#Satellite Elegance

[prequelsnet]

@prequelsnet prequels appreciation week: day 3 — locations

↳ Kamino

KAMINO was an aquatic planet located in a remote star system in wild space of the galaxy. it was sometimes considered extragalactic due to being in close proximity to the rishi maze dwarf satellite galaxy. it was inhabited by the kaminoans—a race of tall, elegant beings with long necks who were regarded as a mysterious species that tended to keep to themselves. they were also known for their cloning technology, which was used to create a clone army for the galactic republic. — x

[afaroffsong]

I was tagged in this game by @brb-on-a-quest and @informedimagining:

Reblog game. You tag the people that you can think of on the top of your head and use two words to use to describe them (people you follow, moots, or followers)

I thought I would do it for all of my mutuals. ^_^ And now that I've gone through my list I realise there are a LOT of yous and I also don't know some of you guys very well. XD XD

(...also it was really hard to just use two words since I wanted to give, like, an in-depth paragraph of how I feel about everyone. Most of these are entirely based on vibes. You can ask me if you want clarification, and I shall do my best to answer in my own words and not emojis and random pictures and quotes. *blushes and runs away*)

@hollers-and-holmes Merry stronghold

@kraytwriter Laughing firelight

@lady-merian Joyful sunbeam

@musewrangler Excellence curator

@catkin-morgs-kookaburralover Dear one

@sheet-metal-memories Kindred spirit

@muse-write Brave friend

@informedimagining Star maker

@onewingedsparrow Truth speaker

@ladyphlogiston Warm safety

@rosie-cotton Beauty sharer

@winterinhimring Brilliance crafter

@hwestalas Tasteful artist

@swinging-stars-from-satellites Moon finder

@thewatercolours Elegant waymaker

@brb-on-a-quest Happy heartbeat

@hamiltonfairchildracingrescue Heartful artisan

@clawedandcute Discerning scribe

@audreythevaliant Hopeful perceiver

@saint-augustines-pears Bright lightfoot

@authortobenamedlater Youthful tree

@sweetcardamom Cerulean sky

@batrachised Autumn spirit

@lady-stormbraver Stalwart learner

@lightthewaybackhome Earnest harvester

@smolgreybunny Unwavering voyager

@idrilsscribe Learned crafter

@silver-letter-opener Intrepid beautifier

@blueberrybucket Shining seeker

@elessar241 Artistic conservator

@flickeringflame216 Ardent participator

@awwyeah107 Tenderhearted tender

@thegreenleavesofspring Soul sister

@paranorahjones Swift sunrise

@overthinking-with-katy Generous worker

Woooooooooooooah, that was hard. DX I didn't realise how many of you I just don't know very well. If you're weirded out by what I said, I agree, some of these were weird and took me about an hour to put into words.

To my followers: I'm so sorry, but there are 76 more of you, and I have run out of thoughts. O.O

[masodemic]

The problem with Jinshi's court title

We need to talk about the English translation of Kusurinyan LN (get it like nyan cuz Maomao), more specifically the translation of 月の君 (Tsuki no Kimi) into Moon Prince 🌙

This isn't wrong. In a literal sense, the phrases refer to the same title. However, there is a non-defined cultural meaning which Moon Prince can't quite communicate.

In modern Japanese, the word "prince" can be translated to 王子様 which is straightforward, cut and dry, referring to "the master, the child of the king/queen." Whereas 君 is a little bit like His/Her Highness, implying their status.

But unlike we do now, in Medieval Japan (and likely in similar cultures), it was taboo to directly refer to a person of high status with their given name, hence, they can be addressed via their office, title, place of residence or some personal nickname.

A good real life example is the author Murasaki Shikibu whose "pen name" is a combination of her father's office (Shikibu) and the female lead's nickname in the Tale of Genji. In that same work, the main character is referred to as 源氏の君 (Genji no Kimi: the Prince from the Minamoto clan), or 光る君 (Hikaru Kimi: the Prince who lights up/sparkles/shines). While referring or speaking to a noble, they kept the addressee's "name" general. That veiled conduct is - imo - a factor behind the mysticism of Medieval court. Where people are mythified by something akin to their epithets, usually respectful, occasionally poetic, lending the atmosphere an effortless aura of elegance.

So, back to KnH, although the story is set in fictionalized China, many cultural cues are still taken from Japan, especially in linguistics. After all the work is originally written in Japanese. Furthermore, Jinshi is constantly portrayed as a mysterious figure to those who don't know him personally. Those who do refer to him respectfully with a general and period-appropriate nickname combining his title and the last kanji of his name (arguably, an aspect of his character or role in the story).

Hence, it doesn't make contextual sense to refer to him as Moon Prince like we would do Prince Harry or other modern celebrity royals. It should be treated like an epithet with all due ✨DRAMA✨ and 🌙elegance🌙

That is to say I need more linguistic flair, give me that archaic flowery language of poetry

So dare I suggest ...

[thymeskip]

request from @satellite-starss

aa here’s your funky skeleton!! i just had to use his purple outfit, i think it’s very pretty :> he’s such an elegant lad oh my stars,,

tysm for letting me draw him! still trying to remember how to draw skeletons, but i think it looks good

[usafphantom2]

Tap arrow

worked closely with the SR 71 feels the same way as they have bonded with this magical airplane. For some people...It was love at first sight with no connection at all. To me, this airplane is more than a stagnant relic. It is a large part of who I am, who my father was, and who our friends are. These leaks were monitored and measured in drips per minute (DPM). Each area of the aircraft had a built-in tolerance for maximum DPM. Once a certain area surpassed its maximum DPI, maintenance would have to re-seal the inside of the fuel tank, which was described as a nightmarish process. As I walked underneath the aircraft, my shoes stuck to the fuel residue on the hangar floor. This had happened to me ( Curt) a thousand times during my years working on the flight line. But this time was different. This time, the fuel came from an SR-71. This time, the fuel on the floor was JP-7, a proprietary fuel that no other aircraft used.

For me, this was an emotional experience. I don’t believe many people have experienced this since the Blackbirds stopped flying in 1999, and even fewer folks will experience this in the future once these elegant crafts contain no more fuel to weep. So many people look at these museum pieces as dormant, dead shells of what they once were. That day, #17958 rewarded me by showing that she still had life left in her. This was a connection between man and machine that I do not take for granted.For me, this beautiful airplane is still alive. I know that the legend of the Blackbird program will never die because there will never be another program like it using people to fly and navigate airplanes. The reason why I felt emotional by seeing the leaking fuel was this met the blackbird still had some life in her. There is no life in a satellite and drones Half of this article was written by Curt Mason and the other half by Linda Sheffield photographs belong to Curt Mason

@Habubrats71 via X

[dnpanimationstudioclone]

Meet Vox!📺

Made my own take on Vox for fun! This one was really fun to do!📺

Wanted to go for a mix of 50s salesman and modern TV show host. He’s a man of show and business afterall!

Made his screen a mix of 50s TV and modern flat-screen . Show even with a his new trends, fads and updates he's still a product of his time📺

Replaced the bowtie with a tie. To parallel with my Alastor more and neckties were the iconic 50s vibe and allude to him being a big businessman.👔👨‍💼

For his color scheme, ngl I always liked Voxs, especially since it has good contrast to Al, @the-burd-lord suggested I'd go with RGB theme, colors on display screen. Ngl I was conflicted what colors to go with for the vees(Primary, Red blue purple etc). But then I realized when u mix those colors u get those other colors and then I decided to give the Vees two main color themes for each. One for show, the other their true colors! I also looked at 50’s colors for inspiration, mixing it with a more modern electric ZAP! ⚡️ also looked at his pilot colors.

Vox advertises with bright electric blue like cyan! In reality, he's a dark sad blue.

Val advertises with passionate and romantic red but really he's a deceitful toxic yellow

Velvet advertises with elegant purple/magenta but known truth an envious and materialistic green.

Wanted his look to parallel Alastors, keep the vibe of dressing like him but also looking like his own brand! Both have Wave symbols as well as symbols relating to their special media, Alastor radio 📻, Vox TV 📺. Power buttons on his suit, TV waves in his tie, like a satellite📡 🛰️ ,

even incorporated his Logo. Love it!!!! Wanted Vox to give off a newer, brighter vibe! Show he’s keeping up with trends more than Al, staying relevant. Like those TV product ADS!!!!!!!!

Added sharper edges! Sharp guy!

Gave him a bigger build. More square shaped square along with his facial features for a robotic feel◼️🤖📺

Went more with his old Shoe design, but made them white with red.also added more stripes like the OG.

Removed the top hat to make his antennae look like a hat itself, along with making the V symbol.

For his time the pinstripe suit Def fits him, removed the long coattails.

Here’s a Link to Alastor and another. Might connect his story with Vox.

What do u think?How would u redesign Vox? I’d love to know💖

[halovianicon]

Extraterrestrial Satellite Communication. . .

" There ' s a saying the more demanding the diner , the stronger the skills of the chef . . . but no matter what others say , I'll always be demanding more from myself . "

BEING A COSMIC SUPERSTAR sure puts a heavy weight on one's shoulders. Robin adores her fans, she truly does. Appreciating their gestures from the sweet, theatrical oaths made to her, to the elated noises of fans that get to meet her in person.

A kind soul worthy of being blessed by Xipe, whom the The Family follow closely; she broadcasts tunes soothing and appears as a medicine for swollen eyes, GRACE BESTOWED BY HARMONY. The Halovian singer, demure and elegant young lady, Sunday's younger sister, or a mute; she goes by multiple names, but not many faces.

kindly refrain from the following when interacting with character :

i. please, maintain kindness and acceptance whilst viewing through this bog, or speaking here.

ii. people of any valid race, religion, sexuality, and gender are accepted! ageism, ableism and so on are not accepted here.

iii. best if the interactions are kept to a SFW limit, however anything subtly explicit is alright— no direct NSFW.

the following tags will be used for the appropriate situations : # embrace who (u) wanna be → agent comments . # swaying to the beat → responses to asks . # the key to my trust → interactions with other H:SR characters . # matching pace → reblogs .

an independent blog that is NOT affiliated with hoyoverse/mihoyo. the agent behind this blog goes by the name of fleur, and are not likely to appear unless asked for— pronouns are he/him or they/them.

© halovianicon → do not reproduce.

[blametheeditor]

Voretober Day 1 | Space

Voretober Prompt List

Next

If given the opportunity, would you take the chance to go to space and travel the stars? What if the person offering to take you was someone you trusted more than anyone else?

What if that person is no longer entirely human?

MENTIONS OF SOFT VORE

Content Warnings: Soft, non-sexual vore (only mentions for now). Mentions of body horror. Mentions of experimenting on people. Mentions of death and murder, violence. Being trapped against one's will. Dehumanization. Abductions. Cursing. Darker themes/tone

I blame Vincent

___________________________________

Vincent hasn’t seen Earth in a long time. 

