#dedicated transmission line

[nepalenergyforum]

Regional Power Dynamics: Nepal and Bangladesh Push for Dedicated Grid, Will India Align?

As India sees power and power infrastructure as strategic assets, it will be hard to convince New Delhi, experts say. Bangladesh State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has stressed the need for a dedicated transmission line between Nepal and Bangladesh via India. “Power trade will get momentum if there is a dedicated line from Nepal to Bangladesh. This will also…

[doliacuddles]

HIS FAVORITE.

𝖠𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋 𝗑 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

❝𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝖻𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝖿𝖺𝗏𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖾𝖼𝗁𝗈 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗈𝗎𝗅, 𝖺 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗇𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗌, 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗍 𝗆𝗎𝗋𝗆𝗎𝗋𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗈𝗅𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝖺𝖻𝗌𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾, 𝖺𝗌 𝗂𝖿 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝗂𝗍𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝖾𝗑𝗂𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍.❞

It’s always there, lurking in the darkest corners of the hotel, watching you with that wide, unsettling smile. Though it seems to be everywhere, it never manifests in an aggressive or intrusive way. Yet, the intensity of its red eyes follows you wherever you go, as if its gaze intertwines with the light and darkness of the place, ever vigilant, always present.

If someone from the hotel dares to cross a line or make you uncomfortable, everything shifts instantly. The air grows heavier, and suddenly that figure appears, almost like a shadow moving between the flickering lamplight and the dark corners of the hallways. Without uttering a word, its mere presence is enough to make any intruder rethink their actions and leave, making it clear that you are not alone.

In moments when the hotel’s energy feels overwhelming, when it seems like the walls are closing in on you, things begin to change without warning. An armchair, previously absent, appears right where your tired legs need a rest. Or a steaming cup of tea, which you hadn’t requested, materializes out of nowhere in your hands, its calming aroma enveloping you. It’s as if the hotel itself responds to your needs, but deep down, you know who’s behind it. Although you never see it directly, it’s always Alastor who, with his subtle touch, orchestrates those small moments of relief. It’s his eccentric way of watching over you, making you feel safe without ever exposing himself too much, staying within his own game of shadows and light.

When Alastor is near, the atmosphere of the hotel seems to change immediately. The lights, which usually flicker and blink chaotically under his influence, behave differently around you. Instead of the unsettling tremors, they soften, adjusting to you, dimming to create an enveloping calm. Even the strange and disturbing transmissions from the old radios when he’s near, those echoes from forgotten times, seem to mold around you. Instead of chilling buzzes and distorted voices, the ghostly waves whisper gentle, almost nostalgic melodies, as if offering you comfort. It’s as if he silently dedicates his own personal recital to you, filling every corner of the place with hidden music that only you can appreciate. Through these subtle acts, Alastor communicates without saying a word, filling the spaces with his intangible presence and unmistakable energy.

Yet, what strikes you the most are the little details. Alastor, in his reserved and enigmatic manner, never touches or intrudes on your space overtly. But in his own way, he always ensures your well-being. Doors open effortlessly just before you reach them, as if an invisible hand is guiding you with perfect delicacy. If something dangerous or inconvenient is in your path, it vanishes like magic just before you stumble over it. And when you sense a threat or imminent danger, before you can even react, the situation dissolves like mist at dawn, leaving only Alastor’s shadow at the edge of your vision, watching you from the shadows, always alert, always vigilant. It’s as if he is your ethereal guardian, a presence that never fully reveals itself but is always there, protecting you with his invisible influence.

Sometimes, in the quiet of the night, when you think you’re completely alone, small gifts appear, almost imperceptible but full of meaning. A dark rose, with a deep and mysterious color, rests carefully on your nightstand, placed with almost obsessive precision. Or perhaps you find a book you mentioned only in passing during a forgotten conversation, waiting on your bed, as if he remembers every word you say. These details are not conventional gestures of affection; they are much deeper. Alastor doesn’t need to speak romantic words or empty compliments, because his actions say it all. Each small act is a masterpiece of precision, an expression of his meticulousness and attention, as if everything is designed just for you. In this elaborate game that he seems to control from the shadows, you are the central piece, the protagonist of a show that only he can direct.

Each of his movements is calculated to keep you close, in his orbit, but always just far enough that you can’t quite unravel who he really is. There’s a constant mystery in what he feels for you, an uncertainty that envelops you: Is it genuine affection? An obsession or fascination with you? Or something darker, something lying deep within him? Those questions float in the air, but in the end, they don’t matter much. What really seems to matter is that with you, Alastor, the demon who instills fear in others, changes. With you, his volatile and dangerous essence seems to yield, even if just a little, softening in your presence, as if you are the only one who can calm the storm burning inside him. And, though you don’t fully understand it, you feel that this change is for you, and only for you.

Intellectual property of @doliacuddles.

[tomorrowusa]

Four years ago today (March 13th), then President Donald Trump got around to declaring a national state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic. The administration had been downplaying the danger to the United States for 51 days since the first US infection was confirmed on January 22nd.

From an ABC News article dated 25 February 2020...

CDC warns Americans of 'significant disruption' from coronavirus

Until now, health officials said they'd hoped to prevent community spread in the United States. But following community transmissions in Italy, Iran and South Korea, health officials believe the virus may not be able to be contained at the border and that Americans should prepare for a "significant disruption." This comes in contrast to statements from the Trump administration. Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said Tuesday the threat to the United States from coronavirus "remains low," despite the White House seeking $1.25 billion in emergency funding to combat the virus. Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, told CNBC’s Kelly Evans on “The Exchange” Tuesday evening, "We have contained the virus very well here in the U.S." [ ... ] House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the request "long overdue and completely inadequate to the scale of this emergency." She also accused President Trump of leaving "critical positions in charge of managing pandemics at the National Security Council and the Department of Homeland Security vacant." "The president's most recent budget called for slashing funding for the Centers for Disease Control, which is on the front lines of this emergency. And now, he is compounding our vulnerabilities by seeking to ransack funds still needed to keep Ebola in check," Pelosi said in a statement Tuesday morning. "Our state and local governments need serious funding to be ready to respond effectively to any outbreak in the United States. The president should not be raiding money that Congress has appropriated for other life-or-death public health priorities." She added that lawmakers in the House of Representatives "will swiftly advance a strong, strategic funding package that fully addresses the scale and seriousness of this public health crisis." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also called the Trump administration's request "too little too late." "That President Trump is trying to steal funds dedicated to fight Ebola -- which is still considered an epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- is indicative of his towering incompetence and further proof that he and his administration aren't taking the coronavirus crisis as seriously as they need to be," Schumer said in a statement.

A reminder that Trump had been leaving many positions vacant – part of a Republican strategy to undermine the federal government.

Here's a picture from that ABC piece from a nearly empty restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown. The screen displays a Trump tweet still downplaying COVID-19 with him seeming more concerned about the effect of the Dow Jones on his re-election bid.

People were not buying Trump's claims but they were buying PPE.

I took this picture at CVS on February 26th that year.

The stock market which Trump in his February tweet claimed looked "very good" was tanking on March 12th – the day before his state of emergency declaration.

Trump succeeded in sending the US economy into recession much faster than George W. Bush did at the end of his term – quite a feat!. (As an aside, every recession in the US since 1981 has been triggered by Republican presidents.)

Of course Trump never stopped trying to downplay the pandemic nor did he ever take responsibility for it. The US ended up with the highest per capita death rate of any technologically advanced country.

Precious time was lost while Trump dawdled. Orange on this map indicates COVID infections while red indicates COVID deaths. At the time Trump declared a state of emergency, the virus had already spread to 49 states.

