#space the final frontier that is the question

[trek-tracks]

Space, the final frontier.

That is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to explore

The strange new worlds of our outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a five-year mission

And, by opposing, end it. To go—to seek,

Once more; and by “to seek” to say we find

The new life and new civilizations

Where man has gone not: 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To go, to seek;

To seek, perchance to find—ay, there's the rub:

For in these voyages what dreams may come,

When we have boldly gone whence we have not,

Must give us pause—there's the respect

That makes a mission of so long a life.

For who would bear the Enterprise of time,

The starship’s wrong, admirals’ contumely,

The pangs of dispriz'd love, the law's delay,

The insolence of office, and the spurns

That patient merit of th'unworthy treks,

When he himself might make his voyage on

With a bare warp core? Who would tribbles bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the hope of something to be found,

The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn

We travel and return, puzzling our will,

And makes us wish to solve those ills we have

And fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience makes explorers of us all,

And thus the native hue of resolution

Is glistened o'er with the stars of thought,

And Enterprises of great pith and moment

With this regard their currents warp ahead

And seize the name of action.

[moistvonlipwig]

13. Top 5 female characters I wish had better development/writing

For @peachycloudcats. I will do #11 later today or tomorrow. :3

Additionally, I've decided to try my best to avoid repeats of previous female characters I've already used for this ask game, to keep things fresh. Without further ado:

1: Winifred "Fred" Burkle from Angel is one of those characters who I do like but I don't love and the biggest reason for that is that I don't think the writers had any clue what to do with her. It's to Amy Acker's credit that I find her endearing despite falling into some very particular Whedon-y tropes I tend to dislike. But it's telling that when Joss saw Amy Acker play Lady Macbeth and realized she was a much stronger actor than he'd thought, his first thought was not, "Gosh, I better give Fred a meatier storyline!" but rather, "Gosh, I better kill off Fred and give Amy Acker an entirely new character to play!" I think the character was at her best in early S3 and late S4, but a lot of the stuff in between fell kind of flat for me, and she literally does not have an arc in S5 besides Dying Tragically So Men Can Be Sad About It. Unfortunate. :/

2: Emperor Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek Discovery, meanwhile, is a character I should like on paper but who in practice often did not work for me. I think the concept of the character was brilliant -- I remember watching the first episode set in Disco's mirror universe and hearing a character refer to 'the Emperor' without mentioning their name and thinking, "Oh, shit, it's gonna be Georgiou, that's gonna be so awesome" -- and I think for the duration of Disco's mirror universe arc she works very well as a character. And I liked the idea of Michael taking her back to the prime universe, I thought there was a lot of potential there. Unfortunately I just don't think the writing was up to snuff. Part of the issue was, I think, a tonal mismatch: Georgiou was cartoonishly evil to a frankly absurd degree that seemed completely out of step with the rest of the show. They also kept giving her cheesy dialogue and unfunny jokes and they seemed reluctant to actually develop her until her send-off episode because they wanted their Comic Relief Evil Character. It's really too bad because Michelle Yeoh is an amazing actress and she was clearly having a blast playing the character, and again, I think the concept of the character is awesome. But I think maybe Disco was just the wrong show to execute that concept.

3: Melissa McCall from Teen Wolf really shined in the early seasons, but as the show went on she increasingly felt less like a loving mother to Scott who had her own problems going on and more like a mouthpiece for the idea that it was Scott's job to put his life and psychological wellbeing on the line in order to save everyone. Also, the fact that she ended up dating Chris Argent, who shoved a gun in her teenage son's face and never apologized, was so bad and was yet another weakening of her characterization.

4: There are so many Arrowverse women I could put here, but the character in that universe who most needed better development & writing is probably Kelly Olsen from Supergirl, who often feels less like a character and more like a vague sketch of a character you saw in a dream once but can't really remember that well. Azie Tesfai did a very good job making the character lovable despite being given absolute scraps to work with, and there are a lot of theoretically interesting things about Kelly, but too often she was reduced to Alex's supportive girlfriend who never caused any problems and never had any difficult or inconvenient emotions. Supergirl's only black female superhero deserved better than that.

5: Heather Davis from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is yet another character the writers clearly had no idea what to do with after a certain point. I think her arc was fine until she graduated and then, like Heather herself, the writers were like ??? what does she do now??? and never came up with a satisfying answer. Given how much she loved being a student, I would think it would make sense for her to go into academia or something, but instead they had her...become a manager of a sports bar, marry Hector (which, uh, no offense to him but why???), and volunteer to be Darryl's surrogate on a whim. (Which, given how interested Crazy Ex-Girlfriend usually was in engaging in feminist discourses, it is actually so baffling to me that the show never even attempted to interrogate the ethics & implications of surrogacy from a feminist perspective, especially given the racial dynamics involved. Like, hello???) Vella Lovell was so fun in the role and I really wish they'd come up with an actually coherent arc for her after her graduation. Oh well. :|

[discoonthegrass]

So a while back I made a list of insanely Spirk-y moments in The Search for Spock and The Final Frontier, but I can’t believe I missed arguably the most Spirky of all: The Motion Picture. That’s right, the strangely-long, odd-uniformed first installment of the TOS movies is a romance in disguise:

Spock spends years trying to purge all emotions, only to completely abandon his quest once he hears V’ger’s consciousness call out to him from across the galaxy, knowing the Enterprise crew will need him

He basically tried to give up his emotions because he was overwhelmed by them—especially those relating to Kirk—only to seek his answers with Kirk

Kirk recommending a Vulcan science officer because he reminds him of Spock, and when that guy dies, wanting another Vulcan officer despite there being none

“Why it’s Mr, Mr” “-Spock!” *Kirk gives heart eyes like he’s just seen salvation*

Really just the entire sequence where Kirk gazes at Spock with complete adoration, as Spock completely ignores his attempts of friendship (he’s slaying in that outfit tho)

Kirk admits that he, personally, needs Spock, meanwhile Spock shows utterly no reaction, causing Kirk to feel very hurt/lost

Bones (and later Decker) question Spock’s loyalty, but Kirk steadfastly believes that Spock could never betray the ship for his own gain even though he really doesn’t know that anymore

Jim risking himself to go into space and catch Spock from unconsciousness, when as the captain he probably should’ve sent someone else

Spock seeing the answers to his questions (all the knowledge and logic in the galaxy) and realizing that there is no beauty in it without emotion

Jim leaning over Spock’s unconscious body, caressing his shoulders & arms even as Bones tries to stop him, and concernedly asking Spock what he should’ve known

Spock smiling, telling Jim (and he uses Jim, not Captain) that he should’ve known “this simple feeling is beyond V’ger’s comprehension”

He grabs Jim’s hand and stares up at him with such love in this moment, and Jim caresses his other hand as he gazes down at him with mutual adoration

Spock says there is “no meaning, Jim. No answers.” without emotions/love/this simple feeling

Spock admits that “logic and knowledge are not enough” as he weeps for V’ger, knowing that before emotions he was incomplete

He has found the solution to his lifelong grapple between his logic and emotions which is to find a balance

He admits that V’ger is a child searching for answers who doesn’t know what it needs, staring directly at Jim when he says it (since Jim is who he needs) - he’s crying because he realizes how horrific being lonely is

When V’ger is evolving, Spock brushes Kirk’s arm to get him to follow him - instead of actually talking he basically is just doing anything to have more physical touch

Scotty suggests they can go back to Vulcan, but Spock directly looks at Kirk and declares that he’s perfectly fine here on the Enterprise

Anyway I firmly believe that immediately after this movie they had Scotty (the highest ranking crew member NOT involved in the actual coupling) marry them during the Enterprise’s shakedown cruise. Bones of course was the best man. I bet he cried but then denied it after lmao

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

It's been so painful not being able to sit down and watch Top Form this week, but we finally have time, yay! I have been spoiled, because there's no way I was not going to look at what y'all posted. I'm not superhuman.

