#science is too important to be left to the scientists

[wachinyeya]

From water-testing polluted rivers to measuring radiation levels, ordinary people are taking environmental research into their own hands.

[reasonsforhope]

"In response to last year’s record-breaking heat due to El Niño and impacts from climate change, Indigenous Zenù farmers in Colombia are trying to revive the cultivation of traditional climate-resilient seeds and agroecology systems.

One traditional farming system combines farming with fishing: locals fish during the rainy season when water levels are high, and farm during the dry season on the fertile soils left by the receding water.

Locals and ecologists say conflicts over land with surrounding plantation owners, cattle ranchers and mines are also worsening the impacts of the climate crisis.

To protect their land, the Zenù reserve, which is today surrounded by monoculture plantations, was in 2005 declared the first Colombian territory free from GMOs.

...

In the Zenù reserve, issues with the weather, climate or soil are spread by word of mouth between farmers, or on La Positiva 103.0, a community agroecology radio station. And what’s been on every farmer’s mind is last year’s record-breaking heat and droughts. Both of these were charged by the twin impacts of climate change and a newly developing El Niño, a naturally occurring warmer period that last occurred here in 2016, say climate scientists.

Experts from Colombia’s Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies say the impacts of El Niño will be felt in Colombia until April 2024, adding to farmers’ concerns. Other scientists forecast June to August may be even hotter than 2023, and the next five years could be the hottest on record. On Jan. 24, President Gustavo Petro said he will declare wildfires a natural disaster, following an increase in forest fires that scientists attribute to the effects of El Niño.

In the face of these changes, Zenù farmers are trying to revive traditional agricultural practices like ancestral seed conservation and a unique agroecology system.

Pictured: Remberto Gil’s house is surrounded by an agroforestry system where turkeys and other animals graze under fruit trees such as maracuyá (Passiflora edulis), papaya (Carica papaya) and banana (Musa acuminata colla). Medicinal herbs like toronjil (Melissa officinalis) and tres bolas (Leonotis nepetifolia), and bushes like ají (Capsicum baccatum), yam and frijol diablito (beans) are part of the undergrowth. Image by Monica Pelliccia for Mongabay.

“Climate change is scary due to the possibility of food scarcity,” says Rodrigo Hernandez, a local authority with the Santa Isabel community. “Our ancestral seeds offer a solution as more resistant to climate change.”

Based on their experience, farmers say their ancestral seed varieties are more resistant to high temperatures compared to the imported varieties and cultivars they currently use. These ancestral varieties have adapted to the region’s ecosystem and require less water, they tell Mongabay. According to a report by local organization Grupo Semillas and development foundation SWISSAID, indigenous corn varieties like blaquito are more resistant to the heat, cariaco tolerates drought easily, and negrito is very resistant to high temperatures.

The Zenù diet still incorporates the traditional diversity of seeds, plant varieties and animals they consume, though they too are threatened by climate change: from fish recipes made from bocachico (Prochilodus magdalenae), and reptiles like the babilla or spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), to different corn varieties to prepare arepas (cornmeal cakes), liquor, cheeses and soups.

“The most important challenge we have now is to save ancient species and involve new generations in ancestral practice,” says Sonia Rocha Marquez, a professor of social sciences at Sinù University in the city of Montería.

...[Despite] land scarcity, Negrete says communities are developing important projects to protect their traditional food systems. Farmers and seed custodians, like Gil, are working with the Association of Organic Agriculture and Livestock Producers (ASPROAL) and their Communitarian Seed House (Casa Comunitaria de Semillas Criollas y Nativas)...

Pictured: Remberto Gil is a seed guardian and farmer who works at the Communitarian Seed House, where the ASPROL association stores 32 seeds of rare or almost extinct species. Image by Monica Pelliccia for Mongabay.

Located near Gil’s house, the seed bank hosts a rainbow of 12 corn varieties, from glistening black to blue to light pink to purple and even white. There are also jars of seeds for local varieties of beans, eggplants, pumpkins and aromatic herbs, some stored in refrigerators. All are ancient varieties shared between local families.

Outside the seed bank is a terrace where chickens and turkeys graze under an agroforestry system for farmers to emulate: local varieties of passion fruit, papaya and banana trees grow above bushes of ají peppers and beans. Traditional medicinal herbs like toronjil or lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) form part of the undergrowth.

Today, 25 families are involved in sharing, storing and commercializing the seeds of 32 rare or almost-extinct varieties.

“When I was a kid, my father brought me to the farm to participate in recovering the land,” says Nilvadys Arrieta, 56, a farmer member of ASPROAL. “Now, I still act with the same collective thinking that moves what we are doing.”

“Working together helps us to save, share more seeds, and sell at fair price [while] avoiding intermediaries and increasing families’ incomes,” Gil says. “Last year, we sold 8 million seeds to organic restaurants in Bogotà and Medellín.”

So far, the 80% of the farmers families living in the Zenù reserve participate in both the agroecology and seed revival projects, he adds."

-via Mongabay, February 6, 2024

[nasa]

Roman's primary structure hangs from cables as it moves into the big clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

What Makes the Clean Room So Clean?

When you picture NASA’s most important creations, you probably think of a satellite, telescope, or maybe a rover. But what about the room they’re made in? Believe it or not, the room itself where these instruments are put together—a clean room—is pretty special. 

A clean room is a space that protects technology from contamination. This is especially important when sending very sensitive items into space that even small particles could interfere with.

There are two main categories of contamination that we have to keep away from our instruments. The first is particulate contamination, like dust. The second is molecular contamination, which is more like oil or grease. Both types affect a telescope’s image quality, as well as the time it takes to capture imagery. Having too many particles on our instruments is like looking through a dirty window. A clean room makes for clean science!

Two technicians clean the floor of Goddard’s big clean room.

Our Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland has the largest clean room of its kind in the world. It’s as tall as an eight-story building and as wide as two basketball courts.

Goddard’s clean room has fewer than 3,000 micron-size particles per cubic meter of air. If you lined up all those tiny particles, they’d be no longer than a sesame seed. If those particles were the size of 16-inch (0.4-meter) inflatable beach balls, we’d find only 3,000 spread throughout the whole body of Mount Everest!

A clean room technician observes a sample under a microscope.

The clean room keeps out particles larger than five microns across, just seven percent of the width of an average human hair. It does this via special filters that remove around 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns and larger from incoming air. Six fans the size of school buses spin to keep air flowing and pressurize the room. Since the pressure inside is higher, the clean air keeps unclean air out when doors open.

A technician analyzes a sample under ultraviolet light.

In addition, anyone who enters must wear a “bunny suit” to keep their body particles away from the machinery. A bunny suit covers most of the person inside. Sometimes scientists have trouble recognizing each other while in the suits, but they do get to know each other’s mannerisms very well.

This illustration depicts the anatomy of a bunny suit, which covers clean room technicians from head to toe to protect sensitive technology.

The bunny suit is only the beginning: before putting it on, team members undergo a preparation routine involving a hairnet and an air shower. Fun fact – you’re not allowed to wear products like perfume, lotion, or deodorant. Even odors can transfer easily!

Six of Goddard’s clean room technicians (left to right: Daniel DaCosta, Jill Bender, Anne Martino, Leon Bailey, Frank D’Annunzio, and Josh Thomas).

It takes a lot of specialists to run Goddard’s clean room. There are 10 people on the Contamination Control Technician Team, 30 people on the Clean Room Engineering Team to cover all Goddard missions, and another 10 people on the Facilities Team to monitor the clean room itself. They check on its temperature, humidity, and particle counts.

A technician rinses critical hardware with isopropyl alcohol and separates the particulate and isopropyl alcohol to leave the particles on a membrane for microscopic analysis.

Besides the standard mopping and vacuuming, the team uses tools such as isopropyl alcohol, acetone, wipes, swabs, white light, and ultraviolet light. Plus, they have a particle monitor that uses a laser to measure air particle count and size.

The team keeping the clean room spotless plays an integral role in the success of NASA’s missions. So, the next time you have to clean your bedroom, consider yourself lucky that the stakes aren’t so high!

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[probablyasocialecologist]

There is no obvious path between today’s machine learning models — which mimic human creativity by predicting the next word, sound, or pixel — and an AI that can form a hostile intent or circumvent our every effort to contain it. Regardless, it is fair to ask why Dr. Frankenstein is holding the pitchfork. Why is it that the people building, deploying, and profiting from AI are the ones leading the call to focus public attention on its existential risk? Well, I can see at least two possible reasons. The first is that it requires far less sacrifice on their part to call attention to a hypothetical threat than to address the more immediate harms and costs that AI is already imposing on society. Today’s AI is plagued by error and replete with bias. It makes up facts and reproduces discriminatory heuristics. It empowers both government and consumer surveillance. AI is displacing labor and exacerbating income and wealth inequality. It poses an enormous and escalating threat to the environment, consuming an enormous and growing amount of energy and fueling a race to extract materials from a beleaguered Earth. These societal costs aren’t easily absorbed. Mitigating them requires a significant commitment of personnel and other resources, which doesn’t make shareholders happy — and which is why the market recently rewarded tech companies for laying off many members of their privacy, security, or ethics teams. How much easier would life be for AI companies if the public instead fixated on speculative theories about far-off threats that may or may not actually bear out? What would action to “mitigate the risk of extinction” even look like? I submit that it would consist of vague whitepapers, series of workshops led by speculative philosophers, and donations to computer science labs that are willing to speak the language of longtermism. This would be a pittance, compared with the effort required to reverse what AI is already doing to displace labor, exacerbate inequality, and accelerate environmental degradation. A second reason the AI community might be motivated to cast the technology as posing an existential risk could be, ironically, to reinforce the idea that AI has enormous potential. Convincing the public that AI is so powerful that it could end human existence would be a pretty effective way for AI scientists to make the case that what they are working on is important. Doomsaying is great marketing. The long-term fear may be that AI will threaten humanity, but the near-term fear, for anyone who doesn’t incorporate AI into their business, agency, or classroom, is that they will be left behind. The same goes for national policy: If AI poses existential risks, U.S. policymakers might say, we better not let China beat us to it for lack of investment or overregulation. (It is telling that Sam Altman — the CEO of OpenAI and a signatory of the Center for AI Safety statement — warned the E.U. that his company will pull out of Europe if regulations become too burdensome.)

