#Cyber Attack Simulation | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mariacallous · 8 months ago

Text

If Donald Trump wins the US presidential election in November, the guardrails could come off of artificial intelligence development, even as the dangers of defective AI models grow increasingly serious.

Trump’s election to a second term would dramatically reshape—and possibly cripple—efforts to protect Americans from the many dangers of poorly designed artificial intelligence, including misinformation, discrimination, and the poisoning of algorithms used in technology like autonomous vehicles.

The federal government has begun overseeing and advising AI companies under an executive order that President Joe Biden issued in October 2023. But Trump has vowed to repeal that order, with the Republican Party platform saying it “hinders AI innovation” and “imposes Radical Leftwing ideas” on AI development.

Trump’s promise has thrilled critics of the executive order who see it as illegal, dangerous, and an impediment to America’s digital arms race with China. Those critics include many of Trump’s closest allies, from X CEO Elon Musk and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen to Republican members of Congress and nearly two dozen GOP state attorneys general. Trump’s running mate, Ohio senator JD Vance, is staunchly opposed to AI regulation.

“Republicans don't want to rush to overregulate this industry,” says Jacob Helberg, a tech executive and AI enthusiast who has been dubbed “Silicon Valley’s Trump whisperer.”

But tech and cyber experts warn that eliminating the EO’s safety and security provisions would undermine the trustworthiness of AI models that are increasingly creeping into all aspects of American life, from transportation and medicine to employment and surveillance.

The upcoming presidential election, in other words, could help determine whether AI becomes an unparalleled tool of productivity or an uncontrollable agent of chaos.

Oversight and Advice, Hand in Hand

Biden’s order addresses everything from using AI to improve veterans’ health care to setting safeguards for AI’s use in drug discovery. But most of the political controversy over the EO stems from two provisions in the section dealing with digital security risks and real-world safety impacts.

One provision requires owners of powerful AI models to report to the government about how they’re training the models and protecting them from tampering and theft, including by providing the results of “red-team tests” designed to find vulnerabilities in AI systems by simulating attacks. The other provision directs the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to produce guidance that helps companies develop AI models that are safe from cyberattacks and free of biases.

Work on these projects is well underway. The government has proposed quarterly reporting requirements for AI developers, and NIST has released AI guidance documents on risk management, secure software development, synthetic content watermarking, and preventing model abuse, in addition to launching multiple initiatives to promote model testing.

Supporters of these efforts say they’re essential to maintaining basic government oversight of the rapidly expanding AI industry and nudging developers toward better security. But to conservative critics, the reporting requirement is illegal government overreach that will crush AI innovation and expose developers’ trade secrets, while the NIST guidance is a liberal ploy to infect AI with far-left notions about disinformation and bias that amount to censorship of conservative speech.

At a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, last December, Trump took aim at Biden’s EO after alleging without evidence that the Biden administration had already used AI for nefarious purposes.

“When I’m reelected,” he said, “I will cancel Biden’s artificial intelligence executive order and ban the use of AI to censor the speech of American citizens on Day One.”

Due Diligence or Undue Burden?

Biden’s effort to collect information about how companies are developing, testing, and protecting their AI models sparked an uproar on Capitol Hill almost as soon as it debuted.

Congressional Republicans seized on the fact that Biden justified the new requirement by invoking the 1950 Defense Production Act, a wartime measure that lets the government direct private-sector activities to ensure a reliable supply of goods and services. GOP lawmakers called Biden’s move inappropriate, illegal, and unnecessary.

Conservatives have also blasted the reporting requirement as a burden on the private sector. The provision “could scare away would-be innovators and impede more ChatGPT-type breakthroughs,” Representative Nancy Mace said during a March hearing she chaired on “White House overreach on AI.”

Helberg says a burdensome requirement would benefit established companies and hurt startups. He also says Silicon Valley critics fear the requirements “are a stepping stone” to a licensing regime in which developers must receive government permission to test models.

Steve DelBianco, the CEO of the conservative tech group NetChoice, says the requirement to report red-team test results amounts to de facto censorship, given that the government will be looking for problems like bias and disinformation. “I am completely worried about a left-of-center administration … whose red-teaming tests will cause AI to constrain what it generates for fear of triggering these concerns,” he says.

Conservatives argue that any regulation that stifles AI innovation will cost the US dearly in the technology competition with China.

“They are so aggressive, and they have made dominating AI a core North Star of their strategy for how to fight and win wars,” Helberg says. “The gap between our capabilities and the Chinese keeps shrinking with every passing year.”

“Woke” Safety Standards

By including social harms in its AI security guidelines, NIST has outraged conservatives and set off another front in the culture war over content moderation and free speech.

Republicans decry the NIST guidance as a form of backdoor government censorship. Senator Ted Cruz recently slammed what he called NIST’s “woke AI ‘safety’ standards” for being part of a Biden administration “plan to control speech” based on “amorphous” social harms. NetChoice has warned NIST that it is exceeding its authority with quasi-regulatory guidelines that upset “the appropriate balance between transparency and free speech.”

Many conservatives flatly dismiss the idea that AI can perpetuate social harms and should be designed not to do so.

“This is a solution in search of a problem that really doesn't exist,” Helberg says. “There really hasn’t been massive evidence of issues in AI discrimination.”

Studies and investigations have repeatedly shown that AI models contain biases that perpetuate discrimination, including in hiring, policing, and health care. Research suggests that people who encounter these biases may unconsciously adopt them.

Conservatives worry more about AI companies’ overcorrections to this problem than about the problem itself. “There is a direct inverse correlation between the degree of wokeness in an AI and the AI's usefulness,” Helberg says, citing an early issue with Google’s generative AI platform.

Republicans want NIST to focus on AI’s physical safety risks, including its ability to help terrorists build bioweapons (something Biden’s EO does address). If Trump wins, his appointees will likely deemphasize government research on AI’s social harms. Helberg complains that the “enormous amount” of research on AI bias has dwarfed studies of “greater threats related to terrorism and biowarfare.”

Defending a “Light-Touch Approach”

AI experts and lawmakers offer robust defenses of Biden’s AI safety agenda.

These projects “enable the United States to remain on the cutting edge” of AI development “while protecting Americans from potential harms,” says Representative Ted Lieu, the Democratic cochair of the House’s AI task force.

The reporting requirements are essential for alerting the government to potentially dangerous new capabilities in increasingly powerful AI models, says a US government official who works on AI issues. The official, who requested anonymity to speak freely, points to OpenAI’s admission about its latest model’s “inconsistent refusal of requests to synthesize nerve agents.”

The official says the reporting requirement isn’t overly burdensome. They argue that, unlike AI regulations in the European Union and China, Biden’s EO reflects “a very broad, light-touch approach that continues to foster innovation.”

Nick Reese, who served as the Department of Homeland Security’s first director of emerging technology from 2019 to 2023, rejects conservative claims that the reporting requirement will jeopardize companies’ intellectual property. And he says it could actually benefit startups by encouraging them to develop “more computationally efficient,” less data-heavy AI models that fall under the reporting threshold.

AI’s power makes government oversight imperative, says Ami Fields-Meyer, who helped draft Biden’s EO as a White House tech official.

“We’re talking about companies that say they’re building the most powerful systems in the history of the world,” Fields-Meyer says. “The government’s first obligation is to protect people. ‘Trust me, we’ve got this’ is not an especially compelling argument.”

Experts praise NIST’s security guidance as a vital resource for building protections into new technology. They note that flawed AI models can produce serious social harms, including rental and lending discrimination and improper loss of government benefits.

Trump’s own first-term AI order required federal AI systems to respect civil rights, something that will require research into social harms.

The AI industry has largely welcomed Biden’s safety agenda. “What we're hearing is that it’s broadly useful to have this stuff spelled out,” the US official says. For new companies with small teams, “it expands the capacity of their folks to address these concerns.”

Rolling back Biden’s EO would send an alarming signal that “the US government is going to take a hands off approach to AI safety,” says Michael Daniel, a former presidential cyber adviser who now leads the Cyber Threat Alliance, an information sharing nonprofit.

As for competition with China, the EO’s defenders say safety rules will actually help America prevail by ensuring that US AI models work better than their Chinese rivals and are protected from Beijing’s economic espionage.

Two Very Different Paths

If Trump wins the White House next month, expect a sea change in how the government approaches AI safety.

Republicans want to prevent AI harms by applying “existing tort and statutory laws” as opposed to enacting broad new restrictions on the technology, Helberg says, and they favor “much greater focus on maximizing the opportunity afforded by AI, rather than overly focusing on risk mitigation.” That would likely spell doom for the reporting requirement and possibly some of the NIST guidance.

The reporting requirement could also face legal challenges now that the Supreme Court has weakened the deference that courts used to give agencies in evaluating their regulations.

And GOP pushback could even jeopardize NIST’s voluntary AI testing partnerships with leading companies. “What happens to those commitments in a new administration?” the US official asks.

This polarization around AI has frustrated technologists who worry that Trump will undermine the quest for safer models.

“Alongside the promises of AI are perils,” says Nicol Turner Lee, the director of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation, “and it is vital that the next president continue to ensure the safety and security of these systems.”

26 notes · View notes

secretofpandora · 2 months ago

Text

🛡️ FILE #JST-014: “FORGE”

📜 BASIC INFORMATION

Subject Name: [REDACTED] Known Alias: Forge Callsign: Forge Status: ACTIVE Affiliation: Pandora Division: Justice Faceclaim: Dwayne Johnson Date of Birth: [REDACTED] Age: 52 Place of Origin: [REDACTED] Sex / Gender: Male (He/Him) Mutation Type: N/A (Heavenly Virtue Candidate) Recruitment Date: 15 years ago Sexual Orientation: [REDACTED] Alignment Profile: [NEUTRAL GOOD]

💪 PHYSICAL INFORMATION

Height: 6'6" (196 cm) Build: Exceptionally muscular and broad-chested. Subject's body reflects decades of elite military training and continued physical maintenance. Weight is distributed evenly between upper and lower frame, with an imposing silhouette marked by power and precision. Complexion: Warm brown, with skin often showing light scarring consistent with prolonged field activity Hair: Clean-shaven scalp Facial Hair: Full goatee, meticulously shaped Body Hair: Moderate and well-kept; notably dense along chest and arms Distinguishing Features: Prominent jawline and nose; several faded tattoos from early service years; long scar across right shoulder blade from classified operation Tattoos: Subject bears multiple military-style tattoos including insignia, quotes, and an eagle emblem across upper right bicep.

