#so her new goal becomes to form a new civilization from its remnants

[smalllonelyegg]

My Own Headcanon to Echani Society bc Why TF Not

Most of this was kinda drafted up by me for the sake of a half Echani OC who went from merely lashing out however she could vs the Empire to attempting to nationbuild, as well as grow as a person, and learn to find value in living, so a lot of it was considered with that in mind, and as such it will not be particularly applicable for your purposes. May this serve more as loose inspiration or an alternate take at best. Also warning Eshan here is meant to be *terrible.*

Echani Command was not merely subservient to the Empire, but enjoyed a position of privilege by them. In exchange for treating Imperial officials equivalent to high caste Echani, including access to training in the Echani martial arts, they enjoy relative freedom, being allowed to maintain their own law enforcement, prevent their businesses being nationalized, and generally enjoyed a lax, comparatively unsupervised, existence under imperial rule

Eshan itself is a colonialist planet, having taken the other of the "Six Sisters" in order to exploit their resources

Echani rule was dictated largely by eugenics. People were sorted into castes depending on supposed "genetic worth," a remnant of their time as an experiment of the Arkanians. Low caste echani face various socio-political hurdles, such as access to education and autonomy

Echani of any variety are not permitted to choose their own romantic or sexual partners. Marriage is based on computations over ideal genetic combinations, and are limited to within a caste. To break this is to drop to the lowest rung of the caste system, along with the offspring of such combinations, and those who openly sympathize and teach low caste people.

Battle, other than a means of communication, is seen as a test of "genetic value." To succeed in combat is to show you are of greater worth than your opponent.

While it becomes frequent for low caste people to enlist in Imperial Academy to escape from the burdens it provides, it carries some degree of social stigma, as while imperials are treated as high caste in a legal sense, in addition to xenophobia leading to a sense of superiority to imperials, low ranking officers and conscripts are often seen as "not worthy" of these privileges. These generally go unsaid, privileged as Command is, imperial rule still holds true.

In addition to the assigned Imperial Governor, leadership was held by High Council, with each member effectively serving as an autocrat over the system they represent- though they still would post their own governors to manage on a smaller scale

Position of Councilor may be won in ritual combat with the current holder of said position. While nothing legally prevented lower caste members doing this, combat education beyond the very basics was limited based on caste, such that in effect only the highest castes may possibly claim rulership. This all builds to a symbolic representation of "genetic purity"- where combat prowess is seen as a measure of genetic strength, to be councilor is to assert genetic superiority over all but the other councilors

Combat is primarily conceived of as dialectics materialized, where strength in combat is representative of the strength of a party's ideals. To win is to let your convictions be heard, and while all but the most traditionalist echani judges find victory in combat something that binds one to action legally, to not follow the victor is seen as incredibly cowardly

While High castes are given a theoretically large amount of freedom, they nonetheless face great social pressures, as deviance from social norm is highly associated with "poor genetics" pressure is thus applied to "perform genetic value"

More lighthearted

Eshan's surface is near uninhabitable due to its scorching sun, a white star named Esh. As a result, nearly all life there dwells in the vast cave system spanning the entire planet beneath its surface

Due to the nature of Eshan, much of Echani diet is centered on fungi. Mushroom stew is an incredibly common dish, with many households having their own unique takes on how it should be made

Most animals on Eshan are insects, though many have evolved to convergently resemble other creatures such as mammals at a glance. Traditional Echani armor, though almost never seen outside museums, are made of their exoskeletons, being flexible, though still durable

Echani diplomats and senators are very frequently taught they *can't* challenge people to a duel. This has to be heavily stressed

Echani funeral garb is white, while the garb of the deceased is to be black

Weapons of Echani firedancers are often derived from farming or foraging tools, such as sickle like tools that were designed to scrape lichens from rock- This is allegedly because of a legendary farmer who, upon finding his village razed by bandits, killed all of them with a scythe. It is said his rage burned hotter than the burning village homes

Echani alertness can be a double edged blade- horror stories can get an extreme reaction from even seasoned echani warriors. Offworlders who bring holovids have often been told to ensure any media like that is to be hidden or disposed of

Many Echani clothes are constructed out of silk created from the cocoons of a particular species of insect. These clothes are often designed to be quick to take off, should a fight start and they prove too restrictive. Most Echani do not see any possible symbolism from this, coincidental or otherwise

Post war, many echani writers ruminated on the nature of battle droids. In a culture where combat serves as a form of communication, what is to be said of constructs who don't have any larger point to communicate, who simply fight because it was what they were made and ordered to do. Many echani tend to be put off by these droids, who come across as uncanny.

Echani made products used to fetch high prices in galactic markets, often being handmade artisanal products of high quality. As automation developed more and more, however, these items became more and more novelty: armies could be armed with state of the art blasters for the price demanded for a set of echani vibroswords. Echani attempts to automize struggled, often being low quality, not only in comparison to their specialty items but also in comparison to other similar competitors. As a result, Eshans economy began to center more and more on raw materials. Ironically, some of the biggest consumers of echani materials is MadalMotors.

[ember-is-cool]

Nature Walk

A while ago back when I was finishing my spring semester of college. I was being drawn toward nature. Of course I wrote something for it when I did. It was for a presentation night I had for creative writing club. Last night I was reminded of the writing I did for that night. I realized how good it was and I thought of posting it here.

I make my way to the trail. Paved over railway tracks, industry turned to public domain. The day is overcast, a small breeze blows against my body. The wind’s chill trying to get to my skin. I’ve been drawn here not by someone, but by something. A feeling I guess. My feelings are a bit too complex to put into words, though I will try. I'm happy with my life as it is now. Though an overcast day more matches my mood more than any sun shining overhead. There is still beauty on this cloudy day. My emotions may match the ever present sky overhead, but there is still beauty. 

Early spring is a time of rebirth. I feel I am doing the same as the buds on the trees. Growing new into something I can be proud of. A new life the way I want to live it. My dreams being the most important thing, no one else's. I have been depressed most of my life. I forgot - no - I never knew how to live my life for myself. Dreams, my own dreams for my life goals seemed unreachable. 

I can’t help but take out my phone and take pictures of hidden beauty. Rocks, flowers, trees in early bloom, all a part of this thing we call a world. A world I live in. At times the river’s edge becomes unwalkable and I find my way to the trail once again. Remnants of the past dot the edge of the trail and river. 

My thoughts are nearly incoherent now. A few deep breaths help to center myself back into my body. My ritualistic stopping and starting, taking pictures of anything I find. The emotions that wash over me start to form into something. A thought, a phrase. I know I'm happy, for my friends, family, and the unique life I get to live, but I still feel the clouds overhead. I feel happy though a dull gray permeates my thoughts at all times. 

The paved path turns to gravel, as I see rain dot the ground. Nature seems to want to take anything into her grasp. She would swallow me up too if I let her. Gentle vines would grow over my body, as grass spouts from my eyes, young trees from my fingertips. Again I find myself at the river. The water has patches of rapids that calm into slow moving stretches. Trash litters the water’s edge, a reminder of the effect we have on nature.

My problems are much smaller than something like climate change. Again that thought hits me. I know I'm happy, but why do I still feel lost? I’ve lived most of my life without purpose. A deer in headlights when faced with real life. No longer sheltered by childhood, as if I would even remember it. I can wake from my bed ready to start the day, but do so happily and conflicted. Still having that feeling of needing to run away from my life. Aren’t I happy with it? I know I am. 

My phone's camera seems to see more than I can. More light, contrast, and detail. An old power station retrofitted with new parts to feel new. “Refurbished”. The rusted metal still visible all imperfections on display. Though it’s still in use. Given purpose again. Nature blocked out by a sturdy wire fence. Still signs warn of the danger of high voltage. Dangers of getting too close to this old place. Trying to hide its rough and tarnished past with new parts. 

I am starting to question if I'm happy. What do I do with my life as it is? I have no one anymore. Just me. Independence in its full nakedness. With eras of my life defined by lovers, how do I live with just myself? Maybe I'm not happy. Maybe I need someone to be happy. Though this doesn’t line up with what I feel. 

A bench, a place to rest, a piece of some civilization. It has company. Tubes shoot from the ground with small trees inside. Once in their place were giants, trees of real magnitude. Now only sit the saplings and this bench. Like a living grave yard. These tubes were left as markers for those that used to live here. Their young planted here in their place. The river comes to greet me again as I walk along into “private property”.

A small marsh comes into view as I begin to make sense of my head. A feeling that sticks with me as I am now. A somber happiness. Feeling that is hard to describe, but feels right. A content happiness I guess I would call it. Something that lets you enjoy your daily life, but still holds you in a choke hold. A feeling that drives me here in these woods. A feeling of needing to escape the confinement of life, but still liking living in my cage. The cold ghost of depression is still falling close enough to give me a spine tingling chill. Though not close enough to kill me. Happy with this conclusion I start to make my way back as I end my nature walk.

I really really like this work. It was a lot of fun making it too. I did have a slide show that came along with it. The idea was I read this while the slide show was going. The presentation night was great and I hope you all like this as much as I do!

[mayquita]

Damn You For Making Me Love You (9/15) - Wonderwall

Thank you so so much, for your likes, reblogs, kudos and comments. It means the world to me.

Beta-Reader: Thank you so much, @ultraluckycatnd​​​ I couldn’t have asked for a better beta. Thank you for all your effort, your suggestions, your advice and for always being there when I needed you.

Special mention to @saraswans​​ and @onceuponaprincessworld​​​, thank you so much for your perpetual support and for believing in me and in the story. Thank you again to the moderators of the event, @captainswanbigbang​​​ for giving us this opportunity and making this possible. You all are the best :)

Summary: Emma Swan and Killian Jones are close friends and co-workers. And both are in love with each other. The problem? They keep their feelings secret not only to the other but also to the rest of their friends. When Elsa, Emma’s best friend and Liam, Killian’s brother and Emma’s boss find out, they decide to form an alliance and work as a team with a clear goal, to get Emma and Killian to take the next step in their relationship and confess their love for each other.

Rating: M

Word count: ~ 6200 (98k total in 15 chapters)

Ao3 / FFnet

About this chapter: New flashback with a new song included. This chapter also includes one of my favorite scenes so far. And… movie night may not go as expected…

//

Chapter 8: Wonderwall

Emma - Two years ago

It was strange for Emma to be reluctant to go to work, at least since she had begun her journey at The Kraken. There was a reasonable explanation for this occasion, though. She was upset with Killian.

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was aware that it had been a stupid fight. One minute they were bickering about nonsense, as was their usual practice, and the next minute the quarrel had become heated, voices raised more than necessary, to the point that Emma had lost her patience. After showing her middle finger and muttering a fuck you, she had left the bar without even waiting to finish her shift.

Now less than twenty-four hours later, Emma still felt some anger running through her veins. Instead of a burning sensation, however, it was more like a warm flood with a persistent presence, which seemed to weaken as the hours progressed, but hadn’t disappeared altogether.

She certainly didn't enjoy being mad at Killian, since that only added more fuel to the fire swirling inside her. It was as if she couldn't help teasing him on a daily basis. But at the same time, she was afraid to push too hard, risking him getting tired of her or, worse, realize that she wasn't worth the effort. It wouldn't be the first time, would it? After all, they were just friends and coworkers. 

The fact that neither Killian nor his brother had tried to contact her after the fight did not help calm her inner turmoil and even made her less inclined to go to the bar and face them. 

But Emma wasn't a coward. She had dealt with worse. What was the worst that could happen? Being fired? Nah, she was too valuable for The Kraken. Losing Liam's trust? That would hurt, but after all, Liam hadn't even witnessed the argument, since he had appeared from the back room just as she left. Losing Killian's friendship? A shiver ran down her spine at that possibility. No, it was only a small quarrel that had gotten out of hand. She was going to enter the damn bar, find Killian, and they were both going to have a civilized conversation like the two adults they were, right?

Those were the thoughts that ran through her head when she finally gained enough courage to open the door and enter the premises. Any coherent thought vanished from her mind, though, when her eyes fell on Killian, who was — how could it be otherwise— in the middle of the stage, guitar in hand.

Whatever he was singing, he stopped at the moment their eyes met. Emma held her breath as her heart pounded hard against her ribcage. The moment her gaze drifted to his lips meeting a warm smile, she let out a sigh of relief.

When he began singing after giving her one last intense look with the ability to shake her inside, she realized that her fears had proved unfounded, that today wasn't going to be the day Killian got tired of her. She hoped that day would never come.

 Today is gonna be the day That they're gonna throw it back to you By now you should've somehow Realized what you gotta do I don't believe that anybody Feels the way I do, about you now

 The remnants of her anger melted away as the lyrics of the song penetrated her system and traveled straight to her heart, adding another new crack to the almost impenetrable shell that protected it.

She remained there in the middle of the room, unable to take her eyes off him, while her lips moved on their own, a soft humming sliding between them while the two of them advanced in unison through the melody. A strong sense of deja-vu seized her, transporting her to that time two years ago, when they first met in a similar situation.

 There are many things that I Would like to say to you but I don't know how Because maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me And after all, you're my wonderwall

 My Wonderwall… She tried not to read much in the meaning of the lyrics, and convinced herself that the choice of the theme hadn't been planned, that he simply enjoyed Oasis and Wonderwall was one of his favorite songs. Still, that didn't stop a small spark of hope from lighting her heart. It was a dangerous feeling, she was aware of it, since that spark could either become a fire or weaken until she was surrounded by darkness again.

The last strums from the guitar brought her back to reality. She shook those thoughts away, remembering at that moment the possible reason for his improvised performance.

"So, is this your way of asking me to make up?" Emma asked, trying to use a carefree tone.

"Is it working?" Somehow he managed to get his features to show an apologetic expression while keeping a playful gleam in his eyes as his lips drew an adorable pout, getting her heart to melt a little more in the process. He was too charming for his own good.

"Uhm. I'm not sure yet."

"Come on, Swan. It was just a tiny disagreement that maybe got a little out of hand, but..." He paused as he scratched behind his ear, his eyes cast down to the floor for a moment. "I don't like you being mad at me," he admitted, looking back at her.

She held his gaze, losing herself in the depth of the ocean in his eyes. Only when she realized that her lips remained sealed, she blinked, breaking the spell. "I don't like you being mad at me either." She shrugged, her lips curving in a half-smile.

"Well, I suppose that means you have already made peace. Can we go back to work now?" Liam's unexpected voice caused a startle in her. Emma's eyes followed the direction of the sound until she found her boss walking from the back room. She bit her lower lip feeling a little embarrassed since she hadn't even noticed Liam's presence — or rather his absence — until that moment. She cast a sidelong glance at Killian who responded by winking at her before leaving the stage.

Just as Emma turned in the direction of the bar, she felt Killian's presence right behind her. "By the way, I guess we have already found our make-up song, haven't we?" His warm breath caressed her ear for a moment before walking away without looking back.

The bastard was right. That might be the first time he used Wonderwall as a sort of apology, but it certainly wouldn't be the last. The song had found its place in their particular soundtrack, no doubt.

//

Emma - December 2019

The night had become torture but not the kind Emma was waiting for, much to her dismay. The new plan developed by Liam and Elsa seemed promising at first — It was a perfect excuse to spend time with Killian. Not that she needed any reason for it, honestly, but it was turning out to be a disaster, at least for her.

They had gathered in the Jones' apartment, Anna and Kristoff joining them to enjoy what they called a Movie Night. The night had started well, they all settled into the living room while they watched a movie. Killian at her side, his arm around Emma's shoulders, her hand on his thigh, close to his knee. The dim lighting, the good company, and the warm atmosphere made her feel comfortable. She didn't need anything else. Well, that wasn't true, but she couldn't ask for more given her situation.

Things had begun to change for the worse when, after finishing the movie they were watching, they decided to continue the Movie Night by starting a new activity, playing a game of charades to guess movies through mimicry.

Emma had never been a fan of this kind of game, first because she had grown up in an environment where family games were not usual for obvious reasons. In addition, she had always considered herself quite competitive, taking things very seriously even if she was playing with friends.

Still, she had made an effort at first. Emma couldn't deny that she felt a little over the edge lately. She wasn't sure of the reasons, but she suspected that perhaps the escalation of feelings swirling inside her had something to do with her frequent mood swings.

Since the week before, she had spent more time being angry than in a good mood. She didn't want to become a killjoy once again, so she had decided to give the game a chance.

At least Killian and Emma had ended up on the same team. That was a positive point, right? They formed a good team and since the game was inevitable, her competitive side wasn't going to accept anything less than victory. Kristoff was the third member of their team. Opposite them, Elsa, Liam, and Anna were the members of the rival team. Emma suspected that the distribution had been somehow rigged by Elsa and Liam, but she didn't really care as long as Killian was on her side.

Her good intentions lasted only a few minutes, though. The moment they started playing, she remembered the reason she had been reluctant at first. She hated this damn game. Liam and Elsa were really connected. Anna and Kristoff helped each other despite belonging to rival teams. On the contrary, there was no understanding between Emma and Killian. 

"What's wrong with you? Can't you see my hands? It's a fucking shark!"

"What? Do you mean your joined hands as if you were praying? I have a vivid imagination, love... but that... that wasn't a bloody shark."

"Guys... it's just a game." Elsa, showing off her usual composure, addressed them in a calm voice. After taking a last sidelong glance at Killian, Emma pressed her lips together and let it pass, dropping onto the couch and keeping silent. The peace did not last long, though.

It was extremely frustrating. No matter what she tried, Killian almost never managed to figure out any of her movies. When it was Killian's turn to do the charades, Kristoff guessed the movie even before Emma had figured out what Killian was trying to express.

"Let yourself go, Swan. It's like you are restrained and don't let your body language express itself freely."

Emma's frustration was transforming into growing annoyance towards him to the point that she had to suppress the urge to punch him in the face. "Oh, of course, I'm the problem in all this, right?" she snapped, noticing how the anger began to run through her veins without her being able to do anything to stop it.

Deep down, she was aware that she was being irrational, that she was getting mad at her best friend for a stupid game. But her level of agitation in recent days was taking the reins lately by inciting her to act this way, pushing and challenging him. It was as if she was looking for a reaction from him, just itching for a fight.

"I didn't mean that, Swan."

"And what did you mean? Enlighten me, buddy," she challenged him with her arms crossed over her chest and her chin raised slightly.

"Forget it..."

Killian at this point was getting angry too. His frown and his clenched jaw gave him away, but that didn't stop her from keep insisting. "Wasn't I like an open book for you? Maybe it's you who has the problem; maybe it's you who doesn't understand me."

"Guys..." This time it was Liam being the one trying to keep the peace, but his brother raised a finger to cut him off before he advanced a couple of steps, almost invading Emma's personal space and stared at her with fire in his gaze.

"Do you think I don't understand you? I think it's rather that you're afraid to express yourself, to reveal too much. That's why this bloody game isn't working."

