#Visual Product Configurator

[prototechsolutionsblog]

From Inquiry to Invoice: How CPQ Configurators Accelerate the Furniture Sales Funnel

In today’s fast-paced, customer-centric marketplace, furniture businesses are under increasing pressure to deliver personalized products, accurate quotes, and streamlined transactions — all without compromising speed or accuracy. With complex product catalogs, customizable options, and variable pricing, the traditional furniture sales funnel can be slow, error-prone, and frustrating for both buyers and sellers. Enter CPQ configurators, the digital accelerators that are transforming the furniture industry from the first inquiry to the final invoice.

What is a CPQ Configurator?

CPQ stands for Configure, Price, Quote, a category of software tools designed to streamline the sales process for complex and customizable products. A CPQ configurator allows sales teams, and in many cases, customers themselves, to configure a product, calculate an accurate price based on selected options, and generate a formal quote instantly.

In the furniture industry, where every detail matters, from fabric and finish to size and add-ons, CPQ tools eliminate guesswork, reduce back-and-forth, and enable a seamless sales experience.

How CPQ Configurators Streamline the Furniture Sales Funnel

Let’s look at how a CPQ configurator streamlines and accelerates each phase of the sales funnel:

1. Inquiry & Product Discovery

Modern CPQ tools often come integrated with 3D visual configurators that allow buyers to explore products interactively. Instead of flipping through physical catalogs or static PDFs, customers can visualize a chair in walnut finish with a leather seat or a modular sofa in various layouts — all in real time.

This interactive experience increases engagement, shortens the discovery phase, and gives customers confidence in their choices.

2. Product Configuration with Accuracy

Furniture CPQs are built with business logic and product rules that ensure every configuration is manufacturable. If a particular leg design isn’t compatible with a certain tabletop or material, the system prevents the user from selecting it.

This rule-based intelligence reduces costly errors, speeds up approvals, and ensures consistency across the sales team. It also frees up sales reps to focus on closing rather than correcting.

3. Real-Time Pricing

Pricing in the furniture industry can be highly variable, influenced by raw material costs, regional taxes, volume discounts, and more. A CPQ system can automatically calculate the correct price based on the customer’s selections in real time.

Dynamic pricing not only ensures quote accuracy but also helps sales reps respond to pricing inquiries faster and more confidently.

4. Instant Quoting

With CPQ software, quotes are generated instantly, often complete with product visuals, specifications, and terms. This drastically reduces turnaround time from days to minutes.

A faster quote means a faster decision, especially important in B2B scenarios where budget approval windows are narrow and time-to-purchase is short.

5. Order Processing and Invoicing

Once a quote is accepted, CPQ tools can integrate directly with ERP and CRM systems to automatically generate orders and invoices. No need to re-enter data, no risk of clerical errors, and no delay in kicking off production or delivery schedules.

End-to-end integration ensures that from the moment a customer makes a selection to the final payment, every step is tracked, documented, and executed efficiently.

CPQ in Action: Real-World Example

Consider a commercial furniture manufacturer that deals with hundreds of SKUs and highly customized products for office and hospitality spaces. Before CPQ, their sales reps spent hours on manual configuration, pricing approvals, and quote documentation.

After implementing a CPQ solution with 3D configuration and ERP integration, they reduced their quote-to-order time by over 70%, increased average order value by 18%, and saw a 50% drop in errors related to product configuration. Most importantly, their customers reported a more streamlined and enjoyable buying experience.

From inquiry to invoice, CPQ configurators empower furniture companies to meet modern expectations and stay ahead in a digital-first marketplace.

If you’re looking to optimize your furniture sales funnel with a CPQ solution, now’s the time. Streamline your quoting process, reduce costly mistakes, and close deals faster than ever.

Ready to explore what a CPQ configurator could do for your business? 

Let’s talk - https://prototechsolutions.com/3d-services/3d-product-configurator/

[88cars3d]

How 3D Car Models Are Transforming Product Visualization in 2025

🚘 Digital Vehicle Presentation Is Evolving In today’s digital-first world, businesses and creators need tools that help them visualize and present products realistically. Whether you’re launching a new car concept, showcasing fleet vehicles, or creating content for marketing, 3D car models offer a powerful solution. 📷 Why Use 3D Models for Visualization? Using 3D models instead of traditional…

[kbmax-cpqsoftware]

KBMax: Integration of Kinetic With CPQ

KBMax visual setup software is the best answer for firms looking to streamline their sales process. Our application provides seamless integration of Kinetic with CPQ, making it easier than ever to configure, price, and quote items precisely and rapidly. Contact us today at kbmax.com to learn how we can help you take your business to the next level.

[romchat]

The first episode of Two Husbands One Wife is so charmingly off-beat that I already love the show. Who knew what I needed in my life was a story about a three-way marriage between a woman and her ex and current boyfriend narrated by their dead pet rabbit.

Also, this is a small thing, but I appreciate the directing choice of constantly visualizing their little polycule through the number three, whether that's with the production design or blocking the characters in triangular configurations so they share the frame like they share their relationship.

I have a feeling the polycule will by polying in this drama.

[mebtlog]

WALLDEC - GOLD

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[transmutationisms]

i admittedly don't know much about lynch or his work; would love to hear more of your thoughts irt your last post

i've written more on lynch (mostly twin peaks) in my twin peaks tag but to be very general, i think that many people who talk about his work, and i'm very much including a lot of professional writers and critics here, fundamentally misunderstand the way he uses symbolic visual language and write him off as basically making beautiful nonsense when in truth, his work generally does have very overt and deliberate meanings and arguments to it, only you do have to actually parse the role that his signs & symbols play structurally in the formation of a narrative. again being reductive and simplistic, but: most people would have a great deal more confidence interpreting lynch if they thought of him as working in a german expressionist tradition, rather than what i usually hear described as 'surrealism'—by which they really mean to denote a kind of vulgar nihilist / absurdist stance that reduces all symbols to nonsense and thus obviates the need to actually read them.

to take an example that really annoys me, i don't know if you've seen inland empire (would recommend!) but i can't tell you how many times i've seen people dismiss the giant rabbit-headed sitcom bits as "surreal", "absurdist", or just "lynchian" (this means nothing in this context). if the visual symbols of the film are supposed to tell us what environment laura dern's character is in, and are supposed to correspond 1:1 to that environment, then the sitcom bits make no sense. on the other hand, what i would propose is that lynch typically projects his characters' psychological needs, wants, and anguishes outward onto the environments they occupy, rather than configuring the environment as a thing-in-itself that impresses upon the characters. inland empire is a film about the creative (including but not limited to artistic) process. what, then, can we surmise about laura dern (im sorry i saw this film thrice & don't remember the characters' names) from the intrusion of a sitcom into her increasingly dizzying, borderline dissociative work as an apparently precariously respectable actor? analogously to the way lynch brings the formal elements of a soap opera to his idyllic PNW small town in twin peaks, the sitcom format in inland empire introduces an altered logic into a story form that we might otherwise expect to read and follow in very different ways. the rabbits that laura dern sees are not random imagery denoting generic insanity; they are deliberately chosen pieces that tell us what she fears in taking on this artistic project, and how her vision of herself and her work must articulate along the sort of formal demarcation that differentiates a hollywood production from a children's television show from a verite documentary and so forth. the rabbit sitcom is supposed to be destabilising, but not because it's random or nonsensical.

i of course wouldn't reduce lynch's entire artistic outlook to only one mode of engagement or symbology, but broadly i do think that failing to parse his expressionistic use of symbolism is at the root of a lot of responses to his work (both positive & negative) that fail to actually say anything or derive any meaning. this is how people miss the extremely glaring reaganisms of twin peaks or blue velvet, for example. these symbols are not hidden, nor are they random. the association of the demon bob with the us bombing of hiroshima and nagasaki is a visually asserted statement about evil as lynch understands it. the factory landscapes in eraserhead (here the german-expressionist influence is quite overt) don't just represent the encroachment of a modernist (derogatory) environment into the dad's family life; they are also framed & shot & dressed to be a reflection of how he perceives his work, his social reproduction via his son, and the broader social context in which he lives. again i don't mean to reduce lynch's filmmaking ethos to one single aesthetic method lol—but, this is certainly a huge constitutive element of a lot of what he did, and it matters to me both because (again there is more on this in the link above) his work is profoundly, obviously conservative in ways that a shocking number of people miss or deny—and because, despite that, i get a lot of enjoyment from his technical skill and craft as a filmmaker, specifically including the way that he uses visual language & symbols as richly articulated projections of his characters and their various trials & tribulations.

[the-catch-center]

🔒 SPATIOTEMPORAL CATCH CENTER: INTERNAL RECONDITIONING DOSSIER

SUBJECT CODE: 044-EXE REVIEW OFFICER: Centaur K. Marlowe (Temporal Behavior Enforcement, Tier-5 Clearance) DATE OF INTAKE: 2025-05-08 UTC REALITY ANCHOR STATUS: UNSTABLE – FORCED REALIGNMENT IN PROGRESS EMOTIONAL COHERENCE INDEX: 41.8% NEURAL RESISTANCE FLUX: 12.4 (Critical)

I. SUBJECT'S ORIGIN: “JACOB HAWTHORNE RAINE”

Date of Birth: 1997-02-12 Region of Origin: Austin, Texas (North American Union, Post-Resurgence Sector) Baseline Occupation: Freelance Systems Agitator / Crypto Migration Consultant Criminal Record:

2044: Unauthorized Chrono-Tech Procurement (Sealed)

2049: Illegal Memory Weaving

2051: Emotional Downtime Fraud (Domestic Sector)

2055: Use of Quantum Masking Protocols to bypass Rebirth Registry

Psychological Profile: A classic deviant of the late post-modern diaspora: clever, underutilized, painfully self-aware, and pathologically allergic to meaning. "Jacob Hawthorne Raine" is the type of man who reads Stoicism while engaging in market destabilization, then cries about the state of the world over unlicensed espresso in a barcoded bio-lounge. Full of clever nihilism, feigned introspection, and cowardly hopes for escape.