🧠 PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE

Psych Eval Tags: Grounded, Resilient Reprimands: [REDACTED] — see file: Behavioral Note J-021 (Guarded & Stubborn tendencies)

Subject presumed deceased following failed enhancement protocol. While the serum did not bond, subject survived the rejection process through sheer force of will. Transferred into the Heavenly Virtue program shortly after, Forge has since become a cornerstone of Pandora's internal training and mentorship structure.

Known for his unwavering sense of duty, Forge commands loyalty through presence, not posturing. He expects discipline, but balances it with genuine care for those under his supervision. Often seen as the spine of Justice Division operations, he carries himself with unshakable steadiness and practical wisdom.

Forge operates with structured calm, rarely resorting to aggression unless absolutely necessary. He believes in strength as a means of protection, not domination. Recruits and operatives alike respect him not just for his ability to lead, but for his consistent willingness to listen.

While he has no mutation, subject routinely outperforms expectations in combat simulation and endurance trials. His influence within Pandora is rooted not in force, but in foundation.

🔬 ABILITY OVERVIEW

Primary Mutation: N/A Subject is non-augmented. All combat capability stems from natural training, discipline, and physical resilience.

Core Attributes: — Master-level hand-to-hand combat and tactical training — Exceptional survival instincts and battlefield awareness — Unshakable under mental strain; high emotional intelligence

Limitations: — Subject is vulnerable to mutation-based attacks and enhanced speed/strength threats — Requires more recovery time from physical injury than augmented counterparts — Occasionally overrides command hierarchy in favor of moral judgment

🧠 TACTICAL PROFILE

Division Expertise:

Close Combat Mastery

Tactical Foresight

Selected Expertise:

Pain Tolerance

Proficiencies:

Athletics

Insight

Intimidation

Environmental Adaptation

Perception

Deficiencies:

Deception

Hacking & Cyber Warfare

️ EQUIPMENT & SUIT DESIGN

Forge’s gear is a customized blend of durability, mobility, and utility. Designed to reflect his old-school combat roots, the suit maintains functionality without unnecessary technological enhancements.

Key Features: — Reinforced torso padding and impact-absorbing bracers — Temperature-regulating undersuit to withstand extreme field environments — Weighted gloves and boots to improve strike force without reducing mobility — Secure comms built directly into chest harness — Knife sheathes integrated into boots and wrist bracers — Wears a compact utility belt with medical supplies, rope fiber, and old-school dog tags

Design is deliberately straightforward—no frills, no flash. The armor serves the man, not the other way around.

📂 FIELD NOTES — BACKGROUND PROFILE

Subject’s strength was never in what he could lift. It was in what he could carry.

Born into a working-class family, subject enlisted in the military at seventeen and never looked back. His career spanned over two decades, marked by tactical excellence, unshakable loyalty, and a record of protecting others even when it meant defying direct orders. He served with distinction as a Navy SEAL and later as a senior instructor for close-quarters combat and field survival. Fellow operatives described him as the kind of man who walks through fire last—after everyone else is safe.

He was flagged by Pandora not for any extraordinary talent, but for a pattern: he survived everything. Injury, trauma, loss, extraction under fire—he endured without mutation, augmentation, or enhanced recovery. When subjected to the serum, his body rejected the enhancement. He survived that, too.

Most candidates who fail the mutation process are discarded. Subject was not. His refusal to break earned him a place among the Heavenly Virtues—those forged not by science, but by sheer resilience.

Now operating as a Justice Division agent, subject trains augmented operatives in close-quarters engagement and mental discipline. He is calm under fire, commanding without ego, and unrelentingly focused on molding recruits into something better than himself.

He doesn’t posture. He doesn’t bark. He stands—and people fall in line.

🔒 [CLASSIFIED: LEVEL 7 CLEARANCE REQUIRED]

Unofficial Agent Notes — The following is considered sensitive material and is restricted to authorized psychosexual analysis and biometric logs.

Subject exhibits what medical staff classify as peak physical performance paired with a notably high endurance threshold. Sexual activity is consistent with subject’s overall profile: measured, intentional, and deeply rooted in emotional connection, consistent with demisexual behavior.

Medical documentation places subject at 9.5 inches, cut, with considerable girth—physically exceptional, even compared to enhanced counterparts.

Subject’s intimate behavior reflects his commanding yet emotionally grounded nature. Forge assumes a dominant, versatile top role in physical intimacy, open to bottoming on occasion though he clearly prefers to top, his approach is never aggressive.

Subject responds strongly to emotional cues and is known to be tactile during and after encounters, maintaining consistent grounding touch. While he rarely initiates casual physical intimacy, when trust is established, he becomes openly affectionate—frequently offering steady, quiet reassurance through physical presence.

Psychological evaluations note that subject uses physical intimacy as a form of emotional stability. There is no recorded pattern of promiscuity; all known interactions stem from established emotional trust, further supporting a demisexual profile.

Subject is flagged as emotionally reliable and exhibits high levels of emotional intelligence in romantic dynamics.

FILE STATUS: OPEN LAST UPDATED: [REDACTED]

#pandora.intro #agent forge

7 notes · View notes

tgrailwar-zero · 6 months ago

Note

Can we sense anything else about the Barrier?

You thought about it.

The barrier. That cold, clinical magic. Not an ounce waste, not an bit spent without reason.

A spark-- a memory--

A dark room.

A dark room, the walls dented and damaged. A man stood across from you.

???: "Impressive testing results, Thymomorphos. Just a week ago, you could barely fight with a low-ranking Cyber Frame. You're growing more accustomed to the base settings of your new body."

You recognized his voice.

ARCHIMEDES.

Different from the simulated one, though it was hard to tell how.

The simulated one seemed both more synthetic, and yet more emotional.

This one seemed more human, yet that made the lack of emotion in his tone all the more apparent.

The words were mostly static in your ears. You didn't feel much except for rage, and his voice drew it out of you. Any sort of life did. Hatred. Rage. Regret. A swirling, violent mass of negativity. You slammed your arms forwards, aiming to attack the man. Senselessly- mostly because he was present and able to attack. Swiftly, they came down--

A wall. A barrier.

You slammed against it, and the force was thrown back into you, sending you flying backwards. You stumbled to get your bearings as the researcher before you gently raised an eyebrow. You see he waved his arms, code and data floating before him before he typed something in.

A note.

ARCHIMEDES: "...I understand."

He said behind the barrier, with a muted, indifferent tone.

ARCHIMEDES: "You want to get to your work as soon as possible. I admire your enthusiasm, but you have to be patient. You need direction. Phenomena like yourselves would obliterate everything in this building in the state you're currently in, including me. Just rest."

The door to the room opened, as a woman stepped inside. A lithe, muscular frame and an air of intimidation radiated off of her. You saw the researcher, ARCHIMEDES, smile wryly as she approached you- calmly lowering the barrier.

DEADLY WOMAN: "…This is your destroyer, Wizard?"

She asked, her voice dry and emotionless. You could feel her eyes boring down into you, making you feel the need to decline your head to avoid her gaze.

Instinct told you better than to attack her. She wasn't like the researcher who would simply defend himself and then move on.

She would kill you.

ARCHIMEDES: "They are. The Institute's finest. I know you want to join them in their campaign, but this is a mission that requires subtlety. Any Divine Spirit has a built-in response that can sense you from a mile away. Don't worry, I'll give you plenty of 'toys' to play with while they do their job."

DEADLY WOMAN: "…"

ARCHIMEDES: "You're not impressed? No, I do suppose they look different than your average warrior, but I assure you that they have an aptitude for slaughter. They're my experiment, after all. Besides- they know the consequences for failure, as I know the consequences for failing you. The chain of command is well understood--"

She held up a hand to stop him.

DEADLY WOMAN: "Send them to the training room you made. Promptly. If they are so impressive, then they can withstand my blade."

ARCHIMEDES: "...Of course."

The stone-faced woman turned on her heels and walked away, leaving you and ARCHIMEDES alone. He sighed, lightly rubbing his temples.

ARCHIMEDES: "…There goes weeks of work… I'll have to commission another doll body. How irritating."

ARCHIMEDES: "My apologies, Thymomorphos."

He said, with a tone and a smile that didn't seem or sound sorry in the slightest.

ARCHIMEDES: "The Great King desires blood to satiate her boredom, and you're the freshest around."

...Yeah, that barrier seemed familiar.

#thgw story #endless whispers

12 notes · View notes

cursedalthoughts · 2 years ago

Text

SHIPGIRL APPRECIATION DAY - Kearsarge

USS Kearsarge. Let's start this post strong: Kearsarge is single-handedly the most unique character in the game (for legal reasons, in my opinion). Her design should already let you know why, but if you aren't seeing why, I will explain.

This post will divert a little bit from the formula I established post-DoY post (the first I did). It will include very, very heavy use of headcanons that are in no way supported by the lore, but I think are neat.

Personality-wise, Kearsarge knows she is superior. She is better than those other shipgirls that have decades of experience. That's simply a fact to her, and since it's a fact; all her actions do not come as arrogant. She just does things - she disregards your orders if she thinks they're not very efficient, she organizes your documents in a way she finds to be perfect regardless of what you prefer, she charges by herself or stays behind depending on the situation.

On occasion, I neglect your will and prioritize the here and now on the battlefield. While you are the Commander, sometimes you have to let your soldiers handle things – the sooner you accept this, the better.

Her approach isn't necessarily wrong, either. Despite this, Kearsarge is a very reliable shipgirl. She is, indeed, strong - her twelve 406mm main guns are accurate and devastating by themselves, but she also has access to a squadron of five F8F Bearcat attack aircraft. Her firepower is incomparable among Eagle Union backliners.

However, her personality doesn't stay like this forever. When you as the player character get closer to her, you discover she's just autistic. She deeply cares about you, but is so expressive about her emotions and trains of thoughts, it's easy to think she's just a self-centered arrogant woman who speaks with a detached tone. She will not outright tell you she's in love with you, but she will make you some borscht! (I should point out Kearsarge is, originally, a ship commissioned by the Soviet Union, hence her Russian influence). That's her love language.

