#post office savings scheme

[sumivenky]

👶சுகன்யா யோஜனா: பெண் குழந்தைக்கான ஸ்கீம் | Suganya Samriddhi Yojana: Sch...

[inspectorspacetimerevisited]

Even if the Prime Minister himself asked, the Inspector wouldn’t simply pop back to prevent the Post Office scandal.

If he could save a large number of sub-postmasters from going through all the legal processes they went through? Apparently not.

[bhavishyaperformship]

[businessskibat]

Post Office SCSS Scheme:हर महीने घर घर बैठे खाते में मिलेंगे ₹20000, कमल का यह स्कीम, आपके लिए बहुत जरूरी है

Post Office SCSS Scheme:आजकल सरकार आम लोगों को पैसे देने के लिए कई कल्याणकारी योजनाएं चलाई जा रही हैं। इनमें से एक योजना इतनी दिलचस्प है कि यह आपकी आर्थिक चिंता को कम कर सकती है। इस योजना के तहत आपको हर महीने ₹20,500 मिलेंगे, जो सीधे आपके बैंक खाते में भेजे जाएंगे। वर्तमान आवश्यकताओं को पूरा करने में यह राशि आपको मदद करती है और आपको वित्तीय स्थिरता मिलती है। इस योजना का फायदा उठाने के लिए कुछ सरल…

[newsmeto]

Post Office Schemes 2024: पोस्ट ऑफिस की बेहतरीन स्कीम्स कौन सी है आपके लिए बेस्ट जानें

Best Post Office Schemes 2024: जब बात आती है निवेश की पोस्ट ऑफिस की स्कीम्स को लोग अक्सर सेफ और रिलायबल मानते हैं। पोस्ट ऑफिस में कई तरह की स्कीम्स होती हैं जो अलग-अलग जरूरतों को पूरा करती हैं। इनमें से कौन सी स्कीम आपके लिए बेस्ट है, यह आपकी उम्र, वित्तीय स्थिति और निवेश के उद्देश्य पर निर्भर करता है आज हम आपको Best Post Office Schemes 2024 के बारे में बताएंगे ताकि आप सही चुनाव कर सकें। Best…

[techandtravel]

Small Savings Schemes 2024-New Interest Rates

Small Savings Schemes 2024 Small Savings Schemes 2024The Inside Scoop on Interest RatesMeet the RatePost Office Plans: What’s Changing?The Money Math: How Rates Are SetPPF Stays Put: No Changes HereBanks vs. Small Savings SchemesSavings Showdown: Big Banks vs. Post Office Small Savings Schemes 2024- The government just spilled the beans on interest rates for small savings schemes from January…

[zepskies]

A SIMPLE TOUCH

Pairing: Soldier Boy (Ben) x Reader

Summary: Annie still has reservations about Ben, and you dating him for that matter…until she sees it.

AN: Surprise drabble! Dipping back into the BMD-verse for a sec. Chronologically, it's set sometime after In the Dark.

Prompt from @lifeonawhim: The reader is physically affectionate. (BMD) Ben sees this, tries to give her that comfort, and it just surprises everyone—how Ben is a source of comfort for her, even though he’s quite literally the strongest man.

Originally posted on Patreon: 1/01/25

Word Count: 600

Tags/Warnings: Angst, hurt/comfort, fluff

Break Me Down Masterlist

Annie was loyal to a fault. For that reason, she was still skeptical about Soldier Boy—about Ben, even after Vought Tower collapsed.

You might’ve been living with him now, but that didn’t mean he was safe, or even a good enough man for you.

She watched you closely in concern while the team filed onto the small private plane. It was set to take you all from northern Pennsylvania back down to New York. You weren’t injured, but in a way, you were still walking wounded.

The rogue supe that the Supe Affairs team was called in to catch had destroyed an office building. You, M.M., and Frenchie had saved a handful of people while Ben and the rest of the team handled the supe. But a young woman slipped right through your fingers off a balcony, falling to the pavement from three stories high.

You still remembered the look of shock cross her face. It was frozen there, even after her body lay prone on the cement. Her blue eyes, perfect mirrors of didn’t see that coming.

That was the picture you couldn’t get out of your head.

Now, you were moving slow, your face tired and drawn. Annie was about to ask if you were okay, even though she knew the answer full well.

Ben reached out his hand to you first. He was ahead of you in the aisle, having put his carry-on bag and yours in the overhead bin. You looked at his hand, and then up at him.

“Come ‘ere,” he said, his voice deep and steady. It steadied you, along with his hand around yours. He guided you not into the seat next to him, but onto his lap. By now he’d changed out of his suit, leaving him in jeans and a dark gray sweater you picked out for him, rolled up to his elbows.

Annie sat with Hughie across the aisle, but she had you and Ben in the corner of her eye. She marveled at the way he was holding you, seeming to know you needed the contact. With a sigh, you allowed yourself to lay against his chest while his warm hand ran up and down your back. A simple touch was all you needed to relax in his arms.

“Don’t mind me. Just gonna sleep for about ten years,” you murmured against his chest. You laid a hand over his heart, silently thanking him as your fingers drifted back and forth.

Ben’s lips quirked upwards. “Just try not to drool on me. New shirt, you know.”

Despite yourself, that managed to make you smile, huffing a laugh. You shoved his shoulder in retaliation. “I don’t drool.”

He knew for a fact that you did, but he just smirked. He sunk his fingers into your hair and inhaled the familiar floral scent of your shampoo.

“Get some shut-eye,” he rumbled. “We’ll be home soon.”

His thumb brushed your cheek, encouraging you to rest. So you did. Your eyes closed on you after you let go of a deep, even breath.

In the grand scheme of things, it was a nothing moment. This was a man who had crumbled two skyscrapers and scarred Hughie for life. (He’d never be able to listen to Air Supply again, pretty much for as long as he lived.)

And yet, maybe it meant Annie could stop worrying so much about your judgment where Ben was concerned.

Only much later, she would realize that this was the moment she actually started to trust him.

AN: I want to get back into BMD world for a longer visit, hopefully soon. 💚💚

Keep Reading in the BMD-verse:

Next in line, we have a fun, fluffy, angsty, smutty, 3-part Christmas special, Love Actually:

Summary: Ben gets in late on Christmas Eve with a Grinch-like attitude, but you’re determined to force some holiday cheer into his system. At least, you hope you can, before he meets the rest of your dysfunctional family on Christmas Day.

▶️ Next Story: Love Actually

Join My Patreon 🌟 For early access to new stories, bonus content, first looks at upcoming stories, send me requests, and more!

