#ZEROTH LAW MY FRIENDS

[i-am-q]

SOME CLARIFICATION

NOT ALL NAZIS ARE SLAVE MASTERS AND NOT ALL SLAVE MASTERS ARE NAZIS

NAZI LESBIAN = GAY WOMAN COMMITTING HEINOUS CRIMES EX(s): LIBBY ACKER, KATIE LUCAS, MARY RICHTER, JANET MONTGOMERY

NAZI KIKE = JEWISH PERSON ACTIVELY COMMITTING HEINOUS CRIMES EX(s): JED STONE, RENA ZAID, SHANNON KEATING-ZAID

NAZI NIGGER = BLACK PERSON ACTIVELY COMMITTING HEINOUS CRIMES EX(s): "KID O" TO LEBRON JAMES AND NO ONE ELSE, THE MAYOR OF TOWNSVILLE (NOT THE MAYOR OF AKRON)

NAZI WETBACK = LATINO/A PERSON ACTIVELY COMMITTING HEINOUS CRIMES EX(s): LUCIANA RIVERA MOLINA & HER ARMY OF "BRATZ DOLLS"

NAZI FAG = GAY/BISEXUAL MAN ACTIVELY COMMITTING HEINOUS CRIMES EX(s): PETER MCPIKE, ANTHONY DAVID SCIACCA

NAZI TRANNY = A TRANSGENDER PERSON MAN ACTIVELY COMMITTING HEINOUS CRIMES EX(s): THE TRANNY FROM SANTA CRUZ, AUBREY GRAHAM

NAZI NAZI = AN ADMITTED NAZI / ANTISEMITE ACTIVELY COMMITTING HEINOUS CRIMES EX(s): SARAH STREET, MACKENZIE MCPIKE

SOS -O

EDIT: GAY/BISEXUAL/TRANSGENDER PEOPLE, JEWISH PEOPLE, BLACK PEOPLE, LATINO/A PEOPLE, AND ANTISEMITES (OLD WORLD NAZIS) ARE NOT NEW AGE NAZIS.

ALL THE LESBIANS ARE NEW WORLD NAZIS. CHECK THE SANTA CRUZ DIALOGUE.

[r0botic]

Giskard and Daneel's bond doesn't get as much attention as it deserves.

Elijah and Daneel this and Elijah and Daneel that, but can we talk about Daneel and Giskard? The amount of attention these two get is so little it makes me want to pull my hair out, they are best friends! Everyone look at them! I genuinely think the robots' bond was way stronger and more genuine than what Elijah and Daneel had. (Btw this is fully about The robot series only)

‼️(I *DON'T * ship neither Gis x Dan or Eli x Dan, saying this just in case.)‼️

Let's not forget they are robots, their relationship can be compared to something we humans have, but the comparision will never be fully accurate, as they are machines and lack emotions. That's also one of the reasons why their relationship is so fascinating to me.

It makes me smile how they always tried their best to keep the other safe, ESPECIALLY in The robots and empire.

The part where they held hands is so important. We know that Daneel is a humanoid robot, he thinks like a human at times, Giskard said it himself. So the fact it was Daneel offering the handshake and Giskard accepting it is just so adorable, considering the meaning behind it. Daneel was with Elijah often and if it wasn't programmed into him since the very start, he for sure had many opportunities to see how humans show affection and gratitude. So just imagine two robots trying to show their trust and loyalty to one another without knowing how to actually do it, so they imitate humans.

Giskard's preference to save Daneel over listening to Vasilia's orders and then explaining why he did it is probably my favourite scene in the whole series, he mentioned this "personal need" that helped him use the Zeroth law in practice, and Daneel saying he would do the same for him if the roles were switched? Sobbinggg

And don't even get me started on how they basically complete each other, they always come together, they can't be separated, it's Daneel and Giskard always and forever. Giskard is the one who gets the ideas and Daneel is the one who turns them into reality. They both needed each other, Giskard could alter emotions, had experience and a very specific way of thinking, Daneel understood human thinking and his mind was more flexible, which allowed him to think about things that Giskard wanted to think about but couldn't due to his restricted mind. If you connect these two you get an insanely strong duo, which is (SPOILER) in my opinion one of the reasons why Asimov decided to kill off Giskard. Imagine how crazy they could go with it if they both continued living after the last book.

Let's not forget about that one robot shooter attempt, Daneel immediately jumped on Giskard and knocked him down in order to save him from being shot. He didn't know that the aggressor was a robot, so he had to decide between saving Gladia and saving Giskard, accepting the risk of the other dying, and as it was mentioned in the book, he immediately went for Giskard. He had to break the first law and accept the risk of Gladia dying, because Giskard and what they yet had to achieve is something he (QUOTING (at least from the Czech translation)) "doesn't think he could survive losing".

