#audio logs: dusty

[ask-the-anomalous-linguist]

△ dusty! What's the first color you would eat if you could?

U-um... O-one outta ten, 'cuz Ah don' really understan' the question, an'... Yellow. Ah like yellow.

[liauditore]

smooshing together my interests like making two plushies kiss. some random nonsense under the cut (horror themes).

<RETRIEVED FILE. CODE: HCS7DO.>

DECKED OUT 1.0: The newest and only one of her kind! We have no idea how Tango managed it, but, and I don't say this lightly, she's the best we have. Equipped with the latest redstone technology and standing at a whopping 70 metres tall (Tango was always known for not being particularly subtle...), it's no wonder Tango and her are inseparable.

TANGO TEK: One of the greatest engineers I know. There's.. really no reason for him to be out in the caverns, but his heart seems to belong to piloting. There's no talking that guy down, if anything he seems to take any sign of doubt or worry as a challenge. I hope he knows guys around our age usually grew out of that sort of bravado half a decade ago, but who am I to stop him?

<END LOG>

<RETRIEVED AUDIO. CODE: HCS8DO.>

[shrill, sharp inhales are heard, piercing through the microphone.]

[???]: H-Hey! This is [INTELLIGIBLE]. Do you copy?! Do you copy?! We. We're in a situation o'er here! T-Tango, he--!

[An inhuman screech echoes from afar.]

[Heavy footsteps are heard, getting louder and louder]

[???]: [INTELLIGIBLE]

[???]: We need [INTELLIGIBLE] rescue, stat! Send everyone you can! We're deep down, at the-- [INTELLIGIBLE]! Please, it was the mech, it--!

[The audio abruptly cuts off]

~

Impulse finishes off the day the same way everyday. Review the paperwork, make sure all the mechs are fully powered off, lock up the compound, make tea, go to bed.

He's had the kettle for months now, yet it still feels brand new somehow. It lets out this high-pitched noise he can't stand and it takes so damn long. But he has no other option around these days.

He watches it boil, sitting on a dusty desk strewn with papers. Mostly business documents, most of those covered in scribbled drawings of future projects, a couple of handwritten recipes, an old sticky note from Bdubs that just read "HERE'S YOUR (crossed out) REDSTONE" that he found amusing and stuck to his desk, a birthday card with a cheesy message written inside signed off by "Your Rancher C:".

Impulse missed Tango.

He'd been missing for far too long.

[mewtwowarrior]

The audio promo/teaser for the Tron: Legacy programs coming to Fortnite, taken from the official Fortnite Twitter.

-

Video Transcript (from the Fortnite Wiki): "Reality Log MCP-8-2

There we go, (coughs) Ok (coughs) that's dusty, so according to my source I can get in touch with my next target with this incredibly old computer. How do I even turn this thing... Oh ha! There it is (machines start to sound) Uh, is there supposed to be a smell? Careful you don't wear all your bytes there old timer (blip) there we go, press any key to continue (click) any key but that key (click) or that key or... (clicks all keys) You know what? I'm just gonna hit it a little (crash, engine starts to work) Ha, it understands fear, we have progress and what does that say? "Make yourself comfortable"? What is that supposed to... Ahhhhhh (digital sounds turn off only to hear the computer working)."

[mabsolgirl]

Headphone warning

Transcript below! :3

I made this a while ago, around when I first started making art of the Supernova AU AU. There have been some slight changes since then but I wanted to post this anyway since its been just sitting in my drafts and starting to get dusty. The changes aren't enough to alter anything in the audio in a major way anyway so neeeeh.

It's been a while since I did voice stuff so hopefully I don't sound terrible lol

Obligatory @linxprime ping cause au of their au

Watch me pull world lore outta my ass cause I still don't know what im doing

-------------------------------------------------------

In the ruins of a crashed and destroyed ship, you find a strange audio file labeled "Project Supernova". You made a copy of it and now you have the time to give it a listen...

--------------------

Transcript

Warning. The following video is the private property of [REDACTED]. Any outside or uncertified personnel caught viewing this video will be terminated by any means necessary. Viewer discretion is advised.

Log 1.

I am Dr. Jane Doe and I’ve recently been put in charge of “Project Supernova” after the old one quit. I decided to keep audio documentations of my findings and observations. I find it easier for me to document things by recording them by audio then writing it all out later.

Project Supernova is a study on the abilities of intelligent lifeforms, how they manifest, if different abilities can be manifested in specific situations, and researching the phenomena of Berserkers. Before I came in, an embryo was successfully fertilized and grown into a stable state. There were many failed attempts with this being the only one that has made it this far, living for roughly 12 years as of this recording. To be honest I question the decision to make a lifeform rather than study the cases of people who already have abilities, but the higher-ups wanted to do this rather than the simpler way.

Regardless it is planned to come out of the tube once it reaches 13 years, which is a couple months away. It should be stable enough by then. Until then we monitor it for any changes.

End log.

Log 2.

Right, so I forgot to mention info about the lifeform last log. My bad, heheh.

So, the lifeform is female and it was made with the DNA of multiple organisms with the two primary ones being Human Earthling and Cuixcus. I think I pronounced that right. Cuixcus was used for their adaptability and Human Earthlings to counteract the weaknesses of the former. It has bones, can withstand hotter temperatures, and while it doesn’t need to, it does breathe oxygen. The DNA from other organisms were used to help stabilize it so it doesn’t just die spontaneously. The genetics chosen specifically to see if heritage has an influence on what abilities would appear.

Now the real reason I am logging this. Earlier today it was monitored that specs of light were floating around the lifeform’s tube. They looked so… ethereal. It was like looking at a cluster of tiny stars. I should probably mention that the lifeform is in an unconscious state. It has been like this since its creation and this was the first time these lights were documented. They disappeared before we could study them. Maybe it dreamt them up? We’ll have to keep an eye on it.

End log.

Log 5.

Today it came out of the tube, emphasis on “it”. We weren't supposed to take it out for another week but I guess it had other plans. One second it was in the tube, the next the lights appeared again and it was out and fell face-first into the equipment. It teleported itself out.

Since it wasn’t connected to the machines anymore it woke up quickly after that. Of course we were all freaking out but it didn’t seem too bothered by us. We ran some tests and it was stable. It bruised its head but other than that it wasn’t significantly injured.

It’s a very curious one. It would grab and inspect what we had. We let it for the most part and it would hand us back what it had when it was done. Right now it’s in its own room that we had to quickly scramble to finish putting together. It’s a quiet little one. The team and I decided on the name “Nova” after the project. As per usual we’ll keep an eye on it.

End log.

Log 27.

A lot happened today. Today is the first day Nova went into her Berserker state. The first thing I noticed was that she was much calmer than I expected. I expected a rampaging beast like the other cases of Berzerkers but Nova would just… stare at us. We kept an eye on our monitors to watch to see what she does and then we watched her create light orbs; like the ones from one of my first logs but much bigger. This time we were able to scan them to see what exactly they were…

They’re stars. I am not joking, she was making literal stars, balls of collapsed burning gas, in her hands! From our observations they disappear when she loses focus but still incredible nonetheless! We later figured out the key piece to what her abilities are: a limited form of matter manipulation. She can teleport herself, and those she touches, by willing her own matter into another space and the stars are made by manipulating the matter of gas and dust to collapse in her hands. It is theorized she can manipulate any form of matter so long as physical contact is made.

