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dragonrajafanfiction · 4 years

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West African Hybrids

“Hey… Hey! Wake up, we’re almost there.”

Ru’Yi felt a slight nudge at her side and opened her eyes. Her uniform was slightly rumpled. She managed to tie up her hair so it wouldn’t be too frizzy on landing. “Really?” She whimpered in a sleepy disappointment. “That was so fast…”

“Well, the executive department doesn’t like to waste time. So the gear department modifies planes for maximum speed.” Rodney gave her a shy smile, revealing a single dimple on his right cheek. “Are you okay? Can I get you anything?”

She shook her head. “I’m alright.”

It was still too dark to see much but, as people began to turn on their overhead lights, she noticed that his eyes were hazel, brown with flecks of green and gold mixed in, hidden behind his dark brown bangs. Everything from his hair cut, to his quiet voice, and hesitant demeanor spoke to his shyness, but now that she got a good look at him, she could tell that he was at least as strong as Brian. He had those same broad shoulders and muscles along his arms. He was also relatively tall, stretching his legs under the seat in front of him.

Around her all the students were always wide awake, shifting and speaking to their seatmates.

Ru’Yi only remembered flying once before. Back when she was fourteen when they were on the island, she had been so excited to take her first flight and she packed all her things early. She even watched videos of 757, 747 and 777 airliners to see how things would be. These massive jets with smiling Flight attendants, a friendly captain speaking over an intercom, and movies built into the seats.

But instead of a large bustling airport, her father and mother took a boat to another island where a sandy flat ribbon of land served as a runway. There were no customs, no shopping, nothing like that. Just a long silver luxury private jet in the middle of nowhere.

“Why can’t we just be normal?” She had lamented.

Her father answered her question in his usual succinct manner. The nearest airport was nearly a day’s travel away and she would never be able to use it anyway because she didn’t have a passport. He looked at her with a head slightly tilted, like a curious bird wondering what was wrong. The juxtaposition of his serious-eyed stare, his questioning gesture and his shirt with the bright yellow hibiscus flowers would have been funny but she wasn’t laughing.

This was better anyway, her mother had chimed in. They had the whole plane to themselves. There was an onboard chef ready to fix anything they possibly would want to eat, music, movies, games, and a good pilot that her father knew. She also was dressed in a yellow sundress to match her husband’s and together, they looked like the happy globetrotting couple.

Ru’Yi had relented, but didn’t smile. Deep down, he knew all the kids at school would envy her. They would question how some tour guide could afford a private flight to the United States.

She should be grateful.

Now sitting in the Beluga Aircraft, she realized that this was as close to normal as she could get. At least now, she was surrounded by other people who also didn’t seem to use passports, use airports or pass through customs. They were flying a jet with a jet tucked inside it like a Russian nesting doll and still managed to go faster than the planes she’d looked at as a child. She started to wonder if normalcy was as much as a fantasy to her as dragons were to ordinary people.

Aircraft Carrier, Aido-Hwedo, West Africa Branch.

The calm Atlantic waters broke beneath the unstoppable gun-metal bow of the moving wall of metal that towered a thousand feet high. It was topped with what appeared to be a flat road surface, as though a piece of highway had broken off a steel cliffside and set sail. On the side of this cliff was a name in large white block text a dozen feet high: Aido-Hwedo.

The original name of the vessel was the USS-Enterprise. This aircraft carrier was the one near enough to Pearl Harbor to participate in the famous World War II battle. It had scrambled several of its jets to help, but in the confusion of the sudden attack, many of them were shot down by their own countrymen. Later it saw intense battles of the South Pacific and then other missions during peacetime. But, for all its storied history, it still ended up at the shipyard to be turned into scrap at the end of its life.

According to history, it was scrap. Supposedly, all that was left of the ship was its bell, an anchor and the name plaque. Indeed, the name plaque was removed, but the ship itself moved about on the seas like a ghost of decades past, fighting battles under its new name.

The Aido-Hwedo was the great rainbow serpent that both created the world and sustained Earth’s form from falling to chaos -- A great beast that ate iron and, lacking iron, would instead eat its own tail.

Ordinarily, this floating runway would have been decorated with fighter jets, but for this occasion the landing surface was cleared to accommodate its incoming oversized cargo.

Within the control tower a tall man with skin the color of black coffee watched through his binoculars while a woman sat watching the radar screen. He was dressed in a black naval uniform, decorated with gold tassels. He was still, silent, and tense as he prepared to watch the plane land.

Landing on a flight deck is one of the most difficult things a pilot will ever do. The flight deck only had about 500 feet of runway space for landing planes, which wasn’t nearly enough for the heavy, high-speed jets like the modified Beluga coming in. To land on the flight deck, it would need a tailhook, which was exactly what it sounded like — an extended hook attached to the plane’s tail. The pilot’s goal would be to snag the tailhook on one of four arresting wires, sturdy cables woven from high-tensile steel wire. It would be precision flying at low speed and a high angle of attack. It was the definitive skill that tested Navy carrier pilots. The principle on landing would be to fly the plane aboard the ship at the slowest speed at which it can be done safely, to deliberately stall and drop into the landing.

Despite his confidence in the pilot, Foli Abalo looked through his binoculars with anticipation of a close call. The wire system was checked, rechecked and placed under guard. A back up emergency wire system was installed in case it failed anyway.

“Approach speed 450. Tail hook lowered.” The woman murmured.

The lights of the plane were suddenly visible as it made its approaching turn. It moved incredibly slowly, stalking the ship like a massive fat shark.

“Speed reduced 350…”

It was the moment of truth. By now, the plane was so low and flying so slow, it had two options, land perfectly on the aircraft carrier or land on the ocean. There would be no recovering from this descent.

“On final approach. Flaps full. Speed 300.”

The roar of the engines was now audible in the tower. It rattled the glass. This plane would take up every inch of the runway and its wings would span the full width of the ship. Compared to the plane, this aircraft carrier seemed more like a sheet of notebook paper.

“Landing in five… four, three, two…”

The plane suddenly dwarfed the runway. The weight of it rocked the carrier. A pair of reverse thrusters built into the engines ignited in front of it. The brake lines caught the tailhooks and screamed under the strain. The plane passed the tower, rumbled further and further to the edge and then stopped completely, its nose peeking over the water.

A smattering of applause echoed throughout the tower. “We did it! We did it! That was the hard part wasn’t it? Get the crew down, have medics on board just in case the force of the stop caused any injuries.”

While the crew scattered, Foli smiled, his teeth a brilliant white, his black eyes twinkling. “Grant… it’s been far too long. How have you been doing my friend? Will you still recognize me? I wonder.” He chuckled.

Foli was one of a set of quadruplets. His mother had two eggs fertilized that day and by luck, both of them divided into two sets of twins. They were all born on the same day and seemed to have the same spirit in them so it was impossible to tell them apart as babies even for the most experienced spiritualist. Normally, the children would be named after the day of the week until they were given their permanent names. As it turned out, they were given the names of their birth order and that was that.

The name Foli meant first son, Atsu meant the younger of twins, Do was the first child after twins, and Dofi the second child after twins. His three brothers were also on this ship, scattered throughout the crew. Those onboard had no trouble telling them apart thanks to the uniform system of the West Africa branch. The gold crown on his hat meant he was the First Officer. But without his hat, it was very difficult to tell for those who didn’t know them well, and it wasn’t uncommon for his brothers to disguise themselves as pranks. He wouldn’t meet his friend today. His youngest brother, Dofi, would meet him instead.

He walked out of the tower where his brother was waiting and passed his his hat. Looking at them was like looking at a reflection. The same curled hair, cut short in the same buzzed syle, the same smile, and broad nose.

It was Dofi’s idea to play the prank. He was always the jokester and the one who initiated play on the ship. Atsu, the Chief Engineer was up to his ears after making the modifications to the ship for this mission. And Do had to stay on watch, keeping a careful eye on the stirring atmosphere just a few hundred miles distant. Although they were all the same age, Foli was expected to be the responsible representative and more was required of him as the oldest brother, even if he was only the oldest by a few minutes. So he wasn’t allowed to be seen playing, drinking or smoking.

Dofi screwed the hat on his head. “I’ll say I stole it.” He said, turning on his heel with a wink and then, pulling his face into a stoic frown, marched straight towards the bridge. When the other crew saw him they quickly pulled up in a sharp salute, thinking he was the captain.

The West Africa Branch had managed to remain under the radar for much of history. Africa had few mountains to guarantee a sufficient amount of steady rains. So great buildings and permanent settlements were mostly confined to the coasts and river valleys. The rest of Africa was forced to follow the shifting weather. The most valuable items one had had to be portable. So the hybrids of Africa were always mobile and moving. They kept their secrets with them in oral traditions, and carried their alchemical knowledge in the form of clothing, necklaces and even scars and tattoos. When the tidal wave of destructive colonization smashed to ruins the cultures of millions and the cutting knife of modern country borders separated allies and grouped them with enemies, and the explosion of civil war blew countries into eternal cycles of poverty, the hybrid life of West Africa was like a serpent, sliding under it all, with a secret network of transportation, communication and trade.

Anjou landed on the shores searching for such treasures. They were aware of him immediately and shied away. After all, those Europeans were nothing but looters and could not be trusted. They offered him fakes in hopes of luring him off their land. He saw through their counterfeits, but showed a surprising amount of restraint and tolerance for their hesitance. After a few years of negotiations, they finally trusted him enough to grant him a single piece of exquisite art that contained the alchemical formula for a special kind of dragonslaying metal. In return, he agreed to keep them secret for seven years.

Those seven years passed and the promise was kept and the relationship grew a bit more open. They began to send their young men and women to the college. Foli attended along with Grant. Sadly, the death of Anjou was an uncertain time for the College. They didn’t know this “Lu Mingfei” or this “Von Frings”. But Foli knew Grant Baldwin and he couldn’t refuse a request for help from a friend. Grant said he needed people who could keep secrets and no one kept secrets like the West African Hybrids.

The crew that would welcome them rolled the tall stairway up to the plane’s door and arranged themselves in a long row spanning its length, hands folded behind their backs, looking like a row of sharply dressed dominoes.

The door finally opened and Grant exited first. He looked out over them and stepped easily down towards the ‘Captain’ who gazed at him with a serious air. For a moment, the two stared at each other not saying anything.

From his perch in the tower, Foli could hear what was being said through the wire Dofi wore. He grinned as he heard his brother say, “Welcome to my ship, Director.”

Grant’s voice, at its most deadpan and dry tone said, “Since when did Foli grow a mole on his cheek? Where is he? Which brother are you?”

Within the tower, Foli tilted his head back and howled with laughter, his joy at his brother’s prank failing was intensified by the fact that his friend still remembered him after all his time. “Which brother are you? Hahaha…” He leaned forward and clicked the PA system and his voice boomed over the speakers attached to the tower. “Good morning, Mr. Baldwin! Long time no see! Hahaha!”

“Was this a test?”

“Yes! And you half passed. For the second half, you will have to find out for yourself which brother is he!”

The rest of the line of crew also grinned but kept their laughter in check as Dofi gave a bow with an elegant leg. “We’ll show your students a good time. They need rest while we prepare the mission.”

The students piled off the plane in a rush, eagerly waving and looking around. Foli watched carefully, making a checklist in his mind of each face. He’d gotten the roster from Baldwin of those approved for the mission, so when he saw a woman get off he straightened with surprise.

He didn’t remember any women being on the roster. She seemed young, her skin was only the color of a latte, but her hair was long, coiled and beautiful. She carefully stepped down to the ground and took her place in line to wait for her luggage.

He turned off the PA. It seemed that Grant had his own surprises. “Ensign… who is the girl?”

The woman at the radar shook her head. She’s not on the roster. There’s no female name on the manifest.

He rubbed his chin. He knew he should trust Mr. Baldwin, but he also knew that he only had so much authority. The School Board would easily overrule him.

“Find out what you can about her.” He turned. “I will make my way down to the deck.”

#dragon raja #fanfic #Class of 2032

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greatworldwar2 · 4 years

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• Fairey Swordfish Torpedo Bomber

The Fairey Swordfish is a biplane torpedo bomber designed by the Fairey Aviation Company. Originating in the early 1930s, the Swordfish, nicknamed "Stringbag", was operated by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy, it was also used by the Royal Air Force (RAF), as well as several overseas operators, including the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Netherlands Navy.

