#nova’s hundred follower event

[paimonial-rage]

hypothesis - yae miko

[another random writing event] | requested by @andromeda-nova-writing

sequel to spark and unwillingly

There was a reason you did not prefer drinking alcohol. It wasn’t that you found the taste off-putting or the buzz bothersome. It was that, when put in the right situations, you became daring. Somehow it became easy to ignore things like propriety and decorum as curiosity made its way to the forefront. Out of all the foolish decisions you made recently, deciding to have a drink with the woman you previously swore to protect was the worst of all.

There she sat beside you upon the veranda, a tokkuri of sake and two glasses between you both. The moon highlighted the cherry blossom pink of her hair as her violet eyes were narrowed with irritation. Her petal soft lips were pursed into a pout as she told you about how the Yashiro rascal got in her way yet again today.

If you had to be honest, you were only half listening as she spoke. Though she would certainly become even more upset when she found out, you simply weren’t over it yet. Even just a couple years ago never did you think you would be able to sit with her like this under the light of the full moon. You were her guard and that’s all you were ever supposed to be. You were supposed to be beneath her as a filthy half-breed.

Then suddenly you were free of that.

With a simple diary found by the Traveler, the truth was revealed. Lady Saiguu, the woman that took you in all those years ago, never intended a life of servitude for you. She didn’t view you as lesser due to your half-human heritage. She wished for you to be a companion to little Yae. If it weren’t for the interference of the sky kitsune elders, that was the road you would have traveled. And now after five hundred years, you were back on it.

What you found the most surprising, though, was how Yae refused to give up on you. Though you coldly rejected her, throwing your younger years of friendship away, she still kept you by her side. You were content to keep serving as her guard with that wall between you both, but she never stopped attempting to tear those walls down.

And now?

Though you still found it difficult to open up to her after holding back for centuries, you slowly found yourself opening up more and more. But there was still a wall you kept. You never came close, always opting to uphold a polite distance. You didn’t tease her as you did in the past. You often found it difficult to smile.

But…

Just for now, what if you didn’t? You were feeling daring, after all. What if you finally let yourself act in the way you had been wishing for centuries? Of course, you wouldn’t go all out. You weren’t brave enough for that yet. But still, what if a lesser amount? How would she react? How would she respond?

“Are you listening, First? Yes, I understand that I am quite the sight, but that’s hardly any reason to stare,” came the voice of your companion, no doubt irritated with your lack of response over the past few minutes.

Were you staring? Perhaps. The alcohol made it so you didn’t mind. Nor did her words embarrass you like how they normally would. Going by that, perhaps it would not be so bad to go a little farther, even if you would regret it come morning.

“You know you’ve always been the only person I’ve seen, Yae. Don’t fault me for that,” you said, your voice taking the soft pleading tone you used to use when you irritated her as children.

You wanted to laugh at the surprised expression that took hold of her face soon after, so you did. How long had it been since you last called her by her name and only that? Half a millenia, no doubt. She turned away.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed,” you followed up with a teasing smile.

Her form went rigid at that. Turning to you with a glare, she reached up and flicked your forehead. Hard.

“Just who do you think you are saying such honeyed words under the guise of alcohol? You don’t think I can’t see through you?”

And as you clutched your forehead bowled over from the pain, letting her rant and rave over your cheeky audacity, you thought it perhaps was a good idea that, as daring as you were, you weren’t so much so so as to mention the flush sitting cutely upon her cheeks.

—

[[First Chapter]] ~ | ~ [[Previous Chapter]]

[workersolidarity]

🇮🇱 🚨

ISRAELI MEDIA REVEALS OCCUPATION ARMY INSTITUTED THE "HANNIBAL DIRECTIVE" ON OCTOBER 7TH, KILLING HUNDREDS OF ISRAELI CITIZENS

📈 A infographic series by Palestinian news outlet the Quds News Network on the admission on Sunday, July 7th, of the Israeli media that the rumoured "Hannibal Directive", ordering the Israeli occupation army to fire on Israeli citizens who were taken hostage by Palestinian Resistance forces, and brought to the Gaza Strip, during the events of October 7th, 2023.

According to report published by Hebrew media outlet Haaretz, the Israeli occupation's Security apparatus ordered the occupation army to fire on any civilian vehicles headed towards the Gaza Strip, regardless if Israeli citizens were inside them.

This policy was instituted at the various sites where the Resistance penetrated during its incursion on October 7th, following reports, which surfaced during the chaos of that day, that Resistance fighters had kidnapped several Israeli citizens at the Erez Crossing, north of the border with the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli occupation forces responded by deploying "Zik" military drones, possibly referring to the Elbeit Systems Hermes 450 loitering munition, which targeted sites in Erez, as well as the Re'im military base near the location of the infamous Nova music festival.

The drones were also deployed to Nahal Oz, northeast of Gaza, and Kibbutz Nir Oz, east of central Gaza, all of which resulted in the deaths of an untold number of Israeli citizens, with some estimates suggested to be in the several hundreds.

The Israeli occupation army also deployed Merkava tanks to Kibbutz Be'eri, where Zionist soldiers reportedly fired shells at Israeli citizens who were being held captive in a civilian residence, killing at least 14 Israeli colonial settlers.

This was even admitted by the Israeli occupation forces, General Barak Hiram, who admitted to the Hebrew media that he prioritized the mission he was given by occupation leadership, over the lives of Israeli citizens being held captive.

Additionally, occupation aircraft also bombed several sites near the border with Gaza, due to orders they were given stating that "no vehicle should return to Gaza."

#videosource

#originalsourceHaaretz

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[i-am-aprl]

Back on October 7, at least 260 people died at the open-air Tribe of Nova Music Festival during a Hamas attack. Fast forward to today and the story takes on a new lens as the Israeli newspaper known as Haaretz just confirmed that some IDF helicopters also killed civilians at the music festival. Unexpected reports from residents have been circulating in the past few days of how several IDF helicopters mistakingly shot civilians.

When Hamas started their attack, IDF helicopters appeared on the scene to stop the attacks yet what resulted was the accidental killing of hundreds of Israeli citizens. The IDF were unprepared for the attack with the biggest issue being the difficulty of helicopter pilots differentiating what they see on the ground. Not having a clear vision of whether they were killing civilians or Hamas fighters, the pilots improvised and fired a huge amount of ammunition, literally emptying the belly of the helicopter in minutes. They followed that by re-arming and repeating the process.

The unplanned nature of the IDF attacks led to many Israeli civilians getting mistaken for Hamas fighters and getting killed by air attacks. Today, there are claims that the IDF was responsible for most of the civilian casualties using airstrikes, apache helicopters, tanking shelling, and crossfire.

These reports were also backed up by witnesses as one of the survivors of the Hamas attack said that Israeli citizens were “undoubtedly” killed by the Israeli military. Another witness, Rotim Holin who lives on the west side of the Kibbutz, said that Hamas fighters infiltrated her home but never hurt her family, as one of the soldiers said: “I’m Muslim, I’m not going to hurt you.”

With these new reports, more truth is being drawn out concerning the Hamas attacks and this may lead to new perspectives about the events that occurred back in October 7.

فجرت وسائل إعلام عبرية مفاجأة من العيار الثقيل، بخصوص تورط قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي في هجوم حماس على مستوطنين إسرائيليين يوم 7 أكتوبر الماضي.

ووفقًا لصحيفة هآرتس الإسرائيلية، فقد كان للمروحيات الإسرائيلية دورًا هامًا في إخبار عناصر حماس لمكان الحفل الإسرائيلي قرب مستوطنة ريعيم.

وأوضح التقرير أن المروحيات الإسرائيلية قامت باستهداف المستوطنين بالخطأ يوم هجوم 7 أكتوبر

وبحسب الصحيفة، فإن المروحية الإسرائيلية جاءت لصد هجوم حماس، إلا أنها استهدفت جمهور مهرجان الطبيعة بالخطأ والذي شهد مقتل نحو ٣٠٠ مستوطن.

ولفتت الصحيفة، إلى أن المروحية الإسرائيلية كانت سببًا في إرشاد عناصر حماس، بمكان المهرجان المكتظ بالجماهير رغم عدم معرفة المقاومة المسبقة بوجود المهرجان.

[we1come-to-swerves]

disclaimer!! ; [ the following contents ( dialogue, general storyline, characters ) entirely belong to james roberts. i own none of it! i am only responsible for the descriptions added. ]

word count ; 8,157

[ cybertron. yesterday. ]

“they say that 12 million years ago, on this very spot, the first cybertronian realized he could change shape,“ a flame-colored figure stood proudly before thousands of others; voice loud enough to reach any being from miles and miles away. “six million years ago, right here, nova prime told the world that he’d built an ark. and four million years ago to the day, optimus prime stood where i now stand and turned down megatron’s first and only invitation to surrender.“

loud cheers echoed from the masses and the response only seemed to fuel the bot in his speech, vocalizer raising the tone as he picked up, “what happens here tomorrow will rank alongside those moments. tomorrow, this patch of land becomes a launch pad. tomorrow, i will board the lost light and set off in search of our ancestors.“

“they were known as the knights of cybertron. they’re real. i’m going to find them.“ the cybertronian stated, almost matter of factly, before pausing for a second and only for a second. though the way the crowd froze— awaiting eagerly for his next words— could have fooled almost anyone present into thinking time itself had stopped and let an eternity slip past.

“and i want all of you to come with me!“ a buzz of excitement washed over the public. the cheers grew loud once more, perhaps even louder than before, and so time seemed to start again. 

rodimus’ hope-filled words rang across the large crowd of bots, each and everyone of them a different size, a different shape, a different color, but the same look of longing etched upon their features, “bumblebee says it’s your duty to stay here, on a planet you no longer recognize, among people who resent you for the sacrifices you’ve made in their name. i say: you’ve done your duty. the war is over. that day you never thought would come? that’s today.“

rodimus’ face, splayed across hundreds of screens for all the spectators to see, then broke into a grin as his voice softened just in the slightest; “you’ve earned the right to see the universe without a gun in your hand.“

as the crowd broke into a rhapsody of praises and applauses, rodimus prime turned to look back at his companions. he hadn’t been alone on that platform, despite what you could’ve been led to believe by the way all optics had seemed only capable of focusing on his frame during the speech. rodimus smiled proudly at drift, the latter returning the expression almost immediately as he nodded in approval, knowing already what his peer seeked. the orange bot’s smile turned into more of a cocky smirk however as he then sent a look to the imposing blue and red figure standing only a few steps behind him. ultra magnus’ famously strict expression did not change, but rodimus didn’t need it do so to know his soon–to-be second-in-command was pleased ( or, at least as pleased as he could be ) with the result of the launch announcement. 

two figures stood only a few meters away from the main crowd, looking on at the sea of people. “kid knows how to work a crowd. we could be witnessing a mass exodus at this rate.“ 

a mocking “pffft.“ and a cross of the arms was the only response.

wheeljack’s eyebrows raised as his optics moved to look at prowl in slight surprise. “are you disagreeing, or are your pistons playing up?“

prowl somehow managed to deepen his frown. “wheeljack. i can observe 800 moving objects and compute their direction of travel in 0.5 seconds. this is no different. as soon as rodimus said he was leaving i mentally compiled two lists: those who’d go with him and those who’d stay behind. trust me. all reliable indicators suggest that tomorrow’s launch...“

“...is going to be one big non-event.“

[ kimia. makeshift autobot headquarters. the autopsy room. today. ]

