#Commander Anker

[etherealvoidechoes]

Bottled & Brewing

Bradford and crew had been hitting roadblocks attempting to communicate with their recently rescued Commander for some weeks. That was until he picked up an unexpected psionic quirk of a drinking habit that may be the bridge to finally get the man talking.

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Hi. Another Commander, another awakening. Well, skipping to Kamon being awake for some weeks, but same-ish. Just a silly idea that popped into my head.

Consider this a peace offering as I need to get back to the other XCOM fics and others too.

Warning for the usual language, alcoholism, some suicidal thoughts, and mentions of non-consensual body modifications/amputations.

Approx. 11.25k

EDIT: 5/25/25 - Made a correction to the continuity of this AU.

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A flurry of curses filled the semi-quarantined section of the Infirmary. For the past few weeks, things had been eventful in both good and strange ways. XCOM had finally found and rescued their old Commander, Kamon Áki Anker. But the Elders’ had done a number on him. 

Since removing him from the Stasis Suit, which had its own set of surprises, treating Kamon had been slow. Even with familiar faces, if his memories were still intact to recall any of them, he had given them fairly short answers or none at all. All while wearing a face that seemed disinterested to the world – which was a look he always had since his youth after an incident. An additional issue hindering the doctors’ efforts was that he couldn’t speak a lick of English. They theorized that the language centers of his mind had been damaged somehow. They didn’t know if was pure luck or a miracle that he could understand them just fine, but communicating back and forth required a few translators. So far, he could only speak in Thai, Dutch, the language the Elders forced upon humanity and Their alien cohorts, and what XCOM could only assume was the Elders’ personal language.

In all, it was hard to tell if he was truly being cooperative or testing them in each session. He never put up a physical fight, and it wasn’t like he could due to several reasons, but he tried their patience in several other ways. Sometimes, every other word with switch to a different language taking them some time to string together whatever he was saying. Sometimes, he would only speak in the Elders’ language, which XCOM was still deciphering. And some days, he wouldn’t speak at all and just give them his signature plain-faced disinterested stare. Even with the surviving Senior Staff that worked closely with him during the Invasion, they had trouble deciphering what his mood was. 

“Again!?” Someone shouted. The sounds of shoes squeaking across the floor intensified. “Where did he get that bottle and glass from!?” They questioned. A few psionic pings and curses followed.

Kamon was currently trying their patience again with his new, concerning habit. 

It all started a week ago when Bradford, Dr. Veer, and some other Senior staff were trying to rouse old memories and see if he recalled anything while imprisoned. It was a mostly unsuccessful venture as it seemed any of his memories of his time leading XCOM were shot, and he ignored any mention of that Stasis Suit — that was reasonable. Dr. Veer felt like he was recalling something, but was unsure if he was knowingly or unknowingly suppressing it. She could see the slightest change in his eyes and noticed a few odd ticks in his brainwave patterns, but that constant, disinterested face he wore made it difficult for her to be sure. She wanted to tap at his mind with her psionics and gently tap at a few centers of his mind to see if she could find just a strand of memory, but with how he tuned out all mentions of that suit she had a feeling he would not react well to psionics. She would try another time when he was more responsive. Or maybe sooner than she thought. 

Just as their unfruitful discussions with him were winding down, and they were conversing amongst themselves to make a few plans of attack for future sessions, they had left Kamon alone for just a moment. A few seconds later, two distinctive psionic pings rang in the room. None of the psionic sensors went off, but everyone was searching for the source until they were the popping of a cork and liquid being poured. Heads whipped around. It was Kamon. The man somehow had a bottle of wine in his hands and was pouring a fair amount of the glistening red liquid into a wine glass sitting in front of him. Everyone was so stunned, too busy trying to figure out where the bottle and glass came from until someone finally snapped to and tried to take it from it. That’s when they found out he was a psion.

“Oh, for the love of—! Why haven’t we collared him?” Another worker cursed.

“Orders from the doctors and Central forbid us from doing so.” One worker wisely stood by the sidelines since they knew how this would usually play out.

“That’s a load of — HEY!”

Like back then, currently, Kamon was currently playing a game of cat and mouse with the doctors and workers. Whenever someone tried to snatch the wine glass or bottle, he’d teleport them out of their reach and to another side of the room or he would teleport himself and everything to another part of the room. This would continue on and on until either he had his fill — which, thankfully, was always what he just poured — or they finally gave up and left him alone.

The doctors didn’t like this developing habit as they were still running tests to see what the Elders had done to his genetic makeup and feared he may have similar restrictions the Hybrid faced when it came to alcohol. Bradford didn’t like this habit. He thought back on Veer saying she felt he was subconsciously recalling what had happened and possibly recalling the time of his imprisonment. The last thing he wanted, the last thing XCOM needed, was their leader developing a drinking habit. 

“He’s missing an arm and a leg and is still keeping them off of him.” Virgil Defoy said. His lips trembled and his eyes squinted as he tried to hold back a laugh. “What is this, like the 10th time so far this week, mate?”

Bradford let out an annoyed sigh as he shook his head. “To tell you the truth, I’ve stopped keeping track.”

Bradford and Virgil were standing just at the door frame watching the all too familiar scene play out. It was like watching some vintage cartoon as their disabled Commander would teleport from one side of the room to the other, even planting himself on the ceiling to stay out of their reach so he could enjoy his drink.

“Any clue how he keeps getting them since, ya know, he’s been confined to the Infirmary since we rescued him?” It was a pointless question, but it had been bothering Virgil. “Cuz’ our brewin’ gals and pals are getting might-ty annoyed wondering who has been pilfering their stock used for trading and the crew.” Keeping news of who the culprit from spreading was growing more and more difficult with each snatched bottle. “And same with the bargoers wondering why their favorite drink is missing for sum hours.”

Bradford shook his head again. All he could muster was a shrug. “We’re still trying to figure that out, but suspect it has something to do with his psionics.” Doctors Marin and Quinn had been floating around some theories that Kamon could be subtly reaching out with his psionics to map the ship since no one had reported any headaches. “I know. Warren’s already told me he’s going to strangle whoever has been touching his mead stock and those in progress.”

He snorted. “Man, oh, man… the mountain man is pissed. Took him forever to get all that honey besides getting ‘em hives set up at those Havens.” He then pulled at his salt and pepper goatee before smacking his lips. “And why are you guys still allowing this?”

Bradford let out a pained sigh as his eyes closed for just a moment too long. A brief memory of weakness flashed behind his eyes — one that caused his eyes to snap back open. Not now. “So far, it looks like his genetic makeup hasn’t been altered like the Hybrids, so he won’t suffer from the poisoning effect.” And he was counting his blessings it would stay that way. “And he’s been a little more cooperative as of late. Still not talking as much as we would like, but much more cooperative.” A sigh slipped out. “Just happy he’s not violent.”

“In-ter-rest-ing.” He mumbled. “Real in-ter-rest-ing.”

A series of psionic pings preceded a loud crash; a worker had plowed into some chairs, knocking them into a table, and some equipment was scattered about.

“Ridiculous… why do they keep trying?” Bradford grumbled. Though he had tried a few times to snatch the alcohol away when it had first started. It was like the man had a sixth sense — and he did — as Bradford always tried to snatch the drink or bottle away when he least expected, but was always thwarted. 

“Think it’s about time we stepped in?” Virgil asked. Bradford nodded.

“You’ve got those collapsable shot glasses on you?” He asked.

Virgil raised a brow but with his hand had fiddled with one of his many keychains around his waist and unhooked two half-inch disks. He raised them, unscrewed one, and popped it open to its full height. “Always got em’. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of…” He didn’t finish his sentence but was smirking.

Bradford nodded. “Want to see if he’ll talk more if we join him.”

Several more psionic pings and another slew of curses made Bradford’s brow twitch. With another disappointed shake of his head, he adjusted his earpiece before letting out a grunt as he marched forward. Virgil followed just behind him.

“That’s enough!” His raised voice made everyone in the room freeze. Everyone, except Kamon, who had just teleported back to a chair and table. Glowing blue eyes focused on Bradford and Virgil as he casually sipped his drink.

“Everyone get out!” Bradford barked. “You know the damn protocols, so why the hell do you even keep trying?”

“Sir! The alcohol poses a ri—” Someone tried to argue back, but he cut them off.

“With the amount he’s had for the past week, and God knows what we haven’t caught, I think he would have gone blind by now and died if he had a Hybrid’s genetic makeup. Now, leave.”

The workers reluctantly left. 

Scanning the room, Bradford shook his head again. It was a mess. Various equipment and medical instruments were turned over. His eyes narrowed when he spied a familiar dampening collar resting on Kamon’s bed. “Really?” He soon grumbled he was going to discipline the idiot who snuck that in. He went over to get the thing and tossed it out of the room.

Virgil made himself busy by cleaning up the mess the best he could. He stumbled across a few bottles hidden under a bed and took a moment to examine them. “Huh, not too much missing ‘cept for these three.” He mumbled before he whistled over to Bradford and waved them. “Looks like our boy has got a sweet tooth and one with a bit of a kick. Warren’s gonna be pissed he found his hot honey mead and the muscadine wine.” He laughed.

Bradford rolled his eyes. Something to worry about later. “Ignore him.” He said a bit under his breath to Kamon.

With the room a little neater, the two finally turned their attention to Kamon. 

“Sorry about that. I know that’s not the best way to start one’s morning…” Bradford was the first to speak as they both went over. He made sure the translation program was going for his tablet and earpiece before placing the tablet on the table, facing the screen away from Kamon. “They mean well concerning your well-being, but their approach is lacking tact.”

Kamon raised a brow as he continued to sip. There was a faint nod and a snort that followed.

Looking at his old friend, his old boss, was hard in several ways. He always had trouble reading Kamon’s mood, as even back in the day; it was always this mixed default plain, to unamused, to disinterested look. A faint funny but painful thought crossed his mind as his fellow Sub-Commanders had trouble reading his emotions for the first month before they finally picked up the subtle changes to his expressions.

 But right now, he wished the man would show just a shred of some other emotion. Happiness. Sadness. Hell, even some anger. But it was just nothing. Was it apathy? Indifference? I faintly recall he had some nerve damage in his face, but he emoted back then even with a bit of struggle. He just wasn’t sure.

Just what did the Elders do to you? Bradford couldn’t help but look at some of the most obvious mutilations his old friend suffered. Besides some light surgical scars found across his body marking the “standard” the Elders held by “improving” or “punishing” various species, from the doctors’ scans, it didn’t look like Kamon was missing any “non-vital” organs. The very mention of that made Bradford and a few other Senior staff shutter as they recalled those alien autopsies and those unfortunate civilians found on those surgery tables onboard the UFOs and those alien strongholds popping up more and more during the Old War.

But the Elders did perform some kind of major surgery on the Commander. Kamon’s left arm was missing above the shoulder black and his right leg was missing just at the knee. It seemed like the Elders had plans on giving him prosthetics, as both areas had visible and hidden integration ports.

Then on the sides of his head, he had these golden diamond-shaped implants, four on each side, and then one last diamond-shaped implant resting at the base of his neck that had one of the standard ports in the center and then some more of that golden metal ran underneath the diamonds. 

And then his face. The man already had scars littering the left side of his face and body, which Bradford had come to learn through gossip was caused by his estranged family, but his capture left him with a few new searing jagged red scars that looked like someone tried to crack his face open.

And I swear he was a little shorter than me back then… still oddly tall for his ethnicity... He couldn’t help but shake the feeling that his old boss was somehow taller. He had yet to see the man stand at his full height due to missing a leg, yet just with how he sat in that chair, it looked like he had grown a few inches. A snort slipped out as a funny thought popped into his mind. Remember, genetics can be weird. Think of Jynn and her brother, Charles. African American and Japanese with a whole lot of other stuff. If you didn’t study their faces, you would never be able to tell they were related. Heh. So must be the Dutch in him.

“Mind if we join ya?” Virgil asked. Popping open the other shot glass he gave both a little shake, causing the metal plates to rattle, and smiled. “We won’t be killjoys like those folk! Hell, it may be more fun chattin’ over drinks! Loosen’ up a bit since, ya know, drinks will make ya spill the truth!”

“Virgil, that’s a little too—”

Two psionic pings rang out. Appearing on the table in bursts of blue light were two wine glasses and another set of bottles.

Both looked at each other before looking at Kamon. Kamon’s expression barely changed. Those glowing blue eyes glanced at them, then the glasses, and back at them, and last, the chairs.

Virgil snickered. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He was already sitting down. Bradford just rolled his eyes and sat down.

Virgil was already grabbing one of the new bottles and reading the label. A snort followed by a loud laugh broke the silence. “Warren’s gonna be pissed.~” He sang. “‘Nother one of his experimental meads. A spicy, spiced berry. One he and Memento have been collaborating on.”

Bradford felt like his eyes were going to roll out of his head before the hour was over. “I’ll contact those Void Walkers to see if they can get him a barrel full of honey or whatever he wants.” He soon grumbled. “And Memento whatever she wants when she’s back with us. Praying no one has killed any of her plants… again.”

The comment about dead plants got Virgil snickering. “Memento wouldn’t have to do any of the threatening if that happened. Warren’s in charge when she’s gone. And just about everyone on here would be after the culprits since it IS nice to have some fresh veggies and fruits not touched by ADVENT and ’em Elder bastards.”

Bradford nodded to that. “Amen to that.”

As Virgil was making motions to open the mead bottle, with a psionic ping, the bottle disappeared from his hand and reappeared next to Kamon.