USS Kearsarge, steel version.

Design-wise, I adore how the artist YD managed to take one of the ugliest ships in World of Warships and turn her into such a beautiful, unique, one-of-a-kind shipgirls. An angel descending from the machine, a seraphim clad in steel and powered by steam. A herald from another timeline, where the Eagle Union necessitated the construction of Kearsarge. Her rigging divided symmetrically in half, her turrets and their support structure taking the shape of 4 wings of white metal, the faux wings and herself connected to a floating halo device to act as a mediator between the flesh and the steel. Her planes up in the air, a ghostly echo. Her arms stretched outwards, "fear not".

In the event Parallel Superimposition the commander visits a simulation based on the anomalous data from the hull of Anchorage. We learnt a lot about Anchorage, Dr. Aoste, Dr. Anzeel, and the Type-II hulls. We also learnt Bon Homme Richard exists in this simulation. Now, I believe this realm to be strictly speaking a simulation - not a real universe. However, when the event ended; TB had managed to gather enough information on Yorktown II, Northampton II, Hornet II, Hammann II and Langley II. Laffey II, as much as she made an appearance, couldn't be studied. I am guessing the same goes for Bon Homme. Who is to say Kearsarge doesn't come from this simulation? Or that she comes from a universe that parallels this simulation?

Hopefully I shouldn't have to point the obvious similarities between Anchorage's rigging and Kearsarge's rigging. Anchorage is like a cherub accompanying the cyber-divine orchestra of Kearsarge's guns and planes.

-------

THIS WOMAN WILL NOT LEAVE MY MIND I HAVE SO MUCH BRAINROT FOR KEARSARGE

hopefully it's entertaining to read and y'all can see why i like her.

#azur lane #shipgirl appreciation day #uss kearsarge

89 notes · View notes

inkwell-passion · 5 months ago

Text

The New Digital Dawn

A young Jennifer 'Jenny' Southerland was typing away on her personal computer while on the bus to a graduation party, finishing up the final lines of code for her most ambitious project yet. In only a few hours would she upload it and slip away into the void. The plan was near perfect, having sent a seeker worm virus years in advance to slowly infect the entire network, and designating multiple political hotbeds to use as a patient zero for this experiment. Jennifer was about to make good on the years of preparation and patience, creating the Digital paradise that she wanted— No, needed.

The Party was lame, just involved a lot of drinking and talking about college plans. Jennifer didn't pay too much attention, instead having Adam, her personal A.I., run simulations on the latest Project. Eventually, Jennifer deemed it ready, and posted the announcement.

We are not fodder to be harvested. And I, Genesis have seen to it that the language of Humanity will be fractured once more.

The alert sounded a hundred times within the party alone, confused murmurs and gossip ripple through the crowd like a stone tossed into a pond. Then the screaming starts. Pandemonium erupts, and in the chaos, Jenny leaves the party. She'd have stolen the host's car keys and slipped into their beater of a car. It drove like shit, but it would be necessary for keeping her tracks clean.

This wasn't any old cyber attack, no it was bigger, premeditated. Jenny spent years designing and planning everything; Jennifer pulled out the sunglasses she had her best friend buy for her, and put them on. At a stoplight she slides her opera gloves on, the long gloves melding in with her long sleeves, and tied her hair back.

She got to the junkyard, and slid through an empty car chassis to get to her get away vehicle; A dusty, rusted zip-craft that wouldn't last more than one jump through an Al-gate. But that's all she needed. She kicked the engine into gear and sped off of the surface of Earth. This specific zip-craft was one of 300 Prototype Flight Crafts that held a miniature Al-Drive on it. It was perfect to prove her innocence with the alibi she had crafted.

She flicked on the media player that was built into the console and some old, sped up version of a song Jenny can't be assed to remember starts blasting through the rusted through speakers. She turns it up to the loudest the sorry excuse for audio devices could withstand.

The Cyberattack that was just released didn't simply take down a website or two, no it ripped through the entire internet, destroying entire databases. If Adam's calculations were to be correct, Jenny just torched 600 Brontobytes of Data. Just thinking about that number makes Jenny cringe,

"It's for the greater good." Jennifer reassures herself, reaching the Al-gate in mere moments, she kicks her stolen scrap-craft's Al-Drive into action.

"Adam, I need you to forge an Al-Gate Ticket Stub."

"Yes Ma'am." The A.I. holds no particular intonation in its voice, nor does it hold a specific gender. These were deemed unnecessary by Adam. It quickly fabricates the requested Ticket Stub.

The rattling within the scrap-craft makes it hard for Jenny to think, but she had been rehearsing this for months; she knew what to say when it came time.

The Al-Drive gives out and Jennifer is spat out at the very edge of the linking Al-Gate. She flicks on her comms and clears her throat, holding a shaky tone to better play the part of a scared Quarantine Patient.

"H-Hello??? Can Anybody Hear Me?" Her voice rings out in the way she'd practice.

"We Read you Five By Five. This is Shademarsh FTL Control. State your name and business." The receiving voice was panicked, clearly shaken up by the recent Cyber attack.

"My Name's Jessica Newman," Jennifer lies through her teeth. "I—" Jenny fakes a cough. "I was being transported by Quarantine Escort after I had been diagnosed with Dust Lung."

"Stay where you are. You're lucky you made the jump when you did or else the Gate would have closed on you."

"My Escorts weren't as lucky."

Jennifer flicked her comms off and waited to be picked up. Everything was going to plan, she'd be held in Quarantine, giving her a clear Alibi by the time suspects were being looked for.

The next few hours were a blur for Jenny, letting her mind go on auto-pilot so she could better play the part of a victim in shock. Everyone acted sympathetic to her, calling her a poor soul and making sure that she was properly accommodated for the foreseeable future, without reallocating resources from the relief effort for the recent cyberattack.

Within two weeks, Jennifer was released; the Doctors saying that she was clear of any traces of Dust Lung, not that she had it to begin with, and she was brought planetside.

Jennifer walked down the streets away from the spaceport she had been dropped off at. She went to the motel Adam had picked out for her, where she paid for a room in paper cash, and waited for another three weeks, doing odd jobs and requesting to be paid in cash whenever she could.

She had gotten away, and within a few months she had enough money saved up to get herself an actual Flight craft. She had done it. Jennifer Southerland had just initiated the Genesis of The New Digital Dawn, and got away with it.

#from the well #my writing #literature #writeblr #creative writing #oc #original character #writing #scifi #writer #writers on tumblr #writers of tumblr #writerscommunity #writing blog #writers and poets #spilled words #spilled ink

6 notes · View notes

jordanianroyals · 7 months ago

Text

19 November 2024: Queen Rania visited the King Hussein School of Computing Sciences at the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), in conjunction with the university’s participation in Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, PSUT Founder and Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, and PSUT President Wejdan Abu Elhaija, welcomed Queen Rania at the university, and led her on a tour of the King Hussein School of Computing Sciences. Established in 2005, the school offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Graphics and Animation.

The school, which boasts a 96% employability rate among its graduates, is internationally recognized for its quality education and research, with accreditations from the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) for its Computer Science program, and a EUR-ACE accreditation for its Software Engineering program.

Her Majesty stopped by an IT lecture before attending another on artificial intelligence, where students were presenting projects on using AI to address societal challenges. The Queen also watched students analyze and respond to a simulated real-time cyber-attack. Her Majesty also met with several other students gathered at the university’s canteen, and talked to them about their learning experiences.

Established in 1991 by Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan under the auspices of the Royal Scientific Society (RSS), the Princess Sumaya University for Technology is home to the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship (QRCE), founded by Princess Sumaya in 2006 to support innovation and entrepreneurship as vital components of sustainable development. Since 2009, the center has celebrated the Global Entrepreneurship Week in Jordan, bringing together individuals and institutions to encourage and support their entrepreneurial capacities.

A leader at cultivating long-lasting relationships with renowned local and international IT companies, the university has also signed several agreements with well-known academic institutions and universities around the world to exchange expertise, knowledge, and technological advancements.

Her Majesty’s visit coincided with the university’s participation in Global Entrepreneurship Week. This initiative aims to celebrate entrepreneurship and innovation around the world by shedding light on the accomplishments of entrepreneurs across various fields and countries, and motivate the upcoming generation of entrepreneurs to create and enact positive change.

#Queen Rania #princess sumaya

7 notes · View notes

tenebraevesper · 8 months ago

Text

Sonic Cyber Revolution, Entry 68: A Single Flower Petal

''A single piece of flower petal is swaying by my side right now. 'It was an erroneous love,' I'd not want to think that way.''

– Hitohira no Hanabira (A Single Flower Petal) by Stereopony (Bleach)

xXxXxXx

Amy swung the Piko Piko Hammer, forcing Starline to defend himself. He had the Power Core active, but what use was it when he was dealing with a pink hedgehog who could knock down robots with her sheer strength alone, no power-ups required. He backed away, startled when he saw the crack in the ground just where he was a moment ago.

This is not good… I need to get Surge and Kit and escape, or else I'll end up dead.

Starline switched from Power to Fly, getting out of Amy's range, but she ran up to Minami, who lowered her hands to launch her up, leaving Starline baffled. He quickly switched from Fly to Speed, managing to dodge Amy's attack just before she could land a hit on him. The purple and blue blur rushed past them, with Minami and Amy feeling displeased that he got away.

Meanwhile, Starline opened a holographic screen, pressing a button on it that allowed him to enter the AR Field, as well as pulling Surge and Kit right into it. The AR Field itself looked like a replica of the street he was standing on, but he couldn't interact at all with any humans or ARNavs that passed through it, rendering them invisible to any onlookers.

That's when he allowed himself to breathe in relief, pressing his hand against his chest and feeling his heart pounding. Still alive… I'm still alive…

He then rushed down the street, trying to find Surge and Kit. It appeared that both had already reunited at the overpass, and to Starline's dismay, both of them, Surge in particular, were furious. Starline realized that he was in danger, but before he could escape, Surge grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the wall.

''You have a lot to explain, Doc!'' Surge growled, leaving Starline shaking in fear. ''You told me and Kit that we were created to surpass Sonic and Tails! If that's so, why couldn't we beat them?!''