The United States could have done far better and it certainly had the tools to do so.

The Obama administration had limited the number of US cases of Ebola to under one dozen during that pandemic in the 2010s. Based on their success, they compiled a guide on how the federal government could limit future pandemics.

Obama team left pandemic playbook for Trump administration, officials confirm

Of course Trump ignored it.

Unlike those boxes of nuclear secrets in Trump's bathroom, the Obama pandemic limitation document is not classified. Anybody can read it – even if Trump didn't. This copy comes from the Stanford University Libraries.

TOWARDS EPIDEMIC PREDICTION: FEDERAL EFFORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN OUTBREAK MODELING

Feel free to share this post with anybody who still feels nostalgic about the Trump White House years!

[leahnardo-da-veggie]

Love

People say I'm too sensitive. I take everything too seriously. I laugh too much, and cry too hard. But I must ask them: How could you not?

How could you not love the cheap plastic toy that comes with your Macdonald's meal, knowing that it was the product of a thousand years of innovation? How can your heart not break at the sight of it, holding a miracle of modern technology that your ancestors could not even dream of? How can you not weep, when faced with the badge of progress?

I must stop to listen to the off-tune jingle of the supermarket, because it is the product of a thousand musicians dedicating their lives to building and discovering musical theory. I must hug my friends every time I see them, because out of the millions of people in the city, we found each other. I must photograph every cat I see because I was lucky enough to see them from this angle, at this time.

Life is a swarm of chaos, of an infinity of worlds and combinations and choices, and somehow I ended up here, at this moment and in this place. Can you not see how astronomically unlikely it was? Each of us, and the world we have been born into, is a miracle in and of itself. The fact that just the right sperm and egg matched for a thousand generations is beautiful enough to bring me to my knees.

That this is on your screen right now should be enough to crack Earth itself apart with emotion. So much went on behind the scenes for these words to live in our minds. To think! We had to invent language, give meaning to scribbles and lines. We had to invent electricity, and its children, social media and wireless transmission. You had to scroll through and see this post out of the millions of others circling the web right now.

Even the worst irritants and pains in the world are beautiful. Those rock pigeons crapping on the floor have feathers that shimmer like a peacock's tail. The morning traffic jam is hundreds of people living in synchrony, tied together by fate and chance. The morning alarm clock that wakes you up was made by a forgotten soul in a faraway factory long ago, a soul who is connected to you by one thing: that clock.

So I will love the adverts on the walls, because we are a species who somehow managed to bring meaning to those squiggles and lines on the wall. I will love the rotting garbage lying on the sidewalk, because we have the abundance in this world to waste food in any amount. I will love you, and myself, and even the people I despise, because we all somehow ended up in this world together, and met each other against all odds.

Companion piece to Envy and Rage.

Taglist:

@coffeeangelinabox, @dorky-pals, @calliecwrites, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @shukei-jiwa

@thewingedbaron, @pluppsauthor, @cowboybrunch, @wylloblr, @possiblyeldritch

@ramitola, @urnumber1star, @fortunatetragedy, @bigwipscholar, @ratedn

@vampirelover890, @possiblylisle, @illarian-rambling, @the-ellia-west

@finicky-felix, @evilgabe29, @glitched-dawn (Anyone else who wants to get added can tell me in the comments, pm me, or send me an ask about it!)

[drnikolatesla]

A Night with Tesla: The Future of Electrical Resonance

(This narrative is a creative reimagining of a 1901 interview with Nikola Tesla, titled "Tesla's Twentieth-Century Views," originally penned by Frank L. Perry for the Western Electrician. Presented from a first-person perspective, this piece offers a fun and immersive experience while preserving Tesla's original words about resonance and the future of energy.)

Late one Friday evening in January of 1901, I found myself at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, sitting down with the legendary inventor, Nikola Tesla. The setting was grand, but Tesla seemed entirely focused, undistracted by the opulence around him. I had been eager to ask him about his latest thoughts on the future of electrical energy, particularly the concept of resonance, or as Tesla often referred to it, “electrical tuning.”

With a mix of excitement and curiosity, I asked, “From your own investigations with high-frequency currents and the transmission of electrical energy, it seems that there’s a great future along these lines. Does the question of ‘electrical tuning’ become a most important one? Will this direct the progress of scientific discoveries in the next decade?”

Tesla leaned forward slightly, his eyes bright with conviction. “You have put a question,” he began, “which not only is of great importance in many arts of the present day, but also throughout the mechanism of the universe. The phenomena of sound and light afford striking examples. I believe that ultimately even nerve action will be proven to involve the principles of ‘sympathetic response.’” His thoughts were as bold as they were profound, suggesting that the very nature of life and nerve function operated on the same principles as electrical resonance.

He continued, “In my own experiments with electrical and mechanical vibrations, I’ve been impressed by the tremendous possibilities. With a small engine capable of pressing a piston back and forth with a force of just two pounds, I once set an entire block of modern buildings into such violent swaying that people rushed out terrified. And this was done through precise attunement.”

As he spoke, I found myself captivated by the simplicity of his explanation, despite the staggering implications. Tesla didn’t stop with mechanical resonance. He went on to explain his even more astonishing work in electrical vibration. “In electrical vibration,” he said, “I have frequently obtained results that were even more wonderful. The tuning of electric circuits is becoming increasingly important as the arts advance and methods refine. The layman can only have a vague idea of what can be accomplished in this line by those who possess the knowledge and skill.”

I asked him about this skill—how one could master such an art. “Knowledge of the principles is easy enough to acquire,” he admitted, “and one of the best sources of information on the subject comes from Prof. Pupin, whose work makes it accessible even to a beginner. But skill—now that takes patience and untiring dedication.”

The conversation turned to the challenges of refining electrical circuits for optimal resonance. Tesla explained, “Many experimenters don’t realize that an electrical system cannot vibrate freely through an imperfect contact or high resistance. It’s like trying to get a spring to vibrate while holding it firmly—it simply won’t happen.”

He paused for a moment, as though he was envisioning the future even as he spoke. “The transmission of electrical energy through the earth offers the greatest possibilities of development. The time is not far off when electrical oscillations will speed through the globe, each separate and distinct, fulfilling its mission. It’s a seemingly simple subject, but as you advance, it feels as if the wide ocean is opening up before your eyes.”

As we concluded, Tesla recalled an experiment from five years prior, where he had successfully “tuned” 150 circuits, calling each one in turn without disturbing the others. “At the time, I thought I had mastered the art,” he smiled, “but now I see that I was only just beginning to learn.”

Leaving that evening, I felt that I had been granted a rare glimpse into the mind of a true visionary, a man who saw the universe as a symphony of vibrations, with every element perfectly attuned. What Tesla envisioned wasn’t just a technological future—it was a harmonious one. And as we move further into the twentieth century, I can’t help but wonder how much of his grand vision we’ll soon witness.

[ninadove]

— Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand (Acte II, scène 8) [FR] [ENG]

Part 1 🐈‍⬛

Part 2 🐉

Part 3 ⬆️

Alt text below the cut!

FRENCH: Et que faudrait-il faire ?

ENGLISH: What would you have me do?

SCREENSHOT: Felix confronting Adrien about his inability to defy his father [S4 E23: Risk]

FRENCH: Chercher un protecteur puissant, prendre un patron, // Et comme un lierre obscur qui circonvient un tronc // Et s’en fait un tuteur en lui léchant l’écorce, // Grimper par ruse au lieu de s’élever par force ?

