, Rocky falls ill and is unable to answer to the Eridian message

    Luckily, Grace could answer

    Too bad that Rocky didn't tell just how, juvenile he sounded when he spoke Eridian

    Or

    How Grace confused Eridians about his age

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    8,873
    Chapters:
    5/?
    Comments:
    318
    Kudos:
    2,098
    Bookmarks:
    485
    Hits:
    16,053

    03 Jun 2026

  10. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    After four years of space travel, Grace and Rocky are finally approaching Erid. Grace has been working hard to learn Eridian, but two days out, disaster strikes - his keyboard is broken and Rocky is hurt.

    Luckily, Grace can speak some very basic Eridian with his single set of vocal cords. Unfortunately, he sounds like a newly hatched baby Eridian when he does.

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    4,769
    Chapters:
    2/2
    Comments:
    249
    Kudos:
    2,988
    Bookmarks:
    503
    Hits:
    15,105

    03 Jun 2026

  11. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    The day Ryland Grace proves the Carl Hypothesis and discovers how to breed Astrophage, a probe is spotted in the outer regions of the solar system. When it's recovered, the words TO SOLVE ASTROPHAGE PROBLEM are found written on the outside, and below that is written in slightly smaller text, Deliver to Ryland Grace.

    Grace, unfortunately, has no idea what's going on.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    14,549
    Chapters:
    2/2
    Collections:
    3
    Comments:
    259
    Kudos:
    1,623
    Bookmarks:
    359
    Hits:
    6,930

    04 Jun 2026

  12. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    The capsule touches down on Erid about a decade and a half after I do.

    There's a message inside translated into fourteen different languages. Y'know, just in case I've taught myself - and then the Eridians - Afrikaans.

    Hey, it reads. Can we have our ball back, please?

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    3,884
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    302
    Kudos:
    3,269
    Bookmarks:
    730
    Hits:
    8,994

    03 Jun 2026

  13. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    Missing scene from the book of Rocky finding out how old Grace is, from Rocky’s perspective.

    Grace has mentioned that he is a scientist as well as a teacher to human children. On Erid, only our Elders would step down from their purpose to impart their knowledge on the next generation. Grace must be very old indeed to become a teacher, and to be chosen for this mission.

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    7,490
    Chapters:
    3/3
    Comments:
    337
    Kudos:
    2,978
    Bookmarks:
    564
    Hits:
    15,508

    03 Jun 2026

  14. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    A series of short fics exploring Grace and Rocky's friendship, among other things. (Each chapter is its own story; I just wanted to have them all in one place.)

    Chapter 1: Rocky thinks humans are equally disgusting and cute. Somehow, through it all, Grace reminds him of home.
    Chapter 2: Rocky can pick Grace up easily, and Rocky thinks it is very funny. Rocky and Grace tease each other.
    Chapter 3: Eridians bring Grace their babies for him to see, and Grace learns about Eridian culture/religion. Grace is also bad at taking compliments.
    Chapter 4: Rocky makes Grace celebration jewelry. Later, Grace gets a similar gift from Adrian.
    Chapter 5: Grace and Rocky tease each other, and Rocky is introduced to the idea of throwing things at your friends. He decides that humans are odd, but maybe aren't all that bad.
    Chapter 6: Grace tries to convince Rocky to swim, but Eridians don’t typically like deep water because they are heavy and will sink/drown. Grace learns about some Eridian mythology.
    Chapter 7: Grace talks about the lack of support teachers have on Earth. Rocky is confused by this.

    [This has a limit, so new chapters will have their description at the beginning of the chapter instead]

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    20,021
    Chapters:
    13/13
    Comments:
    524
    Kudos:
    4,299
    Bookmarks:
    902
    Hits:
    33,992

    03 Jun 2026

  15. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    Project Hail Mary from Rocky's Perspective.

    Also includes a couple of bonus chapters at the end.

