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]

Feldspar also has themselves a nice little nap, waking as the wind shifts and brings the cold air along. They can hear Slate still tinkering on the ship behind them, and they sit up with a careful stretch of their arms over their head.

“It’s late. We need to head back to the village before they send people out after us.”

Feldspar helps Slate with their supplies and they start back towards the village, happily chatting about the controls and the various successes and failures of the day.

“Is Kent gonna be angry about all those new cuts and bruises?”

“Nah. He knows that I’m testing things for you, it ain’t a surprise that sometimes I get hurt.”

At the thought of Kent though they start to grin a little excitedly.

[videointhenoise]

Kent is pulled into the bonfire proper by Gabbro, who wants to sit and chatter with him. Fortunately, Kent is very much in the mood for it. And when Gneiss decided to bring the littlest clutch, Kent straightens up. "How's Lapis?" he mutters to Gabbro, who laughs.

"They're fine. Just - staring at the stars."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar and Slate arrive not long after, their appearance heralded by the excited cries of the older hatchlings, including Gabbro.

“Feldspar! Do you have any stories for us?” Chert asks, followed quickly by an equally as eager Riebeck.

“We-we want a story, Feldspar!” they agree, though somewhat softer. “Tell us about Brittle Hollow?”

“No, Giant’s Deep!” Chert argues.

“No, tell us about the time you flew by the Interloper!” Marl interjects, grinning from where they’re seated with little Hal on their lap.

“No,” Gneiss says, “you need to tell us about the time you flung yourself around the sun. Now that was a dozy.”

“Yeesh,” Feldspar says through some laughter. They eye Kent and then Lapis, and suddenly feel a lot more embarrassed than they have in the past about all this. “You’ve already heard all these a hundred times, do you really want me to tell them all again?”

“Yeah!!!!”

“Yes, of course!”

“It’s the way you tell them,” Tektite chimes in, having taken off their prosthetic and rubbing at their stump. “You might as well pick something, Feldspar, or this group ain’t gonna leave you alone.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent brings Lapis over, humming softly as he finds his way to sit beside Feldspar. He sits close and turns, speaking softly to them.

"They love hearing your stories," he says in a murmur. "Pretend you're telling it just to Lapis."

[getfeldsparred]

The pressure has been a lot these last few years, but they know they’ve done this to themselves. All that posturing and grand-standing had solidified them into some sort of village entertainer, a legend even.

But talking just to Lapis, and their big, searching eyes is easy.

“Okay, okay,” they laugh, holding their arms out. “Let me tell you the one about the Hourglass Twins and how I nearly got caught in that massive sand pillar. It goes like this-”

They grow more animated as they dive into the story, imaging one day that they’d tell it to an older Lapis who would watch them in awe just like Riebeck and Chert and Gabbro do now.

[videointhenoise]

Kent leans against them slightly, listening to the story with a chuckle. And when he finishes and the hatchlings demand more, Kent leans forward.

"Look, Feldspar has some big tales, but they've never flown....in a helicopter," he says, trying to draw their attention away.

[getfeldsparred]

It works completely. At the word ‘helicopter’ all of the hatchlings, and some of the younger among them, turn their heads to listen. Feldspar smiles appreciatively and places their hand on Kent’s knee just briefly, though the gesture isn’t missed by their fellow Outer Wilds group.

“You tell the story and I’ll take Lapis,” they suggest, then gesture for Rutile to come close with the other hatchling. “And Hal. I want both.”

“Greedy,” Rutile chuckles, but readily hands over the little hatchling.

[videointhenoise]

Kent chuckles and starts to tell them about a mystical flying and hovering machine that makes such strange, chopping noises. He tells them about flying over canyons and oceans and deserts, and how they had to be careful or they might....lose a hand!

[getfeldsparred]

The hatchlings are enthralled, as are just about everyone else who happened to be not-so-subtly eavesdropping. Feldspar grins and bounces both Hal and Lapis, perfectly comfortable and content holding the little ones.

“You can lose a hand on one of Slate’s ships!” Chert says with a nod.

[videointhenoise]

"You could," Kent says with a sage smile. "But let's not give them any more ideas, huh?"

He sits up. "How about I show you how to play Marco Polo?"

[getfeldsparred]

The hatchlings are immediately drawn to the idea of a new game. They also jump up to their feet and wait for further instructions, making excited little exclamations as they bounce in place. Feldspar keeps hold of Lapis and Hal, entertaining them with a game of their own.

[videointhenoise]

Kent teaches them the basics, how to play and then they're off. Kent, naturally, is first, and he catches Chert in quick time. They're next, and Kent laughs as they trip over Gabbro, who got distracted by a mushroom.

By the end of it, the hatchlings fall together, panting, in front of the fire.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar watches the shenanigans with a growing ache in their chest. Kent is…Kent is just so good. He fits in so perfectly, loves and is loved in turn by all of them. They’re not sure what their life would have looked like if Kent wasn’t in it - they definitely wouldn’t have been this happy.

Before they even realize it both Hal and Lapis are sleeping away in their arms. Tektite takes Hal and leaves Lapis to Feldspar, who then tucks them away against their chest.

[videointhenoise]

Kent finds his place beside Feldspar again and leans on their shoulder. He can tell the little ones - or one, it seems - is asleep, and so he keeps his voice quiet.

"I don't suppose you roasted my marshmallow for me?" he teases.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar tries to nuzzle back against Kent’s head, smiling to themselves. “Didn’t have a third arm, else I would have.”

Lapis lets out a quiet little sigh. “Lapis is out cold. Ready to head home?”

[videointhenoise]

"Oh my god, yes," he laughs, standing up again and reaching down a hand for them. "Are they staying with us tonight?"

He doesn't mind now as much as he did before, but he's mindful of what Gossan and Hornfels said to him before. What they explained.

[getfeldsparred]

“Mmhm. I’ve missed them, and I know you have too.”

They take his hand and gets up, shifting Lapis slightly so they’re leaning on their shoulder.

“Besides, I can keep quiet if you can.”

[videointhenoise]

"Bullshit," he laughs, taking his cane from where he had set it on the tree before starting up the path to their cabin. "You couldn't keep quiet if I bribed you."

He would love to make really challenge it, though.

[getfeldsparred]

“Pfft, I can keep quiet just fine!” they argue, walking close to him as they leave the campfire. “No bribe necessary. It’s you that’s gonna have the problem.”

[videointhenoise]

"Want to bet on it?" he teases. "Is that something that you do? Gamble?"

He reaches over and keeps one hand in theirs, the other on his cane.

[getfeldsparred]

“Do we gamble,” they snort, squeezing his hand. “Of course we do. What’re the stakes?”

[videointhenoise]

"Whoever makes the noise first has to get up with Lapis the rest of the night," he decides.

[getfeldsparred]

“Evil. I like it.” Feldspar grins and nudges against him. “You’re on. First to make a noise gets hatchling duty.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent grins and lets go of their hand, bounding off into the cabin to prep an actual supper for them.

[getfeldsparred]

Kent leaves Feldspar to trek up to the cabin with Lapis in their arms and put the little hatchling to bed in their crib. For the first time since coming home they stop to look at the hand-carved crib - they think they might have slept in it when they were still little.