#cloud-based shipping management system | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ikolaiigh · 1 year

Text

UNDER THE SEA

𝑻𝑾/𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺..Prince!Chuuya, The little mermaid AU, drowning, thunderstorms, injuries, romantic tension, strangers to lovers, Mermaid!Reader, Fantasy Violence, Pet names, both Chuuya and reader are disgustingly in love,Reader is down bad for chuuya, Love at First Sight, Idiots in Love, Reader is called 'Princess' and later on 'Queen', Weddings, Songfic.

𝑷𝑨𝑰𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺: Prince!Chuuya Nakahara x Mermaid!Reader

𝑮𝑬𝑵𝑹𝑬: Fluff, angst, hurt/comfort, Angst with a happy ending.

𝑺𝑼𝑴𝑴𝑨𝑹𝒀: The ocean was wide, yet everything was very much the same for you, that is until you save a human prince from a shipwreck. Despite only having met once for a short period, the two Royals become infatuated with each other, The human wanting to know who saved them and you resolve to do whatever it takes to become part of his world.

𝘈/𝘕: Hey it's me again yall, I had to write this to get my The Little Mermaid hyper fixation off my system (even tho it didn't work, I'm still heavily obsessed with it) also English is not my native tongue so my apologies if there are any mistakes! A huge thanks to @yuugen-benni for helping me out with everything and listening to me ramble about it!! So..I hope you guys enjoy ;)

-Please for "Part of your world" and its reprise listen to Halle's version!! Since this fic is based both on the live-action and Animated versions, there are some song's that I will indicate for yall to listen !!

"𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞." -𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧

As the ship gracefully cut through the deep blue waters, its sails billowed with the gentle yet persistent breeze. The vessel danced upon the undulating waves, leaving a mesmerizing trail of foam in its wake. Above, the sky was adorned with an intricate tapestry of clouds, their fluffy formations casting shifting shadows upon the sea below, showing signs that the chances of rain were high, but the crew on board the vessel paid no mind.

On deck, the crew reveled in the joyous occasion, their laughter and voices carried by the salty breeze. They were singing, about mermaids who swam below the surface and the treasures hidden beneath the waves. Laughter and cheers erupted in between the verses and echoed across the wooden planks, blending with the rhythmic creaking of the ship as it swayed in tune with the rolling waves in a harmonious melody that echoed across the ocean.

Amidst the celebration, a figure hung suspended from a rope, His strong hands clutched the sturdy knot, his body swaying gently in sync with the ship's movements. The wind tousled his ginger hair and tugged at the edges of his clothes evoking a sense of freedom. He closed his eyes, surrendering himself to the sensation of the breeze, relishing in the exhilarating blend of coolness and warmth that brushed against his skin.

The air smelled of salt. He certainly missed that smell of the ocean's breeze

“Isn’t this great?” the young prince exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with joy as he stood on the ship's deck, completely focused on the view. Unaware of his royal advisor's estate, he beamed with enthusiasm. “That salted sea air, the wind blowing in your face. It’s the perfect day to be out on the sea, don’t you agree old man? Hirotsu?”

Meanwhile, Hirotsu was preoccupied with the churning of his stomach and the imminent danger of losing his lunch. He delicately wiped his mouth with a handkerchief as he leaned over the rail trying to maintain his composure amidst the waves. Summoning his strength, he turned towards the prince.

“Oh, yes, delightful” he managed to respond, his voice slightly strained, his body tensed as if fearing the very idea of tumbling into the waters.

“Come on Hirotsu, don’t be a spoiled sport." Chuuya grumbled, his impatience tinged in his tone. he leaped onto the main deck area, his enthusiasm unabated. "You know that the sea is like a second home to me.”

“Sorry your majesty, but it seems that your home disagrees with me.” Hirotsu replied, his tone strained and as if in confirmation, he turned even paler and leaned over the rail once again, succumbing to another wave of nausea.

The prince playfully rolled his eyes before joining the bustling sailors, eager to lend a hand. The atmosphere of the crew infected him with joy, and he couldn't help but wear a wide smile.

"A fine strong wind and a following sea," one of the seasoned sailors remarked while tugging on a rope, the prince quickly moved to assist him, skillfully securing the rope in place. "King Fukuzawa must be in a friendly type mood."

"King Fukuzawa?" Chuuya asked, his curiosity piqued as he turned to the sailor.

"Why, ruler of the merpeople, lass" the sailor replied grinning, his voice laced with playful humor. He chuckled, teasing the young prince gently, "Surely, every seasoned sailor is well aware of him"

"Merpeople," Hirotsu muttered, his voice filled with skepticism as he descended the stairs of the boat. "Your Highness, please pay no attention to this nautical nonsense."

"But it ain't nonsense, it's the truth!" insisted one of the sailors, pointing an accusing finger at Hirotsu. Ignoring the gesture, Hirotsu merely glared back, his skepticism evident.

"I'm tellin' ya, down in the depths of the ocean, they live!" the sailor continued, his voice filled with conviction. Suddenly, his grip on a fish he was holding slipped, and the creature wriggled out of his hands. Reacting swiftly, Hirotsu instinctively swatted the fish away before it could slap him across the face with its tail, causing it to splash back into the sea.

Chuuya couldn't contain his laughter, a delighted grin spreading across his face. "Who knows, Hirotsu? Maybe there's more beneath the waves than we ever dared to imagine."

Beneath the glistening waves, you gracefully swam around a mast on the ocean floor, your eyes filled with wonder as you explored the remnants of a sunken ship. Your face lit up with excitement as you examined the intricate details that once belonged to the vessel, a small smile graced your lips, but it faded swiftly as you heard a familiar voice calling out to you.

"[Name]! Wait for me!" a lionfish merman called, his vibrant scales shimmering in the underwater light.

"Atsushi, hurry up!" You beckoned him urgently. You pointed toward a fully intact abandoned ship, resting a short distance away.

"Isn't it fantastic?" You exclaimed, admiration evident in your tone. Atsushi, however, rolled his eyes in response, his skepticism apparent.

"Yeah, sure, it's great. Now let's go before someone catches us," Atsushi replied, turning around to swim away. However, before he could escape, you captured his tail between your fingers, firmly holding him in place.

"Oh, don't tell me you're getting cold fins now, are you?" you playfully teased, giving Atsushi a pointed glare before resuming your firm hold on his tail, determined to explore the ship.

"No way, but if your dad or brother found out—" Atsushi began, he managed to break free from your grasp and reluctantly followed along.

"Which they won't," you assured him with confidence, a mischievous grin playing on your lips. Standing at the entrance of the ship, you turned to face Atsushi. "It's better for me to be here than Dazai, right? We'll just have a quick look around, grab anything interesting we find, and return without them ever noticing I was gone."

"I'd prefer neither you nor Dazai, neither of you is reliable!" Atsushi muttered under his breath, frustration evident in his tone,he nervously flicked his venomous spines. "Both of you always manage to pull me into these situations. If it's not Dazai trying to encounter ships head-on, it's you boarding them!" you shot him a piercing glare, unimpressed by his complaints.

"If you're so interested in complaining, then keep watch for any sharks, will you?" you quipped, a mischievous grin spreading across your face as you squeezed through one of the holes in the ship's side.

"Of course... I'll be here, keeping a lookout for sharks—wait a minute, sharks? [Name]!" Atsushi's voice rose in alarm as he attempted to follow you through the same hole, only to find himself stuck, his tail flailing in the water.

You looked back at him, but you couldn't help but burst into laughter, swimming back to help your trapped friend. "Oh, Atsushi, you never fail to make things interesting. Hold on, let me give you a hand," you said between giggles, reaching out to lend a hand and free Atsushi from his position.

With a gentle tug and a bit of maneuvering, you managed to free Atsushi from his position. As you both ventured further into the ship's interior, Atsushi's mumbling continued, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, this is just great. I love this, the excitement, the adventure, the ever-present danger," Atsushi muttered his dorsal fins drooping slightly, his tone dripping with playful mockery, you shot him an amused smile as you both ventured further into the ship's interior.

As he turned a corner, Atsushi suddenly came face-to-face with a grinning skull, eliciting a blood-curdling scream from him. In his panicked state, he swam as fast as his fins would allow, he failed to notice you in his path, causing him to collide with you and causing you both to tumble down to the ship's floor.

"Atsushi, are you alright?" shaking off the shock you asked him, a playful teasing lilt in your voice, you couldn't help but giggle at Atsushi's panicked reaction. "Aren't lionfish supposed to be brave? Or you just made that up?"

Atsushi, still trembling from the fright, shot you an embarrassed glare. "I... I am brave! It's just...anything like that can startle anyone!" he protested, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

You let out an exasperated sigh at Atsushi's response and you made your way to the top of the ship, your eyes scanning the surroundings. Suddenly, a gasp escaped your lips, capturing Atsushi's attention.

"Atsushi, look!" you called out excitedly, swimming swiftly towards a piece of metal resting on the captain's deck. It resembled your father's trident, but it was a miniature version, crafted in shining silver with four prongs instead of three. You held it up, turning it around in your hands, a look of awe on your face.

"Have you ever seen anything so wonderful in your entire life?" you asked, your eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Wow, that's cool," Atsushi replied, examining the intricate details of the object. "But, uh, what is it exactly?"

"I don't know, but Dazai can certainly enlighten us." A mischievous grin formed on your lips as you replied, With a sense of triumph, you carefully placed the object into a small pouch at your side, eager to show it to Dazai later.

Atsushi pondered for a moment, his thoughts drifting back to your earlier conversation. "But seriously, isn't this the area known for shark activity? And didn't Dazai receive a ban from your father on any contact with you? How the hell did that happen?" he questioned, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"He was caught doing something illegal if I remember and also, trust me, if the gods themselves appeared before Dazai and commanded him to do something, he'd find a way to wriggle out of it," you replied with a hint of annoyance as you recalled the countless antics of dazai.

"Besides, nothing ever happens down here. It's all just a rumor, so we don't have to worry about sharks." You chuckled grinning playfully, thinking your words held a touch of irony.

Suddenly, a deep rumble reverberated from the direction of the boat's windows, causing your eyes to widen in alarm. Atsushi's fear was palpable as he looked around, his expression mirroring your concern.

"Well, I don't even need to turn around to realize the irony," you quipped, your voice tinged with a mix of dread. Despite your hesitation, you mustered the courage to glance at the windows, only to be met with the sight of a massive great white shark outside, a shiver ran down your spine as you couldn't help but utter, "Well, I've turned around, and I see..damn."

"There's a literal shark outside, and the only thing you can say is 'damn'?" Atsushi whisper-shouted, disbelief written on his face.

Before you could respond, the shark, propelled by sheer force, crashed into the old window with a thunderous impact. Reacting swiftly, you grabbed hold of the startled and screaming Atsushi, swimming towards the nearest entrance of the boat as quickly as your fins would allow. In your haste, you couldn't resist grabbing something else that Atsushi had found on a nearby barrel, earning you a disapproving glare from him.

A crashing sound echoed from behind as the shark relentlessly tore through the ship, breaking wood and leaving destruction in its path. Fear surged through your veins, urging you to swim faster, desperate to escape the predator's pursuit. The twisting and turning paths of the boat became your labyrinth, as you cleverly navigated through narrow passages and tight corners, using every advantage to stay ahead.

At one moment, your pouch became ensnared in a jagged piece of wood. Despite the shark coming closer, you refused to abandon the treasure you had acquired. Summoning all your determination, you swiftly maneuvered towards it, narrowly evading the shark's menacing jaws. With a well-timed twist, you managed to fool the predator into slamming against the ceiling, buying you time to continue your escape.

You reached the same hole you had entered through and started swimming towards it, urging Atsushi to follow suit. However, panic gripped him as he realized he wouldn't fit through the narrow opening, he froze at the entrance of the hole.

"I won't fit in! I'm gonna get stuck!" Atsushi's terrified voice echoed through the ship.

"Atsushi! For the love of my father just go!" you screamed back, the urgency in your tone reflecting the situation. Time was limited, and you knew that Atsushi's safety depended on him.

Summoning every ounce of strength, you pushed Atsushi through the hole, ensuring he made it to safety before following closely behind. The moment you emerged, the shark burst through the opening, its menacing presence continuing to haunt your escape. With adrenaline coursing through your veins, you and Atsushi swam fast, desperately evading the clutches of the shark.

Thinking quickly, you led Atsushi in swift circles around one of the ship's sturdy poles, hoping to confuse the shark and gain a momentary advantage. In a calculated move, you dodged around one of the masts, anticipating that the shark would collide with it. However, to your dismay, it was a disoriented and panicked Atsushi who ended up colliding with the mast, causing him to faint from the impact.

"Are you kidding me? Seriously?" you exclaimed in exasperation, witnessing the scene unfolding before you. Both you and the shark swam toward the unconscious Atsushi, but you were quicker and managed to grab him before the shark could reach him.

Searching for a solution, your eyes landed on a large metal rod nearby. It was just wide enough for Atsushi to pass through but not the shark. You propelled yourself towards it, hoping your intuition would prove right, as you and Atsushi swam through the opening of the rod, you heard a satisfying slam and creak behind you. Turning back, you saw the shark trapped within the confines of the rod, its fierce movements futile against the sturdy obstacle, a surge of relief washed over you, and you couldn't help but stick out your tongue, mocking it.

"Haha! Take that, you idiot!" Atsushi taunted swimming closer to the trapped shark, ticking his tongue out defiantly. The shark, with its jaws, snapped them shut menacingly close to Atsushi, who scrambled away in fright. Together, you and Atsushi hurriedly swam away.

Eventually, after a long swim, you and Atsushi reached a rocky outcrop where you settled down to catch your breath. You carefully inspected your pouch, making sure nothing was left behind, while Atsushi, still panting, sat beside you on the rock.

"I'm never going to a place like that again, do you hear me? Never again-," Atsushi declared exhausted, but his sentence was abruptly cut off by the sudden dive of an object in front of him. He let out a startled scream and quickly sought refuge behind you.

"Come on, Atsushi, it's just Dazai," you reassured him, casting a glare at the misbehaving merman. "Besides, I promise I won't go there again... well, I think."

Calling out to Dazai, you caught his attention, and he paused his playful harassment of the fish, swimming over to you with a charming smile. Taking your hand, he gallantly kissed it, displaying his typical flair.

"Princess! How are you?" Dazai greeted you warmly, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Rather than answering his question, you eagerly offered him your pouch, excitement radiating from you. "Dazai, look what we found!" you exclaimed, your eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Dazai accepted the pouch and examined its contents, a chuckle escaping his lips at your friend's infectious enthusiasm. Secretly, he wished you could bring him more treasures from your adventures, but he knew that it would be too risky. Your father would surely notice if you kept making these frequent trips to see him.

"we were exploring a sunken ship, and we even had a shark chase us to obtain this!" Atsushi interjected, his voice laced with annoyance, directing a side-eye glare towards you.

"Hmm," Dazai examined the objects, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, look! This is rare," he exclaimed in recognition, pulling out what looked like your father's trident, your eyes widened in excitement.

"What is it?" you asked eagerly.

"It's a dinglehopper," Dazai stated certain "You see, humans use this to straighten their hair out!" He nodded confidently at his explanation, then took the trident and started combing his hair with it. "You just comb here, and voila! You'll have hair that makes humans swoon!"

"Dinglehopper," you repeated, savoring the word as you took the fork-like object back into your hands.Atsushi pointed to another artifact taken from the boat.

"What about that one?" he asked, Dazai examined the piece of wood and chuckled.

