#best solar panel deals

[solarredau]

Solar Red delivers tailored PV systems that cut electricity costs and promote a sustainable future as the best solar provider in Australia. Solar Red ensures safety, quality, and unmatched customer service with Clean Energy Council-accredited installers and the latest solar technologies. They offer competitive pricing and personalized solutions, building lasting relationships while exceeding clients' energy expectations.

[miqenergy]

Energy Consultants - Essential in

Australia's Journey to Sustainable Development

Energy consultants are essential in Australia’s journey to sustainable development. They provide businesses with expertise in renewable energy and energy efficiency. They can also help clients align their energy usage with sustainability practices.

Want to pursue a career as a Renewable energy consultants Sydney? A degree from a program like Unity Environmental University will prepare you for success in the field.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is a concept defined by the 1987 Brundtland report “Our Common Future” as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.” It balances economic growth, social inclusion and environmental stewardship.

Energy consultants can help businesses implement sustainability strategies by identifying opportunities to reduce waste and increase efficiency. For example, they can conduct detailed energy audits to identify inefficiencies and recommend renewable energy solutions. This can improve overall business efficiency and cut costs.

Investing in renewable energy systems like solar panels can also help to mitigate the effects of climate change. It can help to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions, which in turn can save companies money in the long run. It is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to a greener future, and it can boost your brand image and attract eco-conscious customers. Moreover, it can also help you comply with Australian energy targets and emissions reduction goals.

Government Policies and Regulations

As the world moves towards sustainable development, energy consultants play a

crucial role. They help businesses reduce their energy costs and ensure compliance with regulations. They also provide guidance on implementing Renewable energy Sydney solutions.

Another major function of energy consulting services is to assist organisations in tapping into available incentives and rebates. These government-sponsored schemes offer financial benefits that can significantly offset the cost of implementing a greener energy solution. Energy consultants stay updated on the latest government policies, and they can advise their clients on how to leverage these incentives to improve both environmental and financial performance.

For large Australian organisations, the opportunity to make a clean energy purchase has never been more attractive. In fact, 70 leading organisations have already signed a corporate PPA with new renewables through the Business Renewables Centre Australia (BRC-A). The NEO Network offers these organisations a platform to identify, prioritise and accelerate projects by connecting them to potential delivery partners, funding services, market intelligence and more.

Innovation

Solar energy, wind, and other renewables use natural resources that are constantly replenished to create sustainable electricity. They can be used on site or exported to the grid. They are more cost competitive than traditional power sources and can help businesses achieve their sustainability goals and reduce exposure to future price volatility.

Innovative technologies like smart grids and Internet of Things devices allow businesses to monitor energy usage in real time, optimize consumption, and reduce waste. They can also be connected to energy storage solutions to increase reliability and resilience to grid disruptions.

Many leading businesses are switching to clean energy to lower operational costs, improve their sustainability profile, and attract environmentally conscious investors. These companies are often able to save more than they pay for the technology through energy savings and reduced carbon emissions. For example, a small retail chain saved more than 40% in energy costs by installing solar panels on its rooftop.

Clients

From individual consumers to large corporations, businesses across the country are seeking guidance on reducing their energy usage and carbon footprint. They are looking to do this while lowering operational costs and boosting their corporate social responsibility profile. This is where an experienced energy consultant can come in.

Energy consultants conduct detailed energy audits to identify areas of inefficiency. They also help companies develop comprehensive energy plans that include both short-term actions and long-term strategies for efficiency, sustainability and cost management. This ensures that businesses can meet regulatory standards while achieving their own business goals in line with global environmental goals.

In addition to providing strategic advice, a reputable energy consultancy can also provide a range of technical services for projects like the construction and installation of renewable energy systems. This can include solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind generation facilities, battery storage systems, and other innovative technologies. These services can be accessed either in-house or through third-party partners.

[cybertron-after-dark]

Average transformers g1 episode:

Megatron is attempting to black out the entire sky across a hundred mile radius and funnel all the sunlight into one, concentrated solar death ray to target a heavy duty solar panel he's having soundwave and the cassetticons build in order to convert it to energon. Then he plans to hit the autobot base with the death ray just for funsies. Starscream plans to push Megatron directly into the death ray, also just for funsies.

Optimus sends Wheeljack and Spike to deal with it, along with two bots you're pretty sure have not been in this show before this point, but you're kind of past asking how many of these fuckers were on the ark offscreen when it crashed. One of them has the worst fake Canadian accent you have ever heard, and the other's name sounds inexplicably dirty.

Starscream tries to get Megatron to stand in the spot he told Skywarp and Ramjet to direct the death ray, but is interrupted when Rumble asks why Starscream stuck him with extra work (a task Megatron assigned specifically to Starscream). This vexes Megatron. The autobots show up and try to figure out what the point of the blacked out sky is while Starscream attempts to talk his way out of it. Then the death ray goes off two feet away from Megatron, which only pisses him off further.

The Canadian bot yells "AH BINARY-BEAVERS!!" because the death ray caught him off guard and completely gives away the bots' position. Soundwave immediately fires on them. Gratuitous robot violence ensues. Spike is generally useless and tries chucking rocks at Rumble. Megatron is too busy trying to almost-murder Starscream to bother with the autobots and just lets Soundwave handle it.

Probably-an-innuendo-name-bot is luckily a flier and takes the chance to see what's blocking the sun now that their cover's blown anyway. He gets up there and the seekers are sticking tinfoil on the clouds to make the tops reflective. The writers are really just hoping you don't think too hard about it.

Skywarp starts firing on dirty-name and calls him a nerd. Dirty-name takes evasive action. Skywarp runs out of ammo and starts just chucking tin foil at him. Dirty-name calls him dumb and says his processor is made of spare toaster parts. Then he crash lands and canada-bot asks if dirty-name's wings are spare toaster parts as well. Wheeljack yells that they'll all be spare toaster parts if they don't focus on the decepticons. The death ray goes off again and barely misses the autobots. Wheeljack corrects himself to Melted spare toaster parts.

Dirty-name gives Wheeljack the rundown on the tinfoil clouds so he can figure out a way to get rid of them while Canada-bot fights Soundwave and the cassettes in the background. Spike is kind of helping too sort of almost. Those rocks hes chucking sure are damaging. Ravage gets straight up drop kicked. It cuts back to Wheeljack whipping up a good old fashioned Device™️.

Starscream flies up past the tinfoil barrier while Megatron shoots at him. All the holes he's shooting in the blackout barrier are just making more, slightly shittier death rays and the main one is losing concentration. One of them hits Megatron right in the optic and he keels over with an over the top screech. Starscream descends, breaking another hole in the tinfoil to see a golden opportunity.

"MEGATRON HAS BEEN BLINDED!!! I, STARSCREAM AM NOW YOUR LEADER!!!"

Wheeljack finishes his Device™️: A grenade that makes tinfoil entirely invisible, thus rendering the whole weapon unusable. The writers are hungover, please do not think about it too hard. Pretty please. Dirty-name doesn't know if he can throw it into one of the holes in the barrier on his own since he can't fly in robot mode and he cant throw in altmode. Spike offers to get on his back and throw it in for him if he can get close enough. And he's just SO good at throwing things. The other two agree he's their best shot, they're so happy spike is around, couldn't do it without him.

Starscream is hovering in the air as he gives his Decepticon Leader Acceptance Speech he's prepared for this very occasion, golden light streaming in from the him-shaped hole in the barrier. Dirty-name and spike zip past him and spike makes the best goddamn throw of his life. Before starscream can properly question the Fucking Audacity of these autobots interrupting him while he's trying to have a moment, the invisible explosion goes off that the animators are just happy they don't have to put that much effort into drawing. Starscream gets knocked out of the air and crashes directly onto Megatron. This vexes Megatron.

Sky's normal again. Don't worry that there's still tinfoil there, don't even fuckin worry about it dude. Spike and Dirty-name touch back down. Round of applause for spike for throwing super good. Wheeljack comments that he's just happy it blew up the way it was supposed to. Cue uncomfortably long laughing. Megatron manages to roll starscream off him and calls for a retreat.

Back at the decepticon base, Megatron has an eyepatch and is skulking. Starscream yaps about how it makes him look like a proper tyrant, brooding and battle scarred, and, dare he say, darkly handsome? This vexes Megatron.

[mrwizardsolarelectrical]

Solar System Deals - The Best Way to Save Money With Solar

The cost of solar is going down, and it's a great time to install. But you need to understand all your options before making a decision. Despite the media hype about so-called free solar panels, there is no such thing. The best way to save money with solar system deals is to purchase your system outright and take advantage of tax credits and rebates available in your state. Learn more about the process, and get free, custom quotes from pre-vetted solar installers in your area through EnergySage.

There are many benefits to installing a rooftop solar energy system, and most of them are environmental in nature. In fact, renewables are already cheaper than fossil fuels in a majority of states. But financial gains are also a driving force for most people looking to make the switch. With electricity costs continuing to rise, and the price of solar panel technology dropping, it's more affordable than ever for homeowners to make the switch.

Solar costs have come down a lot in the last decade, but there are still barriers to adoption that need to be addressed. Soft costs, which include labor, customer acquisition, and permitting/inspection/interconnection, remain higher than they are in other markets. Additionally, changes in government trade policy can impact hardware prices.

In order to reduce soft costs and increase access, solar advocates are working with local governments to reduce barriers to going solar. SEIA is proud to lead a number of projects, including the SolSmart program that helps local governments streamline processes and connect potential customers with qualified installers.

Homeowners can choose to pay for their solar panels outright, finance them with a $0-down loan, or enter into a solar lease/power purchasing agreement (PPA). The first option is the most economical in the long run, as it allows you to claim all available federal and state incentives, and you will own your system outright. The second option is more expensive in the short-term, as interest payments will eat away at your energy savings over the initial payback period. It is a good idea to consult a solar calculator for a detailed financial analysis of the various options available.

Depending on where you live, you may have different energy costs and peak sunlight hours, which will affect how many solar panels are needed to meet your household electricity needs. The type of appliances in your home and your daily electrical demand will also have an effect on the size of your system and overall savings.

While it is impossible to say that a 'free solar' or 'no cost solar program' is worth it, there are many other reasons why you should consider making the switch. When considering any solar deal, you should always weigh the pros and cons to determine if it makes sense for your unique situation. If saving money or eliminating utility bills are the main drivers, then it is important to shop around and find the best value for your specific situation.

