#galactic impotence

[bobowhipsblog]

瞑想感覚 (Meditative Feeling) 三村寛子

[kirbybecomesastarwarrior]

(In truth, he's a little mix of both, but who is the dominant half... :3)

Before you guys pick, I base this on the essence of the character, not their story exactly.

Keep reading if you wanna hear the explanation & lore!

If not, feel free to vote!

How would the knights react if they were thrown into this universe...

Examples: Sir Falspar - (Sir Percival)

Sir Percival is known to be foolish & naive but overall the kindest knight in the nights of the roundtable. Being the heart of the roundtable...

So, how do I work this into the story...

During Sir Uther's cruel reign as leader of the GSA, Sir Falspar was named "The Fool" as punishment for his failure to protect the Fisher King. Why, you may ask because the Fisher King (in this story) was a d*ck! He was one of Uther's backers and was a corrupt king... long story short, he chose to save his men and the people of the kingdom rather than the Fisher King himself.

With Sir Nonsurat being his mentor...

Sir Nonsurat saw too much of his (younger self) in Falspar, and he tried to have him adopt a more serious attitude. He was never cruel to him (like Uther was to him) but tried to have him act a certain way... so he wouldn't get in trouble.

"Never ask to question your superiors" or "always do what you're are told"... that is how you survive here...

Despite that, Falspar's gentle heart, carefree attitude, and nature shined, which always made Sir Nonsurat constantly remind him to be professional. (Especially when Sir Uther was around...)

He always wanted to try to be friends with MK, but Nonsurat did not allow it due to Meta Knight's status as "the cursed star" and the fact that Arthur was his mentor. Nonsurat still held a bit of Arthur due to the past...

Meta Knight didn't want Falspar to get in trouble, so he avoided him... but never forgot his kindness. Years later, he's assigned an official position.... to guard and protect the planet of the Fisher King...

Who at the time had control of more than half of the trade routes in the galaxy. And a seat in the galactic council (head of treasury)... one of Sir Uther's backers at the time... He shared the same ideals as Sir Uther... he too, was an elitist scumbag.

The Fisher King presented himself as this kind ruler but, in reality, was two-faced... he'd smuggle and hoard goods for himself while other lesser planets would be on the brink of starvation. (He got away with it as long as he'd continued his support for the GSA.)

When Falspar witnessed all this... he didn't know what to think. "Were noble knights... aren't we supposed to serve the public?" Sir Nonsurat would remind him ", Don't question it... keep your head low, and you'll do fine,"...

Sir Nonsurat, even though a bit distant at times, truly cared for his student and wanted him to succeed. Not only that but since Falspar was knighted he was no longer under his care anymore...

Which meant if he slipped up... he'd be at Uther's mercy... and this man had none.

One day, Nightmare's demon came to attack the planet, and Falspar had to evacuate the whole planet. So... basically; what happened was that scene from "Attack on Titian," in The Battle of Trost.

Falspar chooses to protect his soldiers and the people first... but the Fisher King runs back for all his ill-gotten loot. He makes a dive back for his stuff but Nightmare's monsters decide to snatch it for themselves... the greedy king foolishly tries to protect it for himself and gets caught in the cross-fire.

While Falspar was able to save the Fisher King, he received a wound that left him impotent. (Reference to the Arthurian Legend)

After this, the Fisher King drops all his support for the GSA and is no longer backing Uther's endeavors... and made sure to blame Falspar. Needless to say, Sir Uther was livid when this happened... this man was out for blood!

After losing his strongest supporter, he publicly stripped him of his title as general, his unit, and branded him "The Fool." "THIS IS WHAT YOUR SOFT HEART GETS YOU!" then proceeds to burn his arm. Falspar looks to his mentor for help but does not step in to save him.

Sir Nonsurat could only look away in shame... and this hurt Falspar even more than his burning arm.

But someone does step in to aid him... It's none other than Meta Knight & Jecra. Basically, the boys hacked the place and caused a power outage... which caused Sir Uther to stop the burning.

He's distracted long enough for Sir Arthur to pull him off on Falaspar... Uther was about to reprimand Arthur for this, but the power outage was far more concerning that he had to leave it at that and storm out of there... in frustration.

Sir Arthur proceeds to heal and make sure Falspar is okay before following after Uther.

He knew that it was Meta Knight's doing (he'd done something like this before)... he had to make sure it couldn't be traced back to Team Halbred (MK's crew).

At this point, Sir Arthur & MK are still a little shaken up after the incident, but still have a deep care & bond. They were just a little awkward; they both never had an argument like that... which meant they never knew how to apologize to each other.

Arthur has been secretly looking after MK and his crew (covering up their tracks and aiding them when he could). And every time Meta Knight succeeded in a mission he made sure everyone knew he was Sir Arthur's pupil. (they still love each other very much)

Meta Knight & Jecra rushed over to make sure that Falspar was okay, and at that moment Falspar was able to put two and two together: they caused the power outage!

He has been grateful to MK & Jecra ever since.

Nonsurat tried to go over to Falspar as well but was turned away; Falspar had always tried so hard to receive love & praise from his mentor all this time but no longer wanted it.

In truth, Sir Nonsurat had the most sensitive heart out of all of them but was forced to lock away due to Uther's influence. Which is why he could never give Falspar the affection he always craved.

Ever since the Fisher King incident...their relationship has been rocky ever since.

I'm done planning out Falspar's part in the story... but Dragato's not just yet. Dame Morgan is Sir Dragato's mentor... I originally wanted to do Sir Dragato being under Sir Nonsurat but Dragato's perfectionism just jived so well with Morgan's character.

Morgan's relationship with Dragato is my favorite plot line in the story... can't wait to explore it! :3

[nsomniacsdream]

After we made it out to deep space, we found ourselves in the middle of a war we had no hope of even understanding. Blips in space that would explode with a force that our scientists told us was beyond impossible, nearly unimaginable.

We were sidelined, worth less than a bullet. Worlds lived and died while we watched, completely impotent and ignored by all the actual combatants. Every once in a while, a ship would be boarded by one side or the other. All aboard would be walked into and shoved aside as the fighters would strip seemingly random parts and supplies from the ship, then leave without a word or sign.

We survived because we weren't even worth killing, and the war was the final part of the history of the universe. The entirety of space was divided up amongst the victors at a table we never even got to see. From that point on, borders were immobile, dissent or revolt was impossible. Laws we barely understood how to translate were enforced with brutal efficiency by automated sentries that we were unable to even perceive. A quirk of timing both saved and doomed us to galactic irrelevancy.

Corndogs were pretty popular in space tho. For a time.

[therealrpalmas]

What Dreams May Come

In her slumber, she sensed the other minds around her, but if people were talking amongst themselves (they certainly weren't talking out loud) she couldn't hear them. Maybe that had to do with Hulam's block as well.

A soft voice in the distance replied Yes. Rest now…

She sank deeper, surrendering to sleep at last. To sleep, and dreams.

Not sweet ones, though. In her dream – and part of her wondered if it was indeed a dream or something more – she found herself back in the white room with the woman with the steel mind, saw herself once again in that mirror: naked save for the bandages around her abdomen, hips, upper legs, pale, dull star lying on her chest, wide, panicked eyes. Lips still stained red with the fluid she had been forced to drink. The empty bottle was lying on the ground, casually tossed away.

And the pain. She remembered that it had felt like the pain belonged to another person, not concerning her at all. But now she was that other person, and the pain belonged to her, all of it. Everything below her waist seemed to be on fire, as if someone had opened her up and poured molten metal where her bones ought to be.

The woman smiled at her. There was no comfort in that smile, it was a grin of triumph and threat. "Ah, there you are," she said with grim satisfaction and something close to delight. "Now, let us have that talk."

She saw her eyes change from pain-blue to the grey of fear.

"It's very simple," the woman continued. "The quicker you give me the answers I need, the sooner I'll let you rest. The longer you resist, the longer you'll stay awake. The longer you're awake, the more it'll hurt. Your body is healing and that's not a gentle process. Effective, but not gentle at all. We usually put people under for the duration. But that is not an option here, now, is it? Do you understand me?"

Her own voice, a hoarse wheeze. "Yes."

"Good. Let's start with the simple questions. What's your name? I take it you do have a name?"

Another wheeze. "Yes." The woman wasn't lying, the pain grew worse, slowly but surely.

"Well, then, what is it?"

She gave her name, the way her family had pronounced it. The woman scowled.

"What gibberish is this? That's not a name."

She moaned. "It is… is my name. Hard to pronounce." She hadn't heard it properly spoken since she'd left her homeworld.

The woman grunted. "Say it again."

She said her name again, trying to speak as clearly as possible. The woman tried to repeat it. "Markusio Sharinkar?"

"Good enough," Mercutio whispered and closed her eyes. The pain immediately became more intense still, burning, burning… she whimpered and opened her eyes again.

"You're not going to get rest until I tell you to," the woman snarled. "Next question. Where do you come from?"

That was a harder one. Evala, her homeworld, was not a place she ever expected to return to. Tarayan, her second home, had been destroyed. The Concilium was far away. Nightstar was a ship, not a world. "Space," she whispered at last.

"Not good enough!" The steel mind blazed. "Very fornicating big, space. Where?"

Something in Mercutio snapped, fuelled by pain and impotent anger. I'll give you the answers you ask for not the ones you need. "Concilium," she whispered with an effort. "Core world Ciadan. Galactic coordinates…" she rattled off the familiar numbers. Familiar to her – meaningless to the woman.

"How far away is that?" The woman's voice grew perceptibly colder.

"About 60 lightyears." Would they understand the concept of lightyears? It had been a quick conversion, based on the time it took this world to make one full orbit around its sun. No comment came this time.

"And how did you get here? Some kind of space vessel, I presume?"

Mercutio whimpered again. "Hurts… please…"

"Just answer my questions. Soonest begun, soonest done, dear." That last word was a sneer. "Space vessel, yes?"

"Yes…"

"Good. Good. Did you come alone or brought friends?"

"Exploration… vessel… Nightstar…"

"That's not an answer!"

"Crew complement… 1436…"

The woman's eyes widened. Eagerness, not fear. "And where is your ship now?"

"Don't… know…"

"Impossible!" the woman snarled. The pain ramped up even more, filled the world. She could barely speak. But she forced the words out, one by one.

"I… don't… know. Lost… contact… yesterday…"

"I will have my answers!" the woman hissed. But Mercutio could only shake her head. She had given the only answer she could give.

The woman pressed on. "Are there more of you here?"

It became harder to hear her, there was a roaring in her ears, pain given sound. Again she shook her head. Whispered one last word. "Alone…"

Alone…

(To be continued)

[blacklodgemusictx]

Beautiful/Trivial

Sweet, aching sadness.  Bitter, snarling anger.  Gentle piano notes being smashed to a frantic crescendo.  Screeching guitar.  Whispering.  Insidious.  

Jesse Daniel Edwards could curate the soundtrack to the chemically drenched sock hop I endeavor to conjure on my depression-mandated Ketamine trips.  

My first impression of him was Little Steven (I only know about Little Steven because of Rattle and Hum, ‘’… a friend of ours, Little Steven, was putting together a record of artists against APAR-TIGHT” – preach, Brother Bono) meets Harry Connick Jr… crooning away as the apocalypse begins and the bombs start to fall. 

Quiet, gentle bombs, please.  Last November when I wandered into Salim Nourallah’s listening room – Galactic Headquarters— to see Jesse and Landon Pigg, I was hung over.  I don’t drink.  I get Ketamine infusions.  Better living through chemical intervention.  I overcome my fear of needles long enough to get some sunshine mainlined directly to my brain.   Turns down my self-hating, self -destructive monologue long enough I can function again… for awhile.  But I’m left dried out.  Aching.  Low lights, friends, music at Salim’s seemed like just what the doctor ordered. 

I have since journeyed down an Insta-YouTube rabbit hole for more information regarding what I saw that night.  Jesse seems to have a lot in common with Salim.  Each contains multitudes.  10 different kinds of rock star wrapped up in a quiet, unassuming, crazy-talented package.  “Little Steven” Jesse is just one face.  There appears to be Mellencamp(“Jack and Diane were such fine examples” he sings in “The Future Has Been Canceled”)/Springsteen  tattooed, mullet-rocker resplendent in wife beater (please, if there’s a more PC way to refer to those shirts now… I don’t know what it is) and jeans, a Hawaiian shirt and visor wearing “Jimmy Buffet” Jesse who – carried away by the moment -- throws himself on the ground and writhes with his guitar.  

