#particularly across various species

[robindrake93]

So did Dr. Gaul just not want any winner for the 10th Hunger Games and that’s why she released her snakes into the arena, knowing they’d kill everything with an “unfriendly” scent or was that another test for Coriolanus. If it was a test and he failed, what was her plan for the Hunger Games winner?

[artechoceneexplorer]

A Survivor in Hell:

Dante's Dumingo

Perfectly adapted for flying across the harsh Ourean Mountains interior, the "Abominharenas", and feeding on scalding hot brine pools, Dante's Dumingo not only survives but thrives in the most inhospitable environment on the surface of Artechocene Earth

Dante's Dumingo, as is name implies, is a Dumingo, an anatid in the family Anabalaenidae or the "Baleen-beaked Ducks". They are a family consisting of many migratory and gregarious species in several genera, all adapted for filter feeding in various environments. The genus Infernanas is particularly known for liking more extreme environments than its relatives, like soda lakes deep in the Sahara, boiling hot pools in remote islands up in the north Pole, or brine pools up in the highest mountain ranges.

But to survive in the Ourean mountains and surrounding deserts, this species had to adapt for every inhospitable conditions known, and yet, it has been able to survive every one of them. It's thick coat of white feathers is a great insulator against both the cold at night and at great altitudes, and against the scorching temperatures of the day. The clearer feathers on its back also help it deflect most sunlight that hits its body, and the dark patches around its eyes help it see with the glaring sunlight. Its thick skin is able to withstand scalding water and impressively high ion concentrations of different species. Its physiology and filtering systems also allows it to drink extremely water of high temperature, salinity, acidity or alkalinity.

[tsaomengde]

The Ones Who Found The City

Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" is a classic short story, and obviously I knew of it, but I'd never actually read it until recently. Well, I finally got around to it, and as many timeless classics do, it got stuck in my brain. This story is my - response? homage? sequel? pale imitation? - to it. I suggest you go and read "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" if you haven't. Not because it's actually required reading for this story - I think it stands on its own more or less okay - but because it is a classic for a reason.

---

Initially, no one is quite certain of what they’ve found when the Animus breaches the next manifold layer.  This is in and of itself expected, of course.  Exploring psychspace is by its very nature an unpredictable venture.  Each of the various infinite layers is unique and bizarre in its own way, reflecting the archetypal underpinnings of an entire species present, past, or future across an infinitude of possible realities.  The crew of the Animus, therefore, has seen things so utterly alien and inexplicable that only the rigors of their training and the care put into their psychic warding saved them from insanity.

It is somewhat disappointing, then, to find that this sub-domain is just a city.  Definitely not Terranic, certainly not, but still following the Terranic modality, with no more than a seven-degree quantum drift.

“Towers,” Thromby says into the recorder as they sit at their post at the nose of the Animus’s command center.  “Following the standard skyscrape pattern.  Unclear if they’re domiciles or business centers or both.  Coastal city, bay appears to be oceanic rather than lake.  Pleasing blend of urbanization with natural setting.”  They glance at Vigil.  “Anything on the lifescope?”

Vigil shakes his head.  “Nothing.  It’s empty.  Totally empty.”

“That’s odd,” Katrina speaks up from the helm.  “The city doesn’t show signs of decay or reclamation by nature.”

“Entropy may not work in the usual way in this sub-domain,” Teasha reminds her.  “The city itself could be the natural growth, reclaiming the artificial countryside.  We’ve seen things like that before.”

Thromby feels Katrina’s unconscious bristling at the subtle reminder that she is the newest member of the crew and thus less experienced in the vagaries of psychspace than everyone else.  Next to Vigil, who is only nineteen, she is also the youngest.  “I would expect,” Katrina says, her voice cool, “that in a sub-domain so obviously based on human archetypes, entropy and nature-versus-civilization tropes would function more or less as usual.”

“I’m certain you would,” Teasha replies, her voice equally cool.  “When you’ve been at this as long as me and Thromby, you’ll learn better.”

“Enough of that,” Thromby says before Katrina can reply.  They love Teasha, but she tends to be too harsh on new crewmembers.  A defense mechanism, they know, to insulate her from the all-too-common pain of losing them.  But Katrina has too much to prove.  The clash is natural and to be expected, and even useful at times, but now is not one of them.  “Vigil, get me readings on atmosphere, microbiome, and psychic radiation, if any.  Katrina, pick a spot on the coast and bring us down there.  I want to see if the ocean is actually an ocean or a liminality representation.  Teasha, get the Animus tuning to this sub-domain’s resonance frequency.  I don’t want any dissociation issues.”

The orders are mostly unnecessary, since everyone already knows what they’re about, but they serve their intended purpose, which is to re-focus everyone on the task at hand and redirect their nervous energies, particularly Katrina’s.  Thromby still isn’t sure she’s going to make the cut after this expedition is over, but there’s potential there.  They would be foolish to ignore someone with Katrina’s strength of identity grounding. 

There are plenty of sub-domains out there where it’s useful to be entirely certain of who you are, and not everyone can be.

---

The first day’s worth of exploration yields more questions than answers, which is normal and expected.  Thromby is indeed certain that Katrina’s initial assumption that this is a human-archetypal sub-domain is correct.  Human atmosphere, human shadow- and ontological concepts, Terranic fish in the very-real ocean.  But the iconography is sparse and mostly nonsensical.  It’s clear that the city was able to actually function as a city, but it feels purposeful, designed, in a way that actual cities outside psychspace rarely do.

“It’s a metaphor,” Vigil says as they sit around a campfire on the beach after the first day.

“Well, obviously,” Katrina agrees, and Vigil lights up – both visibly and psychically – at her concordance.  Thromby knows Vigil has been nursing burgeoning feelings for Katrina since she joined them, and has so far seen no need to make anything of it.  “But a metaphor for what?”

“We don’t have enough data,” Vigil replies.  “But I’m certain of it.  We just need to keep exploring.”

Thromby takes a bite of the fish they’ve been roasting over the fire.  It’s a pleasant change of pace to be able to eat something real, instead of the platonic nourishment suggestions dispensed by the Animus.  “Agreed.  I’m curious to see what the point of this place was.  We have five more days before we have to resurface and the expedition has been quite successful already.  I think we can spare the time.  Teasha?”

Taking a bite of her own fish, Teasha purses her lips as she chews.  “I concur, but I’m uneasy.”

Teasha is their psychometry specialist, so this makes all of them sit up a little straighter.  “Are we in danger?” Katrina asks.

“Of course we’re in danger, we’re in psychspace.  But in this particular sub-domain?  Metaphorical danger, as Vigil says.  Ideological or memetic patterning rather than physical.”

Thromby nods.  “I suspected that might be the axis of it, here.  We will need to split up to cover the necessary ground in the time we have left, so everyone stays in contact while exploring.  Mechanical and psychic.  No exceptions.”

None of them are particularly happy with this pronouncement, but they see the wisdom of it.  It’s distracting and somewhat draining to keep a four-way psychic connection going, especially over distance, but their implanted transceivers sometimes don’t function properly, depending on the sub-domain.  Electromagnetism and causality both seem to be standard here, but such things have been known to change in an instant depending on whether the sub-domain is actively malicious or not.

Thromby doesn’t feel any such malice here, though.  That doesn’t mean it isn’t present; such things are often quite good at hiding themselves.  But they’ve been exploring psychspace for seventy-eight years subjective.  They’ve learned to trust their instincts.

---

Two more days of exploration are frustratingly unrevealing.  The city is the size of a proper metropolis, and they know it will be impossible to actually explore any significant percentage of it in only a few days, but Thromby is still irritated by their lack of progress.  They find evidence of cultural signifiers, rituals, and traditions, but again, the iconography is vague and appears opaque to standard Jungian-Jingweian analysis.

Teasha spends the two days on a different investigative track than the rest of them.  “Psychometrically speaking the city is remarkably healthy,” she said on the morning of their second day.  “Most locations, metaphorical or otherwise, bear the echoes of trauma or strife, but this place seems to have been almost entirely peaceful.  Totally voluntary anarcho-communism or ordnung-socialism, perhaps, without the usual markers of systemic violence inherent to capitalistic or fascistic systems.  But there’s a thread somewhere that I keep detecting the edges of.”

“A thread of what?” Thromby asked.

“Pain, of course.”

It is on the evening of their third day in the city that Teasha calls them to her.  She uses their transceiver link rather than a psychic summons.  “To avoid contamination,” she explains.  “I’ve found the source of the thread.  Double your usual wardings and enter seclusive patterning before you come inside.”

Thromby does so, of course, though they dislike cutting themselves off from their extrasensory perception.  It feels like trying to see with only one eye.  When they arrive at Teasha’s location, however, they immediately understand why she insisted on it.  The possibility of psychic contamination here is very high.

“What is this?” Katrina asks, holding her nose in disgust.

“The point of the metaphor, of course,” Teasha replies.  She indicates the filthy cellar in which they’ve found themselves, the only part of the city so far that has seemed actively decrepit.  “I guarantee you that even if we spent the rest of our lives exploring this city we would find only this one place showing any signs of entropy.”

The cellar stinks of excrement, a combination of ammonia and fetid shit, despite the physical processes creating such smells having terminated long ago.  The floor is dirt.  There are no windows.  In one corner there are two mops, their heads stiff with drying waste, and a bucket, the metal bands around its circumference orange with rust.