"Ah, this is a snarfblatt," he explained, capturing your attention once again. "You see, in prehistoric times, people used to sit around in circles and make music with this instrument, just watch" He attempted to blow into it, but instead, seaweed came out.

"Music! Oh no!" You exclaimed, covering your face with your hands and groaning in frustration. You scrambled to put your things back into the pouch. "No, no, no! The concert! I forgot! Oh my father is going to kill me!"

"The concert was today?" Atsushi asked, clearly confused.

"Stupid thing, why won't you work?" Dazai mumbled to himself, before it was taken back from you.

"I have to go, Dazai! Thank you!" you called out, moving swiftly through the water. Grateful for his help, you leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Dazai's cheek as a gesture of thanks.

"Anytime, princess!" Dazai chuckled as he waved to you, his grin never fading as you and Atsushi swam away.

Unbeknownst to both of you, two eel-like mermen silently trailed behind, their eyes fixated on your every move. In the depths of the ocean, a merman observed your departure through a mystical orb, his interest piqued by your actions.

"Yes, hurry home, sweetheart, we wouldn’t want to miss old daddy’s celebration now, would we?" a hoarse male voice cooed with deceptive sweetness. the voice chuckled, a sadistic gleam shining in his eyes. "A celebration indeed, when I resided in the castle, we had fantastical feasts, and now I find myself banished, exiled, practically starving, while Fukuzawa and his pathetic merfolk celebrate."

"Well, I shall provide them with a reason to celebrate soon enough, after all, their god is coming back" the merman sneered, his soothing voice like the smoothest silk, matching his dark purple eyes, a wide grin spread across his face as he addressed the mystical orb before him. "Mushitarou, Shibusawa."

The two mermen, startled by the sudden command, fumbled in surprise. Mushitarou accidentally hit his head on the rock he was hiding beneath, He winced but quickly refocused when their leader's voice continued.

"I want you to keep an extra close watch on the princess. She may just be the key to Fukuzawa's undoing." He chuckled darkly as he observed you swimming away.

"I just don't know what to do with you," Fukuzawa spoke, his voice tinged with disappointment, as he looked at you from his seat on the throne, two figures floated beside him, each wearing a different expression. Ranpo pouted while the other, Sigma, wore an annoyed look.

"As a result of your careless behavior—" Fukuzawa started to scold you, his voice laced with disappointment.

"Careless and reckless behavior!" Ranpo interjected sternly, his eyes fixed on you. He seemed to have already deduced what had happened, earning him a side glare from you.

"The entire celebration was rui—" Fukuzawa continued, his frustration evident.

"It was utterly ruined!" Sigma interjected, his annoyance evident as he floated in front of you. His tail twitched with agitation, and you couldn't help but roll your eyes at his stressed demeanor. "Completely destroyed! Not only did you miss the rehearsals, but my compositions and efforts were rendered useless because of this!"

"We looked like laughingstocks in front of an empty clam," Sigma groaned, shooting you an irritated look. "And you had your special appearance, which you didn't even utilize!"

"But it wasn't her fault," Atsushi interjected, stepping forward to stand in front of you. He looked at Sigma, trying to cover for you. However, he suddenly felt incredibly small under the gaze of the king and his royal advisor. "We were followed by a shark! And then—"

Fukuzawa seemed uninterested, dismissing Atsushi's explanation as a fabricated tale to protect you.

"—and then we managed to escape, so we went to Dazai, and he was all like, 'This is this, and that is that—'" Atsushi rambled, struggling to find the right words.

"Dazai?!" Fukuzawa exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise. Atsushi quickly covered his mouth,realizing his mistake.

Atsushi cowered behind you, seeking solace from your protective presence. You glared at him in exasperation as your father continued to speak,his tone weary as he rubbed his temples.

"You went to meet him again, didn't you?" Fukuzawa asked, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

You offered him a sheepish grin, desperately attempting to defuse the situation. "Nothing happened, and besides, it was him who went to see me, not the other way around," you lied, hoping to convince your father.

"My starflower, how many times must we go through this? He almost got himself caught, and what's worse, he still goes to the surface to interact with them! Some of those barbarians could have seen you with him!" Fukuzawa let out a heavy sigh, his voice laced with frustration.

"They're not barbarians!" you countered confidently, your voice filled with conviction. You had never understood your father's strong aversion towards humans. While you acknowledged that some could be harmful, you believed that not everyone should be painted with the same brush. "How could a so-called barbaric species create such wonderful things?"

"They are dangerous! They took your mother from us!" Fukuzawa's voice rose as he yelled, his words filled with pain and anguish. He softened momentarily, swimming closer to you. You looked down, catching a glimpse of the worry etched in his eyes. "Do you think I want to see one of my children snared by some fish-eater's hook?"

"I'm seventeen years old, Father. I'm not a child anymore, I can take care of myself!" you asserted, your voice laced with anger, trying to reclaim your independence.

"Don't you speak to your father like that, [Name]!" Fukuzawa snapped back, his stern glare returning. "Yes, you may be an adult, but I am still your king, and the security of my kingdom, including yours, is my responsibility. You WILL obey my rules."

"But if you would just listen to me—" you pleaded, before being abruptly cut off.

"Not another word!" he declared, his arms raised above his head in a gesture of finality. "And I never want to hear of you going to the surface again or being with Dazai! Is that clear?!"

Your gaze bore into your father's back, your lips trembling slightly at the realization of never being able to see your friend again or explore the world you found so fascinating. The anger you had felt moments ago now transformed into grief, without saying a word in response, you swam away as quickly as possible. Atsushi watched you depart, his worry evident, and soon followed in pursuit, while Sigma and Ranpo remained behind, observing the situation.

Fukuzawa let out a deep sigh, sinking back into his throne. Sigma swam towards him, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hm! Teenagers...They think they know everything. You give them an inch, and they swim all over you," Sigma commented, chuckling awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Do you think... Do you think I was too hard on her?" Fukuzawa questioned, his worry evident as he looked towards his trusted advisor.

"Definitely not. Why, if she were my child, I'd show her who was boss. None of this 'flitting to the surface' and other such nonsense. No, sir, I'd keep her under tight control," Sigma declared proudly, puffing his chest out with self-assurance.

"You're absolutely right, Sigma," Fukuzawa said, a smirk forming on his face as a plan began to take shape in his mind.

"Of course," Sigma replied, mirroring the smirk on Fukuzawa's face, secretly thanking the great king's that they were in accord.

"[Name] needs constant supervision," the king declared firmly.

"Constant," Sigma affirmed, nodding his head in agreement.

"And you, my dear Sigma, are just the merman to do it," Fukuzawa said, pointing directly at Sigma. The advisor looked at him with shock, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected responsibility thrust upon him.

Sigma's mouth opened and closed a few times, speechless for a moment before he finally managed to sputter, "Me? But, Your Highness, I... I..."

Fukuzawa's smirk widened as he watched Sigma's surprise. "You have the wit, the intelligence, and the loyalty required to keep an eye on [Name]. Besides, who better to understand her than you?"

Sigma, still processing the sudden responsibility thrust upon him, nodded hesitantly and left the throne room. As he walked out, he muttered to himself. "How do I get myself into these situations? I should be sorting out the casino, not tagging along after some headstrong teenager."

Sigma's eyes widened in surprise as he observed you and Atsushi sneaking out and cautiously entering a small grotto. Curiosity got the better of him, and he followed silently, his astonishment growing as he discovered a collection of strange human artifacts within the cave. The walls and rocks were adorned with treasures that humans had discarded or lost.

"What in the...?" Sigma muttered under his breath, his gaze scanning the assortment of human items. He couldn't help but be intrigued by the sight before him, a glimpse into the human world that fascinated you so deeply.

At the bottom of the grotto, he spotted you resting on a rock, playing with a newly acquired treasure on your hands. Atsushi cautiously approached you, concern etched on his face, while Sigma stood back, observing the scene before him.

"[Name], are you okay?" Atsushi asked softly, his voice filled with genuine worry.

You remained silent for a moment, your gaze fixated on the dinglehopper in your hand. The weight of your father's disapproval and the restrictions placed upon you weighed heavily.

"Maybe he's right," you whispered, your voice tinged with frustration. Your tail twitched anxiously as you contemplated your father's words "Maybe there is something the matter with me."

"If only I could make him understand," you continued, your voice filled with longing. "I just don't see things the way he does. How can a world that creates such wonderful things could be bad?"

"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?" you asked with a slight smile, placing the dinglehopper into a candlelight, illuminating the grotto filled with more intriguing objects. Turning to face Atsushi, you continued, "Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?"

"Wouldn't you think I'm the girl... the girl who has everything?" you sang, your voice carrying a sense of longing. As you moved gracefully through the grotto, admiring your treasured possessions, the moon's glow accentuated the enchanting scene.

"Look at this trove, treasures untold," you sang softly, your gaze wandering over the abundance of human items. "How many wonders can one cavern hold? Looking around here, you'd think, 'Sure, she's got everything.'"

"I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty," you quipped, playing with the items using your tail, before swimming towards a section where you stored more objects. "I've got whozits and whatzits galore."

"You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty," you smirked, opening a box to reveal a peculiar curly spiked item. Atsushi seemed intrigued, but you closed the box with a sigh. "But who cares? No big deal. I want more," you murmured wistfully.

"I wanna be where the people are," you sang, your voice resonating with longing. Your gaze shifted towards a statue of two humans locked in a loving embrace. You delicately traced your finger along the statue, admiring the tender display. "I wanna see, wanna see them dancing."

"Walking around on those, what do you call 'em?" you asked, snapping out of your reverie. Atsushi playfully showed you his tail, shaking it, and you chuckled, realizing the word you had momentarily forgotten. "Oh, feet!" you exclaimed, grabbing his tail playfully.

"Flipping your fins, you don't get too far," you sang, gracefully swimming in circles around Atsushi, showcasing your mesmerizing tail. Its flowing fins shimmered with hues of teal and red. Atsushi followed suit, imitating your movements with his own tail. Then, you swam behind him, grabbing his arms and pulling him along. "Legs are required for jumping, dancing."

"Strolling along down a, what's that word again?" you asked, mimicking a human walking motion with Atsushi. Suddenly, the word popped into your mind, and you giggled in amusement. "Street"

"Up where they walk, up where they run," you sang, your voice filled with determination as you grabbed Atsushi's hand and swam towards a narrow opening in the cave. The moon's gentle glow illuminated your path, casting a silvery sheen on your shimmering scales. "Up where they stay all day in the Sun"

"Wandering free, wish I could be," you said, your voice carrying a bittersweet longing. Your eyes remained fixed on the opening, your heart yearning for the world that lay beyond. The thought of being a part of that world ignited a fire within you, driving you to seek out new experiences and forge your path.

"Part of your world" you added, your voice gaining strength as the words resonated with the depth of your desire.

"What would I give, if I could live out of these waters?" you pondered aloud, your voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and longing. As you swam towards the opening filled with sand and your cherished collection, your fins gracefully propelled you forward, each movement purposeful and determined.

"What would I pay, to spend a day warm on the sand," you mused, a soft smile gracing your lips. You gracefully ceased your swimming and settled onto the grotto's floor, feeling the gentle caress of the sand against your back and fins. With a delighted sigh, you began to playfully immerse yourself in the sandy embrace.

"Betcha on land, they understand, bet they don't reprimand their daughters," you murmured, a tinge of bitterness lacing your words. As you watched the sand slip through your fingertips, memories of the fight with your father resurfaced.

"Bright young women, sick of swimming," you said with a grin, playfully stuffing your chest and chuckling at the absurdity of being confined into your father's kingdom, yearning for something greater.

"Ready to stand," you sang, your voice growing stronger and more confident with each word.

"I'm ready to know what the people know, ask 'em my questions and get some answers" you declared, your eyes shining with curiosity as you swam towards a book that had caught your attention. With eager anticipation, you flipped through its pages, exploring the world of human knowledge and wisdom. Atsushi swam closer, peering over your shoulder, his curiosity piqued.

"What's a fire and why does it...what's the word? burn." you pondered aloud, your gaze fixated on the painting before you. It depicted a human holding an object with flames dancing atop it. Intrigued, you traced your fingers along the vibrant colors of orange and yellow, as if trying to feel the warmth emanating from the painted flames.

"When's it my turn? Wouldn't I love," you exclaimed with longing. You swam swiftly toward the opening of the grotto, your heart filled with an undeniable desire to experience the world beyond the water's surface. The moonlight bathed your figure, casting a radiant glow upon your shimmering tail

"Love to explore the shore up above." as you reached the small opening with only your arm outstretched, you hesitated for a moment. Gazing up sadly at the entrance, you slowly withdrew your arm, feeling a sense of longing and disappointment.

"Out of the sea," you sang softly, your voice filled with melancholy, "wish I could be..."

Swimming back toward the rocky ledge where you had been resting, Atsushi watched you with concern. He could sense the sadness that had enveloped you, and he approached gently, his gaze filled with empathy.

"Part of that world," you sang, your voice carrying a hint of hope, as you and Atsushi gazed upward.

You got startled as you suddenly heard a whole bunch of noise, causing you and Atsushi to turn and witness Sigma struggling with a net entangling his tail. Concern washed over you as you swam over to him, quickly helping him free himself from the entrapment.

"[Name], what is all this?" Sigma questioned, his eyes wide with shock as he shrugged the net off him.

"It's just... my collection," you replied nervously, offering a sheepish smile.

"I see. Your collection," Sigma said calmly, his tone tinged with a mixture of understanding and worry. "If your father knew about this place..."

"You're not going to tell him, are you?" Atsushi asked, stepping forward and placing himself between you and Sigma.

"Please, my father would never understand," you spoke with vulnerability as you swam towards Sigma, taking his hands in yours, you looked into his eyes.

Sigma's features softened, and he let out a sigh before a gentle smile graced his face. With a sense of understanding, he gently grabbed your hands.

"My dear, come with me," he said in a gentle tone, guiding you outside. "you’ve had a long day, how about we go home and I get you something warm to drink?"

A shadow then loomed over them, making you stop and look up. The dimly lit figure of a majestic ship appeared on the surface, its sails billowing in the gentle breeze. A sense of wonder filled you as you witnessed the scene.

"What do you suppose..." you asked softly, the words escaping your lips in a hushed whisper. Without another thought, you released Sigma's hands and propelled yourself out of the cave, your tail propelling you toward the surface with excitement. Sigma called out to you, his voice filled with concern.

As you broke the surface of the water, your eyes widened in awe. Before you stretched an expanse of dark, glistening waves, illuminated by a magnificent display of fireworks. Beams of vibrant colors painted the night sky, intertwining and exploding into cascades of shimmering fragments. The ship, bathed in the soft glow of the fireworks and moonlight, appeared like a floating dream.

"Wow" you whispered, the sight was mesmerizing, captivating your attention completely. You hadn't witnessed anything so breathtaking before, and your grin grew wider with each passing moment. Floating beside you, Atsushi wore an expression of pure awe, while Sigma appeared concerned about your impulsive actions.

Determined to experience the spectacle up close, you swiftly made your way towards the ship, much to Sigma's dismay. "[Name]! [Name], please come back!" Sigma called out, trying to catch up with you.

Eventually, you found a ledge that provided a perfect vantage point. With a burst of excitement, you leaped onto it, gripping the edge tightly. Your tail swished back and forth beneath you as your eyes beheld the radiant lights above the ship, while your ears reveled in the joyous sounds of laughter and music.

Among the crowd of revelers, a group of humans caught your attention. What fascinated you the most was their graceful dance movements as they joyfully swayed on two feet. Amidst them, a peculiar creature with long, brindle and yellow fur, adorned with a dark facial mask, danced on all fours, emitting a unique but cheerful sound. Enthralled, you watched the creature's lively performance.