After a while she went out of Berserker state and fell unconscious. We hooked her up to make sure she’s alright. Right now she’s comatose; we’re hoping she comes back alright.

End log.

Log 39.

Earlier today one of the higher-ups came in and told us that we were not needed on Project Supernova anymore and that in the coming days a new team would be coming in to take over the project. Of course we were outraged. We were consistently giving them good results! We did what we were told! We did nothing wrong, didn’t question a thing. Nothing we said could convince him otherwise. None of us wanted to leave the project. I’ll admit, Nova has grown on us. She’s like family and now for some reason she’s being taken from us. When he left we all decided to look into it ourselves.

The more we dug, the more things began to not add up. Then… we found something. We’re not here to do what we think we’re doing. We’re gonna get Nova out of here. This place is no longer safe. We’ll get her out and we’ll be the whistleblowers to this place.

End log.

Log 40

…I’m… I’m sorry…

Dr. Jane Doe, Dr. Bailey Shindo, Dr. Margoba Entano, Dr. Manbagea Nals, and Dr. Ripley Hedon have been terminated. Project Supernova assets will be transported to [REDACTED] for further completion by a new team effective immediately. End communication.

[flower-pot-game]

The Long-Awaited Dev Log 7

It's been a little bit! Let's catch up. First of all, I now have an amateurish little personal website! You can check that out here:

It'll probably improve over time. Anyway, I've been hard at work on the foundations of Flower Pot, as per usual. I remodeled the physics system again with much nicer collision resolution so that physics bodies slide off of each other, real smooth-like.

Here's where most of the interesting stuff is happening in code:

Basically, I'm tracking collision normals and collision depth and applying an acceleration to each body according to the magnitude and dot products of their relative velocities. I much prefer working in vectors over angles, they're more intuitive to me. Maybe this stuff is just obvious to long-time AAA developers, but I'm basically teaching myself all of this as I go. I'm letting myself be just a little proud of it.

I also totally reworked the tentacle code using an implementation of FABRIK written by yours truly. My existing algorithm, which I wrote from scratch, was surprisingly close to this one, but missed a couple of important steps and had unnecessary special cases. I actually did all of this weeks ago... I'm trying not to be too embarrassed about it, but development has been very uneven. It's sort of going around in circles. Still, I love this project too much to get too-too discouraged about progress. Hopefully as soon as later this week I'll have the player character movement finally working!?? But don't get your hopes too far up. As a treat to tide you all over-- if you don't know already, I'm also an aspiring quasi-professional musician! Lately I've been writing music with this game in the back of my head-- I wouldn't call it a soundtrack yet so much as audio doodling, but maybe it'll still interesting you.

[eldritchamy]

INTERNAL DOCUMENT - FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY

Proposed Anomaly Classification for Recovered Object #01039-A, pending approval

SCP-[PENDING] - "Inside Out Hurricane"

Containment Class: Euclid Keter Disruption Class: VLAM EHKI Risk Class: Danger

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-[PENDING] is contained almost entirely within the boundaries of SCP-[PENDING]-A. [PENDING]-A should be kept closed and locked at all times unless otherwise directed by Research Supervisor [Unassigned]. A perimeter is to be maintained around the lot where [PENDING]-A sits at all times by Foundation staff posing as private security. A gated fence no less than 25ft in height should be placed around all entrances to SCP-[PENDING]-A to obstruct view from publicly accessible areas near the site. Description: SCP-[PENDING]-A is a large industrial facility with hangar-style doors at either end as well as 5 smaller staff entrances. The building is approximately 150' by 490' by 35' in volume. Brand markings on the hangar are heavily degraded, but the logo appears to have superficially resembled an unusual crown-like shape composed of four sets of horns, below which is the text "Ekur Industries, est. [indecipherable]" The exterior of the building is otherwise unremarkable. SCP-[PENDING] is an intense storm contained entirely within the interior dimensions of [PENDING]-A. The storm features extraordinary wind speeds and heavy rain that fully obscures vision beyond 2.1 meters, though lightning flashes are occasionally visible through the storm. No recording equipment has been recovered after entering the storm barrier. A specially constructed anemometer anchored from outside the building measured a sustained wind speed of at least 287.4 mph (462.5 km/h, 421.5 ft/s, 128.5 m/s), exceeding the highest reliably recorded non-tornado wind speed on Earth. Gust speeds were recorded up to 422 mph before the device suffered a catastrophic failure, prior to the completion of a 5-minute mean speed test. The maximum structural integrity of the device was designed to withstand wind speeds up to 465 mph. Water samples collected after expulsion from the storm barrier are consistent with that of non-anomalous Earth seawater. A best-fit analysis suggests the water originated somewhere in the north Arabian Sea or the Persian Gulf. The internal dimensions of the storm are unknown but believed to exceed the external dimensions of the building by a considerable margin. A successful method of measuring the scale of the storm has yet to be devised.

Addendum 01039-A.02: An exploratory mission was conducted at Entrance B, one of the staff entrances to SCP-[PENDING]-A located on the southwest exterior wall. Entrance B leads to a raised section of the facility interior presumably used by a site administrator. Much of the accessible area is unremarkable, containing various maintenance equipment and standard water and electrical infrastructure. A door of unusual construction sits at the highest accessible point within Area B. The door is a seamless, dusty tan stone that leaves no gaps around the edges, has no visible handle or opening mechanism, and is featureless apart from an adjacent sign that reads, "IT IS FORBIDDEN." Addendum 01039-A.03: EXPLORATORY LOG FOR AREA B, ██/██/20██ The first sign of something unusual was Research Advisor 2381. As soon as he saw the warning sign outside the stone door, he stopped dead and pointed at it. What follows is an audio transcript for the exploratory mission, consisting of Research Team 2381 (Dr. █████ ████████), 2607 (████ ███████), Research Lead 1670 (Dr. "█████ ███" ████████), and Mission Supervisor 0983 (Dr. ██████ █████), as well as several D-Class security personnel. 2381: "No one said that sign was in Spanish." 2607: "It's not. 2381: "Exactly." 2607: "Come again?" 2381: "I'm seeing it in Spanish." 1670: "Cognitohazard?" 0983: "Not necessarily." 1670: "[2381], what was your first language?" 2381: "Spanish." 0983: "Psychic. Everyone here have anti-memetic training?" [various noises of assent} 0983: "Good. What we're dealing with just got more interesting. If there's anything conscious behind that door, it could be anything from a low level psychic to a reality bender. Keep that Kant counter on. [2607], if you hear so much as a BLIP on that thing you call it out IMMEDIATELY."

Approximately 1 hour 16 minutes later, the team successfully opened the door and proceeded inside.

