#gravity hacker

[toastydumpster]

slight slip of the mind

[whitechocolate]

exo summer 2023 comeback concept that makes total sense to me // OCEAN’S 9

[ittakestwopod]

We're just innocent men

[lightasthesun]

Comprehensive Lexicon Guide for First-Time SW Fic Readers:

Flimsi/Flimsiplast = Paper

Flimsiwork/Datawork = Paperwork

Stylus = Pen

Datapad = Tablet

Comlink/Comm = Communication Device/Phone

Binders = Handcuffs

Chronometer = Clock

Spectacles = Eyeglasses

Chrono = Watch

Conservator = Refrigerator

Caf = Coffee

Nerfburger = Hamburger

Blue milk = Milk (literally blue)

Hubba chips = French Fries

Sweet roll = Doughnut

Flatcakes = Pancakes

Tabac = Tobacco

HoloNet = World Wide Web

Holovision/HoloTV = Television

Holodrama/Holovids = Movie/Videos

Holocamera/Holocam = Camera

Holomap = three-dimensional map

Holojournal = Newspaper

Holocube = Picture frame

Holotable = Projector

Holoscanner = X-ray machine

Holojournalist = Reporter

Flatholo/Holograph = Photograph

Sonic Damper = Active Noise Cancellation

Refresher/Fresher= Bathroom

Sonic Bath = Bath

Sanisteam/Sonic shower = Waterless Shower

Hydrospanner = Wrench

Hydro Flask = Water Bottle

Power Cell/Energy Cell = Batteries

Authorization Chip = Decryption key

Datatape = Disk

Datastick = Flash drive

(Personal) Com Code = Phone number

Datachip = SD Card

Synthflesh = Synthetic skin

Glowrod = Flashlight

Sparkstick = Match

Slugthrower = Gun

Slug = Bullet

Vibroblade = a blade that can vibrate at high frequencies, increasing its cutting power and penetrating ability (tactical knife)

Rangefinder = Rifle scope

Turbolaser = Cannon

Ion pike/Vibropike = Spear

Electro Staff = Stun baton

Blaster = Pistol/Rifle

Stun Blaster = similar to a Taser

Landspeeder/Airspeeder/Speeder = Car

Turbolift = Elevator

Slideramp = Escalator

Starfighter = Fighter jet

Rotorcraft = Helicopter

Hoverpack/Jetpack= Jet pack

Speeder Bike = Motorcycle

Skylane = Traffic lane

Railspeeder/Hovertrain = Train

Power Chair/Hoverchair= Wheelchair

Windscreen = Windshield

Podracing = Car racing

Dejarik = Chess

Sabacc = Poker and Blackjack combined

Galactic Rebels = Combat simulator

B'shingh = Dungeons and dragons

Jizz = Jazz music

Wailer = Singer (ie. Jizz Wailer)

Cantina = Bar or Pup

Para Sailing = Paragliding

Aurebesh = Alphabet

Credits = Money

Sleeping Pallet = Bedroll

Naming Day = Birthday

Youngling = Child

Galactic Basic Standard/ Basic = English

Medkit/Medpac = First aid kit

Hypo = Syringe

Medic/Healer = Doctor

Medcenter = Hospital

Bactapatch = Bandaid

Nanoweave = Fabric

Transparisteel = Glass

Plastifoam = Packing material

Durasteel = Steel

Plasteel = Plastic

Duracrete = Concrete

Slicer = Hacker (slicing = hacking)

Identikit = Passport

Minder = Therapist

Synthleather = Vinyl

Viewport = Window

Cooling Unit = Air-conditioning

Honeydarter = Bee

Slythmonger = Drugdealer

Spice = Drugs

Stimpill = Caffeine pill

Power Socket = Plug

Cutters = Scissors

Cycle = Day

Standard Cycle = 24h

Standard Week = 5 days

Standard Month = 35 standard days

Standard Year = approx. ten months

Tenday = literally ten days

Cigarras/Smokes = Cigarettes

Click = Kilometer or 'a moment'

Parsec = a unit of distance

Tweezers/Clanker/tin head/tinnie = Droid

Separatist = Seppie

Promise Ring = Wedding Ring

Body Glove = Jumpsuit

Slicksuit = Wet suit

Civvies = Civilian clothing

Carbonite = a metal alloy used to freeze a person in a state of hibernation

Hyperdrive = device that allows a starship to travel faster than lightspeed

Moisture vaporator = device that can extract water from the air, commonly used on tatooine

Glareshades = Sunglasses

Gasser = Gas Oven

Repulsorlift = technology that can create an anti-gravity field and is used for levitating heavy objects

Heating unit = Heater

Utility Droid = Roomba

Sunbonnet = a Clone trooper helmet

Bad Batcher = a defective Clone Trooper

Banthabrain = birdbrain/ a stupid person

Bantha fodder = waste of space/nonsense

Blast! = word of exclamation

Blasted! = s.o in anger or annoyance

Blaster-brained = dimwitted

Blaster fodder = cannon fodder

Blast off = Piss off

Brainless = Stupid

Bug/Bugger = used to refer to Geonosians

Forceforsaken = godforsaken

Full of Poodoo = full of shit

Poodoo = Shit

Kriff = Fuck

Jedi scum = derogatory term for jedi

Kark = derogatory expletive

Larty = LAAT/i gunship

Laserbrain = insult

Meat droid = derogatory term for Clone Troopers

Redrobes = Palpatines guard

Rookie/Shinie = newly recruited Trooper

Scum = insult to refer to bounty hunters/rebels

Sharpie = Sharp-witted

Sithspawn/Sithspit/Hellspawn! = expletive

Sleemo = Slimeball

Son of a bantha = insult

Wizard! = Cool

Spaced = dead

Hutt-spawn = Bastard

Karabast = exclamation of dismay

Stang = Crap

Buckethead/Bucketbrain = derogatory term for Stormtroopers

Bucket = Helmet

Nat-born = Natural Born

Roger Roger = affirmative/copy that

Droid poppers = EMP grenade

Sitrep = short for situation report

Backwater Planet = any planet that isn't part of the core system

Holocron = device that can project a three-dimensional image of a person/object and is used for communication or entertainment.

