#my weekly contribution as ship captain

[mrsreginagold]

Fic: You Take Me Higher Than Heaven

Fandom: Nikita

Pairing: Ari Tasarov x Nikita Mears (Nikari)

Rating: Light R (much is heavily implied)

Spoilers: For 3 x 13, canon divergent.

Summary: Nikita goes to speak to Ari, which leads to quiet, intimate moments between the pair.

Author's Note: Just *how* many times can I have these two fall into each other's arms nonsensically? Many.

On AO3

You Take Me Higher Than Heaven

            “I heard you had a day.”

            Ari Tasarov shifted into a sitting position on the bunk provided in the room where he was staying so he could face Nikita Mears properly. “I heard that yours was no better.”

            The beautiful operative scoffed, unfolding her arms from the crossed position they had been in, and moved fully into his temporary quarters. “At least the collective goal was reached, right? Your son is safe and with his guardian.”

            “True. However, I will never see Stefan again,” there was a detectable trace of melancholy in his tone that he couldn’t fully mask. 

            It was evident by the look of pity he received that his companion had caught it. 

            Though it was late enough that there were no guards, she shut the door so they could speak candidly. “It’s tough, I know, but you made the right decision.”

            He sighed and rubbed over the back of his neck. “That’s exactly what makes it difficult. Losing someone you love is never easy, even if it’s what’s best for them.”

            She tilted her head, studying him and noticing that the only alteration to his appearance was that he had removed his shoes. “You know: if you’re uncomfortable and need something else to wear, you just have to ask.”

            “You should have stopped by yesterday and offered. I was wandering around in my underwear while I washed the rest of this.” He laughed wryly.

            Despite her best efforts to refrain, the mental image of a mostly naked Ari wormed his way into Nikita’s thoughts.

            She flushed considerably. “I’m just saying…if you need anything.”

            “I know. You’re being hospitable, which is more than I deserve, honestly,” he managed a small, yet grateful smile.

            Her heart jumped. “It’s not that! I want you to feel at home here. After all – it’s where you’re going to be staying for the foreseeable future.”

            He blinked, confused. “I thought I was heading to prison?”

            Nikita went to sit beside him. “Ryan and I came to a joint decision that you would be far more use to us here at Division. Your history and expertise are just too great of a benefit to go without, and the truth is: we’re struggling. As you know, we’re no longer funded by the government. We need your help so we’re willing to make a deal.”

            It was silent as Ari processed the information. She could practically see the wheels turning in his brain, but there was also visible relief on his striking, angular features. “What kind of deal are we talking about?”

            “You become part of Division, and, more specifically, my partner.”

            He whirled towards her, genuinely surprised. “Your partner? What about Michael?”

            She bristled slightly at the mention of her ex. “Michael refuses to go back out in the field, even with his new hand,” she confessed. “And while Alex and Owen are great backup, they often get caught up in their own issues, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

            “Where Mr. Elliot is concerned, most definitely,” he rolled his eyes, and then winced as the motion hurt thanks to the visible bruising around his left. 

            Her brow furrowed in sympathy. “He made it worse, didn’t he?”

            “Well, while he might have had good reason to punch me, I would have appreciated it if he hadn’t aimed for the same spot you did.”

            Gingerly, she touched his cheek, and then trailed her fingers ever-so-lightly along the wounded area. “I shouldn’t have gone so hard on you in the first place. I’m sorry.”

            He hissed, which she interpreted as discomfort despite how cautious she was being. Instantly, she withdrew her hand, only for his to curl around it and pause the motion. “It’s all right. I forgave that almost directly after it happened.”

            “At least one of us has,” she murmured. 

            He cupped her chin, tilting her head back just enough so they could look into each other’s eyes. “I should think it’s evident by now that I regard you quite highly, Nikita.” He then pressed his lips to the inside of her wrist, a gentle affirmation of the emotion he did not need to express verbally.

            With the message clearly conveyed, Nikita threw caution to the wind – grasping Ari’s shirt collar to tug him forward and their lips could meet. 

            While it wasn’t the ideal circumstance for a kiss, the passion that quickly erupted was undeniable. 

            In mere seconds, she was enveloped completely in his deceptively strong arms, his mouth insistent upon hers. 

            Instinctively, she coiled her legs around his waist, keeping their bodies close as the embrace escalated, and then nibbled playfully at his lower lip while he twisted and bore her beneath him.

            Her grip tightened on the fabric covering his chest, a wanton moan escaping when his mouth strayed to trace slowly over her jawline.

            Clever fingers managed to sneak past the hem of her sweater, stroking a nonsensical pattern along her abdomen before skimming upwards. 

            She arched into his touch when he thumbed over the lace covering her breast, a delicious heat pooling right at the base of her stomach at the contact. Determined to return the favor, she reached for the buttons to his shirt. 

            One by one, they popped loose, until the garment hung open and revealed a thin tank top that she immediately began to push up his stomach. 

            Ari sat back for a moment, yanking his arms free from the button-down before he rapidly whisked the undershirt over his head. 

            Nikita happily took in the sight of his uncovered, beautifully muscled torso, raking her nails along his chest and then curling her fingers around his belt.

             The unravelling thread of his resolve snapped in a heartbeat. The former Gogol agent lunged, yanking his companion’s sweater away before tackling her bra, which was flung aside recklessly so they could work at getting each other naked as quickly as possible. 

            Skin to skin, they toppled back on the bed, limbs entangling and exchanging heated kisses while they explored each other.

            “It just occurred to me,” he rumbled, the resonant timbre of his voice making her quiver with want. “That we might be giving Division a bit of a show here if there are cameras.” He bit provocatively at her earlobe.

            She slid her leg along his. “Actually, Birkoff deactivated them for this level. We’re safe. Unless you want to be seen.”

            His response was a low, very alluring chuckle, “Fun as that could be in the right circumstances,” he settled comfortably in her arms, gazing down at her tenderly. “Some things are meant to shared only with one other person.”

            Nikita’s heart cartwheeled. There was such warmth and sincerity reflected in the ocean of clear blue that she was losing herself in. 

            She reached out to sweep an errant strand of dark hair away from where it fell along his forehead. “You’re right. Some things should remain private.”

            “Well, that’s a first,” Ari remarked.

            “What is?”

            “Agreeing with me. I think I like it,” he grinned.

            Her pulse hummed thanks to how attractive an image he made. “What? No. Surely I’ve agreed with you on something before this.”

            He tapped at his chin with a thoughtful expression for a second before shaking his head, the smile returning full force. “Not that I can recall.”

            She narrowed her eyes slightly. “Oh, you’re enjoying this way too much.”

            “Who wouldn’t?” He stretched deliberately, the velvet texture of his skin against her own causing goosebumps to erupt and a startled sound to escape her throat. “I have you exactly where I want you, unable to escape,” he leaned in close enough so that their lips were centimeters apart. “You’re completely and irrevocably mine.”

            “That’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?” she murmured. 

            “Yes,” he lovingly caressed her cheek, emotion glittering in his eyes. “If I’m honest, I’ve wanted you since the moment we met. But that’s beside the point. See, my heart became yours not long after.”

            She placed her hand on his chest at the admission, reveling in the steady heartbeat beneath her palm before she dipped her head to press her lips there.

            “I like that – that you’re mine as much as I’m yours,” her words were slightly muffled against his skin, but judging by the quiet yet delighted laughter that served as his reply, she knew that he agreed with the sentiment. 

            “I also think that this discussion has lasted long enough, don’t you?” he hissed sharply when her mouth began to coast down.

            “Definitely,” she mumbled, continuing her trek, amused when she discovered that he was ticklish around the navel. “What’s this? A weak spot?”

            “Oh, don’t you dare,” his warning arrived too late, and the next few minutes were spent with her taking full advantage of this priceless information. 

            “Just so you know, I am actively planning revenge and it will come when you least expect it.” Ari knew that the ultimatum would sound more effective if he wasn’t struggling to regain his breath after the onslaught of what had started as a tickle fight, then escalated into something else. 

            “An interesting choice of words.” For her part, Nikita was content to stay right where she was: curled halfway on top of him and stroking idle patterns through the hair that dusted his chest. 

            “…I’m not going to dignify that with a response.”  

            She smirked and kissed his neck. “Sorry.”

            “No, you’re not.” 

            “No, I’m not,” the smirk morphed into a grin. “I could go on like this for hours.”

            He groaned, tilting his head back in the process which granted her better access to the column of his throat. “Have some mercy, please.”

            “Aww, did I wear you out already?” she pulled back.

            “I just need a breather.” He wrapped his arms around her securely, basking in the intimacy of their entwined forms. “Have you always been this insatiable?”

            “No, you’re merely benefiting from our long-standing UST,” she joked.

            He looked suitably perplexed. “Our what?”

            “It means unresolved sexual tension,” she giggled, bright and airy. “Okay, that one I’m actually sorry about. I’ve spent way too much time with Birkoff for my own good.”

            “That man should come with a dictionary in order to understand him,” he remarked dryly, ducking a kiss to her forehead.

            “He should. He also has a point, though.” She nuzzled him affectionately. “This chemistry we’ve been building since we met was bound to explode eventually. Frankly, the fantasies all pale in comparison.”

            “You’ve fantasized about me?”

            She peered over at him, showing no hint of embarrassment. “Are you saying you haven’t fantasized about me?”

            “Oh, I’ve had my share,” despite their nudity, he appeared slightly flustered. “I’m just trying to wrap my head around being the one desired here. It hasn’t happened often.”

            She abruptly sat up, stunned. “I’m sorry, but how?! With your eyes and your voice?! Not to mention,” she gestured wildly, “the body I was definitely not expecting to be hidden beneath your clothes. If others can’t see how gorgeous and amazing and perfect –

            He cut her off with a kiss that was equal parts passion and gratitude, his hands moving up to frame her face tenderly, their forms entangling further while he reclined her back onto the mattress.

            Nikita reluctantly parted for air first. “What was that for?”

            Ari smiled. “For being remarkable,” he leaned in again, brushing his mouth lightly over hers before whispering: “And for letting me catch my breath right before you stole it back.”

            “Fair’s fair, since you stole mine first,” she muttered, thoughts losing cohesion when he pushed her hair away from her shoulder so he could nip at sensitive flesh. She was unable to stop a mewl from emerging and firmly gripped at his back. “Please tell me we’re done resting.”

            His face loomed into her vision. “That revenge I mentioned a little while ago? I’m just getting started.”

            Ari managed to prove two very specific things to Nikita over the course of their love making. One – he was thorough. Not a visible patch of skin had gone without proper worship, and he had nearly drawn her to the brink through simple touch alone multiple times. The other was that his stamina was downright impressive. 

            Once the haze of lust managed to die down long enough for the pair to rest, they cuddled together: a hopeless tangle of skin and white sheets. 

            Nikita sighed, completely sated and languid in her lover’s embrace. “You know, I think you might be the actual insatiable one here, not me.”

            “I confess, I got a little carried away,” Ari rubbed soothing circles along her back, his lips grazing her temple. 

            “There’s carried away and there’s whatever we just did, if it has a name,” she stretched, cat-like, in his arms and dropped several kisses to his chest in gratitude. 

            After a few more minutes, he twisted onto his side, propping himself up on an elbow and gazing at her with concern. “You sure you’re all right? It wasn’t too intense?”

            She shook her head. “No. Though I admit that it might be some time before I regain feeling in my legs.”

            “Nikita…”

            “I’m joking. Mostly.” Her expression turned serious, and she ran her thumb gingerly along his still-healing eye. “When the infirmary opens back up, I’m getting you something to soothe this.”

            He slung an arm across her waist, drawing them close together. “Is that your way of implying that you’ll sleep here with me?”

            “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” she curled up against him. 

            “Even if Birkoff or Alex comes barging in here and we’re caught?”

            “They’ll just have to get used to it. You’re my partner now,” she yawned, exhaustion beginning to take hold.

            “Rest, my love,” he tipped her chin. “I’ll be here when you wake.”

            She merely smiled and kissed him, confident in the knowledge that he would keep to that promise. 

The End

[invaderlynx]

Dundy for the body parts headcanon thing? ( .... that sounds so wrong! 😅)

Thanks for the ask! Since I already answered this for him I am going to post some headcanons I have about one of my favorite ships with him in it, Hondy which I adore because I am firmly of the belief that Dundy needs someone with whom he can relax and not have to be the carefully put together, responsible lieutenant that he is when he’s doing the work of three lieutenants on Erebus and that Hodgson deserves someone who will love and pay attention to him, given how often he’s ignored.

Headcanon: Hodgson’s bi-weekly reports from Terror are the only indulgences that Le Vesconte has to look forward to anymore. Dundy is a man who likes his comforts, but over the months they’ve been frozen in he has slowly had nearly all of them stripped away.

In the beginning, when spirits were high and everything still golden, he had his enjoyments, the small things that kept him warm and happy in spite of the chill. He had his co-lieutenants, men he liked and knew he could depend on, be it for a bit of good cheer or to save his life. He had his small rituals: taking leisurely meals with his fellow officers—reveling in the food and lively conversation, reading a chapter or two of a novel (usually a hopelessly romantic one, he’s a softie like that) before bed. Now he can’t even remember the last time he didn’t have to scarf down a meal to get back to work on time or got more than a few hours of sleep in one stretch, let alone had the time to read. Even his opportunities for conversation with James have diminished with both of them now far too busy for the long, sometimes brandy-soaked chats they would have in their down time aboard the Clio or in the early days of the expedition.

His meetings with Hodgson are the only times where he can really unwind and not be the steadfast, dutifully applied lieutenant that he is now asked to be 24/7. Of course, they handle their business first, discussing the needs of Terror and Erebus, the situation on the ice, all the reports expected of them, but George will often linger a little while after that just to talk. They sit close together—closer than is proper for two men but they hardly care—and just chat. Dundy just likes listening to him talk, it doesn’t matter what about, and Hodgson is happy to oblige. They can never stay for very long, both of them have duties on their respective ships, but for those brief moments both of them are finally content (side note: Hodgson volunteers to go over to Erebus every time through the ice and the cold just to see Dundy, it’s very sweet. Irving and Little still have no clue that that’s why he volunteers)

Heartcanon: Dundy enjoys picking Hodgson up and carrying him around just for the fun of it. George absolutely loves it. Is it an incredibly bad idea on an ice-bound, tilted ship with very little traction on her hardwood floors? Yes. Does that stop them? No! More often than not they both end up slipping and toppling to the ground, giggling like schoolboys. Fitzjames would probably reprimand them for their reckless conduct if he wasn’t so relieved to finally see his friend laughing and smiling genuinely again.

Gutcanon: Le Vesconte never learned that Hodgson wasn’t with the mutineers of his own volition. When Hodgson disappeared he didn’t want to believe that he would throw in with Hickey’s men, but the thought was always there in the back of his mind. He didn’t know which was worse, presuming George was dead and carried off or hoping that he had joined that group of devils to save himself.

In a story where they’re together perhaps that contributes to why he was so against the plan to rescue the captain. He doesn’t want to have to shoot the man he loves.

Junkcanon: I just really love the vaguely cursed idea of Hodgson dirty talking in Latin or something because he has a very skewed view on what he thinks is attractive. Even more cursed, Dundy is genuinely turned on by it.

