#so they make a plan for the agent to defect but they don’t fully trust them

[ceiling-karasu]

Squirrel and Hedgehog Shipping Polls

I’m heading out to the Caribbean this weekend for a family vacation, so this poly ship should make for a warm discussion from the suggestions and prompts in the tags.

The captured Field Mouse from episode two, and his hedgehog Guards.

[cathrrrine]

RUN | Pietro x Reader

Originally from my Wattpad

CHAPTER 15 - GHOST

----

[2009.]

Cold, unforgiving metal met the tender skin of my arm as I blocked his punch. That's going to leave a bruise. His blows were getting stronger, faster. He was testing my skills, they wanted to see how far I could be pushed. Although I wasn't far from the edge, I wasn't going to let myself fail today either.

"Focus!" He yelled.

I grimaced, ducking under his arm and landing a punch to his gut. Rookie move, but it was all I had at that moment. He grabbed my arm, quick as lightning, and dragged me by the chin so he could look me in the eye. My fists were still clenched but the exhaustion was starting to take a toll on me. I panted heavily as I tried to mask how drained I was.

With my arm still in his grasp, he said, "Who are you fighting for?"

It was almost a mantra that I was forced to reiterate every single time I fucked up. "Hydra."

He said it again, louder this time, his grip on my hand growing tighter. He could break my wrist if I didn't deliver. Hell, he could break every single limb I had. I couldn't fail.

"Hydra!" I scoffed. I belonged to them. I had to die for them. Hydra ran through my blood, and if it was ever spilled one day, it would be justified in their name.

That's what they told me.

Who was I to question them? I was nothing but a vessel, a weapon for these people. If I failed to deliver what was asked of me, I'd be killed. How ironic was that? To kill or be killed.

I hated it.

As soon as he let my arm go, I thrusted the top of my head into his face. I heard what sounded like his nose breaking and true enough, as I regained my balance and faced him, I found him wiping blood from his nose with the heel of his hand. It was satisfying, to say the least, to see that I finally made a dent.

"Perfect." He nodded.

God, it wasn't over yet.

He pulled his knives out of the holsters he wore, spinning them in the air and catching them both flawlessly. It was his signature trick. Honestly, I thought it was a bit too dramatic. But what can I say? Hydra loves their drama.

"Pay attention." He pointed the tip of the knife towards me. "Or you'll bleed."

He pounced, spinning his knives like they were toys and not murder weapons. He thrusted his right knife in the vague direction of my shoulder, I took a half-step back and circled around so I was behind him. It only took a second for him to whip around again, but I expected that move. So, I threw my leg up as soon as he did and I kicked the weapon out of his grip.

The knife spun around threateningly in the air before falling onto the concrete across the room with a thump. He didn't seem to pay any mind to his fallen weapon. That's when I remembered he had another. He twirled it around his fingers before gripping the handle and thrusting his right arm with full force, the gears of his metal arm whirring as he did so.

I thought I had it. I jumped back so he wouldn't catch my rib, but he was quick to calculate my movements. I should have known.

The pain was searing.

Blood oozed out of the newly-made wound on my calf, the knife buried to the hilt. I screamed uncontrollably as the pain of it kicked in, my body going limp immediately.

"That's enough, soldat."

Tears were falling down my face against my will. You know how sometimes your body does things you don't want it to do? I know, logically, tears were just how your body reacted to certain things. For example, being stabbed in the goddamn calf. But I knew, despite literal fucking science, the people around me took it as a sign of weakness. That's how messed up in the head they are.

But I wasn't weak. I just got through 2 hours of intensive training with the Winter Soldier while they just watched.

I'd like to see the lot of you fight him and manage to not get killed.

One of the medics went over to my side and helped me up. The Winter Soldier stepped aside and watched me with disdainful eyes. I knew I disappointed him. That alone could have fucked up my assessment. How did I not see it coming? How did I miscalculate that movement?

The Commander leaned in to talk to him as he watched me limp away. I made eye contact with both of them. The Commander's lips were moving but I couldn't make out a word of what he was saying.

Through pain-ridden eyes and a half-delirious mind, I could almost make sense of what the conversation was about.

Girl...Mission...Out...Threat.

Next thing I know, I was being treated by Dr. Nolan in the Medical Room. I don't think I processed anything yet. My brain felt numb. My eyes were glued to the knife — now on a metal tray — that I failed to dodge.

My mind flickered through all the different scenarios that I could have went with. I was beyond frustrated with myself and with my complete and utter failure. What were they going to do with me now? They couldn't really kill me...could they?

My mind reeled back to the conversation I saw that the Soldier and the Commander had earlier. What were they talking about? Did they finally decide what to do with me? The defective agent?

I wasn't perfect. I tried to be, but I wasn't. Somehow I always found myself disagreeing with their rules and their missions, even if I carried them out anyway. Although, sometimes I couldn't help but protest. I had to. Even if the consequences would hurt me. If they knew that I'd gone against more than just a few of their regulations, there's no doubt I'd be dead within the minute.

Footsteps came through the corridor, yet I didn't even think to look up.

"Your mission." The familiar faded black of a case file was thrown into my lap carelessly, the papers crinkling in protest as it landed. I looked up to see an annoyed expression that was attached to the face of one of the high-ranking agents.

"Mission? I thought I failed the assessment." My thumbs flicked through the papers almost automatically, scanning through the details quickly. I didn't miss the red stamp on the front. This wasn't just any mission.

He–David, I think–shrugged, "The Commander asked me to hand this to you. You're leaving in an hour."

"What?"

I was...thrilled and appalled at the same time. The whole point of the assessment was for them to see that I was worthy enough to be placed on important missions like these. If they trusted me with it, that means I succeeded.

"In an hour?" Dr. Nolan chipped in. "She hasn't fully recovered from her stab wound yet. You need at least two to three weeks of rest."

The red star-shaped stamp looked even more brighter in that moment, even if the room was poorly lit. "I've had worse. I can survive a limp."

"You won't even be able to walk." He raised an eyebrow at me in disagreement. Somewhere deep down, I knew I should listen to him. I wasn't in the best shape for a fight, let alone a mission like this one.

David huffed, "Orders are orders."

Then my brain clicked back into place. David was right. I nodded once. "I'll be at the hangar in 30 minutes."

"You better gear up by then. They wont wait up for you."

Dr. Nolan sighed and shook his head before wrapping my leg up with bandage. "Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you."

———

Snow was blowing in my face. The cold seeped through my coat, prickling my skin like tiny little needles made of ice.

"Any minute now." He spoke through the earpiece.

We were supposed to ambush a S.H.I.E.L.D operation that was a threat to Hydra. I wasn't entirely sure why I was sent along with the Winter Soldier, but I wasn't in the place to argue. Not when I just barely survived the assessment.

"Get in position." I crouched down, trying to smother a whimper that threatened to escape my throat. My calf was burning, but that wasn't a priority right now. Everything was always burning somehow, and I learned to ignore it overtime. I scanned the area through the scope of my sniper rifle. As soon as a car came into view, I steadied my hand on the trigger.

"Now."

Four continuous shots for each tire. Every single one blew out and the car spun out of control, spinning from left to right. It was a narrow road, the plan was bound to work to our liking. After a few nasty turns, the car swerved off the cliff, leaving nothing but dust and debris in it's place.

"They're not dead yet. Keep an eye out."

It was quicker than I expected, but I spotted two figures climbing out of the wreck after a while. Their movements were slow and staggered, but alive nonetheless.

"Target acquired."

I watched through the scope as he stepped out of his position in the shadows. One of the figures moved in front of the other, shielding them with their own body. I knew it was useless. He'd kill them both anyway.

A single shot rang out. I could picture the bullet going through one body to the other. They both dropped to the ground, dead.

"Target eliminated."

"Roger."

