#so used to my phone mount on the my home telescope :(

[oflgtfol]

look at the sun boy

[hankwritten]

Keep in a Cool Dry Place

Demoman/Soldier, 3k

A couple of old, past their prime mercs live out their days, but at least they’re slowly breaking down together.

Oftentimes, Jane would go out onto the deck to find Tavish fixed in place, chin tilted skywards, soaking up the stars for all they were worth. He could be like that, sometimes for hours, eye glossy against the Milky Way as he stood so still he could make a statue proud.

“You’re up awful late,” he said to Jane, unmoving. Probably had realized Jane had been watching for a while now.

“Could say the same to you,” Jane said, pulling himself into a deck chair with a great cascade of air from his smoker’s lungs, the grunt of an old man he always thought was an exaggerated affectation until it started happening to him.

“I don’t get up at five in the morning,” Tavish reminded him.

“You could. Good for the health, Tavish.”

“I don’t think anything’s good for the health these days. Just bad, and slightly worse.” He drummed his fingers on the deck’s railing. “C’mere, look at this.”

“I can see the damn stars just fine from here,” Jane sniffed.

Tavish broke from his surveying to shoot a grin Jane’s way, features cut sharp in the porch light. “Come on you old fart, get over here.”

Jane grumbled, pushing out of the chair with more effort than he would have liked to admit. He made his way to Tavish, joining him at the railing, their shoulders brushing just briefly until Tavish swung an arm around Jane’s waist.

His voice took on a fading quality all of the sudden, as though far away winds were dragging him skyward. “Nice night, isn’t it?”

Jane watched him. In the past few years his good eye had grown white in the center, a fuzzy film growing out from the pupil that would one day take the whole cornea. It was irreversible, Tavish had explained, years of buildup from stromnium or strotenium or something like that, Jane could never remember. Tavish wasn’t surprised, had told Jane that he was shocked he’d still had the thing this long, but that didn’t mean there was no mourning within the man. It was just different than how most people would have gone about it.

“Sure is,” Jane said. “Real beautiful.”

“Aye. And you ‘n me, we’re not seeing the half of it. Those telescopes, the ones the size of whole buildings, all they have is a bunch of different magnifying glasses and yet when they put ‘em all together you can see whole galaxies that weren’t there before. Same sky, just some folks can see it, some folks can’t.”

“You can still see it,” Jane reminded him, a gentle bump to the shoulder.

“For now,” Tavish agreed. He turned, smiling with just the corner of his mouth, a testament that was gone before Jane could fully appreciate how much he loved the small, sad ways he chose to be happy. A hand came up to brush the side of Jane’s cheek. “I just keep thinking about how one of these days will be the last day I see you.”

Their foreheads came together. Jane’s hand rose to cover the one across his cheek, thumb rubbing the small band of gold on Tavish’s finger. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe this; despite the decades, despite the promises made on cold desert nights, despite watching the grey hairs spring in Tavish’s beard and knowing the same was happening to him, it was still hard to fathom that someone had chosen to spend the rest of their life with him. Even though the years with Tavish came close to outnumbering the years without, that time in Jane’s life of infinite loneliness, of stubborn self sufficiency, made him question how he was ever lucky enough that someone had hung on their sense and decided he was worth it.

Jane pulled Tavish closer. “Yeah. Well. If you’re going to keep a last image of me in your head, I really wish it was back when I was still handsome.”

Tavish laughed, swaying them both slightly in the unusually still air. Normally winds rattled the badlands, stirring up loose sand and seething through plants too hardy to notice. It felt like, for once, the world had chosen to be kind this night, just for them.

“You get handsomer every day Jane,” Tavish said, and hidden behind the words were each day I love you more. “I just…miss.”

“Miss how things used to be?”

“More than that. I’ve got the ‘ole yearning, I suppose, the eater of men.” Tavish chewed his words, looking up at the sky again. “I miss places. I miss how everything used to feel, even if it wasn’t terribly good.”

“Not talking about going back to your home planet, are you?” Jane joked, jerking his thumb at the now witnessed stars.

“No,” Tavish snorted. “Not exactly. But I…” He trailed off.

Now it was Jane’s turn to bring his hands to the sides of Tavish’s face, his own ring warm from where he’d been cradling it inside his fist. “What is it, Tav? You can tell me.”

Tavish looked not at the stars nor the horizon, but the ground, kicking the wooden deck neither of them had ever gotten around to re-staining. “I feel…I feel the hills always calling out to me. Like there’s something in my bones that just wants to rest, to go back where it’s green, to where it isn’t so bloody dry. Every time we visit I think ‘is this the last time I’ll ever see it? The very last time? Am I going to be too old or too tired the next time around, and never feel like I’m home again?’”

Jane watched the worry lines in Tavish’s forehead. “You want to go back to Scotland.”

“I dunno. Just the more my eye goes the more I…I dunno.”

They hung in silence for a while longer, just breathing. Jane hadn’t felt the need to wear his helmet for a long time, not at home, not at this mansion that was their private oasis from the rest of the world. Were money made their problems—if not vanish—then kept far back beyond the fence where they never had to think about them unless they ventured beyond. Where, even with BLU’s protection no longer keeping the various chapters of local and federal law enforcement trying to wrangle some comeuppance out of the soldier for sins past, he still had a place of refuge.

“Let’s go,” Jane said.

Tavish looked away. “I don’t mean for a visit Jane, I mean…”

“I know,” Jane insisted. Tavish’s milky eye fixed him with disbelief. “You want to go home. I get it. We should go.”

Tavish stared at him, still uncomprehending. “Jane you know that would mean…”

“I know,” Jane repeated.

A warm, subtle smile filled Tavish’s face, and neither of them had to say any more. Tavish drew Jane in closer, and the two of them rocked in the wind that had just picked up again.

***

“Jane,” Tavish frowned as he examined the box Jane had dropped thunderously at the bottom of the stairs, “do you really need to bring all of these?”

“Hey, I’m not trying to make you get rid of your treasured possessions,” Jane pointed out, depositing a second box filled entirely with Guns & Haircuts net to the first.

“We’re not going to have space for these,” Tavish retorted. “It’s going to be a tiny little thing, remember? They don’t build mansions in Ullapool.”

Moving had left the New Mexico mansion barren and faded where pictures had hung on the wall since Tavish had first moved in. Now they were all gone, sold off as their attempts to downsize left only what was necessary and a few DeGroot family heirlooms.

It twisted something in Jane to see their home of three decades slowly dismantled into carpet scuffs and cardboard boxes. This had been his dwelling longer than any other, a turning point from when the Gravel Wars had folded in on themselves and left Jane with an odd freedom he had no idea if he was allowed to act on. Even before that, when Tavish’s mother had still been alive and the halls were filled with her vigor, this place was safe haven for Jane, where he’d come to meet with his forbidden friend and get wasted in his living room.

Now it was mostly empty. Ready for the last goodbyes.

“These are important,” Jane declared of the boxes.

“You haven’t read them in ages,” Tavish pointed out.

“So? They are valuable. Scout sold his whole Bonk! Boy collection for a fortune, and I’ve got twice as many as that little squirt does!” Jane cleared his throat suddenly. “Did.”

It was hard to remember sometimes. He thought his old teammates would want nothing to do with him after the end, but to his surprise they actually kept in contact better than when they’d actually worked together. Maybe owing to the fact he now had an actual address they could send letters to.

Neither Spy nor Sniper had ever actually retired, and over time the tepid, passably courteous correspondences with Sniper had stopped a few years after Spy disappeared entirely. Jane assumed something similar had happened to them both. Occupational hazard.

Engie had complications with his diabetes. The remaining team had shown up for the funeral, except for Pyro, who everyone politely wouldn’t mention, even when Jane asked.

The one person Jane hadn’t expected to outlive was Scout. Scout didn’t write, but he could talk anyone’s ear off, and when coming home from the second funeral in as many years it hit Jane hard that he’d never hear the kitchen phone ringing off its holder again, practically trembling as the other line was just dying to tell him about whatever exactly Scout was so wound up about today.

Tavish noticed Jane’s slipup, and kindly ignored it. Nearly ten years, and Jane still found himself forgetting. “That’s because they were comics,” Tavish explained. “They were collectors items. The only person collecting Guns & Haircuts is you.”

“And don’t I know it!”

Tavish sighed. “Are you even planning on selling them, or are you just going to do the same thing you’ve done with them here and leave them in a big box to gather dust?”

“Of course I’m going to leave them in a big box!” Jane huffed proudly. “What other purpose is there in life other than to gather material objects and then have them accumulate in piles in your living room? You do not see me complaining about the giant, wall mounted family crest, do you?”

