#especially since the way their payout is individual

[idalsokaja]

Seeing some ppl on twitter turning on chuu bc she 'left' the other girls... like no, first of all bbc forced her out + what could she have done for the rest of them honestly

[breath-of-void]

Being a Grumpy Old Man about Nimona

Forewarning, I’m gonna levy some criticisms against a very gorgeous movie with some decent representation and ambitious themes. I’m open to discussion about why I’m wrong, but I’m going to be very opinionated here.

Starting with the things I really liked about this movie:

The art direction was stellar. I loved the way everything looked and particularly Nimona’s eyes. Whichever team drew and animated this thing deserves the payout they get and more. 

I also really like that Bal and Goldenloin are just gay. It’s not a big deal, they simply are because they’re people and people are allowed to be people.

This movie is also pretty funny. I felt like Todd was a bit much in places, particularly in the part where Nimona first turns. It kind of undercut a moment. But the humour was pretty good overall. One of my favourite jokes will always been “I’m not a girl, I’m a shark!”

Now on to the complaints. And it’s really just one complaint: there are no other monsters.

This creates a failing of the movie in two realms, plot and theme. The plot is the lesser of the two evils so I will start with that.

For 1000 years, the Institution heralded itself as the bastion between humankind and monsters. They maintained the wall and had pseudocelebrities in the knights who were also trained and deadly. Where this gets weird for me is that the Director really seems to believe that there are monsters out there in the valley. All the knights, while cocky and pompous, are fundamentally good people and they all truly believe there are monsters out there. But there’s just Nimona.

I understand that the whole “she was scheming and lying to keep power for herself” plot is kind of played out, but it’s played out for a reason. People do that. They leverage the fear of the unknown to maintain dominion over those without the courage or resources to disprove them. But the movie did not have to use that plot if they had simply included a scene of other monsters. Without that, this entire kingdom just seems ridiculous.

Or perhaps if they had lessened the timeline. One thousand years seems like a very long time to be afraid of nothing especially when you have the technology to prove it. But like I said, this was the weaker of the two issues. 

Nimona (the movie) seems to have been going for a theme of “the monster is the other” and judging from a couple other people’s takes, that’s what they got from it. It depicts a culture that hates something they do not understand and reviling someone they think is undeserving of personhood. There is even an implication of the readiness to accept homosexuality vs transgenderism as one may be easier to stomach than the other. And depicting that transgender individuals are more a danger to themselves (via self harm from societal pressure) than to other people. 

Good stuff.

Then we get to Nimona’s sacrifice. 

I don’t think she should have done it. Perhaps she did it with the knowledge she would survive and so she was doing a nice thing for the sake of being nice, but I personally think Nimona should have let them die especially since, in her human form, there’s no way that gun was going to hit her if she just grabbed Bal and flew away.

There’s a couple movies that do this thing where the hated group must first prove that they are worthy of not being mistreated before the group in charge decides to change. How to Train Your Dragon does this, as does Astro Boy and Monsters vs Aliens. That doesn’t make these movies bad, far from it, these movies are great. In the case of Nimona, however, I would have liked to see something different especially how the comic ended.

Brief tangent for the comic.

The comic fixed my lack of monsters issue on page 1. The general vibe is that monsters exist, Nimona is just weird for a monster. We never see these other monsters, but the comic states definitively that they are real and even shapeshifters are fairly common, just that none can do what Nimona can do. 

And the issue of needing to earn personhood is not present as Nimona “dies” trying to kill everyone after the pain and betrayal get to be too much for her. Even after that though, Bal is in her corner, demanding that she not be referred to as a monster. Nimona has killed a lot of people and even at the end, with her mental faculties intact, she chooses destruction; she is still treated as someone who is deserving of love. This was even before Bal finds out that she is still alive. To quote the 12th Doctor “Do you think that I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?”

Back to the show!

Why Nimona sacrificing herself presents such a problem for me is that now the kingdom does not have to confront their predjudice. They get to put up a mural and say how much they loved Nimona and how great she was... but they didn’t know her. I believe Bal misses her, but the rest of the people are just putting on airs. 

Especially since Nimona is a whole person. Before the sacrifice, she was not easy to digest. She’s extremely violent, rude and destructive and her powers exacerbate that. And it’s kind of objectively concerning that she can simply become anyone at anytime. But she died and the people can just say “yeah, we fixed racism. It was pretty cool” and they don’t have to grapple with the fact that Nimona is not quiet or personable like they would want her to be. 

Having other monsters fixes this because then the people do have to live with these issues. They have to confront the beings they had been abusing for generations and thefact that they have personality quirks as wild and random as any human. At the end of the movie, there is the illusion of change, but there’s no real way to prove it without it being tested.

In conclusion, there were a lot of things I liked about this movie, but I think they tried too hard to talk about something that they were not commited enough to explore. The question I would ask the movies is: would Nimona still be worthy of personhood if she had not been willing to sacrifice herself for the people who hated her?

Ultimately, the film oversimplifies a complex issue. The Director being the sole bad apple in the Institution and Nimona being willing to let go of her anger first shows a kind of wishful thinking in the eyes of the oppressor, that the hated and the reviled must first prove themselves worthy of love and then that the root of the danger of -isms and -phobias is a single person who can be ousted.

[reddyanna3322]

Cricket Revolutionized: Why Laser247 is the Future of T20 Cricket ID and Exchange

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The Introduction of Laser247 and Its Impact on India

Cricket has always held a special place in the hearts of fans, especially in India, where even a single match can ignite passions and inspire fervor. The arrival of Laser247 is transforming this beloved sport into something more than just a game; it ushers in a new era for T20 betting and exchanges. Imagine being able to enhance your cricket-watching experience with real-time insights and seamless betting options right at your fingertips. With cutting-edge technology reshaping how we engage with the sport, Laser247 is not only changing how bets are placed but also creating an interactive community for cricket enthusiasts everywhere. Get ready to dive into this thrilling revolution that promises to elevate T20 cricket like never before!

The Evolution of T20 Cricket

T20 cricket has transformed the landscape of the sport since its inception in 2003. It introduced a fast-paced format that captivated fans and players alike. The excitement of just three hours of action drew new audiences, boosting cricket's popularity worldwide.Teams began experimenting with aggressive batting strategies, leading to explosive performances. Players who could hit boundaries consistently became stars overnight, changing how talent was scouted and developed.The advent of T20 leagues around the globe further propelled this evolution. Franchises invested heavily in acquiring top-tier talent, creating a competitive atmosphere that keeps spectators on edge.As technology advanced, so did the game. Innovations like data analytics and bio-mechanics have individualized training regimens for players aiming to excel under pressure situations unique to T20 matches.With each passing season, T20 continues to evolve—bringing fresh challenges and thrilling experiences for both teams and fans alike.

Benefits of T20 Betting with Laser247

T20 betting with Laser247 offers a fresh experience for fans. The platform provides real-time data and insights that enhance the thrill of every match. This immediacy allows bettors to make informed decisions, heightening their engagement.The user-friendly interface ensures smooth navigation. Even those new to betting find it easy to understand the various options available. With just a few clicks, users can place bets on live games or upcoming matches.Another benefit is the variety of bet types offered by Laser247. From traditional win/loss bets to innovative prop bets, there's something for everyone. This diversity caters to different strategies and preferences among cricket enthusiasts.Moreover, competitive odds mean better returns on successful wagers. Bettors can maximize their earnings while enjoying the electrifying atmosphere of T20 cricket through this advanced platform.

How Laser247 is Changing the Game for Cricket Fans

Laser247 is redefining the way cricket fans engage with their favorite sport. By integrating cutting-edge technology, it offers a seamless user experience that enhances the thrill of T20 matches.With real-time updates and odds, fans can make informed betting decisions as the game unfolds. This dynamic interaction keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, making every ball bowled more exhilarating.The platform also fosters community among bettors. Fans can share insights and strategies, creating an interactive environment where everyone feels involved in the action.Moreover, Laser247's focus on transparency builds trust within its user base. Clear information about bets and payouts ensures players are always aware of their standing.With various features tailored for both new and seasoned bettors, Laser247 empowers cricket enthusiasts to elevate their viewing experience like never before.

The Future of T20 Betting and Exchange

The future of T20 betting is poised for an exciting transformation with platforms like Laser247 leading the charge. As technology continues to evolve, so does the way fans engage with cricket betting.Real-time data and analytics will become integral. This means punters can make informed decisions based on live statistics, player form, and match conditions. Instant updates create a dynamic environment where every ball matters.Furthermore, we might see increased integration of virtual and augmented reality in gambling experiences. Imagine placing bets while virtually sitting in the stadium or interacting with holographic representations of players.Social features may also emerge, allowing users to share tips and strategies within communities. Cricket ID could become more social and collaborative rather than just solitary pursuits.With advancements in mobile technology, accessibility will skyrocket. More individuals can participate conveniently from anywhere at any time—making T20 betting even more popular among cricket enthusiasts.

Interviews with Cricket Experts and Players

Cricket experts and players are buzzing with excitement about Laser 247. Many see it as a game changer for T20 betting. Former cricketer Rajesh Sharma highlighted how the platform enhances fan engagement. “Laser247 brings fans closer to the action,” he noted during our chat. He appreciates its user-friendly interface, which makes placing bets seamless.Current player Anjali Mehta expressed similar sentiments. She stated that having real-time updates transforms the viewing experience for fans. With instant stats and analytics, they feel more connected to every ball bowled.Experts also emphasize the transparency in transactions on Laser247. This feature builds trust among users who may be wary of traditional betting platforms.The dialogue surrounding this innovative system is evolving daily, revealing an optimistic future for cricket lovers everywhere.

Conclusion

The world of cricket is undergoing a significant transformation, and Laser247 stands at the forefront of this revolution. With its innovative approach to T20 betting and exchanges, it offers fans an unparalleled experience that combines excitement with engagement. As T20 cricket continues to evolve, so too does the landscape for betting in this format. The rapid growth of the sport has created new opportunities for both casual viewers and dedicated fans alike. Laser247 harnesses technology to enhance every aspect of this experience, ensuring users have access to real-time data and insights.The benefits provided by Laser247 are clear: faster transactions, a wider variety of betting options, and an engaging platform that brings fans closer to the action than ever before. This shift not only enhances individual enjoyment but also fosters a vibrant community around cricket.Voices from within the sport echo these sentiments; experts and players recognize how platforms like Laser247 can elevate fan involvement while promoting responsible gaming practices.Looking ahead, T20 betting will continue to grow alongside technological advancements in sports entertainment. As we witness innovations unfold through platforms such as Laser247, one thing remains certain—the future is bright for cricket enthusiasts eager for more immersive experiences in their beloved game.