He didn't say a word. I didn't hear the usual rustle of his movements through the earpiece. Silence engulfed me. Usually, I wouldn't be so unnerved. He was always silent. But this time it felt...strange. I stayed where I was, unmoving. Something in my head told me I shouldn't move, shouldn't speak.

It seemed too easy.

I don't know what it was, but I didn't take my eyes off him. Something about this whole thing seemed...off. He could have completed this mission alone.

Why did they ask me to go with him?

He turned away from the bodies and faced me. I gulped, hands trembling as I held my rifle reluctantly. What was he doing?

"Sir?" I managed to say. Everything was telling me to RUN. NOW.

Slowly, he raised his gun and pointed it towards me.

Girl...Mission...Out...Threat.

My whole body trembled at the sight before me.

"Take the girl on your next mission. I need you to take her out. She's a threat to us, soldier. She's defective. Eliminate her. "

I was right.

Bang! The sound of a gunshot snapped me back to reality. It was real. They wanted to kill me. The Winter Soldier was standing ten feet away from me with a gun in his hand, ready to kill. To eliminate the threat.

Out of reflex, I pulled the trigger of my rifle that was pointed to his head, only to find it empty.

Four bullets. They only gave me four bullets and nothing more.

Without thinking, I ran. I dropped the rifle and ran as fast as my legs could take me. I heard another gunshot, closer this time. That's when I started to feel a strange sort of stinging at the back of my leg. The pressure felt strenuous as I continued to sprint in the snow.

Oh, God...Dr. Nolan was right.

I could feel the pain taking over once more as my stitches started to pop. Warm, thick liquid ran down my leg and seeped through the pants of my uniform as the wound on my calf bled out. Between the stinging cold and the stinging pain, I was starting to feel hopeless. I couldn't possibly go against him.

Bang!

Closer this time. I was running blindly into a vast, wide-open landscape of infinite snow. Not only that, but I was also leaving behind a trail of blood behind me. Deep scarlet upon stark white. What a contrast. Was this Hansel and Gretel or some shit?

"You cannot run forever." His voice was crisp, threatening. I couldn't take the fear that ran cold through me. If I stopped running now, I wouldn't ever get up again. He was the embodiment of fear, and he was chasing me.

I tore off my earpiece and threw it behind me. How could I have been so foolish today? Of course they sent him out here to kill me.

All along I thought I was playing the part perfectly. But, maybe I didn't hide my doubts of Hydra as well as I thought I had. Did they find out about everything I've failed to do?

How could I have killed those innocent children? How could I have murdered that innocent family? Or that innocent man who just so happened to stumble across a Hydra operation?

I was fine with the blood and the gore. I was used to that. The only thing that never sat right with me was when the innocent had to be slaughtered. The first time I went through with it, they haunted my dreams. Their animalistic cries for mercy, their howls of pain...I couldn't live with myself.

They were right. I was defective. I didn't have the makings of a Hydra agent. I wasn't as ruthless as I should be.

I ran and ran, hoping that he was far behind me. The snow was getting thicker by the minute, it was getting harder for me to see and to navigate.

I ran until my aching feet hit the pavement of a road that led to a small village. It looked homely, with houses and shops lined up along the road. Lanterns hung from roof to roof, providing light in the heavy snowfall. If I didn't know any better, I'd try to hide there. But I knew he would only tear it apart and kill everyone on sight just to eliminate me.

Then I sensed footsteps behind me. There was no time to think. It was my only option.

I sneaked through the worn paths of the area, trying my best to lay low. It didn't help that I was sporting a mean limp and bleeding all over the place. People saw me and they avoided me. I started to wonder why I thought heading here would help me. I scanned the area for anything, anything that would help. A weapon, a car, a spot that I could take shelter in...

Then, out of nowhere, I bumped into a woman.

"Oh!"

I held onto her arms as I tried to keep us both from falling. The woman was wearing a niqab. Her piercing green eyes looked right at me, distracting me from my original plan for a moment.

"Are you alright?" She asked, gently.

I must have looked horrible. Sweaty and bloody with panicked eyes. I didn't notice that her arms were still locked on mine, keeping me upright.

That's when I felt it, the surge of energy suddenly coursing through me. It was a peculiar sensation, but I welcomed it. Her green eyes widened. I knew she felt it too.

"You're-" she gasped, trying to pull away from me. I held onto her tighter, not wanting to let go just yet.

"Please." I begged. "It won't hurt."

I had to go before he came.

I heard gunshots behind me. I couldn't let him get to me, not when I just found the key to my escape.

"Who are you?" The woman whispered, struggling against me.

"Someone you’ll help escape death." I looked into her eyes, trying to let her see how desperate I was. I didn't want to take anything else from her but this.

Her eyes jumped from mine to behind me, before flickering back to look at me again. "You're like me, aren't you?"

"You don't need to do anything." I assured her. "I just need to leave."

It took a second of hesitation for her, but slowly, she nodded. She opened her mouth to say something, but I never heard what it was. Because that's when the screaming erupted.

I closed my eyes and teleported myself the fuck out of there.

[mymelancholiesblues]

Could you do a headcanons one for Ada?

[I posted this earlier, but tumblr wasn’t showing it in the tags search, so I asked for a friend to send in the anonymous question to see if the tracking would work and well, it did. Go figure this fuckin’ site].

So, similarly to what I did with my Leon’s family and background headcanons, I’ll post here my Ada ones too. I’d like to repeat to please keep in mind that these are (obviously) my headcanons for Ada’s background and family and in no way is anyone else under the obligation to accept nor fully agree with them.

I’m glad that Capcom still hasn’t tackled Ada’s personal plot and character background, deciding instead to keep the mystery surrounding her character – and only opening very tiny holes for us to speculate.

My headcanons for Ada are very precious to me since I think that these would be the best way to further add complexity to her character and break down her purposes in the lore while also adding more layers to her relationship with Leon – and the rest of the main characters we saw her interacting with –, as the divisive line that separates Ada to the rest of them would transcend “work motives” and fall into conflicting worldviews, cultural convictions and ideology. I love to think that “as much as I wanted to trust you… I didn’t” line also applies to Ada, considering that her difficulties to trust in people would hold her back from ever explaining what she really believes in and is working towards to Leon, thinking that the prejudices his country always encouraged on the matter wouldn’t allow him to understand or even try to. We, as audience, know that the bond they share goes beyond that and would allow them to overcome these differences, but these characters aren’t aware of it.

Anyway:

– All she knows about her biological family is that her parents were political dissidents who left her behind when she was still a baby to flee China’s Cultural Revolution (let’s remember she was born in 1974);

– Lived in a very impoverished orphanage located in China–Vietnam border area that just barely had the resources to maintain the kids they sheltered. In light of that, she had to learn how to steal at an early age (six years old) so she wouldn’t starve to death;

– One day she tried to steal this Vietnamese man’s wallet, but he noticed what she was doing and of course caught up with her when she tried to escape;

– Realising she was just a hungry kid, he ended up paying something for her to eat, talked to her for a while and told her that if she ever felt hungry like that again she could find him at that plaza by noon. From that day on she would go back every day to that spot and hope to see him again;

– Despite life at the orphanage cultivating her to be a very wary and circumspect kid, she was still a small child, so it wasn’t particularly hard to gain her trust, which the man rapidly did so: talking to her every day and paying for something for her to eat;

– They talked about food, people, work, money… He spoke to her in a kind, friendly and comprehensible way, never in a patronising tone nor meaning to talk down to her just because she was a child;

– She started “working” at like… eight, carrying stuff around or fetching things people asked her to for the sufficient amount of money so she could have something to eat;

– Noticing that the man who helped her would occasionally disappear for an uncertain amount of time before reappearing as if nothing ever happened, she started asking questions. He would always respond to her in a straightforward tone, telling her that he was “working to help their people”;

