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]

"Things fall--materials go--in the direction that down is. If down goes towards the center, everything will fall towards the center. If down exists in a ring, things would fall into a ring. But downness, at least in my universe, is caused by matter. So the question is, does downness in your universe work differently, causing your planet to be hollow, or does the hollow planet exert downness idiosyncratically because of its composition."

[not_only]

"That's a good question. I have no idea," says Sivath.

[iamnotpolaris]

"Nor I. It's not the only question of it's sort I probably won't get an answer to that I've found, wandering the multiverse, I won't get too hung up on it."

[not_only]

[iamnotpolaris]

"So this place looks mostly finished."

[not_only]

"Oh - yes," he says. "It has all the furniture and things. It's a bit, well, ugly, but making a pretty house usually takes me longer than a day."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Hmm."
She takes out her copper bar, removes one of the pieces, and sets it as a block on the floor. It melts, and then reforms itself as a lacy lattice and attaches to the wall.
"Better?"

[not_only]

Sivath grins.

"That's lovely!"

[iamnotpolaris]

"Thanks! I've been practicing for, well, forever. Or as long as I've been alive, anyway."

[not_only]

"It's very pretty. And now I finally have a use for all this copper. Would you like some tin, too?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"Sure! I can do other things, too, I made this bracelet." She holds up the arm that doesn't have the machine on it. It's made of steel and fairly ornate. "Several times. I get bored with the design and change it periodically."

[not_only]

"You're very good at making pretty things."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Flattery will get you everywhere. And by everywhere I mean pretty lattices and jewelry and statues."

[not_only]

"That's good to know. If I ever need pretty things made of metal that I can't make on my own, you'll be the first place I look."

[iamnotpolaris]

She beams at him.

[not_only]

He smiles shyly.

[iamnotpolaris]

This is adorable, and not likely to make her stop smiling at him.
"So we were going to get the things to make wings with at some point, right?" she says after a moment.

[not_only]

"Oh! Yes. Well, I was. The place to get them is my island, which I don't think either of you can fly to without wings - does your flying thing work here?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"The pushing-off thing doesn't, exactly, but I'm wearing enough metal I can just lift it and me with it."

[not_only]

"Okay. Then if you want, you can come with me to gather materials. But you should make sure not to get too far away in case you run into a strange kind of monster that you don't know how to deal with. My island is more dangerous than this one."

[iamnotpolaris]

"I'll stay close."

[not_only]

"Do you want to go now, or stay the night here and go early in the morning so we have more daylight hours on the other island?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"How much time is left in the day? I never did get the hang of telling time by the position of the sun, and I have no idea which direction claims to be north here anyway."

[not_only]

"It's a few hours until sunset. It might be enough time to get everything, but I'm not sure, and it's not safe to sleep on the other island because sometimes things come through the walls."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Ugh. Yes, let's stay here then."