#Bay Area landmarks

[beingjellybeans]

8 ways to explore the Bay Area without breaking the bank

The Bay Area is one of the most iconic and culturally rich regions in the United States, with a unique blend of natural beauty, diversity, and history. From the stunning vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge to the vibrant cultural scene of San Francisco, there are countless reasons to explore this dynamic region. Exploring the Bay Area can be a dream come true for many, but it can also be expensive.…

[rabbitcruiser]

Golden Gate Bridge groundbreaking ceremony held at Crissy Field on February 26, 1933.

[vintagesurfandprint]

I left my heart in San Francisco 🌉🩵

https://society6.com/vintagesurfandprint

[reasonsforhope]

For years, the people of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation watched over their waters and waited. They had spent nearly two decades working with Canada’s federal government to negotiate protections for Kitasu Bay, an area off the coast of British Columbia that was vulnerable to overfishing.

But the discussions never seemed to go anywhere. First, they broke down over pushback from the fishing industry, then over a planned oil tanker route directly through Kitasoo/Xai’xais waters.

“We were getting really frustrated with the federal government. They kept jumping onboard and then pulling out,” says Douglas Neasloss, the chief councillor and resource stewardship director of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation. “Meanwhile, we’d been involved in marine planning for 20 years – and we still had no protected areas.”

Instead, the nation watched as commercial overfishing decimated the fish populations its people had relied on for thousands of years.

Nestled on the west coast of Swindle Island, approximately 500km north of Vancouver, Kitasu Bay is home to a rich array of marine life: urchins and abalone populate the intertidal pools, salmon swim in the streams and halibut take shelter in the deep waters. In March, herring return to spawn in the eelgrass meadows and kelp forests, nourishing humpback whales, eagles, wolves and bears.

“Kitasu Bay is the most important area for the community – that’s where we get all of our food,” Neasloss says. “It’s one of the last areas where you still get a decent spawn of herring.”

So in December 2021, when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans withdrew from discussions once again, the nation decided to act. “My community basically said, ‘We’re tired of waiting. Let’s take it upon ourselves to do something about it,’” Neasloss says.

What they did was unilaterally declare the creation of a new marine protected area (MPA). In June 2022, the nation set aside 33.5 sq km near Laredo Sound as the new Gitdisdzu Lugyeks (Kitasu Bay) MPA – closing the waters of the bay to commercial and sport fishing.

It is a largely unprecedented move. While other marine protected areas in Canada fall under the protection of the federal government through the Oceans Act, Kitasu Bay is the first to be declared under Indigenous law, under the jurisdiction and authority of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation.

Pictured: "In some ways, I hope someone challenges us" … the Kitasoo/Xai’xais stewardship authority.

Although they did not wait for government approval, the Kitasoo did consult extensively: the declaration was accompanied by a draft management plan, finalised in October after three months of consultation with industry and community stakeholders. But the government did not provide feedback during that period, according to Neasloss, beyond an acknowledgment that it had received the plan...

Approximately 95% of British Columbia is unceded: most First Nations in the province of British Columbia never signed treaties giving up ownership of their lands and waters to the crown. This puts them in a unique position to assert their rights and title, according to Neasloss, who hopes other First Nations will be inspired to take a similarly proactive approach to conservation...

Collaboration remains the goal, and Neasloss points to a landmark agreement between the Haida nation and the government in 1988 to partner in conserving the Gwaii Haanas archipelago, despite both parties asserting their sovereignty over it. A similar deal was made in 2010 for the region’s 3,400 sq km Gwaii Haanas national marine conservation area.

“They found a way to work together, which is pretty exciting,” says Neasloss. “And I think there may be more Indigenous protected areas that are overlaid with something else.”

-via The Guardian, 5/3/23

[gentleroads]

i can't believe most of my geography questions have been answered by just looking at a map 🤡

i'm making plans with a friend on Friday & while trying to find a place for dinner, i've familiarized myself with the general layout of the town? like i am v much directionally challenged, but i am also a visual learner so just pulling up an interactive map like a gps & zooming into all the places' names have really helped me learn abt the place i live in.

it used to be embarrassing when someone asked me if i knew where so-and-so was, or if i've visited x, but at least then i had the excuse of just moving here. now that it's been a few years, it's just ignorance that i wasn't happy to lose. still a little embarrassing, but at least i've gotten better at finally knowing the places people talk abt.

[frostfangalphabitch]

In AC6, at the end of Chapter 1, "Attack the Watchpoint", you're caught in a coral explosion, and afterwards Ayre tells you that it "completely vaporized northwestern Belius's bay area". Then they show you this map.

The Watchpoint itself is entirely over water, so I assumed it'd just been built in the middle of the crater. Doesn't help that they don't show you a map of the area in any briefing before this one.

Except... They do, technically. The mission is only accessible in NG++, but it shows a map of Western Belius before the explosion. If we look at these side by side, well...

(Colored squares included to highlight landmarks, credit to my cousin for making this for my artistically impaired ass)

Without the map of the area pre-explosion, it's hard to really grasp just how

FUCKING GARGANTUAN

the explosion really was.

You know Grid 086? The gigantic jungle of rusted steel we traverse through in order to get to the Cargo Launcher?

Yeah, that's contained within that little square, which barely registers on the bigger map up there (and isn't included in the other map for some reason). The explosion destroyed an area of land AT LEAST 50x bigger than that. I don't have numbers, but that is significantly bigger than the biggest bomb we have access to right now in real life. Ayre wasn't kidding. It vaporized that entire area. And as she says, that's only a spark compared to the Fires of Ibis.

The fact that both you and the Watchpoint itself survived is seriously a miracle.

Holy fucking shit.

[bayoubashsims]

The Five Landmarks of Monkfish Bay

So I've put these five landmarks near the harbor area of Monkfish Bay. These are some of the top destinations for tourists of Monkfish Bay. I'm giving them those wacky Maxis-styled descriptions because I love those kinds of descriptions.

