#and also the other paul stamets

[t0ast-ghost]

God forbid they make a Vulcan and a southerner kiss. I’m talking about Enterprise.

And they really can’t make the Science officer and CMO gay! What? Yeah, Discovery is bad at it.

And OH LORD they made a command officer, a science officer, and a medical officer have hot vibes together??? What the heck Lower Decks!

[lithiumseven]

Star Trek Discovery said ‘queer suffering? No, queer joy’ and I’m so genuinely grateful

[rebeccathenaturalist]

I am all for creative sushi, but not when the creator doesn't fully understand the ingredients. A sushi restaurant in Montana served people sushi with raw and very undercooked morel (Morchella spp.) mushrooms on it. Over fifty people ended up sick with gastrointestinal upset, and two people actually died. Other restaurants that served the same batch of morels, fully cooked, had no such issues, and there was no evidence that there was any mishandling of the morels that could have caused a bacterial or other contamination. So it's pretty clear that the raw morels themselves were to blame.

Yes, there are a few wild mushroom species you can eat raw, and only in small amounts). No, Morchella are not among them. Morels have a toxin in them that's neutralized by cooking; Paul Stamets theorized that it's hydrazine, but no one has been able to isolate hydrazine in a morel yet so that's not a done deal. Whatever it is, there's enough of it that it tends to give people nasty gastrointestinal upset when they eat raw morels, even in small quantities. This is the first I've heard of people dying from it.

It's not the only time I've heard of people dying from consuming a commonly-considered-edible mushroom, though. There were two separate incidents--2004 and 2009--in which several people who ate angel wing mushrooms (Pleurocybella porrigens) died of encephalopathy. Now, it did turn out that most of the people sickened had pre-existing liver and/or kidney issues. And a 2011 study identified an unstable amino acid, now named Pleurocybellaziridine, as the possible fatal factor that was found in large quantities in angel wings. It could be that the culprits were flushes of these mushrooms with abnormally high amounts of Pleurocybellaziridine. But you can't tell how much of a given metabolite a given mushroom has just by looking at it, and so that raises enough of an alarm for me personally that as a forager I just put angel wings on the "do not eat" list.

Will I continue to eat morels? Yes. The toxicity associated with raw morels has been known for a long time, and there have been no recorded issues with thoroughly cooked morels (the angel wings were also cooked, meaning the toxin is not thermolabile.) And as mentioned before, almost any edible wild mushroom is going to give you gastrointestinal issues if you eat it raw. The mushrooms you get at the store are a weird outlier that can be safely eaten raw. And by the way, button mushrooms, criminis, and portobellos are all the same species--Agaricus bisporus--at different stages of development.

This is why I emphasize in my foraging classes that you should always cook your wild mushrooms thoroughly, and if you're trying a new species for the first time only eat a small amount and then wait a few days to make sure you don't have any reactions. As the saying goes, there are old mushroom hunters and there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old, bold mushroom hunters.

[cakesays]

Stray Gods: Orpheus is out now!

Do you like musical theatre? Star Trek perhaps? Anthony Rapp from RENT (Paul Stamets from Star Trek: Discovery) is Orpheus himself!

Do you like tabletop and seeing enbies thrive? Erika Ishii is back as Hermes!

If you like Greek Gods/musicals/rpgs and haven't played the base game yet, give it a whirl! It's on sale now through July 11th.

My thoughts, spoiler free:

I absolutely love this DLC. I'm very biased. I've been waiting for it to drop since it was first announced with the excitement of a kitten catching sight of a wand toy. Anthony Rapp has a beautiful voice. I looped his song more than anyone else's in the soundtracks. He and Erika Ishii were two of my favorite characters in Stray Gods.

Hermes connects to me very personally as I'm also an east asian enby trying to make my way in world where people that knew me before I knew myself expected me to be someone else. I can't not root for them!

Orpheus on the other hand is just plain stunning on just about every metric, and meeting him in the base game was a crowning moment of badass. I spent the last year coming up with so many theories and excuses just to find a way to see him again, and David Gaider solved it for me!

Anthony Rapp and Erika Ishii play off each other very well. It was absolutely the right choice to let Hermes and Orpheus finally have some scenes together. Some of my other favorites return too, but I won't name names here so you can find out for yourself!

You can import choices if you want from the main game, or go with a set of defaults.

If you get into games for the characters like me, there's so much personality to enjoy here. If you're here for the dialogue and the writing, David Gaider knocks it out of the park again. If you just wanna know what's up with the music, Orpheus has more songs to sing. If you like Orpheus or Hermes in the main game, don't hesitate. If you just want to explore more of this universe, come take a look. If you liked finding moments of joy amid the chaos in Stray Gods, get this dlc. Freddie would like this. 10/10!

[fortheloveoflatinum]

Discovery's Penultimate Episode

You know the drill! Clickety-click *after* you've watched the episode, unless you're looking for SPOILERS:

🙏 Can we at least see Detmer & Owo one last time? Is that too much to ask for? They just went sailing off into the light of other days without saying goodbye and I, for one, am righteously angry.

🙀 My poll is doing so well. I am surprised at some of the responses (wasn't expecting anyone to say 'everyone' would die) - I personally want everyone to live. It is, as someone tagged it, an 'everyone lives show.' I just hope it stays that way.

👻 Um no but seriously I've been scouring the Internet for Disco spoilers before I watch the episode to make sure none of my favs are axed. #confessiontime

🫶 I am adoring all the casual intimacy between Hugh and Paul. Definitely an OTP. Plus it's canon.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Ahhh are we going to see Saru and T'Rina's wedding? That would be a nice ending, I think. Wrap everything up in a little bow.

🎩 Hats off to Discovery! It's Star Trek for a new next generation, and heck it was an experiment that I think paid off. I know some people protested a Star Trek with a single protagonist instead of an ensemble cast. I think that most of the legitimate critique that has come from a place of resistance to this experiment. (Note that this is a quite different creature than the criticism of the show that comes from a place of hatred and resistance to our most diverse crew yet.) I personally don't know if I would want another Discovery. I liked the Trek of the past. The ensemble casts. The intricate plots that revolved around many characters, instead of just one. But I also love Discovery for what it is: a show that revolves around the adventures of someone who Starfleet and the Federation eventually accepts and uplifts, despite her being a mutineer, despite her many mistakes, despite her flaws and her bad choices. Someone who is shaped by intense inner conflict, someone who carries the weight of a war she started everywhere she goes, someone who is in-between two cultures and doesn't quite fit in either of them. But she exists in a system that allows for error, that provides second chances freely. And everyone is better for it.

🌠 That being said, I still like Stamets better. Just saying. Someone give this man another medal.