I do find this really interesting about Akin.

And of course there can be a myriad of reasons for not having intimacy, and he is fairly introverted, but it does rather give the vibe of living a very rigid and driven life, without feeling like he can indulge in personal wants. I'd love to know more about his upbringing.

Also can we talk about the differences in the framing of the love scene from last week? In the first version, how fast-paced the music was, and the quick shots, showing an almost frenetic encounter from outward appearance. But this week, with this music and the slower shots, showing that for Akin it was literally akin (heh) to a spiritual experience.

Which fits, because he is literally being worshipped.

I am super normal about this.

I think these two may actually kill me.

This is going on the good cuddle list.

And again with the music choice evoking a lullaby, something that indicates safety, comfort, and closeness. All the details in this show!

Of course, Jin going straight for the faen.

Boom is so good at the "panic under the surface" look.

Haha, love the little sharky video teasing the series that do the "show the kiss three times" and "come in at an angle to fake the kiss" techniques. I like that this show is directly being all "yeah, we're part of the new frontier of BL".

I could watch an entire series of these two being domestic boyfies.

Also do we have a cat plushie count for Akin? I think we're at 3 so far?

Who could possibly not be disarmed by Jin? He's so beautifully open.

*sigh* And once again, the industry rears it's head to interfere.

But honestly, this show is doing such a beautiful job showing the internal struggle that is unavoidable in an industry where so much value is placed on aesthetics as a factor of worthiness, even if you are someone who deeply cares about skill and talent.

Not to mention that a big factor in this award is Jin's agency, and the things they are willing to do. So the game that wasn't ever fair to begin with is even more rigged.

Every episode there is at least one shot that makes my brain go brrrr over the height difference.

Also Akin is classy, because those reporters were being dumb and annoying.

Grrrr. Fuck Sigma. I know this kind of talk happens in the industry all the time, but it pisses me off. We have the most gross humans imaginable who get away with all kinds of awful shit and have successful careers, but god forbid you like to kiss another man. I hate it.

Making Akin smoke and then asking if he's ok? No, idiots, if you don't smoke it makes you fucking sick.

Akin already getting his walls up. Which does make me wonder if there's been other people he's felt close to before, who then disappeared. He just seems so prepared for it already. And I think the thought of losing Jin is already far more painful than any past experience.

But Jin is different, of course.

He's just a sad kitty who needs love and care.

But also can we talk about how Jin's consistent openness and honesty has created a space where Akin can be completely honest back? For maybe the first time in his life?

I have so many questions about Jade, and My Bunny has added so many more.

Gah, next week is gonna be intense. I'm already on team "let Jin beat the shit out of this guy".

[bed-buggier]

Game Theory About Who Professor Victoria is

This evening, we just recieved one final TailsTube to close out the year, and within this episode was a cameo from a character many have speculated on for over a year now, and I believe this piece of the puzzle will help us solve SEGA's game of Where's Waldo

Professor Victoria

Or just Tori, has been a thorn in the community's side since 2022, where she first appeared in the official social media series, Tailstube, alongside various humans from Sonic Unleashed. Since then, she's made a cameo in the 3rd Sonic Movie and tonights episode. Many were quick to believe she had ties to the then upcoming Sonic Frontiers and its new addition to the cast, Sage, but this wouldn't be the case.

Her Many Appearances

Examining her first appearance, she's depicted not in the Sonic Unleashed style, but rather Yuji Uekawa's artstyle (note her smaller head and overall lack of western stylization). This style is so rarely used nowadays, instead Sonic Team opting to use their 3D models and on this rare occassion, it's only in merchandise. Why would SEGA randomly revive it for a random addition like this?

Her next appearance would be in the 3rd Sonic movie, showing up during Team Sonic's initial encounter with Shadow. This would both be the first time we saw the name Victoria associated with her, and act as a teaser for tonights TailsTube.

What's also worth noting is this is the 2nd time the films have acknowledged TailsTube, with movie Tails' desktop being pulled straight from the series. Clearly whatever they have planned for her expands outside the Sonic games.

and then there's today with the release of TailsTube #10, solidifying her as Prof. Tori: Historian and author, 2 aspects of her character that combined with the nugget of lore Shadow Generations gave us, has lead to me forming my crack theory of the evening.

Taped on the back of the cover to Gerald's Journal is a note left by someone simply known as T. Who is T? A new character? A returning Topaz from Sonic X? No.

It's Tori.

The Actual Theories

so, we now know Professor Victoria is a historian/author who may have or had connections to GUN, collecting material for past projects such as the Space Colony Ark and Project Shadow, depicted both in a artstyle SEGA doesn't often use and within the Sonic Movies, having some notoriaty to be on billboards. From my findings, I've boiled it down to three possibilities of when we could see her finally debut.

1. GUN member/Team Dark's Coordinators/Robotnik(?)

This seems like the most logical, with GUN having a resurgance in Sonic 3 and Shadow Gens. We also don't know what's up with GUN after the Eggman wars in Sonic Forces, where they went under following the doctors takeover.

Perhaps with Sonic Frontiers' successor, we'll see the remains of GUN researching the Starfall Islands with Team Dark leading a exhibition. It could be a way to explain what ties the Black Arms could have to the ancients that led to Shadow visiting Chaos Island, AND many have speculated that she just might be a Robotnik, particularly, Maria's little sister alluded to in Gerald's Journal, bringing it all full circle.

That said, we have yet to see much of any continuity in the games, and it's a element in Sonic's greater storytelling I'm not sure SEGA would integrate now when isolated adventures have been the series' bread and butter for years, give or take a small nod to the fans. Why mess with success knowing any game could be someone's first?

2. Remake/Remaster Side Campaign

This one I have little faith in, but there's a slim chance. We now know SEGA isn't against adding new story content to re-releases of Sonic games with Shadow Gens, so perhaps Tori will get her start in a new campaign?

Perhaps she was a author studying the mythology of Sonic's world before GUN, residing at Spagonia University with Professor Pickle, someone we saw in that TailsTube art collection. That then raises the question though: Why go through this much trouble for a simple port of a Xbox360 game? Putting her in movies and setting expectations this high? It doesn't make sense, but that's where my main theory comes into play.

3. Sonic Lorebook

Call me crazy, a schizo, desparate for answers, whatever, but I'm fairly confident SEGA's apology for the Sonic Encylcospeedia may come very soon.

For those unfamiliar, in 2021, SEGA released a encyclopedia for the Sonic series. What many hoped would be a answer to all the continuity errors over the years and a clear outline of the SEGASonic universe turned out to be just a booklet of game facts, modded screencaps of Sonic 06, and offhand lore tidbits like Infinite being dead and Marine possibly having hydrokinesis, something I'm sure we'll see explored soon big trust.

The release of this book left many with more questions than answers, but I think it and Sonic Frontiers are the first in a major domino effect.

With Frontiers, we saw its writer, Ian Flynn, go a little wild with callbacks to previous Sonic games. While one may see this as leaniance on SEGA's end with the game initially set to launch that same year for the series' 30th anniversary or Ian Flynn being Ian Flynn, I see both as the early groundwork for reinstating of the Sonic continuity. Combine that with what we know of Tori, the establishment of a lore management team in 2022 (who just recieved a artist with Evan Stanley), alongside relaunching Sonic Gens which explored the series' history with DLC that gives us the most overt crossover of the game universe to the movies, and you have a recipe for a broader audiences entry to one hell of a history.

I believe within the game universe, Professor Victoria will be a well known historian, researching gods and anomolies within throughout the galaxy and multiverset. Meanwhile for us, she'll be the mascot of the IRL Sonic the Hedgehog Lore Management Team, and will be our guide for the long awaited true encyclopedia of the Sonic the Hedgehog series; Every character, every historical event, every world. All explained and outlined for a general audience and fans consumption.

or I've gone mad because I still don't have a snug placement in my timeline for Team Sonic Racing idk

[magickman1234]

That Final Last Bit

(Please reblog if you enjoy!)