– At thirteen, more inquiring than ever, she proposed helping him “to help their people” so she could pay back what he did for her;

– This Vietnamese along with two other men (a Chinese and, later, a Russian) were founders of an independent orthodox Marxist party. They helped working-class people that were marginalized by conflicts and man-made tragedies;

– Ever read about Unit 731 in Pingfang? So, here’s what I propose to you: Tao Shangzhi lost a precious part of him there (family, comrades, you decide). Met Thang Nguyên, who lost a son to the south vs north Vietnamese tension that the USA was financing, in a worker’s protest in 1965. Early 1976 they met trotskyan Vitaly Grebenshchikov, ex-KGB who defected the Soviet Union for their dawning participation in biowarfare programs, believing this to be the utmost unforgivable sign of URSS’ continued and escalating distortion of the communist agenda;

– Vitaly had the connections who possessed financial resources to make viable turning their party of three into a structured organization capable of acting;

– It was never clear to Ada if all along they planned in concentrating in particular individuals of oppressed groups specifically with the purpose of recruiting agents for the future, but the fact remains that throughout the years, Vitaly, the Russian, recruited three agents (two females, one Italian and one Romanian, and a German male), Tao recruited three (an Ethiopian female, a Mozambican male and a Cuban male) and Thang recruited two other females, one Korean and one Japanese, as well as Ada;

– Ada was the ninth member to be recruited;

– Having more people at varied age-groups, the party’s main focus was established in working to completely destroy the biological warfare and chemical arms trade industry by undermining it from the inside, as well as to collect information on biological threats to be at the forefront of the vaccination grounds;

– Although settling with twelve “fixed” members, the organization also had what they call “allied operatives”, individuals that weren’t fully recruited to their cause and in virtue of it, weren’t fully aware of their goals and means to achieve them, but could sympathize with part of the causes they did got to be informed of;

– Starting at fourteen years and a half, Ada trained with the rigour to be an Olympic class gymnast (she already had some sort of starting pointing in physical conditioning since she had to be fast to be a thief and strong to carry things around later in childhood);

– She also had thorough classes on history, geography, sociology and philosophy and some essentially basic-level in biology, mathematics, physics and chemistry;

– She can fluently speak in Mandarin, English, Japanese and Korean. Furthermore, she possesses reading and listening fluency in Russian, German, Italian, Spanish, Romanian and Portuguese;

– In her training, the most severe exigences were: knowing how to speak in English without ever giving away that it wasn’t her first language, and to maintain her composure in the most adverse of situations;

– Knows her way around Taekwondo;

– Prepared to be perfectly capable of handling various automatic weapons and firearms;

– She believes in her party’s cause, always did. She doesn’t believe, however, that humankind is worth the trouble since she was sixteen;

– Hates imperialism and was convinced that the North-American population consisted of conceited, self-absorbed and egotistical people (till she fell in love with one, ha)

– Only completed her trainings by twenty years of age, although she was already participating in “gathering intelligence” missions since fifteen;

– I love LOVE to think that even though she was bit more experienced than Leon, she wasn’t that further away from him in terms of “field capability”;

– I don’t think John Clemens was retconned with RE2R, but, rather, Capcom’s choice to suppress mentioning him in this game was just logical and appropriate since the guy died early JUNE of 1998 and it wasn’t even minimally plausible that Ada didn’t know about that (come on, she’s a spy ffs!);

– Anyway, remember Clemens was “transferred to the Arklay Laboratory outside Raccoon City to take over Birkin’s role as chief of research” but “did not have the stomach for Umbrella’s illegal weapons research” and “started to question the motives of the research there and repeatedly questioned the superiors”? Well, at first, Ada’s mission was to get close to John precisely because he could be an “allied associate” and help in exposing and dismantling Umbrella;

– Despite the respect and comradery between the organization’s members, the only member she was really close to was Thang, but he died in a mission. Seung-chae Lee and Shimizu Yuuko (not their birth/real names), Thang’s other recruits, aren’t emotionally close to Ada, but the three of them share a deeper level of mutual reverence and camaraderie in comparison to what they feel to the rest of the organization’s members;

– Also, the two know about Leon. They suggested recruiting him to Ada, but she strongly prohibited them to do so;

– When Leon says things about helping people and putting an end to injustice and inequalities, Ada almost reveals everything there is to be revealed about her to him. Almost;

And… that’s it! Next “headcanons post” will focus on more simple things I have in mind for RE Characters (including Chris, Claire, Jill, Sherry, Helena). Ada and Leon get a bit more because they’re my faves. Hope you guys enjoy.

[thebaileynina]

Questions to ask during a virtual home tour.

Although buying a home can be exciting and overwhelming, we recommend that you make sure you are smart and knowledgeable throughout the whole process.

Buying a home quickly without first checking for defects can not only be tedious, but it can also be expensive. Before you fund your home, sign paperwork, and move in, make sure you know what you’re signing up for by asking these important questions on a virtual home tour or in-person visit.

Questions to ask when visiting a home in person:

A home visit is an exciting and scary event. While seeing your potential home for the first time can make you fall in love and want to rush the process of submitting an offer and signing a contract, taking your time and making sure the home is truly the right fit for you is essential.

It all starts with choosing the right real estate agent. You want to build trust with your agent and make sure he has your best interests in mind. That way, you’ll know they answer your questions honestly and accurately, and you can make the right decision when buying. We also recommend that you prepare yourself with a list of questions to make sure you go through every aspect of the home and see all it has to offer.

Questions to Ask Before Your Home Visit:

You don’t want to waste your time or your real estate agent’s time visiting a home that you think won’t work. These questions can help you determine if a home is suitable before you see it for yourself.

1. Do you have questions about the house or the price?

By asking the real estate agent if you have any questions about the home or the list price, you can ensure that you aren’t visiting a home that you aren’t really interested in or that won’t work.

2. How quickly do you think the house will sell?

You don’t want to visit your dream home just to find out the next day that an offer has been accepted. Asking your real estate agent when the house will be sold can help you determine if you need to speed things up or if you can take your time.

3. Can you tell me about the neighborhood and the benefits?

The neighborhood you move to will be your base of operations. If the neighborhood has flashy red flags, knowing them before the visit can help you rule out less than ideal situations. Likewise, knowing the benefits of your new job can help build enthusiasm around the house.

4. Why are the previous owners moving?

If the previous owners are moving due to a series of needed repairs, a traumatic event in the house, or an aversion to the surroundings, you probably want to know. Asking the real estate agent why the previous owners are moving can help you understand why the house is for sale in the first place.

5. Is the house located in a flooded area?

If your home is prone to flooding or other natural disasters, we recommend that you prepare yourself by purchasing additional home insurance. Asking your home’s natural disaster history can help you assess how a flood might affect your future.

6. What does the sale include?

It is very likely that equipment such as a refrigerator and a stove will be included in the contract, however, sometimes the seller may be available or interested in leaving additional items such as furniture, a washing machine or a dryer. . Asking what the sale includes can help you determine what to buy for yourself and what will come with the purchase of your home.

7. How long is the house on the market?

If a house has been on the market for a long time, the seller may be more motivated to close a deal. However, it can also mean a problem with the house that prevents the sale. Asking how long a home has been on the market can help you be ready for the best price while being aware of potential issues.

8. What is the median price of a house in this neighborhood?

Knowing how much a home in the neighborhood you’re looking for typically costs can help you determine whether the selling price of the home you’re looking for is too high or too low. The real estate agent will have access to the history of the market on the location of the house.

9. Have there been any major repairs?

If any part of the house has suffered significant damage, we recommend that you find out. Asking for major repairs to your home can help you keep an eye out for potential problems that such repairs might cause in the future as you walk around the space.

Questions to Ask When Visiting a Home:

Seeing a home for the first time is an exhilarating experience, but make sure you pay enough attention to the reality of the space. These questions can help you know what to look for.