He almost didn’t recognize it when his stolen ship was finally close enough to let him see enough details to discern if it was the right planet or not. It was the clouds that tripped him up, the white swirls having managed to completely cover the continent he was facing. At a single glance, he assumed he found yet another completely submerged planet. 

Good thing he was never someone to quit, or else he would’ve turned right around and missed his only chance ever finding his home. 

He did turn around, but only to circle the semi-familiar sphere, out of the range of certain satellites the ship warned him might cause disruptions for if he got too close. And after keeping a respectful distance between himself and the moon, he was finally able to see a brown and green patch so achingly familiar. 

His patch of land, surrounded by the blue of incomprehensibly vast oceans.

Vincent will admit, he shouldn’t have given into the temptation of landing. Not when it’s been so long, so many years since he’s set foot on this particular planet. The geography might be exactly how he remembered, but he knew for a fact Earth’s residents would’ve changed drastically. 

He changed. Can’t even be classified as human anymore. 

But he did it anyway. Scanned for anything that could detect a ship coming into the atmosphere, let the highly advanced technology take control to land without a single person or entity noticing, stepped out of the spacecraft to breathe in the forest that had long since faded away from his dreams and memories. 

It all came flooding back with the smell of pine and rain. It led him out of the trees and onto a cracked and uneven sidewalk. It had him walking right up to a two story house that’s a lighter grey than he remembers, but it still has the same elegant walkway leading up to a towering gate that was almost always locked. 

Except it’s open tonight, under a bright full moon, with a man sitting on the steps. 

A man who looks virtually unchanged from when Vincent last saw him. A little bit taller, definitely not a teenager anymore, but there’s no mistaking who exactly is staring across the few feet that might as well be miles between them. 

“Vincent?” 

Scott’s shock is apparent as he slowly stands up, as if afraid the person in question will run away if he moves too quickly. But when Vincent doesn’t so much as blink, not willing to miss a single second, it’s almost like a flip is switched, and his best friend sprints straight toward him. 

He doesn’t think twice before catching Scott in a hug. Pulls the still shorter man into a tight embrace that someone will have to forcibly rip him away from to end it. At least the feeling seems to be mutual as he’s clung to just as desperately. 

“Is it really you?” is said in such a soft whisper he nearly misses it. 

But he hears it. As well as the painful warble of tears threatening to spill. 

“It’s me, Scotty,” Vincent murmurs. “It’s me.” 

They stand there for a few moments. And when Scott finally begins to break away, it’s only so he can finally take in Vincent, hazel eyes scanning him up and down critically. 

Finally, his best friend gives a look. Specifically one of exasperation. “You’ve been gone for 6 years, and you come back on Halloween wearing a costume of all things.” 

Vincent blinks, confused for a moment. Sends a glance toward the Cawthon house to spot the sparse decorations he originally missed. The sports jersey Scott is wearing is supposed to be a very simple costume that most likely needed to be approved. 

Of course he finally came home tonight of all nights. On one hand, it most likely softened the blow of how drastically his appearance has changed. On the other, it��s going to be a little bit harder trying to explain where he’s been all this time. 

Though maybe that’s a good thing. 

Vincent offers a lopsided smile. “I thought you appreciated my incredible timing, Scotty.” 

“And your need for a dramatic entrance, apparently,” Scott grouses. It’s clear he’s not truly upset, however. A bit bewildered, yes, but his best friend is relieved more than anything. Joyful to finally see a face he most likely thought was never coming back. “Come sit with me.” 

Vincent knows it’s a demand rather than a request. Knows that even though Scott isn’t asking for an explanation of where he’s been all these years now, he’ll be expecting one at some point. And know that if he tries to leave his best friend’s sight for even a second, he will be told that isn’t an option. 

That isn’t why he obediently follows Scott back to his spot on the steps. No, he does it for completely selfish reasons. To pretend that, just for a moment, he’ll be allowed to stay forever. 

So he sits next to his best friend for the first time in 6 years, glad Scott kept count for him. Gestures toward the dark lights above the front door and the bin of ‘king size’ candy sitting beside them. “I take it they still don’t celebrate.” 

“No,” Scott sighs. “Tried to stop me from passing out candy, but I didn’t let them. Though I had to pull the ‘it’s the only thing I have left of my best friend’ card after my dad turned on the sprinklers one year.” 

Vincent snorts, expertly ignoring the merciless feeling of something piercing him through the heart. “I thought I taught you how to reschedule the timer.” 

“He did it while I was at school. Thankfully no one’s costume but mine got ruined, but kids stopped wanting to come up after that.” 

“So you bribed them with better candy.” 

Scott fights to hide a smile. “Like that’s not something you wouldn’t have thought of.” 

“Oh no, definitely. But I’m not the goody two shoes, so that makes it even more impressive,” Vincent grins. 

“Shut up.” 

He does, but only because two kids are racing up the walkway. One who looks like a toothless witch, the other a skeleton. And they’re both staring openly at him. 

He should’ve known this was coming. With Scott making a comment of assuming he dressed himself up for Halloween, with the fact he’s not even wearing clothes from Earth, someone was bound to question him in some way. It’s not everyday you meet someone who’s purple from head to toe, including his long hair. 

It’s been a bit too long since he’s had a normal conversation, however. And talking to Scott doesn’t count. 

“What are you?” the witch demands. 

“Are you a monster?” the skeleton chimes in. “Those need a tail!” 

Before he can so much as process the words being spoken, Scott gives a smirk. “Not unless they’re the monster under your bed. Those don’t need tails.” 

Coming from the kid who was afraid of his own shadow and almost refused to speak unless his parents were around to give him permission to, Vincent can’t help feeling proud of Scott’s rebuttal. How reflexive such a response was instead of automatically waiting for others to continue speaking even though he wanted to say something. 

And yet...there’s also a sense of sadness. Because it sounds like something he would’ve said, a sentence taken almost directly from his mouth. And he wasn’t here to continue teaching such things. Meaning only the ghost of someone who promised to be by Scott’s side through thick and thin was left to help him rather than the actual person who said those words. 

Vincent knew coming back to Earth one last time would be bitter sweet. He just didn’t realize how much it would hurt. 

“Tails are still better!” 

“Yeah!” 

“Agreed,” Scott concedes to an argument he completely missed, ending it by offering a variety of candy bars for the two kids to choose. “Pick your prize.” 

Apparently, he was staring at the candy just a bit too intently, because one’s suddenly being offered to him. When he looks up, Scott’s giving him a sad smile. Not a pitiful one, his best friend knows better than that, but one that says he can read Vincent’s thoughts. The ones about how long it’s been since he’s had a chocolate bar, when was the last time he thought about Halloween, if it’s even possible for him to eat one now. 

“I know it’s poor excuse for a birthday present, but I can make it up to you tomorrow.” 

...when was the last time he thought about something like his own birthday. 

Vincent takes the offered candy. Can’t help a soft huff at not only holding something deemed as a ‘Milky Way’ bar, but at the wrapping being brown like the chocolate it holds rather than the magnificent colors of the Milky Way galaxy when seen from space. 

“What have you been up to, Scotty?” 

His best friend gives a concerned look at the sudden turn of conversation, shrugs as he leans back on his hands. “I finally managed to get a job when I turned 18, but my parents made me quit after the summer ended so I could go to college full time. Right now I’m only a year away from my master’s degree for computer engineering, doing everything they always wanted me to do.” 

“And your minor?” 

That earns a small smile from Scott. “In comic art and graphic novels.” 

A small weight lifts off Vincent’s chest. Scott didn’t surrender himself to his parents, not entirely. He managed to wrestle at least a little bit of his own passions into the plan they drafted for him despite never having once asked what he wanted. 

At least he didn’t completely fail as a friend. 

Scott then nudges his shoe, one that looks unmistakenly alien if you look closely. “Where have you been, Vince?” 

It’s said so softly, so hesitantly, almost like it’s thought to be the one question that will have him disappear again. And Scott is right to be afraid, because he can’t stay. He knew that when he first started to look for his home planet, and he knew it when he gave into the temptation to land. 

He should lie. Come up with a fantastical story that’s just as unbelievable as the truth. Call it a night and say he’ll talk to Scott tomorrow. 

Leave again without saying goodbye, just like he had years ago. The only difference this time it wouldn’t be done against his will. 

Vincent tilts his heads back. Stares up at the night sky. Where billions of stars wait, but only a handful can be seen due to the light surrounding them. “I was in space.” 

He waits. For laughter thinking he was trying to make a joke. For anger at saying such a ridiculous thing to such a serious question. For disgust at not wanting to tell him of all people the truth. 

“Space?” Scott asks tentatively. Leans forward to show he’s paying attention, that he wants Vincent to continue explaining, he just needs clarification. “Like on Mars?” 

“Further,” Vincent whispers. “So far it’s impossible to see this galaxy’s star. So far, nothing knows something like humans exist.” 

There’s a long moment of silence. When he finally gains the courage to meet Scott’s gaze, his best friend isn’t watching him, he’s staring up. At the moon’s blinding light, and Jupiter barely visible beside it. 

“...except for the thing that took you.” 

“Acquired,” Vincent corrects with a smirk, though it’s a bit halfhearted. “He acquired me to help with his studies.” 

Scott finally looks at him. Looks at the shirt that can easily be mistaken as a button down. Except the buttons are sensors to keep track of when everything needs to expand, or contract. Instead of cotton fabric sewn together with thread, there are instances when it seems to shimmer in the light, exposing the fact it’s made from highly advanced technology nearly impossible to understand. 

“What did they do to you?” Scott breathes, horrified. Not of him, for him. 

Vincent hums. “Let’s just say the purple isn’t part of a costume.” 

Scott suddenly becomes panicked. “Are they coming back for you? Did you get away, or did they let you go? Are they coming here, can they track you?” 

“Breathe, Scotty, it’s okay,” he soothes. Offers a soft smile because of course Scott would be worried what took him away before will be back to do it again. That’s why he took a risk to see his best friend one last time. “He doesn’t know where I am, and he can’t track me. But I can’t stay.” 

There. He said it. Now he can give a proper goodbye. 

Scott’s relief from the promise he won’t be taken away turns into terror as hand latches onto his arm. “What? What do you mean you can’t stay?” 

“I mean,” Vincent begins, delicately, holding Scott’s gaze as tears begin to form in his eyes. “I can’t stay, or something else will find Earth.” 

There’s a moment of Scott moving as if to give a retort, only to hesitate. “Something else? Not whatever took you before?” 

“He knows I wouldn’t risk staying here. Not where he found me, that’d almost be like handing myself right back to him,” Vincent smiles. Feels it fall when there’s no reaction. Just the silent plea this conversation ends with him never leaving again. “Scotty, even if he wasn’t looking for me, ships don’t come this far out. This sector is restricted, and if anyone saw me coming this way, they would’ve followed.” 

He has enough time to stay for a few hours. An entire day might be pushing it. But visiting Earth, landing on the planet to enjoy it one last time, he’s allowed to have that without putting the entire human race in jeopardy. 

