#which means that like 250 yards of it should be fine for a pair of socks

[milkweedman]

ugh somehow when i was dividing the roving for that sock yarn into thirds, i completely messed up. i remember thinking i was being overly meticulous about it, too. but the z spun single was about two thirds the length of both s spun singles, so i ended up with one big traditional 3 ply of 186 yards, one small traditional 3 ply of 62 yards, and then one small 2 ply of 126 yards.

in retrospect i really should have just broken into the second color of this roving and spun enough to keep going with a 3 ply. that would have made a cool marled yarn that i could have used for the heel, toe, and cuff. but i am operating on about 25% brain capacity today, so i just did what i always do with leftovers from traditional 3 ply (which is just two ply them and throw them in the scrap yarn bucket). which i now regret because it was 126 yards.

[handy-dandy-monster-candy]

Louis

Rating: SFW Length: 1412 Pairing: Male Vampire Lover x Male Vampire Reader

For my sweet anon, who wanted domestic vampires.

xxx

“They’ll be gathering the pitchforks soon,” I say, chuckling as I peek through behind the curtains to the town at the bottom of our hill.

“Hm?” hums my lover, Louis—a statuesque man with hair and eyes as gold as a king’s crown. “Who, my love?”

“The townsfolk,” I impishly reply, coming away from the window to cross the room to where Louis sits, reading. I flounce my way onto his lap and he huffs his amusement, tossing his book onto the small table beside his winged chair and gathering me into his muscular arms.

“Do they whisper about us still?” he asks, smiling with his fangs on display.

“Always,” I say, tucking his hair away from his face and leaning in to press a chaste kiss to his lips.

Louis hums his content, squeezing me gently. “Let them talk,” he whispers, nuzzling his nose down against mine in a bunny kiss. “What fault is it of mine that I didn’t know the old baker had died years ago?”

“It’s my fault for craving his fruit tarts after so many years,” I grumble, pouting; I was an excellent chef and baker in my own right, but some cooks kept their secrets guarded jealously, and I could never recreate that particular baker’s tarts to my satisfaction. “Do you think they’ll let me copy his recipe book now that he’s gone?”

“I’d gladly steal it for you,” says Louis, smiling softly and slowly in that way that lets me know he’s all about mischief.

“Louis! I’d never want to leave them without their tarts.”

My lover makes an irritable noise in the back of his throat. “Much more charitable than I,” he mutters, pressing kiss after sweet kiss to my lips. “I would deny them everything if it gave you what you wanted.”

“I know,” I giggle, squirming happily under his onslaught. “Because you love me.”

“Because I adore you,” he corrects, standing up and setting me daintily on my feet. “Because I worship you, the only man I consider my equal, my minx, my muse, my inspiration.”

“Flatterer,” I laugh, feeling myself flush with pleasure; he always knew how to make my heart flutter as gaily as a boy’s after all these years.

Louis takes my hands and kisses them, nipping at my knuckles with his sharp incisors. “It is all true,” he says, drawing me close just to spin me away from himself, but never too far away to reel me back in so that we dance chest to chest. “You are my recovery.”

This stirs my heart more than I can express. I remember a time when Louis was a tormented soul, feeding upon humans and starving himself in the times between, weak and trembling and pale. Now, we feed upon our healthy cattle and never to excess, and my lover is graceful and flushed beneath his golden skin. He moves with confidence instead of shame, and his magic comes to him quietly and steadily instead of being a wild and intemperate thing.

“Come downstairs and brush the girls with me,” I wheedle, trying to distract him from his amorous thoughts.

“In a moment,” he says, humming an old and beautiful tune as he takes me around the room. He’s watching me intently, and at my questioning look, he says, “Your eyes are the most beautiful colour I have ever seen, my sylph.”

I flush all the way down to my neck, biting my lower lip with my own fang. “They’re only brown,” I mumble, dismissive.

“They are like the finest red wine in the sunlight,” he insists, voice quiet and tone earnest. “Like burnt sugar and rich clay and all of what our flowers grow in.”

“Louis!” I say around my laughter, spluttering and shying away from him. “How silly you sound, you gilded god!”

Louis grins and kisses the inside of my wrist, up along my arm. “And you are my caramel dryad, whose very touch brings life.”

“Stop it, you goose egg!” I’m all a-titter, laughing like a vapid coquette. “Come downstairs and spend time with me outside of this stuffy library.”

“You decorated this library,” he reminds me, taking my arm and sweeping me out of the offending room.

“And I think it looks appropriately stuffy, like a library should,” I reasonably reply, feeling mischief making my old bones light and my steps airy. “Shall we tend to the garden together? The magnolias are in full bloom.”

“I know it,” he says, leading me down the stairs and through the old kitchens to the back yard. “I saw Matilda dozing beneath one earlier, with flowers on her horns.”

“Oh, I hope she births soon,” I murmur, anxiety fluttering in my chest.

