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There are many ‘Thrum’ meetings in the planet of 40 Eridani (also known as Erid). Each community of ‘Thrums’ all have different topics distinguishing itself from one another. There were twice the times that the communities piled up into One Giant Thrum (O.G.T. for future reference). One was when the star, Tau Ceti, was dimming. The other was when the ‘Human’ (also known as ‘Homo Sapien’) called ‘Ryland Grace’, set foot in Erid.
Dr. Ryland Grace (The Human In Question) -
—
Adrian tilted their carapace forward, connecting it with their mate’s.
Their mate was sleeping deeply, and Adrian would gladly watch for eternity to come.
If the simple act of watching would ensure that Rocky would be safe, happy, and healthy forever; they would gladly devote all of their time to watching their mate sleep. Time would be but a meaningless concept, as long as Rocky was happy and content.
“♬♪♫, ♫♩♪” Adrian called out to their mate, not caring Rocky was asleep. “♬♪♪♩” Adrian recalled their reunion with an extremely fond tone.
It had been ‘recently’ that there was a foreign object in the far stratosphere detected by the newly-forged (compared to the other Thrums) astronomy Thrum branch near the north-west (NWAstro) of Erid. When the Eridians found out, they more-or-less panicked.
It caused quite the gargantuan commotion throughout the whole planet; days before the signal’s arrival, even the pebbles were chittering about it. Everywhere Adrian traversed, usually from their and Rocky’s den in the central cluster to their engineering Thrum, they heard about the strange object in the stratosphere. It even got into the HQ engineering (HQEn) Thrum’s many discussions when they were discussing the numerous projects needed to be installed as a request by other Eridians.
Adrian remembered the Head of the HQEn Thrum let out a deep hum to remind others that they were not supposed to be conferring this in the ongoing, allegedly professional Thrum meeting, and that it was only up to the astronomy Thrums to discuss details like this.
Safe to say, Erid was a place of unrest for quite a while. It was understandable, because what if that object was a threat to their entire species?
Upon receiving the signal from the now-identified spacecraft, much like the Blip-A they sent, they were cautious. However, discovering that it was from another one of their own on the ship, they started to calm, and prepare for safe landing of the people (multiple[?]) on the spacecraft.
Before all these commotions and events started to happen, Adrian had not been sleeping soundly ever since Rocky left. Since their mate was not there beside them to watch, they had to rely on their circle of friends. It felt completely intrusive to ask their friends to watch them sleep, considering most of their friends are in pairs and are mated already. Their parents were out of the question. They were on the other side of Erid.
When Adrian did ask their friends to watch them sleep, even though their friends have said multiple times that they did not mind at all, Adrian would feel like they were overstepping and invading on their friends’ personal relaxation period.
Every. Single. Time.
And Adrian had not eaten well. Not at all.
Every time they ate, they had to fall asleep– even though they didn’t want to –without their mate, without Rocky, by their side. Every time they went into a food coma, they felt the invisible hole in their carapace widen. Every single biologically enforced sleep, Adrian would longingly ache for Rocky to watch them more and more. And they knew their wish would not be granted. All they could do was wish silently to the dying stars that their mate would return.
Even when they were awake, they felt constantly exhausted and tired. It was probably from the lack of good rest and not enough nutritional intake. Since Rocky did not take all of his engineering tools with him, including the things he would fidget idly, like the multiple complex layers of a twisting polygon, it incessantly reminded Adrian that they were alone. No one would walk with them to the HQEn, no one would coo as softly as Rocky did when Adrian woke up, and no one would make Adrian as frustrated when they walked ahead, then when reminded by Adrian, walked incredibly slow to spite.
They felt alone and empty. Incredibly.
At one point, they just stopped going to the HQEn. They didn’t have enough energy to even move out of their den. Their friends and family would come to check on them sometimes, gently trilling in concern and reminding Adrian to eat, sleep, and move around. But even then. Even then they didn’t think about wanting to move out from that spot that Rocky and them used to lay when watching each other sleep.
So, when Adrian was summoned by the Head of the entire astronomy Thrum, as so were the other Eridians that were loved ones to the Blip-A crew, Adrian was confused. They were not thinking straight, their brain did not feel like a brain and more like a useless shiny crystal that refused to think. Adrian was bleary, weary, weak, and exhausted from the lack of proper rest.
