#German Engine Specialists

[autobahnengineering]

Mercedes C-Class Engines for Sale, Cheapest Prices | Autobahn Engineering

[ayeforscotland]

What is Dataflow? Part 2: Diagrams

This is the second part of a couple of posts about Dataflow, particularly why it's important for the world going forward and relating to the Crowd Strike IT disaster.

Read the first part here.

Before I get into this one today, I wanted to address a couple of things.

Firstly, Dataflow is something that nearly every single person can understand. You do NOT:

Need to have a degree in Computing Science

Need to work in IT

Need to be a data analyst / Spreadsheet master

If any of you see the word 'Data' and feel your eyes glazing over, try and snap out of it because, if you're anything like me, Dataflow is much more approachable as a concept.

Secondly, what do I mean by IT?

Traditionally in most of our media the all-encompassing 'IT department' handles everything to do with technology. But every business works differently and there are many job titles with lots of crossover.

For example, you can be an infrastructure engineer where your focus is on building and maintaining the IT infrastructure that connects your organisation internally and externally. This is a completely different role from an Application Portfolio Manager who is tasked with looking after the Applications used in business processes.

Both are technical people and come under the banner of 'IT' - but their roles are focused in different areas. So just bear that in mind!

Now that's out of the way, let's begin! This one will be a little bit deeper, and questions welcome!

An Intro to Diagrams

You probably do not need a history of why pictures are important to the human race but to cover our bases, ever since we put traced our hands on a cave wall we have been using pictures to communicate.

Jump forward in time and you have engineers like Leonardo Da Vinci drafting engineering schematics.

You get the idea, humans have been creating diagrams (Pictures) for thousands of years. Centuries of refinement and we have much more modern variations.

And there's one main reason why diagrams are important: They are a Common Language.

In this context, a Common Language helps bridge a language gap between disciplines as well as a linguistic gap. A Spanish electrician and a German electrician should be able to refer to the same diagram and understand each other, even if they don't know each other's language.

The reason they can do this is because they're are international standards which govern how electrical diagrams are created.

A Common Language for Digital?

Here's an image I've shown to clients from governments and institutions to global organisations.

Everything around us, from the products we use to the bridges we drive over and the buildings we live, work, enjoy and shop in had diagrams backing them.

You would not build a skyscraper without a structural engineering diagram, you would not build an extension on your house if an architect couldn't produce a blueprint.

Why is there not an equivalent for the Digital World and for Dataflow?

Where is the Digital Common Language?

This is the bit where the lightbulb goes on in a lot of people's heads. Because, as I mentioned in Part 1, the flow of data is the flow of information and knowledge. And the common mistake is that people think of dataflow, and only ever think about the technology.

Dataflow is the flow of information between People, Business Processes *and* Technology Assets.

It is not reserved to Technology specialists. When you look at the flow of data, you need to understand the People (Stakeholders) at the top, the processes that they perform (and the processes which use the data) and the technology assets that support that data.

The reason why this is important is because it puts the entire organisation in context.

It is something that modern businesses fail to do. They might have flow charts and network diagrams, and these are 'alright' in specific contexts, but they fall to pieces when they lack the context of the full organisation.

For example, here is a Network Diagram. It is probably of *some* value to technical personnel who work in infrastructure. Worth bearing in mind, some organisations don't even have something like this.

To be absolutely clear, this diagram will hold some value for some people within the organisation. I'm not saying it's completely useless. But for almost everyone else, it is entirely out of context, especially for any non-technical people.

So it doesn't help non-technical people understand why all of these assets are important, and it doesn't help infrastructure teams articulate the importance of any of these assets.

What happens if one of those switches or routers fails? What's the impact on the organisation? Who is affected? The diagram above does not answer those questions.

On the other side of the business we have process diagrams (aka workflow diagrams) which look like this.

Again we run into the same problem - This is maybe useful for some people working up at the process layer, but even then it doesn't provide context for the stakeholders involved (Are there multiple people/departments involved throughout) and it doesn't provide any context for technical personnel who are responsible for maintaining the technology that supports this process.

In short, nobody has the big picture because there is not a common language between Business & IT.

Conclusion

So what do we do? Well we need to have a Common Language between Business & IT. While we need people with cross-functional knowledge, we also need a common language (or common framework) for both sides of the organisation to actually understand each other.

Otherwise you get massively siloed departments completely winging their disaster recovery strategies when things like Crowd Strike goes down.

Senior Management will be asked questions about what needs to be prioritised and they won't have answers because they aren't thinking in terms of Dataflow.

It's not just 'We need to turn on everything again' - It's a question of priorities.

Thing is, there's a relatively simple way to do it, in a way that looking at any engineering diagram feels simple but actually has had decades/centuries of thought behind it. It almost feels like complete common sense.

I'll save it for Part 3 if you're interested in me continuing and I'll make a diagram of my blog.

The important thing is mapping out all the connections and dependencies, and there's not some magic button you press that does it all.

But rigorous engineering work is exactly that, you can't fudge it with a half-arsed attempt. You need to be proactive, instead of reacting whenever disaster strikes.

[wealmostaneckbeard]

Signalis and Dungeon Meshi: Unorganized Comparison

Both are about crawling through dungeons, fighting monsters, and picking things up to get into inaccessible places.

There's a pair of siblings and a lesbian couple, both are cruelly separated by powerful forces. The living half (Marcille Donato, Elster, Isa Itou, Laios Touden) is willing to do anything to bring back their loved one (Falin Touden, Erika Itou, Ariane Yeong) from the depths of the dungeon. The searchers are motivated not just by love but guilt too, a stubborn refusal to fail their beloved one last time by abandoning then.

Both stories are about the evils of anthropocentric ideologies. It is the inescapable first lense that we all see the world through. It is a subjective, selfish, and almost nihilistic view point. It is the belief that the universe cannot match the significance of humanities existence. For anyone who has loved another human, this is an easy ideology to embrace.

It's also the foundation for hierarchical authoritarianism which dictates that you are either a productive member of humanity or a nonhuman agent of a hostile universe. Those who try to view the universe as itself and not as a means of, or obstacle to, the gratification of human desire are put into the latter grouping. Those who conform are elevated to positions of power within the hierarchy. This is illustrated by the suffering of Ariane Yeong and Laios Touden. As well as the elevation of various political figures in Dungeon Meshi and Kommandant Falke in Signalis.

Both universes feature similar world building elements: a cosmic force grants individual humans their anthropocentric desires resulting in the formation of impossible things. In Signalis, bioresonance allows for the colonization of other worlds and the creation of replikas. In Dungeon Meshi, the Demon's intercession has resulted in the formation of different races, monsters, dungeons, and the magical arts.

And now we come to where the two narratives truly differ with each other:

The characters in Dungeon Meshi are able to triumph over anthropocentric thought and create a better world. Tragically, the characters in Signalis are not able to do the same and become trapped in a hellish existence. This isn't exclusively because of their traits, they are unconsciously conforming to a larger pattern.

In Dungeon Meshi, the natural world still exists and can be defended from corrupting supernatural influence. Even when the earth is devastated by magically augmented warfare, the world is big enough to recover. There are trained specialists, like the canaries, who are able to counter the expansion of dungeons and it's associated threats. Because magic is so important to the world dungeon meshi, knowledge is prevalent with a few severe restrictions.

In Signalis, Vineta/Earth was destroyed by the war between the Eusan Nation and Empire. The closest that people can get to nature is potted plants and a nights sky. The Eusan Nation limits knowledge about bioresonance so that no one can use that to challenge their authority. As a result, no one can understand what's happening during a bioresonance crisis.

In Dungeon Meshi, food preparation is a narrative focal point, it connects people to the world and each other. In Signalis, food is a secondary consideration, it is rationed out by the Eusan Nation, given to good citizens and denied to dissidents.

Ryoku Kui is a japanese manga creator and Rose Engine are a pair of german game developers. One could guess that the artistic differences between them are reflective of their nations history during a certain conflict that happened in the last century...

[czerwonykasztelanic]

The Thälmann centuria before being deployed to the front, 1936. Many German-speaking volunteers who first took up arms alongside the Spanish militia would later join the ranks of the Thälmann Battalion in the International Brigades.