[nonbinary-alien25]

Post 9 of your favorite characters and let people guess your type.

thanks for the tag @lola-andheruniverse !!! these things are so fun :)

(also yes i am cheating just a lil bit since i made some of these duos lmao. i couldn't help myself. i have too many favorite characters and even then i still couldn't get them all lmfao)

these aren't necessarily in a particular order of most favorite or anything, just how i'm listing them lol

1. Sara Lance + Ava Sharpe ~ DC's Legends of Tomorrow

2. Carol Peletier + Daryl Dixon ~ The Walking Dead

3. Kensi Blye + Marty Deeks ~ NCIS: LA

4. Kara Zor-El/Danvers and Alex Danvers ~ Supergirl

5. Leonardo ~ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)

6. Charlie (Clotho) ~ DC's Legends of Tomorrow

7. Paul Stamets ~ Star Trek: Discovery

8. Adira Tal ~ Star Trek: Discovery

9. Nia Nal ~ Supergirl

it took me. way way longer than I'd ever care to admit both to narrow down my list to just 9 (even after cheating a bit with the duos lmao) and also to pick out gifs for each one. and i have so many other characters that i couldn't fit on this list lmao. so. good luck i guess.

no pressure tags: @forthehonorofgrey @chocolatemilk25 @for-forever21 @yourlocalegotisticalqueerishere @rockford-peaches and anyone else who sees this and wants to do it :)

[whovianwatchingstartrek]

A Whovian Watches Star Trek for the First Time: Part 115 - Starship of Babel

Star Trek: Discovery - Season 2 Episode 4 - An Obol for Charon

Today's episode opens with not a resolution to any of the immediate ends to what was happening last episode, but with Discovery beaming Pike's First officer on board, "Number One" from the Q&A Short Trek and also went unnamed in the Cage. She still doesn't get an actual name here.

We get a bit of an update about Enterprise's situation, things are still in desperate need of repair, and we find out that Number One has also been doing a bit of digging into Spock's situation, however Pike is drawn away before details can be discussed.

Down in Engineering Paul Stamets and Sylvia Tilly are looking after "May". The creature still seems to be clued into Sylvia's emotions in some way, which is interesting. Sylvia goes on a mini speech about how she wasn't the best friend to the real May as a kid, and the fungal creature reaches out and sort of forms a hand. It's a scene kinda touching and kinda creepy. I'm really interesting in this Fungal creature and what motives are, and how it works.

In the ready room, some of the staff are discussing the Red Angel. No federation known species matches it's appearance. Apparently Saru is suffering a cold. This conversation is a nice bit of recap, but it doesn't really amount to much that we didn't already know about the Red Angel. Pike enters and dismisses everyone except Michael, so can finally talk about Spock stuff. Apparently Number One had retrieved the path that Spock's shuttle took after escaping the psychiatric facility, and Discovery is already on an intercept course. Michael immediately asks to be excused from this mission, due to the unknown trauma she caused him. Pike starts a bit of a pep talk to Michael, but Discovery is then slammed to a hault, and left in front of this giant red swirling ball of something.

And then the intro plays. I've noticed this a lot with Discovery, but it's Cold Opens are really long.

After the Intro, we gather to discuss what this thing is, and then suddenly everyone is speaking different languages! This fun little premise, and I kinda wish the whole no-one can understand eachother bit lasted a bit longer, but after a bit of confusion, Saru is called to the bridge. It's previously established that Saru knows a lot of languages, so he's definetly going to be the MVP here. Of course, he still has a cold, so he's gonna have to fight through that. He gets the Universal translator back online, but the rest of the Bridge's systems are still scrambled through other languages.

Apparently the rest of the ship is unaffected though, Engineering is still perfectly functional. We get a fun little spat between Paul and the more traditional Engineer we picked up in episode 1, which I thought was fun. As everyone scrambles to repair Discovery, the Computer Virus runs through more of the ships systems. Paul, Sylvia and Reno end up trapped in the Spore Drive control room, with the "May" Creature, which latches onto Sylvia. The Bridge is loosing control of everything, and Saru's illness take a turn for the worse. Internal communications are also knocked out

I've said it before with Enterprise, but I love how Star Trek depicts chaotic all hands on deck moments, where everyone is dashing about in the background trying to stabilise things. This is no exception, and I'm absolutely loving how we're seeing this confusion across the entire ship, more than just The Bridge and Engineering, which was often the case for Enterprise.

Down in Sickbay, Saru is really anxious to report any symptoms to the ship's doctor. After a bit of coaxing however, we find out this is more than a simple cold: Apparently it's a unique condition among Kelpiens, and apparently it's going to kill him. This ties into his Short Trek from before we Started Discovery. Apparently, whatever the sphere is, it's causing the same response as that crystal which selected Kelpiens to be slaughtered. This process is called Vahar'ai, and will either kill him, or make him succumb to madness. Saru has an idea on how to fight back against the computer virus, albiet in a very weak way, but it would slow the progress and give the crew a little bit of time to regain control, and Michael moves off to enact this digital antibody plan. Saru accepts that he is dying, and moves out to help Michael out.

While Michael and Saru are working on this, we get a really nice heart to heart between them about the nature of Saru's culture and how he thinks he just isn't built to keep fighting in the way Michael does. This is probably the best time to note that I love what the make-up department have done with him this episode. The way he walks with kind of a weird lean this episode, the perspiration on his face looks just great. This one on one scene was definetly the best part of the episode for me, I love digging into characters like this and Saru's unique relationship with the universe as a member of a species that are basically livestock animals is so fascinating to me.

With the spore-drive gang, May is apparently influencing May's thoughts. Apparently it's pumping a hallucinogen into her to calm her, although Paul and Reno have different ideas of what it's motives are. Michael ends up heading to engineering to ask them reactivate shields, unaware of their current situation. Engineering of course can't do anything at the moment, they're locked out of all systems, and Sylvia is dropping in and out of conciousness. Paul has a great idea. What he's gonna do is rework a part of the spore drive interface to let may hijack Sylvia's nervous system, and this is explained better in the episode and makes more sense there. But it will let us communicate with may, and Michael thinks something similar might be happening with the sphere, and the Virus could be a form of communication.

Michael shares this theory with Saru, and he deduces that the Sphere is trying to communicate the fact that it was dying, and wants to be remembered. Pike accepts this, and lowers the shields to accept the transmission, but I love that he still has a back-up plan in place.

Meanwhile with May, the process isn't working, and they start proposing makeshift surgery to make the communication process easier, and the whole trepanning thing felt like unnecessary trauma for my poor Neurodivergent girl, but the episode goes thankfully is quick with it. Once communication is established, May reveals her motives. Apparently she views the Discovery's use of the Mycelium network as invasive, and plans to kill Paul, and is now effectively holding Sylvia hostage to that end.

Unfortunately, Saru is still suffering symptoms, and I actually thought they fully kill him here and I was crying, him reminiscing about his sister while asking Michael to sever his Ganglia, and paralleling his relationship to his sister with Michael's relationship to Spock broke my heart. I don't particularly like death fake outs, but I love Saru, so I'm kinda happy that happened here. Also, it means were might be able explore a new side of Saru soon, because apparently without his Ganglia fear is no longer his primary drive, so I'm excited to see where they take him. Also on a side note, I love the design of his quarters.

At the end of the episode we're left with Sylvia being taken into the spore network by May as our cliffhanger.

This has been my favourite episode of Season 2 so far, it had a lot of fun moments, I loved parallel situations between the Bridge crew and the Engineering crew. The many touching scenes with Saru here were great. I loved this one.

[do-you-know-this-queer-character]

may i ask who you've had submitted for star trek and also if you've had any submissions from the webcomic el goonish shive 👀

From various Star Trek medias, Elim Garak has been posted already, and in terms of other submissions, I have Jazida Dax, Paul Stamets, Hugh Culber, Adira Tal, Beckett Mariner, Hikaru Sulu, Jett Rino, Gray Tal, Seven of Nine, Andy Billups, and Jennifer Sh'reyan.

