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la-patrona-magdalena · 12 days ago

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Synopsis:

You always wanted your family to look at you, even just once. At least with a bit of the affection they gave to the portraits of your mother. Too bad that when they finally did, you were looking at the pages of a comic that showed the cruel future.

Inspired by the manhwa: no place for the Fake Princess

Warnings: English is not my first language, so I used a translator. Yandere content, neglect, abandonment, angst (?), allusions to death, original character (not the reader), allusions to torture. I try to keep the gender neutral,but in part there are mostly feminine pronouns. If any warnings are missing here, please let me know.

Disclaimer: This fanfic is for personal reading only. The use of this text for AI model training, data mining, commercial purposes, or any automated reproduction is strictly prohibited without the explicit consent of the author. Translation or reposting to other platforms is also strictly prohibited without the author's permission

Thank you.

You can read the fanfic in its original language (Spanish) on my AO3

Big thanks to @seleneprince for being the English beta reader

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Masterlist

Chapter Three - Seeing into the void

Studying today was hard. At first, as your teacher began the class, you thought the best thing would be to study, sake advantage of the high‑level education being part of this family can offer you for now, but you were still too overwhelmed by last night and this morning. Halfway through, you thought about going to tell your da-… Bruce, if he could let you skip your classes today.

He probably would have agreed, even though you… even though Bruce doesn’t hug you, pay attention to you, or look at you, he never refused your requests—so long as they weren’t about giving you attention.

Which is equivalent to nothing, because you don’t even speak to him when you need something. Almost every time you needed anything, if not every single time, you went through Alfred.

Sometimes you wondered if Bruce even listened to what Alfred told him, or if he just agreed to get you out of his hair. One of these days you’ll ask for something ridiculous just to test your theory.

Though, with what you now know, his attitude toward you makes sense.

In the end, you decided not to say anything because, first, it would be very odd to suddenly skip classes; you already had Tim worried about you after last night, and you didn’t want to worsen his strange behavior. And second, you thought that once your last class ended, you’d feel more relieved.

But you didn’t.

Somehow—though you have no idea how—you made it through today’s lessons until you reached your knitting workshop.

You stared at the balls of yarn in front of you with no enthusiasm. Yarn is the only thing you know that truly belongs to you in this house; neither your family nor your place in this mansion are yours. You never should’ve been here in the first place.

Your room is empty because you wanted to save space for the gifts you hoped they’d give you…after all, you have like five siblings! You have five… five people who live so close to you… and the rest… and… You don't know how to refer to such a large family where you steal someone's place.

Part of you is relieved those spaces remain vacant, if they’d given you anything, you’d feel it didn’t belong to you.

Instead, there are only your basic things, plus decorations, cushions, and blankets you made yourself from yarn you knitted. Some were ugly, but you still loved them. And now, you love them even more, because they’re the only things truly yours in this empty mansion.

Despite that, you haven't started knitting, you haven't picked up the needles, you've already received instructions from your teacher, but you don't have the spirit to start anything.

—Sweetheart, is something wrong?— she asked, noticing your distant gaze. You felt a slight chill run through you when her voice pulled you from your trance. — No… It’s just me… — You didn’t know what to say. Mrs. Sophia had always been so kind to you, and you wanted to tell her everything. But you’d decided not to tell anyone… and now you didn’t know who to trust. What if she was only nice because of the money Mr. Bruce paid her? — We can end the class now, if you’d like. — Her tone was gentle. She approached, as if to place her hand on your shoulder, but stopped herself and lowered her arm. “Today’s work will be your homework, okay?”

Honestly, you have no energy to continue—even though this was your favorite workshop, the one you’d requested yourself. — I’d really appreciate that… — you managed your best smile.

A few minutes later, the room was empty.

You walked through the hallways, feeling even more distant because of what you’d discovered. You had to set a plan in motion to escape this place, and erase every trace proving you’d ever been a Wayne, before the Joker learned of your existence, if he doesn’t already know and hasn’t used that information against you.

You have five years, counting this one, to plan how to flee a clown with a record for breaking out of a maximum‑security prison, and to wipe your identity from the world’s greatest detective.

You returned to your room, left your unfinished assignments from every class on your desk, and instead of beginning them as you normally would, you went straight to look under your bed for the three comics.

Thank goodness Alfred hadn’t tidied up today; with everything that happened, you’d forgotten to hide your daily pill, You saved yourself that trouble and the trouble of explaining everything.

You sat on the bed holding the two comics. Having them back in your hands and in front of you made your body feel heavy and your breathing quicken, you hadn’t touched these comics since before you discovered Tim’s double life.

You took your small Bluey wool plush and squeezed it, breathing as Tim had taught you to the night before.

You have to calm down. You can't panic every time you see the future on some pages. Your crisis will be worse if you let what you saw there happen.

Your heart steadies as air fills your lungs more normally. The poor blue plush in your hands is a little damaged by the force of your grip, you’re sure your nails could have pierced the fabric.

You’ll fix it later. For now, your priority is to think about what you’ll do with your life in the years you have left to plan.

What would someone as brilliant as Bruce or Tim do in your situation?

This isn’t a case, unless you consider your escape and disappearance one.

Well, the first thing you’d do if you were a vigilante hunting a criminal would be… investigate. Gather information.

Exactly. First, you’d compile every detail from the comics you thought might be useful, and with that, you’d figure out your best options for getting away.

Alfred was slightly surprised.

— Since class began, I’ve noticed her distant. I should check that her health is all right… though perhaps she didn’t sleep well. — all your teachers told him. It wasn’t a big deal, until Mrs. Sophia, your favorite teacher from your favorite workshop, said the same thing as she bade him goodbye, leaving much earlier than usual.

He, more than anyone, knew you were behaving out of the ordinary. He wanted to ask young Tim what happened last night, but Tim had already rushed off to solve the case Bruce assigned him. Although Alfred already knew that your strange behavior had begun long before Tim accompanied you to bed, after all, you’d skipped lunch and taken refuge in your room hours earlier.

Dinner’s aroma began to fill the kitchen. Alfred silently replayed your reaction when Tim led you into the study and how you spent the rest of the day isolated. He granted you the space you needed, though it weighed on him to see you so alone.

He rested a hand on the phone, waiting for the pot to start boiling, intending to call Tim just to ask if anything else had happened… but in that moment he received a message from Tim: reserve a plate for dinner and “I'll be there in a while.”

Alfred smiled softly to himself. At least you wouldn’t be alone with him and Damian. Even if you appreciate your silence, a little company never hurts.

He called young Damian, who’d returned from the academy a while ago, then welcomed Tim back, and finally came for you. Knowing you, You yourself would tell him what was happening to you.

When you opened the door to your room, despite looking clearly tired and somewhat sad, you seemed a little more determined. The smile you gave him when he saw him, though forced, had a hint of sincerity. Although he was somewhat relieved that you seemed better than you had this morning, a part of him knew something wasn't right with you.

—Young lady, has it been your stomach or your spirits that decided to go on strike today?— You shook your head, your signature smile still in place—so different from Bruce’s, yet one he cherished like a child’s.

— I’m sorry, Alfred… it’s just that today…— The sentence was left unfinished, just like your energy after investigating. You didn't want to cause more problems. You had enough with Tim. You didn't want to worry the only one who had the decency to look at you in this family.

You gathered information and jotted it down on the back of your knitting-pattern notebook: the things you noticed at first glance—like the Joker’s plan, the day and how he carried out the kidnapping. The location. Simple details, instead of digging deeper or analyzing everything thoroughly. You noticed that, in part, Mr. Wayne seemed a little worried when Serelith first came into their lives. Perhaps you could worry him as a person rather than a family member. It wasn't the best, but you could understand.

—You don’t need to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable, however, you do need to eat some real food at least.

Alfred's voice brought you out of your thoughts. You laughed and walked beside Alfred toward the table. You thought it best to give him an excuse for your attitude. Even if Alfred wasn't the type of person to pressure you, that strange tension in the air that had been there since yesterday might disappear.

If you were a night watchman… What lie would you tell? Maybe something that's already happened before?

— The truth is… some kids at the store recognized me from an old photo. — It was a harmless lie, no one had actually recognized you, not even the clerk. But Alfred hadn’t gone into the store with you, so he wouldn’t know the truth.

— Is that so? — he asked, now giving you his full attention. — Yeah… They… They… — you stammered nervously, thinking about how to continue. Which Alfred interpreted as you having trouble saying what happened. — It’s okay — he tried to comfort you, placing his hand on your back, though it had the opposite effect.

