#charging cable advancements

[techninja]

The Impact of Fast-Charging Technology on the EV Charging Cable Market

The global electric vehicle (EV) charging cable market is poised for significant growth, driven by the increasing adoption of electric vehicles and the need for efficient and reliable charging solutions. As the demand for EVs continues to rise, the market for EV charging cables is expected to reach $3.45 billion by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.1% from 2022 to 2031.

Market Trends and Drivers

The EV charging cable market is driven by several key trends and factors. The increasing adoption of electric vehicles, particularly in regions such as Europe and Asia, is a major driver of the market. Governments worldwide are implementing policies to promote the adoption of EVs, which is expected to further boost demand for EV charging cables. Additionally, the development of fast-charging technology and the need for efficient and reliable charging solutions are also driving the market.

Key Players and Market Segmentation

The EV charging cable market is dominated by several key players, including Aptiv, Besen International Group Co., Ltd., BRUGG Group AG, Chengdu Khons Technology Co., Ltd., DYDEN CORPORATION, Guangdong OMG Transmitting Technology Co. Ltd., Leoni AG, Phoenix Contact, Sinbon Electronics, and TE Connectivity. The market is segmented based on power type, application, cable length, shape, charging level, and region. The power type segment includes alternate charging (AC) and direct charging (DC), while the application segment is categorized into private charging and public charging. The cable length segment includes 2–5 meters, 6–10 meters, and above 10 meters, and the shape segment includes straight and coiled.

Regional Analysis

The EV charging cable market is analyzed across several regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The Asia-Pacific region dominated the global EV charging cables market in 2022, with China holding the dominant position. The North American market is expected to grow significantly due to the increasing adoption of EVs and the need for efficient and reliable charging solutions.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite the significant growth potential of the EV charging cable market, there are several challenges that need to be addressed. High operational costs of EV charging cables and the adoption of wireless EV charging technology are some of the key challenges facing the market. However, the increasing adoption of EVs and the need for efficient and reliable charging solutions are expected to drive the market growth.

Conclusion

The EV charging cable market is poised for significant growth, driven by the increasing adoption of electric vehicles and the need for efficient and reliable charging solutions. The market is dominated by several key players and is segmented based on power type, application, cable length, shape, charging level, and region. The Asia-Pacific region dominated the global EV charging cables market in 2022, and the North American market is expected to grow significantly due to the increasing adoption of EVs and the need for efficient and reliable charging solutions.

[alostwanderernotfound]

Why do sometimes really weird & unexplainable things kind of happen?

Looking at the Theoretical Intersection between Anatomy & Physiology & Electronics

***This is coming from the perspective of attempting to explain (in the most simple ways possible) how foreign advanced technology possibly “hacks” the foundations of organic life. ***

Our bodies are composed of nerves. When electricity goes from one nerve and travels to another nerve then an action occurs. When something in our environment is sensed (like hearing a noise) our organs are able to sense the information & produce electricity to carry that information back to the brain to be processed.

Anatomically we have the brain, the spinal cord, our sensory organs, cranial nerves, and “all the other individually named nerves” that branch off of those.

(There is further differentiation between central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, & autonomic, and other ways to differentiate in anatomy and physiology, but for simplicity this is how I will refer to it).

Cranial nerves are differentiated out on the list in comparison to “other nerves” because they are a specific list of major nerves that do very important & essential functions in the body.

So, nerves act as a path for electricity to follow. This electricity can produce voluntary action or involuntary actions.

Choosing to raise your hand we consider voluntary action produced by the nervous system. When something occurs without your conscious choice & occurs automatically, it is considered an involuntary action of the nervous system. For example, your heart beating would be an involuntary action.

Nerves have gaps between them & in this space neurotransmitters are released. Neurotransmitters are chemicals with the ability to cause another nerve to have an action. Neurotransmitters have different actions at different places in the body. After neurotransmitters are released they stay in this space until they are broken down by the body. The body breaks down the neurotransmitters and attempts to recycle the components to be used to make other things in the body.

Our bodies are able to use electricity because of many processes, but one major one is because we store electrolytes. Our organs and tissues use electrolytes like Sodium and Potassium to create electrical charge. This “electrical spark” causes electricity to generate so that it can be conducted through the nerves.

The human body is very complex & requires more than just electricity to function due to many components of its design, but each neuron as an individual unit is incredibly similar functionally to wires bundled into computer cables.

How does this process intersect with technology?

If someone were to attempt to hurt you with insidiously with technology it could create A LOT of very weird experiences.

If you know how to electrically stimulate parts of the body, like if you put an electrical stimulator/microchip/or another component that alters electricity in someone’s nervous system you could do a lot of weird things that people with no medical background would struggle to explain.

Machinery causing electrical impulses or “shocks” to be sent to certain part of the brain can produce many effects.

If someone sent electrical impulses down the cranial nerves it would produce a wide range of effects.

If certain cranial nerves were stimulated by someone controlling a technological component then someone could cause your body to involuntarily do the following by stimulating one of the 12 cranial nerves with electricity:

Involuntarily, as if your body moved on its own, you could feel the following:

> Your eyes to move in a certain direction, like your eyes are “locking on” to an object. Similar to how a computer program is able to “lock on” to a target

> Cause your vocal cords to move even when your mouth isn’t open

>Jaw movement & other motions of the face

>cause vertigo/dizziness/altered proprioception or your sense of orientation in space. So a lot of the symptoms of being inebriated

>control of your tongue muscles

> ***Vagus nerve or cranial nerve 10 does a lot, tampering with it could do a lot of weird things *** Possibly weird respiratory and/or internal organ symptoms like shortness of breath, changes in swallowing like dysphagia, vocal hoarseness, & many other possible and serious side effects

> Specific neck movements & turns of the head

You could also produce the sensations in someone of:

>hearing voices that aren’t there or altered processing, they talk but it’s like you can’t understand

>hearing sounds that aren’t there or altered hearing

>seeing images that aren’t there or altered sight

>smelling things that aren’t there or altered smell

>feeling things that aren’t there or altered feeling

>tasting things that aren’t there or altered taste

All of these actions and the degree to which you could “control it” would vary. Some of these are more technically complex to do, but at the most basic level “micromovements” from even just these few nerves are highly likely.

Our bodies have more than just electricity that contribute to our ability to do voluntary control as a defensive system to prevent these types of tampering events from occurring, but I think on a basic level it would still be possible to do some of these micromovements.

Without a lot of technological advancement required, the most worrying to me is a combination of seizures (which can occur when you just overload something with electricity) and/or lots of trauma producing something similar to disassociation & making people hear voices. It unfortunately often produces a mind control like feeling where other people attempt to control and/or influence your behavior.

I think in the quest for mind control, some very bad people use these types of things to hurt other people & technological advancements in subliminal messaging have greatly hurt the world through our time.

In order to fix things I think we must first understand them.

[prince-liest]

I got a government grant from a clean air project for turning in my '97 Corolla for a very hefty chunk of money off of a new (or new-ish) hybrid vehicle from an approved dealership, finally went to purchase my new car today with my dad, and ended up getting a 2025 Toyota Camry SE.

Sorry, Alastor, I think I'm with Vox on the front of technological advancement, ahaha. It's almost a 30 year jump in car technologies and I damn well feel like I've upgraded into the new century (or, well - millennium, technically)! This car does so many things and they all manage to feel like they are actually convenient rather than useless technology bloat. I think this is technically what Nietzsche meant when he said that to live is to suffer, LOL. Can't appreciate the good stuff if you haven't experienced the alternative! Also, y'know. My breaks lost pressure on me in the middle of a winding mountain road with no cell service last month, so. That was the sign to move on.

It's so wild to go from a car that's got a plain metal key, a phone charger operated through the cigarette lighter that only succeeds in making my phone lose charge more slowly, an AC system that would vibrate the whole dashboard alarmingly if it had to work too hard, and music that I played through a casette tape with bluetooth connectivity...to a car where I get in, put my phone down on the wireless charging pad, and watch the touchscreen automatically turn on with my Spotify and Google maps. Never again am I going to accidentally leave my headlights on and drain my car battery, LOL. Thanks, battery-attached jumper cables, you served me well. The car is so damn quiet and smooth, too.

Also, it's a very pretty car! I got it in white. Sorry, "windchill pearl."

Anyway, I'm just experiencing a delightful bit of awe and joy. Happy graduation and early birthday to me! <3

[laurelwen]

Obscure Media: Encore VFX Article

Brought to us courtesy of @widowswinter, who's been working hard to dredge up these gems from the past.

We've all seen this cover by now, but in case you didn't know, Encore was an Australian film trade magazine. It switched to an online format and then seems to have ceased publication around 2013. Some of their articles can be found at https://mumbrella.com.au/, but none going back to 2006. Widowswinter accessed this article via the National Library of Australia, which houses physical copies of the magazine and will make copies/scans of some of their collection.

Full Article and a plain text version below the break:

ENCORE I 22 I V24 ISSUE 2, FEBRUARY, 2006

Digital effects were integral to writer/director Gregory Read's Like Minds, the UK/Australian psychological thriller starring Toni Collette, Richard Roxburgh, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Sturridge.  

With production split evenly between Australia and England, where the story is set, the dual role of the DFX was to heighten the in camera drama, and to solve problems created by on-set limitations and impracticalities. This was especially true for the film's opening train sequence during which schoolboys hang outside the door of a train travelling at 80 km/h, playing 'chicken' with the rapidly advancing stanchions (posts that support the overhead electric wires).

"Even if we could shoot the whole scene on a live train travelling at speed, getting the angles in and out of the train with the presence of real stanchions isn't realistic, not to mention the danger of attempting such a live sequence," said Read, who consulted with DOP Nigel Bluck and VFX supervisor Dave Morley, of Sydney-based VFX house Fuel International, to determine the best way to shoot this scene. "The upshot was to have two shoots; the first being the boys on a live train minus stanchions, travelling at its top speed of 20km/h. We used a wind cannon and lighting rig to emulate speed. The boys were cabled into the train, which gave them the opportunity to hang out, feel the 'rush' and give me the performance I wanted . The rest of the scene was shot in a shed with two very big guys rocking the train."

Like Minds features Collette in the role of a forensic psychologist appointed by police to determine whether there's enough evidence to lay murder charges against 17-year old Alex (Redmayne), accused in the shotgun death of his schoolmate Nigel (Sturridge).