But he needs to leave, less they follow he’s trail directly here. To a planet where the residents are the highest commodity over anything else. Where Scott would be snatched away and sold on the black market as an exotic pet. 

“Then I’m coming with you.” 

Scott glares at him, daring to be told otherwise. The hand tightening on his arm promises a fight if he tries to say no. 

“Scotty-” 

“No, don’t Scotty me,” Scott snaps, his anger turning to fury. All Vincent can think about is how such a display will only ever be seen as cute by the rest of the galaxy rather than respecting it for the devastating power it holds. “I lost you, Vince. I looked everywhere for you. I never stopped looking. And it killed me knowing you were somewhere I could never find you. Now that you’re here, you’re staying with me. I don’t care where we go, but I am not loosing you. Not again.” 

Vincent believes it. That his best friend knew he’d come back no matter where he went. That Scott won’t be letting him go. 

“Scott, you don’t know what you’re asking.” 

“I’m not asking, Vincent.” 

They stare at each other, Scott’s resolve unwavering despite knowing the person before him isn’t entirely human anymore while Vincent’s want to be selfish and keep the one person in the entire universe who would never leave him by his side begins to win. 

...but Scott doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into. 

“Scotty,” manages to not elicit ire. Allows him to gently pry the hand off his arm to hold it inside his own grasp. “If you leave with me, you can never come back. Everything you know will be gone, and in its place a universe made for those who see you as nothing more than a mindless pet to keep.” 

“And if I don’t go,” Scott whispers. “You’ll have to face that alone.” 

Vincent gives a genuine smile. “It wouldn’t be my first time. And I’m capable of towering over them the same way they tower over you.” 

Confusion appears for only a second before Scott’s shaking his head. “Then that means I can trust you to keep me safe.” 

That is what finally puts everything into perspective. The fact that if Vincent gives in, if he allows himself be selfish, he will be the only person who can keep Scott safe while they travel through the stars. If he fails his best friend up there instead of down here, it could be a fate worse than his own. 

Instead of making his heart flutter with panic at the thought, it floods him with anger at the thought of ever letting such a thing happen. 

Vincent sends a glance up at the moon, something he thought could never leave his sky for as long as he lives. “We’ll have to get a bigger ship.” 

“Sounds like a plan to make on the road.” Scott then stands up, pulling Vincent to his feet, leading him down the walkway with determined footsteps. No, not determined, excited. “No more stalling, take me to your leader.” 

Vincent snorts. “I’m not a Martian, Scotty.” 

“Close enough.” 

They make it to the street. Scott sends an expectant look that’s met with raised eyebrows. With an eyeroll, the shorter gestures toward the sidewalk, clearly wanting to be led the way where the ship waits. 

“You know I’m not human anymore,” Vincent says as he turns them toward the right direction. 

“The purple kind of gave it away, Vince.” 

“We’re going to have to install a translator in your head.” 

“Can’t scare me.” 

“You’re not scared of heights, right?” 

“Stop being cryptic and get us into space already.” 

Vincent can’t help a sneer. “I can’t wait to see your face when I pocket you.” 

Scott stumbles. “When you what?”

[joachimnapoleon]

Balls at the Theater San Carlo were social events of the season, especially the masked balls. The king and queen enjoyed costuming themselves, though at Caroline’s insistence neither ever wore masks. Caroline and Murat entertained frequently and lavishly. Nobles, officials, and military officers followed the example of the monarchs—some happily, like Prince Pignatelli, who spent 50,000 francs on a single ball—some grudgingly, like Marshal Pérignon, commandant of Naples, at whose affairs there was little wine and sometimes no food. Premiers at the theaters and opera were occasions, though Murat was apt to doze. His real passion was hunting— pheasant at Caserta, ducks at Lake Agnano, deer on the Volturno. The pace was exhausting, but wine flowed and feasts were lavish. And a veritable pageant surrounded the king, who took as his hunting costume the uniform of his heroes—the Gascon musketeers of Francis I. Never was he happier or a better host than in the country.

While Caroline liked and cultivated the nobility, Murat distrusted and felt ill at ease with them, Despite the elegance of his retinue, he remained, emotionally, something of a crowned Jacobin, and enjoyed mingling with his people. Occasionally he went walking incognito, to the delight of the lazzaroni, who never failed to recognize him, but happily played his game with him, dropping outrageous flatteries of “the king” as they talked.

—Owen Connelly, Napoleon’s Satellite Kingdoms

[indycinders]

Things burn more bright in the night I've never seen you burn More bright than tonight The way you're looking almost hurts my eyes I'm dazzled by your beauty, such a sight

I'd take a rocket up just to see you Swimming in the zero gravity Above the sky blue Breathing in the sub-atomic particles Feels so good And I'll hold you girl, 'cause

You are a star with mercury's wings You elegance sings like ah ah ah ah I'd travel so far just to see you again Your elegance sings

'Cause you are my satellite girl You orbit like and angel You're circling my atmosphere My satellite girl oh oh oh "Satellite Girl" by Ren

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Xavier from Love and Deepspace uvu/ gotta love our soft starboy.

[libraryofbronze]

Uncharted Worlds: A Tale of Collars and Domination (Scifi, Commission, Erotica, Humiliation, Noncon, Slave-training)

Space heaved and broiled. Reality twisted, frenzied tendrils of ravening space-time lashed like living things. Coruscating waves of raw, searing energy danced across the void in a show of primal power that had not been seen in this place for a million years.

The great ship tore its way through unreality. Her gleaming purple hull alight with the fires of creation. Tendrils danced across her sides, caressing her like the gentle touch of a lover.

If such a touch was able to melt steel like butter. 

Her name was the Immaculance, and she was an elegant ship. The very picture of beauty. Her frame was sweeping and soft. Every rough edge or sharp angle had been sanded away. She was a majestic mistress of the stars, a lonesome noble wandering the void. A symbol of the Xelluloid empire, just as every ship of her class was. 

She was long and angled, her main body flanked by two close-set wings which swept outwards from her front. The wedge-like shape this created presented a shield of solid metal which covered the glittering array of engines that pushed her forward. Her tone was a deep purple, and even as she recovered from the stress of arrival, new lights began to wink into existence across her slender body. 

She was massive; a dreadnought class ship, she was almost three miles long. Her sides glittered with weapons, twisting turrets were already aligning to their newest target. The faintest sheen of a crackling shield traced empty space around her. Primary lance batteries hummed with the promise of destructive power sufficient to scorch the surface of worlds. 

A beautiful thing, she was. A symbol, an image of immaculate elegance to live up to her name.

But this image had teeth. 

A small, blue-green world lay directly in her path. It was not, in the grand scheme of things, an important world. It was not highly developed. It possessed a basic orbital net, some satellites, and a small dockyard. The planet itself played host to only a few cities, all clustered together on the eastern continent. As cities went, they were small. Hardly even worth such a grandiose descriptor.

It was a colony world and usually, such a thing as this would warrant no attention at all and certainly not from the Xelluloid empire. 

But as they say, sometimes you roll the dice and sometimes you get unlucky. 

On the bridge of the Immaculance, her commander - Ashara - gazed at the scene via a holographic display. Her command throne took up the majority of the sunken pit into which the bridge was placed. Around her, a dozen officers worked their own consoles. The holographic images floated eerily, dominating the space above the pit.

There was a single raised path which led away from the bridge, flanked by soldiers who stood to rapt attention. 

Ashara paid them no mind. She was used to them. Used to the normal bustle of the bridge too. Her singular focus was on the crystal-clear image of the world below. The smallest hint of a smile touched her face. 

“Found them. Took a while. The last reports from the scouts were garbled.”

“Commander!” The sensor officer turned. He was a massive, bulky being. Four armed and an insectile frame with the head of a beetle and a set of nasty jaws. 

“Sensors active! Detecting a vessel moving towards us!”

“Power readings?”

“Fusion. Based on readings, I’d say it’s cruiser class, mid-tier.”

“Mid-tier?” She raised a finger and stroked her chin, gazing thoughtfully at the planet. “Impressive, but it’s not going to be enough. Give me the image.”

“Yes, commander.”

The hologram split smoothly. One half showed the image of the world while the other zoomed in on a distant speck. It quickly resolved itself into the form of a ship. It was blunt, snub-nosed. A crude reflection of the Immaculance’s elegant design. It looked like a mountain that had learned to fly, with slabs of armour crudely stitched across its superstructure. Patches of burnt metal indicated previous weapon strikes. 

“The work of the scouts, I presume,” Ashara muttered to herself. 

She gazed at the ship, then the planet below. There was no doubt about it. This new species was bothersome. To the Xelluloid Empire, fusion technology was old hat. This species hadn’t even fully mastered it. Their control was clearly crude. 

And yet with the damage they had done…

A new species represented a new thorn in the side of the empire just when it needed it least. There were far more important things to deal with. Rivals were rising, old enemies resurgent. The Xelluloid didn’t need the annoyance of an upstart new race that didn’t know the rules. 

Ashara was an Areh’a. It was said that all of the full member species of the Empire were equals, but if that was the case, the Areh’a were more equal than others. They were intelligent, ruthless, empire-builders by nature. And in the social pyramid that was imperial life, Ashara and her kind were at the top. 

She’d been told to deal with this situation. In any way she cared to. 

“I’m receiving a communication request from the alien vessel. Shall I patch it through?”

“Is there a point? Lock target, Prime weapons. As soon as we’re in range, open fire.”

The Immaculance fired first. Fifty turrets spun, crude, proto-AI targeting systems locked and spat a hellstorm of blistering fire across the void of space. The tiny bolts lanced into the enemy vessel, but they were pinpricks. The aliens easily endured it.

Ashara had expected nothing less. 

“Analysis?” 

“No shield, but heavy armour. I have confirmed fusion power. Bringing us closer now.”

“Good,” Ashara said. “But be cautious. If they don’t have shields, all of that power is going to the weapons. Don’t assume their return fire will fall within the standard range. It’ll be stronger.”

“Yes, commander.”

“Bolster shields, continue fire with the turrets. They won’t do much, but it’ll keep them on their toes. Charge lance batteries.”

The enemy ship fired. A massive dorsal cannon spat something hard and fast, which sleeted through space like a spear! Ashara’s eyes widened fractionally, a moment later, a dozen alarms began to scream. The weapon hit them. Hard. Their shield held for a moment before bursting inwards in an explosion of light. The weapon ploughed into their starboard side, ripping a jagged wound into the Immaculance. 

Then it detonated. The secondary explosion swept through them and for a moment, the ship seemed to convulse in agony.

“Report!” She snapped. 

“Heavy damage to starboard side! Engines five and six offline. Power generators are fluctuating wildly in that area and damage control teams are dealing with the fire. Reporting raised radiation in that section. Crew loss unknown, but presumed high.”

“What in the nine worlds was that?”

“Analysis coming in now… it was a mass driver round.”

“A mass driver? You must be joking! Our shields should have taken that and laughed.”