In 1933 Fairey, having established a proven track record in the design and construction of naval aircraft, commenced development of an entirely new three-seat naval aircraft, intended for the twin roles of aerial reconnaissance and torpedo bomber. Receiving the internal designation of T.S.R. I, standing for (Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance I), the proposed design adopted a biplane configuration and a single 645 hp Bristol Pegasus IIM radial engine as its powerplant. Development of the T.S.R. I was in parallel to Fairey's activities upon Air Ministry Specification S.9/30, for which the company was at one point developing a separate but broadly similar aircraft, powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine instead as well as employing a differing fin and rudder configuration.

On March 21st, 1933, the prototype T.S.R. I, F1875, conducted its maiden flight from Great West Aerodrome, Heathrow, piloted by Fairey test pilot Chris Staniland. F1875 performed various flights, including several while re-engined with an Armstrong Siddeley Tiger radial engine before it was refitted with the Pegasus engine again, was used to explore the flight envelope, and to investigate the aircraft's flight characteristics. On April 17th, 1934, the prototype T.S.R II, K4190, performed its maiden flight, flown by Staniland. In comparison with the previous prototype, K4190 was equipped with a more powerful model of the Pegasus engine. In 1935, following the successful completion of testing at Martlesham, an initial pre-production order for three aircraft was placed by the Air Ministry; it was at this point that the T.S.R II received the name Swordfish. On December 31st, 1935, the first pre-production Swordfish, K5660, made its maiden flight. In early 1936, an initial production contract for 68 Swordfish aircraft was received, as the Swordfish I. Manufactured at Fairey's factory in Hayes, West London, the first production aircraft was completed in early 1936 and the type entered service with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) in July 1936.

Efforts were made to disperse production and to employ the use of shadow factories to minimise the damage caused by Luftwaffe bombing raids. Major sub-assemblies for the Swordfish were produced by four subcontractors based in neighbouring Leeds, these were transported by land to Sherburn for final assembly. From 1943 onwards, the improved Swordfish II and Swordfish III marks came into production and superseded the original model. The Swordfish II carried ASV Mk. II radar and featured metal undersurfaces to the lower wings to allow the carriage of 3-inch rockets, later-built models also adopted the more powerful Pegasus XXX engine. On August 18th, 1944, production of the Swordfish was terminated; the last aircraft to be delivered, a Swordfish III, was delivered that day. Almost 2,400 aircraft had been built, 692 having been constructed by Fairey and a further 1,699 by Blackburn at their Sherburn facility.

In July 1936, the Swordfish formally entered service with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), which was then part of the RAF; 825 Naval Air Squadron became the first squadrons to receive the type that month. The Swordfish began replacing both the Fairey Seal in the spotter-reconnaissance role and the Blackburn Baffin in the torpedo bomber role in competition with the Blackburn Shark in the combined role. For nearly two years during the late 1930s, the Swordfish was the sole torpedo bomber aircraft equipping the FAA. By the eve of war in September 1939, the FAA, which had been transferred to Royal Navy control, had a total of 13 operational squadrons equipped with the Swordfish I. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, a total of 26 FAA Squadrons would be equipped with the Swordfish. More than 20 second-line squadrons also operated the Swordfish. In Spring 1940, the first combat use of the Swordfish occurred during the Norwegian Campaign. Upon their arrival, the aircraft encountered only two enemy destroyers at Trondheim; during the ensuing attack upon the vessels only one hit was recorded as being attained; the engagement holds the distinction of being the first attack of the war to be conducted by torpedo-carrying aircraft.

In June 1940, shortly following the Italian declaration of war, nine Swordfish of 767 Naval Air Squadron stationed in Hyeres, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France took off and conducted the first Allied bombing raid upon Italian soil. On July 3rd, 1940, the Swordfish was one of the main weapons during the Attack on Mers-el-Kébir, an attack by the Royal Navy upon the French Navy fleet stationed at Oran, French Algeria to prevent the vessels falling into German hands. The Swordfish also flew a high level of anti-shipping sorties in the Mediterranean, many aircraft being based at Malta. In May 1941, Swordfish participated in the pursuit and sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. On May 24th, nine Swordfish from HMS Victorious conducted a late night sortie against the Bismarck. Throughout 1942, the Swordfish was progressively transferred from the Royal Navy's fleet carriers as newer strike aircraft, such as the Fairey Albacore and Fairey Barracuda, were introduced. the Swordfish made critical contributions to both the Battle of the Atlantic, detecting and attacking the roaming U-boat packs that preyed upon merchant shipping between Britain and North America. RAF Coastal Command commenced an aerial campaign against continental enemy-held ports along the English Channel. By February 1942, the shortcomings of the Swordfish were starkly demonstrated.

Towards the end of the war, No. 119 Squadron RAF operated Swordfish Mark IIIs, fitted with centimetric radar, from airfields in Belgium. Their main task was to hunt at night for German midget submarines in the North Sea and off the Dutch coast. By 1945, there was a total of nine front line squadrons equipped with the Swordfish. Overall, Swordfish-equipped units accounted for 14 U-boats destroyed. On May 21st, 1945, the last operational squadron, 836 Naval Air Squadron, which had last been engaged in providing resources for the MAC ships, was disbanded shortly following the fall of Germany and the end of the Second World War in Europe.

#aviation #airforce history #aircraft #world war 2 #second world war #world war ii #british history #british #royal air force #royal navy #torpedo bomber #military history

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xtruss · 4 years

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The Wacky Story of How China's Navy Got Aircraft Carriers

China was proud to launch its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, in 2012. This vessel was a refit of an incomplete Soviet Kuznetsov-class cruiser carrier. However, the story of how China got that ship in the first place may as well be a comedy—because the carrier was actually a rogue acquisition for the Chinese military against the wishes of the government in Beijing.

— by Sebastien Roblin | September 16, 2019 | Nationalinterest.Org

Key Point: So if there’s a moral to the story of the Varyag, it’s not to expect too much gratitude for your good deeds . . . and always keep the receipt.

The People's Liberation Army Navy first became interested in acquiring an aircraft carrier in 1970, when China was still on bad terms with both the Soviet Union and the United States. However few concrete steps were taken, because the cost and complexity of such an endeavor far exceeded the PLAN’s limited capabilities during the Cold War.

The Soviet Navy did deploy its first carriers in the 1970s: Kiev-class vessels that could launch Yak-38 Forger jump jets of limited effectiveness. By the 1980s, the Soviets began construction of two more promising Kuznetsov-class carriers. These had a “ski jump” ramp, allowing more conventional—and much higher-performing—Su-33 Flanker fighters to take off from it. Like the earlier Kiev class, the Kuznetsov was technically an “aircraft-carrying cruiser” due its powerful armament of twelve P-700 Granit antiship missile systems. This technicality was important, as “aircraft carriers” proper weighing more than fifteen thousand tons (which is to say, virtually all aircraft carriers today) were not legally permitted by the Montreux Convention to transit from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean via the Bosporus Straits.

However, the fall of the Soviet Union left the second vessel in its class, the Varyag, only two-thirds complete in Ukraine, lacking its armament and electrical systems. Construction ceased in 1992, and the cash-strapped Ukrainian government did its best to pawn off the fifty-five thousand tons of inoperable metal rusting in its Mykolaiv shipyard. Russia, India and China all passed.

A two-part series in the South China Morning Post in 2015 revealed the machinations behind how the carrier ended up in Chinese service anyway, two decades later. It turns out the PLA Navy did want the Varyag—the team sent to inspect it recommended purchasing it! But the government in Beijing was worried that acquiring a carrier might increase tensions at a time when it was seeking to further open itself to Western investors.

Instead, in 1996 a group of PLA officers including intelligence chief Gen. Ji Shengde approached Xu Zengping, a former PLA basketball star who had become a successful businessman arranging international events. The cabal’s proposal: to have Xu purchase the carrier as a private citizen, ostensibly to serve as a casino so as to avoid undesirable scrutiny. Then the PLAN could collect it for its own use once the political winds were more favorable.

This cover story is not as ridiculous as it sounds. Remember those Kiev-class carriers mentioned earlier? Two of them are now moored in China, serving as amusement parks. The Minsk was actually purchased by a consortium of video-game arcade owners in Shenzhen for $4.4 million, and has since been moved to Nantong, north of Shanghai. And the original Kiev? Now a floating hotel in Tianjin. However, the more modern Kuznetsov-class Varyag was undoubtedly of much greater practical interest for the PLAN than either of those ships.

Xu was down with the scheme and borrowed the equivalent of $30 million in Hong Kong dollars from a friend to help fund the venture—the first expense of which was to create a $6 million shell company in Macau called Agência Turística e Diversões Chong Lot Limitada, in order to maintain the fiction. (Macau was still in its last years as a Portuguese colony at the time.)

In January 1998, Xu arrived in Ukraine and met with the shipyard owners. After four days of negotiations, in which enormous bribes were offered and fifty bottles of 124-proof baijiu liquor were consumed, he reached an agreement to purchase the carrier for $20 million—well below the cost of a single jet fighter today. He wasn’t able to make the payment until a year later, with a $10 million extra late fee tacked on.

Some international observers smelled something fishy in the arrangement—Xu’s company did not actually have a gambling permit in Macau, nor a listed phone number or address. Ironically, however, a Jane’s analyst interviewed by the Washington Post at the time stated it was “farfetched” that the PLA Navy would try to operate the Varyag due to its decrepit and incomplete condition.

By June 2000, everything was ready to go. The carrier’s four engines were packed in grease seals (they had yet to be installed), several tons of blueprints were sent overland to China by truck, and a Dutch towing company was ready to tug the 306-meter-long vessel all the way back to China. What could go wrong?

Ever been stunned by the towing fee after your car breaks down far from home? Imagine that, but around five hundred times worse. Why five hundred? Because that equals the roughly five hundred days the Liaoning was stuck being towed in circles off Istanbul, after the Turkish government denied it passage to the Mediterranean via the Bosporus Straits.

The Turkish maritime minister argued that should there be a mishap towing the 306-meter-long carrier—which could not maneuver or move on its own power—it might spin around and block the Bosporus straits to all shipping, or run into one of the bridges connecting the two halves of Istanbul. The straits are only seven hundred meters wide at their narrowest point and require at least six major course corrections to navigate. Hundreds of ships had suffered accidents there in the past. Curiously, the Chinese appear to have perceived the Turkish refusal to be in retaliation for China’s opposition to the NATO air campaign in Yugoslavia the previous year.

The Liaoning spent sixteen months racking up $8,500 a day in towing fees. Finally, Beijing had a change of heart on the matter, and stepped in on August 2001, promising major concessions on tourism to persuade the Turks to let the Varyag pass.

Finally on November 1, in an operation involving more than two dozens tug and emergency vessels, the Varyag was towed through the Bosporus without incident, and traversed the Dardanelles the next day. The hard part was over.

Except for the sea storm with sixty-mile-per-hour winds that struck the rudderless vessel off the island of Skyros two days later, causing it to snap its tow lines. It took two more days to recover the runaway carrier. Tragically, a Portuguese sailor fell to his death while helping reconnect it to its tugs.

Once under power, a normal vessel could have taken the shortcut through the Suez Canal and straight on back to China via the Indian Ocean. But the canal would not accept powerless vessels such as the Varyag, so it had to cruise all the way around Africa, Vasco de Gama–style, chugging along at a brisk jog of seven miles per hour.

In March 2002, the carrier finally arrived at the port of Dalian in Liaoning province, which would lend the carrier its name in Chinese service. Three years later, it was put into a dry dock to allow for an extensive refit process, including sandblasting away all the rust and restoring and installing the engines in 2011.

The PLAN intended to operate the vessel as a pure carrier, rather than as a cruiser-carrier hybrid, so the shipbuilders didn’t bother with the enormous antiship missile systems. They instead confined its armament to a trio of short-range HQ-10 air-defense missile launchers and a few close-defense guns. The vessel’s primary weapon, of course, would be its complement of twenty-four J-15 Flying Shark fighters. The Flying Sharks are domestic copies of the Russian Su-33 fighter, a prototype of which was also acquired from Ukraine in 2001. The Liaoning also flies six Z-12F antisubmarine helicopters, four airborne early-warning variants and two Z-9 rescue choppers.

The Liaoning was commissioned on September 25, 2012, and the first J-15 landed on it a month later. A home-built carrier based upon the Liaoning will soon put to sea this year; those blueprints must have proved useful.

