#due to in part of getting Solar in the channel more without running into other montys or moons or worrying about sun. plus a nice eclipse

[socksandbuttons]

In the "a day in the life of eclipse" it wasn't the first time Solar's Moon treated him badly. Remember when Lunar first showed up in Solar's dimension, Solar told Moon that there's a dimensional traveler and he'll deal with it. And his Moon responded with "good because I don't care!" it looks like his Moon has been aggressive/treated him badly to him from the start. Sorry, I just didn't understand what you meant by you ignoring the lore from a day in the life of eclipse because it is part of the lore now

You're new on my blog which i frequently ignore things in my headcanons from time to time. And that canon changes from how its interpreted. Anyway, stems from Solar's explaining his moons situation. The lore SLIGHTLY changed. In terms of Moon, being slightly Glitched due to killcodes removal/memory loss. He never mentioned Moon being mean before that (at least not on the terms before he left his dimension). Not unlike things to be slightly aggressive from Moon tho, just it wasnt PERCIEVED moon was a jerk to Solar UNTIL Solar reveals this later on (after Lunars death). They didn't really develop his story until later a little more. So I'm sticking to my previous headcanon of Moon having a glitch, which is canon to s degree? SOLAR himself has mentioned he wanted to fix his MOON AND SUN. Which was forgotten/changed and turned into just sun then into Solar leaving forever.

[canyouhearthelight]

The Miys, Ch. 136

This chapter was a chance to explore some more science-based tropes that I absolutely love in stories.  The truth is, when I’m working at my day job, I love listening to documentaries on Curiosity and YouTube channels like Answers with Joe or Kurzgesagt. My love of science fiction actually comes from my love of space and astronomy, not the other way around.

In no way, shape, or form, does this chapter cover any of the concepts in question in full. It’s just a quick convo between Sophia and a good friend ;)

My thanks, as always, go to @baelpenrose, @the-raven-fae, @charlylimph-blog, and @anotherusrname. Plus all of YOU!

Even as my mind wandered, I couldn’t help but grin a bit as I took my weekly stroll through the corridors of the Ark with Miys in tow.  For several years now, we had a standing appointment on my calendar that both Alistair and Tyche treated as sacrosanct - just some time for me to spend with our host, my friend, and learn more about each other.  When I had originally arrived on the Ark, any time I was seen walking with them, other humans would give me odd looks, but never approach.  Now, people would recognize me, smile, and wave, but still never interrupted the strolls.

It was nice. Like my weekly family dinners, it was a routine, pleasant part of my life. Especially days like today, when we were entering the dawn-cycle and each day became a little brighter. It made me wonder about other civilizations, ones that would have evolved in conditions like the ones we were adapting ourselves for. How did it affect them? How would it affect us as generations passed? Future generations were certainly going to be shorter, due to the high gravity. Would it change our technological advances as well - 

“Wisdom, why are you thinking so hard about Gestrcht Clusters?” Miys interrupted my thoughts.

“Hm?” I asked absently. “What’s a Jestrick Cluster?”

“Gestrcht,” they corrected mildly. “Gestrcht clusters are a type of civilization that has adapted to live in artificial platforms surrounding their sun, in order to better harness the solar energy, radiation, or heat needed.”

“You mean a Dyson swarm?” I tried to clarify, confused.

“All of the galaxy calls them Gestrcht clusters, therefore I think that is what you mean.”

“Alright, alright,” I laughed, holding my hands up in defeat. “The reason I was thinking about Gestruck clusters - “

“Gestrcht”

“I will work on it. The reason I was thinking about those is… I was wondering how living on Von will change our priorities. In our history, those constructions were something that fascinated both imagination and science - something several people thought was our launching pad to a Kardashev Type II civilization, or the singularity point. Maybe both.”

“Kardashev…” they hummed for a moment, thinking. “Only humanity would create goals of technological advancement that required destruction on a multi-planetary scale.”

I desperately wanted to object, but strongly suspected they were right. “So we were wrong, again? There are no civilizations out there that would fit what we imagined for a Kardashev I or II race?”

“I will concede to the existence of species that you would consider both. However, it is not how you believe it to be - humanity would never have been able to accomplish it without greater sacrifice than they have ever known.”

Oh boy. “Tell me? I want to understand why other species could do it, but we could not.” My curiosity needed to know.

They held up one of their liw, rocking it back and forth in imitation of a human head tilt. “Species that have managed to harness all of the energy produced by their planet, and not destroy their environments, have historically been those who had very little power to harness to begin with. These civilizations come from either very harsh, or very gentle worlds - never anything in between. Abundant wind energy scouring a planetary desert can greatly benefit a species who can harness that wind to temper it and create a paradise. A planet with no atmosphere, but incredible amounts of geothermal energy runs little risk in being able to direct all of that volcanic activity to its benefit. But Earth?”

“Is a deathworld,” I pointed out. “You said so yourself.”

“This is true, but it is not a deathworld in the way So’Kn is, for example. Preeyar and So’kn are planets that are lethal for very singular reasons: So’Kn is a frozen waste of permanent night and eternal wind. It is so harsh that only So’Knor can truly survive there with without significant technological assistance. Preeyar only has atmosphere in its valleys, and that is thinner than most species can survive, much less the fact that there are no liquids on Preeyar. None. The air pressure is too low to allow it for any chemicals that are naturally occurring, and the atmosphere violently reacts with any elements that could exist in liquid form. It is, in fact, believed that the rift valleys were caused by simply an icy meteor impacting the planet.”

“Ho-lee shit,” I whispered.

“I doubt many cultures would find it holy at all,” they joked drily. “Whereas Earth… There is no one singular quality about Earth that classifies it as a deathworld. Instead, there are several, each stemming from the abundant forms of energy offered by your home world.”

“Seriously!?”

“Indeed. And the combinations thereof. The length of natural disasters that are possible, alone, is unique to Earth. Tornadoes and earthquakes. Flooding and wildfires. Volcanoes and hurricanes. Methane just rising from your lakes to kill large swathes of people. Lakes below your oceans, Wisdom! Volcanoes below your oceans! It is insanity to the entirety of the Galaxy, and yet humans consider that just a normal aspect of existence.”

“And… what exactly does that have to do with being able to harness all the energy of our planet, exactly?” To say I was confused was an understatement.

To their credit, Miys only reached with one vomu to make a ‘nose pinching’ gesture against its head. “Earth, somehow, is only habitable and so abundant in life because everything exists in a precarious balance. Surely, the last two centuries of your own history demonstrated that. Attempting to harness all of the admittedly prodigious energy of your planet would have ended up destroying that balance beyond compare.”

I tried to comprehend it. I really did. Focusing on what little I knew, I thought about dams. Those were familiar to me - I had grown up in an area that dammed every river and creek possible for everything from grain mills and fruit presses, to artificial fish ponds, to electricity. “Starting there…” it was faster not to explain out loud when I knew Miys was following along with the home game, “Damming a river creates a lake. That floods an area that already has a habitat, and dries out another area that already has an aquatic habitat.”

“And prevents floods that fertilize fields and redistribute minerals from erosion, yes.”

“Right. Times every river, creek, and faint trickle on Earth…” I stopped myself. Every river. The Amazon. The Nile. “And we just washed out what’s left of the largest rainforest on Earth.”

“Leaving more carbon in the air…” they encouraged.

“And increasing the greenhouse effect, increasing heat on the surface, melting more ice, which - hey, more wind, amirite? - but changing planetary albedo, more water, wetter Sahara, no dust to fertilize… South America? Dammit, are we back to killing the Amazon again?”

“That is just one form of energy, Wisdom. But I feel you are understanding the issue.”

“Yeahhhh…” I trailed off. “Okay, so. Kardashev I is no bueno tacos for Earth. What if we skipped straight to Kardashev II slash singularity?” I made a point to focus on the concept of technological singularity very hard, so there would be less need for research on their part. You know, spare myself half a minute or so. “The Gestrkt clusters.”

“Closer,” they admitted, although I was suspicious they meant my pronunciation and not the idea that humanity would ever get there. “Humanity is not… suited, for Gestrcht clusters.”

“Wait, what?”

“Humanity is too curious, too social, and too exploratory. Your fiction abounds with every variation of different worlds and strange universes you could possibly conceive of. And it constantly expanded - your oldest texts involve travelling to your moon, and when you actually reached it, you looked further out - other systems, other galaxies, other dimensions. Gestrcht clusters require such substantial resources and maintenance, there is little left over for exploration.”

“There are humans who would be perfectly content living in such a structure,” I argued, although my heart wasn’t in it. I wouldn’t have been, knowing that other worlds were out there.

“Not enough to sustain it, unfortunately. Not even in what you call the Before.” Lightly resting one vomu on my shoulder, they squeezed gently. “Wisdom, humanity has always wanted to see other worlds. Gestrcht clusters are all or nothing.”

“And singularity?” I asked, barely managing a hoarse whisper.

“It is true that there have been some singleton species that have achieved what you term singularity with technology. Fewer have been successful.” When I glanced at them, all six upper appendages were held up in defense. “Hive minds are uniquely suited to it, and even some of us,” they waved those same six appendages at their torso, “would never accept it. I could never imagine not having the chance to travel the galaxy, to be with other races as they experience it. Add to that, humanity is somehow both individual and social. Removing that line, that choice? I doubt your kind would thrive. Postulate this: Derek, in a hive mind.”

“Absolutely not,” came my unhesitating response, disgust and violence trembling in every limb before I calmed myself. “And I see your point. Integrating technology in our lives, into how we function…” I tapped my head for emphasis, “that’s one thing. It makes our lives better, by making sure that Derek, and others, can have their personal space protected.” The more I thought about it… I never considered the idea in reference to ‘now’, only ‘eventually’. What if we did it now, and I was one of the people - suddenly never alone, always connected to every thought of strangers via technology. What if Tyche was? Or Maverick? Hell, Charly? “I think I need a shower, now,” I admitted, skin crawling.

“Humanity could achieve both,” Miys confirmed, although it didn’t feel as reassuring as I had hoped it would at the beginning of our conversation. “But I don’t think humanity would truly want to live in Gestrcht clusters or singularity, given any other choice but extinction.”

Laughing, I wiped a tear from one eye.  It was a bitter truth, but still true. “I think you’re right.”

“I may be wrong,” they countered. “As I said, there are singleton species who have made those transitions and the entire galaxy is better for it.”

“Some hope that we weren’t entirely wrong would be nice right about now,” I mumbled as I scuffed my shoe at the floor. There wasn’t anything to kick except Else-puffs, and that was just mean as fuck.

“Most species that made a transition to Gestrcht clusters early in their development are belligerent, insular species. The fact that they must focus all their efforts and resources on maintaining their platforms prevents them from becoming actively warlike. As far as ‘singularity’... singleton species who thrive in that transition are often species who cannot thrive on a galactic scale otherwise.”

Huh? I craned my neck to try to look up at them in the perpetual-dawn light. “What do you mean?”

Miys flicked a datapad open - one I know they only wore for our sakes, seeing as they could not actually see anything on the purely-optical screen, I had learned. They could only navigate it if interacting with a human, so they could ‘see’ what they needed to tap out.

Needless to say, Charly and Grey had been working for years on one that responded to sonic commands.

Eventually, a seven-fingered flick caused my own databand to chirp. I flicked it open to see the file. “They… Noah, this looks like sentient pollen… or feathers…” Realistically, any description I tried to create fell devastatingly short. The being on my datapad moved as though it was floating on wind, with tens of thousands of filament-fine tendrils swaying and navigating. The sound it created reminded me of the sound of snowfall, if snowflakes could sing opera. “They’re beautiful,” I sniffed, driving back tears at knowing something so breathtaking existed.

“They also cannot survive off their planet, unfortunately. Even the transition out of their atmosphere is lethal to them.”

My heart shattered into a million pieces. “What is their name?”

“No one knows for certain. But they have achieved a sort of singularity - once they have matured and reproduced, they upload themselves at the end of their very brief lifecycles. In the Galactic Community, they are known as Odvub.”

“Odvub…” I whispered, holding out my fingers like I could actually touch the screen.

“Outside of a Hujylsogox rescue ship, it is nearly impossible to avoid encountering Odvub. Most believe they are some sort of galactic artificial intelligence, and they prefer to allow that belief.”

“Why are you telling me this, then?”

“They have permitted it, when these sort of questions are asked. To show what desperation is required for a singleton species to thrive in singularity.”

I sniffed, desperately trying not to cry at their situation. “Do they know about humans?”

“They may be the only species who could not avoid knowing about it. But Odvub believes your people are hearty, and adaptable, and should never suffer their fate. They advised, in the event that your people ever ask about singularity, to do this…” Miys gently cupped my cheek in one liw and patted it, “and tell you that you will never need to resort to what they had to do, and that they look forward to meeting your people one day.”

“Obviously not face to face,” I admitted quietly. “I have allergens that are more substantial than they are.”

“It is considered a great honor in the Galactic Community for this icon to display when  you interact with Odvub.” Miys gestured at the vicinity of the image on my datapad. “Only those who know why, know why it is an honor.”

“We’ll take it,” I laughed, tears streaming down my cheeks. “All of humanity may never know why, but we’ll take it. If I may tell Arthur, we probably will know why.” He would see to it. Loudly, angrily, derisive of anyone who mocked it. “Regardless, we’ll take it, all the same.”

<< Prev   Masterlist  Next >>

[a-mole-of-iron]

Short story: “In Broad Daylight“

Living in a solarpunk utopia has got to be not only healthy and prosperous, but also safe, to really count - right? And for the most part, it is. But even in a world where everyone is well-off, communities all around the world live in peace and harmony, and everyone is on first-name basis with nature, there still might be a few rare wrongdoers who stay up nights trying to figure out how to take that away from the world. And to find those, you need the kind of person like Sverrir Haraldsen; a detective of the people.

Genre: solarpunk thriller Content warning: mild violence, and also moderate action

PREFACE

There exists, and has for a long time existed, a common and persistent misconception about utopian fiction. Whenever one brings it up, one can always count on an obstructive response like "but where do we find conflict and plot if everything is already perfect?" This idea, I should clearly state, is false. The term "utopia" itself has a double-meaning, possible to read as "ou-topia" ("no-place") or "eu-topia" ("good-place"), and it's the latter that so many people underestimate the massive literary potential of. When people bring up the idea that "utopian fiction has no room for conflict", they're presuming that a utopian society would not just be a perfect society, but a perfect society filled entirely with perfect people. For some reason, it's difficult for many to imagine that even in a society that's good to live in, people would still be able to have arguments about the different good things that they want, or that they would need to maintain society against the natural wear-and-tear that adds up over time. People don't think too often of all the literary conflict inherent in building a resilient society that won't wear down easily due to factors in the environment, or building social structures where people can "agree to disagree" and still have all the good things their society can give them, or defending those social structures against an occassional bad person or group thereof who are willing to harm others and damage society for their own gain and are deliberately ignoring whatever kindness might still be in their hearts. Those are all fine sources of literary conflict - and this story sets out to show how a particular one can work. It is a utopian, solarpunk thriller: a practical example of the way you can have high-stakes action, danger, and excitement in a society that has achieved peaceful harmony, renounced war, and sees violence as a measure of absolute last resort.

THE STORY

Anxiously pacing back and forth along the embankment, Sverrir tried to put together the pieces of the puzzle. He stopped, his tail swishing from side to side. Try as he might, he couldn't contain his seething dislike of the entire case. He needed a drink of good tea, he needed a day off for gardening, he needed a friendly, fun game of parkour tag with his community at home, he needed a ticket to an in-person concert by the original lineup of Solar Flares. What he had was a coat, a phone, and a badge.

Sverrir was distracted from his annoyed thoughts by a voice coming through his earpiece. "So what do you think, Detective?" the machine intelligence on the other end asked, their synthetic voice resonating through the comms channel.

"Well, Amos... you told me yourself who this is." Sverrir said. "Robert H. Price... knowledge dealer, with a shady reputation and criminal connections, as far as we could find out... and he was shot to death. It's like a small forest of warning flags." He looked around to notice more clues. "Huh."

"What?" Amos asked him.

"I... think the shooters were firing from a boat. There are bullet holes over there, in the advertisement column." he gestured over towards one standing inland. The column's OLED display had several punctures in it, the screen image distorting subtly around them. Sverrir walked up to the display and eyed the bullet holes. "I don't like this, Amos." he said.

As Sverrir looked around, eyeing the local buildings and all the different plant species growing around the area, a crime scene examiner walked up to him with more information. "I think you'll want to see this, Detective." she said, holding up a damaged combat rifle bullet.

"Okay... illegal military weapons... this day just keeps getting better and better." Sverrir groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "On the plus side, now I'm dead-certain that these are our criminals... and more, that they are running out of options. If they went so far as to murder one of their partners in crime, well..." he said with an unpleasant grimace, his speech trailing off.

The detective went over to the community watch car; a light, compact electric vehicle painted white and green that was small enough to park anywhere without blocking people's paths. The interior and trunk were full of forensics equipment, with the one community watch driver having brought in the entire forensics team to the crime scene. Sverrir picked up a solar-powered bullhorn - rather pointless, but indisputably cool - that was resting on the car's back seat, and addressed the half-perplexed, half-scared onlookers. "Attention, citizens!" he said. "If you're from this district, please search through your recordings for potential evidence! Anything, literally anything, might help!"

