#I don��t know what’s next but we can only hope closure for them

[carrietrekkie]

Farewell

Hello!

I think the title say it all. In this part they say goodbye to Discovery, in the second part hello to Enterprise. And I´ll bring on a character I personally loved from the first second (beside Chris Pike).

Welcome (Part II)

Please leave me some fb! ;)

@bold-brave-courageous @allthetrek @reeselivesforeverinmyheart

“You stay here !?" Tilly stared at me. Guiltily I looked aside, but met Michael's eyes. "This is…! I mean ...! "She dropped onto the sofa that belonged to my quarters. "I don´t know what I mean." "Cathrin, you'll be gone for almost five years." Burnham sat down too. Spock stood in another corner, which I found strange, but at least he saved his words. I grinned that we probably still had enough time to talk. I knew that Michael wanted to scare me, but she had to realize it would not work. "I know, but honestly, who should I miss but you?" I smiled at the two. "And you probably will not be on Discovery forever." "Five years ?!" Silvia stood up. "Five years!" "Not continuous, Ensign." Spock finally said something. "Five years!" Higher rank or no, she glared at the Vulcan, then at me again. "Do you know what can happen at this time?" "No, but I'm sure when I get back there's at least one Lieutenant Tilly standing in front of me." I smiled, taking the wind out of her sails a little. "Maybe under Captain Burnham." Now I turned to Michael. "Or Saru, or, or." "And what about you?" "Maybe I'm a paramedic by then." I shrugged. "Or a doctor, or I can find something completely different here." My gaze wandered out into the vastness of space. "It is said that there are infinity widths."

“What gave you that idea?" "Captain Pike offered it to me, I suppose, quite simply." Now that they had all the information, I expected that they would try to convince me otherwise. "Wow, that's crazy." Tilly started to laugh. "That's an incredible opportunity!" Michael beamed at me. Slowly I turned to Spock, who raised an eyebrow and I put that on the list of puzzles to solve for the next five years. "You are not angry?" I sat down too. "Why should we be angry?" "Are you kidding?"

"It somehow takes a different direction than I thought." I smiled at them. "Of course we'll miss you, but hey, we can write." Tilly jumped up now, as did Michael. "But how would it be we if we help you move now?" "Everything I have fits in two small suitcases." "What about your car?" I sighed. Right, my car was still in the shuttle hangar of the Discovery. Maybe there was a place here somewhere, until I finally knew what I wanted to do with it. "I'm getting it brought here." Spock came up to us. "I'm sure Chief Louvier will find a place for it." "Thanks Spock." "Never mind." "Okay, then I suggest we meet in your quarters on the Discovery. Shall we say in an hour? " "Sounds good."

So my friends and colleagues said goodbye and with the typical hiss of the door, I was alone in this, still very poor-looking quarters. Slowly I walked through the small living area into the bedroom, adjoining a bathroom. I guessed it had to be an officer's quarters. I would probably have to thank Number One for that. I went to the wardrobe, pulled it up and had to smile at the sight. There was a row of light blue uniform jackets, dresses, trousers, skirts, boots. I only had to organize civilian clothes. Finally something I must do. I stroke the fabric. It felt a little lighter than the one I was wearing. I took one of the jackets from the hanger, plus pants and boots. Then I undressed, put my old uniform neatly and stowed it in the closet. I slipped into the new clothes, closed the zipper and then looked at myself in the mirror. I looked different, but it felt right, and I wondered again, if I had been born two hundred years later, if  I would have landed with Starfleet. Now it was official. I was no longer a member of the crew of Discovery, I now belonged to the Enterprise. I hoped she would become my family as well. I stroked my jacket, then left the quarters, hoping to find my way to the infirmary. Dr. Boyd would surely expected me.

***

He talked fast and he kept going up and down uninterruptedly. But surprisingly, I got everything. I was probably not out of practice and doctors seemed to stay doctors, no matter how much time passed. Now Dr. Boyd, head physician on the Enterprise, stood and turned to me.

"You look less confused than I assumed." "That's a good thing, isn´t it?" I smiled at him. "I would say so." He leaned against his desk. "The captain was pretty impressed with what you did on Star Base 10." My mouth twitched slightly. "I did what everyone would have done."

"Everybody freaks out at some point, that varies depending on the amount of blood or body parts." Boyd pushed off again, I watched him go to a console. I liked him already. "How about the following suggestion?" He pulled a medical record from a drawer, typed a few commands, slid it into the console, and then turned back to me. "We are about four days on the way to Earth." It beep, he pulled the tray from the console and handed it to me. "Read this, join me in the next few days at work and before we go, we'll decide what to do with you." I reached for the tray, it showed the symbol of the Starfleet Academy, the training course for the paramedic. I smiled a little.

"Ask me if you don´t get something." "Yes, sir." He ran again and I took the opportunity to follow him. "Doctor." He glanced at me. "Not sir. That makes me feel older than I already am. Or Phillip, but only if I behave like a complete idiot. " "OK. Do you do that more often? " "They say so." He looked at his tray, then looked up and seemed surprised that I was still there. "Don´t you have anything else to do?" "I thought I should follow you?" "Not today." Boyd smiled at me. "Surely you have enough to do and your friends are definitely waiting for a goodbye." I almost forgot that. I swallowed slightly. "It'll be easier if you don´t put it off." He put a hand on my arm for a moment. "We will spend a lot of time together. Let's go. "He gave the whole thing a nod, so I thanked him with a smile and left the infirmary. I turned off somewhere wrong, because instead in one of the transporter rooms, I landed again on the bridge. "Oh, that seems somehow to be my thing today." "Back here?" Spock caught me. "You got lost." "Is there any plan from this boat here?" I made a movement that encompassed the whole ship. "Don´t let the captain hear that." He reprimanded me. "I'll give you a plan. Where do you want to go?" "Discovery." I turned back to the turbolift. "I have to pack a little something and say goodbye to my friends." "I bring you."

So he joined me in the turbolift and chose the appropriate deck, which I hope would keep in mind. And a few minutes later we were in the transporter room. "Thanks, Spock." I smiled at him. "I think we'll meet more often now?" "If you wish for that." "Uh, well, I thought because I live on this ship now and you live here." God, it sounded like I was going to hack him. "Forget what I said." "You are a friend of my sister, of course we will have to do with each other." He tilted his head slightly. "Maybe we will become friends too?" "You and me?" I went up to the platform. "I am a very emotional person." "That doesn´t have to be a bad thing." He stopped the transport process. "See you later." "Yes, see you later."

My confusion was still in place when I materialized on Discovery. Luckily there was only the transport chief, so I hurried to get into my quarters. I was late, Tilly and Michael would be here any moment. So I threw everything I found in my suitcase and hoped I wouldn´t forget anything. I was halfway through my rooms when there was a knock. "In."

The door opened and my girlfriends entered. The good mood of the hour before had disappeared, I already noticed that before they had entered correctly. "Please don´t." I looked at them. Michael was still in control, I wouldn´t have expected otherwise, but Tilly's eyes were slightly red and she was holding something. " I have to pull myself together anyway.” "I'm sorry, but I just realized what it means you leave." "Tilly." Burnham nudged her. "I just cannot stop." I didn´t know if I should find it sad or sweet, I got her a handkerchief and handed her. "Thanks." She somehow managed a smile. "When did you leave?" Michael looked at my suitcases. "All I have to do is check that I have everything and then my luggage will be taken away and when Pike says goodbye to you later, I'll say goodbye too." "Ohhh, that will come too." Tilly sniffed again. "Do I have to listen to this?" "Yes, you have to. You owe much to the captain." "Tribblepoo. Then I need more handkerchiefs. "She looked down briefly. "Oh, that's for you." "What's that?" I took the present, it was soft and pressed together. "You're alone on the Enterprise, well, not really, but it takes a while to make friends and that's why."

