#Legion Of Merit

[centrally-unplanned]

This was a good post, and I see it is making the rounds it deserves - Statecraft is a pretty top notch publication after all. It nails the many weaknesses of what Doge is doing from the lens of a center-right writer who could be inclined to sympathy, while also noting the places fake news on the "critique" side have spread, which is valuable to do.

I do like the point it crystalized that a lot of people were viewing DOGE from the lens of what Vivek Ramaswamy was saying about it, because pre-launch he did 80% of the coherent, long-form talking (while Elon shitposted). Now, unlike Ruiz I understand Vivek to be an intellectual lightweight, the 2020's Paul Ryan in putting a thinking man's sheen on the aged scrap metal that is the typical Republican talking points. But those talking points are at least somewhat a coherent philosophy, an actual action plan identifying real weaknesses in government. I wouldn't expect Vivek's DOGE to *be* a net good, but I completely agree it *could* have done a lot of good. But then he was forced out at the 11th hour, and the DOGE we got is unconcerned with all the parts of that vision that had any merit.

Something I do want to critique the post about, and this connects to my Tepid Critique of Tanner Greer post, is this line:

But I should also point out that we've covered the failings of USAID in depth: for instance, our conversation with Kyle Newkirk, who ran procurement for USAID in Afghanistan. If you dug into the story of American aid involvement there, what you found was report after report from inspectors general and the Government Accountability Office blasting USAID for the same issues: inability to track where money was going, refusal to subject itself to Congressional oversight, and a lack of long-term planning... ...Readers can come to their own conclusions about who is politically or morally responsible for the aid pause. My point is that the dynamics that led us to this moment have been a long time brewing.

In between those lines is a bunch of other failings of USAID. And to be clear, those failings are legion - many government projects in USAID (like many government projects generally and many private corporate projects as well because life) have been anything from inefficient to boondoggles. So what Ruiz sketches out is that USAID has both stacked up failures, making it earn the ire of some Congressional Republicans and think-tank skeptic types, and those failures have a political bent, often angering Republicans over things like abortion services. And that these failures culminated in the org being attacked; something a better run org, a more bipartisan org, could have avoided.

This is a sketch of a form of intellectual history that is, alas, almost certainly false. Elon Musk, Donald Trump, have never read a USAID accountability report about Afghanistan reconstruction operations in their life. They probably do not know that USAID was even there. The critiques of USAID generated by the alt-right twitterati do not, in any way, stem from academic critiques of its bureaucratic inefficiency. They stem from hating foreigners and deep state conspiracy nonsense. The "argument" Elon musk was setting up for taking down USAID was that it funds ~The Cathedral~ in the US via grants to left media orgs taken from misreading and lying about spreadsheets. There is almost zero intellectual lineage between these strains of thought outside of a generic anti-state libertarianism (that the movement otherwise completely rejects when it is convenient for them).

The idea that USAID could have "saved" itself with better internal management is an illusion center-right types want to believe in because it "both-sides" the issue and gives them hope that there is reasonable critiques at the center of all of this, that the center-right ideological space is still "in charge" but perhaps afflicted with an overzealousness one can temper. And it isn't wrong in the sense that many individual Republicans are those people, who is "dominant" in an admin can shift, that could happen. But it is, fundamentally, a plead trying to justify a sort of "here is how Elon can still win". He can't, the things he is doing are not a "step 1" to better ideas. They are simply destructive waste with a dash of pretty-much murder.

If they stop doing destructive waste and proceed to try to fix the damage they dealt, many will go "ah, see, this was the plan the whole time". Which is 100% going to happen and is very much going to piss me off. It is a lie, and I do wish people like Ruiz (who again is otherwise a great writer and thinker) would have the clarity to see that trick ahead of time.

[kimgmac63]

Jeremy at the Granada party for the 10 years of Sherlock Holmes. Jeremy was asked he would accept the Legion d’honneur (is the highest French order of merit) for his portrayal of Sherlock. Jeremy gladly accepted. Jeremy was in hospital up to this point but he made it to the party.

[dcdreamblog]

You ever hear about those rumors of the Legion of Super-Heroes? Apparently, every now and then Superman likes to go 1000 years in the future to hang out with some alien heroes. You think it has any merit, or is it just a load of nonsense?

Yep, that's real.

(An image of Superman and this "Legion of Superheroes", Daily Planet) Of course our knowledge ABOUT these heroes in particular is limited to say the least. This is the clearest image by far we've gotten of most or all of them. It is unknown if this is their membership in its entirety, if other heroes who appeared and then vanished in Superman's orbits are members, or even if all people shown in this photograph are actual members of the Legion. I'll tell you what we DO know, from various sources but the most trusted of them is of course what Superman himself and the Justice League have said about these heroes from the far future. They are from what we would call the 31st century, that is around the year 3000, 1000 years from our present time. Their chronology seems to have shifted at some point into the use of a new calendar not based around Earth's seasons but what small fragments we've gotten from overhearing them have baffled mathematicians and astronomers alike as to what that new scale might be. Most of their membership is made up of teenagers and young adults. Why this is the case or if their time is somehow lacking in adult superheroes is unknown.

They act on official sanction in both space and time with authority vested in them by an organization called the "United Planets". One can draw all sorts of conclusions from that name alone. I choose to imagine Star Trek because I'm optimistic at heart. A large chunk if not most of their membership is made up of what we would call aliens but that definition seems to have shifted in their time. Namely that most members of the Legion, owing to the fact that they all mostly hail from this "United Planets" consider themselves the same nationality if not always the same ethnicity, a reporter seems to have tripped some kind of cultural nerve by referring to one of the Legion's more visually striking members as an "alien" to which his teammates reacted with offense, as if referring to their comrade as an "alien" was somehow implying an otherness to him, akin to calling someone of a separate ethnic group "Unamerican" which implies a couple of things about their cultural history. And the fact that humanity seems to have native populations on many planets outside Earth by the time period they come from only further complicates matters, meaning that two "Legionnaires" (Their term for themselves) who look identically "human" might be from totally different planets with different cultural details while a "human" Legionnaire and a more alien seeming one might be from the same planet and be much closer to one another in general bearing. It speaks to a VERY multicultural and mosaic kind of future for mankind where the idea of what being "human" means is totally divorced from our outward mannerisms and even basic biology. And I think that's real cool.