Kessel Run = a risky Operation. Commonly used as a metaphor in impossible situations.

Thermal Detonator= device that can create a powerful explosion like a grenade or bomb

Ray Shield/Energy Shield = creates a (protective) barrier

Rebreather = device that allows a person to breathe underwater or in toxic environments

Phrases:

Wild goose chase = wild bantha chase

That's bantha shit = that's bullshit

As slippery as a greased Dug = untrustworthy

Credit for your thoughts = penny for your thoughts

Cut the poodoo = cut the crap

to get your gills in a twist = get upset about something

Holy mother of meteors = holy mother of god

Oh my skies/ Oh my stars = exclamation of surprise

Stars' end! = exclamation of disbelief

What in the blue blazes = exclamation

When Geonosis freezes over/When it snows on tatooine = extremely unlikely

Who pissed in your power supply = who pissed you off

Blast it = damn it

By the maker = exclamation of surprise

Great karking Dragon = expression of disbelief

Lothcat got your tongue = equivalent of 'cat got your tongue?'

Sod it = expression of frustration

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Podcasting "Microincentives and Enshittification"

Tomorrow (Oct 25) at 10hPT/18hUK, I'm livestreaming an event called "Seizing the Means of Computation" for the Edinburgh Futures Institute.

This week on my podcast, I read my recent Medium column, "Microincentives and Enshittification," about the way that monopoly drives mediocrity, with Google's declining quality as Exhibit A:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/microincentives-and-enshittification/

It's not your imagination: Google used to be better – in every way. Search used to be better, sure, but Google used to be better as a company. It treated its workers better (for example, not laying off 12,000 workers months after a stock buyback that would have paid their salaries for the next 27 years). It had its users' backs in policy fights – standing up for Net Neutrality and the right to use encryption to keep your private data private. Even when the company made ghastly mistakes, it repented of them and reversed them, like the time it pulled out of China after it learned that Chinese state hackers had broken into Gmail in order to discover which dissidents to round up and imprison.

None of this is to say that Google used to be perfect, or even, most of the time, good. Just that things got worse. To understand why, we have to think about how decisions get made in large organizations, or, more to the point, how arguments get resolved in these organizations.

We give Google a lot of shit for its "Don't Be Evil" motto, but it's worth thinking through what that meant for the organization's outcomes over the years. Through most of Google's history, the tech labor market was incredibly tight, and skilled engineers and other technical people had a lot of choice as to where they worked. "Don't Be Evil" motivated some – many – of those workers to take a job at Google, rather than one of its rivals.

Within Google, that meant that decisions that could colorably be accused of being "evil" would face some internal pushback. Imagine a product design meeting where one faction proposes something that is bad for users, but good for the company's bottom line. Think of another faction that says, "But if we do that, we'll be 'evil.'"

I think it's safe to assume that in any high-stakes version of this argument, the profit side will prevail over the don't be evil side. Money talks and bullshit walks. But what if there were also monetary costs to being evil? Like, what if Google has to worry about users or business customers defecting to a rival? Or what if there's a credible reason to worry that a regulator will fine Google, or Congress will slap around some executives at a televised hearing?

That lets the no-evil side field a more robust counterargument: "Doing that would be evil, and we'll lose money, or face a whopping fine, or suffer reputational harms." Even if these downsides are potentially smaller than the upsides, they still help the no-evil side win the argument. That's doubly true if the downsides could depress the company's share-price, because Googlers themselves are disproportionately likely to hold Google stock, since tech companies are able to get a discount on their wage-bills by paying employees in abundant stock they print for free, rather than the scarce dollars that only come through hard graft.

When the share-price is on the line, the counterargument goes, "That would be evil, we will lose money, and you will personally be much poorer as a result." Again, this isn't dispositive – it won't win every argument – but it is influential. A counterargument that braids together ideology, institutional imperatives, and personal material consequences is pretty robust.

Which is where monopoly comes in. When companies grow to dominate their industries, they are less subject to all forms of discipline. Monopolists don't have to worry about losing disgusted employees, because they exert so much gravity on the labor market that they find it easy to replace them.

They don't have to worry about losing customers, because they have eliminated credible alternatives. They don't have to worry about losing users, because rivals steer clear of their core business out of fear of being bigfooted through exclusive distribution deals, predatory pricing, etc. Investors have a name for the parts of the industry dominated by Big Tech: they call it "the kill zone" and they won't back companies seeking to enter it.

When companies dominate their industries, they find it easier to capture their regulators and outspend public prosecutors who hope to hold them to account. When they lose regulatory fights, they can fund endless appeals. If they lose those appeals, they can still afford the fines, especially if they can use an army of lawyers to make sure that the fine is less than the profit realized through the bad conduct. A fine is a price.

In other words, the more dominant a company is, the harder it is for the good people within the company to win arguments about unethical and harmful proposals, and the worse the company gets. The internal culture of the company changes, and its products and services decline, but meaningful alternatives remain scarce or nonexistent.

Back to Google. Google owns more than 90% of the search market. Google can't grow by adding more Search users. The 10% of non-Google searchers are extremely familiar with Google's actions. To switch to a rival search engine, they have had to take many affirmative, technically complex steps to override the defaults in their devices and tools. It's not like an ad extolling the virtues of Google Search will bring in new customers.

Having saturated the search market, Google can only increase its Search revenues by shifting value from searchers or web publishers to itself – that is, the only path to Search growth is enshittification. They have to make things worse for end users or business customers in order to make things better for themselves:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/21/potemkin-ai/#hey-guys

This means that each executive in the Search division is forever seeking out ways to shift value to Google and away from searchers and/or publishers. When they propose a enshittificatory tactic, Google's market dominance makes it easy for them to win arguments with their teammates: "this may make you feel ashamed for making our product worse, but it will not make me poorer, it will not make the company poorer, and it won't chase off business customers or end users, therefore, we're gonna do it. Fuck your feelings."

