#I am about to go and fight someone at Netflix HQ

[malcolm-reeds-pineapple]

They need to stop making live action versions of anime!! my 63 year old dad just got me into fucking one piece!! He started watching it bc he liked the giant fish on the picture and thought that perhaps it was about fishing but now he’s absorbed into the lore!! Fuck you Netflix for getting my dad (and by extension me) into One Piece I’m coming for you fr

[wincore]

IT GETS BETTER WHEN I QUIT (╥_╥) until then i’ll just try my best 2 survive

“are you daring me to ruin my life for 2d men” yes 100% that’s exactly what i am saying. U GETTING 2D MEN BRAINROT... >>>>> ill seriously be waiting for the day 😌😌 atsumu is incredibly irritating u will love him. im going to manifest hq tiktok edits showing up in ur fyp JDJWJSJJ

OMGG i never watched coffee&vanilla but now i know not to so thank u LOL i can’t handle watching cringey dramas!! IM SO EXCITED FOR S2 TOO!! i’m not even a horror fan generally but the storyline was so different and mysterious i was hooked!! should i read the manga?? :o how diff would u say it was from the netflix adaptation?

NOO ME TOO!! watching a whole series takes so much brain power and attention 😭😭 esp when starting something new, sometimes i just don’t have the energy to learn abt new characters/a new world

I LOVE THE PREVIEW IM SO SO EXCITED!! “she wins mostly dw” WHEW!! we cannot have jaehyun winning this we can agree on 😫. LMFAOO WHEN I SAW DONGMIN I WAS LIKE :oooo No way.... no way.. that would hurt so bad for me 🙄🙄 perfect man is ur soulmate and u wont even end up together... goodbye.. (ok jaehyun u r ok as well i guess)

YES I REREAD 19K HDJWJJD IT WAS A POST-FINALS TREAT & U ARE AN ACTUAL AUTHOR!!!! also now im rlly curious abt what runway-taeyong’s yn will be like?!? esp in comparison to runway yn!!! give me crumbs pls

“i cannot picture him pissed off apart from that summer fight </3” STOPPPQJDJ ME TOO??? i think e2l with mark is impossible truly... it just doesnt make sense

“i love this characterization of him!!” IM SO GLAD LOL I WASNT SURE ABT MY WORDING!! sicheng rlly is perfect for these kinds of roles & im PUMPED for ceo sicheng for this very reason 👀👀

U HAD ME AT THEME SONG SINCERITY IS SCARY WTFFF!! “i don’t think i’m cut out to write that” i respect ur decision BUT im sure u are capable!!!! when u feel ready i will b here waiting bc i am in luv with just the vaguest concept of this piece! “so him having strong personality traits makes me go 🤔🤔 that man is overreacting” LMFAOOO NOT EVEN JK I AGREE... its disorienting to see him written as intense/broody when most of the time he’s just kinda has one main mode which is 🙂

YESSS FIC WISE BC OF U!!! im in the same boat abt it not working irl, i think if i had beef with a man i would just never interact with them ever again.... no man is worth the time... we are not gonna beef it out we will just cease to know each other. BUT YES BOTH TROPES WORK BETTER IN FIC LMFAO i love the #pining #hurt/comfort #angsttofluff HSJWJSJ

YESS THATS WHY UR VAMP FIC WAS SO REFRESHING!! BC IT WAS DIFFERENT!! if we simply stop pretending bites r enjoyable i think we can begin 2 reverse the damage that media has done to vampire aus

omg that’s a lot of things to do!! PLS MAKE SURE TO GET ENOUGH REST & EAT WELL TOO!! take care of yourself 🤍🤍🤍

- tata

i just started watching jujutsu kaisen and i might just ruin my life for 2d men once again <3 i feel like i wil have a whirlwind obsessive phase like my 15 year old self again goodbye (also. pls. this atsumu character is appealing to me way too much for someone with god level standards for irl men. every time a 2d man is annoying i go 😍💍👰💒 loml) ALSO OK WTF HOW DID YOU PREDICT THAT I’VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF HQ TIKTOKS IN MY FYP LATELY LIKE I SCROLLED THROUGH 8 CONSECUTIVE ONES 😭😭😭 TATA DID YOU HIJACK MY FYP

sdjgdjs i’ve only ever watched cringe dramas if the man is good looking (but like only clips in this case) or i need to make fun of it with my friends . i like to indulge in horror when i’m anxious bc it somehow makes it better like 😭 at least i have it better than THOSE guys lmfao <3 but also i don’t like heavy gore ahaha. 

some parts of the aib live action i liked WAY better especially bc the actors did so incredibly well portraying the characters (and the 7 of hearts game... bye i took so long coming to terms with it it’s WAY more emotional in the live) and i liked the first game (different in the manga) way more in the live. as for the manga i HATE the ending but also the manga introduces side characters and their stories and i really like that about it! the whole tunnel distance game was actually a side story in the manga and i kind of don’t like them centering the plot too much around arisu (but .. also.. it’s yamazaki kento... and i like that man too much for my dignity..) and also.... i don’t like how they left niragi and aguni’s status undisclosed like that??? like [LIGHT MANGA SPOILERS] they play a very key role in the manga so ?!?! i just hope s2 turns out well netflix i am begging u