1. Will the garden be easy to maintain?

Take a look at the courtyard as you walk through it. If it’s filled with gardens, flowers, and other shrubs, you need to make sure you’re ready to invest in some landscaping equipment or a landscaping service to keep it looking good.

2. Are the gutters working properly?

Ask if your real estate agent knows how old the gutters in the house are and if they are working properly. They protect your home from flooding and help protect the foundation and landscape. With such a demanding job, you’ll want to make sure your current home gutters are up to the task.

3. How old is the roof?

Replacing a roof on a house is a heavy and expensive repair. If the roof of the house is particularly old, it is only a matter of time before it needs to be repaired and will potentially cost you a lot of money. Knowing the age of the roof can help you prepare for potential repair costs down the road.

4. Has the foundation been repaired or does it need to be repaired?

The foundation is literally the backbone of the house, so you need to make sure yours are solid and supportive. Ask your real estate agent for the foundation’s repair history so you are aware of any major problems. During the tour, check for cracks in the foundation and see if there are any doors or windows that are difficult to open.

5.What are the heating and air conditioning systems?

There are a few types of HVAC systems that vary depending on the age of the home and the history of repairs. Finding out what kind of system your home has is a smart way to find out what you’ll need to do to get it to work and, if necessary, fix it.

6. How old are the electrical and plumbing systems?

Electrical and plumbing repairs can also be expensive. Knowing the age of these systems is a great way to estimate the amount of maintenance needed or when they will need to be completely replaced.

7. How old are kitchen and laundry appliances?

Equipment failures can be costly. Washing machines, dryers and refrigerators can generally last up to 15 years, and kitchens can generally last up to 18 years. During your visit, ask which devices will be included in the sale and how old they are, so you can assess how quickly they will need to be replaced.

8. How does the size of the room compare to the list and floor plan?

Sometimes online or printed floor plans can be a little off their size, and that huge master suite you loved isn’t that big after all. As you walk around the house, ask how the bedroom sizes compare to those listed online.

9. How does the house itself compare to advertising? Photos that appear in online listings often use the best photographic equipment with ideal lighting and angles. Make sure you compare the online listing to the actual item as you review it and get your real estate agent’s opinion on each room comparison. Pay attention: cracks on walls or ceilings, peeling paint, scratches on the floor, discoloration of cabinets or walls, wear of appliances, etc.

10. What is the best cafe, restaurant or shop near me? The nearest neighborhood services will give you an idea of what the neighborhood will look like as a whole. Ask about the best cafe or restaurant so you can stop on your way home after the tour and get a taste of your new life in your new neighborhood.

11. What’s under the carpets?

If you visit a home with carpet, be sure to ask what’s under the carpet and the condition of the floors. If not, you may have problems with the flooring and subfloor that you will want to know about.

12. Do the surfaces look old, worn or damaged?

Even if you’re looking around the house on your own, getting a second opinion on any surface that may look old or damaged can help you spot a red flag you may have missed.

13. Is there anything else I need to know or consider while we’re here?

Your real estate agent probably knows the house better than you do.

Questions to Ask After the Home Visit:

Deciding to bid on a home is an important step. Make sure you are fully engaged by asking a few final questions.

1. Can I get a copy of the real estate policy from the seller?

Sellers should write down any concerns or issues they have had with their home. Requesting a copy of this report can help you determine if your potential investment is good.

2. How many offers have been made and when should they be requested?

You don’t want the house of your dreams to blow you away. Asking how many deals are already on the table can help you determine how fast you need to move if you want to create your own.

3. Has the seller performed an inspection?

An official inspection can provide more detailed information about the quality of appliances, walls, floors and ceiling. Requesting this report is another valuable way to assess the condition of your home and find out if you are buying more than you can afford.

4. What is the history of home repairs and renovations?

If a house has been frequently repaired, we recommend that you take a look. Read up on repairs to see if the house has a recurring problem or to see past repairs that could become future problems once you move in.

5. What did you like about the house?

Real estate agents visit many homes. Asking for their perspective on the pros and cons of the home could help you choose some great amenities that you weren’t looking for on your own.

6. Are repairs necessary at this time?

You need to know if the seller leaves repairs. Asking if there is any work pending is a great way to understand what you will need to do before and during the move.

7. Is the price correct?

After viewing the house, your real estate agent can give you an idea if the price looks right to you. Ask them how the price of the house compares not only to others in the neighborhood, but also if it seems fair given the quality of the house.

8. Do you have questions about the house?

Ask your real estate agent to share your concerns with you, as someone who has seen many homes. The real estate agent’s opinions on potential issues can provide you with more information that you may not have noticed as a casual visitor.

9. Is the seller flexible with the selling price?

Before bidding, we recommend that you know the margin you have available. Asking if the seller is ready to sell can help you get the best deal for your home.

10. How many times has this property been sold in the past 10 years?

If a home has been on the market multiple times in the past decade, it may indicate major issues. Asking about a home’s market history can help you determine whether people have enjoyed it over the long term, or if there are any potential issues that have caused them to sell quickly. Questions to ask during the virtual visit of a house.

This article is shared by https://www.itechscripts.com/php/real-estate-script | A leading resource of inspired clone scripts. It offers hundreds of popular scripts that are used by thousands of small and medium enterprises.

[megsblackfirewrites]

The Family that Spies Together, Stays Together. Or Something to that Effect: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lena swallowed as the terrorists moved through the crowd. Women were sobbing as they dropped their expensive jewelry into the bag shaken in their face, but Lena knew that was more from fear than actually adoring the jewelry. Sure, some of them were probably really upset to lose something that was worth a few thousand dollars, but the fear of getting shot and killed was higher on the priority list.

“Come on, girl,” one of the men snarled and gave her a shove. “Earrings into the bag.”

“Calm down,” Lena grumbled as she unhooked the earrings hanging from her lobes. “They take a few minutes.”

“Other piercings too,” the man snapped and grabbed the metal bands in her ears.

“Ow!” Lena yelped and swatted at the hand. “That’s just a ten dollar clasp, asshole. They aren’t worth anything!”

“Don’t care,” the man growled. “In the bag.”

Lena reached up and carefully removed the metal piercings. The man shook the bag impatiently, but Lena didn’t care. She wasn’t tearing her damn ear open; he could wait. She dropped the clasps into the bag and settled back on her heels as the man moved on.

“Not the nicest people,” Jesse huffed beside her as he rubbed at the spot where his earring had been. “Really wishin’ I could teach them some manners.”

“Your bosses would kill you,” Lena smirked.

“Probably,” Jesse agreed before he leaned in close. “How’d you know, by the way?”

“Oh please; like I wasn’t shown thousands of photos of you with a big red ‘traitor’ stamped all over them,” she teased.

“Fair enough,” Jesse chuckled. “You see yer partner?”

“No,” Lena bit her lip and glanced around.

She didn’t see Jack anywhere. She knew he’d left to follow another operative, but he hadn’t reported in since. She was scared that he was dead, or worse, captured. She didn’t want to go back to headquarters alone. She didn’t want to have to face Them and announce that she’d lost track of her partner and gotten him classified as MIA. They would kill her without a second thought.

Lena was worth a couple thousand dollars at best. Jack was worth billions.

“I don’t see mine either,” Jesse sighed. “Hope he’s okay.”

Lena nodded and shifted closer. All the records on Jesse McCree were wrong. He was not some terrible person that needed to be eradicated. He was polite and a little unorthodox, but she trusted him. She knew he would watch her back if things got hairy. That was more than she could say for most of her peers. She only trusted Jack more and that was because he actually cared about her and wasn’t just faking.

The terrorists started shouting demands, shoving the guests around. Lena brushed her fingers against the holster on her thigh, tempted to pull the gun out. She knew she’d be killed immediately. She didn’t have enough room to blink and not slam into someone on accident.