Why would the Head of the HQAstro Thrum invite them, an engineer?
They went anyway, and when they heard the frequency– the tone, the sounds, the happy chirping of the signal from the spacecraft, Adrian thought they were hallucinating. They almost collapsed from happiness; well, they did, actually. They did go weak in their numerous appendages, and their main body promptly collapsed to the ground. It alerted the surrounding Eridians to an extent.
But Adrian was just so… relieved. Rocky was coming home. Rocky was fine. Their mate would be beside them soon. Their everything. Their first and last– would be home.
To say Adrian was happy was most definitely an understatement.
Rocky spoke of the ‘human friend’ he had gotten. Rocky told the other Eridians through the many signals he sent that they would have to build a biodome for the human, since the human breathed oxygen and would die in their own ammonia-based atmosphere.
This news was immediately sent to the Central biology Thrum (HQBio)– because, well, they’re talking about an Alien here. A completely new intelligent living being that was born and raised on a completely different planet with a different atmosphere with different cultures from them.
Who knows what the Alien could look like? How different they’d be from Eridians? Of course they’d be cautious and interested. Especially the numerous biology Thrums. Some of the young Eridians that have recently joined the biology Thrums have been reported to make theories as to how the Alien looked like. Maybe even the Thrums that study History would be interested.
Besides that, Adrian was present for every single one of the signals that Rocky sent. They were invited by the HQAstro to be there. If they weren’t present when the signal was received, Adrian would be called to come to the Headquarters immediately. Adrian was, after all, Rocky’s mate. Rocky’s family and extended family were also invited, but most of the messages went to Adrian.
It was Eridian custom that if the Eridian had a mate or mates, the mate would be prioritised instead of relatives such as parents or siblings in terms of crisis or matters of extreme importance.
This particular signal about building a biodome for the human made the engineer in Adrian a bit confused; they weren’t a chemist, but wasn’t oxygen an extremely explosive matter? Adrian couldn’t really trust themself to think right now, considering they didn’t have enough nutrients being distributed to their limbs and main body.
Nonetheless, the Head for the astronomy Thrum sent a messenger Eridian to the biology, engineering, architecture, and other related Thrums’ Headquarters to see to Rocky’s request.
Many Eridians had gathered to see what was going on in those days, specifically those who were close or loved ones of those who went on the Blip-A. It had been VV∀∀λ∀ℓ days (approximately 68 Human Years) since Adrian last saw their mate.
The last time they did, it was when Rocky volunteered to go on the mission– on Blip-A. Adrian remembered feeling five of their hearts fall out of their carapace. Adrian remembered so vividly the feeling of betrayal that rose up into their gut and choked them harshly. They were just discussing about the idea of having pebbles a few days ago. How could Rocky do this to them…?
After Rocky volunteered, the fallout was painful. It was painful in a quiet way, because they didn’t acknowledge the gap between them that was widening and kept going on with their normal daily activities. At one point they just stopped talking to each other. But both were pretending that everything was fine.
When Rocky started to pack-up his tools and was in the process of going onto Blip-A did Adrian shout their apology. They had rubbed their carapaces against each other to say ‘see you again’ after that.
It was a good ‘until next time’ between the two of them, so Adrian was elated to hear that Rocky was coming back. Adrian was so ecstatic at the thought of seeing Rocky and talking to him again. Even if Rocky betrayed them, they would find a way to forgive. Because Rocky is their one and only.
Every other Eridian that went on the Blip-A was not mentioned, and was radio-silent. Even the spacecraft itself did not return. One of the Eridians called ‘♬♫♪♩♬’ racked up the courage to inquire where the rest of the crew are, and after the rest of the crew’s status had been confirmed by Rocky, a long period of mourning by every Eridian concurred. Everyone scraped their front appendage littered with patterns of line markings that was etched into their carapace since birth, especially the crew’s close friends and loved ones.
Those Eridians that were close to the crew did the ‘song of farewell’ the longest. Perhaps they hoped the sound made from their markings would be long and loud enough to reach the stars where their loved ones are.
‘♬♫♪♩♬’ did it the longest.
They had done it until they passed out from exhaustion. Some Eridians tried to tell them to stop, but they were in a trance, and just kept scratching their front appendage.
