#secure sockets layer

[reversedout-blog]

Why Do I Need An SSL Certificate?

If you run a website, you've likely heard of SSL certificates. In fact, they've become as ubiquitous in the online world as social media is in real life. But what is an SSL certificate? How do they work? And why do I need one? Let's get the word out about SSL certificates and why they're important!

What can an SSL certificate do?

The most important thing to realize about SSL certificates is that they are a defense against cyber attacks.

You may have heard the term “hacker” and thought it was someone who was trying to steal your password. While that might be true sometimes, there are other ways in which hackers can use technology to cause damage or compromise your data and company. An SSL certificate will protect you from these kinds of attacks by:

Protecting sensitive data like credit card information and social security numbers.

Protecting against phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks (fraudulent websites).

Protecting against keyloggers or any other software used specifically for stealing information from users (like emails).

Keep hackers away from your website so they can't try their luck at stealing anything else.

Create a site-wide encryption standard.

An SSL certificate is a substantial way to protect your data. It's like the lock on your front door, securing your online home from would-be intruders. With an SSL certificate in place, no one can get into that data—not even hackers!

The bad news is that many people don't know how to use these locks effectively—and they often mistakenly believe that all SSL certificates are created equal. In reality, there are two main types of SSL certificates: domain and wildcard certificates. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses (as well as price points).

Create a sense of trust among users.

SSL certificates help establish a sense of trust among users. The more confident a user feels, the more likely they will be to complete an online transaction or purchase. In order to increase the likelihood that a user will feel safe, secure, and confident in their online transactions, you should use an SSL certificate on your website.

Types of SSL certificates

SSL certificates are available in multiple types. The type of certificate you choose depends on the level of security and encryption you need, as well as the duration for which you want to secure your site. Here's a breakdown of what each type offers:

Domain validation certificates are the least expensive option and provide basic protection for your website. They're also the fastest to set up and can be issued within minutes once approved. However, they lack strong encryption measures so they're not recommended for e-commerce sites or sites that handle sensitive data like medical records or financial information.

Organization validation certificates are more secure than domain validation because they require proof of ownership from an authorized representative within your company or organization (such as an executive). They are also more expensive than most other options.

Extended validation SSLs offer the highest level of assurance and require more time to process than other forms because they require additional checks before being issued.

There are many reasons why an SSL certificate is essential.

It protects your website against phishing scams and data breaches.

It secures the server that you are using to host your website and all of its files.

The SSL certificate creates a public key, which is used to encrypt and decrypt data sent over the internet between two computers or devices (like a browser). This process uses TLS (Transport Layer Security) technology, which sends information through encrypted channels so that if someone intercepts it, they cannot read it without knowing what the key is. Because of this encryption method, an SSL certificate makes sure that any person browsing on their device with an unsecured connection will not be able to see any sensitive information about you or your business—including credit card numbers, usernames/passwords for social media accounts, etc.—that passes through their computer's connection with your site's servers when they click on links shared from within its content.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that an SSL certificate is a powerful tool for creating trust among your users and establishing a sense of professionalism. You can use SSL certificates to redirect traffic from HTTP to HTTPS, track visitor statistics, or even use them as security keys to encrypt data between your web server and client computers. As you can see, there are many benefits associated with having an SSL certificate installed on your website, so don't wait any longer!

To learn more about how Reversed Out can help secure your WordPress site so that people cannot access personal information stored there without permission (and make sure no hackers get in), contact us!

Contact Us

At Reversed Out Creative, we understand the challenges and opportunities presented by AI disruption. Our team of experts specializes in web design, SEO, graphic design, and digital marketing services. Reach out to us through our contact form to learn more about navigating the evolving job market and embracing the potential of AI. Together, let's shape a future that combines human ingenuity with the power of AI.

Original content source: https://reversedout.com/why-do-i-need-an-ssl-certificate/

[hello-discovertec]

SSL certificates are integral to protecting your customers’ data and establishing your site’s credibility. Learn how they work and how to select the best SSL certificate for your business’s needs.

[liveblack]

Here are the best SSL certificate providers for free | Liveblack

Website security is always a subject of concern to all website owners. If your site isn’t protected, visitors won’t mind ignoring your site. For security and the betterment of your website, you need an SSL certificate. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) keeps all sensitive information secure. Its security protocol creates a safe encrypted link between web browsers and servers.

Why is it necessary to get an SSL certificate for your website?

Your website is more than showing off how creative you are with your designs and content or how many products and services you offer your customers or visitors. It is also about the data the customers share, and their private information should not fall into the wrong hands. Your customers or visitors of the website expect your site to be secured with appropriate security measures. Without a secure connection, your website and customer data risk getting hacked. All in all, your website should be protected with SSL, whether it’s about financial operations you do on your website or its customer data security.

Web browsers like Chrome and others notify people visiting your website about not visiting the site as it is not secure for them to use. So it’s better to have an SSL certificate to protect everything that your site has from your sensitive information to the customer’s data, to protect privacy.

Securing your website with an extra coating of protection is mandatory. There are free SSL certificate providers. Free SSL provider gives certificates that will encrypt the data and provide security for online communication between a web browser and a web server.

There are mainly three types of SSL certificates — DV (Domain Validation), OV (Organization Validation), and EV (Extended Validation).

If you are looking for the best free SSL certificate providers, check out our detailed blog to choose the best one.

1 — Let’s Encrypt

Let’s Encrypt is a renowned SSL Provider operated by a non-profit organization named Internet Security Research Group (ISRG). They offer free SSL certificates that are easy to acquire, manage, and renew, with the mission to create a more secure and protected web. You can easily apply for SSL certificates if you have a domain name.

One of the main advantages of having Let’s Encrypt is it allows you to create Wildcard and Subject Alternative Name (SAN) certificates. You can install Let’s Encrypt from your web hosting provider. However, if your web hosting provider doesn’t provide you with a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate, you can install it manually by following the guidelines on how to install it.

Each certificate issued by Let’s Encrypt becomes public as it is online for anyone to check out. That’s how they display their transparency. If you have many websites, generating Wildcard and SAN certificates makes it easy to create SSL certificates without installing them for a separate domain or subdomain.

Let’s Interact is a reliable option to install SSL certificates to provide security and protection to your website and the people who are your customers or visitors.

2 — SSL for Free

Anyone can quickly create SSL certificates from SSL for Free, as the name says so, and follow the thing. It unquestionably provides free SSLs and works on all significant browsers. SSL for Free offers 90-day certification; afterward, you must manually renew certificates. But don’t worry about a manual process as it is easy to work on, and spending a few minutes every three months doesn’t take much time.

Build trust among your customers and website visitors by having SSL for Free. Protect every piece of information you have, and improve site ranking, and it’s 100% free to generate SSLs. Over three million free SSL certificates have been generated and counting.

3 — GoDaddy

GoDaddy is a name everyone has heard of somewhere, and it is the best SSL provider, providing free and paid SSLs. GoDaddy doesn’t just offer SSL certificates, but it can also provide many other services like web hosting, professional email, web design services, SSL security, domain registration, etc. The SSLs provided by GoDaddy are compatible with every leading browser and give 24*7 support.

You must know about GoDaddy that they don’t provide SSLs for free. You will get an SSL certificate for free by purchasing other services. It depends on what package you are buying, and according to that, you’ll benefit from having SSL free for how much time.

Whether you own a single website or more than one website, GoDaddy will be there to protect you from unwanted and unexpected harm.

4 — GoGetSSL

Another highly trusted name in the list of free SSL providers, GoGetSSL, quickly avail SSL certificates for you. For SSL certificates, it gives a 90-day free trial. It takes only about 5 minutes to get domain validation (DV) SSLs, for which they don’t demand any paperwork, callback, or anything—an easy and quick way to be secured.

Technically speaking, GoGetSSL doesn’t provide SSLs free, they have a 90-day free trial in which you can try and test, and they have a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with the SSLs, they fully refund the money within 30 days.

Do you know any SSL certificate providers with a better price? Because GoGetSSL will match the price with other providers. Get the best possible price with them to save your money.

5 — Bluehost

Bluehost is one of the best and most popular free SSL certificate providers, providing services at an affordable price. Signing up for any hosting plan with it will provide you with free SSL certificates. Do you want your first website to go online? Consider buying any hosting plan from Bluehost. You’ll get a free domain name for the first year, a perfect all-in-one package.

If you want to switch web hosts, Bluehost is an ideal choice. Enjoy the best website hosting benefits with Bluehost and have an amazing and secure website. By choosing Bluehost, you select the best for your site, as it makes it easy to renew SSLs and enable them.

Whether you are looking for free SSL certificate providers or any services related to digital marketing, we will help you with everything. At Liveblack, you’ll find productive solutions that inspire people to know more about your brand or business, grab people’s attention through inventive social media posts and creatives, let your website stand out, and level up your marketing with us.

[webstrategyplus11-blog]

What is Search Engine Optimization and Why Do You Need it?