ENGLISH: Find a powerful protector: and choose a patron, // like the dark ivy that creeps round a tree-trunk, // and gains its support by licking at its length, // to climb by a ruse instead of rise by strength?

SCREENSHOTS: Gabriel handing Colt the Peacock Miraculous + Colt, transformed, holding Felix’s amok [S5 E24: Representation]

FRENCH: Non, merci.

ENGLISH: No, thank you.

SCREENSHOT: Felix wearing his amok for the first time [S5 E24: Representation]

FRENCH: Dédier, comme tous ils le font, // Des vers aux financiers ? Se changer en bouffon // Dans l’espoir vil de voir, aux lèvres d’un ministre, // Naître un sourire, enfin, qui ne soit pas sinistre ?

ENGLISH: Dedicate, as others do // my poetry to bankers? Become a buffoon // in the base hope of seeing a less than sinister // smile quiver on the lips of some minister?

SCREENSHOTS: Kagami abandoning her foil after her defeat against Adrien [S2 E6: Riposte] + Matagi Gozen shooting arrows at Kagami [S5 E19: Pretension]

FRENCH: Non, merci!

ENGLISH: No, thank you!

SCREENSHOT: Argos destroying his fan to protect Kagami from Tomoe [S5 E19: Pretension]

FRENCH: Calculer, avoir peur, être blême, // Préférer faire une visite qu’un poème, // Rédiger des placets, se faire présenter ?

ENGLISH: Calculate, show fear, grow pallid, // prefer to make a visit than a ballad? // Get myself presented, write petitions to the king?

SCREENSHOTS: Gabriel hugging Adrien as part of a ploy to akumatise him [S5 E10: Transmission] + Antichat and Nightormentor [S5 E24: Representation]

FRENCH: Non, merci! // Non, merci! // Non, merci!

ENGLISH: No, thank you! // No, thank you! // No, thank you!

SCREENSHOTS: Felix resisting akumatisation [S4 E9: Gabriel Agreste] + Flairmidable fetching Ladybug’s yoyo [S4 E24: Strikeback] + Felix clutching the Peacock Miraculous [S4 E24: Strikeback]

FRENCH: Mais… chanter, // Rêver, rire, passer, être seul, être libre,

ENGLISH: But...to sing, // to dream, to smile, to walk, to be alone, be free,

SCREENSHOTS: Paris empty under the light of the Red Moon [S5 E18: Emotion]

FRENCH: Avoir l’œil qui regarde bien, la voix qui vibre,

ENGLISH: With a voice that stirs, and an eye that still can see!

SCREENSHOTS: Felix confessing to Kagami in the sewers [S5 E19: Pretension] + Felix reassuring Duusu they will get their happy ending [S5 E24: Representation]

FRENCH: Mettre, quand il vous plaît, son feutre de travers, // Pour un oui, pour un non, se battre, – ou faire un vers !

ENGLISH: To cock your hat on one side, when you please // at a yes, a no, to fight, or – make poetry!

SCREENSHOT: Felix (disguised as Adrien) smirking as he prepares to beat up the Punishers [S3 E23: Felix]

FRENCH: Travailler sans souci de gloire ou de fortune, // À tel voyage, auquel on pense, dans la lune !

ENGLISH: To work without a thought of fame or fortune, // on that journey, that you dream of, to the moon!

SCREENSHOTS: Argos explaining his wish + preparing to snap Red Moon [S5 E18: Emotion]

FRENCH: N’écrire jamais rien qui de soi ne sortît, // Et modeste d’ailleurs, se dire : mon petit, // Sois satisfait des fleurs, des fruits, même des feuilles, // Si c’est dans ton jardin à toi que tu les cueilles !

ENGLISH: Never to write a line that’s not your own, // and, humble too, say to oneself: My son, // be satisfied with flowers, fruit, even leaves, // if they’re from your own garden, your own trees!

SCREENSHOTS: Felix playing with his plush rabbit [S5 E24: Representation] + Kagami sketching Felix by the pool [S5 E 26: Recreation], both times in a garden

FRENCH: Puis, s’il advient d’un peu triompher, par hasard, // Ne pas être obligé d’en rien rendre à César,

ENGLISH: And then should chance a little glory bring, // don’t feel you need to render Caesar a thing,

SCREENSHOTS: Adrien lying to Kagami about losing his bracelet, which she holds behind her back [S4 E2: Lies]

FRENCH: Vis-à-vis de soi-même en garder le mérite,

ENGLISH: But keep the merit to yourself, entirely

SCREENSHOTS: Argos drawing a heart on Kagami’s window, causing her to giggle + Argami kissing as the sun rises [S5 E24: Representation]

FRENCH: Bref, dédaignant d’être le lierre parasite, // Lors même qu’on n’est pas le chêne ou le tilleul,

ENGLISH: In short, don’t deign to be the parasitic ivy, // even though you’re not the oak tree or the elm,

SCREENSHOTS: Argos joining the heroes’ team [S5 E26: Recreation]

FRENCH: Ne pas monter bien haut, peut-être, mais tout seul !

ENGLISH: Rise not so high, maybe, but be there all alone!

SCREENSHOT: Felix standing to a much bigger Gabriel, surrounded by amoks and akumas [S5 E24: Representation]

[dragontamerno3]

DS9 S2 E22 - The Wire

HOW DOES ANYONE THINK THESE TWO ARE IN A STRAIGHT??!!!???!!!

Ahem.

Seriously. How?

The episode starts off with the two going to their weekly lunch having the gayest banter about books and food and there is genuine concern for Garak when he starts showing signs of illness. Yes, Bashir is the station Doctor but it's also very much a "my friend is in pain, whats wrong" look when it happens.

This is cemented when Jadzia brings her plant to him to diagnose. Their conversation was primarily about the plant he was examining but her "its not like you're friends" comment and them him agreeing angrily while he stabbed said plant? There was no mistaking that he does (at least on some level) think of them as friends. Honestly, that whole conversation kinda felt like a ton of "I'm not jealous" conversations where I've seen two friends discussing a third party who was hanging out with a new person. Or more specifically a crush starts to spend more time with someone new. I have had similar moments myself as a baby queer.

I applaud Quark for his ease of lying. He was so smooth with a line or two to give to Bashir to get him to walk away. Wonderfully done.

The other smooth part with Quark was when Bashir is trying to usher Garak out of the bar and convince him to go to the infirmary and how they just swapped the bottle without a word.

On that same note, when Quark called Bashir to the bar to get Garak and Garak was like "Yes, quiet is better, lets go to my quarters", I wondered how often he actually brought people back to his room. He is so secretive that it seemed to me that he'd rarely (or never) let anyone come by so it seems significant that he offered that.

Of course Odo has tapped Quarks bar to monitor his transmissions, so much so that he even knows when Quark makes his more "sensitive" calls.

From the moment they said Garak was having head pain I figured there was some kind of implant in his head that was either malfunctioning, it was finally deteriorating or something similar. That paired with the fact that Garak was most definitely a spy, whether he still is or isn't is questionable sure, but at one point he was somehow tied to the intelligence network. So it wasn't a surprise to find out that was what causing him pain. It was fun to watch Quark give the Cardassian dude a code for a highly classified piece of tech though that may or may not cause both of them some hiccups later. Karma.

What I WAS surprised by was that is was more of a drug like situation. The whole break down in his room about how he had spent years being tortured and so 2 years ago he decided to say fuck it and to just live in a drugged state permanently was well done. I felt for both men in that moment. I can't even imagine what Garak was going through but I can tell he was suffering even when he had been drugged. And then Bashir hearing that the man he had come to think of as a friend (even if it was reluctantly) claim he wanted nothing to do with the dear Doctor. But then the trust in Garaks face as he relented? There was no heterosexual reason for this.

