#Protocol “Sole Survivor”

[dzthenerd490]

File: Attack the Block

SCP#: AFY

Code Name: Blue Tooth Hounds

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-AFY instances are contained at in an artificially created cave system that spans 150x150 meters wide at Site-AA. They are bred and trained in that area so that they can become proper hounds for Mobile Task Force Demeter-4 "Animal Control". No one besides Level 4 Clearance or a member of MTF Demeter-4 is allowed within the containment area of SCP-AFY. Any testing with SCP-AFY must be approved by a Level 4 Clearance Staff. 

In the event of a containment breach a pheromone is to be released within the SCP-AFY containment area. This pheromone will make them docile and want to hide by any means available. Should they smell anyone with an unidentifiable smell enter the containment area they will hunt them down and kill them. A calming pheromone will be released after the containment breach has been cleared. 

Description: SCP-AFY is a species of Quadrupedal aliens that came to earth via meteor. The males of the species all are large being able to stand 5 to 6 feet tall and weight on average 600 to 1200 pounds. They have no visible sensory organs, small but sharp claws, and for some reason glowing blue teeth. They also have fur so black that it absorbs all forms of light making them look like living and moving blobs of darkness. 

Despite having no sensory organs SCP-AFY has a keen sense of smell especially for pheromones. As such the females of the species produce these pheromones regularly quite similar to how a queen ant of a colony sprays pheromones on the ants to follow her orders. Unlike the males the female is devoid of hair and has a body size of 3 -4 feet tall. They are also relatively weak without male guards, but they do have a defense mechanism of spraying hostile pheromones onto their attackers. 

As a whole, the species is extremely fast and flexible able to run along any terrain with ease and at a speed of 30 to 50 MPH. They can climb across any surface, and break through glass, metal, and even concrete with ease. Their sense of hearing is incredible, and their bodies are durable enough to resist most melee and even basic firearm attacks. However heavy firearms, explosives, and energy-based attacks are quite effective against them. Furthermore, despite their great senses, they mostly focus on pheromone commands often ignoring prey when it hasn't been sprayed by hostile pheromones.

SCP-AFY was discovered in 2011 when an apartment building at [data expunged]. The Foundation was called to action when an agent living in the building as well as another agent passing by saw the SCP-AFY male instances roaming around the apartment building. The England Division of the Foundation deployed Mobile Task Force Artemis-6 "Wild Hunt" to capture all of the anomalous beasts. Though they captured a few the female was already killed, and the rest were killed by a boy who calls himself Moses and his friends. However, they were arrested by the police who believed they killed everyone who died by the SCP-AFY instances and caused the explosion in the name of arson. 

Foundation agents disgusted as detectives offered the boys positions at the Foundation under Protocol "Sole Survivor". They accepted and are now under training to become MTF units within the Foundation. As for a majority of the survivors of the apartment they were given the proper amnestics and sent to new apartments with £5,000 each as compensation for their troubles as well as hush money. The cover story for the boys was that they really did attack the apartment and were given capital punishment as a result, fake bodies were created for the funerals. Surprisingly a lot of people showed up to said funeral not remembering much but believing Moses and his boys were heroes.

Update 2013 - Moses and his men have completed their training they are now the newest recruits of Mobile Task Force Epsilon-11 "Nine-Tailed Fox". Unlike normal MTF Epsilon-11 units they are quite talkative and have good charisma making them instant favorites among Foundation staff. a majority of Mobile Task Force Alpha-1 "Red Right Hand" do not like this, so they are often handled by MTF Alpha-1 unit "Monster Slayer".

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SCP: Horror Movie Files Hub

[hell0jon]

can’t wait (i can) for alice to find colin’s body suspended in the middle of a dark room in wires likes he’s just been crucified, in a way

[thatsonemorbidcorvid]

“One of the most powerful inventions of the 20th century is also an object that no one ever wants a reason to use. The sexual-assault-evidence collection box, colloquially known as the “rape kit,” is a simple yet potent tool: a small case, perhaps made of cardboard, containing items such as sterile nail clippers, cotton swabs, slides for holding bodily fluids, paper bags, and a tiny plastic comb. Designed to gather and preserve biological evidence found on the body of a person reporting a sexual assault, it introduced standardized forensics into the investigation of rape where there had previously been no common protocol. Its contents could be used in court to establish facts so that juries wouldn’t have to rely solely on testimony, making it easier to convict the guilty and exonerate the innocent.

The kit, conceived within the Chicago Police Department in the mid-1970s, was trademarked under the name “Vitullo Evidence Collection Kit,” after Sergeant Louis Vitullo. The Chicago police officer had a well-publicized role in the 1967 conviction of Richard Speck, who had murdered eight student nurses in one night. Vitullo’s second claim to fame is more complicated. The Secret History of the Rape Kit, a revealing new book by the journalist Pagan Kennedy, doubles as an account of the largely unknown history of the collection box’s real inventor—a woman named Martha “Marty” Goddard, whose broader goal of empowering survivors led her to cede credit to a man. In a cruel irony, a woman who drove major social change failed to get her due as a result of politics and sexism.”

[cripplecharacters]

Do you know any good sources for burn scar care?

I’m writing a character who was burned in a spaceship crash. The story is set several years after the fact, and I want to incorporate that detail into the story. What would a burn scar care routine look like?

Hey!

I generally recommend medical websites for this kind of stuff. There are tons of information readily available online, especially about things as common as a burn injury. Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors or MSKTC can be helpful for you.

While caring for a burn scar will be different for everyone (there's many types, degrees, plus just individual differences between burn survivors themselves) some of the things that you can include;

Burnt skin doesn't produce its own oils, so it gets dry. It needs to be moisturized, oil-based products (think coconut or grape seed oil) are often used. The heavier the lotion, the fewer times a day it needs to be applied.

Massaging a scar, especially when it's relatively new. It can be a massage, but stretching or just putting pressure on it is part of that too. It helps the skin from becoming extremely sensitive. Initially you do it delicately, but after the scars are matured it's fine (or recommended even) to put some force into it. This loosens them up.

Itching is a huge issue. Both massaging and moisturizing help with that, but if it's still causing problems then there are medications that could provide some relief.

Protecting the skin from the sun. All year, including cloudy weather. Sunblock, big hats, sunglasses if needed, all that. This applies to people with darker skin as well because the skin loses its pigment after a burn (it can sometimes come back but it's definitely not a guarantee).

Avoiding the heat. A lot of burn survivors will have problems with temperature regulation because burns damage the sweat glands, so they overheat faster. There's nothing burn-specific here, same protocol as for avoiding a heatstroke - drink water and keep out of the sun.

Wearing softer and looser clothing. Rough and tight clothes can cause blisters, and that is a Problem. Inappropriate materials could also induce more itching.

Taking pain meds. Chronic pain is common, so your character might need medication.

I definitely wouldn't say that this is an exhaustive list, but I think it's a good start. If you need more details, I think the resources linked above should work.

I'm glad to see people interested in burn scars being a disability that requires a lot of care rather than seeing it as a solely visual thing. Makes it much more authentic.

I hope this helps,

mod Sasza

[major-comet]

an analysis of andor, autonomy, and the trappings of destiny - spoilers up to episode 9

i think it’s important to remember as we discuss episodes 7-9 and cassian’s arc within them and throughout the rest of the show leading up to where/who he is in rogue one, that the conversations he has about wanting to be done with all of this, of wanting to take bix away somewhere safe and live out the rest of their lives there, happen in the immediate aftermath of surviving a genocide.

let's step back a few episodes really quickly. by the time s2:eps 4-6 roll around, he’s starting to feel deeply distrustful of luthen and his intentions, and i think is possibly starting to regret his choice to put his - and subsequently bix’s - life into his hands. not regretting rebellion per se, but regretting doing it through luthen. the conversation he has with luthen in the shop is so illuminating;

Luthen: "Kill me or take me in." You're in! "Oh, but Ghorman looks too painful. Bix is too vulnerable."

Cassian: I give you everything.

