#infrared dragon

[toad-in-a-trenchcoat]

something particularly inspiring in this dragon’s design I just had to draw

Loaf, my infrared dragon

[nibwhipdragon]

@kirstenonic05

old dragonvale fan art I made.

[magpie-sphinx]

SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS to JWST's outfit re: my last post. actually went in and changed the outfit instead of just giving her the sunshield.

so yeah! behold my beloved James Webb Space Telescope fandragon lol. observe her.

[jumbostickyrice]

Ai no Supreme (愛のシュプリーム) on Expert | By fhána | Full Combo | Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid

[nasa]

9 Out-of-This-World Moments for Space Communications & Navigation in 2023

How do astronauts and spacecraft communicate with Earth?

By using relay satellites and giant antennas around the globe! These tools are crucial to NASA’s space communications networks: the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network, which bring back science and exploration data every day.

It’s been a great year for our space communications and navigation community, who work to maintain the networks and enhance NASA’s capabilities. Keep scrolling to learn more about our top nine moments.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, on the company's 29th commercial resupply services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 8:28 p.m. EST.

1. In November, we launched a laser communications payload, known as ILLUMA-T, to the International Space Station. Now, ILLUMA-T and the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) are exchanging data and officially complete NASA’s first two-way, end-to-end laser relay system. Laser communications can send more data at once than traditional radio wave systems – think upgrading from dial-up to fiber optic internet. ILLUMA-T and LCRD are chatting at 1.2 gigabits per second (Gbps). At that rate, you could download an average movie in under a minute.

NASA’s InSight lander captured this selfie on Mars on April 24, 2022, the 1,211th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.

2. Data analyzed in 2023 from NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander provided new details about how fast the Red Planet rotates and how much it wobbles. Scientists leveraged InSight’s advanced radio technology, upgrades to the Deep Space Network, and radio signals to determine that Mars’ spin rate is increasing, while making the most precise measurements ever of Mars’ rotation.

TBIRD is demonstrating a direct-to-Earth laser communications link from low Earth orbit to a ground station on Earth.

3. We set a new high record! The TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) payload – also demonstrating laser communications like ILLUMA-T and LCRD – downlinked 4.8 terabytes of data at 200 Gbps in a single 5-minute pass. This is the highest data rate ever achieved by laser communications technology. To put it in perspective a single terabyte is the equivalent of about 500 hours of high-definition video.

A 34-meter (112-foot) wide antenna at Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex near Canberra, Australia.

4. This year we celebrated the Deep Space Network’s 60th anniversary. This international array of antennas located at three complexes in California, Spain, and Australia allow us to communicate with spacecraft at the Moon and beyond. Learn more about the Deep Space Network’s legacy and future advancements.

An illustration of the LunaNet architecture. LunaNet will bring internet-like services to the Moon.

5. We are bringing humans to the Moon with Artemis missions. During expeditions, astronauts exploring the surface are going to need internet-like capabilities to talk to mission control, understand their routes, and ensure overall safety. The space comm and nav group is working with international partners and commercial companies to develop LunaNet, and in 2023, the team released Draft LunaNet Specification Version 5, furthering development.

The High-Rate Delay Tolerant Networking node launched to the International Space Station in November and will act as a high-speed path for data.

6. In addition to laser communications, ILLUMA-T on the International Space Station is also demonstrating high-rate delay/disruption tolerant networking (HDTN). The networking node is showcasing a high-speed data path and a store-and-forward technique. HDTN ensures data reaches its final destination and isn’t lost on its path due to a disruption or delay, which are frequent in the space environment.

The Communications Services Project (CSP) partners with commercial industry to provide networking options for future spaceflight missions.

7. The space comm and nav team is embracing the growing aerospace industry by partnering with commercial companies to provide multiple networking options for science and exploration missions. Throughout 2023, our commercialization groups engaged with over 110 companies through events, one-on-one meetings, forums, conferences, and more. Over the next decade, NASA plans to transition near-Earth services from government assets to commercial infrastructure.

Middle and high school students solve a coding experiment during NASA's Office of STEM Engagement App Development Challenge. 

8. Every year, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement sponsors the App Development Challenge, wherein middle and high school students must solve a coding challenge. This year, student groups coded an application to visualize the Moon’s South Pole region and display information for navigating the Moon’s surface. Our space communications and navigation experts judged and interviewed students about their projects and the top teams visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston!

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars upward after liftoff at the pad at 3:27 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 26, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida carrying NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 crew members to the International Space Station. Aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft are NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.

9. The Near Space Network supported 19 launches in 2023! Launches included Commercial Crew flights to the International Space Station, science mission launches like XRISM and the SuperBIT balloon, and many more. Once in orbit, these satellites use Near Space Network antennas and relays to send their critical data to Earth. In 2023, the Near Space Network provided over 10 million minutes of communications support to missions in space.

Here’s to another year connecting Earth and space.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[universal-genious]

A Comprehensive Guide To My Rat Hierarchy

Greetings and salutations!

Strap in and get comfy. You're all about to receive a detailed, informative, and fascinating lecture on the details of my rat creations. Let's begin.

My rats are organized in a hierarchy, based (loosely) off of a system of monarchy. The progression goes as follows:

The Commonality

The Gentry

The Cavaliers

The Vassals and

The Knave.

They are not organized by importance, but rather by size, ability, and threat level.

Below is a diagram illustrating examples of each tier of the Hierarchy (save for the Knave, but we'll get to him later):

Now, let's take a closer look, shall we?

First, of course, shall be:

The Commonality

These little darlings are primarily lab assistants, but they're also built for surveillance and the relaying of messages.

Their mechanical eyes are capable of capturing photographs and video footage, and then projecting the images holographically - perfect for delivering asynchronous villainous monologues!