“he transformed himself to death.“ a body laid on the autopsy table; devoid of life, graying and riddled with holes of various sizes. a protest sign sat on the floor right next to it. “his transformation cog looks like a lump of coal. he must’ve been changing non-stop for weeks. where’d you find him?“

“outside, on the steps. he was a NAIL. a protestor. he did this on purpose, to draw attention to our ‘illegal occupation’ of cybertron.“ bumblebee’s optics followed ratchet’s frame as the latter rolled out from underneath the table and sat up, seemingly done with the autopsy. the smaller bot’s grim look never once left his face as he continued, hands placed on his cane for support, “thanks for looking him over. metalhawk said he’d only accept a verdict of suicide if it came from y—“

with a loud transformation noise, the corpse changed back into its alternate mode, cutting off bumblebee’s sentence and surprising him enough to make him drop his cane and almost topple over. “WOAH!“

"relax,“ ratchet reassured, practically unbothered as he got to his feet, “it’s just a reflex action. rigor morphis: the dead body assumes its preferred shape. and yeah, sometimes it’s the alt mode.“

ratchet glanced down at the vehicule now sitting on the autopsy table before raising both his hands so that they were at optic level. he scrunched up and stretched out his digits with a light frown. “he wasn’t dead when you brought him in. he still had a spark. it was tiny, but it was there. i should’ve been able to save him. an overheated transformation cog! i’ve fixed millions of them! millions!“ he gave a noise akin to a sigh as his frown deepened, “it’s these damn fingers. they’re getting too old. seizing up.“

“anyway...“ ratchet dropped his hands as he stared ahead blankly for a few moments before finally adjusting his voice module and continuing, “i’m leaving. with rodimus. tonight. i’m sorry. i’ve been waiting for the right moment to tell you.“ there was a pause and no answer followed. “the massively awkward silence suggests that probably wasn’t it...“

bumblebee slowly started shaking his head as he smiled almost in disbelief. “no. uh-uh. no way. you’re joking, right? this is one of your jokes.“ upon noticing ratchet’s averting gaze however, the yellow bot’s face fell. “i need you here, ratchet,“ he exclaimed, “you’re the best there is— the only autobot to have saved the life of every prime since nominus.“

“precisely.“ the doctor agreed sharply. “i’ve been doing this too long. it’s time someone else became chief medical officer— someone who isn’t losing their touch,“ he added with a certain sadness.

bumblebee raised his cane accusingly towards ratchet as his voice raised. “i’m panicking now. you’ve made me panic. i’ve got the shakes. look. look at the cane. see that? i’m not doing that on purpose.“

the taller cybertronian gently placed his hand onto the stick, lowering it slightly as he frowned. “you don’t even need a cane anymore. i told you, i’ve found the spare parts i need to–“

ratchet’s sentence was cut off as bumblebee started his rambling once again, “did he seek you out? rodimus. did he give you all that scrap about finding the knights of cybertron and ‘retracing our steps to the golden age’?“ the yellow autobot accused before finally letting his cane fall fully as he averted his gaze, his voice lowering and almost muttering this time. “it’s all scripted, you know. drift writes it for him.“

“look, it’s not about the destination so much as the journey. rodimus has promised to pick up some waifs and strays along the way. you and i both know that not everyone’s accounted for. a lot of autobots are still out there— and some of them could be injured. maybe i can help them. and maybe i can find a successor in the process. think of it—“ ratchet paused, choosing his words carefully before smiling slightly, “ think of it as my swan song.“

amongst dark rocky wasteland, a purple cybertronian jet can be vaguely distinguished. the figure seems to be flying around almost aimlessly; observing, reminiscing.

to the east: tetrahex, subterrania, pess pess, the vaulted heights of k’th kinsere, obex, mesmerica, the pious pools, and a badly lit basement where i first met scourge.

to the west: the first city, the fragmented whole, the shadow of the underbase, warrior’s gate, the transeptum of infinite reach, and a balcony where i watched the greatest moonrise of my life.

all gone, now. not ruined, just gone. removed.

my world has been scorched to the bone and now there’s nothing left except emptiness and the smell of burning metal. a far cry from what it was.

at least i’ve got my alt mode. at least i’ve got my wings. no i/d chip in the back of my head— rodimus was true to his word in that respect, at least.

maybe the chip wouldn’t have worked anyway... ever since i was ejected from vector sigma’s chamber i feel like i’ve been given a new lease on life.

the question is, what to do with it?

okay, cyclonus, time to bring the farewell tour to an end and see if rodimus remembers the promise he— wait. down there— life signs. familiar life signs.

the cybertronian gives a thoughtful hum. maybe there’s a reason to stay behind after all...

the jet stirs from its course and descends towards a small worn down structure.

[ kimia. prowl’s quarters. ]

“so. you’re off then.“ prowl crosses his arms, looking away from the bot in front of him. “this is a setback, chromedome. a real setback. i’m disappointed in you.“

a smaller cybertronian sitting only a few ways behind looks up from his datapad almost incredulously at those words. if the bot didn’t have a visor, his eyebrows would’ve been raised in almost disbelief at the audacity prowl had. optics glancing briefly from him to chromedome, the minibot doesn’t waste much time before going back to his initial task— seemingly choosing his mental well-being over involving himself in these matters.

“yeah, well i’m sure you’ll get over it.“ chromedome answers dryly, not having the will to look at the bot he’s conversing with either, choosing simply to tilt his head in the opposite direction instead.

this doesn’t end up being very efficient however, considering only mere seconds later, prowl latches onto his shoulders— forcing the two autobots to speak face-to-face. “i’m going to level with you. somehow— don’t ask me how— rodimus has found two hundred autobots willing to join him on his fools’ crusade. well, good riddance,“ prowl manages to growl out between clenched teeth, “i can make do without each and every one of them. but i can’t—“

“even ratchet?“ chromedome asks in a deadpan tone.

“ —make do without you. you’re gifted. you can do things no one else can. if i had your talents...“

“primus help us all.“

prowl’s head snaps towards the small autobot. “rewind! you’re his best friend. can’t you persuade him to—“ his face falls blank. “—your light’s on. are you recording this?“

the small camera attached to the left side of rewind’s head continues beeping a bright red, confirming prowl’s suspicion. the light emitting from rewind’s visor flickers, almost like a blink of surprise as he answers, “um...yes?“

“well don’t. it’s extremely annoying, you filming everything all the time.“

rewind motions to his camera. “i’m an archivist. i’m archiving,“ he states matter of factly. “this could be an important conversation. it could have repercussions!“

before prowl can respond, chromedome directs the bot’s attention back to the matter at hand, eager to finally end this tiring argument. “prowl, you and i go way back, yeah? you know i’ve done more for the autobot cause than most. and you know i’ve done things that, in hindsight, i bitterly—“ chromedome cuts himself off with an exasperated groan. “—oh, forget it. the point is, using my ‘talents’ in the way you suggest is hardly going to help me draw a line under the past.“

noticing his partner’s souring mood, rewind placed his datapads down and jumped off the table he’d been sitting on. a few quick strides and he was by his side, gently placing a hand on chromedome’s arm as he steered him away. “c’mon,“ he urged softly, “you’ve said what you wanted to say.“

prowl’s fists clenched. “you know what your problem is, chromedome? you think that just because the war is over we can afford to stop fighting!“ before his brain module could even process his own actions, prowl’s digits had reached the underside of the table and it was sent flying across the room, left-behind datapads clattering to the ground.

a few beats passed as he stared at the mess with a certain emptiness in his optics, his hand then finally reaching for his communicator and bringing it to his lips. “it’s me. prowl. i couldn’t change his mind. no, this was always a possibility. i’ve already made the necessary modifications. all you two need to do is load the cargo. what? yes, of course i’m serious. i’m always serious. “

[ cybertron. six million years ago. ]

note to self, tailgate: don’t panic.

a bot sat in almost complete darkness, the only light coming from his flickering visor and a jagged hole up in the ceiling of the cave he was in.

don’t panic and definitely don’t look at your legs.

he found that the task would be a lot easier if the missing limbs would quit emitting sparks every now and then.

find your calm place. think happy thoughts. everything’s fine. everything’s really, really fine.

the minibot’s optics drifted around the darkness, searching for a distraction, and catching sight of some scrap metal laying around. one of his digits had a nervous twitch as he tried to forget where that material came from in the first place. giving up on finding something in the surroundings that could occupy his thoughts, he simply offlined his optics for a moment and let his mind go blank as best as he could.

okay. okay, good.

and here comes the preliminary damage report, right on cue…

the panel on his arm flashed a bright blue as writing slowly appeared on the screen: “preliminary damage report: YOU’RE AN IDIOT.“

i’m a what? what kind of a damage report is that? if i believed in rungian analysis i’d say that my self-loathing has finally spread to my internal readouts.

tailgate looked up at the gaping hole in the ceiling above him, despair filling his optics. with all the spikes filling the edges of the opening, only a few rays of light were capable of reaching him and he knew that meant he too would hardly be visible through that gap from all the way down there if someone were to pass by. the thing is— the thing is— i am an idiot. taking a shortcut across the mitteous plateau, the most fragile terrain on the planet, just to make sure i reached the ark in time for takeoff. and now i’m trapped in these catacombs with— what— about six hours to go until launch. if nova prime and the others leave without me their mission is doomed to failure— yet all i can do is sit here and self-narrate.

his screen lit up again: “final damage report: ambulatory systems at 18% efficiency... internal chronometer malfunctioning... transformation cog misaligned... ATTEMPTING REPAIRS...“ tailgate’s spark seemed to dim as he read the words over and over. translation: no legs, no watch, no alt mode. could be worse, he tried to reassure himself unsuccessfully. 

tailgate stared blankly at the soft light emitting from a few energon cubes which had fallen out of the trailer he’d been carrying prior to his fall. he was surprised the vehicule managed to survive it without much damage. if only he could say the same for himself.

hey... the bot let himself fall forward as carefully as he could, placing himself in an adequate position to crawl as an idea slowly formed in his head. maybe i can use the equipment in my trailer to detonate my energon rations, blast a hole in the ceiling and call for help... the young cybertronian’s visor glowed brightly with new found hope. 

...good plan. ha! not such an idiot after all…

[ present-day cybertron. ]

“i’d just like to say... um,“ the bot hesitated before muttering: “argh. never done this before.“ scratching his head with a claw, metal creaking against metal, he tried once more. “okay, second attempt. i’d just like to say… thank you.“

fuel splashed around and out of the container as his arm moved around in a movement of impatience, his claws tightening around the bottle he held. “oh, come on— don’t give me that look, i’m being sincere! i am! look—“ he motioned towards his single optic, glowing eerily in the dimly lit room. “this is my sincere face.“

“now shut up a minute while i say my piece,“ the cybertronian growled out, pouring the remaining fuel onto the floor before continuing in a sort of disorganized ramble, “my life— i’ll be honest with you— my life hasn’t been that easy lately. i’ve had some ups and downs, you know? i’ve taken some knocks, yeah, i know, boo hoo,“ he almost mocked. “i mean, the whole wreckers thing— being dropped from the team— that was harsh. i know some people say i deserved it, but— yeah.“

his optic flickered down to the dozens of fuel containers laying at his feet for a brief second, a certain sorrow in his gaze. kicking one, he starts again. “so anyway— thank you. this private time we’ve shared— it’s meant a lot. over the last few weeks, ever since the NAILs came back, you’ve helped me get by. no, really, you have. you’ve helped me offload and vent my frustrations and— and express myself, i guess. i suppose in a way you’ve kept me sane.“

raising a small torch with the light reflecting off his autobot badge, the bot tilts his head as his optic slims, almost as if smiling despite his lack of features. “but all good things must come to an end, and if there’s one thing i’ve learned it’s how to say goodbye and mean it. so without further ado—“

before the flare can be freed from his claws and start its descent towards the fuel-covered floor however, a deep baritone voice interrupts: “hello? anyone in here?“ cyclonus opens the door tentatively, red optics glowing almost even brighter than the light creeping in from the outside. “scourge? is that you? i thought i detected your—“

whirl’s head snaps towards the intruder, a single yellow light meeting two crimson ones for a brief moment. cyclonus’ mouth falls agape as his gaze soon falls onto the strung up figures behind the cybertronian who he can now recognize is not scourge. mutilated bodies cover each wall of the room, lower bodies missing for some, nails planted into their arms and heads shoved inside chests for others.