Luthen: This is everything? This fury? This lack of control? Violating every protocol we live by? Soft on Ghorman but willing to protect Bix at any cost.

Cassian: We... We are not droids, Luthen.

a lot of people have been interpreting this as the emotional element - that he and bix have feelings and luthen can't just completely discard that factor if he wants to keep making use of them - which I think does definitely play into it, but i think it's primarily a line about autonomy. as a given and with very few exceptions, in the world of star wars droids have no autonomy. no say in whether they will follow orders or not, no say in anything at all. either they follow their orders, or they'll be scrapped in favor of one who will. that's how cassian feels working for luthen - either he does as he's told, or luthen will put him down like star wars old yeller in favor of an agent who will continue to follow him unquestioningly. that is the choice cassian gave luthen at the end of season 1, after all, "kill me or take me in." cassian desperately wants to affirm that they're not droids in that sense - that they aren't going to just blindly follow orders and not worry about the very real costs of luthen's tactics.

to me, cassian’s arc throughout this season - and quite honestly an important theme for him throughout the whole show - is one about autonomy and control. i think he’s felt wildly out of control of his life and his circumstances since he was a child, being taken off of kenari by maarva and clem. it was probably at least part of the reason for all the trouble he got into as an adolescent on ferrix, and i think he deeply believes that almost every choice he actually gets to make is the wrong one - often leading to other people getting hurt.

all of this is happening to a guy who has always struggled with choice and feeling in control of his own life. all of this is happening to a guy who already carries the guilt of being a survivor with him everywhere he goes. sole survivor of kenari, one of two remaining aldhani heist survivors, one of only two known narkina 5 prison break survivors. he survived the empire's attack on ferrix during his mother's funeral, he was too late to save brasso on mina rau, and now he's also a survivor of the ghorman genocide. and now, in the aftermath of both ghorman, and of the conversation with that force healer, that feeling of being out of control of his own destiny has finally come to a head. if i recall correctly, listening to the desperate radio broadcast on ghorman is the only time we've seen cassian cry throughout the whole series thus far. he's rattled, and he's scared, and he feels guilty that once again - he's left to tell the tale. the healer was right, he's a messenger, destined to carry the weight of everything he lives through with him until he gets where he needs to be - which we of course know to be scarif.

cassian is scared, and feels wildly out of control and desperately wants to make a decision that would keep him and bix - bix who he feels is only in this mess because of him - safe and get them someplace where they could actually rest and let their guards down and feel completely in control of their circumstances. and obviously he would never be satisfied if he walked away from the rebellion - he'd carry the guilt of that with him just as he carries everything else. kleya knows it, and calls him on it in luthen's shop before he extracts mothma. bix knows it, and cassian knows it too, even if it’s buried deep down under the fear at the moment. but that doesn’t change the fact that at present, he desperately wants to know that he can still make a decision that matters, and won't get those that he still has left killed in the process.

and i think it’s very interesting and deeply, utterly tragic that the way bix handles it is by making the choice for him. once again denying cassian the agency to make an important choice for himself. after a lifetime of not being able to stay anywhere - kenari, ferrix, mina rau, this is the place he can't leave. destiny decrees that he must stay on yavin in order to deliver his message, but in order to achieve that bix can't stay there with him.

and now, two of the few people he has left in this last year leading up to following destiny and delivering his message on scarif, are the k-x that by bringing back to yavin for reprogramming, cassian has given the chance to experience some level of free will and autonomy, and the only other known survivor of the prison break he helped plan and carry out - a desperate grab for freedom, for autonomy. k-2 and melshi have been liberated in ways that cassian was very much - at least in part - responsible for, and yet he himself doesn't feel he has that same freedom of choice.

that's how we get to the cassian andor of rogue one. he's given everything in service of this fight, and feels that he truly has no other choice than to continue on the path destiny has laid out for him.

and if this is the plan the stars laid out for him, then i suppose he never really did have any say in it, did he? maybe that's the real tragedy in his story.

[goodneighborxfallout]

I just found your blog, it's really cool you're doing this!

Anyway, how do you think the companions would react to Sole being seriously injured/nearly dying?

Thanks for requesting! Sorry it took me so long to write this.

Cait: “Shit, shit, shit! You better not die on me, Sole!” she’ll curse while picking you up from the ground and hauling you over to the nearest doctor she can find. She will threaten and beat up anyone to get you the help you need as fast as possible. 

Codsworth: “Sir/Mum, please hold on!” Codsworth will frantically try any sort of first aid he can to stabilize you. He won’t admit it to himself, but he is not optimistic about your survival chances because his Mr. Handy body does not allow him to pick you up and get you help. He’ll have to find a way to get help to you and that will take double the amount of time. 

Curie: Curie will be the most calm and collected. Being a doctor, she has experience patching people up and she knows panicking will only make things worse. With Curie by your side, you are in good hands. She’ll do whatever she can with the current equipment she has and once you are stabilized she will bring you to either a hospital or a friendly settlement to nurse you back to health completely. 

Danse: Danse might freeze for a second. Instinctively, he recalls Brotherhood protocol but he hesitates because he also knows how harsh that protocol can be. You are not just any soldier, you’re you, and no part of him is willing to risk you dying just because the protocol doesn’t care for your survival as much as he does. So instead, he’ll forgo protocol, forgo the mission in general if necessary and bring you to safety. 

Deacon: “It’s just a flesh wound. Carrington will patch you right up,” is what he tells you to keep you calm, but he himself does not believe it. Your condition is a lot more severe than he is letting on and he has to try hard not to openly panic. Luckily, Deacon knows his way around the Commonwealth pretty well, so he’ll pick you up and take the fastest and safest way back to HQ, all the while cracking some lighthearted jokes to keep you smiling. 

Gage: Raiders are mostly not known for their medical skills. The lifestyle Gage chose is one where death is accepted. However, raiders often also stock up on drugs. He himself is not a fan of it, but he does know where others hide their caches around Nuka World. So he’ll give you some buffout and med-x, and then haul you over to the nearest doctor after which he goes off on his own for a bit. Gage normally doesn’t care when others die, but seeing you close to death made him panic, which made him realize that he’s grown attached to you. He is not sure how he feels about that and needs some time alone to reflect. 

Hancock: First and foremost, Hancock will get you to safety and bring you to a doctor for help. He’ll stay really calm during this. He won’t show you how he feels and he’ll just focus on reassuring you with comforting words. However, he also won’t stick around when the doctor is treating you because he will be hellbent on getting revenge on the people who dared to hurt you.  “You’re in good hands here, Sunshine. I have to go take care of something.” 

Longfellow: “Told you the island would eat you alive,” he mumbled while dragging you back to the doctor in Far Harbor. Longfellow hasn’t gotten attached to someone in a long time, and even though he likes your company, he always kept himself shielded. Of course, he hopes that you’ll pull through, but he’s not panicked or upset. Most people die in the fog, so why not you too? 

MacCready: Mac is a survivor. He’s been fighting since he was a little kid and he’s found himself in countless hazardous situations. Therefore, MacCready is wise enough to not go out without some healing supplies on hand. Still, he panics seeing someone he cares for so dangerously hurt, and will fumble around looking for a stimpak in his backpack, finally emptying all its contents out onto the ground to find it more easily.  

Nick: “I ain’t gonna lie kid, it’s not looking good. How are you feeling? You think you can walk?” Nick has lived a long life - even if doesn’t see all of his memories as his own -, he’s lost a lot of people and in his line of work a happy ending is mostly not the outcome. That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care or that he won’t try everything he can to save you, it just means he’s good at staying calm and collected during these kinds of situations. 

Piper: “You’re not going to die out here, Sole! I promise!" Piper will quickly administer a stim, then put your arm over her shoulder and drag you to the nearest doctor. She’ll try to remain calm but small things give away that she’s panicking, like having trouble aiming her gun right at enemies along the way, and losing her temper at every obstacle you encounter. 

Preston: “Come on, general! You can pull through!” Preston will be terrified of losing you. While carrying you to the closest doctor around, he’ll still beg anyone he meets along the way for help. 

