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mostlysignssomeportents · 20 days ago

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Surveillance pricing lets corporations decide what your dollar is worth

I'm in the home stretch of my 24-city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in LONDON (July 1) with TRASHFUTURE'S RILEY QUINN and then a big finish in MANCHESTER on July 2.

Economists praise "price discrimination" as "efficient." That's when a company charges different customers different amounts based on inferences about their willingness to pay. But when a company sells you something for $2 that someone else can buy for $1, they're revaluing the dollars in your pocket at half the rate of the other guy's.

That's not how economists see it, of course. When a hotel sells you a room for $50 that someone else might get charged $500 for, that's efficient, provided that the hotelier is sure no $500 customers are likely to show up after you check in. The empty room makes them nothing, and $50 is more than nothing. There's a kind of metaphysics at work here, in which the room that is for sale at $500 is "a hotel room you book two weeks in advance and are sure will be waiting for you when you check in" while the $50 room is "a hotel room you can only get at the last minute, and if it's not available, you're sleeping in a chair at the Greyhound station."

But what if you show up at the hotel at 9pm and the hotelier can ask a credit bureau how much you can afford to pay for the room? What if they can find out that you're in chemotherapy, so you don't have the stamina to shop around for a cheaper room? What if they can tell that you have a 5AM flight and need to get to bed right now? What if they charge you more because they can see that your kids are exhausted and cranky and the hotel infers that you'll pay more to get the kids tucked into bed? What if they charge you more because there's a wildfire and there are plenty of other people who want the room?

The metaphysics of "room you booked two weeks ago" as a different product from "room you're trying to book right now" break down pretty quickly once you factor in the ability of sellers to figure out how desperate you are – or merely how distracted you are – and charge accordingly. "Surveillance pricing" is the practice of spying on you to figure out how much you're willing to spend – because you're wealthy, because you're desperate, because you're distracted, because it's payday – and charging you more:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/05/your-price-named/#privacy-first-again

For example, a McDonald's ventures portfolio company called Plexure offers drive-through restaurants the ability to raise the price of your regular order based on whether you've recently received your paycheck. They're just one of many "personalized pricing" companies that have attracted investor capital to figure out how to charge you more for the things you need, or merely for the small pleasures of life.

Personalized pricing (that is, "surveillance pricing") is part of the "pricing revolution" that is underway in the US and the world today. Another major element of this revolution are the "price clearinghouses" that charge firms within a sector to submit their prices to them, then "offer advice" on the optimum pricing. This advice – given to all the suppliers of a good or service – inevitably boils down to "everyone should raise their prices in unison." So long as everyone follows that advice, we poor suckers have nowhere else to go to get a better deal.

This is a pretty thin pretext. Price-fixing is illegal, after all. These companies pretend that when all the meat-packers in America send their pricing data to a "neutral" body like Agri-Stats, which then tells them all to jack up the price of meat, that this isn't a price-fixing conspiracy, since the actual conspiracy takes the form of strongly worded suggestions from an entity that isn't formally part of the industry:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/04/dont-let-your-meat-loaf/#meaty-beaty-big-and-bouncy

Same goes for when all the landlords in town send their rental data to a company like Realpage, which then offers "advice" about the optimum price, along with stern warnings not to rent below that price: apparently that's not price-fixing either:

https://popular.info/p/feds-raid-corporate-landlord-escalating

It's not just sellers who engage in this kind of price-fixing – it's also buyers. Specifically buyers of labor, AKA "bosses." Take contract nursing, where a cartel of three staffing apps have displaced the many small regional staffing agencies that historically served the sector. These companies buy nurses' credit history from the unregulated, Wild West data-brokerage sector. They're checking to see whether a nurse who's looking for a shift has a lot of credit-card debt, especially delinquent debt, because these nurses are facing economic hardship and will accept a lower wage than their better-off compatriots:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/12/18/loose-flapping-ends/#luigi-has-a-point

This is surveillance pricing for buyers, and as with the sell-side pricing revolution, buyers also make use of a third party as an accountability sink (a term coined by Dan Davies): the apps that they use to buy nursing labor are a convenient way for hospitals to pretend that they're not engaged in price-fixing for labor.

Veena Dubal calls this "algorithmic wage discrimination." Algorithmic wage discrimination doesn't need to use third-party surveillance data: Uber, who invented the tactic, use their own in-house data as a way to make inferences about drivers' desperation and thus their willingness to accept a lower wage. Drivers who are less picky about which rides they accept are treated as more desperate, and offered lower wages than their pickier colleagues:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

But this gets much creepier and more powerful when combined with aggregated surveillance data. This is one of the real labor consequences of AI: not the hypothetical millions of people who will become technologically unemployed, numbers that AI bosses pull out of their asses and hand to dutiful stenographers in the tech press who help them extol the power of their products; but rather the millions of people whose wages are suppressed by algorithms that continuously recalculate how desperate a worker is apt to be and lower their wages accordingly.

This is as good a candidate for AI regulation as any, but it's also a very good reason to regulate data brokers, who operate with total impunity. Thankfully, Biden's Consumer Finance Protection Bureau passed a rule that made data brokers effectively illegal:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/10/getting-things-done/#deliverism

But then Trump got elected and his despicable minions killed that rule, giving data brokers carte blanche to spy on you and sell your data, effectively without restriction:

https://www.wired.com/story/cfpb-quietly-kills-rule-to-shield-americans-from-data-brokers/

(womp-womp)

Also, Biden's FTC was in the middle of an antitrust investigation into surveillance pricing on the eve of the election, a prelude to banning the practice in America:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/07/24/gouging-the-all-seeing-eye/#i-spy

But then Trump got elected and his despicable minions killed that investigation and instead created a snitch line where FTC employees could complain about colleagues who were "woke":

https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/bedoya-statement-emergency-motion.pdf

(Womp.)

Naomi Klein's Doppelganger proposes a "mirror world" that the fever-swamp right lives in – a world where concern for children takes the form of Pizzagate conspiracies, while ignoring the starving babies in Gaza and the kids whose parents are being kidnapped by ICE:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/05/not-that-naomi/#if-the-naomi-be-klein-youre-doing-just-fine

The pricing revolution is a kind of mirror-world Marxism, grounded in "From each according to their ability to pay; to each according to their economic desperation":

https://pluralistic.net/2025/01/11/socialism-for-the-wealthy/#rugged-individualism-for-the-poor

A recent episode of the excellent Organized Money podcast featured an interview with Lee Hepner, an antitrust lawyer who is on the front lines of the pricing revolution (on the side of workers and buyers) (not bosses):

https://www.organizedmoney.fm/p/the-wild-world-of-surveillance-pricing

Hepner is the one who proposed the formulation that personalized pricing is a way for corporations to decide that your dollars are worth less than your neighbors' dollars – a form of economic discrimination that treats the poorest, most desperate, and most precarious among us as the people who should pay the most, because we are the people whose dollars are worth the least.

Now, this isn't always true. Earlier this month, Delta, United and American were caught charging more for single travelers than they charged pairs of groups:

https://thriftytraveler.com/news/airlines/airlines-charging-solo-travelers-higher-fares/

That's a way to charge business travelers extra – for valuing their dollars less than the dollars of families, not because business travelers are desperate, but because they are, on average, richer than holidaymakers (because their bosses are presumed to be buying their tickets). Sometimes, price discrimination really does charge richer people more to subsidize everyone else.

But here's the difference: when the news about the business-traveler's premium broke, its victims – powerful people with social capital and also regular capital – rose up in outrage, and the airlines reversed the policy:

https://thriftytraveler.com/news/airlines/delta-rethinks-higher-fares-solo-travelers/

If the airlines are still pursuing this kind of price discrimination, they'll do something sneakier, like buying our credit histories before showing us a price. This is something British Airways is already teeing up, by offering essentially zero reward miles to frequent travelers for partner airline tickets unless they're purchased from BA's own website:

https://onemileatatime.com/news/the-british-airways-club/

But BA operates in the UK, where most of the pre-Brexit, EU-based privacy regime is still intact, despite the best efforts of Keir Starmer to destroy it, something that neither Boris Johnson, nor Theresa May,nor Rishi Sunak, nor Liz Truss could manage:

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press-releases/uk-privacy-erosion-sparks-eu-civil-society-call-to-review-adequacy-data-deal/

So for now, BA travelers might be safe from surveillance pricing, at least in the UK and EU. And that's the thing, America is pretty much cooked. It might be generations – centuries – before the USA emerges from its Trumpian decline and becomes a civilized democracy again. Americans have little hope of a future in which their government protects them from corporate predators, rather than serving them up on a toothpick, along with a little cocktail napkin.

The future of the fight against corporate power and oligarchy is something for the rest of the world to carry on, as the American hermit kingdom sinks into ever-deeper collapse:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/06/21/billionaires-eh/#galen-weston-is-a-rat

And as it happens, Canada's Competition Bureau, newly equipped with muscular enforcement powers thanks to a 2024 law, is seeking public comment on surveillance pricing and whether Canada should do something about it:

https://www.canada.ca/en/competition-bureau/news/2025/06/competition-bureau-seeks-feedback-on-algorithmic-pricing-and-competition.html

I'm writing comments for this one. If you're in Canada, or a Canadian abroad (like me), perhaps you could, too. If you're looking for an excellent Canadian perspective to crib from, check out this episode of The Globe and Mail's Lately podcast on the subject:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/lately/article-the-end-of-the-fixed-price/

Just because America jumped off the Empire State Building, that's no reason for Canada to jump off the CN Tower, after all.

(Eh?)

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/06/24/price-discrimination/#algorithmic-pricing

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

#pluralistic #surveillance pricing #personalized pricing #cartels #monopolies #antitrust #unfair and deceptive methods of competition #luigi thought

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shiyorin · 2 months ago

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Author's note: Come from my private au, has so many settings I am never said before but I think it is funny, must post.

Tumblr formatting sucks so I had to change it like this.

EXPOSED: 133 SPICY SECRETS THE IMPERIUM DOESN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW — WHAT THE PRIMARCHS REALLY DO AFTER DARK!

From kink collections to bedroom blunders - the juiciest, weirdest, and most heretical habits of the Emperor’s golden boys. You won’t believe #26… and #90? Absolutely illegal in 7 systems!

The Lion maintains absolute discipline even during climax, barely changes expression.

Has a secret passionate side that only emerges with you.

Silent hunter in the streets, vocal beast in the sheets.

Despite his serious demeanor, he makes cat noises when he comes. Not sexy growls, literal "meow" sounds.

Has never discussed his intimate life with anyone, total compartmentalization.

Possesses surprisingly detailed knowledge of ancient Terran tantric practices.

Watch you like prey before making a move, intense predatory stare.

Has a ritual of knightly "service" that leaves you breathless.

Fulgrim has tried literally every sexual practice in Imperial records.

Can delay his climax indefinitely through perfect muscular control.

His perfectionism extends to sexual performance, practices techniques alone.

Has a mirror positioned above his bed, claiming it's "for technique refinement."

Keeps a detailed journal rating every sexual encounter on multiple criteria.

Always smells like different exotic perfumes depending on his mood.

Perturabo pproaches pleasure like an engineering problem to be solved with precision.

Records biometric data during encounters to analyze optimal techniques.

His jealousy issues manifest as possessiveness in relationship.

He has body image issues despite being built like a Greek god. When you started calling his stretch marks "triumph lines" and his response was to short-circuit emotionally.

Surprisingly responsive to praise during intimate moments.

Despite his gruff exterior, he cries during his refractory period. Every time.

Has trust issues that translate to control dynamics in bed.

Jaghatai's speed isn't just for the battlefield, it can vibrate certain body parts.

Never stays in one position for long, constant motion and rhythm.