My goodness you’ve let go of that final last of resistance babe. I catch you eating when without prompt and prompting food be brought to you. You don’t really have it in you to resist anymore. I’ve gotten you so comfortable with accepting treats, extras and snacks. Each meal multilayered with multiple desserts or treats at night. We load you up and let you fill out the indent in the couch more. You truly now embody the meaning of “spoiled” with nearly every ounce of your being. You’ve always been fat but you used to be such an athletic fatty but now stairs and semi-longer walkways take your breath away. Your physique ruined by my tender care, an instance you take care and relax, and a willingness to discover what indulgence you can’t turn down. You’ve slowly went from that perky fast fat girl to the careful rotund butterball you are. I can see not only has my spoiling of you made you physically soft but I can feel your last bits of definition dissolve into lard.

The slightest movement of your body or the slightest tap and your flesh quivers and bounces. Ripples across the thick jiggly sheath of adipose tissue taking over your life. Somewhere buried under all that lard is that plump but in shape fat girl. Remember how socially acceptable your body was? My would even the average FA find you hot? Would the average feeder shake their head at me as I bring you food? Each added inch, stretch mark, roll another step towards complete obesity.

You’ve long past the point of curvy or ultra curvy as your body now has to get creative as all the obvious spots are filled to compactly. You’ve traded in your thick fat yet shapely ass for your more delicious wide gelatin mold of an ass shelf that just spreads and gets so flabby you never stop bouncing when you walk. Your belly hangs so low anyone can see sway in even when your clothes cover it. The slow explosion of your upper arms as the fat just keeps pushing into them and down into your lower arms as the final frontier of your wrists get conquered too.

Every moment of your day is now changed every aspect of your life to make room for more fat. You’re swamped by your own blubber when you sit fighting your tits to reach things. The hot comfort you now unconsciously have in resting your device on your stomach. The utter look of exhilaration and fear in the humiliation of how heavy you are surround by your curves and assets turned to weighty fat rolls and explosive swells of fat that pile up around you. They fight each other and you for space, your massive tummy takes center stage in a way I can tell you find extra humiliating. It’s tasty when the traces of your unconscious pride in being that acceptable curvy fatty surfaces and is crushed by your sheer rotundity. Your hourglass is only findable in traces. Bigger tits turn gelatinous like the rest of you but you’re still stacked and your wide fat ass slowly pools around you with your hips and thighs. I know that embarrassment of a fat middle is the worse part for you because you used to have a real waistline but now it’s two massive fat rolls hanging in a lard only double belly. Total jello/pudding consistency with a slight clinch of the lard below your tits to maybe resemble a waistline. You give me these great looks of true humiliation and resignation when you catch me looking at inches of escaped tummy roll or lovehandles. You can tell you forget how big you let me make your belly until those moments you realize.

I now know why you used to ask me would I ever find you too fat to handle. I think an honest question or need to be reassured with a clear fantasy but somewhere in the last hundred pounds it’s slowly almost a plea. Like Violet as she’s chewing away crying for help. You can’t stop yourself now and I realize now some part of you desperately hoped I’d sour to our game and stop you before we hit some edge.

I think we went passed that now because you stopped asking and started eating more and more. The humiliation and consequences too tiny before the years of training and the long loss of your fitness and muscle mass. Your helplessness to your own pleasure evident when you orgasm until you cry versus cry like your old thin(ner) self would have. You hoped I was lying about taking you beyond that edge. Some part of you hoped I’d stop you because you knew once I started you down that enabling, submission inducing and fattening path of pleasure you really didn’t think you could stop.

I think you chose me because another more true part of you didn’t want to stop. You knew my ability to dom you as evil taunting feeder, sweet lover feeder and subtle farmer feedee shaping your environment to fatten you would overwhelm your lingering resistance. You’ve never been greedier and more gluttonous until after some humiliating detail is revealed or experience occurs.

Be honest the only one here in control is your hunger. From the outside it might appear I’m the dom or your the dom if they see my doting. But the reality is your gluttony is who we’ve both put in charges by removing that last bit of resistance.

[dftea]

Trust me - I'm a hologram

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Julian Bashir/Elim Garak Star Trek: Lower Decks - Hologram Julian Bashir/Alternate Universe Elim Garak

‘Thankfully, Julian’s enhanced brain was able to comprehend quantum realities with ease. He was having a harder time accepting that Bashir was married.’

In which a hologram saves the First Splinter timeline.

[read on ao3]

The first time Julian found himself face-to-face with Bashir in a holosuite, he thought it was one of Felix’s hilarious practical jokes.

The holographic Bashir was wearing a fake Starfleet medical uniform, with grey where the teal should be, and was smiling at him with an oddly nervous look in his eyes.

“Not Felix’s best work, honestly,” Julian said, staring down the imposter. “What, are you here to proposition me? Offer me a speech on my undying love for myself?”

Bashir made a face. “Nothing like that, old chum - I’m here to save your universe.”

# # #

Once he accepted Bashir’s explanation, such as it was, Julian found it pretty easy to accept Bashir’s place in his life. Sure, his friends thought he was vain and self-obsessed to have a portable holographic emitter with his own likeness, but he didn’t have many friends anyway.

But after Starfleet Medical, he would become a renowned doctor - famous enough to become the template for a medical hologram! - and important enough to his reality to need specifically protecting by his alternate holographic self.

Thankfully, Julian’s enhanced brain was able to comprehend quantum realities with ease. He was having a harder time accepting that Bashir was married.

“You’re married…as a hologram?”

Bashir shot him a look. “You know I can’t talk about that.”

“You’re wearing a wedding ring! And I checked your data files - the ring code was a later addition to the original source. I wasn’t married when you were designed, but you are married, so–”

“It doesn't always turn out the same in every universe,” Bashir said, with the sing-song quality that implied he had said this many times before.

How many universes had Bashir saved before this one? Was Julian the key in every single one? Well, he would just have to do his duty, that’s all. He owed it to the multiverse.

But first he would find out more about this marriage.

“What isn’t the same?” he asked, innocently.

Bashir looked exasperated. “Sometimes, we’re not there together, and sometimes he’s too…different. I’m not supposed to be telling you this!”

He. Well, that was a surprise. Julian had always pictured marrying a woman, fathering children - but perhaps that was his mother’s dream, not his. Besides, there were many ways to make a family. 

“Starfleet?”

Bashir squirmed. “Sometimes.”

“Human?”

No response. Not Human, then. Julian had always been a bit of a xenophile.

“A doctor?”

“Rarely. My husband is, but I don't know of any others. Look, there isn’t much to worry about in this stretch, so I’ll…leave you to it for now.”

Then he disappeared and didn’t return until the night before finals, murmuring into Julian’s half-sleeping ear that he needed to throw at least one question on the exam.

Neuroanatomy wasn’t his forte, anyway.

# # #

Julian would’ve chosen Starbase Deep Space Nine even without Bashir’s recommendation. It was frontier medicine, a chance to make a difference in the aftermath of a war, a proving ground before he secured his first five-year mission.

Then he met Elim Garak.

After flirting with the gorgeous Cardassian spy - and making an utter tit of himself in the process - he activated Bashir in his quarters.

“Is it him?” he asked.

Bashir rolled his eyes. “Are you going to ask that about every attractive alien man?”

Julian smiled triumphantly. “So you do find him attractive?”

Bashir snorted. “I’m based on you. What do you think?”

After that, Julian gave up asking. Mostly because he didn't really want to know for certain who he might marry in the future - why spoil the surprise?

Also because he had seen that soft look in Bashir’s eyes, beneath the bluster, and was afraid such softness simply wasn’t for him.

