#but it’s. gone. the natural transmission was lost

[bookwyrminspiration]

it’s incredible how in a single generation you can completely and entirely disrupt the transmission of culture and language and by incredible I mean somebody sedate me

[tinynerdz360]

Future Ghost Chapter 11 New Mission

Krik sat in his office waiting for an important call from command.

Kirk's computer terminal beeped with an urgent hail from Starfleet Command. He tapped the screen to accept the call. Admiral Nogura's stern face appeared, his brow furrowed.

"Captain Kirk, we need to discuss your report on the stowaway...this time traveler, Danny Fenton," the Admiral said, his tone clipped.

Kirk tensed. He had a feeling this conversation was coming, but he wasn't looking forward to it. "Yes, Admiral, I’ve made a detailed report on him. What else would you like to know?"

Nogura leaned forward, staring intently through the screen. "Is there any possible connection between this boy and the disappearance of Amity? Ensign Gray brought us concerning findings about unusual energy signatures at the crater site. But damn it, Kirk, we've lost so much data from the wars. It's beyond frustrating." The admiral shook his head wearily. “What baffles me is that nobody, and I mean nobody noticed a whole city was gone. All these decades, not a mention of it.”

Kirk blinked in surprise, not expecting that to be the first topic at hand. It looks like Chekov’s friend had gone to Starfleet with her findings. Kirk chose his words carefully. "At this point, we haven’t asked him about it. We had some concerns about his ability to handle such news. He’s already stranded in time. We’re giving him more time before we break the news to him. But as far as we can tell, we don't have evidence directly linking Danny to Amity's disappearance.” However, Kirk knew more than he was letting on. The boy's abilities, his true nature...but Kirk needed to protect him.

"Our scientists have been studying the site and noticed some unusual phenomena." The admiral's eyes narrowed. "For one, there's a distinct lack of signs of weapon use. No residual energy signatures, no debris patterns consistent with known weaponry."

Kirk nodded. "That is strange. Have the scientists there found anything, maybe in historical documents?"

The admiral shook his head, frustration evident in his tone. "That's the problem, Kirk. With so much data lost during the wars, we can't even pinpoint exactly when the city vanished. It could have been at the beginning, in the middle, or even after the conflicts ended."

Kirk's fingers drummed on the armrest of his chair, a nervous habit he'd never quite been able to shake. "What about the crater itself? Anything unusual there?"

"Yes, and it's deeply concerning." The admiral's image flickered, the transmission wavering momentarily before stabilizing. "The crater is in a state of stasis, almost as if time itself has stopped within its boundaries. The soil remains barren, no signs of life or growth. It's as if the very essence of the place has been drained away."

Kirk tapped his chin in thought. “Maybe these energy beings from this Zone Danny mentioned have something to do with it?”

The admiral's expression turned grave. "It's a possibility.”

Kirk's thoughts turned to the enigmatic teenager under his command.

"There's something else, Kirk." The admiral's voice jolted him back to the present. "The energy interference around the crater is playing havoc with our equipment. Sensors malfunction, scanners give false readings. And some of our scientists...they've been affected too."

Kirk sat up straighter, alarm bells ringing in his head. "Affected how?"

"It's like they're in a trance. They keep leaving the site, drawn away by some unseen force. We've had to establish a quarantine zone just to keep them contained. Once they're far from the crater, they return to normal with no memory of the place."

Kirk met the admiral's gaze, determination etched into every line of his face. "I'll get to the bottom of this, Admiral. You have my word."

The admiral nodded, his expression softening just a fraction. "I know you will, Kirk. But be careful. We're dealing with forces beyond our understanding. Tread lightly and keep a close eye on that boy."

"Oh, and Kirk," the admiral's voice cut through Kirk's musings, drawing his attention back to the matter at hand. "There's another situation that requires your immediate attention."

Kirk straightened in his seat, his eyes sharp and focused. "Go ahead, Admiral."

The admiral's face was grave, the lines around his mouth and eyes deepening with concern. "We've lost contact with the science vessel USS Hades. They were studying a newly discovered planet, one with the ruins of a long-dead alien civilization."

Kirk frowned, a sense of unease settling in his gut. "Lost contact? For how long?"

"Nearly 48 hours now," the admiral replied, his voice tight. "Their last transmission mentioned a distress call from the planet's surface, but we haven't been able to raise them since."

Kirk's mind raced with possibilities, each more unsettling than the last. A distress call from an unknown planet, a science team gone silent... it had all the makings of a mystery and a dangerous one at that.

"We'll investigate immediately, Admiral," Kirk said, his voice firm and resolute. "I'll have my crew prepare for departure within the hour."

The admiral nodded, a flicker of relief crossing his face. "Good. But Kirk... be careful. We don't know what you'll find down there."

Kirk's jaw tightened, his eyes hardening with determination. "We'll take every precaution, Admiral. But we will get to the bottom of this.

Kirk stood from his chair, straightening his uniform as he moved towards the door. The conversation with Admiral Nogura played over in his mind, the weight of his responsibility as captain pressing down on his shoulders. He had to ensure the safety of his crew, but he also felt a strong need to protect Danny, the mysterious teenager with abilities beyond anything he'd encountered before.

Kirk called his senior officers in for a meeting about their next mission.

Kirk turned to his senior officers, his expression grave. "We have a situation," he began, his voice carrying the weight of command. "The USS Hades has gone silent. They were studying ruins on a newly discovered planet when they sent out a distress call. Our orders are to investigate and render assistance."

Uhura's eyes widened, concern etched on her face. "A distress call? What could have happened?"

"Unknown," Kirk replied, his brow furrowed. "But we'll find out. Spock, I want you to coordinate with the science department. Gather all available data on that planet and the Hades' mission."

Spock nodded, already mentally compiling the necessary information. "Understood, Captain."

Kirk's gaze shifted to Scotty, the ship's chief engineer. "Scotty, I need the Enterprise ready for anything. Make sure all systems are at peak performance."

Scotty grinned a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Aye, Captain. She'll be purring like a kitten."

Kirk allowed a small smile before his expression turned serious once more. "There's one more thing," he said, his voice low. "The admiral has concerns about our young stowaway, Danny. He wants us to keep a close eye on him and report any unusual behavior."

McCoy frowned, his protective instincts flaring. "Jim, the kid hasn’t done anything wrong. We can't treat him like a suspect."

Kirk held up a hand, his eyes understanding but firm. "I know, Bones. But we have our orders. We'll handle this delicately, but we need to be vigilant."

As the meeting adjourned, Kirk's thoughts turned to Danny. The boy was an enigma, his abilities both fascinating and potentially dangerous. Kirk knew he would have to tread carefully, balancing his duty to Starfleet with his instinct to protect the young hybrid.

The crew bustled with activity as they prepared for the mission, a sense of urgency and anticipation filling the air. In the science labs, Spock and his team pored over the limited data on the mysterious planet, searching for any clues that might shed light on the Hades fate.

And on the bridge, Kirk sat in his command chair, his eyes fixed on the viewscreen as the stars streaked past. 

Chapter 12

[omegaremix]

Finds For 2017.

Burial “Nightmarket”

Vatican Shadow “Take Vows”

Powell self-titled

Salah Mustafa self-titled

Uniform Wake In Fright

Post-TrashVolumes 1 & 2

We Are Not Trump Volumes 1 & 2

Richard H. Kirk “Martyrs Of Palestine”

Aster Aweke self-titled

Richard H. Kirk “Never Lose Your Shadow”

Horse Jumper Of Love “Nature” (demo)

Dame Charm School

Nine Inch Nails “She’s Gone Away”

Eric Gale “Morning Glory”

JJ Doll “Dirge”

Miss Red “No Guns”

Bombshells, The Bake-Sale Hotties

Zoviet France “Rattle Stick Cruss”

Appetite “Kiss Of Judas”

Health “L.A. Looks”

Crim3s “Militia”

Girl Pusher “Best Ever”

Unstoppable Death Machines “Space-Time Continuum”

Pharmakon “Transmission”

Isn’t Ours “Osseous”

Blanck Mass “Please”

Ngly “Speechless Tape”

Tala ft. Mssingno “Tell Me”

Eagulls “Requiem”

Isolated Showers “Death Through Open Eyes”

Clams Casino “I’m God”

Current Affairs “Eyes”

Death Of Pop, The “Sun In My Eyes”

Eagulls “Skipping”

Ngly “Psychosis 1”

Mary Bell “I Hate You”

Nite Jewel “2 Good To Be True”

Giant Drag “Kevin Is Gay”

3ndles5 “Polyester”

Sonic Arts Union Electric Sound

Steve Khan “The Blue Man”

Alan Parsons Project, The “Fall Of The House Of The Usher (Pavane)”

Rasa Everything You See Is Me

Black Merda “Lying”

Negril self-titled

Lost Peace self-titled

James Clarke “In Suspension”

Link Wray & His Wray Men “Rumble”

Asylum First And Last

Raul Lovisini & Francesco Messina “Hula Om”

Tomorrow’s People Open Soul

Bad Zu KllKllKll

Chino Amobi “Warszawa”

Alice Glass “Without Love”

Thee Oh Sees “Tunnel Time”

Priests “No Big Bang”

Algiers “Cleveland”

Aphex Twin London 03.06.17

Dreamcrusher “Fear And No Feeling”

Fuzzoscope label Earwax Shelf Life

Wolf Alice “Yuk Foo”

Breakfast Muff “R U A Feminist”

Omar Souleyman “Heli Yuweli”

Alan Vega “DTM”

Black Marble It’s Immaterial

Zola Jesus “Soak”

Believer/Law “Task At Hand”

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard “Gamma Knife”

clipping. “Story 2”

Ho99o9 “United States Of Horror”

Nine Inch Nails “Less Than”

Nnamdi Ogbonnaya “Hop Off”

Oldbills “smoke.mirrors”

Shapednoise “Witness Of A Heart Attack Death”

Sun Ra “The Star Gazers”

Thee Oh Sees “Toe Cutter / Thumb Buster”

