#tenement management

[tenementconsultant]

Environmental Management in Australian Underground Mining Operations

Balancing Resource Extraction with Responsible Environmental Practices

Australia’s vast mineral wealth has long been a driving force behind the nation’s economic growth, with underground mining playing a significant role in tapping into deep-seated deposits of gold, copper, nickel, and more. While this method offers advantages over open-cut operations—such as a smaller surface footprint—it’s not without environmental challenges. In this article, we’ll explore how underground mining in Australia is evolving through innovative environmental management strategies and why this is crucial for a sustainable future.

Understanding Underground Mining in Australia

What Is Underground Mining?

Underground mining involves accessing mineral deposits deep beneath the earth’s surface using tunnels or shafts. Unlike surface mining, which removes large quantities of overburden, underground mining disturbs less land but often operates in more sensitive ecosystems or near populated areas.

Examples of Underground Mining in Australia

Australia is home to several world-class underground operations. Some notable examples of underground mining include:

Olympic Dam (SA) – One of the largest known deposits of copper, uranium, and gold.

Cadia East (NSW) – A major gold mine using block caving techniques.

Savannah Nickel Mine (WA) – Extracts nickel and cobalt from deep reserves.

How Does Underground Mining Affect the Environment?

Despite being less visually disruptive than surface mining, underground operations can have significant ecological implications. Let’s break down some of the key areas of concern regarding underground mining environmental impact.

1. Ground Subsidence

The removal of materials from deep underground can lead to surface collapses or land subsidence, affecting ecosystems, infrastructure, and communities.

2. Water Contamination

Mining can alter groundwater flow and introduce heavy metals or other pollutants, posing risks to both ecosystems and water supplies.

3. Energy and Emissions

Underground mining is energy-intensive. The need for ventilation, lighting, and transport within tunnels often leads to high greenhouse gas emissions unless managed with modern technologies.

Environmental Management Practices in Modern Underground Mining

To answer the question, "how does underground mining affect the environment?", one must also look at how the industry is addressing those impacts. Underground mining in Australia has seen a shift towards more sustainable operations through stringent regulation and technological innovation.

1. Environmental Monitoring Systems

Real-time monitoring of air quality, noise levels, and groundwater ensures that mining activities remain within regulated limits. Data-driven decisions help in early detection of environmental breaches.

2. Ventilation on Demand (VOD)

Modern underground operations are using VOD systems to reduce energy consumption by adjusting airflow based on occupancy and activity levels in mine sections.

3. Water Management Plans

Mines now implement comprehensive water treatment and recycling systems to reduce water usage and prevent contamination.

4. Biodiversity Offsets and Rehabilitation

Many mining companies commit to biodiversity offset programs and thorough site rehabilitation post-mining, ensuring long-term ecological recovery.

Collaborative and Regulatory Efforts

Australian engineers and environmental scientists often work closely with regulators like the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). These partnerships ensure that mining operators follow best practices while also investing in sustainable research and innovation.

Final Thoughts

The question of how does underground mining affect the environment is a complex one, but the industry is making progress in addressing its challenges. By adopting proactive environmental management strategies, underground mining in Australia is becoming cleaner, safer, and more sustainable.

As the demand for critical minerals continues to rise globally, balancing economic benefits with environmental responsibility remains essential. Through innovation, collaboration, and adherence to strict environmental standards, the future of underground mining in Australia can be both productive and environmentally conscious.

[daisybell-on-a-carousel]

Sitting confused trying so hard to figure out what the fuck the difference between a tenement and an apartment is

[reality-detective]

The Children Were Put on Trains and Sent Away

Between 1854 and 1929, an estimated 250,000 children were taken from cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago and sent west by rail. Most came from overcrowded orphanages, tenements, or the streets. Some had no parents. Others had parents who were poor, sick, or simply not consulted.

The program was called benevolent. Charities and religious groups said they were rescuing children—giving them a chance at fresh air, open land, and honest work. But records show how loosely it was managed. Children were displayed at depots and town halls, chosen by farmers and families, sometimes adopted, often used as labor. Siblings were separated. Names were changed. Paperwork was sparse.

Officially, it ended in 1929, but the scale remains staggering. A quarter of a million children moved like cargo across the country, many with no way back. It wasn’t called trafficking. It was called placement. And for decades, almost no one asked where they came from—or what became of them. 🤔

[flwrkid14]

Hi! It’s my birthday on Saturday and I was wondering if you can do one where everyone realizes they forgot Tim’s birthday but rogues remembered.

hello anon!! AND—happy birthday !!! I hope today is full of love, sweets, and the exact level of chaos you prefer !! I made sure to get this ask done in time to post today so hopefully you like it !! <3

Tim doesn’t expect much from birthdays anymore.

Or maybe that’s the lie he tells himself to keep the ache manageable. He doesn’t need cake. Doesn’t need gifts—just… a text, maybe. Someone remembering. A vague, “Hey, isn’t today…?” would’ve been enough.

But the morning passes in silence. Then the afternoon. Night falls, and still—nothing.

He's in Red Robin gear by the time it finally hits him. It’s been a full 24 hours, and no one in the family has said a word. Not Bruce, not Dick, not even Alfred. Damian certainly hasn’t—though that’s a little less surprising. Jason? Quiet. Cass? She’d probably just forgotten in the shuffle of patrol schedules and training runs.

It’s not malicious. It’s never malicious. That somehow makes it worse.

He keeps busy. Patrols. Reports. Maintenance. Anything to fill the space.

But loneliness is patient. It settles in the spaces between heartbeat—in the static of his comms, in the stretch of rooftops with no voices on the other end.

And then.

There’s a cup of hot coffee waiting for him at one of his usual stakeout spots, lid marked in bright red sharpie: “Hope today doesn’t suck. – H.Q.”

He looks around. She’s long gone, obviously.

At first, he thinks it’s a coincidence. Just Harley being… Harley. But the night keeps going.

In an alley between two abandoned tenements, tucked behind a rusted dumpster and wrapped in a soft green ribbon, he finds a cloth bundle.

It’s a cloak—dark, heavy, almost leathery to the touch. Lined with deep green ivy that seems to pulse ever so faintly, breathing with the night. The vines curl and uncurl gently, like it’s alive but sleeping.

Inside, there’s a note written in neat, looping script on recycled paper: “Don’t act like you don’t need comfort. Let it wrap around you when no one else will. – P.I.”

He doesn’t know how she got it to him. Doesn’t ask.

Just presses the cloak to his chest for a second before tucking it away.

On the roof above the GCPD, he finds a small box. Inside: a limited-edition puzzle he mentioned once—once—in passing, during a sting operation where he and the Riddler were forced to work together. There’s a tag. “Happy Birthday, Boy Genius. Don’t insult me by pretending you’re surprised I remembered. – E.N.”

It’s starting to feel like a bit.

Tim stashes the puzzle. Patrols another hour.

Then Selina drops in.

She doesn’t say anything at first. Just walks beside him on the rooftops, silent and unbothered, like it’s a shared habit. After a while, she passes him a wrapped package and says, “I remembered the hoodie you lost. The one with the thumb holes. Happy birthday, kid.”

Then she’s gone.

He stops.

Looks at the package in his hands.

For a long time, he doesn’t move.

It’s not the gift that gets him. It’s not even what it is—it’s that it is. That someone noticed. Remembered. Cared enough to do something.

Tim sinks down onto the edge of the clocktower, the package resting in his lap. Below him, Gotham hums with life—sirens in the distance, headlights flashing, a city that never pauses for anything, least of all birthdays.

The lights blur a little.

They look like candles, maybe. Ones no one lit.

He thought he’d stopped hoping for this. Thought he’d built enough layers around it, packed it away under the rest of the things he’s used to not getting. But hope’s a quiet thing. It waits. It lingers in the background, stubborn and unreasonable.

And maybe he did hope someone would remember.

Not like this. Not them.

But maybe it’s fitting, in some backwards way, that it was them. Harley, Ivy, Nygma, Selina. Gotham’s worst, depending on who you ask. But tonight… they remembered something the rest of his world forgot.

And somehow, that makes it worse.

And better.

Tim presses the heel of his hand to one eye and laughs once, soft and tired.

It’s not everything. It’s not what he wanted.

But it’s not nothing.

And maybe that’s enough.

[galedekarios]

waterdeep & the city's wards: dock ward - part 1

"The splendors that await you in Waterdeep are legendary. Each of the city’s wards is detailed in this work, telling you what to expect depending on where you are, as well as what thrilling things you might see and do."

[from: Volo's Waterdeep Enchiridion]

waterdeep is divided into a system of wards and civic districts. the six recognized wards are:

dock ward

castle ward

north ward

sea ward

southern ward

trades ward

notable parts of the city that aren't considered wards are the city of the dead and deepwater harbour and its surrounding isles (deepwater isle and stormhaven island).

in this meta, i'd like to first focus on the dock ward of waterdeep.

the dock ward is often theorised to be the ward that houses gale's tower. i'd recommend reading this post by @dailygale or this post by @elspethdekarios, as well as the posts linked within them, for further details.

the dock ward in spring

map of the dock ward, 1491 dr [source]

dock ward ambience by dungeon crawler audio

general

"Ports, by their very nature, are unclean, noisy, crowded, and constantly busy places where few outsiders are welcome. Waterdeep's Dock Ward fits this mold, though its notoriety and bedlam are, if nothing else, slightly muted by the tales told up and down the Sword Coast. It was best described, by a wizard of no little note, as a riotous, semi-stationary but nigh-perpetual brawl that covers entire acres and is interrupted only by small buildings, intermittent trade business, an errant dog or two, and a few brave watchmen (who do manage to keep the chaos from spreading beyond the docks), the whole lot wallowing in the stench of rotting fish. Still, in all, twas quite a lusty, intriguing place to spend an evening. City watch patrols and guard contingents keep this ward in a semblance of order, traveling in well-armed groups of eight during the day and groups of twelve or more after dusk. Many of the roads are gravel-packed dirt, once the docks and cobblestone access roads to the Way of the Dragon are left behind. The dark, mud-strewn alleys are endless in Dock Ward, and they hide many dangers, despite the alertness of Waterdeep's defenders, so travel in large, heavily armed groups if you must. Dock Ward's boundaries, quickly stated, are the harbor and the southern boundaries of Castle and Trades Wards. The northern boundary runs north and east on Lackpurse Lane to Belnimbra's Street, over and down Gut Alley, and turns east to Shesstra's Street. Moving east and turning south onto Book Street, the boundary moves east again on Drakiir Street until it meets the Way of the Dragon, the eastern perimeter of Dock Ward. The southern border of the ward is, of course, the docks and the harbor." [source: waterdeep dragon heist]

in his waterdeep enchiridion, volo provides his impressions of the dock ward:

"The Dock Ward was long considered the most dangerous district in the city, but the Field Ward has since taken that title. I don’t doubt the residents of the Dock Ward are glad of it, for in some respects this area has never truly deserved its bad reputation. Yes, aside from the Field Ward, this is the area where most of Waterdeep’s poor reside. Yes, it is home to some of the least literate people in the city. Yes, most of its taverns are inhabited by habitual drinkers, and far too many inns charge by the hour. But all must concede this: the residents of the Dock Ward often work the hardest while living under the harshest conditions. Warehouses, poorhouses, and tenements dominate much of the area. Streets are steep throughout, and few have space alongside for pedestrians. Wandering through the ward can be a bewildering journey without a guide. Except in the immediate vicinity of the piers, shop signs and advertising of any kind are rare, and warehouses and other businesses often have no sign at all. You either know where you are going and have reason to be there — or you are lost, and a likely mark for pickpockets or worse. Streetlamps don’t fare well in the Dock Ward. Their candles, oils, and glass are too regularly stolen or smashed. The Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters makes a halfhearted attempt to repair the streetlamps at the start of each season, but for most of the year, locals are forced to carry their own light when traveling these streets at night. The colors of the Dock Ward are burgundy and orange, and its mascot is a swordfish that has always been depicted as green for reasons lost to time. The folk of the Dock Ward take competition seriously, and they frequently draft their champions from the rough-and-tumble sailors who come to the city. (Some say they draft pirates, but that is pure slander.) Frequent complaints arise that these women and men are more citizens of the sea than of the Dock Ward itself. But if they register with a magister and pay taxes, they are as welcome to compete as any long-term resident of Waterdeep." [from: Volo's Waterdeep Enchiridion]

the sentiment that the dock ward is "dangerous" is echoed by elminster as well:

In the words of Elminster himself, the Dock Ward was a "riotous, nigh-perpetual brawl that covers entire acres, interrupted only by small buildings, intermittent trade businesses, an errant dog or two, and a few brave watchguards, who manage to keep the chaos from spreading beyond the docks; the whole lot wallowing in the stench of rotting fish." [source]

neighbourhoods of the dock ward

the living conditions in these neighbourhoods is described as ranging from "poor" to "modest":

Abovefish: Aeldinmuth Court, Arun's Bend, Drawn Sword Court, the Everwind, Fishgut, Frostraen, the Hobbles, the Hooks, the Krakenway, Leera's Trod, the Lurch, Redcloaks, Sakiir's Street, Scoundrel's Cradle, the Slide, Spider's Web, Three Daggers

Belowfish: Asteril's Trod, the Bitters , Cod Lane , Essunmar's Dream, the Ghemmerwalk , Greathoist, Horizons, Manycrates, the Odd , Old Elbermaen, Old Tar's Walk, Pressbow, Shipwright's Square, the Sirenwalk , Six Casks , Two Flasks

Eastsnail: Amanaster's Lane, Blackwell, Bulette Point, Candle Lane, Doerlunn, Emeskine's Shine, Foxden, Knightsfoot, Marvynhurst, Melinter's Alley, Oubliette, the Pearls, Philosopher's Court

Southdocks: Cedar Wharf, the Fishgut, Hoedmar's Trod, Manylines, Ormibar's Sky, Sailmaker's Run, Sambril's Lane, Smuggler's Run, Southshore, Sperival, Tower Watch

[source: waterdeep dragon heist]

landmarks and notable locations in the dock ward

below you'll find a collection of landmarks like the mistshore and notable locations like guildhalls, inns, temples, streets and alleys, as well as other places of note.

mistshore

mistshore is part of the northern harbour:

"After the Spellplague of 1385 DR, Waterdeep went into a decline and maintenance of the harbor was neglected. Many ships sank or were scuttled in the northern harbor and eventually Waterdeep's outcasts created a small community on the wrecked ship hulls. The harbor water was polluted and smelled horribly. In 1491 DR, Mistshore was largely destroyed in a massive fire, with most ships burning down to the waterline and having to be towed out of the harbor to prevent other vessels from running afoul the wreckage. By 1492 DR, most buildings in the neighborhood were still burned and abandoned. Mistshore was considered so dangerous that the City Watch refused to send patrols into the area." [source: forgottenrealms wiki]

notable locations within mistshore include:

Crib "This collection of partially sunken ships was the hideout of the crime lord Arowell prior to his death at the hands of Cerest Elenithil. The ships were arranged in a circle with suspended platforms in the center. Arowell sponsored gladiatorial contests to amuse the inhabitants of Mistshore." Dusk to Dawn "This tavern was nothing more than a tent that moved to different locations in Mistshore nightly." Hearthfire "The wretched inhabitants of Mistshore created a permanent firepit on which to cook." Waltzing Ferryman "Sea wraiths kept the inhabitants of Mistshore from approaching this old wreck. It was inhabited by an old spellscarred mage and his friend." [source: forgottenrealms wiki]

guildhalls, inns and taverns in the dock ward

"All sailors who regularly sail into Waterdeep have their favorite taverns and lodgings, but all are familiar with Cookhouse Hall, the large, echoing, hammerbeam-ceilinged hall where hot meals (usually roast beef, stir-fried vegetables, and a highly peppered stew) are served to all who line up and pay 2 cp for a meal. Minted drinking water is even provided. You don't have to be a sailor to eat here. It's open from dawn to dusk, and has fed many a weary (or poor or down on his luck) traveler who doesn't mind a little coarse company and dinner conversation.  The Shipmasters' Hall, by contrast, is a private inn and dining club for captains, first mates, and ship owners and their escorts only. It's very old and elegant, with polished dark wood paneling everywhere, shining brass fittings, comfortably cushioned brocade seats, and heavy plush drapes. One of the largest privately owned buildings in Waterdeep is the shipbuilding shed of Arnagus the Shipwright, who's crafted many of the fine ships that ply the Sword Coast. Owing to the dangers of sabotage and fire, he doesn't welcome visitors, but many folk go to the docks where the slipway from his shed runs down to the harbor to peer in at the work going on. A ship launching always draws great crowds. It's the nearest thing after brawl watching to a spectator sport that Dock Ward has.  The following guildhalls can all be found in this ward: the Butchers' Guildhall, League Hall, Mariners' Hall, Watermen's Hall, Seaswealth Hall, Coopers' Rest, Shippers' Hall, Shipwrights' House, and the Metal House of Wonders. The Most Diligent League of Sail-Makers and Cordwainers has as its headquarters the Full Sails tavern. The Muleskull Tavern serves as headquarters for the Dungsweepers' Guild." [source: worldanvil]

a list on inns and taverns in the dock ward from the forgottenrealms wiki:

a list on inns and taverns in the dock ward from oakthorne:

a list of shops and businesses in the dock ward from the forgottenrealms wiki:

a list of streets and alleyways in the dock ward from the forgottenrealms wiki:

a list of streets and alleyways in the dock ward from oakthorn:

listing out the following places of note with short descriptions:

Fishgut Court: A cobblestone court off Sail and Dock Streets where many strange happenings occur during nights of the full moon. Many know that Selûne herself hid in a mortal form in the tavern nearby, and her blessings continue to touch the courtyard.

Smuggler's Dock: The most isolated corner of the ward and also its safest, under the watchful eyes of Mirt's Mansion and the Watching Tower, used often for lovers' rendezvous.

Black Well Court: The small back-alley home to a polluted, monster-infested well that is sealed by order of the Lords, though it is occasionally broken into – or out of – and creatures haunt the shadows here before they are dealt with and the well re-sealed.

Manysteps Alley: A narrow alley that is the habitat of soothsayers, fortune tellers and thieves galore.

Melinter's Court: A dark courtyard often thick with the pipe smoke of curbside philosophers and corner sages (and sometimes the plotting of wizards).

Philosophers' Court: Also known by natives as "the Foolsquare", a daily (and often nightly) meeting place for intellectuals, old sages and drunken nobles alike found arguing over topics "too esoteric for a common mind".

Round Again Alley: An alley that doubles back on itself and provides a testing ground for many apprentices' illusions.

Three Thrown Daggers Alley: An alley that suffers from a magical curse that causes three random blades to fly from nowhere to attack passersby in the alley.