“Mass Driver with unusual ammunition,” the officer said firmly. “On-board fusion plant, I think. It destabilised our shields and went straight through. After it hit us, it detonated.”

He looked up, examining the holographic display.

“I suppose that’s how they dealt with the scouts.”

Usually, Ashara didn’t allow free talk like that on her bridge. She preferred things to be professional, efficient. But in this case, she was willing to permit it. 

“Enemy vessel approaching! More mass drivers are being primed! We have four, five, six more rounds incoming!” 

Ashara tilted her head, a savage joy sprang up inside of her at the thought of a fight. 

“Shield status?”

“Adapted. They won’t punch through again.”

“Range?”

“Coming into lance range within seconds, commander.”

“Good. They got a cheap shot, and I can see how they dealt with the scouts now. But if they think that’s enough to put a dreadnought down, they’re in for a very nasty surprise. Charge lance batteries, but hold fire until after their next round.”

“Aye, commander.”

If there was any confusion about her orders, they kept it to themselves. There was no logical reason they had to endure the enemy’s fire before striking back. In fact, doing so was a tactical mistake. It exposed them to the possibility of further damage if their shield adaptations were less than successful. 

But Ashara knew better. Sometimes the important thing was to make a point. 

Six more fusion-driven mass drivers screamed through the void. It was meant to be a kill shot, calibrated with lethal accuracy. But this time, the Immaculance was ready. Her shields flared against the impact. A hissing, snarling wall of swirling energy locked into place, barring their way. The ammunition - thick, heavy spheres of metal - glowed red hot, shedding trails of molten magma like blood. 

Then the first one detonated. The second, the third. All of them went, a rippling chain of explosions which battered the Immaculance like a storm.

But this time, she held and as her sleek, elegant form swept past the new debris field, she returned fire with her own primary weapon. 

The lance was the go-to weapon of any civilised society. A beam of condensed energy swept forward like a scalpel. Powered by the full capacity of a dreadnought class Xeluloid ship of war, there was very little that could stand in its way and live. 

The first lance flickered into existence, catching the alien vessel across the stern. Its armour churned and melted, waves of red-hot liquid cascading from the wound only to flash-freeze in the cold of space. The lance punched through, running from one side of the ship to the other, impaling it on a blade of searing light.

But lances were fired in batteries. Not even had the first deadly blow landed than its fellows joined in. The enemy ship was bisected and impaled in a dozen places. Run through again and again. Her superstructure collapsed and her fusion plants began to go off one after the other. Rippling chains of fire raced across her sides as she was torn apart from within. 

“And that,” Ashara said, “is why you can’t trade shields for armour and expect to win a fight.”

The enemy ship was gone. Reduced to a twisted, broken hull and a rapidly expanding field of scrap metal. The Immaculance ploughed through, moving towards the now helpless planet below.

Ashara considered. She could destroy it. Order bombardment and wipe it out. It was only a colony, not the main world. If she killed it, her superiors would probably consider her job done. It would be a harsh, painful lesson for the new species but from such things was wisdom gained. 

She certainly could do that.

But it would be a waste of such a wonderfully inventive species. 

“Commander?” her first officer asked, “orders?”

“Prepare landers,” she said. “I want the planet brought into compliance.”

“You mean we’re invading?”

“Oh yes,” she gave a small, subtle smile. Behind the great and elegant shape of the ancient spacecraft, a dozen more small rifts appeared as her attendant fleet began to emerge. Eager to join the invasion.  

_______________________________________________________________

Maya’s world had become an endless haze of pleasure, chasing and circling in an infinite pattern. Throbbing waves of heat swept across her naked skin. Tendrils of sensation twisted about her, filling her every moment, her every motion, her every thought.  

It was a kind of agonised ecstasy; a kind of generalised pleasure where individual parts of her body had long since blurred together. Her pussy, her clit, Her breasts. They’d all merged into one solid wall of feeling. Become an ocean of stimulation into which she was sinking deeper and deeper.

Bound, she could only jerk. The surging waves broke against her like a tide, like a current in the great ocean which tossed her like a helpless vessel caught in a storm. Her frantic gasps filled the dark room; bouncing off the strange metal walls in the tight prison cell. 

She was captive, collared. Kneeling on the cold bulkhead. The mag-locks on her cuffs kept her arms twisted behind her back. The pad on which she knelt locked her legs in place the same way. A thin, metal limb raised up, pressing between her legs until it was inches from her clit. 

It was sparking with electricity. Screaming, saw-toothed lightning played across her most sensitive area, battering her and leaving her gasping and wailing. 

Her mind - when she could manage to think at all - was awhirl with confusion. Dread, lust and shame. How could this be happening to her? Why wasn’t it stopping? She’d cum so many times! The machine didn’t just stimulate her clit, but also her breasts and her pussy. Sometimes, it was soft and gentle, giving her a deep and pleasurable buzz. Sometimes, it was sharp and urgent, blasting her until she was a mewling, soaking mess. 

But it never stopped, and she never stopped cumming. Her mind reeled. She should have hit her limit by now. Why was it that she couldn’t stop? Why was it that it kept going?

How could one woman feel this good? 

The tingling waves danced across her clit, cruel and slow. The alien toy that had been inserted into her pussy buzzed, vibrating madly between her lower lips. Her eyes rolled back and she whimpered. 

“I-I’m a soldier of the Terran defence force! I’m a soldier-I-I’m a soldier of-”

Her voice cut off, choking into mangled gasps. A rictus of ecstasy pounded through her. She was so hot and tight, she was going to cum again!

How did it feel to cum like this? Her body was tight, her muscles coiled like iron serpents. Under her skin, her tendons were steel wires. Her pale skin was slicked with sweat, and her light brown-blonde hair was tangled and wild. 

Pumping, throbbing waves invaded her body. Heat and wetness surged through her in alternate intervals. Her chest rose and fell, and as her eyes caught sight of her nipples, she felt another surge of shame. 

They had been pierced.

The aliens had pierced her! 

A metal barbell ran through each one, still sore from the insertion. They had used some kind of cream to augment her healing, but it still hurt. Worse, they’d done something else to her too. She was more sensitive. Not just her nipples, but also her clit which-

Fuck!

Maya thrashed. A crackling bolt of electricity earthed itself in her most delicate place. It carved through her like a blade, sharp and cold with evil pleasure. It impaled her, straddling the line between ecstasy and torture.

She wriggled.The sounds of her heaving breaths filled the darkness. She’d been a captive only for a few days but already could feel herself breaking down. 

“I have to fight…”

Her voice was soft, low and weak.. But hearing anything at all steadied her nerves, It reminded her of who she was. 

But fight for what? It was over. She’d been captured. The whole unit had been captured. She remembered the rippling explosions; the throaty bark of the alien weapons as they tore through hardened positions like they were clay. She remembered James shouting to her, tossing her a clip as the door came crashing down. 

Then, she was here. Naked, alone. Bound to this machine by magnetic locks. Trapped in orgasmic torment. 

Her clit had been pierced.

Her fucking clit!

Fat tongues of blue crackled across her pussy. The orgasm tore through her, but this time, the stimulation didn’t shut off. It kept going, the charge building and building. She tried to twist away but her restraints held her fast. Her cries were low at first, but growing louder and louder, desperation mounting upon itself, the static earthed in the piercings which adorned her clitoris and her nipples.

It was agony. 

It was ecstasy. 

It was complete and utter submission to know that this cold machine could play her body like an instrument. Maya jerked and convulsed, shaking violently as she approached her limit.

It was going to stop now, wasn’t it? It had to stop now! She couldn’t take much more! 

But it was still going. Still building. Static tongues licked and caressed her, driving into her most sensitive areas until her explosive orgasm was followed by a second, then a third, then a fourth. 

Why wouldn’t it stop?!

Suddenly, just when she felt sure that she was doomed to exist like this forever, the power cut. Not just the electricity, but also the force which bound her collar and cuffs. Maya collapsed forward. The floor was hard and cold; the machine which had been tormenting her pulled back, folding itself into the wall with a whirring of gears and moving parts. Even the toy which had been inside of her was removed and stowed.

Maya couldn’t think. Her pussy throbbed, her clit tingled, the increased sensitivity made even the gentle caress of the wind a torture she could barely endure. 

There came a swishing sound. The smooth, graceful opening of a metal door. A shaft of light touched her for the first time in days. Maya groaned, blinking as a figure entered the room. One of the aliens. 

It was a female. Slender, with blue skin and purple hair. A pair of horns crowned her head. She was clad in barely anything. Her legs and arms were kept free, a length of trailing fabric obscured her lower self and her upper body was covered by a shirt with a plunging neckline so low, that it nearly counted as two shirts. 

Maya tried to speak. To gasp out a question, even just to beg for some time to collect herself. But the alien didn’t allow it. With one high-heeled boot, she pressed a foot into Maya’s side, flipping her over with an absurd ease. 

Maya had seen a few aliens like this before. Not many. They were the commanders, the leaders. They never seemed to have a rank any less than squad captain.

But this one was more than that. She was domineering, her presence filled up the room. Her body was lithe and graceful, true, but it was in the way of a predator. Like the sleek fur of a wolf, or the graceful motion of a shark. She was obviously someone who was more than used to getting her own way. 

“Slave,” she said - and Maya’s eyes widened - “is this any way to greet your owner?”

“I can understand you!”

“Of course,” the alien said. “We ensured that you would be able to. It was part of your modifications. What would be the point of a slave who could not comprehend orders? Utterly worthless!”

“I’m not a slave,” Maya managed to push herself to her knees again. She felt like a newborn. Her muscles were still spasming. There was no strength to her at all.

The other woman gave a low, throaty chuckle. 

“You think so? You will soon learn otherwise. Both you and your partner.”

“My partner?”

It only took a moment for the coin to drop.

“James! Where is he? What have you done to him? If you’ve hurt him, I’ll-”

The woman moved fast, her hand lashed out, delivering a stinging blow to Maya’s face! Usually, that wouldn’t have been enough to floor her, but she was still weak. Still shaking. She crashed to the ground, tumbling back against the hard metal. 

“Do you think that you have any power to ask questions here, girl?”

The alien hovered her foot over her body, the pointed edge of her heel pressed down against the throbbing mass of her clit. She couldn’t believe what was happening, but even the slightest pressure made her wriggle. She whimpered pathetically, her hands bunched, there were tears in her eyes. 

The alien pressed down. Her clit blazed with sensation. Wet droplets of arousal stained her pussy, and her hands weakly moved, clawing at the boot with no real strength. 

“Are you so sure you’re not a slave?” The alien asked in a teasing, mocking tone. “I’ve not heard such good whimpers in a long time. Usually desperation has to be taught. But to you, it comes naturally. You call yourself Terrans, don’t you? It seems you take to bondage well.”

The woman ground her heel against Maya’s clit, pressing downwards with just enough force to make her whimpers louder and more desperate. 

“I am Ashara,” spoke the alien. “I command this ship, I am the one who brought your colony to its knees. The one who will also lead the attack against your home and bring your people into the empire.”