Hysterics “Leave Me Alone”

M.I.A. “Born Free”

Martin Rev “My Street”

Pris Love, Labour, Loss

Rhyw “Vixen For Society”

AD/S “Transversal”

Harry Pussy “There’s A New Sound (Coming Through Your Town)”

Kamixlo “Splxcity”

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard “Mr. Beat”

Pygmy Shrews “Catheter”

These Are Powers “Little Sisters Of Beijing”

Chromatics Just Like You EP

Covered In Sand “Heaven’s Gate Suicides”

Dreamcrusher “Trapdoor”

Pris Unbeknown02

Antwon “Helicopter”

SHXCXCHCXSH “Strghts Rrcnstrcns”

Stormzy “Big For Your Bootz”

Tourist “Placid Acid”

Algiers “Walk Like A Panther”

Counterparts “Bouquet”

Martin Rev “Stickball”

MPIA3 “Casual Welding”

Westside Gunn & Conway “Machine Gun Black”

Cold Cave “Rue The Day”

Eric Random & The Bedlamites “Call Me”

Bereket Mengistaab “Lebay”

Jaye P. Morgan self-titled

Jah Wobble & The Edge & Holger Czukay “Hold On To Your Dreams”

Couch Slut “Summer Smiles”

Appetite self-titled cassette

Wilbert Longmire “Pleasure Island”

Drvg Cvltvre “United States Of Fuck You, The”

Annette Peacock & Paul Bley “A Loss Of Consciousness”

Gordon’s War “Got To Fan The Flame”

Moon Diagrams “Nightmoves”

McNeal & Miles “Ja Ja”

John Carpenter “Assault Theme” (Legowelt RMX)

Drvg Cvltvre “Analogue Warfare Pt. 1″

Ciarra Black Pendulum

V/Vm “All Night Long (Butcher All Night)”

Marijuana Deathsquads “Crazy Master”

Unsane Sterilize

Ninos Du Brazil Vida Eterna

Zola Jesus “Vessel”

Cold Cave “Glory”

Eric Copeland “Neckbone”

Bernice Chardiet “All By Myself”

Happy Meals “Tomorrow Could Be Heaven”

Traces Of Ghosts “Nasty”

Couch Slut “Penalty Scar”

Jah Wobble & Jaki Liebezeit & Holger Czukay “Twilight World”

Pharoah Sanders “Greeting To Saud (Brother McCoy Turner)”

Cansei De Ser Sexy “Honey”

Prurient & The Rita “Side A”

Eric Random & The Bedlamites “Father Can Yell”

Jah Wobble “Blueberry Hill”

Damn Whore “Sadie Pinn”

Slothrust “Sex And Candy”

Metz “Drained Lake”

Marijuana Deathsquads “Crosstown Crippler”

M.O.T.O. “It Tastes Just Like A Milkshake”

Guitar Wolf “Fujiyama Attack”

Dedekind Cut “Fear In Reverse 2″

Birthing Hips “Sex Bias”

Hirut Bekele “Lishekem Fiker”

Sakura & The Quests “My Boy Lollipops”

Krimewatch 2016 demo

Orphx “What Will Burn”

Roman Cross Winter Cross Reh

Daeva Pulsing Dark Absorptions

Farah “Into Eternity”

Pharoah Sanders “Creator Has A Master Plan, The”

Godflesh “Post Self”

Bill Orcutt “Collective Action” (live)

Moon Diagarms “Magic Killer”

Snakehole “Something To Become”

Symmetry Themes For An Imaginary Film

Demdike Stare “Savage Distort”

Bathory self-titled

Subtle Turnhips “F* The People F* The Power F* The People To The Power” 

[wittyvitale]

The Strongest Magic in the World (A Fluffy/Angsty Castlevania Nocturne Drabble)

Summary: Tera has a conversation with 7-year-old Maria about the brother she’s gaining, and what that brother has recently lost. Tera asks for Maria’s help in loving their new family member. Focus on Tera and Maria’s mother/daughter relationship.

Author's Notes: This was originally published in September 2024. And with that, I think I'm finally done with cross-posting my fics onto Tumblr! Enjoy!

***

Tera closed the transmission mirror on her dresser. Juste Belmont had just contacted her, told her that Richter was on his way to France. He also told Tera that Julia Belmont had been killed by a vampire who had attacked them right before Richter got onto the ship. A few tears slipped down Tera’s face, heartbroken for the little boy who would soon be in her care.

She looked out the window and saw Maria playing outside. The little girl was laughing, playing with a few birds she had summoned from Otherworld portals. Tera wiped her tears away, knowing that she’d have to have another conversation with Maria about the new brother who was entering her life.

Tera opened the window and called for her. “Masha! Can you come in please? I need to talk to you.”

Maria opened up the portals and watched as the birds flew back into the Otherworld. “Coming, Mum!”

Tera heard her daughter’s footsteps as she ran into the house. When Maria arrived at Tera’s bedroom door, Tera reached out her arms.

“Come here, my darling.” she said warmly as Maria walked towards her. She picked Maria up and sat her on her lap.

“What is it, Mum?” Maria asked, genuinely curious. She noticed that Tera’s eyes were a little wet. “Are you crying? Are you all right?”

Tera smiled sadly at Maria and hugged her tight. Tera and Maria were very attuned to each other. Of course that’s what naturally happens when two people live together and barely interact with anybody else. Even if they wanted to keep secrets from each other, they knew they couldn’t.

“Do you remember when I told you that you were getting a new big brother?” Tera asked, brushing Maria’s bangs out of her face. Maria nodded.

“Richter Belmont. The one from the New World, right?”

Tera nodded. “That’s right. I just found out that Richter’s on a ship to us now. He’ll be here in about a month.”

Maria’s face brightened. “That’s great! I’ve already thought of all the things we can do when he gets here! I can show him the creek, and the woods behind the house, and I’m really REALLY excited to show him all the animals I can summon from the Otherworld!”

Tera smiled at Maria’s enthusiasm. “You’re going to be a wonderful little sister, Maria. But… well, Richter may not be able to do all of those things right away. He’s coming to us from far away, and he’ll need time to rest when he arrives. Also…” Tera trailed off, thinking how to share this next piece of information with her daughter.

“Also what?”

Tera took a deep breath, tears welling in her eyes again. “I just found out that Richter lost his mama.”

Maria cocked her head to the side. “Lost? Can we help him find her?”

Tera hugged Maria tightly. “Not that kind of lost, dear. Richter’s mama died before he got on the ship.”

Maria’s eyes widened. “Oh.” She replied, not knowing what else to say. She knew what death was, but because her circle was so small, she hadn’t known anybody who had died. She was sad though. She felt sad for her new brother who had just lost his mama. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like if she lost her mama. She felt herself hugging Tera even tighter. Even without words, Tera knew what Maria was thinking.

“I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, Masha, don’t you worry,” Tera reassured. “Richter was already going to need a lot of love when he got here. Moving into a new place with new people is a lot to take in. But now that his mother is gone, he’s going to need that love more than ever. Can you help me give that to him?”

Maria nodded solemnly. “I will, Mum. We’ll get along great and I’ll give him all the love I can.”

Tera smiled again and looked Maria in the eyes. “And remember, you might not always feel as warm towards Richter as you do now. Siblings have a way of annoying each other. There will be times when the two of you will fight, as all siblings do. You may even say things to each other that are hurtful. But family love is one of the strongest magics in the world. You’ll squabble, yes, but you’ll still love each other. Promise me you’ll remember that, Maria.”

Maria listened closely, knowing by her mother’s tone that this was a very important piece of information. She nodded again. “I promise, mum.”

Tera kissed Maria’s forehead before hugging her again. “Good. Such a smart, sweet girl I have. You can go back outside and play if you’d like.”

Maria thought about it and shook her head. “I don’t really feel like it. The birds were getting tired anyway. Is it all right if I stay here with you?”

Tera placed a hand on her daughter’s cheek, looking at her lovingly. “Always.”

[orassian]

Greetings, Orassian nation. My name is Aŋro J'Bassim, and I will be your news hostess for now. The Central News Agency offered me this position after the previous host went AWOL. Rumour has it she was a conflicting person carrying dangerous beliefs on her back. It was quite rude of her to disappear on the nation's watch in this way. Let us hope the law enforcement is investigating her case, determining where she has gone.

Our news will be short for today. Her Excellency oversaw the construction of the war temple in Yellidzõkh city. No doubt, many warrior-priests were invited to witness such an event in jubilant praise of the Divine Saviour, the War God. Our people flocked to the opening ceremony to be one of the first inside the house of Their divine radiance.

The People's Ascendance Initiative went into effect, as was authorised by the Matriarch. Any person, be they Orassian or of other species, could undergo a procedure to acquire psionic capabilities far quicker than what were done during the era of the former Tribunal. Our society is moving increasingly towards integrating psi-communications into our daily life, and we would not want the rest of our non-psionic citizens be left behind.

In our other news [STATIC] our scientists made a crucial discovery in shielding tech [LONG STATIC] we remain optimistic, however.

Ghaem! Why is it not working properly? Come on, fix it people!

[STATIC]

/ SIGNAL LOST /

/ DETECTING SYSTEM OVERRIDE /

/ HOMING ONTO THE INCOMING TRANSMISSION /

One, two, three... Testing reception. Interference signal stable. Turning on video feed now.

Good evening. Erhrdra D'Kara here, the High Executive Officer of an independent news organisation 'People's News Republic'. I was a previous hostess of the Orassian state news, before I found asylum in another interstellar state. The nature of it I cannot reveal for security reasons and for the safety of my employees.

Our mission is to bring you unbiased news and deep-dives into the authoritarianism propagated by the state media. There will be a lot to unpack in the incoming months.

Starting with the first bombshell: our sources on Prophet's Promise and its colonies confirm that the Matriarch has sent a special enforcer task group to disperse dissidents and silence vocal opponents. Those enforcers were reported to be the same person in appearance and behaviour clad in dark power-armor, suggesting the use of clones. Despite the common consensus on the capitol against cloning, the Matriarch seems to disregard such.