Over the years, search engine optimization has been described in many different ways. But at its core, SEO is simply a way to help your website show up near the top of Google and Bing for relevant searches. While there are individuals and companies that engage in SEO practices specifically prohibited by Google, the type of search engine optimization Web Strategy Plus does for all of its clients is in full compliance with Google’s guidelines. To get a better understanding of what exactly goes into search engine optimization, we want to highlight several of the key building blocks of this practice: 1. Strategy Successful search engine optimization requires an investment of time and resources. That’s why it’s very important to start with a well-developed strategy. By thinking through issues like which keywords are going to bring in actual leads or customers, you can ensure that the investments you make in SEO will help move the needle for your investment. 2. On-Page Optimization Since your business website is the foundation of all SEO efforts, it’s important to have it fully optimized. In addition to things like using the right keywords in your H1 tags, you also need to address any technical issues. Specifically, Google has placed a lot of emphasis on page speed and mobile friendliness in recent years. Having a site that’s slow or doesn’t load easily on devices with smaller screens will hamper all of your SEO efforts. 3. Content Related to on-page optimization, regularly publishing quality content is essential for helping to rank for all the keywords that are relevant to your business. The type of content you publish will likely be a mixture of blog posts and landing pages. Utilizing SEO strategies like internal linking will help maximize the rankings of these pages. 4. Links Google still relies on links from other websites to determine popularity. However, link building can easily go wrong when people do things like focusing on quantity instead of quality. And it’s also important to understand that the optimal approach to link building for a local business website will differ from a site that’s trying to rank for more generic terms. 5. Data Ranking data is important for seeing how a website is advancing on target search engine results pages. But it’s also important to go beyond that and look at analytics data like average page views. Seeing this information will help confirm if the pages that are ranking highly are actually providing visitors with what they’re searching for. There’s a lot that goes into developing and executing a successful SEO strategy. If you want to ensure that you have a knowledgeable professional on your side to help with all of this work, you can easily learn more about how Web Strategy Plus approaches search engine optimization.

If you want expert help creating the right Search engine optimization strategy, be sure to take a look at how Web Strategy Plus can help.

[bazaarwords]

thank you @why-does-it-matterr​! i think i got a little carried away, but i hope you enjoy!

cw: descriptions of injuries

-

There was a place she used to go to after the Order had days like these. Bad days. Ones that left her numb.

Historically, the place is both tangible and not—a lonely tower at the Cat’s Cradle, and once there, a few long moments of contemplation. But her old home is a long way away, and so Beatrice finds the part of her mind that needs this kind of treatment and sends it elsewhere. As for her body, she deigns to get to work instead of separating herself. The OCS may not be her world anymore, but there are wounded. People she cares for.

In the wreckage of their makeshift hideout, Beatrice wonders if maybe it’s never been the events of the day that seep the feeling from her. Maybe it’s always been this—this thing she must do to herself in order to succeed. Months of wandering have not divested her of the need to perform. The months have, however, been a reminder of all she’s lost.

She sets her feelings aside. There are things to do.

The first order of business: Camila’s shoulder is out of socket, and for all their collective expertise, Beatrice remains the best candidate to set it. Years ago, before the Order had swept her away, she’d spent a long summer volunteering in a hospital. It’s not the medical training she’d received afterwards, but the exposure was, at the very least, an advantage.

“Ready?” She asks, although she knows that Camila is always ready.

Camila, in the kind way she does all things, just smiles as if Beatrice is the one that needs the reassurance. She nods. “Go for it.”

Camila doesn’t flinch. She lets out a long, measured breath and she says, “ow” and she laughs at herself. Beatrice would like to take the time to laugh with her, but her joy is locked up in that faraway place. She squeezes Camila’s other shoulder, helps her into a sling made of a torn shirt, and moves on to the next.

Sister Dora has twisted her wrist. It’s discolored and swollen, but her bones are, thankfully, intact.

“A tarask,” she explains, “I thought it’d… well, I thought it’d kill me but…”

But she came back, Beatrice thinks to herself, searching the wreckage for wood to make a splint. She saved you.

She blinks that away—she has to. Sister Dora must notice her reticence. She doesn’t complete her thought. So Beatrice secures Sister Dora’s arm, and she moves on.

Yasmine has taken a glancing blow to the head, and Mother Superion has opted to stay up with her in the wake of the fight to monitor the damage.

“I’m okay,” Yasmine says when Beatrice comes by, holding up a placating hand. “I mean—I remember my name, so. So that’s good, right?”

Superion offers the smallest of smirks. It’s fond, not hard-won. “Yes, Yasmine,” she says, and rises up on unsteady footing. It’s not the new, halo-resurrected Superion.

“What happened?” Beatrice asks, firmer than she’d meant to. Emotions are nebulous when she settles into this way.

Superion shakes her head. “Nothing that should concern you. A few bruises.” She gives Beatrice a meaningful look—one she’s not present enough to catalogue. “There’s a cot in the back. Rest. We’re fine here.”

It sounds like an order, and even though she’s put the church behind her, she still respects Mother Superion. She can still recognize that she’s done all she can for the group, within reason. So she makes her way to the back room, feeling nothing. She sits on the edge of the cot, feeling nothing. She shrugs off her outer layers, feeling nothing.

Her mind has been in that faraway place, however, and as she returns to herself, everything sinks in.

While information comes in in pieces, on thing is for certain—there’s pain, everywhere. It would make the most sense to take stock of the worst places, the ones that need her immediate attention, but when feeling rushes back into her, the only thing she can think is that she needs to get out of this room and to wherever she’s gone—

There’s a jolt, razor sharp in the already excruciating throb of her abdomen. It’s quite obviously from when she’d been launched across a courtyard. The intensity winds her halfway to standing and her hip smarts as soon as she’s fallen back to the cot. She tells herself several times that she needs to get herself back in that empty place, that world where she feels nothing. Above all things, she needs to be there because she needs to find Ava.

A week prior, there had been a desperate call for help, a train from the small Finnish town she’d wandered into the month before, and Beatrice had found herself right back in the fray. Seeing the faces of her friends again after all their time apart had been bittersweet. When the fight had come to them, she’d remembered the last words Lilith had said to her. A holy war.

Despite her best efforts, she’s in the middle of it.

“Fuck,” she says, because she curses now. Because she knows that her knee is going to give out if she tries to stand. Because she’s effectively trapped herself in this room.

Frustration wells up in her like a lit fuse.

Assess the damage, she thinks, because what the hell else can she do?

The buttons of her shirt are slow work, her hands are weak from gripping her machine gun, her knives, the side of a building as she hoisted herself and Yasmine back to safety.

God is lost to her now, but it is a miracle that none of her injuries have drawn blood. A massive swath of skin along her side is purple and yellow but unbroken—it is the very worst of things. It hurts to draw breath, and hurts even more to bend and pull her pant leg up past her knee, to find the skin there in much the same condition. Upon further inspection, her hip, too, is a wild mess of bruises.

She’s a wreck, and what do they have to show for it? A few inches of ground? A few battered nuns, scrounging up whatever tools they can find?

Ava.

They have Ava. She just… doesn’t know where.

Beatrice had seen it happen as if in a dream.

The blinding light from above, the shockwave that had sent the tarasks flying in all directions, but hadn’t so much as nudged the sisters. When she’d looked, it was Ava’s form in the center of the light—Beatrice would know it anywhere, in any world—flickering in and out. She remembers shouting, desperate, stumbling through the wreckage. The details from there are hard to recollect. It’s when she’d been grabbed and thrown, it’s when the fight had resumed and she’d lost sight of Ava.

But she had seen her. That she’s certain of.

She closes her eyes, wincing as she tilts her head to the ceiling. The breath she tries to take is shallow and does nothing to steady herself.

“Beatrice?”

The pain of movement is forgotten, the voice like a ribbon of gold around her heart.

There’s Ava. There’s Ava.

The breath is gone in a rush, and Beatrice forgets the rest of the pain and she tries desperately to stand, to run, to move. Her leg gives out and Ava’s on her in a second, easing her back down.

“Ava,” she says, voice breaking, throat tight, “Ava.”

Ava kneels in front of her and she takes Ava’s face in her hands and she can’t look away. Suddenly, that place she goes—the one that is empty and lonely is filled with life. Filled with Ava. And she’s here, she’s real and alive and breathtaking in all the ways that Beatrice has loved. Loves. She feels nothing but it, looking at Ava.

“Bea,” Ava says, fingers wrapped around Beatrice’s wrists like they’ve been fused there. “Bea, you—you’re hurt.”

“You’re here,” Beatrice responds—nothing else matters. “Ava, you’re—“ She doesn’t have other words.

It should hurt to speak. It should hurt to lean forward, but then her lips are on Ava’s and nothing hurts, everything aches. Ava makes a small noise that lets loose something in Beatrice’s chest, and she wants to draw Ava closer, but her body betrays her, her whole side lighting up as if on fire. As if to remind her that respite is fleeting. But she doesn’t care, nothing else matters—

Ava notices her wince and pulls away. It hurts to try to pull her back, but still Beatrice tries. “Fuck,” Ava says, voice shaky, “Bea—hold on. You need—“

“I need you to not leave. I’m fine, I promise.”