[mydaddywiki]

Joseph Daul

Physique: Husky Build

Height: 5' 5"

Joseph Alexander Daul (born 13 April 1947) is a French politician who served as President of the European People's Party (EPP) from 2013 to 2019. He previously served as Leader of the EPP Group in the European Parliament from 2007 to 2014 and a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from France from 1999 until 2014. He is a member of The Republicans, part of the EPP.

Daul had previously come to prominence as the chairman of the European Parliament's powerful Committee on Agriculture, a position he was elected to on 23 July 2004, and previously, from 2002, as chairman of the Conference of Committee Chairmen. He has been mayor of Pfettisheim (Bas-Rhin) since 1989, and is an officer of the Agricultural Order of Merit, knight of the National Order of Merit and knight of the Legion of Honour.

Short and cute, I'd vote for him (if I wasn't American) purely on looks. I did see something about being under investigation for misuse of public funds in France, but unless that is somehow going to result in him doing nude photo-shoots and porno's on Older4Me then I don't have much of an opinion. He's a politician… of course he's corrupt.

Anyway, Daul manage his family cattle farm of 75 ha with his wife and, for the last few years, his son, specializing in beef production and the cultivation of sugar beet. In addition to French, he speaks standard German and Alsatian, the Alemannic variety of German spoken in his native Alsace. I can offer nothing else about him, other than I want to fuck him. But you've probably guess that already.

[friendlyneighborhoodsynthezoid]

Plan 66

There were plenty of disadvantages to being experimental commandos, Hunter remarked to himself as the squad staggered towards their barracks, but there were upsides here and there. For instance, after a typically torturous day of training, testing, and reg torment, they were making their way towards their own private room- far from the prying eyes and muttered comments of regs and kaminoans alike. Granted, they were returning to said barracks in various states of exhaustion, many hours after late-meal, because maybe those disadvantages were just a bit more substantial. 

The door to the barracks slid open and the 99s swiftly scattered to various corners of the room. Hunter paused for a moment in the doorway, savouring the feeling of safety. His squad was here, together, and for now he could keep them all in his sight and away from danger. 

Hunter sat on his bunk and began readjusting his senses to the Kamino rain outside and the permanently unfortunate smell of the 99s’ barracks. His brothers were doing similar activities to declare to the world that they were done for the day- Wrecker began rummaging through the plentiful supply of snacks they absolutely weren’t supposed to keep in their room, Tech left his datapad on his rack and beelined it for the refresher before anyone else could claim the first sonic, and Crosshair collapsed face-first on his bunk and buried his head under a pillow without even pausing to remove his training armour. 

A few minutes passed in blessed peace. Wrecker began hoisting heavy objects over his head, Hunter began sorting through command training assignments he was expected to have done several months ago, and Tech emerged from the sonic and reclaimed his data pad. Hunter absentmindedly watched his brother coast through unknown reaches of the holonet that gave Tech his infinite wisdom. As he watched, Tech’s darting eyes stopped flitting behind their goggles and he sat down suddenly. “This is… not ideal.” He said, voice shaking very slightly. “Hunter? I-“

Crosshair’s voice emanated from his bunk, “I swear, if those bastards spring another of their ‘surprise assessments’ on us, Kamino will burn.”

“No, it is not-“ Tech cut himself off with a harsh exhale and simply turned his datapad around, the illuminated screen casting eerie light across the floor. Hunter edged forewarned and read off the screen: OFFICIAL G.A.R. REPORT FROM UMBARAN FRONT- FRIENDLY FIRE CASUALTY NUMBERS RISING

Hunter would have read more, but Tech turned the screen back around and pressed the datapad to his chest. “I read it,” Tech said, “it is a disturbing incident that merits immediate discussion.”

Hunter called over their other two brothers and they waited in tense silence for Tech to explain. “I have compiled an explanation from various official and unofficial sources,” Tech began. “From my understanding, the 501st and 212th legions suffered significant losses in a friendly fire incident arranged by their Jedi general.

“A Jedi did this?!” Wrecker gasped, “I thought they were in our side!”

“Indeed,” Tech said, “a Besalisk Jedi Master by the name of Pong Krell, who seemingly planned to leave the Jedi order and offer his services to the Separatists. 

The regs apprehended him, losing more men in the effort. He was executed on Umbara.”

“Who did it?” Hunter asked in morbid fascination. “Wouldn’t killing a Jedi be a death sentence for a clone? Did the 501st lose their commander? Was it… Cody?”

 “It would seem he was killed by CT-6922, otherwise known as Dogma. I have been unable to locate Dogma in any subsequent reports or communications. Furthermore, his number has been deleted from the Kaminoan database.”

“He killed a traitor,” Cosshair muttered, glaring at nothing, “and they made him disappear.”

 “So it would appear.” Tech put aside his datapad and levelled a serious stare at his brothers. Hunter felt Tech’s eyes catch his and hold his gaze. “I am reluctant to accept that all the Jedi will turn on their soldiers so easily. However, it is now a proven possibility. As such, it seems prudent to be prepared in case we are ever in the presence of a Jedi who wishes us harm.”

The squad exchanged glances. Wrecker was the first to break the silence. “But… will we even be working with Jedi? The regs have generals, but we’ll be on our own once we graduate, won’t we? We only really report to Cody.”

