#Ceiling Repair Delta

[vodika-vibes]

More delta squad here!

I’m kinda curious to see what your take on Scorch would be in a scenario where he’s fallen head over heels over someone. How do you think he’d confess? 🤔

Head Over Heels

Summary: Scorch is too observant for your own good.

Pairing: Clone Commando Scorch x Reader

Word Count: 1694

Warnings: Mentions of lingerie, reader lives is a shitty apartment with rats and cockroaches at the beginning

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni

A/N: So...when I said that I normally stopped writing at Noon, and I obviously lied about it today, because I felt anxious and needed to write more than anything else. Anyway! I hope this is close to what you wanted!

You remember the first time you met Scorch. You were 20 years old and were adjusting to living life on your own. And you weren’t doing too poorly. You made enough money with your job that you could afford a studio apartment (it had rats, and cockroaches, and calling the landlord a slumlord would have been an insult to slumlords everywhere-) and you were able to eat almost three times a day.

Okay, at the time you weren’t doing so hot. You were constantly one mean comment away from bursting into tears. And you regretted everything about your life, and you just wanted to climb on a ship and go home-

And then you met Scorch.

And by met, you mean you bumped into him when your nose was buried in a book, and caused him to drop his lunch. He was pissed about it.

He yelled at you, and said some mean things, and you stared at him and just…burst into tears. Not your finest moment, honestly.

But the moment the tears started, he stopped yelling, and his voice got gentler, and he apologized for yelling, and that he didn’t mean what he said, that he had a bad day and took it out on you, and that he’s sorry-

And you, sobbing, pushed credits into his hands and apologized for being such a failure person and that you never should have left home-

And before you knew it, you were sitting on a bench next to Scorch, sharing a sandwich (because it was all you could afford with the credits on you), complaining about your job and your apartment and your scummy landlord, and he’s comforting you.

You thought it was going to be a one and done kind of meeting. Just a stranger on the street who was a shoulder to cry on, that kind of thing.

But the following morning, there was a knock on your apartment door, and Scorch was on the other side, with his three annoyed looking brothers. At the time, you stared at him in absolute bafflement, as he and his brothers pushed their way into your apartment and started setting rat traps in various places, as well as setting foggers on the floor.

You sat on your raggedy couch, clad in your pajamas, as the four men moved around your apartment, making it habitable for you to live in. Sev cursed up a storm as he repaired your windows. Fixer was in your fresher, caulking the shower and the sink, and the kitchen sink. And Boss was critically eyeing the black mold growing on the ceiling, and the patch of moss growing in the corner. And Scorch was poking through your cabinets and noting that the only food you had was instant noodles.

You remember sitting on your couch, your legs tucked under you, as the four men conferred in your kitchen (which was also your living room, and your bedroom) and then Scorch turned to you, “How much is rent here?” he asked you.

And when you told him the astronomically high price, all of their faces soured. And when a rat ran across the toe of Sev’s boot, their expressions soured even more.

You were moved out of your apartment and into a room on their base by the end of the day. And by the end of the week, you had a much higher paying job as an administrative assistant on their base. 

And almost overnight, your life went from barely tolerable, to good. You no longer had to worry about food, and you no longer felt the urge to flee back to your mother.

That was almost a year ago now, and you’re of the opinion that you’ve never been in a better place in your life. You’ve made friends with the other civilian workers on the base, as well as with the clones, and you no longer have to worry about rats or cockroaches.

Though, if you’re going to be completely honest with yourself, you’re closest to Scorch. And even though you feel awful about it, you have to admit that he’s also your favorite.

After all, there’s no moving on from the fact that he took the time out of his busy day to comfort someone he never met, and then decided to go above and beyond by getting you out of the horrible situation you were in.

You like to think that he’s just as fond of you. After all, he does seek you out at the end of the day. And even when he’s not working, he’ll come and find you and spend the day with you, even if you’re working.

You’ve become slightly enamored with him, and you’re not sure what to do about it. Everytime you try to tell him that you have a crush on him, the words get stuck in your throat.

Still, you keep trying. After all, you fall more and more in love with him with every passing day.

Today’s plan? Drag Scorch to go shopping with you. Honestly, you half expect him to beg out as soon as he realizes that you’re going clothes shopping. And if he does, you’ll just adjust fire and bring him to the farmer’s market instead.

Honestly, you want to do both, but you’ll leave that up to Scorch.

You finish pulling your shoes on just as there’s a knock on the door. You press a button on your datapad, allowing the door to slide open, and Scorch steps into the room.

He looks amazing, dressed in civvies rather than his blacks, or his armor, and you can’t help the slightly enamored smile you flash at him. How he’s not aware of your massive crush is beyond you, honestly.

He grins at you and leans against the door frame, “Hey there, princess. What’s the plan for today?”

You get to your feet and cross the room to him, “Well, I need some new clothes. A lot of mine are old and worn to the point where they’re in danger of falling apart.”

He makes a face, “Clothes shopping?”

You flash a lopsided grin, “Or,” You add, “We can hit up the Farmer’s Market.”

Scorch stares at you for a moment, a thoughtful look on his handsome face, “Actually, let’s go and buy you some new clothes.”

You tilt your head, “You sure?”

“Yeah. As enjoyable as it would be for me to see you walking around naked, I would hate to have to murder my brothers for perving on you.” Scorch says with a grin.

You lightly rap your knuckles against his chest, “We both know that they would never.” You say with a laugh, “How about we buy me a few outfits, and then go to the Farmer’s Market?”

“Deal.” Scorch swings his arm over your shoulder, and tugs you against his side, as he starts telling you about something amusing that happened in training that morning.

Several hours later, you’re finally finished with your clothes shopping, and Scorch is nice enough to carry the majority of your bags. “Alright. I think that’s enough. Are you ready to go to the Farmer’s Market?” You ask with a warm smile towards Scorch.

Scorch tears his gaze away from a store front, and glances at you, “Sure, but there’s one shop you haven’t been in yet.” He nods to the shop across the street.

You follow his gaze and feel your face heat, “Scorch, that’s a lingerie shop.”

He pins you in place with a mischievous look, “I’m aware.”

Your eyebrows creep up, “As in, the type of lingerie meant to show off for a partner, not for everyday wear.” You clarify.

His grin grows, “Oh, I’m well aware.”

“Why would I buy lingerie meant to be worn for a partner, when I don’t have one?” You ask.

“You can show it off for me.”

“...uhm…” You pause, “Can I get some clarification on that comment?”

“What? You thought I didn’t notice the crush you had on me?” Scorch asks with a laugh, though it’s not unkind.

You pout at him, “You could have said something.”

He steps closer to you and leans in slightly, “This is me saying something, cyar’ika.” And then he leans back, “Honestly, I’ve been in love with you for months, the only reason I didn’t say anything was because watching you trip and stumble over your words while you tried to confess to me was, frankly, adorable.”

Our jaw drops, and then you huff, “Well, now I’m definitely not buying lingerie for your viewing pleasure.”

“Sure you are,” He flings his arm over your shoulder again and presses a kiss to your temple, “Come on, Princess. I’m sure we can find something white and lacy and perfect for you.”

You allow him to drag you across the street, “White and lacy?”

“What? I have my fantasies.”

“Sure, but I never expected you to be a white lace kinda guy.” You say dryly.

“Oh? What did you expect?”

“Sheer? Or leather?” 

Scorch pauses mid-step and his eyes glaze over for a moment, and then he grins, “Yeah. Let’s get some of those too.”

“Pervert.” You say affectionately.

He tugs you back onto the sidewalk, and then he leans in and kisses you quickly at first, and then again, more passionately. “Only when it comes to you, Princess.” He says quietly, “Now. How about you help me become even more of a pervert when it comes to you and you alone.”

Laughter bubbles from your lips, “I suppose I will benefit from that.”

He grins at you, and tugs you back against his side. 

It’s nice, you decide as he drags you into the store eagerly, and immediately walks over to the store clerk and tells her what the pair of you are looking for. Absolutely nothing changed in how he treats you with his confession to you, and his acknowledgment towards your feelings for him. He’s just a little more touchy than he would normally be.

And that, you think as he then tugs you over to a rack filled with lingerie covered in feathers, is how love is supposed to be.

[faircontractorsales]

Easy Roof Care Tips for Palm Beach County Homeowners

Living in Palm Beach County offers beautiful weather most of the year, but it also challenges homeowners with its occasional harsh storms and intense heat. Taking good care of your roof is crucial to ensure your home stays protected through all seasons. At Fair Contractor Sales Roofing, we’re passionate about helping you maintain a healthy roof with minimal effort. Here are some simple and effective tips to keep your roof in excellent condition.

Simple Steps to Maintain Your Roof

Caring for your roof doesn’t have to be complex or time-consuming. By following a few straightforward steps, you can keep your roof in top shape and prevent potential problems:

1. Regular Visual Inspections: Twice a year, take a walk around your property and look up at your roof. Check for any signs of damage like missing shingles, cracked tiles, or wear and tear around the edges and near the chimney. After storms, it’s especially important to perform this check.

2. Clean Your Gutters: Keep your gutters clear of leaves, twigs, and other debris. When gutters are blocked, water can back up and damage your roof, walls, and the foundation of your house. A clean gutter system helps to ensure proper drainage away from your roof and home.

3. Trim Trees Near Your Roof: Overhanging branches can scratch your roof and drop leaves that clog your gutters. They can also break and fall during storms, potentially causing severe damage. Trimming these branches regularly will help protect your roof from physical damage and reduce gutter clogging.

4. Look for Leaks Inside Your Home: Sometimes the first sign of a roof problem is a leak inside your home. Check your attic and ceilings for water stains or mold, especially after heavy rains. These signs can indicate that it’s time to call a professional to check for roof damage.

5. Schedule Professional Inspections: While regular homeowner checks are crucial, having your roof inspected by a professional every few years is also essential. Roofing experts can spot issues that you might miss and can help ensure that your roof is in the best possible condition.

Why Routine Roof Maintenance Matters

•Avoids Costly Repairs: Catching and addressing minor issues early can prevent them from becoming major problems that require expensive repairs.

•Extends Roof Life: Regular maintenance extends the lifespan of your roof by ensuring it remains in good condition, potentially saving you money on early replacement.

•Improves Home Safety: A well-maintained roof protects against the elements more effectively and ensures the safety and comfort of your home during adverse weather conditions.

•Increases Energy Efficiency: A healthy roof contributes to better insulation of your home, keeping it cooler in summer and warmer in winter, which can help reduce your energy bills.

Get Help from Fair Contractor Sales Roofing

At Fair Contractor Sales Roofing, we understand the unique challenges faced by homeowners in Palm Beach County. Whether you need help with routine maintenance, emergency repairs, or a full roof replacement, our team of experienced professionals is ready to assist you.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation or to learn more about our comprehensive roofing services. Let us help you keep your home safe and sound with a well-maintained roof.

Find Roofing Services in Areas Mentioned Below:

roofing service

roofing service apix

roofing service atlantis

roofing service bean citya

roofing service belle glade

roofing service boca raton

roofing service boynton beach

roofing service briny breezes

roofing service browns farm

roofing service bryant

roofing service canal point

roofing service cane

roofing service cardwell

roofing service cloud lake

roofing service country club acres

roofing service dahlberg

roofing service deem city

roofing service delray beach

roofing service delray gardens

roofing service delray shores

roofing service delta

roofing service duda

roofing service dyer

roofing service franwood pines

roofing service glen ridge

roofing service golf

roofing service gramercy park

roofing service greenacres city

roofing service gulf stream

roofing service haverhill

roofing service highland beach

roofing service hypoluxo

roofing service juno beach

roofing service jupiter island

roofing service jupiter

roofing service keela

roofing service kingsland

roofing service lake clarke shores

roofing service lake park

roofing service lake worth

roofing service lantana

roofing service loxahatchee

roofing service manalapan

roofing service mangonia park

roofing service north palm beach heights

roofing service north palm beach

roofing service ocean ridge

roofing service okeelanta

roofing service pahokee

roofing service palm beach gardens

roofing service palm beach shores

roofing service palm beach

roofing service palm springs

roofing service pelican lake

roofing service riviera beach

roofing service royal palm beach

roofing service singer island

roofing service south bay

roofing service south palm beach

roofing service south shore

roofing service tequesta

roofing service watson

roofing service wellington

roofing service west jupiter

roofing service west palm beach

roofing service westgate

[nickelconstruction]

Essential Waterproofing Services in Delta: Protect Your Property with Professional Solutions

Water damage is a serious concern for property owners, and effective waterproofing is key to preventing costly repairs and maintaining the integrity of your home or business. In Delta, where varying weather conditions can pose unique challenges, expert waterproofing services are essential for safeguarding your property. At Nickel Construction, we provide comprehensive waterproofing solutions that ensure your property remains dry and secure.

