#Home Inspection Software

[phoenixbizz]

Revolutionize your remote home inspections by using internet of things (IoT), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to provide a superior home inspection experience.

[ampleworksoft]

The integration of AI into inspection app development is an exciting development that holds great promise for businesses looking to streamline their operations and improve their bottom line. By leveraging the power of AI, businesses can improve the accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness of their inspections, as well as provide a better user experience for their customers. 

[softwareworldplatform]

Create checklist reports and inspect the property efficiently with the best home inspection software. Find the list of top software to automate home inspection process.

[clearspot]

ClearSpot: Pioneering Computer Vision for Edge Devices

Visit our website here https://clearspot.ai/

In today's world, being able to quickly collect and understand data is more important than ever. That's where ClearSpot comes into the picture. We're a forward-thinking company that's all about making smart technology for today's devices, focusing primarily on DJI drone models.

At the heart of ClearSpot is our deep belief in the power of computer vision technology – a tool that can truly change the way industries work. Using this technology, we create smart solutions that give drones the ability to see and understand the world in real time. Although we are currently focused on DJI models, we're fully equipped to create custom solutions for different drone hardware models, making our technology even more flexible and adaptable.

As we move forward in a world that's more connected every day, the need for quick data processing is growing. ClearSpot is ready to meet this need, providing a powerful tool that combines artificial intelligence and visual analysis to make operations smoother and more accurate than ever before.

What makes us special is our ability to equip devices with the skills to capture and respond to visual data right where it's collected, skipping the usual step of sending it to central servers. This means decisions can be made faster, saving time and improving the overall system performance.

Our goal is simple: to bring a revolution in industries like agriculture, inspection, energy, and construction by offering solutions that are safe, scalable, and smart, keeping up with the fast-paced changes of today's world.

Join us at ClearSpot, where we are paving the way for a smarter, more connected, and insightful world, making the future of technology something that everyone can be a part of.

[marketingserviceking]

The Importance of an RV Inspection Report

Buying an RV is a big deal, and a pre-purchase RV inspection is important. It can prevent a buyer from making a bad purchase and help them make informed decisions. An inspection will also let you know about any defects that could affect your buying decision. If the RV has major problems, you can use the findings to negotiate a lower price with the seller. It can also help you find an RV in good working condition.

An RV inspection can be conducted by a qualified mechanic or by a professional RV inspector. It is a great idea to find an RV inspector that is certified by the National RV Inspection Association (NRVIA). This certification means that the inspector has undergone training and is experienced in the inspection of RVs. RV inspectors can be found through search engines and social media, including Facebook and Twitter. These professionals can be found at a variety of locations around the country.

An RV inspection should include a thorough fluid analysis of all components of your RV. This includes engine oil, transmission fluid, and on-board generator fluid. An RV fluid analysis can help you find hidden problems. These problems can affect the longevity of your RV and may need to be repaired. If your RV has a fluid problem, it can be a sign of a more serious problem.

An RV inspection should also include testing of all appliances and electrical systems. A fluid analysis should be performed to determine if there is any residue that may be affecting the performance of the equipment. A thorough fluid analysis will also help you find out how well the water and propane systems are working. These systems are important for your RV, and should be tested to make sure they work properly.

A certified RV inspection can give you peace of mind that your purchase will be a good one. A professional RV inspection will tell you what to expect and give you the details you need to make an informed decision. An inspection will also let you know if you should ask the seller to repair certain things.

An RV inspection report should also contain pictures. A photo of the RV will help you understand its condition and make it easy for you to make your purchase. A picture can also show you important details about your RV, including any problems with its appliances or structural elements.

You can also find a certified RV inspector by asking other RV enthusiasts. You can also find an RV inspector through local RV dealerships or through social media. Regardless of where you find a professional RV inspector, make sure that you choose one that offers a thorough and unbiased report.

The report should include a list of the items that need to be repaired, along with a work order. You should also receive a no-charge question and answer session with the inspector. This is a great way for you to ask questions about the report and get more information. The question and answer session will also allow the inspector to explain his or her findings.

[pikxelbit]

Still not sure what to name this...

Chapter 2: Broken

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1,889 words

Chapter prompt: Start of repair

Turbo x Reader | Chapter 1 | Chapter 3

Turbo... A name turned to a cautionary tale. Tragic in a sense how everyone in the arcade speaks of him in the likeness of a ghost. Presumed dead, but still alive in the words of others.

As much as a lot of people deemed him obnoxious, nobody would have guessed he was capable of causing a horrific incident. Two games gone in one day, something that would forever stain the arcades history.

A funeral was held shortly after what had happened. To serve respect for the dead as well as to honor what has been, what is, and what could have been, almost everyone contributed.

Right after though, everyone was left uneasy. The two empty socket's giving a sad and mournful tone as the Game Central Station stood still for a moment in silence. Turbo's tracks leaving a message to be passed on for decades.

Well, at least it should have...

A few days have passed, the incident still fresh on a few people's minds. Although, 'Turbo Time' has been presumed to have been dismantled by now, that wasn't all true...

Right after the games were unplugged, both games were transferred somewhere. Mr. Litwak didn't want to just give these games away for a simple profit. So he gave his niece and nephew a call, a pair of two enthusiast's of modern technology.

Sending the games to the twins, Mr. Litwak thanked them greatly for doing something like this. Smiling, they only replied with, "Honestly you don't even need to thank us. We should be thanking you," one of the twins, Kiara, spoke first.

"Yeah, we need to test a software perfect for this type of thing anyways so it's not a big deal," Danny, continued.

Mr. Litwak still thanked them though, bidding the twins goodbye right after as they told their mom it was time to go. Waving Mr. Litwak goodbye, their mom started to drive back home.

The twins are two clever teens. Both keen on the science of technology, and now they were presented with the opportunity to try and fix two arcade games! Next year they'll go right off to college, so this was something they wanted to work on for now, like a test run.

___

A few days passed by, the twins, tried their best to see what they could do to fix the games. But upon closer inspection it seems though that both games somehow got busted.

Taking apart both Turbo Time and Road Blasters, they discovered how outdated Turbo Time's engine was. As well as how its own engine seemed to be close to breaking down, if this was left running for a few more months, this could have caught on fire.

While for Road Blasters, a few parts of the game managed to shut down, some becoming utterly useless as the 'glitch' somehow caused a few things inside to break completely.

Out of the two though, Road Blasters seemed to be the only one they could fix, well if we were speaking on the physical parts of the game. Broken peices from Road Blasters can easily be replaced when compared to an outdated game like Turbo Time.

Software-wise though, it was complicated. RoadBlaster's software was filled with a few errors and complications, while for Turbo Time, it's software was doing just fine. For the reason, well you all did manage to make your own theories but so far all of you didn't exactly have a good guess. Although it would be easier to fix these games if the causation was identified, you all just decided to suck it up and do your best. The main goal is to fix as much as possible after all.

Refusing to let Turbo Time go though, the twins still faught tooth and nails just to figure something out. Kiara, being empathetic enough for a random game, decided to extract the character's out of Turbo Time instead of just giving up. Plugging both games into a computer, they managed to extract the characters from both games into it.

Through the computer, they could easily start to inspect the games codes as well as to try and even tinker here and there.

Thinking about it, perhaps they could mesh both games together, to at least give some purpose to the assets taken from Turbo Time and to not let their effort's go to waste. It would take some time to make both games codes compatible, but it was a challenge they're willing to go through. With their trusty software as well, they figured perhaps this could be done in a few months.

