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andinewton · 7 years ago

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Second Chances - Avengers Redemption Series - Part One - Chapter 48

Characters: Loki, Maia Tomson (OFC), Sigyn, pretty much everyone from the MCU appears at some point, including some special appearances by members of the X-Men!

Pairings: Loki x Maia Tomson, Loki x Sigyn,

Warnings: Smut, so much smut, violence, swearing; listen, it’s NSFW and 18+, just bear that in mind!

Word Count: 179105

Summary: Loki has been handed over to The Avengers to pay penance for his past crimes, underpowered and underwhelmed by his post he is assigned a new ‘guide to Midgard’ by his superiors and is more than a little surprised when a petite freckled, redhead is waiting in the conference room, not at all like the previous handlers he has been assigned, who quit after a very short time with the snarky god. Maia Tomson is a trained literature teacher and counsellor, maybe not someone you would have picked out to be a guide to the God of Mischief but her mentor, Charles Xavier, knows she likes a challenge, and when The Avengers ask him to recommend someone she is top of his list. Surprised by the assignment, Maia takes it on, promising to do her best, but was not counting on a mutual attraction with her charge.

Join Loki on a journey to discover that his heart is not as frozen as he believes it to be, an adventure spanning almost a millennia of love gained and lost and rediscovered in the most unlikely of places…

Master List

Chapter 48

Summary: Professor Xavier arrives to delve into Maia's memories of Sigyn...

Okay, my friends, here is where things change slightly, or you get a little extra story, we are going to start exploring Loki and Sigyn's story in the form of various flashbacks! You will get Loki and Sigyn, and Loki and Maia interspersed, and I have to say I love how it turned out! I have enjoyed writing the flashbacks as much as the main story and I still might yet add some more flashbacks in the epilogue! It's given me so much scope for story and while I have stepped slightly sideways with the actual backstory all the players are there! So enjoy the ride! Oh and this chapter is super long too!

Monday morning rolled around as it often did; far too quickly and far too early. Maia groaned when the alarm she had set on her new Stark Phone went off and she had to force herself from the bed. When she came back out of the bathroom Loki was laying on his side watching her, with enough flesh on show to make it distracting as she went about getting ready. ‘Come back to bed, buttercup.’ He patted the mattress. ‘It’s Monday.’ She reminded him as she took a white blouse out of the wardrobe to go with the black skirt suit she had already hung on the door. ‘We have nowhere to be.’ ‘We have Charles coming in a few hours and I thought you wanted us to try my power with yours in Bruce’s cell again today?’ ‘You are still depleted from yesterday.’ He argued as she tried to hide a yawn behind her hand. ‘Charles won’t be here until at least midday and we won’t be testing your magic until after that in case it effects you adversely. Bed, love. Rest.’ ‘I’m getting dressed, even if we don’t do anything immediately.’ She shook her head and turned back to her task.