Suddenly, it paused, sensing something in the air. Slowly, it sniffed the surroundings, eventually tracing the scent to your location. Realizing you might be spotted, you hastily moved aside from the ledge, heart pounding with fear.

After waiting a few moments, you cautiously peered over the edge again, only to be met with a pair of amber-colored eyes and a snarl. Acting on impulse, you extended your finger and playfully pressed it against the creature's nose. To your delight, it reacted by shaking its head and blinking its eyes. Then, it opened its mouth and affectionately licked your cheek. Giggling, you reciprocated the gesture by gently stroking its head.

"Albatross!" a voice called from deeper within the ship's deck. "Here, boy!"

Upon hearing the call, the being you now knew as Albatross turned back to the deck and happily left you alone. Curiosity still piqued, you stole another glance inside, observing as the creature began racing around a man who was laughing wholeheartedly. The man extended his hands, welcoming the pet that leapt into his embrace.

"Aw, come on, mutt. What were you doing, huh, Albatross?" he inquired with a bright grin, causing you to freeze in your tracks as you tried to get sight of him.

And that's when you saw him—the man who captured your attention. He was relatively short with a petite yet muscular build, and his long ginger hair was partially tied with small braids on the sides. The most captivating aspect of his appearance, however, were his mismatched eyes—one brown and the other the color of the sea, a piercing blue. His outfit complemented his unique appearance, with tailored pants reaching his ankles and three blouses layered on top. But what stood out the most was his hazy overcoat, adorned with shades of red and dark tones. You noticed he wore black gloves as well. There was an undeniable allure to him, the kind of face that could stop you in your tracks.

"Good boy, good boy," the man said, his gaze filled with affection as Albatross attempted to shower him with slobbery licks. A strange sensation stirred within you, causing your breath to catch in your throat.

"Quite a show, eh?" Dazai's voice suddenly chimed in beside you. Startled, you swiftly shushed the merman, glancing at him with a hint of annoyance.

"Dazai, they'll hear you!" You scolded, and Dazai chuckled, doing a slightly better job of concealing himself. However, your attention remained fixed on the man dancing on deck, who now had a flute in his hands, playfully toying with it.

Dazai followed your gaze, sensing your unusual silence. He gasped, doing a double take from you to the human gracefully dancing on the deck. Then, with a mischievous smirk, he spoke, "Stunning, isn't it?"

"He is gorgeous," I whispered before realizing the slip-up of your tongue. Panic flooded your senses, and you turned to face dazai, who wore a smug smirk on his face.

"No, not him, he looks more like a sea slug to me." Dazai chuckled, his face playfully pushed away by your flustered reaction as you groaned in exasperation.

"Silence, silence!" Hirotsu's commanding voice echoed across the deck, instantly quelling the chatter among the humans.

"It is now my honor and privilege to present our esteemed prince, Chuuya, with a very special, very expensive, and very large birthday gift," Hirotsu announced, his finger proudly pointing at a colossal package adorned with a vibrant red bow that had been standing prominently on the deck.

As Chuuya's name reverberated in the air, you couldn't help but feel a fluttering sensation in your chest. The realization that he was a prince sank in, his regal aura undeniable. His beauty and presence truly befitted his royal status.

"Aw, Hirotsu! You crafty old man, you shouldn't have," Chuuya exclaimed, affectionately patting his loyal advisor on the back while a smug smile played on his lips.

"Nonsense! It's a most special occasion to celebrate! Happy birthday Nakahara!" Hirotsu countered with enthusiasm. A sailor stepped forward, removing the cloth that concealed the present, unveiling a magnificent statue. The sculpture depicted Chuuya in a heroic pose, a sword resting at his side, with one leg gracefully propped up, as he gazed up at the sky.

Chuuya winced slightly, feeling a twinge of embarrassment. He couldn't fathom why Hirotsu had chosen such a particular pose for the statue. However, he managed to muster a sheepish grin, acknowledging his friend's efforts. Meanwhile, Albatross growled disapprovingly at the statue, sensing his owner's discomfort.

"Gee, Hirotsu, it's... really something. You could've just gotten me a bottle of wine," Chuuya murmured through gritted teeth, examining the statue more closely.

"Of course, it is! I understand how much you appreciate art. I commissioned it myself," Hirotsu declared triumphantly.

"Although, I had hoped it would serve as a wedding gift," he added, shooting a pointed glance at Chuuya, his expression filled with meaning. Chuuya let out a laugh.

"Oh, come on, Hirotsu, don't start," Chuuya chuckled, grabbing a telescope and making his way towards the spot where you and Dazai had been hiding. Sensing his approach, both you and Dazai quickly ducked out of sight.

“Look, you’re not still sore because I didn’t fall for the prince of Glowerhaven, are you?” Chuuya said as he reached the edge of the boat, his feet dangling playfully, he turned back with his signature grin, who sighed in response.

"Oh, young prince, it's not just me. The entire kingdom wishes to see you happily settled down with the right girl," Hirotsu sighed, gazing at Chuuya intently.

"Or boy," Chuuya muttered almost inaudibly, shrugging nonchalantly. He then propped himself up on the edge, his gaze fixated on the vast expanse of the sea. "Well, she's out there somewhere. I just..."

Dazai, positioned on the other side of the ledge, locked eyes with you, but you remained lost in your own thoughts, hanging onto Chuuya's every word.

"I just haven't found her yet," Chuuya continued, his hand gesturing vaguely atop his knee.

"Perhaps you haven't been searching hard enough," Hirotsu suggested, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. Chuuya chuckled once more, his gaze drifting out into the sea.

"Oh, believe me, Hirotsu, when I find her, I'll know," Chuuya declared confidently. "Without a doubt, it'll just... bam! Hit me like lightning."

The moment Chuuya uttered those words, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a resounding thunderclap not far from where you stood. It caught the attention of both you and Dazai, causing your eyes to widen in surprise.

"Stand fast!" A sailor's voice boomed from the mast as the rain intensified, causing most of the lights on the boat to flicker and go out. "Secure the rigging!"

Chuuya sprung into action, his earlier playful demeanor replaced as he rushed to aid the frantic sailors. The storm had intensified, with lightning bolts illuminating the darkened sky and waves growing wilder and more treacherous. Chuuya grabbed hold of ropes, using every ounce of his strength to secure them.

You and Dazai clung tightly to the ledge, desperately trying to maintain your balance amidst the tempestuous weather.

Suddenly, the boat lurched violently as a giant wave crashed upon it, nearly engulfing the vessel entirely. The sailors atop the deck lost their footing, and chaos ensued. Despite the perilous circumstances, Chuuya managed to make his way to the helm, seizing the wheel that had been left spinning aimlessly, and steered the ship in an attempt to maintain its course.

The turbulent sea proved unrelenting, and the next lightning bolt struck dangerously close, intensifying the chaos. In the midst of the chaos, you and Dazai were thrown off the ledge, plunging into the raging waters.

Together, you watched in horror as another lightning bolt struck the ship, setting the sails and mast ablaze. The crew above, unable to regain control, lost their footing, and the vessel collided with a massive rock, creating a gaping hole that expelled most of its crew, including Chuuya, with a horrified scream. The statue of him sunk rapidly into the depths of the sea.

Hirotsu and some of the crew members struggled to stay afloat on the water's surface when they heard Chuuya's desperate cry for help. Hirotsu extended a helping hand, and with the aid of other sailors, he was lifted into one of the life-saving boats. Chuuya, grateful for his friend's safety, turned to see that Albatross was still trapped onboard the burning ship, unable to escape the flames.

"Albatross!" Chuuya yelled, his voice filled with anguish. Without a second thought, he dove back into the water, swimming furiously toward the ship. Despite the precarious conditions, he climbed the stairs onto the deck. However, one of the masts, weakened by fire, finally succumbed, crashing down toward Chuuya. He narrowly managed to avoid its impact, but the fire had spread, reaching the stored fireworks.

Amidst the fire, Chuuya located his beloved pet and called for Albatross to come into his arms. The loyal creature obeyed, but as Chuuya attempted to make his way back out of the boat, his foot plunged through a weakened plank, causing him to stumble. Albatross slipped from his grasp and fell into the water. It was at that moment that you, swimming discreetly, spotted the commotion. The sailors desperately called out for the dog, while Hirotsu reached out his arms, urging Albatross to swim towards him. Seizing the opportunity, you gently pushed the dog into Hirotsu's waiting embrace. Hirotsu helped Albatross into the boat alongside other sailors, his relief evident.

Meanwhile, Chuuya remained trapped, his foot ensnared by the wreckage of the deck. Desperately, he struggled to free himself, but the flames finally reached the gunpowder, causing a devastating explosion that consumed the ship, with Chuuya still trapped inside. Hirotsu screamed out Chuuya's name from the safety of the small boat.

With determination, you navigated through the debris, eyes scanning the surface of the water, searching for any sign of Chuuya's unconscious form. Finally, you spotted him, his body slipping off a piece of floating wood and sinking into the depths. Without hesitation, you submerged yourself, swimming swiftly to his side and pulling him into your embrace, with every ounce of strength, you propelled both of you back to the surface, gasping for breath as you cradled the unconscious prince in your arms.

the sun began to rise when you finally made your way to the shore, carefully carrying Chuuya in your arms, praying that he was still alive despite the events you had witnessed. With each push of your arms and tail against the sand, you ensured that Chuuya remained untouched by the encroaching waves, prepared to shield him from any potential danger.

Your gaze remained fixed on Chuuya, searching for any signs of life, your worry deepening with each passing moment. Tenderly, you removed the remnants of his shirt, exposing his chest, and leaned your head against it, listening intently for the reassuring beat of his heart. Relief washed over you when you felt his heart pulsating beneath your touch and observed the gentle rise and fall of his chest—Chuuya was alive, breathing. A laugh of relief escaped your lips as you attempted to calm yourself, the tension slowly dissipating.

Leaning back on your arms, you admired Chuuya's features, daring to compare his beauty to that of the enchanting sea. As you examined him more closely, you noticed the freckles scattered across his face and the slight scar tracing his lip. He was the epitome of beauty, captivating you with every glance.

Unbeknownst to you, Sigma had followed your movements silently, Though he kept his distance from the shore, he could see you clearly, holding the unconscious Chuuya in your arms.

"Oh no," Sigma murmured, his gaze fixed on you. Before he could utter another word, Dazai submerged his head, leaning on Sigma to get a better view of the situation.

"Get off me, you idiot!" Sigma exclaimed, annoyance evident in his voice. He pushed Dazai away, causing him to stumble slightly. Dazai looked up at Sigma, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement.

"Sigma! I didn't expect to find you here, looking so lovely," Dazai grinned, his attention then shifting to you and Chuuya. He let out a laugh and remarked, "And I certainly didn't expect to find the princess here."

"Listen to me, you maniac. The king mustn't find out about this. We'll pretend it never happened," Sigma sighed, his eyes fixed on Dazai, who seemed less than attentive. Growing frustrated, Sigma pinched Dazai's tail, causing him to yelp in surprise. Dazai glanced back at Sigma with a pout on his face.

"Are you paying attention now?" Sigma asked, his annoyance palpable.

"Yes," Dazai whined, rolling his eyes at Sigma's sternness.

"No telling the king, no telling anyone, and I remain in one piece. Do you understand?" Sigma emphasized, pointing directly at Dazai's face.

"Yeah, I got it," Dazai replied sarcastically. He then shifted his gaze back to you, wearing a playful grin. Before Sigma could protest, Dazai asked, "Hey, can you repeat what you just said? I wasn't really paying attention."

"I said the king is going to kill me." Sigma muttered, his face fell even further upon hearing a soft hum emanating from you, catching his attention.

"What is she doing?!" Sigma exclaimed, his voice filled with concern. But before he could call out to you, Dazai swiftly placed his hand over Sigma's mouth, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. He watched with amusement as your astonished gaze fixated on Chuuya's face.

"What would I give to live where you are?" You softly murmured to Chuuya. your fingers gently tracing down his cheek and lingering over a cut you hadn't noticed before. Lost in the moment, you spoke once again, "What would I pay to stay here beside you?"

"What would I do to see you smiling at me?" you softly sang, a smile gracing your face as you admired Chuuya. He began to stir, his hand reaching out, searching for the hand that held his face. With a mixture of surprise and joy, you looked at his hand intertwining with yours, and a radiant smile spread across your face as you continued, "Where would we walk? Where would we run? If we could stay all day in the sun?"

"Just you and me, and I could be..." you whispered, your voice filled with love and devotion, your gaze locked with his. Chuuya slowly opened his eyes, his gaze meeting yours, though the sun cast a silhouette upon your features. A smile tugged at his lips as he heared your voice.

"Part of your world," you whispered softly to Chuuya, marveling at the radiant gleam in his mismatched eyes as they caught the sunlight. The enchanting moment lingered, but the arrival of Albatross and Hirotsu interrupted the tranquility. Your instinct kicked in, urging you to retreat back to the safety of the ocean. Swiftly, you slipped beneath the water's surface, your tail disappearing from sight before anyone could notice your presence.

Chuuya lifted his head, catching a glimpse of your tail vanishing into the water. Albatross reached him, showering him with affectionate licks on his face. Yet, Chuuya couldn't tear his gaze away from the sea, fixated on the spot where you had just vanished. Hirotsu approached him, a rare smile spreading across his face, relieved to see Chuuya safe and sound.

"Oh, Chuuya, you certainly have a knack for stirring the sadistic strain in my blood pressure, don't you?" Hirotsu remarked, extending a helping hand to support Chuuya. Chuuya, lost in his thoughts, held his head, feeling a throbbing pain surge through his temples.

"A... a girl saved me," Chuuya declared, his eyes widening as he continued to stare out at the sea, disregarding Hirotsu's words as he attempted to piece together the puzzle.

"She... she was talking to me," Chuuya proclaimed, stepping away from Hirotsu's grasp and moving closer to the water's edge. His heart raced, unsure if it was due to the lack of oxygen he had endured during the shipwreck or the emotions he was feeling.

"She had the most beautiful voice..." Chuuya swooned, his knees growing weak from the traumatic events he had just experienced.

"Sire, I believe you've had your fill of seawater. Let's head back," Hirotsu suggested, his voice laced with amusement. He gently cradled Chuuya in his arms, providing support by wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"Come on, Albatross," Hirotsu called, beckoning the faithful companion to follow. Together, they made their way back to the castle, Hirotsu remaining silent, allowing Chuuya to process the events of the day. However, Chuuya couldn't shake the voice of his savior from his mind.

Meanwhile, you, hidden behind a rock, continued to watch Chuuya from a distance. Your heart fluttered with excitement and anticipation, knowing that your paths might cross again someday. You felt an overwhelming connection to him, and the hope of meeting him once more filled you with joy.

"I don't know when, I don't know how, but I know something's starting right now," you sang, a radiant smile lighting up your face as butterflies fluttered in your belly. You slowly crawled across the stone, never taking your eyes off Chuuya's retreating figure.

"Watch and you'll see... Someday I'll be," you continued singing, a grin spreading across your face as you raised yourself higher on the rock. Your eyes remained fixated on Chuuya, your tail flickering with excitement beneath the water's surface.

"Part of your world," you concluded, a wistful tone in your voice, leaning on your arms and then getting back up. Suddenly, a wave crashed against the rock behind you, sending droplets of water in all directions. Laughing, you sat down again, running your hands through your hair, a lovesick expression on your face as you watched the prince vanish from sight.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to everyone, Mushitarou and Shibusawa observed the entire scene closely, relaying the events to their leader through their eyes.