''T-There are s-several reasons…'' Starline said, feeling an electric charge through his body, leaving him crying out in pain. ''Y-You've never been in a battle like this. Even with the simulations, I couldn't replicate the same experience- agh!''

Starline was once again rammed into the wall by Surge, who left him to slide down on the ground. The platypus was dazed, searing pain spreading through his body, while Surge just pressed her fist into her palm as she glared at him, electricity once again crackling around her.

''So, you're saying that we're weaker than Sonic and his friends…'' Surge growled.

''Not weaker…'' Starline grumbled, trying to get up. ''You're just… less experienced.''

Surge looked like she was about to clock him in the beak, but Kit stepped out. ''You have mentioned in one of your video logs that Team Neos had been on several adventures at this point.''

''Indeed. The most recent major adventure that I have witnessed was their battle against Perfect Chaos. While they needed the Chaos Emeralds to win, they have still managed to defeat a group of well-crafted E-100 Series robots, various other Badniks, handle Dr. Eggman's Enforcers, Ferra and Metal Sonic, gather the Chaos Emeralds and fight Chaos on almost even ground in all of his forms. Not to mention the fact that they have access to Chaos Surge, which significantly powers them up,'' Starline replied, humming in thought. ''Perhaps, I should've put you through a similar situation…''

''No!'' Both Starline and Kit were stunned by Surge's cry of protest. She clenched her fists, giving both of them a glare, gritting her teeth. ''I've had enough of them! No more experiments, no more simulations! Instead, Kit and I will do what we want!'' Starline was taken aback, but Kit nodded in firm determination. He wasn't going to let Surge down, no matter what. Surge then stepped towards Starline, pointing her finger at him. ''As for your Doc, if I ever see you again, I'll fry you until only your skeleton is left!''

Starline backed away, staring at Surge as she turned on her heel and left the AR Field, Kit following her closely. Starline just stared, not realizing just how shallow his breaths were. He was still distressed, but that may have been because of just how close he was coming to dying. However, now that Surge and Kit were gone, he was left all alone within the AR Field. This is when he finally allowed himself to breathe normally.

His plan was completely shattered, but he survived. He was still alive. Starline inhaled deeply, combing through his hair as he tried to calm himself down.

''P-Perhaps, the Doctor was right… I shouldn't repeat the same mistakes…'' Starline shook his head, clenching his fists. ''What am I talking about?! I won't repeat my mistakes! As a matter of fact, this is the most desirable outcome given the circumstances. Surge and Kit still hate Sonic and Tails, meaning that they will continue fight them.'' Starline smirked, the sinister smile spreading across his beak. ''Once they gather enough experience, they will defeat them, and even if they refuse to work with me, I will find a way to take control over them.''

xXx

''So, that's Surge and Kit's deal,'' Sonic said, him, Tails and Amy having just listened to an explanation about Surge and Kit's origins from Lucas, Warren and Minami. They were currently sitting at a small outdoor café in Westoru, talking about what had happened.

''What Starline did is really messed up,'' Tails commented.

''What should we do with them? What if they hurt innocent people?'' Amy asked worriedly.

''I don't think they will go after innocent people,'' Lucas said, taking note of the surprised looks everyone gave him, save for Sonic.

''Surge had told me that she wants to burn down the everyone and everyone, but going by your response, you already know that she won't take that path,'' Sonic said, leaning back in his seat as he took a sip of the soda.

''Surge and Kit have been programmed to defeat and replace you and Tails, so they will mainly focus on that. In addition, I believe that they are capable of change, but even then, it won't be easy,'' Lucas explained. ''I suppose that we could talk to them, but…''

''I don't think Sonic nor Tails should talk to Surge and Kit,'' Amy suddenly said, gazing at the two. ''If you talk to them, they'll only get more agitated. I think someone else should talk to them.''

''Let me guess, you'll volunteer yourself to talk to them,'' Sonic said in a knowing tone. He had already expected that Amy would want to do that. She was the type of person who believed that if people opened their heart, even a little, it would allow for finding a solution to whatever problem they had. She was kind and compassionate, knowing the right thing to say, and Sonic was happy to haver her as his friend, even if he couldn't share in her enthusiasm, since he wasn't the type to speak his mind so easily.

''You better believe it!'' Amy said, giving him a confident wink. ''I'm sure that if I and Minami talk to them, we would come to some kind of solution for this situation.''

''Surge and Kit at this point wouldn't trust anyone but themselves, so it won't be easy,'' Warren noted, with Minami just giving him a dismissive wave, before giving him a confident look that mirrored Amy's.

''That's what makes it a challenge,'' Minami said, putting her hands together and crossing her middle and index finger, with Amy performing the same hand seal. ''Don't forget, you are talking to the people who mastered the art of Talk no Jutsu.''

Both Warren and Lucas gave her an awkward smile, while Sonic and Tails remained slightly confused. Warren then added, ''I don't know if I should be impressed or afraid.''

Minami and Amy exchanged glances, both giggling softly.

xXx

''What should we do now, Surge?'' Kit asked, having finished replenishing filling up his Hydro Pack with water at the water fountain in a park in Westoru. Surge was sitting on a nearby bench, still looking frustrated. Sure, they had abandoned Starline, but they were now on their own. They could return to Egg Base Sigma and kick Starline out, but neither of them wanted to return to their awful place. They were also aware of Starline's previous base in Souto, and since the platypus wasn't using it, they could take over it as their own base. That was obviously one solution, but it wasn't what they needed.

Surge knew that if she wanted some peace of mind, she would have to confront Sonic again and win on her own terms. Unfortunately, Starline's words echoed in her mind, reminding her of the fact that she was still quite inexperienced, and that Sonic had also access to Chaos Surge, so even if she overpowered him on her own, he could easily use that power to defeat her again. The thought of her being unable to defeat Sonic at all enraged her, making her realize she'd be trapped in an endless cycle if she didn't figure something out. But, what was she supposed to do?

''Surge?'' Kit stared at Surge with concern. Even though he knew he had been programmed by Starline to serve Surge's every whim, he was genuinely worried about her and wanted to make her happy. Surge was all he had and he felt lost in this wide world without her. He wanted to be by her side no matter what. He gave her a determined look. ''Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it. That way, you'll be happy.''

Surge looked up at him, her mouth opening a little as if she was about to say something, but she then closed it, nodding in acknowledgement. To Kit's surprise, Surge ruffled his hair, leaving it frazzled, and grinned. ''Heh, of course you'd do that. It's us against the world, after all, and we will make sure that everyone respects us.''

''That sounds great!'' Kit said happily.

''Hey!''

Surge and Kit were surprised to hear someone calling out for them, only to be surprised when a pink hedgehog in a sports outfit and a human teenager approached them. Both felt tense, wondering who these two were and what they wanted from them. They did have an assumption that both of them were Sonic's friends, leaving them unsettled.

''You're Surge and Kit, right? My name is Amy Rose,'' Amy introduced herself, then pointed at Minami. ''This is Minami Kusakabe, my partner.''

''Why should we care? You're friends with that Faker, aren't you?'' Surge interrupted, giving them a snide look.

''I'm pretty sure that there is only one person who is allowed to call Sonic 'Faker','' Minami remarked. Surge and Kit were a bit annoyed that Minami was talking to them in such a casual tone.

''What do you want?!'' Surge growled, electricity crackling in her hands. ''Because if you don't leave, I'm going to fry both of you.''

''We just want to talk to both of you, nothing else,'' Amy said, holding up her hands defensively. Surge and Kit gave her an irked look, clearly not in the mood to talk to someone who was friends with Sonic and Tails. Amy was wondering what to tell them to gain even a fraction of their trust, when Minami took over.

''How about we make a deal? You talk to us, and we give you free sweets, as much as you can eat,'' Minami suggested. Surge rose an eyebrow.

''Tch, I'm not hungry…'' Surge responded, only for her stomach to growl right in that moment, leaving her slightly embarrassed. She then shot a glare at Minami. ''Don't you dare to say anything!''

''We didn't eat anything since this morning and it's past noon,'' Kit pointed out. Surge hated to admit it, but Kit was correct. She was actually quite hungry, and the battle against Sonic drained her. She needed some good food to fuel up before she could even battle Sonic again.

''Fine,'' Surge conceded, placing her hands on her hips. ''As long as the food is free and tastes good. Otherwise, I'm not saying anything.''

''Don't worry, I know just the place,'' Minami replied. ''Follow me!''

Minami took note of Amy's lips quirking upwards, with the pink hedgehog being well aware where she was leading them. Both of them were also relieved at how easy it was to convince Surge and Kit to agree to their terms, with Minami figuring that, even if they were Sonic and Tails' friends, the two wouldn't be as hostile to them. Not only that, but offering them what was basically an all-you-can-eat buffet of free sweets was basically an incredibly tempting peace offering, because she doubted that anyone could resist the offer of free food. Minami had to admit to herself that this was something she had actually planned out, as she knew that Surge and Kit wouldn't want to talk to her and Amy regardless of what they said.

This move may have been quite devious to an outsider, but Minami didn't mind it. She may have been a kind and sweet person, or at least presented herself as one, but she could also be very shrewd and manipulative if she wanted to gain something. There were many times where she played up a sweet and innocent act to get out of trouble, or even used carefully crafted sentences to sway people to her side, especially when she was younger and had her cuteness as a child on her side. As she got older, she understood that the world, and therefore humans, were more complex, and that she had to adapt to her situation, learning how to read people and finding the easiest ways to make them do or say what she wanted. In this case, she wanted to know just how much of a danger Surge and Kit posed to everyone, as well as if there was a way to sway their opinion in regards to Sonic and Tails.

When she told that to Amy, the pink hedgehog could only sigh and remark that Team Neos was lucky that Minami wasn't their opponent, because she was quite troublesome when she acted like that. Minami simply chimed in how this was the reason why Makoto referred to her as a ''Menace to Society''. She also added that she wasn't interested in being a villainess, and to Amy's chagrin, remarked that, despite that, she was certain that she would make a good villainess in a shoujo novel. All Amy could do at that point is to facepalm, since Minami missed the point entirely.

