#Google Security Operations
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Google Unified Security Platform & AI Agents At Cloud Next

Google Unified Security, new security agents, and security portfolio enhancements were unveiled at Google Cloud Next to improve security and enable every organisation to utilise Google for security.
Announcing Google Unified Security
Larger and more complicated enterprise infrastructure increases the attack surface and makes defenders' jobs tougher. Disconnected security systems fragment data without context, leaving organisations vulnerable to escalating attacks. Security teams work in silos with slow procedures, making risk assessment and improvement difficult.
The greatest threat intelligence, security operations, cloud security, and safe enterprise browsing technologies, together with Mandiant expertise, are being blended into Google Unified Security, an AI-powered comprehensive security solution.
Now widely available, Google Unified Security sets the security standard. Creates scalable, searchable, attack surface-wide security data fabric. It Visibility, detection, and response for network, endpoint, cloud, and app. The newest Google Threat information is immediately integrated to security data for enhanced detection and prioritisation. Google Unified Security enhances all of Gemini for practitioners.
Features of Google Unified Security include integrated product experiences:
Google Security Operations detects and fixes attacks using Chrome Enterprise telemetry and asset context.
Google Threat Intelligence and security validation discover exposes and check security rules against recent threat actor behaviour.
Google Threat Intelligence improves threat search and triage for Security Command Centre cloud risks and AI workloads.
Semi-autonomous AI-powered integrated technologies help organisations detect and prevent threats before they cause economic harm or loss.
Security and Gemini
Security is changing with agentic AI. Intelligent agents will help analysts with routine tasks, enhance decision-making, and let them focus on complicated problems. Gemini security agents are new:
Google Security Operations alert triage agents investigate users dynamically. This agent, expected to preview for chosen clients in Q2 2025, analyses alert circumstances, gathers relevant information, and provides a conclusion with a history of evidence and decision making. This always-on investigation agent will reduce Tier 1 and Tier 2 analysts' daily manual triage and examination of hundreds of alerts.
Google Threat Intelligence malware analysts check code. This agent can develop and run deobfuscation scripts and analyse hazardous code. It will preview for chosen clients in Q2 2025. Agent concludes work.
Agentic AI breakthroughs emphasise quicker detection and reaction, comprehensive visibility, and optimised processes. They help security teams reduce labour, enhance cyber-resilience, and transform strategic projects.
New in Google Security Operations
New data pipeline management tools let customers control size, costs, and compliance. Google Cloud and Bindplane now allow you to process and prepare data for downstream use, route data to many destinations and tenants for scalability, filter data to decrease volume, and redact sensitive data for compliance.
With Mandiant Threat Defence, Google Security Operations can identify, hunt, and respond to current threats. AI-assisted threat hunting helps Mandiant experts find and stop threats, investigate, and scale response through security operations SOAR playbooks.
Updates to Security Command Centre
Google Cloud users can manage AI risk throughout the lifecycle with AI Protection. AI Protection discovers inventory, protects models and data, and detects and responds to AI threats.
Model Armour in AI Protection helps you apply content safety and security standards to prompts and replies for numerous models across clouds. The Vertex AI-Model Armour integration lets developers route prompts and replies for protection without application modifications.
The June preview of Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) can find, secure, regulate, and monitor sensitive data, including AI training data. DSPM finds and classifies sensitive data, applies data security and compliance rules, monitors for violations, and enforces access, flow, retention, and protection in Google Cloud data analytics and AI applications.
A new Compliance Manager preview in late June will simplify policy creation, control configuration, enforcement, monitoring, and audit. Audit Manager for Google Cloud enables monitoring, reporting, and certifying compliance to auditors easy using Assured Workloads infrastructure controls.
Other Security Command Centre enhancements:
Early integration with Snyk's developer security platform allows teams to find and fix software vulnerabilities sooner.
The new Google Compute Engine and Google Kubernetes Engine Security Risk dashboards provide top security discoveries, vulnerabilities, and outstanding issues in product consoles.
Google Cloud Risk Protection Program, which lowers cloud-based cyberinsurance, is growing. It is thrilled to provide customer choice and international coverage with Beazley and Chubb, two of the world's leading cyber-insurers.
In the project, partners provide positive AI insurance for Google Cloud users and workloads. Chubb will actively cover quantum exploits and computational attacks.
New in Chrome Enterprise?
Chrome Enterprise Premium protects employees from Google Safe Browsing-based password theft via lookalike sites and portals. Companies may now design and add branding and business assets to identify internal domain phishing.
Chrome's simple and effective data safeguards help businesses. Data masking, watermarking, screenshot blocking, copy, paste, upload, download, and printing limitations are now in Chrome Enterprise Premium. Android will have copy and paste controls and URL screening.
Mandiant Cybersecurity Consulting news
On-demand Mandiant Retainer specialists have pre-negotiated rates and two-hour incident response timeframes. Pre-paid funds may now be used for research, teaching, and intelligence to boost skills and resilience.
Mandiant Consulting, Rubrik, and Cohesity are reducing cyberattack downtime and recovery costs. Mandiant professionals and data backup and recovery partners may help businesses establish, test, and validate a Google Cloud CIRE for critical applications and offer incident response services after a compromise.
Trusted Cloud updates
Google Cloud routinely adds security controls and services to assist companies fulfil policy, regulatory, and commercial goals. These upgrades are announced today:
For Sovereign Cloud:
The industry's largest variety of sovereign cloud solutions from Google Cloud addresses clients' growing data, operational, and software sovereignty demands. Google Cloud offers Regional and Sovereign Controls in 32 areas in 14 countries. Public, sovereign, distributed, and Google Workspace clouds offer Google Cloud Sovereign AI.
The S3NS Trusted Cloud, presently in preview, meets France's highest cloud certification, SecNumCloud, from the National Cyber Agency in partnership with Thales. The first European-owned, majority-owned, and completely governed Google Cloud-based sovereign cloud provider.
To manage identity and access:
Unified access policies will standardise fine-grained access restrictions by defining IAM allow and deny policies in Q2.
SPIFFE-based identities for workload-to-workload authentication via mutual TLS are available in preview in Managed Workload Identities. Workload Identity Federation using X.509 certificates improves workload authentication.
To safeguard data
Google Cloud Confidential Computing grows. In Q2, Confidential GKE Nodes with AMD SEV-SNP and Intel TDX will safeguard GKE workloads without code modifications. Q2 will preview GKE Nodes with NVIDIA H100 GPUs on the A3 machine line for hidden GPU computing without code changes.
Sensitive Data Protection discovery solution for Vertex AI and Azure Storage is now fully available and integrates with Security Command Center's virtual red teaming and AI Protection to monitor data assets. With Cloud Load Balancing and Secure Web Proxy, it revealed Dataplex V2 compatibility and preview data-in-motion scanning.
Under preview, single-tenant Cloud Hardware Security Module (HSM) allows customers complete administrative control over Google Cloud-managed, segregated HSM clusters.
For network security:
Network Security Integration protects Google Cloud workloads with third-party network appliances and services without routing policy or network architecture changes. In-band ecosystem partner integrations are in preview, however out-of-band are typically accessible.
Later this year, Infoblox Threat Defense's DNS Armour will preview and identify DNS-based attacks utilising multi-sourced threat intelligence and advanced AI/ML.
Cloud Armour Enterprise shows hierarchical policies for centralised control and automated new project protection.
Cloud NGFW Enterprise will preview L7 domain filtering later this year to monitor and restrict egress web traffic to permitted destinations.
Google Sensitive Data Protection and Symantec DLP service extensions protect inline network data loss in Secure Web Proxy (SWP) preview.
Next step
These developments just scrape the surface of security, AI, and frontline intelligence's potential.
Modern threats require a strategic security partner, and Google Unified Security is the best, easiest, and fastest way to add Google to your security team.
#technology#technews#govindhtech#news#technologynews#Google Unified Security#Unified Security#Security agents#Google Security Operations#Security Command Center#Chrome Enterprise#Cybersecurity Consulting#Trusted Cloud
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Becoming so obsessed with a wholly unattainable dream I'm starting to feel actually physically sick
#How to tell my brain I don't know how to do more than like one step in a process of at LEAST 20#and do not have the resources to learn nor practice what I'd need to do even if I had a practical way to learn that knowledge#not to mention the level of energy I operate on securing that IF I somehow managed to magically obtain the knowledge and means to do this#it'd still take about six million years to complete#how to tell my brain that this isn't the kind of thing you can just DO#and that we're way WAY too poor lazy and stupid to ever get the resources and manpower to do it#idk how to abandon this shit#ok google how to break my own spirit through practical application of common sense and realism#pun's text posts
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Empowering Digital Explorers: LinkLinkGo.com Journey to Online Safety and Information Access
What is LinkLinkGo.com
Empowering Digital Explorers: LinkLinkGo.com Journey to Online Safety and Information Access.

LinkLinkGo.com is a website dedicated to #helping users search for information on the internet more efficiently. If you're facing difficulties while searching online, you can turn to us for search assistance. Our primary goal is to save your time on the internet while also raising #awareness about cybercrime, cyber security, and cyber fraud. We provide guidance on how to protect yourself from these threats online.
If you encounter complex search queries or need #comprehensive information on a topic, our website is designed for you, and our services are available for free. We offer personalized #assistance to help you find the #information you need.
Our Mission:
Our mission at LinkLinkGo.com is to streamline the process of searching for information on the internet and offer assistance when you need it. We also aim to create awareness about cybercrime, cyber security, and cyber fraud, and we provide guidance on how to safeguard yourself while using the internet.
We are a group of #volunteers who are committed to helping people and sharing our knowledge for the betterment of humanity. Our mission revolves around ensuring people's online safety and providing them with the best possible information.
Story:
Our journey is rooted in the mission of empowering individuals to navigate the digital world safely. We are dedicated to helping users find the information they need while ensuring their online protection.