The Commonality are also very fast and agile, able to climb up and burrow through just about any material, from metal to solid rock. They can be quite the stealthy little fellows!

Next, let's take a look at:

The Gentry

The Gentry are built for low-risk combat, but when deployed in packs, they can pack quite a wallop! Their teeth and claws can deliver a considerable amount of damage on their own, but what really sets the Gentry apart is their ability to wield electricity.

The Gentry have artificial nervous systems consisting of live wiring, which carries an electrical current through their bodies - note the electrodes in the ears and tail. However, what you don't see upon first glance is the electrical generator hidden within the jaws of the Gentry. Upon opening its mouth, a Gentry can release a powerful surge of lightning, much like the breath weapon of a dragon!

And aren't they just adorable?!

Onwards and upwards, we have:

The Cavaliers

These beautiful specimens are especially skilled at hunting and tracking, built with heightened senses of sight, smell, and hearing, as well as the ability to see in infrared waves. In other words, there's no use hiding.

The Cavaliers are also built for speed - those long, slender limbs allow them to gallop at speeds matching those of Acinonyx jubatus! What's more, they're the perfect size to be mounted, making them excellent for a quick and theatrical getaway.

Now, here's something especially interesting. The Cavaliers are always deployed in pairs. Specific pairs. Each Cavalier has a companion, with which they are psychically linked. They can sense each other's every move and thought - the ultimate hunting partners! Additionally, if one Cavalier in a pair is incapacitated or seriously injured in combat, the other receives a surge of power as a defense mechanism.

Moving right along, we reach:

The Vassals

Positively petrifying, aren't they?!

These magnificent beasts are easily my most formidable creations yet. If their cleaver-like tails don't get you, their claws and teeth certainly will!

When developing the Vassals, I began using a mutation serum of my own concoction, which came with a few unexpected (but welcome!) side effects. Firstly, due to the monstrous origin of several of the serum's ingredients, the Vassals are the only tier of the hierarchy that require sustenance. And let me tell you, they have got some impressive appetites! A Vassal is capable of digesting just about anything, organic and inorganic - but they especially like any variety of fresh meat. This has been quite the asset, actually - if I need someone to disappear, the Vassals are on the job!

Secondly, you may notice the viscous, black fluid weeping from their faces. This is entirely normal, I assure you - just another aspect of the serum's mutation. The Vassals are constantly exuding a highly acidic and toxic excretion - don't worry, it doesn't bother them in the slightest. You, however...let's just say you don't want to be anywhere near the stuff.

Finally, the mutation serum also allows the Vassals to heal from injuries at a remarkably accelerated rate, making them even harder to take down! This also allows a Vassal to open its jaws to an unnaturally wide extent, hence the scar tissue around the mouth. I rather like the look of it - look at those friendly smiles!

Last, but certainly not least, we move on to:

The Knave

Knavey here is my primary method of transportation. He's just a tad larger a school bus, making him ideal for transporting myself and an assortment of the rats for missions of all sorts!

Knavey's been fitted with claw-like appendages on both of his tails, as well as on the end of his "tongue", for lack of a better term. Said "tongue" is entirely prehensile, and can extend to nearly three-quarters of Knavey's body length. As such, Knavey is excellent for retrieving heavy cargo, and for capturing live cargo!

And, with that, my hierarchy draws to a close.

Thanks ever so much for reading - I do hope you all found this informative! I certainly had fun writing it.

Ta-ta for now!

~ Niles Genious Tolliver 🐁⚡

[jozor-johai]

Some things in ASOIAF are just meant to seem vastly powerful and outright unfair. See: dragons, which basically outplay any other kind of warfare.

Stannis’ shadow assassin is meant to (seem, at first) unprecedented and overpowerful. It’s a moment where this guy wins, even though he has a smaller army, he has less popular support, even though he has cut ties to basic cultural foundations like religion and is facing ridiculous odds by making no allies among other “rebels.”

Instead, Stannis wins because he’s taken a crazy gamble to the idea that magic is real, it can be used for warfare, and it will be used as a tool, regardless of what the Maesters say. The shadow baby reveal is supposed to be this moment where you say “oh shit, this guy is straight up playing a different game than the rest of these lords.”

And then, that in turn sets you up to think Stannis is totally going to own at the Blackwater, because you saw him just use totally overpowered tactics, and then in a surprise twist he doesn’t win, and then you think: wow, it really is Melisandre and her magic which are responsible for Stannis’ success.

And then you read the Mel chapter in Dance and you see that she’s faking half of it, and you wonder what the hell all of these powers really are.

And then you go: wow, what a cool and mysterious series where people have very unequal circumstances and similarly unequal capabilities at their disposal, what a complex web of military and social dynamics this has become by inserting crazy new magical features into political action.

And then you go: wow, I wonder if this is what it felt when they invented steel weapons or suits of armor or longbows or greek fire or RADAR or air combat or covert ops or infrared cameras or tanks or drones or napalm or stealth jets or nuclear bombs etc etc etc

[fisherrprince]

wahhh just went through your ffxiv specbio tags they’re so cool!!! do you perchance have any more hcs for au ra