I need more of Bashir being a guard dog for all those under his care cause clearly that's a pattern I enjoy. It was a great character moment when he protected Jadzia against the trill transfer earlier in the season and it was a great moment here where he told Odo to fuck off.

The whole withdrawals scene was a rough one to get through in that way that I could see where it was going and I could tell both sides of that were very uncomfortable but the "the problem is I DID enjoy it" gave me life.

Every single story Garak told in this episode was both contradictory and very much believable, to me. I believe he blew up a Cardassian ship that held civilians and his "friend" on broad because it sounds like to me that this was the moment that part of him died, the part where he was dedicated to the cause. I also believe he let the Bajorian "prisoners" go and his "friend" was angry/appalled because this might have been one of the first steps to him questioning his involvement in things and how he hated himself for having these thoughts. I also believe he tried to hack the Cardassian systems to self sabotage himself subconsciously while thinking he was fixing things only to discover he purposely screwed himself over.

"I need to know SOMEONE forgives me." 😭💔

The thing that I loved most about this episode though was how Bashir was willing to risk his own safety to go to Cardassia on his own for Garak, who is in exile, to confront a highly respected man of the deepest, darkest intelligence network. That took guts and he did it without even blinking. Hell, he did it without even flinching when it was clear Tain was giving him vague threats.

I am disappointed about how quickly this one wrapped up, it seemed like we were worried about Garak dying and he was just suddenly okay again and having lunch, but that's a whatever moment. We don't honestly know how much time had passed and we knew he was going to get the info he needed to remove the device. It just seemed... fast?

Overall very much one of my favorites so far.

9/10 - will watch a million times

[caramsels]

absolutely love your mono isnt human theory,, please go on more its so interesting.

OF COURSE!! I’m so sorry this is approaching on like. A year late, I had a rough patch of months, but I can always go on about how I think Mono was a resident from the start. So here’s more hopefully comprehensible yapping.

Last time I talked mostly about how Mono/The Thin Man’s powers related to his character arc, so this time I’ll get into what I actually think is going on with them lore wise in the Nowhere’s grand scheme. The Nowhere is a hierarchical society where the residents typically have jobs of varying importance, and I believe the Thin Man ranks at #1.

Besides the prominence of numbers we already have with these types of residents, ( and how mono literally = one, and six= yeah.) The Thin Man is clearly regarded as important even among other residents, there are TVs, his symbol, everywhere on the Maw and the Nest, with there being dedicated TV rooms in each.

While The Ferryman is central to the gateway between worlds, The Thin Man has the most important job INSIDE of The Nowhere; spreading its influence via the transmission. The Nowhere relies on him for this. Whenever Mono goes into a trance around TVs, his body becomes glitchy and he becomes compelled to “Tune the Transmission.” this is something he can’t avoid, it’s why he exists. We see that even when him and Six are in danger, he’s still entranced by his need to tune the transmission. The transmission is seemingly the source of the world’s distortion: this is repeated in every official description of the game, with it usually being added that Mono and Six’s goal is specifically to find a way to stop this distortion at its source.

Mono having these compulsions to control the Transmission implies that this is the Thin Man’s purpose, akin to how it’s The Lady’s job to keep The Maw running. He has to keep things running via the transmission that he sends out from his spot in the signal tower. THIS is why Mono has a larger scale power-set from the other characters we meet, he can manipulate reality and warp/unwarp buildings because he’s the successor to a line of residents who are specifically tasked with keeping this world’s reality in line.

As I mentioned in the last post, I think Mono is fully aware of the nature of his reality and what his fate is, I think he used to LIVE in the Signal Tower, even, similar to The Pretender being brought up in the Nest.

Here’s the official LN twitter’s description of the Signal tower

This is the Nowhere directly addressing Mono. It will never stop unless YOU stop it. Are you ready to go back and do what only you have the power to do? Ready to fulfill your fate? The TV trances are the tower calling him back, he’s been there before. It’s bringing him closer and closer to his future (literally.) He doesn’t want this, but in line with the theme of the game, it’s inescapable.

(COUNTERARGUMENT ACKNOWLEDGMENT REAL QUICK: i don’t think “will you come back” is about the time loop. the emphasis of how he specifically can stop the the tower makes it feel more connected to this, plus my belief that the time loop is self imposed; we know the thin man can control his own time.)

Possibly non canon points that I think are interesting:

Mono’s original designs had blue skin and a blue trench coat, which to me adds more credence to the idea that he was conceptualized as something innately supernatural, rather than a kid who gained power during his experience in The Nowhere like Six. Another point here is that his transition into residenthood is just.. normal aging? sans the blue skin and height.

We’ve seen a Visitor (Six) be turned into a Resident and it isn’t pretty. The sewer Resident from TSON even implies that a majority of the residents could be transformed visitors, with their appearances are twisted and grotesque because they are not themselves anymore, they are exaggerations of their worst flaws.

But again, Mono doesn’t have some rapid disgusting transformation into a twisted being. This is what he always was, to him it’s (mostly) just growing up.

MORE MISC STUFF

KIDS IN THE NOWHERE AREN’T MEANT TO LIVE THAT LONG!

Or at least, most of them aren’t. While I think a big reason children get chosen for The Nowhere is if they’d make a good Resident, that’s obviously not the only reason. They are also slaughtered, treated like food, prey to hunt for funsies, or flat out treated like vermin. Some are brought with specific fates in mind, but most are tempted there to die and feed The Nowhere in less important ways. I think Six is the notable exception (main character-itis) who proved the Nowhere wrong, originally being brought there just to die in the Nest. Visitors like her are not from The Nowhere, so being there for longer than they were originally supposed to takes its toll. Six is constantly depicted as unconscious on the floor in concept art and VLN and always coughing in her idles. The official LN2 website even claims that Mono needs to help her before she “fades away” and meets her horrible fate.

This concept of visitors “fading away” from extended time in The Nowhere was further cemented to me by the Jester kid in the podcast, a character that specifically is noted to be losing parts of who he once was, fading away due to the influence of this realm. Too much time in the Nowhere has disastrous effects.. so why is Mono fine? He’s seemingly been there longer than Six or Jester, but he’s not fading away.

(side bar about Mono’s health, after getting severely injured by the train, he’s fully fine and not clutching it anymore after using his powers. The pretender, a Resident. similarly showed an ability to heal quickly when the rock crushed her.)

NARRATIVE META STUFF (my bread and butter)

LN is at its core is a series of coming of age stories with a twist. The complicated and scary aspects of growing up in a world where everything feels so much bigger than you, where the odds are all stacked against you. A point that is specifically stressed a constantly interviews with Tarsier, is that the world that is “not meant for these kids.” The kids being from the waking world and taken to The Nowhere is the overt example of this, yes, but I don’t think it rules out other kinds of kids under this context.

The theme instead is given a new layer, something hinted at by the implications of The Pretender’s character and actualized with Mono’s: What about kids are born into the system? Who weren’t slowly corrupted, but instead were always fated for this? The ones who are expected to grow up and uphold this cruelty? Is the world made for them, if it isn’t made for the “Visitors”?

LN 2’s answer: No. It sucks for them too.

As for escapism, I think it’s robbing Mono’s agency as a character to not consider his relationship with it.

He engages in escapism via his desire to avoid his fate and hide from his world. His mask is the symbol of his escapism.

