#The Lieutenant and Envoy

[windlion]

Trick or Treat, Wind! (And hope you have a happy Halloween!!)

Thank you! :D And to you~~~

Here, have some OC backstory for my good boy Rafe~

He was sixteen, standing there shaking with blood on his hands when he finally realized he wasn't going to follow the path of his brothers and generations of his family before him. He wasn't going to grow up to tend the vines, oversee the bottling, even travel with the shipments to the factors. He'd stepped foot on a different path entirely.

Of course he didn't see it at the time, too busy fighting back the unaccustomed flare of fury that had ignited when he saw blood on the boots of his cousins and the huddled shape of the seasonal worker on the ground. He couldn't remember what he shouted, probably something terribly clever like “What are you doing?!” but it'd stopped all of them, and then he'd been in the thick of it.

There'd been four of them against one of him, and the poor sod wasn't getting up quickly. Rafael flung himself into the fray, bodily knocking Roderick back with a wild-thrown punch. “Get off him!”

Rafael lost track of what happened after that in an uncoordinated flail of limbs, fairly certain he'd landed maybe one shot, then taken more than a few before the ruckus brought down the adults from the festival proper.

Two of the militia men, one of whom Rafe recognized as his uncle, split the brawl up, casually tossing off one of the boys before hauling up his nephew by one arm, pulling him behind his stolid weight. The other— Addison, Rafael remembered— collared one boy and cowed the others with a look. His two sons fell back, chastened despite their drunken furor only moments ago. “You boys want to tell me what brought this on?”

Rafe glared at the perpetrators, half-daring them to have a reasonable explanation for why they'd just tried to beat a man. His uncle tightened his grip on his shoulder, glancing back at him half in warning and half in concern. Rafe bit at his split lip, tasting copper, and shook his head minutely. He wasn't about to go off again. Not unless they deserved it. Uncle Samuel relaxed a little, patting his shoulder.

“I talked to your parents about what happened. And I wanted to make sure I talked to you, too.”

“Let me guess. No one's really made you that angry before?”

Rafe swallowed hard, clenching fists that twinged with pain at stress on the torn knuckles. “No, sir. I just . . . I don't understand it. Why they'd do that. And gang up on him. It's not right.”

Samuel sighed heavily, “I'm glad you don't.” He cut a sour look towards the door, checking if anyone was close enough to overhear before continuing, “Not to put too fine a point on it, but some people get all caught up in some Varentine thinking, the kind that gets too damned worried about what other people do in their bedrooms. Like it's going to affect them or their blood lines or something. They get spooked by their superstitions, and they get cowardly. And then they get full of liquid courage and do something stupid.”

Rafe flushed, “Attacking four on one—“

“Is damned stupid,” Samuel cut him off, voice colder than Rafe had ever heard before. “Vicious, and scared-stupid. They could have killed him, even by accident. And then they'd be in a hell of a lot hotter water you can't apologize your way out of when you're sober. They got lucky you came along like you did. Stupid of you, too, to charge in alone, but brave. You all got lucky nothing worse happened.”

Samuel levelled Rafe a look that made him feel about a handspan tall. “So you're all going to learn from this, so you don't have to hope you're lucky next time. They're going to learn some goddamned manners. And you're going to learn how to think and sit on that temper, because I don't expect to be pulling you out of fights on the regular from now on.”

Rafe flushed harder, shoulders shrinking into himself. “No, sir. I'll do better.”

Samuel nodded, appeased. “I didn't think you'd be the type to start fights. Next time, you get a plan together before you throw yourself into the thick of it. Don't go it alone unless you have to.”

His uncle sighed, leaning back with a faint wince of pain, “I'm also going to tell you something I hope Addison is telling his boys. Sometimes, the kinds of people that join the Militia, they're also the kind that join the Queen's Guard.”

Rafe's eyes widened slightly, but the military euphemism was familiar enough that he caught on quickly. Samuel saw that he understood, and he nodded. “More folks like that wear the uniform than stay on the farm, it's true. And they're some of the damned finest soldiers Sarassa has. So there's no shame in it. Only in people who can't behave decently.”

“Yes, sir.”

Samuel laughed at the seriousness in his face, and waved Rafe over to sit by him. “Relax, I'm not too worried about you growing up to be a ruffian.” He paused, waiting until Rafe settled on the chair opposite him, before he continued, “Could see you in the uniform, though.”

Rafael was glad he'd waited until he was sitting; a feather could have knocked him over. “What? Me?”

Samuel grinned, tugging at his own brown lapels, “You wouldn't be the first DeCrescenza to go that way.”

Rafe stammered, tripping over his own tongue. His uncle took pity on him, waving him shushed and continuing, “Obviously not as many of us. Hell, I was the only one in my generation, there was your great-aunt before me in the Guard. A few cousins, too. We've put some fine men and women in the ranks.”

He paused, taking a swig of water from his canteen. “Some of us just have more fire in our bellies than dirt under our feet. I can see you've got more than most. You'd do us proud.”

Rafe caught his hands together, turning things over. He'd learned the branches of service before, as part of school, but it'd always been academic. Not something he'd seriously thought of doing. It wasn't unappealing, except. . . “So, the Militia is border patrol. . . “

“Border patrol, trade route garrisons, and riding herd on little country squabbles like you just encountered.” Samuel stretched, popping his back. “Also things like warning folks before bad weather, helping deal with fires and floods. North of us gets more landslides than we do.”

Rafe nodded, if unenthusiastically, and Samuel continued with a grin, “I chose the Militia so I could stay close to home, and my Kaitlyn. But if that's not exciting enough for a young man, there's the Navy. The Sarassan Navy sails half the world, escorting trade missions and protecting our shores, and there's not a fleet that can catch ours. You could do a lot worse than wear the blue.

“Then there's the green, for the Watch, and the black, for the Guard,” his uncle concluded. “You can always go for training and decide what color suits you after. That's what it's meant for. I'd be proud to sponsor you for it.”

Rafe nodded, Navad's words echoing in his mind. About resolve, and promises. “I'd like to try.”

Samuel's grin was instantaneous, and more than a little knowing. “Good! But don't just jump into it. Talk it over with your parents.” He levered himself to his feet, accepting Rafe's hand up and clapping his left arm. “You can come to me with any questions you have. You've got some time, lad. Think it over.”

[t0ast-ghost]

The last one… it’s been coming for awhile…

Here’s my thoughts on Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

(Spoilers for- well— everything)

- Before watching this movie I was trying to figure out why they chose this name and was told by my mom it’s a Shakespeare reference which.. I should have guessed

- “A Nicholas Myer Film” Cool! Now we know who to blame or bow to

- The music is so fucking intense I’m worried now

- I know Christopher Plummer is famous, I can’t place the face though and I want to say I know the name from the muppet show

- WAIT. Michael Dorn… WORF

- Wanna let y’all know that there was a guy (Harve Bennet) who wanted to create a completely different sixth movie that would’ve been more like a prequel where they recasted everyone to have an “academy era” movie with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy shenanigans. Gene Roddenberry didn’t fucking like that idea (cause only he knows how to cast apparently)

- explosion :)

- Teacup that tells you what ship you’re on. I now understand why everyone hates Quark trying to spread his own brand when Starfleet clearly is trying to push their own into every single crevasse

- HIII SULU HIIII

- It’s nice that they gave him the ship he kept saying he was hoping for in voyage home

- I won’t make a fart joke out of “gaseous planetary anomalies” and I definitely won’t say that Q did it

- DAMN NOT THE TEACUP. NBC Hannibal would fucking hate this movie

- Forgot how much I freaking love George Takei and I am so happy they gave him more stuff to do in this movie

- Falling… for about 7 seconds which is about 4 seconds more than normal

- Fairly certain that’s Janice Rand (5:32) (edit: it is! Hi Janice!!!)

- “We have no need for assistance,” and “Stay out of the neutral zone,” sounds like challenge

- Kirk says “What are we doing here?” STARRRING IN THE SIXTH STAR TREK MOVIEE BABEYYYY

- Scotty bought a boat, Uhura teaches seminars at the academy, I love hearing about their lives, keep going

- “Where’s Spock?” Asked in the saddest wettest voice. Kirk’s got his priorities straight. Er- well- not straight exactly but they’re there

- Them trying to hide that the “special envoy” is Spock when Kirk is sitting there looking at him like this

- Sorry babygirl not taking in any of that information. I am taking in those beautiful eyes tho <3

- Ooooh starting this one off with Kirk and Spock on opposite political sides

- Kirk being the one who has to offer the olive branch probably because Spock thought he could trust him to be on the side of peace (which was a miscalculation cause he’s probably still pretty angry with the whole “you Klingon bastards killed my son” thing…)

- “I remind you this meeting is classified” as everybody splits off into chattering gossip

- Kirk actually getting angry at Spock for “volunteering” them. The giant empty room with Kirk in the shadows and only Spock in the light (plus that random person standing in a dark corner for some reason) augh the mise en scène is wonderful

- I don’t even know how to unpack all that. Kirk so prejudiced against the Klingons (finally taking a more antagonistic stance) and saying “You should have trusted me” WHICH IS WHAT SPOCK HAS ALWAYS DONE. Because he trusted that Kirk would ultimately want peace no matter how battered and broken he became.

- They changed Spock’s ears, made the points more curved into themselves

- Why does every new lieutenant like quoting regulations to Kirk? How many does he just regularly break?

- OH FOR FUCKS SAKE WHY DOES HE LOOK OVER AT SPOCK SO SOFTLY

- I love how shape her hair is (draw it draw it draw it dammnit)

- Whenever creating a Star Trek movie you need someone on the production team who loves the ship departing from space dock scenes

- “I can never forgive them for the death of my boy.” Kirk says my boy

- Okay yes, Valeris should have knocked before entering his room but Kirk should also know to lock his door when he’s talking to his diary

- Why is Valeris so involved in this movie? First she’s talking to Kirk and now we’re following her to Spock’s? Strange (my guess. She’s evil.)

- “It is a reminder to me that all things end.” Like your life. Twice. Also that’s a nice sentiment and all but it’s so sad with the context that even his own original timeline ends

- “Logic is the beginning of wisdom, Valeris, not the end.” YEAHHH OLDER SPOCK he’s got a more balanced view on the world and himself

- OKAY I absolutely adore the costume design, especially for Gorkon. Like the golden clips in the hair? The red suit adorned with studs and the giant silver necklace?? The beard??? Amazing

- I like that there’s a “chief of staff” for the Klingons. It’s like the manager at a party city

- “They all look alike” BRO THEY MOST FUCKINGLY DO NOT

- I love the chief of staff being so confused over what the napkin roll thing is. I feel that.

- Ah yes my favourite meal. Blue. With a side of orange of course.