She heard a commotion outside and turned to look. She grabbed Jesse by the front of his suit and yanked him towards the ground. They both dropped, startling the terrorists before two of their heads exploded. Guests screamed and tried to get away from the mess as it sprayed in all directions. She really couldn’t blame them; that was incredibly horrific to look at.

“Stand down!” Jack shouted as he advanced on the crowd, his gun up in front of him. “Now.”

The goons let out soft chuckles before they turned their weapons on Jack. Lena slipped her hand under the high hem of her dress and slowly pulled her handgun out. Her accelerator was already warming up, ready to boost her forwards. She just needed a moment’s distraction.

“I said stand down,” Jack growled, the light behind his visor flashing. “I won’t say it again.”

“Bring it, you overrated son of a bitch,” one of the goons sneered.

“He’s my son of a bitch,” a voice growled behind the goons.

Lena’s mouth opened in shock as a shadowy figure punched a hole clean through one of the terrorist’s chest. Wicked claws sank into the mutilated flesh as the hand was wrenched out of the wound. The goons shouted in alarm, stumbling away from their murdered friend as they sank to their knees and flopped into the growing pool of blood beneath them.

“Jesse, now!”

Jesse whipped a gun out from under his waistcoat and fanned the hammer on the back of it. Lena darted to the side, whistling sharply so that Jack knew she was moving. She blinked forward, spinning around to drive the wedge of her heel into one goon’s groin. She blinked away from them, threading her way towards Jack. She fired off her handgun as she went, keeping an eye on the shadow and Jesse.

“Good to see you’re still in one piece,” Jack growled as she materialized beside him. “Jesse didn’t give you trouble?”

“Nope; real gentleman, he is,” Lena grinned. “Who’s shadow boy?”

“Gabriel Reyes; stay close,” Jack ordered.

Lena shivered in awe. The Gabriel Reyes? The biggest traitor to ever be put through the Agent Enhancement Program that Overwatch was infamous for? Hundreds of hours’ worth of conditioning ruined when he broke protocol and defected to Talon and here he was. The fact that he was still alive surprised her; Jack should have put a bullet through his head by now.

“Jesse, civilians!” Jack suddenly shouted.

“They ain’t in the way,” Jesse shouted back as he spun his gun and rammed the spur on the end into a goon’s face.

“Get them out of here!” Jack snarled.

“Are you…?!”

“That’s an order, McCree,” Jack shouted.

Lena pursed her lips together. That was ‘Angry Commander Morrison’ talking. Jesse shot him a glare before he turned around and started ushering the terrified masses towards the rear doors. They scrambled to escape, shouting at each other to move. Lena glanced at Jack before zipping forward and shooting at the goons.

They were already disorganized, shouting and shooting at the shadow that was sweeping around them and eliminating them one by one. There wasn’t much for her to do but help take out the last few stragglers. Jack holstered his weapon and knelt down as the last goon fell over dead, rifling through pockets until he found a datachip.

“Gabe,” he said as he gave the chip a toss. “Get Sombra to decode that. I have a feeling that’s got information on who set us up.”

The shadow solidified around the chip, flipping it slowly across his knuckles. He glanced at Jack before crushing the chip in his palm. Jack and Lena let out identical shouts of disbelief.

“Gabriel!?”

“I don’t care who set us up,” Gabriel growled. “Get your protégé and let’s get out of here. We’re all wanted men now.”

“Maybe I wanted to know, you asshole!” Jack snarled. “They almost got all four of us killed. Don’t you think I’d want revenge?!”

“Didn’t think you cared,” Gabriel said before he looked at Lena. “Although, considering you have a new protégé, I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Jack glared at him before he turned away. “Lena, keep up.”

“Of course, sir,” Lena said as she trotted at Jack’s heels. “Where’re we going to go?”

“Not back to headquarters, that’s for sure,” Jack growled.

“I have a car. Faster than walking,” Gabriel called after them.

“Can you stand to be in the same vehicle as me and my protégé, or are you and Jesse planning on crashing the car with us in it?” Jack snarled.

“Jack,” Gabriel gave him a flat look.

“Fine,” Jack snapped. “You two in the front seat. Lena and I will be in the back.”

“Didn’t take you long to replace me, did it?” Jesse growled.

Jack wouldn’t even look at him. He was using his body to block his line of sight to his protégé, but he wasn’t about to forget that Lena was working with him. Jack had fucking trained her since she arrived at Overwatch. He’d taken her under his wing and replaced him.

“I did not replace you, Jesse,” Jack replied. “Face forward. You’re going to break your neck if we crash.”

“You won’t even fuckin’ look at me, you damn coward!” Jesse shouted.

“Lower your voice; we’re in a car,” Gabriel growled.

Jesse glared at Jack, but his gaze was ignored. Jack didn’t even care that Jesse was upset. He didn’t give a flying fuck! When had the old man gotten so cold?

“Did I ever mean anythin’ to you?” Jesse hissed.

“Do not ask that,” Jack finally snapped. “You were the one that decided to follow Gabriel to Talon. You made your choice.”

“You didn’t have to replace me,” Jesse said.

“I didn’t,” Jack said flatly. “Leave Lena out of this.”

“And she’s even on first name basis with you!” Jesse growled. “Like fucking hell you didn’t replace me.”

“Enough,” Jack rubbed at his eyes. “Just…enough. I don’t have the patience to deal with this. We need to get somewhere safe and secure. Then you can contact Sombra and tell her to meet us there. I want all of us safe.”

“Oh, now you care about our safety,” Jesse sneered. “Didn’t seem to care when we were sent out before.”

“Jesse, leave it,” Gabriel ordered.

Jesse looked at Gabriel and saw that his adopted father looked tired. He settled back in his seat, doing his best to ignore the two people in the back of the car. He should have been ecstatic that Jack was back with them. He’d missed his adopted father so much and it had hurt every time they had been forced to fight each other. Now, all he felt was a bitter numbness in his gut and a yawning chasm slowly growing wider between them.

“Um, I got a question,” Lena chirped. “Why’d they try to kill me? I mean, I can understand trying to take out three really dangerous spies that probably know loads of information, but I’m a rookie. I don’t know shit.”

“Could be a number of reasons,” Jack replied. “Anything from trying to make me loyal if I survived and you did not or hoping you were taken under Gabriel’s black wings. Hard to say for sure.”

“Black wings?” Lena asked nervously.

“My callsign was ‘Raven’ for a while,” Gabriel chuckled. “The running joke amongst the agents was that my black wings of death only opened fully when I was protecting my protégés.”

“Oh. Neat,” Lena laughed.

They lapsed into silence after that. Jesse tried to keep his attention on the road, but he kept glancing in the rearview mirror. Jack had his eyes closed and his chin resting against his chest. A typical ‘don’t bother me’ pose from Jack Morrison. Of course the bastard wouldn’t want to talk. Probably thought he was better than everyone in the car because he was still “loyal”.

Gabriel drove through the city and pulled off the main highway onto an overgrown dirt path. Jesse settled in for a bumpy ride, but was surprised when Gabriel immediately pulled over.

“We walk from here,” he said as he turned the car off and pocketed the keys.

“Um, how far?” Lena asked. “I…don’t have a spare pair of shoes.”

“You didn’t come prepared?” Gabriel growled.

“I had a suitcase full of fifty thousand gadgets; a nice pair of sneakers weren’t going to fit,” Lena pouted.

“It’s fine; I’ll carry you if it’s too far,” Jack promised as he shooed her out of the car.

Jesse ground his teeth together as he got out of the car and collected his bags. He followed after Gabriel, trying to ignore the rapid tap-tap of Lena’s heels. Gabriel led them five hundred feet into the forest before they emerged into a clearing with a small cottage in the center.