𝑻𝑨𝑮𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻...

@yuugen-benni

#-the little mermaid🦈#bsd x reader #bungou stray dogs #bungou stray dogs x reader #nakahara chuuya x reader #chuuya x reader #chuuya nakahara x reader #chuuya fluff #chuuya nakahara #nakahara chuuya #chuuya x y/n #chuuya x you #The little mermaid AU #bsd dazai #dazai osamu

287 notes · View notes

astromechs · 7 months

Text

a slightly late (but still within february, at least in my timezone, so it still counts!) fill for fluffbruary prompt 25: twilight | sweat; cassian is so incredibly stupid in this fic and i enjoyed writing every minute of it ❤️ also on ao3!

In sum: Plaorm, a jungle planet at the edge of the Kamdon system, is not a candidate for a new base.

That had been obvious from the moment they’d landed here nearly a standard week ago, when sheer luck, more than anything else, had just barely allowed Cassian to maneuver the ship away from crashing into a tree. While a near-constant cover of clouds would make it difficult to track anything, providing an admittedly significant advantage, it’s also not feasible to work with in practice; little visibility, at best, means no one can reliably take off or land, and those aren’t conditions under which to operate anything. More often than not, those clouds also bring heavy rain for days at a time, which is only a further complication.

All of this could be worked around — if not for the fact that the Empire had gotten there first.

Between the thick cover of clouds and jungle, no scanner could’ve picked up a settlement or life signs, but that’d been no excuse for his guard being down, for not hearing steps through brush until it had nearly been too late. Pain from his back, aggravated by the humidity, hadn’t been an excuse, either; he should’ve had his blaster aimed and ready, and the Imperial should’ve been dead before he’d even turned around. It should’ve never gotten to the point of actual blaster bolts in their direction, but it had, and as a result, Cassian had stepped in, shoving Jyn out of the line of fire before he’d been able to manage three decent shots.

That had happened more than half a day ago, and Jyn hasn’t spoken to him since.

He hasn’t seen her, either; even in the small space of the U-wing they had flown here in, she’s managed to keep her distance, to keep herself well-hidden. Considering that she has particular skill in disappearing when she doesn’t want to be found, that shouldn’t surprise him — and it doesn’t. It makes the oppressive air of the planet as a whole feel even more oppressive on his lungs, certainly, ties his chest in knots and has him so tense that any given muscle might snap, that his teeth might crack from how hard they’re grinding together, but surprise him? No.

By this point, Jyn’s behavior isn’t hard for him to predict, even when he can’t read the intent behind it.

Outside the viewport, through a still-constant curtain of rain (if their tracking is correct, it won’t clear enough for them to leave the planet for another two days), light is beginning to fade; night will fall soon. It won’t be long before he’ll have to push himself up out of the pilot’s seat and check that the ship’s systems, which have mostly been switched off for the day to preserve energy, will be operational while at least one of them sleeps.

Admittedly, he’s prolonging that inevitability, for a few reasons — the most obvious being that the combination of the humidity that’s seeped in from outside and the durasteel of the chair he’s been in for hours have been hell on his back, and he knows that any movement will aggravate it. But he knows what’s really keeping him here: if Jyn is insistent on this silent standoff, he’s not going to be the one to blink first, even if just by happening to encroach on her hiding space while moving around the ship, entirely without meaning to.

No, she can come to him when she’s ready for an actual conversation.

Folding his arms across his chest, he huffs out a sigh; it’s barely audible over the sound of rain clanking on durasteel above.

It’s a sound so loud, in fact, that he nearly misses the footsteps coming in from somewhere behind him.

Caught off guard for the second time in one day, Cassian nearly falls backward in his chair.

He manages to keep himself upright, though, turning slowly, breathing slowly, even as his heart jumps into his throat and won’t right itself again. Even as the tension that’s filled the space around him, in him, is pulled so taut that he might actually fracture. As it has since the moment they’d landed here, sweat beads on his forehead, drips down the side of his cheek. The air on this planet has never felt more oppressive to breathe than it does right now; not even trying to make it through the jungle at the height of the day’s heat, with all the humidity and the exertion of having to shove underbrush with every step, can compare.

Jyn, for her part, appears almost completely unaffected as her steps come to a pause a small distance away. Strands of hair are sticking to her forehead, but otherwise, he’d never know just by looking at her that she’s existing in the same conditions as he is. Her face is stone, inscrutable, and her jaw is set.

The gaze that meets his is cold; the voice that aims one word in his direction is even colder.

“Why?”

In the immediate aftermath of that one word, the first that has passed between them in well more than half a day, something in him, reflexive, snaps. His eyes narrow, a mirror, an equivalent exchange; his voice is the tip of a vibroblade. “You’ll have to be more specific than that.”

They both fight with the necessary weapons in their respective arsenals. That’s how they’re still alive.

Her jaw twitches, then; her mouth curls into something dangerous. His eyes don’t leave her face, but if he had to predict, at least one of her hands is curling into a fist, too. At least until —

“I could handle that.” Her arms cross over her chest as she takes another step forward, closer. “I had it handled.” He notes that her fingers lay flat; no need for fists when her words are doing enough. “I don’t need that from you.”

Cassian scoffs. “He was shooting —”

“Which I knew!” Her voice, raised for the first time, bounces off the walls of the ship, echoing to the point of being piercing. “Not the first fucking time I’ve ever been shot at.”

“So, what?” It’s then, finally, that he stands. He doesn’t take his time with the motion — and the agony that he’d been asking for with his carelessness sears down his spine — but he doesn’t care about that. His eyes, and the entirety of his attention, are locked on Jyn; she doesn’t blink as she’s locked on him, in turn, watching him step closer. The toes of his boots nearly bump into hers. “If someone’s shooting, I’m not supposed to cover you?”

What a stupid question, he thinks, folding his arms to match her, to even have to fucking ask. Ridiculous. This whole argument is ridiculous, and she’s the one who’s made it that way. He shakes his head, breathing out a quiet laugh with no humor.

Her fire had already been burning, noticeable and steady, but that seems to spark it to another level; with one more step, she practically collides into him, grabbing him by the shirt to force him to bend as she rises on her toes, until their faces are centimeters apart.

“I don’t need you to throw yourself in front of a blaster bolt for me when I’m more than capable of getting myself out of the fucking way!” There’s no distance between them, but she’s still on the verge of shouting. “Why would you do that?”

Without thinking, without breaking his gaze, he matches the volume. “Because I love you!”

Only then, only after the words explode out of him, and hang in the air between them, can Cassian truly absorb what, exactly, he’s just said. As if by recoil from a sniper rifle, he draws back, then freezes, breath caught halfway to inhale, heart firmly in his throat.

The last echoes of their voices reverberate, and then fade. Aside from the residual ringing in his ears, all he can hear is the pounding of his own heart as he drops his eyes to the floor.

It’s not as if he’s never orbited around the thought before; it’s not as if the thought hasn’t been as constant as the rain still falling outside, as constant as breathing. It��s hit him like a blow to the chest, knocking the wind out of him, every time she’s caught his eye across a room and allowed him to see a smile, soft and small and oh so achingly beautiful, tug on her mouth. With every brush of hands, of lips, he’s felt it, intrinsically, a lightness, an ache, and a terror all at once.

But it’s not a thought he’d planned to give voice to — and certainly not like this.

Whatever tentative thing that’s formed between them will only wilt now, and it’s all his fault; he’s pushed it, pushed her, too hard.

Nothing can be unsaid, but the least he can do is give her the grace of being the first to back away, of telling her, even if he can only manage just barely above a mutter, “Forget it.”

Somehow, though, he can’t bring his own feet to move. Out of all the things he’s done, this has be to be one of the worst, on account of its pure selfishness.

His head hangs, heavy, but —

Gentle fingers graze his cheek, and a thumb tips up his chin. In spite of himself, his shaking breaths ease, and his heart settles back to where it’s supposed to be. Under Jyn’s gravity, he’s back on his axis.

“No.” Her voice is as achingly soft as her touch, and the last of any resolve to try to step away crumbles; his eyes flick back up, searching her face. The hard lines and cold fury from just minutes before have completely vanished, leaving only the smile that he knows (that he loves), the light that’s steadily fading outside casting it in a glow that makes it something new.

He loses his breath.

When she kisses him with the same certainty that’s in everything she does, she gives it back to him.

It’s an answer, unequivocal, to an unspoken question that’d still lingered even as he’d tried to retract it, and far more than he’d ever deserve to have.

And yet — when their lungs are burning and they’re forced to break, she murmurs against his lips, “I love you, too.”

#rebelcaptain #rebelcaptain fluffbruary #cassian andor #jyn erso #* fic

42 notes · View notes

georgegraphys · 7 months

Text

2024 team sponsors recap!

this is completely irrelevant to F1 but i study and do these stuffs for a living sooo 😩😩 2023 sponsors are based on the sponsors that are there at the beginning of the season (new sponsors that join in the middle of the season will be classified as 2024's)

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team:

New sponsors: Whatsapp, Luminar (American tech company), SAP (German software company), nuvei (Canadian credit card services), Sherwin Williams (American painting company) 2024 data last update: 2024/02/14

Old sponsors that left: Monster Energy, Pure Storage (American technology company), fastly (American cloud computing services), Axalta (American painting company), Eight sleep (American mattresses company) 2023 data last update: 2023/01/07

Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team:

New sponsors: Yeti (American cooler manufacturer, joined later in 2023), APL (American footwear/athletic apparel manufacturer, joined later in 2023), CDW (American IT company, joined later in 2023), Sui (American tech app by Mysten Labs, joined later in 2023), Patron Tequila (Mexican alcoholic beverages company, joined later in 2023) 2024 data last update: 2024/02/15

Old sponsors that left: CashApp, Walmart, Therabody (American wellness technology company), Ocean Bottle (Norwegian reusable bottle manufacturer), PokerStars (Costa Rican gambling site), Alpha Tauri (? no info if they're official partners or not but Austrian clothing company made by Red Bull), BMC (Switzerland bicycle/cycling manufacturer), Esso (American fuel company, subsidiary of ExxonMobil), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (American technology company) 2023 data last update: 2023/03/07

More: Esso is a subsidiary of Mobil so there's possibility they merged or something

Scuderia Ferrari:

New sponsors: VGW Play (Australian tech game company, joined later in 2023), DXC Technology (American IT company, joined later in 2023), Peroni (Italian brewing company), Z Capital Group/ZCG (American private asset management/merchant bank company), Celsius (Swedish energy drink manufacturer) 2024 data last update: 2024/02/15

Old sponsors that left: Mission Winnow (American content lab by Phillip Morris International aka Marlboro), Estrella Garcia (Spanish alcoholic beverages manufacturer), Frecciarossa (Italian high speed train company) 2023 data last update: 2023/02/16

More: Mission Winnow is a part of Phillip Morris International. They are no longer listed as team sponsor but PMI is listed instead.

(starting here, 2023 data last update is 2023/02/23 and 2024 data last update is 2024/02/15)

McLaren F1 Team: (Only McLaren RACING's data is available idk if some of these are XE/FE team partners but anw..)

New sponsors: Monster Energy, Salesforce (American cloud based software company, joined later in 2023), Estrella Garcia (Spanish alcoholic beverages manufacturer), Dropbox (American file hosting company), Workday (American system software company, joined later in 2023), Ecolab (American water purification/hygiene company), Airwallex (Australian financial tech company), Optimum Nutrition (American nutritional supplement manufacturer), Halo ITSM (American software company, joined later in 2023), Udemy (American educational tech company, joined later in 2023), New Era (American cap manufacturer, joined in 2023), K-Swiss (American shoes manufacturer, joined later in 2023), Alpinestars (Italian motorsports safety equipment manufacturer)

Old sponsors that left: DP World (Emirati logistics company), EasyPost (American shipping API company), Immersive Labs (UK cybersecurity training company?), Logitech, Mind (UK mental health charity), PartyCasino (UK? online casino site), PartyPoker (American? gambling site), Sparco (Italian auto part & accessory manufacturer), Tezos (Switzerland crypto company)

Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team:

New sponsors: Valvoline (American retail automotives service company, joined later in 2023), NexGen (Canadian sustainable? fuel company), Banco Master (Brazilian digital banking platform, joined later in 2023), ServiceNow (American software company, joined later in 2023), Regent Seven Seas Cruise, Wolfgang Puck (Austrian-American chef and restaurant owner, joined later in 2023), Financial Times (British business newspaper), OMP (Italian racing safety equipment manufacturer), stichd (Netherlands fashion & apparel manufacturer)

Old sponsors that left: Alpinestars (Italian motorsports safety equipment manufacturer), crypto.com (Singaporean cryptocurrency company), ebb3 (UK? software company), Pelmark (UK fashion and apparel manufacturer), Peroni (Italian brewing company), Porto Seguro (Brazilian insurance company), Socios (Malta's blockchain-based platform), XP (Brazilian investment company)

Stake F1 Team (prev. Alfa Romeo):

???? Can't found their website (might be geoblocked in my country???)

BWT Alpine F1 Team:

New sponsors: MNTN (American software company), H. Moser & Cie (Switzerland watch manufacturer), Amazon Music

Old sponsors that left: Bell & Ross (French watch company), Ecowatt (??? afaik French less-energy smthn smthn company), Elysium (French? American? Software company), KX (UK software company), Plug (American electrical equipment manufacturing company)

Visa CashApp RB F1 Team (prev. Scuderia Alpha Tauri):

New Sponsors: Visa, CashApp, Hugo Boss, Tudor, Neft Vodka (Austrian alcoholic beverages company), Piquadro (Italian luxury bag manufacturer)

Old sponsors that left: Buzz (?), Carl Friedrik (UK travel goods manufacturer), Flex Box (Hongkong? shipping containers manufacturer), GMG (Emirati global wellbeing company), RapidAPI (American API company)

Haas F1 Team:

New sponsors: New Era (American cap manufacturer, joined later in 2023)

Old sponsors that left: Hantec Markets (Hongkong capital markets company), OpenSea (American NFT/Crypto company)

Williams Racing:

New sponsors: Komatsu, MyProtein (British bodybuilding supplement), Kraken (American crypto company, joined later in 2023), VAST Data (American tech company), Ingenuity Commerce (UK e-commerce platform), Puma (joined later in 2023)

Old sponsors that left: Acronis (Swiss software company), Bremont (British watch manufacturer), Dtex Systems (American? cybersecurity company), Financial Times (British business newspaper), Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, KX (UK software company), OMP (Italian racing safety equipment manufacturer), PPG (American painting manufacturer), Umbro (English sports equipment manufacturer), Zeiss (German opticals/optometrics manufacturing company)

#mercedes amg petronas #red bull racing #scuderia ferrari #visa cash app rb #haas f1 team #mclaren f1 #aston martin #alpine f1 #williams racing #stake f1 team #f1 #ari's rant #sponsor talks

41 notes · View notes

satancopilotsmytardis · 5 months

Note

For your AU question. Space travel fic where one is an alien. Set in the future.

Astronaut Dabi who managed to make it even though his father said it was a stupid dream that he would never achieve Not only does he make it as an astronaut, he ends up on a team that goes on brief missions from their space station to survey different planets for useful resources and to better document everything they can find.