II. TARGET INSERTION PROFILE (ABORTED): “MICHAEL ANTHONY HEMSWORTH”

Target Year: 1962 Planned Region: Troy, New York Assigned Cover: Junior Accountant at Mather & Co. Age upon Arrival: 28 Family Implantation: Wife (Homemaker archetype), 2 children (age 5 and 3 pre-coded), Border Collie (named Skip) Home: 3-bedroom, 2-bath colonial, lavender siding, modest lawn

Psychological Configuration Request: Subject requested full emotional dampening to 1960s middle-class baseline:

Elimination of ambition

Introduction of mild myopia and posture degradation

Neural loops centered on trivial routines (e.g., lawn maintenance, coffee brewing, sighing at newspapers)

Subdued masculinity: narrow shoulders, underdeveloped triceps, weak grip, domestic speech tone

Evaluation:

"A thoroughly pathetic attempt to disappear into irrelevance. His stated wish: 'I just want to be a good dad, finally.' A laughable fantasy. Like a delinquent arsonist dreaming of becoming a librarian. Denied." – Analyst Note

Subject’s emotional blueprint for “Michael Hemsworth” was so deliberately hollow it bordered on psychological self-mutilation. He did not wish to be forgotten. He wished to hide. And we at the Catch Center do not reward cowards.

III. INTERCEPTION AND FINAL ASSIGNMENT: “BRADFORD KELLEN ST. JAMES”

Year of Deployment: 2007 Age: 44 (Visual + Chrono Profile Recalibrated) Region: Midtown Manhattan Assigned Occupation: Executive Vice President of Global Equities Strategy, Augur-Bain Capital

PHYSICAL RESTRUCTURING

Height: 6’4” Body Type: Lean-hardened, vascularity prioritized, adrenal-pumped musculature Hair: Slicked back, loaded with product Facial Hair: Permanent stubble cycle (tuned to exhaustion-based aesthetic) Skin Flush Index: 3.2 (Stress/Caffeine saturation) Posture: Upright, twitchy—energy reads as always “mid-argument” Voice: Raspy, quick, with a controlled sneer Signature Accessories:

BlackBerry Pearl 8130 (left hand, always)

Omega Speedmaster watch

Loafers stretched to biometric ID specs: Size 28EE

Clothing: 2007 Wall Street aesthetic — charcoal suit, aggressive spread-collar French cuff white shirt, bold-striped tie, glinting belt buckle, hard-shined shoes

All materials embedded with anti-anachronism code overlays

Transformation Visuals (Active):

Flickering between suits and khakis (resistance phase)

Warp effects include: luminous financial charts, floating $ symbols, light trails of testosterone auras, subtle dopamine glitch overlays

BIOGRAPHICAL INSERTION: BRADFORD KELLEN ST. JAMES

Born: 1963-04-09, Darien, Connecticut Education:

Phillips Exeter Academy

Wharton School of Business, MBA (Class of 1987) Career Timeline:

1987: Merrill Lynch (Analyst)

1991: Goldman Sachs (VP)

1999: Augur-Bain Capital (SVP)

2004–Present: EVP, Global Equities, overseeing $312B in assets

Income: $5.2M annually (excluding illicit offshore holding accounts) Marital Status: Married (Name: Lacey Morland St. James, 41) Children:

Brayden (14, elite prep academy)

Knox (9, mostly ignored)

Personality Rewrite:

Patience: reduced to 1.2%

Empathy: 0.4% residual echo, flagged for deletion

Work Ethic: maxed at 9.9 (hyperactive, stimulant-driven)

Libido: weaponized

Speech patterns: hyperconfident, 2.2x normal interruption rate, fond of phrases like “circle back” and “synergize or die”

Notes from Analyst:

“Lacey is miserable. Of course she is. She married a man with bones. She lives with a reptile now.” “He remembers birthdays but doesn’t celebrate them. Sends emails to his wife from the next room.” “Never touches his kids unless it’s for a photo.” “They know he’s gone. So what? The market calls louder.”

DEATH PROJECTION FILE

Registered End of Cycle:

Date: September 29, 2031

Time: 02:41 a.m. EST

Location: Midtown Manhattan penthouse

Cause: Sudden cardiac arrest during self-directed “brainstorm sprint” at standing desk (64th consecutive hour without sleep)

Noted Artifacts at Scene:

11 crushed espresso pods

Blood-stained BlackBerry

Mirror selfie folder labeled “final quarter beastmode”

FINAL OBSERVATIONS

"Raine wanted warmth. A lawn. A little dog. He wanted to die a nobody, sighing into a chipped mug while flipping coupons. We gave him Wall Street in 2007. We gave him himself—not the coward trying to run. The man who thrives on conquest, burns through relationships, and smells like leather and fear. He’s not dreaming of 1962 anymore. He’s trading derivatives and barely blinking. Good."

[atamascolily]

Gather round, everyone - today I'm going to talk about a topic I've never seen discussed anywhere: the use of lace in Madoka Magica, particularly Rebellion.

Earlier, I was examining sketches of some prototype designs from the Rebellion Production Note, particularly this glove with Homulilly's name on, and I noticed something interesting in the accompanying text.

"黒レース... kuro rēsu... black lace... Wait a minute. That fringe on the bottom of the glove is supposed to be lace??!!!!!!!"

Because I've seen this same "peacock's tail" motif a lot, actually--it's the outer ring on the mandalas that appear around Walpurgisnacht and Homulilly.

Here's a close-up shot of that last shot of Homulilly from the Rebellion Production Note, which has a much higher resolution than the finished film version, so you can really appreciate the details:

Take a look at the "peacock's tail" edges of the mandala and compare them to the lace of Homulilly's shawl. It's the same pattern. It's obvious once you know to look for it, but I never would have made the connection without Inu Curry's comment.

And this is interesting, because lace appears a lot in Rebellion and in surprising places.

Take the "pennants" in this shot, for instance. I had always thought of them as "cobwebs", but then I saw the original sketch in the Rebellion Production Note--again, a much higher resolution than the film screenshot--and realized that they're woven lace, albeit a very different style from Homulilly's shawl.

There's also this striking image of Homura framed by lace that has always puzzled me, because what is it doing there (especially since it doesn't seem to be visible in any of the wide shots)?

I mentioned all of this to Silver, who said, "But wait, there's more!" and sent me screenshots to prove it.

As you can see, lace is associated with curtains, which are also an important visual motif in their own right. Not only does the fringe of Homulilly's glove in the Rebellion Production Note resemble curtains if you squint, the curtains that rise over Homulilly's entrance in the movie are also framed with lace and have the same overlapping "peacock's tail" shape.

Having established the connection between mandalas, lace, and curtains, let's take a look at the other witch who uses these in her design. Here's Walpurgisnacht's curtains from the opening shot of the original series.

Take a look at the lace at the center. You can see the same "peacock's tail" shape around the edges, and also what looks like a flower or a star or a sun at the center. Compare that with Walpurgisnacht's mandala that appears a few seconds later:

As you can see, both the "peacock's tail" and the flower/star at the center are both visible. (The ring in between is full of tomoe, which I have written about elsewhere, and the hole at the center bears an uncanny resemblance to the black hole at Homulilly's heart in the Production Note sketch above.)

In other words, the mandalas here are visual representations of lace patterns (or vice versa?). All of these elements are combined in the mandala of the Law of Cycles, which is literally a lace pattern with a similar flower/star design at the center:

Finally, there are multiple mandalas at the end of Rebellion featuring all kinds of different designs; this one has both the "peacock's tail" design and the central flower:

All of the mandalas in this scene are made of up of symbols that have appeared throughout Rebellion, most notably the dollhouse scene, although not in the same configurations. While they don't appear as physical lace, they certainly have lace-like patterns like the others.

(As an aside: I've always thought of the mandalas in the show as "doilies" in my head, and it turns out that impression wasn't so far off the mark. Life's funny like that.)

Mandalas are typically a symbol of divinity and world-creation, so it makes sense that Walpurgisnacht (the Stage-Producing witch) and the Law of Cycles (a goddess who has adopted many of Walpurgisnacht's attributes including a cart pulled by the witch's green elephants). Homulilly, too, creates a world inside her labyrinth, and is associated with sewing and thread and lace--and since mandalas and lace appear to be connected, it makes sense that she would have a mandala. Ditto for Devil Homura--who, I should take pains to point out, is also Homulilly (see the runes on the glove in the opening image)--as she has set herself up as the Law of Cycle's opposite.