Strong: “Human fight well! Now die like warrior.”  

X6-88: “The Institute needs you, sir/ma’am.” He’ll administer a stimpak and will then ask you to teleport back to the institute for further treatment.

[centaurianthropology]

Visual Narratives for an Internalized Book Series: Semi-Unhinged Predictions for ‘Murderbot’

I got into ‘The Murderbot Diaries’ recently, and was thrilled to find out there’s about to be a tv series!  And while I’ll admit I had to do a bit of a recalibration of my mental picture of our titular character, I’ve really come around to what I’m seeing from Alexander Skarsgård’s SecUnit.  And the rest of the cast?

Picture perfect PresAux team!  I don’t know many of these actors, but I really sort of love not knowing them as anything other than the characters from this show.  It makes them feel very real and lived-in (emphasized by the slightly beat-up sets, the comfy colorful clothing, and the general lack of makeup, highlighting natural wrinkles, creases, pores, and vitiligo spots).  And contrast this to the much more well-known nerd actors they cast for the space-soap-opera-within-a-show, ‘The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon’, who have elaborate makeup and wigs?

I love it.  I love the look of the show.  And given that we’ve really only got one trailer and a few scenes out, that’s about as much as I can really say about it without seeing actual episodes, seeing how the pacing and the dialogue and the FEEL of the show will actually work.

But in the meantime, speculation and meta are my favorite things.  And I’ve been thinking a lot about the challenges of adapting this particular book series.  The thing is, it’s a very internalized series.  Everything focuses on what’s going on in SecUnit’s head.  Its perceptions of the world (and its somewhat unreliable narration) are the core of the series.  Which makes it a challenge when translating the written word into visual media.

I'm going to cut here for show-only folks, as beyond this point lies plenty of book spoilers ('All Systems Red', 'Artificial Condition', and 'Rogue Protocol' specifically) and speculation for how the showrunners might choose to adapt the series.

I got thinking about the process of adaptation because this person popped up in the trailer, and according to articles, she’s an indentured corporate citizen, and is absolutely not in 'All Systems Red'.  And while I get people being suspicious of adding a character not in the source material, Show Don’t Tell is in full effect for a television series.  If corporations enslave and warp the people trapped in the Corporation Rim, we need to see that.  ‘All Systems Red’ doesn’t get into that nearly as much as later books, so we need someone to show us that perspective.  Someone pointed out she’s wearing a different pin than the PresAux crew, so it’s probable she’s either an added DeltFall survivor or a GreyCris agent pretending to be a DeltFall survivor.

Either of those work really well!  You have to show how bad the Corporation Rim is, and you have to highlight the rampant, horrifically abusive capitalist system to set up the world and explain why Murderbot gloms onto this weird group of space hippie scientists from a Luxury Space Communism utopia.  They’re kind and decent, but more than that, they’re radically different to the culture and mentality it’s been trapped around for its entire existence.

Having a character outside the PresAux crew who embodies that (and embodies that they absolutely would have taken in someone in need of help, as GreyCris likely tricked DeltFall into doing in order to get access to their base and kill everyone), you need a person.  And in television, to really hit the audience with a villain, that villain needs a face. The GreyCris agents in ASR were almost all faceless or unseen, or in too few scenes to really make the audience loath them. Having a mole in our sweet hippie base is a way to get around that issue when translating the story into a visual medium.

If she’s a GreyCris agent in disguise, that works.  But even if she is the sole survivor of DeltFall, having her betray the PresAux crew for a promise of money or even relief from her indenture contract serves to highlight the backstabbing, vicious mindset people in the Corporation Rim have to adopt to survive. Even if she really is a DeltFall survivor, she simply isn't able to believe that this sweet, naive group of nerds can save her. So she betrays them for a pat on the head, because that's what she thinks she has to do.

Gurathin, who figured out the hack in the books, is likely to be the one to figure out she’s double crossing them. Depending on how they expand out his character, he might initially want to trust and work with her, only to figure out her game a second too late. Given some of the scenes in the trailer (and the fact that the writers clearly took one look at David Dastmalchian and decided they had to splatter him with blood at some point), she takes him hostage, probably injures him, and either tries to leave or hold the PresAux crew in one place until GreyCris can arrive.

And Murderbot kills her.

And there we also have another important role for her character to play: someone to really spark some more conflict in the group. Per its threat assessment, SecUnit had to kill her, but how does our group of hippies react to that? I think it's a really interesting way to force everyone into on-screen growth, either developing a level of trust with Murderbot they didn't necessarily have before, or having to question that trust. But either way, leading to stronger bonds in the end.

It’s perhaps a trickier, stickier, and nastier situation to put the crew in than their relatively smooth working relationship in ASR, but for an on-screen adaptation, it could definitely be useful to have some (well-handled and realistic, please!) conflict in the group. I think it would go a long way to showing us (rather than telling us) what makes a SecUnit what they are, and what makes this SecUnit a unique person outside its basic construction.  It cares deeply, but it also does its job very well, and if it has to kill people to protect its humans, it’s going to.  But perhaps it regrets. Perhaps it struggles with that decision because it complicates its relationships with its humans. All these could be really good things.

So, yes, I think the addition of this new character is almost certainly going to be hugely helpful in establishing the universe, the central conflicts between Preservation and the Corporation Rim, and to better highlight SecUnit’s relationships with all the main cast.

And that got me thinking about how to adapt future books.  Because beyond ‘All Systems Red’, continuing the development of those relationships becomes complicated.  You have two entire novellas in which the PresAux crew and Murderbot are separated as it goes off to figure itself out, and they stick around to deal with the legal and personal fallout of the GrayCris incident.  And in the books, that’s great!   Novellas are short enough you’re back with the PresAux gang before you can really miss them, and the scattered references throughout 'Artificial Condition' and 'Rogue Protocol' keep them in your mind. 

But if the show is adapting a novella a season--or even if they try to combine ‘Artificial Condition’ and ‘Rogue Protocol’--that’s two entire books we don’t get more than snippets of the majority of the cast. And that really doesn't work on television.

To actually keep things cohesive, keep the cast in their contracts (most actors sign a 3 to 5-year deal for series, and you don't want to lose one of them to another commitment while you backburner them for a year or two), and keep the audience invested in all of the cast to make the plot of 'Exit Strategy' really hit, changes in how the story is going to be told will be necessary.

First, we’ll almost certainly get a LOT more scenes of Dr. Mensah and Pin-Lee trying to grapple legally with GrayCris.  Playing this as a tense legal drama with ever-mounting stakes and dangers will be an interesting side-story while SecUnit is off finding itself.  And honestly, having Dr. Mensah get a lot more scenes where we get to see her as the planetary leader she really is will be great. Likewise, getting to actually see Pin-Lee go full legal-shark will be awesome. It's not only good setup for ‘Exit Strategy’, but it's great character development, showing them both in over their heads, but in a situation far more within their elements where their own flavors of competence and strength can really shine.

And now it's time for my true wildly unhinged speculation: I don't think SecUnit is going to go alone to find itself in this adaptation.  It’s going to be hard to adapt its conversations with bot-pilots, and its internal monologuing alone as it attempts its Pretend-to-Be-Human subroutines. As it attempts to blend and pass, it's ALL internal in the books. To externalize it, you need at least one person to bounce off of.

If I’m right and it doesn’t go alone, I 100% think Ratthi is going with SecUnit.  This would allow a development of Ratthi being its best friend, and Ratthi isn’t critical to Mensah’s plot line at first.  From a character perspective, it makes perfect sense he would elect to go with SecUnit. 

I’m back and forth on who Arada stays with.  Given that they’re shifting her marriage from the written-out Overse to Pin-Lee, I lean toward Arada staying with Mensah and her wife.  And I also feel like Arada and Ratthi can have overlapping personalities/plot effects.  They’re both sweet, friendly, and a little naive.  So separating them out into two different storylines allows them both to grow in different directions, and gives each plotline one eternal optimist/slightly sheltered character who can be shocked or dismayed by various developments.

