#multi-agent environment

[govindhtech]

BigQuery Data Engineering Agent Set Ups Your Data Pipelines

BigQuery has powered analytics and business insights for data teams for years. However, developing, maintaining, and debugging data pipelines that provide such insights takes time and expertise. Google Cloud's shared vision advances BigQuery data engineering agent use to speed up data engineering.

Not just useful tools, these agents are agentic solutions that work as informed partners in your data processes. They collaborate with your team, automate tough tasks, and continually learn and adapt so you can focus on data value.

Value of data engineering agents

The data landscape changes. Organisations produce more data from more sources and formats than before. Companies must move quicker and use data to compete.

This is problematic. Common data engineering methods include:

Manual coding: Writing and updating lengthy SQL queries when establishing and upgrading pipelines can be tedious and error-prone.

Schema struggles: Mapping data from various sources to the right format is difficult, especially as schemas change.

Hard troubleshooting: Sorting through logs and code to diagnose and fix pipeline issues takes time, delaying critical insights.

Pipeline construction and maintenance need specialised skills, which limits participation and generates bottlenecks.

The BigQuery data engineering agent addresses these difficulties to speed up data pipeline construction and management.

Introduce your AI-powered data engineers

Imagine having a team of expert data engineers to design, manage, and debug pipelines 24/7 so your data team can focus on higher-value projects. Data engineering agent is experimental.

The BigQuery data engineering agent will change the game:

Automated pipeline construction and alteration

Do data intake, convert, and validate need a new pipeline? Just say what you need in normal English, and the agent will handle it. For instance:

Create a pipeline to extract data from the ‘customer_orders’ bucket, standardise date formats, eliminate duplicate entries by order ID, and dump it into a BigQuery table named ‘clean_orders’.”

Using data engineering best practices and your particular environment and context, the agent creates the pipeline, generates SQL code, and writes basic unit tests. Intelligent, context-aware automation trumps basic automation.

Should an outdated pipeline be upgraded? Tell the representative what you want changed. It analysed the code, suggested improvements, and suggested consequences on downstream activities. You review and approve modifications while the agent performs the tough lifting.

Proactive optimisation and troubleshooting

Problems with pipeline? The agent monitors pipelines, detects data drift and schema issues, and offers fixes. Like having a dedicated specialist defend your data infrastructure 24/7.

Bulk draft pipelines

Data engineers can expand pipeline production or modification by using previously taught context and information. The command line and API for automation at scale allow companies to quickly expand pipelines for different departments or use cases and customise them. After receiving command line instructions, the agent below builds bulk pipelines using domain-specific agent instructions.

How it works: Hidden intelligence

The agents employ many basic concepts to manage the complexity most businesses face:

Hierarchical context: Agents employ several knowledge sources:

Standard SQL, data formats, etc. are understood by everybody.

Understanding vertical-specific industry conventions (e.g., healthcare or banking data formats)

Knowledge of your department or firm's business environment, data architecture, naming conventions, and security laws

Information about data pipeline source and target schemas, transformations, and dependencies

Continuous learning: Agents learn from user interactions and workflows rather than following orders. As agents work in your environment, their skills grow.

Collective, multi-agent environment

BigQuery data engineering agents work in a multi-agent environment to achieve complex goals by sharing tasks and cooperating:

Ingestion agents efficiently process data from several sources.

A transformation agent builds reliable, effective data pipelines.

Validation agents ensure data quality and consistency.

Troubleshooters aggressively find and repair issues.

Dataplex metadata powers a data quality agent that monitors data and alerts of abnormalities.

Google Cloud is focussing on intake, transformation, and debugging for now, but it plans to expand these early capabilities to other important data engineering tasks.

Workflow your way

Whether you prefer the BigQuery Studio UI, your chosen IDE for code authoring, or the command line for pipeline management, it wants to meet you there. The data engineering agent is now only available in BigQuery Studio's pipeline editor and API/CLI. It wants to make it available elsewhere.

Your data engineer and workers

Artificial Intelligent-powered bots are only beginning to change how data professionals interact with and value their data. The BigQuery data engineering agent allows data scientists, engineers, and analysts to do more, faster, and more reliably. These agents are intelligent coworkers that automate tedious tasks, optimise processes, and boost productivity. Google Cloud starts with shifting data from Bronze to Silver in a data lake and grows from there.

With Dataplex, BigQuery ML, and Vertex AI, the BigQuery data engineering agent can transform how organisations handle, analyse, and value their data. By empowering data workers of all skill levels, promoting collaboration, and automating challenging tasks, these agents are ushering in a new era of data-driven creativity.

Ready to start?

Google Cloud is only starting to build an intelligent, self-sufficient data platform. It regularly trains data engineering bots to be more effective and observant collaborators for all your data needs.

The BigQuery data engineering agent will soon be available. It looks forward to helping you maximise your data and integrating it into your data engineering processes.

[thequeerwizardcouncil]

Multiversal Espionage Branch

Director, Agent, Scout, Assassin

Guardians of the Queer Branch

High Guardian, Guardian

Diplomatic Branch

Head Diplomatic Planner, Diplomat, Identity Representative

Necromancy Branch

Necromancer

Druid Environmental Branch

Druid, Environment Analyst, Multiversal Biologist, Biomancer

Resource Management Branch

Head Resource Manager, Resources Accountant, Transmutation Thaumaturgist

Healthcare for Queer Beings Branch

Head Multi-Species Doctor, Multi-Species Doctor, Biomancer, Alchemist, Multiversal Biologist

[circlique]

Avatar: Threads of Power

Prologue/Chapter 1:

Overall Rating: Mature (this chapter, Gen)

Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: Gen, Multi

Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender

In the era of Kyoshi, a scrap of ancient history was discovered. Faded by centuries of dust and neglect, all that could be discerned from the tattered parchment was the words, "Dai Li's agents brought balance to the chaos of Ba Sing Se." It is from this that Kyoshi would find the inspiration to establish a new police force in Ba Sing Se in her era. But what of the original Dai Li? Thousands of years before Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen--a history all but lost to time--the world teetered on the brink. Nations one incident from all out war, environments destroyed by the greed of man, and spirits angered by the insolence of humanity. The spirits threatened to wipe them all out, unless the humans could make a change. From this chaos, a man named Dai Li attempted to unite the world. With his charismatic aura and strange bending abilities, he all but compelled his followers to complete devotion. His power spread, commanding total submission. His daughter, however, would ruin his plans. After his first fall, Dai Li, thought dead, faded into obscurity, and his daughter, granted a strange power by the last Lion Turtle, rose to fill the void of the absent Avatar. Ten years later, Dai Li would rear his head again, and Juno, knowing humanity under Dai Li's rule would have no humanity at all, sought out her own band of benders to take on her father. With all their differences and flaws, she will have her work cut out for her as they face Dai Li's enigmatic cult, their own demons, and the Avatar of whom no one speaks.

Yay, it's here! I hope you'll give it a read and stick along for the ride with me!

Click to read on AO3!

[ncisfranchise-source]

It’s a g’day to be an NCIS: Sydney fan, seeing as the franchise’s first international spinoff has been having all kinds of fun with its sophomore run, airing Fridays on CBS.

In fact, I have found NCIS: Sydney to be a perfect, often-superfun Friday-night hang, occupying — in a small way — a similar space as, say, Hawaii Five-0 or MacGyver.

For the uninitiated, NCIS: Sydney follows a team of U.S. NCIS Agents and Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers who have been grafted into a multi-national task force, to keep naval crimes in check in the most contested patch of ocean on the planet.

The team is led by NCIS Special Agent Michelle Mackey, played by Olivia Swann (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), and her 2IC AFP counterpart, Sergeant Jim “JD” Dempsey, played by Todd Lasance (Spartacus: War of the Damned). The ensemble also includes Sean Sagar (Fate: The Winx Saga) as NCIS Special Agent DeShawn Jackson, Tuuli Narkle (Bad Behaviour) as AFP Liaison Officer Constable Evie Cooper, Mavournee Hazel (Neighbours) as AFP Forensic Scientist Bluebird “Blue” Gleeson, and William McInnes (Blue Heelers) as AFP Forensic Pathologist Dr. Roy Penrose.

In a recent op-ed I did on the NCIS mothership finally breaking out of a Season 22 rut, I wrote that NCIS: Sydney is “NCIS (or more accurately, NCIS: Los Angeles) on a low dose.” Yes, it tackles serious topics/cases like the pop star who’d been drugged into compliance by a domineering father, but it’s more often the case that the series avails itself of its exotic environs — which is a refreshing departure from Yet Another Dead Petty Officer Found by a White Rail Fence.

What prompted this post was Sydney‘s latest outing, “Blood Is Thicker Than Vodka,” in which the discovery of an exsanguinated sailor — found in a coffin bobbing in Sydney Harbour — led Mackey, JD et al to a family that runs a trendy vodka label but also indulges itself in shots of, well, human blood. I didn’t know much about sanguinarians ahead of this episode, but NCIS: Sydney, bless its weird little soul, took the subculture pretty seriously (while also allowing team members tons of “sucks”/”fangs” wordplay).

In earlier Season 2 episodes, we saw DeShawn and Evie dress appropriately for a pirate-themed wedding held aboard the actual James Craig, a 19th-century sailing ship-turned-tour boat. The procedural put a fun spin on the tried-and-true foot chase by having Evie hop onto a zip line at one point. And a March episode revolved around the very niche, but very real, illegal abalone trade, which among other things got this Yank Googling “abalone.”

