Hotel near orange county convention center
MegaCon Orlando
2012.02.03 13:41 MegaCon Orlando
MegaCon Orlando is the southeast’s largest comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming events, attracting over 140,000 fans each year across four big days. MegaCon Orlando is currently scheduled for February 1-4, 2024
2019.09.29 16:57 TorchAtlas MinecraftFestival
A subreddit dedicated to discussing Minecraft Festival, an in-person celebration of all things Minecraft! Minecraft Festival has been postponed.
2009.09.24 02:01 UC Irvine
A place for UCI Anteaters, and anything UCI related. DISCORD: https://discord.gg/uci
2023.05.28 05:00 Kazevenikov Cryptid Chronicle - Chapter 30
A special thanks to u/bluefishcake for the wonderful original story and sandbox to play in.
A special thanks to my editors LordHenry7898, RandomTinkerer, Swimming_Good_8507, CatsInTrenchcoats, and KLiCKonthat.
And a big thanks to the authors and their stories that inspired me to tell my own in this universe. RandomTinkerer (City Slickers and Hayseeds), Punnynfunny (Denied Operations), CompassWithHat (Top Lasgun), CarCU131 (The Cook), and Rhion-618 (Just One Drop)
Hy’shq’e Ay Si’am (Thank you noble friends)
Chapter 30: A Promise Kept
Kalai stepped off the shuttle to the Vaida’s headquarters and into a running tackle-hug from Sitry. “Oh Kalai, I could kill you right now! You got to see the Great Barrier Reef in person, you bitch!” Sitry’s cheerful voice was muffled from where she was still buried in her chest. Kalai staggered backwards a pace or two, happy to be back from her whirlwind adventure around Earth with her father.
Naranjo and Papa Rhaxiid were there on the platform to welcome her back too, but their welcomes were more sedate.
“Not to mention you got out of work for half our damn trip. Ugh, it’s so not fair!” Naranjo huffed as Kalai gave him a sisterly hug.
Papa Rhaxiid reached up and chucked her chin before turning to lead the way back inside from the forested platform. “Welcome back, sweet-sprout, we’ve missed you. Come on, we’ll get you settled again and off to work. There’s quite a bit you need to catch up on if you want your credits.”
The chuckles from the twins behind her were full of sibling malice, but she knew how to shut the pair of them up. “Papa Rhaxiid? I’ve got the paper on Biodiversity in the Reef you asked for, along with the dissection report and stomach content analysis of the tuna we caught. I want to put the finishing touches on it and do a final proofread first before I send them to you.” The man turned and gave her a warm smile as they entered the building.
“Good, why don’t you go take your things back up and say hello to Andy? I’ll give you an hour and a half to get freshened up, then I want you to report to Aquarium 12 with Dr. Sor’ansa. You can put your snorkeling practice to work there.” Papa Rhaxiid walked the three of them to the residential elevator. “I’m heading back to my office. Andy’s been requested by Maetro Pae’ella to work the kitchens for something called ‘Bison burgers'. Apparently it’s a type of indigenous bovine that the eastern Bands raise. That and something from Europe called ‘French Fries’.”
Kalai couldn’t help but get excited as she and her siblings piled into the elevator back to their little shared apartment. Sure the food she’d had all over the place was good, but so far nothing had been able to compare to Andy and his Salishian cooking.
“Nerd, I can’t believe you cheated and did work on your vacation." Naranjo broke the silence of the elevator after a little bit and stuck his tongue out at her.
“Spit to windward, you vain little weed. Don’t hate me because I’m awesome.” Kalai’s riposte caused Naranjo to fold his arms and huff. Sitry simply ambushed her with an ear flick.
The elevator door opened to their floor before Kalai couldn’t bear the silence from Sitry any longer. “So, did you bag him yet, you lucky bitch?”
“No she hasn’t!” Naranjo’s singsong mockery of his sister interrupted Sitry’s response. “Papa hasn’t let Sitry even NEAR Andy without one of them around!”
“Rub it in, you snitch, besides, he did kiss me first,” Sitry preened happily as she playfully shoved Kalai’s shoulder.
Kalai pretended to stumble and almost caught Sitry’s foot, but she was just a hair too slow. “Yeah, and then you gave him a black eye, you clod.”
“Will you let it go? It was an accident!”
“It’s not even the only one he got either." Naranjo’s interjection stopped her right in front of their door.
“Wait, what? Who hurt him this time?” Kalai let her bag thunk to the floor as she turned to look accusingly between Sitry and Narny.
Sitry folded her arms and her ears twitched back as she shot a dark look at their door. “He ‘fell down’ yesterday while out at one of the Hatcheries we gave to the Hwatcoms. Mrs. Toloui nearly had a fit! She said she could smell another human on him and that he was covered in blood!”
Narny nodded primly as Kalai tried to process what they were telling her. “WHAT? Did she call out the militia? Track down whoever hurt him?”
“No, and he refused treatment and insisted that no one did it to him! When papa tried to talk to him, Andy said some stupid human macho shit about pain healing and birds liking scars. I don’t know, sometimes humans… they’re frickin’ insane!”
The door shot open and there stood Andy. His left eye was an angry puffy yellow and blue mess, and there were three points on his lips where a dark cinnabar line marked a crack. Kalai and her siblings stood in wide eyed shock at his sudden appearance and the only sound was the music emanating from the common room behind him.
Andy looked up and down at the three without saying a word. He cocked an eyebrow and snagged Kalai’s bag before any of them could react and cleared the doorway for them.
Kalai sputtered at the impropriety but Naranjo and Sitry just shrugged and walked in after Andy. “Femboys, am I right?” Narny whispered to Kalai as he passed. Kalai followed behind and was greeted by the white fluff-ball, Puck, who hopped up and down, whining for attention. She bent down and started scratching his ears and back. While Puck rubbed up against her hands, Andy settled back down at the table where his omnipad was hooked up to a keypad. Her heart started to sink a bit and Kalai shot Sitry a jealous look before the music came to a sudden halt and Andy interrupted the beginnings of her pity party.
“Ok, Kem’ira, I got the pics now and I’m telling you to declare yourself to the farmers first! I guarantee if you tell them you’re with the new DNR and you’re there to kill all the Scotch Broom in their pasture lands, they’ll stop trying to shoot you for trespassing!”
Kalai’s mood jumped up a bit. It’s not that he doesn’t care to see me, he’s in a meeting!
“No, no I’m not coming out to talk this over with them, I’ve got my own work to do! Either you start talking to folks like I showed you how, or ask the militia to give you one of their armored catsuits to wear under your uniform… Uh-huh, good luck." Andy hung up on the call and leaned back as Puck scampered over and hopped up in his lap.
Andy rubbed his temples before shaking his head. He seemed to relax a bit and Puck slid off to follow Sitry to the kitchen. Andy looked over and gave Kalai a happy smile that made her flush. “Welcome back! So how was the land down under? That tuna was fan-frickin’-tastic, if you aren’t sick of seafood I’ll do something fancy with it tomorrow to celebrate your coming back. Can’t tonight though, I got volun-told to be head chef tonight and I… Oh damnit! I’m late! Come to dinner, burgers and fries Indian style tonight. Gotta run!” With that, Andy went dashing out the door with Puck barking and scrambling along after him.
Kalai felt her heart sink back down again, as he left. “Andy I-” She started but he was gone.
“Yeah, it’s been like that for the whole week. The only time we get to hang out is dinner.” Sitry commiserated as she took Kalai’s bag into their room. “On the other hand, we might get to catch up during the family meal tonight.”
The dinner was delicious, though a bit weird. It tasted alright, but there was a certain aftertaste on the sandwich that just didn’t sit right with Kalai. She just couldn’t put her finger on it. The french fries more than made up for it though, and Mama Sakalbi had to hold a science trivia contest to see who got the last little handful.
Kalai and Narny were already silently plotting with each other for their revenge against their sister who had won and refused to share the last few matchsticks when Andy finally joined their table. He was sweaty and he smelled of woodsmoke and french fries. Kalai jumped up and offered him a seat next to her with a nervous smile. He took it gratefully and seemed to sag a bit as he gulped down a glass of water.
“Andy, I think you may be finding your calling as a culinary ambassador,” Mama Aftasia beamed. “A toast to the chef!”
Andy gave a shy smile and looked down as Kalai and the rest of the family gave a hearty ‘Here, here!”
“It’s a simple enough recipe; it’s just using bison instead of cow, that’s all, and I don’t know anyone who’d turn down hand cut fresh fries. It’s kind of hard to screw up.”
“Young man, you are speaking to a woman who found a way to take cold water and dried wumpa flakes and wind up with a Class-4 fire. Cooking has always seemed like ‘blight mysticism’ to me, and these foods? These flavors? Nothing short of a Greenwood miracle in my opinion." Mama Aftasia continued her praise of Andy, which only caused him to shrink even lower in his seat.
“To be honest, I like your salmon better,” Kalai said, and the whole table went silent. Kalai held her ground though, and was rewarded with a tired but genuine laugh from Andy that brought him back out of his shell.
“You know, I do too. My Clan were fisherpeople, not buffalo chasers.” Andy gave Kalai a cheeky grin, which she returned happily, her heart glowing. Mama Aftasia and Mama Sakalbi both blinked in bemusement at Andy’s statement while Sitry just giggled.
“Speaking of which, Andy, I received a call from Elder Alex Hwatcom.” Papa Rhaxiid’s change of subject instantly perked Andy up, and he stared silently, waiting. “He extended an invitation to our family to attend his family gathering this Friday-”
“Alex said that? He used those words?” Andy shook his head in shock as he interrupted Papa Rhaxiid. The table went quiet and everyone held their breath as they looked between the two men.
Papa Rhaxiid adopted as good an impression of the human Elder as he could. “I’d like to extend an invitation for you and your family to be guests at our family gathering this saturday up at the White… something… lodge-”
“The White Ram Lodge?” Andy sat forward, interjecting again as the color drained from his face.
“Yes, that’s the one! I asked if we could bring anything since the last time they hosted us they put on that wonderful spread. He said if we could bring a few salmon for the family, that would be wonderful.”
Andy leaned back and took another sip of ice water before holding the glass to his blackened eye. “Alex Hwatcom… just invited you… to a gathering… and he told you to ‘bring a few salmon’? Do you realize what a huge honor this is?”
Rhaxiid looked from his wives to his children with mild concern. “Um, I thought it was only dinner, but your reaction tells me there’s more significance to this than I originally thought. I was thinking about our stocks of adult Sockeye, but then I remembered in his story how important King Salmon are. Of course, I’d like to defer to you for the choice since you know these animals and the cultural expectations with this invitation better than we do.”
Andy was silent for a moment before he put the glass down. “I’d recommend a ‘hard no’ to all your clone stock!” Now it was the Vaidas’ turn to be shocked, as each of Kalai’s Erbian family’s jaws dropped in synch. Before anyone could say anything, Andy continued, “You need to bring wild-caught. Farm-raised salmon wouldn’t… well we can tell, and you can taste the difference between them. We need to go fishing!” Kalai leaned towards Andy slightly as he lowered his head and started mumbling to himself. She was just able to make out what he was saying to himself as Mama Sakalbi and Mama Aftasia began whispering to each other. “...need to get the Gillnetter out of storage, check what’s running and select the mesh. I’m gonna need a deckhand too.”
Kalai reached a hand out but stopped short of touching him. “Andy?”
He popped up and spoke for the whole table to hear. “I need a shuttle to the mainland and a waiver against the fishing ban. I’ve got to get my boat and the drum ready for sea ” Rhaxiid and Aftasia sputtered in confusion, but Mama Sakalbi had a shadow fall over her, and her ears pulled back.
“Do you mean to say you want to go out on the water? Risk the ecological balance for… dinner?”
Andy looked Sakalbi dead in the eye and gave her a firm nod. “Why don’t you come out and see how we did this before you got here. Think of it as a chance to see the way we’ve fished for the last hundred or so years, and then I can explain the way we used to fish before that.”
The offer snapped Rhaxiid out of his confusion and he brightened. “A learning experience? Wonderful, we’ll make a day of it!” His hands shot out to grab both his wives’ and Kalai could feel the vibrations in the floor from where he was excitedly tapping his feet.
“If you don’t mind hard, smelly work. Uncle Willy always called it ‘the worst desk in the prettiest office.' It’ll be a bit cramped, but I’ve got room on the boat for a few guests and observers; four I think would be ok. She’s a working boat, not a pleasure cruiser,” Andy explained. That sent the whole lot of them excitedly talking among themselves.
Kalai was about to lean in to talk to Mama Aftasia, but Andy caught her attention first. “I don’t suppose you’d want to go back out on the water, given you just got back from pleasure-boating-”
Kalai’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. “I wouldn’t miss it for my own colony planet!”
--------------------
Kalai stood on the pier, bundled in her thermal sailor’s coat. It was still dark and the wind blew from the north in a cold little morning breeze. Kalai took a deep breath and reveled in the smell of the fresh sea air. The soft chattering of Mama Sakalbi’s teeth broke the silence. “It’s a bit chillier than it said it was going to be.”
“The water always does that. It’s never as warm as the lubbers say it’ll be,” Papa spoke as he handed her back her thermos of hot chocolate.
Papa stood next to Kalai and nudged her with his elbow. Even in the dark, Kalai could see him smile up at her and jerk his head at the shivering Erbian. He was also wearing a thermal sailor’s coat, and his hands were stuffed in his pockets to keep them warm, just like Kalai’s. “Landswoman,” he whispered to her and the two of them shared a knowing smile. It was strange, but welcome when she'd told Papa about her upcoming day fishing with Andy, and he’d politely requested to join them. Papa Rhaxiid had graciously given his spot up to accommodate her birth father. Narny was all for it until Andy had explained what they were going to do, but then surrendered his challenge to the fourth guest space, not wanting to go anywhere NEAR anything that could see him come face to face with a Lion’s Mane Jelly. Sitry had done a happy little dance when she found out, but only yesterday had come down with Thistle Fever, and was bundled off to bed by her parents. It left Kalai, Mama Sakalbi, and Papa to accompany Andy on his fishing trip.
The water brushed against the shore behind them quietly. In the gloom, Kalai could just barely make out the outline of the nearest island mountain, but only because the stars had disappeared behind it. It was almost four in the morning, but Kalai had managed a catnap on the shuttle to the empty little lot that had been the boat launch. Aside from the water, the world was silent. Even the breeze made almost no noise and a sense of peace surrounded them. Everything was so calm, Kalai felt like she didn’t have a care in the world.
In the distance, a low rumbling sound of a motor rose from being almost imperceptible to a rolling drum of thunder. From around the point, two green floating lights sped through the darkness, and a spotlight turned on. The beam of light moved jerkily until it came to rest on the pier where they were standing and Kalai started waving her arms. Sakalbi’s omnipad rang, and Andy’s voice shouted over the speaker and the background noise for them to shine a light on the edge of the pier to help him park the boat.
Kalai and Papa moved closer and turned their omnipad flashlights on and waved them as the boat swung gracefully around and glided in alongside them. Kalai caught the rope that flew over the railing of the boat and she heard more than saw Andy moving around on the deck as she tied off on one of the mooring cleats. Several lights clicked on and the deck was bathed in light enough for Kalai to get a clear view of the boat they’d be spending the day on.
Andy hadn’t lied. Kalai saw that this little vessel was a working boat with no frills at all. When he’d told her they’d be going fishing, she’d envisioned something like the charter boat papa had taken her on out of Nantucket. Sporty, fast with a nod to comfort and function. This was not that at all. A giant wheel as wide as Kalai’s outstretched arms that looked like a sideways spool of thread was secured to the deck amidships and dominated the deckspace. Wrapped around it was a fluorescent green tangle with a line of oblong white and yellow corks and rope. There was a covered hatchway sitting behind the drum in front of the raised step to the enclosed cabin. Two large windows let the light out to two children’s bunks, a little table with a booth seat and a raised captain’s chair in front of the helm and engine controls. Andy shut down the engine and that peaceful stillness returned.
“Oway there!” Kalai called, “ship oway! Request permission to come aboard.” Kalai gave the traditional greeting of a Shil’vati sailor.
“Permission granted! Anyone need a stepstool?” Andy finally stepped into the light and Kalai got a look at him. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and the same bright orange coveralls she’d seen the fishmongers wearing on their date.
“I wouldn’t mind a hand, Mr. Shelokset.” Papa He’osforos braced a foot on the railing of the boat and Andy pulled him up.
“Just call me Andy, Doc, and welcome aboard. Jackie should be along any minute now with the day’s groceries, and the cabin’s out of the cold. You can get yourself set wherever you find comfortable.” Papa nodded and disappeared around the other side of the wheel moving towards the bow.
Kalai helped Mama Sakalbi into the boat next, and she quickly ducked into the cabin that took up the entire stern section save for a little ledge that ran along the outside. Andy gripped Kalai’s hand and she smiled as he pulled her deftly aboard. The boat rocked a little on its mooring, and Kalai almost fell into Andy, who wordlessly put his arms around her waist to catch her as she lost her balance. She flailed for a moment before she steadied herself against him.
“Gotcha,” Andy smiled, and Kalai could see him flush almost as much as she could feel herself doing as their noses almost touched. Those big dark brown eyes surrounded by white orbs drew her in and she felt she could lose herself in them. Kalai started as Andy danced her around him and moved her towards the cabin door.
“It might be a little cramped for you in there, but the Mary Jean wasn’t built for pleasure boating, she’s a working girl. Sit tight, I gotta check a few things in the back.” Andy patted the railing affectionately before he hopped up and scooted along the outside of the cabin towards the stern. Kalai couldn’t help the little longing groan that came out as he left her there on the little tiny quarterdeck. Her heart was hammering in her chest as half formed fantasies danced at the edges of her mind.
“I saw that, little minnow.” Papa’s voice was soft, but his tone and the sudden broken silence nearly gave her a heart attack.
Kalai could only stammer as her father stared at her with a cocked eyebrow. A thump from the cabin window behind saw an amused Mama Sakalbi daintily sipping at her thermos with her ears twitched forward in interest, staring out at her. “Papa I… he-”
Papa moved carefully around the covered hatchway to stand next to her, leaning back against the cabin window and heaved a sigh. “I must say I’m surprised. This lovely man’s got good clean lines and is very well cared for. It speaks well of his Skipper.”
It took a full minute for Kalai’s brain to process that he was talking about the boat and not Andy. “And the way Andy brought him in smooth in near complete darkness? It gives me confidence in his abilities.”
Kalai breathed a silent sigh of relief and exasperation. Although she was happy to be spending more time with her father, bringing him on what she’d hoped would be a sailing date wasn’t exactly what she’d had in mind for ‘family time’. He wants me to find a nice young man and spend time with him on a boat, but the first chance I get Papa decides to clam-jam me.
From up on shore, the sound and lights of a large human vehicle screeching to a halt heralded the last of their party to arrive. Kalai heard the clomping footsteps coming down the pier and moved to the railing to lend a hand.
“Ahoy Mary Jean! Raggedy Andy, you there?” Kalai stared with wide eyed surprise to see a human female, loaded down with plastic bags and sporting two human weapons on her shoulder. The two of them locked eyes, and while Kalai didn’t understand everything the girl shouted in surprise, she had caught and understood the phrase, “What the fuck?”
“Easy now, they’re my guests, and the one inside is the boss!” Andy appeared on the pier instantly before either Kalai or the woman could react further.
“Ya didn’t tell me we were having pur-” The woman glared at Kalai and her father. She had switched to Vatikre thankfully, but her tone was hostile as she dropped everything but her weapons. “I mean, hwun’eetums, aboard. A gal could get the wrong idea pretty quick in the dark when there’s no warning.”
“Knock it off Jackie. Let’s get the grub aboard and shove off.” Andy picked up some of the bags and took the guns as Kalai offered a helping hand over the railing. “Oh, Kalai, this is Jackie. Jackie? Kalai. That’s her dad over there, Doc He’osforos. He saw and treated Kay Tee a few years back.” Andy jerked his head towards the direction of Kalai’s father as she held out a hand to the human girl. On a quick inspection, she appeared to be about the same age as her and Andy. She had a round face and was about as dark complected as Andy was. She was shorter, only a few inches taller than Papa, but when Jackie grabbed Kalai’s hand to hop up onto the rail, she could feel the strength and the compact muscle hidden by the baggy sweatshirt and pants.
“Wait a minute, did you say Mini-Me over there saw Kay Tee? You’re fuckin’ with me!” Jackie stumbled a bit as she hopped down onto the deck with a loud thunk and advanced on Papa who shrank away at her advance. “You saw li’l Kay Tee? Where the fuck is he? Is he alright? Is he still fighting the good fight?”
“Last I saw, yes, he was ‘fighting the good fight.’” Papa looked over at Andy with a slightly worried expression. Andy smacked the girl in the back of the head, causing her to flinch and she opened the door to the cabin for Andy to go inside.
Jackie rubbed the back of her head and laughed. “Well that’s a little bit of alright, innit? Maybe today’s gonna be a good day after all!”
“Jackie, get suited up and get on the bow. I need a good pair of eyes on the roller horns,” Kalai heard Andy shout from the cabin, followed by a whole lot of thumping and banging from cabinets being opened and closed.
“You got it, ol’ man. We going to your place or mine?” Jackie sidestepped in and opened a tiny little closet and pulled out a set of rain gear that was identical to what Andy was wearing. Kalai collected herself and stood in the doorway next to her father as they both leaned in.
“Mine; Chuck said the Yaw’much are running from the South. We’ll do a set nor’west of Lummi in the Rosario and see if we can get some Fraser Kings,” Andy replied as he turned the engine back on and the vessel roared to life.
“Chuck? Isn’t that one of your cousins? I didn’t know he could keep track of the movements of Salmon, may I ask how he does it?” Mama Sakalbi perked up as she pulled a set of earplugs out of a pocket and inserted them.
Andy prevaricated a bit, looking from Jackie back to Sakalbi then to Kalai and Papa. “I’d rather not answer that-”
“Breakin’ the law, breakin’ the law! Breakin’ the law, breakin’ the law!”
Jackie began singing a human song, and Andy threw her the dirtiest of looks as she finished getting into the orange coveralls. Mama Sakalbi sputtered as Andy shrugged apologetically.
“Make a hole!” Jackie called, and she and Andy came back out as Kalai and Papa made room for them. Andy hopped back onto the dock to cast off while Papa ducked into the cabin.
“Can I help?” Kalai offered as Andy shoved the vessel off and leapt the gap over the black water below.
“You want to be useful? Come forward! I could use an extra set of eyes!” Jackie called back, and Kalai felt a slap on her shoulder from the boisterous human woman.
------------------
Andy stood at the helm, watching Jackie and Kalai as he leaned to get a better view of them past the Net drum. The bow was lifting up again, and the gentle little swells became like speed bumps, jostling them up and down in a predictable bouncing rhythm.
“Are you sure you couldn’t slow down, Andy? It’s a bit rough, don’t you think?” Sakalbi was hanging on to the table and her thermos with a worried expression on her face.
“I could, but we’ll miss the morning set. We want to bomb out the buoy right when the tide changes. If we’re lucky, then we’ll get around seventy or eighty by slack tide this afternoon and call it a day.”
“How do you know where to fish?” Dr. He’osforos was making a good show of standing and maintaining his balance with his hand on the booth.
“Well, there’s two ways you know. The first is you fish the spots your family’s fished since time began. Every family has about two or three different secret spots that we know there’s fish in, and we’re pretty defensive about their locations. The second is by smell. Right now it’s the tail end of the King season, and you can smell them in the water.” Andy turned and saw the incredulity etched on the faces of the two aliens.
“No, I’m serious! King Salmon slime is really pungent, and you can smell them when they’re close to the surface. We get to the fishing spot and take a deep whiff. If we smell them, we’ll set the nets.” Andy laughed at the disbelief on their faces as the GPS on his omnipad beeped and he turned to sail around the last buoy and head for the fishing ground.
“I’ve never noticed that in any of the Kings we’ve raised-”
Andy suppressed a laugh as they caught a larger swell as they left the lee of Lummi Island. Andy reveled in the feeling of weightlessness as the deck rose up and fell out from underneath their feet, leaving everyone suspended for a moment in midair before falling back down. A massive spray of water rose and washed over the deck, drenching Kalai and Jackie, who were still forward. “Cloned and farmed Kings don’t have that same smell. Wild ones smell and taste different, I’m telling you!” Andy pulled back slightly on the throttle as they climbed the next swell. “Brace!” he called as they climbed and fell once again.
There was a look of fear on Sakalbi’s face as she gripped the table for dear life, but to Andy’s surprise, the Doctor looked completely unfazed, and was handling the rise and fall of the deck like an old salt. “You look like you’ve done this before, Doc.”
“I’ve done a stint or two at sea before,” he spoke, in the same tone Andy would have used when trying not to sound too confident, and Andy smiled.
“Kalai keeps talking about loving the sea and sailing. Did you teach her to sail?”
“Yes, me and her mothers. When they were home, we would take the family yacht out in the Vaascon Straits and sail around the Occidiens. Kalai practically spent all her early childhood on a sailboat.”
“And almost every waking moment on one in Junior Academy. I swear you couldn’t dig her out with a trowel when she wanted to go sailing,” Sakalbi managed to add in a word as the boat slowed, and the dramatic rise and fall of the deck slowed with it.
“What about you, Mr. Shelokset, did your father teach you to sail too?”
“I was too young before he passed. My Great Uncle Willy taught me after I came home, and Grandma took me out to the family fishing sites when she wasn’t busy with the Council. For the first two or three years after they let us come home, fishing was the only way to feed our families, but the Militia and the Cambrians would try and sink our boats or arrest us whenever we tried to go out.”
“And that’s why you’re so good at maneuvering your vessel in the dark with no instruments?” Mrs. Vaida had folded her arms, and her voice twinged with that imperious tone she’d had when they’d first met.
Andy huffed a dry laugh. “I did what I had to for me and my people and to survive, Ma’am. I don’t like breaking the law or dodging lasers and gunfire, but there’s a lot of poor families that need to eat.”
The GPS beeped, and Andy gave Mrs. Vaida a slightly defiant look to counter her furrowed brow. “We’re here,” he said as he threw the engine in neutral and opened the cabin door.
Andy walked out and took a deep breath, but all he could smell was the net and the exhaust from the engine. “HEY JACKIE! WE SMELL MONEY?” Andy yelled out as he took stock of the sky. The first signs of sunrise were chasing all but the morning stars away and a light fog was rolling in from the north.
“FUCK YEAH I CAN SMELL ‘EM, ANDY! LET’S BOMB OUT AND GET BREAKFAST GOING!” Jackie looked slightly manic as she smiled brightly. Kalai, on the other hand, looked wet and miserable as she shivered, arms wrapped around herself. Andy gave his cousin a disgusted look as he pieced together what had happened. Every deckhand learned when to duck behind the raised bow and the roller horns that guided the nets so as not to get a faceful of spray when cutting through a swell. It was also a classic hazing trick for Senior Deckhands to let Junior Deckhands learn this the hard way.
Andy moved forward to stand in front of the two of them. Kalai was trying to squeeze her coat dry, but Andy knew it wouldn’t do much good until the sun came out. Jackie at least had the sense to look a little remorseful. “Kalai, why don’t you go sit in the cabin and get out of that wet coat. It’s cold enough out here even for us-”
“No way, Andy. Junior deckhand Kally here wants to impress you and get her dainty soft hands dirty! She’s been bragging about being a sailorwoman and wants to learn to fish ‘your way!” Jackie gave Kalai’s shoulder a wet slap as the poor alien woman went blue. Out of cold or embarrassment, Andy couldn’t tell.
All Andy could do was shake his head and huff. “Ok then! Secure the buoy and sling on my mark. I’ll get us in position!” Andy couldn’t help but chuckle as he heard Jackie start ordering Kalai about. Andy went back into the cabin and looked in the closet/bathroom to see if there was anything hanging up that he could give Kalai. There was only the one rain slicker and a few of Andy’s old sweaters from when he was a lot smaller. Well, looks like I’ll just be cold today. He quickly stripped out of his sweatshirt and grabbed the slicker before throwing a switch on the main control. Dr. He’osforos and Mrs. Vaida threw him quizzical looks as he went back outside wearing less than when he came in. He was down to a sleeveless shirt and his coveralls, and the morning breeze cut right through him and he braced his jaw to keep it from chattering.
“We’re ready to go- Andy, why are you practically naked from the waist up?” Kalai was staring wide eyed at him as he approached her and Jackie was on the bow. Jackie had everything ready; the buoy line was strung through the horns and ready to toss out. A giant orange and blue beach ball sized float hung at the end of the line to mark the end and make it easier to pick up later.
“Trade me your coat for these. If Jackie’s putting you to work, you’ll need these to keep warm.”
“I’m alright, I can-”
“I’m the Skipper of this boat, and I’m ordering you to take off that wet coat and put these on; and Jackie?” Andy gave his cousin a long and piercing look. “Give her the elbow gloves, not the halfsies.”
The scoff and the muttered Salishian profanities meant he’d read the next prank she’d had in mind right. She was planning on giving her the cloth gloves with only the palms and fingers coated in rubber. While perfectly fine for fishing, Andy knew they tended to get soaked through very quickly and did nothing to keep jellyfish stingers and fish slime off your hands. Kalai sputtered for a moment before she complied gratefully and she accepted the dry clothes and rain slicker.
Andy saw Jackie give him a strange look before looking back at Kalai, but he paid it no mind. He walked back to the controls on the drum and switched off the hydraulics, placing the mechanism in neutral. “SLING IT!” Andy called as he took the small jerry rigged steering wheel and threw the boat in reverse. Kalai jumped as the line started unspooling the net into the water at a rapid pace.
Andy set an ‘S’ bend in the quarter mile long net, zigzagging backwards until they came to the end of the line. Andy stopped the boat as Jackie tied off the other large buoy and tossed it over the side, unstringing the cork-line from the roller horns in the process. He pulled hard over and put a bit of distance from the net before shutting the engine down. The line of white and yellow corks marking the net bobbed lazily with the swells as silence settled over the water again. The waves rocked the boat gently as Andy found his sea legs again.
“Alright, I’ll get breakfast going. Jackie, Kalai? Post the watch for seals,” Andy called as he walked back into the cabin to fire up the tiny little gas stove.
Sakalbi, having found the confidence to stand at last, poked her head out of the cabin and stood on by the hatch to the fish hold. “Seals? Why would you need to watch for seals?”
Andy grit his teeth and looked over from where he was cracking open and scrambling eggs. “They’re the spawn of Satan and we hate their guts!” Andy bit out. Jackie came back and pulled the two shotguns and a pair of binoculars from the closet. Andy reached over to a side cabinet and pulled out a box of shells for them. Both his boss and the Doctor’s eyes got wide.
“Seals are the enemy of our blood. Were it not for the invasion, our unending war against these vermin would continue to this day!” Jackie growled as she loaded one for herself and rested the other on Andy’s seat at the helm.
The look of growing horror on Sakalbi’s face towards their facetious declarations caused Andy to chuckle a bit, before launching into an explanation. “We’re not fans of the species because they’ll wait until a fish gets caught in the net and then they’ll steal it, costing us a fish AND ripping a big hole in our nets that we then have to take time to repair. We use the shotguns and buckshot to give them a nice welt and convince them not to hang around, because they’ll wait up on the surface and watch the buoys, just like us. A single seal can and will take between five and ten fish. The worst is when they start getting full, they’ll just bite out the bellies of a salmon in the net. We can’t really do anything with that fish once it’s ‘seal-bit’. So yes, as fishermen, we hate them.”
“Learned opportunism in apex predators as a response to human activity… I think I’ll go see this behavior for myself!” Sakalbi practically rushed out the door towards the bow where Jackie was sitting on the roller horns explaining to Kalai how to spot the bastards, leaving Andy alone in the cabin with the Doctor while he cooked breakfast for them all.
Dr. He’osforos sat down heavily in the booth and pulled out his omnipad. “I’ve had a word with my friend in the Interior. She’s pulled the warrant for your brother, and I’ve withdrawn the charges I filed.”
Andy froze and turned around slowly. The only sound was the sizzle and pop of the eggs and chorizo that he’d added to them in the skillet. “You mean… it’s done? He can come home?” A wave of light headed euphoria swept over Andy and he swayed with the gentle rocking of the boat. “I will pay you back, Doc-”
The doctor held up his hand and stopped Andy. “We’ll call it even, but there’s something… I was able to get my hands on this,” Andy watched as the doctor swiped something towards his omnipad and it dinged. “What is it if I may-”
“Are you really asking an Indian to tell you a story? Because it’s going to be a long one if you are.” “I’m Sevastutavan, young man; we invented long stories.”
Andy froze and stared at the screen of his omnipad. The Vatikre was heavily accented, and Andy had a bit of trouble with the unfamiliar accent, but centered in the frame in a hospital room, sitting in a wheelchair, was a Salishian boy. Andy blinked in surprise as he stared at the screen. “Is that-”
“I am Ikw’is’hi’ehlah, and this bearer is… of the Orca Clan Sheloksets. I drove our Haida enemies onto the rocks and took many heads when they attacked our winter village on Orcas Island. I signed the Treaty with the Great White Father and I fought against the slavers of the south-”
Andy wanted to grab the omnipad but the smell of overcooking eggs brought his attention back to breakfast and Andy stirred and scrapped the food quickly, trying to save it.
“I asked her for any materials she could give me on your brother. Pictures, recordings, anything. This is what she gave me. It's the last known recording of your brother during an interrogation conducted by a Navy Commissar prior to his escape. It seems he made friends with a Pod of Deaths Head Commandos. Quite a bit of the recording has been redacted, but… there are portions of it where he talks about his family and his history. I thought you might like to have it.”
Andy hurriedly pulled out paper plates and a slice of bread for everyone and scooped a heaping portion of the chorizo eggs onto them. He handed the doctor his before leaning out the cabin door. “Slop’s on, come and get it!”
Andy sat down after moving the shotgun out of the way and started the video over again as the three women came back to grab their plates and lost himself watching his brother start telling his story.
“What’s that?” Andy heard Kalai ask over his shoulder, and he paused the video.
“That’s my brother! That’s Kay Tee!”
“Holy shit, what?” Jackie nearly shoved Kalai into Andy as she jammed her bread slice down her gullet and crowded in to see the screen.
Andy started the video over a second time and they watched in silence. “God, that brings back memories. Back when mom was still alive and before we broke up the warband. I can’t believe that slippery little punk ghosted a pod of Commandos for two fucking years! Holy shit, that’s badass!”
Before Andy could say anything, Sakalbi started coughing and brought the binoculars up. “Uh, Andy? Jackie? What do we do about sharks?”
Jackie looked at Andy in confusion. “Sharks? There’s nothing but Dogs around here.”
“Well those are shark fins and they’re charging the net!” Sakalbi pointed and Andy looked up to see dorsal fins charging the center of the net.
Andy looked at Jackie and spoke the same words in tandem, “Oh shit!”
First:
https://www.reddit.com/Sexyspacebabes/comments/yz0u3h/the_cryptid_chronicle_chapter_1/
Previous:
https://www.reddit.com/Sexyspacebabes/comments/13nh0oe/cryptid_chronicle_chapter_29/
Next:
To be posted 6/4/23
submitted by Kazevenikov to Sexyspacebabes [link] [comments]
A special thanks to my editors LordHenry7898, RandomTinkerer, Swimming_Good_8507, CatsInTrenchcoats, and KLiCKonthat.
And a big thanks to the authors and their stories that inspired me to tell my own in this universe. RandomTinkerer (City Slickers and Hayseeds), Punnynfunny (Denied Operations), CompassWithHat (Top Lasgun), CarCU131 (The Cook), and Rhion-618 (Just One Drop)
Hy’shq’e Ay Si’am (Thank you noble friends)
Chapter 30: A Promise Kept
Kalai stepped off the shuttle to the Vaida’s headquarters and into a running tackle-hug from Sitry. “Oh Kalai, I could kill you right now! You got to see the Great Barrier Reef in person, you bitch!” Sitry’s cheerful voice was muffled from where she was still buried in her chest. Kalai staggered backwards a pace or two, happy to be back from her whirlwind adventure around Earth with her father.
Naranjo and Papa Rhaxiid were there on the platform to welcome her back too, but their welcomes were more sedate.
“Not to mention you got out of work for half our damn trip. Ugh, it’s so not fair!” Naranjo huffed as Kalai gave him a sisterly hug.
Papa Rhaxiid reached up and chucked her chin before turning to lead the way back inside from the forested platform. “Welcome back, sweet-sprout, we’ve missed you. Come on, we’ll get you settled again and off to work. There’s quite a bit you need to catch up on if you want your credits.”
The chuckles from the twins behind her were full of sibling malice, but she knew how to shut the pair of them up. “Papa Rhaxiid? I’ve got the paper on Biodiversity in the Reef you asked for, along with the dissection report and stomach content analysis of the tuna we caught. I want to put the finishing touches on it and do a final proofread first before I send them to you.” The man turned and gave her a warm smile as they entered the building.
“Good, why don’t you go take your things back up and say hello to Andy? I’ll give you an hour and a half to get freshened up, then I want you to report to Aquarium 12 with Dr. Sor’ansa. You can put your snorkeling practice to work there.” Papa Rhaxiid walked the three of them to the residential elevator. “I’m heading back to my office. Andy’s been requested by Maetro Pae’ella to work the kitchens for something called ‘Bison burgers'. Apparently it’s a type of indigenous bovine that the eastern Bands raise. That and something from Europe called ‘French Fries’.”
Kalai couldn’t help but get excited as she and her siblings piled into the elevator back to their little shared apartment. Sure the food she’d had all over the place was good, but so far nothing had been able to compare to Andy and his Salishian cooking.
“Nerd, I can’t believe you cheated and did work on your vacation." Naranjo broke the silence of the elevator after a little bit and stuck his tongue out at her.
“Spit to windward, you vain little weed. Don’t hate me because I’m awesome.” Kalai’s riposte caused Naranjo to fold his arms and huff. Sitry simply ambushed her with an ear flick.
The elevator door opened to their floor before Kalai couldn’t bear the silence from Sitry any longer. “So, did you bag him yet, you lucky bitch?”
“No she hasn’t!” Naranjo’s singsong mockery of his sister interrupted Sitry’s response. “Papa hasn’t let Sitry even NEAR Andy without one of them around!”
“Rub it in, you snitch, besides, he did kiss me first,” Sitry preened happily as she playfully shoved Kalai’s shoulder.
Kalai pretended to stumble and almost caught Sitry’s foot, but she was just a hair too slow. “Yeah, and then you gave him a black eye, you clod.”
“Will you let it go? It was an accident!”
“It’s not even the only one he got either." Naranjo’s interjection stopped her right in front of their door.
“Wait, what? Who hurt him this time?” Kalai let her bag thunk to the floor as she turned to look accusingly between Sitry and Narny.
Sitry folded her arms and her ears twitched back as she shot a dark look at their door. “He ‘fell down’ yesterday while out at one of the Hatcheries we gave to the Hwatcoms. Mrs. Toloui nearly had a fit! She said she could smell another human on him and that he was covered in blood!”
Narny nodded primly as Kalai tried to process what they were telling her. “WHAT? Did she call out the militia? Track down whoever hurt him?”
“No, and he refused treatment and insisted that no one did it to him! When papa tried to talk to him, Andy said some stupid human macho shit about pain healing and birds liking scars. I don’t know, sometimes humans… they’re frickin’ insane!”
The door shot open and there stood Andy. His left eye was an angry puffy yellow and blue mess, and there were three points on his lips where a dark cinnabar line marked a crack. Kalai and her siblings stood in wide eyed shock at his sudden appearance and the only sound was the music emanating from the common room behind him.
Andy looked up and down at the three without saying a word. He cocked an eyebrow and snagged Kalai’s bag before any of them could react and cleared the doorway for them.
Kalai sputtered at the impropriety but Naranjo and Sitry just shrugged and walked in after Andy. “Femboys, am I right?” Narny whispered to Kalai as he passed. Kalai followed behind and was greeted by the white fluff-ball, Puck, who hopped up and down, whining for attention. She bent down and started scratching his ears and back. While Puck rubbed up against her hands, Andy settled back down at the table where his omnipad was hooked up to a keypad. Her heart started to sink a bit and Kalai shot Sitry a jealous look before the music came to a sudden halt and Andy interrupted the beginnings of her pity party.
“Ok, Kem’ira, I got the pics now and I’m telling you to declare yourself to the farmers first! I guarantee if you tell them you’re with the new DNR and you’re there to kill all the Scotch Broom in their pasture lands, they’ll stop trying to shoot you for trespassing!”
Kalai’s mood jumped up a bit. It’s not that he doesn’t care to see me, he’s in a meeting!
“No, no I’m not coming out to talk this over with them, I’ve got my own work to do! Either you start talking to folks like I showed you how, or ask the militia to give you one of their armored catsuits to wear under your uniform… Uh-huh, good luck." Andy hung up on the call and leaned back as Puck scampered over and hopped up in his lap.
Andy rubbed his temples before shaking his head. He seemed to relax a bit and Puck slid off to follow Sitry to the kitchen. Andy looked over and gave Kalai a happy smile that made her flush. “Welcome back! So how was the land down under? That tuna was fan-frickin’-tastic, if you aren’t sick of seafood I’ll do something fancy with it tomorrow to celebrate your coming back. Can’t tonight though, I got volun-told to be head chef tonight and I… Oh damnit! I’m late! Come to dinner, burgers and fries Indian style tonight. Gotta run!” With that, Andy went dashing out the door with Puck barking and scrambling along after him.
Kalai felt her heart sink back down again, as he left. “Andy I-” She started but he was gone.
“Yeah, it’s been like that for the whole week. The only time we get to hang out is dinner.” Sitry commiserated as she took Kalai’s bag into their room. “On the other hand, we might get to catch up during the family meal tonight.”
Kalai and Narny were already silently plotting with each other for their revenge against their sister who had won and refused to share the last few matchsticks when Andy finally joined their table. He was sweaty and he smelled of woodsmoke and french fries. Kalai jumped up and offered him a seat next to her with a nervous smile. He took it gratefully and seemed to sag a bit as he gulped down a glass of water.
“Andy, I think you may be finding your calling as a culinary ambassador,” Mama Aftasia beamed. “A toast to the chef!”
Andy gave a shy smile and looked down as Kalai and the rest of the family gave a hearty ‘Here, here!”
“It’s a simple enough recipe; it’s just using bison instead of cow, that’s all, and I don’t know anyone who’d turn down hand cut fresh fries. It’s kind of hard to screw up.”
“Young man, you are speaking to a woman who found a way to take cold water and dried wumpa flakes and wind up with a Class-4 fire. Cooking has always seemed like ‘blight mysticism’ to me, and these foods? These flavors? Nothing short of a Greenwood miracle in my opinion." Mama Aftasia continued her praise of Andy, which only caused him to shrink even lower in his seat.
“To be honest, I like your salmon better,” Kalai said, and the whole table went silent. Kalai held her ground though, and was rewarded with a tired but genuine laugh from Andy that brought him back out of his shell.
“You know, I do too. My Clan were fisherpeople, not buffalo chasers.” Andy gave Kalai a cheeky grin, which she returned happily, her heart glowing. Mama Aftasia and Mama Sakalbi both blinked in bemusement at Andy’s statement while Sitry just giggled.
“Speaking of which, Andy, I received a call from Elder Alex Hwatcom.” Papa Rhaxiid’s change of subject instantly perked Andy up, and he stared silently, waiting. “He extended an invitation to our family to attend his family gathering this Friday-”
“Alex said that? He used those words?” Andy shook his head in shock as he interrupted Papa Rhaxiid. The table went quiet and everyone held their breath as they looked between the two men.
Papa Rhaxiid adopted as good an impression of the human Elder as he could. “I’d like to extend an invitation for you and your family to be guests at our family gathering this saturday up at the White… something… lodge-”
“The White Ram Lodge?” Andy sat forward, interjecting again as the color drained from his face.
“Yes, that’s the one! I asked if we could bring anything since the last time they hosted us they put on that wonderful spread. He said if we could bring a few salmon for the family, that would be wonderful.”
Andy leaned back and took another sip of ice water before holding the glass to his blackened eye. “Alex Hwatcom… just invited you… to a gathering… and he told you to ‘bring a few salmon’? Do you realize what a huge honor this is?”
Rhaxiid looked from his wives to his children with mild concern. “Um, I thought it was only dinner, but your reaction tells me there’s more significance to this than I originally thought. I was thinking about our stocks of adult Sockeye, but then I remembered in his story how important King Salmon are. Of course, I’d like to defer to you for the choice since you know these animals and the cultural expectations with this invitation better than we do.”
Andy was silent for a moment before he put the glass down. “I’d recommend a ‘hard no’ to all your clone stock!” Now it was the Vaidas’ turn to be shocked, as each of Kalai’s Erbian family’s jaws dropped in synch. Before anyone could say anything, Andy continued, “You need to bring wild-caught. Farm-raised salmon wouldn’t… well we can tell, and you can taste the difference between them. We need to go fishing!” Kalai leaned towards Andy slightly as he lowered his head and started mumbling to himself. She was just able to make out what he was saying to himself as Mama Sakalbi and Mama Aftasia began whispering to each other. “...need to get the Gillnetter out of storage, check what’s running and select the mesh. I’m gonna need a deckhand too.”
Kalai reached a hand out but stopped short of touching him. “Andy?”
He popped up and spoke for the whole table to hear. “I need a shuttle to the mainland and a waiver against the fishing ban. I’ve got to get my boat and the drum ready for sea ” Rhaxiid and Aftasia sputtered in confusion, but Mama Sakalbi had a shadow fall over her, and her ears pulled back.
“Do you mean to say you want to go out on the water? Risk the ecological balance for… dinner?”
Andy looked Sakalbi dead in the eye and gave her a firm nod. “Why don’t you come out and see how we did this before you got here. Think of it as a chance to see the way we’ve fished for the last hundred or so years, and then I can explain the way we used to fish before that.”
The offer snapped Rhaxiid out of his confusion and he brightened. “A learning experience? Wonderful, we’ll make a day of it!” His hands shot out to grab both his wives’ and Kalai could feel the vibrations in the floor from where he was excitedly tapping his feet.
“If you don’t mind hard, smelly work. Uncle Willy always called it ‘the worst desk in the prettiest office.' It’ll be a bit cramped, but I’ve got room on the boat for a few guests and observers; four I think would be ok. She’s a working boat, not a pleasure cruiser,” Andy explained. That sent the whole lot of them excitedly talking among themselves.
Kalai was about to lean in to talk to Mama Aftasia, but Andy caught her attention first. “I don’t suppose you’d want to go back out on the water, given you just got back from pleasure-boating-”
Kalai’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. “I wouldn’t miss it for my own colony planet!”
--------------------
Kalai stood on the pier, bundled in her thermal sailor’s coat. It was still dark and the wind blew from the north in a cold little morning breeze. Kalai took a deep breath and reveled in the smell of the fresh sea air. The soft chattering of Mama Sakalbi’s teeth broke the silence. “It’s a bit chillier than it said it was going to be.”
“The water always does that. It’s never as warm as the lubbers say it’ll be,” Papa spoke as he handed her back her thermos of hot chocolate.
Papa stood next to Kalai and nudged her with his elbow. Even in the dark, Kalai could see him smile up at her and jerk his head at the shivering Erbian. He was also wearing a thermal sailor’s coat, and his hands were stuffed in his pockets to keep them warm, just like Kalai’s. “Landswoman,” he whispered to her and the two of them shared a knowing smile. It was strange, but welcome when she'd told Papa about her upcoming day fishing with Andy, and he’d politely requested to join them. Papa Rhaxiid had graciously given his spot up to accommodate her birth father. Narny was all for it until Andy had explained what they were going to do, but then surrendered his challenge to the fourth guest space, not wanting to go anywhere NEAR anything that could see him come face to face with a Lion’s Mane Jelly. Sitry had done a happy little dance when she found out, but only yesterday had come down with Thistle Fever, and was bundled off to bed by her parents. It left Kalai, Mama Sakalbi, and Papa to accompany Andy on his fishing trip.
The water brushed against the shore behind them quietly. In the gloom, Kalai could just barely make out the outline of the nearest island mountain, but only because the stars had disappeared behind it. It was almost four in the morning, but Kalai had managed a catnap on the shuttle to the empty little lot that had been the boat launch. Aside from the water, the world was silent. Even the breeze made almost no noise and a sense of peace surrounded them. Everything was so calm, Kalai felt like she didn’t have a care in the world.
In the distance, a low rumbling sound of a motor rose from being almost imperceptible to a rolling drum of thunder. From around the point, two green floating lights sped through the darkness, and a spotlight turned on. The beam of light moved jerkily until it came to rest on the pier where they were standing and Kalai started waving her arms. Sakalbi’s omnipad rang, and Andy’s voice shouted over the speaker and the background noise for them to shine a light on the edge of the pier to help him park the boat.
Kalai and Papa moved closer and turned their omnipad flashlights on and waved them as the boat swung gracefully around and glided in alongside them. Kalai caught the rope that flew over the railing of the boat and she heard more than saw Andy moving around on the deck as she tied off on one of the mooring cleats. Several lights clicked on and the deck was bathed in light enough for Kalai to get a clear view of the boat they’d be spending the day on.
Andy hadn’t lied. Kalai saw that this little vessel was a working boat with no frills at all. When he’d told her they’d be going fishing, she’d envisioned something like the charter boat papa had taken her on out of Nantucket. Sporty, fast with a nod to comfort and function. This was not that at all. A giant wheel as wide as Kalai’s outstretched arms that looked like a sideways spool of thread was secured to the deck amidships and dominated the deckspace. Wrapped around it was a fluorescent green tangle with a line of oblong white and yellow corks and rope. There was a covered hatchway sitting behind the drum in front of the raised step to the enclosed cabin. Two large windows let the light out to two children’s bunks, a little table with a booth seat and a raised captain’s chair in front of the helm and engine controls. Andy shut down the engine and that peaceful stillness returned.
“Oway there!” Kalai called, “ship oway! Request permission to come aboard.” Kalai gave the traditional greeting of a Shil’vati sailor.
“Permission granted! Anyone need a stepstool?” Andy finally stepped into the light and Kalai got a look at him. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and the same bright orange coveralls she’d seen the fishmongers wearing on their date.
“I wouldn’t mind a hand, Mr. Shelokset.” Papa He’osforos braced a foot on the railing of the boat and Andy pulled him up.
“Just call me Andy, Doc, and welcome aboard. Jackie should be along any minute now with the day’s groceries, and the cabin’s out of the cold. You can get yourself set wherever you find comfortable.” Papa nodded and disappeared around the other side of the wheel moving towards the bow.
