#for context the way an equipment drone works is that you give it your equipment and then it automatically uses it for you

[chongoblog]

thank you equipment drone thats exactly what i wanted

[petrichorsinestra]

Risk of Rain 2 is a third-person shooter (justifiably a looter-shooter, just not sure if that's entirely appropriate in this context) roguelike about attempting to escape an alien planet "Petrichor V" that you've crash landed on after receiving a distress signal from... somewhere on it. I'm little foggy on the details- it's been years since I watched the intro cutscene. You kill monsters to get gold (current-run-only currency) and possibly Lunar Coins (permanent currency). Good is used to open chests, which gives you a random item, or repair drones, which aid you in your quest to escape. You can't (usually) pick and choose what items you get, but there are ways to manipulate your items after you've acquired some and settled on a build. Lunar Coins can be spent at the Bazaar Between Time to get Lunar Items, which have absolutely off-the-wall effects but also usually harm you in some way. (I.e there's an item that doubles your damage but permanently halves your health). These items can also occasionally be found in Lunar Pods on the Petrichor V's surface. Now you know about Risk of Rain 2 aka Danger of Downpour Dos aka Imperilment of Inundation II.

Personal story below - about the game, but not an explanation.

Possibly the funniest build I've ever seen is Railgunner with as much fire rate and as many on-hit effects as you can get, so instead of aiming, you just let her (auto-tracking, mind you) primary fire (aka NOT the railgun) do all the work and things just fall before you while you hold the fire button. Very fun. Only real issue is if enemies get fast enough, the auto-tracking can't keep up and will miss, but that's when you use Equipment or chaining effects and suddenly everything is dying whether or not it's in range.

I swear to god, nerdy trans women have my whole heart and soul. Yes, baby, tell me more about this game I've never played and might not ever play, show me the things that make you happy.

[realestatevideography]

Elevate Your Listing Stunning Aerial Views of Property Name

In today’s competitive real estate market, it’s essential to showcase properties in the best light possible. One of the most effective ways to do this is through real estate drone photography near me. Utilizing drone technology provides a unique perspective that traditional photography simply cannot achieve. Whether you’re looking to sell a sprawling estate or a cozy urban apartment, incorporating aerial views can significantly enhance your listing’s appeal.

The Power of Aerial Imagery

UAV real estate photography has revolutionized the way properties are marketed. Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras can capture stunning overhead shots, providing potential buyers with a comprehensive view of the property and its surroundings. Imagine a breathtaking aerial shot that highlights not only the property itself but also its proximity to parks, schools, and other amenities. This kind of imagery creates a sense of place and helps buyers visualize their future lifestyle.

With real estate videography near me, you can take it a step further. Combining drone photography with videography allows you to create captivating walkthroughs and virtual tours. Potential buyers can get a feel for the layout and flow of the home while also appreciating its exterior and landscape. This multi-dimensional approach not only elevates your listing but also keeps potential buyers engaged.

Benefits of Using Drone Photography

Enhanced Visual Appeal: Aerial views make properties stand out in listings. They provide a unique perspective that captures the full essence of the property, making it more memorable.

Comprehensive Context: Drone photography allows you to show off not just the property, but also its surroundings. This context is invaluable for buyers who are considering the neighborhood and nearby amenities.

Highlighting Unique Features: Many properties have unique features that can be best showcased from the air, such as large yards, swimming pools, or beautiful landscaping. Real estate drone photography near me can help highlight these aspects effectively.

Improved Marketing Reach: High-quality aerial photos and videos can be shared across various platforms, increasing your listing’s visibility. Engaging visuals tend to attract more views and can lead to quicker sales.

Choosing the Right Professional

When searching for real estate videography near me, it’s crucial to select a professional with experience in drone photography. Look for services that specialize in UAV real estate photography and have a portfolio that demonstrates their expertise. Check reviews and testimonials to ensure that you’re working with a reputable company that understands the nuances of real estate marketing.

A skilled drone operator will not only capture stunning images but also know how to frame shots that best highlight the property. They should be familiar with local regulations regarding drone usage and ensure all safety protocols are followed. This professionalism will give you peace of mind and guarantee high-quality results.

Tips for Effective Aerial Photography

To maximize the impact of your drone photography, consider the following tips:

Choose the Right Time: Lighting is key in photography. Early mornings or late afternoons often provide the best natural light for capturing stunning aerial shots.

Highlight Key Features: Before the shoot, discuss with your photographer which aspects of the property you want to emphasize. This could be the roof design, outdoor living spaces, or the expansive yard.

Include Surroundings: Make sure the photographer captures not just the property but also its surroundings, such as nearby parks, schools, and community amenities. This context can be compelling for potential buyers.

Combine with Traditional Photography: While drone photography is impressive, traditional ground-level shots are still essential. Combining both techniques provides a complete view of the property.

Conclusion

Incorporating real estate drone photography near me into your marketing strategy is a smart move in today’s digital age. The stunning aerial views can elevate your listing and attract more potential buyers. By showcasing properties from a unique perspective, you not only enhance their appeal but also create a compelling visual narrative that buyers will remember. So, consider investing in UAV real estate photography and watch your listings soar to new heights!

[mavdrones]

How Do Drones Avoid Obstacles?

Drones have come a long way in tech evolution. Once upon a time, flying them meant crossing your fingers and hoping they wouldn’t crash into a tree, right? Thankfully, that’s a problem of the past. Modern drones are equipped with advanced tech that allows them to navigate like pros. Let’s dive into how modern drones manage to avoid obstacles with such finesse!

1. Obstacle Sensors: The Drone's Eyes

Think of obstacle sensors as the eyes of your drone. These sensors detect objects in the drone’s path and send that info to its onboard computer. The most common sensor types include ultrasonic, infrared, and vision sensors. Ultrasonic Sensors work by emitting sound waves. When those waves hit an object, they bounce back, helping the drone figure out how far away it is. Infrared Sensors use infrared light to detect objects, often in close range. Vision Sensors are like mini cameras. They capture images of the surroundings, helping the drone create a visual map of the environment. By using these sensors, drones can avoid bumping into walls, trees, or anything else that might be in the way.

2. Advanced Algorithms: The Brainpower Behind The Flight

While the sensors are the "eyes" of the drone, the algorithms are the "brain." When the sensors detect an obstacle, algorithms quickly kick in to calculate the best route to avoid it. These algorithms are sophisticated enough to predict an object’s movement and adjust the drone’s flight path accordingly. For example, if a drone spots a tree branch in its way, it doesn’t just stop. It finds a new, safe route around the obstacle and continues its journey smoothly. It's like having a tiny GPS in the sky, recalculating the best path.

3. GPS And Mapping Systems: Stay On The Safe Path

Speaking of GPS, modern drones use it to fly pre-planned routes. This comes in super handy when you’re using the drone for tasks like surveying, delivering goods, or even capturing cinematic shots. When combined with real-time mapping, drones can adjust their flight paths to avoid obstacles they detect mid-flight. Some drones also come with "geo-fencing," a feature that creates virtual boundaries around areas the drone should avoid, like buildings or no-fly zones. If the drone approaches one of these zones, it automatically redirects itself, staying in the safe zone.

4. AI-Powered Navigation: Smarter Than Ever

Artificial intelligence (AI) has given drones an IQ boost. Modern drones use AI to learn and adapt to their surroundings. They can recognize specific types of obstacles and choose the best avoidance strategy. For example, AI can differentiate between a person walking across the path and a stationary object like a tree. This allows the drone to make smarter decisions based on the context. AI is a game-changer, especially in complex environments.

5. The Human Element: You Can Still Steer!

While drones have advanced obstacle avoidance systems, the pilot (you!) still plays a role. Many drones let you take over in tricky situations, giving you control if the automated system doesn’t react fast enough. However, the combo of obstacle sensing tech and pilot control gives you a nearly foolproof flying experience. It’s like having a co-pilot that watches out for bumps while you enjoy the view.

Why The DJI MINI 4 PRO WITH FLY MORE COMBO PLUS Is Your Best Bet

If you’re looking for a drone that takes obstacle avoidance to the next level, the DJI MINI 4 PRO WITH FLY MORE COMBO PLUS is the perfect pick. This little powerhouse comes packed with features, making flying safe and enjoyable. It has 360-degree obstacle sensing, meaning it detects obstacles in all directions. Whether you're flying through a forest or navigating tight spaces, this drone has your back! Not only does the MINI 4 PRO avoid obstacles like a pro, but it also delivers top-notch video quality and is super portable.

Final Thoughts

Obstacle avoidance is one of the coolest advancements in drone tech. With the right sensors, algorithms, and AI, drones can easily navigate around obstacles, keeping your flights smooth and crash-free. And if you're looking for the best drone for the job, the DJI MINI 4 PRO WITH FLY MORE COMBO PLUS from Mavdrones is the one to opt for. With 360-degree obstacle sensing, you’re in for a safe and fun ride every time!

[margarethx]

The Sambucky fandom spends a lot of time and energy on calling out writers for using problematic, often straight up racist, tropes in their fics. And rightfully so, because some of said tropes are not only unplesant to read for many readers, but also harmful if they help to perpetuate some awful stereotypes. That being said... I feel like we need to show the other side of the spectrum more often and sometimes focus on people who don’t make these mistakes.

----- ------- -----

So here is my personal THANK YOU! to all the writers who have never used these offensive stereotypes in their Sambucky fanfiction and who:

1. Give as much attention to Sam’s side of the story as they give to Bucky’s and do not focus solely on Bucky’s emotions about their developing relationship when it’s a mixed POV.

2. Acknowledge Sam’s trauma and all the loss he experienced in the past (not only in the context where his pain is used to help him better connect with another person who’s hurting).

3. Show other characters (Bucky or not) helping Sam go through his more diffucult moments (bad days, nightmares, painful flashbacks).

4. Show Sam having these more difficult moments.

5. Don’t act like Bucky’s traumatic past is enough of an excuse for his unpleasant behaviour towards Sam. (E.g. they don’t write a story where Sam forgives Bucky every mean, ignorant comment without thinking, just because Bucky’s sad.)

6. Show Sam experiencing variety of emotions - not just frustration and adoration towards Bucky. Show him being sad, happy, disappointed, confused, hopeful, dejected, relieved, terrified, confident etc.

7. Show Sam being the more vulnerable one in the relationship (in general or just in cerain situations)

8. Write scenes where Sam is shy or a little awkward (about his relationship with Bucky or about something else). Also write him being insecure sometimes.

9. Write just as much about Sam’s appearance as they do about Bucky’s. (Both as a narrator and through a character’s compliments or thoughts.)

10. Mention how beautiful Sam’s eyes are... especially if there is more than one line about them. (Plus mention their colour like... at all.)

11. Describe Sam’s appearance focusing on something outside of his smile or muscles. (Not that these are not nice, but there are other things to compliment and they’re hardly ever pointed out.) (Very much including hair or skincolour.)

12. Write Sam making mistakes, but not in a way that insinuates that he’s stupid or incompetent, but in a way that shows he’s a normal person who can sometimes be wrong and own up to it. (Unless he’s the only person in the story who always messes up...)

13. Show Sam being very competent. And show Bucky appreciating Sam’s competence, skills, and knowledge in various fields. (Also write Sam being a badass.)

14. Write about Sam’s background in pararescue, his medical training, skills in combat, flexibility, speed, ability to fly, ability to fix his advanced equipment, strenght, the fact that he’s pretty stealthy etc...

15. Write about the importance of Sam’s relationship with Steve even when Steve’s past connection to Bucky is not relevant to the story at any point.

16. Write Bucky being openly grateful for all the things that Sam did for him and write Bucky helping Sam back even when Sam didn’t specifically ask, because they genuinely care about each other.

17. Write about Sam’s past as a therapist not in the context of him helping Bucky get better, but because it’s relevant to the story and it’s something he has a lot of experience with. Or simply because it’s a significant part of his previous life journey.

18. Show Sam being frustrated or angry without falling into bad stereotypes. And show why his anger was justified and he had the right to react like that, because he doesn’t have to be polite and dyplomatic about everything if other people (Bucky very much included) don’t act respectful towards him in the first place.

19. Acknowledge that Sam is AJ and Cass’s actual uncle. The kids might like Bucky, but they’ve known and loved Sam for way longer... and I rarely see that mentioned.

20. Write about Sam’s past romantic relationships without focusing only on Bucky being jealous about them.

21. Show Sam’s interactions with other characters - not just in a romantic context, but also in terms of friendships (MCU Natasha was closer to Sam than Bucky and fics rarely talk about that), professional cooperation, rivalry and so on.

22. Mention the social commentary brought up in tfatws without brushing it to the side or downplaying the importance of Sam’s race in the formation of his character and storyline.

23. Acknowledge that Sam is human and his body is not enhanced in any way... without making it sound like he’s too weak to do the job.