Soviet T-26 tanks participating in the defense of Madrid, late October/early November 1936. Out of the 2,000 Soviet specialist volunteers present in Spain at the time, over 350 were tankmen; the remainder were aviators (numbering almost 800), artillerymen, officers, instructors, engineers, radio operators and translators.

[fandomtrumpshate]

By the Numbers! With Bonus Fan Labor info -

Signups close later this evening … shall we see where things stand with just hours to go?

At present, there are 686 creators signed up with 928 auctions in 295 fandoms, PLUS 116 creators willing to work in ANY fandom.

Guys. GUYS. That's more than 100 offers more than last year!

Offers break down as follows: 598 Written fanwork (fic, fan poetry, etc) 136 Fan art 105 Fan labor (beta services, translation, Brit-picking, typesetting, etc) 60 Podfic 18 Other Digital Fanwork 7 Video

A bit of info on our fan labor offers —

Among our fan laborers are folks offering assistance with cultures in: various US states South Asia Russia Mexico England Germany France Canada Italy as well as with: Catholicism Judaism

Additionally, there are offers for specialist knowledge or sensitivity reading for: Disability LGBTQIA Sports Autism non-combat PTSD Emergency Services Blindness Accounting and taxes Medical equipment Engineering Sex work Law and court procedure Medicine (trauma and general surgery) Scientific knowledge Teaching Tea and Coffee History Art history (generally European) Asexuality Libraries BDSM Leather/kink Forensics Funerary services Shibari Type 1 Diabetes Choir and theater Musical instruments Chronic pain/illness Knitting Dance Hiking Immigration/Xenophobia Familial abuse Sexual abuse Bookstores Alpaca and sheep management Smallholding

AND we have various translation offers for: Catalan Chinese Filipino French German Italian Portugese Russian Spanish Vietmanese

In our supported orgs, most creators are opting to leave the choice to their bidders. Those who are specifying orgs are most often selecting MECA, Sherlock's Homes, In Our Own Voice, and Never Again Action. Orgs that could use more love are Together Bay Area, Deploy/US, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, Bellingcat, and Pollinator Partnership.

Stay tuned for a last look at both listed and unlisted fandom rankings in the last hours before signups close … which is SOON!

But for now — signups are OPEN!

[siilvan]

OC File: Mylène "Petra" Scholten de Ridder

gorgeous renders by the amazing wonderful phenomenal lovely @gamergirlbonestaskforce141riot <33

finally posting my oc to cope with mw3... i've had her since november '22, didn't even mention her name to anyone until august lol. i've never had the confidence (or skill) to do this, so i'm thanking all of my mutuals with their wonderful ocs for giving me the strength to do it, even if they don't know it <3

note: despite petra being reader's callsign in bloodsport, it is not intended to be my oc. so far, the only fics that petra properly appears in are desideria and fortuna redux. i know it's confusing and i'm sorry 😭 more of her (and others) in the future!

very long post BTC...

edit: completely forgot to include this— credit to cptnprice for the file!!

GENERAL

Name: Mylène "Petra" Scholten de Ridder

Nicknames/Aliases: Petra, Doc, Bravo 0-5, MEDINT 5, Leni (by friends/family)

Rank: Lieutenant (since 2015)

Gender: Female

Birth Date: June 29, 1990

Nationality: Dutch

Affiliations: Royal Netherlands Army, Korps Commandotroepen, Task Force 141, Coalition (Warcom), SpecGru

Birthplace: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Current Residence: The Hague, Netherlands

APPEARANCE

Hair Color: Golden Brown

Eye Color: Blue (right), Green (left)

Height: 5'7" (1.70 m)

Weight: 160 lbs (72 kg)

Build: Athletic, hourglass (hips. That's all.)

Blood Type: O-

Marks: Various tattoos (pictured below), scar on cheek

Faceclaim: Rianne Haspels (Carlotta Champagne for body)

DETAILS

Sexuality: Unlabeled (prefers men)

Languages: Dutch (native), English (C2), Spanish (A2), French (B2), German (C1), Danish (C1), Russian (B2), Arabic (B1)

Education: Biochemistry BS from the University of Amsterdam, Biochemistry MSc from the University of Copenhagen

Preferred Hairstyles: Low bun or Dutch braid for missions, 3-strand braid or loose for everyday

Preferred Mission Attire: Anything from jeans and a turtleneck, to slim cargos and a tank top, to proper combat fatigues. Dresses for the weather, but hates anything baggy. Prefers to wear black and green, occasionally wears white, tan, or blue. Very athletic style.

Preferred Civilian Attire: Usually dresses fairly casual. Jeans, cargos, leather pants, leggings. Plain t-shirts, henleys, turtlenecks, off-shoulder tops. Wears bomber jackets or hoodies. Mostly wears black, green, or white. Likes feeling comfortable but cute when she's off the clock.

Favorite Color: Evergreen

Favorite Flower: Magnolia

PERSONALITY

Myers-Briggs Type: ENFJ-T. Extraverted, intuitive, feeling, judging, and turbulent. Petra prioritizes the better of the group over personal benefit and strives to have a positive impact on the world and the people around her. Happy to lead or follow, but preferring to guide others, she is a self-identified humanitarian with a pipe dream of world peace. Reliability, tolerance, passion, and altruism ultimately conflict with overthinking, stubbornness, perfectionism, and indecisiveness – Petra is both helped and hindered by the idea of what things can be or could have been.

FAMILY

Father: Colonel Hendrik "Chimera" Scholten de Ridder. Former KCT commander and military legend-turned terrorist. (deceased)

Mother: Johanna Scholten de Ridder (née van den Bos). Former MEDINT analyst for the BVD and MID. (deceased)

Brother: Sergeant Emiel "Nightfall" Scholten de Ridder. KCT operative and specialist in anything covert; never misses a shot. Ally of TF141, rarely stays in any one place for long due to the nature of his assignments.

Uncle: Unnamed paternal uncle. Father's younger brother, civilian military engineer. Lost his life in a terrorist attack in the mid-1990s. (deceased)

Aunt: Special Agent Merel "Songbird" van den Bos. Mother's older sister, former agent for the BVD and MID. Specialist in foreign relations and espionage. May or may not be living in the USA and married to Frank Woods (spoiler: she is).

Grandfather: General Emiel Scholten de Ridder. Paternal grandfather, former commander of the Royal Netherlands Army. Yes, her brother is named after him. (deceased)

SKILLS

Fighting Style: Adaptable, but prefers to keep her distance. Studied kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Krav Maga in her youth – CQC is influenced by these.

Weapons: Can use whatever is available. Is oddly talented with a quarterstaff despite none of her training involving it.

Preferred Weapons: M4 (Hightower 20" Barrel, Schlager PEQ Box IV laser, Cronen Mini Pro optic, Corio Precio Factory stock), X12, Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife, karambit, throwing knives

Special Skills: Specializes in MEDINT analysis, trauma/medical care, chemical warfare, hostage rescue, asset protection, and foreign military assistance. Can act as a translator. Has received training in sniping, espionage, and stealth combat from allies. Is notorious for her strong fortitude. Very versatile.

Hobbies: Art, cooking, baking, reading, sports (baseball, climbing, kickboxing, swimming, ice skating), music (drums), studying languages

Former Hobbies: Did ballet and gymnastics in her youth. Still enjoys both, doesn't have the time to practice either. Has decent equilibrium thanks to them.

TRIVIA

The name Mylène can mean "merciful", Scholten refers to a schout (government official that handled administration of justice), and de Ridder means "the knight".

Her callsign Petra means "rock, stone" and is not implying that she's a stony person! She earned her callsign due to her high tolerance and endurance; she's also uniquely durable, often recovering from or withstanding injuries that would leave others in worse condition. It's a bit supernatural, don't worry about it.

Was introduced to drumming by her Uncle Frank when she was little. It's canon to me.

Mylène looks like a carbon copy of her aunt, sans some details like hair and eye color. She's also more well-built than her aunt thanks to being in the military.

Has a bunch of small rituals, habits, and very specific ways of doing things thanks to her OCD – nothing too crazy (she has no choice but to manage these thanks to her career), but you'll start to notice them if you're around her enough.