The Liaoning is hardly equal to a U.S. supercarrier—in addition to its smaller air wing and lack of a nuclear power plant, its steam turbines are prone to breaking down and the ski-jump deck limits the fuel and weapons load its fighters can carry. However, it afforded China a leap forward in its naval construction program—which now includes five more carriers in the coming decade of increasing planned capability. According to Xu Zengping, a naval officer told him that the Varyag saved China fifteen years of research and development.

So was Xu richly rewarded for his initiative? He was rewarded with bills: $120 million in all in Xu’s estimation, forcing him to sell his decadent home in Hong Kong and spend all of the intervening years paying his lenders back. You see, General Ji was jailed in 2001 for his involvement in a massive smuggling ring in the city of Xiamen—so the cabal of officers that set Xu up for the task was no longer around to see that he was compensated.

Beijing did pay for the $20 million value of the carrier—but argued that it couldn’t cover other costs because he lacked receipts. Apparently, invoices—or fapiao in Mandarin—don’t come standard with bribes paid to Ukrainian businessmen. And, as one quickly learns in China, you always need the official fapiao.

So if there’s a moral to the story of the Varyag, it’s not to expect too much gratitude for your good deeds . . . and always keep the receipt.

— Sébastien Roblin holds a master’s degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring. This first appeared several years ago.

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montymcallister · 5 years

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Tattoos have been tradition in the Navy for a very long time, and are fairly commonplace throughout the military if you know where to look. When he first enlisted, Monty didn’t really seem like a tattoos kind of guy; he was quiet, kept mostly to himself on his own time, and still hid in the hoodies and dull t-shirts of his high school wardrobe. As he began to find himself and grow into the man he’s become today, the idea of getting tattoos---of doing something entirely for himself, that he could keep with him, as a part of him, always---became more and more appealing. Thirteen years and ten tattoos later, Monty’s settled in his skin in a way he’d never been growing up. A lot of it is personal growth, but the tattoos have certainly eased the way.

His very first tattoo sparked the beginning of a habit (at least to some extent) of adhering to age-old Navy tattoo traditions. A sea turtle tattoo (often referred to as a shellback or a shellback turtle tattoo, in this instance) is gotten by some following a line-crossing ceremony initiating sailors into King Neptune’s Court. In short: the turtle is often gotten to commemorate their first crossing of the Equator (and some light hazing).

A small collection of brightly patterned shirts and a surefire best friend into his time in service later, Monty and Monica had decided to get tattoos together; not matching, per se, but from an artist with a unique style that could easily be seen across his body of work. Monica suggested “a guy in a Hawaiian shirt,” Monty told the artist “take that and run with it” and by the time they left, Monty had a brand new dancing skeleton in a Hawaiian shirt.

Traditionally, a golden dragon tattoo signifies having crossed the International Date Line. Monty hadn’t had any serious plans to get this one, even as time off saw him joining friends on a trip to a local tattoo parlor. It wasn’t until he saw the design---initially in red ink---that the urge really struck and wouldn’t let go. He didn’t get it that day, but he did go back.

While posted in San Diego, Monty and Monica took a trip up to Los Angeles County to Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve to see the poppy blooms. Not long after, they made the decision to go together to get matching poppy tattoos.

The FUCK LUCK rabbit and the NAILED IT shark are, most notably, tattoos Monty will attribute in storytelling to far too much alcohol and very convincing friends. He flipped through the books and picked them out (or at least lingered on the pages long enough that too-perceptive friends knew to egg him on), but they aren’t necessarily things he’d have gotten without the extra push. Still, he’s quite fond of both, the rabbit especially.

In the same vein, but with significantly less input from Monty, is the HERE FOR A LONG TIME, NOT A GOOD TIME t-rex skull. With laughter and grins, he’ll recount the story of how while on their trip to Australian, he, Monica and Gabriel spent their last night in the country going out for drinks and then picking out tattoos for each other. They got back to their hotel late, stumbled out of bed with just enough time to haphazardly pack and get out in time to make check-out, and then nearly missed their flight. The tattoo is good memories, more than anything else; the design isn’t really what’s important.

The fouled anchor is the emblem of the rate of Chief Petty Officer, and it’s not uncommon to see CPOs get a tattoo of the fouled anchor following their promotion. The floral touch was part of the artist’s style, and it was ultimately their design that sold the idea for him.

In naval tradition, the swallow can signify either a distance traveled (one swallow for every 5,000 nautical miles) or act as a sort of good luck charm in finding your way home. Monty will give a different answer depending on who’s asking about it. In casual conversation, Monty tends to go for “it was for my first five thousand; I just never kept up with it after that” as his answer. In truth, he got it after his most recent Thanksgiving with the Rodriguezes. He wasn’t sure when it had really started feeling like home, but after several years spending holidays with them, he knew it did. After the realization, the swallow finally felt right, and then it was just a matter of finding the right design for him.

Somewhere along the line over the course of their friendship, Monty and Monica got around to having the supernatural talk. He’d suspected her werecreature nature long before it came up, given some of her habits, but it wasn’t like the confirmation would change the fact that she was his best friend, so he let it lie. It’s become a regular topic of casual conversation for them over the years, and at some point (partially because he wanted something to keep his best friend close, and partially because it was going to be a truly hilarious inside joke) he decided to get a coyote tattoo. It’s been worth all of the “is this a wolf?” comments over the years to see Monica’s delight and exasperation every time she sees it.

#edits #hc #isms #i started this post back in august #finally #after months of revisiting it #and finally putting together blurbs #i share it #(this has been a long time coming is the point)#even in the summer months most of these aren't visible unless he goes swimming #but they're there #some day he may get one somewhere more overt #but he hasn't yet

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magic5ball · 4 years

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Nature Trail to Hell Arc I: Nature Trail to Hell (7)

Chapter 7: A Modest Proposal

“ATTENTION ALL CAMPERS!” Hoebag’s voice blared through the megaphone at a decibel pitch so high that if Hilda and I had stood any closer, I’m pretty sure our ears would have blown off.

“WE”RE GOING TO PLAY A NEW GAME.”

She pulled out a whole ream of stickers from her pocket. But not just any stickers. These were bath soap scented stickers, saved only for the nicest, most well-behaved suck ups. So many that, when she pulled them out, the sheet touched the floor.

“IT’S CALLED ‘PANTS THE COUNSELOR’. WHOEVER PULLS DOWN THE PANTS OF THE MOST CAMP COUNSELORS WINS THIS WHOOOLLLLEEE SHEET OF STICKERS. AND AFTER THAT, I’LL GIVE ANOTHER (YES JIMMY, ANOTHER) SHEET TO WHOEVER CAN RAID THE MOST OBJECTS FROM THE MESS HALL! AND AFTER THAT, I HEREBY RENAME THIS DUMP-“

A loud flushing noise came from the bathroom. “Ms. Hoebag, I think the toilet is clogged.”

“SILENCE, YOU FOOL! DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO I AM?”

“I mean, it is starting to flood. And the door won’t open.”

“ANYWAYS, THIS CAMP IS HEREBY CAMP ANARCHY! And we shall build the greatest summer camp in the world from the ashes of Camp Sham.”

It didn’t even take a second for the camp to erupt into chaos. The counselors tried to keep us kids under wraps, but before long each had a pile of kids ten feet high on top of each of them, all vying for their pants. Hilda and I were swept away in the ensuing chaos.

“I wonder how Shatner is doing?” I yelled to Hilda.

“He’ll be fine!” Hilda insisted “Just head to the Mess Hall with me. There’s something I need to tell you!”

And boy, was the Mess Hall ever well named! All over kids were doing all the things they were told never to do, knowing full well that when their parents came back, they could pin all their sins on Ms. Hoebagg’s negligence (or in the case of Bernie Finster, Jesus). They played Frisbee with the life preserver, made toilet paper mummies used the arts and craft paints to draw on every visible surface, drank from the outdoor water pump, climbed on the roofs of cabins, used the canoes as battering rams; fought tooth and nail for the last ice cream sandwich in the canteen… you get the idea. One group of kids even pushed down the tetherball pole and stole the ball, taking back what they’d been forced to share. Now I’m no Picasso, but outside of a pack of deinonychus ripping a tenontosaurus to shreds, this was probably the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. And that was before somebody lit the flagpole on fire! If I do have one regret, it was that I couldn’t have spent more time gazing.

“Hurry up!” Hilda screamed, grabbing my arm.

But as we raced into the mess hall, I was confused. Nothing special seemed to be going on. Just a few kids using the chairs to break windows just for the heck of it. And it still had that lousy outdoor smell. Then at the back of the hall, Hilda took a sharp left. In front of us, a pair of giant, chromium steel doors swung lazily on their hinges. For a moment I thought we were going to crash, but instead we passed through into wonderland. A linoleum covered, moist, antiseptic smelling wonderland with a tiled floor. Granted, it’s not too exciting as an adult, but when you’re a ten year old who’s always been told the kitchen is a forbidden zone you’re never to enter, for all you care it’s the frickin’ Bat Cave.

Surprisingly, it was empty, except for some kidwearing a soup pot like it was armor. Hilda kept dragging me, through shelves filled with cans of food bigger than my head, to the back. There, separated from us only by a stepladder, was a gleaming silver sink big enough to hold ten Wattersons! (I know I’m small, but still!)

“All ours, Watt. All ours.”

And it was.

. . .

Remember what I said about not being allowed into kitchens? Well that has to do with a little thing I did back in my golden years, when I was five. You see, I really wanted an outdoor pool like our neighbors, the Bensons, but my parents, ever the buzzkills, always turned me down. So I took matters into my own little toddler hands and decided to make our whole house into a swimming pool! All I had to do was wait until my parents had gone out for dinner, then I turned on the kitchen sink; watched it flood until it spilled over the sides. It was my first time seeing a waterfall. But just before I could imagine what kinds of sharks I would keep, my parents stormed in, putting an end to my little adventure. And our basement has had a mildew problem ever since. Yours truly never tried that again, having learned his lesson, but since this sink belonged to a totalitarian prison…

. . .

Long story short, we had a blast. Hilda showed me the soap nozzle, and combined with the gigantic pots and pans scattered in the aluminum basin, we had the most epic naval battle ever to grace a kitchen sink. All was going well until I realized

“Wait a second. I never told you how much I’ve wanted to do this! How’d you know?!” because I may be dumb, but I’m not that dumb.

“That’s what I’ve been meaning to tell you, Watt. I just got caught up in things a little.” Hilda stepped off the stepstool. “You see, I’m, I’m…”

My brain whirred. Oh no. Oh nonononono! My Dad had warned me about this moment, how one day, just when I thought I was good friends with a girl, she’d go and lay on the big proposal. He’d always told me it was a big commitment, and one that yours truly, at ten years old, wasn’t ready to make!

“I am the force that seeks out the downtrodden, the destitute, the hopeless. I am the festering darkness that buries people alive. The smasher of dreams.”

Which to my ten year old mind was just girl talk for calling a guy handsome.

“Is that supposed to be some kind of riddle? ‘Cause I’m kind of bad at riddles.”

Hilda sighed. “Watt” she asked, “do you still want to leave this place? We could become Supreme Overlords of this place, if you’d like. With Shatner, of course”

I noticed she looked a mite sad, and that she was smelling worse than usual. But bad as it made me feel, I knew I didn’t belong at Camp Sham.

“Sorry Hilda. But a kid’s gotta do what a kid’s gotta do. I’m a good kid, and I don’t belong in this place”

“Are you sure? ”

“Sorry, but I’d rather chew my own foot off than spend another second here.”

“Okay...”

As the floor flooded, Hilda looked glumly at her (weirdly blurry) reflection on the ground.

“Okay, I’ll just… go to the restroom.

Now all that stood in that kitchen was me, chicken soup guy, and a kitchen floor buried in a foot of soapy water. I took a gallon sized jar of peanut butter and walked out into the scorching midday sun.

#My writing #summer camp #Nature Trail To Hell #goth

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randomikemendegen · 5 years

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OC CHARACTER PROFILE

KMS Admiral Graf Spee:

Place of Origin: Germany

Ship type and class: Deutschland-class cruiser

Height: 173cm.

