Rutile nods once at Kit's instructions. "I'll follow you," they note, and set off after him through the maze-like hallways.
If the light had been poor in the other rooms, it is even worse here; the functioning lamps are few and far between and they flicker, signs of poor connectivity or a weak power source. The narrow halls echo terribly. Rutile stays on their toes to muffle their footsteps as best they can, and for a being of stone they do quite well, but their weight on metal was never going to be easily masked. Hopefully, speed and timing will be their allies, rather than stealth.
When Kit glances back and asks about the stone, Rutile holds a finger to their lips to silence him. "It can wait," they say softly.
The hold is small compared to the rest of the ship, and several stories below; it is a feat for Kit and Rutile to escape unnoticed, and they have some close calls around particular corners, but eventually they make it.
It's not until they emerge from the ship and are safely away from the activity on the docks that Rutile relaxes. The sun is just peeking over the horizon; it invigorates Rutile like a full night of sleep, and their energy is visibly changed when they pull the stone out of their pocket. In the early light it seems a hole in the universe, reflecting no light and with no discernible features. "I've never seen anything light this," Rutile says, with some excitement. "It's not a stone familiar to me."
There is no heat coming from it now, they are sure of it.
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If the light had been poor in the other rooms, it is even worse here; the functioning lamps are few and far between and they flicker, signs of poor connectivity or a weak power source. The narrow halls echo terribly. Rutile stays on their toes to muffle their footsteps as best they can, and for a being of stone they do quite well, but their weight on metal was never going to be easily masked. Hopefully, speed and timing will be their allies, rather than stealth.
When Kit glances back and asks about the stone, Rutile holds a finger to their lips to silence him. "It can wait," they say softly.
The hold is small compared to the rest of the ship, and several stories below; it is a feat for Kit and Rutile to escape unnoticed, and they have some close calls around particular corners, but eventually they make it.
It's not until they emerge from the ship and are safely away from the activity on the docks that Rutile relaxes. The sun is just peeking over the horizon; it invigorates Rutile like a full night of sleep, and their energy is visibly changed when they pull the stone out of their pocket. In the early light it seems a hole in the universe, reflecting no light and with no discernible features. "I've never seen anything light this," Rutile says, with some excitement. "It's not a stone familiar to me."
There is no heat coming from it now, they are sure of it.