Kalai helped Mama Sakalbi into the boat next, and she quickly ducked into the cabin that took up the entire stern section save for a little ledge that ran along the outside. Andy gripped Kalai’s hand and she smiled as he pulled her deftly aboard. The boat rocked a little on its mooring, and Kalai almost fell into Andy, who wordlessly put his arms around her waist to catch her as she lost her balance. She flailed for a moment before she steadied herself against him.
“Gotcha,” Andy smiled, and Kalai could see him flush almost as much as she could feel herself doing as their noses almost touched. Those big dark brown eyes surrounded by white orbs drew her in and she felt she could lose herself in them. Kalai started as Andy danced her around him and moved her towards the cabin door.
“It might be a little cramped for you in there, but the Mary Jean wasn’t built for pleasure boating, she’s a working girl. Sit tight, I gotta check a few things in the back.” Andy patted the railing affectionately before he hopped up and scooted along the outside of the cabin towards the stern. Kalai couldn’t help the little longing groan that came out as he left her there on the little tiny quarterdeck. Her heart was hammering in her chest as half formed fantasies danced at the edges of her mind.
“I saw that, little minnow.” Papa’s voice was soft, but his tone and the sudden broken silence nearly gave her a heart attack.
Kalai could only stammer as her father stared at her with a cocked eyebrow. A thump from the cabin window behind saw an amused Mama Sakalbi daintily sipping at her thermos with her ears twitched forward in interest, staring out at her. “Papa I… he-”
Papa moved carefully around the covered hatchway to stand next to her, leaning back against the cabin window and heaved a sigh. “I must say I’m surprised. This lovely man’s got good clean lines and is very well cared for. It speaks well of his Skipper.”
It took a full minute for Kalai’s brain to process that he was talking about the boat and not Andy. “And the way Andy brought him in smooth in near complete darkness? It gives me confidence in his abilities.”
Kalai breathed a silent sigh of relief and exasperation. Although she was happy to be spending more time with her father, bringing him on what she’d hoped would be a sailing date wasn’t exactly what she’d had in mind for ‘family time’. He wants me to find a nice young man and spend time with him on a boat, but the first chance I get Papa decides to clam-jam me.
From up on shore, the sound and lights of a large human vehicle screeching to a halt heralded the last of their party to arrive. Kalai heard the clomping footsteps coming down the pier and moved to the railing to lend a hand.
“Ahoy Mary Jean! Raggedy Andy, you there?” Kalai stared with wide eyed surprise to see a human female, loaded down with plastic bags and sporting two human weapons on her shoulder. The two of them locked eyes, and while Kalai didn’t understand everything the girl shouted in surprise, she had caught and understood the phrase, “What the fuck?”
“Easy now, they’re my guests, and the one inside is the boss!” Andy appeared on the pier instantly before either Kalai or the woman could react further.
“Ya didn’t tell me we were having pur-” The woman glared at Kalai and her father. She had switched to Vatikre thankfully, but her tone was hostile as she dropped everything but her weapons. “I mean, hwun’eetums, aboard. A gal could get the wrong idea pretty quick in the dark when there’s no warning.”
“Knock it off Jackie. Let’s get the grub aboard and shove off.” Andy picked up some of the bags and took the guns as Kalai offered a helping hand over the railing. “Oh, Kalai, this is Jackie. Jackie? Kalai. That’s her dad over there, Doc He’osforos. He saw and treated Kay Tee a few years back.” Andy jerked his head towards the direction of Kalai’s father as she held out a hand to the human girl. On a quick inspection, she appeared to be about the same age as her and Andy. She had a round face and was about as dark complected as Andy was. She was shorter, only a few inches taller than Papa, but when Jackie grabbed Kalai’s hand to hop up onto the rail, she could feel the strength and the compact muscle hidden by the baggy sweatshirt and pants.
“Wait a minute, did you say Mini-Me over there saw Kay Tee? You’re fuckin’ with me!” Jackie stumbled a bit as she hopped down onto the deck with a loud thunk and advanced on Papa who shrank away at her advance. “You saw li’l Kay Tee? Where the fuck is he? Is he alright? Is he still fighting the good fight?”
“Last I saw, yes, he was ‘fighting the good fight.’” Papa looked over at Andy with a slightly worried expression. Andy smacked the girl in the back of the head, causing her to flinch and she opened the door to the cabin for Andy to go inside.
Jackie rubbed the back of her head and laughed. “Well that’s a little bit of alright, innit? Maybe today’s gonna be a good day after all!”
“Jackie, get suited up and get on the bow. I need a good pair of eyes on the roller horns,” Kalai heard Andy shout from the cabin, followed by a whole lot of thumping and banging from cabinets being opened and closed.
“You got it, ol’ man. We going to your place or mine?” Jackie sidestepped in and opened a tiny little closet and pulled out a set of rain gear that was identical to what Andy was wearing. Kalai collected herself and stood in the doorway next to her father as they both leaned in.
“Mine; Chuck said the Yaw’much are running from the South. We’ll do a set nor’west of Lummi in the Rosario and see if we can get some Fraser Kings,” Andy replied as he turned the engine back on and the vessel roared to life.
“Chuck? Isn’t that one of your cousins? I didn’t know he could keep track of the movements of Salmon, may I ask how he does it?” Mama Sakalbi perked up as she pulled a set of earplugs out of a pocket and inserted them.
Andy prevaricated a bit, looking from Jackie back to Sakalbi then to Kalai and Papa. “I’d rather not answer that-”
“Breakin’ the law, breakin’ the law! Breakin’ the law, breakin’ the law!”
Jackie began singing a human song, and Andy threw her the dirtiest of looks as she finished getting into the orange coveralls. Mama Sakalbi sputtered as Andy shrugged apologetically.
“Make a hole!” Jackie called, and she and Andy came back out as Kalai and Papa made room for them. Andy hopped back onto the dock to cast off while Papa ducked into the cabin.
“Can I help?” Kalai offered as Andy shoved the vessel off and leapt the gap over the black water below.
“You want to be useful? Come forward! I could use an extra set of eyes!” Jackie called back, and Kalai felt a slap on her shoulder from the boisterous human woman.
------------------
Andy stood at the helm, watching Jackie and Kalai as he leaned to get a better view of them past the Net drum. The bow was lifting up again, and the gentle little swells became like speed bumps, jostling them up and down in a predictable bouncing rhythm.
“Are you sure you couldn’t slow down, Andy? It’s a bit rough, don’t you think?” Sakalbi was hanging on to the table and her thermos with a worried expression on her face.
“I could, but we’ll miss the morning set. We want to bomb out the buoy right when the tide changes. If we’re lucky, then we’ll get around seventy or eighty by slack tide this afternoon and call it a day.”
“How do you know where to fish?” Dr. He’osforos was making a good show of standing and maintaining his balance with his hand on the booth.
“Well, there’s two ways you know. The first is you fish the spots your family’s fished since time began. Every family has about two or three different secret spots that we know there’s fish in, and we’re pretty defensive about their locations. The second is by smell. Right now it’s the tail end of the King season, and you can smell them in the water.” Andy turned and saw the incredulity etched on the faces of the two aliens.
“No, I’m serious! King Salmon slime is really pungent, and you can smell them when they’re close to the surface. We get to the fishing spot and take a deep whiff. If we smell them, we’ll set the nets.” Andy laughed at the disbelief on their faces as the GPS on his omnipad beeped and he turned to sail around the last buoy and head for the fishing ground.
“I’ve never noticed that in any of the Kings we’ve raised-”
Andy suppressed a laugh as they caught a larger swell as they left the lee of Lummi Island. Andy reveled in the feeling of weightlessness as the deck rose up and fell out from underneath their feet, leaving everyone suspended for a moment in midair before falling back down. A massive spray of water rose and washed over the deck, drenching Kalai and Jackie, who were still forward. “Cloned and farmed Kings don’t have that same smell. Wild ones smell and taste different, I’m telling you!” Andy pulled back slightly on the throttle as they climbed the next swell. “Brace!” he called as they climbed and fell once again.
There was a look of fear on Sakalbi’s face as she gripped the table for dear life, but to Andy’s surprise, the Doctor looked completely unfazed, and was handling the rise and fall of the deck like an old salt. “You look like you’ve done this before, Doc.”
“I’ve done a stint or two at sea before,” he spoke, in the same tone Andy would have used when trying not to sound too confident, and Andy smiled.
“Kalai keeps talking about loving the sea and sailing. Did you teach her to sail?”
“Yes, me and her mothers. When they were home, we would take the family yacht out in the Vaascon Straits and sail around the Occidiens. Kalai practically spent all her early childhood on a sailboat.”
“And almost every waking moment on one in Junior Academy. I swear you couldn’t dig her out with a trowel when she wanted to go sailing,” Sakalbi managed to add in a word as the boat slowed, and the dramatic rise and fall of the deck slowed with it.
“What about you, Mr. Shelokset, did your father teach you to sail too?”
“I was too young before he passed. My Great Uncle Willy taught me after I came home, and Grandma took me out to the family fishing sites when she wasn’t busy with the Council. For the first two or three years after they let us come home, fishing was the only way to feed our families, but the Militia and the Cambrians would try and sink our boats or arrest us whenever we tried to go out.”
“And that’s why you’re so good at maneuvering your vessel in the dark with no instruments?” Mrs. Vaida had folded her arms, and her voice twinged with that imperious tone she’d had when they’d first met.
Andy huffed a dry laugh. “I did what I had to for me and my people and to survive, Ma’am. I don’t like breaking the law or dodging lasers and gunfire, but there’s a lot of poor families that need to eat.”
The GPS beeped, and Andy gave Mrs. Vaida a slightly defiant look to counter her furrowed brow. “We’re here,” he said as he threw the engine in neutral and opened the cabin door.
Andy walked out and took a deep breath, but all he could smell was the net and the exhaust from the engine. “HEY JACKIE! WE SMELL MONEY?” Andy yelled out as he took stock of the sky. The first signs of sunrise were chasing all but the morning stars away and a light fog was rolling in from the north.
“FUCK YEAH I CAN SMELL ‘EM, ANDY! LET’S BOMB OUT AND GET BREAKFAST GOING!” Jackie looked slightly manic as she smiled brightly. Kalai, on the other hand, looked wet and miserable as she shivered, arms wrapped around herself. Andy gave his cousin a disgusted look as he pieced together what had happened. Every deckhand learned when to duck behind the raised bow and the roller horns that guided the nets so as not to get a faceful of spray when cutting through a swell. It was also a classic hazing trick for Senior Deckhands to let Junior Deckhands learn this the hard way.
Andy moved forward to stand in front of the two of them. Kalai was trying to squeeze her coat dry, but Andy knew it wouldn’t do much good until the sun came out. Jackie at least had the sense to look a little remorseful. “Kalai, why don’t you go sit in the cabin and get out of that wet coat. It’s cold enough out here even for us-”
“No way, Andy. Junior deckhand Kally here wants to impress you and get her dainty soft hands dirty! She’s been bragging about being a sailorwoman and wants to learn to fish ‘your way!” Jackie gave Kalai’s shoulder a wet slap as the poor alien woman went blue. Out of cold or embarrassment, Andy couldn’t tell.
All Andy could do was shake his head and huff. “Ok then! Secure the buoy and sling on my mark. I’ll get us in position!” Andy couldn’t help but chuckle as he heard Jackie start ordering Kalai about. Andy went back into the cabin and looked in the closet/bathroom to see if there was anything hanging up that he could give Kalai. There was only the one rain slicker and a few of Andy’s old sweaters from when he was a lot smaller. Well, looks like I’ll just be cold today. He quickly stripped out of his sweatshirt and grabbed the slicker before throwing a switch on the main control. Dr. He’osforos and Mrs. Vaida threw him quizzical looks as he went back outside wearing less than when he came in. He was down to a sleeveless shirt and his coveralls, and the morning breeze cut right through him and he braced his jaw to keep it from chattering.
“We’re ready to go- Andy, why are you practically naked from the waist up?” Kalai was staring wide eyed at him as he approached her and Jackie was on the bow. Jackie had everything ready; the buoy line was strung through the horns and ready to toss out. A giant orange and blue beach ball sized float hung at the end of the line to mark the end and make it easier to pick up later.
“Trade me your coat for these. If Jackie’s putting you to work, you’ll need these to keep warm.”
“I’m alright, I can-”
“I’m the Skipper of this boat, and I’m ordering you to take off that wet coat and put these on; and Jackie?” Andy gave his cousin a long and piercing look. “Give her the elbow gloves, not the halfsies.”
The scoff and the muttered Salishian profanities meant he’d read the next prank she’d had in mind right. She was planning on giving her the cloth gloves with only the palms and fingers coated in rubber. While perfectly fine for fishing, Andy knew they tended to get soaked through very quickly and did nothing to keep jellyfish stingers and fish slime off your hands. Kalai sputtered for a moment before she complied gratefully and she accepted the dry clothes and rain slicker.
Andy saw Jackie give him a strange look before looking back at Kalai, but he paid it no mind. He walked back to the controls on the drum and switched off the hydraulics, placing the mechanism in neutral. “SLING IT!” Andy called as he took the small jerry rigged steering wheel and threw the boat in reverse. Kalai jumped as the line started unspooling the net into the water at a rapid pace.
Andy set an ‘S’ bend in the quarter mile long net, zigzagging backwards until they came to the end of the line. Andy stopped the boat as Jackie tied off the other large buoy and tossed it over the side, unstringing the cork-line from the roller horns in the process. He pulled hard over and put a bit of distance from the net before shutting the engine down. The line of white and yellow corks marking the net bobbed lazily with the swells as silence settled over the water again. The waves rocked the boat gently as Andy found his sea legs again.
“Alright, I’ll get breakfast going. Jackie, Kalai? Post the watch for seals,” Andy called as he walked back into the cabin to fire up the tiny little gas stove.
Sakalbi, having found the confidence to stand at last, poked her head out of the cabin and stood on by the hatch to the fish hold. “Seals? Why would you need to watch for seals?”
Andy grit his teeth and looked over from where he was cracking open and scrambling eggs. “They’re the spawn of Satan and we hate their guts!” Andy bit out. Jackie came back and pulled the two shotguns and a pair of binoculars from the closet. Andy reached over to a side cabinet and pulled out a box of shells for them. Both his boss and the Doctor’s eyes got wide.
“Seals are the enemy of our blood. Were it not for the invasion, our unending war against these vermin would continue to this day!” Jackie growled as she loaded one for herself and rested the other on Andy’s seat at the helm.
The look of growing horror on Sakalbi’s face towards their facetious declarations caused Andy to chuckle a bit, before launching into an explanation. “We’re not fans of the species because they’ll wait until a fish gets caught in the net and then they’ll steal it, costing us a fish AND ripping a big hole in our nets that we then have to take time to repair. We use the shotguns and buckshot to give them a nice welt and convince them not to hang around, because they’ll wait up on the surface and watch the buoys, just like us. A single seal can and will take between five and ten fish. The worst is when they start getting full, they’ll just bite out the bellies of a salmon in the net. We can’t really do anything with that fish once it’s ‘seal-bit’. So yes, as fishermen, we hate them.”
“Learned opportunism in apex predators as a response to human activity… I think I’ll go see this behavior for myself!” Sakalbi practically rushed out the door towards the bow where Jackie was sitting on the roller horns explaining to Kalai how to spot the bastards, leaving Andy alone in the cabin with the Doctor while he cooked breakfast for them all.
Dr. He’osforos sat down heavily in the booth and pulled out his omnipad. “I’ve had a word with my friend in the Interior. She’s pulled the warrant for your brother, and I’ve withdrawn the charges I filed.”
Andy froze and turned around slowly. The only sound was the sizzle and pop of the eggs and chorizo that he’d added to them in the skillet. “You mean… it’s done? He can come home?” A wave of light headed euphoria swept over Andy and he swayed with the gentle rocking of the boat. “I will pay you back, Doc-”
The doctor held up his hand and stopped Andy. “We’ll call it even, but there’s something… I was able to get my hands on this,” Andy watched as the doctor swiped something towards his omnipad and it dinged. “What is it if I may-”
“Are you really asking an Indian to tell you a story? Because it’s going to be a long one if you are.” “I’m Sevastutavan, young man; we invented long stories.”
Andy froze and stared at the screen of his omnipad. The Vatikre was heavily accented, and Andy had a bit of trouble with the unfamiliar accent, but centered in the frame in a hospital room, sitting in a wheelchair, was a Salishian boy. Andy blinked in surprise as he stared at the screen. “Is that-”
“I am Ikw’is’hi’ehlah, and this bearer is… of the Orca Clan Sheloksets. I drove our Haida enemies onto the rocks and took many heads when they attacked our winter village on Orcas Island. I signed the Treaty with the Great White Father and I fought against the slavers of the south-”
Andy wanted to grab the omnipad but the smell of overcooking eggs brought his attention back to breakfast and Andy stirred and scrapped the food quickly, trying to save it.
“I asked her for any materials she could give me on your brother. Pictures, recordings, anything. This is what she gave me. It's the last known recording of your brother during an interrogation conducted by a Navy Commissar prior to his escape. It seems he made friends with a Pod of Deaths Head Commandos. Quite a bit of the recording has been redacted, but… there are portions of it where he talks about his family and his history. I thought you might like to have it.”
Andy hurriedly pulled out paper plates and a slice of bread for everyone and scooped a heaping portion of the chorizo eggs onto them. He handed the doctor his before leaning out the cabin door. “Slop’s on, come and get it!”
Andy sat down after moving the shotgun out of the way and started the video over again as the three women came back to grab their plates and lost himself watching his brother start telling his story.
“What’s that?” Andy heard Kalai ask over his shoulder, and he paused the video.
“That’s my brother! That’s Kay Tee!”
“Holy shit, what?” Jackie nearly shoved Kalai into Andy as she jammed her bread slice down her gullet and crowded in to see the screen.
Andy started the video over a second time and they watched in silence. “God, that brings back memories. Back when mom was still alive and before we broke up the warband. I can’t believe that slippery little punk ghosted a pod of Commandos for two fucking years! Holy shit, that’s badass!”
Before Andy could say anything, Sakalbi started coughing and brought the binoculars up. “Uh, Andy? Jackie? What do we do about sharks?”
Jackie looked at Andy in confusion. “Sharks? There’s nothing but Dogs around here.”
“Well those are shark fins and they’re charging the net!” Sakalbi pointed and Andy looked up to see dorsal fins charging the center of the net.
Andy looked at Jackie and spoke the same words in tandem, “Oh shit!”
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To be posted 6/4/23
2023.05.28 04:51 Junior_Button5882 11 Terrifying-But-True Horror Stories Reported in the News - From fatal exorcisms to unexplained deaths and devil worship—these are some real-life nightmares.
A terrifying movie or book or show gets your blood pumping in the moment of consumption, sure—we covered our eyes in Squid Game with the rest of the world. But for the most part, you rest easy afterward knowing that what you've witnessed is fiction, deliberately spun up to creep you out. When the real world gets eerier than anything Stephen King could dream up, that's when you have every right to get a little scared of the dark.
Once in a while, a story of a dreadful disappearance, demonic possession, or devil worship will land in the local paper instead of a pulpy old paperback. We've rounded up the most unnerving real-life tales below. In honor of spooky season, here are eleven we can't stop thinking about.
But in November of 2014, the haunting took a darker turn. Robert Steven Laursen Jr., 37, of Rhinelander, Wisconsin was on a regular recreational paranormal visit with friends when true horror struck. Per VICE:
Laursen recovered from his injuries, but has never spoken publicly about what occurred that day. For Martha Linn, the owner of the home, the incident was very upsetting. "It's publicity, but it's not exactly the kind of publicity you desire to have. I don't want people thinking that when they come to the Villisca Axe Murder House something's going to happen that's going to make them do something like that.” The house remains open for tourist visits and overnight stays today.
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Per KPRC2 Houston News:
At that point, Elsa ceased to sing the English rendition of “Let It Go” altogether, speaking only Spanish when pressed. The family then double-bagged the bizarre doll and placed it at the bottom of their garbage which was taken out on garbage day. They went on a trip shortly after, but when they returned, Elsa too had come back, and was waiting in the backyard of their home.
This time, the family mailed Elsa to a family friend in Minnesota, who taped the haunted doll to the front bumper of his truck. It doesn’t seem to have made its way back to Houston yet, as per Madonia’s latest February Facebook update on the creepy doll.
As the BBC reported:
As The Independent reported:
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The BBC reported:
📷Witches prepare themselves for a journey by broomstick to the Black Mountain, circa 1650. From a 17th century Dutch copperplate by Adrianus Hubertus.Hulton Archive
As Fox reported:
The Washington Post notes on the magic:
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Soon after, she was arrested for abuse of seven of her former students, as the Tampa Bay Times reported:
NBC reported:
They had nothing. That February, LAPD released elevator surveillance footage of Lam before her disappearance. The footage shows Lam behaving strangely in the elevator, appearing to talk with invisible people, peering around the corner of the door, crouching in the corner, and opening and closing the door. But what exactly is going on in this video raises more questions than answers. Theories range from psychotic episodes, to demonic possession, to unknown assailants just out of the camera's view:
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Around that time, hotel guests started reported weird things happening with the Cecil Hotel water supply. As CNN reports:
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One of the more chilling sections of the report includes a segment about the possessed 9-year-old:
For a year, no one knew exactly what happened to the family, or what would drive the parents to do something so unthinkable. In January, police released more chilling details in the case. According to accounts from family members and an investigation by police, the parents were driven by a belief that the apocalypse was coming and an obsession with a convicted killer. As the Washington Post reported:
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Seven years later, in 1981, he allegedly committed a murder in France—shooting and eating a fellow University student, Renée Hartevelt. Issei creepily documented the entire experience with photographs and he was captured by authorities once again while attempting to dump the rest of her body in the Bois de Boulogne lake. He was deported back to Japan and committed to a mental institution. For reason unknown, his psychologists in Japan declared that he was sane. Furthermore, a legal technicality involving the French government refusing to turn over the documents from his case meant that his murder charges were dropped completely. He checked himself out of the mental hospital and has reportedly been walking the streets as a free man ever since. Issei has even become a controversial celebrity, writing over 20 books. According to Japan Today, he most recently fantasized about an unnamed TV actress, saying:
"I'll catch a glimpse of her thigh and think, 'That sure looks tasty.' But I don't feel like I actually want to eat it. As I accomplished the act of cannibalism once, there's no meaning to maintaining the desire for it anymore. In my book, I wrote that it [human flesh] was tasty, but that was not really true; I'd much rather eat Matsuzaka (Kobe) beef. But because I'd desired to consume human flesh for so long, I'd managed to convince myself that it would necessarily be delicious."
Issei Sagawa was also referenced in the Rolling Stones song "Too Much Blood," with the lyrics reading: "And when he ate her he took her bones/To the Bois de Boulogne." He is currently 73 years old and continues to live in Kawaski City, Japan. To this day, no one knows why France did not allow Japan to give him a trial.
📷MATT MILLER
submitted by Junior_Button5882 to cryptid_world [link] [comments]
Once in a while, a story of a dreadful disappearance, demonic possession, or devil worship will land in the local paper instead of a pulpy old paperback. We've rounded up the most unnerving real-life tales below. In honor of spooky season, here are eleven we can't stop thinking about.
The Axe Murder House
The Villisca Axe Murder House in Villisca, Iowa is a well-known tourist attraction for ghost hunters and horror lovers alike. The site of a gruesome unsolved 1912 murder, in which six children and two adults had their skulls completely crushed by the axe of an unknown perpetrator, was purchased in 1994, restored to its 1912 condition, and converted into a tourist destination. It costs $428 a night to stay at the old haunted home, where visitors always report strange paranormal experiences, such as visions of a man with an axe roaming the halls or the faint screams of children.But in November of 2014, the haunting took a darker turn. Robert Steven Laursen Jr., 37, of Rhinelander, Wisconsin was on a regular recreational paranormal visit with friends when true horror struck. Per VICE:
His companions found him stabbed in the chest—an apparently self-inflicted wound—called 9-1-1, and Laursen was brought to a nearby hospital before being helicoptered to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha.The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said Laursen suffered the self-inflicted injury at about 12:45 a.m., which is around the same time the 1912 axe murders in the house began.
Laursen recovered from his injuries, but has never spoken publicly about what occurred that day. For Martha Linn, the owner of the home, the incident was very upsetting. "It's publicity, but it's not exactly the kind of publicity you desire to have. I don't want people thinking that when they come to the Villisca Axe Murder House something's going to happen that's going to make them do something like that.” The house remains open for tourist visits and overnight stays today.
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The Haunted Doll
When you think of haunted dolls, it’s likely the creepy old Victorian-looking porcelain kind that springs to mind. None of which you probably have laying around. Still, don’t get too comfortable around any kids toys too soon, though: a Disney’s Frozen Elsa doll that was gifted for Christmas 2013 in the Houston area made headlines earlier this year when it seemingly became haunted.Per KPRC2 Houston News:
The doll recited phrases from the movie Frozen and sang “Let It Go” when a button on its necklace was pressed.The family decided to throw the creepy doll out in December of 2019. Weeks later, they found it inside a bench in their living room. “The kids insisted they didn’t put it there, and I believed them because they wouldn’t have dug through the garbage outside,” Madonia told KPRC2 Houston News.
“For two years it did that in English,” mother Emily Madonia said. “In 2015, it started doing it alternating between Spanish and English. There wasn’t a button that changed these, it was just random."
The family has owned the doll for more than six years and never changed its batteries. The mother says the doll would randomly begin to speak and sing even with its switch turned off.
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📷JOIN NOWAt that point, Elsa ceased to sing the English rendition of “Let It Go” altogether, speaking only Spanish when pressed. The family then double-bagged the bizarre doll and placed it at the bottom of their garbage which was taken out on garbage day. They went on a trip shortly after, but when they returned, Elsa too had come back, and was waiting in the backyard of their home.
This time, the family mailed Elsa to a family friend in Minnesota, who taped the haunted doll to the front bumper of his truck. It doesn’t seem to have made its way back to Houston yet, as per Madonia’s latest February Facebook update on the creepy doll.
A Deadly Exorcism
In August 2016 in North London, 26-year-old Kennedy Ife began acting strange and aggressive following a pain in his throat. He reportedly bit his father, threatened to cut off his own penis, and complained of a python or snake inside of him before his family restrained him to a bed with cable ties and excessive force.As the BBC reported:
“The family then set about attempting to ‘cure’ Kennedy through restraint and prayer over the next three days, the court was told.”His brother, Colin Ife, told police:
“It’s clear that thing was in him, what we believed was a demon because it was not natural. It was clearly trying to kill him,” he said.Kennedy Ife had been bound to his bed for three days without medical attention when his brother called emergency services, explaining that Kennedy Ife was complaining of dehydration. He appeared to have developed breathing issues, and was pronounced dead at 10:17 a.m.
“We had to restrain him for himself. It was clear if we didn’t restrain him, he could have tried to harm people in our family.”
As The Independent reported:
While police were at the house Colin Ife allegedly carried out an “attempted resurrection” by chanting and praying for Mr. Ife.All seven of Kennedy Ife’s family members were accused of manslaughter, false imprisonment, and causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult. A post-mortem examination revealed over 60 wounds including a possible bite on Kennedy Ife’s body, and his father, Kenneth Ife, along with four of his brothers, sustained injuries as well.
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The BBC reported:
Kenneth Ife told jurors he ordered his sons to take shifts and use "overwhelming force" but denied that an "association with cults, occults and secret societies" played any part in the death.After a four day jury deliberation, all seven family members were cleared of charges on March 14, 2019.
📷Witches prepare themselves for a journey by broomstick to the Black Mountain, circa 1650. From a 17th century Dutch copperplate by Adrianus Hubertus.Hulton Archive
Dead Animals in the Walls
When the Bretzuis family decided to insulate their home in Auburn, Pennsylvania in 2015, they discovered that it had already been—with scores of dead animal carcasses.As Fox reported:
The dead animals were wrapped in newspapers from the 1930s and 40s and were among half-used spices, and other items.The expert attributed the rotting animals in their walls to Pow-wow or Dutch magic, a ritual originating in the culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch to treat ailments and gain physical and spiritual protection. The Pennsylvania Dutch were a group of German-speaking settlers to Pennsylvania in the 1600 and 1700’s, and are often of Lutheran, Mennonite, or Amish faiths.
After removing the items they sent hundreds of artifacts and carcasses to an expert in Kutztown.
The Washington Post notes on the magic:
Many of the spells deal with the care of livestock, finding water, or the treatment of minor ailments, reflecting the conditions and concerns of early American settlers.One notable ritual in their tradition is this hex to create loyalty in a dog:
But powwow also has within it a tradition of darker spells, and even of such things as conjuring demons.
To attach a dog to a person, provided nothing else was used before to effect it: Try to draw some of your blood, and let the dog eat it along with his food, and he will stay with you.The mold found on the rotting carcasses in the Bretzuis home has caused illness among the family members, and they say that the odor hasn’t gone away.
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Florida Devil Worshipping
Friends noticed that Danielle Harkins, a 35-year-old schoolteacher near St. Petersburg, Florida, started acting strangely in June of 2012, developing an interest in demonic rituals.Soon after, she was arrested for abuse of seven of her former students, as the Tampa Bay Times reported:
Danielle Harkins told the kids they needed to rid their bodies of demons as the group gathered before dusk Saturday around a small fire near the St. Petersburg Pier. They should cut their skin to let the evil spirits out, police said she told the children. Then, they needed to burn the wounds to ensure that those spirits would not return.The police were notified because a friend of one of the students who participated in the ritual raised alarms. However none of the students themselves told their parents about the event or would comment following the arrest of Harkins for aggravated battery and child abuse.
When Harkins held a lighter to one teen's hand, wind blew the flame out, police said. That prompted her to douse his hand in perfume before setting it on fire. The boy suffered second-degree burns, police said.
Another teen was cut on the neck with a broken bottle, police said. Harkins used a flame to heat a small key, which she then used to cauterize the wound.
NBC reported:
Investigators said they've spoken to Harkins, but she didn't spell out what type of religion would require such drastic measures.
"She hasn't informed us exactly what she was trying to accomplish with this," Puetz [of the St. Petersburg Police Department] said.
The Death of Elisa Lam
Elisa Lam was last seen on January 31, 2013 in the lobby of the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. She was vacationing through the West Coast, documenting the trip on her blog, and checking in with her parents every day. On January 31 those calls stopped. Lam had vanished. Soon the police were involved and her parents arrived to help with the search.They had nothing. That February, LAPD released elevator surveillance footage of Lam before her disappearance. The footage shows Lam behaving strangely in the elevator, appearing to talk with invisible people, peering around the corner of the door, crouching in the corner, and opening and closing the door. But what exactly is going on in this video raises more questions than answers. Theories range from psychotic episodes, to demonic possession, to unknown assailants just out of the camera's view:
This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Watch on📷
Around that time, hotel guests started reported weird things happening with the Cecil Hotel water supply. As CNN reports:
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"The shower was awful," said Sabina Baugh, who spent eight days there during the investigation. "When you turned the tap on, the water was coming black first for two seconds and then it was going back to normal."The tap water "tasted horrible," Baugh said. "It had a very funny, sweety, disgusting taste. It's a very strange taste. I can barely describe it."But for a week, they never complained. "We never thought anything of it," she said. "We thought it was just the way it was here."On the morning of February 19, a hotel employee climbed to the roof and used a ladder to investigate the hotel's water storage tanks. That's where authorities found the decomposing, naked body of Lam, whose personal items were found nearby. After an autopsy, her death was labeled accidental. NBC Los Angeles reported at the time about the strange circumstances in the hotel's past:
The tank has a metal latch that can be opened, but authorities said access to the roof is secured with an alarm and lock.The single-room-occupancy hotel has an unusual history. "Night Stalker" Richard Ramirez, who was found guilty of 14 slayings in the 1980s, lived on the 14th floor for several months in 1985. And international serial killer Jack Unterweger is suspected of murdering three prostitutes during the time he lived there in 1991. He killed himself in jail in 1994.In 1962, a female occupant jumped out of one the hotel's windows, killing herself and a pedestrian on whom she landed.In February 2021, a Netflix doc called Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel explored Elisa's tragic case and the history of the "cursed" Cecil Hotel.
An Exorcism in Indianapolis
Last year, the Indianapolis Star published a lengthy report on a family terrorized by three children allegedly possessed by demons. The account of Latoya Ammons and her family tells disturbing stories of children climbing up the walls, getting thrown across rooms, and children threatening doctors in deep unnatural voices. It would seem like something straight out of a movie–a work of fantasy, except all of these accounts were more or less corroborated with "nearly 800 pages of official records obtained by the Indianapolis Star and recounted in more than a dozen interviews with police, DCS personnel, psychologists, family members and a Catholic priest."One of the more chilling sections of the report includes a segment about the possessed 9-year-old:
According to Washington's original DCS report—an account corroborated by Walker, the nurse—the 9-year-old had a "weird grin" and walked backward up a wall to the ceiling. He then flipped over Campbell, landing on his feet. He never let go of his grandmother's hand.Another segment of the piece reads:
The 12-year-old would later tell mental health professionals that she sometimes felt as if she were being choked and held down so she couldn't speak or move. She said she heard a voice say she'd never see her family again and wouldn't live another 20 minutes.This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Watch on📷Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Utah Murder-Suicide
In September of 2014, a Utah teen returned to his home to find his parents and three siblings dead. "In a notebook, a 'to-do list' had been scribbled on the pages ... The list looked as if the parents were readying to go on vacation—items such as 'feed the pets' and 'find someone to watch after the house' were written," The Salt Lake Tribune reported. It appeared to be murder-suicide, but there was no suicide note, no prior indication that they would do this, no explanation. Police could not figure out why two parents would kill themselves and three of their four children.For a year, no one knew exactly what happened to the family, or what would drive the parents to do something so unthinkable. In January, police released more chilling details in the case. According to accounts from family members and an investigation by police, the parents were driven by a belief that the apocalypse was coming and an obsession with a convicted killer. As the Washington Post reported:
Friends and family told police that the parents were worried about the "evil in the world" and wanted to escape a "pending apocalypse." But most assumed they just wanted to move somewhere "off the grid." Investigators also found letters written by Kristi Strack to one of the state's most infamous convicted killers, Dan Lafferty, who was convicted in the 1984 fatal stabbing of his sister-in-law and her 1-year-old daughter. According to trial testimony, he killed the victims at the order of his brother, Ron Lafferty, who claimed to have had a revelation from God. The story became a book called "Under the Banner of Heaven."Police said Kristi Strack became friends with Dan Lafferty, and she and her husband even visited him in prison.
The Phone Stalker
In 2007, ABC news documented a series of cell phone calls to families with terrifyingly specific death threats. The unidentified callers knew exactly what families were doing and what they were wearing.The families say the calls come in at all hours of the night, threatening to kill their children, their pets and grandparents. Voice mails arrive, playing recordings of their private conversations, including one with a local police detective.The caller knows, the families said, what they're wearing and what they're doing. And after months of investigating, police seem powerless to stop them.This went on with the Kuykenall family for months, who reported a caller with a scratchy voice threatening to slit their throats.
When the Fircrest, Wash., police tried to find the culprit, the calls were traced back to the Kuykendalls' own phones -- even when they were turned off.It got worse. The Kuykendalls and two other Fircrest families told ABC News that they believe the callers are using their cell phones to spy on them. They say the hackers know their every move: where they are, what they're doing and what they're wearing. The callers have recorded private conversations, the families and police said, including a meeting with a local detective.
"The Watcher"
After moving into their $1.3 million dream home, a New Jersey family started receiving creepy death threats from someone who identified themselves as "The Watcher." As CBS News reported earlier this year:Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Since moving in, the owners said they have received numerous letters from the mysterious person. "The Watcher" claimed the home "has been the subject of my family for decades," and "I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming," Castro reported.The new owners have several children, and other letters asked, "Have they found out what's in the walls yet?" and "I am pleased to know your names now, and the name of the young blood you have brought to me."The family was forced to flee from their home and later filed a lawsuit against the previous owners.
Issei the Cannibal
In 1974, 24-year-old Wako University student Issei Sagawa allegedly followed a German woman to her home in Tokyo, Japan, broke into her apartment while she was sleeping, and attempted to cut a piece of flesh off her body to consume. When she awoke, she reportedly fought him and he was later captured by the police. According to a 2012 Vice documentary that covered Issei's bizarre story, he was mistakenly charged with attempted rape and his wealthy father paid the victim a settlement outside of court to have the charges dropped.Seven years later, in 1981, he allegedly committed a murder in France—shooting and eating a fellow University student, Renée Hartevelt. Issei creepily documented the entire experience with photographs and he was captured by authorities once again while attempting to dump the rest of her body in the Bois de Boulogne lake. He was deported back to Japan and committed to a mental institution. For reason unknown, his psychologists in Japan declared that he was sane. Furthermore, a legal technicality involving the French government refusing to turn over the documents from his case meant that his murder charges were dropped completely. He checked himself out of the mental hospital and has reportedly been walking the streets as a free man ever since. Issei has even become a controversial celebrity, writing over 20 books. According to Japan Today, he most recently fantasized about an unnamed TV actress, saying:
"I'll catch a glimpse of her thigh and think, 'That sure looks tasty.' But I don't feel like I actually want to eat it. As I accomplished the act of cannibalism once, there's no meaning to maintaining the desire for it anymore. In my book, I wrote that it [human flesh] was tasty, but that was not really true; I'd much rather eat Matsuzaka (Kobe) beef. But because I'd desired to consume human flesh for so long, I'd managed to convince myself that it would necessarily be delicious."
Issei Sagawa was also referenced in the Rolling Stones song "Too Much Blood," with the lyrics reading: "And when he ate her he took her bones/To the Bois de Boulogne." He is currently 73 years old and continues to live in Kawaski City, Japan. To this day, no one knows why France did not allow Japan to give him a trial.
📷MATT MILLER
2023.05.28 04:27 Greyman-Actual CMV: The United States would be better off today if our ancestors shipped the slaves back to their homelands after the end of Civil War
America would not have nearly the amount of issues we have today if this was our history. Would it not have been right and just to return them to their roots? America was made and built for the White Christian. The downfall of the traditional, Christian family, imo, was brought by the eventual negro “culture”. We would not be spending nearly the amount of money on welfare, unemployment, and “social equity” BS. Racism, as known today, would be almost non-existent as those who wished to immigrate would be held to a higher standard and would be expected to give instead of take for the privilege of being a citizen which is what it should be now. One of the arguments I sometimes hear is “America is NOT even close to the best nation on the planet! Look at countries like Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, etc!” I most often reply with “Oh, counties that have a higher percentage of white people?”. Don’t know why this is front and center of my mind today but am interested in opposing arguments and seeing if anyone can truly change my views.