24. But also... write about Bucky using his super strenght to carry Sam around and to pick him up all the time (for whatever reason), because it’s cute. Sue me.

25. Point out that Sam is slightly shorter than Bucky without always making Sam weirdly insecure about it.

26. Write Sam as Bucky’s first choice... not a second option he picked for the lack of a better candidate for a boyfriend.

27. Understand that Sam has a life outside of Bucky even if their friendship and romantic relationship are obviously very important for him.

28. Write Bucky touching Sam in reassuring, delicate ways. (Holding his hands,  cupping his face, touching his hair, kissing the tip of his nose.)

29. Let Sam make harmless jokes, be charming, and be actually a nice person even when he’s not actively helping anyone. Just let him have a complex, but pleasant personality.

30. Let him be sarcastic without making him mean.

31. Add Figaro (Sam’s cat) to the stories about pets. Or show Sam’s emotional attachment to Redwing, even when it’s still a drone, not a bird.

32. Don’t forget that Riley died. And Sam’s parents died. And his close friends died. And other close friend left him without saying goodbye... etc. (Also don’t forget he himself died at one point...)

33. Mention and discuss Sam’s sexuality and romantic orientation (both in the tags to the story and in the actual text). ...I feel like it’s often unspecified for no reason while Bucky’s identity is clear from the start.

34. Give Sam little hobbys and interests that are unrelated to his work or his ability to make other people’s lives better.

35. Write about Sam’s fears and doubts while not forgetting he’s generally a very brave, mostly confident person.

36. Make the audience feel like Sam is a necessary part of the story. Not just a character added hastily at the end of writing just so the author can tag his name, because the ship he’s a part of is currently more popular than before and showind him at last minute will attract some readers to click.

and... 37. Do the things mentioned above in all of their Sambucky stories and use more than one of these ideas at a time.

----- ------- -----

To people who wrote stories with these tropes... You guys are doing a great job and I appreaciate your work a lot. It’s easy to focus on complaining, because the Sam/Bucky tag on Ao3 was always kind of a mess, but my day genuinely gets better every time I find one of your stories. So thank you again and keep it up :>

(Side note: if you have any recommendations for fics that use the ideas I wrote in this post feel free to link them in the comments. Because the bar is hanging pretty low at this point and some authors still wouldn’t be able to cross a single point from my list if they examined their - allegendly - “Sambucky” stories... so we should promote the content that is actually good.)

[whetstonefires]

mcu ethics bad

The thing is that, while I was angry at Tony during Age of Ultron, particularly when he rode over Bruce’s compunctions about building a giant combat super-robot and pressured him into the project like a very very bad friend who happened to also be wrong...

...and when he equipped Hulkbuster armor and fought the Hulk in the middle of a city rather than attempting de-escalation or attempting to haul the Hulk out into the giant adjacent desert....

(And my suspension of disbelief snapped like a frayed cable when he brought down a skyscraper that had had no time to be evacuated on a street full of fleeing people and the only reason we were given to believe he hadn’t just cold-bloodedly created massive civilian casualties was that he told his AI to find the impossible magic angle where doing this wouldn’t kill anyone...)

While I was angry with him then, and unspeakably relieved that he recognized his own damage and retired at the end, haha psych, I was revolted by him during Civil War.

It’s supposed to make us sympathize with a character more, spending so much time with them, getting into their heads, being shown their emotional drives and reactions to things, and we spent so much time with Tony during that film, understanding his point of view. And...I did understand him. He’s not complicated. I even sympathized with his emotional state.

But in the context of his actions, throughout the film, I gazed into that understanding the way I did into Kylo Ren’s face in the seconds after he first unmasked. I see you, I know you, everything you are is written here, and the lines of your shame and self-revulsion are so thick upon you, and you should be ashamed but your self-destruction does not expiate or justify one jot of the harm you do.

Because everything Tony did in Civil War came from a place of selfishness. He was selfish all throughout that movie down to his very spine.

And selfishness isn’t itself necessarily bad--you need a little, to get through life, you have the right to your own portion of it. Your boundaries and your needs. But the type of selfishness that is forcing other people pay dearly for your emotional comfort and sense of control: no.

That is tyranny. That is not acceptable.

And you know how I know he was being selfish? Because his motive for pushing the Sokovia Accords was his personal guilt for the destruction of Sokovia.

But the Accords didn’t address that at all! They were tangential to the issue! None of the terms of the Accords would have saved Sokovia--in fact, the existence of them could easily have prevented the evacuation and harm-reduction the Avengers managed there, without saving a single soul.

The Ultron crisis was something Tony did, not as Iron Man but as Tony Stark, with Bruce Banner’s help, and which Wanda as criminal fugitive later helped exacerbate, and which all the other Avengers were involved in only to mitigate harm.

Legislation, or...treaties, idk, the UN isn’t actually empowered to pass laws so who knows what this thing was...aimed at preventing another Sokovia would mandate constant ethical oversight of billionaire science man’s mad science. At the very least! He never has to run things by ethics boards because he’s self-funded, at the very least let’s invent a mechanism to make up for that.

That would address the actual Sokovia issue, both in terms of risks and in terms of Tony’s personal guilt feelings.

But no one suggests that! It’s not even on the table! Because no one, certainly not any government, can tell Tony Stark what to do unless he lets them, that’s been a clear matter of record since Iron Man 2.

And because no one writing this legal instrument of whatever description was actually motivated by wanting to avoid another Sokovia, or even another ‘Wanda tries to neutralize a suicide bomber but merely gives him a different, smaller victim pool’ incident.

They didn’t care! They blatantly didn’t care! The entire thing was a ghoulish use of the dead to gain enough political leverage over the Avengers to put a leash on them!

(Which might not be a bad thing in principle, everything needs its checks, but when the last quasi-governmental organization you worked for turned out to be Nazis who were only prevented from staging a mass slaughter of undesireables by the skin of your teeth, I think you’re well within your rights to be very choosy about who you agree to obey, and to be firmly against pledging your honor to follow people whose first move was dishonest coercive tactics.

Actually you’re well within your rights to demand to negotiate the terms of even a much less sweeping contract, even without the Nazis. The whole approach to this thing stank to high heaven.

The fact that it was written by the UN like a treaty, expected to be signed by private individuals like a contract, and then enforced like a law except not because 1) laws are for everyone 2) if you break a law you get a trial not extrajudicial incarceration and 3) being pressured to consent to a restriction and then punished for refusing consent is hypocritical circular logic and in fact police corruption at its finest, all continues to show it was a bullshit nonsense franken-document.)

The whole movie is people ghoulishly using the dead to manipulate Tony into making bad decisions in response to his emotional pain. That’s. The plot of the film.

Then Zemo staged T’Chaka’s assassination and framed Bucky for it to raise the tension, ramp up the pressure, and prevent any sitting-down and talking reasonably through this, which might have allowed for the recognition of how extremely bullshit the entire concept was.

Tony was being used. Tony was a tool of bad people for most of that movie, and while Zemo banked on using his wrath for it, the politicos were leaning on his guilt.

And there’s honestly little I hold in deeper scorn than going out and hurting other people to assuage your own guilt and treating this as having the moral high ground. No. You don’t have the moral high ground on account of your guilt motivation. You have it if the actions you took were just, or at least could reasonably be assumed to have been so at the time.

And Tony fucking knew they weren’t. He didn’t even last to the end of the movie before recognizing that he’d been manipulated and fucked up, and doubling back.

That he then walked into a different manipulation, turned on a dime, and had to be stopped from doing a murder doesn’t unwrite that.

And it drives me nuts that people will say Tony was acting out of principle while Steve was acting out of personal attachment. Because sure, the Bucky thing was important, was the reason he was walking forward against all opposition instead of standing still to argue, but it wasn’t the reason Steve said no, while...

Tony wasn’t acting out of principle. Tony isn’t...very good at having principles. That’s not even a criticism or condemnation, it’s just how he functions. Since Iron Man he’s been substituting good intentions and emotional investment, which has worked out to varying degrees. It works best for huge, difficult, very straightforward decisions like ‘ride the nuke through the portal and save my hometown.’ It works less well for nuanced situations.

Tony was, as usual, acting out of emotion. And some awful shitheads who’d figured out where his levers were had calculated how to jiggle his emotion switches in the right places to make him do exactly what they wanted.

And you can tell he wasn’t acting out of principle because, for example, someone who was trying to get the superhero community under outside control for the sake of harm mitigation...

...well, firstly wouldn’t have chosen to stage a massive battle? But it’s possible someone in the UN specifically told him to do that, and in theory they at the very least signed off on it, presumably for its PR value of making Captain America look deranged and violent since it’s a deranged decision from every other angle, so yay, he can pass that responsibility up the chain and not have to angst about it, as promised.

But I was going to say would not have approached a minor who (this timeline takes pains to show us) had no prior experience of battle or even, somehow, serious violent crime, to recruit him to go be a government child soldier on another continent, without his guardian’s knowledge or consent. There were overtones of blackmail in Tony’s approach, before it turned out Peter was such a big fan he didn’t need that. What the fuck frankly.

That is not the action of someone who wants to start doing things by the letter, scaling the violence down, keeping within the law and putting the power of decisionmaking in other people’s hands because he’s realized he can’t trust his own.

And frankly even if he did act like that I wouldn’t necessarily support his choices, in particular his snap decision to behave coercively toward other Avengers with vastly less social power and security than he has.

And that’s the other thing! Everything about ‘Tony + Accords BFFs’ rings so hollow because he has never thought rules applied to him, and he knows perfectly well the entire time he’s fighting to force this surrender of agency down other people’s throats that he is going to be practically immune.

This man was technically a terrorist, proabably the most prolific single terrorist in world history until his rogue android exceeded his body count, but he was immune to prosecution because he was in tight with the United States military-industrial complex and basically untouchable due to his status within capitalism, and pursuing their international goals anyway. In the time between Iron Man and Iron Man II he was basically a one-man upgrade of the US drone program, and so good at it that the crest of blood he carved through the Middle East allowed him to announce he had ‘privatized world peace.’

(You are never going to get a world peace worth anything on the basis of a giant flying gun, okay.)

He went to war as a private individual, against non-state actors who were not directly threatening him, which is very much defined as ‘mass murder’ in all domestic and international law, and the US army in response sued him for control of his weapon. And lost! Lost.

No one attempted to press charges. No one. Because Tony Stark is above all that. And he knows it.

And like. I’m willing to accept the mass murder under the heading of ‘superheroing’ within the terms of this setting! Even if, after his vengeance rampage on his specific kidnappers, this violence was kept strictly off-screen for a reason. I did that! I bent that far! Genre convention!

But this history is kind of vitally important to any analysis of what he thought he was doing, and what he actually was doing, when he decided to become the iron gauntlet of the Sokovia Accords.

The currently active member of the Avengers who needed muzzling most was very manifestly Iron Man, and he knew even as he jammed the muzzle on all his comrades to make himself feel better that it would affect him the least, even if he didn’t finally retire for real this time. You don’t force Tony Stark. Not if you want anything out of it but blown up. You persuade him.

And once you have...oh, look at what he can do.

[sellyoursoulforagoodfic]

The “Rescue”

Slade Wilson x reader

Summary: Arkham Knight era, the boy needs a hand after he gets caught

Word Count: 1830

If someone had asked that morning how he thought this whole “attack Gotham on Halloween” thing was going to go, Slade probably would have said literally anything other than the way it actually had gone. Months of careful planning somehow ended with him sitting in a cell at the police station with every crazed idiot that plagued the cesspool they called a city. The man poorly singing opera in the middle of said cell especially grated on his already frayed nerves.

It hadn’t helped that all of those irritating criminals had gotten especially antsy about ten minutes prior when damn near every cop in the precinct rushed out with whispers of something happening at Wayne Manor on their lips. Slade could only hope the Knight made it out okay. But it didn’t matter, not much he could do to help the kid until after he got himself out of here. An annoying task in and of itself considering that his gear had been confiscated upon arrival; he was lucky no one had had the balls to try and take his mask. So he chose to bide his time, head leaned back against the bars as he sat on the ground and tried to ignore the other prisoners around him.

The phrase ‘Time is an illusion’ came to mind while Slade sat waiting for something to happen, something that would give him the chance to escape. Cops weren’t back yet, so it hadn’t been too long. Still, he was getting antsy, eager to leave the company of Gotham’s Craziest. Though, he wasn’t so eager that he was happy when the power suddenly cut out. Predictably, there was a sudden hush among the prisoners before the chatter returned twofold.

This can’t be good.

“You look like shit, Wilson.”

His eyes slid closed and he sighed, automatically recognizing that voice. He’d better after all the times and contexts in which he’d heard it.

“He’s wearing a mask!” Cobblepot argued. “How the hell can she know that?”

