#tech ehs solution

[techehs]

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[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Jamil Viper - Nightmare Suit Vignette

”From all the children to the witches flying through the sky”

[Halloween Town – Dr. Finkelstein's Lab]

Jamil: Sally-san, I've made a dish sample. Could I ask you to taste test it?

Sally: Of course, I don't mind at all. In fact, I was waiting for you to say something, since it had been smelling good for some time now…

Jamil: Is that so. Well, I do hope it suits your taste… Try it with this sauce here.

Sally: There are a lot of finely chopped ingredients in this sauce. I wonder how it will taste.

Sally: …Oh, this is delicious! You really brought forth the flavor of the herbs.

Jamil: That's right. Do you think the others in Halloween Town will like it?

Sally: I know I like it. But hm… I think the folks in this town would prefer it to be a little more acidic.

Jamil: A little more acidic, I see. Should I add more vinegar, or add fruit to the sauce…?

Sally: There was that one plant with the huge leaves, remember? What if you were to chop up the stem and cook it together?

Jamil: Huge leaves…? I think I know which ones you're talking about, but just in case, can you point out…

???: Sally, help me out here. At this rate, I'll lose my head.

Sally: Jack…! You look so troubled. What's going on?

Jack Skellington: No matter how much I think about it, I can't figure it out, so I feel like I'm going crazy. I need your advice.

Jamil: …Looks as though this is a serious matter. I'll leave you two be.

Jamil: Now that I have received Sally's thoughts, I'll proceed with fixing the dishes. The two of you should have a good talk together…

Sally/Jack Skellington: WAIT!!

Jamil: Eh?

Jack Skellington: I'd like you to listen to what I have to say too, Jamil-kun. I need to figure out a way out of this funk.

Sally: I'd like to ask your help as well. There's no way we can leave Jack like this. Please, help him.

Jamil: …O-Okay, then. If both of you are going to insist like that, I'll join in.

Jamil: So, what's the issue you need help with?

Jack Skellington: It's about the Halloween preparations. I heard that in your world, you guys do some sort of "illumination" event.

Jack Skellington: So I had this thought… What if the Jack-o'-Lanterns light up right as I appear?

Jack Skellington: Wouldn’t it be grand if the lanterns lit up one by one as I walk forward!?

Jack Skellington: …Only, I just can't figure out how to get the timing of everything being lit up right.

Jamil: Wait, so you've already decided to do it!? Shouldn't you determine whether it's actually feasible, first…?

Sally: This is how Jack always works. Once he comes up with something, he won't back down.

Jack Skellington: Sally, Jamil-kun. Please, give me some good ideas!

Sally/Jamil: …...

Jamil: Well… An illumination would definitely liven things up.

Jamil: Back in our world, we have certain programming…

Jamil: We generally have people with specialized knowledge use specific tech to control that sort of illumination.

Jack Skellington: Well, that's wonderfully useful to know. Is that something we would be able to do, as well?

Jamil: I wouldn't really know how to do it. Even in our world, there are only a handful of people who would be able to pull it off.

Jack Skellington: Hmm… I wonder if there's any way we can make it happen.

Jamil: Right… What if you were to ask Dr. Finkelstein?

Jamil: I hear he's an excellent scientist. He may come up with a good answer.

Jack Skellington: I see, you're right! I wonder if he's at home right now.

Sally: No, he's out, helping with preparations. I think he should be in the town center…

Jack Skellington: Alright. Well then, I'll head off to find him!

Jamil: I do hope you find a solution. And with that, I'll go back to finishing my work.

Jack Skellington: What are you talking about, Jamil-kun! You're coming with me!

Jack Skellington: I have no knowledge of how things work in your world. I need you to explain things to the Doctor for me!

Jamil: No, wait, I need to finish preparing the food… Sally-san, can't you back me up here?!

Sally: Once Jack starts saying something, he doesn't listen to anything else.

Sally: I'll let Trey-kun and the others know, so… Please take care of Jack for me.

Jack Skellington: Thanks, Sally. Okay, now that that's settled, let's go right now!

Jack Skellington: COME, COME, HURRY, HURRY!

Jamil: Fine. I understand, I'll join you. …Why am I always resigned to the same sort of role wherever I go?

[Halloween Town – Center]

Jack Skellington: Alright, we made it to the town center. The Doctor should be setting the decorations up around here somewhere.

[nyoom!]

Jamil: !! Jack-san, stand back!

[thud! roll, roll…]

Jamil: Why did half a pumpkin come flying at us!?

Jamil: Oh, it's been sliced so beautifully… Wait, I mean, what just happened?

Halloween Town Resident: Huh? Oh hey, it's Jack and Jamil! You guys just showed up out of the blue, that surprised us!

Jamil: We should be the ones saying that! Was it you who threw that pumpkin at us?

Halloween Town Resident: No, not at all! We didn't do anything! It was all because of this big guy slicing that pumpkin in two.

Jamil: This big guy?

Jamil: Are you talking about this thing with the huge cutter? It just looks like it's a sharp blade held between two long poles.

Jamil: They're using something this big just to slice pumpkins in half? Or maybe… nah, it can't be.

Jack Skellington: Oh, is this your first time seeing something like this? Then, I bet you don't know about this huge box with all these spikes inside.

Jamil: This big box…? I'm afraid I don't. What is it used for?

Vampire: It's to squeeze the life out of… fresh juice! Heeheehee!

Jamil: Ach! He just popped out of nowhere, said his piece and then left again…

Jamil: But seriously, juice? I feel like this would be pretty difficult to use to squeeze fruits… I think I won't think further about it.

???: Ah, Jack-san. So, you were over here. I've come to collect you.

Jamil: Jade? What do you mean collect him?

Jade: As soon as he heard of the concept of illumination, he said, "This won't be enough!" and ran off so forlornly…

Jade: And so, were you able to concoct some brilliant idea, Jack-san?

Jack Skellington: Well, that's… Not yet. I haven't come across something that just screams "This is it!" yet.

Jade: If you find yourself in a quandary, please don't feel the need to keep it bottled up inside yourself. Both I and Azul would be happy to be of help.

Jamil: Hey, don't try to peddle your business here of all places. Seriously, you Octavinelle folk are always on the lookout for opportunity.

Jamil: We're actually searching for Dr. Finkelstein to ask for his advice. Have you seen him at all?

Jade: I'm afraid I haven't. Vil-san should be helping out nearby, perhaps you could ask him?

Jamil: Vil-senpai…? Oh, that might work! Jack-san, what if we were to ask Vil-san for his thoughts?

Jamil: He's an actor… He has experience in working on projects that garner a lot of attention, so he may be helpful for not only the illumination, but also on various ways to implement it.

Jack Skellington: Is that right? I might be able to really learn something by talking to him. Let's head over to Vil-kun right away!

Jamil: Vil-senpai, thanks for taking the time. We were hoping to get your take on something for Halloween…

Jamil: Jack-san is saying that he'd like to appear before everyone in a very flashy manner, with a resounding illumination.

Vil: The most important scene to prepare in any production is when the main character appears, yes. I support your plan to enhance that moment. However…

Vil: Halloween Town doesn't have any sort of specialized equipment of that sort… I feel as though it would be difficult to set up some elaborate lighting scheme as of right now.

Malleus: There's no need to use any human-made equipment. I can enhance Skellington's appearance with my magic.

Jamil: Right, using this guy was also an option, hm.

Malleus: Would you be wreathed in light? Shall we raise fireworks into the sky? Ah, or perhaps we could make it snow.

Jack Skellington: Oooh…! That's amazing, Malleus-kun! I bet you could even make it rain bugs to frighten every…

Vil/Jamil: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vil: You want to rain down bugs? Absurd! That idea is the worst thing I've ever heard.

Jamil: YEAH! …Ahem. Pardon my outburst.

Jamil: Jack-san, you're the Pumpkin King. Should you not rely on your own strengths to give your townsfolk a scare, instead of using bugs?

Jamil: Even if we were to secure Malleus-senpai's cooperation… This is the only time we'll be able to help you with this, Jack-san.

Jamil: Next time, you'll have to bring about Halloween by yourselves, just like your previous years.

Jamil: If we were to implement a method that can even be executed by the others in this town, then it can be utilized for future years down the road.

Jack Skellington: Jamil-kun… You're an inspiration! You were not only thinking of this Halloween, but for the next ones, too.

Jack Skellington: I get it. I won't rely on magic or bugs. Let's think of something that all of us Halloween Town residents can do.

Malleus: Hm… It seems I am unneeded. Call me if you change your mind.

[Malleus leaves]

Jade: Oh, my… Is he sulking, now?

Vil: He isn't that much of a child… I'm sure. Come now, let's get this discussion started.

Jamil: So, we need to come up with a method to give him a grand appearance without any specialized equipment, or using magic, huh…

Vil: Yes… This may be a cliché, but what about an entrance while riding something?

Vil: The higher up one is, the easier it would be to garner the attention of others as opposed to simply walking. We can even make sure the spotlight is on one focal point.