Why Waterproofing is Crucial

Waterproofing is the process of making your property resistant to water ingress, which can lead to various issues, including:

Structural Damage: Water infiltration can weaken foundations, walls, and ceilings, leading to costly structural repairs.

Mold and Mildew: Moisture can create ideal conditions for mold and mildew growth, which can affect indoor air quality and pose health risks.

Property Devaluation: Persistent water issues can decrease the value of your property and make it less appealing to potential buyers.

Effective waterproofing helps prevent these problems by creating barriers that keep water out, protecting both the structure and its occupants.

Comprehensive Waterproofing Services in Delta

Delta’s diverse range of properties, from residential homes to commercial buildings, require tailored waterproofing solutions. Nickel Construction offers a full spectrum of waterproofing services designed to address your specific needs:

Basement Waterproofing: Protect your basement from water infiltration with solutions such as exterior and interior waterproofing membranes, sump pump installations, and drainage systems.

Foundation Waterproofing: Ensure your foundation remains dry and stable with specialized coatings and sealants that prevent water damage.

Roof Waterproofing: Safeguard your roof and upper levels from leaks and water damage with high-quality roofing membranes and sealants.

Crawl Space Waterproofing: Keep your crawl spaces dry and free from moisture with effective vapor barriers and drainage solutions.

Each waterproofing project begins with a thorough inspection to assess the specific challenges and needs of your property. Our team then develops a customized waterproofing plan to address these issues effectively.

Why Choose Nickel Construction?

When it comes to waterproofing in Delta, Nickel Construction is your trusted partner for reliable and professional services. Here’s why our clients choose us:

Expert Knowledge: Our team has extensive experience in waterproofing, providing you with solutions that are both effective and long-lasting.

High-Quality Materials: We use premium materials and advanced techniques to ensure your property is fully protected against water damage.

Tailored Solutions: We customize our waterproofing services to meet the unique needs of your property, ensuring optimal results.

Commitment to Excellence: We are dedicated to delivering top-notch service and achieving the highest standards of workmanship.

For superior waterproofing services in Delta, trust Nickel Construction to provide the protection your property needs. Our expertise and commitment to quality ensure that your home or business remains dry and secure, no matter the weather conditions.

[carpentercube]

Carpenter Cube Singapore | Custom Carpentry Works

Carpenter Cube Singapore is one of the most trusted & reliable carpentry services in Singapore. With a highly skilled team of carpenters, we specialize in providing top-notch carpentry services tailored to your specific needs and can deliver exceptional results in carpentry work including custom furniture (including custom bed frames, custom wardrobes, custom desk top, custom table, custom dining table, custom cabinet, and more), cabinet installation, or wood working. For homeowners looking for good carpenters in Singapore, we have an experienced team that can provide custom carpentry solutions that perfectly complement your space. We also cater to those in need of a custom bathroom vanity, custom DB box shelving, and kitchen carpentry services. In addition to our custom carpentry services, we offer carpentry solutions like carpentry installation and carpentry repair including for those with a custom ceiling access panel or custom wall panel.

At Carpenter Cube Singapore, we also take pride in offering quality carpentry services at reasonable rates to ensure that you get the best value for your money. Choose Carpenter Cube Singapore for superior workmanship, attention to detail, and excellent customer service from start to finish. Contact us today via WhatsApp at +65 8241 0032 to discuss your project and receive a quote.

1090 Lower Delta Road #04-06R, Singapore 169201

[fishrpg]

2024-04-12: River Denizens (Random Tables)

The Mississippi River has a few distinctive types of boats in this era that you may not be aware of: gambling boats and shantyboats.

Gambling Boats

Gambling boats tended to be larger crafts that could accommodate many people and functioned as casinos. Laws in the area allowed gambling and casinos so long as it wasn't on Mississippi soil, but attentive entrepreneurs took advantage of the phrasing to create a culture boat-based casinos. Many casino boats were old paddle steamers. Some traveled up and down the river, spending days or weeks in one place; others were effectively permanently moored to the riverbed and never moved.

Names for Riverboat Casinos (1d20)

Lucky Draw

King David

Mississippi Diamond

Jewel of the River

Moonlight

Mighty Mississippi

The Fish House

Black Bear's Den

Gold and Cotton

Dixie Belle

Delta Star

The Regal

River Chariot

Liberty Jack's

Magnolia Blossom

New Orleans Entertainer

Yellow Dog

El Paradiso

Chicago Pinnacle

Star of the South

Shantyboats

Shantyboats are houseboats, often amateur-made, that people use as permanent homes on the river. Although some people lived in shantyboats for the freedom it offered, most lived in them out of necessity. The Great Depression was the peak era for shantyboats, where thousands of people took to the rivers that fed into the Mississippi in search of better jobs.

Most shantyboats had an outboard motor that could navigate against the currents, but were incapable of doing anything but floating downstream. Like the gambling boats, some shantyboats stayed in a location for a short time, while others were moored in a single place for an extended period of time. Some shantyboats (either whole or in pieces) even became permanent houses on land.

If you need a quick description of a shantyboat, roll a complete set of 7 polyhedral dice and consult the tables below:

Number of Rooms (1d4)

Single room

Two rooms

Three rooms

Four rooms

General Appearance (1d6)

Amateur work that is probably not fit for long term human habitation

Shows obvious signs of patching with mismatched materials

Definitely in need of repair, but most issues are relatively minor

Weather-beaten, but still sturdy

Well-loved and well-maintained

Freshly-built or close to it

Notable Features (1d8)

Porches on both the bow and stern

Windows with shutters that work

A loft area

Quality furniture

High ceilings (for a boat, at least)

Sturdy door

Spacious interior

Relatively abundant storage space

Construction Style (d10)

Assembled from bare scrap lumber with a tin roof

Painted wood siding with asphalt shingles

Whitewashed wood with a rounded asphalt roof

Flat tin roof atop stacked logs

Corrugated tin siding with a matching tin roof

Unpainted lumber walls with a rounded tin roof

The level of quality on the joinery seems like it was mass-produced

Slightly pitched asphalt shingle roof with plywood siding

Plywood walls with a flat asphalt roof

Timber frame whose walls are partially clad in plywood and the remaining walls are covered by corrugated tin.

Where The Inhabitants Were Coming From (d00)

Ohio

Tennessee

Kentucky

Missouri

Illinois

Louisiana

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Iowa

Mississippi, south of the Delta (like Natchez or Vicksburg)

Inhabitant Hook (1d12)

The inhabitants are trying to relocate the boat, but having trouble.

Property owners are trying to stop the boat inhabitants from squatting on their land.

A shantyboat is hiding a cache of liquor that is expected for delivery somewhere else along the river.

One of the inhabitants has fallen gravely ill.

A skiff that belongs to the inhabitants of the house has been lost or stolen.

Newly arrived to the area, the inhabitants are looking for work but are short on money.

Someone is pursuing the inhabitants of the shantyboat, forcing them to move often.

There's a huge creature in the river that would be worth a small fortune at the market, and the inhabitants want to catch it.

The shantyboat is drydocked for repairs on the hull, but needed materials are scarce.

Livestock or a pet owned by the inhabitants has gone missing.

Someone aboard the shantyboat has come into possession of a sudden windfall and is trying to figure out what to do with it.

The shantyboat has been recently burglarized and vandalized by someone.

Family Name of Inhabitants (1d20)

Howell

Johnson

Hayes

Sawyer

Roberts

McGinty

Burns

Porter

Walton

O'Neil

Griffin

Avery

Collins

Kent

Nichols

Long

Teach

Godwin

Mackey

Greenblatt

[inthefallofasparrow]

CORRESPONDENCE 1124 – THIRD QUADRANT 6 > NEVADA CENTRAL DISPATCH ~092338 RE: RE: TRANSFER REQUEST - Officer Yuki de Witt

OFFICER’S NOTES: Quotas remain strong and unhindered despite some unrest regarding recent reports from 4Q6. Officer requesting transfer back to Nevada Central Dispatch for full debrief. CIRCUMSTANTIAL: Capt. RATHDOWNE reports minor maintenance required in East Sector 7 due to water damage, inc. electrical repair. INCIDENT REPORT: Evidence of intrusive fauna, namely several deceased bats found by Unit 6D in and around Delta Tunnel North. No indication of site of ingress, nor cause of death, although many were missing limbs. Warrants further investigation. Please advise. WORKER MORALE: Fair

~RESPONSE: Pending

DIGGING CORPS – LOG 128/- Mouse introduced me to a couple of shaftsmen named ‘Needles’ and ‘Blythe'. You wouldn’t know this, but the corps has its own complex unspoken social hierarchy, and unlike all the other shovelmen, who are ultimately just grunt-workers, ‘shaftsmen’ are highly revered amongst their peers. They have the special expertise that qualifies them to consult on the structural integrity of the mine itself. They’re also the only ones who seem to actually know how a mine fucking works for that matter, which grants them a certain level of authority to pick fights with the foreman and talk back to the captains when the need arises. It also means they serve across sectors, and are even allowed to travel from quadrant to quadrant, which always makes them the main cog for the gossip wheel on their triumphant return. Mouse seems to hero-worship them a bit, which is ... sad, really. When we first met, Needles was busy beating the shit out of Unit 8A’s broken ‘dirt-eater’, which is a large handheld excavator for breaking up stone too solid for pickaxes and too enclosed for dynamite. Both he and Blythe looked quite gaunt and grim after their trip back from Fourth Quadrant 6 and when I asked about setting up an appointment to do their Worker Profile interviews, Blythe just smirked at me. ‘But don’t ya know the shadow’s rising, ma’am? ... What good’s a bleeding précis when you’re dying in the Dark?’

DIGGING CORPS – LOG 133/- Something is wrong. Two bats got trapped in the Mess Hall yesterday. Mad, blind, desperate things, thrashing about. Futilely bashing their fragile leather bodies against the ceiling. Bats shouldn’t usually be this far underground. Asked the guys from 9C where the hell they’re all coming from, but they didn’t seem too surprised or concerned. Then Wiles pointed out, the main reason they’d normally be closer to the surface is so they can hunt. “What they eating? That’s the real question. What the hell they got to eat down here?”, which brought our chat to an ominous close. Needles eventually managed to knock one down, but I don’t know what he did with it after. Just released it again somewhere else, I guess. Another tunnel, maybe? … I don’t know, perhaps he ate it.

DIGGING CORPS – LOG 139/- The power’s out in Sector 6, which means all the lights in Delta South and it’s connecting orphaned tunnel system are gone. No one’s too worried about it. These men are creatures of the dark after all. Basher seems the most concerned. He, Blessed and Twoshort were slouched in the corner of Gamma Junction the other evening, signing rapidly at one another. I’ve picked up a few of the basic gestures: ‘No’, ‘Eat’, ‘Work’, ‘Day Shift’, ‘Night Shift’, ‘Stop’, and a rather passionate miming of a bulbous chin, which I suspect represents ‘Foreman Trask’. It took a while before I realized many of the movements are extrapolated from Passerscrawl, the weird symbols that previous trespassers have drawn all over various walls down here to indicate which tunnels are safe and where to hide. Presumably Basher isn’t afraid of the dark itself, but his inability to communicate with anyone should all the lights go. Sheer isolation. That’ll do it. There was one quite unsettling motion he kept repeating that I couldn’t identify. Grasping doggedly at his chest with one clawed hand, as if digging into his flesh to pull out his heart, then lifting the hand to smear the invisible organ across his eyes, left to right, left to right. A solemn and devastating blinding. I asked Blessed what it meant and he admitted he didn’t really know. Basher only invented it recently and they hadn’t worked it out yet. Best he could guess, it meant ‘Void’.