In every single video I found of Jesse, Landon is there.  Buttoned up shirt.  Beating the hell out of tambourine, smiling like a (if there were such a thing) long haired Mormon missionary (I am a lapsed Mormon, I can say stuff like that.)   I don’t know these gents other than a few words exchanged at that first show and the occasional DM I will send Jesse’s way on Instagram, but I can only assume Jesse and Landon are best friends.  If you let me imagine it too much, I will make a Pixar, friends-til-the-end movie out of their perceived relationship.  Brothers together in the cause and service of ROCK.  It makes a nice mental picture.  I like it when people care for each other. 

The other half of Black Lodge, my other half, the light chevron pattern to my dark (aka “Doug”):  he doesn’t care.  He will listen to music and remove it from the maker.  He barely listens to the words.  His heart is guided by the pure musicality (this is how he appreciates Frank Zappa where I cannot get past the ridiculous words long enough to even get to what may or may not be brilliantly executed music.)  He doesn’t care if the artist is a good person or if the band members were getting along when they recorded such-and-such.  He appreciates the product. 

I need to know the product was arrived at through pure intentions.  I like it when you are a good person, I like the band mates are best friends, I like my performers having fun, experiencing joy.  That’s just me. 

I like it when your lyrics make me feel something.  Even if it’s sadness, anger, impotence. 

“I don’t wanna do it anymore/You can’t make me do it anymore/God, don’t make me do it anymore” 

Do what? Everything. 

Wake up.  Doom scroll.  Wonder.  Worry.   

“The more you care, the more they take.”   

Watch society collapse.  Hope you can scratch out a little life for yourself, a corner of happiness.  Keep that happiness safe from the onslaught of daily soul sucking reality.  A rose under glass from the Disney childhood all the Millennials are trying to hold on to, keep safe and untarnished.   

“I hate me, but I can’t change who I am.”  

My high school ring (class of 99) says “Life on the edge of time.”  The last analog generation with vague memories of being sent outside to play, riding bikes, passing notes instead of texting, failing a grade at school instead of getting shot to death there.  

We started life watching war on TV.  How is it reality where you can get bored with war and change the channel?  What is this? Where are my cartoons?  (“The holocaust is live on channel threeee”) As an elementary school class project, we wrote to Desert Storm soldiers.  Waco, 09/11… the revolutions have all been televised and we are soul-numb and bored.   

Every dream our parents took for granted is now out of our reach.  Education, a home to call your own.  Tell me how much hope *you* have managed to hold on to under these circumstances. We are racing to see if we finish ourselves off before the planet shakes us off like a bad cold. 

“Love is all you need/But love won’t stop bombs/or pull the nails out of your palms…”   This line stings like a sore spot in your mouth you can’t stop tonguing.  It hurts, but in a good way.  This line puts JDE on the opposite end of the spectrum from Salim Nourallah (my friend and the musician previous to Jesse to evoke such a visceral response in me musically) Salim Nourallah whose music is hope[…”ful melancholy,” a line I didn’t pen, but I keep returning to in regards to Salim’s music as it is, for the most part, a perfect description of why his songs appeal to me so much.] 

Salim is hope.  Jesse is hope lost.   As a 42-year-old (elder millennial) major depressive, I am both of these things.  Bitterly attractive dichotomy.  Salim’s music is the feeling I aspire to when the chemicals are still working.    Jesse’s music is the chemicals wearing off, realization, dull horror.  Reality. 

What did Cervantes say?  “Too much sanity may be madness, and maddest of all – to see life as it is and not as it should be.”  I like a little of both. 

I feel like Jesse does too and Landon’s presence at his side feels like confirmation of that. 

Landon is a beautiful musician in his own right.  Sweet, wistful.  A touch of Eliot Smith.  A little Iron and Wine.  Master of what everyone aspires to:  the elusive EAR WORM.  Listen to ‘Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop.’  You know that song.  I promise you.  I know that song.  I was able to mouth all the words as he began singing it… the infuriating thing is: I don’t know HOW I know it.  I played it later for my mother.  She knows it too.  She does not know HOW she knows it either!  Google says it was probably either an AT&T commercial or an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.  Both of which I’m sure I’ve been exposed to… but not in enough quantities to know all the words.  I remain… befuddled.  

Landon was also in Whip It – that earlier 2000s movie I was briefly obsessed with, decided I would learn roller derby even though I could NOT skate to save my life.  This brief obsession led me to my first broken bone at the auspicious age of at least 30: my tail bone.  I broke my tailbone for this movie.  I’m an idiot… but it’s a good movie. 

I forgot to rewatch it before I saw the performance.  Went back and watched it later:  yep.  There he is.  Right there.  Pretty big part too. Huh.  Good going, sir. 

At first, I was nervous I would wax poetic about Jesse for pages and then go, “Landon sings pretty.  He’ll be there too.” But then I relearned what I found out months ago:  Landon has, among other things, 406THOUSAND Spotify listeners (several times the population of the city I am currently sitting in while I write this) and Jesse has… 106.   

Something tells me Landon won’t mind that I was a little heavy handed in Jesse’s direction. 

(But yes, he’s lovely.  He has nice hair, sings like an angel and is witty to boot.  The “champagne lady with the pickle-back” sends her regards.) 

All of this to say, the boys will be back at Galactic (Dallas) this Friday and Austin on Saturday.  Links to follow. 

Don’t miss this.  I designed stickers for both performers… come get some.  You’ll love them, I promise.  There’s no place like Galactic (Austin is good too, don’t get me wrong, but Galactic has Salim and all my friends, I’m biased.) 

[falconlord5]

Hearts and Minds, Part 2

... No, Katma. One planet does not contain nearly enough people to control a whole galaxy. Even in this show which has a... wonky sense of scale at the best of times.

No, John's right. It takes years to set up effective recruitment in captured populations and every other galactic empire would be hounding this guy. Despero is just Putin, but with a better voice actor.

And yes, Despero has mind control powers... that don't work even on all of his population, never mind the billions if not trillions of people in the wider galaxy.

Written by Keith Damron.

Directed by Butch Lukic

The staff like showing off that John was a marine in this show.

This resistance isn't very good at retreating

Big Damn Heroes: The Series

Flash, don't hit on the alien commander. You have a girlfriend, her name is Linda Park

Now's not the time to be jealous, Hawkgirl.

Those drawings are waaaay too sophisticated for cavemen, dude.

You, uh, you sure about that Katma?

I can't believe they said 'impotence' on a kid's cartoon.

Two things: one, why didn't the lieutenant tell Despero about the League? And two, that's an awfully cruel fate for what is, ultimately, something that isn't the lieutenant's fault.

Wow, there's something the Flash won't eat.

How is an advanced fleet losing to kamikaze soldiers? The Japanese tried it, guys, it didn't work.

Very different from the Green Lantern: The Animated Series version of Kilowogg.

Despero, you're a creeper.

J'onn, didn't your mother ever tell you not to talk to strange sapient nuclear reactors?

What trapped the py'tar to begin with, I wonder?

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Batman created by Bob Kane

Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston

Animated by Koko

[artsywinter13]

Deities of Uzumahoshi

Long ago, when the island of Uzumahoshi had recently settled in the middle of the ocean, two deities came to visit them. The island was already full of life, but there was no harmony. No order. Only chaos. So the 2 deities decided to help the beings of the island. Tenonna no Kinoko, the Celestial Mushroom, harmonized the beings and helped them to get along, while Kosumo, the Cosmos, helped them organize themsleves into different roles. Both of the deities help the beings, but did not interfere into any of their affairs. They let them do their own things, until tragedy struck. A Great War waged on by the beings of the island would plunge the island into chaos. Blood sprinkled the land. And the land sucked the blood and gore and became malignant, starting to attack the beings. Seeing no other choice, Tenonna no Kinoko sacrificed herself and become the Fluor mushrooms. With this great sacrifice, the land was quelled and became normal once again. But Kosumo saw this and became filled with despair and anger.

He saw how impotent the beings of the island were and rightly took charge and became their leader, naming himself Kosumo Shogun. He created 3 other deities: Omohoshi, the Star Lord, who was in charge of protecting the island and its people, as well as keeping them in check; Kenmeina no Tsuki, the Wise Moon, who was in charge of looking after the beings and learning every little detail about them; and Ginga no Shisai, the Galactic Priest, who was in charge taking care of the Fluor Mushrooms and preserving the culture of the island.

As time went on, the ruling of the island change over time. The Kosumo Shogun would divide himself into a new Shogun every 100 years and raised them to be the new ruler. Omohoshi gave rise to the Onira and the Kōsei clan. Kenmeina no Tsuki gave rise to the Kitzans and the Tsukikage clan. Ginga no Shisai gave rise to the Gumyocho and the Seoul clan. The Kosumo Shogun will only allow these 3 descendents of the deities to rule over their respective clans. He will not make the same mistake ever again.

[chris-evans-indian-fanfic]

Love

One-Shot

Description: Asexual!Bucky thinks he is broken beyond repair, until you show him that he has been complete all this while.

Warnings: Angst, bad language, mention of sex toys, romance and fluff

@jtargaryen18 organised a writing challenge for reaching 4k followers and of course I have to participate multiple times! 😍 I am sorry this entry is a little late 🙈

My Main Masterlist

A/N: This is the first time I am writing an asexual character. Whatever I have written is based upon my knowledge that I have gathered by reading various articles and posts on asexuality. The reason I am writing this is because I want to have an equal amount of straight and LGBTQ+ stories in my masterlist, so that there's something for everyone to enjoy. Hence, if you are an asexual person or know someone who is, and you realise that anything in my story is incorrectly represented, then please let me know. I will immediately correct it, issue an apology and accept my mistake publicly. 

I don’t consent to have any of my work published or featured on any third party app, website or translated. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but Tumblr and AO3, it has been reposted without my permission. In that case, please do share the link and let me know.

…

"I cannot fucking believe this!" Karen shouted, "What are you like gay or something?"

Bucky winced at her venomous words. "You need to leave," he said in a quiet, respectful tone.

"Like hell I am going to leave. I want answers!" she placed her hands on her hips and stomped her foot. "What is it? Am I not sexy enough for you? Are you not attracted by this?!" she gestured towards the skimpy lingerie currently hugging her body.

Bucky met her eyes as he responded, "I do not want to have sex with you." 

She huffed, clearly not convinced, "Why not? We have been going out for what, 3 months now? And you still don't want to have sex with me? What is the issue here? Is it-" she paused suddenly, her eyes traveling down his torso to his crotch, "You can't get it up can you?" she sneered.

Bucky shook his head, too exhausted to deal with her, "Karen, it's nothing like that. I just do not want to get physical with you. That's all."

"Oh! Ooooohh!" she bent backwards a bit, "So it was fine to hug me, cuddle with me and hold my hands. But when it comes to sex, you suddenly become a pious celibate saint! What the fuck Bucky?"

Bucky sighed, and handed Karen back her coat, "We are done. Please leave."

She laughed dryly, "Oh abso-fucking-lutely we are done. You know what I think?" she asked while wearing the coat, "I think that you are too old grandpa and that your tiny ass tortured gay dick cannot salute on its own. Because no man in his right mind would deny this," she again pointed to herself. "Super-soldier my ass," she muttered as she left.

The door to his apartment closed with a loud bang, leaving an echo in its wake. Bucky stood still, rooted to his spot. If it were not for the silent tears rolling down his cheeks, anybody could have mistaken him for a statue. 

Slowly, he sat on the floor, his gentle sobs rocking his body as he hugged his knees. 

Decades of torture by the hands of Hydra had left him crippled, physically, mentally and emotionally. When he had been saved by Steve, he had started to piece his life back together, bit by bit. Things such as books, movies, music became tiny jigsaw pieces that slowly filled the void in his life. 

After the final galactic battle with Thanos, Bucky had been officially initiated to the Avengers team, or rather what was left of it. The team soon became an extended family, a family that Bucky was still getting used to. It was especially irksome when Sam and Scott decided to set him up on a date with Karen from Research & Development (R&D), despite his protests.

It wasn't that Bucky didn't desire a relationship. He wanted to be close to someone, experience romance, feel their heartbeat in a close embrace and place light kisses on their forehead. 

But he didn't want to have sex.

At first, he thought he might not have met the right woman. So he searched for porn online, which did little to sway his feelings. He put the issue on a backburner, the safety of the people and the urgency of his missions steering the wheel of his life for a while. 

But when Sam and Scott proudly announced their grand plans for Bucky's date, he remembered his "issue" again. He looked at Karen closely whenever they went on dates together. She looked perfect. Beautiful hair, soft glowing skin, curves in all the right places, all packed in a graceful, slender body.