Gurathin is the wild card here.  I could see him staying with Mensah, but I think it’s more likely he goes with Ratthi and SecUnit.  For one, they're shifting the also written-out Volescu's crush on Mensah to Gurathin, which I imagine goes precisely nowhere and makes him feel incredibly awkward, so he might be eager to get a little distance for a bit.

For another, a lot of ‘Artificial Condition’ is very tech-heavy, so having someone else who’s tech-oriented to translate that into a visual medium would be useful. Him helping develop (and critique) the Act-Like-a-Human subroutine would make good sense for him (and having Ratthi help out could be hilarious). 

It would also allow the development of the Ratthi/Gurathin relationship and make it clearer why they go from coworkers to regularly getting meals together and hanging out.

And it gives SecUnit a continual snarky associate who isn’t just ride-or-die for it.  Which is good for storytelling.

If Gurathin does go with them, I think it's likely that he goes back to help Mensah as things get worse for her.  SecUnit could be trying to decide if it should give up its own journey of self-discover to help her near the end of the 'Artifical Condition' part of the storyline, and Gurathin volunteers to go back in its place. 

I say this because I don’t feel like introducing Gurathin to ART prematurely is a good idea.  Ratthi would be fine, and probably very fun, to have along as SecUnit is having to deal with ART.  I completely understand wanting to give ART and SecUnit time alone, but from a visual storytelling perspective it’s hard to have multiple extended scenes where there are only two characters and one of them is the disembodied AI of a ship.  With another person there, we keep visual interest up, externalize the internal monologue, and can hopefully carve out times when SecUnit and ART are alone and bonding. 

Gurathin doesn’t fit in quite as neatly with this, and his augmented human status goes from helpful to the story in ‘Artificial Condition’ to less helpful with ART in the picture, which is why I would predict he’d leave to help Mensah before SecUnit and Ratthi meet ART.  He’ll stay in communication with them, and it could be him who reaches out with an SOS from the PresAux gang after the events of 'Rogue Protocol'. 

That leads us into ‘Exit Strategy’, which I honestly think needs far less tweaking to make it work as a piece of visual media. Much like 'All Systems Red', it's a good story with all the main cast, and they're all together with important things to do. So it's a far more straightforward piece of adaptation.

As for the one-off side characters in ‘Artificial Condition’ and ‘Rogue Protocol’, I figure they’re either getting merged (i.e. Tapan has Miki or something like that), or severely pared back (Tapan is SecUnit’s only client for the ‘Artificial Condition’ section, and Don Abene and Miki are alone for ‘Rogue Protocol’) to keep the cast leaner and lighter.  I think both the Tapan storyline, and especially the Miki storyline are really important for SecUnit’s growth as a person, so I don’t see them getting removed, but I do seen them getting pared back a bit to keep the focus on SecUnit and its original humans.

Anyway, those are my thoughts.  Stoked for the new series, and really hoping it lives up to the source material.  I’m going in cautiously optimistic about it, and always enjoy speculating about practical ways to adapt difficult source material to be satisfying both from a visual storytelling perspective and from the perspective of respecting the source material.

[kravchikfreak]

"was our entire team dying part of that «optimal result»?"

i gotta say, i'm actually quite stupid, inattentive and not good with details in general. i don't understand any plot media in all its beauty, i only can grasp the general form and whatever is on the surface. so whenever i see people theorizing and talking about some subtle things and whatnot i always get stanned by how smart and cool people are. but whenever i notice and understand something, even after experiencing it for second or fifth times, it also feels quite nice and i wanna talk about it

so now i wanna talk about gustave's cruelty, that i didn't register in my first playthrough, even if everybody else understood it right away

when i first saw that scene, i thought he was just speaking about protocol in general, like "theory is cool and all, but in practice everything is completely different", and i was a bit confused why he was saying "it's not your fault" in the camp

but lune is the one, who studies previous expeditions journals when others are getting hammered in their last peaceful night, she's the one, who dedicated herself to the cause since four years old. and even tho lune says "i was the one who told commander to land there" i didn't understand it the first time. not truly

she studied her whole life for this. she was preparing to do it. i bet she was hopeful and confident in herself. of course all other expedition failed, but they had less information than her, they didn't prepare as thoughtfully as her, they were making a path for her, and now she, having all the info, having the protocol that was written by gallons of blood, now she will lead this expedition, her expedition, to the victory

for all of them being completely wiped the moment they stepped on the land, in the spot, that she chose. she, using all her knowledge, making calculations, chose the spot. and everyone was obliterated

gustave doesn't speak about protocol and how not everything that protocol says can be good in practice. he's talking about lune and her calculations of optimal result for their expedition

and it hits really hard now seeing that scene after finally understanding it

lune's face at this moment… initially i registered it as "damn he's right but i'm not ready to admit it, but i can't object either". when in reality it's devastation of hearing the sole survivor blaming you for all their deaths out loud

okay okay i keep editing it cause i'm watching the scene now

and how lune's quite and frozen after these words. and gustave says "i'm going for maelle" and lune stays in place. something that can be registered as her wanting to still follow protocol (which of course she does, she's in distress and rules are calming and comforting for her) but also when gustave stops and tells her that protocol also says not to travel alone. the relief on her face and in her sigh. relief cause after what he just said a moment ago she was sure he wants nothing to do with her. he says "i'm going for maelle" and she hears "you're the reason they're all dead, you're on your own from now on, i don't care for you anymore". and then he says "fuck the protocol, but we're still in this together if you wish"

[quillneriine]

Lost and Found (Sole Survivor Prima AU)

The day they won the war, Cybertron lost all but one Prime, and Prima Prime has not been the same since. In the present, Orion Pax - an archivist with a penchant for trouble - finds himself with the golden opportunity to ask Prima Prime what really happened all those cycles ago. Meanwhile, D-16 - Pax's conjunx and assigned security personnel - just really wishes that Pax doesn't get them both executed… and that he could stop feeling watched within the walls of the Prime's palace.

Full disclosure, this is a "D-16 is Primatronus' sparkling" AU. Why? Because why not. And also because I was talking about this with some people in the OPMeg discord server and I just needed to write it so that I may finally get some decent sleep instead of having this AU rotate in my head. Anyway, more info on the actual Ao3 link. So... mind the tags, and yeah, hope you like this.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63743554

“You deserve this.”

“Awww, thanks Dee!” “... I don’t think you understand what I mean.”

D-16 vented, tapping a digit against the edge of the table as his optics carefully followed his conjunx’s every movement. The apartment they shared was small, but even then he had difficulty following the other mech. The problem with Pax - aside from sneaking out beyond curfew and causing minor infractions against the law - was that he had too much energy that sometimes Dee couldn’t believe he was merely an archivist.

Maybe that was why Pax snuck out so much, recording data all day wasn’t enough to deplete him of his energy reserves.

“No one has ever recorded what happened on the surface. This is a huge opportunity.” Pax let out a huge grin, his entire frame shaking, but not from fear.

“No, this is a death sentence.” Dee growled out, his voice box straining. “The head archivist wants you punished. The reason why we have no record of the incident is because—”

He cut himself off, terrified of even daring to mention the Prime’s designation.

Slowly, he stood up, reaching for Pax’s servo. He could feel the unstable whirr of his spark in his chassis.

“Pax—”

“Come with me.”

When they vowed their sparks to one another, when they first became conjunxes, D-16 did not realize how far of an extent he would have to go for Orion Pax.

His yellow optics trained themselves on Pax’s smiling face, sunlight from the open windows glinting off the metal that made Dee want to lean in closer and kiss him. 

“Pax—”

“It’s protocol.” Pax rolled his blue optics, unable to hide his blatant disregard for the rules for even a moment. “The head archivist has to send security personnel with me anyway, who better than you? Come on, Dee, what’s the worst that can happen?” “The Prime could evaporate us into atoms.” He deadpanned, shuddering at the countless stories of bots that had earned the Prime’s ire. That was why Pax, with his reckless attitude, would probably be the cause of Dee’s eventual offlining in the near future. If Pax didn’t somehow get them both executed, then he might just die from a sparkattack. 