The narrative treats this avoidance like something he overcomes, hence why he removes the mask and fights back, and why he’s the only protagonist who physically faces The Nowhere head on (no hat OR bangs covering his eyes in Chapter 5.)

His aversion to his fate being something he has to overcome wouldn’t be fair to him if he was just a kid who was taken here with no power over the Nowhere. He would be entirely in his right mind to be afraid of this shit and want to escape it all. But if Mono does have the power to fight back, he does have a solid grasp on what’s happening in the Signal Tower, if he did the whole time, that’s what his arc centers on: him learning to stop running, stop trying to escape, and to face it all head on.

(None of this works out for him in the end but it’s cool that he does conquer it in chapter four)

Thank you for reading this long babbly post! I hope it was at the very least understandable. I think that while Tarsier is huge on not directly answering anything, that doesn’t mean there aren’t answers you can find, and I think almost EVERYTHING about Mono’s character points to this. here’s a scrappy wip of Lady! Six to end this post and apologize for taking so long to respond :,)

[feral-lore-creature]

Jade Shadows review spoilers!

I'm going to do a review on the quest, and it's going to be long. While I, personally, don't believe it's an epic quest you just NEED to experience for yourself, I want others to create their own opinions first.

Okay, bluntly, Jade Shadows struck a bad cord with me. I don't take direct/personal offense to it, as I've never had a loved one die from complications with pregnancy, nor have I had any issues like those myself, but I can at least say it wasn't good.

For my sanity's sake, I'll be putting my thoughts into categories.

Gameplay: It's as generic and predictable as any other set of missions, only with new/uncommon characters talking via transmission. Very average. If you've played Warframe long enough, you know what you're in for.

Music: As per usual, the music itself is fucking stunning. Once again, no surprise there. It's very fitting for the energy of the story as a whole, and is very beautiful. That's the best part. (Aside from little owl Ordis, obviously. 💜)

Story: Okay, this is where my problem REALLY lies. I wasn't expecting much from a filler quest, but look, if I wanted to watch a (fictional) pregnant woman die for the sake of a man's development, I'd watch any subpar action/thriller film streaming right now. It's clear that the writers didn't want to make light of pregnancy, but while sticking to the message of how hard pregnancy is on the body, but still insisting the focus be on Stalker/his missions, they devalue Jade. We never get to know WHO Jade really is, and we probably never will. She has no actual personality presented throughout the quest, has even fewer voice lines, and therefor functions as an incubator/love interest to some guy. (A guy we barely know, in fact.)

It's like she's sidelined, which is ridiculous to me, since SHE'S the NEW Warframe we're getting for gameplay, and SHE'S the focal point/message of the story in the first place. (Or at least she SHOULD be-) Her active suffering has heavier weight than whatever else is happening.

Concluding Thoughts: It was overall very emotional -and it might just be my period hormones talking- so I'd say this quest didn't exactly feel like a slap to the face, even if my wording seems harsh, but the lack of detail/character given to Jade is still upsetting. Again, less insulting, more disheartening and disappointing.

I don't want to think this problem was intentional, as it was likely the lack of dedicated time/resources as a whole that caused this. (DE is dealing with Tennocon, and also working on a big main quest, etc.) I don't believe it was from carelessness, It's just too damn short. It's a reason, but not an excuse.

All in all, this a story that should have stayed on the shelf until DE had the proper time for it.

[felassan]

EA website update:

"Incoming Transmission N7 DAY 2023 Happy N7 Day to our wonderful community!"

"Hey, everyone, Every November 7th, we’ve all come together—developers, superfans, regular fans, kinda-fans—to celebrate (and speculate about!) the games, stories, and community that make Mass Effect so special. It’s a testament to the long-lasting appeal of this universe and the characters who call it home. Eleven years of N7 Days and sixteen years of Mass Effect later, the franchise continues to inspire our development team, and with each day, gives us the opportunity to create more adventures for you to have. Whether it’s one of the many who have been here since the original game’s launch or those recently joining us at BioWare, we are all incredibly lucky to be envisioning this future. That process is equal parts rewarding and challenging. We’ve asked ourselves many of the same questions you’ve asked us over the years! What happened to everyone you know and love in the games? Who really died? Who had kids with whom? What does a baby volus sound like? What about all the galaxies? The endings! What the heck is going on with our asari scientist-turned-Shadowbroker? What about S— nevermind...you get the idea. And of course, to those questions, there are answers, but you’ll have to wait to hear them. And anything we do say won’t be easy to find, just like you’ve come to expect from our #N7Day teases. But for real… thank you. Thank you for everything, and allowing us to do what we do. We approach the future of this universe with gratitude and deep respect. Respect for you—the community. Respect for the love and dedication you’ve given to us. Respect for the history and the stories you’ve created, and the characters you’ve fallen in love with. And, respect for the future, and the opportunity to do something big—something amazing—for you. Until next time…and Happy N7 Day! —Mike Gamble, Mass Effect Franchise Director & Executive Producer"

"Through o0ur partnership with Humble Bundle and friends at Dark Horse Comics, we’re making all Dark Horse Mass Effect and Dragon Age comics available in a convenient package! Pr1oceeds from this will go to Child’s Play, a charity that seeks to make the lives of children in hospitals more comfortable. We all know how powerful and uplifting games can be, so we’re glad to be able to help bring joy t0o kids in need through this effort. If you’d like to help, too, please check it o0ut! We also have some exciting new merch from our partners for those who want to stock their shelves or add to their wardro0bes. The BioWare Gear Store is releasing multiple new i1tems today! From a brand-new mini replica Claymore Shotgun to Omni-Blade LED Wall Art, we’ve got tons of Mass Effect items for your collection, all go0ing live with a site-wide sale. Be sure to check out items new and old, and follow them on social media to see their latest relea1ses."

"Our frie0nds over at Dark Horse have also been working on something special. For over a year now, we’ve been working closely with them on a few new statues based on popular requests. First and foremost, we’re excited to share that Commander Shepard (female) is ge1tting an iconic battle-worn statue! This has been one of the top requests from the community and we’ve been super excited to see it come to life."

"And, of course, if you w1ant to put a squad together for her, Dark Horse is also releasing new statues of Wrex and Tali. These statues are brought to life with the level of care and quality we’ve all come to expect from Dark Horse over the years. These two iconic characters are ready to take the fi1ght to the Reapers!"

"F0or those who live in colder climates (Canada being a prime example), our friends over at Volante Design have returned this year with s0omething just for you. Following the success of the N7 line of apparel they released, the team at Volante has created a Garrus Vak0arian-style parka, complete with a “head cone” to protect your 0face."

"A0nd of course, Sanshee always has something for our b1iggest fans. For lovers of Grunt, Lia1ra, and adorable va1rren, the team has created a new set of plu0shees and pins for your colle0ctions! Be sure to chec1k out their site for all that and m1ore."

"Your joy, creativity, and passion help drive us towards the future of Mass Effect and all that it may be0come. The team is ta1king their time to cr1aft a whole new adventu0re for you to enj1oy, with new stories, chara0cters, and experiences to fill it. At the end of t0he day, that’s w1hat N7 Day is about. Cel0ebr1ati1ng yo0u an1d th1is speci0al fr0anchise that br0ings us all to1get1her. W0e hope you’1ve enjoyed the glimpse1s int1o the fut1ure of the fra0nchis1e so f1ar. An0d don’t wor1ry, ther1e’s mo1re to come, but fa0rther away! Ever your biggest fans, —The Mass Effect Team"

[source and link to all images in post]

Associated Twitter post:

[source]

[sxii-mafu]

Star-Crossed Constellations // Kafka

The vast expanse of the cosmos stretched out before Y/N as she gazed through the window of the Astral Express, her ship, on another routine mission. As a dedicated member of the Astral Express crew, she had always found solace among the stars. Little did she know that her life was about to take a dramatic turn.