Bucky liked being close to her, but he was still not getting aroused. Hence, he stopped her advancements everytime she tried to get physical. Karen tolerated it for a while, before her patience wore out tonight.

As the sun rose in the sky, Bucky was still seated on the floor, his cheeks now stained with tears that had stopped sometime in the night, though a sniff escaped from him every few minutes. He looked at the sunlight pouring in from the window, broken by the window-panes, landing at his feet in two rays with a comforting warmth. It was in that moment that Bucky realised, Hydra had truly broken him.

🏳️‍🌈

"We have various types of dildos available. There's The Classic, Textured, Long and Thin, Short and Thick, Vibrators, Transparent Plexiglass Dildos, Strap-Ons, G-Spot Dildos, Double-Ended, Squirting Dildos and ones that also come with a suction grip. Are you looking for yourself or are you looking for something to enjoy with your partner?" the helpful saleswoman asked you.

You stroked your chin in thought, "It's only for me. I already have a vibrator that I bought about a year back. The G-Spot ones have never really worked for me. I am looking to try something new. What is the suction grip one?" 

The attendant handed you the dildo and showed you the suction grip at the end of it, "You can use this to place and stick it on any flat surface you want, whether it's the floor or the wall or the side of your desk. It guarantees a completely hands-free pleasurable experience."

You stuck it on the wall besides the showcase to test the theory. It worked. "Neat! I will take this one," you smiled as the attendant went to fetch a fresh piece.

You paid for your new sex toy and walked back to the Avengers compound with your small white shopping bag in tow.

When you reached your desk, you heard Karen bitching as usual about something to Jessica. At first, you blocked them out like you did almost everyday, but then a name in their conversation caught your attention.

"He's the Winter Soldier alright. He's completely frozen down there," Karen whispered loudly with disgust. 

"Even that red sexy lingerie didn't do anything for him?" Jessica gasped dramatically.

"No!"

"That's crazy! That hot-red piece will convert even the most gayest of the guys! And it didn't do anything for him? Wow," Jessica responded.

Karen added, "You know something? I have always thought he was extremely weird. Like, dude, I know you were tortured by Hydra or whatever, but get over it man! It's been years since he was free. He should enjoy life and stop being such a wimp. I am 100% sure he is impotent."

"You know I was digging into him the other night," Jessica said in a hushed whisper, "and I saw a message board online which suggested that his penis has been completely cut by Hydra. This person knows all such secrets about these alleged superheros. You should follow him."

"What is his username?"

"Proud-Flat-Earther-MotherFuckers. Wait, I will send you the link," Jessica offered. 

Having heard enough of their nonsense, you made your way towards the HR department. Maybe both Karen and Jessica had forgotten, but talking about the personal lives of Avengers was strictly against the rules and was considered as reason enough to fire employees. 

You filed a complaint with the HR and within a few hours, both the women were fired on the spot. You savored the moment with relish, as their faces turned aghast at the realisation that their actions had consequences. You went up to them, watching the pair clean their desks, with unabashed glee. 

"You know something Karen?" you asked her, "Just because a man refuses to have sex, it didn't mean that he's a wimp, or gay or an impotent. But if you do choose to think of him that way, then it surely makes you a sexiest and a homophobic person."

Karen looked at you furiously, "You bitch! I lost my job because you went and blabbed in front of the HR!"

You chuckled at her outburst, "Oh my dearest Karen. Yes I did go and rat you out to the HR. But that's not what got the two of you fired."

"Then what did?" Jessica asked as she joined the conversation. 

You folded your hands for effect, "Your hateful comments and toxic views cost you your jobs. People like you think that just by using the latest iPhone or following the latest trends, you are a modern, 21st century person. But in reality, it is your open mindset which makes you a member of the modern society. If you would open your mind just as much as you open your legs, trust me, the two of you will be much better off."

You turned to leave, but stopped yourself, "Just a suggestion. Stop using words like gay and impotent as insults. It will help you retain your next job for a longer time." You winked at their speechless faces, and happily returned to your desk. 

Your job in R&D was taxing and so, you always found yourself working late. Today was no exception either. As you left your office at around 8pm, you saw Bucky heading towards the elevator which led to his apartment. You always had a soft spot for the brunette super-soldier. For starters, you couldn't even begin to comprehend the tortures he must have endured in his past. And the fact that he was trying to piece his life back together again? It was truly commendable.

He always kept to himself, his eyes downcast and his body language unsure. And after what you had heard today, you felt even more sorry for the guy. Turning towards the cafeteria, you picked up a box of vanilla-strawberry French macarons for him, thanking the heavens above for the free food available at the Avengers compound. You held the white bag with macarons in your left hand, being mindful of not confusing it with the similar white bag in your right which contained your new sex toy. 

A few moments later, you found yourself in front of his apartment. You had visited him twice before to adjust his vibranium arm or to sort out a few tweaks, but never before had you visited him so late in the evening. 

You knocked, feeling a little hesitant as you did so. He was surprised to find you standing on the opposite of the door, however, he still greeted you courteously nonetheless. 

Before you could state your reason for the visit, he said sincerely, "I heard what you did today. Thank you. I really appreciated it."

Now it was your turn to be surprised, "Oh. Ummm. It's okay really Mr Barnes. It was nothing. You don't need to-"

"No. It wasn't just nothing. You could have turned a deaf ear and ignored them. Yet you chose to stand-up for me. Thank you," a small smile laced his face and you melted on the spot.

You had a crush on Bucky. A BIG one. Could anyone blame you? This guy was a hot, sexy mess of an ice-cream sundae that left you hungry for more even on the coldest nights of the year. 

You realised you were staring into his steel-blue eyes like a creep, and immediately cleared your throat. "What-what they did was wrong. Karen had no right to demean you for your desires or lack of them. I-," you sighed, "I am sorry for what she said. It was disrespectful and hurtful. So I brought you something that I hope will cheer you up."

You awkwardly raised your right hand, "I got you some vanilla-strawberry macarons from the cafeteria."

Bucky did cheer up a bit at the mention of his favourite food. He eagerly took the bag with a huge smile, "Thank you," he said once again as you shook your head. "Thank you for everything you do to keep us safe Mr Barnes. I must be on my way now. Goodnight," and with that you left, grinning like an idiot.

🏳️‍🌈

You took a bath, ate your dinner and slipped into comfortable pyjamas. Excited to try your new sex toy tonight, you unpacked the bag expecting to see the nondescript box of the dildo. Instead, 5 delicious macarons stared back at you with innocence. 

You stumbled backwards in shock, the impact of your action settling like a dull, heavy weight in your stomach. "Oh no no no no," you whispered, horrified.

You immediately rushed to your window and pulled aside the curtain to look at Bucky's building, as if expecting to see him staring daggers at you. One of the privileges of working with the Avengers? You got to stay in a nice apartment within the compound itself. Your residential complex was a little further away from the main building, covered easily by 15 minutes of walking. 

Feeling hyper, you frantically searched for a coat and almost ran out of your house. You rushed back in to keep the box in the bag and again, dashed towards the elevator. 

Hoping that Bucky would have yet to open the box, you sent a silent prayer to all the gods and goddesses in the skies above, even Thor. Meh, you never know when an ex-Avenger could be of help.

You sprinted towards the other building, a multitude of thoughts clouding your mind- What if he was offended by it? Would he file a complaint against me? It would be sorta ironic if I was fired for this! Shit he would think my apology was false and I am probably mocking him.

You reached his apartment, a panting, huffing mess of a person. You knocked frantically, his door shaking with force at your desperation. However, you jumped as Bucky whispered your name from behind you, "Are you okay? What's going on?" he asked with concern as you turned around to face him.

"Did-did you op-open the bo-ox?" you questioned him while panting like a dog. 

He furrowed his brows in response, "No I was planning to open it in a few minutes. Please tell me what's going on. Why do you look so scared?"

You bent over double, your stomach cramping thanks to your impromptu running, "Thi-this is your bag," you held up the package, "That ba-bag is mine."

"Okay," Bucky said slowly, still unsure of your behaviour, "Should I open the door to retrieve your bag?"

You nodded as he stepped aside, "Why are you not wearing any shoes?"

You looked down at your feet at his query, small blades of grass had stuck to your naked feet along with dirt. "I was in a hur-hurry to get to you," you managed to say between your breaths.

Bucky just nodded in response. It was then that you noticed the pack of paper tissues in his hand. He opened the door and stepped inside, beckoning you to follow him. He pointed to the white bag kept on the table while he looked at it with worry. "Will it explode?" he solicited.

"Uhh no," you replied awkwardly.

"Is it dangerous?" curiosity etched on Bucky's face as you swapped the bags.

"No, it's nothing like that," you looked down at your feet, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks with embarrassment.

He narrowed his eyes, "Then what is it?"

"I can't tell you," you quietly admitted, "but here are your macarons. I am really sorry for this. Didn't mean to disturb you from whatever you had planned," you pointed to the box of tissues still in his hand. 

Bucky noticed the underlying question in your statement, "I was about to watch a movie. So needed these to clear the mess."

Your eyes went wide at his sincerity. While you had a crush on him, you definitely did not want to know about Bucky's late night masturbation adventures. Shaking your head, you raised your hands and started walking backwards, "I am sorry I disturbed your nightly… activities. I get out of your hair."

"Actually, would you like to join me for the movie?" Bucky asked hopefully, "We have the macarons and you seem like you need to calm your nerves."

You were surprised for the third time that day. Did Bucky just ask you to masturbate with him? Or have sex while eating the macarons? Or did he want to eat them after you guys have had sex? A flurry of questions swirled in your mind as you stared at him with a slightly open mouth. 

Bucky interpreted your gaze and stumbled to clarify himself, "As friends! Would you like to watch a movie with me as a friend?"

You slowly nodded your affirmation, "Yeah okay. Which movie are we watching?" 

"The Notebook," he revealed with a smile, "It's an extremely emotional movie. Ummm what's the term? Tear-jerker? Uhh yeah, it's a real tear-jerker of a movie."

"Oh so that's why…" you pointed at the tissues. "Yeah," he confirmed, "I tend to cry a lot while watching that movie. And… ummm… I am the kind of person who cries ugly. You know, all tears and snot. So yeah… I need the whole box."

"That's… that's actually sweet," you smiled, "Trust me you are not alone. I start crying as soon as the titles appear on the screen."

He got excited at your confession, "Yes! Exactly! It's because you know what's going to come and you are just mentally preparing yourself."

You chuckled with him in affirmation as he led you further into his apartment.

You freshened up a bit in his washroom, making sure to clean your feet and the residue on your face from the sweat.

Bucky was standing besides your bag when you entered the living room, "Now that we are friends," he intoned, "will you please tell me what's inside of this?"

You sighed, "Mr Barnes-." 

"Bucky," he corrected you and you smiled. 

"Will you promise me you will not take any offense or be insulted by it? I really did not mean to swap the bags."

"I trust you," Bucky said with assurance.

"It's…it is a sex toy," you mumbled quietly. Any normal human wouldn't have heard you, but Bucky's enhanced hearing caught your words flawlessly. 

He took a moment to process your words, and finally, to your amazement, burst out laughing. 

You sheepishly smiled at his reaction as your heart felt a little lighter. "That is embarrassing," he agreed with a wide grin. 

The two of you settled on the couch as Bucky's chuckles lessened. He kept the box of macarons between you two, but hesitated to begin the movie.

You sensed his curiosity, and clarified, "I haven't been in a relationship in a very long time. It's been… 2 years I guess… since my last breakup." You took a deep breath, "And my job doesn't exactly leave a lot of time on my hands for dating or one-night-stands."

Bucky seemed to consider your words for what felt like a long time. Finally, he asked quietly, "What does it feel like? To… to want another person… sexually?"

You blinked your eyes, thinking you must have misheard him. But then, his gaze met yours, and you knew his question was sincere.

"It feels like…," you raked your mind in search for the appropriate words, "...like your entire body is on fire, and you need the touch of the other person to quench your thirst. Like, just for a few moments, you want to shut your mind, and let your body think for you."

Bucky nodded slowly as you finished, "But what if you feel that in your heart? And not for your body?"

You squint your eyes at his question, "What do you mean Bucky?"

He placed his head in his hands, "I just… I don't feel like that with anyone. I mean, I don't want to have sex. Trust me I have tried everything. Literally everything. Still I don't feel aroused… I am broken, aren't I? Because this is abnormal, right? No matter how hard I try I will never be normal."

Your heart shattered at his words. You had heard about his horrid nightmares, but to think that he was struggling to accept himself, thinking that he was broken, even when he had so much love to give, was depressing. You could not just stand by and watch.