After all, each microenshittification represents only a single Jenga block removed from the gigantic tower that is Google Search. No big deal. Some Google exec made the call to make it easier for merchants to buy space overtop searches for their rivals. That's not necessarily a bad thing: "Thinking of taking a vacation in Florida? Why not try Puerto Rico – it's a US-based Caribbean vacation without the transphobia and racism!"

But this kind of advertising also opens up lots of avenues for fraud. Scammers clone local restaurants' websites, jack up their prices by 15%, take your order, and transmit it to the real restaurant, pocketing the 15%. They get clicks by using some of that rake to buy an ad based on searches for the restaurant's name, so they show up overtop of it and rip off inattentive users:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/24/passive-income/#swiss-cheese-security

This is something Google could head off; they already verify local merchants by mailing them postcards with unique passwords that they key into a web-form. They could ban ads for websites that clone existing known merchants, but that would incur costs (engineer time) and reduce profits, both from scammers and from legit websites that trip a false positive.

The decision to sell this kind of ad, configured this way, is a direct shift of value from business customers (restaurants) and end-users (searchers) to Google. Not only that, but it's negative sum. The money Google gets from this tradeoff is less than the cost to both the restaurant (loss of goodwill from regulars who are affronted because of a sudden price rise) and searchers (who lose 15% on their dinner orders). This trade-off makes everyone except Google worse off, and it's only possible when Google is the only game in town.

It's also small potatoes. Last summer, scammers figured out how to switch out the toll-free numbers that Google displayed for every airline, redirecting people to boiler-rooms where con-artists collected their credit-card numbers and sensitive personal information (passports, etc):

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/phone-numbers-airlines-listed-google-directed-scammers-rcna94766

Here again, we see a series of small compromises that lead to a massive harm. Google decided to show users 800 numbers rather than links to the airlines' websites, but failed to fortify the process for assigning phone numbers to prevent this absolutely foreseeable type of fraud. It's not that Google wanted to enable fraud – it's that they created the conditions for the fraud to occur and failed to devote the resources necessary to defend against it.

Each of these compromises indicates a belief among Google decision-makers that the consequences for making their product worse will be outweighed by the value the company will generate by exposing us to harm. One reason for this belief is on display in the DOJ's antitrust case against Google:

https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1328941/download

The case accuses Google of spending tens of billions of dollars to buy out the default search position on every platform where an internet user might conceivably perform a search. The company is lighting multiple Twitters worth of dollars on fire to keep you from ever trying another search engine.

Spraying all those dollars around doesn't just keep you from discovering a better search engine – it also prevents investors from funding that search engine in the first place. Why fund a startup in the kill-zone if no one will ever discover that it exists?

https://www.theverge.com/23802382/search-engine-google-neeva-android

Of course, Google doesn't have to grow Search to grow its revenue. Hypothetically, Google could pursue new lines of business and grow that way. This is a tried-and-true strategy for tech giants: Apple figured out how to outsource its manufacturing to the Pacific Rim; Amazon created a cloud service, Microsoft figured out how to transform itself into a cloud business.

Look hard at these success stories and you discover another reason that Google – and other large companies – struggle to grow by moving into adjacent lines of business. In each case – Apple, Microsoft, Amazon – the exec who led the charge into the new line of business became the company's next CEO.

In other words: if you are an exec at a large firm and one of your rivals successfully expands the business into a new line, they become the CEO – and you don't. That ripples out within the whole org-chart: every VP who becomes an SVP, every SVP who becomes an EVP, and every EVP who becomes a president occupies a scarce spot that it worth millions of dollars to the people who lost it.

The one thing that execs reliably collaborate on is knifing their ambitious rivals in the back. They may not agree on much, but they all agree that that guy shouldn't be in charge of this lucrative new line of business.

This "curse of bigness" is why major shifts in big companies are often attended by the return of the founder – think of Gates going back to Microsoft or Brin returning to Google to oversee their AI projects. They are the only execs that other execs can't knife in the back.

This is the real "innovator's dilemma." The internal politics of large companies make Machiavelli look like an optimist.

When your company attains a certain scale, any exec's most important rival isn't the company's competitor – it's other execs at the same company. Their success is your failure, and vice-versa.

This makes the business of removing Jenga blocks from products like Search even more fraught. These quality-degrading, profit-goosing tactics aren't coordinated among the business's princelings. When you're eating your seed-corn, you do so in private. This secrecy means that it's hard for different product-degradation strategists to realize that they are removing safeguards that someone else is relying on, or that they're adding stress to a safety measure that someone else just doubled the load on.

It's not just Google, either. All of tech is undergoing a Great Enshittening, and that's due to how intertwined all these tech companies. Think of how Google shifts value from app makers to itself, with a 30% rake on every dollar spent in an app. Google is half of the mobile duopoly, with the other half owned by Apple. But they're not competitors – they're co-managers of a cartel. The single largest deal that Google or Apple does every year is the bribe Google pays Apple to be the default search for iOS and Safari – $15-20b, every year.

If Apple and Google were mobile competitors, you'd expect them to differentiate their products, but instead, they've converged – both Apple and Google charge sky-high 30% payment processing fees to app makers.

Same goes for Google/Facebook, the adtech duopoly: not only do both companies charge advertisers and publishers sky-high commissions, clawing 51 cents out of every ad dollar, but they also illegally colluded to rig the market and pay themselves more, at advertisers' and publishers' expense:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedi_Blue

It's not just tech, either – every sector from athletic shoes to international sea-freight is concentrated into anti-competitive, value-annihilating cartels and monopolies:

https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/learn/monopoly-by-the-numbers

As our friends on the right are forever reminding us: "incentives matter." When a company runs out of lands to conquer, the incentives all run one direction: downhill, into a pit of enshittification. Google got worse, not because the people in it are worse (or better) than they were before – but because the constraints that discipline the company and contain its worst impulses got weaker as the company got bigger.

