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codename-mom · 8 months ago

Text

Arm wrestling on a couch

Summary: Post S04E01 (Mayhem). JJ has revealed her pregnancy to her coworkers and Hotch didn't seem to appreciate. She needs to have a discussion with him to clear the things up and to make some points. So she went to his apartment without warning him.

Characters: JJ and Hotch (her point of view)

Contents: TW mentions of what's happened in New York, of Hotch wound and there's a tiny bit of angst

This is a text written for the KidFic CM challenge organized by @imagining-in-the-margins.

PS : English is not my mother language so they are necessarily mistakes. Sorry about that.

___

JJ stood in front of the door but didn't dare knock yet. After the events in New York, which had shaken the whole team, they had all gave themselves a few days off to recover from their emotions. She had taken three and decided to use the second one to clarify a few points. A lot had happened there, and among them was the announcement of her pregnancy to her superior. She hadn't planned for it to play out this way at all – she'd envisaged doing it calmly and by the book, coming to sit in his office to tell him the whole truth. Instead, she'd delivered the information on the spur of the moment in a hotel lobby while everyone around them was bustling like an anthill, and she could tell he didn't appreciate it. Worse, she'd felt as if she'd hurt him.

She hadn't understood his reaction and had told herself that once the investigation was over, she'd come back to him to discuss it, but circumstances had somewhat thwarted her plans. Hotch hadn't returned by jet and had made the journey back his own way, out of her reach. She was now keeping her fingers crossed that he was at home and not in hospital for further tests. Which was a possibility, given that he had almost died in the explosion of his SUV. Her heart was pounding against her ribs. The giant's behavior was so unpredictable at times that she didn't really know where to start with this confrontation. Did he disapprove of this impromptu pregnancy? Should she have told him she was thinking of starting a family with Will? She didn’t know. But she was determined to get to the bottom of all this and set a few conditions for the coming months too. She'd probably have to fight hard, but she'd know how to hold her ground.

That's how she pressed the doorbell button for the first time. Nothing moved. She pressed a second and then a third time until a voice, muffled by the thickness of the ingress, exclaimed:

“I’m coming! Stop ringing, please.”

It was off to a bad start; she'd obviously just annoyed him by drawing his attention to her presence outside his home. He opened the door shortly afterwards and his scowl immediately turned to surprise.

“JJ?”

She herself was caught off guard by her opposite’s attire. She'd always seen him in a suit, but now she discovered him in jeans, T-shirt, and socks. And he obviously hadn't shaved since returning from the Big Apple.

“Hello, Aaron,” she said, pulling herself together.

She gave him a smile that she hoped would make up for the inappropriateness of this improvised visit.

“Hello, he answered, eyebrows furrowed. What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to check if everything was all right for you.”

“Well, it was fine until you rang the bell,” he rumbled, all warmth gone from his voice.

“Thank you…”

He sighed, dropping his shoulders, and indicated that she could enter.

“It's not you, it's the doorbell, he explained, more pleasantly. The slightest sound that's a little loud splits my head in two.”

She hadn't thought of this detail when she arrived here, but as the agency head's eardrum had been seriously damaged by the blast, his entire hearing apparatus was now exposed and no longer protected from shrill noises such as the entrance bell. She imagined it was the same for anything that exceeded the usual decibels of a conversation.

“Okay. I'll pass the word on to the next one,” she declared with a compromising pout.

“Tell them to stop calling me too, he bounced, closing the portal behind her. They have to do like Spencer. He understands, he sends me messages.”

“You can put it on vibrate too,” she pointed out, a little offended by his reproving tone.

Listening to him – with the exception of the agency's youngest agent – they were all acting like idiots, making phone calls to ask about his health. What he didn't realize was that it wasn't so easy to take into account all the ins and outs of his new condition. Not everyone had the brilliant intelligence of the multi-graduate. However, she excused his unpleasant attitude by attributing it to the pain that must have been coursing through his skull at this hour.

“No, because then I might not be able to hear it. And I know a few people who'd call SWAT if I didn't answer.”

He had a point but didn't exult. He encouraged her to take a seat on the sofa and she obeyed, smiling. He headed for the kitchen and asked:

“Do you want to drink something? I’ve got water… and water.”

“Water will be fine,” she assured, amused.

“Fresh or at temperature?”

“At temperature, please. My digestive system has been sensitive enough lately.”

He returned to her and handed her a large, generously filled glass. He himself had one in his hand.

“Here. If I'd known you were coming by, I'd have bought some crackers. Haley ate whole packs of them when she was expecting for Jack.”

“Thank you,” she said as she picked up her order.

Then he sat down on the couch, next to her, but without occupying all the remaining space. Even with his unusual size, he managed to adapt so as not to jostle the people around him or encroach on their living space. She appreciated the attention, but wondered what was behind it. Her profiling colleagues would surely have had an answer for her.

They each took a sip, aware that the rest of the discussion might not be so light. They had to clear the air, and the likelihood of them raising their voice was high.

“When were you going to tell me?” he threw, staring at her with his dark eyes.

“When I've had no choice,” she retorted on the spot.

She and Will had talked at length about their respective visions of family and had agreed that children would be an essential part of their lives. However, they didn't expect their wish to be granted so quickly. But as soon as she'd known, she'd also realized that this announcement would make waves in her superior's square organization. He was capable of adapting to many things – especially because the agents under his command left him no option but to accept their sometimes hasty decisions anyway – but she wasn't sure he knew how to modulate his routine following such a change.

When she'd been hired, she'd made no secret of the fact that she was just starting out in the business, and that her previous positions hadn't been as crucial as the one he was planning to give her. This didn't seem to bother him in the least, and he gradually shifted some of his duties to her, taking the time to answer her questions and train her as he had been trained before her. More than once, she'd had the sensation of asking silly questions whose answers were perfectly obvious, but he'd never raised the slightest remark. Then she began to stand on her own two feet, detaching herself more and more from him to carry out her missions alone. But just when she thought she'd lightened his load, she soon realized that he still had just as much work to do and was continuing to rack up the overtime hours. Because the unit was growing. Because the BAU’s good results were bearing fruit, and more and more people were asking for their help.

The agency's good reputation had its downside, and until this moment, it was its director who had paid the highest price. Guided by a heightened professional conscience, he had forgotten the most important thing, and the penalty had fallen. Haley had slammed the door, taking their son and the pedestal on which the giant had always relied to stand. The fall had been brutal and destructive, and the damage seemed irreparable. As usual, he hid his emotions behind this icy expression, but his subordinates weren't completely fooled. He was sinking deeper and deeper into his work, having no interest in going home anymore and ignoring the needs of his body. Every day, he closed in on himself a little more, despite the team's attempts to draw him into the light.

This was the first reason why she hadn't dared tell him about this development in her private life. She had been afraid. Afraid of burying him further under work. And afraid, too, of breaking the few pieces he had painstakingly put back together. But clearly, it was her silence that had hurt him the most.

“Why didn't you tell me?” he insisted, more pained than angry.

“Why is it so important for you to know?” she asked, adjusting her thoughts so as not to do any more damage than she already had.

“Because I'm responsible for your lives, JJ.”

And now came the second reason why she had preferred to remain silent.

“I'm no more in danger pregnant than not.”

“Except that in addition to your life, I have that of your unborn child to consider, he pointed out, annoyed. And over there, in New York, you were both in danger.”

“So did Spencer, Emily, Penelope, Dave, and Derek. We were all in danger.”

All of them could have been in the SUV that had been targeted by the terrorists. All of them could have taken those bullets that the New York officer paired with Prentiss had received. They could all have suffered the blast of that second bomb if Morgan hadn't led the ambulance out of the hospital. In fact, he was probably the most endangered member of the team, tied with the unit leader. The latter must have realized this because he lowered his nose for a moment. His hands twitched nervously, as they did every time he was consumed by anxiety.

“You should have told me before we left,” he continued, in a softer but less assured tone.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't want any special treatment.”

If there was one thing Hotch couldn't be faulted for, it was his attention to his men. He was constantly worried about their state of health, both mental and physical, and his anxiety went through the roof whenever one of them felt out of sorts. Most of the time, he curbed the ardor of his protective temperament – aware that a simple cut wasn't worth rousing all the rescue services in DC – or deferred the task of looking after the ailing element to one of them, but sometimes the overflow ran over and he showed an excess of empathy. And if, as she thought, he intended to restrict her to a purely administrative position for the next seven months, that didn't suit her at all.

“…What?” he croaked, taken aback.

“I’m not disabled, I’m pregnant. And just because I am doesn't mean I have to hide behind a desk while you all put yourselves in danger,” she hammered, glaring at him.

Eyes wide with surprise, he watched her wordlessly, confused. His pupils turned to the side for a moment, then came back to rest on her. Her heart was beating fiercely against her ribs. He opened his mouth, hesitated, then said:

“… JJ, whether you like it or not, being pregnant isn't trivial. Your whole body undergoes changes for nine months. It's stressful enough as it is, you can't add the stress of our job to it.”

“I'll be the judge of that, she objected, continuing the argument she'd prepared before leaving home. I am the one who is pregnant, not you. I'm in the best position to understand how I feel.”

Unsettled by her firm tone, he turned his head away from those bluish irises and plunged into silent reflection, rubbing his lower face with his hand. She would have given anything to witness the battle that must have been going on in his brain at that hour. She understood his fears, but he had to learn to deal with his employees' wishes too.

“… No, I’m sorry, I… I can't let you do that, he declared, half stammering. I… I can't take responsibility for you having a miscarriage or giving birth to a disabled child who won't have grown up peacefully.”

“Aaron, if you try to keep me out of the field, I'll resign.”

He received this reply like a slap in the face, blinking several times. It was the last argument she had in her pocket, and she had hoped not to have to use it, as she suspected the pain it would inflict. She clearly wasn't making it easy for him by backing him into a corner, but she couldn't think of a better way to make him see reason. He no longer dared look at her. His arms trembled and she saw tears forming at the edges of his eyes. She had to restrain herself from hugging him to reassure him.

“… O… okay, he stuttered after a long silence. Let’s make a deal. I… I'll let you go out into the field and face the reporters, just like you've been doing up until now, but the second you feel something's wrong, or if you're told you need to take it easy, or if you need a breather, a rest, a sit-down, ... anything, I want to know about it, he demanded, meeting her gaze again. Then we'll decide together what to do next.”

She in turn pondered this proposal. She was well aware that his intention was always to pin her down so that nothing untoward happened – to her or her baby – but he was offering her the chance to express her opinion before he made a decision. She was the first agent whose pregnancy he had to deal with, and he undoubtedly didn't know what to do to ensure that everything went smoothly, both for the mother-to-be and for the agency. The only personal example he had was that of his ex-wife, who had had to stay in bed for the last few months before Jack was born, so he had to fear more than ever that this situation would turn into a catastrophe. He wanted her to have the best possible experience, but he didn't want to lose her either. And the culmination of his reflections was this compromise, which allowed her to continue to follow the team outside Quantico, but also promised other potential tussles with him. She sighed.

