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cherry-holmes · 1 year ago

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RIVER - Javier Peña x f!Reader

Glimpse of a life with Javier Peña

Chapter —

MASTERLIST

Summary: Javi took you to his favorite place on earth: heaven.

SERIES MASTERLIST

Pairing: Javier Peña x Female Reader

Word count: +3k

Warnings: Angst with happy ending (sad!Javi) Parent loss. | SMUT. Again, there's a lot of plot before the smut😅P in V sex. Unprotected sex. Rough-ish sex. Fingering. Sex in a public place -ish. Breeding kink. Praise kink. Pregnancy talk.

A/N: Hello, Hola! First of all I want to thank all of you for the support you gave me on my first work! Muchas gracias! I been writing for almost ten years now, but I haven't publish anything since my first fanfic on Wattpad in 2017😅

I hope you like this one as much as the first one!

I repeat, I'm not a native English speaker, but I'm a translator student so I hope I'm doing it well!

If you wanna send me a request, my box is open!

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Several daily high temperature records were broken Tuesday in Texas, including at Houston Hobby Airport, Corpus Christi, Laredo and Del Rio. Laredo hit 115 degrees, marking its 10th consecutive day of record highs...

Indeed, as the reporter mentioned on the radio, those were incredibly hot summer days. The air was dry and the sun was burner, it drain all your energy.

You tried to be helpful at the Peña's Ranch during your work vacations, but the chores felt like torture. Javier and his father used to spend hours under the unforgiving sun, repairing fences, tending to horses, herding cattle, and dealing with clients looking for meat animals. The life of a ranch owner was undeniably tough but prosperous.

Sunday arrived with the thermometer hitting nearly 115 degrees. When you woke up that morning, you anticipated a challenging day ahead. However, Javier woke up with a plan in mind. He mentioned knowing about a river around 22 kilometers from the ranch were he used to spend all summer with his cousins when he was a child. You hadn't explored much of the city since you'd been living there for five months since your return from Colombia. So, you were excited about the idea of discovering your new home state, and most importantly, having a day off to immerse yourself in nature. He was delighted that you had agreed to the plan and suggested that you wear sportswear for hiking and a swimsuit.

You inquired him if his father would join, but he explained that Don Chucho would attend the morning mass and then spend the rest of the day at his brother's house.

"It's just you and me today, mi vida," he promised, his large hands squeezing your hips as he left soft kisses on your shoulders as you prepared containers with cubes of watermelon and mango seasoned with lemon and chile Tajín.

Javier placed a small cooler in the back of his '94 Dodge Ram and filled it with beers, water, the fruits you had prepared, and some tamales you had bought and had leftover from the night before.

You jumped into the passenger seat, and Javi turned on the radio as the truck roared to life. The sound of cumbias tejanas played softly as you admired the view of Laredo's countryside. The wind blew through your hair, and Javi drummed his fingers on the steering wheel syncing with the rhythm of Bobby Pulido's song. You felt his free hand touch yours, and when you looked at him, he took your knuckles and placed a kiss on them. He briefly took his eyes off the road to gaze into yours and said, "You look so beautiful today."

Your cheeks turned red as you laughed shyly, but you couldn't resist teasing him, "Only today?"

He grinned and replied, "You've always been a beauty, chiquita."

Thirty minutes later, Javier parked the truck in an improvised parking lot used by visitors to the river. You grabbed your backpack, which was packed with clean towels and dry underwear, while Javi carried the cooler and his own backpack. As you followed him through the lush vegetation and the cool water of the river, you welcomed the fresh air and the shade of the trees. Families and groups of young friends, some with dogs and others who appeared to have camped there overnight, were scattered about. But you notice that Javi didn't follow the same path as the rest of the visitors.

Curious, you asked Javi, "Where are we going?"

He grinned and replied, "It's a surprise."

You continued hiking uphill, leaving the main river trail further and further behind. However, you could still hear the gentle rush of the river. The air was filled with the fresh aroma of blooming flowers and damp earth. Butterflies fluttered everywhere, and you spotted squirrels and birds with vibrant-colored feathers.

After thirty minutes of hiking, you began to feel very sweaty and tired, especially in your knees due to the rocky path.

"Javi," you called to him, noticing he was climbing effortlessly. "Javi," you called again, a bit more concerned, "Are we lost?"

"Be patient," he responded, sounding a bit agitated but not as much as you were. "You hear that? We're almost there," he encouraged.

You focused on your surroundings, and you could perceive the sound of a waterfall nearby.

You followed him through the large rock formation, and before you knew it, a lagoon fed by a waterfall appeared in front of you. The sun reflected on the surface of the crystal-clear water, making it shimmer. The breeze from the waterfall caressed your face, a soft wind drying your sweat with a gentle, cooling touch, rustling the leaves around you.

The warmth of the sun on your skin and the cool breeze from the river created the perfect atmosphere. It felt like heaven on earth, like an Eden. And the fact that you were there with the person you loved the most made it all feel ethereal.

"You like it?" Javi asked gently in your ear, sending a shiver down your spine as he wrapped his broad arms around your waist and pulled you closer to him.

"Oh my God, Javi, it's so beautiful," you exclaimed, "I love it."

"Nobody will find us here, mi vida," he promised, "People follow the marked path, not all of them explore the surroundings," he explained. "As I told you, it's just you and me. Wanna take a swim?"

"Oh God, yes!" you exclaimed as you placed your backpack under a tree. You were wearing a black swimsuit under your shorts and oversize sports crop top, so you just had to take them off, and you jumped into the water.

The water was so clear that you could see the rocks at the bottom perfectly, and the shimmer of the sun on your skin. You swam to the center of the lagoon, and you heard the distant splash of another body jumping into the water. By the time you surfaced, Javier was already at your side, hugging your body and placing a peck on your lips as you wrapped his torso with your legs. You combed his hair disheveled by the water, running your fingers through his black hair. Then, you caressed his face, passing your thumbs on his mustache and bottom lip. He closed his eyes, absorbing your gentle petting. Your fingers wandered through the freckles painting his broad chest and shoulders. You cupped his face with your hands and kissed him with the perfect combination of tenderness and passion that you knew drove him completely dumb for you.

When he opened his big brown puppy eyes, he looked at you as if you were everything he had ever known.

"Te amo mucho, flaquita," he expressed tenderly.

"Yo también te amo, mi corazón," you promised.

"Are you hungry?" he asked after a couple of minutes of tender kisses and sweet nothings in the water.

"Very much," you laughed and started swimming to the shore.

Javi placed a towel on a rock near the water, and you both sat down to start eating and drinking what you brought. You even fed a squirrel with a piece of tamal, which made Javi laugh as he watched you melt in cuteness for the little animal.

"So, you used to come here with your cousins?" you asked him, eager to learn about his youth and his family. He nodded.

"We used to climb to the top of the mountain and swim in the river that everyone knows," he explained. But his expression shifted from a normal nostalgic sentiment to almost sadness in his eyes. He fell silent for a moment, and you regretted asking and potentially ruining the great moment you were having. However, he continued, "After my mom passed away, I was very angry with the whole world. I started being rude with my father and I started to smoke and get drunk with my friends." He let out a laugh, but it was empty. You knew little about how he lost his mother, since he didn't like to talk about it. He had told you that she was sick, that he was fifteen at the time, and that his father never married again. "One day I had a big argument with my dad. He was very angry because I failed all my exams, so I ran away and came here to the river. I was so angry and lost in thought that I didn't notice I had taken the wrong trail and got lost. So, I kept walking until I found this place."

