#other defense tech leader

[tomorrowusa]

Musk may have torpedoed the original House bipartisan continuing resolution last week because it would have regulated his business dealings in China.

House Democrats Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut say their Republican colleagues in Congress caved to the demands of Elon Musk, sinking a bipartisan government funding bill that would have regulated U.S. investments in China. Congress passed a separate stopgap funding bill over the weekend, averting a government shutdown. In a series of posts on X, McGovern said more could have been accomplished. The scrapped provision “would have made it easier to keep cutting-edge AI and quantum computing tech — as well as jobs — in America,” he wrote. “But Elon had a problem.” Tesla, run by Musk, is the only foreign automaker to operate a factory in China without a local joint venture. Tesla also built a battery plant down the street from its Shanghai car factory this year, and aims to develop and sell self-driving vehicle technology in China. “His bottom line depends on staying in China’s good graces,” McGovern wrote about Musk. “He wants to build an AI data center there too — which could endanger U.S. security. He’s been bending over backwards to ingratiate himself with Chinese leaders.” SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace and defense contractor, has reportedly withheld its Starlink satellite internet service over Taiwan at the request of Chinese and Russian leaders. Taiwan is a self-ruling democracy that Beijing claims as its territory. Taiwan’s status is one of the biggest flashpoints in U.S.-China relations.

There's an obvious conflict of interest here. Musk doesn't want to offend China because he's worried that it may hurt his bottom line.

Musk contributed $277 million to the Trump campaign and other Republican causes during the 2024 cycle, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Since the election in November, Musk has become a nearly constant presence at Trump’s side, including in meetings with foreign leaders. Trump appointed Musk to co-lead a group that’s not yet formed, but will be tasked with finding ways to cut regulations, personnel and budgets.

At least part of the reason Musk contributed heavily to Trump and other Republicans may be to get them to go soft on China for the sake of his business interests.

[jadeoru]

SMUDGED LIPSTICK!

11: fresh start -> prev / mlist / next

now playing: i dont like who i was then - the wonder years 🎶

The uproar of cheering and applause thumped in your head. Your forehead was slick with sweat, and you were still catching your breath as you ran backstage. Your back pressed firmly against the wall, heart beating so loudly you could hear it; adrenaline coursed through your veins. You watched as the rest of the band flooded into the room, smiles spread widely on each of their faces - even tsukishima’s. Nishinoya was jumping so much so you worried he would take flight. Excitement surged through the room, it was moments like these in which you found yourself appreciating all of the effort you put in to reach this point. All of the shows that went wrong: when you got booed, when you got into fights, when there were tech problems that ultimately ruined the entire show, when your nervousness found a home inside of you, feeding off of your doubts; shaking your hands, and trembling your voice. All of those humiliating, daunting moments you faced together. Everything had to go wrong for the present to feel so right. You were exactly where you belonged. 

“Oh my god did you see the crowd? They went fucking insane!” Nishinoya practically yelled, arms flailing around as if they were fueled by raw excitement. Everyone nodded their heads exhilaratingly. “Holy fuck guys, we killed it!” you ran your fingers through your hair, wiping the sweat off of your forehead. All eyes turned to you as everyone smiled. With a shout of your name, your friends began to drown each other with their praise. Kiyoko’s voice boomed through your ears, “Yn, your stage presence is absolutely captivating - We’re so lucky to have you in the band! Without you the crowd would probably be asleep!” placing her bass safely against the wall, she walked up towards you and pulled you into her arms. You smiled so hard your cheeks began to ache, leaning into her warm touch. “Don’t say stuff like that. You’re gonna make me cry, Shimizu. Oh my god I love you so much. You're the best damn bass player I've ever seen.” you laughed, squeezing her tightly one last time before pulling away. She simply kept smiling, before turning back to the other members, and continuing her words of admiration towards them. You stayed with the others for a good while, spewing your affection to them insistently, before taking a deep breath in.

“Guys. I think I'm gonna go find Sakusa.” 

Despite being 6-foot-something and undeniably the sexiest man in the bar, finding him proved to be impossible. Your eyes searched the whole building. Every time you thought you were getting close, all you were met with were traces of him: a white surgical mask stuck to the sticky floor, a half empty bottle of hand sanitiser abandoned on a somehow even stickier table. All you could find was proof of your clean freak ex-best friend’s presence, but not the actual man himself. Frustrated, and growing tired, you got yourself a vodka cranberry and stood awkwardly in the corner of the room. Maybe he’d find you instead?

After a few minutes of wallowing in regret and reminiscence of your memories, your hopes of seeing him again were quickly discarded as a group of people approached you. They looked at you with metaphorical fangs bared, and eyes filled with envy. Oh fuck.

“Hey, ‘yer the girl that was singing on that stage, right?” one of them called out. He was tall and lanky, with messy hair and a drunken slur in his voice. the rest of them snickered from behind him. He must’ve been the ‘leader’ of the group. You straightened your back defensively, trying to seem taller; more intimidating. “And what if I am?” your eyes flicked to the people behind him, who laughed.

“It’d be a shame. Yer way too pretty to be singing stuff like that. Enough of that emo bullshit.” you scowled, rolling your eyes. Was this guy serious? “I’ll sing whatever the fuck I want, asshole.” your lips curved downwards, trembling slightly with brewing anger. He smiled at you sinisterly.

“You’ll never get a husband with that attitude, doll. Men aren’t into that edgy style ya know?” he spoke in a patronising tone that you couldn’t bear.

“Am I supposed to care what dickless men like you think of me?” you knew you shouldn’t be speaking to him like this, you knew that it would only make the situation worse. but, you were way too stressed out to deal with this maturely. If he wanted to start a fight, then you’d finish it.

“You should - Just look at you! You’d be so much prettier without that black shit all over yer face. And the screamo music? Are ya tryin’ to look like a weirdo?” Did he seriously come up to you just to say pointless bullshit like this? Your fists clenched with anger, jaw clenched as you looked at the group of men with all the hatred you could muster up. “Suck my dick.” you spoke through gritted teeth. His eyes widened with shock, surprise quickly being replaced by offence. “‘Scuse me?” he asked, but you both knew he heard you well. The rest of his group looked at each other with a sinister expression, as if they knew what would happen next. You took a step forward, not caring if your boot stomped on his foot in the process. “I said,” you poked a finger at his chest hardly, enunciating each word with a rough poke. “Suck. my. Dick.” you spat at him. Muttering a low ‘you bitch’, he grabbed your hand and squeezed it tightly, almost in an attempt to break the bone. “Yer gonna fuckin’ regret that - you bitch. I’m gonna fuckin ki-” His words were quickly cut off as he was pulled backwards by the back of his shirt. He turned around, eyes widening in fear as he stared at the man now in front of him.

Staring at this man with pure disdain was none other than Sakusa motherfucking Kiyoomi. And he was pissed. 

“Leave her the fuck alone.” he pulled him back harsher, causing him to stumble over, nearly falling. His words shot out like bullets, laced with venom that tasted like pure hatred. The man quickly stuttered out his apologies, aware of how much weaker he was in comparison to him. “Hey man- it was just a joke! We were just playin’ around!” you almost wanted to laugh at how pathetic the man looked now, if not for being frozen in complete shock. “Yeah? Well it’s my turn to play around then.” he spoke with the ghost of a smirk on his face. You could see the way his fist was clenched, his knuckles were white as he held onto the fabric of his shirt. Without warning, he raised his hand, and punched him in the gut. As he leaned over in pain, grunting dramatically, Sakusa took this as the perfect opportunity to push him, slamming the man down to the ground. The people around you quickly processed what was happening, and tried to avenge their fallen friend. They circled you and Sakusa with the look of pure evil displaying on their features. Before they could get their hands on him, Sakusa grabbed you by the arm, and dragged you to the back of the bar, leading you outside.

The cold night air pricked at your shoulders, as you stared at the man in front of you. “Holy shit, Sakusa..” you muttered, still in disbelief from what just unfolded in front of you. He took a step towards you, and with a fast beating heart, you took a step back. Your back pressed against the wall as you stared up at him. He scanned your face for any sign of injury, before whispering, “Are you okay?” In stark contrast to a few minutes ago, his voice was much softer now - much like his gaze. You nodded your head shyly, scared that if you spoke up now, you’d accidentally let out all of your emotions. You’d be damned if you didn’t think he was hot as fuck back then. You’d never forgive yourself if you accidentally told him that. He hummed at your response, eyes flicking to the door to make sure you were alone.

“Are you ready to listen to me now?” he asked, trying to sound calm, but there was no denying the desperation in his voice. You struggled to suppress the smile that crept onto your face. “What if I say no?” he leaned in closer to you, almost enough to feel your breath on his face.

“Then i'll keep waiting”

You smiled at him. You smiled at him for the first time in forever. He treasured the sight with every ounce of his being. You were just as beautiful as you were the day you left him. He couldn’t help but smile back, albeit significantly smaller. “Will you keep annoying me about this?” you asked, crossing your arms, your smile shifting into a playful smirk. “Of course I will.” he said, blunt as ever. You chuckled. “Then fine. Talk to me.”

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before he began speaking. “Look. About… then - I…” he paused for a moment, searching for the right words to say. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry for the things I said to you - For what I did to you. I know that saying sorry isn’t enough to repair the pain I put you through but I swear I’ll do anything to make it up to you. And I know i sound fucking pathetic right now but I just need you to know how much I regret everything that’s happened between us.” The way he spoke was the exact opposite of how he normally was: messy, frantic, unprepared and, of course, pathetic. He wasn’t sure how long he was talking for, in all honesty he wasn't sure how to stop. He explained everything to you, not leaving out even a fraction of how he had felt or what was going through his mind. You had to do a few double takes to make sure this was still the same Sakusa you had known before. For once, you thanked his blunt honesty. He rambled on and on, only stopping to catch his breath. When he finally stopped, you could see the embarrassment that shadowed his eyes. It was evident that his mind was beating him up for talking so much. A moment of silence hung around you. You struggled to fill it. 

You looked at the ground, taking in his words. “Sakusa.. I-” A few seconds passed by. “I was not expecting that.” you said with a nervous chuckle. He let out a quiet groan of shame, looking away from you. He was adorable. You took a moment to put your next sentence together, processing every word of his apology. With a shaky sigh, your eyes met his again. He prepared himself to face your anger, bracing himself to hear the insults you would inevitably sling at him. He didn’t doubt for a second that he deserved it. But they never came. “Thanks for… all of that.” you laughed awkwardly, “I mean it. You have no idea how much I needed to hear those words from you. I don’t think it’s possible for me to keep being mad at you after hearing all of that.” you smiled at him again, tongue between your teeth. You swallowed, before continuing, “I’m sorry too. I should’ve let you explain yourself sooner. I was just so angry! I mean- you left out of fucking nowhere, y’know? I was so pissed off I couldn't stand to look at you, because I knew I'd forgive you immediately. It sounds stupid now that I’m saying it out loud…” you paused, looking into his eyes. “I’m so sorr-” he cut you off,

“Don’t say that. You don’t have anything to be sorry for.” His voice was low, truthful. Another beat of silence passed, before he started talking again. “Do you want to forgive me yet?” he asked, not doing anything to mask the pleading look on his face. His heart was racing, and he wasn’t sure whether it was nervousness or anticipation. Honestly, it was both. The thought of not forgiving him hadn’t crossed your mind once. You’ve waited way too long for this moment. With a smile, you pointed your finger to him.