So taking the challenge on, Kiara took charge of fixing the hardware while Danny went on to tinker with the codes. Working together, they wanted to finish this before going to college.

___

After another day of school, Danny quickly headed to the garage to find his sister working on Road Blasters. It's been a while now and it's safe to say they've been slowly making progress.

"How's the machine?" Danny asks, taking a seat near the desk.

"It's going great! Finally replaced that darned screen with a new one. I'm just looking through the wires for now. Maybe I'll go buy some tomorrow because a few of the really thin ones got busted," she exclaimed with a smile.

"Whoa, that's great! What if I go with? I've been planning on buying a new mouse for this computer." Danny replied, gesturing to the old looking mouse.

"Yeah, you definitely should get a new one," Kiara replied nodding, "How about you? How's the little guys going?"

"Well it's been a few days, but I managed to fix up the environment from Road Blasters. With the help of our trusty assistant," Danny conveyed, opening the program used to process the codes, "As for the characters, I managed to fix a few things. I made some of them to stop glitching, but yeah, that's all for now at least," he finished, opening another window filled with the various characters from each games.

"Hey, that's a lot of progress, good work!" She stood up, to inspect the monitor, "How about our other project? Is the software doing good?"

"Yeah, still an early version but our trusty assistant is already doing so good-"

"Kiara! Danny! Dinner!" They heard their dad shout from afar.

"In a minute!" They both replied in unison.

Quickly, Kiara tried to fix a few things that could be a hazard when stepped on or touched without precaution, his brother following suit. Hearing another call, now from their mother, they hurriedly finished up.

However, before leaving the room, Danny closed all the windows from the computer screen. Being in a hurry though, he missed closing one of them.

___

Left open in the dark, the monitor let's artificial light seep through the room. Nearly peaceful, the computer continues to give off a sound of constant whirring from deel inside.

Right then, something else starts to move. Slowly blinking, his eyes tries it's best to adjust to the rooms lighting. All he could see was a chair nearby and seemingly a desk.

"What is this place?" He asked nobody, wondering how it's even possible that he's alive.

He remembers it all clearly, the loud screeching of tires as one of the driver's tried to swerve away from a direct hit. He was sure he was going to die...

Is this heaven? Or perhaps hell..?

Further trying to investigate, he tries to move. But looking to the side all he could see is dark nothingness in which he's seemingly trapped in. Where is he? He wondered, stepping cautiously towards what he thought is the screen.

Then he heard something click, and just like that, someone came to answer.

"Hello..?" He spoke hesitantly.

"Well, hello there," you spoke out.

"I can't see you, where are you?" He asks, trying once more to look around in confusion.

You are right beside the window he's at. Looking inside, you see Turbo, looking around.

Once he sees you, he slightly glitches. Yelping in surprise, he fell down. Either because of your sudden appearance, or the random glitch that occured.

"Who are you?" He spoke, trying to get up, but struggling to do so as he continued to glitch slightly with each movement he made.

"I am Y/N. An assistant for coding, developing games, websites and other branches of technologies. I can help in many ways, a few to be mentioned are, helping in running diagnostics, looking after projects, and even fixing simple bugs," you spoke, almost in a completely flat tone as you helped him up.

"Okay then..." Slightly weirded out, he took his arm from you. "You're an assistant... So where am I?" He asks, still slightly suspicious and observant of you. Looking at how you acted and looked, you moved elegantly, your fancy clothes becoming evidence to the information you've said earlier.

"You are in a computer placed in a garage, currently inside the home of my creators," you answer, your voice finally giving some sort of emotion to it.

"Can you tell me why I'm even here?" He asks curiously. Why was he here..? He expected it to be done. Right after the crash, he knew it was all ending. Now though...

"Well, you're here because, as you have experienced, you are broken. Along with other characters, you are now currently being repaired," you replied.

"Repaired..." He mumbles to himself.

"Yes, by me and my creators. Danny and Kiara, the niece and nephew of Mr. Litwak, your previous owner correct?" You asked, tilting your head to the side.

Once you mentioned 'Mr. Litwak', his eyes widen. "Huh," was all he said. Gazing back at him, you noticed a smile slightly grace his face.

He never expected to actually still have a second chance in life. But thinking back though, as he gazes to his palms, it glitches slightly.

"When was the start of doing all this?" He asked, looking back at you.

"About, only a couple of days ago. We managed to put you and other characters into this computer. I'm helping Danny repair the codes that might have been damaged, and Kiara is taking charge of the hardwares," you answered.

But then, your conversation gets interrupted suddenly as Danny proceeds into the room. Opening the lights, he sees the screen of the computer still open.

Watching him walk down to the desk, Turbo suddenly didn't know what to do. When someone would approach the screen of his game, his own code would instruct him to quickly get to his kart. "Uhh..." He mumbled under his breath, as he froze up.

Noticing you up and about, he sat down on the desk. "Oh, hello there..." He spoke to loud towards the screen.

"Welcome back, was your dinner tasty tonight?" You asked casually.

"Yeah, it was good. What are you doing?" He asked, now noticing Turbo right inside the window.

"Well, I noticed this window was left open so I went ahead and looked over it," you replied.

He nodded, before speaking once more,

"We were supposed to test run a few of your skills again today but I have homework tonight so, I'll postpone it for now," he scratched his head, his eyes gazing back to Turbo for a moment before standing up.

"Well, hopefully there's more time to be spared tomorrow. But yeah, hate to cut this conversation short but, I need to go now," Danny spoke, standing up as he dragged the mouse to close the window where Turbo is at. Before he could, you whispered to Turbo a quick bid of goodbye before moving out of the window yourself.

Surprised, Turbo slightly glitched before Danny made the window disappear.

"Okay, see you tomorrow Danny," you spoke, before completely disappearing back into your respective file, feeling the computer slowly stop working as the darkness engulfed the screen.

[accio-victuuri]

excerpts from this Sohu Entertainment article about SBMS : Xiao Zhan and Bai Baihe co-starred in "The Sun Is With Me", the director and screenwriter responded: They are 100% suitable for the roles

After talking to director Song Xiaofei and screenwriter Li Xiao, we learned that this project is composed of many "coincidences". For example, the screenwriter did not know in advance that Xiao Zhan had experience as a designer, but the character Sheng Yang happened to need Xiao Zhan's designer skills.

Li Xiao also lamented that Xiao Zhan gave him surprises beyond the characters given by the screenwriter. "In the scene where Sheng Yang and Jian Bing reunited, Xiao Zhan's whole state was beyond my expectation. Heart-pounding, affectionate, awkward, happy and disappointed, there were many layers of complicated feelings. I didn't expect him to perform them all. When I watched it, i was very impressed.”

He has a sense of age, a kind of persistence that is rare in today's people." After meeting Xiao Zhan, Li Xiao decided to integrate his "focus and persistence" into Sheng Yang. Sheng Yang has been obsessed with Jian Bing for ten years. "This point is added based on the characteristics of actor Xiao Zhan, so he and Sheng Yang are completely suitable."