DIGGING CORPS - LOG 144/- Shit. Nevada Central Dispatch has gone silent. The last communication was a grid-wide emergency notice about some kind of armed incursion at New Reno, but that was a couple of weeks ago.

There is a strange new heaviness in the fetid air down here now. I’ve continued my profiling for units 8 and 9, but every pale, stubbly-bearded face looks hauntingly the same to me. Each shovelman is indistinguishable from the last. Each mumbled answer runs into the next, repeated words and mirrored gestures, moving as one. As if they are no longer individual bodies, but simply ‘The Corps’. I made the mistake of calling Mouse by his real name and he flinched. Like it hurts him to consider a time before the Dark. He’s the only one that seems to trust me beyond the authority afforded by my rank, so naturally, I was the last to hear the rumors that Blythe had been spreading about the conditions in 4Q6. There’s always been a bit of a rivalry between Fourth and Third Quadrant, but this is something more. Dereliction of duty. Screams in the night. Desertion, destruction and death. I’ll convene with the Board of Captains tomorrow.

Asked Wiles what he thinks is happening and he just shrugged and muttered, “All the days are nights.” I think he was trying to be reassuring, but landed instead on cryptically apocalyptic. All I know is, ... it feels like something is groping for us in the dark. I miss you. Yuk.

CORRESPONDENCE 1031 – THIRD QUADRANT 6 > NEVADA CENTRAL DISPATCH ~092338 RE: ASSESSMENT REPORT - Officer Yuki de Witt

OFFICER’S NOTES: 3Q6 is one of the more efficient quadrants within the Mining Division. All of Sectors 5 through 9 have consistently run at full or double quota for the last season. CIRCUMSTANTIAL: Successful liaison with 3Q6 Board of Captains (Cpt. SPIEGEL, absent) regarding the sudden death of Unit 23 Cpt. SILTSMEAR from 4Q6. Decision pending. Further info required. INCIDENT REPORT: n/a WORKER MORALE: Moderate

~RESPONSE: Received (211)

DIGGING CORPS - LOG 081/- Hey. I know you’ll never read this, but I guess I don’t need you to. Was only supposed to stay a few days, write up my assessment for Dispatch and then leave, but then one of the captains in a neighboring quadrant fucking died. Nothing nefarious mind you, just dust pneumonia. Certainly, more paperwork than it was worth. Sounds like a lot of weird shit’s been going on over there, so one of the captains went over to assist with the transitional period, and I agreed to stay here at Third Q6 to cover until he could be replaced. That was over a month ago now, and I miss the fucking sun! Never thought I’d say that. Had a few reservations about being stuck underground this long as the only woman for miles in any direction, but so far, apart from the odd leer in the mess hall, I have remained “unharassed”. The worst of it would be one particularly cantankerous geezer called Ira Trask, Foreman of 9C, who insisted on addressing me by my first name until I referred him to the NCD handbook on worksite professionalism, and he relented. I assumed he just wanted to be friendly so I'd help get him promoted, but now I think it was something deeper, more sad and nostalgic. There’s a lock on my door at least, and being exceptionally tall seems to give them second thoughts. But as you’d imagine, height’s not generally an advantage in tight, enclosed spaces with low ceilings. Most shovelmen develop a stooped physique during their time in the corps. Fucked if I’m gonna stay that long.

Yuk

DIGGING CORPS – LOG 94/- Decided if I have to be stuck down here in Satan’s ass crack, twiddling my thumbs, I might as well spend the time processing some individual Worker Profiles. The shovelmen generally alternate between reticent, awkward, sullen or befuddled by the concept of being personally assessed, but if me doing their interview gets them a few minutes to slack off their shifts, they’re happy enough for the distraction. Foreman Trask is displeased by the interruption, but he is welcome to sit on it.

Names seem to be taboo here. I know all the workers’ names of course, because it’s on their file, but that really freaks them out and there’s no point in using them. Share anything of your backstory with your fellow shovelmen, anything that they can tie back to you, and that’s a power they now hold over you. It's like some kind of deep occult shit, but for fucking miners. Everyone gets a new name here, bestowed upon you by your peers. And you only get that so you can tell whose shovel you’re holding.

Met a greenie from Unit 9A named Theodore today. The others call him ‘Mouse’ which he seems to prefer. Whether it’s for his demeanor, his silky brown hair, or, I don’t know, maybe he just likes cheese, he won’t answer to anything else despite having only been here two months. I asked him and a few others what they knew about the late Captain from 4Q6. Common sentiment seems to be that he was mad as a balloon.

Yuk

DIGGING CORPS - LOG 113/- Had a dream about the swing mom never built us. The big tire swing that wasn’t in the apple orchard. I know you don’t remember it, because, well, it never existed, but I feel like I’ve mentioned it before. Anyway, in the dream, I was swinging in the orchard at night time. And the sky was so pitch black, because there weren’t any stars at all. Just a void. Like, the dream was set after the sun had just died, and there was nothing left. Or maybe it wasn’t night. Maybe the orchard was inside a cave. It doesn’t matter. So, the swing was just a regular car tire, but then as I swung higher, I looked down and it was suddenly bigger. Stretching out to the size of a tractor tire. Or something off a monster truck. Then, I swung higher, and the tire grew again, too big for any actual vehicle, and now I could easily fit inside the trough of the tire itself and lie in it like a big hammock. But I couldn’t do that, because the trough was full of apples. Hundreds of these squishy brown apples in various states of decay. And the apples were growing too. Larger and larger, bustling and toppling over each other until they were the size of bowling balls, and then beach balls, and I was sort of half-drowning, half-swimming in these apples. And then I realized. They weren’t growing. I was shrinking. So, I climbed inside of an apple where the pip should be, because I knew deep down that was the logical place to go to die, and then I woke up. I’m pretty sure I know what it means, even if you don’t.

Yuk

DIGGING CORPS – LOG 115/- Random insights gleaned from Unit 9 Review a.k.a. ‘Operation: Peanut Gallery’:

Shovelman ‘Wiles’ - Appears to be the closest thing Sector 9 has to a medic. At least, he says he knows how to saw a man’s leg off without killing him, which is good enough here apparently. I didn’t ask for specifics. There is a constant film of dust covering his glasses, which he seems unaware of.

Shovelman ‘Twoshort’- Tried to convince me it’s common practice for the men to eat handfuls of dirt as a snack, given it’s more nutritious than whatever they were being served in the mess hall. I offered to immediately lodge a formal complaint with Captain Spiegel and the Food Prep team on his behalf, and he backpedaled comically fast, and then tripped on his way out because his foot was asleep.

Shovelman ‘Basher’ – Built like a shuttle truck and functionally deaf after an incident with a stick of dynamite last year. Uses a form of abridged sign language that he and a few others in his unit invented specifically for him. Extremely introverted at first until Wiles came to interpret for me, then he wouldn't shut up.

Shovelman ‘Blessed’ - Recently discovered an injured bat, which he has taken it upon himself to nurse back to health against NCD regulation 58N. He also appears to be deathly allergic to said bat, as his face and hands had swollen incredibly within minutes of handling the thing. A persistent sneezing has overtaken him, but apparently that’s normal and unrelated to the bat. Also allergic to dirt?

Regardless, get me the fuck out of here. Yuk

[ladypanikkar]

When In Need (You said you’ll be right here)

You never saw being stuck in a supply closet during a fire at your job on a Wednesday. 

What’s worse is that you forgot your inhaler for your asthma in your purse. The smoke wasn’t like the wood smoke you were used to growing up, but nasty, sickly, slime-in-your-throat kind of smoke. 

What’s even worse, in a situation such as this, the doors will automatically lock unless they are emergency doors. 

So essentially, you are fucked. 

You thanked your lucky stars that you remembered some of the fire safety tips from the training you had, finding some paper towels and wetting them down to prevent some smoke from entering into the room.

You texted some of your co-workers tell them that “Hey, I’m still fucking alive”

You managed to get a text out, but your calls kept dropping. 

You truly felt sick to your stomach, leaning on the wall for support. Your head was pounding, like two little chipmunks were banging drums. Your lungs and throat were closing in on you. You quite frankly were incapable of breathing. You curled up on the cold tile of the floor, hoping and praying that this was all just a bad dream and you’ll wake up safe at home.

---

“Fire started on the 1st floor, starting on the delta side in the breakroom. Ravi, Buck, you help finish up evacuation, Hen start triage.”  Bobby barked out orders.

Ravi followed Buck into the inferno, calming some of the heat down and finding a handful of people who got stuck along the way.  They manage to reach up to the second floor, where Buck’s radio chirped. “Buck, come in!” Bobby called over the radio. “We have reports that a female is still in the building; Severe asthmatic, last seen on the charlie side of the second floor heading for a storage closet .”

“ETA to that side is 2 minutes tops” Buck reported back.

“You have ten before I pull you two out.” 

Ravi looked up at the ceiling, weak as is. The building groaned in pain. Ten minutes would be a blessing before the building collapsed. 

Ravi followed Buck to the closet, where he was unable to open the door.

“Ravi, you got that crowbar?” 

Ravi handed Buck the steel, and he immetity wedged it into the door hinges, prying the door out, leaving a crack between the debris large enough for Ravi to slip into. 

“I can climb through the cracks and see if she is in there.” 

Ravi turns on the flashlight on his chest and dips into the shadows.

The room was fully destroyed, with shelves and cabinets knocked over and dented beyond repair. Ravi scans the room until he sees a pair of black heels, leading to a full body. He lifted the shelf with ease, finding her out cold. Using two fingers, he found a weak pulse, and bend down to asset her breath. Her breath was tachy, rapid and shallow. 

And to be entirely fair, she was extremely beautiful. 

“You found her?!” Buck yelled in.

“Yeah,” Ravi came back with. He slipped off his own oxygen mask onto her, getting fresh, untainted oxygen in her, keeping the weight of the tank on his back. He picked her up bridal style, keeping her close to his chest. “We’re coming out!” 

He maneuvered through the debris with her in his arms. The flames rose higher and hotter, as Buck and he took the stairs down to the first floor with the women in Ravi’s arms. “Cap! Have Hen on stand-by!” Buck radioed through. 

They made it out unscaffed for the most part, getting out in time and far enough before the building totally collapsed. 

Ravi placed the woman on a gurney, relaying the information to Hen.

“She got a pulse, and is tachy. Definite concussion.”

“Her pupils are blown,” Hen said as she pulled back her eyelids and shined a penlight in them.

Ravi thought they looked like a storm, even when out cold, her eyes commanded respect.  Ravi should not fall in love like this. 

“We’re taking her to UCLA. You’re coming with us.”

“I need to stay here, there is still fire.” Ravi argued. 

“Don’t think I saw you come out without oxygen on. We only have room here for 1 Buck. You need to get an assessment before anything else. There are 3 other units here, so get in the damn bus.” Hen ordered.  

Ravi just did as he was told.  As Eddie drove off and Hen watched her vitals, Ravi held her hand. She almost held back, her fingers moving rubbing his, and her eyes fluttering as she smiled back at him. Ravi’s heart swelled.

---

You woke up fully due to a persisting beeping noise.  You knew hospitals better than most, having your immunologists' office on speedial. Your memories flooded back to you. Oh, right, you almost died in a fire. The cannula against your face tickled, and your head was pounding. 

You took in your surroundings, seeing a nurse writing on your chart. “Welcome back, Miss Y/L/N. Anything I can do for you.” His voice was soft, gentle. Sicking sweet. 