“…Okay,” she conceded, realizing that she probably wouldn't get much more than that.

She reassured herself thinking that, when he saw that everything was going well, he'd let go and give her more freedom.

“Thank you,” he said with a shy smile.

JJ looked up but smiled back. She then took a sip of water under the watchful eye of her neighbor. He stared at her as if she were about to turn into a mystical creature at any moment.

“Otherwise, is everything all right?”

“I don't know, you're the one with the torn eardrum,” she teased him back.

“Apart from the fact that I feel like I'm living in the middle of an orchestra, I'm fine.”

The liaison officer laughed briefly and took another swig. All that tension had made her thirsty. He didn't touch his glass on the coffee table. Out of the corner of her eye, she detailed the damage caused by the bomb that had sent him tumbling like a piece of straw. He, a six-foot giant, had vanished like a blade of grass when the explosive went off. She could still see the CCTV images of the building next to which the vehicle had been parked and felt the anguish that had gripped her when she realized that he might no longer be with them. Events had proved her wrong, and she'd been relieved to see him back on his feet and in full possession of his senses, but all that had left its mark. His face was peppered with small cuts and a bandage covered his right ear. Which wasn't much, considering how close he'd come to death.

“Does Haley know?”

“Haley?” he raised an eyebrow, confused.

“Yes, your son's mother,” she reminded him, worrying that he might have lost his memory in the battle.

“I know who she is. Why should I tell her?”

His features had hardened. His interlocutor was taken aback that he would dare ask such a question but made the effort to remind him of the obvious.

“You almost died in a bomb attack, you're the father of her child, she's probably a little concerned, isn't she?”

“No.”

“Aaron!”

She was outraged that he would knowingly dismiss the woman with whom he had shared his life for twenty-five years when he had just suffered such a serious accident. True, the divorce papers had been signed, but that didn't mean all communication had to be cut off between him and her. Her own parents had separated when she was a child, and they kept in touch even afterwards, exchanging information about each other's health.

“Believe me, she couldn't care less,” he assured, his face closed.

“Don’t say that.”

“As long as I keep paying alimony, I can lose both my arms and legs, she won't care.”

She understood that the couple's split hadn't been amicable, far from it. Why? She didn't know and probably wouldn't since he never discussed his private life with members of his team. Still, she found it hard to believe that Jack's mother could be so dismissive of her ex-husband. Unless you were a sociopath, you didn't erase so many years of life together from your heart and head with a snap of your fingers. There were bound to be memories left, and even snatches of attachment, if the other hadn't behaved like the most foul of partners. And since she doubted that Hotch could have been violent or demeaning towards her, it was unlikely that she would dislike him so much. However, JJ remembered the last call she had received from her, and her eardrum had suffered greatly. What could have happened between the two of them for things to escalate this way? It was a mystery to which she would never have the answer.

“… I see, she commented, for want of a better rebound. What about your mother?”

JJ had already had Ada Hotchner on the phone several times when her son was deliberately dodging her calls, and she had only met her once. She'd made a strong impression on the whole team, this little lady with a strong character capable of shaking the customary stoicism of the giant in the suit. When she'd burst onto Quantico's sixth floor unannounced, she'd made the director lose all control without even having to open her mouth.

“Oh, I didn't need to tell her. The minute she heard about the bombing at the foot of the federal building in New York, she teleported to my house.”

“Reminds me of someone,” she murmured, recognizing this trait in her neighbor.

“What?”

“No, nothing, she booted out. Why she isn’t here then?”

“Because I made her get that I didn't need her.”

Unlike many men who loved to be pampered when they were sick or injured, Aaron shunned anyone who tried to help him. He'd rather agonize in his corner than ask for support. An attitude he didn't appreciate from those closest to him, as if he alone had the right to play hardball and to toil alone to accomplish a task that would go twice as fast if done in pairs or teams.

“She’s worried about you.”

“She practically implied that it was my fault that the bomb went off.”

The young woman burst out laughing in spite of herself. Like all mothers, Ada wasn't bothered in the least by the fact that her offspring was three heads taller than she was, and so indulged in reflections about him – sometimes in front of him – that none of them would ever have dared to make. And she didn't mince her words against him, expressing out loud what many must be thinking down low. JJ suddenly realized that this must surely be why Hotch had such low self-esteem and then found this outing much less funny.

The landline phone on the dresser began to ring at that moment and he immediately winced, bringing his hand to his ear in a vain attempt to muffle the sound. He struggled to reach the handset and noted the number on the screen.

“It’s… it's one of my aunts, he revealed awkwardly. It’ll take hours…”

“Okay. I’ll leave you to her.”

She got to her feet after putting the glass on the table.

“Sorry.”

“See you soon, she said, grabbing his shoulder to calm him down. And take care of yourself.”

“You too.”

JJ left the apartment with a strange feeling in her gut. She'd won her case – sort of – but was worried about her superior's well-being. Maybe they'd have to go back to the plan of action they'd put in place right after his divorce, and invite themselves back to his place without warning so he wouldn't cogitate too much in his drab little apartment.

___

Second entry for CM KidFic Challenge! /o/

This time, with JJ's point of view.

That was one of the text I wrote to explain the obvious complicity between Hotch and her. It wasn't really explain into the show, but JJ and Hotch shared a special bond that he doesn't have with the other agents (she's the only one, with Dave, to call him by his first name and, in French, she's the only one (again with Dave) to use the unformal "you" with him).

Maybe because they were both (for a very long time) the only parents of the team and as so, they knew how it is difficult to juggle between their work and their family. We can think that Jack went to JJ's house many times to play with Henry and, later, Mickael. But it's never shown.

So I wrote some texts, here and there, with just the two of them.

#criminal minds #aaron hotchner #hotch #agent hotchner #criminal minds fanfic #code name mom #jj #jennifer jareau #agent jareau

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blugnettabutterflies · 2 years ago

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Outcasts, Chapter 2

Waiting Room.

(Criminal Case: The Conspiracy Spoilers in general, mainly of Case 60, Blaze of Glory.)

Beginning - Previous Ch - Next ch - Ending

Tw for Hospital talk, vomit mention, description of bruises.

- Surgery?! - That's what they told me when I was in the ambulance with them, he was rushed immediately into surgery and they left us here.

The reaction the Chief gave as soon as Gabriel told her the news is understandable at best. The volume in her voice was too.

- How bad was it Gabriel? Be honest. - It was… it was bad - he answered, pacing in the Emergency Room hall - to the point that I was only able to recognize him because of his clothing and his hair. His face... - he huffs. - He was really wrecked. He was given oxygen and paralyzed his body on the way here. The paramedic that was giving heart compressions looked scared too. - I... I see... - her voice on the phone sounded concerned, yet firm. Trying to keep it together. Her face on the other side of the phone was worse than just concern. - And Player?

“Player is uncertain, but it looked way better than Jones” is what he told her right before giving his condition. She must have forgotten.

Again, he can't blame her. When someone is in shock, they can forget stuff that are not as alarming.

- I'm not sure. - he answers once more - They have been unconscious the whole way to the hospital, and we are right now in the waiting room as they ingressed both of them. But the doctor said at first glance that it wasn't as bad as Jones, it was kind of a miracle that they came with just bruises. Something tells me that Jones has something to do with that. - Honestly, I think that too. Do you think they will be able to continue with the investigation? - I'm not so sure myself. Probably they will give them a quick test as soon as they wake up, probably in the next few minutes. Player is tough as I can see. I guess if everything comes out well... - Alright... tell Gloria that if Player is stable enough to keep going, she will accompany them.

He could tell by her voice on the phone, stern and somewhat shaky at the same time, and by the breathing that she is pacing as well, probably she was in the common room. She will either reunite the rest to tell the news or is already in speaker.

There was something special around her voice tone. She says those words, almost like Player would come out without the bruises they saw on them as soon as they found them. That gives him some confidence as well, even if it could break. That’s the power of this Chief.

- Gabriel, do you think you can stay in the hospital for the time being? It could be great if we receive news about Jones' condition, as well as to know if you both have to evacuate in case the Neohumans get there. Besides, if anything happens, you will be way safer there than outside.

Gabriel takes a deep breath. She is right. Even if the Neohumans want to evaporate the entire human population, and even if they could with are the vulnerable ones, like the sick. And even if the hospital is full is sick people… is still the safest place they have.

And in their personal case, it would be essential to stick together if anything happens, like an evacuation protocol. No unnecessary risks.

- Yes Chief, I don't mind a bit. - his response is immediate. - Great. I will tell the rest about this, and you can call any of us if you have news about... any of this. - Yes, Chief. - Alright, take care, both of you. Don’t play the hero. - You too, Chief. Goodbye. - Bye.

Both hang up. He takes one more deep breath before coming back to sit with Gloria.

They have been in the waiting room for the past ten minutes, and the ambiance hasn't changed a bit ever since they arrived. The room is filled with people, either talking or crying, to the point that some nurses have broken some rules and come to the area, fixing some minor injuries on the seats and giving water to people who were on the ground. He guesses that is normal when the whole city is in chaos, and the person who can make the call of an emergency status in the city is also involved in the same chaos, making them run this situation by themselves.

The hospital must be very aware of the whole situation going on by now. Every few seconds a new person or group of people appear, claiming to be attacked by green hair people, and the local news is all about it. He can only imagine the number of people who couldn't even make it to the hospital.

He tries to jog the thought. He can't do that for now. He can't give himself the privilege to do that just yet.

Gloria continues to move her restless leg, still looking at the door where both their coworkers were.

- I called the Chief... - he tried to make conversation, to help both of them to come back to the ground - she wants you to continue the investigation with Player if they are stable to get up- - Did you know that the last time I was in this place was because of Carter?

That sentence took him out for a few seconds, trying to come back to it fast. She was in shock, ignoring her surroundings. He couldn't blame her. He takes pride that he has been able to control his emotions as best as he could for now, and has done it multiple times. But one is a human after all, and can’t deny the situation at hand. It was all very overwhelming.

- My poor dear had a bad case of a stomach bug and stayed in bed for almost a week... he... he threw up a lot. - he even could hear her giggle at it. Like a placebo effect.

He let her ramble a bit about how Carter later received a few letters from his classmates for a few minutes, before putting his hand on her restless leg, on top of her hand that was gripping her skirt as if life depended on it.

That makes her look immediately at him, petrified as if she was ready to attack. As soon as she grasped who he was, she let out a big sigh.

- Sorry, I... - I know... I know.

He genuinely knows.

They kept silent for a moment while looking at the door at their left. No one opened the door, claiming their names.