I tore open the paper, a light gray blanket fell out. "Tilly, that's yours." "Now it's yours." She grinned. "I expect you to bring it back to me somehow, someday." "I have nothing for you. For neither of you. " "You don´t need too." Michael grinned at me. "We just want you to come back, that's all." "I will do my best." "Okay, let's get ready for Pike's farewell. See you soon! "Burnham put his arm around Tilly and shoved her to the door. "See you soon!" They left and I became painfully aware that I wouldn´t see them for a long time. I had to distract myself, otherwise I started to cry. So I began to stuff the blanket in the suitcase, shut it and managed to close the closures. I quickly went around and was surprised that I had actually forgotten nothing, so I closed the two bags and then opened my communicator.

"Zimmer at Enterprise." "Here Transporter Room 4." "I had my luggage ready to beam." "Roger that. Quarters 2518? " "Exactly." As soon as I said that, a golden light caught the suitcases and a blink of an eye later, it had disappeared. "Your other piece of luggage was taken to the shuttle hangar and secured there." "Thank you." "Enterprise end." Slowly I closed the communicator, then I looked around in the now empty quarters. Although it had only been my home for a short time, I had only moved once and now twice in a very short time. "Take care Discovery." I took a deep breath. "It was interesting with you."

Then it rang at the door and I wondered if it was Tilly again. "Yes, please." The door opened and Captain Pike entered. He now wore his golden uniform and also in his eyes swung a little melancholy. Anyway he wriggled a smile as he looked at me. "Wow, you look great." I spread my arms and turned briefly. "It really suits you." "You too." I smiled back, yes, he looked damned good. "But I think the blue had something for itself." "Yes, me too." He looked around, then slowly started to walk around. "Ready to pack?" "I didn´t have much here. The Enterprise just beamed it over. "I looked at him, he looked sad. "What do you have?"

He sits down on the couch. "I didn´t think it would be so hard for me." "You will get your ship back." I sat next to him. "I thought you were happy." "I am, of course." He jumped up and started walking back and forth. "But I still feel like letting the crew down." "You don´t do that. It was clear it was just for this mission, wasn´t it? "I thought I remembered that Stamets had said something like that. "Yes, of course, but we've been through a lot." "You and the Enterprise crew are not?" Pike smiled at me. "I think nobody is mad at you here. I think you did more for the crew than you know. "I straightened up. "I don´t know all the details, but they had been through a lot before you took command." "Yes." He raised an eyebrow. "Thank you."

"I also believe, to those things belongs a bit melancholy. "I shrugged my eyebrows. "If nobody cries, then something goes wrong." He smiled, then offered his hand to me. I hesitated for a second, then grabbed it and let him help me off the sofa. He cocked his head to one side and sighed slightly. "I hope I'm not crying."

*******

Captain Pike was probably the only one who didn´t fight with tears when he said his farewell words on the bridge. "I want to thank you all. We've been through a lot together, skidded through many dangers, and I think I remember laughing from time to time. "He looked around at the officers on the bridge. I had joined Tilly and watched him speak his last words as Commander of Discovery. "I wish you all the best." Pike smiled in the round. "Your new captain is lucky and could be proud of you all. Every one of you has grown dear to me, despite the short and turbulent time, I will never forget what you all did for me. "He sighed slightly. "Take care of yourself." "You too Captain Pike." That came from Saru and after he had said that, the crew started to clap and the ranks broke up. Some stepped forward to say good-bye to him personally, so it seemed to me as I turned to meet Detmer and Owo. "Oh hello." I smiled at them. "We just wanted to say goodbye." Owo put an arm around me for a moment, which I replied, Detmer did the same. "I hope you find a new home on the Enterprise." "I hope so too." I was touched, I didn´t think I was so popular. "Take care of yourselves!" "You too." "Goodbye." I looked after them, followed by a few short handshakes, before Saru came up to me. "Commander." I nodded to him. "I wanted to thank you for always being so patient with me." "Cathrin, you have always been a good listener." He put a hand on my shoulder for a moment. "I wish you all the best." "Oh Saru." I put my hand on his, which was still on my shoulder. "I really will miss you." "I want to give that back." Then he went on. As long as the new captain was not on board, he was in command. I thought he deserved to be promoted to captain. I looked around the bridge one last time. Pike was exchanging a few words with Owosekun. On the other hand, all that remained for me was to prepare myself for the hardest farewell. I went to Michael and Silvia, who stood next to the turbolift.

"Now it's time." I sighed heavily, then pinched my lips. "You two are the best friends I could have found and you don´t even believe how hard it is for me." I blinked a few times. "I wish you all the best Cathrin." Michael grabbed my hand and I squeezed it. "I can only give that back." I reached out and closed mine on Tilly's. With her other, she wiped a few tears from her face. "I really want to tell you something nice, or something terribly profound or inspirational, but you see where that leads." She pointed to her face. "I'll just write it down and send it to you."

I laughed, then I pulled both of them over and put my arms around them, both returned it and so we stood there. Happy and sad at the same time. I closed my eyes for a moment and when I opened them again I saw Pike standing behind us. "I hate to bother, but we have to go." "Yes." I took a deep breath, then released them. "I'll miss you so terribly." I took a step back. "Who do you say that to?" Tilly glanced at Pike, opened her mouth, but immediately closed it again. "I'm curious how our paths cross again Ensign Tilly." Pike shook her hand and the already completely resolved Tilly shook it briefly. "I'm sure you will make your way." "Thanks Sir." "Michael." He nodded to her. The two had already talked, I knew that. "All the best Sir." She put an arm around Tilly and pulled her slightly to one side. "You too." Then he looked at me. "Can we?" "Yes." I returned it and we entered the turbolift.

"Captain Pike." Suddenly Saru stood with Burnham and Tilly. "Take good care of her!" Pike smiled, then nodded to the Kelpian and I waved to my friends before the doors closed.

"Transporter room four." Pike gave the order, then looked at me. "Well, nobody cried, so it was not so good?" I smiled weakly, then my feelings thwarted me. I was so determined not to cry, but now, in here and with the chaos in my head, I couldn´t help it longer. "No, it was wonderful." The rest went down in a sob and I put my hand over my mouth. "Oh hey, what's going on?" He teared his eyes and turned to me.

I sniffed aloud, that couldn´t look very elegant, then I looked at him. "Sorry." I wiped my face but that didn`t really make it any better. "It's just." Again I sniffed and suddenly I felt him put his arms around me and I returned it without hesitation, grateful to be able to hold me anywhere. "Don´t tell me you've changed your mind."

I smiled slightly, but he couldn´t see that. He held me so tight that I could feel his heartbeat and his heart beat fast. "No, I didn´t change my mind." Pike took a deep breath, he didn´t even bother to hide his relief. I pushed him away from me for a moment and grinned at him. "What about you?" "What should be with me?" "Do you already regret your offer?" The lift stopped, I released him. Chris hesitated for a moment, then joined me. "No, I don´t." He smiled broadly at me, catching the next tear that leaves my eyes with his thumb. "Everything okay?"