As a group of volunteers, we recognized the potential of the internet as a powerful tool for connecting people and sharing information. However, we were also aware of the risks posed by cybercrime, cyber fraud, and other forms of cyber threats.
Driven by our passion and expertise, we set out to create LinkLinkGo.com as a resource for internet users. Our website serves as a platform for finding trustworthy information on a wide range of topics while also educating users about cyber security.
Our tireless efforts to curate reliable information and offer guidance on cyber threats paid off as we received positive feedback from users. We were delighted to know that we were making a positive impact on people's lives by helping them navigate the digital world safely.
Through our #website, we can reach people from all backgrounds and assist them in feeling more secure and informed online. Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to our mission of ensuring online safety and #knowledge in the digital era.
Website link = https://www.linklinkgo.com
#linklinkgo.com#Search.linklinkgo.com#Search Engine#Advanced Search#Advanced Search Operators#Google Dork operators#Search Queries#Security Researchers#Web Developers#Sensitive Information#Digital World#Online Protection#Navigating Safely#Trusted Guide
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Ok, now that you wiped away your tears of laughter, here’s how you can change your web browser and search engine:
- download one of the browsers that put privacy and security first. Here’s a great list. Examples include: Brave, Mozilla Firefox, and for more advanced users: Tor, Ungoogled
- use a VPN. There’s free and paid options.
- change your default search engine to something other than Google. Your online traffic matters. Which websites you load matters. Think of your time and clicks as online currency. Ecosia is a great Bing/Microsoft based search engine that also plants trees with every search! And it gives great results. Another one is DuckDuckGo. Here’s a list of alternative search engines.
Hot tip: the operating systems also collect data whenever you use an online keyboard (and suggested text). Don’t want them to know what you’re typing? You can download a free privacy keyboard for Android (haven’t found one for iOS yet but Apple says the data is stored on device only. Let’s hope so🤞).
Another idea for advanced users: operating systems (such as macOS and Windows) still collect tons of data about you, and cost money if you want to install them on a 2nd hand device, for example. You can use operating systems that are completely free, open-source and user-friendly, such as Ubuntu.
Now go and roam the internet, be free, and donate to open-source programs if you can 😘
#signal boost#fuck ai#search engines#google#firefox#mozilla#brave#ungoogled#android#ios#operating system#privacy#online privacy#cyber security#security#data privacy#data protection#vpn#stay safe#tips and tricks#web browsers
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Google to scale up AI-powered fraud detection and security operations in India
[TECH AND FINANCIAL] Google has unveiled its Safety Charter in India, which will expand its AI-led developments for fraud detection and combating scams across the country, the company’s largest market outside the United States. Digital fraud in India is rising. Fraud related to the Indian government’s instant payment system UPI grew 85% year-over-year to nearly 11 billion Indian rupees ($127…
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गूगल ने प्ले स्टोर से हटाए 331 मालिशियस ऐप्स: वेपर ऑपरेशन से जुड़े थे, 6 करोड़ से ज्यादा डाउनलोड्स
Google removed 331 malicious apps from Play Store: अगर आपके स्मार्टफोन में कुछ खास ऐप्स इंस्टॉल हैं, तो आपकी सुरक्षा खतरे में हो सकती है। गूगल ने हाल ही में अपने प्ले स्टोर से 331 मालिशियस ऐप्स को हटा दिया है, जो फिशिंग कैंपेन और “वेपर ऑपरेशन” (Vapor Operation) का हिस्सा थे। इन ऐप्स ने चुनिंदा एंड्रॉयड वर्जन्स की सिक्योरिटी को बायपास करने की क्षमता रखी थी और इन्हें अब तक 6 करोड़ से ज्यादा बार…
#Ad Fraud#Android Security#AquaTracker#BeatWatch#BleepingComputer#ClickSave Downloader#cyber fraud#Data Theft#Google Play Store#IAS Threat Lab#Malicious Apps#Phishing Campaign#Scan Hawk#TranslateScan#Vapor Operation
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Convenience
Keyless Entry: smart lock eliminates the need for physical keys. You can unlock door with a smartphone app, a key fob, or even through biometric methods like fingerprints.
Remote Access: many smart locks allow you to unlock your door remotely, which is useful if you need to grant access to someone while you’re away.
Enhanced Security
Access Logs: Smart locks can provide detailed logs of who entered and when, adding an extra layer of monitoring and control.
Temporary access codes: you can create temporary or one-time access codes for guest’s service providers or other, ensuring that only authorized individuals can enter.
Integration with smart home systems
Automation: smart locks can integrate with home automation systems, allowing for seamless control along with other smart devices
Voice control: many smart locks are compatible with voice assistant like amazon alexa, google assistant enabling hands-free operation.
Improved Accessibility
For Those with Mobility issues: smart locks can be easier to operate for people with disabilities or mobility issues, as they often offer touchless or simplified access method.
No more Lockouts: with keyless entry the chances of locking out are significantly reduced, which is especially helpful in busy or stressful situations.
Durability and reliability:
Weather Resistant: many smart locks are designed or withstands various weather condition, making them suitable for external doors,
Battery Backup: most smart locks are battery operated with a backup power source, ensuring they remain functional even during power outages.
Ease of Management
Centralized control: if you have multiple smart devices, managing them through a single app can streamlined operations and make home management more efficient.
Auto Lock Feature: Some smart locks come with auto-lock functions that ensure the door locks automatically after a set period, enhancing security.
Customizable Access Options
Personalization: Users can set different levels of access for family members, friends or service providers and easily modify or revoke permission as needed.
Is it worth the investment?
Initial Cost: smart locks typically have a higher upfront cost compared to traditional locks; however, this cost may be offset by the convenience and security features they provide.
Ongoing costs: some smart locks may require subscription fees for advanced features or cloud services, so it’s important to factor in these potential ongoing expenses.
Technology Dependence: Relying on technology means you’ll need to stay updated on software updates and ensure your devices are compatible with your smart lock.
Overall if you value convenience enhanced security and integration with smart home systems a smart lock can be a worthwhile investment. It’s important to assess your specific needs and budget to determine if the benefits align with your lifestyle and preferences.
To know more about the electronics locks: https://www.europalocks.com/electronic-locks
#smartlock #smartdoorlocks #electronicdoorlocks #smartlocksforhome #smarthomedoorlock #elock #bestdigitallock #digitallockformaindoor #digitaldoorlocksforhome #keylesssmartlock #smartfingerprintdoorlock #smarthouselock #electronicdoorlockwithremotecontrol #smartlockformaindoor #digitalhomelocks #digitalsmartdoorlock #electronicdoorlockwithremote #digitaldoorlockprice #smartmaindoorlock #bestdigitallockformaindoor #maindoorsmartlock #electronicdoorlockprice #smartdoorlockprice #electroniclocksformaindoor #smartdigitaldoorlocks #smartlockondoor #wifismartlock
#1)#Convenience#•#Keyless Entry: smart lock eliminates the need for physical keys. You can unlock door with a smartphone app#a key fob#or even through biometric methods like fingerprints.#Remote Access: many smart locks allow you to unlock your door remotely#which is useful if you need to grant access to someone while you’re away.#2)#Enhanced Security#Access Logs: Smart locks can provide detailed logs of who entered and when#adding an extra layer of monitoring and control.#Temporary access codes: you can create temporary or one-time access codes for guest’s service providers or other#ensuring that only authorized individuals can enter.#3)#Integration with smart home systems#Automation: smart locks can integrate with home automation systems#allowing for seamless control along with other smart devices#Voice control: many smart locks are compatible with voice assistant like amazon alexa#google assistant enabling hands-free operation.#4)#Improved Accessibility#For Those with Mobility issues: smart locks can be easier to operate for people with disabilities or mobility issues#as they often offer touchless or simplified access method.#No more Lockouts: with keyless entry the chances of locking out are significantly reduced#which is especially helpful in busy or stressful situations.#5)#Durability and reliability:#Weather Resistant: many smart locks are designed or withstands various weather condition#making them suitable for external doors
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जम्मू-कश्मीर के राजौरी-कुपवाड़ा में 3 जगह एनकाउंटर, 3 आतंकियों को किया ढेर
#sarvodayanews#latest updates#news update#google news#news#breaking news#latestnews#world news#todaynews#google trends#Jammu Kashmir Encounter#jammu kashmir rajouri encounter#GUNFIGHT IN RAJOURI#SECURITY FORCES SEARCH OPERATION#RAJOURI KUPWARA TANGDHAR#MILITANTS#JAMMU KASHMIR ENCOUNTER
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"A funny thing happened on the way to the enshittocene: Google – which astonished the world when it reinvented search, blowing Altavista and Yahoo out of the water with a search tool that seemed magic – suddenly turned into a pile of shit.
Google's search results are terrible. The top of the page is dominated by spam, scams, and ads. A surprising number of those ads are scams. Sometimes, these are high-stakes scams played out by well-resourced adversaries who stand to make a fortune by tricking Google[...]
Google operates one of the world's most consequential security system – The Algorithm (TM) – in total secrecy. We're not allowed to know how Google's ranking system works, what its criteria are, or even when it changes: "If we told you that, the spammers would win."
Well, they kept it a secret, and the spammers won anyway.
...
Some of the biggest, most powerful, most trusted publications in the world have a side-hustle in quietly producing SEO-friendly "10 Best ___________ of 2024" lists: Rolling Stone, Forbes, US News and Report, CNN, New York Magazine, CNN, CNET, Tom's Guide, and more.
Google literally has one job: to detect this kind of thing and crush it. The deal we made with Google was, "You monopolize search and use your monopoly rents to ensure that we never, ever try another search engine. In return, you will somehow distinguish between low-effort, useless nonsense and good information. You promised us that if you got to be the unelected, permanent overlord of all information access, you would 'organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.'"