- They have been there for a while… - Gloria breaks the silence after what they think was a few minutes. It was only three. - Around ten minutes or so… maybe more… - What if this is worse than we thought? We saw how Jones was... Oh God, I still can't shake the image of his face from my mind… - They're going to be okay… - How do you know?

He couldn't answer. He still doesn't know exactly what caused all of this in the first place.

- I don't know... we can only hope that they come out of this alive... Player… player is surely out of danger…. - And Jones…? - … He’ll be okay. Both are okay.

It was a poor answer. A poor answer, with a voice that didn't sound too confident.

But it’s all he had.

He didn't realize that he was now the one moving his leg a little bit.

The door in front of them opens, and a doctor comes with a tablet in his hands.

- {Player}? - the Doctor called, to see if there was someone waiting for them.

Gloria and Gabriel immediately got up from their seats and got in front of him.

- We're their friends who found them in the Dome, how is it? - Well, luckily they didn't get major injuries. A few bruises and a dizzy sensation on their part due to the shock of the explosion, but is stable and conscious, and the tests I gave them came without many issues. I can discharge them immediately if you prefer, so you can evacuate the zone. You just have to be careful with their head though, and try to evade jumping and running too fast. Maybe also evade the flashing lights.

Both smiled as they looked at each other. They know they can't evacuate. Gabriel tries to recall if it's the same doctor that they saw when Jones was ingressed due to his suicide attempt. Probably not.

“That was a very mundane thought,” Gabriel thinks as he moves his head a little bit.

- Thank you sir... are we able to see them? - Yes, please follow me.

The doctor allowed them both to enter the room. They could see now the chaos inside. A bunch of mechanical sounds and voices, nurses giving instructions, and people getting in and out of the boxes. Some crying, some hugging.

They finally get to the box Player is situated in. Indeed, they were awake and looking at their own injuries, still with a shocked expression.

- Player! Thank God you're alright! - Gloria cried as she runs and hugs her partner, relieved that matter least one of them is okay.

Player was showing a puzzled face, trying to understand why are they in the emergency room. Gloria lets go of her hug as soon as Player asks a single "what…?"

- We found you and Jones unconscious under the dome! It's lucky neither of you were killed in that explosion! - But... What even happened? - Gabriel asked Player really concerned, hoping they could get an answer. But it seemed that he just stole the words from their mouth. - I told you, the dome was too structurally unsound, there must've been a short circuit or a gas leak! It just… exploded spontaneously! - As she was explaining Gloria was using her arms to indicate how big the explosion was from their point of view.

Player agrees with a slow nod, also explaining that they saw the electric sparks. And that it was all too fast.

Well... it was Jones who saw it before bursting and losing consciousness.

That's when Player started to look everywhere, without finding him. Immediately they asked how was he.

- Well… - Gloria again took the lead - We got there a few minutes after that. We found you buried behind a shattered wall Player, which… must have shielded you from the burnt of the blast. You've come out unscathed...

She took a breath for the next sentence as if she was preparing herself for any reaction Player could give.

- But Jones didn't look good.

Gabriel saw how Gloria was panicking once more in her voice, and also started to grab her hair. Player showed a face of worry as well.

- His face was really messed up, and his clothes were completely shattered! He was barely breathing! He's been rushed into surgery, and we won't know his condition until the doctors are finished! His life is hanging in the balance!

At this point, Gloria is yelling, covering her eyes, and thinking of the worst outcome. Player also showed a face of full disbelief as she looked at her. Even he himself got a little emotional. Everyone went silent for a few seconds.

It was starting to sink in for them. One of their teammates could die in the surgery.

This teammate could die.

Again.

Something like that sure can bring the mood down.

- But he wont.

Both Gloria and Player looked at Gabriel. His face was stern, confident. He doesn't know where that confidence came from him. Maybe it was just hope. Hope to see things on a positive note. Hope to believe that he will be okay and that this war will end before hitting sunrise. That the best outcome will be there.

- We can't lose hope. Jones is a fighter, and he won't give up that easily… And neither can we!

He kept his face as serious as ever when he ended the sentence.

That seemed to work it out because both of them smiled at him. Player also added a confident look from that energy boost, and nods, getting itself down the medical bed, feeling the dizzy sensation again, his time a bit lighter.

- Easy there… - Gloria helps them get out of bed. - You think you can end the investigation in that condition?

Player moved a little, registering the room. Probably also giving itself a check-up.

Once is done, nods slowly.

- Okay, I'll take over the investigation with you Player, while we're waiting for news on Jones. - Good idea. - Gabriel's face changes, now turning into a sad one, swinging his arms a little bit - It's better to keep busy anyways… not that we have much of a choice, with the city falling apart around us…! - Yeah…

He helped to get Player out of the box, and all of them went to their emergency doctor to make the discharge papers. She gives them almost immediately.

Once that is done, they head out from the door, and back to the very overwhelming waiting room. Nothing has changed much.

- Are you sure you’re going to stay here? - The Chief wants me to update on Jones, and I think this place is a little safer than outside for someone like me, and since I still don’t think I can carry a gun…

He tries to make a joke out of it, giggling to himself. Gloria and Player just saw him trying to light up the mood. They helped with a smile.

- I will call if anything happens to us. - You better, I will have my phone up and running. Just one call and I’m right here. - Alright. Please, be safe, and don’t play the hero if it’s not necessary. - Now YOU sound like the Chief - Gloria got everyone giggling again - we won’t Gabriel. - You too. - is what Player answers.

Gloria then goes to Player.

- Player, let's return to the City Hall, where you found Denise's severed head. It's possible the killer left some other clues behind!

Player nods in agreement. All 3 bid themselves goodbye with a tight and short hug, before Gloria and Player headed out of the room, leaving him alone.

And so, he seats down at the same place he was with Gloria a few minutes back. And looks at the door.

Any minute.

#criminal case #criminal case game #criminal case the conspiracy #david jeremiah jones #david jones #Gabriel Herrera #Gloria Hayes #Diane Parker #player character #this one is way longer than the other one #hopefully i get to end the 4th chapter oh my god #fic #fanfic #fanfiction #fanfiction writer

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dreamanduality · 2 years ago

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New Moon: Aries Season Part 1

New Moon 03.21 at 10.23 am PST

Aries March Ingresses:

Sun into Aries

Pluto into Aquarius

Mars into Cancer

Mundane Transits covered in this Post:

Sun sextile Pluto (Pisces & Cap)

Mercury conj Jupiter (Aries)

Mars trine Saturn (Cancer & Pisces)

Venus conj Uranus (Taurus)

If you have listened to any Astrologer anywhere March is the month! And when this is posted, so much has already happened, namely Saturn into Pisces on the 7th during the Full Moon in Virgo.

So what is to come for the remaining month? Venus will conjunct the North Node, and the Sun will sextile Pluto, who is at 29 degrees, just before moving into Aries on the 20th.

This Pluto aspect, I really enjoy seeing and should be noted within the shadow window…I think this will be more helpful than many in the recent past. THINGS HAVE BEEN HARD! But we are starting to see a horizon, of sorts.

and to be frank I do not often say this about Pluto…

During this transit, you will be able to improve your immediate surroundings and change situations that have been causing you unhappiness for a while.

Mundanely, clean up situations that have become disordered or messy…

A transit for spring cleaning (physical & interpersonally) couldn't be more literal!

You may need to confront the power of a group or collective you interact with daily. However, the outcome is unlikely to be unfavorable. It's important to align your intentions with the collective intentions of the group, as this community will be emphasized in your chart. Keep this in mind for when Pluto goes Rx in a few weeks. This transit is beneficial for noting your journey into the next generational era.

It is natural to have concerns and engage in deep thinking, especially regarding superficial aspects of life. Striving to understand things fully is important. Fortunately, with Pluto in Capricorn, there is a foundation or structure; or what is left of it, to observe. Critical thinking can feel like a hamster wheel for some in this area, based on your nativity, but it is important to carefully investigate the cracks and crevices.

Seize any opportunities that come your way today to wield creative power for the greater good. However, it's important to remember that this energy should be used primarily for the improvement of all, rather than solely benefiting your personal interests.

On March 27th Mercury conj Jupiter

The Aries Pile up Sun, Merc, Papa Jup, and Moon was there just days ago! At this point, Aries is a party, so as per usual reflect on what house this is for you!

The exact conjunction occurs at 18 degrees, so it is extremely useful to prepare for this moment prior to the release. As we know, both in general self-awareness and in magical practice, there is an element of allowing oneself to receive what is needed.

At the psychological level, your comprehension will be broadened on any topic, much like planetary-assisted hyperfocus. This widens the umbrella for the most comprehensive view. The new information will excite and motivate you to integrate it into your worldview. There is an air of intellectual flexibility and tolerance in this expansive thought and communication.

It is a good time to have those hard conversations that aren't always open to different options in agency. This transit creates a space for seeing things not as a threat to your ethics but as an opportunity to expand your perspective. This larger view enables planning with foresight. In some respects, things will be less confusing than they have been, so take note.

A word of caution, Jupiter tends to overlook the details and tends to get carried aware with an optimistic grander—excitement can make us sloppy when we carry away.

On March 30th, Mars trine Daddy Saturn and Venus conj Uranus

A double feature hits today!

Mars and Saturn getting along…in water signs…making a grand trine to the South Node….

Lions, and tigers, and bears oh my…

It’s not really bad, there was literally a Lion at the party…

If you have difficult tasks that you need to complete (I'm sure we all do), this transit grants you the patience and diligence to get them done. Mars can often be difficult to handle, but with Saturn stepping in, the pace will be regulated. Keep working on the tasks you've taken on in the past few weeks; they will pay off in the end. Just remember that Saturn is not one for showboating or instant gratification. If this transit comes during an already difficult period, rest assured that you will be able to get through it.

Attention to detail is needed, remember all those beautiful ideas that came from the last major transit just days ago?

Well, those notes I told you to take -insert here-

Both mental and physical work will be favored by the influence of this transit, with a focus on attention to detail. For those of us with spicy brains, this may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes, we just need to focus on what's in front of us or what's been put aside for later. Take deep breaths and slow down. Right now, you won't have to repeat the task because this serves as a reminder that the pattern has already been set into motion—you just need to meet it.

You know exactly what you want, even if only in this moment. Your concern that pop up are practical, so streamlining them into “what does this serve?” will help calm the steps you are taking.

Now, let's talk about Venus. In Taurus, this planet is cozy and benevolent and has all of its power at its disposal. As for Uranus in Taurus, we are as comfortable as we can be under the circumstances.

With Uranus, unexpected events are always on the horizon. You may find yourself seeking out new ways to enjoy love and creativity, alongside that active work energy mentioned above. You will crave excitement, but be aware that it may also be disruptive, like a double-edged sword. Perhaps there has been a dullness in your relationships that you haven't been able to put your finger on.