The train scenes were initially earmarked to be shot in Adelaide but the unavailability of a suitable 1970s-style electric train meant the production shifted to a train museum located in Cessnock, NSW. Fresh stumbling blocks at the new location included a train carriage without a front engine and the absence of on location electricity; factors which necessitated the deployment of a bright yellow ex-BHP locomotive to propel the 'electric' carriage backwards and forwards at a maximum travelling speed of just 20km/h.

Fuel's task included the creation of the CG stanchions, which Read wanted to "crash into frame very close to the carriage then vanish into shadow".

"The shot required the stanchion to race towards the boys, barely missing one of them. However, when the stanchion was put in it just didn't look right so David [Morley] gradually scaled up the stanchion to 300 percent as it raced towards us so that it worked, visually and dynamically. As an added effect, when this stanchion slams past it actually hits the camera on which David introduced shudder."

Morley's team rigged up a series of par cans (stage lights) attached to a programmable lighting desk that enabled them to set the speed of lights turning on and off in series to simulate the feel of the stanchions travelling past the carriage at the desired speed of 80 km/h.

"Each of the CG stanchions has its own light pointing down towards the train and we used the par cans to give us the motion of the light travelling past," Morley said. "We built CG stanchions to match the style of what they have over in England, and from reference gathered off the web and footage Greg shot in England, then tracked them in and composited them all together."

When working on shots looking down the length of the train, the ground plane was sped up 400 percent. This was done to disguise the fact that the train was actually only travelling at 20 km/h.

"That would get put back in and then we'd have the CG stanchions over the top of that," said Morley. 'There was normally only one extra carriage behind the one that we were working on, so we ended up having to extend extra carriages as well. Because we only had one train rigged with the lights we ended up shifting the camera up one carriage length then duplicating this carriage for the two missing carriages."

The variance in visible rainfall during the Cessnock shoot presented another problem to be solved.  

"We'd set up to get the master shot, which was a very large crane shot moving down onto the railway tracks from about 30 feet up," Read explained. "In this environment we had two large rain towers with rotating heads which produced heavy rainfall, however when we swung  around to shoot reverse shots there was very little backlight and the rainfall was barely visible. We knew we didn't have time to move lights - let alone the travelling train in the background where the lights would need to stand. It was a matter of placing CG rain into the background of those shots so they matched the master."

Like Minds is set in the middle of the English winter. Obviously, Cessnock's 45-degree temperatures created obstacles. Among the challenges were short night shoot hours, actors having to wear heavy fur-lined clothing and the need to frame out all 'summer' foliage - especially gum trees.

In addition, while the English shoot took place in wintertime, Read was keen to include a shot of the school location in summertime. Fuel was called upon to make shots filmed in winter appear as though it was summer. This was done with sky replacements, adding leaves to trees and replacing snow with grass. Among these was an interior shot of the exterior through a window.

Fuel worked on 89 shots in total including the opening title sequence, which sees a camera move along a darkened surface before rising to show raindrops falling on this surface, which is revealed to be a train track.

"Suddenly a train rushes over the track and we cut out to a wide shot and there's the boy hanging out of the train," said Read. "I thought we could use a motion control rig and then put in the CG later but then practicality and cost came into it and I faced with the reality that this shot was too much of an indulgence; we didn't have the budget and so I turned to David and said 'Help! This is the shot I want to do'.

Armed with Read's storyboards and a second unit, Morley directed the title sequence himself, opting to use a live train to give it authenticity.

"We had to carefully choreograph the timing of both the camera tracking back and the train barrelling down the track straight for us with quite a few dry runs separately with both train and crew until we were confident we had the positions the camera needed to be in relation to the train," explained Morley.  "We still had several safety people standing by to quickly rip crew out of the way of the impending train if they had not reached the agreed ‘point of no return'  position. In the end we got exactly what we wanted."

Once the shot had been captured, Fuel scanned the image at 4K, smoothed the camera move and retimed the sequence. In addition to the titles CG sparks were added to the undercarriage as the train passed by.

[Like Minds Masterpost]

[alltheirdamn]

A Bounty for Reward (Mando x f!reader)

CHAPTER 9

Summary: Running isn't always as easy as it sounds. Warnings: unprotected piv sex, praise kink, creampie, cum eating/light cum play, soft!mando, some teasing per usual, a fuck ton of angst you might cry (maybe?) Word Count: 8.4k A/N: I just love angst too much, okay? Anyway... this chapter and the next are *Certified* my favorites

Early the next morning, Mando flew the Crest to the deeper parts of the forest outside the village. It was secluded and quiet and further off-grid than you were hoping for. If you wanted to make a plan to leave, this was taking you several steps back. 

He was being extra sweet as the morning faded into early afternoon, speaking softly and leaving faint touches on you as you passed in the cargo hold. Each touch was another brutal reminder of that tether pulling between you, that inescapable feeling that something was keeping you both intertwined. You wanted to hit your head against the metal walls and get a grip, but he was making it so fucking hard. 

And he was keeping good on his word and not treating you differently. He even agreed to train with you, promising weapons and a longer session once the afternoon sun peaked. Shedding those secrets yesterday felt like a burden lifted from your chest, yet that anger still festered deep inside you, waiting to escape at any moment. If you could fight Mando, you could lessen those bubbling emotions.

Outside in the clearing, Mando kept a tight grip on his blade, leveling it with his body as he beckoned you to make the first move. You crouched low, aiming for his thigh, only for him to deflect it before you could even get within a foot of his body. His free hand grabbed your wrist, locking it in a vice until your blade fell with a light thud in the grass.

“Fuck,” you snapped.

That rage was crawling up your spine, torching your nerves. You picked up your blade and got into a defense position as you waited for Mando to strike. He advanced on you slowly, his steps calm and calculated up until the last moment when his weapon came shooting out to slice at your bicep. You stepped back in time to escape his strike, blocking your face with one arm and returning a strike at his shoulder. His other hand caught your forearm, twisting it until you yelped. Thinking fast, you drove a knee up into his abdomen, the bone hitting his armor belt on impact. Pain erupted through your body, and you staggered back, winded from the fight.

“You alright?” Mando asked, his breath ragged. He clasped a hand on your shoulder as you bent over heaving. 

Giving him no time, you sliced upwards, nicking the fabric between his cowl and chest. It wasn’t forceful enough to hit skin, but enough to surprise him and send him reeling backward. You straightened with a wide grin on your face, flipping your knife in your hand casually. 

“Don’t let your guard down, Mando,” you shrugged.

He tossed the blade from his hand, charging at you full force. You managed to dodge him, sliding to the left and breaking into a full sprint. The thrill of a chase pounded in your chest as you took off into the empty clearing, the tall grass dying beneath your feet. Your blood was pounding in your ears loud enough to drown out his footsteps behind you, and you felt free. Maybe this was your shot; maybe you could outrun him. 

But that thought died quickly as a sharp cable looped around your right leg, sending you down into the earth hard. Thankfully, you had enough time to brace yourself before the strength of the cable dragged you backward toward Mando. Your nails clawed at the soil beneath you as you tried fighting against it, but your strength was no match for the weapon on his belt. 

Mando’s hands were on your shoulders in an instant, flipping you over to reveal your muddied shirt and face. With him looming over you in all his armored glory, your body flushed a deep red, the heat crawling over your chest and neck. He crouched down, unwinding the cable from your calf, massaging the skin under your pant leg slowly. 

“Never run from a bounty hunter,” he warned. “They’ll always catch you.”

They’ll always catch you. 

You tried to cool your expression as the words washed over you, draining all the heat and color from your body. Did he know? Of course, he didn’t; he was just taunting you in the heat of the moment. 

“Well, you made a nice mess of me with that stunt,” you huffed, sitting up to rest on your forearms. 

“Could make even more of a mess of you for running away from me.”

“Is that a threat?” You smirked.

Mando crawled over you, his helmet a breath away from your face. You pressed your body up into his, letting your breasts rub against his chest plate. It smeared mud against the shiny metal, and you laughed softly.

“Looks like you’re just as messy as me.”

“You wanna fight dirty?” Mando challenged.

“Yeah, I do.”

Hooking your leg around his waist, you used all your energy to spin him over and pin him beneath you. Mando’s hands found their familiar place on your hips, his grip holding you firm as you straddled him. With one slow grind of your hips, he exhaled a groan, and you relished in the feeling of his cock growing hard against your ass. 

“I like you underneath me,” you hummed, rolling your hips again.

Mando’s fingers dug into the exposed skin of your waist, your shirt long having ridden up from the fight. You placed your hands on his shoulder pauldrons as you ground against the fabric of his suit, the friction shooting waves of pleasure through your core. You could push the doubts aside if you pacified it with a distraction. And he was the perfect distraction.

“Make yourself cum, angel. Let me watch you fall apart.”

“No touching.”

He let his fingers slip away from your waist, setting them behind his helmet as he gazed up at you, silently waiting and watching. You indulged in his request, moving your hips in earnest against the hardened outline of his cock. The drag of your clit against it was intoxicating, and you drew circles until you found the right pattern to shatter you into oblivion. You were all too aware that you were in the wide open space of the forest, completely exposed to any possible threat, but that didn’t stop you from pressing your body down harder onto him. If anything, it fueled the fire inside you even more, your movements growing more desperate and out of control. You scrapped your nails against the metal of his pauldrons as your core clenched one final time. Your release escaped from you with a loud moan, the sound filling the space around you. 

“Look at the mess you made,” he taunted, tilting his visor toward the obvious wet spot on your pants. 

You muttered some sort of jumbled nonsense as you slumped against his chest, too blissed out to care that your cunt had drenched your pants and his. 

“Too bad you can’t taste it,” you tossed back. 

What the fuck? 

Why would you say something like that? It completely went against his Creed to remove his helmet, let alone remove it to taste you. That thought pushed beyond all boundaries, and you weren’t quick enough to swallow those words.

“You have no fucking idea how bad I want to taste you,” he growled, letting a hand coast down your back to deliver a sharp slap against your ass. 

“I can taste for the both of us,” you whispered.

Positioning yourself back up onto his lap, you trailed a hand down your stomach and let your fingers dance under the waistband of your underwear. Swiping a finger through your wet folds, you brought the glistening digit to your lips and eyed him as you sucked it clean. Mando’s body went rigid under you, his hands flexing against your backside. 

“Again,” he ordered.

You repeated the motion, letting the taste of your release coat your tongue. Before you could even swallow, Mando’s hand came up to your jaw, holding it firm.

“Let me see.”

