Chapter Text
Prologue
Once upon a time, there was a rock.
It was not the sort of rock you could pick up in the woods and slip into your pocket.
It was not the sort of rock you could skip across a pond on a lazy summer afternoon.
It was not even the flat, solid sort of rock you could carve with a lover's name and leave over their final resting place, to remind you of a vibrant life that ended too soon.
This rock was made of minerals and metals that were quite rare to find on Earth– Iridium, Ruthenium, and Titanium. It was approximately the size of Mount Everest and traveling through space at a speed of 19 Km/s.
And in exactly 8 years, 4 months, and 13 days, this particular rock was projected to collide with the Earth and end life as we know it.
~~~
Chapter One: SPAM
August 14, 1971
8 years, 11 months, and 24 days before impact
The first time Jayce laid eyes on the Piltover Observatory, it was raining.
The storm started up all at once, sheets of water descending from the sky like a biblical flood.
Beneath his feet, a massive wave tilted the little boat he stood upon to a terrifying degree. Jayce clutched the rail for dear life, begging the ocean not to swallow him whole.
"Woah!" the ship's captain exclaimed, not sounding nearly concerned enough for Jayce's liking.
On television, ship captains were always some burly man with a thick beard and a yellow coat. Jayce knew it was silly, but he had honestly been expecting someone like the Skipper from Gilligan's Island.
This captain was not at all what he'd envisioned.
She was young– probably even younger than Jayce– and had bright pink hair styled in a very punk look. Her outfit was the strangest combination of practical, weather resistant gear and clothes one might find at a grungy, underground concert. Everything about her was the sort of effortless cool that most people could only ever try to imitate.
Jayce had been intrigued as he climbed aboard her ship alone, and eager to learn more about this strange character on the long ride.
Unfortunately, she currently seemed to be trying to get them both killed.
A flash of lightning lit up the sky and suddenly water was pummeling down on them harder than ever. Jayce's nice, burgundy blazer and best navy slacks were soaked through, like he’d just jumped into the sea fully clothed.
"Are you sure this is safe, Captain?" Jayce called voice wavering embarrassingly. He had to squint to see through the downpour.
"Captain?" The girl scoffed. "No need to be so formal, pretty boy. You can call me Vi." She shot him a bold grin. Jayce held onto the railing tighter, wishing she'd keep her eyes ahead.
"And of course this isn't safe," she shouted over the wind. "It's the ocean! Nothing's ever completely safe out here."
Another wave rocked the boat, nearly sending Jayce crumpling to the deck.
Vi smirked at him as he shakily regained his footing. "Lucky for you, though, we're almost there."
She jerked her chin ahead, and Jayce's jaw dropped.
Emerging from the mist was a large island. High cliffs rose from the sea, sporting lush, green plant life above. Waves crashed against the rocks surrounding the shore, sending white spray into the air.
It looked like something out of an old sailor's story– a place that couldn't possibly exist in real life.
Yet, here Jayce was, about to live there.
"We'll have to go around the other side," Vi yelled. "Too rough to go the short way today."
She steered the boat around the island with confidence. Jayce felt equal parts terrified and impressed.
He watched the shoreline grow closer and closer, feeling giddy with the knowledge that he was one of only a very select number of scientists who would ever lay eyes on the Piltover Telescope. The island that housed the second-most powerful telescope in the world was carefully guarded by the US government. Only a few dozen people had even stepped foot on this island.
It took another eternity of battling the elements before Vi was finally tying up the ship on a small but sturdy dock and helping Jayce out of the death trap she called a boat. Jayce wanted to fall to his knees and kiss the ground when he first stepped foot on the rain-soaked sand. But he was a professional, and he didn't want his first meeting with Dr. Zaun to include sand in his mouth.
"I'll walk you up to the observatory," Vi offered. "I can't head back in this storm anyway."
Jayce tried not to look too relieved. Looking up at the thick green forest in front of him, he wouldn't know the first place to start on his own.
"This way." Vi led him to a narrow trailhead. She didn't hesitate for a second before starting up the steep, dirt path. Jayce considered himself a quite fit person, but with his heavy duffel full of his belongings weighing him down and his legs still shaky from the boat ride, he struggled to keep up with her.
