#human resistance

[oliversrarebooks]

Augusnippets Day 27: Chronic Pain

Human Resistance Masterlist

Augusnippets Masterlist

tw: chronic pain, brainwashing, drugging, involuntary surgery, intrusive thoughts

Zach knew it was going to be a bad knee day as soon as he woke up.

It was the first time it'd happened on the ship, probably because he spent so much time sleeping, being "trained" in pods, or being carried around in tentacles. The alien "medication" also dulled his senses enough that his usual knee pain was distant and bearable. But all that sedentary time had caught up to him, causing his knee to grow stiff. Now, even moving it a millimeter caused pain to shoot up his leg, bringing tears to his eyes.

He'd been injured not long after the apocalypse began, running from his superiors on a mission to get supplies. His friends in the human resistance had patched him up as best as possible, but he couldn't afford to sit around and let it properly heal. They were already looking to Zach to be a leader. And so he dealt with his injury as best as he could, took painkillers whenever they could be spared, and tried to avoid strenuous missions on the days when things were really bad.

Zach could remember all of this, but it seemed strange and faraway, like something that happened in a movie. He'd risked so much just because he'd been convinced that his superiors were the enemy. If he'd known then what he knew now…

The training pod opened, and one of the trainers greeted him.

How are you feeling, human?

Zach should know the correct answer, given that he'd just had it hypnotically drilled into his brain, but he went blank. All he could think about was the radiating pain from his knee.

"Obedient…?" he guessed. Shit. It was going to be able to tell the training didn't take and make him do another round in the pod, which would only make his knee more stiff and sore. Or worse -- his superiors might not even want to deal with a human with an injury like his. After all, they had so many able-bodied humans to choose from, the entirety of humanity.

You're injured.

It didn't carry judgement. It was a simple statement of fact. But Zach tensed.

You're really gonna cry over that? Suck it up, said a voice from a long time ago, back when aliens were just a sci-fi concept, back when he was a child. I know that didn't hurt. Quit being a drama queen.

"It's nothing," said Zach reflexively. "It's an old injury that flares up sometimes. If I could just be allowed to stretch it…"

Now he felt actual judgement. I can feel your pain, human. It drowns out everything else. Your training was not absorbed.

Oh, right, it could read minds. At least it believed he was actually in pain, then, which was more than he could say for a lot of humans.

He was scooped up into tentacles before he could respond, and they were swiftly moving out of the training area and through the labyrinthine corridors of the ship. Zach couldn't tell what the trainer was thinking. Hopefully he wasn't being taken to be disposed of.

"Where are we going?" he asked, wondering if he even should.

The infirmary.

"Oh." He probably should have guessed that. He was still getting used to the fact that the infirmary on the ship had a seemingly endless amount of supplies. He'd spent too long at the resistance base making sure their extremely limited supplies were prioritized to those who needed them most, and that meant there was rarely anything left for his chronic pain.

But here, he was swept into the infirmary and placed in a medical pod, with two more of his superiors coming over to fuss over him. They were chattering to each other in their own language, which sounded like a low, melodic drone in his head when they were near. It was… comforting, in a way.

Tentacles reached out and manipulated his knee gently, so very gently, but he still winced at it. "It doesn't hurt that bad," he said on instinct before remembering they could feel his pain.

His trainer was in front of him, now, its eyes blooming into radiant colors and quieting his thoughts. You will tell the truth.

"I will tell the truth," he said helplessly.

Why didn't you inform your superiors about this problem?

He didn't even know what his answer was going to be until "I didn't want to be in trouble" spilled out of his mouth. "I didn't want you to think I was faking or being dramatic or trying to get out of responsibilities. Or so weak that I can't handle a little pain."

More chatter amongst themselves as Zach stared into the eye, losing himself.

Humans will not be in trouble for experiencing pain. Its tone made it sound like something obvious.

"That's not always the case where I'm from."

This is your home now. You will report to your superiors when there is a problem. You will not be in trouble for making this report.