Gently, you placed a hand on his shoulder, "Bucky, look at me." When he didn't comply, you urged him, "Bucky, you are not broken. It is completely normal to not have any sexual desires."

"No it's not," he scoffed.

"Yes it is," you coerced him, "Do you know what is asexuality? It is the complete absence of sexual desires. Many people-"

He interrupted you, "There is no such thing. You are making this up."

"I am not," you replied indignantly, "Research indicates that more than 1% of the American population is asexual. Also, experts believe that more people might be asexuals because they think that they "haven't found the right person yet"," you ended with air quotes.

With no reaction from him, you sighed and got up, "Do yourself a favour. Use the internet and learn about asexuality. It will help put your mind at ease." You left after giving that piece of advice.

Bucky stayed in the same position for a few moments after your departure. He nibbled on a macaron as he considered the movie playing in front of him. Unable to focus, he promptly shut it all and carried the box to his bed. The macarons disappeared into his mouth as he tossed and turned, feeling restless. 

There was no way asexuality was a thing. If it was, then how come there were no movies, tv shows or even advertisements on asexuality? That's because it wasn't normal, right? Maybe you had just lied to him to make him feel better? Maybe you took pity on him?

He looked at his phone on the table near the tv set, your final words repeating in his head in a loop. The combination of tiredness and laziness encouraged him to take your advice in the morning.

🏳️‍🌈

You didn't see Bucky for 3 days after your fateful encounter with him. The fact that you still had your job at the Avengers Tower meant that he hadn't filed a complaint yet with the HR. And for that you were grateful. Friday came and you found yourself working late, again. It was around 10pm and you were still in your lab, almost done with the work. That's when you heard the small swoosh of the lab doors opening and closing.

You looked up from your table, and found Bucky staring intently at you with his blue eyes. He cleared his throat and tentatively took a step towards you. "You were right," he said slowly, "I researched online, read a few articles and spoke with the in-house therapist. I am an," he took a deep breath, "an asexual."

You closed your laptop and smiled at his confession, "How are you feeling now?"

"Honestly? A little bit better. I feel somewhat free," he admitted while gripping the white bag in his hand a little bit tighter.

"That's great! I am so proud of the progress you have made," you beamed at him, but sensed his hesitance as you neared him.

"What's wrong?" you gently inquired.

"You are… not… I mean… by any chance… asexual?" he winced at his own question.

You chuckled lightly, "No I am not."

"Ahh, then it's okay," he murmured and turned as if to leave.

You stopped him by placing a hand on his firm bicep, "What's going on?"

He shifted on his feet, visibly uncomfortable and anxious, "I was just… no nevermind it's stupid."

"Bucky," you said his name in a stern voice.

He sighed again, "I thought… I mean I owe you a movie because… of that night… and so… you know… would you like to watch it? The movie? But why would you? You deserve better… you are not an asexual. You are normal. Why would you want to go on a date with me?" he finally ended his mumbling.

You looked at him with squinted eyes, trying to decipher what he had muttered. "Did you just say you would like to go on a date with me? But it was stupid because you are an asexual and I am normal?" you blinked as he nodded.

"Who told you that you are not normal?" you asked him, a little irritated, "Bucky look at me." This time he complied, "You. Are. Normal. As normal as me, as the other Avengers or as anybody else in the world. Do not, for even one goddamn second, think that there's something wrong with you because there isn't. Are you listening to me? Am I clear?" you wagged your forefinger at him.

Amused at your outburst, he nodded with a sheepish grin. Clearing his throat, he asked you again, "Would you like to watch a movie with me tomorrow? As a date?"

You placed your hands on your waist, "Yes."

His grin widened as he asked you the next question, "Still mad at me?"

"Uh-huh."

"Maybe these cupcakes will help," he shyly held up the white bag in front of you, "I made sure they were cupcakes," he added with a smirk.

You graciously accepted the bag, "Cupcakes will always help."

"Great! It's a date then. Tomorrow… at 4pm? My apartment?" Bucky suggested.

You agreed, and he left with a goodbye. As soon as he was out of sight, you opened the box, expecting to see the usual cupcakes inside. Instead, you found that the sweet treats were decorated with cute messages such as "U R Cute" , "Be Mine?" , "So Sweet" and so on. Feeling mushy at his adorable gesture, you bit into the sweet treat as you headed back to your apartment.

The next day, you made sure to wear a purple dress, complete with black, grey and white accessories - the colours of the asexual flag. Bucky beamed at you as he welcomed you into his apartment. He had made a snack mix from popcorn, crispy pretzels, chips and nachos, the perfect accompaniment to any movie according to him, and you couldn't agree more.

The pair of you watched The Notebook in silence, except for a few sobs and sniffs here and there and the straight up bawling during the emotional parts of the movie.

After a while, the film ended but your date continued. The two of you talked about everything, right from the meaningful discussions about the government policies to random questions like "which mythical creature would you be and why?"

Soon, it was time for you to head back to your apartment. Bucky offered to walk you and you happily agreed. But before you left, he asked you nervously, "Would you like to have a second date?"

"I would love to," you beamed, "Which movie should we watch the next time?"

He ran his hand in his somewhat disheveled hair, "Uhh… I actually made a date jar. Wait, I will get it."

He brought over a glass jar, filled with tiny bits of folded paper, "I thought we could have dates that start from each English alphabet. We can pick and choose at random from the jar."

Tears pricked the corner of your eyes again at his thoughtful and romantic gesture. You gingerly picked one note from the jar, excited for the adventure that awaited the two of you.

🏳️‍🌈

It took more than 2 years for the pair of you to finish every date in the date jar, except for one. Whether it was jet-skiing in the ocean, taking classes for flamenco dance, him teaching you self-defense or going on a wildlife safari together, you and Bucky finally got through it all. Only the letter "P" was now left.

In these 2 years, any distance between the two of you had practically vanished. Bucky was comfortable in removing his bionic arm in front of you. Moreover, he had started sharing everything with you. Right from his darkest and disturbing nightmares to a pretty butterfly that he may have seen during his missions, Bucky made it a point to ensure that you were a part of his life, and you had absolutely no complaints.

The two of you had also discussed about your sexual desires, and Bucky had been comfortable with you using your sex toys as and when you wished.

Bucky was the perfect boyfriend anybody could ask for. He was considerate, thoughtful, a hardcore feminist and gave the best foot-rubs in the world. And so you were nervous. Nervous because the two of you had never actually sat down to talk about the nature of your relationship. And as the day of the last date loomed nearer, your anxiety increased. At first, you thought of making a second date jar, but he had quickly dismissed the idea, stating that he would be caught up with multiple things after the last date ended.

As you sat in the car that Bucky had sent for you, your apprehension grew. Bucky always picked you up, however this time, he had asked you to come alone in the car. Maybe he wanted to break up with you?

By the time you reached the park it was pitch black. You were sure Bucky had paid the guards to keep the gates of the park open just for you.

As soon as you entered, you saw the pathway lined with 25 lamp posts, leading you towards a breathtaking archway decorated with fairy lights and your favourite flowers.

On every lamp post, a photograph of the two of you - which were taken on your dates - was stuck along with a note. The notes described how he fell in love with you over and over again on every single date. Your progress was slow, as read each of his meticulously written words with tears in your eyes. You collected all of his notes and the photographs, and finally headed towards the lit archway.

When you entered it, the instrumental notes of the song "All of Me" by John Legend reached your ears.

You walked ahead and reached a bend. Upon crossing it, you were showered with rose petals as the live music grew louder. And at the end of the archway, your boyfriend, James Buchanan Barnes, was standing in a tuxedo, looking as sinfully good as the forbidden fruit. The entire area around him was lit with soft fairy lights that cascaded gracefully between tall lamp posts. Even on the ground, small wooden lamps illuminated the grass across the area. A live band was playing the music and your Bucky was standing with the most gorgeous bouquet of red roses that you had ever seen.

Your vision turned blurry as you started crying, and looking at your tears, he started sobbing as well. "No no no I can't cry now," he managed to say between his sobs while giving you his handkerchief, "I have to do this."

He got down on one knee and took your hand in his. You both laughed as you started crying harder. He took a deep breath and said your name, "These 2 years have been the most magical years of my life. You have accepted me as who I am, what I am, and never once tried to change me or make fun of me for it. I never thought I would be treated with the amount of respect that-" he started crying, unable to finish his sentence.

You sat beside him and handed him your kerchief. "Yes," you said with a tear-stained smile.

"Let me ask you first!" he exclaimed between his sobs.

You laughed and wiped your snot as he cleared his throat, "I love you so much. You are the only one I want to-" he started crying again.

"Yes!" you answered his unsaid question.

"I haven't asked you yet!" he exclaimed again as the two of you giggled between your sobs.

"Okay c'mon Bucky you can do this," he muttered to himself as you beamed at him. "Okay," he looked into your eyes and whispered your name, "Will you do me the honour of marrying me and becoming my wife?"

You choked up at finally hearing the words. Rendered speechless, you could only nod as fresh tears escaped your eyes.

"You have to say yes!" he almost shouted with excitement.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!!" you matched his enthusiasm as he slipped a ring onto your finger. His large arms then engulfed you in a bear hug, wrapping you in a safe and secure space for eternity to come.

Permanent tag: @donutloverxo @notyourtypicalrose @just-one-ordinary-fangirl

Bucky taglist: @loustan90

Taglist open! Just comment, send an ask or message!

[kotorswtor]

I grabbed Star Wars: Propaganda for some quarantine reading a few days ago. There are some things about it that I can’t unreservedly recommend, but it does directly address a lore question that’s on people’s minds a lot with the ST and The Mandalorian: how, in under twenty years from the height of their numbers and visibility, did the galaxy collectively forget or consign to legend the existence of the Jedi?

I can pull out quotes of the relevant passages if people would like, but here’s the tl;dr: There were relatively few Jedi, they didn’t interact freely with civilians, and they mostly worked and traveled within a galactic Core whose citizenry thought them fossilized and irrelevant to the extent that they thought of them at all. The Jedi practiced personal and institutional humility, and assiduously avoided even the possibility of the appearance of influencing civilian politics.

In in-universe news and propaganda during the Clone Wars, the Clones’ heroism was foregrounded, whereas the Jedi kept to the background, wishing to avoid being characterized as valorous saviors or romanticizing warfare.

The Jedi Order’s silence and absence from the conversation allowed people with ulterior motives- first Dooku, then Sidious- to control the narrative. The authority of Dooku’s arguments leaned very hard on his identity as a Jedi apostate; his criticisms progressed from factual, legitimate complaints about Jedi inaction and impotence, to playing to peoples’ misconceptions about their intended role in the Clone Wars (essentially Jedi are United Nations Peacekeeping Troops who got stuck with commissions as conventional military officers when the theretofore demilitarized Republic suddenly found themselves in a war) or the Republic government in general, to making them into sinister super-powered bogeymen. Sidious pretended sympathy with the Jedi’s interest in keeping a low public profile...at all times except when he claimed that he’d been the target of a coup d’etat orchestrated by the Council. A Galactic core who’d spent three years in a brutally punishing and progressively less-popular attrition war with a former Jedi as the face of the opposite faction had no reason to doubt it, and really wanted to be done with the whole mess and move on.

[angelsaxis]

The first order is so impotent as a political device cause they have no actual stated goals besides galactic domination with very little interaction with anyone else, they're enemies with the new republic that we can't even see, and the rebels don't have to do anything but fight the people who have the red/black aesthetic so they automatically get a pass for not actually having a replacement political structure in mind besides so vague concepts of freedom.

If we took away their massive weapon of death, what would the first order have as moral points against them? The kidnapping of child soldiers, and I'm not sure anything else? Was their whole plan just to rehash what the Empire did with the fascist dictatorship thing? If so, that's why they suck from a writers' standpoint. Galaxy-destruction and galaxy-subjugation aren't on scales that I can fathom. If we'd seen the way they systemically stole power and siphoned it into the pseudo white supremacists at the top then I'd get it more, I think? But my thesis is that the sequel trilogy sucks because it's political reasoning--literally THE reason anything happens--is weak.

[mbti-notes]

Would you mind explaining why you see Rey as ESFJ and Kylo Ren as INTP from the new Star Wars? I've always seen Rey as a stereotypical ISFP action hero (quick to adapt to new situations, hands on, a fierce sense of 'moral right' borne of self), and I'm undecided on Kylo, but thought he exhibited FP tendencies -- a struggle between self-identity and rationality, that indicates a F/T imbalance.