Everything is going fine for about three years until one day Dabi ends up on a planet alone for a very brief scouting mission. He's just popping down to get air, water, and soil samples for this region because it was too dense with jungle foliage for their rovers to get through it. It literally was supposed to take 20 minutes and they followed all the proper procedures. He lands, chit-chatting to the others back at base while he's collecting the samples and being, as Magne says, 'a fucking nerd' about all of the interesting vegetation on the planet. Compress warns him a cloud front is rapidly coming in and he'll need to be back up at base before it hits, so he goes back to his pod. It's literally just bad luck, a freak accident that one of the alien megafauna straight up steps on his pod and strands him there in its own haste to find shelter against the oncoming storm. He's still got communication to the base for a could of days, and based on what he's collected so far, this planet does seem to be habitable to humans if he needs to be here for a little while, and the others should be able to come back down and get him as soon as it stops storming. Okay, this is also not that big of a deal, this is something that happens. He uses his scanners to find a cave system to wait out the storm and turns off his communication device to save power, knowing the others are just a button away if he needs them.

Uh, turns out that cave belonged to a native humanoid species that was previously unregistered. Dabi apologizes to the tall muscular... reptilian?? alien. He looks human in most of his anatomy save for the thick muscular prehensile tail that's twice as long as he is tall, the four fingers and toes on each limb, and the fact that when he opens his mouth it's much larger than it seems with two rows of insanely sharp teeth, extra skin flaps inside and a long forked tongue like a snake. His pale skin also has scales littered across it in patches, and he's nearly eight feet tall. Dabi turns on his universal translator and apologizes for intruding and Shigaraki is amused enough by this little creature that he puts p with him squatting as the tide comes in.

Dabi learns that the storm comes every month on this planet, having to do with the rotation, gravity, and other factors, and usually lasts until the tri-moon comes. He calculates that based on when they know the three moons should be in sight on the surface of this planet and determines that isn't going to be for another three to four weeks. Shigaraki is willing to let him stay and Dabi calls back up to the ship to tell them the situation. It would be very risky to send a pod down through the lightning, so they agree to just keep in touch every two days for timed check-ins to ensure he's alright. And then Dabi gets to spend a month getting to know Shigaraki.

They have a nice time together because Dabi is excited about anything he can learn about and Shigaraki likes having the company he really likes the way Dabi smells. They've been sleeping together (like for warmth and because Shigaraki can't make him a bed of his own while everything is soaked) and Dabi isn't thinking anything of that until during one of his check-ins he is informed by Compress this is a registered species-- it's considered extremely hostile and any planet it's found on is not fit for humans to inhabit because they have a habit of eating them and their skin is weapon-proof (or at least the weapons the scouts are likely to have). Dabi is of course terrified now that he knows and thinks he's being saved until his food runs out. And one night Shigaraki cages him under his bulk and Dabi is certain he's going to die and then nope, oops, turns out Shigaraki thinks that because Dabi smells so good, it must mean that he's a compatible mate and they smash (snake-like biology on that front too 🍆🍆👀)

(bonus) Dabi does get off the planet at the end of the storm, though Shigaraki is very sad to see him go, but Dabi just goes back up to renegotiate his contract, he will become an expert on Shigaraki's species if he's allowed to stay with him for 2-3 months at a time and then come back to base to report his findings afterward. His research ends up getting published and he earns enough to buy out the last of his contract so he can stay with Shig

#tanco speaks #ask #asks #shigadabi #5 fact au

40 notes · View notes

thelostbaystudio · 1 year

Text

youtube

Hey folks,

the pre-launch KS page of OUTER RIM: UPRISING is live! ORU is a bundle for the sci-fi survival horror RPG Mothership. The bundle is packed with 15+ 100% original entries from seasoned indie Mothership designers. All items are 1 Edition (which means the new one!) compatible. Below is some info on the bundle and pics of some entries.

OrU builds a huge setting, at the fringes of the galaxy, where corrupt corps fight rebel factions. Each item of the bundle can be used independently, but the items are also tied together by a common implied setting, sharing NPCs, story lines etc. A Campaign Handbook acts as the connective tissue of the bundle: adding factions, procedures, locations etc.

Half of the bundle items are written in a system neutral way, and can be used with any RPG.

We've just ignited the pre-launch page here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thelostbay/outer-rim-uprising, if you dig the project give it a follow, as indie publishers it means a hell of lot to receive the community support.

About this, if you are a blogger, streamer, podcaster and want to talk about this, see drafts or organize an actual play please reach out we'd be happy to help.

Below are some details on a couple of entries, they are sick!

The Hunger in Achernar, zine by D. Kenny (designer of Nirvana on fire)

Survive the void-haunted halls of a cursed derelict; solve the mystery of a missing ship, an experimental hyperdrive test, and a cultist plot; or save the galaxy from a taint leaking through a crack in the universe. Choose one in “The Hunger in Achernar”, a MOTHERSHIP RPG adventure.

BLINK, zine by David Blandy (designer of Eco MOFOS!)

In this short guide to faster-than-light travel, we’ll show you how to bring the mind-bending possibilities of instantaneous jumping between two distant points in space to your game.

Rusted to the Core, zine by Chris Airiau

The androids on Poe-V Station are on strike. Descend through the gas giant’s toxic clouds to uncover how the source of this disruption goes deeper than worker mistreatment. A faction-based adventure.

Surviving Machine parts, zine by Zach Hazard Vaupen

Out in the fringes of the system, a type of cybernetic implants called Machine Parts are popular with those who are savvy enough to find and afford them. Commonly made with recalled corpo tech and stolen military/alien technology, these implants are highly illegal and especially dangerous. This document covers 12 different Machine Parts and their consequences. Can you survive Machine Parts?

Sentience Assessment Procedure, player facing accessory, by Nyhur (Alien Armory) and IKO

SAP cutting-edge, neuro-semantic analysis technology allows management, officials, and security personnel to perform human/android triage effectively. SAP toolkit is portable, works in any-G environment, and can also be performed remotely.

Outer Rim: Uprising Campaign Handbook, zine by all the designers of the bundle

The connective tissue of the bundle

I'll stop here :) that's roughly one third of the items included in the bundle, I'll share more info in the next few weeks

Give it a follow here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thelostbay/outer-rim-uprising

#ttrpg #indie ttrpg #indie rpg #tabletop rpg #indie tabletop rpg #horrorrpgs #mothership #mothership rpg #alien #doom video game #Youtube

80 notes · View notes

fullyarmoredbattlesturgeon · 11 months

Text

signalis lore spoilers

people keep talking about the penrose 512 crashing on Leng, and i don't think people are considering the fact that... it's not possible.

normally possible, anyways.

launched from an orbital station at high speed, the Penrose ship design was never designed to carry enough fuel to carry out full accelerations, only enough to maneuver the craft once launched

the broadcast transmission at 1500 cycles explicitly mentions that by the time 1500 cycles have passed (~4 earth years), they are sitting around the edge of the Oort cloud, the massive debris field that surrounds every solar system

going roughly by the anatomy of our solar system, that means they passed leng (the farthest out labled planetoid) maybe as far as a year back from cycle 1500.

and then they keep going for at least around ~3900 odd cycles out into space (bringing the total flight time to ~5400 cycles).

that's about 8-9 years of continued travel at their approximate velocity before Ariane is put in cryo, and we have no idea how much longer Elster is alive for after that.

unless they managed to pull off some crazy mid-space orbital manuever, they would never have had the fuel to reverse their velocity and head back in the direction of the solar system, and there is never any mention of an attempt (or even desire to) return to the solar system.

we don't know if the Penrose crashes out there or just keeps flying through space, but the Penrose ever being anywhere close to Leng is.... physically impossible, barring special exception.

this also throws a serious wrench in the theory that all LSTR units are based on a decommissioned Elster (LSTR 512). The Eusan government is willing to do a lot of things, but flying a 30 odd year round trip to go fetch Elster (who they know is dead and having their brain decompose) is WILD.

yes, the original LSTR neural pattern was lost with the destruction of the central archives on Vineta. yes, the LSTR they salvaged the currently used pattern from was part of the Penrose program.

but it was probably from an LSTR unit that never launched or was part of an orbital crew working on the Penrose program ships (someone has to build them, load them and launch them, right?).

Our Elster was too long gone, and the sealed document that talks about the loss of the Vinetan archives was... packed into the luggage of the Penrose 512, before any of the events of our story take place.

so... how *does* the Penrose crash on Leng, of all places? why is it right outside of the Sierpinski facility, which Elster and Ariane were nearly assigned to all those years ago? why does Elster have to pass through the black gate to get into Sierpinski?

Ariane's desperation and bioresonance is clearly a part of it, but teleporting a ship hundreds of thousands of miles... by yourself? Elster coming back to life, hundreds of times during the time loop? Where are we even supposed to start with the fact that Ariane has clearly left the ship at the start of the game, and is only in the red-wastes version of the Penrose?

one of Falke's crayon pages talks about meeting Ariane in the red wastes beyond the gate. it's unclear when this took place, and it probably has something to do with the bioresonance tying Falke and Elster's memories together, but i can't help but think that when Falke met the Red Eye, she also met Ariane, reaching out desperately across space.

regardless, something genuinely eldritch is happening, and it's not just the flesh below Leng that's proof of something *else* going on.

#signalis #signalis spoilers #signalis lore

50 notes · View notes

scrumptiousbeardturtle-blog1 · 2 months

Text

Pioneering the Future of Transportation: Innovative Car Engine Technologies

The automotive industry is undergoing a revolutionary transformation, driven by innovative car engine technologies that are shaping the future of nationwide car shipping. These advancements are crucial in improving vehicle performance, efficiency, and sustainability, paving the way for a new era of mobility. As environmental concerns and regulatory pressures mount, automakers are investing heavily in developing cutting-edge engine solutions that not only enhance performance but also reduce emissions and improve fuel economy.

Emerging Car Engine Solutions

1. Electric Powertrains

One of the most significant innovations in car engine technology is the rapid development of electric powertrains. Major automakers are investing heavily in electric vehicle (EV) production, aiming to become global leaders in electric mobility by 2030. Electric powertrains offer several advantages:

Zero direct emissions, contributing to reduced air pollution

Higher energy efficiency compared to traditional internal combustion engines

Instant torque delivery, providing improved acceleration and performance

By 2030, it is expected that 55 percent of all cars sold in Europe will be fully electric, highlighting the growing importance of this technology.

2. Advanced Internal Combustion Engines

While electric vehicles are gaining traction, innovative internal combustion engine designs are also being developed to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. These advancements include:

Variable compression ratio engines that adjust compression based on driving conditions

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines that combine the best features of gasoline and diesel engines

These technologies aim to squeeze more power and efficiency out of traditional fuel sources, providing a bridge between conventional and fully electric vehicles.

3. Hybrid Powertrains

Hybrid powertrains, which combine internal combustion engines with electric motors, continue to evolve and offer a balance between traditional and electric technologies. Advanced hybrid systems provide:

Improved fuel efficiency through regenerative braking and electric-only operation at low speeds

Reduced emissions while maintaining long-range capabilities

Enhanced performance through the combination of electric and combustion power

4. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

While still in the early stages of adoption, hydrogen fuel cell technology is gaining attention as a potential alternative to battery-electric vehicles. Fuel cell engines offer:

Zero emissions, producing only water vapor as a byproduct

Faster refueling times compared to battery charging

Longer range capabilities, especially for larger vehicles from the nationwide auto transport companies and long-distance transportation

The Future of Automotive Innovation

The continued development of advanced car engine technologies is set to transform the automotive landscape dramatically. As these innovations progress, we can expect to see:

Enhanced Vehicle Intelligence: The integration of AI and machine learning in engine management systems will lead to smarter, more responsive vehicles. For instance, BMW Group and NVIDIA Corporation's collaboration aims to integrate AI computing platforms into vehicles, enabling advanced autonomous driving capabilities and intelligent engine control features.

Improved Connectivity: The automotive industry is moving towards a more connected future. Ford Motor Company and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are developing a cloud-based platform for next-generation connected vehicles, enabling features like over-the-air software updates and predictive maintenance for engine systems.

Sustainable Transportation Solutions: With a focus on electric powertrains, hydrogen fuel cells, and more efficient combustion engines, the automotive industry is actively working towards reducing its environmental impact. This shift is expected to accelerate, with more automakers committing to sustainable practices and products.

Enhanced Performance and Efficiency: The combination of advanced engine control systems and innovative powertrain technologies will result in vehicles that are not only more efficient but also offer improved performance across various driving conditions.

Automakers are playing a crucial role in driving these innovations forward. Companies like General Motors, Volvo, Aston Martin, and Jaguar Land Rover are planning to manufacture only electric cars in the foreseeable future, demonstrating their commitment to sustainable mobility solutions.

Additionally, collaborative efforts between automakers, engine suppliers, research institutions, and government agencies are facilitating technology innovation, standardization, and scale economies that drive down costs and accelerate the adoption of cleaner, more efficient engines.

The future of auto transport services in california is being shaped by remarkable advancements in car engine technologies. From electric powertrains to advanced internal combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cells, these innovations are not only enhancing vehicle performance and efficiency but also contributing to a more sustainable automotive ecosystem.

As we move forward, the continued collaboration between automakers, nationwide car carriers, and automotive industries will be essential in realizing the full potential of these groundbreaking technologies, ultimately transforming the way we travel and interact with our vehicles.

The automotive engine market is expected to grow from USD 94 billion in 2022 to USD 130.63 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 5.48%. This growth underscores the importance of innovative engine technologies in shaping the future of the best nationwide auto transport.

As these technologies continue to evolve, they will not only revolutionize the driving experience but also play a crucial role in addressing global environmental challenges and creating a more sustainable future for mobility.

vimeo

#auto transport #car carrier #car shipping #automotive guide #Vimeo

7 notes · View notes

thefirstknife · 2 years

Text

Another thing I wanted to talk about is how new information coming from Neomuna is giving us some questions (and answers!) about previously established origins of the colony.

Originally, Spire of the Watcher dungeon lore gave us information that Neomuna was founded by a rogue AI's attempt to save humanity from the Collapse by effectively stealing a single ship from the ECHO project, embedding herself into it with a piece she partioned away before the rest of her were sealed in the Spire.

ECHO project was Clovis' colony project, aiming to colonise the Andromeda galaxy. The project was a joint operation between Braytech and Ishtar Collective. They worked on the colonisation effort and specifically on the AI called Soteria. Soteria, the Augurmind, was an advanced AI based on Braytech's codes and Ishtar's Vex research. Soteria was able to make accurate predictions about possible colony worlds, best routes to get there, viability of travel and so on.

Given that Braytech was involved, Exos were included in the project; Exos were aboard the ships to serve as effectively immortal stewards overseeing human embryo development to start the colony.

During one of the test flights for an ECHO ship, Soteria suddenly deviated from orders. Clovis tried getting her to follow but she refused. She insisted she must take control of the ship and drive it to a safe location to hide it and preserve humanity. At this point, she had already detected the Black Fleet. Clovis refused to listen and ordered her to be pilloried. However, the pillory process is not instant so she managed to section off one piece of her, attach it to one of the ECHO crafts and pilot it away, hidden, to safety. The ship went to the edge of the system and "crashed through azure clouds."

This was obviously meant to mean Neptune. We were led to believe that this was the ship that made Neomuna. But that means Exos were on board and we have not seen or heard of any Exos or Exo technology on Neomuna. Odd! And as a matter of fact, not only are there no Exos, Neomuni apparently did not even believe that living Exos exist!

Scientists have recently confirmed the rumored existence of living Exo units on Earth. Long believed extinct, Exos were creations of Clovis Bray, the result of extended and inhumane experiments on human subjects.

Furthermore, the original ship that made Neomuna is referenced as Exodus Indigo. From Tropopause:

The archivist went on. "We've got historical texts both pre and post-Exodus Indigo...

And some flavour text on weapons:

"Now this puppy came off the Exodus Indigo herself! Though it handles like it was manufactured yesterday."