Tavish rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighed as an old argument became even older. “Ach, fine. I suppose we’ll fine the space.” When he opened his eye, he saw the third giant box Jane was hauling out for the movers. “Jane! We don’t need to be taking that.”

“Yes we do, sonny!” Jane said, slapping a hand on the trumpet of the old record player he hadn’t been able to properly fit in the box. “I do not trust those cassette tapes! The snakes that live in them always try to come out and strangle me!”

“We’ve got some CDs now-” Tavish tried.

“Even worse!” Jane declared. “Australian mind control devices!”

Tavish could see he wasn’t winning, which was just fine by Jane. The magazines were one thing, but the record player he wasn’t leaving without.

“Well,” Tavish said, looking around their house, stripped bare. “I suppose that’s everything.”

Jane couldn’t find a reason to object. He glanced around, looking for one last missing detail, one more reason to stall, but found none. Gently, he took Tavish’s hand and squeezed. “Everything we need.”

***

Scotland was even wetter than the last time they’d visited.

Mud, the most distantly remembered and ancient of substances, clung to Jane’s pant leg all the way up to the knee as they made their way down hundred-year old paths someone really should’ve figured out how to weather-proof by now. But, where Jane was grumbling, Tavish looked about as happy as a clam in water. (Or, Jane supposed was more fitting, a pig in mud.)

“Aha! Look, there it is,” Tavish said, tugging on Jane’s arm and pointing at the glimpse of water creeping around the bend. “Still there.”

“I don’t think they would have up and moved a whole lake while you were gone,” Jane mumbled, but Tavish didn’t seem to hear as he moved with surprising speed down the hill. It was times like this Jane actually envied the cane.

When he finally caught up, Tavish was breathing in the thick air, his chest rising and then collapsing with a satisfied sigh. “Used to play down here as lad. Sometimes there’s a beach, far as the eye can see.”

“Thought you were done with sand,” Jane said, stomping up next to him on damp boots.

Tavish just breamed broadly at him, drinking in the sweep of the land and the crash of the lake. Jane could remember the stories, ones from Tavish’s childhood much better than his own, told and retold so many times that he could flip open the memories like a scrapbook and find exactly where every place in Ullapool fit. An old pub, a crumbling church. The house where the DeGroots used to live, the field where Merasmus’s castle had once briefly towered. So vivid were they, they superimposed themselves over Jane’s (admittedly more insubstantial) memories until he felt he had lived here himself.

“…Gettin’ dark, Tav,” Jane pointed out.

Tavish frowned, and squinted at the horizon. “Aye, I suppose it is.”

“Think the movers are done?” Jane didn’t approve of hiring other people to life heavy things when lifting heavy things had once been one of Jane’s favorite pastimes, but Tavish convinced him that if he threw out his back again, it’d be a lot harder to get him to a doctor.

“Probably,” Tavish nodded. “Let’s go see.”

“Do you think they dropped my magazines?”

“I’m sure they’re fine, love.”

They made the long, much more slippery journey back to their new home. It overlooked Ullapool and the coast, but was nevertheless removed enough that Jane could revel in the privacy he had grown used to. Privacy was not on Tavish’s mind when they’d walked through town that first time, however, as he’d greeted nearly everyone who came their way. It had shocked Jane how many people knew him, or at least recognized the DeGroot name, and greeted Tavish as familiarly as they would have had he been gone for only a few weeks rather than years.

It was good, to see Tavish like this. Even now, as they climbed slowly back up the hill, Jane watched him out the corner of his eye, smiling at the look of serenity that hadn’t been on his husband’s face so naturally in years.

“Isn’t this cozy,” Tavish said lovingly as they crossed the threshold of their new home.

That it was. Jane had worried he had grown soft living in luxury, that his years of being rich and retied would make him forgot that he’d once loved his little apartment, had cherished the security its simplicity had given him. But now that he was back inside four walls, surrounded by the items that had come to mean things beyond their purpose, a swell of pleasant familiarity welled up in him. The curtains blocked out the last of the fading light through soft yellow. There was a fireplace (modern and gas powered) but one ready to fill the house with a warm glow.

Tavish made the motions to begin unpacking, but Jane’s pretense of rooting though the boxes had a different goal in mind. Preoccupied, Tavish didn’t turn around until Jane finally slipped the record into place.

Perking, Tavish looked over his shoulder to see Jane offering his hand as the music bubbled slowly to life. “Been a long time since we danced,” Jane said.

Tavish’s smile fit well in this homey, quiet room. He took Jane’s hand, and let Jane pull him up off his knees until they were chest to chest, resting his chin on Jane’s shoulder.

“Too long,” he agreed.

They began sway rhythmlessly to music in the middle of the tiny living room, caring little where they put their feet as long as it wasn’t one top of one another. Jane loved the record player, needed it more these days, as it was one of the only things that made the horrid, incessant ringing in his ears quiet for just a short while. Leaving the fan on at night might help him get to sleep, but the was no denying the scratching notes out of the player were a world more enjoyable.

It was piano piece, one he’d heard Tavish play now and again. There was no space for a grand piano here in this little cottage on the hill, but maybe they could get a smaller one, and Tavish could try teaching him again. Like he’d promised so long ago.

So many promises that’d slipped through the cracks, both to each other and themselves. Things they simply couldn’t do anymore. Ever since the scare with Jane’s lung cancer, they had tried to do better, had realized what they had built meant something and they couldn’t go piddling away with their complacent recklessness. Jane had quit smoking, Tavish had quit drinking as part of the deal.

But still, there were other things, other mistakes that had compounded over the years. Jane always kept thinking he should have been over it by now, that for how many gentle touches Tavish had placed against him, he should forget the violence those same hands had once brought him. The times they’d shoved a sword into Jane’s gut. The bombs from nowhere. The individual atrocities. It was duller now, the years had been good enough to do that, but if Tavish’s memories were anything like Jane’s, he understood why the ex-demoman sometimes woke screaming in the middle of the night, needing to be reminded—soothed, assured, sometimes begged—that the Jane beside him wasn’t the monster from his dreams.

That was the real tragedy of the War. Officially, all they had been paid to do was kill each other—the horrors they chose to inflict on one another had been their own doing, their own wills brought to fruition. RED had never asked Tavish to shove Jane’s shovel down its owner's throat, laughing vengefully all the while. Jane was sure he’d done equally as cruel things to Tavish during those hell times, but had trouble recalling exactly what. It’s much easier to remember the sins committed against you, than those you have unleashed yourself.

Those hands, those bloodstained, gentle, perfect hands, rubbed circles and Jane’s back, and he sighed. He’d listened to this record enough to know it was getting to the end of this side, but he found he didn’t want to move. He wanted to keep standing here, swaying with the man he loved in their home in the mountains, remembering that they had earned this.

“I cherish these moments we spend together,” he said resolutely into Tavish’s chest.

“Every one of them,” Tavish agreed.

Eventually they would lay down, rest their old bones in their new bed, but for now they held each other in the slowly encroaching night, the sound of rain playing its first patter on the roof.

[kyndaris]

Lane One Form

With her sixtieth birthday approaching, my mother was adamant that she would keep it low-key (mostly). There would be no grand celebrations or fanfare. Instead, she had a simple wish of driving down to Canberra and taking a look at the capital city of our fair nation: Australia. Of course, we had been there a few times in the past - mostly as a stopover on our trips down to the Snowy Mountains. But, we had never given the city a proper once-over.

No longer. This time, we were going to give the nation’s capital a proper evaluation as a destination holiday destination.

Taking a few days leave, I was ready to drive and accompany my mother and grandmother down to Canberra. On the drive down, we stopped at Goulburn for brunch. Getting a recommendation from one of my mother’s friends, we headed to Roses Cafe and Co. right next to the Goulburn courthouse. As was my wont, I went for an ‘Eggs Benedict’ while my mother struggled to choose between a wrap and ‘Smashed Avo.’ In fact, she even stopped to ask me what it contained as she pondered if it would also be a good fit for my grandmother (who usually dislikes Western style food and is forever biased for Chinese and more Chinese). After translating the Australian slang, my mother opted for the ‘Smashed Avo,’ never knowing that it was what prevented Millennials such as myself to purchase property.

Once we were stuffed to the brim, we returned to the car. This time, I took the wheel - driving the remaining hour or so to Canberra. Our first stop? The National Gallery of Australia. Now, I’ve never been one for art, but as my mother was excited for one of the special exhibits: Botticelli to van Gogh, I tagged along. After all, I would not be paying much of anything during this trip. To my surprise, all of the pieces were from the National Gallery in London. Instantly, I was transported back to 2013 when I had tagged along as a third wheel to my friend’s trip to Europe. At the time, she was dating a person from London. And because I live vicariously through others (and also because I really, really, really wanted to go to London because I’m a bit of a history buff and Sherlockian) I somehow convinced them to let me tag along.