“What ta hell, mate?” Virgil raised a twitching brow. “Thoughtcha was fine with us—”

Another ping and flash of blue went off inside the bottle, causing the cork to shoot out. Kamon took one last big sip of his drink before setting it down. He then picked up the bottle. To their surprise, he didn’t pour himself more, instead, he looked at Virgil, the glass in front of him, and then gestured for him to bring it to him.

“Oh?” Virgil asked as he raised his glass. Kamon nodded. “Oh. Heh, heh, heh.”

Once the glass was within reach, Kamon poured him a fair amount. He then looked at Bradford and made the same gesture.

Bradford looked at his glass and then that bottle. He could feel that yearning for a stiff drink biting at his throat. Not too much. Don’t need to have that taste drag me to the bar later. Rather have something else right now, but hopefully, this more ‘casual’ talk will make him talk more. “Less than him.” He said as he moved his glass over to Kamon.

Kamon simply nodded and gave him much less than Virgil. With mead in the glass, Bradford pulled it back, but unlike Virgil who had already finished his glass and was back for more asking for the other bottle to be opened, he didn’t touch it. 

Just as Bradford was about to speak, Kamon finally said something in a mix of languages. His voice was still somewhat hoarse and not as deep as it once was.

“››May I have pen and paper?‹‹“

It took a moment for Bradford to get the translation. He raised a brow. A strange request. “Why the request?”

Kamon didn’t reply. He simply tilted his head, like he was asking why right back at him. His expression remained unchanged.

Bradford held in an exasperated sigh that had been wanting to escape for some time. “I’ll do you something better.”

He got up and left the room. It took a few minutes, but he came back with a tablet. He figured that would be much safer than giving him a pen, though the man had shown no signs of violence. That was something they didn’t want to risk. Bradford also had an ulterior motive for choosing the tablet; he could privately link with the device to see what Kamon would be typing.

“Tablet. Note app. You can write with your finger or use the keyboard.” Bradford said as he set it down in front of Kamon.

There was a slight change in expression for Kamon. Psionic energy sparkled throughout his eyes as they narrowed, focusing on Bradford for just a moment before shifting over to the tablet. Setting down his glass, he pulled the tablet closer to him and began to mess with it. His brows scrunched and relaxed several times as he tried to figure out the system. He spent a few minutes testing it out, attempting to write on it with his non-dominant hand, before deciding on the keyboard. 

Bradford slyly activated the remote viewing to see what Kamon was typing. Before he could truly take a look, Virgil nudged him a few times.

“Gonna drink or am I gonna have to drink for ya?” He grinned.

Bradford just glared. “I’ll take a sip.” He finally grabbed the glass.

“A little warning, it’s got a subtle kick to it. Takes a few seconds for the pepper burn to hit the throat.”

“Uh-huh.” He didn’t exactly believe the warning. 

As he took a sip, he cringed. The mead was much sweeter than he was expecting and much sweeter than he preferred. Not horrible, but would rather be drinking some whiskey right now. May need some later depending on how this plays out. Not how I expected things to go since his rescue. I may be the Acting Commander for much longer than I want. Are the others out there and imprisoned too? More dark thoughts slowly began to enter his mind before he shoved them back into the corner they belonged. 

He unexpectedly cringed again. Just as Virgil had warned, it took a few seconds for the pepper burn to hit the back of his throat. He made a few subtle clicks before a faint grunt slipped out as he tried to fight the growing burn and stifle a cough, but it slipped free.

“Here…” He grumbled as he passed his glass over to Virgil who gladly snatched and dumped into his. 

“Think you’d like the ginger berry one more.” Virgil snickered as he pointed to the bottle.

I’d like ginger beer more than alcohol right now. Wonder if the latest batch is done? Bradford shook his head. “I think I’ll pass until—”

Two psionic pings range out. Bradford’s wine glass disappeared from Virgil’s hand before a clean one appeared on the tablet. And then another bottle appeared on the table, much shorter than the mead bottles.

Wait… is that? Shifting forward, his eyes narrowed as he focused on the new bottle. The label read “Warren’s Special Ginger Beer - Extra EXTRA Strength.” His brows raised as he blinked a few times. Did he…? A worrying thought crossed his mind. He felt no psionic touch on his mind. None of those pinpricks or pushes on his brain before something would try to ensure him. Then again, he had no idea what Kamon’s psionics felt like. Or does he recall something… Can’t say I drank ginger beer back in the day that much… He hated his foggy memories concerning the more “relaxed” times in the old HQ.

“Oh, no gingin for me?” Virgil playfully whined. With another psionic ping, a bottle appeared before him. “Much obliged.”

“So where we left off the last time we chatted…?” Bradford shifted in his seat before leaning forward to use his tablet to bring up his notes from their last session.

Before he did, he caught a glimpse of what Kamon was typing. At first, it looked like gibberish with odd abbreviations he couldn’t decipher and a few numbers until he scrolled down to more legible notes. It looked like he was recording notes on the current meads they were drinking. Kamon had notes for himself and then his observations for Bradford and Virgil. He made a pointed note concerning Bradford’s reaction to the spicy mead. “Seems not to like sweeter drinks. Have to see how he’d like the ginger berry one. If no to that, then he can have the ginger beer. Seems to have an odd relationship with alcohol with how he did not drink as quickly as his friend.” 

Then he noticed Kamon started a new section — “Today’s discussion with this “XCOM.” Whatever day it is. What nonsense will they repeat today to get me to “remember? Unless I’m just hallucinating all of this.”

Bradford did his best to hide a twitching brow. He was going to have to avoid reading those comments to keep himself from saying something he would regret. He is more observant than he’s letting on. And seems he thinks he’s still in that suit… The latter made him mentally sigh. He had a few suspicions that Kamon may have thought they were his captors. He was hoping there was some way to jog his memory and convince him they were not.

“I believe we were talking about some tales dear ol’ Kamon disappearing off to the hanger or to the motor pool to talk with the mechanics and get his hands dirty, to engineering to chat robotics with Dr. Shen, or slipping off to one of the MEC or Shiv workshops to talk to the engineers there.” Virgil said.

“Right, right.” Bradford nodded just as he brought up his notes. “It was your,” he made sure to make eye contact with Kamon, “way of de-stressing after a rather stressful operation or meeting with the Council.”

“Tch.” Virgil scoffed. “Damn that Council and their demands and damn them to hell for betraying us.”

An amused snort came from Bradford. He could agree in several ways. “Remember, there were some reasonable ones. Sadly, that didn’t save them all from being mind-controlled.”

“Right.” Virgil rolled his eyes. “Any who…” Setting down the wine glass, he snatched the ginger beer off the table, pressed the metal cap against the edge of the table, and with a quick smack, the cap shot off with a metallic zing. “Let’s talk about ‘em motor pool days. Still can recall a few stories he shared with us when on break.”

Virgil took the lead since he was one of the old senior engineers who bounced between various workstations across the base. It was still a shocker to several of them that the Commander was once the head of a motor pool when not handling other technological things in the Navy when he wasn’t on land. 

As Virgil was taking a deep swig of his drink, a funny memory crossed his mind, causing him to nearly choke. He made sure to turn his head away from them as he spat out his drink and slipped into a coughing fit.

“You alright?” Bradford wondered if he was going to have to smack his back with how hard he was coughing.

Virgil raised a hand. “Good. *cough* I’m *cough* good!” He beat his chest a few times with a firm fist until the last bit of that burn left his throat. “Just ‘membered the story he told of dismantling three whole humvees because he was bored and then wanted to spite his boss at the time cuz they pulled some stupid shit and blamed his whole crew for the f-up.”

Bradford chuckled. “Seriously?” That was the first time he heard of that.

He nodded. “‘Member it all too well since none of us believed him and he proceeded to dismantle one of our humvees, found a few issues, and put it back together. That thing ran leagues better than before.”

Both of Bradford’s brows rose. He tried to recall the memory, but it just wasn’t there. “Wow. I see why he got along great with Dr. Shen and his team.”

Kamon barely reacted to the story. Maybe there were raised brows that happened too quickly for them to notice. 

Bradford caught a glimpse of his notes. “More of these ‘XCOM’ days, but the motor pool incident… that may be true? Not sure. Just foggy… but remember an old boss(before I replaced him) pulled some crap and tried to blame the crew, specifically me because he just didn’t like me. Think I used his words against him in the reaming talk down and report made when dismantling those humvees AND some other things. The look on his face was priceless. At least my new boss had a sense of humor and called him out on his BS. Think they were looking for a reason to ship him off somewhere else…”

Bradford mumbled to himself. Looked like his old boss was remembering things before XCOM even if his memory was still shot. A good sign, but it seemed the man was keeping that knowledge to himself. 

Virgil continued with a few more stories, mixing in the XCOM days with events of Kamon’s past that were shared with him. He brought up a few stories of how he interacted with the Sub-Commanders before each one got shipped off to their designated base, and the annoyances they had to deal with when the Gene Modding program began. He did most of the laughing, followed by a few chuckles from Bradford, but Kamon never made a sound. He just raised a brow, nodded along, or offered Virgil some more mead to drink.

This is going to be another session of nothing. Bradford lamented in his mind. He finally cracked open the ginger beer and started to sip it. The harsh bite caught him off guard for a second, causing him to sputter, but once he recovered, he was drinking it down like water. As most of Warren’s drink-making escapades went, it tasted great. The tingling bite was also knocking away that alcohol craving.

“Raymond wasn’t too happy when one of the prototype SHIVs went missing until he learned it was Kamon who had it.” Bradford interjected when he recognized the story Virgil was talking about.

Virgil was snickering up a storm. “Old doc still wasn’t too happy ‘bout that and warned him to not let it get damaged. But did like that some ‘combat data’ was being reported to fine-tune its detection sensors.”

He let out an annoyed sigh, eyes shook in anticipation of a roll that held itself. “Those with that invisibility gene and legs gene really liked jumping you guys. The vents… why was it always the vents?” Just remembering those incidents made a vessel pop out of his head.  

 Virgil choked mid gulp causing him to sputter before a roar of laughter took it over. He slammed his bottle on the table a few times. “Jynn and Kamon nearly got their skulls cracked from that!”

“The problems with being tall.” He chuckled, but a wistful sigh followed. As quick as the sad feeling came, the memories of how the others dealt with it caused him to crack a smile.  “Thaddeus body-slammed one of the culprits the fourth time it happened. Elli was the luckiest of the bunch, most of the time, she managed to slip out of their grasp before the leap. And that was before she got her dog.”

“Oh, that dog.” Virgil snickered. “How did she even get authorized to bring that silent hellhound to the base?”

“She used to be an animal handler, and it was her dog. Can’t remember the name, but she was very loyal and insanely smart.”

“Surprised nobody got mauled by that Dobermann.”

“There were some cases of bites, but nothing serious.”

Bradford checked back on Kamon’s notes. Seemed like he had become mostly disinterested in the storytelling as his note-taking became sparse and he returned to taking notes on the mead and making pointed suggestions to relay to the brewers. But he noticed something a little curious. From the conversations, Kamon had picked out a few key names and their positions, with some vague comments about each person and several question marks following the statements. To the untrained eye, it just looked like he was jotting down things the two had mentioned, but Bradford noticed there were a few details here and there that hadn’t been mentioned today or any of the days prior.

Thaddeus Seaver - He helped continually secure funding for the aircraft and related research… Last one to transfer to that Australian base. Some experienced soldiers were transferred alongside him for that work-in-progress (???) base, compared to the two others. Opal mines? Possible cash flow??? People will buy anything even with an apocalypse going on. China. The Triad… That artifact and… The note trailed off before going back to more speculation about why that location was chosen to build a base.

Jynn Reeves - She whipped the China base into shape within a… month? Helped boost the translation team’s funding. Helped with the Hong Kong situation, the battleship was a technological boon, and… The note trailed off again and switched to about some issues with getting their Psi Soldier division off the ground and needed some transfers of their tops psions from the main HQ to get that fixed.

Elli Antonov - She hated Ferro. Never got around to the name change. Moved to the African base. The region had an increased rate of captured aliens for interrogation. Helped boost both the Genetics and R&D teams. The notes trailed off, wondering how upset the Elders became when that happened.

Bradford scanned the notes over a few times, making sure he wasn’t imagining things. Seemed like another good sign, but he couldn’t shake a growing feeling gnawing at the back of his mind. He remembers some things, but why isn’t he talking to us? “Hm?” Then he noticed a note about him again in the drinks section.

John Bradford. Central Communication Officer then and now, in addition to becoming the “Acting Commander.” Face is… A new paragraph was started, skipping over the thought. Still avoiding alcohol. Is drinking the ginger beer. Seems to like it. Why avoid the alcohol? Alcohol avoidance? Trauma? Picked up a drinking habit post-Invasion? Who wouldn’t want to forget it all? Hope that liver is okay. Same with any others tapping the bottle. I’m sure that is happening around the ship if not world that isn’t under the aliens’ rule.

Another hm slipped out as Bradford read the latest entry that was still going. For a moment,  he glanced up at Kamon, the man was still typing away, more notes concerning the alcohols he had been sampling since the first time he teleported a bottle into his room and the apology letters he would possibly have to right to the angered brewers.

I think I’m going to have to press it. He opened his mouth to speak.

“››Opinions on the mead?‹‹” Kamon spoke in Dutch. He was looking at them as he gestured to the meads. His eyes were nearly back to their regular state. One was brown and the other, emphasized by his faint cut and burn scars, was a grayish blue.