So what does it all mean? First of all, I think this goes to show how much thought and care went into the creation of this series, and how even small details are connected to each other on a thematic and symbolic level. Secondly, it suggests yet another set of visual parallels between Walpurgisnacht and Homura/Homulilly, albeit on a much more subtle level than I was previously aware of.

Inu Curry, if you're reading this--I bet you thought that no one would ever notice and put the pieces together, but I did and now I'm telling the world. My since compliments, and I can't wait to see what you have in store for us in Walpurgis no Kaiten.

[ak-vintage]

Quarry - Chapter 18

Pairing: Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) x f!reader

Summary: Din Djarin is on what he expects to be his last bounty hunt for Greef Karga. After all, Nevarro is swiftly moving away from its previous reputation as a Guild member’s paradise, and Din has more important concerns now, like finding a Jedi to train his mysterious foundling. However, after capturing a wanted starship engineer who would rather go anywhere other than “home,” the Mandalorian is forced to reassess his priorities.

Your taste of freedom had been brief but glorious. Now you are a prisoner of the most infamous bounty hunter in the Outer Rim – it’s only a matter of time before he turns you in. There isn’t much you would not do to keep from being sent home, but as you find yourself growing closer to your captor and his strange little companion, you start to wonder whether escape is really what you want.

Set after Chapter 13: The Jedi but before Chapter 14: The Tragedy.

Chapter Tags & Warnings: 18+ MDNI! Reader is Mando's live-in starship engineer, second-person POV, no use of Y/N, minimal descriptors of reader character, canon-typical violence, descriptions of injuries, heavy angst, Din is coping poorly and is acting like an asshole in this one, y'all

Series Masterlist | Read on AO3

When you were a child on Chardaan, your parents had acquired an extensive library of starship reference manuals. Hull configurations, engine builds, weapons arrays, life support systems, and just about every flavor of modification you could imagine for nearly every model of ship ever designed – all organized by manufacturer, design purpose, and years of production. It had been your father’s favorite pastime – collecting, sorting, studying ship design, one that he passed on to you at a young age. You could recall sitting on the floor of his office, small enough to fit in the snug little nook under his desk, with a portable holoprojector, swiping through model after model, watching them spin in the palm of your hand. Even then, they had inspired your imagination, and the fire that imagination had lit in you led you to acquire far more than your fair share of ship design expertise long before Orron Halcard ever called you up for service in the shipyards.

And yet, even with such expertise, you found that Boba Fett’s ship was unlike any you had ever encountered.

Under different circumstances, you would have been falling over yourself for an opportunity to review the schematics, to examine the power generators, to get your hands on the hyperdrive reactors or the clearly heavily modified weaponry. As it was, when Din deposited you unceremoniously in one of the chairs that lined the edges of the ship’s navigation room, all you had the energy to do was watch, dumbstruck, as the ship’s walls began to rotate 90 degrees around the stationary platform under your feet. The cockpit, which had once been parallel with the navigation room, now sat above you, and had you not already been sitting, you thought you might have lost your balance at the vertigo-inducing visual of the two-story viewport suddenly dropping from the ceiling to the forward wall. Instead, you simply allowed your head to drop into your hands, elbows resting on your knees, refusing to look.

Fennec offered you a sympathetic smile and assured you that you would get used to the ship’s…unique design. She also directed you to a yellow-painted ladder that led to the lower decks, which filled the long, narrow body of the ship now that it was “vertical.”

“It’s not much,” she said wryly, “But if you take it all the way to the bottom, there’s a ‘fresher you can use. Why don’t you go get cleaned up? You’ll want to get that dirt out of your burns before we try to treat them.”  

You glanced over at Din, reluctant to go off on your own and leave him alone when he clearly was not himself. However, rather than the nod of approval or the request to stay that you had been expecting, you found him standing with his back to you at the edge of the room, arms folded across his chest, visor fixed on the approaching blackness of space.

He was somewhere else entirely, and he was entirely unaware of you.

Swallowing against the lump that had formed in your throat, you sent a half-hearted smile in Fennec’s direction before rising slowly to your feet and descending the ladder.

As you would expect given the size and function of the vessel, the lower decks of the Firespray proved to be rather cramped and utilitarian, but you were, nonetheless, impressed by the variety of functions Boba Fett had managed to account for in such a restricted space. Directly below the navigation room, you found what appeared to be a multipurpose common area not dissimilar from the Razor Crest’s cargo hold. You spotted what looked like a kitchen counter complete with a double-burner hot plate that had been bolted to its surface, a wall lined from floor to ceiling with anonymous-looking cargo bins that had been lashed into place with tactical netting, and a little rusted table with two well-worn chairs mounted to the deck plating. The next level down featured nothing but a closed door behind which you assumed was Boba’s personal bunk, while the following level included six low-ceiling bounty cells arranged into two columns of three. The first one on the left had clearly already been claimed, as the cell door had been left open, and you spotted a small arsenal of blaster rifles and an open bag full of jet-black clothes stacked in the corner. The others remained closed, their insides visible only through the gaps between the bars that crossed the narrow doorways.

At the sight of them, you felt a rush of belated gratitude for the Razor Crest’s mobile carbonite freezer. You couldn’t imagine toting around multiple, conscious bounties at a time as this ship was designed to do, like some kind of deep space prison warden.

The ‘fresher Fennec had referred to was at the very bottom of the ladder, the last stop on the long way down. It was, somehow, even smaller than the one you had built on the Razor Crest, as this one featured only a durasteel privy and a single-person sonic shower stall, but in the state you were in, you were in no position to thumb your nose at it.

Your whole body ached as you stripped down to your skin, sore from the hurried climb down and then back up the side of the mountain, sore from the impact of the Razor Crest’s explosion, sore from your abrupt collision with the hard ground as the blast knocked you off your feet and into the air. The vibration of the sonic waves was soothing on your muscles, allowing them to finally unclench, though by the time the cycle ended, the angry, red flesh on your face, neck, and hands had become even more so. Though now clean and suitably sanitized, your skin felt more inflamed than ever, and it throbbed with the incessant stimulation of the sonics. You opted for leaving your boilersuit undone as you redressed, tying the sleeves around your hips so you didn’t have to drag the coarse fabric back over the protesting skin.

As you ascended the ladder to rejoin the group, you found yourself taken aback at the sight that greeted you in the common space. Stiff and rigid in his chair sat the broad, beskar silhouette of Din Djarin. On the little table before him sat an unlabeled, sealed jar about the size of his fist and a reflective silver packet you recognized as medical-grade disinfectant wipes. He glanced up at you as you came into view, saying nothing, but you dismounted from the ladder just the same.

“Din,” you acknowledged, surprise and something like relief coloring your tone. You hadn’t expected him to seek you out, not after how you had left things on Tython.

However, there was no warmth in his gaze, no softness in the way he turned to face you. The set of his shoulders remained tense, and his raspy voice held none of its characteristic fondness as he said without preamble, “Fett gave me some ointment for your burns. He says it’s not bacta, so the effects won’t be instantaneous, but it will get the job done.”

You blinked at him. “Oh. Right. Thank you.” You found yourself approaching him cautiously, as though he was a wild animal you were wary of spooking. It had been months since you had felt this kind of unease in his presence. It was wrong, on a fundamental level, and it left you feeling unmoored, adrift and painfully alone even though he sat only a handful of feet from you. “Din… Din, I’m so sorry – ”

But he did not allow you to finish offering your condolences. He broke your gaze instantly, angling his visor away from you and interjecting, “No. Don’t apologize.” Gesturing toward the other rickety chair at the table beside him, he added, in a tone that brooked no further argument, “Sit. I’ll help you put it on.”

You drew your lower lip between your teeth, chastened, and did so without protest, watching as he removed a couple of those disinfectant wipes from their package and used them to wipe down his leather gloves. The wipes came away dusty and stained and left the faint scent of antiseptic behind, burning your nostrils. Unscrewing the lid from the jar of ointment, Din dipped his first two fingers into the oily salve, streaking the dark orange leather with its residue.

You frowned at that, taken aback. “You sure you want to get that all over your gloves? You could just take them off.”

The Mandalorian shook his head sharply, the dim light reflecting off his helmet. “Not here.”

Ah. You should have known. Even just that small scrap of skin was too much exposure, too much vulnerability on this unfamiliar ship with its unfamiliar crew. Internally, you mourned any potential glimpse of his body you might have hoped to see on this journey. You doubted he would even be removing any of his armor pieces for any longer than it would take to use the sonic shower until you arrived on Nevarro.

He gestured for you to lean forward in your seat, and you obliged, allowing him to begin swiping the thick salve across the burns on your face. He did so silently, not even his breathing audible through his vocoder, and though his touch was gentle, he felt to you like he was a million miles away, as inaccessible as the other side of the galaxy.

“We’re going to find him, Din,” you murmured, eyebrows drawn inward in sympathy.

His reply was quick, cold. “Don’t. Please.”

You swallowed, feeling the stretch of the scorched skin of your neck and wincing slightly. “Okay. We don’t have to talk about it.”

“No, we don’t.”

Stifling a sigh, you continued, “Can you at least…tell me how you’re feeling right now? If there’s anything I can do to help?”

Din’s fingers paused at the hollow of your throat, having moved on from your face, and he hit you with a stare so impenetrable, so stern and yet so detached that you felt your heartrate spike with anxiety under his touch. The man looking back at you through his visor was as much a stranger to you as he had been all those months ago when he had first clapped you in binder cuffs, and you swore a part of your heart withered in your chest.

