#enterprise performance testing

[noosferik]

Very interesting + concise article, pertinent with how much I've seen the joke about that "sadness in his eyes you only see in east european gay porn". Warning for pretty much everything you can expect.

Describing the wave of Eastern European gay pornography that flooded the US market following the dissolution of the USSR, Jones said: “They were products of a crude imperialist enterprise: cheap and nasty looking, with an atmosphere of coercion and cultural misunderstanding pervading them. Customers adored these videos, and expressed their breathless admiration whenever given the chance”

It gets pretty rough from here onward.

The Fall… opens with a short clip of a young man in profile, undressing. He looks uncomfortable, alternating between staring forward and glancing in the direction of the camera, his eyes showing a mix of discomfort and contempt. Jones’ voiceover states: “even in an unlikely place, it is possible to find traces of recent history” followed by b-roll taken from the aforementioned porn films including maps of the former USSR, market scenes, beggars and street footage. Their purpose in the aforementioned films appears to be part exoticism and part poverty fetishism, attempting to show the former glory of the Eastern nations as an emphasis on their subsequent fall. They’re an essential part of the set-up, speaking directly to what made this genre of pornography appealing to a western, primarily American, market. It’s easy to comprehend the mixture of exploitation and exoticism that made these videos popular in the US, but Jones goes further, aiming to establish a firm link between the booming Western economy and a more global, less visible form of exploitation.

The latter half of the film compounds the atmosphere of coercion, focusing specifically on the casting and screen tests of performers. The voice from behind the camera probes the subject on their sexual preferences, their motivations for being filmed: “I’m doing it for the money” “That’s a very good reason” Western audiences were turned on by the idea that the performers were under some form of duress—the ostensibly straight man either consuming their sexuality through the guise of pornography, or in the case of several scenes, the performer showing visible discomfort at either the sex or the presence of the camera. The films are low budget, low production value and low brow—by intention, rather than necessity. Jones speculates that the developing Eastern European sex industry, with the influx of Western producers and a Western market in mind, could be seen as an indicator of fertile ground for fascist ideologies—an aspersion confirmed by the global rise of far-right ideologies in tandem with the economic pressure of late-stage capitalism, a point at which more contemporary comparisons can be made.

The brief conclusion on the contemporary form of this exploitation aesthetic is also noteworthy:

In the same way that the fall of communism was exploited by the West, the financial and social insecurity of a generation living in recession, under permanent austerity, is exploited now. The aesthetics utilised in Jones’ film are still broadly present, albeit perhaps in a slightly altered form, now accompanied by a new visual language born from a culture numb to being told to “like, comment, share and subscribe”.

[mim16s]

Dangerous woman

Bruce Wayne x Singer!Reader

Bruce Wayne hated being there. An upscale bar, dull conversation, and sycophantic partners — all part of the PR package he loathed. But then she stepped onto the stage. Hypnotic, confident, with a voice that felt more like a spell. He didn’t know her, but the moment their eyes met, he knew he couldn’t leave without truly getting to know her.

I was thinking about making this story a trilogy, since I have some cool ideas for it. Let’s see how it performs, if you guys like it, I will continue!

English isn't my first language, so there might be some spelling mistakes.

He hated being there. Damn it, he had practically been forced to join that thing under the excuse that it was "good for business." They said the closer he was to the partners, the better it would be for Wayne Enterprises. So, they arranged to meet at an expensive Gotham bar — the kind of place only the elite frequented. But everything was so unbearably boring that he genuinely considered leaving and to hell with business.

–Have you guys seen who’s performing tonight? – one of them asked, twirling a ridiculously expensive drink in his hand with a crooked smile.

–Y/N– He added, his grin widening in a lewd way.

–Dude, she’s hot. They say her voice is like a siren’s.

— I’ve seen her sing, I can confirm. She’s hypnotizing- said another.– I got hard just watching her — the voice, the body, the face... she’s a goddess. I’d pay a fortune for one night with her.

Bruce paid more attention now, despite hating the way they spoke about her like she was an object. Still, he was curious

–And you, Mr. Wayne, have you ever seen her? – one of the partners asked.

–No – he answered dryly.

– Well, tonight you’re about to find out what paradise is like.

Bruce shrugged, detached from the disgusting conversation still going on around him. He simply sipped his drink, silently wishing time would speed up and bring the socially acceptable moment for him to get up and disappear through the door.

That was when the sound of a microphone being turned on caught his attention. Some people stood and excitedly moved closer to the stage.

–Good evening, everyone, our star of the night is ready for another show- someone announced enthusiastically.

Applause and whistles echoed through the room, and then she appeared. Bruce saw her step out from behind the curtain with a captivating smile and elegant waves. For a moment, time seemed to stop.

He had never seen someone so mesmerizing. Her curls fell over her shoulders, framing her face like something hand-drawn. Her makeup highlighted each feature perfectly, and the red lipstick made her lips look like a forbidden invitation. The dress hugged her curves precisely, and the heels added a touch of sensuality to each step. It was impossible to look at you and not think: how could a woman be this divine?

–Hello, everyone. I hope you're excited for the show.– Your voice filled the room, sweet and firm, prompting more applause and cheers.

Bruce’s heart picked up speed.

–What do you say we sing together?– you asked, smiling as you held the mic tighter.

The instrumental began, and the moment your voice filled the air, Bruce was certain: he could spend the rest of his life listening to you sing and never get tired.

Don’t need permission

Made my decision to test my limits

Cause it’s my business

God as my witness, start what I finished

Don’t need no hold up

You sang, and everyone’s attention was on you, but it didn’t seem to faze you. Your voice flowed sweet and powerful. The stage felt like your home — you moved and interacted with the crowd and the band with such ease. He couldn’t help but admire it — your confidence, his eyes locked on you.

Taking control of this kind of moment

I’m locked and loaded

Completely focused, my mind is open

Bruce felt his heart race. Your voice... it was a spell he didn’t want to resist. He practically wished to fall under your enchantment.

All that you got, skin to skin

Oh, my God, don’t you stop, boy

Without realizing, his feet moved, ignoring the men calling after him asking where he was going. He headed for the bar closest to the stage. The music flowed like it was part of you, and every note sent into the air seemed to pull him closer.

Something ‘bout you

Makes me feel like a dangerous woman

Your eyes scanned the crowd, recognizing the familiar faces of regulars, and the strangers who looked just as entranced. But one in particular caught your attention — eyes staring at you with intensity. It was different from the hungry, filthy looks you’d gotten used to ignoring. That man wasn’t devouring you. He was watching you with admiration — curious, enchanted.

You smiled back at him, returning his gaze, feeling butterflies in your stomach from the intensity before you turned toward the other side of the stage.

Something ‘bout you

Makes me wanna do things that I shouldn’t

You kept singing, but your eyes drifted back to that handsome man from time to time. He looked at you with such admiration that you couldn’t help yourself — it was like you were singing just for him.

Bruce felt the impact of your gaze straight in his chest. That wasn’t fleeting attraction; it was unlike anything he’d ever felt. It wasn’t about the dress, or your body, or the lipstick. It was the way you owned the space effortlessly, how your voice carried emotion in every syllable, how your eyes seemed to read his across the crowd.

You sang a few more songs before the final chord rang out. Applause filled the venue as you thanked the audience with a smile and left the stage to head backstage. Bruce followed you with his eyes until the last possible second, and then, the silence that came after your absence was deafening.

He ran a hand over his face, trying to collect himself. He, Bruce Wayne, shaken like that by someone he barely knew? That was far from normal.

But then again, you weren’t.

He couldn’t resist.

He needed to understand what was happening. He stood and walked toward the backstage area. Of course, being Bruce Wayne made things easier — just one word and the security guard let him through as if he owned the place.

You were seated in front of the vanity, a glass of water in your hand, shoulders slightly damp from the effort. Still smiling, wrapped in the good energy from another show. This was what you loved.

But the soft footsteps behind you made you turn... and there he was.

Taller than you expected. And even more handsome up close than in any photo.

–You sing like an angel – he said, his voice deep and husky, hitting you hard.

You smiled, and he faltered for a second. He looked like a teenager completely smitten.

–Thank you, Mr. Wayne–you replied, standing and walking over to him. The height difference was staggering, and you had to tilt your head up to meet his eyes. God, he must be close to two meters tall.

–You know who I am?– he asked, half-teasing.

–Hard not to. You’re on every channel in Gotham- you said with a sharp smile.–What brings the famous Bruce Wayne here tonight?

–A business meeting Informal.- he replied with a light grimace. – I hated every second. But now... I’m glad I didn’t leave earlier. I would’ve missed the chance to hear you sing.

–I’m flattered to hear that.

–Now even to your dressing room, the desire to know you more deeply

You blushed slightly but quickly composed yourself.

–Would you join me for a drink?- he asked, no pretense. Almost desperate for a few more minutes with you.

–And your partners? Won’t they mind you disappearing?

–They’ll deal with it. I only care about the fact that you’re still here –he said, eyes locked on yours.

You let out a soft laugh, a bit shy, but charmed.

–Sure... why would I turn down an invitation like that?

He smiled, and in a natural gesture, held out his hand. You took it — and let him lead you toward the bar, where the night, apparently, was just beginning.

The bar wasn’t as full as before; it had thinned out after your performance, the buzz quieter now, but the soft lighting and background music created an almost intimate atmosphere.

Bruce chose a corner table, away from curious eyes.

He pulled out a chair for you, which you thanked him for and sat down.

–So...– he began, as the waiter brought the drinks. – How long have you been singing?

–Since i was a kid, I think. Before I even understood what a musical note was, I was turning my house into a stage and making my mom watch, –  you replied with a nostalgic smile. – But it’s only in the last few years that I’ve made a living from it. Gotham is tough on many people, including artists. It wasn’t easy getting to sing in a bar like this.

— They recognized your talent. Your voice is far too enchanting to stay hidden — he said, without taking his eyes off you.

You felt the heat rise in your cheeks, but kept your composure. You weren’t easily intimidated, but that gaze... it was as if he could see beyond what you showed.