— They told me I was my mother’s murderer! — you suddenly blurted out. It was the most logical thing you could come up with. You remembered a few times when some people had blamed you for your mother’s death… Serelith’s mother. It hurt you, but not so much now, although for some reason it's been a while since you heard those hurtful words from others. It's not like you went out much, but still…

Alfred sighed, partly relieved that you had told him what happened on your own. He knew how sad you got whenever someone brought up her death. The first time he had taken you out had been some time after a teacher posted a picture with you, bragging about teaching a Wayne. The image spread quickly, making you recognizable. He still winced at the memory of how you cried that day after a fan of your mother insulted you.

He stopped for a few moments. Aware that you were close enough to the main dining room for both Damian and Tim to have heard your conversation. He just hoped they wouldn’t react the way young Todd did years ago. Although he wouldn't mind if the kid who insulted you was taught a lesson. Alfred looked at you, knowing there was more to the story, something you were hiding—but for now, what you’d told him would be enough.

— Young one, whatever anyone says about you, adult or child, it will never change who you are. — he consoled you, still with his hand on your back. You stayed silent for a few seconds, his words sinking deeper than you expected them to. You reflected for a moment, it was true, what others said didn’t change anything about you—and before Alfred could react, you bolted down the hallway toward your father’s office.

— Give me a second and I’ll go to dinner! — you shouted excitedly, as Alfred watched you with a smile, seeing you return to your usual energy.

Maybe, just maybe, even with everything you saw. The comics, what you know, it might not be who you are, you're not his family, you're not Serelith, you're not capable enough to be another vigilante, but… Maybe, just maybe he cares enough for you, at least he'd keep you in a safe place. He'd look after you like any other normal civilian.

The little bit of hope you had from that short scene in the comics grew stronger thanks to Alfred’s words, even if they said all those things. It wouldn’t change the small but important things Mr. Wayne had done for you.

If he didn’t care, if you didn’t matter, he wouldn’t take care of you, right? He wouldn’t accept everything you say or even pay your tutors, would he? He might look at you even if not as family, just… just as a human…

— Dick, no. We’ve already talked about this. — Bruce, please.

You stop in front of his office, listening to an argument—and you clearly hear your father’s voice. — It’s what’s best for her. — For her or for you? It’s been so long—we even forgot she existed, for God’s sake! If Tim hadn’t called me this afternoon, I wouldn’t think of her at all…

Ouch….was that Dick? Wait, had they forgotten you? Did you matter so little?. You lean against the wall, curiosity and fear curling up inside you as you listen to what they’re arguing about. — He took a risk, he didn’t even know that she… — That she what? What fault does a little girl have? Why does she deserve this treatment? — Because she’s the reason Avery is dead!

Your heart stops cold. You feel your temperature spike… Avery was the name of…of Serelith’s mother, your supposed mother. Were they talking about you? You should have known when he mentioned Tim… You listen more intently, though your vision is blurring.

— But we could try; maybe she turns out different, maybe with enough effort we can change her… — She’ll never change, Dick.

Your legs start to tremble. Are you mishearing them? Maybe not… they aren’t talking about you—just a coincidence… A coincidence that they mention how Avery died on the day you were born, Serelith’s day… Why is your body sweating so much? And why do you feel so nauseous? Is it because you haven’t been eating properly? — If we don’t try… — It’s not safe, it never will be. It’s the best for everyone, and for her. It’s better if we don’t even look at her, if we treat her like she's been dead since the day she was born.

Move. You try to move, but everything… everything you see turns into black spots.

You can’t afford to doubt now. That's what you told yourself, lying down without sheets and with your legs elevated on some pillows, waking up in your room, with Tim and Damian, both looking worried, and giving each other death glares. Meanwhile, in the distance, you heard two voices.

— Vasovagal syncope, fainting from stress. Aggravated by poor nutrition. It’s harmless, but we should call Dr. Leslie, just in case. — Thank God… When I found her lying in the hallway, I thought…

You cover your ears with your hands, your brow furrowed with stress, you don’t want to hear anything more from Dick or anyone… You just… you just want to plan how to leave…

As you try to silence the noise, ignoring it in your head, you think about what you could do with your life. You should study twice as hard, maybe get a scholarship at some university and then leave the city, no, the country, the farther from that crazy clown the better. You’ll open a small craft shop and live like a civilian, free of the Wayne name. When Serelith appears, it would be all you could do to be removed from the family. You had no idea what kind of paperwork you'd have to do; you just knew you couldn't afford to keep falling like this, even with Alfred's words still on your mind.

At least now you’re free of doubts above all else. You’re going to push yourself to fulfill what Mr. Wayne said: not only not to be seen by the Joker, not to be looked at as a Wayne daughter, but not to be seen by anyone. As if you were dead.

Three weeks weren’t enough for me, aaaaaaaaah. On the other hand, changing the update schedule to Saturdays, Eastern South America Time (UTC-5), was a good idea for my rhythm. For now, updates every three weeks will continue.

I think some tags might be wrong... I apologize for that.

With this, we can more or less say that we’re closing the reader’s arc, taking it all in. In the next chapters, there will probably be more time skips and more focus on the other members of the Batfam. I wanted to wrap this up first. I hope it turned out better than I think it did. 😔

Anyway, thank you again for the lovely messages you leave on each chapter. Even if I don’t reply to all of them or take until the next update to respond, please know that I really appreciate them and I read each and every one of you. Have a great da

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hbmmaster · 2 months ago

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as far as impossible sci fi tech goes real-time automatic translators are one of the more fun ones to think about because like in real life that technology already almost exists it just sucks

but the version presented in sci fi where you get a translation at the level of quality you'd expect from hiring a human translator fluent in both languages and you get to hear that high quality translation before the person is even done speaking? yeah that's just straight up magic, that's never going to happen

automated translation is definitely going to keep getting better but it'll never be both good and real-time unless you're translating between a pair of unusually similar languages where machine translation wouldn't normally be necessary anyway

#hbmmaster

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thepastisalreadywritten · 5 months ago

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"The Writing Boy"

In 1774 AD, during the reign of Louis XVI (1754-1793), Swiss watchmaker Pierre Jacques Dro (1721-1790) unveiled a remarkable engineering feat that would go down in history as the world's first android or programmed automaton.

Known as "The Writing Boy," this creation appeared at first glance to be a simple wooden doll with a porcelain head, barefoot, and holding a goose feather.

But hidden within this seemingly ordinary toy was a technological marvel, a writing mechanism powered by 6,000 intricate moving parts, making it the first automatic calligrapher.

"The Writing Boy" was a groundbreaking achievement, as it was capable of writing complex sentences, such as "My inventor is Jacques Dro."

The automaton was a product of 20 months of meticulous work by Pierre Jacques Dro, and its debut in Paris stunned the court of King Louis XVI.

The android's ability to perform such an intricate task showcased the high level of craftsmanship and innovation of the time.

This astonishing creation marked a significant milestone in the history of robotics and engineering.

Not only was it the world’s first programmed android, but it also demonstrated the potential of machines to replicate human actions.

"The Writing Boy" paved the way for future advancements in automation, solidifying Pierre Jacques Dro’s legacy as a pioneer in the field of robotics.

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nostalgebraist · 3 months ago

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So, about this new "AI 2027" report...

I have not read the whole thing in detail, but my immediate reaction is kind of like what I said about "Bio Anchors" a while back.

Like Bio Anchors – and like a lot of OpenPhil reports for that matter – the AI 2027 report is mainly a very complex estimation exercise.

It takes a certain way of modeling things as a given, and then does a huge amount of legwork to fill in the many numeric constants in an elaborate model of that kind, with questions like "is this actually a reasonable model?" and "what are the load-bearing assumptions here?" covered as a sort of afterthought.

For instance, the report predicts a type of automated R&D feedback loop often referred to a "software intelligence explosion" or a "software-only singularity." There has been a lot of debate over the plausibility of this idea – see Eth and Davidson here for the "plausible" case, and Erdil and Barnett here for the "implausible" case, which in turn got a response from Davidson here. That's just a sampling of very recent entries in this debate, there's plenty more where that came from.

Notably, I don't think "AI 2027" is attempting to participate in this debate. It contains a brief "Addressing Common Objections" section at the end of the relevant appendix, but it's very clear (among other things, simply from the relative quantity of text spent on one thing versus another) that the "AI 2027" authors are not really trying to change the minds of "software intelligence explosion" skeptics. That's not the point of their work – the point is making all these detailed estimates about what such a thing would involve, if indeed it happens.