[martinarecolvice]

How Much Can You Get for Selling a Testicle

The value of selling a testicle can range significantly, typically between $35,000 and $50,000. This price varies based on several factors such as the individual's health status and demand in specific markets. Some individuals may find offers that exceed these ranges, especially if they are approached by interested parties.

>>>>How Much Can You Get for Selling a Testicle<<<<<

It’s essential to recognize that this is not an everyday transaction. The market for body parts is limited and often shrouded in legal complexities. Potential sellers might face significant risks or challenges when attempting to navigate this unique landscape.

Additionally, the emotional implications should be considered alongside any financial gain. Selling a testicle isn't just about money; it involves personal choices that can impact one's physical well-being and future relationships.

Exploring the Value of Selling a Testicle

Selling a testicle might seem like an extreme decision, but it's important to explore its potential value. The monetary worth can vary significantly, often influenced by several factors such as demand and the individual’s health. While some may think of it purely in financial terms, there are broader implications to consider.

Medical professionals have noted that organs and tissues typically come with hefty price tags on the black market. This illegal trade raises ethical concerns about consent and exploitation. Additionally, individuals who choose this path should weigh their physical and mental well-being carefully.

Cultural contexts also play a role in how one perceives selling body parts. Some societies might view it as taboo or desperate while others see it as a form of personal autonomy. Understanding these dynamics is crucial before making any decisions related to this sensitive matter.

Can You Legally Sell Your Testicle?

The legality of selling a testicle varies by jurisdiction. In many places, it is illegal to sell organs or body parts for monetary gain. Laws are designed to protect individuals from exploitation and ensure ethical standards in medical practices.

However, there are exceptions where certain bodily materials can be legally sold, typically involving sperm or eggs. Selling a testicle does not fit into these categories since it involves surgical removal and poses significant health risks.

If you’re considering this option, it's crucial to consult legal experts familiar with local laws on body part sales. Engaging in such transactions without proper understanding could lead to severe legal consequences or exploitative situations that compromise your well-being.

Why Would You Want to Sell Your Testicle?

People may consider selling a testicle for various reasons. Financial struggles can push individuals to explore unconventional means of income. The potential payout is substantial, often ranging from $35,000 to $50,000. This amount could alleviate debts or cover unexpected expenses.

Another reason might be the desire for medical procedures. Some people seek funds for treatments that insurance doesn’t fully cover. Selling a testicle could provide the necessary resources for vital health care.

Some individuals may view it as an opportunity rather than a loss. They might feel comfortable with their decision and see it as a way to contribute to scientific research or support others in need of organ donation. Each person's motivation is unique and deeply personal.

You Can Sell a Testicle for $35,000 to $50,000?

Selling a testicle can yield surprising monetary returns, with estimates ranging from $35,000 to $50,000. This pricing often stems from the demand for human tissues in medical research and the rarity of such donations.

The market value is influenced by various factors including health status, age, and even geographical location. Individuals who consider this option should be aware that prices may fluctuate based on these variables.

However, ethical considerations also play a significant role in how much one might receive. It's crucial to understand both the potential financial gain and the implications surrounding selling body parts before making any decisions.

Process of Selling a Testicle

When it comes to the process of selling a testicle,  there are a few key steps that must be followed. It is important to note that selling a testicle is not legal in most countries, including the United States.

1. Research the Laws and Regulations: Before considering selling a testicle, it is important to research the laws and regulations in your country or state. As mentioned, it is not legal in most places and attempting to do so could result in serious consequences.

2. Find a Reputable Buyer: If you are determined to sell your testicle, you will need to find a reputable buyer. This may involve reaching out to medical facilities or clinics that specialize in organ donations or transplants. It is important to thoroughly research any potential buyers and ensure they have a legitimate and ethical process for purchasing organs.

3. Undergo Medical Tests: Once you have found a potential buyer, you will likely need to undergo several medical tests to determine if you are a suitable donor. This may include blood tests, physical exams, and psychological evaluations.

4. Negotiate Price: If you pass all of the necessary medical evaluations, you will then need to negotiate a price for your testicle with the buyer. This can vary greatly depending on the location and demand for organ donors.

5. Prepare for Surgery: If you and the buyer come to an agreement on a price, you will then need to prepare for surgery. This may involve fasting, avoiding certain medications, and undergoing additional medical tests.

6. Undergo Surgery: The actual process of selling a testicle involves undergoing a surgical procedure called orchiectomy, in which the testicle is removed from the scrotum. This is typically done under general anesthesia and can take between 30 minutes to an hour.

7. Recover and Receive Payment: After the surgery, you will need to recover for a few weeks before receiving payment from the buyer. It is important to follow all post-operative instructions given by your doctor to ensure proper healing.

It is important to note that selling a testicle carries significant risks and should not be taken lightly. It is important to carefully consider all aspects of this decision before moving forward. Furthermore, it is crucial to only engage in legal and ethical transactions when it comes to organ donations or transplants. 

Understanding the Monetary Worth of a Testicle

The monetary worth of a testicle can vary significantly based on various factors. Primarily, it hinges on the demand from medical institutions or research facilities seeking human tissue for transplantation or study. The rarity and health status of the donor also play crucial roles in determining value.

Market estimates suggest that selling a testicle could yield anywhere between $35,000 to $50,000. However, this figure is highly speculative and not widely regulated. Legal implications must also be considered before pursuing such an option.

Factors like age, overall health, and even geographical location can impact how much one might receive for selling a testicle. It’s essential to approach this subject with caution while understanding all ethical and legal considerations involved in such transactions.

Reasons for Considering Selling a Testicle

Some individuals may consider selling a testicle due to financial hardship. High medical bills, student loans, or unexpected expenses can create an urgent need for cash. In such situations, the prospect of earning a substantial sum might seem appealing.

Others may view it as an unconventional way to fund personal dreams or projects. Whether it's starting a business, traveling the world, or investing in education, some see this option as a unique means to achieve their goals without traditional loans.

Additionally, there are those who might be motivated by curiosity or adventure. The idea of engaging in something so bold and unusual can attract thrill-seekers looking for life experiences that push boundaries and challenge societal norms.

Conclusion

Selling a testicle is an extreme decision that comes with numerous considerations. The monetary gain, which can range from $35,000 to $50,000, might seem enticing. However, the implications extend beyond just financial reward.

Potential sellers must navigate legal avenues and ethical dilemmas surrounding such actions. Additionally, understanding why one may consider this option—be it financial hardship or a unique medical scenario—is essential for making an informed choice.

Before taking any steps towards selling a testicle, it's crucial to weigh all factors carefully. This includes not only the immediate cash benefit but also long-term health impacts and emotional consequences. Engaging in thorough research and consulting professionals is advisable for anyone contemplating such a drastic measure. Knowledge leads to better decisions regarding personal well-being and finances.

FAQs

Is it legal to sell a testicle?

No, it is illegal to sell or buy human body parts, including testicles. The sale of human organs and tissues is prohibited under laws in most countries, including the United States. Engaging in such activities can result in severe legal consequences.

What are the health risks associated with selling a testicle?

Removing a testicle involves significant health risks, including potential for infection, complications from surgery, and long-term health issues. It's crucial to consult with medical professionals and consider these risks seriously before making any decisions.

Are there any ethical concerns related to selling a testicle?

Yes, there are numerous ethical concerns surrounding the sale of body parts. This includes issues related to exploitation, consent, and the potential for creating a black market for human tissues. Ethical considerations are a major reason why such transactions are illegal.

What alternatives are there for people who need financial assistance?

Instead of considering illegal activities, there are many legitimate ways to seek financial assistance. These include seeking employment, applying for financial aid or grants, participating in community support programs, or exploring charitable organizations that offer financial help.

Can I donate a testicle for medical purposes?

Donation of a testicle is generally not performed for medical purposes. However, individuals can donate organs or tissues through legal and regulated medical donation programs. If you are interested in organ donation, it is best to contact a licensed organ donation organization or medical professional to learn about the proper procedures and eligibility requirements.

[claimsnidan01]

How a Claim Settlement Specialist Can Save Your Time and Money

Navigating the claim settlement procedure can be intimidating in the complicated world of insurance. The complexities of dealing with insurance, whether it be health, vehicle, or property, can be daunting. Let me introduce you to a specialist in claim settlement who can help you save a great deal of money and time. This is their method.

Understanding the Role of a Claim Settlement Specialist

An insurance claim expert is a claim settlement professional. They serve as a go-between for the policyholder and the insurance provider, making sure that claims are handled properly and quickly. These experts are priceless resources in the claims process since they are knowledgeable with the rules, guidelines, and laws about insurance claims.

Expertise and Knowledge

Navigating Complex Policies

Insurance policies are frequently riddled with complexity and intricate provisions that are difficult for the average individual to comprehend. A claim settlement specialist knows to analyze these paperwork, ensuring that you fully grasp your coverage and benefits. This knowledge aids in correctly filing claims and avoiding typical errors that might result in delays or denials.

Maximizing Your Claim

One of the primary advantages of hiring a claim settlement specialist is their ability to maximize your claim. They understand what documentation is required and how to successfully present it to guarantee you receive all of the benefits you are entitled to. Their prior expertise dealing with comparable disputes enables them to identify and address issues before they arise.

Time Efficiency

Streamlining the Process

Filing an insurance claim can be time consuming. The process, which includes obtaining documents, filling out papers, and interacting with the insurance carrier, can take weeks or months. A claim settlement professional simplifies the procedure. They manage the paperwork, follow up on your claim, and ensure that all deadlines are reached, which saves you a lot of time.

Reducing Stress

Dealing with an insurance claim can be stressful, especially when it involves a major loss or damage. A claim settlement professional takes on the responsibility of negotiating with the insurance company, enabling you to concentrate on recovering and returning to routine. Their assistance relieves your stress and guarantees that the claim process runs smoothly.

Financial Savings

Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Errors in filing insurance claims can result in delays, denials, and reduced payments. A claim settlement specialist can ensure that your claim is filed correctly the first time. Their meticulous attention to detail and comprehensive understanding of the claims process reduces the possibility of costly errors.

Negotiating Better Settlements

Insurance firms seek to reduce their payouts. A claim settlement specialist, on the other hand, strives to guarantee that you receive a fair payment. They have the negotiation abilities to argue on your behalf, rejecting lowball offers and pursuing a settlement that appropriately reflects your losses. This can lead to a much greater settlement than if you handled the claim on your own.

Personalized Service

Tailored Advice

Every insurance claim is unique, and using a one-size-fits-all approach is rarely effective. A claim settlement professional gives you specialized guidance based on your individual scenario. They analyze every aspect of your claim, from the type of insurance to the nature of the loss, to ensure that it is handled as efficiently as possible.