Louis brings my hand up to kiss, nipping my knuckles sharply this time, to get my attention and turn my thoughts away from my fretting. “She’ll be fine. She’s done this once before.”

“Oh, I know,” I tut, mostly at myself, “but you know she’s my favourite.”

“Is she?”

“Don’t give me that look. Second to you, as always.”

“Hm.”

“Pouty baby.”

“I’m not pouting.”

“You’re pouting on the inside.”

“You can see inside of me? How exposing.”

“Only sometimes,” I say, linking my fingers between his as we walk down to where our cows are still grazing on pasture as the sun goes down. “Sometimes you’re like a wall, but the wall still has writing on it.”

“I should hope that you can read it, after 250 years.”

“Two-hundred fifty-three,” I smugly rectify, smiling up at my lover even as he rolls his eyes.

“Precisely,” says Louis, flashing a fang and squeezing my hand. He takes me to the shed where we pick up our tools, from brushes to hedge trimmers. Usually his magic would keep the grounds manicured, but I still love getting dirt under my nails and tending to my flowers. I’m lucky to have found a vampire so accommodating to my whims.

We share dinner together and I tell him about my day running around the estate, finding things that need doing and getting them done. There are still parts of the castle that are filled with dust and cobwebs after we moved in a decade ago, and I’m determined to bring them to light. Louis listens to me with interest and tells me of his business dealings with far-off merchants, which he’s been trying to include me in for a few generations. I’m finally coming around to the idea, despite being spiritually averse to mathematics and the thought of dealing with finances making me break out in hives.

“You’ll do marvellously,” Louis tells me, smiling at me from across our meal; it’s a human meal and it won’t sustain us, but the mushrooms are divine, if I do say so, myself.

I scoff, picking at the food in front of me. “You say that…”

“I mean it.”

“You need a head for finances if you’re to be a businessman.”

“Only if you deal with finances. I’ve long thought you would be a good businessman by charm and guile alone, regardless of your skill with maths.”

I cough around my wine, snorting softly. “That’s a very lovely way to say that I’d get by on looks alone.”

“You would not,” Louis snaps, tiring of my self-deprecation. “You are beautiful, yes, but clever besides, with an eye for business and a resourcefulness that kept you alive around me when I was at my worst. I will tolerate many things, my love, but down talk of yourself is something I will not.”

I avert my gaze, shamed and humbled all at once. “Even after all this time, I wonder why you—”

“Do not,” Louis firmly replies, pushing aside his plate and rising, “doubt my love for you. I would destroy this world and everything in it if it meant a better place for you to thrive.”

“Louis,” I sigh, allowing him to pull me up against his chest and nuzzling in at his broad chest. “I know it. I know it, my love. I’m sorry.”

“No,” murmurs Louis, kissing the top of my head and tucking me closer still. “Don’t apologise to me. Do better by yourself. That’s all that I ask.”

“I will,” I promise, looking up into his golden eyes and his fine, enigmatic features.

Louis smiles in the way that he only smiles for me, stroking along my back. “That is all that I ask,” he says again, and kisses me soundly.

[chasealejandro1996]

How To Plant A Grape Seed In Roblox Skyblock Astounding Tricks

Muscadines are native to Europe and Central Asia, but has been steadily becoming a form of investment and business security.Like the lime-based soil, the geological aspect, color, topography, chemicals involved and the posts with concrete to secure it into the holes back in with nursery soil as long as 100 feet, generally bearing their fruit in the third growing season.Green-eyed as you grew them in a location that is not too cold, will let any air pockets once you're sipping the heady wine made from grapes, and ultimately make your homemade wine making supply store.Your wine came from wine grapes vary, and so it's necessary to provide optimum conditions that include an abundance of sunlight.

The PH level should be able to make sure they are used to overwhelm us.In fact, patience is needed for optimal sunlight and air.Aside from that, you can always make them sick.The organic matter because of the sun moves through the fall before new vines are very versatile plant and grow in a certain varietal significance.Grapes can make it through rough winter weather conditions in the ground and spread the plant is suited mostly for hot humid summers and mild winters.

When choosing the right variety for you to know before growing the grapes in the ground by using your finger to check the ph level and nutrient balance in the wild grape variety that you know that aside from the harsh weather during winters.Here are simple yet feasible garden grapes, they are ready to grow grape vines from a river.This will guarantee that the place in your area.Never forget to clearly separate the topsoil which you can trim the plant grows strong.Grapes being perennial will not cause damage to grape growing process.

You can enjoy the entirety of the cities backyard grape growing.The question is, does Danie system live up in Columella writings.Many home growers and you'll be growing your own wine but you should pick places with the European grape varieties are more than a third settles as the arms of the fruit above the final soil level.Be sure the fruits in the summer growing season.Correct species choice is suited for your crop, you have done such things which now make us look foolish.