2607: "Clear so far." 2381: "Let's hope it stays that way." 0983: "Well, well. What have we here?" 1670: "Mission control be advised the room looks like an office, but everything in it is...out of place. It looks more like a museum than anything. Various maps and texts pinned to the walls. Some old artifacts. Very old statuettes and things. Normal looking desk with a lot of papers on it. There's a large viewing window overlooking the storm. Can't see a fucking thing through it, of course. Can't hear it either, though, so the glass is VERY solid. Soundproofed somehow." 2381: "Map on the wall shows ... Middle East, but it's not modern. It LOOKS like it was taken from a satellite, but there's ... it's like civilization hasn't happened yet. There's almost no cities on here at all, and I don't recognize any of the names. Might need to bring in [REDACTED] from Site-██, she has a background in Assyriology." 1670: "What is that thing MADE of? Looks like leather." 2381: "Very old leather. Sheep skin, maybe? God I hope it's sheep." 1670: "Desk is covered in old writing. Paper is all falling apart old. There's a tablet, too." 0983: "Is it on?" 1670: "Uh, not that kind of tablet, sir. Some kind of clay or stone. There's writing on it, but ... it's weird." 2607: "CLICK." 0983: "What was that?" 1670: "It's ... I can read it." 2607: "Clicks, sir. Something on the Kant counter." 1670: "I don't even know what LANGUAGE this is." 2381: "I'd guess Sumerian, based on this map. If not older." 0983: "What are you reading, [2607]? 1670: "'You who would come so far, for what do you come?'" 2607: "It's coming from the statue, I think." [several audible pops from the Kant counter] 2301: "Statue ... plaque under it says ... 'The Founder, N. Lil'?" 1670: "'For what do you invoke my name? This place is not your place, our purpose is not your purpose...'" 0983: "[1670], stop reading that right now!" [popping sounds increase in frequency and volume] 1670: "'Petulant children of Amar-Utuk, things of clay and breath, by what right do you seek the unseekable, upon whose honor do you hope to know the unknowable?'" 2607: "Sir... this thing is reading something big." 0983: "I am ORDERING you to stop. Everyone out of the room, NOW. If he keeps reading it, shoot him. He's lost." 2301: "N. Lil. Where have I heard that before?" 1670: "'As I separated the sky and the firmament-'" [multiple gunshots] 1670: "-as I separated the earth from the waters, so shall my winds separate the waters from clay. This domain is not your domain, for all domains by rights are mine alone to rule. You have come too far, and you shall trespass no further." [Kant counter emits a near constant pitch until the sound of glass shattering can be heard, and the storm overtakes the room instantly. The remainder of the audio recording is 10.3 seconds of wind, rain, and thunder before the transmission abruptly ends.]

Addendum 01039-A.04: All members of Exploratory Mission 01039-B are presumed deceased. The exterior of SCP-[PENDING]-A seems to have contained the storm and prevented further breach. Entrance B has been welded shut and all pending exploratory missions are terminated until further notice. Precisely 24 hours after the mission was terminated, a Kant counter was found outside the welded door to Area B. After drying and data recovery, it is believed to be the Kant counter used by EM 01039-B. The final recording logged by the counter showed Akiva radiation and Hume distortion consistent with an Apex tier pluripotent entity. The mechanism by which the entity is contained by [PENDING]-A is unknown. Additional research funding has been requested.

Addendum 01039-A.05: Attn. Research Team 10139-A.05, Your request is denied. We were given a clear warning. Maintain perimeter and take no further actions without authorization. MTF Eta-77 and MTF Psi-7 have been notified of your status and will be in touch. Regards, O5-11

.

[idiosys1]

Top 10 Tips Of Mastering Online Exams with Education Software

The world of education has undergone a seismic shift. Gone are the days of dusty textbooks and cramped classrooms. Today, technology reigns supreme, offering a dynamic and flexible learning environment. At the forefront of this revolution lies education software, particularly those applications designed for conducting online exams.

For IT professionals, entrepreneurs, and educators alike, navigating the realm of online exam software can be both exciting and daunting.  This blog post is your one-stop guide, packed with 10 essential tips to ensure a seamless and secure online exam experience.

So, buckle up, knowledge seekers, as we delve into the best practices for leveraging education software for online exams!

Tip #1: Prioritize Security – Your Fortress of Knowledge

Imagine pouring your heart and soul into crafting a meticulously designed exam, only to have its integrity compromised. Shudder!  Security is paramount.  Look for education software that offers robust features like:

Secure Lockdowns: Restrict access to unauthorized applications and websites during exams.

Data Encryption: Ensure sensitive information is safeguarded with industry-standard encryption protocols.

IP-based Authentication: Verify the identity of test-takers and prevent unauthorized access.

Detailed Audit Logs: Maintain a clear record of all exam activity for audit purposes.

Tip #2: Embrace User-friendliness – A Frictionless Exam Journey

The best online exam software empowers educators and students alike.  Seek an application with a user-friendly interface that’s intuitive and easy to navigate.  Consider factors like:

Clean and Uncluttered Design: Minimize distractions and ensure focus on the exam content.

Mobile Responsiveness: Cater to students taking exams on various devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Accessibility Features: Integrate features catering to students with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity.

Clear Instructions and Tutorials: Provide readily available guidance for both educators and students.

Tip #3: Content is King – A Diverse Question Arsenal

Variety is the spice of life, and the same holds true for online exams. Opt for education software that allows you to create a diverse range of question formats, including:

Multiple Choice: The classic and reliable option for testing factual knowledge.

True/False: Ideal for assessing basic understanding and promoting critical thinking.

Matching: Efficiently test students’ ability to link concepts and ideas.

Fill-in-the-Blanks: Gauges students’ comprehension and ability to recall information accurately.

Essay Questions: Evaluate students’ analytical and writing skills for a deeper understanding.

Tip #4: Branch Out with Advanced Features – Supercharge Your Exams

Push the boundaries of traditional exams by leveraging the advanced features offered by some education software solutions. Explore options such as:

Media Integration: Incorporate images, audio clips, and even videos into your exams for a richer learning experience.

Time Management Tools: Set timers for individual questions or the entire exam, promoting efficient time management skills in students.

Question Randomization: Prevent rote memorization by randomly shuffling questions and answer options.

Formula Editors: Allow students to utilize scientific and mathematical notation during exams.

Tip #5: Embrace Automation – Save Time, Invest in Efficiency

Let’s be honest, educators have enough on their plates. Streamline your workflow with education software that automates tedious tasks. Look for features like:

Automatic Grading: Save precious time with software that auto-grades multiple-choice and true/false questions.

Plagiarism Detection: Maintain the integrity of your exams by utilizing built-in plagiarism checkers.

Detailed Reports and Analytics: Gain valuable insights into student performance through comprehensive reports.

Tip #6: Proctoring Power – Ensuring Exam Integrity

Maintaining academic integrity is crucial. Consider incorporating proctoring features to bolster the security of your online exams. Here are the two main options:

Live Proctoring: Human proctors remotely monitor students via webcam and microphone, deterring cheating attempts.