ANDSDHSKDJDSL PLS I AM SO SORRY but dongmin is in love with another woman 😔 maybe in some other life. jaehyun is out there being a himbo though so choose carefully what you wish for 🤩 every time jaehyun wins i got mad at myself like no way pilsbury dough boy is winning against miss i know everything

SDHSJD so far lookbook-yn is way more confident and assertive than runway-yn but more in a.. himbo-like way LOL if that makes sense. runway-yn was kind of self conscious and fueled by passion and the need to stand out in their field of work but this yn is more comedic i think lol!! she’s kind of critical and clever in her own way but also she will confidently tell u the wrong directions to the nearest grocery store if u ask bc she thought she knew </3

SDFJGDSJ IT LITERALLY STARTED AS ME DAYDREAMING TO SINCERITY IS SCARY <3 i don’t even have a title yet 🤧 i feel like im favouring this bread man too much but it’s fun to characterize him so <33 i would love for him to be heartbroken and bitter for once 😌 “most of the time he’s just kinda has one main mode which is 🙂” that emoji TOOK ME OUT DSJKDHSD it’s literally him??

men r literally never worth the time </3 either be a lovable himbo or go away 😐 WAIT BC OF ME??? IM STILSLDSHDSKHKDSLJDS ily ❣🌼🌙

why would they make bites to be some sort of sensual thing like literally any other animal biting us for blood would be either horrifying (demon) or just annoying (mosquitoes)

you take care of yourself too!!!!!! hope your job loosens a bit on you and you excel in academics enough to not worry about it 😌 eat well sleep well ily ❤

[weerd1]

Star Trek DS9 Rewatch Log, Stardate 1909.28: Missions Reviewed, “Extreme Measures,” “The Dogs of War,” and “What You Leave Behind.”

(Note: as we are in the last nine episodes which run as a continuous storyline, these three will be summarized together.)

Kira and Garak return an ailing Odo to DS9, and his condition is far worse than Bashir expected. Odo asks Kira to return to Damar so she doesn’t have to watch him die, and so Kira’s grief won’t be the last thing he sees. Bashir and O’Brien reveal their plan to Sisko who though angry, gives his approval. They also reveal they have Romulan mind-probes to use if the Seciton 31 agent does not want to be helpful. Soon enough, Sloan himself arrives, and Bashir springs his trap. Realizing he’s cornered, Sloan triggers a suicide device.

 Bashir stabilizes him, but they have about an hour before he dies. Bashir re-rigs the Romulan probes to create a mind meld, and he and O’Brien go into Sloan’s brain to find the material. At first there is little resistance, but the longer they stay the worse it gets until they are shot by a “guard.” They realize that must symbolize where the information is. Trying to enter, they find themselves awakened by Sisko, who puts and end to it. In his quarters, Bashir tries to read, but the book just starts over again right where he left off, and he realizes they are still in Sloan’s brain; Sloan can’t replicate what Julian has not read yet. He gathers O’Brien and returns to “the room,” finding Sloan inside surrounded by documents. O’Brien finds the cure for Odo, but Bashir does not want to leave given all the other information. 

O’Brien talks him out, and they wake up, really this time, as Sloan dies. Bashir replicates the cure and saves Odo. Starfleet however does not want to share the cure with the Founders, and Sisko follows those orders, asking Odo not to do it either. Odo mentions how the Federation wrings their hands about a Section 31, but they still allow them to do the dirty work, and accept that work. On Cardassia, Damar’s resistance cell is in trouble when betrayed by one of the officers he tries to recruit. Soon, it is just Damar, Garak, and Kira hiding in the basement of Garak’s childhood home, tended to by Mila, the servant to Garak’s father Enebran Tain, and likely Garak’s mother.  The ailing Founder decides to pull Dominion forces back into Cardassian space, solidifying their position, and allowing them time to build more ships and Jem’Hadar and extend the war. The Federation Alliance decides not to let this happen, and prepare to invade Cardassia. Kai Winn takes Dukat, whose sight is restored, back in, and the two plan to take the book of Kosst Amojan to the Fire Caves to release the Pah-Wraiths. Quark gets a message from the Grand Nagus that he’s going to be made the next Nagus, and begins to plan. Brunt shows up, ready to suck up, and tells Quark about the various reforms Zek has made, like taxes and wage guarantees and free healthcare. 

Quark vows to return Ferenginar to it’s corrupt, greedy glory. Ezri and Bashir begin to talk about whether or not they should pursue a relationship. Initially they decide not to ruin their friendship, but soon they are making out in a turbo lift. The Nagus arrives, and reveals that he thought he was talking to someone else when he named Quark Nagus…Rom. Rom becomes the Grand Nagus and Quark vows that HIS bar will always be the greedy and corrupt tribute to what Ferenginar should be. Dukat and Winn find the right place in the caves, and reading the right spell, they burst into flame. They await the moment. O’Brien makes the decision that he will return to Earth after the war and take a teaching position at the Academy. Kasidy reveals to Ben that she is pregnant.