— And you? — you asked, playfully. — Have you always been the mysterious, charming billionaire in the tabloids?

— Charming? — he raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. — That’s a new one.

— Hard to believe no one’s told you that before.

— Maybe... but it’s never sounded as good as it does now. — he replied, his deep voice making the words feel more intimate than they should.

— Can I ask you something? — he said, more serious now.

— Sure.

— When you were singing... it felt like you were looking right at me. Was that just my imagination?

You hesitated for a second. But decided not to lie.

— It wasn’t. You had this... intense look. It caught my attention.

Bruce gave a slight, satisfied smile.

— Good to know the feeling was mutual. Now I just want to find out everything I can about you... if you’ll let me.

His gaze was intense, and you wanted to savor every second. The conversation between you flowed like you’d known each other forever, so effortless and captivating that you barely noticed time passing. The bar, once crowded and noisy, was now nearly empty — it was practically just the two of you and the distant sound of ambient music.

— I should go... — you murmured, glancing around. — This late, getting a cab is going to be nearly impossible.

— I can take you home. — he offered, without hesitation.

— I don’t want to be a bother...

— What kind of man would let you walk out alone at this hour in a city like Gotham? — he raised an eyebrow, a faint smile on his lips. — And honestly, I’d love a few more minutes with you.

The way he said it made your heart race. You smiled, finally giving in.

With your bag in hand, you followed him to the car — and almost sighed at the sight of the luxurious model parked there. Not even in your wildest dreams did you imagine stepping into a car like that. Bruce opened the door for you, his hand warm and firm as it lightly touched your back to help you in. It was a simple gesture, but so intimate it made you hold your breath for a second.

The ride was peaceful. The city passed by outside, but inside the car, the world felt quiet and calm. The conversation remained light, full of smiles and lingering looks that lasted a beat longer than necessary. It was like there was a bubble around the two of you — and for some reason, it felt like the only place you were meant to be.

When you arrived, Bruce was quick to get out and open the door for you like a gentleman. Your home was simple, but cozy. He looked around for a moment, curious, before turning his gaze back to you.

— Thank you for bringing me home. — you said, a genuine smile on your lips.

— Thank you for letting me. — he replied, eyes locked on yours.

For a moment, silence fell between you again. But this time, it was full of possibilities.

His eyes were fixed on you, and there was something in them… like he was memorizing you from the inside out.

— Are you always this much of a gentleman, or are you just trying to impress me? — you asked, tilting your head slightly, arms crossed in a casual gesture, but with a teasing smile on your lips.

He smirked before replying provocatively:

— Only when it's worth impressing.

— Oh... so I’m special? — you raised an eyebrow. — And here I thought Bruce Wayne didn’t get shaken.

— I don’t. Usually. — he said. — But you... you’re not exactly easy to ignore.

You took a step closer, locking eyes with him. Your gaze danced between his eyes and mouth, teasing.

— You sure you don’t say that to everyone you meet?

— Only to one in particular. — He moved in closer, now so near you could feel the warmth of his body. — And even then, I still feel like I’m not saying enough.

— Hmm... — you lightly bit your lip, then smiled mischievously. — Maybe you’ll need to do more to convince me.

— Oh, yeah? — he smiled, now even closer — close enough that one more step and you’d be pressed against him. — And what should I do about that?

You looked at him with a sweet, wicked glint in your eyes, rising up on your toes to whisper in his ear:

— Surprise me.

He felt the hairs on his body stand on end, and didn’t hesitate before closing the gap, pulling you by the waist. You instinctively rose on your toes again as he leaned in and met your soft lips. When it happened, it felt like everything fell into place — it felt right, the two of you, as if the universe had held its breath waiting for this exact moment.

The kiss was intense. His hands gripped you firmly, and yours found their place on his neck and face, almost trying to pull him even closer, even though you were practically already fused together. It was insane how much you wanted him, and he felt the same, just as intensely.

Every second of that kiss screamed that you were made for each other, like the rest of the world simply faded away for a moment. Time stopped, and all that remained was the heat, the touch, and the desire.

It was something he had never felt before. The kiss lasted until you both had to break away for air — but you didn’t pull apart. His arms were still wrapped tightly and possessively around you.

— So, did I manage to convince you?

You laughed, touching his chest with a single finger, light and teasing.

— You’re doing pretty well… but I have a feeling you can do better.

He chuckled low, shaking his head.

— This is a dangerous game.

— I like to think I’m a dangerous woman... remember? — you winked.

And that’s when Bruce Wayne knew he was completely lost and that he needed you.

Part 2???

[starberry-cupcake]

mcspirk going through it in the search for spock

1. while grieving the loss of spock, jim finds out bones is acting erratic af

2. in comes father in law sarek to make jim re-live the trauma

3. turns out, bones is carrying spock's katra aka living spirit in him and jim's gotta break him out from jail

4. they gotta go to genesis and then to vulcan, but star fleet is being assholes about it, so jim's gotta steal the enterprise and the og team

5. bonus frienship support: sulu kicks a cop's ass, uhura is a queen, scotty tampers with a brand new federation starship's engines

6. jim's gotta check up on the two husbands in one body situation once in a while

7. Turns out, spock's body is still alive, it went through different stages of growing (pon farr included, it's complicated) and jim's gotta remove him from the about to explode genesis

8. bones is emotionally going through it with spock's soul-less body right in front of him and spock's soul in his head

9. they gotta perform the very old and not at all tested in a while vulcan procedure to get spock back into his body (last jim and bones were on vulcan it was for spock's pon farr, afaik, so hell of a habit these two have for visiting)

9. sarek realizes that jim is also going though it, since he has lost both his wife (the enterprise) and his son (biological) to save his soulmate

10. spock starts to come back to himself, though, so things are looking up

[muirmarie]

this is silly, but go with me on it anyway: the nickname Bones is, in fact, because when they met years ago, long before Kirk ended up as Captain of the Enterprise (and long before he dragged his fave doctor onboard after him) they had a one-night stand where McCoy did, in fact bone Kirk so well that Kirk's brain kinda half-melted out his ears, and then McCoy deeply obnoxiously explained that he was not in the right headspace for anything more, and declined to sleep w/ him again, and Kirk was like, obviously I will accept your decision, but I'm still going to befriend you and also nickname you for what you're good at, so that I can not so subtly remind you of what we could be doing for the rest of our lives (yes we've only known each other for one (1) day, but I'm already planning on knowing you until we die, get on board because that's non-negotiable)

and it's like. It's genuinely fine, because McCoy would in fact die for Kirk (and attempts to do so every now and again just to prove it), so it all basically worked out, even though sometimes McCoy maybe hears the nickname and is just ".......it's definitely too late now, but maybe I should have made a different choice?"

(it is absolutely not too late, he just doesn't know it/can't admit it to himself.)

anyway this could obviously be mckirk, but I'm gonna be honest:

mcspirk where Spock finds out JUST how McCoy got the nickname, and he's just. Hmm. Fascinating. There is a theory baked into your nickname (that you're great at sex) and I am a scientist interested in testing theories (we should have sex).

anyway yada yada yada they all end up together probably, i don't make the rules, I just think it would be very funny for Spock to be like ".....this entire time you've been referencing how well he performed sexual intercourse?" and Kirk's just "listen if he'd melted your brain like he did mine, you'd understand" and Spock's just. "hm. Challenge accepted." and McCoy's just "....do I get a say in this?" and they're both just "No <3" and he's like. "....okay, fine."

[usafphantom2]

The Last Cat: The F-14 Tomcat and its Fleet Air Defense Role

The final member of the Grumman cat family, the F-14 Tomcat, with its signature variable-geometry wings and twin-engine design, became an iconic symbol of the Cold War.

Darrick Leiker

The Last Cat F-14 Tomcat

Creating the Cat

A product of the “Grumman Iron Works” (Grumman Corp.), famous for producing rugged fighter aircraft such as the F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat during World War Two, the F-14 is a variable-geometry twin-engine all-weather interceptor/air-superiority fighter built under the newer company name of Grumman Aerospace Corporation.

The final member of the Grumman cat family, the F-14 Tomcat, with its signature variable-geometry wings and twin-engine design, became an iconic symbol of the Cold War.Creating the CatThe Claws of the CatF-14 Specifications and VariantsCombat Air Patrol Cat FightsStray Cats

When a program known as TFX (Tactical Fighter Experimental), established by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, produced a naval version of the highly-touted Air Force F-111A, it soon became obvious the aircraft was not going to live up to requirements or expectations as a replacement for the Navy’s McDonnell Douglas F-4. Soon after McNamara left office, the too heavy General Dynamics-Grumman F-111B naval version was forgotten.

In July 1968 the Navy requested proposals on a new carrier-based fleet defense aircraft under a program known as Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX). Designs came from General Dynamics, North American Rockwell, Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV), McDonnell Douglas, and Grumman. Grumman was announced the winner of the design competition in Jan. 1969 with the company’s Model 303 proposal.

Grumman’s Model 303 design was a two-seat design and was built around a weapons system known as the Hughes AWG-9. Two Pratt & Whitney TF-30 turbofans would power the large aircraft, and, following Grumman’s tradition of naming aircraft after cats, the new aircraft became known as the F-14 “Tomcat” and would be the last “cat” produced by Grumman, with the first flight taking place on Dec. 21, 1970.

The F-14 was the first of the Teen Series of fighters for the United States, and was designed to establish complete air superiority in the vicinity of carrier battle groups at sea, perform interceptor duties, reconnaissance missions, as well as a secondary role attacking tactical targets. The variable-geometry wings adjusted automatically between 20 and 68 degrees, sweeping back for intercepting at high-speeds, and swung forward for lower speeds used for loitering and increased endurance during patrol duties. The rugged landing gear was designed to withstand carrier operations for the heaviest and largest U.S. fighter ever built for carrier operations.

After completing carrier trials in the summer of 1972, deliveries of the aircraft, now designated the F-14A, followed in Oct. of that year with the commissioning of the first two F-14 squadrons, VF-1 and VF-2. The F-14 would go to sea as an operational aircraft for the first time aboard the carrier USS Enterprise on Sept. 17, 1974.