- “I offer a toast. The Undiscovered Country…” Welp. He said it. Time to wrap up the movie

- YEP ITS SHAKESPEARE BABEYYY (thank you Spock for saying that it’s Hamlet, act III, scene I, cause I didn’t wanna look it up)

- “You’ve not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon.” Quoi???

- Spock actively trying to stop Kirk from starting a war

- I think this is such a good part where the Klingons are trying to state their worries. The gradual (or not so gradual) need for assimilation to be apart of starfleet. This is a particularly big problem for the Klingons because so much of their culture has been entwined with violence which Starfleet seems almost hellbent to take away. As well as hearing troubling language such as “human rights” thrown in their faces

- IM SORRY. Kirk. You didn’t. You didn’t just compare someone to hitler.

- Spock looks actually so fucking pissed at Kirk

- “If there is to be a brave new world, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it.” Gorkon dropping all the good lines

- McCoy just standing there adjusting his outfit and looking like the most tired man alive

- “I’m going to sleep this off.” “I’m going to go find a pot of black coffee.” Both Kirk and McCoy leaving Spock :(((

- The shaky swoop of the camera as Kirk and the rest of the bridge realize that somehow they just fired on the Klingon vessel

- Don’t care about the rest of the movie I just love the scene where everything starts floating on the Klingon vessel

- AUGH THOSE SPACE SUITS OKAY I DO STILL CARE

- Love me some good ol’ bad 3D graphics blood

- Times like this I wish I’d never skipped my tlhIngan Hol classes

- Floating dead Klingons. What. A. Scene.

- Aw Fuck Dude. The one guy getting gravity back online and everything falling to the ground and blood splattering and AUGHHH. Every time I think this scene can’t get better, it does!

- HIII MCCOY!!! He got to rush onto the bridge just to ask “are we firing torpedoes” and I appreciate that :)

- Kirk and Spock fighting over who should go to the Klingon ship and Spock saying “perhaps you’re right” and then putting his hand on Kirk’s shoulder made me more nervous than it should have. Darn you Wrath of Khan! You’ve given me trust issues. (but you're telling me this isn't supposed to look like a nerve pinch???)

- Also Kirk ultimately still trying to maintain peace. It’s his knee jerk reaction to this. He’s got what he’s said he’s wanted when incased in his own emotions about loosing his son but he knows it’s not right

- and finally, yay! McCoy gets to go on the mission!

- The actor for the Klingon that greets them is so good at the rage mixing with grief and sadness

- McCoy to the rescue!!

- Either Klingon blood is pink (like in that one game) or they wanted to keep it pg-13

- “He’s gone into some kind of damned arrest!” McCoy proceeds to straddle the Klingon on top of the table so he has leverage to do proper CPR… I have no thoughts on this that I’d like to share

- I do not believe McCoy’s punches would be strong enough to restart a heart. I’m sorry but they look so puny

- The blood bubbling as Gorkon dies is so fucking good oh my heart

- This is all happening at 2:00 fucking AM??? No wonder Kirk is tired

- “I sympathize, Mr. Scott.” Love when they make Spock say he ‘understands’ or ‘sympathizes’

- SAREKKKK!! Hehe hiiii

- “We are experiencing technical malfunction. All backup systems inoperative.” “Excellent. I… I mean, too bad.” A banger scene from Uhura and Chekov

- Rosanna DeSoto as Azetbur (the Chancellor’s daughter) plays the part so well. Again their portrayal of grief and anger while trying to get to peace is so fucking amazing. LOOK AT HER FACE

- Maybe I’m not so happy about McCoy being on this mission after all…

- The giant circular judgement chamber is so fucking cool

- MICHAEL DORN 🫵

- The sparking gavel <3

- I love the beginning of a translator translating all the Klingon’s words

- WORF IS THEIR DEFENDANT???

- That one Klingon that laughs at McCoy’s joke, wanna be friends?

- “You say you are due for retirement. May I ask, do your hands shake?” “Objection!” “I was nervous!” “No. You were incompetent.” This is like watching reality tv for me. That’s some good drama

- phew thank goodness they’re not killing McCoy. He’s too pretty to die

- The back and forth slow zoom in on McCoy & Kirk and the judge didn’t have the intensity they were going for but I appreciate the effort

- “Better to kill them now and get it over with.” That’s nice Scotty

- Oh shit Spock loosing both of his husbands in one sentencing. That cannot be good for the economy

- “An ancestor of mine maintained that if you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains however improbable, must be the truth.” Ancestor? You mean fucking Arthur Conan Doyle?? Or Sherlock??? Either way that’s a hecking lore drop

- They’ve got a murder mystery aboard the Enterprise, this is my dream

- Hey babe, new Klingon dog beast just dropped (Jackal Mastiff)

- I let out an audible “aww” of pity when I saw McCoy wrapped up in a blanket

- I can’t believe I’m only halfway through this movie what is even happening anymore

- Had a brief pause to voice crackedly yell a little bit. Something along the lines of “I do not care. I do not care! I don’t care! I just want Spock- I just want them with Spock! I do not care!” And then let myself breathe for a second or two (and then made chicken nuggets). The outburst was born of a deep sadness from the fact that they can’t just be happy and retired together. Ok, back to the movie.

- Martia just handed Kirk a blunt change my mind

- “Somebody up there wants you out of the way.” of course, it can’t just be about actual politics between the Klingons and Federation, it has to actually be about Kirk and somebody trying to kill him. Dang it.

- “But the killers may still be among them.” …wait a damn minute.. you’re saying there’s imposters- *pulled away forcefully*

- I love how every commanding officer comes into the kitchen absolutely furious that someone fired a phaser

- On that note: why is there a kitchen? And why are they preparing various cooked birds? Who’s having a banquet tonight?

- What kind of bullshit evolution puts a species genitals in their knees?

- Hate how Kirk just lets McCoy go treat the highly dangerous being alone

- “Spock was right” NO SHIT HE’S LITERALLY AN ANCESTOR OF SHERLOCK

- YASSS SULU!!! Now get your rest you beautiful man

- Spock will literally leave no stone unturned for his husbands

- Either Martia has some really good prosthetics in the cave or she’s wearing someone else’s skin… NEVERMIND haha she’s just a shapeshifter

- Chekov was so proud of himself dammit. Too bad he was so utterly wrong

- Also Valeris is so expressive, kinda loving it

- The planet seems kinda nice in the daylight.. minus the dead body I’d say it’s pretty similar to winters in Canada (yes I made the joke, please delete it before posting) (edit: nope <3 just like Canada. Made your bed, lie in it)

- “Leave me. I’m finished.” Goddamn this man’s worst enemy is the cold. Both times McCoy just gives up and tells Spock or Kirk to leave him (First time being in All Our Yesterdays)

- “If they’re even looking for us.” Bones. Spock would literally NEVER leave the both of you. That aside the rest of the Enterprise crew also loves you like crazy

- Everyone laughing on the channel with the Klingons is so funny

- Holyy shit. Is Kirk going to fight.. himself???

- McCoy angel <3

- “I can’t believe I kissed you.” Yeah. Me neither. You didn’t actually have too.

- Poor McCoy holy cannoli oil. He’s knocked out and when he wakes up immediately gets trampled by two versions of his husband

- HIIII JACKAL MASTIFF HIII

- “Since you’re all going to die anyway, why not tell you.” When I go to watch the cinema sins video (I know I’m sorry) on this movie I bet they’ll say “klingonposition” or smt like that here

- If it’s just Chang that wants Kirk dead that’s so disappointing

- McCoy looks over and sees this

- “What you want is irrelevant, what you’ve chosen is at hand.” SPOCK IS ANGRYYYYY SPOCK IS PISSSED

- Please someone let McCoy take a shower, he stinks

- WAIT VALERIS WAS THE ONE SITTING IN THE DARK CORNER OF THE ROOM IN THE BEGINNING

- The distorted wavy angle that almost feels like it’s going side to side dutch angles with each of Spock’s footsteps as he nears Valeris

- I WOULD HAVE SCREAMED IN THEATRES

- Valeris is fucking crying omg what the actual fuck

- I honestly don’t know how to take that apart. I’m still shocked and screaming a little. The reactions from each crew member being just absolutely horrified

- I’m still reeling from that but I gotta acknowledge the fact that Spock says “I prefer it dark” when Kirk enters his quarters. So did I as a teenager and my mom would tell me it was bad for my eyes

- “You and the doctor might have been killed.” “The night is still young.” They are three months from retirement. Goddammnit let them just get to be retired together on a farm or condo or smt. I don’t give a shit just let them rest.

- “Spock, you want to know something? Everybody’s human.” NO THEYRE NOT IN THIS CONTEXT. That was kind of a big point made in this movie. I think the point you’re trying to make is ‘everyone in the whole galaxy forever will always make mistakes.’

- “Doctor, would you care to assist me in performing surgery on a torpedo?”

- Chang just said, “ah the games afoot” why are there so many Sherlock Holmes references in this one? Like I know they have a hard on for famous literature but this one is named after a Shakespeare quote. Just saying it’s a bit crowded.

- They really wanted McCoy to say smt doctory while making the torpedo so they chose “we’ve got a heart beat”

- I think it would’ve been better if Chang said to be or not to be in Klingon like they did at the dinner table

- So they saved the day? Yay? Kirk and McCoy should legally not actually be there- oh they’re all clapping for them who cares

- SPOCK GETS TO SAY GO TO HELL

- Kirk did not just fucking quote Peter Pan. Shut the fuck up.

- McCoy’s look says it all. And by that I mean just let him retire with his husbands. Oh my goodness.

- Just for my mom I'm mentioning the flared pants (Spock and McCoy look kinda goofy tho)

- Ohhh so this is where they change it from “where no man” to “where no one”

- And the Enterprise rides off into the sun. What kind of Grease ending is that?

Awwe okay all of their signatures at the end was a nice touch

I don’t have much more to say here, I forgot how fun but time consuming it was to do these thought posts. I really really appreciate everyone who likes these posts because it means y’all took the time to read this which is just something so meaningful to me.

Thank you all so much <3

Masterpost

[whencyclopedia]

George Washington in the French and Indian War

The life and career of George Washington (1732-1799) were largely impacted by the French and Indian War (1754-1763). An officer of the Virginia Regiment, Washington's actions at the Battle of Fort Necessity and the Braddock Expedition helped escalate hostilities between Britain and France. His exploits in the war would help lead to his appointment as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

Colonel George Washington in the Uniform of the Virginia Regiment

Charles Willson Peale (Public Domain)

Background

In the early 1750s, tensions between the colonial empires of Great Britain and France were once again on the rise. The Ohio River Valley, though under the nominal control of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, had been claimed by both empires; indeed, British and French traders had long been operating in the region, trying to establish commercial relations with local Native Americans. The British colony of Virginia, whose colonial charter asserted that its western border stretched all the way to the Pacific Ocean, was particularly interested in the Ohio Country. Virginia's economy was heavily reliant on the production of tobacco, which tended to exhaust the soil; to maintain economic growth Virginia had to acquire new, fertile lands for farming, of which the Ohio Country had in abundance. As early as 1745, Virginia's House of Burgesses began issuing land grants in the Ohio Country to land speculation companies, including the Ohio Company, which represented the financial interests of prominent Virginian investors. This unnerved the French, who wanted control of the Ohio Country both to deny the westward expansion of the British colonies and to maintain a connection between their own colonies of New France (Canada) and Louisiana.