other notable locations are:

ilmater's safe harbour

"Ilmater's Safe Harbor was a soup kitchen, run by the Ilmatari priestess Mother Brenia, in the Dock Ward of Waterdeep in the late 15th century DR. It was known to be frequented by almost every beggar in that ward. The building's layout consisted of a cooking area, a dining room, a small room in the back, and a cellar. These rooms were provided illumination by means of lanterns and a heavy, iron chandelier of candles. Within the building's cellar was a hidden door, which opened to rough-hewn rock tunnels leading into the Warrens. Being a soup kitchen, this establishment provided free meals for the impoverished citizens of the Dock Ward. Additionally, in the building's small back room, Mother Brenia tended to the sick. [...] At some point during the late 15th century DR there was a string of disappearances of both beggars and stray dogs in the Dock Ward. This began not long after Ulmani, Rik Milesan, and some others began volunteering at the soup kitchen. A month later, the City Watchman Girnan Svann found himself frustrated at his superiors' not viewing the string of disappearances as something worth looking into. He went on to hire a group of adventurers at the Blue Mermaid to investigate, informing them that each missing beggar was connected to Ilmater's Safe Harbor, but that it could be a false lead. Looking around the establishment, the adventurers eventually discovered its hidden cellar door. Traveling through it, they came upona group of thugs dressed as Sharrans and accompanied by horribly mutated dogs and wolves. After beating up the thugs, the adventurers recognized some of them as the newer volunteers and that their Sharran identities were merely a red herring to distract from the mysterious mage they were truly kidnapping people for." [source: forgottenrealms wiki]

stinking sands

"The Stinking Sands was a local name for a stretch of beach in the southeastern most corner of the Dock Ward in Waterdeep. This beach was bordered by Dock Street and Deepwater Harbor. Along Dock Street the notable buildings that overlooked it included the Fellowship Warehouse, the Smokehouse, Telethar Leatherworks, a guard barracks, and the East Torch Tower. When the Laughing Lady sank near Waterdeep in 1372 DR, the caravel was dredged up onto this beach by barges belonging to Raulinvur's Ropehaul and by wizard members of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors." [source: forgottenrealmswiki]

starry cradles orphanage

"The Starry Cradles orphanage is a Dock Ward orphanage run by Matron Griselda Hoppletun, a halfling care-taker, and funded by the House of the Moon and the Selûnites clergy thereof." [source: worldanvil]

wavehall of valkur

"The Wavehall of Valkur was a temple to Valkur located in Waterdeep during the late 15th century DR. The temple was built during the late 15th century DR. During the Year of the Scarlet Witch, 1491 DR, the Wavemaster of the temple was killed by Mirt the Moneylender over a dispute involving the priest's refusal to bring a deceased ally back to life. Valkur was a minor Faerûnian god of sailors and their ships, as well as favorable winds and naval combat. The Captain of the Waves was the very picture of the daring sea captain, one capable of sailing his vessel through any disaster the Gods of Fury could unleash." [source: forgottenrealmswiki]

this concludes my collection of information about waterdeep's dock ward for now. it's a sprawling topic, each and every ward, and i'm sure there are things i missed or forgot!

still, i hope this was of use to someone other than myself!

[igotanidea]

One step closer: Jason Todd x reader

Summary: Jason being terrified of the storm and reader helping him.

***

At first the sky was crystal clear blue and without a single cloud.

The weather, however has a unique ability to change in a blink of an eye – maybe that’s why people believe nature is a woman, with its specific humors and whims.

The droplets of rain started hitting the pavement when Y/N was walking home from work. Deprived of the umbrella, as usual. And even thought she liked a little bit of precipitation it was one thing to enjoy the musky scent of ozone and ground, and the other to be drenched. Therefore, taking cue of the other people, rushing to find even a makeshift shelter, upon realizing that the rest of the evening was going to be filled with October like weather, she took off running. In her best hope to get home before all hell break loose.

As the raindrops started to intensify, she swiftly swiveled on the puddles, miraculously avoiding slipping and stepping into the treacherously shallow waters, only to discover it was ankle depth.

Getting home in time to save her porous hair from frizzling into a mess on her hair, but not soon enough to miss the lighting and thunder echoing through the space.

“Oh no…” she muttered to herself, opening the door to the tenement, where she was sharing a an apartment with Jason.

Jason. Precisely.

She climbed the stair jumping two steps at a time, all to reach their place faster, knowing well enough what she was going to find there.

“Jace?” she called his name, kicking off her shoes and hanging the wetted coat on the hanger. “Jace, are you here?”

“In here…” weak, shaky voice came from the living room.

“Oh, baby…”

Jason was crouched on the couch, away from the window, almost paralyzed by the flashes of light and sounds outside. It was nothing new to her. After all, her poor boy was scared of the storm, not that she could blame him.

When they started dating, hanging around in the city and having fun, the first time the storm came in during their time out, he just stopped in the middle of the street with wide eyes, unable to move a single muscle. Scaring the shit out of her making the girl believe he was going through a stroke or something. Using whatever strength she could gather, Y/N grabbed the arm of the mountain of stiffened muscles Jason turned into and dragged him into the nearest roofed place.

In between ragged breaths and trembles, Jason tried to explain himself and prevent the damage of her thinking he was crazy or something. And even though all she was doing was holding his hand, soothing him with her voice, trying to ground him and not demand any words, he managed to stutter that the storm was reminding him of the time Joker was hitting him with a crowbar.

Lighting was like a flashes in his eyes, recollection of blood and pain.

Thunder was like a sound of a vicious laugh, echoing in his ears, a remnant of incoming ending.

And that broke her heart.

Since then, there was not a time she allowed Jason to be alone during the storm. Reaching him in any way possible. When at work – text or call. When at home – cuddles and kisses. When out – immediate retreat and doing anything possible to help him focus on her rather than surrounding.

So now, her course of action was almost innate.

Closing the windows, which he was unable of, due to immediate panic attack. Drawing the curtains. Sitting on the couch next to him. Opening her welcoming arms and surrounding him with her warmth.

“It’s okay Jason…” she whispered pulling his head to her chest. “It’s okay. Just listen to my heartbeat, baby.”

“I’m so scared, Y/N.” he almost sobbed, like a 15 year old he was when Joker was mutilating him. “I don’t want to –“

“Shhh. Shhh, my love.” Her fingers danced in his hair, touch as soft as possible to not startle, but help him. A single wrong move, too intense or in the wrong place could be catastrophic, considering he was one foot in the past “I’m not letting anything happen to you.” A gentle soft kiss placed on his forehead was supposed to serve as an assurance of her love, presence and protective shield “I got you, Jason. I got you…”

“He’s coming after me!” as another thunder tore the sound of humming rain he snuggled closer to her chest “He’s coming!”

This was worse than anything she has experienced before and she was forced to think and act quickly and with new methods, to avoid him spiraling out of control and rooting in the tragic memories.

Pulling him closer, Y/N started to hum some melody. Quietly as first, but then letting it grow a little louder and more intense, leaning towards him to make sure it was the only sound reaching his ears.

“I have died every day waiting for you, darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more…..”

His hands tightened on her waist, almost bruising but she didn’t care.

“One step closer, one step closer….”

Slowly, her voice started to replace the bad memories.

One step closer – to her.

One step closer – to the present and not the past.

One step closer – to breaking from the nightmare.

“Y/N….” he whispered, allowing himself to relax under her caresses.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“Thank you.” He nuzzled into her chest, loosing the grip but not letting go. Never letting go.

“I’m here…” she only responded, with a tiny smile, as if that was the entire explanation needed. And it was.

“Stay.” He whispered, not opening his eyes, not changing the position, not moving even in the slightest to avoid breaking the fragile peace.

“I’m here.” She said for the third time.

She was there. And the weight of her dedication, devotion and touch the made the door to the past close. Like a book that still describe your life, but stays on the shelf, being nothing but a memory. Painful, gory and traumatizing, but still – just a memory, making place for the new story.

And maybe it was time to commence it.

She was there.

[zeroseuniverse]

Partners In Love

Word Count: 1.1K Summary: “You’re an idiot,” She gritted out, though her eyes were wide with something that looked like fear—for him. “Yeah, well, so are you,” he shot back, the words strained as he finally managed to shift the rubble enough for her to wriggle free. Pairing: Jun X Fem Reader

Disclaimer: Please be aware that this is apart of the from the ashes series. This series will have aspects of violence, weapons, angst, blood, injuries, killing, and will heavily focus on oppression and segregation of mutants, Look after your mental state if any of these make you uncomfortable please.

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The precinct buzzed with its usual mix of voices, the crackle of radios, and the tapping of keyboards. The fluorescent lights above flickered faintly, but she had stopped noticing long ago. She leaned back in her chair, tossing a rubber ball against the wall, each bounce matching the steady tick of the clock.

“Can you not?” Jun’s voice broke through her focus, and she glanced over to see him watching her with an exasperated smile. “Some of us are trying to finish paperwork, you know.”

She smirked, catching the ball midair. “You’re telling me the great Wen Junhui hasn’t mastered multitasking? Tragic.”

He rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward. “I’ll remind you of that the next time you need me to cover for you.”

Before she could respond, the captain’s voice echoed from the doorway. “ You’re up. Potential hostage situation at an old tenement building. Units are already en route.”

The ball slipped from her fingers, and she straightened, the banter fading as instinct took over. Jun pushed his chair back, already grabbing his gear.

“Guess you’ll have to multitask after all,” she teased, grabbing her jacket.

He didn’t look back, but his response was quick. “Just don’t make me do all the work, partner.”

The tenement building loomed ahead, its crumbling façade a stark contrast to the bright lights of the squad cars parked outside. Officers were cordoning off the area, ushering curious bystanders away.

“They’re saying there’s a child trapped on the top floor,” Jun said, his voice steady but tense as he read the report on his tablet. “Building’s unstable. We’ll have to move fast.”

She nodded, her focus already narrowing. “Let’s do this.”

The two of them entered the building, the air thick with dust and the faint smell of mildew. The floor creaked ominously underfoot as they ascended the stairs, each step a test of the structure’s integrity.

The sound of crying drew her attention. It was faint, coming from a room at the end of the hall.

“There,” she said, motioning to Jun.

He moved ahead, pushing open the door to reveal a small child huddled in the corner. The walls around them were cracked, chunks of plaster littering the floor.

“It’s okay,” Jun said gently, crouching to meet the child’s eye level. “We’re here to help.”

As Jun reached out, a deafening crack reverberated through the building.

“Move!” she shouted, shoving Jun and the child toward the door as the ceiling above began to collapse. She felt the weight of debris strike her shoulder, throwing her off balance.

“NO!” Jun’s voice rang out as he turned, his face a mix of fear and determination.

She waved him off, her voice strained but firm. “Get the kid out of here, Jun. Go!”

The building groaned, threatening to give way entirely.

“Get the kid out of here, Jun. Go!”

Her voice echoed in his ears, sharp and commanding, but it was drowned out by the deafening roar of collapsing debris. Dust filled the air, choking and blinding, but all Jun could see was her—pinned under rubble, struggling to push herself free as the structure crumbled around her.

His brain screamed at him to follow orders, to get the child out first, to do what she had told him to do. It was the logical choice. It was protocol. But his body ignored every rational thought, his legs already carrying him back toward her before he’d even realized it.

"Stay down!" he barked, his voice cracking with urgency.

The child clung to his neck, sobbing, as he skidded to a halt and set them down behind the splintered remnants of a doorframe. “Stay here, don’t move,” he said, his tone firmer than he intended, but the child nodded, wide-eyed.

Jun turned back to her.

She’s okay. She has to be okay.

That thought became his mantra as he crossed the unstable floor. His heart pounded, each beat a painful reminder of how little time he had. His vision tunneled, her figure the only thing in focus.