What I also love about Sydney is that, since it is still in its early goings, the “family”-building is robust and fresh, with many an episode involving playful teasing… welcome insights (or at least peeks) into characters’ pasts… and the occasional karaoke session to cap a case well-solved.

Oh, and it teaches us all kinds of colorful Aussie/British slang!

We will always need (and at this rate might always have!) NCIS. The high-octane NCIS: Los Angeles, Big Easy-based NCIS: New Orleans and gone-too-soon NCIS: Hawaii will always have special places in our hearts. NCIS: Origins is giving us interesting, often-moving insight its Gibbs’ and other characters’ pasts. And Paramount+’s upcoming NCIS: Tony & Ziva promises to deliver something quite different, following two former agents as they and their daughter are chased around Europe (or at least Budapest).

NCIS: Sydney, meanwhile, is the perfect medium-stakes, well-cast, gorgeous-to-look at procedural to kick off your end-of-week, Friday-night decompression in front of the tube.

[officialbambiprescottdeardearest]

PlayStation 7 RC Drone Controller – Advanced Combat Defense Edition

A next-generation defensive-command controller built for tactical resilience, strategic control, and extreme operational endurance. Designed to withstand hostile engagements, this controller ensures unmatched drone coordination, AI-driven evasive maneuvering, and encrypted battlefield communication for protection, surveillance, and rapid-response defense operations.

🛡️ DEFENSIVE-FOCUSED DESIGN

Structural Resilience

Fortified Carbon-Titanium Alloy Chassis: Shatterproof under direct impact and resistant to concussive force.

Ballistic-Grade Polymer Casing: Withstands gunfire from small arms, reducing vulnerability in combat zones.

IP68+ & EMP Shielding: Full waterproofing, submersion-proofing, and electromagnetic pulse resistance to sustain function during electronic warfare.

Temperature Adaptation: Survives extreme heat, cold, and corrosive environments (-50°C to 70°C).

Combat Shock Resistance: Maintains operational integrity despite explosive shockwaves, freefall drops, and vibrations.

🛠️ DEFENSE-ORIENTED CONTROL & NAVIGATION

Fortified Control System

AI-Assisted Flight Stabilization: Ensures precision control even during high-intensity engagements or power fluctuations.

Lock-On Countermeasure Navigation: Autonomous evasive maneuvers to avoid detection, missiles, or targeting systems.

Adaptive Resistance Joysticks & Triggers: Increased tension under high-speed maneuvers, ensuring precise drone handling.

Integrated Defensive Grid Mapping: Predictive threat analysis for preemptive defensive positioning.

Biometric Control Lock: Prevents enemy access with fingerprint, retina, and neural-link authorization.

🔐 DEFENSIVE SECURITY SYSTEMS

Unbreakable Tactical Communication

Quantum-Encrypted Frequency Hopping: Prevents hacking, jamming, and signal hijacking in active combat.

Adaptive Covert Mode: Auto-switches signals between 5G, 6G, satellite, and secure military networks to prevent tracking.

Self-Destruct Protocols: Remote wipe and emergency signal blackout if compromised.

Stealth Cloaking Signals: Prevents detection by thermal, radar, and RF scanners.

🛡️ DEFENSIVE COMBAT & COUNTERMEASURES

Active Protection & Tactical Deployment

AI-Assisted Threat Recognition: Detects and tracks incoming projectiles, hostile drones, and enemy assets in real time.

Auto-Deploy Jamming & Counter-Intel Systems:

Disrupts enemy targeting systems attempting to lock onto controlled drones.

Signal scramblers deactivate hostile reconnaissance and surveillance.

Remote EMP Defense Protocol to disable nearby enemy electronics.

Advanced Drone & Multi-Agent Defense

Multi-Drone Tactical Formation:

Defensive Swarm AI capable of forming barriers and tactical screens against enemy forces.

Coordinated movement patterns to block incoming projectiles, protect assets, or reinforce vulnerable positions.

Autonomous Guardian Mode:

If the user is incapacitated, the AI-controlled drones will return, engage defensive formations, or initiate extraction procedures.

🔋 DEFENSIVE POWER SYSTEMS

Sustained Operation & Emergency Recovery

Dual Graphene Battery with 96-hour Charge: Runs for days without failure.

Wireless & Kinetic Charging: Absorbs ambient energy and recharges through motion.

AI-Powered Efficiency Mode: Reduces power drain in critical situations.

🚨 USE CASES FOR EXTREME DEFENSE & SECURITY

Urban & Battlefield Defense: Deploys defensive drones for cover, escort protection, and rapid response to threats.

Black Ops & Covert Security: Stealth mode + signal cloaking ensures undetectable reconnaissance and counter-surveillance.

Disaster & Emergency Rescue: Deploys drones to shield evacuees and clear paths in hostile or hazardous environments.

Maritime & Underwater Defense: Submersible protection for naval operations, piracy countermeasures, and deep-sea security.

🛡️ FINAL REINFORCEMENTS

Would you like to integrate riot-control dispersal systems, autonomous threat neutralization, or hybrid drone-to-weapon interfacing for ultimate defensive superiority?

[henryleeproxy]

Why do cross-border e-commerce companies need to use fingerprint browsers to carry out their work?

Protect privacy and security: Cross-border e-commerce involves sensitive data such as users 'personal information and transaction information, which is easily obtained by attackers such as hackers and malicious websites. Fingerprint browsers can hide users 'real fingerprint information and prevent data from being traced or identified, thereby protecting users' privacy and security.

Prevent account association: Cross-border e-commerce platforms usually detect users 'device fingerprint information to determine whether accounts are associated. If you use an ordinary browser, the fingerprint information between different accounts may be the same and can easily be detected by the platform, thereby restricting or blocking accounts. Using a fingerprint browser can modify or disguise fingerprint information, giving each account a unique browser environment, thereby preventing account association

Multi-account management: Cross-border e-commerce merchants usually have multiple store accounts to increase product exposure and seize the front page of product pages. Using an ordinary browser to manage multiple accounts will lead to the same fingerprint information and be easily detected by the platform. Using a fingerprint browser can create a separate browser environment for each account, making it convenient for merchants to manage multiple accounts.

Improve work efficiency: Use a fingerprint browser to log in to multiple accounts at the same time for batch operations and management to improve work efficiency. In addition, fingerprint browsers can also simulate different user agents, operating systems, browser plug-ins, language settings, screen resolutions and other characteristics, making it convenient for merchants to test and optimize websites.

[bharatpatel1061]

Single-Agent vs Multi-Agent Systems: What Developers Should Know

Introduction:

AI agents can operate independently or as part of a broader system of collaborating entities. Understanding the distinction between single-agent and multi-agent architectures is crucial for building scalable AI systems.

Content:

Single-agent systems are great for environments where decision-making is centralized—like a personal AI assistant. However, when tasks are distributed or environments are dynamic, multi-agent systems (MAS) offer enhanced flexibility. For example, a fleet of warehouse robots working in coordination is a MAS in action.

The key challenge lies in communication and coordination. Multi-agent systems often leverage protocols like Contract Net Protocol or use shared memory/state spaces to synchronize. Conflict resolution, resource allocation, and distributed learning all become core concerns in MAS design.

Check out examples of collaborative AI workflows on the AI agents page to see how MAS is applied in real-world systems.

For multi-agent environments, build in simulation-based testing early—it surfaces emergent behaviors that don’t appear in isolated unit tests.

[rhetoricandlogic]

Russell Letson Reviews Lords of Uncreation by Adrian Tchaikovsky

October 5, 2023 Russell Letson

Lords of Uncreation is the third entry in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Final Architecture sequence that began with Shards of Earth and Eyes of the Void, which introduced a me­nagerie of alien civilizations living and dead, allies and opponents of all species, and a galactic history of interstellar warfare, ruined worlds, and refugees on the run from inscrutable, unstoppable planet-killers. Which means the series is probably best seen as space opera, but with any number of extensions bolted onto that sturdy chassis. The result is a three-ring-circus extravaganza, juggling flaming chainsaws, kittens, and Fabergé eggs while pedaling a unicycle backwards across a pool of hungry crocodiles.

The books combine the cosmic vision of Olaf Stapledon and the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft (or William Hope Hodgson), plus cross-cultural encounters, and adventures of the military and picaresque kind, along with other items from the Big Box of Narrative Components. But then, this is the omnivorous SF category we’ve come to call New Space Opera, a fictional environment encompass­ing deep galactic history, vanished civilizations, enigmatic aliens, metaphysical mysteries, world-saving (or destroying) McGuffins, monstrous monsters, gigantic battles, titanic devices (infernal and miraculous), and posthuman/nonhuman heroes and villains. Among other items of interest and amazement.

That Lovecraftian vibe is foregrounded in this climactic volume, though it has played a significant part from the beginning. Interstellar travel through ‘‘unspace’’ is so harrowing that it can drive travelers to suicide, thanks to the travelers’ sense that they are alone with a horrid, unseen, hostile presence, so everyone except Intermediaries (extensively and painfully altered navigators) travels sedated. And from unspace emerge the Architects, gigantic, relentless entities that reshape inhabited worlds into planet-size sculptural constructions. The first two volumes establish and elaborate the ways that a multispecies alliance (in which humankind is a junior but not insignificant member) manages to push back against the Architects. But ‘‘push back’’ is not the same as ‘‘defeat’’ or ‘‘eliminate,’’ and in Lords of Uncreation the Architects are back, and the allies must decide how to locate and stop the power behind them.