# # #

After Luther Sloan captured him, Julian carefully concealed Bashir’s emitter inside Kukalaka and never took it out again.

# # #

“Thirteen years!”

“My love, do forgive me - I couldn’t exactly destroy Kukalaka, could I?”

“It isn't as if you couldn't repair him!”

“I am just a plain and simple surgeon, not a tailor.”

“As you have said, many many times before, you are not just anything!”

Julian was dreaming. How else could he explain hearing Garak arguing with another Julian Bashir?

A memory stirred - another Bashir, in the wrong uniform - no, a later uniform, one Julian couldn’t possibly have known about until–

The memories hit him like a flood, choking him, drowning him, threatening to pull him under like a riptide.

“He’s sinking again!”

His own voice, but not him. Like a recording of an echo of another life.

“Let me try.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

Garak. Two Garaks, but that one was definitely his. If only he could open his eyes! If only he could see him again.

If only he hadn’t left Garak behind, to go with–

Another wave of despair, of raw anguished memory, but strong hands held onto his shoulders.

“Julian, my dear, I am right here.”

Julian opened his eyes, and he saw, as if for the first time, Elim Garak.

He tried to speak, but the words stuck in his throat, behind his eyes. He loved and hurt so deeply that it was like his chest was cracked open, forbidding him to breathe, to live.

Bashir was speaking. “Elim, we really should be going.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Garak said, while never taking his eyes away from Julian. “You will explain yourselves.”

“Oh, I don’t think we will,” said the other Garak, the one that Bashir called ‘Elim”.

It was so obvious that it hurt, and yet Julian tried to shut it out anyway. All the love and pain of it.

But he couldn’t deny it any longer. Not when she - when Sarina had died, and Garak had stayed.

“It’s all right,” Julian rasped, voice rough from disuse. “I know him, them. They’re here to save the timeline.”

Garak blinked at him. “Saving you will save the timeline?”

“The captain was fuzzy on the details,” Bashir said, brightly. “I’m sure you’ll work it out.”

“Don’t worry about it at all,” Elim put in. “We won’t let them pop the bubble.”

And then the room was quiet, with only Garak’s breathing and his, the tsunami of memory and feeling held back only by the grip Garak had on him.

“You know them,” Garak repeated, carefully neutral.

“He said it doesn't always turn out the same in every universe,” Julian blurted, then wondered why he’d said it. Still making a tit of himself, even after all these years.

“What doesn't?”

“His marriage. Their…their marriage. Sometimes it’s different. Sometimes…”

Sometimes it doesn’t work out at all.

But they were together in this universe, and Garak wasn't “too different”, was he? The resemblance had been uncanny, even just hearing his voice.

“They are married. The Cardassian Starfleet doctor and the hologram of you.” Garak sounded like he might be concussed.

Julian knew the feeling. “Wait…Starfleet?”

His head was spinning, and not just for suddenly finding himself awake to the world for the first time in too long.

“As much as I would like to speculate on how our counterparts came to be married and our solemn responsibility to save the universe,” Garak said,  “I would first like to say: welcome home, my dear. I missed you.”

“I’m not going to let you miss me again,” Julian said, fervently. “Let's get married.”

# # #

“After we restored the equilibrium of the timeline, the rest just…fell into place.”

Boimler regarded his two officers with narrowed eyes.

“You got Bashir and Garak to hook up, didn’t you?”

“It is the most efficient strategy,” Elim said, gravely.

“One might call it a cardinal event.” 

Boimler sighed and ticked another universe off the list.

[the-most-humble-blog]

🧼

T-int Misbehavin’ Deux’: The Gender-Neutral Tragedy of the Human Middle (Pt. 2) *Exclusive*

An introspective follow-up for the spiritually-awakened and the straight talk reader.

🎤 Welcome Back, Students!

Welcome back, body positivity soldiers.

Self-cleaning scholars.

Skinfold anthropologists.

Ye who worship in the church of What Lies Between.

You survived Part One.

You laughed. You gagged. You Googled things you can’t unsee.

And now… you’re here again.

To the newcomers?

You’re late. Wipe your feet before entering. This is sacred flesh territory.

🧠 REMINDER: You. Have. A. Taint.

That sweaty diplomatic zone between your fun bits and your shame tunnel?

That’s not “just skin.” That’s your soul’s emotional demilitarized zone.

And you’ve been ghosting it like it owes you money.

Don’t act brand new.

Your body knows.

💀 We Don’t Do “Subtle” Here

The perineum is not a suggestion.

It’s a biological law.

And right now?

You’re walking around with a lawless crease.

A renegade gutter of ignored funk and unclaimed power.

You cannot claim to be “in alignment” when the space between hole and hope is spiritually collapsing like a haunted strip mall.

👃 Anatomy Recap (In Case You’re in Denial Again)

Men have taints.

Women have taints.

Nonbinary? Baby, you invented the third-gender gooch.

If you’re alive and walk upright, your jeans are rubbing against a silent prophet.

And if you’ve never heard it scream?

That’s because it’s passive-aggressively plotting your downfall.

🚺 WOMEN: You’ve Been Scammed Harder Than Anyone

Let’s be real.

Men got to name theirs.

Laugh about it.

Scratch it during Madden.

Bond over its aroma like it’s artisanal cheese.

But women?

Your gooch was linguistically erased.

Ignored.

Buried under Sephora receipts and TikTok empowerment slogans.

Meanwhile, your loofah’s been one swipe short of salvation for decades.

🧘‍♀️ Taint Enlightenment Checklist (If You Feel Weird Reading This, Good)

✅ Did this post make you shift in your seat?

✅ Are you becoming aware of your middle zone like a phantom limb with secrets?

✅ Did your subconscious just whisper “why does this feel… sacred?”

That’s the shame leaving your body.

Let it go.

Wipe once more, just in case.

✨ Holy Gooch Realizations, Pt. 2

It’s the only part of your body that gets no nicknames, no candles, no TikToks, no moisturizers, and no memes.

Your taint doesn’t want to be famous.

It wants to be washed.

It doesn’t care about your aesthetics.

It just doesn’t want to be a fungal time bomb in Lululemon.

📛 Advanced Unisex Gooch Names (Retired “Forbidden Fajita” is now canon)

The Velvet Buffer™

The Moisture Margin

The Holey Median

The Flesh Clause

The Genderless Grand Canyon

The Sweatlatch

The Chafe Choir Loft

The Divine Intermission

The Sacred Slip

The Equator of Questionable Decisions™

🧪 Scientifically Proven Facts (Because We Do the Research)

The perineum has nerve endings that rival your fingertip.

It is a known pressure release valve for both tension and emotion.

And when left unwashed?

It becomes a blacksite of odor, betrayal, and lost spiritual potential.

The gooch is the body's final frontier because nobody wants to name it.

But you will.

🔮 Mirror Ritual (Repeat After Me)

Tonight. Lights off. Towel half-wrapped.

Look toward the void between your victories.

Say these words:

“I see you. I ignored you. But never again. I will moisturize you. I will whisper your name when no one’s around. You are no longer the strip of shame. You are the bridge. The buffer. The blessed chasm. And you deserve better soap.”

Amen.

🧼 A Final Note on Feminist Gooch Recovery

True body positivity means not just worshipping your mirror angles, but claiming the quiet zones too.

Don’t tell me you’re a self-love queen when you’re letting your flesh bridge marinate in post-spin class funk like a regret sandwich.

You say you’re empowered?

Start with your sweat gutter.

📦 Legacy Callback (Part 1 Shout-Out)

🔙 Missed the first installment of this loofah-lit gospel? You’re not just late—you’re biologically unbalanced. Go read Taint Misbehavin’ Part One. It changed towels. It changed minds. It changed the way Target shoppers walk. ✂️ Drop a ✂️ in the tags if Part 1 made you switch body wash. 🧠 If you haven’t read it yet… you’re still living in perineum poverty.