So, it came as no surprise that I recognised a few of the pieces when I had been wandering through the National Gallery in London. Of course, in the much larger building, whole floors had been dedicated to the artists from various centuries. And while most of it was a blur, I remembered distinctly that many of the classical artists had an eye for religious iconography.

The only pieces that my mother could name from just a glance were the Sunflowers by van Gogh and Monet’s Water Lily Pond. An art appreciator, however, my mother is not and she failed to identify Rembrandt in the self-portrait that had also been painstakingly shipped to Australia for display.

Once we had our fill of the National Gallery of Australia, including those from notable Australian and Indigenous artists, we thought it best to set our bags down at the hotel apartments where we would be staying for a two days. The place she had booked was amenable to our needs though it was not as luxurious as I had hoped. Still, it had a bed, a working shower and also a small kitchenette so that my grandmother and mother could have their instant noodles breakfast.

It was not long before someone came to pick us up. Once a young man travelling across China to get back home, he had enjoyed the hospitality of my mother and stepfather and was now eager to return the favour since settling in Canberra. 

Taking us to a local Ugyhur restaurant in Belconnen, we headed to Mount Aislie to witness the rare lunar eclipse. Freezing cold, we watched as the moon slowly began to fade from view. An hour or so later, we took photos of the total lunar eclipse. Dismayed by the poor quality from our phones, we took advantage of the kindness of a stranger who sported a telescope. With his much better equipment, the photos he had managed to take were a sight to behold.

Of course, we took advantage of his hospitality and took photos of HIS photos instead because they looked much more impressive and he was not charging for them.

They don’t call it a Blood Moon for nothing.

It was quite late when we finally returned to the hotel. Exhausted, I endured a restless slumber.

The next day, our Canberra guide came to pick us up. Knowing that we were in the city, he had also taken a few days off and was keen to drive us around. Our first stop was to Gooda Creek Mushrooms. Though usually closed to the public, since our guide had worked there previously, he knew the owners and had arranged for us to take a look around. There, we were greeted by alpacas and llamas both. There were even deer on the property! Alas, they were too far for a proper look and there was a fence between us and them. At the very least I was able to appreciate their great antlers from a distance.

Once my mother had her fill of alpacas, we returned back to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). On the recommendation of my mother’s friend, we headed to Cockington Green Gardens. Here, we enjoyed a myriad of small miniature recreations of famous sites all across the globe: from Petra to a distinctly colourful set of streets in Argentina, as well as Roman ruins in Syria. There were also a variety of buildings that could commonly be found in the United Kingdom such as stadiums, an ivy house and many other faithful recreations.

After lunch, we also took a walk around Queen Elizabeth Terrace and saw the outside of Questacon, the National Library of Australia and the High Court. As I took a look around, I promised myself that I would take some time out to revisit Questacon - maybe with a few friends in tow or my own future children (whether that actually happens remains a mystery but one can dream).

Nearing 2.30PM, we headed to a wharf out on Lake Burley Griffin. Our guide, knowing of a trip, had taken the liberties of hiring an electric boat for us to take out. Though it was a cold chill May day, we enjoyed our time out on the water and taking in the sights. Since it was an electric picnic boat, there was no need for a boating licence and we had a grand old time of going at snail’s pace around the vast lake that split Canberra in two.

Returning shortly to shore, we retired for an early night - but not without taking a trip up to the Telstra Tower at Black Mountain and a drive through the campus of Australian National University (ANU). We also stopped by the zoo because it was my mother’s sincerest hope that we would be able to holiday at Jamala Lodge, where we would be able to enjoy the company of a lion or a bear as dining companions. 

Given that I had a few spare hours before bedtime, I managed to sneak in an hour or two of New Pokemon Snap. After a day of taking photos of real things out in the real world, I was eager to snap shots of fictitious creatures in a 3D rendered imagining of the Pokemon universe. 

Our last day in Canberra started off a little later than I would have liked. Still, we were able to make good time and reached the top of Mount Ainslie to take in the sights of Canberra in the daylight. Once we were sufficiently chilled by the mountain air, we descended once again to explore the National Museum of Australia.  

Within, we were able to take a gander at the interactive exhibits and learn a little more about Australia’s history and the significant events that led it to becoming the nation that we now call home. Much of it was about white colonists and there was even acknowledgements for the sins of the past. It was clear a lot went into this memorial of the past and I, for one, was glad to read about the steps that had been taken to celebrate the unique Indigenous cultures and its evolution to a postmodern civilisation.

Unfortunately, with time bearing down on us, we didn’t stay very long. I would have preferred being able to fully appreciate each exhibit and read more on the snippets they provided, but there is always next time. Hopefully, without family with me, I can take my time as I wind my way through and note down all the facts and figures that helped build up the nation now known as Australia.

As it is, I came away with a little more understanding about the importance of belonging to a place - one that I never gave much thought to as I struggled to navigate the two very different cultures that made up my identity as an Asian Australian.

But yes, the museums do need another go. And now that I’ve heard that the Australian Museum in Sydney has been renovated, I might actually take the time out to revisit it.

Time will tell, of course. 

And isn’t it strange that it’s always so hard to set time out to explore one’s own backyard than it is to jet off to another country and explore every nook and cranny there?

[writingdotcoffee]

SHORT STORY: The Dead Borough #2

Read part #1 here.

Jack was on the 29th floor of the fridge-shaped office tower at 20 Fenchurch Street, working on a feature on the Brexit negotiations when the explosions happened. The first five were mere echoes of something horrible from far away. The sixth one shook the foundations of the building. The seventh made Jack hide under his desk. The eight had blown the fancy ground-to-ceiling windows out over his head. Thank god for safety glass.

Blackfriars, Millennium, Southwark. He watched the bridges burn and crumble into the Thames, breathing the noxious smoke that the steady northbound breeze brought his way. The power was out, his phone wasn’t working. He sat next to the broken window, incredulous, shaking all over until it dawned on him that the top of a skyscraper wasn’t the safest place to be when things around it were blowing up. At that time, he didn’t know that those explosives were detonated by the British Armed Forces. He had no idea that they flooded the underground tunnels and set up barricades up north, sealing the City of London closed. Strictly nobody was allowed in or out until a cure was found.

The government believed that a deadly virus had spread from a plague pit uncovered during deep excavations at a building site in Fleet Street. Unlike anything that people had ever seen, the mutated pathogen embedded itself deep inside the tissue, causing black open sores all over the infected person’s body. In one in three, the virus would spread into the brain and cause irreversible damage to the prefrontal cortex reducing the bearer to a bloodthirsty monster, attacking anything and everything in its way.

With no known cure or remedy, the only honourable course of action after discovering the first sore was a bullet through one’s own head. Not many cared about honour back then, and that’s how the Dead Borough came to be.

The last rays of sunshine filled the desolate streets with amber. The light found its way past the burned cars and soot-covered facades. It reflected off the broken windows and roof AC units that rust hadn’t consumed yet. The sun dipped behind a tall concrete gate at Mile End Road, casting a long shadow across the wide boulevard. Two figures dressed in black emerged from behind a wrecked double-decker and made their way into what used to be a dirt cheap chicken shop on the ground floor of a three-floor townhouse on the corner. The shop window was already gone. No need to bother opening the squeaky door.

Jack followed Victoria through the greasy kitchen with friers still full of rotting oil. A dead rat floated in one of them, its mouth ajar with two sets of crooked incisors showing. A lesson learned the hard way. They crept up a narrow staircase at the back. Jack would wait for Vic to assess the situation on each floor before moving on until they reached the top and found the door they were looking for.

Their eyes met as they were standing with their back against the wall on either side of it. Jack’s breath grew heavier. They both wore black scarves to conceal their identity, but they knew what that subtle nod meant.

Without warning, Vic spun around and kicked the door open. The latch broke, sending splinters of wood flying across the room. Then both of them burst inside. Should anybody be home, Vic and Jack had the element of surprise on their side.

‘All clear,’ Vic said. She placed her Glock into the holster under her arm and pulled one of the heavy curtains open. A puff of dust lifted in the air. Jack squinted at the golden light that poured in from the outside. He turned his headlamp off and walked over to the sash window.

’This is perfect,’ he said. The window gave him a view of the gate and anything that might come through it. He put his backpack on the floor and started taking his gear out.

‘Hurry up and don’t touch anything,’ Vic said when she emerged from the kitchen, her gun back in her hand.

‘What do you mean?’

‘We’re in a drug den.’