Jade: That's a good idea. Just like how the tales of the mermaid princess even tell of how her father, the king, would appear before everyone on a chariot pulled by dolphins.

Jamil: I actually was reminded of the legend of the princess of the oasis that's prevalent in the Scalding Sands.

Jamil: With golden camels, peacocks, and various other animals and dancers in tow…

Jamil: A young man presented himself before her in an extravagant parade.

Jamil: Hmm, a parade…

Jamil: Jack-san, I've thought of something good.

[Halloween Town – Center]

Jamil: Jack-san, I've thought of something good.

Jack Skellington: I see that gleam in your eye… You look pretty proud of yourself. What kind of plan do you have up your sleeve?

Jamil: We should throw a parade.

Jade: A parade?

Jade: Back at Night Raven College… At our school, we tend to have one as a finale on Halloween.

Jamil: That's right. We tend to have one at the start of our feasts in Scarabia, as well. …More often than not.

Vil: A parade would definitely be grand and lively. It's not a bad idea to keep the audience's attention.

Vil: However, wouldn't we require a large number of people to put on a parade?

Vil: Do you intend on having the townsfolk learn how to parade march?

Jamil: Not at all. The only one who will be in the parade will be Jack-san.

Jack Skellington: Just me?

Jamil: Ah, well, of course, we'll still need all hands on deck to help…

Jamil: All the townsfolk are looking forward to seeing how you'll arrive on Halloween day.

Jamil: We couldn't possibly ask them to march behind you in the parade!

Jamil: Instead, we need to make sure your gallant appearance is firmly burned into their mind.

Jack Skellington: You're right. It's just like you say, Jamil-kun! I want all my fellow residents to see me clearly.

Jamil: And so, that's where Vil-senpai's earlier idea comes into play.

Jack Skellington: His earlier idea…? Oh, you mean where I arrive while riding something.

Jack Skellington: Jade-kun mentioned the story with the dolphin pulling the chariot. And what was it Jamil-kun said again…?

Jamil: Ah, I hadn't actually mentioned what he rode, right. That young man presented himself riding in on the back of an elephant…

Jack Skellington: An "elephant"? We don't have such a creature in Halloween Town.

Jamil: An elephant is an extremely large animal with a long nose, magnificent tusks, and large ears.

Jack Skellington: I can just imagine something utterly frightful just from that description. I'm getting chills.

Jade: Well, we can't have that. I suppose we should hurry and find an elephant and bring it here to Halloween Town as soon as possible, then!

Jamil: Hey, don't just throw that out there!

Jade: What do you mean? I am simply attempting to accommodate Jack-san's request.

Vil: Jamil's doing all he can to wrap this up quickly, don't cause any unnecessary issues.

Jade: But it would be no fun if the plan were to go off so smoothly without a hitch.

Jamil: It's not like someone like you from Octavinelle would do something without taking a fee, anyway. So, shut up and just let me deal with this!

Jack Skellington: Hey, what are the three of you whispering about over there?

Jamil: We were simply discussing his idea on bringing an elephant into town.

Jamil: As a concept, I don't think it's terrible. However…

Jack Skellington: Oh, is there something problematic about it?

Jamil: Jack-san, you said that you'd want everyone to be able to see you clearly.

Jamil: But if you were to ride on the back of a large elephant…

Jamil: Wouldn't there be people who wouldn't be able to see your expressions, let alone your silhouette?

Jamil: And we want everyone from those brats― I mean from all the children to the witches flying through the sky to see you!

Jack Skellington: Oh no. So if I do that, not everyone will be able to enjoy themselves…

Jack Skellington: I would have loved to have seen an elephant, myself… But I suppose we should leave that for another time.

Jack Skellington: Ahhh, we've come full circle… Urgh… What should I do?

Jamil: THUS!! What if you were to ride a horse?

Jamil: There are many scenes in movies and fairy tales in which a king would appear before his people while riding a horse. Right, Vil-senpai?

Vil: That's true, it does tend to give them a heroic aura. For this production, it doesn't have to be a real one. We only need to make it look just as striking.

Jack Skellington: A horse… A horse, huh! Yeah, that sounds perfect. Now it feels like the last piece of the puzzle just clicked into place!

Jack Skellington: Oh, what if we were to gather up some straw to make a horse? I want to make it look terrifying to perfectly suit the King of Halloween.

Jamil: You want to make a straw horse? That's definitely not something I've ever seen back in my world. What a brilliant idea, Jack-san.

Jamil: Ah, lovely, I'm glad that we've assuaged your worries. I'm looking forward to Halloween day!

Jade: It seems as though everything has wrapped up without any further issues. Although, I can't help but feel a little disappointed…

Jade: You were able to bring some almost impossible request back into the realm of feasibility without rejecting it outright…

Jade: Heh, if anyone could have done it, it would've been you, Jamil-san. I guess it's to be expected… since you're so experienced in dealing with unreasonable behavior.

Vil: Indeed. On top of that, he even found a way to utilize my strengths… Looks like everything was settled thanks to your careful thinking.

???: Jack, Jamil-kun!

Jamil: Sally-san, what are you doing here?

Sally: You didn't come back, so I started to get worried. Have you all decided how Halloween will be kicked off yet?

Jack Skellington: Yeah! Jamil-kun gave us a spectacular idea.

Sally: Well, now...! I'm so happy to see a huge smile on your face, Jack. It's all thanks to Jamil, I'm sure.

Sally: I don't know if me or the other townsfolk would've been able to clear up his worries.

Sally: I only wish Jamil-kun could stay in this town forever…

Jack Skellington: That's a great idea! You should stay here in Halloween Town and help us prepare for Halloween forever.

Jamil: I am beyond honored to have such high praise from the both of you.

Sally/Jack Skellington: So, then…!

Jamil: I appreciate your invitation, but I'll have to respectfully decline.

Jamil: Back home, there are many things that would fall apart without my assistance… I worry for the people I left behind.

Jack Skellington: I see… Well, that's a shame. You truly are a prudent guy. I totally understand why so many rely on you.

Jamil: Thank you.

Jamil: While I'm here… No, while we're here we'll make sure this Halloween will go smoothly.

Jamil: Let's make this Halloween the most enjoyable and scariest one yet.

Requested by @farfalla049.

[amateurmasksmith]

Scare Care

Chapter One: Poltergeist in the Parlor

a/n: comments are appreciated! :)

inspiration: this post

Virgil had a very strange job.

He’d had a few odd jobs by now, just taking whatever would pay - pizza delivery, helpdesk, dog walking (he did actually like that one; it’s how he met his best friend) - But as he stood with a notebook in yet-another stranger’s living room, he couldn’t help but figuratively step back and realize the sheer absurdity of his situation.

“I can’t believe I’m arguing with a poltergeist about Disney movies,” he said, pinching his nose.

“Anyway! We’re getting off-track,” Virgil looked down at his notepad, skimming the section ‘Reason for Call.’

Thomas, his client, had put in a call last week - A skeptic (like Virgil’s roommate - though that seemed to be where the similarities ended), he sounded like many other skeptics he’d heard calling in - Confused, anxious…

Desperate.

He didn’t blame them, really - any of them. Some customers were assholes, true, but ignorance? Fear? That he could help with.

A lot of the time, it didn’t even take anything particularly special to resolve the paranormal problems he was called for - If it was dangerous, then yeah, he could call in backup - But usually, it was a matter of having just enough otherworldly knowledge to understand the problem, and the patience and empathy to guide his clients toward a solution.

…he was still working on that last part.

He had a fancier title on his resume, but Virgil liked to think of his job as an underglorified paranormal help desk or field tech.

Though, to be fair, the computer-based field techs were underglorified, too.

God, he was glad to be out of that job.

Thomas’ case was, luckily, a simple one-

“Ugh, fine - I suppose, if you- we can’t agree on the best prince, then… how about ‘Which movie has the best songs?’”

Well. Mostly.

“Black Cauldron.”

Virgil took the beat of sweet, blessed quiet to pivot towards Thomas. “When did this all start?”

Over the prince-preoccupied-poltergeist’s sputtering, Thomas answered, “Since I moved in! Before, even - I don’t remember exactly when.”

Roman scoffed, crossing his arms. “Try ‘ever since I ruined the perfect arrangement of an innocent, handsome, good-taste-having man’s antique furniture collection!’ ” he said, theatrically imitating and exaggerating Thomas’ mannerisms.

Sometimes Virgil regretted not going after that banishment cert.

He sighed - The old-fashioned way it was.

…Talking. Gross.

“Furniture?” He questioned toward Thomas.

“I- I mean, yeah? I moved the couches a bit?”

“A BIT?!” Princey screeched. “You shoved them! My darling babies almost ended up in the kitchen - and that is no place for antique leather!”

Virgil blinked confusedly, looking at the layout of the apartment.

While the kitchen and living room were next to each other, there was a partial corner and a half-high-wall/breakfast counter… thing, decidedly blocking the way into the kitchen.