A prototype F-14A during armament testing in 1973 with the wings swung forward. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)

The Claws of the Cat

The heart of the F-14’s ability to perform its fleet defense missions was the Hughes AN/AWG-9 weapons control system, which could track up to 24 targets at once and allow 6 of them to be fired upon simultaneously. With roots in the Douglas F6D Missileer and the F-111B, the system and its powerful radar had look-down capabilities exceeding 150 miles and, combined with the AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air (AAM) missile, the Tomcat was the perfect weapon for interception of long-range threats to naval assets.

The AIM-54 could carry a 132 lb warhead at speeds up to Mach 5 at a range over 125 miles, providing air defense of the fleet over an area consisting of 12,000 square miles at altitudes from near sea level to altitudes attained by aircraft and tactical missiles. An incredibly expensive missile, it was also very effective, carrying its own radar guidance system, allowing the F-14 to concentrate on and engage multiple threats. The AIM-54 was a large missile with a length of 13 ft, wingspan of 3 ft and weighing close to 1,000 lb. The F-14 could carry up to six Phoenix missiles, but normally was loaded in smaller quantities of two or four with a combination of other AAMs.

Medium range AIM-7 Sparrow missiles could also be carried by the Tomcat for BVR (Beyond Visual Range) aerial targets, as well as shorter range AIM-9 Sidewinder for closer targets. Racks allowed various combinations of “iron bombs” to be attached to the aircraft. Multiple weapons loading schemes allowed the F-14 to be configured for a variety of roles defending the fleet against aerial threats at various ranges or attacking ground targets, with a capacity for a mixture of ordinance of up to 14,500 lb. Drop tanks could also be thrown into the mix to extend range.

For close-in engagements the Tomcat also had a General Electric M61A-1 Vulcan 20 mm rotary cannon mounted in the forward fuselage on the left side. A total of 675 rounds were available for the Gatling-style gun capable of a rate of fire of up to 6,000 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity around 3,400 feet per second (FPS).

An F-14 with a full load of six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles makes a turn with its wings in the swept position. While an effective long-range fleet defense weapon, it was unusual for the maximum number of AIM-54s to be carried, usually two or four were carried, augmented by AIM-7 and AIM-9 missiles. Tests showed the Phoenix effective not just against enemy aircraft, but against some types of incoming missiles as well. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)

F-14 Specifications and Variants

Grumman F-14A models were supplied to the United States Navy totaling 478 in number. The A variant was powered by two Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A afterburning turbofans producing up to 20,900 lb of thrust each and giving the aircraft a maximum speed of Mach 2.34. Maximum wingspan was 64 ft 1.5 in and 38 ft 2.5 in at the maximum swept position. Service ceiling was 56,000 ft. Overall length was 62 ft with a height of 16 ft. Maximum take-off weight was 74,349 lb. A crew of two consisting of a pilot and a rear seat officer known as a RIO (Radar Intercept Officer), or sometimes called NFO (Naval Flying Officer), sat in tandem with good visibility.

An F-14B model was proposed utilizing the Pratt & Whitney F401-PW turbofans with a prototype produced from an existing F-14A and known as the “Super Tomcat”, but was placed in storage after a handful of flights. It would be used later a testbed for the General Electric F110-GE-400 engines producing 28,200 lb of thrust with good results. Later, some F-14A models were fitted with General Electric F110-GE-400 engines, designated F-14A+ and eventually re-designated the F-14B in May 1991. The new engines were more fuel efficient and also increased performance. These Tomcats received the ALR-67 Radar Homing and Warning (RHAW) system along with other upgrades.

An F-14C variant was proposed powered by two General Electric F101DFE engines along with improvements in avionics, radar, and fire control systems. However, the C model was never produced and most of these improvements were incorporated into later production F-14As, F-14A+(B), and eventually the F-14D.

The final Tomcat variant was the F-14D, with a total of 37 being produced before further production being stopped by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney in 1989. An additional 18 F-14As were converted to the F-14D.

Notable upgrades to the F-14 throughout its service life include the TARPS (Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System) controlled by the RIO, which included an extra display for viewing reconnaissance data, allowing the Tomcat to assume the role of the retiring Vought RF-8G Crusader. The Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) gave the F-14 a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera for nocturnal operations along with a laser target designator for guiding laser-guided munitions. Ground attack capabilities improved in the 1990’s with the addition of the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) system along with the capabilities to carry GPS guided weapons. ROVER III was added to some Tomcats to provide full motion video (FMV) real time to forward air controllers in the early 2000’s.

An F-14D of VF-31 “Tomcatters” during the type’s last operational cruise in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005/2006, armed with a GBU-12 Paveway II. (Image credit: U.S. Navy)

Combat Air Patrol Cat Fights

On August 19, 1981, two F-14s were engaged by Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 “Fitters” over the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean Sea. In what became known as the Gulf of Sidra incident, the Tomcats from VF-41”Black Aces,” operating from the carrier USS Nimitz, were able to evade the hostile missile fired at them and returned fire splashing both Libyan aircraft.

The American aircraft were flying CAP (Combat Air Patrol) while a Lockheed S-3A Viking ran a pattern over international waters that were contested by Libyan leader Gaddafi as belonging to Libya. Both Su-22s were destroyed by hits in the tailpipe from heat-seeking AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. It was the first aerial victories for the F-14 as well as a historical first of all aircraft involved being of variable-geometry designs.

Shortly after the incident two MiG-25 “Foxbat” aircraft operated by Libya headed towards Nimitz with F-14s turning them back, then once the F-14s turned for home, the MiGs turned back towards the carrier only to be chased away once more.

Jan. 4, 1989 saw the Libyans once again throw variable-geometry aircraft against American F-14s in a second incident over the Gulf of Sidra, when a pair of MiG-23 Floggers was downed in the Mediterranean Sea north of Tobruk, Libya. Two pairs of F-14s were conducting combat air patrols while operating from the carrier USS John F. Kennedy, when a Grumman E-2 Hawkeye detected the MiGs departure from an airfield near Tobruk and heading north toward the carrier battle group.

One pair of Tomcats operating with VF-32 was directed to intercept the MiGs while another pair of F-14s from VF-14 flew cover for Grumman A-6 Intruder aircraft operating in the area. The intercepting F-14s began tracking the Floggers 72 nautical miles away but, unlike most previous encounters with Libyan pilots, the two MiGs did not turn back once detecting the radar sweeps from the Tomcats.

F-14A Tomcat 160403 on the deck of the USS Nimitz the day after the aircraft shot down a Libyan Su-22 Fitter. (Image credit: U.S. Navy)

The two pairs of aircraft continued to converge head on, and despite multiple maneuvers, the MiGs insisted on placing themselves on head-on approaches to the American aircraft. With the MiGs consistently showing aggression, they were determined hostile and one was shot down with an AIM-7 Sparrow, followed by the second MiG being downed by an AIM-9.

During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Tomcats performed CAP duties over the Red Sea as well as the Persian Gulf, along with strike escort missions and reconnaissance roles. With strict Rules of Engagement, the F-14 was limited in utilizing BVR weapons such as the AIM-7 and the AIM-54; however the AWG-9 radar emissions frequently sent Iraqi aircraft retreating at a great range once they were “lit up.”

On Jan. 21, 1991 the F-14 suffered its only loss to enemy action when one was hit with an SA-2 surface-to-air missile near Al Asad airbase in Iraq. The F-14 shared the skies with Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-15s conducting air combat patrols. A Mi-8 helicopter would be the final kill for a United States Navy F-14 when it was downed with an AIM-9 on Feb. 6.

Nicknamed “Bombcats,” F-14s finished out their career utilizing enhanced ground attack capabilities in Bosnia during Operation Deliberate Force, in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. They performed these duties well and also helped enforce “no-fly zones.” However, the Tomcat’s career was coming to a close.

Stray Cats

Despite attempts to market the F-14 abroad, only one nation besides the United States purchased the F-14. Originally sold to the Imperial Iranian Air Force in the 1970s, the Shah of Iran was deposed from power leaving these potent aircraft and their Phoenix missiles in the hands of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) in 1979.

Although not involved in fleet defense roles, Iran used the aircraft and the AIM-54 with good success during the Iran-Iraq War 1980-1989. Out of the original 79 purchased, small numbers of Iranian F-14s are thought to still be airworthy despite the lack of spare parts due to American sanctions, and at the time of this writing it is unclear how they have fared in the recent conflict with Israel.

An Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force F-14 on landing approach. Sold to at the time America’s ally, the revolution of 1979 removed the Shah from power and placed the aircraft in the hands of those hostile to the United States. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Putting the Cat out

Despite performing well and having extremely potent and effective weapons and capabilities for fleet air defense, the F-14 Tomcat was retired from active service with the Navy on Sept. 22, 2006 at NAS (Naval Air Station) Oceana, Virginia, after Grumman had produced a total of 710 aircraft. The potent AIM-54 Phoenix missile was retired previously in 2004. The last flight for an F-14 in U.S. service was on Oct. 4, 2006.

The Tomcat had become very expensive to maintain and being a mostly analog plane in a digital world, it was replaced by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet that is capable of carrying the new AIM-174 “Gunslinger” long range AAM. Many F-14s are now on display in museums and parks with engines and critical components removed in order to prevent parts being harvested and used by the Iranians to keep their F-14s in service. Made famous by the popular 1986 Top Gun movie, the legendary Tomcat is well recognized and loved by both movie goers and aviation enthusiasts everywhere.