The Zeroth law was the work of the both of them and I'm dying on this hill, they invented it together, they both put in the effort and made it work, together.

(SPOILER) And Giskard's death? Daneel's reaction absolutely destroyed me. He took his hand again, for the first time he offered Giskard his hand as a thank you gesture for saving his life and to prove him his complete loyalty, and for the second and also the last time he took his hand as he tried to save his life aswell, he tried his best to assure him that he did the right thing and doesn't deserve to suffer, but it didn't work. He had to watch his last friend die and then let his hand go, accepting the fact that his only help he had left is gone and now he's completely alone for absolutely everything. Good lord who's cutting the onions, i'm not okay.

Now, why do I think Daneel's bond with Giskard is stronger than what he had with Elijah?

This is going to be a very simple answer from me. Daneel would always serve Elijah, simply because he's a human. Daneel would always help him, listen to his orders and protect him, no matter if he personally liked him or not. There would always be this forced urge to do what he says, because he was programmed to. I'm sorry, I just can't help myself but see some fakeness behind this, it would never be fully genuine. Obviously I don't doubt Elijah and Daneel's friendship, I loved them and no one is ever going to insult them on my watch, but a human and a robot relationship will never be as free and genuine as a robot and a robot relationship, because in their case there's nothing that is forcing one to listen to the other.

And when there was a law that was basically forcing them to be split apart, they found a way how to walk around it and save their robotic best friend. This is just so impressive, imagine you are a robot whose mind is built on three (and somewhat four) laws and you find a way how to avoid acting upon the strongest two of them, just to save a robot who you aren't supposed to care about AT ALL. Imagine the pressure they were under and the risk they had to take. If this isn't the strongest act of loyalty, I have no idea what is.

Also, the difference in their brains, Elijah is a human and has a human brain, Daneel is a humanoid robot who thinks like a human at times, but he is still a robot with a positronic brain, and guess who else is also a robot with a positronic brain. I really liked how Asimov made Giskard and Daneel talk to each other when they were alone, they were simply using some key words and they understood each other perfectly. My point is, their brains can basically somewhat connect since they are both robots, even if one of them is an older model, therefore that automatically makes them be closer to each other.

I *DO* love Elijah and Daneel's bond, I've loved them since the very start and I was rooting for their friendship. I jumped very high in the air at the end of The caves of steel, the way Elijah's view on Daneel changed made me smile so much. You could see the improvement at the start of every book, the way he greeted him was always more enthusiastic than the book before and that was absolutely adorable, because it meant he's finally growing to him. They had so many funny moments together i think about to this day.

But the way Daneel is so damn tied to Elijah by the Laws of robotics and Elijah reminding him of it every time he felt like Daneel is taking over smells just so iffy to me, and I can't do anything about it. Don't forget how the robots always reacted when someone thanked them for a rescue, especially Giskard, he said it very well at the end of The robots of dawn, he simply did what he was programmed to do, there was no will behind it, he just did it because he had to, no need to thank him, and that's exactly what i'm talking about.

-

I could talk about Dan and Gis' relationship for hours and hours and never get tired, their bond was so well written. I wish people paid more attention to these two, it's so sad, I need people to talk about them more! They avoided laws to protect each other and held hands like the bffs they are! What more could you possibly want!

- now me just rambling..

I think this should be enough to close the case with "they had the closest bond possible and deserved a break to just sit down together and relax for a bit", because they never got it and it makes me furious.

So you are telling me they realized they are something humans call friends, and then just had to work their asses off til one of them literally fkn died? Are you serious rn? They couldn't even talk about it more or anything. I get it, they had that one absolutely immaculate 10/10 moment where they held hands and i'm sure that by that gesture they told each other everything that needed to be told, BUT I AM NOT SATISFIED. I DIDNT GET TO SEE THEM HAPPY TOGETHER AND SAY "we did it", I DIDNT GET TO SEE THEM CHANGE THE "friend Daneel/Giskard" TITLE TO "best friend Daneel/Giskard" SO IM MAD!!! AUGHH!!!! IT SHOULD'VE BEEN THERE!!! ASIMOV COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!!

“I know that. And yet—and yet, if it were to happen again, I believe the same anomalous change would take place again.”

Daneel said, “It is strange, but hearing you put it so, I find myself feeling you did the proper thing. If the situation were reversed, I almost think that I, too, would—would do the same—that I would think of you as a—a human being.”

LMFAOOO 😭 JUST GET MATCHING BFF ACCESSORIES AT THIS POINT LOL LOOK AT YALL!!! SO OBVIOUS!!!! (The fact they never got to be actually happy together is a mental torture for me that i'm not sure if i'll ever get over)

[theromanticrationalist]

Foundation 1x02 Preparing to Live: My Thoughts

Well, I think I might have to take back some of my earlier praise - however minimal it was. I do not understand why they are overcomplicating matters. Yes, Hari is obviously Dumbledore-ing it in regards to that whole scene with him and Raych. (They hinted at his taking pills, AKA he is already dying yadda yadda.) But why, tho? Why are they doing this? Why did Raych catapult Gaal into the void?? I am just confused why any of this happening.