submitted by Greyman-Actual to changemyview [link] [comments]
2023.05.28 04:03 micronesiarain Episode 4- "Design Gone Galactic" ⭐️🪐
 | the queens return to the workroom after Yuka's elimination submitted by micronesiarain to XtinasDragRace [link] [comments] Wren: Awww, Yuka! 🏁Wren CF: Seeing Yuka leave is bittersweet. I had gotten really close with her. But when you're in the bottom two, you can only focus on it not being your name on that lipstick. One of us had to go, better her than me! Fleur: I'd say I can't believe she's gone this early, but I'm afraid I saw it coming. Sue: Really? Fleur: If there's one thing about me and Yuka being in a competition together, it's that I'll make it farther. Bring out the tiny violins, bye bitch! 🏁Fleur CF: Did Yuka do anything to me? Hmm, that's a dumb question. But I do know that she was in the competition, and now she's not! Morgs: Blondie and Zodya, congratulations. I'll admit, I was hoping this would be our week. But you did a nice job. Blondie: Thank you. Sharris: Let's hope that there aren't any more pity wins this season. That would be great. Zodya: There's a difference between a pity win and being the best team to follow the rules. Sharris: And I don't think you were either! Zodya: Sharris, I don't need you making this a miserable experience. 🏁Zodya CF: I feel like Sharris brings a dark cloud over the competition. I trust Morgs and Steph, and I know that they trust Sharris. For now, I can play nice. But when it comes down to the inner group of the alliance, she'll have to go. Kami: Blondie, how are you feeling after being in the top? Blondie: It felt right, it felt correct! Fleur: Oh shut up. Blondie: Alright, that came out of nowhere, but work. Wren: I'm sure my lipstick is in your bra right now, but it really was nice to see you get celebrated like that. Blondie: I actually chose Yuka. Wren: Girl, you don't need to lie. It's fine, really. Blondie pulls her lipstick out to reveal she truly did choose Yuka Blondie: Not lying. Wren: What the hell, I'm at a loss right now. 🏁Blondie CF: Saving Wren was not an easy decision. I know people want her gone. And after what went down between the two of us, I had a million reasons to get her out of here. But this is the new version of Blondie, and I've made the decision to fight for this friendship. And that can only happen once one of us decides to be the bigger person. And that's usually not me, but there's a first for everything! Blondie: What you did, it hurt me. But things I did on Season Six, that hurt you. If we keep going after each other, we can't move forward. the camera slowly pans over to Sue who is hysterically crying Steph: Sue? Sue: I just...I just love seeing the birth of a friendship! 🏁Steph CF: If any of you question why I love this bitch, now you know. The sweetest soul I know. Wren: Blondie, that means a lot to me. Thank you. Now, I still don't know if it should've been me in the bottom, but thank you. Fleur: Here we go again. Anthyy: Who do you think should've been in the bottom? Wren: Our challenge was to show up at a certain time and perform. Most of us did that. But two of us didn't. Sharris squints her eyes and takes off her earrings, handing them over to Morgs Sharris: Wren, you're a joke. Not just a joke, an embarrassment. Why the fuck are you even here? Wren: Excuse me? Sharris: You take this so seriously, and it makes me physically uncomfortable. It's a game, calm down. Wren: I'm not apologizing for showing up to a competition and wanting to compete. Sharris: You need to apologize for a lot more than that. Starting with that face. Fleur: And then work your way down. Zodya: Are we really doing this right now? You're all taking this too far, and it needs to stop. I'm serious. Sharris: Oh bug off, you don't need to play mediator. Zodya: Sharris, stop. I'm not letting you attack my friend. Sharris: If that's the kind of freak you're friends with, that says everything about you. 🏁Sharris CF: I won't rest until Wren is out of the competition. I don't like her, I haven't liked her, and I will never like her. It's not even about winning anymore. It's about breaking this bitch from the inside. The Next Day the queens enter the workroom, laughing and ignoring the drama from the previous night 🏁Anthyy CF: It's a new day in the workroom, and the stress of the competition is clearly getting to these girls! I feel good, staying out of the drama, and ready to slay. You won't see me safe again, that's not a cute look! Sue: Seeing how many people are still here just shows how big this season is going to be. Three girls down, and we can still barely fit around the table. Sharris: Some of you can skip some meals, and that'll change! 🏁Sue CF: I'm afraid that I'm fading into the background, and it's about time that I step forward. On Season Four, I never got to a win, even though I was close. I know that these girls think my attitude is more fun and relaxed, but I won't let them underestimate me. the workroom door swings open as Micro steps in, wearing a sliver puffer track suit with futuristic silver sunglasses Micro: Greetings Earth queens! When I invited each of you back, I did so because you are the best and brightest in the galaxy. And to prove that, it's time to take things out of this world. Behind me, there's a table full of celestial inspired materials. Each of you will design a high fashion look that takes us to infinity and beyond. Now, some of you may not love the idea of producing your own look. Which is why you have options! If you'd like, you are able to use a pre-existing look. The only catch is that you need to modify it enough so that it reads as your own unique creation. Good luck, and I can't wait to see what you come up with! Micro leaves the workroom, and the queens rush over to the table of materials, grabbing everything they can find 🏁Whorechata CF: This is what I've been waiting for! From the start of this competition, these queens have questioned whether or not I belong here. And I knew they were wrong. Because...duh, look at the material. But this is the challenge where I know I can outdo everyone else. Yeah, I feel pretty good about my chances. the queens spread throughout the workroom in different groupings Fleur, Morgs, and Sharris discuss the challenge and what their ideas are Sharris: I've decided to not make my own look. I know my limits, and there's more I can do with little embellishments than with a sewing machine. 🏁Morgs CF: Sharris is the person I'm the closest to here. I do trust that she can make this challenge work. But when she says she's not even taking out a sewing machine, I'm starting to worry. Fleur: I've taken my sewing classes after Season Four, and I didn't really have that much to improve on. Morgs: You had a design challenge on your season, right? Fleur: We did. We got these horrible boxes of trash and had to make it into something. 🏁Fleur CF: I felt great about my look on Season Four. Truly, how can you describe it without using the word beautiful? Some people said I should've been in the bottom, but "some people" got sent home two episodes ago. Hi Lectro, thanks for watching! Morgs: From what I can see of other people, I don't think we have anything to worry about this week. Sharris: Just say Wren... the camera cuts over to Wren on the floor, sculpting multiple arms and cutting out fabric 🏁Wren CF: I've always had a strong sense of what I want when it comes to the designs I wear. But it's taken some time to polish up the level of execution. This is my chance to show how much I've grown, even in the short time since Season Six. Zodya: Wren, you doing good? Wren: Can't talk, too busy serving cunt. 🏁Zodya CF: If you can't love yourself, then you must not be Wren! But hey, I can't knock the confidence. Zodya: Chata, what are you bringing with your look? Whorechata: I'm trying to embrace the materials as much as possible. I don't want to use any patterns I brought, any base garments, nothing. If it's not from that table, I'm not using it. Zodya: It's definitely a bold color choice. Whorechata: I need to stand out. Whatever it takes. 🏁Whorechata CF: Being able to create looks like this, that's why I applied for Season Five. And finally, I got a challenge where I can shine. Anthyy, Steph, and Sue chat by the mirrors as they sketch out look ideas 🏁Anthyy CF: I've come back to judge fashion challenges on MDR a million times. If I don't slay this, I need to apologize to everyone I ever critiqued! I need to bring a new silhouette, new materials, everything. You won't be able to clock a single detail. Steph: Last time I had a challenge like this, it caused me to spiral. Sue: You know you've gotten better since then. Steph: I think I have. Being back in these four walls, and feeling like I'm just starting to get the momentum going, it's hauntingly familiar to how I felt on Season Three. Anthyy: You have to believe in yourself! Let the infection take over. Well, not like that. But the fashion infection. Steph: Please, I need to catch the fashion infection first! 🏁Steph CF: Ever since my elimination on Season Three, I've felt like had I just made it through the design challenge, I could've won the whole thing. This is my chance to show that I can not just make it through this challenge, but I can come out unharmed, and ready to give this competition what I have. Call me dramatic, but you all saw the look, it was traumatizing! Sue plugs in her headphones and turns on Kylie Minogue, unlocking her full powers. She turns on the sewing machine and gets to work 🏁Sue CF: When it comes to sewing, I may not be Sue Essence Hall. But I have the drive and heart to win this thing. Nobody wants this more than me, and that's gotta count for something. Runway the lights flicker and an electric magenta light floods the runway as Micro struts down the center Micro Episode 4 Look Micro: Welcome back to the runway of Micro's Drag Race: All Stars! This week, the queens were asked to design a high fashion look utilizing or inspired by celestial materials. And joining me on the judging panel is a very special guest. Usually, we keep it in the family and have past queens return to judge. But this season, I've invited some legendary queens that I admire to help me out. And tonight, we have the amazing Hex! Hex Guest Judging Look Micro: Hex, thank you for being here! Hex: Honored to be here. Micro: You've been a legendary designer in the drag world for years. What do you think makes a good design? Hex: Finding a concept, and immersing yourself in that world. If you want to be an alien, become that alien and think about how they'd wear the look. You have to commit! Micro: That is fabulous advice. You ready to get started? Hex: I'm ready to feel inspired! Micro: Without further ado, let's see if these looks are truly out of this world! "Bad Juju" by Jujubee plays Anthyy: Coming down this runway I feel amazing! It’s a design challenge and you just know that miss Anthyy will deliver in those! Tonight the category was space at first I got a bit scared cause the home eis super broad if you look at it but then my. Mind went straight to my sister she is OBSSESED with space, so I called her and asked her what is her favorite planet! She said Uranus… and the rest is history! So tonight for my look I am channeling you the Uranus fantasy, my dress is a net made out of 27 of the Uranus’s moons and being me you can see a stunning set of it’s rings, not many people know that Uranus is one of the 3 planets with rings! Yup not only Saturn so tonight I wanted to make sure we don’t forget about those rings! Uranus is also one of the coldest planets that exsist so i made sure my alien puss is frozen the haus down boots! The parts holding together the moons on her dress are all coveed in galaxy dust and you can see my stunning 3 pairs of hands all going in diffrent directions! As for the look itself, it is a pretty gown (which you know i only do for special occasions!) with an amazing backpiece and stunning hair artistry! I would say this is soemthing that isnt often seen and its one of it's kind so im suoer happy to bring it to you on the design challenge! Lets hope this alien lands me my 3rd win! Finding out that this week's guest judge is my amazing friend Hex, she also is included in this look honey did you notice how my alien has 3 nostrills??? YUPPPPP thats what i call referencing Anthyy Look Blondie: You better beware, you're in for a scare! Run in fear when Captain Blondatrix arrives on your planet and goes for a pure femme pink fem-pire! For this look, I did use a pre-existing outfit but dyed the colours to a nice ballet slipper pink & a rose gold pink to add to colour theory. I did paint the mask and got a dazzling matching wig... I mean, styled my hair into a gorgeous blonde to meet my branding. Next, I got rid of some pesky details that weren't needed and created more of a space priestess vibe, and kept the alien incubator, as I'm here to spread my seed any way I can. Finally, I created a new banner and an amazing bi-sexual planet to create awareness. So beam me up, cuz I'm here to take y'all down~ Blondie Look Fleur: I love the Earth. The Earth just gives cunt 24/7 for the past billion years. She always finds some way to absolute slayyyyyy. For example when she decided that she wanted a desert, we were all like "yas girl sand is so sexy". Her brain is just so innovative and she is truly a lovely person. I love the Earth. It is just so calm, and peaceful and sweet. Everyday is amazing on Earth because the Earth is just amazing. It has not one bad quality. That is why I love it. This look resemblances the cuntiness Mother Earth is but also how serene it can be. She's so quirky. But sometimes... just sometimes... the Galaxy is jealous of Earth's cuntiness. Like for example, when the Galaxy decided to shoot a meteor onto it and kill all those leather wearing, katy perry roaring carnivores. Like that was bullying! But sometimes... just sometimes... the Galaxy is in a bad mood and it wants to recreate the devastation of the first meteor. Fuck the galaxy honestly. FUCK YOU. And when the Earth goes BOOM, so does the runway Fleur is modelling and strutting on. This gives her enough times to take of her jumpsuit and reveal her bare naked skin which is just coincidentally painted in a molten galaxy pattern. Science lesson: This is because the Earth has plates. The crust, the mantle and the core. The core is filled with molten lava and I think lava is so that bitch. Like it can burn a hoe like that! So obviously when the earth explodes, lava will ooze into the milkyway making the milkyway turn orange. Kind of like food colouring. And obviously, when the world does explode into the galaxy, you would probably be blinded by the light so you will always need some funky Lady Gaga looking sun glasses. And that's on period. Fleur Look Fleur Reveal Fleur Reveal Kami: Kami steps out onto the stage, and she is ready for space! She is serving you astronaut realness with her helmet in hand, and her bedazzled star space bodysuit when suddenly she trips - her belt unravels and suddenly you can see a fake face laying on the ground Oh my god! She's really an alien?? She's kind of serving though... Her alien wings held back by the belt that was previously cinching her waist (?) in, has revealed who she truly is. The wig seems to have melted down, and a bunch of the accessories are now falling off as well. The stars on the alien skin slowly falling off as the bodysuit from before is now revealed to have been her skin all along. how is she hiding humongous wings underneath a tiny belt ? these are questions that are unnecessary! Kami Look Kami Reveal Morgs: BLAM! for my intergalactic runway it’s getting hot in here, why? because i’m a star, litterally. i wanted to be the sun, the most important thing for life. i've got a warm dress on, glasses to protect me from the UV rays, and a backpiece that are supposed to be sunbeams. i’m slaying this runway and even though i hate designing my own stuff, i managed to make myself a whole outfit and sunbeams that shoot out! Morgs Look Sharris: For my Space Age Couture runway, my inspiration comes directly from the galaxy and the beautiful sky we see at nighttime. I didn’t want to go with an astronaut, or an alien, I wanted to go with the sheer beauty that the natural world holds. It’s couture, and just so so extravagant. This runway represents an entire celestial body. If a lady from the Capitol moved to space- this is what she’d be wearing. Upon walking onto the runway, the lights dim, and i’m SHINING. Practically radiating with beauty. I have never been in more awe than I have with what I’ve produced tonight Sharris Look Steph: for my runway look tonight i wanted to be a FIERCE celestial goddess. my entire body is painted in that same sparkling purple color as the mug which reminds me of Nebula one of my fav guardians of the galaxy. and honestly my look tonight IS THE SPACE AGE AND THE UNIVERSE MAMA. she is a space goddess and she has kidnapped the stars and the color purple to make this look. thx a bunch:) My vision is filled with this collage and i hope u enjoy her:) Steph Look Sue: So for my look tonight I am serving you intergalactic space pop star. She has her Ariana ponytail on and her microphone that she totally didn’t get inspired by from Fever by Kylie Minogue. Sue Look Whorechata: Tonight is my day to shine. Chata is living in the year 3000 and failed her astronaut astronomy space class exam thing and can’t use her spacesuit to go to the plant Whore anymore. So what does she do… she takes it apart MAWMA. This outfit is using a deconstructed padded astronaut suit. Some green tubing and inflatable thingys to create this futuristic Lewk. Tonight I hope to show these girls why micro let me in the doors. Whorechata Look Wren: Kneel. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3UhSk0Tk48k Zodya: Tonight on the runway, I am giving you space duchess to the extreme! I am the most fabulous diva at the annual Galatica Ball, and honey, you can’t outshine me! Get out of my way, girls, because none of y’all can be as glamorous as me! Zodya Look Critiques Micro: Thank you ladies! Based on your performances tonight, I've made some decisions. When I call your name, please step forward. Micro: Kami, Steph, Whorechata. The three of you...are safe. Steph: Oh thank lord. Whew! Kami and Steph thank the judges as Whorechata's face is drained of all life. Her legs begin to quiver, and her eyes lose emotion as they twitch 🏁Whorechata CF: Safe. Safe. Oh wow. Whorechata steps forward and walks towards the judging panel. She hunches over and grabs the base of the panel, as Micro and Hex look at her in confusion. Whorechata lifts with all of her might, and flips the panel. Her eyes turn bright red and she storms around the studio, throwing punches and kicks at everyone in sight 🏁Whorechata CF: Well, that's what I wanted to do at least... the scene snaps back into reality where Whorechata is standing on stage and faking a smile Micro: The three of you may leave the stage. Whorechata: Safe girls, woohoo! Micro: The rest of you represent the tops and bottoms of the week. It's time for your critiques. Micro: First up, Anthyy! Hex: Hello Anthyy! This look is fun, i know that this isn't really your style but i think that you did the theme's justice tonight. You decided to be inspired by one of the planets which is a really safe choice to do on a theme like that, but you went with one of the most interesting ones so its ok, We can see that the inspo was there from the color palette and the rings. The look is just a basic gown let's be real but you still make it interesting with the transparent parts and overall its giving me very Brooke Candy/slutish vibe which i am personally a fan of. What i am not a fan of is the makeup here, i like that you decided to pay homage to your drag sister - me, but idk i am not really feeling the eyes, they kinda look weird but i guess it fits the whole alien aesthetic so maybe i'm just quirky and nitpicking. The headpiece is really fun and playful. Overall it's a really strong look from you tonight, good job! Micro: Anthyy! I think this week was a great chance for you to show off a new style with your looks. Getting more into the alienesque and untraditional glamour. And you really nailed that in my opinion! I love when a look is simple, but has dynamic silhouettes and added bits. This strappy dress on its own would maybe be too simple, but the back piece and extra arms, it elevates it to an incredible level. I think the color palette of blue and gray was unexpected but worked well. And usually I’m begging for rhinestones, but I wouldn’t add any rhinestones to this look, I don’t know how you managed that! Great work. Micro: Next, Blondie! Hex: Blondie! Hi, i love how both you and Anthyy decided to go with 3 eyed aliens! I see what you tried to do with the theme, but i lowkey don't see space in it, your color palette is giving me just a normal person, maybe if you changed the hair and face to be pinkish too maybe it would help to sell the theme more? I also don't think that you edited your look enough to be that different from the original one which is a shame because i see some potential. Overall you were in the middle tonight, not the worst but not the best one either. Micro: Hi Blondie!! I think this base look was a great choice for this challenge, since it does lend itself to that outer space vibe. And you definitely put the work in to make this your own. I do think though that the new color palette makes the level of detail come down a bit. There’s a lot about this that I like, but I have to nitpick! Micro: Next up, Fleur Tation! Hex: Fleur! Hello girl, let me start with the positives first, well, so i liked that you decided to be inspired by earth which is an original choice for a theme like that not gonna lie, everyone would do something quirky but you decided to not look too far for your inspiration. You have a + for that from me. Now for your look, hmm i think that you could do way more with it, its just a simple bodysuit with a print on it, the reveal version is better, but still could've been more elevated. I just wish that you did something more with the hair and makeup in both of these, because even though your inspiration was really good for me, it just looks like you did not know what to do with it. Overall its not a good look from you tonight, I appreciate that you drew it and your description was fun to read. Micro: Let me start off by saying your runway commentary and how you sold this look was my absolute favorite. I love the effort you put into that. Now onto the looks. I think they told a great story. But the actual design elements, I’m not getting much from it if I’m being totally honest. If there was some sleeve action, some interesting cut to the pants, something to bring more to it. Micro: The always fabulous, Morgs! Hex: Hello Morgs! This is very safe for me, i like the inspiration because without the sun there wouldn't be us so good for you to appreciate that. There's nothing much to say here really, maybe other than i don't really see cosmos here but it's just not the worst look tonight so, at least you tried and drew it. Micro: Hi Morgs! I love the energy and vibe that this look conveys. It’s modern and has a cool look to it. I will say, I think the back piece really saves you here. It adds a unique element, and I think the look needed it. The rest of the look is a bit too simple to me. Maybe some stoning, a different neckline on the dress, some little adjustments could’ve amped this up. But as is, this doesn’t totally work for me, I’m sorry! Micro: Next, Sharris! Hex: Hello Sharris! Your look is good but i don't think you did enough for me to call it as 'your' look. Micro gave you all an option to edit one of many existing looks and while you picked a really good one, you barely did anything to edit it as yours, it just looks like you put a filter over it and called it a day, not even bothering to change the colors really. While Blondie did the same thing, she at least i don't know tried to make things a bit interesting by changing the whole color palette. That's all. Micro: Hi Sharris! With the option to take a pre-existing look and edit it, I think the potential to make something your own and really special was there. And while I think you look amazing right now, it is so similar to the original look. Small things like changing the hair, adding new jewelry, maybe a metal corset piece, those could’ve really worked to make this more of an original piece. Not a bad look by any means, but I have to look at how different it is from the original, and I’m not seeing much. Micro: Shining bright, it's Sue Pernova! Hex: Sue! This look is very adorable, i really like the color palette, it looks like some video game character thats a singer and has some cosmic related superpowers. Your inspiration here clearly shows because i can see each thing you mentioned in your description. I love how we can't really see her face because it also adds to the mystic element that the cosmos has because we still don't really know much stuff about it. Overall a really good job tonight, congrats! Micro: Sue, this look is adorable!! I love the outer space popstar vibe you went for, and the vibrancy of these colors work really well with that. The different textures and materials as well add some visual interest and keep it from being too simple. I maybe would’ve liked to see some lengthening to the legs and a tighter cinch on the corset, but this is a stand out look for me, you really impressed me here! Micro: Next up, Wren Wyvern! Hex: Wren, uhh hello? This was a letdown for me, you kinda did a similar look to Steph but i guess her's more elevated and just more interesting to look at. I don't think your look really sells the theme since it's barely cosmos related other than the cosmic print. I like what you tried to do with the arms but it reads more as angelic to me rather than some alien creature. I'm sorry but i don't like this. Micro: Hi Wren! I’m gonna have to disagree with Hex on this one. I really enjoyed this look. It’s very cosmic deity, and you stand out from the group tonight. I think a really big collar piece that had some height and sharp edges to it would’ve taken this look to an even stronger level, but I see where you were going with it! Some minor little edits I’d make, but solid look from you! Micro: Last but not least, Zodya Killer. Hex: Hello Zodya! This is one of my favorite looks tonight, you had a clear vision and presented it really well. I really like the color palette and how vibrant it is, i love the accessories and the overall shape of it. The backpiece with your blonde hair in front of it kinda reminds me of the sun which is also a really fun detail. The way that you drew this also is a big plus for me + the props? I am a prop queen so i like the use of them in this look. Overall a really good moment for you tonight. Micro: Zodya, you look like a goddess tonight. You found a way to take this sort of galaxy pattern and print and make it look regal and expensive. I love the way this look sparkles, and the golden accents against that deep blue and purple, it adds to that royalty look. If I had to nitpick, I wish there was a big necklace or set of earrings, but I can appreciate the simplicity in not going heavy with accessories. Great work! Micro: Thank you ladies. I've made some decisions. Micro: Blondie, Morgs, and Wren. The three of you are safe. You may step to the back of the stage. 🏁Wren CF: At this point, I'm not sure what else I could do. I gave you a full goddess, and then Micro has the nerve to put me in the same group as Blondie and Morgs? It's stupid, it really is. Micro: Anthyy. Tonight, your E.T. was a T-O-P. Micro: Sue Pernova. You took us all on a trip to Chromatica, and we didn't want to leave. Micro: Zodya Killer. Category is...MET Gala on Mars. Micro: Anthyy, Zodya. Congratulations, you are the top two queens of the week! 🏁Anthyy CF: Ah, screaming!! I put so much of my heart and soul into my designs, and the hard work paid off. 🏁Zodya CF: I didn't think I'd be the type of queen who looks forward to a design challenge. But I really believe in my skills, and having that validated by the judges, that means the world. Micro: Sue, you are safe. Great work this week. Sue: Thank you Miss Micro. 🏁Sue CF: This week was all about wanting to prove myself as a real competitor here. I have what it takes to win the crown, and this moved things in the right direction. I feel amazing! Micro: Fleur, Sharris. I'm sorry my dears, but that means you are the bottom queens of the week. 🏁Fleur CF: I don't have words. To be in a room full of people who look...like that, and be told I'm in the bottom? When I'm wearing custom couture? They're out to get me. 🏁Sharris CF: I'm fine being in the bottom. It doesn't bother me. I'd never throw a tantrum over a placement, unlike some people in this competition who shall not be named...but it's Wren. Micro: Anthyy, Zodya. In a moment, the two of you will lipsync for your legacy, and the power to chop one of the bottom queens. Head backstage to Untucked, and make your decision. Untucked the safe queens enter Untucked Kami: Redemption! Steph: And it feels oh so good! I'm so proud of us. Whorechata, are you happy to be safe? 🏁Whorechata CF: wHoReChAtA, aRe yOu hApPy tO Be sAfE? No bitch, I'm not! Whorechata: I'm thrilled. Steph: No you're not. Whorechata: Oh really, what gave it away? Kami: Let it out, let it out. Whorechata: The girls up on stage right now, you can see the stringy little bits of hot glue. The seams are jankier than Wren's book in the first episode. Not to sound arrogant, but this belongs in a museum. 🏁Whorechata CF: Whorechata shows off her look and letting the camera zoom in on the hems Kami: If it makes you feel better, I thought you should've been up on stage tonight. Whorechata: If you change your name to Micro and tan a good twelve shades darker, it would mean more. But still, thanks Kami. 🏁Kami CF: You can't argue with crazy. You just can't. the top and bottom queens enter Untucked Wren: The attempt to break my spirit continues. 🏁Wren CF: Heading back to Untucked, it really does sting that I didn't win. I thought I had the best look, and I love the way I presented it. I wouldn't change a thing, but clearly the judges would. Kami: I've heard the word "safe" enough times in the last hour to last me a lifetime, so can one of you fill us in on what happened on stage? Anthyy: I'm in the top with Zodya! Steph: Whyyyyyyy. Oop, not like that. Just you know, the Sue stan in me. Sue: I'm torn with my emotions right now. Getting praised on this look felt amazing. But then it almost gave me a false sense of hope. I thought maybe I could win. Zodya: And you could've. I'm so proud of your work here. It's amazing. 🏁Zodya CF: I know how much Sue wanted to win this challenge, but I'm also freaking out a little inside that I just won my third challenge! I mean really, what could go wrong now? Wren: Regardless of what the judges said, I'm proud of this look. Sharris: So why do you keep bringing it up? Wren: With the runway last week, it was a more masculine approach than what I'm used to. And this week, I wanted to give full cunty goddess. 🏁Wren CF: Exploring gender identity and expression through fashion is important to me. Like, really important. I won't apologize for that. Blondie: And just so I know, you use all the pronouns, right? I'm not trying to get cancelled again. Wren: After saving me, you can call me whatever. But yes, anything works. He, she, they, it's all okay to me. But it doesn't take away from my trans-ness. Sharris: Wren, what the fuck does that even mean? Wren: What does what means? Sharris: How are you a he, she, and they. Make up your mind. Wren: I don't think I need to make up my mind. It's my personal journey, and I don't need to conform to what you want. Sharris: You just represent everything that's wrong with the world to me. Blondie: Okay, that's a bit much. Fleur: Blondie, stay out of it. Blondie: No! Why can't I say anything without you all jumping to make me look like the bad person? Fleur: If people always think you're a bad person, maybe you just are. Morgs: Woop, there it is. 🏁Fleur CF: Blondie swears she's an angel on Earth. But she's not. She's nasty, she's an input ho, and I don't fuck with her. Screw any alliances, I want her gone. Sharris: The more I learn about you, Blondie, the more I understand why you and Wren are friends. The only upside to that is it means none of us have to be bothered by either of you. You can annoy each other instead. Wren: Talk that talk in your bottom outfit. You could never give what I give! Sharris: And thank god for that. Man, man, man. I see a MAN. Anthyy: Girl... 🏁Anthyy CF: Sharris took a low blow with that one. Wren has been so open about her identity, and really advocated for trans representation! I considered Sharris a friend, but that changes everything. Wren: Are you really going there? For real? Sharris: I am, care to continue? Wren: You know who I am and I've been nothing but transparent with how I feel in my identity. And for someone in this community to be the one coming after me, it's so gross. Sharris: Let's get one thing straight, we're not in the same community. Wren: Right, cause I'm some freak. Sharris: Wren, shut up and go play in traffic. Kami: Stop, don't go there. What's that even supposed to mean. Sharris: As in, go die. Go die, for the sake of humanity, please. the queens all clasp their hands over their mouths as they realize what Sharris said Wren: You want me to go kill myself? Sharris: Yes please, look at how easy that was! Wren: Give me a few years, and I'm sure I'll get there. Blondie: Wren, don't even say that. Don't give that bitch another moment of your time. Sharris: Blondie, you too. Blondie: You are a miserable and hateful little bitch. You're disgusting. You better be so ashamed of yourself. Fleur: You're the moral compass now? Why do you keep putting yourself in things?! Blondie: Sharris brought me into it, and I'm done sitting down and taking it. You both are vile. 🏁Fleur CF: Blondie spews the most venomous things out of that over-plumped mouth. Why are people surprised that it caused someone to snap? If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen. Blondie and Wren, there's the door, dumb bitches. the queens return to the runway Micro: Welcome back ladies. It has been brought to my attention that there was an altercation in Untucked. Sharris rolls her eyes, as Blondie comforts Wren at the back of the stage Micro: If this behavior continues, I won't hesitate to start this whole thing over. From the top, new cast and everything. the queens snicker at Micro's comment, causing her to stand up and lean over the judging panel Micro: I am NOT joking! Don't make me name names. But if you think you're one of the girls I'd replace, you're probably right. the scene cuts to Lectro and Yuka standing outside of the studio and forming a prayer circle for the season to restart 🏁Kami CF: The behavior during Untucked shifted everything. I mean, it's really not that deep, and to stoop to that level? It's...it's just not acceptable. Micro: Now, as much as I'm sure you'd love to keep attacking each other, we have more important things to get to: a fake lipsync. Will the top two queens please step forward. Anthyy Lipsync Look Zodya Lipsync Look Micro: Anthyy, Zodya. Prior to tonight, you were asked to prepare a lipsync performance of "Supernova" by Kylie Minogue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcTHJ05R2bQ Sue: Please say jk. 🏁Sue CF: I'm fine! I'm so fine, don't even worry about me. cries in Kylie Minogue Micro: This is your chance to impress me, and secure the right to give one of the bottom queens...the chop. 🏁Anthyy CF: I really felt like I was in a tough spot with these queens in the bottom. But after that moment in Untucked, I know what needs to be done. It was taken way too far! 🏁Zodya CF: I don't have a connection to either of the bottom queens this week. But I am ready to channel my inner Sue, and give this song what it deserves. Micro: Good luck, and don't fuck it up! Read lipsync here! Micro: Oh wow! the queens clap for Sue as she shrouds herself in a cloud of glitter before remembering that Anthyy and Zodya are on stage Micro: I think it's safe to say Sue was the real winner of that one. Sue: Kylie, that was for you, baby!! Micro: Ladies, I've made my decision. ... Micro: Zodya Killer, you're a winner baby! Zodya: Ah, thank you! Kylie, I am so sorry. Micro: Anthyy, you are safe to slay another day. Anthyy: I'm sorry mama, my feet were tired after doing three of these! Zodya giggles and raises her eyebrows Micro: Will the bottom two queens please step forward. Fleur and Sharris walk to the front of the stage as the safe queens glare at them 🏁Fleur CF: I don't think I should be in the bottom this week, and I shouldn't have been near the bottom last week either! If they send me home, it's just putting me out of my misery. But if I stay, I'll make this hell for each and every one of them. 🏁Sharris CF: I don't regret a thing. It went far, but there's only so much I could take from that...person doesn't feel appropriate. I think pathetic troglodyte fits Wren better. Whether they like it or not, I'd say it again! Micro: Zodya. With great power comes great responsibility. Which queen have you chosen...to get the chop? Zodya: I'm going to be honest, I don't have any strong connections to either of you. I think you both deserve to be here and can be able to bring something fun to the rest of the competition, but tonight, I'm going to have to go with the person I felt really took on the challenge to heart. My decision...is... ... ... Zodya: Sharris. Zodya's Lipstick Choice Sharris laughs as Morgs begins to tear up Micro: So it is written, so it shall be done. Sharris, I know that you have everything it takes to thrive in a competition like this. But now is not your time. Sharris: Womp womp. Micro: Now, sashay away. Sharris goes to the back of the stage to hug Morgs before walking off Micro: Moving forward, I hope we can treat each other with some more kindness, and enjoy this for what it is. Now, let the music play! "Banjo" by Bebe Zahara Benet plays Next Time on Micro's Drag Race Blondie: There is a killer on the loose, and nobody is safe. 🏁Whorechata CF: If this means I make a few enemies, oh well! Micro: I'm so sorry, I need to excuse myself. Micro steps away from the judging panel as her eyes fill with tears Track Record Cast Shot w/ Placements |
2023.05.28 01:58 Comfort_Lucky NOVA Open Infinity Events - Met Gutier!
Hey everyone! Realized we haven't posted anything about the Infinity Events at the NOVA Open here yet. Im here to fix that.
The 2023 NOVA Open is happening at a brand new hotel / convention center this year, bigger and better! Occurring from Aug 31 - Sept 3 in Washington DC USA, and we want to start off the new hotel with a strong Infinity showing. Previously, Infinity has always had its own private room and we want to ensure it stays that way.
What is the NOVA Open you ask? Only the biggest Tabletop Wargaming convention on the east coast of the US, and I believe second only to Adepticon in the US as a whole.
As always, Gutier will be there almost all convention, signing books, and giving seminars. We've also got an event exclusive miniature. Event wise, there's a Narrative, two different ITS' one of which is the first satellite of the new season, the insane RPG lite event, Infinity After Dark, and new this year the Infinity Dojo, where some of the top players in the Mid-Atlantic/US have concepts for list building, then a small teaching session, with a game or two after.
Obviously we want to play the iron man and do every infinity event over the weekend, but there's also a crap ton of seminars from major mini painters, and more game systems than you can shake a stick at.
Link below for anyone interested:
https://tabletop.events/conventions/nova-open-2023/schedule#?query=&eventtype_id=E2360AAE-AE72-11ED-91BC-FF5E2A7E0080
Let me know if you have any questions
submitted by Comfort_Lucky to InfinityTheGame [link] [comments]
The 2023 NOVA Open is happening at a brand new hotel / convention center this year, bigger and better! Occurring from Aug 31 - Sept 3 in Washington DC USA, and we want to start off the new hotel with a strong Infinity showing. Previously, Infinity has always had its own private room and we want to ensure it stays that way.
What is the NOVA Open you ask? Only the biggest Tabletop Wargaming convention on the east coast of the US, and I believe second only to Adepticon in the US as a whole.
As always, Gutier will be there almost all convention, signing books, and giving seminars. We've also got an event exclusive miniature. Event wise, there's a Narrative, two different ITS' one of which is the first satellite of the new season, the insane RPG lite event, Infinity After Dark, and new this year the Infinity Dojo, where some of the top players in the Mid-Atlantic/US have concepts for list building, then a small teaching session, with a game or two after.
Obviously we want to play the iron man and do every infinity event over the weekend, but there's also a crap ton of seminars from major mini painters, and more game systems than you can shake a stick at.
Link below for anyone interested:
https://tabletop.events/conventions/nova-open-2023/schedule#?query=&eventtype_id=E2360AAE-AE72-11ED-91BC-FF5E2A7E0080
Let me know if you have any questions
2023.05.27 23:59 ShadowDragon88 I've Been Reincarnated as a Bunny Girl?! Ch. 4
YAY! Chapter 4 already done and ready for posting! WOOO! I really hope that you enjoy it, dear readers!
I've Been Reincarnated as a Bunny Girl?! (Chapter 4)
by
ShadowDragon88
"I love when the merchant caravan comes to town!" Valay cheered from where he was sitting on Kiana's shoulders, making his soon-to-be sixteen-year-old big sister wince. At age nine, the twins were being accompanied by Kiana as they walked through main street in town. Twice a year the merchant caravan, often accompanied by adventurers or mercenaries as guards, came to Starlight Rose. Ever since the destruction of The Spire, the town had started to see more traffic as travelers no longer had to worry about traveling through the narrow gaps in the mountain range, past a source of evil. In the six years since its destruction, Starlight Rose had bloomed and doubled its population.
Walking past the stalls and the games, Kiana smiled, feeling a festive atmosphere. She looked down at Malay, who was wearing a seafoam green dress, the young wolbet not caring that it had been a hand-me-down from Kiana, and clutching a giant blue stuffed fox almost as big as she was. Kiana was wearing a bright yellow sundress, having stated that on such a warm day, it was the best option to help keep from getting overheated. Her mother and sister had both smiled knowingly, not the least bit tricked by Kiana's professions. Kiana would often just not think about it.
Valay, in contrast, was wearing a simple red shirt and brown shorts and some small stick-on bandages on his shins and knees. The young boy wolbet was holding a purple dragon plush. Kiana had won them from a game booth. It was the classic 'throw a ball at a stack of bottles to knock them over' game, and like a cliche, she had seen her little brother throw a ball, hit the stack in the dead center, and they didn't move an inch. That's when big sister had stepped in. Kiana looked back at the booth... or rather where it had been. The attendant was still standing there, staring in a daze, as only half of the structure still remained.
"I'm glad you two like it," Kiana said, picking her brother up off her shoulders and setting him down next to his twin. Mirabelle rubbed up against his leg, making him giggle. The tiny snake, that had been small enough to sit coiled comfortably in the palm of a younger Kiana's hand, was now the size of a Saint Barnard, and just as affectionate as one. The blue-green snake had a tendency to try and sneak food, mainly cookies, when she thought she could get away with it, and had developed quite the set of sad puppy eyes when caught.
"So Kiana," Malay asked, looking up with her forest green eyes, a twinkle in them, "gunna go meet with Davtio later?"
Kiana smiled and rolled her eyes. Malay loved asking Kiana about her love life, or rather lack thereof. The older girl reached over and ruffled her little sister's headfur.
"Davtio and I are just friends," she said, having the day before gone on a walk with the elf-boy from her graduating class, gently letting him down after he had made his courting intentions known. The day after Kiana's birthday, which would be two days after the biannual festival, she was going to be leaving Starlight Rose to become a traveling adventurer. Davtio, with his long and practically glowing golden locks and eyes the color of the deep blue sea, had been disappointed, but he understood.
Jorba the goblin boy, however, had been far less formal as well as far less respectful with his own declaration. Said green-skinned bat-eared boy had walked over to where Kiana was retying her new forest green boots and given her bottom a swat, just below her cotton tail, puffing out his chest and informing Kiana that he had decided she was the finest female in their age group in the town and therefore, will be his woman. Slowly, Kiana had straightened herself and turned around, her eyes glowing with a blue light. With a swipe of her legs and a downward punch, that Kiana had been careful not to be too hard with, she effectively punched the disgusting goblin, literally, into the ground. Still alive and not crippled, but definitely in a lot of pain.
"I know that he liiiiiikes you, though," Malay said, rocking back and forth on her heels, reaching down to stroke Mirabelle's head, making the large reptile loosely wrap herself around the young wolbet girl's ankles.
"I don't feel the same way and I told him as much, so we've agreed to remain friends," Kiana said, making her sister let out an exasperated sigh.
"GAH! That is so just like you, Kiki!" Malay said, using the name she and Valay had called Kiana shortly after they had first learned how to talk. "Someone likes you, but you're just happy being just friends!"
"Hey, friends are awesome to have," Kiana said, picking Malay up and setting her on her shoulders, taking Valay's hand/paw into her own. Malay just rolled her eyes and continued to hug her fox.
"So," Valay piped up, glad that the girls had quit talking about romance stuff, "whatcha gunna buy with the money you saved up?" Valay was speaking of the jingling pouch of coins on Kiana's hip. She had earned extra coin around town doing things like babysitting and helping Mr. Fresto build a new stone wall around his garden, and the like. Making deliveries for the new offta restaurant in town had been fun for the teen bunny, and not because offta was the name for what turned out to be pizza in this world either! Tapping into her powers, she was able to sprint all across town and even over to Lake Phantom and back, often in under a minute.
"Well, I've already bought a bunch of supplies and a pack for my journey," Kiana said, taking note of Valay's ears drooping a bit, as well as sensing that Malay's ears were probably doing the same.
"So... you really mean to leave?" Malay asked from Kiana's shoulders. Kiana smiled and rubbed her little sister's leg, before rubbing her little brother's head.
"Yeah, I really do. But like I've told papa... repeatedly, actually, I'll come back to visit a whole bunch! And I'll be able to tell you all some cool stories about my travels!" Kiana said, brightening their moods.
"Are you going to learn magic?" Malay asked. As the twins edged closer towards their tenth birthday, that meant that they were nearing when they'd be old enough to take an exam to determine their magical abilities. Malay had accidentally turned a handful of flowers to stone when she sneezed at age seven. She also accidentally set a patch of grass on fire just outside her bedroom window after a bad dream a couple months back. According to a very excited Felixin, these were signs that Malay had a high aptitude for magic, and might actually be a sorceress, someone born with raw magical power within them.
Felixin went on to explain that anyone, with study and practice and skill, could eventually learn to use magic, but people like that fell under the category of a wizard. He went on to explain that witches were similar to wizards, but were more like hippies out dancing in the woods. Sorcerers and sorceresses were born with raw magical power already in them, that as they grew older, they needed to learn how to control, lest it become dangerous to them and those around them.
Druids, he continued with his explanation, were similar to witches, but less studious and more concentrating on attuning themselves to the energies of the surrounding natural world. He also said they had a tendency to eat certain mushrooms and fungus that they claimed could open one's third eye, but her father dismissed that notion as them just being addled by the chemicals in said fungi. Clerics were also magical, but their magic derived from whichever god they'd devoted themselves to, much like paladins, but with more study and significantly less combat training.
Finally, there were warlocks. Felixin was not shy about making his feelings regarding warlocks known. Instead of taking the time to learn and practice and concentrate and actually earn their magical power, they were rare people who instead bound themselves to an entity of great magical power, often something very sinister. In exchange for this power, they would do their new master's bidding, oftentimes not even fully understanding why such entities would want such requests done. He even recounted one warlock whose only task was to go out on the road and find a specific boulder, and then move it three inches south. Said warlock just shrugged when asked why, and stated that it was the only task his master ever asked of him.
What Felixin apparently didn't know was that there was a final category. The monk. When the master dragon monk had come to evaluate Kiana, after he had recovered from his shock, he had explained that monks were ordinary people who trained both their minds and their bodies. They would learn to tap into their inner power, their ki, and harness it through their bodies. This was of course after years and years of training and meditation. Of the different kinds of monks, the dragon monks were the most powerful. Once they passed a certain threshold, they would become as powerful as a dragon; which kind of dragon depended on which advanced school of training they most identified with. According to the master, Kiana practically oozed the aura of a storm dragon, which was capable of moving as fast as lightning.
"Kiki!" Valay called, tugging on Kiana's hand. She shook herself and smiled down at the wolbet boy. Kiana looked up in time to see Mirabelle stealthily reaching up at a nearby picnic table where those sitting weren't paying any attention and was trying to drag a plate with an entire rotisserie chicken on it nearer to the edge. She snapped her finger, making Mirabelle recoil and slither right back over to her legs, making the sad eyes at her. Kiana ignored the big orange orbs with the black slits and returned her attention to her brother.
"Sorry, buddy, I guess I got lost in my memories there for a sec."
The boy rolled his eyes and pointed to a large red and white tent that covered a wide area. There were no walls, and plenty of people were milling about inside, looking at the various goods. What had caught Valay's eye were the weapons. Already the boy had begged their mother to teach him swordfighting and, only recently, Pumala had agreed. She took note of how quickly Valay had taken to practicing the basics every day after school, always starting back to stance one. Kiana was certain that he was going to grow up to be quite the fighter.
"Okay, let's take a look and see what they've got for sale," Kiana said, turning them to an opening, Mirabelle following close behind. Together they walked down the set up shelves and displays. Valay was entranced by the swords and daggers, especially the throwing knives and shurikens. Scratch that, Kiana thought to herself with a giggle as she set her little sister down to look at the magical staves, thinking about how much Valay loved hiding and planting stink bombs for pranks and using smoke bombs to make his escapes. He'll probably grow up to be a great ninja or something.
Keeping her younger siblings and Mirabelle in sight, Kiana started to look through the different weapons. There were plenty made from low-quality materials that would probably break upon the first real usage, including an ornate-looking gold sword encrusted with jewels. She stopped just past the flails and nunchucks, spying several different tetsubos. The tetsubo was a weapon of the ancient samurai, at least that was the case for her home world. They were long, thick wooden clubs, in this case as tall as Kiana was, so around five feet in length. Going down the sides of the weapons, stopping only at the ends at the tops and just before the handles at the bottoms, were rounded or spiked metal rivets.
She pushed past some ornately carved ones, and spotted what appeared to be a plain brown tetsubo. It was polished and its rivets were spiked and black. The handle was wrapped in a comfortable-feeling leather. Some instinct deep within her liked this weapon, it liked it very much. Carrying it with one hand, she approached a man wearing a lapis lazuli-colored turban, and some matching lapis with gold trim robes. His skin was a pitch-black, with a shock of long white hair, signifying that he was a dark elf.
"How much for the tetsubo?" Kiana asked, hearing Valay and Malay hurrying to her side. She could practically feel their wide eyes staring in wonder at the weapon.
The merchant smiled, his purple eyes twinkling. "So this is the weapon you have selected? Quite the interesting choice."
"Uh, thanks?" Kiana said, now looking the tetsubo over and wondering if it was cursed, or if the guy before her was going to turn out to be a demon or something and that every item in the shop was cursed in some karmic way like the old cliche.
"It is made from a healthy branch of steelwood. Note that I said made, and not carved. As exquisite as a weapon or armor made from carved steelwood is, it pales in comparison to one that is made with secret techniques to sing the form it was always supposed to be straight from the trees themselves. Doing so ensures that any weapon or armor crafted this way will never dull or break. And the price will, of course, reflect as much..."
"Ah," Kiana said, understanding what the merchant before her was getting at.
"That particular tetsubo I cannot part with for less than a platinum," he said.
"Sold," Kiana said, pulling open her pouch and jangling it as her hand disappeared inside. After a moment of her rooting around and sifting coins aside, she found what she was looking for. Out she pulled a single platinum coin. Her brother and sister, as well as the merchant, looked at Kiana in shock.
"Where'd you get a platinum piece?" Malay asked, watching transfixed as Kiana handed the coin over to the still stunned dark elf, who took it and slipped it into a pocket in his robes.
"I found it just outside of town, when I beat down a giant shambling plant creature-thing. I think it ate a traveling merchant or something, 'cause I found a pouch with ten of them in it," Kiana whispered with a wink. She looked up to see that the merchant had the coin back in his hands and was examining it with a jeweler's loupe, nodding in approval as he pocketed both and gave Kiana an award-winning smile.
"A happy transaction," he said, his voice much more jovial than it had been, "please, look around some more for any more weapons that might catch your eye. And please, remember to ask for F'nnickly the Weapon Merchant if ever you're in the cities of Thassles, Ghostflower, or Midnight Tree. I have shops in all of them!"
"I certainly will," Kiana said, meaning it. She imagined she would be seeing more of this F'nnickly on her travels. She then turned to her brother and sister and knelt down, while the merchant turned to address another customer. "Alright, you two, did you guys find anything you wanted? I'll buy it for you."
"But... your birthday money?" Valay asked, looking torn. Kiana gave him and then his twin a kiss on their foreheads.
"You're my cute little brother and sister. If I want to spend money on you guys, I will," she said with a warm smile that only grew wider at the sight of the two now sporting excited grins. They both ran off and started to look more earnestly at things that had caught their eyes.
"Papa probably won't be too happy with me buying them weapons, but I'm sure he and Mama will teach them how to be responsible with them," she thought. She was still crouched to the twins' level and was about to stand back up, when she spotted something else that caught her eye. It was a pair of seemingly plain polished brass knuckles lying inside a small glass display case on a shelf to her left. They looked to be made of a bright silvery metal. Opening the case and picking them up, they weighed next to nothing, but like the tetsubo, something about them called out to Kiana on a level she couldn't quite identify. Smiling, she stood up with them and tapped F'nnickly on his shoulder.
After learning that they were a pair of master-crafted mithril brass knuckles, Kiana bought them for five hundred gold, which was just half of another platinum piece, so she got some change to fill her coin pouch with. Valay was the first to return, carrying a set of shuriken that were enchanted to return to the thrower's hand with a snap of their fingers, a steel dagger, and a chain and sickle that F'nnickly identified as a kusarigama. Kiana had to stop Valay from spinning the weighted end as well as the sickle. Malay returned with a corkscrew oak carved staff that ended with a glowing purple jewel at the top, floating just above the tip. Right below it were human faces carved in, all with sinister-looking grins. It was a swamp dragon staff, meaning that it was great with poison, disease, and paralysis-related spells. With some practice, a dedicated magic user could use it to help with healing very nasty injuries and infections. Together, their purchases ended up costing Kiana another platinum piece plus another fifty gold.
Kiana smiled down at her beloved little brother and little sister, seeing their excitement as they marveled at their new equipment. Mirabelle, not understanding just why they were excited, was still wriggling happily nonetheless. Kiana looked around at her town, beyond the merchant booths and the games, looking at all the sights she had grown up again with, feeling a pang of sadness at knowing in two days, she was leaving. She saw all the familiar faces of her neighbors and friends and everyone else in this town she had grown to love. But it was time, and she knew it. And she had meant what she had said, she was going to visit often. Plus, she'd have Mirabelle with her, so she didn't expect she'd feel too homesick.
Two Days Later...
Kiana's travel pack was fully loaded with spare clothes, food, her mithril knuckles, a couple health potions (not that she was expecting to have to use them), a canteen of fresh water, some alchemical flameless torches, some books, other assorted supplies and, when she was certain no one was looking, Mr. Wolfy. She grabbed her tetsubo and looked at her bedroom, smiling at the bookshelf filled with all sorts of titles and books about faraway lands. Her bed was made, the soft pink comforter that made cold winter nights just so warm. Her closet that was closed, containing a bit fewer dresses than it did a couple days ago, with them safely packed away in her bag. Sighing, she exited.
She was wearing her forest green boots with gold trim up the laces. They matched her green and gold hot pants and matching halter top. Kiana hadn't been too sure about leaving her midriff open like this, exposing her grey back and white tummy, but she had to admit that she had a pretty decent range of movement. And besides, compared to some other female, and some male, adventurers out there wearing what were basically bikinis or lingerie, this was much less revealing.
Out in the living room, her family was waiting. Pumala stood there, holding Kiana's platinum star-shaped badge, signifying the girl was a registered adventurer. Valay had asked Kiana about the badge that had been hand-delivered by guildmaster Graval the day before, the human man wishing the new adventurer a happy birthday. Kiana had explained that she was now officially an adventurer, but a freelance adventurer. She then had to explain that the local guild was a branch of the international inter-adventurer guild association. For freelance adventurers, a platinum ranking was the highest ranking they could achieve. If they wished to rank higher, they needed to join an official guild, like Unicorn Riot or Phoenix Phist. Basically, the guild in their town was just for beginners. The bunny girl was considering joining a real guild, but wanted to first travel and do some missions, and then look in on the different guilds and find out which one she would be most comfortable with.
"Go out there and have an awesome adventure!" Valay said, his voice choking up a bit. He looked away and wiped his eyes before hugging Kiana.
"Yeah, and be sure to tell us all about the places you go and the things you do!" Malay said, her own eyes moist. Kiana felt the hot prickle of tears at the back of hers and furiously blinked them away as she returned their hugs.
"Count on it," she said with a smile. The two letting go, Pumala stepped forward and pinned the badge on Kiana's halter top, her own eyes misty.
"I'm so proud of you, honey-bunny," she said, now doing the hugging. Kiana hugged back, having to blink away some tears again.
"I love you, Mama," she said, being kissed on her forehead.
"I love you too, baby," Pumala said. The older bunny woman, who now had a slight baby bump again, stepped back as her large wolf-man husband strode forward. He tried to look stern, but the silent tears streaming down his face ruined the impression. He threw his arms around Kiana and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug.
"Oh, my little princess is going awaaaaaaaaay!" he sobbed, much to everyone's collective embarrassment.
"I'll be back to visit, Papa," Kiana said, trying to gently pry his arms off.
"Be careful out there on the road, sweetie!" he sobbed again, his tail tucked between his legs.
"I will, Papa, I promise." Kiana smiled as he let go, and walked to the door. She turned and waved to her family, before turning back and opening the door. Just after she took her first step, she felt a jolt and something wrap around her right leg. Looking down, she saw her father, clinging to her leg like a toddler.
"Feli, let go of Kiana's leg right this instant!" Pumala called, while the twins, still saddened by their big sister's departure, shared a giggle at their father's antics.
"Never!" he called back, tightening his grip. Kiana rolled her eyes and smiled back at her mom.
"Don't worry, he'll fall off or I'll manage to shake him off before I get to the bridge," she said, starting to walk, albeit with an awkward gait. She whistled and Mirabelle, now sporting a new pink ribbon around her neck, came slithering after. Kiana's friends were near the gate for a send-off, which was made a little awkward by the still sobbing grown wolf clinging to the now mildly annoyed bunny girl's leg. She thanked them all and hugged each one, before stopping at the gate itself. She raised the leg her father was on, and began to shake. After a few moments, Felixin went flying and landed in the dirt with an 'OMPH!' Kiana waited as he got up and dusted himself off, wiping his face with the sleeve of his red robes, and walked over to her.
"I love you, Princess," he said, looking Kiana in the eyes and forcing a smile, "from the very day you were born, you were always my little princess, and it's just so hard to see you go. But please, know that I love you, and that not only am I already proud of what you've managed to accomplish, but that I know I'll be proud of the things you do out in the world."
Kiana, fresh tears of her own falling, pulled her Papa into one more hug, now the one making it a bone-crushing hug.
"I love you, Papa. I'm so lucky that I got to have you and Mama for parents. I'll be back before you know it," she said, wiping her own eyes. Felixin stepped back and continued to smile at his little girl. Kiana smiled back and, snapping her fingers to pull Mirabelle away from a gate guard's unattended bag lunch, the two set off, with Kiana turning back once to wave goodbye, before they finally crossed the bridge, and were on their way out into the wide world.
Name: Kiana
Species: Beasta (Rabbit-Kin)
Age: 16
Skills: Sibling Wrangler, Babysitter, Puppy-Dog Eyes, Master Martial Arts, Brawling, Heavy Weapon Proficiency, Sarcasm Mastery, Eyerolling Mastery, Beast Taming Level 3.
Class: (Official) Master-Level Dragon Monk: Storm Dragon School
Str: 140
Int: 12
Dex: 139
Cha: 12
Wis: 10
Con: 170
Languages: Common
Equipment: Adventurer's Pack, Steelwood Tetsubo, Mastercraft Mithril Knuckles (x2), Rope (25 Ft.), Canteen (Full), Road Rations, Spare Clothes, Bedroll, Health Potion (x2), Books (x3)
Sniffle. And there you have it, folks! I loved writing about Starlight Rose, but now it's time for us, along with Kiana, to explore the wide world! Thanks for reading this new chapter, and be sure to consider leaving a comment or review.
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I've Been Reincarnated as a Bunny Girl?! (Chapter 4)
by
ShadowDragon88
"I love when the merchant caravan comes to town!" Valay cheered from where he was sitting on Kiana's shoulders, making his soon-to-be sixteen-year-old big sister wince. At age nine, the twins were being accompanied by Kiana as they walked through main street in town. Twice a year the merchant caravan, often accompanied by adventurers or mercenaries as guards, came to Starlight Rose. Ever since the destruction of The Spire, the town had started to see more traffic as travelers no longer had to worry about traveling through the narrow gaps in the mountain range, past a source of evil. In the six years since its destruction, Starlight Rose had bloomed and doubled its population.
Walking past the stalls and the games, Kiana smiled, feeling a festive atmosphere. She looked down at Malay, who was wearing a seafoam green dress, the young wolbet not caring that it had been a hand-me-down from Kiana, and clutching a giant blue stuffed fox almost as big as she was. Kiana was wearing a bright yellow sundress, having stated that on such a warm day, it was the best option to help keep from getting overheated. Her mother and sister had both smiled knowingly, not the least bit tricked by Kiana's professions. Kiana would often just not think about it.
Valay, in contrast, was wearing a simple red shirt and brown shorts and some small stick-on bandages on his shins and knees. The young boy wolbet was holding a purple dragon plush. Kiana had won them from a game booth. It was the classic 'throw a ball at a stack of bottles to knock them over' game, and like a cliche, she had seen her little brother throw a ball, hit the stack in the dead center, and they didn't move an inch. That's when big sister had stepped in. Kiana looked back at the booth... or rather where it had been. The attendant was still standing there, staring in a daze, as only half of the structure still remained.
"I'm glad you two like it," Kiana said, picking her brother up off her shoulders and setting him down next to his twin. Mirabelle rubbed up against his leg, making him giggle. The tiny snake, that had been small enough to sit coiled comfortably in the palm of a younger Kiana's hand, was now the size of a Saint Barnard, and just as affectionate as one. The blue-green snake had a tendency to try and sneak food, mainly cookies, when she thought she could get away with it, and had developed quite the set of sad puppy eyes when caught.
"So Kiana," Malay asked, looking up with her forest green eyes, a twinkle in them, "gunna go meet with Davtio later?"
Kiana smiled and rolled her eyes. Malay loved asking Kiana about her love life, or rather lack thereof. The older girl reached over and ruffled her little sister's headfur.
"Davtio and I are just friends," she said, having the day before gone on a walk with the elf-boy from her graduating class, gently letting him down after he had made his courting intentions known. The day after Kiana's birthday, which would be two days after the biannual festival, she was going to be leaving Starlight Rose to become a traveling adventurer. Davtio, with his long and practically glowing golden locks and eyes the color of the deep blue sea, had been disappointed, but he understood.
Jorba the goblin boy, however, had been far less formal as well as far less respectful with his own declaration. Said green-skinned bat-eared boy had walked over to where Kiana was retying her new forest green boots and given her bottom a swat, just below her cotton tail, puffing out his chest and informing Kiana that he had decided she was the finest female in their age group in the town and therefore, will be his woman. Slowly, Kiana had straightened herself and turned around, her eyes glowing with a blue light. With a swipe of her legs and a downward punch, that Kiana had been careful not to be too hard with, she effectively punched the disgusting goblin, literally, into the ground. Still alive and not crippled, but definitely in a lot of pain.
"I know that he liiiiiikes you, though," Malay said, rocking back and forth on her heels, reaching down to stroke Mirabelle's head, making the large reptile loosely wrap herself around the young wolbet girl's ankles.
"I don't feel the same way and I told him as much, so we've agreed to remain friends," Kiana said, making her sister let out an exasperated sigh.
"GAH! That is so just like you, Kiki!" Malay said, using the name she and Valay had called Kiana shortly after they had first learned how to talk. "Someone likes you, but you're just happy being just friends!"
"Hey, friends are awesome to have," Kiana said, picking Malay up and setting her on her shoulders, taking Valay's hand/paw into her own. Malay just rolled her eyes and continued to hug her fox.
"So," Valay piped up, glad that the girls had quit talking about romance stuff, "whatcha gunna buy with the money you saved up?" Valay was speaking of the jingling pouch of coins on Kiana's hip. She had earned extra coin around town doing things like babysitting and helping Mr. Fresto build a new stone wall around his garden, and the like. Making deliveries for the new offta restaurant in town had been fun for the teen bunny, and not because offta was the name for what turned out to be pizza in this world either! Tapping into her powers, she was able to sprint all across town and even over to Lake Phantom and back, often in under a minute.
"Well, I've already bought a bunch of supplies and a pack for my journey," Kiana said, taking note of Valay's ears drooping a bit, as well as sensing that Malay's ears were probably doing the same.
"So... you really mean to leave?" Malay asked from Kiana's shoulders. Kiana smiled and rubbed her little sister's leg, before rubbing her little brother's head.
"Yeah, I really do. But like I've told papa... repeatedly, actually, I'll come back to visit a whole bunch! And I'll be able to tell you all some cool stories about my travels!" Kiana said, brightening their moods.
"Are you going to learn magic?" Malay asked. As the twins edged closer towards their tenth birthday, that meant that they were nearing when they'd be old enough to take an exam to determine their magical abilities. Malay had accidentally turned a handful of flowers to stone when she sneezed at age seven. She also accidentally set a patch of grass on fire just outside her bedroom window after a bad dream a couple months back. According to a very excited Felixin, these were signs that Malay had a high aptitude for magic, and might actually be a sorceress, someone born with raw magical power within them.
Felixin went on to explain that anyone, with study and practice and skill, could eventually learn to use magic, but people like that fell under the category of a wizard. He went on to explain that witches were similar to wizards, but were more like hippies out dancing in the woods. Sorcerers and sorceresses were born with raw magical power already in them, that as they grew older, they needed to learn how to control, lest it become dangerous to them and those around them.
Druids, he continued with his explanation, were similar to witches, but less studious and more concentrating on attuning themselves to the energies of the surrounding natural world. He also said they had a tendency to eat certain mushrooms and fungus that they claimed could open one's third eye, but her father dismissed that notion as them just being addled by the chemicals in said fungi. Clerics were also magical, but their magic derived from whichever god they'd devoted themselves to, much like paladins, but with more study and significantly less combat training.
Finally, there were warlocks. Felixin was not shy about making his feelings regarding warlocks known. Instead of taking the time to learn and practice and concentrate and actually earn their magical power, they were rare people who instead bound themselves to an entity of great magical power, often something very sinister. In exchange for this power, they would do their new master's bidding, oftentimes not even fully understanding why such entities would want such requests done. He even recounted one warlock whose only task was to go out on the road and find a specific boulder, and then move it three inches south. Said warlock just shrugged when asked why, and stated that it was the only task his master ever asked of him.
What Felixin apparently didn't know was that there was a final category. The monk. When the master dragon monk had come to evaluate Kiana, after he had recovered from his shock, he had explained that monks were ordinary people who trained both their minds and their bodies. They would learn to tap into their inner power, their ki, and harness it through their bodies. This was of course after years and years of training and meditation. Of the different kinds of monks, the dragon monks were the most powerful. Once they passed a certain threshold, they would become as powerful as a dragon; which kind of dragon depended on which advanced school of training they most identified with. According to the master, Kiana practically oozed the aura of a storm dragon, which was capable of moving as fast as lightning.
