#...in absentia

[wantonlywindswept]

Definitely True Facts About Commander Vertex #4

He's lost everything.

[forgotten Fox AU tag]

Bucket, for the crimes of having an excellent sabacc face and a hip that seized up when moving any faster than a light jog, was often stuck manning the Guard HQ front desk.

They didn't get too many natborns coming through these days, at least, now that the CSF were forced to do their own jobs and had taken over guarding the prison. The Guard was finally back to being a protective, high-level military force instead of doing all the domestic policing and drudgework they'd been relegated to. They were still beholden to the Senate, but things had gotten better since Palpatine died and Organa took office, even if some of the Dome's denizens still saw them as little better than droids.

So Bucket didn't have to deal with that--he could, he got his name from being able to fit his demeanor to whatever the situation needed it, swapping faces like you could swap a helmet--but he did still have to deal with the regular comers and goers. Thankfully, that was mostly clones, plus the new addition of the pack of Jedi healers that descended on medbay once a week.

Interesting bunch, the Jedi. A lot more personable than Bucket had thought they would be. Surprisingly calm up until you admitted to using a soldering torch to close an acute laceration. 

(It wasn't even a recent injury--it happened so long ago that it was already healed. But now Master Nema gave Bucket the stink eye whenever she saw him, like she was trying to determine how medically stupid he'd been in her absence.)

"--figure what they were going on about?"

Bucket snapped to attention as the exterior doors slid open, a placid expression settling across his features. He turned toward the voice--only to relax when he caught sight of the visitors.

"Just something about another shift in the Force," Marshal Commander Cody said, offering Captain Rex a shrug. "It's not as bad as when Palpatine died; nobody passed out this time, at least."

"Small mercies," Commander Gree observed, bringing up the rear behind them. He had four takeout containers cradled in one arm, and by the smell they were from the offensively good noodle cart that parked near the base of the Rotunda. Bucket took a deep, envious breath and decided he was definitely going there for latemeal.

This particular group of GAR troopers--along with Commanders Bly and Wolffe--were a familiar enough sight at Guard HQ. They didn't visit often, almost eternally deployed to the front lines, but whenever their leaves lined up they usually made an appearance. Bucket had never seen all five together at once, but maybe that would change now that the war was officially over and battalions were being called back to Coruscant.

"Commanders, Captain," he greeted, standing up behind the counter to salute. His second for the day, Kelari, hastily copied the action. 

Cody waved the formality away with the hand sign for 'at ease', nodding at the two of them in turn.

"Sergeant Bucket," he greeted. "And I don't think I know..?"

"Private Kelari, sir!" Kelari chirped. She was still painfully shiny, wide-eyed and awestruck as she stared up at the Marshal Commander, and Bucket allowed the gaping with fond indulgence. 

Kelari was one of their most recent acquisitions, part of a squadron that arrived after the death of the Chancellor. The group didn't have any direct experience with the war or the suffering that came with it, and the entire Guard were doing their damndest to make sure they never would.

"Private Kelari," Cody acknowledged, one side of his mouth ticking up. "Good to meet you."

Kelari beamed; Bucket shooed her away so he could get back in front of the security screens. 

"The Jedi up to shenanigans again?" he asked as he pulled up the admittance forms. 

Rex sighed, heavily, and Cody shot him an amused look.

"Let's just say," Gree said, "That it will be nice to avoid more half-coherent explanations on how the Force works now that the war's over."

Bucket snorted, starting to fill out the usual info. The Guard never got a Jedi--and with the reveal of Palpatine being a Sith, they now knew why--but he had to admit he was glad they never needed to deal with the often-inexplicable Jedi tendency to rely so much on some invisible cosmic power.

"Captain CT-7567," he recited idly as his fingers flicked across the keys, "Commander CC-2224, and Commander CC-1004, here to see --"

Bucket blinked at the 'reason for visit' box. 