⚖️ Legal Disclaimer: This is satire. Hygiene gospel. Feminist locker room liturgy. Anatomical slam poetry. All protected by law and loofah.

💬 Comment if this post spiritually tickled something you weren’t ready to admit you had.

📩 DM if your subconscious can’t stop picturing The Velvet Switzerland.

🔁 Reblog if you believe the gooch deserves branding, moisturizing, and its own political party.

👀 Tag the person who needs to sit down and face their Sacred Middle Ground.

[anonymousewrites]

Logos and Pathos Book 4

TOS! Spock x Empath! Reader Book 4:

Chapter One: Emergency Request

Chapter Two: Probe Request

Chapter Three: Intruder Request

Chapter Four: Childlike Machine

Chapter Five: Voyaging Machine

Chapter Six: Emotional Test

Chapter Seven: Cruising Test

Chapter Eight: Old Test

Chapter Nine: Risky Experiment

Chapter Ten: Genesis Experiment

Chapter Eleven: Emotional Experiment

Chapter Twelve: Unbearable Loss

Chapter Thirteen: Spiritual Loss

Chapter Fourteen: Ship Loss

Chapter Fifteen: Reversing Loss

Chapter Sixteen: Facing Consequences

Chapter Seventeen: Facing the Past

Chapter Eighteen: Facing San Francisco

Chapter Nineteen: Whale Tank

Chapter Twenty: Whale Rescue

Chapter Twenty-One: Whale Song

Chapter Twenty-Two: Whale Savior

Chapter Twenty-Three: Family Camping

Chapter Twenty-Four: Family Past

Chapter Twenty-Five: Family Problem

Chapter Twenty-Six: Prisoner's Dilemma

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Psychic Dilemma

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Godly Dilemma

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Resolved Dilemma

Chapter Thirty: Question of Klingons

Chapter Thirty-One: Question of Peace

Chapter Thirty-Two: Question of Torpedoes

Chapter Thirty-Three: Damning Trial

Chapter Thirty-Four: Damning Evidence

Chapter Thirty-Five: Damning Proof

Chapter Thirty-Six: Damning Peace

Epilogue: Space, the Final Frontier

[lordofmelancholy]

By Your Hand (SFW)

Oneshot; Jinx x Ekko AU: Post-Apoc (Silent Frontiers) Word count: 2.1k+

Content: hand holding, hand size differences, size difference, modern AU, Character Study, soft Ekko, soft Jinx TW: Talks of mutual suicide (non-explicit)

Synopsis: A Late Night conversation brings realizations and wants. Sidenote: See the end of the work for additional notes

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The pair had been hunkered down in an old motel room far from base that night when she had first asked her question. 

There had been only one bed in the dingy room they had found and on any other night similar to this one, such sleeping arrangements would have been the perfect recipe for a night of rare fun to be had between the two. Of whispered secrets, a spare drink or two from a flask conveniently attached to a hip or thigh, a card game perhaps or maybe instead a night of passionate sex even if it would be on a mildewy, stained bed or a floor that hadn’t seen the business end of a carpet cleaner in years perhaps.

However Ekko had been too tired for any of those this time around- even if his long-term crush was up for the latter- he simply just wanted to sleep instead. And it was very rare that he ever actively  wanted to sleep. Insomnia of course was a real bitch especially now during times like this where sleep often never came regularly and you took what you got. But while Jinx often relished the times in which sleep never came so easily to her; all too happy to spend her nights fluttering about and working on random projects all up into the wee hours of the morning, Ekko himself instead did his best to gain whatever rest he could grab at. 

Sadly however, it seemed as though on a night like this that that wasn’t so much a plan in his favor. 

As the hours whittled away and night took over, Ekko still found himself awake, laying on his side staring out the shuttered, grimy window as rain thrashed about in the parking lot outside; a small pool of water flooding where the street had caved in sometime ago. Jinx was curled up against him in her usual spot behind him, her body pressed up along his back as she dragged her fingers up and down the long half of his arm in a familiar soothing gesture. And for a moment or so, it seemed as though it would be a peaceful night. She hadn’t said much in the past few hours, seemingly deep in thought while listening to the rain with her head on his arm. Her silence however should have been his first warning that something was going to happen that would throw his entire night for a loop, but despite that Ekko didn’t think much of it. Instead relishing her soft weight against him. Her nails dragging on his skin. . .

That was until. . .a random question had manifested itself in the space between them seemingly out of nowhere. 

He shouldn’t have been all that surprised about it to be honest. This wasn’t the first night where she had indulged him in a little questionnaire. In fact on nights like this, back in the days before when all they had to worry about were school projects and homework and not so much wondering whether or not by tomorrow they would be eaten or shot at, were often spent dabbling in these little Q&A’s. They were often used as ways to drive their brains and consciousness into overdrive just enough to feel even the faintest dredges of exhaustion pull at their lids. Questions and their respective answers nothing more than feeble attempts to while away the hours until sleep had finally sucker-punched them. .and on any other night, he would have indulged her like he always had. . .except for tonight however. Tonight the train of questions had taken a bit of a strange and unwanted turn.

“Ekko, would you kill me, if I ever asked you to?”

It hadn’t been the first time questions of this nature came up during these late nights. Usually it happened when Jinx was feeling a little sentimental. And any other time Ekko would have been content to have just humored her with a response. But the difference between then and now, was the fact that that question was never said so bluntly before. So absolute. So said in such a way, that Ekko couldn’t help the chill that went up his spine all the way to his throat. He didn’t like this question. “Hrm, what kind of a question is that to ask me?” Ekko rumbled in response. He felt the bed shift under his side, and felt Jinx move up higher on top of him to the point she nearly threw herself over him like a throw-blanket, her fingernails now against his jugular. 

Then she repeated “It’s just like I said, would you ever kill me if I asked you too?" 

As quickly as he could manage with her weight on top of him, which was somewhere between his normal speed and that of the speed of a body rolling in its own grave, Ekko turned over to look at Jinx better. He stopped for a moment, quietly enraptured by how the dull, rain-streaked glow of the light outside reflected off Jinx’s eyes as she blinked, their noses close to touching; "Are you talking about one of your hypotheticals again? Like that one involving a radioactive spider. . .or what was it, a raccoon or something at a gas-station or some-shit, cause I swear -".

"Just answer the question” 

A pause. There's authority in that tone now.

He blinked slowly. Casting his gaze to the side;

"I don’t wanna . .” 

With a sullen stubborn huff, Ekko rolled back over, glancing at the cheap watch on his wrist. It was already ten past one in the morning and the itchy tired feeling growing behind his eyes was becoming noticeable  but it had meant nothing to him. He was used to nights like this, where sometimes even if he was bone-tired and desperate for rest, he would still just lie in bed with his eyes closed and not drop off until the last minute. As far as he was concerned he could be dealing with hours of this ahead yet. And it also did not help that this line of questioning hit far too close to home; had made his tired heart ache.

With the way life was and the way life had been over the years, there was always the possibility of situations like what she had mentioned occurring. They were instances in which Ekko often tried desperately not to think about. Call him superstitious, but with the way the world worked nowadays he wasn’t in the mood to take his chance and to entice fate. To tease chance. The idea terrified him too much to even consider them. And lord knows it would be even harder to sleep if Jinx kept prodding him with existential nightmares of questions he would have rather not have discussed.  

So he left the question unanswered. 

But just when the silence stretched out just long enough for Ekko to think his partner had dropped it, she then quietly said, 

“I’d trust you. To kill me, I mean."

A sigh of irritation huffed out of Ekko’s nose, 

"I don’t want to talk about this Jinx. Go to sleep”

“You don’t have to be afraid you know.” 