“Prima Prime—” Pax cut himself off as Dee gave him a glare, raising his free servo to calm him down. “He hasn’t allowed anyone to know what happened all those cycles ago. As an archivist, I have to record this for future Cybertronians. I could be the one archivist who gets through to him.”

He let out a soft vent. When Pax set his spark to a task, it was impossible for Dee to get him to stop. 

Even now.

“Fine, but if by some miracle of Primus he decides not to offline us on the spot, then you have to promise me that we’ll leave if he tells us to.” He could hardly believe it, but as Pax processed his words, Dee knew he wouldn’t take them back.

He was coming with him.

—

Cycles ago, in a time neither he nor Pax could remember for they had only been sparklings, there were Thirteen Primes.

The Primes ruled over Iacon with a strict yet kind servo.

Then a war broke out between Cybertron and the Quintessons.

A terrible war that brought about much devastation and destruction.

In the end, the Cybertronians won the war.

But it was hardly a victory.

It is said that the Primes had gone to the surface to end the war, though for what reason the records could not say.

Iacon had continued on without them for several cycles.

Ultimately, all Thirteen Primes left.

And only one came back.

Prima Prime came back to Iacon all alone, his entire frame covered with spilled energon, the head of the Quintessons’ leader clutched tightly in his servo, and the Matrix of Leadership glowing bright within his chassis.

One would think that the end of the war would mean celebration.

But no one had dared to do anything at the sight of Prima Prime’s return.

There had been questions as to what had happened.

They had quickly stopped once Prima Prime began to tear bots into pieces.

Every mech and femme had realized that whatever happened on the surface, it was not an event that Prima Prime wanted to recount. The Prime had withdrawn into himself and his palace.

He still ruled over Iacon, but from the shadows and far stricter than the Primes had been before. It was as though all the kindness had died alongside his fellow Primes - and that was the conclusion most had come to.

After all, where had the other Twelve gone to? And what else could have happened that would cause Prima Prime to lose himself so badly?

It was an accepted fact that, somehow and in some way, the other Primes were dead and Prima Prime had been the sole survivor.

It was a tragic fact that nobody ever really brought up, for even the mere mention of the other Primes could be dangerous.

If Prima Prime ever so much as heard rumors about the other Primes, he would have the High Guard find the source and have the offending bot executed publicly.

That is… if you were lucky. A public execution was usually quick and painless.

It was those who were killed privately that had it worse.

It is said that Prima Prime tore into each and every atom until you were gone from existence.

Still, life in Iacon was good. It was merely a way of living that you did not do anything to earn the ire of Prima Prime.

And yet… here was D-16, following his conjunx - who he was sure had been deliberately assigned this task out of pure malice to get him offlined - into the very palace that housed the one mech that could make the end of their life as deliberately painful as possible.

He could only pray to Primus that Pax didn’t find a way to offend the Prime.

—

“I have told you archivists time and time again that the day I decide to tell you anything is the day that Cybertron implodes in on itself. How many broken frames must I send back to get it through your thick helms that I—”

Dee quickly grabbed onto Pax, pushing them both out of the way as a table came crashing past them, leaving a dent against the wall as it smashed into tiny pieces. The Prime stood by the end of the throne room, his dark gold optics glowing underneath the shade of the fabric canopy above the throne. 

He felt Pax shift in his arms, and he quickly cupped a servo before Pax could open his intake and protest. He gave his conjunx a stern glare before pushing Pax behind him. He would have to shield Pax until they got out of the room.

The moment he stepped forward, he felt those optics turn to him… and the whole room seemed to freeze as he stared into those molten gold.

It must have been only a few kliks, but to Dee it felt like orns had passed. Slowly, the Prime’s optics turned into a soft shade of blue.

“I…” The Prime stared at him, a lost look on his face before it settled into a detached stare. The room seemed to shake as the Prime made his way towards them, and while Pax had moved to stand by Dee’s side, it felt as though the Prime had put all his attention on only him.

He didn’t know what Pax felt, but as the Prime stopped to stand before them, Dee could only feel fear.

“... You are an archivist.” The Prime finally tore his gaze away from Dee and turned to Pax. “Very well, I will agree to this.”

He could practically feel Pax’s whole frame shaking from excitement. “Thank you so much, sir. I promise I’ll record down every detail—”

As Pax continued to ramble, the joy of getting to do his job taking over, Dee couldn’t help but sneak one last glance towards the Prime. 

The Prime’s optics were entirely focused on Pax, as though Dee wasn’t even in the room anymore. The Prime was even making polite conversation and nodding along.

It should have calmed him down. 

And yet… 

Dee didn’t know why, but as he looked away, he could have sworn he still felt watched.

—

Dee was starting to believe that Pax was blessed by Primus.

His conjunx had a habit of getting into trouble, but from some form of intervention - mostly Dee but even he couldn’t always be there - Pax always got out of any form of punishment.

Even now.

He stood by one of the palace windows, optics focused on as he Pax cheerfully interviewed one of the most terrifying mechs in Iacon.

The Prime hadn’t shown a single hint of aggression since they had arrived in the palace. He had allowed himself to be recorded, a fact that Pax continuously bragged to him about.

The Prime did not smile, but he had been so calm with his answers that sometimes even Dee was enthralled by the stories the Prime was telling.

He had agreed to eventually explain what had happened to the other Primes, but he had wanted to start from the very beginning, to a time when it had only been him ruling over Iacon. Then he would tell more stories about the other Primes before… the end.

Dee would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious. While his main task was making sure Pax didn’t get them both executed, he couldn’t help but let himself be distracted. He never really understood why his conjunx enjoyed reading history, as Dee was mostly into reading about math or even the other cultures of other planets, but it was hard not to care when it was a Prime telling his life story.

“...And Maximo learned it was not sensible an idea to lie to me ever again.” The Prime finished, an amused yet affectionate tone in his voice. He had just finished recounting a story about Liege Maximo - the eleventh Prime.

“Of course, sir.” Dee wanted to laugh as Pax struggled to agree with the Prime, noticing how much his conjunx struggled not to let out his own thoughts. As nice as the Prime had been to them both, Dee had begged Pax to be respectable for the entire interview.

He watched as Pax looked down at the datapad, opening a blank page on the screen. “Sir—”

“As for Zeta…”

Dee couldn’t help but frown, an act that Pax mimicked as a look of confusion crossed his conjunx’s blue optics.

“Prima Prime, sir, the next page should be about Megatronus—”

There was a crack, and Dee quickly moved forward until he was standing beside Pax.

The Prime’s servos had clenched against the armrest of the throne he was sitting on, the metal creaking.

The Prime’s blue optics had drained into a harsh gold, the shadows casted by the canopy of garments that hung over the dais further darkening the rage that was building in the mech’s face.

“Get out.”

“Prima Prime, sir—” “GET OUT!”

Dee wasted no time grabbing Pax and hauling him out of the room.

The door panels slid shut behind them, but they did nothing to conceal the noise of screeching metal as the Prime tore the room apart.

—

“You do not talk as much as your archivist friend. Is your voice box broken?”

Dee felt a cold chill run deep within his coding and into his spark as a soft voice broke the silence. He leaned closer towards the door panels, as if he could force his silver frame to blend into them. His yellow optics turned upwards to meet narrowed blue optics. Pax had disappeared somewhere into the palace. Even under threat of being within the Prime’s palace, Pax still couldn’t help himself from sneaking around. Dee had tried to keep up but he wasn’t built for speed and had inevitably lost Pax.

“No, my Prime. I, uh…” He turned his gaze away, his tanks churning with the fear that was quickly overlapping within his HUD. Dee dismissed the popup warnings. The last thing he needed was to go into stasis lock in front of the Prime. “I don’t… have much to say. I was assigned as security for Pa— the archivist. I just want to focus on my job.”

