#Mainframe access

[nyramiller]

Mainframe access for learning!

Get the opportunity to level up your tech expertise in Mainframe!

🔹 Gain practical experience on real mainframe systems 🔹 Access to cutting-edge tools and resources 🔹 Elevate your career with in-demand mainframe skills

[ibmmainframeaccess]

IBM Mainframe Access providers companies in USA

Find the right place for your mainframe requirement, check the list of companies that offer IBM mainframe access in USA

Rocket Software

Relational Architects International

Software Engineering of America

ASPG

Deloitte US

Maintec

[archives-of-iacon]

🧠💥 COMMUNICATION OUTREACH & GENERAL STRATEGY TEAM (C.O.G.S.) 💥🧠

(formerly: Intern Engagement Initiative, Byte Me Squad, Inter-Functionality Network Division, “The Meme Team,” and [redacted for tone])

HELLO, CITIZENS OF CYBERTRON (and off-world subscribers with the appropriate clearance)!

This is your official announcement that the Archives of Iacon now has a dedicated intern-run social media presence, expertly (and experimentally) managed by the Communication Outreach & General Strategy Team, or C.O.G.S. for short. We’re here to share knowledge, encourage engagement, and absolutely misuse the posting permissions we were given.

Our primary objective? 📚 Make the Archives fun. 🤖 Make the Archives interactive. 🚨 Possibly set off a security alarm or two in the process.

What can you expect from C.O.G.S.?

🔎 Weekly spotlights on rare documents, obscure figures, and strange footnotes

📊 Polls like "Which Prime Would You Trust to Babysit a Turbofox?"

^^^^^ It’s historically questionable and ethically important.

🧃 Reviews of energon flavors based on completely unscientific taste testing

👀 Open calls for article contributions, peer review, and spicy academic debate

✨ More updates on "Soun[???]", our unofficial glitch-mascot and probable ghost

A brief note from the Administrative Board:

The inclusion of emojis in this announcement was hotly debated. Clearance was only granted after the team submitted a formal communication log from retired Optimus Prime, who expressed that “a little expressive imagery never hurt anyone 😊.” (We’ve since archived the statement under Earthspark-Era Cultural Shifts: Vol 3.)

So go ahead, follow along, interact, and toss us your wildest theory about the AllSpark for flavor! We may or may not respond in uppercase. We are legally required to inform you our actions are not reflective of any academic or governing body.

🛠️ Official Launch Poll and First C.O.G.S. Q&A Coming Soon

📌 This message has been reviewed and annotated no fewer than 18 times by senior archivists. For inquiries, complaints, memes, and lost data-slates: 📮 Message the team or tag us with #CogsOfIacon

Sincerely, —Your Barely Authorized (barely) C.O.G.S Team™

[1000life]

i've seen so many people dragging that new lorde interview but it's kinda relatable asf to me lol.............

[mbrine]

I have hacked the mainframe (Inspect Element) (UPDATED FOR HALLOWEEN BOOP WAR)

MAX - 1000

LOL - 1500

OMG - 2000

WOW - 4000

*-* - 5000

WHY - 6000

PLZ - 7000

AAA - 7500

;_; - 8000

0_0 - 8500

T_T - 9000

MAX - ~9200? (Hard to tell, I've overshot this twice already)

BOO - 9500

TUM - 10000 given

BLR - 10000 received

How to Super Boop

On desktop, hover your mouse over the Boop button for around 5 seconds, and it will do 2 spins.

Once the button is done spinning, click on it and you can send a Super Boop!

EVIL BOOPS can be accessed by allowing the animation to play 3 times before clicking

One way to get Super Boops on mobile is using a web browser to access tumblr. Use "Desktop Site"/"Desktop Mode", then click and hold the button to send the boop. That'll convert it to a Super Boop button. It seems pretty inconsistent though.

For all clicking enthusiasts, do click this too, trust me, it's just as satisfying

Omg thanks everyone for the boops, I've been butterfly clicking the boop button for so many different people for the past 6 hours and I'm exhausted

I'm pretty sure this is also my most engaged post on any platform I've ever used, thanks for all the RBs and likes <3 <3 <3

If anyone's crazy enough to try reaching 10k without an autoclicker, here's what I did

Ok, one more tutorial for the boops before I go to bed for real.

How do I check my exact given and received boop count?

NOTE: You'll need to refresh the page to update the counters, unless there's another method to check the live count

Chrome

Go to your dash ("home" tab).

Press f12, or right click and select "Inspect Element"

In the window that pops up, click on "Sources" then "dashboard" under "www.tumblr.com" (Pic below for reference)

In the window showing the code, press Ctrl+F and type in either "givenCount" or "receivedCount".

Ta da! (Pic below for reference)

Firefox

Go to your dash ("home" tab).

Press f12, or right click and select "Inspect Element (Q)"

In the window that pops up, click on "Debugger", then "Sources" and "dashboard" under "www.tumblr.com" (Pic below for reference)

In the window showing the code, press Ctrl+F and type in either "givenCount" or "receivedCount".

Enjoy formatting (Pic below for reference)

Gonna take a break from Tumblr for now, my fingers are in shambles and I'm pretty sure I can hear the mouse clicks echoing around inside my skull. Thanks to everyone for making this random Singaporean guy's day, mbrine signing out! ❤

Here's a link to A vetted Palestinian family fundraiser masterpost by @/el-shab-hussein and A masterpost on how you can help Palestine

Happy April Fool's Day!

October 31st changelog:

Removed "bait links", now the link actually says where it directs to

Updated some info regarding tiers

[mariacallous]

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is starting to put together a team to migrate the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) computer systems entirely off one of its oldest programming languages in a matter of months, potentially putting the integrity of the system—and the benefits on which tens of millions of Americans rely—at risk.

The project is being organized by Elon Musk lieutenant Steve Davis, multiple sources who were not given permission to talk to the media tell WIRED, and aims to migrate all SSA systems off COBOL, one of the first common business-oriented programming languages, and onto a more modern replacement like Java within a scheduled tight timeframe of a few months.

Under any circumstances, a migration of this size and scale would be a massive undertaking, experts tell WIRED, but the expedited deadline runs the risk of obstructing payments to the more than 65 million people in the US currently receiving Social Security benefits.

“Of course, one of the big risks is not underpayment or overpayment per se; [it’s also] not paying someone at all and not knowing about it. The invisible errors and omissions,” an SSA technologist tells WIRED.

The Social Security Administration did not immediately reply to WIRED’s request for comment.

SSA has been under increasing scrutiny from president Donald Trump’s administration. In February, Musk took aim at SSA, falsely claiming that the agency was rife with fraud. Specifically, Musk pointed to data he allegedly pulled from the system that showed 150-year-olds in the US were receiving benefits, something that isn’t actually happening. Over the last few weeks, following significant cuts to the agency by DOGE, SSA has suffered frequent website crashes and long wait times over the phone, The Washington Post reported this week.

This proposed migration isn’t the first time SSA has tried to move away from COBOL: In 2017, SSA announced a plan to receive hundreds of millions in funding to replace its core systems. The agency predicted that it would take around five years to modernize these systems. Because of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the agency pivoted away from this work to focus on more public-facing projects.

Like many legacy government IT systems, SSA systems contain code written in COBOL, a programming language created in part in the 1950s by computing pioneer Grace Hopper. The Defense Department essentially pressured private industry to use COBOL soon after its creation, spurring widespread adoption and making it one of the most widely used languages for mainframes, or computer systems that process and store large amounts of data quickly, by the 1970s. (At least one DOD-related website praising Hopper's accomplishments is no longer active, likely following the Trump administration’s DEI purge of military acknowledgements.)

As recently as 2016, SSA’s infrastructure contained more than 60 million lines of code written in COBOL, with millions more written in other legacy coding languages, the agency’s Office of the Inspector General found. In fact, SSA’s core programmatic systems and architecture haven’t been “substantially” updated since the 1980s when the agency developed its own database system called MADAM, or the Master Data Access Method, which was written in COBOL and Assembler, according to SSA’s 2017 modernization plan.

SSA’s core “logic” is also written largely in COBOL. This is the code that issues social security numbers, manages payments, and even calculates the total amount beneficiaries should receive for different services, a former senior SSA technologist who worked in the office of the chief information officer says. Even minor changes could result in cascading failures across programs.

“If you weren't worried about a whole bunch of people not getting benefits or getting the wrong benefits, or getting the wrong entitlements, or having to wait ages, then sure go ahead,” says Dan Hon, principal of Very Little Gravitas, a technology strategy consultancy that helps government modernize services, about completing such a migration in a short timeframe.

It’s unclear when exactly the code migration would start. A recent document circulated amongst SSA staff laying out the agency’s priorities through May does not mention it, instead naming other priorities like terminating “non-essential contracts” and adopting artificial intelligence to “augment” administrative and technical writing.

Earlier this month, WIRED reported that at least 10 DOGE operatives were currently working within SSA, including a number of young and inexperienced engineers like Luke Farritor and Ethan Shaotran. At the time, sources told WIRED that the DOGE operatives would focus on how people identify themselves to access their benefits online.

Sources within SSA expect the project to begin in earnest once DOGE identifies and marks remaining beneficiaries as deceased and connecting disparate agency databases. In a Thursday morning court filing, an affidavit from SSA acting administrator Leland Dudek said that at least two DOGE operatives are currently working on a project formally called the “Are You Alive Project,” targeting what these operatives believe to be improper payments and fraud within the agency’s system by calling individual beneficiaries. The agency is currently battling for sweeping access to SSA’s systems in court to finish this work. (Again, 150-year-olds are not collecting social security benefits. That specific age was likely a quirk of COBOL. It doesn’t include a date type, so dates are often coded to a specific reference point—May 20, 1875, the date of an international standards-setting conference held in Paris, known as the Convention du Mètre.)

In order to migrate all COBOL code into a more modern language within a few months, DOGE would likely need to employ some form of generative artificial intelligence to help translate the millions of lines of code, sources tell WIRED. “DOGE thinks if they can say they got rid of all the COBOL in months, then their way is the right way, and we all just suck for not breaking shit,” says the SSA technologist.