Break Me Down Masterlist

Soldier Boy Masterlist

Main Masterlist

BMD Tag List:

@deans-spinster-witch @this-is-me19 @waynes-multiverse @samanddeaninatrenchcoat @spalady26

@nancymcl @emily-winchester @sl33pylilbunny @chernayawidow @spnfamily-j2

@lacilou @mimaria420 @yvonneeeee @my-stories-vault @iprobablyshipit91

@jacklesbrainworms @adoringanakin @deanwanddamons @globetrotter28 @mrsjenniferwinchester

@deans-daydream @deanwinchestersgirl87 @rachiem4-blog @sweettimelady @leigh70

@rizlowwritessortof @chevroletdean @spnwoman @syrma-sensei @muhahaha303

@123passwort @lyarr24 @is-this-a-febreze-commercial @thebiggerbear @sanscas

@jessjad @fromcaintodean @stoneyggirl2 @chriszgirl92 @kazsrm67

@deansbbyx @midnightmadwoman @ladysparkles78 @fics-pics-andotherthings-i-like @tmb510

@sarahgracej @foxyjwls007 @just-levyy @roseblue373

[ghoulsbounty]

🔥- smut. other warnings can be found on individual posts. please read with caution and enjoy safely.

cooper howard/the ghoul

from a previous life 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

after escaping the clutches of a vault, you fall into an unlikely partnership with the ghoul.

what happens tonight 🔥1 | 2

you proposition the ghoul while taking shelter during a radstorm.

until tomorrow 🔥1 | 2

you seek comfort from your captor during a particularly cold night, and he can't help but indulge.

baby billy freeman

a fall from grace 🔥

baby billy comes seeking comfort, and you are always willing to shoulder the burden.

heaven itself 🔥

after another of his schemes fails, you console baby billy the best way you know how.

hidden sins 🔥

after years of yearning for baby billy, you're finally introduced after sunday service.

boyd crowder

out of time

boyd comes home late again, but this time you fall asleep with the promise of morning together.

wearing his shirt

you walk into the bar wearing boyd's shirt, and he just about loses his damn mind.

wade felton

the unexpected 🔥

during a failed date, you spot a familiar face who might save your evening in the most unexpected way.

shorts/imagines

- begging you to let him pull out 🔥

lee russell

friend of the devil 🔥

an unexpected guest drops by during a tryst in principal russell's office.

the edge 🔥

after an argument, you strive to make lee beg.

all character headcanons

dirty talk 🔥

things they say to you when they're about to cum.

praise or degradation? 🔥

my request guidelines are here, and my ask box is always open 💌

[sumivenky]

💰Post Office Savings Schemes Types Explained! 🏦 | Post Office சேமிப்பு த...

[invisibleicewands]

Bringing revolution to Port Talbot - by Michael Sheen

On a recent February morning, I woke up to find I was wrong. Not a particularly uncommon experience in itself, but unusual to discover that on this occasion I was being publicly accused of it by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. “Michael Sheen has said that ‘the people of Port Talbot have been let down’,” Kemi Badenoch wrote in the Daily Mail. “But he is wrong.”

It was a big day. I spent all of last year directing a three-part drama series for the BBC called The Way, which was to air that night. It begins in my hometown of Port Talbot, where a strike at the local steelworks becomes the spark that ignites a violent descent into national chaos. Clearly, Ms Badenoch had been given a sneak peek of the series before forming quite a strong opinion on it. But no: reading her article, Ms Badenoch admits that she hadn’t watched it at all. Why let a total lack of information prevent a full-throated denouncement, eh? Presumably, she also assumes that we managed to write, film and edit the entire series after Tata Steel announced the imminent loss of some 2,500 jobs at the steelworks mere weeks ago.

While the winds of change have only been blowing in one direction for many years, the events in our story were dreamed up some years ago and act as a fictional catalyst for all that follows. Surely even Tory ministers understand there is no VIP fast lane for making a TV series. This isn’t a PPE contract, after all…

Nothing to see here

After that episode aired, it occurred to me that such shenanigans in the right-wing press could have been about a couple of things. Since the ITV drama about the Post Office scandal, Mr Bates vs The Post Office, caused public outrage, I imagine the government has a new fear of the impact a TV show can have. A pre-emptive strike against a series it perceives to be criticising its actions around the steel industry must have seemed a useful tactic. And, having seen Breathtaking – based on Rachel Clarke’s memoir of how the Covid crisis unfolded in the NHS, which aired on ITV the same night as The Way – I wonder if her piece was an attempt to distract attention away from more dangerous territory.

It gave Ms Badenoch a chance to trot out her line about how the people of Port Talbot should be grateful for all that the government is doing to save the steel industry, not moaning about the impact job losses will have on their community. But the people of Port Talbot have been let down, no matter what Ms Badenoch wants us to think. Not by any single entity, but by years of neglect. That she immediately assumed my comments referred to her and her government tells its own story. In the words of a much older drama than mine: the lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Then and Nye

“This crisis is a privateering racket with your friends lining their pockets!” No, not an accusation against Boris Johnson, but something I currently say to Winston Churchill every night. We opened a new play called Nye at the National Theatre this week. I play Aneurin (“Nye”) Bevan, who attacks the prime minister for turning a wartime crisis into a money-making scheme for him and his cronies. It’s one of many moments in the play that seem to speak to past and present at the same time.

The entanglement of “now” and “then” is heightened by the fact that I am wearing pyjamas. Nye is lying unconscious in his hospital bed at the end of his life, and we follow him through a dream of his past. He wanders from childhood memories of overcoming his stutter in Tredegar library to his meteoric rise through local politics, to becoming the youngest member of Clement Attlee’s pioneering postwar cabinet. And, of course, as minister for health, his tumultuous birthing of the NHS on 5 July 1948. It’s an extraordinary, surprising and moving experience telling this story on stage each night. That shared space between actors and audience, where all is felt but unseen, crackles with electricity.

Once more, with feeling

It seems that exploring the motives of politicians, the uses and abuses of political power, and the quest for justice that saw the creation of the NHS taps into deep wells of emotion. Like the pockets of gas that miners feared within the coal seam, their release brings risk and reward. At a recent show, we had three instances of people needing to be helped out of the theatre, the final one forcing us to pause the show moments from its end. Thankfully, it was nothing more serious than someone fainting. But emotions are running high.

I’m more than happy to invite Ms Badenoch to a performance. But I realise, of course, there’s no guarantee she would make it to the end.

[vraisetzen]

𝐖𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐔𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞'𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐢 𝐢𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲.

I often find myself disagreeing with the wider Bleach fandom whenever the topic of Ukitake comes up — specifically fans who wished they saw his Bankai before his death.

I have never been one for powerscaling, and probably never will be — I do see how it can be fun or interesting to have a consistent and accurate barometer of abilities against which one can compare, but what is important to me isn't the strength of a character's Bankai/Domain Expansion/insert-relevant-power. It is how they fight, and how they overcome the perceived and obvious weaknesses to their abilities that I find more compelling.

Ukitake, as someone who was chronically and terminally ill, and never participated in any major fights save for one (and was promptly removed from battle), thus frustrates many powerscalers: What did Yamamoto meant when he said him and Shunsui were equals? What was he capable of when he's not ill? Or better yet — if he was never ill?