You remember vaguely the angel that rescued you from the fire. Dark hair, a smile in his eyes at the face of danger, warm ochre skin. You remember his heartbeat more than anything. Even through the heavy coat, you could hear. It woke you up honestly, and you remember his face. It was like an angel holding you in his arms. 

Your throat still was scratchy, a little tight. You managed to get out “Do you know who saved me?” 

The nurse nodded, and set out of the room. 

You saw the nurse talking to two men, a taller older gentleman and a younger man. The former patted the latter on the back, and followed your nurse back into the room. 

“I’ll leave you alone for a minute.” Your nurse popped back into the hallway. 

You finally got a good look at him. Tall, slender, long fingers. Smile lines and bright teeth and silky, fluffy hair. 

“I’m- I’m glad to see that you are okay.” He stumbles out his words. He wrings his hands, legs shakes.

“You okay?” You chuckle. 

“Yeah, just the adrenaline rush wearing off.” 

“You can sit down, you know right?” You look at the hard plastic chairs next to you. He moves over and takes a seat.

“I’m Ravi, by the way.” He took out his hand, wiped the sweat off of his hands.

“Y/N, it is very nice to meet you, Ravi.” You shake hands with him, watching his face light up at your touch. 

“I owe you one.” You said, readjusting yourself in the bed. 

“No you don’t, I was just doing my job.” He looks at you with those deep space eyes. You could get lost in that universe.

“I saw you as an angel, so yes, I do. You need a proper thank you.” You say. “Saying it out loud is enough.” Ravi argues. 

“Would a cup of coffee be a good enough thank you?” You asked.

His eyebrows reached his hairline. “Are you asking me out Ms. Y/N?” 

You smile, meaningfully. “Yes I am.”

He blushes, and smiles back at you. “Well, I would love to get coffee with you Y/N.”

You talk for hours, learning about each other. You laugh and smile and giggle for as long as you can. One way or another, your hands and his manage to get tangled together, and you both got some well deserved sleep, his head against your legs on your hospital bed, his pinky never letting go. 

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: Boarding enemy ships

( Don’t forget to come see my on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord )

“Repair teams to deck gamma, reports of coolant leak.” The intercom blared as Vistesh sprinted down the corridors. A sudden shudder through the ship sent him and his repair team sprawling into the wall and knocked several off their feet while the warning klaxons sounded off. “The Avalon cannon is offline until it is repaired!”

“Hull breaches on decks beta and sigma!” A new voice cut in over the captain.

As Vistesh stood once more to his feet he could note the subtle note of fear in the announcer. He turned to see his team still sprawled out along the corridor like discarded dolls.

“Get up now!” Vistesh shouted as he grabbed the nearest team member, Yarvin if he remembered right, and hauled him to their feet. “We were meant to be on deck gamma five minutes ago!”

“But the hull breach-“ Yarvin began before Vistesh cut him off and grabbed his repair kit. “One job at a time Yarvin; we will worry about the breaches later.” Before Yarvin could reply Vistesh was already off running again to deck gamma.

It was hard to believe that a mere thirty minutes ago he had been calmly sitting in the mess hall when the enemy fleet had seemingly dropped out of sub space right in front of them. He still wasn’t sure who they were fighting but the shatter impacts he felt after the battle calls rang out across the ship told them that whoever they were they had enough firepower to put up a decent fight against a Goliath cruiser.

Rounding the final corner Vistesh near went head first into the subzero coolant pooling around the floor. He looked up to see the coolant pipe had ruptured above the corridors ceiling and had spilled out, catching two crew members in it and freezing them into horrifying statues. The coolant was fed into the main energy guns after discharge and meant to instantly dissipate the thermal energy.

As the rest of the repair crew arrived Vistesh had donned his energy gauntlets. He planned to activate them to project an energy barrier that would stop the flow of coolant and allow the team to reseal the pipes. He was just about to activate the gauntlets when the intercom cried out again.

“All hands, all hands, brace for impact!”

No sooner had the words left the intercom did the entire ship jolt sideways violently. Vistesh was quick enough to grab hold of the corridor wall for support but several others from his team were not as lucky and went flying into the coolant pools. He looked away as their gut wrenching screams of pain were cut short by their body’s flash freeze.

It was in that moment he saw Yarvin being tumbling over into the coolant and Vistesh lashed out with his free hand. Grabbing hold of his work uniform he hauled backwards with all his strength and pulled Yarvin away from the freezing liquid just in time.

The shaking subsided and the two straightened themselves. Yarvin was about to say something when he stopped and looked down the passageway they had entered from.

“Do you hear that?”

Vistesh lifted his pointed ears and listened carefully. At first there was nothing but the sounds of warning klaxons ringing out from farther down. Yet as he listened closer he could hear something different; the sound of scraping metal on metal.

“It sounds like a cobax drill.” Yarvin remarked as he took several steps back to listen more clearly.

“Must be the other repair teams,” Vistesh said as he finally activated the energy gauntlets and stopped the flow of coolant, “they must be repairing one of the breaches nearby.”

Yarvin turned to him with an uncertain look upon his face. “Would you use a drill to fix a hole?”

Before either could further ponder the drilling sounds continued to grow louder and closer, until finally the noise was right on top of them. Vistesh put his hand against the wall to feel the vibrations just as the corridor exploded outward and his world went black.  

For what felt like an eternity Vistesh was lost in a void; fully aware of his surroundings and yet at the same time incapable of making heads or tails of anything. He slowly blinked his eyes open and saw a world of swirling colors and shapes. As the corridor stopped spinning he noticed that there was no longer a corridor at all.

The way they had come in was now blocked off by a large boring like device that filled the width of the passageway.  Coated in the blackest metal, the strange machine hissed as several smaller openings appeared around the perimeter of the machine. From these openings shot thick foam like substances that coated the walls around the machine and Vistesh watched as the foam rapidly expanded to form a thick seal. Once the foam ceased being shot out a portal opened at the front of the machine and a pillar of light emerged from it.

Vistesh covered his eyes and saw several similarly black clad figures come sprinting out of the machine.

He barely had time to see the glint of their helmets before the figures brought up their weapons and fired.

“Decks gamma through sigma are reporting hull breaches from the last volley.” The communications officer called out to his captain as she continued to monitor the tactical display.

“Deploy energy barriers to seal the breaches at once!”  

It was the voice of the second in command who spoke up, striding across the bridge from one terminal to another; all the while Captain Obra sat in her command throne and watched the unfolding battle outside her view screen.

The human ship had pulled alongside them and unleashed a seemingly devastating broadside before peeling off to evade Obra’s circling escorts. Yet as the damage reports filtered in from the decks painted only minor hull breaches that could easily be sealed off with internal barrier systems. She was just about to order her ship to come about and chase down the human vessel when the communication officer was shouting again to her.

“We’ve just lost communication with repair teams one and three.”

“Where were they located?”

“They were responding to hull breaches on gamma deck.”

“Have teams four and six report to-“ Obra was cut before she could relay her orders as more reports began filtering in

“Repair teams four and six on are not responding to hails; last known location deck delta.”

“Deck delta?” Obra queried. “I’ve not heard any damage reports for that deck.” She turned to her internal security officer. “Bring up the video feeds for deck delta.”

The security officer nodded and quickly typed in several keys before a mini monitor appeared along the main screen. Several of the bridge crew who glanced at the screen audibly gasped while even the captain herself stood up.

The feed was coming from a security camera of delta deck showing entire hallways littered with the broken bodies of repair crewmen. Gaping holes in their chests, limbs blown clean off, and walls stained with a thick series of purple blood stains.

“What could have caused that?”

She heard her second in command utter the words and yet in the back of her mind Obra had a dark suspicion growing. Having served in her planets militia forces for her early military career, she was all too familiar with close range weapons damage.

“Show me Charlie and Beta decks now.” She ordered her security officer who quickly responded with more key inputs. The camera feeds cycle through various corridors, rooms, and junctions on the decks until Obra found what she had dreaded.

The camera feed showed a repair team working on power junctions on deck Charlie. One of the crew turned their head to look at something off screen before recoiling in horror. Shortly afterwards their head exploded in a shower of blood and gore and off screen several bright flashes could be seen as the remaining repair crew tried to flee but were gunned down.

Moments later several black armored figures came sprinting down the corridor. None of them broke their stride as they casually turned their weapons on the injured repair crew and opened fired. One of the figures paused and looked upwards at the camera. They were covered in some form of armor from head to toe with a series of optical sensors covering their face giving them an almost insect like appearance. Before Obra could get any more details the armored figured raised their weapon and shot out the camera.

“Energize all barriers and seal off Beta and Charlie decks now!” Obra shouted as the camera feed went silent. “I want all dispatched repair teams to decks gamma through sigma to halt and seal off their areas as well!”

She pulled out the communicator from her command throne and switched it to ship wide broadcast. “All hands, all hands! Remain where you are and seal bulk heads to your sections. Enemy forces have boarded our ship. I repeat; enemy forces have boarded our ship.”

Nearly slamming the communicator back down Obra entered several keys herself and brought up the video feeds from the decks surrounding the breach points. Many were offline but the ones that still we retransmitting painted a grim picture.

The human boarding teams had breached several decks and were spreading out quickly; killing anyone they came across without hesitation.

As the feed continued to cycle Obra spied a group of boarders making their way to engineering.

“Seal of section Q-37 now!”

At her command the security officer activated the energy barriers and sealed the corridor; trapping the human borders inside.

“Yes, we got them!” the officer cheered.

“That is only one group,” Obra’s second counter, “who knows how many more are onboard.”

While the two were talking the captain leaned forward and inspected the humans. The lead one brought up their weapon and shot at the barrier. It was a primitive weapon that fired metallic cylinders while harmless to the energy barriers entrapping them could easily cut through the exposed crew.

When the weapon fire did not free them the seeming leader of the group motion forward another and pointed to either side of the corridor where the energy barrier met the wall. The new human rushed forward and placed two strange rectangular objects on each side and then all of them took several steps backwards when the screen lit up and the feed went dead.

“Energy barriers have been disabled at Q-37!” the security officer confirmed. “Enemy is nearly at engineering.”

“Ma’am!” Obra turned to see her second seemingly petrified. “We have reports of fire fights breaking out along the gunnery decks and at the entrance to life support!”

“Damnit!” Obra’s rage could barely be contained. “They’re targeting key systems of my ship!”

“By that logic wouldn’t their next target be-“

Her second was cut off by the sounds of weapons fire from outside the bridge.

[trashboatprince]

The anniversary for the Bioshock au was just this weekend (actually on the official anniversary for the game Bioshock, what a coincidence!), and my friends and I decided to do something for it today!

While they have chosen to redraw some of their original art for the au, I had planned to rewrite something I had written ages ago, but then an idea came to me!

So, you guys get a new fic!

Warning: mentioned experiments, mentioned body horror, sad thoughts

As always, Henry belongs to @inkspottie, Ross belongs to @thedobermutt, and Delta is my Henry! 

On with the fic!

--

Henry, Ross, and Delta made their way around the old lounge bar that they had broken into, with Henry looking for supplies, Ross scouting the area for any splicers or searchers hidden about, and Delta was securing the door, making sure no one got in.

Once the coast was clear and the door secured, they could finally relax, which Delta was so thankful for. They had gotten into another big fight and he needed to check to see if his suit was still in good order. He had only just changed into this one earlier in the the day since his other one was damaged beyond repair, he had to make sure this one was still good to go.

Trudging over with tired feet, he sat himself down on the floor by the large floor-to-ceiling windows, the glow of the city in the ocean illuminating the room for them. “Bendy, a little help?” He asked the Li’l Devil, who had been helping Henry look about. 

Bendy perked up and ran over, knowing exactly what to do. He started to help with unhooking the large tanks on Delta’s back as the Big Daddy worked on the suit. He needed to get out of it to make sure his examination was thorough.

Ross looked up from where he was sitting on a sofa, raising an eyebrow at the other man. “Delta, what are you doing?”

“Checkin’ my suit.” He replied, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. He hissed, shuddering when Bendy got the tanks disconnected from not only his suit but from the ports in his back. Never a pleasant feeling, uhg.