For El Goonish Shive, I have submissions for Tedd Verres, Grace Sciuridae, Elliot Dunkel, Ashley, Nanase Kitsune, Ellen Dunkel, Justin Tolkiberry, Diane, and Catalina Bobcat

[lichenaday]

Hi there! I read your reply to the info graphic on mushrooms and I was wondering if you'd be willing to talk a little more about Paul Stamets.

I only really know him from the Fantastic Fungi movie (which is fun but does sound like one long advertisement for the guy) and don't know much else about him. I was skeptical when I heard he was self-taught, but mycology has always seemed like such a fringe field to get into (speaking as a Master's student in biology who's had like zero contact with fungi beyond mycorrhiza) that his lack of a formal education didn't sound like a deal breaker.

I did notice (with some apprehension) how he talked about all the patents he sold and thought in that moment he sounded more like Elon Musk than a scientist...

But when I google him all that comes up is praise and talk of what a revolutionary guy he is. Do you maybe have more info on him that's a bit more critical of his practices?

Ugh, yeah I can talk about him a bit more, but I am not sure I am the right person to weigh in. Should've kept my mouth shut, but I also feel like this guy gets too many passes. I hate bad science. First, let me say he is really good at what he does. He is great at finding ways to get people excited about fungi, and that is pretty invaluable when most people would rather ignore fungi or actively hate them. As you say, even folks studying biology don't learn shit about them! It's really sad! So he is doing a bit of a service to the mycological world, which is partially why I think he sometimes gets a pass. But he's an entrepreneur, which, let's face it, isn't considered a bad thing in this capitalist world of ours. He's not doing anything *wrong*, if you don't count really stretching some truths and relying on anecdotal evidence and his own experiences. I think people need to keep in mind that he is trying to sell you something with his claims. For example, mycoremidation has cool potential, but if he really cared about its potential to save the world, he would publish his research and not hide it behind patents.

To be fair, I'm not pursuing mycology out of the pure goodness of my heart or anything. I want to get paid and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions. So maybe I am not so different. But when I read his articles where he continually plugs his books and his talks and his products . . . it rubs me the wrong way as a scientist. From what I can tell, his research practices are not transparent, the info he is giving out is not peer-reviewed, and he promotes and sells products in the alternative medicine market. It bothers me that he is constantly toted as the authority on mycology when there are many other great researchers out there doing incredible work who don't get the same attention because they are busy doing actual science instead of selling their discoveries.

Also he was on the Joe Rogan Podcast so there's that.

[sentientcave]

questions about books! thanks for the tag @stellewriites (And also the people that tagged me in this before I was lazy about it

1. the last book I read

All About Love by Bell Hooks (Technically I listened to the audiobook, but I think it counts.)

2. a book I recommend

Tehanu by Ursula K LeGuin - I'd recommend the whole Earthsea Cycle but Tehanu is particularly gorgeous.

3. a book I couldn't put down

Howls Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - This is one of my favourite books ever, every time I read it I basically don't stop until it's done. DWJ writes some of my favourite books of all time tbh, mostly children's lit, but like, really good children's lit. I still really enjoy the Chrestomanci Series as well.

4. a book l've read twice or more

There are a lot of books that fit this. If I like a book I'll read it at least twice. Probably one of my most re-read books is actually an anthology called The Golden Book of Faerie by O.R. Melling. It was so influential on my outlook as a writer, Melling just has this really beautiful way of tying the ancient to the everyday that I've always enjoyed. It's technically 4 books and like 1000 pages but I've read it probably 10 times over the years.

5. a book on my tbr

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - I can't even remember where I came across the recommendation or if I just happened to pick it up during an ebook sale, but it looked really interesting. It's set in Afghanistan and spans from the Soviet Invasion to post-Taliban.

6. a book l've put down

I didn't get very far into Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao but I would like to revisit it sometimes soon. I was just really distracted at the time and I just never picked it up again. But I've heard a lot of good things.

8. a favorite book from childhood

The Tortall Series by Tamora Pierce - Just like, all of them. I've named a lot of old favourites in here already though.

9. a book I would give to a friend

This would depend immensely on the person! I gift books a lot and try to branch away from personal favourites of mine to picks tailored more to them. I'm pretty good at it.

10. a fiction book I own

I own a lot of fiction books lmao. All of the above really.

11. a nonfiction book I own

Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms by Paul Stamets. I got really into mushroom growing a couple years ago. I only own the E-book though. Does it have to be a physical book? I've got a whole bunch about dye plants too

12. what I am currently reading

The Meaning of Freedom and Other Difficult Dialogues by Angela Y. Davis - It's a series of her speeches over the years.

13. what l am planning on reading next

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur - I've just seen her poetry online a lot and figured I should read it. I used to really love poetry so I'm trying to get back into it.

14. my shelfie

A lot of my books are still in storage so it's still a little empty in here. I have to move the tier stand next to my notebooks because I don't wear makeup anymore and it's just collecting junk.

I think most of my people have been tagged already but I don't think @mi-i-zori has been tagged yet. Also tagging anyone who wants to do this please show me your shelfies

[adastrafanfic]

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Ad Astra News - 6/18-6/24

State of the Archive

Busy week this week!  We had a bunch of new people coming over and posting, others archiving older stories and a decent amount of very excellent discussion over on Discord.  Folks also seem to be falling in more comfortably with our posting/tagging rules, which is a great thing for archive searchability.  We do still have a Review Hunt going on for the next week, so your chance to win art and/or cash is still on the table, too!  Literally any review you write is eligible, so paste their links into the form as you write them!  Next month I'll be able to somewhat automate that process, but for now, this is what it's gotta take.

Weekly Challenge #10

For this week, write a story between 100 and 700 words about a sensory event or even just a day in the sun or rain. Can be extra-sensory, can be just plain old atmospheric, can involve any of the senses (and then some!) Interpret the prompt as literally as you like or a figuratively as you like, then submit your response to the Weekly Challenge Collection on Ad Astra: https://beta.adastrafanfic.com/collections/weeklychallenges Use the additional (freeform) tag Weekly Challenge: Sensory Processing Challenge closes on June 30th at 11:59P, Eastern.

Stories Archived

Star Trek: Discovery

By LizBee a fountain of blood in the shape of a woman - Unrated - Gabriel Lorca/Katrina Cornwell, Philippa Georgiou

By TUNiU The Needs of the....oh you know how it goes - T - Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets - 🔒

Star Trek: The Original Series

By Beatrice_Otter Dimension Hopping - T - Buffy Summers/Spock, xover with BtVS Starship Mine - T - Una Chin-Riley, Nyota Uhura, Christine Chapel

By Merfilly Cultural Studies - G - Nyota Uhura, Spock Spanning the Years - G - Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Spock

By sixbeforelunch The Surface is a Strange and Wonderful Place - G - James T. Kirk, Nyota Uhura, Spock, Original Characters - 🔒 A Brief Study of Vulcan Public Health Concerns - G - Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock - 🔒 Foundations of Affection - T - Spock/T'Pring - 🔒

By SLWalker Torn - G - Montgomery "Scotty" Scott Name and Nature - M - Montgomery "Scotty" Scott/Spock

