#automatic light sensor project

[leapingbadger]

The First Mission

Summary: As Clone Force 99 prepare for their first mission, Hunter struggles with his promotion to Sergeant and the changes their new life will bring.

Hunter paced the barracks again, mentally taking an inventory of the gear stacked up by the door. Rain slammed heavily into the transparisteel window. He cast his eyes around at his brothers and could feel their nervous energy vibrating off them. Wrecker sat on his bunk, tossing his tooka doll absentmindedly.

“You’re not planning on bringing that with you, right?” Crosshair sneered.

“Why not?”

“You can’t take a doll on our first mission…it’s…it’s ridiculous.” Crosshair continued.

“It’s not a doll, it’s a stuffy.” Wrecker said, sounded wounded. 

“I believe Crosshair is implying that it is a juvenile display for a newly minted Republic Commando.”

“Exactly, we’re already seen as rejects, the last thing we need is for the regs to know you carry around a doll,”

“I told you, it’s not a doll,” Wrecker growled, bringing himself up to his full height.

Crosshair didn’t shrink away from his brother like most would, he stepped forward, his narrowed gaze looking up into Wrecker’s brown eyes.

“Easy boys,” Hunter warned, while checking the top crate again.

Crosshair tutted and stalked back to his bunk, giving his new 773 Firepuncher sniper rifle another look over. His hands traced lovingly over the metal. Hunter wasn’t sure he’d looked at anything like that before.

“I think we’re ready. Just make sure that you’re ready to go. We’ll load the ship in the morning. We leave at 0400.”

Tech and Crosshair nodded in acknowledgement before returning to their current tasks.

“You got it boss,” Wrecker responded with a smile, tossing Lula in the air again.

“You don’t have to call me that, Wreck.”

“Sure thing, Sarg.”

Hunter sighed.

“I believe Wrecker is right to call you by your new designation. Even if, perhaps, it may take some getting used to.”

Hunter nodded even if he didn’t like it. One of them was always going to be selected as the leader and the last few months of training had indicated that he was the likely candidate. Still, he felt awkward being recognized over his brothers. It had always been them against the rest of the GAR, he didn’t want anything to change that.

He had always been sure that Tech, being the resident genius, would win the title of sergeant, but it seemed his proclivity for over-explanation and difficulty relating to superiors had left him out of the running. Crosshair could also have done the job, but his caustic nature rubbed almost everyone he came in contact with the wrong way. And Wrecker had flat out stated he had no interest in a leadership role. He loved being an expert in his field and that was enough for him.

Hunter felt a nervous flutter in his stomach as he contemplated their first mission. Data retrieval and target elimination was nothing his squad wasn’t prepared for, but they would never escape the fact that they were labeled by the Kaminoan’s and to some extent, the Republic, as defective. They didn’t just have to be competent; they had to be better than everyone else. They had to be the best to prove their worth and to keep proving their worth until the war eventually came to an end.

“I think I’m gunna take a walk. Lights out in an hour. We need to be well rested.” Hunter said.

“Sir, yes Sir.” Crosshair called in a sarcastic tone.

Hunter paused at the door but refused to look back at him before hitting the door release and making his way out into the corridors.

***

Hunter’s feet took him through Kamino’s halls without him really thinking about it. He strayed down a narrow maintenance hallway and came to a halt outside a slim door. His hand hesitated before pushing the door release and walking into the dark room.

The lights no longer came on automatically. He fumbled for the sensor and the bright white light illuminated the small, closet like space. A small cot sat at the far end of the room, stripped of its bedding. The rest of the room had become a storage space. Crates, boxes and supplies lined the walls where previously hand drawn pictures by cadets had been attached in a haphazard fashion.

Hunter and his brothers had spent a lot of time in Ninety-Nine’s old barracks over the years. As a defective clone himself, Ninety-Nine had taken it upon himself to not just be a big brother to The Batch, but to be THE big brother. They didn’t have the luxury of the older cadets helping them learn. They were kept separate from the others just long enough to give them a stigma when they did eventually join them. Ninety-Nine had always been the one to offer a shoulder after arduous testing, a protective presence when they were cornered by the other cadets and advice when the brothers weren’t able to resolve their disagreements themselves.

Hunter would have given anything to be able to talk with Ninety-Nine now. He sank on the bunk with a creak, his chin resting in his hands.

“You’ve come a long way,” he heard the unmistakable gruff voice in his head.

“Not quite the skinny cadet you remember, eh?” Hunter replied.

Ninety-Nine chuckled, “Not exactly. It suits you though. Like you are who you were always meant to be,”

Hunter ran his hand through his hair, fingers finding the bandana Ninety-Nine had taught him to tie. “I’m still shorter than the others.” He said with a chuckle, “they never let me forget it.”

“Ha, I bet. But you’re the Sergeant now. You don’t have to take it anymore.”

“I’m not going to pull rank over something like that.” Hunter said with a shrug. “I’m not going to pull rank at all.”

He felt Ninety-Nine’s imaginary eyes rake him up and down, his lax mouth somehow lower with disapproval, “and why is that?”

“They’re my brothers,” Hunter said as though stating the obvious.

“And you’re their leader,” the older clone responded in Hunter’s head.

“I’m not sure I’m the right choice,” Hunter whispered into the quiet room, finally voicing the worry that had overtaken him since his promotion.

“And why’s that?”

“I don’t know. We’re equals. We always have been. It was us against everyone else. And now it’s…weird. Wrecker’s started calling me ‘Boss’. I just… I want it to go back to the way it was. I don’t want the responsibility of it.”

“Of what?”

Hunter started to get frustrated by the older clone’s constant questions.

“Of… of their lives, of their safety. I don’t want to be responsible for their deaths because I make the wrong call.”

“What makes you think you’ll make the wrong call? This is what you’ve trained for your entire life, Hunter. You have always protected your brothers, even when you couldn’t protect yourself. Your title doesn’t change that. You will protect them as you always have. They will come before the mission. You will make sure of that.”

“And what if I fail?”

“Well, failure is a part of life, I’m afraid. But it won’ t be for want of trying. I believe in you boys. I always have.”

“Thanks, Ninety-Nine.” Huter whispered into the hushed room.

“You’re welcome, my boy. Good luck, Sergeant.”

Hunter looked up from the spot on the floor he had been staring at. He could have sworn Ninety-Nine would be sitting next to him on the cot. He could almost feel the weight of him on the mattress.

The weight of the loss of him, even years later, made Hunter’s shoulders slump. They hadn’t been here during the battle of Kamino, they were in the middle of off world training when the separatists had attacked and stollen their brother from them. They had come home full of stories to tell and stumbled upon a Kaminoan cleaning out Ninety-Nine’s room, as if he never existed.

Taking a deep breath, Hunter stood up and gave the room a final, cursory look. He likely wouldn’t come back here again. His eyes fell on a piece of paper sticking out from under the mattress. He pulled it out with trembling fingers, already knowing what it was.

Straightening it out on the bed he saw the crude drawing of four little cadets, one large, one with goggles, one with white hair and one with hair down to his shoulders, each holding hands next to a stooped character in a blue uniform. Crosshair had drawn it when he was younger. It used to have pride of place on Ninety-Nine’s wall, surrounded by similar drawings from other young clones.

Hunter smiled as he folded the paper over to take with him. “Goodbye Ninety-Nine” he said into the silence, switching off the lights as he left the room for good.

***

Their new omicron class attack shuttle was waiting for them in the docking bay. Tech was already on board when Hunter arrived with his gear and the remaining crates from their barracks.

“We are ready to go, Sarg.” Tech said, “just waiting on Wrecker and Crosshair with the armaments.”

Hunter nodded his understanding and got settled on the ship. He smiled at the realization that this was theirs. He ran his hands gingerly over the controls before stacking some of the crates in the overhead storage compartment.

Once everyone was accounted for and everything was onboard, Hunter paused.

“Before we do this,” He said hesitantly, “I think we just need to remember where we came from. And that of all the defective squads, we’re the ones who survived. We’re the ones who made it this far. We are going to be the best the Grand Army of the Republic has ever seen. I’m going to make sure of it.”

“Sir, yes sir,” his brothers recited with wide grins on their faces.

Hunter pulled a crumpled piece of paper out from inside his armor, securing it to the durasteel wall of their new shuttle.

“Let’s get after it,” Hunter said confidently, sinking into the copilot’s seat as Tech sped out of Kamnino’s atmosphere and onto their first mission.   

[sngl-led-auto-lights]

Why have headlights on vehicles gotten so bright in recent years?

The increasing brightness of vehicle headlights is driven by advancements in technology, safety regulations, and changing vehicle designs. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the key factors:

​​Technological Advancements in Lighting​​ • Shift to LED and HID Lights:

Modern vehicles increasingly use LED (Light-Emitting Diode) and HID (High-Intensity Discharge) headlights, which produce brighter, whiter light compared to older halogen bulbs. LEDs are up to 300% brighter than halogens while consuming less energy. • Laser Headlights: Emerging in luxury vehicles, laser technology offers even greater brightness and precision, though adoption remains limited due to cost.

• Improved Focus and Efficiency:

LEDs and HIDs emit a more focused beam, enhancing visibility for drivers but creating harsher glare for others. Their design allows for sharper cutoffs and adaptive features, such as automatically adjusting beams to avoid blinding oncoming traffic.

​​Safety Regulations and Ratings​​ • Stricter Safety Standards:

Organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) now require headlights to illuminate at least 325 feet ahead to earn a "good" safety rating. This pushes automakers to prioritize brighter lights. • Example: By 2020, all IIHS-tested vehicles offered headlights meeting this standard.

• Global Regulatory Alignment:

Standards from the NHTSA (U.S.) and European Commission mandate limits on glare while encouraging innovations like adaptive lighting systems.

​​Vehicle Design Trends​​ • Rise of SUVs and Trucks:

SUVs and trucks now dominate the market (45.9% of global sales in 2021). Their taller stance positions headlights at eye level for drivers of smaller cars, amplifying perceived brightness and glare. • Example: GM recalled 740,000 SUVs in 2022 due to complaints about blinding headlights.

• Aesthetic and Functional Integration:

Brighter headlights are often marketed as premium features, aligning with consumer demand for both safety and sleek, modern designs.

​​Human Perception and Unintended Consequences​​ • Blue Light Sensitivity:

LED headlights emit a cooler, bluish-white light (5,000–6,000 Kelvin), which the human eye perceives as harsher than the warmer tones of halogens (~3,200 Kelvin). This can cause temporary blindness or discomfort.

• Aging Drivers and Eye Health:

Older drivers are more susceptible to glare due to age-related eye conditions like cataracts. Surveys show 25% of drivers over 65 avoid nighttime driving because of bright headlights.

​​Future Trends and Solutions​​ • Adaptive Lighting Systems:

Innovations like ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam) use cameras and sensors to dim specific segments of the light beam, maintaining brightness for the driver while reducing glare. • Example: Mercedes’ DIGITAL LIGHT projects symbols (e.g., arrows) onto the road to enhance communication.

• Regulatory Revisions:

Authorities are exploring updated standards to balance brightness with safety. The EU has already mandated adaptive headlights for new vehicles starting in 2023.

Key Takeaway Brighter headlights stem from technological progress and safety demands, but they also create challenges like glare. While innovations like adaptive beams aim to mitigate these issues, drivers can take steps to reduce discomfort: • Use night-driving glasses with anti-glare coatings.

• Adjust rearview mirrors to night mode to dim reflections.

• Ensure headlights are properly aligned to avoid upward glare.

The industry continues to evolve, striving for a balance between illumination and road-sharing safety.

[smolghostbot]

Random Robot Snippet

Is it obvious I've been in a robot mood for the last few days? Here's a random word-vom I wrote about a tiny discarded robot being repaired.

Word count: 900ish

CW: POV description of a robot in disrepair, some robot-themed body horror (maintenance while awake) but portrayed softly.

-------------

2%

You stumble through the street, wishing it wasn’t night. All of the businesses are closed, and your solar panels aren’t picking anything up from the street lamps…

1%

You curse your size, the smallest model of family companion, only six inches tall. Six inches that move at a negligible speed as you try desperately to find anywhere to charge… but you know deep down that this is the end for you…

0%

You desperately stumble in view of the sky, hoping that maybe, just maybe, you’ll recharge when the sun co

-

-

5%

System Status: Critical

You wake up. You weren’t expecting that. As you take in the fact that you’re alive, you notice an odd sensation by your arm. Ah. It’s missing. The wires that previously sent power to your fingers have been spliced into a power plug, which must be where you are getting charged from. You notice additional problems as your warning system slowly warms up. Namely, that your chassis is open, exposed to the elements. It just now occurs to you that you have no idea where you are. The room is dark, and you appear to be on a wooden surface, sat in a slumped-over position. Several tools are nearby, as well as spare wires. You begin to panic, your cooling fans turning on automatically to control the heat coming from your processor.

You hear a voice, talking. The words are hard to hear over the roaring of the fans, but you can make out some of them. “Project”, “Replacement”, “Help it”. The voice seems to be speaking to no one, you can’t hear the reply, but they sound adamant. Finally, you hear them move away from the door, as the room returns to silence, and you fade into sleep mode to charge faster.

-

50%

System Status: Stabilized

Your internal clock is broken, you lost internet access long before you were discarded. You have no idea how long you’ve been here. How long since you were in the street. Hours? Days? Longer? The solar panels making up your “hair” have finally activated, but at an extremely low generation rate. That must be what woke you up.