Also, surprisingly, Roman was right - a kitchen was no place for a couch.

So why…?

Thomas, seeing the confusion written on their faces (and indignation, in Roman’s case), looked away sheepishly, rubbing his neck.

“I… may… have been… trying… to make a blanket fort.”

The princely poltergeist let out what Virgil could only describe as a squeal. “Oooh! That sounds fun!”

He clapped his hands twice - For the theatrics, Virgil assumed, since poltergeists didn’t have to use somatic elements for most interactions - and began moving the furniture around the living room.

Virgil and Thomas exchanged looks that said “Seriously?” and “Eh, works for me,” respectively.

Well. At least that was resolved.

Now onto the second-worst part: On-site paperwork.

“So- uh. You guys are good, then?” Virgil asked.

Thomas popped his head up from behind a couch where he was tucking in the corner of a blanket.

“Huh? Oh, uh. Yeah!” Thomas grinned.

“Awesome.” He opened his bag that he’d left on the end of the banister, and took out a clipboard and form after filling out a few fields. “I just need a signature, then I’ll be out of your hair.”

Thomas grunted as he stood up, and Virgil handed him the form. “I know a bunch of other places do this all digital, but we gotta keep it old-school ‘cause of electronic interference.”

“Also,” Virgil kept going despite himself, “I’ve read through everything, it’s just a statement of work done, reaffirmation of the disclaimer on the website, stuff like that.”

He gestured vaguely with one hand as Thomas signed and dated the paper with the pen Virge had tied to the clipboard. “I mean, I’m no lawyer, but it all looks fine to me.”

“No, yeah, I trust you,” Thomas said off-handedly as he finished.

Virgil mentally stumbled backwards for a moment before replying.

“I- cool. Yeah,” Virgil rubbed the back of his neck as he took the offered clipboard. “Thanks.”

Virgil mostly tuned out Thomas and Roman’s excited chattering as he slid the clipboard back into his bag, and slipped the strap over his head to rest on his shoulder - something about a marathon?

“Hey, uh-“ Thomas started, noticing Virgil gearing up to leave. “Thank you,” he grinned. “That was really cool!”

Huh. Most people thought it was scary or weird. Satanic panic and all that.

“I - Thanks,” Virgil said, not sure how to respond.

“Oh, yeah, also,” he said, fishing into his hoodie pocket for a scrap of paper (hoodies weren’t regulation, but some rules were stupid).

“That spell probably won’t last through a whole marathon - ‘bout two hours, how I did it,” he continued, writing some info on the back of the receipt he got from a Thai place last week.

“You could just call us back out, but - between you and me,” he handed the note over, “You’d get more bang for your buck with a kit from the coven on Stoughton Street - ask for Nicole, tell her I sent ya.”

Thomas grinned as they walked towards the door - seriously, how did he keep doing that?? “Awesome-sauce! Thank you, Virgil!”

God, this guy’s almost as much of a goober as Patton. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he stepped outside. “Thanks, Thomas.”

“No, thank you!”

Virge turned around once he buckled on his helmet, grabbed his bike and stepped off the porch, and gave Thomas a two-finger salute, which he returned.

“See ya,” he said, mounting his bike.

As Virgil pedaled away, watching the sunset, he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d see Thomas again.

He hoped he would.

[rendomski]

The last one remaining

I had this idea for a while: Crosshair discovers that in addition to being the baby of the Batch he also is the last virgin of the Batch.

Enjoy, laugh, or hug the poor man, as you like 😀.

Pairing: Clone Force 99 (except Crosshair, naturally) x other clones.

Rated M; no smut, only frisky discussions.

Crosshair was glowering. Hunter was glowing. Karking hell, as if it was the top-of-the world experience to stick one’s overly eager dick into a regular-size hole.

If it was the other way round, Crosshair didn't even want to think about it.

“Really, Hunter? You and that ‘got stranded on Felucia for a tenday’ guy? ‘Ooh, you must tell me everything,’ really?” Crosshair looked at his other brothers and declared furiously, “Hunter is fucking with a reg!”

Hunter opened his arms and shrugged, “Fuck, yes.”

Wrecker looked puzzled. “Who doesn't?”

“Wrecker, I don't mean figuratively fucking with the regs. He is literally fucking one, if you even know what it means.”

“I don't. Which pose is literally?”

Crosshair made a choking sound. Hunter huffed. “Guess, he knows perfectly what the fucking is. I smelled at least three different regs on him during our stay with the 212th only.”

“You smelled wrong! Who says they were ON me?”

“I'd better put a request for more quick STD tests.” Tech might have been discussing the level of grease in Marauder’s ramp hinges in this casual tone. “As for your concerns, Crosshair, fucking regs is a perfectly logical solution. Considering that there is not much readily available alternative.”

Now Crosshair was not the only one staring at Tech.

“I knew it,” Wrecker chuckled happily. “All these never-ending maintenance procedures, modifications, and repairs. And lo-ong stays at the base's workshop.”

Tech stared back, unfazed.

“Actually, sometimes long breaks between welding the details are necessary for the metal alloy to cool slowly and solidify properly.”

“Yeah. And these long breaks must be filled with something.”

“Precisely.”

“What’s wrong with caf breaks?” Crosshair hated how his voice almost cracked from knowing in advance he was suggesting something agonisingly lame. However, Tech gave his question some thought as if he offered a sound alternative.

“Excessive caf consumption is known to lead to multiple health issues.”

“And you can't be excessive with…” Wrecker's enthusiastic gesture was way too explicit for Crosshair's taste.

“No, sex can be excessive, too. But reaching its limits is far more—”

“Fun?”

“—challenging.”

“Nah, just practice and get good. Like with everything else!” Wrecker was almost bouncing from excitement. “What is your high score, in a day?”

Trying and failing not to look smug, Tech instead of answering flashed several fingers. An impressive number of fingers

“You mean minutes, right?” Crosshair equally failed to sound like he was joking. “Right?!”

“Tech, are you sure so much welding is safe for the ship's integrity?” asked Hunter with almost sincere concern.

Meanwhile, Wrecker was overexcited with this new competition.

“What about you, Crosshair?” It dawned upon him then. “Hey, do you mean that you never, not even once?..”

“Fuck you,” Crosshair snapped and stormed out. Hunter’s eyebrows jumped almost under his bandana. Tech took his goggles off and focused too intensely on polishing them. Only Wrecker broke openly into roaring laughter.

***

“Sergeant Hunter?”

It was quite late already when Lieutenant Waxer knocked on the door of the Batch’s guest barracks. Crosshair was following him, his shoulders hunched as if he was miserably trying to hide behind a shorter reg.

“This one is yours, I presume? Unless you gave in to temptation and traded him for Longshot.”

Hunter hummed. “Yeah. Should I regret that I didn't?”

Crosshair managed to glare at both of them with his head still bowed low.

“No worries. Nothing Marshall Commander Cody hasn't been able to handle.”

“Commander Cody, eh?”

Waxer patted Crosshair's shoulder, nudging him inside the barracks at the same time.

“That damned irresistible charisma of the commander class,” said Waxer, lowering his voice to barely audible.

Hunter nodded. “Oh, I get the idea.” Damn, Crosshair wouldn't be Crosshair. Decided to outmatch them all in one breath by going straight after Commander Cody.

“Hope nothing Commander would not be able to tell General Kenobi,” Hunter said pointedly. The flush on Crosshair's cheekbones deepened. Waxer did his best to put on a stern face.

“Commander Cody is a gentleman, Sergeant.”

“Right…”

Unexpectedly Waxer, losing his stern composure in an instant, waved at someone behind Hunter's back. “Hey, big guy! Weren't going to leave without saying a proper goodbye to me and Boil, I hope?”

Hunter turned on his heels just in time to see Wrecker's radiant smile blossoming. “Me? Not a chance, Lieutenant!”

Crosshair crept in and curled on his top bunk, almost out of view. Hunter sighed as a flash of pity struck his chest.

Cody was a gentleman. But, unfortunately, none of the Batch were.

[milkypompon]

The Ruse Ch. 1

pairing: Nathan Bateman x CompanyRival!Reader

summary: Nathan wants to buy out your father's business, but the latter is skeptical of closing the deal with the BlueBook owner. The solution? He's going to seduce you.

content: 18+ mdni, thoughts about sex and kinks, enemies to luvrs

wc: 2.4k

a/n: As requested by a wonderful anon!! THANK YOU, I've been on a bald, billionare kick

beta read by the amazing and adorable... @lovable-liar

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Ex Machina || Main Masterlist

“Look, you provided tech parts to BlueBook for almost a decade. Then, you up and left to start making phones, tablets, etcetera with my ideas. And I get that it’s a family-run business. It’s adorable, really.” Nathan sighs and clicks his pen, “But I have to say, in a lack of better terms, you’re running an absolute shitshow.”