Hunter sighed. Time to be the sergent, he supposed. “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared, I guess. Cody’s got a Jedi. We can’t avoid them completely.”

Tech nodded once and set his datapad on his lap, hands poised to type. “Precisely. As such, we need a plan. Just in case.”

They nodded along grimly and echoed him, “just in case.”

___________________

The discussion took hours. Jedi, it turns out, were not very easy to kill. But the Bad Batch weren’t the Bad Batch for nothing. As such, many scrapped ideas, shouting matches, and some very unhappy consciences later, they had a plan. It wasn’t perfect and it certainly wasn’t pretty, but it was enough. Eventually, Tech finished typing. “Well,” he sighed, “I suppose that is that. Now it needs a name. The next available numerical designation is fifty-t-“ 

“Sixty-Six,” Crosshair interrupted unexpectedly. Throughout the entire discussion, he had been very quiet, providing ideas when required, but largely just observing as the plan came together. Yet every time they flagged, every time Hunter threw his hands up in despair and declared it was futile, he was there. He’d set a hand on Hunter’s shoulder and meet his gaze with a look that said far better than Crosshair himself ever could that he needed to stay strong for the sake of the squad.

That look was no where to be seen, now. In its place was an oddly dark, thousand-yard stare that put his brother uncomfortably in mind of a corpse. “It’s got to be Plan Sixty-Six.”

Tech, puzzled, tried to argue that “It does not makes sense to skip the preceding numbers for this one in particular,” but then Wrecker spoke up:

“No, he’s right. It’s gotta be that. It just feels… right”

Hunter found himself nodding along. For some reason, as soon as Crosshair said it, there was no alternative. Even Tech conceded the point, muttering some rationalization involving multiples of eleven.

In the dark, mind still spinning with the news of Umbara and the newly minted “plan 66”, Hunter was struck by the creeping feeling that they had just taken once step closer to something terrible. Something inescapable. 

Something horribly, world-shakingly, inevitable.

[scotianostra]

On March 1st 1910, David Niven, actor and author, was born.

Despite his lifelong claim to have been born a Scot, in Kirriemuir, he was actually born in Belgravia, but let’s not take that away from, who wouldn’t rather be Scottish than English? ���

The actors Donald Crisp and James Robertson Justice were two others who although pinned there colours to Scotland, were actually born in England. Niven though served in the Highland Light Infantry, (despite asking for any regiment but the HLI) in the early 1930s.

Many of you out there will be of Scottish descent either researched, known or simply because you have a Scottish name, one of my friends has a broad English accent but was born and brought up near Inverness and a lot of people up the north of Scotland claim to be “more” Scottish than those in the south, what a load of nonsense that is.

Niven wanted to be Scottish and that’s good enough for me and the same goes for any of you out there. Being Scottish, as well as being born here can be a state of mind in my humble opinion. Niven’s Scottish heritage came from his paternal grandfather, David Graham Niven, he was from St Martin’s, a village in Perthshire, and was killed in WW1 during the Gallipoli campaign.

He resigned his commission in the army in 1933 and made his way to the USA, where, still chasing the Scottish connection, spendingt time as a whisky salesman, then joining a rodeo, before arriving in Hollywood in the mid 1930’s. Early appearances in films include Barbary Coast and Mutiny on the Bounty, but blink and you’ll miss him. His first starring role was in Thank You, Jeeves! as Bertie Wooster

Other films include A Matter of Life and Death, Around the World in 80 Days, The Guns of Navarone and The Pink Panther. My favourite was The Bishops Wife and he played Bonnie Prince Charlie in the film of the same name.

At the outbreak of World War II Niven returned home and rejoined the army, the Government at the time advised actors to stay in Holywood at the time, and he was alone in refusing this advice, he was assigned to a motor training battalion. He wanted something more exciting, however, and transferred into the Commandos, his training was at Inverailort House in the Highlands. On his return to Hollywood afterwards the Americans awarded him with Legion of Merit, the highest military award that can be given to a non US citizen. Niven never talked much about his time during the war, but did see action a few days after D Day and at Battle of the Bulge.

He is also well known as the author of the bestselling autobiography, The Moon’s a Balloon. His career fluctuated in the 50’s but he endured that and came back bigger than ever, he played Bond in the original Casino Royale, but his greatest achievement was winning an Oscar in the film Separate Tables, becoming the only person to win an academy award while hosting the ceremony!

So David Niven maybe not “Scottish” in the true sense of the word, but certainly Proud to be seen as a Scot.

[candyswirls]

Is it Heresy to Fall in Love With a Warp Entity?

Finally! I posted a teaser a while back, and I've just been yapping about this story in the Primarch Kids discord (despite it not being primarch kids), and I now have the first chapter ready! I'm excited to present to you these two and their romance.

Is it Heresy to fall in love with a warp entity?

Am I really to be censured and struck out from my chapter as penance? What traitorous action have I done to merit this?

I have taken no steps towards chaos, and every decision was made in favor of my legion and the Emperor. I have merely done my duty and followed through the natural direction my hearts have taken me.

Is it because of the warp entity? The nature of how we met? Or is this type of feeling not granted to one of His angels?

Just as I have been loyal, she has born no ill will to anyone but the ruinous powers themselves.

Is it heresy to fall in love with a warp entity? One who showed me great kindness and understanding. Who fought alongside me and my battle-brothers? Who, when possessing them, not of her own volition, took the utmost care of them?

Is it heresy to fall in love with a warp entity?

Is it Heresy to love the unlovable?

***

He refused to look. Perhaps he needed a higher dose. Yes, the stress of the recent war was just getting to him. Just like it was his brother... and those other brothers.

"Just because you ignore me doesn't mean it's not happening," his brother's voice piped up.