Sometimes this can lead to a new romance that you never saw coming because you have been focused on other things or with someone that you wouldn't usually consider. These relationships are always exciting but unstable. In the world of finances, cool winds of change can bring gains, but they can leave as quickly as they arrived.

In conclusion, for today, focus on whatever grabs your attention and be present at the moment. Strive for clarity and try to find excitement in the mundane. This balance of transitions can be quite beneficial if you approach them with fluidity.

For personalized Horoscopes, I am offering them, pay what you can for a limited time on Ko-fi.

To receive full reading offers, sign up for my newsletter. I send out updates when I have openings for consultations!

In-joy

-K

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reverend-dog · 1 month ago

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Haven

In design, the house differed little from all the rest along the street, just another suburban box. Its location at the end of a cul-de-sac granted a measure of isolation, as did the tall hedges that surrounded its front and sides. The hillside fell sharply away at its back, into a steep canyon filled with rocks and brush.

“Yes?” a voice rasped in response to the sharp knock on the wooden gate set into the hedge, the only visible means of ingress.

“Detective Colette Carver, Metro Police,” replied the tall, broad-shouldered woman who stood at the gate. She held her ID up to the stained glass window set into the door, having spotted the concealed clear pieces in the pattern. “I need to ask you a few questions, please. May I come in?”

A chuckle like a rusty bicycle chain vibrated through the gate. “They finally got your attention, did they?” the voice wheezed. “Well, I suppose it was inevitable.” Metal scraped against metal, and the gate trembled and pulled inward a degree. “You may as well --”

“Where is she?” A peroxide juggernaut in peach sweats barreled past Colette and collided with the gate. The carved panel swung inward, and Colette caught a glimpse of flailing limbs being dragged to one side by its momentum. “Where’s my daughter?”

“Mrs. Noseburn!” Colette boomed, voice pitched to its lowest octave. She lunged after the woman, and managed to get in front of her. “We agreed --”

“It’s Nosbourne!” the woman corrected. “And you said I should stay behind. I never agreed!” Her faux platinum coif wobbled as she flicked her head from side to side before she locked on her quarry. “You!” she screeched, finger pointed. “What have you done with my Molly?”

Colette placed herself between Mrs. Nosbourne and the target of her ire. “Please,” she implored, “give me just a moment.”

A slender wisp of a crone clung to the gate latch while she regained her balance. “Oh,” she piped, “no bother at all! You’re both welcome, come on in!” And she pushed against the gate. “Good evening, Mrs. Nosbourne.”

Mrs. Nosbourne’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know my name?” she demanded, then spun and jogged along a stone-paved path that led to the house’s front door. “Molly!” she cried. “Molly, answer me!” She grabbed the doorknob and shoved against the door.

“Mrs. Nosbourne!” Colette lunged again. Catching hold of the woman’s shoulder, she spun her around. “You need to leave right now! You’re interfering in a police investigation!”

Mrs. Nosbourne struggled against Colette’s grip. “Let go of me!” she screeched. “I called you! It’s my daughter! And I’m president of the HOA!”

“Please, Detective,” the crone crooned, “it’s quite all right. Loretta’s worried, it’s understandable. You’re here about Molly and the other children, yes?” She nodded confirmation of her own words. “Come in, we’ll sort it all out.”

Colette stared as the woman strolled past. Her grip relaxed in surprise, and Loretta Nosbourne yanked free to stalk into the house. Colette swore under her breath and followed.

Both women stopped short as they passed through the foyer into the living room. Curtains covered all the windows, and no chairs or tables offered normal accommodations. A single light hung between one wall and the ceiling, so bright it lit the entire room and forbade even a sidelong squint. A circular frame of wood and iron sat in the middle of the room, providing support for a great transparent globe. Clouds floated within the globe, above the surface of what appeared to be a miniature planet.

Colette stared at the display. At first she thought it merely a model, but watched miniscule waves march across the oceans as the planet slowly rotated, and storms loosed wind and lightning over local regions. Continents of unfamiliar shape featured mountains, beaches, grasslands, deserts – all the familiar climates. The scale was too small to see any life, but tiny lights winked on the planet’s night side, as if to illuminate settlements and cities.

Loretta Nosbourne recovered first. “All right,” she demanded as she whirled on the woman, “talk! What have you done with Molly?”

“She’s right there.” The crone waved a hand at the globe.

“Don’t play games with me!” Loretta yelled, and stepped closer to the woman.

The threat of impending violence snapped Colette’s attention away from the display. She crossed the room and put herself between Loretta and the old woman. “May I ask your name?” she asked.

The woman nodded and returned a smile. “Heloise Turnbull, a pleasure to meet you. I wasn’t lying,” she added. “I’m not sure exactly where Molly Nosbourne is at the moment, but she’s there, along with the other children.” She nodded at the miniature world again.

“You mean her remains are in there?” Loretta screeched.

“Oh, please!” Heloise laughed. “She’s perfectly fine! All of them are!”

“Before you say anything else,” Colette warned, a sick coldness in her gut, “I need to advise you of your rights.”

Heloise sighed. “I’m not surprised,” she admitted. “You are a policeman, of course you need proof.” She whistled.

Light spilled all around, a breeze that smelled of trees and fresh earth blew past. Sky and open space replaced walls and ceiling, and bird songs echoed on the wind. The three women stood on a ledge of raw stone, at the edge of an escarpment that boasted a panoramic vantage over a wide, shallow valley dotted by trees and bisected by a broad river. Buildings clustered both along the river and among the trees, connected by roads that wound through the landscape rather than carving it up. Tiny dots moved among the buildings, and the faint buzz of village life carried on the breeze.

“Last I knew,” Heloise offered, “Molly settled along the river, down there. She seemed quite taken with rural life.”

“What is this?” Loretta shrieked. She collapsed to her knees, hands clutched to her head. “It’s impossible!”

Colette clung to her professional composure like a person drowning. “Ms. Turnbull --”

“Heloise, please.”

“Heloise,” Colette accepted the correction automatically, “what is going on? What is this… place?”

“The children call it different names,” Heloise explained. “Haven, Second Chance, Neverland. I don’t mind, as long as they like it.” She caught the pained look in Colette’s eyes. “Oh, right, of course.” She pursed her lips for a moment. “I suppose you might call it a pocket dimension. I created it years ago just as a proof of concept, but didn’t really know what to do with it until that business with the Worthy children.” She frowned at the memory.

“This is insane!” Loretta declared. She leaped to her feet and charged at Heloise. “Stop it, you bitch!”

Colette grabbed the woman in both arms and pinned her. She arched her back to lift Loretta’s feet off the ground. “Enough!” she commanded in her before voice. “Right now!”

“Oh dear,” Heloise sighed, and whistled again. Loretta slumped in Colette’s grip, face slack though her eyes remained open. Heloise regarded the woman with the manner one might use toward a pet that resists training. “You don’t really care what’s happened to Molly,” she told Loretta. “You’re only worried about who she might talk to, what she might say.” She shook her head. “You’re just like all the others. You’re scared people will learn you treat your children like property, you steal their childhood to make your life easier, you torture or ignore them. You fool yourself with excuses or just pretend you know what’s best, but you know it’s wrong. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t try to keep it secret.”

Heloise stepped away, turned and gazed over the valley. “I hear them,” she murmured. “At first, I had to search for them. Claw past the lies, the facade of happiness, find the rot underneath.” She hung her head. “Some, I had to steal. Poor dears, they were so afraid they’d be caught and dragged back.”

Turning, Heloise lifted her eyes to face Colette, and a smile curved her thin lips, deepened the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. “But as time went on, I learned how to show them what I had to offer, and most of them leaped at the chance! And then, of course, with social media the word spread even more.” She frowned. “Some still refuse. They don’t believe, or think there must be a catch. But,” the smile turned on again, “I do what I can for the rest.”

A keen light entered Heloise’s gaze as she regarded Colette. “So,” she said, “now you know. Where does this leave us, Detective?”

Colette thought she hedged when she hefted Loretta. “What about her?”

Heloise grinned. “She wouldn’t be the first,” she affirmed. “Another parent who lost a child, driven delusional with grief. Makes up stories too unbelievable to merit even a moment’s consideration.” She nodded. “And the fact that you brought that up first already tells me what you’re going to put in your report.” She nodded. “Good evening, Detective.” She whistled.

Colette stood on the sidewalk. The tall hedge with its wooden gate loomed behind her. Beside her stood Loretta Nosbourne, a vacant stare on her face. Colette guided the woman to her own front door, and released her into the custody of her husband. “She’s in shock,” she explained. “I guess she had her hopes up too high.”

“She does that,” Mr. Nosbourne agreed.

Colette walked around the corner of the cul-de-sac, where a small squad of patrol units and an Emergency Services van sat out of sight. “False alarm,” she told them. “Let’s head out.”

Colette drove home on automatic. Her mind replayed images and scents of a wide, shallow valley with a winding, silver river. “Where were you when I needed you?” she wondered.

A small voice whispered under the traffic noise. “It’s never too late.”

#fiction #short fiction #short story #writing #creative writing #surreal #tw abuse

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nexthikes01 · 1 month ago

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wagadinfra · 4 months ago

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Leading Innovation in Dam Construction: Wagad Infra Projects' Expertise in Diaphragm Walls

Understanding Diaphragm Walls in Dam Construction

In the realm of dam construction, diaphragm walls play a pivotal role in ensuring structural integrity and stability. As one of the key components of modern dam engineering, diaphragm walls are integral to managing groundwater seepage and providing robust foundation support. Wagad Infra Projects, renowned for its expertise in infrastructure development, utilises advanced techniques like diaphragm walls to enhance the durability and functionality of dams across diverse terrains.

What is a Diaphragm Wall?

A diaphragm wall is a reinforced concrete structure constructed vertically underground to form a barrier against water ingress and to support deep excavations. It acts as a barrier to groundwater flow and prevents soil movement, providing a stable foundation for dam structures. Typically, diaphragm walls are constructed using specialized equipment that ensures precision in excavation and concrete placement, adhering to stringent engineering standards.

Role in Dam Construction

In dam construction, diaphragm walls serve multiple critical functions:

Seepage Control: One of the primary functions of diaphragm walls in dams is to control seepage. By forming an impermeable barrier underground, they prevent water from seeping through the foundation or alongside the dam structure, thereby reducing the risk of erosion and maintaining reservoir water levels.

Foundation Support: Diaphragm walls provide robust foundation support by transferring structural loads to stable bedrock or suitable load-bearing strata. This enhances the overall stability of the dam, especially in regions with complex geological conditions.

Construction Efficiency: Compared to traditional methods, such as sheet piles or grouting, diaphragm walls offer superior construction efficiency. They can be constructed to considerable depths and lengths in a single continuous operation, reducing construction time and costs while ensuring high-quality results.