[con’t: In reading Leonore Thomson’s book on personalities, the Fi-dom section brought Kylo to mind – unless prone to developing Se/Ne, the IFP fiercely guards their sense of ‘identity’ / self against outside influences and becomes rigid. Isn’t that what he’s doing, in differentiating himself from his parents and refusing to see reality any other way than what he has decided it is, based on his feelings / experiences?]

Judging by the debates I saw online, there doesn’t seem to be any general consensus on either character, which is interesting. It’s a trilogy and the character development beats are scattered and difficult to piece together. And there were several blanks that I had to fill with my own speculation. I didn’t really enjoy the process of typing these characters, but I did it because I kept on receiving requests week after week ever since the first movie came out. I found the character development arcs shallow and poorly paced, and the resolutions were too pat to be very interesting. I reviewed the Kylo and Rey scenes several times, with different personality types in focus each time, in order to ensure that the function pieces fit together to my satisfaction.

      ***** Major spoilers ahead! ******

Kylo

Although I think there are weak points in her book, I don’t take issue with Thomson’s description of Fi doms. I mainly disagree with the motive that you ascribe to Kylo. I don’t think he’s being protective of his identity, I don’t think he cares about identity, in the way that Fi doms do. I will concede that he gives the impression of being a rebellious teenager in defying his parents/mentor/birthright, but defiance alone does not make him Fi dom. Pretty much everyone (even some animal species) goes through a stupid teenage phase of rebellion at some point in their life, and some people never properly get past it. To me, he looks like a stuck-in-adolescence INTP: entirely too full of himself and blind to everything else.

One little point made it difficult for me to settle on a type. Leia was absolutely convinced that Kylo was “manipulated” by Snoke/Palpatine to join the dark side, but there was little indication from Kylo, Luke, and Han that this was actually the case. Should we trust Leia, since the movie portrayed her as being much more powerful than meets the eye, or should we trust Kylo’s subjective experience of himself as being fully and completely the master of his own fate? I go for the latter. If anyone’s going to be prone to blind belief, it’s a mom who doesn’t want to admit that she’s lost her son to her enemies. And I see no compelling evidence that he is a person who’s easily manipulated, emotionally or otherwise, which is a big strike against F. If you see such evidence, please present it.

The most revealing aspect of Kylo’s development was found in the conflicting and exaggerated accounts about what happened with Luke that led to the destruction of the Jedi academy. If you grow up being fed a constant diet of legends about galactic warfare from the Alliance, you’re naturally going to think of the Jedi as the good guys and the Empire as the bad guys (as we, the audience, are supposed to). However, if you’re Ben Solo, you don’t experience the Jedi as good guys, at all. He was “abandoned” by parents who were too busy/neglectful/high-minded to properly care for him and he was “abandoned” by a supposedly saintly mentor/uncle who wanted to kill him (even if the urge was fleeting). Additionally, Jedi training is essentially martial arts training in that you’re not supposed to use it violently unless you absolutely have to, which leaves the Jedi looking like total wusses much of the time, politically, always leading from behind and allowing evil to get a foothold over and over again.

Therefore, my theory is that Kylo turned, completely willingly, because he saw nothing but pathetic posturing and hypocrisy around him. It was an extremely deep cynicism (the belief that “good”, “love”, “happiness”, or anything that makes humans noble, don’t really exist) that allowed him to fully embrace his own darkness to very powerful effect - no manipulation necessary. This wouldn’t work with Fi-Te but fits with Ti-Fe. I postulate that his conception of morality was extremely reductive and childish. Essentially, “good guys should be totally free of bad”, so any whiff of anyone feeling conflicted or making dumb choices and they no longer get the privilege of being labeled as a “good” person. Accordingly, any hint of conflict in himself cements the fact that he is bad, irredeemably bad, because he’s full of conflict. 

But I argue that the reason he’s full of conflict is not because he’s bad or a Feeler, it’s because the way he was being taught was not well-suited to his personality at all, in fact, it was quite damaging to him, which pushed him into skepticism and alienation. Here’s the blank I’m filling in: Luke is Fi dom. Fi and Ti do not communicate easily. Being forced or shamed into being good with no proper reasoning process by Fs tends to really aggravate inferior Fe grip problems in young Ti doms (it’s a common relationship dynamic). Fi doms construct beliefs from their feelings and it’s easy for them to expect that everyone should feel-believe the same. How is a person supposed to react when you keep telling them to Fi everything but they simply can’t or have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about? External manipulation or not, I speculate that Kylo was already in a deep state of doubt about whether he was in the right place. Luke’s intense fear and disgust in that fateful moment only confirmed Kylo’s suspicions that he didn’t belong there, and that Luke was no “good” guy. 

Seeing oneself as irredeemably bad is a big blow to the ego, so one must engage in self-defense. The fact that turning dark allowed him to realize the full potential of his force capabilities, to him, meant that the Jedi were completely wrong in their conception of what is “good”. Therefore, he doesn’t consider himself to be bad per se, rather, he believes that he has discovered the truth about what it means to be great - being great via T is better than being good via F. He was trying to discover his true self through dominant Ti, perfectly normal part of development, but he chose the wrong path, because it was a reactionary decision that was merely rebelling against all the people who were trying to force him into being F. This poor choice meant that he had to keep trying to sever his connection to everything good in himself = disowning F. In his mind, the Jedi were stupid, weak, and deluding themselves all along, but he knows what’s up, and that granted him a high degree of confidence in his decisions. He saw himself as the real deal because he was smart enough and strong enough to be brutally honest about what he is. In essence, he’s no faker, and that makes him superior. These mental gymnastics happen with Ti, not Fi. 

When Fi doms (even just start to) see themselves as bad, it ruins them and renders them impotent and dysfunctional (see previous post about Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender as a great example). Yet I see no compelling evidence that Kylo’s identity, feelings, or conflicts held him back, rather, they only served to fuel his rise. Despite appearances, he didn’t lust for power and validation like Te loop/grip, rather, he was only interested in self-mastery, and was willing to do whatever it took to achieve it, because he had no other ideal outside of himself to believe in. Nothing could really stop him unless he decided to stop. When he was frustrated, he would let it out in a quick burst, and then continued on as though it never happened (Fe). He was actually very disciplined in growing his abilities by setting consistent and logical challenges for himself to overcome (Ti), and he always succeeded in achieving his goals and reaching whatever potential he had envisioned for himself (Ne). Furthermore, someone who is very “defensive of their identity” wouldn’t be able to change themselves on a dime, as he did at the end. When faced with the right counter-evidence, he did a whiplash 180 without hemming or hawing or performative self-flagellation or whining about “losing myself”, etc. Would that be possible for Fi-Te?

Rey

Is she introverted? She is unapologetically assertive, she gets involved even when it doesn’t/shouldn’t involve her, she never balks at interacting with people/objects, she always faces situations immediately, she has trouble holding her tongue, she has difficulty introspecting (as evidenced from Luke’s training sessions), and most importantly, she exhibits no sign of needing a lot of down time to recharge. I’ve never known an introvert like that, let alone an ISFP, as they often dwell in their feelings away from the world and dislike taking on too much responsibility due to inferior Te. If she’s introverted, provide me with evidence, since I seem to have missed it.

I don’t think that there’s any evidence of N. She’s resourceful to a certain extent, but she seems to rely very heavily on other people to generate positive ideas and possibilities for reassurance, because she starts to panic when thinking on her own about “what could happen” (low Ne). She doesn’t easily come to intuitive insights about anything, let alone the future (no Ni). One scene in particular made me LOL. Luke was training her and asked her to close her eyes to meditate. He instructed her to “reach out” (to feel the energy of the force), and she extended her hand out physically into the air. That is the exemplar of being too literal. Furthermore, she spent how many freakin’ years following the same set routine day after day, in the same crap dump of a town, waiting obediently for her parents to pick her up? That’s the exemplar of Si discipline. Would SPs be capable of that patience or living in the dreary past for so long? 

I agree that she is primarily motivated by her feelings when making judgments and decisions, which means F. She had to fend for herself since childhood, so her skills are unsurprising. Yet she irrationally lacks self-confidence despite the fact that she’s proven over and over again to be quite scrappy and capable, and people even tell her as much all the time - this is likely to indicate an inferior T insecurity. She has great difficulty (i.e. is unconsciously resistant to) probing around within herself, which is common for inferior Ti in not wanting to feel one’s own darkness. The fact that introspection results in her discovering that her deepest, darkest fear is being completely and utterly “alone” as a “nothing” in “nothingness” is very compelling evidence for inferior Ti.

If inferior Ti, then dominant Fe is a must. I see lots of evidence. She is inexplicably able to communicate with anyone, of any species of bot or animal, with effortless empathic understanding? Her first stance is to give people the benefit of the doubt, no matter how strange or wayward they seem. She has a very naive trust in the goodness of people despite dealing with crooks all the time. She takes it upon herself to bring out the good in people whenever she is in a position to. I don’t think she’s always sure of her feelings (Fi-Ni), rather, she’s always sure that there is goodness to be found if one only looks hard enough (Fe-Ne). A lot of people have strong moral feelings and values, so I’m a bit tired of the lazy stereotype that Fi doms have the monopoly on morality. If you’re going to reference a person’s morality, go deeper to see what exactly it is they believe, how they came to those beliefs, and how they express those beliefs in detail, as that would be more revealing of their functions.

For such a goody-goody-two-shoes, her response to Kylo wasn’t the judgmental disgust that Luke barfed up (Fi-Te) but rather a scary desire to figure him out (Fe-Ti). She seemed quite UNcertain about her personal feelings about him (not Fi), which made their relationship one-sided for quite some time, as she struggled with the push-pull dynamic. ESFJs are often attracted to “dark and mysterious” people due to the unconscious yearnings of inferior Ti, even when Si-Ne warns them that these people are bad news. And it doesn’t get more mysterious than some powerful dude dressed in black donning a mask that shows up in random visions. When avoiding him was no longer possible, she made an admirable effort to dive deeper into his perspective, even when she rightfully feared losing herself in the process. She felt compelled to “get both sides of the story” in typical diplomat fashion before deciding what to do, in hopes of “fixing” Kylo through repairing his relationship with Luke.

Although there seemed to be constant teasing about the possibility of Rey turning dark, I never really saw any possibility. She gave no major indication of being afraid of turning, and it seemed that she never lost touch with her strong desire to be good. She only ever indicated a fear of failing to perform her duty capably (Si) and of failing all the people who were relying upon her powers to succeed (Fe). Discovering her true lineage didn’t really shake her because her parents were good in spite of their bloodline, so there was already an “exception to the rule” for her to follow and emulate. Turning dark would sever and betray her emotional connection to her parents - totally out of the question.

As far as I can tell, the only reason she survived her horrible childhood relatively unscathed was because she held on to the belief that her parents loved her enough to come back, i.e., emotional connection to others is her lifeline. I don’t think it’s an accident that, in her moment of greatest need, it was the connection to past Jedi and their encouragement that saved her butt. She was existentially SHOOK when Kylo claimed that her parents were horrible and abandoned her. And she was only able to find her footing again by inserting herself (i.e. “belonging” to) the Skywalker clan, essentially by being the model of a kid that Ben should’ve been. What self-respecting ISFP would be happy latching on to someone else’s mom, riding someone else’s coattails, and literally defining their identity through someone else’s name and legacy? 

I’ve heard some people critique Rey as a flat mary sue character, and I see where they’re coming from. But which type is most likely to resemble a mary sue at first glance? She is supposed to be the hero in a fairy tale after all, so one would expect her flawedness to be minimized.

Relationship Dynamics

In the final movie, the audience is bludgeoned over and over again with the claim that Kylo and Rey are meant to be a dyad. This all but guarantees that they will be exact functional opposites, otherwise, there would be no strong sense of complementary forces pulling them together into one perfectly harmonized and united front. Although the chemistry between them wasn’t properly developed IMO, I think I saw on paper what was meant to be happening in terms of the writer’s intentions.

Luke was unsuited to helping either of them with questions of identity and morality because, being Fi dom, he took these things for granted, presumptive, already settled non-issues, which amounts to him being closed to any real questioning and discussion. As a result of lacking good guidance, what drew Kylo and Rey together was an underlying need to help each other make sense of themselves, with the unconscious suspicion that the other person held the missing piece of the puzzle. 