“I forgive you. But, we won’t go right back to being friends. You have to earn that, okay?” your harsh words contradicted the happy expression on your face. He smiled wider than you’d seen in a while.

“Understood.”

Without saying another word, you pulled him into your arms; hugging him tightly. He stood there for a second, before wrapping his arms around you, resting his head on top of yours. He relished in the warmth of your embrace. God, he missed this.

“Thanks for giving me a chance.”

extra:

i have nothing to say except for how happy i am to get this chapter out god bless 🙏🙏THEY ARENT BEEFING ANYMORE!!!! HOORAY!!

TAGLIST: @gojoed @anianurst @itsdragonius @sleepy-writer84 @yuminako @wolffmaiden @tenjikusstuff4 @juie13 @ilyless @arachnoia @choizzn @3lectraheart @sugarrhiccupp @bbybibi @diorzs @le000xxgrd @aboveasphodel @petrus1989 @aria-in-wonderland @walllflowerrrsss @wave2mia @loveelylacey @marimisses @alpha-mommy69 @thepurpleempath @theauthorunicorn @v1oletfury @iluvmang @slashkxe @theycallmenanamisgirl @dailyakira @loverlunaire @iovetooru @ryukumi @soupofmushrooms

reply to be added ^__^

[tragicvampireromanceisland]

we've met our super heroes, but what about our super villains? time to meet two leaders from the evil syndicate, our heroes' greatest foe...

adélie valois, current heiress to the multimillion dollar tech and research corporation firehawk industries, appears in the public eye quite often. she's got big shoes to fill for a company so renowned...but she really doesn't seem fazed by it. either that, or she doesn't care. but what most don't know is that she's also got big shoes to fill as a supervillain. adélie is a sixth-generation psychic of a long line of supervillains, as well as the fifth to hold the family villain mantle, espritvoyant. it's...pretty clear she's only got a leadership position on the syndicate due to nepotism, given her rather nonexistent work ethic, but her powers are still a huge asset on stealth missions. although she usually just uses them to terrorize the heroes for the most part. her inherited powers have also just left her kind of numb to the thoughts and feelings of others. she readily expects how most people think and how they're going to act and gets bored easily because of it. her coworkers get pretty frustrated with her attitude, but it's not like it's her fault she's surrounded by such predictable individuals. revenge this, injustice that. she swears she's had her family motto engraved in the back of her eyelids at this point. (deep down, though, she resents her powers. she wishes for a little spontaneity in her life. she wishes she could get excited over stuff the way other people can. she wishes she wasn't like this). however, the sudden appearance of solarflare and kuiper have caught her eye as of late...especially the latter, who's surprisingly immune to her mind reading. maybe something worthwhile can come out of all of this...

and whenever she isn't just going at it solo, her partner is usually fellow syndicate leader blindside. he's often teamed with her on missions involving stealth, given his power of invisibility as well as his martial arts prowess provide the perfect balance of defense and offense. while esprit's purpose (or apathy) mostly revolves around just following her family's footsteps, blindside's motives are...a bit more murky. both the heroes and the syndicate are a bit confused about it. how did someone with such an otherwise gentle demeanor end up turning to evil? despite appearances, he doesn't seem to pull punches when it comes to heroes. why does he hate them so much? no one can seem to figure it out, given he just...doesn't talk. and while esprit is the only one he ever seems to hold conversation with given the inevitable nature of her mind reading, she hasn't pushed him on it (for which he is grateful). in the public eye, he goes by ichigo kato, an unassuming librarian with a pretty uneventful day job. well, except for that one nosy journalist who keeps coming in and giving him a near heart attack each time with the titles she keeps checking out...oh, and the fact that that one new hero, solarflare, kind of sort of knows his civilian identity now. there's that, too. he's not sure why she hasn't exposed him yet...but not like he's gonna say anything about it.

up next...we're not done with the syndicate just yet! what else does this organization have in store for our heroes...? stay tuned!

(need more context for this au? check out the other character sheets!

joy, sadness & anxiety // disgust & fear )

[krowlovesinazuma]

How have you been? I have returned for more headcanons! And I am not insane yet again! ...Ei, Kujou Sara, and Kokomi with a reader that has a gun (pistol in this case) on them

Okay fine I am a bit insane

Read this prologue for context!

Scenario: Reactions to a modern pistol

Characters: Ei, Kujou Sara, Sangonomiya Kokomi

I'll be honest, you should make sure that Ei manages to fully understand the advances and culture of the present day Inazuma before you show her new tech. It will spare much confusion.

Ei isn't interested in military advancements at first, but once you perhaps bring it up as a small comment, or she sees it, she will bring it up, and once you mention it as a weapon, she'll definitely be interested and want to learn more.

Remember, she used to be a military leader, so she still has a keen interest in these things, even if she wishes to not wage a war again if she can stop it. So when she learns about it, she might start to asks questions that not many may know...

How does it work? Why is it so deadly? Can it be mass produced? How does one train to use it? She becomes very curious in very little time, and she may be a little disappointed if some questions aren't answered.

Doesn't matter if the questions tire you out or not, her curiosity is lit up, and eventually she'll start asking about a whole bunch of other things as well! The gun might not amount to much, but it caused a definitive change in her mind about your world!

She doesn't really see it as a threat, nor as a weapon she could possibly use, as she's confident in her own techniques, and power. She leaves it in your hands, and leaves it be, without much hassle.

However, if you're interested in self defense and weapons, she'd be happy to show you how it works in her world, while witnessing it first-hand! She might not be the best teacher, but it's the least she can do to pay you back!

"From your expression, I'm guessing you liked the demonstration. Isn't it beautiful? At first, I didn't think of it that way myself, but the more I thought about it, the more I came to understand how it can be enchanting to watch. Why am I... W-well, it's to return the favor, isn't it obvious?"

At first, she won't ask many questions about your world, or your belongings. It's not surprising, given her tendency to not make small tall, and her respectful nature about her superiors. Get her to loosen up first, then maybe she'll notice and ask.

When she learns about the gun, she'll pay very close attention. She doesn't like putting in her personal feelings towards military matters, but from the way you talk, she eventually notices that it's more of a casual talk than anything.

Once she relaxes, she'll ask more questions, and show curiosity, much like Ei. Her questions are straightforward, and objective, like how to use it, about the ammunition, and its use as a weapon.

When realizing it's value as a self defense weapon, she leaves it in your hands, although she can't help but think about it at random times afterwards, especially when she's relaxing.

After this, she asks about the possibility of other firearms, how they work and what they look like! It might be just memories at this point, but she can't help but be curious... It's a good topic to keep her engaged, and just chat.

This will eventually lead to her asking about military matters in your world! If you do know, expect to be asked about wars, tactics, and other technology used in them. Perhaps you could spare her some gruesome details, but she does listen to whatever you may share.

In exchange, she'll eventually speak about military matters in Inazuma, perhaps some that you weren't aware of when watching everything from outside! Just make sure to let her know that you're actually learning, and not omniscient...

"You don't mind that I'm asking questions like these, correct? I understand that war is now something of the past, and I should enjoy other things in this world now that it's behind us, but... No need to explain? Are you... Hm. I'm... Grateful."

Time for something a little different, as Kokomi is naturally curious of other cultures aside from the one in her home! So whenever you mention your past life and world, she naturally starts to ask questions!

If you show her your gun, she's immediately examining it, with just her eyes if you don't let her hold it, and the texture is just so strange to her... She examines it almost as if it's a relic of some kind!

Once you explain its functions as a weapon though, her more childish curiosity drops for a few moments, just in case it's something more serious than she assumed at first...

If you do let her hold it again, she'll be much more careful with it, and her eyes will lose some of that glow, getting sharper... Just ensure she doesn't overthink things, she's already done plenty of that.

Much like the others she'll leave it in your hands, but it's not hard to tell how interested she is! If you bring it up later, she'll definitely show how much she's been thinking about it constantly...

Once you let her though, she'll definitely storm you with more questions about both the weaponry, and the way it's used in your world, amongst other related topics! Much like the others, but there's a tone of spark and excitement in her voice...

She's definitely the one that remains most interested in the weapon out of them all, even if it's not to use it herself. It's to the point you can sorta predict what the two of you will talk about next time you two meet...

"I can't believe how far technology has developed... I can't help but wonder, how else has it developed? Even more, how far have other things developed? Ways of thinking, religion, warfare? So many wonderful possibilities to think about..."

[shadrell]

Wo-hoo! Time to tell about Pandora's retinue. Long text.

CT-154374A (leads the lexmechanics on the ship and led the tech-priests on the exploration expedition as Pandora's right hand)

He knew Pandora back when she had not yet received the rank of Magos, and he himself was a simple acolyte. Usually, she does not pay attention to those who have not yet become a full-fledged member of the Machine cult. This is not arrogance, but rather a banal lack of interest. But she appreciated CT-154374A's abilities and contributed to his development.

He is a perfectionist to the core, phlegmatic, has management skills and copes with his job perfectly. However, he is too tactful and non-confrontational - and this greatly hinders his career advancement.

Considered a Lexmechanic for his love of organizing information, he has yet to decide which line of research he likes best. During a exploration expedition, Pandora fully appreciated the versatility of his skills. A jack of all trades, to put it bluntly.

Alpha-Xi 0023 (leads a maniple of classiari)

A shining example of the devout native of Forge World who lacked the skills to become tech-priest, but had plenty of fighting spirit. He worked his way up from a common laborer to an alpha-skitarii through long and hard work, trading his own achievements for new augmentations. His track record includes particular effectiveness on the battlefield, participation in the defense of the Ex-beta-734 manufactorum, as well as leading a successful operation to eliminate the leaders of a workers' revolt.

He is fanatical in his faith in the Omnissiah, but otherwise retains a fair amount of humanity. Before Pandora, he had little interaction with magos, but he had heard enough about the experiences of others, and therefore at first he was afraid that she would be wasteful in the matter of using skitarii. Alpha-Xi 0023 feels an excessive responsibility for his subordinates and is extremely prudent. However, magos Pandora has proven herself to be an excellent strategist so far, with her instructions leading the maniple out of battles without a single loss, and therefore he can rest easy.

Theta-000001A (leads cohort of hypaspists)

Unlike Alpha-Xi 0023, he was born to be a Skitarii, and has been trained since childhood. He is quite young and has not yet had time to prove himself in combat, but was appointed to his position due to his excellent performance in training. His cohort are brothers and sisters who grew up with him, and the squad was formed when they were still children.