Kafka, on the other hand, was a fierce and cunning member of the Stellaron Hunters, an organization known for its ruthless pursuit of those who dared to challenge the delicate balance of the universe. She had heard rumors of the Astral Express and its crew, and she saw them as nothing more than interstellar troublemakers.

One fateful day, as Y/N's ship glided through the celestial expanse, it crossed paths with Kafka's sleek and deadly vessel, the Stellaron. The two ships locked onto each other, and Y/N's heart raced as she prepared for an encounter that she had always feared.

Kafka's voice crackled through the comm system, her words dripping with confidence. "Astral Express, you've trespassed into Stellaron territory. Surrender now, or prepare to face the consequences."

Y/N clenched her jaw, her determination overpowering her fear. "I won't back down, Stellaron Hunter. We have our own mission, and we won't let you stand in our way."

As the two ships maneuvered around each other, sparks flew, and laser blasts filled the void of space. It was a battle of wits, skill, and determination. Y/N and Kafka were evenly matched, each refusing to yield to the other's demands.

After hours of intense combat, neither the Astral Express nor the Stellaron showed signs of backing down. Exhausted and frustrated, Y/N and Kafka were forced to make an uneasy truce, docking their ships on a nearby asteroid to make critical repairs.

As Y/N stepped out of her ship and onto the barren rock, she found herself face to face with Kafka for the first time. The Stellaron Hunter's sharp features and determined gaze sent shivers down Y/N's spine. This was her enemy, the one she had spent so long fighting against.

Kafka's voice was softer now, lacking the edge of battle. "We can't keep fighting like this. There has to be a better way for us to coexist."

Y/N nodded reluctantly. "I agree. We both have our missions, but maybe there's a way to find common ground."

Over the following days, as the repairs on their ships progressed, Y/N and Kafka found themselves sharing stories about their respective crews, their dreams, and the challenges they faced in their line of work. Slowly but surely, the enmity that had once burned brightly between them began to flicker.

As the Astral Express and the Stellaron Hunters went their separate ways, Y/N and Kafka couldn't shake the connection they had forged on that desolate asteroid. They continued to communicate through encrypted messages, their conversations growing more personal with each passing day.

One evening, Y/N received a transmission from Kafka. "Meet me at the Xianzhou Luofu," she said. "I have something important to discuss."

Y/N's heart raced as she made her way to the agreed-upon location. When she arrived, she found Kafka waiting, her eyes filled with a mixture of trepidation and longing.

"I can't stop thinking about you, Y/N," Kafka admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know we're supposed to be enemies, but I can't deny what I feel."

Y/N reached out, her fingers grazing Kafka's, and their hands intertwined. "I feel it too," she confessed. "Maybe we don't have to be enemies. Maybe we can find a way to be together."

Their lips met in a tender kiss, a collision of two souls from opposing worlds. In that moment, among the stars and the swirling nebulas, Y/N and Kafka found a love that transcended boundaries and defied the conventions of the cosmos.

[zorritoenllamas]

Behind the Mask

A Modern!Au I've been writing, for my quinoli heart...

A camboy's AU ;) Explicit, you're warned!

Quincy x Olivine - Nu Carnival

Holy Temptation IS LIVE NOW.

"Good evening my dears... I hope your week has been productive - mine was exhausting! Shall we get started already? I can't wait to play with you guys!"

Randomguy69 has bought 5 coins.

Lover1boy has bought 1 coin.

Selflishbear has bought 3 coins.

SwitchKing says "Finally!"

Lover1boy says " I LOVE YOU HOLY, I LOVE YOU!"

"Oh, I see you are very active tonight," Olivine finished adjusting the white lace mask with matching bunny ears, to finally turn his face towards the camera. Beautiful emerald green eyes stood out behind the mask. "SwitchKing, I'm glad you're here! Randomguy69, Loverboy, Selfishbear thank you so much for the coins, you guys really spoil me too much..."

It's never too much!

You're the best

I'm hard already

Holy I want you to sit on my face

Please answer my private message!

Do you do meetings?

Holy looks beautiful as always!

The messages and coins kept coming into the chat. The live visits soon reached more than a thousand views. It was the usual, but the young man could not get used to it. He could not understand how he had become so famous in this world. Surely Klein's God would know his intentions and good purposes, blessing him in this way. As always, he thanked him inwardly for his infinite help. After all, Olivine was a man of God.

He continued to greet one by one for several minutes. He liked to take the time to get to know everyone who was dedicated to accompanying him on his transmissions, even though most of the time it was virtually impossible to keep track of it. There were too many of them. There were some who were always repeating themselves and it was easier to recognize them....

His heart skipped a beat when he noticed the name of the person who had just entered the chat. He was about to greet him with enthusiasm, when suddenly...

Forest Hermit has bought 150 coins.

Forest Hermit says "Good night, Holy".

150 coins. Each coin was worth about a dollar. 150 dollars, in the blink of an eye. Olivine blushed, though with the led lights setting the room, it was impossible for it to show on the video. "Forest Hermit... As always, I thank you so much, is there anything you want tonight? You can ask for whatever you want," he said into the microphone.

Forest Hermit says "You know what I like."

Olivine laughed. Of course he did. "Okay.... I'd like to dedicate this stream to Forest Hermit, who everyone should know by now..." he smiled tenderly. He began to line up some of his toys on the piece of furniture where he kept his computer. Several vibrators and dildos of different sizes, shapes and materials. Finally, he sat down in front of the camera and unbuttoned the white shirt he was wearing.

Emerald green stone piercings attached by a thin golden chain decorated his bulging pecs, so bulging that several times he had had to clarify that he was a man like any other, only his chest was bigger than average. On his abdomen, another piercing to match those of his nipples decorated his navel. And going down even further, almost reaching his pubis, a delicate tattoo could be appreciated, his trademark. A heart design with decorations on the sides, in a light pink tone.

Once stripped of his shirt, he looked directly into the camera to wink flirtatiously, sticking his tongue out mischievously. 

"Hermit... This is for you."

Forest Hermit IS LIVE NOW.

A soft background beat accompanied the viewers as they began to greet each other in the chat room. In the transmission, a large, rustic room could be seen, with a variety of wood carvings and decorations. In the distance a large unmade bed could be seen, which the regular stream visitors already knew, but in the foreground there was only a fluffy chair, visibly comfortable, covered by some kind of animal fur. There were a few candles burning and the light was very dim, giving the video a more intimate atmosphere. 

Suddenly, the fur covering the chair began to move. The head of a small animal peeked out, staring into the camera with its glowing eyes.

"Topper got there first this time."

"Topper, cover your eyes!"

"It's so cute..."

"I still can't identify which animal it is..."

"Where are you Hermit?!"

"Hermit, would you sell Topper?"

"Go to sleep", a deep, seductive voice chimed in, causing the chat to erupt in increasingly obscene messages. "It's late", a hand followed by an arm appeared on the screen, affectionately patting the animal's head, who made a joyful little noise in response, jumping swiftly out of the chair.

"Finally!"

"Hermit, Hermit, you were taking your time!

"Take your clothes off already!"

"Hermit I want to join you today!"

"I thought you would have fallen asleep by now..."