He looked at the waterfall and the treetops, and you felt a shiver and a lump in your throat.

"I sat on this very rock and cried my eyes out, thinking about how much I missed my mom and that I was ashamed of my behavior towards my father," he added. "This place became my refuge. I used to come here every time I felt anxious, tired, or sad. I never told or brought anybody to this place, not even my father."

You couldn't help but wonder if he had ever brought Lorraine here. After all, she had been his first fiancée, and you wondered if he had considered sharing this secret place with her. However, you didn't dare to ask him, afraid of his response or of making him lie just to please you.

But he knew you so damn well, almost as if he could hear the unspoken question burning in your mind. He loved your low-key jealousy.

"Not even her," he clarified. His hand took yours and caressed your still-wet fingers, then he placed his big brown eyes on yours, so devoted to you. "The very first moment I saw you, I swear that you reminded me of this place. I don't know if it was the heat of the Colombian summer or the blue dress you wore that day, but seeing you seated at your desk brought me a peace I haven't felt in a long time."

You felt tears of happiness gathering in your eyes, butterflies in your stomach, and your cheeks turning cherry red. Javi moved closer to you, wrapping an arm around your waist, his intense gaze still on your bright eyes.

"In that moment, I told myself that I have to bring you here, as my wife. Today is the first time I came back in seven years since I left for Colombia. And you are the only person I've ever shown my most precious secret."

Your hands reached for his face, making him stay still as you kissed him deeply and passionately. His hands went to your back, pulling you closer and kissing you back. You tasted the saltiness of your tears in between the kiss, but so did Javi, so he wiped them away with his thumb.

"I promised to you to be worthy of you, baby, and I intend to make it last forever," he promised.

"You have my heart, Javi," you promised back. "You're everything I have."

He leaned in to kiss your lips again, and then he stood up, pulling you up too.

"Enough of crying, babygirl. Let's swim," he said as he stepped into the water, but you let go of his hand, making him frown.

"Wait," you said, looking around, "Are you sure nobody knows about this lagoon?"

"I'm damn sure, baby. What's the matter?" he said, a bit confused, until he saw you taking off your swimsuit. His eyes darkened as they roamed your completely naked body, and you noticed his Adam's apple moving up and down.

"Is it okay?" you asked him, a mix of innocence and naughtiness that made his cock throb inside his shorts.

"You're amazing," he said as he started taking off his own swimsuit and then pulled you to him and into the water.

He kissed your lips, your cheeks, your chest, and you felt his cock half-hardened against your lower belly. But he let you go, and instead of diving straight into sexual matters, you both swam all around the lagoon, drank all the beers, bathed under the stream of the waterfall, and explored the depths searching for weird-shaped rocks. Sex was an amazing experience in your relationship. You both enjoyed each other's bodies and could spend hours tangled in your shared bed, on the couch, or in any other intimate place. The two of you also knew that there were many ways to make love, and not all of them were about sex. This was one of the connections that Javier learned from being with you. He adored your naked body, and it turned him on. There were days when he just couldn't keep his hands off you. However, he also learned to appreciate it in a way that went beyond lustful desires, reaching a level of intimacy that felt almost divine. He saw you through your nakedness, connecting with your soul, and vice versa.

But when you do fuck, you mean it.

The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the lagoon. You felt his bare body behind you, his arms around your torso as he kissed your neck. You began to rub your buttcheeks against his cock, making him hiss.

Javi's hands disappeared under the water, looking for your core. His index and middle finger found your clit and began to traced gentle circles as he squeezed one of your breasts with his free hand.

You let out a couple of soft moans, trying to keep as quiet as possible, but Javi fastened his touch, making it so hard for you.

"Don't worry, nobody will hear us," he assured you, whispering to your ear, "C'mon, bonita, let me hear you begging for my cock."

"Javi...", you whimpered, feeling his dick slipping on your ass and his fingers between your folds.

"You're such a Goddess," he praised. Javier knew every detail about how to make love to you. He was proud of knowing every corner of your body, every angle, every freckle and every beauty mark over your body. He knew how to made you whimper and scream, and how to make you undone. Yet, he never get bored, not even after three years of relationship and the most wonderful four months of marriage. He would never had enough of every aspect of you.

"I... I need to... feel you inside," you whimpered.

He wanted to made you cum with his fingers and his mouth first, as he always do. But the scene was so kinky and erotic, making his cock throb so painfully.

"Fuck," he hiss, as he carried you, making you gasp, and took you back to the towel.

Javi laid down and you jumped on top of him. His cock was lying on his belly, so you started rubbing it between your wet folds, massaging your clit with his head. His hands captured your hips, so tight you think it would let bruises with the shape of his fingers. But you didn't care, it felt so good.

"I don't brought condoms, baby," he confessed.

"Are you telling me that you planned all this so I let you cum inside of me?", you teased, he shrugged playfully. "You're such a bad boy."

"What are you gonna do about it? Don't tell me that you don't want it too, feel your tight pussy filled with my cum," he whispered, making your core throb around his cock. He grinned, feeling you become even wetter. "I was thinking about starting to build that second bedroom I told you about. How does that sound?"

That was the signal. You and Javi lived in a house that he build years ago. It was at three kilometer from his father's ranch, and since he was not planning to get married at that time, the house only had one room. But now that the panorama had changed, the house was about to transform from a bachelor house to a family home. Starting for make a baby's room next to the the main room.

And just like that, Javi was asking you about starting to try. You answered with a nod and a shaking sigh, your body reacting to his words.

"C'mon, cowgirl, let's put a baby on you," he added, as you took his cock to your entrance. You moan hard as you felt his length stretching your walls, clenching around him. "Fuck, I love that pussy," he groaned.

He was also mesmerized by the view of you on top of him: your skin glowing at the sunlight, drops of water over your shoulders, your wet hair waving with soft air, your hands on his chests, your hardened nipples and your drop-shaped breasts. You looked gorgeous as always.

"You feel so deep, Javi," you moan, starting to moving back and forth, up and down with gentle movements. His pubic hair caressing your swollen clit, his hands over your hips and waist. "I want you to fill my pussy with your cum."

His cock felt different without a condom. You were a married couple, but you still had intercourse with protection, given that you didn't have plans to have a baby until now, and Javi wasn't selfish to make you take pills full of hormones and side effects. He always tried to have condoms on hand, and even though he had insisted that you didn't have to take morning-after pills, you both had sex without protection a couple of times. You always let him know how much you loved his bare cock inside of you and you knew how much he loved it too.

Your whimpers mixed with the sound of the waterfall was music for Javi's ears. He began to push his hips up at the same time as you went down, meeting each other halfway. The air was filled with filthy sounds of wet bodies and moans and whimpers. His name escaped your lips like a prayer, as he watch his cock disappeared inside your dripping cunt.

"I'm comin'... I'm... fuck...," you cried, as you felt a knot buildup on your lower belly.

