Ryland Grace still felt like he'd wandered into the wrong meeting.

The conference room buzzed with quiet conversations, equations scattered across screens and whiteboards like someone had weaponized math. Every scientist here seemed older, sharper, more important. He tugged awkwardly at his visitor badge and balanced a coffee he'd already forgotten to drink.

Project Hail Mary was the biggest undertaking in human history.

And somehow, he'd ended up on the boat.

As another heated debate broke out across the room, Ryland slipped toward the back wall, hoping to observe unnoticed.

That plan lasted about three seconds.