Yet even this I am willing to suspend my judgement, but really - the whole Demerzel reveal? COME ON. WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS TO ME. My only vain hope at this point is that she isn't Daneel. Just PLEASE don't let her be Daneel! Although I am still upset that they A. made the character a woman and B. are adding the robot angle of the storyline without, apparently, even understanding Asimov robots. Or at least this is my first impression. She neither exhibits Daneel's temperament nor of an Asimov robot.

*pulls up a chair like Captain America*

Let me school you on a few things, my friends, if you aren't familiar with Asimov's work, but Asimov robots are the best robots, the greatest of robots. There is a very simple reason for this, which is, they are governed by the Three Laws of Robotics (although there is a secret 'Zeroeth Law' that we will get into later.)

First Law: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

Second Law: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

These three laws are what make Asimov robots so wonderful, in that they can do no harm. They are pure, absolutely. Any damage they might cause always happens because of human error (a major theme of Asimov's robot stories), but a perfectly functioning robot is without flaw. They are an entity unto themselves, a beautifully constructed form of sentient life. They are distinct from all robots that have been in science fiction since. Data is actually the closest to exemplifying what an Asimov Robot is truly like - and we all know how awesome Data was.

I get no sense of this from the Demerzel in the show. She comes across as very cold, very aloof, and unsympathetic. Asimov robot's don't exhibit any emotion (on the surface - they are HIGHLY nuanced) but they exhibit a strength of character, an altruistic attitude, and an all around goodness. Her being gentle with the littlest Cleon doesn't make up for the fact that she serves a cruel despot of a leader - which makes no sense. Demerzel served Emperor Cleon in the books, but Cleon wasn't dark, evil, and cruel like Lee Pace's portrayal - who is going like way out there in the evil department for sure (while looking beautiful, of course). No Asimov robot would align himself with such a man, even for the greater good - which brings me to the fourth 'secret' law.

Zeroth Law: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.

This is the law that enables Daneel (in the books) to be able to do less than savory things for the purpose of saving humanity. It is actually a law that he formed himself - it is a long story - but the point is, yes, Daneel is now able to "harm" humans or witness the harming of humans, but what this episode exhibited - to me - is taking this concept much too far. I am not pleased to say the least. This WILL break the show for me for sure, but I will keep watching for now. Because I am a masochist apparently.

Right now I am only finding respite in Jared Harris. He is such a perfect Hari, I love him so much. I am pretty sure they are hinting at Dors entering the picture, which makes me sad because Hari and Dors' romance is one of my ultimate favorite things about the Foundation series. Yet with everything going on, can I trust that they will give this the attention it deserves?? Probably not, but Hari and Dors!!!! 😩😩😩

Look how stink'in adorable he is. This nerd. 😊 This has strong, 'how do you do fellow kids' vibes.

Another interesting thing of note, is Gaal's intuitive moments. In the first episode, she sensed something was wrong with the Star Bridge, and now in this episode she sensed something was wrong with Hari. In the first episode I thought it was just bad writing, but I am sensing a pattern forming. This kind of sixth sense, intuition becomes a BIG concept later on in the Foundation series, but in a very specific way and for a very specific reason. I do not understand why they would be bringing this up now, but I guess we can only find out.

My only question right now is, did the creators of this show even READ Asimov's books at all??? I am beginning to wonder if they did.

[marvelmando]

tempest [p.parker x o.c.] - four

notes: hi, i just wanted to post tonight, in honor of far from home being released online :)

contains: some swearing

pairing: peter parker + fem! o.c.

word count: 3.6k

previous chapter next chapter tempest masterlist

MARIN'S FIRST DAY OF HIGH SCHOOL WAS REMARKABLY UNEVENTFUL. Thanks to the influences of Tony Stark, Marin's schedule was created to be identical to Peter's, which made discussing the events of the previous night much easier.

Their last class of the day—woodshop—seemed fun in retrospect, but the teacher was grumpy and inattentive, only stopping his crosswords to holler: "keep your fingers clear of the blades!" when Peter knocked the Chitauri energy core from the casing with an echoing clang.

"I don't really think that hitting an alien weapon with a regular-ass hammer is such a good idea, Peter." Marin flinched as the energy core toppled across the surface of the bench. "We don't even know what damage it's capable of causing."

"Well, that's why we need to find out exactly what it is, and who the hell is making them." He reasoned, poking at the glowing device.

"We can go to the labs after class and run some tests," Ned offered, and Peter nodded, joining him in an elaborate handshake in response, not even looking up from the weapon's casing.

Marin pinched the bridge of her nose. "Nerds."