Like/s: Cute little animals like rabbits, respite/peace, friendship

Dislike/s: Fighting, abandonment, lies

Hobbies: Observation/People-watching, gardening(if and when he could), playing with animals

A bit quiet and socially awkward, Graf Spee is a slightly emotionally-innocent young man who has a hard time conversing properly with other people and has the mentality of "the strong live, the weak perish"-- although there's no animosity in this thinking, it's just a mentality he developed after being involved much only in warfare and being the symbol of Nazi Germany’s resurgent naval power for quite a while. Despite all that, he does mean well and tries his best at seeming like a "normal person" because he wants to know how it feels like to be away from combat and doing and experiencing mundane tasks and situations.

Spee values the peace and quiet of days and would very much like it if he didn't participate in anymore conflicts/hostilities but it's his job so even if he doesn't like it, he'll do it. Ironically, as much as he likes non-hostility, he's absolutely skilled in warfare and fighting which goes against his wishes.

Also because he hates fighting, even more so killing someone, he’d rather beat down opponents ‘till they can’t stand anymore. If given the chance he would spare people’s lives, much more so if they’re innocent, but he’s also someone who’s honest to a fault and follows any and all orders so it often causes conflict within him at times.

While he may look small, he packs a mean punch and can hit someone with enough force to send them flying away- but he also has a "glass jaw", meaning while he can certainly dish out pain he's not too good at receiving the hit. He's also quite quick on his feet, though if he can’t outrun them, as he puts it; “Outrun anything you can’t outfight. Outfight anything you can’t outrun.”

It helps that he has two scary giant clawed gauntlets that can easily tear apart anyone like a shark, though it would be more accurate to call him a "killer whale". Said gauntlets can’t be removed by him and he can only put them on, if he wants them to be removed then he must ask for assistance from others (although they’re really fucking heavy so good luck trying to pry and carry it from his hands).

He HATES lies and deception, so much so that one little lie is enough to greatly disappoint him and cause him to almost never trust the person who told a lie almost ever again. Thus he encourages the Admirals and others to never lie ever, even when he's not the one they're interacting with.

Graf Spee looks up to and admires his brothers Deutschland and Admiral Scheer, and he shares an interest regarding Scharnhorst since his namesake was Scharn's Admiral and went down with him during the decisive battle at the North Cape.

He bears no animosity nor grudge towards Ajax, Achilles, nor Exeter despite all of them, particularly Ajax, having a hand in his scuttling/death. Spee actually thanks Ajax at one point because he helped a plectra of his crew to be escorted back to Germany. Spee also has a relatively close acquaintanceship with Dunkerque and Hood, the latter being a trusted confidant and such.

Bonus art:

#oc #my art #babby #uwu #shark boi #ship boy #my oc #admiral graf spee #graf spee #own character

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charlesandmartine · 6 years

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Sunday 24th February 2019

When we peeped through the blinds this morning, it looked promising. The sun was shining and the sky was blue. Martine caught up with some washing and then bags packed we set off for a day on the ferries. There are 8 ferry routes with some 32 ferries. They say the ferry service can trace its origins back to the arrival of the first fleet in 1789. They serve the area of Sydney Cove and are an excellent way of getting around, for both commuters and tourists. They continue to run late into the evening and are remarkably dependable. The seas towards the entrance to the Cove can be quite choppy, but they plough on through them nonetheless. I said a day out on Sunday will cost 2.50 dollars, but catastrophe, it has gone up to 2.70 dollars!!! Oh well, dig deep.

So, for our 2.7 we caught the bus down to Manly Wharf and ploughed through the choppies on Narrabeen, the green and cream ferry across to Circular Quays. We were pleased to note that Arcadia had either given up on the idea of sailing to Brisbane, or had gone anyway. It does look now as if the cyclone has shifted further out to sea. Having disembarked we scuttled over to the next wharf and caught another ferry to Cockatoo Island. I can only begin to guess why it might be called that. For a small space Cockatoo Island has had a remarkable history. It is only 500m by 360m total, but it has been well used. Today it is a UNESCO world heritage site, but in 1839 it was chosen as the site of a new penal colony, one which was to last until 1869. Initially prisoners were transferred from Norfolk Island in the Pacific Ocean and of course their first task was to build barracks and a Gaol. This tiny island is further into Sydney Harbour, away from the open sea and was seen to be an ideal secure place to put what were second offending convicts because being an island it was surrounded by sea. Few prisoners swam, and if they did, they were told there were sharks in the fairly narrow strip of water that separated them from the shore. In 1863, however, an Australian Bush Ranger, prisoner Fred Ward, aka Captain Thunderbolt successfully swam across the narrow strait. Sadly, his companion Fred Britten perished. Captain Thunderbolt eluded capture until he was shot by police in 1870 in Uralla. From 1870 right the way through to 1991, the island took on a new important role, that of shipbuilding firstly as a naval dockyard and then in private ownership after WW2. Large destroyers and torpedo destroyers have been built here and provided first rate apprenticeships for thousands of local engineers. The last warship to built here was HMAS Success, commissioned in 1979. The buildings remain as a monument to the past. The ruins of the Gaol and Barracks sit side by side as strange bedfellows. Today it is a peaceful place occupied by seagulls, a few tourists and occupants of a small glamping site, this being the only island in the Cove that it is possible to stay on overnight. After a flat-white each, we were ready for our next ferry, returning to Circular Quays to transfer to the Watson Bay boat.

This is the second time we have visited Watson Bay which is on the left hand corner if you were to turn into Sydney Harbour from the South Pacific Ocean. We came 2 years ago after a visit to Bondi Beach. No comment about Bondi other than its a great place to visit if you don't mind being crammed into a small allotted space so close to the next person, you have the option to read their book instead of yours. Or more likely, due to age demographic, their comic. We loved Watson Bay then, and we loved it today. Named after Robert Watson (1756-1819) of HMS Sirius fame, one of the First Fleet. This fact didn't seem very important to us as we tucked into our fish and chips purchased from the famous Doyles Emporium overlooking the Bay. Fantastic F&C I can tell you and washed down with Sauv Blanc of unknown vintage. The sun was still shining and the sea sparkled as we boarded the penultimate ferry returning to Circular Quays which in turn led to the ultimate ferry back to Manly Wharf. What a great day out. In all, cost of ferries. 5.40 bucks. If weekday charges applied today would have totalled about 80 bucks. Even better day out then.

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childofthemoon86 · 6 years

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@weekofhetalia Day 6: Mermaids/pirates

The Drowned Rose

Pairing: none Characters: America, China, Turkey, Estonia, Denmark, Prussia, England (mentioned). Rating: K+ Word count: 2445 Cross posted on FF.net Summary: A rumour of a lost pirate ship is all it takes to set a rag tag group of unlikely friends on the hunt for sunken treasure. But out in the deep blue sea, just what will they find? After all, no one really knows what just might live in the endless black…

