#Enterprise Data Protection

[infomen]

Safeguard Your Data with Esconet’s Advanced Backup Systems

Looking for reliable and scalable data backup solutions? Esconet Technologies Ltd., based in New Delhi, delivers robust and customized enterprise data protection services, securing business-critical information across on-premise, cloud, and hybrid environments.

With features like deduplication, ransomware-resilient storage, high-speed WAN backups, and application-aware protection, Esconet ensures rapid recovery and business continuity.

From legacy LTO backups to cloud-integrated systems, Esconet’s expert team supports you with seamless implementation and 24x7 support. Their solutions are compatible with leading platforms including Dell, HPE, and Veeam.

 Learn more about how Esconet can protect your business data:  Esconet Data Backup Page

[acedata]

Let’s look at the impact of enterprise data protection on businesses in 2024 and how businesses should protect their enterprise data from ransomware attacks.

[rajaniesh]

Unlock Data Governance: Revolutionary Table-Level Access in Modern Platforms

Dive into our latest blog on mastering data governance with Microsoft Fabric & Databricks. Discover key strategies for robust table-level access control and secure your enterprise's data. A must-read for IT pros! #DataGovernance #Security

[darkautomaton]

Best Practices in Corporate Risk Management in Hong Kong

With an increasingly complex legal, regulatory, economic, and technological environment, effectively managing organizational risks is critical for companies striving towards sustainable growth in Hong Kong. By taking a strategic approach to identifying key risk exposures and establishing governance policies to address vulnerabilities, both local and multinational corporations can enhance resilience.

Conduct Extensive Risk Assessments

The foundation for building robust risk oversight is to regularly conduct enterprise-wide assessments, tapping perspectives from leaders across functions on risks emerging within main business units, as well as at the corporate level. Special focus should be placed on emerging risks - from supply chain disruptions to fast-evolving cybersecurity threats. Risks posed by Hong Kong regulations and legal responsibilities around data, employment, IP, taxation and import/export controls should also be incorporated.

Appoint Centralized Risk Leadership

While business heads are accountable for risks within their domains, oversight at the core by a Chief Risk Officer and/or risk management committee provides critical independence and cross-functional coordination. Responsibilities span creating risk reporting procedures to keeping senior leadership and board directors appraised, to aligning mitigation plans with corporate strategy. Risk managers also liaise with insurance providers to secure proper coverage against financial hazards.

Implement Key Risk Policies

Findings from risk assessments should drive key policy changes, be it business continuity planning to address operational crises, instituting ethics training to reduce fraud and corruption, or enacting information handling protocols to avoid data leaks, hacking and illegal trading incidents that would undermine Hong Kong stock listings. Anti-money laundering and sanctions/export controls compliance also need special attention in Hong Kong as a gateway between China and global trade.

Monitor External Signals

In addition to internal risk monitoring, closely follow legislative or law enforcement policy shifts, as well as economic/political disruptions arising locally as well as in mainland China that stand to impact operations. Participate in trade groups and maintain contacts in agencies like InvestHK to receive critical market updates. Regular stress tests help evaluate Hong Kong megaprojects like the Greater Bay Area growth plan or One Belt One Road initiative - and gauge ensuing risk reprioritizations.

By approaching risk oversight as an integrated corporate capability monitoring both internal weaknesses and external threats, companies gain enhanced visibility into vulnerabilities which allows preemptively strengthening of operations against cascading Hong Kong/China hazards - thereby boostinglong-term performance and valuation for shareholders.

[scloudsg]

Data for Responsible AI: Keeping Your Generative Models in Check

As the year 2023 unfolded, a whirlwind of generative AI announcements swept through the tech landscape. With each new model release, a critical discussion emerged: the data these models are trained on. From potential biases to factual inaccuracies, concerns surrounding data quality and security took center stage.

For enterprise data protection officers, this discussion holds particular weight. Navigating the exciting, yet ethically complex, world of generative AI requires both a thirst for innovation and a commitment to data privacy.

For the complete article, visit: https://www.scloud.sg/resource/data-for-responsible-ai-keeping-your-generative-models-in-check/

[universalinfo]

The Crucial Role of Enterprise Risk Management in Modern Healthcare

Imagine you're a tightrope walker, thousands of feet above the ground. Without a safety net, any misstep can lead to disaster. Now, think of the healthcare sector as this tightrope walker. With the myriad of complexities, regulations, and unpredictable factors that can pop up every day, having a robust safety net is paramount. Entering the safety net we all need: enterprise risk management software in healthcare. This is not just any safety net; it's a dynamic, adaptable, and resilient one that assures everyone on the rope can perform their best without the constant fear of falling. 

Ready to know more? Let's unravel the magic thread by thread, shall we?

What is Enterprise Risk Management in Healthcare Anyway?

You might be wondering, what's the big deal about enterprise risk management in healthcare? Let's break it down. At its core, it's about identifying potential risks, assessing them, and putting in place strategies to manage those risks. Think of it as a proactive approach rather than a reactive one.

In the healthcare sector, there are countless unpredictable factors. From patient care challenges to technology hiccups to regulatory changes. Having a system that spots potential threats before they escalate? That’s the golden ticket. 

And guess what? This golden ticket isn't reserved for a select few. Every stakeholder, from medical professionals to administrative staff, plays a part in making enterprise risk management in healthcare a success.

By embracing this approach, healthcare providers ensure smoother operations, better patient outcomes, and yes, a sigh of relief knowing they're backed up by a robust system.

The Game-Changing Benefits of Enterprise Risk Management in Healthcare

Sure, enterprise risk management in healthcare sounds neat, but what's in it for the healthcare sector? Well, a lot. For starters, it helps in early risk detection. By spotting issues before they blow up, institutions can save resources, reputation, and most importantly, lives.

Secondly, it promotes a culture of safety. When everyone is tuned into the risk management frequency, it fosters an environment where safety is the norm, not the exception. It's like having a team where everyone is a goalkeeper, always on the lookout, and ready to defend.

Lastly, it enhances decision-making. Armed with the right information and tools, healthcare providers can make informed decisions. It's like having a roadmap in a maze, guiding you at every twist and turn.

Real-Life Instances: Enterprise Risk Management in Action

Picture this: A hospital is planning to implement a new electronic health record (EHR) system. It’s shiny and promising, and everyone’s excited. But with this system come potential risks: data breaches, system downtime, and training challenges, to name a few.

By employing enterprise risk management, the hospital can anticipate these risks. They can put measures in place to mitigate them. So instead of panicking when there's a system glitch, they have a backup plan, trained staff, and solutions ready to deploy.

Another scenario? A sudden outbreak of a contagious disease. With a solid risk management plan, hospitals can predict resource needs, mobilize teams faster, and ensure the safety of both patients and staff.

Best Practices to Maximize Enterprise Risk Management in Healthcare

So, you're sold on enterprise risk management in healthcare. That’s great, but… how do you make the most of it? 

Begin by fostering a culture of open communication. Encourage staff at all levels to voice concerns and observations. Remember, it’s a team game.

Secondly, invest in training. Equip your team with the skills and knowledge they need to be effective risk managers. It’s like giving them a magnifying glass to spot even the tiniest of threats.

Lastly, keep revisiting and refining your strategies. The healthcare landscape is ever-evolving, and so should your risk management approach. It's about being agile, adaptable, and always on your toes.

Challenges to Implementing Enterprise Risk Management

While the benefits of enterprise risk management in healthcare are plenty, it’s not without its challenges. First up, is resistance to change. It’s human nature. Introducing a new system or approach can often meet with skepticism. The key? Consistent communication and highlighting the bigger picture.

Then there’s the challenge of resources. Implementing a robust risk management system requires investment: both time and money. Here, long-term vision becomes crucial. It’s not about the immediate costs, but the long-term savings and benefits.

Lastly, the vastness of the healthcare sector can be daunting. With so many departments and functions, integrating them under one risk management umbrella can seem overwhelming. But remember, step by step, brick by brick, it’s doable.

The Future of Enterprise Risk Management in Healthcare

The horizon of healthcare is vast and ever-evolving, and as we stand at its edge, enterprise risk management in healthcare looms large, promising a safer and more efficient future.

Firstly, with the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, risk management is on the cusp of a revolution. Predictive models can analyze vast data sets, recognize patterns, and forecast potential risks way before they materialize. 

Furthermore, with the global community becoming more interconnected, the sharing of risk management strategies across borders will become commonplace. Hospitals in New York might soon be implementing strategies tested and refined in Tokyo or Mumbai. This cross-pollination of ideas ensures that best practices are not confined within borders but are shared, refined, and implemented globally.

Additionally, as patient care becomes more personalized with treatments like gene therapy and personalized medicine, risk management will need to adapt. Enterprise risk management in healthcare will play a pivotal role in ensuring that these bespoke treatments are delivered safely, taking into account the unique risks they may present.

But it's not just about technology and global collaboration. The future will also see a stronger emphasis on the human aspect. Emotional intelligence, understanding patient behaviors, and predicting human errors will become crucial components of risk management. After all, machines can crunch numbers, but understanding the human heart and mind? That’s where the real challenge and opportunity lie. For more details contact us at https://www.safequal.net/contact-us/.

Lastly, sustainability and eco-friendly practices are making waves in every sector, and healthcare is no exception. The future of enterprise risk management will also encompass strategies to reduce carbon footprints, manage bio-waste efficiently, and ensure a sustainable healthcare environment.

Conclusion

Navigating the intricate world of healthcare can often feel like walking on a tightrope. But with enterprise risk management in healthcare, the sector gets more than just a safety net. It gets a strategy, a plan, and a vision for a future where risks are not just managed but anticipated and mitigated. Embracing it isn’t just a smart move; it's the need of the hour. 

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[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - January 22-28

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles!

1. Sunfish that got sick after aquarium closed has recovered — thanks to human cutouts

“A solitary sunfish […] appeared unwell days after the facility closed last month for renovations. As a last-ditch measure to save the popular fish, its keepers hung their uniforms and set up human cutouts outside the tank. The next morning, the sunfish ate for the first time in about a week and has been steadily recovering[….]”

2. Costco stands by DEI policies, accuses conservative lobbyists of 'broader agenda'

“[Each of the board of directors and 98% of shareholders voted to reject a measure against DEI.] Costco's board wrote that “our commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary[….]””

3. Nearly $37 Million Will Support Habitat Restoration in Coastal Louisiana

“The project will restore nearly 380 acres of marsh and construct more than 7,000 feet of terraces in St. Bernard Parish. […] Coastal wetlands help protect communities [… from] wind, waves, and flooding[… and] support a statewide seafood industry valued at nearly $1 billion per year.”

4. Cooling green roofs seemed like an impossible dream for Brazil's favelas. Not true!

“[… A Brazilian nonprofit] teaches favela residents how to build their own green roofs as a way to beat the heat without overloading electrical grids[…,] dampen noise pollution, improve building energy efficiency, prevent flooding by reducing storm water runoff and ease anxiety.”

5. Bacteria found to eat forever chemicals -- and even some of their toxic byproducts

“"Many previous studies have only reported the degradation of PFAS, but not the formation of metabolites. We not only accounted for PFAS byproducts but found some of them continued to be further degraded by the bacteria," says the study's first author[….]”

6. A father and daughter’s to turn oil data into life-saving water

“The aquifer [discovered through oil-owned seismic data], it turned out, was vast enough to provide water for 2 million people for more than a century.”

7. Trump’s funding pause won’t impact federal student loans, Pell Grants

“[… T]he temporary pause will not impact “assistance received directly by individuals,” including federal direct student loans and Pell Grants, which are government subsidies that help low-income students pay for college.”

