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bluedemon1995 · 4 years ago

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New story because apparently I don’t have anything better to do. Yet I do and sorry for not finishing other stories!!!

Chapter 1

KNOCK< KNOCK>KNOCK

I slowly lift my head up from my arms looking side to side, where apparently, I fell asleep. At my desk. With all the lights on. And the TV on. Way too loud. And did I mention the lights, which are so damn bright that they are hurting my eyes. In fact, I think my foot is asleep and I feel cold, freezing in fact. My body aches as I gradually move, clutching my fingers in and out to get some feeling, ugh I drooled on my paperwork! Well, shit, I absently rub at the wet spot and blink repeatedly. What is actually going on?

I hate when I fall asleep while working at my table or desk. Oh well, who am I kidding, it’s not the first time and sadly it won’t be the last. Groggily I try to focus on the numbers on my clock, rubbing my eyes to see it’s a little after 2 am. Who the heck could it be? Shit they are persistent, I’ll give them that.

<KNOCK, KNOCK> Good news never arrives at 2 am. Suddenly, I’m wide awake, with my stomach in knots as I trip my way to the door while hurriedly scrubbing my face (I definitely don’t want drool on it), finally stumbling to the door. I rush to unlock the door and yank it open it as I yawn and push my hair out of my face. Damn I really need a trim, its too damn long. Again.

I look up, and up to see…Krolia?!?! I lean around and look for Keith or Cosmo, nope.

“Hey, Krolia, um, hi? What can I do for you?” Yep, definitely not fully awake yet I open the door anyways and indicate she should enter. I look down, um… yeah…I’m in my brother’s old Garrison t-shirt and some fluffy socks. And that’s it. FUUUCCKKKK….I vaguely remember spilling coke on my pants, which is why when I look back I see my pants are on the floor by the chair so yeah, I am pant-less…and braless catching sight of my bra…also on the floor…well, why are those things so uncomfortable anyways?

Does anyone really wear them once they get home? I think not! Ugh. I indicate she should take a seat on the couch while I try to evaluate what’s going on. Hopefully she doesn’t notice my lack of attire. She looks serious but honestly I don’t think I ever see her relaxed so …I’m just going to take a leap and assume my attire doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. She’s a girl so no surprises anyway. And at least I woke up and answered the door, which isn’t a given knowing my sleep patterns once I knock out. God, I get enough teasing!

“Pidge, you should not just open your door like that, you didn’t even ask who it was! I could be a dangerous person!” Krolia states in her very calm and serious voice as she takes a seat. Sitting very straight up like she’s in a meeting at a boardroom. Or a spaceship. What she doesn’t look like is a person sitting in my messy front room in the middle of the night on my couch. Ah well.

As I lock the door, I slowly turn to walk over and reply, “Well, you ARE a very dangerous person but good news, so am I! So, not that I’m NOT happy to see you, but it is 2 am so I imagine this is not a social call. What’s up? Where’s Keith and Cosmo? Do you need my awesome tech skills?” Chuckling I add, “What, was Keith afraid to ask?”

Krolia fidgets and finally I get a good look at her eyes-shit she looks … worried … scared … now I’m back to high alert. “I am sorry to interrupt your rest. But Keith has been captured by some … hostiles on a planet we were giving aid to. The Blades want to wait and discuss what should be done. Negotiate. Talk … make plans, wait, argue. I find, that, well, that I simply cannot comply. Not now. I cannot abide by the Blade rules, not with Keith being held. As a prisoner.”

Suddenly I’m fully awake. I interrupt, waving my hand around like I can put the words back in her mouth. “Shit, shit shite! Okay, no problem. Is he, like…ok, do you know where he is? Who has him? How the hell did this happen and why am I just finding out about this!”

Krolia lets out a breath, not breaking eye contact with me, “Yes, I do. They are essentially holding him for ransom and, and I, I left the Blades when they started negotiating with them, going back and forth over the details. Like he was a spacecraft or some bargain or trinket to haggle over. That is NOT acceptable. We are not in the middle of a war. I refuse to let him think I have given him up.”

I can literally see the sadness in her eyes, and I know, she’s thinking again. I recognize guilt when I see it. Continuing, she sits even straighter, “But, I have not been able to see him in over a… week, I think is your measurement? I asked Cosmo to bring me to Earth for help. And here I am. He brought me to you.”

I nod, pulling at my hair, thinking THANK GOD! While initially I was in the process of sitting; now I’m pacing the length of the room, trying to think and come up with a plan, a good one, one that gets Keith out in one piece. “Okay, okay, I can work with this. I’ve been working on a spaceship in my spare time and it’s functional though not pretty. I can call Shiro, Hunk and Matt, they can meet us. I’ll text my parents, and I’m going to let Lance know and either he can be our home base, or we can pick him up. Oh, and I have to let Coran know.”

Looking at her, then down at my half dressed self, “So shit, I need you to give me 10 minutes and we can leave.” I look back up to Krolia who has tears in her eyes. Oh no!!! I can’t take a mom crying. I have too much guilt from leaving my own mom, I can’t take this.

I impulsively grab her hands, “Hey! No worries, they don’t know who they messed with! We’ll get him back in no time. Honestly, I’m surprised we haven’t had to rescue him sooner! You know his winning personality and all.” I give her a small encouraging smile and not seeing any relief, I end up giving her a hug. I hate to see the worry in her eyes, it reminds me too much of the look my mom had, for far too long. And I know how much Keith loves his mom, he wouldn’t want her to worry. And it’s Krolia.

Krolia hugs me tightly for a few minutes.Then she leans back and looks at me and says somberly, “I prepared a whole speech. I thought I would have to try and convince you to come and help.” She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, “You are breaking the rules, true? Cosmo obviously knew better than I who to come to. Thank you~~”

Impulsively I lean forward and give her another much longer hug, more of a squeeze, trying to stop the words coming out of her mouth. And I end up just hold her tight rubbing her back. “Hey, it’s okay!!!”

*Flash* Cosmo is suddenly here and cuddled up to the both of us. In his teeth he has something of Keiths? Maybe his shirt. Awwwww, “Hey boy, don’t worry we are going to get our guy!” I don’t know how long the three of us huddle together. But, we need to get moving. I need to do something!

I stand, take a deep cleansing breath and say, “Okay, first things first, let me get dressed, second let me make some calls and let the guys know what’s going on then Cosmo can take us in a flash to my ship.”

At her nod, I rush to my room, grab my bag and run into the bathroom. I’m rapidly calculating the logistics. What do we absolutely need, what would be nice and what might be a problem to get. Is the ship really ready? Do we tell any of the other team members or is it better if Griffin and the others can claim ignorance? As I get ready, I’m quickly coming up with lists and to dos. Rapidly making lists in my head I instinctively sort what needs to be done now and what can be saved for later. I need to move quickly because, well, it’s Keith. I don’t have time to go through proper channels. It’s imperative we get him back.

After I’m dressed and have gone over the lists in my head few more times, I finally feel ready enough to to call Shiro, fill him in and give him a list of essentials. He doesn’t hesitate to agree, saying he can leave the Atlas ASAP, but he does need to talk to Curtis first. I ask if he can clear the way with the Garrison. He quickly agrees, asking what he can take off my plate, what he can do, and given some duties he quickly hangs up focused and determined as ever.

Both of us are now completely concentrating on our individual tasks. Thank goodness, this is one of the times that I realize that Shiro really just steadies me. I don’t even need to see him in person, just hearing his voice tell me we got this, I believe we do. Not to mention that I trust him with my life. Yeah, that’s like solid gold.

Next is Hunk, who is on the Atlas as well, so luckily, I only have to make one stop. He quickly agrees and says he will meet with Shiro at the pickup point. I debate who to call next. I end up calling Lance, who I don’t want to upset, because he is going through such a rough time. I know I’ve been babying him, hell we all have. But ultimately, I feel like he has a right to decide for himself whether he wants to come along. He’s still part of us, the original team. He isn’t a kid and I know he has come a long way in the grieving process. Besides, how could I not tell him? That would be the ultimate insult even if I was just protecting him.

Or at least for me it would be. So, I take a deep breath and wonder if he will even answer, after all, it’s late for a farmer and Lance…is still dealing with things.

“Lance, Pidge.”

He kinda chuckles or wheezes? which is as close to a laugh as he gets now a days, “Yeah I know. Don’t you ever sleep? Did you forget how many bushels equal a peck?”

I smile, “Yeah, every decaphoeb or so I sleep and I know one bushel is four pecks, smart ass. Look, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no easy way to say this, so here I am. I’m going to do this my way and gonna just rip the band aid off. Keith has been…captured and is being held for ransom. The Blades want to wait and negotiate a return, which has no firm deadline. Krolia came to me and well, we are going to get him. You can come or you can coordinate for us from home or really whatever you want. No pressure, seriously, I know you are recalibrating and, shit, you don’t even have to come, I don’t know what I was even thinking. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have even called, this is probably bringing up all kinds of”

Lance interjects, calmly, “Pidge.”

I sigh, “Yeah, I well, I still have to tell my parents and ask Matt if he wants in. Lance, really, whatever you want to do is fine. Take a little time to decide. Whatever you need.”

I hear him take halting breath, “If you think I won’t hurt your chances, or his, I want to be there. I want to help.”

I smirk, and can’t help but reply, “Dude since when has hurting our chances ever stopped you from coming along!”

He almost laughed again, replying “Yeah, yeah, ok, should I go to the Atlas? Will that be easier? Is that where you are all meeting up? How can I help you?”

I smile and nod, even though he can’t see me, “Yeah, um, the Atlas- that works. I’m getting supplies and will be in route shortly. So, um, I kinda made this, um, ship”

He interrupts, actually laughing, for reals, “Of course you did! Look, call your mom-don’t text! And EAT! I’ll be waiting for you on the Atlas. Sharpshooter out.”

I hit the hang up button, take a deep breath and call my mom. This is the call I’m kinda actually afraid of making. What if she says no. I mean, I’m going and all, but, I don’t want to hurt her. She’s been through so much and I still feel the pain of causing her more pain. While she never said she holds it against me, honestly, I don’t see how. I also don’t want to scare her but hostile aliens and me are not a good combo to mention.

And now, seeing Krolia, so sad and un-Krolia like really made me feel bad all over again for what my mom went through. And it was probably worse because she had no idea what happened to me. Which is why I’m calling even when I don’t want to. She listens to my rambling explanation, without saying a word, and ultimately just states, “Honey, just be careful, and, no arguments, Matt is going with you. NOPE, I just said no arguments. I’ll wake him and have him meet you at the ship. I assume you are taking the ship you are building, but correct me if I’m wrong. I’d hate to send Matt to the wrong place.”

“Mom…I…I’m…” softly, I don’t have a better response than “thanks.” I can literally feel my eyes well up with tears, God why do I want to cry?!

She must hear the tears in my voice because before I know it she says, “Honey, I’m your mom, what do you think, you have secrets?” Softly chuckling, she whispers, “Just, promise me, you’ll be careful. I know you have to go, and I’ll tell your dad. So don’t worry about that. But I need you to come back with your guy, safely and unhurt. Please. And thanks for calling first this time! I can see that your last punishment has really made a lasting impression.”