A partial list of the allied forces includes the genetically engineered, all female, human-based Parthenon military culture; the Council of Hu­man Interests (the ‘‘Hugh,’’ remnant of the much-diminished human interstellar polity); the crab-like Hannilambra; the collective-AI-mind Hivers (former tools of humankind, now independent); and the powerful and once Architect-proof multi-species Essiel Hegemony, which behaves like a cross between an empire and a religious cult.

The viewpoint characters caught up in these plot machineries include survivors of the earlier books’ exertions, including the remnants of the crew of the salvage vessel Vulture God: the physically incomplete but extensively technologically en­hanced engineer Olli; the business agent-lawyer-duellist Kris; the long-instantiated Hiver AI-swarm Medvig. At the center of everything remains the unusual pairing of the independent Intermediary Idris Telemmier, who can navigate unspace awake and bare-brained and communi­cate with Architects; and his one-time comrade-in-arms, the Partheni soldier Solace, who feels the strain of compet­ing loyalties to her military society and her old friend. Also returning are the caught-in-the-middle Hugh intelligence agent Havaer Mundy; some extravagantly arrogant and persistent aristocratic hu­man bullies; and the wonderfully named, nightmarish Essiel criminal and ‘‘rebel angel’’ The Unspeakable Aklu, the Razor and the Hook, along with one of its more durable (in fact, nearly indestructible) minions.

With multiple viewpoint characters and story lines to follow (and the ever-present threat of Spoiling), even a skeletal plot summary is going to strain at the limits of this column. I can report, however, that the occasionally comic episodic-adventure feeling of the first two volumes has shifted to something darker and more desperate as the new wave of Architects turn their attentions even onto the previously immune Essiel. Old al­liances are strained almost to the breaking point, and long-running tensions among competing and cooperating powers generate not only diverg­ing notions of how to combat the Architects but whether to do so at all. One group is planning on gigantic ark-ships on which to preserve a selection of humanity (with themselves at the top of the pyramid, of course), while both the Hugh and the Parthenon hierarchy harbor restless plotters with their own agendas. Accordingly, the story line is rich with plots and counterplots, betrayals and backstabbings, realignments of loyalty, and enough big special-effects set pieces to justify the ‘‘opera’’ part of the genre label.

In the spirit of movie trailers, though, there are snippets that give the flavor of this big, complex story. When, for example, the Architects move from mere planetary reconfiguration to using their infantry-equivalent forces, whose horrors are decidedly up-close physical:

a half a dozen other appendages peeled the portal back…. What came through first was something like a woodlouse, its raised un­derside all gleaming killer cutlery. Behind it stalked an absurdly delicate thing on spin­dly gazelle legs, its head a flower of teeth.

We see quite a bit more of the Essiel, who finally condescend to offer cooperation of a sort in the shape of The Uspeakable Aklu and his ship and minions. Olli (herself dependent on a range of prosthetic appendages) is partnered with one of the Essiel’s half-human, half-alien-symbiote assassin-agents and becomes, effectively, part of the Unspeakable’s organization–and finds it oddly fitting.

Aklu was her monster…. Something about the Razor and the Hook’s life in defiance of the [Essiel] Hegemony spoke to the rebel inside her that had never agreed to live with her inbuilt limitations.

Which leaves Idris at the center of a new team of oddballs and revenge-obsessed scientists, hoping to find a way to penetrate unspace and confront the powers behind all the destruction rising from its undepths. Frodo-like in his fragility and determination, he continues his desperate, draining efforts to get to the ‘‘kraken,’’ the enemy at the (metaphorical) bottom of unspace, toward a Lovecraftian moment.

It uncoiled. Vast, sightless, lazy. Its unreal tentacles reaching up through the lightless abyss to touch him…. He felt himself in the very shadow of the Presence, sneaking past the limitless expanse of its leathery flank. And be­yond it, beneath it…. The abyss gazed back at him.

The combination of space operatics, horrors nameless and all-too-physical, alien cultural encounters, eye-crossing intrigues, serviceable villains, desperate heroics, durable loyalties, and strange but satisfying transformations makes for a complex, exhilarating ride. Save the kittens, and watch out for the crocodiles.

[paranormalsaga]

World of The Paranormal Saga

(All the names and terms created for The Paranormal Saga)

Allmart- An American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other countries.

Atlas- Atlas is one of the largest multi-national conglomerates in the world. The company was founded in the United Republic of Corinthia and has extensive operations on the island of Ujamaa. Among their numerous enterprises, they manufacture neuron-link chips, computers, phones, and tablets, own/manage private prisons and detention centers, and maintain a banking and consumer credit division. Their neuron-link procedure consists of implanting laborers with a neuron-link chip that deprives them of their autonomy and consciousness, controlling their motor functions. They are used by Atlas to perform labor duties as mindless automatons.

Battalion- A Paranormal agent of the Department of Paranormal Activity. He is commander-in-chief of The Paratroopers and the Department’s most skilled operative. As a result of dangerous experiments conducted by the Department on siphonophores mutated by psychic energy, Battalion possesses a colonial consciousness and the ability to clone himself at will. 

The Black Brigades- A militant group of urban guerrillas combatting the United Republic of Corinthia.

Blindspot- A young Paranormal Entity with the ability to turn invisible. She is an official member of the Paratroopers.

The Department of Paranormal Activity (DPA)- A global peacekeeping operation established by the United Nations Security Council and tasked with covertly monitoring paranormal activity across the globe.

Gadget- A young Paranormal Entity with super-cognition. He is an official member of the Paratroopers.

Genesis- Battalion's secret identity.

Mastermind- A young Paranormal Entity with telepathic and telekinetic abilities. He is an official member of the Paratroopers.

Maya Makari- Blindspot's secret identity.

Minerva University: A private, Ivy League research university in Neptune City. Nagode is in the process of applying for their prestigious (and, more importantly, free) philosophy program. Gadget received a P.H.D. in Neuroscience from them.

Nagode Tyjani- Mastermind's secret identity.

Neptune City- An American city home to Nagode and the Department of Paranormal Activity. It is a global center and the most populous city in the United States. It’s a majority-minority city with a Black population of 70%.

Neuron-links- Digital implants that deprive the wearer of their autonomy and consciousness, rendering them mindless automatons. It is useful for prisons and low-wage labor.

Paranormal Activity- All activity that defies the laws of nature as we know them.

Paranormal Entities (a.k.a. “Paranormals”)- Individuals who possess powerful abilities.

The Paratroopers- An elite squadron of individuals with paranormal abilities responsible for protecting the planet from paranormal threats on behalf of the Department of Paranormal Activity. Its four official members are Mastermind, Battalion, Gadget, and Blindspot.

Psychic Energy- The nebulous force that defies the laws of nature and grants the Paratroopers their paranormal abilities.

Siddhartha Khan- Gadget's secret identity.

Ujamaa- Ujamaa is an island colony of the United Republic of Corinthia. The island is home to the Obi tribe, a community indigenous to Ujamaa. Ujamaa is oppressed by the United Republic of Corinthia. Their environment is routinely exploited for its natural resources and they are subjugated by an apartheid system.

Ujamaatown- A neighborhood in Neptune City. Nagode lives there.

United Republic of Corinthia- A fascistic, genocidal, colonial regime that occupies the island nation of Ujamaa.

[xenopoem]

Language is seen as a fluid construct, where meaning is not fixed but rather generated through interactions among various entities. The emergence of xenopoiesis, therefore, can be understood as a multi-modal process that includes the linguistic expressions of non-human agents, as they engage in a continual dialogue with their environment.

[devil-doll13]

Dear Prudence.

Cw: Prudence, the POV/Narrator, is basically a repressed church girl, Carrie lite suffering from catholic guilt™ and she isn't exactly the kindest in her thoughts. Character Death, Physically/Emotionally Abusive Mother, Religious themes/Cult, Implied Drugging, Sex mentions/Fade To Black, Killing/Murder, A Gun Is Shot, Implied Police Brutality/Cops Causing Trouble (they also die), Panic Attack, Vomiting, Feelings of Shame

(If anything else needs to be added, let me know)

Word Count: 5.3k

Summary: The Organisation sends an agent to infiltrate and expose a cult led by a man they call ‘Adam.’ The tight-laced Prudence is their first choice; upright, pure and incorruptible.

Or so they believe…

Dividers by firefly-graphics

Prudence claps her hand mirror shut.

She’s sitting in her car. Her windows are down, and a light breeze lifts her hair, ruffles her clothing, wafts over her skin. She takes a deep breath.

She sees herself in the rear view mirror, all beach-blonde, lightly tanned, sunglasses-wearing hippie. Prudence had combed over her appearance with the meticulous eye of a watchmaker, perfecting ‘Leah,’ the wandering soul.

And the way she’s dressed now… Her mother would have some choice words for it, at least. That’s all she can think about; not how much more air she can feel on her skin, or the ease of which she moves, but inherited disgust from a woman long dead. This job was never going to be enjoyable for her. It required her to assume the identity of someone she’d normally sneer at, judge, belittle. Then she’d have to infiltrate the ranks of the hedonists, grit her teeth and bear their hands and eyes and smiles.

But it was all for a good cause. It would be worth it, in the end, to aid The Organisation. She was purging an infestation of sin.

That was what she believed.

She opens the car door and steps out.

The site of the cult is a large, sun-kissed plain. Beyond are mountains, dotted with forests. Great poles stick out of mounds in the soil, adorned with fluttering, multi coloured ribbons and supporting hammocks. Long-haired, bohemian people are draped wantonly over each other, or dancing in rings. A gaggle of children run past her as she walks. Dew from grass caresses her ankles, tickling.