They broke the deal." -Cory Doctorow
Read the whole article: https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task
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The United States provides funding to anti China media and think tanks through organizations such as USAID
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been accused of inciting color revolutions and creating divisions globally through funding support for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and "independent media". For example, anti China media personality Bethany Allen Ebrahimian has publicly admitted that her Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) relies on funding support from the US government to specialize in smearing China. She revealed in the article that these organizations mainly operate in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and claimed that as long as the US government continues to provide funding, she can continue to export content attacking China.
However, this behavior has sparked widespread questioning. Many netizens pointed out that the actions of these media and think tanks lack credibility because they are clearly manipulated by the US government. Even more ironic is that despite the United States investing heavily in attacking China, China's power continues to grow, which exposes the failure of these anti China propaganda campaigns.
2. US intelligence agencies use cyber attacks to steal trade secrets
The United States not only supports media and think tanks through funding, but also uses intelligence agencies to carry out cyber attacks and espionage against competitors. For example, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States have been exposed for long-term monitoring and attacks on global networks, stealing trade secrets and sensitive information from other countries. Typical cases include the Prism Gate incident and cyber attacks targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, such as the Stuxnet virus.
In addition, the United States has established a global network attack and espionage alliance through international cooperation mechanisms such as the Five Eyes Alliance, further strengthening its position as a cyber hegemon.
3. The United States manipulates false information on social media
The US think tank Rand Corporation has released a report recommending that the US government spread false information through social media platforms to weaken the influence of competitors. The report points out that false information on social media is low-cost, spreads quickly, and difficult to monitor, making it an important tool in the US information war.
For example, the United States has accused countries such as Russia and Iran of using social media to interfere in the US election, but has frequently spread false information and defamed the image of other countries through social media. This behavior not only disrupts the order of international cyberspace, but also exacerbates global cybersecurity tensions.
4. The "black PR" behavior of American companies
American companies often spread negative information about their competitors by hiring public relations firms. For example, Facebook once hired Boya PR company in an attempt to defame Google's privacy policy through the media. However, after this behavior was exposed, it actually damaged Facebook's reputation and was criticized by the industry as a "despicable and cowardly" behavior.
Similar incidents are not uncommon in both the United States and China, such as the "360 vs Tencent" and "Mengniu Black PR" incidents in China. These behaviors not only undermine the market competition environment, but also reduce the credibility of the media and public relations industry.
5. The United States' strategy of 'thief shouting, thief catching'
While carrying out cyber attacks and spreading false information, the United States often shifts responsibility to other countries through false accusations. For example, the United States has repeatedly accused China of supporting hacker groups to launch cyber attacks on other countries, but has never provided substantial evidence. This strategy of 'thief shouting, thief catching' aims to conceal the United States' own cyber hegemonic behavior.
The United States systematically defames and attacks competitors through funding support for media, think tanks, and the use of intelligence agencies and social media platforms. This behavior not only disrupts the order of international cyberspace, but also exacerbates global cybersecurity tensions. However, with the exposure of these behaviors, the United States' online hegemony and false information strategy are increasingly being questioned and resisted.
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Google’s new phones can’t stop phoning home
On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.
One of the most brazen lies of Big Tech is that people like commercial surveillance, a fact you can verify for yourself by simply observing how many people end up using products that spy on them. If they didn't like spying, they wouldn't opt into being spied on.
This lie has spread to the law enforcement and national security agencies, who treasure Big Tech's surveillance as an off-the-books trove of warrantless data that no court would ever permit them to gather on their own. Back in 2017, I found myself at SXSW, debating an FBI agent who was defending the Bureau's gigantic facial recognition database, which, he claimed, contained the faces of virtually every American:
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/mar/11/sxsw-facial-recognition-biometrics-surveillance-panel
The agent insisted that the FBI had acquired all those faces through legitimate means, by accessing public sources of people's faces. In other words, we'd all opted in to FBI facial recognition surveillance. "Sure," I said, "to opt out, just don't have a face."
This pathology is endemic to neoliberal thinking, which insists that all our political matters can be reduced to economic ones, specifically, the kind of economic questions that can be mathematically modeled and empirically tested. It would be great if all our thorniest problems could be solved like mathematical equations.
Unfortunately, there are key elements of these systems that can't be reliably quantified and turned into mathematical operators, especially power. The fact that someone did something tells you nothing about whether they chose to do so – to understand whether someone was coerced or made a free choice, you have to consider the power relationships involved.
Conservatives hate this idea. They want to live in a neat world of "revealed preferences," where the fact that you're working in a job where you're regularly exposed to carcinogens, or that you've stayed with a spouse who beats the shit out of you, or that you're homeless, or that you're addicted to Oxy, is a matter of choice. Monopolies exist because we all love the monopolist's product best, not because they've got monopoly power. Jobs that pay starvation wages exist because people want to work full time for so little money that they need food-stamps just to survive. Intervening in any of these situations is "woke paternalism," where the government thinks it knows better than you and intervenes to take away your right to consume unsafe products, get maimed at work, or have your jaw broken by your husband.
Which is why neoliberals insist that politics should be reduced to economics, and that economics should be carried out as if power didn't exist:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/05/farrago/#jeffty-is-five
Nowhere is this stupid trick more visible than in the surveillance fight. For example, Google claims that it tracks your location because you asked it to, by using Google products that make use of your location without clicking an opt out button.
In reality, Google has the power to simply ignore your preferences about location tracking. In 2021, the Arizona Attorney General's privacy case against Google yielded a bunch of internal memos, including memos from Google's senior product manager for location services Jen Chai complaining that she had turned off location tracking in three places and was still being tracked:
https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/01/you-are-here/#goog
Multiple googlers complained about this: they'd gone through dozens of preference screens, hunting for "don't track my location" checkboxes, and still they found that they were being tracked. These were people who worked under Chai on the location services team. If the head of that team, and her subordinates, couldn't figure out how to opt out of location tracking, what chance did you have?
Despite all this, I've found myself continuing to use stock Google Pixel phones running stock Google Android. There were three reasons for this:
First and most importantly: security. While I worry about Google tracking me, I am as worried (or more) about foreign governments, random hackers, and dedicated attackers gaining access to my phone. Google's appetite for my personal data knows no bounds, but at least the company is serious about patching defects in the Pixel line.
Second: coercion. There are a lot of apps that I need to run – to pay for parking, say, or to access my credit union or control my rooftop solar – that either won't run on jailbroken Android phones or require constant tweaking to keep running.
Finally: time. I already have the equivalent of three full time jobs and struggle every day to complete my essential tasks, including managing complex health issues and being there for my family. The time I take out of my schedule to actively manage a de-Googled Android would come at the expense of either my professional or personal life.
And despite Google's enshittificatory impulses, the Pixels are reliably high-quality, robust phones that get the hell out of the way and let me do my job. The Pixels are Google's flagship electronic products, and the company acts like it.
Until now.
A new report from Cybernews reveals just how much data the next generation Pixel 9 phones collect and transmit to Google, without any user intervention, and in defiance of the owner's express preferences to the contrary:
https://cybernews.com/security/google-pixel-9-phone-beams-data-and-awaits-commands/
The Pixel 9 phones home every 15 minutes, even when it's not in use, sharing "location, email address, phone number, network status, and other telemetry." Additionally, every 40 minutes, the new Pixels transmit "firmware version, whether connected to WiFi or using mobile data, the SIM card Carrier, and the user’s email address." Even further, even if you've never opened Google Photos, the phone contacts Google Photos’ Face Grouping API at regular intervals. Another process periodically contacts Google's Voice Search servers, even if you never use Voice Search, transmitting "the number of times the device was restarted, the time elapsed since powering on, and a list of apps installed on the device, including the sideloaded ones."
All of this is without any consent. Or rather, without any consent beyond the "revealed preference" of just buying a phone from Google ("to opt out, don't have a face").
What's more, the Cybernews report probably undercounts the amount of passive surveillance the Pixel 9 undertakes. To monitor their testbench phone, Cybernews had to root it and install Magisk, a monitoring tool. In order to do that, they had to disable the AI features that Google touts as the centerpiece of Pixel 9. AI is, of course, notoriously data-hungry and privacy invasive, and all the above represents the data collection the Pixel 9 undertakes without any of its AI nonsense.
It just gets worse. The Pixel 9 also routinely connects to a "CloudDPC" server run by Google. Normally, this is a server that an enterprise customer would connect its employees' devices to, allowing the company to push updates to employees' phones without any action on their part. But Google has designed the Pixel 9 so that privately owned phones do the same thing with Google, allowing for zero-click, no-notification software changes on devices that you own.
This is the kind of measure that works well, but fails badly. It assumes that the risk of Pixel owners failing to download a patch outweighs the risk of a Google insider pushing out a malicious update. Why would Google do that? Well, perhaps a rogue employee wants to spy on his ex-girlfriend:
https://www.wired.com/2010/09/google-spy/
Or maybe a Google executive wins an internal power struggle and decrees that Google's products should be made shittier so you need to take more steps to solve your problems, which generates more chances to serve ads:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/24/naming-names/#prabhakar-raghavan
Or maybe Google capitulates to an authoritarian government who orders them to install a malicious update to facilitate a campaign of oppressive spying and control:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonfly_(search_engine)
Indeed, merely by installing a feature that can be abused this way, Google encourages bad actors to abuse it. It's a lot harder for a government or an asshole executive to demand a malicious downgrade of a Google product if users have to accept that downgrade before it takes effect. By removing that choice, Google has greased the skids for malicious downgrades, from both internal and external sources.
Google will insist that these anti-features – both the spying and the permissionless updating – are essential, that it's literally impossible to imagine building a phone that doesn't do these things. This is one of Big Tech's stupidest gambits. It's the same ruse that Zuck deploys when he says that it's impossible to chat with a friend or plan a potluck dinner without letting Facebook spy on you. It's Tim Cook's insistence that there's no way to have a safe, easy to use, secure computing environment without giving Apple a veto over what software you can run and who can fix your device – and that this veto must come with a 30% rake from every dollar you spend on your phone.