Tom Mitchell heads up the team at Mr Wizard Solar & Electrical, an Australian owned and family operated business located in Brisbane, in Queensland’s south-eastern region.

[fairyhaos]

how seventeen help their s/o who's scared of the dark

requested by @klmllr ! sorry for getting to this so late </3

PLEASE REMEMBER TO REBLOG WHAT YOU LIKE ‼️

masterlist

seungcheol

puffs his chest out and squares up like he's about to fight the shadows to protect you when you tell him you're scared of the dark. very much goes into “dw babe, i’ll keep you safe” mode. all the lights in his house are voice controlled, so all you have to do is yell “turn on the [insert room] lights” and they'll automatically turn on for u so u don't have to wander around his house in the darkness. and when the power goes out at night, he's totally more than ready to have you cling to him like a koala bear for the entire time until you feel relaxed enough to fall asleep in his arms

jeonghan

you're scared of the dark? like, actually actually scared of the dark? he's not making fun of u, it's just that this means he can't play any pranks on u by going “boo!” in the middle of the night like he wanted to :( it's no fun when you're actually terrified, yk? he's actually super good at helping u thru power outages. tells you silly stories to take your mind off the dark, and has a whole drawer in his bedside table full of torches and extra batteries ready at his disposal to provide you with some light so ur not too afraid. 

joshua

never ever ever leaves ur side in the evening when you're together. like even if you're walking down the street after a date and it's actually quite a well-lit main road, he's not letting go of ur hand at all and sticks vvv close to your side. he's not going to leave you for one second, no sir, not him. power outages at his house are never a big deal, because he has so many fairy lights strung up and candles and battery-powered lamps at the ready to light up your life so you're not left in the dark. never let it be said that joshua hong is an inattentive boyfriend. 

junhui

you sheepishly admit that you're kind of embarrassed to still be scared of the dark even after so many years, and he just blinks at u bc. what. that's a totally valid fear to have. who knows what could be hiding in the dark??? he does his best to rid you of your fears tho, encouraging u to talk thru your thoughts with him as you lie together in bed, the door cracked open only the slightest bit. his nonsensical reasoning and the way he manages to reshape all the dark creatures in ur mind into silly and cute shapes really does help you calm down. 

hoshi

you're scared of the dark????? nooo wait that's actually so cute :(((( pls he actually can't take this wdym ur fear is the dark??? that's the cutest thing ever </3. kinda just thinks that's super adorable of u tbh. you complain that it sounds like he's making fun of u but he rly doesn't mean it like that!!!!! it's just so cute that out of all the phobias in the world, what you're most scared of is. blackness. you pinch him for saying that bc hey >:(( it's a real and valid fear ok. he gets it tho and when it gets super dark, he's always the one to cling to you first to reassure u he's there for u

wonwoo

dw about it baby. he makes enough money that you can leave all the lights on 24/7 so don't even fret over that for a second, okay? ‘most prepared bf’ award has to go to him because not only does he buy lamps, torches, fairylights etc etc in case of a power outage, but he also invests in solar panels and energy storage electric battery banks so he always has energy spare to power some lights so you never have to sit in the dark. he's the light of your life, literally, bc you never have to worry about the darkness when he's near

woozi

pretends to not be scared of the dark for ur sake but man. sometimes it's really hard. he totally understands ur fear of the darkness and while he's cringing in fear on the inside, he stays gentle and calm for u, taking you through breathing exercises and offering to show u what he's working on on his laptop to take both your minds off of ur fears. however, strangely enough, being with you has helped his fear of the dark begin to lessen also. as he becomes more focused on taking care of you, his own terror seems to melt away, as he focuses only on you and how to make you feel better. 

minghao

switches on all the lamps, puts in a classical music cassette into his cassette player, hauls you to your feet and starts dancing with you across the living room to take your mind off any fears you may be having. teaches you silly little dance steps bc having to concentrate on learning choreo means your brain doesn't have time to start conjuring imaginary fears. not when minghao's hand is warm in yours and his voice is soft and all you can feel is his guiding touch as he directs you to move with the music. it's terribly romantic, really. only minghao could turn your fear into the sweetest memory of all. 

mingyu

you've never told him about ur fear of the dark before so when the power cut happens, you scream super loud. this prompts mingyu to scream too, making you scream again, and then he screams also and then you scream too, going round in a cycle until you're shaking with fear and are too scared to scream. scaredy cat mingyu x you who's scared of the dark is a terrible combo, but he eventually calms down, turns on his flashlight and makes his way over to u, apologising profusely. makes sure he's always prepared for the next power outage so u guys never have to have an impromptu screaming match again

dokyeom

oh no :(((( dw sweetheart he's there to help u thru any worries u have!! lowkey understands your fear of the dark very well bc like. who knows what can be hiding in the pitch black darkness?? has sooo many of those battery powered lamps at his disposal already but when you moved in with him, the amount only increased bc like hell is he not gonna be The Most Prepared Boyfriend Ever. scoops you up in his arms and sings softly to u to take ur mind off the darkness when the power goes out. he's so warm, and you can feel the vibrations when he sings, and it's so comforting that you actually end up falling asleep against him

seungkwan

tbh he's kinda scared of the dark too, especially when it's the kind of pitch blackness that comes with a power outage, so he totally gets u. the two of you huddle together in the middle of the bed, blankets pulled tight around you, pretending that you're not shaking with fear. fortunately, though, the experience is always marginally better bc seungkwan is by your side — even though he's shaking like a leaf, he's still warm and grounding against you, and you just know that it would feel 10x more terrifying if you didn't have him here. 

vernon

buys you different shaped night lights every year on your birthday as a way of showing his support for u. they inhabit different areas of the house and act as like guiding lights for u whenever the power goes out. the crescent moon shaped one sits on your bedside table; the glowing, spinning globe resides in the living room; the squishy lying-down goose is splayed out in the study. even tho they're a pain to turn off bc every single one of them is battery powered with the tiny switches that hurt his hands to get to, he makes sure to diligently do so once you've fallen asleep so the battery lasts til the next day so u can use them again

chan

helps you through your fear of the dark by loudly talking to you about anything and everything he can think of as he hugs you tight. it certainly provides good enough distraction, bc his voice is so animated and captivating that u can't pay attention to anything else apart from what he's saying. it only occurs to him a long while later that he can, like. buy lights. to help you. and he doesn't have to help just by talking loudly to u in the dark. almost buys out the entire lights section in ikea before seungkwan stops him and tells him to just get the highest wattage bulbs he can find

request guidelines

reactions tags: @weird-bookworm @minhui896 @slytherinshua @haowrld @belladaises @newgirlygirl @moonlitskiiies @mirxzii @wonranghaeee @yonabutnotyuna @crackedpumpkin @wqnwoos @kthstrawberryshortcake-main @kawennote09 @a-wandering-stay @icyminghao @valenhui @sweet-like-caramel @odxrilove @kyeomyun @chansburgah @pepperonijem @kellesvt @kikohao @astrozuya @eightlightstar @onlyyjeonghan @aaniag @starshuas @all-american-fangirl @f1uffyjun @sea-moon-star @nonononranghaee @isabellah29 @mcu-incorrect @hrts4hanniehae @suraandsugar @pan-de-seungcheol @dokyeomkyeom @melodicrabbit @bananabubble

[writing-girlie]

𝚆𝙾𝚁𝚃𝙷 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚁𝙸𝚂𝙺 ★ 𝙹𝚘𝚍 𝙽𝚊 𝙽𝚊𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

Story Summary: Fate had thrown you back into Jod Na Nawood’s orbit, and despite your history with the captain, you found yourself pulled into his reckless mission. A treasure map, precious cargo, and an entire galaxy chasing after it—everything about it screamed trouble but what wouldn't you do for him. WC: 1,372 Note: I don't know if I should write more chapters so if you're interested let me know

You were on your way back home from another successful job. No matter how many times you had flown through the galaxy, you still couldn’t help but admire it. The sharp crackle of your comms interrupted your thoughts, followed by the familiar voice of one of your bosses.

"Hey, Patch." The nickname drew a faint smirk to your lips. “I’ve just had a transmission come through, and you’re the closest. Do you mind checking it out for me? They don’t know what’s wrong, so you’ll just have to figure it out once you’re there.” Your job didn’t really excite you like it did at the start; it was just another paycheck, another ship, and another faceless crew who needed you to patch up their mess.

“Sure. I can do that.”

“The ship’s called Solar Spear. I’ve sent you the location, and as always, contact me if you need something. The comms crackle back out, and the screen in front of you chimes and flashes up with coordinates. You set the course and go on your way. Once you arrive, you see that there is no active power signature, and one side of the hull is caved in slightly, scorched and crumpled as if it had been scraped by something much larger. Your brow furrows as you assess the damage the best you can. Ships like this usually limped to a station after taking hits like those, but here it was, silent and adrift.

“Solar Spear, This is RPR-18. I received your transmission for help—you’re expecting me.” You tap into their comms, hoping that they're working. It takes a few moments, but eventually a response comes through.

“Yes, we have a small docking bay at the back right. Thank you.” You pull the ship up and land in the small space. The docking bay was small—only just fitting your ship. The clamps lock it into place, and the door behind shuts, so you power your engines off and get out, leaving your tools for once you knew what you were dealing with. When your feet hit the ground, the entry doors hiss open, and a young man is standing there.

"Thanks for coming," he said with a polite nod, hands clasped in front of him. "The captain’s expecting you. I’ll take you to him."

You follow him, walking through the ship and towards the bridge. The ship then starts rumbling slightly, and you hear someone call out that the backup supply has been engaged. The bridge door then hisses open, and you step inside. The room glowed softly as systems came back online, control panels lighting up one by one. The faint murmur of the crew and the hum of technology returned. But none of that caught your attention. Not really. Because standing right there was him.

Jod Na Nawood

The years hadn’t really changed him. His coat hung loose over his shoulders, a blaster was strapped at his hip, and that same cocky half-smile curled at the corner of his mouth. His hair was now streaked lightly with silver at the temples. And then there were his eyes, locked on you the moment you stepped into view, like they always used to be.

“Sunshine” His voice was soft, as if he were testing the weight of the word, but hearing that name on his lips again was like a punch to the gut. It was from another version of yourself—one who had trusted him, laughed with him, loved him. You force down the lump in your throat and steady your breath.