[seat-safety-switch]

In the glorious new Century we are approaching, the old empires will be ground beneath our feet as we rise to meet humanity's glorious destiny. The oppressors of mankind will at last be defeated, ushering in an eternal peace and boundless prosperity. Also, we're going to come up with new kinds of potato chips.

One of the first things my school guidance counsellor told me was that I was "too fucking dumb" to work at the potato chip factory in town. And for good reason. Although my academics were excellent, I had an attitude towards slacking even then that would have severely damaged the productivity of our proudest industry. He recommended that I instead go into theoretical computer science, where it seemed less likely that I would do any lasting damage to something important like the Russetizer®.

After I had burned out of a career of thinking about touching computers, and ended up scrounging for subsistence in a series of increasingly desperate small towns (like most of my graduating class) I thought about going back to the potato factory. Surely, they would accept me now. I have all this worldly experience, all these social oddities beaten out of me in favour of a newfound conformist urge to make just enough money to pay my mortgage and occasionally finance a round of golf at the cheap course.

Bad news, though. It turns out that while I was away, the practical computer scientists had taken over. When the venture capitalists realized that "we made a website for a thing" suddenly meant that you could charge a billion dollars for that thing, the hastily renamed High-Tech Potato Chip Company put the town on the map. And then, quickly thereafter, was erased from the map in a series of debt-based transactions. It has zero employees now, and the old factory was sold for scrap, but the corporate entity still makes several million dollars a year. This, despite the fact that nobody in town is sure exactly what it actually does, other than that it is "not making potato chips."

One night, I went to go see the place where the potato chip factory was. I wanted to stand where the Russetizer® once stood, before it was ripped out of the concrete and sent to some potato chip factory in a country that I can't find on a map. Unfortunately, my old high school guidance counsellor was there. Working as a security guard to supplement his retirement. I figured he would be real pissed to see me there, after all this drama, so I just turned around and left.

[thefallenangel2008]

I have come up with my Relativity!Falls AU!

Ok, so, I came up with this today at the last period at school so it might be a bit messy, but pls bear with me.

So let me tell ya!😈

Ok, so Mabel and Dipper's lives were fairly normal back in the 60's. Like, sure, their parents got a divorce when they were 13 and lived in a broken home but they still loved eachother and their love only grew stronger when their parents broke up, their will to stay together strengthening. Their parents still cared about them dearly despite the breakup, so everything was not as bad.

Dipper wanted to go to university to study science and Mabel wanted to go to a fashion school and be a fashion designer! People already loved her sweaters so it only seemed fitting.

Dipper got a scholarship after his project got approved by scientists. It was going to be the first time of the twins being apart, and although sad, they knew they could do it. A year later Mabel left home as well to go to her desired fashion school.

After university Dipper gained an interest in the supernatural and he decided to investigate, he even started recording himself searching and finding these paranormal creatures. He kept the videos in a cassette, hoping one day he could show the world and maybe, just maybe, he would get his own show. He started to keep a journal, the cover being blue/silver with a silver pine tree in the middle. After a while Dipper realized that the most sights of paranormal activities happened at a place he had never heard of before, a small town called Gravity Falls. He built a house there and a basement underneath to find more paranormal creatures.

There, he learned about this demon called Bill Cipher from a cave writing near the town, and said demon visited him in his dreams after saying the incantation written. He flattered him for his smarts and said that his unusual birthmark on his forehead made him look like a freak, but in a good way! And although Dipper felt flattered, he didn't trust him all that much, because why would a demon want to talk to him of all people??? Also , come on, that was a DEMON. He had seen enough movies to know whether to trust a demon or not. (Mister Anxiety and Overthinking everyone lol)

Bill kept pestering him about building a portal that leads to other dimensions, and after a LOT of thinking Dipper decided to build it, believing it would be a big step in the world of science.

He decided to ask for help from the richest woman in town whose family found it, a brilliant (and admittedly attractive) mechanic, Pacifica Northwest.

They spent a long while building the portal together, and once it was ready they decided to test it on a dummy, only Pacifica was accidentally pulled in with it. Dipper managed to get her out, but when he did, she seemed... Paranoid. She started screaming at him and demanding to dismantle the portal, only Dipper didn't listen to her, too stubborn to admit it wasn't a good idea now that he had done so much. Pacifica quit right after.

After that he didn't know what to do and as a last resort he sent a postcard to his sister, asking her to come over.

Now the twins had kept in contact, but Dipper tried not to mention the portal to Mabel, just saying he was working on a project that could possibly change the world.

When Mabel got the postcard (she was back at California) she decided, sure, why not? It would only take a couple of months, maybe at most a year, and then she would be back to her small business.

When she arrived at Gravity Falls Dipper explained to her about the portal and the otherworldly creatures. He told her that his last assistant quit, leaving out some very important details.

Mabel was ecstatic to be a part of dangerous scientific experiments, spending some time with her brother after 10 years of phonecalls and postcards, and possibly meeting a unicorn!

They started writing a journal together, that had a purple cover and a purple pine tree with a shooting star at the top (Dipper said it looked like a Christmas tree. Mabel just found it funny) and they wrote about every other creature they discovered and their progress on the portal.

But as time passed by, Mabel started to notice that... Maybe Dipper was hiding something. But no, he would never hide anything from her! They're siblings, they share everything! But she had a weird feeling that the portal might be for something more instead of just "scientific advancements" and he regularly seemed to meditate. Dipper??? Trying to clear his mind??? Yeah, right! She began writing her own journal (which was more like a scrapbook tbh) where she wrote down her thoughts, her suspicions about her brother, and also had a bunch of photos of the creatures they found, clothes she made and their time together. It was pink/gold with a dark pink shooting star on it (and thus the three journals were created).

One day Mabel accidentally came across Dipper's journal and she had a look at it. That was when she found out the real reason why Pacifica left the project and she also found out about Bill Cipher.

She confronted Dipper about this and they had a huge fight over it. Mabel accidentally pushed Dipper and he burned the back of his shoulder with a symbol. Because of that the portal was accidentally opened and Mabel was sucked into it. Dipper tried multiple times to get it to work again and bring her back but it was severely damaged and nothing worked. After a while he gave up and he decided to dismantle it.

Bill was not happy about this and he kept hunting Dipper in his dream and also possessing his body and at some point he finally got a metal plate inserted into his mind so Bill wouldn't possess him anymore.

Oh also by the way Pacifica created the memory gun and kept erasing her own memory and created the Society of the Blind Eye and yeah, she lost her mind, yk.

Dipper kept trying to reach out to Pacifica but since she lost her mind nothing could happen so he would just visit her from time to time but she would always be in her own mind, being the crazy old hug of the town or "old hag Northwest", and also because she was crazy now the Northwests kicked her out of the Northwest Mansion and she's been living in the junkyard ever since.

Dipper is forced to fake Mabel's death to "excuse" her disappearance. A lot of people came to the funeral.

He hides the two journals (he doesn't know Mabel wrote one of her own) so that no one would find them and rebuild the portal again.

Anyway, Dipper turns his home into a museum for the supernatural to get money where he has fake miniatures of the creatures he found but of course always people would think they're fake but they mostly go there just for fun. It's called "The Home of Mysteries".

Many years pass by until he gets a call that hey, you're gonna babysit your twin nephews this summer! Yey...

Well, anyway, his nephews. Stanford (Ford) and Stanley (Stan) Pines.

On their first day the twins discover a pink scrapbook underneath a wooden floorboard. They see photos of their Grunkle Dipper but much younger, and a woman that looks almost just like him. Ford was quick to inform Dipper about this, but Stan stopped him and told him it would be a good way to learn more about their weird relative.

Well, that's what I have so far. I might draw something based on this, can't promise anything though. Oh well, I'll see! Sorry it's so big!

[sockatoothewafflebird]

THE AMAZING DIGITAL FALLOUT

i've kind of left this au dry. sorry about that 😓

i haven't drawn or written for it in weeks and i've kind of lost motivation for it, but i wanna post the stuff i finished anyway and i know some of you only follow me for tadc stuff 💀 so here ya go! once again my deepest apologies for abandoning this. i may come back to it in the future though, who knows!

this post is a work-in-progress, btw. i'll add things when i feel like it until i've put everything i need to here.