Here's the podcast episode:

https://craphound.com/news/2023/10/23/microincentives-and-enshittification/

And here's a direct link to the MP3 (hosting courtesy of the Internet Archive; they'll host your stuff for free, forever):

https://archive.org/download/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_452/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_452_-_Microincentives_and_Enshittification.mp3

And here's my podcast's RSS feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/doctorow_podcast

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/microincentives-and-enshittification/

[chopper-mon]

CMND/CTRL | cod fanfic.

my first cod fanfic x) reader is female but they might refer to her as a he. still not sure whether i should make it ghost x reader or soap x reader, i will decide later when the story progresses through a poll or something (or ill just write for both separately lolz)

Gum.

That’s what they call him.

Or her, nobody really knows.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"We're directly entering the tiger’s den. Expect heavily fortified defenses."

Station Chief Kate Laswell walked out of the briefing room, besides Captain Price and three other soldiers, after unveiling the news of a new player in the game. The mission was to infiltrate the base of a terrorist organization. The stakes were raised as a formidable adversary entered the picture, utilizing complex security systems and highly encrypted databases.

The databases contained intel of coordinates and maps of underground tunnels that were being constructed to smuggle weapons.

“We’re relying on a wildcard here.“ Laswell handed him a paper out of the file in her hand. Price’s eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the paper in his hand, flipping it around to check the other side, his surprise doubling.

“It’s empty.”

“Gum is the name. That’s all you need to know.” Laswell replied.

- - - - - - - - -

The directive to collaborate with a nameless, faceless, ID-less and presence-less hacker elevated the tension within the force.

Not that the faceless aspect is unfamiliar to them.

Gathering around the helicopter, Price’s tone reflected the gravity of the situation. “Listen up. The plan is far from straightforward. The place is riddled with traps. This is why you need to follow their commands. If Laswell has eyes in the sky, this person has eyes on the moon.”

“You follow their lead, no deviations. That's an order. Trust them like your life depends on it because, quite frankly, it does. Clear?" Price emphasized, his words echoing with the weight of command, gaining hesitant nods from everyone.

As the team absorbed the weight of the situation, price took a breath before calling out to the unknown ally for a comms check.

“Gum, how copy?”

“Loud and clear.”

Almost immediately, a modulated voice echoed through their earpieces, catching them off guard. The thick voice emanated as distinctly male, slightly tinged with a robotic undertone, the effect of a voice changer.

The team exchanged glances of wariness.

Soap and Ghost specifically side-eyed each other.

[scornfulbeast]

Kill Code Part 3 Bits !

Since I know all text on screen has to be put in manually one way or another, I often get curious about what's on interfaces. I think I got most of this one, lol.

Ask intruders for valid ID. Offer friendly chat if ID unavailable. Super-Secret Handshake Authorization [SSHA].

Perform top-secret handshake in restricted area. Anti-Gravity Trespassing Deterrence [AGTD].

Use anti-gravity fields to deter wall climbers. Cybernetic Parrot Defense System [CPDS].

Deploy cybernetic parrots to distract hackers. Laser-Dazzling Dance Party [LDDP].

The Reaper in the Hammond facility recognizes Valkyrie as her father's Northstar, which her suit is of course made from.

Last but not least (for now), Part 3's video seems to have a lot of new claw marks on the left side of Cryp's room. Hmm...

[chokememaximoff]

Shattered Allegiance III

Natasha Romanoff x Reader series

Abstract:Natasha Romanoff finds herself on a mission to track down a former Avenger turned rogue after being kidnapped and brainwashed by Hydra. As she delves into the heart of Tokyo's criminal underworld, she uncovers the dark and twisted path that led her friend down this destructive road. Amidst intense action, psychological turmoil, and unexpected alliances, Natasha must confront her own past and the harsh realities of betrayal.

Tw:violence,abuse,trauma,panic atatcks,detailed descriptions on injuries all throughout the story

Tokyo's night shrouded the city in a cloak of mystery, a symphony of lights and darkness that masked its secrets. Natasha's journey had forged alliances from unlikely quarters – hackers, informants, and rebels, all united by the common cause of saving Y/N Y/L/N from Hydra's grasp. Within Tokyo's labyrinthine expanse, they had scripted their plan – a daring assault on Hydra's core, turning the city's shadows into their cloak of action.

Alone, Natasha entered the belly of the beast, her presence a whisper against the backdrop of Tokyo's vibrancy. As she moved through the main Hydra base, her steps were those of a phantom, her movements fluid and calculated. One by one, Hydra agents fell to her stealthy prowess, shadows vanishing into the darkness as her determination blazed.

The silence within the Hydra base was broken only by the soft exhales of unconscious bodies. Natasha's path of takedowns was a testament to her skill – each agent eliminated without a trace, her movements a symphony of controlled violence. The dance of shadows continued, a silent reminder that justice was inexorably drawing nearer.

At the heart of the Hydra base, Natasha confronted the main agent – a man whose allegiance to darkness was etched into his very demeanor. The confrontation was a silent prelude to a storm of words, a battle of wills amidst the tension that hung in the air.

As Natasha's gaze bore into the agent's eyes, a chilling silence enveloped them. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in as Natasha's resolve sharpened. She sought answers, the truth that had eluded her, the location of Y/N's safehouse.

In the dim light, the agent's resolve wavered. The gravity of Natasha's presence was palpable, a force that demanded compliance. Yet, his loyalty to Hydra held strong, a tangled web of devotion and fear.

Natasha's voice cut through the silence like a blade. The exchange that followed was a dance of words, a battle of determination, as she pressed him for the information that held the key to Y/N's location. Each word was a step forward, a calculated push against the resistance that fortified the agent's resolve.

The silence of the room was shattered by the agent's voice – a reluctant whisper that revealed the truth. The name of the safehouse echoed in the space between them, a thread of hope that wove through the darkness. Natasha's persistence had paid off; the answers she had sought were now within her grasp.

With the information extracted, Natasha retreated from the Hydra base, leaving behind the scene of her silent conquest. The path she had forged was littered with unconscious bodies, a testament to her prowess and the urgency of her quest. The city outside remained oblivious to the battles that had raged within the shadows.