“Captain Nawood” Your eyes glance around the bridge, noting how the crew kept their heads down, busying themselves with their tasks, pretending not to listen.

“Captain?” He repeated “You never used to call me that unless we were off duty.” His smirk deepened, voice laced with teasing nostalgia. He stepped closer, his body just within your personal space, the heat of him unmistakable. “I always did like how you used to say it.”

Heat pricked up your neck and onto your cheek, but despite your best efforts to not show how it made you feel, Jod caught it. His smirk stretched wider, eyes flickering over your face, down to your mouth, then back up.

“What am I doing here? You’ve got the backup supply; that should be more than enough to get you to a planet for repairs. So is there anything else, or can I go?” 

“There’s no time for that; we have important cargo that needs to be delivered quickly. Can you just have a look at the main system and see if you can work some of your magic?” Yesterday you could’ve sworn that if you saw this man again you would’ve killed him, but now, with him in front of you, that wasn’t even a thought.

“You’re telling me that you’re working for someone?” you said, crossing your arms tightly over your chest. “Since when do you answer to anyone?”

“Since someone paid me well enough to make it worth my while.” He could tell from the look on your face that you didn’t believe him. “You make it sound like I’ve never followed the rules before.”

“That’s because you haven’t.” You say plainly. He laughed softly, the sound warm and familiar. For a moment anger bubbled inside of you again; you hated him—not just for the past, but for the way he could still make you feel. The bridge door hissed open, and a woman entered. She had the kind of confidence that came from being both good at her job and knowing it. Her eyes immediately found Jod, the faintest of smiles curving her lips.

“Captain,” she said smoothly, ignoring you entirely. “The cargo is accounted for and secured. Credits, jewels, a few relics—enough to turn heads.”

“So definitely not your ship; otherwise you’d know what you’re carrying,” you said, eyeing Jod sceptically.

“I never said it was. And thank you, Verya,” Jod replied with a smirk. Just as you opened your mouth to retort, she cut you off.

“It doesn’t matter who the ship belonged to. What matters is that it’s ours now, and we need to stay ahead of anyone who thinks otherwise.” Her gaze flicked to you briefly, as if measuring whether you were worth her time. Apparently deciding you weren’t, she turned back to Jod. “Anyway, we found it.”

Verya handed him a rolled parchment, her movements deliberate. Jod unrolled it carefully, the fragile paper crackling in the quiet. It was a map—an old one, by the look of it.

“What is it?” you asked, leaning in despite yourself.

“It’s a map,” Jod said flatly.

“I can see that,” you shot back, your tone sharp. “What’s it for?”

“It leads to a planet,” Verya answered before Jod had the chance, her voice steady but laced with excitement. “The stories say it’s filled with treasure. Enough to make someone the richest person in the galaxy.”

“Great. So you’re chasing a legend?”

“I’m chasing an opportunity,” Jod countered, his smirk returning, though this time there was an edge to it.

“An opportunity to do what? Get yourselves killed?” you asked, your tone heavy with scepticism.

“Some risks are worth taking,” Verya interjected, her gaze flicking back to Jod. “Especially when the reward is this big.”

“And what’s the plan?” you pressed, forcing your voice to stay even. “Hope no one else figures out what you’re carrying.”

“Oh, they already know.” Jod’s tone was maddeningly casual. “That’s why you’re here—to make sure we don’t fall apart before we get there.”

“Great. So you’ve got a massive amount of treasure in the hold, a map everyone in the galaxy would kill for, and no real plan. Sounds solid.” You clenched your jaw and pinched the bridge of your nose, resisting the urge to throttle him.

“Don’t worry. The captain knows what he’s doing,” Verya said, placing her hand on Jod’s bicep with an ease that grated on you.

“That’s debatable,” you muttered, shooting her a glare before glancing pointedly at her hand, then back to her eyes.

“I always figure it out, Sunshine. You should know that by now,” Jod said, his chuckle low and infuriatingly self-assured. His gaze lingered on you, filled with amusement.

[mydearestbeloved]

Note: this scenario idea may be ooc. also does jinwoo even attach his shadow to her like with others? at least during the first days they became acquainted? If so, does she even feel their presence? My bad if I’m being lore inaccurate here.

Jinwoo and tp!reader argued for whatever reasons. Jinwoo regretted it but tp!reader who hadn’t calmed down deciding to “block” his shadows from seeing her (kinda like solar eclipse), even “flashbang” them, and in return jinwoo (took him a bit to recover), when he tries to sneakily force his way in and peek and causes her to be in creative mode.

Truly one to assert dominance over jinwoo is to show that you have the right to privacy bc that stuff is non-existent when you’re this guy’s loved one or in his radar.

(the solar ecslipse thing is me being inspired by the fact that tp!reader has golden aura thing, like the sun, while jinwoo is white blue, like the moon)

It's not ooc at all, Anon! The circumstances are just different—I'll explain in a bit.

Unfortunately, since this ask is related to a future chapter in the main story (there will be a scene similar to this), I’m afraid I can’t go into much detail scene-wise. 🙏

In the Trial Player AU timeline, the two became acquainted really early on after Jinwoo had his Job Change Quest, meaning he had just acquired his job-specific skills of <Shadow Extraction> and <Shadow Preservation>. If I remember correctly, Jinwoo was only able to attach his soldiers to other people and ‘see' through their shared senses after he gained <Shadow Exchange>—which happened after the second trip to the Demon Castle. I don’t remember the exact chapter in the manhwa, but I recall a panel where he started sending his shadows to guard his neighborhood, so I’m guessing it was around that time.

Dear novel and/or manhwa readers, please correct me if I’m wrong and enlighten me if I’ve missed any details—I’d really appreciate the help, considering I’m still a bit confused about some parts even after rereading the manhwa. 🙏

The timeline in Trial Player AU is left a bit vague, but I certainly extended it longer than canon to fit my narrative.

Again, please correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I understand, the events of Solo Leveling, from the start (the D-Rank Dungeon Arc) to the end of Jinwoo’s fight with Antares before the timeline reset, all happened within roughly three years, right?

If that’s the case, then yes, Trial Player AU will be longer. It’s implied that TP!Reader and Jinwoo have already worked together for over a month while Jinwoo’s deal with Jinho (clearing a total of twenty raids) is still ongoing. TP!Reader started accompanying them during the last few raids after Jinwoo introduced her to Jinho. Before that, she and Jinwoo had already spent time clearing new gates that the System provided (around normal or lower C-rank dungeons)—something that didn’t happen in canon, as already noted by TP!Reader in the story.

Hence, at the point where Jinwoo receives the <Shadow Exchange> skill in Trial Player AU, he and TP!Reader are no longer newly acquainted.

So, to answer your question, Anon: No, Jinwoo didn’t attach his shadows to TP!Reader because he hadn’t gained the skill when they became acquainted early on. As for what happens after he does—well, that will be revealed in future chapters.

However! I can say that TP!Reader does have the power to send back the shadows Jinwoo attaches to a person. The details are still not fully fleshed out, but it won’t affect the story much once I release the chapter—adding to the mystery, if you will. But for those interested in behind-the-scenes mechanics, I’ll still be sure to answer as best I can.

The “flashbang” theory you mentioned could potentially work, though! Say a spell that emits light from multiple angles could reduce or even eliminate shadows visibly. Since shadows exist because light comes from a specific direction, a spell like this could interfere with them.

But I’m not sure if this can be done every time without essentially flooding the target and the space around them with light. Then again, in a world where magic exists, something like flashbanging only the shadow (and not the person) could be possible to offset this limitation.

If the soldiers reside in a person’s shadow as if it were a pocket dimension, the spell would just need to flood that small space with light, outwardly diminishing the shadow without affecting the person by concept. Visibly 'blocking' each side from seeing eachother.

Not sure about the aftermath, though. If it’s a momentary effect, we could think of it as a pocket dimension that was always there, just temporarily cut off as long as the spell was maintained. It would need to follow the movements of the person since shadows can reappear, change shape and position. So, this momentary effect would work if a person’s shadow was a single, interconnected entity.

There’s also the possibility of a permanent effect. If flashbanging the pocket dimension made of darkness actually destroyed it, then the person’s shadow might cease to exist entirely instead of just being temporarily cut off. If shadows were interconnected, then no matter how the person moves, they won’t have a shadow at all. If not, then moving would create a new shadow, meaning TP!Reader could only prevent Jinwoo and his soldiers from peeking if the affected person remained completely still—which, for a living being, is nearly impossible unless they’re dead.

Wow, I just went on a wild tangent analyzing a what-if mechanic. 😅

I hope you still enjoy this what-if concept of mine based on your idea, even though it’s not in the usual scenario format (which I assume you wanted), Anon. Since the related scene will appear in the story, I can only offer this discussion for now. For others reading this: this is just me theorizing based on Anon’s take. The “flashbang” mechanic is not canon to Trial Player AU—have the potential to be, because Anon is giving me great ideas—but as of now, it isn’t.

Now, onto the last topic: the solar eclipse—sun and moon idea.

Again, great take, Anon! I’ll add a few thoughts of my own that can be be related to the topic:

It's interesting because in this, TP!Reader is mentioned with Jinwoo.

So far, she and Jinwoo fit the opposite trope—sun and moon, light and darkness, life and death, etc.—when they are contrasted.

In reality, what I'm aiming for is that TP!Reader doesn’t exist as his opposite—she just balances him out.

Try seeing TP!Reader alone, two of the most notable aspects of her abilities are:

Her healing can harm.

She can bring life (e.g. butterflies) and take it (e.g. the use of lifeforce).

The sun can burn, which fits TP!Reader. But at the same time, the sun started scorching you when you get too close. TP!Reader is approachable, so liking her to the moon also fits.

When elements that contradict exist as one instead of simply coexisting, what does that create?

TP!Reader exist when there is equilibrium. Tip off the scale and she's gone.

What do you see when she is with Jinwoo? What do you see when she is with someone else, Cha Hae-in for example?

She naturally spends the most time with Jinwoo, so their contrast is more pronounced, which is deliberate. I want to show 'balance' through it, I want to cement the fact that TP!Reader isn’t inherently the 'light' to Jinwoo’s 'darkness'—but she can become one.

We'll explore more on this too once TP!Reader started interacting with other characters in the future chapters. 🥰

Welp, I think that’s all I can say this time.