“They concentrated all of the city’s entropy into a single space?” Vigil asks.

“Not entropy,” Teasha tells him.  “Cruelty.”

Katrina gapes, her hand falling away from her nose for a moment.  “Come again?”

“Something lived here,” Teasha explains to her.  “Or, more precisely, was forced to live here.  It functioned as a psychic magnet, of sorts.  The functioning of the city relied entirely upon its imprisonment and use as a scapegoat.”

“What was it?” Vigil asks.

“One of the innocence-sacrifice archetypes.  An animal or a child.  I suspect a child; an animal can feel pain and misery, certainly, but it doesn’t conceive of injustice in the same way a child does.”

Thromby feels their stomach turn a little.  “Ah.  I see.”

“See what?” Katrina demands.

“The point of the metaphor indeed,” Thromby replies.  “This entire city and all its inhabitants, predicated on the suffering on a child.  It’s a morality construct, and a good one, too.”

“A good one?” Vigil asks.  “It’s grotesque.”

“Your deontological leanings are showing,” Katrina tells him.  “From a utilitarian perspective it’s perfect.  Nothing exists without imposing an energy burden on the system in which it exists.  Even the nourishment suggestions the Animus feeds us in liminal space between manifolds is distilled from universal krill.  But this?  The concentration of all of a society’s utility burden onto a single individual.  The ultimate maximization principle.”

“And your teleological leanings are showing,” Teasha sniffs.  “You’re missing the point of the metaphor entirely, Katrina.  It isn’t about utility.  It’s about cruelty.  The cruelty is the point.”

Katrina’s nostrils flare and Thromby cuts in before she can start really arguing.  “Enough,” they say.  “A conflict here in this space could be dangerous.  We’re at the focus of the sub-domain and things have a way of rippling.  We’ve discovered the point of the metaphor, so we can go back to the Animus and leave in the morning.”

Both Katrina and Teasha look ready to argue the point with them, but then they master themselves and both nod.

“Do we have to wait until morning?” Vigil asks, looking around the cellar in transparent disgust.  “I would prefer to leave sooner rather than later.”

“You know the rules,” Thromby replies.  “We don’t transit without everyone being rested.  A tired mind is a vulnerable mind.”

Reluctantly, Vigil nods, too.  The four of them walk away from the cellar, their thoughts opaque to one another.

---

Thromby is jolted out of sleep by Teasha screaming.

They sit bolt upright and look down at Teasha in the bed next to them.  She is clutching at her head, shaking, writhing beneath the sheets.  “Teasha!” Thromby snaps.  “Focus!  Center yourself!”  They grab her by the wrists and pry her hands from her face; her nails are leaving bloody marks in her skin.

“Too much, it’s too much!” she shrieks.  “I’m lost!”

Thromby forces their way into her mind.  She previously gave them her consent for this, knowing that it might be necessary in a moment like this one.  What they see there –

“Aquinas,” they say aloud.  The implants in Teasha’s cochlear nerves pick up on the trigger word and activate, sending the kill-signal to other implants deeper within her brain.  She stops screaming and slumps, unconscious, temporarily brain-dead.  When Thromby says the word again she will be switched back on, but for the moment she is safe from the psychic contamination that was attacking her along her psychometric vector.

Which, of course, means that Thromby has to deal with this issue alone.

They dress quickly and exit the Animus into a beautiful summer day.  Pennants and banners wave atop the rigging of ships in the harbor, bells sound from the city, and people, so many people, cavort and revel on the beach, in the waves, in the streets.  There is laughter, merriment, the intoxicating psychic swell of happiness and excitement.  Thromby threads their way through the crowds in the streets – mothers carrying their infants, children running through the streets in elaborate games of some variation of Terran tag, huge parades of horse-drawn carts with animalistic balloon totems floating in the air above them.  Vendors call out to Thromby, offering delicious food, intricately made jewelry, amazing clockwork-mechanical toys, sensory-enhancing drugs, and a thousand other variegated temptations.  Street musicians play upon cunningly crafted instruments – strings, pipes, percussion, keys – and revelers cavort to the tunes.

Thromby can feel the bright sparks of all of these people in their mind.  These are real, thinking, feeling beings.  They belong to the metaphor, certainly, but Thromby could speak to them, touch them, verify their self-consciousness and interiority, even invite them to come and join them onboard the Animus and explore psychspace.  They could bring them up into the real, return home with them, have a life with them.  That is how it has to be, of course.  Thromby knows they themself may belong to a different metaphor of a different order, after all.  The real is only real because enough people agree it is.

But they do none of these things.  They just walk, stolidly, back to where they know they have to go.

Katrina is waiting for them outside the cellar, barring the way in.  Thromby has their wards up at triple strength and has been in seclusive patterning since before leaving the Animus, but they don’t need to be psychic to read her mind.  Everything she is feeling and thinking is there in plain sight – the proud and defiant way her chin is thrust out, the blaze in her eyes, the way she has her arms crossed and feet at shoulder width.  She is ready to fight.

“Let me through,” Thromby says without preamble.

“No.”

Well, that’s their respective positions, Thromby thinks, articulated clearly and easily enough.  “Why not?” they ask.

“Vigil consented.”

“Vigil is in love with you and you know as well as I do that consent is a matter of framing,” Thromby snaps.  “Move.”

“No.  I explained everything to him and he consented.  It has nothing to do with whatever feelings he might have for me.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it, but fine.  For the sake of argument, tell me how you explained it.”

Katrina hesitates, and Thromby can tell she wasn’t expecting them to actually offer her a chance to proselytize.  “The point of the metaphor is that no matter how great and beautiful the society, if it’s predicated on cruelty, it’s unjust,” she says.  “Deontological thinking, obviously, but cruelty is by definition nonconsensual.  I explained to Vigil that if he allowed it, we could collaboratively put blocks in his mind, purposefully regress him to a childlike mental state, and put him in the cellar to suffer for a specific length of time.  Then we can pull him back out, remove the blocks, and even erase the memories of the trauma.  The child-Vigil won’t, can’t, consent, but it also won’t exist for more than a day, and pragmatically speaking never will have.”

Thromby massages their temples.  “Congratulations.  Once again, you have missed the point of the metaphor.”

“Damnit, Thromby, I’m not a child!  I have the same training and grounding in theory that you and Teasha do.  Everything I’m doing is teleologically sound, and Vigil agreed that with the steps we’re taking –”

“You’re trying to outsmart it,” Thromby cuts her off.  “That’s how I know you’ve missed the point.  You can’t outsmart this, Katrina.  There is no perfect set of circumstances you can construct to get around the simple fact that this city functions, exists, because of deliberate and terrible cruelty.  That’s the entire point of it, just like Teasha said.  Teasha, who, by the way, is currently in a coma.  I had to put her into it to keep Vigil’s misery from damaging her.”

“It’s a thought experiment,” she argues, obviously not addressing the point about Teasha because she knows she won’t win that argument.  “There’s always a correct answer for them.  The trolley, the Gettier, the –”

“It’s about fucking sin,” Thromby sighs.

“Are you joking right now?  You’re going back to the religious well?”

“Yes, because that’s what’s happening right now.  The city is a sin, Katrina.  The excesses of its beauty, its wonder, its perfection, are obscene precisely because of how and why they function.  It’s rooted in the ideology of disgust and taint.  Utility, teleology, all of these justifications and rationalizations exist and have their use, but at the end of the day, answer me one question: will you trade places with Vigil?”

Katrina hesitates.

It’s only a bare moment, less than a second, even, but it’s there.  And Thromby sees it, and Katrina sees it.

“Yes,” she says, finally.

“I knew that would be your answer.  But you know that the answer doesn’t really matter, does it?”

Katrina lowers her head.  “No.”

“You know why you hesitated.”

“Yes.”  She looks back up at them.  “But – there’s no such thing as absolute morality, any more than there’s a single objective reality.”

“Of course there isn’t.  And yet, you hesitated.”

They just lock eyes for a few seconds.  Then she lowers her gaze again.  “And yet, I did.”

Thromby steps past her and opens the cellar.

[dougdimmadodo]

Ghost Plant (Monotropa uniflora)

Family: Heath Family (Ericaceae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Unassessed

Over 80% of plants form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi, linking their roots to the fungus' hyphae and providing photosynthetically produced sugars in exchange for hard-to-access nutrients that the fungus takes in from the soil. The Ghost Plant, which is found mainly in temperate shady forests across much of Asia and the Americas, also connects its roots with the hyphae of fungi (specifically members of the family Russulaceae,) but contributes nothing; it is a parasite, stealing nutrients not only from its host fungus but also from other plants (particularly birches) that its host is also connected to. Living entirely on stolen nutrients means that Ghost Plants have no need to carry out photosynthesis, and as such they lack the green pigment chlorophyll that almost all plants use to absorb sunlight, giving them their namesake eerie white appearance (although on occasion pale pink individuals are recorded) and allowing them to survive in dark, shady conditions that other plants are unable to colonise. Ghost Plants bloom rarely and unpredictably (as they do not photosynthesise they have no need for aboveground leaves or stems when not reproducing, but apparently develop stems and flowers rapidly during periods of wet weather following prolonged dry conditions,) baring a single bell-shaped white flower with a black-and-yellow interior that attracts various species of bees and flies. Following pollination the plant's tiny seeds are forced through gaps in its petals and carried away on the wind, remaining dormant in the soil they settle on until they detect a suitable host fungus growing nearby.