In response to Virginia's encroachments into the territory, the French constructed three forts at the forks of the Ohio River. To Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia, this was an unacceptable provocation; Dinwiddie was an investor in the Ohio Company, giving him a personal as well as a political incentive to want the French out of the Ohio territory as soon as possible. In 1753, he decided to send an envoy to demand that the French remove themselves from the Ohio. The man Dinwiddie decided to send for this crucial diplomatic mission may not have been the obvious choice – George Washington, a recently commissioned major in the Virginia militia, was only 21 years old, with little formal education and no knowledge of the French language. But what he lacked in experience, he made up for in ambition; Washington was hoping that a successful mission would advance his budding military career and earn him a commission in the regular army. Washington also had a connection to the Ohio Company – his recently deceased half-brother, Lawrence, was one of the first investors – which was likely another reason Dinwiddie chose him. On 1 November 1753, Washington left Virginia's capital of Williamsburg bearing a letter from the governor. It was a mission that would change his life and shape the history of North America.

Continue reading...

[lullabyes22-blog]

Do you have any Melvika HCs to grace us with?

:3

Y e s.

It wasn't supposed to happen at all. The first spark of interest kindled on both sides when Sevika filled in for Silco at a gala (some stupid Jinx-related emergency grumble grumble). A hardliner angry at the recent trade deals between Zaun and Piltover decided to send a message by flinging a projectile at the envoys.

Sevika's reflexes kicked in and she ended up snatching Councilor Medarda out of the way. Mel was frazzled but tried to keep her composure while security swarmed the culprit. He was a Zaunite; Sevika's entourage took him into custody.

"Teach him some manners." A half-smile. "But make sure he doesn't end up too well-behaved." i.e. Rough him up but leave him alive. At least until the interrogations are done.

The whole ordeal rattled Mel with flashbacks of Noxus, where such violence is routine. And yet Sevika, ever the consummate lieutenant, made a point to confer with Mel's security detail to ensure the Councilor made it safely back to Topside.

Before departing, Mel likewise made a point to thank Sevika for saving her. After the gala ended, Sevika returned to headquarters to find a floral arrangement of blue hydrangeas and a Thank You card from Mel.

Silco was intrigued, but otherwise kept any speculation to himself.

The next time the women met was at a soiree some weeks later. Mel made a point to engage Sevika in conversation, and ask a little bit about her background and family. Against her will, she was curious about this stoic woman, who seemed in many ways her homeland's ideal of what a warrior should be. And yet she wasn't a dumb jock by any stretch - she had a crafty mind and a sharp tongue, all of which hinted she was used to employing both brains and brawn to stay two steps ahead.

On Sevika's part, she found the Councilor glamorous, but also attempted to keep her at an arm's length. Her penchant for strategy and wordplay put her firmly in Silco's 'league.' And yet, when this Topside vixen wasn't verbally sparring with Silco over politics, she seemed to genuinely enjoy Sevika's company. They even took a turn through the gardens after the soiree, and Mel pointed out the different species of flowers blossoming, as well as their symbolism.

Afterward, during the limo ride, Silco crooked an eyebrow at Sevika's report: "She spoke of violets and lavenders? Well, well..."

A week later, he held a one-on-one meeting with Sevika, wherein he subtly encouraged her to cultivate a bond of 'goodwill' with the Councilor. "As a symbol of friendship between our nations."

Sevika, nobody's fool, understood the subtext: "Take advantage of her gratitude to pry out trade secrets."

On her part, Sevika had little interest in springing political traps. But she was loyal to Zaun, first and foremost, and it seemed as good a chance as any to build a useful alliance.

Ordinarily, she couldn't stand Piltie divas. But this one was a Noxian, and it showed in flashes of steely grit that she seemed at pains to keep hidden. Sevika was interested in exploring that facet further.

Thus began a succession of meetings, both planned and impromptu. Both women understood it was mostly for political show, with an undertone of opportunism. Yet they genuinely found themselves warming to each other's company.

Aphrodite meets Athena vibes: artful delicacy vs brusque honesty, and yet with a shared sense of playfulness beneath their professional veneers.

Neither one was prepared for the rapport to turn into genuine friendship. But by the year's end, they would often be meeting unscheduled to take a stroll along the bridge, and swapping childhood anecdotes in between discussions of business.

Sevika was Mel's living-breathing glimpse into the actual lives of Fissurefolk - all the toil and turmoil, and the hard sacrifices made to survive. On Sevika's part, she found herself reassessing her initial opinion of Mel's girlhood as a privileged wonderland. If anything, it seemed more akin to a high-stakes chess game.

It left them both with a mutual respect for the trials overcome.

The relationship turned physical more by impulse than any calculation on both their part. Sevika made no bones about her preference for women. Mel, while she typically slept with men, wasn't averse to some lighthearted experimentation. However, there was nothing experimental about hers and Sevika's encounter - just an unexpectedly hungry intimacy that caught them both off-guard.

Afterward, they could have agreed not to pursue it further, with no hard feelings. Instead, both opted to see how this would develop, and where it might take them.

Silco, up until that point closely following Sevika and Mel's 'liaisons', was unexpectedly irritated - and territorial. He'd expected a dalliance, not an out and out relationship.

"Not to condescend," he warned Sevika later that evening over a cigar, "But this could end very, very poorly for both out cities."

Sevika's reply: "We can handle ourselves."

(You sound jealous, Silco.)

The two ladies made their connection 'official' during a press conference at Progress Day, where they arrived as each other's escorts for the event.

You would expect Caitlyn x Vi vibes with this pair. And you would be dead-wrong. These are two extremely savvy players who understand the importance of playing it smart - but also loosening up and having a good time.

Mel appreciates that for Sevika's blunt exterior, she still has a coldly strategic side. Likewise, Sevika enjoys that underneath Mel's serene poise is a deeply feisty temper. And yet they have a shared sense of equilibrium. It takes a great deal to rattle them - or make them fly off the handle.

Like any couple, they have their share of arguments - but not that often. They prefer trading licks of a different stripe<3

They also compartmentalize like pros. There is business - and there is pleasure. The delineation between the two is ironclad, and both know better than to encroach in the other's sphere.

Ambessa is keen to meet this 'back-alley Amazoness' Mel has decided to take up with. Mel is wary of Ambessa interfering in their relationship - but Sevika makes it plain she can handle herself in the General's presence.

Indeed, despite herself, Ambessa is impressed. The woman is almost a specimen of the perfect soldier. She invites Sevika to a spar. Sevika accepts the offer with gusto.

It is spectacular - and spectacularly bloody. Mel is horrorstruck. Afterward, over shared drinks and bandaging their wounds, Ambessa offers Sevika a post on her upcoming war campaign.

Sevika declines. She's a Zaunite, not a mercenary for hire. And secretly, she knows such a maneuver would hurt Mel deeply - no matter what front she puts up.

Hers and Mel's favorite activity is watching each other in their natural elements: Mel in the controlled elegance of the boardrooms, and Sevika in the brash chaos of saloons. Afterward, they swap snarky remarks about the fools outplayed and the profits raked in.

They have a time-sharing scheme whereby they have a private property poised between Zaun and Piltover - and where they meet up for their rendezvous whenever they need a breather. Here, Mel introduces Sevika to gourmet Noxian spirits; Sevika shows her the joys of a good Vekauran tobacco. Afterward, they lounge in bed and make idle plans for a quick visit to Shurima or the far continents.

Poor Jayce, left on the sidelines, tries to wish Mel luck - while pretending he's not secretly into it.

Silco, left equally on the sidelines, wonders why he feels like the sucker in his own shellgame.

Rotten luck, boys :x

[bomberqueen17]

Liveblogging the Aubreyad: HMS Surprise pt 2

Yeah yeah i really wasn't going to do this but I had to split it. We left our heroes limping toward Bombay in a broken-kneed Surprise with every last rat eaten and scurvy breaking out again and their dead reckoning so far out that it's telling them they should be in the Himalayas. (The master on this ship is not a gifted navigator.) But Jack knows math now, and consulting with Tom Pullings who has been here before [see the breakout running tally section] they make their landfall dead on, and reach Bombay. The Admiral there immediately removes Lt. Hervey to promote him, but by recompense gives Jack free run of the naval storeyards, so they can repair the Surprise.

And there's somebody ostensibly in Bombay, who doesn't know they're coming.

Stephen goes ashore and goes native, delighting in the city's diverse ways of life, and is adopted by a young street kid named Dil, who takes it upon herself to make sure he does not come to harm.

He finds Diana quite by coincidence. It had been said that she and Canning were traveling and would be out of town until the 17th, and this rumor had reached Jack, but she had grown bored and ridden home early, so she sees him in a crowd, is astonished and delighted, and tells him he must come to her house. He does so, they talk, she confesses unhappiness in her situation here-- Canning is violently jealous, the other women all refuse to see her socially, there is vicious gossip. Stephen asks her to marry him. She is so shocked she turns him down. He is completely shattered by this.

Canning walks in as they are still talking, and Stephen cannot tell how much he heard. He acts friendly enough but not quite right. He must suspect Stephen's motives.

Stephen goes back to his lodgings, finds out Jack has been furiously trying to make him come back on board for several days. Jack wants them to leave so that Stephen won't see Diana, it's clear, and has been relentlessly driving his people through the repair and refit of the Surprise to make it happen. But Stephen declines to return with the messenger, and goes out to tie up his various bits of business.

He finds his little street kid dead, so he pays for her funeral, and sits by the pyre until it's gone.

Meanwhile the new 1st lieutenant comes aboard-- Stourton, who had previously been in a floating hell ship under a flogging captain, obliged to carry out that kind of discipline. Jack knows this and doesn't make the mistake he did with Parker of trying to be subtle-- he immediately tells Stourton explicitly that the Surprise almost never flogs and he won't stand for trivial hard-horse bullshit. Stourton is inexpressibly relieved, and proves to be a thoroughly decent and competent chap. He is leery of Pullings, who he is painfully aware he is supplanting (precedence of lieutenants depends entirely on seniority in the service, not seniority in the ship)-- and Pullings it was who did all of the exhausting, driving work of the refit, of course-- but Tom is such a nice kid that he never so much as looks at Stourton cross-eyed, because he never would.