Integration with Dam Components: Diaphragm walls seamlessly integrate with other dam components, such as cutoff walls and spillways, contributing to the overall structural integrity and operational efficiency of the dam.

Construction Process

The construction of diaphragm walls for dams involves several meticulous steps:

Site Preparation: Detailed site investigation and soil analysis precede construction to determine the optimal design parameters.

Excavation: Specialised hydraulic grabs or trench cutters excavate trenches to the required depth and width under slurry support to prevent soil collapse.

Reinforcement and Concrete Placement: Steel reinforcement cages are lowered into the trenches, followed by the pouring of high-strength concrete under controlled conditions to form the diaphragm wall.

Quality Assurance: Stringent quality control measures, including monitoring of concrete mixtures and reinforcement placements, ensure adherence to design specifications and structural durability.

Advantages of Diaphragm Walls

The adoption of diaphragm walls in dam construction offers several advantages:

Enhanced Seepage Control: Effective barrier against groundwater seepage, minimizing maintenance and operational costs.

Structural Stability: Provides robust foundation support, ensuring long-term stability and resilience against geological forces.

Cost Efficiency: Reduces construction time and enhances project cost-effectiveness through optimized construction processes.

Environmental Sustainability: Minimizes environmental impact by reducing water loss and maintaining ecological balance.

Wagad Infra Projects: Leading Innovation in Dam Construction

Wagad Infra Projects stands at the forefront of innovation in dam construction, leveraging advanced technologies and engineering expertise to deliver sustainable infrastructure solutions. By integrating diaphragm walls into its projects, Wagad Infra ensures the longevity, efficiency, and environmental compatibility of dams, contributing to regional development and water resource management.

Conclusion

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arte-e-homoerotismo · 8 months ago

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Louis Mountbatten, primeiro conde Mountbatten da Birmânia

Almirante da Frota Albert Victor Nicholas Louis Francis Mountbatten, primeiro conde Mountbatten da Birmânia (25 de junho de 1900 - 27 de agosto de 1979) foi um estadista britânico, oficial da marinha, administrador colonial e parente próximo do Família real britânica . Ele nasceu no Reino Unido na proeminente família Battenberg . Ele era tio materno do príncipe Filipe, duque de Edimburgo , e primo em segundo grau do rei Jorge VI . Ele ingressou na Marinha Real durante a Primeira Guerra Mundial e foi nomeado Comandante Supremo Aliado do Comando do Sudeste Asiático , na Segunda Guerra Mundial . Mais tarde, serviu como último vice-rei da Índia e brevemente como primeiro governador-geral do Domínio da Índia .

Mountbatten frequentou o Royal Naval College, Osborne , antes de ingressar na Marinha Real em 1916. Ele esteve em ação durante a fase final da Primeira Guerra Mundial e, após a guerra, frequentou brevemente o Christ's College, Cambridge . Durante o período entre guerras , Mountbatten continuou a seguir a carreira naval, especializando-se em comunicações navais.

Após a eclosão da Segunda Guerra Mundial, Mountbatten comandou o destróier HMS Kelly e a 5ª Flotilha de Destroyers . Ele viu ações consideráveis na Noruega, no Canal da Mancha e no Mediterrâneo. Em agosto de 1941, recebeu o comando do porta-aviões HMS Illustrious . Ele foi nomeado chefe de Operações Combinadas e membro do Comitê de Chefes de Estado-Maior no início de 1942, e organizou os ataques a St Nazaire e Dieppe . Em agosto de 1943, Mountbatten tornou-se Comandante Supremo Aliado do Comando do Sudeste Asiático e supervisionou a recaptura da Birmânia e Cingapura dos japoneses no final de 1945. Por seu serviço durante a guerra, Mountbatten foi nomeado visconde em 1946 e conde no ano seguinte.

Em fevereiro de 1947, Mountbatten foi nomeado vice-rei e governador-geral da Índia e supervisionou a partição da Índia na Índia e no Paquistão . Ele então serviu como o primeiro governador-geral da União da Índia até junho de 1948 e desempenhou um papel significativo em persuadir os estados principescos a aderirem à Índia. Em 1952, Mountbatten foi nomeado comandante-em-chefe da Frota Britânica do Mediterrâneo e Comandante da OTAN das Forças Aliadas do Mediterrâneo . De 1955 a 1959, foi Primeiro Lorde do Mar , cargo que havia sido ocupado por seu pai, o príncipe Luís de Battenberg , cerca de quarenta anos antes. Depois disso, serviu como chefe do Estado-Maior de Defesa até 1965, tornando-o o chefe profissional mais antigo das Forças Armadas Britânicas até hoje. Durante este período, Mountbatten também serviu como presidente do Comité Militar da OTAN durante um ano.

Em agosto de 1979, Mountbatten foi assassinado por uma bomba plantada a bordo de seu barco de pesca em Mullaghmore, condado de Sligo , na Irlanda, por membros do Exército Republicano Irlandês Provisório . Ele recebeu um funeral cerimonial na Abadia de Westminster e foi enterrado na Abadia de Romsey, em Hampshire.

Vida pessoal

Sexualidade

Em 2019, Ron Perks, motorista de Mountbatten em Malta em 1948, alegou que costumava visitar a Red House, um bordel gay sofisticado em Rabat usado por oficiais da Marinha. Andrew Lownie , membro da Royal Historical Society , escreveu que o Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) dos Estados Unidos mantinha arquivos sobre a alegada homossexualidade de Mountbatten. Lownie também entrevistou vários jovens que alegaram ter mantido um relacionamento com Mountbatten. John Barratt, secretário pessoal e particular de Mountbatten por 20 anos, disse que Mountbatten não era homossexual e que teria sido impossível que tal fato tivesse sido escondido dele.

Em 2019, tornaram-se públicos arquivos mostrando que o FBI sabia, na década de 1940, de alegações de que Mountbatten era homossexual e pedófilo . O arquivo do FBI sobre Mountbatten, iniciado depois que ele assumiu o papel de Comandante Supremo Aliado no Sudeste Asiático em 1944, descreve Mountbatten e sua esposa Edwina como "pessoas de moral extremamente baixa" e contém uma afirmação da autora americana Elizabeth , Baronesa Decies , que Mountbatten era conhecido por ser homossexual e tinha "uma perversão por meninos". Norman Nield, motorista de Mountbatten de 1942 a 1943, disse ao tablóide New Zealand Truth que transportou meninos de 8 a 12 anos que haviam sido adquiridos para o almirante para a residência oficial de Mountbatten e foi pago para ficar quieto. Robin Bryans também havia afirmado à revista irlandesa Now que Mountbatten e Anthony Blunt , junto com outros, faziam parte de uma quadrilha que se envolvia em orgias homossexuais e procurava meninos em seu primeiro ano em escolas públicas, como a Portora Royal School, em Enniskillen . Ex-residentes do Kincora Boys' Home em Belfast afirmaram que foram traficados para Mountbatten no Castelo Classiebawn , sua residência em Mullaghmore, condado de Sligo . Essas reivindicações foram rejeitadas pelo Inquérito sobre Abuso de Instituições Históricas. A HIA afirmou que o artigo que faz as alegações originais "não deu qualquer base para as afirmações de que qualquer uma dessas pessoas [Mountbatten e outras] estava ligada a Kincora".

Em outubro de 2022, Arthur Smyth, um ex-residente de Kincora, renunciou ao anonimato para fazer acusações de abuso infantil contra Mountbatten. As alegações fazem parte de um processo civil contra autoridades estatais responsáveis pelo cuidado de crianças em Kincora.

Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India.

[Submitted by ladytudorrose]

#louis mountbatten

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govindhtech · 6 months ago

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How to filter FQDNs in Cloud Next Generation Firewall

Have you ever had trouble keeping up with firewall restrictions for websites like Google? It used to need manually listing each and every IP address connected to your domain. Talk what a headache!

Generation Firewall

But hey, what do you know? Everything has been so much simpler! The Cloud Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) now has a FQDN functionality that allows you to easily define a domain name in your firewall rule. There are no longer countless lists of IP addresses to remember!

Security is critical in the ever-changing cloud computing environment. Among the many capabilities that Cloud NGFW provides to protect your infrastructure is the fully qualified domain name capability. By giving your firewall rules more flexibility and clarity, it makes network management easier and helps you strengthen security measures. Let’s investigate how.

Comprehending FQDN

Fully qualified domain names are the full name of a particular host on the internet, which is eventually converted to an IP address when establishing a connection with the host.

FQDN allows users to establish firewall rules based on domain names instead of merely IP addresses in the context of Google Cloud NGFW Standard. By allowing rule development based on particular services or applications hosted on those domains, even when associated IP addresses change dynamically, this presents a more flexible approach to network traffic control.

The advantages of FQDN

Increased dependability

Load-balanced traffic passes through load balancers, and it’s remain unchanged when the underlying IP addresses change. This might enhance the dependability of your cloud workloads and lessen downtime.

Simpler to use

Compared to IP addresses, FQDNs are easier to memorise and more human-readable. This can help to improve the readability and maintainability of your firewall rules.

Enhanced security

By making DNS spoofing attacks more difficult, FQDNs can help to improve the security of your apps.

Crucial factors Things to know before converting to FQDN

Standard FQDN syntax requires that it objects follow the format of supported domain names.

Firewall policy rules in hierarchical, global, and regional network firewall policies can control traffic to and from particular domains by utilising FQDN objects.

Based on the VPC name resolution order of Cloud DNS, Cloud NGFW updates firewall policy rules containing it objects on a regular basis with the most recent domain name resolution discoveries. Any modifications to DNS records are reported to Cloud NGFW using Cloud DNS. Reliability of egress control is ensured by these updates being compatible with the underlying virtual machines.

The firewall policy treats FQDN objects as Layer 3 entities and applies to the IP address itself if several domain names resolve to the same address.

If a domain has CNAMEs in its DNS record, make sure all possible aliases are set up in egress firewall policy rules to ensure that policies are consistently enforced even when DNS records change. A policy malfunction could occur if all pertinent aliases are not included.

If alternate name servers are not utilised in outbound server policy sets, Compute Engine internal DNS names may also be used in network firewall policy rules.

Cloud DNS controlled zones for domain name resolution can be used to include custom domain names into network firewall policy rules. Make sure the outbound server policy of the VPC network does not include any configuration for alternative name servers, which would cause the records in controlled zones to be examined.

Being aware of FQDN constraints

When using FQDN objects in firewall rules for both egress and ingress, the following limitations are applicable:

Example.com and .org are examples of top-level (root) domain names that are not supported by FQDN objects.

There are a maximum of 32 IPv4 and 32 IPv6 addresses that a domain name can resolve to. Only the top 32 IPv4 or IPv6 addresses are returned by DNS searches that return more than 32 addresses. Consequently, do not include in incoming firewall policy rules domain names that resolve to more than 32 IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. But take note that utilising FQDN in egress firewall rules is unaffected by this.