"Kiki!" Valay called, tugging on Kiana's hand. She shook herself and smiled down at the wolbet boy. Kiana looked up in time to see Mirabelle stealthily reaching up at a nearby picnic table where those sitting weren't paying any attention and was trying to drag a plate with an entire rotisserie chicken on it nearer to the edge. She snapped her finger, making Mirabelle recoil and slither right back over to her legs, making the sad eyes at her. Kiana ignored the big orange orbs with the black slits and returned her attention to her brother.
"Sorry, buddy, I guess I got lost in my memories there for a sec."
The boy rolled his eyes and pointed to a large red and white tent that covered a wide area. There were no walls, and plenty of people were milling about inside, looking at the various goods. What had caught Valay's eye were the weapons. Already the boy had begged their mother to teach him swordfighting and, only recently, Pumala had agreed. She took note of how quickly Valay had taken to practicing the basics every day after school, always starting back to stance one. Kiana was certain that he was going to grow up to be quite the fighter.
"Okay, let's take a look and see what they've got for sale," Kiana said, turning them to an opening, Mirabelle following close behind. Together they walked down the set up shelves and displays. Valay was entranced by the swords and daggers, especially the throwing knives and shurikens. Scratch that, Kiana thought to herself with a giggle as she set her little sister down to look at the magical staves, thinking about how much Valay loved hiding and planting stink bombs for pranks and using smoke bombs to make his escapes. He'll probably grow up to be a great ninja or something.
Keeping her younger siblings and Mirabelle in sight, Kiana started to look through the different weapons. There were plenty made from low-quality materials that would probably break upon the first real usage, including an ornate-looking gold sword encrusted with jewels. She stopped just past the flails and nunchucks, spying several different tetsubos. The tetsubo was a weapon of the ancient samurai, at least that was the case for her home world. They were long, thick wooden clubs, in this case as tall as Kiana was, so around five feet in length. Going down the sides of the weapons, stopping only at the ends at the tops and just before the handles at the bottoms, were rounded or spiked metal rivets.
She pushed past some ornately carved ones, and spotted what appeared to be a plain brown tetsubo. It was polished and its rivets were spiked and black. The handle was wrapped in a comfortable-feeling leather. Some instinct deep within her liked this weapon, it liked it very much. Carrying it with one hand, she approached a man wearing a lapis lazuli-colored turban, and some matching lapis with gold trim robes. His skin was a pitch-black, with a shock of long white hair, signifying that he was a dark elf.
"How much for the tetsubo?" Kiana asked, hearing Valay and Malay hurrying to her side. She could practically feel their wide eyes staring in wonder at the weapon.
The merchant smiled, his purple eyes twinkling. "So this is the weapon you have selected? Quite the interesting choice."
"Uh, thanks?" Kiana said, now looking the tetsubo over and wondering if it was cursed, or if the guy before her was going to turn out to be a demon or something and that every item in the shop was cursed in some karmic way like the old cliche.
"It is made from a healthy branch of steelwood. Note that I said made, and not carved. As exquisite as a weapon or armor made from carved steelwood is, it pales in comparison to one that is made with secret techniques to sing the form it was always supposed to be straight from the trees themselves. Doing so ensures that any weapon or armor crafted this way will never dull or break. And the price will, of course, reflect as much..."
"Ah," Kiana said, understanding what the merchant before her was getting at.
"That particular tetsubo I cannot part with for less than a platinum," he said.
"Sold," Kiana said, pulling open her pouch and jangling it as her hand disappeared inside. After a moment of her rooting around and sifting coins aside, she found what she was looking for. Out she pulled a single platinum coin. Her brother and sister, as well as the merchant, looked at Kiana in shock.
"Where'd you get a platinum piece?" Malay asked, watching transfixed as Kiana handed the coin over to the still stunned dark elf, who took it and slipped it into a pocket in his robes.
"I found it just outside of town, when I beat down a giant shambling plant creature-thing. I think it ate a traveling merchant or something, 'cause I found a pouch with ten of them in it," Kiana whispered with a wink. She looked up to see that the merchant had the coin back in his hands and was examining it with a jeweler's loupe, nodding in approval as he pocketed both and gave Kiana an award-winning smile.
"A happy transaction," he said, his voice much more jovial than it had been, "please, look around some more for any more weapons that might catch your eye. And please, remember to ask for F'nnickly the Weapon Merchant if ever you're in the cities of Thassles, Ghostflower, or Midnight Tree. I have shops in all of them!"
"I certainly will," Kiana said, meaning it. She imagined she would be seeing more of this F'nnickly on her travels. She then turned to her brother and sister and knelt down, while the merchant turned to address another customer. "Alright, you two, did you guys find anything you wanted? I'll buy it for you."
"But... your birthday money?" Valay asked, looking torn. Kiana gave him and then his twin a kiss on their foreheads.
"You're my cute little brother and sister. If I want to spend money on you guys, I will," she said with a warm smile that only grew wider at the sight of the two now sporting excited grins. They both ran off and started to look more earnestly at things that had caught their eyes.
"Papa probably won't be too happy with me buying them weapons, but I'm sure he and Mama will teach them how to be responsible with them," she thought. She was still crouched to the twins' level and was about to stand back up, when she spotted something else that caught her eye. It was a pair of seemingly plain polished brass knuckles lying inside a small glass display case on a shelf to her left. They looked to be made of a bright silvery metal. Opening the case and picking them up, they weighed next to nothing, but like the tetsubo, something about them called out to Kiana on a level she couldn't quite identify. Smiling, she stood up with them and tapped F'nnickly on his shoulder.
After learning that they were a pair of master-crafted mithril brass knuckles, Kiana bought them for five hundred gold, which was just half of another platinum piece, so she got some change to fill her coin pouch with. Valay was the first to return, carrying a set of shuriken that were enchanted to return to the thrower's hand with a snap of their fingers, a steel dagger, and a chain and sickle that F'nnickly identified as a kusarigama. Kiana had to stop Valay from spinning the weighted end as well as the sickle. Malay returned with a corkscrew oak carved staff that ended with a glowing purple jewel at the top, floating just above the tip. Right below it were human faces carved in, all with sinister-looking grins. It was a swamp dragon staff, meaning that it was great with poison, disease, and paralysis-related spells. With some practice, a dedicated magic user could use it to help with healing very nasty injuries and infections. Together, their purchases ended up costing Kiana another platinum piece plus another fifty gold.
Kiana smiled down at her beloved little brother and little sister, seeing their excitement as they marveled at their new equipment. Mirabelle, not understanding just why they were excited, was still wriggling happily nonetheless. Kiana looked around at her town, beyond the merchant booths and the games, looking at all the sights she had grown up again with, feeling a pang of sadness at knowing in two days, she was leaving. She saw all the familiar faces of her neighbors and friends and everyone else in this town she had grown to love. But it was time, and she knew it. And she had meant what she had said, she was going to visit often. Plus, she'd have Mirabelle with her, so she didn't expect she'd feel too homesick.
Two Days Later...
Kiana's travel pack was fully loaded with spare clothes, food, her mithril knuckles, a couple health potions (not that she was expecting to have to use them), a canteen of fresh water, some alchemical flameless torches, some books, other assorted supplies and, when she was certain no one was looking, Mr. Wolfy. She grabbed her tetsubo and looked at her bedroom, smiling at the bookshelf filled with all sorts of titles and books about faraway lands. Her bed was made, the soft pink comforter that made cold winter nights just so warm. Her closet that was closed, containing a bit fewer dresses than it did a couple days ago, with them safely packed away in her bag. Sighing, she exited.
She was wearing her forest green boots with gold trim up the laces. They matched her green and gold hot pants and matching halter top. Kiana hadn't been too sure about leaving her midriff open like this, exposing her grey back and white tummy, but she had to admit that she had a pretty decent range of movement. And besides, compared to some other female, and some male, adventurers out there wearing what were basically bikinis or lingerie, this was much less revealing.
Out in the living room, her family was waiting. Pumala stood there, holding Kiana's platinum star-shaped badge, signifying the girl was a registered adventurer. Valay had asked Kiana about the badge that had been hand-delivered by guildmaster Graval the day before, the human man wishing the new adventurer a happy birthday. Kiana had explained that she was now officially an adventurer, but a freelance adventurer. She then had to explain that the local guild was a branch of the international inter-adventurer guild association. For freelance adventurers, a platinum ranking was the highest ranking they could achieve. If they wished to rank higher, they needed to join an official guild, like Unicorn Riot or Phoenix Phist. Basically, the guild in their town was just for beginners. The bunny girl was considering joining a real guild, but wanted to first travel and do some missions, and then look in on the different guilds and find out which one she would be most comfortable with.
"Go out there and have an awesome adventure!" Valay said, his voice choking up a bit. He looked away and wiped his eyes before hugging Kiana.
"Yeah, and be sure to tell us all about the places you go and the things you do!" Malay said, her own eyes moist. Kiana felt the hot prickle of tears at the back of hers and furiously blinked them away as she returned their hugs.
"Count on it," she said with a smile. The two letting go, Pumala stepped forward and pinned the badge on Kiana's halter top, her own eyes misty.
"I'm so proud of you, honey-bunny," she said, now doing the hugging. Kiana hugged back, having to blink away some tears again.
"I love you, Mama," she said, being kissed on her forehead.
"I love you too, baby," Pumala said. The older bunny woman, who now had a slight baby bump again, stepped back as her large wolf-man husband strode forward. He tried to look stern, but the silent tears streaming down his face ruined the impression. He threw his arms around Kiana and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug.
"Oh, my little princess is going awaaaaaaaaay!" he sobbed, much to everyone's collective embarrassment.
"I'll be back to visit, Papa," Kiana said, trying to gently pry his arms off.
"Be careful out there on the road, sweetie!" he sobbed again, his tail tucked between his legs.
"I will, Papa, I promise." Kiana smiled as he let go, and walked to the door. She turned and waved to her family, before turning back and opening the door. Just after she took her first step, she felt a jolt and something wrap around her right leg. Looking down, she saw her father, clinging to her leg like a toddler.
"Feli, let go of Kiana's leg right this instant!" Pumala called, while the twins, still saddened by their big sister's departure, shared a giggle at their father's antics.
"Never!" he called back, tightening his grip. Kiana rolled her eyes and smiled back at her mom.
"Don't worry, he'll fall off or I'll manage to shake him off before I get to the bridge," she said, starting to walk, albeit with an awkward gait. She whistled and Mirabelle, now sporting a new pink ribbon around her neck, came slithering after. Kiana's friends were near the gate for a send-off, which was made a little awkward by the still sobbing grown wolf clinging to the now mildly annoyed bunny girl's leg. She thanked them all and hugged each one, before stopping at the gate itself. She raised the leg her father was on, and began to shake. After a few moments, Felixin went flying and landed in the dirt with an 'OMPH!' Kiana waited as he got up and dusted himself off, wiping his face with the sleeve of his red robes, and walked over to her.
"I love you, Princess," he said, looking Kiana in the eyes and forcing a smile, "from the very day you were born, you were always my little princess, and it's just so hard to see you go. But please, know that I love you, and that not only am I already proud of what you've managed to accomplish, but that I know I'll be proud of the things you do out in the world."
Kiana, fresh tears of her own falling, pulled her Papa into one more hug, now the one making it a bone-crushing hug.
"I love you, Papa. I'm so lucky that I got to have you and Mama for parents. I'll be back before you know it," she said, wiping her own eyes. Felixin stepped back and continued to smile at his little girl. Kiana smiled back and, snapping her fingers to pull Mirabelle away from a gate guard's unattended bag lunch, the two set off, with Kiana turning back once to wave goodbye, before they finally crossed the bridge, and were on their way out into the wide world.
Name: Kiana
Species: Beasta (Rabbit-Kin)
Age: 16
Skills: Sibling Wrangler, Babysitter, Puppy-Dog Eyes, Master Martial Arts, Brawling, Heavy Weapon Proficiency, Sarcasm Mastery, Eyerolling Mastery, Beast Taming Level 3.
Class: (Official) Master-Level Dragon Monk: Storm Dragon School
Str: 140
Int: 12
Dex: 139
Cha: 12
Wis: 10
Con: 170
Languages: Common
Equipment: Adventurer's Pack, Steelwood Tetsubo, Mastercraft Mithril Knuckles (x2), Rope (25 Ft.), Canteen (Full), Road Rations, Spare Clothes, Bedroll, Health Potion (x2), Books (x3)
Sniffle. And there you have it, folks! I loved writing about Starlight Rose, but now it's time for us, along with Kiana, to explore the wide world! Thanks for reading this new chapter, and be sure to consider leaving a comment or review.
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2023.05.27 22:16 chuckebrown Hotel and Transportation: 2023 NYC Marathon
Hi all,
Looking for some guidance for hotel and transportation for the 2023 NYC Marathon. This will be my first year running it. I commuted into the city from Rockland County for both the NYC Half and the Brooklyn Half, and could probably take a bus with my local road runner club. However, my family would like to attend, so a hotel looks like the best bet.
Based on what I've read here, a hotel in midtown or near the finish line is the best option. For those that get a hotel for the race, do you opt for late checkout (2pm) or do you stay an additional night?
For transportation to the start, what would be the best option for Wave 1 Corral A? I understand the ferry situation was abysmal for the 2022 marathon. Is the midtown bus the most reliable option to get to the starting line on time?
Thank you all for any guidance you offer.
submitted by chuckebrown to RunNYC [link] [comments]
Looking for some guidance for hotel and transportation for the 2023 NYC Marathon. This will be my first year running it. I commuted into the city from Rockland County for both the NYC Half and the Brooklyn Half, and could probably take a bus with my local road runner club. However, my family would like to attend, so a hotel looks like the best bet.
Based on what I've read here, a hotel in midtown or near the finish line is the best option. For those that get a hotel for the race, do you opt for late checkout (2pm) or do you stay an additional night?
For transportation to the start, what would be the best option for Wave 1 Corral A? I understand the ferry situation was abysmal for the 2022 marathon. Is the midtown bus the most reliable option to get to the starting line on time?
Thank you all for any guidance you offer.
2023.05.27 21:52 Sunnivaz9314 【EVERYONE MUST READ】Received extraterrestrial messages through channelling: Regarding open contact and the future of humanity.
 | submitted by Sunnivaz9314 to u/Sunnivaz9314 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/nxzybqz5if2b1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ca604f4b221047df1646a6a252353eef57fbe12 The following information is presented as a direct transmission without any personal subjective elements. Its authenticity is subjective and open to individual interpretation**.** It is important to approach the content with an open mind, suspending conventional three-dimensional perspectives. You are welcome to question, disagree, and inquire while maintaining respect for others. The information provided is based on my compilation of diary entries from the past two years, during which I have also received guidance from extraterrestrial visitors. Thus, the following content represents their intended message for humanity on Earth. In the past two years, I have had experiences where I encountered beings that I believe to be extraterrestrials. If we classify them based on physical appearance, I have come across more than 50 distinct types, with the majority resembling the commonly known "Grey aliens." Although their colors varied slightly, they shared common traits such as slender limbs and large heads. Notably, all the extraterrestrial beings I encountered were devoid of hair. The height of these beings ranged from approximately 15cm (infant stage) to around 3 meters (adult stage). In these encounters, I found myself often alone in a room, and they would approach me or transport my consciousness to another dimensional space for communication. On some occasions, these encounters took place in public settings such as airplanes, libraries, parks, and other crowded areas. However, I must emphasize that during these moments, I was the sole witness and participant in the interactions with these beings. During encounters with certain alien species, I have noticed unusual physical reactions. For some of them, my eyelids would involuntarily twitch regardless of whether my eyes were open or closed. In the presence of highly energetic beings, I experienced involuntary movements in my limbs as well. Subsequently, their images would manifest in my mind, as if a vast mural was being projected before me. However, I have also encountered extraterrestrial beings that closely resembled ordinary humans, though I could sense their true essence within. Some of these beings wore glass helmets, possibly to accommodate Earth's atmospheric conditions or magnetic fields (vibrational frequencies). In addition to encountering extraterrestrial beings commonly depicted in media, literature, and online sources, I have come across entities whose existence has no recorded precedent in human accounts. Remarkably, I even find myself using terms like "beautiful" to describe certain female-like extraterrestrial beings due to their unique physical characteristics. I have primarily encountered civilizations within our own Milky Way galaxy. During these encounters, I have observed certain civilizations whose attire suggests the presence of social hierarchies. However, it remains uncertain whether these hierarchies are based on an "elder system," "mentor system," or "monarchical system." The information they transmit to me will not surpass my cognitive range. If there is a need for me to explore unfamiliar areas of knowledge, even beyond the existing knowledge on Earth, they will "arrange" opportunities for me to learn about them in advance. Our communication takes place using telepathy or pure consciousness exchange. In this mode of communication, they utilize my native language, which is Cantonese. In my experience, most of the information I have received has been through passive means, as I have been approached by these beings rather than actively seeking out encounters or information. The information provided is as follows: We are currently existing in the 363rd universe, which is the fifth Earth, and it represents the eighth civilization. Starting from the latter half of 2019, there has been a notable shift in the vibrational frequency of Earth, leading to the occurrence of various extreme climatic events. Simultaneously, this shift has brought about a change in the frequency of consciousness for many individuals, resulting in a spiritual awakening. It is my understanding that these individuals have discovered a deeper sense of purpose in life, transcending materialistic pursuits. Based on the information provided by extraterrestrial beings from the constellation of Andromeda , it is said that there will be a series of collective and open contact events between alien civilizations and humanity before the year 2025. During one such encounter, I encountered an extraterrestrial being who emitted a luminous white glow and possessed elongated limbs. Interestingly, they wore a glass-like covering around their neck. The spacecraft I observed differed significantly from what I had previously encountered or seen in popular depictions. Its surface had a dark metallic appearance, composed of overlapping three-dimensional geometric shapes such as irregular polygons, cubes, and flattened geometrical forms. On March 12, 2023, it was conveyed to me that the first public contact would take place on May 30 of the same year. On March 30, 2023, the spacecraft entered the solar system. On May 12, 2023, at 1:00 AM, during my daily Zhan Zhuang（站桩） session, I had a visit from a pale gray extraterrestrial being. This time, I took the initiative to ask questions. Me: What is the significance of open contact? ET: It is intended to assist individuals/souls on Earth in gaining a deeper understanding of themselves. Me: What about the Creator? ET: The Creator is the inherent existence itself, implying that every conscious being is an aspect of the Creator. I further inquired about the concept of Earth's ascension, and the extraterrestrial explained that ascension involves returning to the past. If one does not ascend, they continue to exist in the present, but there is no conventional notion of a "future." It is speculated that in the year 2030, Earth will experience a significant shift known as the singularity point. During this time, awakened individuals will transcend to a higher frequency, entering a dimension separate from the physical world. This event is often referred to as Earth's ascension. The process of ascension requires the collective power of awakened souls as well as the assistance of certain structures scattered across the planet, such as ancient pyramid-like monuments. These structures are believed to have served as energy amplifiers or charging stations for extraterrestrial craft in ancient civilizations. After 2030, the frequency and intensity of both natural and human-induced disasters are expected to increase. As Earth undergoes profound changes, including extreme weather events, the fate of humanity becomes uncertain. The exact timeline or duration of these transformations leading to the eventual disappearance of human presence is unknown. It is believed by some individuals who have awakened to their higher consciousness on Earth that they may be experiencing their final incarnation within the cycle of reincarnation on this planet. As a result, there may be a decrease in the number of souls choosing to incarnate here. Personally, I have noticed a noticeable decrease in the number of individuals since November 2022. In my clairvoyant visions of the future, I witnessed a final scene of Earth where all surface water rapidly returned to the planet's core, leaving behind a desiccated terrain. The Earth's atmosphere vanished, and the protective energetic boundaries surrounding the planet dissipated. There is no specific timeframe for these events, but when I witnessed them, I was astonished for about 30 seconds. On June 3, 2021, during my time in Toronto, I encountered an extraterrestrial being who claimed to be from the most advanced civilization in the Milky Way galaxy. This being had a head resembling that of an octopus and spoke with a masculine voice. Unlike previous extraterrestrial encounters, this being had human-like eyes and emitted a subtle blue and white light. He had a humanoid form. Using blackboard-like equipment, he wrote a series of symbols and mathematical equations, some of which involved the use of π in different orientations. However, I couldn't comprehend whether these symbols represented text or formulas. Given my limited knowledge of physics, I asked him to provide a simple and easily understandable example to explain the concept of a singularity. He responded by saying, "A singularity is like a fully ripe watermelon." From my understanding, he meant that a singularity represents a transformative point where a significant qualitative change occurs. The following is a personal account and viewpoint. Extraterrestrial Technology I can only say that the technological advancements of extraterrestrial beings surpass our current level of Earthly technology by a significant margin. It is important to note that the depictions of alien technology in science fiction movies cannot truly capture the full extent of their capabilities. At present, our ability to "detect" or "discover" extraterrestrial life is limited. Therefore, relying solely on visual evidence captured by human senses, optical instruments, such as photographs and videos, or even advanced military radar tracking technology, may not be sufficient to prove the existence of extraterrestrial beings. It is possible that these observations only provide glimpses into their plans and intentions. During my personal encounters, I witnessed their spacecraft, which seemed to be powered by crystals that resemble those found on Earth. Therefore, when I tried remote viewing the base of the Egyptian pyramids, I observed the presence of enormous crystal formations. I have contemplated whether the ancient extraterrestrial beings, such as the Anunnaki, were interested in mining not for gold, as commonly believed by humans, but for the seemingly undervalued resource of crystals. Aliens on the moon The extraterrestrial beings I observed on the Moon resemble the appearance of small greys, but their skin is not smooth and instead has numerous wrinkles. Whenever they are outside their spacecraft, these beings always wear spacesuits, with their heads exposed and not requiring a helmet. I saw this through my clairvoyant abilities, but as soon as they became aware of my presence, I stopped RV them after a few seconds. I gathered that these particular extraterrestrial beings have some connection to Russia and the United States, with a closer affiliation to Russia. On January 23, 2023, at 3:00 AM, I used remote viewing of the Moon again and discovered that all of them had evacuated from the lunar surface, still wearing their spacesuits. This leads me to speculate that there will no longer be any human lunar exploration missions in the future. The pyramids on Mars March 25, 2023 -The following information was conveyed to me by my ancestral spirit guide: There are currently two pyramids on Mars, similar in size to the one in Mexico. They have been buried underground by orange-red sand. Some interstellar extraterrestrials are still exploring the interior of the pyramids. Interstellar extraterrestrials are a group of beings from outside our universe who explore other celestial bodies. They cannot breathe in space or environments with oxygen and require special gases. They wear suits similar to spacesuits on Earth, but their structures and functionalities are more advanced. Their bodies emit a faint glow. Earth Ascension APR 12, 2023 - Over the past couple of years, I have been gradually glimpsing fragments of my existence before reincarnating on Earth, leading me to speculate about Earth's previous civilization. It appears that Earth was once a highly advanced civilization existing in higher dimensions, and the occurrence of the great flood undoubtedly caused a significant dimensional decline. As a result, the tales of advanced civilizations such as Mu, Atlantis, and the mythological stories passed down across the world, which I initially believed to be true stories of divine encounters, now seem to be events involving ancient higher-dimensional human civilizations. The ascension of Earth does not involve a transition from three dimensions to four or higher dimensions, but rather a restoration of Earth to its original trajectory and vibrational frequency. ET Wars During the summer of 2021, I had my first encounter with two distinct large spacecraft engaged in a "war" in the skies above Vancouver. However, from my perspective, the "warfare" amounted to the two ships closely approaching each other for a brief moment before one of them vanished entirely. For the average person looking up at the sky, they would likely see nothing more than a peaceful day with blue skies and the sun. It seems that there are factions of extraterrestrial beings on Earth representing different groups or alliances. Thiaoouba Prophecy It is a book that gives me the impression of an attempt by an extraterrestrial to write in a human-like manner. Many people consider it to be a pseudo book, as it contains elements that come across as rigidly presented, and the author's thinking appears quite different. North Korea This country is associated with an extraterrestrial race of insect type, of which I am very certain, that the highest leader Kim Jong-un appearing publicly inside and outside the DPRK is not himself. I would like to briefly share my background. I was born in a small tea plantation in Guangdong, China. From an early age, I frequently encountered extraterrestrial beings or had experiences where they sought me out. Although I didn't know who they were during my childhood, I was certain that they did not originate from Earth. For me, extraterrestrial beings/civilizations have always been present on Earth, and they are ubiquitous. It was not until I reached middle school that I realized their existence in this world was either unknown or denied. In my perspective, extraterrestrial beings have not openly interacted with humans due to our overwhelming fear of the unknown and our inherent resistance to anything different or dissenting. Humans often approach unfamiliar things and differing opinions with hostility. In a dream I had in February 2023: Many extraterrestrial beings descended from the sky wearing silver-white protective suits made of metallic material. Their spacecraft resembled our helicopters to some extent. However, at that time, humans were still unable to visually perceive their presence. It required a large screen device, larger than our current smartphones, measuring approximately 20cm x 15cm x 2cm, to detect them. The extraterrestrial beings did not engage in any actions that would harm humans physically or mentally. Some curious individuals were solely focused on capturing photos and videos using this device, while others were filled with panic and fled the scene. On March 5, 2023, for the first time, I had contact with extraterrestrial beings through a dream. This dream occurred when I fell back asleep after waking up in the morning. In the dream, I temporarily stayed at a guesthouse near an airport as I needed to go somewhere. One day, I took a ride in a seven-seater business vehicle rented by the hotel to visit a nearby commercial area. Suddenly, during the journey, I fell into a drowsy state. Just as I was about to rest my eyes in the car, a long, soft tentacle-like appendage coiled around my right index finger, making two loops. I immediately opened my eyes, and the tentacle disappeared. At that moment, I had a realization that I needed to close my eyes to establish a connection with the entity. I closed my eyes once again, and a sense of its presence enveloped me. It stood approximately 20 to 30 centimetres tall. As I touched its body with my left hand, I noticed its skin was remarkably smooth, akin to the delicate skin of a human baby. There were no hairs, and its form lacked excess fat. Its head resembled that of a human, measuring around 8 to 10 centimetres in diameter. It felt considerably softer than a human head, and on the left side of its head, there was a protrusion resembling a fan-shaped structure, somewhat reminiscent of tendrils. Throughout the entire encounter, I kept my eyes closed, yet I could sense the overwhelming sense of joy and serenity emanating from the being. After approximately ten seconds of contact, it disappeared. Upon waking up, I experienced a faint electric sensation coursing through my body. Every pore seemed to be wide open, creating a peculiar sensation similar to a slight chill, yet different from the usual experience of feeling cold. Based on these two dreams, I speculate that in future encounters between extraterrestrial beings and human beings, we may not be able to observe their existence with our naked eyes. Instead, we will have to perceive them through our senses. The Flat Earth Theory The Earth is flat, not just based on online opinions, but because I saw it with remote viewing as a flat surface when I was young, and it remains the same now. Based on this fact, the scientific understanding of the planetary orbits in the solar system is entirely wrong. At the very least, the Earth should be stationary, with the Moon and the Sun revolving around it. This aligns with Buddhist cosmology, where the world is described as a space illuminated by the presence of the sun and moon. Feb 28, 2023: Utilizing remote viewing, I intended to project my consciousness beyond the boundaries of the solar system to observe the trajectories of the planets. However, to my astonishment, what I witnessed was that all celestial bodies within the solar system appeared to be motionless when viewed from outside. It seems that the concept of time may not exist in a high-dimensional world, but rather in our three-dimensional reality. Another point to consider is that the Earth's ascension would require an acceleration of space-time. From the perspective of the universe, the solar system appears to be stationary due to its overall low vibration frequency. When I came across Elon Musk's Mars program in the news， I posed a question to my guiding spirit. Me: Will humans relocate to Mars or the Moon in a thousand years? Spirit: I am uncertain whether you (humans) will be able to embark on the journey to the next civilization. Therefore, I have always believed that the preservation of the world's diversity and the continuity of human civilization depend on human inclusivity. Posted on May 26, 2023 in Toronto |
2023.05.27 20:58 wombat_kombat Just received this in the mail am I late to the party?
 | submitted by wombat_kombat to amcstock [link] [comments] |
2023.05.27 20:54 Bathroom-Salt Here it is. In full. Grammar errors and everything.
Reading dbrand's fine print is kind of like joining a secret club - one that entitles you to learn all of the most legally questionable aspects of our business. Creative accounting Tricks? Plans to destroy the sun? Horrific industrial "accidents" that have claimed the lives of countless scientists? It's all in here - this fine print sheds light on things that probably should have stayed in the dark. On that note- remember how we called it a "secret club"? Well, it's your responsibility to make sure it stays that way. If you fail to do so, just remember: we know where you live.
For some, it expresses a preference that all consumer goods should offer a Matte Black colorway. For us, it means we won’t rest until the entire world is coated Matte Black. How do we accomplish this? Simple, we destroy the sun. For the past five years, all of our money – or rather, your money – has funded the production of a cartoonishly large laser beam. We’ll cut to the chase: star-destroying lasers aren’t cheap. Neither are our products – you can blame the sun for that. Our accounting Robots just sent out an internal email. The message was clear: we’ve officially made too much money. As a result, our corporate bank accounts have been frozen. Turns out bribing the bank to unfreeze your assets is a lot easier when your assets aren’t frozen. Lucky for us, kidnapping the CEO’s son is free. With our exorbitant profits safely returned and a newfound distrust for financial institutions, we turned to the time-honored storage solution of simply stashing cash under the mattress. Here’s the deal: we need to buy a hundred thousand mattresses. Your order is bankrolling that purchase. Here’s hoping Casper ships in bulk.
Pastel skin development was a bit of a bumpy road. It began with us rounding up hundreds of test subjects and strapping them into chairs. Then, we blasted about sixteen million different colors directly into their eyeballs over the course of... thirty days? To be honest, we weren't really keeping track. Afterwards, as the lights came back up, we asked them to list their favorites. Their response, sadly, was not the perfectly recited list of CMYK values we had hoped for. Instead, a few of them said something about violating the Geneva Convention. We gently reminded them that they were a focus group, not prisoners of war. That seemed to shut them up. The remaining 99% of test subjects seemed completely incapable of speech for some reason. In the end, we got little usable data from the exercise. Instead, we picked eight colors at random. Don't let our test subjects' sacrifice be in vain.
The bees are dying. It starts with their exposure to pesticides. Over time, an acute poisoning sets in. Immune system? Ravaged. Their cognitive abilities fade to nothingness. Death ensues. They're dropping like flies out there. Soon, we'll be saying "they're dropping like bees out there." As a hive's worker bee population gets decimated, the queen runs out of servants. Much like yourself, the queen can’t do anything on her own. She dies too. The hive follows suit. This is a phenomenon known as “Colony Collapse Disorder,” and it’s contributing to bee shortages all over the globe.
You may be wondering: what does any of this have to with our products? Absolutely nothing. Don't let that stop you from buying some. Where were you when dbrand succeeded in their planetary conquest? Don't answer that - we know where you were. You were buying stuff off our website. Well, we've got good news. Once we've assumed control, we'll be instating a representative for the human race - mostly as a figurehead, so that you'll all keep giving us your money. How will we select this representative? First, we'll stage a cruel, bizarre decathlon. Events will include running an obstacle course constructed entirely of flamethrowers and holding your breath while submerged in a tub of hot sauce. The winner of the decathlon will get absolutely nothing – we’ll just stage it for kicks. Then, we’ll select the representative for all humankind based on how many dbrand orders they’ve placed.
We were halfway through building a fort out of your money when we realized… we need a fireplace that we can use to burn money. For warmth. There’s one problem: if we use cash to build the fireplace, we have less to burn. You see the issue, yes? Excellent. That’s why we’re having a sale. Did you know that was the origin of the term "fire-sale"? To describe a promotion that would generate revenue to use as kindling? Look it up. In a book. Then, give the book to us. We won't burn the book - we're not monsters. We'll just pawn the book off and burn the sweet, flammable proceeds. Once we've completed our money fireplace, we'll need to hang something over the mantlepiece. We were thinking of hiring an interior designer for that. Have you ever hired and interior designer? Of course not. Anyway, their rates are ridiculous.
We get a lot of questions about where our money comes from. To be fair, most of them come from the IRS. It's apparently a "red-flag" that a phone case manufacturer has accumulated enough wealth to construct an island fortress in shark-infested waters. We tried explaining that the sharks came with the property. They didn't care. Anyways, we extended an invitation for their auditors to come out and meet the Sharks for themselves. Upon arrival, we gave them a “carefully guided tour” through our compound, fed them a lunch that contained absolutely no arsenic, then brought them down to the pier to observe the sharks from a safe distance. You're probably wondering: why didn't we give the sharks an auditor-flavored lunch? Simple: Since their safe return to Washington, the IRS is now turning a blind eye to our “enterprise.” While the auditors may be off our backs, those sharks aren't going to feed themselves. Maybe we'll bring the Supreme Court down for a visit.
In 2020, Apple decided to enter the Magnet game. This was a mistake for everyone. You see, our magnet division have been preparing for this inevitability. Shortly after Tim got off stage, our magnet scientist unveiled what can only be described as the most powerful magnet on Earth. Once removed from containment, the magnet barreled into the nearest robot with so much force, the entire population of French Polynesia heard the impact. Naturally, a single robot was not enough to stop the magnetic rampage. To make a long story short, a gigantic ball of assorted metals has been wreaking havoc along the Guatemalan coast for the past few years. Needless to say, we went with a slightly less powerful magnet for the grip case. Our only advice is to keep it far, far away from Guatemala. Imagine, if you will, a vaguely criminal business enterprise. This “business,” which shall remain nameless, can only attribute about 11% of its annual revenues to activities that the police might describe as, “legal”. The accountants for this “business” advised that, in order to avoid a catastrophic financial investigation, they'd need to “cook the books”. Strange advice, right? How would a warehouse of oven roasted books help to satisfy a Government Audit? Turns out, “cooking the books” is actually slang for “fraudulent accounting tactics”. Why did the accountants wait until the entire building was on fire to mention that? Doesn't matter. Point is, we need some new books to cook, and your wallet is on the menu.
Here's a fun fact: every month, at least three psychopaths request that we make skins out of real human flesh. Ten times out of ten, the “should we call the cops?” conversation is preempted by a different, more important question: “is this an opportunity to make money?” Needless to say, we bought a van. After driving around and “collecting” a bunch of hitchhikers, we returned to HQ only to find we had been charged with kidnapping. Since it's apparently illegal to monetize humans in the way we had planned, we decided to pivot to Cow Hides instead. If you've ever wondered whether or not we can launch a product line from within the walls of a maximum-security prison, Leather is your answer.
While we're on the subject of maximum-security, prisons, have you ever broken out of one? Turns out, it's far more challenging than one might think. Our first thought was to bribe all of the guards. Apparently. The banks saw this coming and froze our assets. With the easy route closed, we had no choice but to rely on our business acumen. After a few months of deal making and strong arming, we had amassed a commercial empire within the walls of the prison. In other words, we add enough cigarettes to recreate the Great Chicago Fire. This is, in fact, precisely what we did- Just replace Chicago with Toronto East Detention Center, then burn it to the ground. Speaking of which, did you know that the Great Chicago Fire was started by a cow? Google it, then rest easy: with the launch of. With the launch of Leather, Justice was finally served. Henry Ford once said that a customer can have a car in any color, so long as it's black. Apparently, Sony missed the memo with their white PS5 Henry Ford? Spinning in his grave. We exhumed his corpse and saw it for ourselves, having unearthed A perpetual motion machine. That defies all known laws, the laws of physics we set to work: How could we utilize this self-powered skeletal term vine to power the production of dark plates?
As it turns out, Henry Ford generates less energy than it took to dig him up. Without sufficient electricity to power our Darkplates production lines, we instead applied for a Nobel Prize in Physics. The plan was to spend the prize money on a nuclear reactor. Turns out, the Nobel foundation has some “ethical code” which “prohibits” participants from “needlessly” exhuming corpses based on a “hunch” that the deceased has begun to spin. We’ll see how they feel when we’re digging up their graves. When we decided to redesign the Darkplates, we quickly realized that it was going to be a monumental task. This led to the formation of dbrand’s Plate Science division… or at least, that was the plan. See, we quickly realized that the term “Plate Scientist” means many things to different people. To geologists, it might mean “someone who studies Plate Tectonics,” which would explain why 100% of our applicants were geologists. With our newly assembled team of people who think a PlayStation is a Nintendo, we got to work. Normally, this story would end with the successful development of Darkplates 2.0. Instead, these so-called Plate Scientists gave us a bag of rocks. After both the Plate Science division and the geologists who staffed it had been dissolved, we went back to the drawing board. Turns out, our Industrial Design Robots had already designed Darkplates 2.0. A portion of the proceeds went towards replenishing our supply of sulfuric acid.
On Canada Day, we waived all shipping fees. Why, you ask? Simple – as Canadians we know that saving money on shipping means more opportunity to buy life-saving snowshoes. As the great Wayne Gretzky once said, “snowshoes – they’re the only sure-fire way to escape a polar bear attack.” Not Canadian? No clue why a polar bear would be attacking to begin with? Allow us to paint you a picture.
You just finished tapping the sap out of a faithful Maple Tree. A few unassuming drops spill on your parka. The polar bears don’t necessarily care for the sap – it’s the smell of fear and flesh they crave. Within moments, you’ve become prey. As your snowshoe-less boots dash gracelessly toward your igloo, narrowly escaping the third hyper-carnivorous near-death experience of the week, you pause to reflect: “Why the hell do I live in an igloo? It’s July.” Your sense quickly returns to remind you of the truth: you spent most of your money on dbrand and ice is cheaper than bricks. As your makeshift home melts around you and the grumbling stomachs of a polar bear family close in, your frostbite-ridden lips manage one final sentence: “I’m sorry I didn’t spend more on dbrand.”
When Linus “Tech Tips” Sebastian rang us up to propose a limited edition dbrand collaboration, we couldn’t hang up fast enough. Seventy-two “missed” calls later, Anthony Young’s name popped up on our caller ID. One phone conversation later, the Linus Face Tips drop was born. Our elevator pitch? It’s like if the LTT Store was good. Well, half-good.
See, here at dbrand we believe in offering choices. Specifically, a right choice and a wrong choice. Do we trust you to choose correctly? Never. That’s why we’ve designed our business model around your terrible decisions – we get paid either way. Great thinking, dbrand. Every time an iPhone screen shatters, Tim Apple feels a pleasant chill run down his spine. It can happen at any time: while he’s exercising, doing his taxes, eating an apple… even while he’s getting some shut-eye. Good ol’ Timmy hasn’t had a solid night’s sleep in over a decade. Why does this strange convulsion happen, you ask? Easy: from anywhere in the world, he can sense the repair fees he’s about to rack up. He’s like a shark, sensing the blood money in the waters. Unlike most sharks, this one can breathe oxygen and chairs one of the largest mega corps in the world. Scared? You should be. You’re already frantically Googling “Shark Repellent,” aren’t you? Stop that right now. He can sense your fear. Instead, get a screen protector. If we can prevent an iPhone screen from ever shattering again, it’ll cut off Tim’s main food supply and send him back to the ocean, where he belongs.
Are you sitting down? Good. We want you to remain calm. See, the truth is… the cows have escaped. It all started when one of our “interns” forgot to lock a gate at our Leather Production Facility. The rest is history – just like the intern. Is it accurate to say that we fired him? Debatable, really. On one hand: “firing him” implies that he worked for us by choice. On the other hand, his ashes are currently in the care of his family. None of this changes the fact that a legion of angry cows is currently on the loose. There’s no telling what they’ll do. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and buy some Leather while you still can. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got some herding to do.
Every Valentine’s Day, you ask yourself the same question. “Why am I still single?” We’ll answer your question with one of our own: do you have any idea how strict our character limit is? If we could fit our best-selling book “Why Nobody Loves You” into this space, we would. We can’t… so instead, here’s Chapter 11: you’re broke. Did we have something to do with that? Probably. Is that going to stop us from bleeding you further? Absolutely not. There’s only one solution: buy enough vinyl to fill the colossal hole in your heart. Look on the bright side: it’s cheaper than dating.
Despite our best efforts to detain Zack at our Teardown facility, he somehow keeps finding ways to escape. To overcome this hurdle, we held auditions for “volunteer Zacks.” Average, untalented Americans looking for a shortcut to YouTube superstardom. It was a disaster. Putting aside the fact that their baldness required constant maintenance, it turns out they were utterly incapable of jerry rigging anything. Normally, we’d just incinerate them and move on. Unfortunately, Zack is a bit of an environmentalist. As a result, our “Recycling Department” reluctantly devised a zero-emissions way to repurpose the volunteers. After replacing some unnecessary organs with mechanical upgrades, we soon had assembly lines of bald cyborgs tearing down devices around the clock. To make a long story short, we’re now offering consulting services to other corporations looking to shift away from human labor. If they’re going to collapse the job market, we may as well bankrupt them in the process.
Every time you get a package from dbrand, you can hardly contain your excitement. It’s not because you’re excited to give us your money – though you should be. It’s because you’re excited to read the bizarre text on the packaging. Think of it as a reward for making the effort to read – certainly, a lot more work than you’re used to. Now, You’re here. The disappointment has begun to set in. You’re realizing that you’ve been bamboozled. You’re reading a metacommentary on our packaging copy. What is this, school? The last time you took one of those fancy-pants book-learning classes, they had to invent a grade lower than F. You don’t even know what commentary means, let alone “metacommentary.” To be perfectly honest, we’re surprised you made it this far. Spoiler alert: there is absolutely nothing you can do to get this time back. Signed, a Robot.
submitted by Bathroom-Salt to dbrand [link] [comments]
For some, it expresses a preference that all consumer goods should offer a Matte Black colorway. For us, it means we won’t rest until the entire world is coated Matte Black. How do we accomplish this? Simple, we destroy the sun. For the past five years, all of our money – or rather, your money – has funded the production of a cartoonishly large laser beam. We’ll cut to the chase: star-destroying lasers aren’t cheap. Neither are our products – you can blame the sun for that. Our accounting Robots just sent out an internal email. The message was clear: we’ve officially made too much money. As a result, our corporate bank accounts have been frozen. Turns out bribing the bank to unfreeze your assets is a lot easier when your assets aren’t frozen. Lucky for us, kidnapping the CEO’s son is free. With our exorbitant profits safely returned and a newfound distrust for financial institutions, we turned to the time-honored storage solution of simply stashing cash under the mattress. Here’s the deal: we need to buy a hundred thousand mattresses. Your order is bankrolling that purchase. Here’s hoping Casper ships in bulk.
Pastel skin development was a bit of a bumpy road. It began with us rounding up hundreds of test subjects and strapping them into chairs. Then, we blasted about sixteen million different colors directly into their eyeballs over the course of... thirty days? To be honest, we weren't really keeping track. Afterwards, as the lights came back up, we asked them to list their favorites. Their response, sadly, was not the perfectly recited list of CMYK values we had hoped for. Instead, a few of them said something about violating the Geneva Convention. We gently reminded them that they were a focus group, not prisoners of war. That seemed to shut them up. The remaining 99% of test subjects seemed completely incapable of speech for some reason. In the end, we got little usable data from the exercise. Instead, we picked eight colors at random. Don't let our test subjects' sacrifice be in vain.
The bees are dying. It starts with their exposure to pesticides. Over time, an acute poisoning sets in. Immune system? Ravaged. Their cognitive abilities fade to nothingness. Death ensues. They're dropping like flies out there. Soon, we'll be saying "they're dropping like bees out there." As a hive's worker bee population gets decimated, the queen runs out of servants. Much like yourself, the queen can’t do anything on her own. She dies too. The hive follows suit. This is a phenomenon known as “Colony Collapse Disorder,” and it’s contributing to bee shortages all over the globe.
You may be wondering: what does any of this have to with our products? Absolutely nothing. Don't let that stop you from buying some. Where were you when dbrand succeeded in their planetary conquest? Don't answer that - we know where you were. You were buying stuff off our website. Well, we've got good news. Once we've assumed control, we'll be instating a representative for the human race - mostly as a figurehead, so that you'll all keep giving us your money. How will we select this representative? First, we'll stage a cruel, bizarre decathlon. Events will include running an obstacle course constructed entirely of flamethrowers and holding your breath while submerged in a tub of hot sauce. The winner of the decathlon will get absolutely nothing – we’ll just stage it for kicks. Then, we’ll select the representative for all humankind based on how many dbrand orders they’ve placed.
We were halfway through building a fort out of your money when we realized… we need a fireplace that we can use to burn money. For warmth. There’s one problem: if we use cash to build the fireplace, we have less to burn. You see the issue, yes? Excellent. That’s why we’re having a sale. Did you know that was the origin of the term "fire-sale"? To describe a promotion that would generate revenue to use as kindling? Look it up. In a book. Then, give the book to us. We won't burn the book - we're not monsters. We'll just pawn the book off and burn the sweet, flammable proceeds. Once we've completed our money fireplace, we'll need to hang something over the mantlepiece. We were thinking of hiring an interior designer for that. Have you ever hired and interior designer? Of course not. Anyway, their rates are ridiculous.
We get a lot of questions about where our money comes from. To be fair, most of them come from the IRS. It's apparently a "red-flag" that a phone case manufacturer has accumulated enough wealth to construct an island fortress in shark-infested waters. We tried explaining that the sharks came with the property. They didn't care. Anyways, we extended an invitation for their auditors to come out and meet the Sharks for themselves. Upon arrival, we gave them a “carefully guided tour” through our compound, fed them a lunch that contained absolutely no arsenic, then brought them down to the pier to observe the sharks from a safe distance. You're probably wondering: why didn't we give the sharks an auditor-flavored lunch? Simple: Since their safe return to Washington, the IRS is now turning a blind eye to our “enterprise.” While the auditors may be off our backs, those sharks aren't going to feed themselves. Maybe we'll bring the Supreme Court down for a visit.
In 2020, Apple decided to enter the Magnet game. This was a mistake for everyone. You see, our magnet division have been preparing for this inevitability. Shortly after Tim got off stage, our magnet scientist unveiled what can only be described as the most powerful magnet on Earth. Once removed from containment, the magnet barreled into the nearest robot with so much force, the entire population of French Polynesia heard the impact. Naturally, a single robot was not enough to stop the magnetic rampage. To make a long story short, a gigantic ball of assorted metals has been wreaking havoc along the Guatemalan coast for the past few years. Needless to say, we went with a slightly less powerful magnet for the grip case. Our only advice is to keep it far, far away from Guatemala. Imagine, if you will, a vaguely criminal business enterprise. This “business,” which shall remain nameless, can only attribute about 11% of its annual revenues to activities that the police might describe as, “legal”. The accountants for this “business” advised that, in order to avoid a catastrophic financial investigation, they'd need to “cook the books”. Strange advice, right? How would a warehouse of oven roasted books help to satisfy a Government Audit? Turns out, “cooking the books” is actually slang for “fraudulent accounting tactics”. Why did the accountants wait until the entire building was on fire to mention that? Doesn't matter. Point is, we need some new books to cook, and your wallet is on the menu.
Here's a fun fact: every month, at least three psychopaths request that we make skins out of real human flesh. Ten times out of ten, the “should we call the cops?” conversation is preempted by a different, more important question: “is this an opportunity to make money?” Needless to say, we bought a van. After driving around and “collecting” a bunch of hitchhikers, we returned to HQ only to find we had been charged with kidnapping. Since it's apparently illegal to monetize humans in the way we had planned, we decided to pivot to Cow Hides instead. If you've ever wondered whether or not we can launch a product line from within the walls of a maximum-security prison, Leather is your answer.
While we're on the subject of maximum-security, prisons, have you ever broken out of one? Turns out, it's far more challenging than one might think. Our first thought was to bribe all of the guards. Apparently. The banks saw this coming and froze our assets. With the easy route closed, we had no choice but to rely on our business acumen. After a few months of deal making and strong arming, we had amassed a commercial empire within the walls of the prison. In other words, we add enough cigarettes to recreate the Great Chicago Fire. This is, in fact, precisely what we did- Just replace Chicago with Toronto East Detention Center, then burn it to the ground. Speaking of which, did you know that the Great Chicago Fire was started by a cow? Google it, then rest easy: with the launch of. With the launch of Leather, Justice was finally served. Henry Ford once said that a customer can have a car in any color, so long as it's black. Apparently, Sony missed the memo with their white PS5 Henry Ford? Spinning in his grave. We exhumed his corpse and saw it for ourselves, having unearthed A perpetual motion machine. That defies all known laws, the laws of physics we set to work: How could we utilize this self-powered skeletal term vine to power the production of dark plates?
As it turns out, Henry Ford generates less energy than it took to dig him up. Without sufficient electricity to power our Darkplates production lines, we instead applied for a Nobel Prize in Physics. The plan was to spend the prize money on a nuclear reactor. Turns out, the Nobel foundation has some “ethical code” which “prohibits” participants from “needlessly” exhuming corpses based on a “hunch” that the deceased has begun to spin. We’ll see how they feel when we’re digging up their graves. When we decided to redesign the Darkplates, we quickly realized that it was going to be a monumental task. This led to the formation of dbrand’s Plate Science division… or at least, that was the plan. See, we quickly realized that the term “Plate Scientist” means many things to different people. To geologists, it might mean “someone who studies Plate Tectonics,” which would explain why 100% of our applicants were geologists. With our newly assembled team of people who think a PlayStation is a Nintendo, we got to work. Normally, this story would end with the successful development of Darkplates 2.0. Instead, these so-called Plate Scientists gave us a bag of rocks. After both the Plate Science division and the geologists who staffed it had been dissolved, we went back to the drawing board. Turns out, our Industrial Design Robots had already designed Darkplates 2.0. A portion of the proceeds went towards replenishing our supply of sulfuric acid.
On Canada Day, we waived all shipping fees. Why, you ask? Simple – as Canadians we know that saving money on shipping means more opportunity to buy life-saving snowshoes. As the great Wayne Gretzky once said, “snowshoes – they’re the only sure-fire way to escape a polar bear attack.” Not Canadian? No clue why a polar bear would be attacking to begin with? Allow us to paint you a picture.
You just finished tapping the sap out of a faithful Maple Tree. A few unassuming drops spill on your parka. The polar bears don’t necessarily care for the sap – it’s the smell of fear and flesh they crave. Within moments, you’ve become prey. As your snowshoe-less boots dash gracelessly toward your igloo, narrowly escaping the third hyper-carnivorous near-death experience of the week, you pause to reflect: “Why the hell do I live in an igloo? It’s July.” Your sense quickly returns to remind you of the truth: you spent most of your money on dbrand and ice is cheaper than bricks. As your makeshift home melts around you and the grumbling stomachs of a polar bear family close in, your frostbite-ridden lips manage one final sentence: “I’m sorry I didn’t spend more on dbrand.”