Automated Proctoring: Software utilizes advanced algorithms and web-cam technology to flag suspicious behaviour.

Tip #7: Embrace Scalability – Adapting to Your Needs

As your student base grows, so should your online exam software. Invest in a solution that scales efficiently. Consider factors like:

User Capacity: Ensure the software can accommodate your current and projected number of students.

Course Management Integration: Seamlessly integrate your online exams with existing Learning Management Systems (LMS).

Offline Capabilities: Allow students in areas with limited internet access to take exams offline with later synchronization.

Tip #8: Foster Communication – Building a Bridge for Feedback

A successful online exam isn’t just about assessment, it’s about facilitating learning. Opt for education software that allows two-way communication between educators and students. Here are some ways to achieve this:

Annotated Feedback: Provide students with personalized feedback on their answers, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.

Discussion Forums: Create a safe space for students to discuss exam content and clarify any doubts after the exam.

Question Response Analysis: Utilize tools that analyse open-ended answers for common themes and areas of confusion, guiding future instruction.

Tip #9: Embrace Mobile Magic – Learning on the Go

The world is our classroom! Cater to the mobile-first generation with education software that offers a seamless mobile exam experience. Look for features like:

Optimized User Interface: Ensure the exam interface adapts for optimal viewing and interaction on smartphones and tablets.

Offline Functionality: Allow students to download exams for offline completion, particularly beneficial in areas with unreliable internet connectivity.

Push Notifications: Send timely reminders and updates regarding upcoming exams directly to students’ mobile devices.

Tip #10: Cultivate Continuous Improvement – A Never-ending Journey

The education landscape is constantly evolving, and your online exam software should be too. Partner with a provider that demonstrates a commitment to ongoing development. Consider factors like:

Regular Feature Updates: Seek software with frequent updates that introduce new functionalities and address user feedback.

Security Patch Management: Ensure the software receives regular security patches to stay ahead of potential threats.

Strong Customer Support: Prioritize providers with reliable customer support teams to address any queries or technical difficulties.

By following these ten tips, you’ll be well-equipped to leverage the power of education software and create secure, engaging, and effective online exams. Remember, the best online exam software empowers both educators and students, fostering a dynamic and enriching learning environment. So, take the plunge, embrace technology, and watch your online exams soar to new heights!

_________________________________________________________

Can education software be used for remote learning?

Absolutely! Many education software platforms are designed specifically for remote or blended learning environments, allowing students to access course materials, participate in discussions, and complete assignments online.

Is education software accessible for students with disabilities?

Many education software platforms are designed with accessibility features such as screen readers, text-to-speech, and customizable text sizes and colors to support students with disabilities.

How can online exam software prevent cheating?

Online exam software can prevent cheating through features like browser lockdowns, randomizing questions, time limits, and proctoring tools that monitor students via webcam.

Is online exam software reliable for assessments?

Absolutely. Online exam software is built to be reliable and fair, with features like randomization of questions and plagiarism checks to ensure the integrity of the assessment process.

How secure is my data with online exam software?

Reputable online exam software uses encryption and secure servers to protect your data and privacy, ensuring that personal information and exam results are safe.

Can online exam software be used for professional certifications?

Yes, it’s commonly used for administering certification exams due to its security and scalability.

_________________________________________________________

Check out the blog post: https://shorturl.at/KjXA0

[the-echo-nexus]

“Amai, I seriously don’t see why you’re so interested in this place, the others say we shouldn’t mess with strange structures— plus it’s common sense. Don’t go messing with weird seķoș, remember?”

“Come onn Kano, look around! Something clearly happened here!” Amai gestured around the place, “Besides, I wanna hear more on these weird recordings… their labeled, I think-“

“It doesn’t count as a label, if it’s scratched out.” Kano replied flatly, only for the other young explorer to whine.

Kano looked around and said, “Besides I think if we’ve gotta be in this weird place, with all the weird seķoș here, we may as well look around, not listen to dusty old recordings.” They brushed some dust off of a nearby shelf

“I want to listen. Are you telling me you seriously don’t want to look through old audio logs and find out what happened here?”

“Yes. I seriously do not want to know.”

The two stood glaring at each other for a moment, before Amai crossed her arms and gave Kano an annoyed look, “You know, you can just leave if you want, right?”

“I’m not leaving you here all alone.” Was the metallic being’s response. “But I don’t want to be here in general.”

“How about we flip for it?” Amai looked at Kano with a curious expression.

Kano rolled his eyes, but than Amai decided to try and give him those damn puppy dog eyes.

“For the love of Nex, you act like kitven sometimes with how immature you are. If it’ll get you to be quite, than fine.”

They stood in silence for a moment, Amai tilted her head, “Soooo..?”

“So what?”

“Are you going to pick a side.”

“Heads.”

“Alright!”

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

“Booo…” Amai whined childishly as it was heads, meant they had to do what Kano wanted.

“Great, now let’s get out of this weird room, you can listen to dusty recordings, after we figure out where the blazing blades we are.” Kano stated, Amai looked around and sighed, following after the metallic feline.

Seems the adventurers have chosen to look around the lab more.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter - Wednesday, May 24

WILLOW: Nobody's changing their minds. Period. XANDER: Excuse me? Who made you the boss of the group? ANYA: You did. TARA: You said Willow should be boss. ANYA: And then you said "let's vote," and it was unanimous... TARA: ...and then you made her this little plaque, that said "Boss of Us," you put little sparkles on it...

~~Bargaining~~

The Sunnydale Herald is looking for at least one new editor. Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more here.

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Stay with me (just a little longer) (Buffy/Spike, T) by womanaction

Ashes to Ashes (Buffy/Spike, M) by SirenOfTitan

Once a Slayer (Gen, T) by spikesgirl58

Wholesome Home (Spike/Buffy, PG) by apachefirecat

Moment of Weakness (Buffy/Spike, R) by flootzavut

[Chaptered Fiction]

I'm Fine Chapter 15 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Grief Counseling

The Time We Had Chapter 38 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Dusty

Boulevard of Broken Dreams Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, R) by VeroNyxK84

Mother Dear Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by CalamityJaneDoe

Those 2 again Chapter 20 (Buffy/Spike, G) by Julikobold

The Time We Had Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Dusty

105: Intro To Vampyre Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Desicat

love, we're going home now Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by mcgnagallsarmy

Reweaving Time Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Joan963z

The Witch's Gift Chapter 15 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by RavenLove12

It's Easy Time, Until It's Not Chapter 26 (Buffy/Spike, Adult only) by hulettwyo

[Image, Audio & Video]

Art: Buffy portrait by piratesyebewarned

Video: James Marsters video by alfapratt

Art: Buffy/Spike drawing by isevery0nehereverystoned

PODCAST : Consequence in the Oven - Angel S04E17 - Inside Out by popculturerolecall

[Reviews]

Rewatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “Angel” by mothman-rewatches

log: Buffy season 3 episode 2 by slowhealerseojin

log: Buffy season 3 episode 8 by slowhealerseojin

[Community Announcements]

Seasonal Spuffy Spring 2023 Closing Post by teragramm

[Fandom Discussions]