Has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). She's learned ways to lessen the symptoms and has an IUD that helps immensely, but it's why she still has a decent amount of fat on her body despite working out religiously. (Not projecting my issues shh)

Doesn't date often due to her career and personal reservations. Prefers someone older, though. (I'm not projecting shh x2)

Keeps a journal on her at almost all times. Inside of it is anything from basic medical info for her allies, random drawings, important notes, etc. Likes to pretend it's organized, but it's not. At all.

Skipped a year in primary school, hence why she graduated at 17 instead of 18 despite attending a VWO school.

It was painfully obvious that she learned her Russian in school before she met Nikolai. After he laughed at her, he taught her how to sound more "natural" – AKA, he taught her almost exclusively profanity.

Bouncing off that, she's Mrs. Worldwide. Petra's unintentionally picked up so much slang from her coworkers.

Her favorite genres of literature are romance and philosophy. She can read outrageous smut with a straight face, but blushes and grins over fluffy stuff. Tries to read books in other languages to practice, too!

Will not touch any drug with a 10-foot pole. Same goes for tobacco, she's the type to dramatically cough if the team smokes around her. She's very health-conscious!!

TATTOOS

source 1 source 2

Tattoo One (Hands) I'm not going to lie... originally gave Petra the tattoo (two, actually – she has it on both hands) because I loved Freya's tattoos in GOW and the design is inspired by those. From an in-universe standpoint, it was her first tattoo (age 17) and she just wanted something simple that could be hidden under her gloves to prevent fading. Has to get them touched up every now and then.

Tattoo Two (Right Arm) Full sleeve of willow branches, florals, and butterflies. There's a lot of symbolism in this one. The butterflies represent transformation, hope, and rebirth; the willow branches symbolize a new life, protection, flexibility, and adaptability; the flowers embody anything from growth, joy, transience, hope, love, and death.

source 3 source 4

Tattoo Three (Left Bicep) Two-headed snake with flowers! I don't think I need to rhapsodize about the florals again, so I'll skip to the snake. Depending on the culture, a two-headed serpent can represent wildly different things. It's a symbol of rebirth and resurrection, with each head representing earth and the underworld. It can symbolize indecision and conflicting ideas. Duality, balance, power, healing, insight, and deeper awareness; snakes were often seen as a spiritual messenger, and the dual nature of a two-headed serpent represents learning from both positive and negative experiences. (if I see any "heehoo konni" comments, I will blow up the sun, this ain't about him babygirls 😔)

Tattoo Four (Left Inner Forearm) Compass with an arrow! The symbolism is pretty obvious, I think... Direction, guidance, and navigation; the compass arrow combines the arrow's representation of direction and forward movement and the compass' symbolism of finding your way and staying on course. Together, it represents the idea that, no matter how far away you are, your arrow will always hit its target – even when losing your way, you'll always be able to overcome adversity and find your way back.

BACKGROUND

⋆ CW: themes of child abuse, violence, SA (marked with ***) and overall mary sue levels of tragedy

Born on June 29, 1990 in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands, to Hendrik Scholten de Ridder and Johanna Scholten de Ridder, Mylène had a normal – if not privileged, thanks to her family's prominent histories – early childhood. At the age of 3, her brother, Emiel, was born. Known to be a clever, compassionate girl, Mylène took to the "big sister" role with ease.

Her father was a captain from a distinguished military family with the callsign "Chimera", who ascended to the rank of colonel and commanded the Royal Netherlands Army’s special forces unit, the Korps Commandotroepen. Her mother was a medical intelligence analyst for the AIVD and MIVD (then-known as the BVD and MID) with a family history in government and politics.

In the late fall of 1999, when Mylène was only 9 years old, she came home from school and discovered her mother's corpse, having been killed by enemies of her father originally seeking to hold the family for ransom. This event, paired with the traumas he sustained over his years in the military, drove her father to "near insanity" as he became consumed with paranoia and grief. The rest of her and her brother's adolescence was defined by the trauma of her father's abuse; he subjected the siblings to rigorous physical and psychological training in order to mold them into "perfect soldiers" and prevent any further loss.

Despite this, her father was publicly viewed as a war hero. He would often leave the two alone when he was on deployment, forcing Mylène to care for herself and her brother with nothing more than a roof over their heads and grocery money provided. The siblings developed an unbreakable bond during this time that would extend into their adulthoods, rendering them a synergic duo both at home and in the field.

After finishing secondary school at 17, Mylène enlisted in the Royal Netherlands Army. She also studied at the University of Amsterdam – taking online classes – and eventually graduated with a BS in Biochemistry. She spent 3 years serving in various military hospitals, clinics, and field units under the 400 Medical Battalion, until she joined selection for the KCT in 2011. She was swiftly recognized for her high tolerance, natural interpersonal skills, and advanced aptitude for MEDINT analysis; she passed selection with top marks, setting several records during the infamous "hell week" exercise.

Mylène operated as a combat medic until August 2013, when she worked with the British SAS's Unit Bravo under the command of Captain John Price. Despite the joint team being greatly reduced in number and separated after a series of heavy artillery attacks from enemy forces, Mylène managed to provide emergency medical care and calm leadership as her party made its way to the rendezvous point that Price's group was defending.

After the joint operation concluded, Price took an interest in her, deciding to train her as a sniper and teach her how to better use her skills in combat. The two quickly developed a close relationship built upon mutual trust and a desire to fight for what's right, regardless of rules or orders. At some point after this, her unflappable nature and composure when faced with challenging conditions earned her the callsign "Petra".

*** By 2014, Mylène was in a several year-long relationship with a National Reserve Corps (NATRES) NCO named Florian Van Aller. On February 14 of that year, he suddenly came to her with an idea that left her speechless: "sharing" her with his unit. Despite his insistence and attempt to pressure her into it, Mylène refused, ending the relationship. They met on base the next day after Florian messaged her claiming to want to apologize – when she came face-to-face with him and his mentor, Captain Jozef Daalmans, she realized what she had been told was a lie.

*** Although the captain's only involvement was restraining her and watching, Mylène felt violated by both men. She was left at the scene, battered and ashamed, until the last person she expected to help found her – Colonel Hendrik Scholten de Ridder. In a rare act that she now describes as "the last time she ever saw her real father," he comforted her and took her to the hospital, where Mylène received treatment for the injuries she sustained in the assault. She never spoke of the incident afterwards, leaving herself, her father, and her attackers as the only people privy to it.

In early 2015, an assault team led by Chimera and Petra on an enemy submarine revealed that there was a traitor within the unit. The entire team, save for Chimera and Petra themselves, was killed onboard the vessel. The traitor was eventually discovered to be Chimera himself, with Petra as the only witness to his admission and subsequent attempt to bury her, and any incriminating evidence, at sea. With her father in the wind and knowing that her word alone wouldn't be enough to implicate him for his crimes, Petra contacted Captain Price, telling him: "You're the only person I can trust."

An unsanctioned operation to capture or kill Chimera was planned by the two, with the help of her brother – now a KCT operative nicknamed "Nightfall" – and Nikolai, a trusted contact of Price's. The small team managed to track the Colonel and his supporters to a base deep in the Alps, where they successfully wiped out the entire group and killed Chimera. After this mission, Petra felt indebted to Price and Nikolai, considering them two of the few people she could trust implicitly.

From then on, Petra lent her services to various humanitarian groups in an effort to provide protection and medical care on missions around the globe. With expertise in frontline trauma and medical care, hostage rescue, asset protection, medical intelligence analysis, chemical warfare, and the training and advising of foreign military units, Petra proved to be an elite operative capable of remaining calm in even the most dire scenarios. She’s been awarded the Military William Order, the Bronze Lion, the Bronze Cross, and the Cross of Merit for both covert and overt operations, establishing herself as a minor legend within the elite commando corps.

However, a little over a year after the unsanctioned operation in the Alps, Petra was captured and imprisoned by Ultranationalist forces. She was regularly tortured during her captivity, often by Vladimir Makarov, whom she now sarcastically describes as "a lovely man."