Killian's eyes bore into hers with such intensity that she felt as if a spell had fallen on her, making her unable to look away as a chill ran down her spine at the overwhelming sensation that Killian was not talking about the game anymore, but rather he was reading right into her very soul. Damn Bastard.

She blinked a few times to break the spell, but that didn't stop the fire in Killian's gaze from still threatening to burn her inside, so she felt the need to protect herself in some way, although she wasn't sure who was she protecting herself from — From him or from herself? 

The bad thing was that the only resource she found — apart from running — was to behave like a spoiled girl. And that was precisely what she did. "Okay, since apparently I don't know how to play, you better go on without me," she mumbled, dropping into the armchair, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So you give up."

Killian's voice full of disappointment acted like an arrow piercing Emma's heart. She didn't even dare to look at him for fear of the expression she might find.

"Emma, come on. We're doing this to have fun. Who cares if we guess more or fewer movies?" Although Emma was grateful for Liam's conciliatory attempt, she was no longer in the mood.

Her boss wasn't the only one who tried to convince her to continue in the game. The two sisters also tried. Elsa crouched down to her level and addressed her in her usual calm tone as she gave her a meaningful look. Even Kristoff, who normally did not get involved in such situations, also tried to cheer her up. "We can always switch teams. What do you think about boys versus girls?"

She felt grateful, really, but all those attempts, far from helping her, were causing her mood to become bleaker as a sense of guilt settled in the pit of her stomach and old demons decided to pay her a visit in the form of a reminder that she really didn't deserve all of their attentions after her childish behavior. Still, she was tempted to reconsider and return to the game. She almost did it. But then Killian had to speak, throwing it all away.

"Don't even try. I already got tired of this game anyway."

Emma’s stomach twisted in regret. Seriously, what's wrong with me lately? Although she tried to avoid it, she couldn't resist the urge to cast a sidelong glance at Killian, who had also dropped into the armchair in front of her and wore a grim expression.

"Come on! Stop acting like kids. You two are infuriating." Liam's words did not surprise Emma, since it wasn't the first time he addressed them that way, although this time his voice showed more annoyance than on other occasions, where he normally used a rather amused tone.

Well done, Emma. You have managed to ruin the night for everyone. Her cheeks began to burn with a mixture of shame and regret, tears pricking at the back of her eyes so she had to blink a few times to keep them from falling.

"It's okay. It's a movie night, isn't it? We can continue watching a movie, right?" Emma was never as grateful to have a friend as Elsa as at that moment, always coming to her rescue without losing her composure. No doubt Elsa knew her well enough to know what she needed at all times. The lump formed in her throat prevented her from uttering any sound, so she merely gave Elsa a look of gratitude while she mouthed a silent thank you.

The desire to cry returned. There was no doubt that the spiral of mixed feelings was wreaking havoc on both her heart and her head, running wild inside and collapsing between the two until they made a mess of her, leaving her unable to keep them at bay. Still, she swallowed hard and nodded in approval as the corners of her lips moved upward in an attempt at a smile.

There were also sounds of approval from both Liam and Killian, but it seemed that Anna and Kristoff were going to take advantage of the situation to run away. After offering an apologetic expression, Anna said goodbye but not before commenting that since the night had been ruined it was better for them to go to bed soon as they would have to get up early the next day. It was a poor excuse, Emma was aware, but she didn't really blame her.

Unfortunately, the sudden absence of Anna and Kristoff did not magically cause the tension to fade. On the contrary, it made it more evident. Killian sat in front of her, his gaze wandering everywhere but her, while Liam had taken a seat on the large couch, his lips pressed together, and disappointment written all over his face. Emma also cast a sidelong glance at Elsa who, after letting out a heavy sigh, grabbed the TV remote and sat on the couch next to Liam.

"So I guess we're watching a comedy to liven up the atmosphere, right?"

During the next hour, they watched the movie in silence although the truth was that Emma was not paying attention at all. Her frustration was increasing as time passed while her mind was plagued with troubled thoughts that prevented her to concentrate on the plot of the movie. In addition, the fact that Elsa had chosen a romcom did not help to calm her inner turmoil, but rather the opposite.

Killian had also kept silent the entire time. His stormy expression had disappeared from his face, though. The few furtive glances she had dared to throw at him had allowed her to glimpse a guarded expression and dull eyes, with no trace of his usual vivacity.

A wave of fear seized Emma at the possibility of having ruined their friendship beyond repair. Still, a flame of hope warmed her heart. That flame became stronger every time she caught him throwing her a sidelong glance. The moment their eyes met, he looked away, but not before offering her the ghost of a smile. Or at least that was what she preferred to imagine in her attempt to keep that spark of hope burning.

A deep breath coming from the couch made Emma look in that direction. The ache in her heart eased a little at the sight she had in front of her eyes. Both Elsa and Liam had fallen asleep while watching the movie. But what touched her most was the position they had acquired. Liam had one of his arms around Elsa's shoulders, while she rested her head on his shoulder, her arm around his waist. Almost all her worries melted away as her lips moved on their own, drawing her first genuine smile of the night. It seemed that the night had not been a total disaster after all.

Just then, an unexpected murmur made that spark of hope grow more intense, a small wave of emotions rising in her chest. It was a barely audible hum, but Emma could identify that melody in any circumstance since that particular song had become part of the soundtrack of her—their— life. Her gaze turned to Killian once again who was humming Wonderwall, even though this time he didn't look away from the television. Emma could do nothing but use that offer of peace as the last impulse she needed to act like an adult and leave behind at least part of her fears and concerns. That's why she decided to get up and walk directly to Killian.

"I'm sorry," she muttered when she was close enough, her stomach clenched into knots in anticipation as she bit her lower lip, waiting anxiously for his reaction.

Killian did not respond immediately. He even stopped humming, keeping his eyes down, his torso tilted slightly forward, his elbows resting on his thighs as he pressed the fingers of his hands together in a thoughtful posture. Only when he finally looked up to meet her eyes was Emma able to let out the breath she had been holding.

"I'm sorry, too." A deep breath escaped between his lips as he kept his eyes fixed on Emma's. The spark of hope in her heart began to burn more intensely as she saw how Killian's eyes regained that glow she loved so much. When his lips curled into a soft smile, she couldn't help but smile back while suppressing a sigh of relief. "Come here," he offered, waving his hands toward her in a signal for her to approach. She, of course, obliged.

The moment she sat on Killian's lap and was wrapped in his protective arms, all her worries vanished. It was as if the swirl of feelings inside her had suddenly calmed down, giving way to a soft, warm breeze. Emma really hoped to be able to more effectively control her emotions to prevent this from happening again. But she would have time to worry about that later. Now all her attention was focused on the immensity of pleasant sensations that their current position meant for her.

No matter what others might think of seeing them act that way, she snuggled even more, burying her face into his chest in her desire to feel his solid, warm body pressed with hers. Killian, meanwhile, tightened his hug and placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head.

"I wonder what's going on in that head of yours lately, Swan," he muttered into her hair, not a hint of reproach in his voice, but rather a mixture of curiosity and concern. "It's as if the current chapter of your book was being written in a kind of invisible ink and, as much as I try, I can't figure you out."

A soft chuckle bubbled in the back of her throat. Continuing with the simile of the open book, Emma replied, unable to avoid a bittersweet touch in her words. "Maybe I'm going through a kind of writer's block and I just have a few blank pages in front of me that I don't know how to fill in."

Emma felt as Killian tensed slightly. Then, he touched her chin and pushed it gently, forcing her to raise her head and look him in the eye. "I'm not sure I like hearing that, love."

She shrugged before adding, "Look at it from this angle. A blank page implies an infinite world of possibilities, doesn't it? I just have to decide which way to go. And since you know how to read me so well, you could also help me decide, couldn't you?"

For some reason, Emma found this metaphorical conversation quite revealing. But far from frightening her, it only strengthened her feelings. Even so, Emma accompanied her words with a promising look through her eyelashes, trusting that somehow, Killian would capture their meaning.

"I'm here, for whatever you need, Emma." Her heart skipped a beat when her name slipped between his lips. She was so used to his endearments that whenever he addressed her by her own name, there was an instant effect on her. With his next words, the butterflies in her stomach began to flutter furiously. "But you are the only one who can decide how the next chapter of your life will develop."

I still don't know what I want to happen in the next chapter. I just know that I want you to be my co-star. In all the chapters of my life, if possible. She was so tempted to say those words out loud, to the point that they burned on the tip of her tongue. Especially when there was so much intensity —and hope— in his gaze. She was able to contain herself, though, but that didn't stop her from saving those words, because something told her that she might be able to use them in the future.

The only thing she was able to offer him at that moment was a look full of promises and a smile of gratitude, while her heart pounded hard against her chest. "What I do know is that I'm tired of fighting, so there will be no more fights in the next chapter, I promise." 

"Good."

Unable to hold Killian's gaze any longer without doing something crazy like kissing him senseless, she buried her head again into his chest. Although she wasn't sure if it would help calm her emotions or otherwise shake them further.

She wasn't lying, she didn't want to spend more energy on absurd fights. She was the only one to blame, she was aware of it, but it was so hard to suppress her feelings that sometimes she acted that way as a kind of defense mechanism.

But she didn't need to behave defensively with Killian. She herself was her worst enemy; she and her fears, her indecisions, her demons from the past. It was with herself that she had to fight to tear down the barrier that prevented anyone from reaching her heart. She was willing to surrender and hand over the key to Killian, but she was aware that she still had to fight more battles until she reached that moment of surrender. At least her current position showed a step forward on that path, right?

"I can hear you thinking, Emma." Killian's soft voice brought her back to reality. Of course, he had figured that her thoughts had been rambling. It was a bit overwhelming that he knew her so well, despite their previous jokes about the open book thing and how bad they had played the stupid game. "Close your eyes and relax, love," he whispered, his voice having an instant effect on her which was increased by his next move. Killian's hand slid slowly under her shirt, his fingertips beginning to trace delicate patterns on her skin.

Emma's eyes closed instantly as she lifted her head slightly and rested it on his shoulder, her nose a few inches from his neck. The feeling of being curled up in his arms was so pleasant that she decided to get carried away by the sensations, parking all her worries at least for a while.

She felt unable to fight her body's reactions, so she simply gave up and allowed herself, for once, to express herself freely; at least with her body language. She didn't mind that the gentle brushing of his fingers on her skin caused a trail of goosebumps. She didn't mind that he noticed it either.

Emma noticed how her muscles relaxed and the tension began to leave her body, being replaced by something much more pleasurable but also more dangerous. Desire.

He was so warm and smelled so good that her whole body hummed, prompting her to do something, whatever it was, in order to prolong those sensations that surrounded her. Her heart pounded hard against her chest and a burning sensation traveled through her veins to her very core. She felt so intoxicated by his scent and her lips were so close to the skin of his neck that they began to tingle, craving to savor him. She had no choice but to act.

After letting out a soft exhale in anticipation of what was to come, she let her bold side take the reins so, after only a brief moment of hesitation, she finally —finally— pressed her lips to his skin just over his pulse point.

It was just a feather-soft touch but it had the ability to send electric shocks of pleasure up her spine. Emma also noticed how the movements of Killian's fingers on her skin slowed, while he let out a deep breath. She remained still for a few seconds while her heart threatened to get out of her ribcage. When his fingers began to move again as he tightened his embrace she let out the breath she had been holding.

Deep down, she was aware that she had started a dangerous game, but after so long suppressing her feelings, she deserved this brief moment of freedom. So, far from slowing her progress, she raised her hand to gently brush the other side of his neck, her fingers tangled in the locks of hair that grew at his nape's level, while her lips continued their tentative path over his skin.

Killian, meanwhile, did not remain inactive in this new level of intimacy. His hand began to move up on the side of her torso, pausing a few inches from the curve of her breast, causing a rush of heat to pool in her belly.

Although all the fibers of her being were screaming at her otherwise, Emma kept a certain lucidity, restraining herself in some way and keeping her kisses to just the brush of her lips on his skin, leaving an almost imperceptible wet trail over the length of his neck.

Even so, she was more lost in sensations than she thought, since she took a few seconds to realize that her actions were causing a reaction not quite subtle in Killian. The moment she noticed something hard pressing against the outside of her thigh while he let out a soft moan, she thought she might combust, her cheeks burning as her heart hammered in her chest.

Just when she was willing to take the next step and lift her head even more in search of a new target, an unexpected sound in the form of a loud snore brought her back to reality, breaking the lust spell she had fallen into and causing her to jump literally out of Killian's lap.

"Holy shit," she muttered as she put a hand to her chest, in an attempt to calm her racing heart. The realization not only of what had just happened but of the place where it had happened caused her stomach to tighten into knots, while a mixed feeling of embarrassment and regret threatened to crawl up into her throat. She forced herself to swallow hard, though, dragging that feeling away before it surfaced. She had done nothing wrong, she had simply got carried away by the situation.

Before Emma's eyes went to the couch to see if her friends were still sleeping, she cast a sidelong glance at Killian, catching how he discreetly adjusted his pants. To her great delight, he seemed a bit flustered, his cheeks and the tips of his ears colored a soft pink, his lips parted slightly. When he shook his head as if trying to get out of his trance, she couldn't help a wave of pride washing over her as her lips moved on their own, drawing a satisfied smile.

At least Elsa and Liam were still asleep, she (they) could treasure the brief intimate moment as something unique and, in some way, secret, despite the circumstances. Even so, all the desire that had been boiling under her skin had cooled, giving way to a lingering warm sensation. After casting one last look at Killian, who seemed to slowly return from his awed state, she grabbed her phone and took a couple of photos of the two sleeping lovebirds.

They would have to talk at some point. Emma suspected that what had just happened marked a point of no return in their relationship. From there they could only move forward, although she was still unsure as to what would be the right path to follow, especially since her fears had not yet completely abandoned her; she had simply changed her perspective. 

In addition, a strange feeling of deja vu had settled in the pit of her stomach. She had already experienced that feeling on other occasions, precisely at the times when she had shared some intimate moment with Killian. It was as if her brain was trying to remember something, but that memory was so buried in the depths of her mind that she was unable to reach it.

Emma shook those thoughts away, she would have time to worry later. Still, she wanted to make sure everything was still alright between them. Although it was obvious that she wasn't going to return to her previous position, she felt the need to stay close to him so she did not hesitate to sit on the floor, just in front of his armchair while her eyes sought his gaze.

"When do you think your brother will decide to ask Elsa out?" she asked in a tone that she hoped was carefree enough.

Before answering, he cleared his throat and shook his head once more, before addressing her. "I'm not sure, love, especially considering that, according to your theory, they would already be dating in secret." Although he was smiling as if nothing had happened, Emma could detect that he was still affected, at least by the fact that there was a slight inflection in his voice and his pupils were still dilated.

After a considerable effort, she managed to take her eyes off him, forcing herself to turn her gaze back to the two lovebirds. "Do you think we should wake them up? They're so adorable curled up there..."

"Aye. I think it's better if we wake them up. Liam doesn't take very well to falling asleep on the couch. He usually wakes up even more grumpy than usual."

"Seriously? Now I want to see how he reacts when he realizes his current situation." Emma got up, but not before offering him a wide smirk. Killian responded with a quiet chuckle, causing her stomach to flutter. Gods! She was hopeless regarding the effect that man had on her.

Emma needed three attempts to wake Liam and Elsa as they were sound asleep. When they finally opened their eyes, they looked at her first with the same confused expression on their faces and then looked at each other. By the time they realized that they had fallen asleep hugging each other they jumped and tried to untangle their limbs. Emma pressed her lips together to suppress the laughter that bubbled in her throat caused not only by seeing their reaction, but by remembering that she had reacted exactly the same a few minutes earlier.

Elsa seemed quite disoriented and sleepy and Emma almost felt sorry for her, but Liam, always the gentleman, immediately focused on her to make sure she was alright.

"It's quite late, lass. You're staying for the night, aren't you? There's always a bedroom available for both of you." Liam offered, a hint of hope evident in his voice. Emma didn't miss that, although he had addressed the two of them, Liam's eyes had never turned away from Elsa.

"I don't know, I have to get up early tomorrow." Elsa's cheeks blushed as she looked away in Emma's direction as if she were seeking her approval. Emma nodded silently as she gave her a smile of encouragement. "I can't keep my eyes open, though. That movie was definitely not my best choice."

Emma and Killian exchanged a knowing glance while Emma arched an eyebrow in what she expected was an expression full of intention. Killian seemed to catch the hint and decided to take part in the conversation, but not before giving Emma a mischievous grin and winking at her, an act that had absolutely no effect on her.

"I'm sure there are sleeping clothes for you in the closet, love. One of the advantages of Emma falling asleep here most of the time."

He was right. Emma no longer needed to bring pajamas when she came to the apartment for one of their Netflix sessions. She had learned the lesson the day she fell asleep for the first time there.

"Let me accompany you then, Elsa." As he spoke, Liam stood up and held out his hand to her, which Elsa accepted, the corners of her lips raised slightly drawing a timid smile.

"Are you coming, Emma?"

"Nah." Emma waved her hand in front of her as she grabbed the TV remote and then settled on the couch. "Now that the couch and the remote are finally free, I think it's my turn to choose. What do you say, Jones, are you up for one last movie?"

"Does that mean you've already made up? How long have we been sleeping, lass?" Liam's exaggerated tone of surprise caused everyone to burst out laughing. 

Emma still couldn't believe that the night had ended so well after that disastrous start. She could even notice it in the environment. The previous tension had given way to something less thick; a light, almost magical sensation, the air full of promises and possibilities flowing around the four friends.

For the first time in four years, Emma felt that perhaps it was time to confess her feelings and jump into the void. She was more certain than ever that Killian's arms would not only hold her but he would never let her fall. Now she only needed the determination that would allow her to take that decisive final step.

//

Wonderwall by Oasis

//

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think :)

We finally got a kiss, didn't we? Ok, it might not be the kiss that everyone was waiting for, but this story has been tagged as a slow burn for a reason, right? Anyway, no spoilers but we may not have to wait much longer for that to happen. After all, there are only a handful of chapters left to reach the end...

What to expect in the next chapter? We'll witness what happens the morning after the movie night. Also, the next chapter includes one of the scenes I enjoyed writing the most and... a new performance. Or maybe two...

[wordcubed-writes]

Alternate history timeline for my AFO!Izuku fic

Fandom: My Hero Academia

Fanfic: untitled AFO!Izuku fic

Context: This is the history timeline I’m using for my villain!Inko and AFO!Izuku fics. It’s definitely not compatible with… whatever canon thinks it’s doing.