“Haha, yeah mom, just for you” but then what she said hits me…square in my red face, more seriously - I whisper furiously, “I love you, thanks for understanding mom, but you know he’s not my…GUY. He’s my TEAMMATE. I mean he’s ALL of our team’s person.”

My mom laughs and says “Sure thing, honey. You are right, because you always go off into space for people you don’t love! Let Krolia know I’m here for her and if you need back up, just call, seriously call, I’ll move heaven and earth for you” (is that a sigh) “always …love you. Be safe. Please.”

We hang up and I shoot a text to my dad, I know my mom is going to tell him everything but seriously, I may need back up so it is better to be safe and tell him what I know and share plans as I go. I grab my bag to leave and turn off the lights. No second thoughts, just going through my mental list, this is for Keith after all.

Krolia stands, “Are you sure? You are already done? Who can help?”

I look up, firm and resolute, ”It’s Keith” I helplessly shrug, “…we are all going.”

She looks kinda well, honestly, weird, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dragged you all into this. Your mom must…”

I know where this is headed… nowhere helpful. She has to know that I’d move heaven and hell for Keith. Any of us would. So I simply, grab her arm and walk her out my door, making sure my door is locked (can’t have a repeat of two weeks ago) and hold onto Cosmo.

“Krolia, no offense, but you couldn’t stop me, or us. Any of us. And my mom knows I, or rather, WE wouldn’t leave Keith hanging. So, it’s cool.” I look around and make sure I have all the supplies that are necessary as well as the minor things like locking my door tight and things are turned off. “Alright, Krolia, let’s go get our guy. Cosmo, who’s a good boy?!? Please take me to my workstation, boy.”

As we flash out, I send a hopeful thought into the universe, please keep all those I love safe. Please.

#katie holt #keith kogane #kidge #keith and pidge #keith x pidge #pidge and keith #post end of season #postseason

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peace-coast-island · 4 years ago

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Diary of a Junebug

Taking in the sights of Golden City

The Golden City sure is bright! Everything about it is so fascinating - the architecture, the roads, the trees - the place doesn't seem real. From traveling via whale taxi to the floating buildings and crystalline gazebos, it's no wonder Golden City is on top of many people's must see places before they die - mine included.

Seeing that Golden City seems to be in a world of its own, I never expected to run across a familiar face there - especially one who's currently in the process of renovating an old building to turn into her very own company. I've heard rumors but to see it actually happen - it seems so unreal.

Who would've thought that Ginko Okabe, director of a big marketing company, would start her own thing? And her business partner happens to be Benji Yoshino, a big hotshot tech genius. They crossed paths when Benji met up with the higher ups at Ginko's old workplace and at the time he happened to be acquainted with Manaka. Throw in Shiran then you've got three unlikely people who somehow ended up being friends with such a high profile figure.

Ginko's been super busy with the move from the metropolitan, strictly business city of Hailstorm Bay to the glowing, almost otherworldly place of Golden City. Now that her apartment's all set, the next step is getting the office building ready. So she and her friends have been busy with that for the past week.

With things moving smoothly, Ginko figured that they could all use a break. After all, it's not easy taking an hour long train to Golden City after a 9 to 5 shift to help clean up an old building as well as move furniture. She didn't expect her former coworkers to step up like that but they wouldn't let her hire a bunch of strangers to put her office together. With her giving them an opportunity to leave their monotonous, unfulfilling, (and sometimes toxic) work environment to be a part of her team, doing the heavy lifting was their way of thanking her.

Before heading out to meet up with Benji and Shiran, Ginko gave us a tour of the office. It's one thing to see snippets of the renovation on social media, it's another to see how much progress has been made in a week. What was once an old, run down building will soon be bustling with activity.

After seeing the office, we headed to the cafe and caught up with Benji and Shiran. They've been dating for a while but it wasn't until recently they were open about it. We all kinda suspected it so it wasn't a surprise when they made it official. First Manaka, now Shiran, what is it about diligent working class accountants that would draw in a wealthy, head in the clouds, tech genius like Benji?

How the former accountant and the eccentric millionaire came to be together is one of those stories where it all came down to chance. Benji first met Manaka through skydiving classes. Then they ran into each other again by chance on the streets around the same time he was installing a new security system for the company. Eventually word got out about their relationship, forcing Manaka to lay low for a while - which is partly why he and Shiran kept things under wraps for a long time. While they got along well, they didn't always meet eye to eye, especially about their futures. Manaka wanted stability while Benji jumped from one thing to another - it wasn't meant to be.

Running into Shiran was also a chance encounter. Shiran was interested in Manaka but the feeling wasn't mutual. The two met in college and ended up working in the same place, but aside from the office, they rarely saw each other outside of that. It took a while but Shiran was able to accept that while he and Manaka grew to become good friends, a romance wasn't in the cards for them.

Shiran and Benji literally bumped into each other on the streets and from there an unlikely friendship came about. Shiran was in awe of Benji at first because of his achievements, then slightly jealous when he found out he was dating Manaka, and then cool with him after the mutual breakup. Ginko was surprised to find them causally hanging out together. Soon the duo became a trio.

Things haven't been the same since Manaka's death. A series of workplace safety violations resulted in an explosion that injured many, even killing a few. Manaka, Shiran, and three other people were trapped in the basement, which was on the verge of collapsing, complicating the rescue. All five were rescued and taken to the hospital, where Manaka later died of her injuries. It happened suddenly, totally unexpected as she was fully conscious, alert, and walking when they found her.

Shiran fell into a deep depression for a while, leading to other problems. Ginko struggled a lot too but did her best to not let that affect her work. She later admitted that trying to do damage control over what happened was the hardest thing she ever did, one that made her completely disillusioned with the company. Benji, Ami and Karrie were grieving as well but kept a brave face in public.

Benji was the one who helped Shiran get back on his feet. He said that his biggest regret was not reaching out to Manaka after the breakup. While they were cool with each other and wanted to stay friends, they didn't do a good job of keeping in contact. Benji was out of town when the explosion happened and flew in as soon as he heard, planning to visit Manaka and Shiran at the hospital the next morning.

Just when all of that was behind them, an investigation of Manaka's death reopened the pain and grief for all of them. Apparently the doctor who treated her is on trial as several of his patients have died due to negligence in the past few years. In other words, the deaths of Manaka and many others could've been easily prevented if they had proper medical care. It's already bad enough that she died in a freak accident that shouldn't have happened, and now we find out that her death could've been avoided all together.

Just thinking about all that - damn. Manaka was sweet and spunky, a bit on the obedient and passive side, but always one to go out and try new things. I never understood why she always got the short end of the stick at work - and she certainly never deserved to have her life cut so short like this. Whenever I think about her, I can't help but wonder why the universe can be so unfair at times.

So with the thing going on with the doctor, people are being questioned and such, like Manaka's parents and Shiran for example. Thankfully Shiran doesn't have to testify or anything but the whole thing brought back painful memories for everyone. Shiran admitted that he's still a bit shaken up but he'll be fine. Benji's been like a rock for him, which is good.

Ginko said that since [redacted], Benji has come down to earth, or so others like to say. He's still got his head in the clouds, though no longer floating aimlessly in the sky - Manaka gave him some much needed perspective. He may be an eccentric billionaire with too much free time on his hands who is constantly daydreaming, but when he wants to make an effort, to make a change, to help a friend, he gives it his all.

It's clear how much he still loves Manaka, how she helped him shape up after spending most of his time doing whatever without much of a care. It's also clear how much he loves Shiran - the dedication it took to get him out of a bad place, he didn't have to put himself out there but he chose to. And from what I heard, it was a rough time all around - blackouts, alcohol, sleepless nights, listlessness, apathy - a continuous downward spiral for Shiran.

Since everyone was so busy with the move, Ginko and the guys didn't really have the chance to really explore Golden City. So I figured that now's a good time since we're all here and can experience the wonders of the city together.

First of all, riding the whale taxis is like floating on a cloud. We can choose to have our taxi act as a tour guide - which we did - and that made things a lot more fun! With public transportation as reliable and entertaining as this, who needs to spend extra money on cars? Our whale taxi was so sweet and informative - I can easily spend a day listening to them ramble on about Golden City - not that we haven't already! Because we enjoyed the tour so much, Benji had us booked with them for tomorrow so we have that to look forward to.

The floating gazebos are a must see in Golden City according to many reviews. Made from the finest environmentally safe materials, these gazebos were all built by hand, created to be enjoyed by all, whether it's to appreciate the architecture, hang out with friends, have some time to yourself or to gaze into the horizon. I think my favorite is the Prosperity Cliff gazebo, which overlooks the ocean, giving you a clear view of the mountains and islands. Prosperity Cliff isn't as busy this time of year because it's kinda chilly so it's nice to have the place to ourselves.

Maybe someday when we make another trip during the fall or spring we can take a trip up to the mountains. We probably won't be able to go far since it's kinda rough up there but I've heard there's some good spots for a picnic, a short hike, and maybe a swim depending on the time of day.

Of course, in between sightseeing and shopping we stopped by to enjoy the local cuisine. There's a lot of Japanese fusion places - including a Japanese-Cambodian one, which is one of Ginko's go-to restaurants for takeout because the sushi is top notch along with the soups - so that was an adventure as well!

Our plan was to get back to the hotel by eleven but of course we got distracted and spent an hour at the park watching the fireworks show. Shiran ended up missing the last train, though it's not a big deal as he usually crashes at Benji's place. By the time Daisy Jane and I got back to the hotel it was past one, which isn't too late by our standards. Good thing we won't be meeting up with the others until eleven tomorrow as that's morning for all of us.

Totally looking forward to more sights and wonders to enjoy tomorrow!

#animal crossing #animal crossing pocket camp #Diary of a Junebug #headcanon ramble

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iwillsinkwithmyships · 5 years ago

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Beautiful Boy, Bathed in Disaster

As he laid dying in a Siberian bunker Tony Stark thinks about betrayals and broken promises. Left behind and half-dead he is faced with his worst nightmare.

Notes: This was literally written in hours, which is insane because usually I take forever to finish even a one shot. But this just flowed! The title comes from the song "In Loving Memory" by Chester Lockhart which played in repeat while I wrote this. I recommend you listen to it as you read it as well lol

There is a slight canon divergence as in my story, Pepper and Tony broke up after Iron Man 3 and Tony and Steve get together a little after Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Borrowed some quotes from other Avengers works, such as comics and AA

AO3 Link

"Mr. Stark."

"Captain."

"Is everything a joke to you?"

"Funny things are."

"Big man in a suit of armor... take that off, what are you?"

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage, the only thing you really fight for is yourself. You are not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I would just cut the wire."

"Always a way out. You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero."

"A hero? Like you? You're a laboratory experiment Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."

"What the hell! What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me."

"We won."

"Oh, alright, yay! Alright, good job guys! Uh, let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. You ever try shawarma? There is a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it."

"We are not finished yet."

"And then shawarma after?"

"Oh really you two knew each other? He never mentioned that...maybe only a thousand times. God, I hated you."

"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth, but I don't want to see you gone. We need you Cap."

"Winghead"

"Shellhead"

"You are walking a little funny Steve, next time you should establish a safe word." . . . "You are walking a little funny Tony, what was that you were saying about a safe word?"

"Hilarious."

"Wait a second, no one else gonna deal with the fact that Cap just said 'language'?"

"I know...It just slipped out."

"We'll lose."