Stephen shows up finally, and Jack is ready to be furious with him, but at his obviously devastated, gray aspect, Jack wisely says nothing. A little later he endeavors to cheer Stephen up by taking him into the foretop and showing him where he carved his initials on the cap as a midshipman. Stephen is touchingly delighted by the view.

Jack writes to Sophie; they could live modestly in a charming little cottage, if only Jack can get free of the last of this debt which he surely can in short order. Pullings knows about the earth and advised him on gardens, they could live like that, surely, living off the land in deep frugality. It pleases him to imagine it. (He also mentions Babbington being on the sick-list but does not elaborate that it is because of venereal disease acquired in Bombay. Time for an update to that young man's running tally...)

The envoy has a medical crisis. Stephen says they must get to solid land within 24 hours. “Pulo Batak, sir,' said Pullings at once, touching the coast of Sumatra with the dividers. 'Inside Pulo Batak. We watered there twice in the Lord Clive, both coming and going.” which means another update to that tally as well.

Tom is given more or less complete control, and as part of the approach he has to anchor them in deeper water than Jack has ever anchored in, against a very powerful ebb tide, and Jack is dubious but believes in Pullings's seamanship. Pullings claims confidence but is horribly nervous about it. Babbington comes and cheers him up supportively, which earns his gratitude.

Alas, alas: they make it to land, and land the envoy, and set up to operate on him, but he does not survive long enough. Mr. Stanhope dies at 3am from, well, a medical person could probably make it out but the terms Stephen uses are incomprehensible to me.

They put back to sea-- homeward bound now, there's no reason to continue to Kampong, as they have no envoy now. Their mission is ended. And they soon encounter the East India Company's China fleet, bound for the very long haul to England.

Pullings takes the littlest midshipman, Church, up into the tops to behold the riches of the Orient-- six million pounds or more, in that convoy. He also tells Church that if he is careless in his speech the Captain will nail his ears to a plank and cast him adrift in the ocean, solemnly attesting that he saw the captain do this to no less than three young gentlemen in the Med.

(Pullings made two voyages in the Lushington, apparently, which brings his tally up to an improbable eight. I don't think Pullings is meant to be lying about the Indiamen, despite him practicing on Church's credulity about the young men cast adrift, but he has to have been in some sort of chronological anomaly to do this.)

The China fleet has seen them, and signals them to come aboard to dine. Officers in the East India Company are well-paid and eat well; they are fond of the Navy, if a bit self-conscious in an inferiority-complex kind of way-- the proper long-haul Indiamen are designed to look as much like men-of-war as possible, to deter piracy and privateers, and there's a bit of mutual friction on the whole between the merchant and martial fleets. But Jack isn't given to that sort of thing, and Pullings is very well-disposed toward them, so they have a lovely dinner, all the young pretty women in the fleet having been signaled to come aboard to make up the numbers ("repeat: young, repeat: pretty"), and all the officers being eager to make a good impression.

Young Church eats so much his dining companion is afraid he might hurt himself. The ladies withdraw, and Babbington makes a pretext to follow them of course. Upon their return to the ship, Church hurries down to the midshipmen's berth to eat a second dinner.

The wonderful outcome of this meeting is that they offload most of the envoy's suite into the Indiamen, which can provide much more luxurious accomodations. This frees up a ton of space in Surprise and also rids them of the obnoxious Atkins.

They have not long parted ways with the China fleet when they sight sails again-- in his haste to report, Babbington trips and sprawls headlong at Jack's feet, and Jack tells him this is carrying deference too far. But the upshot is that these sails are the French-- Linoir's squadron, very clearly on the hunt for the China fleet, who would be a delicious fat prize for them and is the main incentive for them to haunt these waters.

Surprise must try to lure the French away, then double back to report to the China fleet so there is time for them to defend themselves. Linoir has four ships, most of them far too large for Surprise to hope to defeat. Jack gets up to his favorite kinds of capers, rigging a drag sail so the ship can be seen to be cracking on while remaining eminently catchable-looking, and other things to lure them to chase thinking they'll be able to catch and take him without imperiling their search for the China fleet.

In the course of the chase (Jack repeats a move he used unsuccessfully against Linois in the Mediterranean, doubling back to dart between two pursuing ships, and is this time more successful), they close with a small corvette, the Berceau, which fights them far more aggressively and gallantly than they expect, taking shocking damage. Jack has had Babbington rig one of the large sails so that it can be let go suddenly (though secretly will land without harm), to pretend the Berceau shot it away, to give them more reason to limp and look tempting, luring the Frenchmen on thinking they could catch him. Babbington makes a great show of this, with tremendous flair and style and the enjoyment of all the hands involved who love a caper, and they also make a fire amidships in one of the kitchen coppers with slush and tow to burn very smokily, everyone acting panicked and running around shouting and hollering.

They keep up their capers until dark, and then change direction rapidly and crack on to reach the fleet, but Jack knows Linois and does not assume the intelligent, experienced admiral will necessarily be fooled. But they did their best, and he turns in.

Indeed Linoir guessed at their capers, and had sent one brig northwards in case the Surprise doubled back that way, so they are spotted near-immediately. But it did divert the main body of Frenchmen, giving them enough time for Surprise to come up with the China fleet well in advance of the French approach, and Jack immediately calls in all of the Indiamen's captains for a council of war. They do have guns, they can fight, and if they organize themselves strategically, they have a real hope of fending Linoir off-- out here the French do not have ready access to resupply, and if any of the French ships are badly damaged they will not be able to repair them. Jack firmly believes that if they puff themselves up enough, if they act sharp and aggressive, the French will not engage, or will be driven off by a determined resistance.

He is incredibly nice to the merchant captains, very respectful of them, lays out all the amiability he can muster to keep from offending them, because he knows what a situation this is. Were he not there, the fastest of them would probably run, and would probably escape, leaving the weaker ones to be snapped up-- but it is some of these faster ships that he has to implore to stay against their immediate best interests and help defend the others, in hopes of a good outcome for all. It's a hard sell, but the fleet's commodore, Captain Muffit of the Lushington, speaks eloquently in Jack's favor, and convinces the other captains. The fleet divides up into a leeward squadron of the smaller, weaker ships that will sail as far away as they can to try to get well out of reach of the French, and a windward squadron that will form a line of battle, the largest among them being given as much help as possible to look like real Royal Navy ships. Jack strips his quarter-deck, sending even his purser to one of the ships, as the man is an avid seaman and can point a gun beautifully despite that not being his job-- and very delicately makes offerings such as all his officers' spare coats for the captains of the Indiamen chosen for disguise to wear, man-of-war pendants and blue ensigns for the ships-- it is illegal for them to endeavor to deceive in this manner on their own account, but with Jack there to countenance it, this is technically legal, but it is hard to overcome their resistance.

But he does, and their commodore, Muffit of the Lushington, had liked him from the start and is very cooperative.

“I admire the regularity of your line, sir,' said Jack. 'The Channel fleet could not keep station better.' 'I am happy to hear you say so,' said Muffit. 'We may not have your heavy crews, but we do try to do things seaman-like. Though between you and me and the binnacle,' he added in a personal aside, 'I dare say the presence of your people may have something to do with it. There is not one of us would not sooner lose an eye-tooth than miss stays with a King's officer looking on.”

The ruse initially works; the windward ships, fifteen of the big long-haul Indiamen, form a proper line of battle, wearing in succession with snappy Royal Navy promptness, three of them very convincingly disguised as frigates down to Jack's second-best coat on the captain on the quarterdeck of one of them (Pullings recognizable to Jack on the quarterdeck of the Lushington solely by his huge grin), and the French decline the engagement that first day, sailing away for the night in an obvious attempt to beat up overnight to get the weather-gage so they can control the engagement on the morrow.

They do, but a swell rises, which Jack had hoped for-- it means the French cannot accurately point their guns at long range, which will spare the English ships a distant hammering to which they cannot reply.

The next morning the French come on, and Linois intends to break the line, which cannot be allowed to happen, pointing his flagship Marengo at the weakest point between what he has accurately guessed to be the two lightest-armed, poorest-sailing ships. The Surprise comes out ahead, alone, to engage; the Indiamen only have cannonades, which are short-range inaccurate guns, and cannot fight effectively at any range; they must stay in formation so their overlapping fields of fire can repel the French ships.

The Marengo is a 74, approximately twice Surprise's size, and she can only hope to hold her off briefly. This they do, at the cost of a shocking drubbing from Marengo's much heavier guns. All seems lost, but three of the Indiamen come off the line in a pretty manoever that lets them still reinforce one another, and they come up to hammer the Marengo from both sides, which she cannot endure, rescuing Surprise and in turn breaking the French formation. The Indiamen force Marengo to turn, and Surprise manages to give her enough of a pounding that her rigging is badly damaged and the French lose heart for the engagement-- Jack is correct, they cannot afford damage, they cannot refit, and so they turn and flee. The Indiamen chase briefly, but they are not designed for speed and Surprise is too badly damaged to sail fast, and once the French are too far to come up on the leeward ships, they turn back.

Muffit is horrified to realize how torn up the Surprise is, and offers all the help he can. Mostly, Jack just wants his officers back-- he relies on them and it was difficult to fight an action without Pullings, Babbington, and the others.

So-- he won no prizes in this engagement, took or sank no Frenchmen, but neither did the Frenchmen win a single penny from the entire China fleet, which is preserved intact. The East India Company is absolutely delighted with him, and the fleet escorts him into Calcutta victorious though inches from foundering most of the way, pumping heavily.

There the Surprise is lavishly repaired at the Company's expense, and all her people wined and dined, a purse of gratitude-money distributed among her sailors, and Canning comes and offers Jack a very delicately-put reward for himself-- freight. A Royal Navy captain that consents to carry "freight"-- necessarily small, precious items, so as to be worth the doing but not cumbersome enough to interfere with the running of the ship-- will be repaid according to a percentage of the cargo's value, and the Company has a shipment of precious stones that will answer the purpose admirably. It is more modest but far more sure than prize-money, as there is no fighting and no legal questions surrounding it.

This will be enough for Jack to meet the terms of the engagement as set out by Mrs. Williams, so he takes advantage of Canning's offer of a fast overland mail courier to send her a letter begging her to come out to Madiera and meet him there, and another letter to his friend Heneage Dundas asking him to carry her to Madiera.

Meanwhile Stephen goes to see Diana. She is in a fluster; from what she says it is clear she thinks he is only interested in taking possession of her because she is otherwise so trapped that she has no choice, and what she believes his motives to be I am unsure, but he has been at such pains to discipline himself against sentiment with her that she certainly cannot understand his feelings for her with any clarity, and he does not understand her hesitation.