“We’re close, I can feel it.” Alfred grins excitedly as he looks over the displays, watching the changing sonar graph for even the smallest object below. “You say that about every dive.” Spinning on his swivel stool, Al blinks up at the man leaning up against the cabin wall. Yao Wang, the supervisor and project manager for this little excursion, frowns down at him. “This time’s different,” Al insists, “it’s definitely here, it’s just gotta be.” “Humph, it better be, or this is coming out of your pay.” Yao huffs. This’ll be their sixth dive of the area, and Yao is far from pleased with their lack of progress. “Ah, lay off him.” Sadık calls as he comes in, “He’s got spirit, and out here that counts for more than you might think.” “Yeah!” Al proudly agrees, glad to have the backing of their lead historian. “None of that will matter if we don’t find anything.” Yao counters. “Just wait, you’ll see.” Al frowns, before the beep of the sonar grabs his attention. He spins his seat around, eagerly looking back to the graph. But, as a diver, Al’s no expert in reading the bright oranges and whites that form fuzzy shapes against the blue background, not that that stops him trying. Rather that job belongs to their navigator. “Is it the ship?!” Al cries at the strange block shape on the graph. Sitting at the other side of the console, Eduard leans over, only taking a second to scan the graph before deciding, “Could be a smaller wreck, but not the one we’re after. It’s far too small, and the depth is wrong.” Sagging at the false alarm, Al slumps a bit in his seat. “Chin up kid,” Sadık says, “if it’s out there, we’ll find it.” Turning to Eduard, he adds, “how much farther to our search zone?” “We should be entering it any minute now, right Mathias?” At hearing his name, the energetic blond up front gives a thumbs up, steering the boat out to the deep waters. “We should be over the drop riiiiight abouuuuut… now!” On cue, the sonar graph starts to change, showing the sudden increase in depth to the sea floor, and hopefully, the wreak they’re all looking for. “Look sharp boys, we’ll be heading down soon!” Gilbert shouts from the bow, getting the his and Al’s dive gear set up. “Now all we gotta do is cross our fingers.” Sadık grins, leaning over the controls to stare out at the open sea before them. X It all started with a rumour. As a salvage diver, Alfred makes his living recovering all sorts of lost or destroyed wreaks, but his favourites have always been sunken ships. There’s just something eerily beautiful about dropping down into waters so deep and dark, that only his flashlight can show him the way, to find the untouched remains of once grand seafarers. He’s been on hundreds of dives, and helped bring up everything from lost WW2 planes, to sea mines, to cargo containers. But ship wreaks have always had a special place in his heart. So when working on a dive in the Caribbean, and he over heard a rumour of a lost pirate ship, he just had to get in on it. Getting a team together was the easy part, he’s made more than a few crazy friends willing to go on a possible wild goose chase with him. Convincing Yao to dedicate the resources needed however, that was the hard part. He needed proof that this ship existed, and might still be out there. And who better to help him get it than his good friend Sadık? “A lost pirate ship huh?” The man parroted, quirking a brow at Al over his desk. “Yeah, you think it’s the real deal?” “Hmm, could be, plenty of pirates ran those parts in 15 to 1800’s. Know who’s it might be?” “Not a clue.” Al grins, “all I heard was it was an English ship, and apparently it had some sort of super important, stolen treasure on board when it sank.” Chuckling, Sadık shakes his head at the young man across from him, “Don’t they all?” But before Al can say anything more, he nods, “Alright, I’ll look into it.” And that was how Alfred and his rag tag team now find themselves searching the wide blue expanse far from the coast of the Caribbean. After several weeks of research, and a few rough guesses on location and time frame, Sadık came through, and with a bigger pitch to Yao than even Al could have hoped for. “I think we might be looking for the Blood Rose.” Sadık grins broadly, only to be met with blank stares from the rest of the group. “And what’s that?” Yao huffs. “Only the single most prolific pirate ship of the early 1600’s. Reported to have been responsible for sinking over 100 naval ships, both French and Spanish, committed upwards of 70 raids in more than 8 countries, and captained by one Arthur Ignatius Kirkland, a man arguably more blood thirsty than Red Beard himself.” Al, Gil and Mathias’s eyes all light up at the description, even Eduard seems intrigued, but Yao is a hard man to impress. “And?” He taps his foot impatiently, staring Sadık down. “Heh, always about the profit, right Yao?” Sadık smirks, “Well how’s this take your fancy?” Flipping open a rather old and tattered log book, he points to a page filled with writing. “This is a list of all the items stolen from a Spanish fleet transporting, among other things, silver and gold medallions from the New World back to Spain. And here we see it’s listed as having been attacked by an English ship. The date coincides with the last known sighting of the Blood Rose, before she mysteriously vanished eight days out to sea.” As Yao reads over the cursive script, the others can slowly see him being won over. “That’s a lot of gold.” He murmurs, blinking as he reads further down the page. He then frowns as something catches his eye. “Escalas de sirena? Mermaid scales, really?” he asks, pointing to the strangely circled item. Shrugging, Sadık gently closes the book. “All sailors believe at least some myths, why not Mermaids?” Choosing to ignore the strange item, Yao finally makes his decision. “Well what are you all just sanding around here for? Go pack, we’ve got a wreak to salvage.” X The beeping of the sonar brings Alfred out of his daydreaming to blink down at the screen. Lifting Al’s arm out the way, Eduard looks over the screen, before smiling. “Looks like we’re got a hit.” “Is it our ship?” Al asks, suddenly back to being full of energy. “Hmm, the size is right and it’s in the right place.” Eduard nods, adjusting the read out to get a better look, then turning to Al, “Only one way to find out.” “Sweet! Mathias, park us right here!” Al cries, jumping to his feet. “Way ahead of you!” The man laughs back, idling the engines. “Finally.” Yao sighs, finishing off his tea. Rushing to pull on his gear, Al hurries to join Gilbert on the stern. With oxygen tanks checked, wet suit snugly in place, and cameras at the ready, the pair waste no time in jumping in. Once off the boat, Gilbert leads the way down, following Eduard’s instructions to the suspected wreaks location. It’s an easy routine for both divers, but they also know they still have to be careful, anything could go wrong, and at these depths, pressure is their biggest danger. They continue on down, the dappled light from above quickly dying out as they encounter a shoal of fish being chased by dolphins. They both pause for a moment, Al turning his camera to the frenzy for a few shots of the rare sight, but time is against them here, so they carry on down, into the endless black below. A light mounted to their caps and one on their chest light the way, until finally, after a near twenty minute dive, they reach the seabed. All manner of fish and crustaceans scuttle away at their presence, Al even spots an octopus swim past, but none of that is what their here to find. Following the directions of the sonar, they swim onwards, keeping to the sea floor as they look for anything man-made to point them in the right direction. “You should be coming up on the structure now.” Eduard’s grainy voice crackles in Al’s ear, filling him with excitement as he hovers by Gil’s side. Then, finally, after weeks of searching, they find it. A huge man-of-war styled frigate sitting on it’s side, half resting upon a bed of rock and the centre of it’s large hull caved in. But they can’t be certain until they see the name. Not wasting a second, Al powers forward, heading for the broadside, where he know’s he’ll find what’s left of it’s name. While Al gets to work, Gil turns his camera to the wreak, transmitting the images back to their boat. “Holy shit.” He smirks, “Even if this isn’t our wreak, this is one hell of a find.” “It sure is.” Sadık’s voice crackles back in awe. “Gil!” Al shouts needlessly into his mask, “It’s her! It’s the Blood Rose, we found her!” Coming over to join Al, Gilbert dutifully films the uncovered name for the rest of the crew to see. In large fancy print, the mostly faded red letters spell out the ships name, even if it is half covered under coral and sea creatures. Though the ship has clearly seen better days, now mostly rotten at the bottom of the sea, it’s once grandeur is clear to imagine. But none of that interests Yao. “What are you two just floating about for?” The man snaps, crackling in their ears, “Get to work! I want to know everything this wreak has to offer.” Both divers roll their eyes at their boss’s demand, but they do as told anyway. This time it’s Al who takes the lead, carefully surveying the opening in the hull, before going in. Gilbert hovers close by, acting as Al’s early warning in case of danger. Who knows what’s made it’s home in here, sharks especially they have to watch out for. It takes some time, as they manoeuvre their way around broken beams and rotten floors, down to reach the cargo hold. It’s not like in the moves, where gold glints and shines back at them the second they’re in, rather they have to go looking if they want to find anything of value. In a wreak like this, the goods might not even be in the ship anymore, possibly having been lost in the sinking, now scattered across the seabed. If that’s the case, they’ll be lucky to find a single coin or two. Not to mention, Alfred’s least favourite part, all the skeletons. “Wah!” He jumps, flailing around as he comes face to face with a skull sitting beneath a beam. Laughing Gil swims past him, picking at the few remaining bits of cloth still covering the bones. “Kesesesese, never gets old.” “Oh shut up.” Al huffs, moving on. Seems they’ve found the crew, no doubt having been trying to save the ship from going down. But them all being in cargo hold is unusual. “Hey Gil, you see what I see?” “Hmm?” Looking over, Gil frowns at the sight before them. “If the ship had this much damage to it, why’d all the crew head here?” Dozens of skeletons clutter the very back of the hold, not where the damage is, but where a number of crates sit piled together. “If I had to guess,” Gil smirks, “I’d say they were trying to save whatever’s in those boxes.” Both divers know a jackpot when they see one, and, as much as Al hates skeletons, that doesn’t stop him from getting to work moving them out of the way. But unseen by the pair, a shadow watches from within the black, eyes trained on their every move. Tossing the bones to the side, they quickly uncover one of the crates, but it’s seized shut with years of rust and rot, making it impossible for the pair to open. Down here any way. Instead, testing the weight, and deeming it able to be moved, they make their decision. “Oxygen is getting low,” Gil sighs, “Mathias get ready for pick up, we’re coming back.” “And we got a present to boot!” Al laughs as the pair begin the long swim to the surface, crate carefully carried between them. “Good,” Yao crackles, “hurry back now.” “Will do.” Though they say that, surfacing is just as precarious as the rest of the dive, and both of them know they can’t rush it, not if they don’t want to get the bends. As they leave, the shadow trails after them from a safe distance, but it does not depart the ship, head tilting as it watches them take the box away, until both are nearly out of sight. Once gone, the shadow worms it’s way back through the ship, to bones scattered with little care. A strange whine escapes it at the sight, before gently reaching, it picks up a skull, holding it close in a strange hug as it moves to set it back atop one of the crates. By the time Al and Gil surface a short distance from the boat, both Sadık and Mathias are eagerly waiting at the stern for them. They swim over, lifting the box up to hand over first, before climbing on board. “Ahh…” Al sighs, flopping back across the floor the second he removes his tank. But he doesn’t lie about long, as Yao is quick to order everyone around. “Jones get up, your leaving a puddle. Beilschmidt I wan’t you ready to dive again as soon as possible. And Adnan, I-” “Want the crate open, yeah, yeah.” Sadık waves Yao off, doing his own inspection of the box first. “Aha!” He cries, “Look, there’s still a partial print of the Spanish navy on here. We’ve definitely found something stolen from them. While he gushes over the discovery, photographing the symbol for his records, Mathias returns from the cabin, looking a bit too happy to be wielding a crowbar. “Give me that.” Sadık laughs, “can’t have you destroying artefacts now.” Together the group gather around, all holding their breath as Sadık slips the bar in, and counts, “1, 2, 3!” Cracking the lid open, he hurriedly slides it back to reveal…

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meghannsohlin-blog · 6 years

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Moving To Corpus Christi Texas

Originally inhabited by Karankawa and other Native American peoples, it was founded as a trading post in 1839 by Colonel Henry L. Kinney and named in 1846 after the bay. It was the scene of Mexican War operations and American Civil War blockade skirmishes. The arrival of railroads in 1881–1909 stimulated a land boom. The exploitation of gas (1923), the development of a deep water port (1926), and the discovery of the Saxtet oil field (1939) laid the economic foundation for a modern city.

The port, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, handles bulk cargoes, including grain, cotton, ores, petroleum, and raw materials. The city’s economy also embraces petrochemicals, aluminum, glass, agriculture, the seafood industry, and tourism. Resort facilities, mostly fishing and water sports, are based on the bay and the coastal barrier islands, including the Padre Island National Seashore, stretching 113 miles (182 km) southward almost to Brownsville.

The huge Corpus Christi Naval Air Station (1941) and an army depot also contribute to the economy. The city is the home of Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi (1947) and Del Mar (community) College (1935). Other cultural institutions include the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the Art Museum of South Texas (with a building designed by architect Philip Johnson), and numerous small theatres and galleries. The city hosts several musical and cultural festivals throughout the year. Inc. 1852. Pop. (2000) city, 277,454; Corpus Christi Metro Area, 403,280; (2010) 305,215; Corpus Christi Metro Area, 428,185.

Spanish authorities dispatched an expedition to the area in 1689 under Alonso De León , but the Corpus Christi Bay area remained unknown and unexplored until 1747, when Joaquín de Orobio y Basterra led an expedition down the Nueces River, reaching the bay on February 26. After Orobio's return, José de Escandón , governor and captain general of Nuevo Santander , proposed founding a settlement at the mouth of the Nueces called Villa de Vedoya.

During the great cattle boom of the 1870s Corpus Christi emerged as an important shipping point for cattle from the South Texas plains, and in the 1880s packing houses, stockyards, and markets for hides, tallow, and other cattle by-products flourished.

Located on the South Texas coast, Corpus Christi has earned its fair share of nicknames like the Texas Riviera” or the Sparkling City by the Sea.” But its best known denomer is The Real Windy City” because our Gulf winds create more of an uproar than that Lake-Michigan-locked metropolis up north.

The prestige of a Texas A&M-Corpus Christi degree is known worldwide. According to the preface, it does focuses less on the history than on the people, "presenting in plain narrative form, a recountal of the days when Corpus Christi was young, of the trials and tribulations that fell to the lot of her residents in the war periods, and finally to emerge as a fast growing a progressive city of the Southland" (p. v).

The Padre Island National Seashore is home to the largest Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle nesting ground in the U.S. From April to July, volunteers scout the shoreline for nests so the eggs can be brought to the National Seashore incubation facility for protected care until they hatch and it's time to go back to the sea.

Prospective students looking to rent an apartment in Corpus Christi will find that there are plenty of higher education institutions nearby, including Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi , Del Mar College, and several vocational schools, including Southern Careers Institute and Vogue Cosmetology School, among others.

The downtown area, of which the museum district is a part, is home to skyscrapers such as One Shoreline Plaza , company offices, various shops, a popular center of marinas, and Mirador de la Flor Downtown also is home of the Texas Surf Museum, which explores the history of surfing and focuses on surf culture along Texas' 367-mile (591 km) coast, as well as K Space Contemporary, a nonprofit art organization promoting and presenting local, regional, and national contemporary art.

From the city's neighborhoods and school systems to the employment options and recreational activities available within the city, you'll find it all in this guide so that you can go into your move with the knowledge that is needed to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Corpus Christi is home to several popular attractions for both visitors and residents. The city's North Beach is the setting for the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington Museum, offering daily tours seven days a week. The Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History focuses on the history of South Texas and the region's place in the world. Also located in the city's museum district are the Asian Cultures Museum and Educational Center and the Harbor Playhouse, a long-running community theatre with a history of quality local productions.

The city's Heritage Park features eleven Victorian homes including the Cultural Center, which operates in the 100-year-old Galván House. The Corpus Christi Municipal Marina, one of the city's prime focal points, is on Corpus Christi Bay protected from the Gulf of Mexico by sandy barrier islands off the Texas Coast.

A number of professional sports teams call Corpus Christi home. Minor League Baseball has a Class-AA franchise in the city, the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Texas League. The Hooks, who hosted the 2007 Texas League All Star Game, are affiliated with Major League Baseball's Houston Astros.

The city is also home to the Corpus Christi Rayz of the Central Hockey League. The Rayz play their home games at Corpus Christi's new American Bank Center. Another American Bank Center resident is the local Arena Football team, the Corpus Christi Sharks. The Sharks are a 2007 expansion team belonging to the Af2 (arenafootball2) League.

Two additional teams reside in the neighboring community of Robstown, Texas (20 miles to the west). The Coastal Bend Aviators are an independent minor league baseball team belonging to the American Association and the Corpus Christi Hammerheads are a professional indoor football team who play in the Intense Football League (IFL).

Corpus Christi Being a coastal city has always had a lure to it, but in the last decade we are seeing a large increase in family’s relocating to the city according to many Long Distance Moving Companies.

4 notes · View notes

majornelson · 6 years

Text

This Week’s Deals With Gold And Spotlight Sale Plus Publisher And Add-On Sale

Here are this week’s games and add-on deals on the Xbox Games Store. Discounts are valid now through 20 August 2018.