Your lips twitched with a smile as you opened your mouth wide. His gloved thumb ran across your bottom lip and slowly pushed into your mouth. You wrapped your lips around his thumb, sucking on the fabric of his glove until you heard him inhale a sharp breath. 

“Tell me I can fuck you.”

You released his thumb with a gentle pop, nodding mindlessly at his request.

“Please,” you begged. 

With that one simple word, Mando had you thrown onto the grass, positioning you on all fours. He made quick work of yanking your pants down your thighs, the light afternoon breeze sending a shiver over your exposed skin. 

“So fucking wet for me, baby,” he groaned.

You preened at his words, humming as he slid a finger inside your aching cunt. Maker, if he didn’t fuck you soon, you’d go mad. You heard the zipper of his suit roll down and the quick brush of the tip of his cock against your entrance. Yes. You needed this. You needed to clear your mind and forget all the ways you’d hurt him when you decided to run. This was the last time, you told yourself. 

Mando pushed into you slowly, letting your body adjust to his cock as it stretched you out. You groaned into the soil beneath you, paying little mind to the mud smearing across your cheek as you braced against the ground. Mando rocked into you slowly at first, finding that perfect rhythm that made you clench around his cock, and then began pistoning into you. You cried out as he drove into you, each thrust hitting you at the core. 

“This pussy is mine,” he growled with each snap of his hips. “No one will ever touch you again.”

You were too dazed to analyze his words or think of anything other than the swelling warmth inside you. He wanted you for himself? Fine, he could have you. He could take anything he wanted, and you’d give it to him willingly. It didn’t change the fact that you’d leave him; your emotions were slowly crawling behind the walls you had built before.

But then, in that moment, you craved the way he fucked you. You focused on the thrum of your heartbeat, the pulse throbbing in your clit, the feel of his cock buried inside you. You cursed into the ground, your teeth gnashing together as that euphoric surge of release splintered across your nerves. You clenched around his cock, your cunt fluttering through the aftershocks of your orgasms, yet he didn’t let up.

“Mando…” You whined.

His hand smoothed over the soft skin of your ass as he crooned out various praises. 

Taking me so good, angel. 

Fucking love how you feel wrapped around my cock. 

Give me more.

You were putty in his hands, and you melted at every syllable dripping through the modulator of his helmet. You wanted the praise. You wanted the release. You wanted this.

“So fucking beautiful,” he exhaled, a hand wrapping around your hair.

He tugged at it gently, your neck craning upwards. The sky above you blurred as another bubbling release coursed through your stomach. You blinked back tears as the tremors tore through you and set your nerves alight. Mando grunted with a final snap of his hips, spilling into you until you felt his release seep out of your aching cunt. 

Releasing his grip on your hair, you felt his fingers work through the tangles knotting at the base of your neck, soothing you as you let your body rest against the ground. He kept his cock sheathed inside of you for several moments, the warmth of his body pressed against yours the perfect salve for the ache inside you. 

Even when it was rough, he made sure to care for you—something no one else had done before.

“Was it too much?” He asked, finally pulling out of you and shimming your pants back onto your hips. You could still feel his cum leaking out of you, and a guilty part of you loved it.

You shook your head as best as possible, your body still fighting off the shakes that traveled up your thighs. Rolling onto your back, you stared at him as he hovered over you. 

“Never too much,” you exhaled.

Mando sat back on his heels and offered a hand to pull you up. He rubbed at your cheek, most likely cleaning the mud from your face and let his hand come down to caress the side of your neck. Maker, each soft touch was another knife to the chest as you tried to remind yourself of what you needed to do.

This was the last time.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, angel.” 

He hauled you to your feet, leading you back to the Crest as you walked on shaky legs. You knew you’d be sore for days, which didn’t make the idea of running sound pleasant. But regardless, you were leaving. You had to. 

After a long time spent alone under the spray of water, you emerged from the refresher with damp hair and a few scatters of bruises. Maybe a year ago, the faint black and blue color on your skin would have repulsed you, but you didn’t mind this time. It was Mando that left them there, and the thought of carrying those marks with you when you left was strangely comforting. 

Mando wasn’t in the hull, and you heard his voice from the cockpit as you climbed the ladder, his voice clipped and short.

“I had to make an unexpected stop in Sorgan,” you heard him say.

“Well, if you’re interested in a few more credits, I’ve got word of a bounty on the planet.” 

It was Greef Karga, and you would know that lively voice anywhere. He was a talker and a good one at that. You only recalled hearing his voice once, and that had been the same day Mando killed a man for you. 

“Send me the coordinates.” 

Silence followed Mando’s words, and you took it as an invitation to enter the cockpit. He turned in his pilot's seat, staring at you slightly longer than usual. 

“Guild business?” You asked.

“It’ll be a quick hunt,” he assured you. “You’re safe here.”

You masked the bubbling anxiety as it accelerated your heart rate. If Mando were leaving for a hunt, it would be the perfect opportunity to run. 

“When do you leave?” You tried not to sound too eager. 

“Tonight.”

“You’ll be back in the morning?”

“Yes.”

“Promise?” You wanted him to think you were worried. And truthfully, you were worried. You were worried you’d get caught and worried he’d get hurt.

“I promise, angel.”

You nodded, swaying in the spot you stood. He motioned for you to join him, and though you felt hesitant, you relented and sat beside him. You didn’t know how to fill the silence this time; you were too focused on the thousands of strategies to leave. You’d need to make sure you had your knife with you and some sense of awareness of where the fuck you were. You were off-grid on Sorgan, but you knew they had a docking port somewhere. If you could get in proximity to the village again, maybe you’d find your way to the port. You’d find a way to tuck a few of Mando’s credits in your pocket and buy yourself transport back to Coruscant. Leaving him would mean you’d have no protection, but that hadn’t stopped you before. You managed to survive a few months on your own, and if anything, being around Mando had taught you how to fight and survive. 

“You’re quiet,” Mando commented. 

His voice startled you out of your daze and drew you back to the present. You stared at the red lights flashing on the nav panel, trying so hard not to look at him for fear of risking everything. 

“You’re the one famously known to be quiet,” you tossed back. 

“Hmm,” was his only response. 

Another beat of silence passed, and he spoke up again. 

“Your parents. What were they like?”

Your eyes tore away from the nav panel and straight to his helmet. 

“What?” You balked. 

“I’m just trying to make small talk, angel.”

“But why do you want to know about them?” You were on the defense now. 

He shrugged, tilting his helmet. 

“Because I want to know about you.”

Maker, had this been any other time, the sentiment may have been welcomed. You’d happily talk about them—even if it hurt—and share those parts of your life with him. But now, the more you shared, the worse it would hurt. He’d leave tonight thinking you’d be here in the morning and everything would be fine, but it wouldn’t be. He would return to an empty ship and one less bounty to worry about. Because at the end of the day, that’s what you were. What you had always been from the start. 

“They were…” A lump formed in your throat as you tried to string some sentences. “They were normal. My father had owned the junkyard his entire life. I grew up learning how to rebuild speeders and droids before I could even walk. My mother tried to stay out of the way. She was always cautious about the trades he made or the business he took in.”

“How did he end up getting mixed up with the Pykes?”

You sighed, rubbing a hand across your forehead, no doubt a headache on the horizon. 

“I honestly don’t know,” you said. “He didn’t tell me much about the deals or the people he made them with. I usually stayed inside when traders came to the yard, but when Kesi came that day, I was finishing working on a new prototype of a speeder. It was the end of the workday, and my mother was waiting for us to clean up to join her for dinner when they came by. My father was never one to back down from conflict… he was stubborn.”

“That’s where you get it,” he huffed lightly. 

You couldn’t help but laugh, too. 

“I am my father’s daughter.”

“What would have been your life if Kesi never came around?”

You hit your head against the headrest, closing your eyes to hide the tears that stung your waterline. Why the fuck was he asking so many questions? Why did he care? 

“I don’t know, Mando.” There was a bite to your words. “I never saw myself leaving Mos Eisley, so maybe the junkyard would have been mine one day.”

“Would you ever want that? Your own junkyard?”

“What I want is freedom,” you snapped, turning to look at him through blurry eyes. “I haven’t thought that far, okay?”

Your anger must have been unexpected because he exhaled heavily, turning his helmet toward the windshield. You weren’t even regretful for lashing out, but seeing him so quiet from it pained you a little. He genuinely asked questions to understand you better, but you couldn’t afford to let him in any closer. What you wanted shouldn’t matter to him; he had a job, and that’s all he should care about. Your freedom and your life shouldn’t have been his concern; he needed to be reminded of that. 

“Why do you care so much?” You asked, softening your voice. 

“I don’t know.”

“You always say that.”

Mando didn’t respond, which frustrated you.

“You shouldn’t care about me,” you hesitated. 

“I know.”

The conversation was going nowhere, and you were spiraling inside, wondering if leaving him would feel as easy as it sounded. You just needed to make it through tonight, and you’d be gone once he left. 

“I’m tired,” you lied. 

“Go rest. I’ll wake you before I go.”

You couldn’t manage a response, only giving him a gentle nod before disappearing into the hull. You gathered your blade and the leather thigh holster, sliding them under the blanket on the bed. Reaching for the leather vest on the ground, you hesitated. Emotions crashed inside you as you picked it up, remembering how he had bought this just for you. He wanted you protected, no matter what. It was a sign of trust you both had built together. Leaving meant breaking that trust, but he knew from the start you would leave, just not like this. 

You stowed the vest away along with everything else and crawled into the bed on sore legs. You needed to reach the village first, then find the route to the docking port. Once you made it there, Mando wouldn’t come searching. At least, that’s what you kept telling yourself. Going to Coruscant was risky; Mando was bound to go looking for you there. You had no other option; until you had a better place in mind, that was where you’d start. 

You fell asleep fast, the night terrors at bay for at least a little while. They crept in slowly at first, then hit you all at once. Memories of hands grabbing you, blades slicing your skin, spice on your lips… all came flooding in. You thrashed in your sleep, your voice crying out for everything to stop.

“Hey,” a voice whispered. “Hey, it’s alright.”

You startled awake, the pull of the voice enough to draw you out of the trance inside your mind. Mando caressed your hand, rubbing circles over your knuckles. You couldn’t hide the flinch in your body as he touched you, and he drew his hand away.

“I’m leaving,” he said. “You’ll be okay?”

“Yeah.” Your voice was hoarse from the screams.

“Wear your comlink in case anything happens. I’ll check in on and off to make sure you’re okay. Just stay on the ship.”

“Okay.”