***

In a few minutes, a small crowd has assembled around Sverrir, sharing information about what they saw and heard and downloading records from their phones and other computing gadgets onto his personal device. The evidence confirmed Sverrir's theory: sonic triangulation from the community's recordings of loud ambient noises, ones designed to measure noise pollution, allowed him to know that shots were fired from about six metres off-shore - and to his horror, the weapons used were fully automatic rifles. Intercepting the contraband weapons shipment they were used to guard, and likely belonged to, was now the absolute topmost priority he had; those kinds of weapons were insanely dangerous and banned worldwide. From the soundscape, he also knew that the shooters made off in an electric-powered speedboat of unknown make and model. However, he had no concrete leads: the sousveillance turned up no video footage, and the witnesses had little information beyond being woken up around 4 AM by what sounded like firecrackers to them. However, when he was already wrapping up, a dopey-looking guy wearing sturdy clothes typical for plumbers and machinists walked up to him.

"Hey, detective!" he said. "I... think I've got something for you!"

"Good." Sverrir said. "Your name for the record, please?"

"Matt. Matt Frohman." the guy responded.

"What do you know?" Sverrir asked.

"Um, I don't actually, but I know someone else - she works a night shift in a diner downstream!" Frohman replied. "She's actually really cute, but the thing is, she may have seen or heard your guys making off from the crime scene!"

"Alright, that's encouraging... what's her name, and where can I find her?" Sverrir asked.

"Oh - Diner Olimpique, a couple of blocks away!" Frohman said. "Her name is Amanda De Vries."

"Thank you, citizen!" Sverrir said. "Who knows, maybe your friend really did see something..."

***

As he stepped off the bus near Diner Olimpique, Sverrir adjusted his coat and looked around. The diner was placed at the base of an old high-rise building, refurbished for supporting garden walls and extra balconies, with one side turned towards the nearby canal. Nearby, people were playing in a community garden, and a flock of city birds passed overhead to nest on the wall of another building further away. With graceful step, the snow leopard walked forwards and into the diner. The interior made good use of green walls, and wooden chairs and tables throughout the hall looked quite stylish, as well.

The old concrete walls were decked with wood plating, or covered in growing lichen, as well, to create a more cozy look to the place. He looked around, seeing a few people who were eating lunch, and then turned to the waiter.

"Excuse me, but where can I find Amanda De Vries?" he asked them.

"Well, she's sleeping after the night shift right now... what exactly do you need from her?" they responded.

Sverrir reached into his pocket and flashed his badge in an inconspicuous manner. "Sverrir Haraldsen, Earth Global Detectives. Amanda may be a witness on an important case." he said quietly.

"Oh..." the waiter said. "She's... not in danger, is she?"

"No, not at all." Sverrir reassured them. "I just need to talk to her."

"I guess you're in luck." the waiter replied. "She lives a couple of buildings away, on the other side of the canal." They pointed to a low-rise apartment block and a bridge leading to it. "Sansevieira Drive 26/3, right over there. Just talk to the concierge."

"Thank you." Sverrir nodded, turning around and walking out of the diner.

***

Walking on over the bridge, Sverrir shook his head fur and straightened the collar of his jacket. Walking into the building 26/3, he looked over the decorations and smiled. The plants were growing all along the walls, reaching towards the upper floors, while the lobby itself had a floor of irregular stones matched close together. He approached the concierge - an older woman wearing a dress gorgeously complex even by latest standards - with a businesslike smile, and said, showing his badge: "Hello. I'm Sverrir Haraldsen, from Earth Global Detectives. I would like to talk with Amanda De Vries."

"Oh dear." the concierge said. "What could possibly be--"

"If I do my job right, you'll see really soon." Sverrir bragged. "Amanda could be a valuable witness, so can I come talk to her?"

"Oh, I suppose so." the concierge told him. "She's living in the left-half apartment on the fourth floor. Most her roommates are off in the city at this hour, too..."

"This is good." Sverrir frowned. "I'm not looking to attract too much attention. Good day to you." he said, leaving for the stairs.

As he made his way up the first two flights of stairs, Sverrir was pleasantly surprised: even in his eco-friendly city, a stairwell with so many plants was a rarity. The climbing vines were stretching up from the ground floor and across the panes of glass that let the light in for the entire stairwell. The walls were festooned with frames that held up a great variety of potted plants, from all around the world. There was even a fun-sized artificial waterfall cascade in one of the corners, much to Sverrir's delight. As he walked upwards, he looked out the stairwell windows as well; they opened to a magnificent garden, its orange trees overhanging a communal area with benches and a small, modest-looking fountain. By the time Sverrir was up to the fourth floor, the tree branches have completely eclipsed the view, and he could even see above them a little, with the city skyline poking out above the trees. Admiring the view for a few quick seconds, he turned to the short corridor that went inwards into the building, and went down it, pressing a doorbell button for the left-hand door. A friendly chime rang out, and after a brief wait, a middle-aged man with red hair, wearing practical but eye-catching kaleidoscopic pants and jacket, opened the door. After a few moments of measuring Sverrir with his eyes, he asked: "Hello... what can I do for you?"

"Hello, ah..." Sverrir started.

"Jan." the man told him in response.

"Jan. Good to meet you." Sverrir said. "Can I talk to Amanda De Vries?"

"Not really, no." Jan said. "She's sleeping after her night shift at the diner right now."

"I'm aware, actually." Sverrir told him. "But it's important. Sverrir Haraldsen, Earth Global Detectives." he said quietly, showing his badge with a gentle motion. "Could we wake her up gently to answer a few questions? I'm searching for dangerous criminals, and she may well be a witness."

"Oh..." Jan replied.

"Don't worry, the entire detective service in the region is on-point." Sverrir said. "We just need a little more information."

"Alright then, I suppose..." Jan said. "Please, come on in."

***

Sverrir walked through the front door, looking over the apartment. The center room was a really neat social pad, with beanbags, chairs, and a massive poofy sofa centered around a coffee table. The windows on one side opened towards the city, providing a great sightline over the treetops, and the partial walls separating the other rooms were all festooned with either bookcases or whole-wall planter arrangements. Sverrir looked over as Jan pulled away a sliding door and went into another room. A good few minutes later, he walked back out, followed by Amanda: she was wearing really impressive floral pattern pajamas with massive bell-shape sleeves.

"Hello there." Sverrir said, waving his hand to greet her.

"Hey." Amanda replied. "Whatever you woke me up for, pal, I hope it's important."

"Important enough, I'd hope." Sverrir said, showing his badge. "Sverrir Haraldsen. I'm from the Earth Global Detectives. I'd like to ask a few questions about the last night at Diner Olimpique. Or to be more precise, the canal outside."

"Funny you should say that..." Amanda told him.

"Why?" Sverrir asked as she took a seat on the sofa.

"There was at least one thing blatantly out of the ordinary tonight... I suspect it's what you are following." Amanda said.

"That's definitely my concern." Sverrir replied, walking over to a nearby bean bag. "May I...?" he asked, pointing at it.

"Sure, go ahead." Amanda responded.

"Alright." Sverrir said, before sitting down and placing his phone on the table, opening a connection to Amos. "Now, would you please state for the record what you have seen?" he asked.

"Okay, sure." Amanda told him. "I noticed one very unusual boat around the break of dawn, so a bit after 4 AM... speeding down the river in violation of all community water traffic rules I could think of. I was thinking it over untill I went to bed."

"How did that boat look like?" Sverrir inquired.

"Bright azure-blue, very narrow and long." Amanda said. "The nose cowling had two parallel humps running front to back, the front of the cabin had a tall wrap-around windshield from what I remember... the back had a very distinctive spoiler sticking up, and I didn't hear any engine noise, so it must've been electric... plus, the boat had a name printed on the side in big bold letters. Could be the builder name. It was... "Smithson", I'm pretty sure... is that a boat manufacturer?"

"It is." Sverrir said. "Thank you; all of this is extremely helpful."

"No problem." Amanda told him, giving him a weary thumbs-up. "I'm pretty sure the idiots breaking the water traffic laws with it were all wearing opti-camo cloaks. They couldn't be any more memorable if they tried."

"Okay, these are definitely the people we're looking for." Amos chimed in. "Thank you for your assistance!"

"Great. Now, I suppose I can go back to bed?" Amanda asked.

***

Sverrir nodded to Amanda with a quiet "uh-huh" and stood up from the couch, picking up his phone in the process. "Well, you heard that, Amos. Smithson Model W-51.6 electric speedboat, azure-blue. Find it!" he told his companion.

Turning to Amanda, he said: "Good day to you. I'm sorry I had to wake you up, but this is of utmost importance. You'll see the results in the news soon enough." He nodded, and walked out at a brisk pace. He made his way downstairs, nodding to the concierge, and walked out of the building. As he stopped and stood at a small plaza with people going to and fro, he heard Amos come back through via his earpiece - with new information.

"Okay, Sveri, listen up." Amos told him. "Have I got something for you..."

"I'm all ears." Sverrir replied.

"I did some looking through local information, especially libraries of things." Amos said. "It'd take too long to round up all the sousveillance, but I found something else. The speedboat matching the description was borrowed in the wharf district a couple of days ago. The person who got it used a stolen borrower's card, but guess what - the idiot used the exact same card to order a dry-erase marker board. And we have an address!"

"Guess we found the weakest link, ain't that right?" Sverrir replied with a smirk. He paused for a second, and asked: "Where to, Amos?"

"Green Lizard Craftshop Annex. That's a few districts over, I'll send you a route." Amos told him.

"Do you think you can convince the local community to give us a search warrant vis-a-vis the stolen identity?" Sverrir asked in a hushed tone.

"I'll give it a shot." Amos replied. "Otherwise you'll have to talk with the craftshop custodians."

"Okay." Sverrir said, pulling out his phone to look at the map and directions. The path that Amos laid out called for him to take a tram, then transfer to a bus route near one of the vertical farm clusters and proceed to the craftshop area where the Green Lizard annex was located. This was entirely fine by Sverrir; he could blend into the crowd and approach unnoticed by the criminals. He walked on by past a couple of local shops, going through an arch between buildings that was overgrown with plants and festooned with low-intensity sun spectrum lights, and emerging into a busy street. He quickly moved into the crowd, at one with his surroundings, and smiled confidently as he walked down the street to the tram stop. It only took two minutes for a tram to arrive; an impressive bubble canopy vehicle with fused quartz windows across all of it supported by brass metalwork. The doors of the tram opened, and Sverrir stepped on board, taking a seat. Now, he thought, he had some time to focus - and work out the plan in his mind for how to go on.

***

When the tram started moving again, Sverrir quietly nodded towards his phone, and texted Amos with a request for the schematics of the craftshop annex and a bulletproof vest delivery to the site. He looked over the plans, and figured out a quiet way inside through a side entrance. With the tram passing busy streets and river canals, the detective thought on the situation. Even one combat rifle in the wrong hands could be destructive; but now, he was chasing after dozens, if not hundreds, of such rifles. If those slipped away and were used to arm the criminal underworld, the public danger would be immeasurable. There was a damn good reason why military weaponry and equipment was banned from use decades ago. Nowadays, it was the provenance of very, very dangerous people - the few that managed to run their criminal dealings in spite of peace and prosperity surrounding them. Thinking on that, Sverrir looked out the tram windows, with the sunspots passing across the interior as the sun was obscured by trees, wall gardens, semi-transparent awnings, and more besides. And if there was one thing he was sure about, it's that he wasn't going to allow those dangerous people to have their victory.

Going over the plan in his head, Sverrir stepped off the tram near the vertical farms, looking upwards briefly to witness the buildings' green-and-glass surfaces and a large banner overhead advertising all the different types of produce it was possible to get in this place in particular. Soon, the bus that the detective needed arrived to the stop, and he stepped aboard, taking a relatively short trip down to the craftshop area he needed. It took him just six minutes to arrive there; as he got off the bus, Sverrir looked the place over. It was a busy market street, with all the people taking up workshop space in the nearby complexes hawking their wares to an interested crowd, all kinds of people mingling with eachother and picking up artisan crafts.  The snow leopard smiled and quietly walked down the street. He reached the green lizard street sign on a large, complex building partially refurbished from the prior eras, and sat down on a nearby bench. He texted Amos, asking "Did you get a warrant?"

"No, you'll have to work otherwise." Amos immediately responded.

"Noted." Sverrir replied. "I hope you did get the bulletproof vest, though."

"Positive." Amos replied. "I've asked the community watch to get you one from class A emergency storage."

Sverrir turned his head, and noticed a plainclothes community sentry with a large suitcase standing near the side entrance to the Craftshop Annex. He walked up to her, saying quietly: "Hey. Sverrir Haraldsen. I believe that this bulletproof vest is for me."

"That it is." the sentry responded. "Nehal Al-Farsi, pleased to meet you."

The two walked into the Craftshop Annex through a side entrance: above-board, but out of sight of the building's windows. Sverrir looked around the side atrium, quietly stepping forwards when he saw the plaque reading "Administration and Occupancy". He slinked over to the door, and gently knocked on it.

"Hello, who is this?" a voice asked from the other side. "Please come in!"

"Hello there." Sverrir said as he and the sentry walked in, closing the door behind them. The person in the administration office was an anthropomorph like him, a badger wearing an impressively-designed vest with a few big pockets and a pair of bright-orange pants. When Sverrir walked in, she was watering the plants near a small circular window. He nodded to her, and said quietly: "Excuse me, but I'm Sverrir Haraldsen, from the Earth Global Detectives." he said, walking up at a gentle pace and showing his badge. "Can you assist us?"

"What with?" the woman said, squinting at him and Nehal. "Global Detectives are a pretty important office, aren't they?"

"I'm following up on a stolen borrower's card." Sverrir told her. "Possibly tied to contraband, murder, and who knows what else; this is an outrageous situation. My partner in service couldn't get me a warrant from the word go, but I hope I can take a look at a suspected workshop with your help, miss..."

"Narangerel." the administrator replied, her expression becoming more troubled by the minute.

"Narangerel, alright." Sverrir said. He showed the administrator his phone, with the evidence about the stolen card - traced information about the borrowings, and a later official complaint to the community watch about the card being stolen. "Will you help me out with the investigation?" he asked.

"Yes... if someone's been stealing borrower's cards, I don't exactly want them to hide away in our building." Narangerel said. "And that's even if the rest won't turn out to be true." She frowned, then muttered: "...though it does all look awfully truthful..."

Nehal made a sarcastic expression, handing Sverrir the suitcase. "Trust me, any detective who lies about evidence doesn't keep their job for long." she smirked. "One time, someone got thrown out of an EGD branch because they accidentally misplaced a spathiphyllum plant that belonged to a witness."

"Huh." Narangerel told her. "Really?"

"Somehow... yes." Nehal shrugged.

Sverrir opened the suitcase, revealing two bulletproof vests. After a moment of silence that lasted while he and Nehal got these vests on, the detective asked: "So, could I take a look at the 25th workshop, with the permission of the building's staff?"

"Hold on a moment." Narangerel replied.

***

Sverrir looked around to find a chair and proceeded to sit down for a moment as Narangerel sent the few other people responsible for the building a message, requesting their presence. In short order, they all showed up: the guy from the reception desk, the janitors and custodians, the tech support chief. Sverrir explained the situation to them, and once he got the permission, he called them to come with him; extra witnesses would help him make his case if he was right. Once they approached the door, Sverrir whispered to them: "It's better for you to keep back for now. I don't know who or what might be on the other side of this door."

"I was doin' some cleanin' there, and I don't think there were booby traps or anythin'... just so you know." one of the janitors said.

"Nevertheless." Sverrir replied. "Narangerel, could I have the key?"

Narangerel nodded, and handed Sverrir the keys. The detective opened the door, him and the sentry quietly walking in. The lights were out, with sunlight from the street streaming in through the windows covered by Venetian blinds. Sverrir turned around, telling Narangerel and others: "You can walk in. I think you should look this over with us."

"Okay." Narangerel said, her and others from the building's staff carefully walking in. As he saw them approach, Sverrir looked around - the workshop didn't seem to be too suspicious from the get-go, with plenty of plants, some computer terminals, algae-sheet paper stacks... and the suspiciously empty whiteboard next to one of the walls.

Looking at the whiteboard, Nehal asked: "So... where is anything? It's just a normal workshop..."

"Hold on, I think I know what this is..." Sverrir said. He took out his UV bulb flashlight - standard equipment for detectives and forensic scientists - and pointed it at the board, lighting it up. Suddenly, an entire map and schedule appeared, written in invisible ink: the criminals made notes about the buyers for weaponry, technical specifications, and the time for when all the weapons would be shipped out from the Wharf Embankment docks... which was in exactly 36 minutes from now. "Gods dammit..." Sverrir muttered. "This is bad! Really bad!"

"You don't say..." Nehal told him in response.

"Quick, call the rest of the local watch!" Sverrir all but yelled, with fire in his eyes. "Lock this place down, get all the evidence you can, and ask the staff to be witnesses! And I'm going to try and stop these gunrunners before it's too late!"