“Swanky,” Lena chuckled as they walked up to the cottage.

“It’s the best we can get on short notice,” Gabriel shrugged as he opened the front door. “Sombra, front and center!”

Sombra looked up from her laptop and frowned. “Uh, Gabe, why’re you leading Overwatch agents around?” she asked as she got to her feet.

“Sombra,” Jack inclined his head.

“Long story,” Gabriel sighed. “We’re on the run now.”

“Told you that party was a setup,” Sombra rolled her eyes. “When are you going to believe me, Papa?”

“Not now, Sombra,” Gabriel growled. “Find them somewhere to sleep. I’ll take the couch for now.”

“How chivalrous of you,” Sombra rolled her eyes before she walked forward.

She stood right in front of Jack and glared up at him. Jesse saw the punch coming and Jack didn’t flinch as her fist connected with his jaw. That was going to bruise for sure. Lena squeaked in alarm as Jack looked down at Sombra.

“That was for taking so damn long,” Sombra growled before she threw her arms around Jack’s neck and hugged him tightly. “It’s good to have you back, Daddy. I missed you.”

Jack shifted and hugged Sombra close, kissing her forehead. “I missed you too, Sombra.”

Jesse stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants and headed for his room. He didn’t want to see his sister accepting Jack back so easily when Lena was standing right beside him. Why wasn’t she mad? Why wasn’t she screaming at him like Jesse wanted to? It wasn’t fair!

[kingdomheartsloversstuff]

Voiceless

So I finally wrote the fic for my Mute Kallus AU! It is the first part in what I hope is several parts. I already have a few other ideas that I’ll be working on over time if people enjoy this one! Anyways hope you enjoy it!

Read it on AO3

@heartbreakerninja

Kallus couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong. Grand Admiral Thrawn summoned both Kallus and Lyste for a meeting, saying it was urgent. Had something happened? Had the Rebels attacked an Imperial station? He hoped not, that would have been incredibly stupid of them. A dark part of his mind wondered if Thrawn had discovered he was Fulcrum but pushed the thought out of his mind, if Thrawn knew he was Fulcrum he would have arrest him….right? Kallus calmly walked into Thrawns office, surprised to find he was not studying art as he usually did.

 “Agent Kallus,” Thrawn calmly greeted. “I’d imagine you’re wondering why I summoned you here today.”

 “Yes,” Kallus admitted. “Do you have information on Rebel activity?”

 “No, I have found something even better,” Thrawn said.

 “Something better than the rebels?” Lyste asked.

 “Yes, I have discovered the identity of the Agent known as Fulcrum,” Thrawn calmly said, startling both Lyste and Kallus. “But you already knew who he was Agent Kallus, didn’t you?”

 “I don’t know what you’re-“

 “You are a traitor to the Empire Fulcrum.” On instinct, Kallus turned to run out of the room, but found his way blocked by two Stormtroopers who grabbed him and shoved him down onto one of the chairs

 “So…are you going to kill me?” Kallus spat.

 “Oh no,” Thrawn calmly said as a medical droid entered. “No, that would make you a martyr and we cannot have that. No, I have something much better planned for you. Something that will send a clear message to any who would think to speak out against the Empire.” Kallus’s eyes widened in horror as his head was roughly pulled back and the medical droid starting pulling out tools.

 “W-what are you d-doing?” Kallus gasped, heart hammering in his chest.

 “Silencing you,” Thrawn said as Lyste watched in horror as the droid proceeded. “Permanently.”

 ------

 Lyste couldn’t tear his eyes off of Kallus’s unconscious form as he was dragged out of the room, having passed out part way through the….procedure. Lyste shuddered as he thought of Kallus’s screams of agony that where brutally cut off, leaving the former agent only able to whimper in pain, tears streaming down his face.

 “Is there a problem?” Thrawn cooly asked, startling him.

 “….was it necessary to not sedate him at all?” Lyste nervously asked.

 “Yes,” Thrawn said, “This was his punishment for his crimes against the Empire. He is a warning against those who would think to betray their Emperor.”

 “I see,” Lyste uncertainly said, doubts filtering through his mind. Treason was a serious crime, but this…this was inhuman…They had to be harsh on traitors though, right?

 “You are dismissed.” Thrawn said.

 “Yes sir,” Lyste said, fleeing Thrawns office, his mind swirling with dangerous thoughts. His mind still couldn’t fully process that Kallus was the traitor. Yes he did have access to highly classified information but he was loyal to the Empire above anything else. The more Lyste thought about it however, the more he realized as of late Kallus had been acting….differently. More willing to give up the chase, less likely to jump on anything that hinted at Rebel activity, more willing to speak up to injustices the Empire committed.

 So…maybe he was the traitor, and if he was a traitor he deserved this punishment…. Lystre tried to convince himself of this, but it didn’t sit well with him. No one deserved to go through such torture. And even if someone did…someone as loyal as Kallus defecting seemed wrong. They knew they did questionable things at times to keep peace, but the Rebels where terrorists, they had to do these things to keep peace. But if Kallus had defected despite that…he must have found something absolutely vile the Empire was doing….but what? What could be so terrible that would convince him to leave? He needed answers, now.

 Determined, Lyste found a datapad and made his way to Kallus’s cell, the guards letting him in without any question thankfully. Thankfully, Kallus was awake, curling up in the corner of his cell, eyes glossy, body hunch, like he was trying to protect himself from further harm.

 “Why did you do it?” Lyste asked, Kallus not even having the decency to look at him. “Answer me.” Kallus gingerly tubbed his bandage covered throat, a look of pain crossing his features. “With this.” He added, holding out the datapad for Kallus to take. “Go on, explain yourself!” Kallus however wouldn’t take it, continuing to state at the wall, rubbing his neck, his body trembling.

 “Maybe you did deserve this you traitor!” Lyste spat, freezing when Kallus weakly nodded his head, curling in on himself. Lyste had expected Kallus to try and defend himself or at least villainize the Empire for what they did to Kallus. But this…this was unexpected and a little unnerving. “So you agree you deserved this for betraying the Empire-“ Kallus shook his head, his gaze distant. “What do you mean no? You are a traitor to the Empire!” Kallus tiredly looked at him for a moment before looking away, expression defeated. “Fine, rot in here for all I care!” Lyste snapped, turning and leaving the cell without a second glance back.

 Kallus deserved this, he did this to himself, he probably just wanted power or something. Lyste told himself this over and over again like a mantra, but no matter how many times he told himself this, he couldn’t convince himself.

 ----

 Of course Lyste wouldn’t understand, couldn’t understand. He didn’t know the horrors the Empire had committed, that he’d committed in the name of the Empire. He couldn’t see that Kallus deserved this not for treason, but for not committing treason sooner. He’d let so many innocents suffer and die in the name of justice, he deserved punishment for that. Of course, the rebels might not think that this was enough, they probably would make him pay with his life. A part of him hoped they would, he didn’t deserve to live, not after all he’d done.

 Kallus shivered weakly, curing up in a tighter ball in an attempt to warm himself but to no avail. Why did they have to take the meteor? It was warm and it couldn’t do anything useful in this cell. He wished Thrawn had just killed him, but no that would have been too merciful of him. No, Thrawn wanted him to suffer a long and miserable life so he could slowly suffer for his crimes. All he could hope was that the Rebels wouldn’t attempt to break him out and leave him to rot. It was what he deserved.

 ----

 Something was wrong, it had been weeks since Kallus had sent them any messages and it was starting to worry Zeb. Even if he didn’t have any information, he would have usually at least sent them a quick message to assure them everything was alright. He’d never been silent for so long before…

 “I don’t get why you’re so worried about him,” Ezra said as he watched Zeb pace. “He’s done a lot of terrible things to all of us, especially you.”