What I’m trying to do with this is make the My Hero Academia world feel bigger (there is an entire world! It’s not just Japan!) and ground its history in… I know “historical materialism” sounds really pretentious, so I’ll just go with “shit happens for a reason”. I’m also trying to answer obvious problems that are never addressed in canon, like “how come heroes get to do the things they do?” or “Why are they considered separate from the police?”

It’s so fucking long. I’m sorry. Yes this did take me a week to hammer out.

____________________

• 1948 First confirmed Quirk. This is considered the start of the “First Generation” of quirks. Most are barely noticeable, and would only be verified after extensive demographic studies a century later. Some are very noticeable. A few dozen are immensely powerful.

• 1950 All For One born.

• 1954 All For One's younger brother born.

• 1950s The rest of the 1st wave of eventual-supervillains, including the Machine Queen, born. Many governments start projects to weaponize Quirks for both the military and as a new form of domestic control.

• 1962 US government openly starts using Quirks to speed up moon landing project, and as attempt to calm public anxieties about Quirks. (All of the Quirk-users to appear are still children.) Reaction against this leads to eventual exposure of other, more-harmful projects using Quirks.

• 1963 By this time, every Quirk-user who would eventually become a supervillain is a part of some kind of government project.

• 1966 Meta Liberation Society (MLS) founded as a response to reactionary attacks against Quirk users. (The oldest Quirk-users are about 18 years old at this point.)

• 1967 “Second generation” of Quirk users considered to start here. None of them are as powerful as the hundred or so first-gen Quirk-users who would eventually become supervillains, but their Quirks’ strength is more evenly-distributed; almost all of them have a noticeable quirk that affects their lives.

• 1968 Quirk Liberation Army (QLA) founded as more militant splinter group of MLS.

• 1970 QLA assassinates both the Soviet Union premier and the United States president. The strongest government-project Quirk-users attempt to seize power in both countries.

• 1970-1981 The Bleeding Years: civil wars become norm; most national governments fail; lots of major infrastructure is left to decay or is destroyed in violent conflicts. Around this time, All For One finds and steals an immortality Quirk.

• 1971 All For One forces a Quirk on his younger brother, ostensibly to protect him, accidentally creating One For All.

• 1981 All For One becomes dictator of Japan. Age of Supervillains begins. Various immensely powerful quirk-users have successfully carved up the world between themselves. (Technological progress is much slower than it otherwise would be, as most dictators focus on consolidating power more than anything else.)

• 1980s Due to his interest in collecting Quirks, All For One allows any Quirk-user to immigrate to Japan, and offers generous benefit programs to further encourage this. This has three major consequences:

‣ ‣ Japan becomes substantially more diverse and has a much higher population than it otherwise would, and has a far higher Quirked-to-Quirkless ratio than other countries.

‣ ‣ As Quirks become an integral part of the economy, other countries attempt to copy Japan. These pro-Quirk benefit programs would be pared back decades later, as more and more of the population is Quirked anyways, but they leave an important legacy: if you’re Quirkless, you get less.

‣ ‣ Across the world, demand for specific Quirks (both from employers and consumers) and the search for communities that can better support Quirks leads to populations rapidly urbanizing and densifying. Rural areas eventually hold most of the Quirkless, the elderly, and socially-unacceptable-Quirk populations.

• 1983 The Consortium is formed by Machine Queen to mediate between various supervillain-ruled nations in order to prevent any major wars.

• 1990s Supervillains’ children are noticeably weaker than their parents. The Consortium attempts to genetically engineer a Quirk.

• 2002 First genetically-engineered Quirk-user born. Code-named “Cesium” due to how volatile their Quirk is.

• 2010s Arranged “Quirk Marriages” become popular to compensate for weaker Quirks of second-generation supervillains, and hopefully ensure 3rd-gen supervillains will still be powerful enough to rule.

• 2016 Genetic engineering of Quirks is banned in most countries after Cesium’s Quirk proves too powerful to control and too unstable to be reliable.

• 2020s The Consortium orchestrates a peaceful transition of power between the aging first-gen supervillains and their children. (Excepting All For One, who is immortal and has no living family.) The Machine Queen has developed her technomancy Quirk enough that she goes full transhuman and, like All For One, is effectively immortal.

• 2028 Cesium marries a Quirk researcher with one of the earliest-known Quirk-disabling Quirks. They live a relatively normal life.

• 2030s Cesium’s son, Platinum, proves to have a remarkably powerful and stable quirk. This is widely credited to the mixture of his parents’ Quirks, further boosting the popularity of Quirk Marriages.

• 2050s 3rd generation supervillains come to power (again, arranged by the Consortium) and are still noticeably weaker than second-gen supervillains despite quirk marriages.

• 2055 Platinum founds the Renaissance Project, a training program for the elite, intending to overcome younger supervillains’ lack of inherent power by developing the Quirks they do have as much as possible (and usher in a “Supervillain Renaissance”).

• 2070s Fourth-generation supervillains also much weaker than their parents despite quirk marriages. Skill and creativity with Quirks becomes more important for maintaining power, and Platinum solidifies his position as the headmaster who guided a generation of dictators.

‣ ‣ A new theory suggests that the vastly-above-average Quirks of the first supervillains will continue to "regress to the mean" and weaken each generation, while the overall population's average Quirk strength will continue to increase.

‣ ‣ Supervillains fear a "crossover point" where their citizens are as strong as them, and begin massive crackdowns on Quirk usage. The phrase "Quirk Singularity" is coined to describe when the average person's Quirk strength will match that of the god-like first supervillains, thought to happen sometime in the 25th century.

‣ ‣ Supervillains start recruiting some stronger Quirk-users to enforce their will, as they can no longer singlehandedly control a whole country without extensive support. These were the forerunners to the first hero organizations.

• 2078 A man called Earthmover is imprisoned for illegal quirk use after he rescues hundreds from a landslide. This sparks protests and Japan’s League of Ten—previously government enforcers—side with the protestors and rebel. Age of Supervillains ends, Golden Age of Heroes begins.

• 2080s The crackdown on Quirk usage combines with a severe economic downturn and uprisings break out across the world. Many Quirked state enforcers side with the rebels.

• 2080 By this point, the majority of the world population has a Quirk.

• 2086 Nana Shimura born.

• 2090s Various supervillain dictators fall to uprisings. The Consortium shifts from preserving the status quo to building up underground villain organizations in the face of the new "heroic" society.

• 2092 All For One abandons the Japanese government to the rebels, hoping to continue exerting control through more discrete means than as public dictator. His new underground organization starts absorbing the remnants of other deposed supervillains and becomes the League of Villains. Earthmover & other condemned “heroes” are rescued from prison.

• 2097 The Consortium negotiates with various provisional governments, working to preserve the status quo as much as possible by simply swapping out supervillain dictators with democratically-elected “unitary presidents”.

‣ ‣ This is more or less accepted with a major compromise: No major rebel-hero groups formally dissolve or surrender, they are just in détente with the state. Furthermore, “hero” becomes an official title, and heroes form a parallel pseudo-government, determined by popular vote and with effective veto power over many major state actions. This is rejected by groups like the Meta Liberation Society, who want Quirk regulations abolished, and the Quirk Liberation Army, who want a true revolution.

• 2098 Japan's first Top Ten heroes are selected. Golden Age of Heroes ends, Silver Age of Heroes begins.

• 2099 Earthmover elected first President of Japan.

• 2100s Tensions mount between surviving villain groups.

‣ ‣ The Consortium is largely obsolete without supervillain rulers to coordinate with. The villainous Renaissance Project has been replaced with various hero training schools. Both groups are weakened and rapidly fading, meanwhile, the League of Villains is larger than ever, and All For One’s influence is no longer limited to Japan. All three groups hate heroes, but the other two blame All For One for “giving” Japan to the heroes and empowering other uprisings across the world. (All For One is removed from the Consortium’s board of directors, ending its official ties to the League of Villains and further weakening it.)

‣ ‣ Platinum revamps his organization to become CORE (Counter-Revolution), with the express goal of destroying the hero system.

‣ ‣ The Consortium openly allies with the few remaining villain dictators (no longer “super” after six generations of regressing to the mean), and discretely allies with newer governments that are increasingly nervous about hardline rebels like the QLA.

• 2100 Quirk marriages made illegal in Japan. Most other countries soon follow.

• 2101 UA is founded. Platinum (re)starts genetic engineering program to create super-soldiers for a counter-revolutionary army.

• 2105 Earthmover reelected.

• 2106 Earthmover drafts almost every geokinetic Quirked in Japan to physically expand Japan’s landmass to counter rising sea levels. (Yes, global warming is still happening in this timeline.) This is very popular with the general public, though the actual results are mixed. The project is only half-finished by the time a different president is elected. Within a couple decades, the western coast expansions become a haven for the wealthy while the eastern coast expansions are unfinished and regularly-flooded slums.

• 2109 Nana Shimura becomes 7th holder of OFA. Earthmover announces his retirement before third Japanese presidential elections.

• 2110 Second President of Japan inaugurated.

• 2110s Quirkless discrimination is growing worse. Many believe Quirkless people are naturally going extinct. Employers start preferring any Quirk at all—even an unhelpful or mediocre one—as being better than no Quirk at all.

• 2111 Toshinori Yagi born, Quirkless.

• 2120s Protests by the Meta Liberation Society against the harsh and byzantine Quirk licensing system (including the special status of hero licenses) lead to major police crackdowns on unlicensed quirk usage, fueling the growth of the more radical Quirk Liberation Army. Several countries near civil war as reactionary movements, including old supervillain loyalists, CORE, and the League of Villains, clash both with each other and with groups like the QLA.

‣ ‣ Due to their status as non-state entities, most heroes don’t strictly enforce Quirk regulations, preferring to preserve their popular image as benevolent and non-political guardians, but they are, by now, very invested in the status quo, and merciless in dealing with any perceived violence by the QLA.

• 2125 Toshinori meets Nana Shimura.

• 2128 Toshinori becomes 8th holder of One For All.

• 2130 Nana confronts All For One; he kills her. Toshinori—now going by the hero name All Might—is sent to America to assist in destroying the League of Villains branch there. Second Age of Villains begins.

• 2131 Platinum destroys San Francisco Bay Area. CORE guerillas attack and kill major heroes in Europe (the region where the League of Villains is weakest), planning to crush the hero system there and rebuild a supervillain society outside of AFO’s influence. Quirk Liberation Army and League of Villains clash in Tokyo.

• 2132 All Might stops Platinum from destroying Los Angeles. This incident makes All Might globally renowned, and encourages more international cooperation between heroes.

• 2133 CORE forces start attacking heroes in Russia. An international union of heroes confronts and kills the strongest CORE Quirked in Moscow.

• 2135 At over 100 years old, Platinum is increasingly reliant on Quirk-made support tech to continue working. Though other major villains consider the CORE super-soldier project a failure, he still quietly restarts CORE’s genetic engineering program, this time to produce “perfect” successors to continue his legacy.

• 2138 International cooperation between heroes is now routine, and the League of Villains splinters into hundreds of isolated local groups as All For One fails to keep his organization whole in the face of global coordinated attacks.

• 2139 Quirk Liberation Army collapses under pressure from heroes, who consider them villains. Current Japanese President discovered to be under mind control and peacefully removed from power by vote of the Top Ten heroes. Age of Peace begins.

• 2140s Japan is the heart of the hero system. Its heroes are considered the best, and heroes are effectively Japan’s biggest export to other countries.

• 2150 Izuku Midoriya born, Quirkless.

• 2159 All Might successfully hunts down All For One, but is grievously injured while (seemingly) killing him.

• 2164 Izuku meets All Might.

• 2165 Izuku starts at UA. Technology equivalent to about 2020-level in our world, with the exception of special Quirk-made tech.

‣ ‣ Japan’s population: 250 million.

‣ ‣ World population: 12 billion.

‣ ‣ At 136 years old, Platinum is reaching the limits of what support tech can accomplish, and begins plotting to kill as many heroes as he can before he dies.

• 2166 All Might's final fight with All For One, and retirement. Age of Peace ends.

____________________

Other Notes: This timeline isn’t just abstract worldbuilding; most stuff I wrote here is referenced by characters in-story or directly affects the circumstances characters find themselves in.

For example: the Consortium is villain!Inko’s biggest ally, and later on she moves her base of operations to Japan’s aforementioned east coast slums. The Machine Queen is AFO’s only remaining peer from his dictator days, and serves as a frenemy he can, like, actually talk to. CORE serves as a looming threat from overseas—if/when AFO falls, they will move in. Platinum’s genetically-engineered successors are intended as a villainous mirror to Endeavor’s family. I’ll go further into my villain OCs in this story in a follow-up post.

The countries that the various supervillains ruled over had very different borders than our world’s. Bigger countries tended to get split up between rival dictators, and smaller countries with no major geographical barriers between them often got subsumed and ruled as a single country. (Japan was lucky in that it was already an island nation, and stayed whole before and during All For One’s rule.)

The Public Safety Commission (and its equivalents in other countries) is the official interface between the Japanese government and the parallel pseudo-governments that heroes represent. It is both important and fiendishly complicated.

As a result of the unitary president system most countries run, most governments are hilariously corrupt and barely functional. Heroes are mostly okay with this because, hey, if it’s broke it can’t be tyranny! Neoliberalism still sucks, even in alternate universes, so welfare barely exists, and most people in need have to search for a hero-sponsored charity that caters to their specific circumstances.

There is no World Wide Web. The Consortium encouraged isolationism, trying to limit each supervillain’s ambition to their own fiefdoms. As a result, there are dozens of incompatible networks and computing architectures. (This also made censorship MUCH easier.)

Social media sites like Twitter still exist, because I want to use them as a narrative tool like other fics I’ve seen. But there are no globe-spanning networks of servers, just local subsidiaries running servers dedicated to a single country, and there is no physical infrastructure enabling them to talk to each other. This does become a plot point a couple times.

(It’s considered a big deal that UA has a special computer capable of directly communicating with overseas computers. At another point, All Might has to physically mail a recording of something to another country, because it’s literally the only way he can guarantee somebody across the planet can view the same footage.)

My “technology develops 2 to 3 times slower in this AU than it does in our timeline” rule of thumb suggests, frighteningly, that Twitter has existed for around 30 years in this timeline. (Their technological equivalent of 2007 would be about 2133, while their technological equivalent of 2019 would be in 2163 or so.)

I left out all of Inko’s villain adventures and Izuku’s upbringing, because… I haven’t settled on a timeline for them yet. Also, at a certain point, it just becomes a summary of the fic itself, which isn’t the point of posting this timeline.

[mishaelle-starsong]

A Tuneless Requiem

Scarred, callused fingers played over the harp strings with little direction, lofting gentle disharmonies into the air. She could have made something from them, could have chosen a piece to play, but why? There was no audience to please, no events worth praising. Something for Elune, perhaps? No, nothing for the goddess. The Moon received her worship in the aspect of the Night Warrior now, and Star had left offerings all over Darkshore.

The coincidental unsong continued unabated, doing little but providing a focusing outlet. Her mind was… not what it once was, she supposed. Not a deterioration of function; rather she felt the edges sharpening again. She'd been mostly feral in the past. As the remnants of "civilizing" fell away, she knew she was becoming so again. I shouldn't let myself go. It was a thought she acknowledged without necessarily agreeing to. There were reasons to be wary, yes, but they were few.

A sudden confluence of notes produced a chord she thought she recognized, sliding her play into a learned pattern before she noticed what was happening. The song was an old one, full of meaning, though she couldn't recall the proper name anymore. The words escaped her as well, though they felt on the edge of her consciousness. She couldn't blame them for being evasive: most of her mind was being drawn back through years of memory.

Most of what she saw was painful. Vae was there, her quiet strength filling the space in her mind that was now vacant in her heart. A decade wasn't much in the span of a Kaldorei lifetime, but their decade had meant more to her than any other. It hurt, but she let the memories in anyway. A little suffering was fine; what was a life without it?

"Do you remember how we met?" The voice was clear in her mind, a perfect crystallization of Vae's gentleness. "You arrived in Shattrath such a mess, covered in blood and mostly incoherent. Your friend was there, too, though she seemed in much better shape. You said you'd jumped out a window, using your own body to cushion her landing. None of us knew why you'd done it, and you never did explain…"

The story went on, flowing over and through her, narrated by the most important voice in her life and one she expected to never hear again. There had been some flirting, of course; back then Star had done so regularly and one's options became extremely limited while recovering from a broken leg. It had become more than that, of course. The drift from joking to hesitant to serious had taken nearly a year. She'd told Vae her real name shortly after that, providing a clear demarcation of the change in status.

"Misha," said the voice, laughter clear in the way the name was formed, "aren't we such a pair? Both too stubborn for our own good, intent on keeping even the worst promises we make, no matter how they hurt us. Oh, mush'al, we're the most perfect fools, aren't we?"

Star nodded slowly, a tear escaping her good eye. How long since she'd been called mush'al, beloved, in their shared tongue? How long since she'd heard it without the heartache caused by her actions? How long since--

She twitched aside, the arrow burying itself in the thick wood of the harp. Others were coming, she knew, but this was nothing to her. Star was rolling, turning, evading, even as she calculated the source.

"Very rude of you," she said, loud enough to be heard, "to interrupt a private performance with violence. I suppose undeath shouldn't be expected to improve manners, should it?"

Another arrow missed, narrowly; the next deflected from her blade.

"Come now, sister, surely you have something to say. I would like to hear it before I kill you. Believe it or not, I do care about our fallen." She paused to deal with a barrage of projectiles, weapons blurring with the speed of her movement. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"You left us to die," came the accusation, twisted and hollowed out by the cruelties of undeath. "Keep your lies."

Under the hatred was something recognizable, something she'd heard years before. Familiarity. Where? When? She let her memory range as she continued her circuitous trek.

"Is that you, Myrastra? No, you don't have to answer, I know it is. Do you recognize my voice? It's understandable if not, we've both been through so much since then." Incongruously, she found herself laughing. "I guess we could say the same for the stronghold, too. Just a washed out ruin off the coast now. Rebuilt or not, it's not the same. The new one isn't really home for us, is it?"

The growl was quiet, off to one side, not as distant as before. It preceded the creak of a bow being drawn, also barely audible, providing better direction. Star dove from the ruined building in the opposite direction, fractional seconds ahead of the next volley.

"Shandris spoke highly of you. I should have been more open with my praise, too. I wasn't good at it then." Another chuckle. "Not that I'm any better now, but I sometimes manage to recognize when someone deserves to be told something clearly rather than assuming they know. I was never a good leader like that."

"Then shut up," the risen Sentinel hissed, an arrow accompanying her words. "Shut up and die."

Star ignored the request. "I can help you, you know. Not give back your old life, but at least free you from this one. It's bad enough to find yourself enslaved by the foolish descendants of the Highborne who fled rather than be reasonable. I can only imagine what it must be like to have them be undead as well. The levels of abomination are striking, no?"