Adrian saw it all.
Adrian had felt that same way. Just a few cycles ago.
But Adrian had to turn away.
This was the calm reaction, Adrian had to tell themselves. At least the others weren't actively rejecting the thought of an Alien living among them.
There were few Eridians whose mate went on the Blip-A, just like Adrian, who had planned to have only one mate forever– and was not planning on having another. Their one and only mate went on the Blip-A. How could they be calm? Knowing that their mate, their entire world, their reason for living would never come back to them?
Eridians mate for life.
It would be an understatement to say that it was a rarity to only have one mate in their long lifetime.
They would be alone until death.
Adrian could not even stomach being VV∀∀λ∀ℓ days from Rocky.
How could they be calm and rational? Knowing they will yearn, will feel what Adrian had felt, forever, for the rest of their lifetime?
Adrian knew they were being selfish, but they were glad that Rocky had survived amidst all the deaths. That it was Rocky, that survived. At least Rocky survived, and that meant the rest of them would too. That meant Adrian would, too.
And so, while the rest were busy mourning or swallowed up in grief, Adrian turned their attention to their mate.
Now, the ‘human’ that their mate brought home with them was interesting. The human (‘Grace’, as their mate said the human’s name was) was in a critical condition when they first appeared in the near stratosphere in a completely new spacecraft that wasn’t Blip-A.
Using the elevator that went from the ground up high into space, Eridians could encase Grace in a xenonite bubble while he was lying down and bring him to the HQBio for further damage inspection.
The ship was left up in Erid’s orbit, as they weren’t sure if their atmosphere and gravity was too heavy and hot for human technology. At one point, some Eridians were really afraid that the ship would melt and crash into Erid. Who’s to know how strong the ship was and how hot it could withstand? It wasn’t xenonite or their technology. Their planet is extremely close to their sun, Eridani.
But they had other pressing matters to tend to. Like the human that came with Rocky.
The moment that Rocky and xenonite-encased Grace emerged from the elevator, Adrian and Rocky joyfully reunited.
Adrian noticed all these new scars that Rocky had gotten from his journey. They felt immense sadness at the thought of their mate getting hurt or injured, maybe even almost dying. They contemplated on asking how their mate had gotten these markings, but before they could ask, Rocky went into full stressed-out and panicked mode. Rocky informed Adrian very insistently that Grace was recovering from the numerous illnesses, that he was in pain from the multiple malnourishments that he had gotten from the lack of food in space.
Adrian was admittedly disappointed that Rocky would care about an Alien more than their freshly reconnected bond. Rocky was in such a panicked state, all Adrian could do was watch and follow behind as many of the Eridians wheeled the xenonite-encased human to the HQBio. If this human meant that much to Rocky, Adrian would try to understand.
Gravity was an issue for a while; Rocky had tried to make a device that would lessen the strain on Grace’s body while on the spacecraft (Hail Mary), and he technically succeeded. However, the device didn’t lessen the gravity enough.
Gravity wasn’t the only issue, too. Another problem was the temperature. The temperature is way, way too hot for Grace. Boiling, even. Rocky, again, on the spaceship, found a way to make the xenonite bubble cooler.
These functions made by Rocky were then later upgraded by the engineer Thrums so it could be more efficient. The HQEn researched even further on this issue, always looking for more ways to improve it, and suggested a technology that would lessen the gravity even more. They also very considerately upgraded how the temperature and air was regulated in the xenonite bubble to offer a less suffocating way to breathe for Grace as well.
The technologies were sent to the HQBio so they could apply it to Grace’s compound living space in a somewhat limited xenonite bubble that would keep expanding into a bigger one.
When the HQBio was helping Grace recover, the engineer, chemistry, architecture, and other Thrums and their branches were building the biodome in the Central cluster that Grace would live in. It was a project that took intense care and delicateness from all the cooperating Eridians, even Adrian helped plan how the bubble should be and the interior design.
While Grace was recovering, Rocky had told Grace’s preferences, especially how Grace wanted a large body of water and fog, with some gravel as well.
The human brought many novel things, including new-found knowledge that the many many Thrums latched onto. How all that knowledge was contained into a small device that the human brought, Adrian could not comprehend for a while. The device was small– smaller than a Pebble, and yet it compiled almost all of the human’s knowledge and history.