Rey was only able to reach her potential by confronting the full extent of her own darkness within (inferior Ti), which was what Kylo forced her to do in incremental steps, as he kept nudging her to question her fundamental beliefs about who she is and what she stands for, presumably in the same way that he had done for himself. But it’s not as easy to twist someone’s sense of morality when F is at the top and healthy versus the bottom of the stack. By making it through his gauntlet of tests and critiques and facing down her fears, she was able to develop into a stronger and more self-assured person to eventually achieve inferior Ti closure. Don’t forget how her eyes would light up when hearing stories of Jedi masters and their achievements. It is mainly EJs who run headfirst toward responsibility rather than away from it. We see, in the end, a picture of Rey as a beaming, confident, and self-possessed person who feels like the world is her oyster, fully inhabiting her role in the hero story that she had always wished to be a part of. The audience is meant to believe that she’s the rightful heir when she finally believes in herself.

By questioning Rey’s identity, Kylo eventually had to question his own as well, since he was the one who wanted to believe that they shared a similar path to feeling lost. Kylo is stuck in adolescent cynicism as explained above, with Si loop resentment from the past preventing him from seeing other, better possibilities for himself. Late in the trilogy, I see in his face that he’s probably suffering from the sunk cost fallacy of thinking that he is past the point of no return. Perhaps he believes that he has no choice but to resign himself to the fate he has chosen (parallel to Vader) since Ti doms strongly believe in personal responsibility. He’s not wrong. If he wasn’t irredeemable at first, he certainly was after the profound destruction he had wrought. Ti doms are rarely wrong as their logic is usually impeccable, but they tend to lack perspective. E.g. He’s not wrong in believing that people are hypocritical because they really are (Ti factual judgment is spot on), but then he defines his terms too narrowly in dismissing all people as unworthy of being called “good” (Fe value judgment is very immature).

What finally broke the mental confinement of Si loop? IMO, three contributing factors: 1) He started to suffer the same skepticism about the dark side as he had with the Jedi, since Ti promotes impartial judgment, which opened him up somewhat to questioning his choices. INTPs deeply dislike sheep mentality and blind ideology, so being constantly asked to prove his “allegiance” and quietly “submit” all the time by his superiors only served to reveal their flawed mentality in the same vein as Luke, which gave him the logical justification he needed for eliminating one boss after another. 2) He was drawn deeper and deeper into Rey’s psychology, which backfired on him, because it proved to him, again and again, every which way, that goodness is indeed possible, as Rey easily aced every temptation and challenge that he was able to fling at her. For NPs(Ne), believing in possibility can’t help but create a strong desire to actualize it. 3) Leia intervened with what I’m assuming was one last-ditch attempt to communicate how much she truly loves him despite what he’s become, which perhaps served to expand his thinking about what it means to love. 

In the end, he redeemed himself on his own terms (even if he was not fully redeemed for the audience). As a result, he discovered something resembling happiness in his last moments of connection with Rey. You can’t tell a Ti dom to be good “just because”, or take goodness as default without question, or present a fake and idealized image of goodness for them to live up to, because that will never satisfy Ti. At the same time, morality cannot remain an abstract concept or else it is very easy to twist upside down. Goodness must be deeply FELT in order to be a motivating force, and he, at long last, felt goodness in his bones, through his decision to place the greater good above himself - inferior F often means arriving very late to the feeling party. He finally caught a glimpse of what he could be and should be through Rey’s, and possibly his mother’s, eyes, which allowed for inferior Fe closure. He had always gotten by okay without love and only believing and trusting in himself, but he realized that he was far better off for opening himself up to something more. 

That’s my take anyway. Or perhaps that’s what I needed to see to make the story more interesting for myself, lol.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Cory Doctorow Writes Stories for the Times We Live In

Roberto Torres-Torres:

Four stories.  Four explorations of exceedingly plausible near-future realities. Author, journalist, and all-around bad-ass Cory Doctorow’s new book, Radicalized, has written a quartet of tales that are not only timely and extremely relevant, but engrossing and entertaining.  This is a difficult feat, and the results are quite satisfying.

I first became aware of Mr. Doctorow through his superb articles for various online sites, many of which seek to shed light on aspects of our modern technological life which the normal, everyday consumer is not aware of, especially the obscured and malicious ways that technology is used by companies and governments to stick it to the average individual, oftentimes without their consent.  Through my reading of his essays and articles I became aware of his fiction work, and when I found out that Radicalized was to be released, I requested a review copy from Mr. Doctorow himself, who was kind enough to provide one. 

Science fiction, or as it is referred to these days, speculative fiction, can sometimes concern itself with ideas and themes so vast and deep that the individual human stories are left undeveloped.  This is understandable, and does not reduce the power of works such as these.  Huge, sweeping galactic stories allow a reader to expand their reality-tunnel, to include whole swaths of expansive consideration that would otherwise never occur. Other science fiction tales revolve around the experience of one person, or a small group of people, and their day-to-day lives as affected by futuristic or speculative technology and science. The four stories in Radicalized fall in this vein.

Unauthorized Bread, a personal story of a refugee in the near future and the increasingly labyrinthine technology that dictates what a person can or cannot do, even to the smallest detail of their life, starts things off.  Not only is it an affecting tale of honest yet desperate people seeking to make the best of life for themselves and their children, but it is a deeply cautionary tale about the dangers of extending endless “rights” to companies and technology, and removing those “rights” from individual consumers.  It resonated with me, as I rail against the ridiculous idea that companies are trying to force down our throats, that being that digital programs and items are not “owned” by the person that bought them, but “leased” from the corporation who sold it.  All the legal rights are transferred in this manner from the consumer to the producer. This is evident in the rise of “Right-to-Repair” movements around the world.  In 1960, if you bought a TV, it was yours to fix, alter, customize, etc. because you purchased the item.  If you could not fix it, you could find a clever person, or a certified repairman, who could.  In 2019, if you buy an Apple product, and you choose to try and repair it yourself, the law does not protect you.  It protects Apple and essentially creates a monopoly where they control all access to their machines, repair services, software, etc.  HORROR.  They can essentially force you to purchase new items, and of course those new items will come with even stricter user contracts and restrictions.

Model Minority explores what happens when a superhero wakes up, and begins to understand that he is a tool of a corrupt system.  All it takes is deciding to swoop in and stop a group of policemen who are severely beating an older black man.  The hero’s involvement sets off a chain of events that would be very familiar to anyone who has ever studied what happens when one person, even an exceedingly GOOD person, decides to fight a system that has the ability to control how people see things, and which will lie with impunity to protect its status quo.  It also sheds light on the manner by which people actively ignore the ugly shit around them, as long as it doesn’t happen to them.  People are willing to overlook the most horrible things as long as they feel free to do so.

Radicalized is a story that would resonate with anyone who has lived with or through a loved one’s chronic illness, and had to deal with faceless corporate insurance companies whose job is to make money for their shareholders by withholding expensive treatments from the very people who pay outrageous amounts of their monthly paycheck for Health Insurance.  The rage, the feeling of impotence in the face of corporate anonymity, drives a group on an online forum for survivors to what, to them, is the logical end result.  It is a very gripping story, and sadly all-too familiar.

The Masque of the Red Death, the final story, presents us with a powerful, successful, cut-throat capitalist as he arranges plans for him and a select group of people to hole up and survive what he refers to as “The Event,” meaning the financial and social collapse of the United States. The story does a great job of presenting the actual thoughts and reasoning behind this man’s decision making, and they shine a bright light on the qualities and traits that are sought and rewarded in the world of finance, a world where no product is created, no service is provided, and the only thing that matters is taking rich people’s money and making more money with it, while taking a fat cut for the broker.  It is a bleak tale, and will hopefully have readers thinking deeply about what truly matters in life.

This has been a good couple of months for me on the science fiction front.  I have found several new writers whose work I will explore, and whose careers I plan on following because their stories are so great.  I look forward to digging into Cory Doctorow’s previous work, and seeing where his ideas take me in the future.  I highly recommend this book.

https://rxttbooks.blogspot.com/2019/05/cory-doctorow-writes-stories-for-times.html

[one-divides-into-two]

hey! we’re looking for like 4 or 5 more people to join a Stars Without Number campaign on Tuesday nights at 9:30EST. no prior experience with the system is required or expected. we’ll be playing using Google Hangouts for voice/video and Roll20 for dice rolling/maps/whatever. i’m planning on running a very player-driven, sandbox game, so the narrative will be driven by your decisions and motivations. brief elevator pitch: freebooting space pirates commit space crimes during the second wave of human expansion into space, megacorporations exploit space colonists while impotent space neolib galactic government does nothing, all in the ruins of a long disappeared alien space empire. also there are mecha because why not.

if you’re interested, send me an ask or comment or whatever!

[slowlyteenagestarlight]

by Robert Morning Sky

1996

from Scribd Website

Portuguese version

Spanish version

TERRA I

We are not alone.

The astronomers are wrong. The scientists are wrong.

They are here, but we cannot see them because they hide. They hide...in plain sight.

We are their servants, we are their slaves, we are their property....we are theirs.

ROBERT MORNING SKY

In time, the Star Being would come to trust the six.

By using a small crystal to create images, the Visitor began to communicate with the young men. Calling him the Star Elder, the youths sat at the knee of their Friend, examining all of the crystalline images with great care, piecing together the incredible history of our Solar system and Mankind itself.

Star Elder's message was simple m Star Beings have been here since Earth was a barren rock. They were here when Man was created and have been here throughout his evolution. In some cases their involvement was benevolent, in some cases, it was not. Man has been guided...and he has been misled. The Star Beings have been our Gods...and our Devils

They have always been here, and they are still here now.

When pressed to explain his presence on Earth, the "Star Elder" stunned the six. There was a war in the skies above, his ship had been downed by enemy forces!

I am called 'Morning Sky'... Robert Morning Sky.

My grandfather was one of the six young Indian rescuers. When I was young, my grandfather told me the story about his Star visitor. He and his friends called him 'Star Elder', a name given out of respect. But as time passed, his name was revealed to the youths. He was called... 'Bek'Ti'.

This is his story...and mine.

In the late sixties, I was enrolled at a University in a Religious Studies program. Towards the end of my studies, I submitted a paper that briefly summarized the history of Man and Earth as told by Bek'Ti. I titled the paper, 'TERRA, a Hidden History of Planet Earth'. I was sure it had presented & well researched and well documented work.

It was immediately labeled a work of outrageous, if not blasphemous, distortion of historical records and not of the caliber of a serious student of Religion. The TERRA PAPERS, the story of Bek'Ti, nearly got me thrown out of school.

In frustration, I approached a UFO organization and some UFO researchers reasonably confident that they would be most interested in my story. To my surprise, I was rejected offhand. I was advised by one researcher that UFO' s were quite clearly a phenomena of a technology and NOT the works of the mythical beings of primitive peoples. (Curiously, he is now a well-respected UFO author and has recently released a book on the ET/Native American connection.)

For thirty years, I have avoided telling the story. The initial response to my efforts was discouraging. But I have recently been persuaded to try again.

The history of Man and Earth presented by Bek'Ti is both exciting and frightening. The creation of Man and his place in the galaxy is made clear but in the process his nobility, and his pride, will be injured. The abduction phenomena and the attending grey beings are revealed to have been integral parts of Man's history but are explained against the framework of the purposes of the Star Beings for Mankind.

The sources of Man's religions and the origins of legendary figures like Zeus, the Minotaur, Osiris and Isis, and a number of other 'mythological' beings are explained and also placed into the framework of the History of Planet Earth.

And, so too, upcoming events can be predicted. Not from any psychic abilities or channeling, but from patterns of an on-going effort to direct Planet Earth.

Man will soon be surrounded with images of asteroids and falling fiery comets. Black pigs will be seen everywhere as will Angel figures. Dinosaurs will become children's heroes and violence will be the foundation of their play. New airborne diseases, immune to existing treatments, will surface. NASA will be rendered weak and impotent, if not terminated.

A galactic war of conquest rages over our heads...

Earth...and Man...is the prize.

This is my story...

This is my Grandfather's story ...and... this is the story of Bek'Ti.

GENESIS

The explosion rocked the Nothingness of the Void.

Primordial 'essence' was thrown violently outward. Like a primeval ocean, wave after wave crashed out into the black pit of the Void. Nothingness beheld Chaos, Chaos poured out into Nothingness.

As the primeval waters streamed outwards, rivers of dark 'essence' swirled together, forming huge whirlpools. As the whirlpools spun inwards, the 'essence' condensed into clouds of gas. Superheated from the compression forces in the core of the swirl, sparks ignited the volatile clouds. Explosion after explosion formed enormous balls of fire, supernovas of brilliant red and dwarf stars of blazing blue.

Like islands in the waters of 'essence', the stars formed from the swirls in the spinning galaxies. Time after time, the process was repeated in the Void... time after time, a galaxy was born.