Sometime in mid-2017, Petra was yet-again assigned to a unit led by Price, tasked with infiltrating and securing an Al-Qatala base located in Kastovia. Another member of the unit was Nightfall, serving as the team's scout sniper. During the mission, while providing overwatch, Nightfall's radio was suddenly cut off. When the rest of the team finally reached his location to investigate, several IEDs planted in the area went off and forced the group to retreat. Petra attempted a rescue, but was prevented from doing so by Price, as it was too dangerous. Demolition teams cleared the area the following day. Once it was safe to extract Nightfall, however, the recovery team found nothing.

With her brother declared dead in absentia, Petra chose to abandon the special forces. She went back to school and earned an MSc in Biochemistry at the University of Copenhagen, refusing to contact any of her former allies so as to avoid being dragged back into the military.

In April 2019, Petra was tracked down in Denmark by Price, who informed her of Vladimir Makarov's plans in Verdansk and urged her to join the SAS team being sent to stop him. After thorough convincing, she agreed to come back for one more mission, seeking revenge against the man that tortured her years ago.

Petra was later handpicked for the task force Price established alongside CIA Station Chief Kate Laswell following the death of General Roman Barkov in November 2019. She was once again sought out by Price – and Nikolai, who was the "final nail in the coffin," according to Price – and convinced to join the team as a commanding officer.

About a month later, Laswell pinpointed the location of a prison in Georgia believed to be used by Al-Qatala to hold POWs. Reconnaissance of the prison confirmed this and the identity of several of the prisoners; Nightfall was identified as one of the POWs. Petra, leading an elite KCT unit, raided the location shortly thereafter, securing the captives, Nightfall, and intel about Al-Qatala's plans.

Between the invasion of Verdansk, Las Almas, and a burgeoning war with Konni group... Petra has fully committed herself to Task Force 141, willing to save the world or die trying.

[the-healthy-human-mind]

Evelyne's Military Personnel File

NAME: GARRICK, MARIE EVELYNE

MAIDEN NAME: GRAY

BORN: April 28th, 1998 (27 years old)

BIRTHPLACE: Oslo, Norway

SERVICE NO: 3846535

CALLSIGN: Snake, Echo 4-3

MARITAL STATUS: Married. 2019.

EDUCATION: GCSE

LANGUAGES: (fluent) Norwegian (First language), English, Spanish, German, Finnish, Arabic, Korean.

BRANCH: Special Operations Team (CIA)

RANK: Intel and Negotiations Specialist

TRAINING: Social engineering, situational awareness, self-defense, counterterrorism, CQC, water combat, negotiation, codebreaking.

NOTES: Garrick was detained in 2017 for aggravated assault on an ally soldier. Charges were dropped. Garrick was transferred to SOT per General Shepard.

TRAINING SCORES

PFT: 284

Rifle Qual: 322

CQB: 20.2s

Disciplinary Record: Detained in 2017 for aggravated assault upon an ally soldier. Charges were dropped.

Notes: Garrick is hesitant in long-range shooting, do not send her as a solo sniper.

PAST MEDICAL HISTORY

Height: 5'6 (168cm)

Current Weight: 130lb (58.9kg)

Blood Type: AB+

Extensive physical injuries to posterior.

25+ lacerations. Cause: wooden cane. Was not treated properly, tissue is damaged.

15+ burn wounds. Cause: cigarettes. Was not treated properly, tissue is damaged.

10x stab wounds. 7x to right arm. 2x to abdomen.

1x slash to right cheek.

1x bullet wound to left knee. Resulted in replacement of joint. Slight arthritis determined. To be monitored.

1x cesarean section in July 2021.

Evaluated for concussion. Result: minimal.

Evaluated for insomnia. Result: infrequent. To be monitored.

Evaluated for vision loss. Result: Minimal. Reading glasses are recommended.

Evaluated for hearing loss. Result: Minimal.

FAMILY HISTORY

Father: Marshall Adams Gray. Alive. 62 years old. Sentenced to life in prison w/o parole.

Mother: Alice Kathy Gray. Alive. 50 years old. In mental institute, not deemed fit to be discharged.

Older brother: Andrew Lorenzo Gray. Deceased. 19 years old.

Younger sister: Nellian Alice Gray-Garrick. Alive 16 years old. Attends St Martin-in-the-Fields High School For Girls.

Younger sister: Claire Mallory Gray-Garrick. Alive. 16 years old. Attends St Martin-in-the-Fields High School For Girls.

2 Children. Scarlette Ada Garrick. 2 years old. Leona Clove Garrick. 1 month old.

Genetic testing markers show indicators for uterine cancer, asthma, and diabetes.

SOCIAL HISTORY

Smoking? No

Drinking? Yes, whiskey mainly and only every once in a while on leave.

Physically Active? Yes, attends the gym every morning.

Sexually Active. Yes, tested regularly for STDs, on oral contraceptive. last known period: September 2023.

Mother and father are alive, deceased brother, two alive younger sisters. Has three cats.

Attends online therapy with Dr. McCain every Tuesday and Friday.

Attends church every Sunday morning.

Medication List + Indications

Sertraline – issued for PTSD 8 years ago. Must be regularly taken.

Lexapro – issued for anxiety 8 years ago. Must be regularly taken.

Adderall – issued for ADHD 8 years ago. Must be regularly taken.

Allergies

N/A

Notes

Garrick is to be monitored for PTSD episodes. Known to become combative during.

[harpreets]

5 In-Demand Job Opportunities in Germany

Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil): Germany’s engineering industry is world-class, offering exciting roles with top companies. Engineers here are shaping the future of technology and infrastructure.

Information Technology (Software Development, Data Science): Germany is a tech hub, with many opportunities in IT, from software development to AI and data science, driving digital transformation.

Healthcare Professionals (Doctors, Nurses, Specialists): Germany’s healthcare system is advanced and in need of professionals. There’s a strong demand for doctors, nurses, and medical specialists.

Automotive Industry (Electric Vehicles, R&D): Germany is home to the world’s leading car manufacturers, offering cutting-edge roles in electric vehicle development, design, and research.

Renewable Energy (Environmental Engineering, Sustainability): As a leader in renewable energy, Germany offers positions in environmental science and sustainability, perfect for those passionate about green energy.

But there’s a catch: to land these jobs, you need to know German! 🌍

But here’s the hard truth: if you don’t know German, you won’t survive in these roles. In Germany, most professional environments, especially in top industries, require fluent German for communication, paperwork, and collaboration. Without the language, even the best qualifications might not be enough. Knowing German isn’t just a bonus—it’s essential to thrive and advance in your career.

If you're serious about landing one of these jobs, learning German is your first step. And we’ve got the solution for you: #1 German Language Institute in Faridabad and South Delhi. Start learning today and unlock a world of opportunities!

[scotianostra]

Aberlady Bay’s midget submarines.

I took a trip out to Aberlady last night to catch the low tide where these relics from World War Two are left decaying as the tide comes in and out.

In the spring of 1946, two midget submarines were towed to Aberlady Bay and tethered on either side of an anchor point made of one old concrete anti-tank block set on top of four others. There, over two days of trials in the first week of May, they were fired at by aircraft including Mosquitoes and Seafires (the naval version of the Spitfire) in an experiment to judge the effectiveness of 20 mm cannon shells against the submarines’ steel hulls.

The story of the Aberlady Bay midget submarines was uncovered brilliantly by a researcher named Alison Boutland in a report for the Nautical Archaeology Society. She was able to identify the submarines as XT-craft, a training variant of the X-craft mini submarine.

X-craft were about 16 metres (52 ft) long and powered by a diesel engine when on the surface and an electric motor when underwater. They had a crew of four: a commander, a pilot, an engineer (known as the engine room artificer, or ERA) and a specialist diver. They were used in September 1943 in a daring raid on the German battleship Tirpitz in a fjord in the far north of Norway – a mission that inspired the 1955 film ‘Above us the Waves’, starring John Mills.

The XT submarines, built by Vickers Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness, were used not just for training X-craft crews, but also to stand in for full-size submarines in training exercises in which they were hunted from air and sea. The XT-craft were simpler than X-craft, since they did not need as much equipment. In particular, they did not have a retractable periscope; the periscope was fixed in a fin-like housing on the top of the submarine. The distinctive eye-shaped attachment point for this periscope housing was clearly identified by Boutland on the two Aberlady Bay wrecks.