"I know baby, I can feel your pussy clenching for me," he said. Javi took control of the situation, as you let him fuck you nice and deep, one thumb on your clit and his free arm around your waist to make you stay still. You placed your hands at both sides of his head, so he was able to capture your nipple with his mouth, making you cried and soaking wet.

"Don't you fuckin' stop, Javier! Just like that, me gusta cuando me coges así," you pleaded as he fastened his thrusts.

"Quiero verte corriéndote en mi verga," he commanded.

You reached your climax with a silent scream as the waves of pleasure washed over you, squirting over his cock. You pulled your hips up unconsciously, but he pulled you back down again, buried so deep into you. You felt him almost rubbing your cervix as his warm and thick load painted your walls.

He was also growling and letting out soft whimpers as he watched your pussy dripping a mix of his cum and your honey.

Javi pull out and placed your body beside him, kissing your collarbone and caressing the curves of your waist as you came down from your cloud of bliss.

"That was amazing," you murmured after a minute, your cheeks burning. You cupped his cheeks and kiss him on the lips again.

"I wanna swim again," he said, starting to stood up taking your hand to follow him.

But you pulled him closer, pressing his chest against your breasts as you wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, your tongues entwining. "You're not going anywhere. I told you that you were a bad boy, and you must be punished for that behavior, mister."

He grinned devilishly as you placed your hands over his shoulders and pushed him down your body.

#pedro pascal #fanfic #narcos #pedro pascal x reader #javier pena x reader #javier peña smut #javier peña x reader #javier peña x female reader #pedro pascal smut #javier peña x f!reader #narcos fanfiction #narcos fic #javier peña fic

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girlfriendsofthegalaxy · 3 months ago

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tuesday again 9/10/2024

someone adopt this little orange man from me in Houston TX! more details here!

listening

the 1991 Ella Mae Morse compilation Capitol Collectors Series is the official driving-cats-to-the-vet album bc it is so mellow but still fun. this album has previously been featured several times in tuesdayposts but i think you should all listen to it again.

youtube

seven thousand three hundred days IS a long long time to sleep ur so right ella

reading

two different works that annoyed me: Emily Hamilton's The Stars Too Fondly. my first clue should have been that this is my least favorite poem, bc ppl would quote it to me smugly after my mom died. im sure they thought they were being so super comforting to a budding astronomer, but, much like how i can no longer eat lasagna bc ppl gave us Twenty! Party! Size! Platters! Of! Lasagna! after my mom died (they would just Appear on our front porch, frozen), too much of this poem really soured me.

i had this book on hold Forever and then delayed delivery twice bc i have not felt like reading lately. here's the publisher's description:

In her breathtaking debut—part space odyssey, part sapphic rom-com—Emily Hamilton weaves a suspenseful, charming, and irresistibly joyous tale of fierce friendship, improbable love, and wonder as vast as the universe itself. So, here’s the thing: Cleo and her friends really, truly didn’t mean to steal this spaceship. They just wanted to know why, twenty years ago, the entire Providence crew vanished without a trace. But then the stupid dark matter engine started all on its own, and now these four twenty-somethings are en route to Proxima Centauri, unable to turn around, and being harangued by a snarky hologram that has the face and attitude of the ship’s missing captain, Billie. Cleo has dreamt of being an astronaut all her life, and Earth is kind of a lost cause at this point, so this should be one of those blessings in disguise that people talk about. But as the ship gets deeper into space, the laws of physics start twisting, old mysteries come crawling back to life, and Cleo’s initially combative relationship with Billie turns into something deeper and more desperate than either woman was prepared for. Lying somewhere in the subspace between science fantasy and sapphic rom-com, The Stars Too Fondly is a soaring near-future adventure about dark matter and alternate dimensions, leaving home and finding family, and the galaxy-saving power of letting yourself love and be loved.

should be catnip for me, right? wrong. starts out as a chat fic, which i hate.

i had a lot of trouble finishing the first chapter, which also has an extended third-person omniscient narrator flashback in italics, a thing i also hate. i KNOW you can figure out how to integrate this information into the book in a better way instead of dumping it in my lap.

i think part of why this is not hitting like i wanted is the tone, because i think this veers more new adult than i was really hoping for. i think introducing a big group all at once is very hard to do effectively. i do not like a series of character introductions that feel like they are trying to sell me action figures. or perhaps blind-bag figures. i do not like a six-deep list of cheesy puns about someone's name. i do not have the patience to see if this debut novel finds its footing a little later on, though i am glad a sapphic ghost in the machine romance exists in this world.

i also read dean motter's mister x (both the original late eighties through early nineties run and the 2008 follow-on).

let's yoink the description from wikipedia:

Set in Radiant City, a dystopian municipality influenced by Bauhaus and Fritz Lang's Metropolis, the series concerns a mysterious figure who purports to be its architect. His radical theories of "psychetecture" cause the citizenry to go mad, just as he did, and he takes on the mission to repair his creation. To accomplish this he remains awake twenty-four hours a day by means of the drug "insomnalin", all the while coping with a Dick Tracy–like rogues gallery and supporting cast including his long-suffering ex-girlfriend Mercedes. (ed note: the redhead in the santa beard below)

the art in this comic book is really and truly stunning. everyone was firing on all cylinders. beautiful retrofuturistic advertisement vibes, very fun play with panels and word balloons while still being readable, there are airships, you know how it is. looooooooove a hardboiled noir.

the Concept of mister x, this horrible awful futuristic city that grinds its citizenry up and spits them out? both figuratively and sometimes literally? love it!!! love a great wounded beast of a city as a character!!!

unforch the "who is mister x" subplot does not resolve in a satisfying way, imo. there's a lot of flip-flopping, there's a lot of options, he ends up being (maybe?) someone he was very definitively proven NOT to be in an earlier issue, and it really soured me on the whole experience. and also i don't believe it! that specific person makes no fucking sense! who mister x is, is by far the least interesting part of the series. tell me more about how he's fixing the city. show me more of the city. shut up and dance, robot artists

watching

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016, dir. Singer). this movie did not need to be two and a half hours long. appreciated the EXTREMELY divorced energy from charles & erik though, quicksilver rescuing the school scene was also very fun. my bestie's husband has informed me we are NOT watching Dark Phoenix, i'm not sure if we're going to loop back and watch the ??? number of wolverine films or if we're going to see how i feel about deadpool. bc i find this character insufferable through clips only.

playing

there is a feature in the video game genshin impact to turn your World Level (TM) down in order to make overworld enemies a little easier. i am at seven out of nine bc i genuinely can't finish the boss to unlock world level 9, and i am finding some of the overworld enemies too hard at 8 and want to finish the achievements in a more relaxed fashion.

making

this is going to be a lot of previously posted pics so bear with me.

saturday morning/saturday evening. plants? repotted. porch and stairs? swept. old wasp nests? knocked down. different mirror on the porch to go out to the curb when i have the energy? yes. also a giant slab of engineered stone from the top of a dresser but that's out of frame.

speaking of the giant broken dresser that was in my apartment when i moved in just over a year ago, i ripped it apart with a crowbar and threw it in the dumpster. put my pretty zebrawood desk in the empty space and started thinking about what to hang on that wall. the wall across from it is maps, bc i think a cozy office should have lots of maps and it makes a good video conference background. maybe this will be the dedicated cowboy nonsense wall. i did so much dusting and vacuuming and mopping and the girls can't even hang out in here bc the orange boy is in the office bathroom. big sigh.

also a lot of driving around and emailing and calling thirty shelters and rescues figuring out how to get this orange man a home. please take this orange man off my hands.