"All right." I followed him as he started to walk. "I was just torn all day and it seems that the point was reached where it wanted to get out." I closed up to him, then something struck me. I tapped the wet spot on his shoulder. "Sorry." "Barely noticeable." He winked at me.

I withdrew my hand as we reached the transporter room. At the entrance I had deposited a bag, strangely, had still found some that had to go with me. I just wanted to throw them over my shoulder when Pike took them from my hand. "I'll take it." "Thank you."

We nodded to the transporter officer, then we entered the platform. I turned slowly once more, then my eyes met Chris' again. I smiled, which he took as an opportunity to give the order for the transporter. "Energy."

Then the transporter carried us away from Discovery.

********

Dedicated to one of the Doctors that accompanied me on my way. If you want, my Phil Boyd . I hope he found his “Haus am See” in heaven.

Masterlist

[literallyprentissstwin]

Another Moment - Part 10 (Final)

you can find all the parts of this story on my masterlist. 

A/N: wow, i´m really sorry it took me so so long to put the tenth & final part of this story up. idk but i had no time & no motivation, but today, my motivation returned and i finally wanted to give my little sienna & our babe luke a proper end. i´m really sad that my series is over then :( i really hope you enjoyed it as much as i did. please leave me some feedback, i would highly appreciate it. 

Warnings: not really, just some talking about kidnapping, hurt/comfort & the general angst (if you know me, angst is my babe), & also beware: there will be a tiny little bit of fluff lol. 

i´m really sorry that this has gotten so so long. cheers to you if you read it till the end. 

“Luke, it´s barely been an hour. Give her some rest.”

Sienna heard someone say as she slowly started to wake up. 

Matt. The voice belonged to her father´s best friend. 

“I know..but..I just need to see her..you know?”

Her Dad, worried as always. It´s then that she felt that someone was holding her hand. She decided to give it a tiny squeeze to show that she´s indeed awake. 

“What..”, she heard her Dad stutter and in that moment, Sienna slowly started to open her eyes. 

“Hey, look who´s back.”, Matt said, a bright smile spreading on his face.

“Hey, Baby Girl.”, Luke greeted his daughter, relieved. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Sienna smiled a little and whispered a quick “Hi” before she looked around the room and saw that the rest of her father´s team was there as well. 

“How are you feeling?”, Luke asked, concern lacing on his face. 

“I´m okay..but what happened?”, Sienna replied, confused. It wasn´t that she didn´t remember what had happened, how could she ever forget that? It was more like that she didn´t remember to be this injured that she had to stay in a hospital, again. 

“Don´t worry. You´re not hurt, at least not that bad that you need to stay here.”, Matt answered as if he could have read the girls mind.

“You kind of passed out at the crime scene though because of your lack of food and water. Also, you´ve got a mild concussion and a few bruised ribs.”, Luke continued. 

“Sounds fun! When can I go home?”, Sienna wondered as she sat up more. 

“The doctors want to discharge you later today.”, Luke said. This was so typical for his daughter, but who could blame her? She actually has been in enough hospitals the last few weeks. 

“Great, they better hurry because I can´t stand to be in her any longer plus this bed is pretty uncomfortable.”, the teenager hissed which made the team laugh.  After a few seconds, Emily decided that it was now or never that they had to talk about what had happened. She hated to be the one to break the good mood, but it was the job. 

“Sienna, I´m really sorry for bringing this up again, but to close the case, we have..”, the Unit Chief started, but got interrupted by the young girl. 

“You need to know what happened, I know.”, she sighed. 

“Yeah, I´m sorry for this. I really wish there would be another way of doing this.”, Emily said as she grabbed a chair and put it close to Sienna and next to Luke´s.  Sienna just nodded and took a deep breath before she began explaining. The rest of the team decided to give the girl some space and therefore decided to go back to the station and see what Scott had to say. 

“So, after this..fight Dad and I had back in Quantico, I needed to get out, away from everything. I needed to go to somewhere quiet and peaceful, so I went to visit my Mom´s grave. I took the bus to McLean and arriving there, I headed straight to the cementry. I talked to Mom, I let out all my anger about this stupid Detective at the police station. I just ranted and ranted. I don´t know how long I´ve been sitting there, but I lost track of time and it got dark. When I checked my phone I saw all the messages and calls from you guys and I started to feel bad. I didn´t want you to worry. That´s why I started typing this text to you, Dad. I guess, it never got through.”, Sienna said and sat up even more while her Dad moved closer to her bed. 

“What happened next?”, Matt asked. 

“I-I don´t know. It all went by so quick. Like one minute, I was texting Dad, then the other, I heard noises behind me. It kind of scared me so I wanted to get going. This was when Scott grabbed me from behind. He put that cloth full of chloroform onto my mouth. I tried to fight him off, but guess he was too strong and the chloroform had already kicked in. I passed out and the next thing I remember is waking up, tied to this chair.”, and again Sienna needed to stop talking. The three agents noticed how nervous and panicked she had gotten and it hurt them more than anything to have her going through this again. 

“You´re doing good, Sienna. We´re almost done. What is the next thing that happened?”, Prentiss tried to reassure the young girl. 

“He told me about his wife he had lost and his daughter. He seemed totally out of it while talking. Then he wanted to know why I hate him so much and that he just wants to be there for me. He said that he could take better care of me than my FBI-Dad, because Dad wouldn´t actual care a bit about me. I got so angry and screamed at him. Then he left, but came back shortly afterwards. He talked some confusing stuff and during this, I tried to free myself. The next time he left, I ran for the phone and called you. After I hung up with you, he came back and I got really mad. I-I just wanted to know why he had to kill Mom. I-I..”, Sienna started to sob, her fragile frame shaking violently. 

“Hey, it´s okay. You´re safe. I´ve got you.”, Luke tried to soothe his scared daughter. 

“H-He said he needed to kill her b-because she wanted to break up with him. M-Mom wanted to move over to Quantico, so we all could live closer together. H-He killed her because h-he couldn´t accept that she started to believe me, that I still was her number 1 priority. H-He killed her because of me.”, and with this, Sienna broke down, sobbing and screaming for her dead mother. An innocent life which  had been taken by a maniac, all because of her. 

If Emily´s, Luke´s and Matt´s heart hadn´t been broken before, it would be now. It hurt them to see that Sienna was blaming herself for everything. 

Luke was trying his best to calm Sienna down, but eventually, she drifted off into sleep from exhaustion and crying. Matt and Emily decided that they heard and had enough and after making sure Luke and Sienna had everything they needed for now, the both of them also left to close this case with the rest of the team.

“Hey, you´re awake again.”, Luke said a few hours later as Sienna opened her eyes, looking around in confusion. 

“Oh, don´t worry. Emily and Matt went back to the station a few hours back to handle everything. It´s over, for real.”, Luke continued talking as he walked closer to Sienna´s bed. 

“What´s gonna happen now?”, the girl asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“We´re going home. The team is on its way here right now. I already signed your discharge papers and..”

“What about Scott?”

“He´ll get what he deserves. We made sure of it. He´ll rot in prison and will probably never leave this place again.”

“I´m sorry, Dad.”, Sienna murmured as she quickly looked down. 