The Head of each sector of Thrum was very intrigued by the device. Adrian’s mate said the human, ‘Grace’, called the device ‘Läpt ópt’.
Adrian decided from then on that the human language was not pleasant to listen to, and urged Rocky to not try to speak it again. In Adrian’s defense, it sounded like one of the volcanoes were trying to sing– okay, probably not, however it is the most disturbing sound Adrian has ever had the pleasure of listening to.
However, when Grace recovered and spoke their language that Rocky had tried to mimic, it came to Adrian’s conclusion that their mate was just bad at mimicry. Adrian apologised to Grace; though Grace did not know what it was for, Adrian knows it well, and that much is enough to Adrian.
After Rocky and Adrian had finally had enough space to actually reconnect and tell each other their times without each other, Rocky started to recollect his mission and the details of it to Adrian.
Rocky rambled about learning what time and space dilation was to Adrian, and why his crew died. They did not know about radiation– they never had to. Their Erid protected them. But the protection came with consequences. And that consequence was inevitably the lack of information about space.
Rocky told Adrian too that Astrophage, which absorbs heat and radiation, surrounds the interior of the Hail Mary. Adrian immediately felt the concern of the spacecraft melting and falling from the sky one day disappearing. Adrian and Rocky has to tell this information to the HQEn soon so they could apply the same logic to their future space crafts. The more protection they have, the more their species can progress, and the more there will be less losses condoned in the future.
Adrian also finally found out why Rocky had so many scars.
It was because of ‘Grace’.
Adrian felt a sense of silent, stewing rage. They felt it for a while, but kept silent as they kept listening to Rocky as their mate recalled the mission. How dare the human hurt their mate? Their one and only? Their beloved?
But after everything that Rocky said, the feeling that Adrian felt at the end wasn’t ire, or loathing, or hate. It was just deep, unsettling guilt, and a quiet, almost nonexistent resentment. When Adrian heard the full story of how Grace had chosen to save Rocky and the Eridians instead of returning home, to his home planet, Adrian felt this feeling of disgust towards themself. They doubted Rocky. Adrian doubted his mate.
How could Adrian be a good mate– a good partner, if they don't even trust their manifestation of eternity?
And sweet, sweet, lovely Rocky.
Rocky noticed almost immediately the guilt that consumed Adrian’s whole being. He cooed and comforted and told Adrian that everything was fine, he told Adrian that whatever Adrian feels, it wasn’t Adrian’s fault. It was just the circumstances that happened in space.
However, how could Adrian stop the feeling of remorse trying to choke them whenever Rocky wanted them to go meet Grace? Rocky’s ‘best friend’? They felt absolutely crushed every time their mate’s body language implied that he was disappointed when Adrian rejected the offer. For the first few times, Adrian denied. Seeing Grace would be like getting mashed underneath large, emotional boulders. Adrian couldn’t do it.
Then Rocky begged.
…how could Adrian ever dream of denying?
And so, Adrian went.
After a few meetings of language barrier struggles, Adrian made an important discovery.
Grace was funny. In a good way. The jokes were confusing, but it made Adrian laugh. While the two conversed, Rocky just watched. He just seemed so happy, being next to Grace and Adrian and listening to them. There would be this noticeable upturn tilt in Rocky’s carapace that Adrian would notice. The three of them would just converse for a while, while the HQBio worked their magic.
All Adrian wanted was for Rocky to be happy.
If this human made Adrian’s one and only happy, this human has passed every test.
However, hearing Rocky say that Grace was one of his favourite people was an enlightening experience. In a bad way.
Adrian stilled when he heard that statement from Rocky.
Adrian wanted to ask, so I am not your one and only like you are to me anymore?
Like Rocky could communicate telepathically with Adrian, he would stop, turn, and make clicking sounds that basically mean, ‘Platonically, Adrian. He’s my favourite human platonically’.
Just like that, Adrian is calm again.
Grace’s living space came into picture after a while. Once he was healthy and able to walk without tripping and eating the ground, the HQBio supplied Grace with some vitamin smoothies that he could slurp (in public. Every Eridian was baffled. Adrian even asked Rocky if he had to watch Grace eat every time and Rocky always responded with a playful disgusted tone). The South-East branch of biology Thrum (SEBio) improved the taste of it, which Grace was thankful for.