Six XT-craft were built, named Extant, Sandra, Helen, Excelsior, Extended and Xantho. When the war in Europe drew to a close, they were no longer needed, and in June 1945 all six were sent to the Naval Construction and Research Establishment in Rosyth. Boutland was not able to figure out which of the six were used for the target trials, although she did conclude that the better-preserved wreck is probably not XT-5, Extended, which, as its name suggests, was modified to be a little longer than the others.

The cannon-fire trials took place on May 1, 1946 and, after the subs were patched up and re-floated, May 6, 1946. The website East Lothian at War, which has the dates as May 2 and May 7, says that the first trial involved armour-piercing shells and the second high-explosive shells, and that the latter proved more effective. Surviving documentation includes annotated photos of the subs showing the damage after the attacks.

Aberlady Conservation and History Society was recently given movie footage of the trials, filmed by a naval officer from the deck of a boat from which the operation was observed, and in 2019 the footage was digitised and posted on YouTube, the footage, although in colour, is not great, I will post it below for you to have a wee look at.

An interesting addition to the story of the submarines comes from Coastkid, a local blogger and Surly fat bike enthusiast, who has evidence that the subs continued to be used as targets for live firing practice by aircraft based at Drem. He recalls working as a greenkeeper at Gullane in the 1980s and finding dozens of spent 0.5 inch shell cartridges as well as 20 mm cartridges, and he was told by a retired tractor driver that aircraft used to line themselves up using a marker pole behind the seventh tee on Gullane No 3 course, and fire when over the rows of anti-tank blocks, near the green of the twelfth hole on No 2 course.

[usafphantom2]

China is working on a successor combat jet to the J-20

China's next-generation fighter will be able to feature AI, drones, advanced engines, better situational awareness, better stealth and C4ISR capabilities.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 06/03/2024 - 08:50in Military

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China is actively working on a next-generation jet fighter to succeed its J-20 stealth fighter, which is undergoing constant updates.

This information was recently released by Li Gang, the test pilot who carried out the inaugural flight of the J-20, as reported by China Central Television (CCTV) on Wednesday.

“The J-20 is constantly improving, keeping up with the times and continuously improving its mission system to achieve the expected combat objectives,” Li said.

Since the J-20's first test flight in 2011, China's aviation technologies have advanced rapidly, overtaking many other countries, according to Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation specialist, who spoke to the Global Times on Thursday.

Fu detailed that the latest technologies, including changes in aerodynamic design, new engines and advances in avionics, radar systems, software and materials, have been integrated into the J-20. He pointed out that these updates position the J-20 as a leader among advanced fighters, noting that the U.S. F-22s have not undergone significant updates since its creation, making its technology relatively outdated.

Chinese observers indicate that China is already preparing for the next generation of fighters, a need given that the US and other countries have begun to develop sixth-generation aircraft. “As the technology of our country's aviation industry continues to develop, the next generation will certainly be launched soon,” Li said.

Fu stated that China, which initially lagged behind the U.S. at the beginning of the development of the J-20, has now reached or possibly surpassed the U.S. in terms of next-generation jet fighter technology. Analysts expect the new warplane to incorporate an open architecture, facilitating rapid development, production and upgrades, similar to the J-20.

Although specific details about China's next-generation jet fighter remain undisclosed, global trends suggest the inclusion of artificial intelligence, loyal drones, advanced engines for higher speeds, greater situational awareness, better stealth capabilities and functioning as a C4ISR (command, control, communications node, computers, intelligence, surveillance and recognition).

Tags: Military AviationChengdu J-20 'Mighty Dragon'PLAAF - China Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[autobahnengineering]

BMW 3 Series Engines for Sale, Cheapest Prices | Autobahn Engineering

[educatedinyellow]

Theme: Rec a fic that starts with the same letter as your username.

I spotted this rec theme on another blog and it sounded charmingly random and fun! I had a good time looking through my bookmarks and sorting out this little collection of mismatched seashells :)

Every Man's Got a Right by MollyC (SPN, Destiel, Endverse!Cas, time travel, 78K, E) In this one, Endverse!Cas is given a second chance to stop the world, and the people he loves, from going irretrievably off the rails -- he finds himself, without explanation, dropped straight into Season 2 and the first outbreak of the Croatoan virus. Watching him rediscover just how much Dean means to him and how far he's willing to go in order to change things for the better is beautiful. (Written in first-person, for those for whom that is a deal-breaker. It really shouldn't be, though!)

Everybody's Got a Hungry Heart by PallasPerilous (SPN, Destiel, musician!AU, 18K, T) Distinguished by Pallas's inimitable comedy-prose, this thing is an unhinged delight from start to finish. Dean is jumpy as shit. Why one possibly Icelandic beep-boop specialist has him on edge while Mick Jagger’s own vocal coach barely got his heart rate over 55bpm is a goddamn mystery. Maybe it’s the harp solos from that sample track; maybe Dean’s nervous that this is his last shot and if this guy can’t save Dean from filling out the back end of his contract with “Best Of” and “Live In Concert” compilations he might as well walk into the fucking sea.

Engineering 101 by Mara (Batman, Dick Grayson, early days, 4K, G) A clever use of extended metaphor to take a look at the process by which Bruce trains the first child he raises to be Robin and begins to realize what he risks breaking. (I'd say it largely embraces comic book logic in that it does not try to critique the whole premise of child crime fighting as an essentially bad thing, but it sprinkles in traces of real-life concerns. It doesn't vilify Bruce, but it does add some shades of gray to the creation of the dynamic duo.) "Engineering is about testing to destruction," Bruce said, settling into lecture mode. "You don't understand how you can do things better until you understand when and why they break apart."

The Eleventh Hour by Azdak (Man From UNCLE (TV), Napoleon-centric, 4K, G). OK, so, in the TV series there was an episode called 'The Gurnius Affair' wherein Illya had to go undercover as a bad guy, and -- long-story short -- things went wrong, Napoleon got caught, and in order to salvage his own cover and thereby the mission, Illya had to straight-up torture Napoleon. And he did so. Both of them were aware that he had to, both of them were horrified by the experience, and being 1960s television, there was never any adequate follow-up or emotional resolution. A lot of fanfic writers have tackled the aftermath of that disaster in different ways, and this is a fun and interesting take. Napoleon's narrative voice is many things here -- it's petty and angry in a way he rarely is, because his self-image and his pride have been so hurt and he's on ego overdrive here. But it's also wry, and self-dramatizing, and stubborn, and optimistic against all odds. Meanwhile, the narrative commentary of the femme fatale is a load of fun, too. A prickly, funny, angry, and ultimately triumphant brush with death is just what Napoleon needed, it turns out, to settle back into himself.

An Evening of Little Luxuries by otherhawk (MFU, Illya-centric, character study, 7K, G) Oh, I love this one, such a good look at Illya and what it means to him to live between cultures. Before the war he'd been more or less bilingual. He'd grown up speaking Ukrainian at home to his family and Russian everywhere else. After the war there had been no home left, and Russian had been the only language he heard, the language he thought and dreamed in. Now Ukrainian was simply another language he spoke, no different in his head from German or Japanese. His heart was a different matter, and he regretted that loss, regretted that when he dreamed of his parents, his sister, they spoke to him in a language that was no longer his own. Now, more and more, he found himself dreaming in English, and yes, that bothered him. He had no wish to lose Russian the way he'd lost Ukrainian. And so he let himself have evenings like this – the simplest things that felt like decadence – amid his fellow countrymen, many of whom, he suspected, were here for similar reasons.

Escape Velocity by Vehemently (Firefly, Simon Tam, character study, 5K, G) Such concise and vivid world-building, and a poignant look at how Simon grapples with how to accept the loss of the sister he once knew as he takes small, reluctant steps toward facing up to his own over-protectiveness toward the very different person River has now become.

Enduring, Quiet, and Calm by thesardine (BBC Sherlock, Johnlock, strange tenderness, 1K, G) A little gem of a sick fic -- so odd, so sweet. Has that hazy feeling of very late-night exhaustion.