“Sunshinne, look at me.”, Luke demanded as he took Sienna´s hands in his, “nothing of what happened to you and Mom is your fault, okay? It was completley out of your hands. He did it, he decided to do it, not you. You knew that something was off, you warned her, but there wasn´t much you could have continued doing. So please don´t blame yourself for something which wasn´t your choice, okay? Scott isn´t worth your tears and thoughts. He´ll rot in prison, that´s where he belongs. You can start and try to move on, but you need to believe first that non of this was your fault.”

“But..”, Sienna started, but her Dad interrupted her. 

“No..no “but´s”. It´s not your fault. You need to believe this in order to move on.”

“What if I can´t?”

“Then I´ll tell you the truth over and over again until you believe me.”, Luke said, a small smile playing on his lips, which also made Sienna smile. 

“I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, Princess. I´m so proud of you and I´ll be here for you, every step of the way.”, Luke assured her and embraced his daughter in a soft hug. After some time, they broke apart and Sienna looked up to her Dad. 

“What is it?”, he asked. 

“Before we go home, could we maybe do one last stop?”, Sienna wanted to know which earned a confused look form her Dad, but little did he know where she wanted to go to. 

“Anything for you, Princess.”

It´s been 4 months since Sienna and Luke left McLean together, after taking a quick stop at the grave of Sienna´s Mom on their way home. It was Sienna´s wy of finding closure. 

The past 4 months have been a rollercoaster ride - happy moments, scarry and sad moments filled with nightmares and a lot of crying. Yes, life hasn´t been easy for the girl. Just when things started to get better, something happened and pulled Sienna back in her hole. The process against Scott had been the most difficult part of the rollercoaster ride. But gladly, Sienna hadn´t have to do it alone. She had her Dad and his team and she was more than thankful for them. 

After the process, things started to actually work out for Luke and Sienna and they couldn´t be happier. Of course, it still hurt to think about it, but pain only makes people stronger, at leasts that what they say, and if there is one thing Sienna had learned over the past few weeks, than that it´s okay to feel, it´s okay to hurt, but it´s never okay to give up and stop fighting. 

Yes, life could be difficult sometimes and it isn´t always that peachy, but life´s worth living and after all, it´s what Sienna deserved. A happy life with people who care about her, not only down here but also up there. 

In another moment, Sienna would have argued about this, but right now, this seemed to be enough for her. 

THE END. 

[ @dontshootmespence @veroinnumera @sam-carter-in-training @princesswagger14 @tenaciousarcadeexpert @ultrarebelheart @illegalcerebral @remember-me-forever-silent-angel @marvelfanlife @butsomeofusarelookingatthestars @crimindsaspe @the-criminal-soldier @ssaunitchief @lookwhatyoumademequeue @sweater-vest-reid @crimeshowtrash @iammostdefinitelyonfire26 @poppyreid @acespence @jennferjareau @docspencerreid @spencerreidreads @idkbutspencer ]

[laranmina]

I send a message yesterday to the admin of the Jus in Bello convention fanpage asking about the changes in the jib panels. I was as nice as possible, which is no easy for me...

me: hello. I don't really know if you are the right person to ask this, so feel free to send me on my waya couple of friends and me were talking about going to the next jib if there was oneDaniela said so at closure so... Our question is if the changes in the panels this year are gonna be permanents. I mean, the main attractive of Jib are the Mishalecki and cockles panels but if one of thoose dissapear  like this year I am not that sure about saving for a year for something I'm not going to get in the end.We are spaniards, by the way. I understood the pre  jib rant from daniela about the shippers wars (kind of, cons live of that after all) but as an outsider don't really care about getting more of the same as in, let's say, SpnUKsorry for the long askthanks for your answer, or not.

Sue:  As Daniela herself has said, panels can change at a moment’s notice and at the choice of the actors so although the schedule may may say Jensen & Misha - who knows what could happen I think this panel however is not the only thing that differentiates JIB There is so much more, spontaneity that surprises do happen being one of them

me: Maybe. And maybe it's not the only attractive but the jaredxmisha and jensenxmisha is the main  one for me as we don' t get those anywhere else. If I am paying a month salary in an angel pass and not get those two panels I'd probably feel like the school bully took my lunch.No offense, because Rome is almost enough for me to go Jib, but I am hoping for some kind of schedule before fighting for a ticket at the openningI'd largely prefer a full hour of J2M in schedule that a crash panel surprise like this year

Sue: You will not get the schedule before booking day as it is never released until a couple of weeks before the con starts

Me: I've been listenning about the Mishalecki and Cockles panels the whole year. That is what I want to know. Is it going to be like always or we'll have just j2m?

Sue: This year has been the exception that Jared has been involved in the panel. There is no guarantee that it won’t happen again next but no guarantee it will.

Me: The Jared only panel was a J2, too, anyway

Sue: That was because Jared was ill and needed the support. I don’t want to sound rude but if you truly have an issue with how panels change then maybe JIB is not for you. This happens

Me:I know. I'm part of the staff for the annual tolkien convention this year in spain. Changes happen, we try not to but sometimes is inevitable. I'm just trying to figure if those changes are gonna permanent, as I said.Because is hard for me to think jared was having a bad day in saturday and in sunday he wanted to do one more panelI love jared, i can't stop smiling with him but it doesn't make sense. Anyway, always can reselling the ticket at the facebook page, I guess

Sue:  Unfortunately you are asking a question I cannot answer. I do not know what will happen at JIB10.  The section is up to you.Decision I meant to say

Me: Yep, I guess so. I will have to bet on it.Thanks, anyway. I'm sure to could use a week of sleepAgh. You could use, I mean. Dammit

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

Aaand that is. Almost confirm my idea de change was a J2 thing to show Misha support in the face of the bronlies...the no-dildo with the ballons in the lunch room makes me think i was not a last hour idea. Anyway, here you have it.

[iamsithprincess]

A Friend

AN: Hello! This is my fic for Reylo secret santa hosted by @underrated-reylo :) This is a gift for @noriselly :) I´d like to say that I am not a native speaker so if you see any mistakes hmu, I´ll correct them! 

This takes place after TLJ and contains minor spoilers

Out of all the planets she had to crash on this one. All covered in snow, frozen lakes, and cold winds blowing on the surface – complete opposite of she what was used to from her home on Jakku.

„Damn it,“ Rey cursed as she found out her transmitter was not working, together with majority of other systems within her ship.

She fell back to the pilot´s seat, covering her eyes with her palms. Heating system was damaged too which meant that within twenty minutes it would be as cold inside as outside. After that, she would freeze to death in the next few hours. She panicked. The Resistance may have received her distress call, but they had no idea on which out of the seven planets and their moons in this system she crashed on.

“Focus, Rey,” she told herself and reached out with the Force. She followed the guidance of the light within her, letting it lead the way. She was surprised when she realized what was happening – and it was too late to stop it.

Kylo Ren was standing on the bridge of the Finalizer, supervising the work of his subordinates. Ever since the battle of Crait it was extremely hard to track Rebel activity and he wanted to be there when they received any kind of messages about the Resistance.

“Supreme Leader, we believe that we´ve,” one of his most competent Admirals neared him but Kylo cut him off with a wave of his hand. He felt the Force nudging within him. The bond was awake. She was trying to contact him. He gasped and ran out of the bridge, looking for a private room where he could talk to her alone, without receiving curious looks from the officers. The first chance that occured was a sanitation chamber. Kylo entered and shut the door behind him, resting his body against the durasteel.