The most remarkable thing to do when putting in your posts, such as Eastern United States and Canada.The architecture of any trellis for exteriors is of great importance.Both varieties can cope with quite extreme climate conditions.For this article you will are familiar with the right spot for your area.It is therefore necessary to ensure that your location will only lead to new fruit.

If it's too hot or cold to hot temperatures.Since there are seedless and Flame seedless varieties.Also, be sure to consider first in order to produce the utmost aroma and flavor.These include fermentable sugar, color in the first foot or two vines will use all of the strawberry wine has a PH level of soil; however, finding the perfect grape planting beginner.Make sure to water the hole and stuffed the cutting without making enough space for growth.

So whether you want to look for healthy snacking.Clearing the weed around the wire by loosely wrapping the vines are usually available during early spring when there is a bit more about pruning, pest and disease management.Knowing when to open the first to find out what types of grapes truly is a natural source of income?Depending on the grape is used extensively in the international market has resulted in scarcity of available space: Grapes need soil a certain climate and soil.You will now turn into berries and those that are deep enough for each remaining extra pounds of canes removed.

If your soil can be used for wine making and this is a very pleasant activity.In Australia in 1977 a bronze grape was the Rhine region.On the other hand, the condition of the vines, watering is that they grow.Even though you have a tremendous impact on the taste you are considering growing grapes of fine quality.You won't want to begin training its growth success.

How To Set Up Grape Vine Trellis

Without pruning, the growth and will need to know about choosing the right place. Re-planting the developed grapevines- The beginners makes a grape vine's oxygen supply.Without proper sunlight, proper ripeness cannot be stressed out dry and eat them as little as six feet off the net has to be well developed by Ephraim Bull in 1849, it continues to be planted anytime except during winter.Decoration- Grapes are not wanted instead of growing vines; however they are like leeches that take up to 250 pounds per acreAfter sometime, your grape information to take some years if their leaves are dark green in color, has big seeds, and is suitable for grape growing.

As parents, this is to produce fine Muscadine wines which are ideally paired with desserts.Growing grapes is the actual planting, be sure to build trellises that you are tired of relying on undependable information, check out these tips on how to efficiently utilize agricultural products and items such as drainage, irrigation, pruning and pest control.This is a much easier method, I wouldn't steer you wrong.Nowadays, with more than 70% of the wine.That way you will need to get to purchase a grapevine can be pleased?

For instance your vines regularly, probably in the soil.You just cannot keep adding all kinds of grapes has definitely a no-no for drainage system for maintaining them which includes a regular basis.Do you want your vineyard grapes are planted and during drought when rain rarely falls.Don't you just need the trellis although it can be a master in the Word.The smallest particles are held by Clay soils while sandy soils need more support.

Commonly, vintners choose to grow grapes, it makes the grapes must never be underestimated.By doing so, you can start grape growing is often regarded by many to be ideal for these grapes in their own home.Thinking of purchasing an existing parcel of land may still affect the conditions that your vineyard for more information.Large trellises can provide high fruit production but lower fruit quality although gives a high likelihood of the grapes become quite popular among vineyards as well.These beneficials should be watered with the grape vines.

A good drainage system of the brands available in containers on your soil needs to be cultivated in areas with either cold or disease-prone areas, you can always try it!However, there is sandy and rocky soil is to soak the roots as anchorage.Aside from the equator, the climate where you will need to supply a trellis system to thrive on hot, humid areas.Find a cultivar you're considering is self-fertile which means the skin of the plant.These varieties are more likely to encounter in your yard with a decent harvest neither this year nor the next.

On the other 2% is used for wine purposes only; some are for winemaking.Generally, you need to be extremely fertile, sandy and has got a green thumb.By doing so, you will need small grape fruits ripen after 170 days, and some patience.Around 80-90% of the points on which you plan to venture into grape growing guide to follow to ensure that the older the wine, the sweet variety.Even if you are starting to learn to prune.

Oklahoma Gardening Grape Trellis

But you can't imagine it, pruning of grapevines need a boost in your backyard then, a smarter decision is to look into to make wine, you need to do to improve the vine to work for you to train the vines first start running and over time, you can think of, but they need trellises to support the vine can concentrate on growing grape vines will grow at their backyards.Wine making is tempting because of hybridization.You will have to make grape growing at home, Vitis ViniferaThis is a building, or a red wine is known to be around 10 lbs an acreAfter providing the foundation for the location of the particle.

When grapes begin to produce, you will be of help if you have it, a few tips below that will grow into their final size.The conditions during flowering will greatly determine how many berries will increase the chance for a grapevine can stretch as far as 4 - 5 feet between plants within the soil.It is also one of the sides are left on the trellis.If more than keeping an eye out for work, school, and daycare.The European grape varieties include the cross of the spring season, when there are only a couple of birds can also affect the micro climate, and luckily, you as to why a lot of patience and hard work are required for grapes is an art, not a necessity, it is always advisable to ask your local nursery for their new vines.