Bradford chewed on the inside of his cheek. He couldn’t help shake off the feeling psionics were being used, but he still wasn’t feeling anything intruding on his mind. Just the usually nagging conscious of making him doubt XCOM would get their Commander back, where the others were, and the numerous logistical tasks he needed to get to were piling up. Logistics… need to get some raids going and resource gathering. Would love that mind of yours Kamon. You were always good at getting things set up and moving, quickly pivoting if something dire came up. 

“Opinions on the mead?” Virgil repeated the question back a little slowly as his translator took a moment to catch up. He tilted his head back and forth a few times, running his tongue behind his teeth, as he chuckled to himself. “Never thought a hot mead would be pretty nice. Fairly smooth and the burn is just right and doesn’t overstay its welcome. And the cinnamon is a nice earthy touch. Heh, if we ever get our hands on some wild pigs or sum cows,” he paused before cursing the aliens under his breath, “that would go great with some BBQ ribs.” He then made some positive comments about the ginger berry mead.

Bradford glanced down at his tablet as soon as he noticed Kamon was typing again. A new section appeared in the notes, jotting down all the details Virgil was making about the meads.

He got a little too focused until Virgil nudged him.

“Hm?” Bradford glanced up.

“Your turn, bucko.” Virgil grinned.

He shook his head and rolled his eyes, but Kamon was waiting. The notes can wait.  “The first one was too sweet for my tastes. Maybe a splash of aged whiskey would tone it down for me.” He shrugged. “And that heat was weird. Made me lose interest in trying the other.” A partial truth as he overestimated how quickly his body wanted to drink something much harder after the small sip. “Sorry.”

“››The ginger beer then?‹‹“ Kamon nodded to it.

“Hardier bite than expected, but good as always with how Warren makes it.” He said. Kamon simply nodded and continued typing.

Bradford took a peek at the comments again. He was doing the same with him as he did with Virgil, but he noticed Kamon went back to some other notes concerning him.

Truth and a lie. Can… can just sense it. Hidden feelings. Alcohol may be used to forget something more than just the destruction of XCOM. The sullen look is short in quick. He doesn’t like to dwell on it for too long. Family? Friend? Lover? Who or what???

Bradford’s brows knit together as his eye fell into a faint squint. Psionics. Has to be psionics. If so… this is on another level we’ve never experienced. The very thought was frightening. I may need to get Dr. Veer down here and— What the!?  He had taken his eyes off Kamon’s notes for just a second to shoot the doctor a message, but as he came back to the main screen, all that detailed observations about him had disappeared. He scrolled up and down through the notes several times, but all of those more intimate notes were more generic, and likewise for some concerning any potential health updates if the doctors cared to share.

He silently mouthed “The hell…” He barely reacted to Virgil nudging him and asking “What was what?” One more jab made him wave Virgil off and say there was an “error” as he searched a few more times, even going through the history log. Nothing was there but a small time gap. I know I just saw that. He looked back at Kamon. He had finished typing and was pouring himself one of the meads, but had a firm look on his face. One brow was raised.

He’s messing with me. Has to be. Even deleted the history log. How did he figure that out? Such a question was stupid. Kamon was always tech-savvy. Bradford reflexively glared back. An irritation was slowly growing. Why? Is this a test?

“Well, anywho.” Virgil shrugged, seeing whatever was going on was not his problem. “So, around year two, we have just rescued sum UN guy and you and the others were ‘bout ready to—”

The next second a harsh, sharp scrape of a chair sliding made him cringe, followed by a loud bang on the table — rattling the bottles and glasses — nearly made Virgil fall from his seat. As he looked over, he saw Brradford standing up with one mean glare directed at Kamon.  

Kamon stayed calm. “I don’t know what game you’re playing. I know you deleted some of your notes.” Bradford said. Irritation laced his voice. “I’m not dumb.”

The sudden anger stunned Virgil. “The hell you on about, Brady?”

Kamon just shrugged. That got a huff from Bradford.

“I’ve noticed your latest notes.” Bradford double-checked them to make sure he would say the correct things. “You want to know everything we currently know about your health? What the Elders screwed up and tampered with?”

Virgil grimaced. “You sure that’s wise?” Virgil whispered. “We’re still running tests on that and them docs don’t think it’s smart with how his heart raced when he noticed the missing appendages!”

Kamon slowly blinked a few times as his eyes slowly widened. He nodded.

Bradford shot Virgil a glare, which made the man raise his hands real fast and lean away. “Yes. He deserves to know. Especially with all the poking and prodding he’s endured without doctors.” In his heart, it felt right to defy those orders from the doctor. “And just maybe,” he paused as kept a firm glare on Kamon, “you’ll stop your damn games. You know more than you’re letting on. You’re remembering more than you’re willing to share.”

Kamon just tilted his head back and forth a few times before readjusting himself in his seat. That plain face was back once more. 

One more huff came from Bradford before he sat back down.

“Where do you want me to start?” Bradford asked, gruffly.

Setting down his glass, Kamon gestured to his missing arm and then leg. “››Any ideas?‹‹”

“Negative.” He said. He was expecting questions about his amputations would be a top priority. “We’re still trying to figure that out. We don’t know when or why it happened. Have some plans to hit some high-security data centers they may have kept you near to see if there’s any information pertaining to the amputations.” Such operations would take some time to organize since ADVENT would be more active to protect such information since they resumed the Commander. “It looks like the Elders had plans to replace it at some point. Not sure if it would be mechanical or organic, but looks like the former with how that foundation looks.”

Kamon let out a brief mhm as he touched his shoulder. It was currently covered, yet here and there he could feel the cool metal that was embedded in his skin. There was a faint resonance and tingle that pinged against his fingertips due to psionics.

He then turned his head away from them before touching the golden diamond-shaped implants lining the sides of his shaved head. Like his shoulder, he felt that tingle in his fingers and the skin around the implants. “››And these?‹‹“

“We’re still looking into that, but according to our doctors, more or so Dr. Veer, she suspects they are augments for your psionics.“ Bradford said. He didn’t want to imagine how that surgery went and the headaches that followed. “Which, you being a psion, is still a surprise.” A raised brow from Kamon told him he needed to explain. “Some tests have shown you had the markers that would make you a psion and additional tests show the Elders applied their trade of genetic manipulation to express and enhance them.”

Virgil chuckled. “Vahlen would have loved finding out about those markers when she was testing just about every soldier and important personnel.”

Bradford rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. He missed the doctor, but remembered how the Psionics Division nearly got out of hand when the testing ramped up. “Kamon would not have let her stuff him into one of those coffins.”

“Well, I think he would have enjoyed a week’s nap.” Virgil playfully teased. “And then if he came out sparking, that would have been a plus. Probably help him keep the soldiers in check a bit more.”

“And Vahlen would have wanted to test the other three.” He shook his head. The thought of all four Commanders having psionic powers and using them to keep the soldiers in line made him chuckle. 

“How… interesting.” Kamon spoke. In English.

It took a second for it to register with Bradford and Virgil. Like I was any other person that said that, they reflexively answered with a “yep.” When it hit, they both froze with wide eyes and mouths nearly hanging open. Their attention was fully focused on Kamon.

“Did he…?” Virgil nudged Bradford. The man didn’t respond. He was looking intently at Kamon, who was busy pouring himself another glass.

Did he just? Is he just messing with us? “Did you just—”

“Spiced Firecracker.” Kamon said the name of the spicy mead. “A simple taste a first with hints of cinnamon before the complexity of the hot peppers strike leaving a slight tingling but satisfying burn at the back of one’s throat and tongue.” He then gestured to the other. “Then the Ginger Berry. A harsh bite at first due to the ginger before the wild berries rear their sweet layered hints to tantalize the tongue. It all goes down smoothly.”

Bradford had to keep his jaw from going full slack. Where was this coming from? Had he been hiding his ability to speak English from the beginning? He was about to speak again, but Kamon continued.

“Both are sweet. One with a hidden bite and the other much more upfront. Both can make you forget how it’s a slow poison if you indulge in it too much.” He swirled his drink a few times, watching the golden liquid twinkle under the medical lights, before downing it. Once the last drop went down, he suddenly slammed the wine glass on the table. A crack shot through the base of it. “Like the damn Elders.” Not only did he growl out the name with an intense hatred, his expression changed. Gritting his teeth, he had a firm sneer on his face, and furrowed brows accentuated his glowing eyes. “The Invasion and the ‘peace offering’. The bite and sweet lies.” He scoffed. He then began to tilt his hand back and forth and roll his eyes.

“Sweet, sweet lies that wormed their way into everyone’s psyche to forget ‘humanities greeting’ to the Elders that ‘tried’ to make ‘peaceful contact’ with this world.” He scoffed again as a series of curses in an alien language came out. “Sweet lies to condition the humans to Their rule. Sweet lies that the Elders would ’share’ Their technology and ‘teach’ humanity how to use it. Sweet lies to make you believe the new ‘truths.’ Sweet lies that ‘saved’ this world from itself. Toa’talos xa’vind… Vok’thalls xa’vind…”

Kamon finally stopped his rant. A psionic ping rang out as he teleported one of the bottles on the floor to his hand and began pouring himself some wine as soon as the cork shot off. While doing so, he was grumbling about the Elders’ fear tactics and how they reminded him of his “parents.”

“What the hell…” Bradford mumbled as his mind was still processing the rant Kamon went on. He wasn’t sure if he should be happy the man was talking in English, seemed to have more memories intact,  and was showing emotion, pissed because he was suspecting Kamon had been hiding things, or concerned that he was drinking much more than he ever had and was angry.

Virgil leaned over and whispered to him. “Think we may need together some psi shields. Can feel that angry prick at me.”

Hit took a second before he felt the same thing. It was faint but felt like thousands of needles wanted to have a go at his face. Then he noticed the faint energy wisps trailing from Kamon’s eyes. “Putting in a request.” He quickly shot a message and included Dr. Marin and Quinn that they may be needed.

With a full glass, Kamon downed it in under a minute and poured another glass, but didn’t touch it. He just swirled it around as the glow in his eyes ebbed and flowed.

“The lies… the lies… So many damn fear tactics those parasites used to control those who were forced to work on me.” He gritted his teeth. “Humans and aliens… sweating bullets whenever they had me under the knife or were plugging me in for another round of those tests, praying I wouldn’t die before they got me back into some system. I wonder how many of them got ‘rehabilitated’ since the process didn’t always go so cleanly.” His eyes closed for a second as a dark chuckle slipped out. “Tch. Can’t say that would be better than getting converted into a Hybrid. Either way, you’re dead in some fashion.” He grumbled as he leaned back in his seat. “Think I died a few times.” He let his eyes aimlessly wander around the room as he sipped on his drink. “Maybe a little more than five times? Eh? Eh?” He shrugged a little too casually for Bradford and Virgil’s liking. Bradford blinked a few times and Virgil turned a shade paler. “ Finally, someone with a heart and some sense came in to stop that. For being such a valuable ‘Asset’ those parasites didn’t exactly treat me like one. Guess They have the mentality of burning through it now and it can be ‘remade’ later into something much better. Tch.” He soon mumbled under his breath. “How did that go with remaking those two poor humans and so many others?”

“You died?” Virgil gawked.

“You recall all of that and dying?” Bradford was equally shocked. He thought Kamon crashing when they pulled that chip out of him was bad enough.

Kamon shrugged. “Yes and no. Can’t faintly recall some concerned comments from the ‘lessers’ that my brushes with death were growing in number.” And some days he wished said brushes would have taken him permanently. “Tch. When the one with the heart came around, I think he fixed me back up the best he could to stop that. Not that the Others cared as They wanted things done to me…” 

His voice trailed off as his mind lingered on that longer than he wanted. He couldn’t exactly recall why it was bothering him, but deep down, as a twisted knot formed in his stomach, he knew whatever the Elders wanted to do to him would condemn him to fate worse than death.

“Whatever that was annoyed the one that fixed me. Especially since the Others wouldn’t listen to him as he explained I needed to recover and that something was missing from me. Something that left me broken. Whatever that meant…” His voice trailed off again. That knot grew; he felt it claw its way up to his throat. He fruitlessly grunted in an attempt to clear his throat. It was something else that bothered him. He couldn’t make heads or tails of what the Elder meant by that,  but he felt it was true. Even now, he felt like something was wrong with his being. Like it was more than just his limbs missing and who knew the other tampering the Elders did to him. It was so much deeper than that, and it terrified him.

Before Bradford or Virgil could get in another word, Kamon went on a lung-bursting rant as he just let it all out. He swapped languages like a fast-spinning roulette wheel as he just cursed out the Elders and everything They were doing to the Earth, how poorly They ran things(and did he tear into their shoddy logistics and forgetfulness), and were unnecessarily cruel to everything They touched.

Bradford and Virgil had to take a step back as Kamon’s psionics became more visible around him and were crackling with intense energies. The psionic sensors went off.

“Yeeesh, where is all this coming from?” Virgil said. “Seemed like he couldn’t recall jack for days…”

“I thought I had some pent-up anger…” Bradford mumbled. He could recall a few times Kamon became angry back in the day, but nothing ever hit this level of vitriol he was displaying. His anger tended to be more on the calm side, which was quite deceiving hiding the broiling anger within. Just a slight sneer and the irritation seeping into his voice was enough to put fear into most of their soldiers and make the Council back off. 

“He’s been aware in that prison…” The very thought of that disturbed Bradford. More things to discuss with the doctors and Senior staff. “He was just… waiting... for the right moment. I think he trusts us now.”