8. In Uganda, a women-led reforestation initiative fights flooding, erosion

“[… T]he Kasese municipality has established nurseries to provide free tree seedlings, particularly to women, to support reforestation efforts. [… They] plant Ficus trees near their homesteads to provide shade and help control erosion, and Dracaena trees on their fields to retain soil moisture.”

9. [A Texas school board] votes yes to provide low-cost housing to staff at no cost to the district

“The program will include 300 homes[…] only a short commute to campuses. […] Rent will be determined on a sliding scale based on their salaries, with those making less receiving a larger discount. The proposed community would include amenities, like childcare facilities[….]”

10. Heat pumps keep widening their lead on gas furnaces

“Americans bought 37% more air-source heat pumps than the next-most-popular heating appliance, gas furnaces, during the first 11 months of the year. That smashes 2023’s record-setting lead of 21%.”

January 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[owlwithanapple]

Eternal Engagement

Chapter 04

The little flame of awakening

In the early morning, her long brown hair swayed in the wind, her emerald eyes were illuminated by the sun, her cyan dress fluttered in the wind. She stood fearlessly on the edge of a high place, overlooking the scenery of Gotham City from a high place. She was Talia Al Ghul, Damian's biological mother.

"Oh my beloved, oh my son. This is the place you two are protecting, how beautiful and vulgar." She looked at the city with a snake-like smile, her appearance was about to bring you and Damian an unpredictable disaster.

It has been two days since you came to Gotham City and stayed in Wayne manor. The main purpose is to test your superpowers. During that time, Damian kept analyzing various data. You learned from Bruce and Damian that your genes have mutated unknowingly. You are no longer a mortal, but closer to Clark your father and Jon your brother.

Of course, genetic changes are a good thing for you. The conclusion is no longer zero. There is a glimmer of hope that awakening your superpowers is your dream goal. It is not only your body has changed during this period, but also your fiancé Damian Wayne.

For some reason, you are looking forward to the changes between you and him, the distance between you two has shortened. You feel a little more confident for some reason, you come to the living room downstairs with a smile on your face. You see Damian and Bruce are packing their briefcases and preparing to go to Wayne Enterprises for work.

You hurried downstairs, wanting to say something to Damian. He noticed your expression when he was tying his tie. You were smiling, no longer looked inferior. He suppressed his inner excitement, felt proud and happy for you. But he was very arrogant,

he had an attitude of indifference on his face.

"Good morning, Uncle Bruce. Drive carefully. Ah—Damian, um... good morning—" Suddenly, your vision was blocked by a completely black card with Damian Wayne's name and the expiration date on it.

Damn you Damian Wayne, you hope to have any expectations from him. But now treats you in this way, using money to get rid of you?! This guy is so fucking hard to understand, what kind of mentality is he in facing you. He cleared his throat, his tone was a little emotional, as if he was a little nervous. "Good morning, the password is your birthday date."

"Damian, you—" Bruce was stunned. He didn't expect his son to be so stupid to women, especially his own fiancée. He wanted to complain, but Damian's quick interrupted Bruce's words.

"Father, don't be late. There are still a few meetings to attend later." Damian just left this sentence coldly and took out his phone to check his schedule.

His card is still in your hand, just hold it silently without saying a word. You thought something different. On the one hand, you are happy because have the opportunity to awaken superpowers, on the other hand, you think that Damian will change. Your heart seems to be broken, and depression comes.

Bruce’s hand on your shoulder squeezed it gently. He said nothing but gave you a little comfort and encouragement. After letting go, Bruce took out his car keys and briefcase went to the garage leave you two. The ringing of the phone startled you, Damian answer to talk to the person inside.

You stood there, thinking that you might as well go back to the room. It was unsettling to be alone with him, not as easy as Jon to figure out his thoughts. You took the first step to leave, but unexpectedly a hand reached out to touch your head. It was not a mocking act, but a very gentle way to you.

It was Damian, he was busy talking on the phone while stroking your head. You didn't know how to react. When he touched you, your heartbeat suddenly beating faster than usual. After he hung up, he put away the phone, his hand was still stroking, he didn't intend to let go at all.

When you wanted to ask him what was wrong, he interrupted you said, "Smile more, like the smile you just showed me. More, preferably every day."

He left the manor with his briefcase without looking back, you were still holding his card in a daze. Your face was hot and heart beat faster. You have never experienced this phenomenon before, don't know what caused it. Is it Damian's words or the sudden surprise, you have no idea.

"He is so damn hard-mouthed, just tell the truth, my dear wife, you have a beautiful smile, wouldn't that be much easier? Don't you think so? Pipsqueak." Suddenly someone bumped your shoulder with his arm, you heard a swear word and a mocking tone.

You turned your head startled by a tall figure. It was Jason Todd aka Red Hood, also one of Bruce's second adopted sons. He was an anti-hero, with a strong and tall body, a fringe with a poke of white hair, a rebellious personality. He was chewing gum in his mouth, a smile appeared on his face.

"Ah, good morning, Jason. When did you come to the manor?" You asked curiously, but you were actually quite afraid of him. You had seen him and Bruce quarreling too much, he was much taller than you.

"Morning, there are endless fights every day. What about you? Did you sleep well here? It's annoying to get along with that demon kid, right?" The sound of him chewing gum reached your ears, he took out an unopened gum from his pocket, mint flavor.

You were a little confused but still took it. You really not used to getting along with him. Always teased by him in the past, he always stopped by Dick and Alfred. Jason has a completely different personality from your brother Jon. Sometimes wonder how Damian and him can get along under the same roof. You murmured, "Thank you, I slept well. As for me and Damian... Honestly, I know nothing about him."

Jason stared at you, rolled his eyes show his helplessness towards Damian. He glanced at the card in your hand, a bad idea came to him. He poked your shoulder lightly and showed a devilish smile on his face, "How about I take you shopping? Just think of it as going to relax, anyway, he lets you use his card."

In a blink of an eye, Jason brought you to a super high-end shopping place, with all kinds of branded and expensive goods. You followed Jason closely in the unfamiliar environment. In Metropolis, you have never stepped into such a high-end place, and you seem to be out of place in such a place.

Jason bought a few jackets without hesitation, using Damian's credit card. If Damian knew about this, he would be furious, right? Never mind! You shook your head nervously to put worries behind and enjoy the fun of the moment. Suddenly you bumped Jason's back, he was standing outside Victoria Secret.

He pulled you inside, and the female staff inside all paid attention to him. Their reactions were really easy to understand, a handsome tall man, his looks were not inferior to Dick. You followed closely strolled around inside, the female staff recommended to him and took the opportunity to chat him up.

Thought he was going to buy for his girlfriend, but he stopped at the lace underwear set area. He picked up a set and looked at you, "Hey, do you want to buy one? This white lace pure sexy style is suitable for you, definitely make that boy crazy."

Your eyes widened so wide that forgot to blink. You coughed a few times choked on your own saliva. Looking at the white lace underwear set in his hand, it was far different from what you usually wear. You usually wear simple monochrome styles, which made you feel overwhelmed, but your heart was eager to try?

"What are you doing! Why do I have to wear this?!" You were flustered like a silly girl, rejecting Jason's proposal in a staccato tone.

"Don't be shy~ It's necessary for couples to have some fun to enhance their relationship. You don't want Damian to get tired of you and find someone else to marry, right?" Jason smiled with a nonchalant look.

You paused, the second sentence he just said suddenly made your heart little bit hurt. For a moment, something in your mind, you don't want Damian to be bored with you. You are so naive, never seriously thought about marriage and the future. And the biggest problem is you can't figure out Damian's mind.

Falling into confusion, it feels very happy to see your parents' loving appearance. Until your turn, you and Damian seem have a relationship is even more distant than friends. The two of you are tied together by the marriage contract made by your fathers, and Damian has never complained or refused this matter. It's really annoying.

Jason realized that he said the wrong thing when you were quiet. He was also against it at first, why both of you have to force to be together. He took another set of crimson lace underwear set to tease you, trying to make you laugh "Hey, this color is hot~"

You blushed, "Jason idiot!"

He laughed when you running away to the toilet. In fact, you have a worse temper than Jon, but you are definitely excited about this kind of thing. While waiting, he continued to shop inside, inevitably flirting with the two female staff . Suddenly, he thought of a good idea, he took pictures of the two sets of lace underwear just now, sent them to Damian.

JT: Hey, which do you think looks better, the white or the red?

DW: I'm in a meeting, don't ask these tasteless questions.

JT: I'm shopping with your beloved fiancée.

JT: I suggested she buy a set to surprise you.

JT: But she was very shy, blushed and ran away.

DW: What the hell. Damn—

DW: …. The white one suits her very well, convince her to buy it.

JT: I know you like it, work hard and don't fantasize.

As Jason guessed, Damian's taste in women is accurate. When you return to Victoria Secret, he shows an evil smile. He puts away the red set and walks towards you with the white one. After he hands it to you, he pinches your cheek and smiles confidently, "Future sister-in-law, your future husband will definitely like it. I promise."

Suddenly, two female staff come to you, one takes the white set from you, the other with a tape measure to take you to the dressing room. After closing the curtain, she pulls up the tape measure and faces you with a kind smile, "Hello, miss. Just now your friend told me that you want to buy a set to surprise your husband. Let me measure the size for you."

You were shocked. What the hell Jason was talking about! You shook head in panic and explained, "You misunderstood. I didn't mean to-"

The female staff giggled when saw your panicked attitude and said, "You don't need to be shy. It's the wife's responsibility to capture her husband's heart. Add some fun to make your husband feel overwhelmed, the plan will be perfect~"

You blushed even more, you saw this kind of underwear set in your mommy Lois's closet before, and you were always curious in this kind of thing. Many 18+ images involuntarily appeared in your mind. Since you are an adult, you decided to go all out this time. You murmured shyly, "I...have never bought this kind of underwear. Can you recommend it?"

Seeing your determined face, the staff was very excited held the tape measure tightly and said to you, "Then please take off your shirt, the size will be more accurate."

You gritted your teeth shyly did as she asked, taking off your shirt and hanging it aside. She wrapped the tape measure around your chest to measure your size, she giggled, "Oh~ You have beautiful breast, definitely surprise your husband when put it on."

After measuring the size, she asked you to wait in the dressing room. She went outside to get a few sets of underwear for you to try on, including white ones. You untied your underwear and hung it aside, then tried on these lace underwear. Once you tried it, you found that you looked so different now, felt so beautiful. Compared with before, your temperament is so different. Why do you feel so erotic?

You tried on several sets and posed in the dressing room. Jason knew girls would spend a lot of time shopping, so he took the opportunity to wander around a nearby men's boot store to kill time. During that time, you picked out some styles you liked, including sexy ones, then went to the counter to check out.

A woman with long brown hair was also at the counter. You stood next to her waited for the staff to come to check out. Suddenly, the woman with long brown hair turned to you. Her eyes looked very familiar to you, exactly the same as Damian's emerald eyes. She suddenly spoke to bring you back to reality, "You are Damian's fiancée, Y/N Kent. Am I right?"

Since she appeared, the surrounding environment has changed a little. The female staff seemed to disappear, the moment you met her eyes, you felt dizzy. You blinked several times to try to wake yourself up, but you couldn't bear the dizzy feeling. In just a few seconds, you fell asleep and fell into her arms. The last time you saw her, you only saw a wicked smile at her face.

“Damian…” You said his name with your last breath before you passed out into sleep.

Ten minutes later, Jason returned to Victoria Secret. It was quiet all around, without anyone. Realizing something was wrong, he immediately rushed in and opened the dressing room. One was empty, and the other had two female staff collapsed inside. He check their arteries and found that they were still beating, they were just temporarily unconscious.

He couldn't find you anywhere nearby, called your phone but it was an empty number and no one answered. He called dozens of times but the result was zero. He ruffled his hair roughly, "Fuck, Superman definitely kill me!"