"Then we'll do that together too."

"Sometimes my teammates don't tell me things."

"I don't trust a guy without a dark side. Call me old fashioned."

"Well let's just say you haven't seen it yet."

"How can you possibly hope to stop me?"

"Well, like the old man said: together."

"No way we all make it through this."

"I got no plans tomorrow night."

"I will miss you Tony"

"Tony, when I woke up on this era, I had no one. Nothing. You gave me a purpose, somewhere to belong...You gave me a home."

"You wanna survive you gotta change with the times."

"Spend a few decades frozen in ice, then we can talk about survival."

"Just say it, say 'Tony I'm afraid of new tech!' admitting you have a problem is always the first step."

"Gosh Mr. Big Brain, your modern tech is so gol-darn confusing. How does this contraption turn water into coffee? Is it coal power or is it a miracle?"

"Hmm, sarcasm must be a modern invention, because when you do it, it just sounds wrong."

"But, with my armor gone, all I can do is improvise. Steve, even without your shield, you're still captain America. Without my armor I'm just ..."

"Tony Stark, THE Tony Stark, billionaire, genius, you are probably one of the three smartest men in the entire world. You are as tough as they come, you invented hardcore. The avengers are lucky you are on our side."

"Really? you know two people smarter than me?"

"Can't you just take a compliment."

"I am not half as good at - at anything as I am when I'm doing it next to you. And that's the truth."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Good morning Beloved. Did anyone check the dumpster for Clint yet?"

"Funny you should ask that..."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'm worried about you, if you don't get some sleep..."

"I slept for 70 years - "

"Yeah, you've used that line before."

"Leave me alone. I am a senior citizen."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"He's my friend."

"So was I."

"Did you know?"

"I wasn't sure it was him--"

"Don't bullshit me Rogers! Did. You. Know?"

"Yes."

Images and memories flashed through Tony's mind as he laid on the cold floor of the abandoned Hydra base. The Siberian cold penetrating his suit as his mind raced.

Steve had known the truth about his parents' death for years. He'd known when they fought Ultron. He'd known when he gave Tony shit about keeping secrets, the fucking hypocrite. He'd known over a year ago, he'd known when he leaned over the table to kiss Tony. He'd known when they tumbled into bed that same night. He'd known for the rest of their relationship, even when he whispered "I love you" late at night and when Tony had said it right back.

He'd known.

And now all Tony was left with was a broken suit and an abandoned shield.

Tears fell out of his eyes as he fell back to the floor. Steve had left. He'd taken Barnes and walked right out, without sparing a second thought for Tony. After he and Pepper had broken up Tony had resigned himself to being alone for the rest of his life. Then Steve had kissed him and all of the sudden Tony had been in love again. They'd still fought but Tony had learned to see Steve's side of things and to explain his side of things to Steve. Tony had been sure that this was it. He'd fallen hard and fast for Steve.

"Well that shows you, huh Stark."

-----

Some time later, Tony's eyes startled open as he realized that he had no way out of that bunker.

-----

The temperature kept dropping, and Tony had long given up hope of a rescue.

"Well Yinsen, it looks like I did waste my life after all... I'm sorry."

Tony closed his eyes.

-----

When Tony came to again, everything was still cold and painful. He tried to move, but the suit was frozen and still dead, quiet honestly, Tony didn't know how he was still alive.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the bunker, and Tony blinked trying to place the sound. Had FRIDAY alerted Vision?

A few minutes later two slender figures walked towards him.

"Father," he didn't recognize the breathy feminine voice that rang out, "We've found him. We've got Stark."

"He looks half dead. Should we put him out of his misery?" Another woman said, her voice a lot more confident. The two figures walked closer, and Tony struggle to keep his eyes open. There was no way he could defend himself.

"Patience daughter, I have plans for Stark." A deep voice responded. The two women walked into the sliver of light that managed to get into his cold dark tomb. He finally laid eyes on them and his breathing grew harsher. The two women were not...human. They were humanoid, but one of them was blue, and her body was littered with mechanic enhancements, the other was completely green with deep burgundy hair. The two of them exuded murderous vibes. The kind that Tony usually only got from Natasha and Pepper. He drew in a harsh breath and tried once more to get up from the cold floor he'd been planing to die in.

"Such fighting spirit. It's a pity that humanity does not appreciate you Anthony Stark." An imposing figure approached from the shadows. He was huge, probably bigger than the hulk himself. "I have waited a long time to meet you Stark."

"Yo...u..... kno...w....m...e?" he managed to croak out.

"I do, you are not the only one cursed with knowledge."

"..w- wh..who...?" Tony could barely keep conscious. He was still on the verge of death, and aliens invading earth was literally his worst nightmare. A new voice rang out and a squid looking figure joined the others.

"Rejoice, you will have the privilege of being saved by The Great Titan, Thanos."

"Wh...wh.." Tony gasped for breath, "...why...?"

"I have come for you Stark. Earth's Greatest Defender. When I first enslaved the Asgardian, I thought his task a simple one. After all this planet is quite primitive compared to others we've conquered before. Yet, you and your team managed to defeat my army." The titan walked closer to him, "Imagine my surprise at realizing that it hadn't been your Asgardian ally who'd laid waste to my ships and army, but a simple human. Fascinating. After that it was difficult not to pay attention. Time and time again, you defend it, and this is your reward" The titan waved a hand towards the pathetic picture Tony painted.

"G..go..f..fuh..Fuck...yo...yours...self." Thanos smiled and waved a hand to those behind him.

"Give him a blood transfusion, The Accuser should have provided enough, and make sure he survives. Once he's no longer on the brink of death, bring him to me."

---------------------

Tony had passed out after his encounter with Thanos and when he'd woken up he was being moved. The pain had dulled down, most likely a result of the forced blood transfusion. He'd shuddered as he thought about it. Once more a victim of nonconsensual body modifications.

This nightmare just kept getting worse.

He was laid on a hard surface and bound. The genius took a moment to analyze his current situation, he seemed to be in some sort of medical room, there were holograms displaying what he assumed to be his own vitals. The technology seemed advanced and otherworldly so he took this to mean that he'd somehow made it into the ship. What was this Thanos actually doing here? Where they still on Earth? Was Earth under attack?

That final thought made him pull at his restrains, he immediately slumped back in the bed his body still felt like he'd been run over by a bus.

'or two super-soldiers'

Tony closed his eyes as the entire fight replayed in his mind. God he'd been so fucking stupid. And now here he was trapped by some crazy alien bent on conquering earth. Who would protect Earth now? Rogers and Barnes were definitely on the wind now. About half of the team were sitting in Ross's super secret prison. He hoped Vision runs and hides that damn stone. God knows were Natasha was hiding.

And Rhodey. Rhodey was in no condition to fight.

The door to the room he was currently trapped in opened and in walked the mad titan himself, accompanied by his two daughters? Who looked nothing like him.

"Stark, you are awake."

"Where am I? What do you want? You better stay away from Earth or I swe-"

"Don't worry, the time will come but there is much to do before I return for Earth's salvation." Tony's jaw clenched as he watched the purple maniac approach him. "Like I said, I am here for you Stark."

"What do you want from me? From the looks of this ship, you have no need for my tech much less my money, so what do you want? Weapons? I'll die before I ever create another weapon of mass destruction!" The titan simply smiled and sat beside him. His two deadly looking daughters stood guard by the door.

"I am here to offer you a place in my order, as my son and perhaps my heir." Tony stared incredulously and glanced at the other two in the room and saw their shocked expressions. So he hadn't shared his plans for Tony with them.

"Excuse me?!"

"I admire your bravery and tenacity Anthony, you would do well in my order and when I have achieved perfect balance in this entire universe I wish to retire, but I must leave someone in charge. I think you would do well."

"You are out of your mind." the brunette gritted out.

"You could help me save this entire universe from itself, and then you would be the most powerful man in the universe. Join us Stark"

"Never. I can't believe you thought that I'd say yes to this."

"You and I are quite similar you know. I too was called mad for trying to protect my planet. I tried to save my planet and our people, I was ignored, and the entire planet perished. Are you not tired Anthony? Of trying to save a planet that doesn't want to be saved?" The ache in Tony's chest grew and he continued to glare at Thanos.

"Never." Thanos let out a disappointed sigh and got back on his feet.

"I had hoped you would see reason," he walked towards the medical equipment in the room, "perhaps a little reminder of what Earth has repaid your loyalty with will help."

Tony couldn't help his scream at the pain his head was under. As he trashed he thought he saw pitying looks come from the two women by the door.

Everything went dark.

His father sitting him down at 8 years-old and handing him a glass of whiskey. The start of his alcohol problems.

His father handing him hot tools despite his bare hands. The reason he doesn't like being handed things.

Tiberius Stone.

The Cave. The open hear surgery without anesthesia. The waterboarding. Yinsen.

"When I ordered the hit on you, I worried that I was killing the golden goose. But you see, it was just fate that you survived that, you had one last golden egg to give."

The Palladium poisoning. The fight with Rhodey. Rhodey taking off with his suit.

The helicarrier fight.

Extremis. Maya. Aldrich. AIM.

His break up with Pepper.

Ultron. Thor lifting him by the neck, as everyone watched and did nothing to stop him.

A video of the winter soldier killing his parents. Steve's betrayal.

Steve walking out on him with Barnes in his arms and dropping the shield.

"Tell me my child, do you wish to forget? To bury all this pain and suffering. All the betrayal and abandonment?" . . . . . . . .

"Yes."

#My fic #My writing #steve x tony #stony #captain america civil war #CA:CW #AU #Canon AU #steve rogers x tony stark #stevetony

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kadmeread · 5 years ago

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From The Shadows

A.N I decided to try posting a couple of my stories that I have written on here. This is one I might consider continuing at some point if there is an interest. I would love to hear what people think!

Sometimes it's hard to find time to spend with my family. When my older brothers dedicate their lives to defending our city, they sometimes lose the time that they could be spending with me. Whenever any of them do find the time, they always seem to suddenly be called to go save the day. We do try and get together at least once a week, for a family dinner however. No superheroing allowed during that time.

It was set on a Wednesday this time. Often Wednesdays were the quiet days in the city, so we had high hopes that it wouldn’t get cut short thanks to some supervillain. David tells me about their newest nemesis, a person who appeared to be adept with umbrakinesis. “They’re a real challenge.” Steve contributes. He’s a man of few words, our Steve. As solid as the earth he can control, but not one for much chatter.

“So you don’t know anything about them?” I had to ask.

“Nope, nothing at all.” Will states cheerfully. Will is all fire, appropriate for someone known as The Match. He is probably the one I’m closest with of my brothers, but that’s probably because he is just so easy going. Meeting up with him is never a chore.

“Well, that is odd.” Normally they know all about their newest supervillain. David, our techno whiz, analyses them with ease, and can tell us all their weaknesses.

“I don’t know enough about them.” He says defensively, “And their powers, I think they’re stopping my scanners.”

“Huh, interesting. So what did they do anyway?” I had long ago given up on watching the news to find out what my brothers were up to. It just made me worry. Instead they catch me up on their exploits on our catch up days, and whenever they get a break to talk to me. They’re also very good at texting me to let me know that they’re all safe after every fight.