“I’m not—you’re not fine, your—oh, God, Bea your side—“

Another Beatrice might have taken modesty into consideration. Her shirt is wide open, her trousers undone, and Ava is knelt before her, a hand on her bare knee. She just—she just wants so keenly that the constant, painful reminders of her body’s journey through battle feel like they’re killing her. She wants to pull Ava up and on to her lap, she wants Ava’s mouth on hers again, she wants, she wants, she wants. And maybe it’s her pilgrimage and her seperation from the church that’s allowing her this clear revelation, or maybe it’s just the relief to be in the same room as the girl she loves. Maybe that’s all it’s ever been.

“Let me… shit, I don’t know how good I am at this yet.” Ava focuses down on Beatrice’s splotchy, wounded knee, and the dark room is slowly illuminated by the glow of the Halo.

It feels… itchy, at first. It’s not a scab, but the injury takes on the properties of one—Beatrice tamps down the overwhelming need to scratch or pat at it, but then—as soon as it began—it’s gone. Ava pulls her hand away and the skin is as normal as it’s ever been. An oblong scar where bone is closest to skin from one too many skinned knees, but other than that? Nothing.

“How did you…” Beatrice trails off, swinging her leg back and forth easily.

“I’d… you know, I’d really like to explain it, but, uh. I have no fucking idea.”

Beatrice can’t help it, she laughs, a little hysterical. And then she wants to throw up.

“Don’t—no laughing. Stop it,” Ava says with a worried smile. She sets the tips of her fingers at the massive bruise on Beatrice’s side, and Beatrice can’t tamp down the shiver that rockets through her at the feeling. “Sorry. Sorry, I just need to...” Ava says, her voice thick, “just let me…”

The Halo does its work again, scrubbing her pain from her, raw and red until it’s not anymore. Beatrice takes a breath, and there is no pain.

“Good?” Ava asks.

“Good,” Beatrice responds. She wants that to be the end of it, but when she tries to move in again—“I think there’s another…”

Herein lies the problem. Her hip.

Ava looks down, and they’re in the middle of a war, but Beatrice wonders if she closes her eyes for just a moment, maybe they’ll be back in the Alps. Maybe there, this touch is necessary for another reason. Maybe Ava is looking up at her like this and maybe nothing has ever been wrong.

But they’re in the blown-out remains of a church, and there are demons everywhere, and in her darkest moments she’d worried that this—her and Ava—was lost for good.

Ava hovers over her bruise, and Beatrice nods. Ava is delicate, fingers light over her hipbone. This is not the time to wish for another life, but still she does. And for the first time in months, the wish has legs. It climbs out of that place she goes and it smiles at her, and Ava smiles at her too, proud of her work.

Beatrice draws her in, and the war rages on, but there are no more lonely places.

She has Ava. It’s enough.

[mamawasatesttube]

"Your hands are freezing." or "I brought you something." ?

The lights in Tim's apartment are on.

Given that Tim himself is standing on a rooftop across the way, and he's pretty sure he turned everything off before he left for patrol, that's a little odd. Normally, he'd suspect it's just Cass inviting herself over for a post-patrol sabbatical in his shower, but it can't be her because she didn't patrol tonight; she and Dick took tonight off to go across the bay to see the Metropolis ballet do the Firebird or whatever it's called.

It's three in the morning. Tim glares at the innocent, brightly-outlined curtains. Who's in his apartment? He's cold and tired, and he wants to go to bed.

Ugh.

There's nothing for it, though, and none of his alarms have been tripped, so it's probably fine. (Unless it's like, a capital-S Situation instead, but he would really rather it not be. He's sleepy, and it's bitterly cold out here.) So he huffs again, then fires his grapple line.

The scent of fresh-baked cookies greets him the moment he slips inside, and he balks beside the window, blinking. Aw, beans, now he's hungry, too—

"Finally! There you are!" Kon appears in a rush of color, grabbing Tim's shoulders with a bright grin. "I've been waiting for ages. You took forever! I got bored enough to make cookies, and they're getting cold!"

Forget the cookies. Tim tackles him.

Kon sweeps him off his feet and twirls him around, laughing. His arms fold around Tim's waist snugly, and Tim beams as he tucks his face into the warm skin of Kon's neck, exhaustion forgotten. Kon's been off in space with Kara for three weeks, and Tim missed him so much it ached.

"Your nose is cold," Kon complains. Tim pushes his nose further against his neck in response, and Kon huffs. "Hey."

Tim lifts his head to look up at him fondly. Kon bumps their foreheads together, then reaches up with a gentle hand to peel Tim's mask away. Tim wrinkles his nose—Kon's TTK working between his skin and the sealant always makes him want to sneeze.

"Took you long enough to come back," Tim teases, chest full of warmth. He gets to look at Kon without the lenses of his mask now. He's radiant. "Did you get lost or something?"

Kon kisses him lightly. He wants more immediately.

"No, we just accidentally started a revolution on the fourth moon of Tallon, out in the Alpha quadrant?" Kon grins ruefully, rubbing the back of his neck. Tim needs to kiss him again. "In our defense, we didn't mean to, but there was this whole thing with this guy called Kossak who miiiight have a vendetta against me, and... anywhoozies, that's beside the point. See, I brought you something!"

He sets Tim down and hurries across the room to dig through the backpack slung lazily onto Tim's favorite armchair. While he's at it, Tim strips off the outer layers of his costume—the gloves, belts, body armor, overshirt, and outer pants—and leaves them in a heap on the floor for the moment. Now clad in just an undershirt and thermal leggings, he pads over to see what Kon's got.

As he slips his arms around Kon's waist, leaning into his back, Kon hisses. Tim innocently kisses the back of his shoulder and tucks his fingers more securely under Kon's shirt, against bare skin.

"Your hands are freezing," Kon complains. "You ice gremlin."

"Yeah, it's winter and I haven't had my favorite handwarmer for weeks." Tim hooks his chin over Kon's shoulder with a hum. "What'd you get me?"

Kon grins. He twists about in Tim's arms to present him with a glowing box about the size of a Rubik's cube. Its faces are translucent; the light comes from somewhere within. It's not blindingly bright, but Tim's attention is drawn to the socket-looking port in one of the sides.

"It's a power pod for Kossak's spaceship," Kon explains, beaming. "I don't think it's got enough oomph on its own for space travel—Kossak's ship had ten of 'em, but Kara kiiinda exploded the other nine?—but I thought you might have fun building something out of it anyways!"

Oh, that's fucking rad. Tim lights up just like the little box. It's heavier than it looks; he turns it over in his hands appreciatively. He's not sure what exactly its power output looks like, but that'll be fun to play with. He can take it over to the Cave tomorrow; that way, if anything explodes, it's Bruce's problem and not his.

"You're the best." He carefully sets the cube on the coffee table and tucks himself back into Kon's chest. Kon hugs him again, squeezing him tight enough to lift his feet off the ground, and Tim hums. "...I missed you."

"Missed you too, sunshine," Kon says, and presses his lips to Tim's temple. "I'm glad to be back."

"Yeah." Tim smiles, content. "I'm glad, too."

[surgerypatient]

Alan Strid/@gas-writer "The Medical test" continued with AI

He neglected continuing the story for a reason but said nothing of anyone else doing such a thing, so here's mine:

Antiseptic Sterilization

The antiseptic sterilization room is starkly clean, a sterile contrast to the unremarkable building where this began. The nurses, faces obscured by surgical masks and protective face shields, move with mechanical precision. They start by handling your unconscious body with latex-gloved hands, applying a transparent ointment around each orifice. This ointment serves as a barrier, preventing any microbial invasion. Using small applicator sticks dipped in medical glue, they seal the ointment in place. The process is meticulous and thorough, starting with your eyes, then moving to your mouth around the endotracheal tube, your ears, nostrils, and finally, other orifices. The sensation of the ointment is cold and slightly numbing, and the glue quickly hardens, forming an airtight seal to ensure no contamination.

Next, they place you into a tight, velvet-feeling fishnet sack. The fabric clings to your skin, and you feel the rough texture against your flesh. A network of solution nozzles surrounds you, and with a sudden synchronized hiss, they begin dousing your body with a cleansing solution. The liquid is cold and stings slightly as it contacts your skin, stripping away all exposed hair, bacteria, and dead skin. The nozzles operate in stages, each one administering a different type of spray. Some emit a fine mist that coats every inch of your body, while others deliver a jet stream that forcefully washes away debris. A few nozzles provide a gentle, pulsating wash, ensuring that every part of your body is thoroughly cleansed and sterilized. The process is repeated several times to ensure complete sterilization, and the solution is allowed to sit for a few moments to maximize its effectiveness before being rinsed away.

Securing Vitals Monitoring

Before proceeding with the surgeries, the medical team secures various monitoring devices to your body to keep track of your vital signs throughout the procedures. Electrodes for heart rate and electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring are placed on your chest, secured with a layer of medical glue to ensure they remain in place despite any movements. A bispectral index (BIS) monitor, which tracks your level of consciousness through EEG data, is attached to your forehead with the same adhesive. Additionally, a pulse oximeter is clipped to your finger to measure blood oxygen content, and its sensor is reinforced with glue to prevent dislodgment.

32-Tooth Extraction

Once back in the OR, the sealing substances are carefully removed, leaving your skin clean and smooth. You are positioned on the dental operating table, and the tooth extraction begins.