Empty Houses by PlaidAdder (BBC Sherlock, Johnlock, case fic, 45K, T) A clever and involving case fic and the first story to feature PlaidAdder's wonderful take on Harry Watson. Written in that golden moment between Series 2 and Series 3 when we all imagined our own post-Reichenbach reunions and the possibilities for tenderness and healing were still wide open. This fic is rich in humor, compassion, and new beginnings, while also offering a darker take on some bits of canon than the show ultimately pursued.

Elevator Down by vikki (Inception, Arthur & Cobb, LJ fic, 10K, T) I really like this meditation on Arthur's backstory with the Cobbs. Psychologically interesting and elegantly written, and to me there's something touching about the thought that Dom's subconscious keeps lashing out at Arthur because, on some level, he knows it's Arthur who's working hardest to keep him alive. Arthur dreams up paradoxes. Cobb dreams up his late wife. One of these things is not like the other. One of these things is not safe.

Early Returns by rageprufrock (Inception, Arthur/Eames, journalist!AU, 15K, M) Rageprufrock is another author whose comedy-prose is always a pleasure. I love this one for the grouchy journalism malaise in which the embers of inextinguishable principle still smolder, lovingly described as only an insider can <3 For reasons that don't bear discussion, Arthur ends up at Safeway at a 6:30 p.m. on his way home for the night still carrying his messenger bag with his headphones around his neck, standing in one of the aisles looking at 200 different brands of plastic tableware and double-ply picnic dishes. He's been a journalist his entire professional career, so of course he's been this depressed before, but there's something profound when you mix the sinking misery of mortification with the heady, dizzying blur of self-directed fury, and it makes him feel numb down to the fingertips and toes.

If anyone else would like to play this meme, I'd be glad to see your recs!

[justforbooks]

Roberto Cavalli

Italian fashion designer who used exotic animal prints, embossed leather and distressed denim to create his flamboyant clothes

As Italian fashion went global in the later 20th century, it diverged into two schools: the sensuous, soft in silhouette and touch, and the boldly sexual, flamboyant to the eye. The first, and lasting, head of the sexy school was Roberto Cavalli, who has died aged 83.

The material bases for both schools were the nation’s specialist textiles and leather firms: for Cavalli, they delivered figured and lamé leathers, garments printed after sewing so that no seams interrupted a design, and many fabrics with his emphatic prints. These featured animal-skin motifs, Renaissance and Baroque brocades, or, natural-world details derived from his digital photographs.

His aesthetic was hectic, blingy, and sold across classes and cultures: those from palazzos could don it ironically, while those for whom it was streetwear appreciated Cavalli’s celebration of blatant heterosexuality.

From the late 1990s, he expanded worldwide through clothes, shoes and accessories for women, men and children to homewares, perfume, a credit card, and cafes – in his native Florence, he bought the exclusive Caffè Giacosa and Cavalli’ed it.

He sailed the Mediterranean in his purple yacht, and was mobbed in his Manhattan store, but his emotional core locale remained Florence. His mother, Marcella, was the daughter of a painter, Giuseppe Rossi; his father, Giorgio Cavalli, a mining engineer, was shot in 1944 with 91 other civilians by German soldiers in reprisal for a partisan attack.

Postwar, Marcella scrambled by as a coal dealer, then as a dressmaker who hand painted her creations. The boy’s childhood was hard – he stuttered – but after much pleading, he studied at Florence’s Istituto d’Arte (1957-60), although never sat his final examination.

Instead, he earned money. His mother’s painted dresses inspired him to widen the idea to a mechanical process. He travelled to study Como’s many high-end textile firms, and began to print ready-to-wear sweaters for Mariuccia Mandelli of Krizia, who shared his fancy for simulated wild-beast pelts, and then for Hermès. Soon he had a studio, employees, a longed-for Ferrari and enough money to impress the banker father of Silvanella Giannoni; Cavalli claimed it was to win her hand he had achieved so much this young. They married in 1964, and had two children, Tommaso and Cristina, before divorcing in 1974.

Cavalli’s breakthrough to his own clientele came in 1969, when he gatecrashed a party for the shoe designer Mario Valentino, and mentioned to him that he could print on leather. He couldn’t, but the next day worked out a technique using supple glove kid, and returned with samples. Cavalli showed his new wares, sewn into garments, at the Paris Salon du Prêt-à-Porter in 1970. People gawped, but did not buy.

What did sell was his next inspiration. At that time, only brutal wear and laundering faded, abraded and distressed denim – the big industry that would become stone- and sand-washing, bleaching and shredding denim had not been invented – and any embellishments were crude. Cavalli ordered a container of dirty worn-out jeans from a US prison, and washed, cut and patchworked the pieces with leather and printed textiles for a collection shown in the Pitti Palace in 1972. The arte povera materials had been collaged with Italian craft skill and an artist’s eye, and appealed to the well-heeled in the last phase of Boho-hippy-rock-chick chic.

Cavalli went retail with his designs through boutiques, opening the first, Limbo, in St Tropez, and built up an international following. As a high-living celebrity, and a divorcee with loud enthusiasm for beautiful women, he was a judge at the 1977 Miss Universe pageant, where he did not vote for Miss Austria, Eva Düringer, 18, to win, as he wanted her for himself. After finishing her education, she followed him to Florence, where they married in 1980; she became his model, business manager, and mother of Robert, Rachele and Daniele. They divorced in 2010.

Cavalli retained close control of the manufacture of his clothes, proud of the skills used, and disapproved of licensing deals and production off-shoring in Italian fashion as it internationalised at the end of the 70s. He resented the 80s fashion preference for what he called “minimalism”, but was more accurately a temporary supremacy for the sensuous school, exemplified by Giorgio Armani’s unstructured tailoring for women, plus a desire to moderate overt sexiness.

The Cavalli label retained clients – rock doesn’t give up on its own – yet he stopped showing his collection, and in 1993 intended to close the factory and beg union help to re-employ its workers.

He was persuaded to a comeback show at Milan Fashion Week, and attributed his triumphant second career afterwards to his inspiration to add Lycra to denim to create stretch jeans. (Not a new idea – Irene Sharaff had denim experimentally woven with Lycra for the dancers’ jeans in West Side Story, 1961.) Cavalli personally distressed a pair, printed a snake entwining a leg, and displayed them on the perfect rear of his favourite model, Naomi Campbell.

During Cavalli’s years of retreat, Gianni Versace had taken over much of the remaining custom for Italian-originated sexiness, but Versace designs, especially his prints, had a mad Roman emperor stridency never seen in the work of Cavalli, whose leopards and tigers were for cuddling and stroking, not gladiatorial combat.

Even before Versace’s death in 1997, Cavalli was in the ascendant again, in demand on red carpets, on stage on Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, and on screen – a giraffe-skin print – on Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City: he opened boutiques and cafes around the world for his sex-is-fun, Latin-culture-orientated, clothes that suited the mood of excess is success. He was the first Italian designer to create a collection for H&M, a sell-out in 2007. His company closed in 2014, but was relaunched a year later, with little input from Cavalli himself.

In 2002, tax police inspected Cavalli’s extravagant house and estate outside Florence, including the purple helicopter he piloted, and charged him with evasion for claiming expenses for the property as work premises rather than a private home. Cavalli was found guilty and sentenced to 14 months jail, but a superior court annulled the verdict.

A son, called Giorgio after his father, was born to his partner, Sandra Nilsson, a model, in 2023. She and his six children survive him.

🔔 Roberto Cavalli, designer, born 15 November 1940; died 12 April 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[siilvan]

OC File: Emiel "Nightfall" Scholten de Ridder

uh y'all want another oc bio? my boy? my son? petra's "little" brother? mini's husband in some universes?

as per petra's post... thank you to my mutuals with their wonderful ocs and everyone who gave support for petra, it's genuinely giving me the confidence that i've desperately lacked despite making ocs since i was 11 years old 😭

profile art to come soon, men are hard to draw 👻

very long post BTC (again)...

again, credit to cptnprice for the file!!