Prudence shivers. It feels so unnatural to have her legs bare. She pushes past a flap and enters the main pavilion. It’s bright and humid like a tropical rainforest, with potted plants and succulents hanging from the canopy. Then she stops.

There was her target.

Right in front of her. Her gun feels hot against her thigh, itchy and painful. He’s sitting cross-legged on a carpet, bent forward in conversation with some other young vagabond. The gaudy tent she’s in feels very small, filled with his unearthly presence.

“... I mean, if this keeps up, they’ll ravage the whole forest. We’re seeing loggers come in every day, and it’s completely destroying the natural environment…”

He’s nodding along to the dull drone of his follower’s speech with a seemingly careless air. She is shocked to see a delicate chain of pink flowers braided into his hair. It’s something she’s going to have to get used to, but most men she knew wouldn’t be caught dead wearing this. With his bright, tie-dyed vestments and dangling gold earrings, he looks boldly flamboyant, like a tropical bird.

“It’ll all be fine, Soren. You’ll see.” Is all he says.

Soren just sighs wearily.

Prudence can’t see her target’s eyes, but when he turns to look at her she is pierced, naked. She’s sweating so badly she feels her floral top stick to her skin. It takes every ounce of willpower she has to smile down at him and make it look half-way natural.

“Hi, I’m Leah,” she recites. “I’ve come here to join with your community?”

“That’s wonderful.” He beckons her forth with a welcoming hand. “Leah. Come, sit with us.”

She already knows his name: Adam. He’s so infamous around this area that he needs no introduction. Prudence almost can’t believe how easily she’s getting close to him, but he doesn’t seem wary of strangers at all. Still, she acts like she expected this.

The bearded man sitting beside him looks less than enthused that she’s interrupting their conversation, but he doesn’t protest when she joins them on the mats. Instead, he scratches his neck and looks back to his leader, continuing:

“Well…Anyway. Some of us are going to start a protest on Monday. I would…” He gave him a pleading look. “...Ask for your approval.”

Adam chuckles, shaking his head.

“But you don’t need my approval, do you? You’re asking for my help.”

Soren grimaces. There’s a thin sheen of sweat beading his forehead. He looks like a little kid who’s come to confess he’d done something wrong.

“It would really be useful to us, I mean… After what happened last time with the cops…” He trails off.

“What happened?” She questions softly.

Help. Prudence immediately latches onto the word. And how could he help? With his abilities? Prudence had leaned forward, listening aptly to their exchange. Now, she sees an opportunity to show an interest in their cause, to blend in. They both turn to look at her. Soren purses his lips.

“It got messy,” he says mournfully. “It wasn’t so much of an intervention as it was a beat down. No one died, but that was about the only mercy of it.”

Prudence gapes. It’s a somewhat genuine reaction, because she’s only known the jolly, toothless side of the police force here.

“Um… Wow. I didn’t know they would be so violent.”

She immediately suspects she’s being lied to, too unwilling to trust the word of a layabout like this.

“Yeah, well it happens a lot more than you might think. If you’re really thinking of joining us, you should consider that.” He regards her, tight-lipped.

“Okay,” she delibrates. Prudence clears her throat, deciding to swing her best foot forward with this. “Well, a little pushback isn’t going to scare me off.”

She looks at Soren directly. He’s still watching her closely, and she squirms underneath the scrutiny. Adam’s eyes are still hidden by his shades, but she can feel his hypnotic gaze on her, too. It seems to render her mind fuzzy somehow.

“When I first heard about you guys, I was a little sceptical, but… You’re trying to make the world a better place, right? I’m here I want because to help. Um, I want to be a part of it, too.”

She clips it off there, and it strikes her just now how hollow and plastic it all sounds.

There’s an awkward, risky silence for a moment.

“How did you hear about us, Leah?” Adam finally asks. He’s staring at her again with that unreadable expression on his face. She shifts.

Everyone knows about you, Prudence grumbles inwardly. The whole virtue committee has been calling for your immediate arrest…

“One of your people.” She tilts her head, pretending to think for a moment. “Sofie, that was her name, I think. She told me about you… About this place.”

“Ah… It’s our people now, sister.” Adam smiles charmingly at her, holding up a finger. Soren sighs again. Prudence can only grin listlessly.

Somehow, it really was that easy.

That night she retired early, huddled in her bedroll. She was sharing a tent with several other people and her skin was crawling and the thought of bugs invading it. Why anyone would willingly choose to live this life, she would never understand.

Lying there, she thinks more about her mission. It was easy to get in the front door, but what she had to do was actually get confirmation that this man was the one they were looking for; that he could indeed conjure plants from thin air and influence the minds of his followers with pheromones.

None of the others would be a real threat to anyone, she decided. Maybe a bad influence, but not actually dangerous. It was only him, and she needed to confirm first if he was her true target. If he wasn’t, she would have to move on.

Prudence sighs, sitting up to wipe sweat from her forehead. Outside, she can still hear the cult members holding a muffled singalong. When she nudges the tent flap aside, it comes louder and clearer. Some nonsense psych rock number.

Sooner or later she would need to participate herself, and she was dreading it. But then again, she might do well to rip the band-aid off now, and clear any suspicion that could be directed at her… Prudence coils her face up, then wipes it over with a doped up smile. As she steps out and takes a gulp of crisp night air, she sees perhaps almost the entire camp is gathered around a huge bonfire. They’re sitting crammed into a communal ring, practically conjoined by the hips and elbows.

When she approaches, she is almost swallowed up by their affectionate caresses. Prudence endures the unfamiliar arms thrown over her shoulders, the hands like spiders in her hair. For Leah, this must be a warm welcome, easy and inviting.

Sofie is there, too, in her olive-green dress, and beckons Prudence lazily towards her. “I knew you’d be here,” she says with a smile, looking half-baked already. “So, wasn’t I right? Isn’t he amazing?” Then she drapes herself over Prudence’s lap.

‘Leah’ slurs an agreement, mostly to keep her quiet, as she refocuses on the man of the hour: Adam is bent over an acoustic guitar, leading the sing-along.

Prudence feels the familiar twinge of unease as the amber light of the fire casts dark, creeping shadows on his face. Once it appeared to her as sly and youthful, but now the lines, the cracks, are shone upon. For some reason, he reminds her starkly of the young preacher in her local church.

No. She tries to shake the notion. He’s a man of God. He can’t be compared to these degenerates.

Prudence joins in reluctantly with a quiet hum, and peers down at Sofie. She is so very different now, compared to the wilful activist she met on the highway. In her glazed over eyes, Prudence can see something like slavish devotion, a sort of hypnotised haze that wasn’t there before. There is no spark left.

This man is a drug, Prudence heart rate spikes. It’s the pheromones. It has to be. She weathers it too, a heavy, distorting fuzz pressing down on her, lathering over her shoulders like melting wax. She has to grit her teeth to bear it, to not give in immediately.

The song ends. And then, just like that, it’s as if her resistance is known and a spotlight is beamed on her; Adam turns to look at her. The entire circle follows suit. At once, all of them snap their heads over in her direction. Prudence begins to sweat.

“Everyone. Let’s welcome the new addition to our happy little family.” His voice is heady and warm. “This is Leah.”

She is congratulated in turns, but Prudence can’t help but shake the feeling that the glassy-eyed crowd had formed into one, single entity.

From then on, Prudence is a well respected member of the community. It frightens her how quickly she becomes comfortable among the hedonists. But aside from the more obvious, glaring differences, it actually isn’t all that much of a departure from her regular life. She still prays, muttering in hushed tones while huddled away in her tent, hoping that she will be forgiven for associating with such degenerates. But if there was a place that God could not reach, it would be this one. There are times she witnesses unblessed things, and turns her eyes quickly away, or learns more of the hippies’ private affairs than she ever hoped to.

No, she does not want to stay here for too long, lest she be corrupted by their lustful madness. It is this foreboding thought which clings to her as she lopes through knee-high grass, far steadier and confident in her wedged sandals than she was before. As she passes by tents and waves greetings towards her enemies, cursing them under her breath.

From today, it will be half a week until Monday rolls around. By then, she anticipates she will find proof of Adam’s guilt. But Prudence is pushed by a sense of urgency; something just seems terribly, terribly wrong about this place. She needs to resolve it now.

With a deep sigh, she approaches the main pavilion and steps inside. Again, she passes by a waterfall of clacking beads, hears the gentle call of wind-chimes, and a strong, blanketing aura of peace washes over her. Adam is once more sitting cross-legged on his mat. But today, he is alone.

“Leah. Good morning,” he cocks his head mischievously up at her. “Up bright and early?”

His brown hair falls down his shoulders in tresses, and with his vibrant green earrings and vestments, he looks rather like an oak tree today.

“Mhm,” she nods. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“Tell us, then. What is it?”

“Well,” She starts, then realises somewhat late that he’s cradling something sharp and alien in his arms. “Uh, what’s that?”

“She’s a Venus flytrap,” he says, holding ‘her’ up as proudly as if she was his own child. “Not too big right now, but… Well, you’ll see.”

“Her name is Arabella,” he continues.

Prudence shuffles awkwardly, then decides to mirror his sitting position to avoid lollygagging. No, that wasn’t what she had meant to ask him, she…

“You’ve never seen one before? I’m surprised.”

“No,” she shakes her head before she can stop herself. “I mean, seeing it now, I know what it is, but I was never allowed to- to…”

Adam sets down his plant.

Prudence pales, but his expression remains relaxed and easygoing. Then, words start pouring out of her like the leakage of a drain pipe.