He slid the comlink onto your wrist, his touch lingering on your skin. You rubbed your eyes, looking at Mando for one last time. You memorized the pieces of armor covering his body and the helmet that stared down at you. For the last time, you wondered what his eyes looked like behind the visor. 

This was it. This was goodbye.

He moved to the weaponry wall, pulling out a blaster and tucking it into his belt. You noted that he left it unlocked for your benefit. He trusted you with it. And that hurt. All the trust you had built would be gone in a mere few hours. 

“Mando,” you called out.

He turned to you.

“Be safe, okay?”

“Always, angel.”

You watched as the night swallowed him, the darkness of the ramp closing the only thing left between you and him. 

This was goodbye. 

** 

He had him cornered. Through the thick weeds that framed the lake, Mando could spot the thermal footprints that the quarry had left behind. After countless hours of hunting, Mando finally had eyes on the bounty. He had sent her a message through the comlink that he’d be gone longer than expected—the bounty was quick, and Mando had a lot of space to cover. He hadn’t heard a response and figured she was asleep again. He hated the thought of her alone with her nightmares; the screams that erupted from her when he woke her were enough to make him reconsider staying. But he needed this hunt. He needed to clear his mind.

Mando pulled his blaster from his weaponry belt, keeping it low and close to his thigh as he trudged through the overgrown forestry around him. The quarry’s eyes peeked through the greenery, connecting with the tinted visor for only a moment.

But it was the only moment Mando needed.

He took his shot… and he missed. Mando never missed a shot. The quarry took off again, furthering the distance between them. His emotions were clouding his skills, and he knew the thought of her forced his hand unsteady. If he had felt strongly for her before, he couldn’t comprehend what this feeling was now. It consumed every thought, every breath, every move of his muscles. 

Sucking in a breath, Mando sent another message to her. This bounty would take up more of his time, which meant he wouldn’t return till later in the day tomorrow. He was miles out from the Crest, and the trek back with a body in tow would only slow him down. 

He realized there still hadn’t been a response from her, only static through the comlink.

“Hey, answer me,” he bit out, the message meeting more static air on the other end. 

“Answer me, dammit!” He wasn’t angry. He was scared. 

He called into his comlink more times than he should have allowed, the time wasted adding up quickly. He was scared, and he still had the quarry to track down. The bounty reward wasn’t high enough— nothing would be high enough— to risk her safety. 

Mando shot into a full sprint towards the Crest, calling into the comlink continuously. The sound of the static drowned out in his ears, the world collapsing around him. He didn’t stop running, letting the miles separating him and the Crest fall away with each stride. 

Finally, in view of the Crest, Mando broke into a sweat as he pushed himself past his fastest pace, knees giving out as his boots hit the ramp as it lowered. Everything looked as it was from the ship's outside: no sign of scavengers or guild members anywhere. Everything inside looked as he remembered: no sign of struggle or fight anywhere. He continued to call her name as he searched the entirety of the ship, coming up empty as he ran back down the ramp to check the perimeter.

“Fuck!” He yelled, pounding his fist into the side of the spacecraft. The metal rattled under the force of the hit, the sound reverberating around him. 

He had told her to stay on the ship. He told her. And she agreed. So, he didn’t understand why she was gone? She would have at least alerted him through the comlink, or maybe she was too fearful to interfere with the hunt. Either way, she shouldn’t be gone. 

The only thing he thought to do was hunt her down. It was the only thing he could do, the fear creeping in as he switched his visor to thermo-tracking. Her footprints lit up in red, vibrantly contrasting the darkened grass. They tracked north, the staggered spacing hinting at the fact she had been running. Still fearful, Mando considered the awful idea that she had been chased down. But there were no other footprints, and he couldn’t recall any ships that had flown overhead.

So, what the fuck did she run from?

Mando considered flying the Crest and tracking her overhead, but he wouldn’t know where her footprints started and ended. He continued on foot, running through the overgrown bushes and grass, slashing away at the greenery with his vibroblade. He had been gone from the ship for nearly half a day and had no clue where she would be. Could she have been taken off the planet? If she had, Mando would have seen or heard some sort of transmission in his comlink. But everything had been quiet those few hours.

 It had been dreadfully silent as he hunted down the quarry. 

Reaching out through the comlink again, Mando called for her, hopeful she still had her comlink on her wrist. With nothing but static feedback, Mando confirmed that it wasn’t functional any longer, the silence growing louder around him. Focusing on the outline of her footprints, he noticed a slowing pace in her running— evidence that she couldn’t have advanced much further. Switching to the body heat scanner, Mando swept the area around him, noticing the forestry open into a vast expanse of land without coverage. There were no traces of her body heat, but phantom footprints still staggered through the clearing.

Switching his scanners off, Mando gazed into the sky, watching dusk fall upon him. He felt beyond helpless knowing he could be losing her— even worse; he couldn’t understand why. If no one had been chasing her, if no one had kidnapped her, then why was she gone? He couldn’t recall any notion as to why she would choose to run. Mando had let his vulnerability win, the strength of his attachment outweighing the risks that threatened his loyalty to the Creed. 

He was ready to give all of himself to her, so why was she gone?

His body was fatigued past over-exertion, from the race to the ship and now tracking her footprints. But he wouldn’t let exhaustion win— he had gone far longer without sleep. Countless bounties had taken days to track down, even so far as a week; staying awake and finding her wasn’t even a question. He would find her.

He’d tear the galaxy apart until he found her. 

Whether he was ready to admit it, she had become his Creed, his loyalty to her bleeding out into the universe surrounding him. 

Nightfall came quickly, the beskar armor illuminated by the waning moons above him. Mando switched his helmet to night vision as he continuously scavenged the ground for lingering pieces of her. Every footprint proved she was still alive; that was all he needed to push forward. The sound of frogs in the distance was the only noise to fill the humid air around him— their sounds were a lullaby to his nightmare. Mando could recall every feature in her face: the scrunch of her nose, the constellations of freckles over her cheeks, that wrinkle between her brows he always wanted to smooth over. Over and over again, he forced himself to reimagine the way she looked, the way she felt in his hands, the sound of her voice when she was soft and under his body. The memory of her was all he had left as he ran across the planet, desperate to turn the memories into rediscovered reality. He wouldn’t— he couldn’t — let her go. 

Mando’s steps faltered as hushed chatter in the east fell upon his ears. He focused in on the noise, making out words that alluded to the terrain and creatures around it— farmers. Stepping out of the shadows, Mando approached them slowly, his posture more friendly than predatory. 

“Hello,” his voice was hoarse from yelling. He cleared it, saying ‘hello’ again. 

The farmers turned to him with startled gasps, their grip on their hunting spears tightening. Mando raised his hands, surrendering his power to gain any knowledge they possessed.

“You are… bounty hunter?” One asked, their accent thick.

Mando nodded, his hands lowering to his sides. He made it a point to keep his hand from his blaster, proving to them that he was no threat.

“I need information,” he began, “I’m looking for someone. Have you seen anyone pass through this area?”

The men looked at each other, their expressions mixed with confusion and fear. The man who had first spoken turned back to Mando, and his chin lifted higher as he regained more confidence.

“We see one girl,” he informed Mando. Mando’s weight shifted, his heart drumming inside his ears.

“Did you speak to her?” He pressed.

The man shook his head, pointing his spear towards the trees.

“She goes north.”

“How long ago was this?” 

“Maybe half day, we not sure,” he shrugged. 

Mando was visibly frustrated, his body language tensing with each exchange of words. He had been tailing her the entire time, yet felt even more behind than he was at the start. If she had more than half a day’s running start, she could be near the north docking port faster than he could get to her. 

The docking port.

The pieces aligned in his head in a dizzying blur; she was leaving him. She had waited for Mando to take the bounty, leave her on the ship, and weaponize his vulnerability against him. He had been so distracted by the bounty even to consider her running, yet it had never even been a passing thought in the first place. How could she leave after he laid out his rawest parts? After she showed him her deepest secrets. He had submitted to her, letting her swim in his soul's depths. And she left him. 

In a daze of tangled thoughts, Mando disregarded all gratitude towards the farmers as he shot into a sprint towards the north, the instincts of a hunter fueling the anger that blinded him. It took her half a day to distance herself; it would take him an hour to catch her. He was no longer searching in fear. He was searching in unbridled rage. 

His pace continued steady as he waded through the terrain heading north. He could hear faint rustling in the bushes, a few scattered animals running away at the sound of his boots. Her footprints in the grass lit a brighter red on his visor, their freshness proving that he was getting closer. He could see far off in the distance that night was quickly turning to morning, the hue of sunrise falling upon the horizon. The first ship off-planet would be coming soon enough, as would her chance to leave. Mando couldn’t allow it. 

He yelled her name into the comlink, voice rugged and labored as he continued running. He didn’t know if her comlink was still on her, but he wouldn’t give up. He would keep trying, and trying, and trying. He couldn’t lose her. 

Not this easily. 

As he trailed her footprints closer, he noticed their imprints in the muddy ground below him, making it easier to track without night vision. The impressions went deeper in the ground, proof that she was using more weight to run and was still en route to the north port. Mando quickened his speed, knowing he was going to catch her.

The path through the trees he had followed began to open up into a large expanse of flower beds and bushes. Several flower beds had been destroyed, their petals and stems crushed— her destructive mark left all over them. Scanning the perimeter of the expanse, his eyes fell upon a shadowed silhouette shaded by a large tree towards the northeast corner of the clearing.

It was her.

Her in all her terrifying beauty; her hair tousled into a bun, her clothes covered in mud and grass stains, her skin dirtied and marked with scratches from thorns and bushes. Though his heart pounded heavy in his chest, and there was a haze of anger over his eyes, relief washed over Mando as his eyes settled on the familiarity of her body. 

It was her.

She didn’t have to turn to know he was there, her body rigid as he continued staring. She had done the same when he had hunted her the first time, her skin paling as if she had seen a ghost. Now, he was a ghost haunting her, seeking remnants of an attachment that had faded away with the moon's glow. Mando stepped forward again, meeting her gaze as she turned to look upon him with an expression he could only understand as guilt. He stalked her slowly, watching her body shiver from the morning breeze that floated over the sunrise as it passed the horizon. Her eyes grew wide, watching as he walked forward slowly, his hand hovering over his blaster. He wouldn’t shoot her; he never would even think of it, but it was an instinctual reaction to inflict fear into her. He wanted her scared. He wanted her to feel every emotion he felt throughout the last day. The fear, the loss, the anger. 

Mando wanted her to understand everything he felt. 

