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]

They quiet for a moment or two, just thinking about all of this. The loops, the Eye of the Universe, the destruction of everything they’ve ever known and loved.

“The Nomai didn’t cause our sun to explode though, right? Just coincidence?”

[videointhenoise]

"No," Lapis explains. "They wanted to, but it failed. So it was just - the end."

Kent shivers a little.

[getfeldsparred]

Just the end.

“We were just born at the end of the world, huh?”

Feldspar quiets and lays back down into the soft bed Gneiss had prepared for them.

“You’re the best there ever was, Lapis.”

[videointhenoise]

Lapis helps them down and pulls the blankets over them. "You should get some sleep. We're alright now. I'll tell you how I found this ship tomorrow, okay?"

Whatever tomorrow means.

[getfeldsparred]

‘Alright’ is pretty subjective, but they’re all alive right now, and that’s probably Lapis’ rubric at the moment. Feldspar nods very softly and closes their eyes, physically unable to keep them open anymore.

“I know you took care of Kent for me,” they whisper. “You’re braver than I ever was, Lapis.”

[videointhenoise]

"I did my best," they tell them as they adjust the blankets. "He's my dad."

He stands up and takes Kent's hand. "Come on, Pops." Another word Kent taught them, of course. "Let me give you the tour."

[getfeldsparred]

He’s my dad.

Feldspar pulls the blankets up tighter and tries not to let the words - or the sight of Kent crying - linger in their mind. They sleep fitfully, and then the fevers start.

“Everything’s catching up to them at once,” Gneiss says to Kent quietly, sitting with them by the high river on a makeshift bench. Marl and Esker had already been busy making the place livable for Hearthians.

[videointhenoise]

Kent sits back, listening to the water, to the sound of working. Hammering. Moving. Everything.

He swallows hard. "It's hard to not be with them," he mutters, feeling sick and anxious.

[getfeldsparred]

Gneiss nods softly and places their hand on Kent’s shoulder. “I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for you, Pebble.”

They pat him on the back softly, trying to quell their own tears.

“Give them time. They’ve been alone for so long.”

[videointhenoise]

"I know."

And so was Kent, not that he'd ever say it. Not that he'd ever compare. Because he always had the other Heartheans, despite the fact that he was not a part of them. He was integrated but not a part. He takes their hand in his.

[getfeldsparred]

They don’t need to say it, Gneiss knows. They understand better than most.

“It’s an adjustment for everyone. When their fever breaks we can tell the others…if you think that’s wise, Pebble.”

[videointhenoise]

"They're all going to find out eventually. They can't stay away and - the others need time, too. But they can't - "

He clears his throat. "Feldspar will get overwhelmed if they all crowd them."

[getfeldsparred]

“They’re overwhelmed with just us, yeah.”

Gneiss pats their shoulder. “But the others…Hornfels, Gossan, Slate…maybe they should be told?”

[videointhenoise]

Kent just lets out a breath. "I should do that, yeah. But not - not until they're strong enough."

[getfeldsparred]

Gneiss waits a moment before responding, watching Arkrose and Mica play around in the water.

“When are you going to visit them next?” they ask softly.

[videointhenoise]

"I would be there right now if I thought they wanted me there," he says and he runs his fingers through his hair.

[getfeldsparred]

“What makes you think they don’t?”

[videointhenoise]

"They need to rest," he says. "Relax. And not worry about me."

[getfeldsparred]

“Maybe being around you will help them rest and relax. I can tell you they’re not doing it now.”

[videointhenoise]

He lets out a soft breath again, soothed by the sound of the water.

"I know you're right. Just - can you lead me there?"

[getfeldsparred]

“Of course. Take my arm. Rutile and Tektite have been working on a ramp using those gravity crystals from the ships.”

[videointhenoise]

"God, that's clever," he breathes and takes their arm to follow. "I'm so proud of them."

[getfeldsparred]

“We’ve always been clever, Kent, you included,” Gneiss says almost wistfully. They take Kent up the ramp, moving across the planks carefully. “Resourceful. We’ve been through so much as a species.”

[videointhenoise]

"You have," he agrees, his feet careful on the ramp. "And we will get through this, too."

[getfeldsparred]

“We will. And we’ll grieve, and we’ll despair, and then we’ll light a campfire and play our music and remember that we have each other, just as we’ve always done.”

Gneiss passes by Tektite, who stops working to briefly place a kiss to the top of Gneiss’ headscarf. “Alright there, Kent?”