Dedicated Support

Having a dedicated specialist on your side during the claims procedure can be extremely beneficial. A claim settlement consultant offers continuing assistance, answering your questions, addressing your concerns, and keeping you updated every step of the way. Their personal support guarantees that you are always kept up to date on the status of your claim.

Real-Life Examples

Property Damage Claim

Consider a homeowner whose property was damaged in a storm. Navigating the claim process, especially when coping with major loss, can be daunting. A claim settlement professional assists in assessing damage, documenting losses, and communicating with the insurance company. Their knowledge guarantees that the homeowner obtains a fair settlement for the repairs, saving time and money.

Health Insurance Claims

Health insurance claims can be especially complicated due to the numerous medical codes and billing procedures involved. A claim settlement specialist may help you comprehend the complexity, ensure that all required documents is delivered, and negotiate with the insurance company to cover as many expenses as feasible. This leads to a smoother process and maybe larger reimbursements.

Auto Insurance Claims

After an accident, dealing with auto insurance claims can exacerbate an already stressful situation. A claim settlement specialist can handle the entire process, from reporting the accident to negotiating the settlement, ensuring that the policyholder receives the cash necessary to repair or replace their car.

In essence, a claim settlement specialist can save you a lot of time and money by expediting the claims process, eliminating costly mistakes, and ensuring that you get the best settlement possible. Their knowledge and passion provide crucial assistance during what may be a stressful and confusing period. By engaging the assistance of a claim settlement specialist, you can concentrate on recuperation and rebuilding while knowing your claim is in experienced hands.

[marketplace-payouts]

Guide to ACH Payments

Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments are a popular and efficient way for businesses and individuals to transfer funds electronically. They are used for a variety of transactions, including direct deposit of payroll, automatic bill payments and online marketplace transactions. This guide provides an overview of ACH payments, how they work and their benefits.

Understanding ACH Payments

ACH payments are electronic payments made through the Automated Clearing House network, a secure system for financial transactions in the United States. They are a form of electronic fund transfer (EFT) that moves money between bank accounts across different financial institutions. ACH payments are known for their cost-effectiveness and efficiency, making them a preferred method for regular, recurring transactions.

One of the key uses of ACH payments is in facilitating ACH marketplace payouts. Online marketplaces and platforms often use ACH payments to distribute funds to sellers or service providers. This method is especially beneficial for handling bulk payouts while ensuring security and reducing transaction costs.

Advantages

ACH marketplace payouts offer several advantages for both the payer and the payee. For businesses, using ACH payments for marketplace payouts streamlines the payment process, reduces administrative overhead and minimizes errors associated with manual processing. It also offers a more cost-effective solution compared to traditional payment methods like paper checks or wire transfers.

For recipients, these payouts ensure timely and predictable receipt of funds. Since ACH payments are processed in batches, recipients typically receive their payments within one to two business days, which is quicker than traditional methods. Moreover, the direct deposit nature of ACH payments eliminates the need for physical checks, thereby reducing the risk of lost or stolen payments.

In conclusion, ACH payments play a crucial role in modern financial transactions, particularly in the context of online marketplaces. ACH marketplace payouts offer an efficient, secure and cost-effective way of handling transactions, benefiting both businesses and individuals involved. As electronic payments continue to evolve, ACH payments remain a reliable and preferred method for managing financial transactions.

Read a similar article about payout automation here at this page.

[sonoboy]

Lottery Software | Does It Really Improve A People Lottery Winning Odds?

Individuals are constantly searching for new approaches to playing the lotto that will help upgrade their lotto odds. If you mind the web today you will seek out a wealth of websites selling lottery software that is intended to do exactly that. Does this lottery software really work or is it simply one more one of the a lot of online tricks being marketed to clueless people?

The odds of hitting a top lotto payout are incredibly remote, especially when you are playing your picked lotto game with only one ticket. Most of lotto players are content just to participate and afterward simply pause for a minute or two and consider every one of the incredible things they would have the option to do if they could match those winning numbers. Others go out and put forth a more cognizant attempt to upgrade their lottery odds. This is frequently finished by buying bigger numbers of tickets or joining a syndicate.

A fast inquiry on the web will uncover an exceptionally huge measure of pages offering lottery software that vows to improve your possibility of winning through the utilization of specific ideas, arrangements or calculations profoundly. Considerably more websites offer you the valuable chance to deal with your participation by means of their software projects and this can be particularly helpful if you oversee you own lotto syndicate.

It should be recollected that, in a general sense, lottery drawings are fastidiously intended to be irregular. This actually intends that there is a shortfall of any example and lottery coordinators are exceptionally quick to keep it that way. All things considered, most people are aware that because of the irregular idea of lotteries without question, anybody gets an opportunity of hitting a jackpot and this is what keeps millions playing every week.

However, it is unquestionably protected to say that if you investigate the manner by which most people play that most simply select to play with the very same arrangement of lotto numbers every week. Many likewise pick their arrangement of lottery numbers as per a particular example on the play slip. Every week numerous lotto players settle on significant dates when choosing their lottery numbers and this technique for number selection can adversely affect your cash prize if you are sufficiently lucky to win enormous. For instance, we should expect that three people partaking in a specific lotto game all have the very same date of birth and all pick their numbers in light of these dates of birth. If they are sufficiently lucky to match every one of the drawn numbers and win the jackpot, the all out payout should be shared among the three players giving every one of them a small portion of what they could have picked up had they chosen their line of numbers totally at irregular.

Wheeling lottery software offers you the opportunity to consequently produce different lines of numbers and you might in fact place in the very numbers that you have stayed with over the years and the software program will in a split second create a new cluster of number blends for you to utilize. There are different sorts of these lottery software bundles, changing considerably in both quality as well as convenience.

Other lottery software bundles analyze past winning numbers, facts and figures with the goal that they can then distribute numbers for future draws. Try not to get ripped off by any software making such misleading cases in light of the fact that no software anyplace can predict future arbitrary results. Perhaps the savvies piece of software to consider is an answer that produces irregular numbers. Guarantee that you pick your bundle utilizing incredible care since pursuing the right decision isn't quite as simple as you may initially think. A truly irregular number generator may very well help you in improving your possibilities catching a bigger level of lottery money. Do zero in on ensuring that you pick a top quality software bundle in light of the fact that in any case it quite possibly is doing the very same thing for others and you would wind up sharing the numbers held by numerous others.

[moodyviking]

 What Are Crypto Faucets?

 Crypto faucets are online platforms that distribute small amounts of cryptocurrency to users for free. These platforms are typically supported by advertisements, sponsorships, or donations. The concept originated with Bitcoin faucets in the early days of the cryptocurrency space, where users could receive small fractions of Bitcoin by solving captchas or performing other easy tasks.

How Crypto Faucets Work

  The operation of crypto faucets is relatively straightforward. Users visit a faucet website, complete a task, and are rewarded with a small amount of cryptocurrency. The tasks can range from solving captchas and watching ads to playing games or completing surveys. Faucet owners generate revenue through advertising or sponsorships, and they share a portion of that income with users in the form of cryptocurrency payouts.

Popular Cryptocurrencies in Faucets

  While Bitcoin was the pioneer in the faucet space, many other cryptocurrencies have since joined the fray. Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and a variety of altcoins are now commonly distributed through faucets. This diversity allows users to explore and accumulate different digital assets without investing real money.

Benefits of Crypto Faucets

1. **Accessibility:** Crypto faucets are accessible to anyone with an internet connection, providing a low-barrier entry into the world of cryptocurrencies.

2. **No Financial Risk:** Faucets allow users to earn small amounts of cryptocurrency without risking any of their own money. This is particularly appealing to individuals who may be hesitant to invest in digital assets.

3. **Educational Value:** For newcomers to the cryptocurrency space, faucets offer an educational experience. Users learn about wallets, transactions, and the mechanics of different cryptocurrencies while earning tokens.

4. **Microtransactions:** Faucets enable microtransactions, allowing users to accumulate small amounts of cryptocurrency over time. This can be especially appealing in regions where traditional banking services may be limited.

Challenges and Considerations

  While crypto faucets provide several benefits, there are also challenges and considerations users should be aware of:

1. **Security Concerns:** Users need to exercise caution when using crypto faucets, as some may be fraudulent or pose security risks. It's essential to choose reputable faucets with a history of reliable payouts.

2. **Low Earnings:** The amounts distributed by faucets are usually small, and it may take time to accumulate a substantial sum. Users should view faucets as a supplementary and educational tool rather than a primary source of income.

3. **Ad Overload:** Many faucets are supported by advertisements, which can be overwhelming for users. Pop-up ads and banners may detract from the overall user experience.

Conclusion

  Crypto faucets offer an intriguing and accessible entry point for individuals interested in exploring the world of digital currencies. While they may not make users wealthy, these platforms provide a risk-free way to learn about cryptocurrencies and accumulate small amounts of various tokens. As with any online activity, users should exercise caution, choose reputable faucets, and view the experience as a learning opportunity rather than a guaranteed income stream.

Thank you for spending the time to read my article.

Have a wonderful day.

[provoca-me]

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[mostlysignssomeportents]

How unions de-risk work

Yesterday, I published an essay about how monopolies beget monopolies: when deregulation kicked off a wave of pharma mergers, the new pharma oligopoly gained the power to raise prices on hospitals.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/03/16/wage-theft/#excessive-buyer-power

The hospitals weren't able to form a cartel to insist on better prices: the US antitrust law created by Ronald Reagan's court sorcerer Robert Bork is incredibly tolerant of monopolist price-rigging, but violently opposed to cartels that price-rig.

Rather than forming a cartel, the hospitals gobbled each other up to create monopolies. If the CEOs of six hospitals insist on better drug prices, it's illegal. If the presidents of six hospitals (all owned by the same monopolist) do the same thing, it's fine.

Big Hospital wasn't merely better positioned to demand better drug prices from Big Pharma, they were also able to charge more to the fragmented, decentralized health insurance industry.

Predictably, this kicked off a wave of mergers that produced Big Insurance, a monopolized world that gives most Americans between zero and two insurers who'll take their business.

Freed from the risk of losing customers and bulked up to meet hospital monopolies on even footings, insurance companies could both insist on lower payouts to hospitals and *higher* premiums from patients. And at last we had some sort of equilibrium.

Pharma companies could charge more for drugs, but not too much more. Hospitals could lower the standard of care, raise prices, and squeeze workers' wages and working conditions. Insurance companies could cut payments to hospitals, raise prices and hike co-pays.