In time, one of these galaxies would come to be known as 'ERIDANUS'. This is a history of one small part of ERIDANUS... and a tiny world known to us as EARTH.

ERIDANUS

In the swirling primordial 'waters' of ERIDANUS, many of the stars gave birth to worlds of their own.

From the gases and dust thrown out from the suns, the planets condensed and cooled. Elemental gases combined to form moisture, the rain fell to form oceans. Thunderstorms raged, the oceans tossed and turned, crashing on the shores of the surface lands. In the midst of the lightning and fury, a single spark flashed, creating in one micro-second a single cell of life.

Single celled life forms combined to create multi-celled creatures, multi-celled creatures became complex beings with billions of shells... fishes, insects, birds, reptiles, plants and mammals. As many different creatures as there are stars in the galaxy, came into existence.

And in time, 'Humanoids' evolved. Fish humanoids, bird humanoids, reptile humanoids, mammal humanoids and humanoids of every kind, became the consistent outcome of evolution.

As Primordial ERIDANUS MAN developed, his caves gave way to huts, gatherings of huts became settlements, settlements became cities. The trapping and hunting of animals gave way to fur trading, fur trading gave way to markets. Gathering gave birth to gardening, gardening yielded to farming.

The needs of ERIDANUS MAN became desires...desires became greed. Compassionate men became leaders, leaders became conquerors, and a 'primitive' world became 'civilized'. Differences of opinion became arguments, arguments became wars. Curiosity and necessity gave birth to technology.

Early ERIDANUS MAN had conquered his world.

And then ERIDANUS MAN looked up, up into the skies. And he saw his moon. He created ships to carry him skyward, and his conquest of the moon began. As he stood on the moon, as he surveyed the lunar cities, he looked up and saw the stars above him. Seeking more, he moved skyward again. This time neighboring worlds were discovered. ERIDANUS MAN conquered the environment of the new world, and the cycle began again.

And so it was that ERIDANUS MAN met his relatives in the galaxy.

ERIDANUS BIRD MAN met ERIDANUS MAMMAL MAN, ERIDANUS REPTILE MAN met ERIDANUS INSECT MAN, and an ERIDANUS REPTILE MAN greeted them all. The many evolved beings of the worlds of ERIDANUS gathered and talked. They traded, they danced, they shared and they joined together. In time, they learned from each other and they lived together.

And... they went to War.

Primitive ERIDANUS MAN had become a 'civilized' ERIDANUS MAN, primitive war gave way to the Science of War, Death in all its horror became a tool of Progress. Galactic kingdoms in ERIDANUS rose and fell, civilizations prospered and died. A continuous series of wars engulfed the entire galaxy.

No single Empire endured for long. None save one...

THE 'SSS' EMPIRE

In the galaxy of ERIDANUS, the way of things became war, violence and turbulence.

Surfacing above other races as the Supreme Masters of War, the 'SSS' Beings, (so-called because of the hissing sound they made as they spoke), weathered war and chaos to seize and retain a sizable portion of the Ninth Sector of the galaxy. Though originally ruled over by Kings of repute, it was under the 'SSS' Queens that the Empire was to reach its pinnacle. Known as the 'SSS-T', the Queens and their techniques of rule became the very embodiment of Royal power.

The very name for a throne, 'AST', would be chilling tribute to the deadliness of the reptilian Queens.

In a galaxy of chaos and war, the SSS beings had no peer or competition. Ruthless in command, and efficient in their cruelty, the SSS-T Queens were brilliant politicians and war strategists, using events to advantage and manipulating wars to their advantage and gain.

Providing the Royals with the power to conquer and reign over their foes was a powerful military force, unmatched and unequaled by any other. Comprised of tall imposing figures, the SSS Warriors were cold-blooded warriors with frightening dragon-like faces. Though evolution had long since removed their scale-like skins, the plates on the body armor gave an impression of fierce, dinosaur beings.

Only a long ridge of bone rising from the forehead and trailing back and over the head remained to hint at their reptilian ancestry. Known as the 'M-K' or 'M-G', the appearance of the SSS Warriors alone was enough to strike fear into an opponent's heart.

Countless wars over billions of years had taught the SSS Queens a vital lesson, an enemy or rebellious subject serves no purpose if executed. But if the brain was re-programmed, resistance was eliminated and an able body was added to the labor force. Mind control was the SSS-T Science of choice.

Referred to by other races as the 'ARI' or 'Masters', in time they would become known as the 'ARI' of 'AH' (Heaven), or the 'ARI-AN'. Today it is known as ORION.

But though it had become the epitome of power and might, a symbol of brutal rulership and unrelenting aggression, the fates would play a curious trick on ARI-AN.

In their quest for galactic power, the SSS-T Warriors had looted the Palace treasuries of their victimized worlds. The cultural riches of conquered worlds were placed on display in the museums of ARI-AN, making the Empire the center of Ninth Sector culture and wisdom.

ARI-AN became the showcase world for Poetry and Music, Art and Dance.

It was a step, however unknowing, for the evolution of temperance in the SSS-T psyche.

THE 'ASA-RRR' EMPIRE

Though the reign of the SSS-T Queens on the Ninth Sector was seldom challenged, of great concern to the ARI-AN Queens were the movements and expansions of yet another race called 'RRR'.

Evolved from vicious mammalian predators, the 'RRR' were still in the early stages of development, their thirst for expansionism unburdened by the softening that continual wars and time brought on.

For the RRR race, war was the entirety of existence, all else was meaningless. Life itself meant obedience and total commitment to the RRR Kings, anything less meant death. So quickly did they create their Empire, so ruthless were their techniques that the RRR would become known as 'ASA' or Over-Lords.

In the Ninth Sector, the worlds of the RRR would be known as 'ASA-RRR'.

Led by the fearsome 'IKU' Warriors, a barbaric army with a fleet of deadly Starships of overwhelming fire-power, the Kings of ASA-RRR wreaked havoc on the worlds surrounding the Ninth Passageway.

The elite 'IKU' Forces descended on their unsuspecting targets with unmerciful and unrelenting attack, clearing the skyways of any potential resistance and totally decimating land-based strong-holds. Within moments, Warrior Ground Forces, the 'BEH', moved in to annihilate any and all remaining military forces.

Renowned for their practice of devouring the flesh of their enemies, the IKU and BEH became known as the 'D-K' or 'T-K', the 'Teeth' of the RRR.

Aggressive and ravenous, unrelenting in their expansion, the RRR Conqueror Kings began the slow, methodical take-over of the 'PESH-METEN' (Ninth Passageway), a crucial Star Lane.

Seizing the Passageway would give the ASA-RRR Kings control of travel into and out of the ARI-AN Empire, and that possibility was one the SSS-T Queens could not permit.

But the ASA-RRR Kings were a formidable power.

The Ways of War had been the driving force of their evolution. Every King had demanded much of their military forces. The Star-ship pilots' the IKU, possessed light beams which could melt targets, cut them to pieces or disintegrate them. The elite Ground Forces, the BEH, used weapons which could emit sounds that stunned the enemy, disintegrated solid objects or could be used to transport an object from one place to another.

Ail in all, the DAK forces had in a short time become an army of devastating power. The ASA-RRR Science of War was a Technology of Death called fAT'. And from this new science, the ultimate Warship was spawned. A planet-sized globe with the armaments of all other Starships...and more, the Warship was dubbed the 'RR' or 'AR'.

A miniature world capable of a destruction never before seen in the Ninth Sector, the AR of DAK forces made the Empire a force to be reckoned with. The rays of the sun glistening off the surface of the Death-ship made the AR shine like a bright star in the skies. Though a brilliant star was often a portent of wondrous things, this star brought death and destruction.

As the ASA-RRR Kings continued to expand their holdings, the SSS-T Queens made a careful gesture of peace towards the conquering Kings in the hopes of resolving the dilemma before War became necessary.

The billions of years of conflict had taught the SSS-T an invaluable lesson, war brings death to a winner as well as a loser. There were other ways to win the conflict. Victory was, in some cases, gained by taking the enemy into one's own folds. The DAK could be won over in a more clever and devious way.

The Queens of ARI-AN called for a meeting of Royals. If the Kings of ASA-RRR pledged their loyalty to the SSS-T High Throne and submitted themselves to the service of the Throne then they would be granted control of the outer stars of the Ninth Sector. Realizing the magnitude of power in the offer extended, the ASA-RRR Kings quickly agreed to the Alliance.

The DAK forces and mighty AR Death Planet were placed in the service of the SSS-T Queens, the outer Ninth Sector was made part of the ASA-RRR Empire. Catapulted to a place as super power by the Alliance, the Stars of ASA-RRR became known as the Empire of 'SSS-T.RRR.SSS-T' / 'Empire, born of the SSS-T, dying for the SSS-T', or 'SS-RR-SS' (Sirius).

With the ARI-AN Alliance to back them- the ASA-RRR Kings began yet a greater effort to conquer and seize new systems, new worlds to add to their Empire.

Solidifying their power, levying heavy tolls and embargoes on travelers on the lanes of the Ninth Passageway, the SS-RR-SS Empire had soon become

The ARI-AN Queens watched with a wary eye, the moment of betrayal must be carefully planned.

And so for a time, a tenuous peace came to exist between the two Thrones. All was well, until the era of the Monarch known as the Great AN-AN, the Elder King of ASA-RRR.

THE AR

The following are ancient Egyptian words of AR origin:

In the era of the Great Elder King AN-AN, life on ASA-RRR was good.

The luxuries and benefits that befitted a Conqueror race was theirs to enjoy and revel in.

The alliance with the SSS-T Empire had made the Kings of ASA-RRR more powerful than ever before and had permitted the people of ASA-RRR an opportunity to enjoy a richer style of life.

But the power of the Throne also made the life of the King more precarious. Treachery, lies and deceit surrounded the King. Assassination plots, military coups and alien invasions were the every day matters of the King. The Prince was expected to plot for his father's demise, distant brothers and illegitimate children pretended to the Throne Kingship.

King AN-AN watched the skies for enemy attacks, and peered carefully over his shoulder at relatives and members of the royal court. Such was the life of a King of ASA-RRR, and such was the life of the Elder King AN-AN.

Seated in the Royal Court of the Great AN-AN, serving as Royal Cup-Bearer, was his brother, the Great AL-SHAR. Assisting in the governing of the Empire, the Great AL-SHAR served faithfully under his brother, the Great Elder King.

Peace reigned, the Empire prospered, until an out-break of war in the Central Stars. A series of major conflicts, known as the "Galactic Great Wars', drew both the ARI-AN Empire and the Empire of ASA-RRR into its folds. The Great Elder King was summoned to the Palace of the SSS-T to render services as Commander of the combined M-K and D-K Warriors.

Great AL-SHAR, acting on behalf of King AN-AN remained behind in the ASA-RRR Palace. Seeing an opportunity to betray his brother, Prince AL-SHAR decided to seize control of the Central ASA-RRR Forces. The successful coup compelled the Prince to further action. He immediately dispatched an elite troop of assassins to hunt down and take the life of the Elder King.

Historical documents would tell of the death in battle of the Great AN-AN, the Hero King who gave his life while in command of his armies. But those who were in the Court of ASA-RRR knew why the King had died, and who was responsible.

Prince AL-SHAR, Royal Cup-Bearer, was now King AL-AL.

Lord Prince AN-SHAR, son of the Hero King AN-AN and heir apparent, was captured and placed into exile by the new King of ASA-RRR, his claim to the throne stripped away forever.

To insure his personal safety, the Great King AL-AL made the grandson of the Great AN-AN his own personal Cup-Bearer. Deposed Prince AN-U was both hostage and servant to his King and Uncle. Revenge would have to wait.

For now he would serve faithfully...but he would learn. Someday the Throne of ASA-RRR would be his, this he vowed!

In this time, yet another significant event would occur, one which would change forever the fate of the Ninth Sector. A new star was beginning to mature, its young worlds cooling down to form inhabitable planets. King AL-AL, recognizing a potential for untapped precious ores, and the possibility of a strategic military outpost, immediately sent a trusted and faithful administrator to lay claim to the new solar system.

Lord AL-AL-IM, Master of Genesis Sciences, had an imposing task before him, to colonize and develop a primitive planetary system.

The young sun had originally formed with only two worlds in orbit around it, one tiny inner planet, (now known as Mercury) and one larger planet, its name to eventually be 'TIAMAT'.

In time, six more worlds would form. One pair of inner worlds (Venus and Mars), two central giants (Jupiter and Saturn), and a pair of twin planets, (Neptune and Uranus).