At the same time, in Wayne Enterprises, Damian was in the office, taking advantage of his free time to check the transaction records of his account. A closer look showed the transaction records and store names of women's clothing, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised, he was looking forward to you wearing new clothes to show him.

But there is still no transaction record of Victoria Secret. Didn't you buy it? He felt a little disappointed and sighed with his head leaning back in the chair. Once he closed his eyes, he imagined you wearing a sexy lace underwear set. He felt a little excited, especially your graceful figure must be very suitable for wearing it. He muttered, "I really hope she will wear it to seduce me."

Before he indulged in fantasy, he sat up straight in his seat. He covered his forehead and sighed. It was a sin to imagine the sexy picture of his future wife at work. Suddenly he saw a transaction record that made him angry. The card was actually used exclusively by you. Jason dared to abuse his card to buy a jacket. He took a screenshot and asked Bruce to return it later.

At this time, the phone rang, Jason Todd's name was displayed on it. He immediately pressed the answer button ready to start yelling at him, but a very urgent message came from inside, "Hey! Your fiancée is missing!"

Upon hearing this bad news, he opened the map of the tracker to check your location, but you were not wearing the engagement ring, the location remained in Wayne manor. He immediately threw his work aside and hurried out of the office. Suddenly, there was a bang that scared everyone else. It was Bruce who slammed the door walked out with a very serious expression on his face, indicating that he already knew something was wrong. He and Damian looked at each other and nodded, then left Wayne Enterprises at the same time.

After arriving at the batcave, he saw Alfred using the Batcomputer with fingers tapping on the key. Jason stood aside stared at the big screen, not wanting to miss even the slightest clue. Damian took off his suit jacket and threw it on the floor. He walked straight towards Jason and asked him, "Aren't you two shopping together?! How come she is missing?!"

When Jason was about to retort, Bruce stepped in to stopped them. He understood Damian's worries, but arguing now would be useless. He said calmly, "Damian, calm down. The main now is to find Y/N, and arguing is just a waste of time."

Jason and Damian glared at each other, their incompatibility was the common point between the two of them. Until Alfred intervened, the suspicion began. He turned on the surveillance footage of Victoria Secret to show everyone, and there was no trace of you and Jason at all. Jason pointed to the big screen, "During that time, I was hanging out with her inside, and also chatted up two female staff."

"Someone tampered with the surveillance video system, and the target was Y/N." Bruce stepped forward to observe carefully, he noticed that the screen was flashing with chaotic signals.

"Could it be Superman's nemesis? Or-" Jason's guess was interrupted.

"My nemesis of Damian Wayne or Robin." Damian glared at the big screen, a wave of anger hit his heart.

The atmosphere in the Batcave was very heavy, the sudden events were never predicted. The big screen showed other members of the Batfamily, Alfred's fingers were tapping on the keyboard to pass the message as fast as he could. Bruce pinched his nose and walked to the corner pulled out his communicator to contact Clark to inform him of the matter. Jason remained silent after seeing Bruce's serious expression. Damian sat next to Alfred with an extremely angry look and investigated at a lightning speed.

As soon as the call was hung up, Bruce approached Damian. His deep voice was filled with anger, but he told Damian calmly, "Clark is traveling back and forth on the edge of the universe, Jon has a task in Metropolis, but he will come to help us after he has dealt with it."

At this time, the big screen showed Dick's urgent insertion. He was worried when he learned about this, his tone was very serious but calm and rational, "I just contacted Wally and Kory, they will go out as soon as possible to help find people."

The reminder sounded, and Alfred tapped the keyboard with his fingers to switch the screen to Tim's interface and said, "I received the surveillance video that Alfred just sent me. Give me some time, I will restore it to its original state."

A phone ring sounded and echoed in the batcave. Damian took out his phone, the name Lois Lane was displayed on it. Bruce was about to took the phone, but Damian immediately pressed the answer button, "I'm listening."

Lois's voice came from inside. She has always been dissatisfied with Damian's attitude. But this time, for you and Kent's family, she was very worried and wanted to scold Damian to vent her anger, but she said helplessly, "Jon has already told me about it. You are her fiancé, you won't just sit there and do nothing, right?"

"Nonsense." Damian hung up Lois's call without hesitation. In fact, he didn't want to say more because he was panicking. He was afraid that Lois would hear his uneasiness. He didn't want to show his emotional fluctuations. He was fully committed to the process of searching for you. He didn't dare to waste any moment.

After everyone cut off the connection, they began to disperse and take action. Jason put on the Red Hood helmet, left the Batcave rode his motorcycle around Gotham. Bruce and Damian were fully armed into their own equipment. Every minute every second was a critical moment and could not be delayed.

Damian jumped into the batmobile first started the engine immediately and gripped the steering wheel tightly. The engine sound echoed in the Batcave. The exhaust pipe of the Batmobile kept making noises as if it was going to speed. Less than a few seconds after Bruce jumped into the passenger seat, the entrance of the Batmobile opened. Damian's mind was full of your face. He stepped on the accelerator with his right foot and the speed meter automatically rose to the highest. He sped away from the entrance like lightning.

The sound of dripping water echoed, the sound of chains rang one after another. The moment a drop of water fell on your forehead, you woke up. Looking up, everything around you was dark, with only a few torches with green flames on the uneven walls. You moved your body, but the sound of the chains reminded you that you were imprisoned.

As your eyes swept through the darkness, several masked men with blades suddenly appeared, the mysterious aura like a ninja or assassin. You struggled to try to break free from the shackles of imprisonment, but you were unable to move at all, which made you fall into despair. You have superpowers but cannot control them freely. Now you look worse than a caterpillar at the mercy of others, and you will be crushed into meat paste with a pinch.

"Superman's daughter can't even break free from a little thing like a chain. So weak can't even stand a single blow." The sound of high heels clicking rang out in the creepy air, a sarcastic remark came from the depths of darkness. The masked men around you that made you creepy moved without any footsteps and automatically stepped aside to make way, like servants waiting for their masters.

The woman walked out from the darkness, her emerald eyes like Damian were staring at you, her long brown hair, her whole body exuding a charming yet easily lethal smell. You suppressed your fear, your imprisoned hands curled up into fists, you gritted teeth and glared at the woman in front of you, "Who are you? Do I know you?"

"You don't know me? Ah~ Damian and Bruce hid my existence. You are so loved and protected, little princess." She lifted your chin with her index finger, her emerald eyes crawled over your face like scorpion.

"Damian? Bruce? You know them?! Who the hell are you?" You stared at the reflection of you in her emerald eyes.

She pinched your chin pulled you closer to her face, breathing warm air on your cheek. The you in her emerald eyes seemed to indicate that everything about you was imprisoned in her. It was not until she spoke that you woke up from confusion. She responded your answer with a devilish voice in your ear.

"Listen carefully, little princess. Oh~ No, my future daughter-in-law. I am Talia al Ghul, a member of the League of Assassins, Damian's biological mother with the same demon bloodline, and also your future mother-in-law."

Talia al Ghul? Demon bloodline? League of Assassins? Damian's biological mother? What is she talking about? Why have you never heard Damian and Uncle Bruce mention the existence of such a person? They deliberately concealed it? Or you don't need to know about her so they choose not to mention it? You don't understand why she imprisoned you?

"Don't worry, I won't put you to death unless I have to. I just want to meet my future daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, I don't have good tea and comfortable sofas here, only dangerous objects such as swords, please bear with me." She let go of your chin and turned away, and the sound of clattering slowly stopped with her footsteps.

A masked man carried a wooden chair and placed it next to Talia. She sat down and crossed her legs elegantly, not hiding her dangerous behavior at all. In the silent atmosphere, a sound of you cleared your throat, "Then... Ms. Talia, what is it that you can't just come to visit me directly, but instead imprison me in this... dark and mysterious place?"

Her suggestive side and giggles echoed in the darkness. The masked man next to her was completely calm like a statue. She lifted her long brown hair and clasped hands together on her thighs. As soon as she opened her mouth, you knew that her purpose was not as simple as sugar. "Have you ever thought about having child with Damian?"

You choked on your own saliva, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, body trembled, the sound of the chains rose and fell again, you responded with a nervously voice, "What?! Having child with Damian!? What the hell is that!"

Talia's emerald eyes widened in shock, but immediately retracted them and showed her evil side. She chuckled, hinting at mocking you. She cleared her throat and her heels clicked on the ground. The next words she spoke were like an order, "I'll be frank. Bruce took Damian away. Damian himself is the heir of the League of Assassins, but he chose to become Robin and live in Gotham."

She pointed slender index finger at your face speak in a commanding tone, the words she said were difficult for you to understand, "League of Assassins needs a heir with demon bloodline, since Damian doesn't choose us..."

She paused, her eyes never leaving you, then she became ruthless and said her thoughts, "You are his fiancée with superhuman genes. You must give birth to a new and powerful life force for Damian, that is, offspring. The combination of the two of you is exactly what the League needs."

"You-what are you crazy about?! This is ridiculous! This is not your decision!" You can't accept this ridiculous statement. The first thing you do is not to accept it, but to refute her directly.

With a sharp sound, she pulled the sword out of from the masked man's scabbard. Before you can react, she suddenly grabbed your neck tightly like wanting to strangle you. The sharp sword head is about to pierce your skin. Her eyes and clenched teeth are not kidding you. She took a deep breath and the clenched sword stayed on your skin.

"You are such a pure being, not shrouded in darkness, and your body is pure white. Your father Superman betrothed you to Damian, who has demon blood. Bruce, as Damian's father, knows Damian's character very well, but they took the initiative to make a marriage for you two."

She praised how pure you are but made your father and uncle Bruce look so despicable, trying to drag you into the abyss step by step and then buried you with the darkness. Of course, this is not enough to hit your vulnerability, she also wants to manipulate the devil in your heart to control you.

Your inner defenses were completely destroyed by her. If it was really as she said, those absurd facts. Why did daddy and uncle Bruce both approve the engagement without hesitation? Why did Damian accept the engagement silently without any objection? Is Damian's purpose to give the League of Assassins a new offspring as the heir?

Talia showed a smug look, because she felt from your expression that her conspiracy was successful. Your mind began to panic and your breathing became disordered. You kept pulling the chain to try to free yourself, like a beast using all its strength.

You are too helpless, things are going badly and can't find comfort no matter how you seek. Suddenly, a burst of energy explodes in your body and produces a strong resonance. The loud bang bang bang rang out continuously, you’re violently pulled the chain in your right hand to break free from the chains, causing cracks to appear on the uneven wall.

The moment you opened mouth and roared in all directions, the chain in your right hand was completely torn in half by you, the wall nailed with the chain was shattered into a hole by your superpower. In a short moment, your mental system burned like a spark, the superhuman power was about to break through the limit and surge out.

"What are you all still standing there for! Quickly release large amount of sedative drugs and sleeping gas!" Talia gave an order, everyone except you put on gas masks. In the dim light, a large amount of chemical gas was spilled from an exhaust hole.

The whole place was shrouded in chemical gas pollution, your body was fumigated by the chemical gas and felt very sleepy. The spark that ignited the awakening of superhuman power in your body was extinguished again. A few seconds before you fell into a deep sleep, you whispered, which was your last stubbornness and persistence, like a life-saving straw "Jon... Kon... I'm here..."

After you fell asleep, Talia walked in front of you. She pinched your cheek lifted your face up. After confirming that you fell asleep due to the chemical gas, she breathed a sigh of relief. Things were beyond her expectations. She had been monitoring you for a while there were no signs of awakening, but now there are. What worried her was that if you really woke up and went crazy, the League of Assassins would be smashed into dust by you.