This batch of clones had been visiting the entire war, either by themselves or together, whenever their rare leave allowed. They came often enough that if Bucket wasn't the one that would suffer the datawork hassle later, he would have just waved them on through. 

He was familiar enough with them to know that Cody's infamous scar came from a sparring accident, that Gree had three half-finished xenobiology research papers that he hoped to someday publish, and that Rex had been forcibly adopted by the CC clones without being allowed any input in the matter. He knew that Wolffe had three implanted teeth from multiple attempts at biting trainers through their armor as a cadet, and that Bly sometimes mixed up his letters and numbers and had almost been decommissioned as a result.

And Bucket had no idea what to put in the box.

"Sergeant?" Kelari asked quietly, stepping close to Bucket's side, "They're Commander Vertex's batchmates, right?"

The gentle nudge would have been helpful--Kelari was new, but she'd already learned what to do when another Guard faltered--except the intel she was working with was faulty. 

It was a reasonable assumption: Thire wouldn't shut up about his batchmates, so they were all known. Ponds had already stopped by to see Stone, the rest of their batch lost to the war, while Thorn's quietly deranged batch somehow managed to stay known but off the radar. Vertex was the only Commander whose batchmates were unaccounted for.

Except Vertex didn't have any batchmates.

Cresh Squad had taken heavy losses a couple weeks ago, and Bucket had been doing his own rehab with Patches in the medbay while they were still recovering. Commander Vertex had been there speaking quietly with the survivors, going between the beds with soft words and reassuring touches. It was clear that he'd done that kind of thing before, and when he'd finally taken a moment to sit down with Defib, Bucket had overheard their conversation.

'Good going with Whiskey,' Defib said gruffly. 'He would have camped outside the medbay doors if you hadn't talked him down. Tango's stable, but it's never easy to see a batcher get hurt.'

'No,' Vertex said, sounding tired. 'It really isn't.'

'Sounds like you have experience.'

Vertex was silent for a long while.

'My batchmates,' he said eventually, 'And my command. I lost them. They're...they're all gone, now.'

'Not gone,' Defib corrected gently, 'But marching far away.'

'Not gone,' Vertex had agreed, almost too soft to hear. 'Just marching far away from me.'

Patches was a medic and Bucket knew when to keep his mouth shut, and neither of them had mentioned anything of the conversation to others. Bucket was pretty sure the other commanders knew, too, but it wasn't like they'd go around airing someone's trauma like that.

Far too much trauma to go around for all of them.

Kelari nudged him again, and Bucket blinked rapidly, hauling himself out of the memory. He lifted his gaze from the half-finished form to meet Cody's eyes.

The Marshal Commander frowned.

"We're here to see--to see..."

Missing memories weren't that uncommon, in the Guard, but as Bucket watched confusion steal across Cody's face--as that confusion shifted into unease and then panicked alarm--he didn't think that it was just a Guard problem, anymore.

[trek-tracks]

When you're the transporter tech on duty with one chance to retrieve your missing-presumed-dead captain from another dimension and the CMO is staring at you like this

and you really hope the Hippocratic Oath will still apply to you five minutes from now and think maybe it would have been nice if this had happened on John's shift instead

[alcrego]

8 new Absentees.

Absentia series.

[papenathys]

Anima, in Absentia

A historical, epistolary lesbian romance set in 1970-80s Calcutta, where a Bengali film actress and a flower shop owner in Manicktala exchange letters on art, politics, and other–less remembered– things.

radfems, terfs and bhakts this story is not for you :)

[flanaganfilm]

howdy!! do you rewatch your own work? if so, how often? im wondering if it has the same "artist just sees faults with what they create" thing, or if youre able to appreciate past projects the way they deserve

I don't, typically... usually, by the time we're finished with post production, I've seen the thing so many times that I'm thrilled to stop watching it. I'm either sick of it, or just feeling like it doesn't belong to me anymore. There are other reasons, too - Hill House was a traumatic production for me, for example, I have a lot of complicated emotions woven into it, so I haven't felt ready to rewatch that one since before it aired. Maybe in a few more years.