According to director Song Xiaofei, the compatibility between the starring role is 100%. "Our actors are all very good-looking. Xiao Zhan and Bai Baihe are 100% suitable for their roles. Xiao Zhan has big eyes and big facial features. When you put them in the picture, I am a photographer, and they all look great." I feel very comfortable. It happens that he has done design and studied painting. Sitting at Shengyang's workstation, when he turned on the computer, he happened to have operated all the software. Like the three-dimensional design drawing of the moon cake gift box, he also If you know how to operate the machine, you can shoot him directly with the machine, which is very realistic."

Xiao Zhan, who was born in Chongqing and majored in design, returned to Chongqing to play a designer role. In the eyes of the audience, this is also a coincidence. However, after the main creator revealed the secret, we learned that this coincidence actually includes some of their considerations and designs.

"Why not choose Shanghai? Shanghai also has a strong urban feel. But considering that the actor has lived in that environment since he was a child, and he has this life experience, it will be easier for him to get close to the character and he will be more confident in his performance." After inspecting Chongqing at that time , Later, the director felt that the romantic night scene of the city was very suitable for the temperament of "SBMS". In addition, Xiao Zhan, the actor who plays Sheng Yang, is familiar with Chongqing, so he finally chose Chongqing. "As long as he is placed in Chongqing, his suitability will be perfect."

"There are many traces of his life in Shengyang's home, including the basketballs placed at home, posters on the walls, green plants on the windowsill, etc..." The director hopes that the audience can capture the reality from these details feel.

There is also a "coincidence" that the protagonists of "SBMS" "happen" to have an age difference, which is a popular sibling relationship on the screen in recent years.

But the creators didn’t want to use the sibling relationship as a “gimmick.”

"Every emotional model has its own merits, but our protagonists happen to have an age difference. Because this is the first time for both of us to write such a pure emotional drama, we hope to bring all our true emotions to life. All the love feelings of thirty or forty years are poured in at once." Screenwriter Li Xiao explained.

In addition to the love between brother and sister, what also triggered discussions were the social topics involved in the play.

In the company where Sheng Yang works, workplace bullying and workplace harassment among employees occur from time to time; the protagonist’s life is also accompanied by propositions and confusions that cannot be escaped in urban life, such as pressure to get married, red lights on marriage, middle-age crisis, divorce cooling-off period, but also family pressure, ordinary people's sense of "unworthiness."

Not only is Sheng Yang closer to contemporary young people, but when we turn our attention to Sheng Yang's family, we can still see the screenwriter's touch on life. Shengyang's mother, Luo Meijuan, works as a supermarket weigher. Her life has always revolved around the trivial daily affairs of her family and children, but she bought a 3,000 yuan skirt for a class reunion. When her husband Sheng Xiangqiang, a sanitation worker with a low income, found out, they had a big quarrel. This plot sparked heated discussions on short video platforms.

How to describe the characters in life, and how to capture the psychology of Sheng Xiangqiang and Luo Meijuan in this incident? Li Xiao told Sohu Entertainment that this is actually a "feeling of unworthiness" - stemming from an inferiority complex, subconsciously believing that one is not good enough and does not deserve good things. "I also discussed this feeling of unworthiness when communicating with psychiatrists. This situation is more common among my parents' generation. In their eyes, 3,000 yuan was a huge sum of money ten years ago, but now it is only If they can buy a skirt, of course they will be reluctant to part with it. Because they have suffered a lot, they will cherish material things even more."

"I think the so-called social topics are actually people's topics." In the view of director Song Xiaofei, the intensive social topics of "SBSMS" are closely related to the sense of reality that the series pursues. "For a 26-year-old social worker, encountering Pua in the company and being suppressed by his boss may be something he encounters in daily life. As long as there are people around and as long as someone's story happens, there will be these topics."

"We didn't insert topics very rigidly, we just followed the protagonist's story and brought it naturally. Because in fact, if we want to, there are many topics that can trigger discussion, but those may have nothing to do with our Shengyang story, so we won't Put it inside." Song Xiaofei added.

During the interview, the director also shared a short story.

Before the filming of "SBMS" officially started, Xiao Zhan approached Song Xiaofei and wanted to know what the director thought of Sheng Yang. "Xiao Zhan asked me if I wanted him to be thinner, or if he needed me to be stronger. I said that I think Sheng Yang must be sunny and healthy, and the audience needs to see wider shoulders."

Xiao Zhan listened. On the filming set, he took every moment to do push-ups and pull-ups using on-site props to achieve Sheng Yang's body shape from the director's perspective.

[blushingsnail64]

(PART 2) "Alan"

Human reader on a space team with larger, scarier, and stronger alien teammates

My writing and framing styles are still changing as I'm very much still new at this. Thank you for y'alls support. <3

I hope you like it @hnowu ! :)

[SFW] [FLUFF] [PLATONIC]

-------------------------------------

Description

Alan, unlike you and Ursha, actually works outside of the loading bay/cargo hold. He was a very tall, lengthy lookin guy. He had quite beautiful blue skin with hints of green and grey stripes, kind of shimmery. He had a very long neck with a roundish head that came to a point at his chin, with very large very deep blue eyes. You could only see his pupils if a light was in his face. You could say he kinda looks like the stereotypical "👽" alien although that may be offensive to say. He had a fish like quality to him, in a good way of course. He was about 7'0 and had fine tapered limbs. His hands were very similar to a humans, but long and thin.

End of description

He worked in the "brain" of the ship as the crew liked to call it. The command center, the helm, etc. he worked towards the back away from the navigational work area, handling hardware or software problems while also looking over radars, level gauges, and some more. Others have this job as well, mainly when he goes to the rest of the ship to check the wellness of the machinery.

You saw him quite a lot when the crane in your department stopped working, which kept you from doing a large portion of your job. It took him about a week to fix, and in that time you two would discuss things like your families, home planet, country and town. He told you that a holiday from his country was going to happen soon, in the next two weeks he believed. Apparently it was centered around a good harvest season for mushrooms. You may have related it to thanksgiving, which he would love to hear about.

He said it all started from a historical event where there was some sick noblewoman, a woman who had done amazing things in their society, but the sickness was said to be incurable. That is unless they found a certain magic mushroom for her to eat. Many people in the city foraged for days, bringing in hundreds of mushrooms to be inspected. Just before she was about to pass, the mushroom was found. She regained her strength and carried on being a pillar of society for many more years. Since then, the people had hosted a mushroom festival every year to remember that great effort, and to celebrate our friends and family with the time we so luckily have with them.

At least, thats what he remembered about it. He explained that he couldn't possibly manage to get back to his family since you all were so far away on a big shipment, but he hoped to video call them. You also discovered he had been the medic previously, before the company hired a new one so they could promote him to the control center where that role was desperately needed.

He was very gentlemanly, and would off his hand when you were getting up and down things. Since he was very much larger than you, you sometimes felt like a kid. But he never teased you about it, unlike some others. The crew from the brain could be a bit snobby. Even towards scary people like Ursha. You were an easy target sadly. There have been times where he's talked to about it, having overheard his crew mates saying not so nice things. He apologized on their behalf stating they really weren't mean and were just a bit insensitive. You assured him it was fine.

You also talked about basic things like your favorite music genre. He said his was jazz and blues, along with a few genres you didn't quite recognize. If you believe he's old fashioned, he'd be more than willing to show you his favorite songs and hopefully change your mind.

All of this came to an end, sadly. The crane was fixed and he'd hardly have time to talk while he was doing his regular checkups on the machines.

He did leave you with one final question though,

"Would you perhaps like to join me when I call my family this weekend? I'm sure they would love to see you and hopefully you'll enjoy the festivities, even through the screen."