The rain had turned the dirt path to mud, and even though it had slowed to a gentle drizzle, Jayce's shoes kept getting sucked into the ground with every step. He was panting as they reached the highest point of the trail and the trees were replaced with alien-looking succulents and scrubby bushes.
And there, right before him, was the observatory.
The large dome which housed the telescope stood proudly, high on the cliffs, completely out of place against the wilderness Jayce had just trekked through. It was bright white, reflecting the sunlight painfully into Jayce's eyes. Nearby stood a couple of other outbuildings, all made of the same blinding white material as the dome.
It was perfect.
Jayce couldn't believe he actually got to live here. Just him, the most advanced telescope on this side of the planet, and of course the mysterious Dr. Zaun.
"He has an absolutely brilliant mind," Professor Heimerdinger had told Jayce in his office last week. "Perhaps the finest Astrophysicist of his age. He just needs some help with the physical demands of the job."
Jayce had been wary. "An assistant?"
"Precisely!"
Jayce hesitated, choosing his next words carefully. "I really appreciate you thinking of me for this, Professor, but I'm not sure it's the right fit." He shifted in his small chair. "I mean, I'm getting my doctorate tomorrow. I think it's time for me to pursue more… challenging opportunities."
Heimerdinger just smiled beneath his bushy moustache. "I think your answer may change when you learn where this "assistant" position is located."
Jayce raised his eyebrows.
Heimerdinger leaned forward.
"The Piltover Telescope."
Jayce nearly passed out.
"You coming?" Vi called over her shoulder, already a good 30 feet ahead of him.
Jayce flushed, realizing he had stopped in his tracks just to stare at the observatory.
"Yeah, sorry!" He hurried after her, kicking mud off his shoes as he went.
Vi waited for him, still with an amused expression on her face.
"So," he said once he finally caught up to her, "Have you met Dr. Zaun?"
Vi snorted. "Yeah," she chuckled, "I've met ' Dr. Zaun' ."
Jayce frowned at her mocking tone. "Is he… nice?"
Vi laughed again, and this time Jayce was sure she was laughing at him. "I don't think anyone's ever described him as nice ." She slapped a hand on Jayce's back, making him jump. "But hey, you seem nice. Maybe you'll last longer than the last guy."
With that, she jogged the last few steps to the largest of the outbuildings and knocked on the door.
Jayce heard the sound of footsteps, accompanied by the slow, steady tapping of a cane. Jayce's heartrate picked up.
The door swung open.
Jayce's breath caught in his lungs.
A slender man stood in the open doorway, leaning on a cane and frowning irritably. He was a striking sight, with sharp, chiseled cheekbones and skin paler than marble. Jayce wondered how anyone living on this tropical island could possibly be so pale. Perhaps this was the old assistant Jayce was replacing? Vi had mentioned he didn’t last long.
It was difficult to tell how old he was. 25? 30? 40? There was a tiredness around his eyes that made Jayce feel like he might be older than his smooth skin would suggest. Yet, he was definitely unusually young to be using a cane– not one strand of gray in his wild brown hair.
The man spared Jayce only the barest of glances before turning his gaze back down to the ground. His eyes never even reached Jayce's face.
"Is this the new assistant?" He spoke with a lilting Eastern European accent. Despite not looking at either of them, it was clear he was only addressing Vi.
"What do you think," Vi deadpanned.
The man sighed and leaned heavily on his cane. He had artist's hands, with long elegant fingers made for tickling piano keys or fine-tuning delicate circuitry.
After a long pause, Jayce's manners kicked in. "Dr. Jayce Talis," he thrust out his own hand to shake, smiling brightly. He still felt giddy every time he got to introduce himself with his shiny new doctoral title.
The man just looked at the hand, raised an eyebrow, turned around and walked away, cane tapping.
"You're being rude again, Viktor," Vi commented, following him inside.
Jayce awkwardly dropped his hand and followed.
The inside of the building was a very simple living space. There were almost no personal touches, just utilitarian pieces of furniture and appliances with no discernable color scheme or style. The kitchen was tidy and small, containing a little oven with a stove on top. A kettle sat ready and waiting on one of the burners. There was no microwave or blender or any other frivolous kitchen gadgets.
Beside the kitchen was a table with two wooden chairs. Viktor immediately sat down in one of them, and Vi pulled out the other, swinging her legs on either side of the back rest to sit backwards.