Depending on the client’s location, different domain name inquiries result in distinct responses. When a firewall policy rule is applied, DNS resolution is carried out in the Google Cloud region that houses the virtual machine (VM).

If DNS-based load balancing is being used, or if domain name resolution results are significantly variable, do not use ingress rules that use FQDN objects. For example, many Google domain names use a load-balancing mechanism based on DNS.

FQDN exceptions when resolving DNS

During DNS resolution, you could run into the following exceptions while utilising FQDN objects in firewall policy rules:

Bad domain name

An error happens if one or more domain names in a firewall policy rule are formatted incorrectly. All domain names must be formatted correctly in order for the rule to be created.

There is no domain name (NXDOMAIN)

Google Cloud ignores the FQDN object in the firewall policy rule in the absence of a domain name.

No IP address resolution

The related FQDN object is ignored if a domain name is unable to resolve to any IP address.

Unreachable Cloud DNS server

Firewall policy rules using it objects only take effect in the event that previously cached DNS resolution results are still accessible in the event that a DNS server becomes unreachable. If not, either because the cached DNS data has expired or there are no cached results, the FQDN objects in the rule are disregarded.

Next up

Examine the documents: Take a look at the Google Cloud NGFW documentation to learn more about firewall rules and FQDN objects.

Try it out: Try incorporating some of the FQDN objects you’ve created into your own firewall rules. Observe how they improve security and streamline your workflow.

Talk about what you know: Contribute to the FQDN object community by forwarding this article to your network and colleagues.

You’re well on your way to a cloud environment that is more efficient and safe when you have FQDN objects in your toolbox. Savour the increased flexibility and ease of use in your firewall administration!

Read more on govindhtech.com

#FQDN #FQDNobjects #DNSData #DNSserver #clouddns #googlecloud #CloudNGFW #VPC #firewall #cloudnext #news #technews #technology #technologynews #technologytrends #govindhtech

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integrating-sphere · 6 months ago

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Test Probe 14 of IEC 61032 Figure 10 (Test Bar)

1 General 1.1 Scope and object This International Standard(IEC61032) specifies details and dimensions of test probes intended to verify the protection provided by enclosures with regard to: – protection of persons against access to hazardous parts inside the enclosure; – protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects. SMT 1214_AL The object of this International Standard is: – to bring together in one publication object probes and access probes currently specified in other standards, together with any necessary new probes; – to guide technical committees in the selection of test probe; – to encourage those concemed to specify test probes in accordance with those already specified in this International Standard rather than modify details and dimensions; – to limit the further proliferation of types of test probe. 1.2 General recommendations When selecting probes, priority should be given to IP code probes. The use of other probes, particularly probes which are not specified in this International Standard, should be limited to cases where the use of an IP code probe is for some reason impractical. NOTE 1-The selection of a test probe for a particular purpose is the responsibility of the relevant technical committees. NOTE 2-Technical committees wishing to develop new probes or to modify existing probes should submit proposals to technical committee 70 for amendment of this standard. Application of the probes, test conditions, acceptance conditions and the procedure in case of conflicting test results are the responsibility of the relevant product committee. Certificates based on test probes conforming to the first edition ofIEC 61032 should remain valid. 2 Reférences normatives The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this International Standard. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were current. All standards are subject to revision, and parties to agreements based on this International Standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the normative documents indicated below. Members of CEl and ISO maintain the register of current International Standards. CEI 60050(826): 1982, Vocabulaire Electrotechnique International (VEI)-Chapitre826: Instal-lations électriques des batiments. CEI 60529: 1989, Degrés deprotection procurés par les enveloppes. (Code IP) CEI 60536: 1976, Classification des matériels électriques et électroniques en cequi concerne la protection contre les chocs électriques. ISO 4287-1: 1984, Rugosité de surface – Terminologie – Partie 1: Surface et ses paramètres. Test Probe 14 of IEC61032 Figure 10 (Test Bar) Test Probe 14 is intended to verify the protection against access to hazardous live parts of socket-outlets through shutters. Bar: 3mm wide, 1mm thick, 80mm long. Conform to: the IEC61032 Figure 10. The handle is made of nylon, tip is made of stainless steel. Test Probe 14 of IEC 61032 Figure 10 (Test Bar) Read the full article

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chicagowindowexpert · 7 months ago

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Dealing with Water Woes? Exploring the Mystery of Window Leaks

When you look out the window, you can see what's going on outside or let light into the house. People who live or work in the building may have trouble with what was once a source of light and beauty when water starts to leak in through those windows. A lot of homes and companies have problems with windows that leak. Aside from causing damage to the building, they can also lead to the growth of mold. This blog post will discuss what causes window leaks, the issues they can cause, and why you need to find and fix them immediately.

How to Figure Out Window Leaks

Water can get in even though window seals and screens are meant to keep it out. This is called as a window leak. What could cause this to happen? Here are some ideas:

Window seals may not be properly sealed when they need to be fixed properly, letting water in.

Wear and tear: Over time, seals and other materials used to close things can wear out, leaving holes that water can get through.

Bad Weather: Window coverings don't work as well when it's cold, windy, or rainy.

Movement of the Structure: Over time, buildings settle and move, which can make window coverings less useful.

Consequences of Windows Leaks

It can be disgusting and expensive to fix window leaks. Windows that leak can do more than just leave the walls and ceilings unappealing. Besides that, they can:

weaken the framework of a building by letting water in, which breaks down brickwork, metal, and wood.

make mold and mildew grow, especially in places where water pools because the windows don't slope properly. This could be bad for people's health.

cause excessive energy use because cool air can leave and warm air can come in, putting more stress on heating and cooling systems.

diminish the aesthetic appeal of a building because damage and water spots make it look bad, which could make people not want to interact with it.

Looking into window leaks

To find and fix window leaks, you need to follow a set of steps. People who own or run buildings should be on the lookout for signs that water is getting in, such as

Water Marks: If you see spots on the walls, ceilings, or window frames, it means water is getting in.

Mildew or mold growth: Musty smells, wet rugs, and mold or mildew growth are all signs that there is too much water.

If your windows get mist on them, they might not be protected or able to let enough airflow through, which can cause them to leak.

Damage on the outside: Cracked or falling apart caulking broken seals, or missing lighting are all signs that water could be getting in.

As soon as signs of a window leak are found, they need to be carefully looked into to find the cause of the problem. To do this, you might:

Checking manually: Look at the broken windows from the inside and outside to see if there are any clear signs of damage or wear and tear.

Water Testing: It involves making leaks happen again with a hose or fake rain so that water can be seen coming in real-time.

Thermography: Infrared thermography can find temperature changes that could mean water is getting into some places.

Experts in Consulting: To help you find and fix window leaks, it can be very helpful to hire building exterior or waterproofing experts.

How to Fix Windows That Leak

Finding the source of the issue requires promptly investigating any indications of window leaks. Therefore, it is advisable to:

Examine broken windows from the inside as well as the outside for any obvious indications of wear and tear or damage.

Perform water testing by replicating leaks to observe the real-time water ingress.

Use thermography, which measures temperature swings with the use of infrared technology, to identify possible water penetration.

Consult with experts in consulting, such as building exterior or waterproofing specialists, to get guidance on effectively identifying and resolving window leaks.

Conclusion

Windows often leaks, but this is something that can be avoided. Buildings can get damaged if they are not fixed. People who own or run buildings need to know why windows leak and how they damage buildings. To protect their assets and make sure their buildings last a long time, steps can be taken to find them, look into them, and fix them. The cityscape of Chicago is made up of magnificent structures. For window and curtainwall information, the Chicago Window Expert can help. They are Expert Construction Consultants who can also provide consultation and advice. This is critical for keeping buildings in good shape. Property managers and building owners need to know what causes window leaks and how they damage buildings to protect their investments. After that, they can find the leaks, look into them, and fix them. Fast action today, with the help of experts will keep buildings running well and prevent them from having water issues in the future. For tomorrow, this will be a lifesaver in terms of both time and money.

#Mystery of Window Leaks

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artdecco531 · 7 months ago

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The Significance of a Vessel Incident Management System

The maritime industry is no stranger to the potential risks and challenges that can arise at sea. Vessel incidents, ranging from minor accidents to catastrophic emergencies, can have far-reaching consequences for the safety of the crew, the environment, and maritime operations. A Best Vessel Incident Management System (VIMS) plays a crucial role in managing these incidents effectively. In this blog, we'll explore the importance of a VIMS and how it aids in addressing unforeseen challenges at sea.

1. Rapid Response and Decision-Making

One of the primary purposes of a Vessel Incident Management System is to facilitate rapid response and decision-making during critical situations. Whether it's a collision, fire, grounding, or oil spill, a well-structured VIMS ensures that the crew can swiftly assess the situation, communicate effectively, and take immediate action to mitigate the incident.

2. Safety of the Crew

The safety and well-being of the crew are of paramount importance. A VIMS emphasizes crew training and preparedness for emergency scenarios. It provides guidance on evacuation procedures, search and rescue, and first aid, ensuring that the crew can respond effectively to protect lives in peril.

3. Environmental Protection

The marine environment is highly sensitive, and incidents at sea can have devastating ecological consequences. A VIMS incorporates protocols for containing and mitigating pollution incidents, such as oil spills. By following these guidelines, vessels can minimize the environmental impact and comply with international regulations.

4. Asset and Cargo Protection

In addition to the vessel itself, a VIMS helps protect valuable assets and cargo. Incidents like cargo shifts, fires, or water ingress can pose a threat to cargo integrity. The Best Vessel Incident Management System provides strategies for safeguarding assets and cargo in emergency situations, reducing financial losses.

5. Regulatory Compliance

The maritime industry is subject to a web of international regulations and conventions designed to enhance safety and environmental protection. A VIMS ensures that vessel operators comply with these regulations, reducing the risk of legal penalties, fines, and damage to a company's reputation.

6. Communication and Coordination

Effective communication is essential during vessel incidents. A VIMS establishes clear lines of communication between the vessel, shore-based management, and relevant authorities. This coordination is vital in ensuring that the incident response is well-managed and resources are deployed efficiently.

7. Learning from Incidents

Every incident at sea provides an opportunity to learn and improve. A VIMS includes procedures for incident reporting, investigation, and analysis. By identifying the root causes and contributing factors, vessel operators can make necessary changes and continuously improve their safety protocols.

8. Crew Training and Drills

A strong VIMS includes regular crew training and emergency drills. These exercises simulate real-life scenarios, ensuring that the crew is well-prepared to handle incidents when they occur. Training builds competence, confidence, and teamwork, making it more likely that the response to an incident will be effective.