That didn’t really surprise Jack. The place was squalid. The sofa in the middle of the room had ripped cushions, the carpet was stained with god knows what, the smell putrid. Every horizontal surface in the room had empty beer bottles and gnarled cigarette butts piled on it. The doorframe around the kitchen was blackened as if it had gone up in flames. There were no discarded needles or crack pipes. They were so scarce that the junkies protected them more than their own fingers.

After the bridges came down and the barricades rose up north, people were desperate for anything that could alleviate the misery, make them forget if only for a few hours that it was just a matter of time before they became infected too. The rapid increase in demand along with massively diminished supply turned drugs into a currency. Having access to any sort of snortable, smokable or injectable substance made people ready to do anything just to get some—most often shank you in the eye and take it.

‘Calm down. It looks like nobody’s been home for weeks,’ Jack said. Instead of cleaning up, junkies often just move two doors down.

Vic rolled her eyes.

‘I’ll need at least half an hour to set up.’

‘You’ve got 15 minutes.’

Jack trusted Victoria’s judgement, but that didn’t mean he didn’t find her military attitude annoying at times. Alas, she was the one with the gun. Frankly, even without a gun… Let’s just say he was happy that they were both on the same side.

She was a full foot shorter than Jack with a fringed bob of bloody red hair. Not the sort of red that oozes out of a paper cut. The deep crimson that squirts out of a severed jugular which made Jack refer to her affectionately as Vicious Vic. She wore a survival knife in a battered sheath attached horizontally to her belt. The massive blade had undoubtedly met with many a jugular.

In her past life, Vic was a professional soldier commanding one of the units they sent in to cover the others building the barricades. The radio simply went quiet when it was time for pickup. Nobody had told them that they weren’t coming back.

Jack spread out the telescopic legs of his tripod. He zipped his bag open and took out a brand-new, professional-grade DSLR and a giant telephoto lens. He had picked up both from an abandoned camera showroom at Strand. All this equipment would have set him back £8,000, but it was worthless when people had barely anything to eat. He mounted the camera onto the tripod and positioned it in front of the sash window. He switched the lens to manual mode and focused it on the ground just in front of the gate. With aperture at f/11.0, that should keep most of the scene safely in focus.

The first few test shots he took came out grainy, not because of the settings, but because of the thick film of dirt that covered the outside of the glass. After thinking about it for a while, Jack stuck his knife under the lower window pane. The wooden frame squealed as he lifted it up just enough to be able to wedge the lens hood under it.

‘Hey!’ Vic hissed from behind, making him jump.

‘Jesus Christ!’ Jack took a deep breath. ‘What?’

‘I said don’t touch anything.’

‘I’m not touching anything. The window was too bloody filthy.’

‘How long?’ Vic asked impatiently.

‘I’m almost done.’

He readjusted the tripod and fixed the exposition parameters on the camera. The sun had set already, but expecting that it would get a little darker later on, Jack adjusted the settings accordingly. He put the camera into time-lapse mode. It would snap a photo every second throughout the night and save it onto one of the two 512GB storage cards inside. All he needed was one photo taken at the right time that would give him an irrefutable proof that people were entering and leaving. Publish that, and the Internet would take care of the rest.

The camera snapped away, and Vic sneaked back out to the corridor while Jack went over everything one more time. Out of all their hunts for electricity in the past, he had never seen her as nervous as today. Her anxiety was contagious.

Composition, focus, exposition, quiet shutter mode, display off, front status diode—shit. It was on. A short flash of bright green with every photo taken wasn’t exactly inconspicuous. Jack was sure he turned that one off last night. He must have forgotten to save the settings.

It took a five-minute crawl through the camera’s endless menus before he found the right option to turn off. Then he formatted the storage cards and restarted the time lapse.

A muffled echo of Vic’s voice sounded from the stairwell. Jack couldn’t quite understand, but he replied anyway. ‘I’m coming.’

He switched his headlamp on and cut a thick bin liner bag along its long side. He wanted to wrap the camera body so that if it resolved to blink again, it wouldn’t attract any unwanted attention.

The distant howl of sentries—the massive patrol drones that scoured the borough during the night marked the beginning of tonight’s curfew. And then came the shots. Two blasts sounded out of the corridor in rapid succession.

Jack threw himself to the ground, instinctively wrapping his arms around his head. Seconds passed. His ears were ringing.

‘Vic?’ Jack shouted, but he could barely hear himself. His heart was racing. He grabbed his knife from the filthy carpet. In one swift motion, he leapt back to his feet and went for the door. He called after her again. She didn’t answer.

Jack’s knees trembled as he crept into the darkness outside of the flat, illuminated by a narrow strip of white light coming out of his headlamp.

‘Vic? Are you all right?’

The air stirred behind him. Jack turned around frantically. The headlamp illuminated a pair of wide-open eyes, unkempt beard and toothless grin. Something came down on his head, and everything turned black.

The Dead Borough #3 is out now!

(C) Radek Pazdera

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to a weekly message from me with free stories like that, subscribe to my mailing list.

[flagpoleaccessory]

Purchasing the Right Flagpole - Things You Required to Know

If you read this, you are probably currently thinking about acquiring a flagpole or replacing your old one. With a lot of styles, materials, attributes and prices available on the Internet, you may find yourself overwhelmed as you try to refine everything. This write-up will certainly steam it all down to 10 questions, which when responded to, will make your flagpole going shopping a wind! Each paragraph is a checklist. Feel free to print this article out to assist you with your acquisition.

1.) Budget plan. Asking how much a facade Flagpole prices is like asking how much a cars and truck costs. The solution is, "that depends." Lots of details aspect right into the expense of a flagpole, such as the total elevation, the size of the post, the thickness of the tubes, where it was manufactured, just how it is delivered as well as just how far, and also various other factors to consider also various to discuss. It is secure to state you can get a flagpole from about $50 to around $2,500 on the web, it just depends on what you wish to invest. For a lot of home owners, you will be able to buy a fairly good-quality flagpole set for around $100 - $300. Do not fail to remember to allow added for appropriate tax obligations, shipping fees, and service provider costs for installation (or the expense of a steak on the grill if you have your brother-in-law mount it for you!).

My allocate a flagpole is: $____________.

2.) Regional Codes and Neighborhood Associations. As soon as you have actually decided on a spending plan, you require to check for any neighborhood regulations, historical area constraints or area regulations restricting the erection of a flagpole. The quickest means to learn if your proposed flagpole setup remains in offense of any kind of codes is to Google the name of your region plus "constructing codes." Some areas have documentation available online. There is generally a phone number you can call during organisation hours to talk with someone that can address that concern for you. If you come from a neighborhood association, that info should remain in your arrangement, or you can constantly call the association simply to be safe. If you figure out that an in-ground flagpole is not an alternative, you may still be able to take into consideration a wall-mounted, or post-mounted flag collection.

_____ There a restrictions on setting up a flagpole in my area.

_____ Flagpoles are restricted to a height of _____ feet in my location.

_____ Flagpoles are banned where I live, however I can mount a wall or post-mounted flag set.

3.) Building. The following thing to think of is what sort of flagpole do you favor. Back then, flagpoles were primarily one-piece building, normally steel or light weight aluminum. You can still find these today, yet they have actually mainly been changed by sectional flagpoles or telescoping flagpoles which can be shipped, moved, and also put up much easier as well as less costly than their one-piece precursors. Sectional flagpoles are usually tapered on one end to fit well into the section above it, leaving just a mild seam that shows up close. Each area is commonly 5 feet to 6 feet in length. Telescoping flagpoles have actually become significantly popular as a result of their simplicity of elevating and also decreasing the flag, their loved one affordable, as well as their mobility. When you acquire optional devices like wheel stands, deck mounts as well as carrying instances, you can take your telescoping flagpole to tailgate parties, the Motor Home park, or your boat dock. Possibly the largest benefit a telescoping pole has more than a sectional or one-piece pole is that there are no clips to clatter in the wind, no ropes to tangle around the flag, as well as no pulley means up top to fall short.

Whether you are taking a look at sectional aluminum flagpoles or telescoping aluminum flagpoles, when identifying overall quality you intend to take a look at 2 factors: size of the post and thickness of the pipe wall surface. Generally, thicker gauge walls are more powerful than bigger tubes. The top quality of the aluminum made use of in the construction of the poles matters a large amount also. Rather than attempt to clarify on the technical differences in toughness and also corrosion-resistance between different grades of aluminum, suffice it to claim, if one flagpole costs more than another similar flagpole, there is most likely a good reason for it.