“Why wait till now? Anyone would say I had brought myself so low that you could do something quixotic. Indeed, if I were not so fond of you - and I am fond of you, Maturin: you are a friend I love - I might call it a great impertinence. An affront. No woman of any spirit will put up with an affront. I have not degraded myself.' hcr chin began to pucker; she mastered it and said, 'I have not come down to… 'But in spite of her pride the tears came running fast: she bowed her head on his shoulder, and they ran down his bloom-coloured coat. 'In any case,' she said between her sobs, 'you do not really wish to marry me. You told me yourself, long ago, the hunter does not want the fox.”

Canning walks into the room and demands to know just what Stephen thinks he is doing. Stephen demands to know what Canning thinks he is doing, when anyone knows that Mrs. Canning is on her way and will arrive on the sixteenth. Where then will be your "protection" of Mrs. Villiers?

Canning is furious (he had not told Diana of this, though it had clearly been weighing on him), says Stephen has been tampering with his papers, and in a passion he strikes Stephen. Diana throws a table between them and tries to break them up, begging Stephen to take no notice of the affront; Canning runs out of the room after smashing a chair.

Stephen leaves, and then goes to the Surprise's captain of Marines to ask him to be his second in a duel.

He does not tell Jack, but instead asks him to play a duet, and they play the Boccherini in C, the best they've ever played it. Jack is delighted. And then Stephen gives him his confidential papers and asks him to dispose of them as directed, "the usual things", as he is to duel Canning in the morning. Jack is unhappy, but insists he will come along.

Stephen resolves to shoot Canning in the arm, but his aim is not what it was ever since the torture in Port Mahon. Canning fires first, striking Stephen in the ribs. Stephen staggers, puts the pistol into his other hand, changes his stance, and fires in return. His shot hits Canning in the chest, piercing either the aorta itself or his subclavian artery, and the man dies within moments. Stephen is horribly downcast, and is bandaged and driven away.

Jack takes a letter to Diana. He is coldly angry with her, blames her for the whole thing. She asks if she might come back to England in the Surprise and he tells her it is impossible. She knows this is a lie and tells him he is a scrub. He leaves.

The pistol ball is lodged in Stephen's ribcage and must be extracted. Stephen insists on performing the operation himself, and commissions the ship's armourer to make him a custom-designed extractor for the purpose.

“No, sir. I do this with my own hand.' He looked at it critically, and said, more or less to himself, 'If it could undertake the one task, it must undertake the other: that is but justice.”

Jack holds him while he performs the operation, and nearly faints at the end; he is used to wounds but the cold inhumanity of it quite unsettles him.

“Christ, Bonden,' said Jack, 'he opened himself slowly, with his own hands, right to the heart. I saw it beating there.' 'Ah, sir, there's surgery for you,' said Bonden, passing the glass. 'It would not surprise any old Sophie, however; such a learned article. You remember the gunner, sir? Never let it put you off your dinner. He will be as right as a trivet, never you fret, sir.”

Stephen is ill, feverish, for a long time. Diana comes aboard, and, told not to upset Stephen, she lies and says she simply did not think to ask Jack if she could come aboard in the Surprise, but she is happy to go in the Lushington instead, it will be just as Stephen wishes, she will see him in England, and so she leaves.

Jack sits with Stephen, who is delirious and ranting and says many, many things in many languages. Others would be happy to sit with him, Jack knows, but he has begun to understand how much of Stephen's life is confidential, and he does not wish anyone else to hear the things Stephen is saying, knowing that it would mortify Stephen to know anyone had heard them. Some of them are unkind things about Jack, many of them are about Diana. Jack is grateful on the occasions Stephen lapses into other languages, because he does not understand any of them. Jack is also deeply grateful that he can rely so thoroughly on his officers to run the ship, Pullings especially but Babbington too, because it means he can just sit and listen to Stephen's ranting and not have to expose these secrets to anyone else.

But eventually the fever breaks and Stephen progresses disagreeably (he is a truly horrible patient) through his convalescence. They go ashore on a remote island that Jack wishes to properly survey, and Stephen discovers a truly massive land tortoise unknown to science. He immediately names it after Jack (testudo Aubreii) and they take it aboard, and this turns the corner for him into recovery as he is so cheered up by it.

They are following the path the Lushington took, and hear news that the ship has passed everywhere that can have recorded said news. They reach Madiera, where Jack had written to Sophie to ask her to meet him. But she is not there. And what's more, the Lushington had touched there, and Diana disembarked from it, leaving Stephen a note in which she returned the ring he had given her. She has gone instead to America with a man named Johnson who had been trying to court her in India, there to be married to him, and she will never see Stephen again, though she will always remember him fondly.

Stephen takes this as well as can be expected-- he goes up a mountain to read it, knowing since he can feel the ring through the envelope that it is a Dear John letter, and lies there in a hollow in a rock all night, and then comes down and admits what has happened to Jack. Jack is similarly bereft, as Sophie did not come. Stephen tries to cheer Jack up-- perhaps she did not get the letter in time-- but Jack had sure news that the courier had arrived, so that cannot be the case. No, she declined to come.

So they get back on the Surprise and continue homeward, most of the ship in high delight at the prospect of home and sweethearts, but both Stephen and Jack mute and downcast.

But at night they meet two English frigates, and the second is the Ethalion captained by Heneas Dundage, who signals to Jack that he has women for him, a rather puzzling and yet heart-stopping message.

“The Surprise shot across the Ethalion's bows and rounded to under her lee. He gazed across with a look of extreme apprehension, trying to believe and to disbelieve; and Heneage Dundas called out from her quarterdeck, 'Good morning, Jack; I have Miss Williams here. Will you come across?' The boat splashed down, half-filling in the choppy sea; it pulled across; Jack leapt for the side, raced up, touched his hat to the quarterdeck, crushed Dundas in his arms, and was led to the cabin, unshaved, unwashed, wet, ablaze with joy. Sophie curtseyed, Jack bowed; they both blushed extremely, and Dundas left them, saying he would see to breakfast.”

This is notable because it might be the only time Jack hugs a man of his own volition in this entire series, I hadn't been tracking it but had noticed several notable lacks. (Anyone else who is reading these please do send me examples I've missed, as I said I wasn't looking for it! Tangent: Jack is canonically bad at sex but would probably be amazing at hugs don't you think?? We'll get to that in Yellow Admiral.)

Jack has a parson aboard and offers to marry Sophie right now, but she declines, she has promised her mother to marry at home in the local church.

And so they set off for home.

[staygoldnimoy]

rewatching altered carbon, and Joel Kinnaman and his world weary, bloody good looks are bewitching me.

his looming physicality, apathetic brown eyes and chemistry with fiery loudmouths ALSO leads me to imagine him as ghost frolicking about in this verse.

can you imagine simon ghost riley, envoy. man out of time. wears a mask, because the while the sleeve changes, the skull remains?

he gets spun up on some methuselah plot, get saddled with Lieutenant MacTavish. new world, new age, same old bullshit. and yet.

and yet. soap starts to get to him.

[scotianostra]

On 5th May 1646 King Charles Stewart surrendered to Scottish Covenanters besieging Newark on Trent.

The Scottish forces took him to Newcastle to bargain with him. The English Parliamentary army threatened to take the King from the Scots by force.Charles was the last King of Scots to be born in Scotland, although he lived most of his life in England, where his subjects ultimately grew tired of his tyranny and decided to terminate his career. In fact, they terminated him, period. He wasn’t the only King of Scots to have been killed by Englishmen, but he was the only one to be tried, found guilty and executed by Englishmen. Of course, those Englishmen who were happy to be associated with regicide weren’t in the least bit concerned that Charlie was also King of Scots. Whatever the manner of his living, the manner of King Charles’ death was befitting of a King – at least that’s what they thought in those days – his big heid was chappit aff.

To have been tried and sentenced, Charles had to have been apprehended in the first instance, but he was a slippery character. After the writing was on the wall, so to speak, he tried his damndest to avoid being detained by his English subjects, but ultimately his luck ran out. The beginning of the end came on the 5th of May, 1646, when King Charles Stuart surrendered to the Scottish Covenanters engaged in the siege of Newark on Trent. The Scots then escorted him to Newcastle; intent on bargaining with the English for their own advantage. The English Parliamentary Army countered that manoeuvre by threatening to take the King by force. Eventually, in settlement of an indemnity agreed earlier, through the Treaty of Ripon, in 1641, the Scots agreed to hand over the King. But the story doesn’t end there; the crafty Charlie wasn’t yet ready to give up.

The King arrived at the Scottish headquarters at Southwell, on the 5th of May, 1646, and surrendered himself to Lieutenant General David Leslie, who was acting commander of the Covenanter army as his namesake, Alexander Leslie, the Earl of Leven, had withdrawn to Newcastle. Charles’ surrender seems to have been negotiated secretly between the Scots and Cardinal Mazarin’s envoy, Jean de Montereul. The Frenchman conveyed Charles’ offer to go to the Scots Army on receiving assurances that he would be secure, and that the Scots would assist in procuring peace. On Charles’ orders, Lord Belasyse surrendered Newark on the 8th of May, 1646, and on that very same day, the Scots broke camp and marched north to Newcastle, with the King in semi-captivity.

Charles’s hopes of turning the Scots into his allies were dashed because he couldn’t accept their demands – the ‘Newcastle Propositions’ – for Presbyterianism to be imposed on England. When the Scots Army received a third of its back pay, they handed Charles over to Parliament. That occurred in January, 1647, and three months later, in April, the ‘New Model Army’, which was itself in disagreement with the Presbyterian faction in Parliament, secured the person of the King. However, good ol’ Charlie wasn’t done yet. He escaped and after refusing to compromise over a settlement with the Army or with Parliament, Charles signed the ‘Engagement’ with the Scots. The ensuing Scottish invasion, and simultaneous Royalist uprisings in England and Wales, resulted in the short, but bitterly fought Second Civil War.

The Second Civil War culminated in Cromwell’s victory over the Scots at the Battle of Preston, in August, 1648. By then, the writing was truly on the wall for Charles. In January, 1649, Parliament appointed a High Court of Justice and the King was charged with high treason against the people of England. Charles I was found guilty and sentenced to death on the 27th of January, 1649. The King lost his heid on a scaffold outside the Banqueting House at Whitehall on the 30th of January.

[skysquid22]

Bit of a late Sunday Six: @jichanxo, @four-white-trees, @overdevelopedglasses, and @mike----wazowski. Got inspired to post a bit of original work this time around. Made a new OC for my fantasy story named Fortress :) Here's a small snippet of his interaction with the main two.