“Are you... getting out of it?” Henry frowned, walking over, his arms carrying the items he had picked up before depositing them on a table nearby. 

“Kinda have to.” Delta replied as he worked to get himself out of the suit. “Not for too long, not like when I was panickin’ earlier when I was, ya know, sorta dyin’.”

It had been an emergency, he needed a new suit, new tanks, he was sadly stuck with these things to live, due to what had happened to his body.

He stepped out of his suit, luckily wearing pants and a shirt under it, he wasn’t one for being indecent even in his own gear, but he knew the other two could see his arms, his neck.

They saw it earlier, when they helped him get into his new suit, all the scars and damage done by the Big Daddy project. He didn’t think much of it at the time, but Delta felt a little self-conscious now.

Oh, they had seen what INK did to the splicers, the damaged skin and minds, but Delta’s had all been controlled. He had been tested on, his face left normal for reasons he had never been told, but the rest of him was a mess.

And with his healing abilities due to the splicing projects, his wounds healed quickly, but still scarred, over and over again.

“Is...” Henry started, but shut his mouth.

“You’re fine to ask.” Delta replied, sitting down, letting Bendy hook the tanks back into his back, he held back a yelp at the sensation. He picked up one of the sleeves of his suit, looking it over, avoiding eye contact.

Henry coughed, before speaking again. “Is it... painful? The scars?”

“Stopped bein’ that way years ago, kid.” Delta replied, frowning at the cut he found, asking for the sewing kit he knew Bendy had stored in his hammerspace. 

“Is it from battles?” Ross asked. “Or from what Joey had done to you?”

“Both, mostly the latter.” The tallest of the trio sighed as he got to work on repairing the cut. “Nasty effects, splicin’, INK. I used to be a scrawny thing, ya know? About as skinny as you, Henry. But that wasn’t for long, had to be built like a damn tank for this work!”

He kept his eyes on his task. “I was normal for maybe a week? Just health exams, Norman told me, nothin’ serious, had to make sure everythin’ was in workin’ order. Then they started injectin’ INK. It was fine at first, felt healthy, even stronger and faster, then... it got worse.”

He still remembered when the effects finally kicked in, the horrible pain and heat of his body changing, too fast, too slow, broken bones and damaged skin. Delta looked at his hands, they were trembling, but he pushed on. “It sucked, I don’t know how long it was gonna keep goin’ for, I thought that it would destroy me before anythin’ could really happen. And then...”

He looked at Bendy, who was happily looking out the windows, watching the fish go by. “And then they had me meet Bendy and it was worth it, cause I had a purpose cause of all that.”

“It still wasn’t right.” Ross spoke, a deep look of concern was painted on his face. “You shouldn’t have been forced into this, you didn’t even have a choice.”

“None of us did.” Delta sighed. “Henry didn’t, I didn’t, and you sure as hell didn’t either, Ross. Drew did whatever he wanted to us because everyone here’s his plaything.”

He finished the repair and moved to look for more.

“It’s still not right.” Henry frowned, reaching for a candy bar on the table. “But when we get you up to the surface, you won’t have to worry about this stuff anymore.”

Delta looked up, then looked towards the windows. His eyes drifted to the tanks behind him, and he shook his head. “Guys, I know you want me to come with you when we’re done here, but... I’m not made for the surface anymore, I can’t even go an hour with my tanks off, I need the INK and PAINT. I need my suit.”

Ross shook his head, standing up. He walked over to Delta, looking down at the man still seated on the floor. “Delta, you have to have some faith in us, in Norman. We promised you that we’d get you to the surface, no matter what. Why do you doubt us?”

The Big Daddy blinked, then looked ashamed, rubbing at his bare arms. “I’m... not made for the surface, for a normal life. I dunno what Norman can do to help me survive up there, but what became of me... that’s impossible to change, I can’t go up there with these scars, I’ll look like a monster or somethin’.”

The older man sighed softly. “Look, I know it seems bad, but you’ll have us to help you, to be there for you. Yeah, some people will stare, but that’s on them, not you.”

“We’ll be there with you every step of the way.” Henry smiled a little. “And Norman said he’ll do whatever he can to help you survive without your tanks! You’ll be as normal as you can be! And besides, I’m not all that normal myself, we’re clones, and we’ve got...” He flicked his wrist, bolts of lightening came from his palm, before vanishing. 

“Yeah, after all of this, we’re in a similar boat with you, even if it isn’t exactly cosmetic.” Ross chuckled.

Delta looked at the two men he called his friends, a small smile coming to him. “You guys are so weird, but... alright, I mean, I dunno about this, but I would like to finally leave this place, there’s a sun I wanna see.”

“That’s the spirit, Delta.” The smallest of the trio smiled a bit more. “Now, no more of this, let’s just take the break we really need. I am not built for running around like this.”

“I hear that.” Ross sighed, sitting back down.

The Big Daddy looked at them once more, still smiling as he went back to work on checking for damage to his suit, listening to the others talk to each other. He’ll hold them to this, he wasn’t sure how confident he was that he’d get to leave Rapture, but it didn’t hurt to have a little hope. 

[goldandlights]

Okay but seriously -how cute would it be for Geralt to start a retirement fund for him and Jas?

Each time they’re at the coast he checks the property prices -which thankfully remain low, at least for tiny cottages in questionable condition. Geralt has never received any formal training in woodworking or stonemasonry but he’s sure after decades of patching up Kaer Morhen he’d manage to restore one little hut.

From every contract, Geralt sets aside however much he can spare -and luckily he can stash the gold at Kaer Morhen instead of having to get a bank account. Surely his money would have gotten ‘lost’ sooner or later and no jury ever sided with a Witcher on financial matters (or any matter).

It takes years and years and years but finally... he has enough.

Jaskier would absolutely break down crying when Geralt shows him the little chamber filled ceiling-high with different kinds of gold coins. The currency had changed since Geralt started saving but he reassures Jaskier that, with current metal prices, they could buy a house and still have plenty left over for repairs etc.

And he tells Jaskier that they can settle down whenever he likes. Next year, if he wants, since he’s been complaining about his knees so much and Jas ist like

“I’ve been complaining about my knees for the past 10 years -Geralt, what do you think is the average lifespan of a human?!”

At which Geralt draws a bit of a blank.

“150?”

Whoops. “No.”

And that is the day Geralt (and the other Witchers) re-learn that it is not normal for humans to stop visibly aging at 30 and no ordinary 93 year old would still be scrambling up and down the Blue Mountain ranges every damn year.

Jaskier is still crying but he’s also laughing and has so many questions. Like how could he have spent 73 years of his life in the presence of Witchers and not one of them had ever picked up on his siren heritage?

They do retire to the coast though. And the gold Geralt had hoarded gains in value every year until they can also buy the land around them and then more and more of it, saving the nub of land between the Buina river delta and Tretogor from encroaching civilization.

At first they still make the trip to Kaer Morhen for winter. But then Eskel suggests they change it up and winter on Jas and Geralt’s land instead and it’s... really nice. Better perhaps because there are no ghosts of the past haunting the little cottage-turned-farmstead, no nightmares waiting to be triggered by a walk down the wrong corridor.

They switch back and forth for a while. Then winter at the farmstead more often than not. Kaer Morhen is becoming more and more dangerous with noone there to patch its crumbling walls.

One spring morning in the 11th year, Eskel goes out to the stables with his pack to follow his younger brother and mentor back on the Path. He returns for lunch with a couple goats in tow and a book about cheese making.

When they’re ready, there is space for Lambert and Vesemir, too.

[raibrary]

hello there. I was wondering if there any fics with extremely well fleshed out characters and plot?

murmuration by fringecity - taegimin, 160k, murder mystery, superpowers, dark and gritty, angst, violence, urban fantasy, character death but also not. 

Park Jimin is a rookie detective at the flashiest department in Seoul Metropolitan. When he’s tasked to work with Min Yoongi - an apathetic, disgraced cop handling the ineffective cold case division - he doesn’t expect the murder case they’re working on to turn intensely personal. 

For both of them. 

Up We Go by oh_hey_tae - taegimin, 100k, modern magic, slow burn, families of choice, grief/mourning, depression. 

“If you’re a witch that works with plants, then why are all of yours dead? That can’t be good for business.”

The room dims again, and Jimin lifts a hand to flip off the ceiling. Taehyung knows he’s sad and that’s why the shop darkens and he shouldn’t find it funny––but he can’t help it. Because this is ridiculous. The good kind of ridiculous. The amazing kind.  

if you love me won’t you say something by 777335 - yoonkook, 100k, university, slow burn, friends to lovers, just some sweet boys in love. 

yoongi and jeongguk fall in love and then some.

when night comes by oh_hey_tae - ot7, 100k, magic, supernatural elements, mythical beings, slow burn, falling in love. (i’ve re-read this entire fic everytime a new chapter is added. the ending should be coming soon, it’s just a patreon exclusive for the time being) 

Jungkook’s tipsy, but he’s not buzzed enough to miss that he doesn’t recognize any of the four dozen people here. And seeing as his friends aren’t ones to ditch and there’s no way they’d play a prank this mean on him, Jungkook reaches the conclusion that he just walked into a stranger’s very expensive home, uninvited, and started eating their food and petting their well-dressed dog. 

(Or: Jungkook shows up to the wrong Halloween party and meets the most powerful family in Seoul.)

leave the ruins where they fall by sharpa - namgiseok/taekook/jinmin, 200k, dystopian, abilities, politics. (this fic is on the darker side so please if you decide to read it, take the warnings seriously. it’s really, really good especially for those who like long novels with fantasy aspects and political intrigue.) 

Remember, all the government posters say, it was the Marked that destroyed the world. 

The Old World was lost to famine and calamity and a new, harsher one has risen in its place. A city divided into sectors, ruled by a king and his chaebol court, where the Marked struggle to eke out a living in poverty and oppression, and one mistake can get you sanctioned forever - lost to hard labor in the factories and greenhouses or to life as a companion trapped in the gilded apartments of the inner sector elite. 

But a revolution is stirring in the shadows and everything is about to change. 

(Or: Hoseok runs an underground radio program; Namjoon and Seokjin dream of building a better world from their golden cage; Taehyung and Jimin desperately search for lost family; and Yoongi and Jungkook are just trying to survive.)

Internecine by jawsbar - sope, 100k+, soulmates, red string of fate, canon divergence, hate to love, slow burn, university, idols but not traditionally? 

Everyone gets a soulmate. You don’t get a choice in the matter. Fate decides who you love, whether you like it or not, and to her credit, she usually gets it right. 

This time, Fate fucks up. Like, majorly. 

(Or: Failed idol Jung Hoseok is bonded to the very person who destroyed his dream.) 

delta by sharpa - namgiseok, 60k, namjoon is the only idol, mutual pining, falling in love, namjoon falling in love with who he is as a person, mentions of depression, melancholy, repairing relationships. (this fic broke my heart in all of the best ways) 

He was the last person Namjoon expected to hear from - thought he was dreaming when he saw the email in his work inbox. It was short and simple, typical Hoseok. Just: We saw what happened. We’re so sorry. If you need get away for awhile, you’re always welcome to come stay with us - JH. He wonders now if Hoseok was surprised when he said yes. If Hoseok only extended the invitation because he didn’t think Namjoon would actually come.

(Or: Namjoon chose a solo career and left Yoongi and Hoseok behind. Seven years later, after being outed by a Korean tabloid, he ends up on their couch in Queens, trying to face an uncertain future. And confront feelings that have persisted for nearly a decade.)

[faircontractorsales]

Stay Dry and Safe: Easy Roof Care Tips for Palm Beach County Homes

Living in Palm Beach County means enjoying lots of sunny days, but it also brings its share of rainy weather and storms. That’s why taking care of your roof is so important. At Fair Contractor Sales Roofing, we want to help you keep your roof in great shape without too much hassle. Here are some simple, effective tips to maintain your roof and keep your home dry and safe.