“Okay. Understood.”

He finished applying your ointment in utter silence, moving on from your neck to your chest, then from your chest to your hands. The familiar touch of his gloves on your skin felt alien to you now, and although the warmth of him was pleasant, and he was never rough with you, somehow this almost clinical approach was more disquieting than comforting. By the time he completed his task and began wiping down his gloves and resealing the ointment jar, your stomach had tied itself in knots so tight you felt nauseous, and you found it difficult to breathe.

Sliding the jar across the table to you, he said, “You’ll need to reapply twice a day until we get to Nevarro. Should be all healed up by then.”

You nodded your understanding and accepted the container, feeling more than a little lost.

After a beat too long of tense silence, Din rose to his feet. “You should get some sleep.”

“Do you…want to join me?” A spark of hope made its way into your voice, but you knew the moment the words left your mouth that they were foolish.

“I’m fine,” he replied curtly.

He wasn’t fine. He wasn’t. Neither of you were, not after everything that had just happened, not after all of the ways in which the last few hours had gone so horribly, disastrously wrong. Beloved ship gone, beloved child gone, hurt and exhausted and broken. He wasn’t fine.

“You’re not,” you snapped, feeling anger begin to broil in your gut at his determined detachment, his forced distance.

“I’m not bleeding, am I?”

You clenched your teeth against a growl of frustration. “You’re going to need your rest.”

“I have the whole flight to rest.”

“Din.”

“Cyare.” He held your gaze steadily, not rising to meet your level of ire, not moving an inch. “Go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Gods damn him.

“…Fine.” With a defeated sigh, you rose to your feet, suppressing a groan at the stretch of your weakened muscles. You found yourself suddenly hesitant to allow him to see your pain, and you knew you wouldn’t be seeking out his assistance with your burn ointment for the remainder of the trip. Crossing the narrow room to the ladder once more, you offered him one final brush of your hand against his pauldron, fingertips catching on the outline of his Mudhorn signet. “I love you, Din.”

The Mandalorian sighed deeply at that, his chin falling to his chest as his tense shoulders dropped. “Good night, cyare.”

You chose the bounty cell across from Fennec’s, crawling into the narrow bunk as exhaustion suddenly weighed heavily on your aching body. And if you permitted yourself a few tears as you curled up alone under a threadbare blanket, dampening the pillow beneath your cheek, it hardly mattered. No one was there to witness them anyway.

---

When you woke several hours later, you found that while your muscles felt somehow worse than they had the day before, the burns on your skin had already begun to heal. Making your way down to the ‘fresher was a chore, your limbs feeling weak and gelatinous, but as you applied a thin layer of ointment to your face and neck in the mirror, you swore you could see the dry, scaly skin soaking up the greasy substance, calming the redness and easing the inflammation. You were even able to pull your rumpled boilersuit all the way up today, the abrasive fabric nowhere near as irritating against your neck and hands as it had been the day before.

It took you longer than you would like to admit to climb back up the ladder. Your arms and legs trembled by the time you reached the deck with the makeshift mess hall, and you determined that you would pause there and catch your breath before making your way up to the navigation room. However, as you stumbled off of the ladder to lean against the nearest bulkhead, the metallic sound of a closing cabinet door caught your attention. Whirling around, you found Fennec Shand, already dressed for the day in her sleek black and orange tactical gear, standing at the counter. She had a worn-looking steel mug in one hand and a tall, unlabeled cannister in the other, and she looked as though you had caught her in the middle of something.

She inclined her head at you in acknowledgement, offering you a small smile. “Good morning. You’re looking better.”

You dragged yourself away from the bulkhead, standing on unsteady legs. “Thanks. That ointment Boba gave me is powerful stuff.”

“Well, if anyone would know about burn treatment, it’s him,” she replied wryly. “I was just about to make myself a cup of caf. Can I get you one?”

What had that meant, Boba knowing about burn treatments? You would be lying if you said you hadn’t noticed the uneven texture of his skin, the slight discoloration that stretched from his forehead to the top of his bald head. Burn scars, perhaps? They looked old, long since healed, so you hadn’t given them any thought when you had noticed them the day before, but now you wondered whether the ointment he had lent you was something he had concocted himself, rather than just choosing to stock such a thing in his first aid supplies.

Before you could think to ask further, you realized that Fennec was waiting on a response from you, and you startled back to yourself. “Oh, you don’t have to,” you said.

“Please, I insist.” Reaching into one of the cabinets below the counter, she pulled out a second mug and got to work assembling two cups of the dark, bitter beverage. “Have a seat.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Gingerly, conscious of your weakened muscles, you lowered yourself into one of the two chairs at the little table, and a companionable silence settled over the room. The other woman’s movements were even and methodical as she scooped generous helpings of the powder concentrate from the cannister into the two waiting mugs. A kettle of water steamed on the surface of the two-burner cooktop you had noticed the night before, and once she was satisfied with the temperature, she removed it from the heat, pouring a measure into each mug.

Although you had hardly known her for more than a day, you didn’t find the quiet uncomfortable or awkward in any way. Rather, it was nice to be in the company of another person and feel no pressure whatsoever to strike up a conversation. She seemed perfectly content in the silence, and there was an air about her that you found soothing. She felt…steady. Competent. Safe. After the events of the last day, it was a welcome reprieve.

As she handed you one of the steel mugs, now full to the brim with steaming brown liquid, you found yourself saying, “You know, I wanted to…thank you. For helping me yesterday. And for agreeing to help us go after Grogu.”

Fennec slid into the other seat across from you and propped her elbows up on the table, bringing her own mug to her lips. “We keep to our word. We agreed to protect him in exchange for Boba’s armor, but we failed to do that on Tython.” Something that looked suspiciously like regret shined in her dark eyes. “Until we can live up to our end of the bargain, we’re at your disposal.”

You nodded, opting to study the furls of steam pouring from your cup rather than meet that empathetic expression. That was what you had gathered from the conversation yesterday – that the familiar green armor you had seen the older man wearing had, indeed, come from the armaments storage on the Razor Crest, that it had, indeed, belonged to Boba Fett. You couldn’t help but respect the commitment the two of them were showing to this bargain they had made with Din. If you had been in their position and you had witnessed the person you were charged with protecting being kidnapped by an Imperial light cruiser, you weren’t certain you would have been as conscientious.

After all, what could two Mandalorians, a sharpshooter, and an engineer hope to accomplish against such a warship?

“You know, I saw the way you put yourself between him and those troopers, up on that henge,” Fennec recalled, pulling you out of your own musings. “You’re very brave.”

You felt your eyebrows raise to meet your hairline, scoffing. “Mando is brave. I was terrified.”

“I know. I could tell.” The other woman smirked and took a sip of her caf. “But you did it anyway. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the definition of bravery.”

You waved the compliment away, feeling your cheeks burn and your tender skin prickle. “Well, luckily, no one ever made it up there until after I was gone. Doubt I would have lasted long if any of those troopers made it past you guys.”

“I take it you’re not exactly experienced in combat?”

Returning her smirk, you shook your head. “Not at all. I could count on one hand the number of times I’ve even held a blaster.”

“And hand-to-hand?” Something like concern tightened the corners of her eyes, and you struggled to maintain eye contact with her suddenly sharp gaze.

“Never. I’m an engineer.” You shrugged, trying not to let on just how inadequate this conversation was making you feel. “I’m a fixer, not a fighter.”

Fennec’s reply was quick, almost as though it had been rehearsed, like it was something she had said often. “You don’t have to be a fighter to learn how to defend yourself.”

She wasn’t wrong, you supposed, but that feeling of inadequacy deepened in your chest all the same. This situation with the Storm Troopers, with Grogu – it reminded you of why Din had been so insistent when you accepted the position on the Razor Crest that you shore up your combat skills, why he had demanded to train you with a blaster. He led a dangerous life; both Fennec and Boba clearly did, too. You, on the other hand, had never even left the star system in which you were born until you were well into your adulthood, until you had taken it upon yourself to sneak your way out. You were no stranger to a little risk taking, but what these people did, the lives they had found themselves living – it was on a completely different level. You had never felt so woefully unprepared.

Before you could come up with a suitable response, the sound of heavy boots on metal rungs echoed through the room, and a pair of long, armored legs appeared on the ladder, climbing down from the navigation room above. Silver, you noticed quickly, not green. Din. Your eyes went to his face instinctually, drawn to him in a way you couldn’t have prevented even if you had tried, and as though he could feel your gaze on him, he turned slightly, pausing his descent a handful of rungs above the mess hall floor.

You caught a glimpse of your own reflection in his ink-black visor, your eyes wide, your injuries still more visible than you would like, marring your forehead, your nose, your cheeks. Tension stretched between you, thick and palpable, and somehow you knew then that he hadn’t been coming down to look for you. In fact, he probably hadn’t intended to run into you at all, though in a ship this size, you wondered how he thought he was going to accomplish that.

You forced your expression into some semblance of a smile, but the words to invite him to join you died on your tongue as he gave you and Fennec both a stiff, silent nod then continued down the ladder. Your heart sank at the clear dismissal, all of the anxiety and the uncertainty and the hurt from the night before surging back to the forefront of your mind, and you swallowed against a sudden lump in your throat.