However, it bears reminding that Ukitake was a respected member of the Gotei 13 — I cannot imagine Yama-jii and Central 46 accepting his post if they were skeptical of his abilities; they could have also removed him from his rank as easily as they appointed him (not that this would happen without much protest from his junior officers and fellow Captains).

And more importantly, Ukitake's illness is a part of him — in the same way that Mimihagi resides in his body, extending his life when he should have died as a child. To paraphrase a line from Stephen Sondheim's Fosca, sickness is to him as health is to others. To dwell on these fruitless counterhistories is to ignore a vital part of him.

But I digress.

Still, I understand this curiosity surrounding Ukitake's Bankai — it falls under a more general desire to want to know more about his character, and his past, especially when we know a lot more about Shunsui.

However, for better or for worse, Ukitake's character was never meant to take centre stage. He was only ever tangentially related to the story's main events through Rukia and Kaien, and even his relationship with the former struggles at creating an impression. In fact, his first proper appearance being that of hearing about Aizen's passing whilst bedridden sets up his entire character for the entirety of Bleach: he is there, and he is someone important, but in the grand scheme of things, he is insignificant until the time came for him to to sacrifice himself.

Is this bad writing? Possibly, but in a work featuring an ensemble of characters, many of whom possess extraordinary ability and skill, Ukitake's illness and limited time on the battlefield sets him apart. He is a reminder of the vulnerabilities that can plague even the most hardened warriors of the Soul Society, and that anyone, no matter how small or weak, can prove vital to a story.

Maybe Ukitake did have a Bankai, but it would deplete so much of his health that he was better off not using it, and thus we were unfortunate enough to have never seen it. Or maybe he did not have a Bankai, and that would raise even more questions about his Shikai and true potential.

Regardless of which, I would like to think that Jushiro would prefer to be remembered for his kindness, his fondness for his younger subordinates, and his wisdom, to being lamented as someone who should have been given more time to do so much more.

[threadsoflacee]

Hi, I'm new to the fandom and unsure who to ask my questions. I recently joined Tumblr and came across your posts while browsing the Hannibal meta tag. I have a few questions: What are Hannibal's feelings towards Bedelia and Alana? I remember Mads once said that Hannibal is in love with everyone on the show to some extent, so what exactly does love mean to him? Also, I'm having trouble understanding the line by Will: "You will only do that if I rejected you" (sorry, I paraphrased). I apologize if these are too many questions. Thanks in advance!

Haiiii welcome to the fandom !!! This will be my own perception of things so if I’m wrong in any way it’s on me !!! Ok so. Hannibal has a very hierarchical scale on his friends and lovers. Don’t know if U finished the show but in s3, Hannibal sees Alana in his Memory Palace as having a deserved place in his psychiatric office in Baltimore, which shows that he has respect for her and she’s a big enough part of his life to occupy the more intelligent part of his attention. We can compare that to how he sees Will as having the first place in the chapel in Palermo, the Uffizi gallery, and the front door of his childhood home, that he described as "it’s the door at the center of my mind, and here you are feeling for the latch", and in a deleted dialogue in the script "you stumbled into the hall of my beginnings". Will is the one who has the most importance in his mind ! Alana is below that. So to Hannibal she’s only a past lover, past work colleague, and an asset to get closer to Will (like when he promised her he would save Will). In s2 he had sex with her ONLY for the alibi when he killed Abel Gideon. So he could tell Jack he was up all night sexing it up when he was actually cutting it up in Gideons guts. OK NOW BEDELIA !!!!! He doesn’t gaf abt her. They only got married under false pretenses so Hannibal wouldn’t get caught in Italy after the whole Mizumono thing. He cuts off her leg at the very end of the show (past the credits after the cliff fall). 1 scene that shows how annoyed he actually is with her is when he kills Anthony Dimmond in front of her, Bedelia is obviously in shock, and he raises her voice at her when she doesn’t answer his questions in time. She couldn’t even be a proper asset because of how sensitive she was to murder (as she should !!!!!). So to Hannibal she was only a piece in the puzzle in his grand scheme of Need To Kiss Will.

Ok now for the second question ! Will saying "you turned yourself in so I would always know where you were. you’d only do that if i rejected you" could mean two things. 1. Will knows that Hannibal is in love with him, or at least desperately devoted, and him saying this is like poking at where it hurts saying "you’re so in love with me you’d ruin your entire life if i rejected you" Which in this case ruining his life is Hannibal turning himself in to the police. 2. Will WANTED Hannibal to be put in jail so it could be done once and for all. He told him "I don’t want to know where you are or what you do" which is clearly saying Get the fuck out of my life we are Done breakup style not entirely out of hatred, but also because he KNEW Hannibal would manipulate his words. And since Will knows Hannibal’s mind so well, he knew Hannibal would find a way to turn this sudden dynamic / domination dynamic around and find a way to put Will in the lesser spot ; which is what he accomplished by turning himself in. He even told him "I want you to know exactly where I am and where you can always find me". In this way Will would always think about him and know against his will where he is and what he’s doing since Hannibal is in prison.

To Hannibal Love is violence. Maybe u read my post abt Will’s question "is Hannibal in love with me?" !!! Hannibal’s love is violence in the way that love and ache gets mixed together. It’s distance and intimacy. It’s sharing meals and music together and isolating Will from all of his friends so they can only be together (Hannibal referenced their relationship to Achilles and Patroclus with the phrase "Achilles wished all Greeks would die so he and Patroclus could conquer Troy alone"). It’s the stabbing wound that Will sees in his nightmare bleeding out his stomach into a bite then a kiss !!! The bite shape is symbolism of possessiveness and the kiss is love. He never fell in love with Alana or Bedelia. He appreciated them as friends, people to fill his days with, and assets to manipulate and eventually guide himself into Will’s way by scaring and erasing everyone that would try to stop him. Will is the only one who Hannibal truly loves on all aspects of the spectrum. Emotionally, physically, psychologically, and selflessly.

Ok now im done lol. I hope this helped !!!

[empressgeekt]

HTTYD/Trolls - Crossover - Branch is adopted by Gobber AU -Part 2, post movie

Okay, the basics of this au is that Branch was sent to the HTTYD universe as a young child and was placed in Gobber's care. I recommend that you read the first post.

Okay, so I did decide to match Branch up with the Light Fury, he names her Cirra, after cirrus clouds. Not entirely sure exactly when in the time line they would meet, but I know it would take place during, Riders/Defenders of Berk. Currently I'm thinking that Branch frees her, after Alvin captures her to try and have a "night" fury of his own. The outcast leader, disregards the light color scheme, as other species have different color variations. No Idea how Branch would end up on outcast island, maybe he snuck in after Astrid, but he'd find Cirra chained up and free her. Unlike the other riders, he doesn't have a saddle as a saddle would mess up with Cirra's cloaking, but they manage. Gobber is rather surprised, but accepts her.