@TheAviationist.com

Several retired Tomcats are on display in museums and parks, the example here on display at Eisenhower Park in WaKeeney, Kansas just off of I-70. F-14A 160925 was a TARPS capable aircraft. (Image credit: Author’s Collection)

[electronickingdomfox]

"The Kobayashi Maru" review

Novel from 1989, by Julia Ecklar. This is a collection of short stories, rather than a novel with a single narrative. I found it quite dull. Lots of filler and little substance, stretched to novel-length. And then there’s the awkward “poetic” metaphors that make little sense (“The smile on the old man's face was sweet and happy, like the smell of fragile honeysuckle just before the frost”. What!?). Some parts are better (in particular the frame story), but overall I had little interest in the short stories about the characters’ Academy years. Honestly, the Academy is a setting that I don’t care about, and Chekov or Sulu aren’t my favorite characters either. As I don’t have much good to say about this one, I’m going to keep this review short. The frame story has Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Chekov and Sulu drifting away in a damaged shuttle, with little hope of survival and rescue. Why would the Enterprise leave a shuttle so unmonitored, to the point of not having a clue of what’s going on, is anyone’s guess… Anyway, as the crew faces their own unwinnable scenario, they exchange stories about their Kobayashi Maru test at the Academy, to pass time. It’s a bit unbelievable that they’d be telling tales so leasurely in such a situation (or that they’d make Sulu tell his story, when he’s seriously injured, in pain, and unwilling to talk on top of that). The first story is that of Kirk, which we already know about from the movies: he cheated so the Kobayashi Maru wasn’t an impossible scenario. This story just provides the details of such cheating, and shows Kirk’s obsession with the test and his philosophical disagreements with one of the teachers. It’s one of the shortest sections. After this, comes Chekov’s part, in my opinion the worst. The test itself takes little space, and most of the narrative deals with a “Hunger Games”-like scenario, in which cadets are forced to survive under hostile conditions (though in this case it’s all play pretend and nobody dies). Chekov is portrayed as such a sociopathic asshole, incapable of working in team, that I don’t understand why they let someone like that through Command school (let alone give him the distinction to work on the Enterprise, which is an honor reserved for few, as we’re told). The narrative attempts to excuse his behavior because “all cadets failed to cooperate in the end”, so Chekov is no different than the rest. But I strongly disagree that the others behaved in such a shitty way, not even remotely. On top of that, we discover that there’s only been ONE student who passed that survival scenario in the whole history of Starfleet Academy, and that was… James T. Kirk! (him again? gimme a break…). Whatever; I guess the author didn’t like Chekov much, because he’s bratty and immature, even in the movie-era present story. After this one, comes Sulu’s section, which only deals with the Kobayashi tangentially. The scenes with his great-grandfather were moving, and flesh out Sulu’s background. Unfortunately, they’re preceded by a lengthy and boring part about a class where each student represents a Federation planet, and they throw paper planes at each other or something… The whole deal seems more fitting for high-school, rather than a military Academy. Finally, there’s a shorter story about Scotty not liking Command, and going back to the Engineering branch, after an adequate performance at the Kobayashi. It seems forced to put Scotty in Command school, but I guess the author just needed a bit more meat for the book, as McCoy didn’t even attend the Academy so he wasn’t an option.

Spirk Meter: 2/10*. At the end, after the Enterprise rescues the crippled shuttle, Spock offers support for Kirk to walk, as he has an injured knee. Kirk accepts the help and jokes “Well, Mister Spock-should you lead, or shall I?" Spock doesn’t get it.

More romantic is the following scene, when McCoy is treating an aching Kirk in the shuttle:

"That should dull the worst of the pain," he explained with professional detachment as he returned the last of his gear to his pouch, "although it might tend to make you a little sleepy. Just try to be comfortable, and call me if you..." The doctor's hands hesitated in stowing the equipment away. "...if you need anything." Kirk caught McCoy's wrist, switching his grip to the doctor's hand when the older man looked up to meet his gaze. "Thanks, Bones..."  He hoped McCoy would understand all the other things he didn't have the words to say. The doctor only smiled wanly and squeezed the captain's hand.  "No charge," he said softly. "Now go to sleep."

*A 10 in this scale is the most obvious spirk moments in TOS. Think of the back massage, "You make me believe in miracles", or "Amok Time" for example.

[spawksstuff]

De's Star - Introduction

Transcript:

Johnny Grant: As you know, DeForest is loved by fans worldwide for his popular role as Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy, Chief Medical Officer of the USS Enterprise in the highly successful Star Trek television and motion picture series. DeForest was born and raised in Atlanta, where he first used his talents in the church choir. Later, a radio performance on stage at WSB earned him an engagement with Lew Forbes and his orchestra and that was at the Atlanta Paramount Theater. After moving to California, he joined the Long Beach Theater Group. During World War II, a Paramount talent scout noticed him in a Navy training film. This resulted in a screen test and a contract. DeForest remained with Paramount for 2 ½ years, making his motion picture debut in Fear in the Night. Let me mention just a few of the other films he has appeared in: Gunfight at the OK Corral, Raintree County, The Law and Jake Wade, Warlock, Where Love Has Gone, and a myriad of television appearances include Playhouse 90, Schlitz Theatre, Gunsmoke, Zane Grey Theater, Rawhide, and Bonanza. DeForest made his debut in the Star Trek television series in 1966, and needless to say, the rest is history. 

DeForest has given freely of his time and talents to many humanitarian efforts, including his many hospital visits to children and veterans. DeForest is currently reprising his role as Dr. McCoy in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. As you know that premiered recently and I have a feeling most of you have seen it at least six times.

Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, please help me, the Hollywood Arts Trust, and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce welcome DeForest Kelley as we dedicate his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! And here he is, coming down from the USS Enterprise.

[unintelligible]...they’ll shoot all day. So DeForest Kelley ladies and gentlemen. 

Right through here. Oh he’s nimble!  Alrighty. We got a few of your friends here. Let me go down this thing....

[lonestarflight]

Film of Space Shuttle Enterprise landing at Runway 17.

"Separation was initiated by the orbiter crew 49 seconds later. Computer 2 stopped executing at separation. The remaining three computers in the redundant set continued operating properly and the crew took the necessary actions to continue the flight as planned. The orbiter was landed on lakebed runway 17 with touchdown at 15:53:51. Touchdown was approximately 1 mile past the predicted landing point. Free-flight time was 5 minutes and 22 seconds. Steering, braking, and coasting tests were performed during rollout which was approximately 11 000 feet. The altitude profile for free flight 1 is shown in figure 4-1."

Date: August 12, 1977

source

[shadow-lag]

@kirbyoctournament

Introducing...NISMO*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Prior GSA member, she is an archer powerhouse. Using arrowheads made from her unusual and ever-growing crystal horns, she can scope out hundreds of enemies from Nightmare Enterprises. Frequently sent to work with one of the GSA's top solider, Sir Metaknight. 🦇⚔️🫐

Though despite the sad appearance her masks downturned shape may portray, she is heeps more cheery then the blue knight. Often going as far to tease him, but always brightening his mood (even through his denial)

After the GSA decided to disband, she continued wearing her star badge. Through this, she managed to navigate her way through off-handed conversations and small mentions straight back to MK, and to the beautiful Dreamland. Where she meets the King's hoard of waddle dees. The GSA had plenty of trained waddle dees working to maintain and protect large bases, all in which she held high respects, but none were quite like the largely spoken about and highly regarded Bandana Dee. Whom she made very quick friends with, even going as far to use scrap Iggy Woods wood and her crystals to make him a custom spear. (A cherished gift)

Avid pop flower enjoyer<3

(More rapid details in the reblog!!)

Born of the same wish powered stardust akin to those of the puffball species. Nismo's manifestation came through at times of war. Though her tampering wasn't quite as cruel as some others, several forces stole the wishes of the pure hearts to get their slimy hands on creature so full of energy. Nightmare Enterprises was the usual culprit of this experimentation, but Nismo was stolen by someone else. Remnants of the ancients, a group split from the magic users. They wanted a super weapon, they wanted someone who could attest the Heros of Yore. Someone who this time wouldn't rogue off and need sealed away. Such things can not just be made however. Knowing the magic of the fabled Star Rod, they attempted to replicate its extraordinary capabilities. A powerful organic creature merged with their ancient magic. The experiments failed however. They couldn't enhance her performance to make her strong enough. Couldn't speed up the aging evolutionary process enough to sprout wings. Just large clunky crystal formations where horns were meant to grow, although formed through similar materials as the star rod, they weren't as powerful. They had failed again. And just like that they were on to the next. Thrown out into the cold of Shiver Star, she was raised by local scavengers already immune to the cold. She learned to adapt. Learned to hunt and gather any food that still grew through the frozen climate, learned of a passion for cooking, began carving scrapes into fresh spears. Occasionally the child-like whimsy would break through. Small wooden trinkets were gifted as often as she could carve them. It was here she learned of the greater battle with Nightmare through the wide spread call for arms of the Galaxy Solider Army. Bidding farewell to the only place she had called home, she set out on a grander journey. It was her time in the GSA she had discovered the functionality of her crystal horns. Sir Dragato studied magic prior to his recruitment. And with Lady Garlude's mild background in geology as well, together they were able to preform testing to the crystal material. They learned it could be diamond cut and regrown. And that it made for a very strong weapon. While it did not pose for its original intent to mimic the Star Rod, it proved useful in other ways. Already versed in carving techniques, Nismo quickly learned she could make spear and arrows heads, daggers and other small blades. Through strict training in the GSA camps, she fine tuned her archer ability and was the slickest shot in her ranks. Firing crystal tipped arrows straight through the heart of His monsters. Here she was partnered with Sir Metaknight, who, though bits and peices, shared his own childhood stories, that seems to match up with her own in some places. Together, slaying the monsters who terrorized hundreds of innocent planets. She was so determined to end Nightmares sinister plans to take over the galaxy. But sheer determination was not enough. Their ranks dwindled. Eventually Sir Arthur decided it was best to preserve those who remained to train a new generation of star warriors. He disbanded the GSA. She spent years traveling the stars, accepting vigilante style jobs to help keep the streets clean of Nightmare's trash. Planet hopping. Once in a purple moon, she'd be aligned to return to shiver star, sharing as much resources as she could spare with the people who cared for her through most desperate times. She'd tell stories of her travels. Ensure they would remain safe. Then be back in her starship roaming the galaxy. Soon enough, huge news spread far and wide that Nightmare had been defeated, by a child no less. Chosen to wield *the* Star Rod. Nismo was overjoyed, tears poured heavy in the light they had finally won. And something else came up through more sparsely shared details of the battle, a previously acclaimed star warrior had accompanied this young Kirby. Sir Metaknight. With Nightmare defeated and a reunion underway, things were finally starting to look up. Back to her starship, with a new destination set this time.