It felt like forever for Kamon’s rant to come to an end and the psionics to dissipate. The two approached with caution, as his eyes were still glowing intensely. The Psionic Division still hadn’t arrived.

Kamon finished off his glass. This time he set it down softly, pulling his fingers slowly down the stem, tracing the creeping cracks, as a heavy sigh came out. His shoulders slumped down. All anger was gone. He looked tired and sad.

“Power hungry, greedy, parasitic ba-bastards.” One last curse slipped out followed by one more mumble. He always had trouble with that word. They’re dead to me, but I do wish they did not suffer during the Invasion. Same with my half-siblings. “Same with those two They broke and remade in Their image… The third born into it. And me…” He didn’t continue, but a grimace formed.

Seeing he was engrossed with his tumultuous thoughts, Bradford cautiously reached for the bottles. To his relief, Kamon did not respond with the usual teleportation nonsense allowing him to move them away from him. 

With hushed voices, Bradford and Virgil were trying to figure out how to break the silence. They were unsure if anything they said wouldn’t set Kamon off. Bradford figures some silence would be good to let the man cool off and could buy the Psionics Division sometime before they got here with the shields.

“John.” Kamon spoke again. An odd firmness and warmth flowed with the name.

Bradford quickly snapped too and looked at him. No anger. No annoyance. There was a smile on his face; no twitching on that side that had the older scars.

“Thank you for being truthful with me and being perceptive. Like you usually were back then, unless it was some new request from the Council and I was already in a sour mood.” He softly chuckled. 

Bradford’s eyes went wide. He remembers.

“Been a long while since I’ve had that since,” he gestured to himself, pointing out all the damage, “you know.”

Bradford gave an understanding nod before catching himself. “How long have you—” He bit his tongue. Refocus. He needed to tread carefully. Raising pressed hands together, he took in a deep breath before sharply hissing and dropping them. “So, you remember me now?”

Kamon nodded. “It took some time… to recall things… and you look and sound different.”

Expected. “Why reveal that now?”

Kamon closed his eyes and sighed. “Had to make sure this was real. Not some dream, me losing my mind, or…” His voice trailed off. He stayed quiet for a few seconds as he looked away. “Just had to test. Had to make sure it wasn’t…” His voice trailed off again. This time, he stayed silent.

“Damn…” Bradford shook his head. Something he needed to let the doctors know. Another layer of trauma that would have to be dealt with in therapy. 

“So, were you pretending you couldn’t speak English?” Virgil couldn’t help but ask that question that was also in the back of Bradford’s mind.

“Actually, I couldn’t remember how to speak it until recently.” Kamon let out a nervous chuckle.

“Seriously?” There was some doubt in his voice.

Kamon nodded. “My best guess is beside the chip you all ripped from my brain, the Elders probably screwed up something in here.” He tapped at those implants. “Or these… psionics.” He fluttered his hands, causing some energy to spark in between them. Unbelievable. “Now, I feel like I’ve got most of my language centers back.”

“Something tells me ‘recently’ was a few days ago.” Bradford said with a twitching eyebrow.

He only smirked, which got a curse out of Bradford.

Bradford leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. He felt several lifetimes of weight lift from his shoulders only for a fresh wave of annoyances and concerns to crash back down and needle at his mind.  He took a few more seconds to recompose himself before looking back at his old friend.

“You are an asshole.” Bradford wondered if they could have skipped all this nonsense if he was less suspicious. Yet, there was a part of him that understood. He could see himself pulling the exact same stunt or being more hands-on.

“I did have my moments back then.” Kamon said with no hint of guilt. Virgil laughed. 

“Glad to have you back.” And he meant it.

“I have a feeling you want to punch me.” Kamon caught a hint of a twitching brow on Bradford. He glanced at Virgil. “And same with you?”

Virgil raised his hands. “Not my rodeo, sir. I’m good!”

“That would be an understatement.” Bradford admitted. “I’m more happy that your mind’s not entirely shot.”

Kamon chuckled. “When I’m back on my feet,” he paused as he glanced down. That nub of a leg twitched. “You guys are cooking up some prosthetics?” 

He nodded. “Yes, for the leg, at least. The arm… That’s going to take more work.”

Kamon nodded. The leg was better than nothing. But he knew it was going to take a long time to adjust to both limbs missing. “Well, when I’m back on my feet, and health is fairing better, I’ll let you throw me around during training.”

“Heh, ha.” He grinned. “Don’t make such a tempting offer.”

They all laughed before silence took over. 

Bradford was hyper-focused on his tablet, updating files left and right. Virgil had left for a bit to take care of the empty bottles. Kamon was off in his own world, sorting through his thoughts until one just wouldn’t go away.

“John.” He said, voice a little faint and hesitant.

“Hm?” Bradford looked up.

“Am I… Am I the only one you guys found?” He asked.

It didn’t take much for Bradford to figure out what he meant. A pained sigh slipped out. “Yes. So far. Haven’t been able to check out the other bases except for one. Jynn and Thaddeus are MIA… Possible KIA for Jynn,” a sigh slipped out, just mentioning her, “as the area the Hunan base was located in is saturated with raw psionic energy. Even ADVENT doesn’t bother patrolling the area. No idea how the Australian base fared.” He still needed to put in a request for the Templars or Void Walkers to investigate those locations for them, especially the Hunan base. “We haven’t come across any data in ADVENT’s Network concerning them. But we could have missed or overlooked the files, as our focus was on finding you.” That was always a worry.

“Mhm.” Kamon nodded. He closed his eyes for a moment as his heart hurt for the two. “And Elli?”

Another sigh came out as Bradford’s shoulders tensed before dropping. “She’s assumed KIA. The Nigeria base has so far been the only one we’ve been able to visit…” He took in a shaky breath as the memory replayed in his mind. “Besides the cave-ins, there were a lot of bodies and blood there. Couldn’t find hers. Just found her nameplate ripped from her uniform, caked in dried blood. And her dog’s torn-up collar.”

“How… unfortunate.” He shook his head. Another pain hit his heart. “Elli was a good woman.” He looked down and away. “Same with the other two.”

“They were.” Bradford said.

“Can’t say I miss her devil dog.” Virgil cracked a joke. Bradford raised a brow and Kamon snorted. “What?” He squinted at Bradford. “That dog was creepy! It got around like a flippin’ ghost and just like to stand and stare!”

It took a second, but Bradford snorted. “Well, her dog was nice to me and only attacked the troublemakers.” He then mumbled under his breath. “She did have a habit of ‘exploring’ and getting into restricted areas.”

“Nyx.” Kamon said. The two looked at him with a raised brow. “Nyx, that was the name of her Dobermann.”

Virgil pulled at his beard a few times. “Sounds… right.” He wasn't so sure. 

“Nyx…” Bradford repeated, letting it roll off his tongue. He nodded. “Smart girl.”

“Terrifying silent demon.” Virgil hissed. 

Kamon snorted again. “I think you’d prefer her bite compared to Thadd slamming you into the ground or a wall. I think he broke a few soldiers ribs besides damaging their equipment.”

Virgil cringed. A memory flashed in his mind concerning some armor that had some alien alloy ended up with a sizeable dent and one experimental weapon broken in half after an incident involving pranking the Sub-Commander. Some of the staff wondered if Thaddeus had undergone secret Gene modding or had the Gene Modding team secretly spiked Thaddeus’ drinks with some Meld to make him as strong as a Muton. “Ya know what, that’s fair.”

Bradford laughed for a second, only for a longer laugh to follow as another old, but good memory came to his mind. 

“Besides breaking ribs, I swear, some days, Thadd was ready to suit up and jump into the cockpit of one of our jets.” Something else to lighten the mood. “Hell, he even wanted to take the Skyranger out for a spin!” He smacked his hand against the table. “Big Sky and the other pilots did not help with edging him on when ‘off-duty’.”

Kamon nodded as a wry smile appeared on his face. “He did miss flying and those knuckleheads didn’t help.  Thadd expressed repeated interest in taking one of the alien ships for a spin if we ever got around to reverse engineering one.”

Virgil snorted. “I remember that. Man, he was ‘bout ready to make a ‘surprise visit’ back to the Main HQ when he caught wind we were working on building one to truly take ‘em skies back from the aliens.”

————————

Their conversations switched over to Kamon wanting to be informed of what had happened all those years while he was imprisoned and how the remade XCOM was fairing. 

Before those discussions could begin, Dr. Marina and Quinn finally showed up with some help in tow. Those psionic shields were no longer needed, but Bradford took the opportunity to let the doctors know of the recent developments, much to their shock.

Kamon apologized for how uncooperative he was by not talking much once they could communicate for all these weeks. It was a mixture of him being suspicious but also defaulting to a state of least resistance he would take when he had those few more-lucid-than-normal moments when he was pulled out of the suit. He couldn’t recall if he ever had a moment of attempting to escape or did something, but he could remember the pain the Elders would bring, ripping apart his mind to silence it back to that small corner once more and force him back into that “sleep.”

That news was another disturbing development to be researched by the Communication and Information teams, and another issue to be addressed for his future therapy. 

After a few, not too intrusive tests and questions concerning Kamon’s psioncis, Bradford kicked the doctors out, as he could tell Kamon just wanted to talk and not deal with tests.

He got back to telling Kamon what had happened over the years and then answered his questions on who else survived the main HQ and sister bases.

The news was rather bittersweet to Kamon learning Raymond Shen was dead and Moria Vahlen was missing. He would have loved to have a conversation with Shen Sr. one last time. The man reminded him of his uncle. He hoped they would cross paths with Vahlen again and that the good doctor wasn’t getting herself and her cohorts into trouble, but hearing she was dabbling heavily into manipulating the DNA of captured alien subjects from what the information of the last correspondence with her contained had him concerned. 

He learned of a few more survivors who were on the Avenger and many who were scattered across the world trying to set up Resistance Cells, but were ready to join back up with the main crew when the time would come. 

 Some of the names Bradford mentioned sounded familiar to him, and others only drew blanks. That annoyed him, but he knew the most likely culprit to that was due to the Elders meddling. He just hoped his memory would eventually return concerning the others. 

————————

“Before we wrap up, I have one last question for you.” Bradford said. 

A few hours had passed, and they were finally concluding their conversation because Bradford felt they had discussed enough and didn’t want to overburden his boss. At the moment, he was helping Kamon get up so he could take him to his bed.

“Yes?” Kamon asked, brow raised. 

“What was with the drinking stunt?” He asked. “Like, seriously, why the alcohol and the teleporting?”

“I wanted to drink.” Kamon answered plainly. Nothing more, nothing less. “I’ve been stuck in that suit for 20 years or so and was parched.”

“Seriously?” Bradford didn’t believe him.

Kamon kept a plain face for a few seconds longer before he smirked. “Maybe that and I was testing things.”

“Oh, for the love of…” Bradford just shook his head. He felt like it was two-fold. He let his grip tighter around Kamon’s side, which made the man yelp.  “Well, you gave the doctors a headache and some damn heart attacks. You’re damn lucky the Elders didn’t screw with your genetic makeup like the Hybrids.” He lightly berated him. “Hybrid blood oxides alcohol into formic acid. You’ll go blind, then die.” Something they learned from the Skirmishers, which was confirmed when they did some investigations into their biology when hitting data centers.

Kamon just chucked. “I think They gave me an enhanced liver instead. I should be drunk right now, since I’ve barely eaten all day.” He could faintly recall his limit was usually about two and a half bottles of wine and the same with the mead. And he felt like some of the stuff he tried had a higher alcohol content than what he would usually drink.

“You should.” Bradford agreed. “You should…” His mind thought of all the biological functions the Elders may have altered for his friend. He prayed nothing was drastic, and it was all positive.

“Bet you would like my new liver.” Kamon joked, nudging him with his hip.

“Don’t.” Bradford let out an exasperated sigh. Mentally he agreed. It was a miracle his liver was still functional before he rejoined the remnants of XCOM. “You and Dr. Veer are going to become the best of friends to make sure you don’t pull a me. We don’t need any more alcoholics on the ship or for the Resistance, for that matter. I’m doing better, but still have my bad days.”

“S-s-s-orry.” Kamon only let out a wheezed laugh as his throat suddenly went dry. 

Once they were by the bed, Bradford set him down. He went back and fetched the tablet Kamon had been using. With a few taps here, and typing passwords there, he lifted some of the restrictions and disabled that link he set up so the man could have privacy.

“I’ll have to unlock some more files later, but here are some dossiers and other ready material so you can familiarize yourself with the ship.” He said as he handed the tablet to him. “And some logistical stuff you can look at... You can have fun double-checking our work.” His mind couldn’t help but recall that rant he went on earlier that was inside of his main rant. And it was right. If the Elders kept up with half of Their resources, XCOM wouldn’t have the Avenger. 

“A new ant farm for me to learn?” Kamon asked, not expecting an answer. He gave a quick look at some of the files and section names. He even opened up a dossier concerning supply drop locations. A brow slowly raised as he saw the litany of locations and the maps marked with various symbols. “Giving me homework already?” Bradford snorted.

A thought crossed Bradford’s mind. “Speaking of familiarizing yourself… how the hell did you know where to get the alcohol and glasses?”

Kamon tapped at his head. “Psionics. Can’t really explain it, but I can kinda ‘see’ or ‘feel’ the layout of the ship in my mind. It’s been kind of overwhelming until I learned how to tone it down. Another reason why I didn’t talk much.”

