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]

Oh, thank the stars, Kent’s heard them. It’s a small consolation though as the cyclone nears, the roar accidentally broadcasting over their radio to ground control.

The ship can’t avoid the cyclone, the strong, fierce winds taking in the ship and spewing it back up into the atmosphere with a roar.

[videointhenoise]

Kent wants to snap at Slate when they try and come closer, but he doesn't. He stays where he is, listening.

"Feldspar, come in. What's going on there buddy?" he asks as the noise from the cyclone almost abruptly cuts out.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar is left a little dizzy from being thrown up into space like that from the cyclone. The radio dangles and smacks them in the face as they try to right themselves ship, blinking quietly for a moment in shock.

That’s the second time a planet’s thrown them up into the air.

Slowly they begin to grin.

“Hey, can you hear me? I’m fine. I’m good. A cyclone sucked me right up and spat me right back into space. Those storms are no joke!”

They want to go again.

[videointhenoise]

Kent lets out a breath. "Yeah, yeah, flyboy, we hear you. Just showing off, huh?"

He gives the comm to Gossan and shrinks back to the far wall, letting the others handle it from here.

[getfeldsparred]

“Wasn’t trying to that time!” they laugh, waiting for the inevitable chastising to come from Hornfels.

Hornfels delivers their typical spiel about being more careful, and Feldspar pretends to listen while they’re already diving back through the clouds to look closer at those islands. They wonder if they can land on one of them…

Later, much later, when they’ve found a place to make a temporary camp and collect their rock samples and whatnot, they pick up the radio.

“Feldspar to Kent?”

[videointhenoise]

The others have dispersed, still in the observatory but doing various other jobs, and Kent is waiting hy the radio, fiddling with his record player. He's got a suckef in his mouth and so it cracks against his teeth as he answers.

"Kent here. You really should all learn about surnames."

[getfeldsparred]

The wind is occasionally still rough and makes the connection fizzle, but thankfully right now Feldspar can hear Kent loud and clear. They even hear click of the candy against his teeth, and they laugh a little as they bring the mic up to their lips.

“Why? What’s a surname?”

[videointhenoise]

"It's a family name. So - my full name is Kent Clark. My parents had last names of Clark. It's not something that works here, but it is funny to think about."

He smirks a bit. "Everyone has the same last name."

[getfeldsparred]

They frown a bit. Yeah, Kent’s right, that doesn’t work for Hearthians.

“Yeah, we’d only have the one, I guess? It doesn’t really work that way with us.” They pause for a moment. “Well. Maybe Gneiss and Tekite would have the same surname, if it works in the romantic sense. I don’t know how it’d work with the hatchlings though!”

[videointhenoise]

"Eh, they can pick their own. Imagine what Chert would pick," he teases lightly.

"Chert Starchart."

He laughs fondly. "What's your island like?"

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar laughs.

“It’s got a few trees, actually. I have no idea how they’re surviving. There are a few caves and a sandy beach too. The cyclones get close every once in a while, so I don’t think I’ll be sleeping here.”

But they do sit down by the fire they made.

“Rutile Boringmeetings.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent snorts.

"Maybe try and anchor yourself down before you sleep," he suggests.

"Slate Canttakeajoke."

[getfeldsparred]

They don’t think they’ll be sleeping tonight, but Kent doesn’t need to know that.

“Slate can take a joke!” they snort. “Slate Soldering Iron.”

[videointhenoise]

"Maybe with you!" he snorts. "But fine. I'll give you that. Slate Safety-Ignorer."

He sits back. "What about you, hm? What would your name be?"

[getfeldsparred]

“Probably something to do with explosions,” Feldspar sighs.

They can’t see through the atmosphere here, so they can’t see the stars. It’s a shame. Looking out they can at least imagine they’re seeing Timber Hearth and the rest of the night sky.

“I’d want something about the stars though.”

[videointhenoise]

He's quiet for a moment.

"Did I tell you about pulsars yet?" he wonders. "Stars that move so fast that they make a choppy sound, but they're powerful and - they sound beautiful."

[getfeldsparred]

“No,” they say, but quiet down knowing Kent will explain it to them.

“I bet they’re incredible.”

A star that moves so fast the sound can’t keep up.

[videointhenoise]

"They're my favorite to listen to," he confesses. "They sound alive. Like they are trying to speak to us. I'm sure I can find one in the sky here."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar Pulsar.

No, that’s too much. Get your ego in check, Feldspar. They’re nothing like a pulsar.

“You’re my favorite to listen to,” Feldspar says without thinking. They laugh quickly, trying to save face. “But I’d like to hear a pulsar too.”

[videointhenoise]

He laughs softly. "Well, come home and I'll have plenty for you to listen to."

He rubs the back of his neck. "Get some sleep, Felds. I'll check with you in the morning."

[getfeldsparred]

Come home.

Home really never held as much appeal as the stars before. When did that change?

Feldspar exhales quietly, then picks up the radio. “Goodnight, Kent.”

They put away the radio and listen for the next cyclone, determined to ride the island up into the atmosphere. They figure if they fall into the water they’d survive the fall back down, but there’s really only one way to tell.

Feldspar spends two more Hearthian days out in the Outer Wilds, sleeping in their ship out in the water or floating in space, chasing cyclones to feel the thrill of being thrown back up in the air. When they return it’s with a large bag full of artifacts from their trip, hoping it’ll appease Hornfels enough that they won’t ask too many questions.

[videointhenoise]

Kent isn't there to greet Feldspar on his return, having taken the hatchlings out on a walk. Or rather...they demanded to take him out on a walk. The Heartheans had been very - insistent the past two days on not leaving him alone. He doesnt mind the constant company, of course, but it had been...odd. They sleep with him, walk with him, eat with him. He isn't sure what he did to earn this attention, but he enjoys it as much as it exhausts him.

Meanwhile, after the fanfare of the landing, it's Rutile who pulls Feldspar aside. "We need to talk," he tells them.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar has their own routine for landing - smile, wave, tell a few quick stories to entice the others for the full tale around the campfire, then give the official run-down with the other members of Outer Wilds Ventures.

Rutile had come to the first few landings, but after space travel became a routine thing they’d busied themselves with other matters - mainly being ready to put out any accidental fires caused by the ship. Feldspar’s surprised to see them there, and looking so serious too.

“Yeah, what about? Where’s Kent? The others wouldn’t say.”

[videointhenoise]

"Th - he's out with the hatchlings," Rutile says with a wave of his hand. "But that's what I wanted to talk to you about. We knew Kent would miss you when you were gone. He was up at the waterfall every night. But one night Gabbro saw him up there with a knife - cutting himself!" Rutile says with a dramatic sort of gasp.

[getfeldsparred]

Rutile isn’t without a sense of humor, but ever since they took over as mayor they’ve definitely become more grave and serious. This though - Feldspar’s never seen them so worried before.

And with good reason, it turns out. Feldspar shakes their head softly, disbelieving. “No, no - that’s…Kent wouldn’t hurt the-himself.”

But there’s a part of them that’s always worried about Kent’s sorrow and loss. Even if they are fitting in well and beloved by the entire village, they’re still so far from home.