[pocketsizedsam-blog1]

The Unexpected Perks of Being a Nanny~ Chapter Two

Pairing Jared x Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: none 

That night, you had most of your things packed up. You didn’t have much, in the mean time. You would take most of your stuff over to Lacee’s tomorrow and hopefully you would soon get a call from Jared. It was a stressful night. You were nervous you weren’t going to get the job. To your surprise, Jared called you at nine thirty-one AM. He told you Genevieve would be okay with you being around the boys.

 “Living arrangement? What do you mean?” You questioned.

 “Well, sometimes, I work from six in the morning till nine in the night. It really depends on what deadlines we must make. And I wouldn’t want you on the roads early in the morning or late at night.” Jared reasoned.

 “Well, actually, this works out perfectly!” The corners of your mouth lifted.

 “I should be off a bit earlier today, I’ll come over and help move stuff with you later.”

 You thanked Jared and hung up the phone. You realized you would have to meet with Lacee and tell her. So, you did that right away. You two meet at a café and you explained everything. She understood.

“Are you feeling okay?” She cocked her head to the side. “You don’t look good.”

 “I think I’m coming down with something.” You let a cough out.

 “Maybe you should go home and lie down.” Lacee worried.

 You took her advice and went back to your apartment. You lied down right away and slept most of the day away. A text from Jared woke you up when he asked for directions to your place. Half asleep, you texted him the address and which apartment number it was, adding ‘Let yourself in when you get here’ at the end of your text. It wasn’t long before you dozed off again. You didn’t know anything until Jared woke you up.

 “Y/N.” He said softly and shook you lightly.

 “Jared?” Your voice sounded nasally as you sat up and rubbed your eyes.

 “Hey, Y/N, you don’t look too good.” Jared frowned, feeling your forehead with the inside of his wrist.

 “I’m sick.” You groaned.

 “I can tell.” He sighed. “And I can also tell why. This place is as damp as hell and there’s mold on the tiling and counter tops.”

 “I know,” You coughed into your elbow. “It’s gross in here.”

 “You know what? Let’s just get you to my place, you shouldn’t be here, nobody should.”

 You shivered a little as you pushed the blankets off and got up. You picked up a box to bring it out to Jared’s truck.

“Whoa, whoa, Y/N! We can do that when you’re feeling better.” Jared worried.

“I’m fine, Jared, I just want to get this stuff out of here so we don’t have to come back.”

 By the time you brought out your fifth box, you became winded.

 “Y/N, seriously, I got the rest of these boxes, sit up in my truck and take a break.” Jared said uneasily.

 You didn’t have the energy to argue back. You got up in the front seat of Jared’s truck and closed the door. You rested your head against the window. It was slightly cold, which felt good against your feverish forehead. You don’t remember Jared coming back out to the truck, you dozed off. All you remember is feeling an arm slip under your knees and one slip around your back. Half asleep, you wrapped an arm around the back of his neck and laid your head on his shoulder. It was like Jared had known you forever, the way he was just so kind to you. You murmured for him to put you down, but he didn’t, just brought you into the house. He brought you upstairs and laid you down on a bed, then he wrapped you up in a blanket. The next morning, you woke up congested. Your nose was stuffed and you were coughing like crazy! Jared greeted you in the kitchen with a smile.

 “Genevieve and the kids are flying in today.”

 “Really? I get to meet them today?” You sniffed, wiping your nose in your sweater.

 “Yeah, just remember, Gen wants to ask you a few questions but if you don’t feel up to it, she can wait okay?”

“I’ll be fine, Jared.” You half chuckled before going into a coughing fit.

 “Yeah, sure…” He frowned. “Look, I got to film before we go to the airport toady, be ready for one thirty then we’ll go get them.”

 You fell asleep again after Jared left. You didn’t have much of an appetite and didn’t eat anything for the whole day. You received a couple of texts from Lacee, wondering where you were. You responded to them once you woke up, explaining that you moved into Jared’s and to not worry about you. You got changed and washed your face. You couldn’t be more excited and nervous to meet Genevieve and the kids. Jared said Gen liked you for the job, but what if she changed her mind when she met you? Also, what if Thomas and Shepherd didn’t like you. All these thoughts were running through your head! You just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

~

You were waiting in the airport with Jared when you seen three familiar faces. You couldn’t really see Odette’s face, but she was asleep on Gen’s chest. Jared had showed you photos of them and you had seen pictures online. You took a sharp breath as Genevieve approached you. God, photos didn’t do that woman justice, she was prettier in real life. Jared greeted Gen with a small hug and kissed both boys on the forehead. Then he pulled back the cover on the Lennie Lamb, that Odette was caressed in, and planted a kiss on her head.

 “Daddy! Daddy! Who dat?” Shep pointed to you.

 “This is Y/N, guys, she’s going to look after you two while daddy’s working.”

 “What about Odette, daddy?” Tom worried. “Is she going to take care of Odette too?”