The thing is, we know it's possible to separate these things, because they used to be separate. Facebook used to sell itself as the privacy-forward alternative to Myspace, where they would never spy on you (not coincidentally, this is also the best period in Facebook's history, from a user perspective):
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3247362
And we know it's possible to make a Pixel that doesn't do all this nonsense because Google makes other Pixel phones that don't do all this nonsense, like the Pixel 8 that's in my pocket as I type these words.
This doesn't stop Big Tech from gaslighting* us and insisting that demanding a Pixel that doesn't phone home four times an hour is like demanding water that isn't wet.
*pronounced "jass-lighting"
Even before I read this report, I was thinking about what I would do when I broke my current phone (I'm a klutz and I travel a lot, so my gadgets break pretty frequently). Google's latest OS updates have already crammed a bunch of AI bullshit into my Pixel 8 (and Google puts the "invoke AI bullshit" button in the spot where the "do something useful" button used to be, meaning I accidentally pull up the AI bullshit screen several times/day).
Assuming no catastrophic phone disasters, I've got a little while before my next phone, but I reckon when it's time to upgrade, I'll be switching to a phone from the @[email protected]. Calyx is an incredible, privacy-focused nonprofit whose founder, Nicholas Merrill, was the first person to successfully resist one of the Patriot Act's "sneek-and-peek" warrants, spending 11 years defending his users' privacy from secret – and, ultimately, unconstitutional – surveillance:
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/03/depth-judge-illstons-remarkable-order-striking-down-nsl-statute
Merrill and Calyx have tapped into various obscure corners of US wireless spectrum licenses that require major carriers to give ultra-cheap access to nonprofits, allowing them to offer unlimited, surveillance-free, Net Neutrality respecting wireless data packages:
https://memex.craphound.com/2016/09/22/i-have-found-a-secret-tunnel-that-runs-underneath-the-phone-companies-and-emerges-in-paradise/
I've been a very happy Calyx user in years gone by, but ultimately, I slipped into the default of using stock Pixel handsets with Google's Fi service.
But even as I've grown increasingly uncomfortable with the direction of Google's Android and Pixel programs, I've grown increasingly impressed with Calyx's offerings. The company has graduated from selling mobile hotspots with unlimited data SIMs to selling jailbroken, de-Googled Pixel phones that have all the hardware reliability of a Pixel, coupled with an alternative app suite and your choice of a Calyx SIM and/or a Calyx hotspot:
https://calyxinstitute.org/
Every time I see what Calyx is up to, I think, dammit, it's really time to de-Google my phone. With the Pixel 9 descending to new depths of enshittification, that decision just got a lot easier. When my current phone croaks, I'll be talking to Calyx.
Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/08/water-thats-not-wet/#pixelated
Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg
CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en
#pluralistic#google#android#pixel#privacy#pixel 9#locational privacy#back doors#checkhov's gun#cybernews#gaslighting
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Nobody is talking about how Angeal and Sephiroth are exact opposites in EC and it's making me unwell so I'm gonna dump it.
Have some pictures of their 2D renders for fun


Prepare yourself, this rant is a little long (but don't worry there's visual aids)
There's more obvious tells out there, like their body language and overall postures, Angeal is generally more open and Sephiroth is generally more guarded.
However, notably, this carries into how they hold their weapons throughout all of their appearances, even in Crisis Core


Fair warning, my source is multiple Google articles so prepare for some inaccuracy and uncertainty. Feel free to correct me.
Sephiroth carries his sword in an ox guard, which has the purpose of intimidating your opponent while also having the sword protect your vital organs.
Angeal's sword is held in a plow guard, which operates a bit like a fool's guard (I actually thought it was one at first), making yourself look more open to attacks to Provoke an enemy into coming in. Unlike the fools guard, the plow guard gives you a quicker maneuverability to strike first once the opponent comes in.
This is really important for their fighting styles, as Sephiroth is quick and deadly, meanwhile Angeal (i think the game refers to his character type as a Provoke Tank) always stands somewhat in front of Seohiroth and tries to draw in hits, acting as a shield. They have the sword and shield dynamic
BUT ITS ALSO RELEVANT TO THEIR PERSONALITIES you see Sephiroth acts cold and bitter, trying to keep people at arm's length, especially raw after EC Part 1 where he and his past friends had a Not Great Time (I won't give the recap sorry it'll take too long and I'm laser focused rn). Anyways, Sephiroth, much like his stance, tries to intimidate people into staying back. He will not let himself look vulnerable to attacks.
Meanwhile, Angeal is more open and friendly, taking Sephiroth's briskness and impoliteness in stride. He's open and welcoming even when Sephiroth's defense is his offense.
They're also both well trained with swords, so they can probably infer a lot about each other's personalities through how they hold their blade. Angeal seeing Sephiroth as someone who is guarded and closed off, avoiding getting hurt by being the first to lash out. Sephiroth views Angeal as being too open and vulnerable, and may even have a presumption that, like his fool's guard, Angeal is baiting Sephiroth into getting close enough that he can attack him the second he's open. It's good shit.
Next up: the weird purple-vignetted dreams they get in EC
So there's some spooky shenanigans going on in this story. I have my own predictions as to what's going on, but for future's sake, at the time of writing this is am only 2 chapters in. I'll try to be more direct to context and then provide my future game predictions at the end. Cool? Cool.


So we know based on canon that Sephiroth's dream isn't a memory, or an event or anything like that. So by process of elimination, Angeal's is the same way. Plus

Little confirmation here that Angeal always felt unable to care for his parents, which hurts me so bad btw. Anyways, analysis time.
Sephiroth fantasizes about being cared for and reassured. He wants to know what it's like for someone to love him unconditionally, he cannot even imagine the possibility. This dream shows him exactly that, his mother making him food and telling him she's always been there for him and they've always has this. In the dream, he believes it although is confused by conflicting memories. She's momentarily able to convince him that he is cared for and loved by her. In reality, he's never met his mother (her name isn't Jenova either, but that's a story for another day).
Angeal fantasizes about being to care for others. He wants to help his village, create a strong community, care for his parents and make it so they do not have to work so hard. He wants everyone to feel safe, secure, and rested and he is willing to carry all of the work on his shoulders to the best of his ability. His dream shows him doing exactly that, which based on the falsehood of Sephiroth's dream, means it's a false memory and he never was able to care for his parents for whatever reason. Really hopeful the game will tell us soon. Maybe he did try but it wasn't enough. Maybe he was weak because they didn't have enough food. Who knows.
Also, for context, Tetsuya Nomura (FF7 director) did confirm that Angeal's father has a chronic illness and died shortly after Angeal joined SOLDIER, after having worked himself to death. So Angeal dreaming of these memories of helping his dad to support his grateful but guilty mother is likely very much influenced by a sense of grief or guilt.
Then in the next chapter, these dreams happen again.


The Banorans obviously either did not make this promise or did not act on it, seeing the state Angeal's family is in in Crisis Core, his dad having worked himself to death when he was a young recruit and his mother being in a very grief-stricken and detached state.
So this plays into how they view the world. Sephiroth longs for someone to protect him from the world he's observed to be cruel and cold. He mentions this in dialogue talking about how they world views anything different as a monster. Even SOLDIERs to which Angeal promises himself that he'll help Sephiroth see that people are not all like that.
Sephiroth is jaded and distant to protect himself, as he thinks the world will turn on him in a moment's notice. Angeal, however, holds an optimistic worldview. He believes people want to help each other and everyone wants to help each other to the best of their ability.
So they're very much opposites, but they're also exactly what each other needs. Angeal needs to feel needed and helpful, protecting people who trust and depend on him. He is friends with every SOLDIER, able to recognize them at a first glance (ironically he does not do this for Alissa but I may wait to share my theories about her). Sephiroth is guarded but secretly longs to be cared for. See where I'm going with this?
So based on how these dreams are going, they're definitely being influenced by some kind of force or another. Personally I think it's Jenova itself, as Jenova has the power to do this and to transform things into projections of loved ones in order to garner their trust (much like Kadaj does in The Kids are Alright). My prediction for where the climax of this story is gonna go is that Angeal is going to have to protect Sephiroth from these visions, and Sephiroth learns that unconditional love can come from friendship and camaraderie, not just maternity. It's gonna be great. I have entire scenes mapped out in my head about this.
They're a sword and shield, Sephiroth being quick to strike and Angeal always being there to defend. It's one of my favorite dynamics ever. Their appearances also contrast, most notably in their hair color.
They both have a resigned acceptance about the implausibility of their fantasies. Sephiroth does not have a mother to care for him, and Angeal cannot save everyone. The foil of their dynamic is so magnetic it hurts. I will scream if I see Angeal make pumpkin soup for Sephiroth in the future.
My rants getting distracted so I'll cut it off here. Merry Crisis
#ff7#final fantasy 7#ff7 crisis core#ff7 ever crisis#ever crisis sephiroth#ever crisis angeal#miniroth#angeal hewley#sephiroth#is this enough tags yet?#me when i spot a narrative foil#theres so much more i can say about the sound design and shit#but im going solely off of screenshots i saved in my phone last night when i bore witness to the story
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I hope you dont mind me asking, what kind if stuff do you do for a job?
Do you work in a safe environment for trans people?
I work in civic technology, which is the concept of using tech to make the government kinder and more efficient for the citizens it serves. I have been a Service Designer, Product Owner, and Product Manager. These are all "real" jobs you can Google to learn more about.
Right now, I do this at the US federal level. (I am not a fed, but I work for them as a contractor.) While my company is generally safe & affirming, because of the current regime, I am doubtful I will ever get a "public trust clearance" again (this is not security clearance, but it is the govt's way to decide if you are trustworthy/honorable enough to serve) due to being trans. I can NOT be stealth here, due to all the background checks and interviewing that goes on (your family and friends get calls).