When Linus “Tech Tips” Sebastian rang us up to propose a limited edition dbrand collaboration, we couldn’t hang up fast enough. Seventy-two “missed” calls later, Anthony Young’s name popped up on our caller ID. One phone conversation later, the Linus Face Tips drop was born. Our elevator pitch? It’s like if the LTT Store was good. Well, half-good.
See, here at dbrand we believe in offering choices. Specifically, a right choice and a wrong choice. Do we trust you to choose correctly? Never. That’s why we’ve designed our business model around your terrible decisions – we get paid either way. Great thinking, dbrand. Every time an iPhone screen shatters, Tim Apple feels a pleasant chill run down his spine. It can happen at any time: while he’s exercising, doing his taxes, eating an apple… even while he’s getting some shut-eye. Good ol’ Timmy hasn’t had a solid night’s sleep in over a decade. Why does this strange convulsion happen, you ask? Easy: from anywhere in the world, he can sense the repair fees he’s about to rack up. He’s like a shark, sensing the blood money in the waters. Unlike most sharks, this one can breathe oxygen and chairs one of the largest mega corps in the world. Scared? You should be. You’re already frantically Googling “Shark Repellent,” aren’t you? Stop that right now. He can sense your fear. Instead, get a screen protector. If we can prevent an iPhone screen from ever shattering again, it’ll cut off Tim’s main food supply and send him back to the ocean, where he belongs.
Are you sitting down? Good. We want you to remain calm. See, the truth is… the cows have escaped. It all started when one of our “interns” forgot to lock a gate at our Leather Production Facility. The rest is history – just like the intern. Is it accurate to say that we fired him? Debatable, really. On one hand: “firing him” implies that he worked for us by choice. On the other hand, his ashes are currently in the care of his family. None of this changes the fact that a legion of angry cows is currently on the loose. There’s no telling what they’ll do. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and buy some Leather while you still can. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got some herding to do.
Every Valentine’s Day, you ask yourself the same question. “Why am I still single?” We’ll answer your question with one of our own: do you have any idea how strict our character limit is? If we could fit our best-selling book “Why Nobody Loves You” into this space, we would. We can’t… so instead, here’s Chapter 11: you’re broke. Did we have something to do with that? Probably. Is that going to stop us from bleeding you further? Absolutely not. There’s only one solution: buy enough vinyl to fill the colossal hole in your heart. Look on the bright side: it’s cheaper than dating.
Despite our best efforts to detain Zack at our Teardown facility, he somehow keeps finding ways to escape. To overcome this hurdle, we held auditions for “volunteer Zacks.” Average, untalented Americans looking for a shortcut to YouTube superstardom. It was a disaster. Putting aside the fact that their baldness required constant maintenance, it turns out they were utterly incapable of jerry rigging anything. Normally, we’d just incinerate them and move on. Unfortunately, Zack is a bit of an environmentalist. As a result, our “Recycling Department” reluctantly devised a zero-emissions way to repurpose the volunteers. After replacing some unnecessary organs with mechanical upgrades, we soon had assembly lines of bald cyborgs tearing down devices around the clock. To make a long story short, we’re now offering consulting services to other corporations looking to shift away from human labor. If they’re going to collapse the job market, we may as well bankrupt them in the process.
Every time you get a package from dbrand, you can hardly contain your excitement. It’s not because you’re excited to give us your money – though you should be. It’s because you’re excited to read the bizarre text on the packaging. Think of it as a reward for making the effort to read – certainly, a lot more work than you’re used to. Now, You’re here. The disappointment has begun to set in. You’re realizing that you’ve been bamboozled. You’re reading a metacommentary on our packaging copy. What is this, school? The last time you took one of those fancy-pants book-learning classes, they had to invent a grade lower than F. You don’t even know what commentary means, let alone “metacommentary.” To be perfectly honest, we’re surprised you made it this far. Spoiler alert: there is absolutely nothing you can do to get this time back. Signed, a Robot.
2023.05.27 19:23 Rachel_Silver A question about trash cans for people who work or have worked in high end hotels.
I did valet parking at an expensive hotel. We were near several colleges, a few hospitals and an event center, so we had a lot of guests arrive after a long drive. I bought a small trashcan, and if a guest had empty beverage and food containers, I'd ask if they wanted to get rid of them. Guests were, without exception, highly appreciative.
The GM of the hotel told us that if we wanted to keep a trash can at the valet stand, we had to keep it inside the valet stand. It was always kept locked, and only one person on shift had a key to it, so I just got rid of the trashcan. I rarely saw the GM, but the next time I did, I asked him why he didn't like us providing that service to guests. He insisted that you will never see a trashcan in a public area of a high class hotel.
This was years ago, but I always thought that sounded like horseshit, at least as a reason to stop us from having one at the valet stand. Was it?
EDIT: I had two different frequent guests ask for the trash can when they arrived, and I told them the GM wouldn't let us do that anymore, and why. I guess at least one of them complained or mentioned it in a review, because I got hassled about it by my boss.
submitted by Rachel_Silver to TalesFromTheFrontDesk [link] [comments]
The GM of the hotel told us that if we wanted to keep a trash can at the valet stand, we had to keep it inside the valet stand. It was always kept locked, and only one person on shift had a key to it, so I just got rid of the trashcan. I rarely saw the GM, but the next time I did, I asked him why he didn't like us providing that service to guests. He insisted that you will never see a trashcan in a public area of a high class hotel.
This was years ago, but I always thought that sounded like horseshit, at least as a reason to stop us from having one at the valet stand. Was it?
EDIT: I had two different frequent guests ask for the trash can when they arrived, and I told them the GM wouldn't let us do that anymore, and why. I guess at least one of them complained or mentioned it in a review, because I got hassled about it by my boss.
2023.05.27 18:27 J0YC0N Possible Season 6 Topic : The Judicial System
I just finished The Wire for the first time, and I feel like a natural progression for the show were it to have gone on would be to focus on the judicial system in the state and Baltimore. The season would have four main plots: The investigation into dirty lawyers and judges, the prison system, and the lawyer's perspective.
Towards the end of season 5, the characters start going after the dirty lawyers- Levy in particular. This had its purpose in being used as leverage against Levy to incriminate Marlo's crew, but I can't help but feel like if the show was to go on, that it would've been used to setup the next season's topic: Judicial corruption. The last 3 or 4 episodes of each season slowly builds to the next seasons topic, and places characters in situations that would correspond with that (Think about how Prez at the end of Season 3, saying he's not "fit to be police", becoming a main character in Season 4, as a teacher). A lot of the police characters also end up becoming involved in the judicial system, as is seen by the end of Season 5's montage (Daniels, Rhonda, Herc.etc)
In this new season, whats left of major crimes would've gone after dirty lawyers, and even dirty judges, but encounter political obstructions (like in most seasons). Major crimes really was just Lester (and McNulty to an extent) though, and now that Lester is gone and Daniels no longer a colonel, the investigations really don't go anywhere. (Maybe Carver or Kima would've picked up the torch of Major Crimes? Unlikely seeing the political landscape once Carcetti leaves probably reverts back to the season 1 numbers game). For the sake of this scenario, lets just say that Lester and Jimmy kept their jobs. Lester and Jimmy keeping their jobs is possible, since we've seen how incompetent the department was at handling their punishments- being rather soft. Jimmy and Lester would take this for granted and not learn their lessons. Jimmy and Lester would continue scheming the Baltimore Police Department to go after crooked lawyers, because they were outraged about Marlo walking free once they learn about Levy's corruption. Their stories would ultimately end with this being the final nail in the coffin- making their "firing" be built up to over the season- and they're constantly manipulating and pulling tricks to just avoid their bosses.
From the lawyer perspective, we would follow Daniels as a clean lawyer, who wants to perform good lawyer work (just like how Colvin wanted to be a good police as a hotel security guard)- but is struck down by his bosses who don't care about his moral compass, and just want to make money and exploit the system for their own gain. Daniels is faced with a dilemma, and is forced to free an obviously guilty person. Daniels initially saw the law as an escape from the corrupt police system, but then learns the hard truth, that everything is corrupt. Daniels knew of this possibility, but he never really thought it through until this moment. His character arc would most likely go in two directions. It would follow his spirit finally being broken as he is swallowed whole by the system- or him doing pro bono work and trying to make a positive difference in his city in small ways. If Daniel's character arc went in the direction of becoming corrupt himself, him and Rhonda's relationship could play a key role in meddling the system even more, performing favors for each other.
In the prison plot, we would've followed a new cast of the incarcerated, and see their labor being exploited almost like slave work, which would commentate on mass incarceration. We've already seen a tiny bit of prisons in Season 2, but not nearly in depth enough. Plus, the prison in season 2 seemed to be pretty nice all things considered. In this fictional season 6, we would've seen a dirty, and grimy prison that's pretty much bottom of the barrel. Maybe we would have followed Michael, or some other enforcer as the new and innocent face to guide us through this scene. They would be the prison plot's main protagonist, being the familiar face that the audience follows into the twisted world of this brand new institution. We would see how the guards are corrupt, the warden's corrupt, and how all that corruption directly feeds into the judicial system, which monetarily incentivizes the exploitation of the prisoners. We would see how while the corner boys and the police were rivals on the street, in prison they're tangled and the lines are blurred. In some instances, the law actually using those same corner boys as livestock and cattle once they're actually in the system.
Just like the dirty corners vs the dirty police system in previous seasons, this season's main parallel would be between the dirty prisons vs the dirty judicial systems- with dirty immoral lawyers, judges, and the money involved in all of it.
I seriously believe that this would've been a great addition to the series, adding another institution to the show and showing just how deep the money goes- into incarceration (modern slavery). It really makes a lot of sense in my eyes. You see the kids go from the institution of school which is centered around politics and tests, to the corners, then ultimately to jail where they're institutionalized once again. It seems like this could've been a good place to end off the series, with a full cycle rather than on Media which seemed to be a rather minor institution to the lives of corner kids who probably don't even really read the newspaper.
Let me know if this idea peaks anyones interest, or if theres something you'd add. Thanks for reading.
submitted by J0YC0N to TheWire [link] [comments]
Towards the end of season 5, the characters start going after the dirty lawyers- Levy in particular. This had its purpose in being used as leverage against Levy to incriminate Marlo's crew, but I can't help but feel like if the show was to go on, that it would've been used to setup the next season's topic: Judicial corruption. The last 3 or 4 episodes of each season slowly builds to the next seasons topic, and places characters in situations that would correspond with that (Think about how Prez at the end of Season 3, saying he's not "fit to be police", becoming a main character in Season 4, as a teacher). A lot of the police characters also end up becoming involved in the judicial system, as is seen by the end of Season 5's montage (Daniels, Rhonda, Herc.etc)
In this new season, whats left of major crimes would've gone after dirty lawyers, and even dirty judges, but encounter political obstructions (like in most seasons). Major crimes really was just Lester (and McNulty to an extent) though, and now that Lester is gone and Daniels no longer a colonel, the investigations really don't go anywhere. (Maybe Carver or Kima would've picked up the torch of Major Crimes? Unlikely seeing the political landscape once Carcetti leaves probably reverts back to the season 1 numbers game). For the sake of this scenario, lets just say that Lester and Jimmy kept their jobs. Lester and Jimmy keeping their jobs is possible, since we've seen how incompetent the department was at handling their punishments- being rather soft. Jimmy and Lester would take this for granted and not learn their lessons. Jimmy and Lester would continue scheming the Baltimore Police Department to go after crooked lawyers, because they were outraged about Marlo walking free once they learn about Levy's corruption. Their stories would ultimately end with this being the final nail in the coffin- making their "firing" be built up to over the season- and they're constantly manipulating and pulling tricks to just avoid their bosses.
From the lawyer perspective, we would follow Daniels as a clean lawyer, who wants to perform good lawyer work (just like how Colvin wanted to be a good police as a hotel security guard)- but is struck down by his bosses who don't care about his moral compass, and just want to make money and exploit the system for their own gain. Daniels is faced with a dilemma, and is forced to free an obviously guilty person. Daniels initially saw the law as an escape from the corrupt police system, but then learns the hard truth, that everything is corrupt. Daniels knew of this possibility, but he never really thought it through until this moment. His character arc would most likely go in two directions. It would follow his spirit finally being broken as he is swallowed whole by the system- or him doing pro bono work and trying to make a positive difference in his city in small ways. If Daniel's character arc went in the direction of becoming corrupt himself, him and Rhonda's relationship could play a key role in meddling the system even more, performing favors for each other.
In the prison plot, we would've followed a new cast of the incarcerated, and see their labor being exploited almost like slave work, which would commentate on mass incarceration. We've already seen a tiny bit of prisons in Season 2, but not nearly in depth enough. Plus, the prison in season 2 seemed to be pretty nice all things considered. In this fictional season 6, we would've seen a dirty, and grimy prison that's pretty much bottom of the barrel. Maybe we would have followed Michael, or some other enforcer as the new and innocent face to guide us through this scene. They would be the prison plot's main protagonist, being the familiar face that the audience follows into the twisted world of this brand new institution. We would see how the guards are corrupt, the warden's corrupt, and how all that corruption directly feeds into the judicial system, which monetarily incentivizes the exploitation of the prisoners. We would see how while the corner boys and the police were rivals on the street, in prison they're tangled and the lines are blurred. In some instances, the law actually using those same corner boys as livestock and cattle once they're actually in the system.
Just like the dirty corners vs the dirty police system in previous seasons, this season's main parallel would be between the dirty prisons vs the dirty judicial systems- with dirty immoral lawyers, judges, and the money involved in all of it.
I seriously believe that this would've been a great addition to the series, adding another institution to the show and showing just how deep the money goes- into incarceration (modern slavery). It really makes a lot of sense in my eyes. You see the kids go from the institution of school which is centered around politics and tests, to the corners, then ultimately to jail where they're institutionalized once again. It seems like this could've been a good place to end off the series, with a full cycle rather than on Media which seemed to be a rather minor institution to the lives of corner kids who probably don't even really read the newspaper.
Let me know if this idea peaks anyones interest, or if theres something you'd add. Thanks for reading.
2023.05.27 17:23 Gbreeder Recap / How Some Stuff we've done started / when we mixed with others.
Now, I suppose that I'll talk about what I first started doing astrally. And what other members did.
First, I made an astral realm and sent out invites using energy knights / green golems.
They sought out those who weren't psychotic and the like and, people who were refugees, nomads, people living in abandoned realms or places, beings who were prosecuted because ones like Lamia were deemed KOS.
They also looked for books, old tech all over the place, abandoned or demolished places.
Eventually, things were bustling.
Until people came and spoke of "scouting" and "clearing".
Basically they killed everyone in sight. They spared some beings and said they'd been brainwashed / were light beings.
During this time, I was looking for abandoned places personally.
I found giant hellhounds who could teleport anywhere, were in war-torn abandoned places with smaller ones / different breeds or subspecies. Some groups were fully sentient and could use telepathy.
We eventually came across people called "The Hellbound" - I called them "Infernals" myself. Seemed to refer to multiple related races.
We were eventually collecting / luring these beings into portals / pre-made realms with things for them to hunt.
We found other fully sentient or seemingly endangered wildlife and made places for them.
The Hellbound took this as a sign that they wanted to make peace or alliances with us. They said that a lot of these were long lost hounds of theirs, used in war, and were friends of theirs.
Their natural / first home was mostly destroyed, so we actually had gathered multiple endangered related species, and we were letting them breed or run around there.
We let other beings do this too, new homes for whoever.
We were moving the hounds and other beings that attacked whoever came into their territory because they were living in some ruins that people that we'd been letting rebuild their civilizations or regroup, used to live in.
They had old ships, religious or cultural relics or currencies, bunkers full of whatever.
We freed a lot of forever sealed fellows that were in unguarded prisons or did whatever.
Abandoned after those who watched them were taken out.
The rule with that was that they couldn't leave the realm.
We found Hephaestus with his hammer stuck in his soul, and he couldn't regenerate. All sorts of similar cases. They ended up making new homes in the realm.
Eventually, we got full-scale attacked without warning. Some races were specifically attacked.
Found one ship with a stunted mother tree in its center that used to be mine. The tree was used as a portal to other ones. The ship was used to house slaves by these invaders.
We also took out other ships.
Some "Arcturians" came to investigate and said they wanted the ships as some used to be theirs before going missing.
And they went around using scanners on all sorts of people. I think they have some people flagged?
We defeated those guys, and they kept coming back. Eventually, we used the ship to attack their other connected places.
We freed a lot of slaves and did whatever.
We also found out from the Arcturians that those guys were "purging" all sorts of dimensional planes and realms of all life and taking slaves for supersoldiers or experimentation.
We helped them all out and got them to merge over with our groups.
Eventually, we went around getting rid of those factions doing this, got rid of them all.
Eventually got out of a place and got rid of the others outside of a place. Purgatory went bye-bye.
We searched prisons for those who weren't sociopaths or aligned with whoever.
Some fellows opted to go to a vault sorta place for rehabilitation, to talk with others of their race and dispell lies / mix factions or groups in the same mega group.
Eventually, we took out the parent "groups" which were large mixed groups, far-far away by partnering with others.
3D Earth wise, we learned that the internet and other things that made signals. When people send messages through them, it would leave their energy on strings of loose wires.
People would use these wires to mask themselves as whoever. 5G simply messed with telepathy further.
People's parents would have their energies masked on their kids along with whoever else, halfways across the world. So they wouldn't actually be speaking with them / plus there's no bots either - different subject - people simply aren't aware of the astral since others were projected over them. There's no paradise to maintain.
Anyways. We tried making a new astral side of the internet, less complex, and can't be fiddled with.
Well, our allies did.
Rather than one group, we became multiple groups. Some ideologies, ways of thinking and beliefs aren't compatible with others.
Others races managed to live together. When they live near ones with similar mindsets or whatever, something clicks in their minds that they aren't so different.
So, all of these groups have mixed populations.
Recently, we let vaults with sociopaths and whoever, off near the ones that had been open / interacting with each other for awhile.
These ones, the celestials and whoever in them. They immediately began attacking some "race traitors," threatening others to join them or just destroying others who asked too many questions / attacked their own allies.
Those ones seemed to be OK with working with other races and whoever, but not any full on mixing. Basically sociopaths who are narcissists and warmongers plus racists.
There ended up being another large group, that had non racist warmongers, and they aren't narcissists.
The ones with celestials attacked them on top of others. They lost horribly. Too overconfident.
They didn't know the other celestials already there had put together that the others were evil / awful and made them commit atrocities.
Some non sociopaths stuck with that group.
All incarnated people supposedly went there at the same time as the warmongers.
The group I'm with ended up mixing with other ones there, for safety, and making a sphere of safety / protection.
Some people said we are surrounded. Those are simply allies or those who aren't our enemies.
We got elevated up elsewhere and left those who kept fighting endlessly.
I think they all got flung back to wherever.
Assuming that their vaults will reopen, and who knows what happens after that.
Ours are still in a area where we aren't fully back with the rest of the astral.
I didn't do this alone either.
There was always a plan to merge with other groups as I made the safety place.
But, stuff changed.
There was the Orc Ulee'rott, Infernineaisha / Satan (There's multiple Satan's) - this one has horns, is bipedal and built like a brick house. And he's rather huge.
The red Hellbound in the Christian Hell would be hid primary descendants.
One person thought I meant someone that they called Beezlebub.
I did mention that Infernineaisha, he is one of "Hitler's" cousin races. Except Hitler is orange / bulky with horns in the astral.
People kinda pieced together who I was talking about and said that I'm working with a walking cataclysm / horror.
He's actually quite agreeable. Just don't anger him. Stay away from his territory.
His soul is completely back together.
He's in a mixed group, outside of a vault currently.
Most of us didn't interact until some big stuff / attacks happened.
So it's not as if I'm having feelings of grandeur. We did this together. Other incarnated people helped to massive degrees. Plus, other astral fellows.
Yeah, there's some people that may be considered objectionable out and about.
They're actually nice, to some people. They just don't vibe with everyone.
Infernineaisha used to just be called "The Infernal Red."
submitted by Gbreeder to NezvelenRealm [link] [comments]
First, I made an astral realm and sent out invites using energy knights / green golems.
They sought out those who weren't psychotic and the like and, people who were refugees, nomads, people living in abandoned realms or places, beings who were prosecuted because ones like Lamia were deemed KOS.
They also looked for books, old tech all over the place, abandoned or demolished places.
Eventually, things were bustling.
Until people came and spoke of "scouting" and "clearing".
Basically they killed everyone in sight. They spared some beings and said they'd been brainwashed / were light beings.
During this time, I was looking for abandoned places personally.
I found giant hellhounds who could teleport anywhere, were in war-torn abandoned places with smaller ones / different breeds or subspecies. Some groups were fully sentient and could use telepathy.
We eventually came across people called "The Hellbound" - I called them "Infernals" myself. Seemed to refer to multiple related races.
We were eventually collecting / luring these beings into portals / pre-made realms with things for them to hunt.
We found other fully sentient or seemingly endangered wildlife and made places for them.
The Hellbound took this as a sign that they wanted to make peace or alliances with us. They said that a lot of these were long lost hounds of theirs, used in war, and were friends of theirs.
Their natural / first home was mostly destroyed, so we actually had gathered multiple endangered related species, and we were letting them breed or run around there.
We let other beings do this too, new homes for whoever.
We were moving the hounds and other beings that attacked whoever came into their territory because they were living in some ruins that people that we'd been letting rebuild their civilizations or regroup, used to live in.
They had old ships, religious or cultural relics or currencies, bunkers full of whatever.
We freed a lot of forever sealed fellows that were in unguarded prisons or did whatever.
Abandoned after those who watched them were taken out.
The rule with that was that they couldn't leave the realm.
We found Hephaestus with his hammer stuck in his soul, and he couldn't regenerate. All sorts of similar cases. They ended up making new homes in the realm.
Eventually, we got full-scale attacked without warning. Some races were specifically attacked.
Found one ship with a stunted mother tree in its center that used to be mine. The tree was used as a portal to other ones. The ship was used to house slaves by these invaders.
We also took out other ships.
Some "Arcturians" came to investigate and said they wanted the ships as some used to be theirs before going missing.
And they went around using scanners on all sorts of people. I think they have some people flagged?
We defeated those guys, and they kept coming back. Eventually, we used the ship to attack their other connected places.
We freed a lot of slaves and did whatever.
We also found out from the Arcturians that those guys were "purging" all sorts of dimensional planes and realms of all life and taking slaves for supersoldiers or experimentation.
We helped them all out and got them to merge over with our groups.
Eventually, we went around getting rid of those factions doing this, got rid of them all.
Eventually got out of a place and got rid of the others outside of a place. Purgatory went bye-bye.
We searched prisons for those who weren't sociopaths or aligned with whoever.
Some fellows opted to go to a vault sorta place for rehabilitation, to talk with others of their race and dispell lies / mix factions or groups in the same mega group.
Eventually, we took out the parent "groups" which were large mixed groups, far-far away by partnering with others.
3D Earth wise, we learned that the internet and other things that made signals. When people send messages through them, it would leave their energy on strings of loose wires.
People would use these wires to mask themselves as whoever. 5G simply messed with telepathy further.
People's parents would have their energies masked on their kids along with whoever else, halfways across the world. So they wouldn't actually be speaking with them / plus there's no bots either - different subject - people simply aren't aware of the astral since others were projected over them. There's no paradise to maintain.
Anyways. We tried making a new astral side of the internet, less complex, and can't be fiddled with.
Well, our allies did.
Rather than one group, we became multiple groups. Some ideologies, ways of thinking and beliefs aren't compatible with others.
Others races managed to live together. When they live near ones with similar mindsets or whatever, something clicks in their minds that they aren't so different.
So, all of these groups have mixed populations.
Recently, we let vaults with sociopaths and whoever, off near the ones that had been open / interacting with each other for awhile.
These ones, the celestials and whoever in them. They immediately began attacking some "race traitors," threatening others to join them or just destroying others who asked too many questions / attacked their own allies.
Those ones seemed to be OK with working with other races and whoever, but not any full on mixing. Basically sociopaths who are narcissists and warmongers plus racists.
There ended up being another large group, that had non racist warmongers, and they aren't narcissists.
The ones with celestials attacked them on top of others. They lost horribly. Too overconfident.
They didn't know the other celestials already there had put together that the others were evil / awful and made them commit atrocities.
Some non sociopaths stuck with that group.
All incarnated people supposedly went there at the same time as the warmongers.
The group I'm with ended up mixing with other ones there, for safety, and making a sphere of safety / protection.
Some people said we are surrounded. Those are simply allies or those who aren't our enemies.
We got elevated up elsewhere and left those who kept fighting endlessly.
I think they all got flung back to wherever.
Assuming that their vaults will reopen, and who knows what happens after that.
Ours are still in a area where we aren't fully back with the rest of the astral.
I didn't do this alone either.
There was always a plan to merge with other groups as I made the safety place.
But, stuff changed.
There was the Orc Ulee'rott, Infernineaisha / Satan (There's multiple Satan's) - this one has horns, is bipedal and built like a brick house. And he's rather huge.
The red Hellbound in the Christian Hell would be hid primary descendants.
One person thought I meant someone that they called Beezlebub.
I did mention that Infernineaisha, he is one of "Hitler's" cousin races. Except Hitler is orange / bulky with horns in the astral.
People kinda pieced together who I was talking about and said that I'm working with a walking cataclysm / horror.
He's actually quite agreeable. Just don't anger him. Stay away from his territory.
His soul is completely back together.
He's in a mixed group, outside of a vault currently.
Most of us didn't interact until some big stuff / attacks happened.
So it's not as if I'm having feelings of grandeur. We did this together. Other incarnated people helped to massive degrees. Plus, other astral fellows.
Yeah, there's some people that may be considered objectionable out and about.
They're actually nice, to some people. They just don't vibe with everyone.
Infernineaisha used to just be called "The Infernal Red."
2023.05.27 16:33 ALDO113A Relevant lore transcript of Ace Combat 3's Mission 00 VHS tape + their Japanese original, as well as the Night Raven Movie, now that they've been released.
As an aside, dug into the Japanese script and did minor modifications to improve semantic flow if you don't mind. The spirit is still there, enjoy.
はさて、続いての話題は私たちの暮らしに直結したものです。皆さんが今現在、この番組を観るために使っているデータスワローを、OSのニューバージョンが発表になりました。これまでのバージョンとの書き換えは、ユーザー登録の更新、によって自動的に行われます。
Now, the next topic is directly related to our daily lives. A new version of Data Swallow, the OS that you are currently using to watch this broadcast, has been released. The OS will be automatically updated upon next user registration.
我々の生活を支えるネットワークこのエレクトロSphereが2020年に一般に対し実用化されデータスワローがリリースされてから、私たちの暮らしは激変しました。
Ever since the Electrosphere, the network and pillar of our lives, was publicized in 2020 and Data Swallow was released, our lives have drastically changed.
通勤通学という概念が過去のものとなり、私たちの移動は主に娯楽のために行われるものと なったのは周知の事実です。
As we all know, the activity of commuting to work has become a thing of the past, and hobbies have become the prime reason for people’s mobility these days.
回のニューバージョンでは、特に同時通訳ソフトが強化され、ズールー語、スワヒリ語、またエスペラント語といった、現在では失われた多くの言語に対しての辞書機能も追加されました。また、ビデオメールやビデオ本にも多くの編集機能が追加され、マルチトラックでの音声抜き出しや別画像との音声シンクが自動で行われるソフトが追加されました。
The new software version made notable improvements to simultaneous translation, and dictionaries for many dead languages like Zulu, Swahili, and Esperanto have also been added. Many editing features have also been added to videomail and phones, including multi-track audio extraction and automatic audiovisual sync software.
ハッキング対策ウィルス対策ソフトも最新のものに書き換えられることにより。去年の夏に有事や全域に大混乱を巻き起こしたヘールボップウイルスからも完全に防御されるとのこと。楽しみですね。それでは今日はこんなところでいいワールドでした。
Anti-hacking and antivirus software have been rewritten to be up-to-date. They will also be fully protected against the Hale-Bopp virus that wreaked havoc on the entire Usean continent last summer. We look forward to it. Well, that's it for today.
この名の年前の私たちの生活は、セリエの人の小さな家倉持狙って。倉持に流れを作る入江、技術の新しい。仲間みんなキー楽しくなり死ねる。
Nano, nano, nano, nano, These tiny heroes support our lives daily. Nanotech will rebuild the world. They’re our new pals from Neucom Inc.. Averse to our irises, but they're doing their finest. They are called nanobites.
ゼネラルリソースでは、GRDFで配備されていた全戦闘機に新型Aeroコフィンが装備されました。このたび発表になったデータスワローのニューバージョンに合わせる形で作られたこのコフィンによりパイロットの羽神経接続に、新しい機能が多数拡張されたようです。このコフィン開発には現在UPEOで活躍する天才少女パイロット広瀬玲奈さんの実験結果が反映されているとのことです。
General Resource has installed all GRDF fighters with the new Aero Coffin. The COFFIN, produced to utilize the newly released version of Data Swallow, appears to offer improved connection with the pilot's nervous system appears to allows use of a wide array of new features. Development of this COFFIN has been made possible thanks to the successful experiments conducted by Rena Hirose, the genius girl pilot who’s currently active in UPEO.
あなたの部屋、汚れたものはしていませ。このいい40分があれば、[missing JP script]あなた。のハート。 クリーンClean。
Is the air in your room too polluted? With a good 40 minutes of our Aeon Jet, you'll never cough again even when breathing in a chestful of urban oxygen! Aeon Jet. Clean your heart out.
さて、今日のまず最初の話題はなんといっても入庫も1番のメガフロートでしょう。完成したばかりの巨大な海上都市への一般入居がスタートしました。今までは入込社員のみに販売されていた 分譲住宅は、同社では今後一般にも広く開放していくようです。また、その入居開始を記念し、式典が行われました。その式典では、入込舎自慢の最新型スペースシャトル関谷や、世界最高速と飛れ村のお披露目も行われ華麗な飛行で一般の入居者たちを歓迎して。いました。素晴らしい式典でありました。
Well then, today's first topic will be Neucom's first, its pride and joy, Megafloat. This newly built giant floating city is already accepting its first civilian residents. Until recently, only Neucom employees could buy residential housing there, now, the general public is able to do the same. Neucom also held an event to commemorate the residents moving in. At the ceremony, the cutting-edge space shuttle and Neucom's pride Sepia, as well as the world’s fastest fighter Remora, were unveiled, their gorgeous flight welcoming the public. Indeed. What a wonderful event it was.
というわけで、今日のトピックです。この1週間の間、有志夜のエキスポシティで行われた航空ショーには、世界の代表的な企業のエースパイロットたちが集結。その腕を競い、アクロバティックな妙技で会場の航空ファンたちの熱い視線を浴びていました。ところで今回のショーの背景には、最近のニューコムとゼネラルの間に続いている緊張状態を感じさせる部分も随所に見られその行く末を懸念する専門家も。また、同会場では各企業の最新鋭戦闘機のお披露目も行われ、特にニューコム社の斬新なデザインによる飛行機群に取材陣が殺到していました。このような大規模で長期間の航空ショーが行われるのは、有志や始まって以来のことで、期間中にエキスポシティを訪れた観客はのべ200万人を超えるとも言われています。
Coming up is today's topic. During the past week, ace pilots from various global corporations gathered at an airshow in Expo City, Usea. Their competitive aerial performance won the enthusiastic attention of the aviation fans in the audience with their acrobatic virtuosity. The event also featured the unveiling of the latest fighter jets of various companies, and in particular, Neucom's novel aircraft designs drew a rush of media coverage. More than 2 million people are said to have visited Expo City during the event, the first time such a large-scale and long-duration airshow has been held since the beginning of Usea. Some experts in the meanwhile are concerned about the future of the ongoing General-Neucom tension, which was evident in many parts of the show.
我がゼネラルリソース社の軍事産業は、現代の社会においてほぼ独占的な市場になっている。それは2000年以後、我々ゼネラルグループの経済的影響力が国家の枠組みを消し去り、国家間の軍事的な衝突までも消し去ったからだ。私が所属する防衛部隊GRDFは市民の生活を脅かすテロなどからの自衛を目的として設立されたものである。ゼネラルグループの所有する空域において常に警戒態勢を保ち、24時間休まずに監視を続けている。
The military-industrial complex of General Resource has effectively monopolized under it in today's society. This can be traced to the year 2000, since which General Group’s economic influence has erased national frameworks and even international military conflict. The GRDF, its defense force I am part of, was established for the purpose of self-defense against terrorism and other civil threats. We are on constant alert in General Group airspace and are on watch 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
F-22Cラプター対2000年初頭からすでに部隊配属されていたF-22Cは決して新しい機体とはいえないが、2040年代における現在においても未だに現役の戦闘機として活躍している。当然、細かい改良点はある。もののフォルムの変更などは特に行われてはいない。大きく変化した点といえば、キャノピーの排除である。それは我々ゼネラルが開発に成功したコフィンの導入によるものだ。もともとF-22Cという機体は当時最新の技術であったサイバーを駆逐トランスミッションレーザートロニック飛行制御システムなどのエレクトロニクス技術、そしてステルス技術など、当時としては全く革命的な機体であった。残念ながらコスト面の問題、しかし、ドッグファイトにおける高い機動性と操縦性に優れており、今もなおトップクラスのパフォーマンスを維持していることに変わりはない。当時、コスト面の問題により廃止されたエアブレーキもこのF-22Cシーンになり復活し、ドッグファイト時の性能は飛躍的に向上した。私が最も気に入っている機体の1つでもある。は、ゼネラルグループの機体は既存の戦闘機をいわばチューンナップする形で低コスト化を図り提供してきたが、次に紹介する機体はゼネラル リソース社が新たに開発している新型機体である。
The F-22C Raptor, which has been in active service since the early 21st century, is not a new aircraft, but it is still active in the 2040s. Naturally, there are some minor improvements; the F-22C's form, however, has not been changed in any notable way. The major change is the elimination of the canopy. This is due to the introduction of the COFFIN, which we at General have successfully developed. The F-22C was originally a completely revolutionary aircraft at the time, with the latest technology at the time, including cutting-edge fiberoptic transmission and a laser-astronic flight control system, as well as stealth tech. Unfortunately, cost is an issue, but the high maneuverability and maneuverability in dogfighting remains a top-class performance. The airbrake, which was discontinued due to budget concerns at the time, was restored in the F-22C, and its dogfight performance was dramatically improved. It’s also one of my favorite aircraft. General Group's aircrafts have been offered at low cost by tuning up existing fighters, so to speak, but the next aircraft is a new model being developed by General Resource.
F/A-32Cをはじめ、 として様々な用途のために多くの種類の機体が開発されてきたが、 それらをつの機体で賄おうというのがF/A-32Cだ。このF/A-32Cの当初の目的は、 各国のあらゆる軍で使用されている FE16SA18 ハリアーなどの攻撃を中心とした 機体を統合するために開発が進められた。に配備されるこのF/A-32Cには迷彩仕様が施されている。深い森林での作戦や砂漠での作戦では、相手より優位に立つことができるだろう。そしてこのF/A-32Cは私が所属するアクロバットチームファイアスターターにSA18の後継機として制式採用される予定になっている。長期に及ぶ開発期間と膨大な経費のかかる新型戦闘機の開発に疑問の声がないわけではない。しかし、時代は常に進化をしていき、我々の予想を上回る他企業の新型機体がいつ。我々の領空を侵犯するかわからない。その様に、我々は常に最善の努力をし、常に備えていなければならない。
Many types of aircraft, including the F/A-32C, have been developed for various applications, but the F/A-32C is an attempt to cover them all in one aircraft. The F/A-32’s initial intent was to integrate the F=16, the F/A-18, and the Harrier, as one mainstay fighter used by various militaries around the world. The F/A-32C deployed by the Defense Force has camouflage specs. In deep forests or deserts, they’ll have an advantage over their opponents. The F/A-32C is scheduled to be formally adopted by my acrobatic team, the Firestarters, as the successor to the F/A-18. The development of this new fighter, with its exorbitant development time and expenses, is not without its doubts. But times are constantly changing, and new aircraft from other companies will come along at any moment that will surpass our expectations. We never know when a new aircraft from other companies will invade our airspace. We must always be prepared for such incidents.
そしていつの時代、においても航空優勢を維持するために新型戦闘機の開発は必要不可欠であるが、それが我々ゼネラルリソース維持哲学なのだ。NEUCOM社は常に先端の技術を求め、開発研究に努めてきた。それまでおろそかにされてきていたバイオテクノロジーナノテクノロジーの実用化、エレクトロスフィア環境のインフラ整備そして航空宇宙開発に積極的に参加するなど、意欲的に活動を進めてい。
The development of new fighters is essential to maintain air superiority at all times, so says General Resource’s maintenance philosophy. NEUCOM has always been eager to pursue cutting-edge technologies, committed to research and development. They have been active in the practical application of once-neglected technologies such as biotech, nanotech, the development of the Electrosphere’s infrastructure, and aerospace.
A
R-311宇宙一例もこの映像はあくまでも実験飛行で、本来この機体は大型爆撃機である茂平を母体とし、通常の作戦行動域である 高高度まで警戒され射出される機体や、そのために長距離巡航能力を 近年まれに見られる過剰な兵器の装備、 不必要な全ての機能を限りなく削ぎ落とし、 短時間の作戦で 最大の効果を上げるよう開発された機体もそのために長距離巡航能力を 近年まれに見られる過剰な兵器の装備、 不必要な全ての機能を限りなく削ぎ落とし、 短時間の作戦で 最大の効果を上げるよう開発された機体も翼面積を極限まで抑えることに 機体の形状はコンパクトかつシャープにパッケージングした高高度からの射出をメインにした機体であるため、 機体制御はバーニアによる リアクションコントロール方式を採用しています。そしてこの機体は入込 車や現存する戦闘機体の中でも 最高速を誇る機体がそしてこの機体は入込 車や現存する戦闘機体の中でも 最高速を誇る機体が。
The R-311 spacecraft is an example of an experimental flight, and is transported by the heavy bomber Mobula, originally designed to be alerted and launched to high altitude, the normal operational range, and to do so, its long-range cruising capability was reduced to the bare minimum, with all unnecessary functions eliminated, The aircraft, developed to maximize effectiveness in short-duration operations, minimized its wing area, thus minimizing long-range cruise capability, which is rarely seen in recent years, and to minimize all unnecessary functions, thus maximizing effectiveness in short-duration operations. The shape of the fuselage is compact, sharply packaged, and mainly designed for high-altitude launch, so the fuselage is controlled by a reaction control system using verniers. This aircraft also boasts the highest speed among all Neucom craft, one coulds say it’s the fastest craft in the world.
R-352号にセピアは我が社の最も得意な分野である 宇宙空間での作戦行動用に開発された 大衛星シャトルである。見た目は通常のシャトルとそれほど変わるところはないが、決定的な違いは 通常胴体の中心部にいられるペイロードベイいわゆる貨物室を配慮し、 そこに軌道用プロペラントを搭載している。これにより宇宙空間では破格の機動性を実現した今世紀において一番進化している科学分野は形ずれは宇宙開発にほかならないそれは、地球上では不可能な様々な研究開発などが宇宙実験により多大な成果をもたらしているから現在、制空権はおろか、成虫間を使用する日を過ぎない。実際に戦闘領域は空を越え、宇宙空間にまで及ぶこれから先も 他社より一歩進んだ宇宙開発を維持するために、 我々ニューコム社では セピアのような戦闘機体が 次々と開発されていくだろ。
The R-352 Sepia is a large craft designed for space operations, one of the areas in which our company excels, and can take down satellites. It resembles a normal shuttle at first glance, but the decisive difference is that the payload of the cargo bay, which is usually located in the center of the fuselage, is taken into consideration and the orbital propellant is carried there. Space exploration is the most advanced scientific field in this century, because various research and development impossible on Earth has brought great results through experiments in space. The most advanced scientific field in this century is none other than space exploration, because space experiments have brought about great results in various researches and development that are not possible on Earth, and now, corporations pursue not only air superiority, but also the interstellar spacecraft. In fact, the battlefield will go beyond the skies and into outer space, and we at Neucom Inc. will continue to develop more and more combat craft like the Sepia in order to maintain our space program one step ahead of our competitors.
私たち入江店が誇るデルフィナシシリーズわが社が世界的にリードしている 航空宇宙開発のノウハウを戦闘機にフィードバックすること。 により従来の戦闘機開発の常識を覆す、 まったく新しいタイプの戦闘機の開発に成功しました。機体構造の 90余に使用されている新素材により 大幅な軽量化を実現そして高出力で 信頼性の高いエンジンを搭載しました。すべてが純入江無社製のオリジナルマシン。その記念すべき第1号機が R-101デルフィなスワンでした。そのデルフィなスワンの成功により、 私たち入江武者の次世代戦闘機が 必ずやこれからの主力戦闘機になるであろうと確信し デルフィなシリーズの更なる改良を進めました。
We at Neucom are proud to offer the Delphinus series, in which we feed back our world-class aerospace development know-how to fighters. We have succeeded in developing a completely new type of fighter that overturns the conventional wisdom of fighter development. The new materials used in more than 90% of the fuselage have significantly reduced weight, and the aircraft is equipped with a high-power, highly reliable engine. Every part is made purely by Neucom. The first plane, the R-101 Delphinus #1, is especially worth a mention. The Delphinus #1’s success convinced us that Neucom’s next-gen fighters would surely become the mainstay of the future, so we proceeded with further improvements to the Delphinus series.
それがいまご覧いただいているR-102にデルフィの質です。デルフィナシ通は、前作のデルフィなSwanよりも空陸特性を強化することを第一に開発が進められました。空陸をより能動的に制御するために、機体下方にブレンデッドダブルボディーと呼ばれる新型空陸装置が採用されました。今までのデルフィなシリーズとコンセプトこそ同じではありますが、新型機体を開発するのと同等の膨大な資金と時間が投入され、開発が進められました。
That's how the fighter you can see now, the R-102 Delphinus #2, was made. The development of the Delphinus #2 was focused on enhancing its aerodynamics over its predecessor, the Delphinus #1. A new aerodynamic feature called a blended double body under the fuselage has been adopted for more active aerodynamic control. Although the concept is the same as that of the previous Delphinus, a huge amount of money and time were invested in its development, equal to that of a new aircraft.
そして、R-103デルフィなしIIIは、そして、R-103デルフィなしIIIは、バージョンアップというよりもまったく新しいタイプの機体です。まず、前作のデルフィなしで単発に簡素化されたエンジンは双発に復活。まず、前作のデルフィなしで単発に簡素化されたエンジンは双発に復活。前作以上の空戦能力を持ちつつ、地上攻撃などのあらゆる任務を遂行できるよう大型化された。さらに、最新の設計技術を採用した主力戦闘機です。今までの技術とは決して成し得なかった新技術。これまで機体の一部のみにしか適用できなかった一体成形技術が機体前面に適用され、空力特性をさらに向上することに成功しました。これまで機体の一部のみにしか適用できなかった一体成形技術が機体前面に適用され、空力特性をさらに向上することに成功しました。流れるような美しいボディーラインと、未来を予感させるカラーリングデルフィに、その名前の由来であるイルカのように、まるで空を自由自在に泳いでいるようではありませんか。
Let’s go to the R-103 Delphinus III, it ain’t so much an upgrade as a completely new type of plane. First, the engine, simplified to a single-engine in the previous version, is back to a twin-engine. The engine has been enlarged to be able to carry out all kinds of missions, including ground attacks, while having air combat capability beyond that of the previous Delphinus. Furthermore, it is a mainstay fighter that employs the latest design technologies. New technology that could never have been achieved with the previous tech. The one-piece molding technology that could only be applied to a part of the fuselage up to now has been applied to the front of the fuselage, successfully improving aerodynamic characteristics even further. The integral molding technology that could previously only be applied to a portion of the fuselage is now applied to the front, successfully improving aerodynamics even further. With its beautiful, flowing body lines and futuristic coloring, the Delphinus looks as if it’s swimming freely in the sky, just like the dolphins from which it gets its name.
私たち入江店の歴史は始まったばかりではありますが、それゆえに私たち入江は皆さまの想像を超える商品を提供し続けていきたいと思っております。常識はずれた新理論、それが私たち入江むだけのオリジナル。
The history of Neucom has just begun, but that is why we would like to continue to offer goods beyond your imagination. Unconventional theories, they are our originality.
私たち郵便では、そのスタートから新国連関連企業との共同開発により、低価格で汎用性の高い機体を多く使用していますが、ここに紹介するEF2000Eタイフーンは現在の優美を支える主力機体です。今期は新国連関連企業と郵便によって開発改良された全天候型戦闘機で、高い旋回能力優れた格闘戦能力と迎撃性能を兼ね備えた台になっています。ちなみに本機のモデルとなったユーロファイター2000は、1983年に計画されたEFプロジェクトから生まれました。基本的には航空阻止が主な任務ですが、地上攻撃にも活躍しています。胴体下部に2次元式エアインテークを持ち、デルタ翼に全力を組み合わせたクローズドカップルデルタ翼を採用し、空陸特性を高めています。そして、機体の各所に新素材を適用し、徹底的な軽量化を図りました。また、失速時にはオートリカバリーモードを使用することで、機体の立て直しが容易になっています。このように、新規搭載の最新電子装備がコフィンシステムと融合され、自然言語の解析可能な音声認識システムや神経接続による筋電入力を通して操縦者の憤りに複雑な任務をこなすことが可能になり機体の性能を格段に引き上げることに成功しました。
Since its start, we at UPEO have been using many low-cost and versatile aircraft developed jointly with Neo United Nations-affiliated companies, and the EF2000E Typhoon introduced here is the mainstay in present support of UPEO. It’s an all-weather fighter developed and improved by UPEO and NUN-affiliated companies, and the platform combines high turn rates and excellent combat capabilities and interception. Incidentally, the Eurofighter 2000, its direct predecessor, was born out of the EFA project planned in 1983. Basically, its main mission is air interdiction, but it is also active in ground attacks. It has two-dimensional air intakes in the lower fuselage and a close-coupled delta wing with full power combined with a delta wing to enhance its air-landing characteristics. And new materials are applied to various parts of the fuselage to thoroughly reduce weight. An auto recovery mode is used in the event of a stall, making it easier to regain control of the aircraft. The new state-of-the-art electronic equipment is integrated with the COFFIN system, which enables the aircraft to perform complex missions to the indignation of the pilot through a voice recognition system capable of analyzing natural language and myoelectric input via neural connections, thus dramatically raising the aircraft's performance.
このR-201Uアステラスはは我々憂慮がその防衛任務実績をNEUCOM社から認められ、同社からの技術協力により、最近になって実戦配備が進んでいる最新鋭の機体です。このほかにも我々ユキオには出るフィネス話の実戦配備が両社からの協力によって行われています。特徴的な外観は、アストロズはという名前の由来にもなっているヒトデのような姿を。このように入国者のR-Numberと呼ばれる機体は、どれも生物的な流線型を持つフォルムが特徴です。この機体はR-Numberの中でも特に超高速で有視界飛行し、地上攻撃を行うことにその威力を発揮します。から。そのため低空での安定性が高いのですが、最高速が犠牲になっており、マッハ1程度での飛行に限られています。また、フライバイオプトシステムによる機体制御と火器管制が統合された入江無生の新世代アビオニクスによってコフィンシステムによる、操縦特性を十二分に活かしつつ、また、フライバイオプトシステムによる機体制御と火器管制が統合された入江無生の新世代アビオニクスによってコフィンシステムによる、操縦特性を十二分に活かしつつ、強力な攻撃能力を制御することが可能になりました。そう、同機という特異な形状から来る豊富な兵曹積載量に加え、強力な機銃を装備することにより地上攻撃に絶大な威力を発揮します。
The R-201U Asterozoa is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has recently been deployed in actual combat operations with the technical cooperation of NEUCOM, which has recognized its defensive achievements. In addition to this, UPEO has been deploying it in actual combat with the cooperation of both companies. The Asterozoa’s characteristic appearance look like a starfish, which is also the origin of the name. All of these aircraft, called R-Number by the entrant, are characterized by their biological streamlined form. This aircraft is the most powerful of the R-Numbers, especially in its ultra-fast visual flight and ground attack. This makes it highly stable at low altitudes, but at the expense of its top speed, which is limited to flying at about Mach 1. Neucom’s new-generation avionics, which integrates airframe and fire control by the fly-by-opto system, allows the aircraft to take full advantage of the mobility of the COFFIN system. The system enables control of the aircraft's firepower while taking full advantage of its maneuverability. Yes, in addition to the abundant armament it can carry due to its unique shape, it is equipped with a powerful machine gun, which makes it extremely powerful in ground attacks.
本機の高いポテンシャルについては 前述の航空ショーですが、超付随コブラを披露し、 関係者を驚かせたことでも証明されています。Su-37スーパーフランカこの機体は、優れた空力特性の推進、 偏向ノズル採用の大出力エンジンにより、 高次元の機動性を実現した 全天候型の長距離多目的戦闘機です。UPEOに配備されている他の機体に比べると、大型で余裕のある機体サイズから対空、対地攻撃まであらゆる任務をこなすことができます。私たち有病が行った近代化改修としては、エンジンの推力増加、新素材による台の高強度と軽量化、若干フックの装備、空中給油装置の変更、左右徳力可動カナードなど多岐に渡ります。コックピットには、神経接続による、軍事兵器操縦システムConnectionForFlightInterface.通称コフィーも採用しています。ちなみに神経接続されたパイロットは完全に視界を遮断された状態でコックピットに横たわって操縦しています。このようにして、機体の全アビオニクスが新開発のものに改良されています。そして。私自身が操縦するこの専用機には、今までのエンジンシステムをさらに進化させたオプトニューロンを使った特別な神経接続が使用されています。この企画によって、私はより素早く、より正確で、より繊細な戦闘機に操縦が可能になりましそう。このような翼を手に入れるために続けられる私たちの技術開発は、きっとこれからも新しい戦闘機をいろいろと開発していくことでしょうもしかしたら、戦闘機に人間が乗る必要さえもなくなる日がやってくるのかもしれません。それでも人は大空を自由に飛ぶための翼を手放すことはないでしょう。素晴らしい空鳥たちの視界。ここにはまだまだ私たち人間の手には届かない。美しい。景色が広がっているのです。
The aircraft’s sheer potential has been proven by the aforementioned air show, where it surprised all concerned with its Pugachev’s cobra. The Su-37 Super Flanker is an all-weather long-range multirole fighter that achieves high mobility thanks to its propulsion with excellent aerodynamics and high-power engine with deflecting nozzles. Compared to other aircraft deployed in UPEO, the Su-37 Super Flanker is capable of performing a full range of missions, from air-to-air to ground attack, thanks to its large size and ample room to maneuver. UPEO’s modernization modifications include increased engine thrust, new materials to make the platform stronger and lighter, a tail-hooks, a modified aerial refueling system, and independently controllable canard forewings. The cockpit also features the Connection For Flight Interface, or COFFIN, a military weapon neural control system. Incidentally, the neuro-connected pilot lies in the cockpit and controls the aircraft with his/her vision completely blocked. In this way, all the avionics are newly developed and improved. Also. This special aircraft, which I myself pilot, uses a special neural connection called opto-neurons, a further improvement on the existing engine system. This project has made it possible for me to pilot a faster, more precise, and more responsive fighter. Continued technological development to obtain such wings will surely lead to the development of many new fighters in the future, and perhaps the day will come when humans are no longer needed to fly fighters. But never will people give up their wings to fly freely in the sky. The wonderful bird’s eye view. A place still out of reach of us humans. Beautiful. The scenery stretching out.