“Shut up!” Dent snarled. “You fucking idiot. Do you not recognize her mask? She’s almost as bad as him!”

Ignoring them, Slade turned to look at her. Sure enough, her mask (one much like the Knight’s) was blocking whatever facial expression she had, but her body language spoke volumes about her attitude. The outfit she was wearing fit poorly; something she’d stolen from a militia member to blend in most likely. “Why are you here?”

You crossed your arms, weight falling to one hip. There was a little time to spare before the skeleton police crew came to check on this particular group of criminals. “A mutual friend of ours asked me to make sure you made it out of town.”

“I don’t need your help, Y/N.”

“Like it or not, you’ve got it. The Bat’s dead; his manor blew sky high with him in it.”

That sent a wave of murmurs through everyone that was openly listening to the two of them argue.

The crowd was loud enough to cover the quiet, “Allegedly,” that was for Slade’s ears only. “So, do you want out of here or not?”

“Suppose I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” he grumbled, rising to his feet slowly.

“Who are you callin’ a horse, Wilson?” you challenged even as you pried the door open.

None of his cellmates were stupid enough to challenge Deathstroke as he exited the cell and closed the door behind him. “The woman that felt the need to break her ex-husband out of jail without even getting paid for it, Ms. Wilson.” It was always amusing to him, the fact that you never bothered to change your name back to what it was before. Well, it amused him about as much as it hurt him.

“Well, everybody always says I have shit judgement, so I figured I’d say ‘fuck it’ and lean into it this time.”

It was only once both of them were in one of the militia’s armored transports that Slade started to relax the slightest bit, and even then it was in no small part due to the fact that you’d handed him a duffel full of his gear. Apparently you’d made a pit-stop by the evidence lockup before grabbing him.

“So the Knight sent you?” he asked as she drove, the vehicle headed out of the city. He wasn’t leaving your presence anytime soon as far as he could tell, so he might as well make nice in the meantime.

You nodded, eyes remaining carefully trained on the road. Looking at him . . . well, it was never a good idea for you. “He messaged me as soon as things went sideways with the Bat. Took me a few hours to get here.”

“Little shit had no faith that I’d get the job done?”

A smirk tugged at your lips. “You don’t exactly have a winning track record going against Batman alone, and your thugs--trained or not--stood no chance. Don’t get mad at him though; he was worried about you.”

“And you’d do anything for him.”

You nodded, and out of the corner of your eye you saw him echo the gesture. It was against your better judgement, but you couldn’t stop the admission from sliding from your lips as easily as curses normally did. “And for you.”

Every muscle in Slade’s body froze at that; for once he had no idea what to say. “Y/N. . .” 

You just sighed.

There was a reason for your relationship in the first place, after all, as well as your divorce. The love you two had was a dangerous one; there were no lengths one of you wouldn’t go to if it meant saving the other. The only people that could claim something similar from Slade were his children, and that was only after you helped them reconcile. And the love you shared had never faded. In fact, the problem was the exact opposite. You two had hated to be apart, hated that your separate contracts often made you go weeks without seeing the other, and more importantly each of your enemies started going after the other in an endless search for weaknesses. For Slade it was no problem. For you . . . Let’s just say it was a shame that you didn’t have his enhancements.

So the two of you staged a massive fight and ended it between you. That was ten years ago, and not a day went by that you didn’t wish things were different.

When you glanced over, you saw that he’d removed his mask, and yeah looking at him was never a great idea for you. Confirmed. It only reminded you how much you loved him. And the fact that he was still handsome even years after all the years since he was the young brunet mercenary you met so long ago.

Slade found himself in a similar situation over in the passenger seat. As much as his first wife taught him he was bad at the whole feelings thing, you taught him that he could be more than that. His cold heart gave a solid thud at the sight of you removing your own mask with the smooth familiarity of someone who’d done it a thousand times and carelessly tossing the marvel of mechanical headwear into the back seat. You’d gained some wrinkles over the years you’d spent away from him as well as some grey hairs, but you were still stunning. Maybe it was a good thing you never took it off around him while the two of you were working with the militia down in Venezuela . . . 

“I thought we agreed . . .” he muttered, normal confidence put aside for honesty just like it always was when talking to you.

“Do you remember what it was like back then?”

“When?”

“That trip when we stayed in that backwater beach house in South America.”

A smile tugged at his lips. “Second honeymoon. Rose wanted to kill us for getting her to dogsit.”

You nodded, fingers flexing on the steering wheel as you fought the urge to reach over and touch him. “She agreed, and I paid her.”

“It was a wolfhound you trained to help you on jobs; it was a beast.”

“Rover was a good boy, and you loved him.”

“You knew she couldn’t say no to you.”

“Okay, that I can’t argue.”

There was a moment of amused silence where Slade simply enjoyed your company for a moment. But all good things in his life had to end, so, “Why do you bring it up?”

You hesitated, face nervous, a rare thing when you were talking to him even after the divorce. “I miss it.” Even someone as emotionally stunted as Slade Wilson could hear the unsaid, “I miss you,” in your tone.

“Did something happen?”

You shook your head. “Been thinking about it for a while, actually. Ever since we started helping the Knight.”

It really had been a while, then, since Jason Todd hired both of you over a year ago to help gather and train his army. You buying and programming the drones and equipment as well as building the Knight’s mask in a style similar to your own, Slade training the people how to actually fight. Crossing paths had been both inevitable and painful.

“What you’re thinking . . . Y/N, it isn’t a good idea.”

Abruptly, you slammed on the brakes. Slade absolutely would have hit the windshield if his reflexes had been any slower and he hadn’t been able to brace himself in time. Your eyes were practically blazing when you turned to glare at him. “Slade Wilson, if you can look me in the eye right now and convince me that you don’t want the same thing, I’ll drop it and you’ll never see me again.”

The thing was he couldn’t do that. You knew how to hit him where it mattered, that was sure. Mentioning his kids (both of which still loved and looked up to you), that trip . . . Yeah . . . He wanted you around just as much as you wanted him around. God only knows why she wants me.

He sighed heavily. “If we do this, we’ll have to be partners. None of that working separately shit that got us in trouble before.”

“Lucky for us, we already know how each other works.”

Slade rolled his eyes, relaxing into his seat once more as you started driving again. “Why do I feel like the kid set this up?”

“Because he’s a manipulative little shit just like the rest of our kids except he has the Bat’s subtlety?” you offered ‘helpfully.’

Meaning that he has none? Slade chose to focus on that instead of the way a little thrum of pleasure passed through him at the way you talked about his children like they were your own; though, he supposed you were right to address Jason as one of them. Despite himself, he’d grown pretty damn fond of the little bird. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

[doomedandstoned]

Meeting Bomg, Doom-Drone Legends from Ukraine

~Interview by Billy Goate~

Doomed & Stoned continues our week of epic interviews with a long overdue conversation with the great Ukraine doom-drone band BOMG, who have been desamating stages and blowing out amps since 2010. During that time, Nikolay Temchenko (guitar), Yuriy Temchenko (bass), and Anton Khomenko (drums) have put out two mammoth LPs, an EP, and a split.

I first got turned on to BOMG's sound with the record 'Polynseed' (2013), which released the year that Doomed & Stoned was founded. I recommend starting there if this is your first exposure to the mighty trio from Kyiv.

Bomg have been gradually drifting in the direction of full-on drone metal, executed in their own authentic and compelling way, as we're about to discover as we drill into 'Peregrination' (2020) -- which we reviewed last year and Robustfellow has recently reissued.

Give ear...

You state that BOMG means “vagabond” on your Bandcamp page. Can you elaborate on how the name ties in with the band’s history and core identity?

It’s an abbreviation literally meaning “with no particular place of living”. Funny thing is that its’ meaning is degraded in common use (like “bum”), but when it was incepted (60s – 70s in USSR) those who were stigmatized by it were better off going elsewhere than being part of the regime, taking it as a positive. This became somewhat of a short-lived movement even. We think that despite being prone to misunderstanding in every way, it fits the overall vibe. Blessing and a curse. But frankly, the name is a secondary thing at best.

How would you describe your distinctive sound, to someone who has never encountered it before?

Basically, trying to elaborate and add to “Black Sabbath spaghettified” idea. We try to squeeze out any possible amount of low frequency, volume, distortion and effect saturation to the instruments, not necessarily designed for it. As of similarities and influences, it’s 60s-70s heavy psych, proto-metal and proto-punk, 80s - 90s continuation of it (doom metal, stoner/desert rock, sludge, drone doom), besides that – dub, ambient, prog rock, experimental music, field recordings and whatnot.

Peregrination by Bomg

Your new album 'Peregrination' is an explosive bombshell, massive in every respect. When was the concept for the album born?

The first track was almost ready in 2011, we played it at our first show. As of concept, it started to take shape somewhere in 2013-2014, most of the lyrics were written back then. Then it took years to “grow.” First, we tried to make it so each track would fit one side of LP, but it seemed kinda compressed and landed too quick. Then we decided not to confine it to any time limit but each track landed itself around 40 minutes, so we made sure it evens out like this in final recording.

Tell us about the recording process involved. We’re very curious about instruments, gear, amps, and the general studio environment in which it originated.

Each whole track was recorded live (took roughly four weeks for four tracks), then layered with two additional guitars. Synths, field recordings, vocals were added afterward.

Gear: we used two Tank amps (Orange/Matamp clones) made from old soviet broadcast amplifiers and Tesla Disco 240 for guitar and bass (wish our Sunn concert bass was alive at that point, but it just burns transistors when turned on – we couldn’t find an exact schematic for it, even photos of the exact amp on the web, seems like it’s from some transition period).

The drums are '70s Rogers 13”, 16” toms and 24” steel shell bass drum from '50s-'70s (mass-produced for political celebrations, weddings and funerals), coupled with Meinl hi-hats, Paiste Rude China and Zildjian Mega Bell.

Guitars used were early '00s Gibson SG Standard, '72 Musima Eterna Deluxe and ’69 Musima Record; and ‘70 Cremona Violin bass.

Pedals: Poltava fuzz-wah, Noname “flanger” that is actually phaser for bass; Tesla Vrable fuzz-wah (the seller told us that his uncle was under KGB investigation for just having it), Noname dist (most likely a ProCo Rat clone), Vox wah, Boss BF-2, Lel’ parametric EQ, Lel’ digital delay, Boss dynamic wah, Roland Space Echo for guitar.

Recording equipment: Two '70s Oktava ML-19 for overheads, '50s-'60s Oktava ML15 and ML16 for room and various dynamic and condenser mics for everything else into Pro Tools, then later in mixing/mastering stage partly routed through mixer and cassette deck using beaten up cassette for analog saturation and vibrato.

Long story short, we tried to use most of the stuff we got in our studio, and at this point, it’s hard to remember every detail of the process. Referring to the environment, it is compiled of numerous weird gadgets which got to us throughout years, most of which were collecting dust somewhere for decades, and have a history (an entire topic by itself) we’re always asking for. And when used, they tell a story which then leaves a mark in recordings for sure. That was a hell of a fascinating process.

I noticed you had lyrics for each song on 'Peregrination,' but the singing doesn't seem discernable. Are there indeed vocals and, if so, how can I hear them?

Yes, there are vocals. They appear on low volume as reverberated and somewhat oscillated notes, more like presence; on high volume, you can hear words with 1-5 kHz correctly dialed in (on most audio equipment these frequencies tend to be excited, so lowering EQ at this range brings clarity), it appears as a whisper in a loud, saturated mix. Also, we added subtitles on YouTube, so you can know for sure where to find vocals. The point was to make them recognizable only with intent.

Talk about the album art. It seems there is hidden symbolism there, is that true?

It’s some sort of a window that leads to four areas, which are the visualized soundscapes to each track. There were no particular symbols, but the thing is that they fill in the picture as it is set - like a hallucination, which is often a well of meaning where symbols change and multiply interpretations, at the same time being just momentary blobs of form.

The process of making this album cover involved many iterations of drawing, running through GAN networks, editing the result to achieve the effect of a captured hallucination, close to the exact one. When hardwiring symbols directly into it, they would be eaten up by hallucinating AI. So by randomly forming a resemblance of shapes, things started popping out where they fit the most contextually - weird stuff. It’s a common thing in art to throw “open for interpretation” on everything, but this one might be.

What is the concept behind each "hobo" symbol and track on 'Peregrination'?

So, the first one means being quiet and alert, seeing what’s going on. The second one is a sign of a trolley – hopping from one soundscape to another, time travel. The third one – safe camp; it may be confusing when applied to the lyrics, but the position that is stated there facing the object is some sort of a “safe camp”, ground to stand on. The fourth one means “don’t give up”, even if applied in both meanings of this phrase to track. But the symbol references may lack context without diving into tracks.