I HAVENT DONE AU RA YET but I love the lizards…. My best friends lizardguys. I haven’t gotten to endwalker yet and I know there’s a few more auri characters in there so…maybe my ideas will change But

au ra are I think probably the most diverse species out there just based on HOW MANY lizards exist and how BIG the azim steppes/doma/their reach is. I don’t know if I’d divide species traits by xaela/raen or if they all share that diversity, but I’m tempted to say there are fewer raen, most of whom are either in solitude or hanging out in doma, and they kind of remain proud of their celestial lineage, so they on the whole have more often “draconic” traits, while xaela with their many different lifestyles on the steppe on the whole will be more diverse. Like eastern dragons versus every other dragon species

so! between everyone I think their scales are Way More, most of which are very very hard and difficult to scratch or dent but some of which are soft like some reptiles wherein it’s not necessarily a scale, which sheds layers (like turtles shed their scutes), and more like skin, which sheds in flakes (like snakes or geckos). Au ra whose scales are soft like that are generally the same types of au ra who can pop their (also often soft and thick!) tails off at will and regrow them. Most au ra have very tough, muscly scaly tails, anywhere from big thick crocodile tails to thin draconic tails to tails that have ossified spines or clubs at the end (like dinosaurs!). Since they’re so strong, they can be used to emote — hitting them against the ground is a happy sign, while dragging it against things is Not. Also kids tend to grab and pull them a lot, which leads to the common thought of tail pulling being seen as kiddy. It is quite rude to do to an au ra as an adult. Their scales can sometimes spread to cover most of their body, and sometimes be restricted to the forearms, face, tail, and legs. their horns (aside from being basically ears which I think is cool, they must be pretty complex organs on the inside — I think they can shed but only the tips, like goats, and breaking any further is both really hard and very harmful not only to their ears but because they’re full of blood vessels!! Be careful! ) aren’t really used for fighting or anything they are there for hearing and temperature regulation and in defense. Au ra don’t really, like, sweat? They’re warm-blooded, but don’t sweat. So an important thing to keep in mind if you’re going into the desert is that overheating looks different in an au ra vs another race (lethargy, drooling, and unfocused eyes are your main tells). many of their horns point forwards to block their face. so no, sleeping isn’t that hard bc they sleep like loafs, but yes kissing is hard :( that’s not really a thing they do unless someone else wants to they snuggle and rub scales. so says yoshi p

Protofeathers are basically dinosaur fur - they are NOT feathers. They’re little hollow filaments somewhere between a feather shaft and hair. These ones are pretty stiff. That’s why au ra hair can so easily stick right up like a cockatiel. Some au ra have been noted to have protofeathers on their neck and arms like fur too :0

i have been. Speaking for a long time. uhhhh let’s see they have feets anywhere from plantigrade (clawed, kinda geckoey) to digitigrade (DINO!!!), their claws really need trimming often bc they don’t stop growing, they are not obligate carnivores like hrothgar but like miqote they need more meat than they do veggies, and it’s sometimes very hard for a non- au ra to tell if the big growl they’re doing is happy or not because big growl is how they purr! Like wolves going HHRHRRRRRR (happy). Also im obsessed with their limbal rings im so sad they’re so faded in the graphical update. they gotta glow. Most au ra are also colorblind in some way BUT! They can faintly see infrared

Also in researching lizards i found out that some lizards and frogs have like a third eye that can’t See like images but it CAN detect light and darkness and stuff? It’s called a parietal eye! Garleans… is amphibian (taking notes) /j

[bloodlegacies]

What powers ice dragon have ?

I am still considering this as well, but someone on the forum pointed out the unique abilities of each creature. Each one has its advantages. The ice dragon, for example, can initially shoot ice blasts, transform its body into ice, and grant the one it is bonded with (the MC) enhanced vision and infrared vision, along with improved hearing. Being larger, it can also attack with its claws, tail, and teeth. Additionally, its scales provide good armor, although not impenetrable.

These are just initial ideas for the dragon's abilities for now, and they may change or have additional abilities added later on.

[owlight]

Trafalgar law x Gn!reader [reptiles are cool]

Summary: law is trying to get much needed sleep,but unfortunately to him ,(y/n) got other plans for the evening

Word count: 842 (: short but sweet

Tags: fluff,reader likes reptiles,Law is very sleepy but trying to be a supportive boyfriend , fun facts about reptiles,adhd coded reader ngl, not fully read proof

Also Thank u @nekomacheercaptain for listening to my lizards rant and for the the headers pics ily 💞🦭

Law lay on his bed, exhausted after a long few days of having to travel in Wano ,fight big mom and Kaido then having to deal with more mess after,he can't believe he is finely back on the polar tang for some actual rest. He closes his eyes, humming himself to drift off to sleep, but his thoughts kept wandering back to the events of the big fight,the last meeting with Luffy and his crew...tch he will secretly misses them....Just as he was about to slip into unconsciousness, he felt the bed shift as his lover climbed in beside him,With The energy of a rabbit for some reason

"Hey Law, are you awake?" his lover asked, their voice full of excitement,unlike everyone else,(y/n) time at Wano county could been described as a whole adventure of their dreams,they really enjoyed the country and they were so fascinated with Kaido Dragon form,they almost didn't move away from the fight and law had to room Thier ass to safety ,ever since the crew came back to the polar tang,(y/n) occupied themself in the library...law should have Guessed there was a reason for that

Law sighed, knowing that sleep was now out of the question,since (y/n) was clearly as awake as Luffy high on Sugar"What is it?"law asks as he keeps his eyes closed, perhaps hoping his lover would see him trying to sleep and have mercy on him

"I was reading about reptiles today and I wanted to tell you all about it" they said, bouncing with enthusiasm , clearly not noticing law trying to sleep,law almost snort at Thier enthusiasm it's so...giddy to witness,he open one eye to look at them,seeing Thier face basically glowing ,Law raised an eyebrow, not particularly interested in the subject matter but he wanted to humor them for now "Do you have to do it now?"he asks,voice sound bit too sleepy to his taste

"Yes, I have to tell you now! Before I forget" they exclaimed, grabbing Law's hand and pulling him into a sitting position,law groans as he sits ,he looks at his partner with as much as focus as possible"Did you know that some snakes can sense infrared radiation?"they tell law with so much excitement it threw law off his sleepiness for a moment,he blinked, trying to process the sudden burst of energy "No, I didn't...I didn't know that" he mumbles

"It's true ! It's so... interesting! Do you think a snake devil fruit user can do that too-actually and And did you know that most lizards can change color to match their surroundings?,that's why sometimes you see them looking colorful then out the blue they are kinda dim as they move around ,it's so cool that's chameleon are not the only ones in that aspect " they continued, their words tumbling out at a rapid pace ,law sleepy mind trying to catch up with them as best as he can,they continue "And some Some species of lizard will go their entire lives without drinking water! That's why there's so many lizards in alabasta living so freely!"