[pancakeke]

I wrote a bunch of paragraphs about nothing in particular again so here it is under a readmore so it doesn't take up space.

like 8 years ago when people used tumblr more via desktop browser than its app, I put a 3rd party metric tracker in my desktop theme that logged how people were referred to my blog. it also captured what pages of my blog people viewed.

at one point during this time I reblogged a piece of pixel art from a japanese artist. they came to my blog through their activity page, and then searched my blog in a couple different ways for the terms "ドット" and "ドット絵" ("dot" and "dot art", as in pixel art). I checked those search urls myself to see if they found anything but there were no results because I never used those terms or specifically tagged pixel art in any other way.

ever since then I've made an effort to tag all pixel art I reblog with the term "pixel art". that artist was probably hoping to find more art to check out and it bums me out that my tagging system wasn't thorough enough to help.

this is why I have my current specific tag system lol. it keeps evolving but having the ability to find stuff you're into without jumping through hoops is really handy. (the site-wide post and tag searches return sooo much bullshit. it's a slog sifting through thr noise whenever I use those to fill my queue due to the sheer amount of manga caps, polls, liveblogs, personal posts, and fics posted without readmores...)

if only the way to view all tags you've ever used still worked. I think it caps at 500 or 1000 now and is also chronological so the first 500 or whatever tags you ever used show up in the list. then there's a hard stop and it does not update as you delete posts or use that mass tag editor to remove certain tags for your blog entirely.

I went through my used tag list earlier this year to unify certain tags and remove tags that I stopped using in favor for other ones, but I only got like 400 tagged terms down the list. maybe downloading my blog data would show more. the trick I mentioned uses your desktop blog's archive page. the tags are in its code so you can use "inspect element" to view it. I remember scrolling a lot to load a bunch of posts on the page but cant remember if this was required or I just did it to see if I could access more tags.

it's formatted all fucked and hard to manage but you can copy and paste the long chunk of tags into one cell of a spreadsheet and then use Data options to split them into columns by commas (or whatever punctuation separates them, I forget). a wide list is a huge pain to view so from there you can click on a cell containing data, click ctrl+a to highlight all data in thr row, copy, then paste special as "transposed" to turn the copied row 90° so it pastes as a column. the spreadsheet will wide as fuck from the hundreds of columns so honestly its easier to paste the transposed data into a new tab and delete the original vs clicking in the column to the left of your transposed data and then pressing ctrl+ shift+right arrow to select all rows to the right, then deleting the extra rows.

if you're in Excel you may have to use the "delete rows" option from the "home" tab and then save the sheet using "file > save" (do NOT save via the save button on the upper left corner or ctrl+s). this returns the sheet to a manageable size for scrolling (plus reduces its file size). this piece of shit software usually retains the sheet width/length even after you delete hundreds of columns/rows unless you use this trick of deleting specifically via home tab + saving specifically through the save menu.

I got a round number of tags when I did this which makes me think there's a cutoff.

[demiclar]

Sever

Crow cuts himself while Glint is away, and Saint and Osiris take care of him.

(Sever - Ao3)

I've been missing Crow lately, so here's this! Enjoy!

------

When Saint stepped through the door into his and Osiris’s apartment, he was met by the sound of vicious cursing. He recognized Crow’s voice immediately, pinched and pained, and he hurried further into the apartment. 

Crow was a frequent visitor in the apartment, enough so that the guest bedroom had shifted from being the guest bedroom to Crow’s bedroom, a home away from home for the Hunter when he needed a little companionship away from his lonely apartment. Saint had already begun to furnish it more specifically to the Hunter. On the wall hung a painting of a crow in flight, a rare prize he stumbled upon when admiring the works of a street vendor in the city. The bed was adorned with a green blanket that matched the sweater Saint bought him during the last Dawning. The drawers in the dresser held Crow’s clothes—Saint snuck a few new items into the drawers every so often, but most of them Crow had brought over himself—and in the corner above the bed, Osiris mounted a shelf for Glint, complete with a puffy, Ghost sized pillow for him to rest on.

“Easy.” Saint recognized Osiris’ voice, gentle and coaxing. “It’s alright, let me see.”

“Shit.” Crow hissed, and Saint followed the sound of his voice further into the apartment. “I’m so sorry, Osiris. I didn’t mean–”

“It’s alright.” Osiris told him again, “let’s go somewhere with better light. Come with me.”

Saint paused in the hallway, just in time to watch Crow and Osiris emerge from Osiris’ study. Osiris led the Hunter by his wrist, holding a white cloth around his hand, rapidly turning red. They both froze at the sight of him, and Crow lifted his uninjured hand in a weak attempt at a wave.

“Hi, Saint.” He offered Saint a smile, only for his face to immediately contort in pain as he drew his injured hand back towards himself. He let out a hiss through his teeth, his eyes screwing shut tight.

“Perhaps we should focus?” Osiris suggested, though he gave Saint a nod in greeting. “Saint, if you could grab him a chair–”

“Certainly.” Saint interrupted, hurrying past them to the kitchen table. He grabbed a chair while Osiris led Crow further into the kitchen and flipped on all the lights. “What happened?” He set the chair down in the center of the space, taking Crow’s shoulders and guiding him back to it.

“We were working on a prototype. Something that might be able to give Nimbus more warning for Vex incursions on Neomuna.” Crow explained, dropping down into the chair. Saint stood behind the chair and held onto his shoulders as Osiris washed his hands at the sink, then knelt in front of him. He took Crow’s hand in his own, carefully drawing back the cloth to look at the injury. “Osiris was working on the software and I was doing the hardware and I slipped while I was holding a sharp piece of metal.”

After a lull in his scouting duties, Crow had accompanied Osiris to Neptune on one of his trips back a few weeks ago. The result had been Crow and Nimbus becoming fast friends, the Hunter beginning to learn Strand, and Crow jumping headfirst into helping organize Guardian scouting efforts on Neptune.

Saint watched Osiris frown down at the cut on Crow’s hand, a gash across the width of his palm. He inspected it carefully, gently pushing on one side of the gash to see the extent of the damage. Saint felt Crow’s shoulders tense under his hands as Crow’s body went rigid, a quiet noise of pain escaping him.

“Where is Glint?” He squeezed Crow’s shoulders, rubbing his thumbs into the tension in the hopes of relaxing the Hunter at least minutely. After a moment, Crow leaned back into his hands, puffing out a breath as he tried to relax his body. 

“He’s on Titan, with the Guardian. I was planning on spending all day in the city and he wanted to go see what the dives were like so we both figured it would be fine if he went.” Crow’s features shifted into a frown, his voice softening. “He seemed really excited. I don’t want to have to call him back just for this.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.” Osiris told him. He retrieved the white cloth, covering Crow’s wound again and taking Crow’s free hand to place it over the cloth. “Hold that there, I’ll be right back.” 

He rose, disappearing into his and Saint’s bedroom. Crow pushed the cloth down onto his hand and let out a heavy breath, dropping his head to lean against the back of the chair. He smiled weakly up at Saint.

“How were the Trials?” He asked, Saint having just returned from the Tower after a day of overseeing matches.

“Excellent as usual.” Saint told him, though he eyed Crow’s hand from where he stood behind Crow's chair. “The Guardians continue to show great promise.” He slid his hands down Crow’s shoulders slightly, wringing a little more tension from them. “I am sorry you are in pain.”