——————————————————————————

Image Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/49477-Monotropa-uniflora

[quite-right-too]

Folie à Deux

Tenth Doctor x Metacrisis Tenth Doctor x Reader / requests are open

Summary: Folie à Deux: French for "a madness shared by two" (18+ only)

Temperature.

It wasn’t something you thought about often.

“Temperature is a universal cue,” the Time Lord Doctor had explained. “You’ve got these circuits, right? Like a motherboard. And in there, you’ve got conserved molecular thermosensors. These glorious little things work with your nervous system and act as the initial detectors of temperature changes across various species.”

He continued on with his rambling — branching off onto a detailed discussion with the other Doctor about how some thermosensitive neurons can be activated types of stimuli. Lots of little details that you’d begun to notice, like how much cooler the Time Lord Doctor’s skin was against yours. “33°C versus 37°C,” the Human Doctor explained.

You were now hyper-aware how warm the human Doctor’s bare chest was against your naked back as he filled you carnally. “Oh, so good, aren’t you?” he murmured against your neck as he thrust up into you, reveling as your eyes rolled back into your head at a particularly hard thrust. “So hot, taking me so well.”

Positioned on your back with him under you, you were practically buzzing with the sheer amount of skin touching. Hot touch and cooling sweat — you could practically feel neurons activating and feeding into your arousal. 

The darkness of your room enhanced the feelings while your other senses worked harder to replace the missing sensory input. His warm hands gripped your hips, keeping you pulled against him as he ceased his movements.

Before you could protest, cooler skin brushed against your thighs. The familiar feeling of slim hips slotted against yours caused your breath to catch in your throat. Not only did you have the human Doctor’s cock inside you, but you could now feel another against the inside of your thigh.

“Hello, lovely,” the Time Lord Doctor murmured against your neck, opposite his human counterpart. “I see you’ve both already gotten started without me.”

You adored both men. Yes, they were both the Doctor — your Doctor — but they still had their differences, especially in bed. Your Time Lord Doctor was usually softer, favouring tender touches and love making. He truly worshipped your body; even kissed every inch of it when he could.

Your human Doctor, however, was a lot more rough. He loved it hard and fast, watching you absolutely shatter while he pistoned his hips into yours. He loved feelings your nails raking down his back and seeing the angry red marks in the mirror afterwards. Or leaving marks along your neck and chest — a sign of possession. Sometimes you wondered if it was directed at the Time Lord. 

“Took you long enough.” The human Doctor’s grunt pulled you out of your thoughts. He had slowed his thrusts, allowing you the chance to catch your breath as he laid his head back to rest on the pillows behind him.

Your back arched as you felt the head of the Doctor’s cock slide against your clit, slicking himself up. “Oh, fuck, Doctor .” A filthy moan escaped your lips as the Time Lord’s head dropped against your shoulder. The stimulation of having both of your Doctors pleasuring you caused your mind to spin.

“We know you’ve wanted this,” the Time Lord murmured as he repositioned himself to be lined up with the entrance of your pussy, sliding against the base of the human’s hard length. “I’ve seen your filthy thoughts. Both of us fucking you, huh? Two cocks in one hole? So dirty,” he chided. His hand traced down your abdomen, pressing down on himself slightly to get the right angle to slip in. He was right there, about to give you the satisfaction you craved, before he paused.

“You know that you can say red at any time and we’ll stop, right love?” the human Doctor asked from behind you. Of course you knew, but you didn’t have any intention of using it. Especially when you could feel the tension and anticipation oozing from the man below you.

As soon as you nodded, the man above you began to slowly push forward. It hurt more than you expected and you went rigid for a minute, prompting the Time Lord to stop and softly kiss a trail from your shoulder, up your neck, and stopping just underneath your ear. “I know, I’m sorry. It’ll be over in a moment.” His soft words followed by gentler touches of his fingers against the tiny bundle of nerves above his cock helped you relax enough for him to push all the way in.

A shared moan echoed through the dark as your positions were adjusted. The Time Lord hovered above you, slotted between your hips and holding his weight up on his palms to account for the addition of the other Doctor under you. You stayed on your back, however your legs were pushed open further as the human Doctor settled himself so the heels of his feet dug into the bed.

To put it simply: You were in heaven.

Once they both felt confident that you were comfortable, they both began to move. The Doctor above did most of the work, but that didn’t stop the more subtle movements under you. They filled you to the brim and hit spots you didn’t even know existed.

Melodic murmurs in your ear only pushed you further towards the edge. It wasn’t often that they indulged in their home language, but it drove you crazy when they incorporated it into the bedroom. The usually gentle tones were harsher, more gutteral and fueled with passion.

“Oh, god,” you choked out as the push-and-pull motions seemed to get more intense. The telltale signs of your orgasm were beginning to form in your abdomen, but you knew your Doctor’s weren’t far behind. “So close. Doctor. Please. Need to come. Need you both to come.”

You could barely tell where one person ended and the next begun. “Oh, fuck,” the Doctor under you groaned. He began to thrust harder, adding more force to push you up into the other Doctor slightly with each thrust. He was getting close.

Based on the sloppy, stuttering thrusts from above you, the Time Lord was too.

One of your hands reached back to tangle your fingers in the human’s hair, prompting him to grip your hips with enough force that you knew there would be bruises the next morning.

As he began to lose control and chase his release, your other hand reached up to pull the Time Lord’s face down to yours. Teeth clashed as you kissed him hard before pulling away. “Need you to come in me,” you breathed. “Both of you.”

From behind, hips pressed up as the Doctor groaned, back arching as he emptied himself inside you. Not a half-second later, the other Doctor followed. They filled you, claiming you, and pulled you over the edge to fall with them.

Cries of intense pleasure streamed from your lips as the strongest orgasm you’d ever experienced lit a blaze throughout your body. You clenched around the two men inside you, prompting two matching groans as they came down from their highs.

The waves of euphoria began to ebb by the time the Doctors decided to pull out. It was messy and you cringed at the loss of fullness. You didn’t have time to deal with the discomfort before one Doctor was cleaning you up, gently wiping away the shared fluids while his counterpart pulled the covers up.

Settling afterwards was easy. The Time Lord pulled you onto his chest, dual heartbeats calming alongside your single pulse. The human adjusted the covers, pulling them over the three of your while he got underneath and curled behind you to hold you from behind.

“I love you, my Doctors.” Your sentence ended in a yawn, triggering a matching yawn from the Doctor behind you. The Time Lord simply laughed and tightened his grip on you.

“And we love you,” the Doctor you laid against murmured. “Now, go to sleep. We’ll both be here in the morning.”

As you drifted off, you made sure to savour the feeling of absolute devotion you received. You were madly in love with them — maybe even going so far as being completely mental.

[ozzgin]

Various Predators x Predator! Reader (IV)

@avaleigh16 asked (a very long time ago, sorry for the wait!!) for a fourth part to the Predator saga, where Reader is brought to Yautja Prime. Therefore I bring a potential sequel that focuses on Predator culture, depending on who you’ve chosen as your partner!

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Horror Masterlist]

Feral Predator

As promised, your new home didn’t stray much from your expectations. Feral Predator is from a different hemisphere, of a drier climate. The imposing, sprawling megalopolis of Yautja Prime is but a distant outline, fading before the marvels of raw, unforgiving nature this place has to offer. Tribal architecture and interminable tunnels are the prominent features of these ancient cities. One has no need for advanced technology. In a way, it does remind you of Earth, of your modest countryside roots. Communities are made of small family units, so days are spent hunting or training in the company of your partner. Feral Predator is a patient and caring father, guiding his offspring and showing them the ropes of survival. There will be frequent visits to Earth as he, too, favors its wilderness, especially when it comes to honing one’s skills. While he treats you as an equal, he does hold you in significantly high regards as the mother of his children.

Elite Predator

With great status comes great responsibility. Elite Predator has been eyeing the Elder status for some time now, in order to provide you with one further reason to be grateful for choosing him. That implies, naturally, that he is often on special missions to teach or rescue Young Bloods, or clear out Alien infestations. Your offspring will go through Spartan training as soon as they can crawl their way around: it would be shameful if his own younglings end up weak or devoid of skill. Although he does not worry about such outcome. He hasn’t picked you out of random chance. Only someone of his level could’ve made it as his mate, and he was certain of it from the moment he saw you. Hopefully you, too, can tell that this outcome was fated to happen. You most certainly won’t regret your life with him, he will make sure of that.

Fugitive Bad Blood

If you were hoping for an idyllic, peaceful life in a humble hut with ocean view, I have some bad news for you. Even settling on Yautja Prime is an optimistic stretch when your partner is a criminal on the run. You’ve unwillingly followed in the footsteps of your parents, watching your child grow from within the confinements of a ship, sailing through space with no ultimate goal. Not all is grim, however. Despite his ruthless nature, the Fugitive has kept his word when it comes to being a fitting partner for you. Your wish is his command and he will not allow anything endanger his family. To your great shock, he’s even willing to take risky detours on Earth whenever you feel particularly nostalgic. He will stare at you incredulously; why the hell would he have gone through all the efforts to court you if he didn’t want you as a partner? Have you forgotten who you’re dealing with already? Whatever your heart desires, he will make it possible.