She whispered to him, soothing as she pushed the collar of his shirt down lower on the back of his neck, hair tickling along his skin. A shivery feeling spread across Jinx’s face as she nuzzled his warm skin. Her own so pitifully chilled against him. “I’m not saying this like I'm planning on dying anytime soon.” With a chuckle, she added, “maybe ever if i have a say in it. But if I have to… if it ever comes to. . .that... I think it might be nice if it was you to do it. You, your gun. . .”

She trails off at the end, so much so that for a moment it entices Ekko to turn back over on his shoulder. And when he does Jinx is quick to snatch at him. She grabs him by the wrist, ogling almost in silent greed at the jagged creases of Ekko’s palm. The nonsensical web of lines seem to make sense to the woman, with how she nods and shrugs and hums with an air of perhaps seasoned expertise. She flexes the palm with one hand, jabs rather rudely at the broken line arcing from Ekko’s pinky to his trigger finger as she kneads and squeezes the break with her thumbs in stern deliberation. She then suddenly takes the palm, and presses it against her face where Ekko’s fingers instinctively cradle and caress her; both seemingly now marveling and perhaps noting at the moment the difference in size between her face and his hand.  

She sighs at the soft scratch of calloused skin:

“or your hands...” She finally murmurs after some time, somber in tone and brow,  “they all would be nice...” 

Ekko stared at her. Stared at how the light twinkled in her eyes, shone on her dusty pale skin. How his hand nearly cupped the entire side of her face. How she seemed to enjoy it. How she seemed to relish in his touch. Of the weight against her skin. How he himself marveled at the chill that spread across her flesh and seeped into his own. And he wanted to say something. To bark a retort back. To claim that this was a dangerous line of thought. But he just didn’t seem to have the words, nor have the energy to really run the ramifications of what his partner was saying back over in his head, 

"Go to sleep, Jinx.” he instead said. Softer this time, thumb still caressing at her. "Please." 

And the look on her face seemed almost disappointed in a way. But it softened again quickly, and Jinx slowly let go of his hand as she finally wished him a goodnight. In the ringing silence after however, Ekko had forgoed his sleep and sat up watching as Jinx’s breathing deepened from her graceless sprawl across the bed. An uncharacteristic respite, all things considered, if not for the girl’s demonstrated propensity for falling asleep in the most unorthodox of places. As she slept however, her laxed fingers lay curled up close toward him, an oversight permitted by unconsciousness.

Quickly, but steadily, Ekko took the hand in his own, marveling for a moment, though not the first time, at just how small she was compared to him. He squeezed, reflexively, fingernails printing the faintest of crescents against the softness of pale-skin. The thinnest of lines. The whisper of charm. Of a substitute mark that wills the continuance of his partner’s journey— selfishly at his side. He laid down a little on the bed to save the stretch and risk waking her, as he took her hand and brought it to his neck; his own fingers puppeteering her own as he pressed her nails into his jugular, little by little, until he felt a small stinging bite of her nails in his skin.

He was thankful she was a heavy sleeper.

But this was the part in tonight’s story, where Ekko assumed he would ultimately have to give an answer to her question. And perhaps deep down he always knew that the answer would be yes. That he would in a heartbeat if he so had too. Because he loved her. And because whatever she wanted or needed he would give to her, even if it meant at the expense of possibly losing her forever. And the thought of losing her scared him. He could never nor did he ever picture a life without her by his side. The mere thought made him sick.

Her question alone like acid on his skin and organs. Shriveling his stomach and bringing bile to the middle of his throat choking him. Bringing perhaps the worst images possible he could ever possibly imagine of how his life would be without her. .

But perhaps that was also why, had he been willing to answer her question, the reason on whether or not he would have asked her the same. Asked her whether or not Jinx would have agreed to the same terms she had so boldly given to him. To take his own life if he ever so asked her. Because unbeknownst to her, Ekko had often asked himself that question as well. On whether or not he'd too want his life to end at the hands of his best friend, his partner, the woman who had saved it in the first place perhaps never even knowing that she did. . . . 

And it’s for that, that the answer comes quickly to him. Immediate, thunderously loud and enthusiastic with every soft-kiss he gives to each of her knuckles and fingertips as he watches her sleep.

Yes. 

Yes.

A Thousand times and Forever

Yes _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Notes: Ah young love, is there anything truly more romantic than two lovers vowing that if they should die that there’s no better way to heaven then by each other’s hands?

Well maybe for these two there’s nothing more romantic then just that, but as we can see one just happens to be a bit more open about the idea compared too the other. Ekko naturally happens to be really subtle over the fact he’s tired of this mortal coil just as much as Jinx is, compared to Jinx, whose explosive personality often tends to hide a much more tragic underbelly. Hence her bluntness forwardness and tendency to start throwing curveballs such as this at him.

But it all certainly doesn’t help that in the end Ekko is just a hopeless romantic by heart.

After all, wherever SHE goes, he goes too and if she dies you bet your sweet ass he’s going with her one way or another. And though he’d rather not think about it for the time being. . .least we know how’d he’d like to go if he so must

Ah young love indeed. . .

[animefeminist]

Airborne Onnagata: Viewing Macross Frontier’s protagonist through a genderqueer lens

Major Spoilers for Macross Frontier and its films, including The Labyrinth of Time.

2008’s Macross Frontier is well regarded by Macrossfans for returning to the core concepts of the franchise while moving the needle forward at the same time. Set against the backdrop of the titular space colonization fleet’s struggle against an insectoid race known as the Vajra and the political machinations surrounding them, Frontier squarely focuses on the search for identity amongst the members of its central love triangle. Ranka Lee is an up-and-coming idol who questions herself at every turn. Sheryl Nome is a certified superstar with time against her. The final member of this triangle is Alto Saotome, an actor-turned-student-turned-fighter-pilot who struggles to parse all the different elements of himself.  

In the years following the heyday of the series and its accompanying films, Ranka and Sheryl have been praised for their charisma and growth. Alto, not so much. He’s often derided as an overly hostile, angsty teenager: I’ve heard him described as “an abrasive, one-note character”  more than once. While he definitely does have his moments, I don’t think his sometimes brusque personality is always without reason. 

After an initial viewing of Macross Frontier, most viewers would comment on a handful of topics. Not limited to, but including: the series’ back-to-basics approach reminiscent of the original 1982 Macross, its tendency to adhere a bit too closely to then-current trends, and unending talk of how awful Alto is. However, on a recent rewatch, a new thought clicked with me: what if Alto was fighting with some intense dysphoria? 

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[wrongcaitlyn]

Ok now that we have a secound tsats book coming out i feel the need to read all the solangelo fics

Do you have any long solangelo fic recs? U feel like I've read them all

of COURSE i do omg i have to admit that a lot of the fics in my bookmarks are shorter ones/oneshots but i think that the solangelo fandom just tends to write more of those?? or at least that's just my experience based on what i've read - but here are some longer fics that are must-reads!! (don't have as much time to write in depth reviews as my past recs so just assume that i have lines of caps lock keysmashes for all of them bc i swear they're incredible)

la vita è fatta così by HowlingAlchemist

When Bianca somehow comes back from the dead, she, Nico and Will are sent on a quest that will hopefully answer some lingering questions. But Nico and Bianca are not the kids that they once were, and things get very difficult as a result. this one is more bianca & nico focused as a plot HOWEVER there's a lot of absolutely wonderful solangelo!!