Has a thing for outdoor sex.

Braids his hair specially for intimate occasions, pulls it out after.

Makes a distinctive sound during climax that's become legendary.

Knows pleasure techniques from dozens of different cultures.

Sometimes recites war poems during particularly intense moments.

Leman's heightened sense of smell means he can detect arousal from across a room.

Growls during climax, not metaphorically, actually growls.

Has fucked in every environment imaginable, including in blizzards.

Gets rough during full moons without even realizing it.

His beard provides unexpected sensations that drive you wild.

His dirty talk is surprisingly poetic, often in ancient Fenrisian dialects.

Has a thing for biting, leaves marks that last for weeks.

Dorn approaches sex with the same directness as everything else, tells you exactly what he wants.

Has incredible endurance, can maintain the same position for hours without tiring.

He speaks exclusively in literal terms during sex. "I am now going to insert my penis into your vagina" is his idea of dirty talk. When you asked him to talk dirty, he told you about soil composition and drainage issues. Somehow, still hot.

He has never once lied, which made "how was it for you?" a terrifying question until you learned to be more specific.

Never exaggerates or falsifies his reactions, 100% authentic responses.

Has an unexpected thing for bondage, loves testing the strength of different restraints.

Always keeps his word on promised pleasures, reliability is his hallmark.

If you want to peg him, he will provide a detailed structural analysis of your technique, complete with suggestions for improved angle of entry.

Konrad can see your deepest desires through his precognitive abilities.

Only has sex in complete darkness, says the shadows "speak to him" then.

Has a thing for fear, gets aroused when you are slightly afraid.

Never makes a sound during sex, total silence except for breathing.

Sometimes whispers your future to you during climax, usually disturbing stuff.

He's a little spoon who needs to be the big spoon until he falls asleep, then immediately reverts to little.

He keeps a "justice journal" where he ranks everyone's crimes and appropriate punishments. Apparently, your crime is "excessive smugness" and your punishment is "thorough pleasure correction."

Sanguinius's wings are erogenous zones, extremely sensitive to touch.

His beauty isn't just physical, emits a pheromone that intensifies attraction.

Blood rushes to his wings during arousal, making them flush visibly.

His enhanced hearing means he can detect the slightest changes in heartbeat and breathing.

You can feel a euphoric blood rush in his presence, possibly psychic.

Has a tragic fear of hurting you, requires absolute trust.

He looks like an angel but fucks like a demon. The dichotomy is disorienting.

He apologizes after dirty talk. "You're a filthy cockslut-I'm sorry, that was disrespectful.”

Despite Ferrus's gruff exterior, whispers surprisingly tender things during intimate moments.

Temperature of his hands can be adjusted for different sensations.

Always checks in verbally throughout, consent is non-negotiable.

Can go for multiple rounds with zero recovery time.

Has a thing for hands, loves both giving and receiving hand pleasure.

Contrary to expectations, Angron is extremely controlled in bed, afraid of hurting you.

His rage translates to intense passion when properly channeled.

The Butcher's Nails make his pleasure/pain responses unpredictable.

Requires specialized reinforced beds, has broken dozens.

Gets emotional after particularly intense sessions, sometimes even cries.

Prefers if you aren’t intimidated by his size or reputation.

His heart rate during sex would kill a normal human.

Guilliman approaches sex with tactical precision, maps erogenous zones like campaign targets.

Keeps a detailed spreadsheet analyzing performance and your satisfaction.

Actually wrote a private codex on sexual techniques, 500 pages, fully illustrated.

Always showers immediately before and after.

Has a thing for authority figure, ironic given his own position.

Surprisingly imaginative once he trusts you enough to relax.

Asks for performance reviews afterward, genuinely wants to improve.

Despite his appearance, Mortarion is unexpectedly gentle and attentive.

Has a breathing kink, loves controlled breath play.

His body temperature runs cold, creating interesting sensations for you.

Surprisingly flexible.

Has never been naked in front of anyone, always keeps something on.

His scarred skin is extremely sensitive, especially along his back.

Silent during sex except for carefully controlled breathing.

Prefers total darkness, claims it "equalizes the experience."

Magnus can psychically enhance your pleasure, making you feel everything he feels.

His eye glows brighter during arousal.

Can maintain an erection for days through psychic control.

Know exactly what you want before you do, mind reading has its benefits.

Has invented several positions that would be physically impossible without telekinesis.

Sometimes accidentally projects his orgasms psychically, causing everyone nearby to feel it.

His extensive library includes the galaxy's largest collection of erotic literature.

Has had sex while simultaneously reading a book.

Horus has a thing for power dynamics, he loves when you challenge his authority before ultimately submitting to him.

His stamina is legendary, often going for hours without breaks.

Gets incredibly turned on when called "Warmaster" in bed.

Has a secret collection of handcuffs from every world he's conquered.

That scar on his body? Extremely sensitive to touch, instant arousal trigger.

Secretly recorded himself with you, keeps the videos in a hidden vault.

Has a thing for doing it in war rooms, especially on strategic tables.

Lorgar treats sex like a religious experience, complete with rituals and chanting.

Has written erotic poetry that would make experienced courtesans blush.

Takes his time, foreplay can last hours as he "worships" every inch.

His voice alone can bring you to the edge, has studied sonic stimulation.

Maintains eye contact throughout, intensely spiritual connection.

Has a thing for confession scenarios, wants to hear your darkest desires.

Always burns special incense that heightens sensitivity.

Has sacred words tattooed in places only you discover.

Vulkan's body temperature runs extremely hot, like making love to a furnace.

Gives the best post-sex cuddles in the Imperium, like being wrapped in a warm blanket.

Has a surprising affinity for sensual massage, can work out knots you didn't know you had.

Laughs during sex, finds joy in physical connection.

Always focuses on your pleasure before his own.

His heartbeat is audible and hypnotic during intimate moments.

Corax can literally turn into shadows during particularly intense moments.

Has a thing for heights, loves balconies, rooftops, and flying vehicles.

So quiet during sex you sometimes forget he's there until he touches you.

Can see perfectly in darkness, knows exactly where to touch.

Sometimes sprouts shadow-wings during climax, startling the unprepared.

His voice drops to hypnotic registers during dirty talk.

Enjoys watching from the shadows before joining in.

You're never sure which twin you're actually with, sometimes they switch mid-session.

Can perfectly mimic the sexual techniques of anyone they've observed.

Keep a network of informants reporting on the sexual preferences of your.

Have developed secret pleasure points unknown to standard anatomy.

Sometimes speak in unison during threesomes, eerily synchronized.

Have been known to disguise themselves as servants to spy on people's sexual habits.

One likes to be on top, one likes to be on bottom, but they never specify which is which.

The Emperor's psychic presence intensifies pleasure to godlike levels.

Can appear differently to different, manifests as your ideal lover.

Time seems to stretch in his presence, moments of pleasure can feel like eternities.

His golden aura becomes blinding during moments of passion.

The Primarchs' various quirks are genetic echoes of the Emperor's own preferences, each inherited different aspects.

*******

You stared at the crumpled list in your hands, blinking rapidly as you processed what you were reading. The paper had been slipped under your door sometime during the night, the handwriting alternating between several different styles as if multiple people had contributed to it.

"What the fuck," you whispered, scanning the detailed, disturbingly detailed, descriptions of the Primarchs' supposed sexual habits.

This had to be retaliation for your artwork. Ever since you'd been caught sketching that sexual piece featuring Horus and Sanguinius in a rather compromising position, things had escalated into a bizarre war of increasingly sexual content between you and the Emperor's sons.

Your data-slate pinged with an incoming message. Seventeen new commission requests from seventeen different encrypted sources, all requesting artwork based on items from the list. Each offering payment that would make an Imperial Governor blush.

"Oh, it's fucking on," You cracking your knuckles as you reached for your stylus.

********

The first anatomical "reference session" was scheduled for that afternoon. Magnus had requested a private meeting in the Librarium after hours, claiming he needed to discuss "important tactical matters" with the remembrance.

When you arrived, you found the crimson Primarch sitting rigidly at a massive wooden table, surrounded by ancient tomes and scrolls that definitely weren't tactical in nature.

"I received your list," you said without preamble, dropping the crumpled paper onto the table between them.

"What list?" Magnus asked, his single eye widening with what appeared to be genuine confusion.

"The 133 sexual facts about you and your brothers," you clarified, watching his face carefully. "Rather detailed information about your... preferences."

Magnus's crimson skin darkened further as he snatched up the paper and scanned it rapidly. "This is...I didn't-" he sputtered, then paused, his eye narrowing. "Number Eighty-eight is accurate, though."

"Which one was-" you started to ask before catching yourself. "Not the point. Did you and your brothers create this as some kind of joke? Retaliation for my artwork?"

"I assure you, I had nothing to do with this," Magnus said, still reading the list with increasing distress. "Though I suspect Fulgrim or perhaps the twins..." His voice trailed off as he reached the section about himself. "That's... uncomfortably specific."

"So these are accurate?" you couldn't help asking, professional curiosity getting the better of you.

"I neither confirm nor deny," Magnus replied automatically, though his continued deepening complexion suggested otherwise.

"Right," you nodded, retrieving the list and tucking it away. "Well, regardless of its origin, I've received seventeen commission requests based on it. Including yours about psychic pleasure enhancement."

Magnus choked on nothing. "I didn't-"

"The request came from '[email protected],'" you interrupted dryly. "Very subtle."

"That could be anyone," Magnus protested weakly.

"It was written in Prosperine hieroglyphics," you countered. "With annotations in a language that doesn't technically exist yet."

Magnus slumped in defeat. "Fine. I may have sent a... hypothetical inquiry."

"About whether I could accurately depict psychic pleasure transference in artistic form," you completed. "For which you'd need to demonstrate the technique. For accuracy."

"Precisely," Magnus nodded, scholarly demeanor returning. "It's a complex psychic phenomenon that requires direct observation to properly capture."

"Uh-huh," you said skeptically. "And this has nothing to do with item ninety-one on the list about you accidentally broadcasting your orgasms psychically?"

Magnus's eye darted away. "A preposterous exaggeration."

"So that didn't happen during the Ullanor campaign? Because I heard an entire regiment of Imperial Army suddenly collapsed in ecstasy during your private meditation time."

"A coincidence," Magnus insisted. "Mass hysteria."

"Right," you grinned. "So about this commission..."

********

The next morning found you in the training cages, ostensibly observing combat techniques for "assassinorum purposes" but actually gathering reference material for the flood of commissions that had arrived overnight.

Jaghatai and Leman were sparring, stripped to the waist, their compression leggings leaving little to the imagination as they grappled and threw each other around the cage. A small crowd had gathered to watch the Primarchs train, but you had managed to secure a front-row position with your sketchbook.

"Enjoying the view?" Torgaddon asked, sliding up beside you.

"Research," you replied without looking up from your rapid sketching. "Anatomical references for commission work."

"Uh-huh," Torgaddon nodded skeptically. "And the fact that you're focusing on their glutes and crotches is purely professional."

"The gluteal muscles are key to understanding proper movement dynamics," you explained with mock seriousness. "Also, item twenty-three indicates Jaghatai 'never stays in one position for long, constant motion and rhythm.' I need to capture that accurately."

"You actually believe that list?" Torgaddon asked incredulously.

"I'm verifying it empirically," you corrected. "Scientific method and all that."

Just then, Jaghatai executed a particularly impressive takedown that left Leman pinned beneath him, both Primarchs breathing heavily and glistening with sweat. They held the position a beat too long, eyes darting to where you sat sketching, before Leman growled something and they separated.

"They're showing off for you," Torgaddon observed.