Vessel incidents are an unfortunate reality in the maritime industry. However, their impact can be minimized, and in some cases, prevented through the diligent application of a Vessel Incident Management System. With the safety of the crew, protection of the environment, and adherence to international regulations at its core, a VIMS is an indispensable tool in the management of unexpected challenges at sea. By adopting and implementing a VIMS, vessel operators can navigate the world's waters with confidence, knowing that they are well-equipped to handle whatever challenges may arise.

In the complex and dynamic realm of maritime operations, the implementation of a robust Vessel Incident Management System (VIMS) emerges as an indispensable component, orchestrating a symphony of safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance. This comprehensive system is meticulously designed to address the multifaceted challenges that maritime industries face, from shipping and logistics to offshore exploration. At its core, VIMS acts as a sentinel, leveraging advanced technologies and real-time data analytics to preemptively identify potential risks and mitigate them before they escalate into incidents. The system's significance is profoundly felt in enhancing overall operational resilience, ensuring the safety of crew members, protecting the environment, and safeguarding the valuable assets navigating the world's waterways. Its proactive approach encompasses risk assessment, emergency response planning, and continuous monitoring, fostering a culture of safety and accountability within the maritime domain. As an adaptive and scalable solution, a well-implemented Vessel Incident Management System not only fortifies the maritime industry against unforeseen challenges but also contributes to the sustainability and longevity of global maritime activities.Vessel incidents are an unfortunate reality in the maritime industry. However, their impact can be minimized, and in some cases, prevented through the diligent application of a Vessel Incident Management System. With the safety of the crew, protection of the environment, and adherence to international regulations at its core, a VIMS is an indispensable tool in the management of unexpected challenges at sea. By adopting and implementing a VIMS, vessel operators can navigate the world's waters with confidence, knowing that they are well-equipped to handle whatever challenges may arise.

#Best Vessel Incident Management System

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sasquapossum · 7 months ago

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Ah, the joys of home ownership never end.

For quite a while I've been noticing loud pops and bangs from the vicinity of our kitchen skylights. The first thing I'd usually suspect would be nuts dropping from trees, but neither the oaks nor the one hickory are close enough. Also it was at the wrong times. Usually I'd hear the noises in the mid-evening, so I switched my main theory to thermal expansion and contraction as the temperature dropped. I was kind of right.

Last night I decided to investigate a bit, so when I heard the noises I pulled back the blind. I saw what looked like some sort of obstruction inside the glass (i.e. between the two panes), and mold beneath. There wasn't much more I could (or was willing to) do at 11pm, so after lunch today I went up to get a better look. First I tried going through an upstairs window, but I couldn't get a good look and the pitch there was too steep to climb down without a harness. (Safety first!) Instead, I took the easier option by getting out the big ladder and coming up from below.

It turns out that there was no thing causing obstruction. It was just the water line. About eight inches at the bottom, just filled with water. When it gets cold enough, that becomes ice, which expands, which causes the popping and banging. At least I think so, but I might not get full confirmation until next winter. In the interim, I was able to drill a hole in from the side and drain all the water out. Still can't do anything about the mold, so that still looks like crap, but oh well. What's there now is not perfect for insulation, but it's probably pretty good and it's more important not to have water collecting in there.

Special bonus home-owner joy: another problem we've had for a long time has been ants in that particular part of the house, especially this time of year. I've long suspected their main ingress must be somewhere along the bottom edge of those skylights and, sure enough, when I got up there I could see it. Now they have a little chemical surprise waiting for them, so maybe I managed to kill two birds with one stone.

This is really not how I planned or expected to spend any part of my Sunday afternoon, and as usual I'm not happy about being the only person aware enough even to notice something like this (let alone fix it), but it's done now. Time for a cookie.

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darry-rules · 7 months ago

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SCP-004 The 12 rusty keys and the door

SCP-004-1

Item #: SCP-004

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: When handling items SCP-004-2 through SCP-004-13, proper procedure is vital. The items are not permitted to be moved off-site unless accompanied by two Level 4 security personnel. Under no circumstances should any other component of SCP-004 be taken through SCP-004-1. The effects of doing so are as yet unknown, and the current cost of experimentation makes further research impractical. Should any of the objects contained within SCP-004-1 breach containment, or the facility be breached, the keys must be brought inside and the door closed prior to activation of Site 62’s on-site warhead. Unauthorized removal of keys from the testing area is grounds for immediate termination.

Level 1 clearance is required for basic access to SCP-004-1; Level 4 clearance is required for use of SCP-004-2 to -13.

Description: SCP-004 consists of an old wooden barn door (SCP-004-1) and a set of twelve rusted steel keys (SCP-004-2 through SCP-004-13). The door itself is the entrance to an abandoned factory in [DATA EXPUNGED]. Chronological History

07/02/1949 : A group of three juveniles trespassing on federal property near ██████████ find the door. According to their testimony, they found a set of rusted keys in an iron lockbox and determined what door the keys unlock. The juveniles are taken into custody after they contact Sheriff █████████████████ when one of their friends (SCP-004-CAS01) goes missing.

07/03/1949 : Local authorities find the severed right hand of SCP-004-CAS01 eight kilometers from SCP-004-1. Other parts of SCP-004-CAS01's body are found scattered as far as 32km from the factory. Under interrogation, the apprehended juveniles tell authorities that upon opening the door with one of the keys, SCP-004-CAS01 was torn into several pieces, each of which disappeared. At this point, the SCP Foundation takes over the investigation.

07/04/1949 : SCP Agent █████ obtains the keys from the local authorities to begin testing. Tests show that SCP-004-2 through SCP-004-13 all fit into a single lock on the large barred door. 12 Class D personnel are assigned to test the effects of the door. Of the twelve test subjects each trying a different key to enter the room, only two survive. Opening the door with any key except SCP-004-7 or SCP-004-12 caused the test subjects to be torn apart in multiple directions; however, no dismembered parts were found until later. At the time of writing, only two parts of each subject have been recovered (with the exception of the subject using SCP-004-█, whose pieces were scattered in close proximity). The others have, for all intents and purposes, vanished from existence.

Of the two surviving subjects, only one (having used SCP-004-7) returned unharmed. The other came back in a near-catatonic state, able only to remove himself from the room and then collapse on the floor, and had to be restrained to prevent him from gouging out his eyes (see Appendix A: Mental Health Effects of SCP-004). The subject using SCP-004-7 said that he had entered a large room, impossibly big for the size of the attached building. After his exit, SCP-004-1 was propped open and an armed squad of Level 3 personnel entered. The size of the room is impossible to measure and the door frame and the individuals in the room are the only part of the room that can be felt or illuminated.

07/16/1949 : The juvenile suspects and Sheriff █████████████████ are terminated.

08/02/1949 : █████████████████ is declared a hazardous area and fences erected in order to prevent civilian ingress. Tests to determine safety of exposure to environment behind SCP-004-1 begin.

12/01/1950 : Space-time anomalies resulting from exposure to SCP-004 are confirmed. Testing is suspended until further notice.

07/02/19██ : The unaccounted-for remains of SCP-004-CAS01 appear unexpectedly outside SCP-004-1. Despite being killed decades before, the remains of SCP-004-CAS01 are not decomposed in any manner and are still warm to the touch. Blood remains uncoagulated. The remains are remanded for testing.

07/04/19██ : The unaccounted-for remains of one of the twelve (12) original test subjects appear in similar manner to those of SCP-004-CAS01. The remains have been designated SCP-004-CAS02. Records suggest that both SCP-004-CAS01 and CAS02 used SCP-004-██.

03/21/1999 : With the massive proliferation of nuclear weapons and World War III only ██ years away, construction has begun on a site inside SCP-004-1. The site is to stock supplies for ███████ person-days.

04/21/1999 : █████████████████ has ordered the site inside SCP-004-1 to be expanded to include emergency storage for all mobile SCP-███ specimens and a ██-petabyte database for the storage of all SCP data. The facility is now referred to as Site-62.

09/25/2000 : Site-62 is operational. Labs and containment units are complete and can contain the most dangerous specimens. Backup of the SCP database has begun.

01/25/2001 : Due to time anomalies (see “Space-Time Anomalies” below), all personnel working at Site-62 are now required to reside on-site permanently. Families of personnel are to be informed that loved ones perished in an industrial accident. Cloned bodies have been prepared for funeral.

08/14/2003 : Massive power outage across Northeast United States and through Canada. Due to the initial failure of multiple SCP generators, Site-62 was without power for fifty-three (53) minutes. During those fifty-three (53) minutes, those on site were completely without any source of light. They reported were of humanoid size but otherwise similar to the massive green creature described. Space-Time Anomalies

SCP-004 seems to propagate spatiotemporal anomalies. Personnel leaving the facility report losing time. Those who have been in the site for weeks insist that they had only been in the facility for several days, and records of work completed and supplies consumed support their claims. Other temporal anomalies involve SCP-004-2 through -13, especially the reappearance of SCP-004-CAS01 and SCP-004-CAS02 exactly ██ years after using SCP-004-██. ████████████████████ has been assigned to investigate all aspects of these time anomalies. Spatial anomalies include the impossibly large dimensions of the area opened by SCP-004-7. Similarly, the 2003 blackout incident suggests that there exists an alternate plane of existence within the same space that Site-62 occupies. Additional Notes

Testing on SCP-004 reveals that ten of the keys open SCP-004-1 on a dimension where the laws of physics and topology are significantly different than those of our home dimension. Test subjects meeting these hostile conditions are torn apart, their body parts deposited in various locations, only three of which have been verified to be on Earth. Material deposited at two of these points appears immediately; material deposited at the third appears exactly ██ years into the future. The other seven locations are currently unknown.

Current testing focuses on two avenues of research. The first is finding ways to survive SCP-004’s hostile topologies. The second [DATA EXPUNGED] suggest that SCP-004-2 through -13 may open doors other than SCP-004-1. Appendix A: Mental Health Effects of SCP-004-12

All Class D personnel using SCP-004-12 return in a catatonic state, unable to speak. Some may have enough energy left to try to claw out their eyes. Of the 16 subjects, only 4 have survived. Only one has regained speech, following long-term psychotherapy. He was able to tell the psychiatrist that he saw a massive green creature, so large that much of its body extended beyond his field of view. He reported innate fear and sudden recognition, “as if it were something buried deep in [his] primal fears,” and forced implantation of “incomprehensible” memories. Subject displays acute anterograde and retrograde amnesia. Appendix B: Additional Information

Item #: SCP-004-14

Date of Discovery: 09/02/1950

Origin of Object: Object was discovered elsewhere in factory area, in the previously undiscovered manager's office.

Description: Object appears as a large, unvarnished wooden box. The box may be unlocked by the keys (see Document SCP-004-1).