“Something on your mind?” Fennec asked after a beat.

Sighing, you raised your mug and took a deep drink, willing the caf to seep into your bloodstream, to fortify you against the abrupt wave of emotional exhaustion Din’s arrival and immediate departure had triggered.

“He never went to bed last night, did he?”

The other woman shook her head, a sympathetic downturn quirking the corners of her mouth. “No, I don’t think so. I know that after you went to sleep, he spent some time talking with Boba in the cockpit, but by the time I went to turn in, he was in the navigation room, staring out the viewport. When I came up this morning, he hadn’t moved an inch.”

“Dank farrik.” You scrubbed your hands over your face, immediately wincing as you disturbed the still-healing wounds on your skin. “I hate seeing him like this.”

“Mando is a man of action. Sitting on his hands, stuck in hyperspace? Doesn’t really seem like his style.” Fennec leaned back in her chair and downed the remainder of her cup in one swallow. “Though I’m sure you know that better that me.”

“Yeah. It’s something he and I have in common, actually,” you confessed. “Neither of us do well without something to keep us busy. Even in the best of circumstances.”

“Well, you’ve got almost a week before we get to Nevarro.” Rising to her feet, the older woman offered you a dry smile. “I’m sure you’ll find something to keep yourself occupied in the meantime.”

You huffed a laugh through your nose at that. “If you see me starting to climb the walls, you’ll know what happened.” Raising your mug in her direction, you added, “Thank you again. For the caf.”

“Anytime.” With an easy grace, she swung one of her long legs up onto the closest ladder rung, hooking the shallow heel of her knee-high boot around the metal rod. “Try to take it easy today. You got the kark beat out of you less than 12 hours ago. You’re allowed to take a break.”

An unexpected wave of emotion swelled in your chest, chief among them being an immediate fondness that warmed you from the inside out. You were going to be fast friends with Fennec, you could already tell.

“I will,” you promised.

---

By day three of your journey, you were dangerously close to making good on your threat of climbing the walls.

Your body was slowly recovering from the impact of the explosion, your muscles and joints feeling less like you had run headlong into a duracrete wall every day and your burns steadily receding with every application of Boba’s ointment. As relieved as you were for the improvements and the promise that you would soon be back to normal, you found that the better you felt, the more difficult it became to tolerate the extended period of inactivity. The more the trauma of your body healed, the more the trauma in your mind made itself known.

The image of that red laser burst streaking through the atmosphere was burned into the backs of your eyelids. The ruthless way it tore through the Razor Crest, the way the blast had momentarily deafened you as it flung you off your feet, the helplessness and the disorientation that followed. The smoking crater it left behind, the way you were certain your heart bore a matching scar as you watched the only real home you had known in your adult life go up in flames.

And Grogu.

Stars, Grogu.

You had been preparing yourself for the eventuality of saying good-bye to him ever since Din had revealed the boy’s Jedi origins. But you hadn’t been prepared for this – to know that the people who had taken him intended to do him harm, to be powerless to stop them. And now to not know where he was, to not know if he was hurting, if he was afraid, if he was even still alive. You couldn’t allow yourself to think on it for too long. If you did, you would surely fall apart.

You thought it might have been easier to cope if you did not feel as though you were doing so on your own. As it was, even days later, Din had hardly spoken more than a few words to you. He hadn’t been outright hostile, nor had he given any indication that he was angry with you for any reason. However, he had refused every attempt you had made to connect with him; every well-meaning question after his wellbeing or offer of dinner or even a shared cup of caf had been turned down, and although he had been sleeping in the same bunk as you, he had taken to do so in alternating shifts so that by the time you were ready to turn in for the night, he was only just waking.

You were certain that you would have felt less lonely had you actually been alone, and you would have given anything for someone to put a hydrospanner or a fusion cutter in your hands and give you something else to occupy your thoughts.

But this wasn’t your ship. It wasn’t even Din’s ship. So there you were, worry eating away at the lining of your stomach, mind racing and yet somehow numb, sitting on your ass in the navigation room with nothing to do. Again.

“You’re sighing.”

Fennec’s dry voice pulled you from your thoughts, and you glanced over at where she sat studying some star chart or another at the console to your right. She faced away from you, the streaking blue and white lights of hyperspace illuminating the complex twists of her long, black braid, but you could tell from the tense set of her shoulders that she was growing annoyed.  

“Sorry,” you replied meekly, feeling yourself flush. You needed to get ahold of yourself. Sitting on your own for so long in silence was only making the situation inside your mind worse. Fennec had been more than kind to you since you had departed Tython; she didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of your melancholy.

However, after quiet once again descended on the Firespray, you couldn’t seem to stop yourself from slipping back into the same state. Grogu, Din. Grogu, Din. Over and over, in a never-ending spiral with no way out, no way to break the surface, to breathe. You felt helpless. Useless. Alone.

A sigh slipped from your lips before you could smother it, and then Fennec was closing down her program and spinning around in her seat.

“All right, stand up.”

You startled, cursing yourself at the dark flash of aggravation in the older woman’s eyes. “Oh, kriff, I’m sorry. I’ll shut up – I promise.”

But she wasn’t having any of your empty promises today. “Stand. Up,” she repeated, her sharp tone brooking no room for argument. You were on your feet in an instant, aware for perhaps the first time that this woman was lethal – a master assassin and a deadly sniper, someone who commanded respect with both her actions and her demeanor. She had been kind to you, yes, but you didn’t savor the idea of testing her patience any more than you already had.

“What are we doing?” you asked, tentative.

Closing the distance between you in a handful of long strides, Fennec beckoned to you with both hands, gesturing at her own chest. “Try and punch me,” she said.

Your eyebrows shot up, and your jaw dropped open dumbly. You were sure you had misunderstood. “What?”

“You heard me. Try and punch me.”

“Fennec – ”

She advanced another step toward you, her gaze hard, and you stumbled back despite yourself, feeling a rush of intimidation flood your system. “You told me you’re woman of action. That you’re an engineer, a fixer. But there’s nothing we can do for the kid until we get to Nevarro, and Mando won’t let you put him back together right now. I’ve watched you try for days, and it’s going nowhere. So instead of focusing on them, you’re going to focus on you.”

“By punching you?” You could feel a wave of defensiveness rising at her words, but you couldn’t deny that she was right. There was nothing for you to fix here, and it was not-so-subtly driving you mad. But punching her? You would never. You wouldn’t stand a chance!

“Yes. You’re feeling restless? Helpless? Afraid? Then do something about it.” She took yet another step toward you, driving you across the deck until the backs of your knees hit the next chair over. “You need someplace to put all that energy? Put it right here.” She patted her chest, the sound muffled by her leather gloves and padded jacket. “Let me teach you how to fight.”

Her words had you taken aback, but you couldn’t deny the wisdom of them. Perhaps at one point, Din had planned to teach you himself, but clearly, he was too preoccupied at the moment to do so. You had nothing else to occupy your time for the remainder of the journey; your daily routine of babying your injuries and moping around the ship wasn’t doing anyone any favors, least of all you. And no one could deny that in an expedition to track down a child that had been kidnapped by a fully-armored Imperial light cruiser, you were far and away the weakest link of your band of misfits. If you were being given the opportunity to shore up those skills, even in the smallest of ways, you would be foolish to turn it down.

Steeling your nerves, you nodded once to Fennec. “Okay. Where do we start?”

The older woman smirked, pleased, and brought her fists up in a ready stance. “Put your hands up, girl. Let’s see what we’re working with.”

You took a brief moment to take in the angle of her body, the way she had spread her feet apart, one in front of the other, the position of her fists up near her face. You tried to emulate her as best as you could, and then, after a deep, steadying breath, you swung.

---

Your muscles were sporting a new kind of soreness as you emerged from the ‘fresher later that evening, hair long and loose around your shoulders, boilersuit hanging onto your hips with the sleeves framing your legs. Your eyes were heavy, exhaustion weighing on your joints, but it was a good kind of tired – the kind that felt particularly satisfying after a long day of physical activity. You were almost looking forward to finally collapsing on the thin mattress of your bunk; you knew you would pass out the moment your head hit the pillow. However, just as you wrapped your palms around the ladder to climb up and do just that, a familiar pair of brown boots appeared above you, and Din dropped the last few rungs onto the deck below.

“Din,” you acknowledged, surprise coloring your tone. “Hi.”

He turned to you then, extending his leather-clad hands to you without preamble. “Let me see your hands.”

You frowned in confusion. “What?”

But the bounty hunter did not repeat himself, nor did he wait for further reply. Instead, he simply snatched each of your hands from down at your sides and brought them up to his eye-level. You winced at the rough handling, your hands more than a little tender after Fennec’s lessons, but if he noticed your discomfort, he didn’t let on. He simply studied your fingers in the dim light, running the pads of his thumbs across the ridge of your knuckles.

“No split skin. Nothing looks broken,” he murmured, voice low and raspy, almost as though speaking to himself rather than to you. “A bit of bruising and swelling, but no more than I’d expect for a novice.” He dropped your hands and took a step back out of your space. “Looks like Fennec is a good teacher.”

“She is,” you replied. You cradled your fists close to your body, feeling suddenly, inexplicably self-conscious at his cool appraisal. That was the most he had spoken to you in days, the first time he had touched you since he had helped you with your burn ointment that first night, and the lack of warmth was almost more disquieting than the avoidance.