Spleencanon: Not to cop out and use the same thing for two different ships, but screw canon, I like the thought of the two of them surviving and just getting up to fancy rich-boy shenanigans together. Getting champagne drunk in the middle of the day, buying each other stupidly extravagant gifts just to see the other smile, living their lives to the fullest together because, by God, they deserve it and all the silly indulgences they want after what they’ve been through.

Link to the Ask

[bewitching-elizabeth-olsen]

Press: Elizabeth Olsen’s 20/21 Vision

The Marvel star takes us inside her transformation to a new kind of hero

GALLERY LINKS

Studio Photoshoots > 2021 > Session 002

Magazine Scans > 2021 > Grazia

  GRAZIA: Elizabeth Olsen is a trooper. We are in a field in Surrey on the outskirts of the Marvel studios; it’s a biting minus one and she is standing in a Chanel broderie anglaise sundress and increasingly soggy UGG boots. Her feline cheekbones face skywards, but Olsen is slowly sinking into the mud, trilling out high notes to keep herself warm (possibly distracted) and of course with spirits high. “It was the wind I think, that was worse than the sideways rain,” she jokes as we trundle back to the soundstage hangar that we are using as a studio. It’s the kind of moment that could go viral on Instagram, that is, if Olsen were on social media. Yet one of the biggest stars of our current cultural moment is completely offline – and that surprising fact might just be the least interesting thing about her. If anything, it is a sign of how Olsen has come into her own as a confident, decisive star with the power to create her own universe.

On the cusp of her 32nd birthday, Olsen is fastidious and professional, yes, but also bright, engaging, creative, and collaborative. Born and raised in the California sunshine, she is surprisingly at ease in the blustery conditions that deluge the English countryside in late January – or, it’s that she’s very good at acting. “It was one of the ugliest days of this winter – just hilarious – but I knew we wanted the shot,” the 31-year-old actress says.

Since October, Olsen’s been living in the leafy British countryside with her “man-guy-partner,” musician Robbie Arnett, just a short drive to the Surrey compound where Doctor Strange is being filmed. It’s a closed set, masked in secrecy as much as the socially distanced masked crew dotted all over the 200-acre studio. “It feels right being in a small city right now,” she says.

Indeed, Olsen is a modern-day Renaissance woman. Learned and dedicated to her craft, she studied at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, with a semester at the Moscow Art Theatre School studying Stanislavski. (Surely, no matter how much of a genius the Russian theatre master was, he never could have conceived of the Marvel universe.)

Approached with the concept of WandaVision, “I thought it was perfect for television, and a very original idea that made me excited,” Olsen says. Also, she was happy she would get to work with Bettany again: “He’s very precise, like me.”

In many ways, WandaVision is a love letter to the first American television heyday. Olsen, who stayed up late watching Nick at Nite reruns as a child, says it’s a bit of a homecoming in that way. “I was a very hammy, performative child,” she explains. “So, I do think I got to live out some sort of childhood dream doing the show.”

“The highlight was really getting to tell a story about these superhero individuals told in different decades of American sitcoms, trying to match the tone of those sitcoms in order to help orate the story,” she says. “But keep it playful and fun.” Little did she know just how much we’d need that.

Half-filmed pre-pandemic in Atlanta and half post-pandemic in LA – with a six-month hiatus in-between “until all the unions figured out to work safely” – WandaVision was released almost a year into the pandemic. In many ways, it is an artifact of its time: centered upon a yearning for the simplicity of earlier days, yet shot through with the creeping realization that such days may never return, and perhaps never existed to begin with.

Indeed, the weekly story of suburban superheroes Wanda and Vision has played out like a parable of our times: Wanda living in her chosen bubble, her trauma resonating in the world we find ourselves in today. Olsen appreciates a good metaphor, but feels people may be projecting a bit much. “I see Wanda as a victim of extreme trauma, who does not understand how to process it,” she explains. “She has been a human experiment.” (Not to belabor the point, but haven’t we all?)

Being summoned by Marvel is like being called to a parallel universe for an actor: thrilling, yes, but not without a tinge of terror and a dash of the unknown. Six years in, though, it’s become like family in some ways. As a member of two dynasties – Olsen and Marvel – family is key to Olsen. She checks in on her mom (who still lives in California) and, like many American daughters, is researching which vaccine mom should get.

The performative gene runs strong through her family, of course – and no, we don’t mean her sisters. Olsen’s mom was a ballerina. Still, when she first started auditioning, Olsen took special care to carve her own path – one far from Full House. “Nepotism is a thing and I’m very aware of it,” she says. “And of course, I’ve always wanted to do it alone.” She did just that, her acting credentials consistently rising as her sister’s cemented their fashion kudos. Olsen bears a noticeable resemblance to her fashion-designer older sisters and her sartorial DNA is similarly low-key. She loves The Row (of course) and NYC label Khaite’s denim and cashmere.

For Olsen, her day job is like playing dress-up. This time around, she walked away from WandaVision with the girdle worn underneath her 50s wedding dress, laughing, “I mean, to have a custom undergarment like that, I felt like it was necessary!” Her WandaVision co-star, Kathryn Hahn, also became her shopping cohort when filming.

“She’s dangerous!” Olsen says. “She has the most exquisite, minimal but expensive taste.” It was Hahn who led Olsen to the independent boutique where she found the belted Julia Jentzsch trench that she wore to our shoot.

At the rail of samples compiled by the stylist, Olsen gravitates towards a spacious linen boilersuit and longline cashmere cardigan. Has she always been a tomboy, I ask? “I think I felt uncomfortable being a child being told they were pretty,” she says of her early auditions at age 10, adding that her love of ballet and musical theater could leave her “feeling exposed” at a young age.

Speaking of over-exposure, Olsen is distinctly offline in a time when so many are defined by their social media presence. Among celebrities and regular digital citizens, the perfect balance of online and off is up for debate, but Olsen is clear: social media saturation is a choice for all of us, and everyone needs to draw their own boundaries.

“It has to be a personal decision, right?” she begins. “So, my opinion has nothing to do with what anyone else does or doesn’t do with it.” Her own journey began when she momentarily dabbled with Instagram (since deleted), while filming Ingrid Goes West, director Matt Spicer’s frightening and funny debut feature about a social stalker, co-starring Aubrey Plaza.

Up until that time, she says, “I had never touched it before. I thought, ‘This is an interesting social experiment for myself, to see if it is a good source to talk about charities or a good source to talk about small projects, or to share something goofier about myself.’ But I think at the end of the day, what I discovered was one, I’m really bad at creating a perceived identity!”

“I didn’t find it very organic to who I am as a person,” she continues. “I found some joy in putting up silly videos, but I think the main reason I stopped – not I think, I know the main reason why I stopped – was because of the organization in my brain.”

“Lots of horrible things happen all the time. Or, lots of great things happen all the time. Whether it’s something terrifying, like a natural disaster or a school shooting or a death, there are so many things that happen, and I love processing information. I love reading articles. I love listening to podcasts. I love communicating about things that are happening in the world to people around me. And what I don’t love is that my brain organization was saying, ‘Should I post about this?’ That seemed very unhealthy ….”

“And to then contribute to these platitudes that I don’t really love, you have to subscribe to two different ways of thinking,” she says. “So, I didn’t like that, and there was a lot of it that was just bothering me for my own sake of what value systems I have.”

That’s not to say that there’s any inherent value system – pro or con – in using Instagram. Olsen is clear that like any other method of expression, it’s up to the individual to use it as they see fit. “I do see a use of it and how you can use it well for work,” she says. “But I don’t think that I would like to use that tool to promote myself.”

She’s private for a millennial yes, but not prim. On the photoshoot, lockdown experiences were shared, and Olsen recounted her (hilarious) first at-home bikini wax: banishing her husband upstairs “for an extended chat with his therapist,” her trusted waxer on speed dial, and microwave set to ping! (Yes, Olsen is a trooper, as I mentioned.)

We catch up over Zoom a week later, her hair once again pulled up in a casual topknot, her cashmere turtleneck simmering in a dark claret, and her entire being suffused with covetable understatement. She chats buoyantly against an unexpected backdrop of pirate ship wallpaper in the playroom of a house she shares with Arnett, who proposed with an emerald and diamond ring in 2019.

“We first started to try to make it the gym, but it was so cramped,” she says of the jolly space. The home gym was instead awarded a larger room, where Olsen loves to maintain a varied fitness regime – running, yoga, dancing, more – though after all the intense Marvel filming, she jokes, “maybe it’s time to give up on my body?!” Being comic book fit does sound grueling or “time-consuming fun” as she anoints the “strenuous physical demands.”

Like most of us, she is longing for the spring, but she still takes a regular constitutional walk in a nearby Richmond park, whatever the weather. “The deer are incredible; every time I see them I feel alive,” she says. “We have been lucky to have nature around us in lockdown.” It’s a marked difference from her paparazzi-populated home in the Hills. “They know our walks, where we get coffee, work-out…,” she trails off.

Her haven in Los Angeles is her backyard, complete with a mid-century swimming pool and an edible garden. “It’s crazy the blackberries grow like weeds! I love watching a kid’s first reaction to an edible garden,” she gushes That has been the part of the pandemic travel restrictions she’s found hardest: missing her friend’s children growing up, and others who have been born this past year that she’s yet to meet. They will no doubt all be treated to her homemade blackberry sorbet on her return stateside.

Yet, her time on British soil will likely be prolonged, with a prospective indie commencing filming here when Doctor Strange wraps. Prompted for more detail, her firm charm kicks in. “I can’t jinx it!” she insists. Still, she will share that she’s heavily involved in the creative, and that funding smaller productions in the current climate has been a challenge.

Through it all, Olsen has remained determined and calm. “I feel patience is my superpower. But my weakness also,” she says. “I feel like it gets tested more than others who don’t have a lot of patience. If someone learns you’re easygoing or that you’re relaxed, sometimes it gets taken advantage of.” While she waits for the green light on that film, she is busy producing a new children’s cartoon with Arnett, “about loving and caring for our world,” and has also written a children’s book about to be published by Random House, all while the demands of Marvel life continue to surround her.

Indeed, Olsen is a superhero for the modern age: Multi-hyphenate, but fiercely devoted to the craft that she loves; instantly recognizable, yet thoughtfully protective of her private life; a woman with style, substance, success, and deep rewarding relationships with those around her; focused on a vision of a better world for us all.

Press: Elizabeth Olsen’s 20/21 Vision was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

[eirabach]

Just Like Heaven [The Glow Rewrite] 1/8

Well, here it is kids. Kindly betaed by the beautiful @katie-dub. All remaining errors are absolutely 1000% my fault, and any and all incoherence remains despite her best efforts to kick sense into me. All the love in the world to the CaptainSwanRewriteathon team who helped me get this thing finished, even if I dropped out at the very very last second. I love you all. Very dearly.

Emma Swan always gets her man, why would she let a little thing like death get in the way?

A Captain Swan ‘Just Like Heaven’ Movie AU that takes the AU part and eats it for breakfast. Now with weekly updates! Godspeed, dear reader. Godspeed.

Rated M. Ao3. 2500 / 22000. 

She dreams of the ocean.

The skies are bright blue, and cartoon-fluffy clouds scud overhead as the ship skips over the waves with her at the bow. The wind catches at her hair and she laughs - a wild, bell-like sound she barely recognises - and spreads her arms wide.

Somewhere behind her, someone is calling her name.

Emma!

Emma?

“Emma? Emma!”

She sits bolt upright, the cheap plastic chair creaking alarmingly beneath her weight as she sways backwards. Her half eaten breakfast doughnut rolls sadly across the table and drops to the floor, and she scrubs at the smear of cinnamon frosting it’s left on her cheek.

“Sorry, what,” she mumbles, blinking grit from her eyes. “I was just - ”

“Snoring,” says her boss, lips twitching into a sneer. “So glad you could rejoin us.”

“Sorry,” Emma mutters again, “it won’t - it won’t happen again.”

Zelena lifts one perfectly manicured eyebrow over the file she’s holding out, Emma cringing inwardly as she realises that every person around the rickety old boardroom table is watching her with expressions that range from amused, to pitying, to - in Jefferson’s case - alarmingly hungry.

“Rough night?” he asks, with a lecherous sort of grin. “We could make it… rougher, if you like?”

Emma squeezes her hands into fists and forces her expression into a tight smile.

“Not in any way you’d enjoy, Jefferson. I might, though.”

Ruby scoffs into her hand, covering it up with a cough, and the two of them exchange a swift look. Ruby’s still in last night’s make-up too, but hers is still practically pristine, her lips still devil red as she quirks them briefly at Emma.

Emma’s carefully applied mascara, on the other hand, is smeared under her eyes and down her cheeks from hours spent waiting in the rain, her lipstick long since bled away.

It really had been a rough night.

Her mark had been a particularly nasty piece of work, skipping bail and leaving not only one well-meaning and heavily pregnant girlfriend to foot the bill, but two, and Emma had been warned in advance that he had form for getting nasty when things weren’t going his way.

He also, it seemed, had form for standing up dates. In the rain.

And possibly Varsity Level Track and Field skills.

She could imagine better starts to the day than dealing with Zelena and Jefferson after six hours of extensive wet-weather cross-country running and twenty minutes sleep. She squirms in her seat, her shoulder aching still from where he’d attempted to wrench it from its socket before she’d finally managed to get the drop on him, and meets Zelena’s gaze with a glare of her own.

“I got the mark,didn’t I?” she says. “I just didn’t get much sleep.”

“I hope you enjoyed your little cat nap, then,” says Zelena, sliding the file over to Emma. “Because here’s the next one.”

Emma’s brow furrows as she looks at the golden embossed motif on the front of the file, the heavy cardstock, the six figure reward for bringing this guy in.

Somebody must have been a really, really naughty boy.

“The cops increased their budget lately?”

“Not for the police,” Zelena says smugly, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms. “This is on behalf of a private client.”

“Hey.” Emma drops the file on the table and shakes her head sharply. “We do bailsbonds, not PI work.”

Zelena hums, her eyes going wide. “Is that what it says on my door? Well I never.”

“You don’t have a door,” Emma mutters, but Zelena is leaning over the table now, her eyes sharp, and Emma is forcibly reminded that although she’s good at her job - great, even - Zelena is still very much the boss.

“And you don’t have a choice,” she hisses. “Unless you think I should give the mark to someone else?”

Out of the corner of her eye she sees both Ruby and Jefferson sit up a little straighter, and her eyes drift back down to the file.

She doesn’t know who Mr Gold is, and she has no idea what he wants with the dark-haired man in the grainy CCTV photo - this Killian Jones - but she knows how much money is left for the month. She knows Henry went to school this morning in jeans a half inch too short.

And it’s six figures. Six.

“No,” she says, closing the file and resting her hands on top of it. “I’ve got this.”

--

The office - such as it is - isn’t the sort of place Emma likes to spend much of her time, even at the best of times which, frankly, this sort of isn’t. Ruby’s nice, outgoing enough to spring the honey traps Emma wouldn’t dare and a personable sort of person to have around if you didn’t mind the constant sound of gum smacking, but even she isn’t a generous enough soul to congratulate Emma on being handed a case that might make her rich. And Jefferson had looked ready to murder her before she’d slipped past the splintered remains of what had once been Zelena’s door and settled herself into the only comfy chair in the place - an elderly padded desk chair reserved for clients that always smells faintly of despair.

Zelena could afford to replace it, of course. Emma thinks she just rather likes the scent.