Upon unlocking SCP-004-14 with SCP-004-7, the box opens automatically on hinges. The volume of the space inside is precisely five times greater than the outer dimensions imply. Items placed within while the lid remains open do not affect the weight or any other properties of the box. When the lid is closed and locked, however, all items inside vanish irretrievably. Personnel locked inside the box are also irretrievable, although losing personnel in this fashion appears to affect significantly the dreams experienced by [DATA EXPUNGED]

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hobbyspacer · 8 months ago

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Space habitat reports – Mar.28.2024

Here is this week's selection of videos and news items about space habitats, living in space, and space settlement. https://youtu.be/uWnmc1C_UOc ** Expedition 70 NASA's SpaceX 30th Commercial Resupply Services Docking Part 2 - March 23, 2024 - NASA Video Loaded with scientific experiments and supplies, an unpiloted SpaceX Dragon cargo ship automatically docked to the International Space Station’s space-facing port of the Harmony module March 23. The SpaceX resupply craft launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida March 21 as part of the company’s 30th commercial resupply mission for the agency and will remain at the station for one month. https://youtu.be/xRh8yByGnU8 ** Expedition 70/71Soyuz MS-25 Launch, Docking Highlights - March 25, 2024 - NASA Video NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasileyskaya launched on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft atop a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 23. Following a thirty-four orbit rendezvous, the trio docked to the Prichal module of the International Space Station, opened up the hatch of the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft and floated aboard the International Space Station March 25. https://youtu.be/TJyCDVj0trU ** First Belarusian in space and crewmates enter space station after Soyuz docking - VideoFromSpace Belarusian astronaut Marina Vasilevskaya, NASA's Tracy C. Dyson and Roscomos' Oleg Novitskiy completed ingress on the International Space Station shortly after docking on March 25, 2024. https://youtu.be/Vbmh85ZT4lY ** Expedition 70 Astronaut Mike Barratt Talks with KGW TV Portland Oregon - NASA Video Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Mike Barratt of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 26 with KGW-TV, Portland. Barratt is in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program. https://youtu.be/-bLmuFdWxOA ** Expedition 70 Station Crew Talks with Women in Aerospace Engineering Conference - March 28, 2024 - NASA Video Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineers Jeanette Epps and Tracy Dyson of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 28 with attendees of the Women in Aerospace Engineering Conference at Georgia Tech University. Epps and Dyson are in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program. https://youtu.be/a0ceZIJg3wU ** NLRA 2024-6: In-space Production Applications: Advanced Materials and Manufacturing - ISS National Lab On March 21, 2024, the ISS National Lab held a webinar to discuss ISS National Lab Research Announcement (NLRA) 2024-6 soliciting proposals focused on flight investigations that seek to demonstrate space-based manufacturing and advanced materials activities on the ISS. https://youtu.be/bJ9y9K0fWrU ** Gateway - Lunar Space Station Trailer - NASA Johnson The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station to orbit the Moon in support of the Artemis missions to return humans to the lunar surface for scientific discovery and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars and beyond. https://youtu.be/iLqu4sS4iR4 ** Blue Origin - Orbital Reef project: NASA Sees Progress on Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef Life Support System | NASA - Mar.20.2024 A @NASA-funded commercial space station, @blueorigin's Orbital Reef, recently completed testing milestones for its critical life support system as part of the agency’s efforts for new destinations in low Earth orbit. The four milestones are part of a NASA Space Act Agreement… pic.twitter.com/bCypsQE78P — NASA Space Operations (@NASASpaceOps) March 20, 2024 ** Introducing our Haven-1 aluminum primary structure, made in . - VAST - VAST Our Haven-1 aluminum primary structure manufacturing is underway. Designed, manufactured, and tested in house in the . https://youtu.be/wgW1hjdrfFU ** The Space Café Podcast #103: Building for New Frontiers: How Space Architecture Shapes Our Future in the Cosmos with space architect Georgi Petrov - SpaceWatch.Global Space Architecture is not just about creating structures; it’s about envisioning a sustainable future for humanity in space. In the latest #SpaceCafePodcast, Markus dives into a thought-provoking conversation with Georgi Petrov, a visionary at the forefront of designing habitats beyond Earth. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1915816/14777125-georgi-petrov-architecting-new-worlds-conversations-on-designing-for-space-habitation.mp3 ** Every Space Station Size Comparison | The Evolution of Space Station 3D - REAL SPACE(Hat tip Bob Zimmerman) https://youtu.be/qJNQ4aIwIKM ** TIMELAPSE: Retrieval of ETCS PM : External Thermal Control System Pump Module from SpX-30 trunk - ISS Above 20x TIMELAPSE: Retrieval of ETCS PM : External Thermal Control System Pump Module from SpX-30 trunk https://youtu.be/Sxvtk41rArc ** Other news and articles: - NASA Astronaut Loral O’Hara, Expedition 70 Science Highlights | NASA - Mar.28.2024 - Station Crew Expands to Ten, Begins Working Together | Space Station/NASA - Mar.26.2024 - Drilling for water ice on Mars: How close are we to making it happen? | Space.com - Mar.24.2024 - What We Can Create on Mars | Robert Zubrin/Quillette - Mar.19.2024 ** Highlight: Quebec - Newfoundland Sea Ice - Mar 25, 2024 17:05 EDT - ISS Above https://youtu.be/SNslBmyBWuo ** Highlight: LA - AL - TN - Mar 24, 2024 - 18:58 CDT - ISS Above https://youtu.be/5TZbeYMNfLw ** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) - NASA Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed. The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It's a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8 Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov https://www.youtube.com/live/xAieE-QtOeM?feature=share ====

ISS after undocking of STS-132 === Amazon Ads === Lego Ideas International Space Station 21321 Toy Blocks, Present, Space, Boys, Girls, Ages 16 and Up ==== Outpost in Orbit: A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station Read the full article

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cybervehiclebuilding · 11 months ago

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Decoding the Top Trends and Intruder Actions in Data Breaches

The frequently used vector to gain initial access is phishing attack and deployment of the malware — observed in nearly 43% of cases that SISA investigated. Most often, the phishing emails originate from a trusted ID, making the tactic highly successful.

The constantly evolving threat landscape along with growing complexity of data breaches are twin challenges that cyber security professionals world over are battling with. The evolution is not just code-driven but born out of the increasing inter-connectedness and perimeter-less environments. The resulting consequence is a rise in the multitude of techniques and methods used for carrying out cyber attacks, specifically data breaches. Besides, intruders are weaponizing emerging technology and AI/ML tools to exploit vulnerabilities across IT infrastructure, leaving even the most sophisticated cyber defenses useless. SISA has seen a noticeable rise in targeted phishing attacks, exploits via third party networks and use of custom malware and genuine tools for performing malicious activity over the past few years. Importantly, the methods used by intruders are vividly different across the different phases of the attack lifecycle and rapidly evolving, requiring agile security practices.

The top trends across the data breach cycle observed during our forensic investigations are summarized below:

Every breach can be divided into three parts based on intruder tactics — Ingress Point, Lateral Movement, and Action on Objective. The Ingress Point covers the tactics used by the intruder to gain a persistent foothold within the network. The Lateral Movement covers various tactics deployed to gain access to the systems of interest and penetrate into the critical environment. The Action on Objective deals with the exfiltration and impact tactics that intruders use to realize the end outcome.

Ingress Trends

The initial access to system zero of the compromised environment can take place using many methods. The frequently used vector is phishing attack and deployment of the malware — observed in nearly 43% of cases that SISA investigated. Phishing emails are, in most cases sent from a trusted email ID, typically from colleagues or third parties present in the user’s contacts. The other major ingress point is via web application exploits. The vulnerabilities that the intruders mainly exploit for deploying a web shell are the SQL injection vulnerability, malicious file upload vulnerability, exploitation of vulnerable libraries, and OS injection vulnerability. In 11% of the investigations where web shell was identified, SISA found that the compromise was through a vulnerability present in the API used by the clients. Interestingly, all the exploits observed were on applications hosted either in the UAT environment or in the non-critical VLANs — implying the importance of securing non-critical environment. Further, a host of security lapses ranging from absence of AV in the targeted system and exposing APIs without Web Application Firewall (WAF) to infrequent patching, that led to the initial ingress underscore the imminent need to strengthen controls.

Lateral Movement Trends

Once the intruders gain access to the network and create persistence within the network, they mainly look to escalate the privilege, gain credential access, try defence evasion techniques, and perform a lateral movement to discover the systems of interest. Among the various techniques that intruders use for credential access, OS credential dumping is the most common. This usually involves the use of a credential harvester tool such as Mimikatz. Though MimiKatz is an old malware, there are increasing instances of various variants of the malware being used by the intruder. Exploit of unsecured credentials is another popular technique used in lateral movement. By accessing the files containing the credentials to various user accounts like the common user account, service account, DBA, etc. stored on local systems, intruders have been able to access critical systems. Another vulnerability that intruders exploit is the storage of the database connection string containing the DB credentials in the web configuration file of the webserver. These trends make it clear that the classic ‘castle with a moat’ cyber security model wouldn’t be effective to prevent lateral movement. Instead, organizations must enforce strong password management, MFA, context-based access control, robust segmentation and a zero-trust policy to keep the attackers at bay. Additionally, deploying a proactive threat hunting solution can help detect anomalies and Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) early on.

Action on Objective Trends

The final stage in the data breach is Action on Objective, where the attacker finally extracts the data from the compromised system. Typically, the objective of data exfiltration involves gathering, encrypting, and extracting confidential information from the organization’s environment. And to meet these objectives, intruders choose to ransom it, destroy it, monetize it by selling data on dark web or simply make it public. Synchronized ransomware attack has been the most common action on objective over the past couple of years. This is not the attack of encrypting one or two critical servers; instead, it’s a synchronized attack where the entire data centre and DR site are taken down with a ransomware attack.

Social engineering attack on the end customer is another popular action on objective wherein the intruder, through impersonation and by sharing recent transaction details, scams the customer into performing actions such as sharing the OTP, installing a malicious application etc. A similar trend is also observed with respect to compromise of credentials to SaaS applications (like CRM) containing the end customer details. Since the complete customer details are available in these SaaS applications, the intruder uses these data for scamming the end customer — a trend prevalent in both financial and non-financial institutions.

Conclusion

Each stage of the breach demonstrates a specific goal along the attacker’s path which makes it vital for organizations to have a layered approach to cyber defence. Designing threat monitoring and incident response plan around each stage is an effective approach as it focuses on how actual attacks happen. Use of data-loss prevention solutions can also help organizations check exfiltration. Additionally, digital forensics can help in the evaluation and reconstruction of the attack, thereby helping organizations improve preparedness and prevent relapses.

For a detailed understanding on top trends in data breaches and intruder exploits, download the latest SISA Top 5 Forensic Driven Learnings 2022–2023 report or sign-up for a free consultative Forensics Learning Session.

#pci dss compliance #pci dss saq #pci software security framework #pci secure software standard #pci secure software lifecycle #iso 27001 audit #GDPR.risk assessment #vulnerability assessment

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