Back in the embrace of the Tokyo night, Natasha's steps were sure, her resolve unwavering. As the city's lights painted intricate patterns upon her path, she carried the weight of her success – the knowledge that she was closer to rescuing Y/N from the clutches of Hydra's manipulation.

The memory of Y/N's smile, the echo of her laughter, and the unbreakable bond they had shared guided Natasha forward. The safehouse's location was now a beacon of hope in the darkness, a sanctuary where Y/N's true self might still reside.

With every step, Natasha moved towards the precipice of the unknown, her heart brimming with determination. The dance of shadows had brought her closer to her goal, the path illuminated by the memory of shared laughter and whispered confidences.

As dawn painted the horizon with streaks of light, Natasha's steps quickened. The journey to Y/N's safehouse lay ahead, a journey that held the promise of redemption, liberation, and the restoration of a hero's spirit. In the embrace of Tokyo's dawn, Natasha's purpose was unshakable, her resolve echoing through the city's streets – a silent promise that the shadows that had entrapped Y/N would soon be banished, and the light of a new day would rise.

..

The Tokyo night was a symphony of tension, the city's heartbeat echoing in the silence as Natasha faced the enigma that was Y/N Y/L/N. Gone was the person Natasha had known – replaced by a new identity, forged in the fires of Hydra's manipulation. As they stood across from each other, the weight of their shared history hung heavy in the air.

Natasha's voice was a quiet rasp in the stillness. "Y/N, I know you're in there. This isn't who you are."

Y/N's new persona bristled with defiance, her eyes cold and unyielding. "You think you know me, Natasha? You think you understand what I've become?"

Natasha's gaze remained steady. "I know who you were. And I know Hydra's taken that from you. But you can fight this – we can fight this together."

The battle that ignited between them was an explosion of emotion, a dance of fists and pain that resonated with the echoes of their past. Y/N's movements were a symphony of desperation, each strike laden with the anger and turmoil within. Natasha responded with calculated precision, her every move a testament to her skill and restraint.

"You don't understand, Natasha!" Y/N's voice was a bitter snarl as she evaded one of Natasha's blows. "Hydra gave me purpose. They showed me who I could be."

Natasha's voice cut through the tension. "They've twisted you. Your purpose was always greater than their control."

Blow after blow was exchanged, the room reverberating with the clash of their struggle. Natasha's voice remained a steady undertone, a refrain amidst the chaos. "Remember, Y/N. Remember who we were."

The room seemed to hold its breath as their eyes locked, a silent exchange that spoke of the bond they had shared. The words hung in the air, a bridge between the past and the present.

As the battle raged on, a glimmer of recognition flickered in Y/N's eyes – a spark of the person she had once been. Natasha's voice was a whisper amidst the fray. "We fought side by side. We laughed. We were friends."

Y/N faltered for a moment, a crack in her armor. "Stop!"

Natasha's movements shifted, her strikes no longer driven by mere combat, but by a desperate plea. "I won't let Hydra take you from me."

Y/N's voice wavered, and Natasha seized the opportunity, her words cutting through the chaos. "You're stronger than them. You're stronger than this."

With each strike, the walls around Y/N's heart seemed to crack. Natasha's voice was relentless, unwavering. "The memories we shared, the bond we forged – they're still here."

Their movements shifted, Y/N's aggression replaced by uncertainty. Natasha's voice was unwavering, a lifeline amidst the storm. "You don't have to fight alone."

As Natasha's voice echoed, the battle seemed to lose its fury. Y/N's gaze was haunted, her breath ragged. "I... I remember."

Natasha's voice was a whisper, her eyes locked with Y/N's. "Hold on to those memories, Y/N. They're your way out."

And then, in a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, the torrent of memories rushed forward – shared laughter, whispered confidences, the warmth of their friendship. Y/N's eyes widened as the flood of emotions surged, the darkness that had clouded her vision giving way to the light of recognition.

The room seemed to hold its breath as Y/N's movements faltered, her fists lowering. Tears mixed with sweat on her face, her voice a tremor. "Natasha?"

Natasha moved with a tenderness that belied the chaos that had surrounded them. She reached out, her hand brushing against Y/N's cheek. "I'm here, Y/N."

Y/N's resolve wavered, the mask of defiance crumbling as she trembled in Natasha's grip. "I... I don't know who I am anymore."

Natasha's voice was a whisper, her eyes a reflection of the compassion within. "You're Y/N Y/L/N. A hero, a friend. And I'm here to help you find yourself again."

Their embrace was a silent understanding, a reunion of souls that had weathered the storm. Amidst the wreckage of their battle, a path forward emerged – one where redemption and healing were possible. As the Tokyo night held its breath, two friends stood united, their journey towards the light just beginning.

[cardenasfilms]

10 Must-Read Books that Defined the Cyberpunk Genre

"Neuromancer" by William Gibson - Widely regarded as the seminal work of cyberpunk, "Neuromancer" follows a washed-up hacker named Case as he tries to pull off one last job in a world of artificial intelligences, corporate power struggles, and a mysterious entity called the Matrix.

"Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson - Set in a future where the internet has evolved into a fully immersive virtual world, "Snow Crash" features a pizza delivery driver/hacker named Hiro Protagonist who gets caught up in a conspiracy involving ancient Sumerian mythology.

"Altered Carbon" by Richard K. Morgan - In a world where human consciousness can be digitized and downloaded into new bodies, ex-soldier Takeshi Kovacs is hired to solve the murder of a wealthy businessman who seemingly committed suicide.

"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick - The basis for the classic movie "Blade Runner," this book explores what it means to be human in a world where androids are almost indistinguishable from real people.

"The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson - In a world where nanotechnology has revolutionized society, a young girl named Nell is given an interactive book that teaches her how to be a princess, setting off a chain of events that could change the world.

"Virtual Light" by William Gibson - Set in a near-future California, "Virtual Light" follows a bike messenger named Chevette Washington as she becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving a stolen pair of virtual reality glasses.

