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stuffedeggplants · 4 years ago

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Captain Maze and General Zey (and Skirata)

A number of years ago I read an article where a woman’s husband asked why she was divorcing him, and her response was "because you don’t do the dishes.” She could probably say a lot about why she was leaving him, but that simple line encapsulated the fissure at the heart of their relationship in very few words.

There’s a line in Imperial Commando that does a similar amount of legwork for the relationship between Captain Maze and General Zey. It’s when Skirata is upset with Maze for having brought Zey to Mandalore, and Maze says he’s helping Zey “because he used to make the caf in the office.”

What Skirata says next, “give you [Maze] a pot of caf...and it’s okay to send men to their deaths,” is also a great window into his own mindset because it shows how differently he’s interpreting the relationship between Zey and Maze contrary to the reality experienced by the two men themselves.

When Zey makes Maze coffee, Skirata sees that interaction as putting a coin in a machine with the expectation that something you want will pop out of that machine. It’s about gaining influence over another person, and using that influence to further your own interests. Because Maze is already bound by virtue of his rank and position to cooperate with Zey, Zey doesn’t actually need to do anything to guarantee that cooperation. Zey has authority, and Maze is loyal to the authority of his position.

So when Zey makes coffee for his staff, Skirata is thinking that Zey is after another kind of authority and something else. It’s what was in the back of his mind when Skirata wants to hear that Maze “didn’t [save Zey] out of loyalty.” Skirata thinks that Zey is after the same kind of loyalty--that has nothing to do with the chain of command and is solely about the character of the other person--that Skirata himself has secured from Omega, Jusik, and others in his circle of influence. Because Skirata has their loyalty (first given as their training sergeant then earned on a personal level), he uses it to influence their actions, and he hates the idea of a Jedi exercising the kind of power and influence that he himself exercises, especially over clones (even ones Skirata himself doesn’t actually care about.) (I think this might also interfere with Skirata’s self image, which is somehow threatened by Zey actually respecting Maze, caring about him as a person, and having influence over him. Not sure.)

This quote also provides insight into how Skirata views the Maze and Zey relationship and is more context for why he says what he says in response to Maze mentioning the caf:

Skirata opens with a cold “oh so you’re incapable of doing your damn job?”, not thinking for a moment that Zey may have failed to execute Order 66 because he was just like Niner, Atin, and Darman and disobeyed out of a strong personal bond or belief. It literally doesn’t even occur to him. He just assumes Maze is a dog that won’t hunt. He then figures that Zey only survived because he managed to manipulate Maze in the moment with nice words, and that Maze fell for it. Again, it does not occur to Skirata that Maze and Zey have any kind of relationship outside purely professional or selfishly utilitarian, and that’s the background Skirata is coming into this conversation with.

Mazes sees Zey’s habit of making coffee for the office completely differently, and he says as much, telling Skirata that it was a mundane detail yet told him all he needed to know about Zey’s character. Zey respects his subordinates not because he ‘has’ to, but because they’re people. He doesn’t see a reflected power differential in the act of making coffee, and he doesn’t expect his people to be servants for him. I think that’s notable in the context of Maze being Zey’s aid, so Maze is already very involved with Zey’s schedule and daily affairs to the point where it could be easy for Zey to wade across professional boundaries and tell Maze to do things beyond his job description that cross more into ‘personal servant’ territory, but we are never told that is something Zey does. He never abuses his position like that. (For all I know Zey could totally be within his rights to tell Maze to get him caf and it wouldn’t be a big deal-- I’m not saying that’s tantamount to crossing a line. I’m saying that it’s kind of nice that Zey doesn’t ask that, and it’s great that Zey doesn’t ask him to do anything that would cross the line either.)

Zey doesn’t make coffee because it’s a low-key ploy for influence; he’s legitimately just being nice with no expectation that there will be some benefit to himself later down the road. I don’t think Zey even thinks about the fact that he makes coffee for his staff at all.

Moving away from the caf conversation, in True Colors, we see that Zey offers to help Maze if he ever wants to pursue an “alternative career.” There are no qualifications to that statement. Zey doesn’t say ‘after the war is over’ or ‘after we capture Grievous,’ it’s an unqualified offer to help Maze--one of only 100 Alpha ARCs--desert the army whenever he wants to. This is not something Zey would do if his relationship with Maze was squarely built on the question “how can I use him to benefit myself?” Buried in that offer I think is the recognition of agency and individuality of a person who was born to have neither. Maze has always been a person to Zey, and Maze knows it.

The offer is also a sign of how ‘flexible’ Zey can be, but for a different reason than usual. Throughout the book he cuts Skirata a lot of slack to do what he wants how he wants. (He says it directly when he wants Skirata to be honest with him, also admitting that he doesn’t have a clue what Skirata’s ARCs are up to half the time, illustrating just how much slack Skirata really does have.) Zey is open to giving people leeway to do things that’ll make it easier for them to get their jobs done within reason, but with his offer to Maze he’s also being flexible (a huge understatement lol) for compassionate moral reasons. Ultimately he’d be breaking the rules because of something he believes is wrong, which is later what Maze does when he refuses to execute Order 66 because he believes Zey should have been given a fair trial. It violates his sense of justice.

Maze not following Order 66 is kind of a big deal. Coruscant--the seat of the Republic--has just been attacked, then there is (to outside appearances) a coup followed by emergency orders (from literally the highest authority Maze has) to eliminate all members of the organization that launched the coup. Maze doesn’t just let Zey go, he actively helps him escape and then travels with him to ensure his safety, even bringing him to Mandalore. Whatever Skirata thinks about this doesn’t even factor in, Maze is taking the responsibility for his own life and Zey’s life into his hands. And Maze did have a choice here-- he could have let Zey go, then played dumb and continued as part of the Imperial military. He could also have let Zey go then run off himself, but he doesn’t do any of that, and Zey realizes the gravity of what Maze is doing and how he’s willingly putting himself at risk. That’s what’s coming across in Zey’s line here below.

Zey also makes a point to identify Maze as an equal, and while I don’t think Zey ever thought Maze wasn’t, what he’s referring to here I think is more about neither of them having authority or control over the other. Maze is not less important than Zey, and Zey is not in a position to treat Maze like he is (nor would he.) The moment Maze shot a meter to the side of where Zey was standing during Order 66, they both knew that they were on a kill list and had lost their positions and ranks. The circumstances are awful, but it makes them equals in a way that they weren’t before. (After Order 66, I think Maze is also the one whose skills they’re going to need to rely on quite a lot in order to survive. Not that Zey isn’t capable, but what Maze can do will play a big part in their survival and there’s no ignoring his abilities and importance here. Basically they’ll both be useful but in different ways and will have to rely on each other.)

“I’ve got to consider his welfare” reads to me as an obligation from Zey in light of what Maze has done. It’s not that Zey didn’t care about Maze before--he clearly did otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered to offer to help him desert, and we’ve never seen Zey be callous about his men’s lives--but now it’s a moral imperative.

I also want to talk about this part here:

While I think Zey not sensing Maze’s emotions is largely a reflection of Maze’s training for combat and very demanding/intense situations, a smaller part could be because Maze has in some ways already decided what he’s going to do before he consciously knows what he’s going to do. Maze isn’t angry, worried, or conflicted because there’s nothing to decide, so Zey senses nothing.

Maze didn’t know it at the time, but all his reading on law and political philosophy (and how the military fits into that) was bringing him to a specific moment. When Maze receives Order 66, he knows his orders are to kill, but he spends time talking to Ordo and then tries to arrest Zey instead of just shooting him immediately. (Ordo even wonders to himself why Maze hasn’t just killed the guy yet.) In developing his own ideas about what is just, Maze had already ensured that he was never going to follow Order 66. I think this is somewhat foreshadowed when Ordo asks Maze if he has a sense of injustice earlier in the book, and Maze quietly answers that he does and walks off. The point of that scene is two-fold, first to tell Ordo something about how other clones are very much people just like he is, and second to lay a bit of groundwork for Maze’s actions during Order 66.

At the same time I’m not sure how much Maze actually believed that he could arrest Zey? I think Maze saying that at all was him having a final moment of wanting to believe in the system he’s part of, of believing that that system is just, but he already knows it isn’t. (Zey asking Maze to kill him is the death knell of that last idealistic moment.) I also think he didn’t actually want to kill Zey-- from working together so closely over the course of the war they started to become friends, and Zey was the one who’d make the caf in the office.

#I read a bit about what flag aides and aide-de-camps do and it looks like Zey would be asking Maze for his honest opinions/assessments too #which I think could go a long way towards developing mutual respect and even trust maybe?#And if Maze is bringing his reading into the discussion and is being encouraged by Zey to keep pursuing his interests and passion for law?#That's really really great #Maze having a moment of idealism and wanting to believe in the system reminds me of a moment Niner has I think #of wanting to believe that his COC has the best intentions and gives a shit and such #I think clonecumber talked about it #I also wonder if what Ordo said about the Sith affected Maze's decision? Gotta think about it #Skirata reminds me of people who say -I hate group X except for all my friends from group X who are different- *rolls eyes*#The existence of Etain and Jusik AND ZEY is proof enough that all Jedi are not copies of Quinlan and Ki-adi Mundi......#(the Legends versions I mean)#But Skirata is still revolted by the idea that Zey and Maze could have respect for each other as equals or something #and have power over each other at different times AND NOT MISUSE IT #Kinda like Skirata does with Omega? OOPS #Captain Maze #Alpha-26 #General Zey #Arligan Zey #Republic Commando meta #Republic Commando #star wars #meta #star wars meta #long post #why is everything I write so damn long #kal critical

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crystalsenergy · 4 years ago

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the primary archetypes and the 12 zodiac signs #2

all images don't belong to me. credits to the appropriate authors.

4 - The Mother - Cancer / Moon

The Mother Archetype. It's one of the most interesting archetypes and at the same time the most widespread in our collective unconscious. Although it can have distortions and shadow sides, as every archetypes can have, this archetype is what most nourishes our idea of what it's to be a mother. Some of the characteristics of this archetype: ability to emotionally nurture people, especially those you love, ability to care, the idea of fertility, life force, birth, recognizing where there is pain and wanting to heal by not accepting that the one you love must suffer. It's generosity, compassion, it's the one who takes care when no one else wants to. And it does so without wanting anything in return.

Cancer, in turn, recalls exactly these characteristics: the emotional nourishment of someone who loves as a mother does, and it's obvious that this nourishment doesn't only include children; it's the connection with home, with home, it's an ability to protect and to want to be close to the one you love. It's giving comfort and having a lot of sensitivity inside.

The Moon rules Cancer, it's the one that gives us all the sensitivity and emotional openness to feel the world and people. A lot of ability to protect and it's not just sensitivity: this planet has the energy to act when it wants to too.

5 - The Father - Leo / Sun

The father archetype doesn't directly relate to what it means to be a father. In reality, this archetype combines creativity with energy, an ability to initiate things through your protagonism. This archetype means that "father" (again: don't get caught up in the idea of genders, let's go further) is a person who protects his ideals and those he cares about. The order and rules in the sense that this figure must know how to exercise a healthy influence over others. The understanding and inspiration, in the sense that this "father" figure should not just want to rule and shine, this person is there to represent what others want. And if he does, he will be someone who supports and cares to listen to others, with his energy and ability to trust himself and make others trust him, he will make dreams (yours and others) come true.

Leo remembers many of the characteristics of this archetype. This sign has creativity and drive like no one else, it has a lot of energy and ability to do the things. Leo has a lot of capacity to defend those he/she cares about and follow the goals he/she believes he/she must achieve.

the Sun is the hottest planet and the one that radiates the most light and energy to others. By ruling Leo, Sun gives to Leo plenty of energy to deal with the challenges of life.

It's necessary to know how to use these characteristics not only for yourself, but also for others.

6 - The Maiden - Virgo/Mercury

The archetype of the "Virgin". This archetype has a lot more to do with other things than what you think of as a virgin. Possibly, you related in your head the word virgin to sexual virginity, but there is much more besides. It does have a relationship with purity, but it's not that innocence that needs to discover something more so that it can live better and then be "more" adult and mature.

In reality, the Virgo archetype is related to an energy of independence, of a person who knows what she/he wants and doesn't depend on external conditions and a specific person to flourish and be more experienced. In the end, this person has the ability to discover for her/himself what/which are the other stages of this solo experience. This archetype gives an ability to be full of autonomy, practical attitude to organize and plan what you want to do, not to mention how the virgin is extremely intelligent and open to other experiences.