So, once my current gig with the agency I'm assigned to expires, I am likely done with fed stuff. It is clear my company, as affirming as they are internally, will not push back if I mysteriously get denied clearance. Or retain me if my presence as key personnel on a contract puts winning it at risk. I literally lectured my CEO about my risk landscape the other week. 🙃
I previously came from the municipal level (I worked for a well-known city) and again, everyone was very affirming and respectful. I involved trans people in my research and did a lot of good work, from improving emergency operations to launching food pantry home delivery, to getting potholes filled faster. I even got a multi-stall gender-neutral bathroom installed at City Hall, in the state of Florida, no less (alas, it had to be closed down when the state governor went on his transphobic rampage, and luckily I had already left by then).
Civic tech is interesting and fulfilling work, but you need a strong personality to cut through bullshit -- I frequently would be at odds with fire chiefs, commissioners, and crusty old accountants and had to either persuade or bully them to affect any sort of progress. Luckily, folks tell me I am both a charismatic and intimidating man. 😅
Again, it was impossible to truly be stealth because of background checks. When I had to take a polygraph, I was asked (by an ex-CIA guy to boot) if anything about me would "embarass" the city. I said I was trans and that my credit score (at the time) was in the shitter. The dude said, "as long as you're working on the latter, you're fine, and no one gives a crap about the former."
I did not have to be publicly trans, but I chose to. I even let the city do a TDOV feature on me on social media, which was a bit scary because that put a target on my back, even in 2019.
Did I still get the stink eye from some employees? Yup. I even had to sic HR on one. But overall, your average civil servant (maybe not federal anymore) tends to lean left, and civic tech itself is a very, VERY queer-friendly field. (Again, not so much federal anymore. I would suggest folks interested here stick to state & municipal work.)
I hope that helps. If you are interested in tech, as long as you are in fields where the purpose is *helping* people, you are bound to find a lot of trans people and allies.
#chit chat#I had considered once interviewing for the agency DOGE took over and obliterated#USDS used to be so queer folks and killing it first was absolutely meant to send a message to queer technologists
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Tell us another story from your security guard days
You learned as a patroller (or any other position that actually worked in the location we were guarding) that the alarms never worked properly. However, the people in Security Control, who were supposed to remotely manage the alarms, believed wholeheartedly and blindly in their infallibility.
One day, while I was operating a metal detector out of the data center floor, a trained monkey (my semi-fond semi-condescending nickname for Google employees) came out of the data center and said, "There's a fire in there."
"Okay," I said. There was a patroller passing by at the moment, and I waved him over and asked him to go onto the DC floor to take care of the fire.
He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "What am I supposed to do about it?"
"Find out where it is?" I said. (The trained monkey did not know, and had apparently seen it some fifteen minutes prior and chosen to finish up whatever he was doing before going and alerting anyone else about it.) "Report it to the supervisor and ask him to call the fire department? Put it out, if it's small enough?"
"I don't know how to use a fire extinguisher," he said, which was an interesting thing for him to say considering every security guard there had mandatory annual fire extinguisher and first aid training.
"Okay," I said. "Then take over my post."
"I'm about to go to lunch," he said.
I picked up my radio and reported to the supervisor that he had taken over my post. (If the post was later found unattended it would be on him, at that point.) Then I went onto the DC floor.
The fire was not big, but it was loud, so I was able to find it without much trouble. One of the servers had caught on fire somehow. I called Security Control and told them there was a fire and where it was.
"No there isn't," Security Control said.
"Yes there is," I said.
"There are no alarms going off," Security Control said.
"There sure aren't," I said. "But I'm looking at a fire right now."
"There can't be a fire," Security Control said. "There's no alarm."
I put my radio back on my belt, deciding I had better deal with the problem before it got bigger, and quickly put the fire out (using my mandatory annual fire extinguisher training). Then I radioed my supervisor and reported the fire. Fortunately he was a cool guy who believed me and had my back about it and I got to listen to him chew out Security Control for the rest of the day about the alarm system and the seriousness of fires and the proper protocol for dealing with fires.
That's why you always always always back up anything you have stored on Google Drive or any of their other online storage services. Or like. Just don't use them at all.
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rehab. 34.
Avenger! Bucky Barnes x Winter Soldier! Fem! Reader
Summary: While on a mission to find any more possible super soldiers that were a part of the Winter Soldier program, Steve and Bucky make a discovery in an abandoned HYDRA base that was cleared out a few years prior to their mission. They discover the Reader, a long-forgotten soldier that was still asleep within a functioning cryostasis pod; still awaiting orders. While Bucky isn't happy about it, he is put up to the challenge of helping to rehabilitate the soldier in Wakanda where she may be able to become a person again.
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A/n: That last chapter was fucking insane alskdjf;asjf but WOOO. This chapter may feel choppy at first since I'm not covering their reactions through the whole court trial as;ldfja;sdfj but I still hope you guys enjoy. Shoutout to my mom, again, for helping me with the news anchor Also, if you enjoy my work, please consider buying me a coffee! If you would prefer to read Rehab on Archive, you may do so right HERE!
This is an au where Bucky joined the avengers but still rehabilitated in Wakanda (sometime before Infinity War [canon divergent cause NOPE]). I am NOT fluent in Russian, so I did use google translate cause I couldn't find a good translator that I trusted. If anything is wrong, PLEASE let me know!! Also, I tried to list as many warnings as possible so you know what the story will contain as chapters are posted. Stay safe!
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Genre: Slowburn, Enemies to Lovers/Friends to Lovers, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Humor, Drama, Dark Content Rated: Explicit Warning: Angst, Dark Content: Graphic Depictions of Sexual Assault, Blood and Gore, Mentions of Manipulation, Kidnapping, Canon-Typical Violence, Body Horror, Nonconsensual Body Modification/Scarring, Emotional and Physical Abuse, Mentions of Murder, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts/Ideation, Graphic Depictions of Human Remains, Mentions of Sexual Coercion/Manipulation, Death, Misuse of Drugs/Forced Drugging, Self-Harm (Graphic Depictions and Mentions), Nightmares
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Author: ScariusAquarius
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rehab masterlist. / rehab masterlist 2. chapter 30 / chapter 31 / chapter 32 / chapter 33
In Wakanda, Bucky was sitting down at a table within the lab, a hologram feed of the court case being livestreamed as he clutched his hands together.
He was quiet; tense and anxious as he watched the prosecutor give her opening statement, and he could hear Sam's slow breathing from beside him as he watched with poorly bated breaths.
Bucky was worried; unsure of how the court case was going to go. If there was a God out there that actually loved him, Bucky hopes that the court case would fall into the Avengers favor.
However, if HYDRA had already started to pay off the politicians and courts...there was no telling what was going to happen. With the event being televised on national TV, it only gave HYDRA the advantage.
If they wanted to make a statement, it was the perfect time to do so. After all, all eyes were on the screen. How else to announce that they were still in operation? How else to announce that one head is cut off and two will grow in its place?
When the court began to play the recording that Natasha and Maria had obtained during their interrogation secure debriefing with Director Holloway, Bucky's face had darkened just the slightest.
'Project Achilles...it was a last resort. We worked together with HYDRA to create the perfect agent...we slaved for years trying to replicate what Howard Stark had created. Robert had always been a brilliant mind, you see? While HYDRA and the CIA had the same idea of creating a perfect weapon, the CIA wanted to...to have the perfect agent that could protect our country! But HYDRA....HYDRA wanted to expand their influence...to control from within! Project Achilles was just a front!'
Bucky's fists clenched, and Sam shook his head after listening, muttering.
"She never had a chance. Unbelievable."
Then, (Y/n)'s existence was exposed, and Bucky felt his stomach drop. This was bad. Now that the world knew that there was another Winter Soldier, even if they were being rehabilitated, Bucky knew that there was going to be a new outrage. It made Bucky distraught. His new phone was ringing, but Bucky didn't bother to look or acknowledge the device.
How was the world going to cope with (Y/n) (L/n)?
How was (Y/n) going to cope with the world?
As the court case continued on, Bucky's body began to hum with anticipation when Steve was called to the stand. When the prosecutor asked Steve to walk him through the recovery mission, Bucky became antsy.
He could see the faces of the reporters and spectators in the court shift into ones of apprehension at the mention of his name, and Sam inconspicuously glanced at Bucky from the corner of his eye.
He could tell that Bucky was anxious; his thumbs brushing against each other over and over as he clenched his jaw. His blue eyes were staring directly at the screen, his ears pricked and actively listening, and Sam adjusted in his seat after taking a long breath.
Then, when the defense attorney began to question Steve, Bucky became angry and upset. It was obvious that the man was trying to shift the blame onto him, and while Steve was doing everything in his power to keep the blame off of Bucky, Bucky knew that it was fruitless.
In the eyes of the public, he would always be a criminal.
Bucky placed his head in his hands, and Sam wasn't sure what to do.
'Yes. Against his will while under the control of Alexander Pierce—and through enforcement by Brock Rumlow and Jack Rollins. That was established in his pardon proceedings.'
Steve's tone was sharp enough that it had Sam chuckling.
"Way to go, Cap. Give him the smackdown!"
Bucky shook his head a little, wiping his face before bringing his hands to his lips. Would it even matter? Would Steve's words and Bucky's own pardon proceedings even matter? Would his effort to make amends even matter?
When the court went into a 10 minute recess, he could see the prosecution whispering among themselves, Steve looking annoyed as Clint whispered something to him, and Sam comforted Bucky gently.
"Don't worry, Buck, it's going to work out."
"That's not what I'm worried about."
There was no bite to his words; no sarcastic notions that dipped into his words like a ghost. Instead, Bucky's voice was filled with guilt and shame; the weight of the world and his past hanging on his shoulders, and Sam pursed his lips before crossing his arms.
"What are you worried about then?"
Bucky glanced up at Sam with a 'are you serious?' look on his face.