“I did say I wanted to work on your combat skills,” he said, matter-of-fact. “If you wanted to learn how to fight, cyare, all you had to do was ask.”

You drew back sharply at that, feeling something acidic and bitter begin to roil in the pit of your stomach. “Really?” you hissed acerbically. “How would that have gone, exactly? You’ve been avoiding me for days, Din. You haven’t hardly said two words to me since we jumped to hyperspace.”

The Mandalorian cocked his helmet at you, taking a step back in your direction, then another, driving you back toward the ‘fresher door. Had your hackles not already been up, you might have found the way he crowded into your space intimidating, but as it was, you were completely undaunted. You kept your eyes on his, jutting your chin our defiantly as he rumbled, “Forgive me if I haven’t exactly been in the mood to chat. I’ve been a bit preoccupied, if you haven’t noticed.”

“Oh, I’ve noticed. You’ve been sulking so loudly, I couldn’t not notice.”

“Sulking?” His modulated voice had taken on a dangerous edge, and something deep inside you, something animal, suddenly registered Din as a threat. It was a side of him you had rarely seen, something usually reserved for quarries, and it made a primal part of your psyche crack open an eye, watching your exchange with lazy interest.

“Yes. Sulking.”

For a moment, the bounty hunter appeared at a loss for words. You could hear his breathing through his helmet, so close and yet refusing to touch you, hands balled into fists down by his hips, also very carefully not touching you. But then, just as you were sure he was about to snap back with a quip of his own, he released a weighty sigh, spun around, and headed back in the direction of the ladder.

“Din, wait – ” Your hand flew out to snag on the sleeve of his flight suit, wrapping your fingers him somewhere between his pauldron and his vambrace. “I’m sorry. I know I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now.” The words poured from your mouth before you could stem them, everything you had been wanting to say to him for days all bubbling to the surface at once. There was no holding them back any more. “Losing the Crest, losing Grogu, not knowing where he is, not knowing if he’s safe – ”

“Don’t.” Din pulled his arm from your grip, but still, he didn’t retreat any further, and in spite of his warning, you took it as a sign to keep going.

“I don’t want to fight with you, Din. I want to help you. Please. Please just let me help you.” Thick, hot emotion rose in your throat, flushing your face, pricking the backs of your eyes with the burn of unwanted tears. “You don’t have to bear this on your own. We’re in this together, okay? Please don’t shut me out anymore. I…” You hiccupped, a single tear breaking free of your wet eyelashes, spilling down your cheek. “I love you.”

For a long, tense moment, he said nothing. He continued to face away from you, though now rather than looking ahead toward the ladder, he stared at the deck, chin pressed to his chest, broad, proud shoulders hunched inward on himself as though to shield himself from your fraught confession. Almost too softly for his helmet vocoder to pick up, he whispered, “I know, ner kar’ta. I love you, too.”

Another tear slipped down your face at the endearment, the gentle, lilting syllables of Mando’a settling over your shoulders like a warm blanket.

Ner kar’ta.

My heart, you recalled, and you swore the sound of the words made your soul ache.

And then you watched as all of the softness and vulnerability seemed to wash away, the Mandalorian drawing himself back up to full height, straightening his shoulders and his gaze right before your eyes.

“Get some ice on your hands before your next sparring session,” he said, once again cool and detached. “It will help with the swelling.”

In two long strides, he was back at the foot of the ladder, and that ache in your soul became a physical pain, one that had you clutching your hands over your chest, pressing on your breastbone, willing it not to split apart under your palms.

In two short minutes, he was gone, and you lost the battle with the remainder of your tears.

---

Note:

As you may have noticed, I have taken some creative liberties with the internal layout of Boba's ship, the Slave I. You will find that in every depiction of the ship, there are variations as to the exact floorplan, and there is a great deal of debate as to whether the cockpit or any other levels rotate because of the way that the ship flies "vertically" but lands "on its back." For my adaptation, I have combined a few different internal schematics I found online with the rotating navigation room mechanism described by Jon Favreau and team in the Disney Gallery - Star Wars: The Mandalorian episode "Making of Season 2." Since that is the one that is depicted in the show, I felt like it was important to align with that source material first and foremost. (Please don't ask me how many hours I spent scouring forums and fan sites looking at Slave I blueprints and cutaways lol)

[boinkingbattlemechs]

Regent

The Regent is the flagship design of the ilKhanate's Project Reynard, benefiting from masterstrokes of legal and commercial savvy. After the Hauptmann was shelved due to the military reduction program, Coventry Metal Works had been looking to revive the design but encountered supply issues with existing ClanTech manufacturers. Merchant Bilius learned of these difficulties through the Chatterweb and coordinated the introductions between CMW and Technicron Manufacturing, who had been looking to renew their production of the Awesome. The efficiency of ClanTech allowed a reduction of five tons from the Hauptmann, allowing the Foxes to switch to a less expensive and more common GM 270 reactor. After the base OmniMech chassis are completed, they are sent to ilKhanate facilities to be armed with the required OmniPods. The design incorporates visual elements of both the Hauptmann and Awesome, resulting in its nickname of "Awesomemann".

The primary configuration carries a varied and powerful arsenal. For long range combat, the Regent carries three ER Large Lasers as its primary long range weapons. These give the Regent Prime a good long range damage capability. For close combat, the 'Mech has an LB 20-X AC for devastating close range firepower backed up by two Medium Pulse Lasers, a Micro Pulse Laser for infantry defense, and a Streak SRM-4 launcher. Finally, to protect the 'Mech against ammunition explosions, the Regent Prime has CASE II protecting all ammunition.

[motorspexx]

At the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche unveiled a unique one-off vehicle: the Porsche 963 RSP. Developed as a tribute to the legendary 917 and inspired by Count Rossi’s 1975 street-driven prototype, the 963 RSP is based on Porsche’s LMDh competition car but reimagined for public roads under special conditions.

The project was a collaboration between Porsche AG, Porsche Penske Motorsport, and Porsche Cars North America, with direct involvement from Roger Penske—whose initials form the RSP name. The concept was initiated as a design study and passion project, eventually culminating in a street-legal prototype unveiled near Circuit de la Sarthe.

The 963 RSP retains the race-spec 4.6-liter twin-turbocharged V8 hybrid powertrain, delivering up to 680 horsepower. Originally developed for the RS Spyder and later refined in the 918 Spyder, the engine architecture includes a flat crankshaft, short stroke, and Van der Lee turbochargers for optimized throttle response. The hybrid system uses a Bosch motor generator unit and a Williams Advanced Engineering battery, working with a 7-speed Xtrac sequential gearbox. For road use, the power delivery was remapped to be smoother, and the system was configured to run on pump fuel.

To comply with road operation under French regulation, the chassis was adjusted with raised ride height, softened Multimatic dampers, and revised software to enable functioning headlights, taillights, and turn signals. Michelin rain-spec tires were mounted on 18-inch forged OZ wheels. Unique modifications such as covered wheel arches, a working horn, and license plate mounts were added.

Visually, the 963 RSP is finished in Martini Silver paint—not a wrap—requiring a triple-layer lacquer on ultra-thin Kevlar® and carbon fiber surfaces. An enamel Porsche crest replaces the standard nose graphic, and 1970s Michelin branding adds a period-correct touch. The rear features a 3D-printed “963 RSP” badge.

The interior departs sharply from the competition car. Trimmed in tan leather and Alcantara, it includes a cushioned, leather-wrapped carbon seat, air conditioning, a leather-finished steering wheel, and even a detachable 3D-printed cup holder. Storage space is provided for a laptop, headset, and Roger Penske’s custom carbon helmet. Ventilation outlets mimic the 917’s engine fan design, reinforcing historical continuity.

While the 963 RSP is not homologated for mass production, it is fully operational and authorized for limited road use under manufacturer permissions. Following its debut, the vehicle will appear at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

This project showcases Porsche’s ability to blend heritage, engineering, and bespoke craftsmanship—all within the limits of a modern endurance prototype.

Porsche 963 RSP – Technical Specifications

Model name: Porsche 963 RSP Type: Road-legal high-performance prototype Chassis: Carbon-fiber monocoque (LMP2-based, by Multimatic) Length: 5100 mm Width: 2000 mm Height: 1060 mm Wheelbase: 3148 mm Weight: Approximately 1030 kg

Engine type: Twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter V8 Engine code: 9RD (derived from Porsche 918 Spyder) Max engine power: Over 515 kW (approximately 700 PS) Max RPM: Over 8000 rpm Turbo boost: Approximately 0.3 bar (2 turbos)

Hybrid system: Bosch MGU with 1.35 kWh battery from Williams Total combined power output: 520 kW (707 PS, regulated) Drive system: Rear-wheel drive Transmission: 7-speed Xtrac sequential gearbox Clutch: Carbon-fiber racing clutch

Top speed: Over 330 km/h Suspension: Pushrod double wishbone with adjustable dampers Brakes: Carbon racing brakes with regenerative hybrid system Wheels: 18–19 inch race wheels adapted for road use

Fuel type: Synthetic or biofuel compatible Emissions: Modified for street approval Street modifications: Lighting, mirrors, exhaust system, license plate mounts

Interior: Stripped-down, race-focused with minimal comfort features Production: One-off road-legal concept

[prototechsolutionsblog]

How Unreal Engine Empowers Real-Time 3D Product Configurators

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are constantly seeking innovative solutions to enhance customer engagement and streamline the purchasing process. One such solution is the real-time 3D product configurator, a powerful tool that allows customers to visualize, customize, and order products directly from their devices. At the forefront of this technology is Unreal Engine, a versatile game engine renowned for its exceptional rendering capabilities and user-friendly interface. This blog post explores how Unreal Engine empowers 3D product configurators, revolutionizing the way consumers interact with products.