So far I've only carved out the historic area of the town. I tried to put down like dozens of Cape Cod/Colonial houses but it crashed my game lol anyway that's the whaling museum next to the ruins but I haven't decorated that yet

The Tempest Ruins

The ruins have been here long before the first settlers of Monkfish Bay, and even the indigenous people of the area have claimed that those ruins preceded their civilization. Historians have theorized that the place was used for ancient summoning rituals for a long dead god, but these days, it's mostly a place for the local seagulls to poop.

The Melcinea Monument

The Melcinea Monument was erected in 1864, to mark the historic rescue of Commodore Monk by a mermaid when his ship, the Melcinea, sank due to a pegleg being stuck at a bad place. Many question why the mermaid only saved the Commodore, while the rest of his crew perished in the deep.

The Delacroix Park

The Delacroix Park was dedicated to the memory of Auguste Delacroix, the eighth mayor of Monkfish Bay and the first person to drown in The Siren's Pond--though he wasn't the last! The park boasts usual park amenities and is often the center of Monkfish Bay's activities.

The Siren's Pond

Eunice Delacroix, the second wife of the eighth mayor of Monkfish Bay, commissioned the pond's construction when she had a dream that the Melcinea Monument would turn into a real mermaid and leap towards the sea. In order to prevent such a possibility and spend the taxpayer's money on something other than his wife's collection of doorknobs, Mayor Auguste Delacroix officiated The Siren's Pond. He was found drowned in the pond 3 years later, after Eunice left him for their stable boy.

The Oyster's Kiss

This popular seaside bistro serves a variety of mollusks--clams, oysters, and mussels, caught fresh from the bay every day. Many remember their first dates in this quaint little eatery and how it was ruined by food poisoning.

[atlaculture]

What’s in a Name: Earth Kingdom Pt. 1

Kyoshi Island

I mentioned in this post here that the name Kyoshi can have many meanings depending on the characters used.

For the island of Kyoshi, I’ll go with the characters shown on the Kyoshi statue, since that’s the landmark that welcomes newcomers to the area.

These characters are 京士, which can be translated as “Samurai Capital”. This is obviously in reference to Kyoshi Island being an island full of samurai-like ladies.

Omashu

The Chinese characters for Oma are 奥瑪, which means “Mysterious Carnelian”. Carnelians are a type of semiprecious stone. Oma was one of the first human Earthbenders, so she is very much a “mysterious rock”.

Also, Oma sounds like “eomma” (엄마), which is Korean for mother, and she is the mother of Earthbending.

The Chinese character for Shu is 舒, meaning relax. Oma and Shu designed “The Cave of Two Lovers” so they could have a place with which to relax together.

Senlin Village

Senlin Village was the village that was being terrorized by Hei Bai, the angry forest spirit.

Senlin (森林) is Mandarin for “forest”.

That’s it.

Gaipan Village

Gaipan Village was the village that Jet and the Freedom Fighters wanted to flood.

The Mandarin term gaipan (改判) refers to the act of overruling a judgement. This could be in reference to Sokka’s rejection of and interference in Jet’s plan to flood the Fire Nation-occupied village.

Taku Village

Taku is the village that the Gaang took shelter in when Sokka and Katara were sick. It’s also where the herbalist and frozen frogs reside.

Taku can mean a variety of things, depending on the characters used.

The characters that I feel are most relevant to this setting are the Chinese characters 嗒窟, meaning “despair cave”. Considering how Katara and Sokka spent that episode...

Pohuai Stronghold

The Pohuai Stronghold was a Fire Nation fortress located in the western Earth Kingdom.

The stronghold acted as a base of operations for the Yuyan Archers. It was also where Aang was imprisoned when he was captured by Zhao.

Pohuai (破坏) is Mandarin for “destruction”. An appropriate name for a military base built on conquered land.

Makapu Village

Makapu is the fortunetelling village that Aunt Wu and Meng call home.

The village’s name might have been inspired by Makapuʻu, the extreme eastern end of the Island of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands.

Makapu’u is Hawaiian for “bulging eye”.

Both locations are surrounded by volcanic rock.

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

[kiwianacats]

This blog’s not dead yet, hurruh! I’m back with a fleshed out map of Duskclan’s territory; I’m planning on making Dawnclan’s next and then piecing them together.

This was actually a lot of fun to make! Difficult to know where/how to start but I think I executed it the way I wanted to. I’ve left a long rambley guide of each landmark in the description below :)

(Quick disclaimer; this is likely not a realistic depiction of NZ geography/ecology, I did very little legitimate research outside of loosely referencing the environments I’m familiar with. This is very much a passion project based largely in fantasy lmao)

Duskclan’s territory is situated within temperate rainforest/native NZ bushland. It lies on the coast and has a significant portion of its border against the sea; in its eastern portion bordering Dawnclan the river splits as it meets the ocean creating wetlands known as the Riverlands by the clans. Duskclan has no western border, their territory extending out into the wild bush indefinitely (although they rarely, if ever, travel further west than the expanses of the map)

Duskclan’s Camp: Situated in a hollow in the crest of a hill that slopes towards the rivers and Duskclan’s territory (full post: https://www.tumblr.com/kiwianacats/682314420444151808/heres-a-revisit-of-duskclans-camp-or-at-least)

Moon’s Key: Duskclan’s sacred place of worship to Starclan, an island only accessible when the low tide reveals a sandbank that stretches towards it.

Training Hollow: Exactly what it says it is.

Other Landmarks:

- Farbridge (unlabelled): A human made motorbridge over the river in the furthest north of Duskclan’s territory; rarely patrolled to, avoided due to distrust of humans/vehicles.

- The Split (unlabelled, but circled): An island formed by the first fork of the river as it splits off into the branches that form the Riverlands. Neutral territory to both clans, used as a gathering place once per season.

- Marsh Banks: A hunting area where the bush transitions into the marsh, popular as its well populated by prey, but hunters can avoid getting their paws wet if desired.