He shouted again, his voice desperate this time, her name falling from his lips frantically. She didn’t respond, too busy trying to brace herself as a broken beam threatened to collapse further onto her legs.

The sight of her trapped sent a sharp pang through his chest.

She told me to leave her. She’d never forgive me if I didn’t listen.

But the idea of leaving her behind—of walking away while she was still breathing, still fighting—was unbearable.

She groaned, shifting under the weight of the rubble, and his breath hitched. No time to think. No time to doubt.

His body moved faster than his fear, faster than the logical voice in his head screaming at him to stop. He crouched low, dodging falling fragments as he reached her.

“Jun, I told you—”

“Shut up,” he snapped, his voice trembling. His hands were already working to lift the debris pinning her down. It was heavy, crushing, and his fingers burned as he strained against it.

“You’re an idiot,” She gritted out, though her eyes were wide with something that looked like fear—for him.

“Yeah, well, so are you,” he shot back, the words strained as he finally managed to shift the rubble enough for her to wriggle free.

She cried out as he pulled her toward him, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist as he half-dragged, half-carried her toward the door.

The floor beneath them groaned ominously. Jun didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. His arms ached, his lungs burned, but his grip on her only tightened.

He didn’t breathe again until the two of them spilled out onto the street, the cool night air a stark contrast to the suffocating heat and dust of the building.

“Jun, you—”

“Don’t,” he interrupted, his voice sharp, almost angry, but the relief in his eyes softened the blow. He knelt in front of her, his hands ghosting over her arms, her legs, checking for injuries.

“You could’ve died,” She whispered, her voice shaking.

“So could you,” he snapped, though his tone cracked at the end. He scrubbed a hand over his face, the adrenaline still coursing through him making his hands tremble.

His chest heaved, his mind replaying the image of her buried beneath rubble, the way she had told him to leave her. The way he almost did.

“I couldn’t… I wouldn’t have made it without you,” he admitted, his voice dropping to a raw, vulnerable tone she’d never heard before.

She reached out, her fingers brushing his. “We’re partners, Jun. That means we protect each other.”

The words hung in the air, heavier than any debris.

For the first time since the mission started, Jun let himself believe she was safe. But the fear hadn’t left him—it clung to him like a shadow, a stark reminder of how close he’d come to losing her. 

And he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to shake it.

[vkelleyart]

Deal Announcement: WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON (Erewhon, Spring 2025)

If you've been with me on Tumblr for a while, then you may already be familiar with this title and been waiting for this particular update, and all I can say is thank you endlessly for patiently sticking it out with me! I am so incredibly pleased to announce that WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON has been acquired by Diana Pho at Erewhon Books/Kensington Publishing as an illustrated adult historical fantasy!

Tor.com has published a blush-inducing article which features some insights from me about what inspired the story, reactions from Hugo Award-winning editor Diana Pho on what drew her to the book, a downright tear-jerking endorsement from the incomparable TJ Klune, and my original concept art of Benny & Río. I hope you'll take a moment to read it at the link below!

This project is the culmination of a lifelong dream to write and illustrate my own books, and there are no words to convey the depth of my gratitude to Diana for the gift of seeing it be delivered as an illustrated adult work. Infinite thanks must also go to my unstoppable agent Saritza Hernandez, my phenomenal critique partners Anna Racine and Mark Duplane, and the many experts who generously and enthusiastically donated their time and resources in the middle of lockdown to help me bring 1911 Brooklyn, NY to life, including:

Virginia Sanchez-Korrol –– Professor Emeritus of Puerto Rican & Latino Studies, CUNY Brooklyn College

David Sharp -- President, The Waterfront Museum

Jamie Salen, David Favaloro, & Lana Rubin –– Marketing Director, Director of Curatorial Affairs, & Collections Manager (respectively), The Tenement Museum

Adam Realman -- Artistic Director, The Coney Island Circus Sideshow

More details about WTTHTM's release will be forthcoming, but in the meantime, thank you all again for believing in this story and supporting it when it was just a humble MerMay fic. I can't wait until you meet Benny and his beloved Río in print in 2025!

[mamawasatesttube]

tagged for wip wednesday by @ultimatecryptid!! :D here's a snippet of the kon & clark fic i didnt manage to finish in time for superfam week (but im still working on it!!!). i'll tag... @lemonlimestar, @catsarehumanstoo, @dio-icarticaae, and @radioactive-earthshine, plus anyone else who wants in can say i tagged you too!! <3

A slight whistle in the wind is his first clue that Kon is almost here; when he focuses, he can hear a familiar heartbeat, slightly elevated, flying closer from the south. He turns, the wind catching his cape, as Kon approaches; his wave is jaunty as ever, but as he touches down on the globe, his gait is a little uncertain. Almost… timid.

“Kon,” Clark says, and swallows hard to quell the urge to sweep him into his arms, to seize him by the shoulders, to fall to his knees and beg why? why? why? “You made it. Good to see you.”

“Hey, Kal,” Kon says, folding his arms across his chest. “What’s up? You, uh, didn’t say a lot in your text.” A little pause. “Is everything, you know, um… good? Is something going on? Or…”

“I—I need to ask you something,” Clark blurts out, and then winces. He sighs, rakes his hand through his hair, and looks out over the horizon, to the lingering glow of the vanished sun.

“Oh.” Kon’s arms fall to his sides. He chews at his lower lip for a second—oh, Ma’s gonna have a conniption, training him out of that habit—and then blows out a breath. “Is it about the Granny Goodness thing again? ‘Cuz I did go to S.T.A.R. and all that, I swear, and—”

“It’s not about that.” Clark shakes his head.

It seems almost like a lifetime ago, and yet yesterday, that his heart stopped—that he found out that Kon and all his friends crashed on Apokolips, were taken and tortured by Granny Goodness, and were spirited away when Apokolips left Earth’s orbit. The fact that they made it home is a miracle.

And after that—as if he didn’t go through enough during the war—Kon had to deal with…

Kon was homeless. Kon was being exploited for labor—underage labor!—in a horribly run-down tenement building in Suicide Slum.

And he didn’t tell Clark.

“Oh-kaaayyyy,” Kon says slowly, squinting at him. “You’re acting weird. First John Henry goes all cuckoo-bananas, now you’re being super shifty—what is in the water up here, huh? Is Lois gonna start interrogating me next?”

Despite everything, Clark laughs. It eases a little of the tension deep in his chest, and he shakes his head, rubbing his temples. “Sorry, Kon. You’re right. I’ve just had… it’s been a long week.”

Kon softens, shoulders slumping as he nods vigorously. “Whoof, for real. Tell me about it.”

“I’d rather you tell me about it.” Clark finally turns away from the horizon and looks at him again. He hopes his face doesn’t look as troubled as he feels. “You know you can—you know you can tell me anything, right? If you need anything, you can always come to me. You… do know that, don’t you?”

“…Huh?” Kon sounds so bewildered that, in any other context, Clark would be chortling. He blinks up at him a few times, tilts his head to the side like a little dog, and stares. “Uh… where did that come from, dude?”

Okay. Okay, so maybe that adds points to the “he didn’t know it was bad” column, and not the “he thought he couldn’t tell you” one. Okay. Maybe this isn’t all bad.

“Kon,” Clark says softly, as gently as he can. “I just… need to know, if you… if you can tell me. Why didn’t you tell me you were homeless? In my city?”

Kon’s eyes go big and round. His heart rate shoots up, and he rocks back on his feet, wrapping his arms around himself again. “Um.”

Oh, no. Bad sign. Clark winces. “I just mean—I could have helped you so much sooner! You didn’t need to tough it out alone—”

Kon flinches, then glares. His brows pinch together, and his cheeks go red in the dimness. “I’m not—I wasn’t gonna just come crying to you just ‘cuz I had a minor setback happen!”

A minor setback. He thinks being homeless at sixteen and ending up living in Suicide Slum was a minor setback. Clark lets out a slow breath.

[tenementconsultant]

Australia’s Emerging Iron Ore Powerhouses

[justforbooks]

The Best Album Cover Shoots – in pictures

From the Beatles crossing a zebra to a naked Prince, via Grace Jones attempting the anatomically impossible and Led Zeppelin’s New York tenements, these cover designs became as famous as the music they enclosed 🎶🎵👏

Grace Jones – Nightclubbing, Island Records, 1981, by Jean-Paul Goude

Nightclubbing's iconic artwork is a 1981 painted photograph titled Blue-Black in Black on Brown, created in New York by Goude. This was the singular image that accompanied the original LP, as it "was concealed in a plain, black inner sleeve, no lyrics and with no photo on the back cover." Composed by right angles, the photograph shows Jones cut to waist, bare chested, and dressed in an Armani man's wide shouldered suit, with an unlit cigarette aiming downward from her lip. She is shot with her signature flat top haircut and her chest bones showing; her dark skin confers upon the image a violet, blue-black colour. The image is noted for its androgyny, with Jones not only "[unpicking] some of the boundaries of unconventionality, but [choosing] to confuse such boundaries." Rick Poynor writes: "Goude admired Jones for her mixture of beauty and threat, and the Nightclubbing portrait expresses this duality with absolute composure and no false histrionics." Piers Martin of Uncut felt the cover was "arresting", and wrote: "the indigo mood, cool gaze and cigarette suggested Marlene Dietrich, the gender-bending a touch of Bowie."

Prince – Lovesexy, Paisley Park, 1988, by Jean-Baptiste Mondino (design by Laura LiPuma)

The artwork of Lovesexy sparked as much interest as did the music. Mimicking The Birth of Venus by Botticelli, the cover shows Prince reclined naked with a lily stamen suggestively positioned above his groin. It is an image that captures the LP’s essence of spirituality perfectly. Prince had even denied Warner’s management sight of the cover prior to the album’s retail release. The image was deemed far too risqué for 1988 and prompted many retailers to conceal the artwork under black plastic wrapping (Wal-Mart refusing to stock it at all) or keeping it behind the counter, deeming it too provocative to display in store. It is likely this hindered sales of the album in the more conservative leaning US. The shot is the work of fashion photographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Prince’s first choice to direct Under The Cherry Moon but was unavailable. Mondino would instead direct the video Mia Bocca for Jill Jones which led to doing likewise with I Wish U Heaven for Prince. He would also shoot promos for Neneh Cherry (Manchild) and Madonna’s Justify My Love. During a breakfast in LA, Prince asked Mondino if he would shoot the album’s cover. The image was captured in LA, with the lilies and stamen added at Mondino’s studio back in Paris using Paint Box software, a forerunner to Photoshop.