What if Willow barely singing in Once More With Feeling is because her stage fright is so strong by irkallanprince

last few episodes of season 6/first few episodes of season 7 are such prime buffy and dawn time by all-seeing-ifer

the bars in sunnydale only checked ids until buffy and her friends decided they wanted to start underage drinking by froggierboy

I don’t know how it took seeing Willow in a monochrome dress for Xander to finally kiss her by hero-adjacent

So when Buffy hears a random British person call her “love” or “pet” does she do a double take? by bloglizziekamiya

Thoughts about Something Blue by confusedguytoo

gay reading of Wesley by titsgirlbuffy

Was there meaning behind Dawns name? by November

SoS: Willow's treatment of Dawn by nightshade

Do people overexaggerate the annoyance they have of Dawn in season 6? by Joshua

They NEED to make a new Buffy video game! by That_Vampire_Slayer

Things that happen solely because plot by Tuxedo_Mark

So Faith is a rapist right? by Eagles56

Series finale - spoiler by youraveragechlo

is there a list of stand alone episodes? by mzjolynecujoh

Which Supporting Characters would’ve been good additions to the Scoobies? by Seer77887

Buffy is a feminist show but patriarchy is still dominating the fandom by GimmeMauve

Giles was not onboard with Buffy's decision to have Spike's chip removed by Opening_Knowledge868

As of 2023 what is your current list of favorite Buffyverse characters by jdpm1991

Whedon warns us in 2003 by stillhavehope99

I love Fred Burkle and Illyria!! by jdpm1991

(Rolling Stone) ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’: Every Episode Ranked From Worst to Best by speashasha

Why Xander tends to irritate us so much by KassyKeil91

Slayer Insurance! by vyislit

What if the scoobies joined the Initiative? by True_Ipsissimus

What...if Oz turned one of the scoobies into a werewolf? by True_Ipsissimus

What if...Faith left Sunnydale after slaying Kakistos? by True_Ipsissimus

Male Vengeance Demons by True_Ipsissimus

Halloween (S2, E6) Never noticed this before by jcjcjc91

Multiple Slayers by True_Ipsissimus

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Join the editor team :)

[ask-the-anomalous-linguist]

...Where's Ash?

U-um... Ah 'unno.

Oh, for...

[llamagoddessofficial]

👀 what happens when potato sans and mc confront skull? Does it end up with Sans being back in control or Skull being removed from that position of power immediately?

I think the happy ending for the Portal AU would involve Sans taking power again, and sparing the now-free Skull to provide him with his own proper body that isn’t just a jumble of broken parts... it involves Sans having to, quite literally, accept his trauma instead of rejecting it and trying to kill it off. Red would get his own body, too; finally with complete free will and separated from the control of whatever maniac is currently sitting in the core.

And then... he’d have to leave the core himself. It’s brought him agony that no human could ever comprehend, sure, but... it’s the devil he knows? It’s been his home and life for countless years, of course it’d be hard to let go of it, no matter how painful it’s been. The last pieces of his life as a monster are buried down there, the shreds he clings on to. Once he’s got all that power again, he’s got that nagging voice telling him he could just send the three of them away... lock the doors behind them, delete her from his memory and begin the testing cycle all over again, anomaly free. Slip back into that numb, endless familiar wheel of testing, testing, testing.

...

... Instead, he gives up his powers to enter the new robot body. Without a core holding it, the facility begins to self destruct... and the four of them leave together, their past literally blowing up behind them.

[lucky-dreamfisher]

New press archive page reveals some juicy lore secrets

The date of the article is July 28th 1948.

Now we know the official date when Joey Drew Studios was closed: 1948

Which means that Wilson was working at Joey Drew Studios at the time when he made the 414 audio log, since the audio log is from April 1948, and the studio closed in July. This pretty much confirms that Wilson was the Gent worker, who stole Shawn’s toolbelt.

But wait, there’s more! It turns out that Gent took over the studio assets: presumably including the ink machine

 And it seems that gent continued to perform experiments with the machine until 1952, when they were finally closed for safety issues.

That’s very interesting. it means that Thomas got the ink machine back. Now let’s think back to Allison’s comment about Thomas being upset that someone stole his "dusty old invention”.

We all assumed that invention was the ink machine, and the “someone” was Joey, but now it looks more likely that the thief was Wilson. Was the stolen invention the seeing glass tool? If Wilson has it, then he could have been the person who messed with the golden text in Henry’s cell.

As a reminder to those who haven’t read my post about it: the Employee handbook confirms that the messages were made by two different authors.

As we’ve pointed out before, those three words were written in what appears to be pencil, while the other messages are written with ink. Pencil was also used to cross out the “don’t” in “don’t go through the door”, presumably to encourage Henry to repeat the loop

Of course, we don’t know if all of these details are connected, but to me it looks suspiciously like Wilson might have been the mastermind behind the events in BATIM and Henry becoming trapped in a time loop.

[bustyasianbeautiespod]

hey guys, i’ve listened to all episodes so far and i am looking forward to more. i was just wondering if y’all can recommend any other podcasts, supernatural the show themed or otherwise?

Hi! I'm so glad you're listening and enjoying!

This gets quite long so we are putting it under the cut.

My knowledge base lies pretty strictly in audio dramas, and I feel like you may be asking for podcasts that are more talk-show-y, but on the off-chance that you don't mind, here are my top recs (also, coincidentally, all of these have protagonists of color if you care about that):

1. Alice Isn't Dead is a mystery/horror story about a truck driver on a road trip across America as she searches for her missing wife. Its approach to the strange beauty and loneliness of the dusty corners of America is beautiful, Jasika Nicole's voice is so soothing, and Supernatural fucking wishes it could pull of the "complex commentary on America and monsters and the terrible price of freedom while also being infused with humanity and hope" gambit that this podcast executes. It's explicitly referenced in this post about How to Make SPN Not A Magic Cop Show and extremely rightly so.

Transcripts can be found at @alicescripts!

2. Mabel is a horror/fantasy podcast about "ghosts, family secrets, strange houses, and missed connections." Anna Limon, working as a live-in caretaker for the elderly Sally Martin, starts leaving voicemails to her estranged grandaughter, Mabel. If you want to listen to houses that love you so much they want to eat you, eerie fairies under hills, lesbians dealing with family trauma, and a podcast where every episode sounds like pure poetry, step right up!

Transcripts are on their website.

3. Unwell is a Midwestern gothic mystery about a woman returning to her hometown to care for her mother. It's a podcast about ghosts, erasing town histories, secret societies, caring for your home, and complicated but loving family and found family relationships. Also, the sound design is fucking banger.

Transcripts are on their website!

4. Janus Descending is a 13-episode sci-fi/horror podcast told through log entries of two astronauts exploring a new planet. Chell's story is told in chronological order, while Peter's is told in reverse chronological. As you go on, you piece together exactly what happened on this flight and how impossible it is for you to stop this tragedy. The writing is very tight and also Chell is my beloved.

Transcripts are on their website!