“Rey,” he greeted and saw her worried expression.

“Ben. I need your help, you´re my only hope,” she replied. He couldn´t see her surroundings, but by the pose she was in and the way her body trembled he assumed she was somewhere cold.

“What happened?” he asked, curiously. What made her reach out to him? After all, she´s been the one to end their last contact.

“I crashed in the Tel´jyn system. My ship systems are down, it´s freezing cold and I have no idea what to do. The Resistance may not even know I´m here. I need you to…find me,” she whispered, shocked by how easily she could talk to him, as if they were allies. And she wanted him to find her? Kriff, she´d spent the past few months hiding from him and his First Order.

“What was your course when you entered the system?” he asked, remembering the coordinates she told him.

Kylo marched out of the sanitation room and rushed back towards the bridge. The crew went silent when he entered and Admiral Peerson attempted for the second time to tell the Supreme Leader an urgent message.

“What ships do we have near the Tel´jyn system?” Kylo asked and the Admiral gasped. “How did…how did he know I was going to tell him about that system in particular?” Peerson thought. He should answer his superior, but it shocked him how the man who seemed to be half his age managed to get this classified information without checking it with the crew on the bridge. But then again, the Admiral realized that Kylo Ren could read minds so he sticked to his post and answered the question.

“General Hux is on his way to the system,”  Peerson said and watched as the Supreme Leader clenched his fists.

“Send all the data about the system to my personal datapad, keep me posted about the development of the Rebel activity,” Kylo ordered and left the room. He would not let Hux destroy Rey. The General was famous for “no prisoners” policy and he was worried that Rey, weakened by the cold and a blaster would not hold long against the Order´s best troops.

 Rey was checking her supplies in the ship. Medical kit – it was good to have it but right now it was not the thing she needed. Extra clothing was great, she would definitely put it on once the heating would shut down completely. Food and water supplies for two weeks - she was hoping that she wouldn´t need that much. Then she walked towards the emergency box. It was filled with all kinds of equipment for various crash-landings. Rey threw away the swimming gear, and tossed out the ice skate blades. She did not know how to skate but it could serve as a knife if she had to cut through the ice or just mark her way in ice caves. She threw it in the bag and continued emptying the box. When she was about take out the goggles, she felt the bond throbbing with energy. Ben had been contacting her.

“Rey. General Hux is onto something. Even if the Resistance received your distress call, they most likely won´t attempt a rescue mission, if they have at least a bit of common sense. The fleet is spread across the whole system. And before you ask, no I can´t call them off there.”

“Well, you´re the Supreme Leader, of course you can!”

“It´s not as easy as it looks. What reason would I give them? No, listen, I have a plan. I know your exact location. You need to cross the lake which is approximately thirty minutes away from your current position. After that, it should take an hour to the small city of Jynnil where there are some…smuggler hideaways. You should find someone to smuggle you off planet to safety. If they refuse, tell them you´ll pay extra credits in the First Order currency.”

“I am a Resistance fighter. I don´t have those just laying around.”

“I know. I´ll provide them.”

“You will?” Rey was shook. Was he offering to pay for her? Did he actually care about her well being?

“Yes. Now go, because the sunset is in three hours and if you don´t make it by then….”

He didn´t have to finish his sentence. Rey knew what would happen. She would freeze to death without saying goodbye to her friends. Now that was something she wanted to avoid.

“I don´t know why you´re doing this…but thank you,” she replied and closed off the connection, too scared to hear that he was only doing this so he could capture her later, even though she didn´t believe he would do it.

Rey left the ship with a packed bag and began her trek towards the Jynnil city.

Kylo was nervously sitting on his bed, inable to get back to the bridge. He had to be alone in case Rey needed his help. Every few minutes he would check the chrono to see where she probably was. He was getting more impatient with each second, because she should have already reached the lake.

Outburst of pain shattered through the re-activated bond. Was Rey hurt? Kylo nervously bit his bottom lip and clenched his fists, grasping the bed sheets. What was happening to her?

“It´s the ice! I keep falling down!” Rey angrily reassured him that she was not being under attack. Kylo could now see her sprawled across the ground, trying to get back on her feet. After moments of struggling she managed to stand up, legs shaking, her hands reaching out to the cold air for support.

“Easy, Rey. I see you put the ski blades onto your boots. Now, when you step on the ice, try to find balance. Don´t bend forward nor backwards, let each slide be the extension of your steps you shou-“

Kylo was interrupted by a loud thump as Rey hit the cold ice. “Kriff!” she cursed and as a newborn lamb she tried to get back on her feet. Her legs were trembling and if she couldn´t rely on something she would most likely fall again.

“Look at me, Rey,” Kylo guided her and waited till the girl locked her eyes with his. “Relax. Don´t look downwards. Look at me,” he whispered, his voice soft and gentle. Rey nodded and now finally stood on the ice. Giving it another try, she slid her right leg, quickly balancing the movement with her left. Too quickly. She was again falling to the ground. She closed her eyes, ready to embrace the hit of the surface, but it never came. Rey opened her eyes and saw Ben holding her firmly, helping her to stand steadily. Silent gasp escaped her lips as she felt his touch against her cold body.

“Try again,” he commanded, still holding her arms tightly. “Look me in the eyes and slide again. Shorter and less swifter slides will be more efficient, come on.”

Rey followed his lead and moved her right leg and this time less quickly added her left, without falling. She smiled at Ben, happy about finally managing to stay on her feet. As she felt she was slowing down, Rey slid again, this time with more confidence. Kylo didn´t expect the strong rebound, so he didn´t move more backwards and Rey ended up pressed against his chest. Both of them exhaled loudly, surprised by the sudden closure. His arms were wrapped around her back and hers were placed on his shoulders, their faces inches apart as Rey looked up. They exchanged a long gaze, filled with emotions unknown to both of them. They couldn´t hear anything else beside each other´s heartbeats, echoing through the galaxy. It felt weird to be this close without actually being together. Their faces were so close that they could feel the breaths of each other. Kylo looked Rey in the eyes and then glanced on her mouth. They looked so soft and he wanted to cover them with his. He slowly brought his lips closer and closer, giving Rey time to back off. He didn´t want to rush anything, or make her feel uncomfortable. He needed her to feel the same way he felt. He craved her, ever since he realized how much she meant to him.

There was no resistance from her so Kylo finally decided to do it, to kiss her, even if he knew it was wrong. Their lips joined and bolt of sensation flew through their bodies. As he sucked in Rey´s lower lip, she moaned quietly, surprised by the amount of arousal this act brought. She gently brushed her tongue over his. Kylo returned the favor of bringing tongue in the play and deepened the kiss. He reached  to Rey's cheek and slowly caressed her skin with his right hand. His warm hand against her  cold skin was making her shiver on the inside, together with the small circles that he was making with his thumb. She knew it was wrong, Kylo knew it was wrong, but it felt so right. The forbidden kiss across the galaxy. This time, there was no vision of future or past, only the strong sensation of belonging radiating from both of them.

It was Rey who broke the kiss, but the shock of what just happened was replaced with a smile.

“Now, try again,“  Kylo commanded and this time released one of Rey´s hands. She shot him a worried gaze, but he reassured her that he wasn´t leaving, just trying to help her be independent on his guidance.