Our anonymous sources have confirmed to be in possession of an enforcer's body, after their brutal assault on their hiding place. Upon autopsy, it was revealed that the clones were heavily modified cybernetically, and their cranium was completely enveloped in circuits designed to suppress free will of the affected person. Such modifications were also used as a transmission relay for direct commands, but the source of those could not be determined.

The ethical implications of such discoveries are appalling. Not only the Matron Council is actively complicit in these highly deplorable methods, but the Matriarch does not seem to mind it either. But, of course, the Matriarchy would not comment on such if they were approached with this question.

For tonight, this is all. More truthful coverage about the individual lives of our citizens under the oppression of the Matriarchy is coming soon.

This has been 'People's News Republic'. Truth to the people. May it guide us away from the darkness.

/ TRANSMISSION END /

[quirkwizard]

Do you think that you could explain to me how Transmission works? What does it mean when it say that it's a quirk that "defies the laws of reality" and "works on the cellular level"?

So I’m confused on how gearshift works. So to my understanding anything deku touches he can make them speed up which includes objects because of the second users flashback. But how does it control the trajectory of objects? Also could he use it to speed up the bodies natural healing process. What about using it in reverse and slowing down things?

I'm not sure if I could answer the cell part as it's not expanded on. The most I could guess that it's simply meant to give an idea of how thoroughly the Quirk affects targets now or how it's now able to work on the user when it seemingly couldn't before. I can talk about the rest of it.

"Gearshift" works by simply speeding up targets the user touches. Its comment on "defying the laws of reality" is an overdramatic explanation for how it ignores things like inertia. It's only speeding up how things move in space, so it can't heal the user or cause things to slow down. I'm not sure if it can control the trajectory of objects either, the flashback doesn't give us enough context to say whether or not that's the case, and I couldn't find anything saying that. Though this could have been something lost once it gained more and more power with "One For All", sacrificing all control in favor of power like all the other Quirks had gone. Either way, Izuku doesn't seem to have any real control over what he can move. He can control how fast they are moving, as seen with the various gears he uses on Tomura and him suddenly starting and ending the effect, but he seemingly can't move them around like, say, "Poltergeist" could do with objects.

[hellguarded-moved]

≥ INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM: @hellhunted ( "SOURCE" );

' why was it me who was the only one who lost everything? ' [ freshly demonized ra/ig angst? ]

he clasped her features firmly in his hands; clawed, scarred. hands that have seen one too many struggles already, and yet, still managed to be so selfish.

he was so happy to have her back. he'd gone through hell and back, quite literally, to bring her back. it nearly brought tears to his eyes, the way they were glistening in the setting sun while his head tilted and an awfully lovesick smile pulled at his lips. bits of stray hair falling into his eyes. perfect. everything was perfect.

they could just go back to how everything was before. whatever time spent apart was negligent— did she even remember it at all? he didn't think to ask. didn't think to care about what she wanted at all. she'd been born mortal; surely she'd long since made peace with her death, knowing of her origins?

so why did he have to interfere with natural order?

fingers tensed against cheeks, and he pulled her forward to press his lips to her forehead— no more affection was allowed when she so abruptly, so forcefully, yanked herself free from his hold.

it had left him speechles. eyes wide, mouth hanging open.

" what's wrong? " what a question. " didn't you miss me? aren't you... happy? "

the domain of the living and dead was never yours to control.

" you didn't lose anything... i brought it back! brought you back! so that we could be together... always... " the words slowly died on his tongue. as a demon himself, since birth, he had no idea what it was like to possess a ( full ) soul, to possess humanity— he'd set out to discover what it was like, but it was a concept he could never fully grasp... he could never be like her— but now, she was like him.

it hadn't once dawned on him that there was much more that the once-priestess had lost with her forceful ressurection. something beyond the hellhound's comprehension. something that had slowly, but surely, started to fill his heart with guilt.

" i... i'm... i'm sorry...? haven't we promised each other forever? " ah yes, part of their wedding vows— who would've thought that silly puppy would've taken it so literally. and so here he was, thinking he was doing her a service. now that there had been some distance made between them, he could fully, properly, see into her eyes... were they even hers anymore? a gleaming pair of emeralds, brighter yet darker at the same time than the brown hues he was once used to. her very figure was different. was this still the woman he loved?

of course she was. who else would it be?

he'd brought her back.

so why did she look at him with such hatred in her eyes?

" rashida? " a call. soft, gentle; could she hear him?

[spooky-bro]

The Echoes of Beta-7

Dr. Elena Voss wasn’t supposed to believe in ghosts. As a quantum physicist, her world was built on equations, probabilities, and the cold, unflinching laws of the universe. But now, standing on the cracked surface of Beta-7—a planet labeled “sister-site to Alpha-12” in the mission brief—she felt the weight of something ancient pressing against her bones.

The air here was wrong. Thinner than the simulations predicted, laced with a sulfurous tang that clung to her tongue. Her team’s shuttle sat half-buried in ash, its landing gear crushed by a sudden seismic tremor minutes after touchdown. The others—engineers, geologists, her second-in-command—had gone silent hours ago, vanishing into the labyrinth of obsidian caves that dotted the horizon.

Their last transmission still looped in her earpiece: “Dr. Voss, do you copy? There’s… something here. It’s not natural. It’s—”

Static.

Now, alone in the shadow of Beta-7’s jagged spires, Elena adjusted her oxygen mask and stared at the caves. The mission had been straightforward: investigate the “anomalous energy signatures” detected near Beta-7’s poles, identical to those documented—and redacted—from Alpha-12. But nothing in the files mentioned the whispers.

They started the moment her team disappeared. A faint, dissonant hum in her helmet, like a radio tuned between stations. At first, she dismissed it as equipment malfunction. Then, the voices began.

“Elena… you’re not alone.”

She froze. The voice was hers.

Before she could react, the ground shuddered. A low, resonant frequency pulsed through her boots, vibrating up her spine. The ash around the shuttle began to shift, swirling into patterns—symbols—etched in a language her mind recoiled from. Her breath fogged the visor as she stumbled back.

“This isn’t possible,” she muttered. “This isn’t—”

A scream cut her off. Human this time. Raw, guttural, unmistakably terrified.

Lucas. Her engineer.

Elena sprinted toward the caves, her headlamp slicing through the gloom. The tunnel walls glistened, veined with bioluminescent fungus that pulsed in time with her racing heartbeat. The air grew colder. Thicker. Her comms crackled to life, spitting out fragmented words:

“…mirrors… they’re in the mirrors…”

She rounded a corner and skidded to a halt.

The cave opened into a vast chamber, its walls covered in jagged, reflective obsidian. Dozens of figures stood frozen in the glass—her team. Lucas was there, his face pressed against the surface, mouth open mid-scream. Others clawed at the stone, eyes hollow, skin translucent. But it was the center of the room that stopped her cold.

A figure stood there, cloaked in shadows, its limbs elongated and warped. Not human. Not anymore.

Clinton Smith.

His name surfaced in her memory like a poison. The missing technician from Alpha-12. The one they’d declared “lost in action.” But this… thing… was no man. Its face was a shifting mosaic of fractured glass, and beneath the cloak, its body rippled like liquid static.

“Welcome, Dr. Voss,” it spoke, its voice a chorus of a thousand overlapping whispers. “You’ve come to join the chorus.”

Elena’s legs buckled. The obsidian walls began to bleed, dark tendrils snaking toward her. The reflections of her team twisted, their faces melting into grotesque smiles. Lucas’s reflection reached through the glass, his fingers elongating into serrated blades.

“Beta-7 is a doorway,” the Clinton-thing hissed. “Alpha-12 was merely the first note. The Collective grows.”

Elena scrambled backward, but the tendrils coiled around her ankles. Her headlamp flickered, and in the strobe-like darkness, she saw them—figures materializing from the walls. Dozens. Hundreds. The lost crews of Alpha-12, Beta-7, and ships she didn’t recognize. Their eyes glowed faintly, their bodies flickering between solid and shadow.

“We’ve been waiting,” they chorused. “You understand the frequencies. You will harmonize us.”

Elena’s mind fractured. Equations unraveled. The quantum fields she’d dedicated her life to studying now writhed around her, alive and hungry. She felt the Collective’s presence burrowing into her thoughts, stitching itself into her synapses.

“No—!” she screamed, but her voice dissolved into static.

The chamber warped. The obsidian mirrors folded inward, revealing a vast, infinite expanse of interconnected voids. Stars burned cold and blue, arranged in patterns that made her retch. And there, at the center, hung a pulsating mass—a nexus of screaming faces, twisted machinery, and fractals that defied geometry.

The Alpha-12 Collective.

Clinton’s hand—if it could be called a hand—closed around her wrist. His touch was ice and fire. “You thought you were here to study us,” he whispered, his voice now solely her own. “But we’ve been studying you. Every mission. Every mind. We’re learning.”

Elena’s vision blurred. Her body felt distant, unimportant. The tendrils pulled her toward the nexus, where her team’s faces now swam among the chorus. Lucas smiled at her, his eyes voids. “It’s better here,” he murmured. “No more questions. Only the song.”

As the darkness swallowed her, Elena’s final thought was not her own: The Collective is patient. The Collective is endless.

Three weeks later, a salvage drone arrived at Beta-7. It found the shuttle, the abandoned equipment, and a single audio log. The last entry played Dr. Voss’s voice, calm and eerily melodic: “Beta-7 is stable. No anomalies detected. Recommend further colonization.”

The planet was swiftly approved for terraforming.

But the first settlers?

They never arrived.

[tempest-toss]

Teaser

This is the final transmission of Bravo Team. In the span of a week, we have been broken up. The assault on this... this piece of shit mansion has gone to hell.

Brenda has been lost in the underground. I hear nothing but water from Sapphire. Cristoffer is talking in circles on channel three. I hear... animal grunts? from Sven's radio. Static from Iroh. I hear humming from Winona but no response to my calls. I hear rope I think from Agent Epsilon. ANd the others... ack.