“All right,” she says, crossing her legs and trying not to wince as her knees protest. “Spill.”

Zelena taps her nails on her desk and tosses her hair over her shoulder.

“Afraid I don’t know what you mean,” she says with suspiciously wide eyes. “Is there a problem?”

“You tell me,” Emma snaps back, the file tight in her fingers. “Since when do we take on private clients - since when do private clients want to hire us?” She gestures to the door, it’s smashed glass panel and missing edges a testament to the sort of review Oz Bail Bonds has received in the past. “Something’s up.”

For a moment Zelena’s sneer drops, her fingers still, the confidence she wears like her knock-off suit flickering briefly out of existence.

“That’s none of your business,” she says, eyes narrowing. “Just do your job, Swan.”

“I will,” Emma snaps, “but not if - I have Henry to worry about you know.”

Zelena rolls her eyes in the particularly dismissive manner she reserves for those rare occasions her staff dare to remind her that they have lives outside of the office walls.

“Best make sure you don’t fail, then.” She gestures to the door, her contribution clearly finished. “Although,” she says, “since you’re here…” She reaches into her desk drawer and removes one of the thin, buff coloured files preferred by Portland PD. Clipped to the front is a picture of a red-faced, piggy-eyed man, with slicked back black hair and a smile even a mother would cringe at. “Jefferson didn’t quite bring home the bacon on this one, so to speak. Would you mind?”

Zelena smiles her reptilian smile and Emma thinks of her bed, the three day old take out festering in the fridge. She thinks of Henry’s face as he waits for her to collect him from school only to see Mary Margaret turn up again.

“Would it matter if I did?”

Zelena’s smile almost reaches her eyes.

“Not in the least.”

—

If you were to ask Killian Jones where he’d gone wrong in his life he’d struggle to put his finger on any one event. Too many coincidences. Too little respect for authority. Too much death. Too little faith. Not enough rum.

Well, maybe not that last one, though it is what brings him out tonight.

He stumbles through the night, his collar drawn up against the cold and his hat pulled low against prying eyes. The streets are unfamiliar still, the accents around him notably unlike his own, and it’s a stupid idea, this. Foolish. Idiotic. Risky. Irresponsible. All the things that he’d been, before. All the things that he’d sworn to leave behind, after.

(It seems he’s yet to make a vow he can’t break.)

He’s too sober to be this maudlin. Too sober by far.

Luckily, that’s one of the few things he can do anything about.  

His legal team know nothing of the little dockside hole in the wall joint he’s taken to frequenting when they clock off for the night. He’s spent weeks under their watchful gaze, sitting sweet between the four magnolia walls of the safehouse, and maybe they’re as bored as he is or maybe they secretly agree that he deserves what’s coming to him, but gradually they’ve given him a few tiny tastes of freedom. The disposition is pending, after all. His evidence presented in black and white. So perhaps it doesn’t matter that they’ve left a newspaper here. An open bathroom window there.

And he might be nothing else, but he’s resourceful.

He’s resourceful, and soon, he plans to be drunk.

Liam hated him being drunk.

He hated the dive bars he’d frequent, the women he’d bring home, the friends he’d spend his nights with.

Sometimes - most of the time - he wonders if Liam had just hated him.

He’d have been well within his rights.

He’d been left with a feckless little sod of a younger brother to care for when his career was barely beginning, all those early paychecks dropped on a boy who barely understood the sacrifice and wouldn’t have appreciated it if he had. God only knows, even now, how he’d managed to convince his superiors to allow his delinquent younger brother access to the shipyards.

It’s why he sticks to the docks. The scent of brine and engine oil takes him back to those hazy distant days when Liam had tried to save him from himself, and the ships that almost had.

But then, Liam was gone. And along with him any hope for Killian Jones in the world at large.

The Underworld had taken him, and he’d let it.

The black market, after all, did have better rum.

Better than this place certainly, but he drinks the proffered dross anyway. Needs must. And besides, it stops burning after the fourth shot.

Perhaps if he’d stopped there he’d have stood a chance of noticing the man in the corner of the bar. Most unfortunates who patronise a place like this tend to keep their heads down and their drinks coming, but this one - this one has his eye on Killian.

And he’s been cradling the same pint for an hour.

Killian doesn’t notice him, or the anxious way he shifts his weight. He doesn’t notice the glint of silver in his pocket, nor the sweat that blooms across his brow. He would have, once. Would have cared, once. But now all he cares about are the dribbles of rum that slip down shaking fingers and the goddamn waste of it all.

So he doesn’t notice. Doesn’t care. Not until he’s eight shots deep and the world is spinning, stinking of garbage and vomit, footsteps behind him and it’s too damn late to run.

Too damn late by far.

---

It hadn’t always been like this of course.

It’s sort of surreal this half-life of hers, lived in the shadows of other people’s mistakes. She works mainly when the streets are dark and empty, sleeping the daylight away as best she can in an old recliner swiped from a skip, her son’s third-hand xbox blaring brightly away just beyond the edge of her consciousness. She’s tired, always, and never quite as well off as she ought to be for the hours she puts in - the stain of Zelena’s fingerprints over every pay cheque - but on balance, it’s alright.

It used to be far, far worse.

At least she was sleeping in her car voluntarily nowadays. Not like those early days before, cold and desperate, she’d thrown herself on the mercy of the only friend she could remember having, her worst best mistake wailing in her arms and her prison issue clothes hanging off too thin shoulders.

And Mary Margaret had let her in.

And let her in. And let her in.

Until their brief High School friendship had developed into something almost like family, almost just right.

She’s getting morbid, it’s getting late. The two things might be connected.

It’s been a depressingly long time since she’d backed the bug into the alleyway outside of the mark’s preferred drinking den, and she’d done nothing ever since but squint into the dark - nothing except fire off a quick text to Mary Margaret begging off school pick up and hoping she’d take mercy.

Again.

It’s a theme, of sorts.

(And if she hadn’t answered Mary Margaret’s follow up call, well. She can’t afford to get distracted on a job.

She can’t afford for Mary Margaret to finally say no.)

From somewhere under the pile of cheeseburger wrappers in her passenger footwell she hears the buzz of her phone and winces.

She sort of should have, maybe, called Mary Margaret back.

No time for that now though. At the end of the alleyway she sees the shadow of a man leaving the bar, the tell-tale lurching gait of the heavy drinker giving her time to slip out of the bug, gun in hand, before he’s able to disappear into the shadows.

This is always the riskiest part - the choice. Does she shout, ensuring the guy currently emptying his guts against a dumpster is the one she’s after but possibly setting herself up for another late night cross country session? Or does she lurk in the dark like some sort of comic book vigilante, creeping along with her back to the damp alleyway walls and hope that she’s able to get the drop on him?

(Her knees hurt. Decision made.)

She inches towards the dark figure, wrinkling her nose up as he retches into the gutter, the street lights casting a yellow halo around his unruly hair. He’s mumbling to himself as he wipes his mouth on his sleeve, some sort of half conversation with the demons in his own head, and Emma slides her gun back into her belt. She’s not going to need it.

Somehow, she gets the impression that if she breathes too hard at this one he’ll drop like a leaf.

“Hey,” she says softly, stepping into the glow of the light, her hands open at her sides. “I think you ought to come with me”

He pauses his mumbling, his shoulders heaving slightly from the effort of being sick, and she sees the way his right hand tightens on the edge of the dumpster.

There’s a crack - thunder that isn’t  - a sharp, wet, blooming pain in her stomach. Screeching rubber and her own pulse harsh in her ears as she stumbles forward, grabbing for the edge of the drunk’s jacket as she falls.

She gasps. Henry’s name garbled in blood. Her phone’s in her car. She needs to tell this guy… he needs to tell Henry… she needs…

Help.

He turns, a flash of blue against white, and everything goes dark.

[okrseverything]

OKR is a startup lifesaver. Here is how to craft them

“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.”

– John Doerr, author Measure What Matters.

If you are a founder, CXO, HR leader, or a venture partner, you are sure to have come across Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and highly unlikely that you would ignore it. You probably may be thinking about the benefits of this superbly powerful framework, that when implemented well, can supercharge your growth strategy. At the same time, you may be wondering how to get started.

The good news, OKRs can magically seep into accelerating your business growth, without having another on the ‘To Do’ list. However, what it does need is baselining understanding on OKRs, crafting it right, discipline, focus and cadence not only among leaders but also your teams.

And, a great way to move from knowing OKRs to actually doing or practicing OKRs, is through OKR pilots!

All about OKRs

OKRs is a strategy execution framework, which requires an ongoing cadence, to pick measures that matter most to propel the organisation forward. OKRs forces teams to think about how to drive change, growth or innovation. Something is a variation of what or how we are currently doing.

Objectives are qualitative statements that give clarity on ‘What would we like to achieve?’ They must have business value.

Key results define ‘how we are going to measure success?’. They’re outcome-driven, measurable and stand the ‘Stretch Test’.

Tasks are the to-do lists, priorities, and activities that will help us achieve our OKRs.

‍

Also Read: Global pandemics, trade wars: why OKRs are more vital than ever before

‍

OKRs shift thinking from measuring inputs or tasks to outcomes. OKRs are agile, set for 90 days, and builds a muscle of cadence around metrics that matter most.

Here’s an example of an OKR.

Objective: Implement a kick-ass sales strategy to accelerate revenues

KR 1: Increase conversion rates from 15 to 30 per cent

KR 2: Reduce lead received to call back time from one hour to 10 minutes

KR 3: Increase enterprise customer proposals from four to 10 per month

How to run craft an OKR

The Socratic question

As you mull over how to get started with OKRs, ask yourself the Socratic question ‘Is my company ready for OKRs and what outcomes would we want to drive?’ OKRs being a strategy execution framework, rest on your company’s mission, vision, and strategy.

‍

No sailing without the captain of the ship:

OKRs start with sponsorship, and that’s best done by the CEO alongside the Strategy Office. With a strong war cry around OKRs, you need to rally your team around the North Star or the big ‘why’.

Champion the implementation, get a common understanding of what OKRs are or aren’t, and don’t shy away from calling an OKR expert to give you a 101 primer on OKRs.

‍

It starts with company OKRs

In all OKR pilots, what emerges as a constant is to start from the top. Build the virility around the framework, by setting company OKRs anchoring them to the company’s mission, vision and strategy.

As a Founder or CEO who is driving OKRs, invite your next level leadership team to contribute to company OKR crafting. Use OKR language in every meeting – Get tired of saying so, until everyone gets activated on the driving OKRs as a muscle.

‍

Choose your pilot team well

Organisations have different ways of choosing a pilot team. For enterprises, it could be CXOs and next-level leaders, or a group driving Innovation projects.

Also Read: We recently implemented OKRs at e27; This is why every startup should do the same

For hyper-growth startups, it could be teams that need to drive outcomes through intensive collaboration. The success of your pilot team can be a role model for other teams.

Get the right anchors

It takes two to tango. But for OKRs, it’s a whole lot more. You need the right anchors to make sure the teams are sailing through every difficult situation without crashing or just running away from the challenges. Have a well-defined checklist to make sure your key role holders can increase your chances of a successful implementation.

‍

Consider using an OKR software

With team sizes are more than 20, an OKR Software is a must-have to keep the momentum on. An OKR Software would help teams view real-time insights, flag KRs at risk, help teams capture check-ins, collaborate on progress, and guide them on writing high-quality OKRs.

According to the experience of Fitbots OKR management, an effective Check-In meeting is a secret sauce to getting OKR implementation right.  This may seem like the same old tune, but the fact remains, no leadership enthusiasm, no OKR success. Check-In meetings happen weekly by teams and during Leadership reviews.

With a view on OKR progress dashboards against company goals, leadership teams review, reset & remove constraints to get OKRs back on track!

Gather the learnings from the pilot and reset your process. Before going company-wide, it is better to know what works well given your company culture and growth focus.  Happy OKRing!

[cero-blast]

Ramblings now that I finally finished the manga

The pace at which people read the last arc definitely influenced their opinion on it. I was late to the party so I could binge Bleach all at once, but I’ve followed weekly series before and I know there’s a lot more tension, speculation and anticipation building up if you have to wait for each chapter. That being said, consuming the manga like this, I really didn’t take much issue with the ending. The final battle could have been drawn out for 2-3 more chapters and a lot of questions remained unanswered, but that’s about it. It was nothing to be upset over. I concluded that the controversy around it was halfway because of shipping and halfway a self-fueling state of upset because people like being angry in general.

Ishida’s last intervention saving the day was a bit deus ex machina, but admittedly, if he hadn’t done that he would have been left with a lot of baggage and ‘unpaid debt’ towards the Ichigo-gang. The exaggerated importance he gave to his being a quincy (tying back to the first arcs) needed to be addressed, especially in a situation where they were the enemies.

Talking to a great extent about the Vandenreich would be like kicking a hornet’s nest, throwing it against the wall and stomping on it. People who like them are rabid about it. People who dislike them are rabid about it. I, myself, am just too tired to instigate conflict right now.

I wish there was more elaboration on Yhwach/Juha Bach’s backstory (as well as how on Earth his name is pronounced and how those two spellings exist simultaneously...). I found his powers and existence really interesting and I would have liked to see how he gradually regained his body and intellect. (It sort of reminded me of Dororo if I’m honest.)

This is probably self-indulgent of me but I love what they did with Aizen. It made perfect sense and underlined how he was ultimately on an ego trip and not against Soul Society in particular. I found it kind of funny how he was the one who delivered the closing motivational speech but it had something satisfying about it how, in the end, SS and Aizen could at least agree on the playing field of their conflicts, as in that fear of death needs to exist for there to be courage. It also wasn’t really presented as a redemption arc (which would have ruined it); Aizen straight up told them he’s doing it for his own sake and then got sealed again. The scene where he got stabbed instead of Ichigo? Fantastic.

More on the fear of death thing; it was interesting how this topic vaguely referenced things other characters have said. I thought of Shuuhei specifically, and how in his opinion anyone who wields a zanpakuto should feel some amount of fear, otherwise they’re unfit for it. I don’t know what to make of the ambiguity around him having/not having a bankai in the ending, perhaps he really did achieve it because they continued to live in a world where fear existed. It’s also telling how Äs Nödt was a Sternritter despite Yhwach’s plans with the world. I don’t think any of them really knew what his goals entailed, nor did Yhwach care about them to any extent beyond them being soldiers.

Why do people keep saying Orihime didn’t contribute anything? She clearly did in the final fight. I lean more towards the view that a lot more could have been done with her as a character, but it’s not like she did nothing at all. She fixed Zangetsu along with Tsukishima and that was pretty important considering it’s what Ichigo delivered the final blow with. It’s the only weapon he can use, he doesn’t know kido or have a monstrous enough physical strength to do anything to Yhwach (even Kenpachi didn’t...) — getting Zangetsu fixed was indispensable. I’ll say this again; I’m a bit tired of these complaints talking about Orihime not having combat skills. I’d understand if she was the type of character who actively got in the way out of incompetence, but she genuinely didn’t the vast majority of time. With a stretch you could say that about the Hueco Mundo arc, but her other option besides getting kidnapped was *people more battle-suited than her getting killed*. As for why they went to rescue her, it’s because she was the Ichigo-gang’s friend and they cared about her. If you’re gonna have a heroic protector character, he’s going to want to save his friends. It’s a prerequisite. You can’t have one but not the other. I swear I’ll stop it with this rant but I’m reaching my limit.