#tuesday again #tuesday again no problem

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woundedheartwithin · 2 months ago

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That's a big choo choo! Union Pacific 4014, affectionately known as Big Boy after an unknown American Locomotive Company worker wrote the name on No. 4000's smokebox door in chalk, is one of only eight remaining 4-8-8-4 steam locomotives left of the 25 that were original produced in 1941 and 1944, and the only one of its kind still in operation today. Weighing in at 1.2 million pounds with a length of 132 feet, Big Boy is the largest steam engine ever built, designed to tackle steep rail lines that ordinarily needed more than one engine to climb. The frames of the locomotive were articulated, which allowed it to negotiate curves at speed, making it not just powerful, but sure-footed as well.

No. 4014 completed its final revenue run on July 21, 1959, and was officially retired on December 7, 1961. It sat on static display at RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California until 2013, when it began its journey to new life in Union Pacific's excursion service. True to its name, the locomotive was so big that UP had to expand their Steam Shop to accommodate it! Restoration began on No. 4014 in 2016 and continued until 2019, during which time the locomotive was completely disassembled, repaired, converted from coal to oil, and reassembled into operational order. On May 1, 2019, Big Boy No. 4014 backed out of the UP Steam Shop, moving under its own power for the first time in almost 60 years.

Up close, Big Boy is, well, BIG. It's impossible not to feel very small standing next to the world's largest operational steam locomotive, looking up at all the intricate machinery that makes No. 4014 capable of hauling 6,000 tons over steep grades. Its whistle sounds like something out of a movie, loud and haunting, and folks in the crowd slapped their hands over their ears in surprise when the locomotive finally announced its departure from this stop. As it left town, a plume of black smoke belched from the engine's smokestack, creating the iconic silhouette of a steam engine at work, and then it set off for its next whistle stop, continuing its trek across Texas toward Houston, where it will double back to Fort Worth and beyond on its way back home to Cheyenne, Wyoming. It was a privilege to see this incredible machine in action, and I wish it a safe journey and many more excursions to come!

#my photography #big boy #union pacific #union pacific big boy #big boy no. 4014 #union pacific 4014 #trains #locomotive #steam locomotive #steam engine #history

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lonestarbattleship · 1 year ago

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Battleship Texas much closer to securing permanent home in Galveston

The first step is a ten-year lease with the port, coming in at $20,000 a month or more depending on the weather

By Chris Gray

"This artist's rendering projects what the USS Texas could look like once it is safely housed along the heart of Galveston's waterfront. "

"Battleship Texas cleared an important hurdle in its quest for a permanent home this week. During its regular meeting on Tuesday, the Galveston Wharves board of trustees authorized the creation of a lease between the Port of Galveston and the Battleship Texas Foundation, which operates and maintains the historic warship.

'It’s a big step for us,' said Tony Gregory, the foundation’s president and CEO. 'We feel like it's a big win. It’s taken a while to convince the port that we should be where we're going to go, but in the end their leadership responded. We think we have a good agreement, and we're excited to move forward on it.'

The proposed lease would be for 10 years with two additional 10-year options, explained port director and CEO of Galveston Wharves Rodger Rees. Once it has been drafted and signed, which Rees said could happen at the board’s next meeting later this month, the foundation would pay the port $20,000 per month in rent; plus $1.2 million (another $20,000 a month) in case an extreme-weather event or other dire scenario forced the port managers to take drastic measures with the ship like towing her out to sea.

Now, 'there's some hoops they've got to jump through but not ours,' Rees said. 'What we did is try to help them with their permitting process by giving them a home.'

The ship, which served with distinction in both World Wars, was towed from the San Jacinto Monument to a dry-dock facility in Galveston's harbor in August 2022.

Greg Eckmann Photography/Battleship Texas Foundation

According to Gregory, now that the foundation has struck a deal with the port, it can finalize its agreement with Landry’s, Inc. for the multibillion-dollar company founded by island native and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta to manage the ship’s day-to-day operations, effectively adding it to a portfolio that also includes Kemah Boardwalk and Pleasure Pier. The foundation plans to permanently berth the ship in the area around Piers 19 and 20, the most commercial area of the port and property already controlled by Landry’s.

'Landry’s is excited about the positive progress made to secure a permanent home for the Battleship Texas in Galveston,' said Landry's deputy general counsel Dash Kohlhausen in a statement. 'We look forward to continue working with the City, the Wharves Board, and the Battleship Texas Foundation to make this a reality for Galveston.'

The next step for the foundation, which towed the USS Texas to Galveston from its longstanding home at the San Jacinto Monument in August 2022, is to secure the necessary permits from the trio of agencies which share jurisdiction over the waterway: the U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and Galveston Texas City Pilots, an association of ship captains whose boats escort larger vessels in and out of the port. It could take up to a year for those permits to be approved, Rees said.

Meanwhile, the ship, which served in both World Wars — notably off Omaha Beach during D-Day and as part of Operation Torch in North Africa — has been undergoing an estimated $60 million in dry-dock repairs since arriving at the Gulf Copper facility on Pelican Island. According to Gregory, those repairs are scheduled to be completed next summer. The foundation has already started a capital campaign to raise another $15 million for construction of its permanent housing, including the necessary mooring plus a ticket-sales building, public restrooms, and exhibit space.

Finally, hovering over all this is the not-insignificant question of whether the old battleship will sell enough tickets — about 283,000 a year, according to the foundation’s math — to offset the necessary maintenance, restoration, and marketing costs. On this count, at least, Gregory is confident she will.

'We feel like the reason our agreement with the port is such a big step is because we are in the best spot to attract the most tourists on the waterfront,' he said. 'We have two cruise terminals to our West, one cruise terminal to our East, with another being negotiated. We're near the restaurants, the Elissa, the bars; we’re near the Strand.

It could take another $15 million to prepare the necessary facilities to house the ship along Piers 19 and 20, foundation CEO Tony Gregory said.

Battleship Texas Foundation

'It’s a little bit like the real estate agent said: ‘Location, location, location' Gregory added. 'It’s the best location in Galveston for being successful in attracting people to come onto the ship.'

For the foundation, which took over upkeep of the ship from Texas Parks and Wildlife in 2019, the end is now in sight. The extraordinary patience necessary to steward the Texas through this painstaking and expensive process finally seems to be yielding tangible results.

'I tell people all the time, if you get involved with the Battleship Texas, whether you're a vendor or a regulatory agency, it's a legacy project and you need to be a little more patient and a little more committed to get it done, because she's an old ship and she needs a lot of care,' Gregory said.

'So we're confident,' he added. 'Believe me, there's always regulatory obstacles, and we've overcome a lot of them in the past couple or years. We’re optimistic that we can address whatever else needs to be addressed.'"