"Of course they are," you agreed, adding detailing to your sketch. "And I'm getting excellent reference material because of it. Win-win."

"This is going to end badly," Torgaddon predicted.

"This is going to end profitably," you corrected. "I've made more money in the past week than in my last three assassination missions combined."

"Speaking of which," Torgaddon lowered your voice, "there's a rumor that the Emperor himself has commissioned you for something."

Your stylus paused momentarily. "Where did you hear that?"

"So it's true!" Torgaddon’s eyes widened.

"Neither confirm nor deny," you muttered, returning to your sketching. "Client confidentiality."

"By the Throne," Torgaddon breathed. "What did he ask for?"

"If, and I stress if, such a commission existed," you said carefully, "it would be for a classical portrait. Nothing more."

"Classical as in...?"

"Classical as in Ancient Terran style. Renaissance era."

"Nude?" Torgaddon pressed.

"Artistically draped," you corrected primly.

"The Emperor wants you to draw him like one of your Terran girls," Torgaddon marveled. "The actual Emperor of Mankind."

"This conversation isn't happening," you insisted, focusing intently on your sketching as Ferrus Manus entered the training cage, also stripped to the waist, his metal arms gleaming under the lights.

"Your pupils just dilated," Torgaddon noted.

"Lighting change," you dismissed, though your increased sketching speed suggested otherwise.

"Right," Torgaddon drawled. "Well, while you're conducting your 'research,' you might want to know that father is looking for you. Something about providing 'detailed references' for his triple-self commission."

"Already scheduled," you replied without looking up. "After the war council. He's bringing reference materials."

"What kind of reference materials could father possibly-" Torgaddon started to ask, then shook his head. "Actually, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

"Wise decision," you agreed, flipping to a new page as Ferrus began demonstrating a series of strikes that showcased his impressive torso musculature. "Very wise indeed."

********

The Emperor's private gallery was unlike anything you had ever seen, a vast chamber filled with artwork spanning human history, from primitive cave paintings to hololithic masterpieces that seemed to shift and move as you walked past them.

And here you were, presenting your completed commission to the Master of Mankind himself.

"The brushwork is exquisite," the Emperor commented, examining the large canvas you had delivered. "You've captured the classical style perfectly."

"Thank you," you replied, trying to maintain your professional demeanor despite standing before the most powerful being in the galaxy, discussing what was essentially an erotic portrait.

"The musculature is anatomically precise," he continued, "yet idealized in the classical tradition. Your understanding of chiaroscuro is impressive."

"I studied the ancient masters extensively," you explained, which was true, you'd spent three days in the Imperial archives researching Renaissance techniques for this commission.

"And the draped fabric creates just the right balance between revelation and mystery," the Emperor noted, his golden eyes studying the painting with the intensity of a sun. "Excellent work."

The painting depicted the Emperor in a classical pose reminiscent of ancient Terran deity portrayals, strategically draped fabric preserving modesty while suggesting the perfection beneath. It was tasteful yet undeniably sensual, exactly what he had requested.

"I'm pleased it meets your expectations," you said, feeling oddly nervous despite your training.

"More than meets them," the Emperor assured you. "I shall add it to my private collection immediately." He gestured to a section of the gallery that appeared to be accessible only through a psychically locked doorway. "Your compensation has been transferred to your accounts, with a substantial bonus."

"You're too generous," you began, but the Emperor raised a hand.

"I reward excellence appropriately," he stated simply. "And I understand you've been providing similar services to my sons."

You froze, unsure how to respond. "I-"

"No need for concern," the Emperor assured you, his perfect lips curving into a slight smile. "Creative expression takes many forms. And frankly, they've been more focused on their duties since your commissions began. Less... tension among them."

"I'm... glad to hear that," you managed, processing the fact that the Emperor of Mankind was essentially approving your pornographic side business.

"I would, however, suggest discretion regarding the list that has been circulating," the Emperor added, his golden eyes twinkling with amusement. "Some of those items hit rather close to home."

"You've seen the list?" you blurted before you could stop yourself.

"I see everything eventually," the Emperor replied enigmatically. "Though I suspect Malcador had a hand in its creation. He always did have a peculiar sense of humor."

Before you could process this revelation, the Emperor gestured toward the exit. "I look forward to seeing your future work, Remembrance. Perhaps we might discuss another commission at a later date."

Taking the dismissal for what it was, you bowed slightly and turned to leave. As you reached the doorway, the Emperor's voice stopped you.

"Oh, also? Item One-hundred-and-thirty-two is entirely accurate."

Your mind raced to recall the item in question, something about his golden aura becoming blinding during passion. By the time you turned back to respond, the Emperor had vanished, leaving you alone in the gallery with the distinct impression you'd just been teased by the Master of Mankind himself.

"What even is my life right now?" You muttered, making your way back to your quarters where seventeen more commissions awaited your attention.

#shiyorin's writer #warhammer 40k x reader #primarch x reader #reader insert #romantic stuff in 40k #wh40crack #lol

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midnightshindig · 4 months ago

Note

I need to see Donald being a wingman for Cecil 🙏 Like maybe the reader is also a high-ranking member of the GDA and Donald knows they both have trouble opening up? Ty!

omg finally getting to my requests omg!! happy days, everyone

I love this request, I LOVE Donald as a character I'm so happy to write for him ^^

hcs under the cut

You were one of the GDA's lawyer, inspecting the place to make sure-- legally-- everything was as airtight as possible. Suing a superhero is much more difficult than suing the government, after all. And the people want an outlet.

Your job was to make the GDA as un-suable as fucking possible.

And Cecil admired you for it

You provided a valuable service, you were always courteous to him and his subordinates, and you looked pretty good in a suit

What wasn't to love?

So you saw him quite a bit, it was an easy enough job with your team doing most of the difficult paperwork for you

It wasn't unusual to see you chatting up Cecil or Donald or really any higher up about the ins and outs of the process-- PURELY for research, obviously, and not because you're just cool and friendly

You would talk to Cecil quite a bit, inquiring into the functions of his job and just generally picking his brain about anything and everything

It was nice to have someone be so interested in him, Cecil couldn't help but grow fond for you

Instead of his initial annoyance, he quickly become excited when you entered his wing of the Pentagon.

"Heyyy big man! What're your thoughts on that attack this morning? Crazy stuff, right?"

He subconsciously moved to straighten his tie and fix the cuffs of his suit jacket, looking back at you with a wobbly, unpracticed smile

"Yes, Y/n. It was interesting all right- I have Donald and the boys at the lab working on samples from the monsters dna right now."

A beat

"Care to see?"

And so Cecil slowly grew to trust you more, not enough to show you the White Rooms by any means, but that wasn't personal, that was national security.

This had gone on too long, it was messing Cecil up

he liked you, he was grown up and mature enough to accept that fact

but there was no way you-- some hot shot lawyer with an intelligent mind and knack for conversation-- would find him worth your time

Position as head of the GDA be damned, he didn't think he could pull you.

He's too much of a rock to say anything, but Donalds entire job is to observe Cecil and his needs, to keep the GDA running smooth

"You know... I hope this isnt' out of line, Sir. But Y/n has taken quite a liking to you."

Cecils eye twitches with stress "What...?"

Donalds eyes widen a little, trying to save the situation "I just mean that it is unusual for Y/n to spend so much time here. With you. Data shows elevated heart rate and dilated pupils when they see you. It would make sense, is all."

Cecil let out a frustrated sigh, leaning against a desk "And what do you propose I do about it, Donald? Fire them?"

"No!" Donald was frantic, fixing his glasses and recomposing himself "The opposite, actually. I think it would be beneficial for both parties as well as the greater good of the GDA if you asked Y/n out to coffee."

Cecil was skeptical, like he always is, like his job requires.

But Donald knew it would make the both of you happier

Maybe you just needed a little push?

The next few days are torture for everyone working at the GDA

everyone can see you enjoying Cecil's company, and even casually hitting on him, and Cecil losing his edge over it

He's frazzled by you, shaken a little by Donald's suggestion he ask you out

But he steels himself and presses on, content to ignore his silly crush

Donald ain't having none of that shit.

So he finally confronts Cecil

"Cecil, sir, with all due respect, you need to make a move."

"What."

"This whole pining thing is disrupting everybody else's work, nobody can focus with the will-they won't-they sitcom happening."

"Donald please, Y/n is a professiona-"

"They really aren't. Ask them out. I'm serious." and Donald leaves, leaving Cecil disincensed and frazzled

So, two days later and you're back for a visit

but things are different?

the GDA analysts and office workers are all quiet around you, not in a gossipy way, just.... quiet?

You go to find Cecil, wanting to pick his brain about something you saw on the news

When you get there, Cecil looks nervous, not anxious per se, just.... hesistent?

"Hey Cecil! What's going on today? Everyone's super quiet... did I miss something?"

"No, y/n... uhm-" he pulls at his tie a little "Everything is fine, have a seat? I have something I want to talk to you about."

You raise an eyebrow at his formality, taking a seat in the leather chair across from his desk

"Y/n...." He sucked in a deep breath, clearly nervous

"What? Is there some huge lawyer scandal I'm not aware of?" You try to lighten the mood, cracking a smile

Cecil sighs, combing his hand through his hair "Y/n, would you...." he looks past your head to see Donald giving him a thumbs up through the door window

jesus christ

Ugh- fuck it-

"Y/n, can I take you out?"

silence.

"Like...." you start cautiously, a concerned look on your face "Like on a date? Or like...." You drag your finger across your throat, poking your tongue out to mimick death

Cecil's eyes widen as he stands up, placing his hands on the desk "Like a date! Not- ugh.... I should've phrased that better..." he seems so defeated, deflating back into his chair.

Much to his surprise, you perk up and grin "Sure!"

"What? Really?"

"Yeah! I've been waiting for like weeks for you to ask me out. What do you say to coffee?"

He blinks in surprise, straightening his tie and sitting up straighter "I would like that."

BONUS:

As you leave, you notice Donald standing casually outside the door to Cecil's office, presumably needing to tell him something important

after you leave, Cecil comes out himself, giving Donald a side eye

"Donald."

"Sir."

"....Thank you."

Donald gives a small smile and adjusts his glasses "You're welcome, sir."

#invincible #invincible season 3 #invincible show #invincible fanfic #invincible spoilers #invincible x reader #cecil stedman #cecil stedman x reader #cecil invincible #cecil x reader #invincible cecil #wingman donald #writers on tumblr #Donald is an opp dont @ me #Donald is MY opp personally actually

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cor-lapis-candy · 9 months ago

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So I am a licensed Brothel manager here in my country and have been for Six years now, and I'm gonna use my professional knowledge to give you what kinda clients I would think some of the genshin characters would be.

This is part 2!

Part 1: here

Childe is the client that the service providers all flip between loving and hating to see walk through the door. He is a big spender but also a difficult booking. On one hand, he will and can book a provider out for the night, but the provider will be out of commission for a week at the shortest.

A booking with Childe can swing from gentle comfort and sweet attention to violent grappling and roleplay that leads to the parlour needing to replace beds, draws, tables and dressers. Some providers blatantly refuse to even acknowledge him when he comes in, knowing that he is in a rougher mood and they don't want to be out of work for the week.

Biazhu is an irregular client. Most providers know him as their doctor and physician, and as such, they don't see him or he won't see them, not wanting to cross the line with such repeat and regular clients of his.

Most bookings that Baizhu makes are private escorts to his home. These are mostly travelling providers staying at the parlour who are unlikely to have ever been his patients or even stepped foot in his pharmacy.

His bookings are mostly very relaxing and focused on gentle touch and free affection. He is one of the few clients who always passes his health checks for obvious reasons, and he likely has actually declined to see a provider because of a concern for his health and well-being.

