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

[videointhenoise]

He smiles. "Your hatchling found this place. They call it the Stranger. It's an entire world on a spaceship. When youre ready, you should come and see."

[getfeldsparred]

It still feels weird to claim Lapis as their own after being apart for so long. They aren’t sure that Lapis still loves them like a parent, but they are so damn proud of them.

“The Stranger. Spooky.”

[videointhenoise]

"There's apparently some other part of this place. I don't know. But the outside is apparently very...normal. Green grass, tall trees. There's a seed bank along with everything we brought."

Not that he knows for himself.

[getfeldsparred]

Another part? That means something else to discover, and Feldspar immediately perks up. An indoor forest and a hidden world, maybe?

“I can’t wait to see it all.”

[videointhenoise]

"Whenever you're ready," he reminds them, squeezing their hand. "Do you want to walk outside now? Just to see it? I'll be right there with you."

[getfeldsparred]

They let out a shaky breath. Outside is where everyone else was too, not just a cool spaceship to explore. But they can’t hide forever, can they?

“Yeah,” they nod, pulling back from him. I’ll need your help though, I’m not steady on my feet and I don’t….”

They frown. They don’t want the others to see them that way.

[videointhenoise]

"It's alright. Put your arm around me. It'll look like you're just guiding me," he explains because he knows. He can't see his love, but he knows what he needs.

He also does need to be guided.

[getfeldsparred]

They feel the relief wash over them. That’ll do perfectly, but of course Kent would understand.

“Let me get dressed. Gneiss left some clothes for me at the foot of the bed.”

It’s a slow process, but a necessary one. The have to look somewhat put together, at least enough that they don’t look so frail. Gossan, Hornfels, and Slate would worry about them no matter what, but they can’t let the others see how fragile and weak they are now.

“I’m ready. Help me up?”

[videointhenoise]

Kent helps them dress as best he can, so when they're ready to get up, he's right by their side. He slides an arm around them. "The beings who were here before were huge," he grumbles. "These cots and chairs are way too big."

[getfeldsparred]

“I thought that was just another part of my hallucinations,” they mumble, leaning against him. It is a big ol’ chair in the corner.

Everything’s dark, but in the hallway just outside the room Feldspar can see a flickering of lights. Hearthian lanterns, they assume. Their people have always been industrious and quick to solve a problem.

[videointhenoise]

Kent guides them down the hallway, squeezing their middle gently. "The doors open with lights," he explains. "Which means I'm kind of fucked unless I have someone else,."

But he smiles anyway.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar laughs, and it’s loud and genuine. Kent’s right though, these aliens must have been enormous. Even their doorways are massive. “That sucks for you, Kent.”

[videointhenoise]

"It does suck for me, thanks," he laughs, and it is - astonishing how easily Feldspar's own laugh makes Kent blush. Makes him squeeze their arm around him. Makes him want to keep him all to himself.

[getfeldsparred]

They go up the steps and Feldspar winces as the artificial light starts peeking through the doors. It’s been a long time since they’d seen anything remotely close to sunlight even manufactured sunlight.

Feldspar walks out with Kent and their jaw drops at the sight of the giant, circular spaceship. It’s an entire world, with a river and forest and canyons and wooden buildings. They can see the Hearthian touch in the ruins too - pathways already erected along the sides of the river and the skeleton of a dam directly in front of them. There are buildings too, and campfires, and the beginnings of what will soon be tall pines from emergency seeds, and just along the path there’s music…

It’s the Traveller’s Song. They’re still playing it, even after all these years.

Feldspar leans against Kent as they take in the sight of this magnificent ship and the Hearthian village already taking shape inside of it.

[videointhenoise]

Kent holds them close, turning and pressing a kiss to their cheek. "Isn't it magnificent?" he wonders because he knows. He knows that it's beautiful and perfect. It's a life raft, but it's exactly what they needed.

[getfeldsparred]

They close their eyes at the touch of Kent’s lips to their cheek, making a sound almost like a purr in their throat. They’d like to take a few more minutes just standing at the top of the damn and observing the ship, but there’s a shout from down below, followed by another and then another, rising in excitement.

“It’s Feldspar!”

“No way!”

“I told you - they found Feldspar!”

Feldspar clings a little more tightly to Kent as an overjoyed crowd begins to gather and three figures branch off to run up ahead.

[videointhenoise]

Kent steps forward a little, hearing those voices. "It's alright," he tells them softly. "I'll take care of it. Squeeze twice if you want to go."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar feels the terror creeping up their spine at the sight of the excited crowd coming their way, but they hold fast to Kent’s arm and plant their feet. “No,” they say quickly, “no, it’s them. Gossan and Slate and Hornfels…”

They deserve as much as anyone to see them. Even from this distance they can see Hornfels crying and Slate looking ashen. Gossan has a smile on their face, and - are they missing an eye?