“haven’t you ever heard of knocking?!“ whirl yells out in blatant rage.

“what the hell are you doing?“ the horned cybertronian almost demands, bewildered at the sight he’s been met with.

the only answer cyclonus receives however is whirl promptly taking off into a sprint and knocking him right out of the building, taking the door with the both of them. “oof! oh, so i’m the one in the wrong...?“

metal crashes against stone as cyclonus’ back lends roughly onto the ground, multiple meters away from the building. the guns attached to whirl’s torso dig uncomfortably into cyclonus’ stomach. the older cybertronian raises his hand in defense, trying to calm down his attacker. “listen, whirl— it’s whirl, right? i’m not interested in fighting.“

the bot’s eye turned into nothing more than a thin line. “tough...“ his left arm flung back, throwing the flare he had still been holding, right into the trails of fuel leading to the building. “...because i am!“

a massive explosion engulfed both cybertronians, reddish flames and fumes covering the area. a fighter jet escaped the fiery cloud, an attack helicopter following close behind.

[ the lost light. ]

chatter resonated from the long line of cybertronians, hundreds of optics observing the imposing starship stationed only meters away and preparing for launch. at the front of the queue, red alert looks up from his datapad with an unimpressed glance at the bot before him.  “i’m going to need to search your briefcase, brainstorm.“

“you’re kidding, right?“ the aforementioned bot asks, almost seeming offended by the question itself. “this case contains a work-in-progress,“ he shakes the luggage around in front of red alert’s disinterested optics as if to press his point, “if i open it outside of a controlled environment, do you know what’ll happen? end of the world, my friend. end of the world.“ 

upon noticing the impassive look he received, brainstorm continues, “i’m serious. i’m almost certainly serious. besides...“ the weapons engineer pats around his frame before pulling out a card and practically shoving it in red alert’s face once more. “...i’m exempt from all security checks. see? special dispensation from rodimus himself. it’s authentic. check out the rubsign.“

red alert glanced between the card and brainstorm’s smug look. “so as head of security i’m supposed to let the galaxy’s most famous weapons engineer on board without checking his bags?“

“the galaxy’s most famous weapons engineer, eh? you’ve been reading my autopedia entry...“ the winged bot somehow managed to look even smugger.

“did i say famous? sorry, i meant to say notorious.“ red alert deadpanned. “next!“

the head of security looked back down at his datapad as brainstorm walked by him and into the lost light with a grumble. “name?“ he asked.

“megatron.“ a deep voice answered. “but you can call me...death.“

red alert didn’t even need to look down at the much smaller red and white autobot to know who had spoken. “swerve. please tell me you’re here to wave us off.“

“no, no, no,“ the bot shook around his three-fingered hands, “i’m here for the quest. love a good quest. haven’t been on a quest since the whole luna 1 thing. the moonquest.“

“stop saying ‘quest’.“

swerve grinned. “so, can i go on board?“

“of course—“ red alert finally looked up from his datapad, optics narrowing. “if you promise to never ever speak.“

“next!“ he called out to the following passenger, a strange sound of almost disbelief escaping his voice box as his optics fell onto the numbers displayed under the cybertronian’s arm. “one hundred million!“ he exclaimed before awkwardly regulating his voice back to a more acceptable volume, “that’s an impressive serial code, er...“

the orange autobot’s optics, which had focused on his own arm at red alert's words, raised— staring at the bot before him incredulously. “it’s rung,“ he reminded with slight hurt in his voice, “you know me, red alert.“

“rung! of course! sorry! i didn’t recognize you...“

rung’s eyebrows raised. “i was your psychiatrist. for six centuries.“

“never mind that,“ red alert hurriedly tried to change the subject, “what’s in the crate?“ his finger pointed at the large box rung held against his chest.

the hum of aircrafts could be faintly heard in the distance.

“nothing. just trinkets,“ a small smile formed on rung’s face as he looked down at his collection, “i collect model spacecraft. arks, mainly.“ the bot took out one of the models and held it out for red alert to inspect.

both cybertronians still seemed unaware of the quickly approaching shapes on the horizon.

the head of security eyed the object curiously. “we were at war for four million years. how have you managed to hold onto this stuff?“ 

hearing red alert’s somewhat impressed tone, rung’s smile grew a little more. “i guess i have a knack for keeping out of harm’s—“

a purple fighter jet slammed into rung, putting an abrupt stop to his sentence and ripping off one of his arms with a loud “KUNK“. his collection of small aircrafts was sent flying into the long line of cybertronians, right along with the box in which they had been placed for better carrying. red alert and multiple other bots crouched instinctively as to avoid getting hit as well.

before anyone could even register what had happened, the jet continued its panicked flight, an attack helicopter giving chase but luckily not breaking any other unattending cybertronian’s arm off. 

[ the bridge of the lost light. ]

rodimus is leaning against the ship’s window, arm propped up above his head and gaze fixed on the outside. his attention is briefly turned towards his third-in-command however when he hears the familiar static of a voice module switching on. 

“and the total so far is...“ drift’s blue optics drift across the screen of a datapad. “two hundred and eight.“

a joyous laugh accompanied by a fist pump erupts from the flame-colored autobot. “oh yes. stick that up your exhaust, bumblebee.“ rodimus turns towards his companions, pride evident in his features.  “you know, when i gave that ‘gun in your hand’ speech i—“

“great speech.“

rodimus sent drift a grin. “thanks,“ he answered breathily before continuing. “—i never imagined so many would sign up. two hundred and eight? that’s amazing. that’s gotta be some sort of record.“

smiling slightly at the amazement in his captain’s tone, drift turns towards the taller bot beside him, handing him the datapad he had been holding, “your new crew mates, ultra magnus.“

the second-in-command's face scrunches as his optics land on the screen however and drift tilts his head at the sight. “why are you frowning? i mean, why are you frowning even more than normal?“

rodimus, who had been standing a few ways behind, turned his head towards the window as his audio receptors picked up the low sound of engines. optics narrowing at the sight of a vaguely familiar purple jet, his attention was brought back to his companions before he could ponder too much on it. 

“he’s dangerous... he’s delusional... he’s a liar... he’s mad— i mean literally mad...“ ultra magnus went on and the sheer intensity of his glare only seemed to increase as his gaze moved down the list of names. “he was demoted after that incident with the turbofox... i arrested him for impersonating a senior officer... he owes me money... i don’t trust him or him, especially not in their combined form... and if he’s who i think he is, never, ever let him near a crossbow.“ ultra magnus sighed as he lowered the pad, “and those are just the a’s.“

the datapad seemed tiny sitting in his particularly large hands as he handed it to rodimus’ open digits. “you should’ve put me on the door. i’d have turned away any wayward characters.“

rodimus scoffed humorously, “magnus, your definition of a wayward character is an autobot who wears their badge at an angle.“

the autobot’s expression stayed perfectly serious as he gave a curt nod, “yes, in direct contravention of the military regalia act!“

rodimus grinned. “sometimes i wonder how you see the world, my friend.“

ultra magnus stared at the two bots before him, his internal readouts displaying information on what his optics were reading as usual.

[ rodimus

dreams of being heroic and important. tends not to follow rules too closely. means well but his impulsive actions often get him into trouble. can be hotheaded.

risk of future criminal activity: variable. ] 

[ drift: ex-decepticon

resist urge to arrest on sight. used to fight for megatron. one of the most terrible warriors ever to stalk the face of cybertron. granted amnesty under the reintegration act.

risk of future criminal activity: off the scale ]

magnus stayed quiet.

the sound of two missiles being fired tore through cybertron’s skies. cyclonus maneuvered around the projectiles, feeling their heat as he passed in between them. “alright—“ a loud crash echoed as they ended their course against a rocky peak, cyclonus changing back into his robot mode and landing on that same structure only mere seconds later. "—enough is enough.“

the horned cybertronian used his left arm and legs to put his skidding to a halt, metal claws digging into rocky ground. “i said i didn’t want to fight you, but that doesn’t mean i won’t. and when i get going, i will kill you,“ his voice rumbled threateningly. “i don’t even know why you’re doing this.“

“you barged in. you saw things.“ whirl reminded as if that was reason enough.

“which— URGH!“ cyclonus threw his arms in front of his own chest protectively as whirl’s alt mode slammed into him, though it did not do much to soften the impact. the metal plating of his chest creaked painfully. “—implies that i’m going to tell someone what i saw. which in turn implies i care. i don’t. i mistook the sweeps for scourge. my mistake. end of story.“

whirl shifted back to his robot mode, effectively throwing cyclonus even further along the peak in the process and making him land roughly at the edge of the summit. “oof!“

whirl’s singular optic glowed menacingly as he approached the older cybertronian in quick strides. “they were already dead. i just scraped ‘em off the ground. besides, they were never really alive, were they? not alive alive. they’re like turbofoxes— a brain stem, a weak spark and a set of learned responses. so i wasn’t actually doing anything wrong.“

cyclonus groaned slightly as he started to get back to his feet. “whirl, i don’t care,“ he insisted once more. “i’m late for an appointment. now can we please stop fighting?“

“what do you think, decepticon?“

the purple cybertronian sighed in growing frustration. “i’m not a decepticon. never have been. i fought beside galvatron as a fellow cybertronian. now— for the last time— are we done?“

“AAAARRRGGHH!“ 

that was the only answer he got as whirl charged directly at him. whirl’s metal limbs collided with cyclonus’, throwing both bots off the cliff and sending them plummeting towards the ground below.

[ the past. ]

tailgate’s small form was slowly nearing his trailer. the energon cubes sat only a few ways from him, casting a soft glow on his visor as if taunting him. 

this would be... easier... if i didn’t keep...

his hand reached forward though it didn’t get very far before his vision went black as his system shut down, his upper body crashing onto the floor.

time passed.

the gears in his body slowly started wiring once more as his optics turned on, letting him see again.

...passing out.

tailgate felt out of it. he could barely tell how much time he had spent stuck in this cave. he couldn’t even feel some of his limbs anymore; the remaining ones, that is. 

still... if i’ve done my sums right... i’m gonna reach the ark in time...

he reached a shaky hand forward once more, determined to carry out his plan.

three figures make their way through rocky peaks in quick, hurried strides. 

chromedome stares down at the screen on his arm. “ten minutes to launch,“ he sighs before glancing at his short partner, who’s leading the way only a few steps ahead of him. “you know, rewind, if you had a decent alt mode we wouldn’t have to walk to the launch pad.“

“oh, it’s started,“ rewind exclaimed, throwing his arms back in exasperation, “the alt mode bashing. every time you get agitated...“ the small autobot took on a fakely enthusiastic tone, “let’s have a go at rewind because he turns into a giant memory stick and not a... super space tank or— or— whatever.“

chromedome glanced down at him with a shrug. “i just don’t see the point of turning into a giant memory stick. you might as well be a monoformer!“

“remember the old saying? ‘everyone’s shape serves a purpose.’“

ratchet huffed out a laugh. “yeah? tell that to sky lynx.“

SKATCH!

the words had barely left ratchet’s lips when the loud sound of two figures violently crashing onto the ground only a few meters before them muffled the echo of his voice almost fully.

chromedome, rewind and ratchet all stopped in their tracks, optics widening in shock. they seemed frozen to the spot for a few seconds, as if their processors needed a little extra time to understand what had just happened. 

a cloud of dust and rubble had covered the shapes of those who’d crashed mere moments ago. the three autobots could only vaguely distinguish a figure slowly getting to its feet as the sound of metal limbs moving around was heard. 

tentatively, ratchet took a few steps forward; letting his optics adjust as the dust slowly settled. his gaze focused on the standing figure first, something akin to disbelief spreading across his features.

