Grace watches the Blip-A’s hull robot remove the old transfer tunnel and glue on a new one with a larger divider airlock, a magnetic track, and atmosphere feeds for both sides. Rocky emerges in a geodesic pressure sphere, using handheld magnets to traverse the track and work the controls. Grace carries the heavy sphere aboard, gives Rocky a tour of the control room, lab, and dorm, and anchors the sphere to a steel lab table with magnets.

Discussing tools, Grace explains the 3-D printer needs spin gravity. Rocky proposes moving Eridian equipment into Hail Mary, detaching the tunnel, and resuming rotation so they can do better science together. Rocky can fabricate xenonite parts aboard. They agree to proceed.

Flashback: Stratt introduces Dr. Lamai, who demonstrates automated coma-care armatures governed by procedural algorithms, not AI. Lamai’s team identified genetic markers for long-term coma resistance—about one in 7,000 people. Stratt and Grace get blood drawn as part of a broad search; despite the one-way nature of the mission, volunteers number in the tens of thousands, including many astronauts.

Back in the present, Rocky brings a huge volume of duffels into the dorm until space is crammed. At Rocky’s direction, Grace performs the EVA to detach the tunnel. Rocky uses magnets to reposition and secure his supplies inside the ship.

They plan Astrophage sampling. Rocky confesses his sampling device broke off en route, his replacement attempts failed, and he even tried ramming the flow to no avail. Demoralized, he calls himself a repair specialist, not a scientist. Grace counters that together they can succeed and notes Hail Mary’s external collection unit can do the job, which relieves Rocky. They sync time units; Rocky has waited in-system for 46 Earth years. Eridians average 689 Earth-year lifespans; Rocky is 291, and he asks about human longevity.