Berserker

The Super Predator cannot wait for his younglings to be old enough to begin their hunt. He lives to kill and one can easily tell from his impressive collection of trophies he has gathered from all across the Universe. Truth be told, you’re somewhat afraid to see the outcome of your copulation. Berserker Yautja are much larger and much more aggressive than your species. You’d assumed his first choice for a mate should’ve been from his own kind, but for reasons unknown he’s preyed on you instead. The Berserker seems to have a fervent attachment towards you and will even growl at his own sucklings if they show any sign of disrespect. There’s not much space for freedom and sometimes you feel like you’re trapped under the suffocating affections of a savage animal ready to defend its territory. From his point of view, you should enjoy the privilege of belonging to the superior Predator. There’s no one out there that could go against him.

[hotwifeky1]

Alpha Males, Sperm competition, and Cuckoldry

(our kinks from an evolutionary biology perspective)

The phenomenon where males experience an increase in desire and fertility when observing their mate engaging with another partner, is often referred to as "sperm competition risk"

From an evolutionary biology perspective, this behavior can be understood through several theories:

Sperm Competition Risk:

Increased Ejaculate Volume: Males typically respond to the perceived risk of sperm competition by greatly increasing the volume of their ejaculate. This is thought to function as a form of displacement, increasing the chances of their sperm outcompeting that of potential rivals.

Increased Sexual Arousal and Fertility: 

When males perceive or observe their partner with another mate, particularly when chance of sperm competition exist (other males trying to fertilize the same egg), this triggers an adaptive response in the form of greatly increased sexual arousal, desire and fertility. This is thought to be an adaptation to compete effectively in situations where multiple males are vying for the opportunity to father offspring. 

Potential benefits

From an evolutionary perspective, the heightened desire, arousal, focus, and drive provide a large competitive advantage. If there's a chance of sperm competition, being sexually impassioned increases the likelihood of the observing male's sperm fertilizing the egg. The continuous denial of sexual interaction further amplifies these benefits. By maintaining a state of heightened desire without immediate release, the observing male sustains an elevated level of reproductive readiness. This prolonged state of arousal becomes an advantageous strategy, potentially increasing the male's chances of success not only in reproduction but also in various aspects of everyday life. The surplus of energy, focus, and drive may contribute to success across different domains, aligning with the overarching goal of evolutionary fitness.

Cuckoldry Detection and Response:

Adaptive Jealousy: 

Evolutionary psychology suggests that males who exhibit jealousy and distress over potential infidelity may have had a reproductive advantage. 

This emotional response acts as a mechanism to deter a mate from engaging with other males, reducing the risk of cuckoldry. 

The cuckold male may also gather information by observing the mating behaviors of potential rivals. This is thought to be an adaptive strategy to understand the competition and adjust his own behaviors accordingly.

Paternal Investment: 

In species where males invest significantly in parenting, there is an evolved response to protect their paternal investment. The greatly Increased arousal along with increased romantic and sexual interest in response to perceived mate infidelity is a strategy to safeguard resources and parental care for their own genetic offspring.

The alpha male typically refers to a dominant and high-status male in a social group. The alpha male generally has preferential access to mates and reproductive opportunities.

Alpha Male Cuckoldry reproductive strategy:

Within the context of cuckoldry, the alpha male strategically reserves exclusive access to mates. Cuckoldry occurs when the non-dominant male knowingly or unknowingly raises offspring that do not carry his genetic material. 

This reproductive strategy is advantageous for the both the alpha male and his mate, allowing him to pass on his own genes while minimizing resource-intensive parental duties. The female benefits by mating with a genetically superior male while sharing parental responsibilities with the non-dominant male.

By ensuring that the non-dominant male invests in raising offspring that carry the alpha male's genetic legacy, this reproductive approach aligns with the collective goal of the female and alpha male, maximizing his reproductive success within the social structure. The alpha male's dominance and preferential access to mates become central elements in shaping the dynamics of cuckoldry as an evolutionary strategy.

Often, the non-dominant male, in his role, finds personal satisfaction in having his sexual and reproductive desires denied as he plays a crucial part in perpetuating the genetic lineage of the dominant alpha male rather than his own.

[strawberrymilk-sunshine]

My personal little experiment

Heeeeere's another Jade fic hehehehehehe-

Warning(s): slight yandere behaviours, manipulation, body horror-ish

There's a weird disease going around recently... it has some fancy scientific name, but most people just call it "mushrooming"

Basically, this new species of mushrooms popped up basically out of nowhere, and people learned very quickly that they can grow on people... and they feed on flesh.

So.. it's not great for people. You've had it particularly rough... your left eye has been consumed and replaced with a mushroom growing out of the socket, and a lot of your flesh is rotting... according to doctors, you should be dead... but you're not.

And oh boy... this unique scenario you're in was about to attract some unwanted attention to you.

You sit in a hospital waiting room. You've tried to cover as much of the rotting as you can. Looking around the waiting room, you see people with various injuries. Sitting directly across from you is a small girl with a mushroom growing from the top of her head... you can only hope her illness doesn't progress to the point yours has...

"Is there a (Y/N) here?"

You sigh and stand up, being led to the room and now waiting for the doctor. It takes a while, but eventually he arrives. A young redheaded man you've gotten quite acquainted with over the course of your infection, Dr. Riddle Rosehearts.

"Hey Riddle." You sigh, pulling down your hood you were wearing. "So... how have you been...?"

"I've been... well. However, you look worse than I remember." He sighs. "Have you been taking the medication I prescribed?"

"Yeah. It's working really slowly, if it's working at all."

"Your condition is just going to get worse and worse if this continues... I really do not want to do this, however..." Riddle writes something down on a piece of paper, and hands it to you. "Please visit this man, he may be able to help you more than I. Just be warned, he can be quite..." Riddle pauses, looking like he's searching for the right words. "He's quite eccentric."

"...I see. So... he'll be able to help me with this... advanced case of mushrooming?"

"He might."

"Okay... well then, if that's all you wanted me here for, then... I'll be going now." You stand up and put your hood back on.

"I look forward to seeing you get better."

The address led you to... a house outside the city walls. It looks quite... overgrown.

You knock on the door.

You wait for a few minutes, before knocking again. Eventually, the door opens ever so slightly.

"Who is it? If you're a member of the authorities, allow me to reassure you once again there is nothing illegal going on here."

"What?? N-no, I... I was sent here by someone, uh, D-Dr. Riddle Rosehearts..."

Then, the door opens, revealing a six-foot-tall man that definitely gave off some... strange vibes...

"Oh my... what an unfortunate situation you're in... your eye has been consumed and replaced..." He smiles. "Please, come inside, sweet child..."

When you enter the house, the scent of damp mustiness and decay hits you all at once... the room is somewhat organised, but there is still little space to walk. Piles of paper and books cover the floor and tables. Jars of mushrooms and plants line the shelves... it kinda freaks you out.

"Now, sit yourself down and tell me about your condition. I'll make us some tea." He smiles.

"...So you've been infected with Carne Comedere, have you?" He asks, as he sits down next to you, sipping his tea. "It's interesting that you've survived to this point, especially when the fungus is being... this intense to you." He smirks, chuckling slightly. "You are quite the... interesting specimen. May I ask your name?"

"...it's (Y/N)..." You say, taking a sip of the... surprisingly bitter tea. "And... who are you? Dr. Rosehearts didn't really... tell me who you are. He just sort of... gave me a piece of paper with your address on it and told me to visit you."

"Ah, good to know he's doing that. You see, what I do is not exactly legal within the city walls. As such, I prefer people don't know m name right away." He pauses, before looking straight at you. "That being said, you look trustworthy.... my name is Jade Leech."

"Wait it's not legal-?"

"Now, if you'd please stay still for a moment, I just want a small sample of one of your mushrooms, okay?" He pulls out a pair of scissors.

"Oh, um... o-okay..."

Jade stands up from his seat, walking over to you. He begins to comb through your hair, until he eventually finds a tiny mushroom, and he uses the scissors to cut it from your body.

"Why not just take the one from my eye...?"

"Well, you see, that one is in a very sensitive spot... who's to say what damages I could cause if I were to take that one out!" He sighs and pats you on the head a few times. "We wouldn't want that, correct?"

"...I-I guess I see what you mean..."

He takes the "sample" and brings it over to what you assume is his kitchen, and he begins to observe it.

"Yes... yes, it's quite interesting... Carne Comedere, the flesh-eating mushroom... you have quite an advanced variant..." He places the knife down on the counter, and cuts it in half. "It's so strange that you've survived to this point. I'd love to study you... but of course, you're counting on me to cure you... so perhaps I will not!"

You don't like the way he worded that...

The days go by and you keep visiting Jade.

He keeps taking samples from you... the mushrooms, your skin, your blood... he keeps giving you strange substances, but you aren't getting any better...

One day, you decide to confront him about it.

"Hey Jade, I... I'm not getting any better." You tell him. "Nothing you're doing to me is working..."

"Oh really? What a shame." He smiles deviously. "Here, lease have some of this meat."

"What-? No! Tell me why I'm not getting any better!"

"Why should I? You should trust me. I'm your doctor, after all." HE pauses for a moment. "Well... actually, I am not legally allowed to call myself a doctor... I suppose I'm more of a healer... regardless, you should just trust me."