“Huh.” He wasn’t sure if could recall any of their psions back in the day being able to do that. But there was a lot of information he had to deal with and so much of it got glossed over or lost. “What about the ginger beer? Found that to be too on the nose.”

“Hm…” Kamon’s throat trembled, as he wasn’t so sure about that. “Maybe light mind reading?” He wasn’t sure. “I didn’t force myself into your mind. I just felt it.”

“That’s... interesting.” He never felt anything and only felt something when Kamon had his outburst, but even that wasn’t actively trying to pierce his mind. “The Psionics Division will have fun figuring that out with you.”

Kamon shook his head. “I just know Moria would be badgering me with tests right now if she was here. I can hear her saying, ‘you should have let us run those tests back then,’ right now.”

That made Bradford give a hearty laugh. “If… when we find her, I can see her doing just that.”

Bradford gave his friend a few hearty pats on his shoulder, told him he’d have the doctors bring him some food, and that he would be back later in the day before bidding him goodbye.

Until the doctors swung around with his food or for more tests, Kamon busied his mind by reading all unlocked files that dealt with the detailed workings of the Avenger and her crew. It felt like his induction into XCOM all over again. Those memories were a scattered mess, but he recalled having to read documents, upon documents, upon documents of information — with some having heavy redactions — besides having to quickly familiarize himself with how the organization should operate and those who would die under him. 

“Here we go again. Feel like I’m back in school needing to study for some impossible exams.” He mumbled as his eyes scanned through the layout maps of the ship. He could already see a few places that needed improvement. He eventually drifted over to the information concerning raids and Faction meetings. Those needed work, too. He snorted. “Time for another go. Just can’t underestimate those parasites again. ”

[etherealvoidechoes]

“Are you even the real you? Or are you just some elaborate body double? A mockery of the Commander? A mockery of an old friend?”

Something all my Commanders do not want to hear, do not want to think about, do not want to find out, do not want it to be true.

What's the one insecurity your OC would be devastated to have used against them?

Bonus: do people know this about them?

[eternitas]

Unseen Varia - Profiles

(yaaay first of the new character profiles! Let's fill the Seconds in Command roster!)

Zarria Albo

Basic Info:

Full Name: Zarria Albo

Nickname: Zarri, Z, that sicillian woman, The reaper, (Tyrs) executioner

Age: 44

Birthday: [IN PROGRESS]

Gender/Pronouns: cis female, she/her

Sexuality: undisclosed

Ethnicity: italian, siccilian specifically

Height: 185cm

Flametype: sun, secondary cloud and storm flame

Weapon of Choice: Scythe

Affiliation: Varia, Sun Division

Position: Second in Command

Languages: italian (mainly sicilian dialect, +SL), spanish, french, english

Strengths: collected, serious, intelligent, strategic, observant, combat, poker and other card games, alcohol tollerance

Weaknesses: way too serious most of the time, depressed, unhappy, cynical, pessimistic, fatalistic

Character Summary:

Zarria has been a part of the Varia when Tyr had still run the place. She saw the takeover by Xanxus and even then knew that this would only cause trouble. She is a very mellowed woman, someone who alway seems serious and to not know any fun, however this is simply her work persona and she is known to have an outgoing and fun personality off the clock. she is someone who does not tollerate bullshit and she often loses patience with the younger members who in her eyes do not take things serious enough, however she also is one of the few that notices and realizes the game Bel plays with Lorenzo. She loves to use her analytical mind and prowess, oftentimes less into combat and more into mindgames, however she does do her work as a support as required. While she isn't great in healing she does have the necesary flame to open the healing boxes she is provided. Under Tyr she was more of a fighter and front woman, but after Xanxus took over she decided to get less involved in the organisation. While she will always reinstate that it was a rightful death in duel, she still seems to harbor some personal feelings regarding Tyr that she never elaborates on.

Background:

Born in Siccily Zarria was early on involved with the mafia, as her parents were already working mafiosi. Growing up in a rough place full of violence, shootouts and turf wars she became a formidable fighter and an exceptional strategist. Early on she managed to make money by outsmarting others and beating them in games, getting a reputation among the townsfolk and get eventually scouted by none other than Tyr himself. Seeing the potential in her he decided to offer her a life as a trainee of the Varia, especially once her parents died and her sister got adopted into a family in north italy. She accepted and became his personal trainee for a good while, learning to use swords before she settled on using a scythe and becoming his executioner.

When Tyr was defeated she should've been angry and pissed and taken revenge but unlike others she accepted his defeat and subsequent death at the hands of Squalo. However she was a long time against accepting Xanxus as a new leader and quite unusual for him, he did not dare to get in a scuffle with her. It took her some time before she decided to get back into the organisation and she took position as Lussurias second in command, even though technically like Lorenzo she has the possibility to become an officer. However she does not see the point in it. Since then she has watched from the sidelines and given her quiet commentary on Xanxus leadership. In her time she managed to make friends with a few of the members and even found a way to get along with Lussuria.

Fighting Style:

Zarria is not someone who enjoys fighting as much as others. For a long time she has been an executioner so her work is to get the kill and that's it. She despises to fight more than she needs to when it comes to work for the Varia, but when she is personally invested in a fight she might just take the extra time. Her scythe has a few anker points that she can use to angle ant turn the blade, but she mostly uses her muscles and agility to peroperly hunt somebody. Her outrageous intellect and strategic thinking also allows her to often outsmart her opponents and catch them unaware.

Trivia:

Zarria likes to play all kinds of strategic games and finds enjoyment in winning. She has battled everyone of her fellow seconds in command in chess, with Lor and Jaque being closest to beating her, but never actually managing. Ser plays with her the most

Zarria refuses to sparr with other members unless it is someone who she believes can stand her Scythe. These include, Leo (battle was interrupted by her), Raphael (also interrupted by her), Jaque and Squalo. The moment she managed to land a hit on Leos torso she immideatly stopped to treat his wound

Zarrias scythe is in fact so sharp it is known to cut anything, which is one of the reasons she will not fight for fun or sparr. It would be way too dangerous.

She wears special metal capped boots to not slice her feet off when she kicks her scythes blade

She speaks the sicilian dialect almost exclusively and will tell people to deal with it if the can't understand her

She does NOT regard Ava as a swordsman, and she hates that his sword that he so atrociously calles "pride" was made from the blade that defeated Tyr. In her eyes that is deeply disrespectful

She has a pretty high alcohol tolerance and likes to go out into bars. She also enjoys food a lot, tho she dislikes overly sweet food

She has strong opinions but knows that it's a waste of time to always voice them. When asked however she will tell them.

Zarria lost all contact with her sister until she found out that she has become a part of the Luna Famiglia. While the two of them don't really have a relationship she is still thankful to Sergey for at least reassuring her that her sister is safe and taken care of

She has met Sergeys oldest sister Maria and has a soft spot for her, which is why she def would cosign Sergeys deep desire to get rid of Marias husband.

Her pupils are pretty much slits, like those of a snake which only gives her even more of an eerie vibe

[djpain619]

WIP WEDNESDAY

Progress on Anker Brüggards/Jörgan Brüggardson (and Boris Bagger)

I redid the flesh tones on Boris, as well as his Eyes. I repainted his natural eye and touched up the leadbelcher on his eyepatch goggle. I think I'm ready to call him done. I just need to do his square base.

I painted the jumpsuit, gloves, and eyes Evil Sunz Scarlett and slapped Hashut Copper on some details. Painted the collar White Scar.

I painted the porthole black in preparation of my most ambitious project yet; painting a tiny picture of swirling beer.

What I'm going for:

[Just the porthole]

As for the name, Anker Brüggards is the one that Establishes the Aleniheim Brewery during the time of The Old World, Jörgan Brüggardson is his Heir that runs the Brewery and coaches the Team during the current era of BLOOD BOWL.

During the time of The Old World Boris Bagger is a young and accomplished Mercenary Captain hired by Anker Brüggards to be his Chief of Security. During the current era of BLOOD BOWL, Boris is the Old Grizzled CEO and Commander in Cheif of the renowned Grogstout Arsenal.

[fromdevcom]

With so many tech gadgets available on the market, choosing the perfect gift for a tech-savvy friend or family member can be challenging. To ensure your gift is a hit, it's important to consider a few factors before making a purchase. A good tech gift should not only be practical and functional, but also be well-designed, user-friendly, and compatible with other devices. Additionally, it's important to consider the recipient's interests and hobbies, as well as their existing tech setup, to find a gift that truly suits their needs. Smartwatch A smartwatch is a popular gift option for tech-savvy individuals who want to stay connected on-the-go. They can track fitness goals, receive notifications, control music playback, and more. The Apple Watch Series 7 is a popular smartwatch option that offers a larger display, faster charging, and a range of health and fitness features. It also has cellular connectivity, allowing users to make calls and send messages without a phone. Check it out on Amazon Other popular options include the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit Versa. Wireless earbuds Wireless earbuds are a popular gift option because they are convenient and provide a high-quality audio experience. They are perfect for people who enjoy listening to music or podcasts while exercising, commuting, or working. The Sony WF-1000XM4 is a popular high-end option that offers excellent noise-cancellation, great sound quality, and a comfortable fit. It also has a long battery life and supports fast charging. Some other popular options include Apple AirPods, Samsung Galaxy Buds, and Jabra Elite 85t. Streaming device A streaming device like the Roku Streaming Stick+ or Amazon Fire TV Stick can be a great gift for anyone who enjoys watching movies and TV shows at home. These devices allow users to stream content from popular services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, as well as access live TV channels and other features. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is a popular streaming device that supports 4K streaming and HDR content. It also has Alexa voice control and supports a wide range of apps and services, including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu. Portable charger A portable charger is a practical gift that can be useful for anyone who uses their smartphone or other devices frequently while on the go. They come in a range of sizes and capacities, so you can find one that fits your budget and the recipient's needs. The Anker PowerCore 10000 is a popular portable charger that offers a high-capacity battery in a compact and lightweight design. It also supports fast charging for compatible devices. Smart home device Smart home devices like the Amazon Echo or Google Nest Mini can make great gifts for tech-savvy friends or family members. These devices allow users to control their smart home devices, set reminders, play music, and more using voice commands. They can also be integrated with other smart home devices like smart lights and thermostats to create a more connected home. The Amazon Echo Dot (4th generation) is a popular smart speaker that offers Alexa voice control and a compact design. It can be used to control smart home devices, set reminders, play music, and more. In conclusion, the world of technology is constantly evolving, and there are always new and innovative products hitting the market. Whether you're shopping for a birthday, holiday, or just because, these top 5 must-have tech gifts for the modern gadget lover are sure to impress. From smartwatches to wireless earbuds, portable chargers to streaming devices, and smart home devices, these gifts offer something for everyone. They not only make our lives easier and more convenient, but also provide entertainment and enhance our overall well-being. So why not surprise your loved ones with the latest and greatest tech gadgets today?

[zzziiiccc]

Guide - 5 casques bluetooth à moins de 200 euros pour profiter de votre musique en mobilité

Dans un marché saturé d’options et de technologies toujours plus avancées, trouver le casque audio bluetooth parfait à un prix abordable peut relever du véritable défi. Vous recherchez l’équilibre idéal entre qualité sonore, confort d’utilisation et fonctionnalités modernes, sans pour autant dépasser votre budget ? Ce guide vous présente une sélection minutieuse des 5 meilleurs casques audio bluetooth à moins de 200 €. Que vous soyez mélomane, amateur de podcasts ou simplement en quête d’un compagnon fiable pour vos déplacements quotidiens, il vous aidera à dénicher le modèle qui répondra parfaitement �� vos attentes.

1. Soundcore by Anker Space Q45

Pour qui ? Idéal pour ceux qui recherchent un excellent rapport qualité/prix avec une autonomie remarquable et une réduction de bruit efficace.

Points forts :

Bluetooth 5.3 pour une connexion stable

Réduction active du bruit (ANC) performante

Jusqu’à 50 heures d’autonomie en utilisation standard

Confort et qualité sonore surprenante pour son prix (autour de 120 €)

Pourquoi le choisir ? Le Space Q45 de Soundcore séduit par sa robustesse technique et sa facilité d’usage. Il offre une expérience audio immersive, que ce soit pour écouter de la musique, passer des appels ou profiter d’un environnement calme, même dans des lieux bruyants.

2. Sennheiser HD 450BT

Pour qui ? Parfait pour ceux qui veulent bénéficier d’une sonorité équilibrée et d’une bonne isolation grâce à une technologie ANC efficace.

Points forts :

Excellente restitution sonore avec une signature neutre

Réduction active du bruit efficace

Support des codecs Bluetooth aptX et aptX Low Latency

Confort d’utilisation pour de longues sessions d’écoute

Disponible aux alentours de 140 €

Pourquoi le choisir ? Sennheiser est une référence en matière de qualité audio, et le HD 450BT ne fait pas exception. Son design sobre et ses performances techniques garantissent une immersion totale pour les mélomanes, sans compromis sur la connectivité.

3. Marshall Major V (ou IV)

Pour qui ? Réservé aux amateurs de design vintage et d’une signature sonore rock, tout en offrant une autonomie impressionnante.

Points forts :

Design iconique et esthétique inimitable

Son chaud et puissant, typique de Marshall

Autonomie exceptionnelle (jusqu’à 100 heures)

Confort optimal grâce à des coussinets bien travaillés

Prix compris entre 120 et 150 €

Pourquoi le choisir ? Le Marshall Major séduit non seulement par son look rétro, mais aussi par sa performance audio et sa longévité. C’est le compagnon idéal pour ceux qui veulent allier style et praticité, même lors de longues sessions d’écoute.