She removed her heel and Maya loosed a sigh of relief. Her body pounded, her pulse beat in her head. Distantly, she realised that Ashara was holding a leash of some kind. It was made of a synthetic fabric she didn’t recognise, and it ended in a magnetic clip. She thought it was going to go to the collar around her neck.

But the alien woman had a far more insidious plan for it. She dangled it between Maya’s sprawled legs, and the magnet in the clip snapped into place against the piercing in her clit. Maya bucked, the sudden impact sent ripples through her but not as much as the tug that followed. Her mouth opened in a yelping cry, the thing was holding on tight! 

“On your feet, slave. It’s time to introduce you to your new home.”

The woman pulled, - tight - and Maya was forced to her feet. She stumbled, her legs were numb. The tightness of the leash connected to her clit made her stagger. It pulled, incessantly and with no mercy. 

This had to be a nightmare, surely? She wasn’t really about to be led by the clit through an alien spaceship? 

The doorway opened up into a long hall. Entrances to other interrogation rooms marked the walls at regular intervals. Aliens moved back and forth, and the instant that she stepped beyond the doorway, Maya was hit by the sound of it all. 

Moaning, gasping, shrieking. The sobs of defeat and submission and the high-pitched sounds of pleasure. The noise of humiliation drifted through the air, carried to her ears from many of the rooms. With a cold, sinking feeling, Maya realised that her own cries had been part of this chorus not ten minutes ago. 

And not only that. 

The walls of the corridor were lined with machines. Interlocking pipes and wires of metal fastened with cuffs. Maya blanched, recognising many of the men and women who had been put in them. They were rocking, shaking, moaning in ecstasy. The aliens played with them like toys, forcing them to cum. Teasing their bodies with fingers or even with vibrators.Watching as the men orgasmed, or teasing the women in the midst of their climaxes. 

For a single, horrified moment, Maya could not even comprehend what she was seeing. 

“Do you like it, slave? This is the future of your people. We of the Xelluloid are not cruel, you understand. We merely do what is needed. This period is necessary for readjustment. Once you can accept your place here, your species will be given the chance to rise in our regard, But first, you must be taught. You will be slaves and toys and pets. For a time.”

In this state, Maya was led through the ship. Thanks to the modifications done to her body, the language of the aliens - formerly utterly incomprehensible - was now totally known to her. It allowed her to understand the orders, the insults, the degradations and humiliations that were being heaped on the people she had sworn to defend. 

Wherever she went, she saw humans. Humans in bondage. Humans in humiliating positions. Humans being fucked and used, their echoing cries bounced through her mind until she was sure she couldn’t take it anymore. 

But even as she thought this, there was a dark and evil wetness between her legs. Her clit - still so sensitive - pulsed with wanton desire. Any thought of escape was stilled by the harsh tugs of her leash, each one a firm reminder of her place. 

Before long, she was moaning, stumbling, her pussy soaked and dripping. She was paraded like this before the very people she had served. 

Eventually, the humans began to get rarer. The ship became more business-like, with uniform-clad men and women moving back and forth with steady purpose. She guessed she was in the working sections now. They didn’t have time for games when the important role of keeping the ship running lay in their hands. 

Humans had become rarer, but she was still far from the only slave. There were others, a few species who were often collared and in bondage. One or two of them even threw her sympathetic looks. 

What was that you said? We have to earn our way up? I’m guessing we’re not the only ones doing that.

She didn’t say anything. The mere act of walking was taking up nearly all of her focus. A constant buzzing pleasure played between her legs. She was struggling, gasping for air through the crazed haziness of her body. The feverish heat rose about her in invisible tongues. 

At last, they came to a room. From the outside, it seemed like any other. Just one more metal door in this vast, unknown ship. But as soon as Ashara led her through the open portal, a new sound assailed her ears.

It was a soft, grunting moan. A repeating, gasping exhalation. A wordless note of lust and desperation which sent shivers racing through her bones, Stumbling, reluctant, Maya was led forward. She already knew what she would see there.

James. Her partner and friend. He was bent over; an inverted metal triangle rose from the floor of the deck. Each corner bore a cuff which had been mag-locked around his wrists, forcing him into a bent forward position with his arms spread. 

She tried to look away but Ashara gave her a firm swat to the tits. 

James was naked. Grunting. His body had been shaved bare below the hairline, exposing his powerful form. He wasn’t big, not overly muscular, but he was trim and in shape. 

His eyes were pressed closed, trembles dancing across the surface of his skin. James and she had been like siblings. They’d gone through basic together, been assigned to the same unit. She’d never even thought of seeing him in this context! It felt wrong! Like it was her own brother!

And yet she couldn’t look away…

His cock was hard. Not just hard, but utterly rigid. It was stiff and standing to attention, drops of pre-cum streamed his tip, dangling in glittering strands. As she watched, another spasm passed through his body. His cock throbbed, visibly swelling with desperation.

There were two more aliens in the room. Both female. Both naked and collared. One had pink skin of a shade that Maya had never seen on a living being. The other was not much less strange,for she bore a shade of purple. Together. they were attending to James. Tormenting him really. One held a buzzing vibrator in the form of a finger-length bead. She was drawing it back and forth along his shaft. The stuttering motions of its frantic beating made him twitch.

The other alien was rubbing her fingers gently across the head of his cock. The pink skin of his tip flushed with heat and want. Her motions were deliberate, as if she was determined to extract each and every ounce of pleasure that he was capable of feeling.

“F-fuck,” he muttered. His voice was hoarse. How long had they been doing this to him? “Fuck!”

Ashara smiled. 

“Are you going to cum again, little boy? Are you going to cum for your mistress? You’ve been so, so good already and you’re still going. We did have to modify you a little bit. Increase semen production and lower your refractory period. But very few species take to it as well as you.”

James moaned; the sound was twisted, gasping, almost whining. It made Maya’s heart pound. Already so close to the edge herself, she felt the dripping arousal staining her thighs. She was dragged forward, too weak to resist the pull of the leash. 

“Look little boy,” Ashara purred. “I brought your friend to see what a good toy you’ve  become. Is she your mate? Or your sister? A cousin perhaps? I suppose it doesn’t matter now.”

His eyes snapped open, and a wordless cry echoed from his throat. His hips thrust forward, the purple alien pressed the vibrator into his shaft.

“M-Maya! Please don’t look! I can’t hold it!”

“Don’t look?” Ashara scoffed. “As if you have any right to ask that. She’s going to look. She’s going to watch you cum for me again. Now cum for me. Cum for your owner.”

As if that was the sign, the alien flipped the vibrator to a higher setting. James’ reaction was instant, his breathing became faster and faster and faster. His hands balled into fists, and his cock throbbed, spasming desperately. His hips ground helplessly against the toy, his own pre-cum staining it and pooling on the floor beneath him.

Maya was walked forward. There was another triangle of metal in the centre of the room and she was made to bend over. Her breasts hung in the air, the cuffs clicked into place, forcing her arms to spread wide. There was a whine of machinery and the thing locked about her collar too.

Bent over like this, she was completely exposed. Her legs wide, her pussy dripping. Her pierced clit throbbed, and a horrible fascination tore through her mind. 

What was happening? Why couldn’t she look away? She didn’t want to see this! 

James, a man as close to her as a brother, was grinding mindlessly against the toy. His eyes were screwed shut tightly, his mouth opened silently, frozen in a rictus of pleasure. 

He was trying so hard not to cum, but what chance did he have against all of this? He gave a final, defeated gasp and his cock began to spasm. His grinding became frantic, and then with a final burst of motion, the climax overtook him.

How was he cumming that much? How did he have that much in him? It seemed as if he would never stop, the sticky liquid spurted, falling into a canister which had been set there for this reason. 

By how full it was, they’d forced him to cum multiple times already. 

And then it was over. James gasped, his body trembling. His legs like jelly, and his cock softened, hanging spent and limp.

But not for long. The alien with the vibrator began to tease him with it again. She changed it to the low setting, gently massaging his skin until he began to harden once more. 

Was this going to be her next? Was this going to be both of them? She had to find some way out of here! She had to find some way to escape!  

Ashara strode between them. Looking first to James and then to Maya.

“Good pets,” she said. “A matching pair. I had my pick of the whole lot, you understand. Anyone on that pathetic little world you call a colony could have ended up as my slave. But I chose both of you. Do you know why?”

James couldn’t answer. He was gasping. Heaving. Beads of sweat stained his face. 

Maya didn’t feel much better. Her skin tingled, a current of static licked at her from head to toe. She was soaked, her clit felt hot and tight in a way it rarely had before. 

She glared at Ashara, trying to find words to spit. Some pithy one-liner that would show the strength of the human spirit, but nothing came to mind. 

“That’s why,” Ashara whispered, her voice low and edged like a knife. “The look in your eyes, little slut. You’re beaten. You know you’re beaten but you’re not admitting it to yourself.”

She took a step forward. Then another. Locked in her bondage, Maya could do nothing but brace herself. Ashara’s hand moved between her legs. The pressure of her fingers against her soaking slit made Maya’s head spin. 

Ashara’s fingers were stained wet with arousal as she drew them back, bringing them up to her mouth and licking them with a long, dexterous tongue. 

“You taste nice. Most species taste different, you see. I’m a little bit of an addict, though, I suppose it’s not as obvious to either of you. You don’t have the context.”

She turned, regarding both of them together. James’ cock was already stiff again. New rivulets of precum rolled along the tightness of his shaft. The only part of him truly eager. 

Maya wondered how many times they’d forced him to cum already. How many times he’d been pushed to the edge, how many times his body had been wracked with orgasmic shivers.

The image filled her with fire. James trembling, moaning, his cock shuddering as cum spilt across the floor. The fact that she’d just seen this happen made it even more intense! Fury danced inside her, licking at her mind with tongues of flame. She glared at Ashara, mustering her fury. She was trapped for now, but at some point she’d get out!

There would be a reckoning. 

Ignorant of her thoughts, Ashara traced a pattern across James’ face. Her fingers were gentle but insistent, peeling back the veil of his hair and running down across the side of his cheeks. 

“Little boy, I can see the defiance in your eye. You think you stand a chance. You actually think you can make a difference. Let me tell you bluntly, Fighting is pointless. Surrender. Accept your place and I promise I can make you feel so, so good. Being my slave doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, it can be pleasant. Isn’t that right, girls?”

“Yes, mistress,” the two aliens replied, though not both in the same tone. The purple one was eager, enjoying her role in things. The pink one on the other hand seemed reluctant. She threw a look to Maya and the soldier noted a hint of empathy.

But empathy or no, Ashara ruled here and the most that Maya would get was a sorry glance.  

Ashara’s other hand fell lower, brushing with the softest touch against his cock. He jerked. The motion must have felt heavenly to him, the modifications upping his sensitivity. He squirmed, breathing hard and fast. 

“Just give up. Surrender to your fate. It’s not forever. One day, you might just be free. All you have to do is impress me.”

“Leave him alone!” 