Straightforward Roof Maintenance Steps

Taking care of your roof doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s what you can do to ensure it stays in good condition:

1. Check Your Roof Often: Regularly look at your roof for any signs of damage like loose shingles or metal pieces that seem out of place. This is especially important after big storms. If you notice anything wrong, it’s time to call in the pros.

2. Keep Gutters Clear: Make sure your gutters aren’t blocked with leaves, branches, or any other debris. Clean gutters help rainwater flow off your roof properly without causing any damage.

3. Cut Back Trees: If you have trees around your house, keep the branches trimmed. This stops them from rubbing against your roof and helps keep leaves off your roof and out of your gutters.

4. Watch for Leaks Inside: Sometimes the first sign of a roof problem is a leak inside your house. Keep an eye out for water stains on your ceilings or walls, especially after it rains. This can indicate a leaky roof.

5. Get Professional Inspections: Once a year, have a roofing expert come and inspect your roof. They can find problems that might not be obvious to you. This helps catch small issues before they turn into big, expensive ones.

Why Keeping Up With Roof Maintenance Is Worth It

•Avoids Bigger Problems: Small roofing issues can turn into big, costly problems if they’re not fixed early. Regular maintenance helps catch these issues early.

•Saves Money: By fixing small problems early, you save money in the long run because you avoid bigger repairs or even a full roof replacement.

•Keeps Your Home Safe: A damaged roof can lead to leaks and water damage inside your home. By keeping your roof in good shape, you keep your home and everything in it safe.

Let Fair Contractor Sales Roofing Help You

If you’re worried about your roof or just want to make sure it’s in good shape, call Fair Contractor Sales Roofing. We’re here to help with all your roofing needs in Palm Beach County, from inspections and maintenance to repairs. Don’t wait for a small issue to become a big headache. Contact us today to schedule a check-up and keep your home protected, come rain or shine.

Find Roofing Services in Areas Mentioned Below:

roofing service

roofing service apix

roofing service atlantis

roofing service bean citya

roofing service belle glade

roofing service boca raton

roofing service boynton beach

roofing service briny breezes

roofing service browns farm

roofing service bryant

roofing service canal point

roofing service cane

roofing service cardwell

roofing service cloud lake

roofing service country club acres

roofing service dahlberg

roofing service deem city

roofing service delray beach

roofing service delray gardens

roofing service delray shores

roofing service delta

roofing service duda

roofing service dyer

roofing service franwood pines

roofing service glen ridge

roofing service golf

roofing service gramercy park

roofing service greenacres city

roofing service gulf stream

roofing service haverhill

roofing service highland beach

roofing service hypoluxo

roofing service juno beach

roofing service jupiter island

roofing service jupiter

roofing service keela

roofing service kingsland

roofing service lake clarke shores

roofing service lake park

roofing service lake worth

roofing service lantana

roofing service loxahatchee

roofing service manalapan

roofing service mangonia park

roofing service north palm beach heights

roofing service north palm beach

roofing service ocean ridge

roofing service okeelanta

roofing service pahokee

roofing service palm beach gardens

roofing service palm beach shores

roofing service palm beach

roofing service palm springs

roofing service pelican lake

roofing service riviera beach

roofing service royal palm beach

roofing service singer island

roofing service south bay

roofing service south palm beach

roofing service south shore

roofing service tequesta

roofing service watson

roofing service wellington

roofing service west jupiter

roofing service west palm beach

roofing service westgate

[nickelconstruction]

Comprehensive Waterproofing Solutions in Delta, Ladner, and Langley by Nickel Masonry & Construction

Water damage is a significant concern for homeowners in Delta, Ladner, and Langley, where the climate can contribute to moisture-related issues. Effective waterproofing is essential to protect your home’s structural integrity and prevent costly repairs. At Nickel Masonry & Construction, we offer expert waterproofing services tailored to the unique needs of each area, ensuring your home remains dry and secure.

Protecting Homes in Delta

Delta’s coastal location and high water table make it particularly susceptible to water infiltration. Homeowners in Delta must prioritize waterproofing to prevent moisture from compromising their homes' foundations and interiors.

Our services in Delta include:

Foundation Waterproofing: We apply advanced waterproof sealants and membranes to protect your foundation from water penetration.

Basement Waterproofing: Our interior and exterior waterproofing solutions, including sump pumps and drainage systems, keep your basement dry and free from mold.

Roof and Gutter Maintenance: Proper roof and gutter maintenance prevent water from pooling and leaking into your home, safeguarding your roof structure and interior ceilings.

Safeguarding Properties in Ladner

Ladner’s low-lying terrain and proximity to the Fraser River heighten the risk of flooding and water damage. Ensuring your home is properly waterproofed is crucial to avoid potential water-related issues.

Our waterproofing services in Ladner encompass:

Crawl Space Encapsulation: We seal off crawl spaces with vapor barriers and install dehumidifiers to prevent moisture buildup and protect your home’s structure.

Exterior Wall Sealing: Using high-quality waterproofing materials, we seal exterior walls to prevent water ingress and protect your insulation and interior walls.

Foundation Repair and Sealing: Our team repairs foundation cracks and applies waterproof sealants to enhance the stability and longevity of your home’s foundation.

Enhancing Durability in Langley

Langley’s mix of urban and rural environments presents unique waterproofing challenges. Homeowners in Langley need tailored solutions to address moisture issues and protect their properties.

Our Langley waterproofing services include:

Basement Waterproofing: We offer comprehensive basement waterproofing solutions, including the installation of interior drainage systems and exterior waterproof membranes, to keep your basement dry and mold-free.

Roof and Gutter Services: Regular roof inspections, repairs, and gutter maintenance prevent water damage and extend the life of your roof.

Foundation Waterproofing: Our expert team applies waterproof coatings and sealants to your foundation, preventing water penetration and ensuring long-term durability.

Why Choose Nickel Masonry & Construction?

Choosing Nickel Masonry & Construction for your waterproofing needs in Delta, Ladner, and Langley ensures you receive top-quality service and results:

Secure Your Home with Professional Waterproofing

Don’t let water damage threaten the safety and comfort of your home. With Nickel Masonry & Construction’s expert waterproofing services, you can protect your property against moisture infiltration and enjoy peace of mind. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how we can help keep your home in Delta, Ladner, or Langley dry and secure, no matter the weather.

[motherfingtitan]

Ignorance is Bliss

"When a routine holodeck security inspection goes wrong, new chief of security Jodie Sherret finds out what happened to her predecessor in the worst way possible.

"Are you coming to management training?" Billups’s voice broke her concentration as

Jodie Sherret looked up from her PADD.

"You mean senior crew karaoke?" She replied to Andy.

He shrugged, and they both continued down the hallway. Sherrets first weeks as the Cerritos new chief of security had been an emotional jumble of excitement, fear, joy, and sadness.

Quite a bit of sadness

As a Betazoid human hybrid, Jodie didn't have the telepathic abilities that full Betazoids had, but she was an empath. For the first week, every crew member she talked to radiated with sadness. Even during her first senior crew meeting, she was pounded with a mangled mess of depression that left her exhausted. She knew something tragic happened to her predecessor, but she felt it was inappropriate to ask so soon, especially when the ship had only left dry dock four weeks ago.

She knew a few things. Her predecessor was a Bajoran that went by Shax. He called his security crew the "Bear Pack," and after reviewing tactical programming, he loved to eject warp cores.

"Ransoms going to sing that song he heard while vacationing in Spain. I'm sure every glass in the bar is going to shatter," Billups continued, waving his hands around to emphasize just how bad Jack sang.

"I'll have to catch up with you later. I have to do an inspection on the holodeck. Some ensign, Bumford, I think" she twirled her right hand in the air. "Used all the crew's private logs to create a perfect holodeck simulation. I have to make sure there's no sensitive information in it before I delete it." 

"Oh, Boimler! I remember him. He and his friends really saved us that day…." He trailed off.

And there it was again, that uncertain sadness that filled the space around them. She so badly wanted to understand what happened.

"It should only take me an hour, then I'll meet you guys" she tried to break the silence.

"Sounds good! The party will just be getting started. I'll save you a seat next to me" they reached a fork in the corridors, and Andy went left. 

He waved as he turned another corner, out of sight. Jodie walked over to the closest turbo lift.

"Deck 8"

The turbo lift began moving, and the ambient sounds filled the air. She loved being alone, as it gave her time to take a break from many negative emotions. The lift slowed to a standstill, and the door slid open. Out she walked down the hallway, passing through ensigns work assignments. Arriving at the door to the holodeck, she rechecked her assignment.

"Computer, access holodeck program Boimler 7."

'This program requires authorization.'

"Authorization Sherret Beta-Four-Delta-Delta"

'Authorization granted, please specify which subprogram.'

"The hell?" She mouthed as the computer began listing out dates on the display. She scrolled up and down the different programs. The last date on the list caught her eye, stardate 57894.8, precisely a day before the Cerritos went into dry dock. 

Maybe it was curiosity or just a random place to start, but Sherret chose that subprogram.

'You may enter when ready."

The door slid open to reveal the bridge. Freeman sat in the captain's chair with her legs crossed. Ransom was just walking in, flashing a smile to Freeman and handing her his PADD. Sherret stepped into the program as the doors slid shut behind her.

"These are the officers that are in the running for the Sacramento promotion," Ransom started.

Freeman waved him off. "I'll check it after we sort out this distress call from the Solvang. I can't believe Dayton's had that ship for a week, and she's already had an Ensign accidentally sit on the distress beacon button."

The Solvang? Jodie heard that that ship had been destroyed in an attack and lost all crew. Despite it being a holodeck program, her gut sank as she knew the inevitable was coming. They wouldn't get there in time.

Jodie began to walk over to the conn behind the captain's chair. The equipment and displays were slightly different, likely upgraded after the ship went into the dry dock. Behind the conn, two officers stood. The first she recognized as Billups, but the larger one next to him she had never seen. A glance at the two gold pips in his collar, and she realized that he was Shax. He was quite a bit taller than her and a great deal more intimidating. She started to look at the touchscreen on the wall, making herself look busy.

A lieutenant spoke, "Captain; we’re just about at the coordinates of the distress call."

"Drop to impulse."

After dropping to impulse, the view screens show a sight of rubble against a red, menacing backdrop.

"Shields up, red alert!" Ransom called out as debris hit the ship, causing all the officers on the bridge to stumble.

Shaxs spoke, "Collision alert. Impacts on decks Three, fifteen, and twenty!"

She stared in terrifying awe at her predecessor. His intense demeanor was a contrast to her more nuanced approach. It was surreal knowing that all of this had happened just a few weeks before Sherret first boarded the ship. 

Looking over at the viewscreen, a large piece of debris that looked as if it had just gone through an explosion came into view. The words USS Solvang were plaster across it. 

"My God! Is that the Solvang?" Freeman spoke.

"Not reading any life signs. The whole crew, they've been wiped out." 

Suddenly, a mechanical arm grabbed the remaining piece of the destroyed ship. It pulled the rubble back and attached it to a much larger ship. Looking around, every officer on the bridge had looks of shock and fear in their eyes.

"They're harvesting the wreckage!"

The large ship began to shoot at the Cerritos, causing the decks to tremble. 

"Evasive maneuvers!"

The next minute was a blur as the Cerritos tried and failed to escape the enemy or even send out a distress signal. 

Shaxs was carefully monitoring damage reports, which at this point, we're coming in from all over the ship. Something alarmed him.

"Captain, they latched on to the port nacelle with some sort of mining arm!"

"Warp! Get us out of here!" Her commander's survival instincts kicked in.

"No! Shut down engines!"

"But we'll be sitting ducks!" Ransom tried to reason with the captain.

"Dayton would have thought the same thing, and look what happened to them. Shut it down!"

Both operations officers behind the conn tapped in the codes to shut down power. Just as the lights were growing dim, the ship jerked violently, Sending Sherret, along with the rest of the crew, flying across the bridge. The lieutenant managed to grab the chair’s arm to the left of the captains when she slammed into the ground. Sparks flew, and fires broke out, creating a disorienting haze. Hearing a scraping noise, Sherret looked up to see a metal ceiling plate about to rip away from the wires and fall.