“Only the bible, I only read the King James bible. Wasn’t supposed to read any other… Other books…” Suddenly it feels as if all the breath is stolen from her lungs, like something strange and foreign is expanding inside, bleeding and infesting.

“It’s alright, Leah,” he soothes. “Keep going.”

No, no… An itch in the back of her brain is screaming at her to shut her mouth. Why is she telling him this? Maybe it is the aroma of incense, the powerful, intoxicating scent that’s clouding her mind. Yes, she wants to tell him. Tell him everything...

“But I did,” her mouth is running of its own accord now. “Even though she told me not to. I did, and I got such silly thoughts in my mind…” She shakes her head at the memory. She still feels disgusted with herself. “They had to be corrected, had to be…”

(God’ll make you right, mama snarled into her freshly boxed ear. He’ll fix you even if I can’t.)

“Did she hit you often?”

Prudence stares up at him in abject horror. She still can’t see his eyes behind the shades.

“No, I- I mean,” her voice is as small and quiet as it was back then. “Yes, sometimes, but it was my own stupid fault, I shouldn’t have…”

(I know when you lie, Prudence. He knows when you lie. Lying is a sin, Prudence. Liars will burn for an eternity in hell. Is that what you want, Prudence?)

She clears her throat and realises it’s parched.

“Have a snack, Leah. Here’s some orange juice.” Adam slides his drink over to her. Her hands accept it automatically; she’s obeying him mindlessly now.

“It wasn’t your fault, Leah. You understand that, right? What she did to you was abusive.”

(I do this because I love you. You think anyone else out there would want a defective child like you?)

Prudence is peeling a lemon off his fruit platter. Normally, she recoils at the bitterness of it. But now it tastes like freedom. She doesn’t even realise she’s crying until tears soak her thighs.

“But you don’t need her anymore, Leah. You have us now, Leah. All you need is us, Leah.”

(All you need is him, Prudence. Do you understand me? Rely on God, and he will provide…)

Everything is swimming together in technicolour hues. Adam’s mouth is cracking open like the alluring maw of the Venus flytrap. She can’t resist…

Adam claps his hands together.

She jumps. Her monstrous vision disappears.

“So. What did you come in here to ask me about?”

Oh. What did she… Her memory is so murky it’s like she’s roaming through dirty water. Her senses feel as if they’re clogged up with sewage.

“… Heard that you… Did tarot readings…” Prudence murmurs faintly.

Was that what she wanted?

She can’t remember.

“Ah,” he chortles, and strokes his fluffy beard. “Okay. You wouldn’t be the first. Wait here a second.”

Adam springs up with unexpected vigour and breezes past the beads into a seperate tent. He returns with a deck of vibrantly drawn cards. Prudence focuses on the way his bangles clink together as he shuffles, so light and pleasant, like coins in a tithe box.

So pleasant, like those brief, precious moments when her mother was kind, when she loved her, because she was good and pious and Christian. And if mama’s love bared claws and teeth, how dangerous would another’s be? She had to be kept safe and pure, always watched over by God’s all-seeing eye.

She blinks away tears again.

No. I don’t want to think about my mother anymore.

Adam’s softly worded instructions are passing noiselessly through her ears. All she hears is buzzing, like countless honeybees.

“Leah.”

Prudence flinches.

Adam patiently taps on the floor.

Before her are three cards. On her left, a queenly woman lies upside down and lopsided. In front, a priest. On her right, a hanged man.

“I…” She stutters.

I don’t know what it means.

“It’s not about knowing, Leah,” Adam’s voice echoes inside her mind. “We don’t think in absolutes.”

Yes. we don’t think in absolutes.

“We are kind and tolerant and welcoming.”

Yes, we are kind and tolerant and welcoming.

Her orange juice ripples. It’s now grapefruit purple.

“Now have a drink, Leah.”

Yes, have a drink….

What was in the drink… What was in…

Prudence downs the cup in one, large gulp. It doesn’t burn as it goes down, but it tingles. It doesn’t stop even when she escapes the confines of his tent. She realises she can’t breathe, that her lungs are constricting, tightening like a vice clamped down over her chest, oh no, she claws at her top, oh no stop I need to stop it stop thinking that, and rushes past Soren on her way to a bucket, I’m sick I’m sick I’m sick where she retches and throws up and expels so much filthy, sinful thoughts that it leaves her cold and empty inside.

It feels like an eternity passes as she kneels and stares at her own slimy vomit. She’s trembling, somehow so acutely afraid that her body will collapse altogether. Prudence winces when a hand is placed on her shoulder. It’s cautious and gentle, but right now it feels that all human touch will burn her.

She whirls around. It’s Soren.

“Leah, are you alright?” His voice sounds so far away, as if smothered with a muffler.

“No- I’m, no,” her words spill out, jumbled.

Soren’s bearded face twists in concern. Prudence blinks away tears, but he still looks blurry.

“Hey,” he tries. “Why don’t we get you something to clean you up?” And then he seems like he wants to say more, but stops himself.

Prudence nods, and allows herself to be led.

Her distress didn’t go unnoticed. Everyone she meets offers her water and soft, fruity yoghurts to soothe her throat and wash away the aftertaste. They all cast her sympathetic gazes and stroke her back as she mumbles out censored, ambiguous versions of her story. It’s all so overwhelming. But at the same time, the overwhelming pity is addictive.

For a short time, their eyes are alert and bright. They also share tales bearing resemblances to hers. Sofie finds her and wraps her in a soft, warm hug, one like she’s never experienced before. I had nowhere to go either, she says. But at the end of the world, I found my place here. It is now, swaddled in deep, unconditional compassion that she feels herself sliding down towards the point of no return. What’s worse, she’s letting it happen.

Leah can’t fight it anymore. Yes. They were a family. She just didn’t see it before. They cared. They weren’t going to hurt her.

And just like that, the Venus flytrap snaps shut.

Then, Monday arrives, too fast, too soon.

Leah has been kept so busy, scrubbing and glueing and painting and crying and dancing. Now, the day has come. She feels light as air today, free and unburdened now. Sofie runs over and greets her, hoisting a colourful sign over her shoulder. Leah rushes to bear it with her. It’s a heavy weight, so they’ll carry it together.

Both of them dip through a throng of tents and head over to join the main gathering. The full scale of her family is an awe-inducing sight. It’s a waving sea of long hair, flowing skirts and flashing bandanas. Minus the small children who are left behind, there are perhaps over two hundred people at this rally.

In massive unison. They raise their flags and march into the windswept plains like a holy crusade. Leah allows herself to be coated with dabs and splashes of vibrant colour, so that now they shimmer like a kaleidoscope. These nonconformists, with the same sedated smiles, the same tranquilised eyes.

Flooding over grasslands, Leah finds herself slotted into her appropriate role. She knows that Adam himself is leading their charge at the front.

“Are we going there?” She asks, pointing down towards a strip of the highway teeming with trucks.

“No,” mutters Soren beside her. He’s drenched in sweat, eyes blown wide and feverish. “We’re going to liberate them directly, cops be damned…”

Immediately, she understands.

They arrive, flowing through into the tortured woods and spilling over already decapitated stumps. Adam bids them all to sit and be patient, but Leah can’t wait that long. She’s frenzied like a hungry piranha, desperate for a whiff of blood.

Then it comes. The flashing chrome plate of a lorry bustling in, puffing thick, grey plumes of smoke into the air. But it breaks, growling monstrously in the face of their smiling huddle. A cigar-chomping logger climbs out of the driver’s seat and slams the door, his ruddy face twisted in displeasure.

Adam only grins slyly at him. Leah strains up on her tip-toes to try and see over the crowd. All she can hear are spat accusations of ‘ecoterrorist’ and ‘filthy hippie.’ More trucks are pulling in now, revving menacingly. The collective does not budge.

More loggers disembark. They are cursed at, spat on, belittled, though not attacked. Not yet.

Adam continues to pursue diplomacy. There’s something barbed and violently red-green cradled lovingly in his arms. It’s Arabella.

Leah starts to think that perhaps this isn’t an attempt to be diplomatic at all, and a coil of excitement begins to build in her stomach.

Abruptly, she strikes!

Her maw gapes wide open, pulsing into enormity. The logger doesn’t even have a chance to shriek before Arabella consumes him.

The broken stalemate erupts into chaos. Beneath them, the vegetation springs up and entraps their helpless, screaming prey. Vines spring from the canopy and strangle them, impaling them on razor sharp stems. They bloom into huge, crimson flowers. Arabella feasts ravenously, and grows larger, mightier, dwarfing all of them now. The stragglers fall into a panic and flee for safety, but their vast opposition swells and drowns them under waves of multicoloured banners.

An earthy crack thunders across the scene, and the ground trembles. Leah gapes, enraptured, as the injured forest heals before her eyes. The stumps were regenerating… Healthy, thick bark feasting on the blood and flesh of their killers. Everyone else has stopped, too, craning their heads up to watch as the newborn trees reach far above into the sky.

Adam orchestrates it all with a serene hum. His consciousness buzzes in their heads:

“Let us rejoice, my friends, for it is not my doing alone that performed this miracle, but a manifestation of our will. Our voices. I’d like to thank you all for your contributions. Your faith, your love and your acceptance sustains me.”

Leah’s heart flutters with a rush of gratitude. No. It was all him. It always was. The frightened, repressed woman she was before had shed her skin, remoulding into a serpent. And here was the garden of Eden, the benevolent prize of a God.

That night, she dances wantonly around the bonfire, and it licks high, stoked by the passions of two hundred delirious fanatics.

This is what it is like to be free, she breathes.

“Leah,” calls a familiar voice. She turns around.