Did he sound too rude? He hoped to Primus he didn’t. 

What would it say about him that he somehow offended the Prime when he had been lecturing Pax about not being rude.

“You appear quite close to the archivist. More than a professional relationship would demand. The guards have mentioned certain peculiarities.”

He felt his face heat up, his cheekplates tinging a dark shade of yellow. He told Pax it was a bad idea, but Pax had always been so clingy and he took every opportunity he could to hold Dee in berth that sometimes Dee would wake up in the middle of the lunar cycle, his vents overheating since Pax had enveloped him with his frame. 

It was only typical that Pax had reacted badly when they’d been assigned different quarters.

Dee would lock the door panels but he had never been good at saying no to Pax.

“I… I apologize, my Prime. The archivist…” He risked a glance up, feeling those blue optics never straying from his frame. There was a small frown on the Prime’s face.

He felt panic rise in his spark.

A look of indifference was the usual.

But a frown—

“Orion Pax and I… we’re conjunxes…” Dee didn’t know why he felt like he had been caught committing a great crime. “B-but we’re strictly here for work, sir. I can assure you that Pax and I—”

“Calm down, little one.” He felt the entirety of his frame freeze up, as though his entire system had completely locked up. The Prime had leaned down, a servo gently petting against the top of his helm. The frown was still there, but this time, Dee didn’t feel as threatened. “I merely ask out of… curiosity.”

There was a strange lilt to the Prime’s voice, and a part of Dee could feel as though the Prime was lying.

Not that he would ever dare call the Prime out on this.

“If it distresses you, I will change the topic then.”

Dee would have preferred the Prime leave him alone.

Instead, he gritted his denta and tried to look as grateful as possible. 

He really didn’t want to be ripped apart atom by atom.

“During the interviews, you stand at attention far from where the archivist is. This is not at all practical.” The Prime’s servo was still on his helm, even as the Prime leaned away, giving him space to properly vent. “I suggest you accompany me and the archivist. Sit down with us while he records and I recount my tales. I know you listen when I tell them.”

“...I mean no offense, my Prime.”

It was difficult to know if that was the right answer. If he lied and said he wasn’t listening, then the Prime might know he lied or take great offense that he just admitted he didn’t care about the Prime’s stories - which in itself was a lie because he did. If he did admit to listening, it just proved that he wasn’t taking his job as security seriously. He was assigned to make sure Pax came out of this alive, not to listen to what Pax was recording.

“I take no offense, little one.”

The Prime had let out a vent, a noise full of frustration that Dee really wished the Prime would just leave him alone.

His processor was overheating as he put all his energy into not saying the wrong word.

“It is normal to be curious about…” The Prime trailed off, his optics turning glassy as if he was lost in a memory. “I want you to listen, as much as the archivist does. You have the right to know more about the others, about who they were before…”

The Prime’s servo slid away from his helm, turning to his cheekplate.

“You look like him.” A digit gently brushed against the metal of his face.

He should be terrified, but Dee could only feel his spark thrum with pity and… to his own confusion, sadness.

The Prime’s voice had lowered into a fragility that spoke of so much loss.

“I don’t understand why.”

As if scalded, the Prime quickly tore his servo away, and Dee let out a vent he had been holding in. Once again, he wished he could blend into the door panels. Anything to get away as those blue optics turned gold once more.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

A growl tore past the Prime gritted denta, his servos clenching into fists by his sides. Dee took that as his cue to run past the Prime, terrified with each step he took that the Prime would chase after him.

Or worse, throw his sword at him.

But as he turned to cast one last look at the Prime, he saw him standing still at the end of the hall, those gold eyes constantly watching.

As he turned, his audials picked up the Prime’s parting words.

“You can’t have been alive this whole time. You can’t.” 

Then he was gone.

—

“Hey, you look like you’ve seen a sparkeater.” Pax pressed against him, his frame warm against Dee’s as he snuggled closer to his conjunx. Despite the teasing tone, Pax’s optics looked at him with concern. “What’s wrong?”

He shifted his helm, his yellow optics memorizing every feature of Pax’s face.

After his confrontation with Prima in the hallway, a part of himself couldn’t help but worry about what might happen the next solar cycle. He let out a soft vent, closing his optics as he pressed his face against Pax’s chassis, listening to the soft thrum of his conjunx’s spark.

“I love you, Pax.”

He felt arms wrapped around his frame, and his audials picked up Pax asking him a question, or maybe making a stupid quip that would usually force Dee into laughter.

But he couldn’t hear it.

All he could think about was that this may be his last moments with Pax, and he wanted to remember this for as long as he was given to live. 

He wanted to remember Pax’s warmth. His spark.

When he didn’t respond to what Pax had said, he heard his conjunx let out a soft vent.

“I love you too, Dee.”

—

“Soundwave, the report, if you may.”

“Affirmative, my Prime. From data gathered…

Current designation: D-16. No other designation listed.

Current function: Security at the Iaconian Archives.

Current residence: Near the Kaon Section of the City, shared with another mech designated Orion Pax.

Current status: Conjunxed to Orion Pax—”

“Hm.”

“...”

“As you were.”

“Former caretaker: Terminus.

Carrier and sire: Unknown.”

“Status of his caretaker?”

“Terminus: Offline.”

“What a shame. His interrogation would have made this easier.”

“Soundwave: Permission to make a statement.”

“Go on.”

“Lack of past data indicates duplicity. 

Suggestion: Internal check of coding.”

—

“Where did you even catch a virus, Dee?”

Dee groaned, burying his face within the sheets of the berth, his frame aching from the movement. He could feel his insides overheating as his fans worked overtime.

This could not have happened at the worst possible time. He was on the clock. 

Dee rarely got a virus. 

Unlike Pax who tended to forget, Dee always made sure that his systems were in perfect condition because he couldn’t afford to be weak as a security mech. If Pax was lucky with Primus, Dee wasn’t, because only Primus could curse him like this. 

Pax was not helping since he could feel the other’s servos pressing against the top of his helm, as if that made anything better. 

“I-I need a medic.” He gritted out, his HUD flashing warnings of an imminent shutdown. It was an incredibly strong virus, and if he was in his right processor, he would question how it hadn’t infected Pax who had slept in the same berth as him for the past astroweeks. 

“Oh, right! Hold on, Dee!” He heard Pax’s steps momentarily fade away, his optics getting heavier as he tried to keep himself from falling into stasis.

He would have probably failed at keeping himself online if it wasn’t for the sudden noise of loud steps quickly approaching the berth. His spark jolted, a familiar fear tearing a momentary clarity in his processor as he forced his helm up. Blue optics stared down at him, and while Dee usually felt nothing but joy at the sight of blue optics - because that meant it was Pax - he could only feel terror as the Prime leaned closer towards him.

“It appears to be a bad virus strain. I did wonder why you two were not in the throne room.”

“I didn’t want to leave Dee alone.” Pax supplied helpfully, a servo reaching out towards him again.

He tried to reach for his conjunx, unsure if he was capable of handling himself against the Prime in his current state, but Pax never even got close to him.

The Prime, with a quickness that startled both of them, had quickly grabbed onto Pax’s wrist cables and yanked him away.

A tense silence filled the room, broken only by Dee who let out a short burst of static from his voice box, an indignant protest that was unable to form any words.

“Apologies.” The Prime didn’t even look at Pax as he let him go, those optics completely focused on Dee. “It could be contagious. I still intend for you to finish recording my personal statements and it would do best that you remain untouched by the virus. It is of no consequence, I will have my best medic run a diagnostics test on him. You may return to the throne room on your own. I will be with you in a moment.”

For the first time, Dee watched a look of fear cross Pax’s face. “Prima Prime, sir, wait I—”

“Starscream.”

Dee heard the sound of another mech’s footsteps enter the berthroom. From the angle he was currently in, he was unable to lift his helm and see who had entered.

“Escort him out, and send word for a medic.”

“Dee—” Pax’s optics turned to him, clearly wanting to reach out but unable to with the Prime standing between them. 