Loki sighed and threw off the sheet, walking across the room silently before scooping her up in his arms. She made a small squeak of surprise, having not heard him, and he carried he back to bed, not putting her down until he had crawled onto the bed himself, laying her on her back and pressing his body alongside hers to keep her in place. ‘You need to learn to relax a little better, sweet one. It will do you no good in the long run.’ ‘I like getting up and being ready.’ ‘I will have to give you a more compelling like of staying in bed.’ He kissed her tenderly. ‘You’re already a compulsion on its own.’ She stroked his cheek. ‘Good.’ To her surprise all Loki wanted to do was just lay in the bed and talk, he really was intent on her resting and recovering some of the energy she had expended the previous day, with all they had been doing and the use of power she wasn’t used to. They went over various stories from their past, remembering together and also relating some of Maia’s memories that fit and she hadn’t realised how very similar they were. So much made sense for her now and Loki just enjoyed listening to her tell him stories from when she was a child and her time at X-Manor as both student and teacher. He watched her as she spoke, marvelling at every little mannerism, every little quirk in her voice when she spoke, or laughed, the way she touched him as though she couldn’t help herself. He had missed her so much he hadn’t realised how it had effected him every day. He finally let her back out of bed hours later, satisfied she was as rested as she could get for now, and they shared a leisurely breakfast before dressing, Maia in her suit as she planned, Loki in one of his black suits with black shirt and tie. Having seen his wardrobe Maia knew most of his clothes were black or green and while it suited him she wondered if she could tempt him into another colour. The champagne shirt had been nice but didn’t suit him as well as darker colours, which contrasted with his complexion. She remembered wearing a lot of blue as Sigyn, maybe it was her signature colour and she hadn’t yet remembered, but it had become more green/blue as she had gravitated towards Loki. It was an Asgardian thing, a way of showing unity and dedication. As Loki was a prince and therefore of higher social standing it was his colour that was integrated into her wardrobe. She felt the urge to do so again, but she wasn’t sure whether that was because of Maia, or Sigyn, or some combination of the two. Probably Sigyn and the Asgardian tradition but she put it out of her mind for now. FRIDAY informed them of Professor Xavier’s arrival and they met him in the foyer. Maia hugged him in greeting and they went through to a conference room for some privacy. ‘You are…different.’ Charles commented as soon as the door closed, looking Maia over as though it were something he could see. ‘I cannot specify how but definitely different.’ ‘I feel different.’ She agreed, moving a chair out from the table for Charles to fit his wheelchair under it. ‘Coffee, Charles?’ ‘Please. Would you both care to tell me what happened? From the beginning? Or would you rather I see what I can find first?’ ‘The latter I think, please.’ Maia asked as she used the coffee machine on the side table. ‘That way we know it’s impartial and uninfluenced.’ ‘Very good.’ He nodded before turning to Loki, speaking directly into his mind. ‘I do not need to tell you that, if for any reason, this is a trick we will have a very big problem.’ Loki’s lip twitched in a small smile and he nodded his head towards the man before him, who was obviously as protective of Maia as he was. ‘You have nothing to worry about, Professor.’ He said simply. Maia heard Loki’s half of the exchange going on behind her and rolled her eyes. She appreciated Charles being her surrogate father for so long but once he saw what was in her head he would, she hoped, have all his doubts allayed. She turned back to the table with a cup for each of them and put them in front of them more forcefully than she meant to. ‘Tea, coffee, sit down,’ she glared at Loki, ‘and let’s get on with it.’ ‘Of course, sweet.’ Loki held a chair for her, his face still one of barely contained amusement. ‘You know what I’m going to do, Maia.’ Charles reminded her this wasn’t her first time having her mind read and she nodded. ‘I do.’ He turned to Loki. ‘As do you. Do you mind if I combine you both to see if your memories of certain events match up?’ Loki and Maia shared a look and she shook her head. ‘I don’t mind. Loki?’ ‘Not at all.’ ‘Very well.’ Charles looked hard at Maia, his index and middle finger pressed to his temple as he accessed his powers. Maia knew how it felt and didn’t fight it, let Charles see what he wished to find and more, allowing him to see everything she remembered. He was meticulous, he always was, leaving no avenue unchecked, and she literally saw her life as Sigyn flash before her eyes, starting back to the earliest time she remembered meeting Loki, and Thor, they were all so young and innocent, children. How Frigga had welcomed her and suggested she study magic under her with Loki, sensing something in her that no one else had, the ability to wield sorcery. Playing in the gardens with the two princes, sticks as swords, and she held her own, until Thor went through his first growth spurt and he didn’t realise his own strength. The pain of the welts on her arms where he had caught her rougher than he meant to made her cringe at the memory, how Odin had demanded she stop roughhousing with them immediately, but they still managed to include her, teaching her swordsmanship as they learned themselves, too unladylike for her to be included in the actual lessons. Then the day, when she was barely twelve, that her father declared she would be sent away to learn to become a lady. She hadn’t wanted to go but she had no choice, and for six long years she studied how to be a lady of a court, worthy of her Asgardian heritage, her father a decorated war hero, one of Odin’s most trusted advisors and she had to act in a befitting manner. She kept up with her sorcery, learning what she could from books and scrolls, until finally she was permitted to return to Asgard. That first night back, she was presented to Odin, who apologised for the absence of his sons who were engrossed in their duties, and she had curtseyed politely, told him none were necessary and she was just glad to be home once more, but as she made to leave Loki entered the main doors, strolling confidently in his custom black armour, until he saw her. She knew she looked different; the hair she had always kept braided now reached beyond her waist in a beautiful natural auburn curl dressed with small flowers, her figure had filled out in all the right places and she had perfected the elegant walk of a lady. Her dress was the same blue as her eyes, the shoulders cut away revealing her freckled and milky skin, and around her upper arms and back a shawl she had embroidered herself as part of her schooling. She held her hands in front of her, clasped together as she tended to fidget despite all her training, and as his walk faltered, she bobbed her head to him politely, when what she wanted to do was run to him excitedly. It was the first time she called him “my prince” and his jaw had dropped as he watched the maiden greet him before leaving the hall without a second glance. She knew he had asked who she was, once he reached the throne, as when he found out he ran after her, catching her a little way down the golden hallway and asking her lady in waiting for a moment of her time. ‘Fair Lady Sigyn, I beg your forgiveness. I did not recognise you.’ She bobbed a curtsey, having had it drummed into her over the past few years that it did not matter how well you knew royalty, you curtseyed, you respected them and, most importantly, you were not overly familiar. ‘You do not need forgiveness, Your Highness. I am flattered you remember me at all.’ She smiled sweetly when it was the last thing she wanted to do. She wanted to ask him how he was, what he had been doing all these years. He had grown so handsome, tall and lithe, his dark hair brushing his collar yet slicked back from his smooth jaw and cheekbones. ‘How could I forget my favourite playmate?’ He grinned and she saw a glimpse of the boy he had been. ‘I have missed your company greatly.’ He reached for her hand but that first touch was interrupted by a call from down the hallway. ‘Sigyn!’ They both turned to see Thor barrelling towards them. He had grown stocky, standing as tall as Loki but so much more brawny, his blond hair reaching his shoulders and the beginning of a beard on his face. He had no pretence of being a gentleman with her, she was an old friend and would be greeted as such. He swept her up in his arms and hugged her before swinging her around, laughing heartily as Loki watched with alarm. Their mother had always taught them to be respectful to ladies, to treat them well. Thor was manhandling Sigyn in a very ungentlemanly manner and he couldn’t help but notice her blush. ‘My little warrior, how are you?’ Thor asked as he put her on her feet again, further from Loki than she had been. ‘I am well, thank you, my prince.’ She started to curtsey again but he stopped her. ‘None of that. We are friends, are we not? We would not have you treat us any differently than you did when we were children. Would we, Loki?’ He looked back at his brother who approached with a soft sigh. ‘Indeed not, brother, however perhaps a little gentler. Lady Sigyn is just that now, a lady, and should be treated as such.’ ‘Nonsense!’ Thor clapped Sigyn’s shoulder and nearly knocked her over in the process. ‘She still has a fighter’s spirit, I’m sure.’ He turned back to her, having missed her stumble. ‘Will you come and see me battle in the tournament tomorrow? It would honour me to have you there.’ Loki held back a groan. Thor was trying to impress her, despite what he said about her being the same, and he hoped she was, but she was now breathtakingly beautiful, the freckles she had occasionally been ribbed over as a child making her all the more so, and her eyes, a blue so vibrant they were like the noonday sky. ‘It would please me greatly, Your Highness. I will ensure I have no prior engagements.’ ‘And as I am not participating tomorrow, perhaps you would allow me to escort you?’ Loki offered and Thor shot him a glare. Loki however ignored him, noticing her smile became more genuine at his offer. ‘I would be honoured, my prince.’ She bowed her head to him. She had always held a fondness for the younger brother, his gentle ways appealing to her more than the brashness of Thor. ‘I shall call upon you on the morrow.’ He bowed to her, taking her hand and kissing it softly. ‘Loki, you’re being ridiculous. This is Sigyn, not some maiden for you to fawn over.’ Thor laughed. ‘She is like a sister to us.’ And just like that she felt put in her place. ‘But she is not our sister, Thor. She is a friend returned, more beautiful than before.’ ‘You’re too kind.’ Her blush returned, but it was a fainter pink, a warming colour rather than the startled red Thor had caused. ‘I speak nothing but the truth.’ He assured her, making Thor laugh again. ‘Which is why father has declared you the God of Mischief and Lies, brother?’ Loki glared at him as Sigyn glanced at her hand, still in Loki’s, but if Thor told the truth could she believe his words? ‘You deny she is beautiful? Then you are as blind as you are strong.’ Loki stated. ‘Lady Sigyn?’ Her lady in waiting came towards them and she quickly took her hand back, stepping away from them both as the austere woman gave them a steely gaze. ‘I have to go. It is wonderful to see you both again. Good evening, Highnesses.’ She curtseyed to them both and hurried away, her lady giving the men one final stare of disapproval before putting her arm around Sigyn’s shoulders, making sure she left. ‘How went your meeting with The Allfather?’ Her own father asked as she returned to their rooms. ‘Well, thank you, Father.’ She replied, removing the shawl and folding it as she approached him where he sat by the fire. ‘I saw the two princes as I was leaving.’ ‘Fine boys.’ He nodded, not looking up from staring into the flames as he was. ‘Thor invited me to watch him in the tournament tomorrow.’ ‘That’s nice.’ ‘And Loki offered to escort me.’ ‘Good. Good.’ He nodded and she realised he wasn’t listening. ‘I told them I couldn’t attend as I was allowing the entirety of the King’s garrison to ravage me in the stables.’ ‘Very nice, my dear.’ She sighed. ‘Father, you’re not listening.’ He finally looked up at her. ‘Sorry, my child, I was elsewhere.’ ‘I noticed.’ She went and knelt beside him, resting her hand on his on the arm of the chair. ‘Thor invited me to attend the tournament tomorrow and Loki offered to escort me.’ He frowned at that, his red brows meeting. ‘Both princes seek your favour?’ ‘Both princes are being polite.’ She corrected him. ‘Thor made it quite clear I was always like a sister to them, and it would be rude to turn them down.’ He rested his other hand on top of hers. ‘You will have suitors soon enough, daughter. A good many, I don’t doubt.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘I do not crave suitors. I wish to be useful, to my realm and my King.’ ‘And how do you plan on doing that?’ He smiled at her in amusement. ‘As yet, I am unsure.’ She got to her feet and kissed his cheek. ‘But I will be.’ Charles followed her memory to the next day. Loki arrived, dressed in green and black leather with gold trim, a small posey of flowers from his mother’s private garden in his hand. He had asked her permission, of course, saying he wished to give his childhood friend a welcome home gift. Frigga had smiled and asked that he bring Sigyn in time to see her before the tournament. She had missed the young woman. Loki spoke politely to her father, who was also attending the tournament, and he was allowed entry to their quarters. Sigyn knew he was here, but her lady in waiting stopped her from rushing out of her room to greet Loki, assuring her it was best to make him wait, even just a few minutes. Her father offered Loki a seat, the young prince accepting it graciously, his fingers fidgeting with the ribbon wrapped around the flowers. He shouldn’t have felt nervous, he had known Sigyn almost all his life, but he was. When she finally emerged she took his breath away, and he was on his feet without realising it. She wore a burgundy gown of simple design, wrapped around her upper body then falling away in layers to her ankles, a gold band on the top of each arm. She had her shawl again, the only thing she had successfully managed to embroider without it looking a mess despite extensive teachings. The front of her hair was caught back from her face in a bun, the rest falling away down her back. She looked quite lovely and speech failed him for a moment. ‘Good morning, Prince Loki.’ She curtseyed to him. ‘Lady Sigyn.’ He bowed to her and offered her the flowers. ‘For you.’ ‘They’re beautiful, thank you.’ She smelled them before the lady in waiting took them from her to put in water. ‘Shall we?’ He offered her his arm. She smiled warmly at him, looping her arm with his and allowing him to escort her from the room. They walked through the pillared hallway together in silence, neither one knowing how to start a conversation, and they were outside before Loki asked something. ‘I didn’t realise you were returning home.’ ‘I am officially a lady.’ She sighed. ‘There was nothing more to teach me that I could not bluff my way through.’ She realised her mistake as she looked up at him wide eyed. ‘I mean, my teachings were complete, and…’ He laughed. ‘I understand. Perhaps more than you realise. Being able to act a certain way in a certain situation is not something that changes you, just the way you approach things. Each social dynamic is different, and requires different behaviour. Being a prince is little different, my lady.’ ‘Please, just Sigyn.’ She asked quietly. ‘I detest being reminded I am expected to be a lady all the time.’ He stopped and turned to face her before they reached the carriages provided to the tournament. ‘Then please, I am still the boy you played with, still the boy you fought with,’ he leant in to her, ‘and still the boy you laughed with until you snorted milk, still Loki. Perhaps we can offer one another the consideration of first name terms in private?’ ‘I would appreciate it. Thank you.’ ‘None necessary, Sigyn. We have always been friends, and I would like it to continue that way.’ ‘As would I.’ On arrival to the arena Loki presented Sigyn to his parents. She curtseyed low to them but Frigga was off her throne and pulling her up for a tight hug before she began to rise. ‘My beautiful Sigyn, welcome home.’ She said warmly, stepping back but not letting her go. ‘Thank you, my Queen. It’s so good to be back.’ Sigyn had missed Frigga almost as much as she had missed her sons. ‘Please, sit beside me.’ She rubbed Sigyn’s arms with her hands. ‘And after the tournament would you spare me some time to tell me of your studies?’ ‘As Your Majesty wishes.’ ‘Dispense with my title, I would have you call me Frigga, as you did before.’ Sigyn smiled warmly, glad to feel so welcome. She had worried after so long she may not have been. Loki offered Sigyn his hand and escorted her to the chair beside Frigga, before taking the seat on her other side. With Thor competing he could have taken the seat by his father’s side but he had escorted Sigyn and would continue to act as such. Frigga spoke to them both as they awaited the start of the program of events, when it came the Allfather standing and announcing the commencement. Thor was announced to rapturous applause which he lapped up. Sigyn shook her head just slightly, he was still the cocky, arrogant boy she remembered and he didn’t seem to have gained any humility in the last six years. ‘He remains quite the show off.’ Loki leant into her and spoke quietly and she chuckled, biting her bottom lip to stop from laughing out loud. Loki smiled, knowing he had amused her. She had always been fun to spend time with and it didn’t seem time had changed that, but when Thor approached the royal box and held a flower towards Sigyn with a smile and a wink, Loki ground his teeth. Frigga patted Sigyn’s hand and nodded to suggest she take his favour and Sigyn got to her feet. Stepping forward and taking the offered bloom. ‘Thank you, my prince.’ She smiled as he took her hand and kissed it. ‘I shall win each bout for you as a welcome home gift.’ He grinned. ‘You favour me too much.’ She said simply before returning to her seat and Loki gave him a smug smile. The morning moved into the afternoon as the games began, with wrestling, swordsmanship, archery and quarterstaff. Thor excelled at each bout he participated in, and Loki pointed out several other warriors who would be new to her, including the most incredible, statuesque woman named Sif, who held her own against male warriors twice her size. Sigyn found her absolutely fascinating and when teamed with The Warriors Three, who Loki named individually and promised to introduce her to later, they were a force to be reckoned with. Finally all the bouts were through, Thor had done his father proud, and was happily gloating his wins amongst his fellow combatants. Frigga turned to Sigyn with a warm smile. ��Dear, would you join us at our table for the feast tonight? I would love to hear your stories in a slightly less hostile environment.’ ‘I would love to, Queen Frigga, thank you.’ She had worn a smile since she arrived and it saw no sign of slipping. Loki again offered to escort her and they spent the evening reminiscing and catching up, Frigga noting how her son looked at his childhood friend. She was not blind, but she knew time would tell whether this was merely an infatuation. Several weeks later and the novelty of Sigyn’s return had waned slightly with all but Loki. Less well wishers called and there was less to attend on a regular basis, she was able to turn more things down without worrying about insults, and she had some free time, which she was currently taking advantage of. She had left the quarters early, dressing nondescriptly in leather pants and belted linen tunic, her hair braided and off her face, sneaking out of the palace and past the orchard into the woods nearby for seclusion and privacy. She found a small clearing easily and drew her short sword, swinging it gently at first, slowly warming up until she had a fast pace where her blade sliced the air, striking at nothing but low and high in a smooth arc, turning and swinging as she drew magic with her other hand, practicing both skills at once to the near perfection she had achieved in her spare time while away. Loki had seen Sigyn head off from the palace dressed unlike he had perhaps ever seen her, and decided to follow. When she stopped and drew a sword he watched in wonder from a distance as she showed skills with a blade and sorcery to rival even his abilities. It was like watching a dancer, she was elegant and quick, barely making a sound other than her blade slicing through the air, she was captivating. She finally broke her pace, her breathing heavy but not laboured and he dared to approach, but not wanting to startle her. He applauded quietly as he stepped through the trees and she spun on him, weapon raised. ‘Very impressive, Sig. You really are still our little warrior.’ ‘If you’re here to mock me, Loki, you can leave now.’ She wiped her sleeve across her brow as she lowered her blade. ‘Mock you? Never.’ He shook his head. ‘I am truly stunned by your skill. You could put many of our finest warriors to shame.’ ‘Because I would ever be allowed into battle beside them.’ She scoffed, backing up two steps as he continued to approach. ‘Lady Sif battles alongside Thor and I and The Warriors Three. Why not you too?’ ‘Because, people still look down upon the sorcerers, those who use magic and sword, let alone being female. If I suggested I wished to go into battle I would be laughed out of the city. Possibly the realm.’ ‘I would support your claim, if you made one.’ He manifested a dagger into his hand. ‘Spar with me.’ Her eyes went wide. ‘I…I can’t do that.’ She shook her head. ‘Of course you can. It will be good practice for us both. Or are you afraid you may get hurt?’ ‘You are baiting me?’ She half laughed. ‘If it will make you spar with me, certainly.’ He shrugged before taking a swing at her which she easily dodged. ‘I know you can do better than just move away.’ Sigyn shifted her grip on her sword and took up a defensive stance. ‘I know you can do better than that little swing.’ ‘Little?’ He raised an eyebrow and she shrugged. He swung at her faster this time, stepping into her and in moments they were meeting one another’s strokes with practiced hands, and it was some time before he finally bested her, and he suspected that was only because she was tiring from what she had already done. He caught her by surprise as she turned, one hand pinning her sword arm across her body while the other held the dagger close to but not against her throat and she froze, realising she had slipped up. ‘Very good.’ He murmured. ‘Not many can keep up with me.’ ‘I didn’t keep up, you bested me.’ ‘After quite some time.’ He pointed out, still not letting her go. ‘And I am sure you could find a way out of this.’ ‘I am sure I could.’ ‘So what are you waiting for?’ His breath ruffled her hair and she got a small tingle down her spine, but she ignored it and prepared herself. ‘I don’t want to hurt you.’ ‘I don’t…’ He didn’t get to finish as she pressed her hand to his thigh and sent a jolt of power through it. A stabbing pain shot through him and his hands spasmed, causing him to drop the knife and let her go as his body twitched. She stepped away, turning as she did and kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground before straddling him with her sword at his throat, a small smile on her face. ‘That didn’t hurt, did it?’ ‘A mere discomfort.’ He grinned back before knocking her sideways and rolling on top of her, pinning her arms beside her head despite her efforts to get free. ‘You are quite the fighter, Sig. Did they teach you that while you were away?’ ‘They taught me nothing of use, besides holding my tongue.’ She said angrily. He smiled down at her. ‘I’m glad they didn’t extinguish your fire.’ He released her and slowly got to his feet, offering her a hand up. ‘It takes more than a few failed embroidery projects to do that.’ She took his hand but swung her foot up and planted it in his stomach at the same time, throwing him backwards over her head until he crashed to the ground behind her. Loki winced and when he opened his eyes again she was running back through the trees. He suspected he may have embarrassed her somehow, but that hadn’t been his intention. He was rather enjoying her company and finding she still kept up with her fighting and sorcery had only piqued his interest further. By the time he reached the edge of the orchard she was disappearing into a side door to the palace and he knew he had no hope of catching her before she reached her quarters, but he would speak to her, he would convince her to spar with him again. They were a good match, their skill set similar, and he hoped to explore her abilities further. Months later and their training sessions had become a regular thing, sneaking away from the palace together often to work through sword, hand to hand and sorcery together. Sometimes Thor joined them, but he was of a different class of fighting, much stronger, whereas they were fast and light-footed. He gave the occasional pointer but often just arranged for them to meet up later, sometimes just the three of them, sometimes with Sif and The Warriors Three, and almost half of those times no one else arrived, leaving just Loki and Sigyn alone. Sometimes they just met up in the library to discuss books they had read, or just to get some peace as it was always quiet. One evening, when the dining was done but the wining continued, they sat around a fire in the great hall, listening to one of Volstagg’s many stories. Sigyn felt quite tired, it was getting late, but she didn’t want to turn in yet, and excused herself to get some fresh air on the balcony. In the cool night air she was able to yawn freely and felt better just for that. ‘He has quite the soft spot for you, our young prince.’ Sif’s voice had her turn her head to see her coming towards her. ‘Loki?’ She frowned at her. ‘We’re friends, Sif, nothing more.’ ‘If you say so.’ Sif chuckled. ‘But I have seen how he looks at you, how he hangs on your every word and always ensures he is seated beside you. And I have seen you do the same.’ ‘I’m not, that is…’ she blushed as she sighed. ‘Am I that obvious?’ ‘You are only obvious to those who know what to look for. Thankfully the oafs we sup with are not that smart or observant. You should speak honestly with our young prince.’ ‘Oh, I couldn’t.’ She shook her head. ‘We’re friends, if I say something to ruin it, it ruins it for all of us, not just the two of us. And if you’re wrong, and he doesn’t reciprocate, then…’ ‘Sigyn, little sister, he spends his every waking moment speaking of you or seeking you out. Our trickster is smitten with you.’ She smiled knowingly. ‘The solstice feast is approaching. If he should invite you we shall ensure you impress upon him the import of not wasting time.’ ‘Sif, please, don’t say anything to him.’ She begged. ‘I cannot in good conscience hope for something he may not want.’ ‘Oh, he wants.’ She smiled. ‘And if he wants bad enough he will do something about it.’ She pushed away from the balcony, leaving Sigyn to consider what she had said.