 “He’s trying to be better now,” Zeb firmly said. “That’s what’s important, not what he’s done in the past.”

 “Seems important to me…” Ezra grumbled.

 “Zeb’s right,” Kanan said. “Besides he does give valuable intel for us.”

 “Well….yea I guess…” Ezra reluctantly agreed.

 “And he’s risked his life several times not to help us,” Zeb added.

 “Besides, I do recall you weren’t exactly a model citizen when you first joined the crew,” Hera added with a smirk.

 “But I was stealing from the Empire!” Ezra cried.

 “You stole from us,” Zeb corrected.

 “Okay but that’s not trying to kill you.”

 “Yea but some of our own slaughtered his unarmed and injured men,” Zeb said. “He had his reasons to not trust as but now he realizes not all Rebels are like that.”

 “What do you mean?” Hera asked. Zeb cringed, wishing he hadn’t said anything; this was not his story to tell. Thankfully, a messenger saved Zeb from having to respond.

 “Captain, we received a transmission from an Imperial.” The messenger uncertainly said. “He insisted we let him speak with your crew.”

 “Who?” Hera asked.

 “Lieutenant Lyste.”

 “Why would he want to talk to us?” Ezra hissed.

 “Seems suspicious,” Kanan agreed.

 “Put him through, but make sure he can’t see us.” Hera ordered.

 “Yes Captain,” He said, doing as she asked him. Soon Lyste’s holograph appeared and Hera asked,

 “What do you want?”

 “I’m only sending you this message as a courtesy,” Lyste said. “Kallus was revealed to be Fulcrum and has been captured.”

 “What?” Zeb cried. “How could this happen?”

 “Why are you telling us this?” Hera suspiciously asked. “How do we know this isn’t a trap?”

 “I am no fan of your rebellion but….what Thrawn did to Kallus was….vile and wrong-“

 “Done to Kallus?” Zeb asked, “What did he do to him?”

 “I’m sorry I have to go, good luck,” Lyste said before ending the transmission.

 “I don’t know about you but this doesn’t sit right with me,” Hera said.

 “Me neither,” Ezra said.

 “I think he’s telling the truth,” Zeb said, “We haven’t heard from Kallus in way too long.” Chopper eagerly beeped and Hera said,

 “Sounds like Chopper agrees with you.”

 “His vote doesn’t count!” Ezra cried.

 “Why not?” Hera asked. “He is a member of the crew.”

 “What do you two think?” Zeb asked.

 “…I don’t trust Kallus but….I do trust your opinion so I think we should go.”

 “I agree,” Kanan said. “If we leave Kallus after all he’s done to help us, we’re no better than the Empire.”

 “I guess we’re going on a rescue mission,” Hera said, smiling at Zeb.

 ----

 Kallus had long since lost track of how long he’d been in his cell. His cell didn’t get any sunlight and food was sporadic at best. Not that Kallus really ate much when anything was brought. Swallowing anything was agonizing, his throat throbbed at even the thought of trying to swallow anything. He knew he needed to eat, but that didn’t make it any easier for him.

 Maybe he could just stop eating and waste away to nothingness….Kallus almost immediately shoved the thought out of his mind, the Empire would just find a way to force feed him the nutrients he needed to survive. He had to live as an example after all. An example of what though? Absolute hatred by every living creature in the universe? The Empire saw him as a traitor, and the Rebels saw him as nothing but Imperial trash. Even if they didn’t, it there was no way they could rescue him…

 Kallus tiredly looked up at the door at the sound of muffled shouting, what was going on? He heard the familiar sound of blaster fire with even more shouting. Where the rebels here? Why would they come here? Surely not for him….distantly he heard the familiar sound of a bo-rifle firing and realized Zeb was here. If Zeb was here…that meant the Rebels had come, for him of all people. A small grin rose on his face at the thought, someone cared enough to rescue him, the smile quickly fell off of his face though when he realized they probably only came to get intel that he did not have and could no longer give even if he had any. He was completely useless to everyone now. What would they do to him when they realized what the Empire did to him?

 The door to his cell opened, Kallus tensed half expecting it to be Stormtroopers, relaxing when it was in fact Zeb standing there.

 “He’s in here guys!” Zeb called out, relief spreading across his features. “Are you alright.”

 Kallus nodded his head, a small smile on his face despite everything. It was odd, knowing that there was actually someone in the Galaxy who cared about his wellbeing and was actually happy to see he was alive. He wasn’t sure he could exactly call themselves friends, but maybe someday he could. If they both survived. His smile quickly fell when he realized Zeb probably didn’t actually care about him, just the information he thought Kallus had.

 “Kal, is everything okay?” Zeb asked.

 “Now is not the time for small talk Zeb!” The young Jedi, Ezra, exclaimed. “We need to move!”

 “Can you walk?” Zeb asked. Kallus nodded, shakily getting to his feet making Zeb frown. Wordlessly, he reached out to help Kallus out of the cell.

 “What? No thank you?” Ezra grumbled, rolling his eyes. Kallus instinctively rubbed his throat over the bandages, wincing. How was he going to let them know he couldn’t talk anymore? Zeb stared at Kallus’s face, his eyes trailing down to the bandage wrapped around his throat, eyes widening in horror.

 “I…I don’t think he can….” Zeb breathed.

 “What does that mean?” Ezra snapped.

 “We can talk about this later!” Kanan exclaimed, “We have company!” Kanan’s words spurred the group into action, Zeb carefully leading Kallus down the halls towards where Kallus assumed they were keeping their ship with Kanan and Ezra at the rear, thankfully meeting very little resistance as they raced back to the ship.

 “Sabine’s diversion must be working,” Ezra commented.

 “Maybe a little too well,” Kanan nervously said.

 “She’ll be fine,” Ezra assured as the ship came into view, the Mandalorian girl Sabine running towards them.

 “Let’s move it!” Sabine cried, the group running onto the ramp.

 “Spector two this is Spector one, we’re all aboard!” Kanan said into his comm link.

 “Come on, let’s get you to the medbay,” Zeb softly said, Kallus tiredly nodding in agreement as the Ghost flew to safety. He was safe.

 -----

 “Zeb was right,” Hera sighed as she stepped out of the medbay, “Kallus can’t speak.”

 “How? What happened?” Ezra asked.

 “According to the meddroid, his vocal cords where removed,” Hera said, jaw clenched.

 “That’s horrible,” Ezra cried.

 “It’s going to be hard adjusting to this,” Hera agreed, eyes flashing, “We gave him a datapad with a translator for him to use to talk until we find a better way for him to communicate but he’s not talking much.”

 “In which sense,” Kanan asked with a smirk.

 “You know what I mean,” Hera sighed. “All he’d say is he didn’t know anything of use to us.”

 “Maybe I should try talking to him,” Zeb offered, “I’m sort of a friend so maybe he’ll open up to me?”

 “I think we should give him a little space, he’ll talk when he’s ready.” Hera said.

 “I’m not so sure….” Zeb mumbled.

 “He’s been through a lot, just give him some time,” Hera firmly said. “In the meantime we’ll hunt down the bastards that did this to him.”

 “Alright…” Zeb reluctantly agreed, praying to Ashla Hera was right.

 -----

 A week later, Kallus was released from the med bay and was given his own room on base. Though Commander Sato and others urged Kallus to share any information he had, Kallus remained silent. Despite his continued silence, Commander Sato found some useful information for Kallus to learn sign language so he could communicate more easily with everyone on base, but according to him, Kallus hadn’t touched anything given to him.

 Enough was enough, something was wrong and Zeb was going to get to the bottom of it. Ignoring Hera’s plea’s to give him a little more time, Zeb made his way to Kallus’s room, knocking on the door before stepping inside. Kallus glanced up at Zeb, looking surprised for a moment before grabbing his datapad and typing out, a robotic voice speaking as he typed the words,

 “Hello Zeb I am surprised to see you.” Sitting up from his position on the bed.