But it wasn't his brother. It was his voice. But not in his regular tone or manner of speaking. He even was sitting like a degenerate. This... this - no. Do not name or acknowledge it. This isn't happening.

He flipped through his backlog of doses and times he took his medication. Meetings with his chaplain and captain. With other apothecaries. The magos shrinks. It spanned the last forty years. Other records that had been archived went back to when he was first diagnosed.

He frowned. He hadn't missed a single day, a single dose, or a single meeting. Not once or for any reason. A perfect and immaculate record.

He rubbed his face, keeping his breathing level.

He turned, and his brother was right next to him. He nearly slammed him to the table, but they caught his hand with-with... with in-astartes speed.

"Let's relax and not be so jumpy," he said. "You're obviously on edge."

"Hush!" He hissed. "If the chaplain finds out- urgh! Why am I even entertaining this?! No, this isn't happening. It's not."

It went silent for a moment.

"I'm still here," they said in a whisper.

"Emperor, give me strength," he muttered.

"Who?"

He looked at his battlebrother, bewildered.

"Please tell me you're joking," he demanded. "The Emperor? Master of All Mankind. The God-Emperor."

"Oh, you mean him," scoffed his brother. "Big guy. Massive psykic aura. Likes gold. Comically bad at reading Tarot of all things."

He stared, "What madness are you speaking of?"

"What madness are you speaking of?" They demanded, placing his hands upon his hips.

"You!" He gritted as he pointed a finger at him. "You are... agh!"

"I'm what? A dude? I can see that."

Hallo muttered, "This makes no sense. Absolutely no sense."

His brother threw up his arms, "I agree. Let's sit down and talk about it so we can come to a conclusion."

Hallo looked into their eyes. It was slight, but he could see some type of light hiding behind the pupils.

"I am Apothecary Hallo Iche," he said. "I want to protect my brothers, but I demand to know why a warp daemon has been and is able to possess them."

"Entity," the corrected.

Hallo wrinkled his nose, "Excuse me?"

"Warp entity," they clarified. "I am no daemon."

***

He walked down the hallway to the apothecarium, and fellow marines refused to step out of the way. Others did it solely out of finding him annoying and unbearable.

His mentor had not dealt with such disrespect. He was held in high reguard. But even as the old marines apprentice, that had not rubbed off on himself.

He had yet to learn of his nickname. The Inquisition's Lackey Boy. He trusted them completely. Much to the chagrin of his fellow astartes.

He cared not for his brothers' opinion of him, though. At least that is the lie he told himself.

He was a proud Son of Dorn. His father had locked away his librarians after Nikea despite his grief. He would show the same discipline.

He had gained a name for himself even before arriving with the fifth company. He wished it was a name associated with honor and positivity. Not one scorned by the chapter master himself.

Not the name of a failed apprentice chaplain. He'd get his mentor to speak to him again.

He had received a cold greeting upon arrival and immediately began attending to his duties. Only a few months after arriving and his battle-brothers hated him. Believing him not to understand the meaning of loyalty or the joy of relying upon the brotherhood of the chapter.

Or what he saw.

The life of a chaplain was a lonely one. He'd wear it gladly for his Father and the Emperor, beloved by all. He just needed to prove he could still be one. It had been his dream. For throne sakes, his own mother had given him the middle name of Chaplain in anticipation!

The apothecarium slid open, and he marched in towards the astartes on the table.

Apothecary Vierro intercepted him before he could get to the other.

"Brother Hallo Iche," He greeted. "What brings you here?"

He explained, "Yonathan Bairen, one of the scouts recently promoted to battle-brother. He was down on Redma battling the orks and fell into a Suscoma due to injuries near the old chaos temple they commandeered. He awoke yesterday and seemed perfectly fine. But as of this morning, he woke with no memory, no knowledge of the imperium or astartes. You are unsure of this due to his wounds or if it has anything to do with the temple."

The other apothecary, Balto Fage, muttered, "Who in the warp told you - no need to worry Iche. A lot of details you have are wrong, but we are handling it. Thank you for your concern. You may go, Brother Iche."

Vierro glanced back for a moment and then gave a smile to Hallo, "What can I help you with?"

Iche stood there a moment before sighing and handing forth the prescription note.

Vierro took it and raised a brow.

"They're placing you on them now," he mumbled, already counting out the amounts on his hand. "You should sleep well with these. Then, ones for itching... sores around carapce ports... yes... yes..."

Iche did not reply and just folded his arms across his armor, trying to ignore the itching and feeling of something crawling across his skin. As Vierro went to fill the prescription, Iche glanced at the sick battle-brother. He was sitting up and staring at the wall.

Balto went to a supply room.

It grew eerily silent, and Yonathon slowly turned unblinking eyes upon the apprentice chaplain. His shadow upon the wall grew long and writhed outwards.

Yonathon's irises flashed a yellow glow, and he collapsed back onto the table, the shadow disappearing.

"Apothecary!" Iche called as he drew his bolter.

Balto rushed in, "What happened? What are you doing?!"

"Possession!" He hissed. "I saw it! Strap him down!"

Yonathon didn't move, but cackling came from him.

Vierro dashed back in and moved towards Iche, "Hallo Iche, calm yourself! Put the bolter down and tell me what you saw."

"Silence daemon!" Iche snapped. Just stop, please stop the laughing! He'd had enough of it in his dreams!

Yonathon's eyes went wide, "Daemon? No, Iche. I am no daemon. I am a loyal battle brother! I've only fought front lines in battle! I would never betray the emperor or imperium! Apothecary, help me!"

"Hallo Chaplain Iche," Vierro spoke again. "Perhaps we can follow the ways of the codex and report this to a chaplain as we sh -"

He whipped the bolter to Vierro, "I am a chaplain! You- you... you..."

That was not Apothecary Vierro. It was his mentor and master, Kagrus. Blood dripped down his eyeless face, and half of his skull was exposed.