Will, unsurprisingly is the one to fill me in. “They didn’t actually do much. Just kinda appeared out of their shadows. Then they stood in the middle of the street in front of our base until we came out. When we asked them who they were and what they wanted, they didn’t say anything, but they did form a word out of shadows.” He pauses, for suspense.

I decide to encourage him, “And?”

“And the word that the shadows formed was…”

“Time.” Steve interrupts, done with Will’s antics.

I ignore Will’s complaining in the background at his dramatic reveal being ruined, as I muse on what I learnt. Time, what an interesting thing to demand from the heroes. People who could barely make time for me, their unpowered younger sister. Oh, I know they try, but sometimes their priorities are more on other powered people than me. I know that if I were to have one wish, it would be for more time with my brothers. Superheroing is a dangerous career, and I am constantly aware of the likelihood of at least one of my brothers not coming home one day.

As I break out of my musings, I notice that the conversation has changed. My brothers are now talking about their latest slip ups. Laughing I decide to join in. I can never pass up a chance to tease my older brothers, who could? Out of the corner of my eye as I join the teasing and easy family atmosphere, I notice the shadows shiver. Something I probably should mention to my brothers, but not yet. Not during family time.

Later as they leave, I notice the shadow again. I could call them back, but it doesn’t seem important. They’ll just worry about me, try to get me to live with them in their base again. I know they worry but I’m capable of looking after myself. They don’t need to coddle me.

*****

Time goes on, several more attempted meetups with my brothers are interrupted by various criminals out to do no good. Finally we get a chance to meet up again, behind me the shadows quivering in anticipation, as I greet my brothers. I ask them if they’re injured, they deny it, as usual. They always try to hide it from me, and I always manage to tell when they’re lying to me. That’s how we work. I grab my giant first aid kit for superheroes out from the cupboard and get them to sit down in a row. Steve is my first victim. I know my older brother, he will do anything for the others. He will also absolutely hide his injuries from everyone until they have nearly killed him.

“Where is it?” I demand. I became a doctor after I finished highschool, it was the only thing I felt I could do to help my brothers. After our parents died, they tried to shelter me, but I took none of it. With their secret identities I’m the only one they can turn to with their injuries. As I work in the emergency room, I often get an idea of what injuries they’ll be bringing in.

Steve grunts and gestures to the back of his head. I look and sure enough there was a large lump. I had already noticed him swaying as he came in and gave me a hug. “Right, looks like you’re concussed. You know the drill by now, doesn’t look as if it’s too bad but come to me if it gets worse.”

He nods and I continue on to the next in line, David who is cradling his left arm. “So who did all this anyway?” I ask as I bandage his arm and give him instructions to take it easy until it’s fully healed, and remind him that ‘No David, wearing armour and shooting people is not taking it easy. You should know that.’

“We don’t know, some new guy. But he’s super strong and fast.” Will chirps up from where he is sitting, red hair on fire. I ignore that. At this point nearly everything in my house that he might get into is fireproofed. His ribs are broken, he likely got flung halfway across the city or something.

That doesn’t sound so good. “Did you guys get him?”

“No,” David says glumly, “He got away.”

That really doesn’t sound so good. At this point the city is used to being rescued by these guys. The civilians might run, but they just as often try and record what they are doing on their phones. If they can’t beat this new guy then…

I don’t want to think about it, I turn my mind to other topics. “Did you guys find out more about that shadow person?”

David groans annoyed, “No, and they haven’t shown up again either.”

I nod, understanding. “Your tech still not working?”

“No, they are blocking it somehow. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they know our backdoor.” David had built a backdoor into all the tech my brothers used in battle. Only we know about it, and can access it. Anyone else and David is alerted immediately.

The shadows curl in on themselves behind my brothers.

*****

I get an alert from Steve, a few days later. I know he’s worried because he tells me to hide and that the strong guy is back. I go hide, I have a safe room in my house, where I keep anything to do with the boys’ superhero lives, and a few things of my own that I don’t want my brothers to find out about.

It is time.

I raise my arms and let the shadows cloak me. They cover me so all you can see is a vaguely humanoid shape. No sense of who is underneath.

Before I developed my powers I had always had an affinity to the shadows. Mainly because I was always left behind in them. I had three amazing, superpowered, older brothers. Even for those who didn’t know that they were superheroes admired them for what they did. I was always in their shadows. So when I developed powers too, I learnt I always would be in their shadows. Helping them from behind. There’s a reason I didn’t tell them. Joining their team, I would just be the newbie, outshone by their accomplishments. This way I could help them when they really need. I could possibly even get the time with them that I so desire.

I sneak out of my house, slipping from shadow to shadow, barely seen. I muse on what I mean when I say that I want time. Time, where they are just my older brothers, time when I’m not in the shadows I now control. Time, to spend with the only people I have left in the world before they too leave me. Time.

The battle is easy to find, I just follow the sound of screams and the smoke hanging heavy in the air. When I come to it, I find what I fear, my brothers standing before their enemy. All injured, David’s arm is clearly worse, as is Steve’s concussion. Steve is leaning on a pillar of earth he must have summoned at one point during the battle. And Will, I scan the battlefield looking for him, and spot him, propped up behind Steve and David, clutching his ribs. They all had gone into battle injured, against someone who could hurt them at full strength. The supervillain appears to be monologuing, probably going on about how he was the one to finally defeat my brothers.

I sneak up behind him, using my shadows to cover my tracks. Steve notices me first, his eyes widening. Then David looks up from the piece of tech he’s fiddling with, I recognise it, it’s a last resort weapon. I know it’s serious if he’s pulled that out. He turns to take his cue from Steve. Steve nods at him, and then looks directly at me before looking at the man I am sneaking up on. I look where his eyes lead me and notice, a wound, a weak point in his armour you could say. They had managed to wound him.

I know what to do, I sneak up on him, and raise my arms. The shadows shift at my command to cover him. He doesn’t have the night vision that I developed with my powers. He is stuck in the dark. From there I reach to my side, I have the weapon I have chosen to use slung there, attached to my belt. I grab it and get ready, watching him struggle in the darkness. I have learnt all sorts of things about tranquillisers with my stubborn brothers, and I intend to put this knowledge to good use.

I see an opening and I stab him with the needle. The results, just as I hoped, are instantaneous. He stumbles, once, twice before falling, gradually, into the pit that Steve had opened up in front of him after he saw what I was doing. He lies there, unconscious, at the bottom of the pit and I breathe a sigh of relief, before looking up. My brothers are staring at me, and I notice that all I have left is the cloak I wrapped myself in, the shadows hiding my figure had gone into leaving our foe in the dark.

I stare at them before fleeing, my shadows wrapping around me. I know they’re safe now, but I also know that it’ll be a lot easier for them to figure out who I am. I think on that for a moment. All my reasons for not telling them still stand, but… I smile, I might just get more time with them after all. Always in their shadows.

#writeblr #my story #from the shadows #Kadme writes #original fiction

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calligraphist-artemisia · 7 years ago

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Reunion

Summary: Shiro’s reunion with Adam doesn’t go at all how he expected.

Also on AO3 and fanfiction.net

I wanted to write something cute between these two before Season 7 arrives and breaks my heart into ten-thousand pieces. No, I haven’t watched any part of episode 1. In fact, I’ve been trying to avoid all spoilers. Yes, I realize writing this is probably going to ruin that attempt.

Basically, everything I put in here is based on what I’ve seen from the trailer and from what brief little bit I know of Shiro and Adam’s relationship. (Which is almost nothing.)

I’ll say it now; the bonus section is silly and probably mildly-out-of-character for everyone.

Reunion

There was only one person on Shiro's mind when they got back to Earth. It only intensified when they learned that Sendak's forces had arrived ahead of them, terrorizing the threatening the human population in their absence. The knowledge that the Galaxy Garrison had opened its door as a shelter and that similar shelters had been opened across the planet, gave him only a small measure of relief.

He had so many other things he needed to worry about. So many other things that needed to be done, if they were going to beat back Sendak. He and the other paladins, with their expertise in fighting the Galra and knowledge of alien tech, were more useful working with Iverson and the other commanding officers of the Garrison. And he knew that, but still...

Shiro tried to cast a fifth inconspicuous look around in an attempt to find him. When he returned to the conversation, Sam Holt gave him a knowing look.

“Go find him, Shiro,” he said. “You won't have any peace until you do.”

Shiro blushed at how transparent his desires apparently were, at least to Sam, but he had a good point. He honestly couldn't remember half of what they were talking about, and his exhaustion was only part to blame. He looked to the other paladins, taking in the way Lance was leaning heavily against Hunk, who'd spent the past ten minutes drifting off to sleep, only to jerk back away. Pidge was swaying on her feet and Shiro would worry about her falling over if it weren't for the fact that Keith was next to her, keeping a sleepy but wary eye on her. Allura kept fidgeting with her hands in a desperate attempt to stay away and keep focused. Even Coran and Krolia were struggling, and poor Romelle, so determined to stay alert, looked as though she was about to drop.

“Alright team, get some rest. We'll pick this up again in a few hours,” Shiro told them.

“What about you?” Keith asked.

“There's something I have to do first. I won't be long,” Shiro promised.

Keith looked like he wanted to argue more, but kept his mouth shut and nodded. Shiro suspected if he took longer than fifteen minutes, Keith would personally hunt him down and drag him back to where they were sleeping.

After a quick word with Sam, he set off, making his way through the crowd.

Before Kerberos, people would stop and stare because he was The Takashi Shirogane, ace pilot, and poster child of the Galaxy Garrison. They stared because of the respect he commanded and the awe he inspired.

With his return, they stared at a broken man; a ghost of who he once was in more than just appearance.

Shiro ignored them all and focused on his goal.

He needed to see for himself that Adam was okay. It didn't matter how things ended between them. It didn't matter if Adam turned him away. What did matter was seeing him alive and unharmed.

Shiro could only stop and watch him, caught off-guard by the sudden rush of emotions that hit him when he saw Adam again for the first time in two years. He was talking to a group of cadets, paying no attention to anything else around him, which gave Shiro ample time to regain control. He'd seen all he needed, but something held him there, rooted to that spot.

And then Adam looked over. Absolute disbelief colored his face, his eyes going wide as he hurriedly began pushing his way through the crowd with a growing desperation. He stopped just before Shiro, taking a moment to look at him.

“Takashi?” he asked, his voice cracking.

Shiro smiled sadly back. “Hey, Adam.”

Adam sobbed and took Shiro completely by surprise when he threw his arms around him, holding him tight and close. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I wished I could have taken it back the moment you left. I never should have said those things to you. I never should have made you feel like you had to choose. I'm so sorry!”

Shiro could only hold onto him with his remaining arm, stifling his own tears into Adam's shoulder. “You're still here,” he mumbled, barely managing to get the words out.

Adam shuddered as he dragged in a breath and drew back slightly to get a better look at Shiro's face. He reached up to caress along his jawline and trace a finger across the scar on the bridge of his nose, as if trying to reassure himself that he wasn't imagining him; Shiro really was there, alive, in front of him.

“I'm not going anywhere, Takashi. I love you.”

Shiro closed his eyes. It was so much more than he expected. So much more than he deserved. He opened his eyes again, gazing at the face of the man he still loved with all of his heart. “Marry me?”

