Chapter Text
There was still much to do inside the large and rather outrageously complicated artificial environment inside the biodome. Much of the data put into this was still in test mode, but at least there was still time between the stages of the life it was designed to support. They had time for trees to grow taller and bear fruit. Time for the vegetable garden to become bountiful and last for lifetimes. Time for the Eridians to carefully monitor the conditions to be right…
All for one egg.
This egg, one unlike any that Eridians have ever seen before, was a delicate and complicated life form. It was an unusual little thing as it tossed and turned inside the see-through cylinder. On the base sat a strange light of unknown symbols flickering in intervals. The scientists hypothesized it to be a timer of some sort. Lately, the small life had become more active which, according to data inside the ship they'd found, meant it was closer to hatching. Unlike Eridian eggs that take one year to hatch, this thing took almost seven; 6.8 to be precise. Anxiety was rising constantly for the two Eridians who waited for this hatchling to arrive.
These Eridian mates, Kiln and Concrete, were holding hands as the both of them listened closely to this egg. They had agreed to take the egg as their own. For strange and unknown reasons, they were never able to have their own pebbles. Too many times did they watch and wait in anticipation for their eggs to merge, only to find them cold and separate. Many times they'd sing their sad songs to one another hoping to find comfort in one another. They were now elderly, and time had not graced them with the joys of having a family. Long ago they'd made peace with never becoming sires, but it didn't mean they hadn't stopped yearning. All the Eridians knew of this tragedy. It was considered devastating to not have the eggs merge even once, and even more so when it never came to be over many, many years.
Until one fateful day, when a group of scientists and bioengineers approached both of them.
This egg was one of two they had found unharmed in a crashed alien ship. The eggs had strange writing on the bottom of them etched on aluminum plates: SEAVERS-BANKS on one and RYLAND-GRACE on the others. According to scans, SEAVERS-BANKS had died after the crash by natural causes. But RYLAND-GRACE was still alive. It still had a fighting chance. And it was up to Kiln and Concrete to make sure this precious life could thrive. But how could it survive once it hatched? The ship had texts on it. Perhaps information on who these aliens are?
Turns out, these aliens had similar tones and soundwaves to other Eridian languages. Two linguists- Quartz and Slate- had relentlessly studied the videos that the aliens provided. They’d noticed these similarities when comparing vocal tones and soundwaves to words, phrases, and numbers as scientists played them over and over again with screen readers. Over the course of two years, Quartz and Slate matched tones and writing to their own with the best of their ability until they could decipher just enough to understand what this ship was for. As it turns out, these aliens were on a colonization mission.
Their mission was to bring ‘agriculture’ and new life onto a brand new planet to see if their species could survive another planet as similar to theirs as possible. They laid these eggs with select individuals of their populace to create stronger and more durable aliens. Unfortunately, except for the two eggs that were found at the crash, the disaster ended up damaging the whole clutch. Even with this miracle, one of the surviving eggs had naturally arrested, leaving the last surviving egg the last of its kind.
With this new information and desperation to keep this final egg alive, scientists and bioengineers wasted no time getting started. Whole new systems and elements had to be studied from the data inside the ship in order to bring this biodome to life. And even with the right conditions, the Eridians themselves couldn’t survive in the atmosphere. They had to create not only the perfect environment but suits that could keep the voluntary sires alive inside the dome.
Which brings Kiln and Concrete here observing the egg in their new den they now have to call home.
The strange numbers on the egg continued to count down and the movements of the little one inside increased. It was almost time. Kiln faced his mate in worry as the two of them watched intently.
“Concrete, everything feels so overwhelming all of a sudden. It feels like something's not right. What if something's wrong with the alien pebble? What if we're not the best choice for this pebble’s upbringing?” Kiln hummed. Concrete knew it was coming from a place of constant heartbreak and past experience. He placed a tender hand on the oblong black Eridian and chirped encouragingly.
“Dearest mate, I know you're scared. I am too. But the finest medical personnel on Erid have reassured us constantly and have consulted the best bioscience teams in their research. They have created this environment for the pebble. They have a constant monitor on this pebble. I know we're the best choice for this pebble. They wouldn't pick us if they didn't think we were best suited.” Concrete bumped up against Kiln with his grey rough round body and trilled loving noises. “I love you. And we'll love this pebble like our own. Believe me, mate, we're going to be the best sires. We have researched endlessly for this pebble. We have prepared ourselves to raise this little one. We will be fine. I promise.”
A rapid beeping startled the two Eridians out of their conversation and had them turn quickly to the source. The egg was hatching. Kiln and Concrete watched intently as the fluids drained from the egg. The small pebble inside wiggled and moved its head around as the egg used a mechanism to pinch and cut a long cord before wiping off the excess fluid. The shell hissed and slowly opened. The Eridians stepped carefully closer as they waited for something to happen.