CHARACTERS (WIP)

STORY

Fifty years ago, a decade-long war turned nuclear, and now the world is in shambles. Just before everything went to shit, though... two brothers, wealthy businessmen with a passion for science, came up with an idea. They would build huge bunkers to preserve humanity, while figuring out ways to fight off any damage done by the war.

Then, when the bombs and chemicals started dropping, they opened the gates to their vaults too late. Their plan to preserve humanity only technically worked. The radiation and chemical damage had already been done, and now people were being born with unusually and fascinatingly cartoonish features.

Those in the vaults didn't become too crazy. But those left outside became increasingly mutated, to the point where rabbit-people and people made of what seemed to be wood (just two examples of many) were being born left and right.

The two beothers gree further apart, their goals and beliefs vastly different and the cracks in society forming along with the cracks in their brotherhood. Eventually, one of them left in pursuit of his own dreams. He started an organization he calls "The Circus," much to his brother's dismay.

Present day, Pomni is working under Able as a head scientist when Vault #004 is raided and ambushed by The Circus and a mob of abstracted folk. And her whole world is turned on its head.

--

LINKS

the fic on AO3 (i probably won't add anything to it other than maybe an overview of the plot)

DANGER sign (and zooble)

--

if you have any questions about anything specific lemme know and i'll try my best to answer. i'll add links to any of that important stuff here when it comes up so no one's left out.

[whumpninja]

W.M.D., Part 1: Living Weapon

Featuring: living weapon whumpee, heavy and literal dehumanization, lab whump, blindfolded whumpee, creepy whumper, brainwashing, memory loss

Taglist: @whumperofworlds

The meeting had been scheduled for 1:00. Mr. Abel showed up at 1:48, drinking something neon pink in a plastic cup and smiling apologetically. “Just chalk me up as ‘fashionably late’,” he quipped, extending his hand for a shake. “Nolan Abel, but you probably knew that, I’m everywhere. You’re Algernon Fowler, right? The scientist?”

Dr. Fowler stared witheringly at Mr. Abel’s extended hand, waiting for the man to realize that the empty right sleeve of Dr. Fowler’s lab coat was pinned up and out of the way. It took an embarrassingly long time for Mr. Abel to withdraw his hand, and even then, Dr. Fowler wasn’t sure whether he noticed or just wanted to end the awkward stare down.

“Is this your lab?” Mr. Abel asked, looking up at the top of the abandoned clock tower. “It’s…nice.”

“It is adequate,” Dr. Fowler replied. The billionaire nearly jumped at the low, whispery sound of his voice, and Dr. Fowler held back a twisted smile. “If I decide to enter into a partnership with you, I will require a more…updated facility.”

“Sure, Doc, no problem. I’ve got one all set up that nobody’s used in awhile. But I was told that I would be getting a…preview?”

Dr. Fowler nodded to the open door of his clock tower-turned-laboratory. “Just through there.”

Mr. Abel finished his drink as he entered, carelsssly tossing the plastic cup aside. It clattered on the pavement. Ignorant buffoon, Dr. Fowler thought, and followed him inside, shutting- and locking- the heavy door behind them.

“Got yourself a fixer-upper, huh?” Mr. Abel glanced around the first floor. “What a mess.”

“The natural consequences of my work. Science is not always clean.” Where Mr. Abel saw old, yellowing papers littering the floor and broken furniture pushed up against the grimy walls, Dr. Fowler saw nothing but promise and potential in the empty space. He’d thrown the papers out because he had advanced beyond their contents. He’d shoved the furniture away because he needed room to work. Even the location was important- in the middle of the most downtrodden, poverty-stricken part of the city. The building itself had been carefully chosen- a modern laboratory would have been inaccessible and drawn too much attention. The clock tower was perfect for his needs. Whatever mess the foolish Mr. Abel saw, Dr. Fowler could overlook in favor of the results that would come out of it.

“So where’s your brilliant masterpiece?” Mr. Abel asked. Dr. Fowler didn’t appreciate his teasing tone. “You said you had something special to show me.”

“I do. Upstairs.” Dr. Fowler led the way up the twisting metal staircase to the next floor of the clock tower- there were five in all. He rarely used the first floor. The second and third were his workspaces, as was the underground floor Mr. Abel did not- and would not- know about. The fifth floor was empty save for the ancient clock.

It was the fourth floor where his masterpiece lived. And it was the fourth floor where he led Mr. Abel.

“So you make weapons,” Mr. Abel said as they ascended. “Living weapons. You brainwash ‘em or something?”

Dr. Fowler scoffed. “Do not insult me. My work is no mere brainwashing or hypnotism. You may as well buy a robot if you merely want something to be commanded.” He shook his head. “The beauty of my work is in its balance. Too much, and you are left with a husk. Too little, and the result is unpredictable. There are many others in the business of making weapons. They all fall short. Their creations are mindless drones, suitable only for simple tasks.”

“And yours are different?”

Dr. Fowler smirked. “The secret of weapon making is not in the mind, but in the will. Unlike those imposters, I leave my subjects’ mind intact. What I remove is their free will. Once I am finished, they can still think for themselves. They can reason, find solutions to problems- they do not stand stupidly waiting for someone to command them. And yet they still obey commands, without question.”

“If it works like you say it does, I’ll definitely want some,” Mr. Abel answered.

“That is only the first step in my process. They must be trained as well. And there is another variable that must be accounted for.”

“What’s that?”

“Humanity. I have learned that the best way to create my weapons is to strip them of their humanity. If you’ve looked into my background, as I’m sure you have, you’ll know that I was a genetic biologist. One can make a man believe that he is less than a person. I take it one step further. I take the lie and make it true.”

They had reached the fourth floor. Dr. Fowler came out into the middle of the room first, waiting for Mr. Abel to catch up.

This floor was bare, nearly completely empty. The only things in the room were the scientist, the investor, and a figure that knelt in the center of the room, their head covered by a hood.

“You asked for proof, Mr. Abel. Here is my proof. My first successful masterpiece. Project Magnum Opus.” Dr. Fowler crossed the room and removed the hood. “Or, as I prefer to call him…Kestrel.”

Mr. Abel’s mouth dropped open as the kneeling form stood.

Dr. Fowler knew what he was seeing. A young man, or what had once been one, dark-haired and pale-skinned, hair tumbling down the neck and over the forehead to conceal the face in shadow. Bare-chested, showing a burn scar on the shoulder and smaller scars scattered over the torso. Slender, but with lean muscle corded through the lines of the body, a body made to be quick, agile and strong.

“He’s impressive. But, if I can ask, why do you call him Kestrel?” Mr. Abel asked.

A smile tugged the corner of Dr. Fowler’s lips. This man was even more oblivious than he had thought- even though the primary reason for that name was still concealed, there were still clues visible if one looked. Mr. Abel seemed to be a man who had to be shown.

Well, let me not disappoint him.

He stepped behind his weapon and unbuckled the harness around the shoulders, allowing Mr. Abel to see the evidence of the other side of his process. The billionaire actually staggered back in shock. “Are- are those real?” he breathed.

The massive black wings slowly unfurled to their full span. Dr. Fowler did not try to hide his smile now. “Of course they are. The talons are real as well.”

Mr. Abel had somehow not noticed that the weapon was barefoot, displaying the vicious curved talons that were so useful in combat, or that the hands too had talons rather than nails. If it weren’t for the blindfold over the face, he would have also seen the piercing golden eyes. The wings and talons were enough, however, and he clung to the staircase railing like he would fall out of pure shock if he didn’t hold on to something.

“You may touch him if you like,” Dr. Fowler offered magnanimously. “He will not attack.”

Mr. Abel looked distinctly nervous and Dr. Fowler reveled in it. “Are- are you sure?”

“He will not attack,” Dr. Fowler repeated. “That is, not unless I tell him to.”

Mr. Abel approached cautiously, stretching out his hand like a small child about to pet a large dog. Kestrel watched him impassively, blinking once or twice. Mr. Abel stroked the edge of the wing, his mouth stretching into a grin. “Wow,” he said. “It feels real. How’d you do it?”

Dr. Fowler smiled, and leaned close to Kestrel’s ear, and whispered, “Corpus et sanguinis. Strike.”

Mr. Abel didn’t hear the exact words, but he certainly saw the effects. Kestrel went rigid for a split second before leaping into motion, knocking Mr. Abel to the floor, the head tilting to the side as the predator found the prey even without the use of sight. The wings were useless in this confined space, but spread out anyway, helping to terrify Mr. Abel even more thoroughly. The man was screaming, horror twisting his face as a sharp talon tore a gash in his sleeve.

“Hold, Kestrel,” Dr. Fowler said. Kestrel froze, still keeping the man pinned to the floor. Dr. Fowler waited a few more moments, savoring the look of fear on Mr. Abel’s face, before he commanded, “Release him.”

Kestrel let go and stepped back, and Mr. Abel staggered to his feet, white-faced. Mr. Abel glanced from one to the other, shaking, panting, his eyes wide. He pointed a trembling finger at Dr. Fowler. “I could sue you for that, Fowler. I could sue you for all you’re worth and have your- your- thing shot.”