Star Trek: Alternate Original Series

By Beatrice_Otter The Desert Between - T - Nyota Uhura (AOS)/Spock (AOS) Nyota's Choice - G - Nyota Uhura (AOS)/Spock (AOS) House-Building - G - Nyota Uhura (AOS)/Spock (AOS) Children of the Desert - G - Original Vulcan Characters

Star Trek: The Next Generation

By Beatrice_Otter Essential To Your Own - T - Data/Geordi LaForge Little Ship Lost - T - Ensemble Cast open your heart knowing - G - Data/Geordi La Forge Matters of Perspective - G - Guinan/Jean-Luc Picard

By sixbeforelunch All Our Broken Plans - T - Sam Lavelle & Taurik - 🔒 Laid Bare - T - Ensemble Cast - 🔒 The Fixed Point - G - Ian Andrew Troi I/Lwaxana Troi - 🔒 Change of Vector - T - Deanna Troi/William Riker - 🔒 The Leak - G - Ensemble Cast - 🔒

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

By baktag Star Trek: Clonrichert - T - Ensemble Cast, xover with Father Ted

By Beatrice_Otter A Space for Faith - G - Original Characters

By TheQuietWings Who was she? - G - Kira Nerys

Star Trek: Voyager

By sixbeforelunch Cultural Nuances - G - Vorik - 🔒 Forward Momentum - T - Kathryn Janeway/Tuvok - 🔒

Expanded Universes

By CeJay Tempus Fugit - T - Ensemble Cast

By DavidFalkayn Shore Leave - M - Ensemble Cast Diplomatic Incidents - M - Ensemble Cast Meet the Press - M - Ensemble Cast Back into the Fray - M - Ensemble Cast Prelude to a Horror - M - Ensemble Cast Corruption in Paradise - M - Ensemble Cast Into the Breach - M - Ensemble Cast

By Gibraltar The Long Road - T - Pava Lar'ragos

By sixbeforelunch Kal'i'farr heh T'naehm - T - T'Lin/Veral - 🔒 Let'thieri - T - T'Lin/Veral - 🔒 Khaf-spol t'M'aih - T - T'Lin/Veral - 🔒 Tel-nel-dath - G - T'Lin/Veral - 🔒 Masu-kastra - T - T'Lin/Veral - 🔒

[iron-bundle]

okay im putting my disco thoughts here because no one i know has finished the episode yet but its been sitting in my brain since 11pm last night.

when they said they were on lorca's ship i was going to scream if they did a lorca cameo but instead it was airiam and i was like feeling so many goddamn things i almost cried because i remembered airiam's death because i just rewatched it a few weeks ago and it ruins me every time

when they did the bit about drydock discovery i was hoping we'd see straal I'm the only bitch who cares about him i know i hope stamets got to see his best friend again

thank GOD they brought back paul's weird time shit i need them to talk about his weird tardigrade symptoms all the time he's my babygirl

the lack of paul trying to reason with hugh in other timeloops is so annoying please i know he knows he cant reason with hugh but i need Hugh in every episode in like 3 scenes each

Jett Reno my beloved i need you in my life every episode i hope rayner bought you that cocktail

baby rhys... my beloved lt rhys...

speaking of bridge crew. god i missed bryce i hope he shows up again

IMAGINE if they had the chance to do a snw cameo i would have cried we could have had pike or lorca and got NEITHER

the way michael's voice not only is different in the past but also her stance and her speaking pattern oh my god she grew so much i love you michael

and of course. the most important thing. grudge was here yippee she was purring in michaels quarters that made me so happy i love seeing the fucking kitty

[sjsmith56]

Hold Me - Chapter 11, Finding Jade

Summary: Jade has a nightmare about the Others Queen but doesn’t wake up from it. Bucky takes her to the medical bay where Bruce determines she has contracted a virus. Her only chance of survival is a transfusion from a super soldier. After she recovers Jade is sent away while they get a sample of the Queen, hoping a fungi expert can identify her weaknesses. While in Albuquerque Jade is approached by the remnants of her father’s cult who won’t leave her alone. Realizing that she needs to break their fixation on her leads her to make a decision about her abilities.

Length: 4.4K

Characters: Bucky, Jade, Bruce, Ma, Steve, Dr. Strange, fungi expert.

Warnings: infection, fear of losing each other (Bucky and Jade), harassment from cult members, first real fight between Bucky and Jade.

Author notes: The part of the fungi expert is played by real life Washington state mycologist Paul Stamets. If you've heard the name before it's because his name is also used for a character on Star Trek Discovery, supposedly a descendant of the real man.

<<Chapter 10

🩺⚕️

She's out in the Badlands again. Running, looking behind her constantly. They found her and are tracking her. Everywhere she goes they push up the ground, sometimes behind her, sometimes in front. She has the sudden realization they are herding her towards something or someone. It's a maze and she's the rat but it isn't a prize at the end. It's something terrible, something worse. If she could she would stop but there is no where else to go except where they are herding her. In frustration she starts to cry but she doesn't stop. A sharp spasm of pain cuts through her side, where the wound was. Pressing her hand on it she tries to temper the pain but it doesn't work.

"Jade," said Bucky, touching her head, which was burning. "Jade, wake up."

She didn't respond. Bucky ran to the intercom. "Bruce, you awake? It's Jade. She won't wake up."

"Bring her to the lab, now!" said Bruce, from his room.

He threw on a T-shirt and sweat pants and ran to the lab. Bucky came in moments later carrying an unconscious Jade in his arms. Bruce looked at her, unsure of what was happening. He had taken blood and a tissue sample only a few hours earlier. There were no results yet but this wasn't good. Gingerly pulling her night shirt up he was shocked to see the inflammation had spread across her entire abdomen. Grabbing a thermometer he put it into her armpit and asked Bucky to keep her arm pressed to her side. While he did that he prepared to insert an IV into her good arm. The thermometer beeped 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Fever. Putting a tourniquet on he tapped her vein and inserted the cannula taping it in place, then hooked it up to a bag of saline and placed it onto the pole.

"Go get Ma," he said. "I need her to look into Jade's mind and to contact Strange for the lab results."

Bucky ran to Ma's room, banging on her door. She came straight to it and just looked at him then ran past him to the medical lab. Rushing in she looked at Bruce and both saw and felt the worry he felt.

Touching Jade she attempted to enter her daughter's mind.

"Jade!" she called.

She was in the Badlands but she couldn't see her daughter. Looking down at the ground she saw footprints and started following them running as fast as she could. After a few minutes she saw her daughter and she called again. Jade turned around and saw her mother, her face terrified.

"No!" she yelled. "Go back, it's the queen. She's found me somehow. Ma, leave!"

Suddenly the ground around Jade erupted and a huge mass appeared out of the ground. It undulated in front of Jade and looked like it was ready to devour her. The ground shook behind Ma and she turned. It was Bucky, but it wasn't Bucky and with a flash of understanding she realized it was the Winter Soldier. He looked at her and in a voice devoid of emotion or feeling said he would kill the creature as it was now his mission. He strode towards the mass, pulling a massive gun out of a back holster. Aiming at it he started firing and didn't stop until he had emptied the magazine. He had wounded it but it still threatened Jade. Dropping the gun he reached into sheaths on his thighs, pulling out two long knives and with a roar charged the mass jumping up near the top and slashing at it. In a fury he kept slashing and stabbing. Even though he did damage it was obvious he couldn't kill it and it fought back, finally throwing him to the ground at Ma's feet.