Jayce hovered in the entryway. His eyes skirted around the space that he would be calling home for the foreseeable future. You could see almost the whole place just standing in the front door. The kitchen led right into a small living area, containing a few pieces of furniture. There was a plain brown sofa, a rectangular coffee table, and–
Jayce paused. Hidden among this sterile environment was a plush, comfortable-looking armchair. It was a cozy red color, with a wide, cushioned footrest in a matching shade of red right in front of it. It was the sort of chair that begged you to sit and read in it for hours on a rainy day like today. It was like a little piece of a real home tucked away in the corner.
Jayce's uncomfortable posture softened a bit, suddenly more curious about the scientist who lived here.
"When do I meet Dr. Zaun?" Jayce asked.
For the first time, Viktor lifted his head to look Jayce in the eyes. His irises were a shade of golden brown Jayce had never seen before. They were almost the color of honey.
"What do you mean?" Viktor asked in his intriguing accent. Was that Russian?
"You know," Jayce said, feeling inexplicably shy, "I heard he's reclusive, but he must be around here somewhere. It is an island after all."
Viktor's thin lips twitched, almost in the direction of a smile. He did not reply.
"So…" Jayce shifted from foot to foot. "Is he in the lab? I don't mind waiting–"
"Jayce," Vi cut in, taking pity on him. "You've already met him."
Jayce frowned, looking around in confusion, before realization dawned on him.
Oh no.
"Meet Dr. Viktor Zaun."
Vi made a halfhearted attempt at a grand gesture towards Viktor.
The young– insanely young– doctor just regarded Jayce with a completely unreadable expression.
Jayce was mortified.
"I am so sorry," he apologized desperately. "I was expecting someone older, I had no idea–"
Viktor–Dr. Zaun– raised an eyebrow. "Because I use a cane I must be elderly?"
Jayce's eyes went wide. "God no!" he held out his hands entreatingly. "That's not what I meant at all. I just heard that you were such a genius and a leader in your field, so assumed you must have had a very long career already."
Dr. Zaun watched Jayce apologize, his gaze never quite meeting Jayce's. His lips were set in a thin line, but Jayce thought he could see a flicker of amusement in his restless eyes.
"It definitely wasn't about your cane or anything like that," Jayce continued, unable to stop himself. "I didn't even know about the cane before now. I just didn't think it was possible for someone so accomplished to be so young. But obviously you are. At least you look young. Congratulations on that."
Jayce winced at his own words. Congratulations?
"Alright, I should get back to work," Vi said, standing from her chair. She wasn't even trying to hide her smile at Jayce's expense. "I went ahead and brought this month's shipment, figured I'd save myself a trip later."
"Thank you, Violet," Dr. Zaun said politely. "Dr. Talis."
Jayce jumped at the sound of his name, snapping to attention.
"Could you bring that up from the dock?" He asked the question innocently, hands folded in his lap.
"Of course," Jayce immediately agreed.
"Great," Vi said. She turned to Jayce. "You can carry a few 30 lb crates up that trail, yeah?"
"Er, yeah," Jayce confirmed, feeling pretty certain that he could , but also certain that it wouldn't be fun. "No problem."
Vi gave his bicep a firm pat, like one would pat the flank of a horse. "I already like this one more than the last guy," she said. "Try not to scare him off for at least a couple weeks, will you, Viktor?"
Viktor just hummed noncommittally, his face as inscrutable as ever.
We'll see.
~~~
5 trips.
It took 5 trips up and down the steep, rocky trail to bring the entire shipment of supplies up to the observatory.
By the end of the first trip, Vi's ship was nothing more than a speck on the horizon, having left all of the crates on the dock for Jayce to haul up. Dr. Zaun disappeared as well, presumably to the lab, and Jayce had been left to guess where he wanted the boxes stacked.
By the end of the second trip, Jayce's clothes were once again soaked and plastered to his body– this time with sweat instead of rain.
By the third trip, Jayce's arms had turned to jelly.
By the fourth trip, his legs were threatening to buckle beneath him.