Article from the Houston Chronicle: link

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allrevvedup · 5 months ago

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Family displaced by hurricane Beryl needs help to pay for house repairs, please share if you can

My best friend's mom and sister were affected by the hurricane down near Houston their house was damaged. Right now they're having to stay in a red cross shelter and her mom has no way of getting to work, making it harder for them to cover house repairs so they can get home.

I know this is probably not the most important gofundme you're seeing on your dash right now, but if you're able to spare a few dollars or even just a reblog it would be greatly appreciated.

My best friend's mom is one of the kindest and most caring people I know and she hates asking for help, but she really needs it and I hate to watch them struggle right now. Thank you for taking the time to read this and please at least reblog ❤️❤️❤️

#donations #gofundme #go fund them #anything helps #Chey is like a mom to me and I really wish I was in the position to help her #Since money is tight the best I can do is share and hope someone can afford to help #Donations Needed Tag

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davidshawnsown · 6 months ago

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SAVANNAH BANANAS UKRAINE ONE-SHOT 1: Danny "Do It All" Hosley, the all-around infantryman

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(AN: As the Savannah Bananas began their 2024 season as a pro barnstorming team - 3rd overall in this configuration, 2nd full time and the 8th of their history, it came at the heels of a massive roster overhaul in the offseason, and the fact that for the first time the organization will be hosting events at 6 MLB stadiums with a 3rd joining the two already active franchises of the wider organization come May. They have filled Minute Maid Park in Houston to huge reception and come this April, their presence has had expanded with the first games broadcast on Bally Sports platforms. To honor these boys in yellow who have won the hearts of a nation and people around the world, in salute to the forthcoming launch of the Firefighters team and to ensure also that the fans of this stellar team also know as well the need to help Ukraine be supported in its time of need - given that there are Ukrainian American communities that call the Hostess City home - the series I began in Discord of one shots featruing the Bananas and their players is now also present here on Tumblr - for the sake of the fanfic writers and other writers here. These stories, set in the Ukrainian frontlines, will give the readers the idea of how important the defense of Ukraine is to the overall well being of the world. As a footnote, the recent incident involving members of the Russian press will be included.)

TW: violence, language, war scenes

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SOMEWHERE AT THE SVATOVE-KREMMINA FRONTLINE

WESTERN EASTER WEEK, APRIL 2024

The smoke of exploded vehicles have time and again punctuated Ukraine's north east since the 716th Savannah Infantry Regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions arrived in the fall of 2023 to help reinforce this vital part of the frontline.

Carrying not just vital aid to the frontline soldiers and also medical and ordnance supplies but also even additional reinforcements from their home city in the form of an artillery battalion and an infantry battalion based there as well as volunteers for the repairs of crucial arms and vehicular equipment, they have helped in the defense of the frontline from repeated Russian attacks from either the regular armed forces but also from the militias from both Russia itself and its autonomous republics in the Donbass.

Among those who have had helped was a young man from Vienna, Virginia and had been trained as an EMT in college - newly promoted sergeant Danny Hosley of 1st platoon, A Company of the 1st Battalion, who has been their all around soldier cum infantryman since he accepted the offer of joining the regiment in December 2022. His medical training has also made him the platoon's medical first responder for not just his men but also for the Ukrainians fighting with him in the front, in which the regimental medical unit has been grateful for the quick response that saved a lot of lives in the field. Thus he has been called as "Danny Do It All" by all those in A Company since he arrived at the front - also because alongside his rifle and EMT proficiency, he has been an expert in the machine gun, grenade launcher and ATGMs, as well as MANPADs. He's already set to be platoon sergeant with 1st Platoon in the future, already a backup to SFC Malachi Mitchell, already company first sergeant for A Company. And his actions have earned the praise not only only his company commander, 1LT Bill LeRoy, but also his battalion CO Tyler Gillum and XO Adam Virant.

These actions have earned him a Defense of Ukraine Medal and other medals and decorations by the Ukrainian and US governments, as well as recognition by the people of his hometown.

Over the past months since his deployment, his efforts have resulted in the death of many Russians and those from Cuba, Nepal and African countries, as well as the destruction of tens of Russian and allied military vehicles as well as UAVs and helicopters. No wonder these kills are openly brandished but only in the Strykers the 1st Battalion 716th has had accompained in their Ukrainian campaign.

Last February, he was with 1LT Dan Oberst as he risked his life saving SGT Taj Porter from certain death. Over the past few months whenever elements of A Company of the 1st Battalion were in certain life threatening situations, Hosley was the one who was with them looking at their safety and well being all the way, including a young lieutenant from Oklahoma, 1LT Jocelyn Alo, a graduate of the local ROTC unit, who joined the company last year.

Once more his will and ability would be tested.

1340h EEDT

Reports of yet another Russian column have unnerved the 1st Battalion command in their OP in the frontline. Yesterday it's the 169th Assault Infantry Brigade that was threatening the lines to the north - a new Russian raising that is part of the 25th Army and is the first of many that had been raised as part of an ongoing revival of the Russian Shock Corps - the rapid response infantry units that have gained notoreity and fame during the Second World War as part of the vanguard echeleon of ground forces formations. The brigade is armed with BTR-70s and the T-62 Chollma. This time it's the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division (Motorized Rifles) of the 20th Army that is threatening the frontline alongside 2 BARS battalions and a battalion of LPR militia from the 4th Mechanized Infantry Brigade II Guards Corps - represented by battalions of the 237th Armored Regiment with its T-54/55s and T-62s, as well as BMP-2s and older BMP-1s. Of the foreign equipment, they use the WZ-551 Type 90 and the Shin'heung light tank, as well as BTR-80 Chunma, a North Korean unlicensed version of the vehicle, while there has been at least a battery of the Chinese made PCL-99 towed field gun in the artillery battalion. The BARS battalions are armed partly with Dongfeng Mengshi MRAPs and the UAZ-66.

This time the call was from elements of the 1st Presidential Infantry Brigade "Storm" of the National Guard, as well as from the 66th Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the UGF, reporting that elements of the 3rd Mechanized were planning a renewed company level operation given the situation in the US regarding continued aid to the AFU and its wartime auxillaries. Ever the mobile commitment to the defense of the northeast, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 716th moved north while the two affilated battalions remained as they were. Since December 1st Platoon had been carrying 1LT Joe Lytle with it as he, 1LT Dakota McFadden and two others have been gearing up for the expansion of the company to five rifle platoons with McFadden slated to take charge of the 3rd as its current commander will have his platoon reflagged to the 4th as part of this. As of this week he called up SGT Jacob Teston from 1st platoon to be a future part of his team as well as SGT Emmanuel Rosario from 2nd platoon.

That earlier morning the 1st and 2nd Battalions took up positions in Nevske, Krasnorichenske Township in Svatove District, wherein they would assist the 66th Mechanized and the 106th Territorial Defense Brigade to the north of their positions, as well as a battalion of the 4th Armored Brigade to the west of them. Their mission was to patrol the area and halt possible Russian and DPR/LPR advances on the front. Well-armed and well equipped they would face the brunt of any Russian advance on their sector as well as of their allies while helping their Ukrainian brothers everywhere on the front as Russia is moving even more into their lines in the south while trying in the north to capture Chasiv Yar city in Kharkiv Oblast. They would man the positions each of the village.