Thank you for showing interest in my works and for sharing your ideas, dear Reader. 💕

[pixeldistractions]

She made this camper so cozy. Who would have thought you could bake bread from scratch in a Dutch oven over the campfire? She served blackberry preserves on toast, planted herbs in tiny pots on the counter, then she filled the produce baskets with actual fresh produce. “That’s what they’re there for, silly,” she said. She watched camper hack videos on YouTube—a cutting board over the sink for more counter space. How clever. She noted the dimensions, and he cut it to size for her. She bought string lights to hang under the awning, a decorative citronella candle for the picnic table.

“You shouldn’t buy so much,” he said. “You don’t need to. If you wait, I’ll buy it for you.”

But he couldn’t, not really, not while also fixing the solar panel and manifesting walls out of scraps and sending back money for his boys. She shouldn’t have to wait for her home to feel homey. He wanted her to feel at home here, so he kept quiet and tried not to notice if she went to Target again for throw blankets or rugs, or towel racks and pot holders. He would just unbox the hardware and install it for her.

It was a silly idea anyway that if they lived simply enough, frugally enough, he might provide everything they needed and wanted, and maybe he could imagine himself the exact opposite of the freeloading loser Colette always said he was.

But Jordan did pick up some work. Very good work, actually. He snagged a small contract with a local university, upgrading their dorm plumbing, and that would keep him occupied for a couple of weeks. It was a nice chunk of change, though of course, Colette would want some of it.

Still, he would have enough money to finish the last of the major repairs. Finally. The only thing left was to replace the solar battery converter, ironically, now that they were plugged into the power grid.

The nights were longer now, but still cozy enough in the lower altitudes of Nevada to spend the evenings outside. They had dinner by the sunset’s last light, then they settled in beside the campfire.

“You don’t have to spend all your money on that battery thing,” she said. “I can pay for some of it.”

“No, you don’t have to. I’ll just pick up a couple more jobs.”

He was weird about taking her money, and she wondered why?

“Okay, I need you to talk to me,” she said, hushed, after taking note that Johanna wasn’t paying any attention to them.

He looked startled, like he was in trouble. She smiled. “No, it’s not like that, don’t worry,” she said. “But, there’s something I’ve been wondering about… why don’t you want me to pay for anything?”

His eyebrows raised, lips pinched.

She stroked his fingers while he refrained from answering her question. “You’re my best friend, you know?”

“You’re mine, too,” he said.

“And best friends tell each other things.”

“I’m… embarrassed of it.”

“You don’t need to be.”

“Okay…” An audible swallow, a slight squirm, a deep breath. “I was younger, twenty-two, after my dad died. I was in a lot of trouble with the foreclosure and some credit debts. So when Colette and I got friendly again, I let her help me out with it. But it didn’t stop there. It was like I would never live that down for the rest of my life, like even after I paid her back, no matter how much money, no matter how much effort, no matter that I stayed home with the boys for two whole years while she finished school, I could never pay her back enough to be even. I still can’t.”

“First, that’s really cruel,” Maria said. “Second, I wouldn’t do that to you. Third, it’s only $800, we can go halves.”

“Yeah, it’s only $800, then I can earn that much in three jobs. Will you let me?”

Every time she felt she might have found an opening to confess her terrible secret wealth, the moment proved to be exactly wrong. “Yeah, of course. But next time, I’ll help. Deal?”

“Sure. But you need to let me make it up to you for all those cozy pillows you bought,” he said, smirking now. She was glad to see that startled panic gone.

“Those pillows were nothing,” she said. “I got them in the clearance section.”

She didn’t know how to tell him that the battery converter would make barely a dent in her savings, and she also wasn’t convinced he would see that as a good thing. It seemed important that he paid for this himself. So she would let him. This time.

— “boxes and squares #5.2: come down from the clouds” (2/10)

previously: a freeloading loser // that money is not for spending on your boyfriend

Next -> // 5.2 start // index

[queersatanic]

Ok, regarding voting/not voting in the US presidential election because neither candidate is a good option: What other choice is there?

I want to understand because I've seen so many people say that voting for the lesser of two evils is pointless and that I must not actually care about marginalized/oppressed people if I choose to do so, but voting in the presidential election is one of the vanishingly few scraps of influence I feel we have in this country.

Does it amount to much? No. Am I happy about it? No. Are we actually living in a democracy? Not even a little bit. Am I under the impression that Kamala Harris would solve every problem ever had around the world? No, absolutely not. The way I see it, voting for Kamala definitely isn't solving problems. It's just preventing Trump from arriving on the scene to create more problems for us because the last thing any of us need on top of the colossal shit-storm we're all currently dealing with is more bullshit, and of the two viable options that we've been given, Kamala is the one that would give us less of that type of bullshit. Again, I'm not happy about it. I'm fully aware that this is a band-aid solution at best, but this is the most influential thing I can do as a US citizen. There is nothing else I could possibly do as a single individual to meaningfully sway who's in power here.

I'm lucky enough to live in a state that allows us to mail our ballots. Voting only takes me like, five minutes, and it seems worth doing if it prevents us from having Trump back in office, even if Kamala is only better by a miniscule fraction of an amount.

So, if voting is truly pointless, if there's truly zero difference between Kamala and Trump, what should we do instead? I really can't imagine an alternative that would result in swift, positive changes for anyone. (Again, not that voting would create swift, positive change either, but it at least seems like it would give us a better chance at positive change eventually.) Anarchy and protesting and raging against the machine are all well and good, but those are also things that will endanger and cause the deaths of vulnerable people, just as much as voting. Not that they aren't also worth doing, because they are, but it seems like it would be just as lengthy of a process and as impactful as it would be to vote in the election. And it's entirely possible to do those things on top of voting in an election. So I want to know what it is that I should be doing instead. Please help me understand. This is a genuine question, I'm not looking to argue, I want to know what other avenues there are and what I'm not seeing about the situation.

So, here is the simplest way to understand this: replace everything you are saying and thinking about "voting" with "signing a petition". It only takes a few minutes, it amounts to more than nothing, etc., etc.

Do you think that signing a petition — any petition — deserves to be given so much money, attention, conversation, and so on that it forms the boundary of political imagination and is used as a synecdoche for political action?

Sign a petition or don't; vote or don't vote. But it's not the most important thing you do, it shouldn't be the thing you devote hardly any of your life to, and it should not be how you neatly reduce other people around you.

This includes voting third party for president.

This includes writing in "Free Palestine" on your ballot.

This includes not voting at all.

The anarchist critique of electoralism is usually not even that you shouldn't do it but to recognize it for what it is: a mostly meaningless gesture over who you want to run the orphan-crushing machine. You can say that it's important to you to select someone who will read a land acknowledgment while operating the machine or that it's critical with global warming to have an orphan-crushing machine operator who will commit to installing solar panels by 2035 or that it's a moral imperative not to cooperate with the machine at all and express no opinion on who the operator ought to be. But none of that has anything to do with stopping the machine from crushing orphans, and the purpose of a system is what it does.

By the way, this is not new or something that privileged keyboard warriors invented in 2013. A hundred years before that, the Japanese anarchist Ōsugi Sakae wrote a short allegory called "The Chain Factory" about people wrapped in chains, making even more chains they add to it, and the only the factory boss has the key to free all of them.

The narrator wants to free himself, but he needs the help of others, and other people have different ideas about how to go about this.

There are so many who do not realize that they are bound by chains. There are many more still who, were they to realize it, would only be grateful for their chains. There are also many who, while not grateful, have resigned themselves to working industriously to forge their chains. And there are the many who, seeing the chain-making as ridiculous, frequently find openings in the watch of the guards to rest their bodies while harbouring selfish delusions in their heads and passionately spouting nonsense about actually being free and not bound by chains at all. It is more foolish than I can bear to watch. I then suddenly cast my gaze about. I found others around me that seemed to be aligned with me. They are few, and they are scattered all around. But they all desire the key to their bellies in the clutches of the master. And like me, they seem to be aware of being unable to take back their keys alone, so they whisper frequently to their neighbours to forge alliances. “They are few; we are many. They are outnumbered. If we act together, we can take back our keys in one fell swoop.” “However, since we make pronouncements about justice and peace, we must not permit violence. We must proceed through peaceful means. There is a simple way to do this.” “Once a year, we send a representative to the master to decide every aspect of our lives. All of those chaps in that meeting are representatives of the master, and if we muster up our own true representatives now, we can be the majority in the meeting, and that's how we can pass the resolutions that we want.” “All we need to do is shut up and forge the chains. Just continue to wrap the chains around ourselves. Then, when the day comes every few years that we choose our representative, we simply vote for our own representative.” Our representative will gradually loosen our chains, and will, ultimately, take back the key to our bellies from the master. We will then find ourselves in a factory under a new organization and a new system of our own ideals, with our chains in the hands of our representative.”

So, how does this relate your question of what you should be doing? Vote or don't vote in the five minutes it takes you. Find whatever slate recommendation you trust most and follow that, then turn it in or throw it away. But live your life.

Talk to your neighbors. Talk to your coworkers. Bring food to each other. Lend tools to one another. Be available to take people to the airport and pick them up from the hospital. Talk about rent. Talk about wages. Talk about working conditions. Exchange contact info so you don't have to call down the drone strike that is cops showing up in your neighborhood over people yelling. Take people into your home when you can so they can escape domestic violence. Shun rapists so they actually face consequences even if it comes at social cost you yourself. Yes, get trained on first aid and shooting, too.

If all that sounds small, you could argue that. It's certainly more personal. But it's the stuff you do every day to build relationships with another another outside of capitalism and hierarchy, or maybe it's just the cigarette burns you put into those things, hollowing them out.

You creating trust with your coworkers so that you can perform a work stoppage together on any day is much more significant that who you vote for on some day because no matter who you vote for president, they will side with "small business owners" and "main street" over your boss shorting you on your paycheck. You talking to fellow tenants about your living conditions matters much more than your vote for city council because even in the most overwhelming Democratic city, county, and state, your electeds will side with landlords over renters. When there is a hurricane or a heat wave or a pogrom, you will know each other and be there for each other.

Vote or don't vote. When you see a petition coming to put abortion rights on your state's ballot, feel free to sign it. But you'd better have other plans when the courts throw it out. You'd better have plans for when political coalitions who don't recognize you as legitimate regardless of what you and people like you do, because that antagonist coalition will ignore the courts and do what they want anyway.