"If she wakes up again, use sedative gas! Don't let her have any ability to move!" Talia's tone was slightly urgent. At her command, the masked men around stood guard at their positions to monitor your every move.

But things always go beyond expectations, your last stubborn call for your lifeline. Conner Kent aka Superboy was on a mission, Tim informed him of your disappearance. He quickly solved his mission and immediately flew high into the sky, using super hearing to listen to voices from all over the world.

You called out the names of two people with your last breath, successfully reached Conner's ears. Conner looked in the direction of your call, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, the blue veins on his arms were visible to the naked eye, confirming that your call was answered.

"Tim, I heard little princess' voice. The situation is not good, her voice is too fragile." Conner turned on the communicator, which contained the Red Robin logo. He told Tim about the matter through the communicator.

Tim was very calm and focused on restoring the surveillance footage to find clues. His hands kept tapping on the keyboard, making a clicking sound. Finally, he successfully found the missing part of the surveillance footage, which was the footage of you meeting Talia. Suddenly, Conner's call interrupted his thoughts. After listening to Conner's content and coordinate, plus the footage restored by Tim, he was sure to find your location.

Tim spread all the surveillance footage of you meeting Talia in the mall to the heroes who were looking for you. He pressed the communication button to tell them the news he knew, "Everyone, listen up, the location of little princess of the Kent family has been found!"

The heroes who were busy traveling around stopped immediately after receiving Tim's message, including Damian. He immediately stepped on the brakes to stop the Batmobile and responded to Tim, "Where the hell is she!?"

Tim took a deep breath, with a trace of meticulous worry in his voice. After all, Talia is Damian's biological mother, now it is even more difficult to say that his fiancée's disappearance is related to his mother, but he still said bluntly, "The coordinates are in League of Assassins, Superboy has arrived above there."

Damian's pupils dilated, hands trembled slightly, mind was in a mess for a moment, then he began to calm down. But he lost a lot of time. He pounded the steering wheel with his fists and yelled loudly. He didn't suspect his mother at the first time, and wasted time looking for other criminals like an idiot.

"Damian, stop. Now is not the time to lose yourself—" Bruce, who was sitting in the passenger seat, put his hand on Damian's shoulder, his cold tone was a little melancholy, especially related to his ex-lover Talia.

"How do you want me to calm down! I-damn it! Sorry, father..." He shook off his hand was about to roar at Bruce, but he was able to calm down when saw his father's melancholy expression, he lowered his head and leaned on the steering wheel.

"Superboy, we're going there right now, don't act rashly." Bruce pressed the response button on the communicator spoke calmly in a Batman-like tone.

"I can't promise, Batman. Kidnapping my sister is beyond my calm bottom line, whether it's Damian's mother or your ex-lover." At this time, Conner was almost at his limit, his eyes were so red that he was about to launch a heat vision to sweep the place clean just to find your figure.

Conner is not the child born of love between Lois and Clark, nor is he a family member with same bloodline with you and Jon, but a clone of Clark Kent and Lex Luthor. The infinite tolerance and love given by the Kent family made him happy. He cared about all of Kent, you lost confidence and looked very fragile because you did not awaken the superpower, and he could not bear to see you get hurt.

"Kon, trust Batman and Robin. You stand by in the air, don't let your impulse hurt little princess by mistake." Clark's gentle and powerful voice came from the communicator to comfort Conner so that he would not get impulsive.

Conner angrily punched the air and messed up his hair. He lurked in the clouds monitored the League of Assassins' every move below. "Tch. Got it, Superman. Batman, Robin, you two better get here quickly."

"No need to remind me, I've already set off." Damian activated the Batmobile’s rapid acceleration system, the exhaust pipe sprayed strong sparks, the speed meter rose to the limit, and it sped towards the League of Assassins' coordinates.

Like and Reblog my post to motivate me!

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@chibiduck

[probablyasocialecologist]

Given the support that Roser enjoys from billionaire oligarchs at the pinnacle of the capitalist system, one wonders if it is a coincidence that so much of the data he headlines for public consumption happens to valorize that system. The chief narrative that OWID deploys is that progress is due to economic growth driven by profit-seeking private enterprise and breakneck industrial productivity. He has made this view explicit in his essays published on OWID’s website. No mention that poverty mostly has been alleviated by the power of the state regulating capital, redistributing wealth, and providing services, counter to a system of immense inequities. Roser never mentions the labor, civil rights, and anti-colonialist movements that have pressed for social welfare benefits, safety nets, legal protections and political liberation for the poor. In his superficial telling, “The history of economic growth is the history of how societies leave widespread poverty behind by finding ways to produce more of the goods and services that people need.” While in the vast piles of data at OWID you will find no mention of political movements that have bettered the human condition by challenging the supremacy of capital, you will also find nothing that reveals the complex realities of what happens when societies outside the vaunted system of economic growth are absorbed into it and made to conform to its rules.

[darkcollectorruins]

When asked which of his kids he had to be more aware about wreaking chaos, most people assumed Bruce Wayne would say Jason or maybe Damian. 

But the truth is, Bruce would say Tim without batting an eye. 

A bored Tim Drake was a danger on itself. He could hack the whole nation security system just to prove the government was doing a shit job at protecting data.

The last time he volunteered to design the architectural project for a Wayne Enterprises development, they ended up with a ziggurat in the middle of London, because “it was funny feeding the theories that they were illuminati” (how he even got the permit for that and the whole thing done within a year is still a mystery to Bruce).

That being said, a motivated Tim Drake is even worse. A motivated Tim Drake will follow a group of vigilantes around town, find out their identities and the next thing you know, he’s Robin. 

He will bankrupt an entire family company because the son thought it was funny to bully Damian. The new vigilante from JL who made a joke about the late Robin’s death? Got assigned the worst missions for years (he wanted to kick him out but Diana stopped him, also he’s not even in the JL how did he do that?). The nepo baby actress who harassed Dick at the latest gala? Career ruined. And the list goes on and on.

So, yeah, Tim can be trouble. 

[misfitwashere]

ROBERT REICH

FEB 7

Friends,

I wanted to make sure you saw this piece by Lina Khan, who until a few days ago was chair of the Federal Trade Commission. IMHO — as someone who was once an official of the FTC — Khan was one of the wisest and most courageous of its leaders. She wrote the following in the February 4 edition of The New York Times.

Stop Worshiping the American Tech Giants

By Lina M. Khan

When Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley and Wall Street with its powerful new A.I. model, Marc Andreessen, the Silicon Valley investor, went so far as to describe it as “A.I.’s Sputnik moment.” Presumably, Mr. Andreessen wasn’t calling on the federal government to start a massive new program like NASA, which was our response to the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite launch; he wants the U.S. government to flood private industry with capital, to ensure that America remains technologically and economically dominant.

As an antitrust enforcer, I see a different metaphor. DeepSeek is the canary in the coal mine. It’s warning us that when there isn’t enough competition, our tech industry grows vulnerable to its Chinese rivals, threatening U.S. geopolitical power in the 21st century.

Although it’s unclear precisely how much more efficient DeepSeek’s models are than, say, ChatGPT, its innovations are real and undermine a core argument that America’s dominant technology firms have been pushing — namely, that they are developing the best artificial intelligence technology the world has to offer, and that technological advances can be achieved only with enormous investment — in computing power, energy generation and cutting-edge chips. For years now, these companies have been arguing that the government must protect them from competition to ensure that America stays ahead.

But let’s not forget that America’s tech giants are awash in cash, computing power and data capacity. They are headquartered in the world’s strongest economy and enjoy the advantages conferred by the rule of law and a free enterprise system. And yet, despite all those advantages — as well as a U.S. government ban on the sales of cutting-edge chips and chip-making equipment to Chinese firms — America’s tech giants have seemingly been challenged on the cheap.

It should be no surprise that our big tech firms are at risk of being surpassed in A.I. innovation by foreign competitors. After companies like Google, Apple and Amazon helped transform the American economy in the 2000s, they maintained their dominance primarily through buying out rivals and building anticompetitive moats around their businesses.

Over the last decade, big tech chief executives have seemed more adept at reinventing themselves to suit the politics of the moment — resistance sympathizers, social justice warriors, MAGA enthusiasts — than on pioneering new pathbreaking innovations and breakthrough technologies.

There have been times when Washington has embraced the argument that certain businesses deserve to be treated as national champions and, as such, to become monopolies with the expectation that they will represent America’s national interests. Those times serve as a cautionary tale.

Boeing was one such star — the aircraft manufacturer’s reputation was so sterling that a former White House adviser during the Clinton administration referred to it as a “de facto national champion,” so important that “you can be an out-and-out advocate for it” in government. This superstar status was such that it likely helped Boeing gain the regulatory green light to absorb its remaining U.S. rival McDonnell Douglas. That 1997 merger played a significant role in damaging Boeing’s culture, leaving it plagued with a host of problems, including safety concerns.

On the other hand, the government’s decision to enforce antitrust laws against what is now AT&T Inc., IBM and Microsoft in the 1970s through the 1990s helped create the market conditions that gave rise to Silicon Valley’s dynamism and America’s subsequent technological lead. America’s bipartisan commitment to maintaining open and competitive markets from the 1930s to the 1980s — a commitment that many European countries and Japan did not share — was critical for generating the broad-based economic growth and technological edge that catapulted the United States to the top of the world order.

While monopolies may offer periodic advances, breakthrough innovations have historically come from disruptive outsiders, in part because huge behemoths rarely want to advance technologies that could displace or cannibalize their own businesses. Mired in red tape and bureaucratic inertia, those companies usually aren’t set up to deliver the seismic efficiencies that hungry start-ups can generate.

The recent history of artificial intelligence demonstrates this pattern. Google developed the groundbreaking Transformer architecture that underlies today’s A.I. revolution in 2017, but the technology was largely underutilized until researchers left to join or to found new companies. It took these independent firms, not the tech giant, to realize the technology’s transformative potential.

At the Federal Trade Commission, I argued that in the arena of artificial intelligence, developers should release enough information about their models to allow smaller players and upstarts to bring their ideas to market without being beholden to dominant firms’ pricing or access restrictions. Competition and openness, not centralization, drive innovation.

In the coming weeks and months, U.S. tech giants may renew their calls for the government to grant them special protections that close off markets and lock in their dominance. Indeed, top executives from these firms appear eager to curry favor and cut deals, which could include asking the federal government to pare back sensible efforts to require adequate testing of models before they are released to the public, or to look the other way when a dominant firm seeks to acquire an upstart competitor.

Enforcers and policymakers should be wary. During the first Trump and then the Biden administrations, antitrust enforcers brought major monopolization lawsuits against those same companies — making the case that by unlawfully buying up or excluding their rivals, these companies had undermined innovation and deprived America of the benefits that free and fair competition delivers. Reversing course would be a mistake. The best way for the United States to stay ahead globally is by promoting competition at home.

[dostoyevsky-official]

Musk associates given unfettered access to private data of government employees

Several of Elon Musk’s associates installed at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have received unprecedented access to federal human resources databases containing sensitive personal information for millions of federal employees. According to two members of OPM staff with direct knowledge, the Musk team running OPM has the ability to extract information from databases that store medical histories, personally identifiable information, workplace evaluations, and other private data. [...] The arrangement presents acute privacy and security risks, one of the OPM staffers said. [...] The civil servants who oversee the OPM’s information technology services were then instructed to provide access to Musk's associates, according to the OPM staffers who spoke to Musk Watch. One of the OPM staffers received an email from the agency’s new leadership instructing them to give Musk’s team “access [to] the system as an admin user" and "code read and write permissions." “They have access to the code itself, which means they can make updates to anything that they want,” the staffer explained. USAJOBS, the federal government’s official hiring site, was one of the systems that Musk's associates were given access to. The database stores personal information — Social Security numbers, home addresses, employment records — provided by private individuals who have applied for federal jobs, regardless of whether the applicants went on to work for the government. Musk’s aides were also given access to the OPM’s Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) system. Contained within the EHRI are the Social Security numbers, dates of birth, salaries, home addresses, and job descriptions of all civil government workers, along with any disciplinary actions they have faced. “They’re looking through all the position descriptions… to remove folks,” one of the OPM staffers said of Musk’s team. “This is how they found all these DEI offices and had them removed — [by] reviewing position description level data.” Other databases Musk’s team has access to include USA Staffing, an onboarding system; USA Performance, a job performance review site; and HI, which the government uses to manage employee health care. “The health insurance one scares me because it's HIPAA [protected] information, but they have access to all this stuff,” the OPM staffer noted.