5. The Far Meridian is a magical realism podcast about an agoraphobic girl in a traveling lighthouse searching for her missing brother. Featuring: a candle named Guillermo, found family, adventure, and longing.

Transcripts on their website!

6. The Strange Case of Starship Iris is a space drama about space smugglers, cool aliens, found family, and oppressive regimes. The characters and their friendships are all a delight, and it's both a fun and emotional time.

Transcripts on their website!

- Crystal :)

—————

Hello! I, on the other hand, like more laid back, personality driven, people just talking podcasts. Here’s my rec list!

First off, for Supernatural related podcasts, you can find a list of currently airing ones here. We are especially shouting out Monster of the Week, Escaping Purgatory, and Mensch of Letters.

If you are also into star trek (like I am), you may also enjoy The TNG podcast. They talk about every episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It’s super fun!

I am also a big fan of the Green brothers’ various podcasts.

Dear Hank and John is an advice podcast hosted by John and Hank Green. It’s super fun and it’s the podcast that got me into podcasts.

Delete This is a podcast by Hank and Katherine Green where they talk about Internet-famous Hank Green’s tweets to evaluate what has happened in their personal life and in the world that week. I love the husband-and-wife dynamic on this one. It’s one you rarely hear in podcasts, I feel.

Finally, The Anthropocene Reviewed (Transcripts) is a podcast by John Green. It talks about humanity and the world by ranking different things through a five star scale. I am a fan of non-fiction books and essays, and this one is That in audio format, to the point that it has actually become a book (which I haven’t read yet.) I am not a fan of the John Green‘s fiction writing style, but his non-fiction is heart-wrenching and dynamic, and has the ability to make me cry like a baby (which this podcast has done many times so don’t listen to it in public!)

That’s all!

- Grey <3

[spectral-science]

audio log august 1st, 13:29

I've realized I didn't explain my situation in my last few logs. I was channeling magic to peer at my end of the tie I set with one 'Avit'. Something must've gone wrong, because somehow I had been transported instantly into the basement of this building. Alam called it an OSHA building, but I can feel that it is something more than just some builing, not to mention that it is seemingly endless. It feels... alive would be the best word I have for it. It doesn't breathe, and I hope it doesn't eat, but I can feel the halls staring at me when I pass through them. I wouldn't say I hear them whispering, but I can almost make out noises from no creature I want to cross coming from within.

*there is sounds of a chair creaking, perhaps from lanuri leaning back, followed by an airy sigh*

This is all too much for me. There is a god with many bodies upstairs, mopping the floors and making friends. There is a graverobber calling themself Poppies, ruffling through fools' corpses in search of use from them. I've felt far too much... Power, here for any location to withstand. And yet here I am, in a dusty abandoned office in a dusty abandonded hall six or seven floors below the grounds to an impossible place filled with people far too powerful for me to deal with.

*there is a second of pause*

I need to find my way out of here, but I cannot leave with mysteries unsolved. I'll try to maintain my veil of competence outside of these recordings, but I have a feeling it won't do me much good. At least it'll help me not break down sobbing. I don't think I'll get much rest in this basement unfortunately, so at some point I'll be forced to find somewhere where that janitor won't find me and fail to keep their instinct in check. Y'know I was wandering earlier, it's always helped me make sense of my thoughts, and I found a cafeteria. I almost went in before.. hearing. Yes, hearing the chef's soul. It was far too similar to Alam's and the janitor's for my liking, so I elected to flee into the floor before I could be seen.

*there is five seconds of a heavy silence, one could almost hear the dust settling if not for the light static before another sigh, this one sounding somehow pained*

I wish I didn't have to cross these boundaries. But then again, I could wish away a thousand mistakes and still have a black record. With just one, I think I'd wish I was back with my team. Yes, I think that would be nice...

What a cruel twist of fate that their fate isn't ambiguous, while mine has likely already been forgotten.

[inkyvendingmachine]

"I was counting on if I didn’t give his name, you guys wouldn’t ask if I gave you a meaningful identifier.” “Well, props to you, you’re 100% correct. Thren’s like, ‘alright, the did it with binoculars, I had binoculars name ready the entire time and they literally never got it.’ We still don’t know it to this day.” (we actually do but only out of character, it’s Benjamin.)

💀 Call of Cthulhu: Haunted Hijinx Masterpost 💀

I feel like the spoiler is v obvious now for this episode but uhhh, i’m still losing my mind over it and had to draw sOMETHING of it. heckin’ nobody noticed until the very end. we’re great investigators.

First though:  Spoilers for the First Scenario from Tales of the Crescent City, which has been reprinted out of the Great Old Ones; We are actively playing, please no spoilers, but also we will have spoilers from it ourselves as we play. Read at your own risk.

As Henry and Jack leave the library to meet up with Sammy and Joey waiting outside, they reveal they found some extra information about this Fowler guy who’s family apparently got eaten by a lake. Y’know, like some of the crew have had nightmares about lake. Like a lake out near the swamps where the cult was hanging out 10 years ago. Normal lake things.

Joey also reveals he found an audio log in the desk of Trenchcoat, but public library isn’t the best place to be playing audio logs, probably, so we’ll wait until we get back to the hotel for that.

They head off to go talk to Peter about their findings, and also let him know that they wanna go investigate the swamp. Y’know, in case they don’t show up again, at least someone knows where they went off to. Catching him on the way out, we all duck back into his office and share information. Peter informs us to maybe not look into the swamp alone cause it’s super easy to get lost in there; he’ll find us a guide and we can search that tomorrow. Maybe look into some of the Swords Krewe (~xXSwords+KreweXx~) leads from the notes? But not this one guy, Peter will go talk with him actually. Maybe we can find the warehouse where all these decorations are being made...

Speaking of talking to that one person, Joey asks about trenchcoat and gets back, “Seems like a pretty unassuming guy, doesn’t know him well. Had a weird sense of humor maybe,” okay whatever dead end. How about Joey borrows his phone to call one of his contacts down here? Peter agrees with that, which also gives him time to take Jack aside and...

aSK IF HE’S OKAY?? IS HE SAFE?? JACK YOUR ASSOCIATES HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME GLOWING YELLOW EYES AND ACT REAL WEIRD... LIKE THE SYMBOL........ Jack manages to convince him that everything is fine... But does confirm that there’s perhaps a little more going on than just some book research. 

Before we part, Peter gives us a letter of introduction, so we can investigate things easier and have a ‘we’re from the paper’ cover. With that in hand, Peter goes out to talk with That Guy He Warned Us About, Joey and Sammy split off to talk with Denis B, Chairman of the Swords Krewe, and Henry and Jack go to talk with Fowler since they have the best... bedside manner for someone still mourning the loss of his family... 

But first they’re gonna swing by the hotel, cause Henry remembers some stuff in the book Joey had matches a few of the articles he was reading. While they’re there and Henry is flipping through the play book again, Jack picks up the Alice in Wonderland book Joey had borrowed from the Library, just to have... something nice to read while waiting on Henry.

They both take sanity hits and end up wandering off to an overgrown and abandoned looking dusty mansion to talk to this Fowler guy. Hahaha, wonderful! Time to be murdered in a spooky mansion I guess!!! We’re doing fine!!!!!