Anti-electoralism is not about voting. It is about opposing the magical thinking that voting is efficacious or will save us from fascism. The special counsel Robert Muller will not save us from fascism, or the courts, or the media, or the Democrats, or the police. There is no "someone else will solve this for us" that you can rely on, so you should engage in a sort of realistic doomsday prepping that isn't just about bugging out and running off but about creating networks of mutual reliance that build up and exercise the muscles now you will need even more in the future.

[skymaiden32]

Secret Keepers

Can be read on AO3 here

Fandom: Thunderbirds

Tagging: @dragonoffantasyandreality @thundergeek59 @janetm74 @katblu42 @liseylou @amistrio @uniwolfcorn @idontknowreallywhy (Please ask if you would like to get alerts when I update or post new stories.)

Continuity: TOS

Synopsis: Jeff’s family are keeping something from him.

Happy Father's Day to all who celebrate! ^^

------

Jeff yawned as he sat up in bed, sparing a quick glance at the barely illuminated clock on the wall. He grimaced. It was seven in the morning, and he hadn’t gotten to bed until three. When would he learn? He huffed; no use laying in bed grumbling, and disappeared into his bathroom to have a shower. Jeff breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the warm water running down his back. Already, he felt a lot more awake, and he was ready to start his day. 

He emerged from his room, ducking out of the way just in time as Gordon barrelled past him, carrying something in his arms that Jeff couldn’t identify. “Sorry, Dad!” His second youngest yelled as he disappeared round the corner. Jeff shook his head. That boy of his was going to get someone killed one of these days, and it was probably gonna be a household member. Luckily for his son, Jeff still felt too tired to deal with it and resolved to just have breakfast instead.

“Oh, Jeff! You’re awake!”

Jeff nodded in acknowledgement at the voice. “Good morning, Mother.”

Ruth Tracy frowned. “We all thought you’d be staying in bed for a bit longer, dear.”

“No point.” Jeff shrugged. “I wouldn’t get back to sleep anyway…”

His mother hummed. “Perhaps you would’ve if you tried.”

He frowned. “Pardon my asking, but why do you want me to get more sleep?” Maybe it was risky to ask the question, but it was one he had to ask. “You’ve always been insistent on all of us waking up early.”

Ruth glared at him immediately, and Jeff realised the risk he’d taken was not worth it. “I heard you get to bed at three this morning, young man. You need sleep.” She took a step towards him, clearly with the aim of herding him back towards his room.

Jeff frowned, trying his best to argue as she grabbed a hold of his arm. “I don’t have time to go to bed, Mother.” She ignored him, now on a mission to get at least one of her family to sleep in. Jeff almost spluttered as he tried, and failed, to resist. “I-I’ve got work to do!”

“Work you can easily do later, son.” Ruth stated matter-of-factly. She opened the door to Jeff’s room, and guided him over to the bed in the middle. “At least try to get some more sleep, Jefferson. Please. You need it.”

Jeff sighed, relenting when he saw that pleading look in his mother’s eyes. “Okay, Mother. I promise I’ll try…”

She nodded with a small smile, closing the door behind her, leaving Jeff to his thoughts. She’d never done that before. And just why was Gordon rushing past his door earlier? What was his son carrying? He huffed, closing his eyes and trying to sleep some more, just as he’d promised his mother. He was tired now, but the mystery was doing it’s best to keep him awake.

It took a few minutes of tossing and turning before Jeff threw the sheets off again, silently grumbling as he opened the door a crack, just in case someone was on the other side, watching and waiting. Looking around, he caught sight of Scott in the hallway, with his back to the door. He was holding his wrist up to his mouth, looking and talking down at an image on his watch. John. Jeff hummed inwardly, listening into what little he could hear of his sons’ conversation. 

“You sure that’ll work, John?” His eldest’s voice was in a hushed whisper. “You know what he’s like…”

“Positive.” John’s voice came back staticky, and Jeff frowned. The signal should be clear as day. He’d have to schedule maintenance for Thunderbird 5. Inwardly, he wondered what the problem might be. Were the antennae crooked? Was it a problem with the solar panels or the on-board nuclear reactor? Was it Tracy Island’s antennae that was the issue? He supposed the answers to that problem could only really be answered by Brains. He came back to the conversation in front of him, only to realise he’d missed a big chunk of it while musing on the comms issue. “...it should be easy enough.”

“Good.” The grin in Scott’s voice was audible. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

“FAB!” The tiny John gave a thumbs up, and the device shut off, reverting back to a simple watch face. Scott hummed, looking around, before turning towards the lounge.

Jeff watched as he went. Just what was going on here? He didn’t think he’d ever seen his eldest and middle sons acting so secretively before. Well, he made up his mind. He was going to find out. As quietly as he could, he opened up his bedroom door, and sneaked his way down the hall into the lounge. And what he found was…

…His sons setting up some decorations. His mother making some finishing touches to a cake. Brains and Tin-Tin huddled in the corner, fiddling about with some new-fangled gadget of theirs. None of them seemed to have noticed him yet. The banner in the centre of the room caught his eye. 

‘Happy Father’s Day!’ 

Between the increase in rescues and a bunch of yellow tape at Tracy Industries, there’d been so much going on lately. He’d completely forgotten. But clearly, they hadn’t. He could’ve cried. 

“So is John really sure that will work?” Jeff was ripped from his thoughts by Virgil’s voice. The artist was heavily scrutinising a particular decor that was clearly the spacebound astronaut’s suggestion. 

Alan stood next to him, squinting his eyes. “You know what Virg? It will work. It’s space themed!” The youngest Tracy grinned, turning to his brother. “And we all know space is Dad’s favourite place…” He rhymed, a sing-song tone in his voice.

Virgil smiled back. “Yeah, we do know.” They stepped back from the table, revealing a spread of dishes and treats, each one creatively moulded to look like stars, nebulae and the occasional comet. 

“Alright everyone! Looks like we’re all set!” Scott’s voice broke through the organised chaos.

Gordon smirked, almost devilish. “Want me to go wake them up?”

“First of all, Gordon Tracy,” Grandma interrupted, “we all know you, so absolutely not.” Gordon shrugged, unbothered by the accusation. “Secondly,” she turned her head in the direction of the hall. Jeff froze like a deer in headlights. “I think one of them may already know what’s going on…” Everyone mirrored her movements, simply looking at Jeff in disbelief.

All Jeff could do was play it cool. “I’m guessing you wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Oh, come on…” Alan lamented. “What gave us away…?”

Jeff looked between them, eyes landing on Gordon and Scott in particular. “You weren’t exactly discreet.” He grinned. “Although, it is a nice surprise. I assume we’re waiting on Kyrano?”

“But of course, Mr Tracy. It’s his day as well!” Tin-Tin beamed. “Brains and I have prepared a little gift for him.”

“W-We hope it’ll help with those f-fits of his, M-Mr Tracy.” Brains explained. “Or at the v-very least let us know w-what’s going on. I-It’ll a-analyse his brain waves a-and interpret them i-into definitive data.”

If at all possible, Jeff’s smile widened. “That’s great! He’ll want to know just as much as the rest of us. Should I go get him and act surprised with him?”

Virgil gave a thumbs up. “Sounds like a plan. See you in a minute!”

“Don’t lay it on too thick!” Gordon advised as his father left, now on a mission.

It didn’t take long for Jeff to reach Kyrano’s door, giving it a knock. He was kind of shocked at how quickly his friend answered. “Yes, Mr Tracy? Can I help you with anything?”

“Meeting in the lounge. It’s urgent.” He thought it up on the spot. Not ideal, but it would do.

Kyrano looked a little perplexed, and a bit worried, at the adamant tone in Jeff’s voice. “...Very well.” He exited the room, closing the door to follow his employer. “May I ask what this meeting is about?”

“I don’t really know, I’m afraid. My mother’s called it.” Jeff continued to lead the way, hiding his smile. “I’ve never seen her so sure about something.”

No sooner had they stepped foot in the lounge, a cacophony of voices yelled out, “Surprise! Happy Father’s Day!” Kyrano jumped, startled at first. But once Tin-Tin started clinging to him, giving him the biggest hug, he was grinning from ear to ear.

“My daughter. My friends. What a pleasant surprise.” He shared a look with Jeff. “This is for both of us?” A series of nodding heads answered his question. “Thank you. For thinking of me also…”

“Kyrano, how could we not?” Alan stood next to Tin-Tin, squeezing her hand. She squeezed back, eyes gentle as she looked at him. 

Gordon got in the middle of the group, a very serious look on his face. “So, we’re gonna get this party started, right?”

“Yes, of course we are.” Jeff gave his son a look. “Be patient. It’ll be worth it.” He looked around the room, noticing each set piece and decoration that reflected either him or his dear friend. “You all have done an amazing job.”

If you were to ask either Jeff or Kyrano, way into the future, what days stood out to them in their long lives, chances were they would say one particular Father’s Day on Tracy Island. It was definitely worth the suspense. And the secrets…

[solarredau]

Solar Red focuses on residential and business installations; we provide solar systems that lower energy costs, save the environment, and make savings possible for you. From system design to installation and metering, our installers, who have earned accreditation from the Clean Energy Council, guarantee safe, excellent service with the best solar panel deals in Australia. For exceptional discounts and a seamless switch to sustainable energy, rely on Solar Red.

[miqenergy]

How Solar Power Systems Can Reduce Your Power Bills

Solar power systems convert sunlight into electricity, a renewable and clean energy source. They can be installed on rooftops or other sun-exposed areas. The solar system can be sized to match household power consumption, and excess electricity can be stored in batteries.

The cost of a Solar power systems Sydney varies depending on its components. Look for CEC approved solar panels, inverters and batteries.

Solaray Energy

Solaray Energy is one of the top-rated solar companies in Sydney. Its services are designed to help homeowners and businesses reduce their power bills. Their products are made by Trina, a company known for its quality and innovation. They feature a variety of features that improve efficiency, including a multi-busbar design and increased power output.

A solar power system converts sunlight into electricity, a renewable source of energy that can save you hundreds of dollars on your power bill. It uses photovoltaic cells to create DC current that can be used in your home or fed into the National Electricity Grid.