Parlours in and near fatui postings or controlled territories are likely owned by a harbinger and are held to his standards for providers, style, service, and above all discretion. Dottore and or his segments are ghost clients, you never see him enter or leave but when someone has been chosen all you get is a room number and a payment followed by a good luck.

A booking can be anywhere from a 20min stint of him poking and prodding you to take in details or measurements for something he is working on and needs more data for, to a three-hour long and draining booking that is broken up by sudden stops to change something or change providers to achieve something that popped into his mind.

Dottore is wholeheartedly some providers' favourite client, and they won't say why, simply smiling and waving curious eyes away.

A provider in Fontaine is well respected and admired by many. They fill a role that many seek out and enjoy, but those who are blessed to even be considered or rumoured to be considered by Neuvillette are held to a degree above the rest.

He has never set foot in any of the actual parlours or venues that host providers, but the people whisper about people visiting the office of the iudex after his office hours and leaving with him. Neuvillette has one provider that he sees regularly and the people who come to him after hours are messengers and the like telling him that his provider is ready and waiting for him at his home.

The single provider he sees regularly hasn't changed in years, only when they age out of service or choose to retire. Does he even think about finding a new one? Even then, he has his prior provider choose and organise it for him, knowing that they will understand and find someone who will see to all his needs and keep everything discrete.

#genshin smut #genshin impact smut #dottore smut #childe smut #neuvillette smut #Baizhu smut #genshin impact headcanons #corposting

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leesromanova · 3 months ago

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REGIMES FALL EVERYDAY: PROLOGUE

series masterlist

synopsis → 5.4k intro chapter to the series…your mission to take down the nameless assassin doesn't go according to plan.

warnings → violence/graphic violence, trauma, dark themes, guilt (emotional/psychological distress), death and murder, betrayal, red room mentions, lmk if i missed anything!

notes → hi this is my first series…i hope you guys enjoy!! (Blyat’ = fuck)

The smell of stale cigarette smoke and carpet cleaner circled the room like a tidal wave. Even with the windows cracked, the smell lingered—the kind of stench that’d cling to your clothes if you were in the room for more than five minutes. You were now seriously regretting not fighting Fury on his choice of hotel. Of course, he’d picked the more modest choice rather than the more luxurious hotel where the banquet you were currently monitoring was being held.

You rubbed the side of your nose and looked around the dimly lit room. Maria was a few feet away from you at the desk, one of the few amenities provided by the management, setting up surveillance of the banquet on one of the three computer monitors. Fury stood in the corner of the room, stoically looking out at the streets of Budapest in front of the lone window.

“God, that smell is singing off my nose hairs,” Clint said as he stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in a clean, freshly pressed suit. His previous attire—black long sleeve and a pair of jeans—was rolled into a ball under his arm.

Maria huffed as she finally managed to crack into the surveillance of the ballroom. “Well, the proximity made it much easier for the hotel’s Wi-Fi to reach here,” she said, standing up after being hunched over a chair for a few minutes. Everyone was exhausted. The plane ride over had been anything but relaxing, sitting in the same section with a crying baby between the rows you’d been in for 10 hours, meant you were all running off fumes of coffee and maybe 2 hours of sleep.

You shook your head with a smile at Clint’s words, sitting on the edge of the squeaky bed, reading over the file you’d already memorized. Your own research, printed neatly in dark black lines of pretty Times New Roman font.

Your search for more information about the Widow program had taken months—days of looking through data files, footage, and interviews—that led you here. You’d been looking through assassinations that followed specific patterns that these “Widows” used. Seduce, entrance, kill. Their MO was what you tracked for months before you caught a more specific pattern in the kills. That’s what led you to her. There were many women in the program, but this one was… different.

She stood out, whether it was the effectiveness and brutality of her kills—it called out to you. The way she skillfully ended someone’s life and purposely made them suffer made you realize that, more than a handful of the cases had to have come from the same trained hand.

After graduating with your degree in Criminal Justice from University and following your father’s footsteps, joining S.H.I.E.L.D., doing years of training, skill practice, and missions upon hours of service brought you to where you were now—a ranked seven teammate who had the ability to go through years of evidence and that now, had enough research and concrete data to bring this case up to your superiors, who sent you in to take this assassin out on her next kill.

The assassin’s kills had been on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar for years, but only after extensive profiling and investigating, you were the one who connected the dots, found her, and had a backed-up theory about who her next victim would be.

She went under many aliases: Katya, Vesna, Nicholya, Lida, Nataliya, but you found her.

Her kills were more than just skilled; they were calculated. She offered herself off to these men in power, and, of course, they followed her like dogs wherever she took them. Her method was key to finding her. Many men wanted a submissive woman, and she played the part perfectly, that’s what got them hooked.

You’d become obsessed with finding her—your nameless, faceless assassin.

“The smell isn’t that bad once you get used to it,” Fury said from his spot at the window. “Smells kinda earthy to me.”

His words knocked you out of your spiral, making you huff and set the manila file down. “That would be the mold,” you corrected. You knew to keep the war inside your head just that—inside your head. You'd never let that affect the way you worked or the efficiency of your skills, you’d gone through so much just to fuck up now.

“Or mildew,” Clint added as he moved to stand in front of a mirror to straighten out his suit and put on his bow tie. You smiled and stood to wipe your hands on your pantsuit as you moved past the glowing computer monitors and walked to where he was standing to help him adjust the tie.

“Mildew or mold,” he sighs and looks toward the horizon of the setting sun before adding, “The internet is strong, and vision is clear. Plus, we have access to cameras within a 10-mile radius,” Fury said as he turned and moved toward the monitor setup. “If she runs, we’ll know where to.” He added as Maria moved to grab Clint’s comms device.

“I won’t let her get the chance to,” Clint said nonchalantly as you moved to stand in front of him—the man who’d really, truly helped you and took you under his wing as a newbie, helping you climb the ladder to get to where you were now—his equal in rank.

He smiled, seeing you stand before him, take the tie from his hands, and start to assemble it yourself, just like you had observed people do all through your youth.

“You’re going to need to learn how to tie these yourself one day,” you said as you wrung the fabric through the loops with practiced ease.

“Not when I have you to help,” he said, making you smile and roll your eyes playfully before you finished and adjusted it to his liking.

“That feel fine?” you asked, meeting his eyes and seeing him nod.

He took your hand before you could remove it from the fabric. “He’d be proud of you. Your dad. He’d be proud of you for accomplishing this,” he said, making you pause momentarily.

The assassination of your father wasn't something hard for you to talk about. It hurt, but you'd always dreamed of finding the people responsible and getting justice for your father—that’s the real reason you’d gone after the Widows, the women’s kill method was too similar to his own passing.

The heat of his chest seeping through his shirt and into your hand, brought you out of your trance. Clint knew. He knew what this case meant to you, how hard you’d worked, how much you’d sacrificed to finally get to this point. He got it—more than anyone ever would.

You nodded with a soft smile. “Yeah… yeah, I know he would be,” you said before Maria came up behind you with the comms device in her hands.

“Clint, this is yours—one in the left ear. Make sure it’s snug. The point is that no one sees them,” Maria said as she handed him the small earpiece. He adjusted it, showing her the positioning, and she gave a curt nod in approval.

“That’s your good ear, right?” she asked, making him huff while nodding. You turned to her with a raised brow.

“What? I had to ask and make sure,” she responded, already walking away, making you chuckle before she slipped back behind the monitor and spoke into a mic.

“Hawkeye, you copy?” Her words crisply came through the device into Clint’s ear, making him nod. She smiled before pulling up the ballroom footage.

“Remember, if we want to get her, we do not engage under any circumstances. We want her out of there and away from the public eye,” you turned to her with a confused face.

The whole point of catching her was to stop the killing, and here you were, apparently willing to let her kill another man for the benefit of who-knows-who. Clint’s eyes met your own with a questioning look. “We’re going to let her kill him?” you asked, breaking eye contact and looking at Fury.

“We can’t engage,” he repeated, making your brows furrow further. Were you really going to do this? Was finding the person responsible for your father’s demise worth killing another man? You turned back to Clint, his jaw tensing and his face hardening slightly as he took in Fury’s words while looking at the man.

“This is a highly sought-out, invitation-only party. These people are influential. S.H.I.E.L.D. cannot risk exposing itself like that.” You shook your head and scoffed in disbelief.

“That’s the deal,” he said, saying your name. “Collateral, in order to make sure it’s her.” Your stomach churned. “Barton goes in alone. Standard surveillance. Identify the target, confirm the pattern, and track movements. No engagement until we’re certain. Or we pack it up now.” You swallowed down an argument and looked down to avoid eye contact with them both, nodding—you were not screwing this up now. Fuck morals.

Clint cleared his throat, making you look up and watch as he followed your movements and nodded with the plan. He looked up, met your gaze, and flicked his head up, silently asking if you were okay. You pursed your lips and smiled before he moved toward the door, picked up the suitcase with his tactical weapons, and turned the handle of the door slowly before stepping into the hallway and out of sight.

“Okay, now around this corner should be the entrance,” you said as the three of you watched Clint through the cameras and tracked him through the hotel—a red dot traveling through the building.

“Uh, yeah, duh. I looked at the map,” Clint responded as he turned the corner and showed up on the screen projecting the camera footage. He smiled at the security guards as he told them his alias and walked into the party.

“Now, where’s the bathroom?” he asked as he looked around, and we saw a switch to the camera inside the party, showing him standing by the entrance and looking around.

“Thought you’d looked at the map?” Maria responded, making you smile.

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” you said, meeting her eyes and smiling at her before she closed her eyes and smiled back in acknowledgment.

Fury huffed before getting closer to the microphone. “No time for the little boys' room, Barton. Look for the target,” he said, reminding you of the mission's purpose. We saw Clint nod in acknowledgment as he walked toward the bar and asked for some sort of drink.

“She should look inconspicuous, Clint, like she’s supposed to be there, but younger, pretty,” you said, looking through the crowd pictured on the screen.

“I see a blonde, brunette, and a redhead,” Clint said, raising the glass to his lips and looking over the rim. Your eyes scanned the room for said women and clicked to find the camera angles that showed each of them more clearly.

“Got them,” Maria said, looking at your monitor and seeing the women clearly. “Watch and see who approaches the man of the hour,” Fury instructed.

The group watched as the women moved around the party, grabbing drinks and going from arm to arm, but none of the three approached the man who the event was organized for—Emil Morozov, market investor and owner of one of the best medical research centers in Europe, who had, had a breakthrough in his “cancer research.” In reality, the real people who took charge and were responsible for the innovations were unnamed in his book.

Maria calls out your name, “Why are they after him exactly?” She says while looking at the screen and finding him with his wife on his arm, a drink in his hand, standing and speaking to some other rich and important-looking men.

“Uhh, we’re not entirely sure, really. He seemed to fit the profile for her usual victims, though, so I thought he would be our best bet. I’m guessing he stepped over a line he wasn’t supposed to with this breakthrough,” you say as you open the file and read out some notes you had taken, scribbling a few more down regarding him and his appearance.

Maria nods in understanding as she turns to look at Fury, who has pulled out his own file and was studying the gathered profile you’d created for the unnamed assassin.

“Blonde is on the move,” everyone collectively sits up, Fury setting the file down as the group watches the tanned woman move toward Emil, who was now looking directly at her. He takes her in before she turns at the last second to the table beside them, gripping a man’s shoulder, making him turn. His eyes light up in recognition as she smiles up at him. He kisses her cheek in return, making you groan from the other side of the monitor.

“It’s not the blonde. She had a clear entrance and didn’t take it,” Clint says, making you lean back in the chair and let your head fall back in frustration.

Patience, you thought. Just be patient.