Chapter 49

#loki #loki fanfiction #Loki/Sigyn #Loki/OFC #loki x sigyn #loki x ofc #Avengers #Avengers Redemption #reincarnation

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usviraltrends-blog · 7 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://usviraltrends.com/a-house-too-far-two-scientists-abandon-their-bids-for-congress-science-2/

A house too far: Two scientists abandon their bids for Congress | Science

Phil Janowicz on the campaign trail earlier this year

Matt Gush

By Jeffrey MervisApr. 27, 2018 , 2:20 PM

When Phil Janowicz and Kristopher Larsen began their campaigns for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, they joined what appears to be a record number of Ph.D. scientists running for national office this year. But in March, after spending months on the campaign trail, the two Democrats—an organic chemistry professor from southern California and a space physics researcher from Colorado, respectively—decided to drop out before a single ballot had been cast in their states.

As scientists, they had learned to listen to their data. And the numbers they were seeing didn’t add up.

Janowicz had spent nearly a year running at full tilt in California’s 39th congressional district. National Democrats are hoping to flip the seat from Republican control as part of a so-called blue wave in November that would give them control of the House. But his polling showed that, under California’s unusual election rules, a crowded field could split the Democrat vote and allow a Republican to retain the seat.

For Larsen, who had spent 5 months actively campaigning in an ultraliberal district while holding onto his day job and a part-time gig as a small-town mayor, the local Democratic Party’s early endorsement of another candidate made it hard for his campaign to gain traction. And he knew he couldn’t raise the money needed to get his message out to the voters of Colorado’s second congressional district.

Despite falling short of their goals, each man received a graduate education in running for Congress. Here are their stories—including some lessons for others who may want to follow in their footsteps.

Phil Janowicz: taking one for the team

Janowicz was an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge when he decided to be a college chemistry teacher. That’s why, after earning his Ph.D. in 2010 in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois (U of I) in Urbana, he immediately took a job at California State University (CSU) in Fullerton.

“I love teaching, I love working with students,” he says. “At [CSU], I was still able to continue to do chemical education research, but the primary focus was teaching.”

At U of I, he and his mentor, Jeffrey Moore, developed a new approach to teaching organic chemistry that emphasized conceptual learning over memorization. Janowicz continued that work at CSU, winning a grant from the National Science Foundation and developing a curriculum that would eventually spread to more than a dozen CSU campuses.

Janowicz had always regarded teaching as a form of public service. But after earning tenure in 2016, he decided he could reach more students by leaving academia and broadening an existing collaboration with publisher McGraw-Hill. A few months later, after watching the national election returns, he decided to take his public service to the next level.

“The next morning [9 November 2016], I left McGraw-Hill and started the process of learning how to run a campaign,” he recalled earlier this year. Republican Representative Ed Royce has “been my congressman for many years and I’ve disagreed with him on quite a bit for many years, so I assumed I would be running against him. We had the launch at Fullerton on April 25, and I’ve been running ever since.”

Janowicz was the first Democrat to declare. But the field quickly expanded as national Democrats began talking about flipping the seat. Their optimism was based on the results of the 2016 election: The district voted for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump, and seemed primed to oust Royce, a 13-term incumbent.

Janowicz threw himself into the challenge. He placed himself on a round-the-clock regime of making phone calls to raise money, attending political gatherings in hopes of garnering endorsements, and knocking on doors to introduce himself to would-be constituents. Running as a progressive scientist, he felt his hard work was beginning to pay off. He says internal polls showed him running ahead of pediatrician Mai Khanh Tran, another early entrant on the Democrat side who has been endorsed by the science advocacy group 314 Action, and two multimillionaires who were largely self-funding their campaigns.

But Janowicz’s grassroots strategy became outdated after Royce announced in January that he would not seek re-election. An open seat is normally good news for candidates from the opposing party. But not for Janowicz. Four strong Republican candidates jumped into the fray and the boisterous, unruly Democratic field turned into a potential liability.

The problem was California’s unusual primary rules. In most states, candidates from each major party square off in a primary, with the top vote-getter from each party advancing to the general election. But in California, the candidates all compete in a single primary and the top two vote-getters—regardless of party—move on. That means two Republicans, or two Democrats, could end up vying for the seat.

After Royce decided not to run again, Democrats faced the real risk that, with so many candidates on the primary ballot, none would attract enough votes to finish first or second. Janowicz says his internal polling highlighted that concern: His single-digit tally led the Democratic field, but he trailed at least two Republican candidates. So, on the morning of 14 March, the deadline for filing signature petitions that would put him on the 5 June primary ballot, Janowicz made a gut-wrenching decision.

“I’m a Ph.D. scientist and I understand the math,” he says. “And the math did not look good not just for me, but for any Democrat to finish in the top two. So as a team player and community Democrat through and through, I knew that taking one for the team was the best option for helping to get a Democrat, whoever that might be, through the primary.”

“The whole reason I started this was to switch our district from red to blue,” he continues. “And if I’m going to be part of the problem, then I’m not part of the solution.”

The science vote

Follow our rolling coverage of 2018’s science candidates

Kristopher Larsen: mission aborted

Unlike Janowicz, Larsen had already tasted electoral victory—he’s the mayor of the small town of Nederland in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies—when he decided to throw his hat into the ring. He knew his grassroots campaign might take a while to catch fire. But at least he didn’t have to worry about what was going on with the other party. “This district is so gerrymandered that whoever wins the Democratic primary will win in November,” Larsen says, referring to the practice of drawing district lines so they favor one of the major political parties.

Growing up in Boulder, Larsen says his political activism came from his parents—“old school hippies from the 1960s and 1970s”—and resurfaced after the 2001 terrorist attacks and the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. However, protesting the wars as a graduate student at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri, “was a pretty lonely business,” he says. Besides, his research didn’t leave him much time for anything else.

But Larsen rekindled his passion for politics after returning to Boulder for a job as a research scientist at the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). “I started volunteering on boards to learn how government works,” he recalls, and was twice elected as a town trustee before becoming mayor in 2016. He also spent 2 years as coordinator for advocacy and science education in the Washington, D.C., office of the American Physical Society. The society wanted to create a grassroots network of members who could respond quickly to political developments—contacting their representative or senator to urge support for pending legislation, for example—and Larsen saw it as another way to hone his political skills.

Larsen knew that Nederland’s tiny population of 1500 wasn’t the ideal launching pad for a seat in Congress. But when Democratic Representative Jared Polis announced in June 2017 that he was leaving Congress after five terms to run for governor, Larsen decided the opportunity was too good to pass up.

“My hope was that, after a few terms for mayor, there might be an opportunity for county commissioner, or as a state legislator,” he says. “So, the timing wasn’t ideal. But I also thought, ‘It’s an open seat. If I don’t go now, will I be kicking myself 5 years from now for not trying?’”

He had already made changes in his work life to make room for politics. At LASP, Larsen manages operations and data systems for several NASA missions, both large and small. “I help build tools that scientists can actually use, and make sure that the instruments are returning all the data we expect.” Before that, however, he was a project scientist on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission and the Cassini mission to Saturn. “I moved away from the research side, the soft money side because I needed more stability to do politics,” he says.

But even that adjustment didn’t free him from the stress that comes with running for Congress while retaining your day job. “During my exploratory period, I sat down every night, looking at the savings I have and trying to figure out how much of it I really want to burn through and how much I needed to pay the mortgage and take care of other responsibilities,” he recalls. “It’s a real issue for someone trying to [run for office] if it’s not their career.”