GENERAL

Name: Emiel "Nightfall" Scholten de Ridder II

Nicknames/Aliases: Nightfall, Night, "The Reaper", Stalker-5, STAR 1, Jonkie (by Mylène)

Rank: Sergeant

Gender: Male

Birth Date: September 17, 1993

Nationality: Dutch

Affiliations: Royal Netherlands Army, Korps Commandotroepen, Coalition (Warcom), Task Force 141, SpecGru

Birthplace: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Current Residence: The Hague, Netherlands

APPEARANCE

Hair Color: Dark Brown

Eye Color: Green

Height: 6'4" (1.93 m)

Weight: 220 lbs (100 kg)

Build: Athletic (Big. Slutty waist.)

Blood Type: O-

Marks: Arm tattoos (pictured below), scar across face (think smth similar to Adler's scar), scarring around left wrist, black prosthetic left hand

Faceclaim: Wouter Peelen

DETAILS

Sexuality: Bisexual (no preference king)

Languages: Dutch (native), English (C2), German (C1), Russian (B1), Arabic (B2)

Education: Intelligence Studies BA from the University of Amsterdam

Preferred Hairstyles: Keeps it decently short and manageable pre-MWII, lets it grow out to shoulder length after (it gets curly <3)

Preferred Mission Attire: Usually wears stylized combat fatigues (think Reaper Ghost or SC), also wears normal long-sleeved shirts, jeans, cargos, hoodies, or t-shirts depending on the weather. Wears black 99% of the time, occasionally blue or white. The most key part of his outfit: mask. Almost always is wearing at least a half mask, often wears a balaclava or full-face mask (think Io or Atom). Typically wears a hood if he's got a mask on, too. Winter Soldier-Stitch (Black Ops) vibes.

Preferred Civilian Attire: Like his sister, very casual. Jeans typically, with plain t-shirts, henleys, flannels. Wears hoodies, bomber jackets, leather jackets, anything to keep him cozy. Again, wears black 99% of the time. Occasionally brown, blue, green, or white. Likes layering, simultaneously looks put-together and disheveled.

Favorite Color: Black, Ultramarine (iykyk)

Favorite Flower: Marigold

PERSONALITY

Myers-Briggs Type: INFJ-T. Introverted, intuitive, feeling, judging, and turbulent. Night prefers to make a difference and seek fulfillment in quieter ways, like hobbies with no "goal" or work that can go uncredited. He strives to prove himself via helping others, often shouldering burdens that others shy away from for the sake of getting things done without forcing those around him to suffer discomfort. Insight, passion, altruism, and principled tendencies often conflict with defensiveness, stubbornness, perfectionism, and forgoing his beliefs and values for the sake of the "greater good."

FAMILY

Father: Colonel Hendrik "Chimera" Scholten de Ridder. Former KCT commander and military legend-turned terrorist. (deceased)

Mother: Johanna Scholten de Ridder (née van den Bos). Former MEDINT analyst for the BVD and MID. (deceased)

Sister: Lieutenant Mylène "Petra" Scholten de Ridder. KCT operative and one of the commanding officers of TF141; MEDINT and chemical warfare expert. The two keep in contact despite the covert nature of Night's assignments.

Uncle: Unnamed paternal uncle. Father's younger brother, civilian military engineer. Lost his life in a terrorist attack in the mid-1990s. (deceased)

Aunt: Special Agent Merel "Songbird" van den Bos. Mother's older sister, former agent for the BVD and MID. Specialist in foreign relations and espionage. May or may not be living in the USA and married to Frank Woods (spoiler: she is).

Grandfather: General Emiel Scholten de Ridder. Paternal grandfather, former commander of the Royal Netherlands Army. Yes, he's named after him. (deceased)

SKILLS

Fighting Style: Adaptable, but prefers to avoid direct fights. Studied kickboxing, Wing Chun, and Krav Maga in his youth – CQC is influenced by these.

Weapons: Can use whatever is available.

Preferred Weapons: MCPR-300 (22″ OMX-456 barrel, Corio Laz-44 V3 laser, Nilsound 90 muzzle, .300 Mag Explosive ammunition), X13 Auto, Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife, karambit, throwing knives

Special Skills: Specializes in sniper techniques, special reconnaissance, VIP protection, prime target elimination, demolitions, and sabotage. Has passed every marksman test with flying colors; never misses a shot, even in the worst conditions. Does his best work alone and in the dark. Swift and deadly.

Hobbies: Cooking, baking, reading, sports (baseball, climbing, kickboxing, swimming, soccer), music (guitar), photography, motorcycling

Former Hobbies: Did archery in his youth. Doesn't have time for it anymore, but it should be obvious why he's a sniper now.

TRIVIA

The name Emiel can mean "to strive, excel, rival, emulating", Scholten refers to a schout (government official that handled administration of justice), and de Ridder means "the knight".

His callsign Nightfall is in reference to his preference to work in the dark – both literally and figuratively. It's also a play on the phrase "lights out", since his work is best described as "putting people to sleep." (Because he's an assassin-type. Get it?)

Took interest in guitar shortly after he turned six, right before his mom died. He didn't play for years after her death, but decided to pick it up again as a young adult.

Greatly resembles his father and the other men on his paternal side. He's been described as having his mother's eyes and some of her "softer" features, though. Absolutely built like a brick wall.

Jokes about having a lot of experience, has slept with maybe 3 people in his entire life – and, none since his capture in 2017. He's willing to date, but is incredibly reserved after that incident. He desperately needs someone who can ground him.

Much like his sister, he skipped a year in primary school, which is why he graduated at 17 despite attending a VWO school.

His prosthetic hand is primarily made of titanium! It's also detachable so, yes, he will throw it at someone when they ask him to give them a hand with something.

Can and will sleep whenever and wherever is available. It's not uncommon to find him dozing off in a corner, on a couch, or even on top of a wall that he's scaled. He never sleeps hard, so it's easy to wake him up.

Is a very occasional smoker. Petra hounds him over it, so he only smokes when he's not at risk of getting caught by her. He's very health-conscious, otherwise!

TATTOOS

source 1 source 2

Tattoo One (Right Arm) A full sleeve blackwork tattoo with sun, celestial, and water themes. The sun is often seen as a symbol of life, light, warmth, power, positivity, and clarity. The celestials of the night sky can represent the unknown, mystery, the unconscious mind, and one's own deepest thoughts, desires, and fears. It can also be seen as an introspective and reflective symbol. Water, similarly to the sun, is seen as a universal representation of life, with other symbols including depth, ephemerality, sadness, purification, hope, and rejuvenation.

Tattoo Two (Left Shoulder) A compass, much like his sister! The symbolism is fairly obvious, no? Guidance, direction, the interconnected nature of every direction. The compass can serve as a reminder that one is free to choose the course of their life, or to help them find the path again after losing their way. It can also be seen as a symbol of awakening and self discovery for these very same reasons.

BACKGROUND

⋆ CW: themes of child abuse, torture, violence, and overall mary sue levels of tragedy

Born on September 17, 1993 in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands, to Hendrik Scholten de Ridder and Johanna Scholten de Ridder, Emiel had a normal – if not privileged, thanks to his family's prominent histories – early childhood. From birth, he had a close relationship with his older sister, Mylène, who he quickly came to rely on for guidance and support.

In the late fall of 1999, when Emiel was only 6 years old, his mother was killed by enemies of his father originally seeking to hold her and the children hostage for ransom. This event, paired with the traumas he sustained over his years in the military, drove his father to "near insanity" as he became consumed with paranoia and grief. The rest of his and his sister's adolescence was defined by the trauma of his father's abuse; he subjected the siblings to rigorous physical and psychological training in order to mold them into "perfect soldiers" and prevent any further loss.

Despite this, his father was publicly viewed as a war hero. He would often leave the two alone when he was on deployment, forcing Mylène to care for herself and Emiel with nothing more than a roof over their heads and grocery money provided. The siblings developed an unbreakable bond during this time that would extend into their adulthoods, rendering them a synergic duo both at home and in the field, with Emiel promising to repay his sister for her efforts someday.

After finishing secondary school at 17, Emiel enlisted in the Royal Netherlands Army, serving in the Regiment Huzaren van Boreel in the 11 Air Assault Brigade. He also studied at the University of Amsterdam – taking online classes – and frequently visited his sister during her time in the 400 Medical Battalion, eventually graduating with a BA in Intelligence Studies. He spent 3 years participating in air assault and armored reconnaissance operations before passing selection for the Korps Commandotroepen in 2014, wherein he was quickly recognized for his natural skills in anything covert.