**

The sun’s reflection bouncing off metal was unmistakable even from yards away. You half expected him to let you leave, to wipe his hands clean of a nuisance bounty, and continue through the galaxy. The other half secretly hoped he would hunt you down, tearing apart half the outer rim to find you. It took him less than a day, and you were helplessly alone in the grassy field without a place to hide. Would he have found you faster if he had not been tied up with the bounty? Your plan didn’t have much thought put into it, only the aspect of running. And you must not have done a good enough job if a man covered in beskar steel was walking towards you. 

His stride was slow– intentional– the sway of his weaponry belt shifting into view with every step. You weren’t blind to the fact his hand coasted over the gun holster on his hip, his fingers inches from ending your life. If you were even to tense an arm muscle, your core would be split in two from the plasma beams. Dying at his hand would be more honorable than any other death, and you subconsciously welcomed such a departure from the space you occupied. He had already destroyed you in ways beyond repair, leaving your body and soul torn into pieces. You were a bounty, nothing more. But that couldn’t overturn the emotions that had been festering inside you, nor could it make you forget the way you ached for him physically and emotionally. Giving your body to him wasn’t what hurt; it was knowing your heart was slowly falling into his hands… and you knew he might not treat your heart as kind as he did your body. He was a Mandalorian, a child of the Watch; he knew only of loyalty. Loyalty and love were not the same. 

His pace slowed, stopping only a few yards from you. The familiar black visor was trained on you, and you felt like an animal caught in a trap. You had been here before with him, on Coruscant, but this was different. You hadn’t fucked him yet, slept beside him, or listened to him speak of things he kept hidden. You were a bounty.

 Just. A. Bounty. 

“You left.” There was an apparent inflection in his tone. It cut deep into your chest, tearing you open as you realized how wrong your decision had been. 

“I wanted my freedom,” you spoke through the lump in your throat. 

“And I’m working on giving that to you,”  he countered, shifting his weight from one leg to the other, hand still hovering over the blaster. 

“I can’t keep waiting, Mando. What if you don’t find Kesi? I can survive on my own. I’ve done it before.”

His helmet tilted slightly, and you knew he must have been eyeing you intensely under the protection of the metal. 

“Do you not trust me? I swore I would find him and kill him. Is that not enough?”

“I– yes, fuck, it is enough. I just don’t know.”

“You don’t know.” He repeated your words as if tasting your doubts on his tongue. “You don’t know.”

He stepped forward, looping his thumbs into the waistband of his belt. He sized you up and down, his helmet resting on your face again. 

“How long did you think you could outrun me?” The question was out of genuine curiosity. 

“I thought that if I got far enough, you would forget me and carry on with your life.” Your voice was shaky– uncertain. You lacked confidence even in your persuasion. Why were you trying to persuade yourself that your actions were for his betterment? 

“You thought I would forget you?” There was that inflection again, the spike in octave that shot daggers inside your chest, through your ribcage, and right into your heart. You wished you had armor like his so you wouldn’t feel your heart breaking. 

“I’m only a bounty, aren’t I?” 

“No,” his helmet moved slowly in disagreement. “You aren’t just a bounty, and you’re wrong to think I would forget you.”

Tears stung your waterline as you felt defeat in his words. Just as he had slipped under your skin, into the folds of your brain… you had slipped into his. 

You aren’t just a bounty. 

Even if you were, he would have come here with an intent to kill, and you would have had no chance at negotiations. 

But this was different. You were different. 

“Mando—.”

“I have considered destroying my Creed for you, and you left,” his voice rose in anger. “I have made sacrifices to ensure that my loyalty for Mandalore would never falter, and I’m willing to destroy it all for you. And now you think I’ll just forget you?”

You let out a faint whine, a sob lodging in your chest. How could you say anything to that? The man who was rough around the edges, with a heart you thought to be too cold ever to feel… was wholly undone before you. 

“You left me and took every piece of me with you.”

His helmet bowed down, the visor looking towards the ground. There was pain inside him far beyond the reach of your betrayal. 

“I would never ask you to go against your Creed for me, you know that. I’m not worth it,” you whispered. “I understand the severity of your lifestyle, and I wouldn’t let you do that. You didn’t break your Creed for Omera, and you definitely shouldn’t do it for me.”

“I know you would never ask,” he sighed. “That’s what hurts more. I have given pieces of myself to you that I can’t have back. I’ve let myself become too attached…and now I don’t know how to let you go.”

“I’m not worth it,” you repeated. The tears spilled down your cheeks as you watched Mando’s head raise to meet yours. 

“You are the only person worthy of knowing me.” He pulled your hand to the dewy beskar on his chest, “I am yours.”

The tears coasted down your cheeks, traces of guilt covering your face as you watched him step forward again. Your back was flush against the trunk of a sapling tree, leaving no room to escape the trap he put you in. Your mouth opened, yet silence fell off your tongue. 

“Tell me you want to leave.” 

Tell me to stop. 

He had begged you in a similar way before to resist him and his advances. His loyalty to the Creed prevented him from getting close; his armor was more than just a shield for his body. Every emotion, every fracture of his mind, was closed off to you and the rest of the galaxy. You had spent countless days and weeks trying to break through the armor, to even make a fraction of a dent into the metal that guarded him. But now… now you succeeded– the man behind the armor coming completely undone in your presence. It tore your heart apart knowing your ignorance had led to this. 

“I can’t—.”

“Say it!” His voice rose higher. “Tell me you don’t want to stay!”

“Mando, you knew I wanted freedom.” You were losing the battle in front of you, giving into the temptation that blurred the lines between love and desperation.

He swarmed your body, invading the only space that had remained between both of your bodies. He pulled your arms into a vice between his hands, his grip bruising your skin. You winced, eyes pleading for some sort of humanity behind his mask. You dug your heels into the damp soil around you, grounding yourself against the pull of his hold. 

“I’m going to give you that, so why can’t you wait?” His voice was sharp, biting at the air between you. “Why now?” 

“I– I don’t know!” You were exasperated, finding no words to describe the jumbled mess of thoughts fogging your mind.

 “I’m sorry,” was all you came up with. 

“Tell me you want to leave,” he repeated his plea, his breathing labored. 

You hesitated a moment, sucking in a chestful of air. Freedom was at your fingertips, but was it worth all that could be lost? 

“No.”

When he didn’t react to your words, you repeated it. “No.”

His grip fell from your arms, his boots crunching on fallen leaves as he stepped back. His body language showed all signs of being stunned, his stagger backward more reminiscent of someone being shot rather than being told ‘no.’ 

You managed to push yourself off the tree, feeling stray wooden shards stuck to the fabric of your shirt— some even burrowing into your skin. You paid no mind to the stinging sensation prickling along your body.

“I don’t want to leave,” your voice barely above a whisper. “I was selfish to think I could go without hurting you.” His helmet stayed trained on you, unmoving. “Or hurting myself,” you added. 

“Mando,” you continued, “I want— wanted freedom. I have been on the run for months. Ever since my parents died, I have been alone. This is different for me; you’re different. I’m scared of feeling attached because it’s not lost on me that you have no obligation to attachment. Attachment isn’t part of your Creed, and I can’t do that to myself. I can’t do that to you.” you repressed a cry, “I don’t know what to do now because I am irrationally attached to you. Irrational enough to run and keep my distance just for the sake of not breaking my own heart.”

Mando was agonizingly quiet, the rise of his chest under the breastplate being the only indication he was still alive. You picked at the wooden shards stuck to your shirt, wincing at the ones stuck into the thick of your skin. Gloved hands covered yours, pulling a splinter from your forearm carefully. Your eyes lifted to see him towering over you; helmet tilted as he considered your words— and tears.

“I’m sorry for running,” you let the sobs escape your chest, breaking the barrier that you tried to build up so high.

All that you could think to do was wrap your arms around his torso, nearly pushing him over with the force of your body colliding with his. Your nose pressed against the beskar, inhaling the familiar smell of smoke and fire flooding your senses. It took a moment to feel his arms wrap around you, but you were encapsulated in his hold the second they did. 

“I’m sorry,” you muttered over and over again. It was all you could say, the only words that could subdue the swelling silence between you. 

“Shhh,” his voice was so soft, softer than you had ever heard. It struck a chord inside you, playing your heart to the tune of his baritone. You let the sound vibrate through your body, arms squeezing tighter around his back. 

“You shouldn’t feel—.”

“I know,” you quickly responded. “Trust me, I know.”

“I can’t—.”

“I know.”

“I can’t let you go,” he finished, despite your interjections. “There isn’t a corner of this galaxy you could run to where I wouldn’t find you. I would hunt you down just to keep you as mine.”

Mine.

Mine.

The possessiveness on his tongue was like honey, seeping into your veins, rearranging the molecules that made up your entire being. You were his, even from the start. You had begged him to keep you, absentmindedly wishing he would protect you from all that lingered in your past. And he did. Without question. Without asking for anything in return. Perhaps you were the reward after all.

You tried forming words, tried making sense of any coherent thought that could describe the way his admission inflicted the emotions inside you. The only sound to escape was a whimper that drifted between the small space between you. 

“Don’t leave me again.” He pressed his helmet to your forehead, a reflection of your tearful face staring back at you in the visor. You wished so badly to see his eyes despite knowing how wrong it was. You wanted to know how he looked in this moment; the pain, the anger, the relief… all of it. He was the one constant in your life, the person who had stuck by your side and protected you. And you hurt him. You could never live with yourself knowing you would have left him hollow and broken. He was your home. He was your freedom. No matter where you ended up in the galaxy, he would always be where you felt safest.

“I won’t, I promise.”

You peeled away from his embrace, brushing off the dirt littering your vest. The port was still miles away, and you knew you would never reach it. Mando would have gotten to you before you set foot on a transport. It was laughable to think about now. 

“It’s going to take at least two standard days to return to the Crest,” you sighed. 

“I don’t care.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

Mando shook his head, pulling your hand into his to lead you south. 

“We’ll find shelter somewhere tonight and make the rest of the travel tomorrow. I’ve got you now. That’s all that matters.”

The remainder of the day was spent walking in silence, and Mando never let go of your hand. Ever so often, he’d squeeze his thumb against your knuckles, a reminder he was there. You stole glances at him occasionally only to realize he was doing the same. 

“Do you hate me?” You asked after a few hours of no conversation. 

“No,” he answered. 

“I hurt you.”

“I’m okay, angel. I was more scared something worse had happened to you.”

“I’m sorry.”

Mando stopped walking, turning you toward him to capture your full attention. 