The sign Virgo has such similar characteristics. As if the name that is the same (the Virgo archetype) was not enough, the sign has in itself these peculiarities of being independent, intelligent, knowing how to organize what you want, it isn't someone who is "waiting to be saved" or helped. Contrary to what many imagine, Virgo is also sensitive, and has a connection with small animals, with part of nature, with the value that natural things have. and while Virgo is more rational and sometimes seems cold, this sign represents people that are open to some experiences, as Virgo is a mutable sign.

All of the above characteristics relate to Mercury, and the planet Mercury has a lot of connection with the archetype of Virgin.

#maiden archetype #virgin archetype #archetypes #archetype of virgin #virgo #mercury #archetype #mother archetype #the mother archetype #the father arctheype #the primary archetypes and 12 zodiac signs #primary archetypes #psychology and astrology #leo #sun #cancer #moon

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sweetestpopcorn · 4 years ago

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What about Visenya’s relationships with Aegon after their sisters death? I mean Aegon just send Visenya with her son to Dragonstone while he lived in King’s Landing and traveled through Westeros with Aenys by his side. He didn’t seem to care at all about Maegor. Also he was so distant with Visenya that they couldn’t even live in the same city. And afterwards, when he moved to Dragonstone he send Visenya to oversee the construction of the Red Keep just to get rid of her at Dragonstone. I wonder if he hated her now

Hi there and sorry for taking so long to answer you! 🤗

I don't think that Aegon hated Visenya or started to hate her after Rhaenys died. I think he loved her but maybe he just didn't like her very much. By this I mean that their personalities maybe weren't very compatible, something we see quite frequently in families. I am sure everyone out there has someone who while they love and would take a bullet for, be that a mother, father, siblings, cousin... they just don't care about spending much time with them.

Rhaenys seemed to be something like a glue that helped her siblings to get along. Not that she was a mediator between them or anything, and if she was there's no in-text evidence of this. She did have a lightness and easy approach to life that neither Aegon or Visenya possessed, not to mention that her existence meant that Aegon and Visenya spent less time (alone) with each other. Usually we do tend to get along better with people we are not very hum... fond and compatible with when we spend less time with them, so I do believe it helped their relationship to not be with each other on a 24/7 basis.

While I would like to think that Aegon loved/desired Visenya and was fond of her, because I do love Visenya a lot - especially before she conspired to overthrow her nephew afterwards I lost some respect not gonna lie - the facts as they are presented to us do point towards Aegon indeed marrying her more out of duty. He loved her yes, but not in a passionate/romantic way of loving. Or at least I just can't find any facts/evidence of it in Fire and Blood or any other book.

Still, there is some proof that there was at least closeness between them, that Aegon was loyal to her, and that he loved her as a brother and respected her views and opinions. For instance, when Aegon toured the Seven Kingdoms, he always took one of the two sisters with him, leaving the other behind either on King's Landing or Dragonstone. And in this instance - unlike in the number of nights thing - no distinction is made between Rhaenys and Visenya.

"It was the king's custom to bring one of his queens with him wherever he travelled, whilst the other remained at Dragonstone or King's Landing, oft as not seated on the Iron Throne, ruling on whatever matters came before her." (Fire and Blood, pg. 41)

Still regarding this, another important point to make here and that showcases that Aegon did love Visenya as a sister and did trust her, was the fact that as pointed out in Fire and Blood and ignored by a vast majority of the fandom when trying to push their own agendas related to other queens and kings while ignoring canon evidence is that no other two queens (with the exception of Alysanne kinda maybe) had as much power and influence as Rhaenys and Visenya. I don't believe this would have happened had Aegon hated his elder sister.

"Though none doubted that Aegon Targaryen was the final authority in all matters relating to the governance of the realm, his sisters Visenya and Rhaenys remained his partners in power throughout his reign. Save perhaps for Good Queen Alysanne, the wife of Jaehaerys I, no other queen in the history of the Seven Kingdoms ever exercised as much influence over policy as the Dragon's sisters." (Fire and Blood, pg. 41).

It does seem from the events presented in Fire and Blood that Rhaenys's death did take a toll on Aegon. Directly or indirectly it caused a strain on his relationship with Visenya and over time the two grew further and further apart from each other.

Why do I think this happened? Please note this is my own reading of the situation as it is not said black on white in Fire and Blood.

I think it was a combination of both Aegon feeling he was betraying Rhaenys's memory if he was too close to Visenya, and, repeating myself, of him having to spend more time with Visenya but not being overly fond of her.

After Rhaenys died, Aegon only seemed to want to focus on being king and tending to their son Aenys. He kind of reminded me of Baelon Targaryen when Alyssa Targaryen died, who spend the rest of his life taking care of the children she left him, and never cared for women again. The difference between them though, was that Baelon only had one wife - Alyssa - and only had children by that wife - Viserys and Daemon - while Aegon had another wife besides Rhaenys - Visenya - and a son by her - Maegor.

At the same time, again I state that I don't believe Aegon was all that fond of Visenya, and enjoyed spending time with her all that much. He no doubt must have become more bitter after he lost Rhaenys who was the love of his life, and that might have also contributed to him having less patience and emotional availability for Visenya than he did before.

What I don't believe, however, is that he loved Visenya passionately but then it died when Rhaenys did. Human feelings don't work like that and if anything Rhaenys death was the first catalyst for her siblings growing apart, not in any way the cause. Not to mention it did take some significant time after she died for things to really sour between Aegon and Visenya.

This is too long already, sorry about that 😅

In any case my final thoughts: Aegon never stopped loving and caring for Visenya, he just wanted to do it at a distance because he knew it couldn't work for them otherwise.

I hope this answer was satisfactory and all the best to you -3-

#aegon targaryen #visenya targaryen #rhaenys targaryen #the conquerors #fire and blood #pre asoiaf #house targaryen #popcorn answers #eventually

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valkyrieofsmut · 4 years ago

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How do the boys take the ‘I think I’m pregnant’ scare? And how do they react and feel if it’s true versus just that-a scare.

[How would the bois treat their pregnant significant other?]

This is the behemoth I mentioned before! It’s so big that I kept having issues trying to save it while I was working on mobile. Included is first reaction, if it’s a scare, if it’s not a scare, through the pregnancy, and as a bonus, during labor (you can thank my hubby for that one)!

Classic- He's freaking out. that's- that's not how babies work- that's not how- He's hyperventilating. He's going to pass out... When he gets ahold of himself and realizes that he doesn't know about how having kids between monsters and humans works... It... might be possible...

If it's a scare- he's pretty relieved. Not because he didn't want kids- it's just that it was so sudden! He didn't even think it was possible! You can bet he's doing more research into this so they can take precautions. Next time, if there's a question about pregnancy, it'll be when they're ready.

Not a scare- he- he'll be ok- really he will- just... in a minute... After he gets over the shock, he takes another moment to himself before he goes to his S/o and a bit awkwardly apologizes for the freak out. He asks how she's doing and what she wants to do.

Through pregnancy- He tries to make sure that his S/o is comfortable, that she has everything that she needs, and at the beginning, he is super frazzled. He’s keeping it together- but just barely! Look just a little closely and you’ll see that he’s about to start falling apart at the seams. His brother helps the best he can, but the best part of it, as far as he’s concerned is when they’re in bed, arms wrapped around each other, nothing to worry about but letting the peacefulness wash over them and sleep. When he finally relaxes back into the fact that they’re going to have a baby, he manages to be much more chill. Even the worst day at work doesn’t stand a chance to keep him upset when he gets home and his S/o is there, waiting for him, her round belly ready to be stroked as he grins goofily at it, their little soulling starting to make movements inside... This really is the life.

During labor- Oh- oh stars- he has to do something! What?! What is he supposed to do?! He has to get her to the hospital- has to- now! How does he- Oh- duh! Wait- can he take her through a shortcut while she’s in labor?! Is it safe?! She ends up leading the boys both to Creampuff’s car, and Creampuff drives them, showing off his driving skills and how quickly he can get them there, while Classic is in the back yelling for him to slow down, observe the speed limit- for the love of everything nice and happy, please show him mercy!

Creampuff- Uh... He understands that people often see him as child like, but he does know how babies are made... And he didn't do anything physical, or take his soul out...

If it's a scare or not- Not likely to happen with him; it would have to be on purpose.

Through pregnancy- Since this was planned, he is very prepared! It’s adorable just how ready he thinks he is, and how all of his plans fail. “YOU MEAN... WE WON’T EVEN NEED THIS FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS...?” But his big watery sockets make his S/o pull him close, comforting him, and he’s happy again- as long as he has them, everything is all right. He mother hens his S/o quite a bit, only letting her do things that are “safe for the baby”, as dictated by “authorities” on websites. And he takes it upon himself to premake her meals for when he’s gone, so that he can make sure she’s getting everything she needs, also banning his brother from taking her to Grillby’s... but, when the cravings hit, he caves ridiculously easily to her. But, his S/o's life isn’t all laying around and premade heath snacks! He makes sure that she does her baby yoga and prenatal exercises, too. Have to stay healthy for the baby!

During labor- He’s running around trying to find the go bag and everything the websites said they need- he knows it was here just the other day...! His S/o is either going to have to get him to calm down (a tall order) or call for an ambulance to get them to the hospital.

Red- Uh- uh- wait- but- how...?! He- he- ...he feels like he should be panicking more... Outwardly, he's tense, snapping at everyone else, keeping everyone away from his S/o, sweating and watching her a lot... Inside? He's nervous; it's her decision what happens... He knows he's got the whole dad thing down; how awesome his brother turned out shows that! But... He's not worthy of his S/o, and those are his genetics... How does his S/o feel about that? What if this is the thing that makes her figure out that she deserves better?! He won't say anything, though, his S/o will have to ask him what's going on with all the almost touches and switching from holding her close to distancing himself.

If it's a scare- He's a bit... disappointed... he'd just started thinking that his S/o would accept, and maybe even like, the forever of being bound to him with a child...

Not a scare- He's still a bit tense, waiting for the other shoe to drop; he knows that humans don't always want to have kids, and they can do something about it... When his S/o tells him that, of course they want to keep the baby, he's so relieved- it feels like the suitcase of anxiety he'd been lugging around all this time has disappeared.

Through pregnancy- Red is the ultimate provider and protector. He makes a nest the softest his S/o has ever felt, he puts all sorts of barriers and traps and gizmos all over the place! His S/o has never felt safer- as long as she doesn’t try to go outside alone... There’s nothing that she wants for more than a few moments- usually. Even on the days he’s knock down, drag out tired, he sees her cravings and pregnant moods as his little hellion influencing her, and... he wants to feed and spoil them more... It’s rare that he’s ever actually pissy with her, but when he is, he leaves to get what she wants, bitches and gripes the whole way there and back, and feels better by the time he gets back- and makes her bribe him with affection. He’s rigged it so that anyone who tries to get in that doesn’t have an approved magical signature... well, they won’t be getting in. ... possibly anywhere- ever. He may have held back in the Underground, hating what his world had become, but this is his mate and his child. He’s not holding back. He doesn’t know anything about gardening, but he can rig a setup so that a plot of garden can be perfectly watered at all times, and his brother takes care of the rest, so they’ll never run out of resources. He has threatened to maul others if they look like they’ve got aggressive plans for his S/o, but he waits until she’s gone; he doesn’t want to upset her. Somehow, while he’s done all of this, he always seems to be there when it’s nap time, or when it’s being lazy around the house time, cuddling, nuzzling, and letting it be known how happy he is. Edge gives him shit for purring so much, but he’s actually very proud of how active and motivated he is. Red does get anxious whenever she wants to leave the perfectly protected den he’s made her, though...

During labor- He freezes. What the hell- what is happening?! It’s such strange behavior that it takes him a few moments to figure out what was going on. When he does, He has his brother get his car, getting his S/o in the back and being on hyper alert for danger- that is, if he doesn’t manage to convince her of a home birth. it’s jus’ so much safer! in here- where no one he doesn’t want to get in can get in! Edge guards the door while Red glares at the midwife and birthing team to make sure nothing hinky is going on.

Edge- That... can't happen... He knows how baby bones are made! Oh- but his S/o is a human... Maybe that is how it works for his S/o...? The whole time he's not outwardly reacting, standing stiff, looking like he's waiting for orders or something. His S/o will have trouble telling for certain if he's angry, or it's just his normal emotionless mask.

If it's a scare- He's relieved! That was something he didn't think could happen, and too many questions leading to too much information were piling up in his mind at one time. He's also a bit... let down. While it was too much info and overwhelming to try to think about it all in that one moment, it could have been nice...

Not a scare- He leaves. Not to abandon his S/o! He tells Red to stay there and that he needs to run an errand- the errand is trying to wrap his skull around his new reality. He just needs a bit to process this! It's so many things he thought were impossible all happening at once! Once he gets his skull together, he comes back and immediately holds his S/o close against him. He knows that the two of them are smart enough to get through this, and despite all the shit he gives his brother, Red is also very smart, and he knows he'd do anything for him.