Faith in the Omnissiah and a sense of his own destiny have been ingrained in his mind over the years of training, as has loyalty to the magos to whom his cohort was later entrusted. Theta-000001A yearns to become an even more perfect instrument of the Machine God, but due to his youth and an unpleasant encounter with one of the elder skitarii as a child, he fears losing his identity in the process. He is quite detached from all things worldly, but feels a strong connection with his subordinates, as if they were a big and strange family (which they are).

[shewolf-sinclair]

I HATE when people dumb down Jason Todd “he’s impulsive/irrational/erratic/brash/dumb/the angry robin!”

WRONG

let me break it down for you fools because he’s actually like one of the most nuanced and complex characters to ever bless my presence (and he’s the best ((my fav)) robin argue with the wall) (tldr at the end but please read the post)

Starting out as robin they are ALL orphans. because that’s like bruce’s thing. BUT dick and tim had families before bruce adopted them. Jason did not. HE GREW UP ON THE STREETS. (+10 points for truama✨) which led him to grow up to be independent and resourceful. Bruce literally met him because he was trying to steal the bat mobiles tires with the intent of reverse engineering them to sell to the people of gotham because bullet proof tires in that kinda city would save lives source

As for being brash. Yeah. he is. he lacks people skills because HE GREW UP ON THE STREETS. yet he still knows how to sympathize with people and not be an ass ALL the time. he’s cocky sure but it’s a defensive mechanism after years of being treated like he doesn’t have value/having to prove himself. and damien is worse lets bsffr.

He’s impulsive. (likely adhd) Teenager. next question.

He’s the angriest robin! he only ever wants vengeance! WRONG. dick is angrier! he was so petty he left gotham and got a new identity just as a fuck you to bruce. any anger Jason has is not unmatched or outdone by other robins and he is rightfully angry he’s been dealt a crappy hand in life. he’s jealous of dick because bruce was ALWAYS comparing him and telling heroic stories of dicks feats. it’s hard not to push yourself to be as good as or better than the og and not to crack under said pressure.

He’s dumb! NOPE. he is as smart if not smarter than tim. He is BRILLIANT when he wants to be. (see above: resourceful) if you take titans (cw) as canon (why wouldn’t u its as canon as any other tv show??) he is a GENIUS. he taught himself chemistry so he could invent and mass produce drugs. he had a genius strategy to fuck with the titans; the puzzle of clues for which dick needed scarecrow, kory, gar, and conner to solve. Not to mention him finding doctor light earlier in the season. He leads the outlaws bc he is a natural leader and good at handling the details!!

He’s a villain! OKAY AND? SO WAS HARLEY BUT WE LUV HER !! DAMIEN WAS A TRAINED ASSASAIN! he puts so much effort into helping people (see above: resourceful) HE RISKED/LOST HIS LIFE FOR IT. HE IS FIERCELY LOYAL. even as red hood he obtains a strict moral code; no drugs to kids or by schools, don’t kill innocent uninvolved people(depends on which media you’re looking at). serve karma on a gold platter. unlawful but USUALLY NOT unethical. he also becomes a vigilante (and the JL for a bit) and does so much good! none of them are perfect ALL of the time. and considering the other DC villains, he’s not that evil.

strength?? no problem! he almost beat dick and bruce several times in the comics!! source

not to mention his proficiency for new things (see above: chemistry) his whole time as robin he uses bat tech. but redhood uses guns and knives. he just picked that up and was a skilled marksman immediately. (also truama response after nearly dying to death stroke)

so what hes kinda fucked in the head. aren’t they all? isn’t that… the point? it’s justified after everything he’s been through AND it makes hims a better character, more 3D more realistic and relatable.

also for the sake of this thesis partially disregard the wonderful work of art that is WFA it’s a fixit. for a reason. because the it was broken and needed fixing.

TLDR; you don’t have to like Jason Todd, or think he’s the best Robin, but you have to admit, he is a complex, layered, well written character. And stop mischaracterizing him and dumbing him down to this impulsive, angry, weak kid.

bonus: my Jason playlist

[sgt-tombstone]

CoD Military Realism References

UPDATED 05JUL24

For those of you who want to take your fic writing realism (or general military knowledge) to the next level, here is a compilation of real-world, declassified military documents ranging from field manuals to military academy graduate theses all pulled from the Internet Archive. If you're looking for something specific, I highly recommend browsing through their military collection, as they have handbooks on every military topic imaginable, including specific weapons and military operations.

All of these are incredibly outdated because all of the in-date stuff is still classified. That being said, some of these are more outdated than others. Use them at your own discretion and don’t feel obligated to make every detail of your fic entirely accurate. Fic writing is supposed to be fun for everyone involved. Don’t let the real world intricacies of the military distract you from making those military men kiss sloppy style 🖤

The resources that I personally find most useful are highlighted in blue but all of them have lots of valuable information. Read at your own discretion; the vast majority of these are official military documents and could contain shocking/triggering details.

General:

Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (DoD, 2001)

Good for looking up military jargon you don't know

Acronyms: pgs 488-606

Dictionary of United States Military Terms for Joint Usage (DoD, 1950)

Basic Training and Care of Military Dogs (US Army, 1972)

Military Working Dogs (US Army, 2005)

Good for any fics including our bestest boy (Riley)

Includes overview of training, administrative details, various jobs, and vet support for military dogs

Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad (US Army, 1992)

provides doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures on how infantry rifle platoons and squads fight

chapters covering doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures, and includes a tactical standing operating procedure

State, Official, and Special Military Funerals (US Armed Forces, 1965)

Handbook for Next of Kin of Army Prisoners of War / Missing Personnel (US Army, 1972)

designed to provide important information in limited detail to the next of kin of missing and captured members in order to promote a better understanding of Department of the Army policies and procedures

unfortunately relevant for our favorite sudsy sergeant and his family :(

Communication:

Hand Signals

Radio Operator's Handbook (US Marine Corps)

Chock full of jargon and technical details that will unfailingly make you sound like you actually work with radio tech

Not recommended for anyone looking for a general overview

Tactical Single Channel Radio Communications Techniques (US Army, 1987)

See above

Combat Skills:

Combat Skills of the Soldier (US Army, 1984)

tells the soldier how to perform the combat skills needed to survive on the battlefield. These are basic skills that must be learned by soldiers in all military occupational specialties (MOS)

Great overview of camouflage, fighting positions, movement, communications, first aid, etc.

Hand to Hand Combat (US Marine Corps)

A little goofy but hey, hand to hand combat stays relevant, no matter how old the information is

Combat Training with Pistols and Revolvers (US Army, 1988)

Close Combat (US Marine Corps, 1999)

provides the tactics, techniques, and procedures of Marine Corps close combat

provides both the lethal and nonlethal close combat techniques needed to handle the situation responsibly without escalating the violence unnecessarily

Explosives and Demolitions (US Army, 2007)

the reference manual for explosives and demolitions procedures that support combat operations, as well as, peacetime training missions requiring demolition applications

Soap's favorite document (he'd probably know it front to back)

You know it's good when the table of contents is almost 20 pages long...

Camouflage, Concealment, and Decoys (US Army, 1999)

intended to help company-level leaders understand the principles and techniques of camouflage, concealment, and decoys (CCD)

Military Diving (US Army, 1999)

Likely the longest resource on this list

Incredibly in-depth; probably only useful if you're writing an entire mission underwater or involving serious diving

Combat Diving (Canadian National Defense, 2002)

contains the information required for the planning and execution of combat diving operations

A far more accessible resource for diving information than the Army diving manual (the Canadians know how to be succinct lmao)

Night Combat - Historical Study (Center of Military History, US Army, 1986)

Scouting and Patrolling (US Marine Corps, 2000)

provides the doctrinal foundation and the tactics, techniques, and procedures for scouting and patrolling from the fire team to the company level. Although the information focuses on infantry units, much of the information is also applicable to combat support units that are assigned patrolling missions

Officers:

Staff Duties in the Field (Canadian National Defense, 1995)

describes procedures for staff work prepared in support of field training exercises and for the planning and conduct of land force operations

Notes for Officers and NCOs on Methods of Instruction (School of Infantry, 1946)

A really cool teaching manual for officers and NCOs who are in charge of instructing new recruits. Doesn't outline what to teach so much as how to teach it

Army Non Commissioned Officer’s Guide (Us Army, 2002)

provides noncommissioned officers a guide for leading, supervising and caring for soldiers. While not all-inclusive nor intended as a stand-alone document, the guide offers NCOs a ready reference for most situations

people always forget that Soap and Gaz are leaders in their own right, with soldiers of their own to command (or at least they would've before joining the 141). This is an excellent guide for how they would act in a leadership position

Commander’s Tactical Handbook (US Marine Corps, 1988)

contains reference material frequently used to organize, plan, and conduct Marine ground combat operations. Its intent is to assist small unit leaders functioning at the company level and below, but it also serves as a field reference guide for all Marine leaders

Intelligence Officer's Handbook (US Army, 1998)

Probably not really relevant for anyone's fics; the 141 doesn't work in intelligence, and this handbook is for specific units within the US Army. An interesting read, though

Types of Operations:

Terrain:

Mountain Operations (Canadian National Defense, 1976)

Combat in Built-Up Areas (US Army, 1992)

Desert Operations (US Army, 1993)

Jungle Operations (Canadian National Defense, 1978)

Ground Combat Operations (US Marine Corps, 2002)

provides the doctrinal basis for the planning and execution of ground combat operations for ground forces

River Crossing Operations (US Army, US Marine Corps, 1998)

Mountain Operations (US Army, 2000)

Training for Urban Operations (US Army, 2002)

Guerrilla Warfare Tactics in Urban Environments Master's Thesis (US Army, 2003)

Not really an urban environment guide; explores whether or not the US Army needs better guidelines for urban warfare tactics

Other:

Guerrilla Warfare and Special Forces Operations (US Army, 1961)

Kill or Get Killed: Riot Control, Techniques, Manhandling, and Close Combat for Police and the Military (US Marine Corps, 1991)

Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Operations (US Marine Corps, 1998)

Doctrine for Special Forces Operations (US Army, 1990)

Raid Operations (US Marine Corps, 2002)

Land Force Information Operations (Canadian National Defense, 1999)

describes a multidimensional concept used by the Army to achieve success across the continuum of operations. Information Operations (lO) is an essential combat function that must be integrated with the remainder of the combat functions to maximize combat power

describes the concept in detail, and outlines how lO relates to other combat functions and contributes to the success of commanders on the battlefield

Scout Platoon (US Army, 1999)

describes how the scout platoon conducts its primary missions, reconnaissance and security

focuses on the principles of platoon operations and on the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) the platoon uses to acquire information and provide security and protection for other units on the battlefield

covers a variety of supporting tasks and operations the platoon must perform or coordinate, either as part of its reconnaissance and security missions or as assigned by the commander

Engineer Reconnaissance (US Army, 1998)

Operations in a Low Intensity Conflict (US Army, 1992)

provides tactical-level guidance to brigade and battalion commanders and staff officers for planning, controlling, and coordinating combined arms operations in a low-intensity environment

focuses on tactical units' tasks and missions across the operational continuum just short of declared war