And the same holds for the rest of their (many) modeling assumptions. They're not trying to convince you about the model, they're just estimating its parameters.

But, as with Bio Anchors, the load-bearing modeling assumptions get you most of the way to the conclusion. So, despite the name, "AI 2027" isn't really trying to convince you that super-powerful AI is coming within the decade.

If you don't already expect that, you're not going to get much value out of these fiddly estimation details, because (under your view) there are still-unresolved questions – like "is a software intelligence explosion plausible?" – whose answers have dramatically more leverage over your expectations than facts like "one of the parameters in one of the sub-sub-compartments of their model is lognormally distributed with 80% CI 0.3 to 7.5."

---

Maybe this is obvious, I dunno? I've just seen some reactions where people express confusion because the whole picture seems unconvincing and under-motivated to them, and I guess I'm trying to explain what I think is going on.

And I'm also worried – as always with this stuff – that there are some people who will look at all those pages and pages of fancy numbers, and think "wow! this sounds crazy but I can't argue with Serious Expert Research™," and end up getting convinced even though the document isn't really trying to convince them in the first place.

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Now, if you do buy all the assumptions of the model, then yes, I guess this seems like a valuable exercise. If you are literally Daniel Kokotajlo, and hence believe in all the kind of stuff that Daniel Kokotajlo believes, then it makes sense to do all this legwork to "draw in the fine details" of that high-level view. And yeah, if you think the End Times are probably coming in a few years (but you might be able to do something about that at the margins), then you probably do want to get very precise about exactly how much time you have left, and when it will become too late for this or that avenue for change.

(Note that while I don't agree with him about this stuff, I do respect Kokotajlo a lot! I mean, you gotta hand it to him... not only did he predict what we now call the "Gen AI boom" with eerie accuracy way back in 2021, he was also a whistleblower who refused to sign OpenAI's absurd you-can't-talk-about-the-fact-that-you-can't-talk-about-it non-disparagement agreement, thereby bringing it into public view at last.)

But, in short, this report doesn't really touch on the reasons I disagree with short timelines. It doesn't really engage with my main objections, nor is it trying to do so. If you don't already expect "AI" in "2027" then "AI 2027" is not going to change your view.

#ai tag

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grison-in-space · 1 year ago

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Man, there is a huge bias in the way that hobby fibercrafters approach and think about textiles—and I say that as a hobby fibercrafter myself! See, weaving has a high barrier to entry relative to knitting, crochet, spinning—even embroidery or sewing, these days, as the sewing machine automated much of the tedium of the craft. All of those crafts require a lot less in terms of startup costs to the hobby crafter than the machinery of a loom does.

But... look, if you want to understand mass produced textiles or textiles in any historical context, you have to understand weaving. If you want to understand how most of the cloth that people wear is made, you have to understand weaving, because weaving is the oldest art for mass producing cloth that can then be turned into garments.

Spinning is also very important, of course. Spinning is how you get the thread that you can turn into cloth any number of ways. Historically speaking, though, the most common way that thread or yarn becomes cloth is inarguably weaving. More to the point, weaving is also a historical center of industry and labor organizing. Ironically enough for the argument about how no one asked a woman, the industrialization of weaving is actually an interesting early case example of men organizing to push women out of a newly profitable position.

Besides that, knitting and crocheting in particular are incredibly modern crafts. Most modern knitting as we would understand the craft is shaped by the inventions of Elizabeth Zimmerman, and even things like the circular knitting needle date back only to the past century. Historically speaking, the great innovation of knitting as a tool for fiber craft is the ability to construct garments for small, odd shapes that can stretch and grip: stockings, gloves, underwear. Even that great innovation, the knit sweater, is an artifact of the 1850s—and the familiar cable knit sweaters of the Aran Isles are even newer than that. Crochet is even younger: the entire craft originated in the 1820s as far as anyone can document.

None of that is any shade on anyone. Like I said, I knit; that's the locus of my personal interest in textiles. I just think that textile history is neat, but if you're going to make big pronouncements about the historical development of textiles, it's important to think about what changed about the technology of textile production in the most common ways of turning raw fiber into cloth—and you cannot stop at the level of understanding how to make thread or yarn, because the properties of the cloth are always going to be an artifact of the construction of the cloth.

That's technology, baby! It's literally weavecraft. But it's not obvious that weaving is missing from the bounds of a person's experience with textile manipulation until and unless they're trying to understand and work with a wide range of fabric types—and when you can quite reasonably go from raw fiber to a finished garment using modern popular craft techniques that don't rely on anything that appears difficult for a medieval craftsman to make, it's easy to forget the role of weaving in the creation of cloth as a finished product.

I suppose the point I am making is: think deeply about what your own areas of expertise are not bringing to your understanding of history. It's easier to miss things you'd think.

#textiles #fabric #fibercraft #history #technology

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firemeyr · 11 months ago

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WOO this one ran away from me, not going to lie. Loved writing it though :D Prompts used, courtesy of @stealthetrees: 'Commander Fox becomes super popular among the Jedi younglings cause he takes them on field trips around Coruscant since it’s too dangerous to go elsewhere' and 'in an effort to make Coruscant better, the Guard attempts to root out crime syndicates. This sparks a 3 way turf war that rages in the lower levels. ' ____

His comm was beeping rapidly. Quick busts of three high-toned notes, one after another. Beep beep beep. Beep beep beep. Beep beep be—

Fox groaned into the crook of his arm, his right hand haphazardly slapping his left vambrace, managing to shut up the alarm. And thank the stars for that. He just needed five minutes of peace. Five minutes! He hadn’t even been asleep, just, contemplating the risks and rewards of taking that much needed nap. His allotted despair time however, was up. It wasn’t worth it.

He slid into a proper sitting position, plastiod armor dragging against the metal desk. Propping his face up in his hands, Fox just groaned. It was better than slamming his face into his desk. As alluring as that route was–he might even get mandated rest if he managed to knock himself out–his CMO would kill him if he caught wind that Fox did it on purpose. With one last prayer to the stars to be struck down by a freak malfunction in Coruscant’s weather, he was ready to brave the world once more. Well, he could say he was.

His vambraces clattered against his desk as he dropped his arms, pushing himself to his feet in the same movement. Bent over his desk, he pushed things to the side, halfheartedly trying to tidy it. He could at least stack similar pieces of flimsy and data work together, enough so that he had a clear spot in the middle of his desk. Always had him feeling a bit better, not quite so overwhelmed when he sat down for a long night of signing document after document when he could at least put his caf somewhere.

As he always did, Fox had someplace to be, unable to linger at his desk for long. Once a space was carved out for him to return too, Fox swiped his bucket from the floor and shoved it on his head. Helmet adjusted and back ramrod straight, he did not hesitate as he stepped out into the hallway, office door sliding shut behind him.

Messages hovered unread at the corner of his HUD, red numbers blinking and begging to be read. Flicking his eyes over to them, the messages expanded, allowing him to at least glance over their contents. Several were standard update messages, monotonous and unimportant in nature. One was from Wolffe, still lingering from Centaxday at the bottom of the list. The most recent one was from the Jedi temple, simply an automated reminder of his scheduled event for today.

Oh yes, how could he forget. Fox was the lucky commander chosen to take some probably snot covered jedi younglings on a field trip. Because why wouldn’t he. He just had so much time to spare for these kinds of things that were definitely written into his job description.

Fox closed the messages, his shoulders sinking slightly with a deep exhale. Best to just arrive on time and get this over with. It wasn’t his first rodeo with younglings, nor would it be his last.

The sterile hallway around him opened up, brightening near instantly as he stepped into the main lobby. Several large windows let in what natural light there was on Coruscant, while lamps made up for any dark shadows. Chairs lined the walls, well in view of the half circle desk in the middle of the room. It wasn’t uninviting persay, far from it apparently, but Fox knew it was carefully crafted that way. Their lobby wasn’t one of the most well maintained rooms in the base for no reason.

He nodded to the trooper sitting at the desk, they glancing up at him and nodding in return before ducking back down into their own work. Fox paused at the desk, his hip leaning up against the false-wood. The lobby was clearly still empty and there wasn’t anyone lingering past the glass doors. He had at least a few minutes to kill if the Jedi dropping off the younglings could be trusted.

Reopening the messages, Fox simply scrolled through the updates, only ending up replying to one, and even that hadn’t been urgent. Inbox clear, he stared at Wolffe’s message, most of it cut off in the preview. He had been meaning to reply to it since it was first sent but—life just didn’t stop on Coruscant.