[videointhenoise]

Kent smiles. "I know. But you can still be...overwhelmed," he explains and waits for them to hurry up the hill.

[getfeldsparred]

They don’t have the ability to respond before Gossan is right up in front of them. They see the tears in their eyes now, the thick scarring on the side of their face. Gossan looks like they’re going in for a hug but they stop themselves short.

“Felds,” they say, reaching for their arms instead. Gossan must have realized how frail they are. “Felds, you’re alive. You’re really alive.”

“Alive and well, which is more than I can say for you,” Feldspar teases, automatically sinking into their own routine. “Look at you! Your eye!”

Gossan sniffs and then laughs, “you’re one to talk, look at you!”

Slate comes up quickly behind Gossan, then Hornfels who does go for the embrace. “Feldspar, stars, we thought - we stopped searching…the Dark Bramble!”

“What were you thinking?!” Slate blurts out, as though they’d been holding onto that sentiment for years. Which to be fair to Slate, they probably had been. “The Dark Bramble! And you didn’t even radio in!”

Hornfels moves back and it’s Slate’s turn for a hug. “I thought…I thought I killed you,” they mutter.

Feldspar’s heart sinks. “Stars, no! No, Slate.” They pull back and look to the three of them. “No, it was my stupid decision to go in the first place, it had nothing to do with you! With any of you, understand? Slate, your ship was the only thing that kept me alive in the first place, and Gossan, if you’d gone after me you would’ve gotten lost or eaten.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent ducks his head again, letting them have all of Feldspar, even as he keeps an arm around them. "Slate..." he mutters, shaking his head. That's not true. None of it was true.

[getfeldsparred]

The three of them go back for another hug, this time Gossan actually embracing them albeit gently. They can feel Slate sniff as the bend their head over theirs, while Hornfels continues to cry happy tears. There’s a slight push and Feldspar feels a little more pressure.

“Hey, you’re up!”

It’s Esker. Feldspar laughs and tries to give them all a hug back, but they’re too weak to sustain it.

The founders all pull back eventually, faces shining with tears and beaming with equal parts joy and disbelief. Feldspar can hear the others murmuring as they stand around the Outer Wilds team, eager to get a look at the returning hero.

[videointhenoise]

Kent breathes out. "Not too long," he warns them all, not wanting Feldspar to be mobbed by anyone. Not yet. They need time to recover, time to recoup what they've lost.

[getfeldsparred]

Hornfels immediately jumps into action forming a plan. “Let’s circle around them and parade them back to their recovery room,” they say quietly. Slate, Gossan and Esker immediately nod and form a secure barrier in front of them and Kent, quickly guiding the crowd into some happy cheers as they start walking backwards to guide them all back towards the room.

“Feldspar is indeed here with us, but as you can imagine is quite tired!” Hornfels says cheerily. The crowd is still excited, still calling for Feldspar but there are more than a few disappointed murmurs.

“Don’t worry, you’ll hear from them soon! Outer Wilds has to check on them first, ya know?” Gossan offers.

Feldspar hears Rutile’s voice, older but still warm and confident. “We’ve waited for seven years, we can wait a little more.”

Some of the hatchlings groan, but are quickly shushed by the elders.

“We missed you, Feldspar!” shouts someone…Marl, maybe? It’s hard to tell. “You’ll have to tell us all about your adventures!”

“We’ll get a big campfire going for sure,” Esker adds with a grin.

Feldspar tries to pick themselves up and shouts over Gossan’s shoulder, “Can’t wait to roast a mallow again! The menu wasn’t too good in the Dark Bramble.”

The crowd laughs, and Feldspar grins. “Make sure to save some good stories for me. We’ll all catch up soon!”

“Go rest, Feldspar,” they hear a voice urging - Tektite, they think. The old codger’s still kicking around, good. Really good.

“Come on, hero,” Slate grunts, but Feldspar can still see the tears in their eyes.

[videointhenoise]

God bless the team. Kent smiles his thanks, ignoring the press of people until he feels someone take his hand. A very familiar someone. Lapis, of course, is allowed through, and they hold Kent free hand to walk back to the recovery room.

"I brought some stuff," is all they say and gesture to the room where they've laid out some clothes for Kent and Feldspar as well as the bag that Kent had packed. Sentimental treasures, his box and pictures from home, and some gifts that he had kept from Feldspar.