I'm sure our readers would be most happy if you were to illuminate the meaning of each of the songs on your new album.

Well, it’s like trying to create a soundtrack to some introductory ontological theories (pretty blank, sterile stuff), realizing their intensity. Here uneven-numbered tracks touch on mind ontology, even-numbered - on reality ontology. Not diving into details too much, let them hang there.

I. Electron

Peregrination by Bomg

it's no light of star it's a light of mind walking thru a dream electron shamanism

"Electron" is covering the theme of mythical perception akin to humans and the discovery that put a dent into these beliefs. Variation on a Tunguska story, mythos surrounding Tesla, how people mythologize all around.

II. Perpetuum

Peregrination by Bomg

Across desolations Caravans astray Sand covered roads Forget old ways

"Perpetuum" goes more into sci-fi territory: endless cycles of dead and born-again civilizations, the Great Filter caused by cosmic events or beings themselves, and how we just might unknowingly observe such things staring at the sky.

III. Paradigm

Peregrination by Bomg

Giant web built and set in lines It works when mind reflects Leaving us with all the fears Or letting them disappear

"Paradigm" is based around the tendency of the mind to confine itself into some set of ideas, building a higher fence while thinking it broadens the space. Thinking of one thing while it is the opposite, fear of the structure collapsing while an event like this would alleviate any sort of fear. But breaking a paradigm usually leads straight to the next one, to which the same attributes apply. And keeping this notion brings a safe distance to it.

IV. Emanation

Peregrination by Bomg

Now the opportunity is To see the universe spinning Emit structures boundless Round its' endless borders It's the very first the very last small moment In periods of endless time When the structure merge infinite To manifest as something

"Emanation" goes somewhat contrary to the second one - a reality that may be started at some point, complicates itself, and never is truly repetitive. Also thoughts on subjective existence and the point of it, maybe being an instrument of the Universe to explain it to itself. Speculation on whether or not consciousness flows from one state to another, as energy does, returning to its inception or scattering across until equilibrium, or even said results being the same thing. And the uncertainty of these things that are left to be answered while we as beings, it seems, are just left to fade away.

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[yeonchi]

Obscure Gems - Kingdom of Paradise

Aside from Dynasty Warriors, there was another game that influenced my childhood years. Americans may know it as Kingdom of Paradise, Europeans may know it as Key of Heaven, and Asians may know it as Tenchi no Mon (天地の門/天地之門).

This is a pretty old game as it was originally released in July 2005 with a sequel being released in October 2006. While the first game received a localisation, the second one, sadly, did not. As a result, while I have played both games, I have a better understanding of the first one than the second (despite me being able to extract the game’s texts from within the ISO, don’t ask how I managed to do it).

I remember when my family bought a PSP and my uncle had it downgraded (upgrading would have been better if you look at it from a present-day perspective) so we could play games from the Memory Stick. This, along with the first Dynasty Warriors PSP game, Lumines and Ape Escape On The Loose, were some of the first games that we got thanks to my uncle. I remember my dad was so obsessed with this game (and Lumines, besides not letting me play on it because school) that he would end up hogging it because he had to defeat the bosses, which were, in his eyes, hard to defeat. I did make another save for myself and after initially giving up when my first boss was too hard to fight, I eventually managed to clear the game altogether. Looking at gameplay videos of it now, I noticed that fighting the bosses was easier than I had thought, or maybe it’s because they got gud.

About the developers

This game was created by Climax Entertainment, who were also famous for the Runabout series, Steal Princess, Dinosaur King and Element Hunters. Sorry, who were those guys again? Oh wait, they’re a bunch of nobodies in today’s words.

Climax Entertainment was founded in April 1990, developing games for Sega consoles. In 1994, some members split and joined with former members of Telenet Japan to form Matrix Software, known for joining with other companies to create games, such as Square Enix for the Final Fantasy series.

Sadly, Climax Entertainment never grew significantly and they eventually fell off the grid by 2015. Apparently, by following an archived page from a source on their Wikipedia page, it was because the company went bankrupt. Oh well, let’s move on.

The game itself

The game is set on a fictitious feudal Chinese-inspired continent named Ouka, which is split into five territories ruled by each of the five clans, namely the Eastern Seiryu, Northern Genbu, Western Byakko, Southern Suzaku and Central Kirin. The main character is Shinbu, a former Seiryu disciple and aspiring swordsmaster who was expelled from his clan after learning their Chi Arts before his master thought he was ready. When Sui Lin, another Seiryu disciple, manages to escape from their temple after it was (apparently) ransacked by the Central Kirin, she encounters Shinbu and tells him that his master was killed and that they need to rebuild their clan. Upon hearing of this, Shinbu’s adoptive father, Seidatsu, gives him the Ginmei Sword, which originally belonged to his father, and the first piece of the San’yuan that he was obsessed with reviving. From there, he sets off on an adventure around Ouka and discovers secrets about the clans and his family.

As you journey around Ouka, you can fight enemies and monsters along the way. Using the Ginmei Sword, you can unleash various types of bugei, made by equipping kenpu into bugei scrolls, or create your own bugei with the freestyle scrolls you can collect. Additionally, you can use the Chi Arts and unleash attacks that can clear enemies in one hit (you’ll have to spam it sooner or later). Enemies have a stronger or weaker resistance to a certain clan’s kenpu or Chi Arts based on the five Wuxing phases. While you can overcome enemies that way, you can also chain kenpu together in a generating cycle to deal more damage. You can learn all five clans’ Chi Arts as you play the game, though the caveat is that you learn the final one just before you fight the final boss, so the time you spend mastering it before you fight the final boss just seems very protracted, particularly if you’re at the maximum level by that point.

The background context of the game’s story arcs revolves around the Seima-Ouka Great War, which occurred 300 years prior to the start of the game. Invaders from the neighbouring continent of Seima came to Ouka and waged war with the five clans, but they were defeated. While there were some that managed to escape with the army, some of Seimans surrendered and remained on Ouka, where they suffered discrimination following the war. Their currency, the taichi, was widely used there as a result. The San’yuan had been burned during the war because the Seima feared its power.

Looking at the English and Chinese scripts, I could spot some differences between them and personally, I prefer the Chinese script better as it is closer to the original Japanese script. Alone, both scripts are good, but after having seen both versions, some parts of the English script doesn’t make sense in review.

Some of the mysteries of the game are basically explained in one line without deeper context. Certain characters aren’t as prominent as you may think they are. In the end, after you defeat the final boss, you get an opportunity to play the game again with the True San’yuan bugei, harder enemies and a carryover of the Chi Arts you learnt. There was a rumour on 2ch about another bugei you could get after clearing the game five times, but that, of course, is fake news.

About the sequel

The sequel takes place 25 years after the events of the first game and is set on the continent of Seima, the instigator of the Great War. Its capital is named Seimabolm and is split into three districts based on caste. Translating the names in the game is going to be an absolute nightmare because it was never localised to the West, but I’ll do whatever I can. If you want to see gameplays of this game, you’ll have to find them on Nico Nico Douga or Bilibili (for the Chinese version).

The main character is Liju Roh, a glorified military officer who went missing for a year when he was 5 years old and came back with no memory of what happened during that year. At the start of the game, he was accused of attempting to assassinate their empress and sentenced to execution by Gikyo Altai alongside another female, Maltamil Chiena. Suddenly, Altai’s sister, Shunka, jumps down to defend Roh and they manage to escape to the third district along with Chiena. As a result, they are forced to work as mercenaries in Chiena’s agency in order to hide from the imperial troops. Roh’s mission is to fulfil his late father’s request to stop Ejen Zern, a man who Roh saw as a brother, from performing the Great Judgement a second time; the first time it happened, a big fireball hit Seima and halved the population, cutting the island into the shape of a crescent moon and creating the Banko Sea.

In this game, you can have a companion travelling with you (usually Shunka for most of the game). As Roh, you can use three weapons, a sword, a spear, or gauntlets, and set kenpu and bugei accordingly. Some kenpu are performed slowly while others are performed quickly, which can cause gaps in your fighting. Other companions you travel with can use only one of those weapons, while Shunka fights with spirit discs and spirit dancing. Yes, spirit dancing, and that’s a plot point in the game. I find the dancing movesets ineffective when fighting enemies, but there are missions where you will need to use Shunka to perform a dance.

Unlike the first game where the story advances as you travel, the story in this game advances after you complete a number of missions from the agency. These include defeating enemies and monsters, buying or collecting things or even writing messages on noticeboards. Some missions are a pain to complete, such as with the collecting missions where you need to harvest a certain part from a machine or animal and they don’t instantly drop it upon defeat. As a result, it would take you forever to collect the amount required so you can complete the mission. There are also small flying drones that you can fight in underground tunnels and they are a bit hard to fight if your kenpu doesn’t make you swing your sword or spear up or down.

The travelling companions in the game (including the ones that appear after you’ve cleared the game) have significant relevance to the story, except for a drunkard monk named Sutta Monda who becomes your companion after you complete a mission that involves fighting him outside the agency for being drunk.

After you clear the game, you can just do missions ad infinitum, whereas in the previous game, you could play the game again and again. At least replaying old storylines or sparring with your companions could have been additional options.

If you haven’t noticed this by now, Shinbu or anyone else in the first game is not featured, though there are homages scattered in the script. One particular homage is that Seima is apparently planning a second invasion of Ouka, but Roh believes that stopping the Great Judgement is more important than stopping the former.

Summary

For its time, Kingdom of Paradise is an amazing game, whether it be the battle mechanics, the graphics or the story, though for the story, I prefer the first one better because I can understand it better after much analysis (which was also helped by that game being localised). While the second game does have its good points, it’s a bit more complicated than the first game and the missions can seem a bit of a drag to do.

Some people would probably say that the two games have potential to be expanded upon and I would say that I agree, though instead of expanding the games’ universe, I adapted it into my universe for my personal project. I adapted the first game into two 15-episode arcs, then after struggling to decide whether or not to do it, adapted some parts of the second game into a two-parter. I’ll elaborate on my adaptation at a later date.

Sadly though, Climax Entertainment is dead and the games never left much of a legacy to be admired. The only way its legacy can stay alive is within the hearts of the people who played those games, particularly the people who were inspired by it.

[firebirdsdaughter]

Random Writing Word Dump…

… Draft… Demo… Thing… Mess… I dunno.

It’s like I took my brain and shook it upside down…

It’s kinda long.

So… I like the second half of this more than the first, but oh well.

Brief context: Horobi and Jin had redemption arcs a while ago, and Yua and Isamu decided to ally w/ Aruto, too. Everyone was at the Hiden building when the Ark usurped control of it and turned the entire security system against them. Yua and Aruto take Jin and Izu and head for the President’s secret lab in the hopes that it will be the most defensible while Isamu heads for the core server room in order to try and flush the Ark out, w/ Horobi volunteering to go as well, bc he’s not about to let the building get destroyed while Jin is in it.

And thus we begin.

The pacing is really terrible here, but here we are.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Fuwa, we made it back to the President’s private lab, but it’s not going to hold forever!” Yua’s words were slightly spotty over the radio as they descended deeper into the Hiden building, but still audible. “Where are you two?”

“Still going down!” Isamu shouted, over the sound of another security drone—until Horobi abruptly sliced it in half with a single swipe of his katana, “But murder bot here says we’re nearly there!” He glanced toward the HumaGear—or, rather, the sword Horobi was re-sheathing. “What is that thing even made out of?”

Horobi ignored his question to scowl slightly at him. “I told you to stop calling me murder bot.” He snapped—strangely, though, neither the demand nor the expression actually felt hostile.

“You’ve nearly killed me multiple times, I’ll call you what I want.” Isamu shot back, rushing past the HumaGear and down the stairs rather than giving him a chance to answer. He caught Horobi rolling his eyes, but the robot elected to merely follow him rather than complaining again.

They moved even further down, and the shiny, pristine aesthetic of Hiden Intelligence began to fade, giving way to cement walls, industrial lights, and cables running along the walls. Isamu turned off his radio when the HumaGear suggested the signal might have been attracting attentions—and it did seem to have helped, especially after a drone had gotten a lucky hit on his leg before he’d shot it down. “How many damn floors does this building need?!” Vulcan growled, shaking his head, leaning heavily on the railing.

“They weren’t expecting an aggressive AI to commandeer control when they originally built it.” Was Horobi’s flat reply, looking ahead rather than at the human behind him. On the following landing, however, he abruptly came to a stop then, purple light glimmering in his eyes as he cycled through the blueprints. “This is the floor. This way.” Without another warning, he turned sharply and darted through a door on his right, forcing Isamu to run after him.

Finally, they crashed through a door that Horobi spun around to hold closed, ordering Isamu to hit the emergency lock—the moment Vulcan pushed the button, metal bars shot across the door, and the HumaGear released it, stepping back.