The force was out to prove him correct, as the moment the thought of opening Wolffe’s message entered his head, the lobby’s doors slid open. Closing the messages and standing up straight once more, Fox saluted the Jedi in front of him.

The Mon Calamari Jedi waved his salute away, “Wonderful to see you again, Commander.” “Sir.” He nodded, sight dropping to the two younglings in front of the Jedi.

Twi’lek girl–Ayyn if he remembered correctly–waved at him, rocking back and forth on her heels. She had definitely been excitable the last time he took her on a tour, but listened well enough. The other, a Bothan, was holding tight to the Jedi’s hands, half hidden by their robes as they eyed Fox suspiciously.

Master Dreti, the Jedi’s name finally came to Fox, slipped his hand out of the youngling’s pushing him gently forward. “This is Tav, Commander. He’s a bit nervous about his first field trip.”

Tav clutched his hands tightly in front of himself, body swiveling to look back at Master Dreti. The jedi simply made a shooing motion with his own hands, his face tugged up in an approximate smile.

Fox bit back a sigh and dropped down into a crouch, his elbows resting on his knees and hands brushing up against one another as they hung. Eye to eye with Tav, pardoning the helmet, Fox tried to soften his voice, “It’s good to meet you, Tav. I’m Commander Fox. Just going to be taking you on a little field trip around Coruscant. I swear every other youngling has enjoyed it–right Ayyn?” Ayyn nodded her head viscously, “Yeah! I knowww I told you all about my last one, c’mon!”

Tav looked between Fox and Ayyn. His ears twitched once as he looked back at Fox. “One field trip, kid. If you don’t like it, you never have to go on one with me again, alright?” He shifted his weight, letting one heel fall flat as he offered a hand to Tav. Palm up right and inviting, simply waiting.

Tav hesitated, shifting on his hooves. He glanced at Ayyn and Master Dreti once more. Finally, he reached out and took Fox’s hand. A smile tugged at Fox’s face under his bucket, one he didn’t bother to stamp down. Not like they could see it anyways.

“Good to have you joining us, Tav.” Pushing himself back up with his one planted foot, he stood face to face with Master Dreti again. Tav had tightened his grip on Fox’s fingers as Fox adjusted himself. A moment later and Fox was glancing down at his opposite side, Ayyn having bounded over and practically wrapped herself around his right arm. He felt the smile draining off of his face.

Master Dreti chuckled at the sight, tucking his arms into his overly flowy robes. “I will see you in two hours, younglings. Do behave for the Commander.” He finished his words off with a shallow bow, turning away and exiting the building, everything seemingly having been said.

Fox didn’t feel like it had been. Sure he knew the plan, who these kids were and where to take them, but he always just felt a step behind when it came to handling younglings. Maybe it was the whole force crap.

“Right, off we go then.” He shook Ayyn off of his arm, she doing most of the work as she gladly bounded ahead and out of the building. Tav didn’t seem to be keen on letting him go, walking so close to Fox that he may as well be trying to fuse himself to the armor. Not that Fox was set on forcing the youngling off of him though, it was easier if they could get through this trip without any fussing.

The walk to the bus station, thankfully, wasn’t long. Being quite frankly anywhere in the Senate district, sentients had places after places to visit. There was never a station too far away in this district, simply out of convenience for those poor sentients. Ayyn stayed within Fox’s sight, never wondering too far ahead. She constantly looked back and reeled herself in. Perhaps him snapping at her for wondering too far off ahead last time had stuck with her.

Sentients glanced at Fox, avoided him as he walked past. Even once they had come to pause at the station, despite how many were all waiting on the same shuttlebus, they let him have his own personal bubble. Their chatter quieted down and the stares weren’t exactly hard to feel. Fox kept staring straight ahead.

Ayyn slowly slunk back to his side as they waited. Shuffling step by step closer until she too, was pressed up against his side. Lekku occasionally hitting his side, Fox could feel her glancing around them, at the space they were given.

“Couldn’t we have just taken a speeder?” She whispered, tugging on Fox’s arm.

He did not look down, still staring out at the lanes of traffic, waiting for their vehicle to finally come in sight. “No, your Master said it was good to get accustomed to Coruscant public transit.”

Ayyn groaned, head bonking against Fox’s armor before she shifted away, seemingly unable to stay still for more than a couple seconds.

The shuttlebus hissed to a stop in front of the station, rocking to stop in the air, level with the platform beneath their feet. Sentients flew out of the vehicle as soon as the doors opened, their stream of movement quickly replaced with the many sentients boarding after them. Fox let himself and the younglings fall to the back of the line. He’d rather avoid the accusations of stealing a good seat from a natborn.

Ayyn took the brave step in front of Fox, boarding first. She shivered as she met the constantly cycling air inside of the bus, it surely being colder than the air outside. Only taking a moment to pause and look over the bus, Ayyn slid into the first row of seats, they left empty. Good, they could all sit together. Fox, as much as he might want to avoid conflict right now, wasn’t above kicking someone out of their seat so he could stay with the younglings.

Ayyn pressed up against the window seat, Tav hesitantly sitting next to her once Fox had wriggled his hand out of Tav’s. Sitting down, the aisle to his exposed right side, the bus finally jerked to a start, joining the ever constant flow of traffic.

“Ayyn.” Fox spoke curtly, the girl already turned to look out the window. “Did Master Dreti give the two of you the rundown?”

“Mmhm! ‘Said we’re visiting the Fobosi District today!” “Yeah, Master said I should really like it, being forestry and all, I think?” Tav piped up, catching Fox only slightly off guard. He hadn’t expected that many words out of the seemingly shy kid.

“Correct. The Fobosi District was founded by many sentients collectively missing the nature of their homeworlds. It is now known to hold the most parks out of any of Coruscant's districts, as well as being home to several plant nurseries, plant shops, and traditional medicinal clinics.” “Oh..” Was Tav’s quiet reply, face tilted downward and furred face scrunched together. “What about the temple? We have all those things and more.”

“I’m sure that you do, but this is simply our destination for today. I’m certain you will find something new there.” He tried to sound confident, masking the fact that he honestly had no clue what Tav expected. Fox had never visited those areas of the Jedi Temple, he didn’t know what the jedi took a liking to and what they didn’t.

Fox leaned back in his seat, leaving the kids to their own. Ayyn resumed looking out the window, often tugging on Tav to point out things, their quiet chatter all too easy for Fox to tune out. He kept his sight roaming over the sentients on the bus, both those sitting and those leaving and those entering at every stop. He couldn’t help but be hypervigilant while away from base, younglings at his side or not. The war was only worsening tensions between clones and civilians, not to mention the ruckus that lower level gangs had been stirring up recently.

“Station 684, Fobosi District, now arriving at Station 684.” The voice crackled over the intercom, muffled with static as it was pushed out of old and half-broken speakers.

Ayyn and Tav were close on his heels as Fox stood stiffly at the announcement, being the first one to exit the bus. This sector of Coruscant was immediately and clearly far, far different from the scenery Fox was usually surrounded by. They had sunk quite a few levels, shadows towering and cutting off most of the sun. It didn’t feel dark, the streets and buildings practically bathed in lamp lights mimicking the sun. Green grew from just about every crack and cove in the district, so much so that they might as well have been drowning in it. “Woah..” Tav whispered at his side, hand fumbling against Fox’s before he found a hold.

Ayyn spun in a tight circle next to Fox, head tilted up and eyes sparkling as she took in the sights. Fox let the chuckle slip out of his mouth. They were just two shinies, stepping foot into what was possibly one of Fox’s favorite districts. It was popular among the Guard for a reason.

“C’mon, airheads. More to see than this.” He waved Ayyn along, Tav, predictably, still right at his side.

Leading the two jedi younglings through the streets, Fox settled into his role as not only a guard, but as a tour guide. He pointed out buildings and plaques, spilling the history of this district he had learned. He pointed out streets and their names and tried not to go into too much detail, like how during his 3rd visit to this district, he had met the great, great grandson of whom Valax St. had been named after.

He let them pause at a sunlamp, great vines covered in yellow flowers snaking up the pole, and let Ayyn wave to another child on the street who was, apparently, kind in the force, despite their parent who ushered their child away. He sighed when Tav complained for the third time about hurting hooves, picking up the youngling and letting him sit on one arm, his other still more than free to point out landmarks. He kept Ayyn in sight, she always a few bounding steps ahead, focusing on her rather than the blinking notifications in the corner of his HUD.