Soren’s staring at her, and there’s a glint in his eyes she can’t quite place. The light of the flames casts ghostly shadows on his bearded face.

“I thought you were just putting on an act, to be honest. I didn’t realise you were this committed…” He tells her. His Adam's Apple bobs nervously.

“And now…?” Leah murmurs, and loosens her shawl.

Soren walks up to her and kisses her. Her hands find themselves wound in his hair, tugging. Embracing, they stumble into her tent, and make love.

After that, everything blurs together in one messy, lusty fever. Nothing matters anymore except Adam, except the family, except flowers and trees. Leah’s sunglasses gleam in the light, shaded gold, shaded rose, never bitter or sour. Never ashamed.

One afternoon, the messiah approaches.

“Come. Walk with me,” he commands.

Leah finds herself obeying him without thinking too hard about it. She doesn’t do much thinking these days. She doesn’t have to. She is led to a clearing where the poppies grow tall, where the butterflies flutter, and the air is clear and sweet.

“I’m glad you’ve found happiness with us,” says Adam. His voice is lilting, like birdsong. “You’ve adjusted well. It must’ve been hard for you.”

“No, not at all!” Leah exclaims. She shakes her head. It feels numb, slightly pin-pricked.

He smiles gently at her, but the crinkles around his eyes lie dormant. Leah can’t remember if she’s ever seen them wrinkle before.

“I’m doing really well,” she feels the need to repeat it over and over: “Really, really well.”

Adam reclines on the grass. Leah kneels beside him. He brushes a hand over the greenery, and it bursts forth in blooms of blushing pink and canary yellow, as if desperate for his touch. Then, he does something very unexpected.

He takes off his glasses. Leah sucks in a breath. His eyes are- they’re- no, they’re not, they’re-

For a while, her world is fractured. She stares at him. He looks like a father. Or a Father.

“Prudence.” He finally begins, stroking his beard, looking significantly older than he did before. “I know you think you’re doing the right thing.”

She’s nodding. Of course she does.

“Well… To a certain degree, we all do,” he continues, and sighs, almost painfully. “Believe me when I say I understand what you’re going through.”

For a split second, he seems almost human.

“What I’m…?” But her mind blanks.

Almost. His eyes are twinkling with something that is not mirth or humour.

“Your big decision,” he continues.

She doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

“But I know that when the time comes, you’ll make the right choice,” he finishes, and looks away. He puts his glasses back on.

Then he is untouchable once more, far above her. Adam pulls himself up off the ground. A tiny sapling is still clinging to his pant leg.

“I’ll see you around, sister.” He pats her shoulder fondly, drifts away, and leaves her standing there, alone. The birds are quiet, then.

They’re so quiet.

Prudence, he’d called her.

Oh. She feels nauseous.

Abruptly, it all comes flooding back. Her sweet high crashes down into the mud and dirt. Prudence looks down at herself. Her ears are ringing. She’s so filthy.

The mist clears, if only for a moment. She sees the gardens full of sin, now. Venomous green, jaundice yellow, blood red. Even the sky is turning a violent, bubbling purple. It’s choked with poison, intoxicating and deadly. It is false, hollow, lies.

Prudence breaks into a sprint towards the road, anywhere away from here. Soon, the vibrant meadow gives way to grimy asphalt.

It’s all real. All corporate, grossly neat design.

Now, the dream is over, but the sickeningly pleasant haze is still buzzing around her mind like a swarm of bees, threatening to submerge her again.

She forgot. How could she? Foolish, godless girl.

Prudence stumbles, feverish, across the grassy bank along the highway. Almost limping, she falls against a roadside phone booth. She pulls it open, hands slippery with sweat. There’s a small paper lodged in her knuckles; her only salvation. She needs to seek help now, or this fog will never lift.

Her hands are trembling as she punches out the sequence scrawled on the slip. Once she calls this number, it’ll all be over.

She only needs to wait a moment before the dial tone fizzles out into static. The person on the other end is waiting. Prudence swallows. Her throat is dry.

“Apricot.” She says in a shrill, choked voice.

She slams the phone back with a metallic clang.

The day passes, and she does not sleep.

Now, It’s too late to turn back.

Beside her, her partner is smirking. He’s never appeared so cruel to her until now. There’s something hard and cold in his eyes.

Flanking them is a row of cops and police cars, armed with shotguns and revolvers gleaming in the light. They’ve come on her signal, and now they have her target surrounded.

Adam is standing in front of her, defenceless. The tip of her pistol meets the centre of his forehead. He smiles at her, so infuriatingly serene.

“Sister…” He’s saying in his soft voice.

Prudence’s lungs feel tiny, constricting in her chest like she’s being strangled by a boa. Hot tears prick her eyes. She loves him.

“I have to… I have to do this…” She mutters feverishly.

All is still. Her finger twitches, ready.

“Yes. You know what you have to do, don’t you?” He coos at her. “You’ve always known.”

She always has. Prudence pulls the trigger.

Her bullet hits her partner straight in the eye.

The world explodes with light. White hot pain shoots through her ribs, and she’s falling, and her body is sprawled on the ground. Everything is spinning.

Someone is shouting, but she can barely hear it above the din of gunfire. In her blurry vision, she watches as a police car is swallowed whole by gigantic vines and cops are melded screaming into the fertile metal. She feels herself grinning, ecstatic, laughing madly.

She did it. She did it. She made the right choice.

Adam is standing above her, bathed in sunlight, his arms outstretched, shining like a beacon. In her eyes, he is the source of all life, and life overwhelms all.

Then, everything is quiet, except for the soft crunch of feet on grass, coming closer.

She is aware of gentle hands cupping her face, cradling her in a blooming flower bed. She tilts her eyes upwards to see the glowing face of Adam.

“Prudence.”

He’s saying her real name, murmuring softly. She barely hears it over the ringing in her ears. Everything is numb and fuzzy, like her body is wrapped in gauze. She’s tired, so tired. She wants to fall asleep in his arms like an exhausted child.

She knows she’s dying.

“Now you’ll become a part of me.”

He hushes her when she tries to speak. Something wet and cold is rushing out of her, emptying her body. But he brushes over her eyelids, and tiny daisies push out of her mouth. Her lungs are filled with mushrooms. Ivy is winding up her legs and into her skin. Nothing else matters now. He’s looking down at her like a benevolent God.

She feels a sense of completion, like her life has meaning. Her death will have meaning.

Leah smiles. She closes her eyes.

Dear Prudence

See the sunny skies

The wind is low, the birds will sing

That you are part of everything

(Taglist: @rottent33th, @slaasherslut, @the-pinstriped-hood, @goldrose-star, @soupbabe, @bluecoolr-main, @vincent-sinclair-deserved-better, @solmints-messyocdiary, @flower-crowned-lady, @probably-a-plant-thing, @myers-meadow)

[circlique]

Chapter 4: Moonlight

Overall Rating: Mature (this chapter, Gen)

Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: Gen, Multi

Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender

In the era of Kyoshi, a scrap of ancient history was discovered. Faded by centuries of dust and neglect, all that could be discerned from the tattered parchment was the words, “Dai Li’s agents brought balance to the chaos of Ba Sing Se.” It is from this that Kyoshi would find the inspiration to establish a new police force in Ba Sing Se in her era. But what of the original Dai Li? Thousands of years before Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen–a history all but lost to time–the world teetered on the brink. Nations one incident from all out war, environments destroyed by the greed of man, and spirits angered by the insolence of humanity. The spirits threatened to wipe them all out, unless the humans could make a change. From this chaos, a man named Dai Li attempted to unite the world. With his charismatic aura and strange bending abilities, he all but compelled his followers to complete devotion. His power spread, commanding total submission. His daughter, however, would ruin his plans. After his first fall, Dai Li, thought dead, faded into obscurity, and his daughter, granted a strange power by the last Lion Turtle, rose to fill the void of the absent Avatar. Ten years later, Dai Li would rear his head again, and Juno, knowing humanity under Dai Li’s rule would have no humanity at all, sought out her own band of benders to take on her father. With all their differences and flaws, she will have her work cut out for her as they face Dai Li’s enigmatic cult, their own demons, and the Avatar of whom no one speaks.

In this chapter:

The hallway was illuminated by the faint light of the moon shining in through the window at the end. The hallway was empty, but by the moonlight, he could see all the way down the hall into the common area. Across the suite, the doorway that led from the common area to the outdoor walkway beyond—the door that should have been locked—was ever so slightly ajar…and as Chai Li watched it, it slowly drifted shut.

Someone had been here.

Read on AO3!

Prologue/Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4

[paigelts05]

Agent Morgan Smith [FNAF Renegade AU, TalesVRWorld]

https://www.deviantart.com/paigelts05/art/Agent-Morgan-Smith-FNAF-Renegade-AU-TalesVRWorld-1079417361

Published: Jul 28, 2024

Prior to Fazbear Entertainment releasing a series of stories set in the megaplex, several of Mike's contacts had managed to infiltrate a VR environment that Faz Ent had been running.

That was at the begining of the year. Mike has not heard from them since.

Then, Fazbear Entertainment started releasing books about the megaplex, chronicling events that could never have happened in the real world, which made sense as these tales were peddled as fiction.

But a code word begun to spread among investigators.

TalesVRWorld

A code phrase that quickly informs investigators and journalists alike of the theory that the events chronicled in the books that Fazbear Entertainment released about the megaplex are part of an elaborate cover story to cover up the experiments that Fazbear Entertainment had been running within that VR environment and conceal what the moles had found.

If the contents of the stories were based on events from the VR environment, it would offer an explanation as to why the moles have not yet returned.