Crow shook his head weakly. “It’s nothing, really.” 

Saint eyed the cloth Crow was pressing into his hand, splotched red with blood. “It does not look like nothing.”

“It’s my fault, anyways. I should have been more careful.” Saint watched Crow’s head drop, studying the wound on his hand as he hunched slightly. 

“Accidents happen, Crow. It is alright.” Saint reminded him, wrapping an arm around Crow’s chest. He pulled the Hunter into a loose hug, Crow’s uninjured hand coming up to hold Saint’s arm. He pressed his head into Crow’s shoulder and Crow leaned his head against Saint’s, holding tight to his arm. Saint held him for a long minute, looking up when Osiris’ footsteps sounded, coming back from the hallway. He pressed a kiss to Crow’s temple as the Hunter let go of his arm, Saint’s hands returning to Crow’s shoulders as Osiris set a first aid kit beside Crow’s chair. 

“Thankfully, the cut isn't too deep. I believe we can make do until Glint returns.” Osiris told them, taking Crow’s hand once more. “We should wash out the wound first. Come with me to the sink.” He helped Crow rise from the chair and Saint stayed back as Osiris led him over to the sink. “This might sting.” He warned.

Saint watched Osiris wash Crow’s hands in his own, cleaning the wound carefully with soap and cool water. Crow winced, breathing deep while his body tensed from the pain. Saint handed Osiris a few paper towels when he’d shut the water off, toweling off his own hands and patting Crow’s wound dry before he shepherded him back to the chair. 

“Saint, would you mind helping me with this?” Osiris asked, drawing a set of adhesive strips from the first aid kit. Saint hurried to wash his hands and joined his partner beside Crow’s chair.

Osiris instructed Saint to pinch Crow’s wound closed, and carefully, he laid the strips over the cut, holding it together in a butterfly stitch. He laid a piece of gauze over the stitches, then wrapped Crow’s palm in a length of bandage. 

“How does that feel?” He asked, meeting Crow’s eyes.

“Good.” Crow told him, giving Osiris a small nod. “Thank you.”

Osiris smiled, and set to cleaning up the scraps of the bandages.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble,” Crow murmured, rising from the chair. “I hope I didn’t get blood on the prototype.”

Osiris just rolled his eyes, depositing the scraps in the trash and returning to Crow. He pulled him into an abrupt hug.

“Stop apologizing.” The former Warlock told him, his voice colored with fondness. Saint felt himself smile softly when Crow blushed, but leaned into Osiris’ hold.

“Sorry.” Crow murmured on reflex, if the darkening blush on his cheeks was any indication.

“Crow.” Osiris chided. Saint wrapped his arms around the pair, shushing Crow before he could voice another apology. Crow leaned his head into Saint’s shoulder as Osiris leaned up, pressing a kiss to Saint’s jaw. Saint pressed a kiss to the top of Crow’s head, then Osiris’s, and he felt the Hunter sigh into his embrace, his body finally relaxing.

“Thank you.” Crow breathed into the soft quiet between them.

If Saint and Osiris proceeded to spoil him for the rest of the night, Saint was sure the Hunter wouldn’t fault them for it. 

[kingsignal-1225]

Ultimate Guide to PCB Testing Methods: Ensuring Quality and Reliability in Your Circuits

In the electronics sector, Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are the life-lines of virtually all gadgets that are in use in the modern society. From humble home appliances to gigantic industrial equipment, PCBs are the skeletal framework of hardware organization and connection of circuit elements. It is vital to guarantee the quality and dependability of these fundamental parts – thus enters PCB testing methods. It is our hope that this extensive hand will help identify the most suitable test strategies for PCB testing, why these techniques matter, and how to maximize your circuits’ functionality.

Introduction

Firstly, an increase in the capability of different electronic devices leads to higher necessary requirements to the PCBs used in their production. Performing tests on the PCBs is an essential step in the manufacturing process done to confirm that a given board performs as a unit to the expected levels. This guide aims at explaining various techniques of PCB testing with a view of having a better understanding on how to achieve quality and reliability on the circuits.

Why PCB Testing is Crucial

PCB Testing When it comes to the potential defects on PCBs, there are shorts, opens, and some component placements. They can cause device failure, decline in performance level, and sometimes also pose safety issues. Through high-quality testing regimes, it becomes easier to address problems before they reach the customer, and thus manufacturers will have reliable and efficient products. Key reasons for PCB testing include:

Detecting Manufacturing Defects: Solder bridges, missing and placed in wrong position components, all can be detected in the initial stages easily.

Ensuring Functionality: Ensuring that the PCB does what is wanted and needed when it is in use, and under several conditions.

Quality Assurance: Ensuring that the business meets industry standards, and what clients require of them.

Cost Efficiency: Decreasing the likelihood of rework and recall by identifying possible defects before they get to the customer.

Types of PCB Testing Methods

These are the types of PCB Testing Methods:

Visual Inspection

Technique one as also referred to as the VI or visual inspection is the simplest and basic type of testing done on PCBs. The technique entails inspecting the board with naked eyes for some of the common faults including solder bridges, missing parts, and misalignment issues.

Automated Optical Inspection (AOI)

AOI employs cameras and software algorithms to check PCBs for defects and performs the inspections singly. This method of inspection is far more efficient than the manual inspection and simultaneously versatile enough to identify numerous problems.

X-ray Inspection

Some functions which include examination of features of BPCs that could not be easily inspected include solder joints under components through x-ray inspection. It is especially effective in inspecting defects in BGA (Ball Grid Array) and other various packages as well.

In-Circuit Testing (ICT)

ICT entails applying different voltage across the PCB to checks on the electrical characteristics of the needy part and connections. The use of this method is highly recommended for the identification of functional problems and verification of the circuit’s goodness.

Functional Testing (FCT)

Functional testing evaluates the effectiveness of the PCB pointing to the fact that it can be tested when placed in use. This method enables the certification of that the PCB works as expected under actual environment.

Flying Probe Testing

In flying probe testing, the probes are moved around to test the electrical properties of the created PCB. Lower to medium volume production runs can be made easily by using this technique; hence it is advantageous in this regard.

Boundary Scan Testing

Boundary scan testing also called as JTAG testing extends test circuitry into all the components for testing the connections between them. Although, this method is very efficient for identifying connection problems and faults.

Burn-In Testing

Burn-in testing puts the PCB in a state of operational stress for a long time to capture early-life failures. This aspect makes the method reliable for the long term since it is likely to identify problems that may occur when the equipment is in use for a long time.

Detailed Analysis of Each Testing Method works

These are the detailed analysis of each testing method works:

Visual Inspection

Pros:

Simple and low-cost

Determined to be a system for the reporting of noticeable defects as soon as they are observed.

Cons:

Time-consuming for complex boards

Limited to visible defects

Automated Optical Inspection (AOI)

Pros:

Fast and accurate

Is capable of detecting various kinds of defects.

Non-destructive

Cons:

High initial setup cost

May need to have better settings optimized for specific boards.

X-ray Inspection

Pros:

Examines hidden features

Ideal for complex packages

Cons:

Expensive equipment

Requires skilled operators

In-Circuit Testing (ICT)

Pros:

Thorough electrical testing

High fault coverage

Cons:

Requires custom fixtures

Not for all the boards or servers that you wish to build.