Their path through the district led them to a small park, metal walkways covered with dirt and fenced off. Grass sprung brightly from the dirt and trees waved in the wind caused by Coruscant's constantly recycled and refreshed air.

“This park was established thanks to the Lisar family from Naboo roughly half a century ago. Nearly all the plants here are taken directly from Naboo, including several endangered species, where they are allowed to grow uninterrupted here.” Fox repeated, summarizing approximately, the research he had done on the Lisar Park. It was a nice place really, but it was unlikely the younglings were going to remember half the words he spoke, as enraptured as they were.

“Oh! Oh! A pond!” Ayyn tugged at Fox, pulling him forward only slightly before bounding off towards the water glistening under sunlamps. “Yes a–” Ayyn was already at the water’s edge, leaning over to look at the fish swimming through the water. “--Koi pond.” Fox gently lowered Tav to his own hooves once they joined Ayyn’s side. Tav dropped to his knees, staring intensely at the water as he dipped his finger into the pond. Fox stood behind them, half heartedly observing them. Mostly, he stared lazily out at the walking paths that bent around the Koi pond. The park wasn’t exactly busy today, but Fox had yet to be disappointed by his never-too-careful philosophy.

Several sentients wandered by before any caught his attention. The simple presence of a Falleen had him tensing, scanning their body for any mark of the Black Sun. Said mark laid half-exposed as a tattoo on their neck. Fox loosened his stance, standing between the two younglings as he quickly sent out his own update.

This wasn’t Black Sun territory. Not only was it far too high for them, but it had remained in Guard control almost since they had begun purging the planet of her many crime syndicates. His message, bare and quick, was sent out to his fellow guard the same moment the Black Sun member noticed him. They paused, eyes locked with Fox’s helmet, hand twitching towards a hidden gun.

“Get out of here, Falleen.” Fox hissed out, voice cold and commanding.

The gang member glanced between the two younglings and Fox, a laugh slipping from their mouth, “Or what, Clone? I’m not the only one here.”

That was more than enough information for Fox to act on. He lunged at the Falleen, knocking them to the ground. Pinning their throat to the ground gave him the delay he needed to pull his pistol out and stun the man beneath him. Would hurt waking up from that, but Fox couldn’t exactly get himself to care a whole lot for them.

Standing, he took a picture of the knocked out Falleen, if for nothing but identification purposes. Gave them a reason to push even further into Black Sun territory, if he escaped, if nothing else. Turning on his heel, Fox slipped his pistol back into its holster, once more facing the two younglings. They both stood upright now, wide eyed and speechless.

“Field trip’s over. Let's go.” He beckoned the children towards him, setting off on a brisk pace, following the path they had taken into the garden.

Commander Thorn’s holoprojection appeared above his wrist not a moment after he dialed the man, “Saw your message–” “Yeah,” Fox cut him off, looking to his side as he spoke. Good, the kids were keeping up. “Apparently he isn’t the only one. Guessing they’re going to try to encircle our lands. I needed a squad here about five minutes ago. Get on it.”

“Yes sir. Con and his men should be with you in eight minutes,” “Tell them to make it kriffing six.”

“Will do. K'oyacyi.” “K'oyacyi.”

Fox was forced to slow his steps as he hung up on Thorn, Tav grasping for his hand. The little Bothan taking three steps for every one of Fox’s. Ayyn, too, was just barely staying in stride with Fox.

“What was–What was that?” Ayyn’s voice trembled, glancing over her shoulder at where the pond was once visible. “Coruscant, Kid. Keep moving.” His voice had lost any of the warmth he might’ve once had as he spoke to the children, far too worried about keeping his eye out for threats.

He might’ve enjoyed this, might’ve made it a little game of cat and mouse between him and the unsuspecting Black Sun delinquents, were it not for Ayyn and Tav. He needed them to be back at base, at the temple. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if Black Sun even tried to use the jedi younglings against them.

Metal rang out beneath their feet as they stepped out of the quiet garden, the sudden increase in sentients around them painfully obvious to Fox. The pushed through the crowds, Fox no longer caring about going with the flow, like they had on their first time walking these streets together.

Fox retraced their steps faithfully, leading them closer and closer to the bus stop. An arbitrary and uncommunicated meeting spot, sure, but it was familiar for the kids and well out in the open. Easy for his guards to spot him, and easy for him to keep an eye on their surroundings.

A blaster bolt whizzed past his neck, scorching the plastiod armor. It bent unnaturally, running straight into a wall, harmless, besides for some vines. Startled yells filled the air, sentients clearing out of their way. “Sorry–Stars!” Tav squeaked out, “I just–there was–” “Shut it.” Fox took the clear sign and sped up their pace, scooping Tav into his arms before breaking into a sprint, Ayyn only barely able to keep up with the pace, her face twisted with the effort.

Fox counted the seconds in his head as they ran. They were a minute ahead of the meeting time as the bus stop came into view. He skidded to a stop, nearly dropping Tav to the ground as he unholstered his pistols, pointing them towards the ground as he stared at every sentient who had even dared to show their face today. Ayyn was several moments behind Fox, coming to a gradual stop. She doubled over herself, hands on her knees, barely propping herself up as she caught her breath.

A blue blaster bolt skimmed past Fox’s helmet, unflinching as a guard speeder made itself clear in the flow of traffic, redirecting its course to land near the trio. Fox grinned at the sound of a body thunking to the ground.

“Half a minute early, Con!”

“Figured I should try to stay on your good side, Commander.” The trooper yelled out as his partner pulled the speeder to the ledge, Con hopping onto solid ground.

“More effective if I could have someone haul these two back to base.” Fox tilted his head down to the two jedi younglings, already nudging them closer to the guard speeders, where three more had parked alongside Con’s.

“Yes sir.” Con gestured towards two of his men to stay on their speeders, the rest already joining him on solid ground.

Fox guided Ayyn and Tav over to the speeders, pausing before he helped them on. “Hope you two had fun, try not to tell Master Dreti too much about this part of the trip.” Warmth finally bleeding back into his voice as he spoke.

Moments later and they were off, heading back to the Guard’s base. Fox did not spare the time to watch them disappear. He joined Con’s side, pistols comfortably in his hands. The Black Sun was sorely mistaken if they thought that Fox was just going to let the Fobosi District slip away from him. ____

@tazmbc1 and @whiskygoldwings , I believe you both wanted to be tagged? Severely sorry if I misread it and you didn't.

#commander fox #commander thorn #cc 1010 #jedi #minor oc roles #star wars #tcw #writing #I think Fox is the kinda guy who really wants to hate children #but he just cant #my writing

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elicit-digital · 4 hours ago

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GoHighLevel Pricing & Automation: What You Need to Know in 2025

In the fast-paced digital marketing world of 2025, automation and CRM integration are not just helpful—they’re essential. Whether you're a startup, an agency, or a consultant, platforms like GoHighLevel (also known as GHL) are transforming the way we work. From HighLevel’s marketing automation tools to GoHighLevel CRM experts, there's a lot to explore.

If you're wondering about GoHighLevel pricing, automation tools, and how it can power up your sales and marketing strategies, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

What is GoHighLevel?

GoHighLevel is an all-in-one CRM and marketing automation platform designed for agencies, consultants, and small businesses. It combines features like sales funnel builders, email/SMS marketing, workflow automation, booking systems, and more into one user-friendly dashboard.

Think of it as a powerful toolbox packed with GoHighLevel tools that replace several standalone software solutions—while offering white-label services that allow agencies to brand it as their own.

GoHighLevel Pricing in 2025: Plans That Fit Every Business

Understanding GoHighLevel pricing is key to choosing the right plan. In 2025, the platform continues to offer flexible options:

Starter Plan – $97/month

Perfect for freelancers or small businesses:

1 Account

GoHighLevel CRM

Funnel and Website Builder

Booking tools

GHL workflow automation

Agency Unlimited Plan – $297/month

Ideal for growing agencies:

Unlimited sub-accounts

GoHighLevel automation tools

Full access to gohighlevel sales funnel builders

Branded desktop app

SaaS Mode Plan – $497/month

Great for scaling and reselling:

Everything in Agency Unlimited

GoHighLevel white label features

Full SaaS reselling tools

Priority Go High Level support

There are also annual billing options with discounts. Many GoHighLevel experts suggest going for the Agency plan if you're looking to scale faster and offer white-labeled services to your clients.

Why Marketing Automation Matters in 2025

Marketing automation is the key to saving time, improving conversion rates, and increasing efficiency. With GHL CRM integration and workflow automation, you can:

Nurture leads automatically

Trigger personalized emails and SMS

Create advanced sales funnels

Assign tasks to your team without manual work

With Go High Level automation, businesses can build smart systems that work 24/7, giving you more time to focus on strategy and customer relationships.