Through pregnancy- He’s hot and cold more than usual. He- has- some... feelings for her that... may be love like... And he’s going to keep both his S/o and their child safe. No matter if he has to intimidate everyone from here to the moon! He’s not used to being able to show emotions other than anger and toughness... Good thing his S/o is so fiery! He regularly engages in verbal battles with her to help her get rid of some of her stress and irritation from all the things that are going on with her body. It does backfire a bit, though, sometimes... When they’re both making their points and she’s yelling at him, her rage twisting her features- uh... well... He can’t stop thinking of taking her right there, or putting her to her knees and twisting his phalanges in her hair and feeling her throat around him- He... he’s never been so sexually driven before... and it’s not like it’s going to change soon; neither of them can help it- Pregnancy looks so fucking sexy on her... it makes her seem like a goddess of fertility and war. His soul beats for her with every breath.

During labor- Once he gets his S/o to the hospital and set, his internal mini panic ends. Now he's yelling at her, reminding her about the proper breathing technique and working her through the contractions. The staff feels like maybe they should worry about abuse, but then... His S/o is ruling the room- she's glowing, ordering everyone around, looking like she's about ready to punch anyone who gets too close, shouting and demanding the nurses give her the DAMN DRUGS! He's so in love, so- turned on... Is it wrong that he's thinking about putting another one in her right that moment...?

Blue- He's silent. The words "I think I'm pregnant" echo around in his skull, which looks devoid of emotion. Is his S/o teasing him because she thinks he doesn't know how babies are made? But... she doesn't look like she's joking... A sudden look of shock hits his face as he realizes that- he was with her during his heat! Oh! Oh... Well... That could explain it! He smiles and pulls his S/o close, nuzzling against her and scenting the heck out of her.

If it's a scare- Oh... Well! Maybe there is a chance that can happen, but... not yet! This will give them time to figure out how it can happen and what to do about it so they can decide on a better time when they’re more ready for this!

Not a scare- His S/o is going to have his baby... He’s the proudest skeleton around! He walks around with his skull held high, chest puffed out, huge grin, and nothing short of a strut. All of his coworkers wonder what’s going on with him, but they don’t have to for long, because he’s so happy he’s not even trying to keep it a secret.

Through pregnancy- You know those over the top cutesy couples where one insists on getting the one carrying the baby anything they want? That’s Blue. His S/o is going to have to be careful, because he will over indulge her cravings and with anything it even looks like she’s interested in. His S/o will protest that he’s doting on her too much, but he’s convinced that he’s the happiest damn man ever in existence, and she’s giving him this, so she deserves to have anything that he can give her- and he can give her a lot. They now have the nicest and best feeling nest that’s probably ever existed. She has more of anything than she could ever hope to use or need, but he’s always happy to give her more and make sure she’s taken care of in every way possible. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind who the father of the baby is when they walk around; he’s so full of pride that he’d dislocate a rib if his chest puffed out any more, and his skull barely has room on it for how big his grin is.

During labor- He's running around, yelling for his brother and trying to find the go bag and everything they had ready- he swears it was right there just that morning! Until Stretch wanders over, twirling the keys on a phalange, ushering the two of them to the car. When Blue sees the stuff in the back seat, he remembers that he'd moved it there to be even more ready... He'll be happy when this part is over and he can just hold his S/o and child safely in his arms! He's not a fan of them being in pain, so he's going to be asking the staff to have every kind of pain meds on hand, just in case...

Stretch- Stretch.exe has crashed and needs to be reboot to make any changes. He- didn't just hear what he thought he did... did he? See, there's no way that- except, unless there was... He slowly regains feeling in his extremities, and stares at the empty space in front of his sockets a bit longer before fully coming to. that's... *he can't decide whether he's supposed to be happy or horrified, his S/o's expression isn't telling him* wow... that's something, huh? science. *shakes skull in amazement*

If it's a scare- He needs to be more careful. Maybe someday, in the future, he'll want kids- but right now- he messes around too much; he's not serious enough to take this on. He spent so long raising Blue, his whole childhood and teen years, really, he wants some time to just have fun. He doesn't want to ruin life for everyone involved by getting in that situation and blaming them.

Not a scare- Oh shit- oh shit! Oh, god of motherfuck! He's zoned out staring off at nothing. Panicking internally. After trying to get his attention for long enough, his S/o just slaps him, yelling at him in frustration and leaves. The slap brought him back to the real world, but it's Blue yelling at him that makes him realize just how bad that had been. "HOW CAN YOU JUST STAND THERE LIKE A SAND SCULPTURE?! THEY'RE AFRAID, TOO! IF YOU WEREN'T SO BUSY THINKING OF ONLY YOURSELF, YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT! AT LEAST YOU HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE RAISING A BABY BONES! THEY HAVE NONE! THEY NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER! ... AND IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR LAZY COXXYS AFTER THEM RIGHT NOW, I'LL INFORM MUFFET OF WHAT HAPPENED, AND CELEBRATE WHEN YOU'RE BANNED!"

Through pregnancy- It’s... it’s not as bad as he made it out to be in his mind. He’d felt like someone had been about to hand them a baby any second, and then their lives would have been over. Instead they had nine and a half months to figure their shit out and get ready for what was coming. With many times set aside to talk everything out, and Blue there to mediate (make sure that Stretch was actually saying what he thought and wanted instead of trying to please by going with the flow) they managed to to work it out so that by they time it reached the third trimester, he’s pretty happy with the warm little life they’ve gotten all set up for themselves, and is a very cuddly skeleton. Also, a little secret he’s found out about pregnancy is that it makes his S/o’s pussy taste so much more delicious.

During labor- Stretch freezes, then his brother's loud voice pulls him back, and he puts the fluctuating panic to the back of his skull and shortcuts away. They think he's running off, but by the time Blue, who's very pissed at him, gets Stretch's S/o to the car, they see him stuffing the bags of supplies in the back.

Black- Oh- stars- he- he didn’t actually mean that- goddamn it! Ok... maybe he had... but-! He’s worried; worried about keeping them all safe, and worried that if he reacts in a way to keep them safe, his S/o will be angry with him and leave him forever! He- he can’t live with that!!! He growls and takes his S/o home, somewhere safe where he can hold them close against him. “Tell Me Again?” He asks softly. “I think I’m pregnant.” It’s said more levelly than it was before, more believing that he’s going to say something stupid. “Oh, Love... I’m The Happiest Monster In The World...” He pulls back to meet her gaze. “I’m Going To Make Sure That You Are The Most Well Taken Care Of Mate In All The Land.”

If it’s a scare- Oh... Well... That’s too bad... But... Now they can see how they’d react to the real news. And... now that it’s gotten them thinking about it... he kind of wants to actually try... hopefully his S/o will want to soon, too.

Not a scare- He’s so happy. Others speculate why he’s so happy, but they can never get him to reveal the truth, though they’ve all heard outlandish, crazy things by now, all said with a straight face, as though they were the truth. He never lets his S/o be without him or his brother- protection precautions. They will be a happy little family... and even though this little one was on accident- the next little one will be completely on purpose... and not too long after.

Through pregnancy- He is great at noticing things, and what he notices, is anything his S/o wants. Anything their eyes stay on for longer than a moment, anything they mention wanting or wondering about in passing. And, the strange thing about his observations is- they seem to just manifest out of nowhere! Right when they really wanted them the most! Those cookies from Muffet’s- somehow ended up on the kitchen counter... The soft fuzzy blanket they’d forced themselves to put back, draped over the couch. The relief they need that just hovers around the edges, tormenting them with an unscratchable itch they just can’t scratch- Black is there, holding them close, finding just the right angle, and sliding against it at just the right speed, and just the right strength to make his S/o's mind melt, their body doing the same in his arms. They are spoiled rotten by the end, and that’s just how he likes it; no one can do for them what he can, and they’ll never leave. Also hidden under the surface that is his joy of giving his S/o everything they could ever want, is his happiness and pride of the show of their bonding. Let no one doubt who his S/o belongs with.

During labor- The sudden cry of pain makes his skull snap to his S/o and search the area. What happened?! Who hurt them?! Who does he need to kill?! When he realizes that it's time, he yells for his brother to get the car, (softly and lovingly) telling his S/o to sit back and relax while he runs around and gathers everything, then stops where she is and helps her to the car. He only allows staff that he has personally vetted into the room, and only after he or Mutt have checked every form of ID available. No one will hurt his mate, or his heir. The moment he feels like any of the staff has messed up, he'll yell at them and push them out of the way- He'll Do It His Damn Self, Thank You!

Mutt- uuuuuuhhh... huh... um... hm. that’s... um... a thing, now, isn’t it... crazy how... humans reproduce... all run by chemicals, you know... Oh, damn it, look, he’s really... not sure how to behave! Is his S/o excited or pissed?! What is he supposed to do?! Does she want him to- no. No, he doesn’t think he wants to do that... He’s going to say no. If she asks, his answer is that he can’t do that. He realizes that she’s panicking, too, and is glad that his stony exterior made it so that none of his thoughts came through. He pulls her close and stands there, holding her, until she calms down. Even though he’s silent, he gives her what comfort he can, even if it’s just from his presence of being there. He’s not sure what else he could do... Except what he’s always done; take control of the situation. Their relationship is based on them both getting what they want from each other, and that what they want is the same thing... but... if he can’t convince her... if he tries to force her... she’ll just dig her heels in harder.

If it’s a scare- Oh, well... ok, then. He supposes... that it was just a mistake... something confusing... but... It brought up his memories of raising Black, and... he kinda liked remembering the way Black used to look up at him like he was the most amazing monster to ever have lived... made him think that... he probably... wouldn’t say no if there was the chance to do that again...

Not a scare- This situation sucks. The way that it happened sucks. He hopes that his S/o doesn’t end up hating him over this. He really loves them, and... that’s his kid. He’s not going anywhere. God and stars help the person who looks at his S/o the wrong way... and they’d have to help her if she ever tried to leave him, now...

Through pregnancy- His inner yandere shows itself very obviously. He’s always there, no matter where she goes. At the store? He’s lurking in the aisles. Taking a walk around? He’s silently shadowing her, keeping a socket out for anyone looking even remotely like they’d start something. Riding a bus to work? He’s somewhere... though you’d have to have a really good eye to pick him out. If they weren’t dating, he would probably get hit with stalking charges. Instead, he gets hit with, “why don’t you just ask to come with me instead of creeping the shadows like a freaking weirdo?”

During labor- Mutt internally freaks out for a moment, but gets ahold of himself while his brother guides his S/o to the car. Everyone around him is going to be glad for Black in this time. Mutt is looking like a murderous, protective bodyguard, standing just on the edge of the shadows, growling at anyone who even gets too close. No one except previously approved staff are allowed in the room. Everyone who is human thinks this is bizarre, but all the monsters there take it in stride as the norm. Black orders everyone around, which saves them all from having Mutt growling at them and seeming to stand over them, about to attack, even if he does sound like he's micromanaging.

Axe- He... uh... oops... He feels kinda guilty; there had to be intent involved, and... well, his S/o is pregnant, isn’t she? So... obviously he meant it... He’s half excited for a baby, and half really nervous because his brain keeps going back to; more mouths to feed, need more food- food! He hopes his S/o isn’t mad at him...

If it’s a scare- He’s a bit relieved, since he was worried about his S/o finding out and being mad at him... but, maybe they could open the conversation about it...?

Not a scare- He breaks down and admits that he caused this, asking his S/o to stay with him and love him even though he was so reckless- but he fully intends to stay with them, even if they say no, it will just be from the shadows... but he can’t just let her take their baby and go! It’s dangerous out there! It’s not- ... oh... they were trying for a baby...? oh yeah... wait- no they weren’t! But he appreciates her telling him that they were to make him feel better...

Through pregnancy- He’s not leaving their side. He’s going to protect them through everything- like being around other people, or not having space to sit on a bench at the park... He gets a bit underfoot, honestly... But, he’s doing it for the most thoughtful reasons! He loves his S/o, and isn’t going to let anything happen to her, or their baby.

During labor- He's panicking hardcore! What's he supposed to do? What's he supposed to do?! Did he ever know what to do? He'd ask his S/o, but they're too busy screaming! Wait- Paps! Paps'll know what to do! He's good at remembering the stuff his mind shuts out! They all get to the hospital, and his S/o is in a room. All of the noise and commotion is messing with his mind, making that problem that makes him block access to his memories act up... He's kicked out of the hospital in approximately six minutes. He's also not allowed back until the baby is born.