The invasion of Cardassia begins. On the planet, Damar reveals he is alive, and the people begin to rise up against the Dominion in the name of Damar. In response, the female Founder orders a city destroyed. She promises every act of betrayal by Cardassians will result in another razed city. Jem’Hadar forces find and capture Darmar, Kira, and Garak.

 They are about to be executed. The Alliance fleet enters Dominion space and the fight is on.  Things are not going well for them. Winn on Bajor proposes that Dukat drink with her to celebrate, but he realizes too late that she has poisoned him and his death is the sacrifice that brings forth Kosst Amojan. Just as the Jem’Hadar are going to gun down Damar and crew, the Cardassian guards turn on the Jem’Hadar, and declare their allegiance to Damar. They prepare to raid the headquarters. In space, the Cardassian fleet turns its guns on the Breen and Jem’Hadar, turning the tide. The Alliance fleet pursues the Dominion to Cardassian orbit. There are thousands of ships and orbital emplacements there. The fight is not over but becomes a stand off. 

 Given the Cardassian change of sides, the Founder orders the elimination of all Cardassians on the planet. The world begins to burn. The rebels hit the HQ, but Damar is killed in the process. Kira and Garak make it into the control room, and Garak kills the last Weyoun.

 The Founder refuses to call off the attacks on Cardassia or surrender the fleet, telling them they will have to fight to the last Dominion soldier. Odo beams down from the Defiant, linking with the Founder, curing her in the process. In the seconds they are bound together, he negotiates a treaty between Dominion and the Alpha Quadrant. The war comes to an end. The alliance beams down to find the Dominion has killed 800 million Cardassians. Odo reveals the Founder will stay and face war crimes trials, but he will go back to the Great Link and cure his people, teaching them about the Solids. Kira asks when he will come back. He reveals he won’t.

On DS9, everyone gathers in Vic Fontaine’s lounge, realizing it is likely the last time they will all be together. Worf takes the position as Federation ambassador to the Klingons. Garak has stayed behind to rebuild Cardassia. O’Brien gets ready to leave to Earth. On Bajor, Kosst Amojan returns, but rather than come into the Kai, he reanimates Dukat, restoring him to his Cardassian form.

 Sisko senses it from the station, and goes there. Dukat/Amojan disintegrates Winn as she tries to stop him, distracting him enough Sisko can tackle him, and taking the book, knock Dukat, himself, and sacred evil text into the flames. Sisko is suddenly in the Celestial temple.  Sarah/Prophet is there and tells him that he has fulfilled his duty, Dukat will forever be imprisoned with the Pah-Wraiths on Bajor. But Ben’s corporeal form has been destroyed. He is now to stay in the temple and learn, so he may one day return to Bajor as Emissary. He reaches out and brings Kasidy into the temple, telling her what has happened, but telling her to make sure everyone knows Benjamin Sisko, The Emissary, promises to return.

Kira takes Odo back to the Great Link, where he changes his appearance to look as if he is in a tuxedo one more time and bids her farewell. He steps into the dying link, and it begins to heal around him, but he can no longer be differentiated from his people. 

Kira returns to DS9 where she has assumed command of the station. She finds Quark has started a betting pool on who will be the next Kai, which she immediately shuts down. Quark realizes he’s going to have to stay crafty to keep ahead of the new station commander. “The more things change the more they stay the same,” he says. Kira sees Jake Sisko, standing on the upper level of the Promenade, where he and Nog (Kira’s new Ops officer) used to look down on the others. Now he’s looking out, toward the wormhole, knowing his father is in the Celestial Temple. She joins him there, and the two look out as we pull away. Deep Space Nine, formally Terok Nor, hangs in space at the mouth of the wormhole, and as it has for the last seven season…it waits.

I’m not sure how you mourn a show that ended two decades ago, that you know is on Netflix, or that I know I have upstairs on DVD. It’s a show I can revisit anytime I want to in any amount, and dammit, I am sad it is over.  I want more, I would watch all of these people carry on tomorrow if I could. We’ve lost some of them, but dear lord how this all ends, enough to satisfy, but I would return to Bajor in a heartbeat if they announced it.

There are some things here I might have done differently. I still think Kira should have killed Dukat rather than Sisko, and with all the talk of the Alamo, it seems like the final battle of the show should have happened at DS9, surrounded by insurmountable numbers of Dominion ships, but perhaps that would have been too much like the battle that opened Season 6. The culmination of the Damar storyline, from “Cardassian Bridge Officer” to Dominion toady, to hero of Cardassia is so pitch perfect as to need the climax on his world. The fleet battle so ridiculously epic to this day, despite 20 years old effects, you need it to be where it is so you can cheer when the Cardassians turn, and be horrified when the Dominion turns its guns on Cardassia…formerly the villains. What a change from the first episode, and what a journey.