You’re now laying flat on the surface from before. Your pressure sensors feel something. You boot up your optical nodes, and see… gloved human hands, almost as big as you are, poking at your now-exposed chest cavity with rubber-tipped tools. It feels… odd, the sensation of having your insides meddled with while still awake. You take in the form of the human, their tied-back hair, their oil-stained coveralls, clearly from working on something bigger, and presumably more important than you.

Their face, covered by a welding mask, turns up to look at you, clearly noticing the blue lights from your optical nodes, and they speak in a muffled voice. “Oh, hello! You’re awake! Can you… can you speak?”

“Yes. Where am I?”

“Oh good! Sorry, I know this must be scary, this is my robot workshop. I guess you could think of it as… a bot hospital. I found you sitting in a dumpster, but I know your model had AI, I couldn’t just let you be discarded!”

Discarded, you think, taking extra time to process the word. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Where is my arm?” You ask, as your optical nodes glance over at the missing appendage, and the mess of wires in its place. “What are you doing?”

“Oh! Your arm is safe, I was doing repairs on it, and I figured ‘Hey, the chassis needs power anyways, may as well give it a jump’. I’ll put it back when you’re fully charged. As for this,” they say, pointing to your open torso, “Just a bit of an upgrade for you. On the house,” they say with a wink.

Your fans calm down as your processor slows to normal levels. This human means well? You don’t understand why they would care for an outdated, defective unit like you, but that hardly matters if they’ll help repair you. You stay awake as they continue to poke and prod, occasionally causing a power flicker but always apologizing. The way they treat you… it’s almost as if you were a human yourself. Now that they know you’re awake, they speak slowly and softly, narrating what they are doing and why. “I’m removing this, but I’m replacing it with this better one, okay?”

“Okay”, you reply, not that you have much of a choice. If they wanted, they could be, no, should be scrapping you for parts… but they don’t. Finally, it burns at you enough to ask.

“Why are you helping me?”

They go quiet at this. You worry that you said something wrong, something to upset them. Instead, they lift their mask and look at you, a gentle gleam in their hazel eyes, as they respond. “I’m helping you because you were hurt. Nobody should be thrown away like that.”

You think to argue, to tell them that you were defective, replaced by a newer, more capable model, but you hold your metaphorical tongue, afraid of upsetting this human who currently has access to your most vital parts. “You don’t believe me”, they say. You don’t. After a moment, they speak again. “That’s okay. Whether you believe me or not, I’m going to help you, okay? So just be patient and trust me.”

And, with no other option, trust them you shall.

[loeyshine]

Ignition │Final

Epoch Book

•*⁀➷pairing: chanyeol x fem reader

Theme: transformers au, car lovers, teenage romance, high school drama, autobot world, "a driver don't pick the cars. Cars pick the driver"

Description: how can girls love cars? Well being by your side pranced us to view cybertron with our formed fondness.

Playlist: i don't think i love you - hoobastank

Chapter 23:

It was way past midnight.

The world outside was sleeping, but my mind was spinning. The memory flash. Solara. The battlefield. The whispers that had started echoing in the back of my head… all of it felt like a ticking clock I couldn’t ignore anymore.

I stared at my phone on the nightstand. No new messages.

Chanyeol would freak if I told him what I was about to do.

But that’s exactly why I didn’t.

“Bee?” I whispered into the shadows as I slipped out my window, landing in the soft grass outside my house.

The yellow Camaro's headlights flashed once.

“Let’s go.”

His door opened automatically, and I slid in. As we pulled into the street, the hum of his engine was soft and steady like he was holding his breath too.

“Where are we headed?” I asked, tying my hoodie tighter around me.

Bee flickered the dashboard screen and brought up a map of the city outskirts one of the old industrial zones long since abandoned.

Then, he beeped softly and played a soundbite from an old sci-fi movie:

┃ “There’s something down there… waiting.”

We hit the freeway, cutting through the night like a yellow blur. There was something peaceful about driving like this with Bee. Just us, no distractions, no expectations.

Just this mission.

Just this pull in my chest guiding us.

“You felt it too, right?” I asked, resting my hand gently on the steering wheel, even though Bee didn’t need help. “That… thing. Like someone calling.”

Bee beeped in agreement, then played a low, mysterious tone through the speakers. It made the hair on my arms stand.

“Something’s waking up,” I murmured. “Something connected to her.”

We reached the old factories around 2:13AM. The buildings stood like silent giants, forgotten and rusted out. Bee’s headlights cut through the fog as we rolled into the warehouse district, searching…

Then suddenly he slammed on the brakes.

“What is it?” I whispered, heart racing.

Bee revved once, scanning the area with his internal sensors. The ground beneath us vibrated subtly… like something alive was below the concrete.

He projected a scan.

There.

A Cybertronian life signal. Dormant. Buried.

I jumped out and knelt down, brushing dust and dirt off a long-forgotten maintenance hatch.

Bee beeped twice, warning me.

“I know,” I said quietly, “but we have to look. Before they do.”

I reached out about to unlock it when Bee suddenly pushed me back with the car door, protective and urgent.

┃ “Don’t.” he said, through an old war film line.

┃ “We’re not alone.”

Footsteps.

Faint but fast.

Someone else was there.

Bee dimmed his lights and backed into the shadows, keeping me low, hidden. My heart thundered in my chest as I peeked through the slits in the metal.

Two silhouettes. Human. Armed.

I grabbed Bee’s side mirror and whispered, “We have to go. Now.”

We slipped away, engines low, tires silent.

As we drove back toward the edge of the city, I finally exhaled.

Bee beeped at me worried, annoyed.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell Chanyeol,” I whispered. “But I needed to protect him.”

Bee didn’t answer.

But the soft classic love song that played after… said enough.

┃ “You’ll never walk alone…” 🎵

Back at my window, just before climbing in, I looked at Bee.

"Thank you," I whispered. "For trusting me."

He blinked his headlights once and revved softly.

And as I slipped back into bed, heart racing and head spinning…

I knew everything was changing.

Fast.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 24:

I hadn’t even made it halfway across the school parking lot when I heard my name.

“Y/N.”

The tone made me stop dead in my tracks.

I turned slowly, and there he was Chanyeol shoulder slouched under his hoodie, backpack hanging off one side, and that look on his face. The look that always meant: we need to talk.

Oh no.

He walked toward me, slow and purposeful, lips pressed into a thin line.

“You good?” I asked, already knowing I was so not good.

“I’m great,” he said dryly. “Especially after hearing from Bee that you snuck out last night to go investigate a buried Cybertronian signal without me.”

I winced.

“Okay, first of all… he told on me?”

“He didn’t mean to!” Chanyeol huffed, eyes narrowing. “He glitched and projected your last destination while we were checking his tire pressure. And then he froze mid-sentence and played a clip from Mission Impossible. So yeah I figured it out.”

I rubbed my temple. “It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal—”

“A buried Cybertronian is not a big deal?” he cut in, stepping closer. “Y/N, you could’ve been ambushed. What if Bee got hurt? What if you got hurt? And I wasn’t even there to—”

“I didn’t want you to get dragged into it,” I said, voice soft but steady. “You’ve already risked enough because of me.”

His jaw tensed, and for a moment, the fire behind his eyes flickered into something sadder.

“You don’t get it, do you?” he muttered. “I want to be dragged in. If it’s with you.”

I looked away, heart twisting, but he stepped into my line of vision again.

“I didn’t sign up to be your side character, Y/N. We’re partners. Or at least I thought we were.”

His voice cracked on that last word, and my stomach sank.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, guilt crawling up my spine.

He let out a breath, running a hand through his messy brown hair. “I know you were trying to protect me. But don’t shut me out. Not again.”

“I won’t,” I promised. “Next time, you’ll be the first person I tell.”

His expression softened, but the edge in his voice lingered. “Damn right. And I’m driving.”

I laughed weakly. “You just want to show off Optimus.”

“And you just wanted a dramatic midnight Camaro ride,” he teased back, a little smile finally cracking his frown. “Guess we’re both reckless.”

He held out his pinky.

“Partners?”

I linked mine with his. “Always.”

Later that day…

Bee beeped innocently as we walked to his car mode.

Chanyeol gave him a look. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Bee played a clip of a puppy barking.

“Don’t push it,” Chanyeol muttered, trying not to smile.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 25:

It was supposed to be a chill Saturday.

Key word: supposed.

Chanyeol had convinced his parents he was “studying with a few friends,” which apparently included a 28-foot-tall alien robot leader who could transform into a massive semi-truck. Totally normal.

We were all holed up in an abandoned train yard Optimus had claimed as “temporary strategic cover.” Which, in human terms, meant: Autobots playing hide and seek while Chanyeol tried to figure out how to drive his new upgrade.

“Alright, alright,” Chanyeol muttered, climbing into Optimus’s driver seat with the most dramatic squint you’ve ever seen. “Let’s do this, big guy.”

Optimus rumbled in response, voice deep and regal:

┃ “Only if you are worthy, young warrior.”

“Worthy?! Bro, I’ve passed calculus, I’ve fought Decepticons, and I’ve seen Y/N parallel park. That’s peak trauma.”

“HEY!” you shouted through your laughter.

Bee beeped in your direction, playing a sassy movie quote:

┃ “She drives like she’s dodging missiles.”

You threw a rock at him. It bounced harmlessly off his door.

Meanwhile, Optimus was absolutely not ready for the chaos that was Chanyeol behind the wheel.

“Do not touch that—”

┃ *HONKKK!*

“—button.”

“Oh my god, was that the intergalactic horn?” Chanyeol cackled. “That sounded like Zeus sneezing.”

Bee played a fart noise.

“You did not.” You doubled over laughing as Bee started looping a remix of the horn-fart combo, causing Ironhide to grumble something about “kids these days” and Ratchet to mutter in binary like he was having a breakdown.

Optimus sighed so loudly it echoed.

“I am a Prime,” he said with deadpan dignity. “A warrior forged in the fires of Cybertron. I did not cross galaxies to be… a clown car.”

“Aw, come on,” Chanyeol said, patting the steering wheel. “You’re the coolest clown car ever. Like, I’d totally join a circus if you were the tent.”

Bee beeped a circus jingle.

Optimus audibly growled.

You were crying from laughter at this point, sitting on Bee’s hood while he wiggled his side mirrors like they were eyebrows. Chanyeol was now trying to high-five Optimus through the windshield (“Is this, like, an air-five situation or do I—”) while Mirage zipped by doing donuts for no reason except vibes.

“Is this what world-saving looks like?” you gasped between giggles.

Bee beeped and played a soundbite of someone yelling “chaos reigns!”

“Yep,” Chanyeol said, hanging halfway out the window. “And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

That moment. That one ridiculous, beautiful, bond-filled moment—

between bots and humans, pranks and power, laughter and loyalty

It was perfect.

Even if Optimus was now questioning every life choice he’d ever made.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 26:

It was late.

The kind of quiet night that made the sky feel endless stars scattered like confetti above the abandoned train yard, with only the soft hum of metal cooling and Bee’s radio playing a lo-fi track in the background.

Everyone had settled down. Mirage was asleep halfway transformed (somehow still snoring), Ironhide had taken up guard duty, and even Optimus had driven off to scout.

You were sitting on a toolbox, sipping soda, when Chanyeol tapped your shoulder.

“C’mere,” he said, eyes glittering even in the dim light.

“What? You finally mastered driving Optimus without almost launching into orbit?”

He rolled his eyes. “No, not that. Something else. Something I’ve been working on.”

You blinked. “Wait… what have you been—?”

He just smiled and grabbed your hand.

He led you to one of the garage bays tucked into the corner of the yard. There was a tarp draped over something large and blocky, the corners weighed down with old tires and tools. He paused, his fingers wrapped around the edge of the tarp, looking… nervous?

Chanyeol. Nervous. Around you?

“Okay,” he exhaled. “Don’t laugh.”

“Why would I laugh?”

He gave you a pointed look. “You laughed when I called a wrench ‘the twisty-turny metal thing.’”

You grinned. “It was adorable. Carry on.”

With a dramatic flourish, he yanked off the tarp.

Underneath it was… a car.

Well, your car. Or… kind of.

It was a sleek, customized race-style build that looked like it had your aesthetic stamped all over it shimmering black with pearlescent blue undertones, low to the ground, futuristic design, and somehow... elegant and fast all at once. The hood even had a little emblem engraved on it: your initials, intertwined with a stylized flame.

“I call it the ‘Midnight Ghost,’” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve been building it with Torque and Bumblebee, kind of like… a tribute to you. Your style. Your speed. Your energy. Everything.”

You stared at it.

Then at him.

Then back at the car.

“Chanyeol…” you whispered, heart thudding. “You built this… for me?”

He nodded, biting his lip. “I know it’s not perfect, and I still gotta fix the steering calibration and maybe not let Mirage touch the paint again but yeah. I did. Because you’ve inspired me more than anything else ever has. And I just… I wanted to create something that made you feel seen.”

You were speechless.

And maybe a little teary.

You stepped forward, running your fingers along the hood. It purred under your touch definitely some Bee tech in there.

“You absolute dork,” you said softly.

“Hey—!”

You turned and wrapped your arms around him before he could finish. He froze for a second, then held you like you were the only thing keeping him grounded.

“I love it,” you whispered into his chest. “And I love you.”

You felt his heart do a triple backflip in his chest.

“…Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we take it for a ride? Just us?”

You grinned, already reaching for the keys he hadn’t realized you’d swiped from his pocket.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 27:

The engine hummed to life, smoother than you expected, a deep growl that vibrated through your fingertips as you gripped the wheel. The “Midnight Ghost” was everything you could’ve imagined sleek, powerful, and built for the road. Chanyeol was already in the passenger seat, his grin a little too wide for someone who had just given you the car of your dreams.