“whirl..?“

the lanky bot towered over the purple figure, who had taken most of the impact from the fall, judging from his lack of movement. the cybertronian laid face first on the broken and cracked rocks, one of his horns laying not far before him, detached from his helm.

ratchet frowned in slight confusion. “you okay? what’s going on?,“ he questioned the ex-wrecker.

whirl seemed agitated as he answered accusingly; “he attacked me after i caught him desecrating corpses. i suggest you look away now if you have an aversion to exploding heads,“ he almost growled, as he lowered the guns attached to his chest towards his target.

ratchet had approached whirl enough to reach out a hand in an attempt to calm him down. “he’s offline, whirl,“ he pointed out, “whatever he’s done, he’s not a threat. best lower the gun, eh?“

whirl’s head whipped around, optic thinning into a glare. “you talking me down, doc? is this you talking me down?“ his voice raised dangerously. “like i’m some kind of maniac that needs— that needs talking down?“

ratchet put his hands forward cautiously, as if surrendering. it wasn’t hard to notice whirl’s growing agitation, and he wasn’t much of a fan. he couldn’t comprehend why the ex-wrecker was so set on finishing off this offline cybertronian; but then again, this was whirl. his decision making skills were questionable at best, it was better not to ponder on them too much. nevertheless, he tried to reason once again, against his better judgment, “i’m just saying—“

“no, i’m just saying. he started it. i’m finishing it. and a nice, clean headshot is always the best way to finish it,“ the bot uttered with finality, the barrels of his firearms starting to glow dangerously as he prepared his shots, still aimed directly at cyclonus’ unmoving frame.

ratchet’s optics widened. chromedome took a step forward, as if to help the medic stop him. rewind went to hold his partner back but stopped in his tracks as a strange sound reached his audials. the smaller bot looked around in slight confusion; strangely enough, it had sounded as if coming from below. a bad feeling washed over him, and he seemed ready to alert the others of it when— FROOM!

“ARRGH!“ whirl’s agonizing scream resonated along with the sound of the blast. a huge, bright, purple ray of energy had sliced right through the ground below the group of cybertronians, hitting whirl straight on and blasting off both his firearms and a chunk of his chest plating in the process. his figure, along with multiple pieces of debris, were blasted back multiple meters away, landing roughly on the rocks.

the three bots who were still standing approached in quick strides the newly made opening in the ground, clearly in complete shock at the string of events which had just occurred, and continues occurring. staring down the fuming, gaping hole, it was quite hard to see much. but a tired voice was soon heard.

“any chance of a hand?“

rewind, chromedome and ratchet glanced at each other. a few beats passed. then, chromedome shrugged, getting to work, as the others soon followed. and with a joint effort, a small blue and white cybertronian was soon pulled from the cave.

“c’mere, pal. i don’t believe we’ve met,“ chromedome stated as he grabbed tailgate’s arms as to fully pull him out of the opening.

“have— URGH!“ tailgate yelped in pain as chromedome held him up fully, though the latter didn’t exactly seem to notice the small one’s discomfort, head only tilting to the side at the sight of his missing legs instead. “—have i missed the launch?“

this question was soon the least of the cybertronian’s worries however when his gaze landed on whirl’s battered figure, laying motionless some distance away. the small one’s spark seemed to visibly drop at the sight. “by the shadow of the underbase!“ he exclaimed. “did i do that?“

seeing his agitation, chromedome tried to place the damaged cybertronian down, but the latter’s panicked movements made this quite a challenge, resulting in the taller bot dropping him a little too high from the ground; the poor guy’s frame therefore crashing rather roughly on the rocks. chromedome flinched slightly at the impact and seemed ready to apologize, but if the fall had hurt him, tailgate didn’t even seem to register it as he only continued to panic on the aftermath of his escape from the hole he had, inexplicably to the others present, been in.

“stay calm. stay calm. stay calm.“ tailgate’s frame started shaking and his optics began fizzing, sparks buzzing from his visor. he reached a trembling hand forward, as if trying to crawl towards his accidental victim. “he’s de— he’s de— he’s de—“ the panic was getting the best of him, his voice box kept cutting off his own sentences, “—he’s dead! i killed him!“ 

a defeated sound akin to a cry left him, before his frame came crashing down completely; his upper body slamming against the ground, as his body seemed to shut down on his own from the sheer intensity of his own emotions.

ratchet, chromedome and rewind stood in silence and let a few seconds pass by. their optics moved from the purple cybertronian, still laying face first against the rocks, the still fuming hole, the debris scattered all around them and whirl’s chest which continued to fume as well. chromedome’s visor flickered, as if blinking in disbelief at the scene before him, despite witnessing the whole of it with his very own optics only mere moments ago.

rewind stared at tailgate’s unmoving frame. “this is turning into a very odd day.“

ratchet let out a sigh as he finally seemed to regain control of his limbs, the surprise slowly subsiding. he bent down next to tailgate’s small frame, placing a hand on the latter’s back gently. "whoever he is, he’s just had some sort of panic attack. he mentioned the launch. i’ll fix him once we’re on board the lost light.“ the doctor’s optics then fixed themselves on another wounded’s figure. “i’m going to regret saying this,“ he started with a slight grimace, “but we’d best bring whirl along too. we can’t risk leaving him... well, anywhere, really.“

rewind glanced around quickly, before starting to turn around. “i’ll, er, catch you guys up... i’ve just got to say goodbye to someone.“

ratchet and chromedome nodded in acknowledgment at the minibot's words, before soon busying themselves with carrying the two battered bots; though chromedome's gaze stayed fixed curiously on rewind as the latter’s frame disappeared in quick strides towards only he seemed to know where. 

two cybertronian figures stood in an alleyway between wordown buildings.

“yeah, yeah, i got ‘em. wasn’t easy, though. you’re gonna have to pay me double.“

rewind scoffed, almost snatching the disks from the hands of the con before him. “swindle, i’d be happy to— provided these are genuine.“

swindle put his hands up in defense with a sly grin at the subtle accusation, “hey, you can’t fake this stuff.“ he tapped the objects with one of his digits, before tilting his head. “i gotta say, i didn’t think wholesome little autobots like you were into this kind of thing.“ 

the decepticon chuckled. “you’re sicker than i gave you credit for.“ 

the smaller bot glared slightly at swindle's words before glancing down at their reflections in the golden disks he held. for once, rewind’s camera was not on.

aboard the lost light, rodimus prime sat in the captain’s chair, hands resting on the armrests placed on either side of him as the ship prepared to finally take off. his second and third in command stood only a few ways behind, busying themselves with checking, and double-checking that everything was in order for the launch.

“red alert wants to talk to you. something about ratchet bringing a weapon of mass destruction on board...?“ drift trailed off in slight confusion at the words he himself was reading, looking up from the datapad.

“it can wait,“ rodimus assured, optics still fixed forward, “it’s time we were off.“ 

“incoming call from bumblebee.“ magnus stated. “want to take it?“ he turned his head towards his captain questioningly.

rodimus’ optics narrowed slightly, before blankly answering; “no.“

cybertron’s skies had grown dark; thousands of stars were now perfectly visible against the deep shades of blue. prowl and bumblebee stood amongst a small crowd of bots; sky lynx and mirage not far from the two. even from multiple miles away, the lost light was perfectly visible.

a loud rumbling resonated amongst the plains as the rear thrusters began emitting bright blue lights; preparing for the take-off, at long last. the huge ship slowly lifted off the pillars which had been supporting it thus far.

prowl’s frown seemed to deepen as he looked on. bumblebee’s face, on the other hand, was blank. although, his hands, which were clasped on his cane for support, had a particularly tight grip this time around.

once at a high enough distance from the ground, the lost light angled itself towards the skies. the bright light of the engines now facing the crowd, shining upon their figures.

bumblebee turned his head towards prowl, “i thought you said you had a plan.“

bumblebee’s head snaps towards the skies once more however at the booming sound of an explosion, horror filling his optics at the sight they’ve all been met with.

only then does prowl glance down at the smaller bot’s frame, optics fixed on the latter's reaction.

the lost light had disappeared in a gigantic, fiery explosion, only mere seconds after its take-off. 

[ elsewhere. ]

amongst the darkness of space and the thousands of stars stands a lone planet. craters of various sizes, ranging from obscenely large ones to smaller joint patterns, cover its surface. a trail of greenish gas follows the planet in its slow course.

a large, bright blue light flashes only a few miles before it. with tendrils of energy crackling around, the lost light appears. 

flashing red lights, a blaring alarm; panic fills the command chamber of the lost light. multiple bots have to resort to clinging onto nearby objects to stay afoot as their ship suffers rough shakes. the more unfortunate knock against walls or end up thrown against the hard floor.

a disoriented rodimus attempts to stay upright as best as he can, leaning most of his weight on the tilting side of the ship. “would somebody please tell me what just happened?“ he demands loudly, trying his best to be heard over the loud, blaring sounds. “perceptor? mainframe? highbrow? anyone?“ the captain glances around frantically. “COME ON!“

“we quantum jumped before we were ready!“ finally answered mainframe, tapping away at the ship’s control pannels, desperately attempting to fully understand the current situation. “we’ve hopped halfway across the galaxy and we’re flying blind, and i’m sorry but i don’t know why!“ he concluded agitatedly.

“damage?“ rodimus asked through gritted teeth. this wasn’t going well.

mainframe grimaced. “one of the rear thrusters exploded, deck 6 is in flames and—“ a horrified look spread across his features as his optics locked with a particular something on the screen before him. “oh no.“

rodimus’ head snapped towards the bot at the latter’s alarmed tone. “what? what is it?“

“we’ve got a hull breach— one of the hangars on the upper decks.“

the captain’s optics widened with evident panic. the hangars were filled with passengers. a breach meant there was a high chance multiple of them had either been seriously harmed or sucked out of the ship entirely. this wasn’t just an unfortunate start to their quest anymore; cybertronian lives were at risk.