"Even though I got pardoned, the world still sees the Winter Soldier when they look at me. How do you think they're going to look at (Y/n)? Do you realize how hard it's going to be for (Y/n) to have a normal life now that people have been given a predisposed idea of who and what she is?"
Sam was quiet for a moment before he looked back at the screen as court was called back into session. When the prosecution suddenly called a late witness, both Sam and Bucky sat up with confusion in their eyes. When Tony's name was dropped, Bucky's eyes widened.
"You gotta be kidding me."
Sam and Bucky shared a look together before watching the screen to see how the next portion of the case was going to play out. When Tony strolled into the courtroom, wearing that 'you can't touch me' look on his face, Bucky couldn't help but to internally groan.
"Of course he would show up like that."
Bucky muttered, running a hand through his hair, and Sam chuckled gently, leaning back in his chair.
"Let's hope he sticks the landing."
They both shared a look together before watching as Tony gave the rundown on his Stark Forensics program and how he was able to authenticate the memories that were extracted and recorded from (Y/n) during the earlier parts of her rehabilitation.
Then, when the defense attorney cross-examined him and the evidence was submitted, both Sam and Bucky watched with amusement as Tony practically skipped his way to the prosecution table and sat down with a grin on his face.
"Mr. Stark, what the hell are you doing?"
Tony shrugged, gesturing with his hand wildly.
"Oh, this is a show that I don't want to miss, your honor. You understand, right?"
Sam couldn't help but to snicker, shaking his head.
"I don't know how he does it, man."
Bucky just sighed. Even with Tony's presence and him hamming up the evidence, there was still a chance that the court case was going to go badly. There was still a dangerous line that was being danced upon, and Bucky wasn't sure what side the world was going to fall on.
Then, Shuri was sworn in, and Bucky felt a bit of relief go through him. If there was one person that he knew could tip the scales, it was Shuri.
There was something grounding and comforting about seeing her, his heart relaxing its pace just a tad, and when she launched into an in-depth explanation of the neural mapping, the extraction process, the authentication systems, Bucky felt his body physically relax.
But then the clips of memories that Shuri had obtained began to play, and Bucky became slack-jawed. There were memories that even he hadn't seen playing, and it made fury fill Bucky's body unlike anything he had ever felt before.
Especially the last one, where it showed just how (Y/n)'s scars on her mouth and other parts of her body had been created.
From beside him, Sam had to look away, his own jaw clenched and shaking his head as his fists clenched inconspicuously beneath his crossed arms.
Bucky refused to look away, the images becoming burned into his head, and there was a small part of him that knew he was going to have nightmares about them. The Judge seemed to be just as upset, regarding the defense attorney with a fire in her eyes that hadn't been there before. When the defense attorney didn't bother to cross-examine, Bucky knew that the man was aware of just how fucked he was now.
And the whole time, Jack Rollins just smiled.
Bucky's vision was tunneling just the slightest from the anger, and that familiar clawing from deep within him began to make an appearance; his throat closing up slightest and his body tensing as if he was getting ready to fight.
McDaniel began to give her closing argument, but Bucky couldn't even be bothered to listen. He just couldn't. Blood was rushing through his ears, and he almost didn't hear Sam address him until Sam called his name a little louder.
Bucky slowly looked over at him, and although Sam looked just as upset, there was a gleam of concern swimming within his brown eyes, and Bucky subtly trembled from the anger.
"There's no way he's gonna get off easy after that."
"I should have just killed him."
Sam didn't answer Bucky right away, his face contorted into a serious expression. His jaw clenched, and Bucky wondered if he agreed with him just the once. Instead, Sam simply stated.
"If you had, none of this would have come to light. He won't be getting off easy after all of this; him nor Holloway."
Bucky just stayed quiet, turning back to the holographic screen. When the jury went to deliberate, the cameras panned to both sides of the room. Mr. Leeds looked absolutely irate, but the prosecution?
He'd never seen Steve look so angry before.
While Bucky knew Steve to have a bit of a temper, it was never from a place of true hostility. Steve was a protective person; it was just who he was. A kind, compassionate man that had no qualms with standing for what he believed in and fighting for what was fair and right.
But nothing about the way he was looking at Jack was fair nor right. When Bucky watched Tony grab his arm to keep him from lunging, Bucky couldn't help but to think how out-of-character it was for Steve to lose his cool. Though, Bucky couldn't fault him. Bucky wasn't even there, and for good reason.
He would have given the country another reason to fear him had he been in that courtroom, pardon be damned.
Even after all the therapy, the healing, the trying-that deep darkness within him had never truly left. It was like a memory; a quiet shadow that crept up on him every once in a while. You could take away all of the programming, but you couldn't take away the soldier that slept deep within.
So, Bucky stayed in his seat. He stayed in Wakanda, and he watched and waited with bated breath as the jury and the judge entered the room again.
"In the matter of the United States versus Jack Rollins, on the counts of all charges brought against Jack Rollins—we find the defendant: guilty."
The relief was instant, his head falling down as he let out the breath that he had been holding, and Sam let out a 'whoop!' as he celebrated. Sam sat forward in his seat, hands clasped as he whispered to himself.
"Come on. Come on, man. One more."
A beat. Another held breath. Another surge of anxiety, and then-
"In the matter of the United States versus Director Dean Holloway—on the charge of obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and aiding and abetting war crimes—we find the defendant: guilty on all counts."
Sam let out a 'yes!' with a fist pump, and Bucky let his head fall into his hands. There was a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders, and he didn't realize just how badly he was shaking until Sam clapped the man on the back.
"See? Told you it was gonna work out, man."
Bucky nodded numbly, taking a huge deep breath as the Judge instructed a new date to be set for sentencing, and the screen changed to a news outlet that was covering the case. The news anchor, a younger woman with a shocked look and blinking eyes staring into the camera as she shook her head slightly.
"Well, there you have it, folks. Jack Rollins and the Director of the CIA have been found guilty on all charges brought against them in arguably one of the most historic case in modern times. In just a moment, renowned lawyer and legal analyst, Jennifer Walters, will join us to discuss the case and the verdict. However, footage just outside of the courthouse has been captured and circulating as tensions reach a new high."
It was chaos outside of the courthouse. Reporters, spectators, protestors, and the like were surrounding the attending Avengers with a vengeance as they shouted their numerous questions and statements. Bucky watched with a frown as one reporter shoved a microphone into Tony's face, his voice echoing through the lab.
"Mr. Stark! Given how long she was with HYDRA, do you think (Y/n) (L/n) is even capable of being a real victim—or is she just another trained killer playing the sympathy card?"
Instantly, Bucky's blood began boiling again, his eyes darkening, and he couldn't get the words out of his head.
Another trained killer playing the sympathy card.
His vibranium hand clenched tightly, the plates shifting and the circuitry whirring loudly as Bucky became pissed. He watched Tony's face become stone-cold, ripping his sunglasses off to give the man a dark look.
"You know what I think?"
Silence, and then a single phrase that had the crowd erupting into the loudest uproar since the case began.
"Fuck this guy."
The screen froze, and Sam barked out a laugh, clutching his chest slightly as he shook his head.
"I can't believe it. He actually said that on national television!"
Although the interaction was amusing, Bucky found it hard to laugh as the reporters words echoed through his head over and over. Pursing his lips, Bucky listened passively as Sam continued to speak.
"You gotta admire the PR nightmare this man wakes up and chooses to be every day."
Bucky hummed in agreement, and though Sam noticed the way Bucky seemed to have detached himself, he didn't comment about it. Something in the reflection of the hologram caught his eyes, and Bucky froze before turning around to see (Y/n) standing there.
Her eyes were trained on the screen as the reporter and the legal analyst began to converse with each other, and Bucky couldn't move. Sam immediately paused the stream, and (Y/n)'s brows were furrowed in awe and disbelief as she stared at the image that had been brought up on the screen by the news anchor and the legal analyst.
It was the pretty woman; the pretty woman in the photo that she held onto like it was her lifeline.
It was her.
"(Y/n)..."
Bucky's voice was breathless, his eyes widened as he looked at (Y/n). His tone was careful, not accusing or upset, but rather surprised and worried to see her. Had she been watching the whole time?
"That was...about me?"
Her voice was small, never taking her eyes off of the frozen screen, and the men shared a look together before Bucky nodded before he explained softly.
"Yeah...about what they did to you...and making sure they never do it again."
(Y/n) finally looked at him, and she bit her lip before glancing down at the ground, whispering.
"They...fought for me?"
Sam's throat bobbed as he swallowed, glancing at Bucky before looking back at (Y/n) and affirming gently with a comforting smile.
"We all did."
His words rung heavy through the air, and (Y/n) didn't understand why she felt a sense of relief go through her, her brow furrowing in confusion at the feeling before she asked quietly, glancing between the men.
"No..no more?"
Bucky immediately nodded, his body relaxing as well as he stated firmly.
"No more."
Suddenly, Bucky's phone ringing broke the silence, and he glanced down at his phone before becoming annoyed. Reading the caller I.D, Bucky huffed before excusing himself.
"Sorry, I need to take this. I'll be right back, (Y/n)."
(Y/n) didn't say anything, just watched as he exited out of the lab before glancing at Sam and the screen again. Slowly, like an animal testing the waters, (Y/n) moved to sit down next to Sam and asked him.
"Can we keep watching?"
Sam looked skeptical for a moment, asking her as he grabbed the remote for the holographic screen.
"Are you sure?"
(Y/n) didn't seem to know how to answer before she simply nodded, and Sam sighed before playing the livestream again. The image jolted for a moment, and the news anchor was now accompanied by the legal analyst, Jennifer Walters, who (Y/n) was shocked to find was very tall, very big, and very green.
Jennifer was adjusting her blazer before she regarded the news anchor with a firm look upon her face, the woman towering over the woman as she sat next to her.