Counterguerrilla Operations (US Army, 1986)

Counterinsurgency Operations (US Marine Corps, 2004)

Medical/Survival:

Basic Medical Information:

Basic Medical Terminology (US Army)

Special Forces Medical Handbook (US Army, 1982)

Aidmans Medical Guide (US Army, 1973)

Medical Platoon Leaders' Handbook (US Army, 2001)

Basic Human Anatomy (US Army)

Basic Human Physiology (US Army)

Basic Patient Care Procedures (US Army)

Force Health Protection Nutrition and Exercise Manual (US Navy, 1999)

Treating Wounds in the Field (US Army)

Combat Life-Saver Medical Tasks (US Army)

Medical Interoperability Handbook (ABCA Armies, 2000)

Combat Stress (US Marine Corps, 2000)

Combat Stress Control in a Theater of Operations (US Army, 1992)

Self Aid and Buddy Aid (US Army, 2000)

Taking Vital Signs (US Army)

Preventive Medical Services (US Army, 2000)

Food Service: Army Rations, Food Packets and Supplements (US Army, 1968)

Treatment of Biological Warfare Agent Casualties (US Armed Forces, 2000)

Physical Readiness Training for Combat (US Marine Corps, 2004)

Specific Scenario Survival:

Summer Survival Course Handbook (US Marine Corps, 2002)

Winter Survival Course Handbook (US Marine Corps, 2002)

Basic Cold Weather Training (Canadian National Defense, 1974)

Soldier's Handbook for Individual Operations and Survival in Cold Weather Areas (US Army, 1986)

Basic Cold Weather Manual (US Army, 1968)

Combat Water Survival (US Marine Corps, 2003)

Ordnance Materiel in Extreme Cold Weather 0 to -65 F (US Army, US Air Force, 1959)

Map Reading and Land Navigation (US Army, 2001)

Survival, Evasion, and Recovery (US Armed Forces, 1999)

A really cool survival guide; recommended read for anyone

chock full of fun and useful acronyms

What to Expect if You Get Shot

Finding Your Direction When Lost

Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare (US Army, 1997)

Medical Evacuation in a Theater of Operations (US Army, 2000)

provides the philosophy of and doctrine for medical evacuation in a theater of operations (TO)

Tactics, techniques, and procedures for accomplishing the medical evacuation of sick, injured, or wounded soldiers are included

Environmental Injuries: Snakebite, Arthropod Bite/Sting, Plant Contact, Heat/Cold Injury (US Army)

Snipers:

Sniper Training (US Army, 1994)

The best sniper reference on the list

Not necessarily up-to-date but provides an excellent overview of every aspect of sniping, including equipment, ammunition, marksmanship, the effects of weather, field techniques, sniper positions, observation, mission prep, communications, tracking, etc

Sniper Training Program (US Navy SEALs)

Modern Snipers (2016)

Counter Sniper Guide (US Army)

Regardless of what we may call him, the individual who is shooting at police, firemen, soldiers or citizens is certainly dangerous. In order to counteract, we must employ a trained individual whose knowledge and skill fall within the dictionary description of a sniper, whom we shall refer to throughout the manual as a COUNTERSNIPER

Super badass ngl

Sniping (US Marine Corps, 2004)

Good explanation of sniper teams, equipment, training, skills, etc with helpful tables at the end

Special Operations Sniper Training and Employment (US Army)

Useful appendices at the end

Scouting, Patrolling, and Sniping (War Department, 1944)

Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, and Intelligence:

Understanding and Surviving Terrorism (US Marine Corps, 2001)

Counterterrorism Handbook (2002)

Emergency Response to Terrorism (USDoJ, 1999)

Aptitude for Destruction: Organizational Learning in Terrorist Groups and Its Implications for Combating Terrorism (RAND, 2005)

Countermobility (US Army, 1985)

Counterintelligence (US Army, 1995)

Intelligence Preparation of a Battlefield (US Army, 1994)

[schraubd]

Deepest Darkness

In the latest blow to the Washington Post's dying credibility, editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes has resigned after management killed a cartoon she was slated to run depicting various tech moguls (including WaPo and Amazon.com owner Jeff Bezos) prostrating themselves before Donald Trump. Telnaes says it is the first time one of her cartoons was killed because of its point of view in her tenure. The official Post line -- that they had already published or planned to publish two columns on the subject, and so Telnaes' cartoon was redundant -- is even more pathetic than the last defense they gave of obvious political interference in the editorial team's work (two whole columns!). As Dell Cameron writes, what we're seeing now is a pattern of interference, which in turn amply justifies readers assuming the worst in future incidents -- and that sort of skepticism is toxic to a healthy relationship between a newspaper and the public it serves. Cameron suggests that there may need to be a "mutiny" in the Post in order to restore this confidence. I've written before about how these evermore overt acts of right-wing pandering by media leaders could finally disabuse the journalistic community of their illusion that "everyone" (who matters) already knows and agrees with liberal perspectives (so their main goal is not to present the truth but rather to present "the other side" -- i.e., the conservative view). It hasn't happened yet, but the stress has to eventually reach a breaking point. Right? via The Debate Link https://ift.tt/br38MCl

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

May I humbly request “why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?” from the enemies/rivals to lovers prompts with Christopher Pike please? 💕

Send me a rivals (to lovers?) sentence starter!

Of course my dear! I hope you're having a lovely day!

You have your orders, and are told within earshot of their cell: if the prisoners try to escape again, shoot them on sight.

You don't now if it's pure luck or a coincidence that you're on patrol that night, or that you round the corner just in time to see their leader five steps out of the cell that they're being kept in.

"Get back!" You hiss, raising your phaser and advancing toward him swiftly, "Go!"

The man backs up, hands raised in a show of surrender. You grasp the gate that they've managed to open, closing it hurriedly and covering the code on the pad as you relock it. You shoot a murderous gaze at the five inside, jaw tight. Your heart leaps into your throat as you hear your commander call your name, and you turn around just as they approach you. Your back goes ram-rod straight, chin up as he comes closer.

"Lieutenant! What's going on here?"

"Nothing, sir," You insist. "Just checking that everything is secure."

"Is it?"

"Yes, sir."

He casts a gaze over your shoulder, brows drawing down as he looks them over. You fight to keep from fidgeting, your stomach churning with nerves. Does he know that you're lying? Were they seen on the security feeds?

But he finally nods slowly, drawing away with a murmur to keep up the good work. You nod, mumble, "Sir," And hold your position until he's out of sight. You let your breath drain from you slowly, your body releasing just a little bit of the tension before you look over your shoulder, locking eyes with the man that had been trying to escape.

"Do not do that again. It won't always be me coming around that corner," It feels like a stupid thing to say even as you say it, but the man gives a small nod, and goes so far as to take another step back from the door. You glance around to the others, finding them watching you warily. You just give a small shake of your head before you leave, lingering around the corner and listening for any click of a lock for the rest of your shift.

--

They're not like the other off-worlders. From what you can tell, they didn't sneak onto the facility to try and steal your tech—but you still don't know how they got past the planetary defense systems in the first place, or why. They fought well, but they'd been no match for your squadron once you'd been deployed to their location.

The five of them—two women, two men, and one Vulcan—can't be kept together. It's your commander's decision to split them up. You're not sure how effective it'll be, though you suppose its worth a chance until you can get answers out of them. You think that you may escape any more association with the situation, but your commander insists that you move their leader to his new high-security cell—and puts you in charge of his watch.

You grit your teeth and agree, certain that you have no choice but to obey. Your commander is not a kind man; he rewards loyalty with punishing work, and insubordination with death.

You force your expression to passive indifference as you approach their cell, fingers twitching over the handcuffs strapped to your belt.

"You," You nod to him, drawing the attention of all. "Get up."

It takes him a moment, but he rises slowly.

"Come here," You add, punching in the code for the door and listening to the snick as it unlocks.

"What is this?" He asks.

"You're coming with me."

"Where are you taking him?" A woman is up in seconds, just a step behind. You still your hand on the door, letting your gaze flit to her.

"Another cell."

"Why?"

"They don't trust you together." You probably shouldn't tell them that, but it's obvious enough.

"Why only take him?" The Vulcan pipes up.

"He's the first. He won't be the last." You look between all of them. "I'm going to open the door. If any of you rush me, I'll have to raise the alarm. If you try to escape, I can't be held responsible for what they do to you. I can promise that whatever they choose will be brutal." You meet the man's eye again. "I'm going to open this. I want you to step out and hold your hands forward."

"...I understand," The man says.

"Chris," The woman warns lowly.

"Captain, I would advise against this," Another woman begins to rise, then freezes when she sees your hand twitch toward your phaser.

"Stand down, La'an. That's an order." His gaze stays steady on yours, hands raising, palms open and fingers spread as you open the door just enough for him to inch out. You shut it quickly, punching the code with one hand and draw your cuffs off of your belt. He holds still, and despite your movements, you feel his eyes steady on your face. You turn to the others, eyes skating across their faces again before you reach up, gently nudging the man's shoulder and guiding him to leave ahead of you. You learned a long time ago not to let a prisoner follow you, or have the opportunity to easily grab your phaser.

He goes, slowing only for a second to shoot a wink at his compatriots over his shoulder—it's a reassurance that isn't meant for you, but makes your chest flutter nonetheless.

"Left here," You order, and he does as you say.

"What's your name?" He asks, and before he can twist all the way to look at you for an answer, you snap, "Face forward."

He does so, keeping an even pace down the corridor.

"I'm Christopher," He adds.

"Congratulations."

"You're not going to tell me your name?"

"You don't need it."

"I might."

"Trust me, you don't. Make a right."

He does. You can see him turning his head a bit this way and that, no doubt trying to memorize markers, security cameras, things that may help him find his way back to that first cell.

"You're a lieutenant?" He asks. You bite the inside of your cheek, fighting back an irritated groan. Is he going to talk the whole time?

"That's what your commander said," He adds. "How long have you been working here?"

You still refuse to respond.

"Must be a while. You seem pretty familiar with the layout."

This man must be plenty comfortable making conversation with himself—

You pull up short as he stops, taking a wary step back as he turns to face you. The two of you stand in testy silence for a few tense moments. You wait for him to spring toward you, past you, away from you. You try to think of every possibility, but he hits you with something that you could never have anticipated:

"I'm not going to hurt you."

Your eyes narrow slightly.

"...Are you going to hurt me?" He adds.

"Please turn back around."

He tips his head to the side a touch, and when he takes a step forward, you take a step back.

"I'm not going to ask you again," You raise your voice a little, trying to instill fear in him, and a sense of authority in yourself. His lips twitch with a small, almost taunting smile as he takes one more step. He freezes, watching your hand raise to rest on your phaser. He nods a little, finally turning to face away from you.

"...Left or right?" He asks. You nearly can't hear it over the roaring of blood in your ears. You actually have to think about it before you say: "Right."

--

He lets you nudge him into the cell, lock him up, and then steps forward when you open the latch.

"Give me your hands," You wave him closer. "I'll take the cuffs off."