“No, you couldn’t,” Dr. Fowler answered. “Not without admitting that you were ever here in the first place, which, Mr. Abel, you cannot do without coming under scrutiny so intense that all your filthy little secrets will be dragged out into the light right beside me. You would lose everything, and you are not the kind of man who would risk that.” The corner of his lips turned up. “Besides, you said you wanted a preview. That is what you were given.”

The anger stayed a moment longer, fury darkening Mr. Abel’s eyes. Dr. Fowler waited, unconcerned.

Finally, Mr. Abel pulled himself to his feet, laughing sheepishly. “I guess I did want a sneak peek, didn’t I?” The anger bled out of him, replaced by intrigue. “Wow. I mean, that’s impressive. I want a dozen of them. You told anyone else about this?”

“No.”

“Don’t. I want you to be my private supplier.”

Dr. Fowler smiled. “What does a rich man need with living weapons?”

“You stick with your business and I’ll stick with mine.” Mr. Abel ran his hands through his hair, his face transitioning into an easy grin. “So how does he work? You said something to him before he jumped me.”

“When I begin the mental reprogramming process, I implement cue words,” Dr. Fowler explained, careful not to give too much away. “In the absence of anything else, the brain latches onto anything it is given. In this case, the trigger words. Once the process is complete, those specific words will place the weapon under the control of whoever speaks them.”

“And his words are…”

“Not for you.” Dr. Fowler folded his arms. “I will make you your own weapons. Kestrel is mine.”

Mr. Abel shrugged. “Sure.”

The man seemed to have gotten over his fear, approaching Kestrel- although, Dr. Fowler noticed, he did not touch the weapon this time. “So what are his limits?” he asked. “I mean, he’s the prototype of mine, right? What can he do?”

“Anything you command.”

“Could I order him to fetch me a vodka with lime?”

“Kestrel is not some sort of personal butler,” Dr. Fowler said, his smile disappearing. “Kestrel is a weapon, perfectly designed for that purpose and that purpose alone. Not a toy for a rich man’s amusement.”

“Could you make one that is?”

Dr. Fowler sighed. “If that is what you would like, I can do it. I suppose you want it to be beautiful, barely clothed, and enamored with you, as well?”

The billionaire grinned. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

Self-obsessed fool.

“Do you always make them…animal hybrids?”

“Yes. It tends to be more stable when I do that, and as I said before it helps the reprogramming process. I have tried many kinds, on many candidates. Kestrel has the DNA of a species of vulture.”

“That where the wings came from?” Mr. Abel walked around to look at the weapon’s back, where the wings protruded from the shoulder blades.

“The wings were originally from a California condor,” Dr. Fowler answered. “I grafted them into Kestrel. DNA can do many things, but it cannot give something wings. The talons and the eyes, yes. The wings required help.”

“Huh.” Mr. Abel looked sufficiently impressed. As much as he disliked the billionaire, Dr. Fowler had still hoped to take his breath away with his demonstration, and it seemed as though he had been successful. “So how many of these weapons can you make for me?”

“How much time do you have?” Dr. Fowler asked instead of answering directly.

Mr. Abel frowned. “Why does time matter?”

“Do you think it is an easy thing to create one of my masterpieces? That I can snap my fingers or hold up a swaying pendant and they’ll be ready to do whatever I command? The human will is the most stubborn force on this planet, Mr. Abel. To break it into splinters and scrape it out, to fill the empty mold back up with your desires, to make sure the vessel does not shatter under the pressure- it takes time.”

“How much time?”

“Months.”

“What?”

Dr. Fowler continued as if he hadn’t heard. “And of course, I must have the perfect candidate. I have tried this method again and again. All attempts ended in disaster. Some subjects did not survive the initial operation. Some lasted longer, but the strain of being reprogrammed was too much for them, and they died or became comatose. Some survived reprogramming, but as empty shells that could not move without being commanded, that had to be told to even breathe. It took years, Mr. Abel, years of failure, before I finally succeeded with Kestrel. But I think you’ll agree that the results are worth the effort.”

“Where do you get candidates?”

Dr. Fowler shrugged. “Kestrel is an excellent hunter. I sometimes have him bring them to me, but that tends to draw too much attention. I prefer more subtle methods. Money is a splendid lure. People who have no other option will gladly submit themselves to scientific study for the mere promise of cash in their hand. Though, of course, they stop having a use for money long before I would have to pay them.”

“You’re really committed to this, Doc.”

Dr. Fowler pinned the man with a look. “This is my life’s work, Mr. Abel. I am as devoted to it as a mother to her child. No force on this earth could sway me from this path. No amount of begging or bribery, threats or tears, no amount of opposition can stop me once I begin my work. It is not an easy road to walk, but I walk it, and it does not matter what obstacles are placed in my way. I have set out to create the perfect living weapons. That is what I will do, no matter how many tries takes. No matter how many bodies I have to bury. I will suceed.” Abruptly the smile returned to his face. “I have succeeded, with Kestrel. Though of course there are always improvements that can be made.”

“So how do I do this, when I get mine? What happens if he disobeys?”

“My weapons cannot disobey.”

“Okay, what about when he does something I want?”

“What do you mean?”

Mr. Abel shrugged. “If I tell him to do something and he does it. Do I click a button, or give him a reward or something?”

Dr. Fowler smiled humorlessly. “Yes, he gets a reward.” He trailed his gloved fingers down the side of Kestrel’s face, ghosting over the blindfold. He was always careful to avoid touching Kestrel with his bare hands- skin-to-skin contact could have an adverse affect on the training.

“What kind of reward?” Mr. Abel wanted to know.

“He gets to live.” Dr. Fowler moved his hand lower, wrapping it around Kestrel’s throat. He didn’t squeeze. He didn’t have to. Kestrel knew he could. That was enough.

“I do not tolerate disobedience, Mr. Abel. If one of my creations fails me, I destroy it, and start again with a new base. There is never a shortage of test subjects in this city.”

It was, at least partially, a bluff. Dr. Fowler did not get attached to his creations, but Kestrel was his first true success. It would take a failure of great magnitude for him to start over. There were other ways to discipline a weapon.

Mr. Abel was grinning. “So far, Doc, I’m seeing no drawbacks.”

Dr. Fowler replaced the hood over Kestrel’s head, gesturing Mr. Abel towards the staircase. This time he let the billionaire go first, all the way back down to the ground floor. “What do you think?” he asked.

Mr. Abel hummed, stroking his chin. “I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful partnership. I’ll have one of my lawyers write up a contract-“ at Dr. Fowler’s warning glance, he held up a hand. “And I’ll leave out any details to keep your secrecy. You can add those in yourself.”

“That is appreciated.”

“But I want one more thing in exchange, Doc. I like what I’ve seen so far, I do. And I love the idea of having my own personal weapon who will do anything I tell it to.” He folded his arms, and suddenly the foolish billionaire seemed slightly less so. “Your Kestrel. I want to see him fly. Tomorrow morning.”

“You- what?” Dr. Fowler was not often taken aback. But this request sent him reeling a little. “Kestrel isn’t used to flight. I don’t send him out often, and then always under cover of darkness.”

“Exactly. I want to see the reaction to him, if there is one. If the government has a conniption fit and comes down on you, I don’t want to be involved.” He spoke bluntly, without shading the truth. Dr. Fowler grudgingly appreciated that. “And I want to see those wings in action. You can send him out early enough that there won’t be many people on the beach. But I want to see what he does when he’s away from you. No offense, but I’m betting he takes off.”

Dr. Fowler pressed his lips into a thin smile. There were still some things this man didn’t know. “All right, Mr. Abel. I will take you up on that bet. Tomorrow morning, I will send Kestrel out. And we’ll see what happens then.”

Mr. Abel returned his smile. “We will, won’t we?”

They shook hands on it.

[weirdmageddon]

yesterday i wrote a scene where jade wasnt a plot device and was left the hell alone in A6A5 because this being dave and jade’s last proper conversation in years made me sad and i wanted to see them reunite properly. i mixed a bit of narration in too even though it was rare around this point in the comic but its just to paint a better picture. also i wouldnt mind feedback on character voice (it’s important to me that the dialogue sounds believable)

[3 years are over, everyone is in the new session. The prospit ship is on LOMAX, as is everyone who arrived on the meteor, safely warped by Jade onto LOMAX as well. Jade has banished B2 Jack to the Furthest Ring already. She hasn't seen her friends in 3 years, not to mention she never met the trolls in person yet.]

[Jade teleports to LOMAX where John was talking with the meteor crew. Her eyes widen when she sees the trolls, giving everyone a greeting. Jade waves to the trolls.]

You’ll have time to catch up with them later. First you want to reconvene with Rose and Dave.

> ==>

Dave... Oh my god! DAVE!!! That’s right! The last time you saw him, he died in your arms after Jack redirected the bullets from your gun into his body!

JADE: dave!!!! DAVE: hey DAVE: this has been three years coming hasnt it DAVE: cmere

> ==>

[Dave hugs Jade with a slight grin on face. He notices her… sniffing him?? but doesn’t even bother to question it.]