- Riversroots: Where the rivers meets the sea, carving through the seaside cliffs. Dangerous during high tide due to the rocks and strong currents.

- Scarlet Lake: A lake higher in the hills north of Duskclan’s camp. Known to freeze over during the winter, seldomly visited due to superstitions of it being haunted/unprotected by Starclan.

- Sunset Bay: A sandy bay that curves inwards towards the Moon’s key, frequently travelled by the clan’s clerics.

- Starside Bluff: A bluff/cliff side that faces towards the sea; Duskclan’s dead are buried in the flower fields atop it so they can journey down along the bay to meet Starclan at the Moon’s Key.

You might notice that a lot of my place names are just two words mashed together; unnotice that thank you. It’s obviously an intentional reference to the clan’s two-name system rather than an inability to think of anything more original /j.

[thelustdevil]

Complicated

18+ below the cut MDNI

NB!Reader x Various, no specific characters mentioned but my personal list is at the bottom.

CW: Sexual content, romantic themes, relationship dynamics, gray romantic area.

»«

The two of you had a complicated relationship… it wasn’t always terrible. But people didn’t understand it. So you didn’t talk about it much, and they didn’t ask.

Going to high school together, then university. Falling in love between the two. Then breaking up halfway through your third year of university. By the beginning of your last year, you rarely said a polite hello in the hallways. In public you were nothing more than a previous flame, all burnt out now.

In private, that all changed. Those embers would never go out.

He’d bury himself inside you just to feel the warmth of your soft, wet walls. Running your fingers up and down his spine as you sit on his lap. Strands of his hair tickle your neck while his forehead rests on your shoulder. Sometimes he’d lay you down on your side, cock still buried inside you, and the afternoon would be spent sleeping in each others arms. Only to wake up to his slow thrusting, strong arms caging you in while they hold him above you. Your legs are pushed to the sides. He’s loving you right now, savoring the feeling of your like he’d ever have the chance of forgetting it.

Are you thinking about me? Is it going too far?

Little things he’d ask you. He’d whisper them against your back while his arms are wrapped around you. Every time you’d reassure him. If you really weren’t okay with this, you wouldn’t be here. Simple as that. You remind him that both of you have grown up a lot since you first met. Conversations like this flow easier. Communication flows easier.

He’d laugh. He knew that was jokingly directed at him. Before you’d even had time to think, he would be between your legs, apologizing once more for his previous juvenile actions. You both knew he’d been forgiven ten times over but you also knew he wouldn’t stop.

You don’t date anyone else. Or sleep with anyone else. Not that either of you wanted to.

It didn’t feel like your relationship was a secret. Nor did it feel like a relationship. But it felt right. Privacy had always been thing for you two. Your relationship was public conversation when you had a history of academic prowess and extracurricular athletic success. But it was also your little oasis amid busy lives and building future careers, being functioning young adults. And it still was. Only now, the two of you were the only souls that knew of it.

Dates were a thing, they just happened at home or far from it. Pictures of the two of you smiling in front of different dazzling views sprinkled both of your bedrooms. He wouldn’t admit it but you tell him you know he just wants to fuck you near every landmark. So this whole country has your touch lingering everywhere. He’s says you’re being dramatic and he couldn’t possibly help how hot you are in vacation mode.

Call it an obsession but every free moment is spent together. Or spent texting each other, quick Snapchat videos and goofy memes sent back and forth. Even if you weren’t directly interacting with him, he was on your mind. The image of him clouded your thoughts while you daydreamed. You felt his touch ghosting over your skin while laid in bed at night. His voice beckoned you from your dreams, promising visions of a future starring only you two.

You knew he felt the same. He’d confessed his feelings during late nights, your bodies intertwined keeping the nights chill at bay. Hushed whispers escaped his lips as he buried himself closer to you. Telling you how he sees you when closes his eyes at night. He can feel the way your touch warms his body even when you aren’t there. Visions of you in his mind flashing around. Nothing felt as real as you. Nothing felt as right.

Those were the nights you spent the longest ruining the sheets. Those nights he buried himself deep inside you every time he came. You knew your body would never accept someone as deeply as you did him. He touched every part of you when he fucked you. The feeling stronger than any drug you’d ever taken. This shit was soul deep, and both of you thrives in it.

You knew one day things would shift. Paths would align and finally the two of you could build the life you actually wanted. Nothing framed by contracts or business. Just you and your man against it all.

EREN, Levi, Connie, BAKUGO, Izuku, KIRI, Sero, Hitoshi, SHOTO, Shouta, YUJI, Megumi, YUTA, GOJO, TOJI.

[xploded-tb]

[23/11/23] #BaiYu - BE PRESENT 专注在当下 | Translated Interview with SoFigaro Magazine

The following thread is a full translation of the 2023 November issue of SoFigaro. (First posted to Twitter here.)

Bai Yu is fond of taking photos of things that grow upwards.

During his photoshoot breaks, he would snap some photos of trees standing tall and swaying gently in the autumn wind, and some reeds in the distance.

The top of the pine trees in the cold November rain, the city walls that extend upwards, and the ancient corner towers that pierce into the sky…

These are things he likes to take photos of.

Perhaps all these have one thing in common.

Over time, they may seem to be standing tall and still, but in reality, they have been quietly absorbing and silently expressing themselves.

Parallel World

Following the conclusion of the Parallel World episodes, Bai Yu bid Chang Dong goodbye with a group of photos.

During the interview, he explained, "These are the yardangs we encountered along the way. This is an abandoned village, and this is where Chang Dong encountered an incident…" Although filming is complete, precious memories of this story are all carved into Bai Yu's mind.

Since ancient times, the Yumen Pass has always been an important landmark to the poets. It is an important frontier pass established along the Hexi Corridor during the Han dynasty. And today, it has become a heritage site.

To protect the area, most of the filming took place in the vast and endless Dunhuang desert. 'In boundless desert lonely smokes rise straight; over endless river the sun sinks round' (1)… The scenery described in the poem was right before his eyes. It was gorgeous, but they also had to tackle challenges brought on by the harsh environment.