What a journey for the Ferengi as well, as Rom goes from “Pit boss” to Quark’s brother to engineer to Nagus.  Or Nog as he goes from child thief, to Cadet, to DS9’s operations Lieutenant. Garak, as the plain, simple, tailor with a mysterious past to the defacto ruler of a smoldering Cardassia.  As great as all the main character arcs where, those supporting characters are what really makes DS9 great. Brunt, Weyoun, Martok, Sloan, Cretak, Winn, Bareil, the list goes on. A couple of particular things I took away from the finale, the final battle between Sisko, Dukat, and Winn struck me this time as a nearly beat for beat homage to the final scene of the Classic Series’ second pilot “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” where Kirk has to face his friend Gary Mitchell who has developed god-like power along with ship’s psychologist, Dr. Elizabeth Dehner. The dynamic where Dehner realizes she’s wrong as she watches Gary force Kirk to bow to him as a God is remarkably similar to Winn watching Dukat do the same to Sisko.  More on that in a minute. Another character note I love, and something I missed 20 years ago, Worf becomes Ambassador to the Klingons…the same position once held by Curzon Dax. What a fascinating extension of his relationship to Dax, even as Dax’s current host Ezri has chosen Bashir.

Kira Nerys: Former freedom fighter, who may have delved into terrorist one time too many. Woman of faith, surrounded by a scientific world. Woman who owns her sexuality and her femininity, and is perfectly happy to kick your ass when you need it. A woman we watch grow from ready to kill every Cardassian she sees to co-liberator of their world. Who loved and lost a Changeling, but whose love will set the stage to bridge Odo’s people with the Solids.  Who served next to her Emissary, and stands now in his place waiting for his return. Rewatching DS9 absolutely reinforced my feelings that Kira Nerys is Star Trek’s best character.

Hindsight allows me to see what DS9 foreshadowed in television as well. Complex characters in morally ambiguous situations; long story arcs dependent on you seeing each chapter, and each episode leading into the next; women as leaders and peers who are not marginalized by the story; a brown man who is presented as a good father AND as the Messiah: Deep Space Nine is not just progressive for its time, it helped define what television would become. It’s continuity replicated in a thousand binge-worthy streams on Netflix like “Stranger Things.” Representation for women on shows like “Jessica Jones,” or “Game of Thrones” or of course “Star Trek: Discovery.” Though honestly, we have perhaps not learned enough from DS9, as there has never been another character quite like Benjamin Sisko, and all he represents. We can still learn from that; as I have said many times in this rundown, “Star Trek is always relevant.”

So now it is over, and I find that yes, DS9 holds up pretty well 20 years later. It’s still ahead of its time in some ways, and in those things that aren’t, serves as a roadmap of where we have been, demonstrating why we needed to move beyond such tropes. But in questions of faith, what it means to be human, and how one doesn’t have to be perfect to be better, nothing quite examines the human condition like DS9 does; and that’s why, hands down, at least for now, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is the very best Star Trek has to offer.

NEXT VOYAGE: After  173 episodes, 124 pages, and 71,819 words about DS9, how is there a Next Voyage? Join me one more time for my review of “What We Left Behind,” this year’s DS9 documentary. But let’s face facts: I will never be done talking about DS9.

[sending-the-message]

The sky is a little brighter today thanks to the Black Knight Satellite. by shipinthesea123

After Mondays eclipse, the sky is a little brighter. You probably won't notice it because the source of this extra illumination isn't that large, but I fear this small source of light may will have a unprecedented impact on our planet.

The Black Knight Satellite has turned white....bright white and very bright.

The names Josh, and I work as a custodian at the Space Fence . A now relic of the Air Force Space Command, once served as a the forefront in detection of objects in our immediate space through a series of radio transmissions. Like many other government initiatives, there is a lot more to the story than that. I started work with the initiative in 2004, and continued through the decommission of the effort in 2013. Like most abandoned government projects, someone has to "inspect and protect" government assets. Basically, the technology was outdated and Lockheed, Northrop and Raytheon have all already won the bid for the new and improved space fence, to be built off of Kwajalein Atoll. So, until they completely decommission our operation, myself and a few other staff occupy the last remaining "hot" low-power sites monitoring and sending data down the rabbit hole. I spend my time here in Lake Kickapoo Texas at the Master Transmitter. The seclusion and little interaction with anyone is a nice change from my time in Dallas. The ex wife not having a knowledge of where I am doesn't hurt either.

Those of you who have some interest in the paranormal community may know of the Black Knight Satellite. Spurred by Nikola Tesla's supposed session listening to radio waves from the object. These signals were sent perfectly timed and were deemed by Tesla to be intelligent, or from an intelligent source.

Que the forest fire of speculations and outlandish stories, and the Black Knight quickly became nonsense. Do your curiosity a favor and research it. The BK has so many back stories, it can only be a hoax right?

Not quite.

In October 2013, official word came from our headquarters that Space Fence has been deemed outdated. Our new initiative was to move towards low power duty and automation with the exception of custodial personnel to confirm that the grounds were maintained and automation was left uninterrupted. I liked Lake Kickapoo. This station is based in the middle of a farm, and the little shack on the lake I had bought was perfect. So I asked for the custodial position and received it. Having the ability to sit and monitor radio transmissions from space from 9am to 2pm, then fix a gutter or mow the grass was heaven to me.