"That's… good to know…"

Zach was vaguely aware of strange instruments brushing against his knee very gently, an action that still caused pain to travel up his leg and into his hips, even with his mind occupied by the hypnotic eye. A tentacle pulled on his arm and stung his inner elbow. More medication, but this felt different from the usual, cold and numb.

Unaware.

"Unaware…?" said Zach, confused.

Unaware.

"What are you…?" He felt so strange, almost like he was falling and the room was fading away. He needed to shut his eyes just a moment to get rid of the sensation.

He opened his eyes again. "What are you doing?"

The superiors in front of him beamed amusement into his head. It has been finished, little human. Your confusion is endearing.

"Finished? What do you mean?"

We have replaced your defective joint.

"Replaced?" He felt strangely woozy and out of it. Tentatively, he moved his knee. It didn't hurt any more. It wasn't just the sharp pains that were gone, but the background radiation of pain that had accompanied him for years had vanished.

It was impossible. He'd just closed his eyes for a second, he'd thought. "How long was I out?"

Three cycles, little one. We measured your joint. Produced the replacement. Installed the replacement. All while you were unaware.

"I… see." His superiors had knocked him out and replaced his knee without even consulting him on it. Not that he would have objected to having his knee fixed, but he still felt strange about it, even as it was settling in that he might not have to experience that pain ever again. Even as he thought this, the programming that had been drilled into his mind began to wash over him, encouraging him to be docile and agreeable and obedient.

It was good that he had been fixed. He would be a better human.

The trainer picked him up again. You have been asleep. You will eat. You will then redo your previous training until it absorbs.

"Until it absorbs… yeah, okay."

Human Resistance Masterlist

Augusnippets Masterlist

@augusnippets

[reginrokkr]

𝐂𝐗𝐗. About Mélusines, Elynas and other Gold creations' view of the world and their corroding form.

One thing that caught my attention about mélusines is the way they seemingly perceive the world around them and the people in them. In a stellar traveler from afar is seen a monster devourer of worlds where others see nothing but a human-like being with potential outside of this world and from their companion strings attached to her that surpass the celestial dome that covers this world. Where someone would see a post-apocalyptic world shrouded in darkness filled with no more life in it than star-beasts, one of them would perceive an idyllic paradise with healthy life in it and, contrary to seeing a rifthound in it a normal dog would be in its place.

Similarly, we have the case of Durin who, in his descent to Mondstadt and his encounter with Dvalin, thought he was playing with him and enjoying the beautiful views of the Anemo nation even though he was sowing chaos with the mere flap of his wings and where playing was believed to be involved, it was nothing but a life-threatening brutal fight. It isn't so different with Elynas, who was enjoying the beautiful views of Teyvat and of Fontaine specifically as his area of extended presence— a far cry home from the extraplanar dimension his spirit lived in until he was given shape by Gold.

Which leads us to the following description concerning Rhinedottir:

Unborn life, unfulfilled wishes, tragic dreams at the edge of the universal darkness that could never come true, indwell my body, and descend unto this world. Then, my lovely children, like rainwater flowing into creeks, and plants growing towards the sun, go unto a lovely place, and display your own beauty there with pride.

From this we can infer that she was able to perceive unborn life, unfulfilled wished and tragic dreams that existed in this extraplanar dimension which paled in comparison to Teyvat in terms of beauty and what had to offer to the eyes of the beholder. However, there is a curious trait that is repeated in Durin and Elynas, but also on the mélusines as Elynas' creation: their innocence and pure perspective of the world, as well as their lack of malice. It's also known about Gold that she was trying to achieve the top of the Opus Magnum which is human creation —which she achieved to completion with Albedo—, but she was also creator of rifthounds be it intentionally or not, as their creation process is described like simple scribblings discarded away.

Something that most of her creations (if not all of them, I can't speak for Albedo yet) have in common is the source of malice they have related to the poisonous Void even though at least in the case of Durin and Elynas, their mind was anything but malicious to themselves or the world. So if her creation process includes indwelling her body first before they are given a proper body after that, perhaps it's being in contact with her what makes them acquire this poisonous-like body and characteristics to the world and everything living in it or there is a different step in her creation process —highly likely to be via drawing like Albedo, but also a very special mélusine taught by Elynas who draws with painting made of his blood and is able to teleport who she drew into a different dimension of choice— where dark and esoteric techniques are applied in order to create beasts like that.