"Hallo?" He inquired. "Why didn't you save me? Why did you betray me? You lost your faith in the God emperor. Heretic. You have become a heretic."

Hallo's hands shook, "I'm not a heretic. I'm not a heretic. I am not a heretic!"

"Hallo!"

His bolter went off. Yonathon yelped as a bullet grazed his thigh. Kagrus had leaped forward in an attempt to get the bolter away.

He dashed out of the apothecarium, breath hitching in his throat as he raced to the elevators. Blood was seeping up from the floor.

There was foul play going on here. The dark forces wished to enter in? They would be met by him and the emperor's light.

As he entered the lift, another marine staggered out from their quarters. Sergeant Hoskins. He had just gone through the rubicon primaris not even a week ago and was still in his robes. He blinked and looked around. They caught sight of the him and lit up. The lift began to move, but the marine easily leaped in.

He looked shocked at himself.

"I've never been able to do that before!" He excalimed. "That was so cool! This body is amazing!"

His tattoos moved across his skin, hopping back and forth between scars.

Iche froze, "Yes... the benefits of the rubicon primaris surgery."

Hoskins was looking at his arms, "The Rubicon is named after a famous River on Terra."

Iche slowly reached for his bolter.

"You read this in the archive, imposter?" He asked cautiously.

"Hmm?" The other marine questioned as he looked up. "Why are you reaching near your hip?"

Iche drew the bolter, pointing it at the Sergeant's chest. Ink like tears spilled from his eyes, nose, and mouth.

"Withdraw from the Sergeant immediately!" He ordered. The next floor would be coming up soon.

The Sergeant put up his arms.

"Let's just all calm down and take -"

He bashed the bolter over their head, and they collapsed on the ground.

"Chaplain!" Barked a lieutenant.

They had arrived at the next floor, the brothers there only seeing Hoskins back and Iche knocking him out.

"He's possessed!" He yelled. "By a daemon! restrain him! We are infiltrated! I must get to the reclusiam!"

He sprinted past, not allowing anyone to stop him. His name was called, but it began echoing, following him long after it should have stopped.

He rounded the corner to the reclusiam and froze. Black webbing and pustules covered the walls, ceiling, and floor. A writhing mass was within the Reclusiam.

He hid in an alcove and tried to catch his breath. Why was this happening? Was this happening? No! He'd only dealt with such things before becoming an Astartes! Hadn't he been suppressing his psykic powers enough?

He took in a deep breath. He had to warn everyone.

He was alone in the hallway when another battle brother came out. He didn't know his name. Just saw him and his eerie demeanor. This marine had such a sickening grin plastered on their face.

"Let's head to the Reclusiam, Hallo," he said in a distended voice.

Hallo whipped out his bolter again, but the marine smacked it out of his hand. It flew over the railing and down far below. It would eventually reach the bottom and shatter. It was so far down he wouldn't be able to hear it.

The marine spoke again, mouth unmoving. "Let's go to the Reclusiam. I don't want to hurt you."

He tried to punch the primaris, but they caught his arms and held them down to his sides. Their grip was beyond what it should be. Strength far exceeding his own.

He kicked and used every bit of combat doctrine he knew. But he was still a novice and struggled to break free.

Iche yelled. "Daemon! Help!"

He heard the voices grow as black bugs crawled out of the other marines armor and into Hallo's.

He shrieked and knocked his head back into the possessed marine.

He managed to break free, dart away, but he misjudged the force behind his movement. He broke through the guard railing. He fell down towards his death, breaking any and all cherubim cages he hit on his way down.

He was going to die while daemons were rampant through the ship. He had failed yet again.

***

He came to, staring up at the light from the void of each level. For a moment, he had thought it to be the light of the afterlife.

Pain echoed in his body. He knew many bones were broken and could taste blood.

He could hear the hum of a dreadnought engine approach. One leaned over him and spoke.

"You are incredibly lucky," He said.

Iche sighed, "Thank you, revered brother."

Iche side eyed the dreadnought.

The silence was defeaning. A shadowy figure broke open from the dreadnought and began crawling towards him.

Iche flung himself to the side and seethed at the pain.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Hallo," the creature assured.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!!" He screamed.

The ground was suddenly gone, and he fell again.

***

He gasped awake, hearing voices, seeing mortals climbing towards him, and the image of the dreadnought looking down the hole at him. They were far away. A woman, chained in silver and glowing, was floating down towards him, grabbing him by the chest and shoving him backward. He melted into the metal till there was nothing left.

He lost consciousness.

***

Awakening in the apothecarium felt shameful in a way. Especially as Captain Antaros stood at his bedside, looking disappointed.

"Sir," he croaked, trying to sit up, but realizing he was strapped down.

The captain sighed. "You have caused massive panic throughout the ranks. Raving about daemons, attacking a wounded brother, striking down a sergeant, falling several floors, then sending yourself down even more.

"I didn't!" He insisted. "There were daemons -"

"Tyren Dantus and several mechanicus saw it after you tried punching a brother who had just exited his room," the captain said.. "There are witnesses. Then our dear ancient one managed to wake up to try and save you, and you crawled away from him screaming and failing to notice an open maintenance hatch. It took hours to get you out of there, and most of the work was done by servitors and serfs. "

"Daemons are haunting the ship and possessing each person you speak of!" Iche burst. "It's haunting me! Constantly hounding and obsessing over me! It followed me and now appears in my dreams! Captain, this is a seriously terrible and horrible matter! Bugs came out of the Sergeant, and I can still feel them crawling on me! I could feel them before! They're in my carapace ports!"

Captain Anteros just sighed and stood.

He turned to Apothecary Balto, "Send a message to the home base apothecaries. Hallo Chaplain Iche will need intense psychiatric care."