DOGE would also need to develop tests to ensure the new system’s outputs match the previous one. It would be difficult to resolve all of the possible edge cases over the course of several years, let alone months, adds the SSA technologist.

“This is an environment that is held together with bail wire and duct tape,” the former senior SSA technologist working in the office of the chief information officer tells WIRED. “The leaders need to understand that they’re dealing with a house of cards or Jenga. If they start pulling pieces out, which they’ve already stated they’re doing, things can break.”

[umbrellajam]

Saw a post where someone wasn't sure if Tim being good at computers was a fanon thing or not and friend I am happy to inform you that he's been a computer/tech guy from some of his earliest appearances in the comics.

Detective Comics (Vol. 1) #620 (Rite of Passage part 4) - immersed in the ~web~

Robin II: The Joker's Wild #3 - tabletop roleplaying games and spending hours in the basement on the computer - not beating the geek allegations on these fronts, Timmy

Detective Comics (Vol. 1) #676 - Dick was more into traditional detective work and tended to outsource the computer stuff in these days

Batman (Vol. 1) #514 (Prodigal part 10) - hackin' through all the garbage and garble

Robin (1993) #33 - Robin sneaking in and connecting Oracle with the baddies' mainframe so she can do her thing and steal all their data >:)

Nightwing (1996) #6 - "no you're really talented and well suited to be Robin." "no, you." "no, YOU!"

Tim is definitely not as good as Babs/Oracle, but he's certainly her back-up for computer work in the 90's batfam. They're tech buddies and Robin!Tim is her little assistant sometimes, it's super cute:

Birds of Prey (1999) #19 - happy to play with big sister's fancy high-powered toys

Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #125 - real cute kid

And Dick will hand off computer jobs to his little brother when he doesn't want to bother Babs 😂 (that outsourcing I mentioned):

Nightwing (1996) #68 - examine them pixel by pixel, eh? welp, sounds like a job only you can do, Timbo, you got this buddy, byyyyeeeee

And then when he'd grown up and been doing this for years, he leveled up accordingly, and did stuff like use his access to the League of Assassins computers to overload the generators in every base he could find, etc. etc.

Red Robin (2009) #8 - yeah that was pretty dumb of you Ra's :)

So yeah, it was a bit of a specialty of Tim's, in large part because he was introduced just at the turn into the 90's, when personal computers were really starting to take off and become widespread. (Robins gotta be cutting edge and all)

Of course, by no means does it follow that the other Bats suck at computers (there is no 'smart one' they are all incredibly smart and capable). This is especially true as reboots and the sliding timescale of comics have moved the DC characters into modern times, where computers run the world and everyone grows up with one in their pocket. The baseline familiarity and expertise that everyone can be expected to have is just much, much higher these days.

It gets exaggerated in fanon as all character traits do, but computer guy Tim is definitely not something just made up out of whole cloth :)b

[dostoyevsky-official]

A 25-Year-Old With Elon Musk Ties Has Direct Access to the Federal Payment System

A 25-year-old engineer named Marko Elez, who previously worked for two Elon Musk companies, has direct access to Treasury Department systems responsible for nearly all payments made by the US government, three sources tell WIRED. Two of those sources say that Elez’s privileges include the ability not just to read but to write code on two of the most sensitive systems in the US government: The Payment Automation Manager (PAM) and Secure Payment System (SPS) at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS). Housed on a top-secret mainframe, these systems control, on a granular level, government payments that in their totality amount to more than a fifth of the US economy. Despite reporting that suggests that Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force has access to these Treasury systems on a “read-only” level, sources say Elez, who has visited a Kansas City office housing BFS systems, has many administrator-level privileges. Typically, those admin privileges could give someone the power to log into servers through secure shell access, navigate the entire file system, change user permissions, and delete or modify critical files. That could allow someone to bypass the security measures of, and potentially cause irreversible changes to, the very systems they have access to. “You could do anything with these privileges,” says one source with knowledge of the system, who adds that they cannot conceive of a reason that anyone would need them for purposes of simply hunting down fraudulent payments or analyzing disbursement flow. "Technically I don't see why this couldn't happen," a federal IT worker tells WIRED in a phone call late on Monday night, referring to the possibility of a DOGE employee being granted elevated access to a government server. "If you would have asked me a week ago, I'd have told you that this kind of thing would never in a million years happen. But now, who the fuck knows." A source says they are concerned that data could be passed from secure systems to DOGE operatives within the General Services Administration (GSA). WIRED reporting has shown that Elon Musk’s associates—including Nicole Hollander, who slept in Twitter’s offices as Musk acquired the company, and Thomas Shedd, a former Tesla engineer who now runs a GSA agency, along with a host of extremely young and inexperienced engineers—have infiltrated the GSA, and have attempted to use White House security credentials to gain access to GSA tech, something experts have said is highly unusual and poses a huge security risk.

[raileurta]

Megatron's wife

Okay there's this incomplete fanfic about Megatron getting brain damage and thinking Starscream is his wife. I'm not too much of a fan of tfp megastar because Starscream is my baby and I hated seeing him being abused in canon. I do like them from an aesthetic point of view but that's about it.

This plot however could be extremely great for angst potential. I'm picturing as Megatron slowly gets more and more of his processor repaired he starts questioning weird behavior from Starscream. He notices how jumpy the seeker is around him, how he will startle if the overlord touches him unexpectedly, and his overwhelming fear of him. Starscream desperately tries to mask it or always seemingly has a valid reason for it but Megatron does notice this. He's extremely confused why his wife would be so terrified of him. He loves his wife so much.

Megatron would never hurt him.

So one night he decides to do some research. He sneaks out when Starscream is in recharge gets into a mainframe console and starts looking through files.

Other people, mostly Shockwave, have prevented him from accessing certain data files for his “health” but he does not believe him. He's no hacker but he is knowledgeable enough to know how to get around certain locks. Coming across a large folder labeled “Starscream” he unlocks it and starts watching the videos inside.

Not even halfway through he stops looking at the console, collapses onto the floor and starts to drive heave; he can't bring himself to watch another clip. Megatron is absolutely disgusted at what he saw. There were many, many, recordings of Megatron beating Starscream, quite severely too and threatening to kill him.

He has reasonably come to the conclusion he was an abusive partner to his second in command. If cybertronians could cry he would be a sobbing mess. He finally “understood” why Starscream was so hesitant to be around him in the first place and the weird behavior when the subject of being his wife came up. He goes back to his and Starscream shared berth not even masking his loud footsteps. This rouses Starscream from recharge wondering what's going on. Before he can even get his processor straight Megatron pulls him into a tight hug making nonsensical ramblings about how much he loves the seeker and how he's never going to hurt him again. It takes a bit for him to understand but once he does his stomach drops. He starts to frantically explain away about how he's a great partner and that was made up. Megatron doesn't believe him and this just makes him feel worse.

Starscream isn't quite sure what to do.

Megatron starts talking about how he's not going to get his processor fixed if it means he'll go back to mistreating Starscream. This makes Starscream even more conflicted. He has to go along with the wife delusions so Megatron can get better but if he agrees with this when Megatron eventually gets his memories back when his self repair nanites fix the problem he's definitely going to kill the seeker. So he tries to run away to seek help from Shockwave but Megatron refuses to let him leave. Megatron doesn't want to be an abuser anymore but he's still not the best guy and he's extremely emotional right now.

They agree to sleep on the problem and figure out what to do in the morning. I don't know what would come next though but I like to think after he gets his memories back this whole thing gave Megatron lots of perspective and he starts to treat Starscream more nicely because of it. In return Starscream would stop trying to overthrow him or assassinate him.

For me personally if I wrote about this I wouldn't have it end explicitly in megastar, more in a queer platonic sense. I like the idea of them occasionally cuddling in bed ever so often because they liked it so much when they were forced to share a berth. Plus Starscream has too much trauma from Megatron to engage with him in a healthy romantic relationship I would think. If we assume this not near the end of the series and he's still an overlord.

I just kinda want to just put this out into the world to see if anyone does anything with this. I think it's an interesting idea and I want to see what people do with it.

[renx01]

Too Sweet

Prompt: Inspired by the Hozier song Pairing: Harry Hart x (Kingsman!)Reader Fandom: Kingsman Tags/Warnings: age gap, mutual pining, angst Word count: 6495

Masterlist

You’d joined Kingsman only five years ago, and over time you’ve become a well-respected agent, code-named Tristan. Merlin, who is your uncle, was the one who had proposed you as a candidate and helped you prepare for the role while you were still in your early twenties. The other candidates had been good, but you were nearly flawless, only taking calculated risks and never letting your emotions rule your decision making. Control over your emotions was something you always excelled in, and it tremendously helped you make strides as an agent during the initial few months and first year. This caused you to rise in rank quite quickly, making you go on more solo missions or accompanying Galahad or Percival whenever they needed assistance. Today, you’re helping your uncle instead, hacking into some cameras and security networks so he’ll be able to tell Lancelot and Galahad where to go next and what they should be looking out for. It’s something you do from time to time, mostly upon Merlin’s request when he finds the mission too complicated to oversee on his own.