Making a pathway from the small living space into the new, much bigger biodome was a challenge. They had to build airlocks, they had the engineer Thrums crank out xenonite suits, they had to go up the elevator to reach Hail Mary everyday in the first few weeks to retrieve the Armando, they had to arrange Grace’s living quarters, they had to test if the atmosphere in the big biodome was the same as the small one Grace was contained to for a while– everything was hectic.
Plus it was all in the middle of the Central cluster. Every Eridian could see them work to their thallium bones to provide this Alien with the most comfortable living space.
But Grace was the saviour of Erid.
Plus he makes Rocky happy.
Adrian would convince every single Eridian they could that giving a huge amount of land and putting in the effort to make the Alien live would be a very good idea if it made Rocky happy.
Even if it would end up with an argument, even if it drained Adrian, even if the Eridian(s) they were talking to had no idea of changing their mind.
Adrian would try.
If Adrian has to knock on every angry Eridian’s den. They’d do just that.
It made things easier for Adrian that the multiple branches of the biology Thrums (plus the HQBio) were absolutely supporting keeping Grace alive. Scientists are curious beings after all. They couldn’t possibly let this Alien life and anatomy slip out of their grasp. Grace was of ‘extreme scientific interest’. It wasn’t only that as well. The Heads of each Thrum would take a private discussion with each other on what to do with this newcomer. They even made up a whole new Thruming center that serves the purpose of managing Grace only. It was close to the big biodome, because of efficiency and convenience.
They had thirty Eridians manage the biodome at all times, substituting if one is tired. Humans had this concept of ‘day’ and ‘night’ that depended on the volume of light waves. Since the Heads wanted the simulation to be as realistic as possible for Grace, they had to apply the new technology they built from studying the objects on the Hail Mary to the biodome to try to replicate ‘Earth’s’ condition. The thirty Eridians were split into three categories: the waves (and fog), the lighting, and the temperature for most effectiveness.
However, that did not mean that every Eridian was tolerable that an Alien, a singular alien, would take almost as much space up as much space as two regular-sized Thrums would. The elders were the easiest to convince after they were assured that the human was not harmful and would be good for research and future developments of the species.
The most difficult to convince was the mates of those who went on the Blip-A. The parents of the crew were understanding, and they understood the risks that their pebble had to undertake and why they didn’t come back. The crew members’ mates, however, were so overcome with grief they just did not want to confront other Eridians. This included Adrian.
Adrian had tried to convince one of them. They knew this Eridian– this Eridian was the one that asked where the rest of the crew were, the one that said 'goodbye' until they collapsed from exhaustion. ‘♬♫♪♩♬’, if Adrian remembered the name correctly. When Adrian went up to their den, they had the decency to listen. They did not reply once. Adrian stopped at one point, and asked about what they thought. ‘♬♫♪♩♬’ snided snarkily, bitterly, and said rude things to Adrian. This included saying ‘at least Adrian’s mate came back, that’s why Adrian wouldn’t side with them.’
The statement affected Adrian a lot. They didn’t try to convince the Eridian again.
They felt so hypocritical, going back to their den, seeing Rocky waiting for them.
‘♬♫♪♩♬’ would never see their mate again. ‘♬♫♪♩♬’ was one of the Eridian that planned on only having one mate for eternity, just like Adrian.
Adrian could only feel hollow. The feeling aches Adrian so. It spreads like nonexistent cracks in their carapace as they subtly try to stay closer to Rocky and fussing more about him for the rest of the week.
–
Rocky stirred against Adrian’s carapace, pressing closer to his mate. Soft coos and croons were exchanged as a way to say ‘welcome back’ between the two. It had been one day and a half ever since Rocky had started to sleep.
“♩♪♩♩”, Rocky sleepily said. Adrian nudged closer to Rocky and trilled quietly. “♩♫♬” They resonated their echo affectionately as they tried to press even closer to Rocky’s carapace.
Rocky had to use one of his appendages to push Adrian away playfully whilst chirping. It was the one that had a bit of a split between the sections of the limb.
Adrian has developed a bit of an attachment issue after the whole Rocky-Went-On-Mission-For-Possibly-More-Than-∀(5)-Decades shenanigan. Every time Rocky moves while in Adrian’s line of echolocation, Adrian would go as close to Rocky as possible. If touching Rocky wasn’t allowed in any circumstances, Adrian would just trail behind Rocky like a lost Eridian young.
