#There’s two planets spinning around each other but also around that system’s sun

[corellianhounds]

My Brother’s Keeper

TBB Body Swap AU

Chapter 5: Utility

Words: 2.5k

Warnings: Mention of hunting and field dressing game meat.

Summary: The crew investigates their new surroundings and tries to figure out a plan.

Garnatoa was a tidally locked twin planet of a binary satellite system, the eccentric elliptical orbit of the two forcing them to revolve around each other in addition the central star. Its planetary twin, Hutama Nāte, was of equal size and mass, the barycenter of the two somewhere in the precise middle of space between them. Perfectly spaced apart, the two planets moved in mirrored synchrony with one another.

Clone Force 99 had landed on Garnatoa, the lush oceanic planet with several archipelagos ranging from tropical to arctic volcanic ecosystems. It had a warmly-tinged yellow sky and two moons, sparsely spread population groupings, and little of interest besides the tourism and deep-sea fishing trades.

The sky above them now, however, was a stark lavender, had an asteroid band instead of moons, and their chronos did not make sense according to the local time they’d set them to when they landed— It should have been just past dusk, but the sun was instead rising in the east, illuminating scrub brush and cracked desert clay as far as they could see, replacing the coral reefs and pink beaches they’d traversed on their arrival before getting to the temple buried in the thick banyan tree swamp.

“I think,” Tech began, “That we are no longer on Garnatoa.”

“What does that even mean, Tech?”

“It means I suspect the temple we woke up in is the other side of a wormhole, portal, or ancient teleportation system, something of that ilk,” he said. He smacked the side of his datapad, which had luckily survived the earthquake and cave-in but was currently glitching out. “If the concentric rings we awoke in were mirrored because the ones we entered teleported us to an entirely different planet, it’s possible our energy signatures remained in stasis during the transfer, but our atoms were disassembled and reassembled on the opposite side of the hypothetical axis— So we woke up with our consciousnesses in the bodies of the people across from or adjacent to us on accident.” Tech went to shift his goggles, only to realize he wasn’t wearing any. He frowned, but continued. “If it was indeed a sentient-made construction, I expect it was only ever intended to transport one person at a time. Unfortunately I can find no immediate sources that might verify those theories or offer any insight. Considering how significant an event like this is, one would assume it would be well-documented, so it’s possible we may be some of the first to experience it, or the first in centuries.”

“But why did it happen, Tech?” Echo pressed, frustrated. “How do we reverse it?”

Tech shrugged. “Who knows?”

“Bigger question,” Wrecker prompted. “If that was supposed to be the other side of a worm tunnel—”

“Wormhole.”

“— What happens when one side of the tunnel’s collapsed?”

That shut them up. Tech’s brow furrowed; he turned away and began furiously typing on the datapad once again.

Crosshair sat mutely on the ground with his back against a rock. Hunter came over to lean against it, taking a long drink from his canteen and capping it when Crosshair waved off his offer to share. He could only imagine the frustration Crosshair must have felt at being suddenly stripped of a good majority of his skills and assets. Hunter may not have his advanced senses anymore, but he could still carry their gear and wield a gun and keep pace with the group. He was reminded for not the first time of how fragile Omega really was.

Hunter nudged him. “You okay?”

Crosshair slowly tilted his head up and to the side to fix Hunter with an incredulous look. “Am I okay?” He threw his hand up at Tech and Echo’s discussion. “You heard Tech. What about this is okay?”

Hunter grimaced. “Just checking on you.”

“No, you’re checking on Omega,” Crosshair corrected.

“I'm trying to keep tabs on everybody,” Hunter sighed, trying not to let his own frustration bleed through. His armor felt stiff and constrictive. He still had a headache.

“Listen, if we can’t figure out how the swap happened here, we can regroup at the ship and head for an information center—”

“Hunter,” Crosshair cut him off. “You heard Tech. The Marauder is on another planet.”

—

Omega was still reeling from the close call they’d had upon escaping, to say nothing of the fact she’d woken up in a different body. The adrenaline left her shaky, and though she’d been able to keep up with the group and avoid most of the danger on the way out, she’d been so severely winded by the end of it she’d have thought Crosshair to be asthmatic if she didn’t know any better.

It kind of hurt to see Hunter-as-Wrecker talking to Crosshair-as-her past the edge of their group, despite the fact they seemed to be arguing. She knew she didn’t have any right to feel that way and Hunter wasn’t showing any of them any particular favoritism, but he also hadn’t looked at her the same way he normally did. She’d almost felt like a stranger to him, and the rest of her brothers had barely spared her a second’s discussion either. She was used to being an outsider in many ways, but this was different.

Omega stretched and tried to work out the crick in her neck. Inhabiting Crosshair’s self was by far the most bizarre thing she’d ever experienced; she was almost a foot and a half taller and built much differently, with stiff joints, no hair, and calloused hands. His rifle was heavy, but somehow it felt right to be there on her back.

The sun was starting to edge past the sparse clouds and it made her squint. She glanced over at Crosshair, but he seemed unfazed despite the light hitting him and Hunter as equally as it did her. The longer she tried to survey the group, the harder it became to keep from shielding her eyes.

Turning over Crosshair’s helmet in her hands, Omega ducked her head and slipped it on: the tinted visor offered immediate relief and she relaxed, but the movement triggered something in the HUD that lit up on the upper right side of her vision. Curiously, she squinted again and the display split to either side, clearing her view. Her eyes flicked to the left side, but something she did set off two— three commands, and then there were too many readouts stacking up each time she made some subconscious expression, her nose scrunching in irritability until she finally just took it off.

“Stop messing with my gear,” Crosshair hollered at her, peering around Hunter.

“You need prescription lenses, too,” Omega shot back. “Or sunshaders, or something.”

Crosshair’s indignant scoff could be heard over the rest of the chatter and he marched over to grab his helmet from her and fiddle with the controls, locking it down.

“Stop screwing around and leave my things alone,” he muttered acerbically. He tucked the helmet under his arm and paced away. “Go make yourself useful.”

Hunter barked Crosshair’s name, but Crosshair’s scowl and biting demand stung nonetheless. Omega hunched over her knees, one heel impatiently bouncing against the ground as Hunter argued with him at a distance.

—

With the revelation of their lack of transport, Hunter quickly mapped out a game plan for finding immediate provisions first, followed by finding some sense of civilization and means offworld. Tech sorted through some spare parts and began working on a quick drone to give them an eye in the sky and an idea of any potential settlements nearby. He had assured them that the holocom towers they’d seen in the distance had to be maintained regularly in an arid environment such as that one, but it was anybody’s guess how far any town was from the next marker on the grid; Wrecker reluctantly set out with one of the grappling hooks and Tech’s scanner to get up to the service platform of the closest tower and gather more intel at Tech’s behest. Omega, the only one able and available to sift through Tech’s more delicate equipment and offer tools as needed, helped him; Echo and Hunter were too busy scouting for a water source and potential landmarks that might lead them to a main road or evidence of town. All four of the brothers declined her offer to be of more help, and Crosshair was restlessly pacing along the edge of the boulders now blocking the entrance to the temple caves.

Omega had tried to offer him lunch around midday and Tech tried to involve him in their strategizing, but Crosshair waved the two of them off before finally picking up Omega’s energy bow and muttering something about target practice. Omega’s irritation with his attitude was starting to distract her, and as much as she wanted to eat she just didn’t feel hungry herself. She’d hollered for him to keep his comlink on, and Tech kept her occupied for a better part of the hour as they finished jury-rigging the drone and setting a flight pattern.

Crosshair ground his teeth together, trekking through the wilderness. The energy bow hummed in his hand and he eventually found an ideal vantage point: a tree growing out of some boulders with enough branches to provide cover as well as somewhere steady to sit and watch.

Each attempt to climb the boulder ended in frustration though; try as he might he couldn’t jump high enough to get a decent handhold and the rock was too smooth to gain any traction.

With steadily mounting anger he affixed the bow to his back, swiped the hair out of his eyes, and dug around in Omega’s satchel until he found her work gloves. He pulled them on and dug his hands into the crevices between the boulders, wedging his shoes into footholds and stubbornly forcing himself to muscle through the pain and exertion until he arrived at the top.

Panting but finally finding a perch, Crosshair settled in and unslung the energy bow, waiting.

They’d been in dire straits before with little to nothing at their disposal as far as solutions were concerned, but they’d always managed to improvise and adapt. This, however, this might be the one thing he wouldn’t be able to get over and hit the ground running with: how do you go from being one of the Republic’s greatest technological advancements in bioengineering and organic weaponry—

Back to being a child? One with no exceptional survival skills or preternatural abilities? A big reason why Omega had survived this long was because the squad protected and helped her. As far as he was aware, Omega was considered a defective clone solely because she was female. The fact she didn’t follow orders and frequently found ways to pull the lot of them into even more trouble was just a bonus.

No rifle. No armor. Not his own voice, his own hands, his strength, his ability to keep up. His equipment. His dignity. Not even his own boots.

With a scowl, Crosshair fired off a shot at four-hundred yards, satisfied when the buzzard he was aiming for fell from the tree and plopped to the ground in a bit of smoke.

Though he’d been desperate for an hour of silence back in the cave, Crosshair was now finding it hard to clear his head of anything but their current circumstances. He wiped the sweat off his brow and continued to scan for wildlife, irritated every time he had to again move Omega’s hair out of his eyes. His grip on the bow felt too thin, the weight of it heavier than it should be, and though he could force his hands to keep it steady, he felt he had to devote more focus to that than he should have. Every movement served to remind him of exactly how much he was not himself.

Another bolt of light sailed off into the distance, hitting something that looked like a midsize, short-eared rabbit. Crosshair made a note of where it fell and scanned for more.

—

Wrecker and Hunter were the first to return by the time Tech’s drone had located what was thankfully a large industrial center on the far side of a canyon gulch. Wrecker’s intel verified that it was both advanced enough to have a few starports and that they’d probably be able to barter passage aboard one of the shuttles, and Echo had managed to scout out a decent location that could serve as camp for the night in the direction of the canyon. Hunter surveyed the men, frowning.

“Where’s Crosshair?”

“He left around midday,” Tech said, still fiddling with his datapad. “He mentioned something about “target practice.”

“You let him go by himself?” Hunter asked incredulously. “You can’t be serious— Tech it’s been three hours since then, we have no idea what’s out here!”

“He took the lightbow,” Omega said uneasily. “He should be okay, right?”

“You two were willing to gamble your safety on that alone?” he asked her. “Omega, you’re— He has no guarantee something won’t get the drop on him, or that he won’t get hurt just navigating the environment. We barely escaped a cave-in caused by an earthquake.”

“A minor earthquake,” Tech reasoned, setting aside his equipment to stand and face Hunter. “If I thought him incapable I wouldn’t have let him go, though I seriously doubt I could have stopped him anyway. Omega’s gear is in good condition, he has a field kit, he was adept with a vibroblade even when he was her age—”

“You gave him a vibroblade?”

“Well. Yes.”

“To be fair, Hunter,” Echo interjected, “Crosshair would’ve gotten his hands on one at some point.”

“Omega doesn’t have the same armor we do,” Hunter seethed. “And in case it’s escaped your notice, she isn’t as tall as we are, either— It isn’t an insult to him or Omega to say he can’t run or fight the same way he used to, and if something were to happen—”

“Problem?”

The five of them turned. The kid came into view from the direction of the rock formations, and as she— he approached, they all straightened in shock.

Crosshair’s sleeves were rolled up, one hand carrying the lightbow down by his side and the other carrying a thin branch over his shoulder with half a dozen rock conies hanging from it, shot, split, and drained. The green wood bowed under the weight of the catch, and both of Crosshair’s bare hands were covered in the crimson evidence of his handiwork up to his mid-forearms. Though his expression was serious and unwavering, it didn’t appear as though he’d heard their discussion; Hunter imagined he would’ve just thrown the knife at his boot to make a point if that were the case.

Wrecker leaned over to Hunter, nodding at Crosshair’s haul and whispering loudly, “Isn’t that your job?”

Crosshair turned to Echo. “You find any water?”

“Yeah,” Echo replied. He couldn’t stop staring, though he supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. “We’re planning to pack up and head that way. Five kilometers due east with even terrain. Should be able to get there in an hour and set up camp.”

“Good,” he muttered. “Let’s go.”

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[mysticstronomy]

WHY IS EVERYTHING IN SPACE ALWAYS MOVING??

Blog#434

Saturday, September 7th, 2024.

Welcome back,

Have you ever wondered why everything in the universe seems to be in constant motion? From our planet's orbit around the sun to the rotation of galaxies, nothing in space stands still. But what drives this cosmic dance?

The story of movement in the universe begins at the very dawn of time, with the Big Bang. According to Edward Gomez, an astrophysicist and the education director at Las Cumbres Observatory, the universe started expanding outward from an infinitely dense point.

This expansion set everything in motion, imprinting movement into the very fabric of the cosmos. As Carol Christian, an astrophysicist and outreach project scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, explains, "The beginning was movement, and so movement has been built into the universe from the very beginning."