"So annoying...", without warning, Quincy took a seat in front of the camera with his usual stoic expression. The dark circles under his eyes were visible even behind the mask he wore, a plain black leather mask. The sound of notifications of coin donations increased almost comically, drawing a half smile from the young man. "Little devils..." he stretched out his arms, spreading his fingers in front of him. He was wearing a dark brown bathrobe open to his navel, leaving his marked pecs and abs in full view. Judging by his damp hair, he had just gotten out of the shower. He didn't pay much attention to the messages; he didn't usually interact directly with his audience during his broadcasts anyway. He would just go about doing whatever he felt like doing at the time, or fulfill a few requests that caught his attention enough. Occasionally he would invite someone to join him, on particular occasions.... In fact, he had only invited one person, who had come to a couple of sessions, and had been the one who had helped him get started in this world of camboys thanks to his huge following. They had quite a... Particular friendship, but a very solid one.

Holy Temptation entered the chat.

"I was already starting to wonder if you were coming...", Quincy said almost in a whisper, making it clear who he was talking to. In the chat everyone started talking again, now that another of his favorite streamers had arrived. He waited a few seconds...

Holy Temptation says: Good evening Hermit, I hope I'm not too late....

Quincy did not respond. He merely opened his robe even wider, revealing part of his pubic hair.

"Let's get started."

[firesofmustafar]

For the HoloNet Page

A message to my most dedicated followers, I will be pursuing a mission in deep space where there will be no communications. Any transmissions I will receive during that time will be lost, so I shall shut down the direct line until I return.

Until then, be well. Ponder your questions for me because I will re-open the direct line of my inbox when I can safely receive your messages and respond to them.

May the force be with you.

General Skywalker

[skullythefriendlyskullface]

A Turtle's Guide to Escaping Midtown Precinct South: Part Five

Click here to start from the beginning!

//

As Sun Tzu said, if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If your enemy might find out your brother is in a holding cell, then you can count on him to do everything he can to make sure your loved one is in his custody. Therefore, you must make your move before your enemy has the chance to.

As soon as Don got off the subway, he bolted out of the station and sprinted home. He slipped on a few patches of ice along the way, but he was always quick to scramble back to his feet and keep running. Thankfully, none of his brothers were around to witness his clumsiness – especially Michelangelo. It was kind of ironic, though, that the one time he got to work on the Battle Shell in peace was the one time he had to fix it in record-breaking time.

At last, he reached the warehouse on Eastman and Laird. Don grunted with effort as he slid open a window in the side of the building, then slipped inside. He turned on a space heater, slipped off his gloves, then popped open the hood of the Battle Shell and looked inside.

If the transmission was stuck, then the problem was most likely the shifter cable getting stuck in the machinery, but the cable looked fine. Don frowned. Maybe the problem was one of the detent bolts or spring. He couldn’t tell if that was the case unless he removed a few brackets, however.

Don grabbed his toolbox from the side of the room and lugged it back to the Battle Shell. On his way, he ripped off his white beanie cap and replaced it with his headphone set. “Leo, this is Donatello,” he said, as he pulled out a wrench from the toolkit. “I’m in the warehouse fixing up the Battle Shell.”

“Alright,” came his brother’s voice. “You said it would only take about an hour to fix, right?”

“Yep,” Don said. He started twisting the bolts on one of the brackets with the wrench until it was loose enough to unscrew with his fingers. “In fact, it might even take less –”

Leo sneezed, interrupting him. Grimacing, Don pulled his headset off – though at this point, the damage to his hearing was already done. “Bless you.”

“Thanks. You were saying?”

“The transmission is going to be an easy fix. It might even take less than an hour.”

“So, what was the issue? Did the Battle Shell just… need new transmission fluid? Like an oil change?”

Don cringed. There was no denying that Leo was a smart turtle – just not smart enough to know what he was talking about when it came to auto mechanics. “Just worry about the mission and leave the mechanic stuff to me,” he said. “Anyway, I’m going to call the chief of police. I’ll keep you updated.”

He removed the bracket and set it to the side before pulling out his phone and dialing the office of the chief of police. The phone range twice before it picked up. “Chief Alice Torres, speaking,” said a stern woman on the other end.

“Chief Torres, my name is Bishop. I am calling on behalf of a government agency. This line is secure,” Don said. He didn’t bother to imitate Bishop’s deep, raspy voice. His focus was on reciting his lines just like he rehearsed on the subway. Meanwhile, he let his arms move on automatic mode, loosening the bolts on a second bracket.

“Which government agency?” Chief Torres said. Don imagined a mean-looking woman narrowing her eyes at him in suspicion. “Are you with the FBI?”

“No,” Don answered. “I work with a covert organization dedicated to protecting the Earth from extraterrestrial threats. That’s as much information as I can disclose, I’m afraid.”

She let out a throaty chuckle. “That’s a good one. Can’t say I’ve heard it before,” she said. “But unfortunately for you, misdemeanor prank calls carry a fine of up to one thousand dollars and up to one year in prison time.”

Don figured she would have her suspicions. “At approximately 10:03 this morning, two of your officers arrested a suspect for fare evasion at the subway station on West 4th Street, Washington Square,” he said as a matter of fact. “But that suspect was not an ordinary human. He was of extraterrestrial origin.”

Chief Torres scoffed. “If you think that’s enough to prove that you’re part of some secret organization, then you’ll have to try harder than that.”

“I wasn’t trying to prove anything. I was hoping you’d work with me here,” Don said. “But if it’s proof you want, then I have evidence that could land your precinct in hot water.”

“Oh?”

“You’ve been taking bribes from David Williams, CEO of South Hudson Prison Properties. You send dozens of people to his prisons each year, and in return he pays you handsomely. You enable your officers to use intimidation and coercion tactics to bring up higher charges against the suspects that come through your precinct – in fact, you encourage it. And when one of your former officers, Sergeant Brianna Martin, came forward to expose these practices in your department, you hired a hit against her.”

The other end grew quiet. For a second, Don was worried that he was wrong about those accusations. “Who told you this?” she said at last.

“Like I said, I work for the federal government,” Don said. “It’s my business to know a little bit of everyone’s business.” He removed the bracket and leaned on the frame of the armored van. “I understand if you still don’t want to cooperate, but I also doubt that you want to lose your prestigious position.”

While she stewed in silence, Don took the opportunity to inspect the detent bolts. Just as he suspected, one of them was loose, which had allowed the transmission to lock itself in reverse. This was going to be an even quicker fix than he thought. A pang of guilt tore through his chest. Mikey hadn’t broken the transmission like he thought. It was Don’s own fault. He had messed with the detent bolts the last time he made modifications to the Battle Shell and simply hadn’t tightened it properly. All this trouble because of a tiny piece of metal smaller than his thumb.

“What do you want?” Chief Torres said, interrupting his thoughts.

Don shook his head, as if waking from a reverie. Now was not the time for a pity party, he reminded himself. “I want the alien suspect currently in your custody,” he said. “Now, listen carefully to the instructions that I’m about to give you.”

He gave her coordinates to one of the docks along the East River and told her that it would be their rendezvous. Then he gave more instructions – bring the suspect in an armored vehicle with no windows, only bring along two other officers to ensure the transfer of the suspect, make sure the officers swear to secrecy. She listened to his every word and only interrupted to ask a few clarifying questions.

As they talked, he tightened the detent bolt with some power tools, making sure to mute himself so that she wouldn’t hear the grating buzz of his power drill. He was in the middle of talking and screwing the brackets back into place when he heard a voice behind him. “Donatello?”