The girl was kind of saddened that they didn´t talk about the kiss, but she guessed it was too much to process for him. After a few other tries, Rey was capable of skating without having to rely on Ben´s support.

“Thank you,” she whispered, when his image faded away. Now, it was up to her to make it to the Jynnil city in time.

Kylo walked around his chambers, begging the Force to guide Rey safely to her friends. As he threw a glance at the chrono, he realized that he should be back on the bridge. With one last gaze he checked where Rey disappeared and left the room.

*Back on the Resistance base*

“Rey! We´re glad you´re safe!” Leia, Finn, Poe, Rose and other Resistance members gathered around her when she entered the High Command tent. They all flooded her with questions and she answered them all, one by one, bending the truth. She kept her bond with Ben a secret, together with his involvement in this accident. What melted her heart was to see that people were worried about her and cared about her.

“This story is unbelievable, Rey,” Finn said and hugged Rey one more time. “I just don´t understand one thing…where did you learn how to ice skate?” His voice was filled with curiosity. Finn knew Rey grew up on Jakku, the sand planet where most likely nobody knew how to do it.

“A friend helped me,” she replied and smiled, running her fingertips over her lips.

[liepcrd]

When you live in Hoenn, you tend to learn some rituals that you may never, ever need. 

Unless fate decides you’re going to need them a lot sooner than you expected.

She’d flown in from Unova for this, on the very last flight of the night, dropping several events she’d agreed to show up to the next day. There weren’t many people there, in fact, there was only a handful of them. Katherine’s parents, Hummel and April, Pokemon Breeder Townsend, and Looker. The rest of them stood a bit behind the former Champion, watching in solemn silence as she wept. It was to be expected, after all, one of her first Pokemon had passed away. The Pokemon she’d named after herself. She shook as she stood over the body of her friend and ally, quivering as emotional devastation wracked her through and through. Maybe it was just the current environment, but she felt as if nothing could go right in her life without something turning sour rapidly. She stood, feeling her tears come to an end. A memory suddenly flashed through her head.

“Hah, a Delcatty? What are you going to do with that?”

“More than you ever will with that attitude! Kitten, Fake Out, now!”

As the memory faded, Katherine felt the tears come back as if a stoplight had switched to green in her mind. She’d won that battle with her newly evolved Delcatty. Though she tried to stand strong, literally and figuratively, she was no longer able to avoid the weight of the situation. Even being away from her Delcatty for so long, she still had quite the emotional attachment to her. Bonds that were true withstood the test of time, as this one had. But-- did her Pokemon know that Katherine still loved her? Katherine hadn’t visited for about three months. Surely, despite the time away, her beloved companion still knew her trainer cared for her? These thoughts made her slowly sink to her knees, her quiet sobs becoming louder at the mere thought she had allowed one of her Pokemon to pass away without her knowing she was loved.

From behind, Looker stepped forward, placing a hand on Katherine’s shoulder. His facial expression was grim. He remembered Kitten well-- hell, he gave Katherine the Moon Stone to evolve her on her birthday. The amount of pride on Katherine’s face when she strutted out of the Elite Four building, her Delcatty donning the Championship ribbon, it compared to none else. It was even difficult for him to speak, feeling like he was watching his own child fall into despair. With a sharp intake of breath, he spoke.

“Perhaps... now is a good time to perform the ritual you learned.”

In Hoenn, with Mount Pyre and all, there was a ritual that the regional Champion performed for all of the graves. It was most likely just an old wives tale passed down from generation to generation, but in Hoenn lore, it was said that if you wished for a body to go undisturbed once they were buried, you should perform a special ceremonial dance to keep the evil spirits at bay. This included Pokemon known to feast on the souls of deceased Pokemon, an act to make sure the fallen Pokemon had a peaceful afterlife. Katherine didn’t necessarily know it like the back of her hand, but she had seen it performed a few times at Pyre. Officially, only Champions and former Champions could perform it at the mountain, but unofficially anyone could bless their Pokemon with it. Slowly, Katherine looked up to the detective, who gave a pained smile of encouragement. The girl stood up, wiping her tears away and looked around the yard.

“I-- I need... a stick. The ritual involves bamboo, of some sort.” 

Townsend glanced from side to side, spotting a lone pole of bamboo leaning against a tree in the corner of the backyard. He raced over to nab it, hastily returning to Katherine and handing it over. She took the stick and gave him a silent nod of thanks. Looker returned to his original position in the grass behind her, as did Townsend. Her parents said nothing, neither of them too good with comforting during these matters. And, in a way, both of them felt as if Looker ranked higher than they did in Katherine’s book-- they wouldn’t blame her.

The mourning girl swallowed, her breathing still rocky. She raised the stick up and twirled it in her fingers above her head, to the right, then left, switching hands with a gentle swaying motion. As per the ritual, she began to hum a gentle tune. It was a tune of sorrow, a tune of passing. This tune combined with the movements of the bamboo would keep the gluttonous spirits away-- so lore claimed. The Ballad of Passing, as it was called, was unique to every person who sang it. While there was one universal tune at the beginning, once that was sang, you could hum whatever you pleased. Thus, each tune was unique to those who performed it. Now was no exception, after the Ballad escaped her lips, a new tune exclusive to her chimed in, continuing the song and complimenting the previous notes expertly. Tears streaked down her face as she continued her motions, finding them oddly therapeutic in this time of strife. Finally, she repeated the main Ballad once more before gently placing the bamboo in front of her. 

“That-- that was stunning, dear.” Her mother whispered, her fingers lacing tighter with her husband’s.

With a rumble, her father chimed in, “Yes, that was... quite beautiful and heart wrenching, to say the least.”

“The Ballad of Passing is a very delicate tune. It’s even unique to Katherine, as once you sing the primary song, you can change it to whatever you wish.” Townsend marveled. 

With a heavy sigh, Katherine knelt down to the still body of the Delcatty below.

“I’m so-- so sorry I could not be around in your final days more. As your friend, your trainer, I failed you in that aspect. Kitten--” She stopped, holding back a choking sob, “I-- if you c-can hear me, I want you t-to know... know that taking you to the Champion and winning-- was an amazing honor. Without you, we never would have overcame the challenges before us. I-- I hope, if the fates allow, we will meet again. Rest now, forever, peacefully. You’ve fought the good fight-- it is time for you to rest your weary bones.”

She intended to hug the Delcatty’s body once more, for closure, but she found herself unable to move. In her ears, she thought she could hear Kitten’s old affectionate cry sound out. She burst into tears, unable to let go now, old memories with her friend racing back to her all at once. Looker watched, unable to ward off the emotions she must have felt. The pain she must have felt. He could do nothing, along with the rest of the group, watching in silence as Katherine dealt with her emotions the best way she knew how-- outright. 

[mikemortgage]

New Pakistan Prime Minister — Imran Khan — goes to bat for his country

The golden age of populists has a new rising star: Imran Khan.

The 65-year-old Pakistani cricketer-turned-hardline-reformer joins a glittering cast of strongmen led by Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi redrawing the global order.

But Khan, Pakistan’s prime minister in waiting, may have the toughest challenge, reversing the South Asian nation’s economic fortunes, after his party controversially won the national election in July.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party did not win an outright majority amid complaints of rigging by the two main political parties, but his brand of populism, tinged with nationalism, and Naya (new) Pakistan slogan has energized the despairing middle class and educated youth tired of the status quo, especially since neighbouring India has prospered in recent years

He has also brought a focus on tackling corruption and security — foreign investors’ biggest irritants — that, at least on paper, promises the nuclear-armed state of 207 million people will be the next economic dynamo, but it has repeatedly stumbled and lost its way in the past.