A snarl, filled with words. "You're hardly one to talk, Illidari. How you even found time to betray us is-"

"Shut your fool mouth, Astra." Even she was surprised at the anger in her voice. "I'm as Illidari as you are Azshari."

Conversation paused briefly, arrows providing their own input.

"These runes," Star continued, "are not a sign that I follow the Betrayer. I helped recapture him, you know, and would have gladly removed his head given the chance. My tattoos exist because, like you, I would do anything to save our people and this world. Others fought the Legion. With these markings? I destroyed the Legion."

The fallen Sentinel was silent then, though her bowstring continued to sing. She was nearly in position. Star decided to delay her death, hoping to get through first. She owed one of Shandris's troops that much.

"You died for our home, as did so many before you. I sacrificed the only happiness I've known since the Sundering to keep this world whole. We share the same commitment, Astra, the same goal. I just haven't been twisted to serve the Blighter."

"I serve no one!" The cry of denial would have been more believable if the accompanying shot had been remotely steady.

"You're doing what Sylvanas wants," Star went on, "even after she burned Teldrassil. She poisoned our lands and murdered our families, and now you help her make it even worse. You can't blame this on being 'betrayed', Myrastra. Every one of us knows we may have to give our lives in defense of our people. I'm sorry you died like that, but don't make it worse."

She found shelter in the moonshadow of a great tree, waiting. No sound from her opponent for a minute, then another and another. Nothing at all until the keening wail split the darkness, standing every hair on Star's body on end. Hardened as she was, it still put a shiver down her spine. Beneath the cry, though, she heard something else and something more: the latter was regret, the former a bowstave snapping.

The one-eyed warrior rushed over to the risen Kaldorei, ready to kill at the slightest hint of deception. Myrastra was on her knees, staring into the sky without seeing, clutching at her eyes. Bloodless furrows had been gouged into the flesh of her face; the curls of skin were still stuck under her fingernails.

"Astra," she said as gently as she knew, "it's not your fault."

The blank gaze lowered to her, the undead expression still one of shock. "I… let her make me one of them," she whispered, horrified. "I became one of them. A tool, a… a traitor. Goddess help me, I…"

She trailed off, leaving it to Star to put more words between them. "You're not the only one. But you're not a traitor. You didn't get a choice. What she did to you is… irredeemable, but that doesn't mean you are."

Myrastra shook her head, unfocused once more. "I can't. I don't know what's happening anymore, I'm losing it all suddenly, I… who are you?" Her voice lowered further. "Who am I?"

"You're Sentinel Captain Myrastra Duskarbor, one of General Shandris Feathermoon's officers. You're a skilled archer, a good leader, someone your troops can look up to."

"No, I… I don't think that's right. I'm… I'm fairly certain, actually, that I… that I… that-"

A softer heart would have been caught offguard then, but Star had never been one of those. Whatever cruel magic Astra had broken free of reasserted itself, contorting her features once more into a mask of hate. She ignored the undead Kaldorei's dagger entirely, twisting so as to let it get buried and stuck in the part of her side where it would do the least damage. That left her free to cleanly separate the head and body with a quick stroke of her sword.

She cleaned her blades and sheathed them before removing the dagger, grunting as it pulled free. Star held it out without looking, knowing her constant companion was nearly there. "I don't think it's poisoned, Ora, but you should check to be sure. There's no burning indicating it, and most of the time they only apply it to arrows anyway, but assumptions get people killed."

The young druid resumed her elven form to take the weapon, turning her focus toward its bloody blade. "I sense no toxins on this or in your blood upon it. What about your wound, Shan'do? Shall I heal it?"

Star glanced down then back to her peculiar apprentice. "No, I don't think so. The runes would likely interfere and it won't slow me down while it heals."

"But it may leave blood that would allow us to be followed."

"Very true. Excellent thinking." She didn't smile but her eye reflected the approval. "No healing, though, we'll just burn it closed."

Orellanine nodded. "Will we also burn her?" She pointed to the decapitated remains.

Star shook her head, sighing. "No. We'll… I'll carry her with us and we'll make sure she's properly dedicated to Elune. Myrastra deserves that much for breaking through. I almost regret killing her."

Ora didn't ask why. Star didn't elaborate.

[enterinit]

Gears 5 and other games coming to Xbox One this week

Gears 5 and other games coming to Xbox One this week. Torchlight II (September 03, 2019) The award-winning action RPG is back, bigger and better than ever! Torchlight II takes you back into the quirky, fast-paced world of bloodthirsty monsters, bountiful treasures, and sinister secrets - and, once again, the fate of the world is in your hands. Torchlight II is fast, fun, and filled to the brim with action and loot. Adventure solo or form a party online with your friends. Features: 4 player co-op online. Experiment with hero synergies and take on the fiercest opponents together, for the world’s most awesome loot.Create and customize characters from one of four distinct classes. Each class can be played as male or female, and robust skillsets and equipment variety give tons of opportunity for unique builds.Explore vast overland areas and multiple hub towns. Fight through rain and snow, day and night. Level randomization ensures fresh new layouts, paths, loot, and monsters every time you play.Choose how to empower your pet with special transforming consumables. Your pet can fight by your side or make a run to town to sell loot so you don’t have to.Once you've beaten Torchlight II's primary campaign, you can start again with the same character for a significantly greater challenge. You'll keep all of the skills, gold, and gear. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered (August 03, 2019) It is a time of war. The Republic of Galbadia, under the influence of the sorceress Edea, mobilises its great armies against the other nations of the world. Squall and other members of SeeD, an elite mercenary force, join hands with Rinoa, a resistance fighter, to fight against Galbadia's tyrannical rule and to prevent Edea from fulfilling her ultimate goal. This product is a remaster of FINAL FANTASY VIII, featuring multiple enhancements including additional options to customise your gameplay experience and difficulty, such as: Battle assist options (HP, ATB gauge, and Limit Break boosts)Game speed boost (x3)No random encounters Gaijin Charenji 1: Kiss or Kill (September 04, 2019) A punk narrative shoot-them-up where you not only shoot to kill, exterminate, and destroy but you can also kiss your enemies to make a more loving world. Originally designed for the Dreamcast in 1998 by Yoshihiro Takahashi, Kiss or Kill has completed it 21 years later by his son Yosuke Takahashi. Post War Dreams (September 04, 2019) POST-WAR DREAMS is a 2.5D Story-Rich, Side Scrolling Action Game, set in the wasteland of USA, plagued with constant war. Following the collapse of the economy, government, and society, you must brave heavily armed militia, lawless gangs, dangerous streets, desolate buildings and underground bunkers on your quest to escape this post-apocalyptic wasteland alive. The road to a new life is paved with danger, hope and constant reminders of everything that’s been lost. You will engage in combating the gangs and militia in order to survive and may choose to help other survivors who are full of their own personal misery, hopes and dreams, where everyone is trying to see the next sunrise in this chaotic wasteland. SUMMARY The United States has broken, and violence fills the streets. Freedom and patriotism have disintegrated, replaced with war and famine, and life is only a reminder of what’s been lost. If Garrett Mitchell hopes to survive this new world, he’ll have to fight his way through dangerous militia soldiers and members of the ruthless gang The Remnants while deciding whether or not to help his fellow survivors. Following years of mounting tensions within the United States, civil unrest caused Washington DC to shut its doors and borders to the rest of the world six short months ago. As lawlessness took over the Midwest, spreading from coast-to-coast, the financial system crashed and soon DC and the surrounding cities became a fortress for the privileged with the rest of the country left to fend for itself. Now, the streets run red with the blood of innocents as militia, gangs and rogue soldiers use lethal means to secure food, water and supplies that will allow their societies to keep going. For those civilians caught in the middle, each day is a fight for survival. As supplies dry up, these neutrals flee from the cities in hopes of starting over somewhere new. Holding onto a shred of hope, all the civilians have left are the clothes on their back and their post-war dreams. Players are introduced to Garrett, their mysterious vehicle through the wastelands of the United States. In the months since society’s collapse Garrett has done all he can to survive, dodging soldiers, gangs and other civilians, but with food, water and other survival resources scarce, he must find his way out of the city if he wants to live another day. Just as Garrett believes he can exit the city scot-free he’s waylaid by enemies and rescued by Kara, a former EMT (emergency medical technician), who is trying to lead her own group outside the city limits to probable safety. Her group is made up friends, neighbors, co-workers as well as strangers she’s encountered along the way. While Kara has medical training and cunning, which have allowed she and her group to survive the weeks since the war began, they lack combat skills and Garrett is a logical choice to help ensure everyone’s survival. The player may choose to help Kara and her friends or go it alone, with the impacts of the decision coming into view as the first few levels progress. Whatever the course, the player will ultimately end up a part of Kara’s caravan whether reluctantly or by choice. While Garrett’s fellow travelers will be excited to learn more about their new compatriot, the player may choose to not be as friendly or forthcoming. As the levels continue on and Garrett is exposed to different backstories, his successes or failures may also lead to the deaths of those he finds himself growing closer to. Himmo (September 04, 2019) Himno is a non-violent, no death platformer. Use wall-jumps, slides & dashes to reach new heights in randomly generated maps! Using intuitive and easy to learn controls, parkour through each map to overcome platforming challenges to reach new districts. Level up as new heights are reached, bringing vibrant lights as torches are ignited and the music begins to change. Rescue wisps to light up the darkness around you, while temporarily upgrading abilities that allow you to move further to other disctricts. Features: Your actions in the world trigger emotional soundtracks and vibrant visualsPlay at your own pace without pressureWatch bright wisps dance around youEnjoyable by a wide variety of player skill Monochrome Order (September 04, 2019) The world must forever make choices. The Arbiters' mission is to use the ancient magic known as “Judgment” to follow their own justice and guide the world to a better place. A newly-appointed Arbiter, is assigned to a desolate country where he will have to make various Judgments. However, not everyone will agree with his idea of justice. When faced with two extreme choices, which will he choose? Your Judgments will greatly affect the story and your character's role in both good and evil paths. As there are multiple endings, explore different routes to guide the world toward the right direction! Get up to 18 allies from your Judgments to try various formations and overcome challenges with each character's unique skills! Features: Guide the world toward the right direction through Judgments in a fantasy RPG with multiple endings!Your Judgments will greatly affect the story and your character's role in both good and evil paths.As there are multiple endings, explore different routes to guide the world toward the right direction!Get up to 18 allies from your Judgments to try various formations and overcome challenges with each character's unique skills! Throne Quest Deluxe (September 05, 2019) Throne Quest Deluxe is a seem-less open-world Action Role Playing Game (ARPG). Delve into an adventurous world full of dungeons and crypts, fighting many types of vicious monsters and search for huge amounts of loot. Change between 11 classes throwing your axes, fire, harps and even a djenty-guitar in fast-paced combat whilst gulping potions and collecting drops to level-up and become a champion. Explore your way through the dangers of the lands on an epic quest to reach the central castle- to claim the Throne held by a demon boss. Features: Seamless Open-world Fast-action-RPG150+ Items90+ Monsters11 Classes River City Girls ( September 05, 2019 ) "There's trouble once again on the mean streets of River City, but this time the boys are in over their heads! In this all-new entry in the legendary beat-'em-up series, hot-blooded heroes Kuni and Riki have been captured, leaving it to their hard-hitting girlfriends, Kyoko and Misako, to serve up some payback. As you punch and kick your way across town - either solo or with a friend in local co-op - you'll gain new skills, chow down on power-ups, wield an assortment of weapons, and unleash an arsenal of combos, throws, and special attacks that will leave the bad guys crying for mama - all in outrageous 16-bit style! The awesome action is punctuated by manga story panels, anime cutscenes, and an epic synth-pop soundtrack. It’s an old-school rumble for a new generation! Features: Wild beat-'em-up action for one or two players!Glorious pixel-art graphics plus anime and manga cutscenes!Fantastic soundtrack featuring Chipzel, Christina Vee, and NateWantsToBattle!Six large city regions to fight through, complete with shops and side quests!Loads of weapons, items, and abilities to power-up your heroines!Guest appearances by classic River City characters!

Gears 5 Ultimate Edition (September 06, 2019)

Campaign: The world is crumbling. The Swarm has corrupted the Coalition’s robot army and is descending upon human cities. With danger closing in, Kait Diaz breaks away to uncover her connection to the enemy and discovers the true danger to Sera – herself. Escape: Outrun the bomb, outsmart the Swarm, and escape the Hive! Escape is a new, aggressive, high-stakes co-op mode featuring a three-player suicide squad that must work together to take out enemy hives from within. Versus: May the best team win! Rack up points and trade up for superior weapons in Arcade, a frenetic playlist built for jump-in, over-the-top fun. With ten other game types plus new and classic maps, Versus rewards every competitive style, from casual to pro. Horde: Can you and four friends endure waves of ever-stronger enemies and bosses? Survive using new hero abilities, building defenses, collecting power, leveling up your skills and working as a team. Map Builder: Create custom Escape hive maps and experiences to share with and challenge your friends. Features: Three-player Campaign Co-op: Battle alongside your friends in three-player online or split-screen co-op.Tours of Duty: Rank up from new recruit to four-star general in Gears Tours of Duty. Take on new and exciting challenges, earn awesome rewards, and show off your loot.Boot Camp: New to Gears or just a little rusty? Bootcamp is a fun way to learn the ropes, from the basics to advanced combat techniques.Play as Jack: Play as Jack, your personal flying support bot that can protect allies and damage enemies - perfect for players new to Gears.Visual Showcase: Play every mode in 4K and HDR at a smooth 60 frames per second on Xbox One X. Accessibility: Customize your gaming experience with updated accessibility features, including: full controller remapping, single stick movement, Adaptive Controller support, narrated UI and menus, improved subtitles and more. *Some modes including Escape, Versus and Horde, and online multiplayer require Xbox Live Gold on console, membership sold separately. Monster Hunter: World – Iceborne (September 06, 2019) Let your hunting instinct take you further than ever! "Iceborne" is a massive expansion that picks up after the ending of Monster Hunter: World and opens up the new "master rank!" New quests, monsters, weapons, armor, and story await to take your hunting to the next level! Creature in the Well (September 06, 2019) Creature in the Well is a top-down, pinball-inspired, hack-and-slash dungeon crawler. As the last remaining BOT-C unit, venture deep into a desert mountain to restore power to an ancient facility, haunted by a desperate Creature. Uncover and upgrade powerful gear in order to free the city of Mirage from a deadly sandstorm. Pinball with swords: Charge up energy orbs, then bounce and ricochet them to reactivate dormant machinery and stop the sandstorm.Defeat the Creature: Escape the many challenges set by the Creature and confront it in intricate, skillful battles.Dungeon-crawler: Delve deeper into the mountain as you unlock eight hand-crafted dungeons, each filled with unique gameplay themes, unlockables, and secrets to uncover.Over 20 unique items: Customize your playstyle with upgradeable weapons and clothing that change how you play the game. NBA 2K20 (September 06, 2019) NBA 2K has evolved into much more than a basketball simulation. 2K continues to redefine what’s possible in sports gaming with NBA 2K20, featuring best in class graphics & gameplay, ground breaking game modes, and unparalleled player control and customization. Plus, with its immersive open-world Neighborhood, NBA 2K20 is a platform for gamers and ballers to come together and create what’s next in basketball culture. Restless Hero (September 06, 2019) You are about to be a part of an adventure of the Dark Age. Follow Rick in his damned path of vengeance and help him to redeem his soul. The life of your beloved is in danger. Hurry up and make a wise choice. Along the way complete challenging platforming levels and upgrade your powers. Unfold the story by reading dialogs and finding crucial items on the levels. Items are key to the puzzle of the story. There are a variety of obstacles for you that can be destroyed with the help of power. Castle has 3 floors with its set of enemies and obstacles. Find a key to defeat each enemy. Explore the castle and find all of the hidden chests! Read the full article

[savior-of-humanity]

since ive been kinda working on some verses as of late for chief, heres my current list of verses for chiefo! they’re under the cut; also i actually have a blog dedicated to just verses for my muses but right now all i have verses for is chief so..yeah

HALO

Light of the Covenant - After being captured by Covenant forces, the Chief has been brutally brain-washed and corrupted into becoming one of their strongest and most terrifying agents. An Arbiter of sorts, meant to be disposable and yet serve as a shining beacon for the Great Journey.

Metal Over Flesh - After a horrific accident, the Chief’s life could only be saved by using a drastic measure that hadn’t even been properly tested on humans yet - by transferring his brain and consciousness into a new body, one of metal and wires instead of flesh and blood.

Code Over Flesh - After a horrific accident, the Chief’s life could only be saved by using a drastic measure that hadn’t even been properly tested on humans yet - by transferring his consciousness into an Artificial Intelligence.

A Monument to All Your Sins - Chief has been infested by the Flood. But for reasons unknown, he has survived the infection and hasn’t been converted into a Combat Form - but he still hears whispers of the Gravemind trying to manipulate him.

Moonblood - Chief has been bitten by a unusual furred creature. However, the bite isn’t without its’ own terrifying side effects.. such as him occasionally turning into a werewolf.

Wrath of the Colossus - After being successfully captured alongside Blue Team by Cortana in the Cryptum, the corrupted AI (assuming it is even Cortana at all in the first place) decides to implant Chief into a Forerunner war-machine reminiscent of a Guardian so that he may witness first-hand of her actions to help bring “peace” to the galaxy - starting with Earth. However, he manages to overthrow her actions and effectively eject her out of the systems, but with a terrible side-effect. Now wracked with intense agony due to having no AI to aid in controlling the machine, he goes on a almost mindless rampage, trapped within layers upon layers of Forerunner alloy and machinery.

Infinite Horizons (Post-Halo 5/Halo Infinite) - Any series of events that occur after the events of Halo 5: Guardians. Will be updated in the future as accordingly to suit whatever plot Halo: Infinite will have.

In Absentia (Halo 5: Guardians) - The Chief and Blue Team have gone AWOL in search of Cortana. Any series of events that occur during the events of Halo 5: Guardians.

Awakening (Halo 4) - The Chief has awoken from cryosleep, only to find that the ruins of the Forward Unto Dawn are in orbit of a mysterious Forerunner world. Any series of events that occur during or after Halo 4.

Behold a Pale Horse (Halo 3) - The Chief must stop the Covenant’s goal of activating every Halo installation in the galaxy. Any series of events that occur during Halo 3.

Impend (Halo 2) - The Chief must fight the Covenant directly on Earth, and foil their plans to activate another Halo installation. Any series of events that occur during or before Halo 2.

Dust and Echoes (Halo: Combat Evolved) - After landing on a mysterious ring-world, the Chief must stop the Covenant from activating the ring and potentially killing all life in the universe. Any series of events that occur during Halo: Combat Evolved.

Forward Unto Dawn (Pre-Halo: Combat Evolved) - Any series of events that occur before Halo: Combat Evolved.