But you know Law couldn't help but be amused by their excitements about the subject Despite his exhaustion, he found himself smiling at their enthusiasm as they spoke,so much spirit and excitement, it's adorable in his opinion.."That's fascinating" he said with humor in his voice.

"I know, right?" they said, settling back against the pillows,law himself watches them laying down on the bed "There's so much to learn about them, I'm going to start a journal to write all about them from now on,from each island we visit,I have already few pages written down... it's going to be awesome" they tells him with excitement lacing Thier voice

Law leaned back against the headboard, then he moves to lay in bed,head hitting the pillow, he was feeling his eyelids droop as he spook"I'll have to take your word for it, let's talk more about it tomorrow shall we?right now I need to sleep before I end up speaking non Sense" law mumbles with tiredness in his voice

(Y/n) pouted, but reluctantly settled down beside him and Started cuddling him, Law wrapped an arm around them, feeling their warmth and the gentle rise and fall of their chest as their breath slowed down, showing they are going to be good for him for now and let him sleep,law closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep holding them tightly to him as they smiles gently closing Thier eyes as well joining him to sleep, law last thought and feelings was him feeling grateful for the presence of his lover, even if their interests were vastly different most of the time,he can't help but love them for how they are.

[xxlordalexanderxx]

Side Note: Some old repurposed abilities Alexander had from another verse that I dug up from an old Evernote account. Some of these he can't really use until he's conquered his dragon form

Infrared Vision/Fire Sight. 👁️

Alexander can see in infrared.

This ability is most effective during the winter however. He can see images through flames.

Fire Fang/ Hot Iron Talons. 🔥

Can heat up his teeth and claws to white hot temperatures and melt through most metals.

Divine Meteor Strike. ☄️

An extremely heavy fire and magical based attack that allows Alex to summon and launch a wave of flame engulfed meteors at a target. Can only be used in feral dragon form

Gold/Hoard/bending and general treasure manipulation. 💎

Alexander is able to manipulate mass amounts of gold and various treasures with in his hoard and ONLY such. This can span from launching torrents of treasure at an opponent with an intent of doing heavy damage or crushing them to death.

In addition Alexander can use this ability to his advantage defensively such as creating shields or welding gold onto parts of his body to form weapons/stronger armor. He can even create various gold/metal versions of his opponents. Only they are heavy and quite slow. Finally to add to this attack, Alexander can reanimate suits of armor and statues for as long as he wants until they have been destroyed or he simply stops.

👑Additional lore👑 Alexander is actually a folkloric demigod to dragons unique to Xandora, he just doesn't know it yet, and I haven't canonly reached that part of his story. So the story I had with Alex since 2016 is that the dragons native to Xandora all answer to an alpha of great and immense power. Not a full on god/deity but more powerful than a simple alpha creature, an in-between, a demonic-ish demi-god of Xandora dragons. (I guess he's considered a demon of some type cuz human bad ig he's an abomination) And after some time this power or entity will go from host to host. Alexander killed the dragon who was next in line to receive the 'gift' and instead was given it. As a punishment and an experiment because as a man he was very draconian. So a punishment fit for a beastly man. He became what he slain so many times and now has to lead, and protect them and many other beast folk.

[vauslogia]

"Show me a plane that a supersonic dragon can't catch!" In the world of Phyrexia, little attention was paid to dragons; there are plenty of monsters there even without them. The most famous Skeeterix. From what I know, they are only rendered in black and red mana, which I think is a bit of an oversight. Since we're having a Green Praetor themed month, I'm presenting some sketches of the Phyrexian dragons under the command of Vorinclex. I know green doesn't like to fly, but let's be honest, he flies x) I give several options. 1- Very dangerous and nimble creatures that go into hypersound. Their design lacks exterior porcelain elements. Air intakes on the chest to circulate flows that accelerate the pistons, helping to generate a flow of green mana energy for acceleration. Among the features, they fly much quieter than red ones, high maneuverability, due to the flaps on the dorsal stripe and tail. Among the features, I can note that acceleration is carried out from several nozzles located on the thigh, shoulder and chest parts for greater regulation of the direction of flight during pursuit. Since this creature is also a machine, it can adjust the strength of the streams from different nozzles, which helps with slower flight. There are eyes, but they are very small; the frontal part is designed in a similar way to that of whales; they detect various waves and signals in order to navigate in space. Add. eyes see in the infrared sector. I would like to make blades that grow from the paws, so that in high-speed flight they can cut the enemy and there is a very loud roar, tearing apart the drums. They are smaller in size than other types of dragon, but no less dangerous. First of all, they have a mouth exiting with an acid hose heated to extremely high temperatures. The hose comes from the chest, where that same acid accumulates and is heated from the internal vent. I think that it is replenished by devouring and processing it by special nano-bots.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Researchers and monster hunters are gathering in the United Kingdom's Scottish Highlands this weekend to look for the eternally elusive Loch Ness Monster, the biggest search for the legendary beast in more than 50 years.

Somewhere beneath the shimmering surface of Loch Ness lies Nessie, the legendary sea beast whose reputation spans nearly 1,500 years — at least, that's what monster hunters and Nessie enthusiasts from around the world hope to prove Saturday and Sunday.

The Loch Ness Centre and the research group Loch Ness Exploration are asking all aspiring monster hunters to join in on the biggest search since 1972.

"Our purpose is to observe, record and study the natural behaviour of the Loch and phenomena that may be more challenging to explain," the Loch Ness Exploration Facebook page reads.