“That should buy us some time.”

“How much?”

“Depends,” Was the curt reply as Horobi turned back to the room they’d sealed themselves in, “How quickly we fix this.”

Isamu followed his gaze to the mass of monitors and equipment lining the walls. “… I hope you meant it when you said you could do it, because Yaiba’s right—I have no idea how any of this stuff works.” Horobi had already crossing the floor to one of the monitors before he finished the sentence, pulling up windows and typing—but the deepening frown on the HumaGear’s face was not a good sign. “… What’s wrong?”

“The Ark is rewriting the security protocols and commands faster than I can enter them.” Horobi paused, leaning against the edge of the terminal. “I should still have at least basic admin access, if Korenosuke’s files are to be believed, but of course without the antennae, I can’t directly connect…” He actually punch the metal in frustration. “Never thought I’d regret…” The HumaGear trailed off suddenly, as his gaze lighted across the wires running between the different stations. “Unless…”

“Antennae?” Isamu frowned. “You mean the earpieces? Is there a way we could-” He stopped at the sound of rubber tearing, and looked over to see Horobi ripping one of the cords out. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I can’t connect wirelessly,” The HumaGear explained, just as bluntly as he said everything, reaching up to yank off his head wrap and feeling the back of his head with his fingers, searching for something as he pulled more of the wire away from the wall, “But if I use one of these, I should be able to create a direct line from my system to the computer.” Whatever he sought on his head, he found at what would have been the base of his skull if he were human.

Isamu was still at a loss until Horobi pulled the cable up and moved to stab it into the spot—at that, Vulcan dove forward and grabbed his arm. “Hold up!” He tried to pull the HumaGear’s arm down, but Horobi refused to budge. “What will that do to you?!”

“At the very least, it will allow me to enter commands faster and maybe outpace the Ark. At best, I may be able to retake control.”

“You’re talking about hooking yourself up directly to the main system for the entire Hiden building. I don’t know much, but I’m pretty sure that’s too much for one HumaGear to handle—you’ll fry your whole system!”

“We have no other choice.” There was an edge to Horobi’s voice that time. He moved to plug the wire in again, but Isamu refused to let go, holding on to the HumaGear’s arm with both hands.

“Your heart-”

“-Is in Hiden’s lab!” The surprise of Horobi raising his voice made Vulcan’s grip slacken, and the HumaGear yanked free and stabbed the end of the cable into the back of his head before Isamu could stop him.

Sparks flashed around the connection, surging all the way up the remains of Horobi’s earpieces, the lights and his eyes blazing so brightly it hurt to look at. The HumaGear’s body shuddering like he’d just been electrocuted, then collapsing forward to barely catch himself on the edge of the computer terminal.

Isamu tried to reach out to him, but got zapped by the floating sparks and flinched back, resorting to yelling instead. “Murder bot! Oi! Murder bot!” There was no answer. “Horobi!”

“… I…” Even Horobi’s voice seemed to crackle with electricity, “… I’m fine… I can… I can see it…” He sounded almost in awe—but very much not fine.

But the computer screen was flashing ‘CONNECTION ESTABLISHED,’ and there was a loud cracking of metal as the door began to buckle behind them. “… Shit!” Reluctantly, Isamu pulled away, spinning around around to search for something to prop the door with, even if it was futile. Horobi stayed clinging to the side of the computer station as Vulcan collected every chair in the room to barricade the door, his head periodically shooting off more sparks, the blaring lights on his head and in his eyes blinking as he worked. When he had done all he could, Isamu repositioned in the centre of the room, readying the ShotRiser and levelling it at the door. A robotic arm burst through the metal, straining at the makeshift barricade, and he could hear more on the other side. Gritting his teeth, he prayed that the doors of Hiden’s private lab were holding better.

A high pitched ringing pierced his hearing, dizzying him for a moment. It continued for several more seconds, then cut off abruptly—the arm reaching through the door froze completely… Then fell limp. On the other side of the door, he could hear crash after crash as more drones dropped to the floor.

A sigh of relief exploded from him, and he folded forward, catching himself on his knees, unable to keep the grin off his face. “Oh… Oh thank goodness…” He dragged himself back upright, calling over his shoulder, “Hey, you did it! You… You did it!”

Nothing but silence answered him.

His relief immediately choked. “Horobi?” Spinning around, he looked frantically at where the HumaGear had been standing, bent over the edge of the terminal—to find Horobi collapsed on the concrete floor. “Horobi!” Rushing over, he dropped the ShotRiser at his side, kneeling down and lifting the HumaGear into his arms. “Hey!”

After a moment of shaking, Horobi’s eyes fluttered open, both them and the lights in his head still glowing abnormally brightly. His lips moved soundlessly for a moment, then, “… Jin…?” Isamu stared at him for a moment, then quickly fumbled for his radio with the arm not under the HumaGear’s shoulders, clicking it back on.

“-wa! Fuwa! Can you hear me? Fuwa!” Yua’s voice burst through the static, making him wince for a moment, but also flooding him with relief again.

But then he felt Horobi shift in his arms, and remembered what was happening. “Yaiba!” His voice broke a little, despite his attempt to keep it steady, “You guys all okay?”

“Fuwa!” He heard her exhale like a weight had lifted off her shoulders. “Oh, thank goodness.” Yua being Yua, however, she recovered quickly. “We’re all fine.” She assured him. “What about-” He muted the line before she could finish the question.

He looked back down at the HumaGear in his arms. Seeing that Horobi’s eyes had closed again, he shook him a little to try and wake him up. “Hey… Hey, look at me.” The too bright eyes cracked open again, looking anxiously at him. “You did it. They’re okay—he’s okay.” He squeezed Horobi’s shoulders gently. “You protected him.”

Even though the HumaGear had no natural muscles, he felt Horobi relax, despite the sparks still dancing around his mechanics. “… Thank goodness…” The HumaGear jerked slightly, wincing. “I… I still have access to the system…” His eyes flicked back and forth, the beaming light shimmering slightly again. “There’s… Something here…”

“Oi.” Isamu shook him again. “Oi, don’t overdo it.”

Horobi smirked, but it quickly turned into a grimace. “I’m afraid… It’s too late for that.” Isamu’s heart skipped, but the HumaGear didn’t wait for him to react. “… It’s a Key…?” For a moment, his eyes shone even brighter. “Transferring to Zea.” The ringing noise came again—then sputtered out abruptly. Horobi convulsed sharply in his hold, an even larger shower of sparks erupted from his head, burning Isamu’s arms and face, forcing him to close his eyes. When the heat stopped, he felt the HumaGear go still once more, sagging into him. Blinking his eyes back open, he squinted through the spots in his vision at Horobi.

The HumaGear’s eyes were no longer glowing so intensely, merely carrying some residual shimmers of violet. The lights in the remains of his earpieces still shone, the colours churning slightly like he was still processing something. He was shivering a bit, but not as if from cold—in fact, he felt unnaturally warm, like an overheated computer. Isamu tried to swallow the lump in his throat, to no avail, leaning back over to try and examine the damage, even though he knew he’d be useless to help. “… What did you…?”

“… System overload…” Horobi’s voice was tired, barely audible, edged with static, “… Shutdown… Is imminent…” He looked wearily up at Isamu, wincing. “Never thought I’d die…” There was a touch of wryness in the words, his mouth twisting into a slight sneer, “… In the arms of a human…”

A sound that was almost a chuckle burst from Isamu unwillingly, but it died quickly, consumed by the understanding of what else the HumaGear had said. It was still a struggle to keep his breathing even, and tears had begun pricking in his eyes despite himself. “… What about the arms of a friend?” Unlike Horobi, his voice was entirely capable of hoarseness, and it cracked under the overwhelming myriad of emotions weighing upon him.

There was a silence, Horobi’s eyebrows furrowing slightly in thought. “… A friend…?” After another moment, the expression gave way to a small smirk—one that was ages softer than any before it. “… That would be acceptable.” His eyes drifted back up to meet Isamu’s, and Vulcan knew he saw the tears, because the smirk shifted into a genuine, sorrowful smile. Slowly, the hand holding Isamu’s scarf released to reach up and wipe away the drops that had spilled onto Vulcan’s cheek, gazing in awe at the wetness on his fingers for a moment. “… Maybe…” Horobi’s voice was beginning to blur and lag, the static in his words becoming more prominent, his system beginning to fail, “… Maybe there is hope for peace between our kinds, after all…” His eyes and the fixtures on the sides of his head flickered, and the HumaGear’s hand dropped slowly back onto his own chest. The smile faded away into a look of heartbreak that should have been accompanied by tears of its own. “… Jin…” Horobi whispered, one last time—and all his lights went dark. The words ‘CONNECTION LOST’ flashed on the computer screen.

There was a short, heavy silence as Isamu waited, just in case, to see if, by some miracle, he would restart—but nothing happened. Finally, Vulcan broke, bowing his head into the HumaGear’s chest, shoulders shaking with choking, deceptively quiet sobs.

He didn’t let the outburst last long. Taking deep breaths to pull himself together, he hauled his head back up, prying the arm not supporting the HumaGear’s shoulders up to reach over and close Horobi’s eyes, hand moving to cup the HumaGear’s face for a moment afterwards. “Rest now.” He managed to croak softly. “We’ll take care of the rest.”

Footsteps made him look toward the door. “Fuwa!” Yua’s voice was half welcome, half terrifying, as he heard the banging and crashing of the dead drones being pushed aside—and soon, the door burst open, and Valkyrie rushed in. “There you are! Listen, Zea started-” She broke off sharply, freezing in her tracks when she saw the scene—him staring despairingly up at her, tears still in his eyes, cradling the HumaGear’s body in his arms. “… Oh.”

In a wild flurry of steps, Aruto, then Izu appeared at her sides—to also skid to a halt to stare when they saw. Aruto clung to the doorframe for balance, and Izu looked even more rigid than usual, eyes wide, and both stunned into silence.

“Horobi?!” The young, anxious voice from behind the others made Isamu’s heart drop right through the floor. It fell even further as Jin pushed to the front, panic and worry already clinging to his features. It felt like a knife in the gut when the young HumaGear’s expression morphed into a look of pure horror. “Horobi!” With a shriek that broke the limits of human hearing, Jin dove forward to crash to his knees across from Isamu. “Horobi!” He didn’t so much as look up at Vulcan, first grabbing Horobi’s shoulders to shake him, then pulling him out of Isamu’s arms and into his own, clutching his father to his chest with more than human strength, dissolving into tearless sobs, burying his face in Horobi’s hair.

Isamu took a few more deep breaths to try and keep himself collected, then took a moment to lean forward and grab the computer cable still plugged into the base of Horobi’s head, yanking it out—there was no reaction, not even a single spark, as the prongs left the HumaGear’s head. Tossing the cord aside, Isamu grabbed the edge of the computer terminal, dragging himself to his feet, and tried to make his way around Jin, toward the door. He only made it a few steps before his leg gave out and he stumbled, but his movement had broken the spell of shock—Aruto and Yua both moved to catch him before he fell, the Hiden President stepping closer on his injured side, pulling Isamu’s arm over his shoulders to support him while Yua’s hand stayed on his other arm. Izu cut around them, walking over to kneel beside Jin and place a hand on his shoulder, even though he gave no notice, just continued weeping hysterically over Horobi’s body.

“… It’s not your fault.” Aruto’s voice was quiet, watching the trouble in Isamu’s expression with undeniable sympathy—but Isamu didn’t have the strength to be angry at it.

“Leave it.” He grunted darkly, instead—but when Aruto tugged on his arm, he allowed the other Kamen Rider to help him from the room, leaving Yua and Izu to see to the newly orphaned HumaGear.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I actually should have written more to this before posting it, but… YOLO?

… Is that even still a thing?

[calligraphist-artemisia]

Across Time and Space (Chapter 8)

Summary: Sequel to I’ll Take Her Place.  Slav is showing off a piece of experimental equipment, when it malfunctions and blasts Katie and Keithir to another universe. At the same time, it drags Pidge and Keith over into theirs, effectively swapping places. With their fate resting in the hands of Slav, will they be able to get back home? Or are they stuck to live the rest of their lives in the wrong universe?

Also posted on AO3 and fanfiction.net under the username “kishirokitsune”.

Chapter 8

NEAR RANVEIG'S BASE – (STOLEN) GALRA FIGHTER

Patience had never been something Keithir had an abundance of, (as Thace loved to remind him) which made sitting back and waiting for the right moment a monumental task. The familiarity of his borrowed Blade uniform and the feeling of a mask hiding his face from view served to aid him, a physical reminder of what was at stake.

He kept his eyes on the orbital base. At any moment, he would have his sign that it was safe to approach. Kolivan had laid out the plan very clearly and Keithir wouldn't be the one to deviate from it.