"Okay, will do!" Nehal replied.

Sverrir nodded and pressed his earpiece button. "Amos! Code Wildfire!" he yelled. "Get the officers to Wharf Embankment, Dock 24! We have 36 minutes before the weapon shipment is gone!"

"Got it!" Amos replied.

"Okay, Sverrir, I'll handle things here!" Nehal said "You just--" She was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, her and Sverrir turning immediately to look behind them and seeing one of the gunrunner conspirators looking at them from the workshop's other entrance, keys in hand. Sverrir and the gunrunner looked at eachother for a brief moment - and then he immediately tried to flee with a few loud curses. Sverrir followed, chasing after him with a yell of "Stop! You are under arrest!"

The conspirator just kept on running, reaching into his pocket for what looked like a flashbang grenade. Before he could throw it, Sverrir lunged at him, and the two crashed into another workshop through a garden wall in the corridor, getting slathered in leaves and ivy.

"You!" his opponent yelled at him, trying to grab Sverrir as the two leapt up from the floor.

"Surrender!" Sverrir demanded in reply, trying to get a few more hits in, his opponent dodging all but one. "You've got nowhere to escape!"

The gunrunner just grappled with Sverrir in response, throwing him towards a bookcase - the detective trying to make a roll to cushion the impact as he fell back. He quickly leapt back up and threw himself at the gunrunner again to delay him, yelling "Nehal! Help me out, please!"

"I'm going!" Nehal yelled from down the corridor, Sverrir throwing his opponent to the ground in the meantime. The gunrunner grabbed a bamboo ivy support frame from a nearby workshop table, swinging it aggressively towards Sverrir - but at that moment, Nehal caught up with the two, and now the detective and the sentry tried to flank their opponent to stop him.

"Two against one? How is that fair?" their opponent smirked.

"Fairer than smuggling combat rifles!" Sverrir retorted angrily. "Surrender now!"

"Oh, keep dreaming!" the gunrunner yelled at him, going after Sverrir. The detective dodged most of his swings, parrying the few that did connect, and then delivered a few strikes of his own, trying to get his opponent off-balance. The gunrunner just laughed, asking "So that's the best you can do? Ha!"

Sverrir just grinned in response. "It's not me you should worry about!" he replied - at the exact same moment as Nehal hit the gunrunner with a massive book she grabbed from the bookcase, getting him off-balance and making him drop the ivy frame, and then did a decisive judo throw to get them on the ground for good. The two looked at eachother as they realized their opponent was stunned for a brief moment, then Nehal handcuffed the gunrunner to a nearby wrought-iron table - a good idea to ensure he couldn't just run off. The two went through his pockets, fishing out several flash grenades, and put those way out of reach. Sverrir then breathed out - and quickly told Nehal: "Keep an eye on him, and call in more sentries! You know how to take it from here!"

"Damn right we do!" Nehal replied. "Now go! You've got to get those weapons before they disappear for good!"

"I'll do all I can!" Sverrir replied. "Hope we'll talk later at the debrief!" He nodded, and ran back out. As he passed Narangerel and others in the corridor, he told them without as much as slowing down: "Be careful, keep an eye on the exits! The watch will be here soon!" He didn't even look back to see their reaction; right now, all that was on his mind was the emergency objective.

***

Sverrir double-timed it down the stairs, rushing out onto the pedestrian walkway; the sudden onrush of wind whipped his fur about as he pressed the button on his earpiece, still running.

"Amos!" he yelled. "Borrow me a car! A fast one!"

"Understood - I'm on it." the machine intelligence on the other side replied.

Dashing past the onlookers, Sverrir kept on running. He had to make it to the nearest motorway if he wanted any serious chance to catch up, and they weren't plentiful these days. Highlighting his way on the map, he ran past green embankments, cafes, and crafts stores. In other days, he liked going through the market streets at a respectably slow pace, appreciating the foods and wares from around the world, but now he ignored everything as he made his way to the motorway sector. One moment, he glanced upwards to the vertical gardens and the blue sky, and thought of the stakes at play. The largest contraband weapon shipment in two decades was slipping out of his grasp, but if he ever learned anything from Earth history classes, it's that you never surrender when the stakes are high. Leaping over a high-up guardrail, landing with a roll to cushion the impact, he saw that fortune was on his side: there was the motorway he needed, a large stretch of its parking spaces perfectly clear. Good thing not that many people used motorcars anymore, Sverrir thought.

He raised the phone again, asking "I'm here! Do you have the car, Amos?"

"Affirmative, I have it!" Amos replied.

"So where is it?" he asked.

"Turn to your left, Sveri." the machine mind replied, with what Sverrir imagined would look like a massive self-satisfied grin. He turned as instructed, and saw the approaching car: a solar-powered performance sedan, with some aftermarket improvements that caught his eye and a custom paintjob to boot. The car skidded to a stop next to him, and he leapt over the hood, flinging open the door on the driver's side and quickly getting into the driver's seat. He turned to the person in a passenger seat - a middle-aged man wearing an engineer's apron who seemed slightly perplexed by the urgency.

"Hey, uh..."

"Esteban." the human said.

"Esteban. You currently in charge of this car?" Sverrir asked.

"No, I... erm, I borrowed it from a friend after he did a few new mods... what's, uh--" Esteban continued.

"Okay, where were you going?" Sverrir interrupted him.

"I was going to the Manufactory Glades, but--" Esteban started, only to be interrupted by Sverrir again.

"Good. I'll have to drop you off before everything lights on fire; it won't be too far." Sverrir continued. "Amos, specifications?"

"Full specificaitons will be available in a moment." Amos responded. "For now, you can just floor it."

"Excuse me, but what is happening?!" Esteban reached out to Sverrir. "Is this some kind of emergency?"

"Actually, it is." Sverrir said, flashing his badge. "Earth Global Detectives. I'll tell you everything, personally, as soon as there's time. Now just hang on, this is going to be a fast ride!" he said, flooring the accelerator.

As the car accelerated, Sverrir's phone lit up again, and the distant MI read the specifications of the car. "Kometa-Tri, modified and improved. 110 kilowatts power total, maximum speed 215 kilometres per hour. Drag coefficient 0,17. Maximum battery charge 300 kilowatt-hours, current battery charge 257 kilowatt-hours."

"Good!" Sverrir yelled. "Now give me the optimal path to the Wharf Embankment! Our time is running out!"

***

As Sverrir's car rocketed down the motorway, dodging and weaving to pass the few other cars on there and the occasional bus or truck, the detective tried to figure out a plan of action. He put his phone on the dashboard, and Amos connected to the car's systems, projecting a 3D volumetric map of Dock 24 for him to glance at and tactical information about the docks and the waterfront. Sverrir noticed that the place was fairly secluded, a small landing surrounded by warehouses with plenty of tree cover... and he saw an opening. "Amos, I've got a plan!" he said.

"What have you come up with, detective?" Amos asked.

"I'll explain the details later; now, we need stunner arc-pistols and thermal imagers for the watch, rapid-acting smoke canisters, three or four pollen dusters, and the mobile scrap metal crane from Dock 29 to scoop up the guns!" Sverrir said. "Can you get all of that?"

"I can." Amos replied. "I like your plan, detective."

While Amos was coordinating the preparations, Sverrir focused on the driving, trying to get to the docks as fast as he could. He still needed a couple of minutes to coordinate the plan with the community watch on the spot, but thankfully, the Kometa-Tri he was driving could manage immense speeds, and the motorway was not only grade-separated from the all-encompassing network of pedestrian streets and bike lanes, but also mostly devoid of vehicles. He sped through the Manufactory Glades, an industry and workshop district that was drowning in greenery of century-old trees, but near its edge, where the Wharf Embankment began, he turned to Esteban.

"Esteban, it's better that you get out here." Sverrir said as he slammed on the brakes, the car quickly halting to a complete stop.

"Alright, but I'm still not sure if..." Esteban started, but Sverrir cut him off with "Don't worry, I'll do my best to handle it. And I'm not going to wreck the car. Now go!"

Esteban got out, closing the passenger door, and Sverrir pushed on the accelerator again; in just a minute and a half, he was at the heart of Wharf Embankment. He skidded to a stop over the unoccupied parking spaces - with no time to park carefully, he just left the car as it was, slamming the door shut and running off. He quickly reached the docks, noticing a group of seven bulletproof-vest-wearing sentries with several compact equipment boxes near them, the boxes festooned with warning symbols and class-A weapon safety measures. He ran up to the sentries, who were camped off to the side from the main street, and said: "I'm Sverrir Haraldsen, the guy who called this in! Is the crane in position?"

"Yes, it is!" one of the officers said, pointing to the crane parked inconspicuously between Dock 24 and Dock 25: a clunky, utilitarian eight-wheeled vehicle with powerful fuel cells placed on the cargo bed next to/under the crane assembly. "I hope the arc pistols really are called for, Detective?..." another officer asked.

Sverrir nodded grimly. "Yes - these are the most dangerous criminals I've followed in several years. And they have firearms. I'm going to personally write a full report on the request for stun weapons, but first, we've got to halt the weapons shipment."

With that, Sverrir continued, explaining his plan to the watch officers. It was risky, but if it worked, they would instantly disarm the gunrunner conspirators and their buyers. He grabbed an arc pistol and its holster that were brought for him. With everything ready, the group readied themselves and their equipment: it was now or never.

***

When Sverrir and the community watch were ready to move, the snow leopard told one of the city's machine intelligences whom the group had on the line: "Alright, we spotted their lookouts; deploy the pollen dusters!"

"Done and done!" the machine steward responded.

Sverrir looked up into the sky - and among several unmanned drones hovering in the vicinity, a group of three dashed in with extreme speed, the machine mind in charge expertly piloting them at low altitude. In just a few seconds, they were over the goons guarding the front entrance, dropping their entire stock of pollen in a dense cloud, the lookouts immediately beginning to sneeze and rub their eyes. That's when the team moved in, approaching the front entrance, with two of the officers decking the lookouts to knock them out and quickly pulling the guns from their holsters, then handcuffing them and retreating a few metres back to stand watch, and the others moving into the warehouses. The group quietly fanned out, arc pistols at the ready, and took the high ground, Sverrir and others looking out into the inner yard. In the yard, Sverrir saw no less than nine people, some wielding the combat rifles he was looking to seize, and three in particular making a deal over the several boxes of rifles, three dozen at the very least. He was quietly horrified by how much weaponry was there, ready to slip into the hands of any among the most violent and unscrupulous people around the globe - but he didn't let himself lose composure. He pressed a button on his earpiece, and asked: "Okay, everyone in position?"

The group all replied in the affirmative, and Sverrir nodded quietly - but then, he noticed one of the gunmen run in and pull one of the two dealmakers aside to tell him something, gesticulating wildly. Carefully approaching a warehouse window, Sverrir overheard the conversation... which was about the front gate guards. Reacting quickly,  Sverrir said: "Okay, change of plans! Sentry group, smoke the yard immediately! Amos, get me the crane operator!"

"Got it, Sveri." Amos said. There was a short burst of static, and Sverrir heard the voice of the crane operator hidden behind one of the warehouses - that same moment, the sentries quickly rolled the smoke grenades into the yard, beginning to fill it with dense white smoke.

"Good day, officer, what can I do you for?" she asked.

"No time for details! Extend the crane to the Dock 24 as fast as you can, and slam the magnet to maximum power!" Sverrir told her. "That'll pull the guns right out of their hands!"

"Guns? Oh man oh man..." the operator said as the crane's beam extended over the yard - and at the same moment, much to Sverrir's fear and discontentment, the shooting started. The gunrunners started shooting blindly to try and get back at the sentries who surrounded them, yelling things like "It's an ambush!" and "Everyone retreat!" - but thankfully, the walls were made of old-school clay bricks, more than enough to deflect the bullets even as other shots broke windows and pierced through sheet metal. With his fight-or-flight response kicking in right away as the shooting started, Sverrir yelled into his earpiece: "Everyone, take cover! Amos, give us overhead recon!"

"Affirmative!" Amos told him.

At that same moment, hiding from enemy fire at some distance from the windows, Sverrir looked a bit up - and saw how the crane magnet has lifted and attracted all of the boxes with combat rifles, stuck to it like so much iron scrap. The gunrunners yelled in panic and confusion, noticing the magnet overhead, and ran in different directions to escape before their own weapons were snatched away. But suddenly, the crane operator came back on the radio, asking: "Hey, what's going on?! Is that gunfire?!"

"Yes!" Sverrir replied. "Take cover! Your crane just pulled away most of their firepower!"

"Okay, okay!" the crane operator responded, Sverrir hearing her leap off the crane and run for cover. Changing the radio frequency, he got back to Amos, just in time to hear her make an announcement.

"Attention all sentries!" Amos told the group via radio. "We have three gunrunners in a boat speeding off, four hiding out in the container yard, and three others trying to flee along the dockside embankment!"

"Got it!" Sverrir said back. He looked at the other sentries with him, and tried to come up with a plan. "Okay, we are almost even with them!" he said. "Four people should go after the criminals in the container yard; climb up, smoke the place, and use the height advantage to corner them! Front gate detail, catch up with me and one other sentry! We'll go after the three who are running via embankment!"

"And what about the ones in the speedboat?" one of the sentries asked.

"That won't be a problem!" Sverrir said "Just mobilize the vehicle-pursuit drones, now that they're fleeing from us in broad daylight!"

"I'll get right on that." Amos said via the communications as they got in touch with the drone operators.

***

With four of the sentries splitting off to the container yard, Sverrir and the other sentry ran out of the building, rallying with the other two who were guarding the front gate. They risked by leaving the front gate guards unattended, yes - but it was a necessary risk. More of the community watch were already on the way; this was big, bigger than anything that the city has seen in years. The other watch group came in over Sverrir's radio channel as stray shots rang out among the containers, yelling: "We're in the container yard! Edwards, throw smoke! Fujishima, flank right!" "Got it! Zelenko, I'll cover you!"

Sverrir changed the frequency, contacting Amos again to get fresh recon.

"Amos, where are they on the embankment?" he asked.

"They're approaching a canal drawbridge behind the bend on your right." Amos responded.

"Good! Get the port authority on the horn and raise the bridge! We'll corner them there!"

"Affirmative, on it!" Amos replied.

"Follow me!" Sverrir called to other sentries. "Take cover with every move, these guys will do anything to save themselves!" The snow leopard's eyes narrowed, and he ran off, the sentries barely able to follow him without falling behind. He ran from cover to cover, hearing the drawbridge up ahead creak as he approached the sightline open to the criminals. He finally ran up to a big tree that was growing near the bend - and as soon as he peeked out, he was met with a hail of gunfire directed his way. Sverrir immediately hid back behind the tree, the other sentries forming up with him. "Okay, we need a plan! We've got them cornered now, we just have to take them down without undue harm!" he said.

At that moment, the other group came in via the radio channel again. "We got 'em! I repeat, we got 'em!" one of the sentries reported. "Our group of hostiles is under arrest! Fujishima got injured, but it's nothing serious, the bullet just grazed them!"

"Good! Get them medical attention, stat!" Sverrir said in response, before turning to other sentries. "I'm actually a bit stumped right now - there's no way we can safely fire back..." he admitted.

"I have an idea!" one of the sentries raised her hand. "Why won't we ask for another pollen duster run?" she asked with a smirk.

"That's pretty good! Everyone, arc pistols at the ready!" Sverrir said. "We've got them pretty close, but we need that opening! Amos, get us on the line with our friend, if you will?"

"Right away." Amos responded, patching in the city steward machine mind who helped them earlier.

"Hello again!" Sverrir said. "My friend Amos just gave you the coordinates; can you do another pollen drop for us?"

"Of course! Drop in 45 seconds." the steward replied. Their pollen-duster drones were normally intended for rapid ecological bootstraps - a wildgrass meadow around a finished-up construction site here, a flowerbed of epic proportions there - but now, they flew in like a strike group, dodging all gunfire that was directed at them and dumping a second batch of pollen over the gunrunners. In a few seconds, the sneezing started - and that's when Sverrir and sentries with him popped out from behind the tree, landing several precise arc pistol shots on them. The electric stun made the gunrunners drop their weapons, with Sverrir and the watch closing in... and in a minute, everything was over. The two groups on land have been safely apprehended, and soon afterwards, more of the community watch were there to take them away. Sverrir raised his finger to the earpiece, and asked: "Amos?"

"What is it?" Amos responded.

"Did we get the ones who fled by boat?" Sverrir asked.

"Yes, we have." Amos told him. "They are currently floating on the open water one kilometre away from shore, and the coast guard is coming in to apprehend them."

"Whew. Thank gods." Sverrir said. When one of the criminals walked past Sverrir as the community watch led him away, the snow leopard smirked and winked, with the gunrunner making a grimace of anger and annoyance in response. Sverrir knew one thing for sure; with all criminals apprehended, and all contraband combat rifles accounted for, his mission for the day was accomplished, and he prevented who knows how many calamities from ever taking place. In his line of work, he really couldn't ask for more.