‘The main control room should be south from where they are now.’ You pull up the map on the big screen which hangs in front of you and Merlin, pointing out where Galahad and Lancelot should be going next. As he’s relaying the information to the other men, you hack into the mainframe the criminal organisation and start going through the different files. ‘Any updates about the nuclear files?’ Galahad’s voice comes through the speakers and Merlin looks at you. ‘Working on it. Just focus on getting to that room.’ The screen in front of you shows Lancelot’s feed. He’s following Galahad through the many hallways and twists and turns they take, taking down guards whenever they come across them. Their moves are deliberate, quick and efficient. You turn back to your screen and after a few minutes you’re finally able to access the file Galahad had asked for. ‘I’m sending you the file now, Galahad.’ ‘Thanks Tristan.’ He replies. They have finally reached the door to the control room. Lancelot holds his watch against it and it opens. Silently, the two men enter the room. ‘Lancelot, I need you to connect us to the controls.’ Merlin states and the other man follows the order. Your screens fill with the necessary information and you start working on fully disarming and disabling  the system. ‘Galahad, please flip the green switch on your right.’ You request. Before he can really do so, a loud bang interrupts him, followed by the sound of shots. ‘Lancelot, you take those men while Galahad follows Tristan’s orders.’ Merlin’s Scottish accent seems thicker momentarily. You’ve noticed it only really happened when he was in more stressful situations; one time when you almost got kidnapped, it was so thick you could barely understand him despite having a mostly Scottish family. Calmly, you instruct Galahad what buttons to press and switches to flip. After a few minutes of him following your lead as you type away at your computer, you’re done. ‘Galahad. Lancelot. The system has fully been disabled and disarmed. Get back to the jet.’ They start running through the building and Merlin glances at you, giving you a small smile before going back to helping them follow the quickest route out of the building. 

‘You did well, Tristan.’ Merlin ruffles your hair and you smile at him. ‘Thanks. You didn’t do too badly yourself, old man.’ He laughs and lightly punches your arm. ‘I’m not that old, your mother is 10 years older than I am.’ You snort and teasingly say, ‘And you Merlin, are 12 years older than I am.’ After that comment, a comfortable silence settles between you. There were a few more tasks you had to complete before tomorrow, so you decided you would spend the evening and night at the mansion.  About an hour after the mission finished, Merlin leaves, leaving you alone in front of the large screen filled with documents. Quietly, you continue working for a few more hours before you call it a night. You’d finished your side of the report, only needing Galahad and Lancelot for the final few details. You’ll probably ask them about those during the debrief tomorrow afternoon. 

Once you’ve locked your computer and turned off all the lights, you silently walk to the kitchen, where you start making a pot of tea. The room is dark, as you only turned on the light above the stove. A sound from behind you catches your attention. Looking back, you see that your two colleagues have just returned from their mission. ‘Evening gentlemen.’ You greet them. ‘Tristan, good evening.’ Galahad walks up and stands next to you, just as the water starts boiling. ‘Would you like a cup?’ Your hands continue moving, putting in the tea egg to let the leaves steep. He hums in response as he grabs two more cups. ‘Chamomile?’ Galahad quietly asks and you nod. A comfortable silence settles between the two of you while Lancelot leaves the room momentarily to put some of their things away. Once the tea has sufficiently gained colour and flavour, you pour some into the three cups. Grabbing your own, you sit down next to the chair you’d draped your suit jacket over. Harry sits down across from you and puts down Lancelot’s cup next to him. You both quietly drink your tea, your eyes scanning that day’s paper. When you look up, you notice his eyes are trained on you, making you a bit nervous. Before you can say anything, though, Lancelot walks back in and starts talking about their flight back to England and the newest Royal scandal of the week. The other man’s attention shifts to his colleague who is talking excitedly. Your eyes scan Galahad’s features. He is handsome, smart, quick-witted, and a gentleman. A combination which has led you to, over time, develop a bit of a crush on your colleague. 

‘Tristan, what do you think?’

You turn your head to face the other man. ‘I think the situation escalated unnecessarily, had the royal family handled it properly, this would’ve never become public.’ He smiles and Galahad interjects. ‘I agree with Tristan, this situation could have easily been avoided.’ The two men continue talking and you sip your tea.  ‘Gentlemen, I’m heading off to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the debrief.’ You stand up and put your cup into the dishwasher. It was already 11 o’clock. ‘Tristan,’ Galahad stands up, ‘if you’ll allow me, I’ll walk you back to your room.’ Smiling, you nod. ‘Of course Galahad; thank you.’ He leaves the room with you and as you walk, he leans sideways in your direction and whispers. ‘Thanks Tristan. I was a bit tired of Lancelot talking. He’s been going without pause from the moment we got on the jet.’ It didn’t surprise you in the least. ‘Of course Galahad. Lancelot tends to talk quite a lot; I suspect his favourite sound may be his own voice.’ He snorts. ‘I suspect you might be correct.’ The hallways are silent except for your quiet footsteps and conversation. The distance between the two of you seems to become smaller as you continue walking and talking; until you stop in front of your door. ‘Galahad, thank you for accompanying me.’ You turn to face him and smile. ‘Of course Tristan, it was my pleasure.’ His voice was quiet. The silence between you is tense and Harry seems to slowly be leaning closer as he holds your eye contact. Moments, which feel like hours pass, but he doesn’t make a move. Your noses almost touch when he seems to snap out of a sort of trance and clears his throat, pulling back quickly. ‘Ah Tristan, I should get going. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll see you tomorrow.’ As he walks away, you stand frozen in your doorway.

The following morning you watch the sunrise outside, a hot cup of coffee in your hand. It seems no one else is up yet. You’ve left your suit jacket in your room and have your sleeves rolled up, the crisp air touching your form. Behind you, you hear your dog walking and sniffing around. ‘Ares.’ The Doberman walks to your side. ‘Want to go for a walk?’ He barks and you pet him behind his ears. ‘Let’s go.’ You smile and he runs into the field in front of you, with you following calmly. Upon your return, you’re greeted by Merlin, who looks to have woken up not too long ago. ‘Morning Tristan.’ Ares excitedly runs up to the Scot. ‘Morning to you too Ares.’ He puts down his coffee and pets the dog with both his hands. ‘You’ve got an awful lot of energy today, haven’t you?’ ‘He really does, he’s been running around for over an hour already.’ You laugh. ‘I’ll bring Albion to play with him later today.’ He takes a sip of his coffee. ‘I’ll be back momentarily, can you watch Ares for a second?’ He nods. ‘Thanks.’ you say and smile at him. You walk into the kitchen through the open doors. Putting down your cup, you start brewing another cup of coffee. The kitchen is still quiet, but you know that more of the agents that have stayed the night will probably start walking in soon, though it probably won’t be many. Lancelot and Galahad you knew for sure, others you weren’t too certain about. ‘Morning Lancelot.’ You say as you hear the man walk in. ‘Agent Tristan.’ He greets. ‘Want some coffee?’ ‘Yes please.’ The smell of another fresh coffee fills the air. You smile as you hand him a cup. ‘You feeling alright?’ ‘I will once I finish this.’He groans before the two of you clink your cups. ‘See you at the briefing in an hour.’ 

You spent that hour with Merlin and Ares, mostly in silence. The Doberman is as happy as can be, with the Scot and you taking turns throwing a ball into the field and having the dog return it. It was nice spending time with your uncle like this. Usually you have to be  quite serious around him, as you mostly speak to him here, at Kingsman. Now, you can, even if it’s just for a moment, relax and have the relationship you used to have when you were younger and neither of you were a part of the secret service. ‘Uncle Hamish, we should probably get ready for the briefing.’ You say as Ares runs into the distance. He has his eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. ‘Just five more minutes; Galahad will be late anyway, he seemed a bit off yesterday evening when I saw him.’ That last comment piques your interest, but you decide not to pry. The meeting room was still empty when you walked into it with your uncle. A few minutes pass before, you are joined by Lancelot, who is, once again, talking excitedly. While you don’t necessarily have the energy for him, you stay professional and listen with intent. He is still talking your ears off when Galahad finally arrives, about five minutes late. Despite Merlin having made a comment, it is still quite unusual for him to be late. 

‘Glad you could join us, Agent Galahad.’ Merlin calls out from the far end of the room as the other man enters. ‘Terribly sorry for my tardiness.’ Harry excuses himself. ‘Morning Galahad.’ Lancelot greets him, instead you just wave at the agent. Everyone sits in their usual spots, with Galahad across from you and Merlin to your left, though he almost immediately stands up, walking in front of the screen which shows the most vital information related to the mission. Most of the information isn’t new to you, as you’d helped your uncle prepare. Whenever Galahad or Lancelot give additional information, which you hadn’t been able to gain before the meeting, you write it down into the report. Your attention is fully focussed on what everyone is saying, that is until you notice that Galahad’s eyes seem to linger on you a bit longer than usual whenever you make a comment. Eventually, his eyes meet yours. He quickly looks away and focuses on Merlin, who is saying something about the risks which may occur in the future. Yesterday’s mission has likely only slowed down the organisation, meaning that you’d still have to find its core and try to eliminate it. Still, all the new information which has been gained is quite useful. Your gaze reverts back to your laptop screen as you continue typing away. 

‘Agent Tristan, could you please explain to these gentlemen what you did to fully disarm and disable the system?’ Merlin’s sudden attention to you surprises you, but you stand up confidently and walk to his side. Galahad’s eyes seem to burn into the back of your head as you do so. ‘So how we did it is -’ Everything goes smoothly as you explain the process thoroughly to the other agents. Hopefully, you’ll be able to join them in the field next time, rather than having to sit and watch from the sidelines to assist them from a distance. You aren’t sure that’ll actually happen however, as it really depends on what kind of mission it’ll be and what is needed of you.  After a few minutes, you’re able to sit back down. Neither Lancelot, nor Galahad had any questions, which you assume is probably a good sign. There are only a few more things you need to discuss, with most of them only requiring only a little of your input from time to time, so you silently drink some tea as Lancelot and Merlin talk. Galahad is remarkably silent, only asking a few questions or making comments when he deems it necessary. Usually, he’s more talkative and tends to lead the conversation, but today he seems to have chosen to leave that to Lancelot. As your uncle is saying something about the implications of such an organisation having access to nuclear weapons, you feel another foot hit yours. At first, you ignore it; but when it happens again, you look around. It couldn’t be Merlin or Lancelot, leaving Galahad as the only suspect. You quickly look at his face but he acts as if he’s innocent. When you feel a third tap, you let your eyes meet his. The lines around his eyes crinkle mischievously, while the rest of his face doesn’t seem to change. You tap him back, your oxfords hitting the side of his silently. This time, his eyes do not divert to Merlin or Lancelot, and it almost feels as if you’re the only person in this room with him. The feeling is short lived however, with his gaze shifting away when his name is mentioned by one of the other men. Still, his foot remains in place, connecting the two of you. Despite the intimate gesture, his feelings for you remain unclear.