A Pakistani takes a selfie with Imran Khan, centre, head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, as he leaves a party meeting in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. The party won the most parliament seats in July’s general elections and is expected to form a governing coalition later this month.

“Pakistanis are hoping against hope that somebody is going to bring about change,” said Ayesha Jalal, a Pakistani historian and professor of history at Medford, Mass.-based Tufts University, who was in Lahore during the elections. “But I do think despite all the things Imran wants to do, there is a feeling that we may be in a scenario where much of the ‘Naya’ Pakistan may be a bit like the old Pakistan — more of the same.”

There may be some similarities between Khan and India Prime Minister Modi, but Pakistan is no India, its separated-at-birth neighbour that has blossomed into a US$2.2-trillion economic powerhouse, while Pakistan’s stunted economy of roughly US$300 billion has long been infested by a corrupt political regime that’s failed to provide basic necessities to its citizens.

Yet the country holds promise.

Goldman Sachs, which coined the famous BRIC acronym, puts Pakistan as one of the Next Eleven set of countries —alongside the likes of Vietnam, Nigeria and Mexico — that may become among the largest economies in the world this century.

Hope also springs eternal despite broken promises by a long list of Muslim countries that have tried to modernize, only to stumble and return to their old ways.

“The Turkish, Bangladeshi, and Egyptian examples have many lessons for Imran Khan as he begins to run Pakistan,” said Shahid Javed Burki, a former World Bank vice-president and a relative of Khan, who calls his victory a “game changer” for the country.

Poverty levels are high, but around 120 million people — or roughly the population of Japan — constitute an aspirational, young middle-class that present a ready consumer market that is fluent in English.

All of which makes Pakistan, located near the giant markets of China, India and the Gulf States, an enticing would-be investment destination and trading partner, if Khan can ever manage to get the house in order.

Who is Khan?

It may be too early for Modi and Trump comparisons, but Khan appears to be on the same trajectory as those two leaders.

An outsider, who put the established political parties under siege for the past few years, Khan holds strongly conservative views that have made many progressives uneasy. And, as the world’s eighth-most-followed political leader on Twitter, he has used social media as an effective weapon to mobilize an army of followers.

But there are also millions of Never Khaners.

“I don’t know if he will be good for the country, but he adds to the confusion in the narrative,” says Beena Sarwar, a journalist and activist who teaches journalism at Emerson College in Boston. “He is a polarizing force, like Modi and Trump. They do not discourage their followers from taking up divisive positions and abusing or attacking those who disagree with them.”

Michael Kugelman, an analyst at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., said in a video podcast he disagrees with the comparisons to Trump, but Khan “does project himself as a new face representing the real interests of the people … He is a populist.”

Part of Khan’s appeal is his past. The one-time playboy became the cricket-mad nation’s favourite son in 1992 when he led a young team to an unlikely World Cup victory. On the verge of near-certain elimination, the captain took to wearing a T-shirt with a ferocious tiger illustration on it, as he strong-willed his unruly team to play like “cornered tigers.” The resulting win became folklore in the country.

Pakistan’s cricket captain, Imran Khan, waving a Pakistan flag, is cheered by his teammates after Pakistan defeated England in the World Cup Cricket final, in Melbourne, Australia in March 1992.

“As a cricket hero, he united the country, but as a politician, he is very polarizing,” Kugelman said. “He is a cult of personality and people are really attracted to him because of his charisma, but there are a lot of people in Pakistan who hate him. They think he has a soft spot for terror, are very much against some of his views towards women, some do not think he is very smart.”

Also, though Khan’s cricket cabinet is brimming with trophies, his political resume is thin: he established a mostly free cancer hospital in memory of his mother, and he has doggedly fought the political establishment for the past 22 years by tapping into the youth vote — mostly middle-class, educated and urban — who retweeted and shared his gospel of change, and the dream of a Muslim welfare state.

But the Oxford-graduate also generates a strong visceral reaction from progressives who don’t believe his come-back-to-Islam spiel.

Imran Khan and London socialite Gemima Goldsmith on their wedding day in 1995.

The arc of Khan’s adult life begins as a tearaway fast bowler, a Don Juan on the London social scene who eventually became close friends with the late Princess Diana. His series of affairs with the ladies of London’s high society culminated in a marriage to Jemima Goldsmith, daughter of London financier Sir James Goldsmith.

But Khan turned his back on his Western lifestyle, amicably divorcing Goldsmith, and reinvented himself as a born-again Muslim espousing conservative views that grew ever more orthodox.

A disastrous second marriage lasted 10 months, with his ex writing a scandalous biography weeks before the 2018 elections that revealed lurid details about his sex life and alleged drug use.

His third marriage to a fully veiled spiritual leader, confirmed to his critics that he is no reformer, but part of the orthodoxy that’s weighing down the country.

What now?

Khan has pledged to target economic growth of six per cent over the next five years, create two million jobs each year, cut taxes, overhaul basic services and crack down on corruption. But his first order of business when he assumes office this week will be to stabilize the economy.

“We have to escape this economic crisis,” he said during a slightly premature victory speech in late July while votes were still being counted. “No one is coming to save us.”

Ill-conceived economic policies in the past have brought Pakistan to the brink of many fiscal disasters and bailouts. It needs another one now, of between US$6-12 billion.

“Pakistan urgently needs another IMF arrangement to boost its international reserves, which have declined to critical levels (equivalent to less than two months of import coverage),” Garbis Iradian, head of Middle East and North Africa research at the Institute of International Finance, said by email.

Imran Khan and the late Princess Diana were close friends.

Iradian believes foreign investors will welcome any economic reforms that the new cabinet would likely implement in the context of a new IMF arrangement. Khan’s government has already held talks with the Asian Development Bank, Chinese and Saudis for assistance.

Vaqar Ahmed, deputy executive director at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute in Islamabad, said the economy is going to be task No. 1.

“But Khan ran on throwing away the begging bowl — how do you change that narrative? There might have to be some belt-tightening on the horizon.”

Despite the upheavals, the country’s investment profile has improved. Last year, index provider MSCI upgraded the Pakistan Stock Exchange to emerging market status, a move that caught the eye of investment guru Mark Mobius, who had initially been skeptical.

“There have been a number of recent positive changes ensuring Pakistan’s public equity markets have been able to continuously operate with no closures/suspensions of the local exchange,” Mobius said in an email exchange. “The increasing market cap has also enabled index providers to re-categorize Pakistan. The size of the population and economy justifies an upgrade.”

The country’s untapped potential has also lured Montreal native Richard Morin to head the Pakistan Stock Exchange and boost its international and domestic profile.

Morin, who once worked at the Montreal Stock Exchange and at a unit of National Bank Financial Group, said he lives a “privileged” life in Pakistan, complete with security staff, and enjoys a strong social network, playing golf, sailing and hiking.

“My impression of Pakistan is very positive,” he said during a phone interview from Karachi. “And the challenge to turn around and develop this capital market is really exciting. We have got very positive signals from the incoming government.”

Morin, who also ran the Mauritius Stock Exchange, said he plans to bring in exchange-traded funds, index and stock options to attract institutions to the PSX.