My foot is caught under a piece of metal. I hear nothing but nature around here. This was a fucking disaster.

Quill, I know you can hear us. With Marcos gone to werewolf land and the others out of commission, I am now your standing superior. Ack. I order you to abandon your post as sniper outside. You are to enter the premises, and secure as many of us as possible, and secure the object. Please. Please I want you to find us alive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EVENT: IN AND OUT STARTING SOON!

[umichenginabroad]

Abhi in Paris Week 8: Grinding & Going 13,000 feet high!

Hi folks, I'm back again with a life update. This week was filled everything from grinding for labs & exams to going to the top of the French Alps :) Europe has SO much to offer, Iove it!

Monday: Diving into ENSEA's Lab (March 4th)

Monday marked the beginning of a typical week at ENSEA, but with a twist—a dive into the world of communication systems labs. At ENSEA, our labs are equipped with cutting-edge circuits, sparing us the hassle of fumbling with breadboards. Armed with a signal generator and spectrum analyzer, I delved into the intricacies of signal processing, the hum of machinery adding to the excitement of my first lab experience at ENSEA.

Tuesday: Bonjour to Progress (March 5th)

Tuesday brought with it a sense of progress as I delved deeper into my French studies. The evening was dedicated to conjugating verbs and mastering the art of giving directions, a testament to the strides I've made since arriving in France. Honestly, I'm proud of myself. I've gone from being completely lost to only being slightly lost :) Anyway, after class, I went back home to make gnocchi with a cream & tomato sauce and sip on some French wine.

Wednesday: Lost and Found in Geneva (March 6th)

Wednesday dawned with the promise of adventure as I embarked on a journey to Geneva aboard the TGV Lyria. A small hiccup at the train station—mistakenly heading to Gare de l'Est instead of Gare de Lyon—only added to the thrill of the adventure as I narrowly caught my train.

Arriving in Geneva, I was greeted by the breathtaking beauty of Lake Geneva and the iconic Jet d'Eau. The city's old town beckoned with its labyrinthine streets and centuries-old architecture, while the allure of luxury watch boutiques and designer stores added a touch of glamour to my explorations. A leisurely dinner at a charming Italian eatery in the heart of the old town offered a taste of Geneva's culinary delights, though the city's prices served as a reminder of its upscale reputation. Geneva is something else - there's no poverty, the streets are sparkling. I couldn't find a single grocery store, but saw a million boutiques and designer store. And to top it all of, the price of anything is absolutely insane. You'd have to be a millionaire to live there.

Thursday: Scaling Heights in Chamonix (March 7th)

Thursday was a day of adrenaline-fueled adventure as I journeyed to Chamonix, a spot for outdoor enthusiasts nestled amidst the towering peaks of the French Alps. Opting for a hike up Aiguille du Midi, the height of the French Alps, I found myself navigating treacherous icy paths and sheer cliffs—a thrilling yet nerve-wracking experience for someone not accustomed to such terrain.

Reaching the summit via the Telepherique de L'Aiguille du Midi (a cable car that scales up 10,000 feet), I was rewarded with sweeping vistas of the majestic Mont Blanc massif and the surrounding alpine landscape. Standing atop the glass box jutting out from the base station, I felt a rush of exhilaration mingled with awe—a moment suspended between earth and sky, a testament to the raw power and beauty of nature.

Friday: Back to ENSEA's Grind (March 8th)

Friday saw me returning to the routine of classes at ENSEA, where I immersed myself in the world of power engineering lectures and labs. For the first time, I had the opportunity to work with high-powered lab equipment. It's the equipment used for power transmission in the real world, not the normal miniature circuits we use in lab.

Saturday: Versailles: A Window to France's Glorious Past (March 9th)

Saturday was dedicated to exploring the opulent splendor of the Palace of Versailles—a testament to France's rich history and grandeur. From the glittering Hall of Mirrors to the meticulously manicured gardens, every corner of Versailles had a deep history of the French monarchy. It was one of the most beautiful palaces I've ever seen!

Sunday: Rest and Reflection (March 10th)

Sunday offered a much-needed respite from the whirlwind of travel and adventure. With a visit to the gym and a tough cycling class, I took the time to recharge. I spent the evening catching up on work and grinding for an exam the next day!

My goal is to never stay still. I've only got so much time here! So, next week, I'm off to Edinburgh, Scotland, and then Cork, Ireland for Saint Patrick's Day!

À plus tard! Abhi Athreya

University of Michigan, Aerospace Engineering 2025 ENSEA in Cergy, France

[savagenewcanaan]

Michael Savage New Canaan Ten Traditional Muscle Vehicles

With the appeal of motion pictures like The Fast as well as The Furious, Gone in Sixty Seconds as well as The last Trip, there has been some reference to the great old muscular tissue vehicles which were commemorated in movies like Bullit, Vanishing Point and also naturally The Dukes of Hazzard collection. This top 10 listing looks at several of the muscle auto icons born from the late 60's and also very early 70's.

 The major measure of these autos is power, with Brake Steed Power (bhp) being the term flung around most frequently. What this describes is the power released by the engine before the transmission, generator, differential, water pump, and also various other parts sap its power. If you are utilized to Kilowatts, after that think about that 250kw translates to 335.26 bhp.

 The 1969 Pontiac GTO

 Conceptualised to gain attract the more youthful market, Pontiac placed a 6.3 litre V8 engine into the midsized Tempest shell, creating a cheap rapid car. To the shock of Pontiac's advertising and marketing group the GTO became massively popular and also in 1969 they fitted it with a 6.5 litre V8 which might kick out 366bhp. The Judge was birthed.

 The 1970 Buick GSX

Michael Savage New Canaan

 Once again the concept right here was to squash a beast of an engine right into a midsized body, in this instance the Buick Skylark. In 1967 the Buick GS came to be recognised as a standalone design available as a sedan and convertible.

 The 1970 version was provided an impressive 7.5 litre engine efficient in producing 400bhp. The GSX body can be found in yellow or white just, including in the photo which made this cars and truck an unique classic.

 The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro

 There were different options available to those buying a very first generation Camaro, the Z28 bundle being one of the most interesting. With a 4.9 litre engine, power steering, disc brakes on the front and a four speed hands-on gearbox, the Z28 was produced racing - creating up to 400bhp.

 The Plymouth Roadrunner

 Developed to defeat 14 secs over a quarter mile, the Plymouth Roadrunner was stripped down to the bare fundamentals, sacrificing also the rugs in order to make this into a monster of a maker. It included a beefed up guiding, brake and shock absorber and a 6.3 litre engine which pressed 335bhp. An optional boost originated from the 7.0 litre version's 425bhp.

 The Dodge Opposition

 Hitting the market in 1970, the Dodge Opposition was a hit from the get go, offering greater than 80,000 in the first year. Although numerous alternatives were provided, the R/T is the model which draws in one of the most interest with its 7.0 litre Hemi engine rejecting 425bhp. Later on designs lost the story, with the '72 model going down to a meager 240bhp. See the Challenger in the cult timeless flick, Vanishing Factor.

 The 1966 Ford Fairlane GT

 Introduced in '62 with a 3.6 litre V8, the Ford Fairlane was provided a transformation in 1966, total with a 6.4 litre engine capable of 335bhp. As if this were inadequate they chose to upgrade to a 7.0 litre NASCAR engine with 435bhp. Rigid front suspension and also disc brakes provided the vehicle much better taking care of, and the brute power kicked the dial over 60mph (100km/h) in six seconds.

 Oldsmobile 442

Michael Savage New Canaan

 The Cutlass model was outfitted with a cops spec engine with the ability of 310bhp. The 442 refers to the four barrel carburettor, four speed hands-on gear box and the twin exhausts. The 442 had a credibility for its handling when contrasted to various other muscle mass autos, many thanks to its enhanced springs, shocks as well as the calming safety of an anti-roll bar.

 The 1968 version was redesigned as a hot sports car, with a 7.5 litre block blowing up 390bhp.

 Plymouth Barracuda

 Although the Barracuda was launched in 1964, simply a couple of weeks before the Ford Mustang, it was not till 1970 that Plymouth obtained larger popularity with attractive lines and also some serious roar under the hood in the kind of a 7.2 litre 390bhp. The various other choice was a smaller sized 7.0 litre Hemi block which knocked senseless some added power at 425bhp!

 Despite having an overhauled suspension the power was so much that the 'Cuda gained a credibility for difficult handling.

 The 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

 The 1965 Chevelle SS sported a 6.5 litre block pushing 375bhp, which was all too much for the front end of the car, making for some pretty terrible handling. Fortunately this was attended to with the revamping of the suspension as well as the addition of disk brakes on the front.

 1969 saw the introduction of the leading engine specification, which was included in the El Camio pick-up as well. The 1970 SS was powered by a 7.4 litre V8 with 450bhp drawing the Chevell to 100km/h in just 6 seconds. Later on designs were readjusted for unleaded fuel and also the power result experienced considerably.

 Dodge Battery charger

 Bo as well as Battle each other's ride of selection, the Charger was launched in 1966 and some 37,000 autos were offered in the initial year. A 7.0 litre Hemi reputedly rejected around 500bhp, though it was formally rated at 425bhp. This beast reached 100km/h in just 5 and a fifty percent seconds. The Hemi engine choice was available till 1972.

[spyglassrealms]

Alone Together

Every now and then, someone will ask, "why is it still called first contact?" They think they are clever, apparently, by pointing out that we already know intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe, and so it should simply be called 'contact.'

But it is clear that they do not understand the weight these words carry.

Far back in 2145, humankind made first contact on a small, airless, inner moon of Uranus. Except... no one was there to greet us. All we found were the remains. Within a week, our understanding of life in the universe had gone from hopeful optimism to somber concern: had we really been so close to contact, only for our elder and only counterparts to vanish? Research on the ruins revealed that the ancient starfarers had wiped themselves out in a catastrophic civil conflict, and we feared what that meant for us. We resolved, then, that we would do better, not only for ourselves but for the ones who had come before us and lost their way. We had given up one kind of loneliness -that of simple ignorance- for another, far worse kind of loneliness: that of the sole survivor.