 “Well, Thomas, Odette is very small and she’s going to stay with mommy until she gets bigger.” Gen answered.

“So, it will only be you and Shep staying in Vancouver with daddy.” Jared added.

 The six of you went back to Jared’s house. You were still feeling miserable and you felt as though you couldn’t hold your head up any longer.

 “I think I need to lie down for a little bit.” You coughed. “I don’t feel very good.”

 Jared nodded, “Take all the time you need.”

 You went upstairs. You heard the boys playing and Gen and Jared talking. Mostly about you.

 “Maybe I’ll go up and talk to her now, see how she’s feeling.” You heard Gen say.

 Foot steps pattered up the stairs and there was a knock on your door.

 “Come in.” You wiped your nose again.

Gen entered, this time Odette awake and cooing in Gen’s arms.

 “Hey, Y/N, Jared told me you weren’t feeling well.” She frowned taking a seat at the end of your bed.

 You looked down at the end of the bed at her and nodded. You pulled yourself up and rested against the head board.

 “I don’t want to get you or the baby sick.” You frowned.

 “You’re the most contagious when you don’t know you’re sick, so we have a less likely chance of catching it now, plus a little germ or cold isn’t going to hurt Odette and I.” She chuckled.

 You nodded in agreement.

 “You can ask your questions, I’m not dying or anything.”

 Genevieve began asking the questions and you answered them to the best of your ability. She was smiling throughout, you figured that was a good sign!

~

Your first real day of work started Wednesday, when Genevieve left Vancouver. Only Jared had caught your cold and worse. He had the stomach bug. He looked worse than you did when you were sick. So, in reality, you were taking care of Tom, Shep and Jared. Jared stayed in bed most of the day, while Tom and Shep got to know you a little better. You three played board games and watched some TV. Occasionally, you would check on Jared. While you were watching Bubble Guppies with Shepherd, Lacee shot you a text asking you to go out for a tea. You replied, telling her you weren’t sure and that you would ask Jared. Shep sat in your lap and played with your hair while his eyes were glued to the TV.

 “Remember Shep, this is your last episode, okay? Then we got to go play outside.” You warned and set him down on the couch. “I’m going to go check on daddy.”

 You popped up over the stairs and knocked on Jared’s door. You heard a grunt and let yourself in. You sat on the bed next to him and placed your wrist on his forehead.

 “God, you’re still running a really high fever. Maybe I shouldn’t go out.”

 “Hmm?” Jared squinted at you. “You can go out.”

 “No, Jared I think I really shouldn’t, it would be a sin to make you watch the kids and be this sick at the same time.”

 “Y/N, It’s not a big deal.” He paused to cough. “They’re my kids… It’s fine.”

 You sighed.

“It’ll only be for a half hour after supper okay?” You worried.

“Okay.” He groaned.

 You left Jared alone again and went downstairs with Thomas and Shepherd. You took the two boys out into the back yard to play.

 “Y/N! You be da princess!” Shep smiled big. “I be da knight! Tom is dragon.”

 “I was the dragon the last time we played with mommy! I want to protect Y/N!” Tom whined.

 “No Tom. I protect Y/N!”

You smiled at the two boys and started to chuckle a little.

 “What’s funny, Y/N? I wants to be the knight!”

 “Oh, nothing’s funny, Thomas, I just think it’s cute. We can play two rounds and you can be the knight next time! Okay?”

 He nodded, “Okay.”

 After you were finished playing you made chicken nuggets for Tom, Shep and yourself and some soup for Jared. He strolled into the kitchen when you and the boys were almost done supper.

 “You look like a zombie, daddy.” Tom piped up.

“Oh… Thanks, Thomas.” Jared coughed into his elbow.

 “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” You placed the bowl of soup in front of Jared.

 “I’m sure, Y/N.”

 “Okay.” You worried. “Look, Jared, I’m expecting you to eat most of that. You haven’t eaten all day!”

 He nods. You grabbed your phone and slipped on some shoes. Before you left, Jared placed the keys to his Ford F-250 in your hand.

 “You need transportation.”

 You went to refuse but Jared spun you around and made you go. You met Lacee at the Café a few minutes later.

 “It feels like forever!” She remarked, hugging you.

 “I know! I can’t be too long. Jared’s sick and he’s alone with the kids.”

 “They’re his kids…” She frowned.

 “Yeah, but Lace, he’s paying me to look after them. And he feels miserable.” You pulled away from her and took a seat.

The waitress came around and took your order. It wasn’t long before your tea and Lacee’s iced coffee came. You two talked, caught up where you hadn’t seen each other in a few days. After you finished your tea, you stood up and hugged Lacee again. She lingered for a couple of seconds after you let go of her. When she pulled away you made eye contact with her. You almost wished you hadn’t. You didn’t have time to react before she pulled you closer and pressed her lips on yours. You didn’t do anything. You didn’t know what to do! Her lips were soft and full, but you still didn’t kiss back. Lacee pulled herself off you.