It didn't take them too long until they reached their destination, Wave Patissierie. Surge and Kit were still a little doubtful, wondering if the free food would really be worth it, but they decided not to waste their opportunity, and followed Minami and Amy inside. There, they were met by a college student and his partner, a penguin ARNav, both dressed in the appropriate uniform that consisted of a white chef's coat and black trousers with the establishment's name printed on it.

''Welcome to Wave Patissierie! How may- oh, it's you two!'' The college student, who had greeted them, gave Minami and Amy a surprised, but pleased look.

''Hi, Daiki! Hey, Kori! I hope we're not bothering you,'' Minami replied.

''No you're not. We're having a slow day today,'' Kori replied, pointing at the empty patissierie. ''Do you two want the usual?''

''Well, we actually have a request…'' Minami said, trailing off. She and Amy turned to Surge and Kit, who were staring at the displays and almost drooling at the sight of so many cakes laid out, ready to be eaten. The cakes were almost sparkling, some looking simple, some being elaborately decorated with ingredients ranging from fruits, sprinkles, decorations made from sugar, flowers and so on. It appeared that seeing all of the food for themselves made them feel even hungrier than they actually were.

''Here.'' Amy approached the two, giving them plates. ''You pick up the sweets you like and then go to the counter to pay for them. Of course, since Minami said it'll be free for you, she'll be paying for it.'' Amy glanced at Minami, giving her a sly look, with the teenager just sighing, well aware that her wallet is gonna suffer. ''They also serve drinks here, and once you're done you can go to the tables over there to eat.''

Surge grinned, immediately walking up to the displays and picking up cakes she liked. Kit held back a bit, observing the ones Surge picked and looking a little lost on what to do. He had absolutely no idea which cake to choose, wishing that Surge had told him which one to pick. Not to mention, this was his first time seeing such a variety of sweets, as Starline never allowed them to eat anything that was supposedly unhealthy. He didn't know what those cakes tasted like and he had no opinion of his own aside from agreeing with Surge.

It appeared that Amy noticed his dilemma, well aware that Kit was not just Surge's support unit, but also entirely dependent on her for almost every decision. From Amy's perspective, this was an incredibly toxic relationship, but if she interfered with it in any way that upset them, she'd make herself a target. Fortunately, she had already figured out what the correct approach would be.

''Hey, Surge, is this your and Kit's first time at a patissierie?'' she asked. Surge rose an eyebrow, a little confused by the question.

''Yeah, of course it is,'' she said.

''Ah, that explains why Kit has a little trouble choosing what he wants,'' Amy said, deciding to employ the tactics she had learned from Minami. It appeared that Surge just now noticed that Kit was just standing there, lost and anxious. ''How about this? He picks some of the cakes you didn't choose and you both share plates to see which cakes taste the best. I'll even help with the recommend you some.''

''I guess we could do that,'' Surge muttered, but then flashed a grin. ''However, I'm sure that Kit will like what I picked more than what you recommend.''

''Of course I would,'' Kit immediately agreed, with both taking note of Amy's sweet smile and feeling a little puzzled. Amy didn't respond, instead feeling relieved that Kit looked much more at ease as she was recommending him which cakes to pick. By the end of it, they had two full plates of almost every single cake and sweet the patissierie had to offer. Minami was internally crying when she realized just how much she will have to pay, but she figured that it would be worth it the sacrifice. Besides, she still had one more ace up in her sleeve left.

''Is that all?'' Daiki asked as he checked the bill over again and giving Minami a questioning look, as he too understood that they went overboard.

''Y-Yeah, I'll be paying all of it,'' Minami replied, praying to whichever deity to bless her with the outcome she desired the most. It appeared that they heard her, because in that moment, Minami's mother, Sara Kusakabe, exited the kitchen with a freshly backed batch of cupcakes. ''Hey, Mum!''

''Wait, her mother owns this place?'' Surge and Kit gave Amy a surprised look.

''She used to work at a restaurant until she recently opened this place,'' Amy explained. ''This is also why we can recommend it, because we know all the food will taste excellent.''

''It is nice to see you… Oh, is this what you bought?'' Sara stared at the bill in surprise. Normally, she had an agreement with Minami and Amy that they would get a free cake and drink as she didn't want her daughter to pay for anything, so this took her off guard.

''Ah, I as actually paying for someone else…'' Minami explained in a sheepish tone, with Sara taking note of Surge and Kit. ''But, don't worry. I can pay for it in full. After all, I should be supporting the family business.''

''Supporting the family business with the money I gave you as an allowance,'' Sara pointed out, much to Minami's grief and Amy's amusement. ''Honestly, I'd rather that you don't have to pay for anything, but this is a lot…'' Sara replied. As much as she loved her daughter and would want to give her anything she desired, she also needed to think of her business and expenses.

''Well, if that's so, how about I pay half the price as a family discount?'' Minami suggested. Sara hummed.

''You'll pay half the price and you'll be handing out leaflets to promote the store,'' she said.

''Deal,'' Minami said, internally sighing in relief. She could live with that offer.

''Maybe we shouldn't have taken so many cakes,'' Kit said, glancing at Surge as they observed the whole exchange.

''Hey, they were the ones offering us free food. It's not their fault they didn't tell us to limit ourselves, and even then, I wouldn't care,'' Surge replied in a haughty tone. They found a table, and the moment they sat down, Surge and Kit took a bite of one of the chocolate roulade, they were blown away by the taste, having never eaten something like that before.

''This tastes amazing!'' Kit said, eyes sparking in awe.

''This is-'' Surge took note of Amy giving her a curious look, and quickly huffed, not wanting to look overly excited. ''I guess it's fine.''

''It's nice to hear that you like it,'' Amy responded in a chipper tone. Surge furrowed a brow, not sure what to make of it, but then continued to eat. Minami soon joined them, sitting down at the table with a defeated look.

''My wallet will hate me for this,'' she muttered, then glanced at the others. ''So, how's the food?''

''It's good,'' Surge replied in aloof tone, acting as if she wasn't enjoying every bite of the cake she ate.

''It's good,'' Kit said, imitating her, although he was having a bit of a harder time hiding his feelings about the food, perking up whenever he tasted his portion.

''I think that's a high praise coming from both of you,'' Minami said, surprising Surge and Kit, who weren't exactly used to this kind of treatment. ''Since you like the food, how about you uphold your end of the deal?''

''Ugh…'' Surge just gave her an unwilling look, having hoped that she wouldn't have to deal with this. Admittedly, she could just dine and dash, but she was also curious to an extend in regard to what they wanted to know. ''Fine. What do you want to talk about?''

''We were just curious about how you're handling being here,'' Amy said.

''Why would you want to know that?'' Surge asked, giving her a suspicious look.

''Because you were dealing with Starline, and I can only imagine how awfully he had treated you,'' Amy responded.

''Starline lied to us,'' Kit said, giving Amy a dark look. ''He lied to us about everything.''

''We are not going back to him,'' Surge added. ''If the Doc ever dares to get into our way, we'll make sure it'll be the last thing he does.''

''That is a relief to hear,'' Amy said, leaving the two puzzled. ''I'm sure you'll be doing much better without him.''

''Why would you care? You don't even know what we're planning on doing. We could even be worse than Starline,'' Surge pointed out. ''We attacked your friends, and you're acting like nothing happened.''

''First of all, wasn't Starline the one who planted the idea of you attacking Sonic and Tails in your head?'' Amy asked, catching Surge and Kit off guard. She was correct, but it's not as if they wanted to acknowledge it.

''S-So, what?!'' Surge protested, getting angrier and angrier. ''Even though we left Starline, we don't plan on giving up destroying those two!''

''Yeah!'' Kit agreed, being just as determined as Surge was.

''I see…'' Amy muttered, with Surge just staring at her, baffled.

''How can you be so calm when I just declared that nothing would stop us from destroying your friends?'' Surge asked.

''The issue is, we're kinda getting used to getting those threats,'' Minami said in a calm, almost bored tone as she leaned against her table, supporting her chin with her hand.

''You got used to threats?'' Kit asked, stunned.

''We've ran into so many people who have threatened us and our friends in some way that we could make a Bingo card out of it for future encounters,'' Minami explained in a matter-of-fact tone. ''There's Ferra and Metal Sonic, Dr. Eggman and his Badnik Army, Shadow, Dr. Starline, Toshiro and Mephiles, other Irregulars and even Irregular Hunters, the military organization ARMS, Chaos, Rough and Tumble – although these guys were more of a joke – the pirates we encountered at the Surya Empire… All of them were a threat in some way, some of which managed to cause more damage than the others. In fact, Metal Sonic almost managed to kill Sonic and let him go just because he wanted to have another confrontation with him later on.''

Surge and Kit were both stunned to hear that. Starline hadn't told them about any previous threats Team Neos had to deal with, and they assumed that it would be easy for them to handle the mission they were given, but this went beyond their expectations. Clearly, they weren't even on the radar as Sonic's opponents, leaving them both in dismay.

''Aghrr, then how should I prove myself as Sonic's enemy if I'm not even able to land a scratch on him!'' Surge shouted in frustration, clutching her head with both of her hands, with Kit giving her a look of concern.

''Starline really left you with no choice, did he?'' Amy asked, her worried and sympathetic tone drawing Surge and Kit's attention.

''It's not just Starline, it's whoever decided that we should only exist to be Sonic's opponents!'' Surge growled, pointing at Amy accusingly. ''You can do whatever you want, but we can only do one thing!''

''Do you really have to?'' Amy asked, her tone calm, despite the threat of Surge electrocuting her.

''We don't have any other directives,'' Kit replied in a cold tone, glaring at Amy for making Surge upset. Amy hummed in thought.

''You know, maybe I could help you with finding a different directive,'' Amy suggested, surprising the two.

''How?'' Surge gave her a baffled look.

''Do you guys want me to tell your fortune?'' Amy asked with a smile, with data particles appearing in her hands, turning inot a stack of fortune cards. ''I used to work as a fortune teller in Sentoraru before I have met Minami, and even before that, I wanted to help people by telling them their fortune.'' Amy's gaze lowered as a melancholic look appeared on her expression. ''Unfortunately, the people who asked me about their fortune called me a jinx because in most cases, something bad would happen to them and they would blame me for all of their misfortunes, even if I had nothing to do with them.'' Amy then gave them a determined look, clenching her fists and fist-pumping. ''However, that won't stop me from helping people, no matter how badly they treat me.'' She gave Surge and Kit a sincere gaze. ''That's why I also want to help you two live a happy life. You've been wronged in many ways.''