As usual, CPTs Dalton Mauldin, Andy Archer and Reese Alexiades as well as SGT Brandon Crosby and 1LT Christian Dearman of 1st Platoon, newly promoted sergeant Tanner Thomas, SGTs Garrett DeClue and Dustin Baber and CPLs Garret Delano and Riyan Rodriguez of 2nd platoon had their GoPros ready to share the stories of their struggles to the American people attached to their helmets. Hosley himself had filmed some footage for the regimental social media outlets and his personals. The two platoons are more known for their TikTok viral antics and video footage over the past few years.

"Dalt!"

"So you're filming today Hoz?" Mauldin asked.

"Negative corporal."

"Got that sir. Already doing as usual, I want to let Nashville know that Ukraine badly needs the help in the form of weapons to defend its lands against Russia."

"Have you sent the petitions to your federal Congress members, Dalt?"

"Affirmative sir."

"I'm sure the rest of everyone here has been doing their job. And Breland?"

"Already in the Czech Republic now but still active helping the Ukrainian cause."

"Same for me here," added Archer, who has been for the past months since arriving in Ukraine the platoon's main marksman and sniper.

"You sure those French will keep their promises to be in Ukraine?"

"They will one day, Danny."

As the men of 1st and 2nd Battalions 716th Savannah stayed on their combat positions, they keep watch, aware that Russia - and the Donbass militias under its command would any time attack them and move towards the by now undersupplied Ukrainian lines, their plight having been shared to Americans as part of their efforts to help in the ongoing discussion on vital weapons aid to the country in Congress.

Then...

"ENEMY SPOTTED" was the call of 1LT Alou having relayed the call of the 1st Battalion's Ukrainian liason officer. He had informed her that it is surely the 237th.

"Here they come," added 1LT Bill LeRoy. "Open fire when ready Able. I know Gillum will give the fire order when he's ready."

Elements of the Russian 237th had been advancing as company level vanguard echelons attempting a breakthrough of the Ukrainian lines - exactly why the 716th had to move across to plug any holes in the defense whenever there would be an oncoming threat on the lines. This is before any main element of the regiment would arrive alongside the BARS reserves. Recon elements as usual were escorting the advance party and the vanguard detachments with vehicle-mounted infantry on the T-54/55s and the BTR-80 Chunma-D.

Ever the combat ready rifleman cum heavy weapons specialist, Hosley, having dropped his M4, began to load up his Javellin MPATS alongside SGT Michael Deeb on his NLAW, awaiting the order from his superiors and higher ups while elements of regimental command was in their original positions alongside parts of the battalion's servicemen while COL Eric Byrnes was with the rest on the field.

"Colonel, Tyler here from 1st Battalion. Russians about to begin intrusion operations. The Ukrainian liason with us told us its the 234th Armored Regiment of the Russian 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division coming at our lines," Tyler called his commanding officer on his walkie talkie.

"Noted LTC. On my orders, open fire when you think you're ready."

"Affirmative sir."

"Has Jesse called up from Savannah now that he's back there with Emily and the kids?"

"Yes. Our colonel in chief, Jesse Cole, has been informed via telephone on this. It's time we start the clock, he said. We need to fight them now that they are getting closer to our lines."

"Got that Brynes, Gillum out. Boom."

"Byrnes out."

"Calling A Company command," Tyler then called Bill. "Be ready to open fire when these Russians are on your sights."

"We're damn ready, sir."

Tyler called on the rest of the battalion and the cannon company to be ready for the upcoming onslaught by these Russians - as usual in a mix of old and new combat gear and armaments.

"In a few moments fire when ready boys," LTC Adam Virant called to the boys thru his walkie talkie. "These Russians will taste the fire of our guns."

Back in the line, Hosley had already loaded up his Javellin and began to aim at the lead T-55 leading the Russian advance party as it slowly moved towards the positions the two battalions of the 716th Savannah were.

"You ready?" CPL Deaundre "DJ" Roberts - soon slated to be promoted to Sergeant - asked him.

Hosley replied to him, "I'm just ready to do what it takes Corporal Roberts. We're doing what we can do for Ukraine at this point."

"Got that sarge."

"I'm ready too," added CPL Brandon Crosby.

"Same, sarge," added SGT Gabe Howell.

Immediately the fire order was issued from Byrnes, leading Gillum - on the part of 1st Battalion - to give the signal to fire upon the force.

"SHOWTIME! Open fire boys!"

"Order recieved," Bill replied. "A Company, light them up, fire!"

"Roger that Bill, let's do this, Slava Ukraini," his XO, 1LT Kyle Luigs, responded. "Heroyam Slava!" was everyone's usual response.

And the firefight began. Before any Russian would disembark from their vehicle, the bullets began to hit, killing anyone riding on the top of armored vehicles as tank desants in keeping with the old Russian tradition dating from the Second World War. And as always, Hosley's Javellin had hit the lead tank of the convoy.

"Tank has been hit, boys."

"Well done Danny!" replied CPL Ethan Skuija.

And the explosions kept coming. Grenade launchers and MPATS firing on the advance party, as well as the work of the field cannoniers of the gun company, practically disabled most of the force, with a few on the retreat as most of them were killed or wounded by American gunfire, soon joined by elements of an armored company from the 4th Armored Brigade armed with T-72s.

And Archer had shot some of the men at a distance, ever the able sniper he is.

Cries of "Surrender!" would ring out later, but most of the surviving lads were defiant, ready to die for Russia rather than giving up their arms. And they were met by rifle fire from the Americans, bleeding to their deaths.

"GET DOWN" echoed from no less than 1LT Josh Reddick. A grenade launcher had been fired on A Company's positions, but no one was hurt, the Russian carrying it would later run away from the battleground back to his battalion group.

"You okay DJ?" Danny asked.

"Yes sir, I'm alright."

"Same here Sarge, damn that grenade launcher man almost got us killed," added CPL Christian Vazquez from 2nd Platoon. This would be seconded by 1LT Sammy Claycamp, Major Mike Vavasis' assistant and the delegate for the 2nd Platoon as well as advisor to its commanding staff.

"You fine, Jonesy?" He radioed SGT Eric Jones Jr.

"Yes, I'm fine sarge, and so too is Lieutenant LeRoy."

"I'm sure Kyle and the other officers are alright."

"That's an afffirmative, thank God none of them were shot."

Soon enough the damage would be seen: 2 T-62 Chollma-2s, 6 BTR-80 Chunma-Ds, 2 BMP-1s and 2 WZ-551 Type 90s, plus a squad of UAZ-66 and GAZ Tigers. Majority of the advance party got killed in the operation, and not one of 1st and 2nd Battalions' personnel were killed for now or even wounded. Only a few gave up their AK-12 and AK-74s in the presence of the Americans, and thus would be handed over to the Ukrainian liason team of 1st Battalion 716th to be interrogated.

"There's more where that's coming from," Hosley said.

"That's right Hoz," 1LT Ryan Cox replied, stating that there would be a bigger column coming from that regiment as well as expected BARS battalions backing them up , in addition to another battalion this time from yet another from the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division: the 252nd Mechanized Infantry Regiment, as well as attached field artillery elements using SPGs and MLRS, coming at the rear. This is the reason why the UGF's 66th Mech Inf Brigade deployed some field artillery batteries from its field artillery regiment to back them up as well as the cannon companies of the 1st and 2nd Battalions - the latter a new raising to complement that of the former's and armed similarly. Their late arrival helped a lot in the destruction of the Russian advance party.