Iche gaped, "My lord?"

"You were sent here because of what happened with your mentor and former squad. You've endangered countless marines, refused to listen to orders, are extremely paranoid, and now your hallucinations are so severe you're seeing daemons and attacking your own brothers? This company is full of loyal sons of dorn who despise chaos. You are obviously not well from Minon. You experience such intense horrors and PTSD that you fully believe that all the brothers here hate you."

"It is my duty as chaplain -"

"You're not the chaplain!" Anteros retorted. "You're an apprentice! Were an apprentice. You still won't acknowledge the fact that your mentor, Kagrus, died in front of you! You are not fit to be an astartes. Not mentally, at least not right now."

Iche could feel his hearts break.

"No," He whispered. "Please."

"You are being sent away to receive help," the captain informed him. "It pains me to see you like this. Jist hbainh freshly graduated from being a scout. You can't even see the state you're in. Your weapons and armor have been confiscated. You are not allowed to pick up any weapons and, in turn, are not allowed in the training cages. Apothecary Vierro will be over seeing you, and you will require an escort anytime you exit your room."

Tears streamed down his cheeks at hearing this.

"Your life has worth, Hallo," Antaros said. "It has been one too many times that you've tried to end it as of late. You can't even remember them. I hope you become well enough to return to the ranks, but if it ends up that you are forced to retire and work with the neophytes, then so be it."

"My duty is to the emperor," Iche choked. "It doesn't end till I perish in battle!"

"Not when you endanger the lives of your brothers," the captain said coldly. "Not when your mind is ill and you can not make proper choices. If this continues, you will die but not in the emperor's way. The decision has been made. Pick-up will be here within the week."

"Please!" He begged through sobs. "Captain, please!"

He pulled against the restraints to no avail. He thrashed for a while but eventually gave up.

Once he calmed down, Vierro came over. He still had his soft smile.

"Vierro," he cried. "I'm not a heretic."

"No one said you were," Vierro assured him.

Iche shook his head and laid back, "I... what am I to do?"

"Take one day at a time," he said as he shined a light in Hallo's eyes. "You've given us all a massive scare."

Hallo squirmed. He could feel the bugs crawling, but... they weren't there??

"What is happening? He sniffed. "Am I cursed?"

"I sent for your medical file for both during and before the astartes process," Vierro stated. "I suspect you are experiencing psychosis and are in the middle of its peak. Back as a boy, my father developed it. The medicines take time, but he never had an episode again."

The apprentice went quiet.

"You've been told this before, haven't you," Vierro deduced.

Hallo nodded, "It never was confirmed... but doctors had suspicions. I never had it evaluated... it ran in my family."

Vierro nodded as he took blood samples, "It's extremely common for Astartes to develop it due to war and warp travel. Usually easily treatable and caught quickly. Sounds like yours developed beforehand and has grown worse. You require better amenities and help than what we have here."

The apothecary dabbed away tears from Hallo's face.

"I never should have become a chaplain," he mumbled.

"You could become a librarian," Vierro offered. "You are quietly skilled with your psykic might."

Hallo just shook his head. He'd failed his mother.

***

He stared at this... warp entity...

"You can call me Circa," they smiled.

Master Post - Next

[countesspetofi]

Today in the Department of Before They Were Star Trek Stars, DeForest Kelley guest stars in "The Legion of Old Timers," episode 5 of the first season of The Lone Ranger (original air date October 6, 1949).

Kelley plays Bob Kittredge, a tenderfoot from back East who's just inherited his late father's ranch. He falls prey to a con man who drives away the ranch's faithful foreman (the eponymous "old timer") and tries to sell the land out from under him. The Lone Ranger, Tonto, and the old foreman ride to the rescue and good triumphs over evil until next week's episode.

Since there are no other Trek connections, allow me to just ramble a bit about The Lone Ranger and me. I've never seen the 1949-57 TV series before, but I'm told it was one of my Grandpa's favorites. I also never saw the 2013 movie, but people assure me I didn't miss much. This was around the time I was thinking, “Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp could use a break from each other,” and “Tim Burton and Johnny Depp could use a break from each other.”

The 1980 Filmation animated series was part of my regular Saturday morning cartoon experience as a little kid. I don't have a ton of clear memories of it, except that characters from American history made guest appearances/cameos, and it was part of a larger series with Tarzan and Zorro.

Several kids I knew had these Lone Ranger action figures, and they were really high quality. One line from the TV commercial jingle (set to the tune of the William Tell overture that became the Lone Ranger theme) went, “Let him ride in a covered wagon; let him hold a rifle in his hand,” and still gets stuck in my head decades later. One issue with this is that I've never been able to find a recording or video of this commercial ever since it aired in the 1980s. Another is that I, being unfamiliar with the term “covered wagon” at the time, thought he was riding in something called a “cupboard wagon” and immediately pictured the wagon from the Chuck Wagon dog food commercials (which, in all fairness the Lone Ranger action figure could have easily ridden in).

When I was a teenager, one of my mother's best friends married a man who claimed to be a cousin of Jay Silverheels, the actor who played Tonto. I have no idea if there was any merit to his claim. He had a signed picture of them together, but if every celebrity someone had a signed picture with was their cousin, the world would be a big, weird family.

Anyway, season's greetings from Tonto, Tarzan, and Frankenstein.

[eddy25960]

Self-portrait 1896

Konstanty Gorski (Górski) (Polish painter) 1868-1934

Oil on canvas

Private Collection

Konstanty Górski (also known as Gorski) (born 1868 in Kazimierzów, died 1934 in Warsaw) - Polish painter.

He attended the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture

Konstanty Górski created portraits and caricatures, and rarely used historical and fairy-tale themes. He illustrated books and magazines, among others. Wędrowiec, He was an outstanding organizer of foreign painting exhibitions, for which he was awarded the Legion of Honor and the Cross of Merit awarded in Austria.