OVERWATCH

The World Needs Heroes - Chief has ended up in the Overwatch universe, somewhere around the year of 2076 after the collapse of Overwatch (or before that time). He is likely to join or help Overwatch/the remnants of Overwatch in some way.

Project: HADES - Chief has ended up in the Overwatch universe, somewhere around the year of 2076 - but Talon has found him. They converted him into one of their most powerful and terrifying agents known to Overwatch - a monster known only as HADES.

EVOLVE

Monster Hunter - Chief has been deployed to the outer colony world known as Shear, to deal with a problem of Insurrectionists attacking and destroying various colonies and towns on the planet. Except it’s not Insurrectionists killing people… but giant, inter-dimensional creatures hellbent on killing and devouring everything in their path.

Goliath Among Men - After a nearly fatal encounter with one of the inter-dimensional creatures attacking Shear, the Chief is infected with some of the monster’s DNA, causing him to gradually mutate over time…and become more monster than man.

ALIENS

Emperor - After an encounter with some sort of parasitic, spidery alien, the Chief has just narrowly survived the rather explosive emergence of a horrifying parasite living inside of his body. But now there’s monsters on the loose, and apparently the parasite did more to his body than just tear its way out of him..

DOOM

Hell’s Champion - Chief has been dragged into the very bowels of Hell itself. But instead of doing something as simple as taking his soul, the daemonic forces decided to turn him into one of their greatest champions and pawns, to serve their eternal campaign to assimilate all worlds and dimensions.

Feet First - Chief has been sent to retrieve a Forerunner artifact from Storm-Covenant forces known simply as the ‘Ring of Armok.’ However, it turns out that this artifact is actually a gate holding Hell itself back - and they’ve just opened it…

STARCRAFT

Ultimate Evolution - After an encounter with a terrifying biological hivemind-entity known only as the Zerg, the Chief has been infested - made into a terrifying warrior to serve the Swarm.

UNDERTALE

Fallen Down - Through unknown means - whether it be falling into a great chasm at the top of a mountain or being ripped through time and space - Chief has ended up in the Underground, a civilization where Monsters have been trapped and living for a unknown length of time.

Photon Readings Negative - The timeline of this strange world apparently has not taken kindly to the Chief’s presence. His body, mind and SOUL are at risk of being thrown into flux by the timeline - forced to either ‘conform’ to the energies of the timeline, be ejected…or destroyed entirely.

Darker, Darker, Yet Darker - The timeline has destabilized the Chief to the point where his body has melted, becoming an horrifying amalgamate..of himself and the dark memories and nightmares lingering in his mind, threatening to pierce the veil of his sanity. Though he is no longer at risk of being destroyed or ejected into the void.

GODZILLA/MONSTERVERSE

Clash of the Titans - After being exposed to intense radiation from the resulting conflict between Rodan, Mothra, Godzilla, and King Ghidorah in Boston on Earth, the Chief’s DNA begins to mutate rapidly - resulting in him transforming into a 50-meter monstrosity code-named by the sub-division of ONI known as Monarch, “Titanus Maledict.”

[we-are-trickster]

Trickster of the Month - January 2019

It’s been way too long since I’ve done one of these, but it’s time to yell about characters that fit the Trickster Archetype again.

This month, we’re going to talk about a cute little Trickster who is near and dear to my heart, a sweet young man who’s been a bigger inspiration to me than even I once thought. He’s one of those characters that at first glance you would wonder “that’s a trickster? But how?!” and of course, I’m here to back my point up.

Today we’re taking about Sora from Kingdom Hearts, a Trickster Hero in more ways than one.

-x-x-

“Oh yeah? Well, you’ll see. I’m gonna get out and learn what’s out there!”  - Sora, Kingdom Hearts

The first Kingdom Hearts game came out in 2002, nearly 20 years ago now. It introduced us to a multiverse made up of Disney-movie based worlds under threat from creatures born of darkness called Heartless. These Heartless prey on negative emotion and steal people’s hearts, causing worlds to fall into the darkness. Sora is our main hero in the fight against the Heartless, he begins the game as a carefree youth on Destiny Island. Sora and his two dearest friends, Riku and Kairi, want to get off their island and find whatever’s out there. Unfortunately, they get their wish when the Heartless attack their world and plunge it into Darkness, scattering them throughout the Multiverse.

During this attack, Sora discovers he is a chosen wielder of a weapon known as a Keyblade – a large, key-shaped sword that has more uses than just bludgeoning Heartless to death – and upon his arrival in a place called Traverse Town, a kind of nexus for displaced people who survive the destruction of their worlds, he meets Donald and Goofy and learns from other survivors about the truth of the multiverse and about his place in it as the wielder of the Keyblade.

This begins a journey for the ages as Sora, Donald, and Goofy set off to find His Royal Majesty King Mickey with Sora having a secondary goal of reuniting with Riku and Kairi. Along the way they face many challenges and make many new friends, learning that the strength of one’s heart and the bonds of friendship are what help fight off the Darkness, and that no matter what if you keep your friends in your heart you will have the strength and courage to face any challenge.

So what gives Sora the Trickster mantle?

Throughout the Kingdom Hearts series we come to learn that Sora isn’t the typical “chosen one.” He’s not particularly strong or courageous in the traditional sense, but he does have something unique to himself and that is the depth of his loyalty and the depth of his kindness. He’ll face any challenge if it means reuniting with the people he cares for most. In fact, Sora extends a hand of kindness and friendship even to his enemies, trying to encourage them away from a path of destruction. This fact is highlighted by Ansem the Wise at the end of Dream Drop Distance when he highlights the unique ability that Sora has to not only connect to the hearts of others, but to restore them. Sora is the one person to reunite with his Nobody without destroying him, Roxas still exists as his own person inside of Sora’s heart and Sora is perfectly okay with this fact. He is the one person who looks at everyone in the world of Kingdom Hearts and sees the potential for goodness inside of them and won’t stop fighting until they have a chance to realize that potential.

 Sora as Traveler

After Destiny Island is swallowed by Darkness in the first Kingdom Hearts, Sora becomes a homeless wanderer. He goes to many places and makes many allies, but he never stays in one place for very long.

This echoes the “dweller at the threshold” aspect of Tricksters. A Trickster has no set home, they are welcome in many places both civilized and wild but they have nowhere that they truly belong.

Sora travels the multiverse, popping into various worlds to visit some very familiar faces to any Disney fan. He makes friends and enemies wherever he goes, but he can never stay for very long nor can he reveal where he is from - outside of their world. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but one of the tasks Sora is charged with is keeping the worlds secret from one another. The only heroic character to realize he is from another world is King Triton from Atlantica and when he realizes this, he admonishes Sora for “meddling” even though Sora is trying to defend Atlantica from the Heartless. At first, Sora has difficulty hiding this fact but by the time of Dream Drop Distance he has become practiced at hiding this fact, blending in successfully. 

 Sora as an Outsider

As previously mentioned, Sora is an outsider to the worlds he travels. While he eventually adopts Traverse Town and Hollow Bastion as home bases, everywhere else is a place he visits. And whenever he goes somewhere, he can instantly be picked out by his behavior and manner of dress as an outsider. There are a few notable exceptions where his form changes via magic to fit in better in certain worlds, but overall he’s easy to pick out from the common people of a given world.

In the first game he is new to traveling the multiverse and thus is a little more obvious and oblivious to his outsider status, but by the time of Dream Drop Distance he’s become a seasoned traveler and has developed a friendly vagueness. He knows he can’t fully reveal himself, but the nature of his work requires him to interact with the denizens of a given word on some level, so he has developed his kindness into its own cloak of obscurity. He becomes the kind stranger you meet and who does good works but disappears and avoids recognition and accolades. He brings an outsiders’ perspective to every situation he encounters, having the secret knowledge of other worlds and the threats of the multiverse – Heartless, Nobodies, and Dream Eaters – as well as how to deal with them. 

 Sora as Teacher

Despite his status as an outsider, Sora does manage to leave an impression on the places he visits and not just because he deals with the dangers present there. He often imparts important lessons to the residents of these worlds, especially in later games when he’s gotten a wealth of experience under his belt. He imparts bittersweet lessons of friendship and loss, learning to heal from hurt – which can be a long and painful process. Sora never turns his back to someone who he believes can be saved but also doesn’t hesitate to fight those who are too far gone. His most driving goal is to reunite with Riku, and then see Riku brought back to the light. Even when Riku doesn’t believe in himself, Sora still believes in him.

Sora is a good example of “the wise fool.” No matter how serious he gets, he is still a silly young man. His youth hides his experience and wisdom, but he does still enjoy simple pleasures. The look on his face when he sees Christmas Town for the first time and is confronted by Santa Claus is a look of pure wonder and childish glee. But at the same time he takes his duties seriously and can be quite profound in his observations. Not only that, he is willing to take authority figures to task when they need to be. Even King Mickey himself isn’t exempt from Sora’s questioning and lessons. He defies orders at times, choosing instead to follow his heart.

 Sora as a Crosser of Barriers

Throughout the Kingdom Hearts series, connections and barriers are a reoccurring theme. The Keyblade itself is a weapon that can both lock and unlock worlds. It has the power to both seal a place away, removing its connection to the greater multiverse or reconnecting it in the same manner. It also has the power to unlock the potential of its wielder, responding to the strengths of the one who holds and only lending its power to those deemed worthy. In the first game, Riku attempts to take the power of the Keyblade for himself, to use for Dark purposes, but the Keyblade rejects him and returns to Sora when he realizes his own strength. In this manner, it cannot be separated from its wielder. It is as much a manifestation of the power within Sora as it is an actual weapon.

During some points of the games, characters try to shake Sora’s belief in himself and his worthiness to wield the Keyblade – implying that it is a weapon that can be passed from wielder to wielder. Of course, this information often comes from the villains of these games so it’s hard to tell the reliability of this statement. Keyblades seem to be weapons manifested by the wielder, so I believe that it’s more a matter of strength of heart and ability. You can’t take someone else’s Keyblade, you simply manifest a copy of your own.

Sora uses the Keyblade time and again to open paths between the worlds. This is most powerful use of a Keyblade and is likely the reason that Keyblade wielders must be carefully tested and trained. It’s less about teaching them to wield the Keyblade, but rather teaching them to wield its power responsibly. Thanks to its ability to lock and unlock hearts and worlds, connecting them or closing them off, it is a weapon that has terrible power to destroy if a user so desires. Sora uses the Keyblade’s power to travel between the worlds to protect them, which does seem to be one of the original purposes of the Keyblade Masters like Aqua, Terra, and Ventus. During these travels, Sora associates with both the highest of the high and the lowest of the low, even treating the computer program TRON like a living person. There is no place that Sora will not travel to, no place he will not defend. In the first Kingdom Hearts he faces off against Chernabog in an area that can be described as a “underworld” of sorts. It’s called “End of the World” and represents an area where remnants of worlds that have fallen to darkness gather, awaiting restoration.

The Ultimate Barrier that Sora has ever crossed was during the first Kingdom Hearts. There is a moment towards the end of the first game when Sora has sacrificed himself to give Kairi back her heart that Sora becomes a Heartless. Up to this point, we had never seen anyone return from losing their heart. But Sora manages to maintain enough of his personality and memories as a Heartless to seek Kairi out and what’s more when he finds her, he is able to leverage their connection in order to return to his original form. This is just the first of many times that Sora crosses what can be interpreted as a Life – Death barrier. If Death doesn’t even have a firm grasp on Sora, how can he be anything but a Trickster?  

 The evidence is staked very high in Sora’s favor as a Trickster. Kingdom Hearts represents one of those rare times that a Trickster is unapologetically heroic. Sora teaches us that unashamed optimism in the face of danger and our connection to others is an intense and extreme power that anyone can wield. In a world where cynicism and darkness rule, having an open hand of friendship is a revolutionary act. Tricksters are agents of Change and Transformation and Kingdom Hearts is ultimately about the purest kind of change, the change that occurs when we open ourselves up to becoming part of a greater world. When we leave the safety of the familiar and step into the unknown, facing it not with fear but with kindness and an open heart. That is Sora’s Trickster Lesson, and an important lesson in these times where people close themselves off from one another.

-x-x-

If you enjoyed this analysis, considering buying me a Ko-fi!  

[harisshahofficial-blog]

Series of bomb blasts in Sri Lanka: Who will be getting their benefits?

As I woke up today and started to watch the news notifications on my phone I was very much shocked when I came to get knowledge about the continuous bombings in different hotels and churches in Colombo and Batticaloa districts of the South Asian country of Sri Lanka. The reason why I got into shock because Sri Lanka is a country which strive for a long period against the instability in form of Tamil insurgency and was about to settle the whole thing which paved a clear path for the completion of conflict resolving process. As a Pakistani and being the citizen of the conflict-affected zone, I can feel sad and dark moments for the people of Sri Lanka that how our civilians and military personals were remained target of extremist terrorism. The news of every bomb blast was coming up on my phone that different sites on distinct timings were being targeted by an unknown group on the basis of organized terror acts, the target was basically the Christian minority which were busy in the celebrations in their religious festival of Easter alongside with many foreigners. The Sri Lankan government responded and even shut downed the social media and other services for the security precautions, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka H. E. Ranil Wickcremesinghe said that on his official twitter that “the government is taking immediate steps to contain the situation.” and condemned the brutal terrorists activities in his country, the military is still on high alert. The news of world leaders and foreign offices about from United States, Russia, Great Britain, Pakistan, Iran, India, China, Portugal, Qatar and many other countries were also on the headlines. Many analysts point out that Christians were remained a target in the Buddhist majority country and were usually disrupted by monks in offering their services on different holy occasions, some of them says that ISIS affiliates in Sri Lanka can also be involved in these incidents while the question of involvement of remnants Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is also being raised which was militarily defeated by Sri Lankan government after a long period of insurgent and guerrilla conflict. As I was watching my twitter feed, some of self-proclaimed Indian think-tanks and analysts are pointing that ‘Pindi’ is behind all this butchering events in Sri Lanka, the blame was on the military establishment and the country’s leading intelligence agency known as the “Inter-Services Intelligence” (or ISI).

Now the whole point is cleared here, Pakistan was a key partner in providing Sri Lanka every type of security, equipment and diplomatic support to the people and government of Sri Lanka to bring stability in the insurgent affected zones in their country. Pakistan helped Sri Lanka by providing Sri Lankan military grenades, mortars and missiles worth of millions of dollars, military advisers were also their for strengthening the Lankan government’s position in the whole civil war era and the Pakistan Air Force was also stationed there to conduct several successful airstrikes against the LTTE separatist hideouts. The LTTE fighters were getting their training and equipment in the Tamil Nadu state of India which geographically shares sea border with Sri Lanka and is the easiest sea route that connects Indian Republic with island state, Sri Lanka. Even though we can get the information about the Eelam National Liberation Front (ENLF) which is the affiliate militant wing of LTTE having meetings with Indian security officials in Lebanon. We also hear about Indian involvement of providing them weapons flowing through the illegal gun markets in Myanmar and Thailand. No doubt Pakistan helped Sri Lanka in the whole scenario because India was trying to become the hegemonic player in South Asia which she still trying to do so. Secondly by observing the whole scenario, the economy race can also be found between the India and her neighbor, the “People’s Republic of China”. The data we can also find on internet that China and India has its own stakes in Sri Lanka and different political players are challenging each other supported by both states to dominate in the country’s parliamentary politics. Even though the Chinese are in dominating position there and Sri Lanka had also became an important partner in the China’s “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)”. Maybe such incidents would upset the Chinese economic activities there in Sri Lanka. Thirdly, the tourism sector of Sri Lanka has a major share in her GDP which was 362.7 million US$ in October 2018, no doubt the tourism of Sri Lanka had also attracted many people towards herself instead of going towards India due to the Hindu extremist elements harassing many foreign tourists and the increase in sexual assaults against the foreign tourist women by the locals in the different parts of India. By closing all this thing, we can come to a point that such incidents often happens which were conducted by other state agencies and then the era of blame game comes in, these are the things what we call fifth generation warfare tactics to defame any country through think-tanks and social media platforms. Such events may create an environment of trauma among people but also such actions are done just to achieve their own geopolitical goals, as the study of International Relations teaches us that states are selfish and there are no permanent friends or foes in the arena of international politics. The terms of Globalization also implements here that how much a state tries to bring sustained peace and implement better security precautions but at some point such things are breached and incidents like current bomb blasts in Sri Lanka used to happen at any situation.

[memoirsverse]

Verse: Doctor Who

Character name: Evelyn Alvar.

Birth date: November 3, 1984.

Physical characteristics:

5'4, curvy, with wavy brunette hair that she usually keeps cut to shoulder length or shorter, and brown eyes.  She lives in the small town of Wisteria, Louisiana, about an hour’s drive from New Orleans.

When she Travels, she is a similar height, build, and facial structure, but her hair is very long and thick, silver threaded with gold strands; her eyelashes and eyebrows are the same color. Her eyes are an intense violet. She doesn’t know why she looks this way when she Travels, but she’s learned to just go with it.

Face Claim: Emilia Clarke.  

Traveling

Since she was twelve years old, Evelyn has had the ability to separate her essence from her body, taking physical form, and move anywhere in the universe. She has no idea how she does it, just that she does. Her travels are sometimes just as physical and real to her as her everyday life, but more often, she is in a dream-like state when they happen even though she is physically present. They also leave her primary body drained quite often; she’s learned various ways to recharge so she can function, though if she overdoes it she can become very tired and susceptible to physical illness. Also, if she gets hurt while Traveling, it reflects in her primary body.  Her Traveling form has some limited ability to “teleport” from place to place, though if she does it too much it drains her.  She has some limited telepathic ability in both her Traveling and human forms, and often parses that connection in terms of a person’s “song.”

Her travels tend to drain her so much that they generally only last anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour.  The further out she goes, the more it drains her.  But, to some extent, they are spontaneous and uncontrolled by her.

Evelyn is aware on a private, personal level that she is probably not human, at least not fully, though she identifies as human. She just doesn’t know what she is or why she can do the things she can do. As far as she’s aware, her parents were both human. (She recently discovered the name of her real father, Soren, who is one of the last of a species known as the Aetheryn.)

Evelyn’s life

Evelyn  is a writer and an illustrator, and has a series of illustrated novellas that are basically about her own travels, with names and details changed somewhat and billed as fantasy fiction. The stories were written for a Young Adult audience, but have something of a cult following, though she’s not overly well known.

The Curiosity Shop

Evelyn currently co-manages a curiosity and antique shop called “Alice’s Wonderland” with her friend Alice Deva. She sells a variety of merchandise at the shop, much of it quirky, strange, or eccentric.  She also sells more conventional antiques.  

Alice, however, is not entirely what she seems, nor is she an especially healthy friend for Evelyn to have, a point which will be woven into any threads that she is a part of.