And here is some horrible art I made of Branch and Cirra.

Now! On to the Post movie Plot!

After Hiccup recovers, Things around Berk change. With the red Death dead, their aren't any raids, meaning the need for weapons had dropped dramatically. Poor Gobber and Branch are left with out much to do in the forge, at least weapon wise. There's still the need for pots and every day tools, but business is much slower. Branch has his part time work with Gothi to fall back on but Gobber....It's a struggle to find a new role in the new normal. But in the end it works out. Being a Dragon dentist is something both father and son can work together on, as branch's medical training from Gothi can help.

I don't have much planned regarding Riders/Defenders, other then furthering the relationship between Branch and Dagur. And Cirra coming into the picture.

RTTE however I have a lot of thoughts on. Considering at the beginning of the Pilot that Snotlout was the offical weapons tester, then that means he'd spend more time at the forge, meaning he and Branch wouldbe spending more time with Snotlout. Probably form a similar sibling relationship like Branch has with HIccup. Not as close, but Branch would definitly become a more positive influance on Snotlout.

During part 2 of the RTTE pilot rather then going with the rest of the riders to the get the snow-wraith tooth, he stays on Berk to help Gobber man Gothi's healing shack. And despite Branch's best efforts, his Dad still manages to set one viking on fire and maybe kill another with a mystery potion that Gobber fudged. But there would be a bunch of bonding and funny scenes between them, with Cirra looking on in horror.

Branch would end up leaving with the rest of the riders, as and extra smith and assigned Healer. IN regards to the group, he's closest too Fishlegs and Hiccup, all of the mebing thinkers. Astrid is fine they can get along. Snotlout, once more their a little closer cause of the time Snouloat spent at the forge between RTTE and RIders/Defenders, but Branch still thinks he's a muttonhead. The twins? Branch just makes sure they don't kill themselves on accident.

When the events of "Crushing it" Roll around, I'm torn between Branch and Cirra saving Gobber from the watch tower or having Branch chase his brain-damaged father around the Edge. "Branch come over here and meet Peppy!" "Dad that's not a yak...you know what...never mind."

During "Have Dragon Will Travel" Part 2, Branch would 100 percent, have a chat with Heather before she left, about brothers and things like that. Brozone might not have killed everyone in his village but he knows how complicated family can be, especially after they abandon you. Probably be some Snotlout and Branch moments in the season 1 final too. During "The A Team" Branch supports Astrid with her extra training, staying behind on Berk to "Re-stock" with Gothi when he reality he stayed to keep an eye on her. "The Night of the Hunters" Branch ends up with Hiccup and Snotlout, helping them sew the Screaming Death armor. Though, i also like the idea of him stuck with all the Blondes in the cell, maybe slowly going insane from being stuck in there with them, and picking fights with Dagur.

Its when "Bad Moon Rising" Rolls around that things get much more interesting. It's a week before the episode starts, and on the shores of berk an interest group washes up.

Lets jump back to the troll world. When John Dory comes looking for Branch during TBT, he only finds Poppy, who has vague memories of a troll by that name, but they don't know where the trolling vanished too. Somehow they all pull together in the end, freeing Floyd and heading back to Pop village after the fact. But there's a piece missing and everyone can feel it. The last anyone heard of Branch was when the trolling ran off into the woods that surrounded Pop village. It being there only Lead they began to search the surrounding forest. The older three know it's a long shot, but they go anyway. Floyd is desperate to get back to his baby brother. He's not adjusting well to post captivity, all he wants to do was apologize to Branch for leaving.

They find a small little shelter out in the forest, a cave next to it. shovels and supplies are crowded around the place in neat little piles. No one had been there for a long time, clearly, but they look anyway. Floyd finds Croco next to a makeshift nest, and breaks down. Eventually they look into the cave...only to go too deep and get sucked into a wormhole that took their brother 19 years ago.

They don't remember much of the trip, but they wake up soaking wet and freezing on a rocky sea shore. The troll to human transformation is freaking them out some what. John Dory even more so, but not because of what happened to him. Rhonda went into the cave with them, and suddenly she's shorter then John and had a set of wings. She's still his girl though, and continues to follow JD everywhere. Poppy would spot what looks like a village up on the cliffs, and with out any better options they all trudged up to it.

Clay takes notice of the odd stares that the Villagers give them, and he suddenly he's very aware of the subtle differences between his brothers and the Pop Princesses and this village. While they appear to be the same species, All the villagers are much Paler then Clay and his brothers. Poppy and Viva are closer in skin shade, but it's still clear that they were outsiders too. They wander for a few hours before Bruce suggests they talk to someone. This makes Rhonda walk up to an older woman with long brown hair and green eyes, and a man with grey eyes and Black hair.

Woman: Oh well yer a friendly Gronckle *pets Rhonds*

JD: Sorry about her.

Woman: On it's not an issue, My boy has a dragon of his own, i'm use to there energy.

JD:Uh, hi I'm John Dory. Me and my brothers are new in town and-

Man: Ey! Step away from my wife!

Woman: Oh Spitelout, Hush! These lads are just asking for some help. Get back inside if ye, can't behave.

Spitelout: *huffs*

Woman: Sorry about him, he's boar-headed sometimes. Erika, now what can I help ye with laddie?

Bruce: Well, uh, like my brother was saying Ma'am, we're new in town and we're looking for someone. He'd be in...his twenties...might look like us?

Erika: If this is a vengeance quest, ye need to ask someone more idiotic, I'm not going to send ye to that boy to kill him.

Floyd: No killing, no vengeance, we're just looking for our younger brother, we were separated as kids.

Erika: Hmmm, alright what's the boyo's name?

Clay: Branch ma'am

Erika: The Smithy's boy?

Poppy: You know him?

Erika: Only child by the name of Branch I've met, sweet boyo, Ye won't find him here though. Lad moved off the island a few months ago....His father's still here though. Works down at the forge, just up the way.

Upon arriving at the forge, The brothers and sisters are greeted with an interesting sight, a Blonde haired human with a long mustache, a missing arm and leg, and a rock for a tooth, hammering away at a metal sword, while humming to himself.

Poppy: Um exucse me?

Gobber: Hmm? Oh, hello Lassie! Sorry I was bit distracted, with this piece. Wanna get all teh details right Anything I can do for ye? New sword, Axe? Personally I think you are a dagger lass, or are yet looking for something more special. *holds up piece of jewerly*

Poppy: Umm, Not looking for a weapons, but... actually that's really pretty, *admired neckless*

Gobber: Isn't it? It's my son's work. He's usually more practically minded but when asked to make something pretty he delivers. Makes a lot of lassies interested in him, but sadly none have made his cut.

Bruce: Sounds like he's great guy. Where is he? I might need to commission him for something.