[jellyfishsthings]

The Gala of Rivals

Warnings: my terrible writing and semblance of a plot, Dick doesn't appear in this part... um I don't know what else to say here...

She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of her tailored navy blue dress. She allowed herself a fleeting thought of inadequacy but brushed it aside. A quick glance towards her laptop made her heart race—running the code in her mind was what calmed her. But tonight was different. Tonight was about legacy and rivalry, about her mother’s past and her own future. Tonight was the gala held at Wayne Enterprises, featuring a host of the wealthiest and most influential people on the planet. She was not just another guest; tonight, she would be magnetic, the future of her mother’s enterprise, Hart Technologies.

Her mother, Louise Hart, had built her company from the rubble of a financial crisis, establishing it as a formidable competitor against Wayne Enterprises. The two women had spent countless nights fighting over algorithms and marketing strategies, pushing each other to their limits. Louise's firm hand in the boardroom had transformed her into a business titan, but under that iron exterior lay vulnerability; she had sacrificed everything for their success, including the chance to show affection toward her only daughter.

“Are you ready,Snoopy?” her mother’s voice called with a mixture of excitement and possessiveness, drawing her from her thoughts.

“Almost!” She responded, taking a deep breath. The gala was not only crucial for her mother's business but also an opportunity for her to vie for a prestigious scholarship at one of the world’s leading universities—a chance to prove her worth beyond her mother’s resources. The scholarship would not alleviate financial stress but would instead be a testament to her independence.

As they descended the grand staircase of the Gotham City Museum, the echo of their heels interspersed with the excited murmur of the crowd made her heart race. She felt the weight of expectation pressing down on her. Louise’s eyes sparkled like diamonds as they entered the shimmering hall, decorated in the finest silks and illuminated by ornate chandeliers. High society never ceased to astonish her, but she felt out of place, yearning for the presence of code and data, not the intricacies of social pleasantries.

Amidst the swirling gowns and tailored suits, she caught a glimpse of him. Bruce Wayne stood conversing with a group near the entrance, his demeanor exuding charm and confidence. The air in the room shifted as his laugh reverberated through the space; Louise, however, stiffened like a coiled spring.

“Mom, do you know him?” She asked, suddenly feeling a dark cloud settling over them.

“Trust me, Snoopy. He’s a man you should steer clear of,” Louise muttered, her eyes narrowed, revealing years of fell grudges. The rivalry was palpable, their gazes linked like a taut string ready to snap.

Before she knew it, Bruce sauntered over with an easy smile, eyes glinting with the mischief of old rivalries. “Louise Hart, the fortress of tech invincibility. I must say, it’s quite impressive.” His voice was smooth, almost disarming, but she sensed the undercurrent of encroaching tension.

“A compliment from Bruce Wayne? What a fascinating world we live in,” Louise replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she slid an arm protectively around her shoulders.

“Is this your daughter?” Bruce inquired, his gaze sweeping over her, a hint of curiosity in his dark eyes.

“Yes, this is ...,” Louise said, the word ‘my’ lingering in the air like a claim. “She’s applying for scholarships.”

“Interesting, she follows in your footsteps,” Bruce said, the words cheerful yet condescending.

She stepped forward, her heart racing. “Actually, I’m carving my own path,” she explained, surprising even herself with her outspokenness. “I want to earn my place rather than rely on my mother’s success.”

"Such noble sentiments," Bruce replied, his eyebrow arched in bemusement. "But shouldn’t one cherish the hard work of their predecessor?”

“Cherish? Is that what you call it? Relying on the shadow of someone else’s past? I want to stand on my own merit,” she shot back, her pulse quickening.

The air suddenly felt thick. Bruce’s brows furrowed in contemplation, but the tension between Louise and Bruce was tangible, crackling like static electricity. The familiar narrative of rivalry slipped through the strands of their interaction—a rekindled flame of old grievances.

“After all, it’s a small world, isn’t it, Bruce?” Louise’s voice was ice. History loomed between them, unspoken words that echoed louder than the gala music. “Competition breeds excellence.”

She could feel their shared history throbbing like an open wound, centuries of pride and pain captured in stolen glances.

"You wouldn't have to worry if you had known how to compete more fairly. Maybe then you wouldn't have needed to build your success on an explosion of opportunism," Bruce countered, the challenge igniting their familiar animosity.

Her breath hitched. Beneath Bruce Wayne’s calm exterior lay the tempest of their past, but she sensed something more—the miscommunication, the judgement that had sealed what bond they didn’t know they could have.

Louise's eyes blazed, while Bruce, unaware of her’s true identity, only rooted himself deeper in the embers of rivalry. But beneath the bluster, a deeper truth lingered, one that wounded her as it danced just out of reach.

He had abandoned Louise all those years ago after that fleeting encounter, leaving a background of despair and a secret that had twisted itself into twisted pride within their hearts.

And now here they stood, on the precipice of knowledge and ignorance, unaware of the child who represented the blend of two legacies. The very offspring of her mother’s choice to nurture ambition, but also the product of his unwillingness to confront the painful truths of his past.

Bruce's smile faded, awareness creeping into his eyes as he detected the vibration of unresolved history thicker than air. But before he could make the connection, Louise intervened once more, her voice filled with determination, “Enough of this petty bickering. We have both carved our ways. Let’s hope our legacies serve the world better than our pride.”

And just like that, the moment shrouded in tension slipped away, propelling her into the realm of anonymity once more, a third party to their entanglement.

As the night wore on, the trio separated; Louise was whisked away to discuss business ventures, while Bruce mingled elsewhere, a shadow lingering in his heart. She was left with questions—about her concepts, her dreams, and the complex lives their choices had intertwined.

Against the backdrop of the gala, amidst the glitz and glamour, the quiet truth remained tangled in their thoughts. A daughter stood waiting, yearning for recognition, for a legacy unwritten.

But in the silence, a thicker fog settled over the past—one that might never unveil the truth that could have altered their destinies. For tonight, at least, pride and ambition forged a barrier, leaving her to ponder the twin legacies, the stories that might never be told.

[feroluce]

I have been informed by a mutual aid that you are a henghill enjoyer. You've single-handedly gotten me to care about Gepard and I would love to hear your thoughts on Cowborg Menace x Dragon That Can't Catch a Break

Aaaaaaaa I'm really flattered!! I have also been informed by a mutual aid that you have good taste (read: rvb enjoyer) and I need you to know that part of the reason I treat Gepard the way I do, like messing with him constantly, is because he makes me think of Wash. Poor dude was doomed the moment I got my grubby little mitts on him sksjkskdjd

But anyway yes, henghill! They really got me by the throat out of nowhere in 2.2. They're just. Surprisingly sweet?

The two of them get along very well, they see eye to eye on a lot of matters and have some similar mannerisms, they can hold long conversations together, and they have a shockingly swift understanding of the other in a very small amount of time! Platonically or romantically, there's a lot to dig into there. ♡

And I do mean a lot this basically ended up becoming a big long ship manifesto I'm so sorry zmjzznkdjd

Like first of all they're both fucking nerds over each other. Boothill's adoration for the Xianzhou alliance is already well-documented in his About Dan Heng voice line, and is appropriately pointed out in the fandom as sounding gay as all hell.

We know what you are, Boothill.

But then! He further cements it by trying to use Xianzhou sayings in front of Dan Heng haha

Not only that, but Boothill was able to recognize the Jade Abacus of Allying Oath for what it was like immediately, and instantly took it as proof of Dan Heng's identity as a Nameless. The validation of the Xianzhou is clearly a huge deal to him.

And Dan Heng plays it cool but like. I don't think he's actually much better JFKLASJDKL

The in-game Data Bank, which is supposed to be written and maintained by Dan Heng himself, has a pretty positive glowing review of the Galaxy Rangers.

And I feel the need to point out that like. The Galaxy Rangers are essentially a vigilante justice group..."group" being a pretty loose term, there isn't a whole lot of organization in there. Not everyone has a very good view of them because they're outlaws and there's a pretty wide and wild variety of individuals in the mix there, Boothill even confirms it as such.

And that archive entry is a hilariously stark contrast to the one for the Masked Fools, who Dan Heng does NOT seem to respect. So you can tell he puts a lot of his own opinion into the data and you can really see where his preferences lie KFDLAJFKLD

He does let his fanboy slip when Boothill first announces himself as a Galaxy Ranger though, just a little bit haha:

They're like the equivalent of when your favorite big name fandom person follows you back, you feel me fjkdjasflkdjskal

Which. I feel like it does make sense that he would really idolize the Galaxy Rangers and see them as heroes. Dan Heng is someone who was a victim of centuries of wrongful imprisonment and political power plays, and it would have been way worse had Jing Yuan not gone above the preceptors to protect him. He is someone that the system failed, and horrifically so. Of course he would like the idea of righteous heroes who stand for justice and travel the cosmos freely to help people.

And as @hydrachea, CEO of Dan Heng Enterprises and Super Genius with Giant Wrinkly Brain pointed out, this background DOES lay the foundation for Dan Heng to relate to Boothill a lot. You see this displayed beautifully in his Keeping Up With Star Rail video, where Dan Heng gets really protective of him, I adored it so so much. ♡

In it, Dan Heng not only comments that he originally came because he thought he was giving a presentation on how to be friendly with Boothill, but every time the IPC tries to paint him as some violent dangerous ruthless criminal, Dan Heng speaks up to explain his way of thinking and to defend him. It was really sweet!

And Dan Heng is protective of people anyway. He serves as the Guard of the Astral Express for a reason. He had nothing and no one before Himeko took him in, and now that he's found companions to love he is viciously defensive of them. You see it in the way he guards March 7th during fights on Jarilo-IV, in how he goes out of his way to bring important info to the trailblazer, in how he left the safety of the Express and infiltrated the Luofu because he was terrified he was going to lose them. But there's maybe a little extra layer of Understanding in the way he so persistently speaks up in Boothill's defense.

And I'm sure that this is a part of him that Boothill really admires, too, because Dan Heng also displays these instincts in Penacony. He makes the decision not just once, but twice, to use the Jade Abacus to save the Express Crew. And we know from Boothill's earlier reaction to it that like. The Jade Abacus is a Big Fuckin' Deal. It is something of immense value. Even with everything that's at stake, Boothill urges him to really make sure he wants to use it.

And this was something that really got me in the heart later, because! In Ena's Dream, Dan Heng once again decides to use the Jade Abacus, and. I'm not quite sure I can effectively put it in words, but there is something just so so sweet in the way that Boothill tells him no, Dan Heng should keep it. This is a get out of jail free card that could save his life down the line, he wants him to have it in case he finds himself in danger again later.

It really gives the feeling that Boothill actually wanted Dan Heng to not have to rely on this before, but there was no other way at the time. But now there IS something Boothill can do about it, and he wants to do something about it. A sorta-kinda "let me protect you this time"-ish feeling. If that makes any sense. He doesn't want Dan Heng to have to make that sacrifice.