Our loneliness was not to last, fortunately. In 2191, the crew of the Arete mission to Proxima Centauri encountered a species of lifeform on the frigid moon Calypso which exhibited unusual intelligence, and in time discovered the great settlements they inhabited. After two years of study, the Arete explorers established rudimentary two-way communication with the Calypsians and grew a conversational relationship with the people of one nearby settlement. Humankind was overjoyed: here, at last, were the interstellar neighbors we had longed for.

But eventually the Arete mission had to return to Earth, and the Calypsians would not achieve interstellar radio transmission for a hundred more years. Even once they were able to commune with us across the great void, we found that our species were too different to have much in common aside from scientific interest. Thus, we were faced once more with a new and uniquely tragic kind of loneliness -almost that of estranged cousins.

In 2220, our prayers seemed to be answered at last by a stray radio signal from Tau Ceti. Though it took time, we were able to decipher its meaning and sent a return message, followed by a probe. The initial course of contact was slow, as is always the case with remote contact from across the emptiness. Over patient years of interaction, we learned how to communicate with the skae, and eventually sent a crewed mission to their homeworld of Ra'na: Andromeda One, the first of many.

We discovered the skae were a younger civilization than us, by several centuries, and so took responsibility for teaching them to be more like us. We taught them the secrets of nature and technology that they had not yet uncovered- of black holes and quarks, of the microchip and the fusion reactor. They accepted our gifts with wonder and gratitude, and in turn taught us their ways of terraformation- new methods to accelerate the healing of our own world and transform others from dead waste to bountiful gardens. Together we founded a coalition, to unite all civilizations seeking starflight under the common purposes of curiosity and betterment. But although this was everything humanity had ever wanted, we still felt the pangs of loneliness: the burden of the elder and mentor.

It was our good fortune, then, that elder civilizations were watching us. Just a decade after founding the USSC, Earth received a radio message from the star Epsilon Indi. It was a direct greeting, excited and hopeful. "We are shyxaure of Delvasi and ziirpu of Virvv. We saw you," they said, "and you have done well. We have ached to reach out for centuries, but worried over what would follow if we did. The alliance you have forged with the people of Tau Ceti is assurance that we are, truly, alike in thought. We are proud to call you neighbors, and hope to soon call you friends."

While we waited for their embassy ship to arrive as promised, humanity reveled in passing a test we had not known was ongoing. We had proven ourselves worthy of contact, worthy of inclusion into the interstellar community... and yet, a new loneliness seeped through the cracks of our joy. We had anguished in isolation for so long, all the while our cosmic seniors watched from not so far away. For hundreds of years, we had not realized there were new friends just beyond the horizon. And so, in secret, we mourned this loneliness: that of what could have been.

In the centuries that have followed we have discovered even more sapient beings around us: the rimor of the Eridani Network, the Xib Zjhar of Xiilu Qam, the pluunima of Niima. We are connected to each other in many ways, but the most important of these is simply that we share the gift of sapience. In this vast and quiet universe, any fellow intelligence is infinitely precious because we are the only ones, as far as we know. Every contact event is first contact, all over again, ​because every new civilization that we encounter will expand our horizons just enough for us to wonder: "was that last contact? Is there still someone else out there, or is that the end of roll call? Are we alone together, now?"

This, the grandest and most poignant of all mysteries, is why the motto of the Coalition is "solum habemus invicem et stellas" – "we only have each other and the stars."

[radical-revolution]

H.H. TENZIN GYATSO, THE 14TH. DALAI LAMA

Lazy Dalai Lama! Lazy Tenzin Gyatso!

In my experience, training can change the harmful mind. In Tibet there is a saying, ‘People who come from Amdo are short-tempered.’ Losing one’s temper, therefore, is equivalent to saying one is showing signs of being an Amdo. And, you see, I come from that part of the world! Since being fifteen or twenty, my mood or mental function has obviously undergone some change. These days hardly any irritation comes, very little. Even if it does sometimes come, it quickly disappears. And that is due to my own effort and training. The result is a marvellous benefit — I’m always happy. I lost my country. As a human being, I rely on friends, but I have lost my mother and my tutors. I have some new tutors now, some new gurus. However, most of my old tutors are gone. Old faces disappear; new faces come. Yet I am always happy, without problems, because I can see the way life is.

As long as we are under the domination of ignorance, there is no permanent happiness; that’s natural. If we are really disturbed by the way life is, then our responsibility is to look for salvation, nirvana. Suppose a monk says our direction is towards nirvana, and that if we can, we should implement those methods that bring us towards nirvana. In my case there’s not a lot of time, so it is difficult. And another thing is my laziness! Lazy Dalai Lama! Lazy Tenzin Gyatso!

But thinking about these teachings or these advisors as much as possible, we can see that disturbances take the form of superficial phenomena. Things come like ripples on the water — something comes and then it passes, and then another trouble starts — comes, goes, comes, goes, comes, goes. Consciousness is beginningless and endless. And phenomena never change that basic nature. We should realise this and take it easy, and this will give us some peace; we shall get some peace. That is ‘Bishop’ Tenzin Gyatso’s way of thinking! My own experience is that the mind can be trained, can be changed — that is definite.

Shantideva explains in the text here [Bodhisattvacharyavatara| that, in order to over- come ordinary enemies, you need strength and weapons and so on, whereas in order to overcome the enemy. within, delusion, you need to develop wisdom and realise the nature of phenomena; then you don’t need any other weapon. or strength. This is very true. Actually, when I received the teaching, the oral transmission, from Khunu Lama Rinpoche, I remarked that the Bodhisattyacharyavatara says that delusion is humble and weak, ‘But,’ I said, ‘this is not true because it’s very forceful and strong.’ And Khunu Lama Rinpoche immediately responded by saying that we don’t need an atom bomb in order to overcome delusion. And that is the meaning here: in order to destroy the inner enemy, we don’t need weapons. We simply need to develop firm determination and wisdom, some realisation of the nature of mind, the nature of negative thought, the nature of phenomena.

Once we realise the nature of mind and concentrate on it, and once that knowledge, that wisdom, becomes part of us, then it works. So, in a way, it’s easy and very cheap! Unless you are a millionaire or billionaire, you can’t buy external weapons, can you? Shantideva spoke in this way.

**From; The Nature of Mind-

[whimsicallyreading]

“I just realized I’m desperately in love with you-“

Prompt Day One for Rowaelin Month

~

"Rowan, take a picture of that one. It's so cute." Aelin fawns quietly.

Rowan gives a long-suffering sigh. "There are a thousand of them here. Do you have to pester me into taking a picture of every seal pup we come across?"

"Her name is Fleetfoot, and yes. Isn't that the whole reason we are here?" Aelin looks at him equally annoyed, a strand of gold spun hair freeing itself from beneath her parka.

"I'm here to study the behavioral patterns of tiger seals and orcas in a rapidly shifting environment. You are here to keep our equipment functioning. If you keep talking, neither of us will finish our jobs and escape from this wasteland." Rowan switches the lens of his camera to focus on two male seals who were squaring up with each other in the distance.

Rowan nearly threw his camera over the boat and jumped off into the coastal waters of Argentina when he realized who had been assigned to assist him on this expedition.

He'd insisted that only he and one other make the trek across the Antarctic. Insisting a large group could impede the quality of his research. When they agreed, Rowan thought they would send him with Lorcan or Brullo. Both were accomplished survivalists and scholars—valuable additions to any team.

Instead, it was Aelin Ashryvver who waited for him at the dock. The most annoying newbie on his floor. Dorian insisted that her knowledge of mechanical engineering would make her invaluable.

So far, she was just a verifiable pain in his ass.

She sat around bored as Rowan spent the day writing notes and snapping photos. Occasionally she helped him set up microphones. On one instance, she fixed their ATV. It was the first and only time he'd found her truly useful.

Rowan couldn't wait to go home.

"Alright, we have the cameras positioned. We should head back to the base. The temps are dropping. We need to warm up and eat."

Aelin nods quietly, she would never admit it, but the severe temperatures are taking a toll on her. It was amazing how important something like fat is in a frigid environment. Rowan is naturally covered in layers of dense muscle. While Aelin is fit herself, she's still small and the first to feel the effects of persistent cold.

Watching the seals, she occasionally found herself jealous of their thick layers of blubber that kept them comfortable. She should have carb-loaded before they set sail.

They hop on the snow ski and traverse quickly over the powderlike substance.

~~~

When they reach the Terresen South Pole station and ditch their coats, they fall to the floor in a cascade of flurries. Rowan's spine straightens for the first time that day. Their coats were dense. With the additional weight of all of the equipment he carried, there was a perpetual bend in his spine.

It was a huge relief to be inside a climate-controlled building—light layers, freedom movement, and feeling in all of his extremities. Tossing that coat off was the pinnacle of his daily routine on this mission.

That is until he realized it was freezing.

Walking over to a light switch with urgency, he flicks it a few times. Nothing happens. Anxiety wells in his gut, and he hits the wall a couple of times before flipping the switch again.

"Shit," Rowan hisses.

"The power is out," Aelin's eyes widen with the realization. "That's not good."

"I thought I was the scientist, but look at you stating the obvious," Rowan growls as he shrugs his jacket back on. It wasn't nearly as frigid inside the insulated building as it was outside, but it was still bitterly cold. Keeping warm would be their first step in survival. Without heat, shit could hit the fan for them very quickly. Thankfully their satellite phones should still be functioning; he'd charged the battery the day before. There should be enough juice in the phones to send out a mayday call even without power.

Aelin doesn't put on her jacket. Instead, she heads in the direction of the lockers with a look of determination plastered on her face. It was a look he'd slowly begun to grow familiar with, mainly when Rowan was holding a ration packet she wanted. It made him uneasy.

"Where are you going?" Rowan calls after her, picking up her jacket. He wouldn't be held responsible for his younger, female partner freezing to death. HR at the University would have his head on a stick if she died on his watch.

He follows Aelin to her locker, where she's already sliding a grey jumpsuit over her clothes.

"I can fix the engines," Aelin pulls her zipper up. The jumpsuit covered head-to-toe, but they weren't nearly as warm as their snow gear. He could already see a slight blue-ish tint to her lips. "They probably just stalled. All I need to do is go down, diagnose the problem, and fix it. Easy as pie."

Ignoring the massive oversimplification of their situation, knowing it was a lost cause, he focuses on the immediate problem. "You need to keep your jacket on," Rowan thrusts the article of clothing at her. Her color was concerning him, and the longer she went without the thermal garment, the higher his stress became.

Aelin gives him a long-suffering look, all too similar to the one he gives her. "And get my hood or a sleeve caught in one of those beasts? Those machines are massive. Getting snagged could rip my arm off or kill me. It's like you don't even have a master's in engineering and a spotless safety record," she smiles at Rowan's scowling face. "Oh wait, that's me. Let me do my job, Dr. Whitethorn."

Before Rowan could argue, Aelin was gone down the stairwell towards the engines.

Dragging a frustrated hand through his hair, he tosses her jacket on the floor. His time is probably better spent getting through to their mission handlers on the satellite phones anyway.