The final arc went through too many bankais too quickly. And I’m 100% convinced it’s a fanservice thing because, for some reason, everyone is maniacally obsessed with seeing every character’s bankai as if them not having it makes them somehow lacking. I don’t want to put the blame on either Kubo or the fans and it didn’t bother me *that* much but it wasn’t really needed — besides the fact that there wasn’t enough time to display all of these bankais’ full abilities and now we’re left with a vague idea of how they work. I’m conflicted about Kenpachi because I liked the reasoning behind his fight with Unohana, but at the same time it was nice to have a captain who got on just fine without using even a shikai. I would have preferred Yachiru to be just a random kid he adopted, too. (Though that’s effectively what she was to him considering he didn’t know who she was when they met, so whatever.)

Strangely, Renji and Rukia having a kid was way weirder than Ichigo and Orihime having a kid. Renruki are entertaining and useful at many things but I’m not sure parenting would be one. They feel... too youthful? Something like that? Rukia is a captain now (which I really appreciated) so maybe she had some change in attitude, I don’t know. I’m not calling her childish, just not very mother-like.

I’ll get the ship discourse out of the way. I still have no opinion on this. Yeah, Ichigo didn’t have any romantic development with Orihime, but neither did he with Rukia... It might be just me but he didn’t seem interested in anyone on a romantic level throughout the entire series, all he did was try to protect everyone equally. I guess it’s not unrealistic that even people whose main focus in life isn’t romance would eventually end up with someone, what I’m saying is that who the person would be seemed completely unpredictable.

A surprising amount of characters got a good deal out of the endgame and it’s sort of a relief, but it also surprises me sometimes. It’s an odd thing that hit me; thinking back to the pendulum arc I would have been sure that either Aizen or Shinji would die at one point, but they’re both still alive. None of the vizards died. Urahara didn’t die. Shunsui didn’t die. Ginjo and Tsukishima are doing just fine. Grimmjow and Nel are alive. The squad 11 higher ups are alive. Okay, a lot of people *did* die, but with the mess in the last arc I would have expected for the cast to be decimated. I need to highlight that *Aizen is alive*. That’s probably the weirdest part to me.

In the end, I have no idea what everyone is so upset about. I expected something way more nonsensical, outrageous and catastrophic to happen judging from the fan reactions but it was a pretty normal ending. I didn’t finish the manga thinking “Ah yes, this is genius, the most impactful and well-delivered ending I’ve ever read!” But it was... alright? I’m jaded because I’ve seen way, way worse than this. This fandom is spoiled.

[chaotic-woso]

Is It Okay if I Call You Mine - Ch. 2 - CarolxMaria fic

Cross-posted from AO3

First chapter here

Fandom - Captain Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe

Ships - Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau

Characters - Carol Danvers, Maria Rambeau, Dr. Wendy Lawson, Monica Rambeau

Rating - T

Summary - Multi-chapter fic exploring the relationship between Carol Danvers and Maria Rambeau as they become the Rambeau-Danvers family. Spans across different moments in the Carol-Maria relationship, from before they get together (because let’s all agree, they are t o g e t h e r in this film even if Marvel won’t come out and say it), to various milestones and slices of life in their relationship after they start actually dating, living together, mutually pining for each other, etc.

Ch. 2 - Carol embraces the role of supportive best friend and lots of mutual pining occurs

Maria decides to have the baby and she finally convinces her (begs endlessly) to join Dr. Lawson’s project, knowing Lawson will be far more supportive of Maria's choice than any of the officers at Maria’s current posting. But if she’s being honest with herself, her motivations are totally selfish. She misses working alongside her best friend, misses hearing her voice over the comms while she flies, misses the way everything between them just comes naturally, like they were born in sync with one another.

They don’t talk about the baby’s father and they don’t talk about that morning in the kitchen where Carol knows they were on the precipice of something. She throws herself into the role of supportive best friend and pretends that everything is normal, everything is fine. Her priority is Maria and the baby, not her own emotional turmoil.

After two months of long drives from Maria’s place to Pegasus, multiple doctor’s appointments that she insists on accompanying Maria to, and less and less time spent at her own place, Maria moves and Carol moves with her.

“It’ll be just like in Basic!” she says excitedly when she gives Maria her long spiel on why they should become roommates again.

Maria narrows her eyes at her.

“You mean you pounding on my door every morning before the sun was up so we could go on an extra run before everyone else was up? Or do you mean you snoring so loud I could barely sleep cuz it sounded like someone was running a chainsaw in our bunk? Or --”

“I did not snore.”

“You do snore, Danvers. Let’s not pretend it’s something you’ve grown out of.”

“I’ll be in my own room, down the hall, behind a closed door. You’ll never hear a peep.”

Maria crosses her arms, extremely skeptical.

She straightens her back and gets ready to play her trump card.

“I’ll do the dishes,” she says, waits.

Maria quirks an eyebrow.

“Every night,” she adds, waits again. She puts on her best pout, tries to look as endearing as possible.

Maria makes her suffer for a few more moments and then sighs. It’s the sigh she makes when she knows she’s lost and there’s no sense in arguing any further.

“Okay, fine. You can move in with me.”

“Yes!” she exclaims and pumps her fist in victory. She throws her arms around Maria and hugs her tight. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Maria’s arms are trapped at her sides, her barely-there bump nestled between them.

“Don’t make me regret this already, Danvers,” Maria warns.She releases Maria immediately and steps away, snaps to attention.

“I won’t let you down, ma'am,” she responds and mock salutes.

Maria rolls her eyes but can’t hide the smile on her face.

“You’re a fool, Carol Danvers.”

She smiles back at Maria, can’t stop the feeling of happiness that spreads through her whole body.

“That may be true, but I’m your fool and that’s all that matters.”

Maria shakes her head and holds her hand out to Carol.

“Come on, let’s go find us a house.”

They find a small place not far from base - two bedrooms, a decent kitchen, tiny backyard, enough for now. It’s not the place Maria plans to raise her child, but it will get them through the next year or two.

Time passes and they fall into an easy routine, both at work and at home. It shouldn’t surprise her just how smoothly it comes together; they’ve always made a great team. Maria has always understood her, knows how to handle her on good days and bad days. She lets her be herself, no questions asked. And she tries her damnedest to make sure she does the same for Maria.

At night she sneaks Maria’s copy of ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting,’ reads about trimesters and prenatal care, the size of the fetus at each weekly milestone, how to handle morning sickness and prevent stretch marks. A lot of the stuff in the book freaks her out, especially the chapter on childbirth, but it also reinforces what she already knows to be true - Maria is a goddamn badass warrior woman.

She keeps the house stocked with saltines and ginger ale, goes on late-night runs for bizarre food and ice cream combinations (the baby apparently likes Rocky Road with Cheetos, something Carol tries once and never again). She rubs Maria’s feet when they get sore after a long day working on Dr. Lawson’s planes, buys her extra pillows so she can sleep more comfortably as the baby grows. She cries when they hear the baby’s heart beat for the first time, even more than Maria does. She keeps an ultrasound photo taped to the control panel of her bird and another copy tucked in the visor of her Mustang.

Maria teases her and calls her a big ol’ sap, and she can’t even argue back because it is so damn true. She is in deep.

She decides to start a college fund for the kid but doesn’t tell Maria. She hates having a secret between them, but she knows Maria would adamantly refuse any kind of monetary help, would see it as a sign of weakness. She starts it off small with a couple hundred dollars and contributes to it every month from her paycheck.

She figures in eighteen years she’ll have come up with a good enough argument as to why she did this, and Maria will be unable to refuse. What she doesn’t know, has no possible way of foreseeing, is that Maria will actually find out about it in just six years’ time when a lawyer goes through Carol’s will and lists a bank account with one Monica Rambeau as the beneficiary, to be made accessible on the day of her eighteenth birthday.

Maria will both loathe and love Carol in that moment, will hate her so strongly for leaving them, for her life being reduced to a series of objects and documents. But she will also love her, will always love her, for thinking of Monica as her own, as someone worth investing in and caring for even before she was born, before they were together, before Monica became Carol’s in every way but biologically.

But Carol has no idea that's what lies ahead. Right now everything is pretty damn near perfect she thinks, and she doesn't see how anything could ruin it.

“Have you thought about names?” Carol asks Maria one evening while they're sitting in their tiny backyard watching the sun go down and sipping iced tea.

“I got a couple in mind,” Maria answers but purposefully doesn't elaborate.

Carol tilts her sunglasses down and looks over at her.

“You gonna share or just keep 'em to yourself?”

Maria gives back her own sassy look over the rims of her aviators.

“You just want to know if 'Carol’ is on the list.”

Carol places a hand to her chest and gasps.

“I'm wounded you think I'm that vain.”

“You are that vain, Danvers. You spend ten minutes every morning checking yourself out in the bathroom mirror - don't think I don't know what you're up to in there when I'm trying to get your ass out the door.”

“Can't help it that I look so damn good I distract myself sometimes,” she smirks back, her cockiest grin in full effect.

Maria rolls her eyes (probably for at least the tenth time that day) and she definitely does not let them fall back to Carol and linger on the exposed curve of her neck that glows golden in the setting sun, and she most certainly does not notice the way Carol's arms flex as she grips the arms of her chair, projecting strength and power even when she's at rest.

Maria gulps her ice tea and turns away, misses the self-satisfied look that crosses Carol's face.

That woman is such a damn tease sometimes. It's gonna get her in real trouble one day.

“Well if you won't share your list, I'll tell you mine,” Carol pipes up.

Maria's head whips back to Carol.

“You have a list?”

“Sure I do,” Carol shrugs. “I kinda got bored the last time we were at the doctor's and I was waiting for them to finish all your tests and stuff. They had one of those baby name books lying around so I flipped through it.”

Maria's eyes narrow suspiciously.

“You mean the baby name book you gave me last month that you said you picked up at a used book shop?”

Carol has the decency to look slightly ashamed and shrinks back in her chair.

“Uhhhh….no?” she replies, very unconvincingly.

All she can do is shake her head. There's never a dull moment with this woman.

“Carol, you have to bring it back next time.”

“But you already marked it up! They'll know.”

“I didn't write in it, I just have sticky notes marking the pages with the names I like.”

Carol sighs.

“Fine, I'll bring it back. But promise you won't make me confess? The receptionist lady doesn't like me very much as it is.”

She rolls her eyes - again, make that eleven times today - and pinches the bridge of her nose. People ask her if she’ll be able to handle a child on her own; she lives with Carol Danvers - she’s got loads of experience, she’ll manage just fine.

“Maybe if you stopped rearranging her magazine display every time we go there and didn’t steal their books, she’d find you a tad more endearing.”

Carol crosses her arms and huffs.

“It’s not my fault she can’t take a joke.”

If her child ends up half as stubborn as its Auntie Carol she’s in for years of trouble.

“Just bring the damn book back, you goof. Now are you gonna tell me your names or what?”

Carol pouts a bit longer and ignores her question. She sips her iced tea and waits, knows Carol will come around in her own good time.

A few more moments of scowling into the distance later, and then Carol mellows back out, sunny disposition restored.

“Well...I think an M name would sound good,” Carol starts. “Then you two could match, ya know? M and M Rambeau.”

“You've really thought about this.”

Carol's cheeks pink in embarrassment. It makes her look cuter than she has any right to be.

“I...I guess, yeah.”

Maria smiles at her encouragingly.

“Well, whatcha got for M names?”

Carol perks up.

“You really want to hear?”

“I asked didn't I? But I still get final say when the big day comes.”

“Of course, of course,” Carol agrees. “It's your kid after all, I'm just the cool aunt.”

Maria wonders if Carol knows she's so much more than that.

Carol launches into her list and Maria listens, nods at some and grimaces at others.

“Well for boys there's Michael, Marcus, Mitchell, Matthew, Mark, Malcolm, Marshall, Martin, Marvin, Max, Maurice, Melvin, Miles, Murphy, and Murray.”

“Marvin?”

“That one was a joke,” Carol admits. “Can you imagine? Baby Marv?”

They both dissolve into laughter at the thought.

“But you're convinced it's a girl, so there's a bunch of those - Melissa, Megan, Michelle, Melanie, Mackenzie, Maya, Madeline, Madison, Maggie, Mandy, Margo, Marisa, Melinda, Melody, Mikaela, Mindy, and Morgan,” Carol rattles off, letting out a breath.

“Oh, and Monica,” she adds.

She doesn't tell Carol that her own list is full of M names, too. And she's definitely not going to give her the satisfaction and unnecessary ego boost of knowing that 'Carol’ has floated across that same list several times as an option for a middle name. She’d be downright insufferable if she knew.

“Those aren’t half bad,” she says. “I thought for sure you were just going to say ‘Maria Junior’ for a girl’s name.”

“I’m not going to say I didn’t consider it.”

Maria laughs and tilts her head to the sky. The first stars have come out and the moon has risen, its crescent shape a sliver of white against the purpling dusk.

“We should head back in,” Carol suggests.

“Probably,” she agrees, but makes no move to get up.

Carol stands slowly and stretches, tucks her sunglasses into her t-shirt and steps toward her. She extends her arm out and Maria looks down at it in mock disdain.

“I can get out of a chair on my own, you know.”

“Eh, I know. Humor me?”

She accepts Carol’s arm and pushes herself up while Carol gently pulls her. She puts a hand to her back and Carol gives her a knowing look.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she insists, waving Carol off. “Those chairs aren’t that comfortable even when I’m not five months pregnant.”

“Uh huh,” Carol replies, smart enough to know not to argue. She follows Maria into the house, locking the back door behind them.In the kitchen she stretches, works the kink out of her back, and yawns. She feels a telltale flutter in her abdomen and grabs for Carol.

Carol whirls around, startled and confused.

“What is it?” she asks, a slight panic in her voice.

Maria presses Carol’s hand to her stomach in the spot where she just felt movement. They stand there for a few seconds and nothing happens. Carol’s palm is warm and wide across the curve of her shirt. Even through the fabric she can feel the heat that emanates from her.

“What are you -”

And then she feels it again and Carol must feel it too because she stops mid-question and her eyes widen.

“Oh,” Carol breathes out. “Wow.”

Carol blinks down at their entwined hands, her whole body still, and waits for the baby to do it again. It happens once more and Carol laughs in amazement.

“Hey there, Trouble,” Carol whispers with a reverence Maria’s never heard in her voice before.

Her best friend looks up at her, keeps her hand tucked beneath Maria’s. Carol’s eyes are shiny and her face is full of awe and wonder and adoration. It overwhelms her, how much she sees reflected in Carol’s expressive brown eyes. She wonders what Carol sees reflected back in her own, if it tilts her world on its axis like it does to Maria.

There's a beat of silence and Carol looks like she's about to say something, but then the baby kicks again, harder this time. Carol pulls her hand back in surprise.

“Dang, kid. Take it easy in there.”

Carol still grins widely and her eyes still sparkle with pure happiness, but whatever else Maria saw revealed briefly in the depths of her eyes has been subdued and pushed back down where it's no longer exposed.

She wants to ask Carol what she was about to say before the baby assertively reminded them of its presence, but she knows she won't get a straight answer. She doesn’t want to risk ruining the night by calling her out on it either.

They'll have this shared moment of joy, and for now that's enough.

[weerd1]

Star Trek DS9 Rewatch Log, Stardate 1909.07: Missions Reviewed, “Behind the Lines,” “Favor the Bold,” and “Sacrifice of Angels.”