    Bonus chapter 1: Rocky and Grace's arrival at Erid
    Bonus chapter 2: Grace introduces Rocky to Earth life
    Bonus chapter 3: Grace introduces Rocky to Tetris
    Bonus chapter 4: Rocky finds out about the Golden Record

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    46,485
    Chapters:
    18/18
    Comments:
    403
    Kudos:
    2,120
    Bookmarks:
    394
    Hits:
    44,114

    03 Jun 2026

  16. Public Bookmark 90

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    Summary

    “Grace! Why you no say plants are on Hail Mary, question?!”

    The question puts me on my back foot. Literally. I jog up to the door after my morning run to find Rocky waiting for me on my side of the house, suited up and ticked off. I rock back on my heel.

    “Huh?”

    “What you mean ‘huh’, is simple question! Why no mention plants on Hail Mary when almost die of no vitamins?!”

    “No bud, I heard you the first time,” I scoff, shaking my head ruefully. He gets under my feet, tapping at my thighs with his claws to annoy me while I toe off my running shoes.

    “Hey, quit— quit it! You’ve gotta be confused, the only plant matter on the Hail Mary was the food in my meals, and that’s years gone.”

    ——-

    Aka, Grace gets a bittersweet surprise several years after he settles into his life on Erid.

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    5,706
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    62
    Kudos:
    869
    Bookmarks:
    90
    Hits:
    2,841

    03 Jun 2026

  17. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    Grace is touch starved.

    Rocky can fix.

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    4,161
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    970
    Kudos:
    10,932
    Bookmarks:
    1,524
    Hits:
    55,880

    03 Jun 2026

  18. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    “What is a ‘field trip’?”   

    The unexpected question makes me stop in my tracks. I stumble over my own two feet and almost bite my own tongue which is a new low, even for me. If I keep going like this I am never going to beat the clumsy human allegations. At least Rocky is not here. If he’d witnessed my latest embarrassing blunder he would have found ways to tease me about it for a week straight. It’s unfortunate that my class has to see me like this but they are a lot more forgiving and understanding of their ungraceful teacher than my best friend. A fact I like to hold over his head from time to time. 

    Not that he cares. He maintains that he’s earned the right to mock me as much as he likes after having to watch me stumble and fall repeatedly over the same threshold for four years. 

    And maybe he’s not wrong. 

    Don’t ever tell him I said that.

    ********

    There is no way Grace can take the pebbles on a field trip. At least not without help.

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    9,584
    Chapters:
    2/2
    Comments:
    420
    Kudos:
    4,053
    Bookmarks:
    455
    Hits:
    17,230

    01 Jun 2026

  19. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    The Eridian thrills a high sound that doesn’t get picked up by the translator which means that it has no clear meaning. Like when a human gasps or sucks in a deep breath. It actually sounds a little like that. When they notice that I’m staring straight at them they scramble back into their hiding spot and hold very still. 

    A child, I realize with a start.

    That’s a child! 

    “Hey,” I call and the kid squeaks again. I was about to get to my feet but abort the movement and crawl closer on my hands and knees until I'm inches away from the xenonite wall. I wait and it takes me much too long to realize that they don’t have to peek around the corner to see if I’m still there.

    “Hey there,” I try again, my voice low and calm. It’s my teacher voice, the one I use for shy and scared students. 

    Used. 

    The fact that I haven’t had to use it for years and it still comes to me automatically almost knocks the air out of my lungs but this is not about me, it’s about making sure the little pebble doesn’t die of fright from the scary alien. “Hi, I’m Grace. It’s alright, you don’t have to be scared.”

    ***
    How Grace finally gets back into a classroom, where he belongs

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    6,881
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    662
    Kudos:
    7,640
    Bookmarks:
    1,459
    Hits:
    35,425

    01 Jun 2026

  20. Public Bookmark *

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    Summary

    Theresa Cabral is two weeks, three days, and ten hours from defending her PhD thesis in molecular biology when she gets a text from a kid she went to middle school with.

    Michael Whitman (11:06 pm):
    Did you see it?

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    5,266
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Collections:
    6
    Comments:
    442
    Kudos:
    5,590
    Bookmarks:
    792
    Hits:
    22,893

    01 Jun 2026

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