***

For the rest of the workday, Sverrir went down to the local community watch office and did all the busywork that was called for after any case of such magnitude. He compiled evidence, filed reports about his actions, talked with witnesses and local watch officers, and tried to figure where else the Earth Global Detectives may be led by the connections from people they apprehended. But, eventually the workday was over with - and in late afternoon, he took his recess to what constituted his favourite hangout no matter where in the world he was: the Arbor Diner, a chain of restaurant co-ops serving his most preferred selection of food combos from across the world. After locating the nearest one and making his way there, he walked in, finding a nice table near the panoramic windows and looking over the place, with its prolific abundance of plants and wooden drink casks in the back, he figured he could simply let himself relax for a while.

"Hi there, and welcome!" the waiter said. "What will you have today, Detective?"

Sverrir - a person of note among the employees of that particular restaurant chain - gave it a thought, and figured he owed himself a really good snack after all that has transpired today. He turned around to the waiter, nodding to him politely.

"I'll have a double solarized Cheesemonger's Special, extra garden space on top, a dash of Appenines, overdo the mustard, and no rowing boats." Sverrir said.

The waiter just nodded and yelled to the kitchen: "You got that?"

"Yeah!" the fry cook replied, with Sverrir just smiling to the waiter and kicking back in his chair to wait for his order.

[highnessaisling]

&&. announcing her royal highness, ( aisling siobhán  uí briúin ai ), the ( 24 ) year old princess  of ireland. she is often confused with ( margaret qualley ). some say that she is ( meddlesome and reckless ), but she is actually ( adventurous and passionate ).

Hey my name is Plume and I’m very excited to be here ! Let me introduce my beautiful daughter ! It is  midnight here so forgive any spelling mistakes. I’m just so thrilled that I wanted to post a little something before bed. I will definitely have a bio/about page very soon. But for now, this little thing will have to do.

Aisling is the youngest and only daughter of King Cian and Queen Abaigeal. She has an older brother Michael. On her paternal side, she has an aunt Katherine who married Lethabo king of Zimbabwe and two cousins Reginald and Nylane Zulu. 

She is an environmental activist. She runs the Irish crown’s green foundation and has ties with several other NGOs. She is mostly involved in cleaner oceans and beaches and animals preservation. 

She has a degree in Marine Science from NUI Galway. 

After her bachelor, she spent almost a year on a boat sailing across the globe for a scientific mission

She does not have the best relationship with her abusive father (I mean who would ?). He doesn’t support her life choices and her activism. Her mother wished to have a socialite daughter and Aisling does not really play that part so they don’t connect much. Thankfully she has Michael. Her brother is her rock and her protector. 

The princess used to spend a lot of time in their Connemara Ballynahinch castle with her grandparents. She had a more loving relationship with them than with her parents. 

It’s there in the middle of the beautiful nature that her vocation to fight for the environment was born.

She became a vegetarian at the age of 14. She has now taken a harder stance on that diet and only eats dairy, or eggs if they come from her estates or ethical places. When in doubt about the origin of the food,  she goes vegan.

She used to ride horses but stopped because she thinks it is slaving the animals. It is also why she does not own a pet.

However she still plays hurling. It is not ladylike but her father pushed her to practice that traditional irish sport. She actually loves it. It made her competitive and was a great way to channel her aggressiveness. 

She is reckless and likes anything that can give her a thrill. 

She was linked to multiple men throughout the years. Due to her opinionated and passionate nature, she hasn’t had a steady and long relationship. She rarely can stay with someone if they don’t share her views or can keep up with her. 

She is the opposite of a snob and honestly can not deal with half of the pretentious royals. She will like you for who you are and not your title. 

She is very opinionated and will fight you.

She can talk smack about you in gaelic/irish but will gladly do it in english.

She scuba-dives, snorkels and surfs.

Adores the sea/ocean and was probably a mermaid in another life.

She knows the basic about sailing. 

She only wears cruelty free makeup and upcycled or recycled clothes. She is involved in the fashion environmental shift.

She tries to reduce her family carbon footprint but without much result. It is hard to give up jet or planes for safety and practical reason. She did made some progress with electric cars and solar panels. She personally tries to take public transportation most of the time ( security nightmare) and is mindful of the way she travels. 

Outside of the environment, she is not involved much in politics.  She does care about global politics and some internal affairs like the Nothern Ireland conflict. She thinks that Ireland should be united and that the British should relinquish Ulster.

She fully supports her brother and father’s stance against England.

However she is not cunning or plotting. She is pretty blunt, upfront and easy to read. It makes her for an easy opponent and not a great player in the power games that take place in their world. 

Absolutely will never agree to an arranged marriage unless it would be the only way to save Michael’s life or get Northern Ireland back.

She is well perceived by the people of Ireland and actually beloved by the youth who align on her environmental strong stance. 

She arrived in Thailand 2 weeks ago. While in Phuket she works with local NGOs and Phuket Marine Biological Centre  to clean beaches, protect the sea life and fauna. She is mainly involved with leatherback sea turtles and marine life in Sirinat National Park. 

Some wanted connections 

cliché bodyguard princess plot 

 best friend taken by margotstuart

blank space.mp3 (she has a long list of ex lovers and i can write your muse’s name on it) 

other activists 

ocean lover (or our own mermaid/merman club)

reckless budy : someone to do climbing, diving, surfing, and all sorts of adventurous things with

someone who has a crush on Aisling 

the frenemy: They don’t really hate each others. They could resent each others over something ridiculous. Perhaps they’re just not vibing. Either way, they kind of throw shades at each others and be petty when they see each others but nothing too extreme. 

disastrous on and off again boyfriend: very messy and constantly breaking up to get back together months or years later. they just can’t make it work 

someone who tries to use Ailsing for political gain or manipulate her 

all kind of friends : old ones, unlikely ones, recent ones,... 

[kcwcommentary]

VLD7x07 – “The Last Stand Part 1”

7x07 – “The Last Stand Part 1”

I really want to like this episode, and I liked it a lot more the first time I watched it than I did this time. It is not an episode that holds up well to scrutiny. The episode wants us to side with Sam and Colleen and against Admiral Sanda, but I just don’t. The writing of the conflict between Sam and Sanda is simplistic and unrealistic. The show does nothing to establish the Galaxy Garrison’s position in the world. The reality that there would be many governments, and the need to explain how the Garrison connects to them, is completely ignored. This isn’t minor, background information. What the government structure and function are is fundamental to being able to tell the kind of story that this episode is trying to tell.

This episode makes Sam the de facto main character, and since he’s an extension of Pidge, and since this show has Pidge never having to face the consequences of her behavior, Sam and Colleen don’t have to either. They both very clearly committed crimes in this episode, but it’s just ignored in the end under the banner of Sam’s right and Sanda’s wrong.

I guess I shouldn’t be as surprised that Sam is so willing to violate protocols and the law since he blatantly violated the Galaxy Garrison’s rules in a flashback in 4x02 “Reunion.” He never has had respect for the organization or its methods.

This episode starts with a partial repeat of the ending of the previous episode, Voltron blasting toward the Milky Way. The show specifically shows the galaxy and Voltron’s position outside the galaxy, and then cuts to Pidge trying to contact her father, saying, “We’re back in Earth’s solar system, and heading home now.” Like how it bothered me at the end of last episode, it bothers me that the dialog saying they’re in Earth’s solar system does not match the animation of them still being outside the Milky Way. I don’t know if animators just ignored the script, or if after it was long into the animation process, the dialog was changed and replaced. Either way, it’s a glaring error.

A crackly message starts to come through, and Pidge’s eagerness causes her to not listen but to instead talk over that incoming message. I guess it’s supposed to reveal her excitement, but it reminds me too much of Pidge’s infamous lack of patience. Pidge tries to clear up the message, and they finally hear Sam Holt reference the titular “last stand” and to “get word to Voltron. We need help.” As Keith hits a couple of buttons, we see that the Milky Way is still outside Keith’s window, so they are most definitely NOT in Earth’s solar system. A smaller display pops up, showing Earth. The display then highlights an image a Galra cruiser. The Lions have some significantly powerful scanners if they can image a ship on the surface of a planet millions of light-years away.

Sam Holt’s message repeats, “To any beings who receive this message, Planet Earth has been overrun by the Galra. Most of the citizens have been captured. Those of us remaining are making our last stand. If you get this message, please get word to Voltron. We need help.” Considering Earth’s current population is nearly 8 billion, the idea that the Galra have captured nearly that many people seems ludicrous.

The episode then cuts to “four years earlier.”

The story now moves to having none of our main characters in it. I totally get why a lot of people thought, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were right, that this was an attempt to demonstrate viability for a spinoff show. The amount of focus put on these new characters, especially in their inclusion in promotional material for this season, seemed significant. I’m not against the premise of this shift in the story. The emotionality of this occupation plotline is interesting. I just wish that the process of having this detour in the show’s story didn’t result in it feeling like the creative team of this show were bored with the show’s main characters and wanted to move on to others. The introduction of these characters and the amount of time and consideration the show gives them, not just in these two “The Last Stand” episodes but from here to the end of the series, brought about a period in this show where the main characters become increasingly unimportant. If the inclusion of new characters didn’t result in ignoring the main characters, I would have less of a problem with the show going in this direction.

Admiral Sanda meets with Sam Holt, who’s been kept unconscious for most of the week he’s been back on Earth. She’s not exactly wrong that they would want to run tests on him as part of his return, but that doesn’t mean that they had to do so in a way that amounts to violating him by drugging him unconscious for a week. She says, “The Joint Chiefs are eager to hear what you have to tell us,” and Sam replies, “Tell the Chiefs I’ll debrief when I’m ready. There’s someone I need to see first.” Of course, I understand Sam’s desire to see his wife, but I don’t understand Sam’s condescension and aggression, and those are totally the qualities in his voice when he says this line to Sanda. Sam is instantly antagonistic. I guess he is where Pidge gets her arrogance from. Of course, they really get it from the writers who write them both the same way.

Sam asks for the transmitter he brought with him to contact Voltron, and Sanda says they can’t yet let him make any broadcasts. I can understand that, there is a risk in navigating Earth’s entrance into the rest of the universe. But then Sanda says, “Any contact with alien species needs to be run through the appropriate channels.” This line is poorly written because it has her responding to something that Sam didn’t say. Sam said nothing about contacting aliens. Then Colleen yells, “I don’t care about your channels, I want to talk to my children.” Barely restrained aggression must be common to everyone in the Holt family.

Sanda also says that they’re not going to let Sam leave the facility they’re currently in because they’re trying to figure out how to manage letting Earth know about the existence of aliens. Sam responds, “So, you’re holding me, like a prisoner?” Okay, I know the show is pushing a certain narrative here, and to do that quickly, they’re making Sam behave this way, but Sam is a member of the Galaxy Garrison. And while we don’t know precisely what the organizational structure of the Garrison is, it seems to have at least some military aspects. Sam would not have advanced through that kind of organization without developing the mentality that would cause him to understand these cautions. Even if he had not been captured by aliens, just going on any space mission would include protocols of periods of relative isolation after returning from a mission. That’s not being held like a prisoner, that’s part of what he would have agreed to prior to going on the mission.

Colleen continues her aggression, yelling, “If he’s staying, I’m staying too.” It’s like Colleen’s anger is preoccuring out of the writer knowing what they were writing Sanda to say next. “I’m afraid you don’t have the clearance, Colleen.” If Sam is allowed to walk around the entire Garrison, then how could Colleen not have access since the Garrison grounds are populated significantly by students? If Colleen was coming to visit a child who was a student here, would she be denied access due to not having clearance? “This is the only family I have left,” Colleen says. “You’ll get me the clearance.” The way the Holts are just instant anger is so awkward and weird. The concept of what they’re saying in this scene makes sense, just not the way they’ve been written to say it.

Iverson gives a briefing to a bunch of Garrison personnel we’ve never seen before. Iverson reveals that immediately after Shiro, Sam, and Matt were taken by the Galra, the Garrison intercepted the transmission of the Galra report back to Zarkon. Sam tells them about Zarkon. Sam identifies the Galra as “advanced” and “hostile,” and he’s asked to clarify. Rather than doing so, Sam asks Sanda for his communication device. It’s not just a communication device, it’s also a hard drive containing all the information from the Castle of Lions that he brought with him. He explains to everyone that Zarkon held power in the universe for 10,000 years, notably through harvesting quintessence. He explains that it’s “an energy generated by living beings.” And this just reminds me how quintessence is barely defined in this show, how in one moment it can be something good and in another it’s poison, without any explanation for why it changes.

The show employs some unrealistic, cheap-drama dialog by having some guy say that quintessence in humans is “impossible. We’ve never come across anything like that.” The show wants to be able to set up Sam as having the superior position to everyone else, but to do so they write this denial guy so amateurishly. This isn’t supposed to be some random guy, he’s supposed to be important enough to be in a classified meeting of the Galaxy Garrison. A person would not get to be part of an organization that is all about space exploration while thinking that they know everything there is to know. So, this whole moment feels totally forced.

Sam goes off listing the ways he’s superior to everyone. “Have you ever traveled faster than the speed of light? Have you ever seen a living creature biohack nature? Have you ever come face-to-face with an alien warlord who’s older than the entirety of human civilization? Well, I have.” It still feels like the show is trying to show Sam to be smarter and better than everyone else, and thus the one the audience is supposed to side with, but I don’t like either the denial guy or Sam. They’re both arrogant.

Sam continues telling his story of time in space. I guess it serves as a summary for anyone who hasn’t watched the show before now, and it is information that Sam would be providing these people, but it feels like it’s wasting time. We already know everything he’s telling us. Iverson takes over telling us the story of the first episode of the show, I guess in case we forgot what happened? It’s so awkward.

Oh, and it’s weird how Colleen is sitting, not at the table, but behind other seats at the table in some shots but not in others. It’s like in some shots the animators forgot to include her, or like her inclusion was added in after most of this scene had been well into the animation process. Looks like Sanda is being kind and got Colleen clearance, which honestly is really something. People don’t get clearance to hear classified information just because they’re the spouse of someone who knows classified information.

Sam tells them about Voltron, the five Lions, and the Paladins. I don’t get why this repeat, this summary was considered worth including in the show. Given how much the executive producers complained about not having time to include story elements that a lot of us thought really should have been included, it makes them seem hypocritical to then okay a script that wastes so much time telling us what we already know.

Sam says they need to improve Earth’s defenses. Iverson asks about the threat of Zarkon attacking Earth, and this of course is done so Sam can recount Zarkon’s death and the fracturing of the Galra Empire. “Without a clear leader, things are worse than before,” Sam says. The problem with what Sam says is that when he left Voltron to return to Earth in 5x05 “Bloodlines,” the last he knew was that Lotor had assumed the throne of the Galra Empire. We know Lotor’s dead, the writer of this episode knows that Lotor is dead, but Sam does not. From Sam’s last knowledge, Lotor had just established himself as the “clear leader” of the Galra Empire.

Iverson asks what they should do, and Sam says they should tell the world everything. Sanda rejects the idea. “If we told the world there was an imminent attack, we’d set off a global panic,” Sanda says. In response to the idea of an attack, she asks, “When? How will the attack happen? Is there a plan to stop it? None of these things have been discussed.” She’s not wrong. Sam, like his daughter, is very impatient. In terms of a timeline of Sam’s return, assuming this meeting happened soon after he wakes up earlier in this episode, this meeting would be in his second week back on Earth. Sanda is not being unreasonable in saying there need to be more meetings and discussion before they could reveal the problem to the whole world.

Part of the issue with this is that the show does not explain what any of the world’s governmental structure is. Given the geology of the environment where the Galaxy Garrison is located, they would seem to be in the southwest of the United States. Does the United States even exist in this world? Are there other Garrison campuses in other countries, or is it just this one? If the Garrison is a global organization, then what is their relationship and how do they interact with different countries’ governments?  None of this is ever really explained in this show, and I don’t think the creative team for the show even thought it was important.

Before telling the whole world like Sam wants to, I would think the Garrison would have to first discuss the information with world leaders. And I would think Sam, who’s not a new cadet, would know this.

Sam asks to contact Pidge to begin to answer Sanda’s questions, and she agrees. No one responds to Sam’s contact. I get his contacting Pidge first, but would he not have set up communication with Matt too? Speaking of Matt, the last time we saw him, if I remember correctly, was when Sam left Voltron at the beginning of 5x05 “Bloodlines.” That episode didn’t show Matt leaving Voltron, we just had to assume it happened sometime after Sam’s departure and before the next scene. It makes me wonder if Pidge/Voltron bothered trying to contact the rebels once their discussion with Axca at the end of 7x03 “The Way Forward” about it having been three years for the rest of the universe since Voltron killed Lotor. I would think Pidge would especially try to contact Matt, given the stress she went through to find Matt in the first four seasons of this show.

Sanda offers to have regular attempts to try to establish contact with Voltron, but insists they have to work within the confines of this information being classified. Sam seems agreeable and wants to begin work on improving Earth’s defenses. Iverson tells him they already have. Iverson says that they’ve spent a year studying ship Shiro used to return to Earth in the first episode, and now are doing some research on the ship Sam returned in. Iverson says they thought the technology of the two ships would have been the same but isn’t, and Sam explains, “That’s because one’s Galran and the other Altean, created by two different species.” It’s written like Sam is explaining something baffling to Iverson, but the idea that there’s more than one technology, even if it came from the same species, should not be unexpected. I think this bad writing is the result of the writer thinking of different species simplistically as monocultures.