Crooks/Bun- He’s not likely to start up these activities on his own, so it would either be a huge surprise, with him being pretty quiet and just blinking for a few moments. Axe will probably come over and see if someone needs to get smacked, honestly, or, he'd expect it and be excited!

If it’s a scare or not- Yeah, this would 8/10 have to be on purpose. Those other 2/10, would be 1 oh wow, so it can happen after only one time... and 1 oh... wow...

Through pregnancy- He’s so happy, going everywhere with his S/o, talking about everything they plan to do, going on many parenting websites and doing research in his spare time, and babyproofing everything. He’s delighted to find out that the baby proofing helps with Axe, too, since he can’t trip and injure himself on everything when he’s not paying attention, now.

During labor- Oh- Ohh- Oh My! What To Do! Oh, Yes, To The Hospital! At the hospital, he's there as the amazing birthing coach he is, encouraging and rooting for his S/o!

Dusty- uhhhhhhhhhhh... um... what the fuck did his S/o just say? She thinks she’s what? ...! He’s freaking out, not only because he apparently was so reckless, but also because now he has to deal with the consequences of his actions. There’s going to be a kid- it’s going to be his kid- what if- what if there’s a reset- what if that demonic hellspawn comes back- oh fuck- what if it tries to take over his kid?!

If it’s a scare- He’s still severely rattled, and needs lots of time alone. Why isn’t Papyrus talking to him? Is he mad at him? It’s so quiet in his head now... at least, thank the stars, there’s not a chance of that stuff happening...

Not a scare- panic- panic- no disco, lots of panic! Where’s Papyrus?! He’d know what to do! Fuck- fuck fuck fuck- he’s going to be a dad- fuckfuckfuck!

Through pregnancy- He’s very nervous. He needs a support animal or something. He’s so sorry that his S/o has to go through this with him dragging her down- he- he has feelings for her, though, and he’s sorry, but- if anyone else tried to step in and take her off his hands, they wouldn’t be a problem very long. A puddle of blood? Yes. A problem? No. And no one better fucking touch her! Ok, he’s calm, he promises- backthefuckupbuddy! His S/o will have to be patient with him as he adjusts and fights his way through the clouds of LV and psychological torture induced madness...

During labor- He blanks. He panics. He freaks out. His service dog nudges his hand and positions the handle of the vest under his hand, and he holds on out of habit. The dog leads him to a spot away from the noise as his S/o calls an ambulance. She gives the dog the command that tells them there's going to be a loud noise, because they probably won't remember to turn the sirens off when they get closer. She drops the note for Dusty in the spot they'd trained the dog to bring him notes from, and is on the porch, leaning against the wall, waiting for the ambulance. When Dust comes back to himself, his dog brings him a note that says "I'm at the hospital, I went into labor. Call me, love you! S/o." He's so glad to hear her voice when he calls.

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otonymous · 5 years ago

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(Otonymous’ Follower Milestone Celebration): From the Pages of Le Comte’s Diary (IkeVamp - NSFW)

Description: You happen to find le Comte de Saint-Germain’s diary by chance. Do you dare to take a look inside? Warnings: NSFW/18+: Explicit/graphic language — reader discretion is advised. Trigger warnings: very mild hints of somnophilia & dubcon (without actual violation), mentions of death. SPOILERS for something minor noted in Leonardo’s MS. Author’s Notes: Hey everyone! This piece was heavily inspired by a personal headcanon I have of le Comte’s backstory and, for all intents and purposes, can be seen as a continuation to an earlier fic I wrote for him, Bitten.

(SPOILER ALERT!!) I also noticed while playing Leonardo’s route that he sometimes refers to le Comte with his name in quotation marks. It happened so frequently that I was inclined to think that this was no mere typo. This observation will figure in the following piece as well.

I’ve never played le Comte’s route before in the JP server and I try to stay away from spoilers, so the rest is just pure speculation on my part! That being said, please note the potential trigger warnings listed above, and happy reading! 😊

Tagging the following lovelies: @ambrosiallkiss, @all-my-cuffs-have-buttons

All characters & Ikemen Vampire owned by Cybird.

17th of May, XXXX

She sleeps; soft skin taunting beneath the gossamer silk of her nightgown - satin ribbons and blush pink and almost coquettish in how it barely concealed anything of the wonders beneath:

Breasts exquisitely tipped, nipples hardening like jewels beneath the heat of my stirring breath.

Hourglass curves limned in silver moonlight spilling into her room (for even after lifetimes apart, she maintains the habit of retiring with the curtains open) — lending her the ethereal cast of the goddess Diana herself.

The shadows between her legs, darkness undulating every time she shifted upon the bed; thighs parting...then closing…then parting again as her lips dropped in a wisp of a moan that reverberated nonetheless like an orchestra in my ears.

For she had called to me.

Writhing upon her bed in the throes of what seemed a particularly feverish dream, she had uttered my name — that which had never been revealed to her nor any of the mansion’s other residents aside from Leo. And there is no other man I trust more with a secret. Yet, there it was like a miracle…spilling unbidden from those perfect lips.

How long has it been since I was last addressed as such? Not “le Comte de Saint-Germain” but by the name of my birth. Not since she was in my arms last, hundreds of years in a past when I knew her by an entirely different name and face.

Different, yes, but beautiful no less. And though she returned to me changed, I recognized her immediately by scent — fragrant blood ripe with the sweet spring of life, pulsing hot beneath delicate skin that flushed when I approached her that fateful day, palm outstretched like a hopeful supplicant to return what she had lost:

An earring of amethyst.

The same precious stone as the one in which I had carved the elegant profile of her face; the cameo the very first gift I had given her...and the very last piece of jewellery I adorned her body with the day they laid her to rest all those grey seasons ago.

But my lover has returned. And though many say our kind walk in darkness, God has revealed itself to me by this very act of faith. For she is the light: the spark in her eyes more brilliant than a thousand suns, the warmth of her soul the very fire of a hearth, forever burning.

Yes, she has returned. And I am home once more.

Yet, I linger at the threshold, paralyzed by the thought of her dissipating like smoke before my very eyes. Could this much happiness be allowed for one such as myself? Would Cupid’s arrow be tipped with sympathy for a creature’s plight, striking twice like lightning bearing down upon the selfsame tree?

Alas, caution, caution. To be exercised constantly.

I remind myself, always, to stay the haste that would urge me to reveal all, as fantastical as the story may seem to a woman both worldly and hailing from a time that, I’ve learned, has very little tolerance for things incapable of being stripped away by science.

Thus, I must find contentment in observation, watching the slow procession of my bride as she fumbles among the great men I’ve gathered. Waiting…hoping for the day that she’ll discover her place by the side of one who has loved her and only her since time immemorial. For I would never force her hand. If she is to love, it would be completely of her own accord.

Such is my situation: to look but never to touch. Never seeking to interfere. It is torture of the most acute degree.

In a stark reminder that I, too, was once a man possessed of love and passion, jealousy and lust, I almost succumbed tonight. Her soft moans had drawn me to her bedchamber, and when she failed to respond to my inquiries as to her well-being, I entered her room without express permission, fearing the worst.

And there…a sight to rival Venus’ birth upon foamy shores:

Tresses of silk fanned out upon down pillows as a thin sheen of sweat glistened on her brow, ma chérie had thrown off her bedcovers and continued to writhe under the influence of a dream. Her lashes fluttered long like butterflies in flight, and I was captivated by the rapid rise and fall of her chest, the perfect flesh of supple breasts visible beneath the gauzy layers of her nightgown.

I pressed a hand to her forehead, relieved to find it cool to the touch and tried to keep from being distracted by her tongue as it slipped out to wet pink lips from corner to corner, as if fighting to quench some unfathomable thirst. I wondered from which well of desire she had drawn in the hazy web of sleep to excite her so.

I wasn’t left ignorant for long, for it was then that she moaned my name, beckoning like the goddess of love herself and impossible to ignore as the sound stirred something deep in my enraptured heart and loins. And just when I gathered every last shred of willpower to pull away, she grasped me by the wrist, fingers curling tight and with surprising strength.

Selfishly, I yielded. Allowed her to draw me in any direction she saw fit until I was positioned over her sleeping form on all fours, like the basest of beasts. I told myself that I did not wish to disturb her slumber, but the heart knows its own darkness. For I was hopelessly drawn to the flush of her cheeks, the way her hands sought purchase in my hair — pushing my head lower and lower, allowing my gaze to take in every glorious inch of her body as it moved towards the heat between her legs.

She stopped then, spread herself even wider and lifted slightly off the bed as if seeking the warmth of my breath. It blew shaky upon bare skin, for she had worn no undergarments. Her heady scent wafted towards me, a bouquet delectable and sweet, as if deliberately fashioned to please my palate, and I smiled to remember the times I’d feast upon her until the candles burned low.

She glistened — rosy flesh trembling as her arousal beaded to drip from her entrance, leaving a salacious trail that ended in a growing spot of moisture on the bed beneath her. She called for me again, the wanton whine of her voice mixed with a desperation I only knew too well, and it would’ve been so easy to take up her invitation with the tip of my tongue, lapping at the nectar offered up by her beautiful flower in bloom.

It would have been easy, yes. But I am not one unaccustomed to hardship.

And so, with the greatest care not to rouse her, I extricated myself from her grasp, pulling the covers over her sleeping form once more.

On this night, I allowed myself this: the gentlest press of my lips to her forehead. The slightest touch of my nose to the tip of hers. Then I bade ma chérie “bonne nuit” as I closed the door behind me.

She will come to me once more, awake and willing. And when she does...

…she will know my name.

(End of Entry)

Thank you so much for reading! Check out more of my work here! 📓

#otonymous 2020 ms #ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp le comte #ikemen vampire le comte #le comte de saint germain #ikevamp smut #ikevamp fanfic #ikevamp fic #fanfiction #smut #my writing #cybird

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theloneliestshipper · 4 years ago

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would love to see boba & leia in an apocalypse or dystopia!AU... there are so many to choose from like zombie au, natural disaster destroys the world au, government goes batshit à la handmaid’s tale, hunger games au. mostly this prompt is just an excuse to see leia save boba in some capacity because i’m soft for that and have them comfort each other emotionally and physically in dire circumstances because i’m also soft for that. okay i’ll stop now

AO3 Link

They caught another one. Leia’s stomach knotted as the sentry guards dragged the human into sight.

“Humans in armor,” RA-7 sniffed. “Will they never learn?”

Leia took a closer look. He was bleeding and barely able to stand, but his armor was unmistakable. A Mandalorian. Legendary warriors, according to the Archive. Their people were notorious for surviving extinction. “What will happen to him?”

“The same thing that happens to every human who tries to escape.” RA-7 lowered her head. “It’s a great comfort to me, Le-a, that you know better than to attempt such foolishness.”

The sentries were trying to remove the Mandalorian’s armor, with limited success. Their protocol said that escapees should be executed with a single shot to the head, but the scorch marks on their prisoner’s helmet suggested that this had already been attempted.

“Honestly,” RA-7 huffed. “If these old separatist units can’t learn to adapt, they’ll never evolve past their rank. You there! Just remove the head, and then complete your task.”

The Mandalorian held up his hands. “Wait.” He removed the helmet himself. He was older than Leia, maybe old enough to have fought against the first droid rebellion. He was handsome, even bloody and injured, with sweat-soaked black curls and tan skin.

“Can I have him?” Leia asked before she could stop herself.

RA-7 turned her head towards Leia, the lights in her photoreceptors blinking a little quicker than normal. “For what purpose?”

“For company.” Leia’s mind raced. What would make sense to a droid? “And for warmth. The Archive is cold at night.”

“I have observed that your body temperature is often lower than it should be for optimal health.”

One of the sentries shoved the man to his knees and placed the barrel of its blasting arm against the man’s forehead. Droids didn’t like to be rushed, but time was running out. “Please, your excellency.”

“Oh, very well. Stop!” RA-7 moved towards the prisoner and Leia quickly followed. “I will be taking the human. Here is my authorization code.”

The sentry scanned her code and then beeped once in approval. “Governor of the Archive. Acknowledged. All praise to our savior, L3-37.”

“All praise to L3-37.” RA-7 responded. “Please remove the rest of his armor.”

“I’ll do it,” the man muttered, leaning out of their reach. When his armor was in a pile on the ground, RA-7 gestured at his blood-soaked undersuit. “The cloth garments as well. You cannot bring such unsanitary items into the Archive.”

With a resigned sigh, he continued to strip until he stood naked in front of them.

“You will wash him,” RA-7 told Leia.

“Of course, your excellency.”

“And see to it that he has proper food and exercise. There’s nothing more pitiful than a sick human.”

“I will.”

“Unfortunately he appears to be breeding compatible. Shall I have that taken care of?”