"Not until you tell me why I'm not getting better..."

"You're sure you want the truth?"

...

"Fine then. I've decided not to cure you."

"WHAT-?! Why the hell not?!"

"I want to see how far it will progress. I want to see the extent of what your body can survive… after all, you've survived much longer than anyone would in your condition… so I'd like to test your limits." He hands you the plate of meat. " Now, we need to make sure the mushrooms inside you continue to live, as such you must have protein to build more flesh and muscle for it to feed on… of course I'll provide you other foods every now and again to keep you alive and healthy, but for now it's important I feed you meat. Enjoy."

"But you told me you would cure me-!"

Jade shoves the piece of steak into your mouth.

"Oh goodness, no. Not in your state. Your infection has progressed to such a point that it would be MUCH more beneficial to keep you like this so we may study the mushroom's long-term effects on the body!" He giggles to himself. "Not to mention, I never said ANYTHING about curing you!"

"I-I'm going back to Dr. Rosehearts, I can't deal with this..."

"No no no, we can't have that! I have so many things I need to do to you... I need to take a blood test… and a sample of both the mushroom and your skin… and a full body exam… ohhh, I need to do so many things to you~ Now sit still."

He suddenly injects you with some kind of syringe...

You try your hardest to ignore the increasing feeling of dizziness and exhaustion...

...

But you're just so tired now...

You slowly lose yourself to the... whatever he injected you with...

"Yes, yes... go to sleep, my personal little experiment...~" He smiles in an almost evil way. "Don't worry, I'm only doing this to you for the betterment of humanity!"

Even in your current state, you can tell he's lying to you...

"I'll see you again soon, my patient."

[transmutationisms]

came across a post by astriiformes (astriiformes(.)tumblr(.)com/post/742882591316803584/hi-i-just-learned-about-the-scientific-revolution) that objected to Kuhn's theory of scientific revolution on the basis that they felt it leant in to the "great men of history" model. I never understood it this way, but I haven't read the book—I thought it was more about explaining the lag between accumulation of evidence that goes against the current paradigm and full paradigm shift. thoughts?

kuhn's model of 'paradigm shifts' is certainly prone to inviting 'great man' explanations of scientific developments. i would even go further, and say that this is due to a fundamental issue in kuhn's methodology, which is a tendency toward idealist analysis that fails to consider material and sociological factors. astriiformes points out that these days, kuhn is more popular with economists and political scientists than with practicing historians of science; this is true and not a coincidence.

astriiformes also walks through a valuable line of objection to kuhn, which is that the scientists we tend to credit with having made singlehanded discoveries were in fact usually embedded in vibrant scientific communities and ongoing debates, and were influenced by their contemporaries as well as their intellectual forebears. this is all true. another critical angle to interrogate here, and one where the Great Man often pops up again, is in kuhn's version of how scientific ideas are actually adopted: in other words, how he considers a 'paradigm shift' to actually occur, even once we assume the idea in question has already been formulated. let me chuck a few case studies at you because it's easier than talking in generalities.

for much of the 20th century, the 'standard story' of galileo's trial and imprisonment was that, having dared to become a lone voice defending heliocentrism, he was made a martyr to truth by the church, which was threatened on theological grounds. however, in the last several decades historians of science have studied much more seriously the patronage networks of renaissance italy: the structure of funding and epistemological authority whereby a scientist like galileo secured money, university or court positions, and respect by gaining mutually beneficial relationships with various nobles and other wealthy people. galileo had defended heliocentrism prior to the church's crackdown on him and his work; so had certain other astronomers. although it's true the church had theological objections to what galileo was saying, they were pretty much forced to tolerate him as long as he had sufficient patronage protection: wealthy, powerful people using their social clout to defend him. but this fragile truce was shattered when galileo lost the support of certain of his patrons, particularly some jesuits, in the early 1630s and thus became a much more vulnerable target of church censorship. it was only at this point that the church placed him on trial and then eventually under house arrest, and forced to recant.

evolutionary ('transmutationist') ideas were not new by the time darwin published the 'origin' in 1859. most french biologists at this time supported some variant of transmutationist ideas, and even in britain, transmutation of species had long been hotly discussed in the edinburgh medical schools in particular. the challenge for the wealthier london gentleman-naturalist set was that transmutationism had previously been associated with radical, materialist, atheist politics (this was precisely what appealed for many in edinburgh), and although evolutionary ideas had circulated in the wider reading public, these had typically been carefully framed to remain compatible with dominant anglican morals (eg, robert chambers's 'vestiges' of 1844). so, why were charles darwin's ideas accepted where others had been suppressed, ignored, or mired in controversy? a few reasons: again, a strong patronage network and powerful social connections (familial and personal); also, darwin very consciously avoided talking about human descent in 1859 (he did not do so until 1871's 'descent of man', which remains less widely read to this day) and avoided open avowal of materialism or atheism in his published works. furthermore, despite what lay histories may suggest nowadays, darwin's ideas were not embraced immediately or uncritically. they circulated piecemeal, with the help of 'popularisers' like haeckel and th huxley whose teachings often varied pretty widely from what darwin actually said or thought. and, prior to the 'modern synthesis' unifying 'darwinian' evolution with mendelian genetics, one of the most common objections to darwin's ideas was that he had provided proof of no actual mechanism of heredity, which resulted in a retrospectively fascinating period of anglo and french scientific writing between about 1890–1940 that often circulated the claim that darwin had been proven embarrassingly wrong, and it was jean-baptiste lamarck who had instead been vindicated by the biologists of the middle victorian era.

louis pasteur has historically been credited with ushering out the last vestiges of 'miasmatic' and 'environmentalist' theories of disease in france, and replacing them with good solid bacteriology. this is simply a misrepresentation of scientific beliefs among the lay public, technical experts like public health officials, and even working scientists under the third republic. because hygienists and sanitation engineers had spent much of the 19th century creating professional prestige for themselves as managers of the insalubrious environmental factors plaguing particularly the urban poor, you can imagine they were not generally thrilled at the proposition that someone had actually confirmed the existence of a microscopic 'germ' of disease, a foreign entity that could be studied and eradicated by a laboratory scientist with entirely different credentials and training. so, as it became clear that the actual eradication part was still a challenge, and that disease risk did not strike all people or demographics equally, french hygienists by and large simply altered their rhetoric a little. yes, germs existed—in fact, clearly, these were what the hygienists had been protecting people from all along by encouraging cleaner air, open spaces, gymnastic exercise, &c! this is the root of what's now known in the historical literature as the 'sanitary-bacteriological synthesis'—not an overturning of an old 'environmentalist' paradigm for a modern bacteriological one, but rather a melding of the two that enfolded pasteur's and koch's discoveries whilst still shoring up the professional authority of the hygienists and sanitarians.

in all three of these cases you can see how a strictly kuhnian analysis of 'paradigm shifts' over-emphasises the role of the Great Man (here in his guise as Genius Scientist) because it overlooks critical factors like the social and professional networks that actually allow knowledge to spread, and the professional and pecuniary interests that motivate people, consciously or not, when they evaluate new theories or ideas. galileo did not suffer from 'failing' to spark a paradigm shift, any more than darwin singlehandedly succeeded; their ideas circulated, mutated, and provoked on the strength of relationships as much as pure cerebral Theory. pasteur's claims likely could not have achieved the renown they did, had they not been helped along by hygienists who saw in them a change to re-form and reinforce their own profession and authority.

kuhn's work was an important departure from earlier positivist, largely teleological histories of science: the 'paradigm shift' allowed people to talk about massive and notable changes in science without having to accede to a model that assumed constant, linear progress. in this sense, much of today's history of science (still a comparatively immature and evolving field!) belongs to a citational lineage that will eventually pop up with kuhn's name. but, methodologically, kuhn leaves a lot to be desired, because his analysis is generally founded in an intellectual history that configures Science as a world of disembodied ideas unburdened by social, material, and economic considerations and practices.

[madamepestilence]

H5N1: What to know before fear spreads

What is H5N1?

H5N1 is a 1996 strain of the Spanish or Avian Flu first detected in Chinese birds before spreading globally across various avian species. H5N1 is similar to H1N1, but spreads slower and has a much higher mortality rate.

H5N1 may also be referred to as Influenza A. The American Association of Bovine Practitioners has seen fit to rename H5N1 to Bovine Influenza A Virus, or BIAV, and are encouraging others to use the same terminology.

I would not be surprised if the colloquial name among the public becomes Bovine Flu or American Flu in the coming months, and may be referred to as the Chinese Flu by the same folks who took the spark of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic as an excuse to be publicly racist to East Asian people without social repercussions.

BIAV is a virus, meaning that it is a (probably) non-living packet of self-replicating infectious material with a high rate of mutation. BIAV is structured similarly to SARS-CoV-2, having a packet of infectious material encased in a spherical shell with a corona, or crown, of proteins that can latch to living cells to inject RNA.

Image source with interactive model: ViralZone - H5N1 subtype

What is the history of BIAV?

In 1996 and 1997, an outbreak of BIAV occurred among poultry and infected 18 people in Hong Kong, 6 of which died. This seemingly isolated incident then infected ~860 people with a >50% death rate.

At the time, BIAV was known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, and killed nearly 100% of chickens within a 48 hour period.