[sai-int]

MILITARY PERSONNEL FILE

NAME: Dawson, Beatrice           

ALIASES: Panther, Dawson, Bea

HOME ADDRESS: [REDACTED]

HEIGHT: 5'5           

BIRTHPLACE: [REDACTED], Georgia, USA

WEIGHT: 141.3 Ibs           

DOB: MAY, 1995 (27Y/O)

BLOOD TYPE: O- (UNI DONOR)         

RANK: Sergeant First Class - Platoon Sergeant EST. 2022

RACE: W            

DATE ENLISTED: OCT. 2012

NEXT OF KIN: N/A

SCHOOLS ATTENDED: Airborne, Ranger, AMWS, AASLT, JOTC, SERE

SKILLS & SPECIALIZATIONS: Fire Support Specialist (MOS 13F), Covert Reconnaissance, Hostage Rescue, Counterterrorism, Weapons Handling, Guerrilla warfare, Helicopters, Negotiation, Combative level 3

NOTES: Accuracy, Stealth, Proficiency in Speed, Works best alone/in small groups, Highly Intelligent, 75TH RANGER REGIMENT, Ranger tab & scroll

AWARDS: Purple Heart, 2 Silver Stars, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Service Cross.

[olderthannetfic]

I feel like that other chart was unintentionally a little misleading once separated from whatever talk or meta I originally prepared it for.

Here's a breakdown of what's going on with category tagging on AO3 currently in March 2024.

The majority of works are tagged with just one tag, but that doesn't mean multi-category works hit every type of content exactly equally. The bar chart shows what percentage of works with a given category tag are tagged only with that category.

As we'd expect, the 'multi' tag often gets added to a work with other categories. Ditto 'other', though not as strongly. Presumably, there are some tentacle monsters who obviously merit the tag, while nobody has ever been quite sure what to do with 'Multi'. (It was kind of a holdover from ancient archives that made a big deal of works with a m/m and a f/m ship. Personally, I use it for my legions of m/m/f ships.)

F/F isn't in that much of a worse boat than the other big categories, but it does objectively get cross-tagged more than F/M or M/M. Combine this fact with the lower absolute numbers of F/F, I think it strongly contributes to the feeling of "Grr, I came here for my femslash, and it was a background ship that showed up for literally one line!"

The red pie chart is comparing total numbers, but it's perhaps misleading because it's going to add up to more works than are actually on AO3.

Works with no category tags are harder to find totals for, and a lot of AO3 stats leave them out, which can also be misleading if you're trying to say X% of AO3 is M/M and you use a total work count that includes the unlabeled ones. I've been guilty of this plenty of times.

Anyway, just some thoughts on how your charts can mislead even when you were trying to be clear.

[bitter69uk]

Recently watched: Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961) (Italian title: Nefertite, regina del Nilo). Tagline: “The fascinating woman who deserted the pharaoh for the arms of the artist who made her immortal.” This one hails from the fun late fifties / early sixties “Hollywood on the Tiber era” when American movie stars - suddenly cut loose from their major studio contracts - fled to Cinecittà in Rome to extend their careers by starring in Italian-made historical epics and gladiator/ peplum movies (think: Lex Barker, Anita Ekberg, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay). Here, the slumming American actors are Jeanne Crain and Vincent Price (and British male starlet manqué Edmund Purdom). The plot plays wildly fast-and-loose with the story of ancient Egyptian royalty Nefertiti. Here, she is originally temple handmaiden Tanet (Crain), whose true love is Tumos (Purdom), the artist who sculpted the famous bust of her. Unfortunately, scheming Great High Priest Benakon (Vincent Price) – who also happens to be her father – has promised Tanet’s hand in marriage to religious zealot pharaoh (Amedio Nazzari) – the union that will lead to her being rechristened as Nefertiti. Heaving her bosom and pining in the background is one of Tumos’ besotted models, belly dancer Merit (with her frosted pale lipstick and bouffant hairdo, Liana Forfeit looks like she should be en route to a 1961 cocktail lounge). Anyway, a visibly uncomfortable Crain makes for the most Californian of ancient European queens but rocks some great costumes (you find yourself waiting for each fresh headdress, wig and gown Crain will wear in every new scene). And the production values are lavish: there is spectacle, legions of extras, pageantry, battle scenes and banquet scenes, religious rituals, Purdom wrestles a lion – and the male actors sport ultra-short togas. (Nefertiti sometimes feels like a dry run for the more ambitious Elizabeth Taylor 1963 version of Cleopatra). Finally, all due regards to Crain, but the REAL queen here is the scene-stealing Price, camping it up outrageously with an elaborately braided wig, leopard skin cape and a kohl-rimmed smoky eye. Nefertiti is easy to find on YouTube.

[tiaramania]

do you know anything about the red ribbon victoria and sofia are wearing at the state visit?

I think it's the ribbon and badge for the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor. Prince Daniel and Prince Carl Philip are wearing it too. Queen Silvia and King Carl Gustaf have the Grand Cross (a step higher than the Grand Officer) of the Legion of Honor so they get sashes instead of ribbons.

I really dislike how the French orders don't have a thinner version of the orders for women. I'm kind of iffy about orders anyway, particularly royal family orders. I appreciate the history behind them and sometimes they look very fancy and regal but other times I think they distract from the jewelry and make an outfit look cluttered. I feel the need to duck behind something because I know the royal fandom loves orders.

I'm mean look at Crown Princess Victoria, she's wearing...

the ribbon, badge, and star of the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor

the sash and badge of the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit

the star of the Order of the Seraphim

King Carl XVI Gustaf's Royal Family Order

It's just too much.