"Captain, watch out!" Holo Freeman followed Jodie's eyes to the metal plate as it fell. The scream was sickening as the metal landed on the captain, cutting into her side. 

"Computer, pause program!" 

Everything paused. Sherret reoriented herself and sat in a more comfortable position. 

"Do I really want to see this?" She spoke to herself. Everything in her screamed to stop the program and inspect something else. Just a boring old day that would put her to sleep. One look at Shaxs, who was bracing himself on the conn, made her change her mind. 

"Computer, resume program."

One last jolt sent her flying back into the side of the chair before the ship eerily stood still. Two ensigns ran over to the captain as Billups turned auxiliary power back on. Jodie was just helping herself up when a menacing figure showed up on the viewscreen. 

"We thought the Enterprise was strong. We are strong!"

Freeman’s voice wavered as she spoke, "This isn't the Enterprise; this is the Cerritos."

The figure took off its helmet "We thought you were the Enterprise."

Pakleds? The technology pillagers that took Geordi LaForge hostage in 2364? Sherret thought that they were a joke. Something to laugh about. The captain tried to reason with the Pakled, to no avail.

"We will cut your ship apart!" The transmission cut out as the Cerritos was pulled towards the other ship. 

One of the Ensign, Boimler, who created this program, stated that the Pakleds had technology from over 30 different species.

They weren't a joke anymore.

The ship was brought into a repair bay of some sorts as a jolt was felt throughout the ship. 

"They're phasering the hull!" Shaxs shouted.

Sherret ran to the conn that Billups was sitting at and looked at the force field integrity.

"Emergency force fields are holding, but I have no idea how long they're going to last on auxiliary power!" She spoke. 

'None of this is happening right now,' she thought to calm herself down.. 'It happened before, but right now, Ransom is singing terribly, Freeman is uninjured, and the ship is safe.'

Mariner then stepped up and suggested a plan. A crazy dangerous plan, but a plan that worked considering that the Cerritos is still in one piece. Installing a program to disable the enemy ship was brilliant, and Sherret made a mental note to talk to Mariner about transferring to security.

Bright swirls of light appeared all over the bridge. "Intruders beaming in! Very slowly beaming in!"

'Safety protocols are offline. Extreme risk of injury or death.'

Jodie's blood drained from her face. "Computer, end program!"

'Unable to comply.'

"Computer, pause program!"

'Unable to comply.'

Boimler spoke, "Trust me, I really wish this was a program too!"

'No, no, no no no' she tapped on her combadge, desperately trying to get in contact with anybody, but nothing was getting through.

"We gotta go!" Mariner rushed everyone into the turbo lift.

"Deck 7," Shaxs practically roared.

The armory was located on that deck but all the way on the other side of the ship. How were they going to make it in time with Intruders beaming in all over the ship? The captain was already growing weak as she leaned on Shaxs for support.

'Come on! Somebody come in!' The tapping on her combadge grew more frantic as the turbo lift slowed to a stop. The doors slid open, and Mariner led the way down the corridor. Wires stuck out everywhere, sparks coming from them.

'Freeman, Ransom, Billups. Anyone come in!' 

"We have to get to the armory!" Shaxs spoke just before all of them were cut off by Pakleds beaming in from all four directions. They were trapped.

"Looks like we'll have to repel them the old-fashioned way. Setting my fists to stun in my kick to kill." Mariner rolled her eyes back as she pulled off several different sheets of metal plating from the walls and ceiling. Numerous pieces of contraband, mainly consisting of weapons, fell from the compartments. 

"Hey, we got all this" she kicked some weapons towards the group. The rest of the officers quickly started to arm themselves. "All the way in the back too!"

Sherret spotted a Glavin rolling towards her. She picked it up and placed it on her right hand, trying to get used to the weight.

"How much contraband have you hidden on my ship?" Holo Freeman asked.

"I don't know, a lot!" Was her only reply before the Pakleds started to materialize.

Sherret got in her fighting stance, fists and weapons up. The Intruders materialized and started running towards the group. In a split second, she dashed towards the Pakleds, swinging her weapon and hoping someone got her com call.

...

If there's one thing Commander Ransom thought he was good at but wasn't, it was singing.

Yo te amo y ahora perdóname

Solo recuérdame

Te amo, te amo, te amo

Te amo, te amo

The man was absolutely tone-deaf. The vast majority of crew members in 10 forward were internally cringing but trying to put on a pleasant facade because Jack was the first officer. All the way in the back corner, swirling his glass around but not taking a sip, was Commander Billups.

He glanced to his right, where Sherret would have been If she were here.

"What is taking her so long?" He spoke to himself, tapping his glass and watching the ripples that it made in his drink. 

She was supposed to only take an hour, but it had already been nearly two. Staring at the seat for a moment longer, his combadge came to life. 

"Help! Someone help!"

He nearly jumped before tapping his badge. "Commander Billups here. Report!"

The voice that came back was filled with fear and breathing heavily. "Oh, thank God! It's Lieutenant Sherret. The holodeck program I was running is corrupted. Safety protocols are offline, I can't get out of the program, and Holo Pakleds are attacking me. I need he-" a scream cut off the call. 

Billups jumped from his booth and ran out of the bar, bumping into a few officers along the way. He sprinted to the nearest touch screen panel.

"Computer, what program is running in holodeck two?!"

'The program running is Boimler 7. Safety protocols are currently offline.'

"Turn safety protocols back on!"

'Unable to comply.'

"Initiate Chief Engineer override. Billups Alpha-Delta-Four-Four-Seven. Shut down holodeck two."

'Unable to comply.'

"What the heck is wrong with this thing?" He was nearly pulling his hair out looking. "Billups to Rutherford" he commed

"Rutherford here"

"Meet me outside of holodeck two. We have a serious problem with a corrupt program."

"On my way."

He ran back into the lounge, trying to act as normal as possible. He spotted T'ana, a deadpan expression plastered on her face with the occasional side glare to Nurse Westlake, who just shrugged in return. Coming up from behind, T'ana suddenly felt herself being pulled away mid-drink.

"Dammit! What the hell?" She snarled.

"Sorry, need to borrow her for a second," Billups said to nurse Westlake, who just raised an eyebrow in return.

"Ok, what the hell was that!" The doctor snapped when they finally stepped out of the lounge.

"Sherret is stuck in a dangerous holodeck program. She commed me midway through the program, and the last thing I heard was a scream. She might be injured."

T'ana stood looking at him for a moment, observing the worry in his eyes. "Alright. I'm sure it's nothing major, but I'll get a team on standby.

...

The scene was insane. The sound of weapons hitting surfaces and the grunts from the Pakleds and the crew muddled together for disturbing background noise. Sherret was currently swinging her weapon at two Pakleds, landing several decent hits. 

There were just so damn many of them!

Shoveling her glavin into one of the pakleds stomachs, she was able to kick it in the knee, causing him to collapse. Behind her, Shaxs was throwing bodies at one another and, at one point, literally head-butted one of the enemies. While looking over at Shaxs, a Pakled came up from behind and swiped her. The force throwing her across the hallway, and blood seeped out of her newly formed wound. 

"Little fucker" she mumbled, gripping her wound. 

Another was charging after her. Sliding out of the way at the last second, the Pakled slammed itself into the wall, where she was able to shove the weapon directly into its lower back. 

"Mom!" Sherret glanced up, seeing Mariner across the hallway running to the collapsed captain. 

There was so much blood, with the sticky liquid pooling on the floor. Mariner tried to pull her up before the entire ship shook, and a bright phaser beam tore through the hallway. Shaxs ran over to the captain and picked up her weak frame. Both him and Boimler ran towards sickbay. 

"Ransom! Get our backs!" Mariner yelled out before following her mother.

"Way ahead of you," he side kicked another Pakleds, causing it to fall and mumble, "my leg!"

"Hey! Any particular reason you two aren't using weapons?" Sherret swung at the Pakled, being pinned against the wall by Billups.

"I only need my hands as wepo-" Jack was cut off by a punch to the face. Falling to the ground, he managed to use both of his legs to kick the Pakled off. "Double leg kick!"

More yellow energy beams appeared in the hallways. 

"Guys, we have more beaming in!" Billups yelled 

"How many of these guys are there?" Sherret stood in a fighting stance.

"I don't know, but whatever happens, do not let them get past sickbay!" Ransom threw his signature kicks and punches.

Though they were able to get a majority of the Pakleds off their backs, a few pinned the three right against sickbay doors. Just as she had crushed another holo Intruder's kneecap, the sick bay doors slid open, revealing Shaxs with Rutherford over his shoulder. They began to run down the hallway.

'This is my chance,' Sherret thought. She could finally learn what happened to her predecessor.

 She took off running, desperate to keep up with them. She had only ran about 10 ft before getting cut off by a large yellow phaser beam. It was so bright that the lieutenant had to cover her eyes temporarily. Without seeing it, someone snuck up on her.  Something forcefully tugged at her hair, throwing her off balance and onto the ground. Her eyes shot open, but it was too late.

 From there, she was picked up and shoved into the wall. Suddenly, the Pakled put immense pressure on her neck. Looking down, a metal bar pressed against her throat, most likely a handle from an old weapon. The Pakled lifted her from the ground, her only support being the metal bar choking her and her hands trying to tear it away. The pressure was insane, and every breath felt like it was only getting a drop of oxygen.  She flailed their arms back and forth, desperately clawing at the metal, trying to get the bar off of her before she blacked out from lack of oxygen.

...

"Well, what did he say?" Mariner ran down the hallway, trailing behind Rutherford.

"He just said it was a serious problem with a corrupt holodeck program," Rutherford replied, making a sharp right turn. He saw Billups frantically waving at him from the other side of the hallway.

"I hope whoever is in there is going to be okay," Tendi added.

"I'm sure everything is going to work out," Mariner replied as the three ensigns skidded to a stop at the end of the hallway.

Rutherford rushed over to the holodeck control panel, where his boss was already trying to type in different commands to end the program. "What program is running, sir, and who's in there?"

"Boimler 7, Lieutenant Sherret was doing a routine inspection of it before safety protocols failed."

Rutherford knew that program, as ever since he got his new implant, bits of memories were coming back. He started working on the code in the system. But something was wrong, and it looks like it had been messed with in ways that Boimler wouldn't do.

"Sir, I think someone went in and edited the program, and that's why the safeties failed. The entire coding of it is off" he glanced over at Mariner. 

It wasn't too far of a fetch, as Mariner had gone into that program and edited it to make her movie. But why would safeties go off? It's not like any of them got injured there.

Except for the side of Rutherford's head and her lips.

Oh shit.

Billups and T'ana eyes followed Rutherford to Mariners. "what in the hell did you do?" T'ana asked

"I reprogrammed Boimlers holodeck program so that I could do some much-needed therapy in a movie. I don't know what disabled safety protocols."

"Is that why both you and Rutherford showed up to my office bleeding that day?"

"Yeah"

Billups pinched the bridge of his nose. "You messed with a holodeck program, came out bleeding, and you didn't tell anyone!"

"I get thirsty after holodeck therapy sessions! And then I forgot…."

"Well, you're forgetfulness could get another security officer killed!" He shouted. 

T'ana stepped in between them "Both of you need to calm the fuck down before I deem you medically unfit to continue duty," Billups opened his mouth just to be cut off by T'ana, "and don't give me any 'I'm the CHENG' bullshit. Let’s just figure something out"

Mariner used this as an opportunity to dust off her contraband. Pulling a panel on the wall, many bits and pieces from different places fell out, including a crowbar. "Sometimes you got to do with the old-fashioned way" she swung the heavy metal crowbar around.

"And just where the hell did you get a crowbar?" T'ana irritated voice cut through the tension.

Beckett shoved one end of the crowbar into the space where the closed doors met and began to push against the metal bar. "Stole it on shore leave a couple of weeks back. Are any of you gonna help me pry this door open before knock-off Troi gets impaled?"

Tendi ran over and began to pull on the other side of the crowbar. Grinding filled the air as the door slid open a fraction of an inch.