By the time Larsen was ready to jump in, state party leaders had already anointed another candidate, someone who was well-known in local political circles. A third candidate had the backing of the progressive movement that had embraced Senator Bernie Sanders’s (I–VT) failed 2016 presidential bid.

Larsen felt that his views were equally progressive and that his experience as an elected official gave him an edge over the other two candidates, neither of whom had ever been accountable to voters. However, his bare-bones, grassroots campaign hadn’t taken off as he had hoped. And last month he forced himself to evaluate his campaign as he would a NASA mission.

“We have key decision points, in which we put ego aside and look at the data,” he explains. “In this case, that means looking at the fundraising, at the endorsements, at the volunteer support we have, and the turnouts for the events we’ve been holding.”

The bottom line, he adds, was simple: “Does it make sense to continue? Is there a path to victory?” And when the answer was no, he pulled the plug.

Bitten by the bug

Although they have abandoned their bids for Congress, neither man is leaving the political arena. Larsen has dusted off his original plan, which could mean running next year for a countywide post or the state legislature. Janowicz is helping a state legislator who’s fighting a recall petition and is assisting several candidates running in local races.

Despite his increased activism, Janowicz still makes time for teaching science. The morning after saying a teary goodbye to his campaign staff, he was in the classroom at 8 a.m. listening to CSU students debate the merits of the Keystone oil pipeline and of a cap-and-trade approach to reducing carbon emissions. The assignment is meant to hone the critical thinking skills of the nonchemistry majors taking his introductory course, he says. But it also reflects his growing appetite to engage with the world.

“My love of science and my love of public policy bleed over into all aspects of my life,” he says, confessing that his failed candidacy has probably set him on a new career path. “Once you get bit with the political bug, there’s no going back.”

#Science

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mystlnewsonline · 7 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://www.stl.news/gop-bid-for-control-in-nevada-raises-fear-of-endless-recalls/82327/

GOP bid for control in Nevada raises fear of endless recalls

/February 7, 2018 (AP)(STL.News) —

Nevada’s major political parties are locked in a legal battle over a Republican effort to take control of the state Senate by recalling two freshly elected Democratic lawmakers — a tactic that Democrats warn could undermine the validity of elections across the U.S.

Experts and those from both parties say the move could be the way of the future for the losing side to keep control of influential statehouses. In Nevada, no official reason was given for the recalls, and none was required. Some conservatives have been open about hoping Republicans gain partisan advantage.

Republicans in 2016 lost hold of the Nevada Senate, which Democrats now control by an 11-9 margin. The GOP then circulated petitions to recall two Democratic senators and one independent who caucuses with them.

Republicans gathered enough signatures to launch recall elections of the Democrats, Nicole Cannizzaro and Joyce Woodhouse, who had been narrowly elected the previous year from swing districts in the Las Vegas area.

Democrats launched a counteroffensive. They sued in federal court, arguing the recalls violate the U.S. Constitution. They also persuaded thousands of people who had signed the petitions to withdraw their signatures — likely dropping the petitions below the threshold needed to qualify for the ballot.

Whether the signatures are allowed be withdrawn is at the heart of the case heard in state court Wednesday in Las Vegas.

The attorney for those opposing the recall effort told a judge that allowing people to remove their names from a recall petition protects them from fraud and deception.

“It protects the rights of the voters so they are not duped into signing a petition they don’t believe in,” attorney Marc Elias said.

A ruling could be issued next week, but Judge Jerry Wiese said he expects it to be challenged.

National Democrats fear the Nevada effort, if successful, could become a template for Republicans seeking to hang on to power in statehouses nationwide, especially if the midterm elections this year lead to losses in some of the 68 legislative chambers the GOP controls.

Democrats have drawn parallels to other recent steps Republicans have taken to retain power in the states.

In Pennsylvania, the Republican-controlled Legislature this week threatened to impeach the elected Democrats on the state Supreme Court, who ruled that the GOP had improperly drawn the congressional districts.

In North Carolina, the GOP-led Legislature has tried to wrest control of how the state administers elections from the newly elected Democratic governor.

National Democrats have invested heavily in Nevada to try to undermine the recall and mount legal challenges.

“We are in a new frontier in that they are using the recall statute to change an election,” said Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic election attorney who represented Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

But Joshua Spivak, who tracks recall elections and is a senior fellow at the Hugh Carey Institute at Wagner College, said the Nevada case is not that unusual.

He noted that Democrats in 2012 briefly seized control of the Wisconsin Senate after a series of recalls sparked by Gov. Scott Walker’s attacks on public sector unions. While Nevada Republicans have not cited a single big decision like the Wisconsin union vote to justify their effort, Spivak said that’s in line with history.

“It is a feature of the recall to just kick someone out for partisan benefit,” Spivak said.

Lawyers for the recall effort did not return multiple calls for comment Tuesday. They work in the law firm run by Republican Nevada Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison, whose office said it would not comment on the campaign.

Logan Churchwell of the conservative Public Interest Legal Foundation, which intervened on behalf of the recall, stressed that Nevada law allows recalls and that Democrats are trying to limit voting.

“Nevada places few barriers on the electorate to trigger a recount,” Churchwell said. “It’s curious that the Democrat Party’s attorneys would label such a system and its uses as frivolous when their actions are undemocratic by definition.”

But the state’s Republican governor, Brian Sandoval, has voiced alarm at the recalls.

“There really wasn’t, I think, a legitimate reason for the recalls,” Sandoval told The Nevada Independent news website last year. “So it just kind of escalates the politics, mean-spiritedness politics. I think both parties will now use it on a regular basis, and that’s not what Nevada politics has ever been and that’s not what it should be.”

___

This story has been corrected to show that the Public Interest Legal Foundation intervened in the case, not that it filed an amicus brief and that The Nevada Independent is a website not a newspaper.

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI,By Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (A.S)

___

#Control in Nevada #GOP bid #National Democrats #Public Interest Legal Foundation #Raises fear of endless recalls #U.S. Constitution

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juliadecadenet · 8 years ago

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In recent years, with the advance of social media, the deplorable dog and cat meat trades within China, South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia have become a mainstream issue among the international community. No one really associated Taiwan with this trade however and certainly no one on social media was talking about it.

World Protection for Dogs and Cats in the Meat Trade started their own petition demanding Taiwan impose higher penalties to really make a difference and we are so thankful collective campaigning has worked. Yesterday, the country of Taiwan passed amendments to the Animal Protection Act, which will criminalise the slaughter, sale and consumption of dogs and cats nationally. People found guilty of the crime will face hefty fines and jail time. This is a wonderful step in the right direction and motivates us all to keep campaigning.

Here is the story of the Taiwan campaign in more detail

Concerned Citizens From Taiwan Contacted The Charity.