Dreamland of planet Popstar

Cheers if you read any of that lol. That's just a glazed over summary of her character I think. Perhaps in the future I could do actual scenic writing peices with her.

[wolvesroampastelgalaxies]

The Star Trek Saga No One Wanted 😛

Okay, ya'll these guys have been in the making since like ...... 2017? When I first started watching ST:TOS. I plan to post my ‘verse with them. I

P.S. All the art is from my friend

The Goodest Girl, Ylva

Her handlers finally letting her touch grass and she could not be happier

Lieutenant Ylva serves as the U.S.S Enterprise's Cultural Expert and On-Board Diplomat. Ylva believes that an agreement can be reached no matter how difficult or different the parties can be. She takes pride in her position, placing it as her highest priority. Ylva’s internal struggle is rooted in imposter syndrome and often leads her to taking on more than she can chew to prove herself. Despite Ylva’s strong adherence to the chain of command and formality, she makes friends readily with her easy-going nature. However, every dog has its day, and she will bite if pushed too far. As diplomacy is a type of communication and therefore falls under operations, Ylva wears a red dress uniform, which happens to be her favorite color.

Fun Fact - Ylva is deathly afraid of medbay due to her species not needing much medical care. However, protocol demands that landings outside of Federation territory require a physical evaluation post contact. The nurses have a hard time getting her to comply and Doctor McCoy ends up having to pull rank and perform it himself much to his displeasure.

Background:

Ylva had failed the psychological evaluation during her pairing testing and opted for exile where she learned of the Federation. Admiring its diversity, Ylva applied to Starfleet Academy and majored in xenoanthropology.

She spent her first residency studying humans on Earth and then had the opportunity to study Romulans with the sole embassy of the Romulan Star Empire on Nimbus III. To graduate, potential starship diplomats intern with the Federation Diplomatic Corps (FDC). There they work to provide cultural outreach to Federation citizens abroad.

During Ylva's internship, she is requested by the FDC to assist in relations between the Romulan Star Empire and Federation. Her residency on Nimbus III allowed her contact with Romulans in a non-militant setting. Once there, Ylva met with the Praetor, Gaius (guy-s). The Praetor’s unwillingness to negotiate causes Ylva to act unprofessionally and she is forced to sit-out. To the Federation’s surprise, the Praetor requests to negotiate with Ylva privately, eventually establishing terms of agreement if Ylva will enter a Trust Bond.

Gaius has agreed to keep Romulan warships out of the neutral zones so long as Ylva agrees to be at the Praetor’s disposal for any communication regarding the Empire and Federation. During their bonding ceremony, Ylva discovers her inexperience with diplomacy has led her to make a grave mistake.

[Gaius] [Selene] [Kyle]

[allaboutkeyingo]

SQL Server 2022 Edition and License instructions

SQL Server 2022 Editions:

• Enterprise Edition is ideal for applications requiring mission critical in-memory performance, security, and high availability

• Standard Edition delivers fully featured database capabilities for mid-tier applications and data marts

SQL Server 2022 is also available in free Developer and Express editions. Web Edition is offered in the Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) program only.

And the Online Store Keyingo Provides the SQL Server 2017/2019/2022 Standard Edition.

SQL Server 2022 licensing models 

SQL Server 2022 offers customers a variety of licensing options aligned with how customers typically purchase specific workloads. There are two main licensing models that apply to SQL Server:  PER CORE: Gives customers a more precise measure of computing power and a more consistent licensing metric, regardless of whether solutions are deployed on physical servers on-premises, or in virtual or cloud environments. 

• Core based licensing is appropriate when customers are unable to count users/devices, have Internet/Extranet workloads or systems that integrate with external facing workloads.

• Under the Per Core model, customers license either by physical server (based on the full physical core count) or by virtual machine (based on virtual cores allocated), as further explained below.

SERVER + CAL: Provides the option to license users and/or devices, with low-cost access to incremental SQL Server deployments.   

• Each server running SQL Server software requires a server license.

• Each user and/or device accessing a licensed SQL Server requires a SQL Server CAL that is the same version or newer – for example, to access a SQL Server 2019 Standard Edition server, a user would need a SQL Server 2019 or 2022 CAL.

Each SQL Server CAL allows access to multiple licensed SQL Servers, including Standard Edition and legacy Business Intelligence and Enterprise Edition Servers.SQL Server 2022 Editions availability by licensing model:  

Physical core licensing – Enterprise Edition 

• Customers can deploy an unlimited number of VMs or containers on the server and utilize the full capacity of the licensed hardware, by fully licensing the server (or server farm) with Enterprise Edition core subscription licenses or licenses with SA coverage based on the total number of physical cores on the servers.

• Subscription licenses or SA provide(s) the option to run an unlimited number of virtual machines or containers to handle dynamic workloads and fully utilize the hardware’s computing power.

Virtual core licensing – Standard/Enterprise Edition 

When licensing by virtual core on a virtual OSE with subscription licenses or SA coverage on all virtual cores (including hyperthreaded cores) on the virtual OSE, customers may run any number of containers in that virtual OSE. This benefit applies both to Standard and Enterprise Edition.

Licensing for non-production use 

SQL Server 2022 Developer Edition provides a fully featured version of SQL Server software—including all the features and capabilities of Enterprise Edition—licensed for  development, test and demonstration purposes only.  Customers may install and run the SQL Server Developer Edition software on any number of devices. This is  significant because it allows customers to run the software  on multiple devices (for testing purposes, for example)  without having to license each non-production server  system for SQL Server.  

A production environment is defined as an environment  that is accessed by end-users of an application (such as an  Internet website) and that is used for more than gathering  feedback or acceptance testing of that application.   

SQL Server 2022 Developer Edition is a free product !

[eggs-attorney]

Case 1: Turnabout Assembly (Archive)

Start from the beginning, or jump to a specific post!

1:) Introduction 2:) Meeting Yanshu 3:) Reiker's First Trial 4:) First Cross Examination 5:) The Truth About Flash 6:) Questioning Axel 7:) The Tracking Device 8:) The Missing Tracker 9:) The Drilling Finale

The Court Record is under the cut!

______________________________________________________________

Evidence

Underlined evidence can be inspected by clicking on the name!

📦 Attorney's Badge: Proof of my status as an attorney in Sunnyside. The center has an Eggman-themed scale of justice stamped into the metal.

"Already scratched... ... Hope I don't have to give it back."

______________________________________________________________

📷 Friendship Photo: A playful photograph depicting Yanshu and Flash. She seems a bit camera shy.

"This is cute! Well... If you ignore the sad part."

______________________________________________________________

📄Autopsy Report (Flash): An autopsy report containing details about Flash Driver's dismantlement. A photo of the state he was found in is attached.

Contents:

Victim - Flash Driver (Age N/A)

Time of Death - Wednesday April 9th, 20XX, Between 7 and 8pm

Cause of Death - Forced removal of core components (personality core, memory banks, main processing unit).

Remarks - Major damage to the victim’s legs and rear maintenance panel, proprietary fasteners removed with incompatible tools.

______________________________________________________________

📦 Yanshu's Omnitool: A handy device containing a multitude of screwdrivers, wrenches, and proprietary tools for Eggman’s RoboTechs. This blue one belongs to Yanshu Dryll.

"Why does everything have to be shaped like his face...?"

______________________________________________________________

📃Maintenance Sheet:

A print-out detailing the maintenance performed on Flash Driver.

Contents:

✔️ Bolt Integrity Check ✔️ Hydraulic Fluid Refill ✔️ Joint Lubrication ✔️ Firmware Updates ✔️ System File Scan ✔️ Post-Maintenance Startup ✔️ Servo Calibration ✔️ Full Sensor Test

...There’s a note scribbled at the bottom of the page.

- Non-Standard Parts - Incorrect certification mark. Seems to be an attempt to mimic the licensed Eggman Enterprises logo. Data transfer and replacement recommended. Deliver unit to head office for examination and related procedures.

______________________________________________________________

📃GPS Analysis Report: A print-out detailing the location of all Omnitools at the time of the murder.

Contents:

TIME: 20:00 UNIT 1: HOME UNIT 2: HOME UNIT 3: HOME UNIT 4: HOME UNIT 5: HOME UNIT 6: SPROCKET PARK UNIT 7: SPROCKET PARK UNIT 8: BUZZ BOMBER BLVD. UNIT 9: SLICER STREET UNIT 10: MEAN BEAN COFFEE CAFÉ

"A warm cup of coffee sounds pretty good right about now..."

______________________________________________________________

📦 Axel's Omnitool: A handy device containing a multitude of screwdrivers, wrenches, and proprietary tools for Eggman’s RoboTechs. This blue one belongs to Axel Bolton.

"These things have other colors?"

[power-chords]

The naming of the space shuttle Enterprise involves one of the funniest presidential orders of all time.

Enterprise, the first space shuttle orbiter, was originally to be named Constitution, in honor of the Constitution of the United States. However, "Star Trek" fans started a write-in campaign urging the White House to instead select the name of the starship that James T. Kirk captained in the original TV series. Although President Gerald Ford did not mention the campaign, he directed NASA officials to change the name, saying he was "partial to the name" Enterprise.

In recognition of their namesake, "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry and most of the principal cast of the original series were on hand when the shuttle Enterprise was rolled out of Rockwell's Air Force Plant 42, Site 1, Palmdale, Calif., assembly facility on Sept. 17, 1976.

Enterprise was built for NASA to perform test flights in the atmosphere; lacking engines or a functional heat shield, it was not capable of actual spaceflight. NASA planned to eventually outfit Enterprise for spaceflight and to make it the second space shuttle to fly, after Columbia, but final design plans for the fuselage and wings of the orbiters changed during the construction of Columbia, and refitting Enterprise in accordance with the new plans would have required significant effort: Entire sections would have to be dismantled and shipped across the country to subcontractors. Instead it was deemed less expensive to build the space shuttle Challenger from existing materials.

