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’s still fast asleep, comfortable in Kent’s bed and making up for days of only fretful naps in their pilot chair. They only sleep this hard after a trip into space, and even then not this long or this soundly.

They exhale in their sleep at the feeling of the lips on their shoulder, but don’t wake.

[videointhenoise]

Kent doesn't move for the moment, simply letting them sleep until he realizes that he promised Hornfels that he'd meet them early to try and catch the Ash Twins.

He pulls himself away and gives them another soft kiss. "Hey. I gotta go to the observatory," he murmurs against their cheek. "Don't move my rugs."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar’s awake enough to turn and get the kissed pressed to the corner of their lips. “Mmmnf.”

They wake a little while later recalling a fuzzy conversation with Kent about rugs. Hm. Better to probably not move them.

They get dressed and decide to sneak out the window at the back of the cabin so no one can see them leaving in the middle of the morning. Thankfully everyone seems preoccupied, and they head up to the observatory to help Gossan sort through the artifacts.

[videointhenoise]

Kent's already up there with the others, letting them go through the little pictures and the Braille lettering.

"Well, we want you to enjoy it too!" Gossan is telling Kent when they see Feldspar walk in. "So you teach us the dot letters and we'll put them on the labels."

"You don't have to go through all of that for one person," Kent argues back.

[getfeldsparred]

“You’re not one person,” Feldspar chimes in from the winding stairwell. “You’re a member of Outer Wilds Venture.”

Hornfels laughs and snaps their fingers. “That’s exactly.”

Gossan is just staring at Feldspar, a veeeeery big grin on their face. …hatchlings. Damn it.

“Hey, Felds. Have a good night’s rest?”

They decide that they’re not going to rise to the bait. “Uh huh. I’m always tired coming back from space.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent turns his head towards the sound of the voice and he can't help the stupid grin that's on his face. He doesn't even realize that anyone can notice it.

The others absolutely do.

"You must have done a lot of work out there," Hornfels adds with a grin.

Kent sighs. "They've been doing this all morning."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar doesn’t even realize they’re mirroring the exact smile on their face until they lock eyes with Gossan and watch their eyes narrowing knowingly.

“That’s because they think they’re clever, but they’re not.”

They walk up the rest of the stairs and sit down on the stump that Hornfels is turning into a model of the solar system.

[videointhenoise]

"They're clever, but they're also annoying," Kent points out with a laugh. "I'm going upstairs to catch the Ash Twins. I think I can start to put things on different frequencies now," he muses, taking hold of the railing and walking up.

Gossan and Hornfels are left.

And they stare at Feldspar.

And stare.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar blatantly watches Kent head up the ramp, then turns and stares right back at Hornfels and Gossan.

And they stare. And stare.

And they grin and jump to their feet. “I’m going to find Slate! See ya.”

[videointhenoise]

"Coward!" Kent calls down from the top. And then - "Holy shit!" Very excited.

He does not elaborate but Hornfels starts up the steps.

[getfeldsparred]

They don’t owe them anything! And silence is more damning at this point. Feldspar watches Hornfels race up the stairs, then smirks at Gossan and leaves to find Slate out in their work station.

Years of fires have banished Slate out away from the village and most of the trees, but Feldspar knows they’ve always liked it better than way anyway.

Besides. Slate won’t press them about Kent. They usually like to wait until after work’s done to chat about personal stuff, and Feldspar appreciates that now more than ever.

[videointhenoise]

Kent stays with Hornfels until the evening campfire, when all everyone can talk about is the sapwine ceremony the next night. It's a big night, but Kent smiles politely past the buzz of the Heartheans. He leaves room for Feldspar beside him, holding a cluple of sticks in his hand.

He can't be expected to roast his own marshmallow!

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar bounds into the circle of the campfire and easily takes their place beside Kent on a log. They pick up both sticks without a word and begin to roast two marshmallows - one for Kent, one for themselves.

“Is Porphy drunk yet?”

[videointhenoise]

"Not yet. They're holding their own," he laughs. "But it won't be long now, so you're not late."

He sits back, stretching his feet out.

"So guess what I found out."

[getfeldsparred]

“I remember my first sip of sap wine,” they remark quietly. They’d been too young and had stolen a couple of sips and barfed in one of the geysers.

“What did you find out?”

[videointhenoise]

"I can hear Eskar whistling. I was able to find that frequency and tune into it. I was trying to get the Ash Twins, but the moon rose and - bam."

He keeps his voice low, not wanting to let the others know too early.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar’s eyes widen and they lean in to ask, “wait, it’s that precise?”

They shouldn’t be surprised, Kent made it after all. It’s amazing though, incredible.

“That could make our radios so much more efficient! Gossan and I - we could track each other while we’re out there.”

[videointhenoise]

"Yeah. I want to try and - track it to something. Some noise. Something - really specific. The scope could guide you. That's- what I'm hoping it will do for you."

He takes the roasting stick. "Lead you back home." He clears his throat. "Me."

[getfeldsparred]

They turn their head, looking at Kent as he hems and haws a little, but ultimately admits the purpose of what he’s going to build next. A road map back home, a guide rope back to Kent.

It’s dark, so the grin on their face isn’t too obvious.

“You can track my harmonica,” they tell him, sitting closer to him. “While I’m out there, you can listen for the harmonica. And I can listen for your music.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent tests the marshmallow with his fingers and pulls it off the stick to eat it.

It helps.

"That's what I'm hoping. But you have to figure out how to play while you're out there."

[getfeldsparred]

“We can modify my helmet. Slate’s brilliant - they’ll figure out a way.”

Imagine, playing the harmonica out on Brittle Hollow or the Ash Twins. Imagine Kent sitting back on Timber Hearth hearing their harmonica, just like he would if they were sitting beside them on the top of the waterfall.

They’d be apart, but it wouldn’t feel like it. Feldspar could have a connection to the ground even if when they’re out in space - didn’t the elders always say they needed to get their head out of the clouds?

They risk being seen and tip their head closer to Kent’s, close enough that their cap touches his temple, and smile.

[videointhenoise]

Kent brings up a sticky finger and taps, with expert precision, their nose.

"That's the goal. But you'll need to go out there for me. Way out to see how far we can get it."

[getfeldsparred]

“As if I wasn’t trying that to begin with,” they smile, wiping the melted goop off their nose.

But this is nice. Outer Wilds has always been their team, but Kent…Kent feels like a partner, like he’s in the cockpit right along with them. Together maybe they can explore the edges of the solar system.

[videointhenoise]

"Yes, but now you have specific coordinates. I'm working on them. You're a great pilot, but are you precise? I guess we'll find out," he grins, elbowing them gently as Porphy comes stumbling over to them.

"You gotta try this!" they insist, shoving the bottle under Feldspar's nose. "But not this one! It's mine!"

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar really wants to kiss him. Really, really, really wants to kiss him. He looks so cute in the light of the fire, and the warmth of his discovery and his gentle teasing...

Yep.

"Porphy," they tsk, getting up and taking Porphy's arm. "I've had plenty of that. Come on, pebble, let's find Marl."

"Marl! Yeah, Marl's gotta try this!"

"That's right, buddy. Say 'bye to Kent."

"Bye Kent!!! You gotta tell me more about the grain ale your people make!!"

"Yeah, yeah, come on." Feldspar chuckles and guides Porphy back to the others, letting them talking their ear off the entire time about all sorts of things - including their little crush on Gossan. Fuel for later.