“resealing... now, structural integrity restored. heat shields in place. rodimus?“

rodimus’ fists clenched. “set us down,“ he ordered. “we’re not going anywhere until we find out why the quantum engines malfunctioned.“

he didn’t need to insist. the piloting team immediately got to work, and the lost light entered the nearby planet’s atmosphere soon after his words; flames licking at the front portion of the starship in its fast descent towards the plain, rocky ground below.

drift, who had managed to get back up once the lost light had calmed down on the shaking, checked the command screen, blue optics taking in as much of the information present as quickly as he could. “sensors indicate we’re missing fizzle, polaris, waverider, hyperion, rad... we’re 40 autobots down, all told,“ he glanced worriedly at his captain. “they must have been... i mean, the breach must’ve—“

rodimus didn’t let him finish. “they’re not dead,“ he declared, as if stating a sure fact. “i’ll tell you that now. no one dies on my watch. no one. not this time,“ despite the determination in his words, his voice shook ever so slightly as he assured the last part. “we’ll find them. as soon as we touch down, we’ll find them...“

“...we’ll find them and we’ll fix them and we’ll get back on track, and we’ll make this day a good day.“

“big place,“ rodimus remarked, leg propped up on the rim of a nearby crater and optics scanning the surroundings. there was only rocky uneven wasteland as far as they could see. two rather large planets, similar to the one they were on, could be seen in the skies. “where do we start?“

ultra magnus, who was standing a little closer to the ship, tilted his head. “how about over there?“ he proposed, pointing somewhere before the two of them.

rodimus’ gaze followed magnus’ digit. raising his hand to shield his optics, he stared curiously at the dozens of lights seemingly raining from the planet’s skies. “under the meteor shower?“ he questioned in slight confusion.

the second in command glanced at his captain, an unreadable expression on his face. “that’s not a meteor shower. that’s fizzle, polaris, waverider, hyperion, rad... they’re burning up as they enter the atmosphere.“

a deep exhale escaped rodimus, as he let himself crash down on a nearby boulder. “not a good start,“ he muttered with a grimace, digits pinching the bridge of his own nose as he let his optics offline.

“sorry?“

the captain groaned. “i said not a good start.“

[ cybertron. prowl’s quarters. ]

the table which had been thrown multiple hours before still lays on its side. datapads and the such are scattered around, untouched since they had landed from their fall in their respective spots earlier in the day. amongst those, a transmitter crackles to life. scrambled, buzzing sounds can be heard, echoing through the dimly lit room until, slightly clearer this time—

“hell— kzzk! hello...?“ speaks a barely distinguishable voice. “can anybody hear me? it’s— kzzk! of the lost light.“ 

multiple miles away, amongst purple rocky plains, a large, cleanly cut hole is visible. rubble of various sizes surround it. only a few steps away, the ground is cracked and partially shattered. a metal horn still lays on the broken surface. though, no cybertronian is in sight.

the transmission continues. “this message is an experi— kzzk! a failed experiment, i think. because if it had worked, i wouldn’t have had to send it in the first place... i’m calling from the future and— wait a second— and i have a— kssk!— for rodimus: abort the mission. do not leave cybertron. there are terrible things out here, we were not prepared.“

a long distance away, at the lost light’s launch pad, bumblebee sits quietly. his helm is held tightly between his hands. prowl stands only a few steps away from him, optics blank and mouth forming a thin line, simply looking on at his fellow autobot’s mourning. he finally lets his gaze wander, optics landing on small, orange forms not far from the two of them; models of arks, spacecrafts.

“but if i’ve miscalcula— kssk!— and we’ve already left, please find a way to get this message to him now. it’s a list of dos and don’ts. actually it’s just a list of don’ts. don’t open the coffin. don’t let them take skids. don’t go to delphi. and do not— i repeat do not— look in the basement. and for the sake of the cybertronian race itself, please dont— KZZZZZZZK!!“

the unoccupied room falls deathly quiet.

[nyotasaimiri]

Arc Two 119

Nyota was glad to have Lumen’s shoulder to lean on subtly as they returned to the medbay. Hadley caught her eye and grinned.

“Your hands are shaking there, Captain. You have too much coffee?”

Nyota’s best answer was a grimace, which earned her a knowing laugh.

Lumen chuckled and nudged Nyota along. “Come on, ma’am. Next one down’s yours.”

“As you say.” His warm hands were very soothing as weariness and caffeine jitters waged their private war over her joints. The heat worked its way between the combatants and she relaxed with a quiet sigh.

Lumen patted her shoulder. “That does it, eh? Sit tight and I’ll get ya some water so ya don’t get a noggin-cracker tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

Nyota watched him head over to the sink, playing over the evening’s events in her head. As he handed the full glass to her, she led in with a small smile. “So, you and Namina, then?”

“I can’t tell if you’re just playin’ with me, or if ya actually ain’t surprised, Captain.” Lumen chuckled warmly, but there was an odd little flicker to his glow that Nyota hadn’t seen there before.

“I’ll let you decide that one.” She took a long drink and paused. “You don’t seem happy, Lumen.”

“Well, ain’t yer eye sharp?” He waved her off half-heartedly. “Don’t ya mind it, Captain. Jus’ wishful thinkin’.”

The words hung in the air, and drew her question out slow and soft, like a sliver of glass. “There’s more to this than I see, isn’t there?”

Lumen made a quiet static sound. “Sure is, ma’am. See, it ain’t me and Fern-fangs. I think it’s him and Eldie.”

Nyota took this in slowly and carefully. This was delicate ground, and with what Lumen had told her before of his hesitant, too-slow interest in Sonny’s mother… “He has been bolder with her,” she said, keeping her voice as close to neutral as she could. “Not really reckless like he is with the rest of us. Showing off, nearly.”

Lumen nodded. “That is showin’ off, for a floran. When they got someone they want to stick by, they get all…” He waved his hands with another noise of frustrated static. “Careful-like, I guess. Show off them fangs but make sure ya don’t eat dirt with them, does that make sense?”

Nyota nodded and set the glass down. “I think I see it, then. How odd…” She chuckled quietly. “How exactly unlike humans.” It stung, deep in her chest, as she realized she did not know what it was like for apex. Not what it was supposed to be like.

Lumen flickered and dimmed. “That’s right, ma’am. It sure is funny.” He brightened a little again, in a way that felt like a forced smile. “So, I thought I’d show Eldie how it’s done a bit. Got SAIL to tell me a few tricks, offered to help. She ain’t as stubborn as some folks I know, see.”

Nyota took the friendly jab with a smile—Lumen needed it right now. “Has she learned well?”

He snorted and made his plasma fizz like a shaken soda. “Golly but I hope not. Ya heard the fool I did out there. Shucks but I’m rusty, ain’t I… used to be right good at this sort of thing when I was Sonny’s age. But that was half a century ago, I guess. Ain’t short even by a nova’s age. Still, it made her laugh, and that’s alright.”

Ah. There it was. “You want to be happy for them,” Nyota said gently.

Lumen nodded, just once, and left his head bowed. “I sure do, ma’am.”

She offered a hand. “But it’s hard when you feel sad for yourself.”

He sighed and took her hand. “A hundred years old is too dang old to feel like this.”

“That’s what I said about twenty-eight,” Nyota replied solemnly. “Which one, then? Or both?”

He hummed with a deep note of appreciation that she hadn’t heard in a long time. “Both indeed. Ya do see bright. That’s what got me so riled, I think. Can’t have both, can I?”

“Why not?” Nyota looked straight at him as he straightened up with a startled whirr. “Apex tend toward pairs, but not always. And Floran have never quite followed the ‘rules’ that others might set out for them. Go ahead. Ask them.” She gripped his hand tighter. “Lumen. You really do have nothing to lose.”

“Ya really sure?” He was shaking a little, with laughter and with something out of her reach.

Nyota folded her other hand over his. “You’re afraid of losing them. Listen to me. I have loved and lost too many times, and I think you have too, haven’t you?”

“Now that ain’t fair, readin’ me so,” he protested, his usually warm orange glow muted by swirling, confused, unhappy clouds.

Nyota gave him a sharp look and he quieted down. “Lumen,” she said, “we may lose either way, even if we don’t reach. Why not reach, then?” She put a hand over her heart, over the pale scar. “Believe me. You do have nothing to lose.”

“Golly.” He broke off with a sigh, like metal relaxing as the heat went out of it, but the heat stayed in his hands and voice. “Well. Well, ain’t it the purdiest irony for my captain to be tellin’ me to follow my heart?” He reached up as if aiming to flick her nose, keeping back just enough that she felt the barest whisper of static from his shell. “Ya know I ain’t got a heart, right?”

She smiled, her own heart so warm with the mischief and moment. “Your brand, Lumen. Have you looked in the mirror?”

He might have been Sonny for a moment there, laugh whistling almost as high as her teakettle chimes, bright as a fire. “Darnit, ya got me there. Tarnation, ma’am. And thank ya kindly. I ain’t ready. But ya watch. I’m gonna try.”

[nolwally]

Multimedia Journal #3, Shina Nova

Shina Nova (Novalinga) is a Canadian Inuk throat singer who teaches people about her Inuk culture as well as advocates about problems faced by Native Americans through her Instagram account @shinanova. In 2020, Shina Nova began posting on her Instagram videos of her and her mother throat singing, a traditional part of her culture, but she has also spoken out about a variety of issues including mental health. She quickly gained a large following on Instagram and TikTok and is most well known for her throat singing videos where she shares a part of her culture that has been oppressed and disappearing. In her videos, she often wears beaded and feathered jewelry as well as other handmade fur and patterned items of clothing, and she proudly embraces her family's culture and history. Shina Nova and her mother can be seen throat singing in the image below.

Inuit throat singing among women in Inuit groups in Canada was banned in the early 20th century by Christian missionaries because they thought that the music sounded "satanic." Now, the practice is greatly at risk and Shina Nova and her mother are trying to revive this tradition in the younger generation of Inuit people. Shina Nova has said, "I'm bringing back what was shamed upon." More about Inuit throat singing can be read in the article below.

In class, we read about what happened at Wounded Knee in Ronald Takaki's "A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America." In the mid to late 1800's, Ghost Dancing became popular on Sioux reservations as the Native Americans danced to their great spirit in order to revive the plentiful game of the land and to protect them from the "whites" (Takaki 214-215). Afraid of Native American resistance and this misunderstood ritual, the Indian bureau of Washington arrested two Sioux chiefs which would start a chain of events that would ultimately lead to the massacre of hundreds of Native Americans at Wounded Knee. Here, a cultural practice of the Sioux people, dancing to talk to their sprits, was misunderstood as dangerous by the white people and not only prevented the Sioux people from the practice but led to tragedy. The way that a Native American practice was misunderstood and banned is a very similar story to how throat singing was banned, because it sounded "satanic," and how lots of Native American culture has been covered up and lost. In order to attempt to assimilate the Native Americans into white culture, they were also forced into harsh education and discipline on the reservations (Takaki 220). Children were forced into boarding schools and had to give up their native language and customs and faced brutality and horrible conditions, further causing a loss of many Native American traditions (link below with more information).

The issues at boarding schools is another thing that Shina Nova brings into discussion on her social media. Shina Nova's account both teaches people about her Inuk culture and the history of her people, but she also works to continue the conversation about what can happen moving forwards and also tackles current issues.

Citations:

Balsam, Joel, and Stephanie Foden. “A Revival of Indigenous Throat Singing.” BBC Travel, 15 Apr. 2021, www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210414-a-revival-of-indigenous-throat-singing.

Cooper, Anderson. “Canada’s Unmarked Graves: How Residential Schools Carried out ‘Cultural Genocide’ against Indigenous Children.” CBS News, 6 Feb. 2022, www.cbsnews.com/news/canada-residential-schools-unmarked-graves-indigenous-children-60-minutes-2022-02-06/.

“Shina Nova and Her Mother Throat Singing on TikTok.” CTV News, 24 Jan. 2021, https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/this-inuk-throat-singer-and-her-mom-are-keeping-their-culture-alive-on-tiktok-1.5280181?cache=.

“Shina Nova/Facebook.” Canculture, 7 Mar. 2022, https://www.canculturemag.com/arts/2022/3/7/these-5-women-advocates-are-championing-for-change.

Takaki, Ronald T. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Back Bay Books, 2008. 

[kittydoesthings]

oc

tell me?