And she now resides in New York City at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum :)

[catch-me-hello]

I-Land, Episode 2: Bring the Rain.

Before we get started, a happy announcement. Minhyuk of Monsta X completed his military service while I was watching this episode, and the whole rest of the group was there to welcome him home. The members who are still enlisted used a day off to be there when he left the base. (There was a wonderful moment when I.M jumped up to hug him and wrapped his arms and legs around him.)

Hyungwon, Joohoney (Jooheon), Kihyun, Shownu, Minhyuk, and I.M

It’s great to see pictures of all six of them back together. I don’t know when they will all be performing together again, since maknae I.M hasn’t had to enlist yet, but for now, this just warms my heart. Welcome back, Minhyuk, you manic dolphin boy! It’s good to see you back in civilian life.

Now, back to I-Land.

When we left, our sixteen I-Land residents were about to decide which four of them had to leave and go to the Ground, with its greenery and fresh air, and complain about how terrible it is.

The two-hour countdown clock begins. Everyone decides to leave their things at the giant egg timer and explore the facility. They find the group practice room, the voting room, the big Starship Enterprise living room, the kitchen, and the gym.

I remember thinking back in Episode 1 that an accent wall might cheer this décor up. Well, the gym has two accent walls, and I still feel like hurling myself down the stairwell.

I did say before that the bedrooms look nicer than the rest of the place. I still don’t see any windows, unless that dark square recessed into the wall too high up to see through is a window.

It is telling that when they see the bedrooms, the first thing the trainees exclaim is, “It has every color!” Yep, this is where they keep the colors. Enjoy them while you’re sleeping. The bedrooms also have the I-Land rules posted on the walls, such as “All tests have time limits,” which must make for relaxing bedtime reading.

In fact, the trainee comments do start to change in tone as they tour the I-Land. “This makes me scared,” says Geonu. The trainees also use the word “creepy” when they see their profile photos on the living room wall. They finally decide they need to sit down and talk about the upcoming vote.

I already know four who shouldn’t be here.

Sungchul. He’s the only one from the weak Monsta X “Shoot Out” performance who got in.

K. He already knows he shouldn’t be here.

Seon. He blew his performance, but he was the first one and got voted in unanimously before the trainees understood the stakes.

Ta-Ki. His second performance was really good, but he’s too young and needs more training. His first performance proved that. And we already know from the last episode that his bestie Ni-Ki is going to betray him and vote him out.

We get voiceovers and confessionals from all the trainees, and right away they agree that All-Rounder (and future Enhypen member) Heeseung deserves to stay. He’s the one they all want to be in the final group with.

In the kitchen area, Heeseung and Seon find a quiet corner where they can talk, but they’re very aware of the cameras. “Is it okay to share secrets in front of the cameras?” Seon asks.

They agree they want to be on the same team together. Having established this alliance, they re-join the others. Seon immediately starts working the crowd and finds others having separate conversations in corners and hallways. In a voiceover, he tells us he’s very aware that he’s not as good as the others and risks getting eliminated, which is why he’s campaigning so hard.

Ni-Ki and Ta-Ki meet up in the kitchen alone, and this is the conversation I really want to hear. They agree that the I-Land is amazing. They start practicing some dance moves together. Ta-Ki tells us, “Ni-Ki’s the one I can rely on.” Oh, you sweet summer child. Ni-Ki’s telling us he’s not sure if Ta-Ki will get eliminated or not.

The giant egg timer in front of the LED screens of floating rocks announces that the voting will begin in ten minutes. I swear, this place looks like it was decorated by a bunch of ten year-old boys during a comic book binge.

As the minutes tick down, it becomes clear that no one has decided on their votes, or at least they’re not admitting to it. As the timer gets to one minute, Sunoo says, “I should make up my mind now."

Ta-Ki leaves a room where he’s been talking with Ni-Ki, and we get some foreshadowing of Ni-Ki watching him leave and looking very conflicted. We still haven’t seen anything that would justify the decision he’s about to make.

Time for the vote. The announcer says, “Ni-Ki, please head to the voting room,” and he freezes. He pulls himself together and goes downstairs to the voting room we saw last episode. Each trainee will vote for four dropouts.

Our trainees approach the screen one by one. Even though it’s a private vote, they know the cameras are on them, so they apologize out loud as they cast their votes.

Suddenly, our host Namgoong Min appears onscreen, telling us we’re about to find out who’s going to the Ground. He appears so rarely, I keep forgetting he’s on this show.

Our trainees gather in front of the giant egg timer, which announces that the twelve survivors of the I-Land have been determined. The four dropouts are about to be announced, and everyone looks like they’re about to have anxiety attacks. Geonu tells us, “I’ve been thinking I might choose to be eliminated.” Dude, it’s a bit late for that. Besides, you’re not one of the trainees who shouldn’t be here.

The first dropout received ten votes. It’s future Enhypen member Sunoo. Wow. That hurts, especially since so many people voted him out. This vote sends a message that they don’t want to be in the final group with him.

The second dropout received nine votes. It’s Sungchul. I called that one. He doesn’t seem too distressed. I think he saw it coming.

Before the third dropout is announced, we get a flashback to Ni-Ki and Ta-Ki talking during the two-hour countdown. Ni-Ki tells his friend he’s been doing well enough to be his rival and he’s improved a lot, which sounds a bit condescending. Ni-Ki then says, “You’ll improve a lot when you’re here, but if you went to the Ground and tried hard to come back here, then you’ll grow so much more.”

Whaaaat?

We then see the footage of him voting to eliminate Ta-Ki. What a sanctimonious jerk. And THIS guy makes it to Enhypen?

Now back to the giant egg timer. The third dropout received nine votes. Of course, it’s Ta-Ki. Several of the other trainees look surprised, but more than half of them voted for him, so it could be an act. Ta-Ki slumps forward, staring at the floor, crushed. I hate this. I know he needs a lot more training before he’s ready for this, but what an awful way to find out.

One last dropout. We get another flashback. Daniel and EJ are in the same unit and performed the Zico song together. We see them hanging out together during the two-hour countdown. Then EJ goes into the voting room. In a voiceover, he says, “Things were so good with Daniel. But I wanted to try practicing with other friends as well.” SO HE VOTES HIS FRIEND OUT.

I’m sorry, but that reason is even meaner than Ni-Ki’s. At least Ni-Ki was able to dress up his reason with gaslighting. EJ is just basically saying he wants to see other people.

But there’s a twist. Daniel does not get voted out. EJ does. He gets six votes. This is incredibly satisfying to watch. Now EJ can make all the new friends he wants at the Ground.

The four dropouts are ordered to move to the Ground. Ni-Ki hugs Ta-Ki and says, “It’s okay. You have to come back, okay?” Sure, Ni-Ki. After he removes the knife from his back.

As the four take the elevator to the Ground, Sunoo is a bit shaken that he got the biggest number of votes. I look forward to seeing him fight his way back to the I-Land. We cut to the Ground to see the other dropouts, and this place looks even better in the light. They have a floor. I originally thought they were actually standing on the ground, but no. Other than not being able to participate in the missions, which I agree one hundred percent really sucks, I still don’t know why they think this place is a dump. Do they actually have to sleep on the floor? I hope we get to see more of this facility.

Our four newly dropped-out trainees join them. Sungchul is sad that now his entire unit (he’s with Jaebeom and Jimin) is here.

We get a different view, and I see that it’s a big practice room. This is actually great. I thought they’d be practicing in the woods, swatting away flies and scavenging for nuts and berries for sustenance.

They start exploring, and there’s a little dining area decorated with plants! As they walk around, the four new dropouts tell the others how much better everything is in the I-Land, but honestly, the Ground is nicer than I expected.

I’m starting to feel uncomfortable as I listen to the dropouts disparaging all the facilities at the Ground. The place is nicer and more spacious than most people’s apartments. I understand that the premise of the show is to build up how great the I-Land is, and that legally they can’t put the trainees in situations that are too uncomfortable, like just sticking them in tents outside and WAIT, THEY TOTALLY CAN. That’s what they did to the trainees in Wild Idol. Those guys slept outside in bad weather for WEEKS, and these kids are bitching about shelter from the elements and a practice room and nice furniture and more rooms we probably haven’t seen yet. The show is making these dropouts act like entitled little brats.

AND YES, it bears repeating that these dropouts have been cut out completely from the competition, and that’s the part I’m fine with them complaining about. That is the only terrible part of having to stay at the Ground facility. Unless the bedrooms are infested with cockroaches, they have it pretty nice down here.

Moving on.

We don’t get to see the rest of the Ground just yet. I’m really curious to see where they sleep. For now, we cut back to the I-Land. The announcer congratulates them on staying in the super-privileged I-Land and tells them to put their name tags on their chairs while their banners unfurl from the ceiling. The trainees tell us how they are determined to work hard and keep their places here.

They choose their roommates, unpack their things, and show off their dance moves in the gym. They wash up in the bathroom stocked with towels, beauty supplies, and what looks like a washing machine.

Now back to the Ground. I think they’re trying to make the building look decrepit, but I like the climbing plants on the walls and the eye-level windows that you can actually see through.

We see that the dropouts can only wear the dark uniform of the Ground. The I-Land trainees are supposed to have colorful uniforms, but the ones I see in the I-Land wardrobe are mostly black, white, and gray. I-Landers also get hats and jewelry, so the dropouts are literally pouting.

The Ground also has a rule that dropouts can only leave and return on a set schedule. They leave now and get into SUVs. Wait, where are they going? They don’t sleep at the Ground facility? We cut to the next morning, and I’m still confused. Did the dropouts stay at a hotel? How exactly does dropout life work?

For now, no idea. Night passes, and as the sun comes up, we see the I-Landers sound asleep in their beds. The overhead lights have to stay on so the people in the control room can watch them sleep. We actually watch them sleeping on the monitors. Not only is that creepy, but it can’t be easy to sleep with those lights on.