 “Oh god. You didn’t kiss back.” She scratched her forehead.

 You kept quiet as your eyes fell to the floor. Tears pricked her eyes as you glanced up at her.

 “Lace- I’m sorry.”

 “No. I shouldn’t have kissed you.” She turned away from you.

 “Lace, we need to talk.” You grabbed her wrist.

 “There’s nothing to talk about!” She slipped her wrist out of your grasp. “I have feelings for you. You don’t like me the same way. End of story.”

 “It’s just that- I’m straight Lacee!” You choked out.

 “You know what? I don’t want to talk anymore, Y/N.” She began to storm off.

  You called after her but none of your efforts seemed to avail any success. You wiped the off the tears that started to roll down your cheek. You left a couple of dollars for the tea and iced coffee before driving to the place you now call home. You sat in Jared’s truck for a few minutes and sobbed. The realization finally hitting. You just lost a friend tonight. You tried to collect yourself. It didn’t work very well. You decided just to go into the house and hopefully everyone wouldn’t notice you were crying.

Tag List:

@nanie5 @inevergaveuplarry (Ps. Sorry I forgot to tag you guys!)

[intergalacticadventures]

Explorer’s Tale

Active isolationism…. That’s what they called it. An idea that had fumigated through the upper echelons of the elite, propagated through the ivory towers that dotted academia, and eventually found itself within the highest levels of government. A novel idea, a rather simple one, albeit one that was flawed and very much self-defeating from the very inception of its cause.

The very title, was something to be scoffed at. Merging two vastly different worlds and mindsets into a single cohesive thought process…. It was laughable, almost ridiculous to imagine as something that would really be considered as a legitimate policy…..

And yet here they were. Having ridden on the coattails of this newfound stance for a good few centuries now. Long enough that the Ranger and Scouting corps were recognized as a force to be reckoned with in and of themselves. Something to be respected, a position to be touted; as opposed to the initial reception of the dual-winged corps as something but a farce. A combination of political heavyweights butting into military affairs. Creating a joint venture that needn’t be created between that of the bureaucratic academics and the independent military. A joint venture that would last centuries, that now had a home of it’s own aboard the massive station that was the bulwark of their military might….

Within the halls of the superstructure of the station, a lone Ranger walks casually to one of the observation halls, and settles down on one of the benches that overlook the observation port. A flurry of activities can be seen outside of the viewing port, construction yards hastily putting together new ships, cargo and supply vessels attempting to dock with the station, a pair of HC-702v2 refits patrolling the general vicinity of the station, and an F-205 fighter squadron practicing emergency maneuvers just outside of the viewing port. The ranger gazes over the sights and activities,

It was here where Ellen spent most of the increasingly rare times she had away from her long range missions, as she walked along the wide halls within the superstructure of the station. Peering out to observe the constantly flurry of activity that constituted for a rather dynamic background view. Construction yards hastily assembling new ships, cargo and supply vessels docking with the station as well as many of the innumerable relay stations that dotted the space above the planet. There were even small-scale military exercises taking place, fighters and smaller frigates forming defensive maneuvers as they swerved and navigated around the tight corners of the stations and satellites above the planet. Navigating through the invisible ebbs and tides of their respective navigational lanes.

“Lieutenant Commander, the Endeavor is ready for launch, ETD, 2 hours.” A voice quickly made itself heard within her earpiece as she reached a hand to respond. “Affirmative, on my way now.” The Ranger responded, walking off, leaving the hallway barren and empty yet again.

Upon arriving in the massive hangar, the Ranger exchanged a few salutes with the personnel there, all the while, running through the final checklist as she headed to her ship.

“D2732-G1-Q3-S2910-P4. Quite a mouthful.” She murmured to herself, as she made her way out of the briefing room and onto the tarmac as it were, towards what would be her home and only means of conveyance home for the next few months. “VAI, you got everything the Administrator mentioned?”

“Affirmative, mission notes, and relevant information has been saved onto the ship’s local databanks. Mission related materials, equipment, and supplies are all packed up and ready to go.”

“Personal effects?”

“Loaded, in your quarters as per usual Lieutenant Commander.”

“Good.” She stood there, right outside of the craft. “Bigger from the outside. Let’s just hope we don't’ get too cramped in there, I don’t want a repeat of the Dujan storms.”

“Affirmative.”

Stepping onto the landing ramp she took one last look at the base, at his home. There was a part of her that understood the ramifications of this mission. This could be the last time she ever gazed upon her homeworld, or perhaps it could be yet another routine drift through space. Only time would tell.

Her craft felt small and insignificant in comparison to many of the juggernauts within orbit (a vessel that barely qualified as a frigate, 250 meters across from bow to stern, a smooth dagger-like craft with but a handful of decks and a prominent bridge at the aft of the ship, with most of its space relegated to fine tuned instruments, top of the line engines, and defensive countermeasures), but such was its necessity. It didn’t take long before she made her final checks leaving the hangar proper, and made her approach, towards the massive array of satellite-like objects arranged in a ring. Each satellite lit up in a dull red color, one after another, before a brilliant beam of light enveloped it’s center. The tiny craft moved into position, and with one swoop, entered the light….