_____ I favor a sectional flagpole.

_____ I favor a telescoping flagpole.

_____ I favor a wall-mounted flagpole.

4.) Height. So you found out there are no constraints on flagpoles where you live, as well as you choose to go big. Truly big. You want to get a 50-foot flagpole and fly a 10-foot by 12-foot flag from it. Remarkable. Exactly how huge is your house? Attempt and picture what that massive auto dealership-sized flagpole will resemble in proportion to your home. Conversely, if you have a substantial residence, a flagpole that is as well little might look unpleasant. As a general policy, if your home is single-story, a 16-foot to 20-foot post is great. For high single-story homes or typical two-story homes, a 20-foot to 25-foot post functions well. Taller two-story homes can look good with a 25-foot or 30-foot flagpole.

_____ My house is single-story; I need a 16-foot to 20-foot flagpole.

_____ My house is a tall single-story or a tale as well as a half; I need a 20 -foot to 25-foot flagpole.

_____ My residence is a two-story home; I need a 25-foot to 30-foot flagpole.

5.) Ease of Setup. When determining to deal with a project like installing a flagpole, it aids to recognize what all is involved prior to ordering a shovel and also leaping right in. In some cases it is far better to pay somebody to do it right than to save a few bucks as well as need to cope with the results for the next 20 years. Sectional flagpoles and also telescoping flagpoles are placed into a ground sleeve that is established in concrete which prolongs below the frost line. Depending upon your area, the frost line will certainly vary. One of the most essential part of flagpole installation is making certain the ground sleeve is established perfectly degree in the concrete. One slight error below and also you will have the "leaning tower of flagpole." Mounting a wall-mounted flagpole is much easier as well as can be dealt with by virtually every home owner with a few basic devices. Most brackets take 3 or 4 placing screws.

_____ I have the tools and also know-how to set up an in-ground flagpole myself.

_____ I will certainly employ an expert to install my flagpole for me.

_____ I will go with a wall-mounted flagpole that I can install myself.

6.) Wind and Climate Issues. When examining a flagpole for purchase, take into consideration the normal climate condition where you live. Is your location vulnerable to constant high winds? Do you survive a hill or at an altitude where it is typically gusty? Do you have a lot of wide-open areas around you with nothing to block the wind? If you answered yes to any of these concerns, you will certainly intend to consider paying a little extra for a higher-quality flagpole. Ask the dealership for the wind score on the post you are thinking about. This is usually offered as mph with and without a flag. You might likewise want to think about a telescoping flagpole that will certainly enable you promptly reduced the flag or get rid of the flag in the face of unfavorable conditions.

_____ Wind is an aspect where I live; I will require a flagpole with a greater wind score.

_____ I am surrounded by trees and/or neighbors; wind is not really a concern.

7.) 24-Hour Display. The United States Code of Federal Rules specifies in Title4, Phase 1, Component 6.1,.

" It is the global custom-made to show the flag just from sunup to sunset on buildings as well as on fixed flagstaffs outdoors. Nevertheless, when a patriotic result is preferred, the flag may be presented twenty-four hrs a day if properly lit up during the hrs of darkness.". If you intend on showing your flag regularly, you will certainly need to plan on setting up some type of lighting fixture.Low-voltage flagpole lights usually cost about $100 and include a photo cell that instantly begins at night and also goes off at dawn. Unless you are a knowledgeable electrical expert, you need to most likely hire an expert to mount this for you and also variable that into the total cost.

When planning on flying the Stars and Stripes 24 hr a day, you additionally need to ensure you have a flag that can hold up against all kinds of climate. Equally as presenting the flag suggests respect for America, displaying a tattered and faded flag is a declaration of disrespect for our nation. A lot of nylon flags have brass grommets as well as appropriate for all weather; nonetheless, it is best to prevent screen-printed flags for all-weather screens as they have a tendency to battle royal and also discolor more quickly than one that is stitched and embroidered.

_____ I intend to present my flag 24/7 as well as will require to acquire a low-voltage flagpole light and an all-weather flag.

_____ I will be taking my flag down at sunset and throughout severe weather condition, no lights needed.

[danobrienkia]

Dan O'Brien Kia 158 Manchester Street Concord, NH 03301 (888) 568-7162 137 Lafayette Rd North Hampton, NH 03862 (833) 751-0998 105 Boston Providence Norwood MA, 02062 (781) 762-8100 http://danobrienkia.com Hey, what’s going on guys? It’s Mike at Dan O’Brien Kia. Here with the all-new 2019 Kia Forte S. This Forte S also comes with a premium package that gives you the sunroof and the really nice wheels. This car is really great on gas. If you just need a commuter car to get to work and home, this is the car to go with. A couple other safety features my customers love about this car in the engine itself it has what's called break away mounts. Break away mounts - say if you ever get into a front end collision they are made to snap and will drop the engine instead of going on to the driver or the passenger. Which is very good. It's got crumple zones on the car as well. The crumple zones will fold like an accordion. Instead of breaking away and falling off on to the sides of the road. There's a lot of cool things about this 2019 Kia Forte. It’s got a telescopic steering wheel so that you can adjust it to how you like. There’s a lever on the left side, pull it down and you can pull the steering wheel out, up, down or back in depending on how you like it. Me, I like it all the way down and all the way out. It makes it a lot easier. A couple of key features about this car. Instead of having regular navigation you get what’s called an Apple Car Play and Android Auto. It allows an Apple user or an Android user to use their phone as navigation instead of having the embedded navigation. A couple of other features on the Kia Forte is the Dual Climate Control. So you can have one side super hot, one side super cold or you can have them both on the same side. There is a sync button on the side here. Another key feature about this 2019 Kia Forte is you get the different drive modes. Now the drive modes in the car - there are 3 different ones. There's your normal, your sport, and your comfort. It shows you on the screen here. Sport mode gives all your power to the engine so that it goes to the ultimate horsepower that it has. Another couple of key features about this is the sunroof you have here, it is powered so you don’t have to do it manual. You get all of your Bluetooth features on the steering wheel of the car. You can answer the phone, hang up, you can use your voice activation and then the mode button switches between USB, your aux cable and Bluetooth. A couple of other key features about the 2019 Kia Forte is down here you get your two 12 volt charging batteries, your USB and your aux cable. There’s a lot of cool things about this 2019 Kia Forte. We’d like you to come down and take a test drive here at Dan O’Brien Kia Route 1 on the auto mile 105 Providence HWY, Norwood, Massachusetts. Come on down and here at Dan O’Brien We’re Keeping it Awesome. "

[dd3412-honours-novy-jiri]

Making a head-mounted rig

Even though I did not need a head rig as I can track footage from a static camera, for the research purposes I decided to build a simple head-mounted performance capture rig from cheap components. I used the cheapest components I could find. A BMX helmet as a base, teacher’s telescopic pointer, phone holder from a telescopic camera stick and the gorilla tape. My investment was under £20 altogether.

All I had to do, was to simply stick the telescopic pointer to the helmet with the gorilla tape. Problem was to find a way, how to connect the phone holder to the pointer stick. I asked my friend who helpfully drilled a hole through the tip of the pointer stick and screwed the phone holder to it for me. Voilà, the cheap home-made head-mounted rig was born!

As I expected, using a phone as a camera is not ideal as it is too heavy and even a tightly strapped helmet is sliding to the forehead under the weight of the phone. Improvement for the next time could be using some type of simple rotation device instead of a tape, so it would be possible to easily adjust the camera angle.

[ultralifehackerguru-blog]

New Post has been published on http://www.lifehacker.guru/top-10-coolest-gadgets-50/

TOP 10 COOLEST GADGETS UNDER $50

Get your life in gear with these top 10 gadgets of 2017 that won’t break the bank!

#10: Ridiculously fast & nimble JJRC Mini Drone

Drone fever is catching all the boys (and men) nowadays.

If you’re looking for extreme fun for you and your kids, without breaking the bank, you’re going to fly high with this gadget. The Nano Hexacopter is an amazing little flyer – crazy fast and very stable, it is the ultimate Mini Drone out there, and with a ridiculous price tag of $49.99 it’s also the cheapest one around.

It’s great fun for beginners and experienced drone users, the propeller guards are flexible so it won’t break so easily (but obviously try not to smash into walls too often…)

Get it at SuperGadget.Store

#9: 8x Optical Zoom Clip-On Telescope for Smartphones (Android or iPhone)

Now you can easily give your smartphone superpowers by turning it into a telescopic lens!

Ever wondered what’s going on in your neighbors’ back yard? Spying on people with this gadget couldn’t be easier…

With this lens you can get 8X Zoom on any target – very useful at any sports match / concert / festival, or to take amazing nature photos, as well as amateur spying 😉

This bad boy is suitable for all smartphones (Android & iPhone), folds up super compact and is very light weight so you can take with you anywhere.

Just get your hands on one here.

#8: Human Motion Activated Toilet Light With 8 Different Colors

Have you ever used the bathroom in the middle of the night? But when you returned to bed, you found it hard to go back to sleep?