There!

Keithir leaned forward, hands gripping the controls as a cruiser departed the base and sped a good distance away before going into hyperdrive. He let a few more ticks pass and then a low frequency hum came through his comms and he guided his ship towards the base, keeping a wary eye out for unexpected movement.

He anchored it to the underside, out of sight in case Ranveig or anyone else returned sooner than expected. After that, it was a matter of slipping in through a nearby maintenance shaft and avoiding all sentries as he made his way to the security center, where Krolia was meant to stay and monitor all transmissions until Ranveig's return.

Keithir made it past all of the patrols he encountered without making a single slip-up, ducking out of sight and waiting until their heavy footsteps went by. He paused just outside the door, taking a moment to prepare himself before going inside.

She stood at the center console, her eyes on the screens around her to keep track of what was happening witch Ranveig. She glanced at Keithir as he walked in.

“I told Kolivan it was  too early for an extraction. There's still more I can do here.”

It took everything in Keithir's power not to react to hearing her voice for the very first time. He never thought it would matter that much. Honerva was his mother; she'd raised and cared for him all his life, not always perfectly, but in the best way that she could. He never needed more than that. But the moment he heard Kolivan say that Krolia was alive, all of that changed.

“Kolivan wouldn't have sent me if he didn't think it was important,” he said, once he found his voice. He deliberately shifted to his human form and then removed his mask. “We should hurry, before Ranveig returns.”

Krolia looked taken aback by his appearance, staring at him for a tick too long before collecting herself and nodding. “I just need a moment to set the hangar doors to automatically open as Ranveig approaches. The longer it takes for him to realize I'm gone, the better chance we have at getting away.”

“I may have something to help with that.” Keithir removed a small drive from his pocket and handed it to Krolia.

She took it and looked it over critically, recognizing it as Blade tech. “What will it do?”

“Exactly what you're trying to do, but it will also cause a lockdown once Ranveig is inside. Katie designed a quick learning virus to thwart any attempts to override it,” Keithir said, trying not to smirk. He loved bragging about how smart his wife was. “That will keep him busy for a while.”

Krolia looked unsure, but plugged it in anyway. “I hope you're right. Ranveig is smarter than he looks.”

“And Katie's a genius. If she says it will work, then it will,” Keithir easily countered.

Krolia let the virus download onto the ship and then removed the drive, passing it back to Keithir. There was no more talking as Keithir led the way back to his ship, continuing to carefully dodge patrols. (The less Ranveig knew about Krolia's disappearance, the better.)

Keithir was well aware of his mom watching his every movement as he unhooked the ship from the underside of the base and began to pilot them back to the Castle of Lions. His palms began t sweat.

Surely she had noticed his age didn't line up with how much time had passed. She had to see how much older he was. Any moment, she would asked about that.

“Did Kolivan tell you about the strain of unusual quintessence we found?”

“I'm-” Keithir stopped himself as his mind processed what she was actually asking. He furrowed his brow, thinking back to everything Kolivan told him earlier that day. “He said that it was more powerful than any quintessence he has record of, but that Ranveig used all of it on some kind of weapon. Should we go back for it?”

While it wasn't part of the mission, if it meant turning the tide more in Voltron's favor, it would be worth the risk.

“No, it's too dangerous to transport,” Krolia said. “I spent time analyzing the radiation of the ship we found it on and all of my readings indicated that it passed through the Quantum Abyss. We have to find out for certain.”

Keithir had first heard of the Quantum Abyss from his mother – Honerva. It was a place where the flow of time was easily disrupted and distorted; where hostile creatures capable of taking out entire fleets lurked in space rock and debris. She'd told all of that to caution him about the perils of space flight when he was first learning to pilot.

Naturally, the possibilities of what could be found there fascinated him as a cub and it was a long-held dream of his that one day he would be good enough to explore and map it himself. As he got older and heard more stories of those who'd tried to do just that, his enthusiasm waned and he turned his focus onto things that were less life-threatening. At least, until some time during his fourth year of marriage to Katie, when she stumbled across files detailing the unusual zone of space and they worked together designing drones capable of entering it and mapping out a safe path. All of their work came to a stop when they adopted Yorak shortly after.

It wasn't worth the risk.

Keithir kept them on track to the Castle of Lions. “I can't. My mission is to take you back to Kolivan.”

“He would understand that we have a duty to find out where this quintessence came from,” Krolia argued. She kept her voice level and calm, but there was a spark of heat there. “If this is the work of Zarkon and his witch, we have to destroy the source before they can use it against us.”

Keithir flinched. “I can't,” he repeated, thinking of Katie. He took a deep breath, keeping his thoughts on her, and relaxed his grip on the controls. “If you really feel like you need to do this, I'll help you once we get to the Castle of Lions. There are Altean shuttles there that would be better equipped for your journey, but I can't go with you, mom. I'm sorry.”

There was a silence so still that Keithir's ears rang, though that may have been because his control over his shifted form was slipping. He quickly adjusted his focus to keep from doing so in front of her.

The last thing he wanted to do was try to explain that he was from an alternate reality while they were stuck in such a cramped cockpit.

“So you already know.” Krolia's voice was soft when she spoke again.

“Dad has pictures. He likes to talk about you.”

Krolia's smile was a sad one. “I've missed him. I've missed both of you so much, Keith.”

Keithir had to swallow his words as the radio crackled to life and Coran's voice came through to say he had a lock on their location and was opening a wormhole to bring them back.

Space lit up blue in front of them.

In a way, Katie was glad for something to do. With her lack of focus, her only other option was to pace back and forth on the bridge. She was sure Coran was equally as grateful, if his relieved sigh when she made an excuse of going to see the Lions was any indication of his feelings.

Of course, that had only been an excuse to get away. Coran didn't need to know that her real goal was to sneak down and find where they were keeping Lotor prisoner. She had enough context clues to know that it was somewhere near the cell she was kept in when she first arrived. If she could find that, it would be her best starting point.

Katie traveled down through the Castle, checking out rooms and halls as she went. Her footsteps echoed around her, no less eerie than the first time she noted the emptiness of the Castle. It made her wonder how Pidge was handling things back home. There was always someone awake and walking around there. Did she miss the quiet?

She supposed it was peaceful, in a way, and allowed the paladins time to bond without distraction.

It also made it impossible to sneak up on anyone.

Katie slowed to a stop the moment she heard a second set of footsteps echoing alongside her own. Within a few ticks, Lance strode up next to her, his hands in his pockets.

“You're going to see Lotor.”

“I don't want to talk to him, I just want to see where he's being held,” Katie said truthfully. The last thing she wanted was to give Lotor something to use to his advantage. Seeing that he was there would be enough for her.

Lance looked at her for a moment with a frown on his face. “You don't trust us when we say he's safely locked up?”

“I don't fully trust Beta Traz to keep him and I helped update the security there,” Katie said. “It's not you guys that I don't trust; it's Lotor. He's talked his way out of trouble too many times for me to not be cautious.”

Lance relaxed at her words. “Yeah, I kind of get that vibe from him. Hunk keeps telling me I need to relax and appreciate that he's willing to work with us, but it feels so wrong to me. I tried talking to Shiro too, but he just brushes me off! It makes me actually miss Keith. He'd be with me on this.”

“How did Lotor end up here, anyway?” Katie asked, sensing an opportunity to get some answers while no one else was around.

“He used his super-powered comet ship to take down a barrier and save us from a galaxy destroying bomb and then turned himself over to us, so naturally we now listen to whatever he has to say,” Lance told her, sounding bitter. “It doesn't make any sense! Just a month ago he was trying to kiss us, and now he's here telling us everything he knows about the Galra, and sure, it's all turned out true so far, but how long will that last? What happens when he gets tired of playing nice? What does he want from us?”

Katie stayed quiet, letting Lance go off on a much-needed rant.

“I keep thinking about what you said earlier; what does he get out of all of this? He could've let us all die and then there wouldn't be anyone around to stop him anymore! Is it because of the Lions? Zarkon was always after them, so maybe Lotor wants the same? But he already has a ship made from the comet, so that doesn't make any sense!

“I just... I don't know what to do,” Lance admitted, loosing a bit of steam. He slowed down to catch his breath. “Everyone else acts like I'm making a big deal about this. Maybe I am. Maybe Lotor has made a change for the better and this is his way to make amends.”

“It took us three years before he slipped up badly enough that we got proof of his wrongdoings, and Keithir and I almost died for it,” Katie said. “The Blade had been looking into his actions for even longer than we did. None of us could predict what he would do next or what his goal was. I guess what I'm trying to say is, at least when the moment comes, he won't take you by surprise. You'll be ready.”

Lance didn't look very reassured by that, and Katie couldn't blame him.

“Hey,” she said, nudging him. “Wanna help me sneak in to get a look at the security? I may have an idea for an improvement or two.”

“I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to make sure you get nowhere near Lotor, buuuut...” He dragged out the last word as he grinned at her. “If you find your way into the room next to him where there's a one-way mirror, I don't see how that's breaking any rules.”

“Lead the way!”

ALTEA – CASTLE OF LIONS

The more Shiro tried to explain the bond between the Lions and Paladins, the more confused Pidge felt. It was on a completely different level from what she'd experienced and it was hard to wrap her mind around it all.

They were sentient beings, with unique personalities and preferences, and that was pretty much the same, but then Shiro started talking about their form of mental communication and how they could use it to influence their chosen Paladin. He lost her more when he made mention of a second type of bond shared between the Paladins and how it was strongest between the two arms and the two legs.

“It's an impossible feeling to describe with words,” Shiro said. He looked at Pidge and Keith as they sat on the floor together and tried to focus on “reaching out to their Lions”.

Keith frowned.

Pidge groaned and stretched out her legs, giving up on any type of meditative pose. “This isn't working.”

“Then lets try something different,” Shiro said, being supportive. “Instead of trying to connect to the Lions, why not each other?”

Pidge glanced over at Keith, who scowled at his knees. “We've never felt that kind of bond you keep talking about. And I'm not sure it'll work. Lance pilots the Red Lion where we're from.”

Shiro blinked in surprise at the information. Somehow, during the hour they'd been working at connecting to the Lions, the subject of which one they piloted never came up. Pidge was sure she'd mentioned Green, but Keith hadn't breathed a word.

“Then which one does Keith...?”

“Black,” Pidge responded promptly, but Keith had a different answer.

He got to his feet and avoided looking at either of them. “None of them. I'm not a paladin anymore.”

Pidge gaped up at him. “That's not true!”

“Yes it is. Shiro pilots Black. You have Green. Lance has Red. Hunk's in Yellow. Allura pilots Blue now. Sorry, but this wasn't a good idea. I can't help afterall.”

Shiro's and Pidge's protests fell on deaf ears as Keith pulled up his hood, hiding his facial features from view, and headed back towards the paladin wing.

Pidge stood up, unsure of what to do. Should she chase after him? Give him space? It was so hard to know which one was best for Keith when he was in a mood like that.

And it had been happening a lot since they arrived. (Or at least, Pidge couldn't remember Keith being so broody during their time on the Castle of Lions.) It was like there was something weighing him down – dragging him down – but if he wouldn't open up and talk to her, then what could she do? She couldn't force him to talk and trying would only result in him closing himself off.

She glanced at Shiro, wondering if he had any advice, but he looked just as lost as she felt.

It was something she would have to figure out on her own.

Too bad they didn't share the type of bond Shiro mentioned. That would have made it much easier to understand what was going on with Keith. He sounded okay when he suggested the Lions the night before, so what changed? Was it because he couldn't communicate with Red or Black? She was in the same boat with her inability to reach Green, so she understood that it was discouraging, but maybe there was something beyond that. Maybe It was a bunch of little somethings all piling up and adding up over time until it became too much.

“Sorry, Shiro,” she apologized as she pulled on her hood. “We'll have to try this again later. Thanks for helping us.”

Pidge saw him nod before she turned and left, finding her way back to their room and hoping she'd find him there. Luck was on her side, as he was sitting on his bed when she walked inside. She approached slowly, giving him ample time to ask to be alone, but he didn't move as she sat next to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Keith?”

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

“It's been a stressful few days. I'm surprised I haven't broken down yet. I've been told I get mean,” Pidge said, only half joking. “We'll take a break and then we can try something else. I'm not willing to rule out the Lions yet, are you?”

Keith weakly shrugged. “I don't think it'll work for me.”

“Why not?” Pidge asked gently.

“None of them came to help the last time I was in trouble.” Keith took a deep, shuddering breath, the simple statement draining him more than he thought it would. “I... When Naxzela happened... you guys were so far from the command ship. I had to try and do something. None of our attacks were working. I... I was desperate.” He looked at Pidge and there was something pleading in his gaze. “I knew if I could take out the barrier, Matt and the others would have a chance. I thought... I thought my ship would be enough.”