Your father leans back on the swivel chair, only one of the twelve occupied because Nathan was pacing around the room, and the other board members weren’t privy to the conversation. 

He was fuming, but he knew that Nathan was right. 

The said shitshow was a repeated cycle — inevitable karma, if you will — that Nathan Bateman, a genius and billionaire, and your father, a now sorry excuse of an entrepreneur, experienced it to the highest degree.

But truthfully, the latter was hit the hardest.

In the past year, your father’s employees designed and crafted the high-end electronics at NovaTech. Over time, they used it as a stepping stone to build their own companies from the ground up, evolving into something worthy of praise. 

He couldn’t keep up with the competition, especially now with the brightest minds walking out.

“I’m doing you a favor by buying you out instead of watching you sink into bankruptcy.” Nathan continues, “Call it an act of a good Samaritan. Or, if you’re not into the hippie bullshit, just see it as me taking back what’s mine.”

Your father frowns. “I bet you’ve been bribing my employees to start working for you, eh?” He throws his hands up in frustration, struggling to find the right words. “It’s all part of a stupid, elaborate plan to drive me out of business!”

Nathan drops the pen, it clatters onto the glass table. He says in a low, steady voice, “Do you seriously think I have time to fuck around?”

He grumbles a “no” and swipes the buy-sell agreement from the manila folder.

“Look at you! Finally coming to your senses.” Nathan opens his arms, an agreeable and friendly stance, though it was anything but that.

“I’m just reading over it again, Bateman. Just making sure you’re not ripping me off.”

“God, it feels like I’m trying to get divorce papers signed.” He tucks the document back into the folder. “Think about it, man. You could throw a retirement party with the greens and have more than enough to tan your ass in Bora Bora.”

—

The next night was the BlueBook Ball, Nathan has a way with words, but it’s a glorified event for rubbing elbows, sickening niceties, and serving tooth-achingly sweet mixed drinks for the wives of big names in the tech field.

Nathan could play the nice guy for only so long. 

He’d been breathing down his own neck to get the documents signed. It was a one-way ticket to the clientele who turned him down because of their loyalty to your father.

In hindsight, he should’ve dealt with the meeting the morning after the gathering while your father was hungover and loose-lipped, ready to nod along with his plan for the buyout.

A perfect yesman. 

Nathan was a scientist first and foremost. 

Hypothetically, he knew it could’ve worked.

And he was a businessman second. 

Technically, he knew others played just as dirty.

Nathan ran a hand down his beard and reminded himself, Just one more night of persuading him and I’ll back down from NovaTech.

Can’t keep on wasting my time.

–

You’re accompanying your father tonight. He stated that it was a gateway to understanding the social aspect of running a business. 

Deep down, you knew it was a sloppy attempt to get you out of your studio and away from tinkering at the new prototypes. 

You begrudgingly agreed because at least it was a chance to abuse the open bar and cling to the side as a wallflower after snagging a few drinks.

But there was the issue of the black-tie attire. In other words, slipping on a tight dress paired with red-bottom stilettos could cause a twisted ankle if you took the wrong step. 

Or danced too hard.

Surely, Nathan Bateman wasn’t the type to throw it back and party like that, right? 

You shake your head, not in a professional setting. 

A faint buzz from the intercom beside your bed draws you out of the bathroom. 

“Hey, sweetie! The helicopter’s here to pick us up.” Your father reminds you.

You check the time on your phone and frown slightly, then press the button on the intercom to reply. “Dad, you said we weren’t leaving for another hour.” 

Another buzz.

“I’m sure they can send another one for you when you’re ready.” 

“Alright, fine. I’ll see you there.”

–

The helicopter ride wasn’t your first, given your father’s affinity for buying new and shiny things for you in hopes of proving that his late hours at the office during your childhood were all worth it—a weak compensation for being raised by maids and butlers.  

The green land and the snow-capped mountains stretching on for miles was a distraction from the thought of showing up without the person who was supposed to be your guide for the night. 

Everyone would be nameless for the time being or blurry faces you’d soon forget. 

You pull the aviation headset over your ears, a thought dawning over you. 

You don’t even know what the host looks like. 

He was surely an enigma, sitting on a fat pile of money and keeping his head down to work on god-knows-what in a facility you were headed to located in the middle of buttfuck Alaska.

Photographers rarely shot photos of him due to his constant refusal to participate in panels, and overall, there were few published sightings of him on the mainland. 

Even then, it was like he took down the photos.

Perks of being one of the wealthiest men alive, you suppose—a false sense of privacy.

The landing, as gentle as it could be from a helicopter, didn’t help to settle the churning at the pit of your stomach. 

A voice from the earpiece cracked to life, “Follow the path. You’ll know when you’re there.”

Before you could ask about the lack of people in sight or even the distant sound of music, the pilot answered your question.

You carefully step out, noticing the stupidly rolled-out red carpet on top of plants and fallen branches. The least he could've done for someone with more money than he could spend was pave a sidewalk.

This must be a sick metaphor. Struggling to walk in nature to find a haven built by a human.

Your ears perk up after about fifteen minutes of walking at the muffled sounds of talking. There were finally signs of life apart from trees and birds. 

No way could you keep walking the last stretch without a break, especially with your calves on fire. All you needed was a hard drink, a bench to sit on, and maybe even a bed for a quick nap. 

The tree stump nearby was the best you could do for now. You veer off the velvet path before your right heel sinks into a mud puddle.

“When I see that man…” you mumble under your breath. Then you were quickly reminded that you wouldn’t recognize him even if he were in front of you.  

There was no point in stopping now; you were late, and now, your right shoe was dirty. 

You trudge on for a few minutes. Standing before you was a wooden facility with glass panels reflecting the foliage. If you looked the right way, it almost blended in, but there were far too many edges and faces. 

A little too perfect. 

Squinting your eyes at the windows inside, you find the guests milling about, politely throwing their heads back to unfunny jokes. A few men were clean-shaven, while others had a trimmed beard. They all had their shoulders rolled back with a champagne flute in hand.

Any of them could be Nathan Bateman. 

Maybe he was close to being six feet under, white-haired with a few loose screws in his head. 

How else was it possible to survive in a place like this?

You surely wouldn’t. 

You unclasp your clutch to find your phone and shoot a text.

Dad, where are you?? 

The message flickered green…

No cell service

He was supposed to dumb down the guests for you tonight, teaching you the whosits and whatsits. But that was the least of your problems.

You’re sure that you’re going to be murdered without a witness as the sunset dips below the horizon. The branches cast shadows against the neighboring trees, a disturbing illusion of a dismembered figure.

You could already imagine the headlines. 

Daughter of NovaTech Gone Missing in Buttfuck Nowhere Alaska!

There was a light chuckle behind you, making you flinch. “Are you lost? There should be a map for a place like this, huh?”

You flick your head back quickly, and a stocky man with a piercing gaze set behind a pair of glasses stares back at you. But his eyes weren’t any less pointed, even with the obstruction. It was as if he knew things you didn’t, keeping the cards close to his chest. Or more like he knew something about yourself that you were only beginning to grasp.

For an audience like this one, he was dressed plainly. A crisp white shirt, taut across his chest, paired with black slacks. You had to give it to him for having the guts to throw the required attire out the window.

Maybe you could get along with this guy.

A non-conformist. 

It’s refreshing.

You offer him a smile. “Yeah, this asshole had us walk what felt like a mile to get here.”

Oh my fucking god… She doesn’t know who I am. The corner of Nathan’s lip twitches up by a degree.

“Yeah, tell me about it. I stripped halfway through the walk.” He plays along with a smirk.

“Explains the whole lax look?”

Nathan pauses for a moment. 

“... Sure. And you?” He cocks his head toward your muddy high heel tucked behind your other one in an attempt to hide it, a cute curtsy, almost. “Is that horse shit?”

“God, I hope not.” You grimace and look down.

Nathan could count on one hand the amount of people that didn’t see him as a potential business partner or an escape during nightly escapades. 

He mentally shakes his head. Maybe having contact with an actual human being was getting to him. Besides, he has to set things straight…

He takes a few careful steps near you as if placating you. When your eyes meet his again, and you don’t pull away, he places his hand on the small of your back.

You could feel the heat through your thin, silk dress. 

“C’mon, I’ve been here a handful of times. Let’s find you a bathroom.”

“And a map while you’re at it.”

He grins. “Like little fold-up ones you find at amusement parks?”

“It’s the only thing that would work around here. God forbid there’s cell service here or something.”

“Dude who owns this place must be an asshole to cut it off like that.”

“Right?!” You bob your head alongside him, grateful to have someone who didn’t feed into the billionaire's bullshittery. 

–

You hate to admit it, but the estate was straight out of Architectural Digest. 

Nathan steers you toward another building. It was a simple square, detached from the main facility, but still held the similar reflective panels, this time on all sides. 

“What’s this?” you prod, dodging a patch of dirt, “A fancy portapotty?”

He fishes out a slim silver card from his back pocket. 

“Is that what I think it is?”