"Someone check what's going on. I can't hold it for long" Tendi and Mariner put their entire weight into the bar. 

Billups was able to see through the tiny slit. Scanning the scene, he finally spotted Jodie in a battered and slightly bloody state. A holo Pakled held her against the wall with a metal pipe. Gasping for air, she desperately clawed at the bar, arms and legs swinging. Then with a grinding noise, the door slammed shut, throwing D'vana and Beckett to the floor. 

T'ana irritated expression softened when she saw all the blood drain from Andy's face. 

"That bad?" 

He took a deep breath. "Yeah, it's recreating the Pakled fight. Rutherford, go down to engineering and see if you can cut the power off there. I'll stay up here and keep trying."

Rutherford ran off, and Billups took his spot, quickly resuming the work that his ensign had already started.

...

Jodie's vision began to darken around the edges as the pressure on her neck increased with every second. Her holo enemy had nothing but malice in his eyes. Just as she began to feel limp, the pressure released.

"Side kick! Double punch!" The holographic version of her first officer had disarmed the enemy and knocked them out. Sherret dropped to her hands and knees, gasping sweet oxygen in as fast as she could.

"Lieutenant!" He helped her up. 

"I'll live," she croaked out, hoping that statement was true. "How many more?"

"I think we got most of them," Holo Billups leaned against the wall, catching his breath.

The turbo lift doors on the far end of the corridor opened, revealing a few straggler Pakleds, likely coming from the bridge.

"Are you okay to fight?" Ransom asked

Sherret nodded, barely having a voice to speak anymore. She picked up the metal pole that was held against her neck moments ago off the ground and held it at an angle against her body. 

"Billups, catch!" Ransom threw a battle-ax at him as the Pakleds closed in. 

In much of a Ransom style, he simply put his fists in a fighting position. "You guys ready to get the last of these assholes out of here?"

"Ready when you are!" Billups replied, and Sherret nodded as they all took their first swings.

Sherret slowly realized that neck injury might have been worse than she initially thought, and she noticed her fighting was way weaker than average. Every swing of the pipe brought uncomfortable pressure to the front of her neck, and even though she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore the pain, it still made her fighting speed much slower. Billups and Ransom, however, were fighting at full strength, making up for her slowness. 

"How much more do we have!" her voice sounded terrible.

“Just these idiots,” ransom yelled with two enemies surrounding him.

 "We will tear you apart, just like we tore this ship apart," the Pakled yelled.

"I don't think so" Moving slightly between them; he was able to kick one of them in the crotch, causing the intruder to collapse and let go of his weapon. Ransom grabbed the weapon just as the first intruder was falling to the ground and managed to hit the second one on the head. Both fell into the same pile. 

Ransom hitched his leg up slightly and let his footrest on one of the bodies. "That'll teach you all not to mess with Commander Jack Ransom!"

"Jack, you may want to look at this," Billups called out. Towards the outside light coming from the end of the hallway. Sherret followed, and Ransom trailed behind.

"The shuttle" Ransom ran over to the window at the end of the corridor.

There, the shuttle floated aimlessly around the ship. Peaceful even.

Boom 

The explosion of the pakleds ship shook the already weak Cerritos to its core. The light engulfed the entire hallway and sent all three officers stumbling to the ground. 

It was breathtaking in a terrifying way, and as Sherret looked at that giant explosion, she knew what happened. Shaxs never made it back to the shuttle. He died in the blast.

She just watched her predecessor die.

"I sure hope both of them got out," Billups spoke up as the noise finally quieted down.

"They both did. Shaxs isn't going to be taken down that easily" Ransom slowly stood up. He was still trying to find his balance.

"Commander Ransom," his combadge sparked to life, "We just pulled the shuttlecraft back into the ship. She's in pretty bad shape, sir. You better take a look."

"Acknowledged, I'll be right there" he turned to Billups. "The lieutenant and I will go down to the shuttle bay. You get to engineering and make sure we aren't leaking radiation."

The run to the shuttle bay was excruciating, not just because of her neck injury but because she knew what would happen. Shaxs wouldn't be in the shuttlecraft. She'd be forced to see everyone's reaction and to see why she was even assigned to the Cerritos in the first place.

Shuttle bay didn't look much better than the rest of the ship, with much of the equipment on the walls busted and ripped out. There, being pulled into the ship was the Sequoia in all its glory. As soon as the shuttle stopped moving, Ransom ran to the side and pulled the door open. Each movement filled Sherret with more dread.

Stepping into the shuttle, both officers saw Rutherford collapsed on the ground with his implant ripped out. 

Ransom yelled, "Get him to sickbay!" Medical personnel came in and picked Rutherford up.

Ransom paced around, trying to see if Shaxs was there. Ransom knew he wasn't, as he would have seen him when he first entered the shuttle, but the denial was getting to him. The realization hit him like a truck. He pulled back his fists and slammed them into the console out of anger while screaming.

Tears began to fill Sherret's eyes. Not like this! She didn't want to see the crew like this. She didn't want to know what happened like this! She leaned against the shuttle wall, dizzy and still in shock.

'Safety protocols restored.'

The scene changed, and instead of leaning against a shuttle wall, she leaned against the back wall of the holodeck. It was over, but it didn't feel over.

...

"Rutherford, I need options now!" Billups was starting to panic now, as every program he had tried had failed to shut the holodeck down.

"Sir, the fastest thing I could do is shut down power to that section of the ship and then turn it back on. That should be enough to shut the holodeck program down," he said through the comm.

"How long would power be shut down to this section?"

"Approximately 1 minute" 

"Then do it. Use override if you have to."

The hallway went dark, the only lights being emergency lighting. Time stood still for what seemed like ages as Billups kept his eyes glued to the control panel.

"Restarting power, sir, I'll be right up there" Rutherford ended the call from engineering. 

The power slowly came on, illuminating the hallway. The control panel came back online and cleared any existing programs running on the holodeck, including Boimler 7.

"Finally!"

The doors finally slid open just as Rutherford ran down the hallway. The bright light made Sherret turn around to face the door. Her eyes widened in shock as tears rolled down her face. T'ana, Tendi, and Billups ran in, leaving Mariner and Rutherford standing just outside the door. 

The lieutenant began to sway from weakness and dropped to her knees. The other officers surrounded her. 

"T'ana, is she ok?" Billups voice filled with worry

"Does she fucking look ok? Don't ask stupid questions!"

Sherret held her neck, thinking that somehow, just maybe, the contact would help the pain go away. Billups looked at her oddly when she kept holding her neck.

"Her neck!" Billups realized "she was choked"

"Pull her hair up. I want to check it."

Billups gently gathered her undone hair and held it at the top of her head, careful to avoid pulling on the cut on her hairline. T'ana made quick work unbuttoning the torn jacket as Jodie's bruised neck came into view. A blotchy mess of bruises and bloody abrasions replaced what was ordinarily pale skin. It was a sight that made both senior officers' eyes widen.

"Holy shit. We need to get her to sickbay! Tendi, load a hypospray." T'ana commed nurse Westlake to get a stretcher to the holodeck ASAP.

It was so painful for Jodie. With the adrenaline wearing off, each gasp felt like needles running down her neck. 

"Is, is that how it happened?" Sherret spoke between gasps. Her voice hoarse from being strangled. "Is that what happened to the ship? To sha-"

"Don't talk. I don't want you to permanently damage your neck" T'ana worked with Tendi loading a hypospray. 

Andy let go of her hair and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Come on, Jodie, stay with us. Stay with me."

Tears still ran down her face, hitting the holodeck floor.

T'ana walked over with a hypo. "I can't have her jerking her neck around," she pressed a hypo against Sherrets neck. "Sorry, kid"

The world faded into darkness as sherret slumped forward right into Billups’s arms.

...

 "She's waking up."  

"Get me a hypospray. She’s going to want painkillers."

Jodies face scrunched at the cold hypo being administered.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Welcome back!" Tendis smile was the first thing Jodie saw.

"What the?" Her eyes started between the four people standing over her. "This isn't my quarters?"

“Nope, You’re in sickbay,” Westlake spoke.

"You were on the holodeck being attacked by Pakleds. Rutherford and Billups managed to get you out, though." Tendi continued.

“So that's what happened." Jodie attempted to sit up before being pushed back down by T'ana. "Take it easy. You got the crap beaten out of you in there. I don't know why you can disable the safety protocols on the holodeck. Damn death traps."

 "That's not the worst thing I saw in there." 

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. 

"Tendi, finish that paperwork from the blood samples earlier. Westlake, cover for me while I finish this"

The two nurses exited one of the few private medical rooms in sickbay. Tendi wished the officer a fast recovery before closing the door. Beeping came from the medical tricorder as the doctor scanned her patient.

"You're looking better. When you first came here, you had strangulation injuries along with some lacerations and a couple of bruised ribs. Your vocal cords were damaged, though, and the only thing that will heal that is time. And yes, you're going to sound like a dying Tribble for the next couple of weeks."

She crooked "How long was I asleep for"

"12 hours. I tried to get your friend to go back to his quarters, but he wouldn't budge."

"Oh," she mouthed, looking over at the exhausted yet relieved state of the chief engineer. 

"I still want you to stay here for another day. After that, you're on light duty for the next two weeks."

Jodie took a deep breath. "Is that what happened?"

Unnerving silence

"Is that what happened to your former-" she was cut off by T'ana

"I heard you the first time. And yes, that is what happened." She pursed her lips. Trying to think of what to say next. "I wish you could have found out differently." 

She pressed a button on the biobed, allowing it to incline to a 45° angle. "Ok, kid, I gotta check up on some other stuff. I'll give you another hypospray soon." She turned to Billups, "and you have fifteen minutes. You look like hell, and your jacket looks like it's been through a murder scene." She left the room.

"Is that my blood?" Jodie looked at the smear of red extending from Billups’s shoulder to his chest.

"Uh, yeah. You had a cut on your forehead when you passed out and fell into me. It's ok, though. I have tons of jackets. Engineering gets messy."

"Does the entire ship know?" She avoided eye contact.

"No one but us. Captain just knows you were in a holodeck accident."

"Thank goodness" 

'Deep breath Jodie, '  she thought before continuing, "I knew something bad happened. I could feel it every time I talked to anybody on the ship for the first two weeks. But seeing it. Seeing it happen just makes everything worse."

At this point, Andy had pulled a chair over to her bed. 

"And you guys went through it; you were there when Shaxs died. I just went through a holographic version of it."

"Everyone on the ship is still upset about what happened. I know I am. Shaxs was like a big brother to me, and I miss him. You shouldn't feel bad, though. No one views you as just a replacement. You're doing an amazing job as a bridge officer." He ran a hand through his untamed hair before reaching out and grabbing hers, "and for what it's worth, I'm glad you're here."

Sherret chuckled weakly. "Thanks. For everything, you really saved my ass back there."

"Don't mention it. I was also wondering, and I was going to ask this before the whole holodeck thing" he fiddled with the blanket in the bed with his free hand, "after you're all healed up, and your voice heals a little bit, did you wanna do dinner in my quarters?"

Her eyes widened. "Commander?"

"If no one's around, you can just call me Andy."

"Oh," she mouthed, "I would say the same thing, but I think you already called me Jodie in the holodeck."

"Yeah, I guess I did."

“I had a feeling you were going to ask. Ya know, the whole empath thing.”

He chuckled in return, and they sat in silence for a few moments, feeling the warmth in each other's hands. They knew Billups would have to leave soon, as T'ana was notoriously strict about timing and visiting hours. Silently, Jodies raised her arms. Confusion spread across Andy's face before realizing she wanted a hug.

Gently, as not to disturb her neck, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled in for a hug. Unknown to both of them, T'ana had walked in the room to kick Billups out. However, seeing this made her change her mind just a little bit. A slight smirk spread across her face.

She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. "I'll give him another 5 minutes."

...

This was originally thought up in early spring, long before we even got the first teaser for season two. Needless to say, its only season one canon compliant. 

Special thanks to @antzonian for all the help, especially dialogue