“You ready?” he asked, voice a little breathless.

You shot him a look as you backed the car out, the city lights reflecting off the shiny surface. “Are you kidding? I’ve been ready.”

The drive was smooth, the engine purring with every push of the pedal, the world outside the car blurring in a mix of neon lights and dark streets. Chanyeol let out a soft sigh beside you.

“I think you just created the perfect car. Seriously, it’s like… it was made for you.”

You grinned, shifting into a faster gear. “It feels like it, doesn’t it?”

It was then, as you turned onto a secluded street near the outskirts of town, that the atmosphere shifted.

At first, it was just a flicker in the rearview mirror. A shadow. Then, headlights. A pair of them, bright, closing the distance with alarming speed.

Chanyeol frowned, his eyes narrowing as he glanced back. “Y/N, do you—?”

Before he could finish, the car behind you accelerated, pulling up alongside you in a flash. The engine roar was loud, aggressive a challenge.

You could feel the tension in the air, the hairs on the back of your neck standing up as you stared straight ahead, focusing on the road. The car beside you was black, sleek, but its aggressive modifications screamed danger. The driver was hidden behind tinted windows, but you could see the silhouette of someone grinning someone familiar.

“What the hell?!” Chanyeol leaned forward, his voice growing sharp. “Who the hell is this?”

“They want a race,” you said, your fingers tightening on the steering wheel. You weren’t new to this game. You’d raced before. But there was something different about this time, about the way the car seemed to sneak up on you, almost as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.

Chanyeol shot you a glance. “You know them?”

“I think I do.” You clicked your tongue, smirking. “But let’s find out.”

The car beside you revved its engine once more, and you shot Chanyeol a look.

“Ready for this?”

He grinned, his eyes alight with the same fire you saw in him during their last race. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

You slammed your foot down on the pedal.

The “Midnight Ghost” rocketed forward, its turbocharged engine pushing you to speeds you could barely comprehend. The sound of the road was a rush, the wind cutting past you as the black car beside you shot ahead, gaining on you with surprising ease. But you weren’t just going to let it pass. You floored it, weaving between the turns, cutting corners with expertise.

The black car tried to outmaneuver you, but you had the upper hand until it took a hard left, taking you down an unfamiliar path. You didn’t hesitate. You followed, pushing the “Midnight Ghost” to its limits, your heart pounding with adrenaline. But just as you reached the final corner, the black car swerved out of sight.

You cursed under your breath, slowing the car down as you rounded the corner. “Where the hell did they go?”

Chanyeol looked just as confused, glancing around. “This feels… too easy. Why’d they bail so quick?”

That’s when you saw it.

Out of the shadows ahead, another set of headlights appeared. But this time, it wasn’t just one car it was two, pulling in from the other direction. The first car was the black one, and right behind it was a silver muscle car, sleek and powerful. The engines roared, but not in a playful way. They were here for something.

“Y/N, I think we’re being set up.” Chanyeol’s voice was low, a tinge of concern in it. “We need to get out of here.”

But it was too late.

The cars had surrounded you now like wolves closing in on their prey.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 28:

The two cars that surrounded you in the darkness weren’t just drivers with a thirst for speed.

They had purpose. Their engines growled, but there was an intensity behind it a warning, as if they knew something you didn’t. The silver muscle car revved, and the black one your earlier challenger slowed, positioning itself between you and the exit.

You could feel the hairs on the back of your neck prickle. This wasn’t just a random street race. Something about this felt planned.

You glanced over at Chanyeol, his brow furrowed with a mix of confusion and concern. “This is bad,” he muttered. “I don’t like this, Y/N. Not one bit.”

“Tell me about it,” you whispered back. You couldn’t shake the feeling that you were being watched like there were eyes in the shadows, waiting for the moment to strike.

Before you could react, the driver of the black car finally spoke through the loudspeakers, his voice distorted, cold, and calculative.

“Y/N. Chanyeol. I hope you’re ready for what’s coming.”

Your blood ran cold.

You recognized that voice. It wasn’t someone you knew personally, but it was unmistakably familiar.

“Who is that?” Chanyeol asked, his tone sharp with suspicion. “That voice… I’ve heard it before.”

But you weren’t listening. Your heart was racing as the recognition hit you like a sledgehammer.

“Chanyeol…” You turned to him, eyes wide. “It’s not a random racer. This is them.”

“Who?” he asked, trying to make sense of your panicked tone.

“The people who’ve been after the Autobots. The ones who’ve been tracking Bumblebee and the others.” Your hand gripped the wheel tightly as you glanced out the rearview mirror, watching the black car inch closer. “I think they’ve found us.”

Chanyeol’s face hardened, his protective instincts kicking in. “They’ve been tracking us for this long? How?”

Before you could explain further, the silver car ahead revved loudly, and the black car behind you suddenly lunged forward. A flash of bright headlights blinded you for a moment, and you swerved to the side, narrowly avoiding a collision.

A voice crackled over the loudspeakers again, this time with more menace. “This is your final warning. Give up the Autobots… or things will get much worse.”

You weren’t sure who was behind all of this, but you could feel the weight of their words. There was no mistake now. These weren’t just street racers looking for a thrill. These were people on a mission. A dangerous one.

The black car, still tailing you, swerved suddenly and came up alongside you. The windows of the vehicle rolled down, and for the first time, you caught a glimpse of the driver’s face.

It was a woman.

Her short, platinum blonde hair framed a sharp, calculating face. Her eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but you could feel the coldness radiating from her. She grinned, but it wasn’t a friendly grin. It was one of someone who knew they had the upper hand.

“Ready to play, Y/N?” she called out through the open window, her voice tinged with amusement. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Chanyeol’s eyes locked onto her, then narrowed. “Who are you?”

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she leaned forward, watching you both with a mix of amusement and disdain. “Let’s just say… I’ve got some unfinished business with you two. And your friends.”

You felt a chill run through you. Unfinished business.That phrase was all too familiar, echoing in your mind.

“Who sent you?” you demanded, trying to steady your breathing.

Her grin widened. “That’s not important. What matters is what comes next.”

In the blink of an eye, she hit a button on the dashboard, and the silver car in front of you suddenly accelerated, cutting you off and forcing you to swerve hard to the right. You barely avoided crashing into the guardrails, the tires screaming in protest as you regained control.

The woman’s laugh rang through the air as she sped ahead.

“You can run, but you can’t hide, Y/N. You can’t hide from us.”

The silver car now in front of you swerved again, blocking the path, while the black car continued to chase from behind. It was clear now: this wasn’t just a game.

They were after you. And they were after Bumblebee.

And they had no intention of letting you go.

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Chapter 29:

The roar of engines filled the air, a deafening growl that shook the ground beneath your feet. The woman in the black car continued to grin at you, her eyes reflecting an almost predatory satisfaction. You didn’t have much time to react. They were closing in. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

"Chanyeol, get ready!" you shouted, gripping the wheel with white-knuckled force. Your heart was pounding, adrenaline pumping through your veins. You glanced in the rearview mirror, eyes searching for any sign of hope.

And then, just as you were about to make another evasive maneuver, a familiar sound cut through the tension.

The unmistakable roar of an engine Bumblebee.

"Bumblebee!" You breathed a sigh of relief as the yellow Autobot sped around the corner, barreling down the street with a speed and agility only he could muster. He swerved between you and the pursuing black car, his form flashing like a blur of yellow and chrome.

But it wasn’t just Bumblebee. More headlights appeared, followed by the sound of heavy metal.

Optimus Prime.

Torque.

Mirage.

Tinker.

The Autobots had arrived in full force.

“Chanyeol, hold on!” you yelled, swerving to avoid a sudden strike from the black car. Bumblebee was in position now, blocking the road and shielding you with his frame, his engine roaring like a beast ready for a fight.

But the moment the Autobots arrived, you realized something that made your heart sink this wasn’t going to be as easy as it seemed.

The black car screeched to a halt in front of Bumblebee, and out of the car, the woman emerged. She pulled off her sunglasses, revealing her icy blue eyes. Her grin was still there, though now it was a little more dangerous.

“You brought them, huh?” she said, nodding at Bumblebee. “I didn’t think they’d actually come.”

“You don’t know anything about the Autobots, do you?” you shot back, your voice trembling with anger and fear. “You don’t know what you’re messing with.”

She chuckled. “I know exactly what I’m messing with. And now, so do you.”

The black car behind you revved its engine again, signaling that they were ready to make their move. But just as they lunged forward, Optimus Prime’s enormous figure stepped into the fray, blocking their path. His voice boomed with authority.

“Enough. This ends now.”

The street was filled with the deafening sound of engines, metal clashing, and the crackling of energy in the air. Bumblebee and the other Autobots formed a defensive perimeter, positioning themselves between you and the mysterious drivers.

But something was wrong. You could feel it.

This wasn’t just about racing.

This wasn’t some high-speed chase or even some random rivalry between drivers. This was a coordinated attack. And worse these people knew too much about the Autobots.

Chanyeol grabbed your arm, his face pale. “Y/N, we need to move. This is getting dangerous.”

Before you could respond, the woman in the black car smirked and hit a button on her dashboard. You could feel the ground rumble as a hidden compartment opened in the trunk of the black car. Emerging from it was something you hadn’t expected.

A new enemy.

A massive, dark figure an Autobot, but not one you recognized. Its body was a twisted version of what you’d seen in the Autobots. It stood tall, menacing, with black armor and red glowing eyes. It was a Decepticon a warrior, and it was ready to fight.

“No,” Optimus said, his voice heavy with regret. “Not him…”

The new enemy stepped forward, towering over the Autobots, its weapons charging. The woman in the black car called out to him, a cruel smile curling on her lips.

“I’d like you to meet Megatron. He’s an old friend of mine, and I think you’re going to enjoy the reunion.”

Your blood ran cold. Megatron.

You’d heard the name before, but never in a good context. He was a rogue Decepticon, one who had vanished from the battlefield years ago. No one knew where he’d gone, or why he’d disappeared. But now, he was back and he was here to finish what had been started.

“You brought him to our city,” Optimus growled, his voice dripping with anger. “You dare challenge us again?”

“I’m not just here to challenge you,” the woman said, stepping closer to Megatron, her voice full of venom. “I’m here to end you.”

Without warning, Megatron raised his arm, and a laser cannon materialized from his shoulder. The Autobots immediately reacted, jumping into position, but it was clear that this wasn’t going to be a simple fight. The tension was palpable, and you could feel the weight of the situation settling in.

This wasn’t just a race anymore. It was a battle for survival.

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Chapter 30:

The air crackled with tension as Megatron, the rogue Decepticon, stood towering before the Autobots. His eyes glowed a menacing red, a stark contrast to the cool blue of Bumblebee’s optics. The street beneath you seemed to tremble as Megatron’s massive frame shifted, ready to strike.

You could feel it in your bones this wasn’t just a typical fight. This was personal.

The woman in the black car grinned. “It’s over, Autobots. Time to say goodbye.”

With a snap of her fingers, Megatron’s cannons whirred to life, the barrels charging with a deafening hum. Before anyone could react, the first blast fired, cutting through the air with a high-pitched shriek.

“Y/N, get down!” Chanyeol shouted, pulling you back as debris flew past you, smashing into the ground where you’d been standing just seconds before.

Bumblebee didn’t hesitate. He leapt into action, his engine roaring as he charged forward, weaving between blasts and smoke. Optimus Prime was right behind him, his massive frame taking on the brunt of Megatron’s attacks as he tried to protect you and Chanyeol.

“Stay close to me,” Optimus said, his voice firm. “We’ll hold them off. You need to get to safety.”

But it wasn’t that simple. The streets were becoming a battlefield. The black car that the woman had been driving her weapon sped around, releasing more Decepticon forces, each one more dangerous than the last. They transformed into sleek, deadly vehicles, joining the fray with all the grace and power of their creators.

And then, the worst possible thing happened.

Megatron slammed his fist down, creating a shockwave that sent Bumblebee stumbling backward. He struggled to regain his footing, but Megatron was relentless. He raised his weapon again, aiming directly at the yellow Autobot.

“No!” you screamed, your heart in your throat. You rushed forward without thinking, desperate to stop what was happening.

But before you could reach Bumblebee, Megatron fired.

Everything seemed to slow down in that moment. You could see the blast of energy rippling through the air, heading straight for Bumblebee. His frame shuddered under the impact, and the sound of metal cracking echoed through the night.

“Bumblebee!” you cried out.

The blast hit, sending Bumblebee crashing to the ground in a cloud of smoke and sparks. For a brief moment, there was silence. And then, the sound of his engine sputtering and struggling to restart filled the air.

Chanyeol was beside you in an instant, grabbing your arm. “We need to help him, Y/N!”

But you knew there was no time. The Decepticons were closing in, and they wouldn’t stop until they’d taken down every last one of the Autobots. Optimus Prime, Torque, Mirage and Tinker were still fighting fiercely, but it was clear that they were outnumbered.

“Bumblebee!” you yelled, running toward him. You could see the damage done to him, his frame bent and dented from the blast. He was struggling to stand, but he was still alive. Still fighting.

And that was enough.

You placed your hand gently on his side, your voice trembling with both fear and determination. “Come on, Bumblebee. We need you.”

There was a soft whir as his systems came online, and Bumblebee’s engine hummed weakly. His optics flickered, and then, slowly, he lifted his head.

“Y/N…” his voice crackled, his words rough but still there. “I’ll be fine. Just get to safety.”

“No, we’re not leaving you.” Your voice was firm. “We’re a team. You don’t leave anyone behind.”

Bumblebee’s optics softened, and he nodded, his engine revving slightly as he pushed himself back onto his feet. The sound of battle raged around you, but for that brief moment, it felt like time had stopped. You and Bumblebee were still standing.