Clay: Really Bruce?

Bruce: what, I need an anniversary gift in a few months.

Gobber: I'll let him know he's got a new customer, but ye might be in for a long wait, he's not home currently.

Bruce: Well when will he get back, we might be on a time crunch.

Gobber: I'd wish I knew, war seems to have no end once your in it.

Viva: You're son's at war?

Gobber: ey, why'd ya think I'm making 'im a sword?

Bruce: You let your son go to war?

Gobber: Let? No of course I didn't let him, it was his choice and if I had anything to say about he won't be anywhere near fighting, but he's his own man now. Faced 24 winters, and is still going strong. Besides I taught him everything he needs to know, hurl a bola, throw an axe, swing a sword. My boy will handle anything those namby pamby beserker throw at him. Now, ye wanted something lassie?

Poppy: Oh yes, but not for metal stuff, we were actually hoping you could help us find someone.

Gobber: Oh well, yer in luck, Ol' Gobber practically knows everyone on Berk, perk of being the only metal worker on isle. Does this person yer looking for has a name?

Floyd: Yes, its' Branch.

Gobber: HOW DO YE KNOW MY BOY?!

The next day or so is rather awkward. Gobber would drag the group, pulling a rather confused Stoick in, to Gothi's hut and made her read them. Eventually the old crone would confirm that they were from Branch's original tribe and they were sent on mission of reconnection by the gods. Poppy isn't so sure, about the Gods thing but she does step forward as a her peoples queen and begins to talk diplomacy with Stoick. Gobber however reiterates his question of how they know his son. Once them being brothers is out in the open, Gobber and the others are gobsmacked, the idea of having 5 children living to adulthood is almost unheard of in berk. With all the plague and fighting that happened in Viking life. Gobber immedately wants to know how his son was abandoned when he had such a large family. He's unsure about the answer of "We were seperated when he was very young", as some of the boys looked hesitent to tell him that, but He accepts it and even helps them find a place to sleep that night...these boys are technically family after all...and the girls with them are sweet.

By some coincidence, Gobber gets a letter from Branch the next day (curtesy of their personal Mail Terror "Gary"), inviting him to the edge, to learn how to make Gronckle Iron. He's excited and begins to prep a ship. Floyd would ask if they could join him, and not knowing how Branch would react, and just happy to receive a letter from his son Gobber agrees.

Over the week long boat trip, Gobber learns a lot about Branch's bio-family. John Dory is a bit of a mutton-head, but it's clear he cares, he's also the one most eager to learn how to sail (Apparently there isn't alot of ocean where their tribe was from, and that was a baffling thought). Bruce is easy going, and apparently has 13 children (once more baffling), he's also probably the one most vocal about thanking Gobber for taking care of Branch. Clay is clearly as smart as his boy, but sadly the lad spend the first few days of the trip horribly seasick. Poppy and Viva's boundless energy really liven up the trip and Gobber enjoys their bubbly nature.

Floyd is the one that sends a few alarm bells off in Gobber's mind. The Lad is show a lot of the signs that Branch gives off when something is bothering him Bad, so Gobber keeps a close eye on him. Not sure if there's going to be a confrontation on the trip there yet, but if there is Gobber would talk to Floyd during a sleepless night help him through the heavy guilt he feels. This is also how Gobber learns of the break up, and he wonders who on earth would let an 11 year old leave home. He can't even be mad at these boys for it. He's pissed off at the grown up who left, these kids to fend for themselves with and elderly woman. Gosh, when Stoick was too busy to take care of Hiccup Gobber was ready to care for the kid.

Over all the trip goes well. Gobber tells them all about little stories from Branch's childhood...some of which they don't believe. "What no way Branch hit a another kid" "Hah oh he did. Gave that brat a good bruise too, oh Oswald and Stoick were so mad but they couldn't punish him since technically he was defending his future chief". Gobber even teaches them some sailing chants, which leading to conversation about Branch only really singing while working the forge.

Eventually they arrive at the Edge, and port. Fishlegs and Hiccup meet them there. Meatlug immediately begins to play with Rhonda, the gronckles roughhouse on the deck. Fishlegs is very interested in speaking with Branch's brothers, and Poppy even more so. Ever since he learned that Branch was originally from a foreign tribe, there had been an underlying curiosity about what kind of people the elder rider came from. He wanted to know everything, adout their customs and culture. However, after Branch snapped at him for asking, Fishlegs dropped the questions. But these newcomers were prime researching material, and Poppy is very willing to teach him about "Pop Culture" (after she's done cooing over toothless of course). Hiccup is a little less enthusiastic, but he's polite, and ever sassy. "Wait you're named after a body function?" "And you're named after a rock, Clay, I don't think you can judge."

They're led up to the training arena, where they see a dark-haired dark skinned man, setting up a metal statue of a viking, with a snow white dragon laying lazily lounging on some boxes near by. Gobber, would immediately brighten at the sight of his son, and they'd would happily reunite, with a large hug, while Brozone would look on in shock. Their little blue baby, was now this rugged grown man. JD on impulse who be screaming, "Bitty B" and run up to snatch Branch in a hug of his own. Only to get ripped off by a flash of growling White, and Cirra leaped down to her rider's defence. The situation only escalates from there, Branch losing it at his Brothers for abandoning him, and not even Gobber can stop him. The other riders (minus tuffnut), look on in shock. Most of them didn't know about the fact that Branch was abandoned by his family, (other then hiccup but even then he didn't know the full extent). Branch only calms down Gobber redirects him towards sharing the Formala for Gronckle Iron and Branch breaking several swords on the gronckle iron dummy...at least until he has to patch up a rambling tuffnut.

The events of the Lychwing episode still play out. Only this time, you'd see Branch's Brothers try to make up with him, but hanging out near by. Listening to scary stories with Gobber, talking to the other riders, JD and Clay wandering into the workshop, while Branch is fixing up Snotlout after all the bites. It's only after they stop Tuffnut from Jumping off a cliff that Gobber intervenes regarding Branch and his family situation.

Gobber: Look son. I know yer angry

Branch: Angry doesn't begin to cover it, Dad. They left me! As a baby! They think they can just waltz back into my life after 20 fucking years! Well, guess what they can't!

Gobber: Branch...

Branch:...I don't know why your not more pissed! I remember hearing you rant to Chief when I was little, 'how could someone leave behind a kid like him!' 'you know i count my blessing the gods gave me my son!' where's all of that now?! Do I not matter to you anymore?!

Gobber: No, Laddie, don't ye ever think that! Ye are the best thing I have ever forged and don't ye forget that. And don't take my compassion for a lack of rage. Believe me, I'm pissed, but I can't blame your brothers for my anger.

Branch: *scoffs* oh really, you can't blame the people who threw me to the boars and abandoned me. How could you not blame them?

Gobber: because they were kids too, son. Listen just for a moment, do ye know how old yer brother's were when they left?