What started as a dual to earn the right to pass into the north had spilled out into the street as a sprawling event. Charlotte turned away from Fortress and faced the crowd. Defiant, she lifted her head and removed her hand with a flourish, revealing her clean neck. The people gasped but no one approached, too afraid now of who this pair was really. “By the divine connection Apple has,” Charlotte spoke with a commanding air. A holdover from her days as a former Lieutenant. “I have been brought back from the dead. The death came from my sliced neck, but it’s been healed completely. My heart still beats and I still bleed. She has brought me back to life.” Fortress remained with his back turned towards them. By now, he was the only one who wasn’t focused on the pair. But he was the only one to know the truth. “Is this what you really want?” Fortress stated, neither accusing or all that curious. “Word of this event will spread. Soon both the north and south will know of the only successful envoy Oxeye has ever achieved since before we waged a war against the gods.” He looked over his shoulder at them. “Bounty hunters aren’t welcomed where you two seek to go. Rumors of salvation are only going to make your lives hell. I can expect the underground rates for your capture little Apple to be extraordinary.” His steel eyes shifted to Charlotte who was now turned around to face him. “A word of advice. Stick together. If you’re not careful you’ll find the fate that’s worse than death.” He turned around and began walking back to the barracks, the terrified crowd parting the waters to let their leader through. He cracked the atmosphere with his last words to them: “Open the gates!”

[aquadestinyswriting]

Titan Modern AU- Chapter One

Summary: Meredith gets to meet with one of the people in charge of her new post. A quick conversation about Fangthane culture is had before the discussion turns to other matters- namely where Constable Gruksdottir is going to be staying.

Words: 1,161

Tags: @druidx, @sparrow-orion-writes @warriorbookworm, @thesorcerersapprentice, @blind-the-winds, @philosophika, @the-down-upside-finch, @hippiewrites

Warnings: Some talk about fictional religions but otherwise only avoid if the idea of women with beards grosses you out.

Notes: I fully admit, I just wanted a justification for Merri to keep her beard because I literally cannot see her without one. It allowed me to do some worldbuilding though, which is always fun.

Meredith stood at firm attention with her arms behind her back. The only indication of what she was feeling being a slight quirk of an eyebrow when she caught the surprised stare of the Diplomatic Envoy she was being introduced to out of the corner of her eye. 

Lieutenant Starhammer coughed politely, sitting down behind his desk and waving at his new constable,

“At ease, Gruksdottir. This is meant to be an informal chat. A chance fer us all to get to know each other.” he said. He beamed at the tall, slim woman, who was now settling down into the couch next to the fireplace, “Lady Frigidwake here is the Diplomatic Envoy to the Kingdom of Fangthane. She’s not quite the one in charge, but she does do a lot of work to keep things ticking along as smoothly as possible.” he explained. The Envoy laughed and smiled at both Fangthanians as Meredith relaxed her stance,

“Well, I try to.” she quipped. She gestured to the magpie sitting quietly on her shoulder, “This is Chrackle, he’s a companion of mine. I must ask that you try not to pay him too much attention as he’s supposed to be a working animal.” Meredith nodded, noting with amusement the slightly offended-sounding croak the bird made,

“I’ll bear that in mind, Ma’am.” she said. “I realise that you are, of course, versed in a great deal of Fangthanian culture, but I couldn’t help but notice your surprise as you walked in, Ma’am.” she noted. The other woman flushed a little in embarrassment,

“Ah, yes. I do apologise, that was insensitive. I’m afraid to say that I haven’t had much experience with the Throffite community. Very few Fangthanian women grow their beards out these days, so when I was informed that Lieutenant Starhammer was expecting a female constable, I made an assumption. Again, I apologise.” she said. Meredith shook her head, finally,

“No offence has been taken, Ma’am.” she stated, “You are quite correct, the majority of Fangthanian women shave, and I am very much an exception. Believe me, I am quite used to awkward stares and questions.” Lady Frigidwake pursed her lips and toyed with the end of a strand of greying auburn hair,

“That still does not excuse my conduct.” she retorted, “However, lessons have been learned and I shall not dwell on it any further.” she added, tickling her magpie under his beak as he nibbled at her ear. 

Starhammer chuckled and leaned back in his seat, which creaked loudly, 

“Well, now that we’re all acquainted, I think we can finally turn to business.” he said. He looked to Meredith first,

“I understand ye didn’t get a chance to work out someplace to stay while you’re here, given how quickly ye were kicked out the capital. I’d offer to put you up myself, but my youngest has had to move back home and has brought the weans, so there’s no room, I’m afraid.” 

Meredith shook her head,

“You don’t need to go to that kind of trouble, sir.” she protested, “I’ll be happy enough to keep staying at the Crabbit Sow until I can find somewhere more permanent.” 

Starhammer snorted,

“I’m no’ having ye waste all yer savings like that, lass.” he retorted. The Lieutenant turned to Lady Frigidwake,”D’ye ken of anyplace that’ll be willing to put her up?” he asked. The envoy tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully,

“I’d need to make a couple of calls, but yes, I think I might know some people.” she replied. She pushed her glasses back up her nose as she smiled at Meredith, “I’ll have somewhere for you to stay by the end of the day.” she chirped. This time it was Meredith’s turn to flush,

“Ye really don’t need to go to so much trouble –” Starhammer scoffed,

“Lassie! It’s no trouble. Ye’re a constable of the Stronghold Guardian Corps! Since we dinna have a barracks on site, that means ye’re entitled to have a place to live nearby.” he reminded her. “Moradin’s beard, ye’re an uptight one, aren’t ye? Auld Vanskleig’s right when he says that working here for a bit’ll be good for ye.” he added.

Meredith opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find some way to protest, but couldn’t find the words to refute what her new commanding officer had just said. After a moment, she huffed a sigh,

“Aye, sir.” she grumbled. Lady Frigidwake shook her head,

“I’ll go make those calls now, then. Lieutenant Starhammer, was there anything else we needed to discuss in the meantime?” she asked. Smoothing down her skirt as she stood. Starhammer thought for a moment, then shook his head,

“Nothing that can’t wait until next week, lass.” The old soldier stood, with a bit of effort, and bowed slightly to the envoy, “In the meantime, please give my regards to Father Shiverstaff, and remind him that he still owes me drinks.” he added with a smile. Lady Frigidwake laughed and inclined her head slightly

“I’ll pass the message on.” she said. She turned to Meredith, who had by now also stood and was standing at attention again, “It was a pleasure to meet you Constable Gruksdottir, I look forward to working with you.” she said. Meredith snapped off a salute,

“Aye, Ma’am.” she stated. Lady Frigidwake smiled, sent Lieutenant Starhammer a knowing look, then swept out of the office. Starhammer sighed as he turned to Meredith,

“I’ve got my work cut out, haven’t I?” he muttered. He picked up the top sheet from a stack of papers, “Well, seeing as ye’ve been sent back down to start from scratch, I might as well have ye on guard duty at the front door until I get word of what Command wants done with ye, or we figure out where yer strengths lie.” he said. Meredith nodded brusquely and saluted again,

“Aye, sir.” she stated. She sent him a quizzical look, “May I ask what time I can leave my post, sir?” she asked. The Lieutenant sighed,

“Well, the office closes for the day at five-thirty. Seeing as I’m pretty much the only other person here for now, you might as well clock off then.” he replied. Meredith nodded,

“Of course, sir. Thank you, sir.” she said. There were a few moments’ silence until Starhammer heaved a sigh,

“Ye’re free to leave and get to yer post, Constable.” he said wearily. “If there does happen to be any trouble out there, ye do have permission to get involved.” he added just as Meredith began marching out the door.

“Understood, sir.” Meredith called as she finally exited the room, leaving Starhammer to wonder just what he’d gotten himself into. He opened the folder he’d been sent from Sergeant Major Ragnarsson, reading through the various evaluation forms and report summaries. He stroked his moustache thoughtfully,

“Well now, I think I owe the Field Marshal quite the favour for this.” he murmured.

[generic-whumperz]

Republic Of Arcadia Hierarchy

Hierarchy explanations below

Apocamerica Masterlist

Overview: The Republic of Arcadia (ROA) remains shrouded in mystery and thus shielded from US military personnel and lawmakers' scrutiny. From what little is known, it appears to be a dystopian police state born from chaos, blending elements of a medieval feudal system with a simplified modern military command structure. Functioning under a rigid top-down hierarchy, it offers security along with oppression, as the ruling Baron and Commander overlords protect at the cost of the lower classes' freedom. Vassals, merchants, and slaves work the land under close supervision, living in a state of monitored survival.

Rumors suggest the ruler of ROA is none other than the former United States vice president, Thelonious Rousseau, who has assumed the role of authoritarian leader of Arcadia. Rousseau—thought to be slowly descending into madness, driven by personal tragedy and ambition veiled under vengeance—blames his predecessor for the apocalypse and has taken the self-proclaimed title of Archon of Arcadia. By using fear and propaganda, he maintains control over the populace. The former President is villainized and held responsible for the nemaxys outbreak, while Rousseau positions himself as the savior of humankind. This narrative serves to justify his harsh rule and the feudal system put in place to control citizens and manage production. With the people yearning for security, they reluctantly yield their rights in exchange for military protection, further solidifying the Archon's stronghold over the lives of the reluctant Arcadians.

Once obstinate in its refusal to engage in diplomatic or trade relations with the remaining United States sectors, the ROA has since softened its stance. Following the US’s formal recognition of its sovereignty, communication channels have opened, facilitating the possible exchange of vital resources between the two nations.

Hierarchy (bottom to top)

Vassals, merchants, slaves: Farmers, fishermen, tradespeople, grid workers (sanitation, plumbing, electricity, etc.), small business owners. People who did not have trade skills or were refugees or prisoners were now slaves owned by Commanders or Barons. Vassals and merchants are contractually bound to Barons but are technically free citizens of Arcadia.

Constables, Stewards: Lower ranking Envoys. Basically cops. Patrol frequently are stationed everywhere. “Protect civilians.” Are the on-the-ground eyes and ears of Arcadia.

Envoys (ranking order): Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Major: The soldiers & military force. Very powerful, Arcadia’s biggest asset and how they keep borders protected. Envoys are the muscles and protectors keeping this house of cards from crumbling. Primarily protect borders and guard shipments and higher officials.

Commanders: Resource management, controls trade and import/exports, and manages & deploys Envoys. Lays the laws of the land as set forth by Barons & Bishops.

Barons, Bishops (& other clergymen): “Lords,” overseers, former town mayors, and spiritual/religious leaders. In charge of the lands and deploying the Envoys. Own the slaves and direct the vassals of the land. Acting Emissaries of Arcadia.

Archon: Supreme ruler, likened to a King or President. Keeps a close council of 5, referred to as first, second, and so on. Secretive, inner circle dealings. Unknown location. Untouchable. Has a harem of Mystics used to keep power, sway the influence of Barons & Bishops, and keep away enemies (including USA) and aggressors.