Seconds stretched on as Adam stared up at him with wide eyes, his lips slightly parted in surprise. “I...” His voice broke, but he pressed on. “No fair. That's no fair, Takashi. I had this whole plan. This whole, stupid proposal planned out and here you are, asking before I can get the chance to,” Adam said. A tiny, hysterical laugh bubbled up, but he was smiling, his eyes glistening with fresh tears.

Shiro could hardly believe what he was hearing. “You had a plan?”

“I did. It was a week after you left. I had this whole vision of what I'd do when you came back. How I'd go to the Garrison to see you land and be one of the first to welcome you home. Then I'd get down on one knee and... and ask you to marry me.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Shiro whispered. “Much better than mine. I'm sorry I ruined it.”

Adam shook his head. “You haven't ruined anything. You came home to me, even after everything I said. I don't deserve you.”

Shiro's heart twisted in his chest at Adam's words. It would be so easy to respond the same – to start a back-and-forth of who was less deserving of the other. (After all, Shiro had left first when he chose the Kerberos mission over Adam.) But he didn't want that. He had to believe that they were equally deserving of each other, or else what was the point?

“We both deserve this. This is our second chance and I'm going to take it. I just need to know that you feel the same.”

“Yes,” Adam said without hesitation. He raised up on tiptoe, sliding his hand to the back of Shiro's neck, guiding him in for a long, overdue kiss. When they both pulled away, breathless, Adam playfully ran his fingers through Shiro's short hair.

“So, uh, about your new look...”

“What, you don't like the hair? I think it makes me look distinguished,” Shiro joked.

“Ha,” Adam said dryly. “As your fiance, I think I'm going to have to insist that you dye it. Everyone's going to think I'm in love with an old man.”

Fiance.

Shiro couldn't stop a grin from breaking out across his face at the word. Pure elation swelled in his chest and he couldn't help but swoop in for another kiss. And then another. And another. Until Adam was laughing from the number of kisses being planted all over his face.

Somewhere between them all, Shiro managed to whisper: “I love you.”

BONUS

“Hi, I'm Adam. Shiro's fiance.”

Lance spat out the food goo he was eating, eliciting a disgruntled glare from Hunk, who was both disgusted by his friend's lack of manners and the waste of their precious food supplies. Pidge looked between Shiro and Adam with mild surprise, ignoring whatever was happening next to her. Allura and Coran looked excited by the news, while Krolia and Romelle appeared curious. And Keith...

“Well it's about time,” Keith said, staring at Adam, who shook his head and pointed to Shiro. “Seriously? You two are a disaster.”

“Keith,” Shiro chastised, though he sounded too amused for it to be effective. He paused as a thought occurred to him and he frowned at the current Black Paladin. “Wait, why did you think it was Adam who proposed?”

“Because I helped pick out the rings.”

It was Shiro's turn to be surprised as he turned to face Adam. “You got us rings?”

Adam nodded. “Well, I did say my plan was to propose to you the moment you got back. Most people do that with a ring.”

“Shiro, you proposed without getting him a ring? What kind of example are you trying to set for the rest of us?” Pidge teased, too amused to sound properly (albeit fakely) scandalized by the whole thing.

Shiro buried his face in his remaining hand in sheer embarrassment. “It was spur of the moment, okay?”

“Now, now. Leave Shiro alone,” Allura said, coming to his rescue. “I'm sure it was all very romantic and Adam doesn't seem upset. So how did you ask? Give us all of the the details!”

Adam tried not to laugh at Shiro's misery at the line of questioning, but failed. “Oh yes, it was very romantic. I told him I loved him and his response was 'marry me?'”

There was a momentary uproar as Pidge and Keith couldn't contain their laughter. Lance was quick to get over his temporary confusion and had moved on to bemoaning their leader's apparent lack of romance skills.

“Awww,” Hunk cooed.

Which was followed by a brief silence and an unexpected “Hunk, what the fuck?” from Pidge. And then the noise resumed, with Lance calling out Pidge for her foul mouth while Hunk argued his defense.

Adam pressed a quick kiss to Shiro's cheek. “Don't worry, babe. We'll get the rings and have a better proposal story before we tell our parents.”

#Voltron #Shadam #Adashi #fanfiction #I know full well that this is very unlikely to happen #but just let me dream for a moment #I just want Shiro happy #He deserves happiness

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aion-rsa · 5 years ago

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The Expanse Season 4 Recap: Ilus, the Ring Gates and the Cliffhanger Ending

https://ift.tt/33wqYH6

Warning: contains spoilers for The Expanse season 4

At the beginning of The Expanse season four, the show’s characters stood at the crossroads of a brave and expansive new world, as did the cast and crew in their new home at Amazon. It was a marriage made in heaven. The Expanse was bigger, slicker, bolder, and grittier, but just as gloriously deep, rich and complex as ever. As season five gets ready to drop, let’s remind ourselves of the ups, downs, ins, outs, fights, smites and subterfuge of season four. We’ll start with the set-up and then look at each of the main locations/groups in turn, leading up to the season’s denouement and planet-busting cliffhanger. Major spoilers, obviously, ahead.

In the Beginning

Season three ended with the opening of the mysterious ring gates, and the 1300 habitable systems beyond them. Holden feared the beginning of ‘a blood-soaked gold rush’.

It’s a fear shared by UN Secretary General Chrisjen Avarasala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), who wants everyone to stay put. The UN’s stance is backed by the Martian Congressional Republic (MCR) and many of the Belters. The balance of peace and power in the Sol system is precarious, and a mass exodus could destabilise human civilisation. Besides, no one group wants any of the other groups to rush in and gain the upper hand.

A convoy of Belter ships rushes the blockade on the Sol side of the slow zone. The Barbapiccola, containing refugees from Ganymede, makes it through and enters one of the ring gates. The Belters settle on a planet there and begin mining lithium. They name the planet Ilus.

Two ships are dispatched in the settlers’ wake. The first is the Edward Israel, owned by a corporation called Royal Charter Energy (RCE), which already had a UN-and-Mars-backed mandate to conduct scientific studies beyond the ring gates. The second is the Rocinante. Avasarala wants Jim Holden (Steven Strait) and his team to bring their knowledge and experience of the protomolecule to bear on this strange new world, and also act as adjudicators. Officially, at least. It’s not really in Avasarala’s interests for the situation on Ilus to run smoothly.

Life on Mars

Bobbie Draper (Frankie Adams) spent seasons two and three in a whirlwind of defections, double-dealings and divided loyalties thanks to the cold war (and almost total war) between Earth and Mars, and the revelation of Mars’ role in the development of protomolecule bio-soldiers. Season four finds her somewhat adrift, living on Mars with her younger brother, David, and working for a company that dismantles decommissioned warships. She’s generally having a hard time readjusting to civilian life.

David gets embroiled in the criminal underworld, helping a gang to prepare illicit sense-enhancement drugs. Bobbie takes exception to this, so goes looking for the gang. She finds and beats down some of its members, in the process smashing up one of their labs and damaging their inventory. Her brother is kidnapped and forced to work off the debt incurred by the damage. Bobbie pleads for her brother’s release, a request to which the leader of the gang is willing to acquiesce, but only for a price: Bobbie has to leave a door unlocked at work so the gang can steal some military equipment. Reluctantly, she complies. When Bobby’s conscience gets the better of her she tries to report the gang to the police, only to discover that the high-ranking policeman who comes to log her report is the gang leader himself, Esai Martin (Paul Schulze). She later quits her job when her supervisor seems keener on getting in on the lucrative illegal action than in pursuing justice. Eventually she’s arrested for her part in the gang’s crime, and is only saved from prosecution when she agrees to accept Esai’s offer to work for his gang. Esai is motivated in his criminality by the pressing need to make enough money to secure passage off Mars and start a new life elsewhere with his family. He knows that the ring-gates, and the life and fecundity beyond them, have rendered Mars’ terraforming initiatives pointless, thereby dooming the planet to stagnation and, very possibly, extinction.

Esai and his gang are later involved in the theft of another piece of Martian military tech, which is handed over to a team of Belters, who summarily execute the gang before retreating off-world. Bobbie witnesses this happening.

Avasarala, Earth, and The OPA

The Outer Planets Alliance (OPA) faction represented by Camina Drummer (Cara Gee) and Klaes Ashford (David Strathairn) allies with the UN. They re-brand and re-purpose the Behemoth as Medina station, setting themselves up as gate-keepers of the rings, helping to enforce the UN blockade. It’s hoped that this will grant them a place at the table and influence over the new galactic order.

Not all Belters are on board with this new paradigm, perceiving it as selling out; a capitulation to those who would still demean and exploit them. Marco Inaros (Keon Alexander) is the most vocal and militant voice of opposition. Marco is Naomi Nagata’s (Dominique Tipper) ex-beau and father of their child, Filip (Jasai Chase Owens), and while these days he styles himself a freedom fighter, it wasn’t always thus. When he was with Naomi, he tricked her into writing code that he claimed would merely disable other ships, allowing their faction to come to the rescue and extort payment for their time and trouble. However, Marco used the code to overload the reactor of a docked ship, killing hundreds of people. When the distraught and guilt-ridden Naomi left the faction she was prevented from taking their son, Filip.

Marco is apprehended by Drummer and Ashford for his part in capturing the UNN colony ship Soujourner and executing its crew. While aboard the Behemoth, Marco tries to win Ashford over to his world view, reminding him that the Belt will suffer a terminal decline of profit and influence owing to the exodus, and, besides, very few Belters, due to their space-bound physiology, will be able to take advantage of the brave new worlds beyond the ring gates. The heads of the various OPA factions assemble to decide whether or not Marco should be spaced (ejected into space sans suit) for breaking the fragile truce between the inner and outer planets. It’s Drummer who breaks the tie, reasoning that killing Marco would make him a martyr, and propel into action those factions loyal to his cause.

On Earth, Avasarala faces a leadership challenge from Nancy Gao (Lily Gao) who, in contrast to the incumbent, is a fierce advocate for embracing the change, opportunity and adventure that the ring gates represent. Avasarala’s campaign takes its toll on her ethics and her personal life, especially her marriage. She resorts to smears against Gao, and isn’t above attempting to use the problems on Ilus to her advantage.

The Expanse Season 6: How Will the Story End?

By Michael Ahr

The Expanse’s Cas Anvar Won’t Be in Season 6

By Kayti Burt

OPA bigwig Fred Johnson (Chad L. Coleman) reveals Marco’s location to Avasarala, who wastes no time in dispatching a team of marines to the Pizzouza spacecraft to extract him. Marco, however, isn’t on board, and the resulting firefight between marines and Belters results in grave loss of life. The fallout critically damages Avasarala’s image, reputation and election chances, and moreover plays right into Marco’s hands.

Fred Johnson visits the Behemoth, receiving from Drummer both a punch in the face and news of her resignation. Ashford vows to track down and kill Marco and wants Drummer to accompany him, but she declines on the grounds that she’s sick of politics and its machinations.

Ashford’s pursuit of Marco through the Belt leads him to a Martian naval officer, who reveals under interrogation the existence of a conspiracy involving Martians and Belters. When Ashford finally tracks down Marco, on an abandoned asteroid mine in the belt (from which there are also some asteroids missing) he’s prevented from killing him by the appearance Marco’s and Naomi’s son Filip, who emerges from the shadows to tip the balance of power in his father’s favour. Ashford is spaced, but before he dies he broadcasts a secret recording that incriminates Marco and will alert whomever receives the transmission to the conspiracy – even if Ashford never learned its exact purpose or shape.