While the universe’s expansion mainly affects vast distances, it’s not just about objects moving through space; it’s also about the space between them growing larger. On smaller scales, however, rotation plays a key role in how objects behave.

This spinning motion is a fundamental aspect of the universe, evident in everything from the tiniest particles to massive galaxies.

So, why does everything spin? The answer lies in a concept called angular momentum. When two objects in space come close to each other, their mutual gravitational pull often causes them to orbit one another, rather than colliding or drifting apart. This effect is responsible for the rotational motion we observe in celestial bodies.

Edward Gomez likens the formation of our solar system to making a pizza: as you spin the dough, it flattens into a disc. Similarly, the solar system began as a spinning mass of gas and dust, which eventually coalesced into the sun and planets. Angular momentum ensured that this spinning never ceased, and it's why the planets continue to orbit the sun today.

Interestingly, galaxies don't spin the way you might expect based on visible matter alone. Instead, they rotate as if they were solid objects, a phenomenon that puzzled scientists until the discovery of dark matter. This mysterious substance, which doesn’t interact with light, exerts gravitational forces that influence the motion of galaxies, adding another layer to the complexity of cosmic movement.

In the grand scheme of things, motion is not just a characteristic of the universe—it’s a fundamental ingredient. As Gomez eloquently puts it, motion shows that "the universe is alive—not in the sense of being conscious, but things are happening." Chemical and physical reactions drive the cosmic machinery, and at the heart of it all is motion, the most basic form of energy.

This never-ending movement reminds us that the universe is an active, dynamic place, constantly evolving and shifting. And while we may not be able to see all the forces at play, the dance of the cosmos continues, driven by the invisible threads of gravity, dark matter, and angular momentum.

Originally published on https://www-moneycontrol-com

COMING UP!!

(Wednesday, September 11th, 2024)

"WHAT HAPPENS IF WE MOVE AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT????"

[dronebiscuitbat]

Oil is Thicker Then Blood (Part 99)

She pulls herself out of the console feeling dazed, N has his tail wrapped around her, and the scorching heat of his flamethrowers filled the room as the ground itself rumbled around them.

The ground had been disturbed…

Tendrils of black surrounded them on all sides, inching closer despite N's best efforts. On his visor was displayed an ‘X', a gradient of red and yellow as he protected Uzi with his life.

Uzi yanked out the linking cable, stuffing it back into her pocket and allowed a feral hiss to claw out her throat. Using the solver, she manipulated a sharp peice of metal to spin rapidly, chopping up whatever it came into contact with into tiny black peices.

N and Uzi were back to back, tails coiled around each other to ensure their other half was still there. She grabbed onto his shoulder.

“Fly!” She shouted, a command that registered instantly in N's system and had him taking off before she could even finish the word. Ignoring the ceiling, he burst through it. Throwing dust, snow, and shards of concrete flying in every direction as he rocketed upwards, a flood of angry tentacles followed him up, climbing and squirming on top of each other to see which of them could reach him first.

Uzi grunted, feeling her body strain as she threw the spinning metal down, slicing up the pursuing appendages even as they continued to reach for them.

N growled as he aimed an arm downward, firing off a missile that finished them off- by turning them to mist. He covered Uzi's mouth and clamped his own shut just in case.

There was no time to rejoice however, the ground groaned and shifted, opening up to swallow the building they were just in as well as the rest of the communication dishes.

As N watched, he noticed yellow light deep within the planet, shifting in waves, arching with primal energy, filling the flesh surrounding it with a hunger that couldn't be satisfied- and a deep, untamed rage.

They looked at each other, trying to find comfort as the sinkhole continued to grow, new, blackened appendages were spat out to replace the one's they'd just destroyed.

“L-Lets get out of here…” Uzi said after a prolonged period of silence, well after the last of the building was lost underneath the hungering flesh.

N nodded, tucking her into his shoulder before taking off in the direction of the bunker.

Deep down below, something watched them…

The sun was coming up quickly, and despite how fast N was flying, he knew they weren't going to make it to the nest in time, much less the bunker.

He dove into some long forgotten apartment, just in time for the early and deadly light of the morning to break over the horizon.

His arms remained looped around his girlfriend as the snow melted off both their frames, panting from the stress of the day.

“Did you get what we needed?” He asked after a moment of recovery, looking into purple eyelights, still refusing to let her go just yet.

“Yeah, I mean, it's not the best choice… probably gonna have issues with wildlife but… it's what we got.” She replied, leaning into the warmth he gave off in contrast to the freezing atmosphere around them.

“It'll have to do. I'm just glad you got something.”

He finally let her go, allowing them both to look around the room they'd taken shelter in.

Everything was covered in dust, and sharp shards of glass covered the floor from where the windows had shattered. There was a full sized bed in the center of the room- well made and completely untouched by anything other then the forces of nature.

A wooden chair, a closet, and a two bedside tables also inhabited the room, though the light and subsequent fan on the ceiling had long ceased functioning.

“Guess we're spending the night here…” Uzi sighed, rubbing a hand over her distended stomach- mostly because the rubber had become thin and slightly painful and she was trying to soothe it.

N's hand hovered over her own as he held her from behind, resting his chin on her head and swaying them softly.

“Really the time to do this after we just got chased?”

“Perfect time to do it. We're safe now, and we have to relax.”

“You have to relax" He amended, wrapping his tail around her and nuzzling into her shoulder, his purr was a given.

She hummed in contentment, closing her eyes and letting N rub small circles into her belly- it was a comforting feeling. Right up until the baby kicked their hands and made a pained whine escape Uzi's mouth.

“I felt that too. You good?”

“I want this little shit out…” She whines.

He laughs, “They just wanted to say hi.”

Uzi just growls in response, “So do I! In person! With them out of me!”

N just chuckled, walking off to remove the several years worth of dust from the bed so that they could sleep comfortably…

A few hours later they were curled up on the bed, N taking to running his fingers through her hair, satisfying the urge to preen.

“Mm. Athena.” Uzi said, they had been brainstorming names while trying to fall asleep.

“Oooh, I like that one, definitely. If they're a girl.” He replied, his tail wagging behind him as Uzi sat in his lap.

“You have a boy name?”

He thought for a moment, turning over his thoughts in his head.

“Bishop? Like the chess peice? We played all the time at the manor.” He explained. “I always lost, but I liked it.”

“I like it. It's also a tank, so you know I'm down.” She snickered mischievously.

“Of course you know that.” He replied lovingly, kissing her cheek as he settled down to sleep. “I think that's it then.”

“Yeah. Athena if it's a girl, Bishop if it's a boy.” Uzi agreed, shifting down to lay against him, happily absorbing his warmth.

“Tera says boy.” N hummed, wrapping himself tightly around his mate, protective pride rising in his core.

“Tera isn't even a year old.” Uzi snapped back; resting her hands on his chest and burying her head in his coat fluff.

“Still, she said it. There's gotta be a reason.”

“She wants a brother?”

They both laugh, N nuzzles the top of her head, taking in her scent. Her lovely, citrus scent… and… apples.

The apple portion was new, and he somehow subconsciously knew that it was his child that he was sensing, so he nuzzled deeper.

…

The next dusk they were off again. Neither one noticing the strange figure following them home…

Next ->

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

8 Things to Know About NASA’s Mission to an Ocean Moon of Jupiter

The first NASA spacecraft dedicated to studying an ocean world beyond Earth, Europa Clipper aims to find out if the ice-encased moon Europa could be habitable.

NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, the largest the agency has ever built for a planetary mission, will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Europa, an intriguing icy moon of Jupiter. The spacecraft’s launch period opens Thursday, Oct. 10.

Data from previous NASA missions has provided scientists with strong evidence that an enormous salty ocean lies underneath the frozen surface of the moon. Europa Clipper will orbit Jupiter and conduct 49 close flybys of the moon to gather data needed to determine whether there are places below its thick frozen crust that could support life.

Here are eight things to know about the mission:

1. Europa is one of the most promising places to look for currently habitable conditions beyond Earth.

There’s scientific evidence that the ingredients for life — water, the right chemistry, and energy — may exist at Europa right now. This mission will gather the information scientists need to find out for sure. The moon may hold an internal ocean with twice the water of Earth’s oceans combined, and it may also host organic compounds and energy sources under its surface. If the mission determines that Europa is habitable, it would mean there may be more habitable worlds in our solar system and beyond than we have imagined.

2. The spacecraft will fly through one of the most punishing radiation environments in our solar system — second only to the Sun’s.

Jupiter is surrounded by a gigantic magnetic field 20,000 times stronger than Earth’s. As the field spins, it captures and accelerates charged particles, creating radiation that can damage spacecraft. Mission engineers designed a spacecraft vault to shield sensitive electronics from radiation, and they plotted orbits that will limit the time Europa Clipper spends in most radiation-heavy areas around Jupiter.

3. Europa Clipper will orbit Jupiter, studying Europa while flying by the moon dozens of times.

The spacecraft will make looping orbits around Jupiter that bring it close to Europa for 49 science-dedicated flybys. On each orbit, the spacecraft will spend less than a day in Jupiter’s dangerous radiation zone near Europa before zipping back out. Two to three weeks later, it will repeat the process, making another flyby.

4. Europa Clipper features NASA’s most sophisticated suite of science instruments yet.

To determine if Europa is habitable, Europa Clipper must assess the moon���s interior, composition, and geology. The spacecraft carries nine science instruments and a gravity experiment that uses the telecommunications system. In order to obtain the best science during each flyby, all the science instruments will operate simultaneously on every pass. Scientists will then layer the data together to paint a full picture of the moon.

5. With antennas and solar arrays fully deployed, Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission.

The spacecraft extends 100 feet (30.5 meters) from one end to the other and about 58 feet (17.6 meters) across. That’s bigger than a basketball court, thanks in large part to the solar arrays, which need to be huge so they can collect enough sunlight while near Jupiter to power the instruments, electronics, and other subsystems.

6. It’s a long journey to Jupiter.

Jupiter is on average some 480 million miles (about 770 million kilometers) from Earth; both planets are in motion, and a spacecraft can carry only a limited amount of fuel. Mission planners are sending Europa Clipper past Mars and then Earth, using the planets’ gravity as a slingshot to add speed to the spacecraft’s trek. After journeying about 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) over 5½ years, the spacecraft will fire its engines to enter orbit around Jupiter in 2030.

7. Institutions across the U.S. and Europe have contributed to Europa Clipper.

Currently, about a thousand people work on the mission, including more than 220 scientists from both the U.S. and Europe. Since the mission was officially approved in 2015, more than 4,000 people have contributed to Europa Clipper, including teams who work for contractors and subcontractors.

8. More than 2.6 million of us are riding along with the spacecraft, bringing greetings from one water world to another.

As part of a mission campaign called “Message in a Bottle,” the spacecraft is carrying a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, cosigned by millions of people from nearly every country in the world. Their names have been stenciled onto a microchip attached to a tantalum metal plate that seals the spacecraft’s electronics vault. The plate also features waveforms of people saying the word “water” in over 100 spoken languages.

More About Europa Clipper

Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.

Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The main spacecraft body was designed by APL in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission.

NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, manages the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

[thegodshavehorns]

hey guys what are your favorite planets?

AA: there will be a l0st planet, flung free fr0m its star, spinning f0rever in the endless star-spangled night. it will have 0nce held a thriving civilizati0n, which will die 0ut with a tender sl0wness. its atm0sphere and 0ceans will freeze, until 0nly its well-insulated c0re h0lds any heat. there will be pe0ple there, still, living 0ff that heat deep in the crust, praying. it will be beautiful.

AT: i SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS GREAT PLANET OUT IN THE… uH, i THINK YOU HUMANS DON’T HAVE A NAME FOR IT… iT’S SEVERAL TENS OF MILLIONS OF LIGHT YEARS AWAY, uH, aNYWAY, iT’S NICE, i LIKE CAMPING OUT UNDER THE MYCELIAL TREES AND LISTENING TO THE LIZARDS SING ME TO SLEEP AS THE SUN RISES, tHEN AT NIGHT I ROAST SOME JUICY WORMS OVER THE FIRE AND JUST WATCH THE LIGHTS OF THE AURORA ORIENTALIS, sOMETIMES I INVITE A FRIEND FROM AMONGST THE LOCALS AND WE TELL STORIES AND FLY AROUND, iT’S NICE,

TA: anywhere wiith wii-fii ii2 good enough.

CG: I HATE THEM ALL EQUALLY. I’D SPEND ALL MY TIME IN THE INTERGALACTIC VOID, BUT I HATE OUTER SPACE JUST AS MUCH.

AC: :33 would you believe i can’t remember the planet’s name? i had a lot of fun there, though! the people there had this fascinating romance system where each purrson was flushed with two other people, who were also flushed with another shared purrson, making a square. And they were pale on the diagonal. i introduced the concept of blackrom to them, and it was purrfect chaos. >:33

GA: It Is Impossible To Choose Just One. Every Planet Is Unique, Precious, And Delicate. Like A Shard Of Crystalized Precipitate.

GC: M4RS.