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 3 July 1988, the United States Navy shot down Iran Air flight 655, a civilian passenger plane with 290 people on board, all of whom were killed. The victims included 66 children, and an entire family of 16 who were on their way to a wedding in Dubai. The incident took place during the war between Iran and Iraq, which was led by Saddam Hussein and backed by the US. It followed a catalogue of errors, including the naval officer in charge of firing the missile aboard the USS Vincennes hitting the wrong key no fewer than 23 times before it was eventually fired. The US military then claimed that the Vincennes was rushing to defend a merchant vessel under attack from Iran when an aircraft outside the commercial air corridor was descending in "attack mode" towards the ship – which was false on all three counts. They also tried to claim the ship was in international waters, and naval officials even deleted an Iranian island from the map they showed to Congress. In fact it was in Iranian waters, in clear violation of international law. Meanwhile, the US media backed up the official line, with the New York Times apportioning blame to the pilot, Mohsen Rezaian, and Iran. In the aftermath, officers and crew of the Vincennes were welcomed home and decorated as heroes, receiving combat action ribbons and in one case a Commendation Medal for "heroic achievement" for "quickly and precisely complet[ing] the firing procedure." The Captain was later awarded the Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious conduct as a commanding officer." Donations from the public to construct a monument honouring the USS Vincennes in Indiana also shot up following the incident, and the monument was constructed and dedicated the following year. If you value our social media posts, connect with us directly, independent of social media corporations, by joining our occasional email list: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/pages/sign-up https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=655304546642764&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[venicepearl]

Margaret Etienne Hannah Crewe-Milnes, Marchioness of Crewe CI JP known to her friends as Peggy, (1 January 1881 – 13 March 1967), styled as Countess of Crewe from 1899 until 1911; was a Rothschild family heiress, and after the death in 1929 of her father, the former Prime Minister Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, she was said to be the richest woman in England. From 1922 she spent six years in Paris after her husband was made British Ambassador to France.

During World War II she was much involved with organizations to help Free French in Britain, founding the French in Great Britain Fund in 1940. After the war, in June 1946 she was awarded the highest French order of merit, the Knight of the Legion of Honour. She and her husband bought West Horsley Place in Sussex on their return from Paris. She was also decorated with the award of Imperial Order of the Crown of India.

She was one of the first female justices of the peace in London, appointed as a magistrate in 1919 after the passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919.

[scribe-of-maat]

Ranking DC Pride 2024

8. Phantom Rodeo (Jules Jourdain/Circuit Breaker, Jay Garrick/The Flash)

Dead last because 1 - it's not self-contained. 2 - it has nothing to do with anything Pride related and 3 - it's the return of the complete rando from last time. At least before the incredibly cool couple of Jess/Flash and Andy/Aquawoman featured heavily but no, because of detractor 1 Jay is here instead. Personally, I don't care about Circuit Breaker and I really hope someone else gets their spot next year.

7. "Hello, Spaceboy" (Starman/Mikaal, Komak)

If I knew who either of these characters were, this would probably be a lot higher. But the competition this year is steep so at 8 they go. Komak and the blue-purple warp zone 80s color pallet is REALLY slick. I thought I was familiar-ish with Starman but clearly there are multiple people running around with that name who have nothing to do with the JSA.

6. "Lessons in Astral Projection" (Nia Nal/Dreamer)

I stopped watching the CW shows that weren't about Black Lightning or Batwoman a looong time before Dreamer was intro'd (or after? I know I wasn't watching Flash way before she came along) but I knew of her and thought her powers and connection to the Legion of Superheroes was cool. I didn't like that there was no confrontation with Maeve in the story but it definitely would have gotten in the way of the feel-good affirmation vibe of the story.

5. Spaces

I'm 99% sure I've seen mention of Phil Jimenez across various DC fan spaces, so the only surprises here were that he was LGBT and that they were bringing back the real-person issue-ender like they did Mr. Conroy. It was nice seeing his journey, and it being so well-told is a real plus. No superheroes anywhere in sight though, save Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman.

4. Marasmius (Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy, Janet-from-HR)

Now THIS one was a ride. The opening left me a little rudderless and I'm not the biggest Harlivy fan so I thought I wasn't gonna get much out of this but if there's one thing I can believe, it's that if we had interplanetary travel the 'phobes would preach their nonsense across the galaxy. Ivy being an anti-villain is used to great effect here. No hand-wringing about morals, no reasoning with hate. Just do unto others as they would do unto. VERY cathartic.

3. Bros Down In A-Town (Jon Kent/Superman, Jay Nakamura, Ray Terrill/The Ray, Miguel Barragan/Bunker)

This one 3rd because I relate heavy to feeling weird about being openly LGBT out and about in public. I thought it was a surprising feeling that doesn't get touched on a whole lot because people generally don't like to see that type of real queer struggle being depicted in media that's supposed to be heavy on escapism. This artstyle though. I follow the artist on twitter because it fascinates me how one person's character can bleed through so transparently in the way they draw.

2. The Rivers and the Lakes that You're Used To (Jackson Hyde/Aquaman, Ha'Wea, Orion)

My bias for Jackson Hyde is showing but this story was also incredibly cool on its own merits. Orion being stone-facedly het for half of it was a choice but my boys showed up and officially got together - which I was surprised to learn hadn't happened long before now - so of course it shot up further in the rankings than it otherwise may have. Him saying he feels like himself when he's around his boyfriend is just *chef's kiss*.

1, Steeling Time (Natasha Irons/Steel, Traci Thirteen/Traci 13, John Constantine, Xanthe Zhou)

Natasha and Traci's appearances were the only things about this I got spoiled on, but after reading this they've instantly shot up to join Jackson and Ha'Wea in my pantheon on ships. I do like how it showed the steps to reconciliation and they were both still clearly open to the idea of rekindling things eventually. But this artstyle makes me want to see a webtoon of these two YESTERDAY.