Bai Yu recalled...

"We shot during June, so the winds were strong and it was the sunniest period. It was hard to illuminate the area at night in the desert, so a lot of scenes were shot day for night. Shooting under the scorching sun and in fierce winds did have some impact on performance."

One night, the giant tent the staff had set up securely was blown away by the wind. "The tent was huge, with really thick poles and sturdy ropes holding it down. Who knew that the next day it'd be missing, completely blown away by the wind!"

When time allowed, Bai Yu would drive his car to and from work, driving back to where he'd rest after the crew wrapped filming. "Nobody was around where we filmed, so knocking off and driving a jeep in this vast land felt great."

Whenever Bai Yu wraps up filming for a drama, he gives himself an extended break. Recently, he returned home to Xi'an and recharged with a bowl of hot oil noodles (2). Going back home is something Bai Yu often looks forward to the most after completing a project. After all, fully immersing oneself in a role is a significant test on an actor's physical and mental well-being. "Only when I'm back home can I unload and relax."

This year, Bai Yu also visited Wubu County, where he was born.

"I was born in a yaodong (3) that my parents built themselves, and it still stands today." Beside their yaodong are aging neighbors who could still recognize Bai Yu as that mischievous boy in their memories.

Some feel that the characters that Bai Yu has portrayed in the recent years carry this underlying theme of 'endurance.' We wondered if he felt 'bottled up' portraying such characters for some time.

Smiling, he replied, "A little, but you have to do something about it. So you need to rest properly to adjust." But every time he comes across a good script, he'd still be moved by the very authentic and rich characters.

.

.

.

After all, life isn't a feel-good drama. Struggles and compromises with things that turn out contrary to our wants are part and parcel of life.

Bai Yu had this to say…

"I used to be captivated by exciting stories, but now it's more the details that draw me in. These details should be used to portray a character instead of their embellished aspects. It's these details that let me get deeper into the character."

To Bai Yu now, there are no differences between 'important' and 'regular' scenes. People may enjoy discussing an actor's skill and portrayal of intense emotions in an important scene, but Bai Yu feels that shouldn't be all that makes a character.

"There are too many details happening all the time. It's like when I filmed 'The Long Night'; Jiang Yang is a character defined by many details."

The Long Night

Without a doubt, bringing up Bai Yu makes people immediately recall 'The Long Night.' Hearing this, he only laughed and said, "Then I have to reflect on myself. I don't have another work that makes people think of me this way. I have to keep working hard."

A lot of people say this is the work that successfully transformed him. To this, he responded, "These labels are given by others. I was never concerned with 'transformation' since that's what others define you. At the end of the day, it's about the performance and character, about what I like and what I feel fits me."

Before our interview, we came across something Bai Yu once said. He said that Jiang Yang was the first character that he just wanted to portray no matter what. Often, he would reflect on Jiang Yang afterward, and still felt dazed. It wasn't until the day 'The Long Night' premiered, a rainy day where he walked for a long time, that the weight in his mind finally lifted.

In a flash, the year is ending. We asked Bai Yu how he would sum this year up. He thought for a little while and said, "Never thought about it. I used to think time passes really quickly, so I took a long break this year. When I did, I thought time passed really slowly."

For a period of time, his tight schedule made him stop in his tracks to take the time to rest. To many actors, resting could mean missing opportunities.

"Of course, you could miss out on a good opportunity, a good script. But you need to first understand yourself. Can you do a good job if what you truly need is a good rest? If you encounter a good script that captivates you, that's great. But can you mentally tackle the task? Life is about making choices and sacrifices."

As the saying goes, one must take a step back in order to leap better. To Bai Yu, he has never stopped in his path as an actor, but only rested to make sure he has the energy to meet his next challenge.

Occasionally, the passing of time brings about certain thoughts. "A few days ago, I told my dad that I feel like I'm almost forty. He almost burst out laughing, saying, 'You're just in your early thirties!'" Bai Yu expressed that he felt this way because there are many things he still wants to do. Time has its own rhythm, whether fast or slow, but it shouldn't be a worry.

Summing things up, he said, "You set your rhythm. Don't be too bothered about how fast or slow time is going, just stay focused on the present. Live honestly and respect your own thoughts, no matter what it is you want to do. Just go ahead and pursue it!"

/END

TL notes: (1) From Wang Wei's "On Mission to the Frontier" (王维 《使至塞上》) (2) Hot oil noodles = you po mian (3) Yaodong = earth shelter

Mag link here Mag in text format here compiled by Sweetheart_白宇甜心

BUY THE MAG HERE (can be accessed via PC)! If you need help with purchase, let me know and I'll try to help.

[dailyoverview]

Our HOLIDAY SALE continues through 12/17! Use discount code “HOLIDAY20” to get 20% off anything in our Printshop, including framed prints.

Maybe you’d like this low-angle shot of San Francisco, California, to hang on your wall? With large print sizes available, you’ll clearly see the “Bay Area” and its popular landmarks, including the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, Alcatraz, and Golden Gate Park.

Visit over-view.com/shop/prints to see all available prints. Please note that the 20% discount is automatically applied to framed prints on the Level Frames website.

Source imagery: Maxar

[rabbitcruiser]

Fort Point National Historic Site was dedicated as a national historic site on April 14, 1971.    