He takes his time coming closer, and you have to fight a shiver off as his blue eyes seem to spear into you.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Do you do anything else?" You grumble, raising your hands to unlock the mechanism. He chuckles softly as the cuffs fall away, and grasps your wrists once the cuffs are off. You suck in gasp in, eyes widening slightly. He isn't pulling or doing anything threatening—just holding.

"...Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?" He asks.

"What?"

"You had orders to shoot us on sight. You let me live the other day—and you could've killed me in the hall just now."

You shake him off, yanking your hand back. He's still watching you with a warmth that's unfamiliar to you, and disarming.

"Maybe I just want to know how you all snuck onto the planet," You fib. "Can't find that out if you're dead."

He nods a touch, his gentle hum almost condescending. You raise your hand to shove the latch shut, but he catches it with his hand before you can, lowering his voice,

"When we get out of here—and we will get out of here," His lips curl into a mischievous smile, "I'll remember."

"Remember what?"

"Your kindness."

He lets go of the latch, and you slam it shut, locking it hurriedly. Finally out of his sight, you let you sigh out a panicked breath, tugging your armor back from your neck a touch to cool your rapidly heating neck and face.

[jadeazora]

Honestly tho, this is years off, probably more than a decade, but I hope just because we're getting a Kalosian Legends game, that they don't skimp out on giving Kalos an actually GOOD remake when the time comes.

Especially as far as Team Flare-centric characters go. They had the most potential as a villain team, and XY dropped the ball so bad with them, I would hate for a BDSP-esque remake to do the same. No joke, these guys were most of the reason I wanted Z back in Gen6.

Like, Lysandre is pretty much at the forefront of Kalos' tech and communication, and is a very influential person there, they could do something with Malva running cover-ups for Flare in the news media, the entire organization is probably full of politically powerful people given the wealth of their members (Kalos could be quite corrupt for all we know), they have this secret stranglehold on the region, and it's scary, like no one in Kalos really had any idea how fucked they were until it was (almost) too late. Even the Champion was likely completely in the dark, their strongest line of defense was a total no-show, even when the Ultimate Weapon had been raised.

We can definitely pin that on Malva tho, since she keeps all of Kalos in the dark with her job in the news media, and as a mole in the E4, she likely keeps any sensitive information from Diantha too. And she gets away with ALL OF IT. Diantha never even knows, like even as far as Masters, she doesn't seem to be aware of Malva's true allegiance. And Malva never shows any regret or anything for what she did, she tries to justify it. She's even actively hostile to the player for taking them down, and routinely threatens to burn them up where they stand. (And this is before she becomes an accessory to murder in Masters, like, this woman smiles as Lysandre prepares to have Volcanion flash-boil a couple Rocket grunts. What is wrong with her.)

Even the grunts, they're essentially a genocidal secret police of elitist fuckheads who don't give a single flying shit about throwing everyone else under the bus so long as they survive, listening in on Holocaster conversations and having some implicit plainclothes agents (showcased more in Masters tho), and given how wealthy the organization is, it would be very easy for them to make problem people disappear. Imagine if they played up that paranoia factor they have, like, you're on their radar getting into battles with them and interfering with their plans on the regular, Lysandre calls you at multiple points (and definitely knows you're the one causing trouble before the player character finds out he's their leader), you're definitely not safe.

Also, it would have been neat if Sycamore had been in on it too somehow, maybe a joint leadership with Lysandre or something with how he plays off the man's blatant bloodlust as just him being "passionate"? I was side-eyeing him my entire first playthru. But even tho that turned out to not be the case, it would have been cool if one of them tried to save the other, be it Lysandre kidnapping Sycamore to try to spare his friend from the culling, or Sycamore joining you on the front lines to try to talk some sense into his friend. It was such an interesting dynamic at the time, and it was always such a waste it barely got any development. (At least Masters and Evolutions have made steps to fix that complaint since, but still.)

[tomorrowusa]

Jimmy Carter's emphasis on human rights contributed to the fall of the Soviet empire.

President Carter had an almost instantaneous effect on human rights in Latin America when he became president. The Nixon-Kissinger policy of officially propping up dictators was replaced with one of supporting democracies. A majority of Latin American countries in 1976 were authoritarian. Within a decade, a majority were democratic or at least democratizing.

The Carter human rights policy had a more subversively indirect effect on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

Historian and journalist Kai Bird said this at Washington Monthly:

He put human rights, that principle, as a keystone of U.S. foreign policy, and none of his successors have been able to walk back from that or ignore it completely. They’ve talked about some of the hypocrisy and impracticality of the policy, but you can’t ignore it. I make this argument in my biography, that human rights, the talk about human rights, and the focus on dissidents in the Soviet Union, and in Czechoslovakia, and Poland—all of that did much more to weaken the Soviet empire in eastern Europe than anything Ronald Reagan did by increasing the defense budget or threatening Star Wars. The Soviet Union was a weak adversary, not a strong adversary. It was falling apart, and along comes Carter, talking about human rights, and as Jon has said, ideas are powerful, and this idea remains powerful, and it really contributed monumentally to the falling of the Berlin Wall and people seizing power in the streets, and wanting to have personal freedom. That, in part, can be attributed to Jimmy Carter.

Michael Hirsh of the journal Foreign Policy (archived) was more emphatic.

Perhaps the least understood dimension of Carter’s much-maligned, one-term presidency was that he dramatically changed the nature of the Cold War, setting the stage for the Soviet Union’s ultimate collapse. Carter did this with a tough but deft combination of soft and hard power. On one hand, he opened the door to Reagan’s delegitimization of the Soviet system by focusing on human rights; on the other hand, Carter aggressively funded new high-tech weapons that made Moscow realize it couldn’t compete with Washington, which in turn set off a panicky series of self-destructive moves under the final Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev. [ ... ] Although he was mocked for being naive at the time, it was in large part thanks to Carter and his more hawkish national security advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, that human rights issues later came to the fore inside the Eastern Bloc, acting like a gradually rising flood that eroded the foundations of Moscow’s power. Helped along by the 1975 Helsinki Accords, which authorized “Helsinki monitoring groups” in Eastern­ Bloc countries (perhaps most famously with Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia, which set the human rights movement in motion with a 1977 petition), these newly formed dissident groups during the 1980s undermined the legitimacy of Warsaw Pact communist satellites—and thus the Soviet bloc—from within.

Daniel Friend, former US ambassador to Poland, has this to add at the Atlantic Council.

An implicit axiom of President Richard Nixon’s détente was that the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe at the end of World War II, marked by the imposition of the Iron Curtain, was a sad but by then immutable fact. Official Washington and most of US academia regarded the Soviet Bloc­­—communist-dominated Europe from the Baltic to the Black Sea east of West Germany—as permanent and, though this was seldom made explicit, stabilizing. Talk of “liberating” those countries was regarded as illusion, delusion, or cant. Maintaining US-Soviet stability, under this view of Cold War realism, required accepting Europe’s realities, as these were then seen. The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Final Act of Helsinki, a sort of codification of détente concluded under President Gerald Ford, did include general human rights language, and this turned out to be important. [ ... ] Carter’s shift toward human rights challenged this uber-realist consensus. It came just as democratic dissidents and workers’ movements inspired by them began to gather strength in Central and Eastern Europe, especially Poland. Carter, and his national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, put the United States in a better position to reach out to these movements and to work with them when communist rule began to falter as Soviet Bloc communist regimes started running past their ability to borrow money on easy “détente terms,” making them vulnerable. More broadly, by elevating human rights in the mix of US-Soviet and US-Soviet Bloc relations, Carter put the United States on offense in the Cold War and on the side of the people of the region.

President Carter's human rights policy was also popular among Americans of Eastern European descent.

[winterillustrates]

OKAY

I got an AU idea!!

Nice NRC AU

Yuu(s) (in my au, they are three Yuus, but you can make one Yuu)? Absolute menaces. Single handedly cause the nicest people to crack and make them overblot. That's what the school says, at least. Is that truly what goes on?

Crowley? A very nice and gracious principal who denied himself of a holiday to find a way to get Yuu(s) back home. Often tries to help the Yuu(s) but they claim they do not need his help, so he often tries using subtle methods to earn their trust. He often acts like a supportive father of teenage rebels.

Grim? Just a poor innocent stray cat (his words, not Yuu(s)'. They, along with practically everyone else, knows he's a monster but just call him a cat cause it makes him happy) that kindly asked the Principal to enter, and because of his potential, he got in! Often serves as the moral pet of Yuu(s), being their angel on their shoulder (sometimes) and self-proclaimed familiar. He is also quite the attention seeker.

Ace? Total Goody-two-shoes who acts like a helpful guide to Yuu. Would not harm a fly. COULD NOT harm a fly. Very affectionate towards his friends, and is never afraid to speak his mind, especially when someone is in danger. But...he sort of knows when to shut up and let Yuu(s) handle it. Finds the unfiltered truth to be the kindest thing anyone could do.

Deuce? Former nerd trying to learn to grow some backbone from Yuu(s). Trying to look a little more delinquent and a lot less nerdy with frequent exercises. Never wants to be the butt of jokes, ever again, so he's very defensive, often making fun of other people before they can make fun of him (most noticeably the first time he met Ace and Ramshackle). Absolute mama's boy. His tech skills are actually very impressive. It's a wonder why he's not in Ighnihyde.

Riddle? Just trying to prove to his mother that people don't need rules to have a happy, successful life! Failed miserably. Heartslaybul is a mess and he never wants to force anyone to do anything, so people don't take him too seriously, most of the time. Seen as a 'weak link'. Too obsessed with trying to not be like his mother that he forgot who he actually wanted to be.

Chenya? Sadistic and an absolute riot. Pranking poor innocent NRC students, causing them trauma. people are too scared of him to call him a bully and downplay his actions to 'prankster'. Most noticeably Riddle, his most frequent victim.

Ruggie? Just a shy guy who overworks himself to the bone and is used to being stepped/walked over. Takes backbone lessons from Yuu(s).

Leona? Sorta...slow? Yeah, that's the word for it. But he's a great leader! Real nice guy who's taken Ruggie under his wing. He'd definitely be perfect if he didn't keep failing his exams. Does he really want to graduate, though?

Floyd? Impulsive and just wants to have fun. Has a...working moral compass...Would not intentionally kill someone.

Kalim? Very sociable, but boy does he fail in his classes. He makes up for it with his streetsmart, though! Knows almost everyone's secrets/gossip. Everyone is a suspect to him, so he does not particularly care about who his friend is and who is not. Constantly sees himself as a victim (people constantly acting like he is does not help with this complex) and is very self centered but insecure. The only person that has never betrayed him is Jamil, and he knows exactly why. But he can't help but want to clip his wings off, anytime he thinks of escaping. Kalim can't be alone. He deserves to, but he can't.

Jamil? Very anti-social. Does not interact with people much and prefers to be in silence. When he does interact with people, he is very, unapologetically blunt and honest. Got a new hat? He will tell you it looks stupid. This makes him disliked generally by people who are not close to him. Despite his anti-social behavior, he is quite optimistic about the future and is honest with his endeavors to finally become good enough to be Kalim's right-hand man. Is he as honest with himself as he'd like to be, though?