“Redhead is putting her drink down,” Clint’s voice breaks through the silence of the room.

“Is she moving?” you ask as you close your eyes and bring an arm up to cover your forehead.

You were never going to find her.

“Subject, looks like she’s heading for our man of the hour.” Your head picks up, your arm now on the table as you sit up.

“What?” you say, looking at the screen as her face comes into view, approaching the group of men in suits, tapping Morozov on the shoulder, and giving him a shimmering smile.

Time freezes for a second as you struggle to take this moment in. The face of the widow you’d been tracking for months was finally in front of you. Her gaze is intimidating as she grips Morozov’s arm and smiles at whatever he’s saying, making him wrap his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him unknowingly. The way her full lips tip to the side makes you gulp. At this moment, you now understood just how these women’s tactics worked so well.

“This is her,” you clear your throat and realize just how close you’d gotten to the monitor. You back up and straighten your back, turning and looking at Fury in silent question of what Clint’s next move should be.

“Barton, do not engage,” he says, leaning down to get a better look at the woman on screen. “Let her do what she must.” You let out a breath you didn’t know you’d been holding at his words as your eyes trail back to the screen and take in her appearance.

Her red hair striking over the green dress she wore. The dip in the neckline gives just enough view to be appropriate yet still seductive. You wondered how she went unnoticed when, to you, she was anything but. She was… pretty, aggravatingly so.

“I’ll follow her once they start moving,” he says, looking up and staring at the camera closest to him as if to signal to the group that he was ready.

You breathe in shakily as you find it almost impossible to tear your eyes away from the screen where the widow was pictured.

“Good, Barton, just stick to the plan,” Fury responds after giving a curt nod at the monitor.

“Follow orders.”

You follow as you watch the woman entrance the man into following her out of the ballroom and into the hallway where Clint follows discreetly. Her arm tucked into his and his eyes staring down her dress as she throws her head back, feigning intoxication.

“Oh, she's good,” María states from behind you as you both observe how she grips the man’s arm as they enter the elevator.

“Killing people is her job. Of course, she’s good at it,” you scoff and watch as the doors close on them, and Clint steps into frame, heading for the stairs. After you give him the floor number where they got off, he races to reach them as they exit.

“Clint, they’re about to get off,” you say, scooting closer to the monitor as you watch the door to the stairs open before the elevator does, as well, in another frame.

“They’re heading to room 16F,” you say as he pulls out his key and unlocks the door. She follows in behind him before the door closes behind them. Clint shows up on frame as if on cue as the pair go into the room.

“It’s the waiting game now,” Clint says as he exhales and catches his breath after rushing up 7 floors. “God, I am out of shape,” he says, making you smirk.

“Dad bod hitting you, Bart?” you ask teasingly as you watch him throw up a middle finger at the camera in the corner of the hallway in which you were watching him.

“She’s heading out.” Clint’s voice reverberates through the speakers, making the three of you spring into action and move closer to the glow of the screen.

An hour had passed, the room now alit by the bedside lamps and the bathroom light. The sun had set earlier, and the start of daylight savings was sabotaging the mission that you'd planned. It would be harder to track her in the dark, and much darker to find Clint if something were to happen to him.

“Clint, be careful. She might not be as predictable as we think,” you say, sitting up straighter. These killers had taken your dad—what would you do if they took your friend, one of your closest friends?

“I got it… she’s moving into the elevator dressed in black and has red hair. She’s not hard to miss.”

You move close and take control of the mouse before María can, and find the right camera to spot her coming out of the elevator. Clint pops out of the stairs, discreetly following behind her. You all track her and him as they go through back roads and alleyways of the city to end up in an apartment complex that looked older than both of them combined. Cameras around the area were sparse, but enough to watch as Clint watches her go on the elevator. He sits in the lobby inconspicuously.

“Clint, she’s on the 9th floor,” María says as you switch to the hallway camera’s view of the floor and see her unlock and step into the last apartment on the edge of the building.

“Last apartment on the right,” you add and watch from another screen as Clint gets up and walks to the building beside the one he was just in. He manages to find the roof exit and is now set up, watching through the open window of the apartment on the ninth floor, on the far right.

“Target spotted,” he says as he settles into a crouch and directs the arrow from his bow to the target’s head.

“She’s in the kitchen, a few feet away from the window,” he adds.

“Is she aware that you're watching her?” Fury asks as he bends over the backs of María and your chairs.

“Not sure, but I have a clear shot,” he says, and you hear him scoot over the gravel of the roof and angle himself better.

“Take it.” You hype and lean forward, watching his form from a camera’s view from one of the first floors of a building on the same street.

“Clint, take it,” Fury says after giving you a glare.

You watch as Clint pulls the arrow back, and hear him take an inhale and exhale sharply as he releases the bow and watches it travel through the window, disappearing from sight.

“Fuck,” Clint curses and stands up quickly, grabbing another arrow and creating a zip line from his building to hers.

“Barton, what happened?” María asks, grabbing the mouse before you could and watching as he slides down into the apartment.

“She ducked,” he says, as the sound of his feet hitting the ground hard is heard. “She dodged the fucking arrows.” The crunching of glass is heard as you turn to the other monitor and watch his tracker flow through the building.

There is a beat of silence, just the sound of Clint’s breath before a shout and then muffled grunts and groans come through the speaker. He was being attacked. He was being attacked by a widow.

You feel the air buzz with adrenaline as you all spring into action.

“Hill,” Fury says, making her turn to him before he gives her a curt nod. “It’s time,” he adds. She nods in return and moves to grab a suitcase from beneath the bed.

This case wasn’t one you knew they had brought. It was a weapons case, and by the looks of it, it had enough for all of you and then some. Hill starts pulling out guns and begins handing one to you before arming herself and handing another to Fury.

“What’s happening?” you ask as you open the gun and see a full magazine in it. You look up to make eye contact with both of them.

“If she gets him, we’re next,” Fury responds. “We have to leave now and get to Clint as soon as we can.” Your blood runs cold as you take in his words.

It wasn’t a question. This woman—this widow—will kill Clint, and will come after you once she’s done.

The noises of the struggle suddenly end with a shout and a grunt.

“I got her,” Clint says, breathing heavily, the sound of a woman screaming heard in the background.

“Clint?” you ask, grabbing the mic.

“I’m fine. She’s on the ground with her hands tied behind her back,” he says as you hear her continue to struggle. “She got me good, though.”

“We’re on our way,” Fury states before we hear a noise of acknowledgment from Clint before a small intake of breath is heard, and then a short moment of silence.

“Fuck,” Clint says, making us all turn to the speaker. “Fuck, I—” he says.

“Barton?” Fury asks. “Is everything okay?”

“I can’t do this… Fuck,” he says, the girl’s shouts fading into heavy breathing. “She’s—” he takes a moment before taking in some air. “She’s just a kid. I can’t do this,” he says before a click is heard, and the line goes dead.

Static-filled silence is all that can be heard for a few beats before you speak, “What?” You say, picking up the mic. “Clint?” You ask. “Barton?” You grip the mic and call out to him, waiting for a response but hear nothing in return. You feel your blood run cold as you hold the mic with trembling fingers—adrenaline still beating inside you.

Maria immediately moves to the monitor and checks on his tracker. The blinking red dot you once saw was now long gone from the screen.

“He disabled his tracker,” she says, “He's gone.”

The porridge on the stove bubbled gently as she stirred, her thoughts far from the food her body desperately needed.

Another kill. Another target. Another mission. Another body. More red on her ledger.

Her stomach twisted as her appetite suddenly dissipates. She moves to grab a glass of water, the cool breeze of air making the side pieces of red hair she’d left out of her braid tickle the sides of her face.

She turns and leans on the counter, her back to the cabinets behind her and closes her eyes. She’d leave tomorrow, back to her home—the closest thing she had to one.

Dreykov had personally given her the task to take out this man, apparently finding the cure to cancer didn’t benefit the head of the Red Room academy.

Wasn't her problem, though. She had a mission. It's all that mattered, she'd done what she needed—what she had to do.

No place in this world.

She takes a long gulp of water as she opens her eyes and looks up at the plain wall in front of her, suddenly feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand.

She was being watched, she knew this feeling. Felt it every day at night when cameras surveyed them while they slept, felt it when she would train and eyes of her superiors watched her take out her opponents. It was a trusted sixth sense she had.

She felt the air on the cheeks of her face and stays still before hearing the swoosh of something in the air and ducks, narrowly avoiding the double arrows that were aimed at her chest.

“Blyat’,” she grunts as she falls on her knees, the arrow breaking the windows and leaving shattered glass scattered on the floor. She grunts as she crawls across the floor of the kitchen and to the living room, her knees dragging across the pieces of glass.

She manages to stand with a wince and run to the corner, shutting off the lights of the apartment, hiding in the crevice of a bookshelf and a corner. Her green eyes trained to see in minimal light, making it easy to spot when her assailant glides into the room and speaks out loud into a microphone. He has more people with him, she notes, crawling behind a chair and waiting for him to get closer.

Once his bottom half comes into view, she sweeps her leg aming at his knees, his legs fold under him, and he falls to the ground with a groan. She stands and grabs his arm, twisting it behind him before he grabs her hair with his free hand and pulls her off of him, making her scream in pain.

He stands and holds her in a chokehold before she turns her body in his grip and knees him between the legs, then runs toward a wall to kick herself from it and manages to whip her legs around his shoulders, ending up on top of him, knocking him over before she can hold him between her thighs.

He scrambles away and takes gulps of air, moving to stand as she moves toward him again and pulls his foot, bringing him to his knees, and she wraps her arm around his neck, flexing her arm and tightening her hold. She feels him running out of air and smiles to herself before he suddenly stands and throws her over his shoulder, making her land on her back and knock the air out of her.

Her autopilot goes off as she flips over and gasps for air, trying to move away but is pulled back by her foot. She turns to kick the man in the face but misses, and he grabs her other leg and flips her onto her stomach.

Alarms blare in her head. How does she escape? How can she make this man follow the directions, not those of the people he works for? Who does he work for? A million questions fly through her head as she feels him grab both of her arms and tie them behind her back, sitting on her, his body weight on her lower half.

She thinks back to all of her training sessions and recalls none of the methods to escaping this form of restriction and moves below him, trying to free herself, and screams.

“I’m fine, she’s on the ground and with her hands tied behind her back,” the man says from above her, his breathing heavy on her neck as she wiggles around. The only thing she can think of to make him fall off of her, she tries kicking, but he moves to tie her ankles, and she groans and continues to scream. If he doesn't move, maybe the people that live on her floor can intervene once they hear her… maybe?

She turns to see that he is standing above her with each foot beside her. Her breaths come in short quips as she tries to calm herself, to think the situation though. quite plainly she already knew. she was fucked.

She feels him lean down and sees his fingers come into view. She prepares herself to strain her neck and get a good look at his face, but before she can, she feels his fingertips gently move her red hair from her face.

Green crashes with blue as their eyes meet, and his widen slightly as his face morphs into one of concern.

“Fuck,” he removes his hand from her and wipes it across his face. “I can’t do this… Fuck,” he says, making her brows furrow. He wasn’t going to kill her? Why?

“She’s—” she watches as he gathers his words before turning down to look at her and make eye contact. “She’s just a kid, I can’t—I can't do this.”

He says as he reaches into his ear and pulls the microphone out and crushes it beneath his foot, and takes a chip from his tactical suit and crushes that too.

She watches him with curious eyes as he looks back at her. What did he want from her?

He moves to turn her over and drags her to a chair, leaning her on it so she’s facing him but is still tied. He sits on the floor in front of her.

“What’s your name?” She doesn't respond and furrows her brows. He scoffs. “Of course, you’re not going to tell me that—fuck.” He looks at the ground and then meets her eyes again.