Radioing him, no less than 1st platoon CO 1LT Jackson Olson asked of him: "You destroyed some of these Russian and foreign tanks again Hoz?"

"Just doing my job as always."

"You better get that Javellin refilled time after time. There's more coming up, sarge."

"Yes lieutenant." After this he loaded up that Javellin again with the help of some members of the company.

"You've done well sarge," added sergeant Jones Jr. from 1st squad. "You still destroying these Russian vehicles?"

"Affirmative. I'm sure that our ammo's enough for these and we're still helping the nearly ammo-starved Ukrainians."

"You've become more determined these past weeks," said CPL Noah Bridges.

"I have been, corporal, not just to serve and defend, but to save more lives."

And indeed more came of these Russian vehicles and those imported to the country to serve their needs. But the artillery and armor of the Ukrainian units that reinforced their lines had helped them defeat the intruders time and again. The kill count and destroyed vehicles kept growing, as despite the cries of the charging Russians the Americans - with a little help from those in Ukraine who know the territory more - continued to maul those Russians of the vanguard column and those of the main force - as per the traditional assault strategy that had been adapted many times during the ongoing invasion - as company rather than battalion level assault parties for the former rather that of the latter ad-hoc formation. Even Russian and Chinese UAV's of the regiment's unmanned systems company were no match for electronic warfare and defensive efforts by Americans and Ukranians.

"Oh S__t. Damn grenade again!" Hosley shouted to his squadmates.

This time it missed them.

Afterwards, as the bomb went off, he was lying on the ground with 1LT Dan Oberst whom he helped save lives recently.

"That was close, Dan."

"Sarge, it almost got us killed," he replied as both stood up.

"Hey Stilits," then radioing SGT Dakota Albritton, "has the Strykers fired their targets and are being resupplied?"

"Yes Danny, and thank heavens none of them have been hit so far."

And the remmants of the attack would later pull back, at a high cost to their failed operation.

As the firefight continued on, no less than CPL Connor Higgins - who had been with 1st Platoon last year and got transferred to the 2nd on the urging of Major Vavasis - had radioed the sergeant - as he was informed of that by CPL Zack "Philly" Philips, who had also been with said unit and joined the same time as Higgins in 2023. After their training in Savannah and Kovel, they were deployed joining with the rest of A Company that summer.

"Big Butter here, Sarge we got an injury here on 2nd Platoon."

"Who's that corporal?"

"SSGT Jason Swan. Their platoon sergeant. Was a part of your platoon in 2022."

"Squad assignment?"

"1st."

"Is that combat related?"

"Affirmative Hosley. I am calling a medic here, please be there."

"Got ya Butter. Danny Do-It-All out."

"Big Butter out, good luck."

Hosley then informed 1LT Cox, "Know this guy?"

"Affirmative Hoz, served with him early in 2022."

"Got that, gonna be saving him before a medic arrives, Coxy."

"Hosley," said SSGT Mitchell, "be safe out there, make sure Swan is out of the line and being treated."

"Got it sarge."

Dropping his Javellin and getting his first aid kit ready and prepared, he rushed to 2nd platoon's lines at once with his M4 on his hands notwitstanding enemy gunfire and cannon fire from tanks and armored vehicles. But before that, he gave that Javellin to CPL David Ray "DR" Meadows from 3rd Squad, fully loaded up and with instructions to clearly fire at any Russian vehicle approaching their defenses.

"Glad you arrived in time," said 1LT Sammy Claycamp as he arrived at where 2nd platoon's being stationed in the field. "Higgins had called ya regarding Staff Sergeant Swan's injuries, these were on the hamstring on his legs due to a grenade sharpnel wound sustained thanks to these Russians who have been advancing towards 1st Battalion."

"Thanks Sam. Able to help him if I can, I must do."

"HOSLEY!" Higgins shouted at him as he approached the wounded but screaming staff sergeant. "Glad you made it."

"Doing my best as usual. Where's 1st squad commander?"

"That's SGT Achuff, I am asking him now to provide covering fire."

"Noted sarge."

"So what happened?"

"1LT Cornett informed me that Swanny got hit by grenade sharpnel to his hammy while firing on the advancing Russians because they threw a damn grenade on our lines.. He's been screaming in pain ever since and I'm glad sergeants Bloomer and Baber have been helping him."

"Got that Big Butter, I want covering fire now."

"Consider this done, sarge, I am calling Chase for this."

The order already given, Sergeant Hosley began to treat the staff sergeant with first aid, removing the sharpnel and ensuring that the torniquet and bandages applied as quickly to stop the bleeding caused by the sharpnel to his hamstring as the medical team arrived to assist.

"F_ck, what happened Swan?"

"Those Russians, they launched a grenade on our lines and I was thrown into the ground from having to stand up with Baber and the rest of the boys, with shapnel on my hammy."

"Better now?"

"Thanks Sarge. I would be lying bleeding and dead here in this freaking ground if not for you."

"Affirmative staff sergeant. It's time to get you out of the line. Here, take my hand."

"Thanks Danny."

"Is that one of the guys from 1st Platoon?" asked a stunned SGT Tanner Thomas, the 3rd squad commander, after seeing what had just happened.

Corporal Higgins, who served with Hosley last year, said the affirmative. Indeed it was Danny helping out no matter what with the help of the medical contingent assigned to the company.

Swan was helped by Hosley and some members of the A Company medical team as well as CPL Garrett DeClue and SGTs Baber and Bryson Bloomer and 1LT Jake Skole to stand as he was being medevac'd away from the frontline, holding his arm around the sergeant as he was being whisked away towards a Humvee combat ambulance awaiting him. Notwitstanding flying bullets and the loud gunfire and vehicular fire from the 716th's Strykers and the guns of the cannon company of 1st Battalion providing defensive fires support against the swarms of Russians rushing to break the Ukrainian defensive lines, Swan is now being finally pulled out.

Putting him on the strecher on the Humvee ambulance once they all came, he called up his company commanding officer on his radio.

"Lieutenant LeRoy, Danny Do-It-All here. Another wounded of our company finally set to be medevac'd out of the frontline."

"Great job sergeant Hosley. You have proven that you can truly do it all, for our city of Savannah and our nation."

"Thanks sir, gonna be back on the lines if I can Bill."

"You better be Danny, these Russians are throwing the rest of these conscripts and some veterans and reservists into 1st Battalion lines by companies and battalions. But take courage, we will win."

"Affirmative, I hope you inform Tyler. Danny Do-It-All out."

"Cowboy Kyle," he then informed his XO, "Swan being medevac'd as he speak. Another life saved thanks to my efforts."

"Great job sarge, you better get back to the lines ASAP."

"Affirmative lieutenant."

Then he looked on to Swan and to the medical staff as well as SGT Bloomer who chose to accompany him.

"Stay safe my friend, I will be back in the front. Will see you soon, sarge."

"Thanks for saving my life, Danny. I owe my life and that of the company to you, just as you help saved Dan Oberst before."

"Just doin' what I have to do."