"I am unable to comply," he said to Ma, "and cannot complete my mission. Tell Sergeant Barnes to give her the part of him that can fight infection. He will understand."

Looking straight ahead he blinked once and moved no more. Ma felt his throat for a pulse but there was none. Then she looked at Jade who was cowering at the base of the still wounded mass. Knowing what she had to do she envisioned herself back in her body.

She stepped away from Jade and was a little unsteady. "It's the queen," she said. "Somehow it found her and it's in her subconscious. The Winter Soldier was there and he fought it but it killed him. Before he died he said for Bucky to give her the part of him that can fight infection."

"A blood transfusion?" asked Bucky. "Bruce, if it's her only chance."

"We don't know what it will do to her," said Bruce. "Ma, his blood is full of super soldier serum and it could give all sorts of side effects to Jade."

"I'm guessing it's loaded with antibodies and anti-oxidants as well, isn't it?" she asked anxiously. "Bruce, that thing is ready to kill her, render her brain dead. If this is her only chance...."

Bucky sat and started tying on the tourniquet himself. "Do it," he said. "We'll deal with the side effects later but I'm not letting her die."

"Do it Bruce," said Steve, who had been watching from the door. "If you don't want to give her Bucky's blood, give her mine, but if it's as bad as Ma says then do it.

"Alright, we'll do a direct transfusion from Steve," he said. "He's the same blood type as Jade. Ma, can you bring over the other gurney for Steve to lie on and set up the transfusion? He needs to be elevated so gravity will push it into her system."

Ma set it up and inserted the needle into Steve's arm. She allowed the blood to flow then connected it to Jade's IV. Standing near Jade she touched her daughter's head. Bucky sat on the other side. Looking at Steve he nodded at him then rested his forehead on Jade's hand.

If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

    Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

Bucky's head was on Jade's hand when her fingers moved. Instantly he was awake. She was looking at him and smiled. Without hesitating he stood up, leaned over her and kissed her gently on the lips.

"You scared me," he said. "You wouldn't wake up. Ma went into your head and said the queen was there and the Winter Soldier."

She nodded. "He tried to fight her but she killed him," she said. "Then suddenly she didn't look too well and she sort of folded in on herself. Ma was there, said Steve gave me some of his blood. Does that mean I'm a super soldier now?"

Bucky laughed. "I don't know," he said. "But you tell me if you ever want to pick a fight with a bully, okay? I wanted to give you blood but we don't match."

"Hey, how's my favourite patient?" asked Bruce. "Here, I need to take your temperature. Your mom sent a thought message to Strange and he came while you were out. Your blood work was indicative of an infection. The tissue sample was just inflamed, nothing indicative in it. We think the queen was giving you an infection telepathically. Whatever it was Steve's blood seems to have taken care of it."

He pulled the thermometer out and smiled, nodding his head.

"Where's Ma?" asked Jade.

"After she came back out of your head she said you would be okay and went back to bed. So did Steve," said Bucky. "Strange won't let you near the queen anymore. You're done. It's too dangerous for you."

"Will you let me go back to our room?" she asked then looked at Bucky. "I just want to lie in your arms."

"Sure," replied Bruce, "straight to sleep, now okay?"

He disconnected the IV line and pulled the cannula out of her hand, putting a bandaid on the spot. Bucky picked her up and carried her to their door. Jade entered the code and he carried her into the bedroom, laying her on the bed. He laid beside her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her on the forehead.

In the morning Jade woke before Bucky and watched him as he slept. She brushed the hair from his face with her fingers and smiled remembering how alert he had been that first time she entered his bedroom and he pulled a gun on her. Now, he didn't move as she touched his hair. The trust that had developed between them was incredible and she didn't know if she could ever live without it or him, again.

"Marry me," she whispered. "Don't ever leave me."

He still slept but she had voiced her desire and now it was up to destiny to make it known to him. The intercom buzzed and she got up to answer it. Steve was calling a breakfast meeting of everyone in 30 minutes. Bucky's eyes were open and he smiled when he saw she was up and looking much better. Getting out of the bed he held her and kissed her tenderly.

"I wish we had more time," he said regretfully.

They quickly showered, dressed and joined the others in the common room where Dr. Strange had arrived and was talking to Steve in hushed tones. When Bucky walked in Steve called him over and Jade sat next to her mother and Ben.

"We have a mission," said Steve. "Well, Bucky and I do. We are going to be testing a device developed using the information gathered by the cult and by Jade's encounter yesterday. There is one complication. Strange."

"When Jade had her encounter with the queen yesterday the queen used her telepathic powers to plant a virus in Jade," he said. "Matters came to a head overnight when Jade was brought to the medical centre for treatment in an unconscious state. It was only cured by a blood transfusion from Steve here. Our plan had been to use Jade to force another encounter with the queen but it's too dangerous for her to be close by so we've developed a kind of projection unit that will mimic Jade's brain waves, fooling the queen into thinking it's Jade out there. By using Steve and Bucky their super soldier blood should protect them from any viruses. Jade, you will be in Albuquerque, far enough away from here so that you shouldn't be affected by the queen's telepathy."

Jade started to protest but Strange held firm. "I have looked into the future possibilities on this," he said. "In all of the scenarios where you stayed, you were reinfected. In all of the scenarios where you were elsewhere you weren't. It's as simple as that."

Bruce put up a hand. "What came of your consultation with the mushroom guy?" he asked.

"Without a sample he can't be sure," said Strange. "One of the mission objectives is to secure a sample. If it is mycelium based we may be able to use a fungicide on her but we will have to test that. Right now we want to see if we can hurt the drones enough that she disconnects from them and they die leaving her with fewer resources and hopefully starve herself."

Scott and Ben would be going with Jade to Albuquerque and accommodation had been arranged. Dr. Strange opened a portal for them and they were met by the sheriff on the other side. He took them to his house where he had a spare bedroom and a spare couch. Scott took the couch while Jade and Ben took the twin beds in the spare bedroom. Since it was still late morning the sheriff's wife asked if they wanted to go to the market. At first they declined but Ben had never been to a market and begged to just walk around and get a feel of it. For him it was exciting. The sounds, the people, and the bartering were all new and exciting to him. Even Scott found it interesting having missed much of it when he first arrived. For Jade it brought a mixture of good and not so good memories. Good watching Bucky and Peter in action as traders, seeing Bucky do what he did best when he dealt with the not so good traffickers. She stopped to watch some haggling on a transaction and didn't notice a number of people who had approached her.

"Excuse me," said a man, "you're the white haired mother of greatness aren't you?"

"No, I'm not," said Jade, walking away from the man.

"You are!" he exclaimed. "Elder Abraham foretold your coming. You are here, we are saved."

Scott took Jade's arm. "Let's just move along and get away from this believer," he said to her.

It didn't matter. As word spread amongst the cult members who had stayed, having no where else to go, they started following her, singing her praises and calling for her to show her powers to the unbelievers. Even turning on them and telling them to leave her alone had no effect and eventually the sheriff's wife took them home. That should have been the end of it until people started showing up outside the sheriff's home, praying, singing, and making a nuisance of themselves. Jade tried asking them to leave but they saw it as her testing their faith. Sheriff Peters ended up assigning two deputies to keep guard at his house, in order to prevent the followers from trying to enter his home.