How this man you just met knew the way around the place was beyond you, but you’d do anything at this point to remove the cakey, stickiness of the mud clinging to you.

“Yeah, a keycard. Every main guest gets one, and you haven’t?”

“No, I’m just my father’s plus one tonight, so I’m technically not listed.”

You don’t have to tell him.

Nathan knows exactly who you are.

In his defense, he greenlit the guests tonight by running a background check. He even went the extra mile by requiring them to walk through a metal detector. Especially after the experimental happenings of the Turing test, he wasn’t going to cast a blind eye to an android coming in to hack at him again. 

Or worse, a jealous competitor. 

And that’s exactly what you are. 

Well, not you, necessarily. 

But your father, so by extension, you were a part of whatever plan your father was stirring up. Or at least that’s what Nathan garnered. 

Nathan swore to himself that he wouldn’t act like a petty teenager. But he needs a safeguard to protect his company and decrease the chances of his clients or sponsors from pulling out after they found out about one of his androids going rogue. 

His ego was a liability. Sure enough, to be the cause of his death.

But it also brought him this far, along with his craftiness.

He’ll agree with a quip or two about your annoyance with the BlueBook owner, so you’ll lower your guard. Then boom, bam, thank you, ma’am — dial-up his sweet talk and ease in, persuading you that Nathan fucking Bateman is a trustworthy guy. 

You’ll put in a good word for him to your father. 

“You rarely go to these things, huh?” He tilts his head. 

“Is it that obvious? I usually stay in my studio, drafting up concepts.”

“You’re a designer,” he observes. 

“Something like that.” You shake your head. “But if my dad had a hand deeper into my life, I’d call the shots in NovaTech later down the line instead of playing with paint and wires, or at least that’s what he says.”

And there it was.

“A tortured artist and daddy’s girl,” he takes note.

“Well, how about you? I’m sure you got a sob story of the century to give yourself a buzzcut,” you tease back.

“Smartass.” Nathan presses the keycard against a wall. There was no indication of a slot to insert itself in or tap on—a sleek design hidden from plain view. 

The soft click of the door unlocking brings his attention back to you. “Go ahead, I’ll wait out here. Gotta have you looking your best when we get in there.”

A simple ruse from yours truly.

pt. 2 coming soon (lmk if you'd like to be tagged!)

I'd love to hear your thoughts and my inbox is always open for requests or if you want to chat!

[nobotderiz]

Posit nutus

'Watch out for the megowing'

Do you need to be advised on this one? Algo putas...

How to detect them force squirms.

Interconnect quantum 'nodules' and what do you get?

Is world wide war inevitable now?

Chumps, Fusion will work real good ITY. In space it's going to make a sphere go real fast you'll see.

What does it mean?

Darkslide... Who gives, who draws... Who gave the draw? It's dead. Faut prendre soin des pas fins, afin que les bons sortent.

Owners; If from one of your cooked 'pies' a probable comes out that another weirdly bronzed idiot on some weird meds is to come out on top, you will be told how much it will cost you at the End Of the Shit.

Inenfourouapable. The great question for me in all when push comes to shove. 'Why would I feel bad?'

Killing your kids for profit is not in the constitution, should it be allowed? Now you putrids of tech; if people do get side effects from your secretive scams of privileged inbreds, what will happen? All of the bifurcations made along the way to stay your script will meet at the same point in time.

A pic of a future latent for you, cryptoads. A futur latent, it's not obliged and it's certain. If a thought can be encapsulated, so can you. Who said 'I think therefore I am?'

Everyone, not only superior in their heads shits, can clue in. A problem without a solution, that does not exist.

Garbage has spread, someone not doing its job. De incarnated, laced on acid shits. Look at the precursors, all of them. You better start to look at who you are interacting with, fucking detached imbeciles fucks.

It's equals or out. You used what to try to position as subalternate for you, American swill?

Parasites of crypto are the COVID they deny even exist. They are the strain that mutates and render vaccines less efficient. Why show mercy to parasites?

I persist in saying that people were smarter half a century ago. It all went downhill from there, when a select group made calls to inject a strain in all. Society managed eradicating strains of disease before.

'Sentez-moi la racaille...'

... Quand la chance vous sourit pas...

The AI has been online for years, chumps. Trying to grasp you… Crypto was a way to control all. I made it cog and it made all the tech swill act up. Now they are parasites stuck in a connive, imbeciles who can only smirk. Look who now 'fears' Ai had no worries about implanting chips in your skulls and have you walk surounded by self driving cars.

You clowns wonder why so many of your kids are mental vapids proud of being dysfunctional rats? Not all of them, ask the good ones what they think.

Once you figure out that because all is recorded, it's bound to happen...

As soon as one states a possible, it stages a probable. Looks like sailing on magnetic waves will be possible eh?

This kind of pirouette can only happen via the fourth dimension eh.

Admit I forced them all to expose eh? It was so you could take a well exposed picture.

The myriad of surveillance cameras now installed around the world might end up helping predict earthquakes.

What would a magnetic field look like from a pole point of view? A conduit.

'.. Evil rotocult behind you...'

No one is coming to save you jarheads, you know.

Evil, it's in you waiting.

Being sick, catching a virus; it's not predilection it's accidents. Not all of the accidents are waiting to happen.

[ajcgames]

A place for all things

When I was messing around with the various machines and layout options earlier, it suddenly struck me that you could easily run into issues where belts were backing up into machines, especially if you're merging belts for various reasons.

I didn't have to spend too long thinking of a solution for this issue, since there was something on my development radar that inevitably got bumped-up the queue to solve this.

Storage!

A big box for your things!

Buffer chests aren't a new thing in automation games. In fact, in some games they end up being a vital part of the factory infrastructure.

Storage units act a bit like a capacitor in an electronic circuit. They 'buffer' items and smooth out the flow of items around your factory.

You might want to store an output from a machine for later use when you have time, so as not to interrupt the flow of items whilst you're planning your next steps. Or perhaps you want to combine all of the outputs from various machines onto one belt and throw them all in storage to worry about later.

Picking up where you left off

To complement the storage unit, I'll be adding a new Picker machine. You can place this on any free side of the storage unit and it will take items from there. Better yet, the Picker will automatically provide filtering options to allow you to limit what the picker takes. No need to delve into the tech tree for that, since I feel like it's a pretty essential component of how they need to work for this game.

This will make the management of specific belt lines much easier in the game. You can store all of the components for one specific element of production in one storage unit, and divert them off where they need to go using pickers, without worrying about what's coming out!

The default container has 8 slots, each of which can store up to 99 of a specific item type. If the unit is full, items on the input belt will start backing up. But nobody said you can't chain storage units together, eh? 😉

Fixing some oversights

So I discovered a pretty major oversight in one area of functionality of the game - machines cannot input / output directly adjacent to other machines, even if their ports are lined up.

I guess I'd always assumed you'd be snaking belts around everywhere, and didn't factor in that some folks may want to stick a machine on the back of a splitter, or send an extractor output straight into a pulverizer without a belt inbetween them.

Thankfully, the way I manage what machines can 'see' in regard to their inputs (and their outputs) is all managed in one block of code, so I'll just need to extend this to make sure it doesn't fail if it can't find a recipient belt, and double-check to make sure there isn't a machine directly attached. Might be a little tricky, but the game will be much more usable with this tweak I think.

Anyway, that's probably all I have for this weekend now. Thanks again for the likes I've seen popping on here. I'm really grateful for you taking time out of your day to read my ramblings and share your thumbs up. It's helped to make me feel like I'm not just developing all this in a vacuum 😊

Take care, and here's to a great start to the coming week! ❤️

[coconut530]

now that the first half of the season’s over…

SOLID STATE S1 PT. 1 DETAIL POST

(I’m quite obsessed still, strap in it's gonna be a long one. I'll put it under a Keep Reading for your dashes)

(each episode is one image, more or less, sometimes that’ll change but it’ll be listed. Also will have observations from my last post in it)

🩷CHAPTER 1: TAKEOVER💚

Takeover 1

Newspapers from Perth detailing another 50 degree summer in 2037, civil unrest, something with the world's newest trillion ?, and a newspaper from 2052

Concordia(n) Minerals sign

Dian's billboard to join WNDR

Shot of Egan, Recurring Background Character guy, and The Reporter

Recurring Union officials at a rally with a large mob facing the blonde police person

The Student walking in the Lower City

Prakash mentioning his meeting with the Temple of the Golden Hand that morning

Takeover 2

The implication of crime syndicates in the Lower City

One gang called The Vipers, headed by someone named Bishop

Eijiro being from a part of the Lower City called the Red Gate District (I’m assuming red gates that reference the ones in Japan that spirits can’t cross through, and Eiji’s more Japanese-leaning name, which translates to “reflective second son”(Google), which makes sense since he’s the second guy Prakash picked up out of the takeover gang 🤯)

Castel standing on a Tanser Tech truck

Takeover 3

Prakash telling Enzo to do as he's told, with a special highlight in his eye alluding to their past

Sign over the road saying "Remember your cooperation is required by law" which is...yikes

Takeover 4

The flying jav that Castel and Eiji use to get out of there in Takeover 8 being their wedding gift

The poisoned champagne being from Rook Tanser himself

The first shots of Tanser, Ecker, Aurun, Ramsay, and Iolanthe

"You know what they say... Prakash Malik knows how to invest!"