That’s because you turned on a bright light, tricking your body into thinking it’s daytime.

The solution? A night-light.

But you don’t want just any ordinary night-light. No! Night-lights are limited to where they can be placed (outlets). And you can never place one where you need it most — your toilet! The one spot where you can easily leave a huge, wet mess.

Luckily, this light, with the help of its human motion-activated sensor, softly illuminates the inside of your toilet bowl whenever you go near it. And turns back off the moment you leave. Powered by just 3 AAA batteries, and easily clipped onto the side of almost any toilet, everyone can turn their bathroom into a mystical one.

Get it now at Super Gadget Store.

#7: Senbono Smart Watch With Loads of Functions

Want to get a smart watch without breaking the bank?

Check out this stylish new timepiece from Senbono.

It simply cannot be beaten on value for money and boasts a bunch of functions of much more expensive models, such as Bluetooth, a built in camera, calendar and WhatsApp, Fackbook & Twitter compatibility.

Add to this a decent battery and stylish design and you can understand why this one is giving the big brands a run for their money.

Get it here.

#6: Silicone Sticky Gel Pads

These reusable nano-tech Anti-slip Sticky Gel Pads are safe to use on ALL surfaces and can stick pretty much anything to anywhere!

They are thin, yet durable which makes them great for sticking onto unusual or irregular shapes. They come in two useful shapes and can be cut to any size for your unique requirements, providing a safe holding solution for your devices.

They are waterproof and easy to clean and work like magic!

Interested? Grab yours here for less than $20 + Free shipping.

#5: Ultra Thin Mobile Phone (Size and thickness of a credit card!)

Need a decent, value-for-money phone for you or your child?

Maybe you want to keep it simple, or you’re getting tired of constantly looking at your smartphone?

This tiny mobile phone is the size and thickness of a credit card so it’s perfect for anything on the go.

Top Features:

Ultra slim design

Weighs only 28 grams

Long standby time (3-4 days)

Talk Time: 3-4 hours

Vibration & Mute functions

Alarm, Calendar, Calculator

Get it here.

#4: Wireless Bluetooth Receiver (Throw Away Your Aux Cord!)

This new hands-free invention uses a 3.5mm bluetooth receiver and will allow you to play your favorite music on-the-go without the need to fuss over an AUX cable! Comes equipped with HD Microphone and latest noise cancellation technology to give you the most immersive mobile sound experience!

Want to play music from your phone using your car stereo? Easy. Just plug this bad boy into the mic port of your car, sync it with your phone and you will be able to use your car’s speakers right away.

A car kit is just the tip of the iceberg. This baby works well with normal headphones, or your home stereo. I tested it on every wired speaker I could find…instant Bluetooth connectivity. The built in mic made Bluetooth calls a reality in my dinosaur of a truck.

Oh, and in case you were wondering about the price, they’re almost giving them away at Super Gadget Store for only $19.95 (free shipping worldwide).

Hurry, very limited stock availability! Click here for more info and how to buy.

#3: Ultra Bright Aluminum Tactical Flashlight (with various accessories)

A flashlight bright enough to blind a bear!

Rechargeable & Waterproof. Go on, you know you need one…

Flashlight Features:

Made of high quality 6061T aluminum alloy, it’s sturdy and durable

Lamp base: high power LED. With a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours or more, no need to consider replacing the cap for the whole life.

Water resistant, but don’t put it into water

5 Mode: High / Medium/ Low / Strobe/ SOS

You can choose various accessories (including bike mount, sturdy box, USB charger etc.) – all at a ridiculously low price – on this site.

#2: Mini Car DVR Dash Camera (Full HD 1080P)

The Mini Car DVR Dash Camera is the ultimate personal security camera for your car. It attaches easily and automatically records both audio and video of everything that happens on your car journey. Great for recording road trips or accidents.

There are many Dash Cams out there, but this one cannot be beaten on value for money. It works like a charm, records in high definition and costs less than $50 bucks!

Get it now while stocks last!

#1: Portable Water-Proof Shower Speaker (with suction cup)

This baby will take your sing-along shower sessions to a whole new level!

Features:

Easy access to Hand free Talking / Volume up / Volume down / fast forward (skip) / Backward / Pause / Play / Power buttons. Water resistant loud speaker and built-in mic for both outdoor and indoor use.

Universal compatibility with Android and iPhone tablets, smartphones, iPods, MP3, MP4 and other Bluetooth enabled digital players.

High definition Bluetooth 3.0 audio wireless connectivity with seamless streaming and 6 hours of playtime.

Handsfree Portable Speakerphone with Built-in Mic, 6hrs of playtime, Control Buttons and Dedicated Suction Cup for Showers, Bathroom, Pool, Boat, Car, Beach, & Outdoor Use

Get it here for only $25.99!

  (C)

[usamotorscycle-blog]

2017 Vanderhall Venice Review

If you’re of the opinion the Vanderhall Venice is not a motorcycle and shouldn’t be reviewed by a magazine with the URL Motorcycle.com, don’t read this story and spare us the snide remarks in the comments section. If, on the other hand, you’re open-minded and accepting of the fact the Vanderhall is a reverse trike with bucket seats and a steering wheel, and, by default, a motorcycle as far as the California DMV is concerned, keep reading. Feel free to then leave a comment, snide or otherwise. It’s like voting, if you don’t participate, you have no right to complain. https://youtu.be/ImINKD6wesY  We spied Vanderhall Motor Works last November at the 2016 International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, California. Having never heard of the company, our curiosity was piqued, and we were rewarded with the information that Vanderhall was, in fact, a startup roadster company that calls Provo, Utah home. According to the history page of Vanderhall’s website, R&D prototyping dates all the way back to 2010 with a very different chassis configuration and powerplant from the production model tested here. That’s seven years of development time and money invested prior to public consumption. As far as we’re concerned, all that homework resulted in a solid product that performs as good as it looks, which – considering the success of Polaris’ Slingshot – should pay dividends going forward.

Vanderhall’s first prototype in 2010 was a single-seater, chain-driven ruffian that was admittedly “not stable in corners,” but it was powered by a Kawasaki ZX-10 motor. We should get one thing understood before progressing any further. It may look expensive, but the base model Venice at $29,950 is relatively affordable considering it’s only $1,451 more than a Polaris Slingshot SLR. Speaking of the Slingshot, we requested the SLR model for what we thought would be a compelling shootout, but Polaris declined to play along. Kind of surprising considering the base model Slingshot won our 2014 Polaris Slingshot vs. Can-Am Spyder F3-S vs. Morgan 3 Wheeler shootout. From that review we stated, “there was consensus among all editors that when it comes to best bang for the buck, it’s almost impossible to beat the new Slingshot. At only $19,999 for the base model and $23,999 for the upgraded SL version, there’s not much, if anything, that can compete with the Slingshot in terms of fun, performance and wow factor at those prices.” 2015 Polaris Slingshot Review – First Ride/Drive That was then, but the arrival of the Vanderhall Venice introduces an equally qualified contender frolicking in Polaris’ playground. Hopefully we’ll be able to circle back around to conducting a future shootout because inquiring minds want to know how they match up (Hint: FWD vs. RWD).

The real wood steering wheel is cool, otherwise the interior is a cost-saving exercise obvious by the low-grade plastic dash. Analog clocks provide the basic needed information, while the James Bond switches do nothing until connected to appropriate optional upgrades. The two directional fans visible below the dashboard, in conjunction with the heated seats, keep driver and passenger snug in crisp weather. The price threshold for Vanderhall’s Laguna, Laguna Sport Premium, and Laguna Bespoke models is in the $50k neighborhood, making those a whole ’nother review. Practical car options in the Venice’s price range include a Chevrolet Camaro ($25,905), Ford Mustang EcoBoost ($26,195), Nissan 370Z ($29,990) – all of which are sporty in their own right but come with doors and roofs and weigh roughly 2,000 pounds extra, and certainly do not have people going out of their way to wave while taking pictures speeding down the freeway. Besides, this car… er, motorcycle, isn’t about practicality. Go visit our sister site Autoguide.com if being practical is what you’re after.

That the Venice comes outfitted with a GM 6-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission is a little practical, but fear not, the Vanderhall accessories catalog is full useful upgrades such as this dealer installed semi-manual bump shifter ($995). From our perspective, the Venice appeals to the adventurous person who desires something sporty and cool that’s not as common as a Ford Mustang but can’t afford a Porsche. Much in the same way is the appeal of the Slingshot, however, the Venice brings to the table a more elegant, classic style that’s not nearly as Batmobile-ish as the Slingshot. Viewed from the front, the Vanderhall strikes a more modern, aerodynamic silhouette than a Morgan, which it has to because, while hanging an air-cooled V-Twin out front of a Morgan is sexy, an exposed GM Ecotec four-cylinder is not. The color-matched fenders on our test unit were the only optional items; a stock Venice comes outfitted with unpainted black fenders. Underneath all that white paint resides ABS composite bodywork, whereas the uptown Laguna model is clothed in hand-laid carbon fiber.