The meeting comes to an end, you and Galahad act as if nothing happened when you stand up. Everyone leaves the room and as he passes you, he slips a small folded note into your hand. You do not get a chance to read it though, as Merlin immediately starts up a conversation with you as you walk the wing of the mansion where the individual kingsman offices are located. ‘Tristan, could you send me the report after lunch?’ You nod. ‘As long as we’re going on a walk with Ares and Albion after, you know he’s missed you lately, and this morning wasn’t enough to make up for that.’ He laughs. ‘Of course.’ Together, you walk into Merlin’s office, where you quickly discuss the last few details before you leave for your own. There, you work on the report for a bit longer, adding the finishing touches before sending it to Merlin. Ares lays in the corner of your office, playing with one of his toys quietly. The folded piece of paper sits next to your keyboard, still not read. Once you’ve finally finished the report, you grab and slowly unfold it. Galahad’s handwriting is neat, but not delicate.

Tristan,

Meet me in the library at 21:00 tonight. 

Yours faithfully,

H

‘I suppose I’ll go read in the library tonight, Ares.’ You whisper before you put the note into your drawer and motion your dog to follow you to the kitchens to have lunch. He walks at your side when you enter, and calmly waits as you brew tea and make lunch. Once it’s ready, you decide to eat it outside, as the weather is quite nice today and Ares will be able to run around before you go for the walk with Merlin.  Half an hour passes before you’re joined by your uncle, who has his dog, Albion, with him. She’s a border collie who is usually quite serious and focused, but gets very excited when she gets to play with Ares. The two of them are best friends, so you and Merlin try to have them meet up and go on a long walk at least once a week. This doesn’t always happen though, as duty calls whenever it does, resulting in having to cancel quite frequently, which happened the past few weeks. Today isn't such a day though, and once you both finish your lunch, the four of you start walking your usual round around the grounds. You and Merlin chat away about anything and everything while Ares and Albion run around together and fetch a tennis ball from time to time. It’s calm and you’re enjoying yourself. It’s always quite nice to spend your time like this. All nice things must come to an end though, and after forty-five minutes of walking, you have to return to work.  ‘See you later Tristan.’ Merlin says before walking to his office, taking Albion with him. ‘Later.’ You wave before walking in the opposite direction. Galahad hadn’t been there when you returned from your walk, so you assume he’s at the shop to get a few things in order. It’s probably for the better, as you aren’t sure what you would do if you were to cross him in the hallway right now. He’s constantly giving you mixed signals. Yesterday, he seemed to lean in to kiss you before pulling away suddenly. Today, he almost continuously avoided your gaze, yet wanted to stay connected in some way that wasn’t visible to others, and he wrote you a note telling you to meet him later.

‘Fuck.’

You whisper to yourself. You’re falling for him, hard. You have been for a long time. You always told yourself it was merely a crush, but you’re unable to deny it any longer. This revelation isn’t your biggest problem though. Your biggest problem is whether he would even be interested, as he’s constantly giving those mixed signals. Tonight you’d decide whether you’ll ever act upon your feelings or not. You’d never particularly cared for the kingsman code which prohibits any relationships, though it hasn’t been necessary for you to break it either, as you hadn’t been interested in any relationships in the first place. Kingsman always comes first in your life. This means that you’ve never actually taken the time to think of finding a partner or date around. What you are worried about, is that Galahad is someone that always follows the rules and doesn’t even think about bending, let alone breaking, them. This may be an explanation for him being so hot and cold with you. Still, it’s confusing and worries you. ‘Good afternoon agent Tristan, is everything alright?’ Arthur greeting you pulls you out of your thoughts and you realise you’re standing in front of the door which leads into your office, your hand on the doorknob. You have probably been standing there for a couple of minutes now. Quickly you turn the knob and start walking in.  ‘Ah yes Arthur, I was just lost in thought. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some paperwork to attend to.’  You smile at him before swiftly closing the door once Ares has entered the room as well. 

The evening couldn’t come soon enough. Thinking of whatever Galahad could possibly tell you continued racing through your mind the entire afternoon, meaning that you were quite distracted for the most part. Merlin visited you shortly before dinner to discuss the report and what he altered before sending it off to Arthur. While he clearly noticed that you were distracted, he decided against saying anything about it and left. Shortly thereafter, you decided it’d be a good idea to go for another walk with Ares, as it’s a good way of distancing yourself from the setting in which you usually see Galahad. This time, though, the walk lasts for several hours, with the sun starting to set once you start heading back to HQ.  When you arrive back at HQ, it’s nearly nine, so you decide to bring the Doberman to your office before heading to the library. Galahad, or Harry which you rarely ever refer to him as, is already there, waiting for you. He turns to face you and smiles when you enter before greeting you. ‘I’m glad you could make it agent Tristan.’ You nod nervously but try to sound casual. ‘Of course, any time, Galahad.’ His eyes look over your form and you do the same. The tension between the two of you is palpable but you try to ignore it as best as you can. For a moment, nothing happens. The both of you stay still, frozen in place.  Suddenly Galahad moves again and walks up to you. In a moment of passion, he grabs your face and kisses you deeply. It’s so intense it feels as if he’s bruising your lips. When you don’t move, he starts pulling back. Quickly, you pull him to you once more and kiss back, one of your hands in his hair and the other pulling his tie. The two of you fight for dominance and he pushes you against one of the bookshelves, his left hand now resting on your hip.  Eventually, he pulls away and rests his forehead against yours, his eyes still closed. For minutes, the two of you stand like this, silently enjoying each other's presence and closeness. ‘Tristan.’ He whispers. ‘Yes Galahad?’ The man sighs and slowly leaves your embrace. ‘Shit.’ You hear him mutter under his breath. ‘Shit shit shit.’ He backs away, as if he’s only just realised what happened. ‘Galahad, what’s going on?’ ‘I cannot do this Tristan.’ His voice sounds almost desperate. ‘Galahad, what do you mean you cannot do this?’ He doesn’t reply and walks away, leaving you alone in the library.

You didn’t see Galahad the rest of that week and you threw yourself into work, only leaving your office to go out with Ares. If you hadn’t had him, you probably wouldn’t have left your office in the first place. That Friday morning, Merlin comes in unannounced and finds you sleeping with your head on your desk. He wakes you and you slowly sit up straight. Your suit jacket is discarded somewhere in a corner and you look a bit of a mess with your hair all dishevelled.  ‘Are you sure you’re feeling alright Tristan? You really shouldn’t be overworking yourself.’ Your uncle asks you, he sounds quite worried. ‘I’m fine Merlin, I promise.’ He sighs. ‘You do not look or act as if you’re fine. What’s going on?’ You just shake your head. ‘It’s nothing really, I’ve just had to catch up on some work. Please don’t fret it.’  ‘We both know that’s a lie, Tristan. You’re always ahead of everyone when it comes to paperwork.’ He stops for a moment. ‘Look, both you and Galahad have been acting off all week and we can’t have that. I don’t know if there’s anything going on between the two of you, but I want you to fix it, especially if it’s affecting you like this.’ His voice is stern. ‘You should go talk to Galahad then, I’m not the guilty one here.’ You stand up for the first time in what feels like years, your knees and back hurting with every move. ‘I don’t have the energy for all this, go talk to him if you want to know more.’ Silently, you usher him out of your office and shut the door behind him. While you love your uncle, you really couldn’t deal with this right now.

The scotch in the corner of your office had been a little too appealing. That combined with the very limited amount of food you’d had over the past few days, made it very easy for you to become drunk. You sit in your chair feeling very sorry for yourself, as you do in such situations. ‘You know Ares, I’ll go talk to that asshole. He kisses me like that and then he avoids me all week. I suppose that’s not very gentlemanly of him.’ Standing up, you feel dizzy and you have to grab a hold of your desk to keep standing. The world seems to be turning and Ares looks to have multiple heads. ‘Fuck.’ You hadn’t realised how badly the scotch had affected you. Still, that didn’t stop you, and you stumble through your office door. The hallway is empty when you enter it, as is usual at this time of night in HQ. Galahad’s office is only a few doors down and you try to walk there as normally as you can. Taking a deep breath, you knock multiple times. When there’s no immediate answer, you knock again, but more loudly. ‘Galahad, I know you’re in there.’ Your voice is loud enough for him to hear on the other side of the door, but not loud enough to wake any of the other kingsmen. Though they probably wouldn’t wake up unless you screamed loudly enough for it to reach the other side of the estate. Moments pass, but the door is eventually opened by the agent. ‘Tristan.’ He greets you solemnly. ‘I need to talk to you, you pretentious asshole.’ The words fall out of your mouth and there is no stopping them. ‘You are no gentleman. You invite someone to talk to them alone after MONTHS, LITERAL MONTHS, of looking at each other longingly and flirting, then kiss them in the way you did and JUST WALK AWAY LIKE THAT?????’ He finally looks up at you and realises the state that you’re in. ‘WHAT IN THE HELLS IS WRONG WITH YOU INCOMPETENT PRICK????’ You jab your finger into his chest. ‘Tristan, you are in no state to discuss this, please go to bed.’ He grabs your hand. ‘YES I AM, I AM A GROWN ADULT THAT CAN MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS. YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER.’ ‘Yes you are, but you’re currently incapable of making any good decisions. So, please quiet down before you wake up Mr. Pickle.’ Before you’re able to respond, he grabs you and surprisingly easily throws you over his shoulder. ‘Now, I’ll be escorting you to bed, as you don’t seem to be capable of doing that yourself.’ He completely ignores your protests, which continue for about five minutes before you realise there’s nothing you can do about this situation. He only puts you down when you’re in front of your bedroom door, as he needs you to open it. ‘I’m going to put you down, but please stay quiet. I don’t want you to wake everyone up.’ You nod and mutter to yourself as he puts you down. ‘Still an asshole though.’ He laughs to himself. When you finally have both your feet on the ground again, you’re stable momentarily before you start falling over again. Galahad notices and steadies you by grabbing your shoulders. ‘Careful now, sweetness.’ His lips touch the shell of your ear and you slowly feel yourself going red. You ignore it though, steadying yourself with his help before walking to your door and unlocking it. When you try to open it you almost fall into your own room and so Harry catches you, before the world around you slowly goes dark.