"If you believe that the Loch Ness Monster exists then we invite you to join the search, we equally invite you to support the study of the Loch and the natural behaviour of the elements that may be the root cause of these strange reports from Loch Ness."

Investigators are breaking out all sorts of technology, including surveying equipment the Loch Ness Centre says has never been used on the freshwater lake before.

Drones with infrared cameras will fly over the lake and a hydrophone will be used under the surface to detect "Nessie-like calls," the Centre says.

Volunteers will also participate in a large surface watch of the loch, scanning the surface for any irregularities.

However, due to an "overwhelming demand" from enthusiasts, the group is no longer accepting applicants hoping to participate in person.

But the Loch Ness Centre says those still eager to participate can do so virtually through a livestream.

At 22 square miles and with a maximum depth of 788 feet, Loch Ness is Great Britain's largest lake by volume and second-largest by surface area, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Though the first written accounts of a monster are attributed to the Irish monk Saint Columba's encounter in 565 A.D., reports of a creature in the lake are depicted in ancient stone carvings found in the area.

But the legend of a monster lurking in the loch didn't garner greater attention until April of 1933, when a couple driving along the newly built road around the lake saw an animal they compared to a "dragon or prehistoric monster," according to the Scottish Maritime Museum.

More sightings soon followed, and big game hunter Marmaduke Wetherell was commissioned to track the monster down in December of 1933.

He said he found large tracks along the shoreline, but zoologists at the Natural History Museum debunked the tracks.

The following year was when English physician Robert Wilson took a photo, now known as the "Surgeon's Photograph," which appeared to show Nessie's head atop a long slender neck poking out of the water.

The picture was printed in the Daily Mail and the Loch Ness Monster was thrust into international stardom.

One of the participants in that search confessed on his deathbed that the picture was staged, according to the Daily Mail.

The Loch Ness Centre says there have been more than 1,140 official Nessie sightings.

Paul Nixon, the Centre's general manager, said he's excited to see what turns up after the waters are searched like never before over weekend.

"We are guardians of this unique story," Nixon said.

"And as well as investing in creating an unforgettable experience for visitors, we are committed to helping continue the search and unveil the mysteries that lie underneath the waters of the famous Loch."

[buttsandboltguns]

Cold Blood, Star's Heart

Officially speaking, RAKU-0793-1-MIL-CMDO “Anti” was a combat unit. Her cerebral simulation unit was mounted within a Neohuman Assault Chassis Mk.23, one of the most advanced milspec commando type frames available to the North American Coalition. It contained all the systems developed for the Special Emulation Response Effigy Mk.5, as well as additional improvements to the CSU interfacing and fine-motor control systems.

Unofficially, she was a search and rescue unit. But when most heard that, they laughed - a NAC.23 couldn’t do SAR operations. They were too sharp around the edges. Too rough. Not gentle enough. Too much like a dragon and not enough like a beloved hound. Not friendly enough. Not calming enough.

Not Human enough.

Her unit mates had nicknamed her “Antikythera”, for her ability to always guide them back to their extraction point by the stars and a compass alone. Although she had an internal compass subsystem, she used a physical one. It was more Human. They thought it was quirky and funny, and so she continued to carry a compass, despite the weight being better suited towards things such as bandages or an aluminum splint. But equipment efficiency meant little to being Human. She didn’t know what it was that she lacked that they had, but she would try to make up for it. Maybe the compass helped.

But her job didn’t require a compass. Her ocular array focused, zooming in over hundreds of meters as she picked out a major disturbance in a series of trees and foliage. With a single line of process code, her vision switched from visible spectrum to infrared, the bushes at the bottom of the rubble-covered hill glowing a harsh white from their radiant spectra. That must be the injured mountaineer. Introspection could wait until the rescue was complete.

Her servos whined gently to balance her as she slid down the rocky hill, then breaking into a jog along the pathway along the slope of the ridgeline. She felt her internal gyroscope compensate for the odd sway to her gait - right side secondary electrohydraulic system, 2% inefficiency, low on graphite lubricant - and ignored the system report that popped up in her vision range. It was promptly dismissed. Prioritize the rescue.

The bush readily yielded to her as she pulled it away from the injured individual. She did not bother processing their face - her sensory suite was already complaining about the detectable levels of saline in the air, along with the hormonal cocktail that was readily matched to cortisol. In the fraction of a second before she was fully noticed, she remembered - SAR means prioritize the rescue. Prioritizing the rescue meant preventing panic.

“There is no need to be alarmed,” she started, her voice monotone and delivered with a flat cadence, “I am with the search and rescue team. You are safe now.”

The Human startled, as expected, and she finally shouldered the bush out of the way. Now she could see the injury - a badly sprained ankle. Locally treatable with topical and oral anesthetic for the pain and an aluminum splint for transport. Time to get to work.

“You are injured. I am equipped to handle your injuries. Do you consent to this treatment?”

The statement always felt stale. Offputting. But it was required for droids - like her - to administer any sort of assistance. She felt off. Less Human.

The Human consented visually.

Her chestrig, riveted to the modular outer layers of her abrasion plating, contained the items she required. The topical anesthetic would be first - a spray, one designed to numb the locally affected area. The rescue target would typically complain about the chilliness of the spray.

Carefully, she gripped it with her right side manipulator array. Gentle pressure. There - exactly 3lbs of force. Just right. Pop the cap off with the other - oh, she cracked the lid. A later problem. Spray. Slightly too much force - the spray nozzle was jammed now, stuck in spray mode. Striking the nozzle against her forearm broke it off and unjammed the internal straw, letting the flow stop. It was a wasted can, but it would be a waste anyways. She let go of it into her drop pouch.

Next was the aluminum splint.