To the Black Knight. If you read into the lore of it, radio transmissions seem to be the running theme.

Here's what my briefing uncovered to me and the other staff taking part in the Space Fence;

1) It is a real thing. Our governments are aware of it and when we can spot it, efforts from all parts of the world to catch a glimpse of it or intercept the radio transmissions. The closest man-made satellite usually intercepts a visual or auditory signal. The longest recorded information on the BK was from the International Space Station in 2012. The ISS made visual with the BK. The visuals of the BK confirmed its size to be comparable to a small sedan, with a texture that looked like that of a smooth onyx metal. There was a notable disruption in electronics in the ISS, signalling that the BK has an apparent electromagnetic field. Crew members noted confusion after witnessing the event. The BK disappeared.

2) It has a random, unpredictable pattern. Previously thought to have a polar orbit, no one has been able to predict or discover a pattern to it. It just....disappears.

3) It hasn't been sending a radio signal to us like Tesla originally thought. It has been sending a signal about us. Most are thought to have no knowledge of what the transmissions meant, but after decoding recorded transmissions, many people from around the world have interpreted it to be a basic "Handbook of Humanity". Form our genome codes, to our political structure and religious constructs.

4) Here is the most unsettling fact about the Black Knight. We know nothing else about it. It has appeared harmless, the BK itself. Just a spy station for something/someone. All signs point to extraterrestrial, but really the question to who or why can't be determined. So we've waited. It's been our Elephant in the Room for a while. Everyone in the upper echelons of government know about it. They know it's gathering information and transmitting it back out but why? It has boiled down to the fact that they can't catch it, therefore they can't figure out where it came from and so on.....so why worry about it?

A bit fucked up if you ask me.

But, we who are privy to it's existence carry on our daily duties, knowing that it's there and we do nothing. We just know that this out there. This so called "benign big brother" watching us.

Monday started out like all the others. I wanted to take a little time to catch the eclipse like many other Americans so I started my day early. My director would occasionally drop by to check and see if the compound was good at random drop ins, so I stayed on my toes. I mowed around the length of the radio transmitters, blew the clippings off the parking lot and knocked the few stray shrub limbs off. I keep the place in tip-top shape as if it were active to this day. I laid in the bed of my pickup with my glasses and stared off into the eclipse and life went on like it any other.

I stepped foot back onto my front porch at around 6:03pm, my nightly round of Netflix and shitty TV dinners was on track when my cell phone rang. It displayed a "Unknown Caller" for the ID. Answering it, I expected a recorded message alerting me of my vehicles warranty expiring or the situation with my current credit card debts, but no such luck. It was a disturbing call that I have only heard about people like me receiving in dire consequences. When we communication stations need to be listening....and listening close.

A recorded female voice, hurried but exact in her instructions.

"All Space Fence stations; Protocol H184.... 216.98 MHz Alpha Foxtrot Blue" She repeated this two additional times before the call ended with the beep beep beep signalling it hanging up.

I froze. I was instructed about this in '13 when we brought the fence down. Protocol H183 is a full power up. 216.98 MHz is the fences full operating frequency. AFB.....that's what worried me, it's a signal of a huge issue. Some kind of national disaster or a threat.

Surely this wasn't a test. We're a tick dick away from having all of the power cut to this program, why in the hell would they bring us back up?

My phone rang. Reggie from our fill-in transmitter site in Jordan Lake, AL calling. He had received the same call...Dianne from Gila River, AZ called next. We were all given the orders for a full power up. I sped off to my site.

While heading there, I received an email. Which was almost as shocking since the power down, I rarely received correspondence via email unless it was to receive my W-9 at the end of the year. It lit up with more emails from our group on the project.....the receiving stations were being brought up as well.

Hawkinsville, GA Elephant Butte, NM Sand Diego, CA Tattnal, GA Silver Lake, MS Red River, AR

All were ordered to be at full power by 2359 Eastern Time.

I felt instant nostalgia the minute I went to the main breaker and pumped the primer to flip the breaker. When it snapped into place, I could almost feel the energy running back into the sleeper station. The two red blinking caution lights at either end of the antennas quickly lit up like a runway when the forty or so other lights powered up. My little spot in the Texas desert was back online. Well, almost. This station was usually manned by at least 5 people. Startup wasn't impossible with one man, but timely. Finally at 2100 central time, I went online at 100%. I pulled the plastic film off of the chair in the middle of the control room and fell into the seat. For a moment, the terror of whatever was going on was masked for a moment by the pride of accomplishment. I pulled out my phone and started working my way through the forty some odd emails unread. It was a barrage of "What's going on?" or "Tattnal online" or "Hey, didn't the guy running San Diego die?". Our director, the "boss" never piped in the email exchange until he sent a simple, "Update to come at 0200 EST."

The worst fears came to mind while I checked and rechecked.

Nuclear war? Bio-terrorism? Why the hell is the AFSSS involved? Space Ebola or something?