Mondino’s cover is the sole promotional image shot for the album – its back cover and inner sleeves feature the tracklisting and lyrics hand drawn by Margo Chase. With no alternative shots available and keeping with the theme of nakedness, the singles Alphabet St. and Glam Slam were issued without artwork, their transparent sleeves labelled with a sticker. In April 2022 Lovesexy was exhibited at The Photographers’ Gallery in London staged in celebration of the art of iconic album designs.

Boz Scaggs – Middle Man, Columbia, 1980, by Guy Bourdin

Middle Man is the ninth studio album by Boz Scaggs, released by Columbia Records in 1980. Scaggs hired members of the band Toto as session musicians (as he did for Down Two Then Left and Silk Degrees) and shared songwriting credits with them, returning to the commercial, soul-influenced rock of the latter. It would take him eight years to release his following album Other Roads, again retaining the personnel of the three preceding it.

Tirez Tirez – Etudes, Aura, 1980, by Brian Griffin (design by Bill Smith)

Brian Griffin: ‘This photograph was taken in my studio/bedroom at Elsynge Road in Wandsworth [south London] using my bed. The model is Martin Cropper, who I used in my work at the time. It was originally taken for my book Brian Griffin Copyright 1978 and later purchased for the cover by Aaron Sixx of Aura records for Tirez Tirez’.

Tom Waits – Rain Dogs, Island Records, 1985, by Anders Petersen

Rain Dogs is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Tom Waits, released in September 1985 on Island Records. A loose concept album about "the urban dispossessed" of New York City, Rain Dogs is generally considered the middle album of a trilogy that includes Swordfishtrombones and Franks Wild Years.

The album, which features guitarists Keith Richards and Marc Ribot, is noted for its broad spectrum of musical styles and genres, described by Arion Berger as merging "outsider influences – socialist decadence by way of Kurt Weill, pre-rock integrity from old dirty blues, the elegiac melancholy of New Orleans funeral brass – into a singularly idiosyncratic American style."

The album peaked at number 29 on the UK charts and number 188 on the US Billboard Top 200. Rod Stewart had success with his cover of "Downtown Train", later included on some editions of his 1991 album Vagabond Heart. In 1989, it was ranked number 21 on the Rolling Stone list of the "100 greatest albums of the 1980s." In 2012, the album was ranked number 399 on the magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", and at number 357 in 2020.

Though it has been remarked that the man on the cover bears a striking resemblance to Waits, the photograph is actually one of a series taken by the Swedish photographer Anders Petersen at Café Lehmitz (a café near the Hamburg red-light boulevard Reeperbahn) in the late 1960s. The man and woman depicted on the cover are called Rose and Lilly.

Thelonious Monk – Monk, Columbia, 1964, by W Eugene Smith

Monk. (1964) is the fourth studio album Thelonious Monk released on Columbia Records, and his seventh album overall for that label. It features two original compositions and several jazz standards.

The track "Pannonica" is a tribute to the jazz patron Pannonica de Koenigswarter. The track "Teo" is a tribute to the album's producer Teo Macero.

The album cover is a photo of Monk taken by W. Eugene Smith in 1959. Between 1957 and 1965, Monk and other prominent New York jazz musicians rehearsed at the photographer's home, nicknamed 'The Jazz Loft'.

Photographer and photojournalist W Eugene Smith demanded such perfection of his images that he destroyed most of his early work. He had a vast career and helped define photojournalism through his work at Life magazine, before joining Magnum Photos in 1955. He is remembered as a master both technically and in the darkroom. This photograph is titled Thelonious Monk Rehearsing in the Loft, 1959.

Madonna – True Blue, Sire/Warner, 1986, by Herb Ritts

The album cover was shot by photographer Herb Ritts. It shows Madonna in profile, with her head thrown back and eyes closed against a sky-blue background; her skin is bleached-out, and her hair platinum blonde. Jeri Heiden, who was working at the Warner Bros. art department, was given the task of editing the photos to adapt them into record covers. The final photo was selected by Madonna, Heiden and Jeff Ayeroff, creative director of Warner Bros. at that time. After the image was chosen, Heiden experimented with a variety of treatments of the original, which was shot in black and white, to go along with the album's title, and finally arrived at the final, blue toned, hand tinted version. The album's inner sleeve did not feature any photographs, and instead was dedicated to album credits and song lyrics, since Madonna wanted to be represented by her work rather than her image.

Lucy O'Brien described the cover as a "moment of Warholian pop art. A mixture of innocence [and] idealism […] Our first glimpse of Madonna as a classic icon". For J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography, the artwork indicated how "[True Blue] was a vehicle of growth for [Madonna]"; the "washed out color photograph" cover was "understated", especially when compared to the "sexier poses" she had been associated with in the past. For Joe Lynch from Billboard, it is one of the greatest album covers of all time.

True Blue was released on June 30, 1986. In the United States and Canada, the cover did not include the singer's name. Heiden explained in an interview with Aperture magazine that the record company thought it would be "cool" to use a shrink wrap on American releases, so that when the public took it off, they'd be left with the photograph of Madonna. In Europe, Warner felt that the name was needed, as they did not want to risk messing with Madonna's popularity. The back sleeve and booklet feature the song titles in Heiden's own handwriting. About cropping the image for the cassette and vinyl releases, Heiden said: "I think the image became more interesting cropped into a square—and at that time we always started with the album cover configuration. It was like she was floating—her clothing was not visible. She took on the appearance of a marble statue—Goddess like. In the vertical cropping you see her leather jacket and the wall, and it becomes more typical, editorial, earthly". On May 22, 2001, Warner Bros. released a remastered edition of the album with two additional remixes of "True Blue" and "La Isla Bonita". Twenty years later, a 35th anniversary edition was released; it includes additional remixes, dub and instrumental versions. It was reissued on crystal clear vinyl on November 8, 2019.

The Rolling Stones – Goats Heads Soup, The Rolling Stones Records, 1973, by David Bailey (design by Ray Lawrence)

Goats Head Soup is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 31 August 1973 by Rolling Stones Records. Like its predecessor Exile on Main St., the band composed and recorded much of it outside of the United Kingdom due to their status as tax exiles. Goats Head Soup was recorded in Jamaica, the United States and the United Kingdom. The album contains 10 tracks, including the lead single "Angie" which went to number one as a single in the US and the top five in the UK.

The album cover was designed by Ray Lawrence and photographed by David Bailey, a friend of Jagger's who had worked with the Rolling Stones since 1964. The portrait of Jagger on the front cover was approximately life size in the original 12-inch LP format. Jagger was reluctant to be shot enveloped by a pink chiffon veil, which Bailey said was meant to look like "Katharine Hepburn in The African Queen". The album's gatefold has Taylor, Wyman and Watts wrapped in a similar fabric, and Richards on the back. The album's original rejected cover art featured the entire band as centaurs and an image of goat's head soup, a Jamaican dish made from a goat's body parts, such as the head, feet and testicles.

Serge Gainsbourg – Love on the Beat, Philips, 1984, by William Klein

Love on the Beat is the fifteenth studio album by French singer and songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. On this album, Gainsbourg used American musicians to achieve a funk-heavy rock sound. The album was controversial due to its very sexual lyrical content, with homosexuality and prostitution as the subject matters on many of the tracks. Perhaps the most controversial was "Lemon Incest", which was set to Frédéric Chopin's Étude No. 3 and sung as a duet with his then-13-year-old daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg.

French singer Serge Gainsbourg dressed in drag for the cover of Love on the Beat. Gainsbourg gave up alcohol for 12 days ahead of the shoot with legendary photographer William Klein to make himself beautiful.

Grace Jones – Island Life, Island Records, 1985, by Jean-Paul Goude (design by Greg Porto)

Island Life is the first greatest hits album by Jamaican singer and songwriter Grace Jones, released in December 1985, summing up the first nine years of her musical career. The album sits among Jones' best-selling works.

The cover picture is one of the most famous images of Grace Jones and was created by her then-partner Jean-Paul Goude. The impossibly graceful arabesque is actually a montage of separate images, following Goude's ideas on creating credible illusions with his cut-and-paint technique. The body position is "anatomically unlikely".

Jones assigned her then partner, Jean-Paul Goude, to create this cover image for Island Life. In what has become an iconic portrait, Goude compiled several separate snaps of Jones and constructed this lissom and elegant, if anatomically dubious, pose, all before Photoshop existed. ‘Unless you are extraordinarily supple, you cannot do this arabesque,’ Goude has said. ‘The main point is that Grace couldn’t do it, and that’s the basis of my entire work: creating a credible illusion’.

The picture was originally published in New York magazine in 1978 and subsequently used in the music video for Jones' hit single "La Vie en rose". It has been since described as "one of pop culture's most famous photographs". Also included in the album sleeve are other iconic images of Jones, among them the "twins" photograph, Grace Jones in a cage and wearing a "maternity" dress.

The cover picture was featured in Michael Ochs' 1996 book 1000 Record Covers and has been often imitated in works by other artists. The image was also referenced in Nicki Minaj's 2011 music video for "Stupid Hoe", with Minaj mimicking the pose.

Joe Jackson – Look Sharp!, A&M, 1979, by Brian Griffin (design by Michael Ross)

Look Sharp! is the debut album by Joe Jackson, released in January 1979. The album features one of Jackson's most well-known songs, "Is She Really Going Out with Him?", as well as the title track "Look Sharp", "Sunday Papers", "One More Time" and "Fools in Love".

The cover, featuring a pair of white shoes, ranked number 22 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest album covers of all time.

In 2000, it was voted number 865 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.

The photo used on the album's cover was shot by Brian Griffin on London's South Bank, near London Waterloo station. Upon arriving at the South Bank, Griffin noticed a shaft of light landing on the ground and asked Jackson to stand there: the whole process took no more than five minutes. According to Griffin, Jackson hated the record sleeve as it did not include his face, and vowed never to work with Griffin again. Nonetheless, the album artwork became one of the nominees for the 1980 Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.