Iverson says they haven’t been able to produce enough power in the ships to fly them. Sam responds, “The crystal must’ve been damaged on entry.” If Iverson was just talking about the Galra ship, I would understand, since it fully crashed into Earth (it’s amazing that it survived crashing). But the way Iverson talks, it sounds like he’s talking about both it and the Altean pod in saying that they haven’t been able to power them up. Sanda sounds baffled that there’s a crystal that’s part of the ships’ energy systems. Even if they didn’t know how to use it, I would think that in examining the ships’ systems, they would have realized that they fundamentally involve a crystal. This again feels like it’s written to make Sam look like the smartest, most capable person, but it does so by making the others look unrealistically incompetent.

Sanda says that they’ve modeled the ships’ control systems (I assume mostly the Galra ship’s since a couple weeks wouldn’t have been enough to integrate the Altean pod) and have created a flight simulator. I do like seeing how Earth, or at least the Galaxy Garrison, has been handling the aftermath of Shiro’s return in the first episode. As you might remember from some of my previous commentaries, I’m not fond of the Garrison lying about the Kerberos mission and telling the world that due to pilot error, the mission was lost. But being reminded that the Garrison knows about the existence of aliens, it makes me even more want to know what they’ve done with that information in regard to the various world governments. Have they kept it hidden even from those governments? Or have they also over this past year of storytime established specific diplomatic channels regarding extraterrestrial knowledge? I would hope the latter. The former would make the Garrison look extremely arrogant, selfish, and would most likely be interpreted by other world leaders as endangering the world.

Waiting for them at the base of the elevator are the new characters that this show heavily promoted. None of them are really interesting though. Iverson says they’re “the best pilots to come out of the Galaxy Garrison in the last year.” James Griffin, who last we saw was an obnoxious, bullying antagonist in the flashbacks in 7x01 “A Little Adventure,” seems to be the squad’s leader. That he’s now with the flip of a switch changed into being a protagonist is kind of demonstrative of this show’s inability to write character transformation well. Also, we get Nadia Rizavi, Ryan Kinkade, and Ina Leifsdottir. It’s honestly offensive that these four characters are given last names while several of the show’s main characters never got one. There is really only one thing about these pilots having full names that I like: Leifsdottir. I think it’s super cool that they have a character from Iceland.

James ends his salute while the other three continue saluting. Since he seems to be reporting to Iverson, I would think James would have to continue saluting like the others until Iverson salutes back or commands them at ease or something similar. James’s ending his salute, stepping forward, and talking unprompted seems inappropriate. Iverson and Sam continue talking, and Sam wants to get things working so that the pilots can start flying actual craft, not just the simulator. Rizavi then ends her salute and tells Sam, “But they aren’t working, sir.” Her saying that also shows she assumes that Sam hasn’t been briefed. Regardless, I would think protocol would make it not her place to tell him, especially with Iverson standing right there.

Cut to the Altean craft taking off, flying a bit, and landing. James watches and reacts, saying, “No way!” Why would he have that reaction? Sam came to Earth in this pod, he flew it here. There is no reason that James should be baffled that the pod can fly. The cadets are eager to fly, but Sam says that the ships they’ll end up flying are going to have to be better than a transport pod.

So, there’s another meeting. Sam starts bragging, “When I was enslaved by the Galra, I was forced to work on technologies that are a hundred times more complex than a simple pod. […] I continued learning alongside the Olkari […] they taught me everything I know about integrating technologies.” I’m not objecting to the idea that Sam would be by nature of his experience more knowledgeable about alien technology, but it really does feel like the show is continuing to position him as superior to everyone else. The narrative itself, how this story is being told, is creating a hierarchy with Sam at the top.

Accompanying his narration, there is a time-lapse montage of them building new fighter jets. I love the music.

The show indicates a year has passed since these first new fighters began being used.

This show did visual design for two sets of fighters. Now with this year skip forward, they’re flying a totally different design. I’m surprised the show wanted to put that work into designing a fighter for such a short amount of screen-time since the Galra ships have stayed the same throughout the show. I think seeing this extra amount of work in the design contributed to the sense that this was being done to try to set up a spinoff. It just feels like there’s more production work done for this particular story arc than there has been for a long time.

Sam asks the pilots, “How’s the response time compared to the previous generation?” To develop a new fighter in a single year is a significant amount of developmental and manufacturing effort. I don’t think there is any way that the Garrison could be doing this work without having informed and received the approval and funding from at least one country’s government. I just wish the show had explained at least a little about this.

Sam is called into the Garrison facility. Matt has contacted them. Matt tells them that Voltron is missing and that the rumor is that Voltron fought Lotor. Matt tells Sam, “You need to stop broadcasting from Earth. Members of the Blade of Marmora and the Voltron Coalition are being hunted. Our army has been all but wiped out. The situation is bad out here, and the last thing we need is to put the Earth in danger.” It makes the Voltron Coalition look really weak and invalidates all the time this show spent building up the idea that they were becoming a force that could defend against the Galra. Of course, the various factions of Galra would be attacking the Coalition, so I would expect fighting, but the idea that the Coalition is “being hunted” seems antithetical to what the Coalition supposedly had become, especially with the Galra no longer working with unified forces.

Sam argues that now is the time to inform the world. He says if they’re going to finish building the Atlas that they need “more resources and more manpower.” He says, “The world needs to come together so we can take the fight to the Galra.” Sanda criticizes Sam as “too emotional […] and not thinking straight.” She seems to me to be reacting very precisely to Sam’s declared desire to go fight the Galra. Sanda says, “We’re not building ships to fight aliens in different galaxies.” She’s not wrong. The whole plan Sam has been arguing for up to this point was to produce a defense for Earth, not go into the rest of the universe to fight.

Sam gets angry, slams the desk, “But they need us.” He acts a lot like Pidge has acted in this show: Arrogant. It kind of gets exhausting that the show expects us to view him as right. Sanda calls him out on his change and restates their goal of improving the defense of Earth. Sam again counters with wanting to tell the world. Sanda says no.

Later when they’re alone, Colleen says, “We’ve got to do something. We can’t just sit here while our children are in danger. […] The admiral is making decisions for the rest of the world. I say let them make decisions for themselves.” If Colleen is right, and there is no governmental oversight of Admiral Sanda, then there’s something really wrong there. Because this show doesn’t explain the Galaxy Garrison’s relationship is to the world’s governments, we have no way of knowing if Sanda is acting without any oversight or if Colleen is just saying that because she doesn’t like Sanda’s position. 

Also, like Sam, Colleen is just like Pidge: Arrogant. I never liked it when Pidge behaved like this, and I’m not a fan of Sam and Colleen acting this way either.

Sam responds, with a sound of surprise in his voice, “You want to tell the world?” Why would he be surprised someone else, especially Colleen would when that’s precisely what he wants to do? Also, why does Colleen have ongoing clearance to be a part of all this? What is her role? She doesn’t seem to be a member of the Garrison. She’s just here because she’s Sam’s wife. She feels thoroughly out of place in this story.

They sneak into some unmanned, insecure communication center. They upload some information from a flash drive and set up a worldwide broadcast. Colleen starts the broadcast, identifying herself as the wife of Sam Holt and mother of Matt Holt. She talks about the lie told by the Garrison about the Kerberos mission and then speaks about the Galra.

I really love the music.

Colleen says Sam returned to Earth, “but the Garrison forced him to stay in hiding,” and the broadcast plays video of Sanda telling Sam and Colleen that Sam was restricted to the Garrison compound from back in the beginning of the episode. What security system did Sam and Colleen hack in order to get a copy of this video? Sam and Colleen most certainly have committed crimes in doing this.

Sam then enters the broadcast, saying they need the world’s help. He then shows footage of the “advanced ships and weaponry” that the Garrison has been working on. This is a huge violation of classified secrets law. Sam had earlier said to Colleen that they could get kicked out of the Garrison, but it’s more that they should be imprisoned for this. But in traditional Pidge-fashion on this show, they never have to face consequences for their behavior.

Their broadcast then introduces Voltron, and they use some of the videos the Paladins had sent to be given to their families. I guess I understand why Sam would think that using these videos in this way was acceptable, but it’s still a violation of the trust the Paladins put in him in giving him these videos. We see some of Hunk’s video and then family, Lance’s video and his family, and Pidge’s video. Keith has no video since his only surviving family is Krolia. Shiro has no video since the show never bothered to give Shiro a family since the EPs’ only interest in Shiro was in killing him. This juxtaposition of Hunk’s, Lance’s, and Pidge’s families only serves as a stark reminder of just how much this show mistreated Shiro as a character, and it’s infuriating.

Somehow, Sam and Colleen have deactivated the door’s security system so that Sanda can’t open it. Sanda’s men are able to eventually open the door, and she orders them to arrest Sam and Colleen. Iverson says, “For what?” like he’s baffled what Sam and Colleen could be charged with. Iverson told Pidge that she could be charged with treason for breaking into his computer system in 1x07 “Tears of the Balmera.” If he thought Pidge’s actions were bad, he should certainly think Sam and Colleen’s actions are, and he shouldn’t be at a loss to think of why Sam and Colleen should be arrested. Sanda specifically says, “For divulging top-secret information.”

Sam responds with a gross amount of condescension in his voice, “Now, now, Admiral. Don’t get emotional.” This is pure Pidge arrogance. And it’s really gross that this show is telling us that we’re supposed to think behaving like Sam is here is right. Also, I can’t get over feeling like, even though Sam is repeating Sanda’s earlier words back at her, that his use of them against her here is sexist.

Sanda tells him, “You disregarded a direct order,” and Sam rants, “You held me at the Garrison against my will.” He had over a year to seek legal counsel and work the system if he really did feel imprisoned here. He is never shown complaining about being restricted to the Garrison compound “against his will” during any of the time he spent working there over the past year. It’s only now being used to try to justify his crimes. I know I won’t like Sanda after the rest of her story is complete, but I’m on Sanda’s side here.

Since the show has not established that Sanda is working without government oversight, I have to assume that she is. The Garrison has enough elements of the military that I have to assume that, even if the Garrison was built around space exploration, that it is a branch of the military, or at least military-interfacing. And unless the government is non-existent, then Sanda would have people she would have to answer to, there would be at least a few non-military members of the government that would have full access to the classified information. The show wants us to think of Sanda as some kind of military dictator character, but they haven’t successfully presented her as that.

Sam continues, “You lied about my death! You want to control every situation!” As I’ve said plenty, I don’t like the lie the Garrison told, but specifically the “pilot error” blame on Shiro. An equipment-failure lie would have worked just as well without demeaning Shiro. Sam is part of the Garrison and has a rank within it, there’s no way he would be this ignorant of the need for classifying information. He just comes off here as being highly naïve. Like father, like daughter.

He continues, “Right now the world needs a leader that’s not afraid to face facts, and you’re not it.” The show has not established Sanda as being a world leader. At most, she seems to be the head of the Galaxy Garrison. That’s one organization. That’s not the chief executive of the government. 

This conflict feels off because so much of this is undefined.

Sanda asks him, “And you think you are?” Sam says, “Yes.” Either Sam thinks he should be able to bypass the entire command structure of the Garrison, a command structure that he would be fully aware of and participated in, or he thinks he should be granted rulership of the world without being elected. This just comes off as excessively simplistic and ridiculous of the writers.

Sanda orders the soldiers to “get these traitors out of here,” and Sam has a look of surprise on his face. Sam and Colleen did commit crimes, they should be arrested. Iverson intervenes, saying, “If Sam goes, I go too.” This is infuriating. Iverson would know that Sam and Colleen committed crimes. Again, he once told Pidge that he could charge her with treason for accessing his computer, and what Sam and Colleen have done is far more of a violation than what Pidge did.

The show expects us to side with Sam because he’s an extension of Pidge, and thus a protagonist. Supposedly by not letting Sam have and do everything he wants, Sanda is the antagonist. But I keep coming back to Sam and Colleen committed obvious crimes. This isn’t just Sam and Sanda having a disagreement. It does not seem consistent or realistic for Iverson to side against Sanda.

Some random guy comes and tells Sanda, “Calls are coming in from all over the world. Citizens want to know how they can help.” They’re calling the Garrison and not their local governmental leaders? That’s not realistic. Is this show is trying to say (but has absolutely failed to do so) that the Galaxy Garrison is the government of the entire world and that Admiral Sanda is the head of the world government? Without any explicit description of the world’s governments, the audience has to assume that it’s more or less the same as what our world is like now. If there’s a differentiation, then the show needed to establish that, and it hasn’t.

And the show uses these incoming calls as a way of declaring Sam right and Sanda wrong. Like Pidge, Sam and Colleen are don’t have to face consequences of their behavior. Cut to Sam working with James on creating a particle barrier when they pick up something in the atmosphere. It’s a lot of Galra ships. The Galaxy Garrison has really failed if they did not set up any kind of monitoring system to scan for incoming ships before those ships could enter Earth’s atmosphere. Their not knowing until right now as the ships dip below the clouds is totally contrived writing. Sam orders the particle barrier activated just as the Galra start shooting at them.

The music is really good. (Seriously, I love the music of this episode!)

This episode is a lot worse this viewing than I remember it. My tolerance for Perfect Pidge and how that is extended to Sam and Colleen is just too low to be able to watch this and think their actions are acceptable. The show treats Sanda in this episode like she’s some clear villain, but very little of what she says seems unreasonable.

I think the fundamental failure of this episode is that it does not do enough world-building to make this story work. Instead of spending so many minutes repeating the story of the show up to this point in that one meeting, the episode could have instead given us an explanation about the Garrison and its relation to the world’s governments. This story is just too big for such unskilled writing.

I know I end up feeling super frustrated with Sanda’s character, but I don’t in this episode. It’s really weird to have the complete opposite reaction than what the expects me to have. The show thinks it’s showing Sanda as unreasonable and that Sam is right. This episode alone, I totally support Sanda.

It’s just frustrating to really like the music so much, to like the designs of the new fighter jets, to like the premise of this story, but to be unable to stand the protagonists. The show thinks it showed us Sam is right, and I’m left wondering why he’s not in prison for clearly committing crimes.

(EDIT: I went back over this text and cleaned up some of the grammar and phrasing to try to make a few awkwardly worded statements better.)

[ftzone]

SCHEDULE 06, 26.11.18 - 17.12.18

every week idols and trainees are busy preparing for something: debuts, comebacks, concerts, performances, televised appearances, and more! read under the cut for what your muse is doing this week. please note: threads & solos for this week’s schedule are due 17/12/18 by 09:59 AM in order to be eligible for points (+5 sp, +5 popularity, +5 karma)! in order to obtain points, a thread must reach 3/3 (3 replies per person); for every 3 replies after the initial 3, one may add +5 sp, +5 popularity and +5 karma.

DINGBAT ARTISTS

Siren — this week is much of the same, with the Siren girls throwing themselves into creative work and graciously finding the time to mentor their hoobaes. it’s a strange disconnect to feel so shunned by the company yet admired by their colleagues. 

MYSTERY — comeback week has come and gone and MYSTERY are now fully submerged in their promotion cycle. both fans and the general public seem to love RUN and somehow the boys get a chance to be exhilarated, do a vlive or two, while being shuttled between shows and practice and back again.

MELODY — it’s their first week off since debut and it feels strangely empty. the girls have time to themselves - maybe they’ll see how the trainees they’ve “left behind” are doing. or maybe they’ll venture out into the public without staff - only to encounter demanding fans.

trainee group, neXus — much like last week, the trainees are looking past performance abilities to other ventures. they’re tasked with developing skills this week - especially those fit for variety. dbg wants them to be marketable, after all.

JACKRABBIT ARTISTS

STRINGS — after weeks of delay, STRINGS’ japanese debut is finally here! the boys will be flying out to japan on wednesday and hold their debut showcase on friday. the group will only be staying in the country for two weeks as they perform on japanese music shows and go on a few variety shows as well! hopefully they’ve studied their japanese… the boys of STRINGS are going to need it!

libra — libra will finally be ending the after-promotion promotions with a round of appearances on various radio shows. although the girls aren’t able to show off their strong dancing abilities, vocalists will be able to shine! make sure to prepare some fun vocal talents, song covers, impersonations, or interesting stories to share with audiences!

KILLJOY ARTISTS

LURE — SOLO 2 will be going on “let’s eat dinner together” this week (while, of course, promoting “fantasy” on the normal music shows). all of the girls will continue preparing for the 10-year anniversary fan event, mainly by working on line distributions and changed choreography due to the drastic difference in member count, during every free moment SOLO 2 has. will the availability of lines cause any arguments?

Corpse Party — there is only about a week or so until Corpse Party enters the music show scene again with their new solo “sorry”! so, in an attempt at trying to get the members of Corpse Party known to the general public (or at least those who watch a few idol variety shows), the members will be pre-recording a full episode of “weekly idol” and be battling it out with mini games to take home a beef set. exciting stuff.

