Work Text:
“Dr. Grace.”
“Stratt.”
“Why do you call me that?”
“What? Stratt?”
“Just Stratt. Not Director Stratt. Not Ms. Stratt. Not…”
“...Madam Administrator Stratt?”
“I hope not.”
“I’ve always called you Stratt. Why do you call me Dr. Grace?”
“It’s the appropriate title. You have a PhD.”
“Carl calls me Grace, and I think it's nice. We’re friends. We’re like friends, too, aren’t we? You and I?”
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.
.
“Where is Carl, anyway?”
“I don’t know. Not here.”
“Hm. You don’t look good. Are you cold?”
“I’m always cold, Dr. Grace.”
“Have you been sleeping?”
“Do I ever?”
“Okay, fine. Have you had your two coffees?”
“Ha. No.”
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.
“Does this mean you’ve given up?”
“...Excuse me, Dr. Grace?”
“Have you given up? The project. The mission. You think it won’t work?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I didn’t ask if you said it.”
“I haven’t given up.”
“But you don’t think it’ll work.”
“I didn’t say that. I don’t know. It’s a long shot.”
“Hail Mary. I know. But you thought it would work, before.”
“Well, I’m older now. Do you think it’ll work?”
“Me?”
“You.”
“I don’t know! How am I supposed to know? There are so many factors. What if the coma technology goes wrong? What if the fuel interacts unexpectedly with the environment up there? What if Tau Ceti’s immunity isn’t replicable?”
“What if. And by the time I find out, it’ll be too late.”
“We.”
“What?”
“By the time we find out.”
“Right.”
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“You really look cold. Maybe you should go get a sweater."
"I can't leave right now, Dr. Grace."
"Maybe you should get someone to bring you a sweater.”
“...Sure. I’ll do that. In a few minutes.”
“Okay.”
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“It has to work, Dr. Grace. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“It has to work. You have to understand.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes, I do! Geez, Stratt. Sometimes you scare me a little.”
“I don’t mean to.”
“I know. But you do, anyway.”
“I just want to know you’re taking this seriously.”
“C’mon. Have I ever failed you, when it mattered?”
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“Do you want a Skittle?”
“That’s okay, Dr. Grace.”
“You always say no.”
“Because those are your Skittles.”
“I never run out, you know.”
“And you won't.”
"Well, that's kind of nice."
"I hope so."
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“Stratt?”
“Yes, Dr. Grace?”
“I’m not really here.”
“...I know, Dr. Grace.”
“You still look cold.”
“I know.”