[transsexual-menace]

hello! there has once again been another update to my queer/gender studies folder!

new additions

1. the ladder by the daughters of bilitis (the ladder was the first nationally distributed magazine in the united states. it ran from 1956 - 1972). (this can be found in the magazines/periodicals folder)

2. anything that moves by the bay area bisexual network (the aim of the magazine was to combat stereotypes of bisexuals and to combat biphobia). (this can be found in the magazine/periodicals folder)

3. dykes, disability, & stuff by catherine odette and sara karon (dd&s was available in six different formats so disabled people could read the magazine. this included large print, braille versions transcribed by ruth lehrer, and cassette tapes read by laura yados). (this can be found in the magazines/periodicals folder)

4. after stonewall: a critical journal of gay liberation (this periodical was published in winnipeg but was for gay men and lesbians in canada and the united states) (this can be found in the magazines/periodicals folder)

5. one magazine by one, inc. (this magazine was part of a landmark supreme court case in 1957 that ruled that homosexual writing was not obscene just because it dealt with homosexuality) (this can be found in magazines/periodicals folder. however, there are some missing issues i could not find)

i got a request from a user to add french queer history which i am planning on doing. however, i do not speak french so if anyone who speaks french would be able to recommend some good french queer history books that are in french, i would be forever grateful. i will be adding books in english because i have found a few good ones. in the future, i am planning on adding books about queer history in germany because it's a huge interest of mine and i think german queer history is so rich and interesting. if anyone has any suggestions for other countries for me to add, feel free to send a dm/ask!

[supernovafeather]

Always Learning (18+)

FO!Poe Dameron x f!Supreme Leader!Reader

Summary : The First Order Commander Poe Dameron comes back from a mission and has to report it to the new Supreme Leader, but nothing prepared him to that kind of treatment.

Content : boss/employee relationship, humiliation kink, praise kink, degradation, dom!reader, sub!Poe, angst, inappropriate use of the Force, oral sex (M to F), worship.

Around 4k words

Poe was bursting with impatience as he paced almost aggressively towards the Supreme Leader's office. The mere thought of reporting his squadron's latest success filled him with pride, one that turned him into one of those nameless cocky pilots he got to crossed the path of throughout these years of service. Lately, many started to fear you. Not because of some sudden ego boost after Kylo Ren's murder - or "departure" as you liked to call it - but more because of the lack of good news finding you in the middle of the blizzard surrounding your base. What had to be a simple trip to celebrate this high tech and formidable military base got no other choice than to be turned into an extended and frustrating forced vacation far from everything for you. And as this part of the Galaxy remained mostly hostile to your conquest, positive feedback remained a rarity.

As soon as he walked in, Poe worked on his breathing not to let it get too loud. Between the slight shake of his hands behind his back, his heart pounding mercilessly and the raging blizzard outside his senses didn't know what to focus on. However his eyes could appreciate your figure turned towards the glass windows covering the whole wall, giving you a breathtaking view on the brutal snowstorm ravaging the valley. Your shoulders were low, as often these days.

"Supreme Leader," he started as his chest swelled with this need to prove his loyalty, "as my squadron's mission turned out the be a complete success I have the pleasure to announce you that the whole area is now yours. My men are still out there trying to secure the area for good but fortunately the blizzard is keeping the rebels at bay."

The Commander noticed the smallest shift in your upper body but you still didn't turn around. He liked it when you showed your bad mood.

"Will there be enough rations," you asked in a tired voice. "Absolutely Supreme Leader. The storm shouldn't last for more than three days." "Is everyone equipped with the new outfits?"

He adored that slight care you showed for his men, it changed him so much from Kylo Ren.

"They are. Also this victory is serving us as a huge moral boost for our soldiers. It confirms that you were right about insisting on invading this area. I've overheard several conversations and all of them were in your favor."

He heard the slight crack as you rolled your shoulders a little to ease some tension. It felt good to bring you some relief but you still hadn't turned around to face him. Sure he could see your dark figure contrasting with the vast whiteness of the scenery, but he needed more. There was something in the way you stood out there rather silently, so unreachable, that made him yearn for validation. As naive as it sounded he felt lost. Maybe due to the need to create new landmarks after this political landslide that could have crushed the First Order in a matter of days.

"How do the rebels react?" "We don't know for sure as the coms got affected by the storm," he replied before swallowing hard to get rid of the lump forming, "but for now they seem to be retreating to some caverns that we know to be empty." "Do they have rations with them?"

Poe opened his mouth to answer, and let it open as you finally showed your face. A tired and cold one for sure with dry skin, dark bags and a messy bun, but he still let his eyes lingering on yours for a while. Even the weird rash that erupted due to anxiety looked great on you, the Order needed a leader ready to go to the Frontline both physically and mentally. You raised an eyebrow at this but the sudden warmth invading his cheeks and the childlike grin that crawled on his face were stronger than his sense of professionalism.

"They don't. They will either freeze to death or get out of here weakened in a few days." "Focus on your mission, Dameron." "I am focusing."

It wasn't a lie after all but the faint and bizarre memory of those invisible hands wouldn't leave his mind. As disturbing this had been, it made his brain go overdrive everytime he thought about it. He displeased you once during your very first meeting when he remained unsure of your opinions and plans but discovered that getting Force-chocked wouldn't necessarily feel as bad as it used to.

"We lost two southern outposts." You stated. "What do you have to answer to that?"

The man's blood turned cold at the slight frown on your forehead. His wet palms found his hips as he wiped them on the cold black fabrics. His body anticipated any attack from you and the slight humiliation of feeling this tiny bit excited about it made him bite his bottom lip.

"I had no idea. Was the Resistance involved ? Were our attackers a bait?" "They were. Two outposts lost, and thirty soldiers as mute as corpses as long as the storm lasts. And I'm not talking about the ships, droids and ammunition lost in this…. mess."

You were incredibly displeased. He could see how void your gaze was. He lowered his. You might be much more in control of your emotions than Ren but it didn't mean you weren't dangerous. Anybody so enraged that their mind separated itself from their body should be feared.

"Tell me what needs to be done Supreme Leader, and I will do what's required. I won't let…"

His heart started to pump brutally in his chest as he felt that invisible hand resting on his cheek gently, but making him look up at you with a firm grab. You stood there, still at your spot with your displeased face directed to him as he struggled not to hyperventilate. Death couldn't be considered as something terrifying him per say but it might change.

"Many things need to be done, Commander. You won't be able to solve this situation anyway but you show your loyalty over and over again by volunteering even in what could turn out to be a suicide mission. Tell me why I don't have more dedicated men like you?"