Neomuna does have some Braytech influences. You can see it in the designs of some areas where there's literally the same assets being used. But also there's much more open references to the Ishtar Collective. More than Braytech! Braytech is left in the designs, but nothing speaks of it.

We also know that Maya Sundaresh (and her wife, Chioma Esi) are one of the founders of Neomuna. This was the first hint that ECHO perhaps wasn't what made Neomuna, at least not directly. Maya and her wife certainly wouldn't have been passengers on a test flight of a colony ship, especially not after Maya resigned from the project because Clovis pilloried Soteria without her permission.

If Maya hadn't been there, then this wouldn't have been an issue, but she was! She founded Neomuna!

But why would she choose Neptune as a destination? Well, Maya spoke extensively with Soteria about colony worlds. Maya was personally pissed off about Clovis partitioning Soteria. Maya would have detected Soteria's flight and tracked her trajectory to Neptune.

Perhaps Maya wanted to see what happened to the ship. Perhaps she wanted to salvage Soteria. Perhaps she believed Soteria's choice of a safe world to hide from the impending doom. So she chartered her own Exodus ship, Exodus Indigo and followed the trail Soteria left. Since the ship didn't aim to leave the system, it would've been able to get to Neptune and disappear.

The Exos being nonexistent on Neomuna suggests that ECHO's "crash through azure clouds" was lethal. That's the only thing that would've killed all Exos aboard and left Neomuni to speculate about Exo survivability. The ship may have been found and salvaged, which would explain the Braytech influences. Also everyone on the Exodus ship would've come form the Golden Age where Braytech designs were probably ubiquitous and well known to everyone. They started building on the things they've known: Braytech and Ishtar.

Really interesting twist and turn! Soteria and ECHO ship are still crucial to Neomuna's existence, as Maya would've absolutely known about where it went and why, as well as trusted Soteria's judgement. And Maya definitely found Soteria there, because she's referenced in the files as having survived and possibly merged back with the Vex, as per her origins. Soteria's (and Maya's!) legacy continues with her involvement with the friendly Vex faction. Without Soteria, her stolen ECHO ship and Maya's trust in the AI, there is no Neomuna.

#destiny 2 #destiny 2 spoilers #lightfall #lightfall spoilers #neomuna #maya #soteria #exo #lore vibing #long post #i first thought that maybe the name ECHO-1 was changed to exodus indigo by the passengers #still possible but the problem is maya being on board and perhaps issues with the timeline #and ofc. the exos. who must've somehow not survived #cool stuff! possibly still speculative but the hints are fairly solid #exos are an unknown to neomuni so ECHO must've not survived impact #but maya followed and she would've followed soteria and found her later #and soteria was correct! neptune was safe

130 notes · View notes

mrporg · 4 months

Note

She is close to the exit, so I want to say the star did, she could be one of the few or the only person to escape and tell the tale.

(Received in response to https://www.tumblr.com/mrporg/751732101107318784/warning-spoilers-i-cant-keep-but-wonder-what?source=share)

That was also my first guess. But then I asked myself: she was close to which exit exactly?

Because where is Elster at the beginning of the game really? Supposedly the Sierpinski facility is located on Leng, right? Except, midway through the story, we switch to Rotfront for no reason. Well okay, not exactly no reason. It is very likely that this is the doing of Ariane in her coma/sleep who is remembering her time on Rotfront and warping reality or space around her through bioresonance.

And if we backtrack some more, weren't Elster and Ariane on a Penrose ship on an exit trajectory for deep space, far far away from any planet of the solar system? After thousands of cycles, it is very likely they aren't even close to Leng nor Rotfront anymore. Indeed, the message they receive during cycle 1,500 says:

"As you approach the Oort Cloud, your search for new worlds will begin. Utilizing the long-range sensors, you will scout for valuable resources, habitable worlds, or signs of alien life."

Oort cloud is actually very far from the center of the solar system.

And it's very likely that the game doesn't start before cycle 3,000 based on what we see later, so that would put them even further.

My point is, I don't think that the crash on Leng is real and even if it is, and somehow through bioresonance, Ariane and Elster were "teleported" back to the real Leng and then to Rotfront from their doomed exploration ship, the places are so degraded/corrupted around Ariane that they leave me with very little hope that anything around can escape the distortion.

At the end of the day, it's impossible to say for sure and it is left to the player's interpretation. Maybe the story took place on the real Leng and the Star managed to make it out. But the more I think about it, the less likely I find this possibility.

Thanks Anon for your message! I do enjoy the discussion a lot :)

#signalis #fan theory #musings #ask #elster #ariane yeong

8 notes · View notes

this-week-in-rust · 4 months

Text

This Week in Rust 550

Hello and welcome to another issue of This Week in Rust! Rust is a programming language empowering everyone to build reliable and efficient software. This is a weekly summary of its progress and community. Want something mentioned? Tag us at @ThisWeekInRust on X(formerly Twitter) or @ThisWeekinRust on mastodon.social, or send us a pull request. Want to get involved? We love contributions.

This Week in Rust is openly developed on GitHub and archives can be viewed at this-week-in-rust.org. If you find any errors in this week's issue, please submit a PR.

Updates from Rust Community

Foundation

Welcoming Rust-C++ Interoperability Engineer Jon Bauman to the Rust Foundation Team

RustNL 2024

Visual Application Design for Rust - Rik Arends

ThRust in Space: Initial Momentum - Michaël Melchiore

Arc in the Linux Kernel - Alice Ryhl

Making Connections - Mara Bos

Replacing OpenSSL One Step at a Time - Joe Birr-Pixton

Fortifying Rust's FFI with Enscapsulated Functions - Leon Schuermann

Oxidizing Education - Henk Oordt

Postcard: An Unreasonably Effective Tool for Machine to Machine Communication - James Munns

Introducing June - Sophia Turner

Robius: Immersive and Seamless Multiplatform App Development in Rust - Kevin Boos

Compression Carcinized: Implementing zlib in Rust - Folkert de Vries

K23: A Secure Research OS Running WASM - Jonas Kruckenberg

Async Rust in Embedded Systems with Embassy - Dario Nieuwenhuis

Xilem: Let's Build High Performance Rust UI - Raph Levien

Rust Poisoning My Wrist for Fun - Ulf Lilleengen

Type Theory for Busy Engineers - Niko Matsakis

Newsletters

This Month in Rust GameDev #51 - May 2024

Project/Tooling Updates

Enter paradis — A new chapter in Rust's parallelism story

Tiny Glade, VJ performances, and 2d lighting

Diesel 2.2.0

Pigg 0.1.0

git-cliff 2.3.0 is released! (highly customizable changelog generator)

Observations/Thoughts

The borrow checker within

Don't Worry About Lifetimes

rust is not about memory safety

On Dependency Usage in Rust

Context Managers: Undroppable Types for Free

Rust and dynamically-sized thin pointers

Rust is for the Engine, Not the Game

[audio] Thunderbird - Brendan Abolivier, Software Engineer

Rust Walkthroughs

Build with Naz : Rust typestate pattern

How to build a plugin system in Rust

Forming Clouds

Rust error handling: Option & Result

Let's build a Load Balancer in Rust - Part 3

The Ultimate Guide to Rust Newtypes

Miscellaneous

Highlights from "I spent 6 years developing a puzzle game in Rust and it just shipped, AMA"

Crate of the Week

This week's crate is layoutparser-ort, a simplified port of LayoutParser for ML-based document layout element detection.

Despite there being no suggestions, llogiq is reasonably happy with his choice. Are you?

No matter what your answer is, please submit your suggestions and votes for next week!

Calls for Testing

An important step for RFC implementation is for people to experiment with the implementation and give feedback, especially before stabilization. The following RFCs would benefit from user testing before moving forward:

RFCs

No calls for testing were issued this week.

Rust

No calls for testing were issued this week.

Rustup

No calls for testing were issued this week.

If you are a feature implementer and would like your RFC to appear on the above list, add the new call-for-testing label to your RFC along with a comment providing testing instructions and/or guidance on which aspect(s) of the feature need testing.

Call for Participation; projects and speakers

CFP - Projects

Always wanted to contribute to open-source projects but did not know where to start? Every week we highlight some tasks from the Rust community for you to pick and get started!

Some of these tasks may also have mentors available, visit the task page for more information.

No Calls for participation in projects were submitted this week.

If you are a Rust project owner and are looking for contributors, please submit tasks here or through a PR to TWiR or by reaching out on X (Formerly twitter) or Mastodon!

CFP - Events

Are you a new or experienced speaker looking for a place to share something cool? This section highlights events that are being planned and are accepting submissions to join their event as a speaker.

Scientific Computing in Rust 2024 | Closes 2024-06-14 | online | Event date: 2024-07-17 - 2024-07-19

Rust Ukraine 2024 | Closes 2024-07-06 | Online + Ukraine, Kyiv | Event date: 2024-07-27

Conf42 Rustlang 2024 | Closes 2024-07-22 | online | Event date: 2024-08-22

If you are an event organizer hoping to expand the reach of your event, please submit a link to the website through a PR to TWiR or by reaching out on X (Formerly twitter) or Mastodon!

Updates from the Rust Project

308 pull requests were merged in the last week

-Znext-solver: eagerly normalize when adding goals

fn_arg_sanity_check: fix panic message

add --print=check-cfg to get the expected configs

add -Zfixed-x18

also InstSimplify &raw*

also resolve the type of constants, even if we already turned it into an error constant

avoid unwrap diag.code directly in note_and_explain_type_err

check index value <= 0xFFFF_FF00

coverage: avoid overflow when the MC/DC condition limit is exceeded

coverage: optionally instrument the RHS of lazy logical operators

coverage: rename MC/DC conditions_num to num_conditions

create const block DefIds in typeck instead of ast lowering

do not equate Const's ty in super_combine_const

do not suggest unresolvable builder methods

a small diagnostic improvement for dropping_copy_types

don't recompute tail in lower_stmts

don't suggest turning non-char-literal exprs of ty char into string literals

enable DestinationPropagation by default

fold item bounds before proving them in check_type_bounds in new solver

implement needs_async_drop in rustc and optimize async drop glue

improve diagnostic output of non_local_definitions lint

make ProofTreeBuilder actually generic over Interner

make body_owned_by return the Body instead of just the BodyId

make repr(packed) vectors work with SIMD intrinsics

make lint: lint_dropping_references lint_forgetting_copy_types lint_forgetting_references give suggestion if possible

omit non-needs_drop drop_in_place in vtables

opt-in to FulfillmentError generation to avoid doing extra work in the new solver

reintroduce name resolution check for trying to access locals from an inline const

reject CVarArgs in parse_ty_for_where_clause

show files produced by --emit foo in json artifact notifications

silence some resolve errors when there have been glob import errors

stop using translate_args in the new solver

support mdBook preprocessors for TRPL in rustbook

test codegen for repr(packed,simd) → repr(simd)

tweak relations to no longer rely on TypeTrace

unroll first iteration of checked_ilog loop

uplift {Closure,Coroutine,CoroutineClosure}Args and friends to rustc_type_ir

use parenthetical notation for Fn traits

add some more specific checks to the MIR validator

miri: avoid making a full copy of all new allocations

miri: fix "local crate" detection

don't inhibit random field reordering on repr(packed(1))

avoid checking the edition as much as possible

increase vtable layout size

stabilise IpvNAddr::{BITS, to_bits, from_bits} (ip_bits)

stabilize custom_code_classes_in_docs feature

stablize const_binary_heap_constructor

make std::env::{set_var, remove_var} unsafe in edition 2024

implement feature integer_sign_cast

NVPTX: avoid PassMode::Direct for args in C abi

genericize ptr::from_raw_parts

std::pal::unix::thread fetching min stack size on netbsd

add an intrinsic for ptr::metadata

change f32::midpoint to upcast to f64

rustc-hash: replace hash with faster and better finalized hash

cargo test: Auto-redact elapsed time

cargo add: Avoid escaping double-quotes by using string literals

cargo config: Ensure --config net.git-fetch-with-cli=true is respected

cargo new: Dont say were adding to a workspace when a regular package is in root

cargo toml: Ensure targets are in a deterministic order

cargo vendor: Ensure sort happens for vendor

cargo: allows the default git/gitoxide configuration to be obtained from the ENV and config

cargo: adjust custom err from cert-check due to libgit2 1.8 change

cargo: skip deserialization of unrelated fields with overlapping name

clippy: many_single_char_names: deduplicate diagnostics

clippy: add needless_character_iteration lint

clippy: deprecate maybe_misused_cfg and mismatched_target_os

clippy: disable indexing_slicing for custom Index impls

clippy: fix redundant_closure suggesting incorrect code with F: Fn()

clippy: let non_canonical_impls skip proc marco

clippy: ignore array from deref_addrof lint

clippy: make str_to_string machine-applicable

rust-analyzer: add Function::fn_ptr_type(…) for obtaining name-erased function type

rust-analyzer: don't mark #[rustc_deprecated_safe_2024] functions as unsafe

rust-analyzer: enable completions within derive helper attributes

rust-analyzer: fix container search failing for tokens originating within derive attributes

rust-analyzer: fix diagnostics clearing when flychecks run per-workspace

rust-analyzer: only generate snippets for extract_expressions_from_format_string if snippets are supported

rustfmt: collapse nested if detected by clippy

rustfmt: rustfmt should not remove inner attributes from inline const blocks

rustfmt: rust rewrite check_diff (Skeleton)

rustfmt: use with_capacity in rewrite_path

Rust Compiler Performance Triage

A quiet week; we did have one quite serious regression (#115105, "enable DestinationPropagation by default"), but it was shortly reverted (#125794). The only other PR identified as potentially problematic was rollup PR #125824, but even that is relatively limited in its effect.

Triage done by @pnkfelix. Revision range: a59072ec..1d52972d

3 Regressions, 5 Improvements, 6 Mixed; 4 of them in rollups 57 artifact comparisons made in total

Full report here

Approved RFCs

Changes to Rust follow the Rust RFC (request for comments) process. These are the RFCs that were approved for implementation this week:

No RFCs were approved this week.

Final Comment Period

Every week, the team announces the 'final comment period' for RFCs and key PRs which are reaching a decision. Express your opinions now.

RFCs

Change crates.io policy to not offer crate transfer mediation

Tracking Issues & PRs

Rust

[disposition: merge] Allow constraining opaque types during subtyping in the trait system

[disposition: merge] TAIT decision on "may define implies must define"

[disposition: merge] Stabilize Wasm relaxed SIMD

Cargo

No Cargo Tracking Issues or PRs entered Final Comment Period this week.

Language Team

No Language Team RFCs entered Final Comment Period this week.

Language Reference

No Language Reference RFCs entered Final Comment Period this week.

Unsafe Code Guidelines

No Unsafe Code Guideline RFCs entered Final Comment Period this week.

New and Updated RFCs

No New or Updated RFCs were created this week.