Everyone got what they wanted, except for two groups that can't form monopolies that push back against this monopoly-dominated industry:

* Patients, and

* Workers

Historically, the "monopolist" safeguarding patients' interests was the state: democratically elected lawmakers who relied on voters for re-election. The massive increase in corporate campaign finance was attended by steady erosion of political loyalty to the public interest.

And so the public lost its champion, and prices went up and quality went down and redress was whittled away to performative apologies after crises of too great a magnitude to be ignored, accompanied by fines that were mere fractions of the profits from corruption.

Meanwhile, workers' champions were their unions: solidarity organizations that corrected the negotiating imbalance between employers and employees by presenting a united front.

That unity extended beyond the gates of a single employer. Picket-line crossing was a grave sin, so if your hotel's maids went out on strike, the Teamsters wouldn't deliver your groceries and the taxi cabs wouldn't pick up at your entrance.

And related trades were able to bargain together: in Hollywood, the writers and actors and tradespeople would start each contract season by visiting the weakest studio as a body and demand the best deal, then require parity from other studios in turn.

Since the Reagan years, union power has been drained off. For example, the way Hollywood unions negotiate has been flipped on its head. Now, the *studios* visit the weakest union as a body and demand the most labor concessions, then take those to the other unions in turn.

It's been generations since union power was a given, and we haven't just lost our power, we've lost our imaginations - the sense of what is possible, what we are owed, how the system could work. We've learned to take precarity and low wages as a given.

That's why Reina Sultan's "8 People Describe How Unions Changed Their Lives" for Vice is so important: not because it is heartwarming (though it is) but because it is ripe with possibility, the recovered wisdom of a fallen civilization.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvxqvm/why-unions-are-good-first-hand-accounts-of-how-unions-change-lives

These eight workers describe how joining a union turned precarity into certainty. How the hotels they worked for had to promise to hire them back after the pandemic lifted. How they were promised ten hours of uninterrupted sleep between shifts.

How their employers had to accommodate their disabilities. How they were guaranteed health insurance that covered their whole families. How they were protected from being arbitrarily fired, and guaranteed severance pay when they were laid off.

These guarantees have a common theme: they de-risk being a worker and make it riskier to be an employer. Much of our day-to-day life is a series of negotiations over who should bear the risk that things will turn out bad.

Think of all the corporate bailouts, how these are "socialism for shareholders, capitalism for workers." When the fed bails out banks and employers but not mortgage holders and workers, they move risk off the finance-sector's balance sheet and stick it on our balance sheet.

When you run a business, you assume risks. Maybe you have a slow Saturday and end up paying workers to hang around with nothing to do. If you can book a worker's Sat, but unilaterally send them home two hours into their shift because it's slow, you shift your risk onto them.

The worker has to be available for you, but you don't have to use that availability. Likewise disability accommodations: when you hire and train a worker, you face the risk that they will become disabled, permanently or temporarily, on or off the job.

When that happens, you might have to pay to change the physical environment so they can do their job, or give them disability pay. If you can just fire them, you shift the risk onto the worker, and off your own books.

Every benefit described by workers in Way's article is risk being shifted from workers back onto employers. The right not to be summarily fired means workers aren't at risk from vindictive, bad bosses. It also means employers may struggle to shed "low-performing" workers.

It's a good reminder of the "struggle" in "class struggle." These risks are, by their nature, zero-sum. To decrease the risk of being stuck with a bad employee, you have to *increase* the risk of an employee being targeted by a bad manager. There's no win-win here.

Sure, employers will say that they share the workers' interest in rooting out bad managers, but there is an inescapable contradiction between reserving the right to fire anyone, for any reason, and making sure workers aren't unjustly fired.

The same goes for every benefit articulated by union members. If you're an electrician who wants to be able to get home, sleep and go back to work without being interrupted for ten straight hours, you push risk onto your employer.

Meanwhile, if you *don't* have that right, your employer gets to shove risk onto you. For example, they could underinvest in upgrades and preventative maintenance, knowing that when things break down, they can summon you to get them working again, without paying any overtime.

The project of worker solidarity comes down to this foundational question: who should bear which risks? Would you rather have bad bosses firing people over personal vendettas, or co-workers who are hard to fire even though they're not great at their jobs?

We don't need to pretend that moving risk onto employers' side of the ledger always produces better outcomes. It doesn't. Workers can be jerks, too. But an individual bad boss has the power to do enormous harm to their entire workforce over a long term.

Think of all the people maimed, killed and sickened in Amazon's warehouses because of one individual's willingness and ability to shift risk off his balance sheet and onto theirs.

It's true that an especially toxic unionized worker could make life miserable for many, many other workers - but that's still a better outcome than an especially toxic CEO, not least because unions give workers the power to address bad workers even when management won't.

Is it possible for things to be overbalanced, for too much risk to be shifted off of worker's balance sheets and onto employers' side of the ledger? Sure, theoretically. But that is a situation so far removed from workplace reality today that it's practically a fairy-tale.

And if we're really worried about too much risk landing on employers, then we can go back to the peoples' source of power: democratic governance. Unions represent a power-bloc that can (but don't always) hold politicians to account.

It's hard to imagine any political path to checking corporate power that doesn't include organized groups of workers *and* organized groups of citizens, working for political change.

If health insurance, disability accommodations, retirement pay, parental leave and other sources of workplace risk are moved onto the public's balance sheet, they cease to be things that workers or employers need to argue about. They're just a given.

Think of it this way: bosses and workers don't fight over who will pay to pave the roads to the business. They don't fight over who will fight fires, or allocate RF frequency for the office wireless network. These risks are moved to the public ledger, where they belong.

This kind of political change is also hard to imagine, after 40 years of Reaganomics. But unionization makes it more achievable, because another word for "risk" is "profit." Shifting risk from workers onto bosses shifts money from bosses to workers.

Monopolized employers extract monopoly rents from their customers and gouge monopoly concessions from their workers. This isn't just extra money to send to shareholders - it's also extra money to spend in the political realm, blocking reforms that benefit everyone.

That's how we get wage stagnation and ghouls like Manchin and Sinema tanking the $15 minimum wage. The money extracted from workers was sent to these politicians so they would vote to make it possible to keep extracting money from workers.

Unionization - workplace justice - doesn't win the war for political justice. But it *does* cut the enemy's supply lines, deprive them of the ammo they're using to fight us.

Image: still from "Union Maids" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74gvcvXlgnM

[star-wars-scribbles-ff]

Where I Belong | Chapter 3

Story Summary: The only family she’d ever known gave her a name; back when she belonged to something. But when that family is lost, she leaves it all behind. When destiny drops her in the last place she ever wanted to be, she has to earn back the trust and respect of the Republic that left her to die. Caught between the Jedi and the Grand Army of the Republic, she’ll discover where she belongs.

Fandom: Star Wars | Galaxy Far Far Away

Rating: T+

Story Genre/Warnings: action/adventure/found family | war violence, death, torture, discrimination, alcohol consumption, angst, fluff, found family, lots of clone boys, eventual Order 66 and rise of the Empire

Words: 5,078

Disclaimer: Majority of properties within this fanfic are owned by Lucasfilm/Disney. My OCs, as well as a few other things within this fanfic are of my own creation. Republic Cog header/chapter divider made by me 😊

CHAPTER NOTE: Here is the next chapter! No new arts this week but I do have a few people who wanted to be tagged so here we go 😬: @thisistheendtimes​ @tallyquark​ @divergent-llamas-03��� If you’d like a tag on future chapters just let me know (or if you’d like to be removed). 

Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter | Arwen Corcer Mercenary Visuals

Coruscant. Edge of the newly established Military District. 0500 hours.

From her position, Arwen could see most of the base covered in a haze that had been slowly dissipating as time passed. She sat on the top level of an apartment complex which was under construction. The work crew had leave for the next few days and she found it relatively easy to climb the structure without issue or worry of being punished for trespassing. 

The air was relatively crisp, for the upper levels of Coruscant at least; which wasn’t saying much. The further down you went the more toxic and polluted the air got. The sky was a range of blue and greys, the horizon lightening in color as the minutes went by. It was early; much of the planet hadn’t risen yet, however that meant very little with a population of over a trillion. 

Due to her being so close to the Military bases, traffic in the skies was few and far between, since the bases had begun development, traffic lanes had been rerouted around those locations for security reasons. 

She’d been staring at the base for almost thirty minutes now. It was pretty quiet. She’d see troopers on the wall walking about as well as troopers within the base now and again, however movement was infrequent and slow. Military life started early, especially during wartime; whatever battalions were stationed at this base might be on a leave of sorts. These guys were probably on a much deserved break… great. The thought almost made her stomach flip as she pressed two fingers to her temples and squeezed for a time.

She was torn. She felt the guilt eating away at her, gnawing at her like an open wound. It shouldn’t be a problem. This was the life- what she signed up for; they would’ve killed her if she hadn’t taken the job, and something told her there was a daunting and formidable force backing the client.

… She needed the money; it made her sick acknowledging it. It wasn’t for personal gain- just self preservation. She needed to get off Coruscant and as far from the Republic, the Jedi… the Army... as she could. 

This job would hurt people; people who didn’t deserve to be hurt. There was no getting around it. The primary personnel within that base would be troopers, and while she hadn’t developed a personal connection to these specific individuals, her past with them overall just… muddled the waters. What would her team think-.... 

She shook her head quickly and suddenly; pushing that thought out of her mind as far as it would go before breathing in deeply. Resting her head back against the wall of a ventilation unit she had been leaning against, she let her eyes close.

Time to think about the mechanics. She had to do something. If she did nothing there would be no payout. Her knowledge regarding the GAR was probably outdated at this point, but she had a rough enough idea of the best locations to hit. Probably the courtyard where the large scale vehicles were kept. There seemed to be at least nine AT-Tes, twelve LAAT/is, and nine AT-RTs. It was easy to see from a watch point, and if she timed it right, she could do considerable damage without critically hurting anyone. She’d need to watch the base for at least forty-eight hours to log shift rotations and other movements; she’d have to find a good building nearby where she could watch the interior of the base during that time if this complex didn’t work out. 

“What are you doing.” The thoughts dissipated like smoke quickly from her mind as she opened her eyes, shaking her head at her own words. 

A soft whine caught her attention and she looked to the side, seeing Bek eyeing her. He had found her some time in the night. She was never sure how he did it, but he’d find her one way or another. She always made sure that wherever she was held up for the night, it was a spot he could get to just in case. The anooba’s brow moved subtly before his lower jaw dropped and his tongue rolled out as he began to pant. The action made Arwen give a small smile, although it faded as quickly as it appeared, and her gaze shifted towards the sky. She reached a hand out and rustled the creature’s fur, bringing her hand under to scratch the anooba’s chin before letting her hand fall away. 