“Behind the Lines” begins as the Defiant has a new mission as Starfleet intelligence has discovered a listening post the Dominion has been using to track Alliance fleet movements across five sectors. The issue is that very array will track the Defiant approaching to attack. A risky approach through the Argolis Star Cluster is planned, but Sisko won’t be commanding. He is promoted to Admiral Ross’ adjutant, and now coordinating all Starfleet actions from Starbase 375. Dax takes command.

 On DS9, Odo, Kira, Rom, and Jake continue their resistance. Rom makes sure the Jem’Hadar get a hold of Damar’s report showing that ketracel white supplies in the Alpha Quadrant will not hold. He recommends poisoning the last batch so the Dominion soldiers don’t become a mass of berserkers killing everyone in their path. The Jem’Hadar don’t take well to this, causing a brawl that leaves many Cardassian and Jem’Hadar casualties in Quark’s and strains the Dukat/Weyoun power structure. Odo is angry, as he had voted against this idea, thinking the resistance would tip its hand. While discussing it with Kira, the Female Changeling arrives on station, apparently trapped in the Alpha Quadrant by the minefield. She is desperate to link (or so she says) and begins to again instruct Odo in the ways of shapeshifters. 

Damar reveals to Quark (after some “kanar,” Cardassian booze) that he has a plan to disable the self replicating mines. Rom figures out what it must be, and the group plans to have Odo disable sensors so Rom can sabotage the equipment. Odo is distracted by linking with the Female again, and Rom is captured. 

Dax and the Defiant return from their mission, successful, and Sisko observes her as the Captain, knowing now that she has this under control.

So many great character moments here, from the Last Temptation of Odo to Rom stepping up as Resistance, to Quark slowly getting pulled into actions against the Dominion as well. Kira’s fury as an apathetic Odo hears about Rom is palpable, and may have been such high temperature as to actually melt my laptop screen a little. The story forcing us to hear about the Defiant’s mission rather than see it gives us a taste of Sisko’s frustration.  Hearing them actually begin to discuss the possibility of an attack on Earth was pretty jarring to Star Trek fans in the 90s, and that tension still plays today, even knowing where the show is going.

“Favor the Bold” shows us a Resistance desperate to get Rom released as he has been sentenced to death. Guards will not let Kira and Quark near Odo’s quarters, as Odo has been in the room with the Female for three days.  We see Odo, still communing, and when the Female tells him it has been three days, he is shaken. Meanwhile, looking for a way to turn the war around, Sisko hatches a plan to retake DS9. 

The Starfleet admiralty is at first resistant, again citing how diverting resources leaves the inner worlds vulnerable, but Sisko argues that Earth is “not the key to the Alpha Quadrant; the wormhole is.” With Starfleet approval, Sisko sends Martok and Worf to Qo’Nos to convince a reluctant Gowron to direct Klingon ships into this battle as well.  On DS9, the deactivation of the minefield has begun, and Rom in prison asks Quark to continue his mission to find a way to stop the new graviton beam from disabling any more. Kira asks Ziyal to intervene on Rom’s behalf with Dukat. Odo finds Kira to apologize, but she says “we are way past sorry.” Jake, using the barfly Morn, gets a message to his father regarding the mines, and with a newly minted Ensign Nog and crew they take their place at the head of a fleet of 600 Federation starships. They are soon met by 1200 Dominion and Cardassian ships. “Fortune favors the bold,” Sisko hopes, and the battle for DS9 begins.

I remember having to watch this weekly in the 90s, and by the Great Bird how tough that was.  The ability to just hit “next” on Netflix is a gift and a curse.  You don’t want to stop. This is the show at its best, and the stakes keep building. I remarked to Jennifer how well the effects hold up after 20 years, but let’s save that discussion for the next episode. Looking back over my summary, there are big things I missed, like the Dukat/Ziyal drama, and Kira beating the hell out of Damar for putting a hand on Ziyal, or Leeta’s concern for Rom and how the Bajoran and Ferengi governments are negotiating for his release.  So many details, so much drama, and all of it is fantastic.  These episodes aired in 1997, and their storytelling sets the stage for what is now the expectation from HBO or Netflix. “Babylon 5” certainly has its influence, but modern television is born on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

The Federation fleet faces off with the Dominion as “Sacrifice of Angels” begins. O’Brien and Bashir are quoting “Charge of the Light Brigade” while Sisko tries to get the Cardassians to break formation and chase the Federation fighter wings. This will open a hole in the Dominion line the Federation will try and break through. 

They know it is a matter of hours before the Dominion takes down the minefield and tens of thousands of Jem’Hadar ships pour into the Alpha Quadrant. On DS9, Damar warns Dukat there are “elements” that may be trying to counter them: Kira, Jake, and Leeta. They are locked up with Rom. Quark has enough and gets Ziyal to go with him. Quark surprises himself with a bold rescue where he literally has a phaser in each hand, shooting two Jem’Hadar soldiers at once.  Kira and Rom run to try to keep the minefield from being destroyed by disabling the station’s weapons. Dukat describes to Weyoun how he only wanted to shepherd Bajor, and what a protector he is. How you don’t just kill your enemies, you make sure they know they were wrong to oppose you in the first place. He orders the Cardassian ships to make Sisko think his plan is working by breaking a hole, which the Federaiton jumps into. They are about to be defeated when out of the sun, the Klingon fleet emerges.

 The line breaks and the Defiant gets through, alone, setting maximum warp to DS9. Odo, having discusses his dismay with the Female Changeling realizes what he has become and his love for Kira prevents him from giving in to the Founders. He helps Kira and Rom get into the weapons controls. Rom disables them, but just after Damar has detonated the minefield. 

The wormhole is open, and the Dominion is coming. The Defiant arrives, and with weapons down, Damar cannot shoot it down. The Defiant plunges into the Wormhole to meet thousands of Dominion ships head on. Garak asks how “that poem” ends, and O’Brien tells him he doesn’t want to know. Sisko is at once in the presence of the Prophets, and he reminds them that they want to protect Bajor. They agree, but tell Sisko there is a price; he will never find peace on Bajor, and “his path is different.” Fading back into his reality, Sisko watches the Defiant’s main viewscreen as the enormous Dominion fleet…disappears. 

On DS9, Dukat, Damar, Weyoun, and the Founder watch the wormhole open and only the Defiant emerge.  With the Dominion fleet gone Weyoun declares “Time to start packing,” as the Founder orders the Dominion forces to pull back to Cardassia. Dukat searches for Ziyal, trying to get her to come too. She refuses, telling him it was her who helped Rom and Kira escape. Damar appears and shoots Ziyal as a traitor. 

Dukat snaps unable to leave his dead daughter. The Defiant docks, reuniting Jake and Ben; Worf and Dax; Bashir, O’Brien and the holosuites. Garak looks for Ziyal, and overhears someone say Kira is with Ziyal in the infirmary. Garak finds Kira with Ziyal’s body and Kira tells him “She loved you.”  “I could never figure out why,” he says. “I guess I never will.” Sisko finds a broken and mumbling Dukat in security, talking as if Ziyal is there and he will take her back to Cardassia.  Dukat tells his phantom daughter that he forgives her, and then looks at Sisko. “I forgive you too,” he says, handing Sisko back his baseball.

This six episode arc comes to a stunning conclusion.  Some may cite a “deus ex machina” in the end, but to ignore the fact the Sisko has been presented as a having this connection to the Prophets since the very first episode.  It’s not deus ex machina when the gods were already recurring characters (See also: Battlestar Galactica).  Damar building as a character who is so loyal to Dukat as to kill the bosses daughter for him contributes to how we will see his conscience tear at him until he too has his own form of break. The Klingons arriving are simply gorgeous, and the effects, perhaps not quite as flashy as the Abrams films or Discovery, hold up very well here. Thinking of the logistics necessary in the nascent days of CGI mixed with model making necessary to pull this off makes them stunning. The tracking shots of Defiant racing along the surfaces of Dominion ships is a better effect than several modern films and tv shows, which I will not name as I don’t like to be negative on the internet. (DM me for what I think is the worst SF show in years.)  The heartbreaking ending to Ziyal’s story, managing to leave Dukat a broken shell and Garak and Kira both reeling is effective, and I will miss her character. Weyoun’s handclap and line about leaving is just a wonderful note in this symphony, and now we get to see Odo truly try to find his redemption. Peak Star Trek. These six episodes were actually adapted into a series of novels, and they absolutely deserve to be.

NEXT MISSION: After war, loss, and destruction, the show lets us catch our breath with THE wedding of the 24thCentury! Dax and Worf decide to merge their houses in “You Are Cordially Invited”!

[themuhlenbergweekly]

Why we need to stop worrying about social distancing and start paying attention to the mysterious death of Natalie Wood

By Jenny Silber  Contributing Writer

Hello. My name is Jenny Silber. I was kindly asked to write a “joke article” for this year's April Fools issue of The Muhlenberg Weekly. I have to admit, I wasn’t too interested at first, but I can really use the fat check publishing this piece will bring me.

I began the process of writing this article like I always do. I locked myself in front of my computer screen for days on end as I waited for a spark of creativity to leave my fingertips. My candelabra burned away as I began to slowly realize it was the only light at the end of this dark tunnel of art creation. My kind and beautiful mother slipped bowls of oatmeal under my bedroom door as I curled up on my hardwood floors, begging G-d to bring me something, anything. It was when I was six pages deep into a silly article about how Muhlenberg was transforming into a school for horses when I realized ⁠— I just couldn’t do it. Not that horse school wasn’t a hilarious idea, my heart just wasn’t in it. It was with Russian-American actress Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko, otherwise known as Natalie Wood. 

This was not a time for joke articles.

See, while most Muhlenberg students have been stressed about administration cancelling graduation or not being able to perform in funny little skits such as The Bacchae, I’ve been stressed about something bigger. I am tired of this school’s administration neglecting to recognize the issues that matter. 

You see, Wood was one of the biggest actresses of her day. She starred in films such as Gypsy, West Side Story and I guess other stuff. In 1981, Wood was on a boat trip in the Catalina Islands with her husband Robert Wagner and for some reason Christopher Walken. Wood supposedly “fell off” this boat in the middle of the night leading to her unfortunate death. Yet, the captain of the ship reported that Wood and Wagner fought that evening and bruises were found on her body in the autopsy. Also, Christopher Walken was there.

Look, I don’t want to be my Uncle Joey on Groundhogs Day ⁠— quick to make assumptions ⁠— but I call foul play. 

I keep hearing all over social media that we should use this time in isolation to be creative, work out or even spend time with our families. I kindly ask you to not be this selfish and devote your full attention during this crisis to an equally devastating crisis ⁠— the mystery of Natalie Wood. 

[rambeautan]

Hello there, this was written in conjunction with Levihan Spook-fest 2017. So for the first week the prompts are as below and I chose the dreams/nighmare prompt for this week. Since there are five prompts I decided to write a five chapter story as my contribution. 

Prompt : Week 1 : i)horror movies    ii)dreams/nightmares    iii)fog

Rules: Tag your stuff as #levihan, #levihan spook fest, #levihanweek

Synopsis : Hange Zoe is a scientist in the Survey Corps, a subset of the military force protecting the Fritz Empire, one of humanity’s surviving galaxy empire housed in a man made planet system. ‘Wall’ Maria, Sina and Rose are three layers of galactic defense on the exterior of the planet system, long developed by the ancestors of the Empire to protect the rulers and their people from a race of aliens called Titans. Levi is one of the soldiers stationed in these protective walls which are actually protective shields measuring thousands of kilometres in diameter. Wall Maria is the outer most circle of defense, followed by Wall Rose and Wall Sheena the last circle of defense. Wall Sina encircles the planet system where the ruler and noblemen lives and also where the man made sun is.

This is going to be a five chapter story and maybe with an epilogue to tie things up. It's Levihan time!

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

Chapter 1

Hange had wailed at the sight of her alien specimen disintegrate into steam and wafted into the galaxy. However when she remembered that she had at least managed to take photographs of the alien’s severed finger the size of her palm, she quieted down and began sobbing. She knew that the alien’s main body was now badly injured which caused it’s finger to disintegrate. There was so much alien things she needed to discover but the alien they called titan was easily damaged so it was crucial she collect data as soon as she could.

Behind her Levi kept the alien or Titan badly injured but alive by keeping on the defense instead of offense. Levi kept the titan alive as Hange examined its finger in the background. But then Commander Keith Shadis had arrived abruptly and upon seeing the absurd scene ordered that the Titan be killed off instantly. Hange had begged for the Titan to be kept in lock up for her to examine further but the Titan proved to be too tough to be capture after it was injured and Commander Shadis did not want any casualties for the sake of science. So Levi upon Shadis’ order had sliced the Titan’s nape and killing it and along with Hange’s specimen too.

The whole shenanigan lasted about an hour and Hange was punished for prolonging an attack longer than necessary. She was put on pribation by being shipped to Stohess Universitt for the remainder of the year. She had pleaded with Captain Erwin and Commander Shadis but they maintained that she was out of line this time and they had no expenses for science experiments this year and told her to come back early next year.

Hange had only notebooks and photos from the experiment. That was a few months ago and Hange was looking forward to return to Shiganshina, the planet near wall Maria starting next year. She had only a few weeks left to stay here and she was already storing her things in the metal storage she was shipping to Shiganshina prior to her trip back there. Her few months probation here at Stohess had made Hange more determined about researching the Titans, a race of enlarged humanoid creatures who made eating humans as a hobby.

The scientist was reminiscing her memories months ago while closing her experiments she was finishing at Stohess University. She would certainly miss the days of lecturing her students on Titan biology which was never a part of the curriculum anyway. The Vice Chancellor of the University had reprimanded her for always being out of topic but she was just reprimanded, as her students had good scored in the final examination last week. Hange had handed in her resignation letter and expected that the VC will not miss her, but instead the VC had welcomed her back should she find her duties at Shiganshina boring.

Hange had vowed to follow the rule this time and not succumb to her love of Titan knowledge to overpower her like before.

Hange opened her communication tablet which everyone affectionately calls the comms tab, and proceeded to check her emails. She rarely ever emails Levi knowing that her former colleague would only read and reply to it later. But she did not care as Levi sould always reply to her unlike her other colleagues.

To : levi@levi@wingsoffreedom.army

From : hangezoe@stohessuniversity.edu

Hey clean chibi,

I missed you and the Titans. I hope you can meet me up when i return as it’s less than a fortnight to 2854, and I am returning to Shiganshina. I won’t be able to celebrate new year there since Commander S told me that my probation ended this year, and tickets were sold out on New Year.  Hey, I just remembered that your birthday is just round the corner, so how are you celebrating then? Anyways hope you have a nice birthday and see you soon.

Hange

Hange closed her comms tablet and packed her things into her bag. A soak in the bathtub would be a good way to prepare for the end of the day. Hange got up and strapped the bag onto her body and stretched. She left her room where she works at coming with weekly teaching plans and headed for home. She was taking this easy the teaching thing. It was mainly because the day had come and she would be back to being the junior scientist at Wall Maria, dabbling in Titan science and getting her hands dirty with blood and sweat while discovering which she had sorely missed.