The words thundered from her throat before Maya even knew she’d said them. Both of the other slaves - the alien girls - started, spinning to look at her as though she’d called down the wrath of the heavens. 

Ashara only narrowed her eyes. 

“You have no right to do this! You have no right to do any of this! Let us both go right now or-”

“Or what?”

Ashara’s voice was cold. Deep like the ocean and about as welcoming. In an instant, James was forgotten. She pulled away from him, not even sparing a backward glance.

All her focus was on Maya. The soldier glared back, trying to match her blow for blow. But it was hard. Ashara’s face was a mask of silent fury. Not wild, but controlled and directed. Like a blade of ice poised above her heart. 

“Do you have any idea what you’ve just done, slave?”

Maya said nothing but refused to break the glare. The two locked together, a silent battle of will sweeping through the small room. The unbound slaves shared a troubled look. Tension coiled like a living thing.

“You think you can just break me down?” Maya whispered. “You think because you have me trapped here, you can make me into some simpering little slut? Fuck that and fuck you. I’m not afraid of you, and I’m not going to let you make me into your toy. Not me and not James.”

Ashara’s response was blunt.

“You think you’re special, do you? I have news for you, girl. I’ve heard this speech before. Hundreds of times. Do you think anything you have just said - anything at all - is even remotely new?”

Her hand lashed out, a stinging blow crashed against Maya’s face. James gave a shout of anger, but Maya didn’t flinch. She’d expected that. She refused to look away, her eyes matching Ashara’s cold glare. 

“You are defeated,” Ashara said. “You are bound. Your life as you knew it before is over. This is all that’s left for you. You think you have it bad now? Believe me, my dear, you don’t understand how much further you could have fallen. I am a considerate owner. Oh, I’ll use you. Have fun with you. Torment you. But maybe you can earn your way to something more. You are a pathetic, low-level slave now. But with time and training, you can aspire to more. That is not a chance you would have with my peers.”

The hand flashed around again. Another burst of pain. Another stinging slap. 

Another refusal to submit. 

“I’ve seen defiance a hundred times. On a hundred different faces, from a dozen different species. I’ve heard these same words from a hundred different throats. ‘’You won’t break me.’’‘’I’ll never submit,’’ ‘’you’ll never make me admit it.’’”

Maya jerked, Ashara’s hand closing around her collar. Her fingers curled and pressed against her bare throat. Her nails were sharp and cold against the naked skin. 

“You want to know a secret, slut? Each and every one of them broke in the end. So let me ask you that question again. What makes you think you’re so special that you can do what they couldn’t?”

Before Maya could even think of an answer, Ashara forced her hand down between her legs! She wriggled, her sweaty skin at the pressure of Ashara’s fingers at her lower lips. 

They pressed forward, penetrating her cruelly. Maya’s back arched, the cold metal of her restraints held her at bay.

A sea of broiling humiliation swept across the skin of Maya’s face. She bucked, fighting  against the invasion. Her inner walls clenched, but that only made it feel better. 

“P-please, look away!” 

They were the only words she could speak, her body throbbed, pounded with heat and tightness. The world around her was a blur, the frantic, pumping motions of Ashara’s fingers set off waves of pleasure that cascaded like flickering tongues of static through every nerve in her body. She was fighting as hard as she could, but it was a fight she was going to lose.

She didn’t want James to see her like this. 

“Don’t you dare look away, boy,” Ashara didn’t even glance back. “I want you to see this. To watch every moment of torment. I want you to see your partner break.”

She bent over, her lips now inches from Maya’s ears. Her fingers pressed deeper, the rhythm beat through her body like the wild tempo of a drum. 

“Does this feel good, slave?” The words coiled about her mind.“Deep inside, this is what you were made for. You’re a little slut who can’t help but bring punishment down on herself. And look, your partner is watching all of it.”

“N-no…”

“Yes. And you made it happen. Stupid little slut who couldn’t keep her mouth shut. How does it feel? Do you want to cum yet?”

She did! Her legs were shaking! Her body shuddered, convulsing in the grip of the alternating waves of pleasure that assailed her. Ashara’s fingers fucked her relentlessly, more insistent than any toy. Her back contorted and her clit burned with a searing heat.

“Tell me,” Ashara whispered. “Tell me you want to cum!”

“Never!” 

Ashara put on a new burst of speed. Maya wailed, the very power of speech stolen from her by the rush of stimulation that left her legs weak and shaking. All she could do was look to James and silently beg.

Look away! I don’t want you to see me like this! I don’t want you to watch her make me cum!

But he couldn’t look away. The same kind of horrified fascination which had earlier bound her now seemed to have caught him. His eyes were wide, his cock was hard. Hard because of her. Hard because of the sight of her naked body. 

Maya squealed, one by one, her defences faltered. The pleasure eroded the last sparks of her willpower and the tension peaked. Ecstasy cascaded, crashing and wheeling through her mind. Her body twitched, her walls coiled about Ashara’s fingers. 

And then, just when she was on the cusp. Just when she was about to cum, the alien pulled away! Her pussy clenched about nothingness and an empty coldness pervaded her body. An aching denial that rocked her more than any blow. 

“You don’t get to cum,” Ashara laughed. “Only good slaves get to cum and you are certainly not that.” 

Maya wanted to scream. She wanted to shout. She wanted to curse herself for being so weak.

All she could manage was a low, defeated moan. Ashara raised her hand to her face, her tongue flicked out, dancing across her fingers to taste Maya’s wetness. 

“That’s much better,” she said. “Now you’re starting to know your place.”

The other slaves scattered as she turned back to James.  Ashara leaned down, her fingers glided over his glans, the tip of his cock. The alien mistress glanced towards Maya, drinking in the mutual humiliation of the two soldiers. 

Maya couldn’t tear her eyes from her partner’s face· He moaned, snorted and tried to hold himself back. 

But it was no use. Ashara’s motions were deliberate, running across the sensitive tip of his shaft. Her teasing caress was slow at first but grew faster with every passing moment. James bucked, fighting against the metal restraints.  His chest heaved, his cock visibly hardening and becoming stiffer. It twitched in anticipation of the climax that she promised. 

“Cum for me, little boy,” she whispered to him. “Cum for me in front of your friend. Be a good little stud and cum for your owner.”

His body grew taut. His nerves screamed, lighting up one by one. He craned his neck, closing his eyes as if he could shut out the world.

But he couldn’t shut out the feeling of Ashara’s fingers. They teased and traced, caressed and stroked. His legs began to tremble, a hot, red tightness pulsed through Maya’s pussy as if in sympathy. 

Suddenly, Ashara gestured towards her, nodding to one of the slaves.

“Prepare her for her punishment.”

The slave - the pink-skinned one - came forward silently. She reached the vessel which sat on the floor. A hollow metal cone which was now full of James’ cum. She raised it, holding it as carefully as a newborn. 

A selection screen flashed into existence. Her hand moved fast, darting and wheeling through the holographic projection. Maya had no hope of following what she was doing.  

The cone began to shift, changing before her eyes. The metal coiled and curled like a living thing. The sharp edges softened and the tip became softer, more circular. It held its general shape but narrowed, going from a triangular outline to one that Maya knew very well.

A soft cry of denial escaped her lips.

“Keep that thing away from me!”

It was a dildo. A sex toy which had gone from a rough cone to a smooth, sleek shape. She thrashed wildly, fighting the bondage for all she was worth. 

But there was no escape. The metal held. The alien carried the cruel instrument toward her. She whined, bucking and wriggling. Her heart leapt at the soft touch of fingers against her pussy. Gentle and yet invasive, spreading her lips aside for the punishment that was to come. 

“No,” she murmured again. “No, no, no, no! Not like this! Please don’t! I-I’m sorry!”

“So apologetic. Well, I am afraid it’s too late, my dear. Consider this a lesson on your place.”

With those words, Ashara gestured. The alien slave pushed the cold toy into her. Her body strained and it sank into her wet folds. The icy touch of the metal impaled her dripping warmth. 

The device was still changing, shifting itself to match her pussy, filling her up and pushing her limits. She grunted, shaking her head like she could make it go away. 

But she couldn’t.

Did these aliens know how humans worked? If they shot her full of what was inside it, she’d get pregnant! She opened her mouth, not sure if she was going to plead or beg. 

But the look on Ashara’s face silenced her before she could decide. The woman knew. As Maya twisted and wailed, she turned, finding a toy for herself. A strap-on phallus which she was even now donning. The object was deep purple, and lubrication ran from the tip. Her fingers trailed across James’ cock, a tantalising hint of what was to come.

“You’re such a good boy,” she said to him. “Such a good stud. Now, it’s time for me to show both of you that I always get what I want. And what I want right now is to fuck you in the ass.”

He started at that, trying to turn around, but the restraints held him just as they held her. Before they knew it, Ashara had positioned herself behind him. The phallus of her strap-on resting lightly against his anus. She thrust forward teasingly and he gave a low groan. 

As soon as the toy entered his body, Maya realised the full extent of this twisted game. The dildo in her pussy throbbed, responding to the sensation that was being transmitted by the strap-on. weakly at first, but the buzzing grew stronger in response to the clenching of James’ ass. 

It was as if she was being fucked from afar by her own friend. Ashara gave a cruel laugh. 

“Do you understand now, slut? Do you see what’s happening? This is how we treat disobedient slaves. You get to watch as I fuck your partner, and at the end you get a special surprise of your own.”

The lubrication filled James’ ass,paving the way for longer, deeper pumps. His body jerked, a look of shame danced across his face. Ashara gave him no rest. She thrust rhythmically, filling him with her length and her girth. 

Maya’s body was overcome with vibrations, her moans filled the tiny room. They mixed with James’ own, the two becoming a symphony of pleasure and shame. 

“According to our records,” Ashara said, “human males can derive pleasure from prostate stimulation. That’s rare. Most species can’t. You’re very special.”

She gave a sardonic laugh. 

“I wonder if I can make you cum just from this?”

“You bitch!” 

The dildo blazed to life before Maye could say more. She convulsed; chains of fire whipped through her. It was relentless, constant boiling waves of motion which cascaded through her, assailing her mind and body at once. Her nerves screamed, and an ocean of throbbing pleasure battered her thoughts like the cannon of a dreadnought. 

“Oh god, oh fuck, oh shit, oh, oh oh-”

She couldn’t think. The toy felt so good, her pussy was so wet. Her clit was so hot. She could smell her own arousal, the scent of James’ cum. The knowledge of what was about to happen and that she couldn’t stop it. 

“Look at each other. I want you both to comprehend where you are and what you are.”

Ahsara’s voice was unhurried, confident. The tone of command brooked no argument. Maya’s body convulsed, and the toy twisted inside her. Her toes were curling! Her mouth was half open, panting like an animal in heat. Her eyes were wide, staring sightlessly forward. 

She had to fight! She had to hold on! She had to-

She had to-

Fuck!

She twisted in the restraints, her body reduced to jelly. Her mind to a babbling mess. The throbbing, boiling heat of a climax cracked through her like an explosion.