If they weren’t near Rocky, they’d be all slumpy. What is a middle between smooth-rough living rock without their Eridani Shine, after all?
If your most cherished beloved volunteered to go on a mission into the great unknown without major preparation, and came back looking like they’ve gone through a lot, you’d have attachment issues and fuss over them all the time too. Adrian wasn’t special.
Rocky waved their appendages around as if stretching and slowly stood up, “♩♩♫”, he chirped as he slowly watched Adrian stand up as well. Adrian trilled quietly as they went up to prepare to go to the HQEn. Rocky swayed a little bit, this was normal, considering he just woke up, but Adrian immediately came to support Rocky’s side.
Can’t blame Adrian for being cautious… maybe Rocky did get a bit of radiation…
Adrian came to the conclusion that they should bring Rocky to the HQBio for further inspection.
“♬♫♪, ♪♩♪♩♬’’ Adrian warbled shakily. They shouldn’t go to the HQEn yet. How could Adrian be so stupid? Of course Rocky has to go check his health first. Rocky hasn’t gotten his status checked yet. What if Rocky was filled with some space disease Adrian didn’t know about–
Adrian felt one of Rocky’s hands touch the side of their carapace. “♪”, Rocky crooned softly, he shook his carapace and gently pressed closer to Adrian. “♩♬”, he said. Rocky would go to the HQBio if Adrian wanted, but Rocky didn’t want Adrian to panic.
–
The day he left on the Blip-A, Rocky was struck with the feeling of wanting to say sorry to Adrian that he volunteered himself. Rocky saw how Adrian’s appendages shook as if they're struggling to hold themself up.
If he was Adrian, he wouldn’t have let his mate go on the ship as well. Damn Erid and all its life. All he wanted was to be next to Adrian. But it was either him, or Adrian that had to go on the ship. It was a select group of engineers and mechanics that were chosen to go on the mission; most didn’t want to go. That much is understandable.
Rocky couldn’t possibly let his one and only go on the ship. Who knows the dangers of the unknown? He didn’t want his Adrian to die or get sick. He wanted Adrian to live, even if he didn’t. Maybe Adrian will find a new mate if Rocky died, they wouldn’t be lonely forever, and that much is enough for Rocky.
Rocky just wants Adrian to be alive, well, and happy.
Even if it meant being without Rocky.
Rocky retreated from the conversations of his crewmates to the engine room at the back of the ship, where he’d be for most of this mission.
He felt regretful. Not for being on a mission to save Erid, but for parting from Adrian.
He missed them already.
–
Getting inspected at the HQBio was tickly– not tricky. Tickly. The scientists poked at Rocky’s carapace to extract some DNA they could inspect. The laptop Grace had given them had this thing called a ‘microscope’ in one of the items humans had.
Some Eridians discussed with Grace how exactly it worked, and once the answer was clear, the engineers thought of a Eridian version they could use. Once they finished the prototype, they sent it to the HQBio. They’re still working on improving it, but for now the biology Thrums are satiated.
Once they had collected enough samples from Rocky, an Eridian walked over to take the tray to go inspect it under the Eri-Microscape (Rocky thought the name was boring. They just took Eri from Eridian and slapped it in front of Microscope).
Adrian was in a trance. What if Rocky was sick? What if their time together was limited? Those VV∀∀λ∀ℓ days were torture. What if Rocky was destined to be gone forever? What if Adrian had finally realised how ‘♬♫♪♩♬’ felt? What if it was a curse that was passed onto Adrian?–
Rocky shook his carapace at Adrian’s anxiousness, “♪, ♬♫”, he said to calm Adrian down. Adrian held Rocky’s hand as tightly as a rock hand with rock fingers could. The anxiety was weighing down on Adrian.
“♪♬”, the Eridian came back with the results, “♬♫♬♪!”
They were chirruping that Rocky would be just fine. That his body had become somewhat used to small amounts of radiation and that he was building an immunity against it. Just like the human anatomy.
Adrian had gone through many almost-panic attacks. Adrian cannot believe all of it came from Rocky.
Having Rocky as a mate is exhausting.
But Adrian wouldn’t wish for any other.