The following morning you wake up in your own bed, not remembering how you got there in the first place. Ares sits next to your bed, looking up at you as you wake. ‘Morning, my boy.’ Your voice sounds more like a groan than anything else. He nudges your arm and softly barks when you eventually sit up. The light hurts your eyes as you look around, so you close your eyes and lay back down. Once you finally open them again, you notice that there’s a glass of water and a pack of paracetamol next to your bed. ‘Who put that there?’ You look at Ares and pet him before taking one of the pills followed by a gulp of water. The headache you have is slowly driving you insane, so hopefully this’ll help. Still, it remains unclear who actually put it there after probably finding you in quite the state. Usually, you could easily hold your liquor, but apparently your body had other plans yesterday. You do realise that you’re still in your clothes from the day before. So, you decide to get out of them and put on something more comfortable before calling Merlin. ‘Morning Merlin.’ Your voice is quite hoarse. ‘Ah Tristan, I was wondering when you’d call.’ He sounds quite amused for some unknown reason. ‘What do you mean?’ The Scot laughs. ‘Well, I got a notification earlier this morning that you’d be out of the office today because you’re ill. Thing is, agent Galahad is the one who notified me, which is a bit odd to be honest.’ You groan. ‘Well he’s right about me not feeling well.’ Slowly, you lay back in your bed.  Merlin didn’t talk to you for much longer after that and he remained quite vague about what Galahad had told him about the night before. Despite you desperately wanting to know what had happened the night before, you decided that would be a problem for tomorrow before heading back to sleep.

That night, a knock wakes you from your slumber. You almost jump out of your bed at the sound, scaring Ares a bit. ‘One moment please.’ You shout at the person behind the door before calming your dog. ‘I should take you out for a walk in a few, shouldn’t I? I’m so sorry Ares.’ After whispering that, you stand up and walk to your door. Opening it slowly, you reveal Merlin’s form. ‘Good evening Tristan.’ He smiles. ‘Thought I’d bring you some dinner.’ The tray he’s holding has a plate with a baked potato, some carrots and broccoli, and some beef, accompanied by a large glass of water and a cup of your favourite tea. He walks in once you’ve further opened your door, putting the tray on the small table that stands in the corner of your room. ‘Do sit down.’ His voice is soft. You do so silently, Ares laying down next to you. ‘Thank you.’ Your voice is soft and you start eating your first meal of the day. Merlin sits down across from you. ‘I do hope this was a one time thing, Tristan.’ He sighs and takes off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose with his other hand. ‘It won’t happen again, sir.’ Your voice can barely be heard from across the table. ‘Look, you’ve been doing flawlessly so far, so getting drunk and insulting go Galahad isn’t something that’ll affect you or your career in any way. It can, however, have an effect on how well you’re able to work with him in the foreseeable future.’ Your eyes don’t meet his. ‘Now that I’ve scolded you for getting drunk and acting in the way you did, I would like to know why. Harry hasn’t wanted to tell me anything and I’m against just checking your glasses if I can ask you.’ Your plate is only half finished but you’re already full and you put down your cutlery. ‘I’m not sure you want to know.’ Leaning back, you make yourself more comfortable in your chair. ‘Galahad has really said nothing?’ He shakes his head. ‘Well then, I suppose I’ll tell you what’s going on; under the condition that this will strictly stay between the two of us. Not even Galahad can know.’  ‘Why are you being so secretive about this?’ He enquires. ‘You’ll understand once you hear the full story. Now do you promise?’ You hold out your hand with your pinky ready for him to intertwine with. And he does. ‘I promise.’ A smile creeps onto  your face. This is something you’d always done with him when it comes to promises, starting when you were just a little kid. ‘So, as you may have noticed the past few weeks, there’s been some tension between me and Galahad, or Harry.’  You start. ‘But this has been an underlying issue for years now -‘ 

That night Merlin listened as you talked about how the situation between you and Galahad had unfolded over the past few years and more in detail about the past week or two. Understandably, it was quite a bit for him to take in, and at first he wasn’t certain how to feel or respond. If you hadn’t been who you are to him, he would’ve been fine with it. But with the familial ties you have, and the fact that he and Galahad are best friends, made him hesitate. Yet, he promises to keep quiet and have you and the other man resolve it by yourselves. He would, however, urge his friend to do so if the issue isn’t resolved within a week, meaning that you’ll have to hurry up when it comes to talking things out. He did make clear that he isn’t against you having a relationship with the older man, his tone may have even been slightly supportive, which was somewhat unexpected.

The next time you finally see Harry it’s Sunday. Exactly three days since you’d last seen him and had had the drunken encounter. There you stood, in front of his apartment, your heart pounding in your throat. He’d been at the shop the past few days while you were at the mansion. Merlin was quite convinced that Galahad was, in fact, avoiding you, so he’d suggested you go visit him that evening. Well, suggested was quite a loose term in this case. It was more that Merlin just dropped you off here and told you to ‘Go ahead and talk it out’. Obviously, this was his way of forcing you to do so, as he is quite sick of having the two of you avoiding each other.

Finally, you ring the doorbell and you stand there waiting nervously for Galahad to answer. He does after a few minutes and the confusion is quite evident on his face. When he doesn’t say anything, you start talking. ‘Sorry to bother you Galahad, but Merlin’s dropped me off so we can talk things out.’ You smile sheepishly and he sighs before letting you in.  You have never been inside his home before, so you look around curiously as he leads you into his kitchen. He was wearing his usual attire, save for the glasses. Apparently, he had been cooking dinner when you rang his doorbell. As you look around the room, not moving, he clears his throat. ‘Would you like to join me for dinner Tristan?’ The question is logical, yet you aren’t certain whether he actually wants you to join or if he’s asking it out of obligation. You’re hoping it’s the former rather than the latter. ‘If you don’t mind. Otherwise we can talk and then I’ll leave, I don’t wish to intrude Galahad.’ He motions you to sit down. ‘I would love for you to join me, I’m almost finished cooking dinner anyway, so do feel free to have a seat.’ When you do so, he turns around to face the stove once again before finishing dinner. It is a simple yet delicious meal, and you appreciate the gesture of him inviting you to join him. It is mostly spent in silence, save for a few comments appreciating his skill, or talking about the goings on at the shop and HQ. 

After dinner, Harry offers you a cup of tea before pouring one for himself and sitting down across from you. It is silent for a few minutes before he finally speaks again. ‘I would like to apologise.’ His voice is soft. ‘I should’ve handled this situation differently and not have run away in the way I did.’ As he says this, his eyes divert. ‘It is just that I was, and still am, quite uncertain of how to go about this. I do not wish to hurt you, but in my attempt to do so I did the opposite of what I had intended. I thought you were too pure, too kind. You’re too sweet, too sweet for a bitter man like me. Yet here I am, madly in love with you and confessing my feelings.’ When he finishes talking he looks you in the eye once more. There’s emotion in them, seemingly a mix of sadness and regret. ‘Galahad, I don’t know what to say.’ You pause. ‘I understand why you may have hesitated to approach me in the way you did, however, I am quite confused as to why you ran away so suddenly. You are the one that made the initial move and I never approached you because you were likely to have reservations about breaking kingsman code, yet you gave me hope by inviting me to the library to talk. And for a moment, when you kissed me, I thought we could be together, even if it was just for a moment.’ Slowly, you stand up from your chair. Putting down your cup of tea in the process. ‘Then you went ahead and ripped my heart out by walking away like that. As if I mean nothing to you, as if you weren’t the one that made the first move.’ You raise your voice a bit, but try to stay calm. Following your example, he stands up as well and starts walking towards you. ‘I truly am sorry but it is up to you whether or not you forgive me.’ He looks down into your eyes. ‘What will happen if I forgive you, Harry?’ The two of you are almost touching each other, only a few centimetres between your faces. ‘I shall take you on a date and be your partner. That is, if you’ll have me.’ Rather than answering him with words, you pull his tie and kiss him passionately.

[nyramiller]

Mainframe access for learning

Mainframe access for learning! get accessible and easily mainframe access at any where any time.

[drghostwrite]

Dark Nights

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x preg!wife!reader

Summary:

********************************************************

"You can't ask that of her!" Natasha yelled across the table. You were both called into a conference room with Fury and agent Hill, they were talking about a last-minute mission though your wife was concerned about your approaching due date. While they argued and Maria played referee you found yourself staring out the window of the large conference room a million things running through your mind, one hand running along your bump as your baby kicked.

"And who are you to decide that?" Nick Fury shot back at the other agent.

"I'm her wife." Nat responded.

"Oh because that's stopped other agents before." He responded

"Fury you know I respect you but that's my wife, the mother of my child, our unborn child that in case you haven't noticed she's carrying."

"Okay, okay, before this goes any farther... How about we ask Y/N, she is sitting right here." Maria finally spoke up, motioning to your distracted form.

"Y/N?" you're wife gently called.

You rubbed a hand over your eyes trying to clear your head taking in a gasp before refocusing your eyes on them, "If and I mean IF I were to agree to this what all would it entail?"

"Well that..."

"No I want full disclosure, no more confidentiality and clearance levels, if I'm doing this and potentially putting my life and the life of my unborn child on the line I need to know everything." Nat sat next to you and turned to Fury.

"We had a situation a few years back, an agency that's been working against SHEILD, they used to be a part of Hydra but they reformed, they have recruited agaents and took over one of our smaller compounds, though it's to be evacuated this week to keep their identities a secret, we need someone to get in ther."

"That's where I asked why they picked you with being on leave."

"My main concern isn't getting you in, it's the systems on the inside, all the coders did was build into the SHEILD mainframe, they have no access to us but they have similar systems so I need someone that's a trained agent, and good with the computers, it would be in and out, need to know basis, all I need you to do is get in, crash their systems and get out."