+++

While Peter and Ned went off to run tests on the energy core, Marin found Michelle, Flash, and Liz studying in the library.

They were talking amongst themselves as Marin approached the circular table. Liz was the first to notice Marin standing there. "Oh, hey! Marin, right? Peter's friend from the party?" She chirped, and Flash narrowed his eyes at her curiously. "I didn't know you go to Midtown?"

"I, uh, just got transferred today." Marin responded, shifting on her feet awkwardly. "I was wondering if I could join the Academic Decathlon? If you have a spot—Peter was telling me about it when I said I was coming here, and that he couldn't make it to Nationals because of the internship."

"Aren't you in that, too?" Michelle crossed her arms, leaning back casually in her seat.

"Uh, well, yeah, but I work in a... different section than Peter... much less demanding, I guess." Marin's throat constricted around the lie.

The three studied her for a moment, and Liz was the first one to speak up. Marin wondered if she was first for everything. "Have a seat, we'll quiz you a bit."

Marin nodded and took the empty seat across from them. Liz pulled out a thick stack of flashcards, shuffling through them. "What's your best subject?"

"Um, science, I guess? Like, physics or whatever." Marin supplied, causing Liz to nod enthusiastically and Michelle to smirk at Flash.

"That's perfect," Liz smiled. "Peter was our best physics guy, and now that he's gone..."

"We're stuck with Flash. And Flash is shit as physics." Michelle's smirk was malicious but joking.

Flash frowned. "Hey, I resent that."

"Doesn't make it untrue."

Liz cleared her throat, interrupting the bickering. Her eyes locked onto Marin's. "What is the net upward force on an object by a fluid that the object is submerged in?"

"Buoyant force." Marin answered easily, thankful that there were fluid dynamics questions included. Liz nodded and switched cards.

"What theory states that two objects that are in thermal equilibrium with a third object are also in thermal equilibrium with each other?"

"Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics."

"Who isolated the DNA crystal to produce the first image of genetic material?"

Flash answered before Marin could: "Ooh! Watson and Crick." Liz leveled him with a glare and was about to scold him when Marin did it for her.

"Actually, it was Rosalind Franklin; she died of ovarian cancer before she could receive the Nobel Prize that Watson, Crick, and Wilson took four years later for their work, which was in fact heavily reliant on her research." Marin corrected with a small smirk, watching as Flash deflated in his seat. "Nobel Prizes are never given out posthumously, but even if she was alive, her work probably would have still been overlooked, because it was Watson and Crick who named the structure of DNA—and obviously because she was a female scientist in the 1950s."

Marin noticed the subtle but proud smile on Michelle's face, and a wave of triumph flushed through her system. Liz also looked impressed, while Flash looked a bit put-out.

When they didn't respond, still looking at her when curiosity, Marin rushed to explain, "My previous guardians were very enthusiastic about education. I just excelled in physics. And chemistry. And biology."

A smile erupted on Liz's face. "Welcome to the team, Marin! I'll obviously have to discuss this with Mr. Harrington, but I'm sure he'll be fine with it. We'll also have to see if there's an extra jacket for you for Nationals—which is on the fourteenth, but we're leaving for D.C. tomorrow, on the thirteenth." Liz leaned to reach into her backpack and pulled out a packet of paper. "Here's the paperwork, you just have to get it signed by a parent or guardian. It tells you the times we're leaving and includes an itinerary for the two days we'll be in D.C. It's all a little bit last notice, but you seem really intelligent and determined, and there will be plenty of time to practice on the bus ride there."

Marin nodded as she took the packet, wondering who the hell she'd get the signature from. Maybe she'd forge it.

"We look forward to having you on the team, Marin!" Liz concluded, and Michelle tilted her head once in agreement, and Flash just muttered something under his breath and crossed his arms.

Marin gave them a genuine smile in return. "And I look forward to being there."

+++

"You what?" Marin urged at Peter and Ned.

"Yeah! So, apparently, the suit also comes with these cute little tracker bugs—"

"Arachnids," Peter corrected Ned vehemently.

"—And we put one on one of the bad guys, and we're just waiting to see where they're going!"

Marin paced Peter's room. "Okay, okay," she muttered to herself. "And how are we supposed to figure where they are?"

Ned pulled out Peter's web shooter, and pressed a button. A small hologram appeared with a chirp, the dome shape depicting a translucent image of the cutout of a city block.

"They're in Brooklyn right now," Peter informed. "But they're still moving, so we're just waiting to see where they stop."

So, they waited. As conversation dwindled between the three, Marin began tinkering with some of the devices sitting around Peter's room while he and Ned snacked on Doritos. Later, as the sun began to set, Peter showed her how he refilled the vials with his stash of web fluid. He even let her try shooting a couple of webs, and she only knocked down a couple of books and a lamp. At one point, Ned was able to convince Peter to let him wear the Spider-Man mask, as he and Marin discussed her powers. She managed to avoid any questions about how she got her powers, and thankfully, Ned was tactful enough to not push the subject (even if Peter did stare suspiciously in Marin's direction as she clearly evaded the truth).