AG: It’s called “Areani”, and it’s got a diamond in its center that’s 8igger than two Earths! It’s mine, of course. Won it in a game of craps. ::::)

CT: ▉▉▉▉▉.

TC: AnY sPoT tO cRaSh Is GoOd, InSeCtIsIbLiNg. I bRiNg My FaVoRiTe PlAcE wItH mE. :o)

CA: planets are planets, and people are people. all places tend to blur together ovver time. that’s just as true for the others, too, though they don’t wwant to admit it.

CC: You probably t)(ink I'd say Kepler 195-4, or some ot)(er planet wit)( only oceans, but my favorite was actually K2-219-5 because it )(ad so many islands! Islands are definitely t)(e best. I liked it so muc)( I actually settled t)(ere for a w)(ile, before we all came to -Eart)(. Too bad it's gone now.

[xdruby1234]

The separation restart (AvA planet AU), Chapter 1: The explosion

Warning:

Not all information is true (this is a made up story so don't expect a lot of information to be real.)

Swearing.

Cringe.

Grammar??

Uranus is Navy, thanks to someone who suggested me that :)

It was a normal day in the solar system, The sun (M.T) was sleeping, Mercury (purple) was just spinning around, not knowing what to do, Venus (yellow) was making stuff with asteroids, Earth (Victim) was also sleeping, both moon (TCO) and Bloodmoon (TDL) were in war (fighting), Mars (Red) was playing with the stars, making Animals, Jupiter (green) and saturn (TSC) were talking to each other, Uranus (Navy) doing absolutely nothing and Neptune (Blue) was just starting a storm in him.

In Jupiter (green) and saturn (TSC) conversation

Jupiter (green): anything to do? saturn (TSC): nope... Jupiter (green): dang ittttt- *he was fittling with the Asteroids* Uranus (Navy): yo- Jupiter (green): shut up Uranus (Navy): WHAT DID I- Sun (M.T): please shut... I'm try'na sleep... Uranus (Navy): WHY IS IT ALWAYS- Earth (Victim): SHUT UP!

Everyone went silent after that, not a single noise was heard. Even moon (TCO) and Bloodmoon (TDL) stopped their war.

Earth (Victim): sorry I was talking about these two assholes... Bloodmoon (TDL): hey!! I'm not a an asshole! Moon might be one but I ain't! Moon (TCO): WHAT DID YOU SAY!? Earth (Victim): OI! Jee-

Suddenly, sun (M.T) feels hotter then normal.

sun (M.T): I feel hot... Venus (yellow): your the sun- sun (M.T): I mean hotter! Uranus (Navy): I don't feel shit Venus (yellow): your literary the coldest one, shut up- Earth (Victim): I do not like this especially because I'm already suffering-

sun (M.T) then sees a supernova and starts to panic

sun (M.T): YALL THERES A SUPERNOVA!!! Neptune (Blue): WHAT!? Uranus (Navy): that didn't happen in 65 million years ago- Venus (yellow): SHUT UP WE ALL LEARN THAT IN HISTORY CLASS- sun (M.T): YEAH SHUT UP!! Uranus (Navy): WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME-

Everyone starts to panic as the Supernova goes closer to them like a rocket laucher. sun (M.T) goes in-between them causing a massive explosion that separated them all, again.

After a while, Jupiter (green) and saturn (TSC) wake up next to eachother, they were alone and they had to find their way back, Sun (M.T) was probably very injured but they dont know since they wake up alone... in the endless space of no where....

Earth (Victim) wakes up feeling extremely weak... mostly the planet being very cold since the sun wasn't around. He instantly looked around to find the moons, they were there but... sleeping? Still?? He just looked at them and sighed as he walks through the space trying to find some sort of light

Both Mars (Red) and Mercury (purple) wake up together extremely tired, they felt like they can't do anything at all! So then just stayed low until they were able to move.

And both Neptune (Blue) and Uranus (Navy) were waking up they both also felt weak but Uranus (Navy) was able to stand up but Neptune (Blue) couldn't.

And Sun (M.T)....? Well he's still unconscious. He was still badly injured and might or might not live...

This is so short I'm sorry-

[paradoxcase]

QuCheanya post 6, last post:

I shoved a bunch of extra stuff in at the end of the grammar which is all new but is more vocabulary-related than anything.

First, the number system:

Eat your heart out, Janko Gorenc. Is he even still around? I have no idea.

I tried to explain this in prose, rather than make a giant table of "here's how you say every number" but I'm not sure this is super clear, let me know if I can make it clearer. The multiples of 6 are as follows:

18: choi mai

24: syene fyeirä / pfona mai

30: talä mai

36: choi fyeirä / choamai

42: choamai fu mai (thirty-six and six)

48: pfona fyeirä / choamai syene (thirty-six two = 120 base 6)

54: choamai choi (thirty-six three = 130 base 6)

60: talä fyeirä / choamai pfona (thirty-six four = 140 base 6)

66: choamai talä (thirty-six five = 150 base 6)

72: mai fyeirä / syene choamai (two thirty-six = 200 base 6)

78: syene choamai fu mai (two thirty-six and six = 210 base 6)

84: roate fyeirä / syene choamai syene (two thirty-six two = 220 base 6)

I hope that makes sense. If you're counting only in base 6, note that syene choamai fu syene is actually 202 base 6, which is 74, while syene choamai syene, without the fu, is 220 base 6 = 84.

Incidentally, the base 12 system for angles of a circle works out to 15 earth degrees for every 12 cheanya degrees, or:

360 degrees = 200 base 12 degrees

180 degrees = 100 base 12 degrees

90 degrees = 60 base 12 degrees

60 degrees = 40 base 12 degrees

45 degrees = 30 base 12 degrees

30 degrees = 20 base 12 degrees

20 degrees = 14 base 12 degrees

15 degrees = 10 base 12 degrees

10 degrees = 8 base 12 degrees

Now that we have numbers, we can have time of day:

Honestly, I don't know why we split our clock into after-midnight-but-before-noon and after-noon-but-before midnight.

Also, yes, the sundials (and clocks) go anticlockwise. This is because we are in the southern hemisphere. Sundials in the northern hemisphere also go anticlockwise if you mount them on the wall (and southern hemisphere sundials mounted on the wall go clockwise) and I was not able to confirm this, but I suspect that all of those things are reversed if the planet spins the other direction and the sun rises in the west (which is not the case here).

This is using grammar discussed above: qhaitsea is the plural of qhaitse, hour, qätyafye is qätya (which is now a noun) + fye, suapfifye is suapfi (now also a noun) + fye, and fosorofye is the verb foso (= sleep) + action nominalizer -ro + fye. And of course, when your writing system is a syllabary, abbreviations use the entire first syllable of the word.

And now we have dates:

So, there are five weeks in each month, the first and last two are six days long and the middle one is usually eight days long and sometimes nine days long. And there are nine months. So that is a total of 32 days in the seven short months, 33 days in the two long months, and one leap day every five years, for a total of 290.2 days in the year. The days are 30.5 earth hours long, because I wanted to give my conpeople a day length that actually matches my natural circadian rhythm, for a total of 8851.1 earth hours in a year, compared to earth's 8769.6 earth hours per year, a difference of 81.5 earth hours, or about 3 earth days and 9 earth hours and 30 earth minutes. Each Cheanya hour is about 1 earth hour and 42 earth minutes long, with the Cheanya minutes being about 42 earth seconds long, and the Cheanya seconds are about 18% longer than earth seconds.

Language-wise: Nyoacelya Lyuya is nyoace (= fact/piece of information) + plural genitive ending -lya (plural nyoacea means knowledge/information) and lyui (= day) pluralized to lyuya. Nyufeisya is diminutive prefix nyu- + feisya (= sister), and Yearilye Ciria and Nyufeisyalye Ciria are just the names of the moons + genitive singular -lye and ciria, which looks plural, but actually means celebration or festival in either the singular or the plural.

Now, a table of postpositions, some of which are new:

Also shows what they mean when you affix them to a verb, and what case they take. Probably I will add more, but I think this covers a decent range to start with.

And some charts of the system of demonstratives and time/place words I talked about before:

More grammatical uses for tsai and nea. I think when I get to question words I will make them using another prefix that goes onto this same set of bases to make "what time", "what place", "what thing", "what person", etc. Note that this is yet another solution to the gay fanfiction problem - if the topic-reflexive pronoun and the noun tenses are not enough, there are also eight other words you can use to refer to people and things besides the third-person pronoun. I didn't do this intentionally, it kind of happened by accident.

Anyway, that's the wrap. The full document, including a number of other interlinears at the end and a dictionary of all QuCheanya words used in the document is here: https://github.com/faiuwle/qucheanya/blob/main/qucheanya.pdf

[whumpster-fire]

Here I have to point out: we have one planet with a giant moon out of a sample size of, like, 2. There are only two terrestrial planets in our solar system whose current rotation rate would allow for the long term stability of a large moon: Earth and Mars.

You may have heard that our moon is very slowly receding from Earth and slowing Earth's rotation down due to tidal effects. This only occurs if the planet's rotation period is longer than the moon's orbital period and it orbits in the same direction the planet spins. If the reverse is true, tides will speed up the planet's rotation (or slow down a retrograde rotation) and make the moon spiral inward. This is happening in our solar system. Mars's inner moon, Phobos, orbits too close to Mars, and Neptune's moon Triton is in a retrograde orbit. Both are slowly losing orbital energy and will eventually get too close and be torn apart. (The giant planets also have many other retrograde moons but they're small and really far out. Tidal orbital changes happen faster with a large, close in moon).

Mercury and Venus both have extremely slow rotations. Mercury's rotation has been braked by strong solar tides due to its close orbit, which would have caused any large moons it had in the past to spiral in and be destroyed. Venus has a weird retrograde rotation that's slightly slower than its orbit, and IIRC it's still not fully understood what caused this, but depending on how and when it ended up in that state it's possible that it could have had a moon formed by an impact sometime in the past that it later lost.

We don't know how common large impact-formed moons are around Earthlike planets. However, some studies suggest that they could actually be pretty common: one study suggests around 2% to 25% of roughly earth-sized planets could have them. It's also unclear what the subset of planets that have complex life would look like: some scientists think the stabilizing effect of our moon on our axis tilt might be necessary for earthlike life to develop at all.

(note also that comparatively large moons seem to be pretty common for dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt and beyond, but the low orbital speeds and the weaker gravity of Pluto-sized and smaller objects would mean slower and less violent collisions which may be better at forming moons)

"Perfect" total eclipses, however, are likely to be... pretty rare? The rate at which tides make a moon recede varies extremely strongly with the distance. A moon a bit smaller than ours would still end up almost as far out after a few billion years and its angular diameter would likely be too small for a total eclipse unless the star's angular diameter is also significantly smaller (possible for a planet orbiting a hotter star, one orbiting farther out in the habitable zone, or a planet with an eccentric orbit where the star is smaller at apoastron. Also technically a circumbinary planet in the habitable zone since each star would be smaller, but if only one of the stars was eclipsed the other one would be too bright to see anything besides one of the suns briefly vanishing). Moons proportionally bigger than ours start getting into the range where they'd cause a mutual tidal lock with their planets and would end up appearing bigger, but I have no idea how common those are even out of the subset of planets with big moons.

However, "double planet" systems, as well as habitable moons of gas giants, are likely to have frequent total eclipses, and a moon or planet being too big wouldn't make the star's corona totally impossible to see. The corona is a lot bigger than the sun's disc, and even if a moon or planet was big enough to blot it out, you could still see at least half of the sun's corona at the start and end of totality. However, smaller features close to the star's photosphere, such as prominences, would be much harder to see during an eclipse if the moon was too big.

All I ask is that if humans make it very far into space, to the point where we work with alien civilizations that have never ever been anywhere near Earth, we all have to agree: don't tell them about the moon.

Hear me out. I'm not trying to be weird about this. Just... just okay listen. The moon of the Earth is huge, like gigantormoon size. Bigger than most moons. Okay? And I think- no, hush down. I think the expressions on their faces will be hilarious.

Like, for real- stop laughing at me, I'm serious. For real, imagine they show up on the day of a lunar eclipse. They're like "oh this'll be neat- WHAT THE FUUUUUCK! WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING TO YOUR SUUUUNNNNN!"

Greatest. Prank. Ever.

[snehagoogle]

slightly blurry

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

The ring is a wonder

Great way to get around

Which matches with Uranus

Whose complete journey in its axis

Which matches with Uranus

Whose complete journey in its axis

The ring is a wonder

Great way to get around

Which matches with Uranus

Whose complete journey in its axis

Which matches with Uranus

Whose complete journey in its axis

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

Uranus rotates once in 17 hours

The ring also rotates once in 17 hours

Taking the ring along with Uranus

Completes a full revolution in 84 Earth years

Taking the ring along with Uranus

Completes a full revolution in 84 Earth years

Uranus rotates once in 17 hours

The ring also rotates once in 17 hours

Taking the ring along with Uranus

Completes a full revolution in 84 Earth years

Taking the ring along with Uranus

Completes a full revolution in 84 Earth years

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

Although the ring of Uranus is like the ring of Saturn and it is not

But it is divided into two pages

Does Uranus complete one day in 84 Earth years with the ring?