Somewhat recently, I've revisited a few of the older movies with my eldest son, who is 13 now. He's basically as old as my career itself. We've watched Oculus, Hush, The Midnight Club (which he LOVED, proving it worked for our target audience) and Ouija: OOE together, and each of those screenings was a really cool experience. His reactions and questions were really fascinating, and I felt like I was able to see those movies anew through his eyes. That's the closest I've come to feeling like I was really seeing them, and that's only because so much time has gone by for those. I watched the Director's Cut of Doctor Sleep a few years back at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado. It was part of a live NoSleep Podcast event, and that was the first time I'd seen that movie since it was released. It was also the first and only time I'd ever seen the Director's Cut with an audience. That was a really special screening and it meant a lot to me.

I haven't yet had the guts to revisit any of the TV series other than Midnight Club. As my kids get older, I'm sure I'll watch them all with them. The one I'm most excited to see is Midnight Mass, which remains my favorite of the shows. I haven't seen it since before it came out - I remember the last day of post on that show, watching down each episode with final mix and color. That's a series I wish I could actually watch like a viewer at home, and while I'll never truly be able to do that, I look forward to looking at it with some real distance.

There are a few of the older projects I'd be curious to watch now. I wonder how Absentia holds up - I was such a baby when we made that movie, and it's been so long. I imagine I could watch that today and have a really trippy experience. I also haven't revisited Before I Wake in a very long time, and I always really loved that script. The movie was a rough road, and my feelings were mixed by the time it finally found its finish line (Relativity Media really beat that one up), but that could also be a really interesting viewing experience at this stage of my career.

But generally, each of these movies is a journey, and once the journey is over it's tough to ever really go back. There's little point, and moving forward feels like a matter of survival. The "finished product" is only the tip of a large, deep, labyrinthian iceberg for me. It's impossible to only see what's on the surface, no matter how hard I try.

(Interesting side-note: The only exception I've found to this rule is The Life of Chuck. We just finished post production on the movie, and I've watched it dozens and dozens of times now - but I've never grown tired of it, not even a little bit. That movie is something special, and I am eager to watch it again - and again - and again. I don't know that I'll ever want distance from that one; in fact, watching it brings me a sense of joy, comfort, and safety.)

[fanofspooky]

Scream Queen - Katie Parker

[darlingofdots]

you can tell that the government still didn't understand Laurence and Temeraire even by the end of League of Dragons, because if they had agreed to be sent to Halifax, Canada would have been an independent Indigenous nation within 5 years maximum and they'd have had to try them for treason again

[lightanddarknessdragonlord]

the world is on fire, we are tied as one, eternally

our funeral pyre, and we are here to revel, forevermore

(commissions are open!!)

oh MAN was this a fight to complete 😅 i’ve had this sketch since maybe the start of november…? from the sketch fighting me to clip studio forcing me to erase the timelapse i had on popezo’s side (😭!) i had a *lot* of challenges with this one. i’m never drawing popezo again, at least not in this much detail omllll

i actually don’t have too many progress shots this time around, i think i was worried i wouldn’t finish this lol

like i said, i don’t have popezo’s speed paint anymore, but i do have the other half!!

[cowbell-ghuleh]

31 days of Ghost, part 5.

Favourite Song rom Meilora.

Deus in Absentia

"The world is on fire, and you are here to stay and burn with me."

I completely effed up the original line art for the background... so replaced it with a quick digitally painted one, which resulted in me colouring Terzo too...

IDK why I gave Terzo a tail and wings, it just seemed to fit with the drawing. I did try horns too but I couldn't get a shape I was happy with.