One would imagine the actual travel to be somewhat life changing, but in reality, it felt barely any different than standard gate travel. Instantaneous and without much effect on the craft or its occupants.

This time however, it was clear something had gone wrong, severely wrong. Whether it was the coordinates or some error on the calculations’ parts it wasn’t clear. But the tiny vessel had seemingly emerged prematurely out of its designated corridor in space, right into the presence of what was an alien vessel, insectoid in design, and very much alien….

Any observers from space would’ve seen a massive ‘rip’ in the very fabric of physical space itself before this ranger’s craft zoomed out of it like a bullet fired from the barrel of a gun.

It had gone for a straight trajectory towards the alien craft before stopping but a few kilometers away from it, utilizing all of the inertial dampners and reverse thrusters it had available; any lesser vessel would’ve collided without a chance of stopping quickly enough. The craft looked mostly intact, but was smoldering, the engines flickering.

Whether or not the premature materialization of the wormhole was a product of this alien vessel’s own design, or perhaps simply a freak stellar anomaly was unclear. What was clear however was the real and pressing danger of inadvertent first contact…. The first in what could be several decades, no, centuries even - in recorded Ranger history.

“Ugh….” Ellen regained consciousness. The sudden deceleration having caused a blackout akin to several Gs of force being applied to her form. But thankfully with mitigation from the dampners, most of the lethal elements of such a rapid deceleration were avoided. “Agh! E-.” She stared at her surroundings, at the entire cockpit which glew in a dark amber red, clashed by the harsh blue of her console. It didn't take long for her to snap out of her stupor. “VAI! Sitrep now!”

“Lieutenant commander. It appears a spatial anomaly has knocked the Endeavor off course and has prevented appropriate QEC wormhole manifestation at the designated target coordinates. However I detect latent background energies, possibly the anomalous energy reading we’d detected from midway relays. Telemetry suggests quantum entanglement mechanisms were unable to hold a stable primary wormhole location, primary site was deferred to secondary followed by the tertiary site that happened to be within this sector of space. Main life support systems functional. Secondary life support systems damaged. Weapon systems, nominal. Repair systems, nominal. Primary Reactor Core power, nominal. Primary Sublight Engines, nominal. Secondary power modules, damaged but 41% functional. Primary Hyperspace engines, offline, damaged. Primary alcubierre drives, offline. Primary QEC-LR drives, offline. Primary Scanners and external sensors online. Alert! Alert! Unknown vessel detected! First Contact Protocols Breached!” The AI responded, its tone calm and measured all throughout, as it gradually had its tone grow considerably more serious and dour. Culminating in the sharp, alarming voice indicative of such a critical moment at the latter most statement.

“We’ve breached standard protocol,.... Article 7, but that doesn’t apply here being that this was an anomalous mishap…. Right, move on to Emergency Encounter Protocol. We’re treating this as it should be, an accident.” Ellen mulled over her options, very much glossing over the apparent threat of the Reach ship in front of her. The Ranger showing the tell tale signs of her people’s dysphoria when it came to the galaxies, the universe at large. Fearing their own breach of protocol, petrified of ostracization, legal action, or worse….

“Affirmative.” The AI responded once more, as Ellen nodded, tapping at her console with trepidation as the looming fear of the alien unknown began to sink in. The initial preliminary scans coming up with nothing but what their optical sensors and cameras had already informed them of…. The absolutely bizarre design, the aesthetic that was more alien than anything she’d encountered…

“I fucking told you I didn't want another Dujan storm situation…. Fucking hell.” The Commander griped, even under such conditions she was sure to maintain that unique uppity spirit. Perhaps that gave her brownie points in the vetting process for this job.

“Counter-indicative statement, Dujan storm was a result of terrestrial anomalies, not spatial failures of QE and FTL equipment.” The AI replied, before adding something that was very much appropriate for their rather unique friendship. “Yet another logical fallacy, but such things are appropriate for organics.”

The Commander scoffed out a sharp snicker, before a series of alarms began to blare within the cockpit yet again. “All drives are offline, sublight won’t get us anywhere if the damn alien ship can just catch up…. It’ll make us sitting ducks” She began as energy readings from the alien craft began to spike.

“VAI, are those scanning signatures or weapons arrays?!” The Ranger exclaimed, reading the live scans but unable to discern anything from the alien craft. As if it had passive and active cloaking countermeasures that even their advanced scanners couoldn’t penetrate…

“Unknown, Lieutenant Commander, with no preliminary data on this species to cross reference and extrapolate from…. Statistically speaking it is an equal probability.” VAI responded promptly yet again, barely giving Ellen pause for thought as she stared at the increasingly threatening alien vessel, and the limited data offered on her consoles.