No, 84 Earth years is the length of a Uranian year, not a Uranian day: 

Uranian year

A Uranian year is about 84 Earth years long, or 30,687 Earth days. This is the time it takes for Uranus to complete one orbit around the Sun. 

Uranian day

A Uranian day is about 17 hours long. This is the time it takes for Uranus to rotate once on its axis. 

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and is sometimes called an ice giant because of its chemical composition. It has a unique tilt of 97.77 degrees, which causes its extreme seasons

Orbit and Rotation

Uranus makes a complete orbit around the Sun (a year in Uranian time) in about 84 Earth years (30,687 Earth days). Uranus is the only planet whose equator is nearly at a right angle to its orbit, with a tilt of 97.77 degrees.

Uranus: Facts - NASA Science

NASA Science (.gov)

https://science.nasa.gov › uranus › facts

One day on Uranus takes about 17 hours. This is the amount of time it takes Uranus to rotate, or spin once around its axis. Uranus makes a complete orbit around the Sun (a year in Uranian time) in about 84 Earth years (30,687 Earth days).

Uranus is the only planet whose equator is nearly at a right angle to its orbit, with a tilt of 97.77 degrees. This may be the result of a collision with an Earth-sized object long ago. This unique tilt causes Uranus to have the most extreme seasons in the solar system. For nearly a quarter of each Uranian year, the Sun shines directly over each pole, plunging the other half of the planet into a 21-year-long, dark winter.

Uranus is also one of just two planets that rotate in the opposite direction than most of the planets. Venus is the other.

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

The ring is a wonder

Great way to get around

Which matches with Uranus

Whose complete journey in its axis

Which matches with Uranus

Whose complete journey in its axis

The ring is a wonder

Great way to get around

Which matches with Uranus

Whose complete journey in its axis

Which matches with Uranus

Whose complete journey in its axis

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

Uranus rotates once in 17 hours

The ring also rotates once in 17 hours

Taking the ring along with Uranus

Completes a full revolution in 84 Earth years

Taking the ring along with Uranus

Completes a full revolution in 84 Earth years

Uranus rotates once in 17 hours

The ring also rotates once in 17 hours

Taking the ring along with Uranus

Completes a full revolution in 84 Earth years

Taking the ring along with Uranus

Completes a full revolution in 84 Earth years

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

slightly blurry

Uranus has rings

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

smoke particles snow dust

A thin sheet-like ring

Translate Hindi

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

रिंग है बहुत ही चमत्कार

घूमने का तरीका अपार

खाए जो यूरेनस से ही मेल

जिसका एक्सिस में पूर्ण सफर

खाए जो यूरेनस से ही मेल

जिसका एक्सिस में पूर्ण सफर 

रिंग है बहुत ही चमत्कार

घूमने का तरीका अपार

खाए जो यूरेनस से ही मेल

जिसका एक्सिस में पूर्ण सफर

खाए जो यूरेनस से ही मेल

जिसका एक्सिस में पूर्ण सफर 

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

17 घंटे यूरेनस की घूम एकबार

रिंग की भी 17 घंटे में एक चक्कर

लेके साथ रिंग को यूरेनस

84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में करे पूर्ण चक्कर

लेके साथ रिंग को यूरेनस

84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में करे पूर्ण चक्कर

17 घंटे यूरेनस की घूम एकबार

रिंग की भी 17 घंटे में एक चक्कर

लेके साथ रिंग को यूरेनस

84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में करे पूर्ण चक्कर

लेके साथ रिंग को यूरेनस

84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में करे पूर्ण चक्कर

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

वैसे यूरेनस की रिंग शनि के रिंग की तरह है भी नहीं है भी

मगर दो पृष्ठ में विभक्त है

क्या यूरेनस रिंग को लेकर 84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में एक दिवस पूरा करता है

नहीं, 84 पृथ्वी वर्ष एक यूरेनियन वर्ष की लंबाई है, न कि एक यूरेनियन दिन:

यूरेनियन वर्ष

एक यूरेनियन वर्ष लगभग 84 पृथ्वी वर्ष लंबा होता है, या 30,687 पृथ्वी दिन। यह वह समय है जो यूरेनस को सूर्य के चारों ओर एक चक्कर पूरा करने में लगता है।

यूरेनियन दिन

एक यूरेनियन दिन लगभग 17 घंटे लंबा होता है। यह वह समय है जो यूरेनस को अपनी धुरी पर एक चक्कर पूरा करने में लगता है।

यूरेनस सूर्य से सातवाँ ग्रह है और इसे कभी-कभी इसकी रासायनिक संरचना के कारण बर्फ का विशालकाय ग्रह कहा जाता है। इसका एक अनूठा झुकाव 97.77 डिग्री है, जो इसके चरम मौसमों का कारण बनता है

कक्षा और घूर्णन

यूरेनस लगभग 84 पृथ्वी वर्ष (30,687 पृथ्वी दिन) में सूर्य के चारों ओर एक पूरी परिक्रमा (यूरेनियन समय में एक वर्ष) करता है। यूरेनस एकमात्र ऐसा ग्रह है जिसका भूमध्य रेखा इसकी कक्षा के लगभग समकोण पर है, जिसका झुकाव 97.77 डिग्री है।

यूरेनस: तथ्य - नासा विज्ञान

नासा विज्ञान (.gov)

https://science.nasa.gov › uranus › तथ्य

यूरेनस पर एक दिन में लगभग 17 घंटे लगते हैं। यह वह समय है जो यूरेनस को अपनी धुरी पर एक चक्कर लगाने या एक चक्कर लगाने में लगता है। यूरेनस सूर्य के चारों ओर एक पूरी परिक्रमा (यूरेनियन समय में एक वर्ष) लगभग 84 पृथ्वी वर्षों (30,687 पृथ्वी दिवस) में पूरी करता है।

यूरेनस एकमात्र ऐसा ग्रह है जिसका भूमध्य रेखा इसकी कक्षा के लगभग समकोण पर है, जिसका झुकाव 97.77 डिग्री है। यह बहुत पहले पृथ्वी के आकार की किसी वस्तु से हुई टक्कर का परिणाम हो सकता है। इस अनोखे झुकाव के कारण यूरेनस पर सौर मंडल में सबसे चरम मौसम होते हैं। प्रत्येक यूरेनियन वर्ष के लगभग एक चौथाई भाग के लिए, सूर्य प्रत्येक ध्रुव पर सीधे चमकता है, जिससे ग्रह का दूसरा आधा भाग 21 साल लंबी, अंधेरी सर्दियों में डूब जाता है।

यूरेनस उन दो ग्रहों में से एक है जो अधिकांश ग्रहों की तुलना में विपरीत दिशा में घूमते हैं। शुक्र दूसरा है।

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

रिंग है बहुत ही चमत्कार

घूमने का तरीका अपार

खाए जो यूरेनस से ही मेल

जिसका एक्सिस में पूर्ण सफर

खाए जो यूरेनस से ही मेल

जिसका एक्सिस में पूर्ण सफर 

रिंग है बहुत ही चमत्कार

घूमने का तरीका अपार

खाए जो यूरेनस से ही मेल

जिसका एक्सिस में पूर्ण सफर

खाए जो यूरेनस से ही मेल

जिसका एक्सिस में पूर्ण सफर 

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

17 घंटे यूरेनस की घूम एकबार

रिंग की भी 17 घंटे में एक चक्कर

लेके साथ रिंग को यूरेनस

84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में करे पूर्ण चक्कर

लेके साथ रिंग को यूरेनस

84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में करे पूर्ण चक्कर

17 घंटे यूरेनस की घूम एकबार

रिंग की भी 17 घंटे में एक चक्कर

लेके साथ रिंग को यूरेनस

84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में करे पूर्ण चक्कर

लेके साथ रिंग को यूरेनस

84 पृथ्वी वर्ष में करे पूर्ण चक्कर

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

हल्के से धुंधला सा

यूरेनस का रिंग है

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

धुएं पार्टिकल्स बर्फ की धूल

पतला सा चादर सी वलय

[lunarsilkscreen]

A Brief Re-Examination of our Solar orbit

We say that the Sun is the center of our Solar system, and all the planets orbit around it. Simultaneously, we assume that the solar system has an orbit around another *other* thing that we can't see.

However, at the solar system level, it's possible the Sun *also* has an anchor point and is not *stationary* to the rest of the galaxy. Basically, it has it's own *micro-orbit* around the anchor point, and that anchor point orbits another thing.

Now, from a different perspective; this happens because of the balance. In order to keep the system in tact, enough Mass needs to be on one side or the other.

In a two-body system; this is evident as it seems like they're orbiting around this anchor *because* of each other.

Which is likely true.

A handful of planets *could* *also* shift the balance in such a fashion.

Or each celestial body could simply be spinning like a Top (Bey Blade). Not exactly in place, but keeping steady around a certain position.

[astronomy-posts]

The well-known Saturn!

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest planet in our solar system. Like fellow gas giant Jupiter, Saturn is a massive ball made mostly of hydrogen and helium. Saturn is not the only planet to have rings, but none are as spectacular or as complex as Saturn's. Saturn also has dozens of moons.

From the jets of water that spray from Saturn's moon Enceladus to the methane lakes on smoggy Titan, the Saturn system is a rich source of scientific discovery and still holds many mysteries.

Name

The farthest planet from Earth discovered by the unaided human eye, Saturn has been known since ancient times. The planet is named for the Roman god of agriculture and wealth, who was also the father of Jupiter.

Potential for Life

Saturn's environment is not conducive to life as we know it. The temperatures, pressures, and materials that characterize this planet are most likely too extreme and volatile for organisms to adapt to.

While planet Saturn is an unlikely place for living things to take hold, the same is not true of some of its many moons. Satellites like Enceladus and Titan, home to internal oceans, could possibly support life and if you wanna know if there can be life on Titan check this post of mine:

With a radius of 36,183.7 miles (58,232 kilometers), Saturn is 9 times wider than Earth.

If Earth were the size of a nickel, Saturn would be about as big as a volleyball.

Orbit and Rotation

Saturn has the second-shortest day in the solar system. One day on Saturn takes only 10.7 hours (the time it takes for Saturn to rotate or spin around once).

Its axis is tilted by 26.73 degrees with respect to its orbit around the Sun, which is similar to Earth's 23.5-degree tilt. This means that, like Earth, Saturn experiences seasons.

Moons

Saturn is home to a vast array of intriguing and unique worlds. From the haze-shrouded surface of Titan to crater-riddled Phoebe, each of Saturn's moons tells another piece of the story surrounding the Saturn system. Currently, Saturn has 53 confirmed moons with 29 additional provisional moons awaiting confirmation.

‼️New findings have emerged about five tiny moons nestled in and near Saturn's rings. The closest-ever flybys by NASA's Cassini spacecraft reveal that the surfaces of these unusual moons are covered with material from the planet's rings — and from icy particles blasting out of Saturn's larger moon Enceladus. The work paints a picture of the competing processes shaping these mini-moons.‼️

Rings

Well, of course you what to know about Saturn's rings but I've already made a post about them here is the link:

Saturn's rings are made of billions of small chunks of ice and rock coated with other materials such as dust.

Formation

Saturn took shape when the rest of the solar system formed about 4.5 billion years ago when gravity pulled swirling gas and dust in to become this gas giant.

About 4 billion years ago, Saturn settled into its current position in the outer solar system, where it is the sixth planet from the Sun. Like Jupiter, Saturn is mostly made of hydrogen and helium, the same two main components that make up the Sun.

Saturn is blanketed with clouds that appear as faint stripes, jet streams, and storms. The planet is many different shades of yellow, brown, and gray.

Winds in the upper atmosphere reach 1,600 feet per second (500 meters per second) in the equatorial region. In contrast, the strongest hurricane-force winds on Earth top out at about 360 feet per second (110 meters per second). And the pressure – the same kind you feel when you dive deep underwater

Please access the links that I've made available to you in today's post to understand better! 😊

Thank you❤️

[nasa]

The Stellar Buddy System

Our Sun has an entourage of planets, moons, and smaller objects to keep it company as it traverses the galaxy. But it’s still lonely compared to many of the other stars out there, which often come in pairs. These cosmic couples, called binary stars, are very important in astronomy because they can easily reveal things that are much harder to learn from stars that are on their own. And some of them could even host habitable planets!

The birth of a stellar duo

New stars emerge from swirling clouds of gas and dust that are peppered throughout the galaxy. Scientists still aren’t sure about all the details, but turbulence deep within these clouds may give rise to knots that are denser than their surroundings. The knots have stronger gravity, so they can pull in more material and the cloud may begin to collapse.

The material at the center heats up. Known as a protostar, it is this hot core that will one day become a star. Sometimes these spinning clouds of collapsing gas and dust may break up into two, three, or even more blobs that eventually become stars. That would explain why the majority of the stars in the Milky Way are born with at least one sibling.