"Hardwired" by Walter Jon Williams - A classic tale of rebels and corporations in a dystopian future, "Hardwired" features a motorcycle-riding mercenary named Cowboy and his partner Sarah as they take on a powerful megacorporation.

"The Shockwave Rider" by John Brunner - Written in 1975, this book predicted many of the technologies and social trends that would come to define cyberpunk. It follows a man named Nick Haflinger who uses his hacking skills to bring down a corrupt government.

"When Gravity Fails" by George Alec Effinger - Set in a future Middle East, "When Gravity Fails" features a small-time criminal named Marid Audran who gets caught up in a power struggle between two powerful crime lords.

"Count Zero" by William Gibson - Set in the same universe as "Neuromancer," "Count Zero" follows several characters including a mercenary named Turner and a hacker named Bobby Newmark as they try to navigate a world of corporate espionage and artificial intelligence.

[alitheakorogane]

SAGAU?

The SAGAU or Self-Aware Genshin Impact AU, especially Imposter AU, is a very intriguing concept... if we never counted the mischaracterization and irony of some of the characters.

I mean, the Archons are being batshit crazy hunting over you when these little hypocrites are doing the same thing with having similar faces with their statues, and their damn people never connected the dots on how the Archons are just beside them playing 'guess who' (Zhongli and Venti, I'm talking to you)?!

And where is Celestia in all of this shit (in some fics)?

So I have a great idea to explain why the characters are acting like medieval men with pitchforks in my version of the AU.

There are two real-life Genshin events that inspire me to do my twist on the AU:

Hoyoverse's plan is to create a virtual world by 2030, with Genshin Impact as the "prototype". They are also keen on putting an effort into AI-related research.

The recent controversy regarding the famous anti-cheat driver used in Genshin Impact is allegedly used for malicious intent by hackers, where it kills antivirus processes and services for mass-deploying ransomware.

I was also inspired by the Gravity Falls episode "Soos and the Real Girl", where a video game character, "GIFanny", who is from a dating game simulator (inspired by real Japanese dating sims), became sentient and zaps her programmers to oblivion when they try to delete her. Heck, her most prominent ability is the power to override computer functions, transfer herself between electronics, and can download a person's conscious mind into the digital world, thereby uniting that individual with her forever.

In short, she's a Yandere. Perfect.

Because of all of these, this SAGAU idea was born.

What if the rabid attitudes of the characters in SAGAU Imposter AU were caused by a computer virus attack on a certain vulnerable code in the game that was intended to introduce an AI for the developer's incoming virtual reality project?

The AI was designed to create the characters, whether playable or non-playable, very interactive in the digital world. The technology allows for the characters to gain 'sentience', to allow them to talk and interact with the players without any difficulty.

Unfortunately, because it was slightly unfinished, the code was vulnerable to hacks and computer bugs that could possibly attack the code, and eventually, the game installed by the player.

The hacker, who is also a Genshin player, eventually finds out about it and made a computer bug to try how it will affect the game and warn others about the danger it causes. Then they posted it on some shady website under the guise of a private server or something.

And there was this unlucky player, who unknowingly opened the computer bug this hacker had sent when they wanted to open a private server (the player doesn't know how to obtain them so they stumbled on this website).

Unknown to both of them, the AI had been affected by the virus differently than they expected. The characters, the lore... it all changed and twisted to something different.

The characters were now sentient, but the virus had made their personalities deviate from their actual personalities in the original lore, and the AI added one thing to the now-changed lore: the existence of the "Creator", the Almother of Celestia and Teyvat who made the fantasy world by the flick of their hand.

The virus, now knowing the existence of the Creator, created an imposter based on what it had gotten from your user preferences, and your social media accounts. Just like real-life malware does: stealing your identity online... to rule Teyvat and at the same time, fully infecting the game and the computer, finally sending the infected codes at a fixed time, this time on the surface web (like Google, Instagram, etc.)

Since they are now sentient, the AI can recognize the virus spreading on the game, and release their last resort to combat the imposter and the virus itself: bringing the real Creator to Teyvat by any means. The golden blood rushing in the Creator's veins acts like an antivirus or the cure to the game.

The Creator will also have allies intended to help the real one navigate through Teyvat. The Chosen Vessels, including a certain little Archon (with her being connected to the Irminsul, served as the AI's server), will help the Creator defeat the Imposter and their now corrupted Acolytes.

And the unsuspected player, who just loved playing Genshin Impact as a means of escaping reality, was the victim of all of this.

[toastydumpster]

Los scrunklies 😭💖

[cyberpunkonline]

Neon Kisses: Decoding the Romance in Cyberpunk Fiction

In a future awash with neon lights, cybernetic implants, and artificial intelligence, it's easy to forget about the softer, subtler aspects of human existence. Yes, we're talking about love, darling. No, not the platonic or filial kind, but the passionate, sweep-you-off-your-feet romance that even a heart made of circuits would find compelling. Here, we focus on how romance isn't just an incidental subplot in cyberpunk fiction—it's a focal point that illuminates the essence of what it means to be human, even when humanity itself is in question.

Love in the Midst of Cyber Chaos

Take Neal Stephenson's classic "Snow Crash," for instance. Hiro Protagonist may have the mind of a samurai and the hacking skills of a god, but he's not immune to the allure of intimacy. His emotional connection with Y.T. may not be a grand love affair, but it's a grounding element that adds dimensions to his character. Even in the abstract, chaotic world of the Metaverse, romance serves as an anchor.

Passion in 'New Rose Hotel'

William Gibson's "New Rose Hotel" dives headfirst into the passion, lust, and betrayal that define many a romantic engagement. The tale is a gripping love triangle set in a world of corporate espionage. As the two male protagonists vie for the attention of Sandii, a woman with mysterious intentions, the atmosphere is charged with sexual tension and emotional complexity. The affair culminates in a heartbreaking finale that's as devastating as any tragic love story, showing how romance can be the ultimate double-edged sword.