"So that's where I come in?"

"Exactly."

"Okay, in and out, only on the condition that you do have agents on site and Natasha is in the command center, I want her in my ear at all times."

"Whatever gets you onboard, let's get you briefed and prepped for the field." Fury said.

---time jump---

You turned down the hallway, dimly lit by soft baseboard lights, you turned another corner but quickly pushed back when you saw two guards stationed outside the control room, any other time you would've just incapacitated them both but being 36 weeks pregnant wasn't helping you much.

"Natasha?"

"Y-Y/N? I'm r-r-ri-ght here what'sss go-going on-n?" The intercoms were breaking up which meant your job was going to get that much harder. "Two guards outside the command room, change of plans."

"Detka please, be careful."

"Will do, intercoms are getting scratchy, if this is it till I get out of here, I love you Natasha."

You made the decision that if you couldn't get in the control room you could still shut it down remotely, so you backtracked and took some different turns stumbling upon the old director's office, silently patting yourself on the back and opening the door.

You walked over to the desk, and brushed your hand along the command bar that's built into the desk, the hovering screens flashed to life. You swiped moving the screens around, they asked for your password and thanked Tony Stark for giving you a built in back door, when Ultron took over he built a back pathway that allowed you access but nothing was associated to you as a person so you had access to the entire system without anyones knowledge. You quickly started working pulling up the mainframe and started untagling the mess the rebellion had created, you were so close to unraveling the whole thing when you felt a sharp pain running through your abdomen.

You stopped in your tracks waiting to see if it was just your imagination, but then another one, this time catching you off guard causing you to keel over using the desk for support. "shit, shit, shit... this can't be happening." you said worry flooding your features, you tried calming yourself but you knew what this could mean.

"Natasha?" You called over the intercoms, but no response so you tried again but you realized there was no signal, you were alone and going into labor. You thought about backtracking and alerting them but as you went to exit the office you heard footsteps, quickly swiping the screens dark again you watched as the guards walked by standing next to the door frozen, you felt the warm liquid running down your legs and realized that this was it, the night just went from dangerous to deadly if you didn't get help quickly. Your water just broke and you were by yourself in an enemy compound with no way to communicate with anyone outside.

You cringed as another contraction took over your body pressing a hand tightly under your swollen bump, "Oh baby not now, please not now." you brought the screens back up typing rapidly, taking the mainframe down meant potentially setting off a bunch of alarms which meant that you would be exposing yourself in the height of labor.

"Okay wait if this is built into the SHEILD mainframe I can get ahold of your other mommy...Oh God..." Another contraction took over, you slid to the floor, pulling out your phone you connected it to the computer sending an "SOS" to Nat hoping that she would get it in time.

"Okay baby, this is me and you until we get help, so I'm gonna need you to slow down a little bit." you ran a hand over your bump closing your eyes and leaning against the strong desk.

You moved quickly into the adjoining room moving into the corner, grimacing at the pain of your baby trying to make it's way into the world, "God you're as impatient as your mother...Nnngghh."

You heard the door to the office start to open and held your breath, hearing light footsteps, and saw as a light scanned the room.

"Y/N... detka are you in here?" you heard a whispering voice call out.

"Natasha?" you called, you listened as hurried footsteps moved towards you, the door swung open revealing your wife. As she looked in on you her worst fears coming true, she quickly got down in front of you, running a hand soothingly along your thigh.

"Y/N what's going on?"

"It-it's the baby...Nnghh, Natasha our baby is coming," you said and tears started to fall, you were a trained agent one of the best to ever step foot in SHIELD, you were an Avenger a super soldier, but in this moment you were scared out of your mind.

"Um, okay baby it's okay."

"M-my water broke...we need to get out of here"

"Okay, Y/N it'll all be okay, Maria is outside getting a hold of Steve she's calling in a rescue team, you know Bucky will be breaking down that door as soon as he finds out."

"I-I cannghh..." you gripped her hand throwing your head back gritting through a contraction, "I got you baby, just breathe."

"Nat this is happening now."

"Okay, then let's do this." she said as you slowly shook your head agreeing with her.

"Okay, my pants you gotta help me." you said pushing at the waistband, she quickly hooked her fingers in your pants pulling them off along with your panties and laying them to the side.

"Y/N, I can see it... I can see the head."

"Whaa- no I-I no this wasn't supposed to happen like this... Nat I can't do this... Hhahh, I can't do this."

"Y/N Romanoff yes you can, you are my wife, one of the strongest people I know I've never once seen you back down from a challenge or a threat and you protect the ones you love so fiercely, I never once doubted starting a family with you, so if anyone knows, I do. I know that you can do this."

"Woouuu...Nnghh." you tried but these contractions were getting closer and closer, "I-I need to push."

"Okay, follow your body." you pushed, your nails digging into Natasha's shoulder as she was bent down in between your legs, she was reassuring you while you fought through a few more contractions.

"Okay Y/N head is out, just a couple more and we meet our baby." you tried to answer but the contractions were too close, you pushed a couple more times before your wife was holding your newborn in her arms.

"It's a girl, we have a baby girl." you listened as her cries filled the room, you started feeling lightheaded.

"Natasha I don't feel so good."

"Y/N, I-Y/N..." she said noticing the blood, you were bleeding fast and she realized that you needed to get out of there asap.

She heard as the door to the office crashed in, "Y/N! Natasha!" you heard Bucky yell out, he moved around the room and stopped outside the door hearing your newborn daughter's cries, he opened it coming in.

"Is that?"

"Yes." Natasha said tears in her eyes, and he quickly realized how dire the situation was.

"Bucky, she, the blood..."

"Okay let's go I got her." He quickly picked you up making sure you were covered and started out the door. Natasha saw the screens still live and hit the execute button, running our behind Bucky with your baby in her arms.

46 hours later and the mission had been executed, you were finally awake and safely at your home holding your baby girl, Natasha was next to you holding you both in her arms, you had minor hemorrhaging after the birth but luckily had some of the best doctors around, meaning you made it out almost completely unscathed and with a perfectly healthy baby girl. Though you and Nat quickly agreed that next time there would be no last-minute missions so close to your due date.

[technofeudalism]

The Bureau of the Fiscal Service is a sleepy part of the Treasury Department. It’s also where, sources say, a 25-year-old engineer tied to [ ] as admin privileges over the code that controls Social Security payments, tax returns, and more."

[ ... ]

"Two of those sources say that Elez’s privileges include the ability not just to read but to write code on two of the most sensitive systems in the US government: The Payment Automation Manager (PAM) and Secure Payment System (SPS) at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS). Housed on a top-secret mainframe, these systems control, on a granular level, government payments that in their totality amount to more than a fifth of the US economy."

[ ... ]

"“You could do anything with these privileges,” says one source with knowledge of the system, who adds that they cannot conceive of a reason that anyone would need them for purposes of simply hunting down fraudulent payments or analyzing disbursement flow."

the Bureau of the Fiscal Service is responsible for financing the national debt. get ready for these morons to inject blockchain into the nation’s banking system. tech bros so desperately want to crash the USD and switch us over to crypto and this is just another brick in the wall of that construction effort. all of this while many BRICS nations are ready to switch to a different default currency altogether. the 20's are really back, baby. Great Depression 2 Electric Boogaloo.

[snitchcrimsonwrites]

Drawn Together-Chapter 12

Pairing: Tech x Jedi!Reader

Tech is concerned about a few security risks he's assessed after Bracca, and Hunter decided to send you both on a supply run...alone. What could happen while you've got tasks to complete?

Chapter 11

Chapter 13

The Marauder drifted silently through hyperspace. Most of the squad was asleep, exhausted from the skirmish on Bracca and their intense days of recovering Omega. Tech, however, had tasks he needed to complete, so he remained focused on the central console, surrounded by numerous holoscreens and data projections. You enter the cockpit silently, your gaze quickly settling on the myriad of translucent data streaming before him: fragments of Imperial code, biometric maps, and surveillance feeds. Lines of code rush by his goggles as he works, his body tense with concentration.

“Are you still working?” you inquire, hoping he would have eventually relaxed for the evening. “Okay, I’m intrigued. What has you so locked in?”

Tech didn’t look up. “Yes. Several high-priority security concerns emerged after our encounter with Crosshair. I’m addressing one of them now.”

You moved closer, captivated by the flow of information on the screen. You recognized some of it: Imperial data classifications and probe scan results. Your breath caught as you saw your younger self, dressed in Jedi robes.

Your voice dropped an octave. “That’s my old Jedi record.”

“Correct.” Tech tapped a key. The image sharpened, pulling up status information underneath the photo. First Name, Last Name – KIA. Order 66.

He continued. “This file is still active within the Empire’s deep archive. Marked as deceased, but your biometric and genetic data remain. The system could generate a match if flagged by a facial recognition sweep or an active probe.”

Finally, he glanced at you over his shoulder. “On Bracca, Crosshair saw you. While he didn’t appear to make any connection, exposure increases risk. I prefer not to gamble with statistical probabilities where your safety is concerned.”

You leaned over, studying the data scrolling beside your archived image. “So what are you doing?”

“Creating a replacement identity,” he said plainly. “A complete record. New birth data, civilian classification, altered biometrics. Once uploaded, it will overwrite your existing registry entries and prevent standard cross-referencing. Essentially, you will no longer exist as Y/N, Jedi of the Republic.”

You folded your arms, the weight of them settling on your chest. “That sounds... difficult to pull off.”

Tech gave a slight shrug. “Moderately. The encryption layers in the Imperial mainframe are extensive, but not infallible. I’ve already accessed the appropriate clearance chain through a backdoor in a now-defunct Separatist node. It’s just a matter of aligning the metadata.”

You continue to watch him work before asking, “Why go to all this trouble?”