Choosing the right solar company is an important step in the process of switching to solar power. The best option for your home will depend on the size of your solar system, the type of panels, and the inverter. Make sure that your installer is accredited by the Clean Energy Council (CEC) and is using CEC-approved components.

Space Solar

With dramatic energy market fluctuations making headlines, many business owners are choosing to reduce their reliance on grid electricity by installing high quality commercial solar panels in Sydney. In doing so, they’re able to mitigate costs and gain control over operational budgets. This is especially relevant for businesses that can take advantage of business solar rebates.

The company plans to put the satellites into geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above Earth’s surface. This positioning will allow them to produce energy at all hours of the day, without being subject to cycles of sun and shade, seasons, or clouds. It will also provide power to regions of the world that are not yet connected to an electricity grid.

Extraterrestrial Power’s cells have already been successfully tested for space-grade efficiency and stability. This demonstrates the company’s potential to be the first company to produce and sell space-based solar energy systems. The next step is to demonstrate the technology onboard a spacecraft in 2023.

RK Solar

Integrating solar power systems into a building’s electrical infrastructure is a critical component of a successful PV installation. A number of factors can impact this process, including the capacity of the main service panel (MSP), the breaker additions required to accommodate solar Sydney system output, and accurate load calculations.

The MSP is responsible for distributing electricity from the utility grid to different circuits within a building. It also carries the current for the photovoltaic (PV) panels, which generate electricity. The MSP’s capacity is determined by its busbar rating, which must be sufficient to handle the sum of the electrical demand for all appliances.

To determine a proper MSP busbar rating, a builder must conduct accurate load calculations. This involves listing all electrical appliances and summing their power ratings in watts to obtain the total load. Proper sizing ensures optimal performance and prevents overloading, which can lead to fire hazards.

Opera Solar Energy

Besides offering solar installation services, Opera Solar Energy also provides customers with a feed-in tariff to reduce the payback period of their system. The company’s expertise in solar energy allows them to offer competitive prices and quality installations for residential and commercial properties. Their work is also backed by an excellent after-sale customer service.

The climate in Sydney is generally sunny, making it a good place to harvest solar power. However, the heat can diminish the panels’ electricity production. Therefore, it is important to install a high-quality system that will last for many years.

A reliable solar company in Australia will be able to provide you with the best value for money. It will take into account your budget and home size to determine what type of system is appropriate for you. It will also help you calculate your return on investment. These companies can also help you get the best rebates and tariffs. This will reduce your payback time and make solar energy a viable option for your home.

[quicksolarau]

Top Reasons Why Businesses Hire Commercial Solar Installers in Brisbane

When it comes to solar energy, it has become the most preferred choice among businesses in Brisbane. Many factors play a vital role in increasing the adoption rate of solar energy – minimizing energy costs and meeting sustainability goals are some of those. Commercial solar installers in Brisbane offer long-term benefits, environmental benefits, and energy independence.  

Installation of a commercial solar installation is a task that requires precision, experience, compliance, etc., to accomplish properly. This is where you can opt for assistance from a professional commercial solar installer in Brisbane.  

These experts help businesses maximize efficiency and returns on investment. This post gives you an excellent opportunity to explore various reasons why businesses rely on commercial solar installers for their energy requirements. 

Why you should Hire a Commercial Solar Installer in Brisbane

Quality of installation of commercial solar panels is necessary to increase its effectiveness and efficiency. It thus helps you harness the maximum advantages of installing solar panels. We will discuss several important advantages of hiring a commercial solar installer in Brisbane. 

1. Huge Expertise

The process of installing commercial solar is a complicated task that needs vast knowledge and huge experience. A large number of professional solar installers possess enormous expertise in designing, installing, and maintaining solar systems tailored to match the unique requirements of commercial assets.  

Right from analyzing your energy consumption patterns to finding out the right system size and placement, the skills of these professionals ensure higher efficiency and maximum output.  

Experts have a huge understanding of solar technologies and thus can handle many challenges such as roof angles, shading issues, system compatibility, and more. They have extensive experience in executing many projects that ensure your installation is performed smoothly and professionally.  

2. Use of High-Grade Equipment 

Professional installers possess enormous expertise in using high-grade equipment to install solar panels successfully. They source top-grade inverters, solar panels, and various mounting systems from those of many reliable manufacturers. 

You need to understand that substandard equipment leads to several frequent breakdowns and also decreased energy output. Once you hire a professional, you can gain complete access to many important products supported by industry-leading warranties.  

It guarantees your commercial solar system delivers reliable and consistent performance. It increases overall return on investment. 

3. Compliance with Regulations

Complying with industry rules and regulations for solar installation is something that is a tough task. Most business owners face a lot of complications in doing the same. Brisbane has specific permits, codes, safe standards, and more. You need to follow these, especially during the installation process. 

Professional commercial solar installers in Brisbane are aware of these important regulations and ensure it’s in full compliance. They also protect your business from various potential legal complications. Professional installers have the capability of handling complete procedural requirements and paperwork.  

It gives you a complete peace of mind and thus helps you save your valuable time. It’s necessary to ensure full compliance with state, local, and national standards while ensuring your system functions safely and with a higher efficiency. 

4. Budget-Friendly Solutions

Another major benefit of hiring reputed commercial solar installers in Brisbane is they provide cost-effective solutions. They have a complete understanding of the significance of maintaining a perfect balance of upfront costs with long-term savings. 

They have proficiency in designing systems that can align perfectly with your budget. 

A large number of professionals conduct a complete analysis of the actual requirements of your energy and also property specifications for recommending the most apt solar solution. 

Professional installers minimize unnecessary expenses even without compromising performance with the proper optimization of system size with a higher efficiency.

Conclusion

Hiring a professional commercial solar panel installer in Brisbane is decisive as they do everything in a planned manner by letting you get maximum advantages of the solar system. Above are some of the top advantages you can expect from a professional solar installer. Make sure you choose a certified installer who has earned enormous expertise in performing this task with proficiency. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

[alpaca-clouds]

Let's talk Energy Mix

Let me talk about the energy mix for a moment - because I feel a lot of people are very unsure, how a renewable energy grid would work in practice.

So, let me get out my electrician gear and go very quickly through the different energy types that we would probably have within a Solarpunk world or something along the line. Or rather: What we might have in the future, if our governments actually fucking cared to go carbonfree.

Photovoltaic (aka Solar). Now, let me make one thing clear: Technically Photovoltaic and Solar are two different things. Photovoltaic uses certain materials that can build electricity when they interact with Photons, while Solar uses the sun's heat radiation. What most people think of as "Solarpower" is photovoltaic. This technology has made a lot of advances recently, making the panels so much more efficient than they were only a few years ago. By now photovoltaic roof tiles can actually provide enough energy for the house even during cloudy days and even further up north. Of course they cannot create enough energy during the night. While production is not 0, it is by far not enough.

Wind turbines. Currently wind turbines are making up a lot of the renewable energy mix in many countries, like my own (Germany). And for good reason. They are so darn efficient. Especially off-shore energy. While they are right now not useful for personal energy production (because turbines are fucking loud up close - only up close), they are really good at keeping the grid fed. Maybe just a bit too good.

Other forms of Wind Power. I really do not want to go too deeply into this topic. But there are currently also other forms of wind powered generators being researched. Including some that could be put onto houses. (If you want me to gover those more, just send me an ask.)

Hydro Power. Now Hydro Power, so water based power generation, has two big kinds of being used. One is by channeling the power of rivers through a generator - the other is as the currently simplest form of energy storage: If you have too much energy in your grid at any given time, pump water into a reservoir and if you need that power again, let it go through a generator. Please note though: Environmentally Hydro Power is definitely the kind of renewable power with the worst environmental impact.

Other forms of water based power generation: Currently we are experimenting a lot with getting power from the ocean. For example through tidal generators or wave generators. So far, though, these methods are only experiments, not fit for large scale production.

Geothermal Power. In a lot of areas with Geothermal activity we can also use the heat of the earth to create steam, which we then can use to power generators as well. This is especially handy in places like Iceland, that are geothermically very active, but also do not get a lot of sun half of the year and are not ideally suited for wind power.

One thing that should be noted is, that very probably we are still gonna need nuclear power as an emergency tool.

One thing that definitely needs to change, though, is how we build our energy grids. Currently we are relying a lot on macro grids, that is grids, where a few central power plants generate all the power for a large area. This does not work out well currently, based on the fact that a lot of renewables work best, if you have smaller, further distributed power plants.

This creates the need for micro grids, that are also better suited to just... Not create large scale blackouts, as the US experiences them semi-frequently.

Again, if you want me to talk more about that, I can totally do, just... send me a message.

But what you really do not need to be concerned about is the entire idea of "what do we do at night"? We have ways to deal with that. Even now. Let alone in 10 years. This area of science is currently really moving forward in long strides!

[aelfheimerandrobots]

Sims au: Old Helex, Castle Heights, Old Dreadnaught Castle| Overlord

Brought to you by popular demand we are now featuring a tour of the infamous, Dreadnaught Castle! This castle has gone by many names over the centuries and certainly has a reputation of a sort but it's current owner has certainly done quite a deal to turn this crumbling old fortress into a magnificent mansion! Now this tour may take us awhile ( a reblog or two) due to its sheer size, but don't let that deter you! This masterpiece is worth the long walk! Should you survive ....

Rather than a street view look we'll start this tour with an aerial shot of this sprawling estate. From it's magnificent front towers to it's beautiful gardens and lovely private pool this mansion features of plenty modern touches to bring the crumbling relic up to our contemporary standards. With solar panels galore, on-site farming, rain capture water heaters, and natural springs this space does it's best to erase whatever carbon footprint it might take to keep this place up and running. And the incredibly manicured gardens surely- wait...do those trees look...phallic to anyone else?

*ahem* Yes, well, phalic nature of the tree-lined exterior approach aside, the gardens are excellently maintained and offer lovely moments of picturesque splendor in this quaint countryside. And what a front walk this makes for! With a romantic fountain, iron lampposts, and an expansive patio with elegant architecture this space certainly holds to higher standard of elegance and atmosphere.

Continuing our tour of the grounds, we'll be starting with the southern garden path. This lovely pathway beckons us in with a fantastical archway and leads down an ancient but lovingly restored path to the Castle's growing fields. While not terribly expansive this section of the grounds do offer horribly fertile ground to grow grapes for the ground's famous in-house wine. I'm told that most of the manor's food needs can also be supplemented from these fields and offer a lovely tableau for the grilling and picnicking area adjacent to the fields. This outdoor rest area looks out perfectly over the estate's expansive pond, which we will happily explore next!