Editing: IIDucci, Dark_Kudoh, Dfactor
Escalating conflicts between nations. A growing nuclear threat - those days have passed.
-the ultra-powerful multinational corporations
malicious terrorist
However, nations are no longer able to deal with quarrels
Which is why we at UPEO, the world’s singular peace enforcement organization, have assembled the latest military hardware sufficient to cope with any emergency and established a vocal authority for diplomacy on a level playing field with any organization.
Come forth, young aspirants!
EAPN Top News 7
Top-secret info obtained!
Urgent report, General Resource
A full view of the latest next-gen fighter?!
Top News 7: Good evening. Top News 7 broadcasting. First, observe this footage.
This is a video of a test flight of the newest next-gen advanced fighter that General Resource has been developing in secret as reported by our Top News 7 team and other TV stations yesterday.
[X-49 now flies above the Lambert Mountains]
General Resource’s next-gen advanced fighter development has always been on global notice, with debates led by military aviation companies and even on the Electrosphere, but the project’s true status remained veiled in mystery. Because of that, this footage will certainly create a ripple from now.
[X-49 now flies through Geofront tunnels]
This latest next-gen advanced fighter, with its distinct dual-topped boomerang shape, is called the X-49 Night Raven, and aside of a normal jet engine is Aeon propulsion to provide fourice the conventional propulsion in airspaces with Aeon particles. It is a state-of-the-art fighter with a top speed rumored to be as high as Mach 4 or 5.
The X-49 excels at ultra-extensive jamming, and we suspect that to be the cause of the occasional noise in this footage.
The displayed capability in this flight test recording is said to be less than 25% of its full potential, and experts say it is being developed as the ultimate evolution of the stealth fighter that was touted as a threat in the late 20th century.
For General Resource as well as its rival Neucom, and other military aviation companies worldwide, the development and success of next-gen advanced fighters is of paramount importance to their future prospects. Therefore, its development is considered a top-secret confidential project, and it’s even said only a few employees are aware of it.
The X-49 Night Raven’s existence has for a long time also remained shrouded in secrecy. But it is conceivable that General Resource, ahead of the curve in Aeon particle research, is taking on the challenge of developing a next-gen advanced fighter running on Aeon propulsion. In addition, regular pilots find extreme difficulty adapting to Aeon-powered mobility because of its revolutionary strides, and military journalists have been speculating that General Resource’s future fighters will be unmanned.
[X-49 flies above Geofront]
Experts say it is difficult to determine from this received footage on whether the X-49 is an unmanned advanced fighter. There is no hyperbole, however, that this video nearly proves that General Resource’s next-gen advanced fighter development has reached its last stages.
Despite the video file being sent to several TV stations while having no address and the sender being anonymous, military reviewer Dan Satoshi theorizes that the video was leaked with the intent of showing General Resource’s research advancements to the world, thus highlighting and cementing their presence; however, the possibility remains that the video was leaked by a former General Resource employee. Regardless, we believe that the video will spur competition between General Resource and Neucom, which has recently become tense.
General Resource’s PR department, which could be one of the leak sources, has released a statement that X-49 R&D has already been terminated and the experimental unit dismantled and scrapped, while maintaining complete silence on the circumstances of the leak. What happens next will garner interest.
Sponsored by: Neucom Inc.
Nano, nano, nano, nano! These tiny heroes support our lives daily! Nanotech will rebuild the world! They are our new pals from Neucom! Averse from our irises, but they do their finest! They are called nanobites!
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はさて、続いての話題は私たちの暮らしに直結したものです。皆さんが今現在、この番組を観るために使っているデータスワローを、OSのニューバージョンが発表になりました。これまでのバージョンとの書き換えは、ユーザー登録の更新、によって自動的に行われます。
Now, the next topic is directly related to our daily lives. A new version of Data Swallow, the OS that you are currently using to watch this broadcast, has been released. The OS will be automatically updated upon next user registration.
我々の生活を支えるネットワークこのエレクトロSphereが2020年に一般に対し実用化されデータスワローがリリースされてから、私たちの暮らしは激変しました。
Ever since the Electrosphere, the network and pillar of our lives, was publicized in 2020 and Data Swallow was released, our lives have drastically changed.
通勤通学という概念が過去のものとなり、私たちの移動は主に娯楽のために行われるものと なったのは周知の事実です。
As we all know, the activity of commuting to work has become a thing of the past, and hobbies have become the prime reason for people’s mobility these days.
回のニューバージョンでは、特に同時通訳ソフトが強化され、ズールー語、スワヒリ語、またエスペラント語といった、現在では失われた多くの言語に対しての辞書機能も追加されました。また、ビデオメールやビデオ本にも多くの編集機能が追加され、マルチトラックでの音声抜き出しや別画像との音声シンクが自動で行われるソフトが追加されました。
The new software version made notable improvements to simultaneous translation, and dictionaries for many dead languages like Zulu, Swahili, and Esperanto have also been added. Many editing features have also been added to videomail and phones, including multi-track audio extraction and automatic audiovisual sync software.
ハッキング対策ウィルス対策ソフトも最新のものに書き換えられることにより。去年の夏に有事や全域に大混乱を巻き起こしたヘールボップウイルスからも完全に防御されるとのこと。楽しみですね。それでは今日はこんなところでいいワールドでした。
Anti-hacking and antivirus software have been rewritten to be up-to-date. They will also be fully protected against the Hale-Bopp virus that wreaked havoc on the entire Usean continent last summer. We look forward to it. Well, that's it for today.
この名の年前の私たちの生活は、セリエの人の小さな家倉持狙って。倉持に流れを作る入江、技術の新しい。仲間みんなキー楽しくなり死ねる。
Nano, nano, nano, nano, These tiny heroes support our lives daily. Nanotech will rebuild the world. They’re our new pals from Neucom Inc.. Averse to our irises, but they're doing their finest. They are called nanobites.
ゼネラルリソースでは、GRDFで配備されていた全戦闘機に新型Aeroコフィンが装備されました。このたび発表になったデータスワローのニューバージョンに合わせる形で作られたこのコフィンによりパイロットの羽神経接続に、新しい機能が多数拡張されたようです。このコフィン開発には現在UPEOで活躍する天才少女パイロット広瀬玲奈さんの実験結果が反映されているとのことです。
General Resource has installed all GRDF fighters with the new Aero Coffin. The COFFIN, produced to utilize the newly released version of Data Swallow, appears to offer improved connection with the pilot's nervous system appears to allows use of a wide array of new features. Development of this COFFIN has been made possible thanks to the successful experiments conducted by Rena Hirose, the genius girl pilot who’s currently active in UPEO.
あなたの部屋、汚れたものはしていませ。このいい40分があれば、[missing JP script]あなた。のハート。 クリーンClean。
Is the air in your room too polluted? With a good 40 minutes of our Aeon Jet, you'll never cough again even when breathing in a chestful of urban oxygen! Aeon Jet. Clean your heart out.
さて、今日のまず最初の話題はなんといっても入庫も1番のメガフロートでしょう。完成したばかりの巨大な海上都市への一般入居がスタートしました。今までは入込社員のみに販売されていた 分譲住宅は、同社では今後一般にも広く開放していくようです。また、その入居開始を記念し、式典が行われました。その式典では、入込舎自慢の最新型スペースシャトル関谷や、世界最高速と飛れ村のお披露目も行われ華麗な飛行で一般の入居者たちを歓迎して。いました。素晴らしい式典でありました。
Well then, today's first topic will be Neucom's first, its pride and joy, Megafloat. This newly built giant floating city is already accepting its first civilian residents. Until recently, only Neucom employees could buy residential housing there, now, the general public is able to do the same. Neucom also held an event to commemorate the residents moving in. At the ceremony, the cutting-edge space shuttle and Neucom's pride Sepia, as well as the world’s fastest fighter Remora, were unveiled, their gorgeous flight welcoming the public. Indeed. What a wonderful event it was.
というわけで、今日のトピックです。この1週間の間、有志夜のエキスポシティで行われた航空ショーには、世界の代表的な企業のエースパイロットたちが集結。その腕を競い、アクロバティックな妙技で会場の航空ファンたちの熱い視線を浴びていました。ところで今回のショーの背景には、最近のニューコムとゼネラルの間に続いている緊張状態を感じさせる部分も随所に見られその行く末を懸念する専門家も。また、同会場では各企業の最新鋭戦闘機のお披露目も行われ、特にニューコム社の斬新なデザインによる飛行機群に取材陣が殺到していました。このような大規模で長期間の航空ショーが行われるのは、有志や始まって以来のことで、期間中にエキスポシティを訪れた観客はのべ200万人を超えるとも言われています。
Coming up is today's topic. During the past week, ace pilots from various global corporations gathered at an airshow in Expo City, Usea. Their competitive aerial performance won the enthusiastic attention of the aviation fans in the audience with their acrobatic virtuosity. The event also featured the unveiling of the latest fighter jets of various companies, and in particular, Neucom's novel aircraft designs drew a rush of media coverage. More than 2 million people are said to have visited Expo City during the event, the first time such a large-scale and long-duration airshow has been held since the beginning of Usea. Some experts in the meanwhile are concerned about the future of the ongoing General-Neucom tension, which was evident in many parts of the show.
我がゼネラルリソース社の軍事産業は、現代の社会においてほぼ独占的な市場になっている。それは2000年以後、我々ゼネラルグループの経済的影響力が国家の枠組みを消し去り、国家間の軍事的な衝突までも消し去ったからだ。私が所属する防衛部隊GRDFは市民の生活を脅かすテロなどからの自衛を目的として設立されたものである。ゼネラルグループの所有する空域において常に警戒態勢を保ち、24時間休まずに監視を続けている。
The military-industrial complex of General Resource has effectively monopolized under it in today's society. This can be traced to the year 2000, since which General Group’s economic influence has erased national frameworks and even international military conflict. The GRDF, its defense force I am part of, was established for the purpose of self-defense against terrorism and other civil threats. We are on constant alert in General Group airspace and are on watch 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
F-22Cラプター対2000年初頭からすでに部隊配属されていたF-22Cは決して新しい機体とはいえないが、2040年代における現在においても未だに現役の戦闘機として活躍している。当然、細かい改良点はある。もののフォルムの変更などは特に行われてはいない。大きく変化した点といえば、キャノピーの排除である。それは我々ゼネラルが開発に成功したコフィンの導入によるものだ。もともとF-22Cという機体は当時最新の技術であったサイバーを駆逐トランスミッションレーザートロニック飛行制御システムなどのエレクトロニクス技術、そしてステルス技術など、当時としては全く革命的な機体であった。残念ながらコスト面の問題、しかし、ドッグファイトにおける高い機動性と操縦性に優れており、今もなおトップクラスのパフォーマンスを維持していることに変わりはない。当時、コスト面の問題により廃止されたエアブレーキもこのF-22Cシーンになり復活し、ドッグファイト時の性能は飛躍的に向上した。私が最も気に入っている機体の1つでもある。は、ゼネラルグループの機体は既存の戦闘機をいわばチューンナップする形で低コスト化を図り提供してきたが、次に紹介する機体はゼネラル リソース社が新たに開発している新型機体である。
The F-22C Raptor, which has been in active service since the early 21st century, is not a new aircraft, but it is still active in the 2040s. Naturally, there are some minor improvements; the F-22C's form, however, has not been changed in any notable way. The major change is the elimination of the canopy. This is due to the introduction of the COFFIN, which we at General have successfully developed. The F-22C was originally a completely revolutionary aircraft at the time, with the latest technology at the time, including cutting-edge fiberoptic transmission and a laser-astronic flight control system, as well as stealth tech. Unfortunately, cost is an issue, but the high maneuverability and maneuverability in dogfighting remains a top-class performance. The airbrake, which was discontinued due to budget concerns at the time, was restored in the F-22C, and its dogfight performance was dramatically improved. It’s also one of my favorite aircraft. General Group's aircrafts have been offered at low cost by tuning up existing fighters, so to speak, but the next aircraft is a new model being developed by General Resource.
F/A-32Cをはじめ、 として様々な用途のために多くの種類の機体が開発されてきたが、 それらをつの機体で賄おうというのがF/A-32Cだ。このF/A-32Cの当初の目的は、 各国のあらゆる軍で使用されている FE16SA18 ハリアーなどの攻撃を中心とした 機体を統合するために開発が進められた。に配備されるこのF/A-32Cには迷彩仕様が施されている。深い森林での作戦や砂漠での作戦では、相手より優位に立つことができるだろう。そしてこのF/A-32Cは私が所属するアクロバットチームファイアスターターにSA18の後継機として制式採用される予定になっている。長期に及ぶ開発期間と膨大な経費のかかる新型戦闘機の開発に疑問の声がないわけではない。しかし、時代は常に進化をしていき、我々の予想を上回る他企業の新型機体がいつ。我々の領空を侵犯するかわからない。その様に、我々は常に最善の努力をし、常に備えていなければならない。
Many types of aircraft, including the F/A-32C, have been developed for various applications, but the F/A-32C is an attempt to cover them all in one aircraft. The F/A-32’s initial intent was to integrate the F=16, the F/A-18, and the Harrier, as one mainstay fighter used by various militaries around the world. The F/A-32C deployed by the Defense Force has camouflage specs. In deep forests or deserts, they’ll have an advantage over their opponents. The F/A-32C is scheduled to be formally adopted by my acrobatic team, the Firestarters, as the successor to the F/A-18. The development of this new fighter, with its exorbitant development time and expenses, is not without its doubts. But times are constantly changing, and new aircraft from other companies will come along at any moment that will surpass our expectations. We never know when a new aircraft from other companies will invade our airspace. We must always be prepared for such incidents.
そしていつの時代、においても航空優勢を維持するために新型戦闘機の開発は必要不可欠であるが、それが我々ゼネラルリソース維持哲学なのだ。NEUCOM社は常に先端の技術を求め、開発研究に努めてきた。それまでおろそかにされてきていたバイオテクノロジーナノテクノロジーの実用化、エレクトロスフィア環境のインフラ整備そして航空宇宙開発に積極的に参加するなど、意欲的に活動を進めてい。
The development of new fighters is essential to maintain air superiority at all times, so says General Resource’s maintenance philosophy. NEUCOM has always been eager to pursue cutting-edge technologies, committed to research and development. They have been active in the practical application of once-neglected technologies such as biotech, nanotech, the development of the Electrosphere’s infrastructure, and aerospace.
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R-311宇宙一例もこの映像はあくまでも実験飛行で、本来この機体は大型爆撃機である茂平を母体とし、通常の作戦行動域である 高高度まで警戒され射出される機体や、そのために長距離巡航能力を 近年まれに見られる過剰な兵器の装備、 不必要な全ての機能を限りなく削ぎ落とし、 短時間の作戦で 最大の効果を上げるよう開発された機体もそのために長距離巡航能力を 近年まれに見られる過剰な兵器の装備、 不必要な全ての機能を限りなく削ぎ落とし、 短時間の作戦で 最大の効果を上げるよう開発された機体も翼面積を極限まで抑えることに 機体の形状はコンパクトかつシャープにパッケージングした高高度からの射出をメインにした機体であるため、 機体制御はバーニアによる リアクションコントロール方式を採用しています。そしてこの機体は入込 車や現存する戦闘機体の中でも 最高速を誇る機体がそしてこの機体は入込 車や現存する戦闘機体の中でも 最高速を誇る機体が。
The R-311 spacecraft is an example of an experimental flight, and is transported by the heavy bomber Mobula, originally designed to be alerted and launched to high altitude, the normal operational range, and to do so, its long-range cruising capability was reduced to the bare minimum, with all unnecessary functions eliminated, The aircraft, developed to maximize effectiveness in short-duration operations, minimized its wing area, thus minimizing long-range cruise capability, which is rarely seen in recent years, and to minimize all unnecessary functions, thus maximizing effectiveness in short-duration operations. The shape of the fuselage is compact, sharply packaged, and mainly designed for high-altitude launch, so the fuselage is controlled by a reaction control system using verniers. This aircraft also boasts the highest speed among all Neucom craft, one coulds say it’s the fastest craft in the world.
R-352号にセピアは我が社の最も得意な分野である 宇宙空間での作戦行動用に開発された 大衛星シャトルである。見た目は通常のシャトルとそれほど変わるところはないが、決定的な違いは 通常胴体の中心部にいられるペイロードベイいわゆる貨物室を配慮し、 そこに軌道用プロペラントを搭載している。これにより宇宙空間では破格の機動性を実現した今世紀において一番進化している科学分野は形ずれは宇宙開発にほかならないそれは、地球上では不可能な様々な研究開発などが宇宙実験により多大な成果をもたらしているから現在、制空権はおろか、成虫間を使用する日を過ぎない。実際に戦闘領域は空を越え、宇宙空間にまで及ぶこれから先も 他社より一歩進んだ宇宙開発を維持するために、 我々ニューコム社では セピアのような戦闘機体が 次々と開発されていくだろ。
The R-352 Sepia is a large craft designed for space operations, one of the areas in which our company excels, and can take down satellites. It resembles a normal shuttle at first glance, but the decisive difference is that the payload of the cargo bay, which is usually located in the center of the fuselage, is taken into consideration and the orbital propellant is carried there. Space exploration is the most advanced scientific field in this century, because various research and development impossible on Earth has brought great results through experiments in space. The most advanced scientific field in this century is none other than space exploration, because space experiments have brought about great results in various researches and development that are not possible on Earth, and now, corporations pursue not only air superiority, but also the interstellar spacecraft. In fact, the battlefield will go beyond the skies and into outer space, and we at Neucom Inc. will continue to develop more and more combat craft like the Sepia in order to maintain our space program one step ahead of our competitors.
私たち入江店が誇るデルフィナシシリーズわが社が世界的にリードしている 航空宇宙開発のノウハウを戦闘機にフィードバックすること。 により従来の戦闘機開発の常識を覆す、 まったく新しいタイプの戦闘機の開発に成功しました。機体構造の 90余に使用されている新素材により 大幅な軽量化を実現そして高出力で 信頼性の高いエンジンを搭載しました。すべてが純入江無社製のオリジナルマシン。その記念すべき第1号機が R-101デルフィなスワンでした。そのデルフィなスワンの成功により、 私たち入江武者の次世代戦闘機が 必ずやこれからの主力戦闘機になるであろうと確信し デルフィなシリーズの更なる改良を進めました。
We at Neucom are proud to offer the Delphinus series, in which we feed back our world-class aerospace development know-how to fighters. We have succeeded in developing a completely new type of fighter that overturns the conventional wisdom of fighter development. The new materials used in more than 90% of the fuselage have significantly reduced weight, and the aircraft is equipped with a high-power, highly reliable engine. Every part is made purely by Neucom. The first plane, the R-101 Delphinus #1, is especially worth a mention. The Delphinus #1’s success convinced us that Neucom’s next-gen fighters would surely become the mainstay of the future, so we proceeded with further improvements to the Delphinus series.
それがいまご覧いただいているR-102にデルフィの質です。デルフィナシ通は、前作のデルフィなSwanよりも空陸特性を強化することを第一に開発が進められました。空陸をより能動的に制御するために、機体下方にブレンデッドダブルボディーと呼ばれる新型空陸装置が採用されました。今までのデルフィなシリーズとコンセプトこそ同じではありますが、新型機体を開発するのと同等の膨大な資金と時間が投入され、開発が進められました。
That's how the fighter you can see now, the R-102 Delphinus #2, was made. The development of the Delphinus #2 was focused on enhancing its aerodynamics over its predecessor, the Delphinus #1. A new aerodynamic feature called a blended double body under the fuselage has been adopted for more active aerodynamic control. Although the concept is the same as that of the previous Delphinus, a huge amount of money and time were invested in its development, equal to that of a new aircraft.
そして、R-103デルフィなしIIIは、そして、R-103デルフィなしIIIは、バージョンアップというよりもまったく新しいタイプの機体です。まず、前作のデルフィなしで単発に簡素化されたエンジンは双発に復活。まず、前作のデルフィなしで単発に簡素化されたエンジンは双発に復活。前作以上の空戦能力を持ちつつ、地上攻撃などのあらゆる任務を遂行できるよう大型化された。さらに、最新の設計技術を採用した主力戦闘機です。今までの技術とは決して成し得なかった新技術。これまで機体の一部のみにしか適用できなかった一体成形技術が機体前面に適用され、空力特性をさらに向上することに成功しました。これまで機体の一部のみにしか適用できなかった一体成形技術が機体前面に適用され、空力特性をさらに向上することに成功しました。流れるような美しいボディーラインと、未来を予感させるカラーリングデルフィに、その名前の由来であるイルカのように、まるで空を自由自在に泳いでいるようではありませんか。
Let’s go to the R-103 Delphinus III, it ain’t so much an upgrade as a completely new type of plane. First, the engine, simplified to a single-engine in the previous version, is back to a twin-engine. The engine has been enlarged to be able to carry out all kinds of missions, including ground attacks, while having air combat capability beyond that of the previous Delphinus. Furthermore, it is a mainstay fighter that employs the latest design technologies. New technology that could never have been achieved with the previous tech. The one-piece molding technology that could only be applied to a part of the fuselage up to now has been applied to the front of the fuselage, successfully improving aerodynamic characteristics even further. The integral molding technology that could previously only be applied to a portion of the fuselage is now applied to the front, successfully improving aerodynamics even further. With its beautiful, flowing body lines and futuristic coloring, the Delphinus looks as if it’s swimming freely in the sky, just like the dolphins from which it gets its name.
私たち入江店の歴史は始まったばかりではありますが、それゆえに私たち入江は皆さまの想像を超える商品を提供し続けていきたいと思っております。常識はずれた新理論、それが私たち入江むだけのオリジナル。
The history of Neucom has just begun, but that is why we would like to continue to offer goods beyond your imagination. Unconventional theories, they are our originality.
私たち郵便では、そのスタートから新国連関連企業との共同開発により、低価格で汎用性の高い機体を多く使用していますが、ここに紹介するEF2000Eタイフーンは現在の優美を支える主力機体です。今期は新国連関連企業と郵便によって開発改良された全天候型戦闘機で、高い旋回能力優れた格闘戦能力と迎撃性能を兼ね備えた台になっています。ちなみに本機のモデルとなったユーロファイター2000は、1983年に計画されたEFプロジェクトから生まれました。基本的には航空阻止が主な任務ですが、地上攻撃にも活躍しています。胴体下部に2次元式エアインテークを持ち、デルタ翼に全力を組み合わせたクローズドカップルデルタ翼を採用し、空陸特性を高めています。そして、機体の各所に新素材を適用し、徹底的な軽量化を図りました。また、失速時にはオートリカバリーモードを使用することで、機体の立て直しが容易になっています。このように、新規搭載の最新電子装備がコフィンシステムと融合され、自然言語の解析可能な音声認識システムや神経接続による筋電入力を通して操縦者の憤りに複雑な任務をこなすことが可能になり機体の性能を格段に引き上げることに成功しました。
Since its start, we at UPEO have been using many low-cost and versatile aircraft developed jointly with Neo United Nations-affiliated companies, and the EF2000E Typhoon introduced here is the mainstay in present support of UPEO. It’s an all-weather fighter developed and improved by UPEO and NUN-affiliated companies, and the platform combines high turn rates and excellent combat capabilities and interception. Incidentally, the Eurofighter 2000, its direct predecessor, was born out of the EFA project planned in 1983. Basically, its main mission is air interdiction, but it is also active in ground attacks. It has two-dimensional air intakes in the lower fuselage and a close-coupled delta wing with full power combined with a delta wing to enhance its air-landing characteristics. And new materials are applied to various parts of the fuselage to thoroughly reduce weight. An auto recovery mode is used in the event of a stall, making it easier to regain control of the aircraft. The new state-of-the-art electronic equipment is integrated with the COFFIN system, which enables the aircraft to perform complex missions to the indignation of the pilot through a voice recognition system capable of analyzing natural language and myoelectric input via neural connections, thus dramatically raising the aircraft's performance.
このR-201Uアステラスはは我々憂慮がその防衛任務実績をNEUCOM社から認められ、同社からの技術協力により、最近になって実戦配備が進んでいる最新鋭の機体です。このほかにも我々ユキオには出るフィネス話の実戦配備が両社からの協力によって行われています。特徴的な外観は、アストロズはという名前の由来にもなっているヒトデのような姿を。このように入国者のR-Numberと呼ばれる機体は、どれも生物的な流線型を持つフォルムが特徴です。この機体はR-Numberの中でも特に超高速で有視界飛行し、地上攻撃を行うことにその威力を発揮します。から。そのため低空での安定性が高いのですが、最高速が犠牲になっており、マッハ1程度での飛行に限られています。また、フライバイオプトシステムによる機体制御と火器管制が統合された入江無生の新世代アビオニクスによってコフィンシステムによる、操縦特性を十二分に活かしつつ、また、フライバイオプトシステムによる機体制御と火器管制が統合された入江無生の新世代アビオニクスによってコフィンシステムによる、操縦特性を十二分に活かしつつ、強力な攻撃能力を制御することが可能になりました。そう、同機という特異な形状から来る豊富な兵曹積載量に加え、強力な機銃を装備することにより地上攻撃に絶大な威力を発揮します。
The R-201U Asterozoa is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has recently been deployed in actual combat operations with the technical cooperation of NEUCOM, which has recognized its defensive achievements. In addition to this, UPEO has been deploying it in actual combat with the cooperation of both companies. The Asterozoa’s characteristic appearance look like a starfish, which is also the origin of the name. All of these aircraft, called R-Number by the entrant, are characterized by their biological streamlined form. This aircraft is the most powerful of the R-Numbers, especially in its ultra-fast visual flight and ground attack. This makes it highly stable at low altitudes, but at the expense of its top speed, which is limited to flying at about Mach 1. Neucom’s new-generation avionics, which integrates airframe and fire control by the fly-by-opto system, allows the aircraft to take full advantage of the mobility of the COFFIN system. The system enables control of the aircraft's firepower while taking full advantage of its maneuverability. Yes, in addition to the abundant armament it can carry due to its unique shape, it is equipped with a powerful machine gun, which makes it extremely powerful in ground attacks.
本機の高いポテンシャルについては 前述の航空ショーですが、超付随コブラを披露し、 関係者を驚かせたことでも証明されています。Su-37スーパーフランカこの機体は、優れた空力特性の推進、 偏向ノズル採用の大出力エンジンにより、 高次元の機動性を実現した 全天候型の長距離多目的戦闘機です。UPEOに配備されている他の機体に比べると、大型で余裕のある機体サイズから対空、対地攻撃まであらゆる任務をこなすことができます。私たち有病が行った近代化改修としては、エンジンの推力増加、新素材による台の高強度と軽量化、若干フックの装備、空中給油装置の変更、左右徳力可動カナードなど多岐に渡ります。コックピットには、神経接続による、軍事兵器操縦システムConnectionForFlightInterface.通称コフィーも採用しています。ちなみに神経接続されたパイロットは完全に視界を遮断された状態でコックピットに横たわって操縦しています。このようにして、機体の全アビオニクスが新開発のものに改良されています。そして。私自身が操縦するこの専用機には、今までのエンジンシステムをさらに進化させたオプトニューロンを使った特別な神経接続が使用されています。この企画によって、私はより素早く、より正確で、より繊細な戦闘機に操縦が可能になりましそう。このような翼を手に入れるために続けられる私たちの技術開発は、きっとこれからも新しい戦闘機をいろいろと開発していくことでしょうもしかしたら、戦闘機に人間が乗る必要さえもなくなる日がやってくるのかもしれません。それでも人は大空を自由に飛ぶための翼を手放すことはないでしょう。素晴らしい空鳥たちの視界。ここにはまだまだ私たち人間の手には届かない。美しい。景色が広がっているのです。
The aircraft’s sheer potential has been proven by the aforementioned air show, where it surprised all concerned with its Pugachev’s cobra. The Su-37 Super Flanker is an all-weather long-range multirole fighter that achieves high mobility thanks to its propulsion with excellent aerodynamics and high-power engine with deflecting nozzles. Compared to other aircraft deployed in UPEO, the Su-37 Super Flanker is capable of performing a full range of missions, from air-to-air to ground attack, thanks to its large size and ample room to maneuver. UPEO’s modernization modifications include increased engine thrust, new materials to make the platform stronger and lighter, a tail-hooks, a modified aerial refueling system, and independently controllable canard forewings. The cockpit also features the Connection For Flight Interface, or COFFIN, a military weapon neural control system. Incidentally, the neuro-connected pilot lies in the cockpit and controls the aircraft with his/her vision completely blocked. In this way, all the avionics are newly developed and improved. Also. This special aircraft, which I myself pilot, uses a special neural connection called opto-neurons, a further improvement on the existing engine system. This project has made it possible for me to pilot a faster, more precise, and more responsive fighter. Continued technological development to obtain such wings will surely lead to the development of many new fighters in the future, and perhaps the day will come when humans are no longer needed to fly fighters. But never will people give up their wings to fly freely in the sky. The wonderful bird’s eye view. A place still out of reach of us humans. Beautiful. The scenery stretching out.
Night Raven Special
Subbed by: LonelyChaser FansubsProject Manager: MartyMcfliesTranslation: WindiiEditing: IIDucci, Dark_Kudoh, Dfactor
Escalating conflicts between nations. A growing nuclear threat - those days have passed.
-the ultra-powerful multinational corporations
malicious terrorist
However, nations are no longer able to deal with quarrels
Which is why we at UPEO, the world’s singular peace enforcement organization, have assembled the latest military hardware sufficient to cope with any emergency and established a vocal authority for diplomacy on a level playing field with any organization.
Come forth, young aspirants!
EAPN Top News 7
Top-secret info obtained!
Urgent report, General Resource
A full view of the latest next-gen fighter?!
Top News 7: Good evening. Top News 7 broadcasting. First, observe this footage.
This is a video of a test flight of the newest next-gen advanced fighter that General Resource has been developing in secret as reported by our Top News 7 team and other TV stations yesterday.
[X-49 now flies above the Lambert Mountains]
General Resource’s next-gen advanced fighter development has always been on global notice, with debates led by military aviation companies and even on the Electrosphere, but the project’s true status remained veiled in mystery. Because of that, this footage will certainly create a ripple from now.
[X-49 now flies through Geofront tunnels]
This latest next-gen advanced fighter, with its distinct dual-topped boomerang shape, is called the X-49 Night Raven, and aside of a normal jet engine is Aeon propulsion to provide fourice the conventional propulsion in airspaces with Aeon particles. It is a state-of-the-art fighter with a top speed rumored to be as high as Mach 4 or 5.
The X-49 excels at ultra-extensive jamming, and we suspect that to be the cause of the occasional noise in this footage.
The displayed capability in this flight test recording is said to be less than 25% of its full potential, and experts say it is being developed as the ultimate evolution of the stealth fighter that was touted as a threat in the late 20th century.
For General Resource as well as its rival Neucom, and other military aviation companies worldwide, the development and success of next-gen advanced fighters is of paramount importance to their future prospects. Therefore, its development is considered a top-secret confidential project, and it’s even said only a few employees are aware of it.
The X-49 Night Raven’s existence has for a long time also remained shrouded in secrecy. But it is conceivable that General Resource, ahead of the curve in Aeon particle research, is taking on the challenge of developing a next-gen advanced fighter running on Aeon propulsion. In addition, regular pilots find extreme difficulty adapting to Aeon-powered mobility because of its revolutionary strides, and military journalists have been speculating that General Resource’s future fighters will be unmanned.
[X-49 flies above Geofront]
Experts say it is difficult to determine from this received footage on whether the X-49 is an unmanned advanced fighter. There is no hyperbole, however, that this video nearly proves that General Resource’s next-gen advanced fighter development has reached its last stages.
Despite the video file being sent to several TV stations while having no address and the sender being anonymous, military reviewer Dan Satoshi theorizes that the video was leaked with the intent of showing General Resource’s research advancements to the world, thus highlighting and cementing their presence; however, the possibility remains that the video was leaked by a former General Resource employee. Regardless, we believe that the video will spur competition between General Resource and Neucom, which has recently become tense.
General Resource’s PR department, which could be one of the leak sources, has released a statement that X-49 R&D has already been terminated and the experimental unit dismantled and scrapped, while maintaining complete silence on the circumstances of the leak. What happens next will garner interest.
Sponsored by: Neucom Inc.
Nano, nano, nano, nano! These tiny heroes support our lives daily! Nanotech will rebuild the world! They are our new pals from Neucom! Averse from our irises, but they do their finest! They are called nanobites!
2023.05.27 16:03 anticbruce Rockwall Texas Directory and Tourist Information
 | submitted by anticbruce to riseyourword [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/yxnd0lgg9f2b1.jpg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4b5056217865051ebc8a45449412a3c7eee3eaa6 Welcome to Rockwall, Texas – a charming city that offers visitors the perfect blend of small-town charm and big-city amenities. Located just 22 miles east of Dallas, this vibrant community is home to an array of attractions, from unique boutiques and delicious dining options to beautiful parks and scenic lakeside views. Whether you're looking for a weekend getaway or planning an extended stay, our Rockwall Texas directory has everything you need to plan your perfect trip. So buckle up as we take you on a journey through all that this amazing city has to offer! Rockwall Texas Overview Rockwall, Texas is a city located in Rockwall County and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. 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The Rockwall Texas Directory is an invaluable resource that both residents and visitors alike should utilize when exploring all that this great city has to offer. Click here to know more https://rockwalltexas.us/directory/ Things to do in Rockwall Texas Rockwall Texas is a great destination for anyone looking to have an exciting and fun-filled vacation experience. There are so many things to do in Rockwall that it can be hard to choose where to start! One of the most popular activities is visiting Lake Ray Hubbard, which offers plenty of opportunities for fishing, boating, and swimming. If you're interested in history, then you should definitely check out the Rockwall County Historical Foundation Museum. This museum features exhibits on local history as well as interactive displays that give visitors a chance to learn more about the area's past. For those who love outdoor adventures, there are several parks located throughout Rockwall Texas. Harry Myers Park has walking trails and playgrounds while The Harbor at Rockwall is perfect for kayaking or paddleboarding. If shopping and dining are your passions, then head over to Downtown Rockwall where you'll find a variety of shops selling everything from antiques to trendy clothes. You'll also find many restaurants serving up delicious food ranging from classic Tex-Mex cuisine at El Chico Caféto seafood dishes at Dodie's Cajun Diner. In conclusion,Rockwall Texas offers something for everyone no matter what their interests may be! Whether you're looking for outdoor activities or just want some quiet time exploring local museums or shopping districts - this city has it all. Rockwall Texas Accommodations Rockwall Texas offers a range of accommodations for every type of traveler. Whether you're looking for luxury or budget-friendly options, there's something for everyone. For those seeking upscale lodging, Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront is an excellent choice. The hotel boasts stunning views of Lake Ray Hubbard and features elegant rooms with modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. If you prefer a more budget-friendly option, Best Western Plus Rockwall Inn & Suites provides comfortable rooms at affordable rates. Guests can enjoy complimentary breakfast and access to the outdoor pool and fitness center. For extended stays or larger groups, Homewood Suites by Hilton Dallas-Rockwall has spacious suites with fully equipped kitchens and separate living areas. The hotel also offers free hot breakfast and evening socials during weekdays. In addition to traditional hotels, Rockwall also has vacation rentals available on Airbnb or VRBO. These properties offer unique accommodations ranging from cozy cottages to luxurious lakefront homes. No matter your preference, Rockwall Texas has plenty of accommodation options to choose from that cater to different budgets and needs! 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With its diverse range of accommodations and dining options, visitors can easily plan an extended stay without worrying about running out of things to do. And with easy access to major highways, exploring nearby attractions like Lake Ray Hubbard or downtown Dallas is a breeze. If you're considering visiting Rockwall Texas anytime soon, be sure to check out our directory for all the information you need on local businesses. From car dealerships to boutique shops and everything in between - we've got you covered! |
2023.05.27 15:47 Adventurous-Map-9400 Growing Up Alien Chapter 20:
A homeless teenager reaches out to the Shil’vati on first day of the invasion of Earth.
This is a rewrite of my original story ‘Loyalist’.
Credit to u/bluefishcake for writing the original SSB story.
Pizzaulostin who has been beta reading since the beginning.
and u/BruhMomentGEE
Credit to u/HollowShel for getting me started with this!
This story is based in the SSB universe.
previous
first
next
as always, comments are welcome.
Chapter 20:
Itaro:
I tried to distract myself by looking out the large windows framed by scuffed dull purple alloy. I fidgeted with the flat pulpwood box on my lap as the old city bus lumbered through the low-income apartment block suburbs broken up by small factories, tiny parks, schools, shopping malls, restaurants, temples, and other minutiae of the community.
I looked down at the box containing dad’s old cooling vest. A vest I had tailored surreptitiously for Klein as a “friendly gift”. A utility present to get closer to him and maybe ask him out in a month or two.
That scheme had gone out the window two days ago the moment I stood between Klein and Giton. That same day, Klein had kissed me, and the gift now was part of the first date. I’m still stupefied on how forward he’d been. It didn’t help that he was the adopted son of my father’s ex-lover.
Yeah, this was weird, Humans are weird.
The calm chime sounded to let me know that we reached the junction of thirty-seventh and forty-fifth street. I sighed inwardly, signaled a stop, and stood up. Weird are not, Klein was fun to be around, and a mental vacation compared to my own family.
Klein:
I tried my best not to notice how tight my arm sleeves on my dress shirt were as I read through Gearschilde craft-book on common legends and stories of the early days of their calamity.
The heavy book had pages made of brass and steel, small levers, dials and switches helped animate the illustration while also teaching the basics of mechanics, electronics and materials science through rhyme and illustration. Skills necessary personally and communally needed to simply survive on their hellscape of a home world.
I handled it gingerly. I hadn’t understood when Cee gave it to me why they were called “craft-books”, nor why a priest had so many of them. A bit of research on the data net had explained that a craft book was an heirloom object of the family, made by a crafting-priest with the removed augments and implants of a deceased Gearschilde. A priest such as Cee handled such sacred objects when the family may no longer need them.
Apparently Forges Metal In Service Of Life was Exceptionally doting on her grandchildren, and the introduction she wrote for her own recycled corpse told of a woman who had literally given everything to her children so they may have a better future.
It was wholesome, but still I couldn’t help feeling a little creepy that I was technically playing with a dead body, or at least what had been vital prosthetics within it.
My thoughts were so wrapped up in the book though that I only caught the last few notes of the front doorbell melody by the time the sound drew my attention. Reqellia was already out of her chair looking at me expectantly in the study. I (carefully) closed the craft-book, got up and followed her out into the courtyard. A bit of nervous and excited energy in each step.
Itaro was here!
‘You are acting like a middle schooler on his first date’ Squirrel brain chastised me.
Fuck you too squirrel brain, it’s not like I had a wholesome date before that I could bring to a parent. I thought back, bringing up the mental image of Kelly, my last “girlfriend” that lasted two weeks, and was expelled for drinking in school.
I shook the old memories away. Bringing myself back to the present as Itraro opened the courtyard main doors. Dressed in tight, tailored, black ‘hunting pants’ with a thin silver stripe down the out seam and a deep navy-blue cooling vest with more silvery accents. I could see actual boning on the vest meant for body support. Itaro had gone for the Rakiri “functional formal” dress that was meant for parades and hunting parties. She carried a flat gift box that was semi-expensive and had clearly come to take this date seriously.
I stood up straighter in my Shil formalwear that was ready to burst at the seams. Reqellia moved between me and Itaro, performing the Shil’vati ritual of inspecting a potential suitor for their son on their first date. Again, yesterday Reqellia calling me her “son” felt fake, I was not her son, but I played along. She was at least one of my guardians right now.
There was a lackadaisy air to Reqellia’s words as she spoke. “You are interested in Klein, and want to go for a walk with him?”
Itaro still had a bit of nervousness in her voice, but she spoke steadily. “Yes, ma’am.”
Reqellia stayed silent and stared at Itaro for just a heartbeat, then broke into a wide grin, throwing up her hands. “Jrafell’s (goddess of joy’s) fire! You two get out of here, and don’t message me till {sunset}!”
Reqellia shooed us out the front door, and as it closed behind us, Itaro held the package out towards me. “So, uh, I wanted to give this to you after the raid game. It’s a cooling vest since I notice you're starting to sweat even in the mornings now.”
I took the box slowly, trying to parse what she said. It was warm, but I was sweating all the time? I touched my forehead, and yes, I felt a slight dampness. How had I not noticed that?
I looked down at the layers of wicking fabric I was wearing. The high collar, the arm length sleeves. I was normally clothed neck down so that only my head and hands were exposed. The sweat wasn’t visible, and I had just mentally blocked it out. Shil cloth didn’t get stiff with sweat salt somehow.
I opened the lid. The vest was colored in a dark blue with the heat sinking accents in gold creeping vine motifs. “It’s… gorgeous.”
Itaro’s ears flicked back in self-aware embarrassment at the complement. “It’s not too outdated?”
I closed the lid with a dramatic snap as we started to walk towards the bus stop. “No, I think it’s styled for exactly the right time.”
The bus took us to a different part of town. Instead of the monolithic metallic blocks of shopping, living, and factory complexes, it was more akin to squares of walled-in outdoor malls with rows upon rows of car width sized streets and two-story shop or factory houses.
The outer walls of the area were the same style as any other Shil’vati building; however, inside those walls completely threw off any Shil sensibilities, and reveled in the multi-species culture so indicative of Sky that had become my favorite part of living here.
I always felt like a tourist walking through the compound gates. It was still hard, trying to understand what all the stores, meeting houses, clubs, and drink vendors offered. I was really hoping when I could walk alone to come here on my off days and just learn.
It was by far one of the most comfortable places I had been. I wasn’t given a second glance as scales, fur and even odder skins walked the streets. The scents changed from pungent and earthy to downright floral. The late morning was bustling with crowds also wanting to enjoy their off days of the Shel mid-week break. Colorful awnings had been stretched out to provide shade, and here some of the signs even had multi-language signs as opposed to the normal Trade Shil lexicon. The small gardens ranged from normal green hues, to cartoon colorful oranges, reds, and even bright blues and shiny blacks
I led the way to a cluster of shops owned by Tulo’s family. The architecture was Shil-ish. The patterns were of typical stars and seas done in metal, but instead of the traditional purples, blacks, and golds, it had textured matte finish and pastel colors. The sign above this particular hole-in-the-wall was labeled simple “Ki’tra’s Styling”
We walked in the open door, and again I was transported to a Shil’vati style not fashionable in at least two centuries. Brass instead of gold, marble and granite where thermocast metal should normally be placed. It was bright, shadowless, with a similar setup of padded chairs every barbershop that every species seemed to have in common.
“Be with you one second!” Tulo called out as he finished with a different customer. A Sharpfish gang member getting their hair done in a complex set of braids that I knew had a tradition of long-ago sea raiders. Thank you, Death Islands serial drama play, for giving me that tidbit of info.
Tulo was dressed flamboyantly straight for Shil’vati culture. He carried tools on a lacy belt rig. The pants and shirt were Shil cut, but again, the normally muted tones were swapped for bright swatches of color. A workaholic in terms of Shil’vati lifestyle and at the upper end of his species’ stamina. Pulling forty hours or even more a week, he never lost his marine’s purposeful gait despite the turn towards more gender conforming attitude and fashion.
I had a suspicion that Tulo and Ruhal were more than friends, but I didn’t pry. A few books and shows had hinted at such relationships, but there was a weird feeling when I checked the data-net that something was missing.
Tulo finished with the Sharpfish, as she strode out the room, she gave me a wink, and I could feel Itaro raise her hackles next to me. The tension was broken with Tulo throwing his arms wide in greeting. “K’ien! Thank you for giving us your time (and money) today! Ruhal sent over your wants, and I have been looking forward to this appointment, and who is this with you today?”
I looked at Itaro for permission, and with a barely perceptible nod I introduced her. “This is Itaro, my girlfriend.”
Tulo faked surprise dramatically. I knew Ruhal would have told him by now. “Oh, Itaro! I must say. You have found quite the catch, would you also like a trim? On the house!”
I knew Tulo would send a small fee to Ruhal for Itaro, but Itaro didn’t need to know that. She nodded again, but with her ears twitching, she said in a smaller than usual voice with intonation posing it as a question. “I would?”
Tulo turned around and yelled. “Reku! I have a K’ien’s girlfriend here wanting a trim and polish! You want practice?”
Reku walked out onto the shop floor from the back rooms holstering his omni pad while looking severe, but then again, he always looked severe. Reku was dressed in crisp clothes with muted blacks and purples more akin to a boardroom than a barbershop.
Tulo had let slip it was Reku’s way of “rebelling” from his father’s own counterculture style while helping Ruhal replace a faulty home heating unit.Tulo, to his credit, encouraged Reku’s “rebellious” behavior, and the quiet smile when he saw Itaro meant the next hour would be a production for both me and Itaro.
As I heard the snip of scissors, my head felt lighter by the second. It took a good quarter hour of combing for Tulo to get my bird’s nest hair unknotted, then the clipping started. It didn’t take long before the floor around me was covered in hair with faded shades of dye still clinging onto the strands.
I looked over at Reku snipping at Itaro’s mane to even it out and fur to sit flush with her clothes, with acute precision. While son and father had wildly different styles, their skillset was comparably solid.
“Head forward please.” Tulo’s voice was now business-like as he powered on the nearly silent trimmer, and in the mirror was a face that wasn’t recognizable to the boy a few months ago. The hair being the last vestige of a “Beach Bum” front I had worn while working at the convenience store.
The sides had been buzzed, and the top had been quaffed and rolled into a haircut I could only describe as “punk Elvis”. The haircut would be easy to maintain daily, but would require weekly trims.
“And now for the final touch.” Tulo smiled as he pulled out a hair dyeing comb and artfully brushed in a fade. My hair looked now like a field of grass just starting to turn in autumn with dark green tips shading lighter and blending into my naturally blonde hair.
It was just hair, but the loss of its weight on my head made me feel energetic. I wanted to stand, walk, run, but I kept seated as Tulo called out “Reku, I’m done with K’ien, ready to switch?”
“Almost” Reku replied flatly. I turned to see what he was doing and, oh… He had applied a dark bronze powder that gave her normally dull black spotted gray fur a speckled sheen that subtly reflected and scattered the light.
I stared a bit too long, and when Itaro saw me she looked away self-consciously. I did the same. It wasn’t right for me to stare, dating or no.
“Reku will be with you shortly. I need to take care of another customer,” Tulo said as he walked away. I still snuck glances at Itaro as I drummed my fingers to the rhythms of Ki’zachi, Chopin and got through the opening riffs of a Megadeth song before Reku started to work on me.
My face cleaned up and my nails polished and lacquered. I finally got up from my chair with Itaro openly staring at me. I blushed, feeling the heat on my cheeks, and looked away.
Well maybe staring wasn’t so bad.
“Now, my wife and daughter are two stores down with the clothes you picked out. The commissions take time, but we have rapid fabricators that will give you a feel how the real thing will wear, and if any adjustments need to be made,” Tulo explained to me as both me and Itaro tried not to gawk at each other.
We headed out of the shop clumsily, weaving slightly as we tried to decide where the line of personal space between us was considered proper.
Itaro:
“They are adorably awkward together aren’t they?” I heard Tulo whisper when he thought I was out of earshot. Dirtmothers this was embarrassing. Was my only thought as we walked down the road. All too aware of how we both looked.
Tulo’s wife Ma’tari was already putting clothes on the counter, her teenage daughter was at that weird phase of Shil life where they are skinny to the point of looking underfed with a name tag that read ‘Iss’fera.’
“Here you go K’ien! How have you…. What happened to you? I just tailored that shirt two months ago,” Iss’fera asked as her mother Ma’tari sternly looked at her.
“He built up some muscle, and you should too if you want to catch any boy’s eye!” using a bit of guilt to chastise her daughter for her faux paus. I wanted to defend her since she was working Shel break, but I didn’t want to get in another’s family drama.
“Oh! Uh, here you go!” she mumbled while handing Klein his clothes, blushing furiously.
I paced in the lobby of the shop each time passing the mirror trying not to stop and inspect myself. The coppery tint reminded me of action stars and dramatized play fights when we visited Iron Mountain city.
I thought of Klein, and how he looked. He might not be a heavyweight door guard, but he wasn’t some bone thin Shil boy, and Hario had explicitly approved of him. I held my head a bit higher. Reminding myself I was disappointing no one with my choice. No matter how xenophobic some of my extended family was.
The door to the changing room clicked open, and I turned to see Klein in a mix of profoundly familiar and utterly alien clothes. My father’s cooling vest over a loose white shirt with… belts? On the forearms, making it close fitting at the wrist with the excess fabric over the bicep. The black pants were Shil tight, but with weirdly patterned knees that could stretch, and the pleated skirt of heavy fabric that covered the crotch and thighs looked to be directly imported from the Dirt governess’s honor guard. The only thing still standard was the shoes, and I had doubts they would stay standard for long.
“It fits you,” was all I could say, and it was true. The clothes complemented a figure that was neither Shil, Senthe or Helkam slim, nor Rakiri heavy. It was clothes meant for a human.
Klein’s lopsided smile told me this wasn’t the same Klein that walked into the changing room. It was the smile worn right before a Raid game or an obstacle course, or when bantering with Paluto. It meant his persona switched from quiet to theatrical*.*
At least this meant he’d be talking more. It wasn’t like him to be this quiet. “Thank you Ma’tari, Iss’fera, for the wonderfully crafted clothes. I look forward to the real thing!” Klein said as he walked up to me and offered his arm. This was the Klein that had kissed me, and now I could relax as there was a role for both of us to play, with easy to follow baked-in social conventions.
I took Klein’s offered arm confidently and we walked out together as I asked. “Where to now?”