From the rear the Vanderhall is far more aesthetically pleasing than the Polaris Slingshot. The side-mount pipes run down both sides of the Venice in similar fashion to the Morgan. Like the Morgan, the cockpit of the Venice is tight to the point of rubbing elbows with your passenger, and there’s a minimal amount of storage room behind the seats. There was enough legroom for my 5-foot-11 height, while there is some fore/aft adjustment in the seat, and the steering wheel tilts up/down as well as adjusts telescopically. Three-Wheeler Threeway Also similar to the Slingshot and Morgan is the Venice’s proclivity for fair weather. There are no doors and no roof because the windshield is not designed as a support structure (the Laguna model has an available roof and different windshield), no windshield wipers, etc. The heated seats and dual directional heaters do a great job of keeping things pleasant during cool days, but pray it doesn’t rain. At my height, the windshield put windflow right at the top of my noggin, keeping me out of direct air traffic, but it is a motorcycle, so a helmet and moto-gear is always an option for keeping warm, dry and safe(r).

The Venice remained sure-footed no matter what this non-car-guy threw at it. Front-wheel-drive via two 225/40-18 tires clawing the pavement, and a single 285/35-18 rear provide a lot more traction than what I’m used to with a motorcycle’s two wheels. In the canyon twisties the 1,475-pound Vanderhall was a blast to drive aggressively, arcing through corners with precision, and when it’s time to accelerate out of the corner the front-wheel-drive Venice seems to grip and go. The Venice is outfitted with ABS, switchable TC, brake assist, and steering assist, but it doesn’t have the Slingshot’s switchable electronic stability control. Having said that, I can now see why Polaris and Can-Am outfit their vehicles with these electronic safety nets. For the first time ever aboard a three-wheeler – whether it be a Slingshot, Spyder, MP3, Tilting Motor Works, Tri-Glide or Ural – I rode into a ditch on the opposite side of the road. It was the nth-time through the same corner for a photo op, so maybe I pushed the Venice past its claimed lateral cornering stability rating of 0.95 G because there doesn’t seem to be any other legitimate reason for the mishap, but the incident didn’t slow my pace, and there was no repeat occurrence, so I chalk it up to my own over-aggression.

This is the area where I went off track. The actual corner is out of frame to the right. Luckily, the combination of no guardrail and some runoff in front of the hillside resulted in no damage to the Venice. The fault’s on me, but like I said, I’m a motorcycle guy who’s easily confused when there’s more than two wheels. The irony is, we’ve complained about the electronic grannies on the Spyder, and as soon as we get a trike without those safety nets, I bin it. The aftermath was no damage to the vehicle, largely because there was nothing to smash into, as well as the underside resembling a huge skid plate protecting its delicate parts. Piloting the Venice is about as visceral experience a you’re going to get outside a bonafide two-wheeler with wind, road and engine noises whirling around with proximate smells, and a 360-degree view. There is no built-in stereo, but the Venice is outfitted with a Bluetooth module and 600-watt door-mounted speakers. Sync your phone via Bluetooth, select your favorite tunes, and you’re rockin’. The exposed speakers are waterproof and are loud enough to be heard at freeway speeds, but they reside right where you want to rest your leg.

Powering the Venice is a turbocharged 1.4-liter GM Ecotec four-cylinder. Power output is a claimed 180 hp at 4,950 rpm, and 185 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,450 rpm. The hood lifts off after removing a number of securing bolts. A mechanical, almost musical sound you’ll never grow tired of is hearing the turbo’s excess boost exit through the wastegate. In fact, you’ll find yourself accelerating to decelerate just so it’ll kick in. In straight-line situations the performance of the turbo is fun and playful, helping accelerate the relatively lightweight Venice to a claimed 0-60-mph time of 4.5 seconds. On a twisty road, the combination of turbo lag and automatic transmission keeps the Venice from performing to its potential. Vanderhall offers an optional semi-manual bump shifter that should provide more precise control of gear selection and keep the engine spinning to better take advantage of the turbo’s power. Only sampling the automatic, we can report that it’s adequate for sporty driving, yet fantastic for straight-line acceleration or when stuck in traffic. 2017 Vanderhall Venice + Highs Turbo sounds cool, is fast, playful, and did we say sounds cool? Nice blend of classic and modern styling Chicks dig it, guys dig it, children dig it, dogs dig it, etc., etc. – Sighs Combination turbo lag and automatic transmission isn’t great for spirited canyon driving Power oversteer impossible with FWD. Automatic transmission is stock, bump shifter is optional Having just spent time aboard a Harley-Davidson Tri-Glide during my stint with EagleRider, which – as a traditional trike with handlebars and saddle – many will consider more motorcycle than the Vanderhall or Slingshot, I’d gladly opt for the Vanderhall. I can’t lane-split on the Vanderhall or Tri-Glide, so that narrows it down to which version of trike did I enjoy more, and I can unequivocally answer that the Vanderhall Venice was tons more fun to drive slow or fast. At $34,339 a 2017 Tri-Glide Ultra is significantly more expensive, and when it comes to cool factor, there’s no contest. Let’s also not forget the two reverse trikes available from Campagna, the V13R powered by a Harley V-Rod motor, and the T-Rex, now offered with BMW’s silky inline-Six powerplant. E-i-C Duke will soon be bringing you his riding impressions of both. So, if you’ve made it this far, we suggest contacting Vanderhall to schedule a test drive, because there’s a lot more to the experience than what we can relate here. And, especially if you’ve already spent time aboard one, it’s a significantly different experience to the Slingshot. Otherwise, stay tuned for (hopefully) a future shootout.

Dual pushrod, coil-over hydraulic shocks up front and a single-side swingarm with a single coil-over hydraulic shock out back are sporty enough for going quick without being stiff to the point of uncomfortable when cruising. Braking performance is more than adequate with dual single-piston calipers gripping 305mm discs up front and a single-piston caliper and 275mm disc in the rear. 2017 Vanderhall Venice Specifications MSRP $29,950 Horsepower 180 @ 4950 rpm Torque 185 @ 2450 rpm Engine Capacity 1.4 liters Engine Type GM Ecotec four-cylinder with a single integrated turbocharger Bore x Stroke 72.0 x 82.6mm Compression 9.5:1 Transmission GM 6-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission Frame Vanderhall Mono Aluminum Front Suspension Pushrod, coil-over hydraulic shocks Rear Suspension Single-sided swingarm, coil-over hydraulic shock Front Brakes Dual single-piston calipers, 305mm discs Rear Brakes Single-piston caliper, 275mm disc Front Tire 225/40-18 Rear Tire 285/35-18 Wheelbase 100.4 in. Curb Weight 1,475 lbs. Fuel Capacity 9 gal. Electronics ABS, traction control, brake assist, steering assist, Colors Metallic Black, Pearl White, Metallic Gray, Red Click to Post

[itsclydebitches]

Summary:

Just days after Balem returned to his adult self, Jupiter is thrown head-first into another adventure - one she, frankly, really doesn’t have the energy for. But when has the universe ever taken her desires into account? Mysteries, promises, and desperate moves forward; bees, splices, and awkward family dinners. It’s enough to make even her seasoned head spin.

…which doesn’t even include the chance to play at ‘Mother’ once more. Only question is: will Jupiter take it?

(DIRECT SEQUEL TO “ROCK THE CRADLE”)

Fandom: Jupiter Ascending

Words: 11,647 so far

Warnings: Will eventually mention previous neglect/abuse of children

Pairings: Jupiter/Caine

Where to Read it: Below the cut or on AO3 (AO3 recommended for formatting)

Chapter Seven 

Jupiter had gotten pretty good at crossing doorways. Oh, that was just a simple, stupid thing, right? Not in her world. Not anymore. Crossing doorways invoked memories of passing into the fertility clinic, breath short and hands clammy as she desperately tried to envision a telescope sticking out her bedroom window. It was walking through the sterile doors of a spaceship for the first time, fighting the enticing feeling that she was just dreaming—because that would get her killed. It was being ushered into the Apini household with no clear sense of who was friend or foe and ordering Caine out of her room on the Aegis; it was coming home to find that a madman had stolen her family.

It was walking into a palace and finding that the same madman had stolen her son away too, reverting back to what he’d once been.

Yeah, Jupiter knew a thing or two about crossing thresholds and she plunged through Stinger’s without a whit of hesitation.