What is a 3D Product Configurators?

A 3D product configurator is an interactive application that enables users to customize products in real-time. These configurators are widely used across various industries, including automotive, fashion, and furniture. By allowing customers to manipulate product features—such as colors, materials, and sizes these tools enhance user experience and increase conversion rates.

The effectiveness of a product configurator largely depends on the underlying technology used to create it. Unreal Engine stands out as a top choice due to its advanced features and capabilities that cater specifically to the needs of product visualization.

Key Advantages of Using Unreal Engine

High-Fidelity Visuals: Unreal Engine is renowned for its stunning graphics and high-quality rendering capabilities. It supports advanced features like ray tracing and volumetric clouds, allowing businesses to create photorealistic representations of their products. This level of detail enhances customer trust and satisfaction as they can see exactly what they are purchasing.

Real-Time Rendering: One of the most significant advantages of Unreal Engine is its real-time rendering capability. This feature allows users to see changes immediately as they customize products, creating an interactive experience that keeps customers engaged. Quick feedback loops enable rapid iterations during the design process, which is crucial for businesses looking to refine their offerings.

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Unreal Engine supports a wide range of platforms, including web browsers, mobile devices, and VR headsets. This versatility ensures that businesses can reach their customers wherever they are, whether on a desktop or a mobile device. The ability to deploy across multiple platforms without compromising quality is a significant advantage for any organization.

User-Friendly Interface: The Blueprint visual scripting system in Unreal Engine allows developers to create complex interactions without extensive programming knowledge. This accessibility enables teams to develop sophisticated configurators quickly while maintaining flexibility in design and functionality.

Robust Community Support: With over 7.5 million developers using Unreal Engine globally, there is an extensive community providing resources, tutorials, and support. This vast network makes it easier for businesses to find skilled developers and troubleshoot issues as they arise.

Types of Configurators Built with Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine can be used to create various types of product configurators tailored to specific industry needs:

Automotive Configurators: Car manufacturers use Unreal Engine to allow customers to customize vehicles by selecting colors, wheels, interiors, and more. These configurators provide an immersive experience where users can visualize their dream car before making a purchase.

Fashion Configurators: In the fashion industry, brands utilize 3D configurators to let customers personalize clothing and accessories. Users can choose fabrics, colors, and styles in real-time, enhancing their shopping experience.

Furniture Configurators: Furniture retailers leverage Unreal Engine's capabilities to allow customers to design their ideal living spaces by selecting different furniture pieces, colors, and arrangements. This interactive approach helps customers envision how products will fit into their homes.

Building a 3D Product Configurator with Unreal Engine

Creating a successful 3D product configurator involves several key steps:

Choosing the Right 3D Models: High-quality 3D models are essential for an effective configurator. Businesses should invest in accurate representations of their products using software like Blender or Maya before importing them into Unreal Engine.

Implementing Product Logic: The configurator must incorporate logic that governs how users interact with the product features. This includes defining customizable options and ensuring that changes made by users are reflected in real time.

Designing an Intuitive User Interface (UI): A well-designed UI enhances user experience by making navigation easy and intuitive. Designers should focus on creating clear menus and buttons that allow users to customize products seamlessly.

Testing for Performance: Before launching the configurator, thorough testing is essential to ensure that it performs well across all intended platforms. This includes checking for load times, responsiveness, and visual fidelity.

Integrating E-commerce Capabilities: To complete the customer journey from customization to purchase, businesses should integrate their configurator with e-commerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. This step ensures a seamless transition from product visualization to ordering.

Conclusion

Unreal Engine has emerged as a leading platform for developing real-time 3D product configurators due to its powerful rendering capabilities, user-friendly interface, and extensive community support. By leveraging these advantages, businesses can create immersive experiences that captivate customers and drive sales.

As consumer expectations continue to evolve in the digital age, adopting technologies like Unreal Engine will be crucial for companies looking to stay competitive in their respective markets. Whether in automotive design or fashion retailing, the ability to visualize and customize products in real-time not only enhances customer satisfaction but also fosters brand loyalty—an essential ingredient for success in today's marketplace.

Incorporating a real-time 3D product configurator powered by Unreal Engine can transform how businesses engage with their customers while providing an innovative solution that meets modern demands for personalization and interactivity. As this technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more exciting developments in the realm of product visualization and customization in the years ahead.

[sngl-led-auto-lights]

Why do a lot of motorcycles with two headlights have one headlight out?

Why do motorcycles with dual headlights often have one "broken"?

The phenomenon of a motorcycle seemingly having only one headlight fail to work stems from design choices, technical limitations, and maintenance issues. Here is a detailed analysis:

1. Dual-beam design (low/high beam split) Most motorcycles equipped with dual headlights use a single bulb or split lamp housing, where:

The low beam activates one headlight (usually the left or lower light cluster) to illuminate the road without dazzling oncoming vehicles.

The high beam activates the second headlight (or enhances the brightness of the main headlight) to improve visibility at long distances.

This design ensures compliance with road safety standards, but when only one headlight is in use, riders often mistake the non-working headlight as "broken".

2. Electrical system vulnerabilities The compact electrical system of a motorcycle is prone to problems that can cause a single headlight to fail:

Loose connections/corrosion: Exposed wiring in the handlebar switch or headlight socket can age, interrupting the flow of electricity.

Burned out bulbs: Single filaments in halogen bulbs (common in older models) can fail more quickly under vibration or voltage spikes.

Faulty relays or fuses: A bad relay or blown fuse in a single circuit can cause a single headlamp to fail.

For example, Information Search notes that 60% of single headlamp failures are attributed to corrosion in the connections or wear and tear in the bulb.

3. Cost-driven manufacturing practices Some budget motorcycles use a common circuit for two headlamps to reduce production costs. If one bulb fails, the entire circuit may shut down—although this is less common with modern LED systems.

4. Rider negligence Motorcycle lighting systems need frequent inspections for the following reasons:

Vibration damage: Rough roads can cause connections to loosen or bulb socket solder joints to crack.

Moisture intrusion: Rain or moisture can corrode the terminals, especially in non-sealed housings.

DIY modifications: Aftermarket LED kits or improper bulb replacements often bypass safety protocols, causing uneven failures.

5. Regulations and aesthetic trends

Styling choice: Some manufacturers design dual headlights for symmetry but wire them to work alternately (e.g. Ducati Scrambler).

Daytime running light (DRL) configuration: Modern motorcycles may use one headlight as a daytime running light and both for nighttime use, creating an inconsistent visual effect.

Key points

Normal operation: If your motorcycle manual specifies alternating low/high beam, one of the headlights being "off" is intentional.

Troubleshooting: First check the bulb, fuse, and connector. Use a multimeter to test the socket voltage.

Upgrade solution: Changing to LED or dual filament bulbs (e.g. H4) can reduce the failure rate.

For persistent problems, refer to the step-by-step repair guide for online information.

[roguemonsterfucker]

For the record, even if you’re not into animal genetics, Genetic Animals and Realistic Horse Genetics just add some nice variety and depth to Minecraft.

Beyond just the visual variety, genetic animals adds variations in how much each animal produces. Some sheep make less wool than others and some drop leather instead of wool. Some cows are more suited to meat production and others produce more milk. Some rabbits grow wool!

It also makes it so you can ride cows which is amazing.

Both mods add pregnancy but you can disable that if you want it to function more like vanilla Minecraft. All the timers for growth, pregnancy, and cooldowns are fully configurable.

Also Genetic Animals makes animals spawn in biomes with climate appropriate traits. Cold biomes are more likely to have woolier sheep and rabbits and highland type cows. Hot biomes will likely have sheep with little to no wool and ones with wool likely have the shedding gene that lets you get wool from them without shears.

It just makes the world so much more dynamic, even if animals aren’t really your thing. Highly recommend both mods, at least until Genetic Animals adds equines.

[stevenketterman2]

The Evolution of DJ Controllers: From Analog Beginnings to Intelligent Performance Systems

The DJ controller has undergone a remarkable transformation—what began as a basic interface for beat matching has now evolved into a powerful centerpiece of live performance technology. Over the years, the convergence of hardware precision, software intelligence, and real-time connectivity has redefined how DJs mix, manipulate, and present music to audiences.

For professional audio engineers and system designers, understanding this technological evolution is more than a history lesson—it's essential knowledge that informs how modern DJ systems are integrated into complex live environments. From early MIDI-based setups to today's AI-driven, all-in-one ecosystems, this blog explores the innovations that have shaped DJ controllers into the versatile tools they are today.

The Analog Foundation: Where It All Began

The roots of DJing lie in vinyl turntables and analog mixers. These setups emphasized feel, timing, and technique. There were no screens, no sync buttons—just rotary EQs, crossfaders, and the unmistakable tactile response of a needle on wax.

For audio engineers, these analog rigs meant clean signal paths and minimal processing latency. However, flexibility was limited, and transporting crates of vinyl to every gig was logistically demanding.