Tech paused his fingers over the keyboard. “Because you’ve been compromised. If Crosshair alerts the Empire about your presence or, worse, your abilities, they’ll launch an investigation. That will prompt questions. Which will lead to records. Which will lead back to you. Which puts us all at risk.” He gestured toward the display without shifting his gaze. “I estimate that the likelihood of long-term survival with your current identity has decreased by twenty-eight percent due to recent events. Therefore, I’m taking steps to correct that.”

A faint smile tugged at your lips. “You could’ve just said you were worried about me.”

Tech blinked behind his goggles, caught off guard. Then, as if concluding there was nothing to correct, he returned to his work. “I thought I did.”

Your gaze lingered on the holo screen, where the archival image of your younger self stared out in frozen monochrome. Her Jedi robes were crisp, and the lightsaber was clearly visible at her belt. A trace of pride was faintly apparent in the stiff line of her posture.

“I look… young,” you murmured, almost to yourself. “That was taken just after I passed my trials." You paused. “That was more than a decade ago.”

Tech adjusted something on his screen. “Your appearance hasn’t changed significantly.”

You glanced over, unsure. “Was that a compliment?”

He blinked, considering. “Merely an observation based on biometric comparison.” Then a brief hesitation. “Though yes, personally, I find your current appearance quite favorable.”

That drew a surprise from you. “Oh? What parts, exactly?”

He didn’t look up as he replied, busy realigning the registry overlay with the replacement profile. “Your eyes, for one. They are notably expressive. And the contour of your jaw. It has a certain symmetry I find pleasing.”

You shook your head, attempting to conceal the blush that crept onto your cheeks. “Of course you do.”

He keyed in a final sequence, fingers pausing just above the console. “I’ll need to scan your current biodata now.”

You nodded, stepping in as he activated the portable scanner. A faint blue light washed across your face, neck, and hands as he captured the necessary readings. The device beeped softly in confirmation.

“Scan complete. The new profile is nearly ready to go live,” Tech said, already merging the data into the fabricated records. “All that remains is to overwrite the original file from the archive.” He hovered over the final command, waiting. But you didn’t say anything. He glanced up from the screen.

“I didn’t think I’d care,” you said finally. “I mean…It’s just a file. Data. A few lines in a system.” You exhaled slowly. “But seeing it overwritten like that…I don’t know, it feels like I’m disappearing.”

Tech was initially silent. "It isn’t gone,” he finally said. “It’s just not traceable by hostile systems anymore." You smiled faintly, appreciating the intent, even if the comfort didn’t quite land. “Maybe. But it still feels like erasing a part of who I was.”

He hesitated, then reached over, deactivating the display. The holo of your younger self blinked out, leaving only you and Tech’s reflections in the cockpit screens.

“This doesn’t alter anything; you’re still the same person," Tech murmured, moving closer to you.

“Thank you, Tech,” you said, softly kissing his temple to wish him a goodnight.

—---------------------

The Batch was scattered around the hold; after the chaos of Bracca and Omega’s recovery, things settled for now. Wrecker was transporting equipment to the corner storage unit, whistling out of tune. Echo sat nearby, checking a parts manifest against the records. Tech was in the middle of diagnosing the ship’s navigation relays.

You stood by the navigation console, holding your small datapad, attempting to decipher Hunter’s jotted inventory list, partially legible, yet mostly a confusing array of shorthand and gear codes that only he seemed to grasp. “We’re low on supplies,” he said, scanning the list over your shoulder. “Rations, thermal tape, compression seals…” He glanced at Tech, then at you. “The marketplace just beyond the outpost should have everything we need.”

You nodded, tapping the datapad. “No problem, I should be able to handle it.”

“You’re not going alone.” Hunter’s tone made it clear this wasn’t up for debate. He turned, gaze shifting toward Tech. “Tech, go with her.”

Tech knelt beside a diagnostic console, glancing up, determined to finish this task. “I can complete the system analysis first. There’s no immediate urgency to—

“You can finish them when you get back.” A pause settled like static in the air. Tech’s hand lingered over the exposed panel. His eyes darted to you and then back to Hunter. “…Understood.”

Hunter firmly clasped Tech’s shoulder to make a point. “Take your time. Make sure you get everything we need.”

You caught the subtext instantly, arms folded with easy suspicion.“You’re not even trying to be subtle.”

Hunter only shrugged, his mouth lifting in the faintest of smirks. “I’m not trying to be.” His gaze softened a bit. “You’ve both been on edge since Bracca. A bit of fresh air won’t hurt you.” With that, he turned away, calling out to Echo about the backup comm relay as his footsteps faded toward the ship's interior.

You and Tech descended the ramp together, leaving the Marauder behind. The streets of Ord Mantell City unfolded before you as you walked side by side past rows of stalls.

At one booth, Tech took a moment to inspect a bin of compression seals, carefully assessing each one for integrity. You stood next to him, arms casually crossed again, while your eyes roamed around the open square.

“You really don’t mind?” you asked after a moment. “Hunter shoving us into... whatever this is?”

Tech examined the seal closely before placing it in the satchel at his hip. Only after did he look at you, composed and measured.

“No. I don’t. I find it...” Tech hesitated, “...beneficial to spend time with you.”

“That’s practically romantic coming from you.”

He tilted his head slightly. “I wasn’t attempting to be romantic.”

“Sure,” you replied, lips curving despite yourself.

“But I acknowledge the implication.”

A quiet settled between you again, not awkward, but the kind of quiet that didn’t need to be filled. You adjusted your position to observe a group of travelers walking by while Tech remained at the stall. You watched them absently before turning your attention back to Tech. He was watching you too, but this time not with amusement or even calculation, but with curiosity.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” he said. “Your abilities. On Bracca... that wasn’t standard technique.”

You blinked. “No. It wasn’t.” At this point, you shouldn’t be surprised by his knack for recognizing those subtleties, but you still were.

“Was it something you developed yourself?” he asked. “It did not resemble typical manipulation; the form and energy signature were unique. Less linear, more ambient, and elementally reactive.”

You paused, careful with your words in this open space, then nodded slowly. “I’ve always been capable of it, even when I was young. But I didn’t grasp it for a long time. The masters didn’t either. They discouraged me from pursuing it… considered it a distraction. Too unpredictable. Too ancient.”

Tech focused intently on connecting these words to the disjointed texts he had aided you in translating. “You’ve been researching this,” he said slowly, “your abilities. Trying to learn more?”

“Yes,” you said, quietly but firmly. “Lately, I’ve been thinking I’ve ignored this part of myself for too long.”

Tech’s demeanor changed as he nodded briefly, readjusting his satchel. “I would like to continue being of assistance if you’d allow,” he said. After a brief pause, Tech added, “May I make an additional observation?”

You turned your head slightly, indicating you were listening without fully facing him. “You usually do.”

"Despite being discouraged from building personal connections, you appear to have managed these dynamics quite well, especially regarding me... and the others."

You paused, briefly looking down at the fractured stone below you, then raised your gaze to meet his.

“That’s... been another change,” you said, your voice quieter and more introspective. You shifted your weight from one foot to the other. “It’s not that we lacked attachments,” you continued. “We simply... didn’t discuss them. Not in the way that truly mattered. I had my squad; they were close and loyal. Friends I would have died for. I almost did, more than once.” For a moment, your voice faltered. “Those connections were always present. We weren’t emotionless. We just learned to distance ourselves from what we couldn’t afford to lose.”

Tech studied you. “And now?”

You inhaled deeply and calmly. “Now I realize that the distance might have cost us more than we anticipated."

Tech nodded thoughtfully, absorbing your words with the same deliberate precision he used for every system he examined. “For what it’s worth, you appear to have melded into our group dynamic with minimal disruption.”

You smirked faintly. “That’s your way of saying I fit in.”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “And that your presence boosts morale, cohesion, and operational success. Including mine.”

“You know,” you remarked nonchalantly, “you’ve managed to navigate all of this quite well too.”

Tech glanced up, a hint of surprise showing on his face. “Have I?”

You shrugged slightly, grabbing a ration pack from a nearby rack and feigning an inspection. “Not every guy customizes a datapad with language processors. Or adjusts a replacement weapon to fit my precise fighting style.”

“It was logical,” he said. “Your original ‘sidearm’ was no longer reliable. It was the most sensible course of action.”

You gave him a look. “Tech.” He paused. “Yes?”

“It was incredibly thoughtful.”

Tech’s gaze lingered on you longer this time, something unreadable flickering behind the lens of his goggles. He didn’t immediately refute you. Didn’t try to mask it in technical terms.

“I admit I do care,” he admitted at last, and the straightforwardness of his confession carried much more significance than any elaborate display could. “About your well-being. Your presence. Your… potential ongoing presence in my life.”

Your smirk returned, warmer now. “See? That was romantic.”

“I still wasn’t attempting it to be.”

“I know,” you said, nudging him gently with your shoulder. “That’s what makes it kind of perfect.”

Tech looked down for a moment, as though calculating a response, but instead just adjusted the strap of the satchel again. “You’ve made these... personal variables less complicated than I expected.”

—-----------------------

The last of the ration packs went into the satchel with a soft thunk, and Tech conducted a quick inventory check, nodding to himself in satisfaction. “That concludes the primary supply list.”

You tossed your smaller bag over your shoulder and leaned in a bit toward him. “You know, Hunter mentioned that we should take our time.”

Tech looked over, raising an eyebrow. “He did. Which I interpreted to mean thoroughness.”

You grinned. “See, I interpreted it as permission.”

That earned you a mild look of caution. “Permission for what, exactly?”

You started walking again, slower this time, weaving through a thinner part of the market crowd, “A potential detour.”

Tech fell into step beside you without hesitation, but he tilted his head in that precise, curious way of his. “What kind of detour?”

You glanced at him with a slight smile playing on your lips. “I was thinking… I could buy you a drink.”

He blinked once, then twice. "...A drink?”

“Yeah,” you said. “You know. People go out, get drinks, talk, maybe sit somewhere without servo parts or exploding ion engines.”

“I understand the social ritual,” he responded. Tech halted in his tracks, evidently considering factors he hadn’t thought of before. “Would this be… a date?”

You tilted your head. “Would you mind if it were?"