“Somewhere to talk, ever tried Nighkru Tea?” Klein stage whispered cryptically.
/////// Author’s notes:
A lot has happened in life! And this chapter was hard to get started. I didn’t know where the first scene was supposed to even be! I also had a lot of worldbuilding to do for everything to feel more solid than before. It was worth it though! It took me two weeks to get the first half done, and two days for the second half.
submitted by Adventurous-Map-9400 to HFY [link] [comments]
This is a rewrite of my original story ‘Loyalist’.
Credit to u/bluefishcake for writing the original SSB story.
Pizzaulostin who has been beta reading since the beginning.
and u/BruhMomentGEE
Credit to u/HollowShel for getting me started with this!
This story is based in the SSB universe.
previous
first
next
as always, comments are welcome.
Chapter 20:
Itaro:
I tried to distract myself by looking out the large windows framed by scuffed dull purple alloy. I fidgeted with the flat pulpwood box on my lap as the old city bus lumbered through the low-income apartment block suburbs broken up by small factories, tiny parks, schools, shopping malls, restaurants, temples, and other minutiae of the community.
I looked down at the box containing dad’s old cooling vest. A vest I had tailored surreptitiously for Klein as a “friendly gift”. A utility present to get closer to him and maybe ask him out in a month or two.
That scheme had gone out the window two days ago the moment I stood between Klein and Giton. That same day, Klein had kissed me, and the gift now was part of the first date. I’m still stupefied on how forward he’d been. It didn’t help that he was the adopted son of my father’s ex-lover.
Yeah, this was weird, Humans are weird.
The calm chime sounded to let me know that we reached the junction of thirty-seventh and forty-fifth street. I sighed inwardly, signaled a stop, and stood up. Weird are not, Klein was fun to be around, and a mental vacation compared to my own family.
Klein:
I tried my best not to notice how tight my arm sleeves on my dress shirt were as I read through Gearschilde craft-book on common legends and stories of the early days of their calamity.
The heavy book had pages made of brass and steel, small levers, dials and switches helped animate the illustration while also teaching the basics of mechanics, electronics and materials science through rhyme and illustration. Skills necessary personally and communally needed to simply survive on their hellscape of a home world.
I handled it gingerly. I hadn’t understood when Cee gave it to me why they were called “craft-books”, nor why a priest had so many of them. A bit of research on the data net had explained that a craft book was an heirloom object of the family, made by a crafting-priest with the removed augments and implants of a deceased Gearschilde. A priest such as Cee handled such sacred objects when the family may no longer need them.
Apparently Forges Metal In Service Of Life was Exceptionally doting on her grandchildren, and the introduction she wrote for her own recycled corpse told of a woman who had literally given everything to her children so they may have a better future.
It was wholesome, but still I couldn’t help feeling a little creepy that I was technically playing with a dead body, or at least what had been vital prosthetics within it.
My thoughts were so wrapped up in the book though that I only caught the last few notes of the front doorbell melody by the time the sound drew my attention. Reqellia was already out of her chair looking at me expectantly in the study. I (carefully) closed the craft-book, got up and followed her out into the courtyard. A bit of nervous and excited energy in each step.
Itaro was here!
‘You are acting like a middle schooler on his first date’ Squirrel brain chastised me.
Fuck you too squirrel brain, it’s not like I had a wholesome date before that I could bring to a parent. I thought back, bringing up the mental image of Kelly, my last “girlfriend” that lasted two weeks, and was expelled for drinking in school.
I shook the old memories away. Bringing myself back to the present as Itraro opened the courtyard main doors. Dressed in tight, tailored, black ‘hunting pants’ with a thin silver stripe down the out seam and a deep navy-blue cooling vest with more silvery accents. I could see actual boning on the vest meant for body support. Itaro had gone for the Rakiri “functional formal” dress that was meant for parades and hunting parties. She carried a flat gift box that was semi-expensive and had clearly come to take this date seriously.
I stood up straighter in my Shil formalwear that was ready to burst at the seams. Reqellia moved between me and Itaro, performing the Shil’vati ritual of inspecting a potential suitor for their son on their first date. Again, yesterday Reqellia calling me her “son” felt fake, I was not her son, but I played along. She was at least one of my guardians right now.
There was a lackadaisy air to Reqellia’s words as she spoke. “You are interested in Klein, and want to go for a walk with him?”
Itaro still had a bit of nervousness in her voice, but she spoke steadily. “Yes, ma’am.”
Reqellia stayed silent and stared at Itaro for just a heartbeat, then broke into a wide grin, throwing up her hands. “Jrafell’s (goddess of joy’s) fire! You two get out of here, and don’t message me till {sunset}!”
Reqellia shooed us out the front door, and as it closed behind us, Itaro held the package out towards me. “So, uh, I wanted to give this to you after the raid game. It’s a cooling vest since I notice you're starting to sweat even in the mornings now.”
I took the box slowly, trying to parse what she said. It was warm, but I was sweating all the time? I touched my forehead, and yes, I felt a slight dampness. How had I not noticed that?
I looked down at the layers of wicking fabric I was wearing. The high collar, the arm length sleeves. I was normally clothed neck down so that only my head and hands were exposed. The sweat wasn’t visible, and I had just mentally blocked it out. Shil cloth didn’t get stiff with sweat salt somehow.
I opened the lid. The vest was colored in a dark blue with the heat sinking accents in gold creeping vine motifs. “It’s… gorgeous.”
Itaro’s ears flicked back in self-aware embarrassment at the complement. “It’s not too outdated?”
I closed the lid with a dramatic snap as we started to walk towards the bus stop. “No, I think it’s styled for exactly the right time.”
The bus took us to a different part of town. Instead of the monolithic metallic blocks of shopping, living, and factory complexes, it was more akin to squares of walled-in outdoor malls with rows upon rows of car width sized streets and two-story shop or factory houses.
The outer walls of the area were the same style as any other Shil’vati building; however, inside those walls completely threw off any Shil sensibilities, and reveled in the multi-species culture so indicative of Sky that had become my favorite part of living here.
I always felt like a tourist walking through the compound gates. It was still hard, trying to understand what all the stores, meeting houses, clubs, and drink vendors offered. I was really hoping when I could walk alone to come here on my off days and just learn.
It was by far one of the most comfortable places I had been. I wasn’t given a second glance as scales, fur and even odder skins walked the streets. The scents changed from pungent and earthy to downright floral. The late morning was bustling with crowds also wanting to enjoy their off days of the Shel mid-week break. Colorful awnings had been stretched out to provide shade, and here some of the signs even had multi-language signs as opposed to the normal Trade Shil lexicon. The small gardens ranged from normal green hues, to cartoon colorful oranges, reds, and even bright blues and shiny blacks
I led the way to a cluster of shops owned by Tulo’s family. The architecture was Shil-ish. The patterns were of typical stars and seas done in metal, but instead of the traditional purples, blacks, and golds, it had textured matte finish and pastel colors. The sign above this particular hole-in-the-wall was labeled simple “Ki’tra’s Styling”
We walked in the open door, and again I was transported to a Shil’vati style not fashionable in at least two centuries. Brass instead of gold, marble and granite where thermocast metal should normally be placed. It was bright, shadowless, with a similar setup of padded chairs every barbershop that every species seemed to have in common.
“Be with you one second!” Tulo called out as he finished with a different customer. A Sharpfish gang member getting their hair done in a complex set of braids that I knew had a tradition of long-ago sea raiders. Thank you, Death Islands serial drama play, for giving me that tidbit of info.
Tulo was dressed flamboyantly straight for Shil’vati culture. He carried tools on a lacy belt rig. The pants and shirt were Shil cut, but again, the normally muted tones were swapped for bright swatches of color. A workaholic in terms of Shil’vati lifestyle and at the upper end of his species’ stamina. Pulling forty hours or even more a week, he never lost his marine’s purposeful gait despite the turn towards more gender conforming attitude and fashion.
I had a suspicion that Tulo and Ruhal were more than friends, but I didn’t pry. A few books and shows had hinted at such relationships, but there was a weird feeling when I checked the data-net that something was missing.
Tulo finished with the Sharpfish, as she strode out the room, she gave me a wink, and I could feel Itaro raise her hackles next to me. The tension was broken with Tulo throwing his arms wide in greeting. “K’ien! Thank you for giving us your time (and money) today! Ruhal sent over your wants, and I have been looking forward to this appointment, and who is this with you today?”
I looked at Itaro for permission, and with a barely perceptible nod I introduced her. “This is Itaro, my girlfriend.”
Tulo faked surprise dramatically. I knew Ruhal would have told him by now. “Oh, Itaro! I must say. You have found quite the catch, would you also like a trim? On the house!”
I knew Tulo would send a small fee to Ruhal for Itaro, but Itaro didn’t need to know that. She nodded again, but with her ears twitching, she said in a smaller than usual voice with intonation posing it as a question. “I would?”
Tulo turned around and yelled. “Reku! I have a K’ien’s girlfriend here wanting a trim and polish! You want practice?”
Reku walked out onto the shop floor from the back rooms holstering his omni pad while looking severe, but then again, he always looked severe. Reku was dressed in crisp clothes with muted blacks and purples more akin to a boardroom than a barbershop.
Tulo had let slip it was Reku’s way of “rebelling” from his father’s own counterculture style while helping Ruhal replace a faulty home heating unit.Tulo, to his credit, encouraged Reku’s “rebellious” behavior, and the quiet smile when he saw Itaro meant the next hour would be a production for both me and Itaro.
As I heard the snip of scissors, my head felt lighter by the second. It took a good quarter hour of combing for Tulo to get my bird’s nest hair unknotted, then the clipping started. It didn’t take long before the floor around me was covered in hair with faded shades of dye still clinging onto the strands.
I looked over at Reku snipping at Itaro’s mane to even it out and fur to sit flush with her clothes, with acute precision. While son and father had wildly different styles, their skillset was comparably solid.
“Head forward please.” Tulo’s voice was now business-like as he powered on the nearly silent trimmer, and in the mirror was a face that wasn’t recognizable to the boy a few months ago. The hair being the last vestige of a “Beach Bum” front I had worn while working at the convenience store.
The sides had been buzzed, and the top had been quaffed and rolled into a haircut I could only describe as “punk Elvis”. The haircut would be easy to maintain daily, but would require weekly trims.
“And now for the final touch.” Tulo smiled as he pulled out a hair dyeing comb and artfully brushed in a fade. My hair looked now like a field of grass just starting to turn in autumn with dark green tips shading lighter and blending into my naturally blonde hair.
It was just hair, but the loss of its weight on my head made me feel energetic. I wanted to stand, walk, run, but I kept seated as Tulo called out “Reku, I’m done with K’ien, ready to switch?”
“Almost” Reku replied flatly. I turned to see what he was doing and, oh… He had applied a dark bronze powder that gave her normally dull black spotted gray fur a speckled sheen that subtly reflected and scattered the light.
I stared a bit too long, and when Itaro saw me she looked away self-consciously. I did the same. It wasn’t right for me to stare, dating or no.
“Reku will be with you shortly. I need to take care of another customer,” Tulo said as he walked away. I still snuck glances at Itaro as I drummed my fingers to the rhythms of Ki’zachi, Chopin and got through the opening riffs of a Megadeth song before Reku started to work on me.
My face cleaned up and my nails polished and lacquered. I finally got up from my chair with Itaro openly staring at me. I blushed, feeling the heat on my cheeks, and looked away.
Well maybe staring wasn’t so bad.
“Now, my wife and daughter are two stores down with the clothes you picked out. The commissions take time, but we have rapid fabricators that will give you a feel how the real thing will wear, and if any adjustments need to be made,” Tulo explained to me as both me and Itaro tried not to gawk at each other.
We headed out of the shop clumsily, weaving slightly as we tried to decide where the line of personal space between us was considered proper.
Itaro:
“They are adorably awkward together aren’t they?” I heard Tulo whisper when he thought I was out of earshot. Dirtmothers this was embarrassing. Was my only thought as we walked down the road. All too aware of how we both looked.
Tulo’s wife Ma’tari was already putting clothes on the counter, her teenage daughter was at that weird phase of Shil life where they are skinny to the point of looking underfed with a name tag that read ‘Iss’fera.’
“Here you go K’ien! How have you…. What happened to you? I just tailored that shirt two months ago,” Iss’fera asked as her mother Ma’tari sternly looked at her.
“He built up some muscle, and you should too if you want to catch any boy’s eye!” using a bit of guilt to chastise her daughter for her faux paus. I wanted to defend her since she was working Shel break, but I didn’t want to get in another’s family drama.
“Oh! Uh, here you go!” she mumbled while handing Klein his clothes, blushing furiously.
I paced in the lobby of the shop each time passing the mirror trying not to stop and inspect myself. The coppery tint reminded me of action stars and dramatized play fights when we visited Iron Mountain city.
I thought of Klein, and how he looked. He might not be a heavyweight door guard, but he wasn’t some bone thin Shil boy, and Hario had explicitly approved of him. I held my head a bit higher. Reminding myself I was disappointing no one with my choice. No matter how xenophobic some of my extended family was.
The door to the changing room clicked open, and I turned to see Klein in a mix of profoundly familiar and utterly alien clothes. My father’s cooling vest over a loose white shirt with… belts? On the forearms, making it close fitting at the wrist with the excess fabric over the bicep. The black pants were Shil tight, but with weirdly patterned knees that could stretch, and the pleated skirt of heavy fabric that covered the crotch and thighs looked to be directly imported from the Dirt governess’s honor guard. The only thing still standard was the shoes, and I had doubts they would stay standard for long.
“It fits you,” was all I could say, and it was true. The clothes complemented a figure that was neither Shil, Senthe or Helkam slim, nor Rakiri heavy. It was clothes meant for a human.
Klein’s lopsided smile told me this wasn’t the same Klein that walked into the changing room. It was the smile worn right before a Raid game or an obstacle course, or when bantering with Paluto. It meant his persona switched from quiet to theatrical*.*
At least this meant he’d be talking more. It wasn’t like him to be this quiet. “Thank you Ma’tari, Iss’fera, for the wonderfully crafted clothes. I look forward to the real thing!” Klein said as he walked up to me and offered his arm. This was the Klein that had kissed me, and now I could relax as there was a role for both of us to play, with easy to follow baked-in social conventions.
I took Klein’s offered arm confidently and we walked out together as I asked. “Where to now?”
“Somewhere to talk, ever tried Nighkru Tea?” Klein stage whispered cryptically.
/////// Author’s notes:
A lot has happened in life! And this chapter was hard to get started. I didn’t know where the first scene was supposed to even be! I also had a lot of worldbuilding to do for everything to feel more solid than before. It was worth it though! It took me two weeks to get the first half done, and two days for the second half.
2023.05.27 15:42 Adventurous-Map-9400 Growing Up Alien Chapter 20:
A homeless teenager reaches out to the Shil’vati on first day of the invasion of Earth.
This is a rewrite of my original story ‘Loyalist’.
Credit to u/bluefishcake for writing the original SSB story.
Pizzaulostin who has been beta reading since the beginning.
and u/BruhMomentGEE who has really helped with plot and dialogue.
Credit to u/HollowShel for getting me started with this!
This story is based in the SSB universe.
Previous
First
next
as always, comments are welcome.
I looked down at the box containing dad’s old cooling vest. A vest I had tailored surreptitiously for Klein as a “friendly gift”. A utility present to get closer to him and maybe ask him out in a month or two.
That scheme had gone out the window two days ago the moment I stood between Klein and Giton. That same day, Klein had kissed me, and the gift now was part of the first date. I’m still stupefied on how forward he’d been. It didn’t help that he was the adopted son of my father’s ex-lover.
Yeah, this was weird, Humans are weird.
The calm chime sounded to let me know that we reached the junction of thirty-seventh and forty-fifth street. I sighed inwardly, signaled a stop, and stood up. Weird are not, Klein was fun to be around, and a mental vacation compared to my own family.
The heavy book had pages made of brass and steel, small levers, dials and switches helped animate the illustration while also teaching the basics of mechanics, electronics and materials science through rhyme and illustration. Skills necessary personally and communally needed to simply survive on their hellscape of a home world.
I handled it gingerly. I hadn’t understood when Cee gave it to me why they were called “craft-books”, nor why a priest had so many of them. A bit of research on the data net had explained that a craft book was an heirloom object of the family, made by a crafting-priest with the removed augments and implants of a deceased Gearschilde. A priest such as Cee handled such sacred objects when the family may no longer need them.
Apparently Forges Metal In Service Of Life was Exceptionally doting on her grandchildren, and the introduction she wrote for her own recycled corpse told of a woman who had literally given everything to her children so they may have a better future.
It was wholesome, but still I couldn’t help feeling a little creepy that I was technically playing with a dead body, or at least what had been vital prosthetics within it.
My thoughts were so wrapped up in the book though that I only caught the last few notes of the front doorbell melody by the time the sound drew my attention. Reqellia was already out of her chair looking at me expectantly in the study. I (carefully) closed the craft-book, got up and followed her out into the courtyard. A bit of nervous and excited energy in each step.
Itaro was here!
‘You are acting like a middle schooler on his first date’ Squirrel brain chastised me.
Fuck you too squirrel brain, it’s not like I had a wholesome date before that I could bring to a parent. I thought back, bringing up the mental image of Kelly, my last “girlfriend” that lasted two weeks, and was expelled for drinking in school.
I shook the old memories away. Bringing myself back to the present as Itraro opened the courtyard main doors. Dressed in tight, tailored, black ‘hunting pants’ with a thin silver stripe down the out seam and a deep navy-blue cooling vest with more silvery accents. I could see actual boning on the vest meant for body support. Itaro had gone for the Rakiri “functional formal” dress that was meant for parades and hunting parties. She carried a flat gift box that was semi-expensive and had clearly come to take this date seriously.
I stood up straighter in my Shil formalwear that was ready to burst at the seams. Reqellia moved between me and Itaro, performing the Shil’vati ritual of inspecting a potential suitor for their son on their first date. Again, yesterday Reqellia calling me her “son” felt fake, I was not her son, but I played along. She was at least one of my guardians right now.
There was a lackadaisy air to Reqellia’s words as she spoke. “You are interested in Klein, and want to go for a walk with him?”
Itaro still had a bit of nervousness in her voice, but she spoke steadily. “Yes, ma’am.”
Reqellia stayed silent and stared at Itaro for just a heartbeat, then broke into a wide grin, throwing up her hands. “Jrafell’s (goddess of joy’s) fire! You two get out of here, and don’t message me till {sunset}!”
Reqellia shooed us out the front door, and as it closed behind us, Itaro held the package out towards me. “So, uh, I wanted to give this to you after the raid game. It’s a cooling vest since I notice you're starting to sweat even in the mornings now.”
I took the box slowly, trying to parse what she said. It was warm, but I was sweating all the time? I touched my forehead, and yes, I felt a slight dampness. How had I not noticed that?
I looked down at the layers of wicking fabric I was wearing. The high collar, the arm length sleeves. I was normally clothed neck down so that only my head and hands were exposed. The sweat wasn’t visible, and I had just mentally blocked it out. Shil cloth didn’t get stiff with sweat salt somehow.
I opened the lid. The vest was colored in a dark blue with the heat sinking accents in gold creeping vine motifs. “It’s… gorgeous.”
Itaro’s ears flicked back in self-aware embarrassment at the complement. “It’s not too outdated?”
I closed the lid with a dramatic snap as we started to walk towards the bus stop. “No, I think it’s styled for exactly the right time.”
The bus took us to a different part of town. Instead of the monolithic metallic blocks of shopping, living, and factory complexes, it was more akin to squares of walled-in outdoor malls with rows upon rows of car width sized streets and two-story shop or factory houses.
The outer walls of the area were the same style as any other Shil’vati building; however, inside those walls completely threw off any Shil sensibilities, and reveled in the multi-species culture so indicative of Sky that had become my favorite part of living here.
I always felt like a tourist walking through the compound gates. It was still hard, trying to understand what all the stores, meeting houses, clubs, and drink vendors offered. I was really hoping when I could walk alone to come here on my off days and just learn.
It was by far one of the most comfortable places I had been. I wasn’t given a second glance as scales, fur and even odder skins walked the streets. The scents changed from pungent and earthy to downright floral. The late morning was bustling with crowds also wanting to enjoy their off days of the Shel mid-week break. Colorful awnings had been stretched out to provide shade, and here some of the signs even had multi-language signs as opposed to the normal Trade Shil lexicon. The small gardens ranged from normal green hues, to cartoon colorful oranges, reds, and even bright blues and shiny blacks
I led the way to a cluster of shops owned by Tulo’s family. The architecture was Shil-ish. The patterns were of typical stars and seas done in metal, but instead of the traditional purples, blacks, and golds, it had textured matte finish and pastel colors. The sign above this particular hole-in-the-wall was labeled simple “Ki’tra’s Styling”
We walked in the open door, and again I was transported to a Shil’vati style not fashionable in at least two centuries. Brass instead of gold, marble and granite where thermocast metal should normally be placed. It was bright, shadowless, with a similar setup of padded chairs every barbershop that every species seemed to have in common.
“Be with you one second!” Tulo called out as he finished with a different customer. A Sharpfish gang member getting their hair done in a complex set of braids that I knew had a tradition of long-ago sea raiders. Thank you, Death Islands serial drama play, for giving me that tidbit of info.
Tulo was dressed flamboyantly straight for Shil’vati culture. He carried tools on a lacy belt rig. The pants and shirt were Shil cut, but again, the normally muted tones were swapped for bright swatches of color. A workaholic in terms of Shil’vati lifestyle and at the upper end of his species’ stamina. Pulling forty hours or even more a week, he never lost his marine’s purposeful gait despite the turn towards more gender conforming attitude and fashion.
I had a suspicion that Tulo and Ruhal were more than friends, but I didn’t pry. A few books and shows had hinted at such relationships, but there was a weird feeling when I checked the data-net that something was missing.
Tulo finished with the Sharpfish, as she strode out the room, she gave me a wink, and I could feel Itaro raise her hackles next to me. The tension was broken with Tulo throwing his arms wide in greeting. “K’ien! Thank you for giving us your time (and money) today! Ruhal sent over your wants, and I have been looking forward to this appointment, and who is this with you today?”
I looked at Itaro for permission, and with a barely perceptible nod I introduced her. “This is Itaro, my girlfriend.”
Tulo faked surprise dramatically. I knew Ruhal would have told him by now. “Oh, Itaro! I must say. You have found quite the catch, would you also like a trim? On the house!”
I knew Tulo would send a small fee to Ruhal for Itaro, but Itaro didn’t need to know that. She nodded again, but with her ears twitching, she said in a smaller than usual voice with intonation posing it as a question. “I would?”
Tulo turned around and yelled. “Reku! I have a K’ien’s girlfriend here wanting a trim and polish! You want practice?”
Reku walked out onto the shop floor from the back rooms holstering his omni pad while looking severe, but then again, he always looked severe. Reku was dressed in crisp clothes with muted blacks and purples more akin to a boardroom than a barbershop.
Tulo had let slip it was Reku’s way of “rebelling” from his father’s own counterculture style while helping Ruhal replace a faulty home heating unit.Tulo, to his credit, encouraged Reku’s “rebellious” behavior, and the quiet smile when he saw Itaro meant the next hour would be a production for both me and Itaro.
As I heard the snip of scissors, my head felt lighter by the second. It took a good quarter hour of combing for Tulo to get my bird’s nest hair unknotted, then the clipping started. It didn’t take long before the floor around me was covered in hair with faded shades of dye still clinging onto the strands.
I looked over at Reku snipping at Itaro’s mane to even it out and fur to sit flush with her clothes, with acute precision. While son and father had wildly different styles, their skillset was comparably solid.
“Head forward please.” Tulo’s voice was now business-like as he powered on the nearly silent trimmer, and in the mirror was a face that wasn’t recognizable to the boy a few months ago. The hair being the last vestige of a “Beach Bum” front I had worn while working at the convenience store.
The sides had been buzzed, and the top had been quaffed and rolled into a haircut I could only describe as “punk Elvis”. The haircut would be easy to maintain daily, but would require weekly trims.
“And now for the final touch.” Tulo smiled as he pulled out a hair dyeing comb and artfully brushed in a fade. My hair looked now like a field of grass just starting to turn in autumn with dark green tips shading lighter and blending into my naturally blonde hair.
It was just hair, but the loss of its weight on my head made me feel energetic. I wanted to stand, walk, run, but I kept seated as Tulo called out “Reku, I’m done with K’ien, ready to switch?”
“Almost” Reku replied flatly. I turned to see what he was doing and, oh… He had applied a dark bronze powder that gave her normally dull black spotted gray fur a speckled sheen that subtly reflected and scattered the light.
I stared a bit too long, and when Itaro saw me she looked away self-consciously. I did the same. It wasn’t right for me to stare, dating or no.
“Reku will be with you shortly. I need to take care of another customer,” Tulo said as he walked away. I still snuck glances at Itaro as I drummed my fingers to the rhythms of Ki’zachi, Chopin and got through the opening riffs of a Megadeth song before Reku started to work on me.
My face cleaned up and my nails polished and lacquered. I finally got up from my chair with Itaro openly staring at me. I blushed, feeling the heat on my cheeks, and looked away.
Well maybe staring wasn’t so bad.
“Now, my wife and daughter are two stores down with the clothes you picked out. The commissions take time, but we have rapid fabricators that will give you a feel how the real thing will wear, and if any adjustments need to be made,” Tulo explained to me as both me and Itaro tried not to gawk at each other.
We headed out of the shop clumsily, weaving slightly as we tried to decide where the line of personal space between us was considered proper.
Tulo’s wife Ma’tari was already putting clothes on the counter, her teenage daughter was at that weird phase of Shil life where they are skinny to the point of looking underfed with a name tag that read ‘Iss’fera.’
“Here you go K’ien! How have you…. What happened to you? I just tailored that shirt two months ago,” Iss’fera asked as her mother Ma’tari sternly looked at her.
“He built up some muscle, and you should too if you want to catch any boy’s eye!” using a bit of guilt to chastise her daughter for her faux paus. I wanted to defend her since she was working Shel break, but I didn’t want to get in another’s family drama.
“Oh! Uh, here you go!” she mumbled while handing Klein his clothes, blushing furiously.
I paced in the lobby of the shop each time passing the mirror trying not to stop and inspect myself. The coppery tint reminded me of action stars and dramatized play fights when we visited Iron Mountain city.
I thought of Klein, and how he looked. He might not be a heavyweight door guard, but he wasn’t some bone thin Shil boy, and Hario had explicitly approved of him. I held my head a bit higher. Reminding myself I was disappointing no one with my choice. No matter how xenophobic some of my extended family was.
The door to the changing room clicked open, and I turned to see Klein in a mix of profoundly familiar and utterly alien clothes. My father’s cooling vest over a loose white shirt with… belts? On the forearms, making it close fitting at the wrist with the excess fabric over the bicep. The black pants were Shil tight, but with weirdly patterned knees that could stretch, and the pleated skirt of heavy fabric that covered the crotch and thighs looked to be directly imported from the Dirt governess’s honor guard. The only thing still standard was the shoes, and I had doubts they would stay standard for long.
“It fits you,” was all I could say, and it was true. The clothes complemented a figure that was neither Shil, Senthe or Helkam slim, nor Rakiri heavy. It was clothes meant for a human.
Klein’s lopsided smile told me this wasn’t the same Klein that walked into the changing room. It was the smile worn right before a Raid game or an obstacle course, or when bantering with Paluto. It meant his persona switched from quiet to theatrical.
At least this meant he’d be talking more. It wasn’t like him to be this quiet. “Thank you Ma’tari, Iss’fera, for the wonderfully crafted clothes. I look forward to the real thing!” Klein said as he walked up to me and offered his arm. This was the Klein that had kissed me, and now I could relax as there was a role for both of us to play, with easy to follow baked-in social conventions.
I took Klein’s offered arm confidently and we walked out together as I asked. “Where to now?”
“Somewhere to talk, ever tried Nighkru Tea?” Klein stage whispered cryptically.
submitted by Adventurous-Map-9400 to Sexyspacebabes [link] [comments]
This is a rewrite of my original story ‘Loyalist’.
Credit to u/bluefishcake for writing the original SSB story.
Pizzaulostin who has been beta reading since the beginning.
and u/BruhMomentGEE who has really helped with plot and dialogue.
Credit to u/HollowShel for getting me started with this!
This story is based in the SSB universe.
Previous
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as always, comments are welcome.
Chapter 20:
Itaro:
I tried to distract myself by looking out the large windows framed by scuffed dull purple alloy. I fidgeted with the flat pulpwood box on my lap as the old city bus lumbered through the low-income apartment block suburbs broken up by small factories, tiny parks, schools, shopping malls, restaurants, temples, and other minutiae of the community.I looked down at the box containing dad’s old cooling vest. A vest I had tailored surreptitiously for Klein as a “friendly gift”. A utility present to get closer to him and maybe ask him out in a month or two.
That scheme had gone out the window two days ago the moment I stood between Klein and Giton. That same day, Klein had kissed me, and the gift now was part of the first date. I’m still stupefied on how forward he’d been. It didn’t help that he was the adopted son of my father’s ex-lover.
Yeah, this was weird, Humans are weird.
The calm chime sounded to let me know that we reached the junction of thirty-seventh and forty-fifth street. I sighed inwardly, signaled a stop, and stood up. Weird are not, Klein was fun to be around, and a mental vacation compared to my own family.
Klein:
I tried my best not to notice how tight my arm sleeves on my dress shirt were as I read through Gearschilde craft-book on common legends and stories of the early days of their calamity.The heavy book had pages made of brass and steel, small levers, dials and switches helped animate the illustration while also teaching the basics of mechanics, electronics and materials science through rhyme and illustration. Skills necessary personally and communally needed to simply survive on their hellscape of a home world.
I handled it gingerly. I hadn’t understood when Cee gave it to me why they were called “craft-books”, nor why a priest had so many of them. A bit of research on the data net had explained that a craft book was an heirloom object of the family, made by a crafting-priest with the removed augments and implants of a deceased Gearschilde. A priest such as Cee handled such sacred objects when the family may no longer need them.
Apparently Forges Metal In Service Of Life was Exceptionally doting on her grandchildren, and the introduction she wrote for her own recycled corpse told of a woman who had literally given everything to her children so they may have a better future.
It was wholesome, but still I couldn’t help feeling a little creepy that I was technically playing with a dead body, or at least what had been vital prosthetics within it.
My thoughts were so wrapped up in the book though that I only caught the last few notes of the front doorbell melody by the time the sound drew my attention. Reqellia was already out of her chair looking at me expectantly in the study. I (carefully) closed the craft-book, got up and followed her out into the courtyard. A bit of nervous and excited energy in each step.
Itaro was here!
‘You are acting like a middle schooler on his first date’ Squirrel brain chastised me.
Fuck you too squirrel brain, it’s not like I had a wholesome date before that I could bring to a parent. I thought back, bringing up the mental image of Kelly, my last “girlfriend” that lasted two weeks, and was expelled for drinking in school.
I shook the old memories away. Bringing myself back to the present as Itraro opened the courtyard main doors. Dressed in tight, tailored, black ‘hunting pants’ with a thin silver stripe down the out seam and a deep navy-blue cooling vest with more silvery accents. I could see actual boning on the vest meant for body support. Itaro had gone for the Rakiri “functional formal” dress that was meant for parades and hunting parties. She carried a flat gift box that was semi-expensive and had clearly come to take this date seriously.
I stood up straighter in my Shil formalwear that was ready to burst at the seams. Reqellia moved between me and Itaro, performing the Shil’vati ritual of inspecting a potential suitor for their son on their first date. Again, yesterday Reqellia calling me her “son” felt fake, I was not her son, but I played along. She was at least one of my guardians right now.
There was a lackadaisy air to Reqellia’s words as she spoke. “You are interested in Klein, and want to go for a walk with him?”
Itaro still had a bit of nervousness in her voice, but she spoke steadily. “Yes, ma’am.”
Reqellia stayed silent and stared at Itaro for just a heartbeat, then broke into a wide grin, throwing up her hands. “Jrafell’s (goddess of joy’s) fire! You two get out of here, and don’t message me till {sunset}!”
Reqellia shooed us out the front door, and as it closed behind us, Itaro held the package out towards me. “So, uh, I wanted to give this to you after the raid game. It’s a cooling vest since I notice you're starting to sweat even in the mornings now.”
I took the box slowly, trying to parse what she said. It was warm, but I was sweating all the time? I touched my forehead, and yes, I felt a slight dampness. How had I not noticed that?
I looked down at the layers of wicking fabric I was wearing. The high collar, the arm length sleeves. I was normally clothed neck down so that only my head and hands were exposed. The sweat wasn’t visible, and I had just mentally blocked it out. Shil cloth didn’t get stiff with sweat salt somehow.
I opened the lid. The vest was colored in a dark blue with the heat sinking accents in gold creeping vine motifs. “It’s… gorgeous.”
Itaro’s ears flicked back in self-aware embarrassment at the complement. “It’s not too outdated?”
I closed the lid with a dramatic snap as we started to walk towards the bus stop. “No, I think it’s styled for exactly the right time.”
The bus took us to a different part of town. Instead of the monolithic metallic blocks of shopping, living, and factory complexes, it was more akin to squares of walled-in outdoor malls with rows upon rows of car width sized streets and two-story shop or factory houses.
The outer walls of the area were the same style as any other Shil’vati building; however, inside those walls completely threw off any Shil sensibilities, and reveled in the multi-species culture so indicative of Sky that had become my favorite part of living here.
I always felt like a tourist walking through the compound gates. It was still hard, trying to understand what all the stores, meeting houses, clubs, and drink vendors offered. I was really hoping when I could walk alone to come here on my off days and just learn.
It was by far one of the most comfortable places I had been. I wasn’t given a second glance as scales, fur and even odder skins walked the streets. The scents changed from pungent and earthy to downright floral. The late morning was bustling with crowds also wanting to enjoy their off days of the Shel mid-week break. Colorful awnings had been stretched out to provide shade, and here some of the signs even had multi-language signs as opposed to the normal Trade Shil lexicon. The small gardens ranged from normal green hues, to cartoon colorful oranges, reds, and even bright blues and shiny blacks
I led the way to a cluster of shops owned by Tulo’s family. The architecture was Shil-ish. The patterns were of typical stars and seas done in metal, but instead of the traditional purples, blacks, and golds, it had textured matte finish and pastel colors. The sign above this particular hole-in-the-wall was labeled simple “Ki’tra’s Styling”
We walked in the open door, and again I was transported to a Shil’vati style not fashionable in at least two centuries. Brass instead of gold, marble and granite where thermocast metal should normally be placed. It was bright, shadowless, with a similar setup of padded chairs every barbershop that every species seemed to have in common.
“Be with you one second!” Tulo called out as he finished with a different customer. A Sharpfish gang member getting their hair done in a complex set of braids that I knew had a tradition of long-ago sea raiders. Thank you, Death Islands serial drama play, for giving me that tidbit of info.
Tulo was dressed flamboyantly straight for Shil’vati culture. He carried tools on a lacy belt rig. The pants and shirt were Shil cut, but again, the normally muted tones were swapped for bright swatches of color. A workaholic in terms of Shil’vati lifestyle and at the upper end of his species’ stamina. Pulling forty hours or even more a week, he never lost his marine’s purposeful gait despite the turn towards more gender conforming attitude and fashion.
I had a suspicion that Tulo and Ruhal were more than friends, but I didn’t pry. A few books and shows had hinted at such relationships, but there was a weird feeling when I checked the data-net that something was missing.
Tulo finished with the Sharpfish, as she strode out the room, she gave me a wink, and I could feel Itaro raise her hackles next to me. The tension was broken with Tulo throwing his arms wide in greeting. “K’ien! Thank you for giving us your time (and money) today! Ruhal sent over your wants, and I have been looking forward to this appointment, and who is this with you today?”
I looked at Itaro for permission, and with a barely perceptible nod I introduced her. “This is Itaro, my girlfriend.”
Tulo faked surprise dramatically. I knew Ruhal would have told him by now. “Oh, Itaro! I must say. You have found quite the catch, would you also like a trim? On the house!”
I knew Tulo would send a small fee to Ruhal for Itaro, but Itaro didn’t need to know that. She nodded again, but with her ears twitching, she said in a smaller than usual voice with intonation posing it as a question. “I would?”
Tulo turned around and yelled. “Reku! I have a K’ien’s girlfriend here wanting a trim and polish! You want practice?”
Reku walked out onto the shop floor from the back rooms holstering his omni pad while looking severe, but then again, he always looked severe. Reku was dressed in crisp clothes with muted blacks and purples more akin to a boardroom than a barbershop.
Tulo had let slip it was Reku’s way of “rebelling” from his father’s own counterculture style while helping Ruhal replace a faulty home heating unit.Tulo, to his credit, encouraged Reku’s “rebellious” behavior, and the quiet smile when he saw Itaro meant the next hour would be a production for both me and Itaro.
As I heard the snip of scissors, my head felt lighter by the second. It took a good quarter hour of combing for Tulo to get my bird’s nest hair unknotted, then the clipping started. It didn’t take long before the floor around me was covered in hair with faded shades of dye still clinging onto the strands.
I looked over at Reku snipping at Itaro’s mane to even it out and fur to sit flush with her clothes, with acute precision. While son and father had wildly different styles, their skillset was comparably solid.
“Head forward please.” Tulo’s voice was now business-like as he powered on the nearly silent trimmer, and in the mirror was a face that wasn’t recognizable to the boy a few months ago. The hair being the last vestige of a “Beach Bum” front I had worn while working at the convenience store.
The sides had been buzzed, and the top had been quaffed and rolled into a haircut I could only describe as “punk Elvis”. The haircut would be easy to maintain daily, but would require weekly trims.
“And now for the final touch.” Tulo smiled as he pulled out a hair dyeing comb and artfully brushed in a fade. My hair looked now like a field of grass just starting to turn in autumn with dark green tips shading lighter and blending into my naturally blonde hair.
It was just hair, but the loss of its weight on my head made me feel energetic. I wanted to stand, walk, run, but I kept seated as Tulo called out “Reku, I’m done with K’ien, ready to switch?”
“Almost” Reku replied flatly. I turned to see what he was doing and, oh… He had applied a dark bronze powder that gave her normally dull black spotted gray fur a speckled sheen that subtly reflected and scattered the light.
I stared a bit too long, and when Itaro saw me she looked away self-consciously. I did the same. It wasn’t right for me to stare, dating or no.
“Reku will be with you shortly. I need to take care of another customer,” Tulo said as he walked away. I still snuck glances at Itaro as I drummed my fingers to the rhythms of Ki’zachi, Chopin and got through the opening riffs of a Megadeth song before Reku started to work on me.
My face cleaned up and my nails polished and lacquered. I finally got up from my chair with Itaro openly staring at me. I blushed, feeling the heat on my cheeks, and looked away.
Well maybe staring wasn’t so bad.
“Now, my wife and daughter are two stores down with the clothes you picked out. The commissions take time, but we have rapid fabricators that will give you a feel how the real thing will wear, and if any adjustments need to be made,” Tulo explained to me as both me and Itaro tried not to gawk at each other.
We headed out of the shop clumsily, weaving slightly as we tried to decide where the line of personal space between us was considered proper.
Itaro:
“They are adorably awkward together aren’t they?” I heard Tulo whisper when he thought I was out of earshot. Dirtmothers this was embarrassing. Was my only thought as we walked down the road. All too aware of how we both looked.Tulo’s wife Ma’tari was already putting clothes on the counter, her teenage daughter was at that weird phase of Shil life where they are skinny to the point of looking underfed with a name tag that read ‘Iss’fera.’
“Here you go K’ien! How have you…. What happened to you? I just tailored that shirt two months ago,” Iss’fera asked as her mother Ma’tari sternly looked at her.
“He built up some muscle, and you should too if you want to catch any boy’s eye!” using a bit of guilt to chastise her daughter for her faux paus. I wanted to defend her since she was working Shel break, but I didn’t want to get in another’s family drama.
“Oh! Uh, here you go!” she mumbled while handing Klein his clothes, blushing furiously.
I paced in the lobby of the shop each time passing the mirror trying not to stop and inspect myself. The coppery tint reminded me of action stars and dramatized play fights when we visited Iron Mountain city.
I thought of Klein, and how he looked. He might not be a heavyweight door guard, but he wasn’t some bone thin Shil boy, and Hario had explicitly approved of him. I held my head a bit higher. Reminding myself I was disappointing no one with my choice. No matter how xenophobic some of my extended family was.
The door to the changing room clicked open, and I turned to see Klein in a mix of profoundly familiar and utterly alien clothes. My father’s cooling vest over a loose white shirt with… belts? On the forearms, making it close fitting at the wrist with the excess fabric over the bicep. The black pants were Shil tight, but with weirdly patterned knees that could stretch, and the pleated skirt of heavy fabric that covered the crotch and thighs looked to be directly imported from the Dirt governess’s honor guard. The only thing still standard was the shoes, and I had doubts they would stay standard for long.
“It fits you,” was all I could say, and it was true. The clothes complemented a figure that was neither Shil, Senthe or Helkam slim, nor Rakiri heavy. It was clothes meant for a human.
Klein’s lopsided smile told me this wasn’t the same Klein that walked into the changing room. It was the smile worn right before a Raid game or an obstacle course, or when bantering with Paluto. It meant his persona switched from quiet to theatrical.
At least this meant he’d be talking more. It wasn’t like him to be this quiet. “Thank you Ma’tari, Iss’fera, for the wonderfully crafted clothes. I look forward to the real thing!” Klein said as he walked up to me and offered his arm. This was the Klein that had kissed me, and now I could relax as there was a role for both of us to play, with easy to follow baked-in social conventions.
I took Klein’s offered arm confidently and we walked out together as I asked. “Where to now?”
“Somewhere to talk, ever tried Nighkru Tea?” Klein stage whispered cryptically.
/////// Author’s notes:
A lot has happened in life! And this chapter was hard to get started. I didn’t know where the first scene was supposed to even be! I also had a lot of worldbuilding to do for everything to feel more solid than before. It was worth it though! It took me two weeks to get the first half done, and two days for the second half.2023.05.27 15:34 Nodicwallartcanvas How To White Wall Decor Ideas For Beautiful Spaces
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2023.05.27 15:29 s810 Old Austin Tales: Honey Bee Marshall and the Mystery Grave at Smith Creek - 1900s
Today thanks to a tip from Faraday_Rage, I bring you a ghost story from West Lake Hills, although saying that might be a bit misleading because West Lake Hills is a mid-20th century invention and the events of this story happen mostly before that. There used to be a village called Eanes in that general area full of farmers, ranchers, and cedar choppers before it was subdivided into one of the nicer suburbs.
There was only one bridge for vehicle traffic (besides the train bridge) from Downtown into South Austin before the 1940s. Because of this, the western part of Travis County was separated from the growth of Austin and the eastern part of the county, and remained sort of a wild frontier well after the surrounding lands were settled.
Among the early settlers in that area were two brothers named Alexander and Robert Eanes. There is a historical marker at the intersection of Red Bud Trail and Loop 360 which says the following:
H.B. Marshall was a Civil War orphan. His mom died shortly after childbirth and his dad died as part of Hood's Brigade. He spent his early life in Austin-area orphanages until he graduated high school at the age of 19. That was when the doctors of the era diagnosed him with "consumption", otherwise known as Tuberculosis today. There was no cure in the 19th century. Afflicted people were told to go live in the country and get some fresh air, and that's exactly what he did.
Lucky for him, HB's dad well fairly well off when he died and left him an inheritance. After he left the orphanage he used this money to buy the ranch from the Eanes family, met and married Viola Eanes, and started a family. Legends say a Mexican folk healer convinced him eating goat meat and drinking goat's milk was an excellent remedy for consumption, and so he raised goats.
The book Eanes Portrait of a Community has this photo of H.B. and Viola and their dog, along a brief biographical bit:
The Marshall Family were also beekeepers. HB liked to be called "Honey Bee" Marshall later in life. He lived the rest of his life on that ranch and died in the 1950s.
Now that you have that little bit of backstory, on with today's tale. The following article appeared on page 21 the Austin American-Statesman on May 16, 1966:
So who is in the mystery grave at Smith Creek? I found one lead.
Back in February of 1916 a 20-year-old man named Albert Cook had an unfortunate accident and was killed. The Statesman reported it like so:
Time is short and space is long today so I'll leave it there. The Eanes-Marshall house today is called the Eanes History Center, and sits next to Eanes Elementary School at 4101 Bee Caves Rd. Bonus Items to follow:
Bonus Pic #1 - Photograph of Bruce Marshall standing next to the graves of his ancestors in Eanes-Marshall Cemetery - unknown date (mid 1970s?)
Bonus Pic #2 - "Photograph of Bruce Marshall and Dorothy Depwe in the Eanes-Marshall Cemetary looking down at a tombstone." - unknown date (mid 1970s?)
Bonus Video #1 - Eanes History: HB Marshall (from Eanes History Center)
Bonus Video #2 - Eanes History: HB Marshall Ranch House Tour (from Eanes History Center)
Bonus Article #1 - Masons BBQ meet at The Marshall Ranch - November 17, 1919
Bonus Article #2 - "Better watch out! Spirits on the prowl!" - May 14, 1966
Bonus book excerpt? - Notes from an interview with Earl Short (a reformed bootlegger), in which he mentions he saw H.B. and John Marshall setting up a soda stand one Election Day after he bribed some illiterate people for their votes.
submitted by s810 to Austin [link] [comments]
There was only one bridge for vehicle traffic (besides the train bridge) from Downtown into South Austin before the 1940s. Because of this, the western part of Travis County was separated from the growth of Austin and the eastern part of the county, and remained sort of a wild frontier well after the surrounding lands were settled.
Among the early settlers in that area were two brothers named Alexander and Robert Eanes. There is a historical marker at the intersection of Red Bud Trail and Loop 360 which says the following:
Alexander Eanes (1806-1888) moved to Texas from Mississippi in 1845 and acquired this ranch by 1857. In 1873 he sold the property to his brother, Robert Eanes (1805-1895), who had moved to the area following the Civil War. A log cabin built on the Eanes ranch was the first Eanes school, and the community also assumed the Eanes name. Robert Eanes sold the ranch to his son-in-law, Hudson Boatner Marshall (1862-1951) in 1883. Marshall dismantled the ranch house and moved it to a site adjacent to the nearby creek.So there was a man named H.B. Marshall who lived on the former Eanes Ranch with his wife Viola (Robert Eanes's daughter) and family.
H.B. Marshall was a Civil War orphan. His mom died shortly after childbirth and his dad died as part of Hood's Brigade. He spent his early life in Austin-area orphanages until he graduated high school at the age of 19. That was when the doctors of the era diagnosed him with "consumption", otherwise known as Tuberculosis today. There was no cure in the 19th century. Afflicted people were told to go live in the country and get some fresh air, and that's exactly what he did.
Lucky for him, HB's dad well fairly well off when he died and left him an inheritance. After he left the orphanage he used this money to buy the ranch from the Eanes family, met and married Viola Eanes, and started a family. Legends say a Mexican folk healer convinced him eating goat meat and drinking goat's milk was an excellent remedy for consumption, and so he raised goats.
The book Eanes Portrait of a Community has this photo of H.B. and Viola and their dog, along a brief biographical bit:
H.B. and Viola Marshall sold honey and butter and raised goats. At one time H.B. was president of the American Goat Association and traveled to Chicago to attend that organization's national convention. There he met and talked with Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. In its early days the Ford Motor Company used mohair from goats to make a soft, long-lasting fabric which was used to upholster the seats in its "tin lizzies". H.B. Marshall was one of the company's first mohair suppliers. Later, after Bee Cave Road became a better, more reliable road, Marshall, who was a skilled printer sometimes worked in Austin at that trade.So HB Marshall and his family were very good at raising goats.
The Marshall Family were also beekeepers. HB liked to be called "Honey Bee" Marshall later in life. He lived the rest of his life on that ranch and died in the 1950s.
Now that you have that little bit of backstory, on with today's tale. The following article appeared on page 21 the Austin American-Statesman on May 16, 1966:
MYSTERYWell this old story was apparently told far and wide. There was another article on that same day (May 16, 1966) in The Statesman: (h/t/ jbjjbjbb)
Old Grave Beside Creek
The mystery of who is buried a shallow grave beside Smith Creek, seven miles southwest of Austin, may never be solved.
With it goes a tale of a robbery and killing said to have occurred more than 60 years ago on the Bee Cave Road.
But at least one story told by a man who died last year sticks in the minds of some residents of the hill country behind Zilker Park.
The man was long-time stock man and World War I veteran John Marshall, who lived out his life on the Eanes-Marshall Ranch seven miles southwest of Austin. His story told him as a child by his father, early Travis County settler and school teacher Hudson Boatner (Honey Bee) Marshall goes something like this:
In the late 19th century, a man from Bee Caves came to Austin with a wagon load of cotton. After selling it, he was returning home when his hired hand killed him and took the money. The slain man was not found for several days, and when he was, he was buried on the spot, several hundred feel off the road.
This is the way Cecil Johnson, of 1500 West Bee Caves remembers the story. He heard it in 1956 when he and his brother-in-law, Elmo Freitag, dug into the grave and found a skeleton. Freitag and Johnson went from where they live to buy a dog killed by a car on the Marshall ranch, Johnson said. "When we found the bones, we were pretty scared," Freitag said. "We went up to the ranch house to tell John Marshall about them." "That's when John told us the story," Johnson recalls. "He said we should cover the bones back up and let the old man rest."
The story was brought to the attention of the American- Statesman by Bruce Marshall of Houston, a nephew of John Marshall and an heir to 10 acres of the old ranch land. Others who lived along Bee Caves Road, or who knew John Marshall, recall hearing him tell the story, but no one contacted so far remembers hearing the story from anyone else.
Sheriff T. O. Lang said he has no records dating back that far, Marshall was born around 1887, and Johnson said the killing and robbery occurred "before John's time."
A check into the archives in the Austin Library's Austin and Travis County Collection reveals a similar crime which occurred in 1871. On Feb. 7 of that year, according to Frank Brown's Annals of Travis County, "an old citizen" named Charles Barnes, who "lived seven miles north of Austin," was killed and robbed after he had come to town and sold a wagon load of hay. He was shot and killed "probably for his money," and his body was found 30 yards from the road, three-fourths of a mile from his dwelling. A $1,000 reward was offered for the criminal, but he was never captured.
This "official" report is quite similar to the story told by John Marshall, but the directions from Austin do not coincide.
There are descendants or a family named Cotton who live in Bee Caves, according to Miss Jessie Roy, former teacher who lives on the Rob Roy Ranch on the Bee Caves Road two miles beyond the Marshall ranch. But she said she never heard of any of them being robbed or killed. Her family moved here in the 1890s.