Vil? 2nd best, as usual, of course. Takes it with grace and considers Neige to be one of his closest friends. Is that popular, but nice girl everyone loves. He loves giving his dorm members makeovers and spa days. He holds his tongue a lot, though. Always sugar coating his words to make them more likely to be listened to. He is never above using his charm to stop a fight or two with just a flutter of his eyelashes. If only it was that easy to get rid of the green-eyed monster tearing apart his soul.

Rook? Hunter of beauty, of course. Ready to defend beauty, even if it means he has to get his hands dirty. People fear him because no one wants to be on the receiving end of that arrow, or his attention. Vil is trying to make him a bit more...likeable. Finds beauty to be rare and is extremely critical towards people. Often finds beauty to be in the tragic, yet romantic things. Like an actor loved by all but would not hesitate to throw that all away for their selfish desires.

Neige? Innocent little guy! People think he's just some dumb, oblivious actor, but his parents' death taught him a lot, actually. Life is cruel. Hard. No one is going to care if you don't make them to. Some people are born lucky. They get a head start. But, God, does it bring twisted satisfaction to be crowned 1st in front of the 2nd, once more. Some might assume that he's selfish and mean, but how bad could he be if his hands are 'clean'?

Idia? As anti-social as ever, thanks for asking. Always trying to make new friends, but always backing out at the last moment. Uses his security cameras to spy on people, watching them like a soap opera, so he knows quite a lot about almost everyone. Really wants to have new friends, but people often see his gloomy behavior as intimidating. Still into anime, music groups and video games, as it's the only place he can truly feel part of something. Yuu(s) have actually become his...'favorite character'. Years of isolation and a robot of his dead brother club is not exactly full at the moment.

Ortho? If looks could kill, you'd be dancing on stage with your favorite living band. But since he can actually kill, I'd suggest to never mess with his brother. He seems very strict and often is the one calling the shots in Ighnihyde, but if you become close to him, he'll display a helpful attitude towards you, always trying to help you reach your goals and is there right by your side. No wonder Idia depends so much on him. And if you're a loner trying to make a friend, well, you have a soft spot in his 'heart'.

Sebek? "HUMAN!!" oh no "YOU CAN'T BE WALKING AROUND IN THE SNOW WEARING ONLY ONE JACKET!! TAKE MINE! YOU HUMANS CAN BE SO SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE COLD!" And that's him on a bad day. Always ready to protect Malleus with his life but has a soft spot in his heart for humans. He does seem humans as inferior, and is always sort of babying them, offering to fight instead of them, despite how capable they have proven themselves to be. This often makes Sebek believe that he is the most capable in the room and he is quite smug about it. This makes him labeled as a 'Teacher's Pet' amongst the first years.

AND LIKE ALL THE OVERBLOTS HAPPEN CAUSE THE YUU(S) CONSTANTLY TRY AND ADD A BIT MORE "FLAVOR" TO THIS BORING SCHOOL WHICH UNKNOWINGLY MAKE THEM LIKEABLE AMONG THE MAIN CAST!!

LIKE RIDDLE FINALLY SNAPPING AND USING HIS MAIN MAGIC ON ALL THE UNRULY STUDENTS, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE YUU(S) TAUNTING, ONLY FOR HIM TO OVERBLOT. THEN WHEN THEY SAVE HIM, HE'S LIKE, "Thank you, actually. I suppose there was at least some truth to my mother's words and the rest of the truth was outside her words." AND YTHEY ARE ALL LIKE "Huh?" AND THEN BRO FAINTS LIKE THAT. AND THEN IN THE NEXT CHAPTERS RIDDLE IS JUST TRYING TO WALK THE FINE LINE BETWEEN AUTHORITATIVE AND FRIENDLY.

SO, DESPITE THE YUU(S) NOT WANTING TO, THEY JUST MAKE PEOPLE BETTER AND ARE THE THERAPISTS OF THE SCHOOL.

[embodiedfutures]

about the ongoing hunger strike to ensure that the historic anti-casteism bill passes in california ^^ wanna support?

if you’re on mobile, go to: https://tinyurl.com/Signsb403

other devices, like laptops: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/

—

sample email below from the mobile link, not my own writing:

Subject: Please Sign SB403 (Wahab) to End Caste Discrimination

I am writing to request the governor to sign the historic bill SB403 introduced by State Senator Aisha Wahab, which would end discrimination on the basis of caste. This bill aims to clarify existing California state law and make explicit that discrimination based on caste is illegal by adding caste to ancestry and defining caste in the Civil Rights Act, Fair Employment and Housing Act, and Education Code.

Caste systems are social stratification where each position is characterized by hereditary status, endogamy, and social exclusion. Caste discrimination manifests as workplace discrimination, housing discrimination, gender-based violence, and other physical and psychological forms of violence.

Caste discrimination occurs across industries, including technology, construction, restaurants, and domestic work. In these sectors, caste discrimination has included harassment, bias, wage theft, and even trafficking. Caste is today inextricably intertwined with existing legal protections in state and federal civil rights laws such that discrimination based on one’s caste is effectively discrimination based on the intersection of other protected identities. However, because of the grave discrimination caste-oppressed Californians face, these existing protections must be made explicit.

Caste is a workers rights issues, a women's rights issues, and racial justice issue. It is also a bill that has bipartisan support. That is why we are joined by Asian Law Caucus, Stop AAPI Hate, AAPI Equity Alliance, Tech Equity, Equality Labs, Alphabet Workers Union, Ambedkar Association of North America, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO, Californians for Caste Equity, Hindus for Caste Equity, Jakara Movement, South Asian Network, Sikh Coalition, and Sikh American Legal Defense Fund. Every major legal association is in support of caste equity and the lawfulness to make caste equity explicit. This includes the American Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association, National Asian American Pacific Bar Association, and Asian Law Caucus.

That is why we urge you to make history and sign his bill without hesitation. Justice delayed is justice denied. Let's ensure California opportunity for all by ensuring that ancestry and caste discrimination is explicitly prohibited and make history across the country.

Thank You,

[Name]

—

and if you don’t know what caste is? send in an ask @bfpnola or join our Discord server, link in bio, so we can answer you in real-time!

[ivqnx]

Call of Duty Black Ops 6/CW OC:

Heather McEthan

[photo redacted]

____________________

BASIC INFO

Name: Heather McEthan

Alias(es): [redacted]

Gender: Female

Date of Birth: 16th of May 19**

Place of Birth: [redacted], California, United States of America

Nationality: American

Spoken language(s): English, Deutsch

Occupation: -

____________________

APPEARANCE

Eye color: Teal blue

Hair color: Light brown

Height: 1.65 m (5'5")

Weight: 53.8 kg (will change later)

Blood type: [redacted]

Faceclaim: Marilyn Monroe, Hedy Lamarr

____________________

FAMILY

Father: Frederick Antonsen McEthan

Mother:

Sibling(s):

Brother #1:

Brother #2:

____________________

PERSONALITY

Though Heather looked up to her father and Adler, she was a firecracker all her own. Outgoing, adventurous, and wildly curious, she often found herself in trouble for tinkering with electronics around the house. Whether it was attempting to rewire the TV remote (and accidentally breaking it) or experimenting with other gadgets, her mischievous nature kept her parents on their toes. Her father, though exasperated at times, seemed to accept that Heather was "maybe just a bit too naughty" for her own good. With her Resting Blame Face (RBF), which mirrored her father’s, and a sharp, sarcastic wit, she had a bold personality that was hard to miss.

While her mother’s elegance showed in her mannerisms, it was her father’s fighting skills that she inherited. From a young age, Heather began kickboxing under her father's guidance, becoming skilled and confident in self-defense. The thrill of learning combat techniques further fueled her ambition to follow in her father’s footsteps.

Like(s): [redacted]

Hate(s):[redacted]

Behaviour as a Child:

She's naughty like Shin-Chan (her father just accepted the fact that she was maybe, a bit too naughty).

DID SHE CHANGE AFTER BEING AN ADULT?

As Heather McEthan transitioned into adulthood, her personality evolved in response to the challenges and experiences she faced, both personal and professional.

More Focused and Disciplined: While Heather maintained her curiosity and adventurous nature, she learned to channel it into her work. As a CIA operative and technology expert, she became far more focused and disciplined. Her once playful experimentation with gadgets turned into a razor-sharp proficiency with technology and espionage tools. She learned the value of precision and responsibility, especially when the stakes were high.

Reserved, But Still Sarcastic: Growing up with a sarcastic streak, Heather refined her sharp tongue in adulthood, learning when to use it and when to stay quiet. While she could still deliver biting comments with Adler-like snark, her years in intelligence taught her how to mask her emotions when necessary. Her RBF (Resting Blame Face) became a powerful asset, allowing her to maintain an impenetrable poker face in high-stress situations.

Confident, But Guarded: While Heather always had confidence, adulthood brought a sense of caution and reservation. She became more guarded, not just with her emotions but with the people she trusted. Her work in the CIA exposed her to deception and betrayal, causing her to develop a more calculated approach to relationships. She would rely heavily on her instincts and trust only a select few, including her childhood friend and Uncle Adler.

A Strong Leader, Yet Still a Team Player: Heather grew into a natural leader, especially within the CIA’s tech division, where her genius in electronics and military tech put her ahead of her peers. However, she never lost her sense of loyalty to her team. She knew that success in the field often depended on collaboration, and she maintained close bonds with those she worked with, especially those she trusted.

Stoic, But Empathetic: Heather's adventurous spirit in childhood was tempered by the harsh realities of the world. She became more stoic and toughened as an adult, able to handle danger and trauma with resilience. But beneath her calm exterior, she still held onto a deep sense of empathy, especially for those close to her. She felt a strong desire to protect her loved ones and the innocent, driven by the ideals she had as a child to become a hero.

Mission-Oriented, but Still Adventurous: Heather's love for exploration never completely faded, but as an adult, she approached adventure with more caution. She thrived on the adrenaline of fieldwork and missions, but she did so with a clear focus on her objectives. No longer reckless, she became tactical and sharp, knowing when to take risks and when to fall back.

Protective and Loyal: The mischievous, carefree child grew into a fiercely protective woman. Her loyalty to her team, her family, and her close friends like Adler and her childhood friend was unshakable. Heather was willing to sacrifice her own safety to protect those she cared for and those under her charge.

In summary, as an adult, Heather McEthan retained much of her childhood essence—her curiosity, confidence, and sense of adventure—but these traits were shaped by the seriousness of her profession and the weight of the responsibilities she carried as a CIA agent and tech expert. She became more refined, calculating, and stoic, but her loyalty, sarcasm, and love for exploration remained key elements of who she was.

Habit(s): [redacted]

Hobby(s):

1. Tinkering with Technology and Gadgets: Heather's childhood love for experimenting with electronics would naturally evolve into a deeper passion for working with cutting-edge tech. In her free time, she might enjoy building, dismantling, and modifying gadgets—whether it's hacking old computers, upgrading surveillance equipment, or creating her own high-tech tools for personal use. This keeps her skills sharp and satisfies her curiosity.

