That wasn't supposed to happen

[whatamithinking]

The parameters are recalibrated, the dial is spun, and a new universe is selected.
It won't be home--they haven't collected anywhere near enough coordinate data to think they can find home yet--but it will be another step closer.
And who knows, it might be interesting.
Edie steps through the portal first.

Comments

[iamnotpolaris]

"The whole Unfading thing sounds really convenient."

[not_only]

"It is. I don't know any winged ones personally, but I used to see them flying."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Flying is fun! I don't do it the normal way but I've been assured that that's fun too."

[not_only]

"The normal way as opposed to...?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"Planets usually have magnetic fields. I can push off against them."

[not_only]

"Hmm," he says. (She may be able to tell how little he got out of that explanation by how awkward it was to render 'magnetic fields' in his language.)

[iamnotpolaris]

"The thing I work with has a certain strength in certain things. Most metals are responsive to it. Some objects have some of that strength. I have a lot of it. Planets have it, and I can push mine against theirs to lift myself," she tries.

[not_only]

"I can't decide whether that's more or less strange than your sister's power."

[iamnotpolaris]

"It's a natural phenomenon. I'm unusual in being a biological example of it, but..."

[not_only]

"What does it even mean to be a biological example of a natural phenomenon?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"Well, one of my friends has weather powers, so."

[not_only]

"That is also strange."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Ehn. I grew up with it."

[not_only]

"In my world there isn't really a thing of people just... having powers, like that. Some people are winged and most people aren't and that's it, really."

[iamnotpolaris]

"I think that's the case in most universes, actually."

[not_only]

"With or without some people being winged?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"Generally without."

[not_only]

"Huh. Most people in most universes are wingless Ceirene. That's... something. I guess I would be a little surprised if most people in most universes were Aluvai. It's easier to imagine a planet with no inside than one with no outside."

[iamnotpolaris]

"I'm having trouble imagining how that would work. I mean, caves exist, I could imagine a world where the sun was so hot or the surface was otherwise so uninhabitable that everyone had to live in caves, I guess that might work."

[not_only]

"Caves... yeah, I guess. Caves wouldn't be much like Aluvanna, though. No floating jungle, for one thing."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Well, hollow planets where the outside was inhospitable maybe."

[not_only]

"That does make more sense than just not having an outside at all."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Yeah. And technically, most planets do have an inside, they're just inhospitable. Due to being filled with rock."

[not_only]

"Yes. That's about what I thought."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Also lava, frequently."