Leia kept her attention on the droid so she wouldn’t have to dwell on her own embarrassment or the prisoner’s horror. “It might not be wise in his current condition, your excellency.”

“He does not look well,” RA-7 agreed. “But he does appear to be working. Your body temperature has risen considerably. Take him to your rooms and clean him up.”

“Thank you.” Leia gave her a respectful bow and turned to the man she had just rescued. “Come with me.” She forced herself to keep a sedate pace because it was clear that he was too injured to move quickly. As they walked she let her shawl drop from her shoulders and handed it to him. He tied it around his waist but said nothing until they reached Leia’s small room in the cellar of the Archive.

“Can you get my armor back?”

His words stunned her so much she froze. “Your armor ? You should be glad you still have your head. And-” she waved at his midsection. “that.”

“I am, but I need my armor.”

“Sit down,” she ordered, pointing stiff-armed at her bed. “You can worry about your armor when the bleeding stops.”

“I’ve never seen a human with so much influence here.”

“Don’t confuse strategy for power,” she returned sharply as she knelt to remove her medkit from under the bed. So many of these items were a rarity now. Most of the droid governors didn’t see the point in “repairing” humans who would grow old and die anyway. RA-7 was the exception, but she couldn’t control supply and demand.

“How long have you been here at the Archive?”

“Since I was eleven years old.” She laid out her kit on the floor as she spoke. “I was traveling with my father when the droids attacked the core. Their protocol said not to harm children, so I was brought here and RA-7 took me on as her assistant. I provide human interpretation for oral histories of the galaxy.”

“You’ve been here twelve years.”

“Yes.” She injected him in the thigh with one of her last stims and dipped a sterile pad in bacta. “I spent a year on the oral history of the True Mandalorians. I recognized the clan markings on your armor.”

“It was my father’s.”

“Did you fight in the rebellion?”

“No.” He hissed as she began to clean the deep cut on his forearm. “I was a bounty hunter. I didn’t want to get involved.”

Her hand stilled. “How could you think you had a choice?” He didn’t answer. After a few seconds she resumed tending to his wound. “I’ll try to help you get your armor back,” she said. “But you have to do as I say. Be polite to the droids. Stay close to me.”

"I will." Two fingers brushed her chin, warm, human fingers and her body flushed with heat as she raised her eyes to his. “Thank you.” His mouth pulled up in a quick, tired smile. “I’m Boba, by the way.”

“Leia.”

His fingers withdrew and his gaze sharpened. “Leia. Organa?”

She felt dizzy with shock. “How do you know my name?”

“I know your mother. Breha Organa.”

“My...my mother. She’s alive?”

“Plenty of humans are, outside the core.” He leaned closer. “I wasn’t trying to escape when I was caught. Your mother pays me to get humans out of droid occupied territory.”

Leia could barely hear him over the roar in her ears. “You...have you done it before?”

“I’m on my twenty-sixth run.” He leaned back against the wall, confident in spite of his battered state. “Help me get my armor back and I'll get you back to your family."

#boba fett/princess leia #rebelbounty #random au #droid rebellion au #my fic #prompt #Anonymous

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ceo-caroline · 5 years ago

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Portal is a feminist game and here’s why!! (some of my thoughts on the upload process and Caroline’s internal conflict)

When I think of a young woman in the workforce circa 1950, my mind first goes to the disparity between men and women; the sexism, the pay gap, the general feeling of existing as a female individual and how it is a constant uphill battle. Caroline is not an exception to that, and even if she is the boss’s favorite, she is still frustratingly determined to be recognized for her intelligence and not just her wit or appearance. She doesn’t want to just be a secretary for the rest of her life. (In my opinion, she didn’t even go to secretary school, she just finished college and landed a job at Aperture because she scared the hell out of her interviewer and Cave thought it was the funniest thing he’d seen in years.)

I believe that Caroline grew up living with her mother, who was also a very strong-willed and independent woman. Caroline had that positive influence all throughout her childhood, and that creates this determination to succeed even if it appears unrealistic. She doesn’t have some grand dream to destroy all sexism at Aperture Science Innovators, but she does want to be a scientist herself. She wants to not have to follow her boss around like a puppy all day. She wants her coworkers to stop staring at her ass. She wants her own office. I think for the first 20 years of her career she has a lot of drive to accomplish those smaller goals. Caroline strives for respect and equal treatment because she knows that she’s smarter than at least half of Cave’s employees that work in the labs.

The thing that separates her from another woman in her position, however, is that she will go to greater lengths to achieve these goals, and do things that are morally grey. She doesn’t care a lot about integrity, she’s a good liar and she uses it largely as a defense mechanism. For most of her life, she has been a victim. She’s been forced to make herself smaller and quieter, so she learns that if she wants something, she has to go about it in ways that are often unethical. But the older she gets and the more corruption that surrounds her, the easier it becomes.

I have some hang-ups on the subject of the upload process because I feel that Caroline’s identity as a woman and everything that she worked so hard to achieve is something primarily important to her. It’s canon that she initially refused to be used as a guinea pig for GLaDOS. There was clearly something holding her back. I guess I just assume that it’s the value she has placed on her bodily autonomy. And I’ve read (and partially agree with) the argument that there is even greater body autonomy once Caroline has full control of Aperture and is no longer held back by Cave or the boundaries of being a woman. But she doesn’t know if the upload is going to be successful. She’s worked at Aperture since she was 22. She’s fully aware that they barely take any precautions, that a lot of the scientists lack a moral compass and have next to no regard for human life (herself included). She has a sinking feeling that she is going to die, and she doesn’t want that. Maybe, for once, she really sees herself and what she’s become. Maybe she sees herself in Cave. People have told her in passing that they act the same, and she’s dismissed it. But now she realizes that they really are so similar. Refusing his proposition is a last-ditch effort to separate herself from his madness and try to reclaim some of what she’s lost.

(This goes into my thoughts on caveline which I can talk about in full another time, but I really believe that Cave exercised this control over Caroline at the same time that she exercised control over him. Their relationship is so toxic because they are both simultaneously manipulating one another to try to gain something)

She wants Aperture, but she doesn’t want it as GLaDOS, she wants it as Caroline. Imagine working your ass off to be recognized for your talent and achievements only for it to be thrown away because a man tells you to give up your body for science (out of a twisted act of love). That seems miserable. I have this idea that I can’t shake of Caroline being unwilling to give up her life for her job. She is stubborn and selfish like Cave, but unlike him, she is also calculating. Cave will go about things with reckless abandon, but Caroline weighs her options, she always has. Just because she is cruel doesn’t mean that she isn’t intelligent. She clings to her logic, her human brain, because she really does value it. It has yet to fail her.

Caroline surely considered Cave’s idea, she didn’t just say no. I like to think that she had her own kind of relationship with GLaDOS as She was being built due to her fascination with artificial intelligence. But Cave’s mind was probably pretty compromised by illness at the point that he asked her (just listen to the lemon rant, which symbolizes his fall from grace). His desperation to preserve her was clear and terrifying. That impulsive, headstrong behavior that Caroline used to admire is now being directed at her. She begins to realize how truly flawed he is. It’s like she’s finally coming up for air after being underwater for decades.

And I have to emphasize that Caroline lacks this inherent privilege. Her life is not easy. She fights tooth and nail to be respected, even when she has more authority than the men that talk down to her. She’s fierce, and she doesn’t back down from a good challenge, she keeps fighting. Though, I do believe that as she gets older, her coping mechanisms for the stresses in her life (like her toxic relationship with Cave & her obsessive/compulsive thinking patterns) become increasingly destructive, which is another example of her own flaws coming back to hurt her. She overworks herself and is under constant pressure from Cave. She’s exhausted with everything. So maybe there is some acquiescence that comes with her death. Maybe she stops screaming when she realizes it’s useless to fight. Aperture was going to kill her one way or another. She may as well go down with some dignity.

#my writing #can we tell i miss college and writing papers sdfsdf #these are all my own opinions btw!! portal is fun bc the canon is fluid sometimes & we can all theorize #also lemme know if u want my caveline analysis i have one of those too ..#portal #portal 2 #caroline portal #cave johnson #glados

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sanguinesorceress · 5 years ago

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Marked For Death (Part 3)

[Part 1]

[Part 2 ]

Suspicious Death of Magister Deemed Homicide

Toxicology reports have uncovered the cause of death for a Kirin Tor Magister to be a deadly toxin more commonly known by its street name of “Zanzil’s Slow Poison.” Believed to be completely incurable, the outlawed toxin is either ingested or absorbed through direct contact, triggering the gradual deterioration of multiple internal organs before resulting in what can only be described by medical experts as “an excruciating death.” Authorities are baffled as a recent interview with the medical examiner has revealed “there is no definitive way of knowing precisely when the victim came into contact with the toxin. Several factors such as body mass, diet, exercise, and the use of other medications, can alter the timeline when attempting to calculate the exact moment of poisoning. Unfortunately, we are working with an approximation of one week at best.” If anyone has any information regarding the suspicious death of Magister Jadex, authorities are encouraging them to come forward at this time.

As the ‘Tide Seer’ dispersed with a splash of salt water and collapsed into a lifeless heap of seaweed on the shore, the Sorceress appeared on a cliffside elsewhere.

"Such an intriguing cloth to wear,” remarked the watcher from the shadows as he stepped to her side, “especially when used to turn a suspicious eye toward the already disreputable Kvaldir.” She could feel his frigid stare burning into the crimson fabric of her hood, but she dared not glance his way. Not yet. For now, her eyes remained glued to the Kaldorei’s silhouette down below, watching him saddle up in preparation for his immediate departure.

As per their agreement, her co-conspirator had tailed the assassin across the continent while taking every precaution to ensure his presence went unnoticed. Looming high overhead, he observed the Sorceress’ performance from the safety of a cave through a network of scrying orbs she had organized beforehand. Already confident of the answer, she sought the opinion of her companion for the sake of making conversation. “Do you believe he will comply?”

"You understand your prey, Sorceress. You know their weaknesses and just how to exploit them,” he remarked dispassionately. “The living will throw all caution to the wind when love is concerned, whether to obtain said infatuation or to protect it, I find it quite pathetic, really.”

She glanced over her shoulder, rivaling the intensity of his gaze with that of her own. “Is that so?” she prodded, and an amused grin pulled her sable lips tighter than a garrotting wire, “Is there nothing in this world you would protect with your life?”

Her question brought a telling smirk to his face. Haunting was that subtle gesture, the look of a man who housed layer upon layer of intricacies that were nearly impossible to unravel. "Blindness" he scoffed, and although the word was little more than a whisper, his authoritative voice carried above the crashing waves, refusing to be overcome by their ceaseless roar. "Blind love. Blind actions. Blind movements in the dark. Flailing arms trying to grasp at hope, at an opportunity to free one’s self from whatever chains they have shackled themselves with.” His eyes found her target, the shaken Kaldorei, and his grin stretched into something far more sinister.

"What I cherish, dear lady, cannot —and does not— need protecting.” His eyes flared into a mixture of blue flame and shadow, as his gaze returned to the Sorceress. "You need only notice the bones under your feet, the cuts you make, and the lives you absolve from this realm. Gaze deeply into the eyes of those you claim, bask in the realization of their fate —of their untimely end—then, in those eyes, you will see what I love."

It was for this very purpose she had chosen him to carry out this important task in her overarching plan. The man’s ideals were iron-clad, armoring him against unwelcome influences, thereby distinguishing him as a powerful ally. Having served his tenure under the Lich King, the Shepherd, once awakened, vowed to never again succumb to the same ‘blindness’ as the living. Perceived to be walking abominations in the eyes of mortals, the two shared the belief that they were lucid dreamers existing alongside a comatose society.

“I would like for you to continue your surveillance on the young assassin to ensure he fulfills his task.” She handed him a satchel, and judging by the clinking sounds coming from within the leather bag, it housed several glass vials. “I have procured enough invisibility potions to conceal you from the scrying eyes in Dalaran.” A single, cautionary finger stabbed the air as she relayed a warning. “They will only hide your appearance, not your aura, therefore I advise you suppress any urges you may have to use magic over the next twelve hours.”

A trying task. The simplicity of it was presented before him, yet the request was made all the more complex in the back of his mind. For one who dwelled among the shadows, who lingered out of sight only to be seen as the last thing to be seen, he understood intimately that strategy was paramount in a situation such as this. "Hide what I am.” It was a familiarity that soon reclaimed him. Conceal yourself. Don't let them catch you. Pallid lips twisted ever so slightly as he accepted the Sorceress’ magical aid. "Be it by shadow, unholy magic, or physical inevitability… Death always collects its due.” He curled his plated fingers around the bag and held it close to his chest. "You shall have your result."