2. Outdoor Adventures: With her love of exploration and thrill-seeking, Heather might take up hobbies like hiking, rock climbing, or even urban exploration. These activities allow her to maintain her physical fitness while satisfying her desire to explore the world around her, especially when she's not on a mission. It gives her the same rush she enjoyed as a kid wandering her hometown but with more intensity.

3. Games and Puzzles: Heather’s love for espionage could manifest in her downtime as well. She might enjoy solving complex puzzles, engaging in escape room-style games, or playing chess, which would allow her to challenge her strategic thinking. These mental exercises would align with her fieldwork, helping her hone her ability to think on her feet.

5. Reading Military and Espionage History: Heather's interest in military history and espionage would likely carry over into her hobbies. She might enjoy reading biographies of famous operatives, studying historical military tactics, or researching advancements in technology that could impact her work in the CIA.

____________________

BIOGRAPHY

Heather McEthan grew up in a tightly knit, exciting family in Langley, Virginia, just a stone's throw away from CIA Headquarters. The youngest of three, Heather was the daughter of a former MACVSOG operative, and a medic volunteer during the Vietnam War, both of whom influenced her greatly. Her father's role in the CIA and his friendships with legendary operatives like Russell Adler and Lawrence Sims made Heather's childhood both thrilling and unconventional. With Adler as her neighbor and close "uncle," Heather spent countless afternoons listening to thrilling stories of her father and uncles' escapades in Vietnam, sparking a deep-rooted fascination with espionage and military life.

Exploring her hometown with her closest childhood friend often got her into even more trouble, but it only heightened her love for adventure. Unafraid to push boundaries, Heather sought to learn everything she could—especially about technology, wiring, and the inner workings of gadgets. Her dream was to merge her love of tech with her admiration for her father and Adler, becoming not just a CIA agent, but one with a sharp edge in technological warfare.

Heather's ambitions were lofty, but with her passion for experimentation and an unyielding spirit, she had her sights set on being a hero in her own right—whether as a soldier, a CIA agent, or a tech genius. Her childhood, filled with exploration, lessons, and mischief, was the perfect foundation for the incredible life she was destined to lead.

CHILDHOOD PHOTO(S):

[redacted]

____________________

AFFILIATIONS

Central Intelligence Agency:

Special Clandestine Officer Russell Adler Special Agent Jason Hudson Special Operative (Master Sergeant) Frank Woods Special Operative (Captain) Alex Mason Lawrence Sims Sevati Dumas Felix Neumann Troy Marshall CIA Handler Jane Harrow "CHASE"

Aleksandra Clarke R. (© Alypink)

MI6:

Helen Park

____________________

[saibasimian]

Still in the midst of refining Yusaru's concept a bit with his face, mask and how I'd imagine his weapon of choice would be as a high ranking Blademaster in the Yiga Clan, but I wanted to brush up on some more headcanon stuff too.

I'd like to consider, as far as ranks go for the Yiga, Yusaru would be on par to the likes of Sooga in terms of status. I know that Sooga's existence came prior to the release of TotK with the expanding hideouts + the Depths...

(which I have plans on making something cool to add with the designs of Yiga outfits and such)

... however his role as right hand man is to act as the next in charge in case Kohga were to wander off from the main hideout and he'd stand by. In my mind this is where I'd place Yusaru and the other high ranking members of the Yiga.

I also want to add some extra fluff to the armaments of the Yiga Clan. Since their main objective is to take revenge on the Hyrule Royal Family I like to imagine as a ploy to expose weaknesses similar to how the Blights were in BotW and as bosses in AoC, the Yiga in the regions with a residing Champion would focus on the arts used by those who live there:

-Hebra's faction using ranged weapons like bows, kunai, kukri or slingshots to attack long range. Yusaru technically breaks this method by using a Polearm but as a personal choice however he is also a weponsmith and uses stolen Sheikah tech that allows him to retract his spear after he throws it long range like it was attached to a thread no matter the distance

-Eldin's faction relies on the use of clunky weapons that would break the hard defensive stance of the Gorons and stagger them. They'd focus on sledges, mallets, clubs and claymores to do so. I'd like to think the leader of the faction would use something similar to Daruk's Boulder Breaker but would have an elemental affinity that could break and melt through sturdy fireproof armor in case their foe isn't native to the Death Mountain area

-Lanayru's faction would focus primarily on polearms with combat but I'd like to think that this faction is pretty tactical when it comes to combat, exploiting their weakness to electricity to their advantage with infused weaponry, special throwing items or, to be very creative, use a crude makeshift version of a net launcher to snag Zora who dive in the water. If the Sheikah and Zonai are capable of mimicking modern technology then I'm certain the Yiga wouldn't have problems fashioning weapons themselves or through stolen schematics from either tribe

-Though not a specific region I'd like to expand on Akkala and shed more light on the fact that they flat out ransacked Robbie's lab and claimed it their own. Though not specifically focusing on a weapon type, but I'd like to think the Yiga who decided to hide out in Akkala would be full of researchers or have the smartest members out of all the factions, using the Ancient Furnace to craft ancient weapons from the scrap Robbie would've left behind. They'd also focus on the environmental advantage of the region with it being open and on a giant slope. They'd use special shields as their main form of combat and transport with the head of the faction I think exploiting this a lot and I'd like to imagine their outfit would also double as a wingsuit to glide about in the open areas like Link using the paraglider

-Lastly I want to touch base on Faron's faction. I know I said before they'd use camouflage to their advantage and focus on Guerilla Warfare but with weaponry I thought of a clever idea when I was looking for reference material and remembered playing Assassin's Creed IV growing up and remembering the blow darts that the Assassins from Tulum used to throw Edward off (and Edward later getting the chance to use one to which I exploited to hell and back) and with that I'd like to see the Yiga of the Faron region behaving similarly and if they'd need to be up close they'd most likely use daggers or smaller sickles and then sneak back into the thicket. I know that the faction leader would most definitely have a special hidden blade as their main weapon of choice and I liked to think it would be close in design to the design from 3 that Connor uses which flips into a mini dagger

Aaaaannywaayyy.... that's all I have to share about my headcanon with my take on the Yiga Clan. Been mulling this over a hot minute in between being an adult and I'm really excited to flesh out the other leaders. I excluded the Depths for a reason since I want to cook a little more with how I'd redesign the Yiga who were left to explore the vast underground

[sleepyfan-blog]

Day One

Author’s Note: Hagiel’s No Good, Terrible Mission part 1. Next

Playlist for this fic series: Spotify Youtube

Tagged: @undeaddream , @egrets-not-regrets @the-pure-angel @whorety-k @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

Warnings: canon-typical violence

Summary: Hagiel talks to some nobles, helps begin repairs to one of the damaged hospitals, and is invited to a fancy dinner.

word count: 3,278

The battles had been long, brutal and back to back. By the time that Hagiel and the small patrol of Brothers he’d been assigned to had finally killed and burned the last of the orcs off of this world, the planetary governor had informed them that a Drukhari raiding vessel had been barrelling towards the planet. They’d scrambled into their barely-functioning Battle Barge, leading what was left of the planetary defense forces in a pitched and desperate fight against the cruel, chaos-tainted Aeldari. When it became clear to the capricious near-immortals that whatever they’d been gunning for wasn’t worth the effort, they’d left, but not before crippling The Resolve’s primary engines out of spite.

It had killed all of the serfs and tech priests on board as the radiation and promethium leak killed them. It had killed half of his remaining brothers as they stopped the leak and repaired the engines to the point that The Resolve was able to move again… And teh radiation had rendered their gene-seed unsalvageable. Once The Resolve was safe enough to land, Hagiel’s superior ordered them to do so… Just in time for a small fleet of fucking Tyranids to arrive and attempt to consume everything in their path.

Hagiel had tried to keep positive, or at least hope that reinforcements would arrive before the system was overrun. The surviving planetary defense force had helped them hold the line as the civilians evacuated in as orderly a fashion as possible. The tyranids had managed to land on Karsos three. The primary world in the solar system and had caused a tremendous amount of destruction to the principle hive city.

The tyranids had been killed, and the surviving civilian ships returned. Hagiel had spent the last three days collecting his dead brothers’ corpses, retrieving their geneseed and other vital organs if they were still useable and storing them properly on the Resolve, and burning their bodies, as was custom for his chapter. Hagiel didn’t know why he was the sole surviving member of his patrol… But the god emperor had him spared the oblivion of death so he would continue to serve faithfully. 

General Wuelt - the leader of the local astartes who had recently taken over as the interim commander in chief of the remaining Planetary defense forces after Admiral Rufus had sacrificed himself and his badly damaged command ship to destroy the primary Tyranid control vessel. He approached Hagiel in the half-destroyed space port that the Resolve was docked at. 

Behind the General was Lord Shyrc - the Governor of Karsus three, who had stayed behind until either the last of their people were evacuated…. Or Hagiel and the mortal defensive forces managed to save the day. They were speaking in low tones with their vice governor, LadySablescar.

“You called for a meeting, Lord Angel?” Lord Shyrc asked as soon as they were within conversation distance.

“Yes. I have news and I have bad news. Which do you want first?” Hagiel asked, tension boiling in the pit his stomach had become.

“Bad news first. More xenos trying to kill or enslave us?” General Quelt guessed, weariness exuding from the human “I’ll really my forces… My condolences on your loss, Lord Angel.” 

“Nothing immediately life-threatening like that…However the relief aid that was supposed to arrive today? It has been delayed indefinitely. We have seven solar days until a group of Ultramarines lead by one of their company captains comes to inspect this city and take the Imperial Tithe and exacta required of the worlds in this system.” Hagiel explained, trying to keep his emotions out of his voice "They are being sent here on the orders of the Imperial Regent himself.”

“... Well… Fuck. That’s some shit news alright.” Lord Shyrc groaned. They pulled out a silver hip flask and drank deeply from it before offering the flask to General Quelt, who took it silently and drank deeply from it as well. The planetary governor heaved a sigh and said “I’m guessing that the Ultramarines are expecting to see a functioning capital city instead of… This.” They gestured to the still smoking half-destroyed wreck of a hive city that the spaceport gave them all a stark overview of.

“You are correct.” Hagiel confirmed with a nod, anxiety-induced nausea clawing at his stomach. “Despite the lack of relief aid, we need to try and get this city ready for inspection. Ultramarines are , as you all are doubtlessly already aware of, well known for their attention to detail and protocol.”

“I’ll contact my underlings and have them round up everyone who is able bodied and non-medical to immediately begin unfucking the city.” The general rumbled,already typing away on his fox communicator.

“Lady Sablescar and I will rally the remaining nobles and merchant clans, to get the material stockpiled for such disastrous times to the places they are needed most… May I inquire as to what you plan on doing, lord Angel?” Lord Shyrc asked, gray eyes looking him over assessingly.