This large pond can be easily accessed via the posterior entrance to the estate grounds as well as from the Castle directly. The Castle entrance here leads from the ground-floor laundry and storage area directly onto this waterway and it's lovely collection of flora and fauna. With romantic archways and grottoes reserved for enjoying the beauty of nature one can hardly blame Overlord, the current owner, from doing his best to stock the pond with local wildlife. Why there's a lovely pair of swans who- Is that an Alligator? No not the log, the thing next to the log. I saw it move! I did! Right there! I- ugh... okay fine. Let's move on to finish the tour of the grounds.

This long back walk opens toward the road leading to the estate and back out to the road, allowing access to staff and guests alike from the rear should they not wish to traverse the long drive to the front entrance of the estate. Though, I'm told it's bad manners to approach the estate in this manner. The walk is lined with lovely memorials to beloved pets who once walked these grounds and opens up to the west side of the grounds which feature a historical graveyard that has largely been overtaken by native plant growth, now cut back and cultivated to reveal more of the old facade. How odd though that some of those graves seem freshly dug. Also why is there a giant bonfire located near the gravesite? Hm. Yes well, moving on. The West end of the grounds also feature some ruins from the old castle which have been left intact for posterity but removed from the castle proper due to their crumbling nature and state of disrepair. And with the grounds wrapped up, let's head on inside for the rest of the tour!

We enter on the ground floor into the lovely foyer which features many of the estates modernized furniture while also highlighting the eras that have come before. Particularly the nineteen twenties which saw quite a bit of activity for the Castle! With lovely art deco revival pieces and stately vintage furniture to highlight updated facades and restored architecture, this foyer feels grand and welcoming. The water feature in particular is quite lovely and an amazing statement piece! Huh, that vase...is that really an urn? Hm. I'm sure I must just be mistaking it for a funeral urn, that's all. Shall we move on?

Heading into the hallway on the right we've entered into a stately passageway that features some lovely modern art pieces as well as a bit of industrial storage while still providing access to the safety measures included in the castle to protect the owner's vast investment into this home.

Heading into the door on the right and we've entered into the ground floor office space. This cozy den has plenty of charm and really highlights the use of industrial, art deco, and luxury inspired pieces to create a cohesive and good-looking environment. The office's private bathroom also features lovely tile work that manages to avoid feeling cramped thanks to the vaulted ceilings and large mirror. Just around the corner from the couch is the first set of stairs on the east end of the castle, which will eventually become the east tower. Ah and I see we've included a few antique taxidermy pieces. What a...lovely vulture skull. Oh and a preserved cow-plant! How...unsettling beautiful. Erm, let's just head on out shall we?

We'll head next into the door at the end of the hall which leads us into the ground-floor laundry which has access to both the exterior grounds as well as the pool deck and patio space! The laundry itself is serviceable and feels charming with much of the original stonework and infrastructure remaining intact. And with this room we'll go ahead and take a break before returning to our impressive tour!

[noelle666]

Heinrix van Calox/Noelle von Valancius - Guisorn III (fanfic)

Had the idea to write something related to Heinrix's home planet for some time. We don't know where exactly Guisorn III is located, but, eh, let us think it is located somewhere in the Calixis Sector, which is pretty close to Koronus. I don't know what business may've led them to this place, but let's pretend they had some business. This might be pretty long reading/writing.

Time period and other circumstances: couple solar years after Rogue Trader game events, Heinrix is a Master of Whispers, him and Noelle are betrothed. Both my RTs, Noelle (Ecclesiarchy priestess) and Maarden (psyker pyromancer and telepath), exist together (they are refered as "brother and sister" even though by the blood they are very far away from each other).

"Lord Captain, we are receiving message from the planetary government. It is an invitation to a celebration of some local holiday", - mechanic fingers of Vox Master Vigdis were dancing on a panel, she entered a command and a voice started its flow from speakers.

"Dear Lady von Valancius! Government of Guisorn III would like to invite you to our yearly ball dedicated to the Day of Formation, the day our home was brought back to the light of The Emperor, the day of our second birth. We would be very happy to see you among our guests. You can have up to three members of a retinue with you. The event will take place in the Agathia Fortress in two days".

"The message was send automatically, the only added information was your name, Lord Captain. Shall I send a reply with confirmation? In that case, they will add you in a guest list".

Noelle started thinking deeply: on one hand she never liked any events which include large amount of people and visited them only if duty calls. On the other, it is impolite for a noble person to decline an invitation, especially if it was addressed directly to this person.

"Fortress, huh? Sire Agathia doesn't change his habits. Previously it was a "castle" althought looked like a mere barton. Even if he expanded the place, I am sure there are no tall rockcrete walls surrounding it".

Heinrix stepped closer to Lord Captain and noticed her face expression: a young woman was diving deeply in thoughts, her index finger was pressed to lips, she was standing motionlessly like a statue.

"Three members of a retinue? We can take Lady Cassia, she likes social events. As for the other one..."

"We?"

"We", - Heinrix looked straight into Noelle's eyes as if saying "This is my decision and I am fully sure of it". Then he continued, - "I think, your brother would fit. He had attended several meetings similar to what we will see, he has experience, so I am sure in him. Or mistress Heydari: her communicating skills, for sure, will help her make connections useful for her. And maybe for us too. The only thing which will be preferable for this event is a proper gown".

Noelle sighed. A proper gown? In that case she needs to think fast since she has no ball dress or more or less presentable clothes. Subjects in the Koronus already know their leader is a humble person in all matters of her life, but here is the new world and you need to look different. And if Heinrix says, the governer is an eccentric person, Lord Captain's simple Ecclesiarchy dress may drag unnintentional attention. Funny - you need to look bright and stunning to mix with the crowd which looks the same.

The next days Noelle has spend time dealing with small tasks and, more importantly, preparing for the ball. Jae was very eager to provide her help as a "fashion consultant" when she learnt that Lord Captain needs to find a proper dress, and so she grabbed her and Cassia "to do what ladies do best - shopping and having some fun". She herself declined an offer to join the retinue at the event since she needed to meet some "buisness partners". During "shopping session" Heydari wanted Lord Captain to buy almost half of the store: "Shereen, you look like a precious jewel on a velvet cusion in every dress! I am sure this is not the last ball you are going to attend, so why not buy several dresses? Everyone needs to see your inner princess! Especially someone in particular. Oh, and don't forget to call me again - I will make a miracle out of your hair". Jae chuckled, but the young woman already has put her eye on a pretty simple steel grey dress with an airy skirt made of several layers of translucent fabric, a top of it was decorated with beading and tiny pearls. Cassia decided to follow her companion's advice and chose long-sleeved straight deep purple samite dress the very fabric of which was embroided with thin pattern.

When "the X day" arrived, Noelle, fully prepared, was standing infront of a mirror in her quarters, checking if her appearance was proper enought for the evening. Familiar sound of steps distracted her, and then a familiar person appeared behind her, reflecting in the mirror. Van Calox was looking at his beloved for several seconds, then he stepped close to her.

"There is something missing".

He stood right behind Noelle; something sparkling appeared in his hands - psyker deftly fastened silver chain around her neck on which a little pendant was resting: small roung pearl inside of a round spiderweb "cage". Young woman smiled, she turned to Heinrix and lightly kissed him; the man in response hugged her tighter with no desire to separate his lips from hers. When he stopped, he looked into her eyes and said:

"Don't worry about me, my love. I know, you will anyway, but at least let me reassure you: I am fine".

"Your lips are now glossy", - Noelle smiled, - "Here, let me rectify the situation". She wiped out lip gloss from the man's lips with a wet tissue, and they headed towards the exit. She, indeed, was worried: even thought chances to meet Heinrix family were low when Lord Captain's ship has arrived and she had to do some business in the Calixis Sector, still this social event increases those chances sharply.

***

The "fortress" indeed looked more like a palace, just like Heinrix described. Guests were everywhere: in the main hall, in the garder, in the corridors, but it was still possible to find vacant spots for sitting such as fancy couches or wide windowsills covered with cushions. Live orchestra was playing beautiful music, and from time to time guests invited each other for a dance; the others were more interested in drinks and appetizers. Heinrix pointed at a wide plate filled with large deep red berries:

"Guisorn wild cherry, sweet and crunchy. One of the first plants cultivated on this planet. Try it, the harvest season has just arrived and it lasts only for a month".

Noelle ate two berries - sweet cool juice unlike anything she ever knew covered her mouth.

"Oh, it is tasty indeed!"

Heinrix lowered his voice.

"Back in the days, sisters asked me to gather them from trees in our family garden. I clibmed a tree and they were cathing berries with skirts. Then we were sitting on a grass and eating until our stomacks were very full".

"Dear guests!" - a loud voice distracted Heinrix and Noelle, it was the "star and master of the evening", planet governer Lord Maximillian Agathia, - "It is an honor and a delight to have you all here. In about an hour a culmination of the event will arrive, a grandioso firework show, so be sure to find the best spot! And now please, allow me to invite you all to a traditional Guisorn III menuett!"

Crowd of people vacated center of the room, those who were brave enough or sure in their skills went out and started preparations.

"Will my lady be so kind to accept my invitation?" - Heinrix bowed slightly and reached out his hand to Noelle, waiting.

"Heinrix, I... I can't dance, I've never done this before".

"This dance is pretty simple: mostly you need to walk next to a partner and touch hands from time to time, do it several times and then bow to each other in the end. Trust me and merely repeat after me".

Noelle sighed and then took her beloved's hand. She could've never thought she would attend all ball's activities, she hoped she would just enjoy the evening somewhere in a quite cornen, but here she was, wached by many eyes, dancing for the first time in her life with the best partner she could've ever wished for. With a corner of her eye she was watcing other couples for reinsurance, her movements might've been a little bit clumsy but the view of Heinrix was calming her heart and helping to focus. She was twirling and then holding Heinrix's hand, looking straight into his eyes; it felt like no one was around and the orchestra was playing only for them. At the end of a dance, when each man bowed to his woman, Heinrix gently took Noelle's hand in his for a kiss.

"Master van Calox! I've never thought you could dance! The way you moved and the bright gold color surrounding you and Lord Captain almost made my very soul sing with happiness!" - Cassia was clapping her hands, she looked like a child ready to jump out of excitement.