The surgical team starts by donning fresh gloves, masks, and gowns. They position you on the dental operating table and use surgical drapes to cover your body, leaving only your mouth exposed. The nurse inserts a mouth prop to keep your mouth open wide, ensuring it remains open during the procedure. The surgeon selects a straight elevator and begins to loosen each tooth methodically. The elevator is inserted between the tooth and the surrounding gum, and a gentle twist loosens the tooth from its socket. This process is repeated for each tooth, feeling for the slight give that indicates the ligaments have been disrupted.

Once the teeth are sufficiently loosened, the surgeon switches to dental forceps. The forceps grip the crown of each tooth firmly, and with a twisting and pulling motion, the teeth are extracted one by one. The sound of the roots breaking free from the jawbone is a mix of crunching and popping, which can be unsettling. The suction device is used continuously, gurgling as it removes saliva and blood from your mouth, ensuring a clear field for the surgeon.

After all 32 teeth are removed, the surgeon inspects the empty sockets for any remaining fragments or debris. She then uses a bone file to smooth any rough edges on the jawbone, ensuring there are no sharp points that could cause discomfort later. Finally, dissolvable sutures are placed in each socket to close the wounds and promote healing. The surgeon ensures that the sutures are evenly spaced and securely tied to prevent any post-operative complications.

Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

Next is the tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. The team repositions you and adjusts the drapes to expose your mouth and throat.

The procedure begins with the insertion of a mouth gag to keep your mouth open wide. The gag is adjusted to ensure your mouth remains open without causing undue pressure on your teeth or jaws. The surgeon uses a scalpel to make small, precise incisions around the tonsils. Each cut is deliberate, designed to minimize bleeding and provide a clear path for removal. The tonsils are then partially severed from their attachments, and the surgeon switches to an electrocautery device.

The electrocautery device emits a low humming sound as it activates. This tool uses electrical current to cut through the remaining tissue and simultaneously cauterize blood vessels, reducing the risk of excessive bleeding. The surgeon carefully maneuvers the device around the tonsils, ensuring complete removal while controlling any bleeding. The tonsils are then gripped with forceps and extracted, leaving small, cauterized craters where they once were.

The adenoids are next. The surgeon uses a mirror and headlight to visualize the adenoids at the back of the nasal passage. She then employs a curette, a specialized scraping instrument, to remove the adenoid tissue. The curette is inserted through your mouth and maneuvered into position. With a swift scraping motion, the adenoids are detached and removed. Again, the electrocautery device is used to control bleeding and ensure all adenoid tissue is excised.

Hemostats are applied as needed to clamp off any small vessels that continue to bleed, and the suction device is used continuously to remove blood and other fluids from the surgical site. The surgeon ensures that all remnants of the tonsils and adenoids are completely removed before concluding the procedure. She checks the surgical area thoroughly, using a combination of direct visualization and palpation to confirm that the tissues are clean and free of any remaining debris.

The entire process is meticulous, with the surgeon and her team working in unison to ensure a smooth and successful operation. After the procedure is complete, the mouth gag is carefully removed, and the drapes are adjusted to prepare for the next phase of surgery.

Appendectomy

You are moved to the OR table and positioned for an appendectomy. Fresh surgical drapes are applied, covering you except for the surgical site on your lower abdomen. The sterile field is established meticulously, with each drape placed precisely to ensure no contamination.

The surgeon begins by making an incision with a scalpel just above your right hip. The initial cut is about three inches long, slicing through the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Once the incision is made, the surgeon uses retractors to hold the incision open, providing a clear view of the underlying tissues. Hemostats are applied to clamp any bleeding vessels, ensuring a bloodless field. The surgeon then uses Metzenbaum scissors for delicate dissection, carefully navigating through layers of muscle and fat to reach the appendix.

As she approaches the peritoneum, the thin membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, she switches to a more delicate touch, making a small incision in the peritoneum to gain access to the abdominal organs. The surgeon gently lifts the loops of intestine, searching for the appendix. Once located, the appendix is carefully isolated from surrounding tissues.

The surgeon clamps the base of the appendix with a pair of hemostats to prevent any contents from leaking into the abdomen. She then uses Metzenbaum scissors to cut the appendix free from the cecum, the part of the intestine where it is attached. The removed appendix is placed in a sterile container for examination. Surgical sponges are used to absorb blood and fluids, keeping the area clean.

To close the incision, the surgeon first sutures the peritoneum with absorbable stitches, ensuring that the abdominal cavity is sealed. She then sutures the muscle layers, being careful to align the tissues properly to promote healing. Finally, the skin is closed with either sutures or surgical staples, and a sterile dressing is applied to protect the wound.

Gallbladder Removal

Gallbladder removal follows. The team re-drapes you to expose the upper right quadrant of your abdomen, ensuring a sterile field. The procedure is performed laparoscopically, which means it will involve several small incisions rather than one large one.

The surgeon begins by making several small incisions in your abdomen, typically four. She inserts trocars, which are small, tube-like instruments that provide access points for the laparoscopic instruments. A laparoscope, which is a long, thin tube with a camera and light at the end, is inserted through one of the trocars, giving the surgical team a clear view of your internal organs on a video monitor.

The surgeon carefully maneuvers the laparoscope to locate the gallbladder. Using graspers inserted through another trocar, she lifts and holds the gallbladder in place. Scissors are then used to dissect the tissue around the gallbladder, carefully cutting away the connective tissue that holds it in place.

The cystic duct and cystic artery, which supply bile and blood to the gallbladder, are identified and clipped with clip appliers. These clips ensure that there is no bleeding and that no bile leaks into the abdominal cavity. Once the clips are securely in place, the surgeon uses scissors to cut the duct and artery.

With the gallbladder fully detached, it is placed into a small retrieval bag inserted through one of the trocars. The bag is then carefully pulled out through one of the incisions. The surgical team ensures that the bag remains intact during removal to prevent any spillage of bile.

Throughout the procedure, the suction/irrigation device is used to maintain a clear view and clean operative field. This device irrigates the area with

a sterile solution and suctions away blood and fluids. Once the gallbladder is removed, the surgeon performs a final inspection of the abdominal cavity to ensure there is no residual bleeding or bile leakage.

The incisions are then closed with sutures or surgical glue, and sterile dressings are applied to each site. The surgeon removes the drapes, and you are repositioned for the next procedure.

Prostate Removal and Orchiectomy

Repositioned in the stirrups, the prostate removal and orchiectomy are next. Fresh surgical drapes are applied, covering your lower abdomen and genital area.

The surgeon begins by making an incision below your navel with a scalpel. The incision is deepened carefully through layers of skin, fat, and muscle until the surgeon reaches the abdominal cavity. Retractors are used to hold the incision open, providing a clear view of the surgical field. Hemostats are applied to control any bleeding from cut blood vessels.

Using dissecting scissors and a combination of blunt dissection techniques, the surgeon carefully separates the prostate from surrounding tissues. The nerves and blood vessels that run alongside the prostate are meticulously preserved to maintain functionality. Once the prostate is fully isolated, it is removed and set aside.

Next, the surgeon moves to the orchiectomy. Incisions are made in the scrotum, and the testicles are carefully extracted. The spermatic cords are clamped with hemostats, cut, and then ligated to prevent any bleeding. The testicles are removed, and the incisions are sutured closed with absorbable stitches.

A hormone implant is placed in the cavity left behind by the prostate. This implant will provide a controlled release of hormones necessary for your transition. The surgeon then carefully sutures the incision in the lower abdomen, ensuring that each layer of tissue is properly aligned to promote healing. A catheter is inserted into your urethra to ensure that urine can drain freely as you recover.

The surgical mesh may be used to support the pelvic floor if necessary, depending on the extent of the tissue removal and the individual anatomical needs. The mesh is carefully placed and secured, ensuring it provides the necessary support without causing discomfort.

Facial Feminization Surgery

Finally, facial feminization surgery is performed. The surgeon reshapes your facial features, softening your jawline, reducing the size of your Adam's apple, and altering the shape of your nose and cheekbones.

The procedure begins with the surgeon making incisions with a scalpel along predetermined lines marked on your face. These incisions are strategically placed in natural creases and along the hairline to minimize visible scarring.

To reshape the jawline, the surgeon uses an osteotome and mallet. The osteotome, a chisel-like instrument, is carefully positioned along the jawbone, and the mallet is used to gently tap it, shaving down the bone. This process is repeated in small increments, allowing the surgeon to sculpt the jawline gradually and precisely. The burr drill is then used to smooth and contour the bone, ensuring a natural and feminine appearance.

For the reduction of the Adam's apple, the surgeon makes a small incision in the throat area. The tracheal cartilage is carefully exposed, and a portion is shaved down using a scalpel and specialized instruments. The surgeon takes great care to preserve the surrounding structures while achieving a more feminine contour.

Altering the shape of your nose involves careful dissection and reshaping of the nasal bones and cartilage. The surgeon makes incisions inside the nostrils and along the columella (the tissue between the nostrils). Using a combination of osteotomes, chisels, and a burr drill, the surgeon reshapes the nasal bones and cartilage to create a softer, more refined appearance. The skin is then re-draped over the newly sculpted framework, and the incisions are closed with fine sutures.