It was pitch-black outside by the time the wrist device let out a series of shrill beeps. Ned sat up from where he reclined on the lower bunk, still wearing the mask. Marin set down the other web shooter she'd been fooling around with, coming to sit next to Ned. "They stopped," Ned announced, and Peter flopped his head down from where he sat casually on the ceiling.

Marin eyed the hologram, unfamiliar with the layout of the city displayed. "Huh, Maryland." Peter harrumphed.

Marin creased her eyebrows. "What's in Maryland?"

Peter chuckled sarcastically. "I don't know. Evil lair?"

"They have a lair?" Ned tilted his head.

"Dude. A gang with alien guns run by a guy with wings? Yeah, they have a lair." Peter said as if it were the most obvious thing.

Ned, of course, nodded along enthusiastically. "Badass," he surmised. "But... how are you gonna get there if it's like, three-hundred miles away?"

Simultaneously, they turned their heads to the Academic Decathlon poster hanging on the desk's shelving unit. "It's not too far from D.C." Peter said.

"But what about Marin?" Ned asked, and Marin perked, pleasantly surprised that he suggested that she was now a part of their little team.

"About that..." the two boys turned to face her. "I've gotta tell you guys something..."

+++

"Hey, it's Peter!" One kid announced as they ran up to the bus, where the Decathlon team was waiting, all in ugly, mustard-yellow blazers with the school insignia stitched on the breast pocket. "And the new girl!"

"Guys," Peter greeted, jogging up to stop in front of a surprised Liz. "Yeah, I was hoping maybe I could rejoin the team." His voice was airy and high-pitched, something Marin had come to recognize as a sign of him growing anxious.

"No��no way," Flash contested, elbowing his way to the front of the crowd. "We already had to put Marin on the team," Marin gave him a dirty look. "And besides, you can't just quit on us, stroll up, and be welcomed back by everyone."

At that moment, Mr. Harrington descended the steps of the bus, and said: "Hey, welcome back, Peter! And welcome to the team, Marin, I've heard great things about you." Flash scowled at the teacher. "Flash, you're back to first alternate."

"What?!"

"He's taking your place," the kid from earlier mocked him, and everyone snickered.

"Excuse me," Michelle interrupted, and Marin noticed she wasn't wearing her uniform. "Can we go already? 'Cause I was hoping to get in some light protesting in front of one of the embassies before dinner, so..."

"Protesting is patriotic," Mr. Harrington agreed. "Let's get on the bus."

Flash had shrugged off his jacket, and chucked it at Peter, who caught it with a slight wince.

On the bus, Marin asked to sit with Michelle, who was engrossed in her novel, Invitation to a Beheading by Vladimir Nobokov. Knowing Michelle's reclusive nature, Marin was slightly surprised to find that Michelle had no objections (and if she had, Marin assumed she would've said as much) to sharing a bench. True to her word, Liz took a standing position at the front of the bus and pulled out her set of flashcards.

Marin spoke up when she could, though she didn't have a bell like the others did. Even without it, she would mutter the answers under her breath as the other team members answered at the same time.

As time passed, Marin felt more and more confident about her position on the team. Even Peter started to answer some questions, and Liz shared her delight at his return to the team. Marin also noticed the way his eyes gleamed with reverence whenever Liz addressed him, his thin lips curling into a fond smile.

In the middle of a question, Peter's phone began to buzz. He jumped to look at it, before saying to Liz, "Can I take this real quick? I'll only be a sec."

Liz acquiesced, and Peter rose from his seat, moving down the aisle to the back of the bus where Ned was sitting. Marin followed him with her eyes, and was about to get up when Michelle asked, "What's up with him?"

Marin looked back at her and chose to instead settle back in her seat as Peter spoke in hushed tones with Ned and whoever was on the other line. Marin shrugged minimally. "I don't know." She lied and knew that Michelle didn't believe her. But Michelle said nothing, only raising one eyebrow. "Internship, probably."

"Why didn't you get a call, then?"

Marin swallowed. Michelle was very inquisitive, and if Marin wasn't hiding anything, she probably would have admired that about her. "I don't have a phone."

Michelle made a humming noise but returned to her book. Marin shook off the jitters that swarmed her senses, and grabbed her water bottle from her bag, taking several large gulps. Marin wanted to get the hell off of this bus.

+++

"Alright Marin, you'll be sharing a room with Michelle." Liz informed her as they approached the hotel entrance. The building's interior was decorated heavily with Academic Decathlon advertisements, and the floor was bustling with high school students dressed in various colors of uniforms. Informational booths littered the lobby, and the Midtown team struggled to pass through the crowd. "Everyone, stay together!" Liz shouted above the noise. They stopped at a sign-in table.