Upcoming Events

Rusty Events between 2024-06-05 - 2024-07-03 🦀

Virtual

2024-06-05 | Virtual (Indianapolis, IN, US) | Indy Rust

Indy.rs - with Social Distancing

2024-06-06 | Virtual (Tel Aviv, IL) | Code Mavens

Rust Maven Workshop: Your first contribution to an Open Source Rust project

2024-06-06 | Virtual (Berlin, DE) | OpenTechSchool Berlin + Rust Berlin

Rust Hack and Learn | Mirror: Rust Hack n Learn Meetup

2024-06-09 | Virtual (Tel Aviv, IL) | Code Mavens

Rust Maven Workshop: GitHub pages for Rust developers (English)

2024-06-11 | Virtual (Dallas, TX, US) | Dallas Rust

Second Tuesday

2024-06-12 | Virtual (Cardiff, UK)| Rust and C++ Cardiff

Rust for Rustaceans Book Club: Chapter 8 - Asynchronous Programming

2024-06-13 | Virtual (Charlottesville, NC, US) | Charlottesville Rust Meetup

Crafting Interpreters in Rust Collaboratively

2024-06-13 | Virtual (Nürnberg, DE) | Rust Nuremberg

Rust Nürnberg online

2024-06-16 | Virtual (Tel Aviv, IL) | Code Mavens

Workshop: Web development in Rust using Rocket (English)

2024-06-18 | Virtual (Washington, DC, US) | Rust DC

Mid-month Rustful

2024-06-19 | Virtual (Vancouver, BC, CA) | Vancouver Rust

Rust Study/Hack/Hang-out

2024-06-20 | Virtual (Berlin, DE) | OpenTechSchool Berlin + Rust Berlin

Rust Hack and Learn | Mirror: Rust Hack n Learn Meetup

2024-06-25 | Virtual (Dallas, TX, US)| Dallas Rust User Group

Last Tuesday

2024-06-27 | Virtual (Charlottesville, NC, US) | Charlottesville Rust Meetup

Crafting Interpreters in Rust Collaboratively

2024-07-02 | Virtual (Buffalo, NY) | Buffalo Rust Meetup

Buffalo Rust User Group

2024-07-03 | Virtual | Training 4 Programmers LLC

Build Web Apps with Rust and Leptos

2024-07-03 | Virtual (Indianapolis, IN, US) | Indy Rust

Indy.rs - with Social Distancing

Europe

2024-06-05 | Hamburg, DE | Rust Meetup Hamburg

Rust Hack & Learn June 2024

2024-06-06 | Madrid, ES | MadRust

Introducción a Rust y el futuro de los sistemas DLT

2024-06-06 | Vilnius, LT | Rust Vilnius

Enjoy our second Rust and ZIG event

2024-06-06 | Wrocław, PL | Rust Wroclaw

Rust Meetup #37

2024-06-11 | Copenhagen, DK | Copenhagen Rust Community

Rust Hack Night #6: Discord bots

2024-06-11 | Paris, FR | Rust Paris

Paris Rust Meetup #69

2024-06-12 | Reading, UK | Reading Rust Workshop

Reading Rust Meetup

2024-06-18 | Frankfurt/Main, DE | Rust Frankfurt Meetup

Rust Frankfurt is Back!

2024-06-19 - 2024-06-24 | Zürich, CH | RustFest Zürich

RustFest Zürich 2024

2024-06-20 | Aarhus, DK | Rust Aarhus

Talk Night at Trifork

2024-06-25 | Gdańsk, PL | Rust Gdansk

Rust Gdansk Meetup #3

2024-06-27 | Berlin, DE | Rust Berlin

Rust and Tell - Title

2024-06-27 | Copenhagen, DK | Copenhagen Rust Community

Rust meetup #48 sponsored by Google!

North America

2024-06-08 | Somerville, MA, US | Boston Rust Meetup

Porter Square Rust Lunch, Jun 8

2024-06-11 | New York, NY, US | Rust NYC

Rust NYC Monthly Meetup

2024-06-12 | Detroit, MI, US | Detroit Rust

Detroit Rust Meet - Ann Arbor

2024-06-13 | Spokane, WA, US | Spokane Rust

Monthly Meetup: Topic TBD!

2024-06-17 | Minneapolis, MN US | Minneapolis Rust Meetup

Minneapolis Rust Meetup Happy Hour

2024-06-18 | San Francisco, CA, US | San Francisco Rust Study Group

Rust Hacking in Person

2024-06-20 | Seattle, WA, US | Seattle Rust User Group

Seattle Rust User Group Meetup

2024-06-26 | Austin, TX, US | Rust ATC

Rust Lunch - Fareground

2024-06-27 | Nashville, TN, US | Music City Rust Developers

Music City Rust Developers: Holding Pattern

Oceania

2024-06-14 | Melbourne, VIC, AU | Rust Melbourne

June 2024 Rust Melbourne Meetup

2024-06-20 | Auckland, NZ | Rust AKL

Rust AKL: Full Stack Rust + Writing a compiler for fun and (no) profit

2024-06-25 | Canberra, ACt, AU | Canberra Rust User Group (CRUG)

June Meetup

South America

2024-06-06 | Buenos Aires, AR | Rust en Español | Rust Argentina

Juntada de Junio

If you are running a Rust event please add it to the calendar to get it mentioned here. Please remember to add a link to the event too. Email the Rust Community Team for access.

Jobs

Please see the latest Who's Hiring thread on r/rust

Quote of the Week

Every PR is Special™

– Hieyou Xu describing being on t-compiler review rotation

Sadly, there was no suggestion, so llogiq came up with something hopefully suitable.

Please submit quotes and vote for next week!

This Week in Rust is edited by: nellshamrell, llogiq, cdmistman, ericseppanen, extrawurst, andrewpollack, U007D, kolharsam, joelmarcey, mariannegoldin, bennyvasquez.

Email list hosting is sponsored by The Rust Foundation

Discuss on r/rust

#rust-lang #rust #rustlang #twir #long post

2 notes · View notes

shaevilux · 1 year

Text

hi this is probably my best short story i wrote it on my phone in one afternoon pls enjoy thank also ignore the bad formatting ok thank for real this time

Planetbound

A tale of the unplanned trajectory of one, Ijva’Yut Brie towards the planet Blivenn. Also the tale of one, Uribb Fliss and their slight incompetence in the face of grave emergency.

The planet was made for life to excel in. But these days there was not much there. A million inhabitants distributed and clustered across the three main continents. The lush greens of forests and the dark navy of the vast oceans and the intermittent spirals of white clouds that one would see out of the spacecraft window would remind one of the brochures about zoological preservatories or exotic vacational destinations. It was a beautiful planet that was smaller than most moons, with a naturally enriching atmosphere.

But as a small, malfunctioning spacecraft strafed through the void towards the planet, all it's pilot could think off was how the planet would tear all the plating off of the spacecraft and burn everything inside for even attempting to enter into its atmosphere.

\---

***

Uribb watched from the center console, straining to take their eyes off of the holofeed soap they were so engrossed in. None of the equipment and monitors were saying much. It was a Tuesday. No ships were scheduled to arrive or depart from this isolated planet. It was meant to be a slow day. Slower than usual, at least.

The equipment they were surrounded by was ancient, humming loudly as they operated on a system older than some civilizations. But away from all of this old junk of outdated tech, on a newly installed terminal on the far side of the room, was a flashing red light and a persistent chirp begging for attention.

Uribb slid their chair towards the terminal, a little worried. They never paid much attention to how this terminal worked, only that their supervisor scoffed at the notion that it would see much use.

And this supervisor had taken the day off, leaving little old Uribb to run the space traffic control tower alone.

Uribb saw the planet on the new terminal, more detailed and with more strange numbers and features than the center console would show. And above this highly defined planet, entering a pale line demarcated with what was obviously the altitude number, was a spacecraft.

Uribb turned to the old consoles they were more familiar with, but the machines were silent, oblivious. They had not detected any ship. Of course they had not. The planet was centuries behind on anything the main planetary systems used. And the new terminal was a mandated endeavour by some bereaucratic agency so far removed from the happenings of this planet that did not even register the usual ships that made their landings and takeoffs.

Which meant that the ship about to enter the atmosphere was a newly designed ship, possibly not even meant to enter a planet with atmosphere.

Uribb's eyes widened. The red text that flashed on the corner of the screen was a series of numbers alien to them. They touched the text, grimacing, hoping it would reveal what it meant.

And it did.

Touching the text zoomed the simulated feed in to what the emergency was.

The craft was highlighted as moving in at high speed, and it was ever so slowly on free rotation. And based on the rotation, it would enter the planet facing away from it.

That was bad. Uribb wondered where the thermal shielding was on the ship. Possibly on the nose, right? Maybe it was not meant to enter the planet's atmosphere the conventional way. Maybe it was meant to face away, so that it's thrusters would counter it burning up.

But obviously this ship was not meant do that. Uribb wondered if it even had enough rocketpower to counter the speed of which it would descend.

That is, if it actually managed to come through the atmosphere.

No. Right now Uribb knew nothing about the ship except that it was new, and only interfaced with a terminal they were not too familiar with.

Why had their supervisor taken that leave? Only two souls operated the tower, and now the more experienced one was not here to handle this emergency.

\_\_

***

Ijva knew her message had reached the tower in the planet below, but for a solid minute of her craft hurtling closer and closer to the planet, there was no reply.

And then there was a voice on her headset, panicked and frantic.

"Er, this is Drosta Control Tower. You're coming in too fast and you're craft's angle is off course. By that I mean you're rotating. Is there a problem? I mean, what's the problem?"

Ijva took a deep breath.

"Drosta Control. I am pilot trainee Ijva'Yut Brie, flying solo as per my final test cruise around the solar system. I am experiencing engine trouble. Ah, full engine failure. Auxiliary power keeps rebooting. Error code five niner niner niner three alpha. I am being pulled into the planet by gravity and nothing else. Requesting tractor team."

There was a pause, but Ijva could hear the breathing.

"There is no tractor team." The reply was almost a whisper.

"Come again, Drosta Control?"

"Is your ship capable of traversing through atmospheres about 90% in the Brilder scale?"

"No. The rating is 60% atmosphere."

"Fuck."

"Hey, er. Drosta Control. Is there any tractor team dispatch I can link up with?"

"There is no ground nor orbital based tractor system on this planet. Ok. Ok. Umm. The auxiliary power. What did you say about it? It keeps rebooting?"

This time Ijva was the one who paused, and though panic was not something she felt when the engines first gave up on her, it was definitely setting in now that she learned there was not going to be a tractor rescue.

She was going to slowly get pulled into the planet and burn up and crash and there was nothing she could do about it.

\_\_\_\_\_

***

Uribb scanned the pages on the manual about the making of the ship that was inside the planet's orbit now. There had to be something. Something that could reveal why the auxiliary system kept rebooting.

They still had time. A few hours, at least, before the ship would irreversibly be in the clutches of the planet, it's fate to crash set in stone.

Uribb found the page on the auxiliary system, but came no close to finding out why it did not kick in without issue. Uribb also tried to calm both themself and the pilot Ijva by constantly updating and talking on the comms, knowing how unprofessional they were being. Professionalism all but flew out the window the first time they used an expletive.

 "Are you new?" Ijva asked when there was a lull in the chatter.

"New? No. I mean, kind of. My supervisor isn't here and I'm the only one who is. Here."

"I doubt your supervisor could help. I'm not going to lie. Without a tractor hook, I don't think this ship can be saved. I… I should've known. This planet is called Brivenn, right? The planet that used to be like a hotspot a millennia ago but is just another ghost planet now with no current gen apparel? Sorry, that didn't come out right."

"I'm sorry, Ijva. I can't find anything about a auxiliary power being stuck on reboot."

"It's not stuck on reboot, it's rebooting constantly."

"Sorry, that's what I meant."

"What's your name?"

"Ah, Uribb."

"Ok, Uribb. Just calm down. We still have time before, you know. We can figure this out."

Uribb did not understand the gentleness in her voice. Moments ago she had not taken the news about the nonexistent tractor team well, and now she was back to being calm.

Uribb kept looking at the terminal, pushing buttons, hoping to find an answer to this harrowing problem.

"Are you local?" They could hear Ijva ask.

How did that even matter at a time like this.

"Yes. I was born offworld, but my parents And everyone before them all hailed from here. Are hailing from here, I mean. Ok. There should be a bypass switch below the left throttle arrangement—" Uribb's hope went up as they realised a new avenue the pilot could explore to take control of her ship again, but the hope was immediately extinguished when ijva cut them off.

"I tried the bypass switch just now. Nothing happened. I don't think the problem is bad sequencing or the computer. It's something else. So, why'd you become a space traffic controller?"

The nonchalance in her voice as she asked the question was worrying.

"Look. We can figure this out. I know you said we have time. But you're in an emergency situation up there." Uribb tried to change the urgency in their voice to a more stately and controlled tone.

\_\_\_

***

The panic in the controller's voice was gone, replaced with a sort of stoic determination. For the past few minutes Ijva was numb to the urgency and futile efforts to address technical nonissues Uribb kept bringing up hopefully. Hoping they could fix the problem from down there. Or at least help guide Ijva to the solution.

But the truth of the matter was the auxiliary power was not meant to replace the engine power. Which meant even if they got the power back on, the chances of her managing to escape the planet's gravity by solely relying on the weaker back up thrusters were, if she dared to be optimistic, frighteningly low.

She did not have the heart to disclose this to Uribb. Maybe she should.

But the part of her more intent on survival and hope kept the words out of her mouth. If Uribb, in their manic searching, found something she overlooked, well. She might have a chance.

"I became a space traffic controller because it seemed like a high paying side gig." Came a soft reply.

Ijva smiled.

"Side gig?"

"Yeah. My uncle got me this job. Usually I'm in charge of import and export cargos following a fixed schedule. And sometimes I'll be guiding passenger cruisers. But those ships were all built for planets like this. Planets with atmosphere and stuff. It's a pretty straightforward job, especially in a quiet world like this. So the situation we're in right now? I am sorry to say this but I am not prepared for this at all. But I am going to find a way to help you. So please just hang in there."

"If this is your side gig, what's your real job?"

There was a pause, and Ijva was left to wonder if it meant Uribb found something else she could try or if her question was more probing than she intended.

"Ok, I lied. When I first took up the job I thought I was just going to do it temporarily. Get some quick income so I can move on to something else. Find my calling. But the money, it's good. And I got scared. What if there was nothing else out there for me? I was good at doing this space traffic stuff. And it pays well. I should just stick to it, right?"

Ijva sat, staring at her console as her ship ever so slowly rotated freely as it went on its way planet bound.

"What's your calling?" She asked.

***

The question and all it entailed was not something Uribb wanted to think about at a time like this. But the question and the blunt frankness and innocent curiosity of it still cut through into Uribb.

"Not this. Fuck it. I'm calling my supervisor in. He can get here in an hour. In the meantime can you try manually controlling your pneumatics? Stop your spin and hell, even slow your speed?" Uribb asked.

It was a dumb instruction. The pressurised air in a ship was to be used sparingly as a means to make minute corrections. To attempt what Uribb suggested was to waste that precious air doing silly maneuvers. Air that could be used for the corrections on the trip back to wherever Ijva was headed.

But even if she ran out of air before she reached her destination, even if she could no longer perform her little adjustments, it did not matter. The worst outcome would be getting tractor hooked back into course as she reached her planet.

Which would be the best outcome for her now if this planet had any tractor systems.

Uribb was suddenly pissed that there was no tractor system on Blivenn. Even for a planet millennia behind on technology, that was an oversight too large and glaring. The mandate could send new terminals to the control tower but not planetary tractor systems?

They shook the thought away as they called their understandably weary supervisor and updated him on what was happening. There was a shocked grunt and a promise to be in the control room within the hour, and the line went dead.

"Hey, er. If you don't mind I don't think I'll mess with the pneumatics. I don't think it'll do too much good." Ijva stated.

"We still need to find a way to slow you down."

"Yeah, and the only way to do that is with the main engines."

"Fuck."

"You're right," Ijva said, and Uribb swore they could hear the smile in her voice, "This isn't your calling."

***

The light from the sun stopped playing on the inside of her ship as the craft finally pirouetted away from its view. Ijva saw as the solar readout spike in power as the arrays lining the outside got a fresh gleam of starlight.

The planet below came into view again, it's cloud formations so erratic and beautiful.

"What do like to do down there?" She asked.