On Earth, Avasarala is defeated by Nancy Gao. Avasarala dictates a conciliatory message to Nancy Gao, which ends thusly: “As for policy and the direction you’re taking the earth and all her peoples. Well, we disagree. One of us is wrong. I think it’s you… but I hope it’s me.”

Ilus/New Terra

When the Rocinante arrives on Ilus – or New Terra, as the UN would have it – there is already palpable tension and mistrust between the Belters and the crew of the Edward Israel. The RCE’s shuttle was downed on its way from orbit, resulting in deaths and injuries. Survivors of the crash include the group’s leader, the merciless Adolphus Murtry Burn Gorman); RCE security officer Chandra Wei (Jess Salgueiro); and exo-biologist Dr Elvi Okoye (Lyndie Greenwood). Violence is halted when everyone is swarmed by alien bugs, soon confirmed as protomolecule-based.

The planet is home to large structures that were built by the long-dead beings responsible for the protomolecule. Proto-Miller (Thomas Jane) appears to Holden and makes him go to one of the ruined structures to remove a root that’s blocking a connection. This turns on the structure and, it would appear, the entire planet, shaking loose forks of promethean lightning from the dark, oppressive clouds. Holden fires a torpedo at another of the structures when it too appears to activate.

Amos (Wes Chatham) and Murtry play detective for a time, discovering that the planet’s landing pad was blown up deliberately. In the ensuing stand-off between the Belters and the RCE group, Murtry shoots and kills one of the Belters. This violent act kills the potential bromance between Amos and Murtry. Both men are killers, but Amos, despite his shallow affect, follows a more honourable code of ethics, one that puts him at irreconcilable loggerheads with the ruthless Murtry. Amos is taken into custody while Naomi – still having trouble adjusting to terra firma, despite the help of acclimation drugs – helps a Belter woman named Lucia (Rosa Gilmore) escape the RCE’s clutches. She’s being pursued by the RCE because they know she was involved in blowing up the landing pad. Lucia explains to Naomi that it was only supposed to be an act of sabotage to buy the Belters more time. When it became clear that this act of sabotage would coincide with the arrival of the RCE’s shuttle, Lucia tried to abort the action, but was prevented from doing so by her co-conspirators. Holden and Alex (Cas Anvar) come to Naomi and Lucia’s aid as they’re hunted across the encampment, bringing some of the Rocinante’s firepower to bear. Alex takes Lucia and Naomi into orbit aboard the Rocinante, leaving Holden behind to plead with the two factions to evacuate the unpredictable, proto-molecule-soaked planet, with a little time left over to punch Murtry in the face and demand Amos’s release.

Neither faction wants to abandon the planet, or their claim to the lithium, but soon the planet itself renders Holden’s exhortations irrelevant. An island explodes, precipitating a shockwave and tsunami that threatens their survival. Worse still, the fall-out has somehow rendered the fusion drives on the orbiting spacecraft useless. There’s no prospect of escape or rescue. Everyone has to flee for refuge in one of the alien ruins.

Structures, slugs and synthesised drugs

Once inside, the survivors split into two factions, RCE on one side, Belters on the other, with Holden and Amos somewhere in the middle. They quickly discover that the structure is teeming with countless thousands of neurotoxic alien slugs and hostile micro-organisms. Everyone except Holden starts to go blind after being infected by the micro-organisms. Many others succumb to the fatal touch of the slugs. Murtry, becoming more unstable by the moment, reveals to his group his true objective on Ilus/New Terra. It isn’t the lithium he’s after, but the proto-molecule tech. He also wants to kill Holden and Amos.

Above the planet, Alex and Naomi devise a plan to tether the Rocinante to the Barbapiccola to prevent its decaying orbit from dragging it down onto the planet’s surface. Murtry keeps things interesting by ordering the Edward Israel to fire on the Rocinante.

The exo-biologist Dr Okoye works out – just in the nick of time – that Holden is immune to the micro-organisms because of the anti-cancer medication he’s been taking ever since he and Miller were exposed to radiation on Eros. She synthesises a cure, and the effects are reversed. In time, the waters recede enough for the survivors to leave the structure.

Meanwhile, proto-Miller again appears to Holden. The ‘real’ Miller is now battling with the protomolecule for control of the Miller ‘avatar’. In a moment of lucidity, Miller explains to Holden that the hat-wearing Miller he’s been dealing with is The Investigator, whose mission was to bring Holden and a dose of active protomolecule through the ring gates to activate the structures on Ilus. Miller, however, has identified a place on the planet where the protomolecule can’t go, where in fact all trace of it can be destroyed.

Holden heads off in search of this weak spot. He’s led to a portal which transports him to another structure elsewhere on the planet, swiftly followed by Murtry and Chandra (with whom Amos had a brief ‘romance’), who are intent on killing him. Amos and Okoye follow. Amos fatally shoots Chandra, then Murtry shoots and disables Amos. Meanwhile, Okoye and Holden find a mysterious circular rift that Miller refers to as ‘the bullet’. While Holden rushes to aid Amos and incapacitate Murtry, Okoye stays behind to help Miller with ‘the bullet’. Miller merges with items strewn around the room to give him the corporeal form necessary to enter and plug the rift. His self-sacrifice not only saves Okoye, who is almost swallowed by the phenomenon, but returns everything to normal. All vestiges of the protomolecule are removed, the planet is ‘deactivated’ and fusion engines can function once more. The Belters and some of the RCE scientists decide to stay behind on Ilus. In orbit, Holden ejects the only piece of protomolecule that’s still aboard the Rocinante into Ilus’ sun. Murtry is a prisoner aboard the Rocinante, but the crew decides to let Lucia go.

The Beginning of the End

Bobbie reaches out to Avasarala to tell her about the criminal conspiracy between Martian and Belter criminals/terrorists. Ashford’s message, which lends weight to this intel, is out there in the ether somewhere, but no one has yet detected it. Bobbie and Avasarala are now working together.

It was Filip who was with the team of Belters on Mars that stole the piece of military tech before eliminating Esai’s gang. The hardware taken was stealth tech, which we discover that Marco Inaros has used to cloak eight asteroids that are currently hurtling their way towards Earth.

It’s going to be fascinating and harrowing in equal measure to see what a few million tonnes of space-rock will do to the tentative peace that’s barely holding the Sol system together, and how the various factions will make peace – or war – with the atrocity to come.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Roll on season five.

The post The Expanse Season 4 Recap: Ilus, the Ring Gates and the Cliffhanger Ending appeared first on Den of Geek.

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sbknews · 7 years ago

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New Post has been published on Superbike News

New Post has been published on http://superbike-news.co.uk/wordpress/arc-vector-a-different-road/

Arc Vector - A Different Road

Arc has built Vector – the world’s most advanced electric motorcycle.

Vector comes with ground-breaking haptic ride-wear and connected HUD helmet.

British company headed by top engineering team and financed by blue-chip industry leaders.

Esoteric brand set to be the most aspirational on two wheels.

Vector launches at EICMA motorcycle show in Milan on November 6th

Arc is a ground-breaking electric motorcycle company which takes a different road to any other. Launching at Milan’s EICMA show on November 6, its neo café racer Vector is designed for spiritual and physical adventure, taking a detour from the norm in search of fresh terrain and new frontiers.

A machine that feels like second nature, the Arc Vector promises an all-new connection with the road and the environment. This is the most advanced electric motorcycle ever brought to market, utilizing exotic materials, thoroughbred componentry and cutting-edge architecture, wrapped in a breathtakingly futuristic body with post-modern nods to café racers past.

It has been made by non-conformist motorcycle mavericks for spirited, and eco-conscious individuals. Designed and built by a team of visionary engineering specialists, the Vector unites world-first technology, best-in-class performance and quality, and a level of exclusivity that will make this one of the most lusted-after EVs to ever enter production.

The Vector combined with Arc’s Zenith helmet and Origin armoured clothing is the most efficient, safest and most fulfilling electric motorcycle experience yet. For the first time, Human Machine Interface (HMI) has been taken to a new level, comprising an intelligent rider jacket packed with haptic sensory technology and a Heads-Up Display (HUD) helmet inspired by fighter pilot technology, giving the user important information, enhancing the freedom and wellbeing of their riding experience.

For example, the biker’s shoulder may vibrate to alert of a potential hazard, or the jacket will amplify the sense of excitement during a dynamic ride, while information is projected in front of the rider so they can keep their eyes affixed to the road. Arc Vector is a hand-made motorcycle with a lightweight carbon-composite structure and ingeniously elegant battery-module monocoque, which is as clean, efficient and powerful as it is beautiful to behold.

Based in Coventry at the centre of the UK’s automotive high-tech industry, Arc is on a mission to explore Earth in state-of-the-art style, combined with a promise to protect it. This is a catalyst; a transformative vehicle that will challenge the rider’s way of seeing and thinking, and one that shapes the world around it.

Arc’s founder and CEO, Mark Truman says “At Arc, we have set out to create an electric motorbike with soul,” explains Truman, “one which thrills riders every bit as much as a high performance internal combustion bike, and which is more inspiring and desirable than any other two-wheel motorcycle on the planet.”

“We’ve taken technologies previously unexplored by bike builders to transform the way we ride. Arc Vector satisfies those of us who are rarely satisfied, who are always looking for a different road, a different view. We understand the need to be different, to be better, and challenge the norm.”

Mark is a purist biker and technology evangelist with a bold vision and blue-chip backing who has assembled a dream team and put in motion an ambitious business plan. Authentic and credible, he likens Arc’s talent pool to Avengers Assembled: His team have worked in senior positions within Aston Martin, KTM, Ducati, Triumph, MotoGP and F1. Pioneers in their field, they’ve designed vehicles for James Bond, emergency rescue units and niche electric hypercar companies.

“The sensory experience this machine provides, with its haptic amplifiers and HUD helmet, has never been done before,” explains Truman. “People ask me if this could be distracting, but it is actually designed to be the total opposite. The tech frees you and your senses because the distractions have been removed. It allows you to concentrate on the road and your one-ness with the bike, to just enjoy the moment knowing the bike is looking out for you and the information you need is right in front of you.

“You can set the bike and the haptics to different modes, and my favourite is Euphoric Mode. You can play your music while riding and the Origin jacket will play the music into you. Imagine the bass in nightclub, it can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. This is technology we’d seen previously in the entertainment world and improved upon. In total, we’re working with 15 technology partners and suppliers, and they are the best in the business.”

Performance, price and volume parameters will be announced in Milan. In addition to its revolutionary tech, Arc promises an exemplary ownership experience and global customer service.

“We took a wide-angle view of what mobility in the future could be and using some big ideas and immense agility we have brought it into the present.” says the founder. “We are building the Vector for people who are on a journey, and we want people to continue taking those journeys in a future world where the use of internal combustion engines will be restricted.”

Arc is brave, uncompromising and restless, facilitating dreams of escape and in hot pursuit of perfection.

The Arc Vector bike, Origin jacket and Zenith helmet will make their debut at the Milan motorcycle show (EICMA) on November 6. Arc’s interactive stand can be found in Hall 15, Booth S27.