In the process of forming it correctly to the rescue target’s leg, she pinched with one pound too much force. A yelp and an utterance of “stupid effigy!” came from the Human.

The mistake was understandable. A civilian not in the field of simulacra, cerebral simulations, and Smart AIs couldn’t be expected to know the difference between an effigy and a droid.

That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt anyways.

She fixed the slightly-too-tight splint. It was optimal and bound to the leg properly. Behind her, she could hear her unit mates approaching - she would let them handle the rest of it.

The Human seemed to be more at ease being tended by their own kind, anyway.

She had to pretend that didn’t hurt as she stepped away, fading into the shadow of dusk. They wouldn’t be able to find her if they didn’t utilize a communicator module, but she could find them. It was better this way - watching over them all from a distance. Ensuring they got back safe. Every rescue reminded her of that.

She was a mispurposed unit. Designed for war and destruction, yet permitted to roam among the civilians of the N.A.C. Every rescue reminded her of that.

Each time she moved a little too fast and set everyone on edge reminded her of that. Every time she remembered details a little too clearly and made everyone uncomfortable reminded her of that.

Every time she didn’t pick up on some “implication” and messed up the joke reminded her of that.

That she would never be the same as them.

That few would deal with her as she was.

That she wasn’t Human enough.

And Antikythera slipped into the night.

[chadillacboseman]

Summary: Just a quick intro piece for JJ, my newest OC. The SF is on a night mission to clear a weapons depot warehouse and Falcon Company provides air support. TY @bihanspookies for being my bestie and always reading my nonsense. And for screaming about JJ with me <3

--

The weapons warehouse is bathed in moonlight by the time Sonya and her squad reach it. It looms above them like a giant metal behemoth against the inky black sky.

Inside, she knows the space will be crawling with Black Dragon mercenaries; she's only brought a small strike team, they'll be relying on support from above if they intend to be successful.

The plan is simple- rappel in and drop teargas, push the ones they can't kill themselves out for Falcon Company to eliminate.

As if on cue, her earpiece comes to life.

"Blade, this is Falcon-01, we are on approach," Jeremiah Mitchell's grating southern drawl is unmistakable, even with the sound of the AC-130 thrumming in the background.

"Copy, Falcon, we have eyes on the warehouse. Wait for the laser before engaging."

"Copy."

Inside the roaring warplane, JJ strides down the center of the hold, his hands resting comfortably on the straps of his plate carrier. The rest of Falcon Company muddles around the interior, inspecting the ammunition as it's loaded into the side canons.

"Alright, Falcons, this is it!" he calls and they all look at him with rapt attention, "Tip of the spear, edge of the knife. We go in hot and loud, and we make these fuckers pay for every one of ours they put in the ground. Understood?"

A resounding 'HOORAH!' echoes back at him and he's satisfied. He makes his way up to the cockpit where the pilot team guides the warplane toward the warehouse.

"Keep eyes on the west side, thermals. Look for the infrared. Blade's strike team is gonna try'n force 'em out that way."

The pilots respond in the affirmative and he steps back, watching through the reinforced windows as they approach the site. JJ's heart is always banging out a rhythm like a wardrum when they're in the air- the ground team is in their hands for better or for worse.

Sonya's IR laser erupts to life and the AC-130 makes a sharp bank, pulling into a pylon turn to orbit the building. They're flying low, just 7k above the ground, enough to keep them safe from RPGs, but close to give his team a good visual.

JJ takes a seat at one of the CCTV monitors and watches as the 25MM gunner takes aim at the western set of doors. Below, Sonya and her team rappel in from the rooftop and drop tear gas that gives them an upper hand.

"Falcon, this is ground team," Sonya sounds out of breath as she radios in, "you've got hostiles incoming."

The AC-130 banks and gives the gunner a perfect view of the mercs as they exfil.

"Falcon-06, you have carte blanche authority," JJ glances down the hold and the soldier nods before returning his attention to the console.

The first burst of shots takes out a wave of mercs and he sees a few of them look skyward. Hello assholes. Some of them branch off and head for cover, while another group makes for the row of jeeps to the north.

"Switch to 105 Mike-Mike, take out those Jeeps."

Falcon-04 and 07 load a Howitzer into the tube and it fires, recoiling into the hold. Below, the missile hits ground and the jeeps erupt into balls of flame and bits of metal. The mercs that were closing in drop to the ground in heaps.

"That's how we do it, Falcons!" JJ shouts and another round of loud 'HOORAH's echoes around him.

"Falcon, watch your fire!" Sonya cries into his earpiece, "We don't want any structural damage."

JJ rolls his eyes, "Copy that, Blade. Boys, stick to 25."

The rest of the mercs have taken cover in a small building outside the warehouse; it doesn't look reinforced- the 25MM will punch through with ease. Falcon-06 aims the guidance system and sends a burst into the roof; JJ watches with satisfaction on his own monitor as the rounds tear through the metal and into the mercs beneath it. Dodge that.

Another wave of them erupts from the doors. By now, they've wised up to the air support, branching off in multiple directions for a better chance at scraping by with their lives.

God, he wants to send them to hell with the 105.

Instead, he watches as Falcon-06 expertly times his shots, peppering the asphalt with lead that shreds through half a dozen mercs, then pivots, and takes out another two. Next to him, the belt feeds into the gun and kicks out empties that clatter to the metal floor.

"No visual on the remaining mercs," Falcon-06 calls. There had been at least ten- the area was wooded, they were probably streaking through the trees as they speak.

Fuck it.

"Hit the treeline with the 105," JJ will deal with Sonya's ire later. Don't bring the big guns if you don't intend to fire them.

Falcon-04 and 07 kick out the empty Howitzer shell and load another before aiming the guidance system at the treeline. The canon kicks back and the missile hits ground with a blast that levels the first few rows of trees. He makes out the bodies of at least a few of the mercs as the trees burn. It's good enough for him, as long as the others make it back to base with PTSD.