Bring it.

The bees followed and instinctually Jupiter gave a mental shout for them to stay back. Surprisingly they listened, stopping right at the edge and coating the entryway, striped bodies thrumming from the roof to the floor. They kept moving though, just enough to create a steady buzz that helped to sooth some of Jupiter’s nerves. She could feel the bees acting and communicating as one entity, just waiting for her to give an order. To protect. Even die, if need be. Jupiter still had a hand on Caine and Kiza’s arms. She could feel their willingness to do the same.

“What the hell?” Kiza whispered.

It was oppressively hot in the height of the afternoon and at first Jupiter wanted to attribute that sticky feeling purely to the heat. She realized though that wanting a bath was probably because she needed one. A thin cloud of dust had risen up and was wafting over the house, covering everyone and everything in a fine layer. Jupiter coughed into her fist and tried to wave some of it off.

“Can you see?” she garbled, trying not to breathe too much of it in.

“Yes,” Caine answered.

“Can you tell us what you see?”

“Yes,” he said again and Jupiter was about to whack him for his literal-ness when Stinger’s voice sounded a little ways ahead.

“Something landed out in the cornfields,” he called. Then, so quietly Jupiter almost didn’t catch it: “Why are they always going after my corn?”

“A bee splice created at the height of our technologic age... who grows corn and uses a flip phone.” Kiza shook her head. “Dad ought to be ashamed.”

Her voice was light, but Jupiter didn’t miss the way she knelt slowly to the ground, retrieving the tiniest of blasters from her boot. Though small, Jupiter had little doubt that, like its owner, it would pack one hell of a punch. Caine pulled his own weapon from its sheath and together they inched towards the blue lights of Stinger’s gun.

Feeling lame, Jupiter scooped up a branch. She saw Caine’s ears twitch in amusement.

“Shut up,” she muttered.

“Shhh.”

It was slow going. Jupiter might know the Stinger farm well by now, but not well enough to navigate it blind. She let the others lead and they all kept in a tight pack once they reached the first row of corn, Stinger waiting patiently for everyone else to catch up. The dust was beginning to settle, but none of them were tall enough to see out over the field. All they could do was keep inching forward towards where the dust was coming from and keep their eyes open for any danger.

Jupiter was all too aware of previous attacks in this place. In fact, she spotted a few dead ears that still bore scorch marks from the bounty hunters. She shivered.

Kalique surely wouldn’t go the kidnapping route again, right? Sure, sure, history claimed otherwise, but what was the point of sending a splice out to tell her the change in venue if she was just going to grab Jupiter and run? Seemed like an illogical way of doing things, and Kalique was nothing if not logical.

Manipulative, conniving, and often cruel, but logical.

“Everything’s fine,” Jupiter whispered, drawing it out in the sing-songy voice she adopted when she was nervous. “Totally, completely fine...”

Kiza made a Caine-like whine in the back of her throat. “Would you stop that? You’re freaking me out.”

“You’re freaked out? I’m the one human here, armed with a goddamn stick.”

“And I’m the splice who watched Children of the Corn last week!”

“Why would you do that??”

“Enough.”

Caine’s voice cut through their bickering. It wasn’t often that he used a stern tone with Jupiter, even rarer that he cut her off, so whenever he did it was worth paying attention. It usually involved saving her life. Sure enough, he nodded towards something just a few feet ahead of them that, if Jupiter had to guess, was probably dangerous.

“The hell...?” Stinger whispered at the same time that Kiza gave another groan, clearly not liking whatever it was she saw.

It took Jupiter a little longer to see for herself. Eventually though most of the dust had dissipated and the beginnings of a mount began to form. As in, the kind of mound surrounding a giant crater that had just appeared in their backyard. Jupiter stared open-mouthed at the loose dirt and bits of corn stalk, wondering what the hell had just landed here.

And wasn’t that hilarious: the aliens wary of things dropping from outer space. Jupiter released a nervous giggle.

Stinger kept his weapon at the ready, Caine at his side. Together they split off on either side of the crater, though they didn’t wander far. It was too deep yet to see what was inside and Jupiter was so not okay with that.

She hefted her stick a little higher. “What’s in it?” she whispered.

“If we knew that don’t you think we’d tell you?” Kiza hissed back.

“No. Not really.”

“Goddammit, Your Majesty.”

“There was a ship,” Stinger said. Caine raised his head, sniffed the air, and nodded a confirmation. “That was the first boom we heard. It must have entered the atmosphere fast enough to bypass Earth’s defenses. The second sound was dropping... this.”

Jupiter dared to take her eyes off the crater for a moment. Stinger was tense beside her. “Wait, ships can do that?”

“Some. If they’re fast enough. Not many.”

“Well where the hell was the Aegis?”

“Off world until tonight. They’re a law craft, Your Majesty. I’m afraid that guarding you is not their sole duty.”

Jupiter felt a hot blush rising up her cheeks. “I know that, I just—”

“Something’s moving.”

Indeed something was. It was just a slight movement, like a shadow, passing by in the leftover dust and dark of the crater. Whatever it was looked big though and Jupiter took an instinctual step back.

“Caine...?” she whispered. He was already there.

As was something else.

It happened too fast for her to follow, perhaps even too fast for Caine, because he wasn’t able to get between her and the thing in time. One second Jupiter was looking out over the crater and the rest of the corn, the next her vision was entirely obliterated with brown as something slammed into her waist. She was thrown off her feet, her useless stick flying off to the side. Jupiter landed hard on her ass with the wind knocked out of her—and something horribly heavy sitting on her chest. There was the sound of a gun going off, immediately followed by a grunt from Stinger as his own weapon kicked back. Two yells of fright and one of rage. Eyes squeezed shut, Jupiter listened to it all fly by in an instant. She felt hot breath near the junction of her neck and chest, the air smelled animalistic, she bent her knees in a desperate attempt to try and flip her attacker and—

“Your Majesty.”

—and she knew that voice.

Jupiter’s eyes flew open. There was a split second as the terror spiked when she caught sight of a massive, hulking form and sharp teeth looming over her face... and then the form shivered; the teeth drew up into a grin.

“Guano?” Jupiter breathed. The bat splice seemed to light up from within.

“You remember me? Oh, Your Majesty, I wasn’t sure if you would!”

“You’re... a little hard to forget—” and whatever else Jupiter might have said was cut off as Caine and Stinger appeared on either side of Guano, grabbing her roughly by the ridge of her wings and hauling her back. She let out a squeak, stumbled a moment before beating once, the powerful wind sending them all off balance. Jupiter gaped as Guano rounded on the other three, her grin no longer quite as welcoming. She straightened to her full height and haughtily eyed the gun Kiza had pointed between her eyes.

“You already know that feeble weapon won’t work on me, little bee.” Then Guano drooped a little. “I thought we were friends?”

“Yeah, not when you attack my Queen!” Kiza shrieked.

“Attack?”

“Kinda felt like an attack,” Jupiter wheezed before immediately waving them to lower their weapons. It occurred to her that maybe it wasn’t the best time to be making jokes. “I’m fine, okay? Everyone chill.”

Guano was tilting her head curiously. “How do you expect to greet someone properly without contact? It’s not my fault Her Majesty’s human body is so weak and fragile.”

“Her body is perfect,” Caine growled and then adopted two red spots high on his cheeks at Stinger’s look. He at least finally shouldered his gun.

“Bat splices do have a tendency to be... tactile,” he said. “Which you’d know if you’d bother to do your studies, Kiza.”

“Lame.”

“Wait,” Jupiter paused to cough into her fist. She stumbled back to her feet. “You didn’t know that already?”

“It’s not as if all splices know one another, or even much about one another’s culture. We are kept... fairly separate,” Caine said.

“Ah.”

Guano was nodding rapidly. “Yes, yes. Though I’ve gotten to work with lycantants before. You’re one of the few species capable of keeping up with mine in war time.”

Caine had gone very still. “‘Keeping up with’?”

Guano hummed and spread her wings towards the crater as if to say, ‘see?’

“Right,” Jupiter said weakly. “Because you jumped out of a ship. Cool, cool. Totally normal thing on this totally normal day. You mind telling me why?”

“Yes!” With a soft gasp of reproach Guano turned sharply and dropped to one knee, bowing her head and folding her wings. She looked up only long enough to make sure Jupiter was watching and then said, very solemnly,

“I, Guano, Splice #869B of Plait Industries, previously in the employment of Lady Kalique Abrasax, do hereby pledge my life and service to our Primary Entitled, First Recurrence, and Queen, Jupiter Abrasax, for now and forevermore.” Guano fell silent, finally peaking up again, albeit more hesitantly.

“You did say I could have a job, didn’t you?”