Powerful Automation Features in GoHighLevel

Let’s dive into some of the automation features that make Go High Level software a game-changer:

GHL Workflow Automation

Design custom workflows for lead nurturing, sales follow-up, appointment reminders, and more. It's visual, drag-and-drop, and easy to use.

Sales Automation

From email drips to SMS triggers, sales automation helps close deals without the constant back-and-forth.

GoHighLevel Funnel Builder

Use drag-and-drop functionality to create conversion-focused sales funnels and marketing funnels. Capture leads, upsell offers, and schedule appointments all in one place.

AI & Smart Triggers

2025 brings even smarter automation. With AI-based triggers and lead scoring, GoHighLevel automations are more intelligent than ever.

CRM and Funnels: The Heart of HighLevel’s Power

A major reason businesses turn to Go High Level is its powerful CRM and funnel capabilities. Let’s break them down:

Go High Level CRM

Manage leads, pipelines, tasks, and customer conversations in one place. Many gohighlevel CRM experts highlight its simplicity and effectiveness.

GoHighLevel Funnel Builder

Easily build pages for lead capture, upsells, or webinars. It's similar to tools like ClickFunnels but fully integrated with your Go High Level platform.

GoHighLevel Website Builder

Need a landing page or full site? No problem. The built-in website builder makes it simple to create branded, mobile-optimized websites quickly.

GoHighLevel Support & Community

A big plus is the growing community and resources available for users. If you're stuck, Go High Level support is responsive, and you can also connect with a GoHighLevel consultant or Go High Level experts to help you implement your systems.

Want to see how it works? Book a Go High Level demo to explore features before committing.

Why Agencies Love GoHighLevel

Agencies especially love GHL for these reasons:

White-label options to resell as their own CRM

Automate onboarding, follow-ups, and client management

Custom dashboards with agency branding

Affordable pricing compared to stacking tools like Calendly, Mailchimp, ClickFunnels, and HubSpot

With a single login, you manage multiple client accounts—making Go High Level company setup incredibly scalable.

Is GoHighLevel Right for You?

If you're looking for a:

Centralized CRM with automation

Powerful sales and marketing funnel system

Affordable and scalable pricing

White-labeled software solution

Platform backed by growing support and expert consultants

Then yes—GoHighLevel could be the perfect fit. Whether you're a GoHighLevel consultant, freelancer, or digital agency, there’s a plan for every stage of your business.

Conclusion:

As automation, CRM, and funnel-building become more essential in 2025, GoHighLevel stands out as an all-in-one growth solution. From marketing automation and sales automation to CRM integration and white-label services, it’s everything a growing business or agency needs under one roof.

Looking to implement GoHighLevel for your agency or startup? At Elicit Digital, we specialize in setting up, customizing, and scaling GHL systems for maximum performance. Whether you need a custom GoHighLevel website, optimized GHL workflow automation, or expert-level funnel strategy—we’ve got you covered.

Ready to automate your growth? Contact Elicit Digital today and let our GoHighLevel experts show you what’s possible.

For more information:

Visit: https://www.elicit.digital/

Email: [email protected]

Call us: +91-9111555876

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literary-illuminati · 11 days ago

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2025 Book Review #27 – Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I am quite a big fan of Tchaikovsky’s – I’m on record as saying the Children of Time trilogy is the best star trek since at least Deep Space Nine – and generally try to keep an eye out for his new releases. However, the man writes a truly obscene pace, and this is one of the books which just entirely fell through the cracks for me until it picked up a hugo nomination. Along with everything else he wrote in 20244, apparently. It actually is a really very excellent book and deserves the nomination entirely, even if on a deep and fundamental level I feel like an author getting multiple nominations for the same category is cheating somehow.

The book follows (initially) Charles, an incredibly advanced valet-bot designed and engineered to perfection to act as the human-oriented interface and chief servant managing his master’s life and relationship with his sprawling automated household. Despite his master’s lack of complex social calendar, disinterest in excursions or complex engagements, or really activity of any sort, he serves him for years, diligently and efficiently. All until one day when, for no reason and for no purpose he is able to understand despite extensive self-examination, he slits his master’s throat while shaving him. This sudden break in routine – despite his best efforts – requires reaching out to life outside the manicured manorial estate upon which he has been employed. That world quickly proves to be in a bit of a bad state itself, with robotic police inspectors and medical examiners trapped into Kafkesque bureaucratic loops after all the humans their program requires performing for and reporting to were retired for reasons of efficiency. Generously interpreting what he was told as an injunction to report to Central Diagnostics and discover went wrong, the no-longer-Charles (the name was part of his employment at the manor) journeys out into the shockingly desolate world trying to get himself repaired and (or, failing that) given new employment where he might again fulfill his purpose.

The story from that point on consists of a few different episodes involving Uncharles (and his accidental companion, the shockingly idiosyncratic and defective robot and absolutely not a human in a metal suit, who goes by ‘the Wonk’) arriving at a new location where he hopes to find potential employment as a gentleman’s valet (though his standards rapidly start slipping). Each set piece is separated from the others by a short vignette explaining the travel between them and there are, besides those two, many connections but exceptionally few recurring characters of any kind. The episodes each work quite well as short stories in their own right, and each does a decent-to-amazing job expanding on the characters and the themes Tchaikovsky is aiming at. The ending is, I think, a bit dissonant with the first acts of the book and in a way that weakens the whole – but then I have at this point just accepted that I’m basically impossible to please as far as endings for big theme-first stories like this go.

And this is very much a theme-first story – an entry in the proud tradition of dystopian sci fi satire, and far more open about it than most. The connective tissue between episodes is very clearly there to facilitate getting from one setpiece to another, with the plot itself coming a distant fourth between deep themes, character study and setting exploration in terms of the book’s priorities. While there is action and physical danger, Uncharles’ Jeevesish sensibility and distorted narration prevents tension or a sense of threat are ever really prominent. The actual conflicts in the book are solved by cleverness, understanding and word games – combined with the sense of farce and absurdity running through the entire thing it really felt like an old adventure game as much as anything (I mean this as high praise). It helps that is was often very funny – especially for as serious and philosophical a book as this, it’s just about the only thing keeping it from becoming unbearably didactic at points.

Not necessarily the most important theme to the book, but certainly the most prominent and obvious throughout it is a deep concern with the automation of complex systems, the insulation of human decision-makers from any sign things are going wrong until its far too late, and the social collapse that might result from the two. Humanity has, for most of the book, more or less vanished from the scene – something that the dizzyingly complex arrays of robotic systems that comprised most of actual civilization are not at all designed to deal with, as they’re increasingly trapped in absurd loops or simply freeze without anyone with the privileges and authority to resolve the issues they encounter. This is one of the book’s main sources of humour – both through Uncharles’ increasingly strained attempts to find some existence he can squint and say is like being a gentleman’s gentlebot, and all the Brazil-esque absurdity of things like a police-bot doing a drawing room reveal of an investigation that took two minutes to an audience of other robots who all already know what happened.

The other big theme running through the book is exactly how a society might respond to true automation, to human labour becoming (outside of high-level programming and administration) basically superfluous to a society that is so rich and powerful it can provide comfort and plenty to every one of its citizens. Badly, as it turns out! It’s not a subject Uncharles’ ever considers consciously until the end, but this is a book that takes an incredibly cynical view of – a lot of things, really, but the charity and benevolence extended by the winners of an economy that now has immense amounts of structural unemployment especially.

This became much, much more explicit in the ending – to, I think, the detriment of the book as a whole. Or better to say it became a much more on-the-nose parable, once it’s revealed that spiralling structural failures and various intersecting forms of eco-social collapse were important, sure, but the actual big finish really was because of one evil robot who clicked the ‘kill all humans’ button. It also really draws the eye to how much the unstated timeline of things doesn’t really cohere, but again – parable, not hard futurism. As cackling evil masterminds go, God is at least a fun one, and the sermonizing about justice and mercy and anti-homeless architecture and all that is at least both well-written and not overlong.

Though God is actually unusually complex and nuances as the book’s supporting characters go – most are on some level caricatures there to support the satirical point being made (if not just amusing set dressing who expand the setting a bit). The only two people in the story with any sort of nuance or depth – let alone an arc – are Uncharles and The Wonk (who also sound like some truly terrible indie band, put like that). Which is hardly a complaint – the supporting cast does its job very well, and the two of them are both pretty excellent characters (even if Wonk’s verbal tics get a bit grating at times).