JADE: it is so nice to hold your body when its not a corpse :) DAVE: ok DAVE: weird thing to say DAVE: actually who am i kidding who gives a shit DAVE: i almost forgot how much i missed the enigmatic riddlefuckery that is your phrasing DAVE: fortunately i have context for this so i know what youre saying DAVE: humor me for a sec and imagine that i didnt DAVE: but first DAVE: are those dog ears JADE: yes! i am part dog now JADE: because i prototyped my dreamself with becsprite JADE: jadesprite became part of me! and so did her doggy traits from bec DAVE: got it DAVE: oh yeah john mentioned that on the back of his dumb poster inside that bucket that appeared out of thin air DAVE: right before we had to haul ass out of there before jack caught up to us DAVE: karkat had a complete fucking meltdown over that btw i wish you couldve seen it DAVE: damn it feels like so long ago now JADE: heheheh i remember JADE: john realized it at the last second but it was too late! DAVE: of course it was johns idea only he could do something that gooberish DAVE: you know what this means though JADE: yup!! woof woof DAVE: it means youve done it harley DAVE: youve finally done it god damn it DAVE: the evolution of humankind is finally upon us DAVE: the scientists said it would never happen in our lifetime DAVE: but look what we have here DAVE: before me stands mans first legitimate furry subspecies DAVE: homo canis DAVE: as the name implies theyre gay as fuck btw DAVE: its too bad all those scientists are dead and cant witness this phylogenetic breakthrough DAVE: rip to the science community yall wouldve lost your collective shit DAVE: hey jade lets pour one out for the science community for being real ones

> ==>

You are still nestled into Dave’s shoulder. He’s taken a sort of protective position over you. Your perceptive barkbeast ears can hear his formerly bullet-riddled heart beating a mile a minute with the regularity of quartz beneath his time-branded pajamas, all the while he continues to ramble to you about certifiably dumb shit. You can tell Dave is psyched to see you again, even if he expresses it in his OWN bizarre way, which means extended metaphors and topical tangents. What a hypocrite, calling YOUR phrasing perplexing! You sure missed this guy.

You realize you started tuning him out while thinking about all this.

DAVE: jade JADE: umm homo is the species name JADE: so wouldnt that mean were all gay? :p DAVE: yeah that sounds about right DAVE: anyway enough of this bullshit

> ==>

[Dave motions to retract his arms since he doesn’t want it to get too weird, but Jade squeezes tighter. Dave immediately yields to the movement]

DAVE: jesus wow ok DAVE: really happy to see you too DAVE: like if you had a tail it would be wagging so forcefully youd be knocking over all the fucking furnishings in the room DAVE: just slapping it so hard on the owners thigh that it feels like theyre being flogged DAVE: talk about getting bitch slapped JADE: :D DAVE: so howve you been JADE: really really excited to see you guys all again!!! JADE: and to meet the trolls! DAVE: yeah theyre pretty weird DAVE: and im still not used to it DAVE: but it gets more manageable the longer youre around them DAVE: by the way JADE: ?

> ==>

DAVE: sorry you had to go through that JADE: through what? DAVE: seeing me die and stuff again DAVE: except that time right in front of you JADE: .... DAVE: when we were gathering up all those frogs i knew jack was going to appear DAVE: i was waiting and waiting to play it out DAVE: mentally rehearsing my fucking torso getting turned into swiss cheese and knowing you would have to watch on top of it DAVE: i had to make sure it happened to protect the integrity of the alpha timeline DAVE: but if you knew this was going to happen you wouldve tried to prevent it and created a doomed one DAVE: and so i didnt say anything DAVE: i couldnt DAVE: so DAVE: sorry for putting you through that JADE: oh..... JADE: dave D: JADE: well im here JADE: if you ever want to talk about it DAVE: its cool DAVE: you just deserve to know what happened there DAVE: but thanks DAVE: so am i JADE: yeah i know JADE: i guess i should be glad you did that then... JADE: even though i was freaking out when it happened ._. JADE: otherwise you wouldnt be here will us now dressed in your red god tier time pajamas DAVE: yeah these magical rags really are comfortable arent they DAVE: and they stay like perma clean JADE: they are! i would wear mine over and over for days on end JADE: id take a nice shower and put it right back on JADE: and you know how much i love cycling my outfits through my wardrobifier JADE: by the way dave your cape is sooo cool! :o DAVE: thanks DAVE: yeah i love it its hella soft DAVE: its like ive got a portable snuggle blanket with me in case i ever need to drop to the floor like a tired sack of shit and get my snooze on DAVE: ive got a permanent personal reservation at club bed featuring dj pillow and mc blanky JADE: heheheh JADE: can i touch your cape? DAVE: of course go nuts JADE: yaaaay!!

[rallamajoop]

Mia Winters and the Connections

There are a lot of bad takes on Mia Winters out there, a lot of really irritating shallow misconceptions. But for now, I’m just going to tackle one of the big ones that annoys me the most.

Mia Winters is not a scientist, and it's debatable whether she had any long-term association with the project that created Eveline. She may not have even met Eveline before being assigned to transport her to South America.

Mia’s not any kind of researcher. Her job when she worked at the Connections is laid out clearly in the first document you find within moments of starting the flashback ("Orders"): she’s a member of the Special Operations Division in the English version, or a 'special agent' in the Japanese (特殊工作員, tokushu kousaku-in). The English version also gives Mia the role of 'caretaker', implicitly of Eveline, but there's not much to suggest this is a role extending beyond the bounds of this particular mission (for comparison, the Japanese doesn't mention caretaking at all).

Mia's job is exactly what we see her doing in the game: transporting important assets under cover identities, and running around doing damage control with a machine gun if things go south. She echoes the same in her letter to the Bakers, stating she 'was assigned to transport some important cargo.' Even the 'imprinting protocol' she refers to seems to be mostly part of a transport protocol (going by the very little we ever learn about it), and may not even have been implemented until shortly before they left.

Even in the one photo of her standing with the research team, you might note that Mia and her partner Alan are the only people present not wearing lab coats (and believe me, with how much other photoshopping there is in this photo, Mia would have been wearing a lab coat if they'd wanted her in one). The photo itself is far more of an easter egg than a real plot point anyway, and probably isn't worth reading too much into ‒ I mean, Alan is apparently the director of the Special Operations division, so it makes no sense to assume he's part of this one science team. But if you really want a 'canonical' explanation for this photo, considering Mia and Alan are wearing the same clothes as in the ship flashback, you could reasonably assume it was taken right before Eveline was shipped off to America ‒ a kind of "Let's get one last snapshot of the team together with the transport crew before Eveline goes to South America" deal. It's completely plausible Mia may not even have met Eveline until the same day this was taken.

So where does this 'scientist' nonsense come from? The only source which does call Mia a 'researcher' is a timeline entry in this one RE7 strategy guide which has never been published in English – and it's a good example of why sources like this are usually better treated as pseudo-canon at best. You can find various translations of it online – but you can also buy the whole ebook (which I did), so here's the page where it originally comes up.

And yes, inasmuch as I’m qualified to translate, the line does state that Mia joined the company as a ‘researcher’ (研究員, kenkyuu-in) in 2010. But the same guidebook also refers to her as an operative (工作員) just a couple of pages later, so even the guidebook is hardly consistent.

Charitably, perhaps we could read that Mia was initially hired as some kind of generic, low-level research assistant before being transferred to the special operations division after showing aptitude in that area. But it's more likely that Mia was simply going to be a researcher at some point in the game’s development history, before Capcom changed their minds, and the timeline that made it into the guidebook is just very out of date ‒ it happens. Either way, one line in an inconsistent guide book hardly trumps what actually made it into the games.

I do realise that asking people to pay attention to what's actually in the games over what's repeated in some wiki somewhere (or a gazillion different fanfic) is a big ask for any fandom, but Mia was clearly never a scientist in the game we all played. She still knowingly worked for some really evil people – she doesn’t get to claim innocence here – but the idea she's personally responsible for every bad thing ever done to Eveline is absurd.

FWIW, other details from the guidebook also back up the idea that transporting assets was a major part of Mia’s job. Her bio (above) mentions that she was away from home a lot, something that strained the Winters’ marriage, and that she told people she worked for a ‘trading company’ – a solid cover for a job focused on travel and logistics.

A very little is said about Mia’s relationship with Eveline. The guidebook does mention that the reason Eveline’s so attached to Mia is because Eveline had known her since she was ‘confined to the “mysterious organisation” that created her’, which could be taken to imply she knew Mia well before their trip began, but it's not much to go on. Mia's own feelings on Eveline are described briefly in a caption: “Although Mia found Eveline creepy, she also felt compassion for her lonely situation,” which tracks with how Mia interacts with her in-game. It doesn't track so well with the idea Mia had any real authority over how Eveline was raised or treated, however, and would be perfectly consistent with the idea Mia might not have known her long at all.

The guidebook timeline also tells us that the E-series project begain in 2000, and that Eveline herself was created in "the early 2000s." This doesn't make a whole lot of sense for reasons I've talked about already, but does put Eveline's creation well before 2010, the year the same timeline gives us for when Mia started working at the Connections. Since the guidebook also tells us Mia was 32 in 2017, back in 2000, she would have been all of 15 years old. Whatever Mia's involvement, the project long predates her joining the company.

But the real issue with trying to given Mia any major responsibility for the E-series project is that the lab that created Eveline was located in Europe. Mia, meanwhile, has a driver's license telling us she's from Texas.

