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Not even a little look? You have a lot more experience than I do in these matters... I dunno, can’t we secure it better than the woman I talked to stealing all the keys to the back room?
I hate to think of just slamming the door shut, it might not even be possible, but y’know that stuff is kind of like planting Eurasian blackberries in your yard. Just too eager to crowd out everything else!
I hate to think of just slamming the door shut, it might not even be possible, but y’know that stuff is kind of like planting Eurasian blackberries in your yard. Just too eager to crowd out everything else!
Ford's eyebrows go up.
"What do you mean, 'terrible'?"
This is a request for clarification. There's a wide range of things that might be considered terrible, and finding out what Rose Quartz considers a terrible thing will help him feel out whether she is a potential ally.
"What do you mean, 'terrible'?"
This is a request for clarification. There's a wide range of things that might be considered terrible, and finding out what Rose Quartz considers a terrible thing will help him feel out whether she is a potential ally.
"Well - take Earth," she says. "When they first started seeding Gems there, the process started to drain the planet of its organic life. If the process had been completed, there would have been nothing left. No plants, no animals, no humans. Just a...drained husk of a planet. Who knows how may other life forms they'd driven to extinction on other worlds - and the Diamonds didn't even care."
Ah. They made more of themselves by using organic life like...well, like fertilizer. But it's not the first time Ford's met someone whose hunger destroys planets.
"I have to admit, that is pretty bad," he confirms. "Now, the Diamonds. How are they different from other Gems?"
"I have to admit, that is pretty bad," he confirms. "Now, the Diamonds. How are they different from other Gems?"
It's very hard to secure these things without at least one person having an terrible misadventure in mad lands full of monsters whose very shapes are beyond the fathoming of man, where the cold stars hang low above bottomless seas and all of human history is nothing but foam upon the crest of its ochre waves.
...but I suppose I do know a symbol or two that might help. And my next class isn't till four.
...but I suppose I do know a symbol or two that might help. And my next class isn't till four.
Ah-hahaha, Stanford! Still young at heart! I knew you'd come through for me.
Meet you in front of the Dunkin Donuts in ten?
Meet you in front of the Dunkin Donuts in ten?
The campus one! Yes. I got the address for the Blockbuster's. We can walk it or cab if you wish or, I suppose, skip going together and meet there.
The north campus one or the northeast campus one?
North. Why does this city have so many Dunkin Donuts?
[Very, very seriously:]
You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
[And then the ominous tone is gone, replaced with cheer.]
Anyway, be there in a minute!
[Beep!
He'll be outside the Dunkin a few minutes later, in his usual sweater and overcoat.]
You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
[And then the ominous tone is gone, replaced with cheer.]
Anyway, be there in a minute!
[Beep!
He'll be outside the Dunkin a few minutes later, in his usual sweater and overcoat.]
[Hange looks reputable enough today, which. Is not always the case. She's standing under the small awning peoplewatching, and traffic watching; when she spots Stanford she makes her way over and links her arm in his.]
You can't hint at things like that and then not tell me! [She laughs.] Walk it? It's nice today.
[It's wet and chilly, with a porridge of fallen leaves piling up in the gutters and autumn crispness to the air: nice!]
You can't hint at things like that and then not tell me! [She laughs.] Walk it? It's nice today.
[It's wet and chilly, with a porridge of fallen leaves piling up in the gutters and autumn crispness to the air: nice!]
[Ford laughs it off, ha ha ha the cult of Nyarlathotep is always recruiting high schoolers for the summer, and has known Zoe long enough that he doesn't shake her arm off.]
I agree completely.
[It isn't storming or snowing and he still has feeling in all of his limbs! That's nice weather.]
So, what else did your contact say about this portal?
I agree completely.
[It isn't storming or snowing and he still has feeling in all of his limbs! That's nice weather.]
So, what else did your contact say about this portal?
"They were the first," Rose says, quietly. "And the most powerful. Some Gems are able to terraform planets, but...only the Diamonds have the power to give life to other Gems."
Taura knocks on Ford's door a few days after the end of the breach. She doesn't know how he expects to handle the relationship, but he (and her breach mother, who doesn't seem to have a counterpart on the Barge) was the first parent Taura has ever had. She can't help feeling something for him.
It's in the back room, she's gonna make off with the keys, something that looks like a cat followed her out. Cats! You know! Ha ha ha!
[Cats are sometimes help and sometimes trouble and sometimes both at once. The universe loves cats?]
They weren't good photos, but I can't blame the woman. The sun looked green if it was a sun. At least where the portal opens out, it looks mostly covered in ocean, not quite proper ocean. The cat's actually full of tentacles, but seems to be behaving itself and she wants to keep it?