To enhance the cheekbones, the surgeon may use implants or fat grafting. For implants, small incisions are made inside the mouth, and the implants are carefully positioned over the cheekbones. If fat grafting is used, fat is harvested from another area of your body, purified, and then injected into the cheeks to add volume and contour.

Each step of the procedure is meticulously planned and executed, with the surgeon constantly checking the results to ensure symmetry and balance. The incisions are closed with fine sutures, and a sterile dressing is applied to protect the surgical sites and promote healing.

Vaginoplasty

The final procedure is vaginoplasty. You are positioned and draped carefully to expose the genital area while maintaining a sterile field. This highly complex surgery involves creating a neovagina, clitoris, and labia from the existing penile and scrotal tissue.

The surgeon begins by marking the surgical site. A midline incision is made along the penile shaft, and the skin is carefully separated from the underlying tissue. The penile skin is then inverted to create the vaginal canal. This involves meticulous dissection to preserve as much tissue as possible.

The urethra is shortened and repositioned to a more anatomically correct location. This requires precise cutting and suturing to ensure proper urinary function post-surgery. The erectile tissue is removed to reduce the risk of complications and to shape the new anatomy.

The surgeon then creates the neovagina by forming a cavity between the rectum and the prostate. The inverted penile skin is carefully inserted into this cavity, and the surgeon ensures it is properly positioned and secured. The neovagina is then lined with the penile skin, and any excess skin is trimmed.

The clitoris is formed from the glans of the penis, preserving the nerve supply to maintain sensation. The surgeon carefully shapes the glans into a clitoral structure and secures it at the top of the vaginal opening. The labia minora and majora are created from the scrotal tissue, which is dissected, trimmed, and reshaped to form the outer and inner lips of the new vulva.

Throughout the procedure, the surgeon uses fine sutures to close incisions and to secure the newly formed structures. The area is irrigated frequently to maintain a clear surgical field and to minimize the risk of infection. Surgical sponges are used to absorb any fluids, and hemostats are applied to control bleeding.

Once the neovagina, clitoris, and labia are formed and positioned correctly, the surgeon performs a final inspection to ensure everything is in place and there are no complications. A vaginal stent is inserted to keep the canal open during the healing process, and a sterile dressing is applied to protect the surgical site.

32-Teeth Transplantation

The following procedure is equally intricate and requires precise coordination. Another man, conscious and terrified, is brought into the OR. He is positioned next to you, and surgical drapes are used to maintain sterile fields around both your mouth and his. The man struggles and pleads, but the medical team remains focused on their task.

The team begins by sedating the other man to prevent excessive movement. The sedative is strong enough to keep him still but not enough to fully anesthetize him. He is aware of the procedure, but his body is unable to respond.

The extraction of his 32 teeth begins with the insertion of a mouth prop to keep his mouth open. The surgeon uses a straight elevator to loosen each tooth, feeling for the give that indicates the ligaments have been disrupted. The dental forceps are then used to grip the crowns of the teeth firmly. With a twisting and pulling motion, the teeth are extracted one by one. The suction device is used continuously to remove saliva and blood, ensuring a clear field.

Once all 32 teeth are extracted from the donor, they are immediately placed in a sterile solution to keep them viable. The donor's mouth is inspected for any remaining fragments, and the sockets are cleaned and sutured closed to promote healing.

The next phase involves the implantation of the extracted teeth into your mouth. The surgeon positions you with your mouth open using a mouth prop. Small incisions are made in your gums to create new sockets for the donor teeth. The teeth are carefully inserted, one by one, ensuring they are properly aligned and secured. Each tooth is anchored using fine sutures and a dental bonding agent to stabilize them in place.

Throughout the procedure, both you and the donor remain under close observation. The surgical team works efficiently, ensuring that the teeth are transplanted quickly to minimize the risk of failure. The donor's teeth are now your own, a complex and unsettling addition to your transformation.

Once the teeth are implanted, your gums are sutured to secure the new teeth. The surgical site is cleaned, and a dental guard is placed to protect the fresh implants. The donor is moved out of the OR, his role in the procedure complete, while you remain to undergo further evaluations and treatments.

Final Preparations

After all the surgeries are completed, the surgical team ensures that all incisions are properly closed and dressings are applied to protect the surgical sites. You are transferred to a recovery room where you are closely monitored as you slowly regain consciousness.

As you wake, the reality of what has been done to you begins to sink in. The pain and discomfort are overwhelming, and you struggle to comprehend the extent of the changes to your body. The medical staff remains professional and detached, their focus now on your recovery and stabilization.

Waking Up

Hours later, you begin to regain consciousness. The transition from oblivion to awareness is gradual and disorienting. The first sensation you register is a dull, pervasive ache that seems to emanate from your entire body. The soft beeping of monitors and the hum of medical equipment fade into your awareness, grounding you in the reality of the hospital room.

As your eyelids flutter open, the harsh fluorescent lighting overhead causes you to squint. Your vision slowly comes into focus, revealing the sterile white walls of the recovery room. You feel groggy, your mind foggy from the anesthesia and the cumulative effects of the extensive surgeries.

The first

thing you notice is the oxygen mask covering your nose and mouth, delivering cool, steady breaths. You attempt to move, but your body feels heavy and uncooperative, bound by the lingering effects of the anesthesia and the fresh post-operative pain.

A nurse, noticing your stirring, approaches your bedside. Her face is partially obscured by a surgical mask, but her eyes convey a calm, reassuring presence. She gently checks your vitals, her touch practiced and efficient.

"Welcome back," she says softly, her voice soothing. "You're in the recovery room. The surgeries went well. Just try to relax and let your body rest."

Confusion quickly turns to panic as you realize you have no memory of agreeing to any extensive surgeries. You try to speak, but the words come out as muffled protests through the oxygen mask. Your attempts to move are met with sharp pain and the restrictive feel of the compression garments and bandages.

You start to thrash, pulling at the IV lines and trying to rip off the oxygen mask. The nurse steps back, her eyes widening in concern.

"Please, you need to stay calm," she urges, trying to soothe you. "You've had multiple surgeries. Moving around too much could cause complications."

Her words barely register as you continue to struggle, your panic escalating. Another nurse quickly joins, holding your arms gently but firmly to prevent you from causing harm to yourself.

"I didn't agree to this! What did you do to me?" you manage to shout, your voice hoarse and filled with fear.

The nurses exchange worried glances before one of them speaks. "We need to call the doctor. Hold on."

Moments later, a doctor enters the room. She looks composed and serious, her expression one of professional concern. "Please, try to calm down. You're in a safe place, and we're here to help you."

"Help me? I didn't agree to any of this!" you shout again, your voice shaking. "What did you do to me?"

The doctor steps closer, her tone calm and authoritative. "You've undergone several surgeries. I know this is a shock, but we need you to stay still and let us explain."

"Why? I didn't consent to any of this!"

Dr. Patel takes a deep breath. "We understand that you have no memory of consenting. You were selected for a comprehensive medical trial, and we have documents indicating your agreement."

"No!" you shout, your panic rising again. "I never agreed to this! Let me go!"

The nurse quickly increases the sedative in your IV again, and you feel your resistance weaken as the drowsiness takes over. "We will discuss this further when you're feeling better," Dr. Patel says. "Right now, your body needs to heal."

As the sedative pulls you back into unconsciousness, you feel a deep sense of betrayal and fear. You’re left alone with your thoughts, wondering how you ended up in this situation and what will happen next.

Subsequent Awakenings

The next time you wake, it’s in small increments. You’re more alert each time, but with that alertness comes the realization of the changes to your body. The pain is still there, a constant reminder of what has been done.

A different nurse, this time a man with a kind but professional demeanor, is checking your vitals. "You’re awake," he observes. "How are you feeling? Any pain or discomfort?"

"All of it," you mutter, trying to shift without causing too much pain. "I need to know… why."

"Let’s get you comfortable first," the nurse says, adjusting the bed so you’re in a more upright position. "Dr. Patel will be in shortly to discuss everything with you."

This time, when Dr. Patel enters, she’s accompanied by a psychiatrist. "This is Dr. Williams," she introduces. "We’re here to help you process everything."

"I just want answers," you say, exhaustion in your voice. "I didn’t agree to this."

Dr. Williams steps forward. "We understand how disorienting this must be. Our records show you were a part of a trial, but it’s clear there’s been a severe misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?" you echo, incredulous. "You’ve changed everything about me!"

Dr. Patel and Dr. Williams exchange a look before Dr. Williams speaks again. "For now, let’s focus on your recovery. We’ll work on finding out exactly how this happened and ensure it doesn’t happen to anyone else."

Their words offer little comfort as you lay back, feeling a mix of anger, confusion, and helplessness. The road ahead is uncertain, but for now, you focus on the small victories of recovery, each one bringing you closer to understanding the full scope of what has happened and reclaiming some control over your life.

[lifblogs]

Welcome to the Re-education Program

@ailesswhumptober Day 29 Ownership, Branding, "Everybody will know that you're mine."