Poe felt lightheaded at this unexpected compliment, but even more at the slight praising caress he could feel. As you said he needed to focus or his brain would shut down at that lack of blood.

"It's my pleasure ma'am. I want to lead the First Order to victory."

He felt so much younger and manipulatable like this, praised for his good work and under your unreadable scrutiny. The strange hand sliding up to his scalp behind his right ear had him almost dizzy.

"Come closer," you ordered in a stern voice.

Poe obeyed, stopping when the hand pulled on his hair. The shiver running down his spine felt delightful, as well as seeing you so close to him now. Barely six feet away from his Supreme Leader.

"You will take some rest from this mission. I know it was a tough battle in such conditions. You and your men deserve it. Then tomorrow morning you will go south and kill those bastards to take over the south eastern outpost. Another team will take care of the second one at exactly the same time. You will receive more info tonight. Am I clear?"

He nodded eagerly before letting a shaky sigh out as the pressure released on his hair, replaced by another soft touch easing the slight pain. If his eyes could literally devour you, there wouldn't be anything left of your still figure.

"Dameron."

Poe bowed in humiliation, only resulting in his neck getting grabbed by that invisible power.

"I'm sorry ma'am, this won't happen in the future." He groaned.

That was all a lie and you knew it, he could feel it. This was why you walked closer to him, defying his eyes as he looked down uncomfortably due to his face turned to the ceiling.

"You will never change, Dameron."

The second hand now rubbing his belly felt too good to be true.

"Supreme Leader, I'm sorry for any form of disrespect," he squealed as the Force disappeared from his body, "it was non of my intention to…"

The rest of his sentence vanished from his mind as you started to eye him up and down slowly. Still no emotion showing clearly on your face if not for that slight frown. The blizzard whistling against the massive structure around the both of you had at least the benefit of distracting him. Out of the blue he kneeled down, more guided by a primitive need to submit rather than out of respect. The pilot shifted so fast that a flash of surprise appeared on your face as he looked up at you.

"Supreme Leader I am sorry for the disrespect I may be showing to you. I'm completely dedicated to our cause and admire you to no end. Please let me supervise both of the tomorrow's attacks. I will take part to the one you indicated me but please let me take care of this."

Almost out of breath he dared to send you one of those seductive gaze he knew so well worked on anybody he met. Either to flirt seriously or just to mess with others it was his magic trick. Testing this on a new Supreme Leader was risky but he felt the need in his guts to act in such irrational way. Fortunately none of his mysoginistic pilots would see him in this state for a woman. The ethereal hand touched his face again, gentle on his cheek. The caring touch had him close his eyes in delight. It's been so long since a woman has cared sincerely about him. He could enjoy it coming from his Supreme Leader. That power you had could certainly get used in many contexts.

Getting slapped once then choked brutally started something a tiny part of him wanted to repress for good. He struggled in vain to remove that hand as you remained as still as earlier, your stern gaze examining him as he felt arousal warming his veins.

"Dameron. Keep your thoughts for yourself," you said calmly.

As soon as the image flashed in his head he got pulled towards you, his throat suddenly freed from the Force as he landed on his face. His eyes widened as he tried to get some oxygen back in his lungs, a shudder and pleased moan betraying the pleasure he felt as you stomped on his back to get past his body. Poe was thrilled. You saw it too.

"Is this the real reason you like to get into dangerous situations Commander," you asked softly, "do you like to feel death ready to take you with her?" "I need it to feel alive. But also out of loyalty. But this… It feels different," he confessed.

Poe coughed before stopping as you stomped on him again, your weight and your boots sending a new wave of pain he loved. He panted as he struggled to keep his hips against the floor, trying not to rub against it.

"Do you feel that way in your ship too?" "Not so much," he replied out of breath."

He remembered the time he had to stay in his TIE for ten long minutes before a mission due to the weather. Another storm that made it impossible for anybody from the outside to see through the windows so he had to release some tension thinking of your thighs. Right after he got flashes from his fantasies, you walked away from him and tutted disapprovingly.

"Look at me," you demanded.

The panting man groaned as he kneeled despite the several cracks he heard in his body. The second you opened your long coat to reveal the dark clothes beneath - a top and pants covering you entirely - he felt as if he shouldn't see this. It felt dangerous and he loved it. And seeing your covered thighs that close from him… His heart stopped as you walked up to him, his cheek pressed against your belly as your hand - your actual hand - started to pet the top of his head. His eyes opened widely as he could feel your fingers playing with his curls, feel your warmth beneath the fabrics, feel the soft and pleasing scent of your top. And also he felt divinely protected both by the way you embraced him and how your loose and long coat could potentially embrace him as well to keep him close.

"I told you to take some rest, Commander. I meant it when I told you you deserved it."

His heart ready to explode as you brought your second hand to his hair, massaging his scalp with such softness that he closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax. He didn't dare to do much more with his hands than making them rest on your calves. They were firm which wasn't surprising due to how much you trained these days to fight against boredom.

"You make me feel safe," he confessed, "you make us all feel safe." "Is it what you need?" "Absolutely."

The shaky sigh he let out expulsed any negative emotion remaining in him and he risked himself to press his face against your belly as sexual arousal slowly came back. Such a tiny layer of clothes between his lips and your skin. Your fingers tightened their grip on his dark curls and you started to run them through his hair.

"Damn it Dameron, can't you be normal?" "Please forgive me."

He went so far than he accepted his fate as he started to look down at your crotch so close from his face. He swallowed hard, licked his lips and knew you could see the same things as he did as you rolled your hips the slightest. As he leaned on to kiss that part, he stopped with a pained expression actually betraying an unexpected pleasure as something grabbed his erection painfully trapped in his pants.

"Dameron," you interrupted him sternly. "Yes Supreme Leader."