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

“Hange Captain, wake up the Titan had regenerated and is escaping!” someone screamed into her ears. Hange woke up and found herself asleep in her laboratory’s desk. She immediately perked at the mention of titan and turned back to see where the titan could be. She had not been touching a titan for months … Suddenly she felt her body being kicked into a corner but before she could land someone caught her and they swung away outside of the building.

The man made sun was shining brightly and Hange was elated to discover that she was back at Shiganshina. The someone who had grabbed her quickly pushed her aside. “Late nights again Hange? Your shitty ears never heard the titan alarm?” the person said.

Hange landed on grass and turned to have a better look at the person and locked eyes with a pair of grey eyes which looked pointedly for a few seconds at her before flying away. Hange was relieved to see that it was Levi and proceeded to shout at him, “Kill em all this time, I won’t be needing a specimen.” She looked at Levi as the lieutenant launched himself into the air with rockets fitted into his sides. He had laser blades in his hands and activated them as he landed on the titan’s neck. Hange had greatly learned from her past behaviour to always listen to orders and watched as the titan still in chains ran amok at the Survey Corps.

Levi flew and chucked his blades into the titan’s eyes blinding the alien. The blue skinned alien which Hange estimated to be at least a 15 metres class covered its wounded eyes with its hands. Hange cheered for Levi to finish it off. At the back of her mind she was sighing that another specimen is loss but this titan would be more difficult to handle when injured so better to kill it off.

So Levi as usual spun his blades around and aimed straight for the nape and Hange watched with wide eyes as the Titan took away one of its hand from its eye and smacked Levi away. Levi nearly got hit but his awesome reflex enabled him to escape in time. Hange clapped her hands in nervousness, the titan can’t be that quick without its sight and while injured right? She did not know much about abnormal titan like this so she could only wish that Levi was fast as usual. But the titan turned around as if it saw levi flying away and grabbed Levi’s foot with its other hand and smashed Levi into the ground. In a swift second it stomped Levi with its feet and the other soldiers come attacking right after.

Hange couldn’t believe her eyes at the fact that the puddle of gore was Levi. Levi was dead, hailed as humanity’s strongest, and he was defeated just like that by a lab titan. The other soldiers quickly attacked the titan, shooting its hands and legs in a group attack. Hange ran to the spot she last saw Levi being stomped and saw his body, flat on the earth and blood everywhere. She knelt beside the body, she tried to look for the eyes she had looked at earlier, where were they? But in the bloody mess she could only see flattened survey corps uniform and matted hair. Someone was shouting and Hange breathed hard, she looked above and saw the titan foot coming fast at her and….

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Hange splashed in her bathtub and got soap and bubbles in her eyes. She quickly wiped away the soap and looked around and she was no longer in the fields at Shiganshina, she was back at her room in Stohess. It took a few seconds for Hange to get back to reality and realized that she was not dreaming. She slinked back into the bath tub and realized that she had fell asleep and it was all a dream. Hange lifted her body up and grabbed for her comms tab and wiped away at the layer of water covering the monitor. She looked around and saw that her bathtub walls were quite dirty and made a mental note to hire help to clean her bathroom before she left Stohess. There was a notification on her email apps and quickly opened it.

Her lips curved into a smile as she saw that Levi had replied to her. She looked at the time and saw that Levi’s shift must have just ended.

To : hangezoe@stohessuniversity.edu

From : levi@surveycorps.army

Shitty glasses,

Do you still wear those glasses or have you had lasik? The titans were missing you too. Good to know you are coming back, grab some Stohess organic tea for me if you are able. I am celebrating my birthday with Kenny just staying at home.

Captain Levi.

She leaned back into her bathtub and closed her eyes. She was relieved to know that Levi was alive in reality, he was humanity’s strongest after all so the only time he would be dead now would only be in her dreams.

Hange opened her eyes and rubbed the place beside her nose bridge where her glasses usually rested, she was never ever going to wear contact lenses nor resort to lasik for now. She was only 29 and glasses never bothered her so far, not when she was experimenting on titan at Maria nor while she was leading a boring life here at Stohess. She did not want to admit to Levi that she was missing the Shitty Glasses nickname he had for her, though she was sure it was more an insult rather than a fond nickname. But she did not care, as long as Levi was alive and wanting to be her friend, she was ok. He was the only who sometimes let her experiment on field, letting her inspect titan parts while he battled them. His only condition was that no one was going to get killed in the process so she usually found herself experimenting on the last titan alive.

She smiled as she thought about returning to titan science again and this time she was going through the right channel. Taking her away from the titan knowledge was the best punishment for her and she was sure the next time she broke the rules she would probably end up as a school teacher in Sina, which in Hange’s diary is a nightmare.

Closing her eyes she dipped into the now cold bath water and let her mind wander for a bit. But then something struck her. Kenny?

Hange frowned as she asked herself out loud, “Kenny? Who’s that?” She put aside her comm tab back on the wet bathtub wall and wondered. She had been friends with Levi for a few years but never knew anyone from his life named Kenny. It must be a relative, but so far she never heard Levi having any family and knew that he was an orphan from the Underground, a planet on the other side of the Wall Maria circle where former prisoners reside. Kenny could also be a boyfriend, Hange thought. That made her realize something, Levi was capable of love… Oh? Hange smiled and thought what type of boyfriend would Levi be to his significant other. She got out of the bath with that thought in mind and thought about the moments when Levi was particularly concerned about her, like telling her to bathe constantly, he would definitely be a freaking clean boyfriend. Hange snickered and grabbed her comm tab and made a note to buy Levi a few packs of Stohess tea as souvenir. AO3 Link : http://archiveofourown.org/works/12340803

[thisweekingundamwing]

Weekly Recap May 21-May 27

It’s Sunday, and that means it’s time to see all the amazing content created by the Gundam Wing community! 

We’ve taken submissions for all content, but we’ve also gone through AO3 to see what fics were written/created this week. Once again, we want to encourage EVERYONE in the community to submit their work! Fanfic, fanart, moodboards, chats, meta discussions, playlists, cosplay, events - you name it, we want to share it!

Below the cut you will find all the great things this fandom has been busy doing. If any of them take your fancy, please take the time to like, reblog and comment. Any creator can tell you - support and encouragement go a LONG way to inspiring more content.

Thanks and see you next week!

Fanfiction (in alphabetical order by the author’s url)

@amberlyinviolet Knife in Hand

Summary: When Duo learns there’s a hit out on him, he turns to the only person in Chicago he believes capable of helping him. But will the cost of the Broker’s help be too high? Pairings: 2x3

Ammiehawk, Wizards, Gundams and Host Clubs, Oh My!

Summary: Harry Potter finds out he has some relatives on his father’s side and goes to live with them the summer after fifth year, after Voldemort was destroyed in the Department of Mysteries. Along the way he also discovers a wayward brother and many friends and adventures in his new school, Ouran Academy. Originally a challenge by TZAG

@anaranesindanarie One More Light

Summary: Duo goes missing and no one can figure out how or why.

@anaranesindanarie, Random Works

Summary: A collection of complete and uncompleted works. Pairings: 2x5, some 2x4

@the-notorious-bhg @morbidbirdy, Where I Belong

Summary: In the year AC 205 the status of the Earth-Sphere remains relatively peaceful thanks to the efforts of the ESUN and it’s peacekeeping organization Preventer. The five young men who had once fought together for this peace now work quietly behind the scenes to maintain it. Despite their new roles in this world, Heero and Trowa struggle to establish a comfortable place in it. In the process of finding themselves they eventually realize that their place is with each other. Pairings: 3x1

@the-notorious-bhg, @morbidbirdy, Take Me On

Summary: Heero and Trowa run off to Bali and elope. Pairings: 3x1

@chronicwhimsy, Schoolyard Blues

Summary: A new teacher starts at the local town school, hoping for an easy year after moving from the big city. Unfortunately, she wasn’t prepared for the child of two men who don’t understand kids at all…Pairings: 2x5

@claraxbarton, The First Five Times

Summary:After five months in a 'friends with benefits' relationship with Duo, Trowa is asked to pretend to be his boyfriend for Duo's ex's wedding. Ships: 2x3, 1x5, 4x6 Warnings: smut, language, angst

@claraxbarton, My Lover, My Liar

Summary: Set after the war, one of the pilots faces the future. Inspired by Halsey’s “Closed Eyes” Ships: 2x3 Warnings: DEATH FIC

@claraxbarton, Good Things

Summary: Duo and Trowa’s family has a new addition, courtesy of Quatre Winner. Pairings: 2x3, past 3x4

Duointherain, Dark Poetry

Summary: It's ten years after the wars and Heero has now been forced into medical retirement. He had lost track of Duo, but looks him up ... and it's way different than he thought it would be - beyond anything he could have dreamed of. Pairings: 1x2

@helmistress (Talliya), The Assignment

Summary: WuFei's observations on his two friend's rather odd relationship and how he thinks they should just get on with it already. Pairings: 2x3

@i-am-captain-snark, Life After Gundam

Summary: A series of one-shots taking place post-Endless Waltz in the lives of the former pilots, soldiers, politicians, and civilians. Pairing: 2x unspecified female

@kangofu-cb, Just Like Paradise

Summary: Part 3 in the ‘Just One Date’ series.  Duo and Wufei travel to attend a wedding! And buy a house! Sort of buy a house. Pairings: 2x5x2.  No warnings, except NSFW.  Smutty Sunday contribution

@kangofu-cb, Mission: Redacted - Chapter 4

Summary: Post-war, Une has been selected to direct the new Preventers Organization. Unfortunately, following government directives of disarmament and pacifism, criminal enterprises have sprung up, escalating crime and violence. Searching for a solution, she brainstorms a team of off-the-books operatives tasked with protecting the peace at all costs.Meanwhile, the pilots are all dealing with peace and the scars of war in their own ways, not all of them healthy…

LadyJFox, Hard Line

Summary: It's been nine years after the Eurussian Incident and the Earth Sphere Unified Nation continues to experience peace through communication and cooperation. Quatre Raberba Winner, while finishing his doctoral thesis in engineering at MIT in Boston, reconnects with his friend and ex-boyfriend, Trowa Barton. A romantic flame is rekindled while an old enemy plots his revenge. Pairings: 3x4, 2xH, Rx1

@lifeaftermeteor, Snippet Saturday

Summary: Having survived the Eve War, the Gundam pilots are left to their own devices to chart the paths their lives will take in a world that none of them expected to live long enough to see. Peace is disorienting and growing up is hard to do. Pairings: past 3x4x3, 1x2x1 and Sx11xS have started, 5xRx5 is inbound

Luvsanime02, Standby and AO3

Summary: Heero goes in front of the Board of Professional Review, and now she has an important decision to make. This is the fifth story in Navigation, a fem!Heero series.

Nerdybloomers, Golden Hour

Summary: Treize's attempts at traditional courship fall flat on the all-business Une, so he switches strategies. Provides a little more background to the infamous bath scene in episode 4. Pairings: 13x Une

@remsyk-blog, Wine Pairings

Summary: a drabble inspired by a delightful set of Stanley Tucci gifs and @kangofu-cb and @artemisblogs.  Pairings: 1x2, 3x4

Rennitz, Procrastibation

Summary: Wufei is cooped up in the office and is at wit's end. Duo strolls by and, in the course of helping him, starts a flame that neither one of them expect. Pairings: 5x2

Shine, Back to One

Summary: Quatre, an actor, goes on a journey of self-discovery just as his show’s twenty year reunion gets underway. What he discovers about himself and about his four not-really friends leads to a complicated romance everyone but him saw coming twenty years in the making. Pairing: 3x4

@shinigami-of-excellence, Special Needs - They Don’t Care About Us

Summary: Zechs deals with the news of Treize's return, and picks something up on the way home from a briefing with Noin. Wufei delivers some news. Pairings: 2x6, 5x2, 5x13, 13x6, 3x4, 5x2x13x6

@simulacraryn, Ink to Paper

Summary: Dorothy cleans out Treize's estate, but her discoveries only give her further heartache.

@simulacraryn, Speak and Wish

Summary: Late night scrambled thoughts from Catherine Bloom...

TheHiddenBaroness, Resurrecting the Viper

Summary: Following a routine visit to Vingolf, Orga, Mikazuki and Merribit are surprised by the sudden appearance of a practically naked, injured woman. Although Artima seems to have full recollection of who she is, she does not seem to understand the outside world. Against Orga's better judgment, the Isaribi is soon entangled in Artima's quest to find and destroy her old mobile suit - and discover both she and it are relics from over three hundred years ago that could hold the key to Tekkadan's future.

@la-femme-noelle, The Pact

After seducing Quatre, the other four ex-pilots brave the uncharted waters of their new abilities and learn to cope with the unintentional gifts they were given. But as always, power requires responsibility and the humbling acknowledgement of humanity's weaknesses. The struggle to stay true to themselves becomes a dangerous and terrifying endeavor as they skirt the boundary where conscience bleeds into chaos and the dark abyss of temptation. Pairings: 3x5x2x4x1, 3x4, 4x1, 2x4, 5x4

@themanwell, Bungalow

Summary: Duo has a thing for fixing up old houses.  Trowa has a thing for Duo.  2x3. One-shot. Rated M for smut. 4600 words.

@themanwell, “I think you might be pregnant”

Summary: Two out of Three universe, Prompt #52. Pairings: 2x3, HxR (+5)

@themanwell, This is probably a bad time, but marry me?

Summary: Prompt 50. Pairings: 2x3

@themanwell, May Demons Rest: Shinigami Sleeps 2017

Summary: A re-write of my 2004 fanfic “Shinigami Sleeps.” To find and free Duo from his demons, Trowa leaves his uneventful life at the circus for the mean streets of an obscure colony in L2. Pairings: 2x3

Fanart (in Alphabetical order by the author’s url)

@chronicwhimsy made two lovely things this week!

Two chillin’ mermen (Duo and Wufei) 

Two snuggling mermen (Duo and Wufei)

@maevemauvaise made a lovely aerialist Dorothy

@shinigami-of-excellence was VERY busy making LOTS of lovely things this week!

Duo Twins commission for @anaranesindanarie

Duo in a suit commission for @kangofu-cb

NSFW Solo and Treize in the shower

Trowa and pets for @funambulate

Duo and Solo commission for @cylinanightshade

Calendar Events (in alphabetical order by event name):

Summer of Zechs runs June 4-June 17. It’s a two week festival celebrating Zechs Merquise. All content is welcome and there are suggested prompts/themes for each day!

And that’s it for this week! Again, we welcome all Gundam Wing content. Please submit so we can share your awesome things with this great fandom!

[ozsaill]

Migrating for hurricane season in Mexico

Cruising has seasonal rhythms; weather is the dominant factor, and for cruisers in Mexico it’s time to be in – or well on your way to – an area to spend hurricane season. From Mexico’s “Gold Coast” on the Pacific, the primary choices are south to El Salvador or beyond, north towards the Sea of Cortez, or the big passage to French Polynesia. We’re headed back to Baja and the SOC, and can’t wait to immerse ourselves in the stunning desert landscape again.

This morning, dolphins played in our bow wake as Siobhan and Mairen looked on: yes, that IS Siobhan, there’s a purple hair dye event happening. (Follow our track!) Uplifted to be on the move again, poetically escorted out of Banderas Bay by dolphins. Our departure is much later than the norm: by mid-April, after most boats have made their move, we were gearing up to fly north for the Annapolis spring show. Barely a week later, I had a quick trip back to Seattle to check in with family. And then, there’s the dozens of presentations we’ve given since January, a lot of fun, but put us behind on work we needed to do on Totem. Compared to our more typical pace, this is frenetic!