I couldn't understand why in the hell they wanted the Space Fence online for a disaster? It would almost be like fighting cyber terrorism with a calculator. We're outdated. All we could do it detect things in the atmosphere.

0200 EST came.

An encrypted message hit my inbox. After pulling it and getting it to it's full form, I read the contents.

Air Force Space Surveillance

All Auditory/Radio/Visual Personell

RE: Black Knight

On August 21st, 2017 NASA has reported a sighting of the Black Knight Satellite. One like no other on record. >Approximately 1630 EST, ISS reported the BK had appeared mere feet away from the observation pod. Scientists on >board reported that the surface of BK, usually giving off a solid appearance, now looked fluid. During the 14 minute 34 >second time-frame it was in view, it slowly illuminated. Both cameras, and occupants of the ISS could not view with the >naked eye, or a camera anything decipherable after said illumination event.

A spike in transmissions of all kinds are being reported. Space Fence has been ordered activated to pick up any >anomalies or atmosphere entry.

Keep our ears open at the listening stations and send to HQ for decoding. The boys up top want to know what BK is >saying.

It is moving in a course that is in orbit, but inline with the suns current pattern.

Update through encryption any anomalies noted by your station.

End.

Sleep deprivation is a helluva drug. I can't help but think of the possible scenarios. Why haven't we as a people made a bigger deal of this. Did we just accept the fact that we were being watched and broken down? That this CCTV has been floating right above us and we've just....done nothing.

What is it doing? Why has it lit up?

I received another encrypted email. San Diego is picking up an entry. New Mexico and Arkansas are confirming.

An old friend who deciphers in the AFSSS has called. He says BK is talking...

EVACUATE. INVASION IMMINENT.

Is the BK talking to us though?

[fireandseaweed]

Two Bro’s In Brome || Jason and Percy

Jason and Percy get pizza.

Late nights weren’t unusual for Jason these days. The duties of Pontifex coupled with the workload of his classes meant that he couldn’t go to bed quite as early as he used to, even though his alarm went off at the same time every morning. Sitting at his desk in the living room of his apartment, mostly tuning out the sounds of Netflix in the background, he tapped away at his laptop, editing a story he had to turn in for one of his classes. A cup of coffee (decaf because of the hour) steamed in front of him and even though he had a lot of work to do, he couldn’t help but feel peaceful. Until he heard the telltale sounds of a key scraping in the lock to his apartment. A couple people had keys; Nico, Annabeth and Percy, Piper, Will, so it was hard to pinpoint until the door opened who exactly it was. But he pushed his glasses up on his nose and waited for the door to open, “Help you with something?”

Percy had never fully understood how someone could be as much of a workaholic as Jason and Annabeth appeared to be. They both worked all the hours under the sun and to be honest Percy had sort of gotten used to the fact that they got so into their work that they forgot about him. Shifting the pizza boxes onto his left hand, he scrabbled with the lock and caught Jason red handed. “Ha. I knew you’d forgot.” He set the pizza on the table in the center of the living room, making his way over he spotted the laptop and word document. “If you’ve got work you need to do we can turn pizza night into a study sesh,” he always took his laptop to Jason’s. They often had to do homework as they chilled out together. “As long as you’ve got some beer I’m willing to forgive you.”

Jason turned beet red when he saw Percy come through his door with a stack of pizzas and a wide grin on his face, “Gods! I totally had! I’m so so sorry Perce.” He snapped his laptop shut and went to go help Percy with the boxes, setting them down on his kitchen counter before he pulled his best friend into a tight hug. “Between school and trying to work with the Vulcanites on rebuilding Temple Hill and shifts at the bookstore I’ve just been buried this week.” He released his friend and got them both beers from the fridge, “I do have beer! I always keep beer on hand just so you’ll forgive me when I inevitably fuck up.” He cracked the bottles open and passed one to Percy, “How are you? Thanks for grabbing the pizza.”

Laughing Percy hugged his friend and brushed away his apology. “I’ve already forgotten about it.” He shrugged and took the beer off of his friend. Taking a long drink, he smiled before grabbing a slice of pizza. Chewing on the cheesy delight he made his way across the room and slumped into Jason’s couch. “That’s much better,” he yawned gently and took another mouthful. Smiling peacefully he sat in silence for a moment before speaking. “Has it ever occurred to you that you’ve got too much on your plate? You don’t need to work and go to college and be the pontifex maximus. Leave something for the rest of us to do.” He laughed and swallowed another mouthful of beer. “Don’t sweat it,” he smiled. “I’m good, just, maybe for the first time in years I’m just living my life and it’s wonderful.”

“Is it because of the beer? There’s a reason I always keep your favorite in the back of my fridge.” Jason grabbed a slice of the super cheesy and bacony pizza that Percy had brought him, his favorite, and slid into the chair next to the couch, chewing idly and looking at his friend. “Nearly every day. But I made a promise to a goddess to be Pontifex, and a promise to myself to go to school and I need money so I’ve got to work too… so really it’s just a matter of keeping up this pace for another three years and then I’ll have my degree and it’ll all be peachy keen… or selling a manuscript before that and becoming a published author so I don’t need to work anymore. But you know me, P… I like being busy. If I’ve got too much downtime I go crazy.” A smile crept across his face and he leaned forward to squeeze Percy’s knee, “That makes me happy, dude. I”m glad.  You definitely deserve this.”