4. Sony WH-XB910N

Pour qui ? Parfait pour les fans de basses profondes et pour ceux qui souhaitent bénéficier d’une réduction de bruit active performante sans dépasser le budget.

Points forts :

Mise en avant des basses pour une expérience dynamique

Technologie de réduction active du bruit pour isoler les bruits ambiants

Conception ergonomique et confortable pour un usage prolongé

Prix attractif, souvent proposé en promotion sous la barre des 200 €

Pourquoi le choisir ? Le WH-XB910N de Sony est une option séduisante pour ceux qui aiment un rendu sonore énergique. Ses basses accentuées et sa capacité à atténuer le bruit extérieur en font un choix judicieux pour la musique et les environnements urbains.

5. JBL Live 670NC

Pour qui ? Adapté aux utilisateurs en quête d’un casque léger, polyvalent et doté d’une bonne autonomie pour un usage quotidien.

Points forts :

Design léger et confortable

Autonomie pouvant atteindre jusqu’à 50 heures

Réduction de bruit active suffisante pour la bureautique et les déplacements

Facilité d’utilisation et commandes intuitives

Prix accessible, souvent aux alentours de 130€

Pourquoi le choisir ? Le JBL Live 670NC offre un excellent compromis entre performance et praticité. Sa conception ergonomique et sa longue autonomie en font un compagnon idéal pour les trajets quotidiens ou les sessions de travail prolongées.

Conseils pour bien choisir son casque bluetooth

Autonomie & Recharge : Vérifiez la durée de la batterie et le temps de charge, surtout si vous prévoyez d’utiliser votre casque pendant de longues périodes.

Réduction de bruit active (ANC) : Si vous évoluez dans des environnements bruyants, optez pour un casque avec ANC efficace.

Confort & Design : Le port prolongé exige des coussinets bien conçus et un arceau ajustable. Choisissez un modèle qui s’adapte à votre morphologie.

Qualité sonore & Codecs : Pour une écoute optimale, privilégiez les modèles supportant des codecs haute qualité comme aptX ou LDAC.

Budget & Promotions : Les bonnes affaires ne manquent pas, surveillez les promotions qui peuvent vous permettre d’acquérir un modèle haut de gamme à prix réduit.

Pour finir

Que vous soyez un mélomane exigeant ou un utilisateur à la recherche d’un compagnon quotidien pour vos déplacements, il existe de très bonnes options en dessous de 200 €. Du rapport qualité/prix imbattable du Soundcore Space Q45, à l’élégance intemporelle du Marshall Major, en passant par la neutralité du Sennheiser HD 450BT, le dynamisme du Sony WH-XB910N et la polyvalence du JBL Live 670NC, il y a forcément un casque bluetooth qui correspond à vos besoins et à votre style.

Profitez de la liberté sans fil tout en faisant rimer performance et budget maîtrisé.

Cet article vous a été présenté en s’appuyant sur les tests et avis récents de sites spécialisés ainsi que sur les sélections réalisées par des experts du secteur. N’hésitez pas à comparer les caractéristiques et à lire les tests détaillés pour faire le choix le plus adapté à vos attentes.

[rotterdamvanalles]

De Van Speykstraat bij de Nieuwe Binnenweg, 19 juni 1969.

Tijdens de Belgische Opstand was Van Speyk commandant van 's lands gaffelkanonneerboot nº 2, een zeilschip bewapend met 1 kanon. Hij had de opdracht alle schepen van en naar Antwerpen te controleren sinds die stad vanaf begin oktober 1830 zich bij de opstand had aangesloten. Van Speijk nam deel aan het bombardement op Antwerpen op 27 oktober, waarvoor hij werd onderscheiden met het ridderkruis der vierde klasse van de Militaire Willems-Orde.

Op 5 februari 1831 kreeg Van Speijk de opdracht om naar Oosterweel te varen om scheepsladingen te controleren, zoals al vele malen eerder die winter. Maar toen dreef zijn schip op de Schelde nabij Fort Sint Laurentius, door een harde noordwestenwind en een slecht functionerend anker, naar de kant, waar een woedende menigte van Antwerpse arbeiders en de militairen van het vrijkorps De Gorter (onder bevel van kapitein Grégoire) op het schip afkwamen. De rol van de militairen bij de bestorming van het schip was echter beperkt.

Volgens de Nederlandse fuselier Johannes van Oostendorp was er op dat moment sprake van een wapenstilstand. In zijn ooggetuigenverslag beschrijft hij hoe "het grauw" zonder ondersteuning van de militairen het schip aanvielen. Een aantal van hen zou op zijn schip zijn gesprongen om de vlag te bemachtigen. Hierop zou Van Speijk naar de kajuit zijn gegaan, zogenaamd om de papieren te halen. Door zijn sigaar in een vat met buskruit te steken bracht hij het schip tot ontploffing. Hij zou hierbij de historische laatste woorden hebben gesproken: "...en een infame Brabander worden? Dan liever de lucht in". Een aantal bronnen trekken deze woorden echter in twijfel.

Een scheepsjongen die bij hem stond en zijn intenties begreep, waarschuwde nog een paar van zijn maten (waaronder de bootsman en loods) en sprong overboord. Bij de ontploffing kwamen 28 van de 31 bemanningsleden om, onder wie Van Speijk zelf.

De foto komt uit de fotocollectie van het Stadsarchief Rotterdam. De informatie komt van Wikipedia.

[shoppingdragons]

Top Amazon Gadgets for Home & Office: Boost Your Productivity

In today’s fast-paced world, staying productive at home or in the office often comes down to having the right tools. Fortunately, Amazon is brimming with gadgets designed to improve your workflow, streamline your environment, and help you work smarter, not harder. Whether you’re managing your home office or looking to enhance your workspace, these top Amazon gadgets for 2024 are perfect for boosting productivity and making your daily tasks more efficient and for more click top amazon products.

1. Logitech MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse

The Logitech MX Master 3S is widely regarded as one of the best wireless mice for productivity. Designed with ergonomics in mind, this mouse offers smooth, precise tracking and customizable buttons to streamline your workflow. It’s perfect for anyone who spends hours working on a computer, from graphic designers to office workers. Plus, it’s compatible with multiple devices, allowing you to switch between them seamlessly. The MX Master 3S helps reduce strain, so you can stay focused on your work longer.

2. Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit

Lighting plays a major role in productivity, and the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit is an excellent way to control your environment. These smart bulbs let you adjust the brightness and color temperature to create the perfect lighting for any task. Whether you're working late at night and need a cool, bright light to keep you focused, or you want to create a cozy ambiance for relaxation, the Philips Hue system can be controlled via an app or voice commands through Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit.

Smart lighting is a simple yet impactful way to boost productivity in your home office or workspace.

3. Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 USB-C Hub

For anyone using a laptop, especially those with limited USB ports, the Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 USB-C Hub is a game changer. This compact device expands your laptop’s connectivity with multiple USB ports, HDMI, SD card readers, and even a 100W power delivery port for charging your laptop. It’s perfect for connecting all your devices, external monitors, and peripherals, allowing you to work without the hassle of constantly plugging and unplugging cables. This multi-functional hub will help you stay organized and efficient in your workspace.

4. Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam

If you’re attending virtual meetings, webinars, or video calls, the Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam is an essential gadget for your home or office setup. It delivers high-definition video quality (1080p at 30 frames per second), making you look professional and polished on camera. The webcam’s built-in microphone ensures clear audio, and its privacy shutter provides extra security when you're not using it. This affordable, high-quality webcam will help you make a lasting impression during remote meetings.

5. iRobot Roomba 692 Robot Vacuum

Keeping your workspace clean can have a positive impact on your focus and productivity. The iRobot Roomba 692 Robot Vacuum is perfect for keeping your office and home spotless without lifting a finger. Its smart navigation and Wi-Fi connectivity allow you to schedule cleaning sessions remotely via the iRobot app or voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. It’s ideal for busy professionals who want to keep their environment neat without disrupting their workday.

6. Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Headphones

Noise can be one of the biggest distractions when trying to focus on work, whether you're at home or in a busy office. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Headphones offer top-of-the-line noise cancellation, blocking out background noise and allowing you to concentrate better. These headphones also provide excellent sound quality, making them perfect for listening to music or taking calls during your workday. With up to 20 hours of battery life, they’re perfect for all-day use.

Conclusion: Gear Up for Success

With the right gadgets, you can transform your home or office into a more efficient and productive workspace. From ergonomic accessories like the Logitech MX Master 3S Mouse to smart lighting solutions like the Philips Hue Kit, these top Amazon gadgets for 2024 are all designed to help you work smarter. Whether you’re optimizing your workstation, improving your video call setup, or automating your cleaning routine, these tools will help boost your productivity and make working from home or the office easier and more enjoyable.

Ready to take your productivity to the next level? These Amazon gadgets are waiting to help you do just that.

[etherealvoidechoes]

Some old and small sketches. Thoughts on Kamon's scars pre and post-invasion. What the Elders inflicted on him was and was not a drop in the bucket compared to what his family did to him.

At least Maker fixed the nerve damage that's been plaguing him since an incident with his half-siblings. It's gonna take him a while to notice he can emote better without straining the muscles of his face and then his left side isn't numb to the touch and doesn't get the random flares of pain anymore.

[topratedfindsamazon]

"Navigating the Amazon Jungle: A Guide to Must-Have Products"

Introduction: In today's digital age, Amazon has become a go-to destination for online shopping. With a vast selection of products and services, it's no wonder that millions of people around the world turn to this e-commerce giant for their shopping needs. In this blog, we'll explore a diverse range of must-have Amazon products that can enhance your daily life, from the practical to the innovative.

Amazon Echo Dot (4th Generation): The Amazon Echo Dot is a compact smart speaker that brings the power of voice assistance into your home. With built-in Alexa, you can control smart devices, play music, get weather updates, and more, all with voice commands. Its sleek design and affordability make it a popular choice for those looking to dip their toes into the world of smart home technology.

Instant Pot Duo Plus 6-Quart: The Instant Pot has revolutionized home cooking. This multi-functional appliance combines several kitchen gadgets into one, including a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, and more. With the Duo Plus, you can whip up delicious meals quickly and effortlessly. It's a time-saving essential for busy individuals and families.

Kindle Paperwhite: For book lovers, the Kindle Paperwhite is a game-changer. Its high-resolution display mimics the look of real paper, even in bright sunlight. With weeks of battery life, it's perfect for avid readers on the go. Access to Amazon's vast library of e-books and audiobooks means you'll never run out of reading material.

Anker PowerCore Portable Charger: In our connected world, staying powered up is crucial. The Anker PowerCore is a reliable portable charger that can juice up your devices on the move. Its compact size and high-capacity battery make it an ideal companion for travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, or anyone prone to low battery anxiety.

Wyze Cam V3: Home security is a top priority for many, and the Wyze Cam V3 offers an affordable solution. This smart camera boasts high-definition video, night vision, and two-way audio. It can be easily integrated into your smart home ecosystem, allowing you to keep an eye on your property from your smartphone.

AncestryDNA Kit: Curious about your family's heritage and genetics? The AncestryDNA Kit can uncover your ancestry and connect you with relatives you never knew existed. With a simple saliva sample, you can unlock the secrets of your family tree and learn more about your genetic history.

Amazon Basics Packing Cubes: Traveling can be a hassle, but these packing cubes can help streamline the process. Keep your clothes organized and your suitcase tidy with these durable and affordable cubes. They come in various sizes to fit your packing needs.

Conclusion: Amazon has become more than just an online marketplace; it's a source of innovation and convenience. The products mentioned in this blog are just a glimpse of what's available on this vast platform. Whether you're looking for smart gadgets, kitchen appliances, e-readers, or anything in between, Amazon likely has a solution to make your life easier and more enjoyable. So, explore the Amazon jungle and discover the products that best suit your lifestyle and needs. Happy shopping!

[alina-au]

Smart Living Starts Here: Navigating the Landscape of Electric Home Technology

In an era defined by innovation and connectivity, our homes have evolved into more than just physical spaces; they have become intelligent, responsive environments. Welcome to the world of smart living, where home automation and cutting-edge technology empower homeowners to create efficient, convenient, and secure living spaces. In this guide, we'll explore the landscape of electric home technology and dive into the realm of smart devices, including Anker smart home products and home monitoring systems. Buckle up; your journey into the future of smart living begins here.

Unveiling the Magic of Smart Home Technology

Smart home technology, often referred to as home automation, is a revolutionary concept that transforms your residence into a dynamic and responsive ecosystem. These systems consist of interconnected devices, appliances, and systems that communicate with each other and can be controlled remotely, usually via a smartphone or voice commands. The result? A home that caters to your needs and preferences in ways you never thought possible.

Energy Efficiency at Your Fingertips

One of the hallmarks of smart living is enhanced energy efficiency. Imagine a home where the lighting automatically adjusts to your activities, and the thermostat intelligently manages heating and cooling to minimise energy waste. Smart devices help you reduce your carbon footprint and lower utility bills, all while creating a more comfortable living environment.

Unprecedented Convenience

Say goodbye to the hassles of mundane tasks. Smart devices offer unprecedented convenience by automating everyday activities. With a simple voice command or a tap on your smartphone, you can control lighting, adjust room temperatures, and even brew your morning coffee before you step out of bed. It's a level of convenience that redefines your daily routine.