“Do you trust me?”

“Always,” you whispered. 

“Then trust me when I say I’m not angry. Not anymore, at least. I understand why you decided to run, but I need you to promise me you’ll stay. Let me give you the freedom I promised you. Don’t go without saying goodbye.”

Your lips trembled, and you nodded solemnly. 

“I don’t know if I’m strong enough to say goodbye.”

“Then don’t.”

“What’re you saying, Mando?”

“Stay. I’ll protect you. I’ll give you whatever you want, so long as you stay.”

You chewed on your lip as you contemplated his offer. You had freedom at the tip of your fingers, yet the temptation to stay swayed your mind. 

“Maybe.”

He nodded, looking towards the trees before you.

“Where does this leave us?” You asked.

“I don’t know,” he said honestly. 

You squeezed his hand this time and ushered him to keep walking. You were safe, and for now, you were his.

[transingthoseformers]

oooo i really like the idea of cybertronians having like ports they can derive pleasure from but then ending up developing the idea of an array. I think just the idea of the progression is interesting

Once they figure out certain data ports bring about pleasure, you'd start to have new cables and devices on the market. Higher specced cables promising higher data speeds, meant to deliver more intense pleasure. Devices you can buy to plug into those ports that are programmed to release charge or push signals to stimulate those ports

Then they start to realise that maybe the ports are so sentive that even touching the pins on the other end of the cable that they plug into those ports returns some form of sensation. It's weak, unless you actively touch the connectors with something that has charge in it, but it gives them ideas.

New devices, essentially tactile sensors, are built to be plugged into this port cables. You touch the thing and you feel it!! Isnt that cool and fun. Then, perhaps, due to the location of the ports tending to be around the crotch or pelvis, the idea of having tactile sensors attached to a cable evolves into tactile sensors that you can plug directly into the ports. You end up with a panel along the codpiece that can take tactile input. Bots can touch themselves there, with their own servos or other devices, or grind their hips against each other, etc

And then why stop at panels right. At some point someone invents what is now recognised as a spike. Something that can be plugged in and is of a shape that can be held, stroked, squeezed- I feel they'd also develop different variations as the technology advances. You can have a normal spike which is just. Like that. Then there are flexible models, a bit more like a prehensile tentacle, allowing the user to move and control the appendage. This probably arises in response to regular spikes cos like now cos it allows them to wrap their tentacle spike around their partner's for eg.

For convenience, this evolves into models that dont have to be taken off after use if you dont want to. Spikes that can depressurise and retract into a housing so the housing can be left plugged in and disguised as part of the armour. Eventually some have this permanently installed instead of having it be something that is plugged in

Valves are the last thing to be invented actually. Sleeves for stimulating spikes come soon after spikes are introduced. And its only so long until someone decides, hey, i can install that into my frame. Installing a valve would be more invasive as it would require actually putting something into the frame, but the area it is installed in means its integrated directly into the cables where all those pleasure ports would have been connected.

Also just in general, other than 'regular' spikes and valves, you would have all sorts of other configurations. Anything that can act as a sensor can be plugged into those ports. Some could have invested in ridiculously complex arrays. Others could just have cables or bare contacts. Those who dont want to have permanent arrays installed can plug whatever they want in. And even if it is permanently installed, its probably fairly easy to change

Ooo? Yeah it would be interesting!

The progression process is interesting

[steelbluehome]

Screen Rant

10 Superpowers Bucky Barnes Still Hasn't Used After 13 Years In The MCU

By Alexander Valentino

September 28, 2024

Bucky Barnes is one of the most gripping and capable heroes in operation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe today, but has still only scratched the surface of his potential from the comics. First introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger, Bucky is one of the few Phase 1 characters still active in the MCU. With the powers of military and assassination expertise, a lesser version of Steve Rogers' super soldier serum, and an advanced cybernetic arm.

In the comics, Bucky didn't originally have any inherent powers other than those granted by his arm, being a peak human with an impressive array of gadgets and weaponry. While his comic arsenal presents some interesting options Bucky never gets in the movies, his eventual ingestion of The Infinity Formula turns him into a super soldier similar to Steve Rogers, granting a suite of enhancements more potent than those shown in the MCU. Between his upgraded serum enhancements and his more expansive gadgetry, comics Bucky is far more intimidating.

10.

EMP Blasts

Bucky's arm does more than just punch and grab

Bucky's most defining characteristic as The Winter Soldier is his trademark cybernetic arm. Emblazoned with the red star of the Soviet Union, Bucky was outfitted with this prosethetic during his deployment as The Winter Soldier in both the comics and the films. Where the two differ, however, is in the arm's capabilities, which are much more expansive in the comics.

One of the most recurring abilities Bucky channels through this arm is the use of powerful directed electromagnetic pulses capable of temporarily disabling electronics. Bucky can use this effect in either wide areas or directed at short-range, instantly bricking technology even as fanciful as Iron Man's armor. The perfect tool for clandestine assassination missions, Bucky's EMP blasts might finally see use in The Winter Soldier's appearance in Thunderbolts*, with the majority of the film's action likely taking place under the radar of public perception.

9.

Extended Reach

The arm is so much more than a simple prosthesis

Potent EMP blasts aren't the only trick The Winter Soldier literally has up his sleeve in the comics. In some instances, Bucky's arm is also able to extend and stretch itself similar to Mister Fantastic, more than doubling his reach and threat radius. The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #2 lists Bucky's arm as having an extended reach of up to at least several yards.

Here, Bucky's bionic arm is able to unfold into many strips of prehensile cabling, allowing him to hook enemies in or devastate them with a powerful strike of writhing tendrils. Perhaps Bucky's new vibranium arm in the MCU can be revealed to have some hidden properties such as this, beyond remote deactivation at the hands of the Dora Milaje in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

8.

Electric Touch

The arm's lightning-charged powers go further than EMPs

Considering Bucky's arm is capable of generating a powerful EMP, it stands to reason that his arm would have to be capable of producing dramatic bursts of electric power. Sure enough, that power can also be channeled in a much more straightforward way via a disarming electric touch. Bucky gets a lot of mileage out of this functionality in the comics, instantly taking down the likes of super-spy villain The Man With No Face.

Cybernetic tendrils aren't the only obscure functionality of The Winter Soldier's arm to be utilized in Bucky's kit in Marvel Rivals. His electric shocks have also found their way into the game, with Bucky able to fire charged balls of dazzling lightning at his foes. Meanwhile, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, electricity is actually a weakness of Bucky's, able to travel through his arm and electrocute him badly as shown in his fight with John Walker in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

7.

Remote Arm Operation

Bucky's comics arm can operate on its own

As if telescoping to increase in length didn't make the range of Bucky's terrifying arm expansive enough, in the comics, the device is capable of functioning even when removed from his shoulder. In one instance, upon being stolen and experimented on by a group of scientists, Bucky's confiscated arm is able to take out a whole room of people literally single-handed. It's also shown to be able to activate its electric functionality while detached from Bucky, zapping one of its helpless foes into submission with a touch.

It's later explained that Bucky controls his arm through a "cyber-link", an implant allowing him to control its movements with thought alone. It turns out that this link isn't necessarily severed when the arm is popped off of Bucky's torso, allowing him to stay in the fight over impressive distances. In practice, this gives Bucky similar powers to DC's bizarre character Arm-Fall-Off-Boy, rebranded as Nathan Fillion's "TDK" in The Suicide Squad by James Gunn.

6.

Teleportation

The cybernetic arm isn't Bucky's only tech asset

For a long time, Bucky was a normal human without any superpowers outside of his bionic arm, albeit a highly-trained one operating at the fictional cutting edge of training as depicted in the comics. This somewhat pigeonholed him into a role as a more gadget-based hero in most stories, leading to him accruing an impressive suite of advanced technology over the years. One of his most cutting-edge pieces of gear is his teleportation device.

Bucky gets this piece of technology, alongside a litany of other powerful pieces of equipment, during his tenure as "The Man on the Wall", a superhero identity used by Nick Fury in Marvel Comics. With this piece of equipment, Bucky is able to summon crackling portals of lightning a la the time travel devices in the Terminator series that he can step into, teleporting vast distances in an instant. Considering the MCU has yet to give even Deadpool his iconic teleportation belt, it's unlikely Sebastian Stan's Bucky will ever get this piece of gear during his film run.

5.

Undersea Suit

Comic Bucky is ready for combat in all environments

For the most part, in the Marvel Comics, The Winter Soldier is somewhat limited to being a street-level hero, even if he is near the top of the food chain. That being said, when push comes to shove, he's able to operate in unfamiliar and straight-up hazardous environments, thanks to the help of advanced technology from S.H.I.E.L.D. One such piece of gear is an impressive undersea operations suit that allows him to resist even the hostile forces of the sea itself.

Bucky wears this suit during a joint operation with Namor in the comics, teaming up in order to take down a group of drug smugglers trying to move their goods through the cover of the ocean. Amazingly, the suit withstands the immense pressure of the Marianas Trench, the single deepest-known undersea location on the planet. Not only that, but Bucky is quite deft with his movements while in the suit, able to effortlessly evade gunfire while moving through the water.

4.

Planet-Busting Guns

The Man on the Wall is quite threatening

Bucky has worn quite the number of different superhero personas in the comics, from being Steve Rogers' sidekick to the deadly Winter Soldier to even taking his own tenure as Captain America himself. However, his most dangerous persona is easily The Man on the Wall, an identity he assumes from Nick Fury. The title was originally given to Fury by Uatu the Watcher, commissioning him to silently protect Earth from countless alien threats in space through morally questionable means.

Part of being The Man on the Wall includes access to an absurd armory of world-killing guns, used to take out powerful beings or even entire populated planets at once. Some of these weapons include a Gatling Gun capable of taking down Ego the Living Planet, Gamma Bullets that are able to deal damage to the likes of Thor, and the prized Kazurr rifle, a sniper that uses vibranium bullets and can accurately pick off targets on Earth from the Moon. Paired with Bucky's natural gift for marksmanship, these weapons make him a deadly Man on the Wall.

3.

Enhanced Longevity

The Infinity Formula has done wonders for Bucky's age

In both Bucky's Marvel Cinematic Universe journey and his original comic appearances, cryogenic stasis during his time as The Winter Soldier kept him from aging normally, keeping him physically only a little older than Steve Rogers by the time of his operations in the modern day. In the MCU, it seems as though Bucky is aging normally, even if he does lose five years of age compared to half the population as a victim of Thanos' Snap. In the comics, he eventually gains powers that prevent this from being the case.