[druidx]

ROY G BIV

Thanks for the tag, @spacetimewraithwrites-archive. Another game I can use as motivation to edit Alexis Dalliance vs the Evil of Titan!

Tagging back: @aalinaaaaaa @thewriteflame @wildswrites @aquadestinyswriting @artdecosupernova-writing @autumnalwalker @blind-the-winds @eli-writes-sometimes @hannahcbrown @oh-no-another-idea @rhikasa @swordsoulwrites @winglesswriter @andromeda-grace @writingmaidenwarrior @wispstalk @late-to-the-fandom @athenswrites

Rules: Search your WIP for the colours of the rainbow and post the excerpt

Red

As Captain Hengar poured himself a drink, Alexis eyed the others who’d been pull into this… Whatever this was. Lounging against a shelf filled with parchments, ink pots and other errata was a tall, broad human. He wore rough-treated hides, his flame-red hair and beard woven through with beads and bones. A barbarian then.

Orange

(Didn't need editing; no synonyms found)

Yellow

The journey back took many weeks. Slowly the dusty yellow of the Desert of Skulls gave way to the khaki and dun greens of the Flatlands, which melded into the lush waving grasses of the Pagan Plains. The humping grey stone of Toreguard’s walls were a welcome sight as they grew larger on the horizon.

Green

Alexis turned her attention to the blond elf who leant next to the door, his arms crossed. At his hip was a quiver of arrows, his bow propped within easy reach. From the mottled green of his armour he could only be one thing: A forest ranger.

Blue

At the entrance to the great hall their envoy stopped, halted by the castle steward. The Lieutenant rapped out a series of commands. His men scattered in an orderly fashion to disparate points of the room as he and the steward spoke. To keep her heart from racing, Alexis glanced over the room. It was tall and narrow, a long carpet of rich blue and gilt edges forming an aisle over the parquet flooring. High along the walls rose a series of etched windows. One single, giant window of stained glass rose behind the throne on it's little dais, framing the figure who sat there.

Indigo

(Didn't need editing; no synonyms found)

Violet

(Didn't need editing; no synonyms found)

[april-is]

April 15, 2023: Dutch Elm Disease, Valencia Robin

Dutch Elm Disease Valencia Robin When Danny Johnson's big brother was killed in Vietnam, Danny ran around the block five times. I counted. Ran as if when he stopped his brother would be back in their driveway washing his car. But nobody knew anything about time travel back then, Star Trek hadn't even come out, Lieutenant Uhura still on Broadway doing Blues for Mr. Charlie. And even if Danny did understand the space-time continuum, his parents weren't having it, his mother on the porch yelling his name, his father tackling him on the front lawn, all us kids, the whole block standing there on pause. Which didn't exist either. No fast forward, no reverse. We weren't even Black yet. Was Milwaukee even Milwaukee? Is the Lincoln Park Bridge still there, do boys like Danny still climb over the rail, hug their bony knees to their narrow chests and plop into the river as if there's no way his parents could lose two children? Which is all I know about Vietnam, that and the way the sun hung in the faded sky as Danny ran around and around and held the air hostage, that and the way the thick August air ignored the leaves of all our doomed elm trees and let itself be held hostage. The streets were like ghosts when they cut down those trees.

--

Also:  // On Being Asked To Write A Poem Against The War In Vietnam, Hayden Carruth // An Ordinary Composure, James L. White // Paralysis, Peter Boyle // Things That Have Changed Since You Died, Laura Kasischke

Today in: 

2022: More Bang for Your Buck Running Scared, Brennan Bestwick 2021: Rain, Peter Everwine 2020: Things to Do in the Belly of the Whale, Dan Albergotti 2019: Prayer, Galway Kinnell 2018: Egg, C.G. Hanzlicek 2017: Well Water, Randall Jarrell 2016: For Desire, Kim Addonizio 2015: The Coming of Light, Mark Strand 2014: Flying Low, Stephen Dunn 2013: The Envoy, Jane Hirshfield 2012: Red Wand, Sandra Simonds 2011: Trying to Raise the Dead, Dorianne Laux 2010: Asking for Directions, Linda Gregg 2009: A Blessing, James Wright 2008: New York, New York, David Berman 2007: Waste Land Limericks, Wendy Cope 2006: There Are Two Worlds, Larry Levis 2005: America, Allen Ginsberg

[windermeresimblr]

As Far As Dawn, 1.1

Near Isbal, Iberia

Tartessian Territory

206 BCE

Egilius: [This is Decurion Mettius Ranassius Numerianus Gavienus, of the Seventh. I am Lieutenant Gaius Egilius Vala, also of the Seventh. We come as envoys of Publius Cornelius Scipio, requesting parley with King Bilustibas.]

Guard: [Wait here in the courtyard.]

Author’s Notes

Egilius is the one pointing, on the left-hand horse. 

This was going to be a longer post, but I kept having issues with Ranassius and Egilius getting stuck and no longer posing after I took them out of their horseback poses, so we’re...going to have more bite-size increments for a little bit. Ah well.

Credits

Poses, armor and helmets, and saddle decor by @danjaley

Lot by FakeHousesRealAwesome in Frankensonnet’s Jefferson, which kind of looks like the area around Seville if you squint a bit.

Patterns by @simlicious

Shedu and decor people by @murfeelee

The guard’s, Ranassius’, and Egilius’ shoes by Pixicat

[halos-top-alien-model]

consider this a bonus thing while waiting for the polls to end

I have written 12k+ words in this oneshot and Rtas is finally about to actually meet Nizat, the entire point of this whole thing. the end is in sight. have some out of context bits to celebrate:

(hilariously wrong theories #1)

Shadow of Intent had other goals - mainly the search for a San'Shyuum flotilla - but that search was taking an eternity to bear fruit. In between the hunt, the ship would take part in defense of Sangheili territory, diplomatic matters, and even urgent combat operations if desperately needed. This mission was a bit of all three, and it helped that Shadow of Intent had already been a good distance close to this system. Who knows - maybe the culprit they'd unmask would in fact be the missing San'Shyuum, attempting to use the "cursed" planet as a hiding spot nobody would dare check.

(hilariously wrong theories #2)

But what if they were all wrong. What if there was some third party or unknown factor playing against both sides? What if this thing was the reason for this planet's dreadful name?

In the deep recesses of his mind, Rtas could not help but think of the Flood. Remnants of the parasite were still hidden across the galaxy, imprisoned by the Forerunners but just as capable of returning to its former conquest if underestimated. There were a few rare occurrences, barring the encounters on the Halo rings, that the Flood was said to have appeared during the war. It was not impossible to imagine that these ship casualties were due to the crews trying to prevent the parasite from breaking free from this system. Even then, it did not have to be the Flood themselves - there could other horrors that the Forerunners kept hidden on the old worlds.

Were there truly castaways waiting for them on the surface? Or was it something else that was just as eager to travel to the greater galaxy using their ship?

(Tul & Vul getting along + Rtas' having a good unstressful day)

"Shipmaster!" Another voice broke through COMMs, but this time from Tul. "We have located the humans-"

Both Rtas and Vul whirled around, facing the cave.

"In there?!" he asked, incredulous on the stroke of luck. "So the envoy has-"

"Throw your weapons towards the cave entrance first. Or else they will shoot."

Vul scoffed. "And why would we fear a few-"

"Not at you, fool!" Tul fired back.

With that declaration, Rtas could only wonder how things went wrong.

(suspicious slip-up #1)

"Hold on..." the leader said. "How do we know this isn't a trap? That all you're saying is a lie? Mo-"

Despite possibly being a subordinate, one of the humans at his side slammed a shoulder in his side.

"The Lieutenant Commander said Innies sometimes tried working with the Covenant!" Melody took note at the correction there.

(suspicious slip-up #2)

"We're not letting either of you out of this cave just yet," the leader replied back. "Not with your buddies right outside. The Lieutenant Commander is on her way."

One of his buddies faltered then. "But... When she gets here, she's gonna-"

"Not in front of them, idiot!"

(uh-oh Rtas)

And Rtas had just landed a majority of his ground-side forces on the mouth of a super-weapon. Now he had a second reason to worry for Stolt.

(Energy Sword Sunday)

The only thing Stolt found that was familiar with them were the Energy Swords at their sides. Couldn't be Sangheili without them.

(Rtas propaganda)

"And this Shipmaster? Can you vouch for him as your Rangers have for you?"

"Can I? His renown is second to only our founder! The sole survivor that quashed one parasite outbreak, the leader that sprung up to quarantine High Charity when another hit, the commander that won against a Covenant fleet with a 3-1 disadvantage, the one who bested a Prelate and saved a colony world from destruction!" If Rtas could hear this, he'd surely be shutting this down, but Stolt knew that playing him up was the best play here. He could see it in 'Lakosee's eyes - Rtas' worth was being tested right now, and he wasn't even here to defend himself! So it'd have to come down to the words of a subordinate, just as it worked for Stolt; and even if Stolt was exaggerating his tone a little, he truly respected Rtas more than possibly anyone else. Maybe even a bit more than the Arbiter himself, although it helped that Stolt saw Rtas every single day in comparison to the mythological-levels the Arbiter had taken on to everyone outside of his immediate vicinity.

(uh oh Stolt)

Stolt blinked once. Then twice. And for the rest of the wait time for Rtas' arrival, he debated on whether these were a better or a worse kind of crazy cultists.

(heheh i'm kicking my legs)

"There is no deal sweet enough to make me betray the Arbiter," Rtas said.

(Rtas' day goes from good to great)

So, this had to be it - the full and honest truth. This Worldmaster could do miraculous things with his mind somehow and everyone believed it was due to the divine.

How the hell do you respond to such a situation?! Even with all the time in the world, how do you formulate a plan to counter this? He had only minutes to figure that out!

[grandmaster-anne]

Court Circular | 16th February 2023

Buckingham Palace

His Excellency Mr Bader Mohammed Al Mantheri was received in audience by The King today and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Sultanate of Oman to the Court of St James’s. His Excellency Mr Thani Thongphakdi was received in audience by The King and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Kingdom of Thailand to the Court of St James’s. Mrs Thongphakdi was also received by His Majesty. Mr Thomas Drew (Director General Defence and Intelligence for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) was present. The King this afternoon attended a Reception at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone, 300 Saxon Gate, Milton Keynes, to celebrate Milton Keynes’ new status as a City, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire (Countess Howe). His Majesty met community groups representing charitable, business, faith, environmental and arts organisations in Milton Keynes. The King afterwards visited Milton Keynes Food Bank, 14 Burners Lane, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes, and was received by Ms Fola Komolafe (Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire) and Ms Louisa Hobbs (Operations Manager). His Majesty met staff, volunteers and representatives from local partner schools and organisations and viewed the foodbank’s new Mobile Top-Up Shop. The King later received His Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber (United Arab Emirates’ Special Envoy for Climate Change and President Designate of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties). Mr Vinod Tailor (Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire) was present at London Luton Airport this morning upon the Arrival of The President of the Republic of Poland and welcomed His Excellency on behalf of His Majesty. The King and The Queen Consort were represented by Sir Nicholas Coleridge at the Memorial Service for Dame Vivienne Westwood (Fashion Designer) which was held in Southwark Cathedral, London SE1, this afternoon.