Branch...no...

Gobber: 17, 16, 14, and 11. Now the older two, maybe if they were mature enough could move out, but Clay and Floyd, they never should have been allowed to leave. No child that young should be on their own.

Branch: And I was even younger.

Gobber: That ye were. But it was the Adults around ye who were the name problem. Tell me, when Stoick was busy with the raids and winter rations, did he leave Hiccup alone. No, he left him with us, people he could trust to help. Remember that raid when you were 7 and I couldn't get to ye, what happened that night?

Branch: Miss Ingrid took me to her hut's celler with all the other children.

Gobber: Exactly, On Berk we were always looking out for each other, especially when it came to wee ones. However, you're birth tribe? From what I heard, they left a 14 year old in charge of a household of 6 with only and elderly woman for help, and after three years he finally snapped....you're brothers did hurt you Branch, they failed you, I'm not denying that. But they were also failed, by their community, the adults that should've stepped in and helped. You don't have to like them, you don't even have to forgive them, but you should at least let them apologize, let them and yerself have closer. Because I'll tell you now, the guilt their feeling...it's going to eat them alive.

Thanks to Gobber's instance it pushed Branch towards a confrontation. After icing Snotlout's Paper Jaw from Hiccup's punch (Good Job Hiccup), he finally has a sit down with his bio-siblings. He agrees to try and get to know each other again, but he has conditions; No calling him 'bitty B' (he does not need the twins picking that up), no bringing up the whole troll thing ( "Dad will start on the sock thing" "What sock thing?" "We don't talk about the sock thing"), no treating him like a baby, and Branch was not singing. (Unless it's a special circumstance). During this Branch Properly introduced his Family the girls to Cirra, and then there's the bang of a Zippleback distress call.

In "Snotlout gets and Axe" Tuffnut accidentally marries Clay and Viva.

At some point John Dory does ask for rider training, considering that Rhonda was now a gronckle. Branch makes him a saddle, and just sits back to watch at John Dory learn how to fly, laughing at every stumble. Cirra is not open to many riders other then Branch, she doesn't trust humans easily, and these "brothers" stress her rider out, but reluctantly she allows Branch to take Poppy on a rather romantic flight, and at some point Floyd needs a ride. Viva, and Bruce want to try it out, but Clay doesn't want to risk air sickness, apparently his human body doesn't like travel.

The brothers do help defend the Edge when Dagur and and Ryker attack. Once the fight on the beach broke out, Branch gets into the fist fight with Dagur, the latter wielding a knife. They are horrified with how bloody it nearly gets.

I think I'll play around with the time line and make "Tone Death" happen before "Maces and Talons", simply because of how much angst i could squeeze out of it. Like abandoned egg hatches on the edge into a dragon that only communicates by singing, then gets adopted by one similar to themselves? This episode is practically a reflection of Branch's story in this au. Also and excuse for JD to show off his songs and everyone, including the Deathsong, trashing on them.

Dagur's redemption might be something interesting to explore. Branch and Dagur never had gotten along, even as kids, to suddenly be playing on the same team would definitely cause tension. Especially for Brozone, the first time they met Dagur would've have been when he was trying to slice their baby brother's throat.

At some point, the topic of going back to the troll world would be brought up and the brothers talked about showing Branch what they had been up too all these years, and branch is just like "I'm not going back with you."

This once more leads to arguments, but Branch can't leave he's happy in the Hyttd, world, and Gobber would be left with out any family if Branch left. Still not sure if Branch decides to stay or return to his world, maybe they find a way to pass between the two at will so Branch can visit, and maybe Bruce's kids can come meet their Grandpa Gobber (Bruce doesn't see Gobber as a dad, but he's Branch's dad and the kids would definitely see him as Grandpa if they ever met).

Once more still figuring things out. Timeline and world building wise, let me know your thoughts.

[regencyofhell-if]

Looking for information

This is my grandfather - let's call him CPL Tony. He was a veteran of the Marine Corps and fought in several battles in Japan during World War II. I received his military file two years ago and have been trying to get in contact with someone who can help me find some information about a possible award he may have won that he never got. So I'm posting to all my social media in hope of someone somewhere knowing what I should do next.

Here's the story.

In his file, I found a copy of a letter my grandfather sent to the Marines HQ back in the 1960s. In the letter, CPL Tony told an incredible story of how during the battle of Okinawa, he saved seven men from ambush while under heavy fire. His commanding officer told him afterward that he was going to put Tony up for a medal, but Tony was wounded shortly after and evacuated from the front lines as a casualty and before he knew it, he was shipped back home to the States. He never heard anything more about the medal and didn't start thinking about it again until he read an article twenty years later that advised any veteran who thought they had won an award but never actually received it to write to Washington. He was curious and wanted to know, but he never got his answer.

My grandfather died of a heart attack in 1976 without ever getting the information he wanted. Now I'm continuing his search. I've contacted the Marines directly and even submitted a request online to see if someone can give me an answer to whether my grandfather really was ever put up for that medal, but never got a response.

I get it; current veterans and their affairs are more important than those that have passed on in the larger scheme of things, but after two years of waiting for contact, I don't know what to do.

My grandfather was a beloved family man who loved practical jokes, had a soft spot for animals, and was always ready and willing to help others. In our hometown, he is remembered fondly as chief of our fire department. I'm hoping to find closure on this matter for my family and myself as well as him, especially with today being Memorial Day and what would be his 102nd birthday approaching.

If anyone reading this knows how I can find out if my grandfather really was issued an award and where I can get in touch with someone who would be able to assist, please send me a message. I and my family would be forever grateful.

[darkelfdice-miniatures]

I had fun painting this one -- actually, I have fun painting just about every miniature, but this one was special :)

I needed an important NPC for my Sunday D&D session. Prior to the party's journey to "Necromancer Island" (see my previous post), the group had to travel to Candlekeep to find information at the library. There they met Lady Miriam Fontaine, at age 22 the youngest member of the Avowed -- the revered scholars of Candlekeep. Disaster strikes! and now Lady Miriam is elevated to the position of Keeper of Tomes while the other Avowed are sickened and dying by an evil magic curse (*cue ominous music*).

Lady Miriam is actually the "Jolie, Female Scribe" miniature by Reaper. I sell both the original metal version and newer sio-cast plastic version in my Dark Elf Dice store. I'm an old school, metal mini snob, but plastic miniatures are starting to grow on me and I opted for the sio-cast version (the production process and end result of plastic miniatures is SO much better now than it used to be). Anyway, I could talk for hours about the manufacturing process and history of making miniatures, but I'll save that for future posts. Back to Lady Miriam...

Lady Miriam isn't your ordinary, stuffy old scholar/professor. She's young and enthusiastic and is a researcher and botanist. She's more at home roaming the countryside looking for rare species of flora than cooped up in the library keeping office hours (though she does enjoy spending time in her laboratory running experiments and writing in her journals).