Dreams

Evelyn has recurring dreams about a place with burnt-orange skies, silver trees, and red grass.  She doesn’t think it’s a real place, really, because she’s never actually seen this world in her travels.  She figures it’s just a dream.  Still, though, she’s written it into her books, a vague reference, because it stands out to her for some reason.

She also has nightmares of blood and fire and battle, the taste of ashes in her mouth and the pain of dying, and of being pulled from the broken shell of her body and drawn into a dark space that is too small to contain her.  She doesn’t understand them.

Personality

Evelyn is very creative, and has a tendency to be very aware of things like color and form. She also has a mild form of synesthesia, manifested within her mostly by seeing colors within sound and music, which occasionally also layers additionally into tasting sound, though the latter isn’t as pronounced or frequent.  She is a highly emotional being, but has learned to hide her emotions for the most part. She has never really felt a part of anything, never really finding a social niche in the world, though she does have friends and family. She’s quite introverted, and has difficulty getting close to people, partly because her life is so unusual, and partly because she has had bad experiences. However, she does love meeting new people– just tends to be a little nervous and babbles a bit when first introducing herself, though.  She can very direct and straightforward when she talks, which sometimes translates to seeming socially awkward, blunt, or even rude. When it comes to her crossworlding experiences, though, she tends to be a bit reticent, mostly because she’s had bad experiences in the past when she talked about it openly. She is also fiercely independent and keeps herself a little bit distant, because she’s always had to look after herself for the most part, having had somewhat neglectful parents and many friendships strained by either too much honesty (when she told people about her Traveling), or too little (hiding that aspect of her life completely).

Evelyn has little patience with people who lie and manipulate, even if such lies and manipulations are done with good intentions. She is slow to trust and can be very unforgiving if that trust is violated, carrying a grudge for years.  She has a tendency to speak her mind whether it is appropriate or not, once she feels more comfortable around somebody. She dislikes crowds, but can tolerate them.She is not particularly outspoken around strangers, but if she feels strongly about something, or loses her temper, she will speak her mind, and her characteristic bluntness will come out.  She does have a bit of a fiery temper, which tends to be set off most easily when she feels somebody is trying to control her. She has certain intellectual strengths and weaknesses– for instance, she sometimes has difficulty in thinking on her feet, or debating, or anything that requires a quick response, but she’s very good at constructing logical explanations for things at her own pace, carefully examining every angle of a situation. She is very observant and is sensitive to the emotions of others, somewhat psychically empathic as well as mildly telepathic. Though Evelyn may appear rather genteel and sophisticated at first glance, she has an almost feral nature at her core, a wild creature who has taken on a civilized veneer.

It’s important to note that Evelyn and Siobhan are the same person. Siobhan is not an alter ego– she just has a slightly different appearance. She will act like the same person, with the same strengths and weaknesses. She just uses an alias when Traveling so she won’t be recognized.  However, her facial structure is the same, so a very observant person might be able to recognize Evie if they’ve seen Siobhan.

Sexuality

Evelyn is pansexual and demisexual.  For more details, read here and here.  She is also, theoretically speaking, polyamorous (again, this is explained in more detail in the above links).    

The Travelers, or the Chronoforms

There is (or was, maybe) a race of non-corporeal beings who were able to see and move through all of time and space, all possibility and potentiality. Little is or was known of them, but when the Time Lords began harnessing the power of time and space far back at the beginning, somewhere along the way they acquired knowledge of these beings and thought to exploit them as power sources. Their very first experiments sought to draw them into physical bodies, but the bodies were unable to withstand the beings inside, and practically fell apart. So they began to genetically engineer bodies, splicing together genetic code from a number of “higher” species, through trial and error, also programming blocks and channels that would be utilized for control, and eventually managed to create a being who could physically move through time and space at will.

The first successful experiment was named Galatea, after an Earth myth about a sculpture brought to life.

As remembered in writing by Evelyn Alvar:

The process of integrating the essence of the being in question is an unpredictable one. Mutations can occur, anything from physical abnormalities to certain forms of dementia or madness. The psychological infrastructure can be compromised by the trauma of the coalescence, resulting in undesirable displays of willfulness and independence that have been not only counterproductive to our intent, but in some cases have been manifested as outright adversarial. Furthermore, the knowledge we have gained has allowed us to develop another project which utilizes the bio-engineering of machinery to achieve our goals without the struggle of maintaining control over willful Crossworlders. Therefore, we feel it is in the best interest of Gallifrey and her people that this project, and all prototypes created within its parameters, be terminated with impunity.

All of the prototypes were destroyed, except for Galatea. It is not yet clear how she survived the purge, but it is thought she had help. Little else is known of her life.

Evelyn Alvar’s Traveling form, Siobhan, is identical to Galatea, except for the fact that she has very little memory and no knowledge of Galatea’s life.  The details of how she came to be (part) human and living a life as Evelyn Alvar– and why– are unknown.

Becoming Evelyn

Near the end of the Last Great Time War, the Time Lords extracted Galatea’s essence from her dying physical form and integrated her into a half-human, half-Aetheryn embryo carried by Evelyn Alvar’s mother, Isabelle.  This was accomplished with the help of Soren Masterson, the leader of the remnant of Aetheryn refugees that took shelter on Earth after their planet was laid waste during the War.  Soren is also Evelyn’s biological father, and facilitated the genetic manipulation and modification of Isabelle so that the cross-species pregnancy could be viable.  Isabelle was kept in the dark during the whole ordeal, as she was continuously administered a drug similar to Torchwood’s Retcon to purge her memory; she remembers an affair with Soren which resulted in her pregnancy with Evelyn but nothing more.  She was also made infertile from the process, an unintended side effect that caused Isabelle to deeply resent Evelyn even though she didn’t understand the full story.  A half-human, genetically manipulated form was chosen for Galatea because it was thought she would be easier to control that way, and easier to dispose of when she had served her purpose.

Galatea’s memories were suppressed, and a trans-dimensional bilateral mirror framework set in place to contain a portion of her essence in a half-phased state, since the form of Evelyn Alvar, though it had been genetically engineered specifically to hold Galatea, would break down if it held her full essence.  They never intended her to Travel like she does, except when fulfilling their purpose for her, which was intended to burn her out so she would no longer be an issue for them as she had so often been as Galatea.  However, their precautions were not perfect, and some subconscious part of her broke through when she was a child and started bilocating.  As a result, her body is slowly breaking down over time, a situation which is exacerbated every time she Travels.  Her primay form is quite frail for this reason, though her Traveling form is still very strong.  Her journeys tend to be rather brief, even though they are a natural reflex, because some instinctive and automatic part of herself is trying to preserve her strength.  

[newstfionline]

Saturday, October 2, 2021

Tropical storms and hurricanes have hit U.S. shores with unparalleled frequency (Washington Post) Unrelenting and unprecedented, back-to-back Atlantic hurricane seasons have punished the Gulf and East coasts of the United States. An unsurpassed 50 named storms have formed over the warming Atlantic waters since the start of the 2020 season, with a record-setting 18 striking the Lower 48 states, including seven hurricanes. Few coastal communities from Texas to Maine have been untouched by the onslaught of cyclones, and the Gulf Coast has been hit particularly hard. Louisiana has become a magnet for these storms, with four hurricanes and two tropical storms striking its coast since the start of the 2020 season. Some areas, such as Lake Charles and Grand Isle, have been hit more than once and have yet to recover. Remarkably, two of the strongest hurricanes in Louisiana state history, Laura and Ida, have occurred in the past two years. The high-end Category 4 storms, each of which roared ashore with 150-mph winds, are only matched by the Last Island Hurricane of 1856. The wrath of many of these storms extended far inland because of their swaths of copious rainfall. Disastrous flooding unfolded from Ida’s remnants in the Northeast, causing more than 50 deaths. The price tag of these storms is staggering and still mounting. Seven of last year’s landfalling tropical storms and hurricanes were deemed billion-dollar weather disasters by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with total damage of over $42 billion.

Dollar stores (NYT) Roughly one in every three stores that have been announced to open in the United States this year is a dollar store, according to Coresight Research, a retail advisory firm, a sign of how well the industry did in 2020. The business model, which relies on relatively cheap labor and inexpensive goods, is designed to flourish even when its core customers are hurting financially. The strategy was honed during the high unemployment and wage stagnation of the Great Recession of 2008.

Venezuela introduces new currency with 6 fewer zeros (AP) A new currency with six fewer zeros debuts Friday in Venezuela, whose currency has been made nearly worthless by years of the world’s worst inflation. The highest denomination until now was a 1 million bolivar bill that was worth a little less than a quarter as of Thursday. The new currency tops out at 100 bolivars, a little less than $25—until inflation starts to eat away at that as well. The million-to-1 change for the bolivar is intended to ease both cash transactions and bookkeeping calculations in bolivars that now require juggling almost endless strings of zeros. Under the old system, a two-liter bottle of soda pop could cost more than 8 million bolivars—and many of those bills were scarce, so a customer might have to pay with a thick wad of paper. It’s the third time in 13 years that the country has had to reset its currency in such a way. The changes come as the bolivar has dropped in value by 73 percent in value in 2021 alone, speeding a shift towards conducting transactions in U.S. dollars.

Old Irish Goats deployed to protect Dublin hills from wildfires (Reuters) An ancient breed of Irish goat has been deployed to protect the hills around one of Dublin's most affluent suburbs from wildfires. Old Irish Goats—a bearded breed that has dwindled to near extinction—love to eat the vegetation and the local council hopes grazing by a herd of 25 will leave the north Dublin suburb of Howth less prone to natural wildfires. Conservationists also hope the deployment will contribute to the survival of the small stocky breed of goat. "It's the old Irish ladies that have a job to do here and they're well able to do it," herder Melissa Jeuken, who answered one of Ireland's more unique job opportunities, said of her "hard working crew" of 25 nanny goats and kids.

British shortages (Reuters) British gas stations remained dry on Thursday as the country continues to face a truck driver shortage, cutting stations off from their supply chain. As citizens harassed station attendants and struggled to fill water bottles with petrol, the government ordered British soldiers to start driving fuel tankers to restock stations across the country. The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents 65% of gas stations in Britain, reported that 27% of pumps were fully dry, and just 52% of pumps had enough of both gas and diesel. The lack of truck drivers has also impacted other industries in the UK, and worker shortages stretch beyond just the transport sector. Pharmacies have reported their supply chains being impacted by lack of drivers, and farmers have noted that thousands of their pigs may need to be culled due to lack of butchers able to process the swine. While some have blamed the U.K.’s withdrawal from the E.U. for the labor shortage, ministers were quick to point out that similar supply chain freezes had occurred elsewhere due to COVID-19 testing slowdowns.

Portugal has nearly run out of people to vaccinate. What comes next? (Washington Post) Portugal’s vaccination campaign is almost over now, and it has exceeded even the wildest goals. Some 85 percent of Portugal’s population is fully vaccinated—aside from tiny Gibraltar, the highest rate in the world. “We have actually run out of adults to give shots to,” said Lurdes Costa e Silva, the chief nurse at a Lisbon vaccine center that is already half-shuttered. Portugal’s feat has turned the country into a cutting-edge pandemic laboratory—a place where otherwise-hypothetical questions about the coronavirus endgame can begin to play out. Chief among them is how fully a nation can bring the virus under control when vaccination rates are about as high as they can go. In Portugal, every indicator of pandemic severity is quickly trending downward. The death rate is half the European Union average and nine times below that of the United States.

Online Tiananmen museum is blocked in Hong Kong as Internet curbs widen (Washington Post) Access to an online museum commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre appeared to be blocked in Hong Kong, the latest regression for Internet freedoms and a strike against a symbol of what distinguished the city from mainland China. The website, 8964museum.com, which chronicles the massacre in timelines and other descriptions, was inaccessible in the city without a virtual private network on Thursday but reachable from other parts of the world. The museum’s physical space closed earlier this year; police also raided it a few weeks ago. The tightening of controls on material the Chinese government considers sensitive comes as Hong Kong moves to scrub official remembrance of the June 4, 1989, slaughter of hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in Beijing. Erasing memories of Tiananmen fits within Beijing’s broader remaking of Hong Kong, using a far-reaching national security law to detain and silence government critics, activists and civil society groups.

Trains packed with commuters as Japan fully ends emergency (AP/Reuters) Japan fully came out of a coronavirus state of emergency for the first time in more than six months as the country starts to gradually ease virus measures to help rejuvenate the pandemic-hit economy as the infections slowed. At Tokyo’s busy Shinagawa train station, a sea of mask-wearing commuters rushed to their work despite an approaching typhoon, with some returning to their offices after months of remote work. The emergency measures, in place for more than half of the country including Tokyo, ended Thursday following a steady fall in new caseloads over the past few weeks, helping to ease pressure on Japanese health care systems. In possibly related news, as Japan's government lifts the latest COVID-19 state of emergency that prevailed for the last six months, orders for beer kegs and bottles were up by 230% in the run-up to Friday's reopening, compared to the previous week.

Australia to ease international border restrictions from November (Reuters) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday announced an 18-month ban on Australians travelling abroad will be lifted from next month, easing one of the toughest COVID-19 restrictions imposed globally. Reopening the international border for citizens and permanent residents will be linked to the establishment of home quarantine in Australia’s eight states and territories, Morrison said, meaning that some parts of the country will reopen sooner than others. The first phase of the plan will focus on citizens and permanent residents being allowed to leave Australia, with further changes expected to permit foreign travellers to enter the country. Morrison slammed the international border shut in March 2020. Since then, only a limited number of people have been granted a permit to leave the country for critical business or humanitarian reasons.

Israeli foreign minister visits Bahrain (Reuters) Bahrain hosted the Israeli foreign minister for the highest-level visit since the countries established ties last year and which included a tour of a U.S. naval headquarters to signal common cause against Iran, which said the visit left a stain on the Gulf Arab state's rulers that "will not be erased".

Dubai’s Expo opens, bringing first World Fair to the Mideast (AP) After eight years of planning and billions of dollars in spending, the Middle East’s first ever World Fair opened on Friday in Dubai, with hopes the months-long extravaganza draws both visitors and global attention to this desert-turned-dreamscape. Named Expo 2020, the event was postponed by a year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus last year. While that could have an impact on how many people flock to the United Arab Emirates, the six-month-long exhibition offers Dubai a momentous opportunity to showcase its unique East-meets-West appeal as a place where all are welcome for business. Not long ago, the site of the 1,080 acre (438 hectare) expo was barren desert. Less than a decade later, it is a buzzing futuristic landscape with robots, a new metro station, multi-million dollar pavilions and so-called districts with names like “sustainability” and “opportunity”—all built, like much of the Gulf, by low-paid migrant workers.

[derstheviking]

Capitalism and Socialism

Marx’s 1875 formula: “from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs”, is the basis for scientific socialism. What is justified here, and why libertarian socialists must read Marx, is that the scientific foundation of a critique of political economy has already been developed, if not only exposed as a self-evident historical necessity of equality. Jean-Paul Sartre considers the materialist philosophy of Marx and Engels to be “unthinkable in the sense of an Unding, a thought which cannot stand the test of mere thought, since it is a naturalistic, pre-critical, pre-Kantian, pre-Hegelian metaphysic…the function of a Platonic ‘myth’ which helps proletarians to be revolutionaries.” When the Soviet Union adopted this maxim in their constitution as “to each according to his work” as following the customary wage payment system, instead of “to each according to his need”, Trotsky called it “this inwardly contradictory, not to say nonsensical, formula”. However, in The Revolution Betrayed he seems to defend the concept of “to each according to his work” saying that the economy of Russia cannot directly transition to communism, but must pass through a transitionary stage in the development of the productive forces. In Marxian economics, the relations of production must complement the level of the development of the productive forces, so as to say that in the level of economic development of advanced capitalism (e.g. United States, Europe), the productive forces become fully developed and the revolution can only take one form. Those Stalinists that say “he who does not work, neither shall he eat”, is from a libertarian standpoint against the right of refusal to work. As a libertarian socialist, I fully believe that labor should be voluntary and that most people would in practice work, with a minority using their refusal to work right, people should be given to along Marx’s formula “to each according to need” and all organizational or work-based relations should be voluntary, such as certain examples of anarchist federalism or confederalism. Moreover, I do think that the workers’ council is the indispensable condition for political hegemony by the proletariat, so people would be highly politically involved as a basic condition of their existence, and would as so work if able (“from each according to his ability”) - does this federalism based on Soviet democracy contradict Marx’s formula, exposing Marx as an authoritarian? The goal of Marxism is to create the situation in which the maximum amount of liberty is given to the population - but the situation with liberty and freedom is complex and not seen in any way similar to right-libertarians who says that private property ownership is a right (we see property as theft). Property ownership is not a liberty in the state of nature and instead is a form of exploitation and coercion, the masses of people here in the United States are just starting to become aware of this very fact. But with a society based on Soviet democracy as I discussed, the amount of participation and power that the individual would have over his or her surroundings would constitute decisions being made on a local level, with also the existence of proletarian hegemony - which can turn into post-hegemony, and can exist in the form of counter-hegemony as well (i.e. dual power). Maybe not obvious, is the fact that Gramsci attributed the continuation of hegemony to be in the control of the intellectuals in society, similar to Althusser’s later idea of ideology as the reproduction of the means of production, but it is important to note the role of discourse in the formation of political identities. I am not going to argue that proletarian hegemony cannot manifest itself in party rule, because it can, such as China or the Soviet Union, but the early Soviet Union when there were still trade unions and workers’ councils is what we should be able to find as common ground between Leninists and libertarian Marxists as the ideal for society. So we are not opposed to ‘the Leninist freedom’ (yes, but for whom? to do what?) but rather want to ground our basic conception of freedom in left-wing libertarianism.

What presents itself as the main subject of disagreement between anarchists and Marxists is the transitionary state period from capitalism to communism. This may depend on how one defines a State, which functions one assigns it, etc. The anarchists recognize that a stateless administrative role must be fulfilled, while Marxists argue for a transitionary State socialist period after capitalism. For anarchists, we must make the immediate transition to direct democracy, and while Marxists support all forms of direct democracy, the transition to a post-scarcity way of life requires the intermediate dictatorship of the proletariat partially for the technological acceleration of the means of production. From an economic point of view, all forms of anarchism historically are forms of socialism (i.e. worker ownership of the means of production), and therefore no State bureaucracy exists under anarchism. However, Marxists view anarchism as a utopian and futile struggle, which only in certain historical situations such as Catalonia and Aragon during the Spanish Civil War, can direct democracy be achieved out of capitalism. To speak of the Stalinist Soviet Union’s initial support and subsequent appropriation of the Spanish Revolution, the Trotskyist/libertarian Marxist P.O.U.M. militia fully supported the anarcho-syndicalist direct democracy, despite anti-Trotskyist propaganda coming from the Soviet Union declaring them as traitors.