Bucky finally gains proper powers in the comics after Nick Fury revives him from near-death using the Infinity Formula, a potent concoction first created by Isaac Newton (Go figure) with mysterious restorative properties. Acting as a super soldier serum of its own, this formula not only restored Bucky to health, but gave him enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, and durability typical of a Captain America. As a curious side-effect, the formula also dramatically slowed down his natural aging, keeping Bucky spry for (theoretically) decades into the future.

2.

Regenerative Healing

Bucky's comic powers are decidedly stronger

There's one more aspect of the Infinity Formula's effects on Bucky's physiology that isn't represented by the Marvel Cinematic Universe's copycat super soldier serum made by HYDRA. For one, the level to which Bucky's physicals are boosted in the comics are far more dramatic than in the movies, meaning that the original Bucky is actually stronger than his film counterpart. In addition, Bucky enjoys a regenerative healing factor not shown as one of the serum's effects in the film.

While this healing factor isn't on the same level as those of Wolverine or Deadpool, it can still get Bucky back in a fight far quicker than his movie self could after a similar injury. Captain America's comic powers also give him this benefit not seen in the MCU, putting the two on similar footing after years of Bucky remaining as a peak human. This allows him to bounce back from broken bones, deep cuts, and gunshot wounds in a matter of days rather than months.

1.

Environmental Mapping Mask

Bucky's arm and costume work in tandem in the comics

One of the coolest aspects of Bucky's arm not fully explored in the movies that is present in the comics is its integration into his standard superhero suit. Unlike in the films, comic Bucky wears a classic domino mask during his escapades as The Winter Soldier, hearkening back to his days as Captain America's chipper sidekick in World War II. Not just for show, this mask actually has a genius piece of tech integrating it into Bucky's arm.

The classic red star on Bucky's cybernetic shoulder is shown in the comics to be able to emit a radar ping that uses echolocation to map out the surrounding area. The arm can then feed this information back into the lenses of Bucky's mask, giving him an instant 3-D awareness of his surroundings via a digital map. This is one power that would be appropriate for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to give Bucky Barnes, and hopefully he can use it at some point in Thunderbolts*.

See the original article for illustrations from the comics

[van-yangyin]

‼️UPDATE‼️

I removed a few weeks ago from Ko-Fi goal I set for new tower PC. Below I explain why. With new tower they offered me, they sold it as a complete package (tower, screen, keyboard and mouse), but to reduce costs, they only offered me to change the tower. Thanks to that, when I got the new tower they offered me and tested if everything worked correctly, the problem with the screen persisted. The problem was never from my tower, all the time it was from the VGA connector of screen. As soon as they gave me an HDMI to HDMI connector, magically all problems with screen and even graphic tablet disappeared. So I returned the new computer. They charged me $150 for labor, installation of a program I lost in the process (unfortunately all others couldn't be recovered, I got them when I was a student) and HDMI to HDMI connector.

I don't think I will ever go there again even though they were very nice about the whole process, because such a simple solution has taken them more than half a year to fix it, as they “thought” I had a HDMI to HDMI cable. (I always brought and showed them all the cables I had and the only one from screen was VGA to HDMI). With the whole situation I lost a lot of time (from work and everything in general) and patience. Fortunately nobody paid anything on Ko-Fi goal and with couple of commissions I got I will pay for hours they charged me for repair.

After writing all this serious text above, I will explain a funny anecdote to lighten the mood a bit (it's something I rather need because I feel a bit stupid and helpless, for something that was really easy to solve) when I was changing my tower for the new one to test the new one and check that everything was working properly, I literally hit my tower on my leg, with an "ouch". I think it was trying to tell me that it was never the problem. And here I'm again with my tower, working on our stuff, at least until W10 updates stop offering them next year and it has to be changed because it won't accept W11 and not because of a common connector that over the years has stopped working.

Thanks to all people who were interested and offered to know and be able to help me on this subject, reading what I wrote and so on, and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your support by sharing this post, commissioning me (as always I will do my best to offer you the best quality in what I do) and commenting. 🫶💝

(This is what I write on May 3rd)

In some of Custom Content posts I shared last month I said that I had problems with my computer tower. Finally the technicians haven't found a solution and they said me I have to replace it.

The tower I'm using makes screen goes black and turn off and on several times for a few seconds intermittently and the graphics tablet screen doesn't work and is disabled too, making it impossible for me to work properly in both my job and Custom Content. This will be an unexpected expense that was undoubtedly not in my plans and that is why I've opened a goal on Ko-Fi for those of you who can helpe me with the costs of the tower that they offered me that was on sale.

You can also commission me here or here to make you Custom Content of whatever I can make for you, as long as I don't have to make a new texture with my graphic tablet, as I can't use it at the moment for what I say before.

Thank you in advance by either sharing this post or helping in any way you can! ❤️

[bitchesgetriches]

You Have the Frugal Right to Repair Your Shit. Or Do You?

A lot of things are not designed to last. We see this most often in tech, where every year or so a new generation of gadget comes out and the old generation slowly stops working so well. Remember my dead phone battery? It goes deeper than that.

My junk drawer is bursting with generations of iPhone charger cables. Every few iterations, Apple changes the charging port in their phones in the name of technological advancement, making the charging cable for the previous generation obsolete. You can’t use those old chargers on your new phone, and you can’t keep using your old phone because it breaks down over time.

This practice is known as planned obsolescence.

Keep reading.

If you found this helpful, consider joining our Patreon.

[iwonderwh0]

Shoutout to all the other robotfuckers (who appear to be mostly ace irl) out there who feel like this year was played on 10x speed

In the beginning of this year I became obsessed with dbh

At the end, I still am

somehow

I was taken hostage by this game and there's no ransome nor advanced prototype to negotiate for my release

Happy New Year, I wish y'all to have your charging ports and cables in working conditions, your drivers updated and your social relation program working smoothly without unexpected warnings about expired trials and registration codes popping up

[witchofthesouls]

What's Blaster's coding quirks? I know you said Soundwave (in most continuities) was seeker-kin, but I don't think there was anything said about the other him.

(also can I be tentai anon cause uh- you know why :))

First of all, I really like that name 🤣

Second, I need to tag that post specifically since I mixed my own headcanons with an ask that requested a 'what if' scenario where Casette-Carriers paired up as part of their coding quirks.

I'm thinking of host pairs au because more details keep growing in my head...

I just really like the thought that Soundwave has Seekerkin-coding since it could explain his telepathic abilities. Same can be applied to this particular au as well.

In general, I like to think that Cassette-Carriers have quirks that make them really great at sorting an impressive amount of data, which amplifies their extrasensory perception, and they make excellent studs/sires due to their very high-yield sparks that constantly need to be drained and they have the associated reproductive hardware that's geared for it. (So Blaster also has a glowy pair of balls, too.)

Their datacables are unlike other Cybertronians' cables. It's not the delicate uplinks every mecha has or the thin cords of S.T.E.M. specialities. Datacables are thick, malleable, and the density can be manipulated by the host with many capabilities. Because of the fighting and trapping potential along with sinuous movements and how those cables can spring from everywhere from their frames, it reminds many of their ancient boogeyman: the many-faced, many-limbed Quintessons and the mythical monsters of sparkeaters.

Combined with the frame-type's rarity, they have a lot of negative stereotypes.

In host pairs au, very young tapedecks gravitate to their own kind of similar ages to form a type of bond that's essential to their functioning since they can't build cassettes at that point of development. Pairs synch their systems together via datacables into every opening to drain out their sparks back into healthier, stable levels by grounding. Some pairs go as far to even blend their frames together because of the instinct to help balance out the overstressed spark.

It's a type of intimacy that freaks out a lot of mecha as the sparklings straight up go into this state with few-to-no words. Meanwhile, the few adult hosts need to calm down creators and guardians because it's not a sexual deviancy or a Resonants thing. It's a health necessity. Medics don't have the necessary knowledge on how to counter the flares and simultaneously drain the charge in a host sparkling's unstable spark.

In this AU, Blaster and Soundwave have a really complicated relationship that stems from their backgrounds and their own habits. Blaster comes from a family of performers and musicians with ties to universities. (That's why he wasn't given up or stolen away.) His family tried their best with good intentions, but they're very much 'conceal, don't feel' as they overfretted on Blaster's "unfortunate condition." Soundwave, on the other hand, was a lost, wandering sparkling, trapped in his overwhelming abilities.

Blaster provided the mental and physical buffer to help Soundwave navigate his advanced telepathic powers, and Soundwave was the emotional security that Blaster desperately needed as he constantly felt out of place everywhere else.

Ravage, who had known both of them since she came from another Casette-Carrier that mentored them, still calls them "greedy, little slaggers" as both of them had been highly dependent on each other since youth. Usually, paired hosts lessen their reliance somewhere after adulthood as their sparks stabilize with final development and the support of cassettes. However, due to Soundwave’s troubles with his powers, they're both used to a deeper level of intimacy that freaks out more people. Blaster has long carved a place in his mind for Soundwave to easily slide into: a living, breathing home that held true ever since they found each other.

[quirkwizard]

Pretty niche question, but based on the ide super hero vehicles, how would you design a super car for your chosen hero. For example, I thought of a jet ski for honenuki that lets him spray the “mud” he makes, along with a protective glass for a “Dive Mode”.

So I know this was for a single hero, but I had quiet a few ideas for this, so I'm going to lay out all of them. I will give an honorable mention to Tenya here. As funny as I think it would be to give them a car, they would obviously have something leg powered like the Flintstones.

Denki: He would definitely have a sports car, preferably one he could charge with his power. It could be used to carry spare batteries for him to recharge with, but I just think this would be something Denki would have given his personality, something big and impractical to get attention.

Gang Orca: We could give him an orca theme ship or submarine. It may sound silly to give him that, but if has to do a water rescue mission, not everyone he's working with or saving is going to be able to breath under water, so it's good to have a home base.

Kuriorio: This depends a lot on how you interpret how his Quirk works, but I like to think that he could take over something like a car and make it move. Maybe not something like a full sized vehicle, something more drone sized would suit him better, but it could still help him.

Fat Gum: I really like the idea of Fat Gum with a food truck. Not only would it help get him and his sidekicks around and work as a source of fuel for his power, it just feels so in character for him. I could easily see Fat Gum rolling in with a food truck to help feed people and raise morale.