THE FLOODGATES HAVE BEEN OPENED

I am rotating so many characters in my brain constantly but the good news is they can all be sorted into four different stories here we goooooooooooooo

Double Cross is the name of the story I've made for Shadow, my void creature OC. It also stars Molly (formerly the human version of Shadow who is now retconned into her own character) and Kiki, with the recent additions of Mimi, who is Kiki's twin sister, and Synthia, that cyborg pop idol girl who is Molly's girlfriend and has recently started to be developed into a minor antagonist. Double Cross follows Shadow and their friends as they work as bounty hunters and deal with the long dormant repercussions of Shadow's destructive actions from before they were sealed away in an amulet for a few hundred years.

OS Installed: S.K.I.P. is what I've decided to call the story focused around my adorable little robot OC, Skip! Weirdly enough, even though she's the OC I've drawn the most, she has the least character development out of all my OCs. So far she's the only character but I did mess around with the idea of giving her an older sibling. OS Installed is about Skip powering on in what's left of the factory that built her, and traveling through the nature-reclaimed company to figure out what happened.

The Adventures of Star Girl is basically my pride and joy right now; it's the story of my oldest ever OC, Star Girl (real name being Millie), journeying through outer space as a magical girl, accompanied by a crew of aliens who she befriends along the way. Said aliens are Lu'Xivrri (nicknamed "Lulu" for convenience), Minji, Toady, H-311, and Nova (who is technically not an alien). Nova starts out as one of the main antagonists, but eventually joins the crew as an ally, as well as being Millie's love interest. An asteroid containing a powerful artifact crashes in the woods near Millie's hometown, and she discovers that with it she gains immense power. Unfortunately, a whole lot of huge alien monsters also want that power, but since she's the one with the magic space rock, she can easily take them down. She then meets Lulu, who yells at her about the mess she's gotten herself into. They then tell her just how dangerous this crystal she picked up really is, and how they're part of an organization that deals with overpowered god artifacts so that they don't fall into the wrong hands and half the universe explodes. They didn't beat the native life of Earth to the artifact though, and now it's bonded to this random human. Millie, now going by the alias of Star Girl when she does her magical girl transformation, makes the difficult decision to leave Earth behind and fly out into the cosmos with Lulu in order to protect the people she loves on her planet.

And now last but not least, Heroes of the Grove, my newest story, features my two newest OCs, Ashley and Mellodica. Long-time followers of this blog might know that Ashley isn't technically my newest character, being based off of a version of Bow Kid from one of my many AUs for A Hat in Time (started out as the protag of the defunct Dream AU and then eventually swapped over to being a Gem AU character, and has since been retconned out of the story). On a school field trip to the forest one day, Ashley strays from the group and no-clips through the ground. Rather than end up in the backrooms, Ashley finds herself in the Grove, a world parallel to Earth in the form of a huge cave system containing a lush forest. Though she has mild wilderness survival skills left over from when she was a girl scout, Ash knows she's not going to last long in this place; there be monsters in them woods. Luckily, Mellodica, the princess of the Grove, finds Ashley and offers her a place to stay. While staying there, Ash and Mel come across an old prophecy about two heroes stopping a calamity from befalling the Grove. Predicted events start happening soon after, and even though the dusty text didn't specifically mention a human and a princess being said heroes, Ashley and Mellodica decide to step up to the roles anyway- it might be fun!

Additional fun facts!

Shadow initially started out as my sona, being an elaborate joke about how since the void is literally the concept of non-existence and they are a creature made of and from the void, they do not exist and therefore I do not have a sona.

Skip's full name is System Knowledge Innovation Program 3.0, and her "full name" is Skip GoodDay (Good Day Inc. is the company that made her).

I have recently decided that Star Girl's character arc is that "step one, establish character filled with joyous whimsy, step two, inflict soul-crushing trauma" image. She is not safe.

Ashley could potentially have gone to the same school as Star Girl, considering circumstances. They are the only OCs of mine to have their individual stories be compatibly in the same universe (Shadow's home planet is Earth-like but is definitively not Earth, and Skip's story interferes with the time frame, as Millie and Ashley's versions of Earth are identical to our world, and Skip's world has perfected the process of building AI well before we have).

[dicethoughts]

Bravo! Bravo! Now I’m gonna talk about my HCs some more!

“I’ve been wanting to write about this (well, POST ABOUT THIS) for a while and now that the first chapter of my fancomic has finally been released I think it’s high time I do it! I know I may have spoken a fair bit in the chapter extras at the end but I feel like talking about miscellaneous things, so I’ll ramble about it right here!

WARNING: I LIKE RAMBLING A LOT, SO THIS IS A LOT - AND I MEAN A LOT - of text!

-For those who followed me in twitter, you may be wondering why it’s ‘Genesis of Sin’ and not ‘Sacrament of Penance‘ yet and that’s because originally Sacrament of Penance included this. In fact, all of Genesis of Sin’s chapters were written at the very beginning of Sacrament of Penance, as a flashback! But it was way too long so I decided to separate it and make its own thing.

I mean look at this!

This is kinda intense... (Also wow an early treat to Sacrament of Penance, how exciting! I know I’m not a good writer, but that’s why someone is currently proofreading the pages I’m working on, chapter by chapter!)

Which prompts another question: why don’t I just cut to the chase to Sacrament of Penance?

Unfortunately, some events in the Genesis of Sin get referred back to the Sacrament of Penance so I can’t exactly get rid of it. Additionally, Genesis of Sin explains Magolor’s behaviours (I wrote it as a character study to cement the character!) so there’s that. I’m sorry I promised Sacrament of Penance first...

 Oh! For those who don’t know what Sacrament of Penance is, it’s a fancomic I’m planning to make for Magolor Epilogue! Magolor wakes up alone in another dimension, but for some reason, he’s accompanied by someone- or rather, it’s his own conscience taken form?!

Introducing themselves as Manager Magolor, the dapper gentlemanly conscience follows our mage around as they retrieve the pieces of the apple. Will they be able to find them all before anyone else or will he be hindered by his past mistakes and regrets? Find out once I actually finish this RTDL comic HAHA-

Now for the fun part! The headcanons. I guess I’ll write what I can for now (it’s only been chapter 1, after all!) or maybe reiterate some of ‘em. I HOPE THEY’RE NOT BAD-

On planet Halcandra mages, scientists, and philosophers united to create a flourishing nation. We call these inhabitants the “Ancients”.

 As the Ancients’ knowledge grew, so did their hubris. With the creation of Galactic Nova and the Lor - both considered to be deity-like on their planet, the Ancients believed they could create more experiments of catastrophic measures. What if we could make one of us a god? For the first and final time, they made an attempt to amplify the heroes’ power to unimaginable levels, using a certain crown as the core ingredient. They hoped that doing so would secure their peace.

However, they did not expect the consequences of their foolish experiment - the legendary swordsman lost themselves from the otherworldly, tremendous power they suddenly wielded. The mages of Halcandra managed to contain the hero away, but the incident has proven a fact - those powerful enough will eventually lose themselves and destroy everything in their path (not knowing that this was the consequence of using the crown).

“And if mages were capable of doing such a feat, then eventually...”

This fear of power caused a war within the nation and soon after, the mages and sorcerers were exiled, no longer welcome to their home planet. For those who excelled in magic and science, they were shunned and/or faced worse fates by either faction they were stuck with.

 Cut to a hundred thousand years. Among the mage faction is a mage - a direct descendant of those who managed to seal Galacta Knight away. That man’s name is Hyness. As an honorary leader of sorts, he feels responsible for the suffering of his clan and would do anything to mitigate it.

”Mapopandra” (the planet’s name back then, to instill hope within the people) at this point was just at the cusp of embracing magic engineering once again. Not as close as Halcandra’s amazing inventions, sure, but it was a start. Still, it was generally frowned upon for understandable reasons. In addition to that, Mapopandra - despite the namesake, was quite... “disorderly”. It was normal to have riots within the clan and crimes were quite rampant.

Hoping to find answers to solve their clan’s sorry circumstances, Hyness goes on a journey. During the trip, he finds three children and took them under his care. That could have been the end. The answers he needed- that maybe being alive and nurturing others was enough. However...

After encountering a certain scroll, Hyness’ heart gives in to the pain and hate, planning to summon Void Termina and avenge his clan. He trains his three daughters in the art of combat and becomes the official leader of the mage faction, renaming it Jambandra - to reflect his love for this newfound god. Hyness would begin sacrificing the lives of those who dissented (or those he believed wronged him.) to the Jamba Heart. This especially included people who practiced science...

Hyness, in his crazed goal of awakening Void Termina, would always attempt to break the seal of the Jamba Heart. Luckily, it has not made noticeable effects, due to his lack of information at this point in time. However, it has certainly affected how the spears sealed Void Termina. While Void Termina cannot escape the seal/reform from the Jamba Heart, living beings that come in direct physical contact with the heart are swallowed into it. 

Funnily enough, during all those years of his nation strengthening in numbers and strides in retrieving the rest of the scrolls to summon the void god, their planet of hatred, Halcandra, has been reduced to nothing more but molten rock because of an Ancient’s desire to protect and secure the peace of their home...

 As stated in the comic, Magolor’s parents were both skilled in magic and science... (if there were still around, I bet they’re just as fun-loving people as him, believing in achieving a utopian paradise peace.)

 Jambandra is a militaristic nation. Magolor merely survived because Jambandra believed in strength within numbers and children were quite easy to influence and train (despite society treating him as a social pariah and neglecting him as a result.) 

This is why one of the kids had a Jambandra-like get-up - they’re being raised under so much military/religious(?) propaganda...(eventually they become a foot soldier of Jambandra as seen near the end of the chapter. MMM CHILD SOLDIERS... c...cool...? /s)

 I wrote him stealing and sneaking around to show that his trickster side was gradual and not something Magolor developed out of the blue. He loves pulling pranks I imagine and I can agree - outsmarting people feels pretty cool, not gonna lie!

Despite this, he’s still a youngster, and sometimes his plans backfire (but luckily he’s resourceful and can improvise an escape). Overall, if I can describe my version of Magolor, it would be that he’s determined to see things through- once he has a goal to achieve, he’ll do all that he can to achieve it. Yet, at the same time, he’s too afraid to put all his back into it, - especially after what happened to him. In addition to that, I like to think that he plans rather far ahead - but doesn’t stop to think about the consequences or the possibilities of how it might end. He’s distrustful of people but desires friends. A person who wants to be noticed by somebody but is afraid to be pushed away so he’d rather push them away first. It’s the same for the opposite. If someone desires to be close to him, he’d be anxious about the possibility that their friendship will someday “end”, so he’d still push them away. This would be one of his worst habits - the tendency to overthink or jump to conclusions. Deep inside, all that Magolor wants is someone to care about him for once without feeling like he needs to prove himself to that someone. 

In other words, he really, really believes the only way someone would ever stick around was through some miracle, and/or he was all-powerful and “cool”, capable of doing or being anything! As if they’re perfect for every role, every scenario, every game. I mean, you’d want to be friends with somebody who can do everything right? Somebody who can play any game, right? 

Somebody who can make a fun universe, filled with all the things you want in the world, right?

...You’ll never get tired of me... right?

 I headcanon Magolor as a teenager so during the events of the fancomics (both Genesis of Sin and Sacrament of Penance) save for most of GoS’ first chapter (in which he’s a little babey...), Magolor is a teen! 

(Yeah, I too, wonder what happened to the other kids who’ve grown up... but look at that Jamba Heart to summon Void Termina! It sure looks big by Star Allies’ timeline...wait, where are the other Jambandrans...)