Seeing stars

We can’t always tell if we’re looking at binary stars using just our eyes. They’re often so close together in the sky that we see them as a single star. For example, Sirius, the brightest star we can see at night, is actually a binary system (see if you can spot both stars in the photo above). But no one knew that until the 1800s.

Precise observations showed that Sirius was swaying back and forth like it was at a middle school dance. In 1862, astronomer Alvan Graham Clark used a telescope to see that Sirius is actually two stars that orbit each other.

But even through our most powerful telescopes, some binary systems still masquerade as a single star. Fortunately there are a couple of tricks we can use to spot these pairs too.

Since binary stars orbit each other, there’s a chance that we’ll see some stars moving toward and away from us as they go around each other. We just need to have an edge-on view of their orbits. Astronomers can detect this movement because it changes the color of the star’s light – a phenomenon known as the Doppler effect.

Stars we can find this way are called spectroscopic binaries because we have to look at their spectra, which are basically charts or graphs that show the intensity of light being emitted over a range of energies. We can spot these star pairs because light travels in waves. When a star moves toward us, the waves of its light arrive closer together, which makes its light bluer. When a star moves away, the waves are lengthened, reddening its light.

Sometimes we can see binary stars when one of the stars moves in front of the other. Astronomers find these systems, called eclipsing binaries, by measuring the amount of light coming from stars over time. We receive less light than usual when the stars pass in front of each other, because the one in front will block some of the farther star’s light.

Sibling rivalry

Twin stars don’t always get along with each other – their relationship may be explosive! Type Ia supernovae happen in some binary systems in which a white dwarf – the small, hot core left over when a Sun-like star runs out of fuel and ejects its outer layers – is stealing material away from its companion star. This results in a runaway reaction that ultimately detonates the thieving star. The same type of explosion may also happen when two white dwarfs spiral toward each other and collide. Yikes!

Scientists know how to determine how bright these explosions should truly be at their peak, making Type Ia supernovae so-called standard candles. That means astronomers can determine how far away they are by seeing how bright they look from Earth. The farther they are, the dimmer they appear. Astronomers can also look at the wavelengths of light coming from the supernovae to find out how fast the dying stars are moving away from us.

Studying these supernovae led to the discovery that the expansion of the universe is speeding up. Our Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will scan the skies for these exploding stars when it launches in the mid-2020s to help us figure out what’s causing the expansion to accelerate – a mystery known as dark energy.

Spilling stellar secrets

Astronomers like finding binary systems because it’s a lot easier to learn more about stars that are in pairs than ones that are on their own. That’s because the stars affect each other in ways we can measure. For example, by paying attention to how the stars orbit each other, we can determine how massive they are. Since heavier stars burn hotter and use up their fuel more quickly than lighter ones, knowing a star’s mass reveals other interesting things too.

By studying how the light changes in eclipsing binaries when the stars cross in front of each other, we can learn even more! We can figure out their sizes, masses, how fast they’re each spinning, how hot they are, and even how far away they are. All of that helps us understand more about the universe.

Tatooine worlds

Thanks to observatories such as our Kepler Space Telescope, we know that worlds like Luke Skywalker’s home planet Tatooine in “Star Wars” exist in real life. And if a planet orbits at the right distance from the two stars, it could even be habitable (and stay that way for a long time).

In 2019, our Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) found a planet, known as TOI-1338 b, orbiting a pair of stars. These worlds are tricker to find than planets with only one host star, but TESS is expected to find several more!

Want to learn more about the relationships between stellar couples? Check out this Tumblr post: https://nasa.tumblr.com/post/190824389279/cosmic-couples-and-devastating-breakups

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

[wavy-gorl]

In My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, we learn that the ponies have to physically change the seasons and the weather. How would this system be impacted if we were to introduce factors such as petroleum, fossil fuels, and greenhouse gases into this system?

The series already shows a very prominent wealth-based class system. We are also introduced to ponies that have little regard for the environment and are willing to destroy it in order to gain wealth, specifically Flim and Flam.

These two are looked down on and their antics are thwarted. However, would other, smarter ponies with similar ideals and more money prove to be more successful? Would they be able to win over the Equestrian government with time?

Equestria is governed by a monarchy and the citizens have very little say in what happens, blissfully content with putting their trust in their rulers and assuming that they will always have their best interests in mind. What if this isn't always the case?

Twilight Sparkle is the first instance of the power being handed over. Other than the whole Nightmare Moon incident, the ponies have been able to trust their princesses for literally thousands of years to keep their best interests in mind because there hasn't been anyone else on the throne. We can assume that Twilight will continue to protect her citizens, but it's been stated that she will age and die normally unlike Celestia and Luna.

This means that instead of two consistent immortal rulers, the throne will have to continue to be passed on.

Will there always be a ruler who will put the citizens first? Or will there be rulers capable of being swayed by money?

If this happens, will the ponies have enough awareness to revolt? Or will they continue to blindly follow their leaders as they have done for thousands of years?

And drawing back to my initial point: how would this impact a world where the ponies are directly in control of the weather and the changing of the seasons? Would the ponies be forced to bring upon their own ecological collapse at the hands of climate change?

Would they be able to magically keep the environment stable while burning fossil fuels? Or would the change in climate and eventual downfall of pony society come naturally and inevitably?

Would there be separate consequences for trying to magically keep the climate stable while pumping greenhouse gases into the air?

And still, more issues arise. On Earth, we know that if we all die at the hands of climate change, the planet will still turn, the moon and sun will continue to set and rise, the rain will fall, etc even if we are not here.

What would happen if the ponies all die out?

Would the sun and moon still rise each day without the ponies around? Or would the entire planet collapse? Are other species capable of keeping the planet spinning, or would they die out alongside the ponies? Would Celestia and Luna live on and be able to stabilize the planet since they are basically immortal gods or some shit, or does their retirement suggest that they've accepted their mortality?

Much to think about!

(copied from my twitter)

[amadenchart]

Wasn’t there something going on with Timeless’ sun?

Yes!

‎‏‏‎ ‎The solar system of the world is a binary one, with one red giant, and one white dwarf.

In this setup, there is too much hydrogen flowing toward the white dwarf from the red giant for it to fall to the surface. Because white dwarf spins very rapidly, it causes the hydrogen fuel around it to spin at a rapid rate too, so the hydrogen needs time to slow down before it can fall to the surface... but the rate of hydrogen flowing from the red giant is too high for the white dwarf to absorb, so the hydrogen ends up accumulating into a ring around the white dwarf.

‎‎‎The ring around the white dwarf eventually accumulates more and more hydrogen, and there's a lot of heat and friction from the rapid rate of rotation and all that, and it begins to burn. It burns so brightly that it outshines the much bigger red giant.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎The rate of hydrogen flowing from the red giant to the white dwarf can vary (the two stars would be orbiting each other as well, and as all orbits of celestial bodies are elliptical, the two stars will move apart sometimes and closer sometimes... kind of like how Earth is sometimes closer to the sun and sometimes further away). This means sometimes the white dwarf will shine brighter and sometimes dimmer, and the brightness can vary day to day because the orbits of the suns around one another would be very short.

Now, the white dwarf would emit highly energetic X-ray/radio emissions resulted from the hydrogen accretion disk. They shouldn't really be visible to the human eyes but they are pretty, and for artistic reasons, they'll be portrayed in the sky of the world.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎This is what Varanar see in the sky:

‎‎‎The white dwarf would appear bigger just because it's burning so much brighter than the red giant. In some days it would be much brighter than in other days, and this influences the Varanar culture. The days when the white dwarf is burning brighter, Varanar would claim "the white sun is angrier today."

Of course, these two stars represent the twins too, metaphorically: the white dwarf is Indrys, small, angry, and bright thanks to the fuel given by the red giant. Vygo is the red giant, big but quiet, and just happy to make Indrys shine as bright as he can.

Fertililty is a repeating theme in Timeless, and there's also a fertility theme going on with the stars. The red giant is "impregnanting" the white dwarf, its "semen" being the hydrogen. Eventually the white dwarf will accumulate so much hydrogen and will burst into a supernova, and its dust may form new stars and planets.

‎‏‏‎‎‎‎Artistic depiction of a white dwarf-red giant system. The white dwarf absorbing hydrogen from the red giant, the accretion disk formed around the white dwarf, and the energy jets being expelled:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Artist%E2%80%99s_view_of_how_a_planetary_nebula%E2%80%99s_wobbling_jets_are_sculpted.ogv

A video about the R Aquarii binary system (described in a much more violent and evil way xD):

https://youtu.be/Op3Y2yHXHNU

Images of the R Aquarii binary system, with a white dwarf and a red giant.

[harrysweasleys]

a dream is a wish // f.w

Summary: for @pit-and-the-pen’s writing event! 

Reader can’t stand Fred Weasley, but what happens when a dream changes that?

Prompts: “do you have to be that painfully beautiful?” x “well, if you saw yourself how I saw you, could you blame me?”

Warnings: injury, maybe like one swear word?

Word Count: 6.3k

A/N: this came out much later than i intended but ah! here it is! enjoy :) 

——

It was safe to say you were not a fan of Fred Weasley.

Never have been, and most likely never will be. He was always loud, boisterous, arrogant, annoying, and most of all, found pleasure in disrupting the educational system any chance he could get. I mean, who does that, right?

Whether it be causing distractions with his equally-arrogant twin during class, or setting fireworks and other shenanigans loose in the hallways, you wanted to try and avoid both of them as much as possible. 

But, it was Fred that you disliked more. He was the louder one, the one who knew exactly how to get under your skin and piss you off in all the wrong ways. The one that despite how much your friends thought him hilarious and charming, you’d never be able to get on the same page with. What was charming about someone who chose to disrespect all rules and live a carefree lifestyle?

That was not for you.

You were glad, on this day, that you could escape the confining castle walls and the hustle and bustle of the school on the weekend and make off to Hogsmeade with your pals, the cool autumn air a refreshing awakening as soon as you stepped outside. The leaves were changing colours and collecting in piles on the ground, the skies were gloomy and cloudy, and somehow, the smell of cinnamon was always in the air in the small Wizarding village.

“Can we head into Honeydukes’s afterwards?” your fellow Gryffindor, Megan, turned to ask as you guys entered the Three Broomsticks, the tip of her nose looking pink and her cheeks pale. It was rather cold for November.

“Sure thing,” you nodded, smiling in comfort at the familiar cozy atmosphere of the dingy pub. Students all around were crowded around in bundles, drinking hot butterbeer. You couldn’t wait to have one yourself.

Megan led you to the table where Ginny was sitting, a large cup of hot cocoa in her hands as she waved you guys over.

“Been waiting forever,” she grinned, “You guys go order, I’ll save your seats.”

You turned around and headed back towards the bar with Megan, the two of you catching the bartender’s attention and ordering yourselves each a nice hot butterbeer. You hadn’t felt so cold outside, but now that you were in the warmth, you could feel your fingers begin to burn as they thawed.

After a few moments wait, you grabbed the butterbeer mug between your already warm fingers and began to walk back to the table. You had to scooch around other tables and chairs, but eventually, you spotted Ginny’s red hair once more in the same table by the window.

Unfortunately, though, you spotted two other heads of red hair as well. Fred and George were crouched over their younger sister, a large Zonko’s bag on the table as they showed off their latest purchases.

“Bloody fantastic,” you groaned, causing Megan to chuckle as the two of you arrived at the table.

“Well, afternoon, ladies,” Fred grinned, taking his eyes off of his products to look at the two of you, “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Is it, though?” you rolled your eyes, sitting down and placing your mug on the table, “This is a school outing. There are students everywhere.”

Fred let out a laugh, “Well, not everyone decides to participate in such festivities.”

You let out a loud sigh and frowned, looking down to your drink to distract yourself from rebutting his comment. George had run off to go see Lee and another group of Gryffindors, so at least that was one down. If only Fred could leave as well.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, you felt Megan kick your leg under the table and so you shot her a look, asking her what was up.

“Well, guess I’ve best be off,” Fred said before she could reply to your glare, “Have a lovely afternoon.” As he passed by you, he placed his hand atop your head, “Especially you.”

“Don’t touch me,” you pulled your head out from under his hand, furrowing your eyebrows and mustering up your best scowl. 

“Ah, intimidating,” Fred smirked, “I’m shaking in my bloody shoes.” Ginny and Megan stifled their laughter but you could hear them anyways. They were hardly being subtle. 

“Get out of here, Weasley,” you turned way from him and faced your butterbeer once again, trying not to let him get to you. You had to fight a blush at Ginny and Megan’s laughter as Fred walked away, his chuckle fading into the loudness of the pub.

“Anyways,” Ginny grinned, pulling her hand away from her mouth, “Let’s change the subject before Y/N explodes.”

You snapped your head up to face her, your cheeks becoming rather warm, “I’m not going to explode, thank you very much. I just can’t stand your prat brothers.”

Ginny tossed her hair behind her shoulder and leaned forwards on the table, resting against her elbows, “You do a terrific job of hiding it.”