“How old are you?” he asks, as she clears her throat.

“Twenty-three,” she says, and she wiggles to move her hands and see if she can untie herself.

“How long have you been working for the Red Room?” he asks, and she stops and stares before he clarifies, “My people know alla bout it...I want to help you, if you let me,” he says before taking a breath. “Do you want a way out?” he asks, and she pauses and stares.

“You won’t get in trouble. This isn’t some sort of test. I was sent to kill you, and I didn’t follow specific orders, so I’m pretty fucked in every possible way in this situation.” He shakes his head and looks up.

“My whole life,” she finds the words leaving her mouth, her Russian accent heavy on the English words. “I’ve been a part of the Red Room my whole life,” she says, and she sits up straighter and manages to untie the rope but leaves her hands behind her back. She didn’t feel threatened—this man, whoever he was, was not a threat, and he's stupid to think she wasn’t even when tied up.

“Your whole life?” he asks with furrowed brows.

She nods. “It’s my home,” she states, the words sour on her tongue. It wasn't true—it was what was ingrained into her since the start her interrogation training.

Give them enough to not think of you as a threat, but hold the truth back.

“Do you want to go back?” he asks, her eyes trained on him as he moves to untie the rope binding her legs together and sits back again.

“The fact that you haven’t killed me yet tells me you don’t want to,” he continues and looks at her, tilting his head. His eyes go to her hands behind her back. “You’ve been untied for a while now, haven’t you?” he asks, making her sigh and move her hands to her lap.

“Like I said, this isn’t a test,” he says. “I work for an organization that can help—they can—we can help you.” He looks at her with pleading eyes before looking down and closing his eyes in defeat as he still gets no response. The only noise coming from the breeze coming through the window.

Was this real? what would happen if Dreykov found her? What would they do? She didnt know what would come of this but if it was a way out she wasnt going to pass on it—she couldn't keep living like this. Fuck it.

“Natalia.” Her raspy voice fills the silence, making him look up.

“Natalia, is my name.” She says as she moves to stand, he follows her, a bit rushed.

“Natalia,” he holds out his hand once he stands to his full height, about half a foot taller than her.

“I’m Clint Barton.” He holds out his hand.

She takes his hand in a firm grip as they shake and make eye contact.

More than a few things run through her mind at the moment. Was this a trap? Was she going to be killed? Would his organization even help her? Was it too late for her to be helped? Did she have enough humanity left in her to be helped?

As she shook his hand and a small relieved smile graced the man’s—Clint Barton’s face, she could only focus on one thought.

Was it all over? Or was it just the beginning?

a. note → well there you guys have ittt, i ofc hand to change age and if i have any mistakes ignore them this is purely for entertainment, for preface reader and nat are the same age :) hope you guys liked it hehehehe...give your thoughts bellow pls pls pls ill love u forevs <33.

dividers by → @cafekitsune @enchanthings

tag list → @natashasmuse @womenarehotsstuff @im-lesbianics @snowdrop1026 @pawiie @redjoes

lmk if you want to be added to the tag list in the replies!

#REGIMES FALL EVERYDAY #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff #black widow #black widow x reader #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff x you #marvel #black widow x you #natasha romanoff x y/n #natasha romanov #natasha romanoff x reader series #natasha romanoff series #natasha romanoff x fem!reader #black widow comics #Spotify

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mariacallous · 5 months ago

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Elon Musk’s minions—from trusted sidekicks to random college students and former Musk company interns—have taken over the General Services Administration, a critical government agency that manages federal offices and technology. Already, the team is attempting to use White House security credentials to gain unusual access to GSA tech, deploying a suite of new AI software, and recreating the office in X’s image, according to leaked documents obtained by WIRED.

Some of the same people who helped Musk take over Twitter more than two years ago are now registered as official GSA employees. Nicole Hollander, who slept in Twitter HQ as an unofficial member of Musk’s transition team, has high-level agency access and an official government email address, according to documents viewed by WIRED. Hollander’s husband, Steve Davis, also slept in the office. He has now taken on a leading role in Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Thomas Shedd, the recently installed director of the Technology Transformation Services within GSA, worked as a software engineer at Tesla for eight years. Edward Coristine, who previously interned at Neuralink, has been onboarded along with Ethan Shaotran, a Harvard senior who is developing his own OpenAI-backed scheduling assistant and participated in an xAI hackathon.

“I believe these people do not want to help the federal government provide services to the American people,” says a current GSA employee who asked not to be named, citing fears of retaliation. “They are acting like this is a takeover of a tech company.”

The team appears to be carrying out Musk’s agenda: slashing the federal government as quickly as possible. They’re currently targeting a 50 percent reduction in spending for every office managed by the GSA, according to documents obtained by WIRED.

There also appears to be an effort to use IT credentials from the Executive Office of the President to access GSA laptops and internal GSA infrastructure. Typically, access to agency systems requires workers to be employed at such agencies, sources say. While Musk's team could be trying to obtain better laptops and equipment from GSA, sources fear that the mandate laid out in the DOGE executive order would grant the body broad access to GSA systems and data. That includes sensitive procurement data, data internal to all the systems and services GSA offers, and internal monitoring software to surveil GSA employees as part of normal auditing and security processes.

The access could give Musk’s proxies the ability to remote into laptops, listen in on meetings, read emails, among many other things, a former Biden official told WIRED on Friday.

“Granting DOGE staff, many of whom aren't government employees, unfettered access to internal government systems and sensitive data poses a huge security risk to the federal government and to the American public,” the Biden official said. “Not only will DOGE be able to review procurement-sensitive information about major government contracts, it'll also be able to actively surveil government employees.”

The new GSA leadership team has prioritized downsizing the GSA’s real estate portfolio, canceling convenience contracts, and rolling out AI tools for use by the federal government, according to internal documents and interviews with sources familiar with the situation. At a GSA office in Washington, DC, earlier this week, there were three items written on a white board sitting in a large, vacant room. “Spending Cuts $585 m, Regulations Removed, 15, Square feet sold/terminated 203,000 sf,” it read, according to a photo viewed by WIRED. There’s no note of who wrote the message, but it appears to be a tracker of cuts made or proposed by the team.

“We notified the commercial real estate market that two GSA properties would soon be listed for sale, and we terminated three leases,” Stephen Ehikian, the newly appointed GSA acting administrator, said in an email to GSA staff on Tuesday, confirming the agency’s focus on lowering real estate costs. “This is our first step in right-sizing the real estate portfolio.”

The proposed changes extend even inside the physical spaces at the GSA offices. Hollander has requested multiple “resting rooms,” for use by the A-suite, a team of employees affiliated with the GSA administrator’s office.

On January 29, a working group of high-ranking GSA employees, including the deputy general counsel and the chief administrative services officer, met to discuss building a resting room prototype. The team mapped out how to get the necessary funding and waivers to build resting rooms in the office, according to an agenda viewed by WIRED.

After Musk bought Twitter, Hollander and Davis moved into the office with their newborn baby. Hollander helped oversee real estate and office design—including the installation of hotel rooms at Twitter HQ, according to a lawsuit later filed by Twitter executives. During the installation process, one of the executives emailed to say that the plans for the rooms were likely not code compliant. Hollander “visited him in person and emphatically instructed him to never put anything about the project in writing again,” the lawsuit alleged. Employees were allegedly instructed to call the hotel rooms “sleeping rooms” and to say they were just for taking naps.

Hollander has also requested access to Public Buildings Service applications; PBS owns and leases office space to government agencies. The timing of the access request lines up with Ehikian’s announcement about shrinking GSA’s real estate cost.

Musk’s lieutenants are also working to authorize the use of AI tools, including Google Gemini and Cursor (an AI coding assistant), for federal workers. On January 30, the group met with Google to discuss Telemetry, a software used to monitor the health and performance of applications, according to a document obtained by WIRED.

A-suite engineers, including Coristine and Shaotran, have requested access to a variety of GSA records, including nearly 10 years of accounting data, as well as detailed records on vendor payments, purchase orders, and revenue.

The GSA takeover mimics Musk’s strategy at other federal agencies like the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Earlier this month, Amanda Scales, who worked in talent at Musk’s xAI, was appointed as OPM chief of staff. Riccardo Biasini, former Tesla engineer and director of operations at the Boring company, is now a senior adviser to the director. Earlier this week, Musk cohorts at the US Office of Personnel Management emailed more than 2 million federal workers offering “deferred resignations,” allegedly promising employees their regular pay and benefits through September 30.

The email closely mirrored the “extremely hardcore” note Musk sent to Twitter staff in November 2022, shortly after buying the company.

Many federal workers thought the email was fake—as with Twitter, it seemed designed to force people to leave, slashing headcount costs without the headache of an official layoff.

Ehikian followed up with a note to staff stressing that the email was legitimate. “Yes, the OPM email is real and should be taken very seriously,” he said in an email obtained by WIRED. He added that employees should expect a “further consolidation of offices and centralization of functions.”

On Thursday night, GSA workers received a third email related to the resignation request called “Fork in the Road FAQs.” The email explained that employees who resign from their positions would not be required to work and could get a second job. “We encourage you to find a job in the private sector as soon as you would like to do so,” it read. “The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector.”

The third question posed in the FAQ asked, “Will I really get my full pay and benefits during the entire period through September 30, even if I get a second job?”

“Yes,” the answer read. “You will also accrue further personal leave days, vacation days, etc. and be paid out for unused leave at your final resignation date.”

However, multiple GSA employees have told WIRED that they are refusing to resign, especially after the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) told its members on Tuesday that the offer could be void.

“There is not yet any evidence the administration can or will uphold its end of the bargain, that Congress will go along with this unilateral massive restructuring, or that appropriated funds can be used this way, among other issues that have been raised,” the union said in a notice.

There is also concern that, under Musk’s influence, the federal government might not pay for the duration of the deferred resignation period. Thousands of Twitter employees have sued Musk alleging that he failed to pay their agreed upon severance. Last year, one class action suit was dismissed in Musk’s favor.

In an internal video viewed by WIRED, Ehikian reiterated that GSA employees had the “opportunity to participate in a deferred resignation program,” per the email sent by OPM on January 28. Pressing his hands into the namaste gesture, Ehikian added, “If you choose to participate, I offer you my heartfelt gratitude for your service to this nation. If you choose to stay at the GSA, we’ll work together to implement the four pillars from the OPM memo.” He ended the video by saying thank you and pressing his hands into namaste again.

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love-and-deepspace-wiki · 4 months ago

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Hunter's Association: Departments, Sectors, and Sub-groups

Details:

The Hunter's Association is divided into multiple departments, sectors, and sub-groups. All such entities that have been mentioned in-game (thus far) are listed below.

Sectors:

UNICORNS:

The best combat unit under the Hunter's Association. Known for their unmatched power and fast responses, they specialize in tackling extremely dangerous Wanderer incidents that regular hunters can't handle. Their elite sector is small and notoriously unconventional.

DAWN

Departments:

Advanced Tech Labs

Archives

Armory:

The Armory is where a Deepspace Hunter's weapons are stored, serviced, and maintained. Following a mission, the returning hunter relinquishes their equipment to the Armory so that this service can take place.

Data Analysis:

Data Analysis (also referred to as "Data Analytics") serves as the intelligence processing center for individual teams while providing support to other sectors. Their responsibilities include gathering and analyzing data, detecting and identifying Protocores, and monitoring regional energy fluctuations.