Last year our charity was contacted by a retired army officer from Taiwan who ran a Facebook group where concerned Taiwanese citizens posted photographic evidence of dogs and cats being tortured for their meat. We were surprised to hear this. He explained that the people torturing and eating the dogs were all Vietnamese migrant workers in Taiwan. He said that on average, 180,000 Vietnamese people, mainly young men, were coming to Taiwan each year to work as low skilled labourers and they were the ones killing and eating the stray cats and dogs – often in horrific torturous ways as the pictures showed.

Over the weeks our new friend continued to send us profile after profile, of young Vietnamese men torturing and eating stray dogs and cats, whilst working in Taiwan. With the consumption of dogs and cats being illegal in Taiwan, it was clear the Vietnamese workers did not pay attention to the law, as they posted their conquests on their Facebook pages. With the fine being quite small, only up to £200, it was never going to be enough to deter their ways.

NoToDogMeat Took Action

Over the weeks our new friend continued to send us dozens of Facebook pages with pictures of cruelty, posted by Vietnamese men torturing and eating stray dogs and cats whilst working in Taiwan. With the consumption of dogs and cats being illegal in Taiwan, it was clear the Vietnamese workers were ignoring the law, as they brazenly posted their conquests so publicly on their Facebook pages. The maximum fine of only £200 clearly was not working as a deterrent. In response we decided to help our Taiwanese friends in their campaign by starting two of petitions that people anywhere in the world could sign. Our friend had previously told us that we should try and show the Taiwanese government how strong was the feeling about the weak laws among the international community and that quite possibly, they would feel ashamed.

First of all, our charity’s CEO Julia started this petition to the Taiwanese Council of Agriculture: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Minister_BaoJi_ChenCouncil_of_Agriculture_Executive_Yuan_ROC_Taiwan_Minister_BaoJi_Chen_Taiwan_Higher_Penalties_if_caugh/?nKkXXjb

In conjunction, her good friend who lobbies on behalf of the organisation Occupy UN 4 Animals, created this petition, showing the shocking pictures of torture. https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/TAIWAN_Government_and_ Parliament_Punish_this_man_and_set_severe_penalties_for_cooking_dogs_cats_alive/

We delivered Our Petitions to Taiwanese Government

Once we had gained a couple of thousand signatures on the petitions, we sent them off, along with photos taken from dozens of profiles of Vietnamese workers, who were proudly torturing Taiwanese stray cats and dogs.

We also attached details of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which speak of civil society, where governments are being called on to uphold the rule of law. We also printed out UN extracts and paragraphs that described the caring animal welfare ethos of the new UN Agenda. We explained the problem of the Vietnamese workers in Taiwan, as well as asking if the Taiwanese government might help us raise the issue of dog and cat meat torture, to other Asian countries.

We were delighted a few weeks later when we received responses, both from the Office of the Taiwanese President and from the Taiwanese Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan.

The replies can be seen here:

We were surprised to hear that on arrival at the Taiwanese Airport, the Vietnamese workers were actually given hand books and shown videos on how to treat animals properly, as well as being given warnings not to catch or eat dogs and cats. They mentioned that employers of immigrant labourers were also instructed to inform their workers not to eat dogs and cats.

Further Contact from Taiwanese Activists Working With NoToDogMeat

When he saw the replies our Taiwanese friend whose group collects the pictures of the Vietnamese labourers said “but the Vietnamese are still doing it and they are still posting it on Facebook”. Sadly he was right. There were still more and more profiles showing the torture of dogs and cats. We told him we would gain more signatures on the petitions, write a stronger letter informing them that their fine of £200 was no deterrent, and we would send more photos of the profiles of Vietnamese labourers torturing dogs, which we sent off two months later.

Campaigning Works

In light of all this we are of course delighted to discover the latest reforms of the Taiwanese law earlier this week. Firstly, the fine for eating dog and cat meat has risen to £6,500. Secondly, anyone caught torturing dogs and cats can now go to prison for two years and face a fine of £50,000. We think these changes send a message that the Taiwanese authorities mean business. We are hopeful that this will be enough to stop the Vietnamese Facebook posters at least from torturing dogs whilst in Taiwan.

Our plan now is to send reports to the Vietnamese government, showing them the same evidence and details of the new penalties set by the Taiwanese authorities. We will make it clear to them that these changes have been brought about as a direct result of Vietnamese labourers behaving so badly abroad. We hope this might shame and galvanise the Vietnamese authorities into action and to introduce new laws where currently there are none.

We will also send details to the UN Development Program Vietnam, and make the Vietnamese government aware of this and make sure they know about the animal welfare ethos of the new UN Agenda.

Will Dog Meat Be Banned in The Rest of Asia?

As for China and South Korea, the fact is that Taiwan has now set a clear precedent. We can start sending details of the heavy penalties set by Taiwan, to these offending nations, to show exactly what kind of an example they should follow. Already news of Taiwan’s strict new penalties are appearing in Chinese media and, no doubt, in the South Korea too.

In the meantime we would like to say a huge thank you to our dear friend, lobbying organisation Occupy UN 4 Animals for their heartfelt, professional and result-bearing letters to the Taiwanese President and others, and to our lovely Taiwanese friend, the retired soldier, for his continuing activism and his bravery.

Further details about the new laws in Taiwan can be seen here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/taiwan-dog-cat-meat-ban-first-asian-state-sold-consumed-eaten-white-china-a7679526.html#gallery

What Can You Do To Help?

NoToDogMeat runs a partner shelter in China with over 400 dogs and 40 cats and we need your help. We need $20,000 to complete the building of our medical shelter which will run spay and neuter/microchipping and critical care for dogs and cats that are still in danger from the meat trade. Our wonderful partner Mr Zhao who is a vegan has a plan also to run education programmes to local schools. Please help us continue this work.

Please donate today.

Taiwan Dog Meat Ban – Our Role In recent years, with the advance of social media, the deplorable dog and cat meat trades within China, South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia have become a mainstream issue among the international community.

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viralhottopics · 8 years ago

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Gift of freedom: how Obama’s clemency drive tackled aftermath of ‘war on drugs’

Ramona Brant is one of 1,324 people serving long terms for relatively minor drug crimes to be freed by the president but his successor is unlikely to follow suit

Last April, two months after Ramona Brant walked free from prison having served 21 years of a life sentence for a first-time non-violent drug offense, she found herself outside the Busboys and Poets restaurant in Washington as a convoy of limousines drew up. A tall black man got out of the central vehicle and greeted her with the immortal words: Hey Ramona, come on, Im taking you to lunch.

I was no good, I couldnt think, Brant recalls. This is the person who used his executive power to say Enough is enough, you can go home now. Then he invites me to lunch. I couldnt believe this.

By the end of lunch, Brant had composed herself sufficiently to make Obama a heartfelt promise. She told him that she would not allow his name to be tainted by anything she did that would send her back to prison.