[clarisimart]

tfw you realize the mortal you where planning on using and discarding, is a little unhinged actually, and matches your freak so you scrap that plan and start planning to rule the universe together

AKA bill realizes Ford "is just like him fr"

The page in The book of Bill that started this nonesense

commission info here

Transcript of text from the page of TBOB under the cut

Text reads: "Unfased, F has been making hot cocoa and welding rivets while playing christmas songs on the radio. (These songs make no sense. Why did Rudolph forgive his tormentors for their mockery of his facial deformity? He should have used his red-hot nose to burn his oppressor's workshop to the ground. A lesson to all!)"

[nikkilalatablog]

[violottie]

"No sugarcoating the Palestinian cause to make it palatable for Westerners. We don’t want peace—we want freedom. We don’t want to live side-by-side, we want the settlers to leave our land. There’s no conversation to be had. The demand is clear—we want to return to our home. We don’t negotiate with terror!sts. Long live the Palestinian revolution. ✌🏼🔻🇵🇸"

from sbeih.jpg, 01/Apr/2024:

[biophonies]

made in honor of the now-extinct population of Falasteen crocodiles, the sunbirds that almost lost their names, and everyone else surviving the attempted erasure.

posted the other week as part of an ongoing fundraiser offering free prints and paid, with 100% of proceeds going to Care for Gaza. it has since been translated, wheatpasted, and flown on kites all over the world from Saigon to Scotland...!!!

monetary donations are never a substitute for holistic political action, and a push for a different world... but the shows of solidarity and support have lifted my spirits so much.

this is now available on a t-shirt too, screenprinted by hand in Texas!same deal: all profits go to food, medicine, and other critical supplies via Care for Gaza (& the PCRF). thank you for sharing.

image description below:

a Palestine sunbird holds red poppies in their beak next to the text RIGHT TO EXIST. a Palestine crocodile (a subspecies of the Nile, now extinct thanks to occupying forces) guards a shining key next to the text RIGHT TO RETURN. a Palestinian olive tree, full of fruit is next to the text RIGHT TO RESIST. a Palestinian family of five, all embracing each other next to the text RIGHT TO REMAIN.

[cavalierzee]

Genocide By Design

The Gaza Massacre Is Made In Washington

[bonesashesglass]

I needed to share this because this was so incredibly moving. This girl is so incredibly strong❤️❤️❤️🇵🇸🇵🇸

[hopepunk-humanity]

It’s not over. It’s not fucking over. Until they steal the breath from our lungs and the last of us has given up or given in, nothing is finished.

Today’s to-do list:

1) Take care of yourself.

2) Take care of each other.

3) Start planning.

[riding-with-the-wild-hunt]

Olive harvest in the West Bank. Photos by Ari Messinis, courtesy of Al Jazeera.

[oliversrarebooks]

Augusnippets Day #1: Brainwashing

Masterlist

tw: brainwashing, betrayal

Well, she'd finally found Zach.

She had hoped, probably irrationally, that he hadn't been converted to their side. Maybe he was still in one of their holding pens, waiting to be processed. Maybe he was hiding, or trying to escape. Maybe he was just too strong for it. He was one of the strongest of all of them -- if they could even take Zach, then what hope was there for anyone else?

That hope was dashed to pieces when she finally spotted him. He was wearing a glowing collar and one of their uniforms, like every other of their brainwashed minions. With vacant eyes, he was tending to some of the organic machinery that bloomed on the walls and floor like fungal growths.

But maybe it wasn't too late. She had to believe that. She had to believe that the leader of the human resistance hadn't been brainwashed so easily.

Glancing around to make sure she wouldn't be seen by anyone but Zach, she emerged from her shadowy hiding place. To her relief, his eyes lit up in recognition. "Sky? Sky, is that you?"