Some observers didn't understand the tongue-in-cheek nature of Jackson's choice of title and cover art—an early reviewer in New Musical Express said they "suggest an obsession with style" and sniffed that Jackson sported "a pair of white side-lace Denson winklepickers that are, unfortunately, not nearly as cool as he evidently thinks they are". As time went on, journalists became more familiar with his youthful lack of interest in fashion, and The Face noted how most agreed with the general summation of him as a "sartorial disaster area".

Brian Griffin: ‘This was shot on London’s South Bank, which you could say was my open-air studio, as I did not have a studio then. I fell in love with the quality of light that pervaded there. It was the fastest album cover shoot that I ever did, maybe it took four minutes. I saw this patch of light making a pattern on the paving and said to Joe: “Stand there!”’

Diana Ross – Silk Electric, RCA, 1982, by Andy Warhol (photograph and design)

Silk Electric is the thirteenth studio album by American R&B singer Diana Ross, released on September 10, 1982, by RCA Records. It was Ross' second of six albums released by the label during the decade. It reached No. 27 on the US Billboard 200 (No. 5 R&B), No. 33 in the UK Albums Chart and the Top 20 in Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. The album cover was designed by Andy Warhol.

The album contains Ross' US Top 10, Grammy-nominated single, "Muscles", which was written and produced by Michael Jackson. All other tracks were produced by Ross, including the US Top 40 follow-up single "So Close" featuring prominent background vocal arrangements by Luther Vandross.

The song "In Your Arms", written by Linda Creed and Michael Masser, was covered by Teddy Pendergrass and Whitney Houston as "Hold Me" the following year. The song "I Am Me" was co-written by Ross (and incorrectly listed as co-written by Cindy Birdsong instead of Janie Bradford on the Greatest Hits: The RCA Years compilation album). The album was certified Gold in the US and Silver in the UK.

The album was remastered and re-released on September 2, 2014 by Funky Town Grooves as an "Expanded Edition", with bonus material.

Rage Against the Machine – Rage Against the Machine, Epic, 1992, by Malcolm Browne

Rage Against the Machine is the debut studio album by American rock band Rage Against the Machine. It was released on November 6, 1992, by Epic Records, four days after the release of the album's first single, "Killing in the Name". The album was based largely on the band's first commercial demo tape of the same name, completed 11 months prior to the album's release. The tape contained earlier recordings of seven of the ten songs.

The cover features a crop of Malcolm Browne's famous photograph of the self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, in Saigon in 1963. The monk was protesting against President Ngô Đình Diệm’s administration for oppressing the Buddhist religion. In 1963, Browne’s photography and coverage of the event earned him the World Press Photo of the Year award.

The songs on Rage Against the Machine all feature political messages. Activists such as Provisional IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands and Black Panther Party founder Huey P. Newton are listed in the "Thanks For Inspiration" section. Also thanked were Ian and Alec MacKaye.

The lyrics for each song were printed in the album booklet with the exception of those for "Killing in the Name", which were omitted; the booklet reads "2. KILLING IN THE NAME", skips the lyrics and continues with the next song.

The statement "no samples, keyboards or synthesizers used in the making of this record" can be found at the end of the sleeve notes. Similar statements were made in the band's subsequent albums. The band also refer to themselves as "Guilty Parties" for each album.

The album was a critical success upon release, with several critics noting the album's politically motivated agenda and praising frontman Zack de la Rocha's strong vocal delivery. Ranked number 24 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time", the album peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart and number 45 on the US Billboard 200 and has gone on to achieve a triple platinum sales certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the US. Multiple publications have ranked it as one of the best albums of the 1990s. In 2020, it was ranked 221 in Rolling Stone's updated list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

The Beatles – Abbey Road, Apple, 1969, by Iain Macmillan (design by John Kosh)

Abbey Road is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Beatles, released on 26 September 1969, by Apple Records. It is the last album the group recorded, although Let It Be (1970) was the last album completed before the band's break-up in April 1970. It was mostly recorded in April, July, and August 1969, and topped the record charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom. A double A-side single from the album, "Something" / "Come Together", was released in October, which also topped the charts in the US.

Apple Records creative director Kosh designed the album cover. It is the only original UK Beatles album sleeve to show neither the artist name nor the album title on its front cover, which was Kosh's idea, despite EMI saying the record would not sell without this information. He later explained that "we didn't need to write the band's name on the cover […] They were the most famous band in the world". The front cover was a photograph of the group walking on a zebra crossing, based on ideas that McCartney sketched, and taken on 8 August 1969 outside EMI Studios on Abbey Road. At 11:35 that morning, photographer Iain Macmillan was given only ten minutes to take the photo while he stood on a step-ladder and a policeman held up traffic behind the camera. Macmillan took six photographs, which McCartney examined with a magnifying glass before deciding which would be used on the album sleeve.

In the image selected by McCartney, the group walk across the street in single file from left to right, with Lennon leading, followed by Starr, McCartney and Harrison. McCartney is barefoot and out of step with the others. Except for Harrison, the group are wearing suits designed by Tommy Nutter. A white Volkswagen Beetle is to the left of the picture, parked next to the zebra crossing, which belonged to one of the people living in the block of flats across from the recording studio. After the album was released, the number plate (LMW 281F) was repeatedly stolen from the car. In 2004, news sources published a claim made by retired American salesman Paul Cole that he was the man standing on the pavement to the right of the picture.

Although Abbey Road was an instant commercial success, it received mixed reviews upon release. Some critics found its music inauthentic and criticised the production's artificial effects. By contrast, critics today view the album as one of the Beatles' best and one of the greatest albums of all time. George Harrison's two songs on the album, "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun", are considered among the best he wrote for the group. The album's cover, featuring the Beatles walking across the zebra crossing outside of Abbey Road Studios (then officially named EMI Studios), is one of the most famous and imitated of all time.

Graham Parker and the Rumour – The Parkerilla, Mercury, 1978, by Brian Griffin (design by Barney Bubbles)

The Parkerilla is a 1978 live double album by Graham Parker and The Rumour. It was recorded at Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, Manchester Opera House, Apollo Theatre, Oxford and The Palladium, New York City; and mixed at Rockfield Studios, Wales.

The album was recorded as a contractual obligation album as Parker had already signed with Arista and was preparing "Squeezing Out Sparks" for that label. The album was longer than a traditional record and Mercury elected to release it as a double album. The single "Hey Lord Don't Ask Me Questions" was a re-recording of a song from the first album (and slightly retitled) with the song occupying the fourth side.

The album met with a mixed reception from critics who were waiting for new material from Parker.

In 1991, Rolling Stone ranked The Parkerilla number 64 on its list of 100 greatest album covers. The cover photography was by Brian Griffin, with the artwork completed by Barney Bubbles.

Brian Griffin: ‘Dave Robinson of Stiff Records commissioned me for this. It was my first album cover and was shot on the South Bank in London next to the Hayward Gallery. The idea to make Graham Parker look like a gorilla was Dave’s, using prosthetics. This album was also my introduction to Barney Bubbles, who designed the cover’.

Led Zeppelin – Physical Grafitti, Swan Song, 1975, by Elliott Erwitt (design by AGI/Mike Doud/Peter Corriston)

Physical Graffiti is the sixth album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. Released as a double album on 24 February 1975 in the United States and on 28 February 1975 in the United Kingdom, it was the group's first album to be released under their new label, Swan Song Records. The band wrote and recorded eight new songs for the album in early 1974 at Headley Grange, a country house in Hampshire, which gave them ample time to improvise arrangements and experiment with recording. The total playing time covered just under three sides of an LP, so they decided to expand it into a double album by including previously unreleased tracks from the sessions for the band's earlier albums Led Zeppelin III (1970), Led Zeppelin IV (1971) and Houses of the Holy (1973). The album covered a range of styles including hard rock, progressive rock, rock 'n' roll and folk. The album was then mixed over summer 1974 and planned for an end-of-year release; however, its release was delayed because the Peter Corriston-designed die-cut album cover proved difficult to manufacture.

The album was originally released with a die-cut sleeve design depicting a New York City tenement block, through whose windows various cultural icons could be interchangeably viewed. The album designer, Peter Corriston, was looking for a building that was symmetrical with interesting details, that was not obstructed by other objects and would fit the square album cover. He subsequently came up with the rest of the cover based on the idea of people moving in and out of the tenement, with various sleeves that could be placed under the main cover and filling the windows with various pieces of information.

The two five-storey buildings photographed for the album cover are located at 96 and 98 St. Mark's Place in New York City. The original photograph underwent a number of tweaks to arrive at the final image. The fourth floor of the building had to be cropped out to fit the square album cover format. (The front doorway and stoop at 96 St. Mark's Place is also the location used by the Rolling Stones for the music video promoting their single "Waiting on a Friend", from their 1981 album Tattoo You).

Eschewing the usual gatefold design in favour of a special die-cut cover, the original album jacket included four covers made up of two inners (for each disc), a middle insert cover and an outer cover. The middle insert cover is white and details all the album track listings and recording information. The outer cover has die-cut windows on the building, so when the middle cover is wrapped around the inner covers and slid into the outer cover, the title of the album is shown on the front cover, spelling out the name "Physical Graffiti". Images in the windows touched upon a set of American icons and a range of Hollywood ephemera. Pictures of W. C. Fields and Buzz Aldrin alternated with the snapshots of Led Zeppelin. Photographs of Lee Harvey Oswald, Marcel Duchamp and Pope Leo XIII are also featured. Per the liner notes, package concept and design was by AGI/Mike Doud (London) and Peter Corriston (New York). Photography was by Elliott Erwitt, B. P. Fallon, and Roy Harper. "Tinting Extraordinaire": Maurice Tate, and window illustration by Dave Heffernan. In 1976, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of best album package.

Physical Graffiti was commercially and critically successful upon its release and debuted at number one on album charts in the UK and number three in the United States. It was promoted by a successful U.S. tour and a five-night residency at Earl's Court, London. The album has been reissued on CD several times, including an expansive 40th anniversary edition in 2015. Physical Graffiti was later certified 16× platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2006, signifying shipments of over eight million copies in the US.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[dujour13]

Owlcatober 3. Shelter

---

When the Worldwound weather blew into Kenabres you wasted no time going to ground. Big, sticky droplets hit the cobbles and you hit the nearest shelter before it turned into bugs, eyeballs, or even intestines like that one time—best not thought about.