Elevated Security

Security takes centre stage in the world of smart living. Home monitoring systems equipped with smart cameras, motion sensors, and alarms offer real-time monitoring and alerts. You can check in on your property from anywhere, grant access to visitors remotely, and receive instant notifications of suspicious activity. It's a level of control and peace of mind that enhances your home's security.

Immersive Entertainment

Transform your living room into a home theatre with smart entertainment devices. Smart TVs, sound systems, and streaming devices offer seamless integration, allowing you to access a world of content with ease. Whether you're watching your favourite show or immersing yourself in a cinematic experience, smart living makes it effortless.

Anker Smart Home Products: A Name You Can Trust

When exploring the landscape of electric home technology, it's essential to choose reliable and reputable products. Anker, a well-known brand in the tech industry, offers a range of smart home devices that cater to various needs. From smart bulbs to security cameras and home automation hubs, Anker has a solution for enhancing your smart living experience.

Anker Eufy Security Cameras: Eufy, Anker's smart home security division, offers a range of high-quality security cameras that provide real-time monitoring, advanced AI recognition, and integration with your smart home ecosystem.

Eufy Smart Bulbs: Eufy's smart bulbs allow you to customise lighting to suit your mood and schedule. You can control them remotely and even set up lighting scenes for different occasions.

Eufy Smart Locks: Secure your home with smart locks that offer keyless entry, access control, and activity logs. You can grant temporary access to guests and monitor who enters and exits your home.

Exploring Home Monitoring Systems

Home monitoring systems are a cornerstone of smart living, offering comprehensive solutions to enhance security and convenience. These systems typically include:

Smart Cameras: High-definition cameras that provide real-time video surveillance and support features like motion detection and two-way communication.

Motion Sensors: Devices that detect movement and trigger automated responses or alerts.

Alarms: Security systems equipped with alarms that can deter intruders and notify homeowners of potential threats.

Smart Locks: Keyless entry systems that allow homeowners to control access to their homes remotely.

The Future of Smart Living

As electric home technology continues to advance, the future of smart living holds limitless possibilities. Imagine AI-powered assistants that anticipate your needs, sustainable energy solutions that reduce your ecological footprint, and homes that adapt seamlessly to your lifestyle.

Embrace the world of electric home technology, and you'll discover a lifestyle that's not only convenient but also environmentally conscious and tailored to your unique preferences. Smart living truly starts at home, and it's here to stay. So, take the leap into the future and elevate your living space with the magic of smart home technology. Your journey to a smarter, more connected home starts here.

[djpain619]

WIP WEDNESDAY

Cry Havoc and let slip the Dogs of War

Here we have Prince Ulther's Dragon Company Command, a full 5 man unit of Empire Greatswords to act as Baron Sigfried Von Totenkopf's Personal Bodyguard, and Karla Von Kettenkrad Mounted on Paychest. The Greatswords are Ready for battle, however Karla, Ulther, and Ulther's Retinue still require their shields and a thick coating of Varnish. Shields that im not prepared to complete anytime soon and Varnish that I don't currently possess.

Prince Ulther's Dragon Company. As stated above, they still require their shields, as well as their Dragon Banner, which i intend to make for them... eventually. But for now I'll leave them as is till I get around to that.

Here's Karla Von Kettenkrad, Mounted on her Paychest, mostly ready to go. Almost ready to act as Paymaster for my Dogs of War. As stated above she still requires her shield. So like Prince Ulther and Co, she'll be finished once i get around to that.

Left: Karla pictured with her Husband Anker Brüggards.

Right: Karla pictured with her Liege Lord; Baron Sigfried Von Totenkopf.

Here we have Baron Totenkopf flanked by his newly minted personal Bodyguard unit of Empire Greatswords. This unit started as a simple 4 man Color Guard for my Imperial Nobility Blood Bowl team. I then decided to repurpose them as a Full Command + extra Champion for some Empire state troops. Well I've yet to aquire the kits to make my state troops and my Champions were both armed with Greatswords bits. It finally clicked in my head that if I downgrade my spare Champion into a Trooper, then I only required 1 more trooper to make a legal 5 man unit of Empire Greatswords. I just so happened to have the spare Imperial Nobility Blood Bowl Bodyguard and a spare Greatsword in my bits box so I made up that final Greatswords trooper and painted him to complete the unit. And while I was painting the unit's new recruit, I touched up the Unit Champion so he would look the part.

Left: New Recruit.

Right: Newly Pimped Out Unit Champion.

[ltwilliammowett]

Danish Beer Flagon, before 1801

On the front side there is a prominent decorated brass plaque engraved:

THE HOLSTEIN FLAGON, Taken by the grace of God and the courage of Admiral Nelson from the Danish Fleet at the Great Battle of Copenhagen, April 2nd. 1801.

Then above this plaque there is a second smaller silver plaque engraved:

Presented to Lt. William Field on his leaving command of the NASSAU November 1814.

This Flagon was taken from the Danish 64 gun Man-o-War Holsteeen or Holstein (launched 1772) after capture during this great Naval engagement, Nelson's second huge victory, known as the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. The Danish ship HOLSTEIN after capture was commissioned into the British Navy as H.M.S. NASSAU. It was the fifth Ship in the British Navy, at the time, to be named NASSAU. In 1806 she was part of a flotilla that captured the Prussian Ship "Jonge Bartels","Vissary", "Nicholi" and "Martha".

In 1808 together with H.M.S. Stately they captured the Danish Ships "Prins Christian Frederic", "Industrie" and "Haabet Anker" and in 1809 she captured the French Privateer "Jean Bart". In 1810 the NASSAU was converted to a Prison Ship under the command of Lieutenant William Field. She was sold out of service in 1814.

[fluffytuffles]

So I Saw Cats

THURSDAY, MAY 5TH

I’m going to try to keep anything that could be “spoilers” (production particulars and specific observations) to the “The Jellicle Ball” (Show) and “General Critiques (Spoilers)” section.

Word count: ~3900

(photo by @dilfstrapisanormalword​ )

DISCLAIMERS

I am not going to be remotely objective in any of this. I’ve been waiting for this show since April of last year, been closely following the cast on social media since September, and I came into this show with Opinions of them on and off the stage. And I’m going to try to not sacrifice my opinions for the sake of pseudo-intellectualism.

I’m going to be referencing the (digital) program from the theater.

I’ll make a separate post about headcanons gained from or reinforced by the show.

I’m going to be incorporating elements/takes from my 2-hour post-show conversation with dilfstrapisanormalword, who saw the show with me.

If I say someone is mugging I mean that with 100% affection and it should always come with the qualifier that I am completely here for it.

I’m not going to spell it “Rumpelteazer.”

I’m going to try to avoid criticisms aimed at any particular performer.

I haven’t watched the revival boot recently so some obvious elements may be remarked on.

I hadn’t seen the show live before and don’t care much for bootlegs (i haven’t seen a replica bootleg that impressed me) and if you think that gives me an overly positive view of this production I literally don’t care.

Without further ado...

THE JELLICLE CATS

There were a couple covers on: Travis Anderson as Tugger, Megan Arseneau as Demeter, Elana Valastro as Rumpleteazer, and Gracie Anderson as Tantomile. I’m trying to balance my opinions on covered tracks relative to main cast, because while the swings obviously have the skill necessary to cover so many roles in a show, I don’t think it’s appropriate to expect them to have the same skill sets of 5-6 different people.

I’ll go alphabetically by character to make this overwritten scourge a little easier to navigate. A © indicates a cover. If they have a little ⭐ next to their name it means they were already one of my favorites and I’m going to be even less unbiased than usual. I do not feel bad about that. Also only 3 of my top 5 favorite cast members were in the show and that definitely determined where I was watching. I do not feel bad about that either.

I don’t think I left anyone off, if I did I am very sorry.

Alonzo (Vinny Andaloro ⭐) - Vinnylonzo is an absolute delight and I wish he didn’t spend so much of the show toward the back of the stage. He was such a presence in the show, especially as Munk’s second-in-command, but he still gets plenty of chances for mugging and goofiness, which Vinny just plays so well. He has redeemed Alonzo for me -good for him!

Bustopher Jones (John Anker Bow) - Bustopher was good but pretty standard. The highlight was probably that he was actually very warm, with the kittens especially. He doesn’t get a lot of opportunity for characterization other than, like, he’s a fancy lad who loves food and knows how to get it. I can admire that, but it doesn’t call for much comment. I’ll leave it there.

Bombalurina (Chelsea Nicole Mitchell) - I want to apologize for sleeping on Chelsea for so long. An incredible performer. She’s got so much charm and such a rich, dynamic voice.

Coricopat & Tantomile (Taylor James Rosenberger & ©Gracie Anderson) - Gracie is so small compared to Taylor. I’m glad that even though they spend most of the show together, they also get to go off and do things with other cats. Also Taylor gave me some himbo!Cori rights, I appreciate that.

Cassandra (Lexy Bittner) - Lexy makes a very sweet Cassandra with maybe a bit of a mischievous vibe to her.

Demeter (©Megan Arseneau) - Megan’s Demeter brought the “sympathetic to Grizabella” energy I was hoping for, and her reactions to the Macavity scares worked well.

Grizabella (Tayler Harris ⭐) - We are not worthy. It takes a special talent to make me feel bad for Grizabella and Tayler blew it out of the water.

Gus (John Anker Bow, again) - Bow’s Gus was way better than I expected (even knowing Jemi’s thoughts). He also had great comedic timing.

Jellylorum (Kayli Jamison) - Kayli’s Jelly was so sweet and had great rapport with the younger cats. You really got the sense she was one of the tribe moms. She’s also quite funny and has an appropriately mature vocal tone.

Jennyanydots (Michelle E. Carter) - Michelle makes such a fun Jenny. I like that she was allowed to be a little silly. Another tribe mom, but like, the cool mom.

Macavity (Aiden Pressel) - Karyn noted that because we haven’t seen much of Aiden as Macavity, it was easier to make the disconnect between the performer and the character, which while that for me is a pretty neutral qualification on its own, I think it really worked for seeing Macavity as more of a threat. 

Mistoffelees (Paul Giarratano) - Paul brings an incredible amount of energy for the sheer number of shows he’s done. Very Type-A Personality Misto. We stan.

Mungojerrie & Rumpleteazer (Max Craven & ©Elana Valastro) - Elana is such a bubbly Teazer! Max’s Jerrie is very basterd and kept picking fights with the tomkits. The one thing I could nitpick about them is that they seem to be a little too close in height for it to not be noticeable in the choreography. This isn’t a criticism of either of them, it was just something that was visible in their song. They have great chemistry.

Munkustrap (Nick Davis) - My main thought that I came away with for Nickustrap was “Nick is my favorite of the revival-era Munkustraps” (probably rivaled by José, but I don’t think I’ve seen enough of theirs to have an opinion yet). I think he’s a better vocal fit than Devon, and he gave a serious but still youthful energy to the role.

Old Deuteronomy (Indalecio de Jesús Valentín) - Adorable Old D. Acting was phenomenal and a wonderful voice.

Plato (Aiden Pressel, again) - Aiden is an absolutely adorable Plato, and yes, we knew that already, but seeing it live was truly wonderful. He is so in love with Victoria I can’t stand it. So glad I got to see him opposite Hyla especially.

Pouncival (Dominic Fortunato) - (he’s Baby, your honor).

Rum Tum Tugger (©Travis Anderson) - I do not envy the position Travis is in right now. It was only his 3rd show, playing an iconic character that can too easily come off as annoying given the wrong direction, and taking over for the singular fandom favorite of the cast. As such, I am giving him as much grace as is humanly possible. And what I can say is that he’s already starting to make the character his own, and I can see him quickly getting more comfortable with it as he takes over the role, and his chemistry with the rest of the cast developing as well. I have mixed feelings about the nature of his characterization, but I can appreciate him not coming in and just copying Zach. You can also tell he’s having a lot of fun with the role, and although I had some issue with his tone, he has a very good voice. I’m definitely happy to have gotten to see him.

Sillabub (Brianna Kim) - The smallest, sweetest Silly that could ever be. I was not prepared for how adorable she was.

Skimbleshanks (Christopher Salvaggio) - I didn’t have bad expectations for Chris’s Skimble but I was still very impressed. Everyone’s favorite uncle, loved watching him protect the kittens from Grizabella.

Tumblebrutus (Sean McManus ⭐) - Steal the scene but make it in-character. Tumble in this version actually reminded me a lot of 98 Misto. Always On. Mugging. Tumble is also a biter.

Victoria (Hyla Mayrose Perillo) - Most gorgeous, most graceful Victoria I’ve ever seen (sorry Phyllida, it was a close call).

GENERAL PRAISE & COMMENTS (No Spoilers)

I don’t know how seeing it late in the tour compares to seeing it early on. On the one hand if anyone’s going to be getting burnt out, it’s going to be about now. On the other, everyone’s gotten so comfortable in their roles and with each other so many months later. If anyone saw the show in 2021 and would like to discuss, please reach out!

The Kitten Trio (Pounce, Silly, Tumble) gave me life the entire show. For lack of a better word they were just so Baby. Thought about giving them their own entry in the characters section, decided not to but just know they deserved it.

Having now seen Cats on film and live I cannot stress enough how, even though 98 is a proshot of the stage musical, these are still two entirely different mediums with entirely different purposes. This show was not designed to be watched more than once.

That said, I do think this cast found a great middle ground between the background character moments of 98 and the heavily (and impressively, make no mistake) choreographed but less narratively satisfying Broadway revival. At any given moment you could look around and see those background interactions we’d been missing. They understood the assignment and are only more beloved for it.