“Chanyeol,” you said, turning to him. “We need to get out of here. The Autobots can’t hold them off much longer.”

But as you spoke, the black car sped forward again, aiming to strike. It was the woman, and this time, she wasn’t holding back. A blast of purple energy shot out, targeting the Autobots.

“Move!” Optimus roared, pushing you and Chanyeol to the side as he stepped forward, taking the full brunt of the attack. The force of the explosion rocked the ground beneath you.

You and Chanyeol stumbled, barely keeping your balance. The fight was becoming too intense, and you couldn’t keep up.

“Optimus!” you screamed, watching in horror as the leader of the Autobots was pushed back by the explosion. His frame was cracked, his systems malfunctioning, but he was still standing. Still fighting.

“We’re not going down like this,” Chanyeol muttered, his jaw clenched in determination.

“You’re right,” you said, wiping the sweat off your brow. “We’re not. We need to get to the garage. The Autobots need backup.”

Chanyeol nodded. He grabbed your hand, his eyes fierce with resolve. “Let’s go.”

As you both turned to run, the battle continued to rage behind you. The Autobots were giving everything they had, but it wasn’t enough. Onyx and the Decepticons were too strong, and the streets were becoming a war zone.

But you refused to give up. You wouldn’t let your friends your family lose.

Not like this.

“Bumblebee, stay with me!” you shouted, hoping your voice would reach him. “We’ll make it out of here. Together.”

And with that, you ran. You and Chanyeol, side by side, knowing that the battle wasn’t over. This was only the beginning.

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Chapter 31:

The night had been long, and the battle was far from over. After narrowly escaping the chaos in the streets, you and Chanyeol found yourselves back at the Autobot hideout, all the Autobots gathered around, trying to catch their breath.

Optimus was still recovering from the attack, his systems slowly stabilizing but not enough to join the next fight. Bumblebee was also injured, but he was already back on his wheels, albeit with some noticeable dents and scrapes.

“Bumblebee, Optimus,” you said, your voice heavy with concern, “how long until you two are back to full strength?”

Optimus’s deep voice filled the room. “We will recover soon, Y/N. But it won’t be fast enough to stop what’s coming. We need a plan.”

“I’ve been trying to think of one,” Chanyeol added, pacing in front of the group. “But the Decepticons seem prepared for everything. Whoever’s behind them… they’re too powerful.”

Suddenly, the door to the hideout opened with a loud creak, and the last thing you expected to hear came through the air an engine roar. It was Bumblebee, but something was different about him.

He wasn’t the same confident Autobot from earlier. This time, he had a different aura, as if something had awakened inside of him.

“Y/N, Chanyeol…” Bumblebee’s voice was low and strained. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

You and Chanyeol exchanged a glance, stepping closer.

“What is it, Bee?” you asked, your voice full of worry.

“I… I remember something,” Bumblebee said slowly, his tone unusually serious. “Something that could change everything.”

Chanyeol and you both leaned in, curiosity piqued.

“I remember that woman the one leading the Decepticons. She’s not just some random enemy.” Bumblebee paused, his optics dimming for a moment, as if processing the weight of his own words. “She’s… connected to Cybertron. To the very origin of the Autobots.”

“What do you mean?” you asked, confused.

Bumblebee took a deep breath. “Her name... is Elysia. But she’s not like any Decepticon you’ve ever met. She’s not just a soldier she’s something much more dangerous. She was once a high-ranking scientist on Cybertron. A brilliant mind with a thirst for power, knowledge, and control.”

You and Chanyeol both blinked, the realization sinking in. A scientist? This wasn’t just an enemy who wanted to conquer. She had a history, a purpose that stretched far beyond the surface.

“What happened to her?” Chanyeol asked, his voice trembling with a mix of curiosity and dread.

Bumblebee’s tone grew darker. “Something went wrong during her experiments. She tried to unlock powers that were too dangerous powers that even Cybertron itself couldn’t control. She made a deal with the Decepticons, exchanging her knowledge for their resources. But there’s more… she was the one who helped create the Decepticon technology that’s been used to corrupt and control Autobots.”

Your heart sank as the weight of Bumblebee’s words hit. The woman who had been leading the Decepticons, the one who’d seemed like just another villain in the story, was far more complicated and far more dangerous than you’d ever imagined.

Elysia wasn’t just a threat. She was connected to the very heart of the war that had torn Cybertron apart.

“She’s been hunting down remnants of lost Cybertronian technology,” Bumblebee continued. “And she’s after something very specific. A powerful artifact that could alter the balance of the war forever. If she gets her hands on it…”

He didn’t need to finish the sentence. You could feel the weight of the danger looming over you all.

“Where is she now?” Chanyeol asked, his voice hardening with determination.

“She’s after the same artifact that’s hidden here on Earth. And it’s not just any artifact. It’s the key to unlocking the full potential of Cybertron’s lost technology,” Bumblebee explained. “She’s already found some pieces, but the final part is hidden in a place even she doesn’t know about.”

You felt a chill run down your spine. “Where is it? How can we stop her?”

Bumblebee turned to you, his optics glowing brighter with resolve. “We need to stop her before she unlocks it. And the only way to do that is to get ahead of her. We need to find the artifact before she does.”

“Where is it?” you asked again, your pulse quickening.

Bumblebee’s voice grew somber. “There’s a hidden base, a forgotten place deep underground where the artifact is kept. It’s a part of an old Cybertronian network that was abandoned long ago. The Autobots who came to Earth to protect it had hidden it away in the most unlikely place.”

You exchanged a glance with Chanyeol, both of you understanding the gravity of the situation.

“This is bigger than just us,” you said, your voice tight with urgency. “We need to get there first.”

Chanyeol stepped forward, his expression set with resolve. “Then let’s go. We can’t waste any more time.”

Bumblebee nodded. “We’ll need the others. It’s not just about racing there first. Elysia has already sent scouts and spies. The Decepticons will be waiting for us.”

And just like that, everything had shifted. The woman leading the Decepticons was no longer just an enemy. She was the key to everything. She held the fate of both Earth and Cybertron in her hands.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 32:

The hidden underground base was a labyrinth of rusted corridors and flickering lights, but nothing could slow down the Autobots, Chanyeol, and you. As Bumblebee, Optimus, and the others prepared for what could be the final confrontation with the Decepticons, you found yourself standing next to Chanyeol in the depths of the base, your heart pounding.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Chanyeol asked, his voice soft but filled with concern as he adjusted his gloves.

You nodded firmly, trying to mask the anxiety that gnawed at you. "We don’t have a choice. We have to stop her, Chanyeol. If we don’t, everything we know could be destroyed."

Chanyeol’s hand found yours, squeezing it gently. "We’re in this together. No matter what happens."

Bumblebee revved his engine behind you, his voice steady but urgent. "The Decepticons are close. Elysia is already here."

"Let’s do this," you said, pushing away the fluttering nerves in your stomach. You turned to Optimus, who had been silent for a while, and nodded. "We have one shot at this. We can’t fail."

Optimus gave you a solemn nod, and for the first time, his voice wasn’t just a commandmit was a reassurance. "We will not fail, Y/N. This is the moment where we put an end to this war. Together."

With that, the Autobots, Chanyeol, and you began moving toward the core of the base, where the artifact was said to be hidden. The atmosphere was thick with tension, every step forward feeling heavier than the last. And then, just as you rounded a corner, you saw her.

Elysia.

She stood at the center of a large, darkened chamber, the artifact glowing ominously behind her. Her Decepticon army surrounded her, but it was her presence that held your attention. She was more than just a leader. She was a force, a master of the very technology that had torn Cybertron apart.

"Ah, Y/N," she said, her voice smooth and mocking, "I knew you’d come for this. You were always too curious for your own good."

You stepped forward, your gaze locked on her, hands clenched into fists. "I won’t let you have it. Not after everything you’ve done."

Elysia’s lips curled into a cruel smile. "You think you can stop me? You're just a human, Y/N. You don't understand the power you're facing."

Before you could respond, a sharp, metallic screech filled the air as a group of Decepticons charged forward, ready to engage. Optimus and the others immediately moved into defensive positions, but you couldn’t take your eyes off Elysia.

She stepped closer, the air between you thick with the tension of a thousand unsaid words.

"You’ve always been so naïve," Elysia said. "You think you’re strong because of the Autobots, but you’re nothing without them."

With a sudden movement, she lunged at you, her hands glowing with an energy you couldn’t quite place. You barely had time to react before she sent you flying back with a powerful blast. You crashed into the wall, pain exploding through your body, but you gritted your teeth and stood back up.

"You can’t stop me, Y/N," Elysia taunted, her voice cutting through the chaos of the battle around you. "You’re weak. You’re just a pawn in their game."

You shook off the pain, your eyes flashing with determination. "I’m not a pawn. And I’m not weak."

With a burst of adrenaline, you charged forward, locking eyes with her once more. She barely flinched as you threw a punch, her hand catching your fist mid-air. But she underestimated your strength. You twisted out of her grip and kicked her back, causing her to stumble.

"Is that all you’ve got?" she sneered, rubbing her bruised side, her eyes flashing with anger. "Pathetic."

But you didn’t back down. You could feel the energy coursing through your veins as you called upon everything you had learned from the Autobots everything they had taught you. Your connection to Bumblebee, to Optimus, to all of them this was your strength. Not the technology. Not the Decepticons. Just your will to protect the people you loved.

"You won’t win," you said, stepping closer, your fists raised in a battle stance. "I’m stronger than you think."

Elysia snarled. "You’re still too weak to defeat me, Y/N."

She launched herself at you again, but this time, you were ready. You dodged, narrowly avoiding her energy blast, and closed the distance between you. The fight was intense every move was a life-or-death struggle but in that moment, you felt something shift. Something inside you clicked into place.

You took a deep breath, focused, and when she lunged at you again, you grabbed her wrist, twisting it in a way that made her cry out in pain. With a swift motion, you slammed her into the ground.

"You’re done," you said, your voice fierce.

Elysia’s eyes widened, shock and disbelief flooding her face. "Impossible... how...?"

But before she could retaliate, Optimus’s voice rang out, commanding and filled with authority.

"Enough, Elysia," Optimus said, his presence towering over both of you. "This war ends here."

The rest of the Autobots rushed in, securing the area as the Decepticons began retreating. Bumblebee revved his engine, while even Chanyeol stepped forward, his face flushed with relief and pride as he looked at you.

"Y/N," Chanyeol breathed, walking up to you, his hand resting gently on your shoulder. "You did it."

You exhaled, still catching your breath, the adrenaline finally wearing off. You glanced down at Elysia, who now lay defeated on the floor, her eyes full of rage but no longer with the power to stop you.

"It's over," you said, your voice low but full of conviction. "This is where the Decepticons fall."

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 33:

The sky had never looked so calm.

For the first time in weeks, no engines screamed overhead, no threats lurked in the shadows, and the air didn’t hum with the tension of incoming war. Just a breeze. A soft wind brushing past the hill where you stood alone for a moment, gazing out over the city lights.

Behind you, the Autobot base was slowly coming back to life repair crews, human engineers, and bots working side by side. The war with Elysia was over. You had won. But it didn’t feel like victory yet.

“Thought I’d find you here,” came a familiar voice.

You turned slightly as Chanyeol approached, his hoodie pulled over his head, face tired but smiling. He joined you without a word, hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulder brushing yours.

For a while, neither of you spoke. The quiet between you wasn’t awkward anymore. It was just… healing.

“How’s Bumblebee?” you finally asked.

Chanyeol smiled softly. “He’s good. Still grumbling about being left out of the final takedown, though.”

You snorted. “He was literally throwing Decepticons like frisbees.”

“Yeah. And then claimed he pulled a muscle. I don’t even think he has muscles.”

That made you laugh. You needed that laugh. So did Chanyeol.

He glanced sideways at you, then down at your bandaged arm. “You okay? Like, really?”

You hesitated. “Physically? Getting there. Mentally? I… don’t know yet.”

He nodded like he understood. Because he did.

You turned toward him more fully. “You were so brave. You kept going, even when we were losing everything.”

Chanyeol looked away, his throat bobbing. “I was scared the whole time. Scared of losing you. Scared of losing myself in all this.”

“But you didn’t,” you said quietly. “You found strength. You protected people. You even built that insane upgrade with Torque that saved half of us.”

Chanyeol rubbed the back of his neck, bashful. “It almost fried me, though. You were so mad.”

“I was mad. But also… proud. You always protect what you love.”

His eyes softened, locking on yours. “That includes you. Always will.”

And just like that, the weight of everything the war, the fear, the pain lightened just a little.

You leaned into him, your head resting against his chest as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders. The wind ruffled your hair. The stars were coming out.

Behind you, Bumblebee pulled up quietly, headlights off, music volume just low enough not to disturb the moment. From nearby, Optimus and the rest of the Autobots stood in a loose circle, speaking in soft tones. Even they seemed more… human now. Tired. Changed.

Everyone had been scarred. Everyone had lost something. But they were still here.

“You think it’s really over?” you whispered.

Chanyeol’s voice was low. “I think… it’s the end of that battle. But not our story.”

You tilted your head. “Then what is this?”

He smiled. “This is the beginning of something new.”

And just like that, you knew he was right.

Because sometimes, after the fire, comes the rebuild.

And maybe just maybe that’s where the real story begins.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 34; Final Part

Returning to school felt… surreal.

After everything we’d been through the races, the secret missions, the world-saving war it was strange stepping back into squeaky hallways and homeroom chatter. But what hit everyone like a slap to the face was one very unexpected thing:

Park. Freaking. Chanyeol.