Woljif ducked through a broken window into the basement of an abandoned tenement and stood in the musty darkness peering out at rapidly forming puddles of viscous crimson. Fed up with this place. When he managed to scrape up the funds he was on a boat to Katapesh and never looking back.

“You found me!”

He nearly jumped out of his boots. “What the—”

He whirled. It was the crazy elf beggar, clapping her hands and laughing like some kinda mad fey.

“Oh. It’s you.” He peered suspiciously into the darkness over her shoulder. “Anybody else here?”

“Just Soot.” The crow hopped about on the floor, pecking at things.

He relaxed a modicum. Be no good getting caught in here with some of the characters he rubbed elbows with around Kenabres. She might be loony but she wasn’t dangerous, at least. He slumped against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, tail weaving, and sullenly watched the blood course between the cobbles.

But she wasn’t giving up.

“Now it’s your turn to hide!”

He glanced her way briefly and then back out at the rain. Those scars weren’t fit for looking at. “I ain’t a kid no more.”

“I know. But at least now your Gran can’t get you in trouble for playing with me.”

This evoked unpleasant memories of pinched ears. He sighed in annoyance, tail beginning to twitch. “I got more important things to do.”

“Grown-ups always say that. And then the important things they do just make them and everyone around them sad. I don’t understand.” She came closer and sat down cross-legged on the packed dirt floor with her rags and her filthy bare feet, and looked up at him with those uncanny liquid black eyes.

“I ain’t sad. Anyway the important stuff I gotta do is gonna make me rich. And when I’m rich, I’ll be happy.”

“Rich people aren’t happy. There’s a Count I see sometimes in the city square. He’s rich and handsome and he has lots of friends. He laughs loudly, but he’s the saddest of all.”

“Well, I can guarantee you when I’m rich I’ll be laughin’ for real, and you can bank on that.”

A thump from overhead made him start up and stare at the ceiling, from which a soft rain of dust sifted down. He cocked his head, trying to listen over the splashing of the blood rain.

“It’s just—” the beggar girl began.

“Sh. Is there people here?”

“Yes.”

“I thought this place was abandoned.”

“I see people come and go sometimes,” she shrugged. “At night.”

“At ni—what kinda people?”

“I don’t know. They wear hoods.”

“Cultists.” He turned his head and spat. “We gotta get outta here.”

“What’s wrong with cultists?”

“They’re dangerous, that’s what’s wrong.”

“Cultists, crusaders, they’re all the same,” she said.

Shit. She was right. No sense arguing with a nutcase. He reached out for her hand. “Come on.”

“But it’s still raining.” She got to her feet anyway, maybe just because it was nice to hold his hand for a moment.

He pulled it away. “I don’t care, we gotta hightail it. Now.”

“I’m not scared.”

“Neither am I! I just—I just think we ougtta find somewhere else nicer.”

“You can go if you want. I’ll stay here.”

Woljif sighed. “Aright listen. I’ll play hide-and-seek with you. But you gotta hide somewhere good. Not in here.” Indeed, the place was barren but for scattered broken glass and splintered boards. No hiding places.

“I’m gonna count to ten and you—”

“Twenty!”

“Aright, twenty. You get goin’.”

He kept counting, muffling his voice with a hand so she wouldn’t realize he followed her to the window and watched her run off down the alley splashing through puddles of blood and laughing, her stupid crow gliding after her.

When he was satisfied, he too crept out the window and headed down the alley in the opposite direction.

“Loony,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. “Musta cooked her brains.” But he had to admit if he had to get caught in a bloodstorm it felt strangely… cozy to end up holed up with someone who wasn’t trying to rip him off or push him around. Someone familiar and harmless. Someone who knew what it was like. He glanced back over his shoulder, and then shrugged his jacket up around his horns and hurried off.

also on AO3

[jessahmewren]

Temporary

Read on AO3

Rating: M

TW: Drug use, past trauma

It was flashing again.

Bix held the binocs to her eyes and adjusted the range. The image sharpened; the beacon was persistent and strong, cutting through the night sky of Coruscant.

She lowered the binocs and put them aside. Coruscant never slept, just like her, and beyond the window, transports cut through the air, snaking through the endlessly tall and glittering buildings, the severe skyscrapers and tenement dwellings in this part of Coruscant.

Behind her, she heard the sheets rustle, heard Cassian’s bare feet as they padded across the floor.

At some point, he stopped advancing, but she could feel his eyes on her as she sat at the window.

“Are you ok?”

His sleep-roughened voice relaxed her immediately, as it always did. She quirked her mouth. What exactly could she say to that?

“Couldn’t sleep,” she finally managed. She was still standing by the window and turned away from him.

Cassian put his hands on her arms, letting them slide softly over her skin. They were calloused from his blaster, and the friction there gave her goosebumps. “You’re freezing,” he whispered. “Come here.”

She turned into him, pressing her face against his chest. He was sleep-warm and smelled like laundry and almond-scented soap. Bix sighed, feeling the tightness in her chest decompress a little, the tension in her shoulders relax.

He brushed the hair back over her shoulder, tilting her chin up to him. His eyes roved over her face, those doe-brown eyes bottomless in their tenderness.

She felt the tears on her cheeks before she realized she was crying.

“Hey, hey,” he shooshed gently. “It’s going to be alright. Hmm?” Cassian kissed the corner of her mouth, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Cry if you need to, Bix. But you’re safe now. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She lowered her head, trying to rein in her emotions. It seemed like all she did lately was cry, her thoughts jumbled. Nightmares stole her sleep; the dark circles under her eyes had grown more pronounced, and she could barely function during the day.

Bix hadn’t told Cassian about the drops.

“It’s flashing,” she told him as she lifted her head. She watched as he glanced out the window, into the Coruscanti skyline. He narrowed his eyes, his mouth a firm line. “Already? We just got back.”

She wrapped her arms around him, hands fisting in his t-shirt. “I know,” she murmured. “Luthen will want you to go by yourself this time.”

He pulled back, shaking his head. “No,” he said, his voice tight. “I won’t leave you.” He pressed his lips to her forehead, letting them linger there. “We go together or not at all.”

Bix smiled ruefully. “We’re not exactly a package deal to Luthen,” she remarked. “You’re more valuable to him than I am.”

He tightened his hold on her, his eyes dark. “You’re my wife, Bix. Your value is not his to determine.”

Cassian folded her into him, pressing his nose to her hair. “We’ve given the Rebellion everything we have,” he said. “If that’s not enough, then Luthen will have to deal with it, not us.”

Bix hummed, but said nothing. Cassian led her back to bed and tucked her beneath the covers. Only when his arm was heavy across her middle, warm and solid, and he had curled his body into hers, did she close her eyes.

--

Dawn broke, and Coruscant looked the same as it had the night before…glittering, daunting, teeming with life. They were hiding in plain sight; lost among the millions of beings here. The chaos of the city had allowed them to get lost.

Cassian had Bix, but they had no place to call their own. The safehouse was bland, impersonal. He knew Bix wanted to make it theirs; neither of them knew what ownership they had over it, if any. It was an anonymous roof, a comfortable bed. It didn’t matter to Cassian, but he knew Bix longed for more.

She was still suffering, he knew, from the torture she suffered at the hands of Dr. Gorst. Every mission, every Imperial he killed, it was a way of paying them back. Of avenging her pain.

But it wasn’t enough. He watched where she lay beside him, curled into herself. She was not asleep; he could tell as much by her breathing, by the nervous flutter of her eyelids. Maybe she was trying. Maybe she was avoiding him. It didn’t matter.

He loved her.

He had pledged his life to the Rebellion, but his heart was hers. Everything that mattered was hers.

He floated a knuckle along her upper arm, and she opened her eyes, stretching in the early morning sun that poured through the window of their bedroom. She rolled over onto her back and met his eyes, a soft smile on her face.

“How do you feel about breakfast?” he asked her, hoping to distract. Hoping to make her smile.

Cassian could see her thinking. “We have some eggs,” she said, but he shook his head.

“Let’s go out,” he said, and he could tell it pleased her. She leaned into him, kissing him tenderly before swinging her legs out of bed and padding to the fresher.

He got dressed quickly. A plain tunic, a hooded cape. Something disguising, but forgettable. He checked the cartridge on his blaster and tucked it back in its holster, out of sight. Bix came out of the fresher, a dark blue cloak over nondescript clothing. He smiled, holding his hand to her, and she took it.

She was beautiful; he wished he could parade her proudly like she deserved, overdressed in Coruscanti extravagance. Nothing was too good for her.

Instead, they sat squirreled away like rats in the wall, hiding. A muscle ticked in his jaw, and Bix looked at him curiously. He smiled at her, forcing those thoughts away.

Breakfast first. He had ignored his comms all morning. Luthen and the Rebellion could wait.

They walked holding hands, weaving through the foot traffic of their neighborhood and into the thick of the city. Transports whirred by overhead, and horns sounded. In the distance, the Rebellion beacon blinked accusingly, as if it sensed it was being ignored.

Cassian had chosen a diner Bix liked, one that was more exposed than he was comfortable with, but he swallowed his paranoia. The smile on her face when she realized where they were was worth the risk.

They sat settled in a booth, and a droid put two holopads in front of them. Bix only glanced at the menu; she knew what she wanted immediately, and Cassian ordered the same.

He slid his hand across the table to cover hers. She’d been distant all morning, distracted. Cassian gazed at the familiar curve of her face as if committing it to memory.

“Stop looking at me like that,” Bix said, her voice brittle. “Like I’m going to fade away.”

He huffed. “It’s not like that.” He swallowed. “I can’t help myself sometimes. You’re so beautiful.”

She ducked her head. He was trying to make her blush; but her pallid skin remained unaffected. Living under the smog of the city had sallowed them both, and Bix’s lack of sleep made her punchy and exhausted. It was why Luthen hadn’t sent her on any missions lately. He didn’t trust her health.

“When do you see Luthen?” she asked if reading her mind.

He smiled dismissively, waving his hand. “Later. After we get back.”