These deals will expire at 10:00 am UTC on Tuesday August 21st 2018

Xbox One Deals

Content Title Content Type Discount Notes Onrush Digital Deluxe Edition* Xbox One X Enhanced 50% DWG The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset* Xbox One X Enhanced 25% DWG Mordheim: City of the Damned – Complete Edition* Xbox One Game 75% DWG STAR WARS Battlefront II* Xbox One X Enhanced 85% DWG MX vs. ATV Supercross Encore* Xbox One Game 75% DWG Thumper* Xbox One X Enhanced 67% DWG Numantia* Xbox One Game 60% DWG Blood Bowl 2 – Legendary Edition* Xbox One Game 75% DWG Anima: Gate of Memories* Xbox One Game 40% DWG Blood Bowl 2* Xbox One Game 75% DWG Blood Bowl 2 – Lizardmen* Add-On 33% DWG Blood Bowl 2 – Official Expansion + Team Pack* Xbox One Game 33% DWG Blood Bowl 2 – Undead* Add-On 33% DWG Butcher* Xbox One Game 50% DWG Castles* Xbox One Game 40% DWG Demon’s Crystals* Xbox One Game 50% DWG The FMV Bundle* Xbox One Game 30% DWG Ginger: Beyond the Crystal* Xbox One Game 50% DWG Locks Quest* Xbox One Game 80% DWG Mordheim: City of the Damned* Xbox One Game 75% DWG Mordheim: City of the Damned – Complete DLC Pack* Xbox One Game 50% DWG One Hundred Ways* Xbox One Game 40% DWG Onrush* Xbox One X Enhanced 40% DWG The Raven Remastered* Xbox One Game 50% DWG Shift Quantum* Xbox One X Enhanced 35% DWG Sine Mora EX* Xbox One Game 67% DWG The Dwarves* Xbox One Game 80% DWG The Jackbox Party Pack* Xbox One Game 40% DWG Wizard of Legend* Xbox One X Enhanced 20% DWG Zenith* Xbox One Game 50% DWG WWE 2K18* Xbox One X Enhanced 67% DWG WWE 2K18 Digital Deluxe Edition* Xbox One Game 70% DWG WWE 2K18 Season Pass* Add-On 33% DWG ACA NEOGEO METAL SLUG Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’94 Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO ART OF FIGHTING Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO FATAL FURY 2 Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO ALPHA MISSION II Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO SAMURAI SHODOWN Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO THE KING OF MONSTERS Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO SUPER SIDEKICKS Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO BURNING FIGHT Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight ACA NEOGEO PUZZLED Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight Battlefield 1 Apocalypse Add-On 100% Spotlight Battlefield 1 Revolution Add-On 85% Spotlight Battlefield 1 Xbox One Game 85% Spotlight Battlefield 4 China Rising Add-On 100% Spotlight Battlefield 4 Naval Strike Add-On 100% Spotlight Call of Cthulhu Xbox One Game 10% Spotlight Death Road to Canada Xbox One Game 20% Spotlight Dovetail Games Euro Fishing Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Spotlight Euro Fishing: Castle Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Spotlight Euro Fishing: Bergsee Add-On 50% Spotlight Euro Fishing: Foundry Dock Add-On 50% Spotlight Euro Fishing: Lilies Add-On 20% Spotlight Euro Fishing: Manor Farm Lake Add-On 50% Spotlight Euro Fishing: Ultimate Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 15% Spotlight Euro Fishing: Urban Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Spotlight Euro Fishing: Waldsee Add-On 50% Spotlight Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Xbox One Game 60% Spotlight Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2: 2,500,000 Humongous Coins Pack Add-On 15% Spotlight Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2: Deluxe Edition Xbox One Game 60% Spotlight Rocket League Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight Warframe: 170 Platinum Xbox One Game 20% Spotlight Warframe: 370 Platinum Xbox One Game 25% Spotlight Warframe: 1000 Platinum + Rare Mod Xbox One Game 30% Spotlight Warframe: 2100 Platinum + Dual Rare Mods Xbox One Game 35% Spotlight Warframe: 3210 Platinum + Triple Rare Mods Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight Far Cry5 – Season Pass Add-On 20% Add-On Sale Destiny 2 – Expansion II: Warmind Add-On 50% Add-On Sale ARK: Scorched Earth Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Middle-earth: Shadow of War – Expansion Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Battlefield 1 Premium Pass Add-On 85% Add-On Sale Just Cause 3 XL Edition Add-On 80% Add-On Sale Tom Clancy’s The Division Season Pass Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Call of Duty: WWII – Season Pass Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed Origins – The Curse Of the Pharaohs Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed Origins – Deluxe Pack Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed Origins – Season Pass Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed Origins – The Hidden Ones Add-On 30% Add-On Sale ARK: Aberration Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag – Season Pass Add-On 75% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – Season Pass Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Ferrari 70th Anniversary DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Japanese Pack DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Performance Pack UPGRADE DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Porsche Pack #1 DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Porsche Pack Vol.2 DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Porsche Pack Vol.3 DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Prestige Pack DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Ready To Race DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Assetto Corsa – Red Pack DLC Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Batman: Arkham Knight – Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Battlefield 1 Heroes of the Great War Bundle Add-On 80% Add-On Sale Battlefield 1 Shortcut Kit: Ultimate Bundle Add-On 35% Add-On Sale Battlefield 4 Premium Add-On 75% Add-On Sale Battlefield 4 Ultimate Shortcut Bundle Add-On 75% Add-On Sale Battlefield Hardline Premium Add-On 75% Add-On Sale Battlefield Hardline Ultimate Shortcut Bundle Add-On 75% Add-On Sale Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Season Pass Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Cities: Skylines – Content Creator Pack Add-On 20% Add-On Sale Cities: Skylines – Natural Disasters Add-On 15% Add-On Sale Cities: Skylines – Radio Stations Pack Add-On 15% Add-On Sale Cities: Skylines – Season Pass Add-On 20% Add-On Sale Cities: Skylines – Snowfall Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Rise of the Tomb Raider – Cold Darkness Awakened Add-On 70% Add-On Sale GTA V – Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack and Great White Shark Card Bundle Add-On 35% Add-On Sale GTA V – Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack and Megalodon Shark Card Bundle Add-On 35% Add-On Sale GTA V – Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack and Whale Shark Card Bundle Add-On 35% Add-On Sale Dead by Daylight: A Nightmare on Elm Street Chapter Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Dead by Daylight: CURTAIN CALL Chapter Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Dead by Daylight: Head Case Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Dead by Daylight: Leatherface Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Dead by Daylight: The Halloween Chapter Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Dead by Daylight: The SAW Chapter Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Dead Rising 4 Season Pass Add-On 33% Add-On Sale Destiny 2 – Expansion 1 – Curse of Osiris Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer Add-On 35% Add-On Sale Dragon Age: Inquisition DLC Bundle Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Far Cry 4 Season Pass Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Far Cry Primal – Wenja Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands �� Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Ghost Recon Wildlands – Fallen Ghosts Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands: Narco Road Add-On 30% Add-On Sale GTA Online: Megalodon Shark Cash Card Add-On 15% Add-On Sale GTA Online: Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack Add-On 35% Add-On Sale Euro Fishing: Hunters Lake Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Injustice 2 – Ultimate Pack Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Just Cause 3: Bavarium Sea Heist Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Just Cause 3: Air Land & Sea Expansion Pass Add-On 75% Add-On Sale Just Cause 3: Mech Land Assault Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Just Cause 3: Sky Fortress Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Just Dance Unlimited – 12 months pass Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Just Dance Unlimited – 3 months pass Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris Icy Death Pack Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris Season Pass Add-On 85% Add-On Sale Euro Fishing: Le Lac d’Or Add-On 50% Add-On Sale LEGO Batman 3 Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale LEGO Marvel’s Avengers Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Season Pass Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Life is Strange: Before the Storm Deluxe Edition Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Madden NFL 18 Ultimate Team Starter Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mafia III Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite – Avenging Army Costume Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Black Panther Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Black Widow Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Character Pass Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Cosmic Crusaders Costume Pack Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Monster Hunter Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Mystic Masters Costume Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Premium Costume Pass Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Sigma Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Stone Seekers Costume Pack Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Venom Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – Winter Soldier Add-On 30% Add-On Sale Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite – World Warriors Costume Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor – Season Pass Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Monster Hunter World Deluxe Kit Add-On 35% Add-On Sale Monster Hunter World Additional Gesture Bundle 2 Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Monster Hunter World Additional Gesture Bundle 4 Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Mortal Kombat X – Kombat Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mortal Kombat X – XL Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mortal Kombat X – Kombat Pack 2 Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Call of Duty: MWR Variety Map Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Need for Speed Payback: All DLC cars bundle Add-On 50% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2 – CRIMEWAVE EDITION – THE BIG SCORE DLC Bundle! Add-On 30% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – Butcher’s Mod Pack Add-On 67% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – Gage Russian Weapons Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – Gage Spec Ops Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – GOAT Simulator Heists Add-On 50% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – John Wick Weapon Pack Add-On 67% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – Scarface Character Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – Scarface Heists Add-On 50% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – Sydney Character Pack Add-On 50% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Alesso Heist Add-On 67% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Butcher’s BBQ Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Butcher’s Western Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Gage Chivalry Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Gage Ninja Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Golden Grin Casino Heist Add-On 60% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Master Plan Add-On 60% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Most Wanted DLC Bundle Add-On 50% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Point Break Heist Add-On 50% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Sokol Character Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION – The Yakuza Character Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil 0 – Costume Pack 1 Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Resident Evil 0 – Costume Pack 2 Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Resident Evil 0 – Costume Pack 3 Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Resident Evil 0 – Costume Pack 4 Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Resident Evil 0 Complete Costume Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard – Banned Footage Vol. 1 Add-On 40% Add-On Sale RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard – Banned Footage Vol. 2 Add-On 40% Add-On Sale RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard – End of Zoe Add-On 20% Add-On Sale RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard – Season Pass Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Barry’s Commandant Costume Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Claire’s Rodeo Costume Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Episode Two: Contemplation Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Extra Episode: Little Miss Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Extra Episode: The Struggle Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Episode Four: Metamorphosis Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Moira’s Urban Ninja Costume Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Natalia’s Lottie Suit Costume Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Raid Mode Character: Albert Wesker Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Raid Mode Character: Hunk Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Raid Mode: Life Crystals X 25 Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Episode Three: Judgment Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Throwback Map Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Rise of the Tomb Raider Season Pass Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Pack Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Fast & Furious ’70 Dodge Charger R/T Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Fast & Furious DLC Bundle Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Aftershock Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Back to the Future Car Pack Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Car Pack Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – DC Super Heroes DLC Pack Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Esper Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Fast & Furious ’99 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Hot Wheels Bone Shaker Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Hot Wheels Twin Mill III Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Marauder Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Masamune Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Proteus Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – The Fate of the Furious Ice Charger Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Triton Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Rocket League – Vulcan Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Sniper Elite 3 – Hunt The Grey Wolf Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Sniper Elite 3: Save Churchill, Part 1 – In Shadows Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Sniper Elite 3: Save Churchill, Part 2 – Belly of the Beast Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Sniper Elite 3: Save Churchill, Part 3 – Confrontation Add-On 70% Add-On Sale South Park: The Fractured but Whole – SEASON PASS Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Steep Road to the Olympics Add-On 50% Add-On Sale STEEP Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Super Ultra Dead Rising 4 Mini Golf Add-On 25% Add-On Sale Surviving Mars – Deluxe Upgrade Pack Add-On 15% Add-On Sale Surviving Mars – Season Pass Add-On 15% Add-On Sale Surviving Mars – Stellaris Dome Set Add-On 15% Add-On Sale Euro Fishing: The Moat Add-On 50% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 City Living Add-On 50% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff Add-On 40% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 Dine Out Add-On 40% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 Get to Work Add-On 50% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 Luxury Party Stuff Add-On 40% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 Perfect Patio Stuff Add-On 40% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 Romantic Garden Stuff Add-On 40% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 Vampires Add-On 40% Add-On Sale The Sims 4 Vintage Glamour Stuff Add-On 40% Add-On Sale Trials Fusion Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale EA SPORTS UFC 3 – Bruce Lee Bundle Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Watch_Dogs2 – Season Pass Add-On 60% Add-On Sale WATCH_DOGS Season Pass Add-On 75% Add-On Sale XCOM 2: War of the Chosen Add-On 25% Add-On Sale Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Deluxe Xbox One Game 40% Pub Sale Call of Duty: WWII – Gold Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 40% Pub Sale Prototype Biohazard Bundle Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered Xbox One Game 40% Pub Sale Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Digital Deluxe Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Pub Sale Call of Duty: Ghosts Digital Hardened Edition Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale Call of Duty: WWII – Digital Deluxe Xbox One X Enhanced 40% Pub Sale Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition Xbox One Game 50% Pub Sale Call of Duty: Ghosts Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Launch Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 67% Pub Sale Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Digital Legacy Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Pub Sale Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale King’s Quest : The Complete Collection Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale Shiftlings Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale

*These offers are only valid for Xbox Live Gold members. Please note: prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by region.