There was something hypnotizing at the way your belt got unbuckled. Sensually even as he watched it sliding slowly around your waist before getting tossed aside as well as your boots and socks. He moaned as the fake hand kept the same amount of pressure on his shaft without moving, and breathed in as your pants slid down, revealing white panties.

"Use your teeth." "Yes Supreme Leader."

Poe did as ordered, closing his eyes when his nose touched your warm belly skin, his lips grazing it before his teeth took a bite of this thin fabric separating him from your entrance. His hands now lied on the back of your thighs, guaranteeing him some balance while undressing you. He opened his eyes with a certain pride as he saw your private parts, his teeth now busy biting his tongue.

"You are being a very good boy," you praised softly, "you can kiss it." "Yes Supreme Leader."

The touch of your fingers got firmer as he let a brief and shy kiss where your clitoris was hidden. He pecked the same spot over and over, gently and slowly as he tried to get more accustomed to the strangeness and thrill he felt at this. His nose pressed against your pubis, he started to kiss the whole area with as much care and anticipation as before. On the skin covering your clitoris, on the right, on the left, above it, and beneath it. He exhaled against it as he felt forced to lay on his knees and hands to kiss a lower area as you spread your legs a little, is eyes now focused on a slightly wet spot glistening between your thighs. He kissed it gently, letting a small sigh out as his nose pressed against your entrance so his kiss you reach that precise part. It was enough for you to moan gently, your thighs trembling already as his felt his shaft getting rubbed delicately.

"We both need it," you whispered.

You directed his mouth back to the front, getting him kneeled again as his kisses grew more impatient to uncover what they were actually targeting. His kisses became sloppy, wet, barely keeping his tongue for himself as he tilted his head to left then right, the urge of sucking on your skin getting harder to repress.

"Do it."

Without breaking the cycle of kisses he brought his hands to your crotch, spreading your lower lips to gain access to your swollen clitoris. You were a trembling mess already and he took at heart to suck carefully on this bud, delighted by the effect he had on you as your hands caressed his nape, your body arching downward.

"Kriff Dameron, keep going," you panted.

He twirled his tongue, licked, sucked, kissed, everything at a higher pace to make you reach your high. It wasn't long before you did. He enjoyed the low but extended moan you let out as he circled around that sensitive spot, years of experience talking by themselves while his head moved tirelessly. He even chuckled as your hips started to rub your crotch against his face with more and more strength, his tongue now getting more adventurous as wetness started to cover his face.

"Do it," you panted again.

The both of your hands grabbing the back of his head as for a passionate kiss reached for his shoulder as soon as his mouth started to eat you out eagerly, your moans echoing the wet noises made by both your entrance and his own mouth. His arms hold you as still as possible, his hands wandering up and down to feel your muscles reacting to each of your motions. Your reactions were getting louder as you moaned his first name over and over. It was getting too much to handle for your body but nothing that would stop him now that he had access to your entrance. Power fueled his movements now that he had full control of what you felt. At least this was the theory. The Force chocked him again, forcing him to fall backwards with his face covered of your juices as you fell on your knees, panting and your own face sweating.

"You deserve more," you stated with a grin.

Barely recovered from the choking, he stood up, undressed himself with your help and felt himself getting thrown against your chair. Nothing too violent as his dilated pupils followed your every moves when you took your top off and straddled him proudly. Finally he got to penetrate you as you lowered your whole body, your seductive smile earning a kiss from him. You gasped at the ideas getting through his mind and for the first time, he heard you laugh.

"Not bad Poe. But let me show you a few tricks. Years of practice don't necessarily turn you into a wise man." "Please do, Supreme Leader."

The Commander gulped loudly while the stern face staring down at him kept its attention on him. Suddenly something darker started to contaminate the atmosphere, something making this moment even more thrilling for him. At first he thought it was simply the strength and dominance you put in every thrust, the way you managed to ride him seemingly effortlessly while contracting your insides around him to drive him mad. That deadly stare warning him as he melted beneath you added some spice and it got somewhat even more attention than your bare breasts.

"That's why I love it when you scold me ma'am," he whispered out of breath. "Keep quiet."

He grinned as your demand got tainted by this subtle begging. You were close too, your eyelids threatening to close but remained open for a mere question of ego. You were burning and the combination of your tired yet determined face did things to him. Then he understood. You were testing him. Torturing him as he noticed his orgasm so close, then further, then closer. His moans turned desperate, his lips formed incoherent pleas as you kept on riding him with that defiant gaze.

"You got it right Dameron." "You bitch…"

The sudden wave of pleasure vanished immediately, knocking him off entirely as his brain tried to process what was happening, then he felt about to pass out as it came back suddenly. You stopped moving right there, your hands grabbing his face with an infinite disdain. After a quick pause to catch your breath, you finally let your poison out.

"You are the bitch there, Commander. You walked in my office all proud of yourself and certain you would get a praise from mommy after making her proud. How pathetic."

The weird and frustrating lack of sensations inhibited him once again as he could only witness your orgasm crushing you, a shiver running down his spine as you grabbed him violently in an embrace that could have felt romantic and desperate for anybody that could have been watching this heated exchange. He could feel nothing at all and it scared him.

Then as if nothing happened, you stepped back with a satisfied grin and your exhausted eyes witnessing his distress as he looked down his erected shaft impatient to release his seed.

"I can't feel it what have you..."

With a simple hand gesture in the air he arched on his chair, mouth wide open as he stared blankly at the ceiling. He felt everything and even more. No noise left his mouth except for a disturbed and trembling sigh when his eyes slowly slid down his shaft that inundated his firm thighs and belly of his own seed now leaking from his chair. In shock, he kept his gaze on it before looking at your bored face while you were putting your clothes on.

"See? You can still learn everyday. That's why I always tell you not to get too cocky after your victories."

"What... what was..."

"That was the best orgasm of your life and the only one of that kind you will ever receive. Now get up and go to your quarters to get some rest. Instructions are already waiting for you."

Exhaustion crushed him suddenly and he accepted to appear as sloppy as he did under your scrutiny. He might have turned into the sloppy and disgusting Commander sitting so inappropriately in your chair but he started to appreciate it.