Functional Testing (FCT)

Pros:

Ensures real-world performance

Detects system-level issues

Cons:

Time-consuming

The mathematical test object can involve complex arrangements of test configurations.

Flying Probe Testing

Pros:

Flexible and adaptable

Cost-effective for small batches

Cons:

Slower than ICT for big volumes

Applicable only when the board is specially designed

Boundary Scan Testing

Pros:

Interconnections have high fault coverage.

Said; No need to have physical access to the test points

Cons:

Requires boundary scan-enabled components

Complex setup

Burn-In Testing

Pros:

Identifies early-life failures

Ensures long-term reliability

Cons:

Time-consuming and costly

Perhaps stressful to the board

Choosing the Right Testing Method

The choice of the appropriate method of PCB testing can be influenced by several factors such as the level of complexity of the PCB and the numbers of boards to be tested as well as the actual costs of the testing process and other features. Consider the following when choosing a testing method:

Board Complexity: Great board densities or component placement can be a determinant as to whether one needs AOI or X-ray inspection.

Production Volume: Applications that are characterized by high volumes can be easily facilitated by ICT while the low to medium volume applications may require flying probe testing.

Budget: Both manual inspection and AOI are favorable for various production volumes, while X-ray and ICT are more expensive at the beginning.

Specific Requirements: There are two types of the test, namely Functional Test and Burn-In Test that should be made so as to attain the long term reliability in applications that are critical.

Best Practices for PCB Testing

Using the best techniques in testing PCBs increases the quality and reliability of the circuits that you are working on. Here are some key practices to follow:

Early Testing: It is recommended to carry out the tests when the product is still in its design and manufacturing phase so that problems can be noted earlier before they reach a very catastrophic level.

Automate Where Possible: Use method such as automation to reduce the time and improve on the quality of the testing.

Regular Calibration: It is necessary to check if all the testing equipment used for calibration are accurate.

Comprehensive Coverage: This way, you will be able to ensure that there are no defects that are not tested as the best testing approach combines all types of testing methods.

Document Everything: Ensure that you keep records of the tests performed, the results obtained, as well as any measures taken to correct the breaches.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

These are the common challenges and how to overcome them:

False Positives/Negatives

Automated testing methods maybe good some times, they give you the results that are either positive or negative and this will lead to unnecessary rework or more alarming leaving critical defects unfound. In order to avoid this, make sure that testing algorithms and testing equipment are updated and fine-tuned from time to time.

Component Access

Some of the testing techniques involve handling parts of the circuit and with high density board this can be very difficult. Some of the ways in which testbench implementation can be avoided are as follows Boundary scan testing and X-ray inspection.

High Costs

Some form of testing such as X-ray and ICT testing is often very costly. The effectiveness must come with reasonable prices; try to combine some of the mentioned approaches to cover all the aspects without spending too much money.

Future Trends in PCB Testing

About the future, it can be stated that its trends will be in fact linked to the tendencies in technologies and expectations towards ever higher quality and quantity of tested PCBs. Key trends to watch include:

AI and Machine Learning: Using of intelligence algorithms and machine learning in testing algorithms to enhance the efficiency and the minimization of false negative or false positives.

IoT and Smart Manufacturing: Higher testing flexibility and opportunities for the continuous test process supervision.

Advanced Imaging Techniques: The need for better techniques that would enhance the detection of defects within a printed circuit.

Environmental Stress Testing: More focus in the testing of PCBs under different environmental pressures in order to improve on its longevity.

Conclusion

Quality and reliability of packaged circuits have to be maintained to contribute positively in any electronic equipment. This paper seeks to explain the common testing techniques for PCB so that PCB manufacturers are able to test and see if they are free from defects and if they are functional. This ultimate guide will give you a full insight on the available options in PCB testing that will enable you make the best decision that will give you perfect circuits.

The aim is to help you understand how to attain the best quality of PCBs, what methods are worth following, and what trends drive future improvements, thus contributing to the quality of the final electronic products and, consequently, consumer satisfaction.

[ampleworksoft]

If you don't have the technical expertise to develop the inspection app in-house, you can hire a software development company like Amplework to help you with the process. They can provide end-to-end app development services, including planning, design, development, testing, and maintenance.

[softwareworldplatform]

Create checklist reports and inspect the property efficiently with the best home inspection software. Find the list of top software to automate home inspection process.

[whumpy-bi]

Original Work: The Investigator Part 2

Warnings: human trafficking heavily implied, murder heavily implied, restraints (please let me know if I missed anything)

Words: 1544

Tags: @whumperofworlds

Owen leaned against the steering wheel of his car, eyes locked on the cabin a good distance away. There was nothing but darkness on all sides now, the faint traces of orange light from the sunset doing little to illuminate the massive forest. The car was off, completely dark as well, Owen’s only light coming from the warm lights inside the house.

Well, that and Mark’s phone.

Mark—Owen’s only real “work” associate, who generally preferred to stay at home—was scrolling Twitter, his feet resting on the dashboard.

“Can you turn your brightness down, man? He’s gonna see us coming.”

“You said no break-ins, I swear to god—“

“Listen, I have a real reason this time!” He pointed at his friend. “Whatever I saw in his backyard was off, okay? I won’t even go in the house, probably, I just wanna see what’s going on in there.”

“Yeah? So you’re just gonna dig around in this dude’s backyard?”

“…Yeah, I guess, I am. Look—“ He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. “I need you to be here and ready, Mark. We might have to really haul ass out of here.”

“Right, that’s why you brought me. I’m a getaway driver, or a witness to your murder.”

“Could use a little more optimism.”

“Whatever, man—“ Mark shrugged. “You wanna go dig around this guy’s shit, go for it. It’s probably nothing anyway. I’ll be here.”

Owen slowly paced closer to the cabin, crouching behind a bush and observing what he could through the living room window. This is so stalkerish, he thought to himself, but he knew he couldn’t let this go until he looked into it.

He could see Benjamin, finishing a can of beer and watching something on the television. Owen watched him carefully, nodding to himself as Benjamin turned the light off and seemed to go up the stairs. He had to do it now.

Owen rushed to creep along the side of the house, stopping when he finally had that lawn chair in his sights. He glanced towards the house again, relieved that all of the lights appeared to be off.

He moved the lawn chair with ease, clenching his jaw with the concentration of staying silent. His eyes eventually adjusted to the dark, and he could see what the chair had been hiding—

A large, steel, circular door with a handle protruding out of the center.

Owen nodded to himself. He knew it.

He pulled the metal door open with considerable effort—clearly, it was meant for someone much stronger than he was. Someone like Benjamin.

He grit his teeth for a moment, finally deciding to take the risk and turn on his flashlight. He clipped it to his jacket, rushing to begin heading down the solid ladder. If he’d moved quickly enough, Benjamin wouldn’t be able to see his light from the house.

The ladder felt like it went on forever, and Owen took note of how cold the air became as he descended. He could hear the hum of vents, and saw tile and wooden walls on all sides of the ladder when he stepped off. He muttered to himself, staring down to the end of his flashlight beam—it was a decently sized hallway, with multiple doors on either side. Looked like most office buildings, from Owen’s judgment.

The first room seemed homey, in all honesty. Owen noticed it was decorated similarly to Benjamin’s living room—warm colors, a soft rug in the middle, a large painting of an eagle. But it seemed to be an office, based on the desk and large computer terminal on one side.