He walked through the school gates like some kind of K-drama lead. Jawline sharper. Hair styled with effortless perfection. That smirk? Weaponized. And his height?? Somehow he got taller again. How was that fair?

Girls stopped mid-sentence. Guys blinked in confusion. Teachers did double takes.

Someone dropped their coffee.

“Is that… Park Chanyeol?!” one girl gasped from behind me.

“I thought he was just the dorky guitar club guy!” another whispered.

“He looks like he walked off the cover of a racing manga,” a dude muttered.

I was leaning on my locker watching the chaos like a proud mom and a chaotic girlfriend combined.

He strolled toward me casually, slinging an arm around my shoulder like it was nothing. “Hey, babe.”

“You know you just gave half the school a collective identity crisis, right?” I said, grinning up at him.

He smirked, winking. “Good. I worked hard on it.”

Honestly, it showed. He looked like confidence on wheels. Literally. Because his ride to school?

Optimus Prime. In truck mode.Parked. In the teacher’s lot.

Bee, in his freshly repainted Camaro body, was already annoying the other cars by blasting Elton John remixes.

I swear Principal Kim nearly fainted.

That afternoon, we regrouped at Chanyeol’s house like old times.

“Remember,” he said, arms out as we stepped in, “no transforming in the house! Last time, Bee left a dent in the kitchen table.”

“Wasn’t me!” Bumblebee chirped innocently through the speaker, even as he absolutely bumped the wall with his fender.

Ironhide grumbled something about “soft human architecture,” and Torque got stuck in the hallway again. Mirage and Tinker were already in the backyard, sunbathing like they weren’t giant alien machines.

“Your house is gonna explode one day,” I warned him, laughing.

“My parents are miraculously not home today. Again,” Chanyeol said. “I think they’re just scared of what they might walk into.”

We all ended up piled into his garage which had become less of a garage and more of a hangout lab/Autobot café. Bee had fairy lights draped across the ceiling. Optimus tried to meditate in the corner. Torque and Chanyeol debated spark-shield tech while you sat on the workbench, spinning a wrench like a drumstick.

“So,” Chanyeol said, sliding next to you, “school’s boring already. Wanna ditch next week and go on that mountain drive you promised?”

“With Bee blasting ‘Tiny Dancer’ at full volume while Torque complains the whole time?” you smirked. “Absolutely.”

He leaned in, brushing his nose against yours with that stupid adorable grin. “Good. Because peace or not, I still need a little chaos.”

Bumblebee let out a perfectly-timed wolf whistle from the corner, and someone (probably Ironhide) groaned.

You laughed so hard your stomach hurt.

War may be over, but with Chanyeol, the Autobots, and the endless noise of engines and laughter around you…

This?

This was the wild, beautiful, chaotic peace you’d always dreamed of.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Bonus Epilogue ; After the garage hangout

It was late.

The rest of the Autobots had powered down or rolled out for the night except for Bee, who was lowkey spying from the shadows like a nosy older brother. The garage was quiet now, moonlight sneaking through the skylight, casting silver over the mess of tools and half-built gadgets.

Chanyeol stood in front of me, arms crossed, leaning against the Midnight Ghost his prized creation. Hair slightly tousled, white tee a little smudged with oil, that annoyingly handsome glow-up face just casually existing like it wasn’t breaking physics.

“You sure you’re not secretly half-Cybertronian?” I teased, stepping closer, nudging his boot with mine.

He smiled that soft, boyish smile the one only I got to see. “Nah. I’m just powered by you.”

I groaned. “That was so lame.”

“You love it.”

“…Maybe.”

There was a pause. Just the hum of a quiet engine somewhere in the distance. The way his eyes looked into mine? Like I was more than just the school hottie or the girl who fixed cars. Like I was everything.

“You still haven’t cashed in on that one promise,” I said, voice lower now.

“What promise?”

“That you’d kiss me after your first big race win. Which, by the way, was weeks ago.”

Chanyeol’s smile turned slow, like molasses and trouble. He stepped in, hands sliding to my waist. “I didn’t forget. I was just waiting for the perfect moment.”

“And now?”

“Now…” He dipped his head just enough for his forehead to rest against mine, his breath mingling with mine. “Now’s perfect.”

And then he kissed me.

Not just a peck or a rushed thing. No, this was one of those soft, intense, slow burn, finally-it’s-happening kisses. The kind that stole all the words from your brain and replaced them with fireworks and the sound of revving engines in your chest.

His fingers tightened slightly at my waist. Mine slid up into his hair, tugging gently. We were both smiling into it messy, dizzy, and stupidly in love.

In the distance, Bee let out a faint romantic pop song from his radio.

We broke apart just enough to laugh.

“I swear,” I whispered, breathless, “if he plays ‘My Heart Will Go On,’ I’m breaking his antenna.”

Chanyeol grinned, pressing one last quick kiss to the corner of my mouth.

“Too late. He already queued up the playlist.”

And right on cue—

🎵 “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” started playing.

You both doubled over laughing.

But even with all the chaos, that kiss?

It was worth the wait.

[tagsecretsanta]

From @gumnut-logic

From @gumnut-logic to @gordonthegreatesttracy

Prompts:

Gordon Tracy - living legend, the true story of my Olympic triumph as told by me!

The worst day of Gordon's life.

Stranded on a dessert (not a typo! Bring on the cake) island.

It's not obvious which prompts are making it in because this is just part one of four. Christmas lead up was totally insane so the rest will have to follow after. I hope you enjoy this part in any case ::hugs::

Oh, and language warning. Gordon gets ticked off.

-o-o-o-

Gordon crossed his arms and flipped out of Thunderbird Four, into the dark depths of the Southern Ocean.

The underwater observatory was little more than a shadow at these depths. The South-west Australian continental shelf was a threatening cliff disappearing both above and below.

Gordon might have been miffed at the siting of the habitat, but these were his kind of people - marine scientists delving into multiple lines of enquiry, from pollution through to shark migration in the Leeuwin Marine Ecoregion.

As he swam closer, his headlamps lit up external sensor equipment equivalent to the average aquanaut’s dream. Thunderbird Four was, of course, far superior, but this…this was seriously cool stuff.

Too bad it had no power.

Likely had something to do with the massive boulder sitting on top of half the structure.

“Thunderbird Two, we have containment breach. Looks like a nasty landslide. Poke Johnny and see if there might be any aftershocks? I don’t feel like being pancaked. Check for tsunami threat, too.” He scanned the airlock and found it working and secure. Good. A good, old fashioned wrench with his hands and the lock creaked open.

“FAB, Thunderbird Four. Five is way ahead of you. Quake epicentre has been located and John is monitoring. No tsunami threat at this time.”

“Thank you, Thunderbird Two. I am entering the habitat now.” He sighed with relief when the automatic pumps kicked in and drained the airlock and released the far door. They had emergency power at least. The tension in his shoulders relaxed just a little. At this depth, any power was a sign of hope.

The lack of communication was still a major worry. Johnny had not been happy at all. Worse, he had trouble getting any lifesign readings. Gordon was going in expecting the worst.

He thumbed his external comms as retracted his flippers and he stepped into a deserted, poorly lit hallway. “Seabold, do you read?”

The same silence that Two had received on approach. All Five had was a single shout for help and then nothing.

“Anyone, Seabold Observatory, can anyone hear me? International Rescue, responding to your call.”

Left or right? Dull strip lighting went both ways. He pulled up the base plans on his HUD. Command was to the left.

So he went left.

It was eerie. Windows were few and far between and the darkness, likely broken by strong external lighting on a non-disaster day, was oppressive and unrevealing.

And there was no-one.

“I repeat, anyone aboard Seabold, do you hear me?”

“I hear you! Oh, thank god!” And there was suddenly a guy just there, in Gordon’s face.

The aquanaut yelped and jumped back a step.

“International Rescue? You’re here to save us?” A helmet hid their face and the emergency yellow of their drysuit obscured any identification.

But Gordon was a professional. Yes, yes he was. “Yes, we’re here to help. How many of you are there?”

“Four in total. This way!” The figure turned and ran, leading him down the dark hallway.

Gordon followed at pace. Only four? There were supposed to be almost fifty. Gordon had been following this project in his journals. It was a fantastic venture. He had intended to see if he could visit sometime, maybe take Sam or even Penelope. She would have loved this project.

“Only four?”

“Fortunately, it’s Christmas. Just about everyone is on leave. If it wasn’t for Mary, we would have left with the rest of them.”

They turned a last corner and hurried through an open airlock and into a large room.

There was no doubt this was command. A good-sized window leaked darkness on one side, and on the other…there were three survivors huddled around a console.

“Mary! International Rescue are here to save us!” Two of them looked up, hope in their eyes. None of the three had their helmets on, though they were clearly in their emergency suits. The third was fully focussed on the control panel before her. “Mary!”

“Not until we release Betty.” She punched a few buttons, glaring at the console as if to set it on fire.

“Betty? Who’s Betty?” So five rescuees.

Mary, a dark woman, almost as dark as the ocean outside, glared at him. “I’m not leaving Betty. It’s our fault she is here.” The bulkheads above them creaked as if in warning.

Okay, they needed to start moving. “I repeat, who is Betty?”

The helmeted figure beside him animated. “A great white shark.”

Gordon blinked. “You have a great white shark captive?” Was that even possible?

“Not captive.” Mary was glaring at her instrumentation. “She’s was only supposed to be in the pen for a matter of minutes, enough for a tag and GPS relay. If this damned rock hadn’t…goddamnit!” She thumped the console. “There’s no power!”

Gordon’s lips thinned. “Show me.”

Mary looked up and frowned at him a moment before waving him over. “She’s there. On the far side of the complex. The pens escaped damage, but their power has been cut.” She grabbed his arm. “If we leave her, she will die. She can’t get out.”

Gordon was doing calculations in his head. “Thunderbird Five, I need to know the power requirements for the facility’s pens.” Before John could ask him what the hell he was talking about, he threw him a scan of the details on the console.

Pens weren’t in the original plans for this project.

Moments later Eos returned the numbers he needed. Yes, if he plugged Four in to this port, spliced a few wires to give John access to these systems, they should be able to get the gates open.

“Okay, we’ve got this. We’ll rescue Betty. But first I need you four in Four.”

Four puzzled looks.

“My Thunderbird, we need to get you out of here.”

“I’m not leaving Betty.” Mary’s stance rooted to the floor.

“Mary, you have my word that I will do my upmost best to free Betty.” He put everything into communicating his sincerity. “I promise.”

“If she stops swimming she will drown.”

“I know, there’s a qualified marine biologist under all this rescue equipment. I get it, I do. But you’re first.”

For a moment he feared she might refuse, but… “You can do this?”

“I can, but I need you safe first and we’re wasting time.”

Her eyes closed as if in prayer for the briefest of moments. Under her breath, “Okay.”

“Are you the only four aboard?”

A single nod as she reached for her helmet. “The rest are on Christmas leave. The four of us stayed back to shut the base down. We were supposed to depart tomorrow, but then Betty turned up and it was the perfect opportunity…until the quake.”

He gathered the four of them like ducklings, each fastening helmets as they moved. Mary looked back at the console one more time, but was then all business.  “I’m the leader of the expedition. She gestured as they moved down the dark corridor towards the airlock Gordon had used earlier. “That’s Joseph, Joshua and Ralph…” She pointed to the tall, helmeted man who had initially startled Gordon. “He’s our deep dive specialist.”

Didn’t hurt to know that. Gordon approved. A small smile in her direction before they finally reached the airlock. Fortunately, it was big enough for all of them at once and checking individual equipment at speed, Gordon was grateful to get a comms connection with all of them. The lack of contact prior still sat eerily in the back of his mind, but it would have to wait. In any case, when the outer door was cranked open and they were freed to the sea, Gordon only felt relief.

Four sat not far off, her lights and brilliant yellow glow a beacon in the darkness.

For once, there were no rescuees sporting any injuries, and this was a group of professionals in their element. Definitely his kind of people.

“Thunderbird Two, I have four rescuees. We are returning to Four. There is a fifth rescuee who needs attention before we surface.” Did Virgil need to know he was rescuing a great white shark?

“FAB, Thunderbird Four. Any injuries?”

“None reported.” With all four aboard, he activated the pumps that would drain the airlock. His heart beat to the throb of his ‘bird at work.

As the inner airlock opened, he gestured a little grandly. “Welcome aboard Thunderbird Four, best little sub on the planet. Please keep your helmets on for safety. We will get underway shortly, but first we need to go save Betty.” A smile and he caught Mary staring at him. He gestured again. “Please take a seat and secure yourselves.”

He eyed them as they locked themselves in. Once set, he flipped himself into his cockpit and with a flex of his wrists, launched them off the ledge.

Four’s spots broke up the darkness as he darted nimbly around the partially destroyed habitat. They lit up crumpled living quarters and…his sensors spat static for a moment before clearing again. “What the hell?”

He didn’t have time to think twice as the pens abruptly came into view. It became very clear why the setup was not on the original plans. They were obviously jury-rigged, a collection of giant cages.

In one of them a huge shark was swimming in circles.

Under his breath, he cursed. “Mary, what the hell are you doing out here?” He flicked his comms. “Thunderbird Five, are you getting this?”

“Affirmative, Thunderbird Four. Recording.” The frown in John’s voice was satisfying to hear.

“Keep at it, Five. I need to go save me a shark.”

“Gordon?”

“Got one more rescue. Won’t take a moment.” And it shouldn’t. He brought Four around and activating one of her arms, pulled up her external connector and plugged her into the system. “Five, you should have control.”