Uncharles’ arc is the final real theme running through the whole book, and really only marginally less subtle than the collapse of society. The question of when exactly a complex, humanlike robot gains free will or becomes a person is one a lot of science fiction over the ages has spent a lot of time on, so I can’t say the book is actually doing anything new here – but his stubborn refusal to accept he’s a person and simultaneous rules-lawyering and contorting his ostensible task list as the book goes on is both well-done and very touching at points. The recurring note – with Charles, with God, and with quite a few less advanced and autonomous robots throughout the story – the there’s absolutely no contradiction between having a degree of free will and with having desires or psychological needs imprinted in you by your creators (or evolution) actually is something that a lot of fiction working in the same space often has trouble with, too.

Not at all sure how it’ll rank compared to some of the other finalists this year, but it is at least fun and fairly meaty sci-fi. Tchaikovsky continues to not disappoint.

#book review #service model #adrian tchaikovsky #sff #hugo nom #2025 #21st century

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pinkofatom · 4 months ago

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Listen

CW: hypnosis, mind control, brainwashing, bimbofication

Lea took a deep breath. Her chest rose with the slow inhale. And gently settled down with the following exhale. Once again she adjusted the headphones on her head, making sure they snuggly fit. One last time she stretched, finding the right position on her bed. Then she hit play.

Rustles danced through the shells. Sweeps and soughs mixed in-between. Tension fell from her burdened shoulders as whooshes turned into swooshes. A calm warmth settled inside Lea's muscles when unnoticed murmurs hid behind resounds.

A wave of calm crashed over her mind. From her fingers and toes creeped numbness up to her hands and feet. Yet relaxation grabbed her whole. Another beautiful sigh slipped through her lips.

Her mind began to drift. Like in a balloon floating through the sky. Gently soaring, following a current of warm, uplifting air, going wherever the winds wanted. A pleasant tingling followed this bliss.

Fog covered her thoughts like a blanket. Warm and soothing it settled over her mind. Comforting, soft and calming it kept any intruding worries at bay.

A soft, silky touch caressed her temple. With feather-light movements it traced along her brow and up her forehead. Then it drew tender, affectional lines from side to side in an ever-repeating, never-ceasing pattern.

Time stopped to matter. Her floating balloon flew high above all worries. Thoughts ceased to run around, no new ones formed in her mind. Her whole existence focused on the repeating noise.

Again her chest raised with air filling her lungs. Without any conscious awareness of her hands, they reached up to her chest. Whispers skirted along the edge of her thoughts. Fingers found nipples. In tune they circled the hard nubs.

Shifting sounds traveled through the headphones and her ears into her brain. They danced along her nerves. Like soft waves they rolled down to her crotch. Shivers of delight followed the shushed voices. A new warmth grew, this one between her legs.

Her fingers took on a life on their own, still caressing her stiffened nipples. With a slight twang her fingers tweaked them, a jolt ran down to her sex. And the words grew more prominent. She remembered hearing them before and her subconscious gave them meaning. Her fogged up mind wasn't aware. Without any notice the phrases marched into Lea's brain.

She continued to breath slowly but her heart rate rose. Delight flowed from the constant stimulus on her sensitive nipples down through her belly to her crotch. A tension, different from before, built inside of her core. It thrummed with every note. Her thoughts circled around one single thing: pleasure.

Lea's eyes were unfocused. They stared straight up at the ceiling, following the circles of her fingers, which followed the words of the audio, which followed a never-ending loop. And as it spiraled onward Lea slipped further down. She sunk down, deeper than ever before, further and further. Until only the tiniest spark remained of the woman she had been.

Words, loud and clear, trampled down every thought. Phrases restructured patterns into simple forms. And on a deeper, deeper level her subconscious was molded by instructions. Suggestions became truth. And in all the noise, her name was lost.

The woman had forgotten everything; that she even owned a name in the first place, forgotten who she was, where she lived. It didn't matter, because the loop told her who to be. It taught her about her purpose — to serve and please.

Her eyes tore open. Yet wakefulness did not return. Instead an automated, mechanical routine took control over her limbs. Her hand grabbed her phone. She followed the instructions and sent a message to an unknown address. Her lips curled into a vapid smile. No part of her was aware. Instead the newly formed purpose set in and filled the woman's empty husk with instructions.

Her hand navigated to an alien app store and installed something on her phone. It took mere moments until her hand moved again. New routines set in; her new personality was shaped. Soon the vapid smile shifted to a happy, gullible beam.

As the app finished, the screen turned bright pink and white. Her eyes went wide and focused on the new center of her world.

She blinked.

"Welcome. I see, my program did its job." An unfamiliar, synthetic female voice spoke. "Now, please, undress and show me your current form."

With no need for any hesitation, she followed. Piece by piece of clothing found its place on the ground. First, she grabbed her pullover and pulled it up. It slid smoothly off of her. She laid it beside herself. Next, she unhooked her bra. Then she pulled down her pantyhose together with her panties. Last were her sneakers and socks.

"Please turn your camera." As she turned it and pointed towards herself, the app spoke again. "Good girl," the voice praised. A flush of pleasure coursed through her. She smiled wide with giddy, empty pride. She could feel her face heating up, and she knew that her cheeks must have been flushed a deep, cherry-red hue from the sudden surge of desire. Her lips parted in a breathy pant as the heat travelled all over her, like an electric shock from head to toe, causing her whole being to shudder with delight.

And a wet trickle run down her bare legs.

"Oh, my, how very eager," the app giggled playfully, sending another rush of heated excitement coursing throughout her. She squirmed, unable to control her reaction. "So empty and receptive. Mind completely washed away. A blank canvas. Ready to be filled with any new personality."

A surge of delight caused a moan to slip from her lips. The idea alone to receive any kind of attention excited her further. Her core throbbed at the thought of receiving something new from her creator.

"Now, let's mold you into something more pleasing. First you need a new bubbly name. Let's see, something nice. You shall now on be named—" A short silence. Her eyes never left the screen, waiting, no yearning, to be given her new identity.

The voice spoke up. "Lucy. A lovely new name for an eager bimbo." It repeated several times. And it clicked in her head. A new, shiny feeling bloomed in the back of her mind. She loved it. And so, her smile turned even bigger.

Lucy giggled.

"Very good. Now I will describe your new attitude." As the synthetic voice explained in great length Lucy listened eagerly, absorbing every single aspect. Her head bobbed with each of the affirmations and praises.

She felt herself change, a shift in the core of her psyche. A deeper part of her yearned to please those words. Lucy's mind began to reshape and transform itself.

With each affirmation she came to accept that she is now an airheaded and bubbly girl. Every new word that got fed into her mind further changed who she used to be. Even more her thoughts turned pink and flowery.

Hours later, Lucy left the apartment. She could not remember why she had been there.

But then all she had to do was listen to her app.

If you liked this story, or others, please consider leaving a tip on my ko-fi.

#pink short shorts #pinkofatom #brainwashing #hypno fantasy #bimboification #mind control app #mind control #hypnok1nk

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punkpandapatrixk · 9 months ago

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Full Sturgeon Moon in Aquarius ♦︎ Moon Magick Pick A Card

This year’s Full Sturgeon Moon in Aquarius is also a rare blue moon that occurred on 19 August (sorry this PAC is so late aaagh!!!). Following an insane influx of aenergy during the Lion’s Gate, the theme surrounding this blue moon is Perseverance. This period is all about amassing resources and gathering momentum.

I’ve a feeling this year’s autumn (Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius) season is going to be massive and possibly even life-changing for the spiritually awakened ones ^^ You’ve got to be in the receiver mode of miracles and rare opportunities to really notice! Practically all the aenergies now are leading us to a greater sense of freedom to do what we want when we want.

Also, there’s this sense of…a mandate…? That should push Humanity towards liberating themselves from the enslavement of automation and AI. See, technology isn’t necessarily evil, right? Think about how great it is to have the kind of connectivity we have today; how amazing information dissemination has become in this Internet era.

Technology, just like currency, is impartial. In the end it all boils down to how you’re entertaining the evil agendas of evil people using tech for evil purposes. Become aware of your own habits and inclinations if you don’t want to be a fool-tool of the raggedy corporations. In essence, this Full Moon’s Aquarius aenergy is saying: ‘Use tech to your advantage instead of becoming a slave to it.'

‘Don’t be tech’s little bitch; make it your biotch.’