Data Center

Hunter's Association Support Center

Intel Department

Linkon Hunter Dispatch Center:

This department responds to urgent Wanderer reports across Linkon City by dispatching hunters, deploying medical teams, raising hazard alarms, and monitoring real-time positioning. Their work area features a holographic control console in the center of the room that displays a 3D map of Linkon City. Blinking red dots represent high-level threats, blue dots represent hunters in the area, and yellow dots represent Wanderers. At the conclusion of each case they resolve, an incident repoer is submitted. This department's positions include multiple dispatchers, a surveillance officer, and a Captain (currently Captain Colin). They have a break room and their own cafeteria, a feature Alpha Team lacks.

Case Numbers: Case numbers follow the incremental naming standard "LK204×01101", "LK204×01102", "LK204×01103", etc.

Emergency Response Protocol: A high-level procedure triggered for threats only equivalent to five or more Wanderers. It requires the coordinated effort of at least five hunters.

Logistics Department

Medical Support Department:

The Medical Support Department, in partnership with the Logistics Department and Operations HQ, recently implemented an updated "Hunter Health Policy" which introduced three new regulations:

Monthly period leave for female hunters increased from 2 to 4 days per calendar month.

A "period subsidy" that will be added to their pay structure

The Medical Support Department and Akso Hospital will offer specialized health consultations and support for menstruation-related diet, exercise, sleep, and mental well-being, helping them maintain a balanced lifestyle during their period.

Operations HQ

Protocore Research Department

Security Department

Sub-groups:

Armament Tech:

Armament Tech is a specialized team dedicated to the development, optimization, and maintenance of Deepspace Hunter combat equipment. The Hunter's Association assigns an Armament Tech team to each squad. This team provides state-of-the-art technological support to hunters and enhances the combat capabilities and efficiency of the entire squad.

#love and deepspace #lads #lads linkon city #linkon city #love and deepspace hunters association #lads hunters association

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judasrpc · 11 months ago

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TIPS FOR WRITING COMBAT, TACTICS, AND / OR FIELD MEDICINE SCENARIOS PT. 2

Hello again! Coming out of the woodwork with my niche interests and hoping to pass along some information about writing things such as combat, tactical operations, and / or field medicine!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, nor am I someone who has served in the military or law enforcement in any capacity. Any information in this post is gained from personal research in mostly internet circles. Some topics may be unsettling/disturbing, so please take care in reading.

You can view part one of this post [HERE].

Note: This part will be written more in-depth, as the sources I've pulled from are either no longer accessible, or from narrators I would not feel comfortable platforming due to their motives for sharing this information (e.g., anti-human rights individuals with qualified backgrounds). Knowledge is power, but we don't have to platform fascists in order to share it (* ^ ω ^)

To start this post off, I'll share some archives I've found since part one! This way, if you're just looking for resources and don't want to read something super lengthy, this post is still (hopefully) useful to my fellow writers.

Safety Data Sheets [Archive] - A collection of safety data sheets for what looks like various types of compounds, mostly based around industrial work (e.g., concrete mixes, roof coatings, etc.). While arguably not relevant to this sort of topic focus, I think it could be in the right scenarios, especially as sheets provide first-aid instructions, hazard classification, and details about specific compounds.

War Medicine [Archive] - Definitely a more historical reference (dated 1918), but published by the American Red Cross Society in France covering… war medicine. Includes various diagrams and topics.

Field Manuals and Technical Manuals [Archive] - A collection of field and technical manuals from various military services spanning across various decades. I believe most of these are U.S.-based.

Now, for the in-depth written information, placed behind the "keep reading" button.

CLOSE-QUARTERS BATTLE (CQB) / MILITARY OPERATIONS IN URBAN TERRAIN (MOUT)

CQB is typically defined as a short duration, high intensity conflict characterized by sudden violence at close range. MOUT is an example of a scenario where CQB may be applicable.

When in these environments, it's important for your character(s) to know how to navigate them. The presence of closer-knit buildings, various entryways, and populated environments means there's a lot of risk for both them and those around them.

As such, one of the founding concepts is entry and clearance.

There are many different ways to enter and clear rooms within a building, but the three primary types are as follows:

Conventional (aka: Strong Walling) - The leading individual "commits" to the room by stepping in with their full body, pressing their back to the wall opposite to the door's attachment, and using their upper torso to sweep the room with their light/weapon.

Lateral - The leading individual enters the room at either a 90-degree angle to the door (straight toward back wall of room) or a 45-degree angle (toward the corner opposite to the door).

Framing - Rather than step into the room, the leading individual peeks around the door frame and conducts their sweep from within it (think of them as using the door frame as a "mount" for their weapon, if they have one).

These can be conducted solo, or with a wingman.

A wingman is usually one other individual who stacks beside the leading individual, and uses an over-the-shoulder vantage to provide a secondary set of eyes for cover, while also being able to cover tasks such as opening doors.

Then, there's navigating environments as teams. With teams, there comes a need to develop tactics. With CQB in particular, there are two primary types of strategies:

Dynamic - Rapid movement and clearance; Your character(s) are likely in a high-intensity/time-sensitive scenario where speed is more important than safety. In these scenarios, your character(s) is/are more likely to clear rooms by committing with their entry and flooding in if in a team.

Deliberate - Slower movement and clearance; Your character(s) are likely still in dire circumstance, but they're able to take the time and prioritize safety over speed. In these scenarios, your character(s) is/are more likely to clear rooms by framing and entering one at a time to ensure all angles are covered.

But not every room is a perfect rectangle with wider-open spaces. Regardless of the structure, dead space is an important factor to consider for characters both outside and within these environments.

Dead space simply refers to the space that has not been cleared by the individual(s) entering the space. There are a few different types, including:

Anchored - The object creating the dead space is anchored to a wall, and thus prevents flanking. This could be a dividing wall, and certain types of cabinetry or other furniture.

Unanchored - The object creating the dead space is not anchored to a wall, and thus allows for flanking. This can be… any piece of furniture, crates/boxes/shelves, even certain installation pieces such as a 360-fireplace or showcase tank/terrarium.

Low - The object creating the dead space cannot fully conceal an individual/individuals who are standing, but could if they were crouched or laying prone. This could be things such as couches, tables with cloth over them, etc.

High - The object creating the dead space is elevated above the entry point. This usually, and pretty much only, includes things like stairwells, but it could include higher cabinetry if your character(s) is/are creative enough or able to navigate that.

Moving away from specific scenarios, there is something I've seen written a lot in fanfic and in rp spaces that I think would be important to clarify:

Do. not. attempt. to. catch. a. falling. gun.

I'm serious! In active combat, this isn't as applicable because your character's goal is (ultimately) to neutralize whatever threat is in front of them. Beyond that, though, your character(s) should never attempt to catch.

"But why? Wouldn't you want to stop it from discharging?"

That is why.

Yes, the firearm may discharge when hitting the ground… but in catching it, your character(s) may also discharge it. Unless they know for a fact they will not grab the area around or within the trigger guard, it's highly likely that a finger/fingers will slip into the guard and, due to the force of the catch, end up pulling.

The best practice, especially for a character/characters who are skilled with firearms and versed in safety practices, is to put the hands up and let it fall. Step back, find cover if possible, and retrieve the firearm after it has landed.

And again, I am not responsible for what y'all do with this info. Read responsibly, and stay frosty!

#rph #rpc #writing guide #tactical guide #guide #judasrpc

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beardedmrbean · 4 months ago

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Amy Gleason, a former emergency room nurse-turned-health care technologist, was scared. It was 2010 and no doctor could figure out what was behind her daughter Morgan’s strange constellation of symptoms, including rashes and muscle weakness so severe that she could no longer walk upstairs.

When Morgan was finally diagnosed with a rare and potentially life-threatening autoimmune disorder after more than a year, Gleason became determined to empower other patients so they didn’t face similar delays in diagnosis.

“If a doctor had seen all of these visits and activity on one single screen put together, they probably would have wondered why this 10- or 11-year-old is going to the doctor all the time,” Gleason said in a 2020 TEDx talk. “And maybe that would have sparked a faster diagnosis.”

Until recently, Gleason, 53, had been a relatively low-profile health care data cruncher with a passion for simplifying access to electronic medical records.

Then, at the end of February, the White House announced Gleason had been named the acting administrator for the Department of Government Efficiency, elevating her to a prominent position in the Trump administration.

Gleason previously worked on projects related to health data at the U.S. Digital Service, DOGE’s predecessor, overlapping with Trump’s first term and the Biden administration.

However, the White House has not provided details about why, exactly, it selected Gleason to lead DOGE — a task force unit at the center of the administration’s efforts to streamline the federal government.

The move has led many to question whether Gleason is truly in charge or whether the power resides with Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a special government employee who has been the face of DOGE.

For weeks, the administration evaded questions about who was actually at the helm; the White House said Gleason was the acting administrator only after administration lawyers were unable to answer who was in charge of the agency when questioned in court. Gleason does not appear to have made any public comments since the White House announced that she was DOGE's top official.

The administration has also revealed very little about who else works for DOGE and what they do, despite Musk’s claims of transparency.

Even with Gleason’s title, Musk still seems to hold sway. As recently as Tuesday, Trump referred to DOGE as “headed by Elon Musk,” setting off fresh legal questions about the group’s operations. The working relationship between Musk and Gleason is unclear, and a DOGE spokesperson did not respond Friday to questions about Gleason’s job responsibilities.

Gleason also did not respond to a request for comment for this articles. In interviews, former colleagues described her as highly intelligent and the most valuable asset wherever she works.

“It’s exactly the kind of person you need in a role like this,” said Dr. Gregg Alexander, a pediatrician in London, Ohio, who has known her for about 20 years. “She’s always tried to do the right thing.”

Still, some former colleagues worry that in her DOGE role, Gleason will be inadvertently complicit in cuts to programs that have personal significance to her — including research for rare disease funding. DOGE has threatened dramatic budget cuts to federal health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

The condition that Gleason’s daughter, who is now in her mid-20s, was diagnosed with is called juvenile dermatomyositis. The extremely rare disease is a form of juvenile myositis, in which a child’s immune system attacks its own cells and tissues.

Therapies discovered over the years thanks to partnerships with NIH have improved the prognosis for juvenile myositis, said James Minow, executive director at the advocacy organization Cure JM Foundation, where Gleason served as a board member and vice president for research from 2014 to 2018, according to her LinkedIn profile.

But with the Trump administration trying to cut NIH grant funding, Minow said he worried that DOGE could hamper the rare disease research that Gleason’s family and so many others depend on.

“Amy is a very thorough thinker, and I think that she’ll be one who will make very solid, reasoned recommendations to the president as he looks at fulfilling what he sees as his mission to reduce the size of government,” Minow said. “Obviously, Cure JM is wanting to do everything we can to protect NIH’s investment.”

Gleason’s friends and former colleagues describe her as apolitical. From 2018 to 2021, she worked for the U.S. Digital Service, an agency created by the Obama administration after its chaotic rollout of HealthCare.gov. Much of her stint was dedicated to partnering with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to improve patient access to health care records, she said in her 2020 TEDx Talk.

During the latter part of her time there, she worked on the data team for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, creating databases from hospitals and labs that governors and the public relied on to track the virus. Her LinkedIn profile says she rejoined the U.S. Digital Service in January of this year as a senior adviser, though The New York Times reported she was reintroduced at the agency in late December, ahead of Trump’s inauguration.

A long history in the private sector

Gleason has also worked in the private sector at various health care management companies and startups. She held vice president positions at Allscripts, which provided software for electronic medical records, and worked from 2011 to 2018 at CareSync, a Florida-based medical technology startup that she co-founded, according to LinkedIn.

Her LinkedIn profile adds that from 2021 to 2024, she was vice president of product at Main Street Health, which provides care for people in rural areas, and at Russell Street Ventures, a firm dedicated to launching innovative health care.