“Sorry, Gin,” you gave her a sheepish grin, “Tell them to stop being assholes. But I can try and be civil.”

Ginny wiggled her eyebrows and her and Megan exchanged a look. You ignored it, knowing they were probably thinking of something that you didn’t even want to know about, and took a long sip of butterbeer, letting the soothing, warm liquid calm you.

After sharing a nice long chat, Ginny having downed two whole hot cocoas, the three of you walked over to Honeyduke’s. The sun was gone and a thick layer of clouds covered the sky.

You really hoped it wouldn’t rain. You were chilly enough as it is. The last thing you wanted was to also be soaking wet.

Ginny held the door open as you and Megan climbed in afterwards, the warmth from the store immediately making a difference.

Megan took off to check out the latest line of sweets, her head disappearing within the busy store. Students were everywhere — eating, chatting, filling up bags of candies for long classes.

You noticed you had also lost Ginny. Where she had gone off to, you had no idea. But you took advantage of the fact that she was gone and made your way to the nearest shelf. It was incredibly tall and stacked with loads of different types of —

“Chocolate, a good choice,” a smooth voice said from behind you, causing you to jump and spin around, ready to knock over whoever had stepped close enough to speak in your ear.

You frowned as you faced Fred’s grinning figure.

“Oh, it’s you,” you rolled your eyes and turned back around, “I’d like to shop in peace. Bye bye.”

To your dismay, Fred pretended not to hear you and came to stand by your side, “As a resident expert on anything sweet — like myself — I recommend these guys.”

Fred reached up and grabbed a chocolate frog, placing it in your hand. You stared down at it, eyebrow cocked. You heard these were quite nice, honestly, but that didn’t mean you wanted to accept one from Fred.

“Why should I trust your opinion?” you glanced back up at him, a blank look on your face. 

“Because,” he replied, grabbing another one for himself, “I know my stuff.”

You glared at him before walking away, the chocolate frog still in your hand. You couldn’t reach up to put it back and there was no way in hell you’d ask Fred for help. So, to keep your pride, you’d just buy it.

“I’m just taking this,” you finally arrived at the cash, placing the single chocolate frog down in front of the young cashier.

“And this one,” Fred was somehow still behind you, placing his own chocolate frog down next to yours, “On me.”

“Oh, charming,” you sassed, turning to face him with your arms crossed, “I can afford it myself, you know. I don’t need your help.”

Fred grinned at you as he removed his wallet from his back pocket, paying for the two chocolate frogs, “I know you don’t. I’m just being sweet.”

You ignored the wink he gave you, grabbing your chocolate frog off of the counter and placing it in your coat pocket. The cold outdoor air would prevent it from melting, so you figured it was safe there.

“Well, stop being sweet,” you smiled sarcastically, re-adjusting your scarf and beginning to walk away from him. You heard him call your name, but luckily for you, Ginny and Megan found you before he could. They both had a bag each — how they had managed to each buy their own stash of candies in the short amount of time you had found one chocolate frog, you’ll never know.

“Ready to go, ladies?” Megan asked, grabbing a lolly out of her bag and unwrapping it, sticking it into her mouth as she led the three of you back into the fresh November air.

You sighed as you stepped outside, shoving your hand into your pocket, feeling the chocolate frog box sitting there. You absentmindedly fiddled with it, not even noticing you were doing so.

This would make a lovely midnight snack.

——

You know that saying; when you have a romantic dream about someone, you can’t see them the same way anymore?

Well, you usually didn’t believe that. You thought people just got too attached to their subconscious and wanted to feel things that weren’t there.

You especially didn’t want to believe it when you woke up that morning, last night’s dream crystal clear in your head. It wouldn’t have been so bad if it were with anyone else — the idea of cuddling and kissing any other person on the planet would have been fine.

But no, no. Your dream decided to pair you up with the one person you didn’t want.

Fred goddamn Weasley.

It was probably only because you ate the chocolate frog he bought you. So, due to that, he was in your mind. That’s the only reasonable explanation. There was no other reason for such a dream to occur.

You hopped of bed, shaking your head every few minutes to rid yourself of the disgusting images from your head, and rushed down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast, Ginny and Megan still sound asleep in their four poster beds. They’d never find out you just dreamt of yourself in a relationship with Ginny’s older brother. They’d never let you live it down.

The Great Hall was silent as you walked in, the candles lit and the tables rather empty. You spotted a few familiar faces at the Gryffindor table, but chose you’d prefer to sit alone and stew in solemn silence.

Why had your mind decided to pair you up with Fred? Why?

As if the Devil himself was playing a game, Fred, George and Lee made their appearance in the Hall doorway with loud laughter. You groaned, letting your hair fall into your face as you poured yourself a cup of tea, wishing more than anything that they wouldn’t spot you.

“Mornin’, Y/N!” Lee sat across from you, a big smile on his face. You couldn’t muster the same expression, your lips curved downwards into a scowl. Of course they’d come sit with you. Everyone else at the Gryffindor table was either a first or second year. Clearly, the universe was testing you.

“Hi, Lee,” you gave a forced smile, taking a sip of your tea and keeping your eyes away from the twins that sat on either side of him.

Although you were fine with George sitting across from you, you couldn’t bring yourself to face Fred. Whether it was due to your dislike of him or the fact that you just had a dream where you had been in love with him, you couldn’t tell. But your heartbeat was starting to quicken — and you were not liking it.

“Awfully silent this morning,” Fred smirked, resting his elbows on the table.

You stood up abruptly, gulping down the last bit of tea in your mug, “Maybe I just don’t want to talk to you.”

“Oh — you wound me,” he placed a hand over his heart, “Are you bothered by me?”

“Well, if you saw yourself how I saw you, could you blame me?” you scoffed, placing your hands on your hips, “My morning was going fine until I saw you. Time for me to leave.”

George and Lee snickered as Fred’s smile faltered, his eyes glued to you as you scurried quickly out of the Great Hall, wishing more than anything that Fred didn’t get you as huffed and flustered as he did.

Damn him.

You couldn’t stand him. Him and his bright hair. Him and his freckled cheeks. Him and his warm eyes.

Yep, the dream didn’t change anything.

——

You were rather glad the sunshine continued to peak throughout the day — especially as you walked down to the Quidditch pitch. Playing in rain and snow was fun, sure, but there was nothing like playing on a clear, fresh day.

“Glad the weather is nice,” Ginny said from next to you as if she were reading your mind, “Should make finding the Snitch easier.”

You grinned, “Always glad when the sun’s out.”

She chuckled and opened the tent flap, letting you head in before her. The rest of the team hadn’t arrived yet which you were thankful for. It would give you time to get changed and mentally prepare before the rowdiness began. You loved most of the team to bits, but they could be quite loud. Especially the one person on the team that you didn’t like.

You seized your Quidditch robes and promptly changed into them, stepping out of the private room and immediately slouching your shoulders.

Your peace and quiet hadn’t lasted long. Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia, Harry and Ginny were huddled together, laughing loudly as they each began to prepare for the game.

“Oh, Y/N, we’re going over today’s plan!” Angelina waved you over, motioning for you to join. You did as the captain said, standing close to Ginny and as far from the grinning twins as you could.

“Now, this one here,” Angelina pointed to a badly drawn diagram on a crumpled piece of parchment, “Is called Bollocks, and it’s when—,”

“Sorry,” George snickered, lifting his hand to cut her off, “You named a play Bollocks?”

“Problem?” Angelina placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow, challenging him, “It was one of Wood’s old plays and might I add, it always worked brilliantly.”

You rolled your eyes at the immature reaction from the twins, wishing they’d pipe down so you could actually focus.

Fred was next to speak, “Course it was Ollie. Lad always had such wonderful names for everything.”

“Excuse me,” you found yourself speaking up, not even sure where your voice came from, “Can you stop being immature for three seconds so we can listen to Angie and maybe win this game?”

Narrowing his eyes at you, Fred scoffed, “And what exactly is it that’s set you off today? Always something, isn’t there?”

You blinked rapidly, “What?”

“You’ve always got something to say,” he continued, “Bit annoying, really.”

The tent was silent, the team stepping back slightly as if trying to avoid being caught in the crossfire. You felt your blood being to boil. Fred had never actually snapped back at you before — and for some reason, you genuinely disliked it.

“I—” your voice trailed off as you realized you didn’t even know what to say. You almost felt bad. Which was rare. You never really felt bad for telling Fred off. He usually always deserved it. Why did you feel that way this time?

“Anyways,” Angelina took her place once more, trying to cut a knife through the palpable awkwardness that was now floating around the tent. 

You were still looking at Fred, who was now facing away, his jaw clenched and his cheeks flushed. Never had you seen him this put off.

Angelina continued to explain the game plan, but you were too consumed with unwanted guilt to pay attention to every word. Why had this argument left you with such a bitter feeling? You weren’t normally left feeling sour after any sort of encounter with Fred. Was it because he actually looked upset? Was it because you felt bad? Did it have anything to do with your stupid dream?

No, no. Can’t be the dream. It was just a dream.

She finished up her speech and you took your place behind Alicia, grabbing your broom and ready to make an entrance onto the pitch. But, after your standoff with Fred, all excitement that you previously had was gone. If anything, you would much rather run back to the castle and hide away in your dorm room right about now.

“You alright?” Ginny leaned over, “He’s not actually mad, y’know? Just loses his temper sometimes.”

“I feel bad,” you whispered back, your grip on the broom tightening, “I’ll apologize later.”

Ginny smiled at you, not able to say much more as the lot of you walked out onto the field and came face to face with your opponent. The loud cheers from the crowd helped lift your spirits slightly, but you couldn’t help sneaking another peak at Fred. He was laughing at something Angelina had said, all traces of his previous anger gone.

Maybe Ginny was right, perhaps he wasn’t angry. You felt you needed to apologize anyways, but hopefully it would be forgotten and things could just go back to normal. Whatever normal was.

The whistle blew to signal the beginning of the match, causing you to kick off the ground and take off, ready to bring to life your game plan with your fellow Chasers. You pushed past your bad feelings and focused solely on the match ahead, causing Gryffindor to take an early lead.

Ten minutes in and you were up thirty to zero, two of those goals scored by yours truly. You celebrated both with the rest of the team team, noticing, however, how Fred didn’t come to join both times. He seemed rather thrilled when Alicia scored, though.

Why was this bothering you?

You shook your head and continued the game. Another ten minutes in and Angelina put another one in, leaving you guys up forty to nothing.

You were ready to execute another play — Bollocks, specifically — when you heard your name being shouted.

“Look out!” Ginny’s eyes were wide as she called out to you.

You gave her a puzzled look, ready to turn around and see what she was pointing at, but you didn’t have the chance to do so.

The Bludger knocked into your arm, causing you to completely lose balance and topple off of your broom. Unbearable pain spread throughout your body, the point of contact on your arm throbbing violently as the world around you spun out of focus. The entire audience gasped as you began to plummet towards the ground.

Sixty feet? Seventy, maybe?

You could hear people shouting your name but you couldn’t open your eyes, bracing yourself for impact. Your head felt heavy, your heart skipping beats.

You tried to squint your eyes open, but all you could see was the blue of the sky and something orange and red flash by.

That was the last thing you saw before your vision went dark.

——

The Hospital Wing at night was usually deserted. The moonlight would shine through the windows onto the empty beds and Madam Pomfrey would retire to her room early. But not tonight.

Tonight, they were all gathered around you.

“Are you sure you feel okay?” Megan asked, seated by your side and holding your hand tightly in hers, “It was really scary to see you fall.”

“I’m fine, Meg,” you replied with a low chuckle, your voice coarse from having been asleep — or passed out — for a few hours, “I don’t even remember hitting the ground.”

“That’s because you didn’t hit the ground,” Ginny sat down on the other side of the bed, arms crossed and a light smirk on her lips, “You got saved before you made impact.” She looked tired, but you were incredibly glad she was here.

“She’s right,” Megan piped up, now wearing the same smirk, “Madam Pomfrey say you passed out due to the Bludger impact and the speed in which you feel. Hitting the ground had nothing to do with it because you didn’t hit the ground.”

You looked between the two, your eyebrows furrowed and your mind not fully wrapping around their words. You had to have hit the ground, right?

“How did I not hit the ground?” you coughed slightly as you spoke, reaching over to the small table next to you and grabbing your glass of water, taking a small sip to hopefully soothe your throat.

“Fred caught you,” Ginny replied tentatively.

You spat the water back out, spraying the bedspread and probably Megan and Ginny’s faces as well, “I’m sorry — what?”

Megan answered, wiping at her eye, “Yep. He caught you right as you passed out.”

You stated at them, your eyes feeling as if they were as wide as saucers. There was no way Fred saved you, was there? Was he the flash of red and orange you had seen?

“Why’d he do that?” you asked with interest, placing your glass of water back down to avoid spraying anyone else with your shocked spitting.

Ginny was about to speak, but the doors to the Hospital Wing opened and she muttered a sly, “Ask him yourself.”

You looked over, and sure enough, Fred was walking in. Accompanied by the rest of the team, yes, but your eyes went to him and only him. Clearly, he could sense your stare, as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck once arriving at the foot of your bed.