… She can’t do this. She can’t. What would her team think of her if she resorted to this; it was inexcusable. 

The tension in her posture was causing a subtle ache to begin creeping up her neck and to the crown of her head as she forced her eyes shut, her brow knit. Gently forcing a breath out through her lips she blew the air from her lungs until she was forced to suck in another steady breath.

“What are you doing,” She uttered, sitting up suddenly to adjust her posture before pulling a bent leg up, hugging it closer to her chest. Beads of cold sweet dappled at her palms as she hastily rubbed them along her leg cradled close to her chest. 

Sniffling in a breath, Arwen took a moment to ease her somewhat irregular breathing before glancing towards the anooba still staring at her. A small issue she had recently developed when overthinking was holding her breath or irregularly breathing, which was a terrible habit, especially on a job. 

“What’d you think, bud?” Arwen questioned quietly, eyeing the messy-haired animal before raising her left hand to swipe some of the mohawk-like fur that stopped at the top of his head. “Should be able to find somewhere to sell this ordnance. If not- the underground market should take it without question.” She used her nails to scratch lightly over the creature's scalp, quick to notice how one of his rear legs began twitching in a scratching-like motion, and she smiled. 

She could get quick money for the explosives. Not nearly enough for a one way trip to Saleucami, but she might be able to work off the rest as part of a flight crew on the way to the outer rim.

Arwen found herself nodding lightly. This could work. It wouldn’t be easy, but then again that job wouldn’t have been either. 

With her right hand, she grasped at the satchel sitting on her right before steadily getting to her feet. Her gaze circled back around to where Bek sat patiently. 

“You ready?” She couldn’t bring herself to lighten her voice very much, but all the same, the anooba perked up at her words and got to his feet. Throwing the satchel over her shoulder, along with her other satchel holding the parts to her rifle, Arwen began her descent from the roost. 

Bek went ahead of her towards where a construction step-ladder resided. She followed, maneuvering her way through some of the materials which had been abandoned for the day.

She came to a stop in front of the ladder that led down to the lower levels of the building, her brow twitched slightly as she blinked her eyes before her gaze fell to the ground.

You don’t need to look. Why do I need to look? 

Something gripped her chest and poked and pulled at her back; a nagging feeling. It happened sometimes at random. She needed to learn how to ignore it. 

Turning around, Arwen reluctantly eyed the military base, shrouded in what little darkness was left as the sun would fully rise within the hour. The thick layer of fog and cloud still remained a ways above her, however it was starting to dissipate as the clock turned. 

Her eyes dotted around the structure, jaw hardly set and gaze almost grudging. Sometimes it felt like that little nagging-... force inside her was just trying to make her life difficult and guilt ridden. 

The slightest movement on the far side of the structure drew her attention and her head shifted to the side as she spotted someone walking towards the closest wall on the far left side. Attention grabbed, Arwen watched quietly as the person stopped at the foot of the wall and looked around for a beat. 

They didn’t belong. Something’s wrong. 

Her hand already busy scrambling inside her bag, Arwen snatched her detached rifle scope and quickly knelt down on the ledge of the building, raising the attachment. A small bark of impatience from Bek did little to tear her attention away as Arwen watched the being through the scope.

Female. Possibly human. What almost caught her attention almost immediately was the identical satchel hung over the individuals back. They had sent someone else in.

“No no no,” Arwen grumbled. This wasn’t happening. Continuing to watch through her scope, the individual took one last look around before suddenly shooting a rappelling line up towards the top of the wall. Securing it, the person began to scale the face. 

Why hadn’t cameras picked them up? 

Turning her attention to the towers not far away from the wall the individual was scaling, Arwen adjusted her scope, adjusting the lens before focusing on one of the cameras. Small sparks coming from the device wasn’t a good sign. They were good. They were also about to blow this base sky high with everyone in it. 

That familiar feeling was already starting to course through her veins; the adrenaline was starting to spread through her body. 

Cursing under her breath, Arwen finally throws the scope back into her bag. “Rangir- (to hell with it) I’ll be back, Bek!” Arwen called before running down past the anooba, sprinting towards the lift. 

It felt like an eternity before Arwen finally found herself at the foot of the wall, about to scale the same spot the other mercenary had. She did a quick once over of the surrounding area, making sure it was clear before she shot her rappelling line up to the top of the wall. Her training had covered various methods of barrier traversal; this was something she was prepared for. In fact her training covered various raids of simulated republic bases as well. That just now came back to her. Not that it would help her now. It had been a long time.

She still had the satchel full of explosives on her; probably not the best thing. 

Getting to the top of the wall, Arwen looked up and down both ways, seeing a Trooper farther down as he walked away. Maybe a shift change. This other merc would have had to make her move at the proper time so Arwen might be able to operate in the window she’d created. 

Looking around the base below, Arwen quickly saw the other woman sneaking her way around the AT-Tes. Arwen cursed under her breath before waiting quietly for a moment. 

“What are you doing,” She mumbled. Looking around again, Arwen considered her options while she had the briefest time to do so, and began assembling her rifle. 

Maybe she could just take them out before they did any damage. It would alert the entire base to her presence too, but she couldn’t stand by while this happened, and she could get away…. Probably. 

Doing another check, Arwen scanned either side of the wall. No one. She'd have to be quick if it was a shift change. Whoever this woman was, they had to study the shifts and when they changed. She might have another minute. 

Finishing the rifle, Arwen quickly set it to her shoulder and found the woman again before looking through the scope. 

Identify. Breathe in. Breathe ou-

"Hey!" Her head snapped up, seeing a trooper had rounded the corner and saw her.

Arwen cursed before quickly resetting the rifle to her shoulder. The woman had noticed and quickly hid behind an AT-Te for cover as Arwen fired several shots.

"Blast-" Arwen cursed again before looking to see the trooper running towards her, blaster raised. Looking back to the woman who still had the explosives, Arwen clenched her jaw before throwing the rifle down into the base.

“What are you doing-” Arwen grits her teeth before blowing air out quickly, jumping down after the rifle. It was a long way down, longer than she’d like, and she didn’t have her armor to soften that blow. She landed with a somewhat abrupt grunt of pain as she rolled a few times to soften the blow to her legs as best she could. Scrambling to her feet she snatched the rifle from the ground and went after the mercenary. 

"Intruders! We have a perimeter breach!" She heard the trooper's words fading away but she knew the problem wasn't going to. Things were about to blow up, figuratively but possibly literally if she didn't stop this woman. 

Weaving through the large walkers, Arwen ran around the legs of one, only to stumble into a series of blaster fire. Scurrying backwards, she pulled her pistol and shot a look around the walker leg, seeing the woman standing near another walker, holding a small blaster pistol as well, firing off shots.

Arwen hid behind the walker leg for a brief time to get her breathing under control, the throbbing in her leg now screaming, pushing other more prevalent thoughts aside. 

“Haar’chak- k'atini (Damn it- suck it up/its only pain),” She seethed before knocking her head back into the walker leg. Tightening her grip on the blaster, Arwen swung around quickly, firing off several shots, blaster pistol grasped in both hands as she forced the assailant back to cover.

Glancing to the side, Arwen saw troopers organizing near the weapons depot. They were about to have some problems.

"We could just handle this together you know," A voice called. Arwen looked back seeing the woman peeking around a walker leg. "Split the coin and go our separate ways. I could use a hand- someone needs to distract the canon fodder."

"So you can set the explosives then jump ship when I'm gunned down? No thank you." Arwen responded, still holding her pistol up and ready. 

"Worth a shot," She chuckled before turning, shooting off her blaster again before tossing something small and round. Arwen's eyes widened as she quickly held up her arms to protect herself as the presumed grenade went off, spewing out thick smoke. 

Arwen coughed, waving the substance away from her face before walking through, the pistol held up in one hand as she held her sleeved arm to her mouth. Coming to the other side, Arwen noticed the merc was gone and a siren began blaring. 

"Great." Arwen muttered before looking towards the largest structure, seeing her run inside. 

She walked for a time before shaking her head. No turning back now. Huffing Arwen removed her finger from the trigger guard, keeping it outside as she picked up a run. "What are you doing- What are you doing- What the hell are you doing?" She cursed herself over and over. 

Running after the woman, Arwen held up her blaster ready in one hand, finger still outside the trigger guard as she took off into the base doors. Seeing the merc disappear just around the corner down the right corridor, Arwen takes off after her. 

Rounding the corner, she saw the merc take a left further down the hall. Something told Arwen this woman had no idea where she was going as they continued down halls. She'd made a giant circle. 

Slowing to a stop down one hall, Arwen caught her breath before looking up and down the corridors. There weren't any troopers which was concerning. They'd been spotted outside the base, and the thick layer of fumes from the smoke grenade had allowed them to sneak inside undetected, but that wouldn't last. 

Looking down one hall that branched adjacent to the one she was standing in, Arwen began jogging down it. If the merc kept running in a similar pattern, she should be able to cut the woman off.

Turning a corner, Arwen came to a hard stop at seeing a trooper with yellow orange accented armor walking away from her, talking on comms. He didn’t have a helmet.

"What do you mean the perimeter was breached?”

The responses the trooper was getting were too muffled for her to hear.

“Yeah I hear the siren- Where were they reported?"

Arwen went to back up when the woman ran around the corner on the other side of the hall.

"No, I haven't-... hey!"

Arwen made eye contact with the woman past the trooper, who appeared to be an officer of some kind.

"Rex I've got eyes on an intruder, south end of t-"

Arwen ran down the hall as the woman raised her blaster and began firing in the general vicinity of where they were. She practically tackled the Officer, who wasn't armed with a blaster, firing off her own pistol until the woman ran away. The string of curses the Officer let out made Arwen scramble off of him before stumbling to her feet.

"I- sorry- Sorry, sir!" She yelled back to him before taking off after the woman. 

Running around the corner, Arwen continued and ended up pushing past a bunch of troopers who were heading the same direction before continuing on. It was all going by too fast. She needed to slow down and consider her own position. 

She finally saw the open blast doors around fifty feet away, and picked up the pace. She saw the woman running for a secluded wall, and continued out of the door. She isn't at all prepared as she collides with something. Her head smacks into something hard, the air pushed from her lungs as she tumbled to the ground along with whatever hit her.

She was on her stomach, slowly pushing herself up, a hand coming to her head. She felt warmth, but also something cool covering her left brow, and woozily lifted a hand to her face, feeling her glove become wet.

Suddenly a hard pressure was put into her back, and she grunted before proceeding to struggle.

"Don't move-" That voice. A trooper. 