~~~

Two hours later, Rowan has long finished his call with Dorian.

Their expedition leader had asked if they wanted a recovery team sent out to them, but Rowan hesitated. He was on the mission of a lifetime. He'd spent years waiting for approval to research at the southernmost tip of the world. It would be a devastating blow to his career and his pride for it to be cut short. The selfish part of him wanted to stay. The rationale, reasonable part of him was aching to stay the full duration of the expedition.

"You know, Dr. Whitethorn," Dorian spoke carefully. "There is a reason we chose Aelin to accompany you. She may be green and lacking a doctorate, but she's a miracle worker at what she does."

"Are you asking me to put my life in the newbie's hands?" Rowan asked without his standard vitriol. The situation and the cold had left him with no energy to be spiteful. He'd heard talk of her capabilities amongst the guys, and he'd seen a fraction of it when their snowmobile broke down. Rowan thinks back to the look on her face when she'd gone down the stairs. The steely determination of a warrior marching off to do battle.

Dorian laughs as if there was something funny about two of his most stubborn colleagues getting stranded in the south pole by themselves. "I'm not asking you to do anything. It's your call."

Rowan closes his eyes and contemplates their options. His head told him they should call the extraction team before they were nothing but frozen corpses. Yet, his heart didn't want to leave so soon. There was still so much work left to do.

Could he rely on Aelin?

"We will stay for now. Expect a call in twenty-four hours with a progress update." Rowan disconnected the transmission without any of the standard formalities.

After the fruitless call, he checks their food supply. Rowan scans the shelves, comfortable they wouldn't go hungry any time soon. Their only concern would be keeping all their shit from freezing, including their water. Rowan triple checks that everything is insulated, sealed, and stored away before moving on to other essentials, like batteries.

Another hour passes as he takes inventory, and Rowan is starting to feel the cold more than before. His nailbeds slowly shift from blue to white beneath his thick gloves, and he can't control the slight quaking spreading up his limbs.

When Rowan hears the doorway to the stairwell creak, he goes to check in with Aelin on her progress.

What he finds when he opens the locker room door sends his heart to his throat.

Aelin's hands loosely grip the zipper of her jumpsuit as she weakly attempts to free herself. Her face is a ghostly white, and her movements sluggish.

If she weren't moving, he'd have thought she was already frozen.

"Aelin, are you good? Talk to me." Rowan rushes to her and helps Aelin step out from the jumpsuit.

"I fixed the engine," Aelin coughs into the crook of her arm, her voice scratchy from the cool air. "It will be a couple of hours before they can catch up and heat the building."

Rowan rips off a glove and holds a bare hand to her cheek. Aelin's skin is freezing to the touch, even to his own icy hands. He notes that she isn't trembling the same way he is. It's not a good sign, the biologist in him notes. He knows it's her body growing too weak to keep itself warm.

"Sit down. You're freezing," Rowan helps her slide to the floor and looks at the discarded jacket that's still lying there. It won't warm her quick enough.

"Rowan?" Aelin speaks from her slightly slumped position.

Rowan is pacing, trying to think. They don't have a means of warming water for a bath. Laying next to the generators is too risky.

"Rowan," Aelin murmurs, her eyes drooping. "I can't feel my feet."

Rowan looks at her, and for a moment, she looks like an ice princess. Her blond hair is slipping from its braid and coiling across her colorless face. The cerulean blue of her eyes was the brightest color he now saw regularly beside the southern lights. They stood out even more starkly now.

It was all wrong.

"It's going to be alright, Aelin. You said the power is back on?" Rowan lifts her into his arms, her freezing nose burrowing into the crook of his neck.

"Yeah," she rasps against his shoulder. "But it will take a while for the building to heat."

"We don't need the whole building to heat. Do you trust me?" Rowan trots down the hall, careful not to bump her against the narrow doorframes.

She mumbles something incoherent into his shirt. "I trust you."

Rowan is thankful that the cold keeps the flush from his face. He reaches the desired room and fiddles with the control panel on the wall. A wave of relief hits him as the room behind the heavy door audibly hums to life.

"Okay, here we go." He says more to himself than Aelin. Rowan ditches the jacket and pulls his long-sleeved tee over his head. The buttons of his pants are next, leaving him in only his boxers.

Turning around, Aelin looks weary but not surprised. "Nice abs."

"Thanks," He says and kneels next to her, eyes searching her face for permission.

Aelin dips her head, "I'm not shy, Whitethorn. Don't fret."

Rowan helps Aelin maneuver her stiff limbs out of her garments until she is left in nothing but her bra and panties. Her face is pained as even more of her is exposed to the cold.

"Hurts," Aelin grits through her teeth, and Rowan gathers her up again. The icy room is like barbs against his exposed skin, but he's not in a position to complain.

The minute he carries her into the balmy air of the sauna, Aelin flinches. "Oh, that smarts."

"I know. It's going to suck for a bit while your blood recirculates." Rowan consoles softly, knowing he would also feel the cramping as they got their blood moving.

Drastic temperatures changes weren't the ideal way to warm up, but they'd spent far too long in the cold. He needed to get Aelin shivering again. It was the body's natural defense against the cold, and when a person could no longer shiver, it meant they were dipping into the realm of hypothermia.

The sauna was an added addition for the comfort of the researchers who visited the Southern base. It was a great tool to warm people after spending hours in the harsh climate. He'd heard tales of it from colleagues who'd visited the base before but hadn't yet saught to use it himself. Rowan was too focused on the mission. It hadn't carried any appeal for him until this moment, and now he was beyond grateful for its existence.

Rowan sits on the floor instead of the bench so that Aelin can curl up comfortably in his lap. Skin-to-skin contact was one of the best ways to help a person regulate their body temperature. He soothes a calloused hand over the length of her arm, trying to spread what remained of his warmth to her skin.

Aelin's cheek rests against his chest, and Rowan uses one hand to free her hair from its braid. The curtain of gold fans across her back, and he has to resist the urge to run his fingers through its waves.

He'd noticed how beautiful she was the day they first met at the university. Out of respect, he'd immediately repressed those thoughts. They were professionals, and Rowan wasn't about to ruin his reputation fawning over the new, young blonde on their floor.

But with her laying half-naked in his lap, it was hard to disregard how pretty she was. It wasn't even just her appearance. The girl was magnetic in every way. People paid attention when she walked in, and she claimed the lion's share of air in the room.

Fenrys and Conall flirted with her remorselessly. It secretly irked him. Rowan had long since memorized the way she laughed and how she'd smile as she shoed them away. It was all good-natured fun for them, but it always made Rowan irrationally angry. The time she'd showed up at the annual Christmas party in a green velvet dress with an open back nearly left his brain on the floor. His eyes had raked the smooth plains of skin, only turning away when she'd tried to catch his eye.

If he'd been paying attention, he would have seen her look of disappointment.

Rowan had written it off as an infatuation—a natural response to seeing an attractive woman. The scientist in him wanted to boil it down to chemistry and hormones. Cold facts that could diagnose the way he felt every time he laid eyes on her. Yet, as Rowan laid there with a hurting Aelin in his arms, he began to wonder if there was something more.

Her pain was making his chest physically ache.

A pair of arms snaked around his waist, and his body jerked. Aelin looks up at him sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm just really comfortable."

Rowan relaxes, "It's fine."

The steam in the room is slowly building. Rowan can feel the cramping beginning in his legs. Aelin's weight on his thighs was not helping the slightest, but there was no way in hell he'd move her.  

"My body is aching," Aelin says lightly, but he can hear the strain in her voice and feel a slight tremble running through her.

"That's good. Can you feel your feet?" Rowan can no longer resist, and her hair parts between his fingers like strands of gold silk.

Aelin tightens her arms around him, "Yeah. A bit. I didn't realize how numb they got until I took off my boots."

There's a slight tickle at his back, Aelin's finger tracing a pattern against his skin. A flush of warmth rushes through him, not from the sauna.

He's in unending deep shit.

"Aelin," his voice wavers uncharacteristically. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

The fingers on his back continue making their delicate patterns. "No."

"Aelin?" He asks again, but she cuts him off with a groan.

"Stop asking me questions and just kiss me," Aelin grips the back of his head and pulls his lips down to her's.

An inferno blooms inside his soul.

Aelin could never be a winter queen. She was the raging embodiment of summer. A burning ember he'd carried from the north into this land of ice. As his lips move against hers, he swears his body is lit ablaze, and when Rowan opens his eyes, he's delighted at the flush he finds unfurling across her cheeks.

"It's suddenly a lot warmer." Aelin laughs, looking more lively even as her body starts to quake from the warmth finally reaching her.

He kisses her cheek and tilts her ear towards his lips, "Aelin?"