Reiko: A pretty standard motorcycle. The big benefit would be that she could take it apart and put it back together, always having something to use an ammunition and taking it apart and putting it back together to get around tight spots, similar to Josuke from Jojo. Plus it fits with the idea of a ghostly rider coming after you.

Nezu: As tempted as I was to give him a teched out hamster ball or Stuart Little car, I like to give him something like a high tech van, preferably driven by one of his robots. This would effectively act as his mobile command center with various pieces of tech from where he could monitor and command any heroes in the area.

Best Jeanist: You know those massive cables that Jeansist used on Gigantomachia? What if he had something like that with his car of choice? There could be those metal fibers hidden all around the car. Not only could he fight more effeiceny with them, but pull off sick stunts like swinging from building to build in a car.

Uraraka: I think a kind of hover bike would be neat. Instead of having any advanced tech, Uraraka would make it float with her power, with the wheels being replaced by fans to push her around. Maybe she could have cables in the bike as well to pick things up and help move it around, similar to her own costume.

[ralith]

I like to think that bayverse is considered more alien than the other continuities, especially in their language, so just imagine Bay Ratchet being transported to another universe and using it to mess with them, repeating the same thing.

Eventually someone says "I have no idea what you're saying, but sure" and then he just pulls out this image of a certain black mech with a slag ton of moving guns. Turns out, he was just asking if they wanted to see his husband.

If this was on the Lost Light I can easily see Rodimus being the one to say sure, and I'd love to see Dratchet's reaction. Ratchet's totally into mechs that can break him apart and remake him into a gun/j

That is one of the reasons I love bayverse so much is just how alien they feel, but especially the alien/robotic/almost organic quality to them. Super advanced technology that to humans would be borderline magic, the kibble and mechanical elements, then the fluids, cables/fibers that resemble hair, and as you said, their language.

The mental image of Ratchet keeping an image of Ironhide to show off is simultaneously sweet and funny. His subspace is full of medical supplies and then one picture of Ironhide on a data pad (or multiple pics. He can swipe through the pics like a slideshow. "This is Ironhide training. This is Ironhide babysitting his human charge's offspring. This is the brute repairing his cannons in the armory. And this is Ironhide showing off his...uh, whoops. That one was private.")

Mtmte Ratch seems to have a thing for dangerous mechs. Though I don't know if Ironhide would be too much for him to handle 😏

[trivialbob]

TVs get larger and have more features as their prices drop. Cars today are substantially more reliable and safe than those from when I was a teenager. People live longer due to advances in medicine.

I'm an optimist. Life gets better.

When Amazon first arrived I was excited. I bundled my orders to avoid a shipping charge. Amazon didn't collect sales tax in those days. Then I got Prime. It's has a hefty annual fee, but it comes with the TV streaming and free shipping.

My adult kids have credit cards on file on my Prime account so they can take advantage of the free shipping and not pay the annual Prime fee. I can also treat myself to some free stuff by using their cards (kidding). Now that Netflix has stopped us from sharing accounts, I figure it's just a matter of time before Prime does that too.

Lately when I open Prime streaming there are commercials. Mostly they are for shows but this morning saw one for Maybelline eye makeup. I have to hit the Back button to get on to the main screen. It's easy to move along. But that extra new step annoys me.

This week I got an email from Amazon telling me there will be limited commercials on Prime streaming starting January 29.

This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.

It made me think of the surcharges some restaurants now add to the bill. 6% for healthcare. 18% for fair wages. 2% for clean silverware! Any place with the tablet that swivels asks me to tip 20, 22, or 25% to the teenager who put two doughnuts into a wax bag. Recently I purchased something with a lifetime warranty. The salesman offered to sell me an extended warranty. None of these things make my shopping or dining experiences more enjoyable.

Amazon politely notes that I will have the option to pay a $2.99 monthly premium to avoid commercials. I'll probably put up with commercials. Paying more to Amazon doesn't sit well with me.

So it will be like the old days. Instead of using the pause button when I want to get a drink or snack I'll do that during the commercials like it's 1988, when I still had hair and a 75 pound television set.

Another thing about Amazon Prime: It is starting to feel like Temu. If I'm looking for some product that isn't necessarily under a particular name brand I see multiple items with the same picture but different company names. Gogoku, Calicob, Miaozuhn.

I can take my chance on lower priced things that might be crap, like some USB charging cables I bought that added hours to the time it took to charge my phone. There was probably a single strand of thin wire inside the rubber coating, that's my guess. Oh why did I trust you, AAguuds?

As much as I use online sellers I do like to shop local and support nearby stores. Amazon has begun to make that choice even easier.

[fear-is-nameless]

Antimatter Revamp

A continuation of this from June, as much has happened since then.

2 years ago, antimatter was hinted in Argentum Inanis, where the author (whoever they are) made the connection to it with IRIS.

Back then we had no idea who or what IRIS was.  

Now, we know better.

Much better.

A quick recap of antimatter; it was discovered when an equation to describe an electron’s movement was found to have 2 solutions; for each particle there’s an anti-particle that’s an exact match & behaves identically, but has an opposite charge.  

There should be an equal amount of matter/ antimatter, but it’s unknown how that’s not the case & why antimatter is so rare.

If an atom makes contact with its’ twin counterpart they’d obliterate each other into an ENORMOUS amount of light energy. Nuclear bombs (yes, plural) worth. Energy that could make actual time or space travel a reality- though we’re nowhere close to that. 

We aren’t, but a facility that makes the impossible possible? 

Well, IRIS is using it for WTCHR, efficient “for lifelong power without the need for charging or messy cables”. 

Cameras? Advanced for reading emotions & mind decryptions too- a perfect lie detector.

Interesting that it's "patented"; to patent anything gives the inventor sovereign authority & exclusive rights to that item. They're also legally protected from competitors stealing or imitating their designs & data. Wonder how many other facilities in this universe are on IRIS's same level of innovation.

All that energy & that's just one known use. With IRIS's resources, what else are they accomplishing? 

Then, during the Halloween ARG livestream, we controlled those very cameras & saw several places within IRIS. One of which was this;

A room with machinery used in real life to study antimatter- like these from CERN’s (The European Organization for Nuclear Research) own photo gallery;  

CERN, who has the world’s largest particle physics lab, is also one of 6 entities IRIS themselves follow on their Twitter page. 

Very glad to see similar technology connected & shown at last.

Now, about Anti; his latest appearance is his scariest & also breaks new ground. ALTR (that we don’t know the meaning of yet) 114209 (or A-1, N-14, T-20, I-9) are things IRIS warns not to look at.

Ah. That great DON’T MAKE eye contact, the references to watching, how our said eye contact is the attention Anti needs ever since his canonic beginning. 

Something Chase fails. Watch the finale again, he never even blinks.

It’s also how we see Anti & how he appears to Chase. In the last theory stream, we were discussing what we think Anti now is, some things have stuck with me.

In the past we've seen Anti distort reality, glitching out of control, shown with double faces or even *2 versions within the same frame.

*2 versions from 2 different times?

Very much like a computer virus/ based around technology in those days. But during those biggest appearances, those heights of power; we were viewers through an outside perspective, it’s not like we (or him) were actually there-

Until now.

Remember, we got pulled out of Chase's cell camera & into this world to see the aftermath. Anti, glowing with a red aura & levitating into frame; full-body, solid, physical, corporeal- calmly walking down an entire hallway, leaving actual footprints, assumedly killed all those people, (hey, that blood on his feet came from somewhere earlier that wasn’t shown).

This isn’t a possession or some glitchy interference as before, this is a confrontation with another ego in the “flesh” for the 1st time.

And yet? He isn’t fully stable- ever so slightly, he still glitches.

If Anti is made from or is an altered form of antimatter, it makes sense that he can’t keep a solid mass in this world. Antimatter particles are extremely unstable; it’s a huge reason why they're so difficult to study to begin with. 

Perhaps they're even more unstable when viewed in a camera or lens? Could that be why in those previous big videos with Anti 'front & center' show him that much more violently distorted? Like a sentient Elephant's Foot.

Finally, as for maybe why Anti looks like Chase (& further, Jack)?

From the same theory stream, Magpie mentions that Anti's true form (who many- almost when we 1st saw it- believe is this, again from the spellbook);

is so unworldly incomprehensible from our view that it might be reflecting whatever is closest to it. Chase himself could be looking at someone/ thing different.

Anti was originally created by fans as "the dark side of Jack"; since then, he's embodied the fears of whoever he's interacting with. For Jack in Say Goodbye were the sounds/ footsteps, the steady buildup in anxiety, & of course the knife & slit throat ending. Kill JSE was Schneep's failure to save not only his patient but his best friend. Chase; he already lost his family, where he insists he didn't kill them.

Ours- the viewer beyond the 4th wall? Seeing this happen without the power to do anything but watch. Knowing that watching is giving the one (mirrored maybe more than just in appearance of the hero) exactly what he needs. KNOWING he knows it too.

For what controls your attention more than your greatest fear?

[sleepvines]

Advancer Culture: Underground and Surface

Continuing our sharing of PerLa, here's more on the ill-fated Advancers. Colored text for ease of distinction.

The Advancers could easily be divided into those who lived and worked on the surface, and those who lived and worked underground.

Surface dwellers’ names were tied to their occupations, while subterranean dwellers employed more location-based names. (This latter group is where Drebyl derived their naming schemes, while the former inspired the Syrel’s names.) This means that surface Advancers were used to changing their names often, employing new titles with every shift in occupation, while those below the ground held their names close as a reminder of where they had come from, or somewhere special.

For example, something like "Wires Well, Neatly Binds" would have been a surface name for someone in charge of cable management, while "Ricochet from the Red River" would have been a subterranean individual with ties to an iron-rich waterway. These names were often self determined and/or given as a sign of respect and recognition.

Surface work was about as varied as you can imagine; construction, cooking, transportation and delivery, managing communications and information systems, agriculture, maintenance, etc. You get the idea, running a society.

Those who lived and worked underground mainly operated drills, harvested subterranean plants/fungi, monitored organisms for potential biotechnological applications, and constructed tunnels, stations, and dwellings. A subway network was in the works, but has long since decayed. Nowadays the reinforced tunnels are a convenient travel space for any creatures passing through.

Neither group was bound to their respective realm. An Advancer could have easily worked a few years underground and decided they liked it better up-top, and vice versa. A name change wasn't necessary to facilitate that.

...We'd like to cover wyverns next! They've been weirdly constant throughout this world's many iterations. It's been fun picking out oldish art to share details through.

(this post was almost entirely written by @umberpath, thanks Winn!)