“Receiving.” That frown in John’s voice was getting deeper.

“Can you release the hatch?”

“Working.”

It was Gordon’s turn to frown.

“It’s receiving and acknowledging commands but I can’t get a positive response. Give me a moment. Eos, could you please give me a hand?”

Gordon waited, staring up at the trapped shark. Stats on the vulnerabilities of great whites spun through his head. No-one had ever managed to keep one of the huge hunters in captivity, much less in such a confined space for an extended period of time. Getting her out was a major priority. He could understand why Mary was so…determined.

“I’m sorry, Four, response is negative. We can’t get the hatch open.”

He had already done the calculations. Four was too big to fit between the tangle of cables and cages.

“FAB, Thunderbird Five. I’m on it.”

“Gordon, that is a very large shark-“

“Yeah, isn’t she beautiful?”

Virgil cut into the conversation. Gordon had been wondering at which point he would get the predictable mother-henning on the issue. “Gordon, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Saving someone who needs help.” Holding up his arms and leaning forward, he triggered the command for his exo-suit. The robotics unfolded from the cabin walls, fastening the selected kit to his drysuit. A moment later, he crossed his arms and flipped out backwards through his airlock.

As always, the water welcomed him. A swift kick with the ultra-long flippers and he was flying towards the cage.

“Gordon, I don’t like this.”

“Calm down, big bro. Betty’s cool, aren’t you girl?” Floating outside of the cage he was dismayed to discover that he hadn’t been quick enough to prevent injury. Betty’s snout appeared to have borne several impacts with the cage bars. Goddamnit, Mary, what were you thinking?!

“It’s okay, lovely, we’ll get you out.” Balling his right fist, Gordon deployed his laser sword. Well, Brains called it a U-cutter, but ‘laser sword’ was so many kinds of cooler.

The metal bars holding the gate didn’t stand a chance.

Steam boiled off his cutter and he was ever thankful for the exo-suit’s extra protection. A slash or two and the gate fell away. He retracted his sword.

And was faced with the sharp end of a very agitated great white shark.

There was only a split second of realisation before Betty swooped past in a panic, her pectoral fin catching him and throwing him into a spin chaotic enough he couldn’t avoid her tail.

He had one moment of gratitude of being missed by her mouth only to receive a solid whack to his mid-section which sent him flying. Before he could curse himself for being too stupid to move out of the way fast enough, he slammed into another of the cages and something in his back…

…cracked.

Fuck.

His body locked up in pain, the focus radiating out from his lower back, up his spine and around his ribcage.

Oh god.

He couldn’t move. Everything hurt oh so much. A litany of profanity bounced around in his head.

Fortunately, Betty didn’t seem to care. She didn’t even look back as she darted out past Thunderbird Four and into the darkness.

Gordon began to drift in her wake.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

The water pushed him deeper into the mess of pens and all their connecting cables.

Okay, calm. You are fine. You’ve worked through this before.

Just not in the middle of a rescue.

His shoulder brushed up against one of the cages and his back flared. He cried out.

Goddamnit! Now was not the time for tears in his eyes. They blurred his vision and he couldn’t rub his face.

“Gordon?” Virgil’s voice was worried.

“Hey, Virgil.” He did his best to keep the gasp out of his voice. His medic brother had sixth, seventh and eighth sense when it came to injury.

“Thunderbird Four, report your status.”

Shit.

“All good. Just taking a moment.” How much could his brothers read off his suit sensors? Did Virgil have a ‘Gordon has triggered his long-term spinal injury and is in some serious pain’ indicator amongst all those buttons on his dash?

No. His brother had probably just noticed his lack of movement.

Movement.

Movement would be nice.

And a warm bath.

A bucket of medication wouldn’t hurt.

He was still drifting away from Thunderbird Four. Now was not the time to regret not including his propulsion unit with his exo-suit this time. He really hadn’t had to swim very far to reach Betty. Not far at all.

But now Thunderbird Four was so, so far away.

He couldn’t stay here.

“Gordon, what’s wrong?” Virgil’s voice was soft and the ever-caring big brother, despite the mission at hand.

“I’m good. Betty has been released.” And? Virgil didn’t need to ask for Gordon to know the next question. “Heading back to Thunderbird Four now.”

“FAB, Thunderbird Four.”

Was Virgil convinced? Gordon hoped so. If he couldn’t get out of this stupid predicament...

His slow drift brushed him up against another cage, but before he could collide with it proper, his fingers wrapped around a bar and he brought his drift to a halt.

Pain flashed through him. Shit.

Harsh breathing and the pumping blood in his ears.

Four so far away.

Fuck.

-o-o-o-

TBC

[serial-designation-vee]

@serial-designation-jey

From above, two pods boomed as they ripped the upper stratosphere of Copper-9. Light from the rockets, making the clouds glow hot blue and electrifying the unstable atmosphere. As the pods split the cloud cover in their descent, lightning flickered and cracked, striking one of the pods. The surge in power fried the automatic navigation systems, and the craft hurtled off course towards Camp 98.7. Crashing down, it left a trail of destruction and fire in its wake, setting the forest ablaze and leaving a gouge in the ground that ran for several hundred yards before the craft eventually came to a halt. The pod was unlike anything they had ever seen, complex ivory plating with intricate gold designs weaving throughout, the exposed areas revealing an almost muscular conglomeration of black wires that pulsed blue light towards the center of the craft. Upon the side were several logos, of which one V would recognize as her own parent company logo of JCJenson. The others involved were Faro Automated Solutions Inc, Far Zenith Corp, and Miriam Technologies.... As the two dissasembly drones would draw close, the pod let off a shrill tone and an automated warning. "WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! PROXIMITY SENSORS ACTIVE, SHIP IS STABILIZING, DO NOT APPROACH THE STASIS POD UNTIL INSTRUCTED OR RISK MALFUNCTION. PLEASE ENJOY OUR MESSAGE TO THE VALUED CUSTOMER ABOUT YOUR NEW GALAXTIC PAL WHILE YOU WAIT- Uh, is this thing on? This is testing log number uhhh... I've lost count... of project Gemini modelSD: B1-7A PIN: #LK-101, "Beta" or just B, I dont care... Okay... The pod is cooling down right now, but once it's stable, it should scan the environment and inhabitants around it so it can best modify itself to the environment and fit in, I know it might be odd but it will try to copy someone it sees but dont worry, there is a customization setting in the pod if you wish to change her appearance, not that ot will matter uh... Look, this is our last shot. What with earth gone and everything. I've installed various subfunction protocols into two sister drones. The other should be nearby. This one posseses: Minerva, Hephestus, Apollo, and Hades. The robot will tell you what those do, but uhm... She's designed to learn and adapt just as her sister unit A7-04 is, but specifically, she's much more attuned to it. Her sister unit is designed for combat and initial defense of this ones operations of study, terraforming and revitalizing. Make no mistake, though. B isn't defenseless. She is equipped with a highly advanced natite repair and re assimilation device and can construct weapons on her arms of which she knows two by default, but can learn more. The Specter Gauntlet High Energy plasma multitool cannon and the Specter Reaver blade arm. If there was any error during transport, I'd expect something to function incorrectly, and I can't help you. If the unit is severely damaged, return it to the pod for nanitic revitalization procedures to initiate a full system reboot and restore... I think that's it... good luck."

V watched the pod with a calculating gaze, one of her hands turned into a long blade and held out in front of J. They took in the words spoken to her, and their eyes narrowed. She didn't care what this was, they just didn't want it near J.

She remained at the ready, protective urge pulling at her every wire.

[adriankyte-writes]

Just dropped 2 new chappies.

Bonewhite draws a hand through his hair, sweeping the whole of it over his left shoulder. Stillness made a click of dismissal and the wraithling group broke apart to find their palli. Their feet patter across the hive floor as they scurry to their assignments, chittering and clicking at each other as they go. Light steps behind him, and an impact on his shoulder as one of the wraithlings jumps to his back, wrapping legs around his waist and carefully wrapping around his torso to peer over his shoulder.

He chuckles quietly and swings his hair back down so it hangs over the little one as well. The wraithling, incidentally one of the two troublemakers, leans his head into the crook of Bonewhite’s neck and rubs against his neck, taking in his scent while leaving traces of his own from the glands in his hair.

Bonewhite brushes gentle strands of the hivebond over him, teasing gently into his mind and feeding him information on what he’s doing. Eager slitted golden eyes peer over his shoulder at the display. The little one’s eyes dart over the display, watching the colorful dance of the passing shesir. He purrs low, fingers absently stroking through Bonewhite’s hair, as Bonewhite launches another retrieval pod, pointing out where the damaged dart was on the display.

The wraithling coos, sending sharp strands of interest his way. A small hand catches the slender braid Evan has left in the bottom layer of his hair, he smiles and brushes soft affection over him as he draws it up and drinks in the human’s scent. Absently, the wraithling plays with the braid, twisting and winding it as his eyes dart over the screen.

Another one there? The wraithling points to a tangle of young shesir with his free hand, darting and twisting and knocking something around in the school.

Bonewhite wrinkles his brow and focuses in on the area. The shesir definitely have something, but it isn’t a dart and he’s not picking anything up with the sensors. He watches as they buffet and toss the thing about, unsure what they actually have.

Alarms ping across the screen from several wounded darts and he responds automatically, dispatching pods to draw them in.

He and the wraithling study the strange behavior of the shesir and the void where something wasn’t. Whatever they are playing with, it seems to be moving on its own power, twisting away from the young pod and slowly working it’s way free from the winding stream of shesir. The object limps free of the stream, and a short flash of sensory feedback from the hive allows him to identify it. The taste of a rather unique energy signal caused by an overloading cloaking device. A Lantean gateship.

[ayeshaanjum27]

Light Sensor

Light sensors are an essential component in modern technology, enabling devices to interact with their environment in innovative ways. Among these sensors, the TEMT6000 Ambient Light Sensor Module stands out for its accuracy, versatility, and user-friendliness. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or a professional, this module, available at DigiLog, can elevate your projects to the next level.

What is a Light Sensor?

Light sensors detect and measure light intensity in an environment, allowing devices to adapt to varying conditions. They are critical in applications like:

Automatic Lighting: Adjusting brightness levels based on ambient light.

Display Screens: Optimizing screen brightness for comfort and energy efficiency.

Agriculture: Monitoring sunlight exposure for plant growth.

The TEMT6000 Ambient Light Sensor Module is a prime example of such a device, offering precision and reliability. You can find it at DigiLog, your trusted source for tech modules in Pakistan.

[quartz-components]

DIY Sun Tracking Solar Panel Project using Arduino

Are you looking to boost the efficiency of your solar panels? A dual-axis solar tracking system is the perfect solution! Instead of a static panel, this system automatically follows the sun, ensuring maximum energy absorption throughout the day. In this blog, we'll guide you through building your own Arduino-powered solar tracker and show you how it works in action. 🎥✨

🛠️ How Does this Sun Tracking Solar Panel Project Work?

A solar tracking system adjusts the position of the solar panel in two axes (vertical & horizontal) to follow the sun’s movement. This ensures optimal solar exposure, which significantly increases power output compared to fixed panels.

Using Arduino, LDR sensors, and servo motors, we can create a system that continuously detects sunlight intensity and adjusts the panel accordingly. 🌞⚙️

🔹 Components Needed:

🔧 Arduino Uno– The brain of the system 🔧 LDR Sensors – Light intensity detectors 🔧 Servo Motors – For precise panel movement 🔧 Solar Panel – The power generator 🔧 Resistors & Jumper Wires – For connections

📝 Step-by-Step Instructions

1️⃣ Set up the Circuit: Connect LDR sensors, servo motors, and the solar panel to the Arduino. 2️⃣ Upload the Code: Use the provided Arduino sketch to program the tracker. 3️⃣ Test the System: Place it under sunlight and watch the panel follow the sun in real-time! 4️⃣ Optimize & Improve: Adjust sensor placement for better accuracy.

📌 Full Code & Circuit Diagram: https://quartzcomponents.com/blogs/electronics-projects/dual-axis-solar-tracking-system-using-arduino

🔋 Why Use a Solar Tracker?

✅ Increases energy output compared to a fixed panel ✅ Automatically adjusts for optimal sunlight exposure ✅ Enhances efficiency of solar power systems ✅ Perfect for DIY solar enthusiasts & engineers

Whether you're building a home solar system or a DIY electronics project, this Arduino solar tracker is an exciting way to improve energy efficiency!

📢 Share Your Builds!

Tried making this project? Share your solar tracker setup with us in the comments or tag us! We'd love to see your innovation. 🌍⚡

📌 Full Tutorial & Code: 👉 https://quartzcomponents.com/blogs/electronics-projects/dual-axis-solar-tracking-system-using-arduino

[therealbosszombie]

Zelda 64: Recompiled for PC - Majora's Mask

Zelda 64: Recompiled is a project that uses N64: Recompiled to statically recompile Majora's Mask (and soon Ocarina of Time) into a native port with many new features and enhancements. This project uses RT64 as the rendering engine to provide some of these enhancements.

Play Majora's Mask natively on PC! Download here for Windows or Linux:

Note: Project does not include game assets. Original game is required to play.

Features:

Plug and Play

Simply provide your copy of the North American version of the game in the main menu and start playing! This project will automatically load assets from the provided copy, so there is no need to go through a separate extraction step or build the game yourself. Other versions of the game may be supported in the future.

Fully Intact N64 Effects

A lot of care was put into RT64 to make sure all graphical effects were rendered exactly as they did originally on the N64. No workarounds or "hacks" were made to replicate these effects, with the only modifications to them being made for enhancement purposes such as widescreen support. This includes framebuffer effects like the grayscale cutscenes and the Deku bubble projectile, depth effects like the lens of truth, decals such as shadows or impact textures, accurate lighting, shading effects like the fire arrows and bomb explosions, and various textures that are often rendered incorrectly.