But it was TIAMAT, the tropical world, that would be the first planet developed by Lord AL-AL-IM in his assignment.

Already inhabited by settlers of numerous galactic star systems, TIAMAT was both a paradise and a frontier world of danger. The presence of an ASA-RRR military contingency force and a direct link to King AL-AL and the Empire of ARI-AN was welcomed by the colonists and their families. Protection and necessary supplies would now be available, TIAMAT would become a full-fledged world.

Lord AL-AL-IM began to immediately exploit the new solar system. The Sun was called 'Bad', 'where Death is'. In the immediate proximity of the young sun, was the tiniest world, christened 'MUM-MU', 'first born traveler'. The next world would become a military outpost. Though possessed of super-hot surface temperatures, its inner caverns gave comfortable shelter for the IKU and BEH forces. This world would become p known as 'DAK-A-MU', 'place of the DAK inside'.

The Red Sands planet, next in line, was a world with air and water, trees and an environment suitable for settlers to inhabit. A good site for colonists, it also provided a much need surface land for a central military fortress. This was the world of 'DAK-MU', 'place of the DAK'.

Beyond the red sands world was TIAMAT, the center of the colonization efforts of Lord AL-AL-IM.

The largest of the system's worlds was a gigantic planet possessing gravitational forces that made it unsuitable for habitation but excellent for the production of super-metals-Under super-gravity conditions, metals could be forged into combinations impossible on other worlds. 'BAR-BAR-U' it was called, 'World of Metal Metals'.

[professorpalmarosa]

Commander Charon (Frugal Ferryman)

Charon’s one of those characters you either really love or really loathe. I personally love him and was way too excited when I found his journal in the Silph Co. building in HGSS! Honestly, he may be my favorite in the entire franchise...

He’s also the only Team Galactic Commander who (for the most part) is relatively consistent with his personality. His anime version had that delightful laugh and mildly sarcastic attitude I enjoyed in the game. His Special/Adventures and DPA counterparts just cranked that snark up to 11 and went over the top with it. He was a melodramatic ham, yes, but a recognizable melodramatic ham.

He makes me smile. He makes me laugh. He makes me feel a little less weird about my steadily increasing Rotom collection. And, naturally, I have to have him play a major role in my Platinum prequel fan-fiction Pokemon Dawn & Dusk!

Going into this, I knew there were two things I wanted to do when creating Charon’s blend (Frugal Ferryman):

It needed to smell like old people (but in a good way)

It needed to use at least one of the most ridiculously expensive oils in my collection (because Charon thinks he’s worth it).

And yet somehow, the main oil in this synergy ended up being neither of those things. It ended up being my December Oil of the Month from Plant Therapy: something so obscure and rare that I can only order it from them over the phone!

It’s Cubeb Essential Oil: a mildly peppery scent that promotes pain relief, respiratory health, and digestive health. By itself, it kind of smells like soy sauce. I was stumped on how I could use it, but then I did some research to see what it paired with…

…bingo!

To get that “old person” smell, I added CO2 Supercritical Bulgarian Lavender (which made the blend smell just like these half-fossilized bath cubes my grandmother’s hoarded in her bathroom since the late 1980s) and Ylang Ylang III.

To give you some idea, Ylang Ylang is known as “king of the flowers” and has the obnoxiously high price tag to match. It’s great for hair care, is lauded as a powerful aphrodisiac, but typically only succeeds in making me sleepy due to its strong sedative properties.

Earlier, I made note that one of these bath bombs knocked me out in the tub and I woke up a couple of hours later. It was this one. This bomb means business and isn’t for the faint (or weak) of heart.

Together, the blend starts out with an “old lady’s powder room” type of floral…but then the peppery notes of the Cubeb come back to give it a more masculine bite. I really like the way this one smells…but the way it looks is even more dramatic. There’s so much purple in this one that you can’t even see your body in the water!

Now it’s time to talk about the pros and cons of these oils from a safety perspective…

Aromatherapy isn’t just about pretty smells and scented bath water. Essential oils are in such a high concentration that even absorbing them through your skin can leave you with the therapeutic (and potentially toxic) benefits.

If you are allergic to a plant, you are 100% without question going to be super allergic to the essential oil.

There’s also such a thing as contraindications: where some oils may affect you in weird ways if you have a certain medical condition or take certain medications.

The information below is for your safety if you want to attempt to make this blend at home (as a bath bomb, a body spray, or even scented bath salts). And do be sure to wear gloves. Some of these oils have recommended dilution rates as small as 0.4%. You don’t want that to slide on bare skin!

Cubeb

The Javanese Cubeb plant (Piper cubeba) is known by many names, but is cultivated mostly for its fruit and essential oil. The smell is very aromatic (kind of peppery, really pungent, slightly bitter, and it lingers). The aromatherapists say it smells like a cross between Allspice and Black Pepper (both of which you can get as essential oils), but I’m calling bullshit.

It smells like soy sauce. It pairs well with clove, rosemary, and most wood oils.

I’d never heard of this oil until I got it as Plant Therapy’s December Oil of the Month, nor did I have any idea how to use it. A quick Google search told me this is one of the oldest essential oils used by mankind, dating as far back as the 4th Century BC!

Cubeb was used by ancient Greek pharmakons, along with medieval alchemists. Even some modern witchcraft rituals use this fantastic plant--and I’d never freaking heard of it.

Pros

:

It’s an aphrodisiac! There’s nothing quite like a superconcentrated dried pepper to put you in the mood, I guess. People used to use this thing to treat infertility, impotence, ED, gonorrhea, and other STDs. And apparently, the two things I mixed with the Cubeb for Charon’s blend also have this aphrodisiac property. Ladies~

Feeling bloated? Cubeb’s here to help! Sometimes you really have to fart and it won’t come out. So you bloat, feeling all that painful air trap inside you with no way out. Cubeb Essential Oil has a carminative (gas-relieving) property to help you break wind discretely and safely. However, if chronic flatulence becomes a regular thing for you, contact your healthcare provider.

Feeling a little blocked up? Can’t breathe well? Cubeb’s fantastic for breaking up phlegm, calming down asthma, relieving congestion, and helping you ward off that nasty cough once and for all! For even faster results, pair it with Cajeput Essential Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Essential Oil, or Camphor Essential Oil.

Flush out toxins! Cubeb has diuretic properties. It stimulates your kidneys to excrete more liquid, which in turn flushes out any toxins in your body. This can include stuff like uric acid, salt, cholesterol, and fat.

Tired joints? Maybe Cubeb can be of assistance! Some Ayurvedic medicine practitioners use Cubeb Essential Oil to alleviate aches and pains from joint and bone problems.

Cons

:

By itself, it smells like freaking soy sauce. I cannot reiterate that enough. If you diffuse this at work (true story), people are going to assume you have something delicious at your cubicle and won’t stop hounding you for it. That’s really frustrating when you’re trying to run a QA test!

Due to its high sequiterpene content, this is not a cat-safe oil.

Cubeb Essential Oil (when overused) runs the risk of increasing the sensitivity of your stomach and intestines. Don’t use this oil if you’re taking antacids, have acid reflux disease, or take medications to decrease stomach acid.

Some people have reported irritated skin after prolonged use of Cubeb.

Avoid using this oil if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are nursing.

This is not a child-safe oil. Avoid this essential oil (and bath bomb) for any children under the age of 12.

Never apply this oil neat (undiluted) on your skin or ingest.

Due to Cubeb’s strong diuretic properties, avoid usage if you are suffering from kidney disease.

Lavender

Pros: Lavender is one of your best friends when it comes to restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. It’s also great for loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, gas, and a fussy stomach. It’s also remarkable for pain relief in cases where you’re troubled by migraines, toothaches, sprains, nerve pain, and joint pain.

Some folks even apply Lavender Essential Oil to the skin for hair loss and pain. It’s also safe to apply this one neat (on your skin) for most people.

Cons:

Lavender has also been shown to slow down the central nervous system when used on the regular. If you plan to go under for surgery or anything else with anesthesia, please avoid using Lavender Essential Oil two weeks ahead of the scheduled procedure.

Lavender should not be used by prepubescent and pubescent boys, as it can warp certain hormonal reactions and greatly increase risk for gynecomastia (male breast growth).

If you are taking a sedative, adding Lavender Essential Oil to the mix may create too much drowsiness. Exercise caution!

Ylang Ylang III

Pros:

Fight insomnia! Ylang Ylang is a natural sleep aid and very effective. However, its sedative properties are so strong that you might want to avoid using Ylang Ylang in the morning or if you intend to drive or operate heavy machinery. Pull this oil out right before bed or at least once you’re in for the night. It’s worked for me!

Repel head lice! Ylang Ylang can be used in a combination spray to repel and even kill head lice. Developing evidence suggests that a homeopathic blend of coconut oil, anise oil, and ylang ylang oil had a 92% effectiveness rate on killing those unwanted creepy crawlies in children’s hair.

Lower high blood pressure!

Increase your sex drive! Ylang Ylang is a natural aphrodisiac and has been used for millennia for that exact purpose. There’s a reason this flower is also known as the King of the Flowers.

Cons:

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil is considered to be universally safe for general use. However, it is not safe to diffuse around a cat.

When I said this thing is a sedative, I freaking meant it. I am a relatively healthy 28-year-old woman and this bath bomb knocked me out in 20 minutes. I stayed asleep for a solid 2 hours. If you plan to use Charon’s bath bomb, make sure you have absolutely no other plans for the rest of the day and leave the bathroom door unlocked. There’s a good chance you’ll pass out in the tub.

[i-like-roleplay]

Humans are Wierd Tale

“The planet Txar has been on civil war since long before the Galactic Union discovered their existence. The Txarian sentient species, Ky.rroc are hermaphrodites around two hundred fifty centimeter high and a hundred thirty kilograms heavy. Their skin is even thicker than steel, almost an exoskeleton, and their musculature so strong they are able to carry twice their own weight. The first commandant to ever see one described xe as a kill machine.”

As Commandant Lou’tt spoke about my own species all I could see was fear on the eyes of the various aliens around. By pure luck my ancestors have reached the G.U. before the Kishemern. As soon as the commander called my people kill machines a tiny creature, using a spacesuit, “for safety purposes”,  raised xis hand.

- Human Gabriel, for the hundredth time. - The Commandant spoke with impatience - If you want to ask something, you can just talk. No need to wait to a officer allow you to.

- Right, Lou. - The “human” looked to xir superior - That commandant has ever been on Terra? I mean, do you really call those kill machines?

I looked into the tiny creature eyes. I could see the predator within, although it was hidden behind childish laughter, fake peace and self hatred. The thing the G.U. never found out about the Ky.rroc was how extreme are our predatory senses, barely mind reading.

- How many generations have passed since your kind last seen war, Human? - I saw the crew shaking out of fear again, but the human retributed my look, showing xis teeth, not as sharp as mine, far from threatening, but a clear challenge. - I guess your kind have outcame hunt, halfway mutated into herbivores. How you dare calling the proud Jug.dymak of the Kr.rroc not a killing machine.

- Yrillis-6, Txar is called a Death World by the Union, I’ll give you that. - The human howled that offense - A Class Two Death World. - Xis voice had no fear, xis eyes started glowing with excitement -  I am from Sol-3, Terra the only Class Six Death World that is inhibited.

“I can survive temperatures below freezing, and halfway boiling. Most poison are ineffective against my kind, and many of those that are we use for fun. We are able to mimic any species cries or languages. Humans are know for bonding with any living thing, and many non-living to. You ask how many generations we have since we last saw war? There are some happening right now, using titanium piercing ammo, incendiary cluster bombs, nuclear friction grenades

“And you wonder why ain’t I afraid of the Ky.rroc? My own body is a lethal bioweapon to your species. My breath carries microorganisms that can kill you, not to talk about those that live only inside of me, my fluids are acid to your skin. You may kill me, but my corpse alone can slay one of your cities.”

- I am a proud child of Sol-3, a son of Terra.  - Xis eyes sparkled, predatory, as no being ever was - I was named Gabriel Thanatos, names that symbolize the guardian angel and the death. As my father said, what Humanity are.

I felt then what those crew members did. Fear, an emotion I only knew throughout my prey. I fell for my knees, impotent as I understood why that monster had so much laughter, fake peace and self hatred. Xe was preventing xiself from feeling power hunger, megalomania and bloodlust.

- Always keep a Terran around, Ky.rooc Jug.dymak. - The commandment said as the human walked away to the battlefield, unplugging his suit - After all, they are hard to kill, and harder not to love after a while.

Please feel free to add