“It may well be because of the beer, but it is also really nice to just get to hang out with a friend.” Percy smiled gently and swallowed another mouthful of ice cold beer. It was exactly what he needed after such a long and hard day. Shifting gently he shrugged. “You make too many promises Jason, when you commit to something you commit to it, I’ll give you that. But you’re stretching yourself too thin.” He wished that he could help his friend with this, but he had chosen this job and it was up to Jason to see it through. “I keep busy, but no so busy that I don’t ever have time off.” He taught swim classes and was the captain of the UNR swim team, he also studied full time and trained. “I’m lucky,” he knew it, despite the PTSD and everything that had ever happened to him, he knew that he was lucky. He knew that things could be much worse. “What about you?”

“We all know it’s the beer.” Jason threw a wink at Percy. Their long friendship made it easy for them to joke like this. When you’ve had someone’s blood all over your hands you get to joke with them a bit. “I make only the promises I intend to keep and the ones that need to be made. You know me, P. I gotta help however I can. Besides… as long as I have you and that genius girlfriend of yours to occasionally slap some sense into me.” He finished his piece of pizza and went to grab another from the box, “You get this from Pizza Place? Maxine’s getting better at this shit and it was already good as hell to begin with.” Sitting back down he shrugged and started in on his second pizza. “Life is life. I’m busy, therapy twice a week, I try to do some work on the Hill at least every weekend but you know what a fucking shitshow it is up there. Before you start to gripe at me I make sure to take at least two hours to do things just for me every night. I’m taking care of myself. Promise.” His eyes moved over to the large calendar hanging on the wall, filled with all sorts of dates and appointments, before he landed on a date heavily circled with a couple of stars on it, “New recruits come in a couple days. Ready for this year’s crop of scared kids?”

Shrugging gently, Percy laughed. “Well you are the one who is saying it is the beer, I won’t admit to anything.” He laughed and shook his head, he knew Jason was joking and it was always reassuring to have him make jokes at his own expense. That was when you knew you were with friends. Or in this case, his best friend. “Yeah, this is definitely one of Maxine’s finest works. I’ve been eating there since I arrived in New Rome and even I think that she is outdoing herself.” He chewed on his pizza and smiled, “You know how I worry about what could happen if someone didn’t make you look after yourself, besides Thalia wouldn’t let me get away with it if something were actually going to happen to you. I’m still pretty terrified of her shield.” He danced over the PTSD and the mention of therapy. This wasn’t the day for that. Jason’s suggestion made him laugh. “I doubt I’ll see much of them, I’m only covering a few training sessions for advanced swordsman, I won’t get to meet any of them for a while. I hope they’re ready though.”

With a twinkle in his eye Jason beamed at his friend, “Well that’s what brothers are for. Saying the inconvenient truths you won’t. I’m just here to keep you honest, Percito.” Jason debated on a third slice of pizza and decided to just sit and nurse his beer for a little while. “I can look after myself just fine, thank you. I have saved the world multiple times, a busy schedule is nothing compared to that. Though…. Thalia is more terrifying than Gaia and Krios combined.” He nodded as Percy talked, “I’m a little jealous. Reyna and Frank roped me into giving tours and being one of the on-call “if you need help settling in” people. One of the downsides of having an office at HQ. I doubt I’ll be very involved though. I’ll put on my best scary older legionnaire face and they’ll be too terrified to talk to me. Works like a charm every time and leaves me plenty of time to focus on the things that matter. Like homework, and movie nights.”

Laughing once more, Percy realised that he didn’t miss the nights that he had spent with legionnaires when he had first moved here. Hell he didn’t even miss being a counsellor at Camp Half Blood and that really told you that he had grown up. “Inconvenient or annoying truths?” He couldn’t hide his smirk and instead stuffed more pizza into his mouth. “Either way it is appreciated even if it isn’t convenient.” He shrugged gently and chewed on his pizza, “Well I wouldn’t go after her, I’m quite glad that she isn’t my sister. Although heaven help anyone who hurts you.” He shrugged gently and drank some more. “I do not miss those days, I am more than glad that there is a new generation of centurions who can cope with the nitty gritty details like settling in semi traumatised legionnaires and probatios.” Pretty much every demigod was partially traumatised. “Those are certainly important, but I hope you don’t have anyone who idolises you, that’s infuriating.”

