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

[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."

[not_only]

"As far as I can tell, this island is as safe as mine was when I started. Um, if it occurs to you to dig down very deep underground and kill the monsters that you find there, there are certain things you shouldn't do, and one of them is kill a certain kind of flying monster that carries a little doll. If it dies and the doll falls into lava, which there is a lot of down there, an enormous and terrifying monster might show up and try very hard to kill you. That's what happened on my island, and after that a lot of things changed and monsters started coming through the walls."

[iamnotpolaris]

"I cannot claim that it would have occurred to me to do that, but thanks for the warning anyway."

[not_only]

"I wouldn't like it if you got killed by something I didn't think to warn you about. Even if it's something you're really unlikely to actually do."

[iamnotpolaris]

"I wouldn't like that either."

[not_only]

Slight, shy smile. "I didn't expect you would, no."

[iamnotpolaris]

"So what do you usually spend the hours before sunset doing? Edie and I have habits, but I wouldn't want to deprive you of the first social interaction you've had in...how long was it again?"

[not_only]

"Um, about six years, I think. But I'm not sure. I don't keep a calendar."