Pidge went cold.

Keith hadn't really-!

“That thing Shiro was talking about with the bond, I've felt it. Or I think I have,” Keith continued. “The other times Red came in to save me, there was this weird feeling. Like... I don't know. An emotion that wasn't my own. But that didn't happen then. I didn't feel anything.”

Pidge wasn't aware of the tears spilling down her face as she scooted closer to Keith and stretched her arm across his shoulders, giving him an awkward hug.

“Sorry, Pidge,” he apologized again.

With some hesitance, he shifted to wrap an arm around her waist, reciprocating her hug.

[rahkshirock]

Andromeda thoughts 2.5

before I start today’s session I wanted to give my thoughts on the new setting so far:

I was wondering what the solution was going to be for the lack of mass relays in the Andromeda galaxy, since Ive seen pictures of the game with a full galaxy map. I continued to be confused until I eventually found an entry in the codex about Andromeda itself: Andromeda, instead of having one spiral with many arms like the milky way, has several micro-galaxies along its rim. One of these, quite simply, is the Helius cluster that you explore in-game; a structure that LOOKs like a galaxy, but is comfortably small enough for a small ship to traverse at normal ftl speeds with no relays.

many of the potential problems I could have with the story or lore are explained in a similar way. 

“how can you know what worlds are colonizeable in Andromeda when light coming from it is 40 million years out of date?” the solution is that you jury rig a mass relay to point at dark space as close as you can get to Andromeda to create a corridor of massless space that light can travel through instantly, leaving you with only a 600 year difference. “well where’d they get that idea” the geth were observed to have done this to observe dark space for “an unknown reason” (they were obviously trying to find reapers)

this is only one of many explanations that not only give context for andromedas plot, but give added depth to the original trilogy. amazingly well thought out so far. well done.

the way the plot has unfolded has also been fascinating to watch, because this game has to explain so many things in order to get you to Eos, and nails it all.

you reach habitat 7, your golden world, land, find it uninhabitable, find your teammates after the crash, meet the main antagonists, the kett (who I haven't seen enough of yet to have an opinion on) then your dad shows you what his pathfinder-ai uplink implant system can do in the field (ie, switch between biotic, combat, and engineer mid-mission) he dies, shows a ton of character in his few scenes that show that he loves you immensely, after interfacing with the alien terraforming tower that's fucking up the place to fix it, gives said implant to you so you get superpowers, then you get to the nexus, find out that it was left damaged and incomplete after it drove through “the scourge,” which has infested all of the golden worlds and only showed up within the last 600 years since you didn’t see it from the milky way, established that the founders of the initiative died and that the guy in command was originally an accountant who is now utterly unprepared to lead, get sent to eos, meet your crew, figure out why eos is an irradiated mess, fix it using more terraforming towers, but carefully this time so you don't die, and set up your first outpost.

and that's the mandatory plot! I did tons of detours and sidequests as well, and there are tons more yet to do.

again, super impressed that it all works.

on the enemies that ive faced so far:

the kett are the main hostile enemy faction, and on hard difficulty they are kicking my ass. their ground troops seem to have a hive mind, though I'm not sure of that yet, and overall I haven't seen much of them except aggression.

the remnant are much more interesting. so much so that it kinda looks like they are being re-used for Anthem? but anyway

the remnant are named that by peebee, who is the foremost researcher on their ruins because the kett attack anyone who comes near remnant equipment.

they are named remnant because the species that set up the towers no longer is around. instead, when you enter the area, you encounter maintenance drones that attack you only if you try to come too close or scan the ruins. the remnant so far are much more fun to fight.

what Ive learned so far is that their structures are similar to those of the Vex from destiny, and the lunar deep from my own worldbuilding; the base is a conducive liquid that forms a solid silicate alloy when activated, and transmits and stores data all throughout its material, allowing it to store zettabytes of data in a small structure. interestingly, the remnant architecture is relatively simple to interface with for an ai. so while the kett are clueless as to how to even begin to use remnant tech, alec ryder interfaces with it within minutes of first contact.

its fascinating the difference between the milky way and Andromeda tech, because Andromeda tries to communicate its functionality but is fundamentally alien, while prothean ruin’s data is nearly indescipherable, but their tech was pretty much plug’n play with simple circuits. 

anyway, that's pretty much it for now. I would already give this game a recommendation. its only 20 bucks guys, and the animations are all fixed

[ocrealestateproductions]

4 Keys to a Killer Real Estate Video

Video is rapidly becoming an integral part of real estate marketing. Video is becoming more affordable and accessible thanks to technology and prices. Smart brokers, property managers and home sellers are starting to use it. The National Association of Realtors found that almost 90% of respondents to a survey said they would prefer to work with a broker who uses video to market their homes. Only 5% of brokers currently use video. Even among brokers, video quality can vary widely. Research has also shown that videos have 4x the clicks of listings without them. This is especially important for vacation rental listings as they must sell themselves repeatedly and rely on high volumes of web traffic. It is evident that video marketing in real estate will soon be as popular as professional photos and websites, but simply having a video does not suffice. You must make a good video. These are some ways to make a high-quality video that will enhance any real estate listing. 1. ENGAGE A PROFESSIONAL. First and foremost, find someone who is knowledgeable Video Real Estate about what they are doing. Without a skilled videographer behind the camera, none of these items will be relevant. This is a great option because it doesn't cost as much as it used to. You can find someone who is skilled, knowledgeable and has the equipment to deliver professional stills or video for as low as $500-1000 depending on where you live. Maybe even including drone shots! Making videos is not an easy task. It takes a lot of knowledge to master the equipment, sound, content, editing, and many other aspects. You'll almost certainly end up with a poor result and will likely waste your time and brain cells. Time is money. Save time and spend the money. 2. 2. Use Good Equipment Although it is technically possible to take decent videos with your phone, it is not an easy task. You wouldn't even be reading this article if you didn't know how. Although you don't require Hollywood-level equipment, your results may look shaky or too bright or grainy. A good camera (a medium-level DSLR can capture both stills or video), a slider and basic lighting are essential. To put it all together, pro editing software (Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple's Final Cut Pro) is also required. It's not unusual for a drone to also be involved these days. Aerials provide a unique creative element and a lot of geographic context. 3. 3. Your final product should tell a story. This means it must be well-organized and contain all the pertinent information. A script is the first step. Even if you do not plan on using a voiceover or an on-screen host, it is a good idea for the script to be established in advance. A script can help ensure that all the details are included in the listing. It doesn't matter if there is an on-screen narrator or not, it's important to provide the information that viewers need to evaluate the home and its features. It is best to keep things simple. Include the address*, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, interior square footage, lot size, and lot size. To help you locate the property, add some footage from nearby areas and a map. Don't forget to include your contact information. ** It's easy to see how it works: The viewer is given only the video and no other information. It should be your goal to give them all the information they need to make a decision about scheduling a show. It amazes me how many videos I see without these details. How will viewers know if the home is in the suburbs or downtown Detroit? Assuming that they even know who you are. Your video should be treated as a flyer. Everything that isn't on a flyer should be in the video. This is dependent on the property's sale or rental status. Many vacation rental listings do not include the address. **Many MLS organizations will not allow you to put your contact information in videos. Make sure you have a unbranded version delivered by your videographer. 4. SHARE IT ALL! It doesn't matter how good your video is, it won't do any good if no one sees it. It could be directed by Martin Scorsese and Al Pacino giving a walk-through tour. But without proper syndication, nobody will ever see it. Post it to YouTube. You can also post it to your YouTube channel. Your videographer can upload it to your channel and then send the embed code or link to you. You can then post to your website. You must have a website if you don't already have one. Five years ago, you needed one. Your marketing efforts should revolve around driving traffic to your site so that people are impressed and decide to pay you money. Marketing 101. This can be done in many ways, but this is for another day. You're likely already using HomeAway, AirBnB, or similar sites if you're advertising vacation rentals. It's easy. BONUS TIPS - BROKERS: Once your link is on your website, you can share it to all your social media accounts. Include it in the next e-mail newsletter you send to your list to let them know how creative and tech-savvy you are as a real estate professional. They'll be impressed. You can also link to Zillow or other industry sites. A rider can be added to the for-sale sign, which will mention the video. The big, red sign that reads "Hey! I made a !!!" video. Or something similar. This will let potential sellers in your neighborhood and anyone else who drives by know that you are among the 5% smart, savvy, and forward-thinking agents that use videos to promote their listings. You will have more listings.

[ektablog369]

Q&A on Google

What is the work of affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing, while often referred to as a “channel,” is really a model or framework that makes it possible for brands to partner with individuals or companies (referred to as “affiliates,” “partners” and “publishers”), to track and measure their performance and do so in an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective way.

How can I join affiliate marketing program?step to step

To join affiliate marketing in seven steps:

1. Decide on a platform

2. Choose your niche

3. Find affiliate programs to join

4. Create great content

5. Drive traffic to your affiliate site

6. Get clicks on your affiliate links

7. Convert clicks to sales

Which company is best for affiliate marketing?

Many companies like vCommission, HostGator, Nearbuy, GoDaddy,Admitad, BigRock, DGMIndia, MakeMyTrip, Optimize, Shopify, Payolee Partners, Payoom, Clickbank, Komli, Amazon, Flipkart, EBay, Digistore24 and Apple providing affiliate programs and products available according to people's choice and interest.

Which category is best for affiliate marketing?

“Affiliate marketing is one of the four largest sources of e-commerce orders, outperforming social commerce and display advertising. Digital Product Marketing is Best For Affiliate Marketing. Virtual Reality, Drones, 3D Printers, Phone, Accessories, Portable LED Projectors, Home Automation, Security & Surveillance Systems, Hoverboards, Wearable Devices, Managed Cloud Hosting, Gym Equipment, Travel and tourism, Fashion, Safety Apparel, Gaming, Pet-grooming, Subscription Boxes, Food Delivery Services/Coupons, Baby Care, Digital Courses and Learning Material, Office Accessories, Gardening Equipment, Kitchen Apparel and Equipment, Lighting Products, Computer Accessories, Insurance, Car Accessories, Bicycle Add-ons, Bottles and Protein Shakers, Backpacks.

What is affiliate marketing and how does it works?

Affiliate marketing is one of the oldest forms of digital marketing wherein you refer someone to any online product and when that person buys the product based on your recommendation, you receive a commission.

Every big company like Amazon, Apple, Google have an affiliate program, which is free to join by any individual across the globe. If you didnot knew about this, then pay close attention to rest of this guide, my friend, you are about to discover one of the most interesting aspect of making money from home.

This commission varies from $1 to $10,000 depending on what product you are promoting.

what is affilaite marketing?

Affiliate marketing, while often referred to as a “channel,” is really a model or framework that makes it possible for brands to partner with individuals or companies (referred to as “affiliates,” “partners” and “publishers”), to track and measure their performance and do so in an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective way.

What affiliate marketing means?

Affiliate programs are common throughout the Internet and offer website owners an additional way to profit from their websites. Affiliates generate traffic and sales for commercial websites and in return receive a commission payment.

How do I get started in affiliate marketing?

If I get Started then follow these affiliate marketing seven steps:

Decide on a platform- It’s much easier to build an audience and increase your affiliate sales via one of two channels: a blog or YouTube channel. Starting a blog today is relatively easy and cheap.

Choose your niche - Choose a topic that focuses on a specific category.

Find affiliate programs to join- High-paying, low-volume affiliate programs, High-paying, high-volume affiliate programs and Low-paying, high-volume affiliate programs.

Create great content - If you want your affiliate site to succeed, you need to create high-quality content where your affiliate links fit naturally.

Drive traffic to your affiliate site - You’ve created great content. The next step is to get more people to read it, so they will click on your affiliate links. Like Paid Traffic, SEO, Build an Email list

Get clicks on your affiliate links - Just because you have an amazing piece of content doesn’t mean people will click on your affiliate links.There are a few things you need to consider like Link Placement, Context, Callouts

Convert clicks to sales - In affiliate marketing, two conversions need to take place for you to make money.

The first conversion is the click to the product page.

You’re 100% in control of this action. Use the tactics above to improve your chances of getting that click.

The second conversion is the visitor purchasing the product. In the case of affiliate marketing, the merchant controls the checkout, and their conversion rates are out of your control.

Do you have to pay for affiliate marketing?

Most affiliate programs are free to join, so your costs are usually related to your referral and marketing methods. No physical products: There is no need to create a product or service because you are choosing one that already exists. You don't have to stock or ship products.

Can we do affiliate marketing?

You can become a merchant and have others promote your product, in exchange for giving them a commission from the sales that they make. Or, you can become an affiliate marketer for one or several products that you'd like to promote and market those to consumers, in order to make money.