“You caught me?” you asked, ignoring whatever it was that Angelina had just asked you.

Fred’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink and he shrugged, “Yeah. But it’s not a big deal.”

Angelina pursed her lips from next to you, rolling back and forth on the balls of her feet. The group all shared a look and decided to leave the two of you be, slowly slipping out of the Hospital Wing.

You noticed, yes, but were too busy saying, “Thank you.”

Fred cupped his ear and leaned forwards, a hint of a smirk on his lips as all traces of awkwardness seemed to dissipate, “Sorry, did you just thank me? Blimey, must be the end of times.”

You shot him a look, rolling your eyes and dropping your head back down onto the pillow, “Just accept my thanking and be on your way.”

“I actually brought you something,” he lifted his finger, reaching into the tiny pocket on his chest, pulling out a boxed chocolate frog, “Here. For you.”

You narrowed your eyes at him, crossing your arms, “I don’t trust it. It’s coming from you.”

“I promise, I didn’t do anything to it. And the other one I gave you was fine, wasn’t it?” he smiled, walking over to the side of the bed to sit on the chair, still holding out the small box. His smile was genuine — but he still had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Fine,” you snatched it from him, “I’ll trust you just this once. Because I’m hungry..”

“I got it from Honeydukes yesterday,” he said, leaning back in the chair and lifting his legs, resting his feet atop your bed. You glared at them as you popped the chocolate into your mouth, letting the sweetness soothe you.

“See?” he smirked, raising an eyebrow, “You can trust me.”

You looked over at him, taking in his relaxed, causal state and the bright look in his eyes. You had always seen him looking as if he were hiding a dragon in his trousers — you couldn’t remember a time you’d seen him so casual.

His red striped shirt brought out the warm colours on his face. He looked effortlessly charming. It was annoying, really.

“I guess I can,” you smiled back, no hint of hostility in your voice, “Thank you.”

He took his feet off of your bed and pretended to bow, “You are infinitely welcome.” You chuckled, shaking your head and turning away from him, continuing to suck on the candy. It was changing flavours the longer it was in your mouth; it was beginning to taste like lemon.

“I can bring you some more tomorrow,” he grinned, standing up and shoving his hands into his pockets, “I need to meet up with George. Do you have a candy preference?”

You blinked up at him, “You’re coming back tomorrow?”

He shrugged before nodding, “Might as well. Gotta come see my favorite grouch.”

“Oh, shove off,” you scoffed, dropping your head. For some reason, him saying he was coming to see you tomorrow sent your heart into a jolt. You tried your best to brush it off, but as you glanced back up at him, the same thing happened. You suddenly felt awfully giddy.

“What kind of candy do you like?” he asked again, giving you a more serious look, “It’s the least I could do for not knocking the Bludger fast enough.”

You placed a finger to your chin and tapped, pondering over his question, “I like chocolate. But you already know that.”

He nodded curtly, taking a dramatic bow, “Chocolate it is.” You couldn’t hold back a laugh, covering your mouth and tossing your head back. Fred chuckled too, beginning to make his way towards the door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” he gave you a little wave, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, you git,” you replied with a grin, laughing slightly as you watched his lips curve upwards before he stepped outside of the Hospital Wing, closing the door quietly behind him.

Your smile fell as he left, bringing up the blanket to wrap around you, suddenly very aware of how alone you were in the room. Apart from Madam Pomfrey — who was reading a rather large book on the other side of the room. The silence was unnerving and you decided to just sleep it off.

You shut your eyes and let yourself fall into a deep, deep sleep.

——

“You’re joking!” you said through a mouthful of chocolate, your eyes wide.

“Nope,” Fred grinned, “Not joking.”

“How could you do that? You traumatized poor Ron for life,” you said, finally swallowing the chocolate in your mouth so you could breathe through your laughter. 

Fred shrugged, “He deserved it.”

You shot him a look, “He was six. I hardly believe he deserved it.” Popping another bit of chocolate frog into your mouth, you raised your eyebrows as if challenging him.

He let out a low chuckle before taking a bite of his own chocolate frog. True to his word, Fred had shown up that evening with a bag of Honeyduke’s sweets, splitting them into piles between the two of you. Madam Pomfrey was not exactly overjoyed by his appearance — considering his appearance came with noise and food — but she told him he was allowed in for two hours.

You were being discharged tomorrow, anyways. There was no use moping and sulking about with only one day left here. Classes would resume and things would go back to normal.

“You have chocolate on your nose,” he pointed to his own nose as he spoke. You flushed, quickly raising your hand to try and wipe it off.

“You missed,” he smirked, sitting up and leaning forwards, reaching his hand out to touch your nose. As he made contact, you cheeks became incredibly warm. You tried your best to brush it off, but as you looked up into his warm eyes, you couldn’t help it. He was gazing down at you, fingers trailing from your nose down to your jaw before he retracted his hand.

You let out a small cough, purposefully ruining the moment, “What are you looking at?”

“Sorry,” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, “It’s just — do you have to be so painfully beautiful?”

Although you were neither eating, nor drinking, you felt yourself choking on air. You averted your eyes away from him, looking at the ground for a good moment as your head wrapped around what he just said.

“Right,” you scoffed, cheeks burning, “I think you’re the one who hit your head.”

He let out an awkward chuckle as he leaned back in his chair, “Deny the compliment all you want. Doesn’t make it any less true, y’know.”

Why was Fred making you feel like this? Obnoxious, loud, arrogant, cocky Fred Weasley. Cute, charming, funny — no.

You couldn’t think of him that way. You had practically sworn to yourself that you’d never end up liking him. You couldn’t just change your morals now. Who does that?

“Thanks,” you muttered, fidgeting with your fingers under the blanket. You didn’t know what to say, you could barely muster the word ‘thanks’ in the first place.

It was odd. Just yesterday, you had snapped at him for being childish. For making a joke. But now, only a day later, you were here. Fighting back a grin and a blush at his compliment as he smirked over, clearly pleased by your reaction as he bit into another sweet.

Considering Fred hadn’t seemed to be your biggest fan either, you wondered why he suddenly felt open enough, confident enough, to compliment you so casually. What had changed? Why were the two of you so relaxed around each other?

Too swarmed with your own confusing thoughts, you hadn’t even noticed the two hours fly by. Fred left not long after, a smile on his face as he left his pile of candies behind for you.

Candies. That’s what was to blame. The sugar. That’s why your heart was violently beating against your ribcage, why your mind was fuzzy, why you had the urge to ask Fred to stay.

The candies were to blame. That’s the only reasonable explanation.

It had to be the candies.

——

The next few days went by in a blur. You were feeling back to normal, which you were awfully thankful for. Madam Pomfrey had fixed you up in a jiffy and sent you on you way after two days in the Wing being monitored closely under her watchful eye. She wasn’t impressed with how many chocolate frogs you had managed to eat, but she was glad you were healed and ready to take on the world again.

Ginny and Megan were glad to have you back — girls night just wasn’t the same without you, they said. And you were glad to see them again too. Although it was only two nights away, you had missed their company.

However, as glad as you were to no longer be confined to your tiny single bed, you felt as if you were missing something. You knew deep down you were missing Fred’s presence —even though you tried to deny it to yourself. He had been nice company while you were being healed and you kind of wished you could get some more alone time with him.

You had seen him around, sure. He was always there during meals and you’d come across him in the common room. Each time he’d send a smile your way and if you were lucky, he’d strike up a quick conversation after asking how you were feeling.

As much as you hated to admit it, you found yourself looking for him when he wasn’t around. You found yourself looking over anytime someone entered the room, hoping it would be him. You’d scan the hallways looking for his bright red hair —

“Looking for me?” a voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

Rather ironic, you thought as you looked up into Fred’s eyes, his head peeking over yours as you sat down for dinner.

“You wish,” you scoffed, fighting a blush that would give away the fact that yes, indeed, you were thinking of him. He didn’t need to know that, though. Would only boost his huge ego and no one wanted that.

“I always wish that,” he smirked as he sat down to your right. Oh, how you wished Fred was a lot less charming than he was. Damn him.

You reached across and grabbed some food, piling it onto your plate without another word. You could feel Fred’s eyes staring at you, your whole body felt like it was burning under his eyes.

“Stop staring,” you turned to face him with your eyebrow raised.

“Sorry,” he raised his hands, “Hard not to.”

You wanted to retaliate, but your voice was lost under Lee and Ginny giggling across from you. When had they even come in? Were they here the whole time? And why wasn’t George with Fred?

“Young love,” Lee clasped his hands and sighed, looking over to Ginny, “When will these two realize their feelings, Ginerva?”

Ginny batted her eyelashes in an equally dramatic manner, “Oh, I don’t know, Lee. Maybe they just need a push.”

Both you and Fred were glaring daggers at them. You hoped the stare you were giving Ginny would cause her to drop the subject, but clearly, it only egged her on. She sent you a wink, laughing as un-subtly as possible.

“Oi, no one asked for the two of you to pipe in,” Fred shot a look at Lee, also hoping to silencing his friend, his cheeks tinted with pink.

You looked away from Ginny, picking at your plate, embarrassed by the obvious attempt to get you and Fred to talk. Would you two even be compatible? 

Would the two of you be a good couple?

“I think we would,” Fred grinned, nudging you in the side.

You turned to face him, eyebrows furrowed, “We would what?”

“You asked if we would be a good couple,” his grin was taunting, his eyes brighter than you’d ever seen them.

“Did I — Melin, did I ask that aloud?” you asked, horrified and humiliated. There was no fighting the blush on your cheeks now. Oh, how you wished you could climb into a hole and completely disappear. 

“You did,” Fred scooted closer to you, “And might I add, it was rather cute. We would make an excellent couple, Y/N. You already love telling me off.”

You didn’t know how to reply to that, completely and utterly shocked that your mouth had the audacity to voice your thoughts without your permission. Why? Why did this have to happen to you?

Fred, noticing that you weren’t going to speak, decided to take initiative, “Well, since that’s all in the open, would you like to accompany me to Hogsmeade next weekend? As a date.”

You looked up to him, the blush now gone as your face lost colour, completely caught off guard. Fred was blunt, yes, but you didn’t think he’d actually ask you out. You figured this weird thing going on between you two was just due both of you feeling guilty? Was this even real?

Did you ever think you’d want to go on a date with Fred Weasley? Bloody hell, no. But now, did you want to go on a date with him? Of course you did. 

“I’d love to,” you replied quietly, not even sure you had said the words.

Fred’s beaming smile alerted you that he had heard you. He wrapped his arm around your shoulder and brought you close to him, but you were too starstruck by the idea of going on a date with him to retaliate.

He was warm, comforting, and you really did enjoy it.

“Go team,” Ginny grinned, fist-bumping an equally pleased looking Lee.

Fred leaned over with a wide smile and whispered in your ear, “Remember when you hated me?”

You scoffed, pulling away as a smile played at your lips, “Shove off, you git.”

—

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You Will Never Be Alone Again | Din Djarin x Fem!Reader

(Epilogue of The Aftermath of Losing Everything)

moodboard/sketch/gifs made by me, please don’t repost :)

Summary: Each morning, he’s there, holding you with his smiling lips pressed against your neck and his heart beating against your chest.  (Set after S2) Rating: M   Word Count: 3018 Warnings/Tags: Soft!Din, FLUFF, no use of ‘Y/N’, suggestive content

[PART I] // [PART II] // [PART III] // [Read on AO3] // [Series Masterlist]

xi. 

It’s strange not waking up by yourself, strange to feel blanketed in a kind of warmth and comfort, not even the early morning suns could radiate.

Sometimes, you think this must be some wild fantasy, a sweet sublime dream that could evaporate into smoke if you dare open your eyes.

But each morning, he’s there, holding you with his smiling lips pressed against your neck and his heart beating against your chest. It’s no secret you love him, it’s written all across your face even with a peripheral glance. Falling for him happened fast and a long, long time ago. Yet in these quiet moments when you’re in the place between wakefulness and sleep, you think you’re still cascading over the crest — falling for the tiniest pieces of him that others would need a magnifying glass to see.

Like those delicate wrinkles that frame the corners of his brown eyes when he looks at you, the way they deepen as he smiles. It’s hard to describe how beautiful those lines are… what they mean. Wrinkles don’t develop overnight. No, he’s smiled enough times for those creases to permanently etch themselves into his skin. It makes your heart soar knowing that, despite all he’s been through, he’d allowed himself those sparse moments of happiness. You’ve hopelessly fallen in love with the lines beside his eyes, evidence that a bright side can exist even in the darkest of hours. 

And still, perhaps something you love even more is the way he kisses you until you forget every night you’d ever lay awake feeling alone in the universe.

It’s all so strange in the best, most beautiful way.

Din has given you so much and you only hope he can see your heart, the words carved on it — poems about him, his eyes, the charming lines that tug at the corners. You hope he can see how you’ve kept every word he’s every whispered against your skin, how you’ve inscribed them onto your beating soul: secrets and promises only the two of you will ever get to know, your own name scribbled by his lips a thousand times. You’ll treasure the invisible markings forever. Your heart’s covered in him and you just hope he can see.