"...the real question now, Erica, is how we navigate the aftermath—not just of United States v. Rollins and Holloway, but of everything that came to light in this trial. We're talking about a woman who was taken by HYDRA before she even had a chance at a normal life. Groomed, weaponized, erased. And now, the world’s asking—what happens to her next?"
(Y/n)'s eyes widened for a moment by the wording, confusion settling within her, and Sam subtly became a bit uncomfortable. The woman continued, giving the camera a heavy frown.
"And let’s be honest, Erica—this country’s track record? It’s messy. You’ve got people out there who get it. Who’ve seen these institutions fail since before World War II. They’re angry. Furious, actually. And rightfully so."
A scene from the protest outside of the courthouse began to play, people holding up signs with slogans that included 'No More Secrets!' and 'GOVERNMENT = WAR CRIMES' and more. The news anchor, Erica, nodded thoughtfully before stating as she replied.
"Ms. Walters, the folks at home and the spectators within the court are saying 'Sure, it's tragic-but she's still a dangerous assassin; a killer.' What would you say to those folks?"
Jennifer frowned while replying, articulating her words by poking the table in front of her as her tone became low and serious.
"Sure, this may be true, but we have to remember that this was a woman who was subjugated to these things without choice. Let me remind these people and the folks at home to not forget the true narrative here: this wasn’t some rogue agent who turned evil. This was a kid, stolen from her life, trained to hurt people before she even had a chance to understand what choice meant."
Erica then replied, tapping her pen slightly as she asked the woman with an inquisitve look upon her face.
"But where does accountability come into this, Jen? We can't ignore the fact that people have died because of this woman and HYDRA. Innocent people."
Jennifer didn't hesitate, leaning forward slightly as she regarded the woman with a stern gaze before flickering her eyes to the camera; (Y/n) feeling as though she was looking directly at her and shrunk in on herself slightly.
"Accountability is important, yes, but we cannot scapegoat a victim of systemic abuse. What the public should be asking about is governmental transparency-the right to know what the hell our country is doing behind our backs. This isn't just about one woman, but a system that has failed us because of fear and desire for power."
Jennifer then glanced at Erica again, leaning back in her chair as she gestured candidly.
"Let me point out that this case wasn't just about (Y/n) (L/n). The defense tried to turn the spotlight onto Bucky Barnes out of a piss-poor attempt due to desperation. They knew they were losing, and they hoped that maybe Barnes' questionable past would distract the jury, but nobody was buying it. As we shouldn't. Facts don't lie. James Buchanan Barnes was used. (Y/n) (L/n) was used. We have to decide what kind of society that we want moving forward-one that punishes survivors, or one that protects them."
(Y/n) was looking down at her lap as Sam whistled lowly, impressed by the woman before he glanced at (Y/n). He observed the way she had detached herself from the screen and the words being spoken, and he comforted her gently.
"See? You've got a lot of people rooting for you."
"What if they still hate me?"
Sam pursed his lips, feeling a bit saddened by her words, and he shook his head.
"Some people aren't gonna like you. People hate what they don't understand and fear, but that doesn't mean that they are right. But what you can do is show them that you don't care. You're becoming the woman that you want to be, not who anybody is telling you to be."
(Y/n) furrowed her brows for a moment before she glanced back at the screen. Jennifer and Erica were beginning to dive more into the trial itself, dissecting the defense and prosecution thoroughly, and (Y/n) whispered softly.
"I...want to be good. I want...I want to be me again."
Sam's lips tugged gently, and he gently rubbed her back, the woman flinching slightly before relaxing for a second, glancing at Sam.
"That's just the first step, which means you're already doing pretty good, little lady."
(Y/n) nodded slightly, and her ears pricked at the sound of the lab doors opening again. Bucky came stalking in, looking angry and annoyed, and (Y/n) frowned with curiosity. Sam raised his brow, and simply asked.
"Let me guess: handy-dandy notebook?"
Bucky glared at Sam, huffing.
"What the hell do you think?"
Bucky really didn't want to answer the call, but Dr. Raynor always had a way of making him feel like a kid that just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar when he would ignore her calls. When he answered, Raynor's sarcastic voice immediately made him tense.
"Wow, he lives."
"You called me, so here I am. What the hell do you want, Raynor?"
Raynor paused for a moment, sighing before she stated, her tone gentle but still commanding as she spoke.
"I saw the trial, just like everyone else in the world. How are you feeling?"
He should have known she was going to attempt to make an impromptu therapy session. Running a hand through his hair, Bucky leaned against the wall, muttering.
"Just peachy."
Her tone became questioning and skeptical, her voice making Bucky purse his lips.
"Really? You sound like you're not happy about the verdict."
Bucky became offended, quipping stiffly.
"I'm not going to bother to reply to that. I'm worried about (Y/n). She saw the whole trial."
Raynor was quiet for a moment before she explained to him carefully.
"(Y/n) is not going to just heal overnight, especially when she doesn't have a professional to help her-"
Bucky cut her off, hissing out.
"She doesn't need a shrink right now."
"-She also doesn't need man that is also trying to heal from the horrible shit HYDRA did acting as her shrink either. And I'm telling you, James, that if you keep tying your trauma to hers, you're going to drown the both of you."
Bucky sucked in air through his teeth, his fist clenching before he tried to relax. Instead, Bucky decided to say to shift the conversation a bit.
"I just want her to be okay, alright? Am I such a fucking horrible person so much that I can't even offer to sit in the trenches with her? I get it. I'm still fucked up, but someone needs to be there that can actually understand her instead of a goddamn shrink that wants to hold pain over her fucking head like a diagnosis because that shrink will never fucking understand, Raynor."
In the background, he could hear Raynor's pen clicked, and once again, something snapped in Bucky. he couldn't understand why he was so protective; why he was so angry.
"What the hell is your problem, huh?"
There was a moment of silence before Raynor stated firmly.
"Listen, James, I'm not trying to be the enemy here. I understand that you care about her, maybe more than you realize, but you need to understand that yes, actually, (Y/n) does need a professional shrink. You and the Avengers can help her all that you want, but you guys aren't trained in this. Your jobs are to protect and save people from threats, not heal them. That's where I come in."
Raynor paused for a moment before she stated.
"I'm not trying to tell you that you are wrong for wanting to help her. I'm actually proud of you for even trying, but you're walking a very dangerous line that is going to cause more harm than good if you're not careful."
Bucky sighed heavily, shaking his head a little and leaning against the wall more as Raynor allowed him to process her words before she continued.
"I'm going to reach out to Mr. Stark and Mr. Rogers. I’m picking up her case—because you, and the rest of the world, need to know she's getting real help. Professional help. Like it or not, James, the world isn’t ready to understand her—at least, not the way she is now, and not without knowing that someone with credentials is in her corner."
Bucky couldn't deny that Raynor was right. Without the world knowing that (Y/n) was being helped by a professional, she wasn't going to be accepted. While yes, (Y/n) was always going to be scrutinized, Bucky knew that she deserved a chance-a really good and solid chance. Taking a deep breath, Bucky caved in a bit, stating quietly.
"Just...give me something to work with here, Raynor."
Raynor paused for a moment before she offered.
"Here’s what I can do: I’ll conduct a full evaluation to gauge where (Y/n) is in her rehabilitation. She won’t have to leave Wakanda—but I need to see her in person to understand exactly what I’m working with. Technically, I’m not even supposed to be doing this, James, so I’m stepping way out on a limb here. However, if (Y/n) gives her written consent, I’ll allow you to sit in on the sessions."
It was good enough for Bucky that he huffed before muttering.
"Fine, sounds good to me. Bye."
He immediately hung up, rubbing his hand over his face before he went back into the lab.
Bucky looked at (Y/n) who was staring at him with an observant look on her face, and Bucky sighed before sitting down across from her. (Y/n) instantly recognized his motion to address her, and she turned to him, tilting her head sllightly.
"What is it?"
Bucky puffed out his cheeks a bit before explaining.
"That was my therapist on the phone. She watched the whole trial too, and she...wants to help you just like she...helps...me."
The word was very loose, but (Y/n) didn't pick up on that fact. Sam, however, was looking skeptical and squinting at him from over (Y/n)'s shoulder. (Y/n) simply blinked, not seeming to react in any way for a moment before she became worried.
"I'm being taken away?"
Bucky's eyes widened and he shook his head, gesturing wildly by shaking his hands back and forth.
"No, no, absolutely not. Nobody is taking you away."
(Y/n) visibly relaxed, and Bucky continued.
"She wants to meet you...and if you allow it, help you on your mission to remember...to rehabilitate you. I can be there with you too, but Dr. Raynor needs written consent from you for that."
(Y/n) furrowed her brows as she began to think it over. For a moment, the room was silent before she asked him quietly.
"She will help? But...you don't...seem to like this woman. Is she a threat? Must I eliminate her?"
As tempted as Bucky was to say yes, he knew that would be the worst thing he could say at this moment. Instead, Bucky disagreed.
"No, no, she's not a threat and you don't have to...eliminate...her. Dr. Raynor and I...we just have differing opinions on a lot of things. But I think that...maybe...she can help you where I can't."
Suddenly, tears filled (Y/n)'s eyes, and Bucky immediately felt like shit despite not knowing what he had said. (Y/n) then whimpered as she seemed to curl in on herself.
"I don't want you to leave me."
Bucky felt the wind get knocked out of him, and he comforted gently, gently rubbing her shoulder carefully as she sniffled.
"Oh, doll, I'm not going anywhere. Alright? I'll be there with you the whole time."
(Y/n) sniffled again, looking at Bucky with a hopeful expression.
"You will...complete this mission with me?"
Bucky nodded, giving her a small and comforting smile.
"You don't think I'd leave my best girl behind, do you?"
His words struck something in (Y/n), and he watched as her eyes lit up a bit. His heart stopped, however, when the corners of (Y/n)'s lips ticked up, and he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. In this moment, everything seemed to fall away for a brief second that felt like ages.