We're filming you. Sleep well!

Now we cut back to the Ground. The dropouts are back. They’re returning from wherever they were, and I have to stop and Google this because it’s driving me nuts.

Okay, so apparently, lots of viewers had the same question. According to posts and photos on Quora, they slept in their own homes if they lived nearby, and if not, they stayed in hotels. Oh, the horror. I swear, they should put the next dropout who complains about the accommodations in a sleeping bag on the roof. Preferably during a monsoon. I understand the inconvenience of having to commute, but Jesus Tapdancing Christ.

Dropout EJ tells us that there’s nothing to do in the Ground except practice their dancing and singing skills. That’s one hundred percent correct. And you’re lucky to have a practice room surrounded by natural light and trees. Now get to work.

Back at the I-Land, the giant egg timer announces that the first test will be revealed in ten minutes. The I-Landers scramble to get dressed and run downstairs. They sit in their personalized chairs and wait for the egg to tell them what to do.

The LED screens with the floating rock imagery light up with sound effects. We get laser light designs, and the announcer tells the I-Landers they have a common destiny. For the four tests to come, they will be collectively responsible for every result. Then there’s math explaining the scores. Here’s a chart.

They will also decide on their own eliminations, and I think I’m figuring this out. They will perform these tests together and get scored as a group. If they don’t get the top score of 96-100, then the number of trainees having to go to the Ground increases the lower the score is, and they will have to vote to decide who gets eliminated. That is a huge motivation for teamwork. You can be the best singer and dancer on your team, but if you don’t make sure everyone else is great as well, you might be the one kicked out.

Now for the first test. It’s called the Signal Song Test, and we’ve seen this before. It’s the show’s theme song. The LED screens show videos of the lyrics and choreography. We hear Bang Si Hyuk’s voice telling us he produced the song and choreo. We cut to the control room, where I’m assuming our celebrity coaches have spent the night. The song is called “Into the I-Land,” and the theme is “meeting.”

The I-Landers love the song and choreo. The dropouts are watching the video from the Ground facility as well. Everyone notices that Parts 1 through 7 get the most lines in the song. Parts 8 and up only get one line each. To stand out in this song, you have to get one of the Top 7 parts. (Incidentally, there are seven members in Enhypen.)

The trainees will need to choose their parts and rehearse. The test will begin in seven days. A 7-day countdown lights up on the giant egg timer. The dropouts are told that until trainees get eliminated from the I-Land, they won’t get to participate in the performances. So they will need to practice the song at the Ground and send in rehearsal videos every day in hopes that they will get promoted when someone gets eliminated. Our three celebrity coaches will review the videos and decide who gets promoted.

Everyone is extremely motivated. I can’t wait to see Sunoo get promoted to the I-Land. The current I-Landers want to hold singing auditions for the Center (and #1) position, especially since it has difficult high notes. As much as every trainee wants the Center position, they have to choose what’s best for the group in order to keep the group score high. They eventually decide to memorize the main choreo first and decide on parts later.

We cut back to Namgoong Min, who basically recaps what we just saw. “Everybody has to be good to survive,” he tells us. He does give us one bit of new information – the song’s parts were deliberately divided up unfairly to see if the I-Landers would make the best decisions for themselves individually or the good of the team.

Everyone starts rehearsing. They’re all obsessed with being the Center. Ni-Ki is the first to have the choreo completely memorized. The others are impressed and call him a genius. Then they gather in a circle and start dividing up the parts by having everyone sing to audition.

Everyone votes for Heeseung for the first part. He’s not sure about his ability to pull it off, but the others remind him parts can be changed at any time.

Geenu auditions for the second part, and he has a wonderful voice. He beats out future Enhypen member Jay, whose voice cracks when he tries to hit the high notes.

Jungwon (Enhypen’s future Leader) gets the third part. Jay is getting frustrated because he wants one of the Top 7 parts. He really does have a great voice. He just keeps losing out when he auditions for each spot.

K gets the fourth part. Seon gets the fifth part. I can see the growing frustration on Jay’s face. But he keeps fighting, auditioning for each part.

Daniel gets the sixth part. Jay seems to give up. He doesn’t even raise his hand to audition for the seventh part. But at the last minute, he changes his mind and wants to audition. There’s still a spark in there that hasn’t been stomped out.

But he doesn’t get that part. Sunghoon does. Jay finally says, “Whatever. I’ll do whatever is left. I’m done.” He’s embarrassed. He’s been a trainee for three years, and a couple of the people who just beat him for the Top 7 spots have been training for far less time.

After pausing to make sure he’s okay, the group moves on to audition for the other parts, and Jay tries yet again. And this time, he wins the eighth part. It’s not what he wanted, but it’s finally a win for our Seattle-born future Enhypen member.

Back to the dropouts. They are only given one tablet for the group to study the choreo, which slows down their ability to memorize the parts. Okay, they do get to complain about that. Everyone in the I-Land gets their own tablet. Everyone having to share one is a serious competitive handicap.

Since Hanbin learns choreo the fastest, he takes the tablet so he can quickly learn it and teach the others. He’s the one who’s currently in a cover song dance team with over 630,000 subscribers. It’s impressive how quickly he learns it. Pretty soon he has all the dropouts following his lead.

However, we see both the I-Land and the Ground have trainees struggling to learn the choreo. I-Landers Jake and Youngbin, who have only been trainees for a few months, are having the hardest time keeping up. I really feel it when I see the frustration on Youngbin’s face. It’s the same way I felt in math classes growing up, when the rest of the class understood and I didn’t, and I would just shut down and give up.

The dropouts seem to be having more fun, and I know I keep harping on this, but I think the connection to nature has to be a part of it. They’re all laughing and dancing and encouraging those who are having a harder time learning the steps.

The I-Landers hit a snag when Heeseung adjusts the choreo, which throws everyone off. He takes a break and leaves the room. The others are concerned that he’s changing it because the original steps are too difficult. That could cost them points.

Heeseung finally comes back and starts up rehearsal again. He has each trainee run through the routine on their own. Jake is voted the best dancer by the group. Youngbin has finally gotten the steps down but needs more confidence because he is really having a hard time of it. He starts to cry in one of the lounge areas, worrying that he’s dragging the team down. Oh, this poor kid.

K, Youngbin, and Seon decide to confront Heeseung about his leadership style. Three non-members of Enhypen are going to talk to a future member of Enhypen about his leadership style. Let’s see how this goes.

Before they talk to him, they decide they need reinforcements. They get Ni-Ki and Geonu on their side. We don’t get to hear those conversations. But in the next group meeting, Youngbin brings up his frustrations. He says he felt humiliated at having to do the individual assessments.

Right away, I’m on Heeseung’s side, and it’s not because he’s in Enhypen. Youngbin has only been training for four months. Individual assessments and auditions and progress checks are a part of the training process. We’ve also seen it in every K-pop survival reality show we’ve covered. If you can’t handle being judged on a solo performance, you have no business being a trainee.

Heeseung asks the group to trust him. He says they voted for him to get the first part for a reason. However, Daniel does have a point when he says that Heeseung isn’t spending enough time with the trainees who need the most help.

Heeseung is frustrated, saying this is why he didn’t want the leadership position in the first place. He decides to step down from the Center position. The rest of the group immediately agrees, and K nominates Ni-Ki for the spot. I wonder if this was a planned coup. Since Ni-Ki does go on to be the main dancer for Enhypen, maybe he can pull this off, but this is the second time I’ve been side-eying him since this series began.

So the first part goes from Heeseung to Ni-Ki, and Heeseung moves down to the tenth part. He’s taking this hard. He goes to sit by himself for a while. He tells us he’s disappointed, but he made the decision to step down and needs to honor that decision. I may not like the outcome either, but I respect the way he handled this.

Night is falling, and we return to the Ground. The dropouts are up late practicing. Suddenly, the screen on the wall lights up with a message. It’s time to submit their daily rehearsal video. Each one has to stand before the camera and perform the song solo. (See, Youngbin?!)

Jaebeom blows his chance, forgetting the lyrics and steps and just freezing in place. Midway through, he gives up and walks back to the bench, hangs his head, and cries.

I feel terrible for him. He’s heartbroken. It looks like he just overpracticed and broke down under the pressure. Jaeho tries to comfort him and winds up crying, too. The dropouts have really bonded.

Back in the I-Land, the giant egg timer sounds an alarm. Everyone is told to gather around, and then the countdown, which shows only two days left, suddenly stops. The gate opens. They go through the gate, back to the large stage area where they gave their first performances. Someone standing at the far end of the room in silhouette is waiting for them.

Once the I-Landers are all waiting at the other end of the room, the light comes up on our shadowy figure. It’s Rain. Judging by their stunned reactions, I don’t think the trainees knew he was here.

Rain bows and introduces himself, telling them he’s in charge of the Signal Song Test. He wants to see how they are progressing on the song. He says that now is the time to work on any mistakes.

The I-Landers get into formation and show him the choreo. When they finish, Rain doesn’t give them time to catch their breath. He orders them to line up and sing the song. The trainees struggle to keep their voices steady as each one sings his part. They’re doing well until about halfway through the song, when Ni-Ki is so nervous, he forgets the lyrics to one of his solo lines. The look on Rain’s face.

When they finish singing, Rain does not comment. Instead, he demands that they immediately get back into dance formation – NOW. They scramble back into formation. “Now you’re going to sing while dancing. FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT!” he orders. When they start singing he commands, “LOUDER!”

I’m impressed with Rain’s coaching style. An idol has to think fast, be quick on his feet, and remember the words and steps no matter how stressed he is. No time to get in your own head about it. Just perform.

Again, Ni-Ki is struggling. He’s off key. The others are hanging on for dear life. When they finish, they try to look confident, but their ragged, exhausted breathing gives them away.

Right off, Rain addresses Ni-Ki. “You must practice your pitch. You are in the Number One position. You have to try harder.”

Rain acknowledges it’s not easy to sing in another language. (A good bit of the song is in English.) The other trainees tell us in confessionals that they are also concerned about Ni-Ki’s singing. Well, guys, you’re the ones who put him in the top spot in the first place.