The Stolen God by @tsarinatorment

Python is defeated. The prophecies are restored, and Nero has fallen. Apollo has not been seen since. His trials are over; why isn’t he back on Olympus? i KNOW that i've already rec'd this one but if you haven't read it. like literally. go read it. seriously. (and also it's another one where solangelo isn't really the *main* focus, BUT there's lots of solangelo content <3)

FAR GALAXIES by @rosyredlipstick

She didn’t answer. Instead, she pulled out her PADD from her coat, slow enough that Nico only slightly twitched. Jason’s transmission was loaded up on the screen—at the bottom, their signature tag was spelled out. “Guardians of the Galaxy. That supposed to be a joke?” “More like an aspiration,” Jason said. - Space, the final frontier. Or whatever. this one's actually one im currently reading and i'm abt halfway through rn and love it!!

okay usually i define a "long" fic as 100k+ words but after looking through all of my bookmarks im realizing that those are literally the only ones i have. so! we're lowering the word count minimum to over 40k+ words bc these are also amazing fics!! (currently wishing there was a way to sort bookmarks by word count)

peach tea by ghosttotheparty

Please Stay by CoolBeesBro

like the sun and stars above by demigodbeautiies

Bad Sons by thesungod

will also subtly self promo my hunger games fic which has a lot of mcd and is very very fun imo

so that's wild it looks like i need some long solangelo fic recs too?? why are most of my bookmarks oneshots??? its actually so funny bc in other fandoms i have a bunch of long fic bookmarks and rarely any oneshots so it's an interesting little statistic. pls drop more recs if you have any!!

[arewedoneyet]

men's folio article via mens-folio.com/my

With buttery vocals, princely features and the penmanship of a lovelorn poet, Jeff Satur is about to sing his way into your heart — one story at a time.

What makes a good story? And what makes a good storyteller? For music savant Jeff Worakamol Satur, these are the two questions that have kept him on his feet the past decade, fuelling his fearless desire to know, love and showcase his most authentic self to the world.

Magnetic in look, sound and craft, Jeff has managed to dabble in multiple genres of music — and play various instruments — without losing his signature, velvety sound. While he did skyrocket to fame portraying Kim on the TV show KinnPorsche: The Series in 2022, Jeff singing its theme song, “Why Don’t You Stay,” was what converted many casual onlookers into full-time Jeff fans (or SATURDAYs). They are now hooked onto his buttery vocals — which not only eloquently and evocatively sing in Thai, English and Chinese — but Jeff is also the very person who produced and wrote the stories in these tracks.

With ancestral roots tracing back to China, India and Italy, it is no wonder that the Phuket native navigates expression and interaction in these vastly different languages without losing their nuances. It is the openness to embrace diversity in cultures and ideas that his fans continue to grow in numbers from all corners of the world.

Since starting his personal studio — Studio On Saturn — at the end of 2022, Jeff has held concerts all over the region, most recently completing his Space Shuttle No. 8 Asia Tour in April to celebrate the release of his first full album. His appearances on music variety shows like China’s Call Me By Fire Season 3 and, most recently, Chuang Asia: Thailand — a Thai idol survival show spin-off based on the Chuang franchise in China — have also appealed to fans in a new way. His hold over both seniors and juniors in the music industry is a testament to the piercing allure he has that transcends age and gender.

Then there is his relationship with Valentino, which comes to a surging point in this interview’s accompanying visuals — each party egging one another in their courageous pursuit of new, creative frontiers.

This is not the end. There is still so much more power that Jeff has yet to harness from stories — which communicate and entertain without the boundaries of time and space, and have decidedly become a grand purpose that he is working to fulfil. From music, the big screen, and finally the horizon, Men’s Folio sits down with the prodigious artiste to discover what makes him tick and perhaps what kind of tale he would charm us into next.

Hi Jeff! How have you been?
I’ve been very good. Fantastic, actually.

We noticed you have said goodbye to your signature long hair. Why did you decide to cut it?
I had to change my hairstyle for a movie I was filming. I also had to change many other things about myself, including how I spoke, reacted and moved — so much so that I had to attend workshops. So, I thought changing my image would help me immerse myself in the role.

Congratulations on completing the Space Shuttle No.8 Asia tour! You have mentioned before that going on a solo tour has been your dream for the longest time — now that both your debut album and solo tour are done, how are you feeling?
It’s a pretty weird feeling — I just want to do more and more. I wanted to tour more and create more songs. It’s a strange feeling to me. It’s more fun to me now, especially since I’ve completed it. It’s like the end of one dream is leading to the start of another.

What is something new about yourself as an artiste or person you learned from going on tour? It must’ve been tiring, but seeing all that support (from guest artistes or close friends attending) must have been very empowering too.
What I’ve learned along the way is to be present with the audience. They give you so many different experiences and learnings from place to place. The show is never the same, even if the song and setting are. Everything is different. For me, I like to be there with them; I give my all and soak in the moment from my fans. Being in the moment without a script really pushed me to be a better artiste, and I believe it made me a better human being.

We have to talk about about your first on-screen mentoring stint on Chuang Asia, especially after that “Dum Dum” performance. How was it like mentoring so many aspiring artistes-to-be at once?
Guiding and mentoring new artistes is a dream that I only just recently realised (I had). It means a lot to be there, to guide and watch these artistes where they are now, doing things they previously couldn’t. I just have so many feelings. I’m so proud. There are many things in the industry that might break you along the way. While I don’t know it all, I hope what I’ve experienced in my career can be, in some way, helpful to them in their journeys. I hope that with my stories, they can break their boundaries and avoid the same traps they might find along the way. I hope that they not only become great artistes but also become better humans, stay positive in the industry, and are able to create and find themselves along the way.

Did this experience help you reflect — in any way — on your artiste career so far? In retrospect, would you redo anything?
It reminded me of my childhood. It was a time when I had so much passion for music, and seeing all the high-intensity passion in them brought me back to that time. It freshened me up. I wouldn’t change anything because I love the way things are now. Changing the past would mean changing the present, and I love where I’m at and what I’m doing right now.

What do you feel is the most important trait that any aspiring performing artiste should have?
Every artiste is different, but all artistes should try to be themselves. For me, I want to be true to myself, to be able to discover my own direction, create my own work, and be brave enough to show that to the world.

What about in a song? Everyone likes to ask questions about your views on music because your personal touch does not escape any part of your music’s creative process — from melody-making, lyric-writing to the final performance. What is your definition of a good song?
“Good” in itself is a subjective word, and a good song, to me, can mean something very different to another. You can love jazz; you can love metal. So long as you’re satisfied with what you have released, be able to listen to it back and forth, and even enjoy that track after 10 years — that’s what I define as a good song.

Regardless of shape or form, good music should always capture the essence of a story, one’s feelings, or who the artiste is at their core.

Does any existing song come to mind? Either one you are proud of or one from an artiste you look up to.
The first song that comes to mind is “Endless Rain” by Yoshiki Hayashi. I’m not too sure if he wrote it when his mom or dad passed away. But it’s a song written with lots of emotion, and it very clearly shows his style of music. It’s just very Yoshiki.

I have many songs that I am proud of — actually, every song. But if I had to pick one, it might be “Dum Dum”. I had a lot of bad feelings bottled inside me when I wrote the song, and I really wanted to release that toxicity from inside of me. It sounds as angry as I felt when I wrote it, so listening back and feeling that anger gives me satisfaction. I think I wrote it in an honest and heartfelt manner that was true to my emotions at the time.

In your previous interview with us, you talked about the different charms (and challenges) that come with writing lyrics in Thai and English. Your debut album has both English originals and English translations of your Thai songs — which song’s story or specific lyrics are you most proud of putting together, and why?
Like I said, I love and am proud of all my songs. But if I had to pick one, it would be “Black Tie”. In that track, I had to relive many memories and feelings. Honestly, even at 29, I still feel like a kid. Until today, I still address everyone around me with “P” — how people in Thailand show respect to those older than them — because l feel I have a lot more growing up to do, and that spirit to learn is still alive inside me.

As a kid, I was always told to do this and that, learn this and study that. In retrospect, those who ended up following these instructions all somehow turned out the same. I really don’t like that. I don’t want all these rules and boundaries to limit who we can be, and who I could be. That’s why I chose to sing about this in “Black Tie”, using the concept of the suit to talk about breaking those boundaries, tying in with the freedom and individuality that the Valentino collection at the time championed and empowered its wearers to embody.