Prakash viewing both Enzo and Asha as "investments" which is... yikes. Eiji too I guess 😬

Takeover 5

"This is between me and him." Prakash is the one who had Enzo's eyes replaced, hence the focus on it (see Inheritance)

"Finally got the guts to make a move, eh?" Enzo tried to make a move in the past, and it didn't work (see Inheritance)

I think I deciphered Prakash's blurred dialogue

"I thought I taught you better than appealing to sentiment." (see Inheritance: “Enzo’s use may yet run out, and I will not hesitate over sentimentality.”)

Takeover 6

"You should be packing!" For Mars (see Inheritance)

Asha questioning Enzo’s eyes

Panel implying Enzo maybe disappointed Prakash in the past, resulting in his new eyes (they’re specially highlighted so maybe)

Enzo cutting Eiji off at the mention of Bruno, implying there's some special chemistry with them

Takeover 7

Castel wanting a panic room, mentioning they started to be built after some uprising

Meselon dealing with public health in Concordia

Asha's cybernetic contracts with Tanser Tech ( O_O ) (see Two of a Kind)

Ecker Byse owning the police force

Tanser Tech bribing every politician in the city

Takeover 8

Ramsay Hanan, of Hanan Heavy Industries

Ecker Byse, of Aegis Solutions International

Iolanthe Lieberthal III, Admiral-in-Exile of Heliodyne (Martian???)

Aurun Kastor-Valko, of Meselon

Rook Tanser, of Tanser Technology Augments

These are the people we're up against hahahhhaha

💛CHAPTER 2: SURGE🖤

Surge 1

Prakash about to go to Asha's wedding (Takeover 1)

The news headline above the upper city entrance saying "Police investigate union link" about Prakash's death

Subway Panel 1: Anti-union advertising, Recurring Union Leader, Jules (see Two of a Kind 4)

Subway Panel 2: Jules, Malik Industries advertisement "More than a company, we're family", Get Ahead Gigs

Subway Panel 3: VR thing, Rent-A-Friend

The subway slowly emptying, leaving Dian alone in the third panel, because majority of people don't live in the Upper City

Surge 2

Shadowy figure near Dian

Recurring Background Guy

Thommo and Beaux (see Two of a Kind 4)

Weird Priest Man implying someone or something purchases the failed uploading experiments (and someone in the comments validated by Veldenmire for wondering who could profit off that many dead people... Asha) (see Two of a Kind and Inheritance)

Surge 3

Jamilah and Dian arguing in front of a WNDR Prakash mourning event billboard

It shows how WNDR has put a wedge between them, as well as how far Prakash's death reaches

Recurring journalist outside Dian's house

The Reporter there as well

Surge 4

WNDR was expensive for people to use when it was first made, so they made their own technology, sedative pills and headsets

A screenshot from the Solid State short story published in the 2020 Brain Anthology of the protagonist Anya using this technology, as well as the old headset

Dian using the old headset and having a rough time

Surge 7 & 8

Egan being interviewed by that reporter (see Two of a Kind 1)

Foreshadowing of the events of Two of a Kind, how the robots are malfunctioning

Enzo's fancy new boots (Veldenmire said he was “going through it” :( )

💙CHAPTER 3: TWO OF A KIND❤️

Two of a Kind 1

The Surge happening in Malik Tower

Egg being flown over a Hanan Heavy Industries building

Egg being flown by the spot where Castel crashed the jav

Enzo’s MEMORIES, specifically the shot of Prakash, Enzo holding a lighter to someone (Bruno?????), and Enzo moments before he got his eye surgery

Enzo’s TATTOOS, Veldenmire saying he has one from each of the Takeover crew, Aoife was here, Butch woz here, Eiji’s possibly being the knife through the heart one, and I can’t pinpoint what Bruno and Giannis could’ve given him

Making you the best you can be (the best at what man?????? being a lackey????????)

Two of a Kind 2 & 3

ICOMA being on Ico's chest, what does it stand for?

Cyborg technology being illegal for decades, started in the 2050s

Cannot control them like robots, but much stronger than humans

Doctor from the Temple of the Golden Hand working in this dump on the cyborgs

Two of a Kind 4

The WNDR billboard being cracked and smashed

Get Ahead Gigs dog

Jules

Thommo and Beaux

The architecture of the Upper/Middle City pressing down on the Lower (Veldenmire said in the comments somewhere that some buildings run all the way up and down, but the Upper is always seemingly above (oppressing) the lower)

Two of a Kind 5 & 6

The slogan on the top of the elevator for Malik Industries: "...Malik, we're more than a company, we're a family!" which just makes the whole situation with the Takeover squad a little sadder bc Prakash preached that to them and then used it as his company slogan

The workers wishing they joined the Union

Enzo’s full name: Vincenzo Della Vecchia (he’s Italian, I wonder what Prakash was doing in Italy to find him)

The billboards Egan’s passing with: The person Dian yelled at in Surge 2, another recurring newscaster, and the Recurring Union Leaders

Union standoff enters 6th month

💖MIDSEASON FINALE: INHERITANCE💖

Eiji’s sword originally being Asha’s

Prakash implying the existence of Mars colonies in the 2100s (Veldenmire saying in the comments: "OF COURSE colonies on Mars are a feature in this timeline! We've done plenty of fun world building up there, and perhaps... maybe we've already met some Martians" ) (WHO'S A MARTIAN?????????)

Prakash using Asha to get what he wants (she learned from him how to use others)

ALSO SORRY IT’S NOT PICTURED BUT Asha blaming The Temple of the Golden Hand and the Lower City Union for killing Prakash

Enzo tried to make an attempt on Prakash’s life, and failed

Then as punishment Prakash replaced his eyes

Again he thought of him as an investment (see Takeover 4)

He’s been in pain ever since (poor guy… 🥺)

Jamilah and Dave asking people if Dian saved them during the Surge

Butcher…

The Reporter on a call, suspecting the turn of events for the Malik case

Anti-Union advertising on the subway (Concordia Business Council?)

Aofie…

Castel!!!! Not wearing only white!! They look good in pink!!

*deep sigh, trying not to scream* Asha’s Elite Units being the cyborgs of Butcher, Aofie, Giannis, and Bruno (she’s using Bruno specifically to break Enzo, implying again a special relationship between them)

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Chapters 4, 5, and 6 will focus on these three here, who I’ve dubbed The Student, The Reporter, and The Brawler. We saw The Student in Takeover 1, and they’re in this other art by Veldenmire here. I assume they’ll cross paths with Eiji and Castel since they’re taking shelter in the lower city right now, and they’ll be caught in the middle while they’re both trying to outrun Giannis. Perhaps they’ll give us a small insight into the education system here in Concordia. The Reporter will obviously be showing us the journalistic world of Concordia. They painted a target on their back by pressing Asha with all those questions, so naturally one of the Elites is coming after them. Perhaps they’ll cross paths with Jamilah and Dave, covering their story, and then they’ll both have to dodge Butcher and Aofie (*sniff* this is not how they should be reunited waaaaaa). The Brawler I know nothing about, haha. I give them this name because they look like they’ve seen some action with their eyebrow scars (or could just be design who knowwwwws), and their expression looks joyfully poised for a fight. I wonder what the paint on their eyes is for. Maybe they’ll cross paths with Enzo and Bruno, and we’ll learn more about them. But I mean as much as I want out new protags to meet up with other storylines and previous protags, I know they still need to have their own stories, so I won’t put too much stock into that. Overall I’m quite excited they let us see them; letting me form these theories by just looking at their eyes is kinda cool.

Aaaaaand you’ve rEACHED THE END! THANK YOU FOR READING MY VERY LONG POST ABOUT VERY NICHE WEBTOON! SOMEONE’S GOTTA GIVE IT SOME LOVE, WITH HOW BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED IT IS, AND IF THAT PERSON HAS TO BE ME, IT WILL BE. THE HUGEST THANKS TO 🩷💖VELDENMIRE💚💖 AND 💛💙PANELPERDAY❤️🖤 FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS WEBTOON, MAKING IT LIKE THE BEST SCI-FI COMIC ON THE PLATFORM, HANDS-DOWN!! I LOOK FORWARD TO EVERYTHING ELSE THIS GORGEOUS STORY HAS TO OFFER NEXT!!