"Lady Cassia was torn between a desire to join you and her shyness. And I, unfortunately, not a master of dances, although I had to dance waltz couple of times in my life. So I promissed her to become her partner if there still will be a chance tonight", - Maarden sighed.

"Let's just say, some old habits and knowledge sometimes cannot be wipped out. And now, please forgive me for I intend to "steal" Lord Captain for several minutes", - psyker took his beloved by the arm, and they headed towards corridor.

"Dear guests a minute of attention!" - a loud voice once again filled the hall, - "Let's chance the rules! Ladies invite gentlemen for a waltz!"

"Master Maarden, you promissed..."

"I did, and I will not break my promise, Lady Cassia. But I have not practices for a very long time, so forgive me if I make any mistake".

"I am sure you will be fine", - Cassia took Maarden's hand, and they went out to the center of the hall.

***

"Are you tired?"

"No, not at all. Surprised, yes, and... happy. Neven thought I could ever enjoy something I am not very used to. Heinrix, you are still full of surprises".

"To be fair, I don't think there are mysteries left in me you don't know. There may be some non-obvious things I've never told you, but only because their matter is not that large. You know you can ask me anything and I will tell you everything, just like you did when we were spending evenings together after finishing our mission. When I became truly yours and yours only".

Noelle and Heinrix were sitting on a windowsill, the man was holding Lord Captain's hand in his, gently caressing it; he was gazing at young woman attentively.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no. I..." - psyker chuckled. - "The more I look at you the more I feel something, as if I am falling for you again even though I already love you with all my heart".

"You know, it may sound silly, but when the were dancing and I was looking at you I felt the same way".

"When we are back, I think it will be the right moment to start preparations for the wedding. It will take some time and many decisions should be made, but now I know for sure - we will have to dance at least once. Only if you are not against it, I have no right to force my future wife to do something that may make her unhappy. But I think this evening opened some hidden side of you to me".

Noelle smiled.

"I... will think about it".

"Heinrix?"

A woman was standing in front of the couple, a few steps away from them. Her dark blue velvet dress with fluffy skirt, decorated with pattern embroided with golden threads, bracelets and dark hair decorated with gems, even the gaze showed that she was a person of noble origin. The gaze of her cold grey eyes... and her face... something familiar in them caught Noelle's attention.

"Anna". - Heinrix stood up from a windowsill and made two steps closer to the unknown woman.

"It seems I disturbed your privacy, forgive me, but... it is really you".

Noelle stood up too, she looked closely to Heinrix and the unknown woman and realised - the lady standing right in front of psyker is his sister, the resemblance right now was obvious when both were close to each other.

"Many years have passed".

"Forgive me yet again", - the woman looked at Noelle and faintly smiled, - "I will not take more of your time. I will only say I am happy to see you alive and well, really".

"You..." - Noelle stepped closer to Heinrix and quietly took his hand while looking at Anna, - "I think, you need to talk to each other. Please, don't leave so soon".

"I agree. Will you join me for a little walk, Anna?"

"Of course".

Heinrix turned to Noelle: he felt her hand was shaking, she was nervous yet tried very hard to calm down. He knew his beloved may turn into a "protective" mode if something may look like a danger and she needs some time to calm down. Psyker gently kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear: "Find Maarden and Cassia, I'll join you later right before the beginning of the firework show". Noelle nodded: no signs of fear and worry were caught by her eye in her beloved's eyes, face or even body language, so mentally she breathed a sigh of relief and went to the main hall. Heinrix and his sister headed towards the exit to the garden.

***

"You grew up".

Anna broke silence between her and her brother while they were walking between carefully trimmed bushes. Heinrix chuckled.

"I can say the same about you. But deep down inside of my memory you still remain as little loud hurricane. Tell me, how did you recognize me?"

"The second time you must turn anti-clokwise, young Master Heinrix, yet you are still cannot remember it".

"I remember... But turning anti-clockwise is completely inconvenient".

"Thankfully, Madame Rozanna doesn't see you. Otherwise she would've needed something more serious than twigs".

"Then I would have to run away from her again. Her twigs were too fragile anyway, I'd broken them easily," - Heinrix sighed, the picture from the past appeared before his eyes: dancing class, several boys and girls from noble families learning cultural traditions of their world. Every young knight pilot should've known how to present himself, how to act like a gentleman, how to speak. Heinrix was a difficult student: he had grasped many things on the fly, but if he found something went against his believes or comfort, he would've turned into an unbrekable wall and started argument even with adults.

The memory vanished as sudden as it appeared; Heinrix invited Anna with gesture to sit on a garden bench.

"To be frank, this little detail merely proved my doubts. I visit every event and like to watch guests, to see new faces. I noticed Lady von Valancius and her retinue: very humble young lady, shy I'd say. Can't say I paid much attention to you and other two people with her, although it's interesting to see differences between navigators. And then by chance I was standing not so far away from you two when you were telling her about wild cherries: it surprised me since we sell them mostly within our sector. And then... even though you lowered your voice my ears caught what you've said, about sisters gathering those berries with their skirts", - Anna's gaze was directed somewhere far away. - "I recalled out childhood, recalled those days, it hit me like a hammer. I asked myself: "Could it be that my brother I haven't seen in decades is still alive? That he by a very slim chance is here right now?" And when you invited this young lady to dance I was watching you both, I was clinging to this thin string of hope. And you proved me right. My brother, our noble knight who swore to protect me and Margaretha, who reappeared here, on his home planet, as sudden as when he vanished from our lives that day".

The woman looked at Heinrix: his facial expression was calm, yet it was difficult to not notice something in his eyes, a barely perceptible sorrow.

"Oh, I need to shut myself up. I can speak and speak for hours. Tell me, how are you? How is your life? If it is proper to ask such question."

"I'm afraid I would need more than this evening to tell you about my life in details, but what I can say now is: I've had several life changing events, aside from what happened that day when my powers awakened. I went through psyker training, then surved several years in the Imperial Guard, then was noticed by Lord Inquisitor. I was going with the flow of my life, accepted it as there was no other choice, did what was needed, what was right because I was told so, because I started to think the same way. And then I met someone who broke these walls and showed me the real "me" who was dug deep inside, chained by duty and by someone else's ruling hand. She made me look into the eyes of truth, she, out of all people I've met, brought happiness to my life. And love. I can't remember I've ever loved someone like her. Or, I think, I've never ever loved anyone before meeting her. And now I serve her and will serve till the end of the days".

"You still are the true defender, Heinrix, eager to give his life for those who have place in your heart", - Anna smiled, she toucher her brother's cheek attentively looking at his face: she remembered a boy with heavy augmentation which required removing one of his eyes - a necesarry sacrifice for those whose very mind and soul supposed to be bonded with the machine spirit. The eye was a peak of an iciberge concidering how much metal Heinrix had in his head. Psyker looked as if he's never had any surgeries and a slight difference in the color of his eyes could be a merely little unique detail, a highlight.

"The eye is real".

"You are a biomancer?"

Heinrix nodded.

"No one ever told me what exactly had happened to you. Only when I became older I found letters from the Inquisition in father's desk. Probably, parents and sister wanted to spare me of gruesome details and to make me think Heinrix had to leave because of some very important and secret reason. They all knew how much I loved you. I was telling Margie that since you left with no goodbyes you will come back, eventually. Oh how naive I was... When I found you have a gift of sorcery, I decided I need to dedicate my life for researching of psyker phenomenon. I was talking with different psykers, studying them. Funny enough, deep inside I had an insane thought that maybe I could've invent a "cure" for such "condition" only to bring you back home".

"Anna..." - Heinrix took Anna's hand in his. - "I am back. I cannot remain here, you know that, but for the time being I am here".

"I know. Still I can't believe it".

"I think I need to cheer you up", - Heinrix stood up from a bench, - "Come. After all, I need to introduce two women, importaint to me, to each other properly".

***

Several minutes were left before the skyes would be covered with shining ornaments of fireworks. Maarden and Cassia went to the central fountain: the crowd already surrounded it, but young navigator saw a spot she and psyker could occupy. Noelle stayed at a distance under a large tree; she was told to wait and she was waiting. Minutes were stretched to a size of eternity, or so it seemed to her.

"Noelle".

A familiar voice, so warm and dear, so close, made heart to pound a bit faster. The young woman turned her head and saw her beloved right next to her, he took her hand and gently kissed the inner side of the palm. Noelle smiled, she then noticed the woman next to Heinrix, the one she saw earlier today.

"You came".

"I can't break my promise. And I am not alone. Allow me introduce you: Noelle, this is Anna, my sister, the youngest one. Anna, this is Noelle, my Lord Captain and my future wife".

Two women bowed to each other.

"It is a great pleasure to meet my brother's darling. I hope he's not offending you", - the woman in dark blue dress smiled slyly.

"Oh, no! He is a true gentleman!" - Noelle's cheeks started to turn pink.

Anna laughted, Heinrix sighed and shaked his head.

"The last thing I was hoping to see is you "testing" my fiancee, dear sis".

"Oh, Heinrix, it was but a mere joke! Please, forgive me, Lady Noelle, I had no intension to insult you".

"No need to apologize", - Noelle shaked her head and smiled.

A sound of many voiced interrupted their conversation: guests starded loudly chanting countdown. Three, two, one... Several small sparks soared up to release all their brightness and cover night sky of the capital city with fancy ornaments and slogans, congratulations and prayers to the God-Emperor. Each flash of firework caused the crowd of guests to cheer and clap, laghter and happy shouting were coming from all sides of the garden. Lord Captain squeezed Heinrix's hand, she looked at his face illuminated by the light from above. Psyker noticed his beloved's attention and looked back at her, he smiled with corners of his mouth and squeezed Noelle's hand in response.

"Lady Anna", - Noelle looked at the woman standing on the left from Heinrix, - "I... I don't think tonight we may have time to speak a lot. My ship will remain at the orbit of Guisorn III for two weeks or so, depending on how fast the business will be finished. So, I though if you agree to be out guest? If you don't mind, of course, and can share some of your time".

The yound woman looked at Heinrix as if asking: "I hope you don't mind". Deep inside he himself wanted to do the same, so he nodded slightly: "You are doing the right thing, my love".

"Thank you for the invitation, Lady Noelle. It will be an honor".