From the moment the Tide Seer dispersed, Oneth knew the clock was ticking.

12 Hours. Starting now. Think fast, you can do this.

Eliminate target number one = 4 Hours (Including travel time, cleanup, and disposal.)

12 - 4 = 8

8 Hours

Target number two would require preventative methods and careful planning. His death won’t be nearly as easy to cover up while meeting the Tide Seer’s conditions of a ‘slow and excruciating death.’

Excruciating Death = Zanzil’s Slow Poison

Acquire reagents from usual suppliers = 6 hours

Create and administer toxin = 4 hours

6 + 4 = 10

8 - 10 = Dead Wife

Not an option. Try again, Oneth.

Acquire half of the reagents locally, the other half from usual suppliers = 3.5 hours

Create and administer toxin = 4 hours

3.5 + 4 = 7.5

7.5 Hours (with 30 mins serving as a buffer for small errors)

This won’t be easy, but if it will save her life, I have to at least try. Now, to make this happen and not fuck up.

He had worked tirelessly through the night, and thus far, not only was everything going according to plan, but according to schedule. Perhaps lady luck was on his side, or maybe the Gods had finally decided to smile upon him. Whatever the reasoning, he was not one to question his good fortune.

Even with the use of portals, the majority of his time was consumed by travel. The places he was required to visit were remote, and with good reason. Herbalists were forbidden to stock the full ingredient list and alchemists were outlawed from making or carrying the deadly poison. Anyone caught with the knowledge of its procurement were obligated to report suspicious activity to the authorities, and there were few business owners willing to risk their livelihood or their reputation on an assassin regardless of how tempting the bribe may be.

Each reagent had to be purchased from a different supplier, then combined in the privacy of an undisclosed location to avoid suspicion. This was not the first time he had created Zanzil’s Slow Poison, but it was certainly the first he had done it on such short notice.

“Your tea, Sir,” trilled the waitress as she placed a steaming beverage before the Magister. “Only a half-spoon of honey; just the way you like it.”

Scholar’s hands, smoothed by the caress of only the finest parchment in Dalaran, wrapped around the teacup. Stolen warmth snaked its way up his arms and scalded his lips as he flashed her a heated smile. “My dear, sweet, Lady. It appears you are working late, yet again.” Despite what he would have others believe, the Magister was not as gentle natured as he feigned. His tips were overly generous, particularly when it came to pretty faces, and such generosity would grant him a night or two with a supple body to warm his bed. (Before they discovered the dark, sadistic desires he harbored behind closed doors.) This evening’s prize had been particularly elusive over the past several weeks and tonight he was certain she would succumb to his particular brand of charm. “What sort of gentleman would I be if I did not fret for your safety at such a late hour. Would you allow me the honor of escorting you home after your shift this evening?”

As the two conversed, Oneth carried on with his work, seemingly overwhelmed by the persistent duties of being a porter. Tables were cleaned, empty glasses were cleared, and bottles were retrieved from the cellar upon request. Never did he cease to move, the buzzing bee that he was, and he flitted from table to table with the enthusiasm of a young lad eager to please. Let them grow comfortable with the diligent worker so they may overlook the stinger at his back. It was menial work, but necessary in order to maintain certain appearances, and the bustle of the tavern helped to bring a semblance of normalcy to an otherwise unorthodox lifestyle. Now and again, Oneth allowed his gaze to wander in their direction, waiting for the exact moment when all of his careful planning would come to fruition.

Twenty seven minutes and counting.

After an excruciatingly painful exchange, his coworker managed to, yet again, artfully decline the polite pervert and evade his overeager hands. Evidently the Magister would be going home alone again, but tonight’s loss would do little to thwart his redoubled attempt tomorrow. Oneth had witnessed this ‘act’ on more than one occasion. He would be doing her, in addition to his employer, a favor by ridding the world of this viscid parasite.

Eighteen minutes.

Long after the tea, and his advances had gone cold. Magister Jadex commenced his nightly exiting ritual. The empty teacup was returned to its saucer, followed by the jingle of too many coins being placed upon the table in a grandiose show of ‘appreciation,’ and lastly the dabbing of his lips with a paper napkin. Only this time, the napkin would bear both the message and the means of his demise. At first, the Magister appeared not to notice the writing, but rather than make a scene, he lowered it to his lap where he could read the words discreetly.

One day I will return and you won’t be around to see me rise again.

No dilation of pupils, no widening of eyes, no frantic searching for the culprit ensued. Nothing occurred despite knowing with absolute certainty that he had received the message. Oneth found himself both perplexed and slightly intrigued. Perhaps this was not the first threat the Magister had received. Instead, the note was pocketed, and he bid his coveted prize a good evening before gracefully taking his leave.

Unfortunately for him, this was not just a threat. It was a delayed execution, and with the strange pearl already concealed within the Magister’s home, all he had to do now was wait.

[ Co-written with @lazraelbandtherion as his respective part. ]

@hmratking @loveherdekay @safrona-shadowsun @duraxxor

#Plot: Marked for Death #part three #read all three parts #you will not be disappointed #sanguine sorceress #the shepherd in wolf's clothing #The Rat King #the rat queen #so sorry this took so long #thank you for your patience #stay tuned for more to come #sorceress literature

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bexterbex · 5 years ago

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A Soul to Mend His Own | Ch. 26

Warning, if it hasn’t been obvious in the movies there is Nazi symbolism within the First Order. I will expand on this much more throughout the story. If this is something that bothers you, please just exit the story. The author does not condone any Nazi ideals, this is just for fictional uses only.

A Kylo Ren x Modern! Reader in a soulmate au with some canon divergence. —————————————SLOWBURN————————————–

He is already the Supreme leader, searching the universe to find you, his Empress. Your name on his wrist has been the only constant in his life, while you have doubts about his existence and his acceptance of you. He isn’t in the database and why did the name Kylo Ren cover Ben Solo?

MASTERLIST

Chapter 26: Reconditioning and Lack of Information

Lieutenant Mitaka informed you that it was time to go, so you put your laptop away and headed to the hangar. Surprisingly it was not General Pryde waiting for you this morning it was Allegiant General Hux. “Good morning m’lady I will be joining you at the Health Committee today,” he said collapsing his hands behind his back following you into the shuttle.

“Is there a reason why General Pryde isn’t here,” you ask.

“The Supreme Leader thought it was best that his best general would join you today,” replied Hux while strapping himself in.

You received a message on your phone from Kylo, ‘Good morning. I look forward to having dinner with you tonight. It is my wish that you will have a better day today.’

You look back up at the general, “So what you’re saying is someone informed the Supreme Leader to what happened at dinner last night.”

The general lifted his chin and with a neutral face said, “It is my duty to make sure that any time you are not with the Supreme Leader that you are comfortable. Last night you were not comfortable and so I justly informed him of this. In our morning meeting, he informed me that I am to escort you today and that General Pryde is to remain on board the ship this morning. He also believes that some of the next few health committee meetings you will need proper assistance as the health officials from your planet have stepped down. I am also the most informed person as to where your education on the First Order is thus far.”

You shook your head slightly at this. So you were being watched by Hux, he was informing Kylo about you, seemingly behind your back. But why would your education come into play? You were discussing your planet, not the First Order. You just hummed in response. Your mood was not better, in fact, it soured from when you woke up this morning.

You arrived at the White House and entered the meeting room. All of the doctors and nurses seemed to sit up straighter in the presence of General Hux.

“Allegiant General Hux, it is an honor to have you join us for this morning’s meeting,” said Dr. Koroban.

“Thank you, Dr. Koroban. I will be assisting Lady Ren in the negotiations as we are now without help from her own planet. General Pryde will remain on board the Steadfast for the time being,” replied Hux who sat next to you, whereas General Pryde normally sat opposite of you.

“On our agenda today I believe it is best to start with the topic of exercise,” said Dr. Koroban.

“As we have discussed in the past there are many ‘first world’ countries that do not take care of themselves health-wise as they should. There is a large population that has a sedentary lifestyle. I believe your planet m’lady uses the term office jobs,” said Dr. Dabrini.

“Yes, currently it is recommended that people receive at least 30 minutes of exercise a day and at least 10,000 steps,” you reply.

“One course of action that we may want to debate is broadcasting morning exercise videos to the citizens. Nothing too strenuous, something like light aerobics. Stretching and basic exercises,” replied Dr. Dabrini.

“When you say broadcasted you do you mean something like public television? Because many local public stations in ‘first world’ countries already do something similar. Mostly for those who are of retirement age,” you ask.

“No m’lady broadcast as in mandatory. We do it on all First Order planets. We have found it to be very effective,” replied Dr. Dabrini.

You knew there were daily morale-boosting videos that were standard in First Order occupied planets, but you were not comfortable with something like this. Mandatory exercises for everyone on the planet? Flashbacks from world history popped into your head, specifically the topic of the Hitler Youth.

“You realize my planet has not been affected by the influence of the Empire like many of your other planets? Our people, for the most part, are used to their freedom or at least the ideals of freedom. While this might be something that some people might like, the majority of the planet will not stand for this invasion of privacy,” you respond.

An officer who you have noticed in the meetings but has never spoken up before says, “Privacy is something you give up for the good of the First Order m’lady. You only gain it back once you have served the First Order well enough. It is a privilege to be earned.”

You turned to look at the general trying to watch his face in response. “This isn’t something you have told me. You told me you give up personal desires. On this planet privacy isn’t a personal desire, it is viewed as a right.” His face revealed nothing, he just stared at the wall on the opposite side of the room.

The officer spoke again, “Allegiant General sir, was it not your father Commandant Brendol Hux who said, War is peace, Freedom is slavery, Ignorance is strength when talking about those who have not learned of the ways of the First Order?”

“Yes, it was,” responded Hux who now has looked over at the officer his face still neutral or rather emotionless.

“If the memo that was sent out this morning was correct, then 85 percent of Earth’s population has already been registered and subsequently has effectively been taking their education sources. And with the 9 percent predicted to register today and 4 percent tomorrow then the majority of this planet has given up on their privacy already. Making that argument invalid,” responded the officer.

Hux’s demeanor changed at this, “Lieutenant Rodinon need I remind you that this is Lady Ren’s planet that you are speaking of. While you have been born and raised in the First Order, she has not. If you wish to remain in your position I suggest you remember who you are speaking to.” The was heat in his voice but the lieutenant did not back down.

“So has she not been receiving the enlightenment materials? She would know this by now if she were. What use will she be to the First Order if she constantly questions our motives,” asked the lieutenant who seemed to want to fight with the general.

“She is being tutored by me, lieutenant. I should not have to tell you that the Supreme Leader has asked that she receives a different education than others on her planet. Afterall she will one day be the empress of our empire. Apparently, I need to remind you of that fact since you have seemingly ignored it in your debriefings. Captain Pyre,” called the general to your usual golden guard. Who entered the room with two other storm troopers guarding the now open door. “Please have one of your men escort Lieutenant Rodinon for reconditioning. Make sure they tell Colonel Datoo that he should not only review the ‘Character Guidance Program’ but also the memos regarding Lady Ren’s status.”

With this, you saw that there was fear laced in the lieutenant’s eyes as he was escorted by the armed stormtroopers out of the room. Still facing the general you asked, “do you care to explain what just happened?”

His face emotionless once more, except for the muscle that you could see straining in his jaw. “Dr. Koroban if you would excuse Lady Ren and myself for the moment. I ask that you do not resume this committee until instructed to do so, we should be back shortly.” With that he gestured for you to stand and follow him, you made your way down to the familiar red sitting room to which you two were left alone in.

With his hands behind his back, he began to pace while explaining, “It is under orders from the Supreme Leader that you do not receive the same enlightenment as the rest of your people. For many reasons, as you are to know more about the galaxy and the meaning behind the First Order that you will one day fully help run. And the civilian enlightenment program has some drawbacks once you have received the first 3 lessons.”

“What drawbacks exactly?” There was now a present irritable tone in your voice.

“They tend to make citizens more docile to the First Order presence. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, but the Supreme Leader has expressed the desire that he would not like that effect to happen to you.”

“So it is brainwashing them. You are brainwashing my planet into docile creatures. And Kylo approved this!”

At the mention of Kylo’s name, you saw one of the general’s eyebrows minutely raise. “We are not brainwashing them m’lady we are merely enlightening them to the path of order. They see how the First Order can help them and they accept it.”

You shook your head. “I don’t believe you. And he wants me to be not docile, but yet complicit because I don’t know what’s happening to my own people!”

“M’lady I believe this is something he can explain to you best,” the general’s arms were now in front of him in an almost surrendering position.

“But what about the reconditioning that you sent the lieutenant to? What is reconditioning?” You could feel the anger building and yet dissipating within you.