He tried to force a smile to his dermas.

This virus was not natural.

He must have offended the Prime, maybe their conversation in the hallway had made the Prime angry at him. 

But Pax didn’t have to suffer with him.

“I-I’ll be okay, Pax. J-just go…” His voice box strained, and he could feel most of his systems begin to shut down. “It’s okay…”

A look of grief flashed in Pax’s optics, and he looked like he wanted to say something more, but the unknown mech that had entered the berthroom - Starscream - had yanked Pax from sight. 

Dee felt his optics completely shutdown as soon as Pax was gone, his audials only picking up the opening and closing of the door panels before he was trapped in the room, at the mercy of an enraged Prime who wanted him dead.

He couldn’t muster any fear as he realized that his processor was still running at full force. Most of his systems had gone into stasis, but he was still conscious.

A servo was gently stroking at his helm.

The Prime didn’t say a single word.

After what felt like orns, he heard the door panels slide open once again. He heard steps approach the berth. There was the soft murmur of voices, too low for his audials to pick up. Then there was another pair of servos, these ones much colder than the Prime’s, cupping the sides of his helm.

Dee couldn’t so much as protest as he felt cables begin to latch onto the ports at the side of his helm. The virus had torn right into his firewalls. There was nothing to be done as he felt the presence of another mech enter his system. His processor protested, more pop ups of a shutdown filling his HUD.

But they weren’t aiming for his processor.

He didn’t understand, but he felt the invasive presence go lower and deeper within his chassis, as if searching for—

It wasn’t painful, but having another presence suddenly inside your spark was not normal.

But the worst part was…

It didn’t feel wrong.

He knew this presence.

From a time when he had been nothing more than a little spark himself. 

Deep down, his codes knew.

Sparklings usually orbited their carrier’s sparks before emergence, but they could still recognize their sire’s sparks despite that.

The presence finally disengaged, and he felt the cables detach themselves from his ports.

The sudden strain of the invasion, and the sudden reactivation of dormant codes, finally forced his processor into shutdown.

As he faded into forced recharge, he realized the Prime’s hand never stopped petting at his helm.

[dykedvonte]

what do you think Danse does to keep himself busy after blind betrayal, specifically if he's living in sanctuary? I just love your takes on him a lot haha

I think Danse is very lost in any settlement but especially Sanctuary. It was the first and very close-knit at that with the small group the Sole Survivor founded it with. Each time they would invite a new companion to live there it was like adding a pillar to the community and represented what the Minute Men stood for when it came ot uniting and protecting the commonwealth as one. I am not going to say it's cliquey, in fact I feel like SoSu and Preston/Sturges would go out of their way to make newcomers feel welcome but for Danse that is very different.

He (from my playthrough experience) is one of the later companions. I ran around a lot and got a good portion of the companions and their quest before act one was done. He is also one of the few companions who openly thinks lowly of life in the commonwealth and certain citizens (if not all citizens to an extent). He did not introduce himself to Sanctuary to make friends or roots. So when he gets stuck there under the SoSu's "orders" (not letting him rot in sorrow in some random bunker) he doesn't have any comfort or companionship, in fact, I think he has more tensions and beef tbh.

I imagine the first weeks or even a month or two were rough. I don't think it is stated enough that like Danse went to that bunker intending to follow Brotherhood protocols and kill himself. SoSu may have convinced him not to in the moment but with someone like Danse, so rigid and stuck in an ideology even after it spits in his face, it's not unlikely he has a weird guilt about being alive at first. It doesn't help that I know in my heart that a few of the more petty or insensitive companions or settlers would tease him about it (playful meanness) thinking he was adjusting well (or not caring) to the Sanctuary life and coming to terms with his identity. Sometimes they go too far and it's easy to tell he's gotten back into the headspace, looking at his reflection, trying to remember concrete dates for his memories, etc..

I have this head canon that SoSu recognized this pattern as they had to have immense survivor's guilt (especially after being in Kellogs brain) about surviving the vault. They had the same idea about making things "fair" for the other vault dwellers and Shaun was the only thing between them and those thoughts for a while. For the first weeks it was a lot of SoSu monitoring him and making sure he was adjusting and not falling back into that thinking, y'know the whole "I am a disgrace and abomination against the Brotherhood and humanity. The only thing I can do to no longer sully the honor of either is to kill mys-" Like stopping that with minor distractions.

It would be a lot of small work and building projects and patrols for lost scavengers or to make sure no one is stalking the place. It's nice for him for a while, he's getting social interaction and he's not dead in the eyes of at least one Brotherhood member, especially one of as high rank as the SoSu. But it's also really unhealthy. Danse was trained and raised in a militaristic pseudo-religious faction. As much as there seemed to be casualness towards comrades there was a strict structure and order. He shoves the SoSu into that role and probably gets nick-named as their shadow during this period.

They are his only goal as he has nothing else and it shows bad. The rest of the settlement notices he trails after them and only really does his own thing when it's part of a task he was doing for, with or assigned by the Sole survivor. It's not an obsession with them specifically but he has lost his entire understanding of life and this is the one thing that stayed concrete. He does what he's asked of because following the Sole survivor has at least kept him belonging somewhere and why mess that up?

I am sure SoSu is not oblivious and is actively trying to figure out how to get Danse to start socializing and trying to actually settle into the community but for the time being Danse would treat himself like the machine he perceives himself as; Overworking himself as he believes machines don't need the same amount of rest, isolating himself and mostly trying to not have a mental breakdown every time he get into the power armor that is very much not his issued Brotherhood of Steel tech. He openly does this in respect of the General who hates it and makes everyone else uncomfortable.

this was very long just to say I think Danse just works himself to the bone all day and purposely puts thoughts in his already fragile psyche that everyone hates him and only tolerates his presence to not seem Synth-phobic and the Sole survivor's favor.

[diazheartsbuckley]

Inspiration Saturday/Seven Sentence Sunday 💕

I'm baaccckk. It's been minute but I've been away with my girlfriend for nearly a week and it's exam season which means that I should be working on my paper. But here we are and I came up with yet another AU lol. Aaaand also made a moodboard for it

Tagged by @wikiangela @jamespearce9-1-1 @daffi-990 @evanbegins @wildlife4life @disasterbuckdiaz mwah mwah mwah 💋

Soldier/War Correspondent AU

(Story and tags under cut)

Staff Sergeant Eddie Diaz bears the visible imprints of a life spent in the crucible of war. His sun-kissed skin and prematurely graying hair are a testament to the countless deployments and the myriad of challenges he has faced since joining the army at the age of 18. Eddie's stoic demeanor hides the depth of his experiences, and his piercing gaze reflects the proud resilience of a man who has faced the horrors of conflict yet remains committed to his duty. Despite being a decorated soldier, Eddie carries the weight of survivor's guilt, unsure if he truly deserves the accolades bestowed upon him.

The St. Christopher's medallion, a cherished possession given to him by his ex-wife, dangles from a chain around his neck, providing a glimpse into the personal talismans that anchor Eddie amidst the chaos of war. As a leader, Eddie embodies strength, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to his comrades, his very presence a testament to the sacrifices made in the name of duty.

In contrast, Evan Buckley, a 32-year-old war correspondent exudes the confidence of someone who has navigated the complexities of journalism for nearly a decade. His hard exterior and sometimes perceived arrogance stem from a deep understanding of his own capabilities and confidence earned through years of reporting from the front lines of conflict.

Despite his outward confidence, he carries the weight of the stories he has witnessed, and beneath the bravado lies a journalist deeply affected by the human cost of conflict. His journey as a war correspondent is fueled by a commitment to shedding light on the untold narratives and fostering understanding in the face of global turmoil.

And a little snippet inspired by 3 x 15 and the music video from the song 'Gone Away' by Five Finger Death Punch (my babies ahhh)

The crackling radio broke the silence in the aftermath of the ambush, blood staining Eddie's face, hands and armor. The air was acrid and filled with the smoke from the crashed helicopter, parts spread all around him on the ground, only adding to the vision of destruction. Eddie could barely lift his head to grab his radio, Command trying to break through. The realization of him and his fellow soldier, Sergeant Anita Mills, being the sole survivors of the ambush was slowly sinking in as he brought the radio closer to his face, his voice weighted with grief as he spoke into the receiver.

