Kent/Feldspar

[videointhenoise]

"Just once more," they had said when Ellie's team petitioned for it. She was busy with Palmer, falling in love with science while he fell in love with God, and Kent was left to pick up the pieces. He wanted another damn go at it. The Machine had a pricetag in the billions; it was begging to be used again.

But they wouldn't let Ellie go. They wouldn't let just anyone go. They wanted someone who knew how it worked, who had been there from the beginning, but someone who isn't completely taken in by Ellie's words.

That leads them to a dozen people and they end up with Kent. He's blind, but that's not what decides it. They claim that he wouldn't hallucinate the way Ellie did. That he has a unique perspective.

And, he's already proven himself steady and loyal.

He experiences it all the way that Ellie does, but something goes wrong on the other end. Maybe another terrorist attack. Maybe not. All he knows is that he's in the sphere and then, suddenly, he's floating, unable to find his footing until a great crash and he slams into the bottom of the machine.

He groans, pulling his helmet on with a grunt and a wince.

"Fuck this," he mutters, finding the edge of the sphere with his hands. There was a door there somewhere. He just - has to find it.

Comments

[getfeldsparred]

"Hornfels will come back with the rest, don't worry," they smile. "Three hatchlings - you're only going to take one at a time, but it's still a lot. Are you sure you're up for the task?"

[videointhenoise]

"Absolutely not," Kent laughs. "But I'm willing to try. I want to. It feels - right. Like I'm part of the community."

He opens the door for them and takes off his shoes, leaning his stick against the wall.

[getfeldsparred]

"It's not like you'll be alone for any of it," Gneiss reassures him, taking off their boots and walking briskly into the kitchen to set down the basket.

"Does Feldspar know you're taking on the hatchlings?"

[videointhenoise]

"I just told them today at our chat. I wasn't sure when the best time would be, since I know they're going to miss the ceremony." And it breaks their heart.

[getfeldsparred]

Gneiss smiles sadly. “Feldspar’s always been partial to the hatchlings. I think it’s a kinship.”

There’s the clinking as Gneiss begins opening pantry doors and moving jars about.

“Rutile always believed Feldspar’s detached from the rest of us.”

[videointhenoise]

"That's not true," Kent argues firmly, almost defensively. He walks over and reads the little braille indents for them in his pantry.

[getfeldsparred]

“Relax, Pebble. I never believed it for a second.” Gneiss lets Kent guide their placement, working with them shoulder-to-shoulder. “They lived with me for a while when they were still a young hatchling. They got hurt a lot, and I was patient enough to mend their broken bones and stitch up their cuts.”

Gneiss laughs softly, fondly, but it fades after a moment. They give a solemn look to Kent that he can’t see.

“That egg is small, Kent. Did Tektite talk to you about its odds…?”

[videointhenoise]

Kent straightens his shoulders. "It's a very good thing I don't always listen to the odds. Humans are risk takers in that way," he explains. He doesn't have to see the look to know it's there.

[getfeldsparred]

“So are Hearthians. We just measure our disappointments and try to prepare ourselves the best we can. This world hasn’t been very kind to us, if you can tell by our numbers.”

Gneiss opens their mouth to say something else, then quickly shuts it.

“Feldspar doesn’t like bad odds either. They’ve…taken the deaths of some of the just-hatched really hard in the past.”

[videointhenoise]

"Fortunately, that won't happen. I'll take the little one if they hatch, Gneiss," he tells them gently.

[getfeldsparred]

Gneiss pauses and puts a gentle hand to Kent’s shoulder. “I know you will.”

They exhale very softly, clearly hemming and hawing over if they actually want to say what’s on their mind.

“The last little hatchling we lost was so sick. They survived for weeks, but they were just so…so little, you know? Never really had a fighting chance.”

Gneiss steps away and helps themselves to Kent’s stove, putting on a pot of water for one of their famous herbal concoctions. “They were mostly in my cabin with me, though Rutile would take them off my hands when the stress got to be too much. And Feldspar…Feldspar didn’t leave Timber Hearth once. They wouldn’t. I don’t think any of the others understood it, nothing ever held them back before, but this little hatchling just got to them.

“The night they died Feldspar tried to take them up in their ship. They got as far as my front door before I caught them, and they were just barely hanging on, you know? I asked them what they thought they were doing - I was a little harsh, granted, but that hatchling was two breaths away from passing on - and Feldspar practically sobbed with this little one in their arms, babbling about how the hatchling needed to experience the universe and being weightless instead of so weighted down. I didn’t understand, but I talked them out of it.

“I didn’t see them for nearly four weeks after that. I think they went to live on the Attlerock.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent turns away from them so they can't see the way his eyes water, the way his breath hitches.

It's so - Ellie.

That little creature deserved to experience the universe. Kent will make sure this one gets to. Even if it means the end.

"I'm sorry," he says after a moment. "Grief is - It's difficult for everyone. But - why are you telling me?"

[getfeldsparred]

Gneiss gives Kent his privacy, though they watch his posture for any sign that they might want a little comfort. When he turns back to them Gneiss smiles a little sadly.

“In case it happens again.”

[videointhenoise]

"It won't," he assures them and reaches out to put a hand on their shoulder. "I have faith this time. Realistic faith."

Something Kent hasn't been able to call on until just this moment.

[getfeldsparred]

Gneiss has no way of knowing how significant that is, but they can see Kent’s confidence. Their smiles turns slightly and they nod.

“Me too.”

They take another moment to just hold the shared touch, then pulls back to tend to the tea.

“Now let me go over some of these supplies and I’ll leave you alone for the night.”

[videointhenoise]

"Please do. I'm all ears," he says, gesturing towards the cabinets. He wants to learn. He wants to know.

Mostly, he wants Feldspar back so he can hold him.

[getfeldsparred]

Gneiss doesn’t overstay their welcome, but they do make sure all the supplies are safely put up and that Kent’s finished their tea before they say goodnight. They’ll check on them in the morning, hopefully before they head off to the observatory for the day.

Feldspar radios in as usual in the evening hours. They have a lot to share with Hornfels and Slate about their trip around the Ash Twins and what that’s done to the ship, but they hang on long after the conversation’s done in the hope of talking to Kent.

[videointhenoise]

Kent is happy to take the radio from them.

"Mm, whatever you said made tbem happy."

He's sure he will hear about it tomorrow.

[getfeldsparred]

"Slate just likes when I tell them that the ship hasn't exploded." They bring the radio up to their cheek, resting it briefly against their face as they listen to Kent speak. "How have you been?"

[videointhenoise]

"I'm fine," he assures them with a smile that can be heard in his words. "Never better. Gneiss brought some things for the hatchlings who will come through. Our pantry is so full."

[getfeldsparred]

Our pantry.

“So what does that mean, our pantry? Do you want me staying with you all the time now?” There’s a smile in their voice as they ask. “Helping you with the hatchlings? You’ll need the help, and I’m an expert.”

[videointhenoise]

They had talked about it once, but then Kent promptly fucked them into the bed, so he doesn't fault them for assuming otherwise.

"Nevermind," he deadpans. "I think I'd rather stay with Slate."

[getfeldsparred]

“Oh, you don’t want that. Have you been in Slate’s cabin before? There’s a reason they live outside of the village. They’re a health-hazard.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent laughs. "Okay, that was a bluff. But yes, I thought that's what we talked about. Or - sort of talked."

This line isn't private. He spares the details.

[getfeldsparred]

They talked about things a little bit, but it’s probably their fault for not asking any follow up questions.

“So…is that what you want? Being with me all the time when I’m back on Timber Hearth?”