An iron grip suddenly snapped the wrist of the hand she had to her head and they were both craned behind her back.

"Rex what-"

"Got her, it's under control." The one who had tackled her, called Rex, who currently had his knee dug into her back just below her chest plate responded.

Arwen craned to see the Officer she'd tackled had jogged up and came to a stop, his eyes on her. "It's not her."

"What do you mean its not her?" The Rex trooper's tone quickly turned tense.

"All due respect-" Arwen grunted, trying to get up only to have the trooper above her dig his knee further into her back as she hissed. "She's getting away," Arwen growled, just able to see the woman disappear over the wall. 

Arwen wasn't prepared for the pressure on her back to suddenly disappear before she was hauled to her feet, hands now cuffed behind her back. 

"Sir, someone just scaled the wall," Another trooper had joined the scene and several others were also coming over.

"Cody?" The trooper, Rex, who still had a hard grip on her, one hand on her shoulder, between her neck and shoulder plate, looked to the Officer she'd tackled inside.

Arwen met his eyes, her brow knit and one twitching from the throbbing that was now becoming prominent. She'd really hit her face hard when that Rex fellow ran into her. 

The officer, called Cody, noticeable scarring over his left eye, dressed in white infantry armor painted with yellow-orange accents, seemed to consider her for a moment before looking towards a small squad of troopers that had shown up. 

"Get another squad and check the outer perimeter. I want to know where they got in."

"South wall, near the west Tower." Arwen muttered, catching the attention of a few of them. "She-"

"Shut it," The Rex trooper snapped, giving her a small jolt before pulling her backwards, directing her away. "I'll put this one in containment."

The Officer, Cody, walked up to them and Arwen leaned back a fraction, only to remember she had another trooper behind her when Cody went to remove her rifle, unclipping the strap, sliding it away from her before nodding for the white and blue armored trooper. He was somewhat rough as he turned her around and began walking her inside. 

Wait- where did the satchel full of explosives go… She didn’t have it with her.

As she was being led back into the base, none of it was registering. There was no replay button. What had she done. 

As Anakin walked down the halls of the Republic base, his thoughts dwelled on his wife. Since they’d gotten back from Tibrin, he’d been given a short leave, along with the battalions that had been present for the wretched Campaign. He’d been looking forward to breakfast with Padmé before he got a transmission from Marshal Commander Cody of the 212th Attack Battalion. It was Obi-Wan’s battalion, but Cody had informed him that his former master was unreachable. Whatever that meant. He might be in a meditative session with Master Yoda.

Anakin had reluctantly taken himself from bed, and from the arms of his love, and dragged himself out to the base on the account of intruders that had scaled the outer perimeter wall. He had requested Cody hold off on giving him details; he needed the time to collect his composure and thoughts. 

Arriving at the detention area of the base, Skywalker was met by Commander Cody and Captain Rex of the 501st Legion. He’d temporarily led the 501st on Tibrin. He didn’t have a battle group of his own yet, but whenever the 501st was free, he’d usually lead them on Campaigns and assignments as the legion was part of the 7th Sky Corps, also under the command of his old master. 

“Alright, I’m here.” Anakin breathed, crossing his arms as he came to a stop near the two Clone Officers who were standing over a computer against the wall down the hall of the interrogation block. “Tell me what happened.”

“Sir,” Captain Rex was the first to turn and acknowledge him. His blond hair was trimmed finely and as neat as always. The scar on his chin that he got at Arantara was now light in color and relatively faded. 

Anakin took a step forward as the Captain gestured to the computer screen. His eyes find the recorded footage of two suspects running down the halls of the base. 

“We believe it is now a foiled attempt to bomb this base in some capacity.”

“Separatist?” Anakin inquired.

"Hard to tell, sir. One of the accomplices got away; the other we have in custody." Commander Cody responded and gestured with his thumb over his shoulder towards the interrogation block. 

"Has she said anything?"

"No, sir." Rex jumped back in, looking down the hall where he knew the cell was. "We thought it best to wait for you, sir."

Anakin nodded and glanced down the hall as well before returning his gaze to the footage. He watched as one assailant ran around the corner of a corridor, followed by another at the other end, Cody in the middle. Both appeared to be female. He watched as the one began firing before the other jumped on Cody, then proceeded to get up and say something to the Commander before the chase continued. 

"Which one do we have in custody?" Anakin asks.

"This one," Cody responded, pointing to the screen at the one that had tackled him. 

Anakin nodded before sighing quietly.

"Alright, I'll talk to her." The Jedi nodded to himself before glancing between the two officers. "Anything else I should know?"

"We found this," Rex spoke up, gesturing to a table on the other side of the room with an open satchel full of explosives. "This belongs to that one," Rex gestured down the hall. "The one that got away had one similar in size and shape, so we assume they both came in here with the same intentions."

Anakin processed this before departing to talk with the criminal. He headed to the cell, and the troopers guarding the door stood at attention before the shield disengaged and he entered. She didn't look at him as he walked in, hands clasped behind his back. 

He watched her for a moment, evaluating her posture, and her overall aura. She was difficult to read. The outer shell of her emotional state was disconnected, somewhat cold but also anxious; feelings of guilt surrounded her, although his intuition told him that was something she was struggling to repress. 

He notices the blood covering the side of her head; there was a large wound over her brow, dried as well as fresh blood painted the side of her face. Her eyes had yet to meet his.

"So," He began, continuing to look her over for a time before letting his eyes settle on her face. "You had enough explosive on you to blow this base into the upper atmosphere… Do you have anything to say?"

She didn't say anything, but her gaze shifted to the side, posture also shifting, cuffed hands in her lap. After some time passed he spoke again.

"You don't look like a Separatist... look more mercenary material," He considered. "You getting a big payout?" 

She clenched her jaw but remained quiet, looking to the side, her brow knit gently. Despite the tightness to her brow, she didn’t seem bothered by the obvious injury to her head. She was good at controlling her external presentation.

Anakin finally took a couple steps closer, resting his hands on the edge of the table that was between them. 

"Did you get sold out by our other uninvited guest?"

She remained quiet and Anakin's brow knit after some time passed. He could feel the presence of the clone officers on the other side of the shield, but didn't bother looking. 

“Were you at all concerned with the damage you might do to this installation? Or the lives you might have taken?” The question was an odd one, especially for this individual. They looked mercenary material, and those types didn’t care who they hurt as long as the price was high enough. It was an odd question, but something told him to ask it. 

He knew she was about to look at him before she proceeded to, and his own head tilted slightly to the side as she lifted her head to meet his gaze for the first time. Almost immediately flickers of recognition sparked his expression and his brow knit tightly as he eyed her.

"...Who are you?" He finally asked. The question was vague, and the merc seemed to understand that as she didn’t back down from his gaze. The seconds passed and she gave no indication that she’d respond before she noticeably began to react under his gaze. Her own brow twitched, expression snapping away before returning as he continued to eye her with an almost surprised and confused expression.

She looked familiar. His head wasn’t telling him criminal; he knew her from somewhere else. He had to get his nunas in a row. 

The Jedi eventually excused himself and exited the cell. The energy shield quickly closed behind him as he walked back down the hall and out of earshot. 

“Sir?” Anakin turned and saw Rex standing a few feet away, expression indicating his uncertainty.

"Has the criminal database picked anything up?" Skywalker finally asked, crossing his arms. 

"No sir," Rex responded. "In fact we haven't gotten a hit anywhere. On any civilian system at least."

Anakin considered this for a moment before breathing out quietly. There was something he could try. But if he was wrong...

"Keep searching," Anakin nodded to Rex, causing the trooper to do the same in return before Anakin headed back to the cell.

Cody walked past him towards where Rex was and Anakin entered the cell, nodding for the troopers guarding the door to leave as well. He entered and the shield closed behind him. 

She looked up, watching as he stepped inside and crossed his arms across his chest. 

Silence followed his entry, and after a few moments of processing his next words, Anakin cleared his throat.

“If my suspicions are correct… I think I remember you. We’ve met.” He stated. “Well- We’ve spoken briefly.” He nodded to the side as he corrected his words before taking a beat to consider her reaction.

Her brow knit and it seemed he’d caught her attention, and in a good way. She seemed concerned. Good. That was a good sign. 

“This was around six months ago,” Anakin began, leaning against the wall to the right of the interrogation room, her left. “The Garos system… Someone sent a distress signal to the battle group I was stationed with near Sundari; the distress signal came from Garo IV. Mission details consisted of a clone team with highly sensitive intel that needed an extraction, from what they told me.” He watched her quietly for a few seconds. Her expression seemed to widen as he spoke and she had slowly leaned back into her chair, brow knit with alarm.

"I was the Jedi you spoke to. We sent gunships to extract you but..." He trailed off, his thoughts dwelling on that day. It had stuck with him for weeks before he was finally able move on. 

She stared at him, the silence was deafening and he felt like he was making headway by the look that had overtaken her expression.

"That was you.... wasn't it." He finally stated, the questioning tone from his voice was gone. There was no doubt in his mind. This was her. It was a female voice and he briefly saw the file of who he was speaking with that day when she had identified herself.

She clenched her jaw before looking down to her lap.

A mixed array of emotions were swirling in the small space of the interrogation room, and Anakin felt a sudden need to explain what had happened that day. 

"We thought you were dead." It caught him somewhat off guard when she spoke up. 

"Do I look dead, sir?" 

Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter | Arwen Corcer Mercenary Visuals

Chapter Note: How many times did Arwen ask herself what she was doing? 😂 Not sure but I apologize if it annoyed you. Hope it was enjoyed! Comments/reblogs and/or feedback are appreciated 🥰 

[concussed-to-pieces]

To Tell You The Truth Part Two

Fandom: Prospect [2018]

Pairing: Eventual Ezra/Prospector!Reader

Rating: Holy shit M.

AN: Monday has finally come! I'm having a lot of fun writing this (even though this chapter is a bit shorter), and I hope it shows. Enjoy!

Tag List: @huliabitch @renegademustelid @wrestlingfae @zombiexbody @sporadic-fics @rzrcrst @lackofhonor @the-feckless-wonder @arrowswithwifi

Part One

[!TRIGGER WARNING!: This installment contains allusions to previous sexual and/or physical abuse. Stay safe!]

"Well," Ezra said some time later, his voice still a little raspy from performing his own interventions, "Damon may not have been overly intelligent, but the man was certainly resourceful." He tilted out from beneath the navigation console, carefully stripping free another lump of tape from the mess of wires. "He must have pawned off nearly every non-essential object under there. And a few that, regrettably, are." The older man squinted up at you, no doubt taking in the hopeless expression you were sure was on your face.

"So I'm stuck here." You breathed.