Because Lady Miriam enjoys working outdoors, I wanted to give her a tanned complexion. Besides her skin tone, I didn't give a whole lot of thought beforehand in regards to the color scheme for the rest of the model. I made color choices as I went, and the entire process was a stream of consciousness, organic experience. This "make it up as you go along" process is relaxing and it's great fun to "go with the flow" without any preconceived notions. I really liked how she turned out, particularly the blue shade of her dress with yellow trim (I usually don't paint a lot of blue, and tend to favor teals, purples and greens).

Notes: after taking pictures for this post, I realized that I missed removing a mold line on her neck. Ugg! In real life it's really hard to see, but sometimes I get so eager to start the painting process I rush through mini prep work.

Also, I should note that I removed the miniature from her original, integral base. I re-based the model because I wanted a bigger base with bigger floor tiles.

[crimesolvin]

Okay. After like 3 years I’m finally posting that essay on leadership in the pilot episode of Star Trek Voyager that was a term paper for me during college. I was very hesitant to post and still am not due to quality, but out of sheer caution in regards to plagiarism software used in education nowadays. So PLEASE DO NOT COPY FOR BOTH OF OUR SAKES.

Thankfully, I am graduated now, so I have less resignations on the topic (but it is still in the plaigerism testing systems, so please don’t copy it, mostly for your own sake in academic writing).

It’s probably boring to a lot of people, but for anyone who wants to read it here you go.

A “Voyage” in Leadership

Wc: 3080

I. Introduction

“Space the final frontier”; these are the words that have been imprinted on viewers by the not so subtle branding of Star Trek (Star Trek,1966). While the original series surged television screens in the 60s, the 90s were flooded with a revitalization of the pop culture phenomenon. Until Voyager aired, the series that preceded it, like Next Generation, were very formulaic; they took place in known regions and dealt with pre-established alien species and conflicts. Voyager in its nature broke the mold by instating Star Trek’s first female captain and brought Trek to new heights with new moral dilemmas. The series takes the Voyager ship away from all command structures the crew has ever known. They have to make every choice and decision with little guidance but each other. Star Trek has always been about exploration and when referencing Voyager with that same lens, that exploration also applies to people. Each individual aboard this journey makes decisions that impact who they are as leaders and followers, some like Voyagers captain, Janeway, demonstrate several healthy leadership qualities, where others are just getting their footing in their leadership journeys. Within this paper I will be diving into the depth of Captain Janeway as a leader, the forming of the Voyager crew, and small choices the individuals make which define their character.

II. Description

The Maquis, a rebel group to the Federation, are sent through a shock wave to the other side of the galaxy, 70,000 light years from the solar system. Captain Katherine Janeway is sent on a mission to track down the Maquis ship. This mission includes standard starfleet personnel and the addition of Tom Paris, ex- Maquis doing time at a Starfleet Penal Settlement. En route to Voyager, Tom, meets fresh out of the academy, Harry Kim. Despite only just meeting Kim, Paris saves him from getting caught up in foreign schemes. We are introduced to the show’s namesake via Paris and Kim making their rounds checking in with the less than personable head of medical, the similar first officer, and finally a non-judgmental individual, Captain Janeway, as the ship disembarks on their journey. The same phenomena that launched the Maquis ship 75 years away, launches Voyager to the same location as the Maquis, each with substantial damage. Janeway leaves her position on the bridge to go and aid engineering in repairs. The entirety of the crew gets transported to the array, the ship of The Caretaker, which sourced the anomaly that brought them to the other end of the galaxy, also known as the Delta quadrant. They all awake three days later, each crew missing 1 person. For Voyager, that person was Harry Kim. Janeway and Chakotay, the Maquis leader, unite and join forces in hopes of finding their crew mates. Paris becomes especially upset at the loss of Kim. Kes, a local, informs them that Kim is with her species the Ocampa, a cave dwelling group. The Ocampa have been cared after by the Caretaker for generations. Kim attempts to escape to the surface and by the time the rescue team make it to the Ocampa, he had already left. With the Caretaker beginning to collapse the cave exits, the rescue team escapes to the surface, but not before Chakotay gets trapped and Paris goes back to help him. Upon returning to their respective ships, the Kazon, a local gang-like race, begin attacking Voyager in attempts to attain its technology whilst the Maquis ship holds them off so Janeway can speak to the Caretaker to send them back to the Alpha Quadrant, where Earth is and where they all began their journey. What Janeway discovers is that the Caretaker is dying and that he plans on self-destructing the array so the Kazon can't use it against the Ocampa. Before he gets the chance to, he dies. Janeway makes the decision to destroy the array to save the Ocampa thus truly stranding them all in the Delta Quadrant (Berman, 1995). The captain of Voyager is the epitome of the ideal leader, her followers are her crew, and her situation is nothing less than complex and ever changing as she must “navigate the ambiguity” within (Wheatley, 1999).

III. Group Formation and Interactions

Although Janeway had never met Paris before, she is immediately very personable in their conversation and establishes a connection before even attempting to recruit Paris to join her team (Akin, 2020). She references working with his father before becoming a captain, and in the novel, Voyager: Mosaic, Tom’s father was the one who pushed Janeway to pursue command because of her strong leadership (Taylor, 1996). Tom and Janeway’s relationship immediately develops into one of familiarity and becomes strong with their commonality, which makes Tom feel more comfortable with his decision to go through with the deal to join Janeway on this mission. Janeway also eased the decision by providing Paris with a reward. Janeway is quite smart about this encounter because she lets him make the decision on his own and does not punish him if he chooses to not go through with it; it is clear she is using a variety of influence tactics in this conversation, like rational persuasion, personal appeals, exchange, and apprising, to get her goal accomplished (Curphy et al., 2014).

Paris meets Kim in a compromising position of blatant racism, but knows he is younger and less experienced in the ways of the galaxy, so before their introduction, Paris in fact saves Kim from danger of which, in the novelization, includes Kim thinking to himself: “I’ll never be that cool” in reference to Paris, putting him on some sort of pedestal early on in their relationship (Graf, 1995). The chief of medical and the first officer are put off by Paris because of his criminal record, that his new friend, Kim, still is unaware of. These crewmembers that they encounter are understandable in their attitude toward Paris given his past, but they each fail to recognize he is there on his own accord; they are still in the Newtonian mindset where they understand the individual parts, but fail to grasp the total situation (FOWLETT). Kim confronts Paris about his misdeeds and says, “I don't need anyone to choose my friends for me” (Berman, 1995). Their relationship is already so strong from this comment. Paris also notes that he took full responsibility for his actions involving his time with the Maquis, increasing the characters overall trust we as viewers give him (Akin, 2020). Though he was put in a penal colony for the actions, he still has the trust of those in authority, which is why he was chosen for this mission and Janeway knows he has potential to grow and get past that part of his history. Later in the episode, Paris is the one who notices Kim isn’t on Voyager .“The writers put a lot into their relationship being developed” actors Robert Duncan McNeil and Garrett Wang note, who play Tom Paris and Harry Kim respectively (McNeil, Wang, 2020). Down on the planet, Kim and the stolen Maquis crewman get to know one another in captivity; despite their different backgrounds, they try to understand their situation together and become mutual allies because of their situation. This demonstration of the group forming process is what leads them to team up and eventually escape back to their ships (McNutt et al., 2004).