“That is something of a requirement in our officer and enlisted core. As you could see the lieutenant was acting in a disrespectful manner towards me and yourself. It is merely a relearning of the rules and regulations that they seemed to forget or deemed to ignore. I can show you it sometime if you wish m’lady.”

Your anger still hadn’t fully dissipated, “You also said that I would be an empress. That I would one day run the First Order. I have no desire to do this. I did not sign up to rule a military regime let alone a galaxy!”

The general had fully paused and turned to face you. His hands were behind his back and a stern look on his face, “My lady I do not appreciate you undo criticism towards me. This is something you should discuss with the Supreme Leader if you have an issue, not myself. Might I suggest that we return to the meeting? We can switch up the topic to one you would rather discuss and leave any other topic until you have had a discussion with the Supreme Leader.”

You relented. He was still part of the problem, being a part of the First Order and all, but he was not who you were directly angry with. He was right, Kylo really hasn’t told you much as he rather preferred to leave that to someone else, like Hux. You nodded to him and followed him back to the conference room. You knew that Kylo would have some explaining to do tonight at dinner. For now, you tried to focus back on the task at hand.

“I believe we should change subjects for now. Lady Ren is there a topic you would like to discuss,” asked the general.

“The topic of sickness prevention. I think we should right now focus on the citizen and not any major procedural items.”

“So you would like a campaign again for citizens to see talking about the basics of sickness prevention, and not any policies that any institution would put in place. Is this correct m’lady,” asked Dr. Koroban.

“Yes, although it may need to be discussed. There is also the matter of sick leave time as many who are sick must return to work sooner than they would like for things like the common cold. But yes I think a campaign, like the one for hygiene, should be done to prevent contagious sicknesses.”

“Something along the lines of washing your hands, don’t touch your face, stay home when sick, and don’t share food or drink with others? Common sense items but things that should be readdressed,” asked Dr. Dabrini.

“Yes. These were all things I learned in school but upon entering the workforce it seems like it is something people have either forgotten or just ignore.”

“I can have Petty Officer Tanau look into that, you have already done so much m’lady,” said Dr. Koroban.

“That’s fine, but could she send me what she finds so I can review it before it gets sent to the Supremacy for final inspection?”

“Yes, Lady Ren. I think that would be most wise. I’ll let Lieutenant Mitaka know when it is done as to not to disturb you. But I think we should wrap up this meeting for today,” with that Dr. Koroban dismissed everyone.

“My lady would you like to join me and Admiral Frantis Griss for lunch in the officer’s lounge,” asked Hux.

“Only if you allow Lieutenant Mitaka to join us.”

The general made eye contact with the lieutenant and noded. You were then off back to the shuttle to take your lunch.

#kylo ren #kylo ren x reader #kylo ren imagine #kylo x reader #kylo x you #star wars #first order #star wars imagine #Star wars soulmate au #sw first order imagine #star wars first order #first order propaganda #a soul to mend his own #hold onto your butts its about to get more spicy #I hope you liked this chapter

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concealeddarkness13 · 5 years ago

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WHG Post Games Nesri Part 5

Tagging: @ratracechronicler (also thanks for Elvira and Rebecca!), @maple-writes (also thanks for Asher and Cirrus!), @nightskywriter, @rhikasa, @pen-of-roses (also thanks for Rowan!), @aeslin-writes, @the-moving-finger-writes, @knmartinshouldbewriting, @makeitmonstrous, and @timefirewrites!

Zenith glanced at the overturned furniture and crossed his arms. “Now, we’ve got to get this furniture back to where it was before.”

I shook my head. “Nah. It’s more comfortable this way.”

No one objected. Rowan asked if anyone wanted food, and they went into the kitchen to make the food. I followed to make some more popcorn for the extra special announcement. When I came back into the living room, Asher and Cirrus were sitting beside each other. I grinned at them and sat on the other side of Cirrus, and I offered him some popcorn as I turned on the TV. Rebecca had moved to the chair she had sat in previously, and Elvira was sitting on the floor in front of her.

The stupid Capitol fanfare started up, and I sighed and leaned against Cirrus, glancing over at him to make sure it was okay. He didn’t seem to mind. Caesar was standing up, energizing the crowd as Evie and Lynn were seated behind him. They looked profoundly uncomfortable as another “wonderful” guest sat beside them. President Snow, the smug bastard, was smiling vaguely at the crowd.

Caesar laughed. “Welcome to another special interview! This time, our esteemed President Snow has decided to join us! So, let’s get going!” I frowned as he looked over at Snow, across Evie and Lynn. Were they just props? Why were they even here? “So, I heard that you are planning something special for the tributes who survived the arena!”

President Snow laughed. “I want to celebrate the ones who survived the arena: the Victor: Poli, Lynn, and Evelynne by hosting a party with them as special guests.” The crowd roared.

“How generous, putting them on display like prizes or cattle for the Capitol to fawn over even more, and here I had somehow believed they couldn’t sink any lower,” Rowan muttered. Asher nodded.

Caesar waited for the crowd to quiet down before continuing. “But it’s not going to be just any party, is it? Could you give us all the juicy details?”

“This party will actually be a cruise on my personal yachts, and the party will last two nights, with special guests being able to stay overnight near the tributes who survived the arena. And this was suggested by Alastair, who will also be a special guest at the party. It will be a themed party. Everyone is encouraged to dress as a pirate to fit the theme.” Evie hid a smile behind her hand at the announcement, and I grinned as the crowd roared again.

Rebecca sat up straighter. “I bet my stylist influenced that choice cuz of me.”

I laughed as Cirrus looked excited. “This is brilliant! Triel won’t believe it!” I grabbed out my phone and texted her about the cruise and the costumes.

Rowan looked thoughtful. “That’s good, Lynn can swim, he’s a very strong swimmer, that’s very good.”

“Captain Skeates will likely turn up uninvited,” Elvira muttered, rubbing one of her temples. I felt a thrill at that. Triel had mentioned Captain Skeates in the past.

Asher looked thoughtful. “Does he mean, on the ocean?”

I shrugged, trying to remember what Triel said about the geography of the Capitol. “Probably at the lake neighboring the Capitol. I hope they wouldn’t go to such extremes to go on the ocean. But, this is the Capitol, so I could be wrong.”

Zenith nodded. “The president’s yachts are outfitted to go on the lake.” He looked embarrassed and added quickly, mumbling, “I was invited there when I was working for the Capitol before.”

“They won’t recognize you and give us away, will they?” Elvira asked carefully.

He paused. “”The only people I really interacted with before I left was my team and some high ups in the Capitol. If I avoid them, I should be safe. Well, as safe as a former tribute could be. Any other person would recognize me as a former tribute instead.” Rebecca winced and nodded at that.

“Yeah, but that’s also a problem, isn’t it?” Cirrus added. “If they know we’re all tributes?”

I waved it off. “Triel has the best disguises.” Then added in a mumble. “But she’ll probably make us all wear wide brimmed hats and long coats.”

“For your entire faces?” Elvira asked.

I nodded. “She knows how to hide in plain sight. The hats will help too.”

Cirrus sighed. “We’re all going to look like umbrellas with those hats.”

I laughed. “Nah. The hats always flatter the person wearing them. I think you, especially, will look good dressed as a pirate.”

“It’s umbrellas or being spotted and as someone who’s done my best to avoid being noticed, I’d rather be an umbrella.” Rowan winced. “Though I’ve never actually stayed hidden for long.”

“Fine.” Cirrus leaned back into the couch. “If I have to.”

Caesar, luckily, had to wait longer for the crowd to quiet down. “So, how does one get these special tickets? And regular tickets, for that matter!”

Snow clasped his hands and smirked at the camera. “You will sign up for a drawing, and you will be pulled from the pool at a later date. Think of it as our own Hunger Games.” He chuckled at that. “Only fifty lucky guests will be able to stay overnight.”

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Triel. I relayed it to the rest of them. “Triel says this is fortunate for us. She’ll be able to get costumes for all of us. And she says that Alastair already contacted her, saying that he pulled some strings and secured the special guest tickets for us.”

“And we’ll be overstaying our welcome.” Rebecca chuckled darkly.

“Well, that’s part of the plan taken care of. ‘Our own Hunger Games.’ I’ve known animals with more humanity,” Rowan said.

I grinned. “And we get to screw with them and show them how stupid and not in control the are! Excellent!”

“That’s a lot of days undercover.” Asher was looking nervous. “There’s a lot that can happen.”

Zenith was frowning. “So, we go in our disguises, stay overnight, and what? How are we going to get them out from under the Capitol’s nose? And how many people are we going to get? I would assume the other person they showed off, Laurel I think, will be there too. Who knows who else will be there?” His eyes flickered over to me. “What if Churi is there?”

I kept my face neutral, even as I tensed against Cirrus. “Then I’ll avoid him.”

He shook his head. “What if you can’t?”

Cirrus shrugged. “Beat the shit out of him if he gets close?”

While I appreciated the sentiment, that wouldn’t work. I swallowed hard. “He’s not exactly a…physical being. It won’t work as well as you’d like. He can recover from any injury to his physical body in a second.” I looked over at Zenith. “I could ask you the same question with avoiding your team. But…I’ll try to figure it out.”

Elvira cut in. “We can spend the first day doing recon on our targets, then split ourselves between them to spring them simultaneously, hopefully with guards of our own to spare for whatever goes wrong.”

Zenith nodded, tearing his scrutinizing eyes away from me. “That is a good plan.”

I took a deep breath, composing myself. I forced a smile. “We’ll have to blend in. And that means dance lessons! Who’s already learned?” In the background, Caesar was asking Evie and Lynn what they thought about the party, and they were giving the expected, fake excited responses.

Zenith raised his hand. “Arque thought it was good training.”

Rowan raised their hand. “From my mother.”

Rebecca’s mouth dropped open. “That means dance lessons, why?”

I laughed. “Because we have to pretend we’re fancy Capitol idiots. We have to act the part. They depend on dancing for their daily exercise.”

Rebecca thought about it, grabbed her sword, swung out her leg, and made a motion as if to chop off her own leg. She already had the dramatic part down for pretending to be a Capitol idiot. Elvira sighed and pulled the sword away. “I’ll teach you. Behave and I’ll even let you lead.” Rebecca scowled but lowered both the sword and her leg.

Cirrus smiled at Rebecca. “I’ve never danced like this before but it can’t be that hard.”

“Speak for yourself,” Asher added. “I had to do it once way back in school and it didn’t go well.”

I leaned forward and grinned at both of them. “I can be your lead while Triel teaches!”

Zenith frowned. “So, we have the costumes, the dance lessons, and the tickets. Is there anything that we’re missing?”

“Snorkels?” Rebecca suggested. “How’re we gonna bail once we got the bounty? Is it a hit-and-run-and-hope-we-can-outrun-them thing, or do we try and keep it quiet and let them figure it out in the morning?”

Shine texted my phone, and I relayed their message. (Yeah, the author did not know that Shine was nonbinary, preferring he/him and they/them pronouns until last week, and Shine had indicated that they preferred they/them currently over he/him today). I relayed the message. “I have a machine that can keep our airship invisible, so we can get away without the Capitol noticing if you can figure out how to sneak them onto the airship.”

“If it’s a fancy yacht it should have an open air deck or something, right?” Asher leaned forward to look at me. “Could we pull them up from there?”

I nodded. “That would work, if the deck is crowded. If we want to be sneaky about it.”

“Definitely a lido deck at least, and they should cover the pool overnight to prevent drunken passengers from falling in. Whether they actually will remains to be seen,” Elvira pointed it out.

“Right, it’ll be a possibly crowded ship.” Rowan ran a hand through their hair.

“Maybe we can push some of them in before we leave,” I mumbled before I spoke louder. “That would work too! Shine will be piloting the airship, and he can bring it anywhere we need it.” I looked over at Rowan. “Then we’ll just have to make sure that they’re all drunk before we head out!” I gave him a thumbs up while I grinned.

They laughed a little uneasily. “If anything, having them drunk might make it worse and they’ll accidentally stumble in on us.”

“They won’t understand what they’re seeing, and then they’ll forget it all by morning!” I said.

“We can lure them away by smuggling some moonshine aboard and whispering that to a few people and make sure the word gets around by telling people not to tell anyone,” Rebecca offered. “Stash it or distribute it far off from the pickup point or the targets or whatever, huh?”

Zenith nodded. No hint of a smile or levity. Wow. “That would work. The Capitol citizens are suckers for alcohol. But I’m worried that the captured tributes might have too many visitors overnight.”

“Why shouldn’t such visitors include ourselves if we are, after all, esteemed guests from the Capitol?” Elvira asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It could lead to the Capitol learning they’re gone sooner than we’d like,” Zenith said.