"Oh, thank god," she said, rushing to him. "For a minute I thought they had you."

"You came to rescue me," he said with that familiar cocky grin. "You should have known that I didn't need rescuing."

"Well, what was I supposed to think, Zach? Last time I saw you, you were being dragged away, hypnotized by one of those… things! You know how few people have been able to come back from that."

Zach took her by the shoulders. "Oh, I know," he said, with a strange tone in his voice that wasn't at all reassuring. "And now I know why, too."

There was something odd in his eyes, too, something that suggested that Sky had severely miscalculated. "Zach, what…?"

"It's because of how good it feels to serve them," he said, his grip on her tightening.

"Shit!" She tried to pull away, but Zach had always been stronger than her. She was such a fool. She'd let her desperate hope get the better of her, and now --

"I told you, I don't need rescuing. And you won't, either. You're going to finally get to rest, Sky. It's amazing. Trust me."

Sky finally managed to push him off, turning away from him only to find --

Colors. Gorgeous, swirling, mesmerizing colors.

While she had been talking to Zach, one of the aliens had snuck into place behind her, displaying several of its irresistible hypnotic tentacles before her widening eyes. Each one rippled with patterns designed to activate a particular neural cascade, one which sank humans into a deep state of suggestibility and obedience.

It was all a trap, and now she'd be just another of the mindless horde, maintaining the alien ships and capturing more humans to assist the invasion.

She tried to look away, but she was surrounded by the tentacles and their fatal pattern, with Zach holding her from behind and preventing easy escape. Within seconds, she could feel the neural cascade trigger deep in her brain, just like the rescued humans had described it -- a sensation of static, a feeling like sliding into a warm bath, her thoughts being silenced, a blissful euphoria, and then --

"You will comply," said a foreign voice inside of her head, a voice that filled the empty spaces where her thoughts had been.

"I will comply," she agreed in a dull voice.

"You will rest now."

"I will rest now." The idea of getting to rest felt so good as she slumped forward right into a mass of willing tentacles, ready to process her into whatever her alien overlords required.

Masterlist

There will be more of Zach later in the month. This one kind of got away from me...

@augusnippets

[tomi4i]

[griffin-ktb]

He’s not coping well emotionally 😔🙏

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

“There are principles and there are human lives that matter more than our careers and our futures. …the commitment to Gaza runs deeper than fears for our safety, fears for our careers, fears for our paychecks. It is a fundamental obligation we have as citizens of a country that is presiding over, arming this genocide, and as students at a university that is invested in those same weapons manufacturers and that has partnered with the same apartheid institutions that train that military and develop its technology. …For me the next step is a simple one… to keep fighting with every breath we have, with everything we have for the people of Gaza, because the blood of those kids is on our hands…”

If we can’t put stopping this brutality before our own fears about career, reputation, fucking profits - we’ve misunderstood the assignment of being a human.

Repost from @mo_hamz

•

‼️EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING NEEDS TO WATCH AND HEAR THIS INTERVIEW‼️

[c0nn0rsseur]

It’s our last chance

To forgive ourselves

[cavalierzee]

Israeli Pilots Who Bombed Hospitals In Gaza Identified

Reports on the Israeli pilots involved in the airstrikes that targeted hospitals and civilians in Gaza have been published by Nournews.

Tal Zahavi, pictured on the left, boasting over 23 years in the Israeli Air Force, has been involved in air operations against civilians in Gaza for the past 73 days, including the bombing of Deir al-Balah’s residential areas on October 19 and November 7, and the bombing of Rafah on October 26 and December 12, leading to the tragic killing of at least 675 Palestinians, including 230 children.

Guy Isaac Alon, pictured on the right, has also been actively involved in the last 73 days, participating in the bombing of two hospitals, namely Gaza’s Baptist Hospital and Al-Shifa Hospital. He also played a role in the bombing of six mosques, Al Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, as well as other densely populated civilian areas, resulting in the tragic killing of at least 500 Palestinians, including 165 children.

Via: Mint Press News