Industry News Gallery

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timelineblog · 8 years ago

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21st Century: Phase One - Avengers Assemble

2000:

DATE: january 3rd EVENT: A rejected Killian accepts a jilted Hansen into A.I.M. where they work on Extremis together.

2001:

DATE: july 28th EVENT: Under HYDRA’s influence, NASA sends astronauts through the Monolith to survey the planet on the other side.

DATE: september 12th EVENT: Frank Castle enlists in the Marine Corps following the September 11th attacks.

DATE: september 13th EVENT: General Thaddeus Ross starts the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project through the U.S. Armed Forces in order to replicate Project Rebirth.

2003:

DATE: march 29th EVENT: Iraq War begins, orchestrated by HYDRA.

DATE: august 29th EVENT: Matt Murdock meets his college roommate, Foggy Nelson.

2005:

DATE: february 25th EVENT: Bruce Banner joins the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project under false pretenses of Thaddeus Ross and earnest convictions of Betty Ross.

DATE: april 16th EVENT: Testing his experiment on himself, Bruce Banner is exposed to a combination of Gamma radiation and Betty’s formula derived from Dr. Erskine’s super-soldier serum, accidentally becoming the Hulk.

DATE: april 19th EVENT: Learning that the Army wants to use him as a weapon, Banner runs, starting a six-year chase across the globe.

2006:

DATE: november 14th EVENT: Microsoft releases the Zune 30. Peter Quill later obtains one.

2007:

DATE: january 3rd EVENT: S.H.I.E.L.D. assists Thaddeus Ross in the quest to bring down the Hulk until 2011. Stark also provides Humvee-mounted sonic cannons.

DATE: october 31st EVENT: Aldrich Killian injects himself with the Extremis virus, healing his disabilities and allowing him to walk without a cane.

2008:

DATE: february 19th EVENT: Killian exposes willing subjects, mostly seriously injured military veterans, to Extremis. Those who survive heal and regrow lost limbs.

DATE: may 15th EVENT: S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Melinda May earns her nickname “The Cavalry” during the Rescue in Bahrain.

2009:

DATE: december 18th EVENT: Nick Fury places Phil Coulson in charge of Project T.A.H.I.T.I. with the aim of using the Kree corpse to potentially revive a fallen Avenger.

2010:

January 12th

January 24th

January 25th

April 21st

April 26th

October 24th

October 25th

November 17th

Tony Stark demonstrates his Accelerated Wave Explosion (A.W.E.) weaponry to the U.S. Armed Forces.

Christine Everhart is kicked out of the Stark Mansion by Pepper Potts after a one-night stand; she later becomes an anchor for WHIH World News. Later, during a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan, Tony Stark is kidnapped by the Ten Rings, who are working for Obadiah Stane.

Under Fury’s orders, Phil Coulson questions Obadiah Stane as to whether or not Stark could have sold weapons to terrorists. Fury refuses Coulson’s request to go search for Stark himself.

Project T.A.H.I.T.I. test subjects go insane and are given new memories to cope with the effects of the trauma.

Stark and fellow captive Ho Yinsen, who saves Stark’s life multiple times, construct Tony’s Mark I suit of armor, allowing him to escape; Yinsen does not survive. Stark’s first flight as Iron Man is picked up by S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar and Nick Fury contacts the U.S. Department of Defense with the intel.

Image via Marvel Studios

July 16th

Having returned to the U.S., after pulling out of the weapons business and cancelling all military contracts, Stark turns his attention to his Arc Reactor and Iron Man tech.

Pepper Potts and Phil Coulson discover the Iron Monger Armor and Stark uses his Mark III armor to battle the power-hungry Stane, who dies in an explosion of the industrial Arc Reactor.

Stark publicly claims his new nickname as Iron Man, rejecting S.H.I.E.L.D.’s cover story; he’s later approached by Nick Fury to join the “Avengers Initiative.” That same day, Anton Ivanko dies and his son Ivan vows to take revenge on Stark by developing his own powered-armor tech.

Emil Blonsky and his team track Bruce Banner to South America

2011:

April 23rd

May 22nd

May 24th

May 31st

June 1st

June 2nd

June 4th

June 5th

June 7th

June 9th

November 13th

Tony Stark appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Weaponized Suit Defense Program Hearings.

Natalia Rushman, a.k.a. Natasha Romanoff, joins Stark Industries as Tony’s new personal assistant, on Fury’s orders.

Ivan Vanko crashes the Circuit de Monaco, battling Tony Stark, who equips his lightweight Mark V armor and defeats Vanko’s Whiplash tech.

Image via Marvel Studios

May 30th

While Fury confines Tony Stark to house arrest after helping to slow his palladium poisoning, Rhodes delivers the stolen Mark II armor to the military, where it’s upgraded by Justin Hammer.

At the same time, Jane Foster and Erik Selvig monitor strange atmospheric disturbances in New Mexico, landing them on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar.

Meanwhile, Thor’s coronation is interrupted by the Frost Giants breaking into Odin’s treasure room; the Asgardian quickly brings the battle to Jotunheim before Odin puts a stop to it.

Iron Man, War Machine, Black Widow, and Happy Hogan defeat the Hammer Drones when Vanko hacks them to attack the Stark Expo. During this battle, a young boy (now confirmed to be Peter Parker) stands up to a Hammer Drone, assisted by Iron Man himself.

Coulson arrives in New Mexico and Thor crashes to Earth while Bruce Banner arrives at Culver University.

Odin enters Odinsleep and Loki begins to move against his brother when his true parentage is revealed.

Romanoff begins spying on Banner while Blonsky receives an unauthorized dose of enhancement serum.

Sif and the Warriors Three arrive on Earth with the Destroyer following them on Loki’s orders. It attacks S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and citizens at Puente Antiguo, but Thor proves himself worthy and, with his powers restored, defeats it.

An enhanced Blonsky battles the Hulk on Culver University’s campus while Romanoff reports her findings to Fury.

Stark accepts an advisory role with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers Initiative.

Image via Marvel

Later that day, Thor and Loki duel at the Rainbow Bridge. Thor destroys the Bifrost Bridge to prevent Loki from destroying Jotunheim, but that restricts Thor to Asgard and sends Loki into space. After a time, he arrived at the asteroid-strewn area known as Sanctuary, presided over by Thanos.

Blonsky mutates into Abomination when injected with products derived from Banner’s blood. Hulk defeats the Abomination after a destructive battle in Harlem.

Samuel Sterns, who attempted to cure Banner, ends up mutating due to exposure to Banner’s blood. Romanoff finds him and takes him into custody.

Fury receives the necessary funds to study the Tesseract and launch the Avengers Initiative.

Fury approaches Selvig with an offer to join S.H.I.E.L.D. in an advisory role, while the first “Mandarin bombing” occurs.

Tony Stark approaches Ross with a plan to put a team together, inquiring about Blonsky. His attitude rubs Ross the wrong way and the General refuses to release the Abomination, thus fulfilling Coulson and Agent Sitwell’s plan to keep Blonsky imprisoned.

The second “Mandarin bombing” occurs.

Image via Marvel Studios

2012:

January 11th

April 15th

April 22nd

May 1st

May 3rd

May 4th

May 6th

May 9th

July 10th

July 12th

August 19th

December 18th

December 19th

December 22nd

December 25th

December 27th

Aldrich Killian hires Trevor Slattery to pose as the terrorist known as the Mandarin in order to provide a cover for his explosive Extremis side effects which continue to make the news as “suicide bombings.”

S.H.I.E.L.D. continues research on Vanko’s “Whiplash” technology, the Tesseract, Samuel Sterns’ mutation, Jane Foster’s Nine Realms theory, and manage to thaw out a recently recovered Steve Rogers. The Darkhold also comes to their attention.

The Fifth Street Locos shoot up Eli Morrow’s car, which Robbie and Gabe Reyes had recently stolen. The car flips and Robbie is killed while Gabe is paralyzed. The Ghost Rider appears and saves Gabe’s life as well as Robbie’s, though the later is transformed into the new Ghost Rider.

Loki, aided by Thanos and The Other, uses the Tesseract energy to teleport him to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility where he steals the Tesseract and controls the minds of Selvig and Hawkeye. Heimdall alerts Thor and Odin of Loki’s arrival on Earth.

Meanwhile, Romanoff is undercover and interrogating weapons-dealer Georgi Luchkov; her mission is cut short by a call from Coulson, telling her Hawkeye’s been compromised.

Thor arrives back on Earth thanks to Odin’s use of dark energy to transport him. He has a brief skirmish with Iron Man and Captain America that ends with the agreement to take Loki into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.

The Battle proceeds to New York where Loki opens a wormhole to allow the invading Chitauri army to swarm into the city. The Avengers unite, defeat Loki, and manage to prevent a missile from wiping out New York City. The invasion is ended and the Tesseract is reclaimed; Thor takes it to Asgard for safe keeping.

Many media outlets and private citizens record video of the invasion that show off both the heroic and destructive effects of the battle, in which the mother of Audrey Eastman and the mother of Ellen Nadeer and Vijay Nadeer died.

Image via Marvel Studios

Loki manages to escape captivity aboard a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier when his mind-controlled agents take it over and the Hulk goes on a rampage. Phil Coulson is killed in the process.

The cleanup from the Battle of New York begins. Citizens begin to gather bits and pieces of the alien tech, taking it either as trophies or for other purposes. To prevent this, Tony Stark and the federal government reformed the U.S. Department of Damage Control, Spider-Man: Homecoming spoiler: which puts private salvage contractors like Adrian Toomes out of business. Toomes, however, takes this opportunity to pilfer more alien technology and put it to criminal purposes.

Phil Coulson is resurrected at the Guest House, though the painful process has the agent begging the surgeons to let him die and necessitating the implantation of false memories, like Tahiti.

Scott Lang is fired from Vistacorp for fixing what he believed was a code error that was illegally overcharging customers.

Lang then breaks into Vistacorp Headquarters to return $4 million of the ill-gotten money to customers. He also breaks into his former boss’ mansion to steal his possessions and drive his car into the pool.

Image via Marvel

July 13th

Lang is arrested and sentenced to five years in San Quentin.

A fourth “Mandarin bombing” occurs.

The fifth “Mandarin bombing” occurs. Tony Stark tests his Mark XLII armor as his Iron Legion project causes friction between him and Pepper.

The Mandarin bombs both Ali Al Salem Air Base and the TCL Chinese Theater, which explodes when Jack Taggert succumbs to Extremis’ effects. Happy Hogan is caught in the blast but survives.

Stark’s mansion is destroyed by the Mandarin.

After discovering Killian’s plan, Stark and his Iron Legion save an Extremis-infected Pepper Potts (who didn’t need much saving after all) while Rhodes rescues the kidnapped President.

Pepper’s Extremis effects are neutralized while Stark has the last of the shrapnel near his heart surgically removed, throwing the old, obsolete Arc Reactor into the sea. Stark has the Iron Legion destroyed.

NOTE: http://collider.com/mcu-timeline-explained/#phase-one-avengers

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chernobog13 · 1 year ago

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The ladies of XIG (eXpanded Interceptive Guardians), EYES (Elite Young Expert Squad), and HEART (Hi-tech Earth Alert and Rescue Team).