[awesomewavefan-blog]

How Artificial Intelligence will change the future.

1. DEFINITION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

AI research as the study of "intelligent agents": any device that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals. A more elaborate definition characterizes AI as “a system’s ability to correctly interpret external data, to learn from such data, and to use those learning to achieve specific goals and tasks through flexible adaptation.

In computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, AI's founders were optimistic about the future: Herbert Simon predicted, "machines will be capable, within twenty years, of doing any work a man can do".

2. What is the Future of Artificial Intelligence as Follow.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence as Follows:

Artificial intelligence is developing faster than you think, and speeding up exponentially

You use artificial intelligence all day, every day

Robots are definitely going to take your job

About half of the AI community believes computers will be as smart as humans by 2040

A lot of smart people think developing artificial intelligence to human level is a dangerous thing to do

Once artificial intelligence gets smarter than humans, we've got very little chance of understanding it

There's no such thing as an “evil” artificial intelligence

There are three ways a super intelligent artificial intelligence could work

Artificial intelligence could be the reason why we've never met aliens

Basically, there's a good chance we'll be extinct or immortal by the end of the century

3. WHAT IS IMPACT OF AI. 

a. Automated Transportation

As we’re already seeing the beginnings of self-driving cars, though the vehicles are currently required to have a driver present at the wheel for safety. Despite these exciting developments, the technology isn’t perfect yet, and it will take a while for public acceptance to bring automated cars into widespread use.

b. Cyborg Technology

It is One of the main limitations of being human is simply our own bodies—and brains. as  we will be able to augment ourselves with computers and enhance many of our own natural abilities. Though many of these possible cyborg enhancements would be added for convenience, others might serve a more practical purpose. Yoky Matsuka of Nest believes that AI will become useful for people with amputated limbs, as the brain will be able to communicate with a robotic limb to give the patient more control. This kind of technology would significantly reduce the limitations that amputees deal with on a daily basis.

c. Taking over dangerous jobs

Robots are already taking over some of the most hazardous jobs, including bomb defusing. These robots aren’t quite robots yet, they have technically drones, being used as the physical counterpart for defusing bombs, but requiring a human to control them, rather than using AI.  as they have saved thousands of lives by taking over one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. if technology improves, we will likely see more AI integration to help these machines function.

d. Solving climate change

This might be seem like a tall order from a robot. as machines have more access to data than one person ever could— storing a mind-boggling number of statistics.For an example, it might become possible to know whether a person is stressed or angry in mood. Artificial Intelligent could be  one day identify trends and there uses that information to come up with solutions to the world’s biggest problems.

e. Robot as friends 

As of now most robots are still emotionless and it’s hard to picture a robot you could relate to. In Japan, as they have made the first big steps toward a robot companion—one who can understand and feel emotions. they are programmed to read human emotions, develop its own emotions, and help its human friends stay happy. Pepper goes on sale in the U.S. in 2016, and more sophisticated friendly robots are sure to follow.

4.THE FUTURE IS NOW: AI'S IMPACT IS EVERYWHERE

That’s especially true in the past few years, as data collection and analysis has ramped up considerably thanks to robust Iot connectivity, the proliferation of connected devices and ever-speedier computer processing. as in Some sectors are at the start of their AI journey, others are veteran travelers. Both have a long way to go but the impact artificial intelligence is having on our present day lives is hard to ignore:

Transportation: Although it could take a decade or more to perfect them, autonomous cars will one day ferry us from place to place.

Manufacturing: AI powered robots work alongside humans to perform a limited range of tasks like assembly and stacking, and predictive analysis sensors keep equipment running smoothly.

Healthcare: In the comparatively AI-nascent field of healthcare, diseases are more quickly and accurately diagnosed, drug discovery is sped up and streamlined, virtual nursing assistants monitor patients and big data analysis helps to create a more personalized patient experience.

Education: Textbooks are digitized with the help of AI, early-stage virtual tutors assist human instructors and facial analysis gauges the emotions of students to help determine who’s struggling or bored and better tailor the experience to their individual needs.

Media: In media field, journalism is harnessing AI also and we will continue to benefit from it. Bloomberg uses Cyborg technology to help make quick sense of complex financial reports. The Associated Press employs the natural language abilities of Automated Insights to produce 3,700 earning reports stories per year — nearly four times more than in the recent past.

Customer Service: Last but hardly least, Google is working on an AI assistant that can place human-like calls to make appointments at, say, your neighborhood hair salon. In addition to words, the system understands context and nuance.

5.  ADVANTAGES OF AI.

Provides more accurate information than human research.

No space for human errors.

Is able to perform ‘monkey job’ instead of humans: routine, monotonous and tedious tasks.

Is able to interact with people and answer their questions.

Is able to imitate humans cognitive capabilities (like speech, vision, ability to make conclusions).

Provides grounds for data-driven decisions.

Its subsets, like Machine Learning, are able to detect patterns and learn from them.

Its subsets, like Machine Learning, are able to make accurate predictions.

Detects extraordinary situations.

They can think logically without emotions, making rational decisions with less or no mistakes.

6.  DISADVANTAGES OF AI.

Requires financial investment and can be quite costly.

Robots and other products of artificial intelligence replacing humans can become the cause of unemployment.

Robots and other products of artificial intelligence do not possess such human qualities, as creativity or emotional intelligence.

Sometimes robots get out of control, and it is dangerous.

7. PRO & CONS OF AI.

PRO OF AI AS FOLLOWS.

AI gives a business more opportunities to be productive.

Anyone is capable of using artificial intelligence to improve their lives.

Our health improves because of the presence of AI.

CONS OF AI AS FOLLOWS.

AI would create a different definition of humanity.

It could be a technology which turns out to be dangerous

Artificial intelligence can struggle to learn on its own.

AI doesn’t understand the complexities of human need.

[fluidsf]

Fluid Label Focus on Flaming Pines 3

Enrico Coniglio + Nicola Di Croce: Mergariam (2019)

Reviewed format: review copy of CD as kindly provided by Flaming Pines

Welcome to the third review in my series about the Flaming Pines label. Today I have for you this CD titled Mergariam by Enrico Coniglio and Nicola Di Croce, which was sent to me as a review copy in the mail by the label. Enrico Coniglio is definitely not an unknown name to me as I’ve also reviewed the release Loud Listening on Crónica previously (you can find the review here: https://fluidsf.tumblr.com/post/182223221764/fluid-label-focus-on-crónica-012-various), which just like this release also features a field recording of an industrial facility that he made but in that case was used as source material by various artists to create their own new music for that album. Both Enrico Coniglio and Nicola Di Croce are Italian sound artists and field recordists who are active in both recording, research and creation of field recording compositions and aural documents. Mergariam is a composition created by and using field recordings Enrico Coniglio and Nicola Di Croce made in the port of Marghera in Italy of mostly industrial facilities once again, though in this case the composition also has a clearer division into several parts within it and there are even some elements of the composition that almost sound melodic. So this release is definitely a continuation of the exploration of sonic environments in Italy and particularly the sounds of industrial machinery, at times mixed with faint sounds from the people operating them, though this time in a more compact 20 minute single piece on this CD. Before I get into the piece Mergariam itself and my own interpretation and opinions about it, I’ll mention some details about the presentation of this piece on CD. The CD comes in a pretty glossy cardboard digipak sleeve which actually has a textured front and back cover, so you can feel many parts of the pile of dark black rocks on the photo by Giorgio Bombieri. The front cover features one part of this photo which offers a great dynamic dark image of one of the industrial environments that Mergariam is about matched with Kate Carr’s signature design in the type showing the title and artist names. On the spine the photo extends again as a background for the title and artists in nice type and on the back cover you can see a part of the same image which fills out the square giving the back cover a nice kind of patterned dark look. On the bottom right you can see the Flaming Pines logo, label name and catalogue number. On the right panel of the inside of the digipak you can see a different picture of an industrial facility, this one looking particularly crumbling, in which a bright light shines, it’s a nice contrast to the front of the package as it’s a much brighter, more positive looking image than the dark charcoal feeling of the front and the brush at the right adds a nice depth to the image. In white type layered over the image you can find the CD credits, a thanks note, specific release date, catalogue number and label site. Included in the package in the left panel die cut is a booklet featuring an essay on Mergariam by Franceso Bergamo on the inside, with a different photo from the dark rocks as a background of the text, as well as a different view photo on the outside of the booklet. The CD itself is printed with a different photo of an industrial facility with some nice lens flares showing from the lights. Underneath the CD, the photo from the left panel of the digipak extends some more.

Now onto the piece Mergariam itself, as I mentioned before the piece features several phases in which we can hear various different industrial environments which all feature their own at times subtly varying sonic characteristics. The piece starts soft with clattering machinery sound coming from the centre of the stereo image. The machinery sounds have a great hollow continuous resonant drone within them that gets accompanied by various hissy metallic shifting sounds at various pitches that almost feel like melodic tones as the resonance within them has quite a recognisable pitch in it that matches with background drone from the machinery. This first phase from the piece lasts until 4:50 after which a second phase of Mergariam begins with a noisier louder and much more diffuse industrial environment. Full of hissing, whirring, loud reverberating clangs, swishing metallic sounds this phase moves to an intense section of clattering metallic objects that feel like raining down on your head. The piece than crossfades into a creaky piece of industrial equipment, moving in quite a constant rhythm making quite piercing high frequency sound and soft sounds from people talking can be heard at the same time. This creaky squeaking sound introduces the third phase of Mergariam and fades into a different set of squeaks, in this case isolated from the background ambience and afterwards fading some a loud mass of whirring, steaming shifting and droney industrial sounds, like a turbine hall at full force. This fourth phase is a combination of both dissonant steaming sounds and drones which slowly moves into a very nicely fluctuating chord, a great moment of harmonic sound that adds another melodic element to the generally more diffuse and fuzzy textures of the sounds within the piece. After this chord reverberates, we move into phase five of Mergariam which has a train carriage like rumbling sound to it and a single creaking part of the structure can be heard in the distance for some nice detail, this transitions into the sounds of trucks dropping off materials which segues into the final phase six of the piece. Phase six again features quite a lot of hissing steam like mechanical sounds combined with the drone of the machinery and sucking like noises that move around in the stereo image whilst shifting phase which especially on headphones will have a great binaural effect on the listening experience. Like a gradually moving high pass filter the pieces layered sounds also start to move up and up on the sound spectrum until only the highest sounds of the industrial environment are left and ending in a very soft low rumbling sound. I feel that the great thing about the listening experience of this piece is that not only does the composition move around so smoothly through the various environments but the musical like elements like the aforementioned drones add a great awareness of the “organized” aspect of industrial sounds and makes us listen with a more focussed ear to sounds that we’d normally might want to avoid or wouldn’t hear as “music”. The rhythmic sounding metallic sounds definitely add a pleasant physical experience to the piece as the irregular movements through the stereo field and changing actions make them sound like an event that moves from A to B and the more abrupt edits between the phases of the piece add a great dynamic contrast within it. While most of Mergariam is void of human sounds, the few voices that can be heard are a nice reminder that indeed these machines aren’t entirely working just by themselves and alongside details like the trucks, these more directly recognisable sonic hints to their sources give use some nice reference points in a piece that features a lot of sound that can be interpreted in many ways and can have different effects on different people. I personally found the piece to be quite calming really, while indeed industrial sounds can at times sound harsh, intimidating even, the continuous streams of steam like sound, drones, and metallic “rhythms” have a strange ambient charm and perhaps even meditative effect to them that I can’t help but just feel really comfortable with. Especially the final phase of the piece rounds of Mergariam with a quite lush stream of both diffuse mechanical and droning sounds that feels like a pleasant bath of layered and texturally rich sound sweeping into the end of the piece. At 20 minutes the very varied sound also gives the piece a very nice evolving structure that gives it a nice pace and also never makes it feel overly lengthy but rather a memorable rewarding sonic experience you want to revisit many times.

Mergariam by Enrico Coniglio + Nicola Di Croce definitely proves once again that the art of field recording documents and compositions is a valuable treasure in the field of sound art and underground music that shouldn’t be overlooked or underrated in its significance of both sonic awareness and the stories behind the concept and recordings themselves. The piece on this CD offers an excellent journey through various industrial environments of the port of Marghera and works as both a pure discovery into the sounds as well as subconscious musical inspiration through the resonances and rhythmic details. With great sounding recordings and a lovely composition of this piece the two Italian sound artists offer an excellent CD on Flaming Pines, with the great photos by Giorgio Bombieri and in depth essay by Franceso Bergamo adding some useful and inspiring contexts and inspiring thoughts to the sonic experience itself. Another great release on Flaming Pines to definitely check out.

Pro-printed CD and Digital version are available on the Flaming Pines Bandcamp page here: https://flamingpines.bandcamp.com/album/mergariam