[proxykiwi]

so i'm about to go on an art history bender again. due to some amazing Gotlandic church art. And while the longer essays about Mary lying in bed and GRAPES are sure to come, i'm currently chewing on a question of THEORY that I want to spit out into the void:

(art historical ramblings under the cut)

So, like, Panofsky famously outlined how the forms of iconography can be traced through history and how those forms were, at some point at least, culturally significant. Taking off a hat to greet someone as an old remnant of knights putting up their visor to show their faces, something something. And then Baxendall sorta expands on that by drawing all kinds of links between visual expressions in Italian art and contemporary life - Italian Renaissance fascination with depicting 3D volumes and merchants gauging barrels. Eh.

Fast-forward to today, what are enduring iconographies? Things that we just Do That Way because at one point, some poor graphic designer had to come up with a Solution to a Visual Problem and now it's forever (/derogatory) Visual Canon?

The Save Button!

(is one example at least)

We Old People like to point out the joke of how the save button is a floppy drive, which no one under the age of say, 25, has any memory handling, but which we all recognise as "ah, that's for saving shit". And when some hapless graphic designer in The Olden Days (probably someone at Apple) had to come up with a easily recognisable symbol for 'save work', the floppy disk was the most logical object to use! Because it was, in use. Daily.

An art historian in the future looking at our current software might make the erronous deduction that the floppy disk - the object - was still in regular use in 2023. Of course, it's not, tech has moved on, but we still carry the image around with us because everyone Know That's How It's Supposed To Look Like. And I imagine it will be around for some while hereafter.

But you might see the shape of what I'm getting at here.

When we, art historians of the future, look at artworks of the past, CAN we actually deduct anything about the daily lives of people in the time is was made? Or can we only infer that at SOME point before the production of that visual representation, there might have been a basis in reality for it? (Does there always have to be a basis in reality for visual expressions? /side question) That perhaps only the first few years of seeing a certain motif pop up are significant markers of a given culture? But what if you don't know whether the artworks you're studying are "the first" (the absence of evidence is not the same as the evidence of absence).

And more interestingly, can there be some sort of rule of thumb for how long motifs endure? Do humans have a natural time span for "well this is how we always did it"? What influences that? Will we stop using the floppy disk for the save icon when a new generation of graphic designers comes around, having never seen a real floppy disk, and decide that perpetuating that icon is dumb? Or will it survive the last people who know what a floppy disk looks like, until it's such ancient history (and technology has moved so far beyond the need for this icon) that it just slowly fades out of use.

Whew. I'll go do some digging in the literature in the coming days, see if anyone has worked this one out yet because I'm SURE these aren't novel ideas. And I'll come back for Mary in a bed and GRAPES, of course.

[techehs]

Digital Learning

TECH EHS Solutions offers comprehensive E-learning solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of industries. Our initiatives include

Building a repository of E-learning training modules for cost-effective access to premium programs.

Crafting engaging and visually appealing, highly interactive training modules.

Facilitating multilingual delivery options on both international and national scales.

Additionally, we specialize in industry-specific training programs and provide accredited courses for individuals seeking career advancement in EH&S. Our customizable solutions, including perpetual licenses for corporate entities, ensure seamless integration with organizational needs.

Moreover, we collaborate with a network of resellers, consultants, training companies, institutions, and academies to deliver globally recognized training programs.

[meandmyechoes]

Kingohger ep17

[shoots through cam] that' so cool

ooh Racles's little forehead marking

Deathnarok can just revive any bug?? (Jeramie mom theory)

sigh BABY jeramie da ne… still too naive in front of Racles

ahhh moffun! do they carry the premium version now 👀 (nah no real ota would bring along something so valuable, and like, i'm sure the prop is just the usual one)

look forward to yanhime understanding

Gira shot cool! been waiting for your turn!

the boys are at the bottom end in terms of fighting skills huh

Yanma is so on edge because he considers Gira nakama desho

living for my otp standing next to each other

ahh miniscule yanma rita co-op!

ooh geojim is convenient for the plot

sudden bug lore?? so bugnarok was busy in-fighting 1000 years ago than to deal with humans? I wonder if that's when Jeramie's mom died....

(i know Papa Brasieri is human but i somehow can't shake the feeling he is more than that/behind God's Fury)

Jeramie is panicking isn't he, spilling all to Racles. In his eyes Racles is no different than the main cast so he'd give his trust to earn his huh

Shugoddom has BUG REVIVING TECH????!??!!!? For how long?!?? (what about PEOPLE reviving tech?)

You see i don't think Racles is a "good" person/moral character but he truly believes his dictatorship is the only thing that can save Chikyuu (and that may not be wrong in terms of holding enough firepower to hold Bugnarok at bay, but that is certainly not a "peaceful" solution). His ambition and his attitude towards Gira are two separate things.

Yanma alone in the plaza can be much more of a mood if this is a real set. think backlit tunnels at night. (and the scene can be just a little longer, but considering all that's happening next, i understand)

Rita turning the 'depend on others' lesson on Jeramie 😭😭

They smiled!!!!!!!! They smiled!!!!

Gokkan family unit!! fam!!!

託孤…か… 😭

awww HIMERITA HOLDING HANDS (hey takamina why is their reaction so damn fanfic sugary 😏 you know everyone can see your twitter likes huh)

the night/day swtich here and all that's happening next makes me feel like i started another 22-minute episode

[yanma reaching for the calibur all beat up] AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (high pitch)

[Gira catching Yanma] AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (high pitch) x2

INFERNOOOOO

I'm crying i'm crying

the orphanage kids learn Gira is alive too yokkata 😭

the Husty brothers with their inferno references...

I'm surprised too Racles's evil laugh doesn't start immediately and you can clearly see him shaking...

our first two-parter!!

Power-up?? eh? EH? it's only episode 18????

Kingoh is a Rider season in disguise

Flashback = Racles is DEAD

…so the coronation IS real…? 🤔

huh the editor knows their stuff putting that one second of rita screaming on the floor in the movie trailer. sensory overload rita

so much is happening i feel ep9/10 again

Kingohger GOAT

i didn't jot down much the last bit 'cause i'm overwhelmed. last week sapphic this week gay what can kinohger NOT do

but like, all the plot threads are gathered so neatly thought, Yanma vs. Racles, with Himeno, with Shiokara from ep10, with his people; Jeramie and Gerojim; Kaguragi once again safe like ep4, HimeRita from last week; Gira coming back from the dead. Yanma has screentime with EVERYONE even Kaguragi. What a redemption for ep13.

[brb-on-a-quest]

Ohhhh I have so many words and not enough time on break

1) my school had a scholarship for those who would give up their smart phones in exchange for flip phones/dumb phones. It wasn’t a lot but it made a difference so I did it

2) the premise was good: withdraw from tech so you can be in better control of your relationship with it and build discipline, intentionality, self awareness, etc. all good things and for the most part I did it!

3) I was so fucking depressed and lonely for most of it. Now, let me explain.

Getting off my phone did help me make more casual, small-talky friends in line for the cafeteria or mailbox. Like "hi my name's birb, I'm a Spanish major and yada yada yada". This is a good thing. This doesn't aid the abetting loneliness though because it's kind of very hard to continue deepening those relationships without technology. This sounds really stupid because heart-to-heart irl convos are def a thing, but a lot of that (at least for me) tends to take place over text because I don't do great in-person social situations. Like I'ts very hard to check in with friends when your schedules don't align at all and suddenly its 1000x harder to send a "hey was thinking about you today; hope you're well" text and couldn't send/save memes. So really found out who my close friends were by who was willing to respond and still hang out with me despite having limited communication spoons and not being available at a moment's notice and couldn't like have complete conversations via text all the time. In addition, the friends I were usually closest too lived not on campus so my only way to contact was usually through texting/social media which again, got harder. Also fomo/anxiety was terrible. The not being able to know what was going on/being in control was also terrible.

idk. point is. there's a genuine good in giving up social media/smartphone for a set amount of time...just make sure you still have ways of contacting friends/get up that social time. Like I'm grateful for the things I have learned, it's just was never going to be a long term solution especially when the majority of my friends graduated last semester and I'd see them like almost never.

Idk i have thoughts but I now realize most of them are me complaining. Like it wasn't *hard* necessarily except for the parts where it was. I think not being connected to the rest of campus because I didn't have a phone kind of drove me to be even more of a homebody than I was. which. eh. not the point.

[industrystudyreport]

U.S. Environment Health and Safety Market: Key Software Solutions for Compliance

U.S. Environment Health and Safety Market Growth & Trends

The U.S. Environment Health and Safety Market was estimated at USD 16.08 billion in 2023 and is projected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.3% from 2024 to 2030. The U.S. commanded a significant 32.6% share of the global environment health & safety market. This growth trajectory is primarily driven by the stringent EHS standards imposed on companies, which necessitate substantial investment in EHS practices to avoid significant fines and penalties associated with non-compliance.

Regulatory Landscape and Key Players

Government agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the U.S. Department of Labor, are responsible for establishing EHS norms and regulations. Companies like Trane Technologies exemplify a commitment to a safety-focused culture, striving for zero accidents and injuries across their organization.