Liz handed her a matching yellow jacket with a smile as Mr. Harrington signed the school in. "It's probably going to be too big on you, but it was the last spare one left."

"Thanks," Marin said sheepishly, and tugged the jacket on. It was about two sizes too large, the sleeves hanging far past her hands and the bottom reaching mid-thigh. But it was something. Marin had a fleeting sense of déjà-vu: a memory—at least two years old—from the first time she put on her X-Men jacket, and for the first time, feeling like she belonged somewhere.

"Hey, you brought your laptop, right?" Marin heard Peter ask Ned from the back of the group. She pushed her way towards them.

Noticing her approaching, Peter began to look nervous. "Hey, uh, we're just going to go back to our room to... prepare. Practice some more questions, you know?"

Marin narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "Oh-kay..." Peter nodded with a stiff smile, and hurried off with Ned.

As she watched them leave, she wondered if his sudden covertness had to do with tracking those dealers. But it was obvious that they didn't need her (or want her, she supposed), and Marin figure Peter would ask for her help when the time came. Besides, she'd been itching for a shower since before they'd gotten off of the bus.

Marin searched for Michelle, finding her lingering at the edges of the group, her nose still in her book. Catching her attention, they traveled to their shared room in a comfortable but thick silence, and as soon as she entered the room, Marin flopped onto the nearest queen-sized bed, throwing her duffel off her shoulder.

After stretching her limbs until the joints popped, Marin grabbed a new set of clothes and hopped in the shower. Stepping under the steady stream of scalding water made her smile pleasantly as the rush of it against her skin revitalized her nerve endings and invigorated her senses. She hummed lightly to herself as she scrubbed down her body, standing in the steamed room for minutes after she'd gotten out. Not bothering with using a towel to dry herself, Marin let any excess water sink into her flesh, leaving her dry in seconds. Her hair was still wet, but she figured it would be noticeable if she emerged from a shower with dry, clean hair, so she let it dry naturally.

Pulling on her clothes, she left the bathroom and sat on her bed with a newly revived energy.

"So, which embassy were you thinking of protesting at?"

+++

Later that night, after Marin and Michelle had returned from protesting the rights of refugees at the Sokovian embassy, they'd found Liz and the rest of the team sneaking around the lobby.

It was late at night; the hotel lobby was practically empty except for the Midtown team—though Peter and Ned were nowhere to be found. Liz had made the executive decision to raid the minibar to smuggle some candy bars, mentioning something about team building and rebellious group activities as she roped Marin and Michelle into participating. Marin, hardly ever caring about the consequences, obliged evangelically because eleven dollars for a Kit-Kat bar was entirely too expensive, and she sought justice.

As they laughed and joked around through the night, Marin began to forget about their mission. When Liz laughed heartily at her jokes and Charles clapped her shoulder good-naturedly, Marin felt the lingering ache from a lifetime of alienation and rejection begin to melt away.

Sometime later, Cindy Moon had suggested that they go break into the pool to go swimming. So, everyone—except for Marin (who didn't own a swimsuit) and Michelle (who preferred to sit, read, and observe)—went to go change into their swimsuits, and reconvene at the stairs.

Once everyone arrived, Liz moved first, making sure the coast was clear before beckoning the rest of the team. As she started to go, Marin saw Peter emerge from his room wearing a hoodie and his backpack. The team greeted Peter as the sprinted by him, and Flash even smacked his butt, causing Peter to yelp. Marin trailed to a stop beside Liz, wanting to interrogate him, but Liz was busy trying to convince him to join the rest of them.

"I was, uh... I was going to study, um, in the business center." He clearly lied, but Liz didn't seem to notice.

"Peter, you don't need to study," she shook her head. "You're like, the smartest guy I've ever met."

Peter watched Liz continue to speak, bewitched by her kind words. The devoted look crossing his face made Marin squirm next to him. "And besides... um, a rebellious group activity the day before competition is good for morale." Liz said.

Peter blinked, looking dazed. "Hmm?"

"Um, well I read that in a TED Talk so—I-I heard it in a TED Talk." She explained sheepishly, as if she was embarrassed that she needed external guidance on being a better leader. "And I read a coaching book."

Peter's eyes went soft. "Wow, you really... this is really important to you."

"Yeah, it's our future." Liz tilted her lips in an incredulous smirk. "I'm not gonna screw it up. Besides, we raided the minibar and these candy bars were like, eleven dollars." She pulled out an extra candy bar and tossed it at Peter, who caught it and cradled it to his chest. "So, get your trunks on and come on."

And with that, Liz flounced away, catching up with the rest of the group, who were summoning Marin and Peter. "I'll meet you guys down there," Marin dismissed them and turned to a still-stupefied Peter. Once they were gone, Marin crossed her arms. "Peter, where are you really going?"