 “Sorry I didn’t come sooner,” Zeb said, walking over to the bed. “Can I join you?” Kallus eagerly nodded, scooting over to make room for him. “Thanks.” Zeb said, sitting down.

 “Don’t be sorry I know you’re busy,” Kallus quickly typed out.

 “Not really, Hera said I should give you some space but I heard you haven’t really been talking to anyone and….I wanted to make sure you where okay.” Zeb admitted, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. Kallus froze, his face falling.

 Kallus started to type something several times before quickly erasing it before the translator could start to translate it before eventually typing, “I know your friends don’t believe me but I swear I have no useful information. The only thing I know for sure is Imperial protocol but your friend Sabine already knows most if not all of that.”

 “I believe you,” Zeb assured. “But I more meant just….talking or even practicing that sign language stuff.”

 “Oh.” Kallus said, pausing to think of what to say before typing, “No one on this base knows it, so what’s the point of learning?”

 “How do you know no one knows?” Zeb curiously asked.

 “It took a week for Sato to find what he did, don’t you think he would have just sent someone who knew it already if there was someone on base who could?” Kallus typed out, sighing heavily, rubbing his throat.

 “I…I honestly didn’t think about that….”

 “I don’t think anyone did,” Kallus typed.

 “Well that’s not right,” Zeb said.

 “Hardly anything is.” Kallus typed. “Besides, no one here really wants to talk to me anyways.”

 “I do,” Zeb firmly said.

 “You do?” Kallus typed, surprise etched across his features.

 “I do, we are friends right?” Zeb asked.

 “I yes I suppose so,” Kallus typed, a small smile on his face.

 “So I’ll learn with you,” Zeb said. “Might make it easier that way since we both can practice with each other.” Kallus beamed and Zeb and typed,

 “Thank you Zeb.” Before pulling up one of the files Commander Sato sent him.

[quillyfied]

having seen Rogue One again, i think...i like jyn better now?

major spoilers ahead

again, maybe i’m just a screwball of emotions bc of changing medications and being a complete sucker for genuine familial affection, but i was so close to tears during jyn and galen’s interactions (i count the hologram shhhhh), and i was searching for a meaning behind her inclusion beyond “father/daughter storyline bc star wars is about family”

a couple weeks ago it was brought to my attention that, with some very minor tweaking, Jyn’s character arc could have been given to Bodhi Rook and it would have worked out more or less the same. I chewed over that for a while, and realized they were right: both have an emotional connection to Galen Erso, and Bodhi’s delivery of the hologram could have won Saw Gerrera over if Jyn was never a factor; Bodhi could have been the Imperial pilot no one trusted, the person who lost everything only to find himself and find what he believed in was worth it, Bodhi could have developed the stronger bond with Cassian and Chirrut and Baze and K2, and all of that would take some very minor doctoring of the plot and script.

However...I realized Jyn’s utility as an extra body and as a storytelling mechanism were both valuable to the Rogue One experience.

For one thing, at Scarif, the way the plan shook out, Rogue One had just enough people to pull off the heist: commanders for the ground troops (bc yeah RIGHT you’re gonna separate Chirrut and Baze, and someone from the main cast needed to be with the rebel soldiers to guide them and give them more emotional relevance than just good people dying for a good cause; K2 couldn’t have done it, Cassian could have but he needed to be with K2 fetching the plans, Bodhi definitely couldn’t have); the getaway driver (Bodhi, obviously, and a tech guy to patch into the radio frequencies of the Alliance and relay the Very Important Message of GET THE FORCEFIELD DOWN, WE SENDING U A PRESENT, which couldn’t have been done from anywhere but the launch pads due to Security); the point man (Cassian, cool under pressure with a commanding air who can blend in); the hacker (K2, the saltiest droid in the galaxy and new robotic love of my life, but more importantly excellent cover as an imperial droid); and the informant (Jyn). Bodhi could have taken on Jyn’s emotional role, but unless the plot variance also allowed him to see the hologram, and have a better knowledge of Galen Erso somehow, Bodhi couldn’t have known the Death Star plans’ code name (which, without Jyn, could have been anything), or even have passed on that the Death Star had a weakness at all. I very much doubt even in a world where Jyn doesn’t exist, Saw would have let Bodhi see the hologram, or that Bodhi would have taken a peek at something Galen probably told him not to look through, just deliver.

And as we’ve seen in the Star Wars universe, three is the best number of people to have in a small elite squad accomplishing the impossible, three people watching each other’s backs and bringing different skill sets to the table. K-2SO is necessary for hacking into the Citadel’s computers, Cassian’s role as an intelligence agent and skill at blending into whatever situation he’s in will carry them through the Citadel, and Jyn counts as both another good fighter and the extra person who could carry on the mission should her teammates be killed or incapacitated. Jyn’s presence is insurance. They needed a third person anyway, and since the plot made it so Jyn has a personal connection with the architect of the Death Star, her inclusion is just kind of necessary. Bodhi, bless him, is too nervous in-person, with good reason. He’s endured torture and deception and being shot at all within the span of a few days, and as the Galaxy equivalent of a truck driver and mechanic…that’s a lot. Bodhi defected because he’s a good person who knows what the Empire does isn’t right, but that doesn’t make him a fighter. That doesn’t make him someone who is equipped to deal with an infiltration mission. He did admirably in several war zones, but the man has no poker face, not even over radio (unless he has time to compose himself and get his story down straight, like at the shield gate on Scarif. Please also note that once he has a script to follow, he’ll stick to the script, even if he stumbles through it). Chirrut and Baze stick out too much, so they couldn’t have been part of the reconnaissance squad without abandoning weapons (and I dare you to tear Baze away from his epic collection of guns. I dare you). Jyn, however, is small, Jyn is light, Jyn has been in war zones and battles and fights since she was a child—Jyn is a fighter, raised to be a rebel soldier and then fending for herself. The Rogue One crew probably couldn’t have gotten along without her, even in her capacity as a fighter rather than an informant.

Her narrative arc is pretty good, as well, although thinking about it, it’s similar to Han Solo: disillusioned youth cares more about survival than about The Cause, until something hits close to home and they are forced to care (Jyn loses her father again, Han makes friends). Like Han and Leia, Jyn and Cassian play off each other narratively pretty well, the rebel without a cause or loyalty clashing with the rebel with a cause and strong belief in that cause. Cassian is downright fascinating, a good man with dirty hands, a killer with “the face of a friend”, a man who sheds light on the grim realities of warfare, what it does to people, what it makes people do even on the “good” side. And Cassian has absolutely no qualms about calling Jyn out on her hypocrisy, which is delicious, because unlike Han and Leia, Jyn and Cassian’s interactions are bitter with their clashing ideologies and not dissimilar life experiences, Jyn’s surprising naivete and Cassian’s weary determination. They don’t bicker. They ARGUE, and it’s a hard anger behind their motivations, dual worldly cynicism with very different outlets. Jyn and Cassian’s distrust is as palpable as Han and Leia’s sexual tension. But it’s a connection, a strong emotional bond that turns to kinship as the Rogue One crew fully assembles, and at least for me the actors had pretty good chemistry, anyway.

I wish the movie either had more time or better writing to devote to developing Jyn and Cassian’s relationship, because to me Cassian’s heart attacks about Jyn’s safety on Jeddha and especially Edu are sudden, but the spiritual callback to Han and Leia is familiar, at least, if not heartwarming. But Rogue One is like that: it’s Star Wars, but darker, grittier, more human, a love letter to all the stories buried in the Star Wars universe, the hard truths under the fantastical plotlines.

I love Rogue One, and I’m happy to add Jyn Erso to the “like” roster, because the movie is so much more enjoyable when you don’t let her presence and character arc spoil everything XD