Conceivably, with the tale handed down by word of mouth for three generations, the name Cotton, and the product "cotton" could have gotten confused. And the Brown report, probably taken from a newspaper account, could have been mistaken about the direction (north or west) from Austin where the crime was committed.
But if the wagon load was cotton instead of hay, the crime would have occurred most likely in October, according to Austin rancher and historian Carl Widen. Widen said in the old days Austin, it usually came from the south and west, from Dripping Springs and Bee Caves, in October, "in time for the circus." "The whole family would come to town with the load of cotton usually one or two bales to a wagon and after it was sold the women bought cloth for dresses and the kids went to see the circus. Then they got back home late that night.
Another hill resident, Charles Roberts, 80, who lives on a creek near the Rob Roy ranch, said he remembered people hauling cotton in trains of three or four wagons pulled by oxen, rather than by horses or mules. And Austin resident Charles Dellana said it used to take at least four mules to pull a wagon load of corn out of the bottoms or "The Narrows" between Bee Caves Road and the Colorado River. He opined that the murder and robbery must have occurred "earlier than 1903."
Besides the Cotton family out Bee Caves way, other family names familiar to those still living are Theodore Bose, Joe Beck, the Freitags, the Teagues, the Simpsons and the Moores. But who is buried beside Smith Creek on the Marshall ranch, how he died, and when he was buried, no one seems to remember.
Ghost Hunters Have a Go at GhostingH.B. Marshall had a son named John and he in turn had a son named Bruce. Bruce Marshall was an artist who spent most of his time in Houston but moved back to the family ranch in 1974. Marshall recounted the story of the 1966 ghost hunt in this 1983 article:
San Antonians Learn of Murder and Such Things on Austin Ranch
Ghosts, anyone? A strange tale of murder and theft was spottily told Saturday night by a "spirit" who was supposedly in communication with a group of ghost- hunters seven miles southwest of Austin. The ghost hunters, five people from San Antonio, gath ered on the old Marshall Ranch in West Lake Hills with two news reporters. They apparently believed they were communicating with a ghost named Tom Burns.
"Margaret, Margaret, Margaret," the ghost kept repeating through the automatic-writing technique of Mrs. Joan McKee, wife of Don McKee. McKee is manager of the Builders Exchange of Texas, in San Antonio. He and his wife say they are "student" parapsychologists. Spelling out the name of Margaret Owens, Tom Burns said, "She is dead now. She is my love."
The names of Margaret Owens and Tom Burns were interpreted by the McKees from an almost indecipherable scrawl which Mrs. McKee transmitted to sheet after sheet of paper with a pencil, while her husband held her elbow. They were seated at a table in the single upper room of the old Marshall ranch house. With them were this reporter, ranch owner and Houston Post business writer Bruce Marshall, and San Antonio residents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gibson, Mr. and Mrs. John Mac-Donald, and Mrs. Mary K. Cook. The only light in the room came from a lantern.
"Burns" said Margaret "Owens" was buried on a mountain top east of the ranch, and had been killed in or near some water. Burns also said he had been killed by three men on a road near the ranch as he was hauling a wagon load of hay. Placing the date at 1904, possibly on a Monday, he said he was shot as he got down off the wagon to move a rock that was in the way.
Although at least two other spirits were supposedly contacted beyond the pale, that of Burns appeared to be the most communicative and the most interesting. It was either Burns, or a ghost named Nathan Anderson who spoke of a John Anderson who came "often" to the ranch to drink "rum from South America" with Robert Eanes.
Eanes, according to Marshall, was the first man in the family to own the ranch property. He died in the 19th century and is buried in a family plot on a hill near the ranch house. Marshall said later there had been a man named John Anderson who was a friend of the Eanes family. Marshall and this reporter have established, from local folklore and from written records, that a man, possibly named Charles Barnes, was killed seven miles from Austin around 1871, after selling a load of ether cotton or hay in town.
There is a grave of an unknown man beside Smith Creek on the Marshal ranch, not far off the Bee Caves Road, which is seven miles from Austin. Neither Marshall nor this reporter have verified that the grave on Smith Creek is the one in which the robbery victim was buried, but the coincidences of the known facts leaves room for speculation that it may be the one.
Burns said he had worked for a man named Cotton Roberts, and that Roberts had worked for a man possibly named Mitchell Treadwell. The name of Treadwell first came to the attention of the group when MacDonald, a former announcer for KONO-TV, fell into a trance through what was called auto-hypnosis. He said he got the name from a ghost present in the room, and that he also received "an impression" of the dates 1890 to 1901. Marshall later disclosed that the old ranch house had been built sometime between 1890 and 1905.
The name "Mitchell" was written on the paper when one of the persons asked aloud, "Does the name Treadwell mean anything to you?" Burns also spoke of his mother, naming her variously Mary Markham, Marstur, Masters and Markem, who he said had been sick in a barn and subsequently died.
Mention was made of a bearded man who wore a big hat and was deaf in one ear, of a box buried beneath a barn, and of wild mohair goats. Marshall said the last man to live on the ranch, his late uncle John Marshall, found a hole on the ranch about 30 years ago where a box apparently had been buried. This was when Miriam A. Ferguson was governor of Texas, he said.
He also said a bearded deaf man had once been a ranch hand there and that John Marshall's father, H. B. Marshall, had raised Angora goats on the ranch. Burns said Roberts had buried the box, and he (Burns) had dug it up. "Money means death," came the scrawled message on the paper.
Two of the most dramatic events of the evening occurred when the McKees tried to communicate with a ghost named "Robert" Both of them believed the ghost to be that of Robert Eanes, whom they described as having a very powerful, domineering personality. Mrs. McKee broke down and could write no more after transcribing the words, "My time is up now. Many have come but nobody will listen." Later McKee tried to communicate, and apparently went into a trance after receiving the word "yes" to the question of whether "Robert" had been born in July.
Just before McKee went into a trance, Marshall and this reporter were curious to notice that a strong wind the only one noticed during the entire night rattled the eaves of the house for about a minute.
The time was shortly after midnight Mrs. Cook, who writes radio and TV commercials, took down the following from McKee's barely audible words: "I have many children. I am as Abraham I shan't stay around where my people don't want me. It is dark. Darkness is in the land. We shall bring light."
Further efforts to communicate with "Robert" failed. After this incident, the "ghosts" seemed to leave the parapsychologists and their fellow delvers into ESP (extra-sensory perception).
A long vigil at the family cemetery until almost dawn proved fruitless. Gibson, sales manager for Pratt and Lambert varnish makers, whose supposedly "haunted" house in San Antonio was the subject of a Houston Post story several months ago, conceded with high good humor that he had seen no ghosts Saturday night "But Robert was around," he affirmed confidently.
Marshall and this reporter scratched their heads, totaling up the number of "unexplainable coincidences" which made the night at least a little provocative if not downright exciting. It would take a patient historian to check the names listed. As for the "ghosts" well, who knows?
THE SEARCH FOR ghosts is not uncommon with visitors to the Marshall Ranch off Loop 360 South. It is the home of artist Bruce Marshall and his family and nine ghosts, those of seven people and two horses.In 1999 Marshall sold the house and the ranch to The Eanes Historical Society, who moved it next to the current location of Eanes Elementary School, where it has become the home of the EHS and serves as a small museum today.
Marshall studio and gallery is a restored, pre-Civil War ancestral home located next to the family residence. Parapsychologists visited the building in 1966 and declared it to be haunted by a man who was attacked, shot and killed near the original entrance of the ranch. The ghost of the dead man, whose unmarked grave is still on the ranch, reportedly told the ghosts hunters about his fate. The ghost also admitted that he had committed murder, killing a woman named Margaret by drowning her.
There are two creeks near the ranchhouse that are the source of several other ghost stories.
"SUPPOSEDLY ONE GHOST walks the creek towards Eanes (Elementary) school calling for someone," said Marshall. "There were some kids camping near the creek about six months ago, they heard dogs barking and the noise of a wagon drawn by horses. The wagon has no driver and follows an old road which used to connect to Bee Cave Road."
Marshall said his family tries to play down the ghosts tales surrounding his homestead. "If we really become convinced that we're haunted, we really lose our enjoyment of the place. People seeking ghosts out here are very unwelcome," he said. "If there are such things, they don't bother me. They like me. They probably feel that if I go, the house goes, the property changes, and they're evicted.
So who is in the mystery grave at Smith Creek? I found one lead.
Back in February of 1916 a 20-year-old man named Albert Cook had an unfortunate accident and was killed. The Statesman reported it like so:
While setting a wolf trap on the Marshall goat ranch, eight miles from Austin, Alfred Lee Cook, 20 years old, accidentally shot and killed himself at 8:30 Friday morning, a charge of buck-shot from the left barrel of a double-barrelled shotgun entering his abdomen.Is this the person in the grave? I can't say for sure without DNA testing, but poor Mr. Cook might be the best candidate.
Cook was a laborer on the Marshall ranch, near Summitt. Early Friday morning he attempted to set a steel trap for wolves. He was carrying a shotgun and was accompanied by two small boys.
Setting his shotgun, both barrels of which were loaded, against a bush, he advanced to the trap. The gun fell across his path and he shoved it aside. As he did so, in some way the left barrel of the gun was discharged, the entire charge taking effect in his abdomen at short range and badly lacerating his body. Death was almost Instantaneous.
Justice of the Peace George W. Mendell, Deputy Sheriff Jim McCoy and Deputy Constable Matt Turner went to Summitt this morning for the Inquest. Justlce Mendell rendered a verdict of accidental shooting. The name of one surviving relative was reported to the Justice of the ponce, being Mrs. Rebecca Ann Brown, mother of the young man
Time is short and space is long today so I'll leave it there. The Eanes-Marshall house today is called the Eanes History Center, and sits next to Eanes Elementary School at 4101 Bee Caves Rd. Bonus Items to follow:
Bonus Pic #1 - Photograph of Bruce Marshall standing next to the graves of his ancestors in Eanes-Marshall Cemetery - unknown date (mid 1970s?)
Bonus Pic #2 - "Photograph of Bruce Marshall and Dorothy Depwe in the Eanes-Marshall Cemetary looking down at a tombstone." - unknown date (mid 1970s?)
Bonus Video #1 - Eanes History: HB Marshall (from Eanes History Center)
Bonus Video #2 - Eanes History: HB Marshall Ranch House Tour (from Eanes History Center)
Bonus Article #1 - Masons BBQ meet at The Marshall Ranch - November 17, 1919
Bonus Article #2 - "Better watch out! Spirits on the prowl!" - May 14, 1966
Bonus book excerpt? - Notes from an interview with Earl Short (a reformed bootlegger), in which he mentions he saw H.B. and John Marshall setting up a soda stand one Election Day after he bribed some illiterate people for their votes.
2023.05.27 13:05 FelicitySmoak_ On This Day In Michael Jackson HIStory - May 27th
 | 1972 - The Jackson 5 single "Little Bitty Pretty One" peaked at #13 on the US Billboard Top 40 singles chart. submitted by FelicitySmoak_ to MichaelJackson [link] [comments] 1972 - Michael Jackson's third solo single, "I Wanna be Where You Are", on Motown Records, enters the Billboard US Hot 100 singles chart at #59. It will peak at #16 in July 1974 - When Elvis Presley takes his five year old daughter Lisa Marie to see the Jackson 5 play (their first of a 7 night gig) at the Sahara Tahoe Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, she meets Michael Jackson for the first time. 1979 - On their Destiny Tour, the Jacksons play the Tarrant County Convention Center ( (now known as the Fort Worth Convention Center) in Fort Worth, Texas 1993 - ASCAP presents Michael with three 'Best R&B' awards for "In The Closet", "Remember The Time" & "Jam" 1997 - Michael landed by private jet at Okecie International Airport in Warsaw. First thing he saw at the airport, apart from a lot of fans, were dancing children from the Varsovia group. https://preview.redd.it/rwryr3g9h72b1.jpg?width=496&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=567ad2d3f0bdb749fac55e766c7e9f4f5eb525b4 He was in Poland to study a project of amusement park for Kingdom Entertainment. He visits Willanow Palace with Marek Kwiatkowski then he visits the Stefana Batorego high school and an orphanage. https://preview.redd.it/96r5ydebh72b1.jpg?width=663&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=201b5bf5a22b4cff9cd4e2c140bca5e9d2d53ba5 https://preview.redd.it/xcwap8gch72b1.jpg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6600b99a302a441337223e7e48e1d8b8f773bfa Palace guestbook At night, Michael and Marcin Swiecicki attend a Chopin recital by pianist Bart Kominek at the Stanislas theatre. After the recital, Michael is presented with the city’s key by the mayor of Warsaw, Marcin Swiecicki. https://preview.redd.it/jtt22swdh72b1.jpg?width=539&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd1d4b24afefe61485ead83bd422dc8393e3342d He gave a speech: "I am deeply touched and honored. Poland is such a beautiful place in my eyes and you are very sensitive and honorable people. I would really like to live here. I would like to organize a 'Children's Day' here, a holiday not only for children but also for parents"2000 - Around 2 am (London time), Michael went out on his own for a shopping spree at Harrods'. The department store was especially opened for him to buy presents for Elizabeth Taylor. Then around 3:30 am, Michael threw several written messages to his fans from the balcony of his suite at the Dorchester Hotel. https://preview.redd.it/uzy2sm9gh72b1.jpg?width=155&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c845d2d6592a5c45183d23714eafaa5f0ebac22 https://preview.redd.it/muozic0hh72b1.jpg?width=334&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=083b7a3dcbb11ef9256f7e11f0bd836621c52811 Early in the morning (6 am) Michael left the hotel 2005 - Trial Day 62 Michael goes to court with Katherine, Joe & Randy https://preview.redd.it/thnlvfuph72b1.jpg?width=408&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6295456c853824474a05cf2de85ef3fd180fedb In his testimony, Detective Craig Bonner discussed Jackson's bedroom alarm system - a series of chimes that are activated at various volumes when any of several light beams are broken. The system was set up outside his Neverland Ranch sleeping quarters to warn of approaching visitors. Bonner said he went to the ranch twice last year, on November 18 and December 4, and found that one of the chimes and the volume control were not working. In a demonstration video prepared by the defense, both sets of chimes are shown to be working, as is the volume control. Prosecutors entered into evidence two checks from Neverland Valley Entertainment made out to Jackson. One was for $500,000, the other for $1 million. Also included were a March 28, 2003 letter signed by Jackson informing a Las Vegas lawyer that he was being fired, and a statement from the accuser's mother saying, "I would never have given consent" to her son's appearance in Living With Michael Jackson For the defense, Melville said he will allow notes written by former Jackson attorney Mark Geragos to be admitted as evidence. The notes are to be delivered to the prosecution Monday, a court holiday. The defense decided to rest without rebuttal after the prosecution played a videotaped interview with the accuser. The police video, which was recorded 7/6/03, by Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department detectives, offered a graphic description of what the accuser says Michael did to him. Melville ordered jurors to watch it solely to assess Gavin's demeanor, manner and attitude, not to determine the truth of the matter. The prosecution contends the tape is compelling because of how long it takes the boy to accuse Jackson of molesting him. Defense attorney Robert Sanger has contended the boy appeared staged and that he was coached by his mother on what to say. After the tape was played, Sanger's team said simply, "Your honor, the defense rests." The defense had been expected to recall Gavin, his mother, a psychologist & an attorney for the family. Instead, the jury will receive its instructions and hear closing arguments before getting the case Court Transcript 2006 - Michael accepted MTV Japan's 'Legend Award' during a ceremony at Yoyogi Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. He choked up as he thanked fans for their loyalty. "I love you," Jackson told the cheering crowd. Then he whispered to his translator, apparently asking how to say the phrase in Japanese. Then he said: "Aishiteru!" https://preview.redd.it/uf3nsm6rh72b1.jpg?width=455&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a82d1d9b35314049da62a25de3104f7d28714a5a https://preview.redd.it/fpen99urh72b1.jpg?width=430&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b22a1c3b5b20b09202302219d0ec56bbac381d7 He meets Rihanna backstage https://preview.redd.it/n905jnmsh72b1.jpg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87c0f7ac8af2c16f38121fd67512dcc5a2115474 2009 - At rehearsals for This Is It, Michael shares the stage with his dancers for the first time |
2023.05.27 12:07 jgtengineer68 OC A Good Day (Bad Day part 2)
This is a follow-up to Bad Day
A Good Day
Seven months twelves hours forty-six minutes and counting. That is how long I have been aboard this vessel, most of that time spent staring at what faced me in the center of the Heradini system, a massive alien space station orbiting the mid-system brown dwarf. I am Chief Diplomat Kern Za’n of the Minari. We are one of the founding members of the Confederation of Known Systems. The Confederation is a loose alliance of sentient species living within the Slinggate network. The Minari were one of the first to find a way through the ancient Slinggates four thousand years ago. The gates in our system led to a network of thirteen uninhabited by habitable star systems, including a garden world that once held an ancient race we believe may have had a hand in building the Slinggates.
This fortunate start into the stars allowed our species to flourish and we remain the most populous race within the Confederation. Our government has a presence residing on most member worlds. The Minari are bipedal, standing roughly one point eight meters in height on average when male, one point five meters on average when female, and one point six meters in height for tankbred, a form of laborer clone that is without biological sex as they cannot reproduce on their own. Our average weights range between fifty and two hundred kilograms with height extremes on some worlds due to variance in gravity allowing for members of our species to stand over 2 meters tall. We were not the largest species in the Confederation, nor were we the strongest. Minari are a communal species but we’re one of the longest-lived of all Confederation members at an average life expectancy of three hundred years. As such we make up the majority of the diplomatic corps and have the unenviable task of performing formal first contact.
I have the privilege to have performed three contacts in my career. Each resulted in a prompt decision about their first and second-tier membership in the Confederation. Membership is divided among species that wish only for commerce access to the Confederation which make up around ninety percent of the Confederation’s forty-three member species, and the Council species. Most species are content to trade with their neighbors peacefully and be left alone. Strict rules about military vessels keep them confined to home or regional systems in the case of multiple colonized systems that are not in dispute. The four remaining species each have an equal say in the council of the Confederation, if there is ever a tie, a quorum of member worlds may cast a majority vote to act as the tiebreaker. We have had only one tie in the history of the Confederation and that was to expel a member world to fifteen years of isolation for waging an unlawful war on their neighbor. It does not happen. My species the Minari currently also held the Executor Prime position, which is the head of our government. It is appointed on a rotation between the four Council Races, we followed the wise and peaceful Ran who are an avian race with floating cities from a gas giant homeworld having evolved on floating islands of rocky land mass and water in the atmosphere. It is one of the most beautiful worlds I have ever been in my travels. Also on the council are the Balena, an aquatic species descended from cephalopods of the deep ocean, who first rose out of their oceans after reverse engineering a crashed Minari ship. They have issues interacting outside of their tanks but are some of the finest shipbuilders in the Confederation and brilliant scientists. Some of the best research facilities dot the surface of their homeworld's oceans and lie beneath them. The last race is the Ar’kanar, where to begin with the Ar’kanar.
The Ar’kanar are the first species that my people encountered on the slinggate network and it went about as well as you might expect. We engaged in war, a long bloody war that lasted fifty years of sporadic battles. You see Slinggates are often placed in star systems in very close proximity to one another, less than fifteen or so light minutes away and those systems that are found to have slinggates spanning vast distances on the edge of the system often have them moved into a commerce and travel area around a space station close enough to their homeworld as to not be inconvenient but far enough away to be secure. However, sometimes there are systems so large and vast that do not contain suitable anchoring points that the slinggates are separated by months of sublight travel. These are the systems where war can happen. Enemy fleets can enter unmolested to fight over the resource-dense belts and gas pockets. It was in one such system we encountered the Ar’kanar and it was in this system we fought. The Naer’ina Accords were signed there creating the Confederation and it is where we built the station that houses the government as a reminder of why peace is a better option. But if you recall, there was once a race expelled from the Confederation for fifteen years, that race was the Ar’kanar. Which is why I am currently on an Ar’kanaran Cruiser. Just in case. Now if only they weren’t so damned short and covered with hair. I have hit my head on the door far too many times for my liking. I also believe I will never get the smell out of my clothing. The Ar’kanarans are a short quadrupedal race that favors the augmentation of two cybernetic attached harness arms to allow them to easily manipulate the world. Ar’kanarans were supposedly once a servitor race that overthrew and erased their masters from history. I of course can go on for days discussing my issues with them and have. But that is not the purpose of this log.
So yes where was I, I apologize I have become long-winded in my old age. Anyway fifteen months ago, almost a Confederate standard year a Teleran Corsair made a report at the Trian Military outpost in the Loka system. This was five slinggates out of the Heradini system. They had traveled for 9 months between the gates to deliver the message as most of the systems between them had slinggates that had not been moved closer together as the systems were just now being colonized and most traffic was automated so the cost of moving the gates was not offset. This message had seen much debate within both the military and the diplomatic corps. The science community argued over which part was the most fantasy; The fact that the Telerans could speak or the fact that they had encountered some new species with the ability to travel between the stars without the use of the Slinggates.
If I were not looking at the structure we currently were flying towards in a declaration burn, I would not believe the latter either. The human space station was almost as large as Naer’ina Point, however, it looked lower in technology. It consisted of six spinning sections inside three large docking rings, these rings were already servicing large vessels, and near the station was a structure we had never seen before. It was about half the size of a slinggate, cylindrical, and seemed to pulse with light. I could count at least twenty-six vessels all the size of the one I was in now docked with the station plus numerous smaller craft buzzing around. The massive ship reported by the Telerans was detected in the asteroid belt near the resource-rich areas performing some tasks, for which we did not know the purpose. I am receiving word from the Captain that we will be docking soon I will continue my log relaying the… what is that? There is massive distortion near the cylinder, the light is almost blinding… by the ancestors. A ship just appeared. It's massive… only the home defense dreadnoughts are anywhere close to this size. The weapons if that's what they are dwarf anything the Minari or Ar’kanar have at our disposal. Thanks to the Teleran we have their language codes, and I have learned to speak it. There's a name written on the side of the vessel I believe, TCCW Dauntless. I believe it. There is an alert I need to see to the captain of the vessel.
Resuming log after day one of the Contact meetings. After a mild panic attack by the Ar’kanar captain, we docked with the station which I have learned is called Takeda Station, named for the corporation that paid for its construction as well as the resources to prospect this system. As a matter of fact, it was with a member of this Corporation I spent most of my time speaking. This will be an interesting log I believe, and an alarming one. So let's begin.
Let me first preface this by stating that to suggest that Humans are another race in the Slinggate chain is to approach this wrong. The humans are more like the Confederation than its member races. A more detailed report will be attached but for my form of brevity’s sake, the summary is thus. Humans or Terrans or as I have also learned Martians, Venusians, Belters, Colonials, and many other names they call themselves are an eclectic race that all draw their origin to a planet they also cannot decide what to call. Some call it Earth, others Terra, others Gaia, Sol III, and many other names. There are even humans who do not see their homeworld as home. And some who can never set foot on its soil again without suits to counter the gravity.
Humans on average are around the same height as Minari, they can be a little taller, and weigh a little more but their gravity is at least another third higher than ours. Time spent on their station had me glad to return to an Ar’kanar vessel. They also have skin colors adapted to different levels of sunlight ranging from dark brown to almost alabaster white. Some even pigment their skin cosmetically to have purples, oranges, or blues. They are… impossible to describe in a few words. Remarkable. So I will try to mainly speak about the humans I am spending my time with.
The first is a man from a human world called Sagan-3, he is apparently from a city island called New Tokyo. He is a little shorter than I am and from what he says old for their species at seventy years. Ancient for a Ran of course but I was still chasing my bondmates at that age, caring little for the affairs of interstellar politics. His name was Hiro Takeda, apparently, he was the brother of the female who was in charge of the company. His title was Chief Encounter Officer, when I inquired what that meant, he informed me that it was his job to negotiate with non-Human entities or humans who did not fall under Corporate Congress. Mister Takeda as he instructed me to address him first asked why I was there. To which explained who the Confederation was and why we favor peace and business. His response was to offer me tea which after I checked to make sure it was consumable I rather enjoyed. Takeda had an interesting method of discussion he did not ask me questions and merely seemed to anticipate where I was needing answers. I will relay what I can remember.
Humans it would seem discovered their slinggate over seven hundred years ago. It was within the atmosphere of a gas giant near the edge of their solar system. They only found it after they had colonized their entire system and fragmented it into several different entities. They had terraformed the fourth planet in their solar system to the extent that they lived in large domes. This planet was called Mars and it was home to almost twelve billion humans when they found the slinggate. Earth at this point was home to close to forty-five billion. And I thought the N’i’!cho were numerous. They also had floating habitations on the second planet from their star housing almost three billion. Another seven hundred million made their homes in the belts mining resources and living on the moons of gas giants. This was seven hundred years ago mind you. Earth, Mars, Venus, and the belt, they fought several wars. Mostly sticking to space. The sides change many times throughout their history. Quite frankly they were fought because they were running out of room. When they found the slinggate that was no longer a problem… until it was.
The Sol Slinggate lead to one other star system as they always do. But this was different, the humans never found another slinggate in their star system. They apparently never knew there were supposed to be two. You see the system their slinggate led to was remarkable. It was a trinary system with two central stars in a locked orbit of each other, both blue main sequence, and another star orbited the pair a great distance far enough it could take years at sublight to reach it. But they would reach it. The System which they came to call Sagan, since apparently the first explorers through their gate named it for an ancient scientist, had seven garden worlds all roughly the size of Earth. Full of life and nearly perfectly catered to human colonization. And colonize they did. The first settlers were from corporations, each megacorporation sponsoring the colonization of the planet in the small vessels they could get through the slinggate. There were a few border skirmishes and fighting between the different factions of humans, Martians and Venusians could survive on the garden worlds with some adaptation but the belters required more. Colonization apparently had a problem, it was far too slow and humans have a rather long gestation period for most species I know. Minari of course can have three sets of triplets a year in a bonding pair because each of us carries the children for some duration of the pregnancy, Mr Takeda suggested that we had something in common with a species of mammal from their planet called a kangaroo. Two corporations were working on this problem specifically out of the seven in the Sagan system. Another corporation, Deep Range Expeditions, had launched a long-term mission to the Sagan child star.
Genetech’s solution was to create humans, artificially gestated and preprogrammed with personalities born as adults and ready to aid in labor and work. They made great strides and apparently Genetically Engineered humans were banned in the Sol system, a ban that was lifted in Sagan because of the need for more people. Mr. Takeda seemed solemn when speaking about this. Almost ashamed. I would learn why later. The second corporation a company called AstrospaceX believed the solution was to make it possible to get more humans from Earth. Their solution was Arkships. Giant vessels where human colonists would make the trip between the stars to Sagan, which they had calculated was twelve light years from Earth. At the speeds available to them that would be nearly a one hundred and fifteen-year journey. The two corporations struck a deal. Genetech’s workforce under contract would construct and build the colonies that the Arkships would deliver population. Sagan-6 was designated as the destination world and all efforts went to constructing the birthing facilities and housing and infrastructure. Belters flocked through the gate to aid in mining resources. It was seen as the largest construction project ever launched in human history. Fifteen arkships each carrying close to one million humans left Sol on the over one-hundred-year journey between the stars. A small number crewed the vessels knowing that only their children would see their new home. All the while advances in streamlining technology saw the other six Sagan worlds flourish under their corporate rule. But it wasn’t always peaceful. Workers' uprisings and conditions starting to match those on the now depleting Sol cradle worlds in the form of class systems threatened to tear everything apart. Warships had been built by corporations both to secure their worlds and to inflict and impose order. Then the Colonist arrived and with them came a new problem. Up to now Genetech’s Geman or genetically engineered humans had been living and working in the same cities they had built for the now fifteen million colonists that were making their way towards their new home. The problem was there wasn’t room for the colonists.
Genetech, which over the century had basically been taken over by humans who were genetically engineered, saw the old agreement signed by their corporate forbearers as not necessary. They refused entry to the Colonist on the grounds that AstrospaceX had been purchased by Takeda Corporation and thus the original requirements were void. Mr. Takeda stated that at the 11th hour which is a human colloquialism, which I learned references to something they called a doomsday clock, an agreement was reached where the fifteen million would be dispersed among all the worlds with the arkships to be dismantled or repurposed for the belters. At the same time, this formed the first Corporate Congress which seems to be the current ruling body of Human civilization. Mr Takeda then grew terser avoiding my eyes as he spoke, about the war with Earth.
Apparently, while Sagan had been a story of prosperity. It was prosperity for a chosen few relative to the population of Earth and the other free worlds of the Sol system. Billions of humans still barely survived on their homeworld while land and food were plenty on the Sagan worlds. Even the relocation of the sling gate to Earth did not aid in transit. The Corporate headquarters on Earth were seen as little more than ancestral roots. The rich and talented, the young, everyone was moving that could move.
This led to a populist uprising in the form of government that Mr. Takeda called a dictatorship under a charismatic leader that promised to take humanity's new cradle from the rich and powerful and give it to the people. The announcement came with the start of a war. Several corporations broke with the Corporate Congress as well as some of the belters who saw themselves as exploited. They quickly gained control of the slinggate, using ships constructed in the system to counter the firepower of the dreadnaughts and allow the smaller vessels from Sol to move in. In desperation, the remaining members of the corporate congress launched a counterattack against the slinggate. Eventually winning the area around it and pouting a halt to the Earth's invasion force. This was 300 years ago, almost within the span of one Minari lifetime. Earth, Sol did something that the Corporate Congress did not consider a viable method of war. They fired missiles through the slinggate, each the size of a small frigate targeting the Sagan worlds. One missile made impact on Sagan-6. It turned the planet uninhabitable killing nearly twenty-five million, mostly of the Genetech Corporation. After this the Corporate Congress made a decision that I have to admit is perhaps the most insane thing I have ever heard. They destroyed their own Slinggate effectively cutting themselves off from their homeworlds.
Faced with the prospect of being unable to leave the Sagan system and with a nearly unreachable smaller star system as close, it was the Takeda Corporation that turned resources to studying the Slinggate and determining a way to make the technology mobile. It took them one hundred years but they succeeded and nearly two hundred and five years ago a Takeda corporation vessel jumped home. When I inquired as to what they found, Mr Takeda stated that that was enough for one day but he had enjoyed our time together and we should speak again tomorrow. He bowed his head to me and I returned the gesture and left him.
I was traveling back to my docking birth when I encountered someone else. I have had twenty-seven children. All of them are grown so when I say it has been some time since I heard the laughter of the children it is not an understatement. Though sometimes politicians act like children. I heard the laughter before I saw its source. Children no older than young juveniles were running and chasing each other through the promenade. Following them was a single caregiver. A woman too young if I am judging humans correctly to have been a mother herself saw me and seemed taken aback. Her name was June, she was a school teacher and her kindergarten class was at recess. They were running to the park at the center of the station to play. After everything I had just heard it surprised me I guess to hear that humans had a concept of play. I introduced myself and she asked me a question. Her first encounter with a member of my species, do you want to know what she asked? I’ll tell you, she asked me, “If I was having a good day?” A curious question, I don’t believe I have ever actually qualified that before not in such simple terms. I said I didn’t know the day isn’t over. She said, “ That is why I said having, always a chance.” So I agreed that yes I was perhaps having a good day. She smiled a large smile, you could see her teeth, canines, humans were omnivores I hadn’t noticed that before as Mr. Takeda had a way of speaking that hid his teeth. I asked her if I could ask her a question and she obliged but didn’t have a lot of time as the children were further ahead of us than she would like. I asked her where she was from. She responded. “I am from Earth. But I lived on Sagan-6 before coming here. It was nice to meet you Mr Za’n.” She rushed off after a quick goodbye to catch the small children and I walked back to the ship. I am very interested in what Mr. Takeda has to say tomorrow. But I think, yes I had a good day June. At least until the Ar’kanarans start their evening howling.”
submitted by jgtengineer68 to HFY [link] [comments]
A Good Day
Seven months twelves hours forty-six minutes and counting. That is how long I have been aboard this vessel, most of that time spent staring at what faced me in the center of the Heradini system, a massive alien space station orbiting the mid-system brown dwarf. I am Chief Diplomat Kern Za’n of the Minari. We are one of the founding members of the Confederation of Known Systems. The Confederation is a loose alliance of sentient species living within the Slinggate network. The Minari were one of the first to find a way through the ancient Slinggates four thousand years ago. The gates in our system led to a network of thirteen uninhabited by habitable star systems, including a garden world that once held an ancient race we believe may have had a hand in building the Slinggates.
This fortunate start into the stars allowed our species to flourish and we remain the most populous race within the Confederation. Our government has a presence residing on most member worlds. The Minari are bipedal, standing roughly one point eight meters in height on average when male, one point five meters on average when female, and one point six meters in height for tankbred, a form of laborer clone that is without biological sex as they cannot reproduce on their own. Our average weights range between fifty and two hundred kilograms with height extremes on some worlds due to variance in gravity allowing for members of our species to stand over 2 meters tall. We were not the largest species in the Confederation, nor were we the strongest. Minari are a communal species but we’re one of the longest-lived of all Confederation members at an average life expectancy of three hundred years. As such we make up the majority of the diplomatic corps and have the unenviable task of performing formal first contact.
I have the privilege to have performed three contacts in my career. Each resulted in a prompt decision about their first and second-tier membership in the Confederation. Membership is divided among species that wish only for commerce access to the Confederation which make up around ninety percent of the Confederation’s forty-three member species, and the Council species. Most species are content to trade with their neighbors peacefully and be left alone. Strict rules about military vessels keep them confined to home or regional systems in the case of multiple colonized systems that are not in dispute. The four remaining species each have an equal say in the council of the Confederation, if there is ever a tie, a quorum of member worlds may cast a majority vote to act as the tiebreaker. We have had only one tie in the history of the Confederation and that was to expel a member world to fifteen years of isolation for waging an unlawful war on their neighbor. It does not happen. My species the Minari currently also held the Executor Prime position, which is the head of our government. It is appointed on a rotation between the four Council Races, we followed the wise and peaceful Ran who are an avian race with floating cities from a gas giant homeworld having evolved on floating islands of rocky land mass and water in the atmosphere. It is one of the most beautiful worlds I have ever been in my travels. Also on the council are the Balena, an aquatic species descended from cephalopods of the deep ocean, who first rose out of their oceans after reverse engineering a crashed Minari ship. They have issues interacting outside of their tanks but are some of the finest shipbuilders in the Confederation and brilliant scientists. Some of the best research facilities dot the surface of their homeworld's oceans and lie beneath them. The last race is the Ar’kanar, where to begin with the Ar’kanar.
The Ar’kanar are the first species that my people encountered on the slinggate network and it went about as well as you might expect. We engaged in war, a long bloody war that lasted fifty years of sporadic battles. You see Slinggates are often placed in star systems in very close proximity to one another, less than fifteen or so light minutes away and those systems that are found to have slinggates spanning vast distances on the edge of the system often have them moved into a commerce and travel area around a space station close enough to their homeworld as to not be inconvenient but far enough away to be secure. However, sometimes there are systems so large and vast that do not contain suitable anchoring points that the slinggates are separated by months of sublight travel. These are the systems where war can happen. Enemy fleets can enter unmolested to fight over the resource-dense belts and gas pockets. It was in one such system we encountered the Ar’kanar and it was in this system we fought. The Naer’ina Accords were signed there creating the Confederation and it is where we built the station that houses the government as a reminder of why peace is a better option. But if you recall, there was once a race expelled from the Confederation for fifteen years, that race was the Ar’kanar. Which is why I am currently on an Ar’kanaran Cruiser. Just in case. Now if only they weren’t so damned short and covered with hair. I have hit my head on the door far too many times for my liking. I also believe I will never get the smell out of my clothing. The Ar’kanarans are a short quadrupedal race that favors the augmentation of two cybernetic attached harness arms to allow them to easily manipulate the world. Ar’kanarans were supposedly once a servitor race that overthrew and erased their masters from history. I of course can go on for days discussing my issues with them and have. But that is not the purpose of this log.
So yes where was I, I apologize I have become long-winded in my old age. Anyway fifteen months ago, almost a Confederate standard year a Teleran Corsair made a report at the Trian Military outpost in the Loka system. This was five slinggates out of the Heradini system. They had traveled for 9 months between the gates to deliver the message as most of the systems between them had slinggates that had not been moved closer together as the systems were just now being colonized and most traffic was automated so the cost of moving the gates was not offset. This message had seen much debate within both the military and the diplomatic corps. The science community argued over which part was the most fantasy; The fact that the Telerans could speak or the fact that they had encountered some new species with the ability to travel between the stars without the use of the Slinggates.
If I were not looking at the structure we currently were flying towards in a declaration burn, I would not believe the latter either. The human space station was almost as large as Naer’ina Point, however, it looked lower in technology. It consisted of six spinning sections inside three large docking rings, these rings were already servicing large vessels, and near the station was a structure we had never seen before. It was about half the size of a slinggate, cylindrical, and seemed to pulse with light. I could count at least twenty-six vessels all the size of the one I was in now docked with the station plus numerous smaller craft buzzing around. The massive ship reported by the Telerans was detected in the asteroid belt near the resource-rich areas performing some tasks, for which we did not know the purpose. I am receiving word from the Captain that we will be docking soon I will continue my log relaying the… what is that? There is massive distortion near the cylinder, the light is almost blinding… by the ancestors. A ship just appeared. It's massive… only the home defense dreadnoughts are anywhere close to this size. The weapons if that's what they are dwarf anything the Minari or Ar’kanar have at our disposal. Thanks to the Teleran we have their language codes, and I have learned to speak it. There's a name written on the side of the vessel I believe, TCCW Dauntless. I believe it. There is an alert I need to see to the captain of the vessel.
Resuming log after day one of the Contact meetings. After a mild panic attack by the Ar’kanar captain, we docked with the station which I have learned is called Takeda Station, named for the corporation that paid for its construction as well as the resources to prospect this system. As a matter of fact, it was with a member of this Corporation I spent most of my time speaking. This will be an interesting log I believe, and an alarming one. So let's begin.
Let me first preface this by stating that to suggest that Humans are another race in the Slinggate chain is to approach this wrong. The humans are more like the Confederation than its member races. A more detailed report will be attached but for my form of brevity’s sake, the summary is thus. Humans or Terrans or as I have also learned Martians, Venusians, Belters, Colonials, and many other names they call themselves are an eclectic race that all draw their origin to a planet they also cannot decide what to call. Some call it Earth, others Terra, others Gaia, Sol III, and many other names. There are even humans who do not see their homeworld as home. And some who can never set foot on its soil again without suits to counter the gravity.
Humans on average are around the same height as Minari, they can be a little taller, and weigh a little more but their gravity is at least another third higher than ours. Time spent on their station had me glad to return to an Ar’kanar vessel. They also have skin colors adapted to different levels of sunlight ranging from dark brown to almost alabaster white. Some even pigment their skin cosmetically to have purples, oranges, or blues. They are… impossible to describe in a few words. Remarkable. So I will try to mainly speak about the humans I am spending my time with.
The first is a man from a human world called Sagan-3, he is apparently from a city island called New Tokyo. He is a little shorter than I am and from what he says old for their species at seventy years. Ancient for a Ran of course but I was still chasing my bondmates at that age, caring little for the affairs of interstellar politics. His name was Hiro Takeda, apparently, he was the brother of the female who was in charge of the company. His title was Chief Encounter Officer, when I inquired what that meant, he informed me that it was his job to negotiate with non-Human entities or humans who did not fall under Corporate Congress. Mister Takeda as he instructed me to address him first asked why I was there. To which explained who the Confederation was and why we favor peace and business. His response was to offer me tea which after I checked to make sure it was consumable I rather enjoyed. Takeda had an interesting method of discussion he did not ask me questions and merely seemed to anticipate where I was needing answers. I will relay what I can remember.
Humans it would seem discovered their slinggate over seven hundred years ago. It was within the atmosphere of a gas giant near the edge of their solar system. They only found it after they had colonized their entire system and fragmented it into several different entities. They had terraformed the fourth planet in their solar system to the extent that they lived in large domes. This planet was called Mars and it was home to almost twelve billion humans when they found the slinggate. Earth at this point was home to close to forty-five billion. And I thought the N’i’!cho were numerous. They also had floating habitations on the second planet from their star housing almost three billion. Another seven hundred million made their homes in the belts mining resources and living on the moons of gas giants. This was seven hundred years ago mind you. Earth, Mars, Venus, and the belt, they fought several wars. Mostly sticking to space. The sides change many times throughout their history. Quite frankly they were fought because they were running out of room. When they found the slinggate that was no longer a problem… until it was.
The Sol Slinggate lead to one other star system as they always do. But this was different, the humans never found another slinggate in their star system. They apparently never knew there were supposed to be two. You see the system their slinggate led to was remarkable. It was a trinary system with two central stars in a locked orbit of each other, both blue main sequence, and another star orbited the pair a great distance far enough it could take years at sublight to reach it. But they would reach it. The System which they came to call Sagan, since apparently the first explorers through their gate named it for an ancient scientist, had seven garden worlds all roughly the size of Earth. Full of life and nearly perfectly catered to human colonization. And colonize they did. The first settlers were from corporations, each megacorporation sponsoring the colonization of the planet in the small vessels they could get through the slinggate. There were a few border skirmishes and fighting between the different factions of humans, Martians and Venusians could survive on the garden worlds with some adaptation but the belters required more. Colonization apparently had a problem, it was far too slow and humans have a rather long gestation period for most species I know. Minari of course can have three sets of triplets a year in a bonding pair because each of us carries the children for some duration of the pregnancy, Mr Takeda suggested that we had something in common with a species of mammal from their planet called a kangaroo. Two corporations were working on this problem specifically out of the seven in the Sagan system. Another corporation, Deep Range Expeditions, had launched a long-term mission to the Sagan child star.
Genetech’s solution was to create humans, artificially gestated and preprogrammed with personalities born as adults and ready to aid in labor and work. They made great strides and apparently Genetically Engineered humans were banned in the Sol system, a ban that was lifted in Sagan because of the need for more people. Mr. Takeda seemed solemn when speaking about this. Almost ashamed. I would learn why later. The second corporation a company called AstrospaceX believed the solution was to make it possible to get more humans from Earth. Their solution was Arkships. Giant vessels where human colonists would make the trip between the stars to Sagan, which they had calculated was twelve light years from Earth. At the speeds available to them that would be nearly a one hundred and fifteen-year journey. The two corporations struck a deal. Genetech’s workforce under contract would construct and build the colonies that the Arkships would deliver population. Sagan-6 was designated as the destination world and all efforts went to constructing the birthing facilities and housing and infrastructure. Belters flocked through the gate to aid in mining resources. It was seen as the largest construction project ever launched in human history. Fifteen arkships each carrying close to one million humans left Sol on the over one-hundred-year journey between the stars. A small number crewed the vessels knowing that only their children would see their new home. All the while advances in streamlining technology saw the other six Sagan worlds flourish under their corporate rule. But it wasn’t always peaceful. Workers' uprisings and conditions starting to match those on the now depleting Sol cradle worlds in the form of class systems threatened to tear everything apart. Warships had been built by corporations both to secure their worlds and to inflict and impose order. Then the Colonist arrived and with them came a new problem. Up to now Genetech’s Geman or genetically engineered humans had been living and working in the same cities they had built for the now fifteen million colonists that were making their way towards their new home. The problem was there wasn’t room for the colonists.
Genetech, which over the century had basically been taken over by humans who were genetically engineered, saw the old agreement signed by their corporate forbearers as not necessary. They refused entry to the Colonist on the grounds that AstrospaceX had been purchased by Takeda Corporation and thus the original requirements were void. Mr. Takeda stated that at the 11th hour which is a human colloquialism, which I learned references to something they called a doomsday clock, an agreement was reached where the fifteen million would be dispersed among all the worlds with the arkships to be dismantled or repurposed for the belters. At the same time, this formed the first Corporate Congress which seems to be the current ruling body of Human civilization. Mr Takeda then grew terser avoiding my eyes as he spoke, about the war with Earth.
Apparently, while Sagan had been a story of prosperity. It was prosperity for a chosen few relative to the population of Earth and the other free worlds of the Sol system. Billions of humans still barely survived on their homeworld while land and food were plenty on the Sagan worlds. Even the relocation of the sling gate to Earth did not aid in transit. The Corporate headquarters on Earth were seen as little more than ancestral roots. The rich and talented, the young, everyone was moving that could move.
This led to a populist uprising in the form of government that Mr. Takeda called a dictatorship under a charismatic leader that promised to take humanity's new cradle from the rich and powerful and give it to the people. The announcement came with the start of a war. Several corporations broke with the Corporate Congress as well as some of the belters who saw themselves as exploited. They quickly gained control of the slinggate, using ships constructed in the system to counter the firepower of the dreadnaughts and allow the smaller vessels from Sol to move in. In desperation, the remaining members of the corporate congress launched a counterattack against the slinggate. Eventually winning the area around it and pouting a halt to the Earth's invasion force. This was 300 years ago, almost within the span of one Minari lifetime. Earth, Sol did something that the Corporate Congress did not consider a viable method of war. They fired missiles through the slinggate, each the size of a small frigate targeting the Sagan worlds. One missile made impact on Sagan-6. It turned the planet uninhabitable killing nearly twenty-five million, mostly of the Genetech Corporation. After this the Corporate Congress made a decision that I have to admit is perhaps the most insane thing I have ever heard. They destroyed their own Slinggate effectively cutting themselves off from their homeworlds.
Faced with the prospect of being unable to leave the Sagan system and with a nearly unreachable smaller star system as close, it was the Takeda Corporation that turned resources to studying the Slinggate and determining a way to make the technology mobile. It took them one hundred years but they succeeded and nearly two hundred and five years ago a Takeda corporation vessel jumped home. When I inquired as to what they found, Mr Takeda stated that that was enough for one day but he had enjoyed our time together and we should speak again tomorrow. He bowed his head to me and I returned the gesture and left him.
I was traveling back to my docking birth when I encountered someone else. I have had twenty-seven children. All of them are grown so when I say it has been some time since I heard the laughter of the children it is not an understatement. Though sometimes politicians act like children. I heard the laughter before I saw its source. Children no older than young juveniles were running and chasing each other through the promenade. Following them was a single caregiver. A woman too young if I am judging humans correctly to have been a mother herself saw me and seemed taken aback. Her name was June, she was a school teacher and her kindergarten class was at recess. They were running to the park at the center of the station to play. After everything I had just heard it surprised me I guess to hear that humans had a concept of play. I introduced myself and she asked me a question. Her first encounter with a member of my species, do you want to know what she asked? I’ll tell you, she asked me, “If I was having a good day?” A curious question, I don’t believe I have ever actually qualified that before not in such simple terms. I said I didn’t know the day isn’t over. She said, “ That is why I said having, always a chance.” So I agreed that yes I was perhaps having a good day. She smiled a large smile, you could see her teeth, canines, humans were omnivores I hadn’t noticed that before as Mr. Takeda had a way of speaking that hid his teeth. I asked her if I could ask her a question and she obliged but didn’t have a lot of time as the children were further ahead of us than she would like. I asked her where she was from. She responded. “I am from Earth. But I lived on Sagan-6 before coming here. It was nice to meet you Mr Za’n.” She rushed off after a quick goodbye to catch the small children and I walked back to the ship. I am very interested in what Mr. Takeda has to say tomorrow. But I think, yes I had a good day June. At least until the Ar’kanarans start their evening howling.”
2023.05.27 11:21 Baskerwolf Itinerary Feedback
Thanks for all of the helpful advice on the last thread I started! I could use a bit of help with food recommendations for some of these locations. My friend would prefer to eat on the cheap. I could also use help with Tuesday and things to do in the Garden District. Here's my tentative itinerary:
Saturday
Arrive at Hotel at 5:30pm
Dinner - Killer Po'Boys at 219 Dauphine or Cafe Beignet on Royal St
Night - Oz Bar (friend really wants to go)
Sunday
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Tour
Congo Square
Louis Armstrong Park
Lunch - Bennachin
New Orleans Jazz Museum
Dinner - Dian Xin
7:30pm - Ghost Tour
Monday
St. Louis Cathedral
Old Ursuline Convent
Jackson Square
French Market
Lunch - Verti Marte
Riverwalk
Woldenberg Park
Ferry over to Algiers Point
Dinner - ??
Tuesday
Historic New Orleans Collection
Lunch - Lilly's
1:30pm Garden District Tour
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Dinner - ??
Wednesday
Cabildo - Start of Go City Pass
1850 House and Museum Gift Shop
The Presbytere
Lunch - MRB Bar and Kitchen
Creole Queen Historic Cruise
Dinner - Felipe's
Thursday
National WWII Museum - plan to spend almost all day there
Lunch - Conchon Butcher
Dinner - Mulate's
Friday
Take the streetcar to City Park
New Orleans Botanical Garden
Lunch - Cafe Du Monde
New Orleans Museum of Art
Dinner - ??
Saturday
Pharmacy Museum
Walk Frenchman Street to Flora Coffee Shop then up Dauphine toward Bargain Center and then toward Crescent Park Bridge.
Lunch - ??
2:30pm Get to MSY
4:30pm Fly out of MSY
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Saturday
Arrive at Hotel at 5:30pm
Dinner - Killer Po'Boys at 219 Dauphine or Cafe Beignet on Royal St
Night - Oz Bar (friend really wants to go)
Sunday
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Tour
Congo Square
Louis Armstrong Park
Lunch - Bennachin
New Orleans Jazz Museum
Dinner - Dian Xin
7:30pm - Ghost Tour
Monday
St. Louis Cathedral
Old Ursuline Convent
Jackson Square
French Market
Lunch - Verti Marte
Riverwalk
Woldenberg Park
Ferry over to Algiers Point
Dinner - ??
Tuesday
Historic New Orleans Collection
Lunch - Lilly's
1:30pm Garden District Tour
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Dinner - ??
Wednesday
Cabildo - Start of Go City Pass
1850 House and Museum Gift Shop
The Presbytere
Lunch - MRB Bar and Kitchen
Creole Queen Historic Cruise
Dinner - Felipe's
Thursday
National WWII Museum - plan to spend almost all day there
Lunch - Conchon Butcher
Dinner - Mulate's
Friday
Take the streetcar to City Park
New Orleans Botanical Garden
Lunch - Cafe Du Monde
New Orleans Museum of Art
Dinner - ??
Saturday
Pharmacy Museum
Walk Frenchman Street to Flora Coffee Shop then up Dauphine toward Bargain Center and then toward Crescent Park Bridge.
Lunch - ??
2:30pm Get to MSY
4:30pm Fly out of MSY