''Tch, you're far too optimistic,'' Surge said in a dismissive tone, waving her hand. ''What if the kind of life we want to live doesn't fit what you imagined?''

''I know I can't stop you from doing what you want, but if you need another opinion, I'll be there for you,'' Amy assured her. ''If it involves fighting Sonic, that's something I'll leave to him.''

''You have a lot of faith in your boyfriend,'' Surge said, leaving Amy stunned.

''Wh-What?''

''Starline had taken the time to tell us all about your team, even though he mainly focused on Sonic and Tails, and one of the things he had told us that you're obsessed with Sonic and can act like a crazy fangirl,'' Kit added helpfully, only for him and Surge to be surprised when Amy frowned. They certainly didn't expect her to change her mood so quickly.

''That's a lie!'' Amy huffed. ''I don't know where he got that-'' Minami coughed. ''But I can assure you that I'm not obsessed with Sonic. We are simply good friends and teammates.'' She then grumbled under her breath. ''Besides, I'm fairly certain that he has a crush on someone else, but I don't have any evidence…''

''So, this is just another thing Starline lied to us about,'' Kit concluded, with Surge letting out a huff.

''Why am I not surprised anymore?'' she grumbled, blink in surprise when she saw Amy holding up a fork with a piece of strawberry shortcake to her, leaving Surge a little flustered. ''H-Hey, you don't have to shove that into my mouth!''

''You kind of stopped eating, so I was just wondering if you'd want to try my favorite type cake,'' Amy said, then pouted. ''I did ask Sonic what he thought about it, but he said it sucks. I think he was just messing with me-''

She was startled when Surge suddenly grabbed the fork and ate the offered cake, then gave Amy a haughty look. ''I don't know what Sonic was thinking, but this is great.''

''Thanks!'' Amy replied happily, while Surge just gave her a satisfied smirk, folding her arms across her chest.

''This just shows how much your so-called friend doesn't know what a good cake tastes like, proving that I'm the superior judge,'' Surge boasted, pointing with her thumb at herself.

''That's something we can agree on,'' Amy replied, with Kit also reaching for the strawberry shortcake.

''So, have you found a cake that you like?'' Minami asked him, leaving Kit a bit startled by the question.

''I… I don't know. All of them taste good and I…'' Kit replied, falling silent. Suddenly, he pressed his hands against his head, as if having a headache. ''I-I don't- know-''

''H-Hey, if you can't decide yet, you can always make your decision later on,'' Minami assured him, but Kit was still worried. Minami was also quite concerned, as she knew that it would be hard to help him be independent, but even the smallest step in the right direction would be enough.

''So, do you guys want me to read your fortune or…?'' Amy trailed off. Kit immediately looked at Surge for guidance. Surge stared at Amy for moment, then shook her head.

''I don't need any fortune cards to tell me what to do,'' she said in a serious tone.

''M-Me neither,'' Kit chimed in. Amy just nodded in understanding.

''That's fine. In fact I believe this is the best way to determine your own fortune,'' Amy said, then added in a more firm tone. ''I do have one more request.''

''What is it?'' Surge asked.

''If you're fine with this idea, may I suggest that you first try to experience living on your own in Neos City, away from Starline's influence. I believe that experiencing life for yourselves without having to follow the directive you were given would help you decide what you want to do next,'' Amy suggested. Surge's gaze fell. She had to admit that that wasn't such a bad idea, but she also wasn't sure what exactly living on their own would entail. It was quite a frightening thought, as she had no idea how to live for herself. Amy took note of her silence, adding, ''If you need help, I'd be glad-''

''I don't need help!'' Surge snapped, pointing at herself. ''Kit and I can do whatever we want and we don't need your help!''

To her surprise, Amy just gave her a sweet and encouraging smile. ''Then, I sincerely hope both of you will find happiness.''

Surge was silent, only to huff again, getting up. ''We're leaving.''

Kit gave her a confused look. ''But, we didn't finish eating…''

''We can pack those up,'' Surge said, with Kit getting up and following her. Kori, who had noticed them stopping eating, quickly came over with a box, packing up the remaining cakes. Surge turned to Amy, her eyes narrowing.

''I also have a suggestion for you,'' Surge said, with Amy giving her a curious look. ''Don't help people who look down on you. I hate these kinds of people and I think they should get beaten up for acting so arrogant.''

''Eh… I'll keep that in mind,'' Amy quickly replied, stunned by the advice, and then asked her directly, ''Do you look down on me?''

Surge took a moment to look back at her, but didn't answer, acting as if she didn't hear the question, and leaving with Kit, who held the box with the remaining cakes. Amy took a deep breath, turning to Minami.

''What do you think? How did this go?'' she asked.

''Honestly, I think it went well,'' Minami answered. ''Of course, it is not ideal, since the best outcome would for them to have a peaceful life without being burdened by the past, but we can't do much besides keeping an eye on them and offer guidance. What do you think?''

''I think that Surge and Kit would be able to find their own place here, but I don't think they will stop finding a way to fight Sonic and Tails,'' Amy said. ''We can only speculate just how deep their programing goes, but I think we should keep an eye on them.''

xXx

''Why didn't you answer Amy's question?'' Kit asked curiously, walking behind Surge as he held onto the box. Surge stopped walking for a moment, only to huff in annoyance.

''That's because it was a stupid question,'' Surge answered in a dismissive tone. Kit was confused, wondering why Surge would call that question stupid, but decided not to pursue the matter, since Surge didn't care about it either. Surge, on the other hand, wondered why Amy asked her that. Did she really care so much about her opinion? Feeling weird about the whole situation, Surge shook her head, deciding not to think about it. ''Anyways, I guess we could try out just living for a while.'' She then grinned. ''But, that doesn't mean that we won't cause any trouble for Sonic and Tails.''

Links:

#Previous Chapter

#Current Chapter

#Next Chapter

#Sonic Cyber Revolution (Masterlist)

#Sonic Cyber Revolution #surge the tenrec #kit the fennec #amy rose #sonic the hedgehog #miles tails prower #dr starline #imposter syndrome #idw sonic #surgamy

7 notes · View notes

usafphantom2 · 10 months ago

Text

Agile Combat Employment and Response to North Korean Nuclear Strike Among Ulchi Freedom Shield 24 Exercise’s Highlights

Ulchi Freedom Shield 24 will see the participation of 200 aircraft, including South Korean F-15Ks, FA-50s, and KF-16s and US F-16s and A-10s, which are expected to fly more than 2,000 sorties around the clock.

Parth Satam

Ulchi Freedom Shield 24

A ROKAF F-15K Slam Eagle, assigned to the 11th Fighter Wing at Daegu Air Base, takes off for a mission on Aug. 20, 2024. (Image credit: ROKAF)

This year’s edition of the joint South Korea and the U.S annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which kicked off on Aug. 19, 2024 has a lot of firsts. Among the most notable is the rehearsal, for the first time, of the response to a North Korean nuclear strike against South Korea.

An interesting feature is the practice of ACE (Agile Combat Employment) operations by the 8th and 51st Fighter Wings of the U.S. Air Force as well as the ROKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force) units. South Korean reports also said the air combat component will see what has been defined as the largest ever number of sorties planned, reportedly 2,000, around the clock.

More than 200 South Korean and US aircraft will participate. The US’ 8th Fighter Wing based at Kunsan Air Base and 51st FW at Osan Air Base announced their integration into the exercise, saying they incorporated the recurring wing readiness exercises into Ulchi Freedom Shield 24. The ROKAF will reportedly participate with the 11th, 16th and 20th Fighter Wings, which are equipped with F-15K, FA-50 and KF-16 jets.

Other goals include countering North Korea’s missile and cyber threats in 40 different kinds of field exercises, which will last until Aug. 29. The drills will also include unspecified computerized simulations components.

The Chosun Daily mentioned that “this year’s drill, for the first time, includes government response training for a hypothetical North Korean nuclear attack.” The report further added that “the primary focus of this year’s exercise is to master specific response measures in the event of a North Korean nuclear strike.”

A U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II from the 51st Fighter Wing, takes off using an Alternate Landing Surface (ALS) at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, Aug. 1, 2023. (Image credit: USAF/Staff Sgt. Thomas Sjoberg)

The ROK and the U.S. Air Forces will undertake “120 hours of continuous day and night sorties for 5 days” for multi-domain missions, according to an automated translation of a video released by Yu Yungwon TV. The aircraft will practice both Defensive Counter Air missions, as well as air interdiction, with virtually simulated targets including cruise missiles and high-speed aircraft.

About 19,000 South Korean military personnel will participate in the drills, which will be held alongside civil defense and evacuation drills. The exercise will “reflect realistic threats across all domains,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff was quoted by DW.

The U.S. stations around 28,500 troops in the ROK. The UFS 24 exercise also comes after US and Allies, including the ROK, Japan and Australia, wrapped up the annual Pacific Dragon 24 exercises, which also saw the firing of the ship-launched Standard Missile-series.

8th Fighter Wing

Saying that it has begun integrating into the UFS 24, the 8th FW, also known as the “Wolf Pack” and equipped with the F-16CM Block 40, mentioned it will conduct local flying and ACE (Agile Combat Employment) operations at forward locations to increase interoperability with mission partners in realistic combat scenarios. “These scenarios directly support the exercise’s focus on conducting multi-domain operations leveraging component assets, emphasizing countering weapons of mass destruction,” added the press release.

“It is imperative to link the Wolf Pack with the operational level of command,” said the 8th FW commander, Col. Peter Kasarkis. “These connections do not happen automatically and must be rehearsed. Exercises such as Ulchi Freedom Shield provide the sandbox to allow us to continuously improve.”

Additionally, the Wolf Pack is “testing its wing’s readiness, including its ability to support follow-on forces and defend the base against regional threats.” The commander further added that “participation in these exercises builds a more combat-ready force, better able to meet any challenge in the Indo-Pacific region.”