“WAH!”
Immediately they cringed as a loud wailing sound came from the fragile looking pebble. Its arms and legs folded close to its body, as if reserving heat. Kiln picked up the small alien, supporting the head and rear just as the video demonstrations had shown. Concrete grabbed the small blanket that was scavenged from the ship and wrapped the pebble in a swaddle just as instructed.
This creature was loud and quite unruly. It was leaky and a disturbing sight to the both of them. But as soon as they held the little pebble in their arms, it stopped crying. Its bottom lip trembled and its eyes opened slowly to look up at the Eridians. Whimpering, it seemed to be calming down as it looked at its new sires. Concrete held an alien artifact that was called a ‘bottle’ full of ‘formula’ and started to feed the pebble. Its greedy suckles were loud and great. Kiln and Concrete turned to one another in awe.
“Kiln my love.”
“Yes, Concrete?”
“It is so ugly.”
Kiln did a movement similar to nodding to their mate. “Yes. And loud. And squishy.”
“Leaky. And disgusting.”
“And ours. But especially disgusting, yes.”
Kiln and Concrete watched the tiny alien pebble in their arms as they began to ‘burp’ it. A loud noise came from the small infant and a shudder ran through the both of them. These aliens really were disgusting. The both of them knew what also was to come next after all. They were informed. Its waste disposal habits were unorthodox at best, but this was something that the two of them had signed up for when agreeing to care for the alien pebble.
Kiln and Concrete were exhausted to say the least. A day had passed. Unlike Eridian pebbles, this alien pebble needed around the clock care. Like Eridian pebbles, it slept most of the time. But it’d constantly wake up for a feed, a waste disposal cleaning, and to just make noise. It ate more than Eridian pebbles did in the first suns of life. Kiln hummed as he watched Concrete and the alien sleep in the blanket nest. Something that was surprising to learn was that these aliens needed soft sleeping nests.
Among the many artifacts that were handed to Kiln and Concrete for the alien was an abundance of toys. One of these toys that the alien quickly grew particularly attached to was of an animal from the original planet. The scientists and linguists identified it as Vulpes vulpes- otherwise known as a ‘red fox’. It was a strange creature and unlike what any of the Eridians have seen; however, the alien clung to it like its life depended on it. It was bigger than the alien’s body and, when Concrete tried earlier to move the fox to feed the alien, it screamed and leaked harder than the first time it cried. Needless to say the fox wasn't going to be leaving the alien or the nest anytime soon. So now there the alien and Concrete lay, with the alien peacefully clinging to the fox.
Kiln had to admit, as he watched the two of them sleep, that it was a sweet sight. This alien trusts them already. It had no choice. And Kiln could feel that affection was slowly growing for the alien. He chirped when Concrete stirred away from the nest with no sign of waking from the alien. Concrete sat next to Kiln and pressed himself against Kiln who reciprocated the affection.
“Hello my love. Did anything happen while we slept?” Concrete asked in a quiet voice. Kiln nodded.
“Yes. Apprentice Adrian and Doctor Gray came by and congratulated us on the arrival of the small pebble. They asked if we had chosen a name yet for the ceremony planned in six nights. I said we still haven’t discussed it, but I figured we would as soon as you awakened.” Kiln turned to the alien, chest rising and falling with eyes fluttering in a dream. Concrete hummed and nodded in agreement to Kiln’s words.
“Yes. Yes I agree. We must choose a name. We cannot call this pebble ‘alien pebble’. That’ll make it feel left out and underappreciated.” The both of them sat in silence for a bit, continuing to watch the small one. Pride swelled in their chests as the pebble turned its head and cooed, fluttering its eyes awake. Concrete picked the child up in their arms carefully, making sure the fox came as well, as Kiln gave it one of his fingers to grab. Its five fleshy small fingers that didn't hold the fox clung to Kiln’s own with a strength they didn’t know it held. Kiln chirped in amusement and Concrete chittered a laugh. They had to admit this little one was quite cute in its own ugly and disgusting way.
Kiln hummed to his mate. “My dear mate, I think we should keep ‘Ryland Grace’ to honour its roots.”
“Yes, Kiln. I agree. But we can’t just call it ‘Ryland Grace’. We must give it a traditional Eridian name to make it feel like family. How else will others be able to identify Ryland Grace? What shall we call it?” Concrete asked with great curiosity. Kiln hummed in thought as the hungry cry began to come. As Kiln prepped a bottle again, an idea came to him.
“What about ‘One With Smooth Flesh and Face Ryland Grace’?” Kiln chirped as he held the bottle for the alien. Concrete chirped excitedly with a small wiggle.
“And for short, we can call it ‘Grace’.” Concrete leaned against Kiln, who returned the affection and hummed.
“Yes. Our little Grace.”