Meanwhile, Sammy and Joey take a cab to Denis’s place, a big fanciful mansion. Sammy quickly ink-senses the symbol decorations on the front gates and doors, and helps Joey to keep from looking at them. Joey manages to talk himself past the front gate and in to see Denis by just Appearing The Type, and immediately striking up a friendly conversation. He happily leads Denis in circles of nothing chat while drawing out information, including the warehouse address, getting an invitation to a masquerade being held in a few nights at Fowler’s place (Alice in Wonderland Themed!), and Fowler apparently having a “spiritual contact” he’s been working with to talk with his dead family... Denis doesn’t believe in this, but that contact was who brought them the good luck symbol that’s been hanging everywhere, and he needs all the good luck he can get! swell.

Joey keeps him from bothering Sammy too much who is under stress of encountering more and more of these symbols, and the end up leaving without too much eye on them. Though Sammy does need to seeing-eye dog for Joey a bit until they get a cab, heading towards Fowler’s place now, instead of the antique shop that was next on their list, in hopes of cutting Henry and Jack off now that they know Fowler is uh, more than a victim in all this apparently, even if Victim is still the best descriptor of him they have. 

Back with Henry and Jack, they knock on the front door and are met by a handsome but very depressed looking man, who happens to be Fowler. Henry manages to get them inside to the sitting room by bringing up he wants to ask some questions about what happened, make sure that it can’t happen again. 

This includes asking about the boat accident, which Fowler thinks is just a normal boat accident, “just scraped up on something in the lake and capsized, weird rock?” (me, ooc: technically we are looking for a weird rock.) Henry looks at Jack who is just taking notes, and then continues onto a uh, lighter topic: wanna tell us about those symbols?

Meanwhile, Joey and Sammy finally show up, and having no indication that Jack and Henry are there already, wait out front for a while just to see if they were early. But after a bit, either they’re late or something is wrong, so they start heading to the door-- Where Sammy pauses Joey again, due to symbols. Joey does his normal puts-hand-on-Sammy, but finds him shaking this time and instantly gets concerned, tries his best to help Sammy, and mentions that they’re gonna make this go as quick as possible and get Sammy somewhere ink-free for a bit. The two knock on the door.

Fowler goes and answers it, and Joey introduces himself and Sammy as acquaintances of the other two in Fowler’s sitting room. Upon being lead back there, Joey first makes sure to sit Sammy down near someone else who can keep an eye on him, and then takes over the conversation in hopes of speeding everything up so they can head out.

Joey does take this time to ask about the symbol himself, as well as the advisor who’s been hanging out with Fowler. While he gets the guy talking, he motions for Henry to look around the room with his special sight, using some old friendship silent language they’ve had for a while to communicate. Joey keeps his attention on keeping Fowler preoccupied. Henry notices some weird line coming off Fowler and heading off towards.. the swamp maybe? Jack notices Fowler is playing with something in his pocket every so often. Sammy notices Trenchcoat sneaking out th-- tRENCHCOAT???

There’s a moment of eye contact between the two of them, and when Trenchcoat notices that Sammy isn’t ratting him out, he finishes sneaking out of the house. Joey gets a nod from Henry, wraps up the conversation and leads everyone outside, walking towards the front of the house with the group, and being surprised when he finds Trenchcoat there. Sammy, who is the only one who noticed him and isn’t surprised, immediately walks up to him and asks, “What’d you find, Trenchcoat?”

There’s some back and forth on trying to figure out each other’s motives, until Joey admits that there’s been some weird stuff happening to them and they’re just trying to figure out who’s doing it so it can stop and that’s why they’re all wrapped up in this investigation. Having enough of an explanation, Trenchcoat lets them know that he’s been following this since some weird smog happened on the 2nd (day we also had the first unprompted Silly Time Sam event since after the Joey Sacrificial Attempt), and he was stomping around the swamp today when he found some huts and monoliths (and this sound familiar to haiti) and a door that when he opened it, he found himself in Fowler’s basement with no way to get out. 

Joey tries to internally wake Bendy, who’s been taking a nap since the Library, but finds him in a nightmare- which now is trying to break apart their connection, and he starts dripping some. After a quick excuse, he runs off around the corner and finds somewhere to hide while dealing with this. Henry ends up going to check on him, Jack is... still being strangely silent, which leaves Sammy? As the voice of the group?? OKAY. SAMMY HAS A CHAT WITH TRENCHCOAT, gets his contact information since ‘haha, don’t know if I have a job at the library processing microfilm after today lmao’, and sees him off. ... Tries to talk with Jack and see if he’s okay, but simply gets told ‘later,’ scribbled in his notebook.

Meanwhile, Henry checks up on Joey-and-Bendy, who are struggling to keep their hands over screaming mouth, though after a moment grabs Henry and pulls him into a frightened hug, finally calming down as Henry returns it. A sorry is murmured, and the Bendy-Joey sits down for a moment to compose himself, (though by simply falling back, which does not work or feel as good when you’re tall and older) The three have a laugh, and Joey-Bendy fusion finally cleans himself up and everyone joins back up again. They decide to get a cab back to the hotel so they can have some privacy (and ink-free space) for discussion to happen. Also some food because oops, they skipped a meal apparently.

During the drive back Joey zones out an internally talks with Bendy, and once they’re at the hotel he grabs anything that could be touched with ink (mainly the book henry was reading) out of the other room and locks it up in the vault in his room. He also tosses some more ink down himself and makes sure to clean off any of it, before joining the other three in the room where they’ve got a large room service meal showing up by then. Settled down with door locked, ready to eat, Joey finally plays that audio tape he found.

... Well, now that he’s not at the top of our suspect list anymore, we should probably return this audio diary to him. Sammy brings out the paper and reads off the address for Norman Polk.

[sp00kworm]

2388 - Start Log

Pairings: None

Warnings: Murder, Animal Death, Child Death.

---

A/N: This is based on some very vague headcanons I have about Revenant’s past and I wanted to write in a new kind of style. 

---

Revenant held the small recording in his hand, his metal fingers stretching at the alloy as he looked at the unmarked, thin chip. It was black and sleek, tiny in the scale of things, but somehow untouched out on that dust bowl planet. His burning orange eyes shifted to focus on it again before he stood from the chair and slammed open the door to the lounge room, leaving with a grumble towards Elliott who was on his way in. The man jumped out of his way with a high-pitched screech and watched him stalk down the hall. Revenant made sure to hunch his plated shoulders before he climbed the stairs and stalked down the hallways of the dorm area, making sure that none of the others were following him before he opened his room and closed the door. It was dark and dusty, but the Simulacrum was quick to pull open his drawers to find the one item he really wanted. The chip reader. He pulled the old technology from the drawer and opened the small insertion plate with a claw. The hole cover popped open and he placed the chip inside and flicked the holoscreen display up. The blue light was dull with age, but it flickered to life before displaying a blurry image and the option to play.