"Another question?" Aelin's smile curls into something feline. "Is this that scientific curiosity the university is always going on about?"

"I just realized I'm desperately in love with you,"

Rowan lets the truth fall from his lips. It was just the two of them. They were the only human souls in this far corner of the earth. There was no one to stop him as he finally lets the emotions he'd been repressing until the moment Aelin was in danger wash over him.

"That's not a question," Aelin responds after a moment, her tone light and jovial.

Rowan smiles. "It's not."

Aelin curls back up against Rowan, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers. An embarrassing sound of contentment escapes her, which worsens her blush.

Not forgetting their original purpose in the sauna, Rowan grips her hands and massages them between his. "You have no response?"

"Not one that HR is going to like." Aelin winces as her hand spasms, and Rowan methodically works to ease the ache.

"Say it anyway," Rowan implores. Screw the university. He was tired of living for his work alone. Nothing outshined this moment, holding this woman in his arms. He could find a new job, but if Aelin reciprocated his feelings, he couldn't find another one of her.

"Well, I thought it was pretty obvious when I wore that dress to the Christmas party and then found a reason to walk past your office every day." Aelin huffs and looks up at him, "Don't tell me you didn't know?"

Rowan was speechless.

Aelin's eyes twinkle with amusement. "Rowan, Dorian, and I are friends. Did you know that?"

"What?" Rowan blinks confusedly. That was common knowledge, but he didn't understand why she was bringing that up now.

"Dorian and I go way back. He knew I had a thing for you, and I told him sending me on this trip was unethical when I'm such a new hire-" Aelin trails off, waiting for him to grasp her point.

"Wait," Rowan looks down at her, bemused. "Dorian was trying to set us up?"

"Human recourses won't like that very much either," Aelin grins. "But Dorian would keep our secret. He owes me a lot of favors."

The sauna's temperature had slowly been rising, and Rowan could see that his skin was returning to its usual color. Aelin still looked a bit pale, but it was probably residuals from being so close to freezing.

She'd risked herself to save the expedition and successfully fixed the engines. Rowan didn't believe for one second that Dorian only sent her in an elaborate attempt to set her up. She was bright and cunning. He was lucky to have her along with him.

"You got here on your merit," Rowan presses a soft peck to her lips as he soothes her unvoiced concern. He refused to let her doubt her level of skill. "But if the feelings are mutual, I would love to take you on a date when we get back home?"

"I would love that," Aelin crawls off his lap and holds a hand out. "Come on, now. We need to eat and sleep. We have seals to observe."

Rowan accepted her hand. Forget the seals. He would have a difficult time keeping his attention on them. His eyes were glued to her bare legs as they moved and the way her hair swung free of its constraints.

She smirked over his shoulder. Aelin knew precisely what she was doing to him.

Rowan had traversed to the end of the world to understand the natural universe a little better. While he hadn't unlocked any great mysteries, he couldn't help but think what he did find was better.

[separatist-apologist]

Answering the "prompt"- Lucien "the most daring pilot in the galaxy" and Elain, " his sexy Naboo senator wife" for one person + me. I meant for this to be so smutty. In my head it was so pornagraphic. and you know what, if people like this, it can be multiple parts. I'll write how these two dingbats met.

Anyway, my Elucien SW AU is SFW and rated E for Eww where is the smut?

-

Swoop, duck, fire—Lucien’s thoughts were cut off by a too bright explosion and the warning trills of his nav droid.

You have an eighty percent chance of death, the machine beeped, irritation laced through each tone. Lucien only laughed, rejoining the fray with a relish. Swoop, duck, fire, he told himself, looping away from the spiraling tie fighter. What was supposed to be a routine patrol through the mid-rim had turned into a fire fight and Lucien couldn’t pretend he wasn’t exhilarated. This was what he lived for, the rush of adrenaline, the orange against an onyx sky, and the knowledge that when he left, he’d made the galaxy a little bit safer. Every day the remnants of the Empire were allowed to inch forward made them bolder. This moment and every one after it was a reminder of what they’d lost and what they still had left to lose. Lucien was all too happy to take it all.

He took down another tie with a loud woop of exuberance just as his nav panel lit up with an incoming call. He glanced down, stomach sinking.

Elain Archeron—incoming transmission.

He swore she must be force sensitive. It was like she could see everything he did, knew every promise he broke without needing to be there. He’d sworn this was merely a routine patrol and here he was, knocking out his fourth tie. Lucien ignored the call with no small amount of guilt, focusing on his quarry.

That last blast sent the remaining ties scurrying back for hyperspace, retreating further into the unknown reaches of the galaxy. Let them rot, he though with satisfaction. They deserved no less than a quiet passing, unmourned and unmissed. Lucien looked back to his nav deck, his droid beeping through his helmet.

Should I call Elain back?

“No, BD,” Lucien replied too quickly. Better to ask forgiveness that permission and better to ask when they were in front of each other. She was less likely to shout if he could kiss her as he begged.

Signaling to his squad it was time to head back, each flyer punched the coordinates to Coruscant’s hyperspace lane. With nothing to do, Lucien thought of what excuse he might offer Elain for today’s skirmish. He hadn’t gone looking for it, but Lucien never backed down from a fight. Elain wouldn’t be thrilled and when it came to his wife, the fearsome senator from Naboo, Lucien knew there was no winning the upcoming fight. His best bet was to grovel and hope she missed him so much she was willing to overlook his reckless flyboybehavior.

It took hours to return and by the time Lucien dropped from hyperspace, he was practically sweating. Beneath him, Coruscant was an innocent ball of light, a planet-wide city that drew only the most enterprising of people. Not just anyone could make it on Coruscant—the city swallowed starry-eyed new comers every day, an exacting price for the possibility of fortune and fame. He wasn’t surprise his wife had taken one step onto the planets carved out surface and forced it to bow—Elain was a force of nature in a gorgeous dress. That she’d ever looked his way at all, a no one from Yavin 4, the son of diplomat and a pilot who had made his way to Coruscant looking for a job. Tired of running spice, tired of the endless grind for credits when what he wanted was to make things better. His mother had fought with the resistance, had shot down star fighters, had put a helmet on his head before he’d ever taken his first step. He considered that his legacy and was proud to serve the galaxy no matter how reckless a reputation he'd made.

That the senator of Naboo, the sister to their elected Queen no less, had ever taken more than one look at him still stunned him. Elain had her pick of the galaxy and settled with a man covered in droid oil more often than not. If he’d been smart, he would have never dared anger her lest she get wise and leave him for someone that wouldn’t risk her wrath.

Lucien had never been accused of being smart.

He docked his ship in the naval yard, his clear cockpit rising overhead. The deafening sounds of the hangar nearly knocked him back to his seat. A lifetime of being right next to explosives had left Lucien a little deaf. Loud sounds tended to sound muffled and yet jarring all at once, activating that same adrenaline he felt during an air fight.

Avoiding the members of his squadron, who’d seen the incoming transmission, Lucien all but ran across the city, helmet tucked up beneath his arm. Elain lived in the heart of Republic City, the section of Coruscant dedicated to politics. His wife would be found on one of the upper most levels on 500 Republica, the nicest building in the city. It belonged to her family and before her, Lucien would never have dreamed of stepping foot in the gilded, golden lobby. A glass lift hurtled him upward, away from smog choked air towards the thinner atmosphere where fresh oxygen was pumped in for only those who could afford it.

Elain was waiting in a silky blue night dress, the pearl strung straps caressing the freckled skin of her shoulders. Golden brown curls cascaded about her shoulders, framing her soft, heart shaped face illuminated in the city’s always illuminated glow. When she saw him, she crossed her arms over her chest, pushing the rounded tops of her breasts upwards.

“You promised,” she murmured when the lift closed behind him, leaving him no where to retreat.

He held up his palms. “I couldn’t let them retreat.” It was an admission of guilt, one he couldn’t help but offer. All his excused flew out the window, utterly breathless of the sight of her standing in a pool of moonlight. “Forgive me,” he pleaded, walking to her until there were only inches between them.

“You’re going to get yourself killed,” Elain reminded him reproachfully. “And I will be left to mourn you.”

“I’m sure there will be a line around the block, starting at my casket. Men from all over the galaxy will come, hoping for a shot at—” “Don’t.”

Lucien shut his mouth, uneasy and mollified. “I’m sorry. Elain, I love you, but…”

“But you’ll always be a reckless flyboy?” she replied, one brow arched upwards. Lucien couldn’t resist the smile that spread over his face, rubbing his calloused hands over the smooth skin of her arm.

“I think you like that about me,” he teased, catching how hard she worked to suppress her smile. “Admit it, sweetheart.”

“I will never,” she replied with all the stubbornness he’d come to cherish. Lucien hauled her up into his arms, fight forgotten. Elain squealed, feet nearly catching him upside the jaw.

“I suppose I will have to torture it out of you,” he warned, walking her through the living room to the spacious bedroom they shared. Elain gasped for breath, her laughter infectious. By the time he tossed her atop the cream duvet, Lucien’s side’s hurt from walking and laughing, too.

“Wait, wait, wait—” Elain begged when Lucien lowered himself atop her. He settled between her legs, sliding the silky material of her night dress up her thigh.

“I need to tell you something,” Elain gasped, rising up on her elbows. “I know you’re frustrated by my requests you stay out of trouble, but I promise I’m asking for unselfish reasons.” “You can’t stand not having a gorgeous guy like myself around,” Lucien agreed, attempting to push her legs wider so he might lie fully between them. Elain reached for his face, stopping him.

“It’s more than that. Of course I need you. You’re my husband.I love you more than my own life, but Lucien, children also need a father and if you’re reckless, who will raise our son?”

Lucien’s brain emptied out, the only sound a soft ringing that never seemed to quite fade. “Son?”

“Or daughter,” Elain amended, eyes searching his own. “I wanted to be sure before I told you—”

“You’re pregnant?” he asked dumbly, warmth filling his chest. “I’m going to be a father?”