"Slow down a beat, gentle soul. We're not played out just yet. The Saders may have the bits or bobs we need. Or…" he trailed off, those dark eyes fixed contemplatively on a point above your shoulder. "Damon mentioned the Queen's Lair and those Karolclan mercs. I assume you are already aware of-" He stopped when you shook your head, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Damon talking about it with you was the first time I heard his plan." You confessed. "I had no idea that was why we were here, I just...I mean he told me we were digging of course, b-but I didn't realize it would be...like that." You finished awkwardly. 

"And why would you? Better to keep you in the dark, I suspect. Easier to maintain his grip if you don't know there's a secure payout." Ezra replied sourly. "It's bad business if Karolclan is involved. Them or those Krebine degenerates. No sane man would accept that job."

"Before you got him talking, I didn't even know that he used to have a family crew." You continued, not sure why you were still rattling on. Nerves, probably. "He never mentioned them."

"A man's sins can weigh heavy on him. I imagine he figured there was no harm in tellin' me a few of 'em, since he assumed he would be comin' out on top in our engagement." Ezra said dismissively, rolling the tape into a tight little ball. "That is interestin' though, that he would keep you so far in the black. No trust lost between partners." He cocked his head, fixing you with that thoughtful stare. "Though...I am beginning to suspect 'partner' is an incorrect moniker." He muttered, half to himself. 

The man gritted his teeth after a moment, wrapping a hand around his elbow and cradling his injured arm to his chest. The thrower wound on his bicep, though treated and sealed off, had continued to slowly ooze yellow fluid around the 'cream' foam. Through the tear in his thermal layer, you could see that the skin around the sealant had gone a sickly pink. 

"It would seem," Ezra began, sounding somewhat strained, "that I did not close the wound in time. I am afraid I may have to press our objective to trade with the Saders a little more insistently." He appeared to be making a concerted effort to keep his voice steady. "I apologize, gentle soul."

You had already started to empty the contents of your cumbersome exploration pack out, digging through the tattered pouches for your mending kit. "I'll patch your suit." Ezra gave you a blank look and you shook your kit at him impatiently. "We need to plug the hole in your exosuit. Any sort of loss of integrity is bad, especially if we have to tether. I can fix the rip."

He worked his jaw momentarily, the motion seeming like a bit of a tick. Hopefully it wasn't a leftover from when he had gotten acquainted with your head. "How long will that take?"

"Ten minutes, if that. I'll make it quick." You tapped the bulky chronometer on your wrist. 

After he nodded, you tugged gingerly at the sleeve of his half-peeled exosuit where it hung limp around his waist, donning your gloves before you attempted to wipe the sticky fluid off the thick fabric. Then, you flipped the sleeve inside out as best as you could, noting with a touch of dismay just how much pollen was already embedded in the seams. 

Undoing your patch pack, you quickly measured and snipped out a rectangular piece from the double-sided patch material. Your handheld stitcher buzzed wearily at the tough outer layer of his suit, semi-straight lines of faded khaki thread punching their way through to secure the lurid orange patch. 

"Look at you." Ezra murmured, his voice drawing you out of your focused work. "This is your comfort zone, isn't it?"

You ducked your head down to avoid his gaze, smoothing the rubber sealant backing over the inside of the stitching. "Done." You said quietly. 

He inserted his wounded arm back into the sleeve, dragging his fingers across the freshly-patched hole. "I daresay it's better than new, gentle soul! Much obliged for that, though I know it's not just for my benefit." The older man praised, making you flush. Damon had never thanked you. "With that, I suggest we gather your accoutrements and be on our way."

…

Ezra seemed to be in a worse state than he had originally let on. It might have just been the added stress of movement and drawing filtered air, but his staggering was starting to reach a concerning level. At this rate, he would trip over the tether line.

Your gaze trailed down to the inside of your helmet, resting on the gasket barely within your field of view. There was the lone chiclet of Brism gum that you had traded for so many stands ago, taped to the side of the lining. You lazily brought your eyes up again, realizing that Ezra had halted once more. If you took the stimulant-loaded gum, you might be able to…

To what? Overpower him? Outrun him? It wouldn't do you any good now, he was the one who knew where you were going. Better to continue to save the Brism for a real emergency. He had given his word, what little that counted for, and thus far, he hadn't proved himself to be a threat.

To anyone besides Damon, anyway. You recalled how Ezra's shoulders had slumped in defeat when Damon had pressed the pistol to his helmet and forced him to open his trophy case. Knowing how long he must have been here, how difficult it must have been to scrape together what he had found...

You cleared your throat. "Are you-"

"Gentle soul, for both of our sakes--it is best if you do not ask that question." He interrupted, the labored breathing in his helmet com threatening to deafen you. "I am doing my--damnedest not to dwell upon--the uncertainty of my current bodily quandary."

"How do you still manage to use so many words, even when it sounds like your saturation is garbage and you're pulling your air through a filter of mud?" You asked incredulously.

"I am a loquacious fool, gentle soul." He paused to wheeze, then continued on as if to prove his point, "My lighthearted inclination toward palavering has turned into a shortcoming of most grievous impact, given our circumstances." He gave you a curious glance. "I did not anticipate your scathin' query."

You gulped, realizing belatedly how sharp your words had been. "I-I'm sorry, I wasn't-"

"Calm yourself, gentle soul. I did not mean to imply that it was unwelcome." Ezra graced you with a quick, pained grin. "It has been a short eternity since I've had anyone to speak to, you must understand. My extensive vernacular has been languishin' in the rushes." He straightened back up, but continued to cradle his injured arm to his chest. "It's refreshing."

"What about your partner?"

Ezra shook his head at you. "Number Two was mute. Silent as the grave. Whizz at numbers though, could calculate the depth and breadth of just about anythin' if you had parchment to spare."

You hummed in understanding, his overly-wordy terminology suddenly making much more sense. He was used to filling in the silence. Ezra grunted, rubbing a tentative circle around the patch on his suit. "Should...should we put your arm in a sling?" You queried nervously.

"I am afraid it is a mite too late for that, gentle soul." He flexed the fingers on his right hand, swearing softly. "Martyr's malfeasance, that is seizin'. Can barely feel anything south of my elbow. You'd think that would be a blessing." He groused. "Whole thing tingles like a stranger's touch." Ezra looked up and then abruptly halted. "Ah, now here we have some promise." He said, sounding relieved. 

You followed his line of vision and froze when you spotted a black-clad figure in the distance, watching the two of you. 

"Don't move fast. We don't want to spook 'em." Ezra murmured, slowly raising his good arm to hail the individual. They crouched slightly, cautious. You could relate to that. Ezra waved at them, gloved fingers spread wide as if to display that his hand was empty.

The person darted off back into the underbrush after several tense seconds and you heaved out a sigh of relief. It was short-lived however, as Ezra started lumbering in the direction they had gone. "Where are you-"

"As Eurydice attempted to follow her beloved Orpheus out of the Stygian Abyss, so too we must follow our potential benefactor and have faith." Ezra looked back at you, smiling thinly. "Come, gentle soul. Departing the Green is naught but one more Herculean trial for us to conquer."

He held out his hand to you as if you were a small child. You narrowed your eyes at him and he chuckled, letting his arm drop once more. 

"I meant no disrespect. I assumed you needed assurance. You looked ready to take flight like a startled bird."

"I'm fine." You replied stiffly, "I just have the brains to not immediately trust strange people I stumble across in the Bakhroma Green." 

"I resemble that remark, gentle soul." Ezra pointed out quietly. "Yet here you are, tethered up. What does that say about your good sense and sensibilities, I wonder?"

"I'm very adept at ignoring warning signs when it suits me." You snapped before you could think better of it.

Ezra's harsh bark of laughter startled you, his smile weirdly genuine when he aimed it at you this time. "I must say, your changeable explosions of acrid ferocity are keepin' me on my toes!" He exclaimed. If you didn't know any better, you would say he sounded delighted. "You are wonderfully fiery when you forget to be timid, gentle soul."

You bit your lip nervously, uncertain if you ought to display concern over how amused he seemed to be. 

The large dome of his helmet bumped against yours. "You have gone pensive again, like our dear Sol when it hides behind roiling nimbus banks. Perhaps I am too prone to exposition to suit someone of your taciturn nature. Damon did not strike me as a man of many words." His tone was light, but his eyes were serious. You abruptly felt like you couldn't breathe as his body loomed over you.

"Too close." You managed to say, not ready to attempt to actually push him away. 

Confusion flickered across his face, then he seemed to realize that he was leaning his helmet on your own. "Oh! My most sincere apologies, gentle soul. Number Two was a sturdy individual. Afraid I'm overused to restin' a bit of weight where it doesn't belong." He took a large step back, holding his hands out as if to assuage your fears. "I-I meant no disrespect."

His stammer took you by surprise. On someone who seemed so self-assured, it was decidedly out of place. You chewed on your lip and then dared to ask, "What's wrong? You're all...worried."

He stilled, looking away from you and suddenly grimacing in pain. "I...I'm afraid my sands are runnin' low, gentle soul." He admitted quietly. "We have to keep movin', get the lead out."

He trudged forward and before you could reconsider, your hand shot out to grab his. You squeezed it briefly, and then released him. "It'll...it'll all be okay." You tried to assure him, smiling at him like he had at you.

Ezra's expression was unreadable, his heavy brows furrowed deep with thought. He didn't respond to you verbally, just shaking his head after a moment and continuing onward through the Green.

...

The leader of this particular group of Saders, a man named Oruf, welcomed the two of you graciously into his tent once you had stowed your weapons a safe distance away from his village. 

Even in the filtered tent, Ezra's wheezing grew more and more pronounced as the minutes passed. You were actually worried now, just how long had he been limping around with half-functional filtration?

"I was once a man like you, who came with a mind to strike aurelac." Oruf murmured. "But that man died down there in the Green." The other bedraggled inhabitants of the tent were eerily silent as Oruf spoke. He clearly commanded some lofty form of respect. "Born anew amongst friends, bonded into layers beyond the ability of the materialists to perceive." Oruf continued grandly. 

His eyes wandered to you as Ezra stifled another coughing fit, the Sader leader observing your every move with a calm boldness that had you on edge. 

"And now, our son will play for you." The boy, a sullen-looking child with hollow eyes who had been introduced as Fahr, obligingly accepted a strange instrument from his father.

Ezra, who had been almost doggedly focused on Oruf, jerked his eyes down to Fahr at the droning sound of the instrument, the prospector tilting his head to the side. Oruf continued to stare at you and you, in turn, continued to try and ignore the lingering fear currently chewing a hole through your stomach. You couldn't shake the sensation that something was very, very wrong.