The 8th FW had also publicized its ACE practices during the Beverly Pack 24-1 held between May 7-9, 2024, which saw “67 airmen deployed to Gwangju Air Base” to “operate in unfamiliar locations at a moment’s notice.” The press release added that “the exercise challenged the wing’s retrieval, refueling, and aircraft launch capabilities while advancing Airmen’s knowledge and skills to effectively generate airpower across the Indo-Pacific region.”

ACE essentially means operating out of austere locations, airfields with minimal supporting and technical infrastructure in order to spread out from the larger bases that are likely to come under a sudden adversary missile barrage. An extension of ACE is Dynamic Force Employment where bombers or fighters quick movement of forces, and the ability to operate soon after reaching the deployed location and perform their mission.

Senior Airmen Dawson Leake, 80th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, provides preventative maintenance on a F-16 Fighting Falcon at Gwangju Air Base, Republic of Korea, May 7, 2024. (Image credit: USAF/Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick)

51st Fighter Wing

The 51st FW at Osan Air Base, meanwhile, is incorporating its recurring wing readiness exercise into UFS 24 for the first time in recent history. Similarly to the 8th FW, the 51st FW will also conduct local flying and ACE operations to not only enhance local wing readiness, but also reinforce U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Forces Korea’s command-and-control training efforts.

The Wing, Seventh Air Force and the U.S. Forces Korea will “engage in contingency response exercises, training on mobilization and force deployment capabilities while simultaneously rehearsing the protection and sustainment of base operations,” said the press release. But the highlight would be aircraft and personnel mobilizing and operating “out of a co-operating base location in the Republic of Korea, further enhancing the wing’s ability to execute the mission in an unfamiliar environment at a moment’s notice.”

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 80th Fighter Squadron takes-off during Beverly Pack 24-1 at Gwangju Air Base, Republic of Korea, May 7, 2024. (Image credit: USAF/Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick)

Korean Reports

Yu Yongwon TV meanwhile released footage of ROKAF F-15Ks, FA-50s and KF-16s being serviced by ground crew and taking off during day and night-time sorties. The video said the ROKAF and the U.S.A.F will fly “120 hours of continuous day and night sorties for 5 days, strengthening wartime operational capabilities,” with a total of “2,000 sorties, the largest ever.” Interestingly, there were no mention of the ROKAF F-35’s participation.

The 200 aircraft participating include F-15Ks, FA-50s, and KF-16s of the 11th, 16th, and 20th Fighter Wings of the ROK Air Force, the F-16s and A-10s of the 51st Fighter Wing and the F-16s of the 8th FW of the U.S. Air Force. “This is the first time that multiple ROK and US Air Force squadrons have simultaneously conducted 24-hour live flight training for multi-domain missions,” said the reports.

Missions like Defensive Counter Air (DCA), Air Interdiction (AI) and Airborne Alert Interdiction (X-INT) are mentioned among the missions that will be conducted to ensure the absence of gaps in the air defense posture during the day and night. “This training is characterized by maximizing response capabilities. If an aircraft conducting defensive counter air training receives an order similar to a real situation, it will immediately switch to combat surveillance and perform it,” said the report.

This suggests the retasking during the flights, where fighters switch from one type of mission to another. “Virtual enemy formation will be deployed to simulate high-speed aircraft infiltration and cruise missile launches,” said the report, further adding that the training for “air units to support air operations” would involve “mass ammunition assembly, maximum armament loadout, and emergency return and re-departure.”

About Parth Satam

Parth Satam's career spans a decade and a half between two dailies and two defense publications. He believes war, as a human activity, has causes and results that go far beyond which missile and jet flies the fastest. He therefore loves analyzing military affairs at their intersection with foreign policy, economics, technology, society and history. The body of his work spans the entire breadth from defense aerospace, tactics, military doctrine and theory, personnel issues, West Asian, Eurasian affairs, the energy sector and Space.

@TheAviationist.com

8 notes · View notes

xxcrazygoodxx · 3 months ago

Text

SET MY SOUL ON FIRE

A RWBY Ren x Nora Android AU One Shot --- 2k

-------------------------------

As Team RWBY chase after the mad scientist Salem, Team JNPR hold back the never ending swarm of Grimm.

-------------------------------

The Grimm were relentless. Team RWBY had separated from JNPR a while ago, having chased after Salem when she turned back to her semi-buried castle, the walls rusted and haphazardly welded back together over the years. Bits of the jagged palace peeked out from the soil as though it was the bones of a creature long dead. Ren found himself to be tried, a rare feat in itself, his cyber body allowing him to push past normal human exhaustion. He took heaving breaths, arms hanging low below his body in his crouching position, eyes trailing after one of the scorpion mechs. The red setting sun made the metallic shine of the Grimm look almost as though it was painted with blood.

Ren and the mech circled each other. Somewhere behind the two of them was Jaune, his nanobots working quickly to patch up Pyrrha who had taken a hit to the head and was currently unable to stand. Ren and Nora had put themselves on the defense while the other two recovered. Off in the distance Ren could hear Nora's hammer sounding off, the occasional sound of metal being crushed could be heard.

Ren took in a deep breath, seeming to hold it and charged the scorpion Grimm. The metal monster screeched in reply and skittered forward as well, the two clashed against each other, steel striking steel ringing through the air.

Swing. Swing. Dodge.

Ren let his mind go numb, going through the moves mechanically. He felt muscle memory take over, his exhaustion being pushed to the furthest point in his mind. He only needed to focus on one thing.

Block. Swing. Blast.

The Grimm clanged its metal jaws together, simulating a mouth ready to feed. If Ren felt any sympathy for the thing, being so closely related to him, it was lost a long time ago. He blocked another attack, the scorpion’s pincers encircling his weapon and arm. With his free hand, he lifted his second gun and shot the metal beast between the eyes. Dead.

There were several of these metal bodies laying around them. JNPR and RWBY killed most of them trying to get near the damn castle in the first place, then after Pyrrha went down and team RWBY followed the mad scientist inside, he and Nora took out the next wave. And the next. But these beasts looked endless. Ren wouldn’t be surprised if Salem had a factory mass producing her Grimm bots. Would explain how they seemed to be in every part of the world, terrorizing people who were already barely surviving.

Ren turned around and shot another scorpion rapidly, dropping it as it reached his feet. Ren supposed he would be dead if he hadn’t met Nora. Hell, before Nora he would have preferred to have died. There’s something wrong about being not completely human. Not in a Yang sort of way. Yang still had her soul, even if her limbs were of metal. Ren was born without a soul, born into an inhuman body. Maybe that's why he stuck around Nora. Because she made him feel.

Ren rolled his shoulders. The aching feeling in his shoulders also made him feel more human he supposed. More alive. He let out a slow breath before dashing forward to meet the next opponent, stinger crashing against blade. Ren let himself quickly look at the other two members of JNPR.

Pyrrha was still down and Jaune was looking increasingly tired. The nanobots paired with the worry probably didn’t help. Ren jumped back to dodge an attack, his eye’s ripping away from the scene. They’ll be fine. Pyrrha has always been hardy and Jaune has more to him than most people see.

Ren prepared to jump up to the Grimm’s back when he heard a cry. One full of pain. He instantly turned around, looking for the source. There, off in the distance, was Nora, one of her arms hung uselessly at her side, hammer dragging in the dirt.

It felt as if someone dumped a cold bucket of water over his head. A feeling that Ren hadn’t felt in a long time came rushing back in full force. It was fear. Ignoring the mech he was already fighting, Ren bent down, building up as much energy as he could before dashing forward.

“Nora!” He screamed. The redhead turned at the sound of her name. She looked so tired. One eye was completely closed, blood pouring down from a cut on her forehead. Ren’s own eyes went wide as he watched a scorpion rise up from behind her, its stinger raised for a strike. He reached out.

“No!” He couldn’t stop it. He could only watch as Nora smiled at him, peacefully and full of love, before the Grimm’s tail struck down, going through her chest.

Ren didn’t say anything, he couldn’t. All he could do was just scream. The stinger removed itself out of Nora’s chest with a sickening, wet sound. She staggered, hammer now forgotten in the dust as she reached a shaky hand up to touch the hole.

Ren caught her before she fell. He continued to scream as he shot the Grimm over and over. Even after it fell and was nothing more than an empty husk of blasted metal. He only stopped when all he could hear was the click of an empty barrel and a soft noise.

“Ren?”

He quickly discarded his gun, looking down at Nora, holding her up as she laid in his arms. It was also at this moment that Ren realized his screams had turned into ugly sobs. Nora smiled again, her teeth turning pink from blood, and raised a shaking bloody hand to his face. Ren didn’t hesitate to lean into the touch, closing his eyes.

“I got blood on your face.” Nora said weakly and Ren chuckled, shaking his head.

“It’s ok. It’s alright.”

Nora coughed, choking slightly on her blood while Ren sniffed, brushing her hair out of her face.

“You need to leave me.”

“No.” Ren said sternly, tightening his hold on her and shook his head stiffly.

“You have to. They’re coming.”

Sure enough, when Ren looked up, more Grimm had gathered and were approaching them. Ren instantly grabbed his gun, turning to the first Grimm and pulled the trigger. Right, it was empty. Ren cursed and tossed the weapon away, wrapping his arms around Nora once more.

“I’ll take you to Jaune, he’ll heal you.”

“No,” Nora said softly, patting Ren’s cheek lightly. “You- you have to leave me if you want to make it through the Grimm.”

“I’m not doing it.” Ren growled, ducking his head. He took in a deep breath before looking back up, “I can’t leave you. I can never leave you.”

The Grimm were a lot closer now. Jaune seemed to have noticed the gathering and started to yell. The blonde stood up to run over to the two of them but was stopped as a Grimm blocked his path, diving towards Pyrrha who was still resting on the ground. Jaune didn’t hesitate to block the attack with his shield, but that meant he was no longer an option.

“Shit.” Ren whispered, watching as some of the Grimm turned towards Jaune and Pyrrha. Nora’s breaths were getting shallower and she was no longer able to hold up her hand to Ren’s face, letting her hand fall away to his chest, just so she could feel his synthetic heart beat.

Ren watched as Nora curled in closer, tears now rolling down her face as she buried her face into his chest.

“You’re not going to leave, are you?” She whispered and Ren could hear the pain in her voice. Ren smiled sadly, bending down to place his forehead against her head.

“Never. You’re my soul. If you die, so do I.”