"I'm so sorry," said Jade. "I've told them I'm an ordinary person but they continue to insist I'm not. I don't know what else to do."

"It's alright," said the sheriff, "John Langford did a real number on them. Faith is a hard thing to break."

Jade went straight to her room and sat on the bed. The encounters with the remaining cult members had shaken her. She went into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. The memory of the Winter Soldier appearing came into her head, followed by the attack of the queen on her mind. The words of the sheriff about faith being hard to break stuck with her. Until she broke their faith they would never leave her alone.

The encounter with the queen went as hoped. The queen accepted the projected transmission as Jade and tried to break out of the ground several times. Between them Steve and Bucky were able to get two samples of the queen before having to jump through a portal for safety. Strange took the samples and opened a portal to his fungus expert in Washington state. Bruce was looking at the data from the transmission that mimicked Jade.

"You know," he said out loud to no one in particular. "This might be the weapon we could use against the queen. If we lure her out of the ground and keep her attention focussed on the transmission it might make her nests easier to destroy.”

"What do you mean, Bruce?" asked Steve.

"We could suspend a speaker from a helicopter or a drone for that matter and ramp up the frequencies enough to bring the queen out of the ground," said Bruce. "Look at the data on the nests. When the queen was trying to get out of the ground the nests were suffering. The queen was hell bent on getting to those transmissions and willing to sacrifice her drones to do it. They could be stressed enough to make them vulnerable to attack, especially the ones further away from her."

"I still have those IEDs," said Sam, drawn into the conversation. "I could drop them on the outer nest locations with a remote command. When you lure her out I set them off. She said she was immune to bombs. Never said anything about the nests or the drones being immune."

"I think we should test it out," said Bucky. "What do we have to lose?"

"Let's get it set up and ready to go," said Steve, "but we don't implement it until we hear from Dr. Strange."

When a portal was sent for Jade, Ben and Scott the following morning to return to the bunker they readily took it. Jade went straight to her room without seeing anyone. In the hours before Dr. Strange reappeared Bucky sought out Jade, concerned she hadn't checked in with him. He found her lying on her side in their bed. Kicking his boots off he climbed on with her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked softly. "You came straight here after returning."

"Just thinking," she said. "The cult members still in Albuquerque recognized me. Wouldn't leave me alone. Sheriff Peters had to assign two deputies to keep them from trying to enter his home. I can't live in a bubble, Bucky. Those people will never leave me alone."

He sighed. "There's talk of the Avengers going back to New York to fight the Others there," he said. "Come back with me. There's no cult members there."

"I'm a country girl," she said simply. "I'll visit but living in a concrete building with neighbours just feet away doesn't appeal to me. I'm sorry but I can't. And the cult members have a link to me. They would find me eventually."

"You won't even try it out?" he asked. "You don't know if you would like the city or not."

"Don't," she said, pulling away. "I'm dealing with some shit right now and you're not helping."

"Fine," he said, sitting up and pulling his boots on. "When you're ready to talk come and find me. We might have a way to finally defeat the Others and you're in here moping about some deluded people who think you're their messiah. Forgive me for not giving it the importance you think is necessary."

He stood up to walk away then looked back to see her silently crying. "Fuck, I'm sorry," he said getting back on the bed. "I'm so, so sorry. I can say some nasty shit when I get angry but that was unjustified. Baby, please, forgive me."

Pulling her close into his arms he stroked her hair while she cried. He kissed her and it became more passionate between them until the intercom buzzed.

"Bucky, Strange is back," said Steve. "Come to the common room, both of you."

"His timing is perfect," said Bucky, pulling her T-shirt back down to her waist.

They walked hand in hand to the common room. Strange had a man with him.

"Who's the guy?" asked Bucky of Scott.

"Paul Stamets, his fungus expert," said Scott.

"Oh good, everyone is here," said Dr. Strange. "If you didn't hear the introductions this is Paul Stamets, one of the world's top experts in fungi. He's had a good look at the samples we took and while they are fungi, they're like no fungus he has ever seen."

"Thanks Stephen," said Stamets. "You all think of fungus as mushrooms, or mold on damp areas but there are thousands of different types. Some reproduce sexually, some asexually, there are several other different ways which I won't get into. This one, the Others, is of extremely high intelligence and purpose. It's purpose is to kill humans because we are resistant to its attempt to enter a symbiotic relationship with us."

"What's a symbiotic relationship?" asked Clint.

"It's a mutually beneficial relationship between two species that keeps them both alive," said Stamets. "The Others are two species, the queen, and the drones. Even though the queens in wetter environments resemble the drones I think that's by design not by nature. This queen, out here in the desert, this is the true appearance of that species. The queens needed the drones to get to our planet – they have the technology although we haven't seen their space craft yet. She has no technology – only the ability to connect with the drones. Until the young woman here connected mentally they were only able to kill humans. They couldn't form a new symbiotic relationship with a human."

"Was she trying to form a symbiotic relationship with me?" asked Jade. "Is that why she was trying to break out of the ground?"

"That's my theory," he said. "I believe she wanted to use you as a bridge to forming symbiotic relationships with other humans. This is a nice planet for them. Three quarters water, lots of biological matter for her to thrive. It's like she wants us to join her family, which we don't, right?"

"So, Jade, we have to send you away again while we test a new attack strategy on her," said Strange. "I won't send you to Albuquerque. I'm sending you to Santa Fe, just for a few hours. Maria will go with you this time. Ben, do you want to go with your mom?"

"No, I would like to watch, please," he said. "This is pretty cool stuff."

A ghost of a smile crossed Strange's face. Bucky hugged and kissed Jade then she and Maria stepped through the waiting portal. Sam got into his gear and with his satchel of IEDs went out to lay them in place over the outermost nests, setting each to explode when it received his signal. While he did that the transmission device was attached to the bottom of the quinjet. Both Bucky and Clint would be piloting it. They would also have the back open with Steve, Peter, and Scott with safety harnesses on to visually monitor nest activity below them. As soon as the quinjet was in position they turned the transmission on to its highest level. Sam had all of his weaponized drones on alert to watch for any Others counterattack.

Red Wing was recording everything for study later and providing a live link to Strange, Bruce, Stamets and the others. As soon as the transmission started the ground immediately below undulated as the queen pushed her way up through the strata. It seemed as if she was straining to get to the source of the transmissions and her colour changed to something sickly the further she extended herself.

"I can hear the drones," said Ma, "and they're not happy."

"Wanda, can you sense anything from the queen?" asked Strange.

"Anger, that Jade is just out of her reach," said Wanda who could now sense emotions from the queen. "She's also angry at the drones. They're not doing enough to maintain her."

"Sam, set the IEDs off," said Strange. "Do the first set individually then wait for my order to set off the rest."

Sam sent the signal to the outermost nests and one by one six nests were blown up. Strange looked at the readouts and smiled as the data showed those nests had been neutralized. He and Stamets looked at the live view of the queen and saw her colour had become even worse.

"Sam, set the whole damn lot up," ordered Strange. "Get clear of any blast waves."

Moving up even higher Sam sent the signal to blow all of the IEDs he had set and watched as a massive explosion obscured everything from his vision.

"Damn, that was one big blast," he said. "I can't see anything. What does the data show?"