IV. Captain Janeway as a Leader

Janeway takes everything she is dealt one moment at a time, although she has more than one thing on her plate at a given time in the episode, she somehow manages to keep things in order to deal with each one to the best of her ability individually and not get distracted. While Janeway is not always perfect, she is a prime example of good leadership in practice. Janeway has a great understanding of her duty as a manager which allows her to cope with the natural complexities of commanding a starship. If she needs things done a specific way, she is tactful and organized, but ends up getting her followers motivated to get things done (Kotter as cited in Wren).

When Paris and Kim finally meet Janeway for the first time in her ready room, Kim is even more stressed than meeting other members of the ship. Janeway sees this panic in his behavior and puts him at ease, but keeps the situation formal as she is still the captain. Janeway knows what she wants and how she wants it done; she uses precision and accuracy to deliver her message of trust to Kim. Janeway is a very adaptive kind of leader. Everything she does is a causality of what is occurring around her; she is constantly looking at the bigger picture and highlighting areas where problems occur (Grashow et al., 2009).

Janeway stays as level-headed as she can in the distress of her damaged ship, but is forceful getting things accomplished. She recognizes that many of her crew have died and she still remains calm, not allowing herself to mourn them until the ship is in a more stable position (Akin, 2020). Janeway leaves the bridge in the hands of the remaining crew there and trusts they know what they are doing and to continue performing admirably with her absence as she goes to assess and command in engineering, where she is more urgently needed(Akin, 2020).

When Janeway arrives in Engineering she provides insight and guides them to a solution to fixing the ship, but she still leaves the duty of actually fixing, to the crewmen. Janeway took control and got them on to a problem solving path and then let them fix it in the end, even though she could have (Akin, 2020).

Janeway is adamant about getting onemember of her crew and a member of her enemy’s crew back; Janeway shows remorse and declares she needs to get to know who her crew really is in order to get them home. This moment is very thought out as she has actively demonstrated her urge to create connections with everyone she meets, but because she has lost Kim, she is doubting herself; in this moment, her feminine attributes could be a downfall, but overall it allows her to care for her crew like they are family (Beggan et al., 2004). In her nature, being a female also influences her leadership style; she reaches out to crew members in time of her own struggle despite her being higher up in the chain of command than them (Beggan et al., 2004). In this moment of self-reflection, her security officer says, “The crew will not benefit from the leadership of an exhausted captain” and she snaps out of her head to get back on track (Berman, 1995).She knows that if she is to be successful in saving Kim, capturing the Maquis, or even getting them all home, she needs to detach her strong emotions, but remain connected to the tasks at hand and she has that switch in her brain accessible, not letting the sociology define her leadership too much (Beggan et al., 2004). As noted in the Leadership Encyclopedia, women tend to be more democratic and throughout this episode she is constantly aiding a variety of people of which in return she receives input and counsel from them without asking for it (Beggan et al., 2004).

Captain Janeway makes all of the crucial decisions away from her higher ups. No one can dispute her except her followers, and they don’t, in this grand decision to travel back to the Alpha Quadrant the long way home because they have trust in their leader. Janeway essentially breaks down the barrier of what is normal and from this point further, the ship is unlike any other in Star Trek history. The crew of the Enterprise and Deep Space 9 were all very close, but Voyager became a family. Janeway made sure that even she got to know every crew member(Gabriel 2018). Janeway is noted throughout various forms of Trek media for her leadership. From her interactions with individuals, knowledge of when to put on her manager hat v. her leader one, to tactics in influence and delegation.

V. Other Leadership Demonstrated

In servant leadership, an individual leads by serving others, meaning they are not necessarily the one in command of a situation, but they lead themselves as being part of the followers . Tom makes a daring move when Chakotay gets stuck in one of the tunnels; he returns to help him escape. While each still having residual feuds from Tom betraying the Maquis by working with Starfleet, this brave example of servant leadership does not go amiss. While servant leadership general doesn’t include risk of bodily harm, Tom uses it as such, he had learned from earlier in the episode he had to initiate things for himself and in this he chooses to risk his own safety to serve the goal he had made for himself, “the invisible leader”(Northouse, 2019). In this same scenario, even in the face of death, Chakotay’s leadership style is in full display as he tries to command a situation he is not in command of; he virtually argues with Tom the entire time he is saving his life and is a clear display that authority is a personality trait for him. Tom has grown from the first time we see him in this episode to this point; in the beginning he was very the follower that required the use of several motivation tactics to get work out of, but at this moment he has learned that his growth as a person is stemming from not necessarily being in command of a position, but serving those in those positions to the best of their ability(Northouse, 2019). Despite Chakotay’s near death experience and Tom’s clear display of servant leadership, Chakotay’s attitude does not change, but there is a clear shift in his heart and end goal as he is willing to die to save both crews. At every encounter, Janeway has tried to negotiate and ultimately, she dooms her and The Maquis crew because of her unrequited obligation and active servant leadership: “We never asked to be involved… but we are” (Berman 1995). Without consultation, Chakotay agrees to join the crews and strand themselves far from home because it will save the Ocampa.

VI. Conclusion

Since time began, species far and wide have been looking for good leadership. Star Trek is just a glimpse into the future stating that while thought processes may become more evolved and technology will advance, individuals will still have the same core functions that they have always had. There will always be want to develop strong relations, there will always be some hesitation to trust everyone, and at some point will return to where one came from. Voyager is the embodiment of leadership both good and bad, it stresses moral debates, ethical dilemmas that often leaves you thinking. No one on board is perfect, but it is clear they will grow on the journey home.

(I apparently wrote the following paragraph after my conclusion and forgot to delete it before I submitted. Oops, I think I meant to find a way to work it in during the main paragraphs, but obviously never did)

Janeway left the bridge with Tom having a look of disappointment due to the fact that he never received orders. He had faith that he had gained Janeway’s trust to aid in other ways than just being ex-Maquis, but it is clear that Janeway takes full consideration of his identity right now. This small interaction displays how his time as a criminal has heightened his need for more hands-on leadership than the rest of the crew needs, in the future he needs to follow the invisible leader or else he will be left continually disappointed as we see here (Hickman et al., 2004). By the end of the episode, Tom has a huge shift where he becomes his own invisible leader and takes charge of his own situation (Hickman et al., 2004).

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. I really enjoyed writing this, however long ago it was.