Love Beyond Wires: Man and Machine

The allure of the artificial woman has been a subject of fascination in films like "Ex Machina." Here, the film doesn't shy away from exploring the complexities of a romantic relationship between a human and an artificial being. The unfolding romance is not just taboo; it's a direct challenge to the very notion of love as we know it.

Unconventional Love Stories

Even LGBTQ+ romances find a place amidst the cybernetic revolution. Anime like "Serial Experiments Lain" explore love and sexuality in ways that are as non-binary as the data streams coursing through the network. The ambiguous nature of Lain's relationships, often tinged with romantic undertones, mirrors the complexities of sexual identity in a high-tech world.

Dystopian Soulmates

If you've ever played "Cyberpunk 2077," you know that love can be found even in the gritty streets of Night City. Characters can engage in romance regardless of gender, each relationship offering its own unique storyline. And it's not just superficial; these romantic arcs bring nuance and depth, adding emotional gravity to the game's overarching narrative.

Why Love Matters in a Cyber World

Romance in cyberpunk isn't just filler; it's an essential part of the genre's DNA. Whether it's the explosive chemistry between

partners in "New Rose Hotel," or the forbidden love between man and machine in "Ex Machina," these romantic elements serve to humanize the high-tech landscapes. They serve as a reminder that even in a world dominated by technology, where our very essence could be boiled down to lines of code or genetic sequences, the need for love and intimacy is a fundamental part of the human experience.

In these dystopian settings, romance acts like a spark in the dark, a symbol of resistance against the dehumanizing aspects of technology. Love stories in cyberpunk worlds serve to question societal norms, challenge our understanding of affection, and underscore that our ability to feel love is what sets us apart from the machines we create.

So, while you're navigating through hacker wars, corporate greed, and artificial minds, don't forget to look for the neon heart beating at the core of cyberpunk narratives. Because if love can survive in these stark, mechanized futures, then surely it can endure just about anywhere. And that, darlings, is a comforting thought for any age—cybernetic or otherwise.

- Raz

[ultimate-worldbuilding]

Creating a Space Station

Name and Location:

Name of the space station

Orbital location (e.g., around a planet, moon, or in deep space)

Any unique features or characteristics of the location

Background and Purpose:

Brief history and reasons for the station's construction

Primary purpose or mission of the station (e.g., research, colonization, defense, trade, mining, etc.)

Key organizations or entities involved in its establishment

Design and Structure:

Overview of the station's architectural design and layout

Different modules or sections of the station (e.g., living quarters, research labs, docking bays, etc.)

Key engineering feats or technological advancements used in its construction

Size and Population:

Dimensions of the space station (length, width, height)

Estimated population and demographics (humans, aliens, robots, etc.)

Capacity for expansion and accommodating future growth

Systems and Resources:

Life support and Resource systems: Air generation and filtration, Water purification and recycling, Waste management, Artificial gravity, Temperature and air pressure control, Radiation protection, Fire suppression systems, Medical supplies and tools, Food production, Maintenance and Repair tools and facilities

Energy source and storage: Solar power, Nuclear fusion, Advanced batteries, Fusion reactors, Harvesting solar flares

Living Quarters and Facilities

Description of residential areas (individual quarters, communal spaces, recreational facilities)

Water block

Medical facilities and healthcare services available

Education and training facilities for residents and their families

Scientific Research and Laboratories

Different types of laboratories and equipment available depending on the stations’s mission

Astronomical observatories, Biological Laboratory, Climate and Environmental Studies, Planet observation and Research, Rock Analysis Facility

Transportation and Docking:

Docking bays for spacecraft and shuttle services

Transportation systems within the station (elevators, maglev trains, etc.)

Maintenance and repair facilities for visiting spacecraft

Security and Defense:

Security measures and protocols

Defense systems against potential threats: Shielding technology, Defensive satellites & space drones, Cloaking Technology, Countermeasures (flares, countershots, etc), Intruder Detection Systems, Surveillance and AI protection, Protection by AI or Hacker from outside hacks, Self-Repair System

Security personnel and their roles and ranks

Communication and Information Systems:

Communication technology used for inter-station and interstellar communication

Data storage and retrieval systems

Access to networks anddatabases

Trade and Economy:

Types of goods and resources traded on the station

Cargo of the space station

Economic systems

Currency used

Marketplaces within the station

Social and Cultural Aspects:

Societal norms and cultural diversity among the station's residents

Recreational and entertainment facilities (cinemas, sports arenas, etc.)

Events or celebrations unique to the station's culture

Governance and Administration:

Station hierarchy and governing bodies (administrators, council, etc.)

Laws and regulations specific to the station

Interactions with external governing entities (planetary governments, interstellar alliances, etc.)

Exploration and Discovery:

Expeditions or missions launched from the station

Discoveries made during exploration and sample gathering efforts

Spacecrafts and vehicles associated with the station's exploration activities

Environmental Considerations:

Measures taken to mitigate the effects of microgravity or radiation on residents' health

Environmental controls and simulations for recreating gravity and natural environments

Preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity on the station (if applicable)

Emergency Response and Crisis Management:

Protocols for handling emergencies (fires, system failures, medical emergencies, etc.)

Emergency evacuation plans and escape pods

Training programs for emergency response teams

Relations with Other Space Stations or Entities:

Collaborative projects or joint initiatives with other space stations

Trade agreements or diplomatic relations with neighboring stations or colonies

Conflict resolution mechanisms for inter-station disputes

Notable Individuals or Figures:

Prominent leaders from the station

Accomplishments and contributions of notable residents

Astronauts, scientists, or pioneers who have called the station home

Challenges and Risks:

Environmental and technological risks faced by the station

Political and social tensions within the station's community

External threats and conflicts affecting the station's stability

Future Expansion and Development:

Plans for future expansion and upgrades (where are they gonna get the resources for this?)