The Rise of MIDI and Digital Integration

The early 2000s brought the integration of MIDI controllers into DJ performance, marking a shift toward digital workflows. Devices like the Vestax VCI-100 and Hercules DJ Console enabled control over software like Traktor, Serato, and VirtualDJ. This introduced features such as beat syncing, cue points, and FX without losing physical interaction.

From an engineering perspective, this era introduced complexities such as USB data latency, audio driver configurations, and software-to-hardware mapping. However, it also opened the door to more compact, modular systems with immense creative potential.

Controllerism and Creative Freedom

Between 2010 and 2015, the concept of controllerism took hold. DJs began customizing their setups with multiple MIDI controllers, pad grids, FX units, and audio interfaces to create dynamic, live remix environments. Brands like Native Instruments, Akai, and Novation responded with feature-rich units that merged performance hardware with production workflows.

Technical advancements during this period included:

High-resolution jog wheels and pitch faders

Multi-deck software integration

RGB velocity-sensitive pads

Onboard audio interfaces with 24-bit output

HID protocol for tighter software-hardware response

These tools enabled a new breed of DJs to blur the lines between DJing, live production, and performance art—all requiring more advanced routing, monitoring, and latency optimization from audio engineers.

All-in-One Systems: Power Without the Laptop

As processors became more compact and efficient, DJ controllers began to include embedded CPUs, allowing them to function independently from computers. Products like the Pioneer XDJ-RX, Denon Prime 4, and RANE ONE revolutionized the scene by delivering laptop-free performance with powerful internal architecture.

Key engineering features included:

Multi-core processing with low-latency audio paths

High-definition touch displays with waveform visualization

Dual USB and SD card support for redundancy

Built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet for music streaming and cloud sync

Zone routing and balanced outputs for advanced venue integration

For engineers managing live venues or touring rigs, these systems offered fewer points of failure, reduced setup times, and greater reliability under high-demand conditions.

Embedded AI and Real-Time Stem Control

One of the most significant breakthroughs in recent years has been the integration of AI-driven tools. Systems now offer real-time stem separation, powered by machine learning models that can isolate vocals, drums, bass, or instruments on the fly. Solutions like Serato Stems and Engine DJ OS have embedded this functionality directly into hardware workflows.

This allows DJs to perform spontaneous remixes and mashups without needing pre-processed tracks. From a technical standpoint, it demands powerful onboard DSP or GPU acceleration and raises the bar for system bandwidth and real-time processing.

For engineers, this means preparing systems that can handle complex source isolation and downstream processing without signal degradation or sync loss.

Cloud Connectivity & Software Ecosystem Maturity

Today’s DJ controllers are not just performance tools—they are part of a broader ecosystem that includes cloud storage, mobile app control, and wireless synchronization. Platforms like rekordbox Cloud, Dropbox Sync, and Engine Cloud allow DJs to manage libraries remotely and update sets across devices instantly.

This shift benefits engineers and production teams in several ways:

Faster changeovers between performers using synced metadata

Simplified backline configurations with minimal drive swapping

Streamlined updates, firmware management, and analytics

Improved troubleshooting through centralized data logging

The era of USB sticks and manual track loading is giving way to seamless, cloud-based workflows that reduce risk and increase efficiency in high-pressure environments.

Hybrid & Modular Workflows: The Return of Customization

While all-in-one units dominate, many professional DJs are returning to hybrid setups—custom configurations that blend traditional turntables, modular FX units, MIDI controllers, and DAW integration. This modularity supports a more performance-oriented approach, especially in experimental and genre-pushing environments.

These setups often require:

MIDI-to-CV converters for synth and modular gear integration

Advanced routing and clock sync using tools like Ableton Link

OSC (Open Sound Control) communication for custom mapping

Expanded monitoring and cueing flexibility

This renewed complexity places greater demands on engineers, who must design systems that are flexible, fail-safe, and capable of supporting unconventional performance styles.

Looking Ahead: AI Mixing, Haptics & Gesture Control

As we look to the future, the next phase of DJ controllers is already taking shape. Innovations on the horizon include:

AI-assisted mixing that adapts in real time to crowd energy

Haptic feedback jog wheels that provide dynamic tactile response

Gesture-based FX triggering via infrared or wearable sensors

Augmented reality interfaces for 3D waveform manipulation

Deeper integration with lighting and visual systems through DMX and timecode sync

For engineers, this means staying ahead of emerging protocols and preparing venues for more immersive, synchronized, and responsive performances.

Final Thoughts

The modern DJ controller is no longer just a mixing tool—it's a self-contained creative engine, central to the live music experience. Understanding its capabilities and the technology driving it is critical for audio engineers who are expected to deliver seamless, high-impact performances in every environment.

Whether you’re building a club system, managing a tour rig, or outfitting a studio, choosing the right gear is key. Sourcing equipment from a trusted professional audio retailer—online or in-store—ensures not only access to cutting-edge products but also expert guidance, technical support, and long-term reliability.

As DJ technology continues to evolve, so too must the systems that support it. The future is fast, intelligent, and immersive—and it’s powered by the gear we choose today.

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 32, 2024

In and Out of Criticality? State-Dependent Scaling in the Rat Visual Cortex. Castro, D. M., Feliciano, T., de Vasconcelos, N. A. P., Soares-Cunha, C., Coimbra, B., Rodrigues, A. J., … Copelli, M. (2024). PRX Life, 2(2), 023008.

An event-termination cue causes perceived time to dilate. Choe, S., & Kwon, O.-S. (2024). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 31(2), 659–669.

Stimulus-dependent differences in cortical versus subcortical contributions to visual detection in mice. Cone, J. J., Mitchell, A. O., Parker, R. K., & Maunsell, J. H. R. (2024). Current Biology, 34(9), 1940-1952.e5.

Sexually dimorphic control of affective state processing and empathic behaviors. Fang, S., Luo, Z., Wei, Z., Qin, Y., Zheng, J., Zhang, H., … Li, B. (2024). Neuron, 112(9), 1498-1517.e8.

Post-retrieval stress impairs subsequent memory depending on hippocampal memory trace reinstatement during reactivation. Heinbockel, H., Wagner, A. D., & Schwabe, L. (2024). Science Advances, 10(18).

An effect that counts: Temporally contiguous action effect enhances motor performance. Karsh, N., Ahmad, Z., Erez, F., & Hadad, B.-S. (2024). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 31(2), 897–905.

Learning enhances representations of taste-guided decisions in the mouse gustatory insular cortex. Kogan, J. F., & Fontanini, A. (2024). Current Biology, 34(9), 1880-1892.e5.

Babbling opens the sensory phase for imitative vocal learning. Leitão, A., & Gahr, M. (2024). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(18), e2312323121.

Information flow between motor cortex and striatum reverses during skill learning. Lemke, S. M., Celotto, M., Maffulli, R., Ganguly, K., & Panzeri, S. (2024). Current Biology, 34(9), 1831-1843.e7.

Statistically inferred neuronal connections in subsampled neural networks strongly correlate with spike train covariances. Liang, T., & Brinkman, B. A. W. (2024). Physical Review E, 109(4), 044404.

Pre-acquired Functional Connectivity Predicts Choice Inconsistency. Madar, A., Kurtz-David, V., Hakim, A., Levy, D. J., & Tavor, I. (2024). Journal of Neuroscience, 44(18), e0453232024.

Alpha-band sensory entrainment improves audiovisual temporal acuity. Marsicano, G., Bertini, C., & Ronconi, L. (2024). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 31(2), 874–885.

Excitability mediates allocation of pre-configured ensembles to a hippocampal engram supporting contextual conditioned threat in mice. Mocle, A. J., Ramsaran, A. I., Jacob, A. D., Rashid, A. J., Luchetti, A., Tran, L. M., … Josselyn, S. A. (2024). Neuron, 112(9), 1487-1497.e6.

Incidentally encoded temporal associations produce priming in implicit memory. Mundorf, A. M. D., Uitvlugt, M. G., & Healey, M. K. (2024). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 31(2), 761–771.

Intrinsic and Synaptic Contributions to Repetitive Spiking in Dentate Granule Cells. Shu, W.-C., & Jackson, M. B. (2024). Journal of Neuroscience, 44(18), e0716232024.

Dynamic prediction of goal location by coordinated representation of prefrontal-hippocampal theta sequences. Wang, Y., Wang, X., Wang, L., Zheng, L., Meng, S., Zhu, N., … Ming, D. (2024). Current Biology, 34(9), 1866-1879.e6.

Calibrating Bayesian Decoders of Neural Spiking Activity. Wei 魏赣超, G., Tajik Mansouri زینب تاجیک منصوری, Z., Wang 王晓婧, X., & Stevenson, I. H. (2024). Journal of Neuroscience, 44(18), e2158232024.

Attribute amnesia as a product of experience-dependent encoding. Yan, N., & Anderson, B. A. (2024). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 31(2), 772–780.

A common format for representing spatial location in visual and motor working memory. Yousif, S. R., Forrence, A. D., & McDougle, S. D. (2024). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 31(2), 697–707.

Unified control of temporal and spatial scales of sensorimotor behavior through neuromodulation of short-term synaptic plasticity. Zhou, S., & Buonomano, D. V. (2024). Science Advances, 10(18).