Fandom: The Bad Batch Rating: Explicit Pairing: Tech/Hemlock, Non-consensual Pairings Word Count: 2234 Summary: Hemlock deems Tech has healed enough from his surgeries and can begin the Re-education Program. WARNINGS: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Gore, Non-consensual Touching, Branding, Non-consensual Imagery READ ON AO3

Tech didn’t know why he had been brought to a different room, why he was lower in the mountain. When the barred door slid open he saw Hemlock, and then started fighting… which didn’t amount to much since he was still healing from his injuries and surgeries. Somehow his left foot registered that the floor was cold. Tech had a cybernetic eye now, but it seemed to show the world a little different, like certain details were layered over what was truly there. It left him dizzy, most days.

Tech was shoved into a chair set before Hemlock, and he lost the fight with the troopers when it came to the restraints.

He was already shivering, the prison garb here too thin.

“Good, you’ve arrived,” Hemlock said, as if he hadn’t ordered Tech to be brought to this very room.

There was an electric heating element on the lab table. Tech tried craning his head around Hemlock to see if that was all there was, and he glimpsed a tray of tools as well.

“Why am I here?” Tech demanded.

“Hmm,” Hemlock began, turning around, doing something that Tech couldn’t see. “Think of this as… an initiation, of sorts.”

Tech didn’t know what he was talking about, but he didn’t ask. He figured he wouldn’t tell him. Either that or he would and then do something horrible to him because of the information he had. Though his brain had been badly injured, Hemlock’s surgeries had helped quite a bit, and he was thinking, and thinking, trying to search back through memories, through data, through anything they knew about this man, about the Empire.

“I deem you are healed well enough for these next steps. As you know, I didn’t pick up your mangled body out of charity. It’s time you start giving back, serving your real purpose.”

“The shadow troopers,” Tech breathed suddenly, remembering the dead body Rex had shown him and his squad.

Hemlock turned around with a curved tool in his hand.

“Good. Very good. I had hoped you’d be smart enough to figure it out.”

“What did you do to them?” Tech asked.

Hemlock approached. “Why don’t you find out for yourself?”

He nodded to the troopers standing behind and on either side of Tech’s chair. “Secure him.”

They grabbed his head, his neck, Tech grunting, and then gagging as some fingers pressed at his throat.

His right eye watered.

Hemlock reached for his jaw, trying to pry his mouth open. Tech fought, but his mouth opened, and opened, Hemlock pressing bruises into him. He bit the fingers of Hemlock’s left hand, not giving up his fight to spit out the blood. Hemlock growled, pulling his hand back. A frown painted Tech’s face even as he swallowed his blood, tasting the metallic, acrid substance. He could have sworn he had seen purple skin through the tear he’d put in Hemlock’s glove.

Tech wanted to know this monster’s secrets, but right now, he could not give up this fight. The Empire would only win by force. If he was going to be hurt, he wasn’t going to make it easy for them.

Hemlock slapped him, heedless of the cuts to his fingers. Tech’s neck strained as his head wanted to turn from the force, but was held too tightly to do so. His cheek stung fiercely, Tech blinking a bit rapidly from the pain to clear his vision, to will unbidden tears away.

Hemlock leaned in, grabbing his jaw again. Tech clenched his teeth till it hurt, and kept his lips firmly shut.

“You will do this, CT-9902, or I will rip out your leg.”

Tech couldn’t help but have his eyes drift down to the very leg he spoke of: the mechno-leg Hemlock had surgically implanted into him, connecting it to his hip socket.

He was quite sure Hemlock would follow through on his threat while Tech was awake.

But he’d already lost the fight there. The mechno-leg already proved that he was Hemlock’s property. He just couldn’t let this happen. He was terrified, and sick of suffering.

Hemlock caressed his cheek, brushing away what Tech realized was a tear.

“Or maybe I’ll go easy on you,” he breathed.

Tech glanced to the other tools behind him.

That was a blatant lie.

Hemlock sighed. “Fine.”

Before Tech could realize what was happening, Hemlock punched him in the abdomen, exactly where the branch had gone through him, where he had once been a mass of stitches, now filled with scars, scars, scars.

Sensitive scars, and sensitive insides.

Tech’s body tried to lean over, making the grip on his head more severe. But he still kept his mouth shut, even as all of him wanted to go limp, wanted to curl in on that pain that had him remembering what his intestines had looked like dangling from the end of a thick branch when they were supposed to be inside of him. His back twinged at the memory, or maybe from the hard chair he was in.

“I don’t wish to damage you too much,” Hemlock said, “but I know where to hurt.”

Tech glared, hoping his one brown eye held an angry flame if his cybernetic one could not. That flame was used to hide the fear that lived in his very marrow, that seemed to be a shock throughout his body telling him to fight, to flee.

Hemlock’s next punch was to the chest, over where he had cut it open to save his heart during one of his many surgeries.

Tech shuddered, growling through clenched teeth. That hand that had punched him had been inside him, had touched his heart, had touched the center of him. That weakened heart now experienced a few seconds of arrhythmia and palpitations, making Tech inhale sharply through his nose. The pacer-droids in him got on the problem quickly.

Hemlock’s next blow was to the knuckles on Tech’s left hand, smashing the ones that had been operated on, mechno-fingers connected at the first joint, red scars criss-crossing his skin.

That pain was surprising for some reason, and almost worse than some of the blows he had been dealt. It was sharp, and it had Tech tilting his head back before the troopers fought him back into position, his mouth opening slightly.

“Press at the base of his skull,” Hemlock directed. “Hard.”

Tech gasped at the flare of pain that went through him as one trooper followed his command. He’d recently had a chip implanted there while awake, and it was still sensitive, especially since it was implanted near twelve cranial nerves, and three occipital nerves. His entire head seemed to hurt, as did his eye sockets and right eye. The severe, sharp pain even traveled down his neck, into his shoulders, and around to his collarbones.

And his mouth was open.

Tech gagged as Hemlock forced the device into his mouth. It cut his gums, making tears involuntarily fall from his right eye. It hurt his cheeks, and his jaw, even his teeth as it held his mouth open, open. Hemlock pulled back, seeming pleased with his work.

Vulnerability seemed to shove itself inside of Tech, straight down his throat. He cried out, shivering.

Tech fought his restraints, pulling till his wrists hurt.

Maybe he could pull hard enough to break his hand and wrench it free. He could grab a blaster, blast through the rest of his binders, shoot Hemlock, take his access card, and run, and run, and run.

Each step was impossible.

Hemlock stroked his head once, making Tech cry out. He had had to deal with how handsy this man was for who knew how long now. He wondered if he was like that with everyone, or if… if there was something wrong with himself that made Hemlock do this. He’d seen his pleasure during his procedures, his injections, had heard it in his voice, had felt it in the hands against him.

It was all he could think about with his mouth as open as it was.

Hemlock went back to his tools, readying something. A thin trail of smoke billowed up from in front of him.

“CT-9902, I find myself… disappointed. You don’t even want to cooperate, to discover what this initiation is. I thought you and your little squad wanted to know what the shadow troopers were, as you dubbed them. They go by another name. My CX troopers.” He turned to Tech once more, Tech throwing himself backwards to get away when he saw a branding iron in Hemock’s right hand, and metal tongs in the other.

His chip implant was pressed on harder, and he fell forward, trying to escape that pain.

Hemlock grabbed his tongue with the tongs, pulling it out of his mouth, pulling hard, till Tech was panting, and gagging. Drool was dripping from his mouth to his chin. The brand was the imperial insignia, yet the middle had a design he couldn’t quite make out.

“I usually don’t hold for such barbaric methods, but I will admit I’m not quite artistic enough to use a thermal cautery unit.”

Tech thought he could see the ideas of such a device dancing in Hemlock’s eyes, no matter what he had said.

Then Tech squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the smoke that would arise from his burning flesh.

Any second now it was going to happen.

Any second.

Closer and closer.

Any—

A horrible, tortured sound came from Tech’s throat. He tasted metal, and tasted fire, and burned, and burned, till he didn’t taste it. He tasted smoke, and blood around the brand. The smoke was in his face, going up his nose, making its way under his closed eyes. He could smell his own flesh burning, and he gagged, and gagged as his body wanted to throw up from it. He was choking on his own burning flesh, his right eye was stinging, and even around his left eye was. Tears ran down his right cheek.

For some reason he forced his eyes open.

All he saw through his hazy squints was Hemlock’s face wreathed in smoke. His small smile would fuel nightmares for the rest of Tech’s life.

Each fraction of a second with this pain, this horror, was too long.

It seemed like years passed before Hemlock pulled the brand back, and released his tongue.

The pain didn’t stop.

His tongue was hot in his mouth, the tissue around the burns was screaming that it was injured, that it needed help.

Hemlock left Tech’s mouth open, and he was just trying to breathe, trying not to throw up as he tasted dead cells.

Hemlock grabbed something else from the tray, and Tech tried to jerk away, but there was nowhere to go, no place where this monster wouldn’t fund him. He began to slowly wipe his tongue with bacta.

If only that touch was what he had to deal with at the moment, he’d still cringe from it as he did now.

Hemlock leaned in. “Now everyone will know that you’re mine,” he murmured, almost holding his tongue in his hand.

A whimper left Tech.

A small laugh left Hemlock. “Well, anyone who knows where to look. But you know, and I know, and that’s what matters most.”

The bacta tasted worse than it smelled. He always had found it odd that their greatest medicine and tool for healing smelled like death, like rot.