There exists an exaggerated metaphor in contradiction to the theory of permanent revolution, that as a tribal society could not transform into a capitalist society, neither can a feudal society transform into a socialist society. In theory, this argument is considered a form of “stagism”. There exists two distinct historical situations in which stagism can be applied. First, the existence of a bourgeois-democratic republic created through a bourgeois-democratic revolution. And second, a Workers’ State that oversees a gradual transition through capitalism. Capitalism within a transition through stagism is characterized by the acceptance of bourgeois property and the concentration of capital. It is meant to develop a democratic culture and achieve rapid urbanization and industrialization. Besides the anti-revisionism of the Maoist regime, Mao thought that due to the historical conditions of China at the time, that the model that he expected would overtake bourgeois liberal democracy worldwide, the dictatorship of the proletariat, needed to be adapted to the historical conditions of China and called his theory of the bloc of four social classes (proletariat, peasants, petty-bourgeoisie, national bourgeoisie) New Democracy. He said that every specific historical situation around the world had its own unique path to democracy, and New Democracy set up a temporary alliance with the bourgeoisie (while land redistribution was still occurring), so as to combat Japanese imperialism, and win over more popular support for the Communist Party. China is an example of the latter, a workers’ State that oversees capitalist development.

Lenin in his 1917 ’The State and Revolution’ clarifies the role of revolution and the withering away of the state in Marxist theory: “As a matter of fact, Engels speaks here about the proletarian revolution “abolishing” the bourgeois state, while the words about the state withering away refer to the remnants of the proletarian state after the socialist revolution. According to Engels the bourgeois state does not “wither away” but is “abolished” by the proletariat in the course of the revolution. What withers away after this revolution is the proletarian state or semi-state.” Marx stated, “the working class cannot simply lay hold of the ready-made state machinery, and wield it for its own purposes.” Therefore, the new proletarian state must be “built from the ashes” of the bourgeois state that was abolished during the course of the socialist revolution - into a new form of organization.

As materialists, in the words of Marx and Engels, “In the social production of their existence, humans inevitably enter into definite relations, which are independent of their will, namely relations of production appropriate to a given stage in the development of their material forces of production. The totality of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which arises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness. The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but their social existence that determines their consciousness.”

This passage from the 1846 ‘The German Ideology’ by Marx and Engels is a basic statement in favor of materialism, to see consciousness as created by the socioeconomic conditions of existence around us, rather than our consciousness forming the material world. The materialist worldview, conception of history, and dialectic, is not dead or static, but dialectical reasoning creates a conflict theory based on contradictions and antagonisms and their historical resolutions, evolutions, and revolutions. In fact, while Marx and Engels formed the Communist League in 1847, a merger of the League of the Just and the Communist Correspondence Committee, the egalitarian inheritors of the left-wing of the Jacobins from the French Revolution and the 1795 Conspiracy of Equals headed by Babeuf. It wasn’t until 1871 when the Paris Commune emerged that Marx wrote ’The Civil War in France’ where he coined the phrase “the dictatorship of the proletariat” as the first post-capitalist stage of government in his theory of historical materialism, the historical outcome of a proletarian revolution that in Paris, in which existed the indispensable form of government that allowed the proletariat to exercise power - the workers’ council. Though workers’ councils as a form of government didn’t appear again until the 1905 revolutions in Russia and Poland. Then, from 1910-1920 in the Mexican Revolution. Then most famously, Soviets (workers’ council in Russian) would arise during the 1917 February and October Russian Revolutions, and in the 1918 German Revolution. While the Russian Revolution would be successful, the German Revolution was not. The word soviets entered the English language inspired by the Russian proletarian dictatorship of the Soviets, and applied in theory as soviet democracy or council communism. The form of government known a “Soviet Republic” refers to a government that is based on soviet democracy. The term “People’s Republic” dates back to the People’s Republic of Ukraine, which gained independence from Soviet Russia in 1918 as part of the Ukrainian War of Independence which started after the February Revolution in Russia when a multitude of different ethnic groups began demanding self-determination, and continuing after the October Revolution, when in southern Ukraine Nestor Makhno and his followers formed the anarchist Free Territory, and in the remaining land two Bolshevik-formed Soviet Republics were established.

The Comintern in 1928 divided history into three periods: “The “First Period” that followed World War I and saw the revolutionary upsurge and defeat of the working class, as well as a “Second Period” of capitalist consolidation for most of the decade of the 1920s…the current phase of world economy from 1928 onwards, the so-called “Third Period”, was to be a time of widespread economic collapse and mass working class radicalization. (Wikipedia)” With the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany in 1933, from 1934 on the Comintern would begin advocating for the organization of “Popular Fronts” to fight the rise of fascism; these organizations were broader than the so-called “United Fronts” that emerged during the 1917 Russian Revolution to unite the minority of the revolutionary working class with large numbers of non-revolutionary workers and trade unions and simultaneously attempting to win them over to the revolutionary cause; the “Popular Fronts” included centrist, liberal and social democratic as well as revolutionary socialists, communists, and anarchists. The system of government that emerged during the Popular Front period was known as “People’s democracy”, which unlike the direct democratic nature of Soviet democracy, represented a parliamentary multi-class multi-party democracy; this change of tactics by the Comintern was directly in response to the rise of fascism in Europe. Stalin knew that the revolutions that followed World War I (1917-1923) had mostly failed and the Comintern recognized that this “Third Period” of revolution never came about. This also influenced Stalin’s national policy of “socialism in one country”.

[watchmanis216]

House of Mourning, House of Mirth

This house of mourning is full of Idiocy, Manure Politics, and the stuff that nightmares are made of! But in the end, the Harvest is coming; a reward for all their efforts!

House of Mourning, House of Mirth

Psa 9:15-20

(15)  The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.

(16)  The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

(17)  The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

(18)  For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

(19)  Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.

(20)  Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.

The rehash of white supremacy, of Nazism, and trashing of Donald Trump is just that. Old news, retired some time ago and brought out for this occasion.  Politics and Washington DC all tie together in a myriad of tired worn out phrases. Who cares if the blood of men hollowed the grounds of Charlottesville, Antietam, Gettysburg, Little roundtop, and others. Once before we had division which was bitter. Today, again; the division is there, the lies are there, the stretching of the truth certainly is there, and bigoted leftists in their own right are most certainly there.  One thing is certain, Americans have never really learned the lesson of the Civil War. It was not about slavery or state’s rights. It was about division and bitterness.  To be sure, this makes for the most disgusting display of ignorance that America has witnessed.

Burn baby burn, House of Mourning, House of Mirth

It’s as if they really think Hitler is in the White House. It’s as if they really think this small group of Nazis are going to take over. But when Obama came on the scene with his socialist ideas, open border policies, and globalist socialist agendas; no one took notice. Like airheads on cocaine, leftists loved the Obama push for world order and the socialist way of life. Let everyone have their own opinion except the right, although today there is no right; just wrong. There are no republicans and democrats, just Trump haters. Today the motion sickness of expedient idiocy floats through DC like a fog bank that rolls in off the Potomac.  As I watch this stuff and the stupidity that is America today, I am constantly reassured there is no hope, as long as, division and idiots rule Congress. As long as, Idiots run rampant in the street hating everyone who disagrees with them. As long as, no one has a free voice, nor free vote, or the individual who can continue to stand tall once they have given their opinion. Today, voicing your opinion for Donald Trump, for instance; in the end gets you beaten up!

But today I hear a barrage of ideas, investigations, talking points, articles, and protests. Everyone fighting, everyone mad, everyone pulling in opposite directions, and finally everyone self-absorbed about giving their own point of view. That is what the left wants, to make everyone tired. To make the people give in and say; go ahead and make America as you want. Let me say it for everyone; go ahead and remake America. I disagree with you, but let the consequences fall on your own head! It is for this reason that America today faces the greatest threat of its existence. But of course, the biggest problem we have today is found in three letters, S–I–N!

Tear up the constitution. Burn the bill of rights. Give everyone in America everything free. Let them sit on their asses watching liberal talk show hosts who will reassure them that in their world everything is fine. Who cares if America is great. Afterall, it is the white man’s fault. It is the black man’s fault if that black man doesn’t hate whites like the liberal black fascists who push white hatred do. Let the Indians blame the whites, let the Mexican’s hate the whites, let everyone hate everyone else. If that is all you can do, then go ahead and hate. Why believe in a good God of mercy when you can hate, be vile, and act like a bitch dog in heat. Why turn around and let this nation heal? Why show mercy when you can just as well beat the suckers up. Why listen to anything good, anything moral, and anything just when you follow the globalist agendas of the leftist power dealers of Soros, Obama, black lives matter, and others.

Yes, go ahead and do it, afterall; who cares that America is basically a nation that is purely godless anyway.  You want all the statues removed? Go ahead and tear down statues of Gen. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, and any others you hate. Tear down the Confederate flag, the American flag, and anything else you want. Go ahead and blame the one in the White house. You might as well paint it black or purple or yellow; because you are a bunch of yellow suckers who are too frightened to admit you are wrong. You are a nation of people for the most part that blames a White billionaire who won the election for President and is now the target of every nut job on the left.

Psa 75:4-8

(4)  I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

(5)  Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

(6)  For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

(7)  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

(8)  For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

If you would listen, really listen to yourself; maybe you would know the vile filth you push. If our politicians would shut up and just stop talking; all of them. Be silent, work as a peacemaker; and look to the Lord. But for the masses, there is no god. There is only purpose and pursuit of your goal, your agenda. That agenda is felt today as you continue to tear down America, to burn her cities, to remove Trump who wants to make America great again. What is more, because you won’t listen; there is little hope left that anything will make this nation truly great again. But for many on the leftist side, the alt-left, the left, and the republicans and democrats who take part in this visible display of stupidity; you will push your own way no matter what. Though the chasm of division grows by leaps and bounds daily, don’t stop now. Allow the fuel of your rebellion to follow through. Burn, baby burn; trash it all, hate everyone except those who will join in your foolhardy expedition of self-destruction. When the ashes then become cold, and you see the cold dead fingers of America lay in a heap; then be proud oh fool!

The leftists are shocked at everyone and everything, all the time! That is, except for the fact they are never shocked by the things they say. They legitimize their threats, violence, and hate; and in the end, it is either Trumps fault or the conservatives.  The two groups, Alt-left and Alt-right are merely reflections of what is in the political parties in America. They mirror the hatred we have seen in DC and the nation called America for a very long time now!

The pit you have dug for those who oppose you shall instead be for you. You shall fall into your own misery when the day dawns on the harvest of your shame!

Be proud for you have really shown us what your vision was to become.

Be proud of fool, for in your eyes only are you a hero!

Anathema, cursed; is that nation and that man whose God is not the Lord!

  Ecc 7:4-6

(4)  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

(5)  It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

(6)  For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

House of Mourning, House of Mirth

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House of Mourning, House of Mirth

House of Mourning, House of Mirth House of Mourning, House of Mirth This house of mourning is full of Idiocy, Manure Politics, and the stuff that nightmares are made of!

[authenticpromises]

the champion of time

I stand at the edge of a dilapidated cliff configured from the debris left behind from the remnants of the universe. It is a decrepit cliff, fabricated from all of human existence: past, present, and future, a frail substance to be made of indeed. Beneath me, a chasm, made up of the residue of a failed civilization: hopes and dreams long since forgotten by the cruel unwavering hands of a ticking clock.

Thousands of years from now, when a new species grows over the bones of a fallen one, there will be no documentation of their existence. Permanent erasure from history. Blissful release from a universe that expects so much of its inhabitants. Thousands of years from now, with nothing to learn from, the species will grow and collapse, as history has written, and the universe churns and revels in the fools who believed themselves invincible. The Napoleon Bonapartes and George Washingtons of their time will disappear and their achievements fall away as the universe demands consumption of heroes in its goal to be the greatest champion known to time.

But right now, I stand on the edge of a ramshackle cliff, made up of all of human existence and I decide whether I want to take part in this frivolous narrative any further, or do I give in? Do I jump into the chasm of failed civilization and goad the universe a step further in its wish to become the greatest champion known to time? My achievements will be easy to erase, after all. I was no Bonaparte or Washington. I was merely a Parker, one of the thousands. The universe will surely celebrate in my departure but I was no hero and consumption of my measly atoms will amount to very little.

As I stand on the edge of the cliff, the stars twinkle, asking me to play. I am tired, my limbs limp, as if the effort of existing has siphoned all energy from their being, turning them into lifeless extensions of my body. Ah but how rude they must think I am, the stars and their photons have travelled hundreds of millions of light years to demand my friendship and I turn them down, their twinkling lights disappointed by my callous nature. But what else can I do? How can I taint their beauty with my soot stained soul and atoms who no longer want to stick together as they once did?

They truly are the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

How cruel the universe can be in all of her cold beauty.

See this is how I see it: existence is a trivial concept created by those who fear oblivion. How self centered we must be to think that there is a reality in which we won’t face complete erasure? We are not the center of the universe because the universe already deemed herself the center, the queen. She always wins, as monarchs so often do. I know this and as such, I don’t fear oblivion. I fear existence. To live and exist is to be condemned to a the knowledge of being forgotten. At least oblivion embraces you in her nothingness and she doesn’t tempt you with the knowledge of anything else.

These are things I consider as I stand on this cliff assembled from the atoms of all of human existence. The chasm of human failure is oblivion and oh how beautiful she is. She beckons to me, a friendly gesture, asking me to join her in her embrace. Accept nothingness in all of its glory. Oh what fun!

So what is keeping me from joining her?

I look up and the stars begin twinkling and sparkling with a fervor that I have never seen before in my eighteen years of existence, as if reminding me what it is to know beauty, as if to remind me what I lose by accepting consumption into nothingness. I’m stuck, staring into the endless night and the stars refuse to let me go. Let me go! I demand, I no longer want to be here. My efforts are fruitless and existence knows nothing but pain. But they hold strong. I suppose if I’d travelled hundreds of millions of light years to make see a friend, I’d refuse to let her leave too.

What do you want from me? I cry. I’ve tired of this plane, consume me as you consume everyone and erase me from existence as you so wished to do.

My tears form pools and my glistening eyes threaten to pour over, releasing some of my atoms from the clutches of others. And suddenly, I feel all of the universe enter my body. I consume her and I feel her anguish and her fatigue, she has existed for far longer than I and even she isn’t invulnerable to the unsympathetic nature of existence.

And I sob.

I release all of me to the universe, I give her every part of my being in return for her giving me all of hers and as I stand on this cliff made from the broken fragments of human civilization, we make each other whole. Her embrace pulls me away from the edge as the stars watch in wonder of the human and the universe and in this moment, oblivion washes away and the stars scoop me up and I travel hundreds of thousands of light years to visit an unnamed friend. Fatigue no longer grounds me to this plane and I arrive into the arms of nothingness.

a.p.

[how2to18]

IN THE SUMMER of 2014 — August, the sun hammering all day on prickly wheat fields — the first Islamic State fighters arrived in Sinjar province, close to the Syrian border in northwest Iraq.

Bearded and mostly young, lugging an array of weapons, they came in pickup trucks and cars, as well as Humvees captured from the Iraqi Army in earlier battles. Soon the black-and-white flag of ISIS, the freshest desert nightmare, would fly along roads and atop buildings in places that rarely (or never) make it onto American television: Tel Azer, Kojo, Siba Sheikheder, Tel Banat, Sinjar City. This last place was home of the Yezidis, a religious minority long accustomed to violent persecution.

The confrontation would have terrible consequences for this already embattled and vulnerable population, and no book has covered it better than Cathy Otten’s With Ash on Their Faces: Yezidi Women and the Islamic State. Otten has been doing lonely work for half a decade now, covering a corner of the world most Westerners have stopped thinking about, if they ever did in the first place. Her book, stitching together individual accounts of displacement and trauma, is the chronicle of a staggering tragedy.

The Yezidi faith is rooted in an oral poetics. Centered around a place called Lalish, where a revered 12th-century Sufi mystic named Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir is buried, their religion is inextricable from significant stories and hymns, linguistic structures passed down through community networks; their understanding of the universe is located not in texts but in spoken narrative and song, particularly those associated with sacred shrines. Yezidism is a monotheistic religion that incorporates elements of pre-Islamic Mesopotamian belief systems; they conceive of their god’s earthly representative as Melek Taus, an angel who takes the form of a peacock. Most speak Kurdish and many identify ethnically as Kurds, but some speak Arabic.

You cannot become a Yezidi. You must be born one. This accounts for the small size of their population, which is under a million globally, with half of those in northern Iraq. Most of the rest are scattered in a diaspora that stretches from Syria to Germany to Texas.

They have endured a staggering 74 genocides in their history, and they remember all of it through oral tradition. Early Muslim rulers considered them devil-worshipping infidels. The Ottomans were especially vicious, massacring hundreds at a time, ransacking villages, and forcing mass conversions to Islam. Saddam Hussein did not spare them his psychotic, industrial violence: after many Yezidis joined the Kurds in uprisings during the 1970s, Saddam responded by razing their villages and relocating survivors to grim concrete towns built by the state, where they were forbidden from speaking Kurdish and forced to register their ethnicity as Arab.

In the 1990s, US sanctions crippled the regional and national economies in which Yezidi communities were tangled, leaving many in poverty. Then came the 2003 American-led invasion and the disasters in its wake.

In response to this deep history of violence and dispossession, Yezidism developed its talking historiography, its poetic defenses. Adherents remember the genocides this way, recording what the German-Yezidi psychologist Jan Kizilhan calls “trans-generational trauma.” But their traditions are more than just an archive of sorrow; they also tell of resistance against evil, of dignified but tenuous lives. There is no Yezidism without these stories. Crucially, they are often relayed by women.

After the initial shock-and-awe of the 2003 invasion, which killed thousands of Iraqis and destroyed the Ba’athist regime, the region collapsed into a civil war of ghastly territorial and ethnic violence. Disaster came in waves. Throughout the mid-2000s, hundreds of Yezidi families were driven from the city of Mosul, which had long hosted a significant Yezidi community. Islamic extremists would have killed them if they had remained, so they fled to Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous region to which they already had close cultural, political, and security ties. In the summer of 2007, terrorists detonated four enormous truck bombs in the heavily Yezidi towns of Siba Sheikheder and Tel Azer, killing hundreds and wounding thousands, the deadliest single bombing of the entire post-2003 war. Many Yezidis joined militias during this time, especially the vaunted Peshmerga, whose name comes from the Kurdish for “those who face death.”