With Din, life seems more meaningful, peaceful, beautiful… full. And though frightening shadows still lurk, you know you don’t have to face them alone.

Of course, there are times you worry, moments when he still seems trapped in his head, sinking into deep waters with that silver ball clutched in his hand. But he has you now, his liferaft, one with patched up holes and dents that will always come to pull him back up to the surface.

On those nights when he gets lost in the treacherous tsunami of his mind, you try to give back to him everything he’s so generously offered you. And even as you draw rasped sighs and choked cries and broken moans from his lips, your fingers painting patterns across his body… you know what heals him most are the moments after: the way your breath slows down to match his, how your lips press so gently over his eyelids until they close and project dreams of you as he sleeps.

Meant for me, he’d once said. Or maybe, meant for you.

—

xii.

In the sacred moments you and Din have to yourselves — no quarry to chase, no demons to face — you find yourselves on beautiful secluded planets like this one, surrounded by towering trees and lush rolling hills and long blades of grass and calm creek cadences. Somehow, each new system is more stunning than the last, and every time he opens the ramp to his ship, he intently watches your wonderstruck reaction as your eyes take in a fantastical new planet and gorgeous environment.

Visiting new planets off-duty comes with its own routine. He walks with you as you explore with wide eyes, sits beside you when you find a colorful plant to draw, lifts his helmet ever so slightly when the desire to kiss you — your cheek, your temple, your shoulder — becomes too overwhelming. And when night falls, you both retire to his ship, where he can freely remove every piece of armor and kiss every inch of your skin until it’s all you can dream of.

Since the confrontation at the Imperial base, Din’s also taken it upon himself to train you. Not in the ways of the Jedi, of course. That, you’re learning to study on your own. Din trains you like a Mandalorian — a zealous approach to weapons and warriorship. He’s a patient and compassionate teacher, and it only ties your heart to his in a tighter knot. With his gentle guidance, handling a blaster is hardly an obstacle and it only takes a month or two before you become well-acquainted with the darksaber he’d hidden in his storage cabinet for so long.

When he’d finally told you the story of the ancient weapon of legend, gravity had seemed to press harder against his back, making his shoulders slope and his head hang even lower. Because, on the day he’d parted with his son, he’d not only removed the mask of his Creed, he’d also acquired the crown of a cursed planet. And he still doesn’t know which one weighs heavier atop his head.

After that, you’d dedicated yourself to training with renewed vigor — wanting to be prepared if ever the target on his back brought upon old Imperial enemies or new ones who sought to usurp him from the throne he never wanted.

Today, much like the other times you’d trained with him, it’s mostly just chopping at trees and bushes. You can’t deny how much stronger you feel just holding the Mandalorian weapon and knowing you can defend yourself even without the Force.

There’s a part of you, however, that feels like Din’s holding back. Whenever you’d asked when you’d be ready to spar with him, eager to test your newfound skills against something that can actually fight back, he’d simply readjusted your stance with gentle hands and asked you to show him the different sword strokes he’d taught you.

“Very good,” Din praises as you step forward and swing the darksaber through the air, slicing clean through a thin branch.

“Well, that tree had it coming,” you scoff, crossing your arms with over-exaggerated toughness. “I’ve had enough of your bark, tree. It’s about time you leaf.”

“Puns. You’re upset,” he says, not a question.

“I’m not upset,” you lie, trying to put on your best sabacc face. But his helmet tilts in a way that’s far too knowing for a darkened, T-shaped visor, and you sigh in defeat under his scrutinizing stare. “Fine. I just… I just think I’m ready to up the ante here. And I feel like you’re holding back.”

He stares at you for a moment, studiously looking you up and down.

“Your posture is too slouched,” he explains, changing the subject again. “Go back to ready position.”

“Don’t do that,” you heave out another exasperated sigh.

“Ner kar’ta...”

“No, don’t ‘ner kar’ta’ me. Just because you’ve got this shiny sword,” you argue, the glowing saber humming in your hand as you brandish it back and forth, “and you’re technically a king or whatever—”

“Mand’alor,” he interrupts. “And I’m not.”

“—doesn’t mean everything you say is law. I want you to fight me. I’m ready,” your voice softens, stepping closer to him as your pleading hands wrap around the back of his neck. “I want to really learn from you.”

“We’re not doing this,” he answers, despite willingly staying trapped in the cage of your arms.

But you don’t back down. Instead, you lean forward, lips barely a hair's breadth from his helmet before you boldly kiss the spot where his mouth would be, lingering and watching how the tinted panel fogs up. The print of your mouth marks the dark visor and it makes you grin. 

“Fight me, Mando,” you whisper, all sultry bravado laced with a tease that prickles the skin beneath Din’s armor.

“Ready position,” he rasps like he’s annoyed at himself. 

A metallic, musical sound rings in the empty forest as he unsheathes the beskar spear behind his back. And like a giddy child, you bounce on your feet and step backward, swinging the darksaber in your hands before taking your stance. 

Din stands sturdy just a few feet away, spear gripped tightly in his gloves. He slowly lowers himself, knees bent just slightly, an air of strength and confidence surrounding him. Then, hardly perceptible, he nods.

You dig your heels into the soil, your boots squashing the grass below your feet. With your legs spread wide, you draw the darksaber up to the side of your head, the blinding glow casting a white halo on your cheek. Narrowing your eyes and taking a deep breath, you charge forward at lightning speed, zeroing in on the shiny armor in front of you.

At the last second, Din dodges your attack, stepping to the side and watching as you rush past him. You somehow manage not to trip over your own feet and hastily twirl around to face him again. But Din’s already got the point of his spear aimed at the side of your throat.

“You’re relying too much on your speed,” he explains, spear hovering just below your ear. “Size up your opponent first. Figuring out their weakness is more valuable than using up all your strength. Go again.”

You huff at him but get back into ready position, breathing deep in through your nose and out through your mouth. This time, you take a moment to assess him for weak spots. There aren’t many of course, not visible at least. But you decide the side of his stomach is your best bet.

The moment he nods his head, you take a leap forward and twist your wrist, swinging the blade toward his waist. His spear spins swiftly to block the strike, your weapons meeting in a clash of sparks and high-pitched whistles. You summon all your strength to push the saber against his spear, watching as the silver metal turns orange under the intense laser’s heat. And just when you feel like you’re gaining the high ground as Din’s body bends under your advance, he sweeps his boot beneath you and you fall backward, losing grip of the darksaber.

“That was better,” he says with approval, scanning your body as you lay on the ground and groan loudly. “You okay?” He gently wonders, coming closer and extending a gloved hand toward you.

With shaking fingers, you reach for him. And the moment you feel his grip tighten around your hand, an idea sparks. Without another thought, you yank him forward onto the ground beside you. He lets out a surprised grunt when he hits the dirt and you take full advantage of his shock, straddling his hips and trapping his arms beneath your legs. You extend your hand out to the side and, within seconds, the darksaber comes flying back into your fist. With a bright flash, you ignite the laser blade near his throat.

“That’s cheating,” he says, but you can hear the proud smile in his voice.

“I simply assessed my opponent’s weakness,” you grin, retracting the saber into its hilt and leaning down until you’re nose-to-nose with his helmet. “Just so happens, his weakness is me.”

“Good girl,” he says, and you can’t fight the way his praise sends a fluttering warmth to your belly.

You kiss his helmet again with an exaggerated smacking sound before getting off of him and saying, “Let’s go again.”

Din spars with you for nearly two hours, offering gentle advice each time he bests you (which is most of the time) and showering you with praises whenever you find a way to get the upper hand. It fills you with unmatchable strength and confidence.

“That’s enough for today, verd’ika,” he says, slightly breathless as he brushes dirt off your clothes. “It’s getting dark. Let’s head inside.”

You smile at him, filled with an intense urge to kiss him. So, you reach for his helmet, slowly, just in case. His head turns left and right, checking if the coast is clear, before nodding. You lift the beskar slightly, just enough to reveal his mouth and his neatly-trimmed mustache, and press a gentle kiss to his lips.

“Thank you, Din,” you whisper as you set his helmet back in its place. You can almost see the bemused look on his face as he stares at you.

And as you walk back to the ship, a re-energized bounce in your step, you decide to tease him one last time, turn around, and smirk. “Meet you in the fresher.”

— 

xiii.

Din’s hair hangs in waves over his forehead as he gazes down at you, leaning on his left forearm to stay suspended over your body. 

He smells delicious, like his herb-scented soap and the delicious meal he’d cooked for you tonight. His skin is glazed in a radiant sheen and his eyes somehow glow in the dim lighting of your shared quarters.

You’ve learned to appreciate rare nights like this, when there are no jobs to keep him away from you for days at a time. When your eyes get to unabashedly roam over the golden expanse of his skin, without heavy armor or layers of cloth in your way. When you get to listen to his voice for hours on end as his hand traces lines and circles into your skin.

“What are you thinking about?” You ask him, noticing how his entranced stare focuses on your lips when you speak.

He strokes a calloused finger over your cheekbone, then under the curve of your lips, until his thumb finds a resting place over your chin and gently swipes back and forth.

“You,” he answers honestly, leaning down to kiss you, tasting your smile on his tongue. He lingers there for a long moment, hanging from your lips like a man on the edge of falling though he’s already fallen countless times before.

“That’s all?” You whisper, feeling his hot breath brush against your mouth.

He rests his forehead against yours, his nose rubbing along the side of your own.

“And how much the kid would have loved this planet,” he continues wistfully. “Running through the grass and catching frogs or whatever he could eat.” 

Your soft laugh is bittersweet as he reminisces over his son, the corners of his eyes wrinkling mere centimeters from your face.

“Thinking about how he would have liked watching us train together. He’d probably cheer for you to win,” Din chuckles when you scrunch your nose and shake your head doubtfully. Then, his face softens and his eyes glisten. “Grogu would have loved you.”

An errant tear falls from Din’s lashes and drops onto your cheek, and there's little you can do to keep your own from getting mixed in — a tiny melancholy river forming atop your skin. Your hands cup either side of his face, and you lean forward to kiss the spot where the tear had left a small trail right below his eye.

“In some ways, it’s like I know him now,” you murmur against Din’s cheekbone. “Because I know you. I can feel it — the pieces of you that will be part of him forever. I would love him too. I already do.”

He whispers your name again and again, and each time, it’s like he’s making a wish on a star. 

“Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum,” you whisper, kissing his lips sweetly.

When you draw backward against your pillow, he latches onto your mouth once more and kisses you until you’re breathless.

“There aren’t words, ner kar’ta, ” he says quietly, fingers brushing gently over your hair. “Nothing can explain what you mean to me.”

When Din makes love, you can feel nothing else but him — his body, his soul, his heart. Every touch and movement is energized by a deep intention to let you know what he sometimes struggles expressing in words. But you’ve become fluent in him, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt how each kiss translates to: I love you.

Each thrust of his hips means: I want you.

Each ragged moan reveals: I need you.

Each soft caress says: I’d do anything for you.

And each time his forehead meets yours, he declares: I have found my family.

As you both try to catch your breath, he flops back down onto the bed beside you. He hums happily when he feels you hold tight to him, squeezing his middle with your arms and placing a kiss over his heart.

“Good night, Din,” you mumble, yawning as you nuzzle your face against his chest and bury yourself deep beneath the covers.

“Sweet dreams,” he says, pressing his lips into your hair.

You tilt your chin up just slightly, wanting the last image you see before you drift off to be his beautiful face. But his stare is far away, lost in thought once again. You follow his line of sight, beginning at his shining eyes and landing on the collection of drawings hung beside his door. And the pictures that reflect in his glossy irises are the finished portrait of him beside the sketch of you and Grogu displayed proudly in the center.

Someday, you swear to yourself, those images will be more than just pencil scratches on parchment. Someday, your small chosen family will be whole.

When you close your eyes — your head resting over the warm skin of his chest, his heart marching steadily under your cheek — you dream of the day Din and his son finally reunite, with you standing by his side. And even if that’s still a far-off fantasy, you can rest easily knowing two things for sure:

Tomorrow, you’ll wake up wrapped in Din’s arms. And, for as long as you live, neither of you will ever be alone again.

End Note: Thank you to anyone who's read this story. It's been a labor of love for me and I'm especially grateful to readers who left encouraging feedback. As for me, I'll be around. I'm working on another Javi x Reader story (inspired by yet another TS song — off evermore this time). If you haven't read my other one, please check it out! It's called "If I Could Never Give You Peace." Talk soon! Mando’a Glossary: Ner kar’ta = My heart (kar’ta = heart [kah-ROH-ta]; ner = my [nair]) Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum. = I know you forever [nee kar-TILE garh dah-RAH-soom] ⎿ “It's the same word as 'to know,' 'to hold in the heart,' kar'taylir. But you add darasuum, ‘forever,’ and it becomes something rather different.” — Republic Commando: Triple Zero Verd' ika = Little Warrior (affectionately) [vair-DEE-kah]

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