Hemlock rolled his eyes as Tech struggled, as his body struggled.

Oh no, he was going to throw up.

Hemlock told the troopers to hold his tongue as it was, and he reached for a pre-prepped syringe.

Tech wasn’t sure why he watched the needle sink into his upper arm, almost at his shoulder, as Hemlock carelessly inserted it into his deltoid. The medicine burned, but not as badly as his tongue.

In seconds, he wasn’t sure he was even capable of throwing up. His body simply wouldn’t do it.

Yet it struggled.

Hemlock continued wiping his tongue down once placing the syringe on the lab table. He seemed to be collecting the dead, black tissue off his tongue.

Then, his tongue was released while still almost hot enough to burn his gums and the roof of his mouth. Hemlock took out the device holding his mouth open, scraping Tech’s gums again.

He tried to spit out blood, and bacta, and dead tissue, but that action required his tongue, and it hurt too much. He simply drooled.

“Release him,” Hemlock ordered.

The troopers let go, Tech falling forward.

“His bindings too.”

Tech ended up collapsing to the floor without the restraints holding him. He was gasping and panting at Hemlock’s feet, bloody drool dangling from his mouth in such a humiliating fashion.

Hemlock crouched down by him, and grabbed his face.

With slow but forceful motions he used a cloth to clean the drool and blood off of him.

“Welcome to the re-education program, CX-2,” he murmured once he was finished, leaving the dirtied cloth in his lap.

Tech hunched in on himself, squeezing his eyes shut, trying not to scream. Yet another part of his body had been tortured into change without his consent.

Maybe it would never end.

How long till his mind changed too, till he was no longer Tech, not even CT-9902?

The troopers dragged Tech out, following behind Hemlock’s footsteps.

[theocannibalistic]

NPC gala fits part 1

ID: four digital drawings of original characters, described top to bottom and left to right: 1. Adreila, a spring eladrin woman with bright green skin and long dark pink hair. She is wearing a layered and frilly white gown with gauzy draped sleeves, thorned vines and flowers with dark red centers growing up from the bodice and a spiked crown of dark metal. 2. Mabkha, an elegant elven goddess with very pale skin, dark eye sockets and frostbitten extremities and blue lips. There are icicles growing from her hair and dripping off her ears and she is wearing a gray-blue gown with flowing wide sleeves, a ragged hem crusted with snow and a snowflake-inspired bodice. 3: Bracken the Incessant Hunger, a dragon elf with dark purple skin covered in patchy black scales and dark green hair pulled back in a loose bun. He has bone-colored horns jutting from his head, black digitigrade dragon legs and a long black dragon tail that ends with a spade that looks like a ribcage. He is wearing a set of dark robes with a colorful bead belt strung between the robe layers. 4: Vossii, a dryad with pointed ears, short curly bright yellow hair and olive green skin. It has a scar on one cheek and through one eyebrow and is wearing a short black dress with a larger half-skirt at the hips, black knee-high boots and a single metal shoulder pauldron secured with a brown belt. It has a greatsword strapped to its back that peeks over its right shoulder.

Player Characters NPCs Part 1 (you are here) NPCs Part 2

[evenfall-au]

One Dress To Rule Them All

Rating: T Word Count: 1,415 Prompt for Fransweek 2023: [Fancy] Cross Posted to Ao3 here!

@fransweek

Society teaches that a lady is defined by three things; poise, etiquette, and her dress. These rules were taught and instilled in every girl at a very young age regardless of her social class, for they were the keys to raising through what ranks of her station that she could and securing a happy, fortuitous life.

And right now Frisk was struggling with maintaining the latter; the dress.

Papyrus and Sans were hosting a Gala this evening, the most influential leaders of the various covens were to be in attendance, and it was Frisk's duty as Sans' new wife to make sure she gave a favorable impression.

Which she began to doubt she could do, given the grim selection of clothing she managed to find.

…How odd it was still, to consider herself an unwitting bride of a vampire.

With a sigh Frisk let herself collapse on her bed and hid her face in her hands.

It wasn't that the clothing she'd been given weren't lovely, in fact they were made of the most luxurious materials, nothing to scoff at when it came to price, but they simply didn't fit the image of an event of such formal magnitude. Frisk didn't care to wear gowns of more than six layers and more so the fine trinkets that accompanied them. She would've been more than happy to attend in her normal attire, the off shoulder cut with small laced sleeves and the subtle touch of the star pin upon her breast was both humble and yet telling of her position in the brother's lives and household.

But life wasn't as simple as that.

A knock at the door had her looking up in time to see the arrival of her husband. The blue of his eyelights panned the whole of the room and the dresses spread out upon her bed before alighting on her, like a fire caught to parchment.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"is there a problem? you seem bothered." He remarked with an ever present grin as he drew close and glanced at the gowns again. "ruffled around the edges i'd say."

Frisk graced him with a wayward smile that felt more grimace than not. The pun was amusing, but at the same time a reminder of her dilemma.

"I can't decide what to wear. None of my clothing feels appropriate."

"i see."

Sans took her hand and sat beside her. His proximity was always a high note on Frisk's perception. There was a soft comfort and sharply contradicting intimidation in how he held himself, in how his body heat radiated off of him and caressed the skin of her wrist.

She took a deep breath, and tried not to think of the way her blood rushed excitedly in her veins, and recall how his teeth felt against the arch of her throat as fangs ravenously sunk in.

"have you tried asking alphys?"

Frisk nodded and waved towards the mountain of gowns. "Three of these are hers and are far too big for me."

He looked away in consideration before grinning genuinely. "papyrus is very talented at arranging clothing for the ladies in the coven, i'm sure he'd be happy to help."

"Papyrus—goes into women's boutiques?" Frisk asked in shock, slightly scandalized at the thought of a gentleman going anywhere near a store specifically for women. She knew it shouldn't have startled her so, but years of expectations were hard to ignore when she least expected them to flare back to life under such news.

Sans chuckled. "it's one of his favorite hobbies actually. he's dabbled a time or two in sowing."

Frisk unreasonably thought she was going to faint. Were the vapors a real phenomenon? It certainly felt like it. Or maybe she was just that distressed she was overreacting. The skeleton beside her probably thought so, as his sockets creased upward in definitive amusement.

What choice did she have though?

"I suppose…if it wouldn't be a bother for him." Sans' grin shrunk slightly as he brushed a thumb over her knuckles, sending an inadvertent shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with how cold she suddenly felt or how the room seemed a size smaller.

"you worry too much. papyrus is just dying for the chance to dote on you," he paused to allow her to gently laugh before stating, "you should let him."

Frisk groaned.

Ever since becoming his sister-in-law Papyrus had become very assertive about certain things. Always insistent on Frisk accepting gifts from other members of the coven or joining in on activities otherwise reserved for a select few when she so worried about coming across as if taking advantage of him and those around them. The thought of that made her heart ache. Not to mention his rather sudden prodding for…

Nieces…

And Nephews…

Frisk flared red as she contemplated not asking at all. It never failed to make her light headed, imagining children with Sans, and Papyrus also never failed to slip in hints and sneaky plotting side eyes when he could.

But she did need the help.

Reluctantly Frisk nodded.

Within the hour Papyrus was sweeping into her room, a gallant picture with a fine pressed suit adorning him and a dress sleeve slung over one arm. The grin on his face was triumphant, his sockets arched with such pride that Frisk couldn't help smiling and feeling her worries lessen in the way of it.

Sans stood to the side as Papyrus stepped forward with a bow before holding up the sleeve presumably housing Frisk's new dress. "NEVER FEAR DEAR SISTER! I HAVE FOUND QUITE THE IMPRESSIVE ENSEMBLE BEFITTING YOUR RADIANT PERSONALITY."

Her brows arched up as she stepped forward to take the offered gift from him. Doing her best not to giggle at the display. She thanked him and promptly turned to lay it on her bed and roll away the cloth covering.

Frisk's eyes went wide.

The dress was a soft baby blue composed of layered tulle and lace, with bell shaped sleeves that went to mid length. The skirt was full length to where not even a peek of a toe would be seen and a thin strip of lace trimmed the bare shouldered neckline in a flattering elegance that would surely have heads turning.

A corset composed the chest and tied as one in the back, and delicate patterns of pastel chrysanthemums, Iris, and Hydrangea flowers sparingly decorated the skirt in sparse clusters while much smaller renditions circled the bottom of the corset and trailed up over the center.

In short; this was a dress better befitting royalty.

"Its…" She was speechless. "Lovely. Oh Papyrus!"

Both the skeletons exchanged pleased grins at the awed tone to her voice.

Joyous, Frisk lifted it up.

And nearly dropped it.

Tucked right beneath it was the last thing Frisk had been expecting, and her hair stood on end as her face tinted red at the sight of it.

A set…of rather risque colored lingerie.

Red.

The color of blood and ketchup.

The other shoe metaphorically dropped as Frisk realized just what had occurred and peered at Papyrus with a knowing glare that she tried her best to temper with a smile.

"Under ware? Papyrus?"

She intended to say more but the sight of Sans' expression from the corner of her eye however stilled her tongue.

Curiously she looked at him.

His eyelights were honed in on it, a brow cocked as a flare of pretty cyan made them pulse bright in vivid interest, and his smile had shrunken, turned a degree softer and thoughtful.