Because I think Boothill would consider that a really admirable and respectable action, especially given his background. The IPC eradicated his homeplanet. He lost his parents, his siblings, his daughter, his home all in one fell swoop, and he has been on a fully dedicated revenge quest ever since. How could he not be a little awed by someone willing to give so much to protect his home and his family?

I think it's something the two of them understand in each other, because as it shows in the dialogue the first time Dan Heng decided to use the Jade Abacus, Boothill caught on immediately. He already knew what Dan Heng was planning before he even said so. And it's not even the first time he does that! Even as early as their initial entrance into the Reverie, Boothill is able to tell when Dan Heng is stressed, why he's stressed, and he backs off and gives him space without any fuss.

And it works! After the Express Crew are safe, they go from Dan Heng correcting him to more just kind of going with Boothill's flow, and I feel like this is a much better basis for their interactions.

Also I'm crying about Dan Heng blabbing that the trailblazer is a vessel of a Stellaron, gossipy little dragon fjdkasjfdklsaj

Like the two of them just GET each other! And so quickly and easily! It's ridiculous! Dan Heng is able to explain the methods behind Boothill's madness. Boothill is able to read Dan Heng like a book. They both had the same reaction to learning Acheron was a Self-Annihilator. They both really believe it's just fine and normal to have a weapon out if you don't trust someone yet- Boothill pulled his gun on Acheron the second he saw her, Dan Heng got his spear out and poked Sampo the first time he met him (valid). And they both act Like That because they're similar flavors of wary and cautious. They had to prove their identities to each other when they first met before either of them could relax.

They're both frank, and blunt, and will openly call shit out or question it when they see fit. They both believe in answering the call to action, and share a lot of their ideologies of The Hunt, like upholding justice and saving the innocent and protecting the weak. Boothill lives to fuck over the IPC and keep them from colonizing more planets like his, Dan Heng didn't even consider his own wants and asked to go to Edo Star to help the population there. They take their creeds seriously, and dedicate themselves to them, enough to be offended by imposters. Dan Heng dislikes Boothill claiming to be a Nameless, Boothill was literally hunting down Acheron for parading around as a Galaxy Ranger.

And all throughout 2.2, Boothill displays an immense knowledge of Paths and Aeons and even Emanators, and Dan Heng is a huge nerd an archiver and a collector of knowledge. The conversations these two could have!! They've both been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things, and I think Dan Heng especially would love listening to Boothill's stories and then adding them to the data bank. They can probably relate on rough travel, too- Boothill refers to the Astral Express as "bunkin' in luxury" and Pom-Pom once said Dan Heng was "used to sleeping on the rope." When March 7th takes the trailblazer to look for Dan Heng, she even phrases this as though he and Boothill have been talking together for quite a while!

Hell, even when they awaken in Ena's Dream, they arrive together:

They were together for almost the entirety of 2.2; literally the very first scene of it was their introduction. They only truly separated when Dan Heng went to help in the fight with The Great Septimus and Boothill to gather the Rangers (and then go shoot Aventurine full of holes fjkdlsajd) but! I'm really hoping we'll get to see more of them together in 2.3! They were a really cool duo, and it was so fun to watch them all through this update, I really want to see more of them now and explore their relationship dynamic more! ♡

[uzumaki-rebellion]

"Makeda was queen, beautiful and powerful

Solomon dreamed of her black skin

I sing to revive the memories

To dig up the knowledge

That the spiral of time erases"

Les Nubians – "Makeda"

Celeste spritzed perfume all over her body after drying off from her bath. She slipped into some sexy red satin panties and matching bra and checked to make sure her toenail polish hadn't chipped. The first night of her new enterprise had to go off perfectly. She'd studied enough Reddit posts and Discord chats to know that posting online kink and fetish content depended on keying into details that would entice people to sign up for her private page.

She had pretty feet and wanted to capitalize on it.

Dividing her locs into two giant loose ponytails, she glued a black Mardi Gras mask to her face, using eyelash glue. She didn't plan on filming her face at all, but wanted to protect her identity in case her camera shifted angles by accident.

Placing a long black dildo on the hardwood floor of her living room, Celeste greased it down with lube until it was slick and shiny. The suction on the bottom of the testicles braced it in place. She positioned herself on soft pillows to cushion her back and butt, and rested her feet against the sides of the dildo. Her laptop set up next to her arm allowed her to view her image from the camera while using a wireless camera remote to alter the angle of the lens.

"Okay, take one," she uttered.

Stroking the dildo with her toes, she pretended to moan in pleasure.

"Hey Daddy…your dick is so big. My pretty little feet can barely cover all this…"

From the laptop, her feet look lovely with the scarlet polish accentuating the warm red undertones of her rich brown hue. Up and down, she dragged her feet and displayed her toes by wiggling them. It all seemed rather clinical with the motions until she imagined the dildo being Terry's dick. The coloring was darker than what he was, but her dirty talk kicked into high gear by pretending her feet touched that man's body.

She didn't even have to talk. Her moans came out naturally. Biting her lower lip, she traced her big toe along the top of the fake dick and thought of Terry's pre-cum dripping out from his slit. A big man like him had to have the goods down below. It would've been cruel of God to bless a man with face and body, then deny him big wood.

Sweat trickled down Celeste's forehead and accumulated on her chest, too. Her under-sized push-up bra struggled to hold her breasts up and keep them separated. The camera only recorded her lower half. She pulled the crotch of her panties aside, allowing her hairless vulva to be recorded. She suffered for four days after getting waxed. Her research gathering provided her with data that showed her a lot of male viewers liked smooth coochie. After all the swelling and irritation went down, she had to admit she liked the look, too. Whatever got her paid the most was the plan.

The elastic on the panties pulled one side of her labia open and she gasped at how she glistened on-screen. Lord! To have that man's big juicy lips on her pussy with those green eyes staring at her! She rubbed her feet on the dildo and rubbed her fingers across her clit and came so hard that her legs shot up in the air.

Celeste pressed the handheld to stop the camera from recording. Her panting flooded her ears with desperate arousal. She hadn't been with Freddie for months, and masturbation hadn't occurred for a few weeks.

Sitting up, she fixed her panties and played back her recording. With the ring lights making her skin color pop, the images looked professional. She opted not to add soft background music because her gradual arousal and orgasm gave the only necessary soundtrack.

Shit…her pussy looked good! Plus, she finally had the chance to see her own body go through a release. It actually excited her to watch herself orgasm. Her toes looked like lush red berries, perfect for sucking on. Celeste took a screenshot of her feet and uploaded it to her home page. She didn't need to edit the fifteen minute clip, so she uploaded it for her first content creation. She named herself the Bayou Belle, with an avatar close-up of her carnival mask. Her gold nose ring gave her half-hidden face a glamorous allure.

Taking a deep breath, she published the foot fetish cross-tagged pulsing pussy video. She jumped up and fixed herself a glass of coke with ice in her kitchen. Glancing at her refrigerator, she looked at the four pictures of fancy historic plantation-styled homes she kept there. She wanted to purchase one in the future and retire as a Creole southern belle, giving sweet tea and gumbo parties, reclaiming what her people slaved over. Picturesque weeping willows and plenty of cultivated acres heightened her fantasies of a sedentary, rich life out on a decent plot of land. She jumped in the shower to wash off the sweat and wasted wetness between her legs. Wrapping a fluffy peach bathrobe around herself, she returned to her living room where she heard several chirps of her webpage notifications.

"Oh, hell yeah!"

She'd racked up thirty paid views already. At five dollars a pop, she already made one hundred and seventy-five dollars. She wondered if she charged too much with her current price point. It wouldn't hurt to wait a week to see how much she could make by then.

Her stomach grumbled, not satisfied with the ramen noodles she micro waved earlier. Sighing, she dragged herself back into the kitchen to look inside her near-empty fridge again. Her smartphone alerted her to a call, and she slammed the fridge door shut and ambled over to her coffee table.

Terry's number vibrated in her hand with a jangly bell ringtone. She gulped down air and answered after the eighth ring.

"Terry?"

"Hey, Celeste. Is this a bad time to call?"

"No."

"I know it's short notice, but I was going to get some food…I wondered if you'd like to join me? I know I said Monday night, but I'd really like to see you again much sooner."

"Where are you going to eat?"

"Durand's."

"Durand's? That's pretty fancy."

She glanced at the wall clock hanging near her front door. Durand's stayed open until nine-thirty at night and it was already seven. The place would have a packed crowd. It was one of the newest popular restaurants to open up in the Quarter.

"I can pick you up or we can meet there if that's more comfortable for you."

Parking would be a nightmare if she drove. And she wasn't ready for him to know where she lived.

"I can meet you there," she said.

"Great. I have reservations for seven-thirty. Just ask for my last name, Richmond."

"Cool, see you soon."

She hung up and squealed. Then darted into her bedroom, looking for a dress to knock his eyes out. She flung a few choices onto her bed. Durand's dress code was upwardly mobile, business casual. She'd eaten in one of the large open dining rooms for a birthday party earlier that year and the patrons gussied up more than that. Going for a short black cocktail dress with a belted A-line became the outfit of choice for the evening. It suggested casual dining, but sultry enough to signal something more if needed. She shimmied out of her robe and threw on a black lace thong and matching bralette. Rubbing a light unscented skin lotion all over, she pulled on the dress and slipped into some short black heels. After summoning her Lyft, she took a moment to coat her fleshy, Cupid-bow lips with a berry-colored gloss in the bathroom mirror and traced her pinky finger under her lip-line to wipe away the excess.

She lined her eyes next with the blackest charcoal eyeliner shade she had creating winged lines giving herself cat eyes. With a little gold eye shadow and light powdering, her skin looked fabulous. Her Lyft would arrive in seven more minutes. Puckering her lips, she checked the entire presentation. Divine. The final touch was fluffing her locs out and spraying them with a lemon hair tea. She adorned the top of her hair with little gold loc cuffs and stuck four gold-hoop accessories on each front loc for a little razzle dazzle.

She grabbed her purse and locked her front door just as a dark green Acura pulled up with her driver. From the backseat, she texted Terry that she was on her way, and he responded quickly that he was waiting for her. The thrill of seeing him again bubbled out of her while she played with her hair.

Durand's had a line out the door when she hopped out of her Lyft. She waltzed up to the reservation podium and gave Terry's name to the hostess. A flirty server complimented her hair and dress and led her past the main dining room and up a flight of stairs. They walked past several packed tables to a private dining area separated by a mauve curtain. The server lifted the curtain back and Celeste stepped inside. Terry stood to greet her.

She was wise to wear the dress that she did because Terry looked scrumptious. His muscle-fit onyx dress-shirt had rolled sleeves, revealing a deep burgundy inner-lining. He sported stylish black dress slacks with pressed creases. The dress shoes that rounded out his ensemble were expensive, and so was the gold watch on his right wrist.

"You look amazing," he said.

He kissed her cheek, surprising her with how natural it felt for him to do that. His lips were warm on her skin and their fullness made her giddy. Their table set-up was booth seating, and he stepped aside to let her scoot in at a candle-lit table set for two.

"Would you like this closed?" the server asked.

"What would you prefer, Celeste?" he asked.

From their view, she could see parts of the downstairs and a little of the outside street action. She knew New Orleans backward and forward. She was there to be with him. Fuck the view.

"Closed," she said.

The server closed them into their private dining room and Celeste couldn't take her eyes off of Terry. Their booth had curved seating, so she sat right next to him with shoulders brushing against each other. Being side by side prevented any type of barrier.

"I hope I didn't throw you off asking to be with you so soon," he said.

"Actually, I'm really glad you called me. I was tempted to ask you to go out tonight myself. But you left Miss Irma's room before I had a chance to catch you."