"Blade, we're clear out here. How copy?"

The radio is silent for a moment and he knits his brows.

"Blade, how copy?"

"Clear, but no sign of Kano," Sonya sounds irritated. Whether it's with his actions or the lack of Kano, he has no idea. Her obsession with the Black Dragon clan leader is lost on JJ; it drives her as if she is captain Ahab and he the white whale.

"Rog. Falcon is pulling out, we'll see you on the ground," JJ makes his way to the cockpit once more and turns to face the crew, "Good work, boys. We'll be back in time for dinner."

"Let's get this bird home."

[captainswaglord500]

Spiny Gilleylowe (second picture by u/M4theus4rts)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Clade: Eugnathostomata

Clade: Acanthodii

Class: Coelospondyli

Subclass: Polydonta

Order: Daeognathiformes

Family: Daeognathidae

Genus: Guailong

Species: G. htaahsingkaalensis (from Mandarin 怪龙, “strange dragon of the Htaahsingkaal Plateau”)

Temporal range: Jartunian to recent (5.6 million Vuleto years [roughly 14.4 million Earth years] - present)

Information:

When the intelligent alien race known as the Eos created Universe-895, fleeing the destruction of their own universe, they sought to bring life to a virgin universe, seeding each world with the necessary organic molecules and compounds needed to jumpstart abiogenesis. While these procedures succeeded on some worlds, they found that for as many worlds that successfully produced life, there were just as many which had not, and far fewer which produced sapient life. This was when they would launch *Khau Tsvoa'oodhh-ptaach* (IPA: /kʰaw t͡svoaʔoːðː ptaːt͡ʃ/), or Project Universe Seed. Project Universe Seed started with the creation of an island chain called Archaeonesia encased in a pocket dimension in the deep oceans of Precambrian Earth, using the uniquely extreme and isolated conditions of the archipelago as a way to incite an evolutionary arms race and eventually force intelligent life to evolve, continually seeding the island chain with lifeforms from all throughout Earth’s geologic history. From there, candidate species would be selected and genetically modified before being placed in similar “petri dish” environments created on other planets, inciting further genetic and evolutionary divergence within the specific confines of this new planet’s conditions. Other planets which yielded life from abiogenesis procedures were also subjected to similar experiences, being given their own equivalents to Archaeonesia as a testing ground for early lifeforms before they would be genetically modified and seeded on other planets. On some planets, Archaeonesian-derived lifeforms and lifeforms derived from abiogenesis procedures on other planets would even be mixed within the same environment, the idea being that in the face of new competition in an unfamiliar environment, this would provide further ecological strain and force the native lifeforms to become more creative with how they adapted to their new homes. Because of these procedures, most life on planets nowadays is either remarkably similar to Earth life or utterly and truly alien, with a great many planets sporting silicon-based lifeforms living alongside carbon-based ones. To manage their experiments from afar, the Eos would create an advanced AI system which fully automated the environmental and ecological processes of each planet and, in particular, each isolated island chain which served as a testing ground for life which would later be seeded across the entire planet in various waves. During the Permian epoch, they would seed life from the original Archaeonesia experiment (as well as an experiment on a planet called Throng) on a Uranus-sized exoplanet called Vu’ulen (Vuleto: /vuʔulen/).

Notable for the fact that it orbits a sun which emits infrared radiation, Vu’ulen’s sky and landscapes glow a vibrant red, its vast oceans tinted maroon. With slightly lower gravity than Earth, fliers on Vu’ulen can get substantially more bulky than they would on Earth. The entire planet is in the middle of a hothouse era, with permanent ice sheets only occurring at the farthest extremities of the poles and large tropical storms being common along the coastlines. Two major continents, a northern continent named Hlaahtto (Vuleto: /ɬaː.θːo/) and a southern continent named Tahzzugi’i (Vuleto: /taʒː.ug.iʔi/), make up the majority of dry land on the planet, with several smaller subcontinents and large island chains along the fault lines. On Tahzzugi’i, high up in the velvet steppes of the Htaahsingkaal Plateau (Northern Sungnap: /θaː.ʃiŋ.kaːð/), a peculiar lifeform descended from the Archaeonesia seeding glides across the alpine winds: Guailong htaahsingkaalensis, the spiny gilleylowe.

Despite its seemingly reptilian appearance, the spiny gilleylowe is actually a member of a far more peculiar lineage: descended from a clade of terrestrial vertebrates called coelospondyls (class Coelospondyli), it’s actually a highly-derived acanthodian, descended from a Brochoadmones-like ancestor. This makes the spiny gilleylowe a closer relative to sharks, rays, and chimeras on Earth than to any proper tetrapod. Originally a dominant clade back on Archaeonesia, the introduction of amniotes quickly spelled disaster for the clade, leading to the complete extinction of larger-bodied members of the clade while the survivors were relegated these animals to small, generalist niches. However, on Vu’ulen, where the only other vertebrates are largely relegated to small herbivore niches by the presence of silicon-based lifeforms dominating large herbivore and carnivore niches, the coelospondyls were able to proliferate into small-to-medium-sized predator niches on the southern continent, filling a niche akin to that of small canids on Earth. On Earth, the spiny gilleylowe would be far too large to fly, reaching between 4-6 feet in length and between 15-30 lbs on average, yet Vu'ulen's lower gravity allows this rather bulky animal to coast on the wind currents for several miles at a given time, climbing up and throwing itself off of high ledges to gain lift. 