[weepylucifer]

i watch people react to the lotr movies on youtube sometimes - just for my personal relaxation - and this one guy just said "maybe this is presumptuous but why can't they just make a new, even stronger ring that controls all the other ones plus the one ring?" and, holy shit. why don't they just keep making even stronger rings. apart from all the lore and storytelling reasons for why that's not possible under those specific circumstances, i wanna send a complete stranger the wikipedia article for "arms race" so so so fucking badly 😂

[katherinehoughtoncastle47]

STANA KATIC - IG POST

[zuppizup]

“Calm yourself, mage,” Aaravos spoke from the shadows, emerging into the dim light a moment later.

Callum frowned, trying to figure out what was going on. He looked down, seeing his own body before him, marvelling at how his fingers responded to his will…

“Don’t get too excited,” Aaravos continued. “This is merely another prison.”

Getting to his feet, Callum glared at the imposing Startouch. “Where am I?!”

“Nowhere really.” Aaravos chuckled, circling Callum. “The dark recesses of your mind, shall we say.”

“Let me go.” Callum tried to reach out, to feel his connection to the Sky or the Ocean but all he found was endless darkness and nothing.

A wee snippet from an up-coming chapter of In Absentia.

Callum is showing up again!

… or is he?

[alcrego]

A̴B̶S̵E̶N̶T̷I̵A̷

↖️ Absentee 1

↗️ Absentee 2

↙️ Absentee 3

↘️ Absentee 4

January 2023, Objkt.

[autocorrection]

relistening to taz grad!!

[flanaganfilm]

I am a huge fan of your work and Hill House is my favorite show of all time. I feel very lucky to be living in a time where your shows and movies exist.

I am watching Absentia for the first time, and I want to know what Callie is reading when the Detecting picks up Tricia for their date. It looks like a comic book, but I can’t figure out what it is and it’s killing me

[kcscribbler]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged as always by @elodiah.

More Storyteller cutscene shenanigans, because nothing else is cooperating with me right now.

Loki looks up when a plastic tray – black, he notes absently, instead of the hideous orange of the primary TVA’s cafeteria – hits the table across from him, and then double-takes. “You’re not Mobius.” “Clearly.” The young agent Loki is unfamiliar with, who seems to be part of Mobius’ inner circle in this new TVA, looks down at him over a pair of dark glasses. She sets a padded electronics sleeve down as well, but doesn’t take the seat yet. “He’s been detained. Special council meeting. I was asked to let you know. Would you prefer to eat alone?” From their brief interactions to date, Loki has found this woman to be refreshingly direct. She also appears to know more than most about the inner workings of this place; and particularly, about Mobius. And Loki is not above pressing a strategic advantage, when the opportunity literally walks up to him. Blackmail material is always worth acquiring for future use. He gestures toward the seat with a dramatic flourish. “Please, be my guest.” As she sits, Loki puts his glass down, frowning as the words belatedly register. “A special council meeting?” “Actually necessary. They’re usually tactical in nature, multiversal war strategy.” She twists the lid from a container of salad – not the boring (“it’s classic, you royal snob”) kind Mobius enjoys, but some elevated version containing what look like nuts and sliced strawberries amid the mixture of green leaves, as well as some kind of crumbling cheese. “But they’re always long. We won’t see him for at least three hours.” Loki’s eyebrow inclines slightly. “Does this special council of yours have a regular habit of holding their meetings with no regard for the work and break times of their satellite branch?” A loud snort. “You could say that.” Octavia spears a chunk of lettuce with her fork and then points it at him. “Which is why I sent someone after him. We actually have a special protocol for these things, Protocol J.” “Indeed?” “Oh, yes. Some asshole in a Santa Monica Jamba Juice is wondering where his smoothie went, right about now.”

No-pressure tags! @lokimobius @dilfmobius @thosegayoldmen @in-my-loki-feels @loki-is-my-kink-awakening

@impulsemuppet @asoeiki @natendo-art @boredintjqueen @wolfpup026

@thewildballyntynesgrow @justabigoldnerd @andthekitchensinkao3 @scifikimmi @insomniaflarrow Whatcha workin' on?