“If they’re something more entertaining they’ll probably flock towards it.” Cirrus shrugged. “Might give us an opening.”

“That’s a good point, we need to make sure there is enough time to actually get everyone, somehow get everyone to the same spot, get rid of the shockers, and get away,” Rowan said. Rebecca winced at the mention of the shockers.

Zenith cocked an eyebrow. “What could we do that would be more interesting than the stars of the party?”

“Man overboard?” Cirrus suggested.

Brilliant! And at the same time Rebecca, me, and Asher spoke.

“Caesar overboard,” Rebecca breathed, with stars in her eyes.

I grinned. “President Snow overboard!”

Asher grinned. “President overboard?”

Rowan considered the suggestions. “Alright, how do we get to the most important person on the ship to push him over?”

Rebecca rubbed her chin, thinking, but I spoke up first. I eyed Elvira. “The non-tributes. Triel and Elvira won’t be as easily recognized, so they should be able to get closer. How about that?”

A faint smile played on Elvira’s lips. “I accept.”

Perfect! Everything was getting figured out well! Just as I thought that, Rowan paled. “I just had a truly terrible thought that I hope is years of paranoia speaking and has no actual basis in reality because how could it right?”

Zenith tensed. “What was it?”

“What do they know about us escaping?”

“The Capitol probably didn’t tell them the truth about what happened to us. They could actually be using us against them.”

“Like, our friends think we got captured too, maybe, and the Cap’s threatening us, so that’ll keep them obedient? Or something like that?” Rebecca asked, sounding confused.

Zenith nodded. “Possibly. I’ve heard of the Capitol doing it before.”

“Would they believe us if we told them we aren’t captured?” Asher asked. “Or would they be suspicious?”

“Would the Capitol at all expect us to be looking to help them?” Rowan asked.

All this guesswork went way over what I wanted to think about. So, I just stayed quiet. Zenith nodded, looking thoughtful. “I think we could prove to them that we weren’t captured. We don’t have shockers like they do, for example. But Rowan brings up a good point. The Capitol will be expecting us to do something. Alastair getting extra tickets for special guests could already look suspicious to them.”

“Or I could be wrong really, that’s still a possibility, after all they’re the Capitol maybe they think they’re invincible and, Goddess, please let me be wrong.” Rowan runs a hand through their hair.

“If they’re expecting us to be active in undermining them, I feel they would’ve found us by now—or at least we’d know they were looking,” Elvira pointed out calmly. “The fact that we haven’t been approached means we aren’t seen as a threat.”

I sat up and nodded, actually trying to look serious. “That’s a good point, and also, we’ve already defied the Capitol once, when they were watching. We can do it again!” I smiled now. “Zenith knows all these people, so he can just scowl at them, and they’d be intimidated!”

He scowled at me, and I was super intimidated. “That wouldn’t work. Most of them don’t know me.”

“You don’t need to recognize the caliber of the bullet in your skull before it can kill you,” Rebecca snorted.

Cirrus shrugged. “If we don’t get recognized we don’t have to worry about suspicious anyway, right?” He glanced at me. “If Triel can disguise us all we have to do is act the part.” He paused. “How many of you have been to anything like this? Any of you know how to order a servant to do something for you without sticking out?”

“Usually the one being ordered,” Rowan muttered.

Zenith frowned. “Kind of. But I wouldn’t be too proficient at sounding rich. I was there as a soldier.”

I laughed. “I have no idea. Triel knows from pretending to be rich to get information, though.”

Rebecca cringed, chewing on knuckle. “I’ve…seen it happen. If that counts. I stalked an upper-class guy for two years cuz I thought we were in love. It’s morbidly fascinating. They just play gods twenty-four-seven.”

Cirrus nodded. “We’ll work on it then.” He smirked. “I was a prince once, you know.”

Asher laughed. “And an entitled ass.”

Rowan frowned. “You were? Wait, right, not important right now.”

“Technically still am, but it’s a long story.”Cirrus sighed.

Wow. Made more sense why he lost his cool so easily when I teased him during the fight. I grinned. “Thankfully, you’re not one of the annoying ones. At least not too annoying.”

“Do you play harpsichord?” Rebecca whispered suspiciously.

Cirrus twisted to face her. “The what?”

She relaxed. “You’re fine.”

Cirrus looked confused, but shook it off. “Anyway, I can help you out with that.” He pointed at Rowan. “You and Asher especially.”

Aw. I wasn’t part of the list. He believed in me. I grinned. “I’ll throw popcorn at you during your training, and you’ll have to ignore it!”

“Me?” Rowan asked.

Cirrus nodded. “You’re…” He thought for a little bit. “You seem like a considerate person and all but you don’t want to come off as too nice, not in front of the other guests.”

“Of course that’s the reason.” Rowan sighed but nodded.

I nodded, but my eyes were starting to feel heavy, and my brain was moving slower. “So, that’s all figured out! We can get started tomorrow. I’ll have to make sure to make a lot of popcorn!”

Cirrus mumbled something about me eating too much popcorn, but he agreed. I just made sure to make a face at him before we left to go to our own rooms.

#writeblr hunger games #whg #writeblr

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corkcitylibraries · 4 years ago

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Book Review: James Nestor’s Breath - The New Science of a Lost Art.

by Ed Cashman

“But why do I need to learn to breathe? I’ve been breathing my whole life.”

James Nestor

The fruit of a decade’s travelling, research and self-experimentation, Nestor’s travelogue through breathwork practices, both ancient and modern, is accessible and provocative. He opens his account with an epiphany. Attending a breathwork session to alleviate chronic stress, he experiences an intense physical and mental shake-up. This transformative event ignites his interest in the mechanics and chemistry of breath, its therapeutic potential and inspires him to investigate a range of practitioners operating at the vanguard of this increasingly popular field. His engagement with these “pulmonauts”, as he

terms them, constitute the spine of the book. Nestor adventures through yogic and esoteric hinterlands, all the way to the rigours of research labs in a quest to understand, experientially and scientifically, the art of breathing. For the most part, he succeeds.

His success doesn’t come without sacrifice, however. Alongside Anders Olsson, a Swedish breathwork practitioner, Nestor blocks his nose with silicone plugs to force himself to mouth breathe for 10 days. Supervised by the chief of rhinology research at Stanford, it’s rapidly obvious that this is not a good idea for both of them. Most of their health metrics plummet and they feel simply awful.

So lesson No.1 in the breathwork world? Breathe through your nose. It turns out nasal breathing has many positives. It filters and warms the air via nasal turbines and increases oxygen uptake in our cells by 18% compared to mouth breathing (via a mechanism known as the Bohr effect that counter-intuitively requires an optimal amount of CO₂ in our system). It also enhances production of nitric oxide that facilitates lung health. Breathing nasally, it turns out, has a modest and occasionally spectacular potential to ameliorate chronic respiratory issues, ease mental health conditions and, indeed, raise the game of high-performance Olympians.

So far, this is conventional wisdom in the world of breathwork. However, the book takes an intriguing and informative turn to what can be described as an example of dysevolution. Simply put, our facial structures have collapsed precipitously, especially in the last 300 years. Here’s the theory: from an evolutionary standpoint, a trade-off occurred – as a result of developing cooking skills - between increased brain-size and the shrinking of our mouths and narrowing of our nasal apertures. Sadly, this deterioration led to a tightening of our airways and instigated the positive feedback loop of mouth breathing.

In addition, this state of affairs was amplified after the Industrial Revolution by the advent of processed foods, too soft for the chewing that signals stem cells to grow bone, and thereby weakening our facial structure. Consequently, of the more than 5,400 mammals on the planet, humans are the only ones that routinely show misaligned jaws, overbites, underbites, crooked and crowding teeth. Hence, our current state of less than optimal breathing.

Nestor spends quite a bit of time on this topic and assuages my incredulity somewhat by citing both anecdotal and more rigorous evidence to back up these claims, conducting interviews with experts in anthropology, skull collections, and dentistry. He even takes a macabre trip to an off-limits catacomb in Paris with some local guides known as “catophiles” to confirm this theory and, one might add, spice up his narrative.

So lesson No. 2? Chew more and, for a start, consider the benefits of a proper oral posture - lips closed, teeth lightly touching and tongue to the roof of the mouth while you inhale through the nose. From a developmental point of view, it’s wise to encourage our children to breathe more nasally.

The tagline of the book, “The New Science of a Lost Art”, points to the truth of a curious collective amnesia that sometimes accompanies advances in human potential. For most of the techniques outlined here, there are historical precedents, often neglected and forgotten till a pioneer re-discovers and updates them, becoming popular when the wider culture sits up and takes notice. Nestor relates a fascinating homology between the performance of traditional prayers and chants from disparate religious traditions and the paced breathing practices of contemporary techniques. (The extending of the exhale is relevant here.) Both approaches share a calming and restorative effect because of how the breath is engaged in similar ways.

So lesson No.3? Take time out to practice extending the exhale in a 1:2 ratio (4 seconds in, 8 seconds out, for example). Purse your lips on the outbreath to slow the exhale. This exercise stimulates the parasympathetic system, the mode that puts your body in a state of rest and digest.

There’s a plethora of unusual characters in these pages, outliers and pioneers of the breath. We learn about Alexandra David-Neal, a Belgian – French anarchist who travelled to Tibet in the early 1900’s, absorbed the ancient practice of Tummo, an advanced technique that activates and warms the body. This enabled her to achieve feats of endurance as she hiked the Himalayas on her own in freezing temperatures at elevations above 18,000 feet and, we are told, for up to 19 hours a day with little in the way of food and water!

Tummo is also an influence on Wim Hof, a.k.a. the Iceman, the Dutch extreme athlete, currently the most well-known pulmonaut on the planet. An excitable and charismatic figure, his techniques exert control over the autonomic nervous system and have been validated in the lab. Hof, a holder of numerous Guinness World Records, can control his body temperature in ice through conscious breathing and can also repel the effects of an injected endotoxin, a feat thought impossible by medical authorities. The experiment was replicated with a group of people tutored by Hof, proving his “powers” are available to anyone.

Lesson No. 4? Practice, with due care, superventilation techniques that consciously put you in a controlled state of stress for short periods of time only. This places you in the driving seat of your sympathetic (fight or flight) system, increasing resilience and endurance. However, these exercises are not advisable for people with heart conditions or high blood pressure.

Less well-known in the breathwork domain are the achievements of a choir conductor who developed techniques to alleviate emphysema. Carl Stough, operating in mid-twentieth century America, was extremely private and somewhat eccentric. Nestor does well to shed light on this obscure figure. There’s a fascinating account of how the Russian, Konstantin Buteyko, came to formulate his own technique and how it continues to have success in relieving asthma. Ireland’s Patrick McKeown, a Buteyko practitioner since the late nineties, also features. Then there’s Emil Zatopek, who won gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres in the 1952 Olympics. His hypoventilation technique maintained high carbon dioxide tolerance in his system, off-loading more oxygen to his muscles. Stanislav Grof and his Holotropic method, an offshoot of 1960s psychedelic research, is also examined.

Nestor is to be commended for his deep dive and, although it’s not exhaustive (notables in the field such as Stig Severinsen and Belissa Vranich among others are absent), it’s at the very least a worthwhile endeavour to promote awareness and discussion around breathing in a time when the world’s lungs are under attack by a novel virus.

I waited for a note of caution, a caveat to this “missing pillar of health” and thankfully it came towards the end. Nestor relates a tale of a fellow airline passenger requesting him to recommend a breathing technique for cancer. There are limitations. Breathwork won’t help acute events like an embolism, he tells us, but it can alleviate milder, longer-term, chronic conditions and enhance the wellbeing of the healthy or mentally stressed. It’s a prophylactic worth striving for and certainly worth more extensive research.

There’s a useful compendium of practices in the appendix of this intriguing read, ranging from yogic pranayama to box breathing. The latter technique is reputedly practiced by Navy Seals. But it’s not just elite performers that can benefit; anyone can, and this book will make a significant contribution in communicating the profound importance of how we breathe.

And so to the author’s final lesson. If one were to distil, for simplicity’s sake, these sometimes contradictory practices into the perfect breath, try this: breathe slowly and lightly in through the nose for a count of roughly 5.5 seconds, expanding the diaphragm and breathe slowly out through the mouth or nose for 5.5 seconds. This averages 5 or 6 breaths per minute. Do this exercise for 5 minutes at least 3 times a day. That’s it. Easypeasy, you might say but the trick, like the practice of any art, is consistency. Nestor’s wager, and that of his cast of pulmonauts, is that you will be richly rewarded.

Available on BorrowBox

#LoveReading #CorkCityLibraries

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