She came.

She came right in front of James. Her body shaking with orgasmic trembling and she slumped forward as far as the bondage would allow. 

Meanwhile, Ashara continued to have her way with James. Her hips bucked and thrust, the toy burying itself in his ass. His eyes were squeezed tightly closed, his body rocking forward and back. His cock was so hard, strings of sticky pre-cum glimmered in the half-light of the cell. 

Maya couldn’t bear to watch, but she also couldn’t tear her eyes away. This man she had considered her brother was being fucked in front of her! Even worse, the toy was keyed to his pleasure.

It was as if they were getting off together.

The idea made her feel so dirty. So filthy. 

And yet, the waves wouldn’t stop. The pounding heat, the crashing peaks of ecstasy which stabbed through her like blades. 

“Please,” she gasped. “Please, please, please, please!”

But Ashara didn’t answer. She was consumed with her new toy, fucking James as hard as she could. His moans and her wanton little cries filled Maya’s head, tormenting her even more than the forced pleasure. 

Another climax hit her. Tears spilled from her eyes, splashing against the cold metal floor. The vibrating instrument throbbed faster and faster, a frantic tempo which she knew could only end with a blast of sticky wetness between her legs. 

It was going to fill her up.

It was going to fill her up and there was nothing she could do.

Maya whimpered, to her surprise, the pink alien placed a hand gently on her side, the touch soft and warm.

“It’s okay,” she whispered softly.”It’ll be over soon.”

The words were quiet but Ashara was having too much fun to notice. James’ whole body was shaking. His knees had buckled, only the restraints kept him standing. The sex toy buried between her lower lips was jumping and jiggling and grinding so much, she could barely form a thought.

Maya’s world had become a churning mass of frantic emotions. She was bombarded, filled from head to toe. She groaned, twitched, gasped and moaned but no words could come forth from her trembling lips. The toy had become her whole existence. 

James was doing his best. Fighting a heroic stand against his own body. But this was a game that Ashara had played time and time again. She always won. Her thrusts were long and deep. Her hands curled around his ass, her rhythmic motions were sure and steady. Pounding him, filling him up, fucking him like a toy. 

James didn’t stand a chance. His body shook with a violent tremor and his cock spasmed, staining the ground below him with a spray of semen. 

The toy inside her reacted. It reached a whole new level of speed, the waves of vibration blending into one solid wall of sensation. Maya cried, the dildo fucked her until she couldn’t even piece together a single thought.

And then it filled her. 

The seed - James' seed - spilled forth, propelled by the frenzied motion. There was so much of it! Maya was pumped full of more cum than any man had ever put inside of her. The dancing motion of the toy drove the semen deep into her body. The hot wetness infiltrated and penetrated her. Filling her up to the very brim. 

She gave a sob. Utterly defeated. The pink alien finally pulled the toy from her pussy, sticky ropes of cum followed it, splashed to the deck beneath her.

But it was no use. There had been so much. How could she have taken that and not gotten pregnant? Defeat filled her. Utterly and completely beaten, she could only watch with hollow eyes as Ashara pulled out of James with a grunt of satisfaction. 

“What’s the matter?” She caught sight of Maya’s dejected face. “Did you not enjoy your special surprise?”

She chuckled, striding over towards her. The strap-on fell to the floor, already forgotten. 

“You look so beaten. Where’s the fiery temper you had before? Have you learned your lesson, you little brat?”

“You…you filled me up…” 

“Well, technically your partner did, but yes.” She paused, savouring the drama of the moment. “Oh, I see. You’re worried about pregnancy, aren’t you? I suppose it did quite slip my mind…”

“What?”

“Oh, part of your modifications was to your reproductive cycle. I’m afraid it’s quite impossible for you to get pregnant now without my authority.”

A game!

It had been another game!

Just another way for Ashara to show how much power she had over both of them!

The alien reached forward, running one hand through Maya’s sweaty hair. 

“Which means, my dear, you can be filled up and fucked as much as I like. I hope you enjoyed today’s little session. It was the first of many.”

And just like that, Maya’s new life as a slave had begun.

_______________________________________________________ This story was commissioned by DeviantHunter over at HentaiFoundry! They were amazing to work with, and I am truly honoured to get a chance to bring their vision to life.

[skaruresonic]

... I never realized before how similar in headbashing stupidity "an immunitary disease is kept in remission by low gravity" and "Super Silver can rip away a virus that mutated people on a cellular level" are as cures for illnesses.

At least I know that the Metal Virus crap was because Flynn made it too OP and so he had to find a solution to the problem he created no matter what. Again, I reiterate that we did not need to know the nitty gritty of Maria's illness beyond "she was terminally ill and that's why Gerald was desperate to find a cure". It's not about "muh super saiyan hedgehog franchise", it's that a much more elegant solution 1) exists, and 2) did not need to be told (and 3) it directly goes against what shown in the games)

I'm still not convinced the low gravity thing wasn't all Flynn's doing, because

A.) Maekawa seemed to not be privy to it; he simply said if ST changed the original vision, that's their prerogative. A statement which doesn't really prove anything on its own. If he knew anything, he would have provided a less nonchalant answer,

and B.) it's the exact brand of nitpicky inanity Flynn employed in the comic. Characters spent aaaaaages agonizing over why they couldn't solve the metal virus through the usual channels, only for "tear the virus off like it's a second skin because the plot demands it" to be the solution.

Like, Eggman spent paragraphs explaining how the virus changes you at the cellular level. So what, pray tell, did Silver exactly do?

It's an asspull. Something that sounds good on the surface for all of two seconds before you apply a modicum of thought to it. And then you get told to shut up because you're thinking too hard.

Nah, man. I shouldn't have to do the writer's job because he's not thinking hard enough.

---

Again, I reiterate that we did not need to know the nitty gritty of Maria's illness beyond "she was terminally ill and that's why Gerald was desperate to find a cure". It's not about "muh super saiyan hedgehog franchise", it's that a much more elegant solution 1) exists, and 2) did not need to be told (and 3) it directly goes against what shown in the games)

"It doesn't have to be realistic, relax" is a weird hill to die on when SA2 is one of the few games that are grounded in reality, inasmuch a Sonic game can be grounded in reality. I could see that argument for, like, Mania, but SA2? Especially given the fact that Maria's illness is the reason Gerald created life, with all the existential implications attached? You're gonna treat it as the same tier as "What do rings do?"

I know I always harp on the "weapons of mass destruction" thing, but it can't be understated just how weirdly topical such a thing is for a game released in June 2001. You can apply this to other elements as well, such as the commercial bent and the focus on government conspiracies. It all converges to create an unreplicable atmosphere that is uniquely early aughts.

Y2K was a weird time for everyone; the world feared the end at the stroke of midnight on January 1st, and didn't quite understand how technology would play a part in shaping the future. In fact, Maekawa managed to convince ST to set their next adventure in space in order to celebrate the new millennium. SA2 is a time capsule of those cultural hopes and anxieties.

You cannot ignore that part when analyzing the game. You cannot ignore how art reflects reality in this case. Tails saying he caught the news of Sonic's arrest on "satellite TV" would be the modern equivalent of saying he caught it while watching YouTube. The words "weapon of mass destruction" leaving Shadow's mouth would be like if Infinite mentioned drone strikes in Forces.

Although subsequent games do allude to real-life every now and again, like ShTH and its one-off mentions of Japan and France - they're just that, tidbits. None are as deeply contemporaneous to their time as SA2. None have it as baked into their grain in the same manner as SA2.

...To say nothing of the usual "just because the games take place in a setting with supersonic hedgehogs doesn't render them unworthy of critical examination." Should go without saying.

also what the fuck, people are calling it "space AIDS." maybe choose a bigger fish to fry

[mortiflyer]

top ten as kpop songs (but ten is Fritz and not that bastard)

Jannik - Satellite by SHINee. Idk scrolling through my playlist he felt very shinee bside coded and shinee is my favorite kpop group so…anyways satellite is a pretty chill song but the way it swells for the chorus feels fitting for his career lol

Novak - Joker by Dal Shabet. LIKE ARE YOU KIDDINNG. He’s the djoker obvi but also this song is cunty and I feel like he fits the diva levels

Carlos - Vroom Vroom by EXO-CBX. To me this song is the perfect mix of cute and fun and upbeat…like Carlos! Tbh i felt like he could be an rnb bside or something but my first instinct was to go sunshine

Danya - Not In Public by Summer Cake. This is based off him saying espresso is the song of the summer 😭 so I’m giving him the REAL song of the summer by my nugu queen. I just feel like he would like something girly pop

Alex - Smile by TVXQ! It was between this and 24/7 by EXO but I want some variety in this lol. Alex seems like a chill guy you’d want to be friends with and who loves his girlfriend and for some reason that’s the same vibe the tvxq boys give me. He COULD have been Rumor by them but none of these guys deserve that song it’s too perfect

Hubi - Secret by WJSN. Listen ik he has some…issues on court but this would be his ringtone if he knew it and you can’t convince me otherwise. I’m gonna track him down and teach him the dance

Casper - Warning Sign by TEEN TOP. He is very rnb pop to ME okay. Although tbh Casper is not one of my favorites so this one may not be a good match for ruud nation

Andrey - sage by OnlyOneOf. The trap beat is him I feel plus onlyoneof can be very moody which…yeah…

Grigor - Mirror by FIESTAR. Grown woman music for this man and his elegant game yawwppp. Tbh this could’ve been any fiestar song lol, but I thought about 9MUSES as well. Maybe Secret but I didn’t want two songs with the same title in the list

Taylor - Prom Night by fromis_9. More for Morgan’s benefit than his honestly but he would bop along in the car don’t lie

Okay idk if I did y’all favorite white men justice but I would love to do more so inbox me if you have someone specific in mind

[theeye2000]

The Hubs of Humanity 1

Prologue:

Back in the early 23rd century, as humanity began spreading its wings into the cosmos, the European Space Convention envisioned a groundbreaking project. They named it HUSB – Harmony of Urbanity and Space Bridges or as the public called it “The Hubs of Humanity”. At the projects core stood the idea to create a network of space stations and infrastructure pieces, each intricately designed to reflect Europe’s intricate designs and reflecting the architectural wonders of a wide range of European cities. It was like taking a slice of Paris, a bit of Barcelona, small snippets of Amsterdam and tiny amounts of Vienna and sprinkling their iconic look´s into the seemingly infinite abyss of interstellar space. The cities in the sky fostered significant cultural exchange, scientific collaboration, and good old human connection. Picture space stations modeled after the elegance of avant-garde designs of Berlin, the timeless charm of Rome or the sophistication of the medieval center of Prague.