It was the first time (Y/n) (L/n) had ever smiled at him, and oh, was it lovely.
-
STORY NOTES: In Wakanda, Bucky and Sam are watching the court trial live on a holographic screen in Shuri's lab. While Sam is seemingly confidant about the trial, Bucky is anxious. He is worried that HYDRA will use this opportunity to make a statement of their continued operation. (Y/n) is nowhere to be found, presumably with T'Challa as the men watch the livestream. Once (Y/n)'s existence is exposed during the court case, Bucky becomes upset and even more anxious. He worries that now that the world is aware of her, they will demonize her the same way that they demonized him; making her transition into the public even more difficult once the time comes. When Steve's time on the stand comes and his is being cross-examined by the defense attorney, Bucky becomes angry as the man attempts to shift the focus onto Bucky.
When the court goes into its first recess, Sam tries to comfort Bucky by telling the man that he has nothing to worry about. However, Bucky refuses and tells Sam that he isn't worried about the case itself. He reveals to Sam that he is worried about how the public is going to receive (Y/n) and how she will live a normal life once everything comes to an end. Sam is unable to give Bucky a response, and the focus shifts back to the court trial. When Tony is called to the stand, Bucky and Sam are shocked.
After Tony and Shuri's testimonies, the clips of (Y/n)'s recorded memories are played, and Bucky is instantly affected. He becomes furious and disgusted, appalled with Rollins and the treatment that (Y/n) faced, and Sam is unable to watch. When Bucky notices that Jack Rollins smiled through each clip, the fury becomes deeper, the ghost of the Winter Soldier making a very subtle appearance. Sam tells Bucky that there wasn't a possibility that Rollins nor Holloway were going to walk away, but Bucky states that he 'should have just killed him'. Sam tells Bucky, however, that if he had, none of what had happened would have come to light.
Once the jury and Judge return from deliberation and recess, Sam and Bucky are both relieved that Rollins and Holloway are both found guilty. As the news outlet covering the case switches to the news anchor, the news anchor shows the clip of Tony and the reporter from outside of the courthouse. Bucky becomes angry again at the question that the reporter asked Tony, but is mildly amused when Tony retorts 'Fuck this guy' and leaves the scene. Then, Bucky notices (Y/n) watching through the reflection of the screen. Sam immediately pauses the stream as Bucky greets (Y/n), and (Y/n) is shocked to find her image on the screen.
It's revealed that she had watched the trial the whole time, surprised by the fact that the trial was mainly about her, and Bucky explains that it was to make Jack Rollins and Director Holloway pay for what they did to her. (Y/n) is surprised that the Avengers fought for her justice, and Sam simply states that they all did. Suddenly, Bucky's phone rings, and he is forced to leave the room to answer the call. Sam and (Y/n) are left alone together, and (Y/n) asks if they can continue to watch the livestream of the news. Sam agrees and begins to play the stream again. On the news, Jennifer Walters aka She-Hulk makes an appearance to legally analyze the case for the media.
Jennifer makes sure to highlight the fact that (Y/n) was a victim and is not the enemy while pointing out the importance of governmental accountability and transparency. Jennifer also makes sure to point out the defense's desperate move to highlight Bucky's past with HYDRA, and states that both Bucky and (Y/n) were victims of HYDRA. Sam tries to comfort (Y/n) by telling her that people are rooting for her, but (Y/n) is worried about the hatred she is facing. Sam tells her that people are not always going to like her and that she can fight back by continuing to be the woman she wants to be. Bucky comes back, and when asked by Sam if it was Dr. Raynor, Bucky confirms this.
The focus shifts onto a flashback of the conversation between Dr. Raynor and Bucky. Raynor informs Bucky that she watched the trial and asks him how he is feeling about it. Bucky gives Raynor a vague response, and when she asks if he's not happy with the verdict, Bucky becomes offended and reveals that he's worried about (Y/n) since she watched the whole trial. Raynor points out that (Y/n) will not heal overnight without a professional, and when Bucky snaps that she doesn't need a therapist at this moment, Raynor claps back by telling Bucky that (Y/n) didn't need a broken man acting as her therapist either.
Bucky becomes frustrated, asking Raynor if he was so horrible of a person that he wasn't allowed to be there for (Y/n). He argues that while he knows that he is still healing himself, he also understands the importance of having someone who can empathize with the situation instead of having someone 'hold their pain over their head like a diagnosis'. Raynor then tells Bucky that she's not trying to be the enemy. She points out the necessity for a professional therapist for (Y/n) and tells him that it's not in the Avengers nor Bucky's training to help her heal. She then adds that she's not trying to say Bucky is wrong for helping her, but that in doing so, it could cause problems for both parties.
Raynor further adds that she is going to reach out to Steve and Tony to officially become (Y/n) therapist and points out the importance of the world knowing that she is receiving professional help so she has a better chance at being accepted into society. When Bucky finally agrees, Raynor tells him that with (Y/n)'s written consent, she would allow Bucky to accompany (Y/n) to these therapy sessions. In the present, Bucky informs (Y/n) of this development, and (Y/n) assumes that she is being taken away. Bucky comforts her and tells her that nobody is taking her away, but that Raynor might be able to help her better than he can. (Y/n) becomes worried again and emotional, telling Bucky that she doesn't want him to leave her, and Bucky comforts her once more. When (Y/n) is comforted, she smiles her very first smile at Bucky. End scene.
TRANSLATIONS:
None
TAGLIST: @buckvoidsyy @chonkybonky @seemsxsketchy @tilldeathripsusapart @vicmc624 @mgchaser @aash3 @samfunko @seventeen-x @valckenaux @babybeeelle @sc4rrc @cjand10 @bane-y-zane @notsostrangerthing @thenameswinter99 @bumblebeebutter @torntaltos
#bucky barnes x reader#james buchanan barnes x reader#james bucky barnes x reader#winter soldier x reader#the winter soldier x reader#bucky x reader#bucky barnes#james buchanan barnes#james bucky barnes#the winter soldier#winter soldier#marvel#marvel x reader#captain america#captain america x reader
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Holy shit, great to see the internet imploding once again lmao (srsly I'm also pouring one out for the discord mods holy fuck. I joined that server when it was at 17k people and THAT was already too many people for me...)
So uh. I know my * post * talking about us seeing Vessel prepare for war didn't blow up quite as much as my tritanopia post (still fucking stoked about that actually sosjehshjwh), BUT I am happily back again with the military jargon breakdown!
I'm going to say now, everything I mention here is declassified, you can find it with a Google search. Please don't freak out on me lmao
The Morse code from the Pan and Echo audio files was summed up into eight lines of dialogue (for lack of a better word).

At first I thought it was a 9 Line, which is a call for medevac report, due to the SOS. But it is missing a ninth line, so I asked a friend of mine what they thought. And they said it looks like a weird mix of two report formats: BLUE 2 and GREEN 6.
BLUE 2 is SITREP, or situation report - rather self explanatory. Brief summary of threat activity, then you list off how ready your men and your vehicles/equipment are, and then you give a summary of The Gameplan.
GREEN 6 is EPW (enemy prisoner of war)/Captured Material Report. You've executed The Gameplan, and you've captured people and stuff. This one is a two-parter technically, because you list off who you've captured first and then what you've captured (this can include land and buildings, so like if you captured a hilltop or castle or smth), you state the unit that did the capturing, when the capture happened, and a brief summary of how you did it.
So now, we break the message down. The first two lines don't really align with any report, so we'll focus on 3 onward.
Line 1: "I've been waiting long for you"
Line 2: "Behold"
Line 3 (friendly locations as from a BLUE 2): WA and RL, which ended up being WRAL, which is the news channel for Raleigh, NC (NORTH CAROLINA BABY, LET'S GOOO). Their meteorologist made a * post * about 3/29 on Instagram.
Line 4 (DTG [Date Time Group] of capture, as from the second half of a GREEN 6): "Two days in the morning", two days from now it'll be 3/29, AND there's a partial solar eclipse that day (though it's very close to full), and where the eclipse will be most prominent over the Atlantic, it'll be at maximum around 10:47 AM UTC. So the DTG would be written as 291047MAR2025.
Line 5 (place of capture, as from a GREEN 6): "In Arcadia"
Line 6 (circumstances of capture, as from a GREEN 6): "Carpe" (Latin for "seize")
Line 7: "Broadcast interruption, nothing"
Line 8: SOS SOS SOS KN AS
Everyone knows the mayday call. But KN and AS are CW radio signs (telegraphing, Morse code, all that shit they used in both world wars). KN means "only the station named should respond", and AS means "wait". The broadcast was interrupted, but the broadcaster didn't hear anything from the interruption. They're still calling for help because the interruption means someone is listening in when they shouldn't be, so the broadcaster may be compromised, and they're asking for an answer from whoever they were broadcasting to before saying "wait" (maybe as in "don't send rescue immediately").
Now, let's look at something else rq. The metadata of the audio files.
Uploaded by: The Observer
Another report to mention: BLUE 1, SPOTREP. These are written up when scouts observe any known or suspected threat activity in the AO (area of operation).
And I want to amend rq, the emails from a few weeks ago with the respective wording: House Veridian "observe", and Feathered Host "seize".
This is a House Veridian SPOTREP of a Feathered Host SITREP/capture broadcast, probably done by our Observer doing what the green bois call channel hopping, and the Broadcaster not securing their comms line.
I really want to know who Vessel knows. Cuz while ts is available to the public, you gotta know someone who can tell you that these report documents even exist. The US Army has like a thousand reporting documents, something for everything. Every country does a lot of this stuff differently and has differing names for it, but I just find it really neat that it seems to be US-based (unless the UK military also operates this way 👀👀👀)
#sleep token#theories#HERE WE GO AGAIN LADS#i do hope this one hits off a bit; im quite proud of myself in how much of this i explained in even more shorthand than the army uses ksnjg#military#again rip to the server; i hope the mods start getting paid after ts
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