“‘Survivalism’, huh?” Owen asked the empty room, sitting down and inspecting the open desktop.

He had an advanced VPN running, one Owen recognized in an instant and winced. He made a mental note in his mind, unable to write anything down as he looked.

He uses the dark web. Incriminating.

He opened a video editing software, raising an eyebrow as it loaded in.

Welcome back, Benjamin. Continue your unfinished project?

Owen clicked yes.

A file opened, and the private investigator felt his blood run cold.

He recognized the woman in the preview image immediately. He’d seen her face dozens of times in the past week—she was the latest person to disappear on that goddamn street, the woman who had to be the same age as him. She was wearing the shirt described in the missing persons report, the oversized shirt with an old faded logo. Her round face, her sparkly makeup, her curly hair—it was all identical to the “last seen” photo Owen had pinned to his cork board in his office.

He scrubbed through the video, his face turning pale as he took in the details. She was unconscious, propped up against what looked like Benjamin’s couch. The next clip showed her on a bed, still unconscious, her body secured to the mattress with leather straps running across her limbs and her chest. There was no audio to the clip—it had already been edited out. Owen could see she was breathing, but she was definitely asleep—too asleep, from his guess.

The video ended abruptly, seemingly the most recent clip added. Owen noticed the caption in the corner, and felt his heart sink even lower.

Anna Weathers, 25.

His eyes raked over the list of additional video files, his voice escaping in a broken whisper. “What the fuck…?”

They were all names, all ones Owen recognized from his investigation board. Their ages were listed, and some had additional notes in parentheses in the captions. Sold. Disposed. Trial.

Owen moved quickly, inserting his own hard drive and copying as many of the files as he could see. This was all evidence, all horrifying evidence.

One file was titled Acid Demonstration. Owen didn’t even want to watch what that was.

He pulled the drive out and shoved it back in his bag, shooting up and rushing back out into the hall.

Owen wrenched open every door, only quickly glancing in each room. The details registered as white noise in his mind as he looked—a big metal tank, a storage room full of dry food, a laundry room.

He stopped short when he opened another door, immediately spotting the bed from the video under his flashlight. This time, he took the time to turn on the lights, flinching at the bright fluorescence.

The girl began whimpering and squirming immediately, looking over at Owen with wide, terrified eyes. Jesus, he thought to himself, she looked rough. Pale, her hair tangled and wet with sweat, dangerously dark circles under her eyes.

He turned his flashlight off, rushing over and holding his palms out. “Hey, hey! Shh, shh, hey, c’mon—“

She pinched her eyes shut, tugging harder at her wrists. “Leave me alone, please leave me alone, I don’t wanna—“

“Listen, hey. Look, I’m not—I’m not him.” He kept his voice at a whisper, hoping she could do the same. There wasn’t much of a chance Benjamin could hear them from the house, but he was still paranoid.

She was now staring at Owen silently, eyes rapidly scanning up and down his body as she tried to piece things together.

“Hey, yeah, I’m—“ He swallowed hard. “I know you’re scared, you don’t know me, but I’m—I’m here to help, okay? I need you to trust me.” He dropped down to one knee, making sure he was in the woman’s line of sight.

“My name’s Owen, I’m an investigator. I’m gonna help you, okay? I’ll get you out and we can get you home. You understand?”

She gave a minute nod, still trembling. This close, Owen noticed bruising around her eyes and throat, and slashes along her skin wherever it was exposed.

“You’re Anna, right?” He quirked his head to the side, trying to give a comforting smile. He felt encouraged when she nodded again.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, I’m sorry it’s here. I’m gonna take these straps off, but—“ He held his hand over the strap securing her arm. “I need you to come with me and stay calm. He can’t hear us, okay? Benjamin can’t hear us.”

Anna nodded one more time, her eyes drifting to his hand. “Please.”

“Yeah, I gotcha—I gotcha,” He muttered, quickly but carefully undoing her restraints and helping her to sit up.

“Can you walk? I don’t know what he—“

“I can.” Her voice was weak, hoarse, but clear. “I can walk.”

Owen was leading her out in a few seconds, one arm around her torso to support her despite her quiet protests. “Where is he?”

“Sleeping, I think. Just stay by me, I’ll get you to the car. Think you can manage the ladder?”

She only nodded again, glancing up at him every few seconds as they walked.

“Good, that’s good,” he continued. “You’ll go up first, I’ll make sure you don’t fall. Go up as fast as you can, but not so fast that you’ll—“

“She won’t need the ladder, young man.”

Owen stopped in his tracks, feeling his companion grip onto him suddenly. Benjamin’s voice came from behind him, from one of the other rooms. He’d followed Owen down at some point, he’d been waiting.

He turned slowly, unsurprised by the revolver in Benjamin’s hand.

Great.

[queerspacepunk]

set your sights a little higher - #02

ofmd | ed/stede | heist!au

> #01 (inconvenient timing)

i did another one!

#02 (a cask of utter bullshit)

Ed stares at the reinforced glass door set into the kitchen floor, and the staircase spiralling down beneath it and thinks – not for the first time – that one of the worst parts of this job is how often he has to bear witness to the evidence of people having way too much money.

Fucking thing's not even locked.

To be fair, the mansion itself had had pretty decent security. Beefy enough that they'd ended up going in while it was occupied (not Ed's favourite and the reason Izzy's on perimeter for this one) just for the slight relaxation of the measures that brings.

He's even had to tie a black bandana over his face just as a reminder not to mutter away to himself and risk setting off the billionaire-owned smart home software.

The stairs down to the wine cellar are alarmed, or they would be if the owner had remembered to reset it after heading down for a bottle earlier that day, but Ed still skips the step that would trip it off.

Below, he finds more wine than any one household can be expected to drink, and a lot it looks like isn't even intended for drinking, given the way it's displayed.

Gaudy, ostentatious, and wanky. Helpful though, because it means Ed doesn't have to do much looking to find the bottle he's after, set up as it is as the centrepiece of the back wall.

This is, perhaps, the only actually tricky part of the whole thing. The case is locked, which is no real issue. The keypad takes four digits where the others in the house take six, and it doesn't take the fucking kraken to figure out what those'll be. But it's also alarmed, and given the owners dont seem to plan on drinking it, there wasn't a way to get them to leave it unlocked.

Finally, a fucking challenge.

Ed pulls out the thoroughly coded index card he's got dangling from a lanyard around his neck. Makes him look like a fucking nerd, but it's better than dropping the damn thing and leaving evidence behind.

If he unlocks the case without opening it, and disconnects the cable at the right moment while holding down the keys to reset the code, opens the door and reconnects it within 2.7 seconds then theoretically the main security system it's linked to won't register the disconnection.

He puts in the code and waits for the indicator light to flash green, but it just gives him an angry beep. Ed tries again, slowly, making sure he's putting the right number in.

Two angry beeps.

He checks the keypad over. It doesn't get enough use for wear, but when he shines the bluelight torch over it there's a faint pattern of oil on the keys matching the wear pattern of all the other keypads in the house.

"Try '1234'."

Ed nearly bangs his head on the case as he jolts at the voice, spinning on his heel to find the Gentleman-fucking-Robber perched on what must be an entirely decorative barrel in the corner, sipping delicately from a wine glass.

"Even these fuckers aren't stupid enough to pick 1234 as the lock code for an $80,000 bottle of wine."