Integration of new technologies, scientific advancements into the station's infrastructure

Long-term goals for the station

[imaginesforfandom]

Close Call

summary: after a high-stakes mission, the reader becomes angry at Root for not taking better care of herself when they discovers Root has been injured. To calm the reader's anger, Root surprises them with a passionate kiss, conveying both her apology for not being careful and her gratitude for the reader's concern. The kiss brings the reader's anger to a halt and strengthens their bond, with Root promising to be more cautious in the future and assuring the reader that she'll always come back to them.

Close Call

You had been partners with Root for a while now, working on high-stakes missions and trying to keep up with the enigmatic hacker's unpredictable nature. Tonight's mission was particularly intense, involving a dangerous group that could compromise national security. The two of you had just narrowly escaped a close call, and you were both panting, trying to catch your breaths in the dimly lit alley.

Root had been her usual confident and fearless self throughout the operation, but something about tonight had been different. Maybe it was the way her eyes seemed more focused, her movements slightly less fluid than usual. It gnawed at the back of your mind, but you pushed it aside, too wrapped up in the mission to dwell on it.

However, as you both retreated to a safer location to regroup, you finally noticed it. A gash on Root's arm, oozing blood. You rushed over, your concern immediately taking over.

"Root, you're hurt!" you exclaimed, carefully examining the wound.

"It's just a scratch," Root brushed it off, but the pain in her eyes was undeniable.

"Just a scratch?" Your voice was laced with anger and fear. "You could have been seriously hurt! Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you take better care of yourself?"

Root met your gaze, her own eyes softening as she realized the gravity of the situation and your genuine worry for her. She opened her mouth to respond but found herself at a loss for words. Instead, she did something unexpected. She leaned in and pressed her lips to yours, silencing your concerns with a passionate kiss.

The kiss was a mixture of relief and frustration, a silent apology for not being more careful and an expression of gratitude for your unwavering concern. As the seconds passed, you melted into the kiss, your anger dissipating as quickly as it had come. Root pulled away, her eyes locked onto yours.

"I promise to be more careful next time," Root whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of your racing heart.

You nodded, your anger replaced with a newfound closeness. "Good," you replied, "because I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

Root smiled, her thumb gently caressing your cheek. "I'll always come back to you," she vowed, sealing her promise with another tender kiss, a promise that made your heart skip a beat.

[breadbduck]

random magic ideas

-smoke that slices anything it touches. Ie smoking character. or anything else you want the smoke to do.

-cant die. whenever killed, the soul gets transferred to the killer and shapeshifts back to the original form. Last disciple of a God of Rebirth?

-animate. dancing brooms from the rich rat. Can heal self, but only when if you can touch the bone.

-make anything into a sword.

-scape goat. the world dies and everyone in it, lucky you are the last to die. strike of luck, all the rest of the souls turn their eyes to you and refuse to let you die and inhabit the recesses of your soul. now you can command literal armies worth of ghost or monsters or whatever form you want them to take.

-that blind spot idea. can summon anything in a blind spot that has absolutely no eyes on it, not even peripheral, mostly.

-shapeshifter, but only into one kind of monstrous beast, can change size tho. isekai? can't speak the language but can understand it, bit of a plot hole unless you find a way to fix it, accidentally steps in a magic puddle or something maybe. bad ass bitch mode, adventure style comedy via isekai tropes, not a romance if it can be avoided.

-tiny ass fairy form, smaller than a plastic waterbottle, tinkerbell height. fucks with a pre-planned plot, isekai madness. Hates the fact they are this small and weak. Very much a total menace.

-a racoon holding a wand, two 'brother' racoons with their own magic tools. the wand grants any wish the holder makes. one brother has an infinite holding bag and the other has a human size wizard hat that let's it teleport wherever it wants.

-create a rift in space, pitch black. A primordial black hand, or multiple, come out of it. Ie, rift in someone's mouth, hand and arm come out the mouth and latch onto the head of the body, lift it into the sky. squeeze head til it pops, body drops.

-vibromancy is low key overpowered when done right. control sounds. no one that can go at the speed of light? sound beats everything in rock paper scissors

-chronomancer abuses the power of equivalent exchange to teleport using time.

-cowboy internet girl. Cowboy Bebop type beat. Matrix bs, cowgirl asethetic with hat covering the eyes. In the internet. Hackers, human?, get shot in the face irl. Like the girls hand comes out the screen and just pops them in the face with a bullet. Can snap her fingers and turn everything, the scene, into a matrix gird. Uses the grid lines like a lasso.

-angels have reversed gravity. This just means that their hair is pulled by an unknown gravity source that looks like when youre hair is hanging upside down. Any of their blood drawn also falls upward.

[ktechnicolour]

Hey KT, It's Asher (Gottard) I've been offline for a bit but I was just about to ask on your discord if anyone has any tips or tricks for drawing hands when I saw your server is gone? That or I've been ousted which is perfectly fine... but I thought I'd find a way to get in touch in case the server has gone bye bye.

TLDR: KTechnicord was deleted by the hacker who stole my account. So, a little backstory on this; about 3 weeks back, my account got hacked via discord. this included my email address connected to my steam, my twitter and just about every account I have. i fought with Microsoft help for 2 weeks only to be told that since the recovery account had been changed by the hacker, there was no way they could recover that email and so they deactivated the account instead. I have also been fighting discord support trying to explain that I have no access to the original email and that I was happy to provide any info needed and had the invoices to prove I was still paying nitro on the account. I tried my best to explain the gravity of the situation and that my KTechnicord server meant the world to me. i reached out on twitter, twitter dms, emails, multiple support tickets and got ignored by all of them. Discord took so long that the thing i feared most happened, and KTechnicord was deleted. I honestly have no words to describe how devastated i am. i still intend to fight for my account back even if it means taking legal action against discord for their abysmal support systems. once I finally get a yes or no on recovering my original discord account I will be remaking KTechnicord. but for now I'm still processing the loss of the server that's been a home to me since 2017. that's 5 years of community building and memories that I will never get back. I will put up a post here when I know a little more of whats going on and what the plan for KTechnicord is going forward. until then i hope youre all staying safe yourselves and please please please make sure all your accounts have 2fA and phone numbers connected to them where you can.