Yet, through it all, Jayce kept going, only stopping long enough to take off his blazer and roll up his sleeves. He wanted Dr. Zaun to be impressed with him. Clearly, he was the latest in a long string of assistants, all of whom had been found lacking. Jayce was determined to be the one that stuck. So few people had ever stepped foot on this island, ever had the chance to lay eyes on this telescope, let alone look through it. He would not squander this opportunity.
The fifth trip was, strangely, easier than the fourth. Perhaps it was the promise of a long rest and a hot shower at the end. With a relieved sigh, he pushed open the door to deposit the last heavy box in the kitchen.
Jayce sagged against the counter, breathing heavily.
His gaze snagged on a printed sheet of paper left on the table.
Welcome new assistant.
You are responsible for the following daily duties:
- Preparing meals
- Keeping Living Quarters clean
- Basic physical labor (i.e. lifting equipment)
- Refueling Generators
Please remain on call and available during all working hours.
It was the least explanatory job description Jayce had ever seen, but it was all he had to go on. After making such a poor first impression in his initial meeting with Dr. Zaun, he definitely had some work to do to turn this around.
It was already well past lunch and nearing an early dinner time. Jayce looked over at the cushioned red armchair by the window. He sighed softly, longing to sink into the soft chair and rest for a minute or two.
But he had a job to do.
First on the list:
- Preparing Meals
He went straight to the sink, washing the grime of the forest from his hands. Then he began rifling through the cabinets, exploring his culinary options.
The selection was limited to say the least.
The fridge was almost completely barren, housing only a water purifier and a half-eaten jar of pickles. The freezer contained only a lonely ice cube tray and a few miscellaneous tupperwares of mystery food.
The cabinets were only barely better stocked. A random assortment of canned goods cluttered the shelves, most of them borderline useless for creating a meal. Not that he had anything against green beans, but they hardly made for an impressive entree.
After combing through his options multiple times, a plan formed. Jayce reached up to the highest cabinet to pull out a can of yams hiding in the corner, and one of the few cans of SPAM remaining in the cabinet as his protein. As an afterthought, he grabbed the green beans too.
As he lit the pilot light and listened to the tick tick tick of the stove starting up, he was transported back to childhood days spent with his mother in the kitchen. She was a great cook–although she always claimed she was terrible. But anyone who had tasted her menudo knew she was just being modest.
Not being able to share a meal with his mom was the one thing that made Jayce hesitate before accepting this position. It wasn't going to be easy to be away from her for this long.
But perhaps he could still find ways to feel close to her, even a thousand miles from his Texas home.
Jayce sliced the SPAM up into thin pieces and laid them out on a plate. The only seasonings he could find in the place were salt and pepper. He had to take a few deep breaths after making that discovery.
The yams were canned in a syrupy sauce, which he drained into a pan and left to simmer. One by one, he placed the slices of SPAM into the syruppy yam sauce to caramelize. That should add some flavor to the meat at least.
The green beans he simply heated up in a saucepan, and did the same with the yams. Within 15 minutes, everything was done and plated.
It wasn't a five star, gourmet meal by any means, but Jayce was relieved to see that it at least looked like a respectable dinner, especially considering what he had to work with.
Jayce carried both plates out of the kitchen–
And almost ran over his new boss.
Dr. Zaun stumbled backwards before Jayce could trample him, grabbing onto the counter for support.
Jayce staggered forward, barely managing to catch himself against the counter with his forearms while still balancing the plates of food in each hand. He ended up with an arm on either side of Dr. Zaun, boxing him in against the counter.
"Dr. Zaun!" Jayce exclaimed breathlessly. "Sorry, I didn't see you there!"
Dr. Zaun leaned back into the counter. He looked up at Jayce, eyes fixed somewhere near his jaw.
"Viktor," Dr. Zaun said, still not looking Jayce in the eye. His gaze flickered down from Jayce's arms to his sweat-stained shirt to his mud-caked shoes.
Jayce frowned. "What?"
His eyes came back up to Jayce's face, which was still improperly close to his. "I prefer Viktor," he repeated. "Not Dr. Zaun."
Jayce felt a small flutter of hope in his belly. It felt very casual and friendly to call your boss by only their first name, but thus far Dr. Zaun had seemed neither casual nor friendly. Perhaps this meant Viktor was already warming up to him.
"Just Viktor?"
"Yes," Viktor confirmed.
Jayce felt a smile bloom across his face.