Seminars and travel are just part of the story. La Cruz is a hub for bluewater prep and cruiser karma; Jamie’s helped nearly two dozen boats this season. Most had rigging-related questions, but five of them had notable steering system problems, ranging from bent sheaves to broken strands in steering cable. He provided weather routing for several South Pacific bound boats we well, helping make their passages safe and comfortable.

Meat canning clinic! raw-pack pork going into jars; pressure cooker on the left

Jamie does pre-departure weather check with the JollyDogs crew

Less fun: four times Jamie helped boats dragging at anchor in the blustery afternoon thermals characteristic of this bay. Most of those were “someday it could be us” situations, but there was one cluster*@^# of stupid (boat anchored a few lengths off the lee shore beach on a choppy day with insufficient gear and anchor rode fouling the prop… I could go on) that could have gone very badly. I try not to fret with my stomach churning back on Totem, worrying that someday Jamie could be seriously hurt trying to fix someone else’s shortfall.

Bloodied up and not even “thanks” from the owner of the boat he and Mike saved from being tossed on the beach

The trip north was a solo jaunt to visit my parents, who are traversing new chapters in life. My mother has dementia and has been in a full-time memory care since December; after nearly 52 years of marriage, this is a jolt to my father’s everyday life too. I’m grateful that Mum is safe and comfortable, that Papa is happy, and that we’re close enough that I can be there pretty much at the drop of a hat.

The flyby visit to Puget Sound was a chance for fleeting visits with a few good friends, and memories to cherish. Ten years ago, the Capaz crew was preparing to sail south to Mexico, our buddy boat to the South Pacific; dinner at aptly named “Totem House” near their Seattle home was more than I could resist.

The next family visit we’re looking forward to is Niall’s return to Totem for a couple of weeks in June. He had a great freshman year in college and is working this summer as a licensed deckhand in Alaska’s Inside Passage with Uncruise Adventures. It’s hard work: 12-hour shifts, seven days a week. But he raves about his mates, the bosun, the captain, and the guests he entertains on shoreside excursions. We’re all a little jealous of the scenery, which couldn’t be more different from ours. His boat in the boutique line is Wilderness Adventurer, plying weekly trips between Juneau and Glacier Bay in Alaska. Orcas, humpbacks, otters, and bears are part of this lucky guy’s everyday.

Arcing over Seattle, but looking like it’s shooting out of my father’s head!

The view from Niall’s ride this summer: MV Wilderness Adventurer

With a busy season in hindsight, there’s time to refocus on Totem. Some of the recent routine maintenance on board is insight into how much time goes into boat work, and how DIY skills contribute to successful cruising:

Replaced 10 year old Dyneema lifelines with new

Rebuilt vacuflush head

Replaced primary winches

Repaired watermaker about 100 times (OK it as four or five time, but at this point feels like 100)

Started a big project to clean up wiring

Replaced midships cleats

Replaced a half dozen late-in-life / end-of-life hose clamps

Reinforced lazarette bulkhead with fiberglass work

Jamie stars into middle distance and contemplates the total awesomeness of this winch upgrade

It’s not all work: sometimes it’s a lot of hours riding the bus to knock off postponed tasks. Our mechanical clock hasn’t worked in a number of years; the last attempt to repair in Malaysia proved short lived. We couldn’t swing the high cost of sending it back to the manufacturer, Chelsea, to fix. Learning about a clock repair shop in Puerto Vallarta was exciting, and well worth the six hours I spent bussing this week to deliver it to Jesús’ capable hands! Our trusty clock is reinstalled on the bulkhead, and crew delighted to hear ship’s bells ringing again.

Jesús, the clock whisperer. I might have hugged him. This is a special clock.

I celebrated with a 13 peso ($0.69) taco de cabeza (head taco: you can choose eyes, lips, tongue, etc. or “assorted”) around the corner

It’s not all work, II: still time for fun! Birthday season is over now, the best treat was arrival of old friends (we met in Malaysia nearly six years ago), the Aussie family on Utopia II, arriving in time for Jamie’s birthday – our seasonal capper. Talk about a gift!

Jamie’s birthday! Utopia II’s back! And what’s this, parents from two more teen boats making awesome company?!

Tonight we’re anchored off Matachen Bay, a few dozen boatlengths from where we anchored in 2009. Looking forward to more sailing and a relaxed pace, the open spaces of Baja anchorages, the mix of solitude and friends that await. For all that this has been an exceptionally hectic stretch, it’s one filled with good memories and no regrets. Our scenery this summer may mellow significantly, but we’ve got some exciting plans percolating that I can’t wait to share…and finally, the time to put them in action! But more on that another time. For now, a few more favorite vignettes from this season.

Family time on the La Cruz malecón.

Jamie and Mike’s rigging seminar was so popular – they did it three times!

Final seminar in La Cruz for the season: informational session about hauling out in Puerto Peñasco, and SOC cruising

TEENS!

Thumb war in Annapolis with an extra special human

My morning view in Annapolis, home-away-from-home

Meeting the newest member of the Carey family in Annapolis

Hiking near Punta de Mita a few days before we left

from Sailing Totem http://bit.ly/2HVapsV via IFTTT

[grimhappenings-blog1]

Saved from the Titanic is a 1912 American silent motion picture short starring Dorothy Gibson, an American film actress who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Premiering in the United States just 29 days after the event, it is the earliest dramatisation about the tragedy.

Gibson had been one of 28 people aboard the first lifeboat to be launched from Titanic and was rescued about five and a half hours after leaving the ship. On returning to New York City, she co-wrote the script and played a fictionalised version of herself. The plot involves her recounting the story of the disaster to her fictional parents and fiance, with the footage interspersed with stock footage of icebergs, Titanic’s sister ship Olympic and the ship’s captain, Edward Smith. To add to the film’s authenticity, Gibson wore the same clothes as on the night of the disaster. The filming took place in a New Jersey studio and aboard a derelict ship in New York Harbour.

The film was released internationally and attracted large audiences and positive reviews, though some criticised it for commercialising the tragedy so soon after the event. It is now regarded as a lost film, as the last known prints were destroyed in an Éclair studio fire in March 1914. Only a few printed stills and promotional photos are known to survive. It is Gibson’s penultimate film, as she reportedly suffered a mental breakdown after completing it.

Gibson’s voyage on the Titanic

The 22-year-old Gibson was a passenger aboard Titanic’s maiden voyage, joining the ship at Cherbourg in France on the evening of April 10. She had been on vacation in Europe with her mother when her employers, the Eclair Film Company, recalled her to New York City to participate in a new production. On the evening of the sinking, she was playing bridge (this would have been bridge whist, a predecessor to today’s game) in a first-class saloon before retiring to the cabin that she shared with her mother. The game was later credited with saving the lives of the players who had stayed up late to finish it, despite it being (as one American writer put it) “a violation of the strict Sabbath rules of English vessels.” The collision with the iceberg at 11:40 pm sounded to Gibson like a “long, drawn, sickening scrunch”. After going to investigate, she fetched her mother when she saw Titanic’s deck beginning to list as water flooded into the ship’s boiler rooms.

Two of the bridge players, Frederic Seward and William Sloper, accompanied Gibson and her mother to the lifeboats. The group boarded lifeboat no. 7, the first to be launched. Around 27 other people were on board the boat when it was lowered at 12:40 am, just over an hour after the collision. The lifeboat’s plug could not be found, causing water to gush in until, as Gibson later put it, “this was remedied by volunteer contributions from the lingerie of the women and the garments of men.” Around 1,500 people were still aboard Titanic when she sank, throwing them into freezing water where they soon died of hypothermia. As they struggled in the water, Gibson heard what she described as a “terrible cry that rang out from people who were thrown into the sea and others who were afraid for their loved ones.” The sinking deeply affected her; according to Sloper, she became “quite hysterical and kept repeating over and over so that people near us could hear her, ‘I’ll never ride in my little grey car again.'” The occupants of the lifeboat were finally rescued at 6:15 am by the RMS Carpathia and taken to New York.

Production

Only a few days after she returned to New York, Gibson began work on a film based on the disaster. The impetus may have come from Jules Brulatour, an Éclair Film Company producer with whom she was having an affair. According to Billboard magazine he sent “specially chartered tugboats and an extra relay of cameramen” to film the arrival of Carpathia. The footage was spliced together with other scenes such as Titanic’s Captain Edward Smith on the bridge of the RMS Olympic, Titanic’s sister ship, images of the launch of Titanic in 1911 and stock footage of icebergs. On April 22, the resulting newsreel was released as part of the studio’s Animated Weekly series. It was an enormous success with sold-out showings across America. President William Howard Taft, whose friend and military aide Archibald Butt was among the victims of the disaster, received a personal copy of the film. The success of the newsreel appears to have convinced Brulatour to capitalize further with a drama based on the sinking. He had a unique advantage – a leading actress who was a survivor and eyewitness to what had happened. Gibson later described her decision to participate as an “opportunity to pay tribute to those who gave their lives on that awful night.” Jeffrey Richards suggests that it was more likely that Brulatour persuaded her that the disaster offered an opportunity to advance her career. The filming took place at Éclair’s studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey and aboard a derelict transport vessel in New York Harbor. It was completed in only a week and the entire process of filming, processing and distribution took only half the time normally required for a one-reel film – a sign of the producers’ eagerness to get the film onto screens while news of the disaster was still fresh. The film was only ten minutes long but this was typical of the time, as feature films had not yet become the norm. Instead, a program typically consisted of six to eight short films, each between ten and fifteen minutes long and covering a range of genres. Although newsreels were the main vehicle for presenting current events, dramas and comedies also picked up on such issues. There was very little footage of Titanic herself, which hindered the ability of newsreels to depict the sinking; however, the disaster was an obvious subject for a drama.

Gibson was plainly still traumatised – a reporter from the Motion Picture News described her as having “the appearance of one whose nerves had been greatly shocked” – and she was said to have burst into tears during filming. To add to the film’s air of authenticity, she even wore the same clothes that she was rescued in. Nonetheless, as well as starring as “Miss Dorothy” – herself, in effect – Gibson is said to have co-written the script, which was based around a fictionalised version of her own experiences. Her parents and (fictional) fiance, Ensign Jack, are shown waiting anxiously for her return after hearing news of the disaster. She arrives safely back home and recounts the events of the disaster in a long flashback, illustrated with newsreel footage of Titanic and a mock-up of the collision itself. Titanic sinks but Dorothy is saved. When she concludes her story, her mother urges Dorothy’s fiance to leave the navy as it is too dangerous a career. Jack ultimately rejects the mother’s advice, deciding that he must do his duty to flag and country. Dorothy’s father is moved by his patriotism and the film ends with him blessing the marriage.

The film’s structure aimed to promote its story’s authenticity and credibility through the integration of newsreel footage and the presence of a genuine survivor as the “narrator”. Audiences had previously seen survivors of disasters only as unspeaking “objects” shown as part of a story told by someone else. Gibson, by contrast, was a survivor given voice as the narrator of what was ostensibly her personal story.

Release and reception

Saved from the Titanic was released in the United States on May 14, 1912 and was also released internationally, in the United Kingdom as A Survivor of the Titanic and in Germany as Was die Titanic sie lehrte (“What the Titanic Taught Her”). It attracted a positive review in The Moving Picture World of May 11, 1912, which described Gibson’s performance as “a unique piece of acting in the sensational new film-play of the Éclair Company … [which is] creating a great activity in the market, for the universal interest in the catastrophe has made a national demand.” The review went on:

Miss Gibson had hardly recovered from her terrible strain in the wreck, when she was called upon to take part in this new piece, which she constructed as well. It was a nerve-racking task, but like actresses before the footlights, this beautiful young cinematic star valiantly conquered her own feelings and went through the work. A surprising and artistically perfect reel has resulted. The Motion Picture News commended the film’s “wonderful mechanical and lighting effects, realistic scenes, perfect reproduction of the true history of the fateful trip, magnificently acted. A heart-stirring tale of the sea’s greatest tragedy depicted by an eye-witness.” However, some criticized the questionable tastefulness of portraying a disaster that had so recently occurred. “Spectator” in the New York Dramatic Mirror condemned the venture as “revolting”:

The bare idea of undertaking to reproduce in a studio, no matter how well equipped, or by re-enacted sea scenes an event of the appalling character of the Titanic disaster, with its 1,600 victims, is revolting, especially at this time when the horrors of the event are so fresh in mind. And that a young woman who came so lately, with her good mother, safely through the distressing scenes can now bring herself to commercialise her good fortune by the grace of God, is past understanding…

Fate

Saved from the Titanic is now considered a lost film, as the only known prints were destroyed in a fire at Éclair Studios in March 1914. Its only surviving visual records are a few production stills, printed in the Moving Picture News and Motion Picture World, showing scenes of the family and a still of Dorothy standing in front of a map of the North Atlantic pointing to the location of the Titanic. Frank Thompson highlights the film as one of a number of “important movies that disappeared”, noting that it was unique for having “an actual survivor of the Titanic playing herself in a film” while wearing “the very clothes . . . in which she abandoned ship”:

[T]hat all this was committed to film within days of the disaster is enough to make any Titanic enthusiast sigh with frustration. No matter what melodramatic hocum found its way into the film – and the synopsis suggests that there was plenty – Saved from the Titanic is an irreplaceable piece of Titanic lore.

It was also Dorothy Gibson’s last film, as the effort of making it appears to have brought on an existential crisis for her. According to a report in the Harrisburg Leader, “she had practically lost her reason, by virtue of the terrible strain she had been under to graphically portray her part.”

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Saved from the Titanic, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

Saved from the Titanic was originally published on Grim Happenings

[cover32-yahoopartner-blog]

cover32 Patriots Roundtable: Week Two Edition

The cover32 Patriots Staff is back with the second roundtable of the season. Before training camp, the staff answered some questions about the Patriots and gave some season predictions. This week starts our weekly roundtable discussion, set to hit the web every Thursday!

The Participants:

Ian Glendon Patriots Editor and National Editor Mike D’Abate Chargers Editor and Patriots Writer Hal Bent Patriots Writer David Albiani Patriots Writer Caitlyn Allen Patriots Writer Jared Talbot Patriots Writer Chris Morgan Patriots Writer Adam Myers Patriots Writer Brayden Ilie Patriots Writer Heather Hilley Patriots Writer Nathan Cheatham Patriots Writer

  1. After a lopsided Week One defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, what is the single biggest weakness of this team going forward?

Sep 7, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) lies on the field after being sacked in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Glendon: The defense. This is not to say the Patriots defense is bad, but compared to the rest of the team, it can be their fatal flaw. After one week, it seems like Dont’a Hightower is the linch pin that holds this defense together and when he left the game with a knee injury, the Chiefs exploited the middle of the field. This is not to say that over the course of the season they can not right the ship, but if it takes several weeks and then you lose Hightower for any period of time, this team could be in trouble.

D’Abate: The Patriots need a pass rush, and on Thursday it was almost non-existent. I mean no disrespect to Alex Smith, who played a tremendous game against the Pats.  However, a quarterback’s job is made that much easier when he has the time in the pocket to look, set, plant and throw. Smith had a surplus of time and used it to his advantage. Kony Ealy didn’t work out. Derek Rivers is gone for the season.  And…Rob Ninkovich retired.  That’s a lot to put on the shoulders of Trey Flowers and Dont’a Hightower, who is really playing out of position on the end. Rookie Deatrich Wise is good, and will continue to get better as the year progresses. But the Pats need help on the defensive line. Look for them to find it in any way they can…even if it means searching outside the organization.

