In a hole in the ground, there lived a nerd

He touches the map with the tip of his fingers, careful and light. He caresses the chair after hitting it roughly, as if to apologize. He begs a voice to just please talk to him a bit more. He asks for forgiveness from the people who imposed him and sent in that ocean. After everything, he carefully wraps the black box and pleads to his mother to keep it safe.

Even in this horrible situation, even after everything, the first opportunity he gets to shed the mask, he shows kindness to the very thing that is to become his tomb.

I drew a stranded Simon looking a little heavenly but also kind of lost. I don’t know what his expression means. I wanted him to look half dissociated in the water but instead I just made him vaguely angelic looking. I imagined really sad things about him but I can’t translate them to a canvas. My hand‘s still broken. Life is a fuck.

He does it all for you, Grace.

Like, black patches starting to build up on skin type dirty. Dude hasn't showered in several weeks.

I know Simon just got back from prison, but that aside, the standard level of grime on people must fucking suck. The COI folk were certainly cleaner than him. It must be pretty bad in a scarcity crisis like this.

But, aside from being freshly banged-up, I actually don't see any major scars (that line looks like an impact with the wall/hot pipe. We know the Iron Lung's walls were hot enough to boil condensation drops).

Since we know about how effective the Butcher was... yeah that checks out. I seriously doubt he's been overpowered often, considering literally everyone else is in some kind of calorie deficit (supposedly), and Simon is massive. Any time I try to explain that, it doesn't point to anything good:

Simon either stole enough food to stave off withering away in jail (which means he was playing dirty in there... I don't put that past him)

The COI was genuinely feeding him (I don't buy it)

He was eating good on Eden (equally as frightening to think about), and didn't spend much time in COI custody before getting put in the Iron Lung

Paraphrasing Markiplier, he wanted Simon to have a "rugged survivor build", hence getting into the best shape of his life for the role.

That also implies Simon was lowkey in the best shape of his life for this expedition (or possibly Filament's Battle). Dude was absolutely hogging the gym in prison. I laugh at the thought of Simon walking in there and everyone else getting up to leave immediately because they don't want to deal with his erratic bullshit LOL

Mining on rogue asteroids

Carrying cargo around

Cleaning fuel tanks and other systems

Repair work in dangerous area

Etc.

That always made much more sense to me than keeping a guy in a cell for months or years (depending on your timeline of choice) without using the ressources they were "investing" in him by way of space, air, water and food.

So, a la Jean Valjean (Simon Valsimon?... he did worse than steal some bread tho 😅) He got buff working those jobs eagerly because he wanted to make amends. And there might have been a additional food as a reward system based on results to explain that he was able to maintain his muscle mass even through starvation times.

Also bet he was kept mostly in solitary when not on duty 'cause of the controversial nature of his crimes, which would explain that he was left generally unscathed.

Scientist, politicians, and thousands of reporters gather to witness the aliens disembark the ship. A group of boulder-like creatures, clicking and whistling to the humans around them.

One of them raises something large and metallic towards the crowd.

There's an immediate recoil of fear (is it a weapon?!) before the audience realises it's human technology. A laptop, old and beaten and looks like it was put back together by a drunk.

The alien presses a button.