"A pleasure to have you here in this company, sarge."

Looking to SGT Bloomer he said, "Bryson, take good care of your squad leader, he will surely be OK once it's over."

"Thanks sergeant Hosley for everything. You have been a hero to all of us here."

"You're welcome Bloomer."

Danny left the ambulance before it wheeled off and returned thru 2nd platoon lines back to his parent unit, having fetched the same guys who helped Jason on his medevac back to the lines.

While on the way, he was greeted by 1LT Dalton Cornett.

"Thanks Danny for saving Swanny's life."

"Was my pleasure to have done my sworn duty to my country and the city of Savannah, for the sake of Ukraine and the free world. Will always be ready to fight and save lives for this call, DC."

"Will always remember this day and others Hosley. Your work and efforts will be the in minds of the 716th for years to come."

"Just one guy doing his job, sir."

Meanwhile LTC Gillum had informed COL Byrnes of Hosley's heroism via radio. It stunned him and LTC Nate King.

"He's done it again?!!"

"He ain't called Danny Do-It-All for nothing Eric. He saved another of our men in the field."

"Indeed he has time and time again, as well as helped Ukrainians who have been wounded."

"There's no doubt about it Byrnsie. His heroic actions have earned our respect and admiration but above all else, his work has indeed minted our nation with pride and honor in the duty he has done in helping our allies abroad."

As this happened, Hosley returned to his platoon and this time got the Stinger from one of the Strykers, awaiting to attack any incoming Russian UAV system. Loading it up, it detected an ongoing UAV already doing recon work of the line for the Russians. This time a Ukrainian rifle company from the 66th Brigade joined them.

Missile goes off, boom. The enemy UAV falls down from the sky, destroyed.

"Another unmanned system down," he radios Bill. As usual, he's greeted by cheers.

And yet another enemy UAV - this time an attack one planning to drop a grenade - gets destroyed too thanks to his efforts.

Just a few - around 5 UAVs - are already out of service by day's end.

His efforts and those of A Company would help 1st and 2nd Battalions 716th to defeat yet another Russian intrusion of the Ukrainian defensive lines in Svatove District that day, as the operation had by now clearly failed, resulting in victory for the Americans and their Ukrainian allies and the withdrawal of the Russian forces from their stated advances towards the defensive lines Ukrainians have been holding since late 2022.

Just tens of Russians out of battalions of regulars and militias would surrender that afternoon as the rest either fled or were killed or wounded by American and Ukrainian gunfire. In around two and a half hours, the 1st and 2nd battalions 716th Savannah repulsed the enemy intrusion into the Ukrainian lines, with losing tens of personel of their units as opposed to the hundreds of Russians and their LPR allies who perished. A Company only had wounded and injuried personnel so far. For the Russians a lot of armored vehicles and tanks as well as a few 2S3 SPGs were destroyed that afternoon adding to the toll as opposed to none for the Americans and three BTR-70s and one T-72 of the Ukrainians destroyed.

"There's more that will come soon from these Russians, lads," told the sergeant, "but take courage. We must win no matter what the cost, for the sake of Ukraine and her people."

"A-f__king right Hoz," replied SGT Jones. "That's the right thing to do now. Especially that there's still a lot to do regarding that aid package by Congress."

"Let's hope that Ukraine get's the aid it has needed desperately."

"That's the one right thing," added CPL Alex Pierce of 2nd squad. Ukraine, he says, needs that military aid more than ever and he agrees that Congress must now pass that aid package.

"The same for me and the rest of us," added SGT Matt Malatesta.

"I'm sure my Congress representatives know," Hosley replied, "that our efforts will help them realize that more than ever before in our history, Ukraine needs to be assisted in this fight."

Later on, after Tyler has reflected on the few deaths from 1st Battalion that day, he turned on LeRoy and his A Company men proud of what they did that day against throngs of advancing armed Russian soldiers and militiamen.

"These past years since I was appointed battalion XO and now as your commanding officer... I have never ever doubted that you guys are still fighting hard these past two years and have made this battalion proud. No single one of you guys have been killed - just injuries temporarily limiting your numbers, but the strength has still remained after so long in Ukraine. Well done boys. I'm sure Jessie and Eric are damn proud of what you all displayed today. But not only them and the people of Savannah, and all Americans, are proud of what you all did. It's has been always the Ukrainian people, who have been time and again grateful for the assistance you all did no matter what in the defense of their homeland. Bill, you and Kyle and the men of A Company have once more shown their worth in defending our nation and its interests abroad. As you guys have time and again have written to your local representatives and senators of Congress regarding the funding needed for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters for access to arms, ammunitions and weapons systems needed to defend that nation against the Russian invasion, I have my confidence that funding will soon be passed. And your efforts here in Ukraine have shown them that we must not let down our overseas allies and must be standing stand by stand with them. Once more, mission accomplished boys. Don't give up yet, we have to defend our Ukrainian brothers time and again till the end."

"Thanks Colonel Gillum," Bill replied. "And one more thing, sir, Danny-Do-It-All has done it again, saving one of our guys from 2nd Platoon from certain death."

"Sergeant Hosley," the LTC replied, "we've been ever proud of you once more. You've proven do be the all around man your company has needed in times of extreme necessity in the battlefield."

"My pleasure Tyler."

Turning to CPL Andy Archer, he said, "Thanks for covering our arses."

"Just doing what we swore to do, " he replied.

"And Hoz," added SGT Tanner Thomas, "thanks for saving one of our guys out there. You surely have risked everything for these medevacs these past few weeks, right?"

He replied, "That's the job I prepared for when I was in the USA training to be an paramedic. And I'm ready to save more lives soon. T'was a pleasure to have done just that today."

A FEW DAYS LATER....

News came to 1st Battalion CP that an operation they did in coordination with the 1st and 12th National Guard Infantry Brigades in cooperation with the 108th Territorial Brigade TDFU had resulted in the defeat of a battalion from the Tajikstan-based 201st Military Base and company sized elements coming from the 7th (LPR) Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the II Guards Army Corps. But there's more to that.

A Russian military correspondent working for Star TV, the official TV station of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, named MAJ Evgeniy Polovodov, who over the past two years contributed to Russia-1 and Channel One news broadcasts and current affairs programming of the invasion of Ukraine by the Armed Forces of Russia, had been KIA by an Ukrainian UAV attack on him and his camera crews alongside their military escorts in the Serebransky Forest area - exactly within the wide area of operations the 716th Savannah had been stationed and been covering in support of the Ukrainian forces since last year. Thankfully his cameraman survived.

A Company's 1st Platoon had been discussing the newly released footage from Russia-1's Vesti newscast regarding said Ukrainian UAV attack from a day before.

"Do you think," CPL Alex Ziegler, who had been just been newly promoted to the rank after two years in the ranks of A Company and fighting alongside fellow Americans and Ukrainians in Ukraine against the Russians as a part of 1st Platoon, asked Hosley, "that our UAV section led by the valiant SGT Reese who also handles our video footage for Public Affairs and the military and civilian personnel working together made that attack possible?"

"Don't know yet," Hosley replied, but he stated that there mighty be a possibly they have done the impossible job - what no one expected would happen to a Russian military press crew and that if proven true these men and women would be rewarded for a job well done.

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