"Um, I—" he stuttered, tightening his grip on the candy bar. "To go study—"

"But you're not." Marin sighed. "I can see the red of the suit, Peter. You're going to go after those dealers, aren't you?"

Peter visibly gulped. "I can explain, Marin—"

"Why now?" Marin huffed. "Why tonight? Can't it wait 'til after Nationals, at least? Peter, you made a commitment, and now you want to run off to Maryland?"

Peter scoffed. "That's what I came here for! What we came here for," he lowered his voice, looking hurt and angry. "But I guess you've changed your mind, then."

Marin shook her head lowly. "Peter, you don't understand—"

"What don't I understand? How you're leaving me for some people that you don't even know—you just met them, and all of a sudden, you're more loyal to them? You can't possibly care—"

"But I do." She hissed, her eyes hard, her voice broken and jagged around the edges. "Which is more than I can say for your own loyalties." Marin sighed then, losing the fight in her. "Do whatever you want, but you'd better show up tomorrow, Peter Parker. For your own sake."

Peter's face twisted with apparent guilt, but Marin wasn't interested. "Marin—" he called, but Marin turned and followed the hall that led to the pool.

If anyone noticed that Marin looked on the verge of tears when she arrived, no one said a thing.

+++

Later that night, when everyone's skin had wrinkled and pruned and their nervous energy was diminished as they settled in for bed, Marin couldn't fall asleep.

She turned on her other side, clutching the pillow she cradled to her chest. Laying for a minute until her nerves buzzed and her shoulder hurt, she gave up, turning onto her back and staring up at the stucco ceiling. She couldn't help but feel guilty for the way she'd treated Peter earlier—admittedly, she knew that he was somewhat right; they did come along to stop the dealers. And although Marin had joined not for that intention, she felt like she owed it to Peter to help him in his heroic duties.

But then she remembered the way the team had included her without any hesitation (apart from Flash's stubborn, wounded ego), how they welcomed her with open arms. She'd never had that before.

Sure, the X-Men were similar in ways—a group of distinctly antithetical individuals bonded together with a common goal, through common means. Marin understood the concept of a team well. But she felt like she was never a part of one; she certainly screwed up her position as an X-Man.

As she bubbled with warm, content feelings, Marin knew that she didn't want to screw this up, too. She figured that being a hero was important, but in some ways, supporting the Decathlon team at the most important event of the year felt like an act of heroism to her. Especially when they'd already been abandoned before. Marin wouldn't do that to them—not when they've treated her like one of them.

By the time her eyes were finally growing heavy, the sun was beginning to rise, peeking through the curtain and casting a soft orange glow over the room. She sighed out a smile as she fell asleep, welcoming the dreamless slumber.

Waking up that morning felt like waking up to a new beginning.

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@dark-night-sky-99 @pushmeinablackhole

[idexstuck]

kris and xiang end my life for a variety of reasons but i think its especially because the two of them are just so unbashedly good to each other. regardless of their understanding both of them are really into each other’s interests, they both listen to each other and understand each other, theyre both bi and thats just a good bonus... despite everything that happens they still are so in love with each other no matter what

also they are canonically soulmates via ‘made from the same star’ nonsense (thanks, val, for this one) and the very idea of that murders me in cold blood because the universe literally made SURE they would be together

on a similar note, the neutralizers (ruth reese johanna) must ALWAYS be friends. like fate literally always pushes them together no matter what dimension theyre in or what they go through- thats just How It Is. theyre such good friends that the universe said ‘hmm. these dumbasses have to stick together since they love each other’

this means the zeroth clocktower is friendship (a fundamental law of reality as we all know) /j

[sanketbhardwaj]

[Thermodynamics laws] All about thermodynamics and it’s laws.

Hey guys, in this post we will learn about what Thermodynamic systems are after that we will learn about the Laws Of Thermodynamics. But before moving further first let us know about what Thermodynamics actually is,

So In simple words, Thermodynamics is that branch of engineering-science which deals with the possessed by gases and vapours.

It also includes the conversion of these energies in terms of heat and mechanical work and their relationship with the properties of the system.

Thermodynamics System

A thermodynamic system may be defined as “A Definite Area Or Space Where Some Thermodynamic Processes Takes Place“. A Thermodynamic system has its own boundaries and anything outside the boundaries are called its surroundings.

Generally, the Thermodynamics systems are of three types,

1. Closed System:- This is a system of fixed mass whose boundaries are determined by the space of the working substance in it. In closed system heat and work crosses the boundary but the mass remains fixed. 2. Open System:- In this type of system the working substance crosses the boundary of the system.  Heat and Work can also cross the boundary. 3. Isolated System:- As the name suggests, an Isolated system is a system of fixed mass and no heat or Work crosses the boundary.