It would not be the first time Fazbear Entertainment has attempted a cover up on this scale, and it makes sense that they would: missing persons reports had been filed for the MIA moles prior to the release of these collections of tales. It would make sense that Faz Ent would be proactively discrediting the moles. Especially considering that Faz Ent knows that even death cannot silence whistleblowers. So they have to be keeping the moles captive somehow.

When a Faz Ent executive was rushed into a civilian hospital after falling into a coma as a result of something with the VR environment going horribly wrong, Mike found himself with the opportunity to investigate the virtual world for himself so he could find and rescue the MIA moles by once again taking up the moniker of Morgan Smith.

•°°•🌹•°°•

Renegade Interference, a multi-chapter fic that will chronicle Mike's investigation into the VR environment, will be released when I have the art for it completed and once I have completed it's tie-in game, Digital infiltration.

[dominickeating-source]

Unbelievable!!!!!: Interview: Dominic Keating

In Unbelievable!!!!!, Dominic Keating plays Hacky – a name that seems very appropriate when you see his character in action. The sci-fi parody stars Snoop Dog alongside a host of familiar Star Trek faces from across the franchise. The movie gets its online premiere on 1 August, and Paul Simpson chatted with the former Star Trek Enterprise actor during lockdown…

How did you get to hear of Unbelievable!!!!!?

I think BarBara Luna [who played Lt. Marleau in the classic Trek episode Mirror Mirror] contacted me first.

I watched BarBara as a tender 9 year old. I nagged my dad rotten to get one of the first colour TVs in our street in Leicester to watch Star Trek in colour. It was one of those multi-broadcast TVs, it had a louvred door, looked like an aircraft hangar. It was the size of a coffin almost. These chiffon clad ladies were my first foray into erotica! BarBara and I had known each other from early on in the convention days – she reached out first. I think I was busy the first time they wanted to use me for something and then everybody else I knew did it and I felt a bit left out, so that’s when I reached out and got to meet Angelique [Fawcette] and realised it was her producing and her husband [Steven L. Fawcette] directing. They found a nice little cameo for me and happy to join. I’m going to be in a movie with Snoop Dog. Word! What a feat to get Snoop Dog to do this!

And you’re working with Captain Kirk Stillwood – the puppet…

I’ve done some things – I’ve worked with chimps and I’ve worked with puppets. I did a campaign where I got to work with a chimp; I was the Hollywood manager of a chimp!

Yes, I worked with the mannequin – it was a lot of fun actually. I only had a day’s work on it, literally a spit and a cough. It was lovely to be there. We all know each other from the conventions. I’ve been doing them for 20 years – I was the first out of the gate on our cast. The rest of my cast were all a bit sniffy about it to begin with until I drove my Porsche 911 onto the lot, paid for by conventions that first year. God bless those fans, man! I never stopped thanking them. We’ve all known each other for many a year – and to actually be on set with each other as actors was a lot of fun and a real treat.

So it was nice to work with everyone again – Casey [Biggs] particularly. I’ve known him, he’s a dear lovey love, and Max [Grodenchik] too, a great scene partner.

Have you kept up with the latest Star Treks?

Discovery and Picard? I haven’t. I don’t have [CBS All Access]. I was meant to go to the premiere of Discovery here at the Cinerama Dome, but sadly one of my cats died that very day, and frankly the idea of putting on a happy face wasn’t in my wheelhouse that night. Jason Isaacs and I go way back – we started out with the same agent in London 35 years ago. I know it’s gone down well.

I know originally it was going to be Bryan Fuller, and I know him of old. I thought I might get a good guest star or recurring role; he loved me, but then he and his writing partner parted ways, and he went on to do another show.

My first memory of Enterprise is going on set very early September 2001, and everyone talking about the plans – and then 9/11 happened.

It changed the show entirely. What is our relevance? I’d been here quite a while at that stage. I wasn’t a citizen, still a Green Card holder, but just to be immersed and to be in an American working environment, I never felt more American.

Very happy days at Paramount on the show. Scott [Bakula] was an amazing family leader – we couldn’t have hoped for a nicer man at the helm. He made those years joyous, frankly. I miss it.

It was a terrible shame we didn’t get to do our full stint, which I think we were well worthy of, certainly by the time Manny took over running the show in Season 4. No disrespect to Brannon, but he’d done this for sixteen years – he was tired out. I remember reading Manny’s first script in the Xindi arc, which was our riposte to 9/11, and thinking, “That’s good, who wrote this?” I phoned up the writers and asked to speak to Manny Coto! He’s gone on to bigger and bigger things. We were certainly worthy of another couple if not the whole seven years, but unfortunately the network was tanking and there were bigger things afoot than the success of our show. There was talk of going to Vancouver to shoot but Scott had two small children.

Marina came and did our last episode with Jonathan Frakes to a lot of people’s consternation – I had no idea that Scott was so affronted by that last episode until we all did the 10 year reunion at CBS for the release of the Blu-rays and we all had a big interview. It all came out in that that it really ticked him off. By that stage we’d known we were cancelled for about six, seven weeks if not longer, and I was over the shock of it. I won’t say that I think that the device to get those two into our episode was a bit clunky, but that said one of my favourite days’ shooting was doing the galley scene with Jonathan Frakes. He’s hilarious.

I’d always known he was funny – there’s a story I often tell. We’d gone over to Birmingham to do a big British convention. I went into the green room and there were all these young hotshots, cheeked and ab-ed actors, all flown in from their hot shot shows in Toronto and Vancouver and all were waxing on about how great things were… I was remembering how it used to be when it was me. They petered out and went back to their signing tables so there just me sitting alone there finishing my sandwich. There was this rustling underneath the trestle table on the other side of the room, and Jonathan Frakes popped his head up from where he’d obviously been having a nap, or trying to, and he saw me and went, “Hey, Dom, how are you? Are all those *********s gone now?” He’s a real actor’s actor. I had a great time working with him.

What else are you up to at the moment, apart from staying in for lockdown?

I’ve got a film I’ve been promoting, The Host, which sort of got a release virtually. It’s a psychological horror movie set in London and Amsterdam. I’ve been doing some voiceover work for Blizzard, God bless – I did quite a lot of voices for them for World of Warcraft. I have another voiceover on Tom Hanks’ new movie, Greyhound – I play the captain of the English battleship in this flotilla chasing U-boats. You never see me unfortunately but it’s my voice, but a mate of mine told me I’m in it quite a lot, and referred to quite a lot too! I got to work with Tom – he was in the room when we recorded, and what a lovely chap he is. Shortly after that he got COVID!

The worldwide online premiere of Unbelievable!!!!!! is 1 August – tickets for the all-day event can be purchased today (31 July) here

Thanks to David Roberson & Ian Spelling for their assistance in arranging this interview.

Source: scifibulletin.com, published 31 July 2020.

[imperialchem]

Unveiling the Latest Innovations:  What is New in Rig Wash Additive Technology

In the dynamic and ever-evolving oil and gas industry, maintaining clean and efficient drilling operations is paramount.  One of the critical aspects of this process is the use of specialized additives to ensure the integrity and cleanliness of drilling equipment.  As a leading pipe free agent additive manufacturer in India, Imperial Oilfield Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. is at the forefront of developing innovative solutions that enhance the performance and reliability of drilling operations.  This blog explores the latest advancements in rig wash additive technology and their impact on the industry.

The Importance of Rig Wash Additives

Rig wash additives play a crucial role in the maintenance of drilling rigs and associated equipment.  These chemicals are designed to remove contaminants such as oil, grease, and drilling mud from surfaces, ensuring that the equipment operates efficiently and safely.  By preventing the build-up of residues, rig wash additives help to extend the lifespan of equipment, reduce maintenance costs, and minimize downtime.

Key Benefits of Rig Wash Additives:

Enhanced Equipment Performance:  Clean equipment operates more efficiently, leading to improved overall performance.

Reduced Maintenance Costs:  Regular cleaning with effective additives reduces the need for frequent repairs and maintenance.

Safety:  Clean rigs and equipment help prevent accidents and ensure a safer working environment.

Environmental Compliance:  High-quality rig wash additives help in adhering to environmental regulations by ensuring proper disposal of contaminants.

Innovations in Rig Wash Additive Technology

The oilfield chemicals industry is constantly advancing, with new technologies and formulations emerging to address the specific needs of modern drilling operations.  As a leading rig wash additive manufacturer in India, Imperial Oilfield Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. is committed to staying at the cutting edge of these innovations.  Here are some of the latest developments in rig wash additive technology:

Environmentally Friendly Formulations

With increasing environmental regulations and the industry's shift towards sustainable practices, there is a growing demand for environmentally friendly rig wash additives.  Manufacturers are now focusing on developing biodegradable and non-toxic formulations that effectively clean equipment without harming the environment.

Features of Eco-Friendly Rig Wash Additives:

Biodegradable Ingredients:  Break down naturally without leaving harmful residues.

Non-Toxic:  Safe for use around personnel and wildlife.

Low VOCs:  Reduced volatile organic compounds to minimize air pollution.

Enhanced Cleaning Efficiency

The efficiency of rig wash additives is critical to their performance.  Recent advancements have led to the development of high-performance additives that offer superior cleaning capabilities.  These formulations are designed to penetrate and remove even the most stubborn contaminants, ensuring that equipment remains in optimal condition.

Key Characteristics:

High Penetration:  Ability to reach and clean hard-to-access areas.

Superior Solvency:  Effectively dissolves oil, grease, and other residues.

Quick Action:  Reduces cleaning time, enhancing operational efficiency.