"Command, this is Diaz. Reporting three K.I.A. We need-... Requesting extraction from our current location. I repeat, requesting extraction and confirming three K.I.A. Chief Jennings, PFC Binder and Sergeant Norwahl are gone"

Mills looked at him with sorrowful eyes, her chest rose and fell in a strained and heavy pace, her head hung low between her knees, the weight of her armor pressing against her throat, restricting her breathing but she couldn't care less about herself in this moment.

The reply from Command crackled through the radio, the voice on the other end offering condolences laced with the stoicism of military protocol. "Acknowledged, Staff Sergeant Diaz. Our thoughts are with you and Mills. Proceed with caution, and we'll arrange for extraction once the area is secure"

He nodded solemnly, his eyes fixed on the wreckage of the helicopter, a poignant reminder of the friends he had lost in the chaos of war. Eddie and Anita found themselves grappling with the weight of confirming the loss of three lives, the echoes of grief lingering amidst the unforgiving and darkening landscape.

tagging!! @honestlydarkprincess @giddyupbuck @watchyourbuck @athenagranted @butraura @callmenewbie @cal-daisies-and-briars @jeeyuns @fionaswhvre @thewolvesof1998 @theotherbuckley @hippolotamus @steadfastsaturnsrings @poughkeepsies @spotsandsocks 💗🦋

[catsvrsdogscatswin]

WAIT-

I'm probably months and months too late with this BUT-

It just struck me that- okay, you know how in the Magnus Protocol S1 finale Colin says goodbye to Alice over the phone? And like, he's been flagged for death for a while now, what with all of the "noticing Problems and Inconsistencies and Threats that the other characters have yet to take seriously"?

If he did die or vanish mysteriously after that phone call -and I really don't want him to, but if he does- then that paints Gwen (to outsiders) as the most disastrously incompetent fuckup of a supernatural manager in the entire history of Magnussing.

Her known employees consist solely of Alice, Sam, Colin, and Celia, and by the end of the episode Sam has been wormholed (and not in the Jane Prentiss way), Colin is either missing or dead, and it's debatable whether both Alice and Celia will bother showing up to the OWAR again. Like, even in the best "Alice and Celia both put aside their differences (& trauma) and go back to work" scenario, that is still half of your workforce that immediately imploded the second you took over, and the survivors aren't going to be in the most job-friendly mood.

Like goddamn. What a look. Even Jon only lost one assistant by the end of his first season and that was when his building was actively under siege. Obviously neither he nor Gwen are responsible for (or really could have done anything to prevent) what happened to their respective coworkers, but that's not what it would look like from the outside. Like Trevor Herbert MP calls in and is like "So you said Lena was doing poorly as a manager? And that's when two of your employees immediately went MIA, presumed dead, the very night you took over? Wouldn't want to see what you consider a bad job."

I love Colin and don't want him to perish/vanish/change but please please please please I wanna see the Consequences of her blind ambition wallop Gwen like a lead pipe.

[dzthenerd490]

SCP: HMF Showcase - Mobile Task Force Alpha-1 “Red Right Hand” Preview 3

MTF Unit of Alpha-1 “Red Right Hand” Code Name: Dracula

Specializes in rooting out traitors within the Foundation especially those that go against the O5 Council directly. Possesses several false identities including a well-known Foundation Department Director, an MTF Captain, a Field Agent, a Researcher saved by the Foundation and later recruited through Protocol “Sole Survivor”, a janitor, a Researcher of three different departments, and even a D Class. It's been confirmed that some of these false identities have different genders, ages, and body sizes so it's possible they are an artificially made Level 4 Shapeshifter. Is quite possibly also used as “mask” for one of the O5 Council members though this is more of a rumor due to no clear evidence. Nothing else concrete is known about them.

[onedismay]

For the asks :)

8. Do you prefer to play as male or female Shepard? 9. Share a pic of your favourite Shepard 13. Favourite ME1 squad combo 26. Blue, green, red or fuck you? 59. Favourite NPC? 71. Favourite OST song(s)? 76. What are you hoping for from ME4?

Yay, thank you!

8. Do you prefer to play as male or female Shepard?

Female mainly because I neeeed hairstyles that are longer than 5cm. I also slightly prefer Hale's delivery over Meer's, especially in ME2 when Shep is in her gruff "I just died and this is all bullshit" phase. :D

9. Share a pic of your favourite Shepard

My original gal Jill(ian) Shepard! (Soldier/Spacer/Sole Survivor) She romanced Kaidan (and then Thane) on my very first playthrough but in my recent run she's single for now. Will likely romance just Thane later. She's nearly 100% Paragon, the kind who always wants to follow protocol and do everything "right," but then ends up second-guessing her decisions after the fact anyway. Feels like an imposter, and that was before ME2 even happened... Oh boy. Check out her glitchy cutscene-induced bald spot! I might make it canon, actually.

13. Favourite ME1 squad combo

This is hard, I like to mix them up. For gameplay purposes I find Kaidan the most useful, and this is the most shallow reason ever but I love playing dressup with Tali so every time I get new armor for her I HAVE to see it immediately. But Kaidan + Tali is kind of a squishy combo on insanity so in practice I can't often take them both...

26. Blue, green, red or fuck you?

I wanted to put a gun emoji here but I can't find one. When I don't gun, I red because it's the least magical option out of the three.

59. Favourite NPC?

Administrator Anoleis came to mind first so I guess it's him! No matter how I end up handling that plotline it's always a delightful time. Like, even if everything goes amicably, you still come away with the impression that you've ruined his day by merely existing, and I love that. I wanna know what he does on his freetime. How does he relax? Does he? What thoughts bounce around in his head on sleepless nights? Does he have a single friend

71. Favourite OST song(s)?

Leaving Earth (volume alert!) I'm a sucker for these kinds of ultra powerful end of the world tear jerkers.

76. What are you hoping for from ME4?

Answered here!

[whenneutralityfails]

Meet Zhao Fenfang, my Sole Survivor, a spy and assassin for the Special Branch of the Chinese Army. Under the cover identity of Singaporean refugee Vicky Chao, she somehow managed to seduce and marry a high-profile American war hero and was able to infiltrate the United States without fear of the internment camps.

When the Great War fell and her double life of housewife and secret agent was about to fall with it, Fenfang made the split second decision to break protocol. Maintaining cover without going on a sleeper agent killing spree, "Vicky" followed her husband Nate and their infant son Shaun into the nearest fallout shelter.

And then she was frozen. Then unfrozen. Then the bastards killed Nate and took Shaun and you know the rest, but the Sole Survivor emerging from Vault 111 is a woman on a mission with only one thing to lose. Who better to take on the Commonwealth Wasteland?

Fenfang is featured in my Fallout 4 longfic, Rogue Element! Rated M for typical Fallout violence, grievous injury towards animals (Dogmeat), and themes of PTSD and fractured identity.

[bloodgulchblog]

Wait wait wait Zita, please humor me- what is the most explicit that Halo has ever been about the UNSC killing children? As in, has a child ever died onscreen or has it just been in the books/implied offscreen?

This is for science, I promise.

Unless I'm forgetting something, the actual Halo games have never portrayed a child on-screen.

The most child death we get in one place is probably the opening of Ghosts of Onyx where Tom and Lucy, age 12, are the sole survivors of a mission that kills pretty much the entire S-III Beta Company.

(Don't ask me about Spartan-III ages, or do if you want but I will have to completely derail into a whole 'nother post. Last time I talked about it was on the oc advice for people making Spartans.)

We've also seen at least one child die as collateral in a UNSC vs insurrection conflict.

There's mention in The Cole Protocol of how the Spartan program quietly had plans in place to euthanize Jai if Halsey hadn't successfully convinced him to stop making escape attempts.