As if sensing her attention his gaze flickered up to meet her.

Like a wave that clashes upon rocks on the shoreline, the pretty blues sent a flutter through her chest that left her mesmerized and entrapped as their touch vibrated through the entirety of her being.

The mark on her throat throbbed.

His gaze locked on it.

Frisk suddenly found it very difficult to breathe.

"I THOUGHT THEY COMPLIMENTED THE GOWN." Papyrus stated simply. Before smirking and drawling, "AND WOULD MAKE FOR GOOD 'INCENTIVE'."

Whatever spell had come over Frisk and her husband broke instantly. A tightly wound violin string that snapped as he looked away to the wall, and she sputtered like a young debutante before her first ball in mortification as she swung back around to Papyrus with her new dress pressed protectively to her chest.

How brazzen!

These vampires were going to kill her.

[iamneetusingh]

GI Flanges Manufacture

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[shanviatechsolutions]

Top 5 Must-Have Features for a Successful eCommerce Website

In today’s digital era, creating a successful eCommerce website requires much more than just displaying products। The features that guarantee a smooth shopping experience, such as easy navigation and secure transactions, are essential for a profitable online store। These are the top five must-have features for a successful eCommerce website, whether you’re launching a new one or updating an existing one। Visit Us: http://www.shanviatech.com

1. User-Friendly Navigation

Customers may leave a congested website before they get a chance to look around. Navigating the various sections of your store with ease requires user-friendly navigation. Users should be able to readily locate categories, items, and information on the website thanks to its intuitive structure and well-organized menu. Important components of intuitive navigation consist of:

· Search Bar: A robust search functionality that allows users to find products using keywords, categories, or product codes.

· Categories and Filters: Properly organized product categories and filters (price, size, color, etc.) help customers narrow down their choices.

· Breadcrumbs: Provide users with a clear path to navigate back to previous pages without confusion.

Good navigation ensures that customers spend less time looking for what they need, resulting in higher satisfaction and increased conversions.

2. Mobile Responsiveness

By 2024, mobile eCommerce will still be quite popular as so many consumers will be shopping and browsing on smartphones. In order to take advantage of this enormous market, your eCommerce website needs to be mobile-friendly. With a responsive design, your website will adjust to various screen sizes with ease, offering the best possible viewing experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. Among the main advantages of mobile responsiveness are:

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In addition to annoying visitors, a non-responsive website lowers its exposure in search results, which can seriously harm your company.

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One of the most important features of an eCommerce website is security. Consumers must feel secure when transacting, particularly in light of the growing worry over online fraud and data breaches. Gaining a customer’s trust requires integrating a secure payment gateway. To guarantee secure transactions, the following components are essential:

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Conversion rates and user experience are closely related to website speed. Customers become irritated and may quit a website that loads slowly before completing a purchase. In fact, studies reveal that a little one-second lag in page load speed can cause a 7% decline in conversions. Important techniques to enhance loading speed consist of:

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In the field of eCommerce, customer reviews are an invaluable resource. They encourage potential buyers to feel confident about the quality of products, which acts as social proof and influences their purchasing decisions. A mechanism that makes it simple for customers to post reviews and read those of others should be included in any successful eCommerce website. Key characteristics include of:

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Visit Us: http://www.shanviatech.com

[webstrategyplus11-blog]

Why Every Business Needs An SSL Certificate

Cybersecurity is more important than ever. Why do SSL certificates matter? Google rolled out a plan with the introduction of Chrome 68 to start marking websites as unsafe that do not have an active SSL (Secure Sockets Layers) certificate.

Websites viewed in Chrome that have not been secured with HTTPS encryption will be labeled with the above warning in the URL browser bar to alert users that their information might not be protected. So, what exactly does this mean, why is it important, what happens to websites that don’t have one, and what should you do to ensure customers can learn about your business?

What it means

With 18.5 million websites infected with malware—or roughly 1 percent of all websites—it’s important to take necessary measures to protect your users’ information. One way is with an SSL certificate, which can be added to a website to require encryption between a link and a browser.  An SSL certificate has become a standard technological component for websites and eCommerce platforms to prevent hackers from gaining access to personal information, especially when it comes to financial transactions.

Why it’s important

SSL certificates are the gatekeeper to a website when it comes to personal information. They encrypt personal details such as passwords, form entry data and payment information that could be readily available to hackers. Having a secure and safe online experience not only protects your customers from having their personal information stolen, but establishes your brand’s credibility through a safe journey online.

What happens to websites that don’t comply?

This warning message can affect your website’s performance and metrics, especially bounce rate, time spent on site and conversions. Any website that has a form to collect information must comply with having an SSL certificate to prevent this warning. Many users will simply leave the site before entering upon seeing that message. However, website owners shouldn’t view Google as punishing them for not complying to new rules; they should see it as Google rewarding those that are making the Internet safer against cybercrime.

What should you do?

The good news is SSL certificates are easy to obtain and aren’t very expensive. Web Strategy Plus can help you add an SSL certificate to your website. For a free consultation and quote about how we can help make your website more secure, contact us today!

[catsvrsdogscatswin]

Higurashi Month 2024, Day 25: Loneliness

Higurashi Month prompts archive: AO3 

Shion closed the door behind her, put her back to it, and did not panic.

Gone.

Gone.

She covered her face with both hands, sliding down the wood until she landed on the ground with a thump; loose, undignified, like she was a teenager again, like she had been when Satoshi died, when Mion-

She drew in a deep, stuttering breath through her nose, and did not panic.

Shion had been all iron when Kasai drove her back to rejoin the family, not even giving them the dignity of a silk glove. There had been assassins sent after her –her, the heir presumptive!– and this after she had gone and retrieved the handbell, after she proved that she was Oni-Baba's successor once and for all.

It wasn't the act of merely snatching an ancient relic that solidified her legitimacy, Shion knew. It was the ability to parse the ancient texts, know the family lore, and put just the right thing in just the right spot. To be the one who Oni-Baba had been grooming to learn, to summon up in every mind the specter of the old woman whispering instructions into her ear.

Her ability to carve through Mifune's men hadn't hurt either.

Shion had been done playing pretend, done dancing to politics. Kneel or die, she'd said to them, standing there like an upright lance with Kasai at her shoulder and unchecked fury simmering in her eyes. She didn't have the sword in her hand, but swords weren't hard to find, and hers had been bare and gleaming, just waiting for its first neck or belly.

Their family had always responded well to force.

They'd cowered from her, all of them, and Shion had swept through her organization like a storm, digging out the most obviously rotted roots and silently marking down the merely sickly ones for later pruning. She had cut, cauterized, cleaned, clasped –checking on her mother, waiting for her to wake up– and once all the fury had settled, Shion had retreated to a secure room and shut the door.

She did not panic.

A choked, fractured sob broke in her throat, too sharp and too bitter to swallow down.

How did one describe the absence of a ghost?

When the news had hit, when everyone else was running scared and wracked with horror, when stories of the Great Hinamizawa disaster had circulated and her sister's name been among the fallen, Shion had always felt curiously numb –like Mion wasn't really gone, not yet, not quite. It was like her heart had been swathed in deep, soft layers of bandages; she grieved, oh yes, but afterwards… part of her had never seemed to let go.

Mion's presence had always been with her, like a soft touch resting on her shoulder, the feeling of a warm friend in a room.

But now- now-

Shion ground the heels of her hands into her sockets until her eyeballs ached, trying to stifle another sob. Secure did not mean safe, did not mean that she couldn't be heard by the bodyguards in the hallway if she was loud enough or if they were eavesdropping hard enough, but she couldn't bear to move right now. She felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut, sprawling gracelessly on the floor, limbs akimbo and her ability to act forever frozen in time.

Gone.

All of them, all gone. There weren't even remnants of their memories left. No shrine to their spirit in Hinamizawa, no evidence left of their passing on the earth. Nature had already rotted the buildings, and within a few more years of cruel winters and hot summers, the very structure of their village would be gone without recovery.

She was never a member of Hinamizawa the way Mion was, the way Mion-

Shion choked, and like a flipped switch, finally found the energy to lurch forward and crawl across the floor on all fours, pathetic as any newborn, to grab a pillow from the couch with both hands and howl her belated grief, ten years late, into it.

Mion was dead. Mion was gone.

Gone.

Gone.

Shion wanted to claw at her own shoulder with one hand, grasping for the fingers that she had always sensed resting there, to turn and cry injustice at the empty space behind her that had once held the presence of her sister –but Mion wasn't there anymore.

Mion would never be there again.

Shion pounded her fist against the seat of the couch with impotent rage as I never asked you for this! blazed furiously across her mind. She had been handling things, when her sister's spirit had visited her dreams and told her to go home. Sure, the handbell gave her unprecedented security, but if the cost of ruling over a family she barely liked was the loss of the one person in it who-

Another hoarse, ragged, muffled scream into her impromptu silencer.

It wasn't worth the cost.

If she was composed, she would've laughed at the irony of being separated from her sister again because of a temple, because of legitimacy, because Shion's life seemed to run continuously on the tracks of isolation and loss.

But instead, she wept at the eternal loneliness awaiting her future.