Startled, he jumped and hit his head against the hood cover. Sharp pain blossomed on the impact, and he had to bite his lip to hold back a cry of pain. He whipped around to find Splinter standing just a few feet behind him. “Sen –!” Don started. Then he remembered that he was still on a call with the chief of police. “Please hold!” he squeaked before muting his end of the call.

“Donatello, what’s going on?” Splinter asked.

“Master Splinter, I…” Don sputtered.

Leo’s voice came through the headset, nearly startling him again. “Uh oh.”

“Who are you talking to?” Splinter continued. “And what are you doing here? I thought you were at April’s with your brothers.”

“I, uh, was but we needed the Battle Shell for…” Don said. He wasn’t sure what to say. It had never occurred to him that Splinter may come up to the warehouse. “Wait a minute, what are you doing up here, sensei? You never come up to the warehouse.”

“I just had a hunch,” he said, crossing his arms. “And right now, my instincts are telling me that you are stalling.”

Splinter wasn’t wrong; Don still didn’t know what answer to give him. Should he just tell the truth and explain what happened? He didn’t have time for that, not with Chief Torres on hold. And Don definitely didn’t want to be the one to earn Splinter’s ire by explaining what happened. There was just no way to sugar coat the fact that Raph had gotten arrested and was being held by the NYPD – for fare evasion, no less. He wished that his older brother with chime in with some advice in his ear, but Leo remained silent, most likely holding his breath in anticipation like Don was.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have much time,” Don said. “We’ll explain everything when we get back. I promise.”

Splinter narrowed his eyes. “You and your brothers need to be back home before seven,” he said.

“We will, sensei.”

“Seven o’clock precisely.”

“We will, sensei.”

Master Splinter turned around and walked towards the elevator. When he disappeared behind the stone doors, Don finally let out the breath he had been holding. “We’re so cooked,” he said out loud.

“I know,” Leo said with a groan. “I’m almost tempted to leave Raph behind in the precinct.”

“I’m nearly finished with the Battle Shell, and with the call. I’ll tell you once I hit the road.” Don said to him. Then he unmuted himself from his call with Chief Torres. “Where were we?” he asked.

As he answered some more of her questions, he finished replacing the brackets, then closed the hood. “Thank you for your cooperation,” Don said as the call came to a close. “Although few people will know what you have done today, you will have done a great service to your nation. But, of course, I will extend my generosity and offer you payment of up to one and a half million dollars.”

“I’m sorry, did you say million?” Chief Torres asked in a shocked tone.

“Of course,” Don said. “We pay handsomely for research and information, and by giving us a live specimen, you are contributing more to alien research than most people have in decades. Unfortunately, however, you may have to incur some upfront costs.”

“How much are we talking about?”

“Twenty thousand dollars. I know it may be a lot –”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I receive more than that on a monthly basis from Mr. Williams.”

“Well, that amount will help us pay for the transfer of the suspect. I already have a trust fund set up for you to deposit the money into – and I will wire the one and a half million dollars to you by tomorrow at close of business.”

After giving her the banking information, Don thanked her once again and hung up the call. He cleaned the black grease from his hands with a rag, turned off the space heater, opened the garage door to the warehouse, then gathered his gloves and beanie cap and climbed into the Battle Shell. No sooner than he turned the key fob than the engine purred and came to life. He eased the Battle Shell onto the street, then shifted the gears to one, then two as he drove on the road, smiling with smug satisfaction when he found that the gear shifts were as smooth as butter. “Man, I’m good,” he said out loud. “Hey, Leo. I’m headed your way. I’ll be over there in about fifteen minutes.”

“Good. When you get closer, I’ll tell you where to park,” Leo said. Then he sneezed again.

Don frowned as he remembered that Leo had briefed him that he would be hiding on the roof of the precinct. “Stay warm, bro,” he said.

“I’m doing my best,” he said miserably.

As Don got closer to the police department, Leo gave him instructions to get to the parking garage. Don drove in and pulled the Battle Shell into the parking space labeled “VIP Parking,” just like he requested.

“I need you to do one last thing, Donatello,” his brother said. “Do you see the car parked next to you?”

Don peeked through the window of the Battle Shell and did a double take. A bright red Ford Mustang was parked in the chief of police’s parking space. “You mean the 1987 Mustang?” he said. “Do I.”

“I need you to unlock the trunk of that car. After that, you can join April. She’s waiting in her van,” Leo said. “And mind the cameras on the side of the building.”

Don peeked through the windows on side of the Battle Shell that faced the precinct and immediately spotted the camera he was talking about. “Copy that,” he said. He took off his headset and replaced it with his beanie before reaching into the glove compartment. There he kept a spare set of tools for unlocking doors. He opened the van door on the side facing away from the cameras and was immediately greeted by the biting cold. Shivering, he stealthily crouched behind the Mustang and began unlocking the trunk. The cold made it difficult to move his fingers, but after a few seconds of jiggling his tools in the keyhole, he felt an inner mechanism give and heard a click. The trunk opened just a crack.

He placed the tools in the pockets of his jacket and sighed. It was a shame that he couldn’t steal this car just like he had stolen Zanramon’s space cruiser. Part of him was tempted to ask Leo if he could – though given the stakes of the mission and the intricacies of the plan, the answer was going to be a resounding “no.” That wouldn’t stop him from dreaming, though. Don stood to his feet and walked towards the back of the parking garage until he found where April’s van was parked.

April was already in the driver seat, waiting. She unlocked the doors and he climbed into the back passenger seat, sighing with relief as soon as the hot air blowing from the heater met his skin. “Got the old Battle Shell up and running?” she said.

“Yep, she’s as good as new,” Don said. In the end, it was only a ten-minute fix. All the more reason to feel guilty. He hugged his arms to his chest.

“What’s wrong?” April asked, sensing his change in mood.

“Nothing,” he said. “I’m just… I don’t know. Disappointed in myself, I guess.”

“What for?”

“It’s just that, the problem ended up being so easy to repair,” he said. “If I had just fixed it as soon as my brothers discovered that something was wrong, we could have taken the Battle Shell to your place. Raph wouldn’t be sitting in a holding cell right now.”

“True,” April said. “But if he hadn’t gotten arrested, we wouldn’t have found out about the corruption going on in the precinct. And remember, this plan won’t just help Raph. It’ll take down a corrupt cop. We’ll be helping a lot of people.”

“Huh, I guess you’re right,” Don said. “Thanks.”

“Of course, Donny.”

It grew quiet except for the hum of the heater blasting warm air. Don looked out the window at the flurries that rained down hypnotically onto the streets outside the parking garage. After today, they would have helped a lot of people – but only if their plan worked.

Previous | Next (Next Estimated update: September 21)

[momojedi]

— TEASER : WATER GUNS ❝ I don't wanna have to play with real blood. ❞

**

type. teaser note. hope you like it, I get really nervous sharing my ocs and their stories because I'm nervous people might not like them or get annoyed by my more original fanwork ... might post their designs, if you'd like to see more ! all the characters are based on my friend group, this is pretty much just a story dedicated to them although they likely won't read it because I'm too shy to share it lol also completely reworking my sona's storyline during the clone wars whoops warnings. mentions of death

star wars masterlist

“My name is Mo Mynx.”

“I’m Padawan to Jedi Master Codral Imi. Our ship crashed twenty-two rotations ago, claiming the lives of all our crew members. My master...” There's a hesitant pause in the line. "...was among those lost."

After a moment of silence, the message resumes, urgency lacing the words. “I'm the sole survivor, and my food rations starting to run low. I … I don’t know how much time I have left. Please, if anyone receives this transmission — ”

The line briefly falters before continuing,

“ — come and rescue me.”