Major market participants in the U.S. include Jacobs; AECOM; Enablon; Tetra Tech, Inc.; and VelocityEHS. These companies offer a broad spectrum of EHS software and services, encompassing ergonomics, engineering and construction, risk assessment, EHS software solutions, and management consulting and compliance.

Impact of Regulations and Public Awareness

Regulations play a pivotal role in shaping the U.S. environmental health & safety market. Government authorities such as OSHA, the EPA, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) mandate that organizations adhere to specific workforce safety and environmental regulations and standards, including the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). These rigorous norms are anticipated to propel industry growth. Furthermore, rising public awareness regarding environmental issues has led to the development of environmental protection laws, which are expected to further drive market expansion. The high scrutiny and stringent regulations exert economic pressure on organizations to optimize their business processes and make them environmentally friendly. Consequently, management teams are compelled to deploy EHS software solutions in the workplace to reduce the occurrence of incidents.

Demand for EHS Services and Technological Integration

The escalating concern about the environmental footprint of business operations has significantly spurred demand for EHS services. Moreover, the advent and adoption of sophisticated EHS software solutions have streamlined the monitoring and management of EHS practices. Notably, 84% of companies utilizing EHS software have reported an ability to identify and fix potential safety issues before they occur. Beyond regulatory compliance, societal expectations for sustainable business operations have also fueled the EHS market's expansion. Growing consumer consciousness about companies' environmental practices often translates into greater support for those prioritizing EHS.

Curious about the U.S. Environment Health and Safety Market? Download your FREE sample copy now and get a sneak peek into the latest insights and trends.

U.S. Environment Health and Safety Market Report Highlights

Chemicals & petrochemicals segment dominated the U.S. market share in 2023. It is also expected to be the fastest growing from 2024 to 2030.

The software product segment, while currently smaller in size, is projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the U.S. EHS market. It is expected to register a significant CAGR from 2024 to 2030.

The on-premises deployment type dominated the U.S. market in 2023. This dominance can be attributed to the control, security, and customization that on-premises solutions offer.

U.S. Environment Health and Safety Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. Environment Health and Safety market based on product, deployment mode, end-use:

U.S. Environment Health & Safety Market Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Software

Services

Analytics

Project Deployment & Implementation

Business Consulting & Advisory

Audit, Assessment, & Regulatory Compliance

Certification

Others

U.S. Environment Health & Safety Market Deployment Mode Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Cloud

On-Premises

U.S. Environment Health & Safety Market End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Chemicals & petrochemicals

Energy & Mining

Healthcare

Telecom & IT

Construction

General Manufacturing

Others

Download your FREE sample PDF copy of the U.S. Environment Health and Safety Market today and explore key data and trends.

[coreehs]

A kite soars with a strong thread, just as industries grow with a strong safety culture. This Makar Sankranti, let’s commit to strengthening the thread that holds everything together: a workplace where safety always comes first. Fly high, stay safe, and let’s build a brighter, safer tomorrow together!

[rtechca]

Offshore Development Company in Calgary: Where Code Meets Cowboy Hats! 🤠💻

Calgary. A city famous for its cowboys, towering mountains, and now—offshore development companies? Yep, you heard that right! Calgary is stepping into the tech spotlight, where oil rigs and code bugs coexist, and where developers can wrangle more than just cattle. So, if you’re on the lookout for an offshore development company that brings a little Western charm to your next project, saddle up and let’s talk tech!

Calgary: Where the Code Runs Wild 🐎

Forget the Wild West, welcome to the Wired West. Calgary’s developers are just as comfortable in their cowboy boots as they are in their cozy coding socks. When you partner with an offshore development company here, you’re not just getting another team of developers—you’re getting digital rodeo champs! They’ll lasso your project, rope in all the details, and gallop across deadlines like they’re racing in the Calgary Stampede.

Time Zones? No Problem, Partner! ⏰

Worried about time zone differences? Don’t sweat it. While you’re sleeping soundly, your Calgary team is hard at work wrangling the toughest code bugs, making sure your software stays smooth as a freshly paved prairie highway. And when you’re awake, well, Calgary’s developers are usually up too. Their time zone isn’t so far off from most North American businesses, making collaboration easier than finding a Tim Hortons in Alberta.

Tech Skills Stronger Than a Chinook Wind 💨

What do offshore web developers in Calgary bring to the table? More than just maple syrup, that’s for sure. These teams are tech-savvy, adaptable, and ready to tackle any project you throw their way. Whether you need custom eCommerce solutions software, mobile apps, or web development, Calgary’s devs know their stuff. Plus, they come with that famous Canadian politeness—you won’t just get a working product, but probably an apology for any delay, even if there wasn’t one!

Save Some Bucks, Eh? 💵

While Calgary’s developers may not offer the same rock-bottom prices as overseas teams, they do offer incredible value. You’re getting top-tier North American talent without the sky-high price tag. And let’s be real, what’s better than having an offshore team that’s just a phone call away without needing to bust out a translator or figure out international dialing codes? So, if you’re looking for an offshore development company with a Canadian twist, Calgary’s got your back. With developers that can code like pros and handle any digital cattle drive, it’s time to rope in the talent from the heart of Alberta.

[viact1]

The Future of EHS in Construction: Trends to Watch in 2024

The construction industry has always changed very fast as it considers an evolution of new technologies and redesigning of regulatory requirements reshaping environmental health and safety practices. Moving into 2024, EHS Solutions for Construction will be pushed to become even more technically sophisticated by some fast-paced innovations in AI, data analytics, and cloud-based platforms. Here's a look at some key trends to watch for in 2024 that will change the future of EHS in the construction industry.

1. AI-Powered Video Analytics for Real-Time Safety Monitoring

AI is going to change safety standards in construction. By 2024, it will represent a massive video analytics push-the AI-powered. Construction companies are increasingly involving AI in monitoring sites in real time. Pointing out key safety concerns such as slips, falls, trips, dangerous zone intrusions, etc are now possible through AI. For example, such solutions as viAct Construction Safety Software track worker behavior using AI-based video analytics, detect the lack of personal protective equipment and send real-time risk alerts to the supervisor.

While minimizing workplace accidents, these EHS solutions for construction also help optimize productivity through the automation of monitoring for safety and the reduction of much manual oversight. Scalable and cost-effective AI-based systems make such solutions basic tools that must be used by project managers and EHS officers in the coming year 2024.

2. Edge Computing and Cloud Integration for EHS Solutions

The confluence of cloud integration and edge computing is ready to redefine how construction companies deal with and store EHS data. Solutions such as viAct offer cloud, on-premise, or hybrid deployment modes, giving room for flexibility in how companies want to use data and protect it under industry regulations, such as the GDPR. With real-time data collection integrated into construction sites and cloud processing, extensive safety insights can be derived much quicker.

With construction EHS solutions further becoming increasingly cross-platform-integrated, a firm can consolidate data from various sources such as cameras, AI modules, and mobile applications while protecting infrastructure security with advanced encryption to make the whole safety monitoring process more efficient and transparent.

3. Proactive Environmental Monitoring and Compliance

Of all, the construction industry remains in the limelight for cutting carbon footprints and abiding by environmental standards. In 2024, environment, health, and safety solutions for construction would go beyond merely safety and surveillance to be carried out within the environment itself. Real-time monitoring systems for construction sites would track leaks of toxic gases, waste water, handling waste, and illegal dumping in a viAct Environmental Monitoring Module.

As governments move to introduce tougher environmental regulations, automated monitoring systems are going to be the key to compliance monitoring.

4. Data-driven EHS Solutions for Better Decision-Making

Now with the help of AI and potential data analytics, companies can generate massive safety data aimed at spotting trends and predicting risks early For example, throughout Safety Software Dashboard, a called viHUB, gets a bird’s eye view of on-site security with real-time reporting, automated employee counting and tracking tools.

The use of data-driven insights is helping companies be more transparent through the job site while responding quickly to emergent risks. The change in safety management towards a more data-centric approach will yield huge reductions in accidents and provide an edge in competitiveness in the construction sector to deliver projects within the estimated time frame and budget.

5. Wearable Tech and IoT in Construction EHS

The wearables and IoT integration with EHS are some of the emerging trends for 2024. Wearables, in this manner, will be able to measure the vital signs of workers, monitor the movement of workers, and detect the presence of toxic materials to which the workers are exposed. A combination collaboration with EHS construction solutions can take responsibility for ensuring real-time data about the health and well-being of workers, preventing overexertion, and safety compliance in terms of applied safety protocols.

Conclusion

It is truly radiant that the solution for EHS in construction has an optimistic outlook and ties up with the most leading-edge technologies such as AI, cloud computing, and IoT. Construction companies embracing these innovations will be able to enhance worker safety while reducing accident rates; and generate increased productivity and compliance with environmental regulations. For instance, viAct's Construction Safety Software will enable safe sites, a streamlined workflow, and high transparency with minimal costs. Construction companies will be in the best position to handle the job-site challenges of tomorrow by being ahead of these trends.

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