"I see we're on the same wavelength…wanting to see each other before tomorrow."

Up close, his lashes looked even thicker and his emerald eyes pulled her into the aura of power he exuded.

"You know, coming back to New Orleans made me forget how crazy it can get during this season," he said.

"You've been here before?"

"When I was younger. My family made annual trips here for business. It's why I brought Mémé here. She loved the city as a young girl and I want her to spend her final years in her favorite parish."

"Why don't you live here with her?"

Celeste fingered the stem of her water glass and traced condensation lines on the side. Terry handed her the extensive dinner menu, and she opened it, keeping her gaze on his face.

"New Orleans isn't my favorite place. Unlike Mémé, my experiences here weren't always fun. Trouble had a way of finding me."

"What kind of trouble? Should I be worried about being seen with you?"

She tried to sound jokey, but his demeanor stayed serious.

"That was a long time ago. Being young…buckwild. I used to have some run-ins with a few dudes who didn't like me being around these parts. Last time I was here…I was told if I ever showed my face again, I would regret it. Things are different since I've been away doing other stuff. Joining the marines was a way to keep myself in line and away from the wrong crowd of people. Now that I'm out, I have to figure out my next move. Caring for Mémé comes first, though. I chose your facility because it had a great reputation and she's thriving there. Better than the last place I had to place her in."

"Miss Irma is very special. Everyone at work adores her."

"I'm glad that she has someone like you tending to her. She told me about you, how much she enjoys your company."

"When was this?"

"Right after I transferred her last year. She said you're everything she loves about New Orleans. Your accent. Your southern hospitality."

"That's so sweet. She perked right up today during your visit. I felt bad for a minute because she seemed a bit down after breakfast. She's normally in good spirits."

"She told me you hum and sing while tidying up her room and it makes her happy. I once heard you singing while you were working the last time I visited."

"I don't remember seeing you around."

"I had some time off and drove down to see her for a couple of days and I heard your voice outside in the garden. You sang a gospel song about changing yourself."

Celeste grinned.

"Oh, I was probably singing Tamela Mann's 'Change Me'. The older people like the church songs. It calms them and I like the message of hope it brings me on my bad days."

"I loved the heartfelt way you sang it. Your tone was so soothing. It reminded me of my wife…late wife."

Celeste gawked at him. He closed his eyes, as if he didn't mean to share that. She glanced at his bare ring finger, thinking she'd missed something.

"You're a widow. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We were young when we got married. She died of cancer before I went into the service. It's the reason I enlisted. To get away from the loss."

"You have any children?"

His gaze drifted toward the candle on the table.

"No children. But we had a good life while it lasted. She passed away peacefully. I was by her side."

Celeste shifted uncomfortably in her seat. He returned his focus back on her.

"How have you been doing since then?" she asked

"I'm good. Made peace with it. That was a lifetime ago and now I'm comfortable in the world again. Traveling more. Please don't look so sad. I promise you, Celeste, it doesn't hurt me to talk about it."

"I'm glad for you."

"The parasol you made for Mémé's birthday at Christmas was a nice gesture," he said, changing the subject. "I got to see it today. You're really skilled. Just like you are at dancing and singing."

"I do okay."

"Don't be modest. You stood out to me at the bar. The moment you walked in, I thought, 'There goes a queen gracing us with her presence'."

Celeste grinned and stared at her hands. His penetrating gaze would make her combust at the table if she kept looking at him directly. With candlelight, his eyes appeared to glow, and she wanted to have some decorum during a meal with him.

"You made my entire night, Celeste. I couldn't stop thinking about you and I'm glad that fate saw fit to have us run into each other two more times. It's been a long time since I've gone out with anyone like this. Never found anyone who piqued my curiosity until you showed up. It took a lot of nerve for me to even pick up my phone and call. Didn't want to come off desperate, y'know? Should we check out the menu and decide what to eat?"

"Sure."

"Would you like to order a drink first?"

"Some wine would be nice."

"Red or white?"

"Red."

He summoned their server and ordered their best Bordeaux and a plate of gougères. Celeste's mouth watered thinking of eating hot, fresh cheese puffs with the wine. Bread would help settle her nerves at being with him. She leaned over slightly, pretending to turn the page on the menu just so she could sniff his cologne. He smelled like cloves and myrrh. Smoky and earthy. A mature scent, nothing like the overbearing fragrances Freddie or her male cousins doused themselves in to impress women.

Terry went through the three-page dinner menu and sighed.

"I think I'll try their seared scallops with balsamic bacon jam and a smoked tomato salad," he said.

"That sounds good. I'll have that too."

Once their server brought their wine bottle and cheese puffs, Terry ordered their dinner meal and Celeste didn't stay shy about snacking down on the bread. Terry poured their wine and handed her a full glass.

"Here's to us getting to know each other," he said.

She clinked her glass with his and drank heartily. He sipped and eyed her.

"You have to try this. It's only good if you eat it right away," she encouraged, holding up a cheese puff.

She broke it apart, and he wrapped his lips around her fingers and seized the bread with his tongue. Celeste kept her fingers up in front of his mouth, too stunned to pull them back as he chewed and swallowed her offering. He licked his tongue across his lips to catch any crumbs he missed.

"They are delicious. Light and fluffy," he said.

Celeste ate the other half and watched him pick up another puff from its silver platter. He pulled it apart gently and held it out for her. She opened her mouth and placed it over the bread, her lips grazing his fingers.

"I'll get too stuffed eating these," she said with a fluttery voice, looking away quickly in case he noticed how flustered she became.

She gulped down more wine and the alcohol finally warmed up her blood. Her attraction to him came on strong like an addiction and the compulsion to break apart more bread to hold up to his lips forced her to shove her hands in her lap to contain her obvious desire.

"Am I making you nervous?" he asked.

She exhaled and put her hands on the table.

"Yes."

"Why?"

She took another long drink from her glass of wine until it was empty. She thrummed the fingers of her right hand on the table. He placed his palm over it, stopping the motion.

"Tell me why I make you nervous. I don't want you to feel that way around me."

The bass in his voice aroused her, and she didn't see how she would get through a meal if she couldn't listen to him, or even look at him and without feeling dizzy. She wanted to be clearheaded and poised, a true Creole belle. But she couldn't help what she was feeling either.

"It's been a long time since I've been out with someone who treated me to a nice dinner. I work a lot…and I recently broke up with someone and it's been tough."

"Sorry to hear that. Was it a long-term relationship?"

"Not as long as I wanted at first. Then it dragged for a bit. I was ready to go, but he dropped me…and told everybody before I was ready. When I tell you I was ready to kick his ass up and down Rampart…"

Terry laughed, and the sound of his deep voice made all the nervousness dissipate. His eyes became tight with the wide smile he gave her, and his teeth looked extra white, the two canine teeth in the front drawing her attention to how perfect his lips were. She spilled all her tea to him and by the time their main course arrived, they were canoodling like two long-time friends breaking bread.

They ate, talked about her family and the tribe, drank more wine, gossiped about pop culture trends, discussed Miss Irma's travel photography career, and ninety minutes later, they shared a dessert of chocolate bread pudding. She noticed he didn't eat the oysters Rockefeller, or the scallops. His salad remained untouched. Meanwhile, every damn morsel of food on her plates went down her gullet.

"You didn't like the food?" she asked.

He glanced at his untouched meal.

"I'll take it back to the B&B and heat it up later. I've enjoyed talking to you and that filled me up just right."

He lifted the dessert spoon and offered her the bread pudding. She ate from it and held up a hand.

"I can't stuff anything else down."

Their server packed up Terry's meal in a to-go bag.

"Do you need to head back home right away? I thought we could walk down the riverfront together. Enjoy the evening air?" he said.

She wiped her mouth with a black linen napkin and nodded her head.

"Let me go use the restroom and then we can go," she said.

She scooted out of the booth and looked for the public restroom on their floor. There wasn't one, and she had to go back downstairs.

"I'll meet you out front," she said, reaching for her purse as he paid cash for their meal. He had a folded stack of hundred-dollar bills, and Celeste looked away. She didn't want him to think she was counting his pockets.

She relieved herself, washed her hands, and refreshed her make-up. Tossing a breath mint into her mouth, she pulled out her smartphone to leave a text for her girlfriends.

"Guess who I'm out to dinner with at Durand's?" she typed.

Outside the restroom, she spotted Terry waiting for her by the entrance. He stared outside the restaurant window. She turned around and held her phone up high to snap a picture of herself with Terry in the background. She tapped send and the urge to smoke came at her hard, but she didn't want smoker's breath. Taking a long look at him gave her the tingles all over. How was she blessed to snag a man like that so easily? Several exiting diners did double-takes to look at him.

She sauntered over and bumped her shoulder into Terry's, getting his attention. He held out his hand and Celeste threaded her fingers with his.

They headed toward the Riverfront Walk and looked at the Crescent City lights on the Connection Bridge that dazzled like Christmas across the Mississippi River. Celeste clung to his hand and listened to him talk about his career as a marine, and his new existence as a civilian. He'd invested money in a restaurant and spent more time working on himself spiritually. All he seemed to want was peace in his life. Unfortunately, his cousin's death created new strife. The cremated remains were kept in an urn back in his B&B because he wasn't ready to let Mike go until Miss Irma could say goodbye properly at a burial with him.

Terry's life sounded as lonely as hers at the moment. Sure, she had plenty of friends and family around, but the yearning for companionship gnawed at her. They talked and walked, walked and talked, meandering away from the river and into the heart of the city. Eventually, her eyes grew wide with surprise. They had ambled their way to her cottage.

Startled, she stopped in front of her home and placed both hands on her hips.

"What is it?" he asked.

Before she could catch herself, she blurted out, "This is my house."

He chuckled and pulled out his cell phone. Tapping his screen, he held it up in front of her.

"My B&B is only three blocks from here," he said.

"That's crazy," she said, recognizing the name of the bed-and-breakfast he described at dinner.

He smiled and separated himself away from her.

"It appears I have chaperoned you back to your humble abode. I bid you adieu, my lady," he said, bowing low.

"Stop it," she said, poking at his arm.

His gaze met hers before he completely raised up, and something about his eyes looked older than his thirty years. Ancient. The youthful structure of his facial features didn't match his eyes in the night. That bothered her. He drew up to his full height, and she climbed the first two steps of her porch. She was five foot eight in height, but wanted to be close to his eye level.

"I had a great time with you, Celeste. Thank you for going out with me."

The timbre of his voice in the dark with just a touch of moonlight above them made her insides swoon.

She didn't want the night to end.

"I don't think I've talked or laughed so much over a meal with anyone in my life," she said. "It felt good to share things walking with you…and learning about you, too"

"Your life is more exciting than mine."

"On Tuesday, I will bring you all the excitement you can handle for the rest of your life," she teased.

His eyes narrowed, and she watched his eyelashes nearly touch like dark butterfly wings. He parted his lips to speak, and she took that moment to kiss him firmly on the mouth, snatching the bit of courage she mustered up to know what his lips felt like sliding against hers. She sank into the delightful softness, relishing how pliant his lips became. He snaked a hand around her waist and pulled her against him. The heat from his body seeped through her dress. He hesitated to move his tongue until she opened her lips and sucked on it. Permission granted, he delved inside her mouth and left no corner unexplored. She moved her neck to mirror his angling as they each sought the best way to kiss even more passionately.

Shooting stars and exploding nebulas went off in her brain while tasting his mouth and lips. He let her lead the unhurried, yet feverish exchange of lip-smacking kisses, but she sensed a dominating forcefulness waiting in the wings to take over.

Decorum.

Celeste pulled her wanton mouth away from his and listened to the pants that circled between their lips. She rested her forehead against his.

"I should let you go," she huffed.

"If you must."