Both Main Street Health and Russell Street Ventures were founded by entrepreneur Brad Smith, an early senior DOGE member who was previously named as head of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation in 2020 during Trump’s first administration.

Smith did not respond to a request for comment; according to anonymous sources who spoke to The New York Times, Smith began advising on Musk’s cost-cutting moves late last year and brought Gleason in on the talks. NBC News has not confirmed the report.

Tom Cooke, a retired health care executive who worked closely with Gleason more than 15 years ago, said her position at DOGE was “kind of a curveball.”

“I’ll put my politics on my sleeve: I don’t trust Elon Musk at all in this role. I trust her completely,” he said. “I am confident that she will use her voice strongly and that she’s a straight shooter, whether it’s news that people above her want to hear or not.”

Cooke described Gleason as having an effervescent personality and an unflappable work mentality.

“Professionally, I put a lot on her plate to get done in a very short period of time, and was amazed by her ability to achieve that,” he said.

And on a personal level, “I’ve seen her be really thoughtful with folks that she may have had just a little bit of interaction with,” he said. “She just has a way with people.”

Others were also surprised by her DOGE title. One former health care IT colleague said via a LinkedIn message that “it did seem to come out of nowhere.”

“I was shocked to hear of her appointment to DOGE, having been a fierce and committed patient advocate,” wrote the former colleague, who has known Gleason for 15 years and spoke on condition of anonymity because she was concerned speaking out against the Trump administration could have career repercussions. “To go from such a position of kindness to a position that eliminates jobs for thousands of working parents seems like such a dichotomy in values.”

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Gleason is an avid football fan who likes to needle friends who root for anyone other than the Tennessee Volunteers, said Alexander, the pediatrician. He added that she has a “tremendous sense of humor” and loves to travel.

Gleason’s interest in streamlined medical records and other improvements for patients dates back decades. In 2021, she told the “Tell Me Where IT Hurts” podcast, which examines the intersection between health care and technology, that she started out as an emergency room nurse and “quickly realized how powerful health care technology could be.”

Gleason has said the best career advice she has received was from her parents. She told another health care podcast in 2023 that her dad taught her mistakes are a learning opportunity, and her mom encouraged her to follow her dreams.

“I’ve had a pretty great career trying a lot of new things and following my passions as I develop new ones as well,” she told the podcast.

#nunyas news

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justinspoliticalcorner · 4 months ago

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Nate Silver at Silver Bulletin:

Last night, as President Trump delivered his State of the Union address1, the Wall Street Journal reported that ABC News would lay off the remaining staff at 538 as part of broader cuts within corporate parent Disney. Having been through several rounds of this before, including two years ago when the staff was cut by more than half and my tenure expired too2, I know it’s a brutal process for everyone involved. It’s also tough being in a business while having a constant anvil over your head, as we had in pretty much every odd-numbered (non-election) year from 2017 onward at 538/FiveThirtyEight.3 I don’t know all of the staffers from the most recent iteration of the site, but the ones I have met or who I overlapped with are all extremely conscientious and hard-working people and were often forced to work double-duty as jobs were cut but frequently not replaced. My heart goes out to them, and I’m happy to provide recommendations for people I worked with there. Beyond that, I wasn’t inclined to say too much more, but it felt weirder not to say anything at all. And it’s easier to say something here than filter it through a reporter or something. For more extended thoughts on the environment at Disney — plus plenty of self-reflection/self-criticism — you can see the item at the bottom of SBSQ #12.4 But the basic issue is that Disney was never particularly interested in running FiveThirtyEight as a business, even though I think it could have been a good business. Although they were generous in maintaining the site for so long and almost never interfered in our editorial process, the sort of muscle memory a media property builds early in its tenure tends to stick. We had an incredibly talented editorial staff, but we never had enough “product” people or strategy people to help the business grow and sustain itself. It’s always an uphill battle under those conditions, particularly when it comes to recruiting and retaining staff, who were constantly being poached by outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post.

“Data journalism” has a bad name but a bright future

It also doesn’t quite feel like the end, exactly. “Data journalism” may have been a dumb name for what we were doing — that one’s on me — and Fivey Fox aside, the FiveThirtyEight brand was never warm and cuddly. But it always found a huge audience, and coverage of polls and political data is now much smarter. Compare the extremely analytical polling deep dives that Nate Cohn is doing at the New York Times, for instance, to the vibes-based coverage of the Boys on the Bus era. That trend may get even more entrenched as former 538ers form a diaspora that filters out to the rest of the media.

Also, I’d like to think we’re carrying a piece of the FiveThirtyEight torch here at Silver Bulletin. So, just two more quick beats. One about our near-term plans here — in slightly awkward timing, we’re launching our Trump approval ratings dashboard tomorrow. But first, a shout-out to one of the extremely valuable functions that FiveThirtyEight provided. Collecting and maintaining a database of public polls is a lot of work, requiring diligence, meticulousness, and dealing with constant complaints about edge cases from readers and pollsters. But it’s also a public service. Polling has its challenges, but I believe it’s vital in a democracy. People only get to vote every two to four years — if they’re lucky enough to live in a state where their vote even matters. While being too “poll-driven” has pitfalls, the alternative isn’t necessarily enlightened governance. Rather, left to their own devices, elected officials are often inclined to follow some combination of (i) narrow self-interest, (ii) the loudest voices in the room, and (iii) elite opinion, which often doesn’t match broader public opinion. FiveThirtyEight had long made its data publicly available through APIs and other tools. At Silver Bulletin, I hope we’re upholding that tradition too — although admittedly with a twist. For instance, not only are our pollster ratings (which apply the methodology I originally developed for FiveThirtyEight5) publicly available, but so is the underlying database of more than 12,000 polls that populates them. And for our presidential election forecast last year, our polling averages were free for everyone — though, here’s the twist, of course — the probabilities that the model spat out were paywalled. Even so, there were literally dozens of data visualizations and downloadable files just beyond that paywall — we’re not giving away the cow (the model code), but you’re getting basically everything else.

Nate Silver, the creator behind FiveThirtyEight, touches on ABC News’s shutting down of the venerable data site on the same night as 47’s address to the nation. Seeing a poll aggregator like 538 going away is sad in many ways (just like HuffPost eliminating Pollster).

#Nate Silver #538 #FiveThirtyEight #ABC News #Silver Bulletin #Substack #Polling

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mostlysignssomeportents · 1 year ago

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Too big to care

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in BOSTON with Randall "XKCD" Munroe (Apr 11), then PROVIDENCE (Apr 12), and beyond!

Remember the first time you used Google search? It was like magic. After years of progressively worsening search quality from Altavista and Yahoo, Google was literally stunning, a gateway to the very best things on the internet.

Today, Google has a 90% search market-share. They got it the hard way: they cheated. Google spends tens of billions of dollars on payola in order to ensure that they are the default search engine behind every search box you encounter on every device, every service and every website:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/03/not-feeling-lucky/#fundamental-laws-of-economics

Not coincidentally, Google's search is getting progressively, monotonically worse. It is a cesspool of botshit, spam, scams, and nonsense. Important resources that I never bothered to bookmark because I could find them with a quick Google search no longer show up in the first ten screens of results:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task

Even after all that payola, Google is still absurdly profitable. They have so much money, they were able to do a $80 billion stock buyback. Just a few months later, Google fired 12,000 skilled technical workers. Essentially, Google is saying that they don't need to spend money on quality, because we're all locked into using Google search. It's cheaper to buy the default search box everywhere in the world than it is to make a product that is so good that even if we tried another search engine, we'd still prefer Google.

This is enshittification. Google is shifting value away from end users (searchers) and business customers (advertisers, publishers and merchants) to itself:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/05/the-map-is-not-the-territory/#apor-locksmith

And here's the thing: there are search engines out there that are so good that if you just try them, you'll get that same feeling you got the first time you tried Google.

When I was in Tucson last month on my book-tour for my new novel The Bezzle, I crashed with my pals Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden. I've know them since I was a teenager (Patrick is my editor).

We were sitting in his living room on our laptops – just like old times! – and Patrick asked me if I'd tried Kagi, a new search-engine.

Teresa chimed in, extolling the advanced search features, the "lenses" that surfaced specific kinds of resources on the web.

I hadn't even heard of Kagi, but the Nielsen Haydens are among the most effective researchers I know – both in their professional editorial lives and in their many obsessive hobbies. If it was good enough for them…

I tried it. It was magic.

No, seriously. All those things Google couldn't find anymore? Top of the search pile. Queries that generated pages of spam in Google results? Fucking pristine on Kagi – the right answers, over and over again.

That was before I started playing with Kagi's lenses and other bells and whistles, which elevated the search experience from "magic" to sorcerous.

The catch is that Kagi costs money – after 100 queries, they want you to cough up $10/month ($14 for a couple or $20 for a family with up to six accounts, and some kid-specific features):

https://kagi.com/settings?p=billing_plan&plan=family

I immediately bought a family plan. I've been using it for a month. I've basically stopped using Google search altogether.

Kagi just let me get a lot more done, and I assumed that they were some kind of wildly capitalized startup that was running their own crawl and and their own data-centers. But this morning, I read Jason Koebler's 404 Media report on his own experiences using it:

https://www.404media.co/friendship-ended-with-google-now-kagi-is-my-best-friend/

Koebler's piece contained a key detail that I'd somehow missed:

When you search on Kagi, the service makes a series of “anonymized API calls to traditional search indexes like Google, Yandex, Mojeek, and Brave,” as well as a handful of other specialized search engines, Wikimedia Commons, Flickr, etc. Kagi then combines this with its own web index and news index (for news searches) to build the results pages that you see. So, essentially, you are getting some mix of Google search results combined with results from other indexes.

In other words: Kagi is a heavily customized, anonymized front-end to Google.

The implications of this are stunning. It means that Google's enshittified search-results are a choice. Those ad-strewn, sub-Altavista, spam-drowned search pages are a feature, not a bug. Google prefers those results to Kagi, because Google makes more money out of shit than they would out of delivering a good product:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/2/24117976/best-printer-2024-home-use-office-use-labels-school-homework

No wonder Google spends a whole-ass Twitter every year to make sure you never try a rival search engine. Bottom line: they ran the numbers and figured out their most profitable course of action is to enshittify their flagship product and bribe their "competitors" like Apple and Samsung so that you never try another search engine and have another one of those magic moments that sent all those Jeeves-askin' Yahooers to Google a quarter-century ago.

One of my favorite TV comedy bits is Lily Tomlin as Ernestine the AT&T operator; Tomlin would do these pitches for the Bell System and end every ad with "We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company":

https://snltranscripts.jt.org/76/76aphonecompany.phtml

Speaking of TV comedy: this week saw FTC chair Lina Khan appear on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. It was amazing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaDTiWaYfcM

The coverage of Khan's appearance has focused on Stewart's revelation that when he was doing a show on Apple TV, the company prohibited him from interviewing her (presumably because of her hostility to tech monopolies):

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/apple-got-caught-censoring-its-own

But for me, the big moment came when Khan described tech monopolists as "too big to care."

What a phrase!

Since the subprime crisis, we're all familiar with businesses being "too big to fail" and "too big to jail." But "too big to care?" Oof, that got me right in the feels.

Because that's what it feels like to use enshittified Google. That's what it feels like to discover that Kagi – the good search engine – is mostly Google with the weights adjusted to serve users, not shareholders.

Google used to care. They cared because they were worried about competitors and regulators. They cared because their workers made them care:

https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/4/4/18295933/google-cancels-ai-ethics-board

Google doesn't care anymore. They don't have to. They're the search company.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

#pluralistic #john stewart #the daily show #apple #monopoly #lina khan #ftc #too big to fail #too big to jail #monopolism #trustbusting #antitrust #search #enshittification #kagi #google

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