“I do have some experience and training in both structural repair, as well as search and rescue. I plan on aiding in the reconstruction of the major hospitals in this city, before aiding in finding any civilians trapped under the destroyed parts of the city who may still yet live.” Hagiel explains. 

The mortals nod and each head off to go wrangle their people into getting this city ready for inspection. With any luck, they should be able to get the city ready for a glancing inspection in time… Or so Hagiel hopes. 

~

There used to be seven large, fully-staffed and stocked hospitals in the hive city. Between the Tyranids, the orcs and especially the Drukhari, five of them were utterly destroyed, along with all of the infrastructure in the immediate area within a quarter-mile radius. Arbites had been deployed in those areas, not only to search for survivors and bring any usable medical supplies to the two only partially destroyed large hospitals… And to discourage attempts at looting in these utterly destroyed areas. 

Hagiel went to the less-destroyed hospital in the northern sector of the half-destroyed hive city, moving carefully through the densely packed streets, occasionally stopping when a baseline human called out, asking for his assistance with something or another, aiding them however he could. When he was asked if he knew where any loved ones were, Hagiel shook his head and suggested that they speak with one of the Arbites patrols about reuniting with loved ones, as that was not something he was in charge of. 

He could see that the baselines were already starting to patch up their homes and businesses with whatever they had to hand, which was heartening to see. Sometimes the despair and cruelties inflicted upon them caused the baselines to go into a state of numb catatonia and they needed to be prodded into movement, and continuing on with their lives. Or at least.. Most of them were. There were more than a couple of times where Hagiel had to step in as a group of desperate frightened humans would try and coerce and threaten a lone or pair of humans for whatever they had on them. Hagiel would not allow such cruelties to happen when he could stop it, firmly scolding the would-be thieves while protecting the victim until the Arbites arrived and processed the desperate criminals.

It took him several hours to get to the northern hospital due to the aid that the baselines had needed that he couldn’t help but give them, and he arrived just in time to help lift a large piece of collapsed wall where several heat signatures could be detected in his visor. Before the first aid staff could rush in he held up a hand, curling it into a fist, which they knew meant stop.

Yes,amongst the rubble and debris there were a half-dozen semi-conscious medical staff each in varying states of injury, but there was also a mid-sized Orcish bomb buried in the rubble as well. It hadn’t gone off, but it still had explosives haphazardly and quite dangerously shoved inside of the crude metal casing. Some of the liquid explosives had leaked out of the rusted metal and dripped onto the floor in a thick, viscous puddle of danger. “I will remove the injured one at a time. I need the rest of you to evacuate the surrounding rooms, on this floor as well as any higher and lower floors. Orcish ordinance is notoriously difficult to disarm.” Mostly because it shouldn’t actually work and should explode the moment it was touched or moved. Especially once outside of the WAAAGH! Field of an Orc Warboss. 

“Yes, lord Angel!” the leader of the repair team of baselines called out, immediately barking orders and ensuring that their people were moving in as efficient a manner as possible “Is there anything we can do to reduce the likelihood of this thing going off before we can get everyone clear?”

“You wouldn’t happen to know of any sanctioned psykers trained in telekinetic manipulation who are on planet and in a fit state to use their emperor-blessed abilities, would you?” Hagiel responded with a sigh. Drukhari bombs were difficult and deadly to try and diffuse, but it was in fact possible to do so. Tyranid didn’t do bombs like this, prefering to use psykery to stun or disable an opponent before consuming everything in their path. 

“... No sir, but I’ll ask around.” The repair team leader answered, shaking their head a little.

Hagiel sincerely doubted that one would be found in time - if there were any such trained psykers left alive in the system. The trained psykers who had been present before the battles either died fighting bravely against the waves of enemies, or were critically exhausted and unable to serve safely - and the last thing any of them needed was a daemon possessing an exhausted and desperate to serve psyker because their attention wavered at the wrong time. He carefully picked up the nearest injured baseline, having knelt down and slowly pulled them out from under the desk they’d wedged themself under, before walking over and handing them off to the nearby emergency medical team, two of whom whisked them off on a stretcher.

The next four injured humans were just as easy to pull free of the remaining wreckage of what remained of the large room that had  been mostly destroyed. The final baseline woke as soon as Hagiel touched their shoulders, a low, pained whine leaving them as they jerked in surprise “Who…Who are you?” The human slurred, squinting up at him, pupils different sizes.

“I am Brother Hagiel of the Lamenters third company. I am pulling you free of the wreckage of this room and putting you in the hands of those who can patch you up.” Hagiel responds, deciding to forgo telling them about the unexploded orc bomb in the remains of the room. It would only cause upset.

“But… But I… Need to finish my shift… There’s… So much left to do… We’re over capacity with the damn xenos trying to kill us all…” The baseline slurred, shifting weakly in his arms.

Hagiel’s voice was firm, and brooked no argument “You have a concussion and are badly injured-” His gaze quickly swept over the other’s uniform “-Medicae Smith. You need to be tended to first, before you can care for anyone else. “

The civilian medicae grumbled in his arms, but didn’t try to leave them again, which made Hagiel’s job easier. He also made sure that the civilian didn’t see the large, still-dripping bomb in the middle of the room, not wanting to deal with the potential emotional fall out of that. He gently placed the other down on the waiting stretcher and pulled the other baseline humans who were working on trying to repair the hospital away.

Just in time too, as Hagiel saw a crumbling bit of wall fall from a higher floor of the hospital and land directly on top of the Orcish bomb, causing it to immediately explode in a bright, fiery explosion. Hagiel threw his arms wide and stood between the baselines and the explosion, knowing that his armor could take the heat and shrapnel without difficulty.

Once the after-images of the explosion was blinked out of everyone’s eyes, Hagiel noted grimly that despite the fact that there was now more structural damage done to the hospital… The explosion had cleared several large debris piles that would have taken hours to clear with the tools that the baselines and he had in time.

The Lamenter hadn’t thought that he would be grateful for the years he had spent stuck on Terra, working and training alongside Imperial Fists, but the training that they’d given him on how to build and reinforce all kinds of buildings was incredibly helpful to him as he helped to guide the search and repair efforts of the northern hospital.

By the time it was sunset and the baseline humans were being relieved of their duties in order to eat and rest, with Hagiel’s assistance, the hospital had been fully cleared of debris and into a semi-working order. 

~

Hagiel intended on working for several more hours in the evening before finding a spot to sleep for a small handful of hours in order to recharge. The finely dressed baseline human picking their way through the hospital’s hallways from the click-clack of the heels they were wearing and the quiet, respectful-anxious murmurs of the other baselines as whoever it was walking towards where Hagiel was currently holding in place a large metal pipe as the baselines swiftly put it into place as he easily held it up while they did so. It would take heavy machinery or a half-dozen baselines (or a couple of Ogryn) to do what he was doing by himself, and they needed all the human-power that could be spared getting both semi-functional hospitals up to basic standards in order to help the injured.

“Excuse me, Lord Angel Hagiel?” A voice in slightly accented High Gothic called out as the click-clack of heels came up behind him.

Hagiel shifted a little, making sure that the pipe stayed exactly where it was supposed to as the baselines continued to nail it in place to the freshly reconstructed inner wall. “Yes, Zie…?” He asked as he looked over one shoulder at the sharply dressed baseline standing in the dusty hallway.

Their hair was tightly curly, and was kept in place by dozens if not hundreds of very tight small braids. Gold and platinum bands caught the dying sunlight, as did the golden star sapphire necklace and earring combo they were wearing. They were in shimmering, brightly dyed silks that flowed like water in the slight breeze. He could scent light perfume or cologne clinging to their skin, reminding him of water lilies. “I am Brady Flint, and the Lord Governor asked me to track you down and extend to you an invitation to take your evening meal with him and the other surviving nobles of our fair city - and the greater system. He says that your presence at the dinner would be greatly and deeply appreciated in this.. Fraught times.”

Dealing with whiny nobles bitching at him for not being able to save their worlds fast enough to prevent damage while he could be out doing useful things - or sleeping and recovering his energy and from the injuries he’d sustained in the weeks of non-stop fighting did not appeal to Hagiel in the slightest. Normally when a request like this came to Hagiel and his squad, they would draw lots to see which two of them would have to suffer through that sort of nonsense…

But none of his brothers had survived the battles. They were all in the radiant light of the emperor, serving alongside Lord Sanguinius. His hearts clenched painfully as he said “I will be there if I can make it, when does the dinner start? I am in the middle of helping put this hospital back together.” He pointed out, as the other working baselines kept attaching the huge pipe he was holding to the wall. They were roughly three quarters done with the task. He’d hoped to help them finish getting the central sewer pipes to and from this hospital in proper working order before going to sleep tonight, but alas, that was no longer in the cards. 

“You have an hour and a half to prepare for the dinner. The Lord Governor is extending the use of his home to you to use, in order to clean up, as he’s aware of the relentless battles and clean-up that you’ve nobly thrown yourself into since they called out for Astartes assistance. The dress code is black-tie and he strongly suggests that you allow your power armor to recharge while attending the dinner, if at all possible. Again, the Lord Governor’s mansion is completely functional and able to recharge several Astartes’ power armor, and their retinue of servants are willing and able to clean and service your armor - and weapons while you are out of it, my lord.”  Flint explains, giving him a sharp smile as they spoke. 

HIs armor was in need of cleaning and repair - he’d done what he could between retrieving his brother’s corpses and salvaging what he could of their gear and weapons, placing them on The Resolve… And his weapons weren’t in much better state. He’d done what he could to tend to them, but he was no Tech Marine. While he did not want to be out of armor just yet… He could not refuse the Governor’s generous offers without insulting them and he could not afford to alienate such a powerful political figure in the local star system. “Very well. I think I shall take up the Governor’s generous offer… Although I don’t have much in the way of black-tie clothing, other than my dress uniform, which is on The Resolve.”

“The Governor does have a small selection of Black Tie worthy clothes that are sized to fit most astartes to choose from. However if you’d rather be in your dress uniform, I can have a couple of serfs sent over to the Resolve to fetch if for you, if you wish.” The baseline human offered.

Hagiel had no idea what sort of clothes would be available for him to wear… And given that this system was technically on the far eastern edge of Ultramar, they likely had formal wear for Ultramarines. Which was… Fine… He guessed. He really didn’t want any of these strange baselines on The Resolve without him there to monitor what the fuck they were doing. “I would be grateful for whatever appropriate clothes the Governor feels fit to allow me to borrow for this event. The Resolve is on the far side of the city from his manor, after all, and the city’s roads and infrastructure are in ruins and it might take them quite a bit of time to get to The Resolve.”

“As you wish, Lord Angel.” Flint responds with a small nod “If you would follow me? I will guide you to their mansion.”

“We are finished bolting the sewer pipe in place, lord angel.” One of the baselines on the hospital’s repair crew speak up, dark eyes wide and full of awe, despite the fact that Hagiel has been working with them for several hours. At least the transhuman dread has worn off.

Hagiel nods and says “As you say.” He responds, letting go of the sewer pipe and following the sharply dressed baseline out of the damaged hospital.