Xbox 360 Deals

Content Title Content Type Discount Notes Worms Revolution* Arcade 75% DWG Worms 2: Armageddon* Arcade 75% DWG Worms* Arcade 75% DWG Metal Slug XX Backward Compatible 75% Spotlight The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match Arcade 75% Spotlight NEOGEO Battle Coliseum Arcade 75% Spotlight Metal Slug 3 Backward Compatible 75% Spotlight The King of Fighters – Sky Stage Arcade 75% Spotlight The King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match Arcade 75% Spotlight Garou -Mark of the Wolves- Backward Compatible 75% Spotlight Samurai Shodown II Backward Compatible 75% Spotlight The King of Fighters Neowave Backward Compatible 75% Spotlight Rise of the Tomb Raider Season Pass Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed IV Season Pass Add-On 75% Add-On Sale BioShock Infinite Season Pass Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 Season Pass Add-On 75% Add-On Sale Mortal Kombat Season Pass Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed III The Infamy Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed III The Betrayal Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Assassin’s Creed III The Redemption Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Rise of the Tomb Raider – Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Batman: Arkham Origins – Season Pass Add-On 60% Add-On Sale BioShock 2 Minerva’s Den Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Borderlands 2 Season Pass Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Season Pass Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Dragon Age: Origins – Leliana’s Song Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Dragon Age: Origins – Witch Hunt Add-On 50% Add-On Sale FAR CRY 4 – Valley of the Yetis Add-On 60% Add-On Sale FAR CRY 4 Hurk Deluxe Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale FAR CRY 4 Escape from Durgesh Prison Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Far Cry 4 Season Pass Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Injustice: Gods Among Us – Season Pass Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Life is Strange Season Pass (Episodes 2-5) Add-On 80% Add-On Sale Mass Effect 2: Arrival Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mass Effect 2: Kasumi – Stolen Memory Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mass Effect 2: Overlord Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mass Effect 3: Citadel (1 of 2) Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Mass Effect 3: From Ashes Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mass Effect 3: Leviathan Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Mass Effect 3: Omega Add-On 67% Add-On Sale Resident Evil 0 Complete Costumes Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil 5 – Desperate Escape Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Resident Evil 5 – Lost in Nightmares Add-On 50% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Costume Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Episode Two: Contemplation Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Episode Three: Judgment Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Episode Four: Metamorphosis Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Extra Episode: Little Miss Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Extra Episode: The Struggle Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Resident Evil Revelations 2 – Raid Mode: Throwback Map Pack Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Rise of the Tomb Raider: Endurance Mode Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Skate 3 – Danny’s Hawaiian Dream Add-On 60% Add-On Sale Sleeping Dogs – Nightmare In North Point Pack Add-On 85% Add-On Sale Sleeping Dogs – The Year of the Snake Add-On 85% Add-On Sale Sleeping Dogs – The Zodiac Tournament Pack Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Tomb Raider Underworld Add-On 90% Add-On Sale Lara Croft Tomb Raider Anniversary Add-On 90% Add-On Sale Tomb Raider: Legend Add-On 90% Add-On Sale Watch_Dogs Season Pass Add-On 70% Add-On Sale Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Backward Compatible 50% Publisher Sale Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Backward Compatible 25% Publisher Sale Destiny: The Taken King – Digital Collector’s Edition Games On Demand 67% Publisher Sale Call of Duty: Black Ops II Backward Compatible 67% Publisher Sale Call of Duty: Black Ops Backward Compatible 50% Publisher Sale Call of Duty: World at War Backward Compatible 50% Publisher Sale Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Bundle Games On Demand 67% Publisher Sale Destiny: The Taken King – Legendary Edition Games On Demand 67% Publisher Sale Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved Backward Compatible 67% Publisher Sale Carcassone Backward Compatible 50% Publisher Sale 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures Backward Compatible 40% Publisher Sale Golf: Tee It Up! Backward Compatible 40% Publisher Sale Gin Rummy Backward Compatible 40% Publisher Sale TimeShift Backward Compatible 50% Publisher Sale Assault Heroes 2 Backward Compatible 40% Publisher Sale Commanders: Attack of the Genos Backward Compatible 40% Publisher Sale Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 Backward Compatible 50% Publisher Sale

*These offers are only valid for Xbox Live Gold members. Please note: prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by region.

via Xbox Live's Major Nelson https://ift.tt/2MoKON6

#Xbox Live's Major Nelson

3 notes · View notes

takaraphoenix · 6 years

Note

Jimon & “Did you black out?” - “I feel like I’m gonna puke.”

Jace hadn’t meant to hook up with Simon.

He had meant to just day-drink in peace, frustrated with everything. Clary felt so guilty that she might have caused the issues Jace now had, so despite what she had said about being there for him, she didn’t support his decision to get professional help – she insisted that she could somehow talk to an Angel and find a better solution.

He understood that she felt guilty now, but… for the first time, Jace had something he could grasp. A lead to what was wrong with him. That there might be a way to help him. And finally, after talking to Alec and to Luke, Jace had accepted what might be wrong with him and Jace was ready to accept help too. It was a huge step and he had hoped that his sister by anything but blood, the sister who loved him enough to bring him back from the dead, would accept and support that.

While Clary was off doing who knew what to talk to an Angel, Jace found himself still benched and thus day-drinking at the Hunter’s Moon, where he ran into an equally frustrated Simon, who was happy to join him with some of the top-shelf plasma. Both of them shared their current misery – apparently, someone had canceled Simon’s gig, apparently Simon now had force-field powers, apparently the pack hated him even more than before, apparently Simon was frustrated that ever since Maia and Clary had gotten together, he found himself kind of lonely.

Both of them being equally wasted, they ended up kissing behind the Hunter’s Moon. And then Jace found himself at Simon’s place. In Simon’s bed. Naked and sprawled out beneath the vampire.

“We probably shouldn’t”, grunted Simon as he kissed down Jace’s torso.

“Probably”, grunted Jace in agreement and hooked a leg around Simon’s waist.

Probably, but oh did he want to. He had wanted to for so long now, if he was being honest. He had been flirting with Simon for so long now that he had started to believe that Simon was legit straight and not interested in him. He had called Simon pretty to his face. He had let Simon drink from him, had nearly given his own life to save Simon. But Simon remained blissfully unaware of Jace’s rather pathetic crush. So the surprise had been great when he had found himself pushed against the wall with the vampire’s mouth on his own. There was no way he could pass up on this chance.

“You’re gorgeous”, whispered Simon in awe as he traced Jace’s runes with his mouth.

Jace blushed and arched his back as Simon’s fangs scratched over his skin – not breaking it, but teasing. Groaning, Jace buried his fingers in Simon’s hair, pulling him up into a harsh kiss. Simon moaned into their kiss as Jace rolled them over and pinned the vampire beneath himself. He had been dying to explore Simon’s body for too long to now just lay there and enjoy Simon’s touch (as amazing as that was and as much as he wanted to feel more of it).

“You’re not that bad yourself, Mister Vice-President”, teased Jace with a smirk.

Simon laughed at that while Jace kissed down toward Simon’s naval. When he reached the vampire’s cock, he licked a broad, teasing stripe up and then wrapped his lips around the head. Simon made the most gluttonous sounds as he bucked up, hands clawed into Jace’s hair, tugging in a very pleasant way. Simon’s moans grew louder and louder, until he was close to his climax, so Jace backed off. Groaning in frustration, Simon stared up at him.

“Why did you sto—op? I was so close?”, complained Simon.

Grinning like a shark, Jace bent over Simon and whispered into his ear. “Well, if you want to come in my mouth. But I had kind of… different plans.”

To emphasize his point, he rubbed his ass against the hard cock. Simon started cussing a storm and stumbled to reach the nightstand and find condoms and lube. Jace raised his eyebrows surprised.

“What? I’m a very hopeful single man”, huffed Simon flustered.

“Well, you did get lucky tonight”, chuckled Jace and took both items from Simon.

Lubing up his own fingers, he sat up some – still straddling Simon’s waist – and started fingering himself. He moaned and arched his body and all Simon could do was watch in utter awe. Jace was gorgeous like that, opening himself up for Simon. Simon might have never seen anything as enchanting or beautiful. He only half remembered to actually put the condom on while Jace prepped himself. He genuinely couldn’t believe this was actually happening. When Jace pulled out of himself and came to hover over Simon’s cock, the vampire rested his hands on Jace’s thighs, gently caressing them in a soothing manner. Slowly, Jace lowered himself onto Simon’s dick, hands spread out on Simon’s chest for support. Once he was fully seated on Simon’s cock, Jace leaned down enough to kiss Simon rather passionately. Grunting into the kiss, Simon wrapped one arm around Jace’s neck, holding him close as they waited for Jace to adjust to the intrusion. When their kiss broke, Jace lifted himself up slightly and brought himself down again. Once more did Simon’s hands find their way to Jace’s thighs, then wandering up to hold Jace by the waist, fingers digging in and Simon suspected they’d leave bruises in the morning – but this felt far too intense for him to be able to fully concentrate. He was a moaning mess under Jace, fully giving in to the overwhelming feeling of Jace’s hot, tight ass gripping his cock, sliding up and down. The perspective of Jace like that, in the throws of pleasure, riding him, was the best damn sight ever.

“Fuck, shit, you”, groaned Simon as he belatedly remembered to get Jace off too.

Jace grinned amused by Simon’s eloquence, though Simon’s hand on his cock jerking him off wiped that grin off his face. With a drawn-out moan did Jace throw his head back, thrusting into Simon’s hand while fucking himself on Simon’s cock. After a couple of moments did Jace come all over Simon’s chest. Panting hard, Jace continued riding Simon until the vampire also came. Slowly, Jace got off Simon and collapsed next to him on the bed. Simon just wanted to get something to clean himself up, but Jace was quicker, licking Simon’s chest clean and cheekily keeping eye-contact with Simon. Flustered, Simon watched unblinking. This Shadowhunter was going to kill him. After Simon’s chest was clean, Jace laid back down again and Simon wrapped an arm around Jace’s shoulders, pulling the blonde close so Jace found himself with his head on Simon’s chest.

“…Nice new room. Actual bed and all”, drawled Jace as he got comfortable.

Simon huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, thanks. It’s nice living in an actual apartment.”

Jace hummed. He contemplated getting up, getting dressed and leaving to avoid an embarrassing morning after. But he felt sore and exhausted and Simon was really very comfortable.

/break\

Simon groaned when he woke up. His head hurt like a bitch. Why had he drunk that much last night? Right. Asshole wolf had canceled his gig. Blinking slowly, he turned toward the heavy weight on his chest. He blinked again when he saw the blonde hair sprawled out over his chest.

“…Jace?”, whispered Simon in disbelief. “Shit, how drunk were you?”

“Wha?”, grunted Jace as he woke up, nuzzling more into Simon’s chest.

“You had sex. With me”, grunted Simon wide-eyed. “And then you stayed for cuddles. Can’t tell which one is the most shocking. Did you black out?”

“I feel like I’m gonna puke”, groaned Jace as he rolled off Simon and spread his arms out.

“Please don’t in my bed!”, exclaimed Simon.

Jace flipped him off and glared as he got out of the bed. He winced and limped a little as he just grabbed the next-best piece of clothing – Simon’s old hoodie that was thrown over the chair – and put it on before leaving the bedroom. Simon stared in utter awe after Jace, only dressed in the hoodie, those long, well-trained legs bare and Simon’s hoodie on him. Falling back onto the bed, Simon took another moment to gather his thoughts. He had sex with Jace. They had both been beyond wasted, so it really didn’t mean anything and had nothing to do with his intense crush on the ridiculously beautiful Shadowhunter. Taking a deep breath, Simon also got out of bed and got dressed (more dressed than Jace, at least). When he left his bedroom, he found Jace exploring the apartment like a curious puppy, nudging everything and touching everything.

“…What are you doing there?”, grunted Simon amused.

“Is all this stuff yours?”, asked Jace curiously, tracing the keys on the keyboard.

“No. Roommate”, replied Simon, totally fascinated by the half-naked blonde.

Jace looked so soft. The hoodie was too large for Jace, Jace basically drowning in it (never had Simon been more happy that he had bought the hoodie two sizes too big to make sure it was extra-comfy). Jace’s hair was messy and not styled back, just gently falling into his face. Simon had the intense and overwhelming urge to just lean in and kiss Jace and then drag Jace back to bed to cuddle him for the next two hours or so, just holding him. Jace caught his lower lip between his teeth. Yes, Simon needed to kiss that boy right now.

“Strange”, hummed Jace, looking around. “I should probably be going.”

“…Right”, grunted Simon, disappointed.

/break\

“Why did you even come back if you were just going to side with him?!”

Jace flinched a little at the vampire’s anger. “He’s just doing his job, Simon.”

Simon looked so utterly betrayed by Jace. This had taken an entirely different turn than planned. Jace had gone to talk to the pack to see if they had canceled Jace’s gig and then gotten suspicious when it hadn’t been any of them. So he had returned to Simon’s apartment – which had been the plan. Because Jace really wanted to see Simon again, because Jace hadn’t wanted to leave. But his instincts were too overwhelming to just head for a second round with Simon. Instead, he noticed just how off that whole apartment seemed. Then they went into Kyle’s bedroom and that just sealed the deal. Moments later and Jace had a wolf pinned to the wall, ready to protect his vampire.