Are there any stories you are looking to tell with your next music release?
It’s a secret. You’ll know when you know.

More on your love for story-telling — which seems to be a common thread that links all the creative works you have released so far together — what do you think makes a good story?
All stories are worth telling, even those without a happy ending. What makes a good story is how you tell it. Capturing the essence or feeling of the story and delivering that to the listeners is more important. You know it’s good if the listeners can experience the story with you,

You mentioned in an interview that if you were not an artiste today, you would be a writer. These days, it is hard to have an original voice, yet yours (both literal and figurative) is quite luminous in its own way. How do you maintain that voice despite all the noise?
I don’t think an original voice is something that can be created. An original voice can only come from trusting your instincts, being honest in your work, and staying truthful to your feelings. Only then can you create work that represents you. You should never lie to yourself.

And more importantly, never lose that kid inside of you. That’s who is creating the all the art, instead of you.

More importantly, how do you rest? Are there any go-to activities (or non-activities) you like to do to return to yourself and rest your voice?
I actually have a lot of time to rest. Then again, I also don’t feel like my work encompasses “working”. It’s also my vacation. Sure, even when I’m actually on vacation, I have to think about work. But I don’t mind it; I love what I do.

If we’re talking about physical rest, I prioritise resting my voice. I used to sing during my free time, but I try not to use it that often now to be ready when I actually have to sing. I think it’s important to know how to control and use my voice in the right way.

For those who are only discovering your music today, can you compile a three-track introduction to Jeff Satur’s playlist and explain why?
“Dum Dum”, “Fade”, and “Loop”. “Dum Dum” shows my darker side because it’s a release of some pent-up frustration and anger. “Fade” is more romantic — it shows you how I experience love and what I am like in a relationship, and I try to tell that story in a more emotional and evocative manner. Then we have “Loop”, a more introspective exploration of who I am. Listening to these three songs will give you a good idea of the breadth of my personality and style as an artiste.

In recent years, you have been bolder with your style. How would you describe your current relationship with fashion? Has it changed over the years?
I think fashion is about doing what you love, wearing what you love, and enjoying what you see in the mirror. Every morning before I go out, I feel like I should love what I see in the mirror — regardless of what other people think. Your body is a canvas, and whatever colour or pattern you choose to put on yourself that day is a form of self-expression you should enjoy.

Over the years, I’ve definitely become more confident about trying on things out of my comfort zone. I used to be scared of wearing certain things because of what others might think, but I’m no longer as shy. I’m just breaking one boundary at a time.

What values of Maison Valentino does Jeff Satur — the artiste — embody?
I think Valentino and I have many things in common. Fundamentally, we both embrace the act of constant reinvention and enjoy the challenge of finding new ground, and there’s no better expression of this chemistry and kindred spirit than the soundtrack I created with and for Valentino. The brand is quite sentimental and romantic, and my body of work doesn’t stray far from these sensibilities — especially if you listen to the three tracks I mentioned earlier. A valiant kind of courage persists throughout, and I feel like that syncs up nicely with what Valentino stands for as a brand.

What is next on your cards? Will we get to sees Jeff Satur, the actor again soon?
Without a doubt. In fact, more and more because actor Jeff Satur is an important part of me, and there are a lot of upcoming projects that I’m passionate about and very excited to share with the world.

Last but not least, you have said before that any interaction or activities you do for SATURDAYs feels like an everlasting dream. Is there anything you want to say to your fans right now?
Always be happy. Yes, sometimes it’s hard, and sometimes the world isn’t as beautiful as the ones we read about in our favourite fairytales. Focus on the good and avoid the bad. Surround yourself with good people. Never give up on yourself. You’re beautiful, you’re great, and you’re you — and no one else can do what you do. Even I can’t do what you do. Everybody has something unique they can do. Appreciate and love what you do. Follow your dreams, and I’ll follow mine. Someday, we’ll sing together again.

[kchasm]

Ryu Number: Don Adams

Don Adams was an American actor, best known for his role as the incredibly skilled yet incredibly clumsy secret agent Maxwell Smart in the secret agent spoof sitcom Get Smart. If you don't recognize the title—which, fair enough, it aired literally sixty years ago—he also notably voiced the dimwitted cyborg police officer protagonist of the Inspector Gadget cartoons.

He has a Ryu Number of at most 4.

The last portion of Space Quest V: Roger Wilco – The Next Mutation features our titular protagonist infiltrating the SCS Goliath, making use of its cramped, labyrinthine maintenance tunnels.

Apparently someone in development thought the passageways a bit reminiscent, video-game-wise: Take the right wrong path, and Roger will speedily crawl in the other direction with an unexpected cameo on his tail.

Space Quest 6: Roger Wilco in the Spinal Frontier is fully voiced, including—as you may know already because @ryunumber—noted disc jockey, announcer, and voice actor Gary Owens. Normally this wouldn't be enough to count the actor themselves, even if they are credited in the game—but persist past the end credits and fade-out and you'll hear the narrator thank you for playing Space Quest 6 before extroducing himself specifically as "Gary Owens, signing off." Totally counts!

Finally, guess who got himself a copy of TV Land Presents Blast From the Past?

Mind, it's such a jalopy of a game I couldn't get it to run on my computer without serious graphical issues...

... but I was able to get it to run just runnily enough to confirm its nature! If you ever wanted to play a game where TV stars of a bygone era ask you trivia questions about the shows they were on... then you're not exactly choked with options, are you?

Gary Owens pulls double-duty here, playing both quiz host and TV star questionmonger, his questions focusing on the sketch comedy show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (where he was the on-screen announcer).

Don Adams' questions, of course, have to do with Get Smart. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any clean, non-glitched-out footage of him from my recordings, so have this video I extracted from the game files instead.

You know what? There's a charm to it.

[idonotbitemythumbatyou]

Deep Space Lime

By Deepspacelime (vinegardrink on tumblr)

After many years spent leading separate lives, Bashir and Garak reconnect on an isolated planet. Meanwhile, in a cubicle far from the final frontier, a call center worker tells their own stories to survive.

A beautifully poetic story about stories, with a meta framing device which is deeply - almost invasively - personal. This fic asks why we write write fanfiction in the first place, and presents a boldly unapologetic answer to its own question. Highly, highly recommended.

[cartoonistcoop]

Hey you should check out this Kickstarter for-

ZETA GALAXY OUTLAWS #1!

An anti-capitalist space western

The Good, The Bad, and The Exploited on the Final Frontier (24-page comic)

Humanity has taken to the stars, pioneered by the elite few in the search for unending profit. When it comes to protecting and serving the status quo of the new frontier, the Rangers of the Zeta Galaxy stand ready. These celebrity peacekeepers bleed, fight, and kill to deter any outlaws and agitators who would dare challenge the bottom line of the Conglomerate. When the opportunity arises for a second-generation spacer from a dead-end mining planet to become the first Black Woman in their ranks, Tex Wyatt leaps at the chance to make galactic history. Enhanced with cybernetics and sponsored by the wealthiest arms manufacturer in the galaxy, Tex’s first assignment puts her on a collision course with the radical outlaw, Vega Corazón. But in a world where the line is blurred between outlaw and activist, Tex will need to question her worldview to become the greatest “hero” the galaxy has ever seen.

ZETA GALAXY OUTLAWS combines the sharp satire of Sorry to Bother You with the space western genre fusion of Cowboy Bebop. Writer/Artist Kenneth Laster (Try Not To Die, Champions of the Wolf) brings you this dynamic 24-page first issue that opens the door to a galaxy-spanning story about Black excellence, commodification of identity, and finding another way to live. 

This Kickstarter ends on Sat, June 29 2024 6:59 AM EDT.

So be sure to check it out through the link below before it's too late!!

LINK HERE