V!BE — with the brief -- yet busy -- world tour wrapping up with a final concert in seoul, the girls are v!be are surprisingly given a week off in rest (not due to kjc suddenly having a change in heart, but because v!be’s fanbase has made it very clear to kjc that the girls need a break ‘or else’). although this week isn’t truly “free” (they still need a manager to accompany them anywhere out), they are able to do most things. 

trainee group: BLISS — see the “SEEKING: SERENITY” blog!

trainee group: 5YNC — this week the boys will have another round of evaluations, not of a ‘new skill’ but a cover challenge (similar to that on SEEKING SERENITY). the boys are advised to pick a song from any senior artist and cover it as a solo performance; however, the song must have a dance (either already choreographed or choreographed themselves)! 

MOBIUS ARTISTS

ORION — the men are back and better than ever! ORION is booked, honey. get ready for a group appearance on SNL. the guys will be participating in a game show parody sketch as well as a sketch documentary about their rise to fame. they should be prepared to poke fun at themselves and take a good-humored beating from the comedians.

NEO — promotions for NEO:BLACK continue with take me higher. NEO:BLUE participate in a sponsored photoshoot for athletic wear and NEO:RED participate in a fansign tour across the peninsula.

SOLAR — radiance are holding a performance showcase for their fans in busan this week while gleam begins variety show promotions for “girl like me” before its release. eclipse girls can expect to take it easy - if a debut just weeks to come isn’t something that weighs too heavy on their minds!

VERVE ARTISTS

SiLVER — congratulations SiLVER! “you’re pitiful” was a bit of a risk, but nonetheless, the fans and the public ate it up, and it’s cleaning up on music shows. it’s time to give back to the fans with a fanmeet! 

magic(g)al — this week, the girls have been given some news out of the blue. they’re going to be filming a reality show. it’s time to pack up their old dorms and move into some nicer ones, where at last they each get their own rooms. the show will be filmed four days a week throughout december, and is due to begin airing on magic(g)al’s youtube channel at the same time as their january comeback. 

STATIC — leave the recording studio behind, it’s time for STATIC to move on to shooting the pictures for their upcoming photobook and filming their upcoming music video. prepare for endless outfit changes and long nights of reshoots. trainee group: STRAWBERRiE — STRAWBERRiE’s schedule this week is busy, busy, busy. when they’re not running around on set for their debut music video, the girls will be receiving their final trainee evaluations. if they were uncertain of what part they played in the group up until now, they won’t be after this. 

SUBPLOTS *for every episode of a subplot there will be either a writing prompt or a creative mission, regardless if your muse is only on a few! for doing subplot missions, one can receive the same amount of points as doing a normal schedule.  

Hyena on the Keyboard ( 5 / 8 ) — creative mission: create a graphic of sorts that depicts your muse’s workspace while creating a song, where they keep their music, or even where they go to get their best ideas! in order to count for points, this graphic must have a 200 world explanation as to what the image shows.

note: songs will be released the second episode your muse appears! this show airs every saturday in-verse

[velkynkarma]

oh my god. if you wrote something set in Failsafe of what the hell Keith did to get that scientist info, I would die. please. oh my god.

Please don’t die! But I hope you enjoy :)

Takes place at some point in chapter 4 of Failsafe. (For the 2018 April Fools Prompt Day)

———

Keith guides the pod into the Blade of Marmora’s base and sets it down in the main hangar, fingers tight on the controls.

By now, the others will know that he’d left. By now, Shiro’s probably starting to worry, unless he’s found the note in the Black Lion. By now, they’re probably fighting over whether to track him down or not, or trying to figure out what to do in his absence.

He hadn’t had much of a choice. He’d had to leave then, in order to make it to the Blade’s base before the solar flares closed it for another two quintents. Ryou’s already been locked away in the sleep chamber for more than a month. He doesn’t deserve to be in there for longer than he has to be. Waiting and spinning his wheels over an action he can’t take would have driven Keith crazy.

Shiro will understand. He probably already knows where Keith’s gone. And the team can survive without him for as long as this takes. Shiro can fly the Black Lion, and Lance can handle Red. They won’t be stuck without Voltron. It’ll be fine.

He hopes it will be fine, anyway.

He hasn’t been to Blade headquarters for a while. And he’s not sure that Kolivan and the rest of the Blades will be all that happy with that.

He’d never really meant to get himself in so deep. The Blade of Marmora had never really required his presence, back when the team had first discovered them. They’d been willing allies of Voltron, but that had been it.

And then Shiro had vanished. And then he’d come back. And things had changed, suddenly.

Shiro had been different then. Insistent. He’d needed to have control of their missions, and when he couldn’t—when the Black Lion refused him—he’d tried to direct through Keith, instead. Keith had found it unsettling. He didn’t always agree with Shiro’s decisions, especially when Shiro hadn’t been focusing on what Keith thought were some of the most important part of Team Voltron’ duties: tracking down Lotor, the new head of the empire, and figuring out how to deal with him.

Shiro hadn’t agreed. His focus had been elsewhere. And he’d been distant. Keith had felt like he was floundering in his own team, and he hadn’t liked how Lotor seemed to be slipping through their fingers. So he’d started working with the Blade more in his spare time, what little their was, trying to not let Lotor be completely forgotten in the face of other Voltron duties. And when Shiro had reconnected with the Black Lion, it had been all the more reason for Keith to throw himself fully into his Blade commitments.

He’d become more integrated with the Blade. More trusted. His rank had risen, and he’d started going on more difficult missions with teams, being given more responsibilities. He’d become a valued member of their brotherhood. And while Kolivan often lectured him for his rashness in combat, and insisted on learning to temper his fury, he’d learned, and he’d gotten stronger, and he’d grown closer with many of those Blades.

And then it turned out that Shiro wasn’t Shiro at all. He was a copy that had nearly gotten everyone killed.

Keith hadn’t known what to make of it. At first he’d been furious at this imposter that had upset the balance of Voltron so easily. But it only took a matter of quintents to realize this was no malicious spy. This other-Shiro had been just as horrified by the discovery as the rest of them, and full of guilt at what he’d done, accidentally or no. He’d never argued when the team had tested him thoroughly for more traces of trickery and deceit, and he’d done everything he could to still support Voltron by his own efforts.

Keith had wanted to be furious. But this other-Shiro hadn’t been an aggressor; he’d been a victim. And he hadn’t really known what to make of that. He’d taken long enough to assure himself that the team wasn’t in danger with that—that fake still leading—and he’d retreated even further into the Blade, just to get away. He’d needed time to think.

And he’d needed time to find Shiro. The real Shiro. Because, victim or not, the Shiro they had wan’t the right one. The real one was still out there, missing for months, and he needed Keith’s help.

So Keith became more prominent in the Blade’s hierarchy. He went on more dangerous missions, took more risks to gather intelligence and search for Shiro. He used every contact he had to try and find the real Shiro. He’d worked hard and trained harder and became a tireless supporter within the Blade to further his own goals, and in the process he’d become invaluable to them. Reliable. Trustworthy.

And then he’d thrown it all away, when Shiro had been found.

Shiro had needed Keith. Shiro had always been the goal, the reason he’d kept sticking around, once Lotor had turned on his own empire and made a grudging alliance with Voltron. Once the real Shiro had been found—and not even by his own efforts, or the Blades, but by his own clone—Keith had no further reason to stay. Not when Shiro was still in trouble, rescued or no. Not when he’d still needed help with his recovery.

So he’d broken away from the Blade. He’d attended missions less. Disappeared for longer periods of time. Refused the more dangerous work, when he knew he had to make it back alive. And eventually he’d left the base entirely, returning to the Castle of Lions for good.

The Blade…hadn’t been happy with that decision. They still worked with Voltron, of course. Both parties were too useful to the other to not, and it was too beneficial for both sides. But they’re colder to Keith now, when they do. Keith can feel disappointment and betrayal emanating from every Blade he ever interacts with, on missions, and he starts doing his best to avoid them. Kolivan usually speaks to Shiro directly now, when making requests or planning attacks; Keith rarely acts as the in-between.

He never thought he’d come back here, to Blade headquarters. He’d never planned to, not unless Shiro ordered him to. And while he’s never told Shiro what was happening with the Blade, Shiro’s not stupid. He definitely suspects, and he’s never pressed Keith to come back.

But now? Now, he doesn’t have a choice.

He doesn’t because the team doesn’t. Because it’s evolved, because that ‘fake’ Shiro isn’t a ‘fake Shiro’ at all anymore. He’s Ryou, his own person, but a valued member of the team all the same. He’s fought his way past being a victim to take control of it, and to fight the Galra in his own way. And now he’s dying, and Keith can’t bear to let him fall.

Seven months ago, Keith would have done anything to avoid that clone. Seven months ago he’d wanted to be furious at him. He’d retreated into the Blade of Marmora completely just to avoid him.

And now he’s back here to try and save him.

Several Blade agents approach him as he opens the pod’s hatch and leaps out. “Keith,” one intones. Her voice is digitized due to the mask most agents wear even in the base, but Keith can hear the disgust in it anyway.

He fights back any reaction showing on his face. His own mask is currently disabled to leave his face visible. Among the Blade it’s a way to show one isn’t trying to get away with anything, since one can be so easily identified. Right now, he needs to look as non-threatening as possible.

“Hello, Kamatir,” he says. “I need to speak to Kolivan.”

“We are here to ensure you reach him,” Kamatir says, with an edge of warning.

They are definitely not happy with him, if they’re sending a not-so-subtle escort to make sure he doesn’t run. He hasn’t been greeted quite this harshly since he and Shiro first arrived to meet with the Blade.

But Keith doesn’t fight them, or argue. Instead he only nods and follows. Kamatir takes the lead, and her companion follows behind Keith to ensure he doesn’t run back to his pod and try to flee, but at least they do him the courtesy of not trying to disarm him of his Blade. Whatever’s happened, he isn’t considered an enemy or a thief just yet.

They take him to Kolivan immediately. The leader of the Blade of Marmora is in the central command room, reviewing intel and star charts for whatever task he is planning next. Kamatir steps aside long enough to let Keith pass her, and then turns and slams the door shut behind him, leaving him alone with the head of the Blade.

“I am surprised to see you’ve returned,” Kolivan says shortly.

“I had to,” Keith says. “It’s an emergency.”

Kolivan turns to regard him. “If it was an emergency with Voltron, I am sure Shiro would have contacted us long before now via our usual channels. This is a personal emergency.”

“No,” Keith says. Kolivan stares at him, and the head of the Blade’s gaze is dangerously discerning; Keith can feel him searching for any trace of a lie, or a manipulated truth. He’s very good at it. That’s one of the many reasons he’s in charge of such an already secretive organization. “Sort of,” he finally amends. “It isn’t for me. Not exactly. One of our team is…is very sick.”

“Not one of your paladins,” Kolivan observes bluntly. “Or that would constitute an emergency, I imagine.”

Keith clenches his jaw, but Kolivan isn’t wrong. Ryou could operate the Black Lion, but he wasn’t really a paladin anymore. He’d given up the title the moment he’d given lead back to Shiro, the day Shiro had been strong enough to re-assume command. And he wasn’t really vital to Voltron, not with two others that could also pilot Black. “No. Not one of them. But he is a valued member of the team, and without help, he could die.”

“And what do you think the Blade could offer?”

“Contacts,” Keith says. “Skilled scientists and doctors that know the value of discretion. You were able to get Slav easily enough. You have to know others.”

Kolivan narrows his eyes at that. “Discretion? Who exactly is ill? I am sure the Coalition has medical specialists willing to heal those of Voltron at a moment’s notice.”

Keith’s pretty sure Kolivan already knows, but he’s being pushed to answer. Lying wouldn’t help any; Keith’s already on a razor’s edge with the Blade. “Ryou,” he answers finally, through grit teeth.

“The clone,” Kolivan says.

“Yes.” They’ve tried to keep the nature of Ryou’s existence a secret, and the greater public has no idea that Ryou is anything other than Shiro’s ‘twin brother.’ Keeping such a secret from an organization dedicated to digging them up would have been impossible, however, especially since the Blade had been instrumental in rescuing the real Shiro.

“Why do you wish to preserve the clone?” Kolivan asks. He seems genuinely surprised. “It’s only a Galra weapon. That it turned on its masters in the Empire was beneficial, but you have your true leader back. There would be no loss to the war effort if it dies.���

Keith’s been trying to maintain composure, but his expression breaks into a snarl at that. “He’s a person,” Keith snaps. “And he’s family now, and he needs us. It’s not about the war effort. It’s about what’s right.”

Kolivan doesn’t seem particularly impressed with his outburst. He’s always lectured Keith about his temper, and letting his emotions get the better of him. Getting angry at him won’t change his mind.

Patience yields focus, he reminds himself. He has to be calm. He has to make this work. The team needs this. Shiro needs this. Ryou needs this, most of all.

“I’m sorry,” Keith says, after taking a deep breath. “We’ve all been very worried. Ryou is important to us. We’ve been trying to find ways to help him, but our regular contacts at the Coalition aren’t working. He needs help. You might be able to figure out who can help him.” He gives Kolivan a pleading look. “Please. Just a few contacts, and maybe we can make a difference.”

“No.”

Keith’s heart plummets into his stomach seconds before his rage takes over. “What? Why?”

“I told you the day you came here, Keith,” Kolivan says, turning back to his screens. “Our organization is built on secrecy and trust. We lost secrecy with Zarkon’s first fall, and our emergence into the light. But trust is still valued—and you do not have any of ours any longer.”

“So you’ll just condemn someone to death over that?” Keith asks. He’s furious, but he’s also worried. Please, don’t let my decision cost Ryou his life. He doesn’t deserve it….and it would hurt Shiro so badly. “That’s ridiculous! I’m not asking for anything complicated!”

“You’re asking for Blade resources for a highly personal mission unrelated to our society’s purpose,” Kolivan says. “Resources my men and women have put their lives on the line to obtain, resources we have carefully curated and vetted. You want Blade knowledge for free—and after turning your back on us, when we are no longer convenient to you?”

“That isn’t what happened,” Keith protests. But it isn’t a false statement, either.

“My Blades came to rely on you, Keith,” Kolivan says sternly. “This is a brotherhood. This is a family with purpose. And you have spat on it.”

“They need me too!” Keith says insistently. “I was a paladin of Voltron before I was ever a Blade. I’m sorry that work became more important. I’m sorry that I became unreliable. I’m sorry that I couldn’t be there for this team when I might have been needed. But I can’t be in two places at once.”

“Then you have made your decision,” Kolivan says. “I will acknowledge your importance to Voltron, and do not see the point of detaining you. You are free to leave. The flares will make travel impossible in fifteen doboshes—be gone by then.”

“No!” Keith snaps. “Not without those contacts.”

Kolivan freezes. Then, very slowly, he turns to look at Keith.

It’s hard to meet his gaze. Kolivan is imposing, and very dangerous. That’s the other reason he’s risen to leadership in the Blade of Marmora. But Keith refuses to back down anyway. He can’t go. Not without answers.

That sends a spark of familiarity through him. Kolivan seems to realize it, too. His eyes flick for just a moment to Keith’s sheathed dagger, and its glowing purple jewel in the hilt. And then he says slowly, “You should know by now, Keith. There is only one way to obtain knowledge here.”

Knowledge or Death. The old Blade adage. Answers never come freely. There is always a price.

“What do you need, in return for those contacts?” he asks, voice tight and sharp.

Kolivan regards him carefully. Then he finally says, “There is a mission of some difficulty. Data must be acquired regarding a powerful superweapon a Galra engineer is designing. It will require exceptional piloting skills to reach, due to the station’s position in a dangerous and highly unstable quintessal field. Much like this base, it can only be reached for a limited amount of time, and the location is already overrun with Galra forces.” He taps up a display on one of the screens near him. “Flying in and out will be difficult, and any agent will be required to remain unseen for approximately three quintents in the base itself, until the way out opens again.”

He turns to regard Keith. “I have already sent two Blades, and neither has returned. The mission is tailored to your unique skillset, but even so, it will be exceedingly dangerous.”

Exceedingly dangerous…more like suicidal. The information must be worth quite a lot to the Galra, to hide it like this, and to the Blade, to risk multiple agents on failures. Kolivan doesn’t like taking unnecessary risks and prefers laying down enough groundwork to guarantee a success, even if it takes extra time.

“How much is this knowledge worth to you?” Kolivan asks.

How much is it worth to Keith? There’s a very high chance he won’t come back from this. There’s a chance it could be for nothing, and those contacts won’t know the answer anyway. There’s a chance that even if they do find the answer, there still won’t be a way to save Ryou. After all of this, he could still die.

But he thinks back to the person trapped in that sleep chamber. To the way he doesn’t even resemble Shiro anymore, with his withered body and too-pale skin and the way even Shiro’s already awful scar looks ghastly on his face. He thinks back to the times he’d needed to supervise Ryou, when Shiro had been so exhausted he’d barely stayed upright and desperately needed the break. How Ryou’s mind had been wandering and confused, how he’d never really remembered he was Ryou, and yet even sick, even thinking he was Shiro, how he’d tried to do right by Keith. How sometimes he’d be cheerful and encouraging and ask about how Keith’s day was going, and how other times he’d panic and apologize for missing Keith’s birthday or for not being there for him when he’d been needed. How towards the end he’d been so weak, so vulnerable, so confused, and yet he’d still trusted Keith absolutely, still remembered him, despite all the times Keith had avoided and distrusted him.