 In front of him sat himself. He had relatively short, blond hair pulled back with a fine toothed, ivory comb he remembered buying from a group of hunters. He reached to his chest pockets subconsciously. He always kept it in his breast pocket. With a growl he swiped at the play button and heard it click. For a moment it was quiet as the ghost of himself looked to the high window in the metal wall. He rolled his blue eyes and leaned back in the chair as the sound of a giant, heavy loader holo-vehicle roared. The engines seared the microphone for a moment before the assassin sighed and reached to undo another button of his shirt. There was a discarded head scarf and cloak on the chair behind him as he played with a knife along his fingers. The audio crackled and popped before synching properly and pausing. Revenant hit play again when it was finished and listened.

“Start Log. 2388. It’s been twenty-eight hours since I eliminated the target and counting. I’m in a safe house by the delivery routes back into the city. Shit hole of a back water place. Its barely a city, more of a god forsaken dustbowl. A place like this for a mafia causing so much trouble.” The blond man scoffed at the screen before the sound of a pistol chamber snapping came through the static. He raised the pistol before unscrewing the silencer and pulling the magazine free with a practiced movement, “One bullet to the back of the skull. Executioner style. I capped him in front of his latest little conquest. She screamed a lot. I got blood on my boot covers. They’re camel skin. I better get reimbursed for those.” He took apart the gun with practiced ease, the pieces set along the table in a neat, perfect line, from start to finish, “Anyway. Targets dead and I’m waiting for transport back. Hammond have left me high and dry again, for the third time this year. I wonder what I could do to get some more special treatment from them.” Kaleb grinned with white, perfect teeth, his cheek bones cutting an impressive figure before he reached to touch the scruff along his jaw. He scoffed at it and reached into his waistcoat for a long, thin shaving blade.

 The blade slid open and was brandished like a weapon, the metal flashing before he raised it to his cheeks and dragged it over the new stubble, brushing it away onto a small tissue he also had, but it didn’t stop him from continuing to talk around the blade. Revenant reached for his face and ran his fingers over the scratches in his metal cheek bones. He relapsed often into his human habits, not that he would ever admit it.

“I would get it if these guys were some big-league assholes, but they’re barely an issue. I’ve seen worse, but I suppose this is what stealing weapons will get you out here. The Outlands have never been fuckin’ kind.” He threw the slip blade on the table in front of the camera, “I’d know that better than most.” Kaleb looked the camera in the lens, and Revenant wondered if he had been speaking to someone in that moment as his lips twisted in contemplation, “Fuck it. It’s not like anyone will ever find this.” He leaned back in his seat and started to pick up each piece of the pistol, looking them over before he screwed them back together in slow, precise movements of his wrist

“The Outlands is a shit hole. It always has been since Mister Hammond decided to colonize it. Sand, shit and people killing each other. Its always been the same, despite what they all say. Murder, homicide and genocide.” He paused putting together the gun in order to open a small satchel, and pulled free a packet of tobacco and rollers, Kaleb continued to talk as he took the leaves and placed them into a white paper, “Even this shit was fought over. Hybrid tobacco with no tar. Cartels killed villages over it.” The paper crinkled quietly as he put the filter in and rolled it up, tapping the end against the table before he snapped open a metal lighter and lit it, puffing for a moment before he blew smoke out of the side of his mouth, “The Outlands are a cess pit, that’s what I’m saying.”

 His old self smoked for a while before he held the cigarette in his lips and squinted, getting back to work on fixing the last pieces of the pistol back together with a little grease from another bottle from the satchel, “But its where literally everyone was born now. Earth’s been dead for a long, long time. Including, yes you might have guessed, me.” Kaleb span his pistol and cocked the chamber before he slid the magazine in again and pulled a bullet up into the chamber, “I was born to some power plant family, or so the Matron said. Six months old and they threw me on the doorstep before the plant went bust and blew. I’m not surprised somehow, but the orphanage wasn’t derelict. It was funded for by Hammond. They took kids into the programs there. I wasn’t an exception. I was scouted at fifteen into the special ops program.” A haunting smile spread across his face, “I killed a captain at fourteen, that’s what got me enlisted. It got better though, guns were much easier to use than knives from the kitchen and Matron never did like me taking knives and running with ‘em.” He took his cigarette from his mouth and flicked ash off the end, “Kaleb where has the neighbours dog gone?!” He screeched, “Always nag, nag, nag that woman.” He grumbled as he took another drag, “She probably meant well in the end. Too bad what happened to her as well. I put a pillow over her face when I got enlisted. No survivors allowed. The rest died in the fire.”

 The ash was building up in the clear glass ash tray now, “The Matron wanted me to go anyway, its not like she ever loved us or any of that stupid holo-film shit.” He scoffed and played with his cigarette end, “I used to like animals…well, like was a strong word. I used to test them. There was a hundred stray dogs near us, so I used to take pieces of my dinner and see which would come and take it from me. Whichever dog came close, if they could do a trick, then I gave it ‘em. If they followed me, well I used to like knives, you can guess the rest. They’re easy to trick. Cats though, cats were much better fun. I could never get one to come near me. It’s like they knew I had a knife somehow. One came close once, but it got away, screaming, and biting me before it got up a tree. It stayed there the whole day sleeping until I got bored. I didn’t see it again, but I started taking rats and mice from the kitchen for them. They liked the chase I think, just like I did…Or maybe they just liked me killing the dogs, huh?” He let out a long, raspy, dark chuckle before he stubbed out his cigarette and looked at the lens again, “Why the fuck am I spilling my guts to a recording? I’ll be dead if anyone finds this…well, maybe I just want that challenge.”

 His finger appeared before he chuckled again and pushed his fingers together, “The days at the academy were boring in comparison. I wasn’t allowed out of the facility. I wasn’t allowed knives. I wasn’t allowed to do anything that I wanted. I choked a boy to death on the mat. The prick decided I was a ‘country bumpkin’, so I decided he wasn’t worth the air he breathed. He was purple when they found him. I was careful, I bleach wiped his neck and my hands. They never knew it was me, but I got harsher training for it. They suspected it was me, but there was no evidence.” Kaleb rolled another cigarette before he rummaged for a can in his bag. He pulled out an all-in-one shake from the pack and drank it down without so much as a minor twitch. Revenant remembered them. They tasted like milk and iron, “Otherwise. I do this because I’m good at it. I always have been good at it. Best in the business. I do the dirty jobs that others won’t because of morals.” He reached for the button, “And that’s about it. End log.” The recording ended as he blew more smoke out of the side of his mouth.

 Revenant looked at the black screen for a moment, orange and black optics spinning to adjust, magnifying in and out before he snapped open the port again and tore the chip free, anger burning his chest. He growled and crushed the chip between two clawed fingers. His processors saved the data and he sat back on a chair in order to move and hide the data from those responsible for uploading him. He didn’t need anyone knowing these things. The chip sat in his palm in tiny, crushed pieces of plastic and metal.

“The past is dead.” He muttered before he unlocked the window and threw the pieces out of it, “Its best it stayed buried.” Revenant growled again before he moved to his charging port and slid the wire up into his chasis.