Incubated in American military prisons and initially allied with al-Qaeda, ISIS officially went independent in 2013 and set about working on its goal: establishing a radical caliphate across the Middle East. This was bleak news for the region’s Christians, Jews, and Shia Muslims, given that the Islamic State considers only its version of Sunni Islam legitimate. But the Yezidis were in even greater danger. Unlike Christians, whom ISIS considers “people of the book” and thus hypothetically worthy of life, the Yezidis are seen as barbarians. Their lives have no value beyond two brutal functions: butchering their men makes for vivid propaganda in a hyper-mediated century, and enslaving their women gratifies ISIS soldiers while also, as a tangential benefit, humiliating the remnants of an entire people.

With the weak, splintered Iraqi central regime unable to maintain stability across wide swaths of the country, and with the Syrian civil war burning the world to the west, Islamic State’s power ballooned. ISIS fighters easily overcame the feeble Iraqi Army, taking much of its American-supplied heavy weaponry and capturing Mosul in mid-June 2014. Weeks later, as a holiday consecrated to the Yezidi prophet Sheikh Adi came to a close, as Yezidis broke their fasts, slaughtering sheep and exchanging gifts and gathering to chat with neighbors in the cool of the evening, ISIS was moving toward them. At least 130,000 people fled to a nearby place that had been a Yezidi redoubt for centuries: Sinjar Mountain.

No safety awaited. Over the coming weeks three thousand Yezidis would be killed by ISIS, half during the initial rush away from the burning towns, and half dying of wounds, dehydration, and starvation as Islamic State laid siege to the hills. On August 7, Barack Obama appeared on television to announce that the United States would begin airstrikes on ISIS positions around Sinjar Mountain; American aircraft also dropped food and water, though not nearly enough for 130,000 people. At the same time Kurdish militias began fighting to retake the mountain, and they cut a road through to Syria after two weeks of grisly fighting. By the time US special forces arrived in Sinjar, most of the Yezidis had escaped under the protection of Kurdish fighters. But ISIS took nearly 6,400 Yezidi prisoners, most of them women and children. Awaiting these captives were slave markets, torture chambers, and underground prisons across Iraq and Syria.

Yezidi women were already a vulnerable population, because their patriarchal society emphasizes female chastity and purity and invests much less in educating girls than boys. (Many Yezidi women are illiterate.) Missteps, such as attempting to marry outside the faith, are often punished violently; “honor killings” are not uncommon. Such vulnerability is intersectional: as Otten has it, Yezidi women “become doubly victimized, as women in a male-dominated society, and as part of a religious minority.”

In other words, ISIS tortured them for being women and for being Yezidi. The terrorists developed “a whole theory of property,” Otten remarks, whereby “mass abduction for the purpose of institutionalized rape” simultaneously functions as a weapon of war (a way to humiliate and debase whole communities) and constitutes a complex market in human flesh. Men would be killed. Women would be commodified.

The story of these women is the center of With Ash on Their Faces, and because the text is based primarily on first-person testimony, it participates in the Yezidi tradition of memory, endurance, and recovery. If, to use Teju Cole’s terminology, actual warfare is hot violence, then cold violence entails a failure of language — what Otten calls “the violence of indignity, of forgetting, of carelessness and of not listening.” Blend the two and you have the conditions for genocide. Otten is not sentimental, refusing to treat narrative as a magic elixir. Language has limits:

Though this book engages extensively with this history of storytelling as a means of promoting survival and resistance in the face of captivity, it does so without claiming that the practice is always successful. The telling of individual stories can seem to offer redemption, but it can also work to hide ongoing political failures that prevent redress and renewal and can even lead to further violence.

Or as a former ISIS prisoner puts it, “If anyone comes and asks, I will tell them what happened to me; but no one can bring back the dead.”

ISIS developed a rigorous system for it all. Prisoners were given “slave numbers” to organize things, then offered to bidders. Single women, assumed to be virgins, were most salable, sliding quickly through the churn of bodies and dispersing across Syria and Iraq, wherever ISIS held territory. At a former refinery, for instance, women and girls were chained to the walls, then beaten and raped by multiple men. Their jailers used forced contraception to prevent inconvenient biological developments. “It costs more for one with blue eyes,” remarks one rapist; “Check her teeth,” advises another.

Lest we think that radical Islam rejects neoliberalism altogether, ISIS developed a mobile-phone app to expedite the slave trade and held computerized lotteries for the most beautiful captives. One prisoner observed that the ISIS men selected human beings “as if they were buying vehicles.” They treated their trucks better. Escape attempts — and there were many, because the women fought their captors constantly — were punished by gang rape or execution. Some attempted suicide when they couldn’t get away. Others smeared dirt and ash on their daughters’ faces and their own, an old Yezidi practice meant to make them unattractive to their keepers.

Otten renders all of this in the best kind of humanist journalism: lucid, transparent, grimly realistic. She is a guide who shifts readers from scene to scene, from voice to voice, from disaster to disaster. Although With Ash on Their Faces does have a temporal chronology that stretches from August 2014 to the near present, its structural logic is ultimately more fractured, episodic, looping, dreamlike. This form mimics the recurrent nature of trauma, as the testimonies she collects overlap into a horrifying texture.

Marketizing rape wasn’t the only way ISIS tried to break the Yezidis. Boys as young as seven were taken to camps where they would be brainwashed and trained to fight. Other children were simply killed in front of their mothers; sometimes their bodies were buried in graves so shallow that hungry dogs dug them out. One woman who had been sold multiple times tried unsuccessfully to kill herself and her children by soaking them with gasoline. “I have lost all my other memories,” another recounts. The awful scenes keep accumulating, and it can be tough going for a reader. But Otten’s moral imagination is embodied in her narrative style. Her prose points to these atrocities — it says this happened, look at it.

For the women who have escaped ISIS (and Otten tells their stories of flight in gripping, vivid fashion) these experiences have lasting effects. Some of the fallout is physical. One Yezidi gynecologist estimates that 90 percent of her patients have been raped; their ailments range from chronic urinary-tract infections to debilitating pelvic pain. Then there is the psychological residue of captivity. Another Yezidi doctor has had some success with narrative therapy, which allows people with PTSD to share their ordeals, but most of the women Otten meets have suicidal thoughts, and some go through with it — “Some girls killed themselves because they didn’t want to face their families,” reports an escapee.

Nearly 4,000 Yezidi women and girls remain missing. To date, no one — not the Kurds, not the Iraqi government, not the Americans — has attempted a large-scale rescue mission. In the void, a loose network of businessmen smugglers has developed, often charging families enormous sums of money in exchange for their female relatives. It has been at best a partial success. Meanwhile, after being hobbled by coalition airstrikes and grinding battles with the Peshmerga, ISIS is rebounding. Sinjar City and nearby towns remain in ruins, and the region’s various players are scuffling for geopolitical and military influence. Three hundred and fifty thousand Yezidis are still displaced in Iraqi Kurdistan. The women endure amid all this, ignored (when not exploited) by most Western journalists. “No matter where we are, we think only about those of us who are still in captivity,” a survivor tells Otten. After finishing this slim book, you too may think of little else.

¤

Ryan Boyd teaches at the University of Southern California.

The post “Living in the Shadows of the Dead”: Cathy Otten’s “With Ash on Their Faces” appeared first on Los Angeles Review of Books.

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[falloutpnp]

Session 21

As two days pass, the Phoenix Corporation headquarters has become a hive of activity. The small office complex is slowly being boxed and moved in preparation for their relocation to Site 187. Although the majority of their belongings and equipment have been packed, there remains a few remnants in the building and inside the ‘annex’ - a re-purposed cargo vertibird which had collided into the building long before Phoenix Corporation had arrived. As Maxwell finishes loading another truck load of items, he invites the rest of the team over to Site 187.

Site 187 is a large facility ringed off by a chain link fence and nestled inside a clearing between large surrounding hills. Previously, it had been held by the NCR as some sort of depot for logistical operations. However, with the Misfits’ success in Operation Lion’s Den, the plot has now been awarded to Maxwell. The facility houses multiple offices, a large cargo bay, a canteen, sleeping barracks with individual rooms and a deep underground basement.

As the others wander around the building, Maxwell spots Pandora and asks her to follow him. They arrive at an elevator where Reade and Blythe are waiting. After exchanging pleasantries, the descend into the bowls of the building, where the Major begins to explain what they are all doing here and why Site 187 is so significant.

It is revealed that Blythe’s father was an Enclave scientist who sought from the NCR after the collapse of the government in the Capital Wasteland, Washington DC. In exchange for safety, Blythe’s father, Dr Richard Blythe, agreed to providing his insight and expertise in advanced technology. While he would see his son grow to become an NCR civil servant, Richard would eventually succumb to cancer he had developed as a consequence to work with radioactive materials. However, before he died, Richard told his son of a hidden facility hidden somewhere in California: an Enclave laboratory that housed a mysterious device that would help in their darkest hour…

After several years working for the NCR, the son would eventually come into contact with Major Maxwell and the Phoenix Corporation. Through a mutual understanding of the dangers that the world has to offer, the pair formed an alliance to work towards a single goal: discovering technology for the betterment of mankind.

The elevator reaches the basement and the group walk through the dank underbelly of the facility. Equipped with a flashlight and a map with technical plans, they follow Blythe to the end of a long corridor and watch while he carefully inspects at an electrical panel. Maxwell carries on to explain that they can all see the threat that the ACU represents. They need to prepare to defend against that threat; acting as mercenaries means that the Phoenix Corporation will be thrown into a war that the NCR are too incompetent to fight.

Blythe finally pulls a lever and flicks a set of circuit breakers. The hallway comes to life as electricity surges through its veins and light bursts onto the scene. Though they seem to have reached a dead end, Maxwell steps forward and opens another electrical panel. Though it seems to bare no special purpose, he presses a series of buttons in a specific order to reveal a hidden lever. As he pulls the lever, the cold air surrounding them rushes towards a section of wall, shuddering open to reveal a hidden laboratory. Several seconds later, ancient computer terminals suddenly spring into life with data reels spinning purposefully while lights flicker into existence. Though the room has not seen life in many decades, the laboratory is immaculately clean.

And although their eyes are busy dancing around this unfamiliar room - this treasure trove of technology - their gaze eventually rests on the machine.

Sitting in the center, a large contraption which occupies both floor and ceiling. Shaped like a large tube of sorts with a glass panel, a multitude of wires and pipes run into the computers that seemingly command it. However, the monitors remain blank with a green flashing cursor, prompting instruction.

“What is it?” Pandora finally asks, to which Maxwell smirks. Neither he nor Blythe knows, however, it will be the Phoenix Corporation’s last mission as mercenaries to uncover the truth. Pandora is both surprised and relieved when she hears the Major explain that, after this final mission, they will become independent and will no longer be under the thumb of the NCR. Blythe confirms that he has already submitted the paperwork for the dissolution of Phoenix Corporation as a mercenary outfit; in one month’s time, they will registered as a trading and scavenging company. Blythe will also quit his position and become a part owner with Maxwell. The future sounds prosperous.

The Misfits’ last mission will be to travel to Oceanside, find and recover the last known surviving Enclave scientist in the area: Doctor Homer Langley Drexler and use his knowledge to uncover the purpose of the machine. Pandora is excited but the name Oceanside sounds familiar… She suppresses a gasp when she remembers the town not only rests close to the Mexican border but it is also the place she had the repugnant and self absorbed NCR Major Costello posted to...

Having grown bored of unpacking boxes (or rather, watching other people unpack boxes), Kassie and Curt wander off into the heart of The Boneyard in search of a bar. During their travels, they come across a scene in which a drunkard is thrown out of The Stealer’s Wheel. The grizzled man tumbles to the ground and, much to their surprise, he appears to be none other than Sonny - the gunslinger they met at Checkpoint Charlie. Sonny is mournfully morose in his drunken stupor but recognises the the pair immediately. After some coaxing, Sonny reveals his tragic past; the gunslinger was a former NCR Corporal whose family was killed by a raider gang. The Corporal’s family resided off-base in the small settlement of New Springs - not far from The Boneyard - where they were gunned down. Sonny was discharged on medical grounds following the massive breakdown he suffered. Blaming himself for accepting a post away from his family, the gunslinger withdrew into seclusion and found relief inside a bottle. Several years passed and Sonny slowly pieced together the identity of the killers and their usual routes from his list of NCR contacts.   

Sonny eventually asks for help in avenging his slain daughter and wife. In return, he’ll teach them how to fan a revolver, like he did at Checkpoint Charlie. Kassie and Curt accept his offer and follow him into the wastes. Eventually, the trio carefully crawl up a large sand dune overlooking a decaying set of buildings - presumably an old office complex - where they spy three raiders sitting on their vehicle - a short asian girl with a carefree attitude, sitting on the hood of their vehicle; an anxious, one eyed man covered in sores and scratches; and a large, hulk of a man, standing impatiently with his arms folded. Sonny confirms that’s the target and passes his binoculars. Through the binoculars, Kassie and Curt spot a shocking sight; Charles walking beside a woman seemingly associated with the raider clan. Although they themselves do not know it, the three raiders are Ploom, Skitters and Oak, with the mystery woman accompanying Charles being Sybil. Sonny recognises Sybil as the leader of the clan but does not know who Charles is (their paths never crossed when they were both at Checkpoint Charlie).

As they watched Charles and Sybil drive off in a separate vehicle, Sonny notices their tense behaviour and asks them what’s up. Kassie unconvincingly tells him that nothings is wrong. Sonny doesn’t buy it and asks them pair if they know the people down there - specifically the man walking with Sybil. Kassie and Curt once again fail to lie. Sonny pulls out his revolver and repeats the question. Kassie partially lies: she says that she knows the man but has no idea why he is there. Sonny, still training his revolver on Kassie, as her if the pair will have a problem with killing the three remaining raiders. Kassie and Curt successfully convince Sonny that they will aid him in battle and the trio walk down the sandy dune.

Skitters spots them first and immediately panics: Charles/Cain’s complex relationship with The Three Dragons and The Phoenix Corporation could become completely unravelled if they are not careful. Oak steps forward and asks what they are doing here. Sonny then begins to recant his story about the raider assault on the New Springs settlement and asks them directly if they were involved. The large raider admits his involvement but reveals that the attack was not directly specifically on New Springs: Oak, Skitters and Ploom were under attack from another raider group when the battle spread into the settlement. Sonny’s family were caught in the cross-fire. “They were in the wrong place at the wrong time” as Oak puts it. He apologises but emphasises that shit happens.

Despite this revelation, Sonny is still fixated on revenge. Oak makes a deal: as he understands Sonny’s feelings, he will offer the gunslinger a one-on-one duel to the death. In exchange, no matter the outcome, Ploom, Skitters, Kassie and Curt can walk away. “There is no reason everyone has to die today.”

Before Sonny has time to consider the offer, Curt raises the muzzle of his M60 and unloads ten rounds into the unprepared Ploom. The barrage of bullets tear her to pieces and she collapses to the ground, dead. Stricken with grief, Oak throws away all self control and inhales a hit of jet. The mountain of muscle arms himself with a Proton Axe and marches menacingly towards Kassie, Curt and Sonny. Skitters tries to reason with Oak but his shot at by Kassie, who critically wounds his leg.

Chaos ensues. Lost in his drug induced high, Oak viciously swipes at Sonny with his axe, causing critical damage. Skitters, on the other hand, manages to crawl into cover behind his vehicle and fires at Curt. The round critically wounds Curt’s left arm, forcing him to ditch his machine gun. Kassie attempts to enter into one-on-one melee combat with Oak but receives massive wounds in the battle. She backs off a little as Sonny fans a 3 round burst of .45 into Oak’s gut. Taking advantage of the moment, Curt decides to pull out a tangle grenade in the hopes of stopping the hulking raider. He fumbles the grenade, which explodes behind him, creating a massive cloud of fast setting foam. Skitters hobbles towards the foam and uses it as a new firing point, landing several hits on the wounded Curt. When Curt returns fire, Skitters retreats fully into cover. Oak regains his footing and lands another series of critical hits on Sonny. Recognising the danger they’re in, Curt and Kassie launch a full assault on Oak. Curt fires several pistol rounds a the behemoth, distracting him long enough for Kassie to drive the entirety of her wakizashi into Oak’s side. Finally, Sonny hits the staggering monster with a hail of gunfire. Oak crumbles to the ground, defeated.

As life ebbs away from him, Oak mournes Ploom, telling the trio they didn’t have to kill her. Sonny silences him with a gunshot to the head.

Suddenly, the raider’s vehicle roars into life, kicking sand up behind it rushes away from the scene of carnage. Skitters is behind the wheel. Kassie tries to shoot at him but the shot lands wide. It isn’t long before Skitters disappears into the horizon. Kassie and Curt look at each other with unease and speculate what this could mean for Charles. Before they ponder any further about Charles’ connection with the raiders, Sonny thanks the pair for helping him with his revenge. As promised, he teaches the pair how to fan revolvers; they can now fire a 3 round burst with handguns compatible with the technique. Shortly after, the wounded man sets off into the wastelands, telling the pair that he has something to do before he leaves this world. They never see him again.

In the twilight hours of the day, Curt and Kassie pillage the bodies of their foes. After scavenging loot (including Oak’s Proton Axe), Kassie discovers a photo of Oak, Ploom and Skitters in happier times. The trio are sat on the hood of their vehicle, smiling and seemingly enjoying each other’s company. She morbidly wonders if she should give this photo to Charles to add to his photo album…

Realising that she may never have a chance again, Pandora decides she will sneak into the NCR HQ before the Phoenix Corporation loses its mercenary privileges. However, as she has never entered the building before, she is unaware of the protocols and access requirements. She enters the main entrance, walks past the guard station in the security office and tries to open a locked door. The security guard inquires into Pandora’s behaviour and asks if she has received security clearance. When she explains that she is a mercenary, the guard asks her who her ‘escourt’ is. The guard’s patience is tested when Pandora first says that she doesn’t know, then changes her mind and says ‘William Blythe’. The guard checks his directory, finds an entry for ‘Blythe’ and calls his office. After several attempts, the guard informs Pandora that he does not appear to be in her office. When she complains that she is a mercenary and a taxpayer, the guard plants his forehead into his palm and calmly attempts to explain that she is not allowed access without either clearance or personal escort from cleared personnel. Seeing this as a challenge, Pandora leaves the entrance and begins to hunt for a way to breach their security systems.

It isn’t long before Pandora discovers a pair of NCR soldiers sitting outside a nearby cafe. When she discovers that both of them are off-duty, the synth decides strike up a conversation with them. Using her sex appeal, she woos the better looking of the two and plies him with plenty of alcohol. It isn’t long before the NCR soldier invites Pandora back to his sleeping quarters...

The sex is the best five minutes of the soldiers life. It isn’t long before he rolls over and falls into a deep sleep.

Pandora slips into her clothes and silently steals the soldier’s security card from the breast pocket of his discarded uniform before blowing him a kiss. She silently leaves the barracks and heads off into the darkened streets of The Boneyard...