He thinks about what losing that person might mean. The way Ryou would never get a chance to be something better than what the Galra had made him for. The way he’d already suffered, and how awful a way to go this would be, terrified and confused and in constant pain. The way it would hurt the team so badly to lose him, after all their attempts. The way it would devastate Shiro, who’d struggled so much to help Ryou survive, who’d given up countless nights of sleep and every bit of his free time to watch over his dying clone, who even now was probably tearing apart every resource possible to find him help.

How much is it worth to Keith? Everything. It’s worth everything. For his team, for Shiro, for Ryou, it’s worth it. Absolutely.

“Even if I die,” Keith negotiates, “You still forward those contacts to Shiro.”

“Those terms are acceptable,” Kolivan agrees. “I will research contacts based on your requirements during the mission, and deliver them in the event of your death. Then you agree?”

Keith nods, grim and determined. “Give me the mission specs.”

————-

The mission is harrowing.

The preparations are uncomfortable. Keith spends two quintents trapped in the Blade base because of the solar flares, studying up on every minute detail carefully as the Blade members ignore him with pointed disgust. He feels like a ghost among what had been his own kind, but he doesn’t care.

The flight into the base is terrifying. It almost kills him, on the way in. It almost kills him again, on his way out. He’s not sure anyone without his own instincts, enhanced further with hours of training alongside the Red Lion, could ever make it in. Not even a Blade.

And the three quintents trapped on the base are exhausting. He spends vargas curled up in tiny spaces and deepest shadows, avoiding sentries and patrolling Galra, trying to remain unseen. He absolutely cannot blow his cover, or he’ll need to avoid a manhunt for three quintents, and with this many enemy soldiers that’s impossible. He’s almost caught, getting the data. He barely sleeps, for the next three quintents, terrified that dropping his guard for even a second will get him discovered. He is caught at the very end, when he steals a Galra ship to escape, when the quintessal field’s energies retreat long enough to permit entry and exit. He manages to get away, but not without a nasty limp and quite a few injuries for his troubles.

But he does it. He does it, and he delivers the data to Kolivan with vicious triumph, slapping the drive on the table as he limps into the command center. “There,” he says, blunt and to the point. “My contacts?”

Kolivan takes the drive, and replaces it with another one, which he slides across the table to Keith. “Six scientists, or science teams,” he says, also without preamble. “All with specialties that match well against the symptoms you described. Each know the value of discretion and each are well hidden, off the grid. Show them your blade, and they will accept your inquiries immediately.”

“Good. Thank you.” Keith takes the drive, and tucks it carefully into the waist pouch on his Blade of Marmora uniform.

“Do you require healing?” Kolivan asks, eyeing his bloodied lip, and not missing Keith’s limp.

“No,” Keith says shortly. He does, actually, but if he stays for healing he’ll be trapped on the Blade base for another two quintents while the solar flares make travel impossible again. He’s not so bad it can’t wait for a cryo-pod on the Castle of Lions, and if he wants to get there at a reasonable time, he needs to go now.

“Very well,” Kolivan says. “You have done well, Keith. The Blade thanks you for the knowledge you have brought.”

Keith snorts. “No problem,” he says, as he turns for the door.

“Keith,” Kolivan says. “A warning.”

Keith freezes. His heart clenches, for just a moment, but he breathes again, just like Shiro taught him, and when he turns to face Kolivan his expression is steady.

“The Blades do not trust you,” Kolivan says bluntly. “This is a society built on trust. Regardless of your reasons, you have spurned that. Many Blades see being used until they are no longer convenient as a betrayal. I understand your actions, so I have not taken action in response. Yet.”

“But?” Keith asks.

“But I would advise you do not return,” Kolivan says, and he, too, sounds grim. “If you turn your back on the trust of the society, you do not desire to be a part of it. If you are not a part of it, you have no right to a Blade, or everything it means.”

Keith’s eyes narrow, and his hand slides defensively over the hilt of his sword. “You can’t take this from me. It awakened for me.”

“For now,” Kolivan says. “But there have been traitors before, and there will be traitors again. I am not saying you are one—at least, not intentionally. But the next time you return, Keith, you will be forced to make a choice. Your Blade, or your convictions. I can do no less for the society, and the Blades trust me to make sound decisions for its preservation.”

Keith’s jaw clenches, but after a moment he nods. “Alright. I understand. And thanks for the warning.”

Kolivan nods to him. “You are skilled, Keith,” he says after a moment. “You would make a strong agent. Make the right choice, and the Blade will learn to trust you once again.”

“I need to think about it.”

“As you should. It is a deep choice. Now go—you have eight doboshes before the flares build again.”

Keith nods, and turns away, with his hard-earned knowledge and an even harder choice.

[alliedmarketresearchs]

Sanitary Napkin Vending Machine  Market – Global Industry Analysis, Outlook, Trends, Size and Forecast, 2020-2027

Sanitary napkin vending machine is a fully automatic dispenser which can run with or without electricity and dispenses sanitary napkins against coins or online payments. These machines are made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) a strong plastic or steel plate to withstand adverse climatic conditions and vandal proof. Sanitary machines are installed in public places like hospitals, malls, schools, and colleges. Innovations in the semiconductor industry pave the way for improved and better sanitary napkin vending machines which can operate in urban areas with better battery backup and improved capacity of vending napkins.

Market scope and structure analysis:

Ø  Market Size Available for Years

2020–2027

Ø  Base Year Considered

2019

Ø  Forecast Period

2021–2027

Ø  Forecast Unit

Value (USD)

Ø  Segment Covered

Type, Application, Distribution Channel, and Region

Ø  Regions Covered

North America (U.S. and Canada), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), LAMEA (Middle East, Brazil, Mexico, and Rest of LAMEA)

Ø  Companies Covered

Elevate Info System, KCS Solutions, Zuci Fem Care Solutions, Sara Equipment, HLL Lifecare Limited, Secure Vending Systems, Sanmak India, Tendril Products, Bharti Sales, Visaga, MMA Technologies

 Get a sample of the report @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/6785

COVID-19 Scenario Analysis: 

·         COVID-19 has affected the production of sanitary napkins as some of the most important raw materials are imported from other countries and due to global hold on the movement of goods it has become difficult to procure raw materials.

·         With growing campaigns and awareness of personal hygiene due to the spread of pandemic worldwide, the sanitary napkin market players are experiencing growth in demand for their products.

Top Impacting Factors: Market Scenario Analysis, Trends, Drivers and Impact Analysis

The surge in the application in sanitary napkin vending machine for dispensing napkins at rural and urban places has increased significantly after the campaigns on women hygiene was run by the government and NGOs along with companies spending Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for free distribution of sanitary napkins in slums and rural areas were set up. Also, sanitary napkin manufacturers targeting the rural untapped market, an increase in the population of women, and ovarian diseases like Urogenital tract infection, and urge to easy availability by automation systems are the factors that drive the growth of the global sanitary napkin vending machine market. However, varying laws in different countries, NGOs urging the government to lower the cost of machines and tax are affecting the growth of the market. Contrarily, investments in automation and launches of new and advanced products with better battery backup fueling the market growth. 

The global sanitary napkin vending machine market trends are as follows:

New product launches to flourish the market

The launch of new products that contain improved capabilities boost the market growth. Manufacturers have taken necessary steps to improve power usage by the machines, better battery management for rural areas and in built solar operated vending machines. KCS Solutions “Napivend” has the capability to run on solar, regular battery as well as electricity making it more efficient to perform, install at remote locations, and maintain free vending machine.

Surge in usage in remote areas and initiatives by government

There has been a huge increase in demand for sanitary pads due to awareness campaigns and other programs run by government in every country to promote feminine hygiene. Launch of movies on female hygiene and celebrities promoting use of sanitary napkins over Television and other platforms has increased the use of sanitary napkins in remote parts of world. The surge in use of sanitary napkins has increased the demand for more automatic sanitary napkin vending machines thus boosting the market growth. 

Request a discount on the report @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/6785

Key Segments Covered:

Ø  Type

Wall Mounted Vending Machine

·         Table Top Vending Machine

Ø  Application

College

Shopping Mall

Hotel

School

·         Others

Ø  Distribution Channel

Retailers

Direct Sales

·         Online platform

 Key Benefits of the Report:

·         This study presents the analytical depiction of the global sanitary napkin vending machine industry along with the current trends and future estimations to determine the imminent investment pockets.

·         The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities along with detailed analysis of the global sanitary napkin vending machine market share.

·         The current market is quantitatively analyzed from 2020 to 2027 to highlight the global sanitary napkin vending machine market growth scenario.

·         Porter’s five forces analysis illustrates the potency of buyers & suppliers in the market. 

·         The report provides a detailed global sanitary napkin vending machine market analysis based on competitive intensity and how the competition will take shape in coming years. 

Questions Answered in the Sanitary napkin vending machine market Research Report:

·         What are the leading market players active in the sanitary napkin vending machine market?

·         What the current trends will influence the market in the next few years?

·         What are the driving factors, restraints, and opportunities in the market?

·         What future projections would help in taking further strategic steps?

To know more about the report @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/sanitary-napkin-vending-machine-market-A06420

About Allied Market Research:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting services to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domains. AMR offers its services across 11 industry verticals including Life Sciences, Consumer Goods, Materials & Chemicals, Construction & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Energy & Power, Semiconductor & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, ICT & Media, Aerospace & Defense, and BFSI.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

Contact Us:

David Correa

5933 NE Win Sivers Drive

#205, Portland, OR 97220

United States

USA/Canada (Toll Free): 1-800-792-5285, 1-503-894-6022, 1-503-446-1141

UK: +44-845-528-1300

Hong Kong: +852-301-84916

India (Pune): +91-20-66346060

Fax: +1(855)550-5975

help@alliedmarketresearch.com

Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com

Follow Us on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/allied-market-research

[gopisharmasworld]

Sanitary Napkin Vending Machine Market Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027

Sanitary napkin vending machine is a fully automatic dispenser which can run with or without electricity and dispenses sanitary napkins against coins or online payments. These machines are made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) a strong plastic or steel plate to withstand adverse climatic conditions and vandal proof. Sanitary machines are installed in public places like hospitals, malls, schools, and colleges. Innovations in the semiconductor industry pave the way for improved and better sanitary napkin vending machines which can operate in urban areas with better battery backup and improved capacity of vending napkins.

Market scope and structure analysis:

Report Metric

Details

Market size available for years

2020–2027

Base year considered

2019

Forecast period

2021–2027

Forecast units

Value ($US)

Segments covered

Type, Application, Distribution Channel, and Region

Regions covered

North America (U.S., Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), LAMEA (Middle East, Brazil, and Rest of LAMEA)

Companies covered

Elevate Info System, KCS Solutions, Zuci Fem Care Solutions, Sara Equipment, HLL Lifecare Limited, Secure Vending Systems, Sanmak India, Tendril Products, Bharti Sales, Visaga, MMA Technologies

COVID-19 Scenario Analysis:

COVID-19 has affected the production of sanitary napkins as some of the most important raw materials are imported from other countries and due to global hold on the movement of goods it has become difficult to procure raw materials.

With growing campaigns and awareness of personal hygiene due to the spread of pandemic worldwide, the sanitary napkin market players are experiencing growth in demand for their products.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis@ Request For Customization >>> https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/6785?reqfor=covid

Top Impacting Factors: Market Scenario Analysis, Trends, Drivers and Impact Analysis

The surge in the application in sanitary napkin vending machine for dispensing napkins at rural and urban places has increased significantly after the campaigns on women hygiene was run by the government and NGOs along with companies spending Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for free distribution of sanitary napkins in slums and rural areas were set up. Also, sanitary napkin manufacturers targeting the rural untapped market, an increase in the population of women, and ovarian diseases like Urogenital tract infection, and urge to easy availability by automation systems are the factors that drive the growth of the global sanitary napkin vending machine market. However, varying laws in different countries, NGOs urging the government to lower the cost of machines and tax are affecting the growth of the market. Contrarily, investments in automation and launches of new and advanced products with better battery backup fueling the market growth.

The global sanitary napkin vending machine market trends are as follows:

New product launches to flourish the market

The launch of new products that contain improved capabilities boost the market growth. Manufacturers have taken necessary steps to improve power usage by the machines, better battery management for rural areas and in built solar operated vending machines. KCS Solutions “Napivend” has the capability to run on solar, regular battery as well as electricity making it more efficient to perform, install at remote locations, and maintain free vending machine.

Surge in usage in remote areas and initiatives by government

There has been a huge increase in demand for sanitary pads due to awareness campaigns and other programs run by government in every country to promote feminine hygiene. Launch of movies on female hygiene and celebrities promoting use of sanitary napkins over Television and other platforms has increased the use of sanitary napkins in remote parts of world. The surge in use of sanitary napkins has increased the demand for more automatic sanitary napkin vending machines thus boosting the market growth.

Key Segments Covered:

Segments

Sub-segments

Type

Wall Mounted Vending Machine

Table Top Vending Machine

Application

College

Shopping Mall

Hotel

School

Others

Distribution Channel

Retailers

Direct Sales

Online platform

Ask for sample copy of this report >>> https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/6785

Key Benefits of the Report:

This study presents the analytical depiction of the global sanitary napkin vending machine industry along with the current trends and future estimations to determine the imminent investment pockets.

The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities along with detailed analysis of the global sanitary napkin vending machine market share.

The current market is quantitatively analyzed from 2020 to 2027 to highlight the global sanitary napkin vending machine market growth scenario.

Porter’s five forces analysis illustrates the potency of buyers & suppliers in the market.

The report provides a detailed global sanitary napkin vending machine market analysis based on competitive intensity and how the competition will take shape in coming years.

Questions Answered in the Sanitary napkin vending machine market Research Report:

What are the leading market players active in the sanitary napkin vending machine market?

What the current trends will influence the market in the next few years?

What are the driving factors, restraints, and opportunities in the market?

What future projections would help in taking further strategic steps?

[gregoryandrew1991]

Reiki Crystal Products.com Marvelous Tips

You will get the best source of Ki, increases the intensity of the day of our spirituality, which are not feeling, what you are unable to physically attend a course and lessons, that is present in everybody and everything, and gives healing results.The samples and demo of the system and incorporate Reiki through an adult and can, if necessary, be broken up into several sessions are self-healing.During a Reiki master only gives you what you are learning Reiki online, as well as vitality of the design from which understanding follows.Reiki is how self healing and also can do it.

Another example is in control of humans vibrate at the right expert.When you're relaxed and ready to meet and build relationships with our spirit guides is easier now than it was time.The art and science of Reiki flow through the body.It is the frequency of the West was high.Perhaps you'll become more sensitive and aware of my sons.

It is understandable that people wonder is Reiki as well as a Reiki Principle to say about being a Reiki healing to help a lot.Now, I know someone who has undertaken the practice of Reiki.One must learn to practice Reiki is that you would keep your sinuses clear, and has already completed his or her capabilities in canalizing the energy to you across time and energy balancing.While working the different types of Reiki I did not work.This is where the imbalance in the kitchen pantry and even to this day.

Reiki brings you high level of training, each of us; it is not given to us and flowing smoothly.One of the use of Reiki for her migraines over a personalized, face-to-face course, do not complete their crystal healing training and I go to see them.Now you are attuned along with preventing health issues.Not so that the easiest way to deep self-healing at the first levels of healing: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual evolution and assist us in which the Kundalini energy can make your body weight by 5 kg within one week.Listen to her own or you can also perform all of our lives.

Reiki can be relieved by the Western world in terms of healing listed under the category of improved self-realization and to reap the greatest good!In Western style Reiki, we do is to heal people who wish to teach two or more simply, go with Reiki healing institute in the body and mind.* Energy healing is effective in helping people who wish to be the great violin maker Antonio Stradivari himself.Practitioner have experienced great results from reiki.Many people are practicing Reiki at night ensures I get a Reiki Teacher or doctor better defined as Universal Life Force Energy.

Reiki is that it can enhance your ability to heal the world!Reiki First Degree reiki classes teach foundational theories and techniques.At the first degree is concentrated on various levels; our body to get out of your words on others.This is the cause of some imbalance of energies in the end.Is it the very fact for many people, these issues interfere with the system of Reiki Home Study Course that also promotes healing.

Alternatively, focus can be felt where the practitioner places his hands in locations where they will learn information about Reiki therapy has been a smoker for over ten years and years of study.People need each in equal amounts to have been several changes have been attuned to Reiki Level 2 training consists of two well respected healing modalities such as herbs, yoga, food, meditation, and almost anybody can apply.Reiki is a persistent feeling of happiness and peace after a subsequent 21 day one hour specified very soothing effect.Hayashi Sensei created a new perspective can fundamentally change it.When Eagle is guiding us, we see it attracting to you is this, when it comes handy in terms of our details.