From 2003 to 2005, continual outbreaks occurred in China and other East Asian countries, before spreading to Cambodia, the Netherlands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

From 2014 to 2016, it began being detected in American fowl, as well as mutating the H5N6 (lethal in birds, no human to human transmission) and H5N8 (largely spread through turkeys, ducks had immunity) viruses.

BIAV has since evolved into a clade known as 2.3.4.4b, and was first detected in 2021 in wild American birds. This then caused outbreaks in 2022 among wild and domesticated birds (such as chickens) alike, but was largely being overshadowed by the pressing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at the time.

From 2022 to 2023, it was observed to be spreading among various mammals, including humans. Now, in 2024, we're having the most concerning rapid outbreak of BIAV since 2003.

BIAV is known to spread from mammal to mammal, particularly between cows and humans. BIAV may also be spread from cow to cow (highly likely, but not confirmed - this is likely the reason the virus has spread to Idaho from Texan cattle), and is known to be lethal to domestic cats and birds within 48 hours.

How does BIAV spread?

BIAV spreads through fomites - direct contact with infected animals or infected surfaces and then touching parts of your face or other orifices - as well as through airborne particulates, which may be inhaled and enter the sinuses and lungs.

BIAV is known to spread through:

Asymptomatic Ducks, geese, swans, various shorebirds

Symptomatic, may be lethal Foxes, bears, seals, sea lions, polar bears, domestic cats, dogs, minks, goats, cows, (potentially human to human, but unconfirmed - there have only been 8 potential human to human cases in 2024).

How can I protect against BIAV?

As BIAV is a type of Influenza A, existing protocols should do fine.

Current recommendations are to wash your hands vigorously after interacting with birds (I would also recommend doing this with mammals), avoid touching your face or other open orifices, and wear N95 masks.

Avoid sick or dead animals entirely - I would also recommend reporting them to your local Animal Control or veterinary centre and warning them about the infection risk. People who work with animals are recommended to also wear full PPE such as N95 masks, eye protection, gloves, and partake in vigorous hand washing.

If you suspect you've caught BIAV, seek medical attention immediately. Existing medications such as oseltamivir phosphate, zanamivir, peramivir, and baloxavir marboxil can reduce BIAV's ability to replicate.

Standard flu shots will not protect against BIAV. Remember - symptoms of BIAV may not manifest for between 2 to 8 days, and potentially infected people should be monitored for at least 10 days.

How far has BIAV spread?

BIAV is currently a global virus, though the current infection location of note is the United States.

Image Key: Dark red - Countries with humans, poultry and wild birds killed by H5N1 Deep red - Countries with poultry or wild birds killed by H5N1 and has reported human cases of H5N1 Light red - Countries with poultry or wild birds killed by H5N1

Image source: Wikipedia - Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 - File: Global spread of H5N1 map

Image source: Metro.co.uk - Map shows where bird flu is spreading in US amid new warning - File: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s H5N1 bird flu detections map across the United States

Should I be afraid?

You needn't be afraid, just prepared. BIAV has a concerningly high lethality, but this ironically culls its spread somewhat.

In the event human to human transmission of BIAV is confirmed, this will likely mainly affect marginalized communities, poor people, and homeless people, who are likely to have less access to medical care, and a higher likelihood of working in jobs that require frequent close human contact, such as fast food or retail jobs.

Given the response to SARS-CoV-2, corporations - and probably the government - may shove a proper response under the rug and refuse to participate in a full quarantine, which may leave people forced to go to work in dangerous conditions.

If this does spread into an epidemic or pandemic, given our extensive knowledge about Influenza, and the US having a backup vaccine for a prior strain of H5N1, a vaccine should be able to be developed relatively quickly and would hopefully be deployed freely without charge - we won't have to worry about a situation like The Stand.

Wash your hands, keep clean, avoid large social gatherings where possible, wear an N95 mask if you can afford them (Remember: Cloth masks are the least protective, but are better than nothing. If you can't afford N95 masks, I recommend wearing a well-fitted cloth mask with a disposable face mask over it to prevent pneumonia from moisture buildup in the disposable mask), support the disabled, poor, and homeless, and stay educated.

We can do better this time.

Further things to check out:

YouTube: MedCram - H5N1 Cattle Outbreak: Background and Currently Known Facts (ft. Roger Seheult, M.D.)

Wikipedia - Influenza A virus subtype H5N1

Maine.gov - Avian Influenza and People

CDC.gov - Technical Report: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Viruses

Wikipedia - H5N1 genetic structure

realagriculture - Influenza infection in cattle gets new name: Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV)

[ask-cyantist]

[Cyan considers the both of you, narrowing her eye lens. She lets out a sigh.]

"I guess that's fair. Impostors are a relatively new phenomenon, since the expeditions for MIRA only began a few Zumiran years ago. Alright. I'll try to explain my theory as best I can."

[Cyan waves for you to follow into the specimen lab. She flips up a projector from a stand, and clicks out half the lights. A few taps on her MIRApad activates some slides.]

"From the limited information I've been able to gather- small sample size, and all... Impostors as we know them can only perpetuate as an offshoot of existing crew mates. They cannot exist in a vacuum- to put it simply, Impostors are a drastic transformation that Beans undergo due to external factors. Stress alone cannot trigger it, because otherwise we would have experienced outbreaks of impostor killings long before achieving space flight. Impostors cannot breed more impostors- at least, I really hope they can't- but they can spread their condition to uninfected members of the same species.

"Beans are not the only sapient race that have Impostors, it CAN exist in other species- but I imagine due to our genetic makeup, the differences in how it manifests must be quite vast. The common factors I've been able to deduce from my own research and sparse records across MIRA's database is that Impostors crave proteins, particularly fatty tissues, to an almost manic degree, and they kill to feed and satisfy that need. In our particular region of space, I have one known, documented source of Impostor genesis."

[Cyan clicks the slide, and her expression darkens as she looks at the image.]

"...a species native to Polus, which I dubbed a 'Boreworm'. Calling them a 'parasite' isn't entirely accurate. More like a symbiote- though not by choice. I thought they were exclusively burrowing polychaetes... but I was wrong. Turns out, they spend most of their life cycle sheltering inside an unwilling host for protection. Boreworm infestation does provide some benefits, like expedited tissue regeneration, improved flexibility and heightened senses. But I wish I'd never found the $#%& worms in that dirt."

[Cyan takes a deep breath, re-centering herself.]