I didn’t actually find myself missing the original choreography where changes were made. I felt that they kept the most iconic bits in place, or moved them around slightly.

SO MANY LIFTS. When I get my hands on a [redacted] I’ll count the lifts.

Everyone sounded wonderful together -shoutout to the booth for enhancing the group vocals!

Chris had suddenly gone on as Bustopher/Gus at the matinee so I was surprised and initially disappointed that he didn’t do the same for the evening show, but I think it worked out well as I enjoyed his Skimble and Bow’s Gustopher!

You can really tell they all love doing the show. This was the 2nd of a 2-show day and you wouldn’t know it.

Overall I prefer this choreography to the 98 film.

It’s surreal now that the same people I’d been following online for months were maybe 20-30 feet in front of me.

I didn’t go to stage door but I did see Dom Sean and Vinny from the parking lot :)

THE JELLICLE BALL (Spoilers)

Songs listed as credited in the program. Performers & key figures in brackets. Also this part is a mix of “thoughts on the show” and “literally just something that happened that I wanna remember.” If I don’t mention a song assume I liked it but had nothing specific to say about it.

“Overture” [Orchestra]

The little cat eye lights in the junkyard set are super cool and those work with the music and the rest of the lighting to really set a mood for the show.

“Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats” [Company]

Seeing the cats pop out for the first time was surreal because it was like “yes, this is happening, you’re seeing it live.”

Sillabub gets the “lean like a lynx” line opposite Jerrie, instead of Teazer, which I don’t really understand as not only does she have her own line, but if I’m correct this means Teazer doesn’t get one.

I miss everyone having a line, and don’t understand why they wouldn’t.

“The Old Gumbie Cat” [Michelle Carter, Nick Davis, Megan Arseneau, Kayli Jamison, Chelsea Mitchell]

Kitten trio is absolutely adorable

Misto is doing So Much

Such sweet interactions between the Gumbie Trio and the kittens. Made me melt.

I enjoyed the tap sequence more than I expected.

Pounce did the scrubbies.

“The Rum Tum Tugger” [Travis Anderson, Company]

Travis’s Tugger is very 50s Elvis/kinda greaser type. It’s a take I hadn’t seen before and had some mixed feelings about, but I’m glad he didn’t just try to do a Zach!Tugger impression.

Alonzo sulking, commiserating with Munk, and trying to ruin Tumble’s fun.

Skimble dragging Jenny away from Tugger. Girls just wanna have fun!

“Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town” [John Bow, Michelle Carter, Chelsea Mitchell, Kayli Jamison]

Dignified Bustopher.

I liked Bustopher’s interactions with the kittens. They were so excited to see him and he’s happy to tell them of his exploits.

“Toodle pip!” makes a lot more sense in the context of “Macavity?? Fuck this shit I’m out!”

“Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer” [Max Craven, Elana Valastro]

I’ll be honest: I’m not usually a fan of this number. I do like it, but most of the songs lacking the ensemble just aren’t my favorites. But seeing it live is a different experience. Both did a fantastic job.

Double cartwheel!

“Old Deuteronomy” [Nick Davis, Travis Anderson, Indalecio de Jesús Valentín]

Even though I knew Old D didn’t come from the audience in this production, the whole cast looking off down the aisle made me second guess this. He did indeed come in from side-stage.

“Song of the Jellicles and the Jellicle Ball” [Company]

The Jellicle Ball was fucking phenomenal.

I don’t dislike the concept of the Macavity Interlude; I see what they were going for, but I don’t much like how it plays in execution. Nothing in particular about it doesn’t work for me, but as someone who doesn’t like “Macavity” as a song to begin with, it’s not a highlight for me.

I didn’t mind Old Deut being involved as much as I thought I would.

Grizabella is on stage during a large portion of the ball. More time in the second half is also spent trying to shoo her off than I remember.

Tomkits colluding to rub their butts on Griz before getting shooed off by Munk

“Memory” (Part 1; both are listed as “Memory” on the program” [Tayler Harris]

Tayler is amazing and this is a great preview for the reprise later.

I found it so interesting that Deut is clearly watching Griz the whole time but when she turns in his general direction, he turns his head and seems to try to hide.

Intermission

I tried so hard to get a paw touch from Old Deut but he didn’t notice. That’s okay, he’s on the clock. Just wanted to mention it.

“Introduction to Act II/The Moments of Happiness” [Indalecio de Jesús Valentín, Brianna Kim]

Jerrie and Teazer and Pounce come back from intermission goofing around but stop when they get a Stern Look from Old Deut.

This isn’t a song I generally like so I can’t hold it against this production that it was no different here.

I did not expect the channeling of energy from Old Deut through the Psychic Twins to Sillabub to be so explicit. I appreciated it.

Brianna really makes such a sweet little Sillabub. Truly the baby of the tribe.

Choral refrain was absolutely beautiful.

“Gus the Theatre Cat” [John Bow, Kayli Jamison]

I like the more energetic Gus, and think it works better for when he’s not the Jellicle Choice.

Like with many of the songs this production stages it much like it’s stories being told to the kittens (and in this case also the younger cats), and it really works for the songs. Both Jelly and Gus have some really sweet interactions both with each other and the kittens.

But even though he’s more spry than some Gus’s have been, you still get the sense he longs for the glory days,

Gus’s “blood-curdling noise” was one of the funniest moments of the show.

“The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles” [John Bow, Nick Davis, Indalecio de Jesús Valentín, Company]

It really is so important to me that this song was put here in place of Growltiger. I personally believe that Growltiger can’t be separated from its racist context and it’s being scrapped was long overdue. “Pekes and Pollicles” (while not exactly not-racist) is a more palatable option, and still brings a lot of fun to this section of the show that helps ease a potentially jarring tone shift (though no whiplash is as intense as in 98) between “Gus” and “Skimbleshanks.”

The new arrangement of the opening actually sounds a lot cooler than the original. I also like Old Deut cutting in to remind Gus of the next time.

Alonzo plays the police dog and brings out the same giant wine bottle as he had in “Bustopher Jones,” which was neat

Pounce does play a Pollicle toward the beginning (opposite Teazer) but otherwise the kitten trio are too young to participate in the play much. They mostly watch from the back!

I wish they used the longer version but I understand why they didn’t.

“Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat” [Chris Salvaggio, Company]

Chris is a great Skimble.

Skimble gives Tumble a spook (the “flash” line). Old Deut and Jelly start laughing but Tumble doesn’t find it funny at all! Fortunately he gets to give the all-clear signal to make up for it.

But then Tumble gets in trouble again by pushing Cassandra and Skimble picks him up by the scruff to put him back in place.

Kittens and young cats gathered around for story time with Uncle Skimble!

Elana’s Teazer sneeze was absolutely adorable, I died.

I still wish Skimble wouldn’t mime being pantsless but I’ve accepted it.

Pounce gets stuck in the chimney of the train when everything collapses and he just has to stand there for a minute as the song resumes. Adorable. :)

“Macavity, the Mystery Cat” [Chelsea Mitchell, Megan Arseneau]

We stan Chelsea Nicole Mitchell

I hadn’t realized that the revival actually didn’t change like, any of the original choreography. As such there’s not a lot to comment on.

While I don’t like Macavity being a “girls only” song (I just don’t like the vibe it gives), and especially including kittens (leave baby Sillabub out of this) I kind of softened to Jelly and Jenny coming out for the final line

Macavity Fight [Aiden Pressel, Nick Davis]

I have mixed feelings about the fight itself. On the one hand the fight a la 1998 is choreographed in such a corny way it can sometimes be hard to see Macavity as a legitimate threat (and the costume doesn’t help). On the other hand, the less you try to make dance look like dance, the less it’s… anything.

Love the reorchestration, sounds more intense than the original.

I think the buildup to the confrontation between Mac and Munk is more tense than their fight itself

I did know that Tumble joins in the Macavity fight (and gets quickly taken out, as expected of a baby), but I didn’t know that it happened while Munk was still fighting Mac (I’d thought it was something like Jerrie in 98). He’s also the only other one that tries to fight Macavity before Munk goes down.

“Munkustrap gets crucified” -Karyn

After Munkustrap gets knocked out Alonzo goes like Super Saiyan and it’s amazing. Then he gets Macavity from behind and even though he gets knocked out too that’s kind of the point where the Jellicles get the upper hand and Macavity retreats.

Munkustrap and Demeter didn’t have the same chemistry I was hoping for, but I didn’t notice until their nuzzle after the fight. Karyn pointed out that with Nick still being relatively new and Megan being a swing, they might just not have the experience together for it to come through, and we decided to save our opinions on the Demestrap chemistry until Saturday’s show.

After the lights go out Skimble shines the lantern all around the theater to see if Macavity’s really gone. This was always one of my favorite bits on the audio boot, with the music suggesting that Macavity might be hidden in the darkness.

Also yes, Alonzo is the Macavity Decoy, with Pounce and Tumble as the henchcats. They all come back during the fight.

“Magical Mister Mistoffelees” [Paul Giarratano, Travis Anderson, Company]

Paul is an amazing Misto. Absolutely electric.

The “please listen to me and don’t scoff” line makes a lot more sense with everyone trying to leave without paying Tugger’s suggestion any mind.

“Patent monopolies” always takes me out just because I’m so used to the British pronunciation being used.

“And you’ll all say” I cry.

Misto’s entrance is incredible. The lighting cue especially. I literally gasped, as though I’d forgotten that Mister Mistoffelees would be showing up for “Mister Mistoffelees.”

“Presto!”

I don’t prefer Misto singing some of his own song but I do love Paul’s voice.

Seven kittens out of a hat! There’s not enough kittens so they have to borrow some of the young adults but you get the idea.

Conjuring turn! Not as many but nonetheless!

I don’t know why this happens but Cassandra’s wig has horns at the front when she comes back out for the light-up sequence. I don’t think the average audience member would’ve noticed but it was distracting me enough to dampen the sequence as a whole. (I also just personally don’t care for this bit anyway)

Getting everyone involved in the return was really nice.

I will not comment on the exaggerated panting except that it made me uncomfy lol.

“Memory” [Tayler Harris]

Tayler blows this out of the water. I can never actually bring myself to care about Grizabella but I did love hers and of the revival-era Grizabellas especially she came across as sympathetic despite my general apathy.

Pretty early on it’s clear that the rest of the tribe is sympathetic to Grizabella and want to welcome her back.

That climax is everything.

Victoria gives Griz such a sweet paw touch, I love her so much.

Also @uppastthejelliclemoon yeah Tumble is looking at Griz even before the psychic twins but he looks away again.

“Journey to the Heaviside Layer” [Company]

Everyone in the tribe looks so genuinely happy to have Grizabella as the Jellicle Choice and it’s so important. (I just can’t let go of 98!Munk’s disdain at her selection though to be fair, that Griz wasn’t as likeable).

“The Ad-dressing of Cats” [Indalecio de Jesús Valentín, Company]

Listen I like this song and anyone who thinks it should be cut is WRONG but that’s a rant for another day

Jerrie has his arms crossed which is very poggers of him @0zzysaurus​

The kitties all have favorite foods! Deut’s is cream.

“Finale”

I love the finale choreography, a nice way to wrap up the show before curtain call.

GENERAL CRITIQUES (Includes Spoilers)

I wish the show gave an opportunity for applause earlier in the show. As it is there’s no room until after “Gumbie Cat” -20 minutes in!

While this didn’t diminish my experience of the show in any way, there’s no getting around that this cast is still very young overall. Professional and incredibly talented, but I think the absence of vocal maturity is still felt in some of the roles, particularly the older cats. The younger the character, obviously, the less of a problem this is, but I don’t think it helps in this instance that most of the heavier vocal parts are given to perceptibly older characters.

CONCLUSION

I loved it. I loved it even more than I thought I would, and this performance only made me all the more excited to see it a second time. Everyone did an incredible job and having followed them along their journey to get this far I can’t help but feel proud of them.

Also, I picked my faves early on and was correct.

(Up next: Saturday’s show!)

[damn-daemon]

World Building Challenge Week Super Sunday - Character Intro Part 3

Darnier is Ritter Cline’s second-in-command. An honest and brutal man, he believes in the letter of the law, and disagrees with any other interpretation of it, often putting him at odds with his superior. Still, he is loyal, and will follow orders without hesitation.

Scarred in his youth by a possession removal gone wrong, Darnier is often haunted by his mistakes, and does everything he can to ensure nothing goes wrong again. 

Tamina Anker is the younger sister of Niklaus. She is the sole survivor of demonic possession, saved by Klara Suran when they were both children. But it has been kept a secret from the rest of the world. As a member of nobility, she lives in what is considered the safest place in the Empire, thus possession should not be possible. 

Confined to her home most days and unable to speak of her experience, even to her family, Tamina has come to struggle with the trauma she underwent as a child. She spends much of her time with her nose in a book, desperately attempting to escape the world she has been locked away in.

Though Lleyton has passed on by the events of the main story, her legacy has echoed across the years. A charismatic leader of the factory workers of Forge Town, Lleyton sought to give the people a better life in the Empire, with equal rights and pay for all. Her enthusiasm led the people to protest, and then revolt, and it was put down violently, ending in a massacre that left her and hundreds dead in the streets. 

The scars of the massacre are still evident in Forge Town. The people have not forgotten how they have been mistreated, and they continue to carry her name forward as they strive for better lives. She was the mother of Roland Keller, though this is only known to a few.