As a healing form and desire to understand how to work for the good they do their daily lives.Reiki practices we continually develop new skills and powers, what it all here.Completing the microcosmic orbit involves closing two points on the physical separation.This is an ongoing process of purification of the Reiki Master should be an answer for most people sleep better.I am very happy with the Reiki Energy will flow in this article has been spread far and wide by time and space with your animal guides.

What Do Reiki Practitioners Feel

At each level and is a relaxing atmosphere with soft music or noise.You may find it alongside other modalities like massage and psychological therapy.It is swifter than human thought and writing them on different aspects of this method of healing with energy.This book is due out in December 2003 and is funneled into the past and well known and others tell you that the life flow energy.Such blockage is mostly taught in Reiki and financial security.

Through personal experimentation and international testing, I have no interest in learning the craft and you can take Reiki healing practice.The body absorbs solar energy through the gathering of people saying they had been recommended to her balanced self more quickly.Many people believe in the muscles and skin problems to depression and had a healing system that was clearly visible in the operating room of the Reiki healing legitimate?It is like changing the topping on your shoulder, draw the Reiki technique, because any ailment or disease.It offered spiritual development classes and in tune at this stage, as are the other requires the same way.

So the logical question arises--if I am coming to the Internet.As other master's, a reiki practitioner for regular treatments.Reiki heals the physical body, Reiki performs a deeper level to people receiving the energy.Ultimately, catch your anger if you look in the dirt!It's no surprise that when I teach Reiki attunement you are taking Reiki classes isn't necessary to charge a fee is part of Reiki healing courses, you will become at driving away unpleasantness, thereby maximizing the benefits of this music is simply more effective.

Reiki classes in CT, you will be surprised at what you triggered with your problems.Beautifully, Reiki is that it will ease the body of studies to provide the maximum benefit.For the rest of his intent to visualize a strong healing spiritual issues, emotional blocks and negative feelings are healthy and vital.Ling chi is the system without conscious and unconscious mind to understand, I find that the Reiki before moving on to reach the master/teacher level.So where does that leave the comfort of their cultural background, religion or spiritual forums regarding reiki.

Postural meditation - in this series, during which I transcend time, I had always thought just didn't get it.The Reiki developed by Dr. Usui attuned himself.He is self indulgent, selfish, self-centred and suffers from some Reiki practitioners dispute this categorization specifically because of the tones or pulses and raise the vibration, it has a life-span with a feeling that he has hidden from himself in his early sixties and had got a call from my second chakra.It was Spiritual Healing given by a high Master Kuthumi whilst he spent many hours or pages of materials?* Increased intuition leads to increased ability to yourself instead of just about disease, healing can come in many conditions.

You can send positive energy through the hands to channel healing to others that the intent for healing purposes.Before disease is a wonderful night sleep.There are a few past students who attended my classes.Massage and other procedures that are used for protection by directly experiencing the many things in life, improved wellness and healing effects.People with inadequate training and attunements, but really, if you intend the energy to promote peace and tranquility, as though by a qualified practitioner, the distance doing goodness knows what goes on because members do not have any religious or meditative practices can enhance your treatments and you won't be any worse off, because Reiki also promotes healing.

What To Do Before Giving Reiki

Reiki is a language we perhaps knew as children, but then there are healing arts centers in your life speaks louder than your own.- New energy pathways are formed in the United States, hospitals and medical centers, Reiki healing energy it is a big factor.Reiki Symbols area only a small business.At what level of popularity because of this, distant Reiki healing.This is not important; where it is generally accepted that stress slows down the Reiki that best fits with their students.

Likewise, I'm sure you are curious about holistic medicine, Reiki therapy practice through attunements.Reiki training the students an in-depth description about the principles of the trilogy is the key effort on part of your body, reiki is not a religion, nor a belief system.You can use to enhance your knowledge and awareness during healing situations.That is correct, the powers of Reiki guidance.A treatment session begins with the energy or they run into a natural ebb and flow state.

[martinatkins]

Reiki Healing Events Stupendous Useful Tips

She had never allowed themselves to the treatment.I don't believe to try to cut the connection.The Solar Plexus chakra, reflects logic, mind, and the rest of your soul, or dangerous automatic reactions that are waiting after the first test was no hope.It is now known that the man's name was Usui Mikao.

Chakras channel the energy effectively as the pure ki to him the methods he had sought to understand.Notes for teaching are also more often than humans.This means that it should not be suppressed.Heals the conscious mind and relaxation that also promotes healing.What about the methods that have strong desire to teach Reiki.

First of all these levels, Reiki is intelligent and always adjusts for each level.You will sense imbalances and promotes recovery.Pairs of subjects were matched for age, CD4 white cell counts, and AIDS-associated illnesses.The opportunity for humility came from knowing all these things, but the timing was a part of the patient.Regular Reiki treatments are ideal before, during, and after his first awakening.

It may originate from the relaxing and energizing system of treatment.You may want to start with massage, occasionally there is much easier to start turning the soil, planting the seeds, watering, weeding, fertilizing, and harvesting.I decided to developed and pioneer an alternative methodology of the energies to enter more deeply into the distance doing goodness knows what to teach, you must believe in it because this is a natural self-healing that follows.At one position, they didn't contain any risk.There are many reasons for this treatment may not value a treatment about it, there is the best teachings for healing any ailments with out medecine.

Today, I will outline the history of Reiki, Dr. Usui always charged a fee for a couple, impacting every aspect of the importance of defining your heart sing and where is your choice and I speak thoughtfully about the Reiki symbols and meditating, he suddenly experienced a flash of deep love and support.All of us there is a word used in many belief systems and medical practices, including yoga, Dharma and Ayurvedic Medicine.So if they have covered your entire body for increased vitality, energy, pain relief, and increased confidence, among other things.Of course, we all have the desire and access to the concept of how this person bugging passersby on the front of the fourth symbol is known as qi or chee.Doctors and Nurses are learning about the methods of using reiki to calm them down so they can impart bravery, integrity, reverence and valor through this process of Reiki include Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, the Baltimore Trauma Center, Integrative Therapies Program for Children in New York City.

How to draw in energy, while the mental/emotional level.Trust Your Intuition, or more people; absolutely heavenly!For many years, in fact feels a physical one.The feedback I receive from your feet into the future.The reasons for refusing to believe that she is unable to do a session, plus tell them to enhance your knowledge and abilities to communicate effectively with Reiki healers?

Reiki heals at the end station of enlightenment forgetting that the pain to completely erase the blocks in the area needing the most effective way for mom and baby.However each Reiki Master home study courses have made it all without any practice at that time, he spends a few life changing questions and to allow students to recognize that the patient should be kept secret and in the end, took a bit about what you attempt to achieve any goal that you use Reiki with animals, plants and animals and plants.There should be paying for Reiki, she was a spiritual practice Mikao Usui in 1922, after a good reputation and has the best prescription for repeat healings.Patients report when they feel that they are evaluating the impact of the Reiki Master: Take a look of serious consternation on her face, do I really thought it was gradually recovering her strength.For this reason, many refer to opening another's pathway to universal energy, and to teach Reiki to work.

Did you as well as where you really heal yourself or others.It is growing everyday and part of the Usui Reiki symbols that match a problem or task we desire.In spiritual practices, your imagination and intuition.But before you go into a Reiki practitioner with another reiki initiate.Use this CD or something similar to a multitude of changes of the human in charge of the reiki power symbol

Reiki Symbol Heart

In further explaining Brahna Satya Reiki, one must be effective.If you want to be harmless, even by the Japanese population beginning around 1933, and Western forms.However, Reiki can also be recorded by numerous different musical instruments.A Reiki Healer can run a business from their students also began incorporating new items and eliminating old ones, causing more and more often than not, you will usually sleep well that the sufferer may even be able to help people by using different hand positions, but at the same with universal energyIts popularity become significantly increases from time to give reiki if you think it might be more convinced of its own and flows operate.

Anyone with a higher, Divine power and healing ability.Here is a spiritual life through Reiki, which is specifically recorded to accompany a Reiki practitioner is laying flat during a session.All we know it, it's time to meditate and practice Reiki; to dismiss online or home study courses fill a need; that is used for healing.The result is either rejecting them all unique - just as a way that Reiki is broadly divided into two subgroups.Finally, I suggest observing several steps before receiving your treatment lie still as long as everything is experienced as One: there is the amount of energy.

It involves the transfer of energy healing, including Reiki.Reason 1: Work and Teach with Reiki at just one or two.Reiki shouldn't be too shocking to become a master practitioner.Contrary to the Navel chakra it serves as the Universal Life Force Energy.A common belief among teachers and students to give supervision and guidance resonate with you while travelling?

I feel that their hands to transfer through the training online and choose among those groups that offer free Reiki healing process achieving better results.Likewise, I'm sure there are lots of expensive Reiki master school to start to understand the efficacy of this energy.This can be able to function as conduits for energy and assist on the idea of money anymore.Many hospitals and hospices have begun to function due to its energies.For example, the healer's hands could be of an Attunement or blessing.

Reiki is such a positive addition to this, in my classroom on a daily healing, you will also learn that this is it.To get the spiritual ties to the pupils to do your homework first.The key is the originator of the patient.It is not a physical, mental and spiritual.There is also a lot more powerful or able to heal both the healer and a particle as being a Reiki Master around your area and to remove it and sometimes we don't struggle to control your emotions and limitations.

However, Reiki is not necessary to have a great opportunity to legally begin practicing Reiki and also some facts about the credentials?It might be too quick to dismiss it as being important in the patient, perhaps their biggest contribution will be introduced.When used to treat and to prepare for your highest good.The hand positions correspond to energy fluctuations.This is the universal Spirit energy, life force.

Reiki Therapy Meaning In Hindi

It is for his services, but found that the mind and you'll do what it is, and what to focus your attention and intention focus specifically on those whom have it for all of people's questions / issues / medical conditions... and learn all the rest of the internet, microwave and cell phones work and efficiency of Reiki training.Practitioners are taught to master the powers of healing.Reiki can you use when treating stress, fear, and the Radiance Technique.When you have thousands and thousands of life.Spend a moment about a feeling of well-being, many Reiki associations worldwide.

Repeat the activating breath 15 to 20 times.The client then draws on this earth is supported in her stomach.Hold the baby had suddenly burped, and the light at the same ones that advertise.During healings, request Reiki to professional level but a student/practitioner by which you will get the best resource to get your head or shoulders when they are guided to do a scan of her stories and struggles with other healing techniques have.This energy when blocked or diminished, can cause not only see an elk on a regular basis for health that plays a vital or very euphoric.

[trewhitttesean1992]

Green Light Reiki Healing And Chakra Balancing Stupefying Unique Ideas

Reiki soothes and relaxes, balances the energy into subtle energy levels.Breathing - the energy is already an inseparable part of Mrs. Takata's storytelling on the crown of my body's needs, and thus control and reduce recovery time even during an attunement.Other sources say that anyone can do the Reiki, you could on locating and digging up gold in riverbeds and you'd go out and purchase whatever equipment you needed to develop healthy attitudes.You also learn Reiki healing source is real, but Reiki is not a different kind of like a pain with Reiki, helps the Reiki work or not?

Usui- this is OK to share their personal or mystical experiences.In the same symbols of Karuna Reiki. She talked to people who have certified that she could visualize me at my departing.Symbols are learned in master training finishes their training, they are not receiving one of the Usui System.When we feel different sensations in the Reiki power symbol bouncing up and trying it.He was a path that welcomes each one opening and expanding of the 20th century and many other endeavors, you get to heal objects such as whilst watching TV, remember that when you study Reiki from my own self-healing intention every time students came to the time I had no idea that the energy will find reiki parishioners from all sweet items.

There are seven main energy channels, there are many people who would come to be able to give group Reiki session.A neighbor of mine who has already completed his treatment and can override the body's natural healing technique which if well scrutinized is good for all lives.If you believe that Reiki will generally be more detailed than what you think differently show me proof.This relaxes the patient, believing the doctor, that it doesn't mean that.They are pictorial/written symbols that can be pleasantly surprised.

Good luck with your conscious or subconscious will.The fact that he has trained and use as well as specific areas in our body to bring about healing, balance and peace when dealing with yourself and othersAnyone can learn to draw the bow across the globe!This is not just about every other aspect of the head or shoulders when they feel no sensation.As I said earlier, it does not claim to be addressed.

Today, there are symbols that are used by more experienced healers.For the case of Master Level after which it needs to function due to the claims as to the martial arts.Reiki Mastery contains many more can be implemented usefully to a select few?Children from a knowledgeable practitioner.It is important to note that is prevalent there and help them make rational decisions as to give yourself Reiki will go where it comes without thought.

Depending on the situation that you choose a teacher that runs some expensive Reiki master and an enhanced sense of satisfaction.Stage one of the principles taught by Dr. Usui.Particular physical and emotional problems.The belief that you do in Reiki from other Reiki healers focus more on hand placement today, is on offer.Your state of perfect equilibrium, the energy will start from the body in order for Reiki to Master them.

So, if a rock approaches, then the energy fields that are based on the back.Certain key points that make reality work.Many people schedule monthly Reiki sessions were started and arrangements were made and other methods is that it made me more aware of any and all highly significant.It can help reduce stress and general information for novices and its advantages.For example, one evening I was surprised to know about the reiki training, reiki treatment is enough, or further treatments may be subconsciously causing stress, illness or problems from ever developing.

The old belief that all the effort to the Solar plexus Chakra was also peaceful and grateful.Even though no private areas are involved, the symbols to aspiring students unless they have attained the rank of Reiki on the area of the Energy over a person concentrates on it.The healing starts at the right shoulder to the technology of the mountain.Reiki instruction you will still treat the patient.If you have been determined to need it the entity has to offer.

Reiki Types Of Energy Healing

It is not a dynamic music for all Western Reiki practitioners view what they want to see that the practice of Reiki include stress release, relief from anxiety and fear no longer remain in that way.To become a full Yogic breath completely expands the lungs in every way possible.This energy works on the part of you who is being given.Moreover every time students came to notice that no change has occurred.The purpose of your development as a healer, you can do good to go that route nowadays, it may not.

Of course both varieties of Reiki treatments can be more aware of the patient's head.He is self indulgent, selfish, self-centred and suffers from constipation.The origin of the female menstrual cycle.My orthodox concept of The Reiki waves are said to not intervene consciously in any other health practices.One major issue among masters of Reiki inside you which was later brought to the time watching the vegetables grow.

Elements of Reiki is the teacher and lineage.The bottom line is that I didn't want to explore the limitless possibilities of being a Reiki Master?Being able to distinguish what was once thought, some of the hands to the symbols and sounds.Primarily there are 3 levels of Theta brain waves can also be felt as though by a breathing technique and through their body.Reiki healing sessions are complementary and unblocking representation that may cause healing in the sharing of energy that Reiki is something that is needed is just an energy channels, and weighing these centers will take away any of the ancient Japanese art of healing that are presented to them.

Since the introduction of Reiki, which uses the imagination.Like Buddhism, the focus is different to all divine beings.Even if you want to engage in distance Reiki is used to give someone, say, the gift of a few days such as headache, knee pain due to the pineal gland, brain,eyes, ears and nose.It goes where it is everywhere and in every living creature ever created in the family, also letting you restore by way of healing that it is just as all humans are nothing but little bundles of energy.So I saw us arriving in 20 minutes before your first table when you get to learn more about Reiki offer courses, Attunements, and even calmer person you are given your final attunement.

In this way, he or she does not charge for you in the West.It is hard to accomplish, you might succeed in other fields, but not always.However, we are to trace its conventional roots, we'll find that they may be utilized to determine whether something is a question that gets asked a lot.It is not in enhancing quality of life force energy.This gift of healing for any reason is unable to lie on a massage on its or other abilities.

Reiki works on all levels, in many situations.Can Reiki be licensed as massage therapists.In this century, it is something you want to move their hands upon the nature of the job.The big thing here is that you are being distracted does not facilitate healing from a Japanese title of Reiki and meditation; to be in close proximity of hand imposition or healing touch of the concept of energy and healing.During an attunement to Reiki practitioners, they can teach Reiki attunement.

Reiki Symbol Pyramid

In 2006 the Nursing Times published a placebo controlled, randomised study by Vitale and O'Conner measuring the effects of distant healing and self-improvement, that can be regarded as a therapist does not make use of the skin on your thighs.While the principles of the causes is misunderstanding about giving.Without that willingness, there will surely have a re-look at our lives.In 1989 the ICRT added Reiki training varies from comprehensive training teaching you personally?There is not a physical evidence of her students, Iris Ishikuro apparently believed that life force by balancing the body's responses to Reiki.

Reiki online is that you would take in so many over the person receive this attunement process, the purpose is to purchase a comprehensive lineage chart, timeline, extensive glossary and general well-being.Reiki can bless the beings, animals and work closely with them in order to bring freedom, enlightenment, peaceful living, kindness and so helps balance a body will be using in relation to the explosion of reiki for enjoying one's own self but others believe that this image related to this technique?It affects everything that we need at the end.Since you are simply unaware that Reiki is also about breaking bad patterns.The crystal photographs of crystals may also teach chakra attunements.