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cometladyicarus-blog · 8 years ago

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Alliance and Hierarchy pt.1

This is a Mass effect fanfic Idea I’d been playing with and I’m actually going to post the first two parts of because I think they’re just about as good as I can make it at this time. XD

Sibling Shepards, and I freely admit to making things up to fill in the gaps that I personally don’t know, so if that mismatches the official information on the background stuff, uh... Let me know, but handwave it all away as Lady Icarus making things up. Yeah.

This Jane Shepard is in fact the same one that I’ve got a (still) incomplete work on [here], so she is not going to be The Shepard (with a capital T in the article). But she is a Spacer/Sole Survivor Shepard, so Akuze brings issues.

Part 1

Part 2

3 June 2177

Akuze Colony Approach

04:38 Local Time

22:54 4 June 2177 Earth Time

"God damn!” Must have hit another sinkhole - how did anything stay on the surface with that much air under them? Her CO was still barking at her, pay attention. “Shepard, never drive a Grizzly again. Man the gun. Toombs! How’s your driving?"

“Good enough to pass!”

Jane shrugged and did as she was told, trading places with the Corporal. "Sorry, Boss, they didn't teach driving in field-tech school. Just how to fix'em."

She earned the light hearted laughter when the Odette called in. "Odette to Away teams, you're getting close to the beacon. We don't see the ship, nor the colony, but keep an eye out for the crew and civilians, over."

"Away to Odette, we copy that." The Commander flashed a grin over his shoulder. "Use your technical skills to find the ship, colonists, or crew, Lieutenant Shepard. Sending out the orders to the rest of our poor S-O-Bs who came with us."

“Yeah, yeah, on it, boss-man.”

"Atta girl. You owe us a round when we get shipside for your shitty driv- Toombs! Watch that mountain cliff! Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, did any of you learn to drive properly? Since when were these vehicles supposed to drive vertically?"

Jane grinned and tapped a few buttons on the Grizzly's cannon. Point three-oh-four percent power increase.

"LT, I'll pass on the drink if you'll just teach me how to make a gun stated to be performing at its best even better."

She started to laugh. And then stopped. "I see the beacon. Small camp around it. Ship must have crashed into or too close to the mountains, the colony’s not supposed to be that way either."

"Which way?"

"Three-thirty for the ship, Commander. The colony should be at about eleven-thirty. Unless I got North mixed up again."

“Spacers. Can’t tell North from East, but they can make a top-performing canon even better than it’s supposed to be.”

“Shut up, Rain.” She grinned to let their medic know she wasn’t serious.

The Grizzly turned and she adjusted to line back with the beacon. Toombs had apparently left the driving to someone else.

"Wonder how many survived?"

"Three structures, broken down Mako, one badly broken Grizzly that looks like it's been here a long time. Structures likely have lavatory, kitchen, showers. Can hold up to five comfortably each, but can hold three times that. Five, three, fifteen. Forty five about highest to expect. None at lowest. Must have been set here for a couple of weeks now."

"Shepard, I don't want to know how you calculated all that for the space."

"Spacer kid, it was a game John and I would play based on the size and class of a ship."

"I just said I didn't want to know."

"Check the comms, anyone on chatter?"

Toombs called out. "No. Just the beacon."

"Alright. Rain, stop the Grizzly at the edge of camp. If anyone's there, we don't want to be seen as a threat."

"On it."

"Shepard, status."

"No movement. No lights." She waited as the vehicle slowed before setting the sights to zoom in. "Wait! I see a couple bodies. Scientists. Think I saw one move. I think. Might have been us moving."

"Let's load out and look for ourselves."

She really didn’t want to, not after improving the canon, but more people out there meat the faster they could find the missing colonists.

They left the vehicle and looked around. Jane examined the beacon for news, cursing when the beacon's VI turned out to be damaged in an odd way. The beacon worked, but it was also running a secondary signal, and the termination sequence couldn’t be completed considering the button was missing and in fact covered by solid metal. Cheap equipment, she frowned at the thought.

The other members of their team drove up and disembarked as well to join the search.

The ground shook.

"Alright, who stayed on their bear?"

The full team sounded off as being in the camp.

Second Lieutenant Araina “Rain” Sunny pulled out her medical field kit and started checking over the bodies.

"Sir, I think this was a trap. These bodies are torn-” The ground quaked as a … giant worm thing screamed to look down on the puny mortal humans. Not a worm. The Citadel reports had these things as- “Thresher maw! Shit! Into the M29! Go, go!" The great beast spat toxic ooze over the team medic as she screamed warnings.

"Damn it, Rain!"

Jane climbed over the cannon of the vehicle and popped the top open to drop down, eyeballing for the cannon's target. "Give me a rocket!" The Maw dropped below the ground as a head count was made.

"Damn, we lost four."

"And no more-" Jane was cut off as the vehicle was thrown into the air, she looked above her and saw the Akuze surface. "Shit. Missile!"

"In, Shep."

She fired the damn-fucking rocket and blasted bullets as they fell, turret first.

"Noo!" Screams echoed into her comms as four tons landed. Her hands stretched from her face. She kicked with one leg, but the other didn't respond. Her throat was raw. Maybe the screams were hers.

"Odette!--" Toombs, he screamed as the Thresher Maw dropped back into its hole, and his voice had an echo to it.

"Shepard here. Headcount? Fire your blaster into the sky if your mic's down." Nothing.

"--ette to ground team. Come in, ground team."

She tapped her helmet. "Shepard to Odette. Beacon was a trap or something. Thresher Maw attacked. I can't move one of my legs very well. I repeat, Thresher Maw attacked. I-I don't know what happened. I can't get up, or look around very well. Working my way out."

She repeated most of the message several times as she crawled out from under the Grizzly and made her way for the jungle. Out of open space where the Maw would attack. No fucking wonder there were sinkholes everywhere.

"Shepard! Odette here. We have your signal, and we're coming in."

"Thank-" She wasn't sure she finished when she passed out.

She was all that survived of the original ground team. The bodies of a lot of her people, and the original people to be rescued, couldn't be found and the rest were declared KIA. Her claims of Akuze being a trap were dismissed by the brass.

She couldn't feel one leg. The Grizzly cut and destroyed what remained of it. It was a clean amputation, messy with the infections that left her in surgery under the levo equivalent of Quarian-strength antibiotics. They had to cut the rest of the femur out, even the joint because of the toxins, infection, and bone rot.

"Fuck."

"Lieutenant Shepard."

She almost glared until she realized it was the Odette's captain. The reflexive salute was all she could do in-protocol. "Sir, I'd stand, but..."

"No, stay seated. How do you feel?"

"Angry. I know Rain wouldn't lie. She said it was a trap, I believe what she said. The beacon was weird too."

"The top's refusing to listen, I'm sorry. I believe you. We saw the recordings. You're getting the best cybernetic leg we can find, even if it means going to the Council for it."

Jane looked at the bandage on her hip. There wasn't even much of a stump anymore, just the ball joint left that was scheduled to be removed in a few hours. "Sir, I can't afford--"

"The Alliance is paying, and for the therapy too."

She glared. "To keep my mouth shut?"

"No. To prep you for N7 training. Staff Lieutenant Jane Shepard, as the last officer in command before the last of your team was lost, you’ve been field promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Your quick reactions, even when falling upside down impressed the brass to bump you into N7."

"I'm being rewarded for failing my team?" She shook her head. "That's... Fu-Messed up. And I know messed up."

"Yeah. I can imagine how you feel."

A small suspicious part of her noticed that something was up. "What is really going on?"

"I don't know. Your recovery will be slow, but they'll be starting the book training before the physical part when you return from medical leave."

Jane closed her eyes as she felt a pair of boxes be placed in her hands. "Fuck."

"My condolences, Shepard. Commander Trapper was my friend, too."

"Thank you, sir." The doctor shooed her guest away and pushed the button to inject the sleep agent again.

“You’re a strong, brave, woman, Shepard.”

Her leg hurt where it used to be, and she didn’t do anything very brave.

Name: Jane Shepard Age: 22 [As of 4 June 2177] Current Rank and Two-Character Vocational Code: N6 [passed to be N7] Lieutenant Commander [Field promotion, sole ranked officer left surviving and in command, recording of at least on person of lower rank than she when Commander Trapper and Lieutenant Commander Heath perished] Notes: Younger sister of John Shepard and the daughter of Hannah Shepard. Born on the SSV Elizabeth. High scores on practice tests that have not been submitted, but appears to self-sabotage certain tests to avoid something. May have psychological issues regarding what she calls "the Shepard Legacy" and highly protective parents. Took up N-training, possibly to escape rumors of nepotism from other Naval officers. Was N-classed before her older brother. Updated Notes: Older brother was the Hero of Elysium. Updated Notes: Sole official survivor of a Thresher Maw attack on Akuze. Promoted to Commander and N7. Artificial leg as a result of the attack. Uncertain psychological profile changes to come. Alert appropriate Cerberus Cells to upgrade defenses in case Shepard decides to follow through with her warnings of investigating the beacon and attack. Update: Thresher Maw toxin results in a higher tolerance and requirements for achieving the effects of drugs and alcohol. Observe Jane Shepard for signs of substance abuse.

A lit cigarette was lifted to the mouth of a shadowy figure. A woman became visible, walking to him as they observed a blue giant be devoured by its denser neighboring star.

"Miranda, report." The smoking person was male.

"The Alliance is uncertain about suggesting Shepard for active duty, even with the Captain of the Odette vouching for her mental health. While he was not acting under any of Cerberus' direct suggestions, I recommend putting his proposal through."

The other sighed and lowered the cigarette. "Jane Shepard is one of many candidates for Humanity's first Spectre. We have others."

Miranda lowered her head for a moment. "Then why put the investment into her replacement leg?"

"She didn't do much of anything spectacular in order to survive the Thresher Maw."

"Then why the leg?"

"She survived. I want to see what she will do now."

"Have her put into active duty. On Earth, she under constant Alliance watch, and wary of being locked away into a mental health facility. Or she would be, based on her previous psychological profile."

"An interesting thought."

Miranda's eyebrow twitched.

The man's silhouette hinted at a smile. "It is good to see you are concerned about all of our candidates."

"Yes, the other was not showing nearly as well as Shepard siblings. On Torfun, the Butcher was not our other candidate either, but two people we had not considered. It is a shame the Akuze Rescue turned into a disaster before Shepard even arrived."

"Report received."

"Thank you." Miranda disappeared.

The man hit a few buttons. "I explicitly said not to use Akuze, doctor."

"I'm so sorry. The signal was jumbled."

"You will be punished for your failure. But not today." He ended the call before looking at the stars around him. The Thresher Maw project had some prospect survivors who might revenge. "Or the younger Shepard will."

"It is fitting that Shepard, our most scarred mentally and physically candidate, be a Spectre. Too bad she will now be unpredictable after finding the truth about Akuze. If not her, then her brother will be a Spectre. But he will also be unpredictable after learning the truth, liable to seeking revenge for what had been done to her personally or through the justice system." He lowered his hand to tap off the burnt ashes of the stick. Taking in a slow drag he spoke again. "I will need to adjust our plans regardless."

There was only a slight, but low-ranged sound, creak of machinery to respond to him.

#Alliance and Hierarchy #FemShep #female shepard #sibling shepards #male shep #but he's in the background more #Akuze #Spacer #Sole Survivor #Spacer/Sole Survivor #Shameless M*A*S*H reference #Mass Effect

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