Rain tells the group that dancing and singing well won’t help them pass this round. He tells them that at the final test in two days, this physical stage they are standing on will “transform.” Segments of the stage will move around. They will have to do this performance perfectly on a moving stage. This looks dangerous. There’s no net under the moving stage parts, just the machinery doing the moving.

The I-Landers are dismissed, and they gather in the living room. They’re a bit shaken because the vibe has changed. They are second-guessing the position assignments. Seon has tried working with Ni-Ki, but Ni-Ki’s voice keeps cracking, and he finally breaks down.

The group decides they want to put Heeseung back in the Number One spot. They have to make the best decision for the group. The lower the group score, the greater the number of I-Landers who will be kicked out and sent to the Ground.

Heeseung, for his part, is loyal to his future bandmate. He says that if Ni-Ki doesn’t want to step down, he won’t take the position back. He’ll only do it if Ni-Ki is okay with it.

We go back to the dropouts in their dining area, which feels like an abrupt transition at first, but don’t worry, this is about to get interesting. We’re still talking about Ni-Ki. Ta-Ki is talking about how much he misses his bestie.

Sungchul says, “You said Ni-Ki voted you out. You still miss him?” Excellent question.

Ta-Ki says he understands why Ni-Ki did it. The others are still confused. “Why, because you two are still rivals?” asks Sungchul, who should be awarded a law degree on the very spot. Sunoo and Taeyong chime in, saying Ni-Ki was lying when he said it was for Ta-Ki’s own growth.

Ta-Ki says, “But Ni-Ki is a great dancer, so I really can’t say anything to him.”

I don’t see what that has to do with anything. At first I thought maybe Ni-Ki is older, and Ta-Ki needs to show respect, but no, they’re both sixteen. The others make that same point and add that Ta-Ki is also a great dancer, which is true.

“Be more confident, Ta-Ki,” says Sungchul. YES. I hope at least some of this is getting through to Ta-Ki.

Back in the I-Land, the giant egg timer shows eight hours are left. Ni-Ki is still debating if he wants to step down from the Number One spot. He doesn’t have much time left.

The celebrity coaches are in the control room, getting ready for the Signal Song Test, and it looks like we have some new faces. They are Wonderkid, Doobu, and Son Sung Deuk.

It’s interesting that the show gives us absolutely no background on any of these guys. On every single one of these shows we’ve seen, when we get a new judge or coach, the show puts together a quick, flashy CV showing what they’re famous for and what qualifies them to be there. This is the first time on all the shows I’ve recapped that we don’t get anything except their names. I had to stop watching and do some online digging.

Son Sung Deuk is a choreographer who used to work with BTS and is now the performance director for Big Hit Music.  So, at least he has a resume.  I can’t find anything on Wonderkid. Given how tied this show is to BTS, he probably does something for Big Hit Music.

Speaking of questionable accomplishments, Doobu is someone who got fired from the HYBE Label three years ago, shortly after this show aired. He was a choreographer who apparently wasn’t good at his job, but he did a great job of making a scene about it on Twitter after he got fired. Well. Other than Son Sung Deuk, this is a disappointing panel. Was literally NO ONE ELSE available?

Rain and Zico join Son Sung Deuk and the two other coaches in the control room. I don’t know where Bang Si Hyuk is. Our I-Landers get in formation while the dropouts watch the performance on a screen in their Ground training room. I’m excited to see how this choreography is going to work with the moving platforms.

We see that Ni-Ki ended up keeping the Number One spot. Ta-Ki is losing his mind with excitement at seeing his friend in the Center position.

Here we go.

It’s a very impressive performance, and thanks to the LED screens, it’s the most color I’ve seen on this show so far. Jake drops his headset mic at one point, but he keeps going, and the coaches say they won’t hold that against him because he handled it professionally.

When the I-Landers finish, they stay in formation, out of breath and waiting for their evaluation.

At the Ground, the dropouts applaud but look worried. That was a great performance, and they wonder if any of them will get a chance to get to the  I-Land. Ta-Ki, however, can’t stop gushing over how great his bestie did. “Did you see Ni-Ki?” he keeps asking excitedly over and over. Oh, this poor sweet kid.

The other dropouts are envious that the I-Landers got to do that exciting performance. Jaebeom tells us they did so well, there probably won’t be any disqualifications. We shall see.

The coaches start talking. They’re impressed by the hard work that went into the performance, especially with the added challenge of the moving stages. But Rain has concerns and says he can’t give them full points on just potential alone. Hoo boy. Someone in the I-Land is going to the Ground.

The I-Landers gather in their chairs around the giant egg timer, and the announcer finally gives the test result. The individual scores come up first, and they’re pretty low Because the screen text isn’t translated, I can’t tell who gets which score. But three are in the 40s, out of 100. This is bad. The overall score is 59.

According to the chart, a score of 59 means that six I-Landers will be sent to the Ground, and six dropouts are about to be promoted.

The worst part is that the I-Landers will have to decide who goes to the Ground. I don’t think the individual scores were assigned to names, because otherwise it would be easy to choose.

The voting process begins, and the episode ends here.

I have a feeling we’re going to see Enhypen members move back and forth from the I-Land to the Ground and back a lot over this series. I’m also curious to see if Ta-Ki’s hero worship of Ni-Ki changes over the series. Ni-Ki will need some kind of redemption arc if he’s going to end up in Enhypen, because right now, I can’t imagine that he’s earned the goodwill of the fans. He’s sort of being set up as the villain. It’s a LOT to process. See you next episode

[dereks-kennel]

To whom it may concern,

We hope this message finds you well. I represent my associates who are employed at Spotless Service Enterprise, the company contracted to perform routine cleaning at your domicile. We received several anonymous tips about bizarre occurrences that happened during working hours. The complaints listed are as follows:

As an employee was mopping the floor, one of the residents followed them around the room, dropping handfuls of German chocolate cake on each finished section of floor saying, "You missed a spot," repeatedly.

Numerous alarming sightings of what appeared to be red food coloring staining the domicile's moulding.

As of writing this, 37 pocket knives, machetes, and other blades have been discovered laying haphazardly and unsafely around the premises.

Pounding, wailing, and sobbing heard in a locked room in the residence throughout all working hours and well past them (the door for the room was padlocked from the outside).

Four workplace "accidents" have occurred from our staff falling down the stairs resulting in, but not limited to, one concussion, a cracked femur, a broken radius, and two fractured ribs (obviously, this is much higher than our company-wide average, and we have had to compensate with extended safety seminars, exhausting HR's resources).

We at Spotless Service Enterprise would like to humbly request you examine the complaints above and resolve them accordingly. Otherwise if you would like the names of the employees who submitted these complaints so you may properly 'contextualize' these issues, simply respond to this message with the amount written after the signature 🙂

As always, we thank you for your continued business.

Subject: RE: Workplace Concerns at Goffard Estate

To whom it may concern,

Thank you for your note.

Please be assured that I take all matters of health, safety, and general housekeeping very seriously. That said, I do believe some of the issues you've raised may be exaggerated or creatively interpreted by individuals with an overactive sense of drama and, frankly, a poor grasp of boundaries.

For clarity:

The German chocolate cake was a birthday gift. I regret that the recipient celebrated in a mobile fashion.

The red coloring was indeed food-related. We're currently testing new recipes. Artistic expression is not a crime.

The blades are heirlooms. Displayed, not abandoned.

The locked room in question is a storage space. The wailing may have been the wind. Or a playlist.

As for the stair incidents, I'm told most occurred while staff were looking at their phones. We discourage that.

That said, I understand your position and do appreciate the delicacy with which you’ve handled this. If you'd like to escalate the matter, please do respond with the exact amount after your signature. I will see to it the situation is handled... personally.

Warm regards, Derek Goffard Goffard Estate Holdings

P.S. Consider rotating your staff more frequently. Some of them seem a little too curious.

[thewomancallednova]

Coming of Age

oh this was excellent!

I absolutely adore the general message of "it's okay to fail" that this episode has going on, with how Wesley's arc ended, with how Kurland is essentially forgiven for stealing a shuttle and how we learn that Picard also failed to get into the academy first time.

It's just so well done all around

The story on the Enterprise about Remmick investigating the ship was really suspensful

I loved that we got some callbacks to "questionable" situations earlier in the season

Very funny that Remmick interviewed every member of the crew. Like that's over a thousand people. Imagine being some random lower decker and Remmick asking you about all the worst things this guy who you hear over the comms when he announces stuff did and you're just like, "uh, I think I saw him like put pineapple on a pizza once I think? Or maybe it was some other bald guy in a red uniform, it was kinda hard to tell from the distance"

I really liked that cut when Remmick interviews Data, turns around the screen and then it's Worf in the reflection

Loved Riker's reaction to Picard getting promoted. This dude wants to sit in the big chair sooooo bad just let him!

Loved that we actually got a scene where Worf got to be more than "vaguely angry looking super strong guy" and that he got to talk about himself as a person!

The conclusion with Wesley's greatest fear being to have to make a decision like the one that got his father killed was really well done And interesting to know that he assigns responsibility to Picard specifically too.

It's kinda sad what's gonna happen to Remmick, he seems like he'd have made a precious addition to the crew. Kind of like a Clarke Hayden type.

I appreciate that there's another species out there that's a bit like the Tellarites in terms of eschewing courtesy. Just a few weeks ago I had to make a species like that up for my role playing game, kinda sad that I could've just used these guys ^^

In general I think it's weird that the academy seemingly will just not accept perfectly good candidates based on a "only one person from this facility" system. Like, it's only coincidence, that the Enterprise was there, right? If the flight schedule would have been different, Wesley may have performed these tests on a different planet, perhaps with weaker competitors and gotten in. Obviously I get why that doesn't work for the structure of this episode, but it just seems odd.

Also wanna bet that Starfleet reached out to all of those spurned candidates real fast after Wolf 359?

I think Starfleet Academy wouldn't be for me, with how ultra-competitive it seems.

But that's okay because I don't have to go there :)