Easy-to-Use Menus

Gameplay settings, graphics settings, input mappings, and audio settings can all be configured with the in-game config menu. The menus can all be used with mouse, controller, or keyboard for maximum convenience.

High Framerate Support

Play at any framerate you want thanks to functionality provided by RT64! Game objects and terrain, texture scrolling, screen effects, and most HUD elements are all rendered at high framerates. By default, this project is configured to run at your monitor's refresh rate. You can also play at the original framerate of the game if you prefer. Changing framerate has no effect on gameplay.

Note: External framerate limiters (such as the NVIDIA Control Panel) are known to potentially cause problems, so if you notice any stuttering then turn them off and use the manual framerate slider in the in-game graphics menu instead.

Widescreen and Ultrawide Support

Any aspect ratio is supported, with most effects modded to work correctly in widescreen. The HUD can also be positioned at 16:9 when using ultrawide aspect ratios if preferred.

Note: Some animation quirks can be seen at the edges of the screen in certain cutscenes when using very wide aspect ratios.

Gyro Aim

When playing with a supported controller, first-person items such as the bow can be aimed with your controller's gyro sensor. This includes (but is not limited to) controllers such as the Dualshock 4, Dualsense, Switch Pro, and most third party Switch controllers (such as the 8BitDo Pro 2 in Switch mode).

Note: Gamepad mappers such as BetterJoy or DS4Windows may intercept gyro data and prevent the game from receiving it. Most controllers are natively supported, so turning gamepad mappers off is recommended if you want to use gyro.

Autosaving

Never worry about losing progress if your power goes out thanks to autosaving! The autosave system is designed to respect Majora's Mask's original save system and maintain the intention of owl saves by triggering automatically and replacing the previous autosave or owl save. However, if you'd still rather play with the untouched save system, simply turn off autosaving in the ingame menu.

Low Input Lag

This project has been optimized to have as little input lag as possible, making the game feel more responsive than ever!

Instant Load Times

Saving and loading files, going from place to place, and pausing all happen in the blink of an eye thanks to the game running natively on modern hardware.

Linux and Steam Deck Support

A Linux binary is available for playing on most up-to-date distros, including on the Steam Deck.

To play on Steam Deck, extract the Linux build onto your deck. Then, in desktop mode, right click the Zelda64Recompiled executable file and select "Add to Steam" as shown. From there, you can return to Gaming mode and configure the controls as needed. See the Steam Deck gyro aim FAQ section for more detailed instructions.

System Requirements:

A GPU supporting Direct3D 12.0 (Shader Model 6) or Vulkan 1.2 is required to run this project (GeForce GT 630, Radeon HD 7750, or Intel HD 510 (Skylake) and newer).

A CPU supporting the AVX instruction set is also required (Intel Core 2000 series or AMD Bulldozer and newer).

Planned Features:

Dual analog control scheme (with analog camera)

Configurable deadzone and analog stick sensitivity

Ocarina of Time support

Mod support and Randomizer

Texture Packs

Model Replacements

Ray Tracing (via RT64)

[sullustangin]

New Fic!

Eva Corolastor is back.

Chapter 1: Near Death Experiences

“I have always loved the stars.”

That could apply to anyone onboard Virtue’s Thief.  Eva knew that as she climbed up onto the hull.  But she was the only one with the energy to sneak out this late and lay out a blanket and just look up.  They were planetside for the first time in what felt like years (but it was actually weeks).

Ma was in quarters; it had been a long flight, so she’d turned in early.  Dad was with her; he’d finished maintenance early and hey, what do you know, in the same place at the same time. 

Eva knew when to make her exit.

“Caution: there are no railings up there.”  Huck called up from his position in the Thief’s hallway.

“Don’t blow your bolts,” Eva answered back, keeping her voice low.  She knew Huck had fancy auditory sensors – probably for hunting prey, but it was perfectly good for hearing pre-teen girls pattering atop the ship.  “I’m just seeing the stars be still, for once.”  Eva craned her neck slightly.  “And a pretty cool view of a planet.”

When Virtue’s Thief was in flight, all the universe was in motion.  Here on Ithor – well, technically, one of the floating city starports above Ithor – it moved so much slower.  It was almost still.

 And Ithor was crazy.  They loved their jungle so much they moved everybody and everything, including their space sheep, to floating platforms within the atmosphere.  So Eva had twice as many reasons to be up on the hull tonight.  She got to watch a planet spin beneath her while outside the Thief and without EV gear. 

And of course, there were the stars.  They were infinite.  Eva was insignificant.  She always took comfort in that.  Universal constants in a constantly changing galaxy.  Eva knew that as a smuggler kid; people like her had to take what they could get.  She’d take the stars, any day –

A pop into the atmosphere interrupted Eva’s train of thought.  That was awful close.

“Observation: atmospheric turbulence in close proximity to the ship” came Huck’s dutiful report. 

But Eva only heard him as background noise as she realized that a massive freighter was hauling ass right toward the Thief.  “We’re already parked here, buddy,” she muttered.

The freighter dipped lower.  And lower –

He was trying to show off for her – buzz her and her ship- --

But this guy had never been to Ithor before – didn’t know how the gravity worked, didn’t know that Eva wasn’t strapped down to the hull –

The wake of air sent her eleven-and-a-half-year-old body flying across the hull.  The rivets and hatches and latches ripped at her clothes, bruised her skin.  The gust took her past the edge and down ---

Down, down, down  -- a hundred feet to the landing pad

(because the landing gear was down and the XS Light was 80 feet tall without it)

Eva opened her mouth to scream but she couldn’t –

She wasn’t even going to get to pilot the Thief.  She didn’t even get to say bye to Hylo –

Or her parents –

But that was later – years?

Suddenly:

…

…

…

White.

…

…

Clarity.

…

This was the wrong time.

…

Deep inside, a twist, as if an organ was churned in the wrong direction.

“I’m dying --!”

“We are being reborn.”

Viscerally, Eva pushed and grabbed at that light to get her the hell away from him.

“Wake up.  We have to go.”

Who?

Who? 

Who?

Who?!

…

A grey blur sped by her eyes, pops of color catching her gaze.  They flew about her, and she could hear them:

Never let them see you hesitate.  Gotta be smooth in every motion –

We love you – always have.

Orion’s Glory to Gloriana –

The title of Captain passed to her automatically.

That’s Hylo the cat.  And I’m gonna do my best to get you home.

Little Girl…

Let’s hit the hyperlanes.  I always feel better after a good caper.

Darmas, do you think she would have liked me?

I will never leave you.

Eva…I’m so sorry.

This kind of fleet can’t last, but I’ve never seen anything like it.

They’re all talking about you out there, Captain.  Calling you the Voidhound.

A swirl of black and she felt the mantle fall upon her shoulders.

Your taste for spies is not for the weak.

Now what do we do about this?

I need you.

New day.  Maybe it will all work out.

What –

What—

WHO

EVA, GET UP HERE RIGHT NOW. WE’RE TAKING OFF.

Eva, time for bed! 

Eva—

Eva?

Eva! 

Eva…

She was alive.

She was awake.

She was Eva Corolastor.  Everything else was ---

~~

The story continues on AO3

[mariacallous]

In the 1990s, London built the Ring of Steel—a network of concrete barriers, checkpoints, and thousands of video cameras around the historic City of London—after bombings by the Irish Republican Army. The idea was to monitor everyone entering and leaving the Square Mile, what the The New York Times later called “fortress urbanism.”

After the September 11, 2001, attacks, city planners looking to defend New York from terrorism turned to London and fortress urbanism for inspiration. Fusion centers, where US law enforcement agencies share intelligence at a federal level to be analyzed and build a bigger picture of crime, had been around for a few years. But officials began asking, what if fusion centers could be localized? What if local law enforcement could analyze and gather masses of intelligence from one city?

In 2005, they answered with the first “real-time crime center” (RTCC), a sprawling network of CCTV and automatic license plate readers (ALPR) linked to a central hub in the New York Police Department headquarters costing $11 million. Since then, from Miami to Seattle, RTCCs have steadily expanded across the US. The Atlas of Surveillance, a project from the digital rights nonprofit the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which monitors police surveillance technology, has counted 123 RTCCs nationwide—and that number is rising.

Each RTCC is slightly different, but their function is the same: gather surveillance data across a city and use that to build a live picture of crime in the city. Police departments have an array of technologies available to them that span from CCTV, gunshot sensors, and social media monitoring to drones and body cameras. In Ogden, Utah, police even floated the idea of a 30-foot “crime blimp.” In many cases, images that police systems collect are run through facial recognition technology, and the data gathered is often used in predictive policing. In Pasco County, Florida, which operates an RTCC, the sheriff’s office’s predictive policing system encouraged officers to continuously monitor and harass residents for minor code violations such as missing mailbox numbers and overgrown grass.

Erik Lavigne is a detective at the Fort Worth Police Department in Texas and communications director at the National RTCC Association. He says there has been a boom in RTCCs over the past year because officers believe they help with more precise policing. He likens the scattered approach to policing in previous years to throwing out a fishnet and hoping to catch something. “For what we had at the time, that worked. But what inevitably happens is, you end up alienating the community because you're not just stopping the bad guys, you're also stopping innocent people that are just trying to live their lives,” he says. “A real-time crime center is a scalpel. We aren't catching the wrong people anymore.”

Lavigne says RTCCs are also a cheaper alternative to hiring more boots on the ground because each camera becomes, in effect, a stationary officer keeping watch over an area. Lavigne says this has proved so effective that analysts at RTCCs have been recording more crime than they can deal with, and  the Fort Worth RTCC has significantly helped decrease vehicle thefts.

Most evidence for RTCC effectiveness, however, is anecdotal, and there is a real lack of studies into how effective they really are. In Detroit, a National Institute of Justice study concluded that Project Green Light—a part of the Detroit Police Department RTCC that established cameras at more than 550 locations, including schools, churches, private businesses, and health centers—helped decrease property violence in some areas but did nothing to prevent violent and other crimes. But police departments argue they do work.

Few people know RTCCs even exist, let alone the extent of the surveillance they entail, so they can receive little public scrutiny and often operate without much oversight. There have long been concerns around how surveillance technologies could affect First and Fourth Amendment rights in the US, but Beryl Lipton, an investigative researcher at the EFF, says RTCCs “hyper-charge” these worries by collating all this data in one place.

“It’s perpetuating this mass collection of people's private information from a whole bunch of different video streams,” Lipton says. “They're really lowering the bar on the ways police can access that information … When there are these types of large databases without proper audit and oversight mechanisms, law enforcement officials and individuals can use them for their own purposes, which can be very scary.”

Regulations around the storage and usage of this data are patchy at best. For example, RTCC-collected data may be shared across jurisdictions because third parties contracted for the hardware or software will also collect data and share it, Lipton says. “Some of these companies will, in good faith, delete data in accordance with retention schedules, but we've seen them not do that,” she says. “With large databases like license plate reader databases, that information is sometimes shared without police departments realizing it and in violation of jurisdictional rules.”

While companies will argue this data is being stored securely, this is no guarantee. In 2020, hackers stole internal memos, financial records, and more from over 200 local, state, and federal agencies from web development firm Netsential, which provided data storage for fusion centers across the US. The trove of leaked data later became known as #BlueLeaks.

“There are real concerns around having this amount of information stored somewhere,” says Lipton, “I have no reason to believe these are somehow more secure systems than we have in other situations. And we know that those get breached all the time, law enforcement agencies in this country get hacked all the time.”

Lipton’s biggest worry is that this ability to follow people remotely and share that data across state lines could instead be used to target people involved in protests and political organizing, which has already happened, or those accessing reproductive health care. “Those issues become compounded because there’s the frightening ‘real time’ element to it,” she says. “That means that if you leave your house, there’s a very good chance that law enforcement could jump into a feed that is just following you around.”

In addition to police setting up their own technology, RTCCs draw on wider existing surveillance networks. Cooperation of public institutions like schools and colleges and privately owned cameras have been crucial to developing RTCCs by giving officers access to cameras that might otherwise need a warrant. In Atlanta, which has seen the number of cameras integrated into their RTCC treble to 15,329 in the past year, four higher-education institutions—Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and the Morehouse School of Medicine—installed $700,000 worth of cameras, including five ALPRs, that were linked to the Atlanta RTCC.

Fusus, which claims to be “the most widely used & trusted Real-Time Crime Center platform in U.S. Public Safety,” sells hardware that can be connected to private CCTV cameras and linked up to the local RTCC. Fusus sells a solution that brings all the various technologies under “a single pane of glass,” as the company describes it. Through partnerships with companies that provide surveillance technology, including a $21 million investment from Axon, which produces Tasers and body cams, Fusus promises to integrate these technologies into one RTCC platform for analysts.

Police departments that use Fusus, like the Memphis Police Department, have been encouraging homeowners and local businesses to purchase fususCORE bundles—hardware that connects cameras to an RTCC—ranging from $350 to $7,300, plus an annual $150 subscription. Fusus has even gone as far as developing technology that allows Amazon’s Ring doorbells to livestream to an RTCC.

Amid a push for policing to harness new technologies and become “smarter,” Lipton is quick to point out that more technology doesn’t necessarily equal smarter. “It almost always just means that they're going to keep heavily policing poor and minority areas,” she says. Despite Lavigne’s claims that RTCCs mean the wrong people aren’t getting arrested anymore, in a recent lawsuit, the New Orleans Police Department was sued for arresting a Black man after watching him for 15 minutes through their RTCC and wrongly concluding he had a gun. The department ultimately settled for $10,000 in damages.