So now we have the knowledge of thermodynamics system it’s time to move forward to the Laws Of Thermodynamics.

LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS

Just like Thermodynamic System, there are Three Laws of Thermodynamics

1. ZEROTH LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

According to this law when two bodies are in thermal Equilibrium with the third body than the two bodies are also in Thermal Equilibrium with each other.

  2. FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS This Law states that Heat And Mechanical Work Are Mutually Convertible. According to this law, a  “Definite amount Of Mechanical Work Is Needed To Produce A Definite Amount Of  Heat”  And Vice-Versa.

This Law also states the Conservation Of Energy i.e. Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed, It can only be transformed from one form to another.

According to this law, the energy due to Heat supplied (Q) must be balanced by the External Work done(W) plus Gain in Internal Energy(E) due to the rise in temperature. In other words  Q = W + E 3. SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

This Law states that there is a Definite Limit to the Amount of Mechanical Energy, which can be obtained from a given quantity of Heat Energy.

The second law of Thermodynamics is also explained by Kelvin- Planck as “It is Impossible to construct an Engine working on a Cyclic Process whose sole purpose is to Convert Heat Energy to Work.

So on the basis of the Above statement, This Law is also called the” Law Of  Degradation Of Energy”.

So, that’s it for now, I hope that you will understand something from that and if you do so be sure to share this with your friends and relatives. Also if you have any Doubt or Suggestion related to this then be sure to leave it in the comment section or you can contact directly to me via mail, my mail id is sanketbhardwaj57@gmail.com. And for more articles like this be sure to sign up for our newsletter. Thank You.

Regards:- Sanket Bhardwaj

The post [Thermodynamics laws] All about thermodynamics and it’s laws. appeared first on TheTechHub.

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[markhodderauthor]

ROBOTS AND EMPIRE

by Isaac Asimov (1985)

This is one of Asimov's most important late-period books; the one that straddles between the Robot, Empire and Foundation series, drawing them all together into a cohesive whole. It follows THE ROBOTS OF DAWN, which began the job, but breaks away from the Elijah Baley/R. Daneel Olivaw mystery format and heads off into wholly new territory. By the time of the events recounted here, Baley is 200 years dead (though he makes the occasional welcome appearance in flashbacks). Now we follow Daneel as he and fellow robot Giskard try to make sense of human destiny. They're an interesting combination, these two. Daneel has picked up much of his deceased partners intuitive abilities and Giskard can manipulate human emotions. Between the two of them, the robotic condition is being surpassed... which eventually leads to a fourth Law of Robotics (the 'Zeroth Law') and, more interestingly, the development of real friendship between these unlikely protagonists. The latter is, by far, the most touching and fascinating feature of the story and one which, unlike the actual plot, is rewarding enough to make this a truly excellent story. The scenes where the two metallic friends struggle to overcome programmed restrictions are simply fabulous; you can feel real (as opposed to artificial) life emerging from the positronic circuitry as they make the leap from supporting roles into fully-fledged and very memorable characters in their own right. So what's wrong with the plot? Well, it's not exactly that there's anything wrong with it; it's just that it has a lot of territory to cover; a lot of potentially loose ends from three series which weren't originally intended as a unified concept. Those wayward strands need to be tied together and Asimov does the job through page after page of dialogue, much of which is necessary, some of which is superfluous. Exposition overload has always been the author's weakness but at least there's an excuse for it this time and although the story frequently drags (especially in the first half) it never tries your patience to the point where you want to chuck it into the fireplace (onto the still-glowing embers of FOUNDATION AND EARTH). The plot is merely the frame (and a fairly slight one) on which this extravagant tapestry is woven. It begins when Daneel surmises that nefarious plans are afoot to destroy the planet Earth and sets out, with Giskard, to stop the destruction. That would seem to set the ground for another mystery story but, in fact, it remains a fairly uncomplicated affair and the tale never really strays from traditional SF. It marks a regrettable but necessary departure from the book's immediate forebears, THE CAVES OF STEEL, THE NAKED SUN and THE ROBOTS OF DAWN. I must admit that I missed the 'private investigator in space' formula as it was something Asimov was particularly good at. But that said, this tale is entertaining and fascinating, mostly by virtue of the fact that you can see all the elements from the three series falling into place. Obviously, you need to have read at least some of those older works. I can't imagine ROBOTS AND EMPIRE would be interesting (or even comprehensible) to anyone who wasn't already familiar with the Asimov universe. Personally, I have to be in the right frame of mind for Asimov. His talky approach to storytelling tries my patience if I come to him immediately after more action-packed authors. In this instance, I was about halfway through the novel before I really started to feel engaged with it (and it's a thick book). Nevertheless, once hooked I found it thought-provoking and thoroughly satisfying. Reading in chronological order, THE CURRENTS OF SPACE, first of the Empire trilogy, comes next.