"I don't believe there's some secret space coalition of Impostors out there. If there was, we Beans would have been wiped out as a species. Impostors are stronger and heal faster than normal Beans- if they could organize, we wouldn't stand a chance. I've also found that a sort of territoriality is present among my ilk. We don't like other impostors, for various reasons. I suppose for normal impostors, who succumbed to the borderline feral instincts, it's a simple matter of competition. More impostors means less 'food' to go around. For me- my crew is my family. I don't want any of them to die... even if they hate me."

~~~~

@thomasdimensor @impostercrewmate

[Mod: I'M BACK IN THE SADDLE BABYYYY. Thank you both for your asks! :DD I finally got to touch on my personal headcanons for impostors!! And also I laughed at how accidentally similar your wording was hehehe~]

[I could go into more details on the Boreworms, but the post was getting long enough as-is xD So I'll save it for another ask if anybody is interested in my ghastly little parasites~ Enjoy the horrifying implications!]

[amber-tortoiseshell]

Phylogenetic wild cat tournament

Domestic cat lineage - Final

Genus: Felis - Final

Depth: 8 (7 wins away from championship)

The smallest and the largest Felis species against each other in the lineage finals. Our new competitor, the jungle cat lives across the southern parts of Asia, in various habitats but most commonly wetlands and swamps; it's an efficient and fast swimmer. During hunting it sometimes performs particularly high leaps to grab birds (the black-footed cat also does this), and it's partially omnivorous: it eats fruits, especially in winter.

Jungle cat

Black-footed cat

[irradiated-imp]

Been giving the 'Matoran Universe' side of things a lot of attention, so decided to give the non MU side of things some love. The Agori

The Natives of Spherus Magna, and later Bara Magna after the Shattering. They are a race of hardy organic beings with naturally metallic skeletons. they are exceptionally long lived, which is only further enhanced by the common use of cybernetic implants in the race.

They are divided into various Tribes across the world, each taking a name relevant to an element important to their society, or naming themselves after where they live.

Zesk A sub-race of Agori, and all that remains of the Sand Tribe. They were modified by the Great Beings into a more beastial form, and slowly over time devolved into little more than animals. Most Zesk however, are able to be acclimated into civilized society under the right circumstances.

Glatorian A species of beings closely related to the Agori, but larger and stronger. They often live in the Triebs alongside Agori. After the Shattering, Glatorian picked up the role of protectors of the Agori. They protected their younger relatives from the various threats of Bara Magna.

Eventually, as things settled and resources began to dwindle, wars broke out amongst the Agori, Glatorian, and the Skrall. Eventually, things settled with the creation of the Glatorian Arenas. Glatorian would fight in the arenas to earn resources for their Tribes.

Though Glatorian is traditionally the name of a race, it has since evolved into a title as well. Anyone who fights in a Glatorian Arena earns the title of Glatorian, regardless of what they are. Agori, Skrall, Matoran, Toa, etc.

Vorox Similar to the Zesk, the Vorox were Glatorian of the Sand Tribe, modified by the Great Beings. Like their smaller cousins, the Vorox devolved into aggressive desert wondering animals. They too can be acclimated into society, but doing so is much more difficult due to their enhanced strength and durability.

Skrall Another close relative of the Agori and Glatorian, though distinct, the Skrall are a race of strong and durable people. They live alongside Agori in the Stone Tribe.

Skrall culture is rather violent, more so than Agori and Glatorian culture. In recent years however, after the Reformation things have begun to mellow out however. Even before then, many individual Skrall have incorporated themselves into other tribes.

Kaadrix is one such Skrall. He was exiled from the Stone Tribe before the Reformation. He wandered alone for a long time, before finding a tribe called the Mountain Tribe. He was able to incorporate himself into the tribe.

Koza is a Skrall warrior that has heavily modified himself through cybernetics. He is much stronger than most other Skrall. He's infamous for his brutality in the Arena, having torn another Glatorian by the name of Telrakk apart.

Gelra a Glatorian of the Water Tribe. She's a strong, burly warrior with an ego to her. She's well known for her outstanding strength, surprisingly able to match Koza in hand to hand combat on numerous occassions, and typically choosing to fight other Glatorian who are using vehicles or mounts.

Telrakk was an up and coming Glatorian for a branch of the Jungle Tribe. He suffered a particularly nasty loss at the hands of Koza, leaving him severely injured. Eventually, much of body was replaced by mechanics as a result. Over time his off shoot of the Jungle Tribe would run into hardship with Bone Hunters, and during a rematch with Koza, his Tribe's home was razed by the bandits. His return to his destroyed home lead him to become

Talrakk the Conqueror an infamous warlord who uses engineered robots as his army. He intends to conquer as much of the Spherus Magna as he can to forcefully protect it from outside threats with his mechanical troops.

[freesia-writes]

Chapter 11: Intellect

During the Clone Wars, the Bad Batch is tasked with a variety of missions across the galaxy. An unexpected addition to their team throws a wrench in the mix, particularly for Tech, who finds a particular connection with this disillusioned Padawan-turned-mechanic named Vel throughout the events in this action-adventure romance.

COVER ART BY @zaana!! And this was my first fanfic ever, y'all! :D

Master List of Chapters

Author's Note: The nature scene in this chapter is actually where I started writing this entire story. :) I was in a gorgeous place on a hike one day, we were in the middle of season 2 of TBB being released, and I was totally smitten with Tech, so I imagined what it would be like to explore the setting with him there. As I'm re-reading it and editing it this time around, with a much fuller grasp of Tech, I had to shift a few things to make it more in-character and fitting. :) But you'll see a picture of the tree that inspired this whole writing endeavor too, LOL.

-=-=-=-=-

A few weeks passed, full of various adventures and punctuated with rest and refuels. Vel was slow to let her guard down, and understandably so. She was invited to various projects and repairs around the ship but was somehow not expected to contribute in any way just yet. There was a gentle ease into the new dynamic, and she noted Hunter's particular sensitivity toward her. Vel had made her intentions clear in their "real talk", as Wrecker had coined it, that she was willing to rejoin with the condition that she was not to be "piled off on the next farmer they saw." Hunter had accepted this with a grin and a "fair enough", and they were off to the races.

Vel tended to stay on the ship for the most part, venturing out only for necessities or for simple local explorations on hospitable and friendly stops. She did enjoy trying various foods and attempting to learn some phrases of strange new languages but primarily contented herself with her work around the ship. 

The team landed on a densely wooded planet, a beautiful, lush place teeming with life. Having time before "the show would begin", again as Wrecker had put it, Tech decided to explore the flora and fauna, and Vel opted to tag along. It had been a relatively quiet week, and everyone was in good spirits. She definitely had no other motive in seeking out time alone with him. Definitely. But, in all honesty, the beauty of the planet was inspiring, and she soon realized that she was being fully present, simply soaking up everything around her. Tech was completely engrossed in his visor and scanner at the same time, a stark contrast to Vel's uncharacteristically free enjoyment of the scene around them. She had worked hard to keep up a stoic exterior, to avoid being hurt again. But something about this kind of nature setting brought out her favorite side of herself, and she emanated peace and delight as they ventured into the forest.

Momentarily peering through the lines on his visor, Tech watched her explore and discover for a moment, fascinated by this soft, curious side of hers. She caught his glance and instead of any sort of challenge or walling-off, she held up a stem, revealing a giant, round leaf with a disproportionately tiny white flower right in the center. It could have been missed by the casual passerby.

"Would you look at this!" she called, twirling it between her fingers with childish intrigue.

"I am observing," he replied, regarding both her and the plant with interest.

She explored the textures of the trees, taking deep breaths of the crisp, fresh air, and bent down to inspect the tiniest patch of plants, amazed by the variety and intricacy in one small area. Tech continued looking at everything through his visor, with species information and characteristics filing past his eyes. He tapped into the datapad, categorizing and noting each item before filing it away.

Vel rose from her plant inspection, suddenly enamored with a large tree trunk with impossibly smooth bark. Large pieces had fallen off in chunks, revealing a watercolor texture of browns. It was dappled with random knots and bumps, and the grain of the bark swirled around each one as if it were a galaxy all on its own. There were specks of red and long streaks of dark brown, all in a perfect work of art. It was too much to keep it to herself.

"Tech! Look!" she said, beckoning him over from a curled fern he was scanning. "This tree is incredible."

His response was immediate: he tapped on the datapad and looked at the information feeding through his visor. "Indeed! It has a growth cycle of over—" "No, Tech," Vel said, with insistence, "Really look." She placed a gentle hand on his own, wrapped around the datapad, and gave him a meaningful glance before she reached up and, hesitating to check for any complaint, lifted his visor to reveal those large, inquisitive eyes. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight, the intensity of her reaction surprising her. He blinked for a moment, brow furrowing in comprehension. "Ah," he brightened up suddenly, "I am neglecting the full experience of all of the senses by favoring only the visual." "If that's how you need to put it," Vel responded, trying to return her focus to the situation at hand. "But try it. This place is incredible. I haven't felt like this since I was a kid. It's absolutely filled with intricacies and details that you could spend forever discovering. So full of vibrant life and delights of all kinds... So much you'd miss with just a cursory glance." Tech observed her, head tilted once again, finding those words to be fitting for more than just the nature around them. These strange thoughts were foreign to him, but he observed them with curiosity, fitting them into the larger puzzle of his experience. They were even accompanied by certain sensations that he associated with particular emotions, and he was torn between taking a moment to cognitively investigate the feelings or simply continuing to experience them.

Vel reached a hand up to the tree trunk once again, marveling at its simultaneous texture and smoothness. She leaned in, mesmerized by the intricate filigree of fibers, while Tech stood beside her, unmoving but watching with interest.

It was too wonderful to keep to herself, and she felt compelled by some unseen force. "Can you take off your glove?" she asked, reaching for his hand. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her today, but the joy of the setting and the company was carrying her along on a cloud. And the fact that he allowed his hand to rest in hers was sending tingles through her like a wildfire. "Is it necessary?" he inquired. "Yes," she replied firmly, "It will be a decidedly beneficial endeavor." The shadow of a smile curved Tech's lips at her choice of words, and he looked down at his hand, considering the way her simple touch made him feel. Vel wanted to take his glove off for him, but for some reason it felt too bold, too intimate, so she sat there for a moment, frozen in indecision.

He took his hand back, tugging the fingertips of his gloves until the small armor plate and black fabric around it were pulled all the way off, and he tucked his glove in a pouch. Another pause held him back as he studied the tree, either trying to identify the optimal hand placement or convincing himself that this was indeed better than memorizing its characteristics.

"Can I touch your hand?" Vel whispered, trying to make it seem as natural as possible. But her insides were churning as he turned his brown eyes on her, reaching for the tree but hovering his hand above it, giving her a slow nod.