I think that’s it! Thanks for reading, and I hope you stick around for the next chapter’s release.

[instantartific]

|| ও LOVESICK: 50 Followers Writing Event!

Finally posting the event!! 50 followers technically isn't that much but this blog really only started as a means for me to ramble about my fixations and whatnot, so it's nice that y'all hung around!

The idea of the event is that y'all can send in a character and a prompt from the yandere-themed lists I've got, and I'll write something short n sweet for it! Maybe a couple hundred words, maybe more if I really like the idea. I haven't written something in a while so this feels like a great opportunity for me to get out of writer's block and y'all to have fun!

✧

|| ও RULES AND NOTICES:

Because this is a yandere themed event, there will be strong themes of worship, obsession, possessiveness, manipulation, threats of harm to others, possible threats of harm to oneself, possible themes of kidnapping, all that fun stuff. Each post made will have very explicit content warnings tailored to each one of them.

Because I am not guaranteed to write your prompt, you're free to send in as many as you like! I'll do whatever ones give me the best ideas and ignore the rest.

Because I don't have a strong enough characterization for most other characters yet, I'll be sticking to the characters in the MASTERLIST AND PROMPTS section for the most part! Unless you've given me a really good idea, it'll mostly be the guys I'm comfortable with. There's no harm in trying but I am incredibly biased.

I WILL NOT write explicit sexual themes. I don't mind allusions to them but I don't do smut. A vague thing about how someone'd treat you I can tolerate but writing it out won't happen.

Character x Reader and Character x Character, Canon or OC are both allowed! If you ask for an OC, keep it to mine, preferably. I don't know how I feel about writing other people's characters yet.

I'm a multi shipper at heart and don't mind writing pairings I don't care for! The only thing I'm not too fine with are inherently romantic things regarding Neon or Nova with anyone else listed. While, like... I do consider everyone not including those two to be in their twenties, just don't know how I feel about "old enough to be your daddy" pairings, y'know?

1010 to 1010, 1010 to OCs, OCs'n OCs, of course anybody to readers, all that jazz is fine.

All that being said, here's the MASTERLIST!

✧

|| ও MASTERLIST AND PROMPTS:

♡ A-Z Yandere Prompts w/ Dialogue Starters,

♡ lovesick/obsession writing prompts🌹💌

♡ Obsession Prompts

✧

|| ও CHARACTER LIST:

♡ Neon J

|ও NEON J: "Beautiful baby! So lovely, so breathtaking! Captivating! Alluring!"

♡ DJSS

|ও DJ SUBATOMIC SUPERNOVA: "Shouldn't you be spending more time with me?"

♡ 1010 -

- ♡ Rin

N/A

- ♡ Purl-hew

N/A

- ♡ Zimelu

N/A

- ♡ Haym

N/A

- ♡ Eloni

|ও ELONI: "Please don't leave me... I won't last long without you..."

♡ OCs -

- ♡ Anodyne Acetate

N/A

- ♡ Moya

N/A

- ♡ Tūl

N/A

- ♡ Styoca

N/A

[everwizard]

nova how do i get into zelda i already love majoras mask and am currently loving links awakening (never played the games i just watch gameplays bc im broke)

is there any like video essays about tloz? -matt

Oh that's a difficult question to answer.

I can definitely say that there ARE video essays out there but a lot of them are specific to certain games. I'd say if you want a crash course on the series you should look into the following games as they seem to be the most lore heavy in regards to the Timeline™. Skyward Sword (the beginning of the Timeline™), Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask (one of the major Timeline™ splits), Twilight Princess (i actually don't know much about TP but i gather it's important (Takes place in the Adult Timeline™)), I think Wind Waker (although idk for sure, but Ganondorf is present so I'm sure there's something there), and Breath of the Wild (supposedly one of the last games in the Timeline™ but that could change). At the very least, those games are all alluded to in Breath of the Wild and could be important for Tears of the Kingdom.

I don't actually know very much about all these games I listed but knowing the general plot as well as key figures is still a good place to start.

I'd also recommend looking into the lore of the triforce and the goddesses. This will help you to understand the series as a whole. It'll help to understand why the events take place, why the forces are forced to repeat the same song and dance for hundreds of thousands of years, etc.

Video essays are definitely the place to start if you want to get all this information fast because playthroughs can take hours to get through. But it's up to you how you want to get the information.

That's the best advice i think i can give. It is a very long series with a lot of variations from game to game but once you pick up the basics it's a lot easier to get through.

[omgellendean]

Other things that came to light about Oct 7 events:

Israel ignored several warnings from Egypt and US intelligence about the unusual activity in Gaza.

Israeli army was shooting at Hamas and civilians from the helicopters "indiscriminately" and shelled houses with hostages within.

At least 200 bodies that were counted among 1400 killed Israelis were Hamas fighters burned beyond recognition.

Quotes:

On October 9, Egyptian intelligence said publicly that it had given Israel repeated high-level warnings of a pending attack—“something big”—before the Gaza-based Hamas struck, including a direct phone call from Cairo’s intelligence minister to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late September. US intelligence also warned its own policymakers of unusual Hamas activity and of a general increased threat from Hamas based on multiple streams of intelligence, including information that it received from Israel—though reports notably did not include any tactical details. It is difficult to understand what prevented Israeli security forces from acting. 

According to Tuval Escapa, the security coordinator at Kibbutz Be’eri who set up a hotline between residents and the army, "Israeli commanders made “difficult decisions” including “shelling houses on their occupants in order to eliminate the terrorists along with the hostages". This was confirmed by Israeli civilian, Yasmin Porat, who survived a hostage standoff in Be’eri. She stated that, during intense clashes, Israeli Special Forces “undoubtedly” killed all remaining hostages, along with two surrendering Hamas militants using tank shells and frenzied gunfire. <...> More evidence comes from witness Danielle Rachiel, who described nearly being killed after escaping from the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival. As she drove to safety, Israeli security forces shot directly at her vehicle until she shouted in Hebrew to identify herself as Israeli. The Israeli news outlet, Yedioth Aharanoth, is reported saying that “the pilots realised that there was tremendous difficulty in distinguishing within the occupied outposts and settlements who was a terrorist and who was a soldier or civilian … The rate of fire against the thousands of terrorists was tremendous at first and, only at a certain point, did the pilots begin to slow down the attacks and carefully select the targets.”

Regev was trying to make the point that Israel – supposedly unlike Hamas – can be trusted because when Israel makes a mistake, it admits it. Regev gave this example: “We originally said, in the atrocious Hamas attack upon our people on October 7th, we had the number at 1,400 casualties and now we’ve revised that down to 1,200 because we understood that we’d overestimated, we made a mistake. There were actually bodies that were so badly burnt we thought they were ours, in the end apparently they were Hamas terrorists.”

Sources:

https://mwi.westpoint.edu/what-went-wrong-three-hypotheses-on-israels-massive-intelligence-failure/

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231030-report-7-october-testimonies-strikes-major-blow-to-israeli-narrative/

https://electronicintifada.net/content/israeli-forces-shot-their-own-civilians-kibbutz-survivor-says/38861

https://thegrayzone.com/2023/10/27/israels-military-shelled-burning-tanks-helicopters/

https://mondoweiss.net/2023/10/a-growing-number-of-reports-indicate-israeli-forces-responsible-for-israeli-civilian-and-military-deaths-following-october-7-attack/

https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israel-admits-burning-hundreds-people-7-october

Edit:

[brookstonalmanac]

Beer Events 6.17 (before 1930)

653 – Pope Martin I is arrested and taken to Constantinople, due to his opposition to monothelitism. 1242 – Following the Disputation of Paris, twenty-four carriage loads of Jewish religious manuscripts were burnt in Paris. 1397 – The Kalmar Union is formed under the rule of Margaret I of Denmark. 1462 – Vlad III the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II (The Night Attack at Târgovişte), forcing him to retreat from Wallachia. 1497 – Battle of Deptford Bridge: Forces under King Henry VII defeat troops led by Michael An Gof. 1565 – Matsunaga Hisahide assassinates the 13th Ashikaga shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru. 1579 – Sir Francis Drake claims a land he calls Nova Albion (modern California) for England. 1596 – The Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz discovers the Arctic archipelago of Spitsbergen. 1631 – Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, will spend the next 17 years building her mausoleum, the Taj Mahal. 1665 – Battle of Montes Claros: Portugal definitively secured independence from Spain in the last battle of the Portuguese Restoration War. 1673 – French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet reach the Mississippi River and become the first Europeans to make a detailed account of its course. 1767 – Samuel Wallis, a British sea captain, sights Tahiti and is considered the first European to reach the island. 1773 – Cúcuta, Colombia, is founded by Juana Rangel de Cuéllar. 1775 – American Revolutionary War: Colonists inflict heavy casualties on British forces while losing the Battle of Bunker Hill. 1789 – In France, the Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly. 1794 – Foundation of Anglo-Corsican Kingdom. 1795 – The burghers of Swellendam expel the Dutch East India Company magistrate and declare a republic. 1839 – In the Kingdom of Hawaii, Kamehameha III issues the edict of toleration which gives Roman Catholics the freedom to worship in the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaii Catholic Church and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace are established as a result. 1843 – The Wairau Affray, the first serious clash of arms between Māori and British settlers in the New Zealand Wars, takes place. 1861 – American Civil War: Battle of Vienna, Virginia. 1863 – American Civil War: Battle of Aldie in the Gettysburg Campaign. 1876 – American Indian Wars: Battle of the Rosebud: One thousand five hundred Sioux and Cheyenne led by Crazy Horse beat back General George Crook's forces at Rosebud Creek in Montana Territory. 1877 – American Indian Wars: Battle of White Bird Canyon: The Nez Perce defeat the U.S. Cavalry at White Bird Canyon in the Idaho Territory. 1885 – The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor. 1898 – The United States Navy Hospital Corps is established. 1900 – Boxer Rebellion: Western Allied and Japanese forces capture the Taku Forts in Tianjin, China. 1901 – The College Board introduces its first standardized test, the forerunner to the SAT. 1910 – Aurel Vlaicu pilots an A. Vlaicu nr. 1 on its first flight. 1922 – Portuguese naval aviators Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral complete the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic. 1929 – The town of Murchison, New Zealand is rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killing 17. At the time it was New Zealand's worst natural disaster.

[onmymasa22]

You are going to totally debrief the event. Write everything out, not really attatching to feeling- more of an unbiased bistander perspective of what happened. Youre might have told over what happened in different ways to different people. But now noone is judging, noones responding, your are telling the honest truth about everything that happened unbiased.

Most people do cbt- to change their thinking and behavior. When youre dealing with ptsd and trauma, something called cpd- Cognitive processing therapy where you are trying to change the way you process what happened. But there are a few rules. Totally unbiased and forthcoming- you will reveal in your writing 100 percent of the information truthfully- noone will read it, respond, judge you. The goal is to figure out the moment you blame yourself for. Most of the time this stems from your passed. Maybe your younger self. You will never be as angery with someone else like youd be with yourself. You want to get to the point in your debriefing and reprocess that piece to tell yourself that its really connected to something else- a pattern, and you will command yourself to relinquish the blane. That tjis wasnt your fault.

Theres still something inside me saying- you idiot, what r u doing there? Ur in a country whos pride is the army, and yes, i really thought i could join. Its very weird because i see the soldiers and a part of me, definitely on the outside understands the idea that they're heros. And on the other side, i think, how stupid, to trade in your hearing, your sleep, your mothers sanity. Stupid. To take your life and risk it. Life is too valuable to think of yourself as a hero. I still believe that life is really important. That its important to be alive.