I will honor you with my freedom, she said. And that is what I have done.

Brant is one of 1,324 women and men who will honor Obama with their freedom long after he vacates the White House in less than three weeks time. Most of them, like her, were serving long prison sentences 395 of them for life for relatively minor drug crimes imposed during the so-called war on drugs.

Brants case was particularly brutal. She had no history of drug dealing when in 1994 she was arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine valued by the prosecution at $37m. I have never sold drugs at all in my life. Never once.

Yet through association with her violent and abusive boyfriend, who forced her to accompany him when he went on interstate drug runs by beating her and threatening to kill members of her family, she was accused of personally trafficking large amounts of crack cocaine and powder cocaine quantities she says were entirely fictitious.

Those amounts never existed, there was nothing there. They were based on what my co-defendants traded among themselves, and all of that was lumped together and I was held responsible for it.

Even the trial judge as he sentenced her to remain behind bars for the rest of her natural life complained that putting her away forever made no sense. But his hands were tied the sentence was mandatory.

Her former boyfriend remains in prison on a life sentence.

Obama cited Brants case in the long article he wrote last week for the Harvard Law Review looking back on his impact on criminal justice reform. Ramonas case is in many ways emblematic of the problems with overly harsh mandatory sentences in the federal system, he said.

Brant says that she kept her spirits up over 21 long years in the federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, by placing her trust in God. Her prayers were answered last December when she received a letter from Obama saying that he believed in her and was giving her a second chance by commuting her sentence.

To see the letter, and his signature! I just sat there reading it over and over, it was surreal.

Barack Obama escorts Ramon Brant to the Busboys and Poets restaurant in Washington DC on 30 March 2016. Photograph: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

Multiply that overwhelming joy by 1,324 and you start to get a sense of the human scale of Obamas clemency project. In any future assessment of his legacy, his flinging open of the prison gates to so many victims of the drug war is certain to loom large.

What hes done has been unprecedented, said Kara Gotsch of the Sentencing Project. These people were the victims of policies that trapped them in the criminal justice system for low-level drug offenses these werent the drug kingpins.

One of the strengths of Obamas clemency drive is its power to act as a model for individual states that are responsible for the incarceration of the overwhelming majority of prisoners in America. While there are about 190,000 people held in the federal penal system almost half of them for drug offenses there are close to 2 million under state lock and key.

President Obama has tried to set an example on the national stage, and that is critically important in shifting the needle on what is fair and proportionate. The whole country is looking at this, Gotsch said.

Obamas embrace of commutations comes at the end of a singularly frustrating period for criminal justice reform. A year ago there were high hopes that a bipartisan coalition of forces, from the rightwing Koch brothers to the ACLU, would effect legislative change that would bring freedom to thousands of largely black Americans caught up in the harsh mandatory sentencing of the drug war.

When those hopes were dashed on the rock of Republican intransigence in the House of Representatives, Obama turned to his presidential power to grant clemency without the need for congressional approval. It would be comparatively slight compared with the initial ambition to overhaul the entire justice system, but it would be something.

This is his last shout to try and bring relief to as many people as possible, Gotsch said.

It has certainly come late in the day for the Obama presidency. Until he announced the clemency project in 2014, Obama displayed scant interest in this area indeed during the whole of his first term he granted pardons or commutations to only 23 people.

As recently as last March criminal justice experts were lamenting in the Washington Post that his record on pardons where individuals have their legal liabilities erased as opposed to commutations where their convictions still stand was so poor that Obama could go down as one of the most merciless presidents in history. It was only in 2016 that his drive for clemency really picked up speed, with 1,171 of the 1,324 lucky recipients gaining their freedom in the course of last year alone.

Obamas sudden burst of activity rocketed him from being a no-show on the clemency league table to being a titan among postwar presidents. Many of the reports on his late conversion to commuting and pardoning prisoners have noted that he has wielded his clemency power more times than the previous 11 presidents combined.

That characterization is misleading. Mark Osler, a law professor at the University of St Thomas who set up the first clemency legal clinic in the country, points out that Obama holds such a distinction only if you discount the clemency record of Gerald Ford.

In 1974, the Republican president granted clemency to 14,000 draft dodgers and deserters of the Vietnam war. That was a brave move, Osler contends, given that at the time draft dodgers were as popular as crack dealers are today.

Ford achieved his massive clemency rate by setting up a lean bipartisan operation that could push petitions through with minimum bureaucracy. By contrast, Osler criticizes the Obama clemency project for operating a system of review that is so cumbersome it has gummed up the process.

The professor lists seven consecutive hurdles, spanning four federal buildings, that any prisoner must negotiate to have her or his petition granted: The petition goes from a staff person at the pardon attorneys office to the pardon attorney, then it goes to a staff person at the deputy attorney generals office to the deputy attorney general, then to the staff at the White House counsels office then to the White House counsel, and finally to the president. And people are surprised that the results are so uneven.

As a lawyer who has represented more than 60 petitioners, Osler is keenly aware of the impact of Obamas efforts. For the 1,324 beneficiaries, he said, this was an incredible act of grace. The restoration to society matters, not just to them but to their families and communities.

But he is also keenly aware that the vast majority of more than 30,000 prisoners who have petitioned the president have been denied clemency or are still waiting for an answer. The problem is, I feel like the person after the shipwreck in the lifeboat seeing all the other people in the water.

Ramona Brant knows that feeling all too intimately. Many of her fellow prisoners she calls them her sisters are still incarcerated. There are still too many of my sisters left behind, she says.

Hopes for those people are fading with every day. President-elect Donald Trumps choice for US attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has been scathing of Obamas clemency project, denouncing it as an abuse of executive power. The chances of the Trump administration continuing to push for release of low-level drug offenders is slim to none.

Ramona Brant with her two sons, now grown up. Photograph: Brant family

As a way of doing her bit to keep the flame alive, Brant has spent much of the past year since she was released last February traveling the country speaking about the dual scourges of domestic violence and mass incarceration. She uses the power of her personal story to try to influence change.

I didnt just study criminal justice, I lived it. This has been my life and that of so many other women. The system is structured to incarcerate people, black women like me.

Brant, who was a mother of two young sons by her co-defendant and former boyfriend when she was arrested, thinks back on all the precious moments she missed over 21 years in a cell. I missed an opportunity to be a mother to my own children, to watch the first tooth come out, to take them to the first day of school; I wasnt by my fathers side when he died, or there when my mom was put to rest; I missed my first two grandchildren being born. No matter how many pictures you have on your wall they cannot replace the images in your mind, and I have no images.

She was there four months ago, however, at the birth of her third grandchild. She has begun to fill up the void.

She thanks Obama for that. He has given me an amazing gift, and I wish there was a way to express my gratitude. He knows he gave me a second chance, but I dont think he knows the depth of what it really means to be free.