Though this creature’s names in the native Vuleto language, xuu’ (Vuleto: /xuːʔ/, “biter”) or hlaa'-thi'-phooht-unu-iig-xu/hlaa'thi'phoohtunuiigxu (Vuleto: /ɬaːʔ.tʰiʔ.pʰoːθ.unu.iːŋ.xu/, “[the] creature which kills with one bite”), indicate a deadly nature, this creature is not known to be aggressive towards most sophonts, though it is known to approach them in groups out of curiosity much in the same way seals and dolphins will approach and attempt to play with humans. While it is indeed venomous, with a potent hemotoxic venom capable of killing animals up to the size of a small elephant, these creatures only rarely bite, preferring to either flee or swing their spiny tail in front of them and hiss aggressively as part of a threat display when confronted with danger. It will only bite if cornered, injured, or aggressively handled. Their otherwise docile nature and so-called “ugly-cute” appearance has made them a popular pet amongst the native Vuleto species since time immemorial, with ancient cave paintings depicting the two species hunting together. Its affectionate nature when hand-reared from birth and ease to train have earned it the moniker of the “Vuleto skydog”, and it is amongst the most popular animals in the intergalactic pet trade. In fact, the Northern Sungnap language, spoken in its native region of Vu’ulen, refers to the creature by a far less intimidating moniker because of the close association between the Northern Sungnap ethnic group and the spiny gilleylowe: ìíghhilxwááhthsòtnááuuhlxhààdrìíng (/ìíɣ.hil.ʍáːθ.ʃòt.náː.uːɬ.χàː.d̠͡ʐìíŋ/), or “(the) one who sails (the) sky at dawn”.

Though adapted for mountainous terrain, primarily inhabiting karst mountains and cliffs, these animals appear to do moderately well in montane forest environments as well, being found at lower elevations in smaller numbers. A largely nocturnal/crepuscular animal, they sleep under trees and large boulders during the day before emerging in the evening/night to forage and socialize, migrating in search of food on other mountain tops, their red skin helping them to blend in with the sky and surrounding vegetation. A highly social and intelligent predator, it shows a high degree of convergent evolution with Earth mammals in behavior, having social hierarchies and highly complex family units. These family units typically consist of a mated pair and several generations of offspring. Social in nature, these creatures tend to sleep next to one another and have been observed play-fighting. A highly vocal creature, its long, whooping calls can be heard from miles away, a way of marking its territory to other spiny gilleylowes. Shrill hissing and loud shrieking are also reported vocalizations, the former an expression of agitation and the latter a vocalization in pain in addition to a call of excitement. Primarily a sight predator, it is able to see infrared light (as per its planet’s available light rays), visible light, and ultraviolet light. By contrast, its hearing is significantly less advanced but still passable. Though it has one set of true eyes, two pairs of photoreceptive “proto-eyes” can be found on one side of the main pair. What evolutionary pressures led to this animals developing tube nostrils is unknown, though it has been suggested that its lineage may have briefly returned to an aquatic or semiaquatic way of life at some point before switching back to land, which would explain the underdeveloped digits on its frontmost pair of limbs.  The function of its long, backwards-pointing tube nostrils is not exactly known, though it is suspected to potentially aid its sense of smell. 

Spiny gilleylowes are simultaneous hermaphrodites and mate for life, courting one another by chasing each other through the mountain tops and divebombing each other. Spiny gilleylowes are simultaneous hermaphrodites and mate for life, courting one another by chasing each other through the mountain tops and divebombing each other. Once on the ground, whichever one manages to overpower the other is the one who penetrates, mating occurring either with one individual on their back or with the tail pushed to the side. Gestation takes roughly 5 weeks before the eggs, which are amniotic in nature, are laid in a den situated between boulders or inside the refuge of a cave, the young hatchings, as many as 10 to a clutch, in 4 weeks time. Young spiny gilleylowes, called pups or nuggins, are born blind and deaf and are like this for the first 2 weeks of life. Dependent on their parents for the first 2 years of life, some youngsters may leave their family behind and form their own family group at 2 years old, when they’ve reached physical maturity, while some will stay behind with their family group. By age 3, they will be old enough to rear young of their own. By age 4, they will have gained their adult coloration, being born completely pink.

Formerly common in the Southern Thsutluug (Southern Sungnap: /t͡ɕʊ.t͡ɬuːɣ/) mountain range in the south of Tahzzugi’i, it has been largely extirpated by the Southern Sungnap peoples, an ethnic subdivision of the Vuleto species, who considered it to be an evil spirit and a pest animal which attacked livestock. By contrast, the Northern Sungnap peoples historically viewed it as a guardian spirit, having a long history of husbandry with the animal, hence it managed to maintain much of its original range further north. This species features prominently in the traditional artwork of the Northern Sungnap, and historically, artistic depictions of the Draconic god Hamalutan (spelled in Northern Sungnap as Hmatlan /m̥at͡ɬan/) portrayed him as having a spiny gilleylowe perched on its shoulder. Amongst the central regions of Tahzzugi’i, the spiny gilleylowe is a delicacy, and in the late summer months, a festival known as Aakunduug (Transitional Sungnap: ɑːkuⁿduːɣ) is held, where these creatures are rounded up, killed, and eaten in large numbers. The name “gilleylowe” itself is hard to trace etymologically: folk etymology traces its origin to an interaction between the Vuleto and explorers from the planet Torthon, where the Torthonians asked what kind of creature it was, only for one of the Vuleto to answer in Vuleto, “Gi hlii hloo” (IPA: /gi ɬiː ɬoː/) (“I don’t know”). However, it’s more likely that it originates from a word in the Mluhxo’ (IPA: /mluχo̞ʔ/) language, ghiriirwoo (IPA: /ɣi.ɾiː.ɾʷoː/), meaning “to glide/coast on the air”. This creature is the mascot of The Vu’ulen Intergalactic Tourism Agency (or TVITA for short) and is responsible for a large portion of (eco)tourism industry on the planet. This animal is resistant to its own venom’s effects, and studies show it may also have a heightened immunity to other biotoxins as well. This has made it vital in the developmental of antivenins across the universe.