Multi-Purpose Additives

To simplify the maintenance process and reduce costs, there is a trend towards multi-purpose rig wash additives.  These versatile formulations can be used for various cleaning applications, from washing rigs to cleaning pipelines and casings.

Advantages of Multi-Purpose Additives:

Cost-Effective:  Reduces the need for multiple products.

Simplified Logistics:  Easier inventory management and storage.

Consistent Performance:  Ensures uniform cleaning results across different applications.

Specialized Additives for Specific Applications

Recognizing that different components of drilling operations may require unique cleaning solutions, manufacturers are developing specialized additives tailored to specific applications.  For example, a casing wash additive manufacturer in India might produce formulations specifically designed to clean and protect casing pipes, ensuring their longevity and performance.

Examples of Specialized Additives:

Casing Wash Additives:  Formulated to clean and protect casing pipes from corrosion and build-up.

Pipe Free Agent Additives:  Designed to prevent the formation of hydrates and other blockages in pipelines.

Rig Wash Additives:  Targeted formulations for cleaning drilling rigs and related equipment.

Imperial Oilfield Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.:  Leading the Way

As a premier pipe free agent additive manufacturer in India, Imperial Oilfield Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. is dedicated to innovation and excellence.  Our range of rig wash additives is formulated to meet the highest standards of performance and safety, ensuring that our clients can maintain efficient and reliable operations.

Our Product Range:

Rig Wash Additives

Our rig wash additives are designed to remove a wide range of contaminants, from oil and grease to drilling mud.  They are formulated to provide thorough cleaning while being safe for both equipment and the environment.

Casing Wash Additives

Our casing wash additives are specifically designed to clean casing pipes, preventing corrosion and build-up that can compromise the integrity of the pipes.  These additives are essential for maintaining the safety and efficiency of drilling operations.

Pipe Free Agent Additives

Our pipe free agent additives prevent the formation of hydrates and other blockages in pipelines, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted flow.  These additives are critical for maintaining the efficiency and reliability of pipeline operations.

Case Study:  Successful Implementation of Rig Wash Additives

To illustrate the impact of our innovative rig wash additives, let's consider a case study involving a major drilling operation in India.  The client faced significant challenges with equipment contamination, leading to frequent maintenance and downtime.

The Challenge:

Frequent Downtime:  Equipment contamination caused frequent shutdowns for cleaning and maintenance.

High Maintenance Costs:  Regular repairs and part replacements due to build-up and corrosion.

Environmental Concerns:  Need for environmentally friendly cleaning solutions.

The Solution:

Imperial Oilfield Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. provided a comprehensive solution with our range of rig wash and casing wash additives.  The implementation involved:

Regular Cleaning Schedule:  Establishing a routine cleaning schedule using our high-performance additives.

Training and Support:  Providing training to the client's staff on the proper use of the additives and best cleaning practices.

Environmental Compliance:  Ensuring that the products used were environmentally friendly and compliant with local regulations.

The Results:

Reduced Downtime:  The client experienced a significant reduction in equipment downtime, leading to uninterrupted operations.

Lower Maintenance Costs:  The effective cleaning reduced the need for frequent repairs and part replacements, resulting in cost savings.

Enhanced Safety and Compliance:  The use of eco-friendly additives ensured a safer working environment and compliance with environmental regulations.

Future Trends in Rig Wash Additive Technology

The future of rig wash additive technology looks promising, with ongoing research and development aimed at addressing the evolving needs of the oil and gas industry.  Here are some trends to watch:

Smart Additives

The integration of smart technologies into rig wash additives is an exciting development.  These additives can be designed to change their properties in response to specific conditions, enhancing their effectiveness and efficiency.

Nano-Technology

Nano-technology is set to revolutionize rig wash additives by enabling the development of formulations with enhanced penetration and cleaning capabilities.  Nano-particles can reach and clean areas that traditional additives cannot, ensuring thorough cleaning.

Sustainability Focus

As environmental concerns continue to grow, there will be an increased focus on developing sustainable rig wash additives.  This includes not only biodegradable and non-toxic formulations but also products that require less water and energy for their application.

Conclusion

The advancements in rig wash additive technology are transforming the oil and gas industry, making drilling operations more efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly.  As a leading rig wash additive manufacturer in India, Imperial Oilfield Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. is proud to be at the forefront of these innovations.  Our commitment to quality, performance, and sustainability ensures that our clients receive the best possible solutions for their cleaning needs.

Whether you are looking for a pipe free agent additive manufacturer in India or a casing wash additive manufacturer in India, Imperial Oilfield Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. has the expertise and products to meet your requirements.  Stay ahead of the curve with our innovative rig wash additives and experience the difference they can make in your operations.

[oliviasmith-21]

How to Set Up an LLC in Pennsylvania: Step-by-Step Guide by TRUIC

Establishing a Limited Liability Company (LLC) varies across states, and Pennsylvania has its own specific process. New business owners can find the process confusing, but this comprehensive guide by TRUIC will remove the guesswork. Continue reading to find out how to create an LLC in Pennsylvania.

Types of LLCs in Pennsylvania USA

Pennsylvania offers various LLC types to suit different business needs:

Single-member LLC: Consists of one owner (member) who holds all ownership rights.

Member-managed LLC: A multi-member LLC where all owners (members) have a say in decision-making and manage the business.

Manager-managed LLC: A multi-member LLC where members appoint a manager to handle daily operations, suitable for larger LLCs.

Restricted LLC: For professional services like medicine, dentistry, law, etc., requiring registration as a restricted professional company.

Benefit LLC: Formed to create a general public benefit, impacting society and the environment positively.

Domestic LLC: An LLC formed within Pennsylvania.

3 Steps to Setup LLC in Pennsylvania USA

Setting up an LLC in Pennsylvania involves filing several documents with the Department of State and can be done online or by mail.

Step 1: Select a Distinct Name for Your LLC

Ensure your chosen LLC name is unique by using Pennsylvania’s business entity search tool. If the name is available, but you're not ready to register, you can reserve it for 120 days.

Naming Rules:

Must include "company," "limited," "limited liability company," or their abbreviations.

Must not include words like "corporation" or "incorporated."

Step 2: Choose a CROP, or Registered Office

You need to provide a physical address in Pennsylvania for your LLC, or enter into an agreement with a Commercial Registered Office Provider (CROP) to provide this address.

Step 3: Put Your LLC Documents in Order

Submit a Certificate of Organization and a docketing statement to the Pennsylvania Department of State. Veterans may apply for a fee waiver. For LLCs formed elsewhere, file a Foreign Registration Statement.

Register an LLC online in Pennsylvania

Filing online is efficient and straightforward. Visit the Pennsylvania Department of State's website to access the online filing portal, complete the necessary forms, and pay the filing fee.

What does it take to start an LLC in PA?

While it's challenging to avoid all costs, you can minimize expenses by handling the filing yourself and serving as your own registered agent. Utilize free resources for creating your operating agreement.

Creating an LLC with Just One Member in Pennsylvania

Similar steps apply to LLCs with many members. Single-member LLCs benefit from simplified management and flexible taxation, often being treated as a disregarded entity for tax purposes.

Lets Find: Is PA a good state for an LLC?

Advantages of a PA LLC

Limited Liability Protection: Personal assets are protected from business liabilities.

Tax Flexibility: Choose from various tax structures to optimize tax obligations.

Simplified Compliance: Fewer formalities than corporations.

Enhanced Credibility: Boosts business trust and legitimacy.

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Pennsylvania: know more

Primary costs include the filing fee for the Certificate of Organization, registered agent fees (if applicable), and publication costs (if needed). Additional costs might include legal assistance for drafting documents.

Processing Fee: $125

State Filing Fee: $125, payable to Pennsylvania's Commonwealth; nonrefundable

Mailing Address:

Pennsylvania Department of State

Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations

P.O. Box 8722

Harrisburg, PA 17105

A Docketing Statement must be sent with your Certificate of Organization if you file it by mail.

Check out our Pennsylvania Certificate of Organization tutorial for assistance in filling out the form.

How Long Does It Take to Get an LLC in PA?

Online Filing: Typically processed within 5-10 business days.

Mail Filing: Can take several weeks due to processing times.

Crucial Actions Following LLC Formation

Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

necessary if your LLC employs a large number of people. Get a free EIN from the IRS website.

Create an Operating Contract

While not required, an operating agreement is crucial for outlining management structure, ownership, and operational procedures, helping to prevent disputes.

Keep Your Personal and Business Assets Apart

Open a business bank account and keep business transactions separate from personal ones to maintain liability protection.

Submit Your Decennial Report

Pennsylvania requires a decennial report every 10 years to update business information. The next filing period is in 2031.

Also Evaluate LLCs in Florida, California, and New York USA

LLC in New York

Includes filing fees, a publication requirement, and biennial statements. The publication requirement can be costly due to the need to publish in newspapers For all information go and visit LLC in New York.

LLC in California

Involves filing fees and an annual franchise tax. Requires biennial Statement of Information filings but no publication requirement and Visit for further details click to LLC in California.

LLC in Florida

Requires filing Articles of Organization with a filing fee. No publication requirement and straightforward annual report filings. For more comprehensive details, please visit LLC in Florida.

Conclusion

Setting up an LLC in Pennsylvania is a strategic move for many entrepreneurs. Follow this step-by-step guide by TRUIC to navigate the process confidently. Whether forming a single-member or multi-member LLC, Pennsylvania provides a supportive business environment.

Ready to form your LLC? Visit TRUIC for user-friendly resources and start your LLC formation journey today. Together, let's make your company's vision a reality.