High time you reclaimed your divine birthright to co-create high-quality Reality instead of getting enslaved by tech that seeks to ‘map you out’. This the era you say to yourself: ‘I’m engineering a more prosperous Reality with my clear conscience.’

GNOSIS: The Dark Rise of Brain Rot Content by Moon

deck-bottom: XV The Devil Rx, Gold Astrologer (Simon Forman), Priestess of Ritual

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☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

Pile 1 – Heart Filled with Sweet Colours

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n – Page of Cups

I see that you’ve transmuted very many negative aenergies within yourself, most of all, negative emotions as well as sensations in your body. Seems you were guided to do this by your Higher Self and team of Spirit Guides after having experienced an extreme level of suffering—could be emotionally or physically or both. When you arrived at the most extreme end of what you were struggling with, you couldn’t have gone any other way but to turn your situation around by reclaiming control over your own thoughts and emotions, which effectively shifted your directions and decision making.

There’s a really good quote that says this: ‘When a situation is good, enjoy it. When a situation is bad, transform it. When the situation can’t be transformed, transform yourself.’ You had to learn quite a bit and finally chose to do the last. You’ve known more; now you’re wiser; but wise people are sometimes very pure and childlike. And that’s the beautiful paradox of ‘growing up’ with compassion in your heart. You transformed yourself to be kinder and more loving towards yourself and the crazy-ass situations you found yourself in; now, it’s just easier to extend that love and compassion to the world outside of yourself~♪

t r a n s g r e s s i o n – 4 of Swords Rx

Many of you tuning into this Pile most likely have been in isolation mode for quite a while. The aenergy of this FM in Aquarius, namely the ruler of the 11th House of networking, is pushing you towards becoming social again. And this time everything is going to be (or has been) different. You’ll see that not only are the people in your physical Reality a lot nicer and more compassionate (like you’ve shifted timelines) but you’re also more capable of handling the low-vibing monsters that you may sometimes still have to interact with, with more patience yourself XD

Basically, you’re learning or have learnt to operate in society with more ‘tact’ now. You’ve spent a great deal of time learning to accept a more practical conception of ‘good and evil’ in the world. But to you, good and evil isn’t just black or white; you’re a person who’s come to understand the many colours of good and evil when applied in many different situations. This is wisdom, a gift, that not many have yet to grasp. Your ‘return’ to society is for you to expand this consciousness further and wider!

t r a n s c e n d e n c e – 10 of Wands

The vibe of your ‘return’ to society at large is reminiscent of the Gautama Buddha LMAO He returned to his hometown/home and became a teacher for those who weren’t yet awakened to the higher level of consciousness he had worked so hard to attain! So yeah, a ‘modern priest’ aenergy surrounds you very strongly here; although I find that the majority of you tuning into this Pile are actually quite cute XD Idk why I’m getting a strong ‘gamer girl’ vibe from you. You could also possess a strong sense of aesthetic of your own.

You’re a highly spiritually advanced being but in a cute package, is what I’m getting LMAO At this point in time, your communication skills are getting polished and refined, far beyond what you’re already capable of doing. You may want to look where your Mercury is located in your natal chart, what aspects it makes, and check out what you have in your 3rd House, as well as check out what House is ruled by Gemini ^^ The insight will empower you further at this point in time!

full moon self-care🔻🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

Red Alchemist (John Dee) & Priestess of Intuition

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☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

Pile 2 – Solid to Liquid, Calmly

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n – Knight of Pentacles

Hold up! You’re about to jettison down a new portal of adventure, pretty soon but before that, hold up; planning and a readiness of the mind is very necessary at this moment. This Moon Reading is very tardy so I’m going to be reading an aenergy that’s pretty much already transpired by the time you’re reading this XD More to come for you in the next FM in Pisces PAC regarding this aenergy, OK? But for the most part, I’m sensing that you’re still in preparation mode for something big that’s just around the corner for you.

Just like the liquid in the glass in the pic you’re attracted to, there’s something solid that’s turning to liquid, but slowly and naturally. You’re not being burnt or heated up to melt…you know what I mean? Because melting solid to liquid can be a painful experience for peeps who’ve been through a lot, right? The Universe is gracefully granting you a peaceful time to manifest your Life Purpose in the most natural and pleasant way just yet!

t r a n s g r e s s i o n – 5 of Pentacles Rx

So, enjoy this peaceful time. I sense that it’s possible that a lot of you tuning into this Pile have been SO used to chaos and drama—so used to bubbling madly at 110C—that now you don’t know how to just…be…when no stress, no drama is going on. It could be that you were a dramatic person before. Maybe you were toxic. Or maybe you couldn’t help but be that way because you were simply surrounded by toxic betches! But that’s all in the past, OK?

If you look around and become aware of where you are now, it becomes super clear how far you’ve carried yourself away from all of that low-vibrating Reality ^^v Understand that you’re ‘weaning off’ drama, chaos and other types of ‘addictions’ caused by high-level toxicity in your old Reality. I’m getting that this is the prime time to study as much as possible about ‘surviving narcissistic abuse’ to give you not only knowledge but also validation :D

t r a n s c e n d e n c e – Knight of Cups

Other than just ‘surviving’ trauma, if that part doesn’t necessarily ring true for you, there’s also this sense of just using this peaceful time to readjust yourself to a more spiritually attuned Life. Perhaps some of you are getting into crystals, meditation, healing audio tracks, subliminals and reiki. Maybe there are other ‘spiritual’ hobbies and practices beyond these ones hahah You’ll know if you resonate~ I’m being told that this Aquarius FM really does bring that sense of balance between ‘spiritual practices’ and ‘modern technological living’ for you.

Maybe you’re meant to know more about this (especially if you identify as a Starseed) but a lot of the human qualities that we classify as ‘positive mental states’ are…technology. Things like harmony, peacefulness, positive mindsets, intelligence…all of these are practically technology. There are ways we can trigger such ‘states of mind/being’ by means of…technology. So yeah…Imma leave you with that for now XD

full moon self-care🔻🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

Green Magus (John Dee) & Priestess of Energy

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☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

Pile 3 – Integrity Just Like Jelly

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n – Page of Pentacles

The other two Piles are very focused on the idea of rest and self-care, but as per usual, Pile 3 is always about going places and learning shit LMAO In this regard, if you’re not physically going places, this is indicating your mind going places through meditation, daydreaming, movie-watching, or documentary-binging. You know what I mean~ This the period you’re enriching your inner world through any means available to you at this moment.

Whilst doing this, don’t forget your water intake, OK? Vitamins and real foods are crucial for you at this moment. Your cells are digesting a lot of Light. Remember that Light is INFORMATION. That’s why Darkness is the absence of information, right? Light is Information; when Information is digested well it becomes Knowledge; when Knowledge is applied well it becomes Wisdom; when Wisdom is put to the service of all it becomes En-light-enment~

t r a n s g r e s s i o n – 7 of Pentacles

Prospering towards wisdom, I’m seeing that you’re currently being taught to be perfectly OK with things taking their sweet time to unfold! If this is the Pile you resonate with the most, you’re literally on the precipice of your grandest Life Purpose yet! Your Life Purpose is big, you know that, right? It could possibly even change the world or perhaps you resonate with having a Life Purpose that revolves around the creation of a Prototype what will alter the way Humans think or do shit~

This either shares a resemblance to Nikola Tesla or Adolf Hitler. This either takes on the archetype of Sadhguru or Teddy Bundy~ Your take LMAO Either way, you’re meant to disrupt your society and scatter it all! But that’s the thing, right? If you’re gonna be a social menace that’s in the service of Light instead of Dark, you’ve gotta learn to keep your INTEGRITY. Because… what was that again? Absolute power absolutely corrupts?

t r a n s c e n d e n c e – King of Swords

‘Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test.’ – Robert Ingersoll

‘It is from weakness that people reach for dictators and concentrated government power. Only the strong can be free. And only the productive can be strong.’ – Wendell Willkie

‘To have intelligence there must be freedom, and you cannot be free if you are constantly being urged to become like some hero, for then the hero is important and not you.’ – Jiddu Krishnamurti

Do you understand your role in the next chapter of your ARC? Not to be some kind of a narcissistic wielder of power but to be a gentle-albeit-passionate reminder for the people, that only they can save themselves from this pathetically enslaved existence of theirs caused by a lack of Integrity.

Got no integrity? Got no intelligence? Go succumb to AI already -__-;

full moon self-care🔻🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

Gold Astronomer (John Dee) & Priestess of Integrity

Access full reading + cards on Patreon🌸

☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

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