Construction kicked of on a massive scale and for a while the project was the talk of the galaxy. The stations became marvels of their own right, embodying the spirit of humanity and its creativity. But as fate would have it, the early days of the 24th century brought a devastating cosmic cataclysm. An insidious computer virus, born from the depths of the digital unknown, infiltrated the project´s communication networks and databases. It spread like a raging wildfire, leaving chaos in its wake, and toppling the human economy and causing the once-thriving interconnected system into disarray. The fallout left a haunting legacy for the project, as the collapse progressed and databases where wiped clean many station dwellers decided to abandon their ships, leaving them adrift and causing them to vanish into the vast expanse of space without any trace left. They became cosmic ghosts, silently orbiting in the darkness, their stories and beauty lost to the void.  Quickly forgotten by the rebuilding civilization that emerged from the ashes. Their memory fading into obscurity becoming fragments of an era long gone by. The civilization moved continually forward, leaving behind the mysterious past.

Many generations passed, and with the shift of cosmic currents, some of the long-forgotten stations reemerged from the cosmic background, having become new, beautiful obscure or even haunting shells of their former selves. Slowly many of them revealed new and diverse tapestries of fates. Some not just remnants but thriving hubs of life, sustained by reformed ecosystems and their resourceful inhabitants which had found a way to adapt to the sudden challenges of having to find ways to sustain their ways of living in space. Others had undergone large alterations, their original purposes re-imagined by advanced AI and machinery which was once designed to keep the stations operational. These technological custodians ensured the continued existence and advancement of these magnificent stations, evolving them into marvels of automated efficiency and sustainability.

The Hubs of Humanity: Aetherian Arboretum

Now after many of them had been long forgotten and become legends of a marvelous past the first of these celestial relics appeared at the edge of Humanities capital solar system. As it floated trough the vast reaches of the cosmos by pure chance it passed the outermost surveillance satellites of the Human system SOL1. There it was a space station which echoes the grandeur of an age long gone. A picturesque and mesmerizing blend of elegance and the neon glow of a bygone era. Tall ornate structures with their sinuous curves and intricate floral motifs rise from the main ring like structure and into the star lit fabric of space. Facades adorned with dim luminescent neon colors cast a surreal picture upon any eyes there to observe it. As it silently orbited throughout the cosmic ballet of space rocks of a region referred to as the Oort cloud it was greeted by a group of space vessels. Drawn towards it they cautiously approach the abandoned celestial haven.

As a group of explorers set foot onto it for the first time again, they marvel at the fusion of design and cosmic functionality. As they wander the deserted streets, the air is filled with an eerie silence, only broken by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant hum of nature overtaking the space. Vines gracefully cascade town the sides of once bustling structures as they intertwine wit the fading light of neon signs that once proclaimed the names of businesses now long forgotten. The corridors and walkways once trodden by station dwellers, now play host to a delicate tapestry of nature. Moss covering lower grounds and growing through cracks in the flooring and resilient ferns and flowers also pushing their way through the seams. Tables, doors, and windows adorned with wrought-iron designs being claimed by encroaching vines. The almost ghostly neon glow flickering and casting a dreamlike scene into the explorers´ eyes. The grand arches and domes of the once famous trading hub now softened by the embrace of ivy and climbing roses.

Amid this fantastic scene of haunting beauty, unexpected inhabitants had found their niche – flocks of chickens, descendants of once domesticated birds, had adapted to the continuous darkness of the abandoned space station. Their plumage had taken on otherworldly beauty as it reflected the surrounding hues of dim neon lights. Their feathers colored in ethereal blends of deep purples, electric blues, and luminous greens they created a mesmerizing spectacle of shimmers and shadows as they moved through the silent station. These avian inhabitants adapted to the perpetual darkness of the station developing nocturnal rhythms and clucking that harmonized with the faint hum of the station´s former vibrancy. They had become the unexpected guardians of this rediscovered neon-lit legacy.

As the explorers reluctantly tore themselves away from these mesmerizing scenes, they delved deeper into the bowels of the ship, where they uncovered relics and objects of the once flourishing and passionate inhabitants. It also became evident that the station had undergone its profound metamorphosis, triggered by the exhaustion of its fusion systems and batteries several generations ago. The once state-of-the-art machinery had gracefully transitioned into a state of energy conservation. Basic life support systems hummed softly, maintaining the atmospheres delicately balanced atmosphere as the surroundings were bathed in the perpetual dim glow of neon lights, nurturing the lush flora overtaking the stations interiors. The artificial gravity modifier, a relic of advanced technology, continued to function on a minimal level. Its low persistent hum serving as an unseen orchestrator, allowing the abundance of plants and neon-feathered chickens to thrive in their cosmic sanctuary.

As the explorers continued their way through the corridors, they marveled at the ingenious processes that had sustained the stations delicate balance over the years. In this cosmic tapestry, the explorers sensed a quiet resilience. An enduring legacy left by a bygone era that unwittingly had given rise to this flourishing microcosm. The space station, now reemerged as a living testament to adaption, whispering its story of metamorphosis through the hushing echoes of its few still operational automated systems, the soft neon-glow of plant lights, and the vibrant clucks of chickens against the backdrop of the celestial stage.

With high anticipation, the explorers access the ship´s extensive database, eager to unveil the secrets hidden within the almost dreamlike structure they had been navigating. As the displays flickered to life, they revealed intricate schematics and blueprints of the station. The designation “Aetherian Arboretum” adorned the digital representations of the mighty station´s architecture. The name resonated with an ethereal quality, capturing the essence of this celestial haven. Armed with the new knowledge of the station´s identity, the explorers felt a deeper connection to it. As it stood as a testament to human ingenuity and the enduring spirit of exploration as it transcended its initial purpose as a hub of exploration and trade, evolving into a beacon of life amid the cosmic abyss. The name now etched into humanity’s records once again it was soon to become a thriving celestial haven again.

The news of the Arboretum´s rediscovery and its unique transformation captured the imagination of Earthlings in a wildfire. Recognizing its unique historical and ecological significance, authorities and swiftly declared it a protected zone and placed it under historic and natural preservation. The once-abandoned station a testament to the harmonious coexistence of nature and technology, underwent careful restoration with the goal of preserving its unique atmosphere while allowing eager tourists to experience the surreal beauty of the station in a small selected section. During the beginning of its restoration, the celestial sanctuary was moved in a stable orbit around Saturn, creating a celestial backdrop that added to the mystique of the cosmic destination. As visitors disembarked onto the transformed space station, they marveled at the now again neon-lit arches, domes and towers, the vibrant flora and the more than enthusiastic clucking of the specially adapted chickens. Educational Programs were established quite quickly to inform about the Arboretum´s rich history, its transformation and the unique ecosystem within it. Conservationists closely monitoring the neon-feathered chickens, ensuring their well-being and natural behavior are not disturbed in any significant way. As the space station orbited Saturn, the "Aetherian Arboretum" stood not only as a destination for eager earthlings but as a symbol of the boundless potential for exploration, preservation, and the celebration of the cosmic wonders that unfolded beyond the confines of Earth.

[team5ds]

yuaki + 4, 9, 12 (also yujack and 15 if u really wanna amuse me)

for yuaki:

4) What they do on date night

i spent sooo long mulling this over because i really do think they have a wide variety of date nights that grows with their relationship. i think in their teen years, it's just riding around the city, sometimes going to the beach, anything that's free. yusei didn't have a lot of money to spend and aki didn't want yusei to feel bad about not being able to afford nice dates. i think during uni (where she's studying dueling Do Not Misunderstand Me, this is STILL not a safe space for doctor!aki @ canon), it's late night calls where they watch tv together or listen to music together. sometimes aki video calls him while she's studying. i think also because i claimed the duel circuit can count as an internship, sometimes date night is them hiding in aki's dressing room together. and you know. as they become adults with more money, they start having more elegant nights out.

9) Which one swears more

yusei hands down. i don't even have to explain myself. it's a fact satellite kids swear more than city kids.

12) What they do for their anniversary

another one i spent ages just chewing on. i think once again, it totally depends on when/which anniversary they're celebrating. i do think they both have a romantic streak, it's just that their dating & engagement anniversaries wind up being reduced in importance when it comes to their wedding anniversary. i also think that yusei totally made aki blush by telling her it's the anniversary of when they became friends before they started dating, and aki suggested they should do something special for it. and that something special was borderline a date but since they were awkwardly pining over the other, neither of them said "this is aggressively romantic for a friendship anniversary" and just fantasized about it. (cannot stress enough they're kind of idiots) anyway. they eventually wound up messily starting hooking up and neither of them knew exactly when it shifted from "we're friends" to "we're dating" because it kind of blends together, so they decided on that friendship anniversary being their actual dating anniversary and just kept doing things like going to the aquarium, observatory, or long drives together as a "date" for it. when they get engaged, they wind up adding a nice dinner. and wedding anniversary, they also add laying in bed reminiscing about the journey to get to where they are. it's all very goopy. at least until night when they have pretty wild kinky sex.

yujack:

15) What they would change about each other

for those two years apart, yusei would claim he'd change jack's egomania & jack said she'd change that yusei is so stuck in his ways. jack eventually misses the way yusei was such a certainty in her life, but she'd be too proud to admit it. i do think that sometimes yusei wishes jack was less stubborn, but honestly, jack wishes the same thing about yusei right back. usually when they're arguing. most days, however, they wouldn't change a thing about the other.

send me a number & a ship to yap about

[writingpages]

a good lesson

Summary: she shouldn't have been so surprised he could ice skate too.

Rating: G

Ships: Yusei Fudo/Aki Izayoi

Notes: written for @ygoadvent.

read on ao3 / support me on kofi / join my discord (18+)

Aki stumbled on the ice, trying to keep herself steady. She felt the flush across her cheeks as she glanced up - Yusei was showing off yet again. Of course he could ice skate. She'd seen how he could rollerblade effortlessly, and while she wasn't that bad at it herself, he still clearly outclassed her in skill. "Where did you learn this," she asked, taking his hand as he came to a stop next to her with an overwhelmingly cocky grin on his face.

"Not all of us grew up with easy access to computers and TVs," he teased, squeezing her hand as he went backwards, leading her. "Some of us had to find other forms of entertainment during the winter."

Aki considered this. She'd long known that Satellite hadn't been an easy place to grow up in, but the more Yusei talked, the more she came to understand that it was at least fun in its own way. If she was understanding correctly, while she watched movies for Christmas, he skated. "So you learned how to ice skate first then?"

He smirked and pulled away, putting a flourish into his spin as he skated around her. She rolled her eyes, and yet she couldn't help the flutter in her chest as he demonstrated his own expertise. For someone who claimed he couldn't dance, there was an elegance in his move. And then he was close to her again, drawing her in. "Well, I certainly couldn't let Jack be better than me."

Aki's eyes widened. "Jack knows how to skate too?"

She didn't know why this surprised her. When teaching her how to do Riding Duels, Yusei had claimed that skating was a good way to learn the balance of a motorcycle. Perhaps there was something to it then. Yusei eased her into a twirl, and Aki felt like she might topple over up the toe of the blade. Her heart thudded in her chest, and Yusei ignored her question in favor of saying, "There you go - ease into it."

He showed her the motions, and she could feel her confidence slowly growing. If nothing else, it was certainly good practice.