Only that the wolf wasn’t a threat. He was a Praetor. And now Simon looked at him like he was a traitor, like Jace had betrayed Simon’s trust. This was not how it was supposed to go.

/break\

In the end, apparently, Simon seemed to accept Kyle. And he also seemed to forgive Jace because he smiled at Jace and looked at Jace while singing. Jace’s heart jumped as he felt like Simon was directly singing for him. Which was stupid and not what was happening. Kyle huffed as he sat down on Jace’s right, looking curious but also slightly annoyed.

“So, you’re the boyfriend, huh?”, asked Kyle, both eyebrows raised.

“What?”, scoffed Jace. “He’s the friend of a friend.”

“…I’m a werewolf”, snorted Kyle. “The apartment reeked of sex when I got home this morning and your scent was all over everything. Which really riled my inner wolf up, because you basically marked everything in my territory with your scent. Seems you had the need to mark your territory too. Namely, one Simon Lewis, huh?”

Jace blushed rather brightly at that and shrugged. “We had sex. That’s it.”

“Sure. And that’s why he’s currently singing a love-song for you”, nodded Kyle dryly.

Frowning annoyed, Jace wanted to protest, but… Simon was still staring at him. And singing. Very softly. The song was also gorgeous, another one of Simon’s originals. It was very metaphorical, about true love and angels and such. A bit cheesy, but not bad. Wait. A golden angel. With true love glowing. No. No, those were just bad metaphors for love. That wasn’t about him, right?

Flustered, Jace essentially ran out of the bar. Not that he’d ever admit that, but… This was a bit much to handle. Why would Simon sing a song that sounded like it was dedicated to Jace…?

/break\

“Holy shit, you have the most emo new hide-out. Wait. Is this a tower? Wow. This is amazing. And you have a fire-place! And a piano and like… a gazillion candles on top of having lamps…? What kind of overly intense aesthetic thing were you trying here? This room is so extra.”

Jace blinked slowly as he watched the rambling vampire invade his personal space. Jace had just been laying on his bed, only in his sweat-pants, being frustrated with the day’s events. But then Simon had barged into his room and now Simon was inspecting everything.

“What are you doing here?”, asked Jace confused.

“I figured, we should… talk”, shrugged Simon. “Izzy showed me to your new room.”

“Talk?”, echoed Jace doubtfully, glaring a little as Simon just sat down next to him.

“We had sex. We were super drunk and I figured we’d just mutually agree to forget about it but then you spent the whole day doing strange nearly stalkerish but nice things for me and threatening my roommate for me and I’m confused where we stand exactly, so I figured I’d do what I do best – channel it into my music. But then you ran out while I was singing, so yeah… Let’s talk.”

“So you were singing for me?”, asked Jace unsure. “But when did you have time to write that?”

“Maybe like… a month ago or so? When I first saw you glow”, shrugged Simon.

“…But that was… Why?”, asked Jace with a confused frown.

“Well, yeah. I’ve been kind of had a thing for you for… a little while”, replied Simon flustered.

“Oh. Uhm. Okay. I… might also have kind of a thing for you”, admitted Jace reluctantly. “Clary’s been pushing me to tell you for a while… because she knew you…?”

“Yeah, but I made her promise not to tell anyone”, chuckled Simon. “But if she knew of us both, it must have been intensely frustrating for Clary… Maybe we should do something nice for her?”

“Like what?”, asked Jace, slowly leaning in more and more.

“Maybe invite her and Maia out on a double-date to say sorry?”, offered Simon, bridging the last bit and kissing Jace slowly. “I know the perfect restaurant for that.”

“Double-date, huh? Like… a date, between you and me?”, whispered Jace.

Simon nodded as Jace wrapped his arms around Simon’s shoulders as they kissed again. By the end of the kiss, Jace was sitting on Simon’s lap, lips swollen as he stared at the vampire. They kissed for a little while longer, before both of them curled together on Jace’s bed. This time, Jace just got to fall asleep in Simon’s arms, with the smallest smile on his lips, matched by the smile Simon wore.

Read this here on AO3 & here on FFNet

#jimon #simon lewis #jace wayland #jace herondale #jace lightwood #shadowhunters #phoe's tumblr drabbles #fanfiction #sh spoilers #s03e05 #Naughty List #anonymous #otp: only a matter of time

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alanjporterwriter · 4 years

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Books Read in 2020 #90 - “Indianapolis” by Lynn Vincent & Sara Vladic. Simply put this is an outstanding narrative history, one of the best I’ve ever read. On July 30, 1945 the cruiser Indianapolis with 1200 souls onboard was sunk by a Japanese submarine. 900 went into the water where for four long days they suffered from unimaginable horrors, including being attacked by packs of sharks. Only 316 survived. It was the worst disaster in US naval history. The tale here is not just one of sinking and survival; it’s an expertly woven tale of the ship, her history, the men who sailed her, and the families they left behind. It’s also the story of a systematic wall of silence protecting those who placed the ship in danger, and failed to react to her fate, the scapegoating of her Captain, and the fifty-year fight to exonerate him. Fascinating, horrific, emotional, and moving This is a compelling read whether you’ve never heard of the Indianapolis or are already familiar with her story.

#books #review #2020reads

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slamsams-blog · 4 years

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For Your Eyes Only - #24WeeksofBond

This week we travel back in time to 1981 with “For Your Eyes Only” - also could be known as “When Bond Came Back to Earth”. Roger Moore’s films had been getting a little cartoony and comical, and then they put Bond in space with “Moonraker”, essentially jumping the shark. They had taken Bond as far as they could take him, and now they needed to bring the series back down to earth and give it a fresh coat of paint. “For Your Eyes Only” is a story of two governments vying for the same prize while also being a tale of revenge. This movie has its moments, and plenty of layers - but in my view, just misses the mark on excitement.

Roger Moore is back in the saddle of Bond, only because they couldn’t find a replacement. Moore was having his reservations about playing the role due to his age, and after his original contract expired after “The Spy Who Loved Me”, Moore signed a film by film deal, where there were essentially no strings attached. If they felt that they needed Moore, and if Moore wanted another payday, then we got Moore Bond. (see what I did there?). You definitely start seeing Moore’s age more noticeably starting with this movie - but he’s still not “A View To A Kill” old yet so we are still in the clear.

What I do like is how they used his age here. After meeting a young olympic skater in training, she starts smitten with Bond right away, and Moore plays the uncomfortable and awkwardness perfectly. Moore was an excellent eye actor. His ability to clue you in on Bond’s inner thoughts by acting with his eyes is something I’ve always appreciated with Roger’s movies. As they say in comedy, less is Moore...(ok, I’ll stop). But one of my favorite moments in this film is when the skater Bibi (Lynn-Holly Johnson) is in Moore’s bed inviting him for some good times, Bond says in such a Roger Moore way - “Yes well, you get your clothes on...and I’ll buy you an ice cream.” That line makes me chuckle literally every time.

Let’s talk about this pre-title sequence shall we? In one of the more memorable scenes in this rather un-memorable movie is the opening. Lots to unpack here. We open up with Bond at Teresa Bond’s grave, his one and only true love. This is again, one of the rare through lines throughout this franchise. We know how Bond’s parents died when he was a kid, we know SPECTRE, and we know Bond’s wife was killed. So here we are with Bond Moore-ning his late wife...(that was the last one). He is told that MI6 is coming to get him via helicopter. Bond gets in only for the helicopter to be hijacked by a familiar bald head. Blofeld makes a random appearance here after not being seen or heard from since “Diamonds are Forever”. I always found this odd. But anyway, Blofeld takes over the helicopter by remote control to have some fun at Bond’s expense. But Bond manages to get to the driver’s seat after hanging on to the side of the chopper as Blofeld is trying to knock him off. It’s a wonderfully intense scene.

Bond gets to the driver seat, and this is where Blofeld always manages to muck it up. This is why Blofeld never took care of Bond, because he lets him GET TO THE DAMN DRIVER’S SEAT! Bond takes control and scoops up Blofeld (who is in a wheel chair with a neck brace for some unknown reason) and dumps him down a huge chimney. Now story has it, they were not legally able to use Blofeld and SPECTRE anymore because Kevin Mclory (the Thunderball producer who you can read about in my Thunderball blog) owned the rights to them because of his legal victory in obtaining the rights of the Thunderball story. How annoying is that? So they never say his name, and this scene was meant to be a statement to Mr. Mclory that they didn’t need those characters anymore and that they were literally dumping them.

I thought maybe this time around, I would discover a connection between that scene and the rest of the film...but no. That opening is humorous and action packed, but it’s all for nought because it has nothing to do with anything. The real story begins with a naval fleet that has an “ATAC” being attacked by an unknown source. This ATAC is an important control unit that is able to fire ballistic missiles where ever you want. If fallen into the wrong hands, it could be a disaster. Of course Russia is involved, and they are trying to get it along with England.

But another layer to the story is that a man in Greece, who was contacted by MI6 to get it, is gunned down with his wife in front of their daughter who ends up being Melina Havelock (Carole Bouquet). They really had an opportunity here with Melina. She had a dark, and dangerous look and strapped her with a crossbow after she witnessed her parents die. These were the ingredients for a DC Comics type superhero. I think they wanted to make her full Green Arrow, but were maybe afraid to go too far away from the damsel in distress type that Bond girls had a reputation for. She has these moments where she attacks from the shadows, but still cries for James when she’s in trouble. The balance is just off, and it makes the character weaker than she should be. Not Carole’s fault, just poor writing.

Bond goes to Greece where he meets Kristatos (Julian Glover) who tells him the man who payed off the guy who killed Melina’s father was is working for a man named Columbo (Topol). So Bond starts to dig more, but keeps getting hunted down by men trying to stop him from the truth. Almost everyone Bond comes into contact with in this film ends up dead. Something is going on and Bond is forced to have eyes in the back of his head. We get some fun scenes along the way here with a car chase where Bond is driving a ragged Beetle, and a fun ski chase with awesome “Shaft” style music.

Bond kills Locgue (the man who payed the parent assasin) and is now on the hunt for Columbo. This movie is like a video game where there are all these different levels, and every level has a boss. Bond is now ready for the “big boss”; the Bowser or Gannon, if you will.

But Columbo finds him and convinces Bond that Kristatos is the real Bowser. Topol is great in this movie, he was primarily known for his broadway career, but he is able to bring all that charm to the screen and does a wonderful job of making you love him. Bond and Columbo are now working together and they go to infiltrate Kristato’s lair. This scene also gives me the willy’s. Bond has to be an epic mountain climber, but gets caught and kicked off. We see Bond free falling like Tom Petty until his rope catches him. That’s the stuff of nightmares there.

Anyway, they storm the castle, kill Kristatos, and destroy the ATAC so nobody has it. Leaving no country to worry about them using it against any other country. Yay. Feels like a pretty hollow accomplishment at the end. But at least we get a funny parody of Margaret Thatcher speaking to a parrot who she thinks is Bond. Not sure how accurate the parody was back then, but I’m sure it got roars of laughter?

To me, while we have a decent amount of action like the yacht scene where Kristatos is pulling Bond and Melina through the shark filled waters - the film falls short of any color what so ever. This movie is littered with forgettable characters and villains that don’t leave you as the viewer feeling invested. And while the plot may be deep and layered, the execution of it is just sleepy and un inspired. This sort of begins the twilight of the Moore Bond films, and little did the producers know that they would get two more films out of him.

Well that’s it for me this week. What did you all think? Let me hear you!

Reviews from Friends:

Jake Benrud

The Blofeld scene is comical. He could have killed Bond so much easier than that. His downfall is he lets him get out of his sight and assume it all goes according to plan. I guess that's the story with any Bond Villain. Similar to Dr. Evil's, "I'm going to leave them alone and not actually witness them dying, I'm just gonna assume it all went to plan. What?" This one I don't understand why the Olympic skater was infatuated with Bond. He's so old in this one. Also, that's possibly the worst car anti-theft system ever.

24 Weeks of Bond will return next Monday with -

The Man With the Golden Gun

#James Bond #Roger Moore #for your eyes only #Topol #24WeeksofBond

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