Specializing in sniper techniques, prime target elimination, VIP protection, demolitions, and sabotage, Emiel established himself as an elite operative who excels in hostile areas and hazardous environments. His exceptional accuracy and uncanny proficiency when operating in the shadows eventually earned him the nickname "Nightfall".

In early 2015, Nightfall joined his sister – now a KCT lieutenant nicknamed "Petra" – Captain Price of the British SAS, and Nikolai in an unsanctioned operation to kill or capture Chimera after the latter was discovered to be a traitor. The small team managed to track the Colonel and his supporters to a base deep in the Alps, where they successfully wiped out the entire group and killed Chimera. After the mission, much like his sister, Nightfall felt indebted to Price.

From then on, he continued to carry out covert and overt operations worldwide. Sometime in the next year, Nightfall managed to wipe out an entire base of Al-Qatala soldiers in one night without a single alarm being raised. The sole survivor referred to him as "The Reaper" when describing him, as he hunted every enemy whilst cloaked in darkness. Nightfall was later awarded the Military William Order, the Bronze Lion, and the Cross of Merit for both this operation and his following work within the KCT, establishing himself – or rather, his marksmanship – as a minor legend within the elite commando corps.

Another year later, around mid-2017, however, Nightfall was assigned to a unit led by Captain Price and Petra, tasked with infiltrating and securing an Al-Qatala base located in Kastovia. He served as the team’s scout sniper and overwatch during the mission, until he lost contact with the rest of the team. When the rest of the team finally reached his location to investigate, several IEDs planted in the area went off and forced the group to retreat. Despite his sister's attempts to rescue him, Nightfall was declared dead in absentia after demolition teams failed to locate his body the following day.

In reality, Nightfall was alive, being held as a prisoner of war by Al-Qatala’s commanders. The explosions caused him to lose one of his hands and left his face scarred. For the next two and a half years, Nightfall was interrogated, tortured, and subjected to inhumane conditions while imprisoned in Eastern Europe, though he still tried to support and protect the other POWs in the prison, regardless of which side they supported or whether they were civilian or military.

About a month after the formation of Task Force 141, CIA Station Chief Kate Laswell pinpointed the location of a prison in Georgia believed to be used by Al-Qatala to hold POWs. Reconnaissance of the prison confirmed this and the identity of several of the prisoners; Nightfall was identified as one of the POWs. His sister, leading an elite KCT unit, raided the location shortly thereafter, securing the captives, Nightfall, and intel about Al-Qatala's plans.

Following his rescue and intensive recovery in the hospital, Nightfall was deployed in Verdansk alongside other Coalition operatives under Armistice, where he relentlessly worked to prove himself once more.

As a valuable ally to the 141 and a near-fabled assassin with a long list of confirmed kills and countless unconfirmed, Nightfall has pledged his life and his very conscious to his work, his only saving grace being the characteristic pitch black masks obscuring his face every time he appears in the field – on the rare occasion he's visible, that is.

[fox-buried-in-maple-leaves]

Razvedka Unit

The Razvedka Unit, a subsidiary of the Mirotvorets Agency of Sieveronia. A secret organization within a secret organization. One could consider the Razvedka Unit to be the garbage cleaners of the Tsardom.

However, their existence is highly debated.

Even within Russia, whether or not the Czarina employs the usage of spies goes debated. Many would see no need for such a unit, whilst others argue that such a unit would be the one keeping them safe against all means of threats.

Either way, the Razvedka Unit's status remains Unknown.

Marionetka

Age: Unknown

Pronouns: Unknown

Birthday: Unknown

Titles: The Marionetka of Sieveronia.

"A mysterious figure who seems to only answer the call of Her Czarina, Dijana. Their exact name or face isn't known, often obscured by a mask and magic that changes their voice. They are a fierce and dedicated leader."

Kisa Braulio Giraldo

Age: 22

Pronouns: He/Him

Birthday: December 3rd

Titles: The Windborne Warrior of Razvedka, Agent Giraldo.

"A felisine from Venezuela, Kisa is a long way from home. A master of fabric and aerokinesis, he's a well respected agent of the team. Upon a near death in the past, he claims to have seen a God who blessed him with a new understanding of the world at hand. One he fights for, one where no cost is too high."

Decord

Age: 25

Pronouns: He/Him

Birthday: October 30th

Titles: The Shadow of Sieveronia, The Shadow of Darkest Night, Agent Decord.

"A man torn by life and death, Decord commands control of shadows and water. His power is unique, allowing him to both exist and not. Supposedly French, he's come to find himself taking a deal. Make nothing of his life or work for Her Czarina in hopes of achieving the light he so sorely lacks."

Galin S Maher

Age: 18

Pronouns: They/Them

Birthday: June 1st

Titles: Crown Prince of Amune, Agent Maher.

"Once a royal born to great power, a child of human and deity. Now they work lugging bags across the frozen Russian landscape. A job they much prefer. Galin's cryomancy and incredible perception skills have landed them a duty they never expected to find themself in."

Sasha Dietrich

Age: 30

Pronouns: She/Her

Birthday: July 29th

Titles: The Rose Thorn of Goldbrück, Agent Dietrich.

"A young woman of German origins, Sasha was once known for being a well loved florist in Goldbrück. The people of the town aren't sure what happened leading up to her disappearance, but it has been some time since she was last seen. Now, she uses her chloromancy for much different purposes."

Inessa Tymancha

Age: 29

Pronouns: She/They

Birthday: December 24th

Titles: Second Lead of Razvedka, Commander Tymancha.

"Inessa hails from a small town in Northern Russia often marked by harsh winters and never ending cold. She dedicated herself to her job, earning a position within Razvedka as their second in command. Often preferring speaking to combat, her skills often go underestimated by those foolish enough to face her."

Adrik Daniil

Age: 28

Pronouns: He/Him

Birthday: January 12th

Titles: Chief Engineer of Mirotvorets, Agent Daniil.

"An expert in machinery, Adrik has found no need for magic. In fact, he vehemently opposes the unit relying so much on their magic users or inhuman abilities. Adrik is Her Czarina's chief engineer for both the military and her beloved unit, a position he takes seriously."

Maxim Volkov

Age: 46

Pronouns: He/Him

Birthday: December 23rd

Titles: Razvedka's Medical Specialist, Agent Volkov.

"The oldest member of the team, Maxim has been a member of Her Czarina's army for many years. Trained in medicine and various forms of combat, he makes an excellent knowledgeable addition to the unit. While he may be unassuming with his abilities, Maxim has proven himself a priceless asset."

Khristine Ranble

Age: 31

Pronouns: They/Them

Birthday: April 16th

Titles: The Alchemist of Lanying, Agent Ranble.

"Khris is an alchemical genius, unmatched through both of their prevailing nations. Easy to sway with the right amount of money, Khris found themself biting off more than they could chew. But no amount of intimidation will stop them from pursuing their science, even if they now work a job they loathe."

[pinturas-sgm-aviacion]

1943 09 06 The bomber specialist -  Steven Heyen

Oberfeldweld Alfred Surau of 9/JG 3 attacks B-17 in 1943. Frontal attacks were discontinued at around this time for various reasons. Alfred Surau was a real "comet" in the 9./JG 3. He achieved his first aerial victory as a Feldwebel on the Eastern front, February 28, 1943.When III./JG 3 was transferred to the defense of the Reich in August, 1943, he was already credited with 41 victories. The vets from the Eastern front made III./JG 3 one of the most successful German fighter unit in the "Reichsverteidigung" (Home defense). While other German fighter units took a heavy beating, the pilots of III./JG 3 shot down 31 American planes, most of them four-engine bombers, without losing more than two pilots killed and one injured between August and December, 1943. One of the pilots killed was Oberfeldwebel Alfred Surau.In the battle on October 14, Surau shot down a B-17, his victory No. 46. He was hit by the bombers return fire and bailed out badly injured. Alfred Surau died the same day in the hospital at Wertheim.