He was quiet for a beat. Then, “No. I’m not opposed.”

Your grin widened. “Good.”

Tech resumed walking, but his pace was slightly slower now, more deliberate. “Is there a particular location you had in mind for this… drink?”

"There’s a cantina just past the main square. It’s quiet and has a decent view of the skyports. It’s not Cid’s."

“That is an acceptable ratio,” he said without missing a beat.

You laughed quietly to yourself. “Great. Then it’s settled.”

As you and Tech exited the main market and headed toward the cantina-lined square's edge, the chatter of vendors receded. Tech shot you another look, his voice slightly softer now. “You know… I don’t typically deviate from mission parameters.”

“I know,” you said. “But this is kind of the point. Letting yourself want something… even if it’s small.”

Tech nodded, deep in thought. "And what you want, at this moment… is a drink. With me.”

You gave a quiet smile. “Every much so.”

He remained silent initially, yet his hand grazed yours once more. This time with intention. He did not grasp it. Merely a touch. A subtle affirmation. “I find,” he said finally, “that I want that too.”

The cantina was tucked along the city's edge, modest compared to the rowdier establishments closer to the city's center. Upon entering, Tech instinctively scanned the room, as he always did—mapping exits, evaluating threat levels, and cataloging details. But when he looked back at you, he relaxed slightly; no threats were present.

You approached the bar, with Tech standing next to you, visibly out of place but at ease. The bartender came over, asking, “What’ll it be?” Without hesitation, you replied, tapping the bar. “I’ll have a J’nari fizz and a smoked ardees. Warm, no ice.”

Tech blinked, slowly turning his head toward you.

It was clear he was taken aback. “You always hesitate when Wrecker orders it with ice,” you remarked, a grin barely contained on your face. “And you asked the bartender at Cid’s if they had the smoked variant. Twice.”

“I was checking for consistency,” he replied reflexively, though a slight flush rose to his ears. “Not showing preference.”

“Mmhmm.”

The drinks were set before you moments later, yours bubbling lightly, his swirling with faint red-gold vapor. He picked up the glass, studied it briefly, then looked at you.

“You pay attention,” he said quietly.

You lifted your glass with a smirk. “Of course I do.” He hesitated for a moment, then raised his own and gently clinked it against yours.

You both sipped, and he nodded in approval. “It’s… optimal.”

“Told you.”

You found a quiet booth near the back, half-shaded with a skyline view. You slid into the seat beside him, resting your arms on the table. Tech set his drink down with careful precision. “You surprise me,” he said. “Often.”

“I hope it’s not something you mind,” you replied, chin resting on your hand.

He studied you again, eyes moving over your face, “It’s not discomforting.” You smiled, softer now, settling in next to him. “I’m glad.”

The walk back was slower than it needed to be.

As night fell, the streets became quieter, and the city’s street lamps illuminated one by one, creating amber-lit patches along the path back to the Marauder. You and Tech walked side by side, bags slung over your shoulders. As you walked, you lightly bumped him with your shoulder. “You sure you’re not secretly a social creature? You’ve handled this whole ‘date’ thing suspiciously well.”

"I do not believe one outing makes me socially inclined,” Tech responded, his hands clasped behind his back in his typical thoughtful manner. "However, I must admit, the circumstances were... favorable.”

“Might’ve been the company.”

“Might’ve been the drink,” he countered, deadpan.

You scoffed. “One ardees and you’re bold now?”

“You’re implying I wasn’t before?”

You blinked, pretending to mull that over. “I mean, in some sense of the word. But I’d lean into meticulous, maybe. Efficient. Occasionally impossible.”

“Impossible,” he repeated, as if testing the word.

You looked over and smiled. “In a peculiarly charming way.”

That earned you a lopsided grin from him. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Not even a little,” you said, stepping in front of him momentarily as you walked backward, your jacket fluttering slightly behind you. “You’ve got that whole understated ‘genius with mysterious depths’ thing going on. It's very effective.”

Tech blinked. “Effective… how?”

You tilted your head, smile sharpening. “You know how.”

He cleared his throat, adjusting his goggles, even though they didn’t need adjusting. “Ah. Understood.”

You fell into step next to him again, intertwining your arm with his and resting it there. He let you. “I like you like this,” you said after a beat. “A little less filtered.”

“Are you suggesting I lower my internal regulation more often?”

“Not too much,” you said. “I like that you think before you speak. But it’s nice when you let something slip. Even if it’s just how much you actually like smoked ardees.”

There was a pause. Then: “I also enjoyed the conversation, for the record. Not merely the beverage.”

“Oh stars,” you groaned dramatically, “now he’s sweet-talking me.”

“I’m being honest,” he said, a hint of pride in his voice. “Which I believe is encouraged in these situations.”

You laughed softly, the sound echoing through the quiet street. “You really are dangerous when you loosen up.”

“Noted,” he replied, though his tone carried a playful note. A tease.

You reached the port hangar where the Marauder was docked. The hangar was quiet, with only the hum of distant city noise drifting through. You stopped walking for a moment, turning to face him again.

“I’m glad you came with me,” you said quietly.

“I’m glad Hunter prompted me to,” Tech replied, equally quiet.

You observed him for a moment longer, a feeling tugging at your chest. "Will there be a next time?” you asked, moving closer.

“As long as it includes you,” he murmured, “I consider it a favorable arrangement.”

And that did it. You leaned up, just slightly, enough to press a brief kiss to his cheek. As you withdrew, Tech remained motionless, deep in thought. Suddenly, he took a step closer. His hand, gentle and barely there, glided along your jaw. Before you could inquire about his intentions, he leaned in and replaced your kiss with a tender one of his own.

When he pulled back, his face was still close to yours. “I prefer precision,” he said softly, almost apologetically. “If that wasn’t clear.”

You blinked, caught off guard, but now smiling. “Yeah,” you breathed. “That was... very clear.”

He adjusted his goggles, a faint upward curve gracing his mouth. “Noted.”

You turned toward the ramp, your heart racing as you tried to regain your breath and composure. “Remind me not to underestimate you again.”

“I’ll remind you as frequently as necessary,” he replied, falling into step beside you.

[goldenherc9]

A Golden Exploration

In the vast expanse of the galaxy, the trio of elite explorers—Ambrose, Brody, and Daniel—donned their gleaming golden spacesuits, ready to embark on their mission. Their destination: an abandoned space station known as Nebula-9. Rumors swirled about its mysterious origins and the valuable technology it housed.

As they docked and entered the eerily silent station, their powerful physiques moved fluidly despite the cumbersome suits. Brody's leadership, Ambrose's technical expertise, and Daniel's combat skills made them an unstoppable team. The dim corridors echoed with their footsteps, the only sound in the otherwise silent facility.

Navigating through the station, they encountered signs of a hurried evacuation—scattered tools, overturned chairs, and half-eaten meals left in haste. Ambrose's scanner detected a faint power source deep within the station. Intrigued, they pressed forward.

In the central control room, they discovered a holographic map highlighting hidden compartments filled with advanced technology. As they accessed the mainframe, a long-dormant AI reactivated, startling them. "Welcome, explorers," it intoned. "You have unlocked Nebula-9's secrets."

With their mission a success, the trio prepared to transport their findings back to their ship. The abandoned station, once a mystery, now held new promise under the guidance of these golden-suited explorers.

To be continued...

__________________________________________

Want to be part of a great team and brotherhood? Come join the gold today by messaging @goldenherc9 @brodygold @polo-drone-001 for your golden transformation today.

__________________________________________

[thatawkwardmoth]

How Each X-Men Won Their Games:

Ok, so rules before we start: No mutations, no timeline unless I actually get into writing out the whole AU because all I want to do is establish how I think each X-Men would fair in the games. Also, there are so many X-Men, a lot. Meaning I will be taking this by teams: O5, Blue, New Mutants, X-Factor, etc. Finally, some people I don't see as people who would be in the games; they could be stylists, game makers, etc. Ok? Ok. Let's start.

Scott Summers: Won his game by strategizing the whole time he was training, watching each of his opponents. His tactile advantage made him an easy winner, especially after he spent the first day in the arena noting each trap the Gamemakers laid out. He volunteered for his little brother, Alex (cliche, I know, but Scott would never let Alex enter an arena if he could stop it). He won his game at about 14/15 just because his opponents went straight for bloodshed or hiding. Didn't have to kill anyone; just waited them all out and inadvertently caused the arena to cause their deaths by just thinking ahead. Sabotaged the games as well, tricking the gamemakers, and was punished for it in a way he couldn't stop.

Jean Grey: Burnt her whole arena down. Easily figured out that her arena was an extremely dry forest, and fire was an easy way to win without directly getting blood on her hand. She almost burned her whole body up, having many burns before the Capitol healed her wounds to make her more presentable. Is a Covey girl (her name matches so well, a ballad and a color!) that wasn't supposed to win. Became the first girl to win her games on the very first day, meaning the Capitol couldn't use her games footage for entertainment. She used the supplies they gave her to keep herself warm at night and set everything on fire, singing her funeral song all the while.

Warren Worthington: Didn't get reaped. He is a Capitol-born boy through and through. But he hates the games and spends a lot of money sponsoring tributes and helping the rebels with their plans. Dabbles as a stylist for some of the games and a mentor for some of the tributes that don't have one. Fell in love with the Covey girl who won and the one who outsmarted the Capitol, looks forward to meeting them at every tribute tour.

Bobby Drake: His arena was a snowy tundra. He only survived because he formed his own version of an igloo and only had to kill the last two tributes. Used an icecicle to kill the last two people at only 13. His game is referred to as the most boring because it was just mostly days of watching tributes die off from the cold and starvation.

Hank McCoy: Won his games by brute force. He was trapped in his arena like a caged beast and acted like it; at least, that's how the Capitol chose to frame his games. In actuality, he won by killing a few tubutes and then outsmarting his arena in a different way than Scott. Destroyed the cameras and used his fellow tributes bodies to trick the gamemakers into coming into his arena and leaving him with an opportunity to access the mainframe. Is now forced to be a gamemaker for the way he won.