The European location for the lab is another detail that gets barely mentioned in the games, though it's mentioned repeatedly in the guidebook, and the Baker Incident Report even puts it specifically in Munich, Germany. Given all we learn in RE8, that location does make a lot of sense, when the mould was found in Eastern Europe, and that Miranda herself was part of the research team (she gets multiple photos and a lab coat, you may note). And even if the lab wasn’t right on Miranda’s doorstep, Munich is a heckuva commute from Texas, or anywhere else in the US. Even if Mia was often away from Ethan for long periods, as her bio implies, how involved could she realistically have been?

I don't want to overstress the idea that it "doesn't make sense" for a special agent from Texas to have been intimately involved in a European research project ‒ making sense has never held back RE lore before. But the idea that Mia was brought in only as a handler for Eveline when she was being moved to America still makes a lot more sense than to suggest the Connections were fine with their star asset’s primary handler going home to the US every other weekend.

There are possibilities between the two extremes, of course: Mia may have had sporadic contact with Eveline before the trip, either regularly or just once or twice. It's easy to assume the 'imprinting protocol' must mean that Mia's been Eveline's primary handler for some time, but heck, maybe it's better read as the opposite ‒ something that can be quickly applied to a new handler or caretaker in a hurry, to explain how Eveline got so attached to someone she'd only just met.

Given everything we actually see of her, you could even speculate that Mia was chosen as Eveline's 'caretaker' specifically because she was someone nice and motherly enough for Eveline to bond with. Eveline was pretty clearly fucked up long before Mia ever got involved, and not actually wanting to adopt a walking bioweapon whose idea of a happy family involves mould-powered mind control really does not reflect badly on Mia's character.

Whether Mia was already working for the Connections before she met Ethan also isn't clear. The guidebook tells us she began working for them in 2010, and married Ethan in May of 2011 (later confirmed by the date on Mia's ring in RE8) – though it doesn't specify when she and Ethan met. Even by Texas standards, marrying someone you’d known less than a year would be pretty unusual, so it’s likely Ethan knew her before she took the job. But even that 2010 statement comes along with the bit about Mia being hired as ‘a researcher’, so you can always take it with a grain of salt if you'd prefer.

And that's pretty much it for what the complete RE canon ever tells us about Mia and her former employers.

So here’s where I’m left with Mia’s role at the Connections. Even if she wasn’t aware of exactly what she was signing up for when she joined the company, and even if she considered all that lying to her husband about it to be a simple matter of confidentiality around sensitive research, she’s fully aware by the disaster in 2014, and plainly has a guilty conscience when she admits to lying to Ethan in her video message. However responsible she may or may not have been, she's still complicit. Her hands are hardly clean.

But they’re still a whole lot cleaner than, say, Luis’, considering that he was a key member of the science teams at both Umbrella Europe and in Saddler’s cult, and I don’t see him getting a fraction of the same hate as Mia. They both regret what they’ve done, and they’re both willing to give their own lives to make up for it. No, Luis never lied to a spouse about it (that we know of), but he's every bit as shifty and secretive. And frankly, most of the other shit that gets dumped on Mia’s doorstep is just as much bullshit (like, people do realise the “Mia” we see having “marital problems” with Ethan at the start of RE8 isn’t Mia, right?) But that’s material for other posts.

We don’t know how Mia got involved with the Connections, or how she felt about working for them, because the games never give us this information, and that’s a real shame. But in the capitalist hellscape we’re all living in, she’d hardly be the first to find herself stuck working for truly terrible people, one way or another.

Meanwhile, everything we see her doing during the outbreak on the tanker speaks to a basically good person, desperately trying to run damage control in a fucked-up situation. She tells Alan she’s not going to let him die, even though what’s going down is his fault. She tries so hard to talk Eveline down. After she’s rescued by the Bakers in the Daughter's DLC, she insists on staying in the trailer, meaning to leave at her first opportunity – pretty significant, considering she knows she’s infected already. She also leaves them a message warning them to stay away from Eveline, even sharing information on how to make a serum if they are infected. If you pick her over Zoe on the dock, the first thing she does is try to convince Zoe to come with them anyway. Even under Eveline's mind control, you'll catch her ranting about needing to contain the outbreak, blaming herself, and telling Ethan she loves him with her last breath.

And after being infected herself, the first thing on her mind is to try and protect Ethan, recording that message admitting she’s lied to him, and warning him to stay away (Ethan never gets that message, but you can’t say Mia didn’t try). Mia loves Ethan enough to die to save him – and she will, if you choose the Zoe path, and she’ll do it without a second thought.

Mia is fascinating to me as a character because she’s so full of contradictions: a woman who leaves syrupy video messages sending ‘tons of kisses’ to her husband, but who is completely comfortable running around with a machine gun killing mould-monsters, and who shrugs off an Eveline jump-scare with 'fucking hallucinations!' Someone who’s done bad things and knows it, and is trying so hard to make up for it, but whose background and motivations are left frustratingly undeveloped. But if you haven’t caught that Ethan and Rose mean more to her than anything, you really haven’t been paying attention.

Whatever you assume about Mia’s full story, she’s complicated in a way that makes her so much more interesting to me than most of the franchise’s more popular playable characters. I am very serious in saying I want RE9 to be just the full Mia-Winters-story, because to me that’s the only remotely satisfying justification for keeping her such a mystery for so long. I know that's not at all likely, but fuck it, I can dream.

Mia’s made her share of mistakes, but holding her responsible for everything the Connections has ever done is no kind of fair.

[quirkwizard]

MHA Characters in Horror Movies

As it is All Hallow's Eve, I thought it'd be fun to do something more in line with the holiday. And what's more in line with the holiday then wondering how some of your favorite characters would fare in a horror movies. Sans Quirks, of course. Can't give any of our would be victims a chance, now can we?

The First Victim: A basic but useful tool to set up the killer for the film. Someone close enough to the cast to set up the rest of the characters, but no one near important enough that you remember their names by the time the opening credits finish.

The Hapless Authority: Any kind of power within the movie who would be able to help out. So they're either incompetent, mean-spirited, or just out of the movie. If they are in it, it either's a last-second rescue or to be killed to show how bad the situation is.

The Disbeliever: Usually part of the authority figures, but can be part of the cast, these are going to be the people that are denying everyone and everything that is happening. No, your friend wasn't decapitated by a monster. It's clearly an accident.

The Hysterical One: Some of the background friends or random people who are only around to get killed early on to pad the numbers, give over-the-top reactions to the terrible situation, just to stand around and look pretty, or even all of the above.

The Gimmick: Characters that are only really around to get killed and only have one defining character trait to them. One that will almost certainly play some role in how they die. Some even have the misfortune of being cast as "comedic relief".

The Know It All: The person who is going to go off to try and find out what's really going on with all the strange killings. That or they are figures that already have some knowledge about what is happening. Tend to be massive nerds or supernaturally inclined.

The Tough One: This is usually a punk or jock kind of character. The point is, they are the tough ones who are heading into danger, ego in tact, before quickly realizing how dead they are. Can and will try to one on one whatever the monster is.

Secondary Survivor: The secondary characters that disappear from the plot for a bit to have the final survivor take on the monster. Maybe they ran away to get help, maybe they are too wounded to help out, or maybe they didn't even die in the first place.

The Final Survivor: The last person standing against the horror show. Tend to either be the bland every person, someone with a deep tie to the monster they are fighting, or the one person who has the will to push themselves to fight whatever terror's in their way.

The Obvious Killer: The classic red herring. You just need someone around to be creppy or to throw certain characters off from what is really happening. Usually just around to die when the real killer finally gets revealed and they don't have any purpose left in the plot.

The Villains: Ah, but a horror movie is only as good as its villains. And there are so many wonderful choices. The horrific science experiment, the revengeful revenant back from the dead, the seemingly normal girl hiding from the crowd, the hulking brute, the mad scientist, and just a straight-up serial killer.

Notes: -Ojiro and Hagkaure would for sure be that couple killed at the start of the movie.

-Mina is the scream queen of the class, without question. Aoyama is a close second.

-Denki is the kind of guy who calls out people's names in the dark when he hears a noise.

-Koda's pet is the likely target for the first kill because that's easy evil killer cred.

-Spinner is going to be the guy who clearly shows that the writers have never played a video game in their life.

-Momo and Hawks are the kind of people to do hours of research in the library, because the writer can't seem to grasp that people would use the Internet.

-Tokoyami and Ibara are the goth and religious person looking up spells or holy books to defeat the monster if it's of a more mystical persuasion.

-Kirishima is the person who is going to go for the sacrifice play against the monster. Bakugou just straight up thinks he can take them.

-If you cannot see Izuku and Uraraka surviving to the end of the movie, dirty, bloody, but alive after beating the killer, then you do not understand their characters.

-The entire set up of the Todoroki family feels like it could easily be applied to a horror movie. Like you have the death of a family member literally haunting the family.