"Oh, they didn't," Stede says brightly, "but you have to actually reset the code after you've tricked the alarm or it'll go off when you shut the case and I couldn't be bothered to think of anything clever."

Given Ed hadn't been planning on closing the door after himself, that part of things hadn't been much of a concern.

Ed rolls his eyes, "so you got in here, tricked the alarm, got the case open and closed it again without taking anything, just for the drama."

"Heavens no," Stede says, and holds out a bottle, "swapped it for a fake first."

Ed turns back to the display case. It's a fairly good fake. Not good enough that it'll pass muster when it's taken out and inspected - it's hard to replicate aging like that, but it's good enough.

Stede drains his glass and then hooks it into what is apparently a fucking custom-made wineglass holster and hops off the barrel.

"Shall we?"

Ed just stares at him.

"Honestly, you can have it," Stede assures him, "it's not a trap. I wasn't lying in wait down here to brick you in or anything. I just happened to get here first and thought I'd save you the trouble."

Growling under his breath, Ed turns back the the case and punches 1234 into the keypad. At least he knows the alarm trick will work.

The indicator light finally goes green and Ed gets the alarm connection arranged in one hand so he disconnect it while the other is plugging in the reset sequence.

The keypad gives a trill and Ed pulls the cable, flicks the door open and uses two hands to click the cables back together, and waits.

He has no idea how long ago Stede got here, and two code resets that close together might trip the main system anyway, but he hears nothing, and there's no warning message in his earpiece from Fang, so Ed lets out a breath and grabs the fake out of the case.

"Here," he says shoving the fake at Stede so he has both hands free to pull his glove off before grabbing the real bottle with his greasepaint coated palm.

"They might notice that," Stede says with a wince.

"Yeah," Ed says, pulling out his corkscrew, "they're supposed to."

"Ed-"

"That's Kraken to you, Bonnet."

Stede sighs. "What exactly are you doing?'

"What I got hired to do." Ed snaps as the cork pops out, "Client doesn't want the wine. Hates the stuff. Just doesn't want this guy to have it."

He upends the bottle and starts pouring it onto the flagstones.

"If you want a taste, now's your chance," he mutters, and Stede seems to be arguing with himself for all of a second before he's drawing his glass and holding it under the stream.

The wine trickles to a stop and Ed leans over the puddle carefully to place the smeared, empty bottle back in the open case.

"My," Stede says beside him, "that really is quite good. Want a taste?"

"Fuck off."

–-

The wine does actually taste really fucking good.

Ed's furious.

[doublegoblin]

Storm Warning

It was the first few moments of inconsistent percussion that caught your attention. Was it really that time already? Heading to the window to draw back your curtains you count back the days. Thanks to advancement in predictive software and the growing need for these warnings, storms can be warned about weeks in advance. Peering out the sky has grown slightly ill, a ghost of green hue turning the blue sky teal. Sighing you draw you close the window, lock it, and shut the blinds; you make sure to repeat this process for each window and door in the home. Feeling secure you make your way down into the basement to check on the generator. It wasn’t the best model but it was what you can afford, and it’s served you well enough. It hums to life as you pull the worn cord. It was time to head to the shelter.

The iron slabs slam down and the lock engages. Groping in the darkness your hand brushes against what you hope isn’t a spider's nest. Grasping whatever it is you pull down, the light bulb flickers to life and sheds its amber light into the room slowly pulsing to the cycling of the generator up above. Rows and rows of shelving units stocked with everything you’d need for the coming storm. It was on a hunch that you were able to beat the rush and get the best cans. Moving to the far wall you inspect the signal board, all lights are green, but you see you forgot to turn your computer off. Oh well, it shouldn’t be that much lost work.

Next to this board are the camera feeds, it may have put you into some debt but this shelter really did have everything. The cameras hiss to life at the flick of a switch and you sit for a while adjusting the contrast and exposure. You had only just had your morning coffee and it was already looking like twilight, this storm was moving pretty fast. Nothing to be done about, you head over to the cot and turn the radio on.

You had dropped the damn thing while cleaning the bunker so you have to listen for those pops of noise other than static. Through some quiet moments and resolved frustration you get it tuned to the weather service channel. Perhaps some music would have been better, but the voice coming through made it clear that wasn’t going to be an option. You were never a fan or her…his…it? The machine’s voice. Artificial enthusiasm was meant to be comforting and reassuring, but it just came across as patronizing and a little unsettling. Not to mention that to hear that voice meant that the storm was unsafe even for those with means. So you sit listening to the voice read out the number and letters. Safety and secrecy were important, sure, but in situations like this was it all that likely they were listening in? 

With the message on loop you leisurely make your way to the file cabinet to grab your manual. Chancing a glance at the screens you stop. Midnight at noon. You hurry back to the radio and turn the volume down. Holding your breath you can hear the low drone above of the storm and the sharp notes of the wind. Nodding to nobody but yourself you increase the volume back and get that book. Flipping to the right page you decipher the message. It’s nothing new thankfully.

Attention: The Weather Service advises all residents to seek shelter immediately. Incoming storm is predicted to be a category 5B. This message will repeat until an all clear can be issued. Stay tuned for further details.

Then just as it said, the message repeats. Your stomach growls, oh right, you forgot to actually eat anything today. Setting the radio on the table near the cot you browse along the shelves for anything that sounded remotely edible. You settle on some beans and canned bread. The microwave was acting up last time so you just decided to eat it all cold. It wasn’t the worst meal you’ve had but it was by no means the best. You aren’t sure if that was some thunder or your stomach that groaned, but given some of the cans shifted and rattled, it was safe to assume it was the storm. Sitting on the edge of the cot you just listen to it all. There was a dark beauty to storms. That enjoyment is short lived as you grow bored. To remedy this you brush the dust off the monitor and keyboard of the wall computer and wait for the relic to live once again. The lightbulb swings gently on its cord and flickers rapidly as the electronic device draws power. You have a couple messages waiting for you from friends and family checking in. Your responses are welcomed and the conversations while delayed are a pleasant change of pace. You learn that the storm is thickest around your area, that would explain the urgency in their words, and most of them are even still above ground. Your best friend takes the moment to call you a mole rat, with love of course. 

Eyelids feeling heavy from the dense meal you let the others know you are going to try and sleep out the storm and shut the computer back down. The sheets of the cot are scratchy but at least you have something to cover you. It wasn’t long after you laid down that you woke up to the all clear. Voices of people described in detail the devastation done by the storm, you shut the radio off. Bunker doors opening you inspect the house, not even a speck of dust was out of place. Outside you can see the devastation wrought by the storm; trees upturned, stone and soil marred, the hollow shells of your neighbors standing like headstones in a graveyard. You are ashamed of your relief but thankful all the same. Still exhausted from the ordeal you draw yourself a nice hot bath. Slipping into the water you sigh and let the tension dissolve from your muscles. The comfort of the liquid blanket and steam shepard you back off into sleep. Another storm, another day, another-

A siren.

Your eyes shoot open. You are still in your bunker and the lights have gone out.Your bunker is shaking as the storm outside rages and howls. A siren was an ill omen indeed. People report the weather. Artificial voices report the weather when people are unable. Intermediate tones report the weather when artificial voices can not be maintained. But a siren-the shaking of the bunker ceases. Everything is still. You strain your hearing against the deafening silence. Against the encompassing nothing. You hold your breath to hear anything at all.

The doors to your bunker squeal.