"I could…I could make us some tea…we could have a little tea party nightcap. I also have some chicory coffee."

Terry touched one of her hooped hair accessories and smooched her forehead. He sniffed the lemon hair tea she spritzed on her locs, and nudged his nose against the side of her neck, inhaling her unscented skin. He gently kissed her clavicle, and she clasped his hand.

They stared at one another, her eyes drinking in his visceral beauty. Her breath shuddered, looking deep into the unnatural reflective shine in his eyes. Like a cat being caught in car headlights, they glowed. He never blinked.

"Are you inviting me inside your home?" he said.

She nodded and he cradled her face, the warmth in his hand burrowing deep to the bone, weakening her. He kept his sonorous voice measured, the vibrations of his words cloyingly faraway and near at the same time.

"I need explicit consent to come inside your home…you…"

"You can come inside," she said.

His lips smothered her mouth. She caressed the back of his neck, dragging her nails gently across the nape. Terry lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. His large hands went under her dress and palmed her ass cheeks, holding her up easily. She didn't remember putting a key into her door lock, but they kept kissing and tilting their heads left and right as he pushed it open.

Chapter 6 HERE.

Masterlist

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[anonymousewrites]

Logos and Pathos (Book 4) Chapter Five

TOS! Spock x Empath! Spouse! Reader

Chapter Five: Voyaging Machine

Summary: (Y/N), Spock, Kirk, Bones, and Decker meet V'Ger.

            Standing atop the Enterprise, Kirk, (Y/N), Spock, Bones, Decker, and the probe stared out at the blue-lit vessel of V’Ger. The building itself loomed before them. The probe stepped forward, and the “carbon-based units” followed it. The ground was made of strange, hexagonal stones, and everyone kept their eyes on the ground carefully. Spock remained beside (Y/N) to keep a protective eye on them.

            Gradually, the stones led them up to the platform of V’Ger. They smoothed into a proper floor. The landing party had arrived. V’Ger stood before them, locked into the larger machine by giant, protected coils of tech. However, V’Ger themself was old. The metal was warped, the colors faded, and the satellite features bent.

            “V’Ger.” V’Ger pointed at themself through Ilia. They walked down into the basin of the vessel.

            The landing party exchanged glances before following them down. Kirk approached a plate of metal and gazed at the burnt letters printed on it.

            “V-G-E-R,” said Kirk. “V’Ger.” He furrowed his brow and scrubbed at the scorch marks between the letters. “V-O-Y-A-G-E-R. Voyager! Voyager VI.”

            “NASA,” said Decker, noticing the smaller letters below the name of the machine. “This was launched more than three hundred years ago.”

            “The Voyager series was designed to collect data and transmit it back to Earth,” said Kirk.

            “And here it is,” said (Y/N). “Still doing the job.”

            Voyager glowed a warm orange, and the landing party paused.

            “Captain, Voyager-16 disappeared into what they used to call a black hole,” said Decker.

            “It must have emerged on the far side of the galaxy and fell into the machine planet’s gravitational field,” said Kirk.

            “The machine inhabitants found it to be one of their kind,” said Spock. “Primitive, yet kindred. They discovered its simple, twentieth-century programming. ‘Collect all data possible.’ ”

            Behind the discussion, Decker and Ilia kept gazing at one another. (Y/N) glanced at them as they felt warm emotions float through the air.

            Hm.

            “ ‘Learn all that is learnable,’ ” said Kirk, nodding.

            “And return that information to the Creator,” said (Y/N).

            “Precisely,” said Spock. “The machines interpreted it literally. They built this entire vessel so that Voyager could actually fulfill its programming.”

            “They were kind to Voyager,” said (Y/N).

            “And on its journey back, it amassed so much knowledge, it achieved consciousness itself,” said Kirk in amazement. “It became a living thing.”

            “Kirk-unit,” said the probe. “V’Ger awaits the information.”

            Kirk pressed his comms button. “Enterprise, order up the ship’s computer library of records on the late twentieth century NASA probe, Voyage VI. Specifically, we want the old NASA code signal that instructs its probe to transfer the data. And fast, Uhura, fast!”

            “Aye, sir,” said Uhura.

            “That’s what it’s been signaling,” exclaimed Decker. “It’s readiness to transmit its information.”

            “And there’s no one on Earth who could recognize the old signal and send a response,” said Kirk.

            “ ‘The Creator does not answer,’ ” said Bones.

            Around then, V’Ger glowed blue.

            (Y/N) cleared their throat. “V’Ger. The Creator is here.”

            The probe looked at them. “Where is the Creator?”

            “The humans. The carbon units.” (Y/N), a Celian, gestured to Kirk, Bones, and Decker to illustrate their point.”

            “That is illogical,” said the probe. “Carbon units are not true life forms.”

            Interesting that our universe says that about machines, and yet here we are, thought (Y/N). They looked at Kirk. “We will prove it. We will make it possible for you to complete your programming.”

            “Only the Creator could accomplish that,” said Kirk, knowing they were buying time and setting up the rational for Uhura’s information to make sense. He pressed his comms. They needed the records soon. “Enterprise.”

            “We have just received the response code, Captain,” said Uhura.

            “Set the Enterprise transmitter on the appropriate frequency and transmit the code now,” commanded Kirk.

            “Transmitting,” said Uhura.

            Decker pulled out a scanner to receive the code. “5-0-4, 3-2-9, 3-1-7, 5-1-0, and the final sequences…” He frowned.

            “That should trigger V’Ger’s transmission,” said Kirk.

            Yellow electricity sparked to life in V’Ger’s old coils. Spock scanned it. He shook his head.

            “V’Ger is not transmitting its data, Captain,” said Spock.

            “The Creator must join with V’Ger,” said V’Ger.

            “Uhura, repeat the final sequence,” instructed Kirk.

            The vessel around them warbled. (Y/N) felt emotions swirl up around them, and they watched the probe—almost V’Ger and Ilia in harmony—step towards Decker.

            “The Creator must join with V’Ger,” they said.

            As the machine’s flashed with red light around them, (Y/N) felt a warm emotion—a deep, familiar, powerful one—well up around Decker and Ilia-V’Ger.

            “Voyager is not transmitting, Captain, because it did not receive the final sequence,” said Spock.

            “Jim, we’re down to ten minutes,” warned Bones.

            “Enterprise, stand by,” said Kirk, watching Spock open a panel of Voyager. Inside were broken, frayed wires. “The antenna leads are melted away.”

            “Yes, Captain, just now. By V’Ger itself,” said Spock.

            “Why?” asked Kirk.

            “To prevent reception,” said Spock.

            Ah. (Y/N) understood why as they watched Ilia-V’ger gaze at Decker. “To bring the Creator here to transmit the code in person.”

            Decker looked back at Ilia-V’Ger with a soft smile. “To touch the Creator.”

            “Capture God?” said Bones. “V’Ger’s liable to be in for one hell of a disappointment.”

            “I don’t think so,” said (Y/N) as the red lights turned amber around them.

            “Ah,” said Spock, understanding. “Captain.” The landing party gathered close. “V’Ger must evolve. Its knowledge has reached the limits of this universe, and it must evolve. What it requires is its God, which is the answer to its question, ‘Is this all that I am?’ ”

            “ ‘Is there nothing more?’ ” intoned (Y/N).

            “What more is there than the universe?” said Bones.

            “Other dimensions, higher levels of being, connection,” said (Y/N). “It cannot, after all, understand something as simple as this.” They gestured to themself and their friends, the people they were connected with.

            “None of it can be proven to exist logically,” said Spock. “Therefore, V’Ger is incapable of believing in them.”

            “What V’Ger needs in order to evolve is a humanoid quality,” said Kirk, coming to the realization Spock and (Y/N) had. “The capacity to leap beyond logic.”

            “And joining with its Creator might accomplish that,” said Decker.

            “You mean, this machine wants to physically join with a human?” said Bones. “Is that possible?”

            “Let’s find out.” Decker moved to V’Ger and grabbed the wiring.

            Kirk’s eyes widened in alarm, and he followed, but Ilia-V’Ger pushed him back.

            “Decker!” cried Kirk as Decker took the two parts of the frayed wire.

            “I’m going to key the final sequence through the ground test computer,” he said, a giant grin on his face. There was no fear in his aura, not a hint.

            “Decker, you don’t know what that’ll do to you!” said Bones.

            “Yes. I do, Doctor.” Decker gazed at Ilia-V’Ger.

            “Decker, don’t!” Only his friends were keeping Kirk back.

            “Jim, I want this,” said Decker. “As much as you wanted the Enterprise, I want this.” He smiled and faced Ilia-V’Ger.

            They smiled slightly back at Decker. Around him, familiar bursts of plasma energy appeared like twinkling stars. They grew brighter, electrical in their brilliance. He was becoming codelike, cybernetic. The electrical power swirled around him, but there was no pain. He was calm, gazing at Ilia-V’Ger. She stepped forward into the electricity. The light grew brighter, beginning to obscure the pair from view as they faded into the plasma energy. The pair leaned in towards one another, and they disappeared into the light. The electricity cascaded up and exploded over the inner room of V’Ger. The entire room brightened with newfound power.

            (Y/N) smiled as the pure love they’d felt faded away to leave them alone in the chamber. They turned to their friends. “It’s time to go.”

            “Indeed,” said Spock, taking their hand to guide them out.

            Kirk stared at the light twinkling out around them for a moment longer before following. He felt like he should consider what Decker did a sacrifice, and yet…he felt like Decker was happier at that moment then he’d ever been.

l

            The devices around Earth disappeared in an explosion of blue light. The vessel of V’Ger dispersed an azure glow. The Enterprise was freed by the same energy. Out of the viewscreen, the final hints of blue light faded before them, almost a goodbye.

            “Captain,” greeted Sulu as the landing party reentered the Bridge.

            “Spock, (L/N), did we just see the beginning of a new life form?” said Kirk.

            “Yes, Captain. We witnessed a birth,” said Spock. “Possibly, a next step in our evolution.”

            “I wouldn’t start betting on that. We’re very different beings,” said (Y/N). They smiled at Spock. “And we already have connection.”

            “Indeed, T’hy’la,” said Spock fondly.

            “Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve delivered a baby,” said Bones. “I hope we got this one off to a good start.”

            “I hope so, too,” said Kirk, smiling. “I think we gave it the ability to create its own sense of purpose, out of our own human weaknesses and the drive that compels us to overcome.”

            “And a lot of foolish emotions, right, Mr. Spock?” teased Bones.

            “Quite true, Doctor,” said Spock. “However, as we have seen, perhaps a bit are needed to reach new heights.” He gazed at (Y/N), and they touched two of their fingers to his lovingly.

            “Interrogative from Starfleet,” said Uhura. “They’re requesting damage and injury reports and complete vessel status.”

            “Report two casualties,” said Kirk. “Lieutenant Ilia. Captain Decker.”

            “Aye, sir,” said Uhura.

            “Correction.” Kirk couldn’t help himself. “They’re not casualties. They are…list them as missing. Vessel status, fully operational.”

            “Aye, sir,” said Uhura.

            The elevator doors opened, and Scotty walked out.

            “Mr. Scott,” said Kirk. “Shall we give the Enterprise a proper shakedown?” He sat down in his chair.

            Scotty grinned. “I would say it’s time for that, sir. Aye.” He looked at (Y/N) and Spock. “We can have you back home in four days.”

            “Unnecessary,” said Spock.

            “We’re where we need to be,” said (Y/N), smiling.

            Kirk smiled. “Mr. Sulu, ahead Warp 1.”

            “Warp 1, sir,” said Sulu.

            “Heading, sir?” said Uhura.

            Kirk grinned. It was time for another adventure. Just a little one. After all, they were the Enterprise and her crew.

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