Everyone in the common room was looking at the data coming in from the nests and the queen. Not a single nest was still alive. The ones which had no IEDs had just stopped functioning.

"Quinjet," said Strange. "Can you see anything? Red Wing's view is still obscured."

Peter unhooked his harness and slung a web downwards, lowering himself closer to the surface.

"There's nothing," he reported. "Chunks of flesh, debris. It looks like she exploded."

Sam flew closer in so he was level with Peter. "That's confirmed," he said. "There's nothing left of the queen, almost as if she overextended herself and it was too much for her body to take."

"Okay, stop the transmission," Strange said. "Everybody in except Sam and Red Wing. Sam, continue monitoring for visual life signs. I'm not going out there until I'm sure nothing is alive."

Inside the Bunker everyone continued watching the data, or lack of data that was coming in. Strange looked at Stamets and they both looked at the others.

"Let's go have a look," Strange said. "Oh, before I forget. Ma send a message to Jade. I'm sending them a portal."

He created a portal and the two women walked in. Bucky hugged Jade and whispered in her ear that it looked like it worked. They killed the queen and the drones. She held him hard and kissed him, smiling at the apparent success. Outside they all loaded into the quinjet and it took off for the site of the queen. Sam was still there and confirmed there were no signs of life in his goggle readouts. Finding a clear spot they landed and streamed out to a landscape littered with the remains of the queen. Stamets had brought sampling equipment with him and was busy picking up pieces of the queen and sealing them in plastic bags or containers. Due to the heat and the overhead position of the sun her body parts were already starting to dry out and curl up. As the others spread out to find out what happened to the nearby nests Jade approached Dr. Strange.

"Can I have a moment of your time?" she asked. "I need to talk to you and Wanda in private. There's something I need to do and only you two can help me."

He looked at her strangely, but nodded and said to meet at 9 pm in the garage. He watched as she went to Wanda and saw the same look on her face as he felt on his. The witch looked at him and he nodded. There had been a 50% chance of this request and Strange knew exactly what he, Wanda, and Jade would be doing on the following morning.

Chapter 12>>

Series Masterlist

Please like, comment and reblog if you enjoyed this chapter.

[fouralignments]

So I'm at a basketball game right. And they're selling these booze in test tube things. And I don't know why but it doesn't appeal to me. Maybe it's because my parents are both doctors

Plus...when has drinking from a test tube lead to anything GOOD?

Anyway I want to know YOUR opinion on this. You know because you also got some smart bitches in your family as well

I'm a person who doesn't drink alcohol like teetotal, except in the flavoring of food where all the alcohol, because it messy with me sensory wise. But I do enjoy me some virgin Piña colada.

My parents are also in the medical field; but I also majored in chemistry so my first thought: One does drink lab chemicals! Agreed, specially in pop culture when has it EVER led to something good?

Hollow man (2000 movies with Kevin Bacon as dr. Sebastian Caine basically the Invisible man remake), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Connors/ Lizard from Amazing spiderman also Peter Parker from Gwen Stacy from Earth-65B in Across the Spiderverse, Norman Osborn from Spiderman with the Goblin Super serum in Spiderman (2002), you also have Harry Osborn from The Spectacular Spiderman. Dr. Anton Mercer from Power Ranger: Dino Thunder, which turns him into Mesogog. Paul Stamets from Star Trek: Discovery. Professor Souichi Tomoe/Germatoid from the Death Buster Arc from Sailor Moon. Hank McCoy from First Class, he gets what he deserve in his karmic transformation into a blue furball

I'm also counting like jabbing yourself, aerosol, swallowing it, transfusing it with untested science/medicine or otherwise same trope, just different method of delivery.

the only case that I know of where this leads to a good outcome is when its the curing of the plague or illness like in the case of the Star Trek episode Miri, where Dr. McCoy doesn't know which test is the antidote so Spock tests it out on himself; but this more of a case not being able to communicate with the ship's computer that could tell with a time clock running out.

Perhaps we can also count Static and Virgil from Static Shock in the event of The Big Bang; but for nearly the rest its um not so much; Miguel O'Hara with his backstory of bad corporate mad science and exploitation (which totally fits with what the fuck Elon Musk is doing with neuralink).

But other than that your in for a fucking world of PAIN. It just shows why we need high ethical standards in medicine and even a higher threshold for human testing; informing those who participate full information about the risks before they consent, what researchers hope to achieve etc.

[fortheloveoflatinum]

Disco Thoughts

Hey there, don't let me be the one to spoil it for you. Click at your own discretion, because here there be spoilers for Star Trek: Discovery.

When are we going to see Detmer and Owosekun? Are they even going to come back for the finale? I feel like we have a whole new bridge crew and as much as I respect the idea of the Bajoran pilot - what was her name again? - she's just a stand-in. She has had a few lines of sub-standard dialogue by this point and I am unimpressed. Detmer at least had some tension to her - she was a very angry character, to the point where that was her defining character trait (I can't remember the episode but I can't forget the scene where Saru is leading the crew in a dinner and Detmer makes up a rhyme about Stamet's blood. I think it was shortly after they jumped to the future.) 💔

Um since when are so many Commanders allowed on one ship? And why were they all passed over for promotion, having loyally followed Michael into the future - as Paul reminds us right before she blasts him out of an airlock - so she wouldn't have to be alone? Rayner seems like a wild card. I would have loved to see one of the original bridge crew who followed Michael to the future get a chance to shine as her Number 1. Just because Rayner needs a second chance doesn't mean that others don't deserve a first! 🌻

Who else loved seeing Bryce command the ship? That was a first I think, and speaks to my earlier point that he would have made a great Number 1. He stays level and calm - unlike, ahem, a certain Commander *coughs* Rayner. 😂

Part of me really wants to see Michael save the galaxy yet again, but don't you think it would be more fun if, say, she failed and Stamets did it single-handedly for a change? 😉

I was talking with my neighbor (he's also a Trekkie) and we were thinking about the choice to make the Breen liquid. Why? Well, because of the Founders, of course. If all the changeling-like, Founder-esque species allied together during the Dominion war, this adds exactly no layers of nuance to DS9 canon because one can throw one's hands quite neatly in the air and say, "Heh. Our old enemy, xenophobia strikes again. Thank goodness we have our own personal savior conveniently captaining a ship capable of going anywhere in the galaxy at the press of a spore drive button, right?" 🙏

Also I personally think answering the question of, "What does a Breen look like under their helmet?" takes away from their mystique. And their fearsomeness. It humanizes them, okay, and that was the one thing the Breen didn't need. They're Breen! Also, heheh, green. ❇️

Just kidding. Imma miss the ever-living daylights out of Disco when it's gone. I was kind of hoping for it to end with a bang, but it seems a whimper is all we'll get. 😭

[edwardgdunn]

How Psilocybin Mushrooms Can Save The World: Insights from Paul Stamets’ Lecture

Introduction:

In a world facing pressing environmental, societal, and mental health challenges, the potential of psilocybin containing mushrooms to catalyze positive change is gaining significant attention. Renowned mycologist and author Paul Stamets has been at the forefront of advocating for the transformative power of psilocybin. In his thought-provoking lecture, “How Psilocybin Can Save The World,” Stamets explores the potential applications of psilocybin in addressing these global issues. In this blog post, we will delve into the key insights from Stamets’ lecture and discuss the potential of psilocybin to promote environmental stewardship, mental well-being, and interconnectedness.