"What? Like, for fun?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know. It's spring where I am now so we're going to have a festival to mark the passage of winter. It's called Frosta Ku Jiewei"

"Seasonal festivals, huh?"

"Yeah. This one's the important one. What about you? Where are you from?"

"No planet as pretty like this one."

"I'm guessing one of the city dome planets."

"Yeah. That's why I'm not flying on a hardier ship. My planet has like 26% atmosphere compared to yours."

"What colour is it?"

"My planet?"

"Yeah. I've… Never actually been to space. But everyone who comes in or goes out, well I speak to them over the chatter. Little conversations. They always describe Blivenn as a small, moldy, trystberry. All green and blue and white. And the city dome planets they visit are all monochrome. Greys or purples or dull oranges. What colour is yours?"

"White. Whiteish blue. It's a frozen over planet."

"That's so cool."

Ijva wanted to point out there was nothing cool about a desolate, barren world where the only signs of life were either on the subterranean underwater city domes or the bacteria and microbes that floated through the deuterium water surrounding the domes.

Because the planet below not only had humanity, it had animals. Fauna, flora, all natural and living together with people. A rarity nowadays where there were new laws about colonising preinhabited worlds.

"That's not all. Our city dome is under water."

"I swear, you guys are living in the future."

"We are. But sometimes the progress handicaps us. Makes us rely on new concepts and theories and ideas that we just all unanimously agree on."

"But it's not really unanimous, is it? Unanimous among the first worlds maybe."

"Yeah, exactly. Unless we find a way to actually educate, enforce and implement whatever new shit that we want to normalise in all the worlds, there's no unanimous anything. I mean, your planet doesn't even have tractor teams. That's, like, standard where I am. I wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Ijva wondered if she was being offensive. It was not nice to talk about first worlds or second worlds or third worlds like this. But she was so frustrated. Because of some logistical issue she was going to die.

"Are there seriously not any dense atmosphere planets among the first worlds?"

"Not really. Unless you count those cattleplanets. You know, where the planet's sole purpose is to grow our food. My dad brought me to one once. Just the stench that entered the ship when the ramp lowered was enough for me to swear off meat. But it was a cool experience. To be able to just land our ship and open our ramp to the elements without wearing any spacesuits."

"That's what you can expect when you land here." Uribb said confidently.

And just like that the happy memory of that trip her father brought her on dissipated, the reality of her predicament hit her like plunging into icy water. And suddenly the planet below lost its beauty. It looked very alien and threatening as it pulled her and her ship into it.

"The stench?" She asked jokingly, hoping her voice did not betray the sudden bout of fear in her heart.

There was laughter on the other end, and it put her slightly at ease. Only slightly.

She hesitated, then asked, "Can... Can I send you a message? To pass on to my father?"

\_\_\_

***

"What? No. Listen. My supervisor will be here soon."

"And what can they do?"

"I… I can't. This is too much." Uribb was hyperventilating.

"Look, I'm sorry if me going to burn up in your atmosphere is too much for you to handle, but I need to get my affairs in order." Came a tired, sarcastic voice over the comms.

"Sorry. Of course. Uh, send the message through."

There was a long pause. Minutes maybe. Uribb continued pouring over multiple tablets and the terminal. They knew more about this spacecraft now more than anyone else on the planet. But they still did not know what could trigger the auxiliary systems to enter a bootloop.

Meanwhile she was still up there, writing her message to her loved ones as she flew 19.93 meters per second in a catastrophic arc into the planet. A trainee pilot. Uribb wondered what kind of ship she wanted to fly after she got certified. What kind of jobs she wanted to take.

They almost asked the question, as well, but thought against it. What was the point? The woman had accepted her fate. And that fact was scary to Uribb. They had failed this person.

Where was Werfig? Where was their supervisor?

But Ijva's words echoed in their mind. What could their supervisor do? It was an unfair question. Werfig actually attended many courses for space traffic control, unlike Werfig, who learned on the job.

If anyone could offer a different perspective, if anyone could take a step back and look at the problem and decode the root of it it was Werfig.

"I'm sorry. About being curt earlier." Ijva said after a while.

"You have every right to be. I was being tactless and selfish."

"Yeah, but. We're in a shitty situation."

"But the only person in any danger is you."

"That's true. But whatever the outcome of this is it'll stick with you forever. You know that, right? You're not exactly in the safe zone from that."

"God, we need to find a way to rescue you."

"No shit."

"Hey, uh. How is it? Flying a spacecraft?"

"I thought you talk about this stuff all the time with other pilots in the chatter."

"Well, people are different. Their experiences are different. I want to know why you want to take up a pilot license."

"I don't know. I never gave it much thought. I'm from a family of pilots. It's more or less expected of me to at least get a pilot's license even if I don't plan on making a career out of flying. And I don't know how to describe it. When you escape a planet's gravity and are just floating through a vacuum untethered, it's like... Comforting. Freeing. Literally. There are no forces acting on you unless you push that throttle or pull that lever. You're in control of your own trajectory, your own path. It's a euphoric feeling. I don't know. Is that what the other pilots say?"

"Hey, ah. I can see your ship's monitor from my terminal here. And right now I can see a temperature discrepancy in your systems." Uribb stared wide-eyed at the terminal.

"Switching to thermal view now and... Yeah. It's just in this region. The conduit manifold—"

"That's delivering power to the auxiliary systems. Ok. You got ice in your wirings. That's fine. We can figure something out."

"Holy shit how did I miss that?"

"It's ok. It's ok. Err.. Do you have your tool kit?"

"Yeah way ahead of you. How much pressure should I use to flush the systems?"

"Ok, just to confirm, you're going to use the demineralised gas cylinder to—"

"Pump the ice into the exhaust, yes." Ijva's voice was impatient.

"400 psi should be enough."

"Are you sure?"

"That's what the schematics rate your ship internals' maximum pressure to be."

"Pray for me, Uribb."

There was a static hiss over the comms.

And then Uribb saw the ship's display disappear from the terminal.

\---

***

Ijva plugged the hose from the cylinder to the opening under her seat and locked the valve into place. She took a deep breath and opened the the valve on the cylinder.

The ship shuddered beneath her seat and the screens went dark. The everpresent hum of the air supply disappeared, along with the periodic clicks and ticks of whatever instruments made those sounds.

The ship was fully, completely turned off.

Ijva took a deep breath and turned the power on.

The screen in front of her went through the boot sequence, trying to turn on the main engines but upon failing, opting to cycle power through the auxiliaries.

She held her breath as the screen showed her all the checks being performed on the auxiliariy power and... The hum returned, the ticks and clicks resumed, the rest of the screens turned themselves on.

And most importantly, the auxiliary engines rumbled to life.

"Uribb! It worked! I have auxiliary power." She shouted over the comms, her hands shaking.

There was a jovial exclamation from the other end.

"Ok, full speed away from the planet! Go!" She heard Uribb say.

"What?"

"Seriously. Do it now. Before it's too late! Once you're fully out of the gravity well you can conserve your engines and get to a planet you can actually land on."

"You're asking me to make lightspeed hop to a different system on auxiliary power? Out of the question."

"It's not as risky as entering Blivenn's atmosphere. Your thermal shields aren't meant for 90% atmosphere."

"I won't come be coming in headfirst. I'll be facing away, use my thrusters to counter the gravity. Are there any large bodies of water at a high elevation?"

"Ok, you need to listen to me. That is a bad idea."

"Where's your supervisor?"

"I don't know. He'll be here soon. But—"

"I'm sorry, Uribb. I think this is the only way. If you won't help me—"

"I never said that. Ok. Ok. Body of water at high elevation. I'll send you a heading in a moment. But seriously. Even at this high elevation you're aiming for you're still looking at like 80% atmosphere. Are you seriously hoping to crash land on water and take your chances?"

"Yes."

"Why? The chances of safely going to lightspeed on auxiliary power is still higher than this."

She had considered the possibility, but she was afraid something else on her ship would fail her. Continuing the rest of her journey towards safety on a ship running just on back up power did not instill any sort of comfort in her.

No, she needed to land.

"I'm entering the atmosphere now. Those coordinates would be great so I can make my adjustments before it's too late. Body of water. High elevation. Go. Now, please."

There were some deep breaths over the comms.

"I can't believe Werfig isn't here already. He's missing some of the biggest mistakes we're making. There. The coordinates. That's the tallest volcano on the planet. A little bit aways from the equator. From where you are."

"Volcano?"

"It's when tectonic plates in a region—"

"I know what a volcano is, smartass. Why are you leading me into one. Is it dormant?"

"I mean, obviously it's dormant. It has a lake up top. The volcano is called Putkinni. A tourist hotspot. You'll love it."

"Ok. Plotting the course there."

"I'll inform the authorities there to pick you up."

"Holy shit. Holy shit I can feel the air already. The ship's beginning to shake."

"It's only going to get more violent for the next few minutes."

"Please. Keep the line open. No matter what."

"I won't close it. Why would you even think I would close it?"

"I don't know. Maybe your nerves will get the better of you and you don't want to hear me scream."

"Ijva. Ijva you're doing something so crazy and brave. I won't even think of cutting off."

"I don't know. Fuck. This was a bad idea. I should have went to lightpseed like you said. Send out a distress call and shut everything off and waited for a tractor team near the main planetary systems."

"Well, don't think about that."

"If I don't think about that I'll have to think about what I'm doing now. Fuck. I've never felt the ship shake this much. It's not built for this."

"Ok, listen to me. No. Repeat the plan back to me."

"Ok. Steady thrusters for now as the ship makes its angled descent to the volcano. Once we're nearing the complete breakage of the ship's structural integrity you'll let me know and I'll max out the thrusters. Hopefully this doesn't just violently tear the ship apart but instead gives me a wider room to really slow down and land safely on the water."

"You sound kind of funny like that."

"Like what? Like someone is violently shaking me as I'm trying to speak? I swear I'm going to bite my tongue off if I keep talking. God, I'm really scared."

"Everything is sound. Your ship is fine. And once you land and they rescue you, why don't you come find me. Alright? It's good that you didn't jump to lightspeed. In a few days we can observe Frosta Ku Jiewei together. See the local tradition."

"What?"

"The festival for the passing of winter?"

"Fuck. Right. Sorry. You mentioned that."

"Can't wonder why that slipped your mind."

"AH! Did you hear that? I felt that! I felt something break off."

"Relax. I can see your ship from my terminal. You're doing great. Your angle is alright. Your heading is good. You'll need to turn up the thrusters in a few, but that's fine. I'll tell you when."

"Fuck. Fuck. Hey. We forgot something really important."

"I really don't want to know."

"I don't think I'll be conscious to turn up the thrusters. You know, because of the g-forces' effect on the human body we forgot to factor in."

\--

***

Uribb's breath caught on their throat.

"You're right. Damnit."

Uribb did some mental math. If she pulled the thrusters now it would mean she would veer off course. And off the cuff course corrections were dangerous, especially if she were to lose consciousness while making them.

And if she passed out before it was time to pull the thrusters as per planned, than she would not survive the crash for sure.

Uribb felt the door to the room open and the familiar strikingly thin visage of Werfig rushing in.

"She's coming in hot. But she might not be conscious to pull her thrusters." Uribb said, stumbling over their words.

"Who are you talking to? Is your supervisor there? Ok. Uribb. It's happening. I'm losing colour vision." Ijva said over the comms.

"Is there a way to automate that? The thrusters?" Werfig asked, panting.

"Not in this ship."

"Ok, you'll need to do short bursts of the thruster. Starting with a 3 second prolonged burst. Do it now."

Uribb watched as the ship slowed, causing it to, as expected, go off the plotted course.

Werfig watched the terminal, too, eyes wide.

"By God. You're planning to land there? Have you told anyone? It's a public area." Werfig scrambled to the other consoles.

"Yeah, yeah I did, Werfig. I did. But using the thrusters like that means she won't be able to land there."

"Pilot, what's your vision like, now? How are you feeling?" Werfig asked.

"I, ah. It's the same. Better. I don't know." Ijva's voice was slow.

"Ok, you have to adjust your seat angle. About 30 degrees upwards should ease the blood flow." Werfig advised.

"Copy that."

"We can't use the thrusters like that. She's already strayed too far off course." Uribb said, looking at the new projected path of the ship.

"Are you an experienced pilot, ah..."

"Ijva. And no. I'm a trainee."

Werfig swore.

"Sorry. Ok. Did the seat angle help?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it did."

"Ok. Pay close attention, Ijva. For the next thruster burst, you're going to angle your ship back into trajectory. I am not going to lie, it'll require a lot of precise control of your pneumatics. Now, those pneumatics aren't meant to be used in an atmosphere, so we'll be have to use most of not all the air in the reserve to do this. But that's fine. Are you ready?" Werfig asked, and Uribb automatically pulled a visual on the angle to thrust from.

"I'm ready. And the funny thing about this is even if I overshoot the angle, I can readjust the other way when it's time to thrust again, right?" Ijva asked, and Uribb saw on the terminal as her ship began to rotate as the pneumatics nudged it to be thrusted back into course.

"I wouldn't call that funny, but that's exactly right. You'll have about 4 tries to get the angle right."

"Ok. Ok. This can work."

"Don't worry. We'll have someone to come collect you."

"Yeah. Yeah. Do I engage the thrusters?" Ijva asked.

Werfig turned to Uribb as they watched the screen intently.

"Engage now." Uribb instructed, and saw as the ship slowed it's decent again as it went back in course, before dipping out of course again the other way.

That was fine. 3 more tries. And they would only get more accurate from here on out.

\_\_

***

The ship jolted again as she pulled the thrusters. She was following the angle corrections the control tower was sending her, hoping her estimation of how much air propulsion she needed to align to the correct angle was close enough.

She kept getting encouraging replies from Uribb and the supervisor.

Another angle correction came in, another burst of pneumatic control to angle her was issued, and another shudder as the she pulled the throttle to slow herself down.

She could not see the mountains or the volcano she was to land on. The cameras were all but fried minutes ago. She was flying in relatively blind, unable to see out of the cockpit into where she was supposed to land.

It was a frightening. Everything about what she was doing was frightening. But at least her display showed the visual topographical readout of the rapidly approaching landing site.

Another course correction, another burst of thrusters.

She was close now. She was going to land, and her speed was lower than the calculations, so that was good.

Another course correction, another burst of air propulsion. She saw the flashing light that warned her she was dangerously low on the air reserve for the pneumatic systems. That was fine.

"Any second now." Uribb whispered over the comms, echoing her own thoughts.

Without warning the ship plunged into the lake, and the blue sky she saw was instead replaced by bubbles and foam and clear, darker blue water.

The impact knocked the wind out of her, and she gasped, undoing her straps.

"Landed. I'm ok." She breathed, and she could hear the elated shouts over the comms.

"Ok. I'm guessing you're underwater. Are there any leaks? Is water coming in? Werfig is on call with the rescue team. Their yachts should be pulling you out soon." Uribb said, their voice high as they spoke quickly over their own words.

"No leaks. Dangerously low on air, but that's fine. Holy fuck. We actually did it. Uribb, can you believe this?"

"I'm, ah. I'm having a hard time processing this."

"God. We have to meet. I'll take you up on it. Your offer to see the festival?"

"Yeah, of course. For sure. Ijva, you did it. Holy shit, you did it!"

Ijva had tears in her eyes as she grinned ear to ear.

"Thank you, Uribb. We're both colossal idiots to even attempt this landing, but by God."

Ijva could hear the relieved gushing as Uribb spoke to her, and could hear them crying as well.

She had landed. They were alright

#space fiction #my writing #writeblr #character dialogue

8 notes · View notes