[queer-geordie-nerd]

"A couple of months after I shot the pilot for “Babylon 5,” I got an invitation to something called “a science fiction convention.” What could that be? “I’m not quite sure,” said Diane. “What do I have to do there?” I asked. “Sign autographs and do a Q&A.” “What is a Q&A?” I asked, puzzled. “I guess the fans will ask questions and you will answer.” “The fans? Who are they?” “Yes, the fans. The fans of the show,” said Diane, probably thinking her new client was mildly challenged in the intellectual arena. “Ok, I don’t quite get it but yes, of course, I’ll do it. It seems like an easy job,” I said. “Do they pay or is it just publicity for the show?” I asked, clearly an alien who fell onto this planet without getting the necessary information about human ways. No wonder I got my green card as an “alien with extraordinary abilities.” (Or should it be “inabilities,” I sometimes wonder.) “They do pay. $5,000 for two days.” What? Really? I don’t have to learn any lines? I don’t have to descend into dark tunnels of emotion? I don’t have to “perform?” I just have to be me? And they’ll pay me for that? Oh yeah, count me in! Keep bringing it on! Maybe life doesn’t have to be such an incredible struggle all the time. Maybe one doesn’t have to bleed to death for every penny earned. Maybe even I deserve some lightness, some easiness. Or do I?

Stonybrook was the place. Michael O’Hare was the other guest. I was on stage, answering questions from “the fans” who seemed unusually kind and, for the first time in my American experience, sincerely interested in “my story.” Finally, someone was actually getting it. “The fans” struck me as sophisticated, smart, and well-educated. They seemed not to be buying the black and white picture of the war in the former Yugoslavia, the picture that the media kept serving them. Their questions were intelligent. And, what struck me most, they seemed to be peace-loving people. It seemed we were on the same side: the side of the people, the side of peace. I realized: I actually liked talking to them. I was on stage, talking about my experience of being exiled from my own city, from my profession and my life. “I lost my career, my colleagues, my family.” Then I heard a voice from the audience. “But you gained another one. Welcome to your new family. Welcome to our family.” It brought tears to my eyes then. It is bringing them now, as I’m writing this.

I’ve been a part of the science fiction family for more than twenty years now. Conventions have become an important part of my life. I’ve met interesting people, including respectable scientists, engineers, astronauts and computer wizards. I’ve traveled America, from coast to coast and in between. I’ve traveled Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Some of the people I met I will never forget. Some became my friends. Whatever resistance I may have felt throughout the years towards being pushed into the category of “science fiction actors,” is gone now. This new family has been good to me. And although I will never become a social media gal, having a deeply organic, strong aversion towards the increasingly blurry line between the private and the public, I do hope that I haven’t been too dysfunctional as a member of my new family either. This new family has proven to be much more loyal and much more reliable than the one I left behind (or that left ME behind)."

- Mira Furlan, Love Me More Than Anything In the World

[mushroomcrepe]

Hi i'm back about Senku and Byakuya because they are everything helppdkfjeke

I felt my post [x] about their father-son relationship lacked their shared love for science, because i was worried the message of my post would give an "science is only what makes them close" impression. But I think it could be interesting to talk about how Byakuya's view of science influenced Senku's view of science.

I won't talk about much about Senku personal relationship with science, because a famous manga called Dr Stone already talks about it in numerous ways (go check out i swear it's good), and I wouldn't have the words to give another interesting perspective.

So Byakuya's point of view 100% oriented Senku's vision of science and way of using it. How ? Well first he is a very dedicated man. He dedicated his life for the progress of science in his way. As Senku said, he was accepted by the Jaxa not for his scientific capacities, but for his "vigor". Now i can't say with confidence just how athletic he was (all astronauts have to be, and he sure was ripped hahaha), but i am sure there were younger more athletic people than his 40 years old self out there. I rather think when he said vigor, it was also a matter of mental strength.

We never, ever in the whole manga saw him give up on trying. We saw him fail sometimes like any human, but he simply doesn't give up. And Senku witnessed that his whole life too, even after his death. How Senku couldn't pick up on that and become the not giving up, going step by step, trials by trials and try and find out person he is now ?

His father waited 10 years for the opportunity of being astronaut, waited in his peaceful rest millenias for Senku to wake up, tried again and again for ramen space food, and also never gave up on trying to bring fun or romance in science things to his son (ex : the moon following him, the fireworks). Even if it's not something his cartesian mind enjoy, Senku saw that his father never stopped being himself. He showed him a science where he could fully be himself and have fun in his way.

Byakuya works for the progress of human civilisation, that's something drilled in his mind and he died with this belief. He worried about the precious ressources being less accessible so he collected as much as possible to be sure that civilisation could grow again. Of course, like said in the first post, his son was a very important source of motivation. But remember when the children of the astronauts asked him why he didn't stop, he answered "because i'm an astronaut".

Everytime he mentionned he is an astronaut, it always felt special, almost solemn which show how serious he took this job. An astronaut, the epitome of scientific progress and the very pride of humanity.

He is a man of science, he doesn't have the scientific brain of Senku or his deceased colleagues, but he has the mindset of a scientist. And this is what Senku got from him. Senku was already walking toward the sciences by himself, all Byakuya did was showing him the mentality of a scientist that wants to discover and help the futur of humankind. That's why they both decided to bring back humanity, they just worked differently for it.

Byakuya worked until someone took his place, which is Senku, that he considered as the next astronaut, the next scientist working toward the progress of humanity.

(unrelated note : he literally, in this world with nothing left to give, prepared an heritage specifically for Senku before his passing which is his final gesture as a father. Really what a character Boichi what happened in your mind)

Byakuya showed Senku how science isn't about only cool technology or data pilling up, it's about methodic work, trials and errors, sharing your competences with other to achieve better... Actually, he showed him that despite everything, science was profoundly human. That's why Senku respects people's personal capacities, like when he explained the division of work to Magma, how he's opposed to Xeno's opinion about the use of science (not developping to prevent spoilers)...

One of the things that shows the best this division of competences is the Yuzuhira/Taiju/Senku bff trio or the Creation/Labor/Science pillars. The trio represents 3 distinct characteristics you find in humanity and they still are the closest characters in the manga.

To conclude Senku way of doing science is so much like him, his personality really breathes through his silly ideas and ultra ambitious plans (who would have think of making a phone in a stone world ???) because he learnt from Byakuya that used science while being himself (the record disk to transmit a song and one last message)

[juleteon]

VERY LONG INFO DUMP ABOUT THEM IN THE READ MORE..

Before the expedition / home planet: would zone out often thinking about how the world around them works. They experimented a lot with optics, light and especially color, was a great source of fascination to them. They'd crouch at the corner of a room, playing with shadows when light hit through a slit in the wall. They'd construct little toys and crystals to reflect and refract the light through. They were so drawn to the fact that despite these colors being so rare, they did have eyes that evolved to see them,. A lot of spite towards their ancestors that brought the eternal darkness upon their kin. Was bashed and judged for not just accepting it as is, for being so deeply preoccupied with whatever they saw as "wrong" in the world instead of accepting the reality as it currently was. But their curiosities led them to study and learn enough to be a useful and relevant asset in interdenominational research. They've been bored for too long in their life and being an intern really sucked. They were tired of adults telling them to stop playing with toys, they were tired of teachers telling them to focus on more important subjects and they were tired of the expected complacency. Becoming a rather bitter, anxious and avoidant person. Preferring to hone their skills to work independently and alone as often as they could manage. They accepted the job when it came to field work. But field work was dangerous and was never permitted for expedition without a registered pair or group, which made them very uneasy. They were not a cooperative worker by any means. Brilliant, experienced, very knowledgeable and useful, but they worked best alone and hardly ever connected to their fellow scientists or workers.

■ Basically accidentally causes death of their coworker (she / her) in an expedition because they dismissed her and left her alone for a task they were sure would be simple - in truth, it was a selfish desire to just distract her so they could engage in the research that they cared about alone, without interruption. Will have nightmares of her haunting them. Has an ick for ghost types.

■ Getting to Alola: The wormhole that brought them to alola basically meant escape. They couldn't return. They didn't speak at all for a good portion of their hiding. Coping by watching Pokémon and people and compulsively taking notes like a scientist's diary because treating it as "research" was their way of dissociating themselves from the situation they're in. Has a tendency to analyze and intellectualize their feelings rather than feel them.

At first, they from what they've gathered, they thought to reach to the Aether Foundation as they too, seemed like respectable scientists. But…! Not a good place for an alien to walk into…! They're clever enough to escape (not without harm) but now all their brain is even more jumbled up because they feel like everything they've learnt about humans and communication so far was a lie (being manipulated into wrong sense of security but then we're taken advantage of). Instincts of fear kick in, anxiety and paranoia are spiked up.

Team skull is their shelter. They get long garments to cover and hide their skin. Sunglasses to protect their eyes. They're learning to be part of a group and about actually belonging. They're still a bit of a bitch at first but the grunts want to learn and they figure how to navigate their language to share their interests and teach actual science to uneducated dropouts (basically autistic rambling).

They pick up on the teams mannerism and character. They're in love with bug types and colonies, and how social structures work and ecosystem coexist in such wide diversity. They hoard wimpods & style their hair like antenna.

Eventually they learn to chill and become way more laid-back, less stuck up and stressed 24/7. Because they have faith in their abilities through having faith in their team. Still an antisocial bastard though. Bonus factoids:

■ Has blue / teal blood like horseshoe crabs

■ Really dislikes strong artificial lights especially flourescent lights. It hurts their eyes

■ Makes very weird noises as a vocal stim, very embarrassed if anyone but their pokemon catch them do that, though

■ Gets dizzy if in the sun for prolonged periods of time but if they're focused on a mission they don't care as much

■ Struggles to pay attention to their own state and body, too preoccupied with their surroundings and interests

■ Doesnt register humor very well, takes them a while to acclamate. The concept of puns is beyond them.