“Foreign investors are quite active on Pakistan’s market,” he said. “Many of them have been investing in Pakistan for a number of years and have done extremely well.”

PSX was among the world’s best-performing markets in 2016, but much of those gains were lost in 2017 amid political turmoil and currency devaluation. The market has risen since Khan’s election on hopes the new government will inject confidence in the economy.

But Mobius cautions a tough road lies ahead.

“Given Pakistan’s strong opposition parties, there are doubts if the new government will be able to implement real and long-lasting reforms,” he said.

Pakistani opposition leader Maulana Fazalur Rehman, right, and Shahbaz Sharif, left, the younger brother of ousted Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif and head of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), attend an All Parties Conference in Islamabad on July 27, where a group of political parties announced a protest demanding new elections following allegations of rigging in the nationwide polls that were won by cricket hero Imran Khan’s party.

For the most part, Western nations have largely ignored Pakistan’s potential because of security concerns.

For example, Canada, which is seeking new markets, currently has around a $1-billion trade relationship with Pakistan.

“From Canada, there has been expressions of interest in the dairy sector, construction and pharmaceuticals, but in terms of numbers, it’s minuscule,” Ahmed said.

But China has opened its chequebook. It is building a mammoth China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that cuts across the length of the country, connecting China to the Indian Ocean — a controversial project that many feel tramples all over Pakistan’s sovereignty.

The US$62-billion development, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, culminates at a deep-sea port in the south, connecting China to Middle Eastern and African markets, away from the threat of the U.S. Navy.

Khan’s economic plan includes targeting wealth funds from China and the Middle East for investments in energy, minerals and infrastructure, and privatizing state assets. But the army, which still calls the shots on foreign policy, may thwart his overtures to India and the U.S.

“While the PTI victory is undeniable, it’s not a victory that translates into solid governance and that’s the No. 1 question in Pakistan,” Tufts University professor Jalal said.

The one thing even Khan’s harshest critics may concede is his stubbornness, or arrogance, to take it upon himself to do the improbable.

“We really have been through the fire,” Khan said at the start of the 1992 World Cup final, donning the by-then famous tiger-emblazoned T-shirt, before going on to trounce England. “It looked like we were knocked out and to have come back from that has given me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction.”

He might need to start wearing that T-shirt again.

yhussain@postmedia.com

Financial Post

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[russellthornton]

How To Break Up With A Girl And Not Have It Bite You In The Ass

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. But, learning how to break up with a girl right will keep her from feeling tossed aside.

Breaking up is never easy. Sometimes it is a great release and makes you feel like a weight has lifted. The actual process of breaking up or breaking someone’s heart is never a good feeling. If you once had feelings for a girl but they left, or you just don’t want to carry on with your relationship anymore, you owe it to her to know how to break up with a girl so that you don’t leave her crushed.

How to break up with a girl: 8 essential rules to make the break up less painful

You never know, she might be in the same frame of mind as you and done with the whole thing, which is always the best case scenario. But, from experience, you should always assume that it will hurt her and minimize the bleed. There are some rules that you should adhere to so you don’t catch her fury. It can be super ugly if you don’t know how to break up with a girl.

#1 Do it in person. If you break up with a girl, make sure you have the courage to do it to her face. There is nothing more cowardly than breaking up with someone via text, social media, or even on the phone.

You owe her the courtesy of saying it to her face. Sure, it’s more difficult to deal with the overflow of emotions and see the carnage. You can’t just text her an “adios” and think that’s humane or cool. If you don’t want to be with her, man up and tell it to her face. [Read: How to have the breakup conversation with someone you love]

#2 Don’t cheat on her or hop ship. If you feel like your feelings for your girlfriend changes, then you owe her the obligation to finish one relationship before you step into another.

Don’t hop from one girl to the next and think you won’t catch their wrath. Not only is it not cool, but you hurt someone who cares for you. If you even think that you want to be with someone else, break it off before, rather than after, or it just isn’t fair. [Read: 8 signs you’re accidentally cheating already]

#3 Give her closure. I know closure, shit. I hate it too. There is nothing worse than the endless questions of “Why?”. But, if you don’t want to be with someone, then give them the peace of knowing why they are no longer the one for you.

If blindsided, it resides in them and makes them question what they did wrong and what is wrong with them. If it is just that you don’t find a compatibility with them, you want different things, or you just don’t have sexual feelings for them, tell them.

Most men make the mistake of thinking telling a woman the truth hurts more. Not telling them why is about the worst thing you can do to someone. It just leaves them perpetually guessing and probably taints their next relationships. [Read: 20 signs your relationship is oh-so-over already]

#4 Don’t lie. If you plan to break up with someone, don’t soften the blow by lying. Saying things like “I want to take a break” when you really just don’t want to be with them, isn’t fair. If you are done, just be honest and say, “I’m done”.

Anything less just feeds them false hope. Honesty is the best policy when in a relationship and when finding your way out of one. Don’t keep her hanging on for fear of going it alone or her reprisal. Rip off the Band-Aid so that the wound starts to heal.

#5 Don’t rehash. When done with someone, be done. You don’t have to give a laundry list of all the shitty things they did to you that led you to break up with them. Just go your separate ways.

There are obviously things on both sides that made the relationship not work. You giving her the riot act isn’t going to make you or her feel better. It just creates animosity. Yes, be honest. No, don’t be brutal. Just end amicably. If not, she’ll chase your ass for eternity. [Read: Songs you can use to breakup with your partner]

#6 Don’t give in. If you break up with her and you see the pain on her face, don’t decide maybe you made the wrong decision and agree to give it another try. I know breaking someone’s heart is super difficult. It isn’t made any better by reneging.

All you do is prolong the agony for yourself and make her work overtime to win back a heart unavailable to her. If you break it off, break it off. That means no goodbye sex either. That only confuses emotions, even if it feels good at the time.

#7 Don’t do it in the heat of battle. If you want to know how to break up with a girl, one of the most important things to know is to not do it in the midst of a heated argument. Finish the fight, let it calm, and then break up with her in a rational and real way. If you break up during a fight, then you both wonder if it was a good idea or just made the wrong move while super pissed.

Good decisions are never born out of anger. Even if you considered it for a while, sleep on it and let emotions calm so that you have a real talk to end things the right way instead of with a “F*ck you, I’m done.” [Read: 17 signs you’re past the point of no return and need to break up]

#8 Let her know you still care for her. Sometimes quitting cold turkey is the hardest thing to do. If you break up with a girl, at times, it is a good idea to let them know that you still care about them and that you hold no ill feelings. Women tend to internalize things.

If you just lost the attraction, that doesn’t mean that you don’t still care about her and how she is doing. The whole “We can still be friends” doesn’t mean you talk on the phone once a day. It might mean the world to her to know that although she lost a boyfriend in you, she didn’t lose the friend you were too.

Breaking up with someone just sucks, period. Whether you break up because she is a bitch or because you lost your sexual attraction to her, doing it the right way, ends up benefiting you greatly going forward. There is going to come a time in your future, where if you don’t do it right and screw her over, it comes back to bite you.

[Read: The breakup conversation you need to use when you end things with your girl]

Karma is a bitch and so can a woman who feels as if they have been dumped. If you want to how to break up with a girl and keep it amicable, then take the time to do it right. Put on your big boy pants, and be prepared to provide her closure.

The post How To Break Up With A Girl And Not Have It Bite You In The Ass is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.