Laughing along with his best friend, Jason stretched and twisted his broad frame until he was resting comfortably in the chair “she can be a hellion. An immortal, ageless, ferocious hellion.” A slight roll of his eyes and a shrug later he replied, finishing the last dregs of his beer “part of the job. Look intimidating in white robes and terrify them into doing well and fighting for the glory of Rome… and then praying to the gods that they don’t come knocking on my office doors.” He wandered over to the fridge and got them both two new beers, “That hasn’t happened in a year or so. Last one who was got a stern talking to by Reyna and Frank about what exactly constitutes stalking. I try to stay pretty aloof and unapproachable for that exact reason. I don’t have the time to deal with a wanted romantic partner let alone an unwanted one. Who has time for that?!” He chuckled wryly, mostly to himself. He hadn’t dated since Piper and though she kept trying to set him up with people, he was content to be single. “I know it’s early… but what’re you doing for Christmas this year?”

Gratefully accepting the new beer, Percy swallowed the last dregs of his current drink and held the ice cold bottle gingerly in his slender fingers. “Hashtag blessed ese,” he smirked gently and laughed before shrugging, “I never worry about you going rogue, I worry about Annabeth going rogue.” He thought back to his brief time in the legion and shrugged, the brand that had been tattooed onto his forearm seven years ago briefly popping into his mind. At least it looked cool. “I can’t blame them,” he said with a shrug, “I remember seeing Luke and Thalia in action and I was pretty awestruck, but you’re even more of a hero. The man who slayed the Trojan sea monster.” It was one of many of his best friends impressive accomplishments. “I get it, wanting to be single, from you it makes sense.” It was true. Jason deserved some time to himself, besides he was too busy to have a love life. “Mom and Gabby are going to Paul’s parents, so me and Annabeth will either stay here or go see her dad I guess. You? Either way, I expect to see you.”

“Who’s got the time to go rogue, dude? But gods help us if Annabeth ever does. We’d all be powerless in the face of her genius.” Jason’s cheeks flushed momentarily as he waved Percy’s compliments away “That was a long time ago. Now I’m just a dude doing dude things. and building temples. Nothing exciting. No monsters for this old man. Not if I can help it.” He couldn’t help but chuckle “but if I start getting a bunch of cats you gotta set me up on some dates, man. Don’t let me turn into that sad old man.��� He knew Percy wouldn’t, even without asking. They looked out for each other, like they had since they first met, and he knew Percy had his back. “I haven’t decided. Either I’ll use my Pontifex sway to get a table at Bacchus’ for one or I’ll take a trip somewhere. I’m just trying to see who’s doing what.”

“Not to mention the amount of work it would be, by the Gods duelling a titan and giants was hard enough, when I fought Ares I was sure I was going to die.” Percy shrugged and smiled gently. It was nice that they could talk through things like this, even if they were mostly joking. “Just a demigod trying to have some kind of normal life, I get it.” He couldn’t think of anything better. Nodding gently Percy had to admit that he didn’t get to go home for Christmas nearly as often as he would have liked to be able to. Mostly because he was so busy, and the price of flying, it meant it was hard for him to work through it all. Pausing for a second, he nodded. “Well as I’m sure you already know, you’d be welcome to join me and Annabeth at any time. Christmas is a time for family.”

“I would honestly rather face Krios in single combat again than try to deal with a rogue Annabeth. That’s a depressing thought. Mostly for the titans. If a mortal woman is more terrifying than them.” Jason laughed, stretching, “well… as normal as we can get. We certainly don’t have the most normal lives, but we can get some sort of semblance of normality.” He gestured to the apartment around him “I’ve got a place. Houseplants. A bed that’s not a barracks bunk… this is pretty normal for us. It’s the kind of normal I can live with. Homework. Friends. Job. It’s a good normal and as long as I have you and Annabeth around I’m good.” His smile softened and mellowed, the smile of the content and loved, “I know. And the same goes for you guys. Wherever I am at Christmas there's always two places for you guys right next to me. I just sorta wanna get outta New Rome for it. No family to go to so I might just… go.”

“The titans are similar to the older and more conservative generation, they have stopped being relevant and that terrifies them.” Percy laughed. “As for Annabeth, well what can I say.” The pride in his voice wasn’t deliberate. But he couldn’t help but be fiercely proud of what she could do. She was way more impressive than any other demigod that she could think of. Smiling gently Percy thought about going away from it all for Christmas. Maybe that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. “I don’t know,” he sighed and shrugged, “I will have to see what Annabeth says, I’m not thinking just for me anymore.” He scratched the shadow of stubble that had crept across his face, tapping his fingers against his bottle of beer he smiled gently. It was true that this was as normal as things were to get for them. Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. It was good to do something that didn’t have swords and blood as a main activity staple.

“Well… because we killed a bunch of them. That’s gotta really put a hitch in their panties.” Jason smiled at the clear pride Percy had in his girlfriend. They were a couple that loved and supported each other truly and deeply and Jason loved seeing it. “It’s not set in stone or anything. I’m just trying to figure out my options. But yeah… figure out what you guys are planning and let’s do something. Like normal mortal adults.” He sat comfortably in the chair for a long moment before heaving a giant sigh. “Alright. We gotta get some work done. Or at least I do. You can use my playstation if you want or do some work, but I’mma be writing shit. Be prepared for me asking you opinions on lines of shit. This is what you get for being my brother.” And he wouldn’t have asked for a better family.