■ Very picky eater. Doesn't take too well on human food. Murky drink enjoyer tho.

■ Will basically get drunk off of Pinap juice ( similar to pinapple enzymes, it gets their brain a little woozy and funny )

■ Loves chewing gum ( was taught to blow bubbles by Plumeria ) and icecream

■ Struggles with local tech because it's not as advanced or nearly as precise to what they're used to so they resort to traditional methods instead ( paper & chalkboards. Chews on the chalk sometimes too )

■ Writes a lot of notes of observations and lessons in their shitty handwriting. Loves pens and stationary more than screens

■ Collects bunch of sand, rocks , feathers and shells in their pockets to study later.

■ Doesn't have a fear of weapons (guns, knives) because they view them as an indicator of weakness or cowardly (basically, in their eyes: if you're weak, its legitimate and smart to wield a weapon to protect yourself, if you're powerful* and still use a weapon they find it cowardly and undignified) Much more afraid of those that use their words to influence others, instead (aka powerful people that Know how to use their power)

*powerful doesn't necessarily meaning physically strong, but also as in a position of power / control / influence.

[baxterstockmanisthecenterfold]

how many versions of Claddia do you have

Eh I think like 6 or 7. Y'all already met her 2012 version. But I've put her in other iterations too. Keep in mind tho, all of my Claddia's are in the process of being redesigned & updated. Starting with cartoons.

(old design on left)

This version of her was originally Korean because when I was first creating her in general, I didn't know if I wanted Claddia to be black or Asian. But I decided on black for other versions since there's a lack of said race in TMNT in general. Although I've since then redesigned her & made her black since it just doesn't make sense to racebend her at all really & I definitely want to avoid the assumption that she isn't black here because 80s Baxter wasn't. As for her role in this incarnation she has a history with Baxter. The two were really close friends & science colleagues in their college years plus (maybe even more) but lost contact after Claddia moved out of New York, to continue her research. Granted she would eventually return to the big Apple especially to reconnect with Baxter. Unfortunately by this point in time he had already been mutated & it's basically a Simon & Betty situation with them especially since she'd later try to cure him & restore his memory even at the cost of her own normal life.

In the 2003 cartoon. She's a member of the EPF & Agent Bishop's right hand woman & the original leading scientist until Baxter was recruited after the Exodus arc. To put it bluntly. The two hate each other & are constantly budding heads especially regarding the other's IQ & overall importance on even being here. They do eventually start to grow a bit of respect for one another & become frenemies at most.

(old design on left)

Once again as y'all noticed, she's in the 2012 series. This version of her is an inventor & scientist that doesn't take crap from anybody (as much as it bites her in the ass). She's also really egotistical & even short tempered. She met Baxter through coincidence as she's also had a bad run in with the turtles, & pretty much bonded & became close since then. Acting as a black cat gf to his golden retriever bf. It also helps that she knows how to fight without technology helping her.

In the Rise series she's pretty much a successful scientist & took Baxter's usual role as untrustworthy celebrity as she was secretly kidnapping & using mutants for her own purposes even teaming up with Baron Draxum in the process. But she's not one bit of a pushover & has backup plans for backup plans on how to screw over people. After the events of "The Mutant Menace" she bailed out Baxter & took him under her wing as her apprentice/mentee forming a little mother & son relationship.

In the Comics.

(soon to be updated design)

In the mirage universe, Claddia's a science nerd & huge fan of Baxter & even still remained loyal to him even AFTER what he did with his mousers & his terrorist stunt. It eventually led to her visiting him in prison & even helping him escape, secretly conspiring together & her falling in love with him as well. She also played a hand in his eventual break in to the DARPA facility for his robot rampage. Unfortunately, Stockman was only using her the whole time to succeed in his goals & betrayed & killed the poor woman.

Finally, in the IDW continuity she once again works for the EPF & is Bishop's top scientist. She's very different from most of the previous versions as she is pretty timid & just sticks to doing what she's informed to. As for her relationship with Baxter. She's once again a big fan of his work as a scientist & soon to be Mayor. Although two only met briefly when Baxter met with Bishop. Something that MIGHT change in her re-write. Tho one thing is the same. She was there in person the night of his election victory, including being in mutagen bomb distance

Yes Claddia does get mutated in 3 of these continuities. No I can't share them yet because I want to redesign em a bit & also because I'm at the photo limit & I don't feel like retyping all of this on desktop so I can do the more than 10 limit. But uh yeah. That's Ms. Brackston for y'all.

[thebellearchives]

𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐒

~ Millions Knives ; Trigun Stampede

✧˚ · . S Y N O P S I S : the first time Million Knives lays eyes on you he isn’t amused… not until you open your eyes.

‧₊˚ c o n t e n t s : knives x killer!reader, fem!reader, angst, implied trauma, mentions of blood, murder and drugs, honestly very dramatic

‧₊˚ a / n : reader is just as fucked in the head as knives, this was inspired by Skins by The Haunting because it’s just SO Knives coded i swear, anyways don’t mind me i’m just living my best “i’ll burn the world with you” life ~ i might write a second part ???

Knives’ icy blue eyes stared through the glass at your figure lying in the metal table at the other side. You were asleep, and you looked just like any other human to him. Squinting, he tried to figure out exactly what made you so important for the scientist next to him, but he couldn’t quite put a finger on it at plain sight.

“What is it”

“We caught this one by pure luck, she used to be a murderer, so we thought it would be worth the shot. Extraordinarily, she presented great resistance to the drug. Her body didn’t present any physical changes after the administration, but her physical resistance and healing capabilities reached levels similar to Double Fang. After testing her she did fall in a type of permanent slumber to recover her energy but-”

“Get to the point” Knives almost rolled his eyes.

“Right, yes, I thought you’d wanna talk to her-”

“Why would I wanna do that” the blond’s patience was starting to run out.

“She’s… interesting. I think you should see it for yourself” Knives slightly frowned and stared at the doctor with a hint of confusion mixed with curiosity.

He decided to not make any more comments as he followed the old man into the other room. William opened the door with a syringe on his hand, half filled with a clear liquid. The blond stood still next to William as he watched him inject the liquid in your neck, and then sat down in a metal chair when he left. It didn’t take you long to wake up, your eyes flung open as if an adrenaline rush had hit your bloodstream. Your dilated pupils darted towards him, and Knives’ attention was immediately caught. The aspect of your eyes and the way your stare stabbed through him gave off an aura of deranged compulsion. Interesting indeed.

“You must be Knives” your voice rang clear throughout the blinding white room.

“Yes” you slowly sit up, his eyes followed.

You didn’t know what you expected the man to look like, but you didn’t think you’d have him staring at you as if you were the most eye-catching experiment at the science fair. You straightened your back, taking note of how the muscles in your body didn’t feel like you had been knocked out for a while at all.

“What have you heard about me?” a slight frown appeared on his face, you noticed how his stare had gone from wonder to scrutiny.

“Not much. Just that you want everyone dead” you tinted your words with a slight mocking sarcasm.

“What are your thoughts on that?” his voice invited you to elaborate.

“I’m into it” shrugging, your eyes wandered through the room, not sure of what you were looking for.

“I want all humans gone. You understand that?” Knives spoke with a bit more authority than before, your stare went back to meet his “You’re human too.”

“Not anymore.” you smiled, eyes flickering to the metal table next to him, where strange liquids and a bunch of metal objects stained with blood remained untouched in loud silence.

His calm breathing was interrupted by a pause. He licked his lower lip, sight turning away from the table, trying to weigh in your words and calculate a response.

“What do you want?”

“The scientist said you’d shelter me as long as I did your dirty work. I can do that.”

He frowned again, this time in suspicion.

“That’s not what you want.”

You squinted your eyes. You had been through a lot of shit in the past few days inside of the white walls that held you now. Needles, drugs, pains, screams. But nothing compared to the years you had gone through outside, where people could be infinitely ruthless. You simply adapted, and yet you had been put a price on your head for defending yourself. So what did they want you to do? Do nothing as they left you for death? As they did everything they wanted to you and inflicted their pain pretending you were a punching bag? You were doing them a favour by getting rid of a couple individuals, really. Spilling blood in the streets joyously. Nothing like the feeling of revenge coursing through your body. Nothing like succumbing to nature, to the feeling of justice, hurt, blood running down your hands, debauchery. There were still so many things you wanted to feel.

“I want to kill them. You’ll let me take part in it, won’t you?” you leaned in towards him slowly, the way his iced eyes stared at yours felt like he had read everything he needed in them.

An almost undetectable smirk tugged from the corners of his lips.

“Sure.” he simply stood up and left the room.

You remained still for a couple of seconds, before jumping off to the floor. The cold that met your feet felt nice, and you tiptoed to the door, leaning with your back against the wall next to it. You heard William and Knives whispering to each other.

“I want eyes on her all day and night.”

“Sure thing, i’ll make sure to have someone to stay vigilant.”

“No” Knives paused for a second “send her to the piano room, I want to have her on sight myself.”

You smiled.