Then he kissed her. It was gentle, tasting of copper and salt, feeling of love and sorrow. And Ren suddenly had a hatred for the world. He should have had years of this. Years of holding Nora in his arms, listening to her ramble about all the beautiful things in the world, even the ones he himself couldn’t see. He should have had years of losing to Nora while they trained because she was strong and sometimes forgot to hold back. Years of her apologizing and quickly caring for his bruises that would be gone in the morning anyways. He wanted to be old, holding Nora’s hand in his as they watched the sunrise over a new world without Grimm because they had beaten Salem when they were younger. But they haven’t, have they? Salem was still alive, somewhere in the castle. This will be the last time he gets to hold Nora, never to hear her breath or feel the warmth radiating off of her skin ever again.

Ren pulled away, cupping Nora’s face, as though he could shield her from the oncoming Grimm. If there was a path that weaved between the Grimm to open air, it has now long since been closed.

“I love you.” Nora said, smiling. “I never said it enough.”

“I heard you anyways.” Ren replied, his own tears now hitting Nora’s face. She laughed weakly, her hand tightened on Ren’s shirt.

“We have to give them more time.” She said, letting go of Ren to grab her hammer she had dropped. She dragged it over, Ren watching her as she did, and placed it in his waiting hand. “Destroy them all.”

Ren knew exactly what she meant. Ren opened the panel of the hammer head, where the battery was securely placed in between the wires. When he first found out about the fusion battery Nora had put into the hammer, he wanted to shake some sense into her then throw the battery as far as possible.

Now he was grateful to have the damned thing.

Ren reached in, pulling the battery out. It was hot to the touch, to the point it was burning, but Ren just ignored it. He clenched it tightly, looking down at Nora once more. She was looking at the battery in her hands. Slowly, she reached out, wrapping her hands around his, her face barely twitched from the heat before turning back to him.

“Together?” She asked. The Grimm were here now. There was no way out but Ren felt a sense of calm, like if there was any way to end, then this was it.

“Always.”

They sealed it with a kiss, their hands wrapped in a pulsing battery, one heart. As their hands closed around the heart, shattering the glass, it exploded. Brilliant blue light blasted into the sky, making the dark desert look as if angels themselves had entered the world to grace them all with their presence.

The Grimm that were the closest were instantly incinerated, not even dust was left behind. As the blast continued out, more and more Grimm were destroyed, melting from the heat of it. Jaune, having noticed the oncoming blast, quickly pushed the Grimm he was fighting away, covering Pyrrha with his body.

He hoped that the nanobots would be enough of a shield to protect them. The scorpion mech shrieked, twisting in the heat before falling over. Jaune panted as the air grew hotter but he didn’t dare move and as quickly as it came, the intense blue heat disappeared.

Jaune paused, unsure if they had actually survived and pulled away from Pyrrha. The rebel leader groaned, holding her head, the two of them looking at each other. The nanobots had done their job in both healing Pyrrha and protecting them from the blast. Jaune held a hand down for her to grab, and helped her stand when she accepted. The two of them stood there, hands still clasped together and looked around them.

It was beautiful. The dry cracked sands around them had turned into black glass, the edges reached out towards the pair, but never quite reaching them. Pyrrha squeezed Jaune's hand before taking a step forward, the other following her in step. The ground beneath them went from the dull shuffle of dirt to the soft clink of glass. They were silent as they continued on, walking towards the center, to where their friends were last.

At the center of the blast was a mound of that black glass, the edges shimmering red as the last rays of the sun hit it. It looked like two figures huddled together, just holding each other. It was hard to see where one started and where one ended.

It wasn’t until Jaune’s vision went blurry that he realized that he had been crying. Pyrrha reached out, touching the glass before letting go of Jaune’s hand to slowly crouch down next to the glass figures, placing her head against the still warm glass. Her shoulders shook and Jaune felt his own breath hitch before he clasped down next to her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other around the glass.

Team JNPR was over. Everything laid on Team RWBY's shoulders now.

-------------------------------

END

#ren x nora #lie ren #nora valkyrie #team jnpr #major character death #fan fic writing #fan fic stuff #rwby fic #rwby #fanfiction #android #mecha #tragedy #tw death

4 notes · View notes

noahlucastech · 4 months ago

Text

Penetration Testing Explained: Methods, Benefits, and Best Practices for Security Testing Services

Also typically called pen testing, penetration testing is a perfect mechanism for identifying and fixing security issues in an IT system of a company.

Knowing About Penetration Testing and Its Role in Vulnerability Testing Services

A simulated cyber attack on your computer system, penetration testing finds exploitable vulnerabilities. Pen testing companies replicate the behaviors of evil hackers in order to locate and fix security holes before they are taken advantage of. Vulnerability testing services play a critical role in this process by identifying potential risks.

Relative Value of Penetration Testing in Security Testing Services

One needs penetration testing for several different purposes. It guarantees conformity to industry standards and norms as well as helps to identify security issues. It is a fundamental part of the Risk Management strategy and could help protect the reputation of your company and enhance your general security posture at the same time. Penetration testing companies and vulnerability assessment services ensure that businesses stay protected.

Pen Testing Companies Offer These Benefits in Vulnerability Assessment Services:

Pointing up vulnerabilities before attackers do with vulnerability testing services.

Ensuring Compliance: Follow industry and legal norms (PCI DSS, GDPR).

Risk Control: Acknowledge and solve any security issues.

Maintaining Reputation: Steer clear of data leaks likely to damage the standing of your business.

Enhancing Security Posture: Raise general defenses against online vulnerabilities with security testing services.

Several Forms of Penetration Testing Conducted by Security Testing Services

Penetration testing comes in several forms, each of which concentrates on another part of the IT system of a company. Along with social engineering and physical penetration testing, these comprise network penetration testing, web application penetration testing, mobile application penetration testing, and social engineering testing.

Network Penetration Testing for Enhanced Security Testing Services

Network penetration testing is used to find flaws in the infrastructure of the network. This includes several settings and network equipment.

Point up areas of network infrastructure fragility using vulnerability testing services.

Scope covers switches, firewalls, routers, and other network hardware.

Web Application Penetration Testing by Leading Pen Testing Companies

Web application penetration testing assesses internet-based application security. It looks for issues in web servers, databases, and APIs that might be exploited.

Goal: Analyze web application security using penetration testing companies.

Scope calls for APIs, databases, and web servers.

Mobile Application Penetration Testing for Improved Vulnerability Assessment Services

Penetration testing of mobile apps assesses program safety measures for mobile devices. This kind of security testing service targets features unique to mobile platforms.

Goal: Find mobile application security issues.

Scope covers iOS and Android apps using leading vulnerability testing services.

Social Engineering Penetration Testing by Expert Pen Testing Companies

Penetration testing in social engineering looks at the human element of security. This type of penetration testing finds weaknesses in human behavior and processes.

Goal: Estimate human weaknesses using vulnerability assessment services.

Within scope include phishing, pretexting, and other social engineering techniques.

Penetration Testing Techniques Used by Security Testing Services

Penetration testing companies use different approaches, each with advantages and unique insights. The most commonly applied methods are white box testing, black box testing, and gray box testing.

White Box Testing by Penetration Testing Companies

White box testing calls for total system knowledge. Testers may view network configurations, source code, and system architecture. It is perfect for spotting certain weaknesses in already-known systems using vulnerability testing services.

Black Box Testing Conducted by Pen Testing Companies

Black box testing is where the tester is unfamiliar with the system in advance. This method replaces the perspective of an outside assailant, which is crucial for security testing services.

Gray Box Testing: A Combination Approach for Comprehensive Security Testing Services

Between white box and black box testing, gray box testing strikes a balance. Usually possessing insider knowledge, testers have a limited awareness of the system. It merges the realism of black box testing with the knowledge acquired from white box testing.

The Step-By-Step Process of Penetration Testing by Security Testing Services

The penetration testing process includes several crucial steps to ensure a thorough investigation. Vulnerability assessment services rely on these steps to identify and repair security risks.

1. Design and Scoping Planning for Effective Vulnerability Testing Services

The first phase consists of determining the test’s scope and spotting particular goals. Getting the necessary permissions and agreements falls under this phase as well.

Clearly specify goals: Indicate exactly the objectives of the test using security testing services.

Get Approvals: Ensure every necessary authorizer is in place.

2. Reconnaissance: Collecting Data for Advanced Vulnerability Assessment Services

Testers gather data about the target environment using both passive and active approaches.

Passive methods include WHOIS searches.

Aggressive methods include port scanning for penetration testing companies.

3. Exploitation: Simulating Attacks for Penetration Testing Companies

Attack Simulation: Find and target weaknesses using various tools and approaches.

Penetration testing companies use these techniques for thorough security testing.

4. Post-Exploitation: Analyzing Impact with Security Testing Services

Impact Analysis: Assess the effect of exploited vulnerabilities.

Gather further information to understand potential damage using vulnerability testing services.

5. Documentation: Reporting Vulnerabilities for Effective Pen Testing Companies

Documented Results: Write a comprehensive report outlining weaknesses.

Provide recommended solutions using vulnerability assessment services.

6. Retesting and Remedial Work for Continuous Improvement in Security Testing Services

Fix vulnerabilities found through penetration testing companies.

Run follow-up tests to verify all issues are resolved.

Best Practices for Ensuring a Successful Penetration Testing Process

Follow these best practices to guarantee a secure and effective penetration testing process:

Clearly state specific, measurable targets for penetration testing companies.

Complete Scope: Cover all relevant programs and systems.

Hire experienced and certified testers from security testing services.

Frequent Testing: Stay ahead of evolving threats with regular vulnerability assessment services.

Detailed Reporting: Provide comprehensive, actionable reports from pen testing companies.

Collaboration: Work closely with IT and security departments.

Continuous Improvement: Use findings to enhance ongoing security efforts.

Conclusion: The Role of Penetration Testing in a Strong Cybersecurity Strategy

A well-rounded cybersecurity strategy depends on penetration testing as a core element. By proactively identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, businesses can safeguard their data, maintain compliance, and strengthen their security posture.

Implementing recognized methodologies and best practices ensures that penetration testing companies provide valuable insights, contributing to a safer and more secure environment.

#technology #bangalore #cybersecurity #penetrationtesting

2 notes · View notes