- -

Thanks for reading please comment and reblog if you liked it ! ☺️

@queen-of-elves

@qrjung

[mariacallous]

Hale Zukas had a need for speed. In Berkeley, accompanied by his high-velocity wheelchair and trademark helmet, Zukas would zoom down Telegraph Avenue at a sprinter’s pace, his mop of grey hair fluttering in the wind.

Born with cerebral palsy, Zukas had places to be and things to say to policymakers about building a Bay Area that is accessible to all. Despite significant speech and mobility impairments, his righteous temper and sharp wit forced them to listen.

“I don’t beat around the bush,” Zukas mused in a 1998 oral history, where he sat for multiple lengthy interviews. He communicated using a wand affixed to his helmet that pointed to letters on a word board. “I know at least as much as anyone about what I’m talking about.”

Zukas died on Nov. 30 at the age of 79, but not before his civil rights activism for people with disabilities shaped the way millions navigate this country’s public spaces.

“People knew that when Hale was speaking, you listened,” said Judy Heumann, a leading disability rights advocate who worked with Zukas in the 1970s. “He really did have a bigger vision.”

From public transit to sidewalks, Zukas’s reach can be felt across the Bay Area.

He designed Berkeley’s first generation of wheelchair ramps in the 1970s as the city became an early model of mobility access. Known as “curb cuts,” these ramps turned local sidewalks from a gauntlet of miniature cliffs to usable pathways for wheelchair riders. His advocacy also pushed BART to become the nation’s first transit system to be fully accessible to people with disabilities.

Among the laundry list of accessibility improvements touched by Zukas are BART’s elevators, which placed their buttons at lower height based on his input.

Zukas’s activism is rooted in 1960s Berkeley. As protesters rallied against the Vietnam war and for free speech, a burgeoning contingent of quadriplegic students also harnessed the city’s unique counterculture environment. At the heart of the movement was the Center for Independent Living, which Zukas co-founded in 1972, under the philosophy that people with disabilities should speak for themselves on matters of advocacy and life choices. Berkeley’s CIL played a pivotal role in altering the urban landscape, shifting cultural assumptions, and would go on to sprout over 400 centers in the U.S.

At CIL, Zukas was arguably the organization’s foremost expert in the nitty-gritty of accessibility policy. He was also skilled at bending bureaucracy to his will.

Memories of Zukas as told by peers and fellow activists are often colored by his iconoclastic approach. Heumann affectionately jibed Zukas as an “old fart” due to his stubbornness and wry humor. Wheelchair designer Ralph Hotchkiss described him as a “wild man” thrilled by the rush of a speeding chair. And Kitty Cone, another prominent activist who died in 2015, praised him as an “unsung hero” whose immense impact was often overlooked due to his speech impairment.

Born in 1943 in Los Angeles, Zukas credited his mother for pushing for his education in the face of a medical establishment arguing he should be institutionalized. “She finally decided that she knew more than the doctors,” said Zukas, who went on to major in mathematics and study Russian at UC Berkeley.

Zukas remained in Berkeley after graduating in 1971. He was there in 1977 when activists staged a landmark sit-in at San Francisco’s federal building, setting the stage for the Americans With Disabilities Act. Under the appointment of President Jimmy Carter, Zukas also served as vice-chair of a federal board that crafted federal accessibility standards in the 1980s.

Underneath Zukas’s confident politicking lay deep-seated insecurities. His perennial frustrations over the revolving door of personal assistants upon whom he relied to feed and clothe him often boiled over in exasperation. “I see myself as a mass of contradictions,” he said in interviews stored at UC Berkeley’s Bancroft library. “On the one hand, I’m very activist in trying to influence various issues, sometimes being very assertive about it. On the other hand, I have very low self-esteem, and I don’t like to deal with employment issues at all. Probably because I don’t see myself getting a job.”

The limitations of his disability required him to painstakingly spell out words for people unfamiliar with his verbal queues. But he also saw advantages, describing his approach to advocacy as a form of “mental jujitsu.”

“I imagine when many people see me, they figure I am intellectually sub-par. So when I start talking (about) things that make it clear that I’m not, it makes all the more of an impact,” said Zukas. “And besides, I’m somewhat of a spectacle.”

Zukas embraced spectacle. Before the pandemic, he was a fixture at government meetings, crisscrossing the Bay Area to get where he needed to go.

But to many, the man zooming by in a wheelchair adorned with a “They hate us because we’re pretty” sticker was just another Berkeley eccentric. Even administrators at UC Berkeley, where Zukas frequented lectures, were unaware of his place in civil rights history. That’s according to Brad Bailey, who attended the university’s journalism school and filmed an award-winning 2017 documentary on Zukas.

“He had been overlooked not just in the disability movement, and Hale was very frustrated at that,” said Bailey. While fellow UC Berkeley graduate Ed Roberts emerged as the public face of disability rights, Zukas said he developed a resentment for the media’s anointed “father” of the movement.

“This may be somewhat heretical: For all his great gift of gab, I found him rather superficial,” Zukas said in 1998 of Roberts, who passed away three years earlier and captured the nation’s attention with his life in an iron lung. Although in the same conversation Zukas added that he may have “gone too far” in criticizing Roberts. “After all,” said Zukas. “My first trip to Death Valley was in his van.”

Hotchkiss, who won a MacArthur “Genius” Grant for his work designing wheelchairs, remembers the first time he met Zukas in the early 1970s. They were touring the Washington, D.C., subway together so Zukas could write a report on disability access for Congress.

“Before I knew it, I was hanging on to the back of his high-powered wheelchair racing through Washington and wondering if I’d make it there alive,” said Hotchkiss, who relied on a slower wheelchair. On that day Zukas got into the “dirt of the system” and “smashed through it as best he could.”

“If he could have lived 1,000 years, he would have taken the chance,” Hotchkiss said. “He would have kept on smashing his way.”