It should be noted that the scientific community has long been aware of the potential benefits of psilocybin containing mushrooms. However, as a result of the actions of lawmakers in America and other countries, scientific research was halted decades ago. It is only in very recent years that researchers have been allowed to continue studying the potentially life-changing benefits of this compound.

Psilocybin and Environmental Stewardship:

Stamets highlights the symbiotic relationship between mushrooms, including psilocybin-containing species, and the environment. Psilocybin mushrooms play a crucial role in ecological processes, such as nutrient cycling and forest regeneration. By recognizing and preserving the habitats of these mushrooms, we can contribute to the health and sustainability of ecosystems.

Stamets also highlights the potential of mycoremediation, a process that utilizes mushrooms to break down and detoxify pollutants in the environment. Psilocybin-containing mushrooms, with their unique ability to decompose complex compounds, offer promising applications in cleaning up contaminated soil, water, and even oil spills. This approach showcases the potential of psilocybin to contribute to environmental restoration and inspire sustainable practices.

Psilocybin and Mental Well-being:

Stamets emphasizes the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in addressing mental health challenges that plague society. Research has shown promising results in the use of psilocybin-assisted therapy for conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction.

Psilocybin’s ability to induce mystical and profound experiences can facilitate introspection, increase empathy, and promote emotional healing. It has been observed to dissolve rigid thought patterns and expand consciousness, leading to transformative insights and long-lasting positive changes in individuals’ lives.

Stamets suggests that incorporating psilocybin into mental health treatment protocols may revolutionize the field and provide new avenues for healing and personal growth. By embracing psilocybin’s potential, we can promote mental well-being on an individual and societal level.

Psilocybin and Interconnectedness:

Stamets explores the notion that psilocybin experiences can evoke a deep sense of interconnectedness with nature and all living beings. This feeling of unity and ecological awareness has the potential to inspire a more sustainable and compassionate approach to our relationship with the natural world. By embracing the lessons learned during psilocybin experiences, individuals may develop a profound appreciation for the interconnectedness of all life forms. This expanded consciousness can lead to a shift in values, influencing choices and behaviors that prioritize environmental conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable living practices.

Scientific Research Supporting Psilocybin’s Potential:

To reinforce Stamets’ insights, let’s explore scientific studies that support the potential of psilocybin:

Study 1: A study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology explored the effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy on end-of-life anxiety in cancer patients. The research showed significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and improved quality of life in participants following psilocybin sessions. These positive effects were sustained months after the experience.

Study 2: A systematic review published in The Lancet Psychiatry analyzed the efficacy of psilocybin in treating depression. The review found evidence of significant and sustained reductions in depressive symptoms after psilocybin-assisted therapy, highlighting its potential as a breakthrough treatment for depression.

Study 3: A study conducted at Imperial College London investigated the impact of psilocybin on brain connectivity and ego dissolution. The findings revealed that psilocybin induced altered states of consciousness, increased brain connectivity, and a temporary dissolution of the sense of self. These changes were associated with positive psychological outcomes and increased well-being.

Micro-dosing with Psilocybin:

Micro-dosing involves taking very small, sub-perceptual doses of psilocybin on a regular schedule, typically every few days. The purpose of micro-dosing is not to induce a full psychedelic experience but to benefit from the subtle effects that can enhance cognition, creativity, mood, and overall well-being. Emerging studies suggest that micro-dosing may offer several potential benefits:

Enhanced creativity and cognitive function: A study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that micro-dosing with psychedelics, including psilocybin, was associated with increased creativity, improved problem-solving abilities, and enhanced cognitive flexibility.

Mood enhancement and emotional well-being: Research conducted at Imperial College London demonstrated that micro-dosing with psilocybin led to improvements in mood, emotional stability, and overall well-being. Participants reported reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Increased mindfulness and openness: A study conducted by the University of Toronto found that micro-dosing with psilocybin was associated with heightened mindfulness and a greater sense of openness to new experiences. Participants reported increased feelings of connectedness and empathy.

Macro-dosing with Psilocybin:

Macro-dosing involves taking higher doses of psilocybin to induce a full psychedelic experience, often accompanied by profound shifts in perception, introspection, and spiritual insights. These experiences are typically facilitated in a therapeutic or ceremonial setting under professional guidance.

Research suggests that macro-dosing with psilocybin may offer several therapeutic benefits:

Alleviating treatment-resistant depression: A groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology demonstrated that a single session of psilocybin-assisted therapy led to significant and lasting reductions in treatment-resistant depression. Participants reported improvements in mood, increased emotional connection, and enhanced overall well-being.

Reducing anxiety and existential distress in cancer patients: Research conducted at New York University showed that psilocybin-assisted therapy significantly reduced anxiety and existential distress in cancer patients. Participants reported a greater acceptance of their condition and an enhanced quality of life.

Promoting long-term positive personality changes: A study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology examined the long-term effects of psilocybin experiences. Participants reported enduring positive changes in their personality, including increased openness, creativity, and a greater sense of well-being. These changes were still evident over a year after the psilocybin sessions.

Conclusion:

The emerging research into psilocybin presents a promising world of potential therapeutic and personal growth benefits. Micro-dosing offers subtle enhancements in creativity, cognition, mood, and well-being, while macro-dosing can facilitate transformative experiences with lasting positive changes. One notable institution contributing to this research is Johns Hopkins University, which has been at the forefront of studying the therapeutic effects of psilocybin.

Johns Hopkins’ groundbreaking studies have demonstrated the potential of psilocybin in various contexts:

Treating depression and anxiety: Research conducted at Johns Hopkins showed that psilocybin-assisted therapy resulted in significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety in participants with treatment-resistant depression. The effects were found to persist long after the psilocybin session, indicating the potential for lasting benefits.

Promoting mystical experiences and spiritual well-being: Studies conducted at Johns Hopkins also explored the role of psilocybin in inducing profound mystical experiences. Participants reported a sense of interconnectedness, transcendence, and spiritual significance. These experiences were associated with positive changes in their attitudes, behavior, and overall well-being.

Addressing addiction and smoking cessation: Johns Hopkins researchers conducted a pilot study that investigated the use of psilocybin-assisted therapy for smoking cessation. The results showed promising outcomes, with a significant proportion of participants achieving long-term smoking cessation after psilocybin sessions.

The research conducted at Johns Hopkins University has significantly contributed to our understanding of the therapeutic potential of psilocybin. It has shed light on its efficacy in treating mental health conditions, promoting spiritual well-being, and addressing addictive behaviors.

Scientific research supports the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in treating mental health conditions and enhancing well-being. However, it is important to note that psilocybin’s use should always be approached responsibly, under professional guidance and within legal frameworks. As we explore the transformative potential of psilocybin, let us embrace its teachings, cultivate environmental awareness, prioritize mental well-being, and foster a sense of interconnectedness. Together, we can contribute to a more sustainable, compassionate, and harmonious world.

Legal Considerations / Disclaimer: The use of psilocybin-containing mushrooms is illegal in many countries, including the United States. This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advocating or promoting illegal activities. It is essential to be aware of and comply with local laws and regulations regarding psilocybin. Always seek professional guidance and prioritize safety and legality in any involvement with psilocybin or related substances.

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