St James’s Palace

The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, today carried out the following engagements in New Zealand. Her Royal Highness this morning visited Havana Coffee Works Limited Roastery, 163 Tory Street, Te Aro, Wellington. The Princess Royal, Patron, New Zealand Riding for the Disabled Association Incorporated, later visited the Wellington Group at Battle Hill Farm Forest Park, 610 Paekakariki Hill Road, Porirua. Her Royal Highness, President, the Mission to Seafarers Limited, this afternoon opened the new Wellington Mission site, Shed 39, CentrePort Wellington, Aotea Quay, Port of Wellington. The Princess Royal, President, the Mission to Seafarers Limited, afterwards unveiled the Foundation Stone for the Mission to Seafarers and Merchant Navy Memorial at Wellington Cathedral of Saint Paul, 2 Hill Street, Thorndon, Wellington. Her Royal Highness, Colonel-in-Chief, Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, this evening attended a Reception at Government House, Wellington. The Princess Royal, Colonel-in-Chief, Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, afterwards attended a Dinner at Government House given by the Governor-General of New Zealand (the Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro).

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, Colonel-in-Chief, Royal Army Medical Corps, this afternoon received Major General Alan Hawley upon relinquishing his appointment as Representative Colonel Commandant and Brigadier Robin Simpson upon assuming the appointment.

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, this morning visited The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) at Leuchars Station, St Andrews, Fife.

[historyhermann]

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" Breaks Protocol with LGBTQ Representation

On October 14, the season two finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks aired on Paramount+, and while the show is lauded by some for "breaking new ground" as a sci-fi comedy and mature adult animation, often reviewers don't talk about the LGBTQ representation at the heart of the show itself.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, my History Hermann WordPress blog, and Wayback Machine. This was the eighth article I wrote for The Geekiary. This post was originally published on October 20, 2021. In the original version of this article I made an error about the bisexuality of Mariner, and unknowingly said some biphobic stuff about Mariner, which I had not intended. I corrected it not long after I heard those comments and worked to make sure that wouldn't happen again. Strangely enough, this article flew through the editors at The Geekiary with no comment on this, showing that the issues with articles are my own and the editors aren't there, all the time, to help me.

Star Trek: Lower Decks, which premiered on the streaming platform CBS All Access (later renamed Paramount+) in August 2020, is the first animated series in the Star Trek franchise since Star Trek: The Animated Series which aired on NBC from 1973-1974. It has been nominated for three Critics' Choice Super Awards and one Emmy Award for voice acting, animation, and sound editing. The series focuses on officers of a low rank who engage in menial work,, rather than senior officers or captains, who are supporting characters.

The series has four main characters: ensigns Beckett Mariner (voiced by Tawny Newsome), Brad Boimler (voiced by Jack Quaid), D'Vana Tendi (voiced by Noël Wells), and Sam Rutherford (voiced by Eugene Cordero). Supporting characters include Carol Freeman (voiced by Dawnn Lewis), captain of the Cerritos, Mariner's mother, First Officer Jack Ransom (voiced by Jerry O'Connell), Tactical Officer Shaxs (voiced by Fred Tatasciore), and head medical doctor T'Ana (voiced by Gillian Vigman).

Mike McMahan, the creator of Solar Opposites and writer and producer of Rick and Morty, is the series creator and showrunner, while music is composed by Chris Westlake and Titmouse, Inc. does the series animation. Both series include LGBTQ characters, specifically the genderless aliens Korvo and Terry in Solar Opposites. Sleepy Gary and Jerry Smith on Rick and Morty are queer, with Gary as bisexual and Smith as bisexual or pansexual as noted in recent episodes.

The ten-episode first season of the series involves wild adventures from fighting a virus infection and terraforming agent on the ship, to ship salvaging, a surprise party, and a family secret, that Freeman is Mariner's mother. The second season ups the ante, with godlike possession of a crew member, a dangerous mission with a "collector," a mission to retrieve a "special item" for T'Ana, a scammer, and a race of beings which duplicate when they get scared. Other episodes focus on the lower deckers cleaning up unpredictable anomalies from previous missions, a malevolent computer A.I., drills for the crew which they are designed to fail, a 12-hour-time warp, and a risky first contact mission.

Through all of this, Mariner's queerness is emphasized. In the show's first season, Captain Amina Ramsey (voiced by Toks Olagundoye) is shown as being chummy with Mariner in the episode "Much Ado About Boimler," and in the episode "No Small Parts" it was shown that she previously dated Steve Levy, a Lieutenant. She also stated in the episode "Envoys" that she once dated a humanoid and female-presenting Anabaj to anger her mother. In an October 2020 interview, McMahan confirmed that Ramsey was Mariner's ex-girlfriend at Starfleet Academy, and stated that "every Starfleet officer is probably at the baseline[,] bisexual" and hinted that this would be expanded in the show's second season. This meant that by the end of the show's first season, it was implied that Mariner is bisexual.

However, the Season 2 episode "We'll Always Have Tom Paris" blew it out of the water. At one point, Mariner tells Tendi she is "always dating bad boys, bad girls, bad gender non-binary babes, ruthless alien masterminds, [and] bad bynars." As such, this implied she is pansexual, as some reviewers noted. Furthermore, in the show's season two finale, Mariner admitted she liked a female-presenting alien, Jennifer Sh’reyan (voiced by Lauren Lapkus), after Sh’reyan saved her from dying in the void of space, as Mariner's walls began to come down. This led some fans to speculate the two may be shown as a couple in the upcoming third season.

Mariner tells Tendi about the people she has dated in the past, hinting at her possible pansexuality

There appear to be other LGBTQ characters in Star Trek: Lower Decks as well, their identities arguably implied. For one, Andarithio "Andy" Billups (voiced by Paul Scheer), the chief engineer aboard the Cerritos and prince of Hysperia, is implied, arguably, to be asexual. In one episode, "Where Pleasant Fountains Lie", he has no interest in having sex with either the male guard nor the female guard. In another, in the simulated drill called "Naked Time," where all the crew are naked, either kissing one another or engaging in foreplay, which scars poor Mariner, he is not participating in any sexual acts. The funny part about the latter drill is that apparently all of them could see this drill happening with their eyes. Now, that would have been an interesting scene, even though many of them might have been scarred by life if they saw it.

In an interview this month, Quaid has said that Boimler could be queer, stating that he would "not rule it out," and adding that in the Star Trek universe, it is an "aspirational future and sexuality is a spectrum." That has been shown to be the case with queer characters - for instance, Hikaru Sulu, a gay man in various Star Trek films, while Hugh Culber, who is in a relationship with Paul Stamets in Star Trek: Discovery. The latter series also features Gray Tal, a trans man. Kira Nerys, from the mirror universe, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is bisexual and in a relationship with a woman, Ezri Tigan. This is not to be confused with the Kira Nerys in the main universe, who did not have such relationships and had a different sexual orientation. Tigan, on the other hand, also flirts with women other than Nerys from the mirror universe. In the same series, Dax is a symbiont who became an icon for trans people who changes genders. In Star Trek: Picard, Raffi Muskier is the romantic partner of Seven of Nine.

It is likely that Sh’reyan, an Andorian woman, will have more of a recurring role in the show's next season. This can be extrapolated from McMahan's recent interview with SYFY where he talks about how the arc with Sh’reyan started with an ad-lib from Tawny Newsome, with Sh’reyan pushed aside in the episode "Cupid's Errant Arrow." Apart from the interaction between Mariner and Sh’reyan in the Season Two finale and both crossing paths briefly across many episodes, Sh’reyan is coded as liking women. She is shown kissing Barnes, an ensign, in the "Naked Time" simulation, is talking with an officer, Castro, in the episode "wej Duj."

Many shipping fan fictions for Mariner are more skewed toward men, like Boimler and Ransom, and less so toward anyone else, with those fan fictions shipping Mariner with Boimler, a ship dubbed "Marinler" by fans which is popular on AO3 and Tumblr. These fan fictions are just as valid as those shipping her with women like Tendi, or those which describe Mariner as in polyamorous relationships, to give two examples. Marinler fans see Mariner and Boimler as more than friends and buds. Rather they see Mariner as Boimler as two people who are romantic toward each other. This perspective is completely understandable based on the interactions between Mariner and Boimler during the series, even if other fans, like myself, interpret the interactions between Mariner and Boimler as being more platonic. While Marinler fan fictions will undoubtedly continue to prosper and grow, even without a dedicated subreddit, in the fandom as a whole, it is possible that there will be more fan fictions which ship Mariner with non-male characters. After all, McMahan has confirmed that Mariner will be dating Jennifer in the next season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. McMahan also noted that although the show is "not about Mariner’s romantic relationships" it instead focuses on how Mariner "sees herself, and how she treats friends and colleagues more than romantic partners," in his words.

Mariner admits she likes Sh’reyan in the season two finale

A third season of Star Trek: Lower Decks is already confirmed and will likely air sometime in 2022. If Mariner gets a girlfriend, like Sh’reyan, as was implied in the Season 2 finale, and is shown exploring her identity more in the season, then it would mean that series would truly be one of the best representations in mature animation for a while. It would far exceed representation embodied by the lesbian protagonist in the mature animation Final Space, named Ash Graven (voiced by Ashly Burch), for which I gave an overly optimistic (perhaps too optimistic) assessment which led to annoyance from angry Redditors at my "incorrect" assessment of the series.

Unlike Final Space, which was sadly cancelled earlier this year due to the merger of Discovery and Warner Media according to Final Space creator Olan Rogers, Star Trek: Lower Decks will continue on due to its seeming support from ViacomCBS and CBS executives. As such, the series has the ability to expand its LGBTQ representation, apart from Mariner and possibly Billups, to, hopefully, others in the main cast like Tendi, Rutherford, or Boimler, or even in the supporting cast. However, it does not seem that any of the cast members are part of the LGBTQ community, which is unfortunate.

As such, Star Trek: Lower Decks has the possibility of moving mature animation in a more inclusive direction, joining the ranks of ongoing mature animations like The Great North, Invincible, RWBY, Disenchantment, Harley Quinn, Tuca & Bertie, Bojack Horseman, and gen:LOCK, to name a few, of series with LGBTQ characters. While I remain cautiously optimistic that Star Trek: Lower Decks will do this for LGBTQ representation, I'm not holding my breath, as the season could go a different direction and focus on something else entirely.

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