Viktor looked down at the floor.
"Could you please pass me my cane?"
Jayce jerked back, cheeks heating as he realized that he'd been trapping Viktor against the counter this whole time. "Of course!" he said, setting down the dishes and fetching the fallen cane. He handed it to Viktor, then picked up the plate he'd been holding.
"I made dinner," Jayce announced proudly.
Viktor's brow creased subtly. He leaned forward with his cane to support him now. "Dinner?"
Jayce looked back at the kitchen. "Um, yes?"
Viktor pursed his lips. "Dinner is typically served at 07:00 here. In the morning."
"Oh," Jayce felt like an idiot. Of course their lives revolved around the night here, it was an observatory. Charting the stars is an activity best done in the dark, which meant daylight was for sleeping. "Breakfast, then."
Viktor looked at the food and then back at Jayce– or at least in the vicinity of Jayce. "It is the middle of the afternoon. I only came down to see what all the noise was about."
"Sorry," Jayce winced. "I wasn't thinking about the different schedules–"
"It is fine." Viktor said. "But you should probably sleep. Our night begins at 19:00."
Jayce nodded seriously. "Of course. I'll clean this up. Quietly." Jayce looked down at the plates he'd foolishly prepared. "Do you want a midnight snack before bed?" Jayce half-joked.
Viktor looked down at the food, considering. Then, much to Jayce's surprise, he took a plate and disappeared up the small staircase attached to the living room that presumably led to his bedroom.
Then Jayce was once again alone.
Jayce looked down at his own plate of dinner, suddenly much less eager to eat it. He walked around the room, trying to decide where he should sit. The table was too cluttered with crates from Vi. The plush armchair clearly belonged to Viktor. He eventually settled on the lumpy brown sofa, perching nervously on the edge and balancing his plate on his lap.
The SPAM didn't turn out too badly. The sweetness from the syrup balanced out the saltiness of the packaged meat well. He ate his whole plate, ravenous after so much physical exertion in one day. It struck him that this was the first time he'd sat down since the 8 hour flight to Hawaii. No wonder he was exhausted.
With food in his stomach, and the warmth of a tropical evening around him, all Jayce wanted to do now was curl up and fall asleep.
Unfortunately, he wasn't sure where he was supposed to do that.
He supposed his quarters must be upstairs, since there clearly weren't any other rooms down here. After cleaning his dishes in the sink, he tentatively started up the stairs.
Jayce froze each time the floorboards creaked, feeling like he was about to be caught doing something he shouldn't.
You're allowed to be here, he reminded himself.
Probably.
The upper floor was just as compact as the rest of the house. At the top of the stairs was a small landing and three doors.
One of the doors was smaller than the other two, and left open to reveal a toilet, a sink, and a small bathtub.
The other two doors were seemingly identical. Jayce hesitated, not wanting to choose the wrong one.
Then he noticed a plate sitting outside one of the doors. The green beans were almost entirely untouched, but Viktor had eaten a few bites of the yams, and all of the SPAM had disappeared.
Viktor's room.
Jayce felt a bit chuffed that his ridiculous SPAM creation had turned out so well, and made a mental note that Viktor didn't care for green beans. He took the plate downstairs to wash up, then climbed back up the stairs, this time with much more confidence.
He opened the door across from Viktor's. He had decided with certainty it must be his through process of elimination.
Inside was a tidy, compact bedroom. It contained one small bed, one mirror, a wardrobe, and a little bedside table with two drawers. Best of all, there was a secretary desk with a chair positioned right in front of the window.
Jayce went straight to the desk, opening and shutting the desktop with a smile, loving the way it tucked away so neatly when it wasn't in use.
He pushed aside the soft, white curtains and peeked outside.
The view stole the breath from his lungs.
He was up high over the vast island, and could see green treetops for miles, and beyond that, the vast grey sea. The clouds were still dense this afternoon, and as they shifted he could see different parts of the island.
Jayce marveled at this tangible proof that he was further from home than he'd ever been before.
He expected a pang of homesickness, but perhaps it was a bit early for that. Right now, he just felt excited.
All his life, Jayce had dreamed of getting out into the unknown, making discoveries and changing the world for the better. He hadn't been here long, but already he could tell that this was his chance.
He wasn't going to mess it up.
~~~