There was a woman laying on a pallet off to the side of the main room, and you wondered whether she was ill. She hadn't so much as opened her eyes the entire time you had been there.

The music stopped abruptly and you snapped your gaze back to Oruf, but mercifully he had his eyes closed. 

"That was beautiful." Ezra complimented, his voice seeming deliberately soft. Fahr inclined his head and then got to his feet, retrieving a small tray with two cups on it. 

Ezra perked up visibly, accepting his cup with a nod of thanks. When you received yours though, you felt a bit queasy. The contents looked a little more...viscous than you would have anticipated. 

Ezra sipped from his tumbler far more cautiously than he had imbibed the coffee in the pod. "Juice." He informed you helpfully, no doubt noticing your less-than-thrilled expression. "S'good for you, cleanses the dust."

Another coughing fit rattled his chest and you wondered fearfully just how much dust was in your lungs. The so-called 'juice' felt like an oil slick in your mouth, slimy and wrong, but you gulped it down anyway.

"Thank you for your kindness." Ezra said hoarsely to Oruf as Fahr vanished behind the curtain to the tent's side room. "Now, as you can see, I have sustained a trauma to my shoulder and would much like to flush it with your magic juice." He paused, "and to keep straight, we would also be very interested in proper dressin' and uh, filter refreshers if you have them and can spare them." Ezra tapped the filter that hung slack from his purifier assembly. "In return for your gracious offering, we are prepared to compensate with generosity in equal measure." 

He indicated at the heavy pack you had left beside the tent doorway, filled to the brim with everything and anything from the pod that you hadn't needed (and a few things that you could justify living without).

The young boy emerged from the curtained-off room once again, this time toting a large canister of liquid and a tray of small boxes, balanced on top of one of those all-too-familiar white cases. Fahr carefully laid the items out on the ground in front of you and Ezra, then retreated to sit down beside Oruf. "Here is our offer." The Sader patriarch announced calmly.

Despite the proclaimed direness of his infected wound, you didn't miss the way Ezra skipped over everything that might have been remotely beneficial to him to head straight for the white case. Old habits die hard, you supposed. He shakily flipped up the latches and cracked the lid.

Nine healthy-sized aurelac gems were nestled in the protective foam, all clear shells and amber pearls. 

"I'm sorry, I don't understand." Ezra said slowly, a tentative smile quirking his mouth as he glanced up at Oruf. 

"For your woman." Oruf elaborated from across the tent, gesturing down at the white case and then to you. 

The breath stuttered in your lungs. You could have sworn your very heartbeat stopped. Silence reigned in the cramped space as you stared at the Sader man. 

For your woman. 

He was bargaining with Ezra, offering all those supplies and aurelac, for you. You abruptly wanted to puke. In that moment, you wished desperately that you hadn't obeyed them when they demanded you and Ezra to leave your throwers far from their little village.

Ezra appeared just as stunned as you were, finally croaking out, "that is...that is a bold offer."

"It has been determined, but you cannot see because aurelac fills your eyes. It is inevitable all the same, that they will be reborn just like me." The Sader man leaned forward intently. "That is the reason why you were brought here. Not the aurelac."

"What…" Ezra swallowed hard, his voice grating roughly. "W-What do you need her for?"

"We lost our mother." Dread flooded your body anew as Oruf waved a hand towards the woman on the floor. Not sleeping, but dead, you realized. "And the rush past, it is time to rebuild." 

You were absolutely going to be sick. The juice in your stomach writhed queasily, threatening to make a reappearance. They wanted you...as a mother? 

"The Currents have felt our loss, and have pulled you here to reclaim the balance." The man continued relentlessly.

You shot Ezra a panicked look and noted with despair how dark his expression was. He worked his jaw unconsciously, popping it over and over. He was seriously considering this offer, you could see it plain as day on his face. After all, what were you to him? 

You were nothing, just like you had been to Damon. A convenient floater. Freighter scum. And to this man, trapped here for far too long, you were his ticket off the Green.

Hours upon hours spent docked in the clutches of various freighters merged together into a mangled, horrifying mass, each instance worse than the last as you tried futilely to shove them all back down.

"You're a floater, who the fuck would even care?" Damon hissed, unstrapping his flight suit and gesturing downwards with one sharp jut of his wrist. "I picked you up for one fucking reason, you understand?" 

You were going to be sick.

"Scream all you want, no one can hear you. This pussy is mine."

"No one else would help you. I'm the only one. Don't fucking forget that."

You pressed a hand to your mouth and bolted out the flap of the tent, barely remembering to shove your helmet back on as you went. They want a mother. 

No no no no no!

You knew in the back of your mind that it was foolish of you to run off on your own, but the idea of sitting there calmly while Ezra meted out your bodily worth in chunks of aurelac was impossible to consider. 

You heard footsteps pursuing you and as you turned your head to look, your boot caught on a small hummock. You fell to the ground hard, quickly rolling over onto your back before Fahr lunged to land on top of you. The boy held a large, curved knife to your throat but then he paused, glancing backwards. 

You could hear shouting from the tent. You quickly reached up while the child was distracted, tearing free his filter tube and then shoving him off your body. Free once more, you took off pell-mell back into the jungleous expanse. 

Damon's voice echoed in your ears as you fled to where the throwers were hidden.

"You're a floater, who the fuck would even care?"

Part Three

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5. Everflow

Everflow is an all-in-one platform for managing affiliates, influencers, and strategic relationships, designed specifically for marketers.

Everflow, which is based on the Google Cloud Platform, gives you real-time access to all of your data for marketing choices, comparisons, and in-depth research.

Key Features:

Live data in the form of graphs and reports

Advanced notification system

Advanced media buying tools

6. CAKE

CAKE is another affiliate marketing monitoring system that allows you to track, manage, and optimize your partner programs for maximum results.

CAKE offers precise measurement, data security, and excellent customer service for more than 500 advertisers, networks, and publishers in more than 50 countries.

CAKE uses unique targeting factors such as location, device, browser, traffic limits, and redirects for real-time monetization of traffic in addition to delivering real-time statistics.

With just a glance at the dashboard, you can assess your network’s overall performance and manage contacts using detailed data points to ensure proper attribution.

Key Features:

Pixel management

Fraud protection

Real-time metrics

7. AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is a simple, dependable WordPress plugin that provides you all the affiliate marketing tools you need to efficiently build your business.

Your affiliate program will be up and operating in minutes thanks to AffiliateWP’s WordPress plugin.

You’re ready to begin once you’ve installed and activated the software. AffiliateWP works seamlessly with popular WordPress eCommerce and membership plugins, making tracking affiliates and sales simple.

Key Feature

Easy setup

Affiliate coupon tracking

Integrations

8. HitPath

HitPath is a multichannel tracking tool that helps companies to accurately attribute and assess consumer engagements across all touchpoints of their marketing activities.

Affiliate networks, advertisers, and agencies can utilize HitPath, with each dashboard adapting to the needs of the individual user and reporting appropriately.

HitPath is a complete affiliate marketing monitoring software platform with features such as campaign administration, communication tools, accounting tools, affiliate management, and more.

Key Features:

Real-time campaign tracking,

Pixel management

Accounting module

9. AffTrack

Afftrack, which has been used by a number of large affiliate networks since 2009, is one of the few enterprise affiliate marketing platforms that allows for infinite clicks.

Afftrack offers the option to connect through API integrations or utilize your portal for reporting, in addition to the standard tracking and reporting functions.

Proxy and fraud detection, real-time analytics, brandable interfaces, postback and redirect logs, geo and device targeting, client-side and cookieless tracking, and more are some of its standout features.

Key Features:

Quick support

API access

Offer targeting

10. Tune

Tune is one of the most adaptable SaaS solutions for managing mobile and online marketing relationships.

Payout rules that are simple to apply, proactive fraud detection, and marketing performance automation tools can assist to simplify workflows and eliminate human chores.

Overall, Tune serves as a single repository for all of your marketing activities by bringing all of your marketing partners, networks, channels, and campaigns together in one location.

Key Features:

Cookieless postback tracking

Event logging

API-driven data sharing

Conclusion:

Every tool on this list contributes something unique to the table. A smart approach to go about it is to give each one a week to check whether it meets your requirements precisely.

Affiliate marketing can be a very profitable method to increase product sales or generate money, and a solid affiliate marketing monitoring software will assist you in doing so more efficiently!

[ahtohvllan]

[ george mackay, cis male, twenty-six ] Let’s give a warm welcome to one of Sparkwood’s finest, HANS WESTERGAARD !! Before coming here, he once lived on the pages of FROZEN. Though now they currently spend most of their time as an HEIR & CEO. If you ask the townsfolk about what they are like, you will hear that they are CHARMING but also DECEPTIVE. If they had a theme song it would be THRONE - ANDREW LAMBROU.

full name: hans westergaard

nicknames: none

age: twenty-six

gender: cis male

pronouns: he/him

sexuality: bisexual

STANDING OUT IN a family of thirteen is a nearly impossible accomplishment, but it didn’t stop hans from trying. he was born into a traditional family in the heart of norway as the baby of the family. both of his parents had their hands full and rarely had the time to spend taking care of their thirteen sons, often viewing their children as accessories rather than living breathing individuals. because their parents’ affection was few and far between, the brothers would often turn earning praise into a competition. even though it was something so simple, the attitude between the brothers was cut-throat. you would think the neglect would only make the brothers grow closer together, but it had the exact opposite effect.

surviving in his household was not something hans viewed as easy, especially since he was a rather sensitive child from birth. he didn’t have the heart or spirit that was necessary to claw his way to the top. due to this fact, his older brothers often viewed hans as the weak link in the family and purposefully targetted him. hans was essentially a human punching bag for his siblings, unable to do or say anything against them considering his yearning to be accepted and included. but the abuse on the behalf of his brothers only increased with age, three of his brothers going as far to pretend he didn’t exist for a whole year. these years of torment wore hans down and took a mental toll on him, causing the sweet boy he once was to vanish and be replaced with a bitter angry young man. that’s when he started crafting a plan of revenge, to prove that he was above all of his brothers and reach a new state of glory that they never have before.

luckily, his years of working hard in school had paid off as he decided to attend college in america. after a few years at an ivy league business school, he created a company of his own that quickly took off. he wasn’t expecting his business to skyrocket as quickly as it had, but he knew that he had reached a level of success by the unamused looks on the faces of his brother. but he still wasn’t satisfied, he wanted to make them suffer as much as they had made him suffer as a child. with a massive payout from a massive merger with his company, he ended up deciding to settle down in a small town that granted him easy access to his most popular branches. but what he is truly searching for is someone to show him the love that his family never taught him, to melt his frozen heart.