I have the personality of a redhead extraverted intovert empath with adhd but also crippling social anxiety and is a saggitarious and yet also a taurus, no matter what language...

This guy wanted to sleep with me and then sleeps with my friend. Over and over with different guys. And i see it happening

Nogah Safer "tours" around Israel with the Torah scroll he is very close to completing, giving soldiers and communities that were evacuated after October 7th the opportunity to write a letter in it

Last night was a whole other level. We went to a wedding hall that has been transformed into a place of gathering and healing for survivors of the Nova party.

There were hundreds of young Israelis there. There was food, music, stations for different kinds of healing treatments and a stage on which musicians performed and people spoke, and on the wall, lights that spelled out "We Will Dance Again". And then we, the only religious looking people there, set up a table in the corner, Nogah laid out the Torah scroll, we started playing music.

Slowly slowly people started to come over to ask what we were doing. Nogah explained to them how he wanted to give survivors from Nova the powerful merit of writing a letter in a Torah scroll. People were blown away.

The first person stepped up and stood next to Nogah as he wrote a letter for him, followed by a big hug.

And then the next person.

And then the next.

Nogah didn't stop writing for over three hours.

By the end of the night almost everyone at that gathering had come over. People simply wanted to take part, they wanted to connect, they wanted to experience this rare and unique opportunity of participating in the riting of a letter in the Torah.

And many of them dedicated their letters...

To friends who were murdered at the party. To friends who were taken as hostages by Hamas and are still in captivity. One of the last women to take part was in a wheelchair. She lost a leg in the attack.

It was all heartbreaking and at the same time the entire experience, the entire night, was so powerful and inspiring.

Seeing people coming together. Taking care of each other. Loving each other. Lifting each other up. Helping each other to heal and to learn how to continue on.

At the end of this extraordinary night I realized one thing.

On the deepest level, it's the Torah that unifies us.

Religious, not religious, it doesn't matter.

Last night, I saw the Torah as a giant magnet drawing every kind of Jew towards it. Everyone was included and everyone felt included. Guys with tattoos and body piercings asked, "Can I?" Women came up to us and asked, "Can women also participate?"

"Of course," we said. "Everyone's invited!"

Because the Torah belongs to all of us. Everyone has a place in it. Every Jew is like a letter in the Torah.

And last night I felt like everyone who came up was searching for their letter in the Torah, their place, themselves.

Because after the disaster and catastrophe of October 7th, everyone, everyone, is looking for themselves and their way in this world on a whole new level.

מסקרן אותי... מה גורם למישהו להפוך ל ״חבר ממש טוב״ בשבילכם לעומת סתם חבר? איזו תכונות אופי, התנהגויות, או דברים אחרים גורמים לזה לקרות?

אני חושבת שזה לא קשור לתכונות אופי, או כמו שכולם אומרים- שהוא שם תמיד בשבילך. יש אנשים טובים שלא שם מאה אחוז מהזמן אך ורק בשבילך או לטובתך. כולם חיים את החיים שלהם, אי אפשר לסמוך עליהם לוותר על עצמם בשבילך. משפחה אמורים לעשות את זה.

יש כמה סוגים של חברים טובים. יש סוג שהם מכירים אותם מילדות, שגדלת יחד איתם.

יש חבר טוב שעובר איתך משו קשה, שבדרך שלך לאיזשהו תקופה שבו לסיבה כלשהי, אתם חברים טובים לזה, שחווים משו דומה, אז עוזרים לך להרגיש לא לבד. לפעמים החברות הזאות יכול להיות ממש קרוב ואז פחות עם הזמן.

יש חבר טוב שאת מדברת איתו כל שבוע. שלא עובר המון זמן שאת לא דברת איתם. קישור למשו או לא קשור למשו. הם האנשים שאת חייה איתם את החיים. שמודעים לדברים שאת בוחרת להשתתף. שפגשתם לאיזשו סיטואציה והשארת בקשר איתם גם בלי קשר.

עכשיו נראה לי בכללי, טלי היא חברה הכי אחת החברות הכי טובות

Friend do their best. Everyone is doing their best. People answer when they can. People do what they can. Help where they can. They do whatever makes sense to them. You leave when u need, u do what u need. Family, u go beyond what u need amd whats just good for u. U give up ur life for someone. I would throw my life away for u. If we're sisters abd u dont do that, that leave me extremely hurt. So i cant be anywhere near that. I cant have u responsible for that, and i cant be responsible for your that.

We need to be friends. No hurt. I do what makes sense in my life, and u do whst makes sense in your life. Theres no pain that way. I love u, i dont trust u. I will never trust u or believe in u to do or be something for me. I need to take a step back. Its way too close and thats always a mistake i found myself in and its a mistake that i didnt stop it. I just dont have the heart to hurt the one who fed me. What am i supposed to say right before eating ur food that i dont think of u as family when im asked. Its not comfortable for me. And i know each time that im lying. I dont want to lie anymore.

[calebampeloquio10]

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Israel-Palestine conflict is a long-standing dispute over land and self-determination between Israelis and Palestinians. It traces its roots back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the Zionist movement sought to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Following the establishment of Israel in 1948, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have persisted, with both sides claiming rights to the same land. In the past few years, the Israel and Palestine conflict has been going on, though it has been silent. But on October 7, 2023, war broke out between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has control over the Gaza Strip. This long-standing conflict has been characterized by unpredictable outbreaks of violence and tense diplomatic negotiations.

The Super Nova music festival is an annual event that brings together thousands of music lovers from different parts of the world. It has become a symbol of cultural exchange and unity, showcasing diverse musical talents and promoting peace through the power of music. On October 7, 2023, nearly three thousand people attended the Super Nova music festival. Around 6:30 in the morning, the concertgoers saw hundreds of rockets flying, and they heard explosions around them. As the rocket explosions continued, the concert organizers told the people to leave, and around 7:00 am, the attackers arrived at the festival grounds, armed with guns. Chaos ensued as people tried to flee and find shelter, while the Hamas terrorists were brutally killing innocent lives.More than 260 bodies have reportedly been recovered from the festival site, and some of them were taken as hostages.The attack on the festival not only resulted in a tragic loss of lives but also shattered the spirit of unity and peace that the festival aimed to promote.

The movement known as Zionism, which aimed to establish a homeland for people in Palestine, gained momentum during the 1800s and early 1900s. The British government supported this cause. Following World War I, the League of Nations entrusted Britain with the mandate to govern Palestine. As tensions grew between Arab communities, Israel was established in 1948, bringing to reality the aspirations of the Zionist movement. The establishment of Israel, however, sparked a long-standing conflict between the Jewish and Arab communities in the region. This conflict has resulted in numerous wars, negotiations, and ongoing tensions that continue to shape the political landscape of the Middle East today. 

Hamas is an Islamic militant group that emerged in the late 1980s as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. It gained popularity among Palestinians through its provision of social services and its resistance against Israeli occupation. Hamas advocates for the establishment of an Islamic state in Palestine and has engaged in both political and military activities to achieve its goals. Extremist Islamic groups like Hamas have used religious ideology to justify their actions, leading to cycles of violence and retaliation. Former Hamas leader Khaled Shamal calls October 13, 2023, Friday, 'Global Day of Jihad' and calls on Muslims to take to the streets and deliver a message of anger. He said, "We should take to the streets and the city squares in Arab and Islamic cities, as well as in cities everywhere where there are communities". The use of religion to justify violence has intensified tensions between Hamas and Israel. It's crucial to understand that the actions of these groups do not reflect the beliefs or values held by the Muslim community.

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, has long sought control over border territories to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid and resources to the Palestinian people. However, Israel views Hamas as a threat to its national security and has implemented strict control measures to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza. This ongoing territorial dispute has further fueled the conflict between the two parties. 

Throughout history, neighboring countries, such as Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon, have historically been involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict, either through direct military engagements or by providing support to Palestinian factions. The tense relations between Israel and its neighboring nations have frequently intensified the situation. These alliances have also contributed to the arms race in the region, as countries provide military aid and support to their respective allies. The involvement of external powers adds another layer of complexity to the already tense situation, making it even more difficult to find a lasting resolution.

Tragically, the Israel-Palestine conflict has resulted in immense human losses. According to recent reports, more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Hamas assault, with about 200 hostages being held captive in Gaza. At least 3,000 people in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory strikes, and 12,500 others have been injured, according to the territory's health ministry. These numbers represent the devastating impact of the conflict on individuals and communities and highlight the urgent need for a peaceful resolution.

This article that I wrote led me to two questions: are you pro-Palestine or pro-Israel? But all I can say is that I'm pro-life. Even though I'm a Christian and support Israel, I can't tolerate the loss of innocent lives on either side of the conflict. It is crucial to recognize the value of every human life and work towards finding a solution that promotes peace, justice, and coexistence for both Palestinians and Israelis. 

[atlanticcanada]

'The cost is significant': Premiers to take legal action over isthmus funding

With a day to spare, the premiers of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have decided to apply for national funding to help protect the Chignecto Isthmus, a crucial piece of land that connects the two provinces.

The news came following a leadership committee meeting on the Atlantic Growth Strategy at a downtown Moncton hotel.

Nova Scotia Premier, Tim Houston, and New Brunswick Premier, Blaine Higgs, believe the federal government should pay for all the work to protect the area from future storms, not the fifty per cent Ottawa has offered through a disaster mitigation program.

“We will be applying for it to meet the deadlines that have been put forward. At the same time, we will be seeking clarification and legal interpretation of the Constitution,” said Higgs.

Houston called the area a “nationally significant trade corridor” with $35 billion worth of goods flowing through the Amherst, N.S. and Sackville, N.B. area every year.

On the same page, Houston and Higgs are so convinced that they're prepared to take legal action over it.

“The federal government has dug in and they said no, apply under the program for half. So we'll do that, but it's also important, certainly for our region, just to get a reference from the court on whose responsibility this really is,” said Houston. “It’s a shame that we are where we are. It’s not a good outcome for Nova Scotians to apply under this program.”

The Trans-Canada Highway, a CN Rail line, and a system of dikes are all located in the Chignecto Isthmus.

Funding would go toward improvements to the dike system which would protect the trade corridor from major storms.

Three separate projects in the area were once believed to be between the $300 and $400 million range, but the estimate has since sky rocketed.

“The cost is significant,” said Houston. “The most recent estimates are six to seven hundred million dollars.”

Higgs was asked if suing the federal government while applying for funding would be detrimental to the project.

“No, I think the discussions we've had to date are both an interpretation of what we believe in one sense of the Constitution and what my federal counterpart believes [Dominic LeBlanc] is what the Constitution says. So getting a legal interpretation and applying for that directly is a prudent thing to do,” said Higgs.

Federal Infrastructure Minister, Dominic LeBlanc, met with Higgs and Houston on Monday and understands there has been an escalation in cost.

“But I've said consistently and I will repeat it again, that this is for us a priority project for the reasons Premier Houston and Premier Higgs shared,” said LeBlanc. “Its importance to the economy of the region, its importance in terms of a trade corridor. Its importance in terms of protecting the municipal infrastructure that might theoretically fail in the case of an extreme weather event.”

At a funding announcement in Dieppe Monday, LeBlanc said a lawsuit against the federal government over funding for the isthmus would be “frivolous” and a waste of tax payers’ dollars.

When asked if he felt the same way a day later, LeBlanc answered with an emphatic “yes”.

Topics discussed during the Atlantic Growth Strategy Leadership Committee between federal ministers and Atlantic premiers included the environment, the economy, population growth and tourism.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/p801alD

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