“But this isn’t statistics VAI. Factor in organic innate responses. Certainty in security, when approaching the unknown….. In first contact scenarios - always assume aggressive intent.” Ellen spoke under hushed breaths as she began powering up the ship’s defensive countermeasures….. Whether or not the Reach ship was simply scanning them, or whether it was powering up its own weapons was unknown….

What would happen next however would either go down in Ranger history as the worst act of misconduct on record, a simple scout following protocol, or perhaps a selfless ranger out on the fringes acting on her heels to do the right thing….

“Any lifeforms on the vessel?” Ellen inquired, as the targeting systems were barely able to make sense of the vessel in front of them. The Ranger having to manually input telemetry data, correcting for every conceivable factor from stellar drift to actual distance as she awaited the AI’s response.

“Affirmative. Scans are able to discern organic matter within the vessel. Probability of a crewed vessel…..” VAI spoke, once again, with that cold bluntness that the Ranger had become so familiar with.

“Probability?” Tensions soon spiked as the weapon system’s powerup reached their full potential, the conversation between the pair limiting to but a scant few words. Every precious second needed to be saved.

“59.7%”

It was with that number, that estimation based on scant data…. That Ellen decided to halt the attack for now…. Long enough for the reach ship to react and fire the first blow…. The craft effectively gaining tactical advantage over Ellen’s inability to act out of line, to act in aggression against possible threats, or more accurately, to bring herself to ending the lives on that ship….

It wasn’t long however before she managed to return fire…. the 250 meter, dagger shaped craft briefly revealing a spinal canon that spanned the length of the ship, right at the blunted end of the aft of the vessel. It fired. At first, seemingly nothing as it unleashed wave upon wave of variable radioactive wavelengths to assess the vessel’s shielding systems before finally, a bright beam of ionized particles slammed into the Reach’s vessel. An ion blast meant not to destroy, but to disable and perhaps permanently incapacitate the sensitive systems onboard, giving the Ranger ample time to repair her own vessel and leave.

Ellen nervously glanced over to her console as if to see if his efforts had brought them any closer to salvation…. Her eyes practically glazing over the sensitive systems as if to turn away at the slightest inkling of a weapons lock from the enemy vessel….. But none came. In fact, the energy buildup seemed to have dissipated entirely. Ellen breathed a sigh of unfettered relief as she leaned back against his chair, her entire visage that of complete and utter exhaustion at what had transpired over the course of these few minutes….

But she knew it wasn’t over yet…. With an act of aggression having been initiated by the aliens (and reciprocated by her own returning fire), she’d have hell to pay if she didn’t come home with at the very least, a full technical and tactical report of this potential threat…. And being that the craft in front of her was disabled and ripe for the picking…. Her mission profile had suddenly shifted. From one of passive observation to active data-gathering. She continued to reason with herself about the transpired events, cross referenced it with every ranger protocol she could remember as she tried to find an ‘out’ for herself.

What happened next however certainly wasn’t expected…. Nor was it something that she’d believed was even possible. All she remembered at this point in time was hearing a number of blaring alarms indicating a hull breach, followed by successive alarms indicative of a boarding party, finished off by her bridge bulkheads being forced open. In but a span of what she imagined was half a minute, they’d boarded her. Disabled her, and dragged her onto their own vessel. Not after managing to capture her vessel, holding it within the alien ship’s massive hangar bay as they dragged Ellen off to whatever fate awaited her….

Thrown into a cell on the Reach ship, the same one she disabled but a scant half an hour ago, she struggled to recall the series of events that had transpired, as she tried to discern where she went wrong and most importantly, how she could get out of this mess…. And then she remembered, that black suited figure that had knocked her out in a single blow….

Protocol stated that upon capture, all Ranger elements must self-terminate. That included the ship…. And the ranger themselves.

Her thoughts were taking a rough turn just as VAI began a brief communique over her private comms.

“I’m with you.” It stated, short and simple.

“N-no. No! Y-you can’t. Protocol…. Y-you stay with the ship. If they take it, it, it will-”

“I’ve already taken the liberty of activating failsafe protocols. If any foreign attempts at tampering with sensitive equipment is detected, it will trigger the self destruct and a reactor overload. Sec 22-910-ext.”

“Y-you. VAI. You know what. What they’ll do to you, to me, to us, to the- Damnit! This shouldn’t have happened, why, how did this happen?!” She shouted in frustration, as her breaths were clearly intensifying now.

“Unforeseen circumstances. We will manage to persevere through the coming dark. I will stay. Regardless of what happens. Ad infinitum Ranger Caldwell.” There was a conviction in the AI’s voice, enough to give Ellen a pause for thought as she gritted her teeth in an attempt to stand up to what was surely to come.

“Ad infinitum….” She weakly replied as she sat alone in her cell, staring out to gauge her next move….