Summary

In Chapter 15, Rocky enters the Hail Mary in his bubble and Ryland shows him around the ship. In a flashback, Stratt introduced Ryland to Dr. Lamai, the medical expert for Project Hail Mary. Lamai explained how she would test space-mission candidates for the coma-resistance gene.

In the present, Ryland and Rocky decide to collect a sample of Astrophage from the planet nearest Tau Ceti to examine. Rocky tells Ryland that Eridians live for an average of 689 Earth years and that he has been in space for 46 years.

In Chapter 16, Rocky constructs xenonite tunnels and an airlock filled with ammonia that allow him to move around and breathe in the Hail Mary. Ryland tells Rocky that he does not have enough fuel to return to Earth and Rocky replies that he has extra Astrophage that Ryland can have. Ryland is ecstatic.

In a flashback...