Her apprehension melted, replaced by relief. Had she been afraid of his reaction? Lucien sprung forward, yanking her into his arms before realizing he probably shouldn’t be so rough with her. “Elain, that’s wonderful news.”

“It means you’ll have to cut out your more reckless impulses,” Elain warned, her breath hot against his neck. “I have no intention of raising this child by myself.”

“I can ask for fewer patrols. I can train the new recruits,” he swore with only a tinge of disappointment. Elain caressed his face, sliding until the pair were laying in bed facing the other, her fingertips grazing against his cheek.

“You should still patrol,” he murmured, unaware of the relief her words filled him with. “Just not so often. If you must be reckless, at least remember what’s waiting for you at home.”

“My fearsome wife,” he agreed, kissing her softly. “What size helmet do you think a baby wears?”

She smiled then, thumb tracing his bottom lip. “Already planning the baby’s first mission?”

And it was a joke, of course, but he knew she’d bring the baby onto the senate floor with her. Elain would whisper in their little ear, telling them who could be trusted and who couldn’t and all the little tells she’d learned over the years to determine who lied for their own benefit and who truly cared about the galaxy. Their child would be better versed in political warfare than most adults and if they just so happened to be the greatest pilot the galaxy had ever seen on top of all that, well…

“We should get a little hover craft, so the baby can practice.”

Elain’s smile was so beautiful he was blinded momentarily. He cupped her face, unable to believe this was his life. That she was his life. “I love you so much, you know?”

She kissed him back, her lips heartbreakingly soft. “I know you do.”

He settled his knee between her legs, a new thought dawning on him. “You don’t think the baby can—” “Don’t be stupid, Lucien,” Elain replied with an eye roll.

“It was an honest question,” he insisted, sliding a hand over her still flat stomach. Elain nestled her head against his neck, her soft, vanilla scented curls invading his sense. He shifted, nose nuzzling her own.

“A baby.”

“A baby,” she agreed. “Start thinking about names. Goodnames, Lucien. Not ones your droid suggests.”

His outrage was manufactured. “You insult BB-8, who stayed behind so we could be alone tonight.” “I thought I had too much room at the end of this bed.”

He grinned, still cupping her face. Lips touching her own, he asked, “What did I do to get so lucky?”

“It’s a mystery, flyboy,” she replied, carding her fingers through his ponytailed hair. “Don’t mess it up.”

Lucien yanked the covers over their heads. “Wouldn’t dreamof it.”

[squishneedsahero]

Without Direction

The Lost Padawan Part 1

Word Count: 1842

You were raised in the Jedi order, Padawan of Jedi Master Obiwan Kenobi.

You were breathing heavily, heart beating out of your chest as you could only pray no one noticed. You had no idea what was happening, but the Clones had all turned, suddenly going and killing all of the Jedi in one swoop. Master Kenobi had left you at the temple while he went after general Grievous and that was apparently too dangerous for a Padawan. This of course had you upset and feeling useless, so you had been messing around when everything went down. This messing around had ended up saving your life, why you had access to Clone armor wasn't important, but you deciding at that moment to try it on had saved your life.

Now you were still in the armor, but on a ship going who knows where as you just needed to get away from Coruscant as fast as you could. No one questioned why a Clone was on a passenger ship off world but you could only be grateful that they didn't. You could only stand there, stiff backed and unspeaking as you traveled.

Sooner than expected you land and are able to get off of the ship, quickly getting as far away from anyone from Coruscant as you can, talking someone into giving you some clothes from their stall as you did so. You run off and change before getting out of town.

You fall to the ground as you find somewhere that seems somewhat safe to stop. You pull out your lightsaber and study the hilt as tears form in your eyes. The adrenaline was wearing off and the reality of everything that had happened was setting in. You had lost everyone in a single day. Your Master was gone and dead along with all the other Jedi, the Clones you had thought to be friends weren't, everything was taken from you just like that.

You spend the night on the ground, always somewhere between sleeping and crying as all of you just hurt and you felt lost. You were still only a child, yes you were well enough trained to be a Padawan learner but being executed alongside all the other Jedi for warcrimes you hadn't committed made no sense. It was all you could do to keep yourself from completely falling apart, here you were, the last Jedi alive in the entire galaxy and you were just a lost child.

The next day things look no better,  but you get up anyways, dumping the armor before going back into town. You luckily had a few credits in your pocket so you didn't have to use the force to convince someone to give you food. As you eat you are able to sit down and almost relax a little, unfortunately a transmission of Senator Palpatine from Coruscant begins to play across all the screens in the area.

"Citizens of the civilized galaxy," Palpatine begins, "on this day we mark a transition. For a thousand years, the Republic stood as the crowning achievement of civilized beings. But there were those who would set us against one another, and we took up arms to defend our way of life against the Separatists. In so doing, we never suspected that the greatest threat came from within."

"The Jedi, and some within our own Senate, had conspired to create the shadow of Separatism using one of their own  as the enemy's leader. They had hoped to grind the Republic into ruin. But the hatred in their hearts could not be hidden forever. At last, there came a day when our enemies showed their true natures."

Your heart is in your throat and you can hardly swallow your food as you hear him announce these things. You, y/n l/n, had been at Master Kenobi's side for years and he along with the other Jedi leaders had wanted nothing more than for the war to end. But none of that mattered now, the Jedi were gone, the Jedi Order had been wiped out, and only these blatant lies would succeed in reaching the ears of the public. You get up and walk away, back into the wilderness with your few supplies you had been able to grab, planning to just stay here on Saleucami until things settled enough you could get away unnoticed.

You spend nearly a week of your time traveling through the wilderness until you come to another town large enough to have a space port. The place is crawling with Clones but it was obvious that Palpatine was trying to gather things as quickly as possible to maintain his control over the galaxy, meaning the Clones weren't paying any attention to a random teenager. At this point your face is coated with a layer of dirt, which you don't mind since it adds to hide your identity.

Your first stop is to once again get some food and replenish your supplies as well as find a way to earn a few credits for later. It's as you're looking over a fruit stand that you feel a nudge from the force and two men talking nearby catch your attention. It doesn't take you long to recognize the faces, or face, the one face you had to have seen thousands of variations of, many the same but each with a different person behind it. They were clones.

The thing that had you so focused on them was the fact that they weren't wearing their armor, along with the fact that anytime other clones passed by they hid their faces from view. You try not to stare but you keep an eye on them, something was drawing you to them but you couldn't bring yourself to trust a couple stray clones on the spot like that.

Following them from a distance you are able to see that they are avoiding the other clones and one of the two you feel you recognize. He has a tattoo covering nearly half his face and you know you had fought beside him at one point, not that that meant a whole lot at this point. They stop and you can hear them talking about getting off world, they clearly don't want to be caught and it is as they are leaving town that you decide you can trust them.

You follow from a distance, trying to stay undetected, not sure how to approach them but the force was pulling you to do so. It isn't until you are well out of town that you begin trying to approach them, and it isn't until you get close to them that you realize something is off, they had realized they were being followed.

"Who are you?" The tattooed one asks loudly as they turn to face you, guns drawn.

Your heart is yet again in your throat as you step out into the open, both hands in front of you in an attempt of showing you mean no harm. You don't want to answer their question so you make a statement of your own, "you're clones."

You can see their grips on their guns change and you raise your hands a little higher, "I promise I don't mean any harm- I'm just wondering why you two aren't helping the others," you quickly explain, praying they won't shoot.

"Answer our question and might answer yours."

You take a deep breath, okay you can do this, it's just a matter of trust, and your life. Leaving one hand up in front of you you use the other to remove the hood you were wearing and then reach into the folds of your cloak to take out your lightsaber, holding out the hilt without igniting it, simply showing it to them. "I just need to know why the two of you are different."

The two men are more than a little surprised to see the lightsaber in your hand and share a glance between themselves. The fact that you were willing to show your face and the fact that you were one of the Jedi truly meant that you meant no harm.

Hunter looks at Cut for a moment and in almost a whisper says, "I recognize them, they're a padawan." From there he looks back to you and more loudly says, "come closer and we can talk," seeing as you were nearly a hundred feet away.

You take a breath as you move closer, hoping they wouldn't mind the tight grip you had on your saber, considering that they still had yet to put their guns down. You do a decent job at keeping your emotions down and hidden but the two clones know that you're scared, only a few years older than the children they had waiting for them.

Your eyes are locked on Hunter as you get closer, finally placing him and saying softly, "you're Hunter," you glance at the other but know you haven't a clue who he is, "with clone force 99... right?" you ask gently.

Cut nods and puts his gun away, "don't worry kid you don't have to hold your lightsaber so tight, we aren't going to kill you. And yes this is Hunter," he answers you, recognizing how sacred you really were, "I'm Cut, can I ask who you are?"

Your grip relaxes as he holsters his gun, then nudges Hunter to do the same with his gun. You can't bring yourself to let go of the hilt of your saber but you do at least let it drop to your side in a relaxed position. "I'm y/n l/n, Master Kenobi's padawan learner."

That's when Hunter nods, realizing that was when he recognized you from, he and the others of the bad batch had sometimes reported to Cody, the commander under General Kenobi. "So, why were you following us?"

"I- uh-" you stutter a bit as you try to get your thoughts together. You pause another beat before deciding to just share why it was you had followed them, "all of the clones turned against the Jedi and exterminated them, I lost everyone I knew and the two of you are different, you didn't kill me on sight... you were hiding from the other clones... like I am."

Thats when things begin to click for Hunter, while he had lost a close friend he still had the others. You on the other hand had lost everything and everyone, having nothing but a lightsaber and to be killed if recognized. "Okay kid, we aren't sure why the others turned but we are trying to figure it out. We're getting Cut and his family off this planet, then leaving ourselves."

Cut looks at Hunter for a moment then says, "you're welcome to come back to my family's farm with us, take a moment to relax, I'm sure you're tired."

You look at the two, and it's a moment before you accept the offer. There was still hesitation and fear running through your veins, but you had survived a war, you had grown up on the battle field, you could survive this too.