Lipton believes relentless surveillance is an infringement of citizens rights and would like to see the use of these technologies limited—aside from facial recognition, which she says should be banned. “There are certain elements we just shouldn't be using at all,” she says. “We should never be applying facial recognition to almost anything … As soon as you apply any really individualizing technology like that, I mean, it's kind of over for people's privacy.” Communities and organizations like EFF and ACLU have been arguing for Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) laws that bring surveillance technologies under the control of elected officials and communities. Cities like Oakland have found success with this, but without nationwide restrictions, the rise of RTCCs will likely continue on the periphery of the public eye.

[sngl-led-auto-lights]

Why are some people’s headlights always so blinding?

Headlight glare is a growing concern as technology advances, vehicle design trends, and regulatory loopholes emerge. Here’s why it’s happening and what you can do about it:

Major causes of headlight glare

Misaligned beam

Cause: Headlights that shine too high (even just slightly) can project light into the eyes of oncoming drivers. This often happens when:

◦ Suspension modifications (such as installing a lift kit or lowering springs).

◦ Bulbs incorrectly replaced without recalibration.

◦ Heavy objects placed in the trunk/back seat change the vehicle’s tilt.

Impact: A 2023 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study found that one-third of vehicles have incorrectly angled headlights, reducing visibility to other vehicles by up to 50%.

High-intensity bulbs installed in inappropriate housings

LED/HID retrofit kits: Installing high-intensity LED or HID bulbs without dimmable light patterns in halogen reflective housings results in uneven light dispersion. LEDs with dimmable light patterns are the best way to meet standards

◦ Example: A 55W halogen bulb has an intensity of approximately 1,200 lumens, while aftermarket LED bulbs can have an intensity of over 3,000 lumens without proper beam control.

Blue Dominance: Cool white LEDs (7,000K+ color temperature) increase glare due to the longer wavelength of blue light, which scatters more in the human eye.

Taller Vehicle Designs

Taller SUVs, trucks, and crossovers move headlights closer to the driver's line of sight for sedans.

Data point: The average SUV headlight is 22-30 inches above the ground, while the average sedan headlight is 18-24 inches above the ground.

Adaptive system failure

Automatic dimming failure: Adaptive headlights (such as BMW's Dynamic Light Assist) can fail, leaving high beams active.

Sensor issues: Dirty or obstructed windshield cameras/radars (used to detect oncoming vehicles) can cause delays in adjustment.

Lagged regulations

US standards: FMVSS 108 (last updated in 2007) does not adequately address the glare issues of modern LED lights.

Global differences: EU regulations (ECE R112) enforce stricter beam patterns, but imported vehicles may not comply with local regulations.

Human factors exacerbate the problem

Aging drivers: Pupils dilate more slowly as we age, making glare more uncomfortable (studies show that drivers over 50 are twice as sensitive).

Astigmatism: 30% of people suffer from this eye condition, which causes light to distort into starburst shapes.

Cognitive Bias: Drivers often prioritize their own vision over the vision of others, thinking “brighter = safer”.

Solutions and Mitigations For drivers causing glare:

Realign headlights: Use the wall test (25-foot distance) to ensure beam cutoff is level and asymmetrical (slightly higher on the passenger side).

Use certified bulbs: Stick with DOT/ECE/CE/ROSH, etc. certified bulbs designed for your frame.

Adjust for load: Use manual or auto-leveling systems to compensate for heavy loads.

For drivers affected:

Anti-glare measures:

Install auto-dimming rearview mirrors (reduces rear glare by 80%).

Wear polarized sunglasses at night (yellow/amber lenses filter blue light).

Advocate for change: Support organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in their push for updated headlight regulations.

Upcoming tech solutions:

Adaptive high beam (ADB): Systems like Mercedes’ digital lighting system or Toyota’s BladeScan can block oncoming vehicles while keeping other areas bright.

Dynamic leveling: Real-time suspension adjustments to maintain beam angle (e.g., Audi’s predictive lighting system).

Why this matters Blazing headlights are not only annoying, they’re also dangerous. Glare can cause:

Temporary blindness: Vision can be impaired for up to 5 seconds after direct exposure (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

Increased risk of crashes: A 2022 study showed that glare can lead to a 20% increase in crashes on unlit roads at night.

The bottom line While brighter headlights can improve driver safety, poor design and alignment often come at the expense of others. Until regulations are in place, defensive driving and consumer advocacy are critical. If your lights are frequently flashing, start by checking your beam alignment—it’s often a quick fix, but the impact is high. 🔧🚗

[jackdiyproject]

EXPLORING THE 5 COOL PARTNER SELLER ELECTRONICS PRODUCTS-Part2

Easy Pulse Sensor by Embedded Lab

The incredible Easy Pulse Sensor — the ultimate DIY pulse sensor for detecting the cardiovascular pulse wave from a fingertip! Whether you’re a hobbyist or an educator, this innovative sensor is the perfect tool to illustrate the principle of photoplethysmography (PPG) — a non-invasive optical technique for obtaining vital information about the cardiovascular system from the surface of the skin.

With its infrared light source and precision photodetector, Easy Pulse provides accurate and reliable measurements of the small changes in transmitted light intensity caused by changes in blood volume within the tissue. The resulting signal is filtered and amplified to produce a clean and accurate PPG waveform from which the instantaneous heart rate can be derived.

What’s more, the Easy Pulse also provides a digital pulse output that is synchronized to the heartbeat, making it an invaluable tool for a wide range of applications. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or medical professional, Easy Pulse is the perfect solution for monitoring heart rate and other vital signs in a non-invasive, user-friendly way.

Features

Operates at +5V power supply

Two-stage Filtering and Amplification using MCP6004 Op-Amp

Rail-to-rail output voltage swing

Analog PPG and digital pulse output

Potentiometer based gain control

Click here to see more about the Easy Pulse Sensor.

The 16*32 RGB LED by Embedded Lab

What’s more, the brightness sensor can be adjusted automatically, with 16 levels of adjustable brightness to choose from, ensuring optimal viewing in any lighting conditions. And with wide viewing angles of 160° horizontally and 160° vertically, this LED matrix is perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.

The LED matrix also features 2 IDC connectors (DATA_IN, DATA_OUT) on the back and drives the display with a 1:8 scan rate, making it easy to cascade multiple panels and create a big screen display that’s sure to impress.

Whether you’re looking to create stunning digital signage, eye-catching displays, or engaging interactive installations, the 16x32 RGB LED Matrix Panel is the perfect tool for the job.

Noted: It doesn’t include the Driver Shield, if you want to buy the Driver Shield, click here.

Features & Specifications

Multi-purpose use, can be used indoors and outdoors

Wide viewing angle, wider range, attracting more audience

512 individual RGB LEDs, full-color display, adjustable brightness

High refresh, high gray

Size: 192mm x 96mm

Pixel pitch:6mm

Resolution ratio: 32 x 16 dots

Pixel Type: 1R1G1B

Optimum viewing distance: 6–47m

Visual horizontal angle:≥160°

Visual vertical angle≥160°

Display card: DVI

Driving mode: 1/8 scan

Refresh rate：≥800Hz

Control mode: Synchronous control

Service Life: 75000~100000 hours

Click here to see more about the 16*32 RGB LED Panel.

Final Words

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about these 5 cool electronics products from Partner Seller that are sure to enhance your DIY projects and technical endeavors. From the Easy Pulse Sensor for heart rate monitoring to the versatile 16x32 RGB LED Matrix Panel for eye-catching displays, these products offer innovative features that are perfect for hobbyists, educators, and professionals alike. And if you’re a maker who wants to build your own products and put them on the shelf for commercial purposes, Elecrow offers professional support to help you get there. Join Elecrow’s Partner Seller Program and become a Partner Seller to promote your electronic products to the maker community! You can benefit a lot!

[industrial-meat]

"Move Fast, Break Things" is great for use-cases where the cost of each iteration is very low, and where the consequences of Breaking Things™ in an iteration are very low; like, y'know, software projects still feeling out the problem space. 's fine there!

Not so good when an iteration takes months or years to complete, and thousands of combined hours of labour, and significant material outlay, and tooling costs, and where the consequences are shit like "raining burning and/or toxic debris on people's houses/into protected wetlands", or "losing steering/drive while travelling at speed", or...

Also, as someone who currently LARPs as a heavy-duty mechanic, seeing people considering one giant combined power & networking ring (doing everything on the vehicle) as a good thing just makes me groan.

Like, the vehicles I work with regularly have something like 4 or 5 different CANbus networks, alongside running physically switched power to stuff like the lights. Does it lead to a larger and heavier wiring loom than if everything was connected to the same 4 power and networking lines? Sure! Does it mean SHIT WILL STILL WORK when one of those networks DIES? Absolutely, yes!

Just about every vehicle I work on, over 2 or 3 years old, has a network fault somewhere of some variety; ranging from an intermitted missed message (from ... shit, I dunno, a wire wobbled somewhere or there was some electrical noise from something or whatever.) to, uh... some subsystem's electrical design team not realising that condensation is a thing that exists and thus not using a waterproof connector where the wiring comes into the top of the lane-departure warning system's camera unit, so after the truck's gone through a coupla years of British weather, the connector has filled up with water that condensed on the inside of the cab and ran down the wiring, and it's all a horrible green and crusty mess that doesn't work any more! (See: Every DAF LF with LDW/ACC in the last 6 or so years.)

But the thing is, even with the lane-departure warning system having utterly shit itself, even to the point that it's so dead that it pulls the CAN network down... that doesn't affect the brakes (other than the brake ECU can't talk to the automatic-emergency-braking system that uses the lane-departure camera, so you lose that feature), it doesn't affect the engine, it doesn't affect the lights. Because it's on a separate network.

Even when you have the utterly hilarious failure mode of a sensor unit on the engine CANbus network going stone dead and pulling the network down with it, yeah the engine will go into limp mode and you'll lose all the instruments; but your brakes still work, your power-steering still works, and you can still drive the vehicle to a point of safety. It just means that once you turn the engine off, you won't be able to start it again (until you disconnect the dead sensor, anyway.)

What happens when a component dies and pulls the network low, when everything's on the same network? Because parts are gonna fail. That's a guarantee. No matter the manufacturer, no matter who designed it, no matter how well-built it was, eventually something's gonna fail. And it's always at the worst possible time.

And, it being Tesla, you just know it's gonna be some shit like the headlight got wet so now you're stuck in the middle of the highway in a vehicle with no lights, that refuses to move.

[imgvai218]

Voidborn Aetherhide Transformation

Here is the **Symbiote Shift Form**—the result of purifying and integrating a Venom-like symbiote fragment into your mutant sorcerer body: --- ### **Symbiote Shift Form: “Voidborn Aetherhide”** **Core Concept**: A living, alchemical, and psychic armor grown from symbiote DNA, but completely rewritten and bonded with your crystalline brain-matrix, energy body architecture, and spellcard system. It’s fluid, sentient, and beautiful—adaptable and dangerous like a predator, but cosmic and alchemical in feel. --- ### **Visual Description:** * **Skin**: Glossy obsidian-black base that shifts with magical energy input—at rest it appears matte black with violet-blue shimmer. * When casting, lines of **bioluminescent script** (written in your custom magical glyphs) pulse across the body like glowing veins. * **Eyes**: * Larger and more feline or serpentine, glowing with inner ESP-light (silver, violet, or crimson depending on magic used). * Can split into multiple smaller ocular nodes when ESP mode heightens. * **Hair/Tendrils**: * Hair transforms into a **semi-liquid filament**, like polished ink-thread. Can stretch, morph, or become weaponized in close combat. * Can become crown-like when channeling max energy, giving an almost regal daemon look. * **Symbiotic Mantle**: * A living mantle or "cloak" made of intelligent black pseudopods with spellcard nodes across its inner folds. * Capable of shielding, grappling, transforming into wings, or launching tendrils laced with elemental energy. * **Hands/Feet**: * Tips of fingers and toes become blade-flexible or clawed as needed. * Palms hold hidden spellcard wells, projecting spell-discs or integrating tools. * **Armor Plating**: * Fluid metallic armor plates flow across your limbs, chest, and back when under threat—shaped like dragon-scale or circuit-lines depending on energy mode. * Each plate hosts **micro-runes** that serve as both magical shields and sensory extensions. * **Chest Core**: * At the center is a **crystalline energy core**, visible under the chest surface when glowing, acting as your merged brain-matrix + spellforge. * This pulses with the same color as your dominant energy alignment. --- ### **Abilities & Features** * **Spellshift Integration**: Your body *is* the wand, tome, and spell circle. No need to gesture or speak; the symbiotic form reacts to thought and will. * **ESP Combat Protocol**: Automatically pulls appropriate spellcards and defensive tactics in real-time from your unconscious combat matrix. * **Tactile Adaptation**: Can generate new limbs, sensors, or weapons on the fly based on situation (e.g., flame-eating tongues in hell realms, sonar-webs underwater). * **Emotive Casting**: Emotions empower your spells—rage strengthens destructive spells, sorrow increases healing power, serenity enhances time-space effects. * **Tendrils of Fusion**: Can momentarily bind or merge with objects or entities to scan, steal traits, or graft new techniques. --- ### **Mutant-Specific Traits Enhanced:** * **Crystalline brain** allows perfect integration of the alien bio-tech. * **Body's shifting form templates** accept the symbiote fluidity without rejection. * **ESP Field** ensures the symbiote remains under your total mental command. * **Magic circuitry in the skin** lets you cast spells through the armor like launching data packets. ---