Bent: The defensive game planning. The defense has plenty of talent–it was not utilized properly by the coaching staff on Thursday night. The offense put up 27 points on one of the better defenses in the NFL–remember, the Chiefs held the Steelers without a touchdown in their Divisional Round loss last season. The offense–other than 2015–usually takes a few weeks to get up to speed. The concern is the defense being so focused on outsmarting the opponent they outsmarted themselves. What kind of defensive plan has Jordan Richards playing linebacker at the line of scrimmage (over Patrick Chung)? The Chiefs rush for 185 yards and inside linebacker David Harris has just two snaps out on the field with the defense? Where was Harris when Hightower was injured? The defensive game plan got so cute that the best players were not on the field and in position to make plays.

Albiani: This one to me is simple. Some will say the wide receivers which honestly is an acceptable answer, but the far more pressing need to me is the linebacker and edge rushing depth. The two problems with this group were exposed in the loss vs Kansas City in that they live little speed and coverage guys who can cover running backs out of the backfield, as well as players who can set a hard edge against the run. I think the edge will be better, but the coverage players are an issue.

Allen: The Patriots’ biggest weakness right now is their defense. The secondary did a terrible job covering receivers during the Chiefs game and that’s how they were able to pull ahead in the fourth quarter. I said this in my latest article but the statement “a good defense is a good offense” is not a false assumption; especially in the Patriots’ case. If the defense can’t stop the offense from scoring then it won’t matter how many touchdowns Brady can deliver.

Morgan: Right now the biggest weakness appears to be the depth in the front seven. Once Donta Hightower went down with his injury, the air just got sucked out of the entire defense. Cassius Marsh did all that he could to fill the void, but only being in the system for five days prior to the game definitely showed. Without a leader like Hightower who can do so many different things, the defense just fell apart.

Talbot: The defense quite easily. With so much talk of the offense struggling as it did, a lot of that will be fixed over time. The defense on the other hand just gave up 42 points and made Alex Smith look like one of the best quarterbacks in the league. The front seven is weak and the secondary missed several assignments. It won’t get easier vs Drew Brees either. 

Ilie: Last Thursday’s loss to the Chiefs revealed a lot about this Patriots team. Most of the weaknesses we saw from this Patriots team are fixable and we should see them less as the season goes on, but the biggest weakness on this team is how thin they are at the linebacker position. Kareem Hunt was able to run all over this Patriots defense and no one except for Dont’a Hightower really stood out. This was especially telling when Hightower went down with a knee injury and the Patriots defense seemed to just give up. This is an issue that will need to be addressed going forward.

Myers: The defensive front seven. Vincent Valentine is out with the knee injury, Alan Branch is a run stuffer primarily, and the lack of push from the defensive end position has been well noted throughout the offseason. Dont’a Hightower went down week one with a sprained MCL and was arguably the Patriots best player on defense and by far their most talented linebacker. The linebacking corps in New England now lacks the speed and coverage ability and is worth monitoring going forward.

Cheatham: The biggest weakness on the New England Patriots is in their defense, in their secondary. Safeties Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty allowed Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith to get two deep balls to running back Kareem Hunt who was wide open. It is understandable getting burned once early because Hunt is a rookie and until this game, the Pats had no game film on him. However, adjustments should have been made going into the second half.

Having solid deep coverage will be important this week going into New Orleans, quarterback Drew Brees has the potential to get the ball to a receiver down field and make those big plays. Of course, it’s up in the air whether he has a receiver this year that can get down the field quick enough to be available, as the team seems to utilize short passes to move down the field.

Hilley: The only team that can beat the Patriots is the Patriots. Tom Terrific has been known to not have great games, injuries abound for key players such as Edelman, Amendola, Hightower and my beloved Ebner. Plus, their defense stunk to high heaven. The Pats’ pass rush game worries me as does their ability to convert downs to points. I realize that doesn’t answer the question as to what their single biggest weakness is but if they don’t improve everywhere, or at least figure out how to be just good enough, they’ll be hard pressed to sneak out a win in the Superdome.

2. How did the absence of Julian Edelman contribute to the poor team performance on Thursday?

Aug 10, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) points to the crowd prior to a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Glendon: It would be naive to think that it didn’t affect the Patriots play on offense. There were times where Brady looked uncharacteristically lost. Part of the that was due to the loss of Edelman, however, the Chiefs just played really well on defense. Brady was afforded plenty of time to throw the ball early on and the Chiefs coverage was superb, especially from All-Pro safety, Eric Berry. Berry essentially took a sluggish, Rob Gronkowski, out of the game and Brady was left to look to new targets such as Brandin Cooks and Phillip Dorsett.

D’Abate: Tom Brady is the undisputed captain of the Patriots offensive ship. There’s no doubt about it. However, last Thursday’s loss made it painfully evident that Julian Edelman is unquestionably its first mate…and the Pats missed him. Edelman is a great talent on the field, and that talent is sorely missed. But Edelman brings more than just raw talent to the table. His on-field chemistry with Brady is such an underrated part of the Patriots offense.  When in a jam, Brady knows that Edelman will be in the right spot at the right time to receive a quick pass. That is especially comforting when Number 12 is under pressure and in need of dispensing the ball in a hurry. That will not be there for Brady at all, this year, and it was reflected in his post game stat sheet. Without Jules there on Thursday, Brady needed that extra second or two to make his connections. That contributed to miscues, confusion and even a couple of sacks by Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston. Danny Amendola did an admirable job in filling in for Edelman. However, with him likely to miss at least a couple of games while undergoing the concussion protocol, Brady will look to lean on others to pick up the slack in Edelman’s absence. As we saw on Thursday, that is no easy task.

Bent: Minimal. Amendola completely replaced Edelman. Edelman was–at best–the fifth most important player on offense after Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon. The issue on offense was not the slot receiver, it was Chris Hogan and Rob Gronkowski losing one-on-one match-ups with All Pro defensive backs Marcus Peters and Eric Berry. Unless New England was planning on moving Edelman to cornerback like in the AFC Championship game in 2012, he would have made little difference in week one.

Albiani: It was a big factor, but not the only factor. Even with Edelman, I am not sure the Patriots win because of how easily the Chiefs moved the ball on offense. Don’t get me wrong the Patriots could have probably won with Edelman considering how much smoother things would have flowed with him getting open so fast and it being a one score game late in the fourth. However, Edelman doesn’t play against the Chiefs ground game, which was the bigger issue.

Allen: Julian Edelman is said to be the heart and soul of the Patriots team by many people. After watching the season opener, I think they might be right. Edelman was one of Brady’s primary throwing options and it’s obvious the two have great chemistry. I thought Danny Amendola did a stellar job filling his vacancy…until he left with a head injury. After Amendola went out, that’s when the offense truly fell apart. So, in all honesty, I think the absence of both Edelman and Amendola contributed largely to the loss on Thursday.

Morgan: Overall you could tell Tom Brady wasn’t fully in sync with his receiving core without having Jules in the game. He overthrew Dwayne Allen on the first play of the game, couldn’t find a rhythm with Rob Gronkowski, and just seemed off all night. Give the Kansas City defense credit though, they forced Brady to go to the targets he wasn’t fully comfortable with thanks to their coverage schemes.

Talbot: Less than people think. Many believe that Edelman is the cause of Brady’s struggles but he still has Cooks, Amendola, and Gronk. I believe Brady had an off week no doubt but things will turn around.

Ilie: The absence of Julian Edelman was very noticeable this past Thursday. Brady seemed uneasy on the field without his go to guy with him. While Danny Amendola did make a suitable replacement for Edelman he was not as good at picking up extra yards that the Patriots needed. Also once Amendola went down the Patriots offense looked completely out of sync and there wasn’t really anyone who could replace him as Brady’s go to guy. Now as new Patriot receivers learn the offense, Danny Amendola and Malcolm Mitchell get healthy this problem should become less and less noticeable, but this past Thursday the Patriots offense definitely missed Julian Edelman.

Myers: The loss of Julian Edelman cannot be overstated. He was the most successful receiver on this team and had the best rapport with Tom Brady. Edelman was also able to run those underneath and timing routes that helped make Brady so successful against the pass rush. The loss of Edelman has forced the Patriots from an underneath, middle of the field attacking offense into a stretch-the-field deep ball throwing team with the top three wide receivers being Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, and Phillip Dorsett. The Patriots need a slot receiver after losing Edelman and Danny Amendola.

Cheatham: Wide receiver Julian Edelman is quarterback Tom Brady’s safety valve. He is able to get open and turn to Brady for quick production to move down field. While wide receiver Danny Amendola was able to fill in nicely for Edelman before he too got injured, he tends to get wrapped up by the defender immediately. Edelman can usually get a few more yards.

Hilley: The Patriots allowed 42 points by the Chiefs, unheard of during Belichick’s time. That’s not Julien’s fault. Clearly, the Patriots defense was asleep at the switch. Edelman’s season long absence will contribute to the performance of the team in other ways; lacking for a third down ace-in-the-hole, need for a consistent slot runner, Brady’s BFF. He plays really good football and will be missed during clutch situations where he has made a name for himself; Renaissance Man.

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This Tillman Scholar Is Fighting for Better Autism Education

While completing her senior year of college in San Diego in 2002, Heather Barnett met Dwayne, an active duty Navy sailor. They fell in love and lived in San Diego for several years before being stationed to Italy, where they married in a small Sicilian town.

Heather had studied abroad in Florence in college – it was a coincidence she already knew the language. The young, child-free couple traveled all over Italy. Four weeks before leaving Sicily for Dwayne to attend school in Rhode Island and Virginia, Heather and Dwayne found out they were expecting their first child. Seven weeks after giving birth to their son, the young family moved to Japan and began what Heather describes as “a really difficult tour.”

Dwayne graduated from the Naval Academy in 1999 and was a surface warfare officer. Heather describes him as being kind, charismatic and highly intelligent while having a type A personality and being a perfectionist. Despite winning awards, being number one in his department head class and doing well overall, he still didn’t think it was good enough. Heather says he suffered from depression and anxiety, which was heightened by ship conditions incompatible with his personality. After a challenging tour in Japan, the Navy relocated the family to San Diego, scooping Dwayne up into what Heather describes as a safety net and giving him help.

Meanwhile, their son was 14 months old when they returned to the U.S. Because he wasn’t speaking yet, Heather met with a development psychologist, who did a four-hour assessment before diagnosing: “Your son has autism.”

Heather, who by this point had a master’s degree and was a school counselor, decided to stay home with him and immersed herself in the five-days-per-week therapy sessions. Paralleling that time, Dwayne was thriving. Nine months after returning stateside, he was back on a ship as an operations officer with a phenomenal captain and crew.

Fast forward to 2012 when the couple welcomed a daughter. Between caring for a newborn and her son’s new classification as having heightened aggressive tendencies, Heather was consumed. When Dwayne was screened for commander, he was assigned to a different ship with an atmosphere that resembled Japan’s experience.

“We had hit a point where we thought everything was okay again, but it was still fragile,” she says. “I was somewhat unaware of how stress was taking a toll on him; he internalized so much.” Nonetheless, he continued doing his job, and she continued with hers as mother to two.  In May 2014, Dwayne committed suicide.

Heather felt blindsided. Survival in the first year was a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. “I had to figure it out, nobody would do it for me,” she says. “I’m a Navy spouse who had been dependent on a military man for a long time.”

Pursuing an advanced degree crossed her mind while contemplating her options. “I was thankful for the education I had behind me already and knew I had to do something with what I knew and experienced with education and autism. I felt like I needed to make a bigger difference. These military families need more help than what we’re getting,” she says.

Tillman Foundation

So Heather enrolled at Alliant International University in San Diego to pursue her doctorate in education, taking classes through a combination of online and in-person sessions.

She has three more classes to complete before she starts her dissertation, which she anticipates focusing on autism and access to postsecondary educational/vocational transition programs. “I’d like to understand the hardship military families face during this transition and what their specific needs are for their young adult with autism,” Heather says. This past year, the university asked her to be an adjunct professor.

Heather discovered the Pat Tillman Foundation while researching funding resources. “I thought I’d apply just as a scholarship and nothing else would be attached … totally not that,” she remembers.

Heather went through three rounds of interviews before being accepted as a scholarship recipient. She flew to Chicago to meet the other Tillman Scholars and was blown away to be part of such a group. “It gives me a lot of hope and motivation,” she shares.

“I really liked Pat Tillman’s character and what he stood for,” she says. “He wanted to do something bigger than himself. In fact, that’s their motto: Do something beyond you. Reach out. Affect more people.”

A marathon is, unarguably, something bigger than oneself. “The Tillman Foundation can get you into the NYC marathon and I had mentioned I was interested in being a team captain and raising money,” she says. “It was my way to give back to them.” Heather, who had qualified for and competed in the 2011 Boston Marathon, captained the team last November, and is slated to be the team captain for the Chicago marathon this October. “Running is my therapy. It keeps me going.”

Increased awareness for special needs

Heather hopes to bring awareness to adults with autism. “Services fall off at 21 years old,” she explains. “There is a lack of public services available for adults and accessing them is questionable.” Even during childhood, though, treatment still is a patchwork process parents must navigate. Currently, programs are expensive and availability is limited.

Despite being in one of the top school districts in California, the system is inadequate for her son; special education in schools is a difficult system to traverse. The most effective proven treatment – applied behavioral analysis (ABA), in autism’s case – is pricey and schools don’t require aides to be trained in that. “You are dealt what they give you in the public school system.”

Not one to idly sit by, Heather took matters into her own hands. She formed strong relationships with the teachers and administrators. After much research and five years, she has succeeded in getting an ABA aide in the classroom with her son. She’d like to see her individual success become the norm. “This is about credentialing programs and enhancing intellectual disabilities programs,” she says. Heather hopes to see all special education teachers be certified as Board Certified Behavior Analysts – a supervisor level of an ABA therapist – so they fully understand the ins and outs. “Districts get lucky if they hire a teacher that has this training,” she explains.

“I’d love to continue to help military families and special needs kids,” she continues. “It affects me very personally. I know how hard it is to be a military family and how extra hard it is to have a special needs child. People don’t know half the resources available; communication isn’t super strong if you don’t know where to go.”

Lead By Example

Heather’s example serves as motivation to keep pursuing your passions. “I think it is important to motivate spouses,” she says, “to encourage all spouses to continue to pursue something. I believe in continually educating yourself and contributing in any way – not necessarily being 100 percent reliant on your spouse because of the unknown. You have to take care of yourself and have something to fall back on. I’ve been there.”

Returning to school as a widowed mother of two is a rocky road. Despite having respite care, babysitters and help from her mother, it’s not the same as having another parent to leave the kids with. Yet, “I need to take care of myself to take care of them,” Heather explains. “The time management is huge — being self-motivated to get through school, prioritize and be responsible. All of these things have to align.”

Still, Heather laments the stigma surrounding mental health: “It’s very difficult and something not many people talk about. It’s viewed as a weakness,” she says.

Despite the tragic turn her life took, she’s channeling her energy into her family and into their future. “You can recover. You can keep going and move forward, hard as it may be at times.”

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