[Cats are sometimes help and sometimes trouble and sometimes both at once. The universe loves cats?]
They weren't good photos, but I can't blame the woman. The sun looked green if it was a sun. At least where the portal opens out, it looks mostly covered in ocean, not quite proper ocean. The cat's actually full of tentacles, but seems to be behaving itself and she wants to keep it?
Well, as long as the cat isn't causing trouble, it should be fine. Just because something has tentacles doesn't mean it's hostile!
"Like queens in a hive," Ford says, putting it back into biological terms because he can't seem to help himself.
"All right, I think I have an idea of what your society is like. I presume there was a rebellion against the genocidal diamond regime? Is that how you died?" She said she was a soldier; it adds up.
(He missed her network post.)
"All right, I think I have an idea of what your society is like. I presume there was a rebellion against the genocidal diamond regime? Is that how you died?" She said she was a soldier; it adds up.
(He missed her network post.)
"No," she says, shaking her head. "I mean - there was a rebellion. I led the fight against the Diamonds to save the Earth. They left us alone, I lived there for around six thousand years, but...the cost was terribly high. After the retreat, then bombarded the planet with a light that corrupted the Gems that were left behind. I was only able to protect a couple of my friends."
He opens the door, and his eyes widen.
"Taura?"
Usually, Ford doesn't have too much trouble separating his breach-self from his usual-self. He knows people aren't always the same in the breach. And it should be easy with Taura, who looked different when she was the daughter of a different Ford.
It isn't easy. He remembers changing her diapers, singing her to sleep with the theme to Neverending Story, helping her study for her high school tests, moving her into her first college dorm. She had meant so much to him only a few days ago, and now, he barely knows her.
He has to remind himself that he's only met this Taura once, at an embarrassing movie night. The breach is the breach, and assuming anything based on breach information is faulty.
Ford clears his throat.
"Can I, ah, help you?"
"Taura?"
Usually, Ford doesn't have too much trouble separating his breach-self from his usual-self. He knows people aren't always the same in the breach. And it should be easy with Taura, who looked different when she was the daughter of a different Ford.
It isn't easy. He remembers changing her diapers, singing her to sleep with the theme to Neverending Story, helping her study for her high school tests, moving her into her first college dorm. She had meant so much to him only a few days ago, and now, he barely knows her.
He has to remind himself that he's only met this Taura once, at an embarrassing movie night. The breach is the breach, and assuming anything based on breach information is faulty.
Ford clears his throat.
"Can I, ah, help you?"
She still feels that tug of familial affection at the sight of him. Remembers feeling warm and safe and protected and wanted, given agency right from the beginning. A child, not a test subject. It aches, knowing what she could have had.
"Could we talk? Here, or wherever you like." If he'd rather not talk in his own room.
Ford glances over his shoulder. Betelgeuse is out doing goodness knows what, and does not have a key, so once they're inside, they should have some privacy.
Then again, that smell lingers.
"You're welcome to come inside," he says, "but I'm afraid I have a rather pungent guest at the moment. He's out, for now, but the smell isn't."
It's her call. She seems like she has a sensitive nose, though Ford doesn't want to assume.
Then again, that smell lingers.
"You're welcome to come inside," he says, "but I'm afraid I have a rather pungent guest at the moment. He's out, for now, but the smell isn't."
It's her call. She seems like she has a sensitive nose, though Ford doesn't want to assume.
Taura sniffs once and grimaces. "Ah. We've met, and it took my nose awhile to recover. Elsewhere, if you don't mind. My cabin's up one level, or we can go to any of the common areas."
Considerate of Ford to think of that.
Ah, he thought so.
"I don't mind at all," Ford says. "We can go wherever you think is best. Lead the way."
He's fine with her cabin or with common areas: Ford will follow where she goes. She's the one with a conversation in mind and knows if it would be better to have it in private.
"I don't mind at all," Ford says. "We can go wherever you think is best. Lead the way."
He's fine with her cabin or with common areas: Ford will follow where she goes. She's the one with a conversation in mind and knows if it would be better to have it in private.
"Ah. I'm sorry to hear that."
That is terrible, but not so terrible that Ford doesn't get the impulse to take notes. He holds himself back, not because it would be insensitive, but because she might get the wrong idea about his wardening plans.
"And, when a Gem is corrupted," he prompts. "Is it like death?"
That is terrible, but not so terrible that Ford doesn't get the impulse to take notes. He holds himself back, not because it would be insensitive, but because she might get the wrong idea about his wardening plans.
"And, when a Gem is corrupted," he prompts. "Is it like death?"
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