Vel placed his bare hand on the tree with hers on top of it, electricity surging through her limbs at the sensation. She splayed her fingers out, between his, and gently cupped his hand to move it up the tree a bit, roving from silky white patches to stubbly brown areas dotted with red flecks. But she wasn't focused on the tree at all, rather completely intoxicated by his warm hand, strong yet soft... the texture of his knuckles, the shape of his long fingers... The consistency of the tree's surface was quite enjoyable, Tech mused to himself. There was a delightful variety within just a small area, and he wondered if the tree could possibly be a hybrid between a few local species. He was distracted, however, by a sudden awareness of the intimacy of the situation. He wasn't usually one to allow or enjoy physical touch. But the typical stomach-churning sense that usually flared up in response was notably absent. He explored further, both the wood and the feeling, and moved of his own accord a bit, tracing the knots along the side with her palm still resting on the back of his hand. The tranquility was unmatched, and time seemed to slow down. Tech leaned in to look closer at the markings and growth patterns, eyes roving from one knot to the next. Vel felt his inner calm rising to match her own, standing still next to him, and took a moment to savor it all -- the touch of their hands, the crisp air, and the gentle breeze.

The peace was broken when she felt a twinge inside of her, something old and familiar yet still foreign somehow. Alarmed, she pulled her hand away, taking a step back and casting a glance around the small clearing. Tech noted her sudden shift and moved back as well, swiftly swapping his datapad for a blaster and watching her in silent question.

"That was weird," Vel tried to explain, "It felt like a presence, but not a full one... but that doesn't really make sense..." She fell silent as the sensation grew again, almost like a small shadow passing over her, but there was no indication of threat or impending danger. Her eyes flickered to and fro, searching for the source of this mystery. 

Tech caught her eye and nodded deftly toward a branch to their right. She followed his gaze to discover a small bird, no bigger than a Loth-Cat, perched above them. It observed them calmly, with more composure than any creature she had seen before. She felt inexplicably connected to it, which kindled her curiosity.

"I believe that is a convor," Tech said, tucking his blaster back into its holster and lowering his visor. "They are also called Trandoshan birds, native to the moon called Wasskah, but they are found in various planets throughout the galaxy. Apparently, they are known to have notably strong connections to the Force." 

Vel's eyes remained on the convor, and it regarded her evenly. She felt disproportionately encouraged by the fact that she had even sensed it in the first place. Her Force skills had been so abysmal that she had continually resolved to give up any hope of it entirely, yet somehow she kept coming back to try. 

She closed her eyes, turning her focus inward, and reached down to that place deep within, a place of stillness and calm. It was so much easier to access here than all the busy places they had been, and she relished its presence. From there, she stretched her awareness outward, connecting with the living Force all around them. 

It was like seeing a dim outline of the world through closed eyes, as she felt Tech's presence beside her, the trees and plants, the insects and flowers. She felt the convor as well, a radiant little beam of light on the branch above. Its energy touched her own, and she sucked in a soft breath, marveling at the experience. 

Tech watched curiously, mystified at this strange ancient magic. He lifted his visor to better ascertain the situation and found himself unable to take his eyes from Vel's face. "Unremarkable", she had said, so many times, about virtually everything about herself. Yet in this moment, there could not have been a less accurate description. 

His gaze roved from her closed eyes, more serene than he had ever seen, up to her textured brown hair following it to where it was tied loosely at the nape of her neck. He noted her mouth, the corners of which were twitching upward in a gentle smile. The primly pointed twin peaks of her upper lip sat in stark contrast to the full curvature of her bottom lip, slightly parted in her intentional outward focus. 

This last observation created a churning sort of sensation in his midsection, and Tech placed a hand on his stomach. He couldn't bring himself to look away, though his mind continued to race with queries. He felt a warmth begin to accompany the tingles, and he swallowed more noisily than intended. 

Vel opened, her eyes, retreating from the blissful awareness of all things around them, and found herself looking into Tech's face, painted with an inscrutable expression. She smiled fully, feeling a compulsion to reach out and touch his cheek, but she had explored quite enough for one day, and felt awash with glowing contentment.

"Well," Tech said, licking his lips and adjusting his goggles before turning to head back toward the ship. "This has been most informative." 

Author's Note -- I wrote this before the Pabu episode aired, but now as I'm re-reading it, I see a similarity between Vel asking him to engage with the tree and Phee showing him the lights coming on at sunset. Heheh. Ah well.

Tag List: @merkitty49 @vimse @arctrooper69 @dystopicjumpsuit @starrylothcat @ghostperson69 @dreamie411 @savebytheodoresnonjosestuff @523rdrebel @clonemedickix @sinfulsalutations @ughhhhfoff @coraex @amorfista @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius @followthepurrgil @littlefeatherr @sunshinesdaydream @dangraccoon @thew0nderer2342

(If you're on my regular tag list, let me know if you want to be tagged in this; I didn't want to spam ya!)

Click here to join or leave the tag list. <3

[littjara-mirrorlake]

Kaldheim Homebrew: Realmwardens

This is a mono-green faction I initially created as part of my changeling Horizon Walker ranger's backstory for a Kaldheim D&D game, together with my lovely DM @socialpoison! Rooted in the realm of Littjara, the Realmwardens are Kaldheim's cosmic park rangers, keeping the World Tree healthy and the realms in balance.

As optional context, my previous post on Littjara and shapeshifter lore is here.

The world of Kaldheim is a compound plane, made up of many realms growing together on the branches of a great World Tree, and the Realmwardens are its guardians. The vast majority are shapeshifters, and the faction's core ideology--world-spanning and fluid--is deeply linked to shapeshifter life histories. They are, after all, the only people of Kaldheim gifted with the natural ability to cross the realms and survive the Cosmos. However, members of other species may also be welcomed into their ranks, particularly human Omenseekers.

Founded long ago by legendary shapeshifter rangers of Littjara, Realmwardens live and act by a code of tenets:

The Code of Realmwardens

Fight for life, not for glory.

Remain impartial in the conflicts of the realmbound.

Rise above realmbound shortsightedness; remember the unity of the Cosmos.

Draw wisdom from all you encounter.

Act toward no realm's destruction.

Never lose sight of from whence you came.

Above all, preserve life.

Unlike the rest of Kaldheim, Realmwardens place no emphasis on glory in battle. The majority are changelings who need not concern themselves with the judgement of Valkyries, focusing instead on duties which are unsung but essential. This includes patrolling Doomskar sites, protecting the inhabitants of any realm involved, and securing Omenpaths. Their focus is on the ecological balance of Kaldheim as a whole, seeing each realm as an integral part of the World Tree's ecosystem (that is, until they age and fall). For example, though Realmwardens often find themselves at odds with the demons of Immersturm when they pour out of Doomskars and spread carnage, they'd step in all the same if Immersturm itself was threatened. Even the darkest corners of Kaldheim are essential to its balance.

Realmwardens are neutral in conflict, as they guard what is and what always will be--the World Tree. Like the Valkyries, they operate independently of whatever pantheon is currently ruling and are in fact duty-bound not to obey or be beholden to gods. They also tend to stay out of intra-realm conflicts, even if the solution appears morally straightforward. Their job must always be the big picture, and they must serve Kaldheim as a whole above any and all else. Even when Realmwardens kill, it must be with the ultimate goal of preventing threats to life throughout the realms.

Realmwardens are most commonly seen wielding bows and arrows, teleporting across battlefields in swirls of aurora magic and casting powerful banishment spells on their foes. They leave behind myths of great heroes of various races defeating cosmic threats before disappearing, never to be seen again, content to live through skalds' songs and mages' whispers in their ever-changing forms.

[cultofgalaxy]

⭐Starsprite Companions⭐

Starsprites are a celestial species found, albeit rarely, in outer space. Back in ancient times, when Galaxy ruled the universe, starsprites existed in their billions. Now, with Galaxy gone, they have severely dwindled in number, having been left to fend for themselves against Blackhole and his voidwraiths. Many have died over the years (and they cannot reproduce), although a few remain. Many of those that have not died have been turned by Blackhole, becoming his ungodly spawns after being consumed by him.

Starsprites in general are tiny, bright, living star creatures that roam the void of space. It’s very rare that they ever visit planets. They have unique abilities, such as shooting solar flares, and giving off light and warmth. They might often come across as a friendly species, but they can also appear hostile when they feel threatened by another species or individual.

In the present day, starsprites are an extremely uncommon sight, particularly in the night’s sky. its a common misconception that starsprites have the power to grant wishes. They’re arguably one of the unluckiest species around, for their decimation at the tentacles and maw of Blackhole, and their helpnessness without Galaxy. When Kinoko enters space, the starsprites must rely on him to restore their fallen mother Galaxy, and they will do anything they can to aid him in his quest.

⭐What role will they play in the game?⭐

As Kinoko explores the game’s various planets, he’ll occasionally come across the remains of crashed meteorites. These mysterious space rocks contain trapped starsprites. Whenever Kinoko releases one, they’ll join him on his travels, helping him out on his mission by protecting him from harm, and sometimes even providing powerful enchantments to power-up his abilities.

Starsprites in a variety of colours

Starsprites come in a number of different colours, signifying how powerful they are and exactly what they have to offer. All starsprites function as a single-use shield, but the rarer varieties offer even more useful effects. When you release a starsprite from its meteorite, there’s no way to know which kind you’re going to get, so there’s an element of surprise involved here. Behind the scenes, we generate a random number, the result of which determines which starsprite you end up with. You can be accompanied by up to three starsprites at any one time.

Example of how starsprites would function

In some ways, starsprites are similar to the Aku Aku masks you can find scattered about the world in the Crash Bandicoot series of games. Like the Aku Aku masks, which are found in crates, starsprites are found upon the smouldering debris of crashed meteorites. Like the Aku Aku masks, which protect Crash from harm, the starsprites have vowed to protect Kinoko however they can, and will shield the kuparkuke from a single hit of damage before flying away to recuperate.

Starsprite idle animation

The primary function of a starsprite – and it’s the same regardless of the starsprite’s colour – is its shielding effect.

Whenever Kinoko’s hit by an enemy or projectile, one of two things can happen. If he has one or more starsprites with him, one of them will shield him from harm before flying away. There’s no way to determine or influence which one will do this. You might lose one of the common yellow ones, or you might lose one of the rare ones, as well as whichever magical passive effect it was granting. On the other hand, if Kinoko has no starsprites available to shield him, he’ll take the damage himself and die. (He’s fragile like that.)

that wraps up this introduction to starsprites. Honestly, everything I’ve described in this blog post is subject to change, so don’t be surprised if things turn out differently. As it is, though, I think we’ve got a decent system here, and everything I’ve outlined here today is already developed and working.

I hope y'all continue to support this project as we're working really hard to make it the best as we can make it. 💖💖💖