She nodded. They ate in companionable silence. Conversations from neighboring tables floated in their direction. People were complaining about the Empire, not exactly smart in such a public place. The Empire had cameras and microphones everywhere. They were no doubt listening.

“Let’s take the long way back. Through that park you like. What do you say?”

Bix pushed her plate away, canting her head. “What is this, Cassian? Why are you—”

He sat back in the booth, frustrated. “Why am I what? I can’t love you? Do things for you?”

She narrowed her eyes. “It feels like an apology.”

Cassian said nothing. Bix saw him for what he was…a repentant and frequently absent husband. It made him feel exposed.

“Come on,” he said, giving her his hand. “Let’s go to the park.”

--

The park Bix preferred went on for miles…lush green grass, tall, colorful trees and exotic plants from other systems. They walked along the pathway and crossed a wooden footbridge that stretched over a sparkling stream.

Cassian knew why Bix loved this park so much. It appeared natural, unplanned. The vegetation dotted the landscape organically. It reminded her of the Ferrix countryside, no doubt. And it reminded Cassian of home.

Not Ferrix, but Kenari. The beauty of the park reminded him of his sister.

His comms buzzed again, but he made no move to answer it. Bix narrowed her eyes.

“You know that’s probably Luthen.”

He put his arm around her, pulling her close. They had stopped on the bridge, and he looked down into the clear stream, letting the noise of it blank his thoughts. “Just a little while longer,” he said.

--

Cassian was gone.

Meetings with Luthen never lasted long, but she knew what news he would come back with. Luthen needed him. The Rebellion needed him.

Bix opened the drops and slipped them under her tongue.

The warmth spread through her immediately, and she closed her eyes. The drops chased the emptiness, the hollow place left when Cassian wasn’t there. They shed light on the darkened corners of her memories, allowing her to sleep.

After the initial high had leveled off, she prepared a light lunch. Cassian would be hungry; he’d barely touched his breakfast.

The door slid open, and she pulled her blaster, pointing it at the open space with a shaky hand.

“It’s just me,” Cassian said, his arms up in defense.

She deflated and slipped the blaster back in its holster. “Cassian,” she breathed.

He made his way to her, his face drawn. She knew that look. She knew what he would say.

“I leave tonight,” he said, voice thick. “I didn’t want to go. I don’t want to go. But—”

“But you have to go,” Bix finished for him. “The Rebellion needs you. Am I right?”

He dropped his head.

“They don’t need me, though. Not now.”

Cassian framed her face with his hands. “That’s not true,” he said. “You need to rest. You haven’t been sleeping.” He pressed his lips to hers, tongue flicking out to taste her. “You would say the same for me.”

She pulled away. Anger flashed through her. “You told him no,” she realized. “Luthen wanted to send me. You told him no. I thought you said we were a package deal?”

Cassian said nothing. His arms stiffened, but his hold on her did not relax. “We are. I love you,” he said, his voice tense with conviction. “I would do anything to protect you, Bix. But this morning made me realize…maybe wanting you with me is selfish. You’re safer here. And Luthen will look in on you.”

She met his eyes, then remembered why she had been avoiding them. He pulled back, taking her in. “Are you ok? Your eyes look…different.”

Bix huffed a dark laugh. “You’re changing the subject, as always.”

He licked his lips, then swallowed. He held up his hand to her, palm facing forward.

“Say goodbye to me,” he murmured. “Do it properly.”

Her eyes filled with tears. She placed her palm against his, gently stroking it before turning her hand against his skin and repeating the motion. “This doesn’t mean goodbye,” she finally said. Her hand grew warm from the contact. She yearned to touch him more, then remembered her bed would soon be empty, and she would be alone.

Cassian clasped her hand in his, threading their fingers. “You’re not well,” he whispered. “That’s the only reason I asked Luthen not to send you. Not right now.”

She closed her eyes. How could she tell him that she wasn’t going to be any different? That the Empire had hollowed her out and left a rotting shell in its place. That this was as good as it got?

He nuzzled her cheek, and she memorized the feeling of his skin against hers. “I’ll be back soon,” he vowed. “In the meantime, get some sleep.” He smiled. “Rest up for the next mission.”

She nodded tightly. Her throat felt close. She kissed him again, trying to forget, chasing the same warmth and comfort that the drops afforded her. Both were temporary.

-0-0-0-

[reddy-for-more]

JV and HDB

I was exploring paths not taken (tooling around on FAYDE to look at dialogue options)

I learned that Harry, in "cop school" studied building safety regulations. One of his unsolved cases is that he sees what he believes is a sign of imminent collapse of an apartment building... then... look at this

Bad, bad thoughts go through your head. So what you do is -- you call your partner. JV (only initials available) is up. He comes immediately. He didn't take building safety, but he believes you. He brings five more officers. Together you knock on *every door* and explain the situation. [...] It takes 20 hours to evacuate the whole building.

I just. that's the bond Harry and Jean used to have. The ledger indicates that this incident took place 52 days ago. Less than two months ago, Harry and Jean's relationship was that strong. Jean trusted Harry's word, his training, his judgement that much. When Harry got into a situation that he was having trouble handling, he called Jean. It's 12:30 am, Jean is awake, and he comes to help immediately. That's what their partnership looked like. (It's implied that Harry is on-shift but Jean is off, but idk how shifts in the RCM work.) He ropes in other officers. They all work together. Their captain manages to throw together shitty accommodations for the 200 people living in the building. That is how well enmeshed Harry was in his department.

And then... less than two months later, their task force implodes; Harry tells Jean to fuck off so much he actually does; he loses his badge, gun, and memory; and when Jean shows up Harry doesn't even recognize him. Ouch.

god. i need to lie down. I dunno why but the Tenement Building Thing just highlights the tragedy of Jean and Harry's thing

[PS here's the link to the dialogue i was reading]

(Also. I want to know what other things officers can get trained in...

That's right. They trained you for this in cop school. Everyone has to pick a civil specialization so they can keep the city running: fire safety, first aid training, and so on. You took building safety regulation. And it tells you that this one -- is coming down.

What did Jean study? Kim? Judit? I must know.)

[girlactionfigure]

The Holocaust Whistle-Blower: Jan Karski

He tried to save the Jews of Europe.

Jan Karski was a Polish resistance fighter and diplomat who warned world leaders about the Nazi extermination of European Jews. Tragically, none of the leaders of Allied countries did anything to stop the atrocity – including U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt.

Jan was born in 1914 in Lodz, Poland to a devout Catholic family. His father died when he was a small child, and his mother struggled to provide for her eight children. They lived in a neighborhood of overcrowded tenements where most of the residents were Jewish. Jan attended military school where he trained to be a mounted artillery officer and graduated first in his class.

He then trained to be a diplomat, and between 1935 and 1938 he worked at Polish consulates in Romania, Germany, Switzerland and the UK.  At the beginning of 1939 Jan returned to Poland to work at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the fall of that year, World War II started when Germany invaded Poland. Jan – Officer Karski – was called up to lead a unit of the Krakow Cavalry Brigade. On September 10 the Krakow Army was defeated by the Germans in the Battle of Tomaszow Lubelski and Jan was captured as a prisoner of war. He managed to escape and went to Warsaw, where he joined the SZP, the first resistance movement in occupied Europe.

At that time, the Polish Government in Exile, overthrown by the Germans, was based in Paris. Jan organized secret courier missions to transport important information to the exiled Polish leaders. He traveled frequently between France, Great Britain and Poland, at great risk to himself. In July 1940 his luck ran out and he was arrested by the Gestapo while traveling through Czechoslovakia on his way to France. He was imprisoned and tortured so badly that he was transferred to a hospital. Fortunately Polish resistance leaders found out where he was and managed to smuggle him out of the hospital.

Returning to Warsaw, Jan served in the information bureau of the Polish Home Army, the main resistance movement in Poland. He and other Polish resistance leaders were horrified by the Nazi persecution of Polish Jews, and increasingly aware that the Germans planned to exterminate millions of them. Desperate to alert the rest of the world about the destruction of Polish Jewry, they chose Jan to gather evidence and then travel to Paris to report to prime minister Wladyslaw Sikorski, leader of the Polish government in exile.

Jan worked with Jewish resistance leader Leon Feiner, who smuggled him into the Warsaw Ghetto to observe conditions there. Jan later described the experience: “My job was just to walk. And observe. And remember. The odour. The children. Dirty. I saw a man standing with blank eyes. I asked the guide, what is he doing? The guide whispered, ‘He’s just dying.’ I remember degradation, starvation and dead bodies lying on the street. We were walking the streets and my guide kept repeating, ‘Look at it, remember, remember.’ And I did remember. The dirty streets. The stench. Everywhere. Suffocating. Nervousness.”

Jan also visited a transit camp for Jews on their way to death camps. He took photographs of what he saw there and in the ghetto, and carried them out of the country on microfilm. His testimony and pictures formed the first accurate account of the genocide of European Jews. Polish Foreign Minister Edward Raczynski published Jan’s reports in a pamphlet which was widely distributed. Jan traveled to several countries and met with high-level government officials including British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, but they either didn’t believe him, or they feared the political consequences of helping Jewish refugees.

In July 1943 Jan traveled to the United States, where he personally met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Oval Office. Jan vividly described the Warsaw Ghetto and the concentration camps where Jews were being murdered en masse. After telling his grim tale, Jan expected Roosevelt to be emotionally affected and want to learn more. Instead, Roosevelt displayed no reaction and didn’t ask a single question. The president heard first-hand about the murder of millions of Jews – and saw the evidence – but he refused to help in any way and showed Jan the door. Ironically, the majority of American Jews voted for Roosevelt, and many Jews still revere him.

While in the States, Jan met with other important personages including Jewish Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter. Jan told his story, answered a few questions, and then the great jurist said, “I am unable to believe what you have told me.” Like Roosevelt, he chose to ignore the inconvenient truth of what was happening to the Jews of Europe. A Polish diplomat later confronted Justice Frankfurter and asked if he thought Karski was lying. “I did not say that this young man was lying. I said that I was unable to believe what he told me. There is a difference.” The difference was likely not clear to the millions of European Jews being tortured and murdered while a Jewish Supreme Court justice chose ignorance over a difficult reality.

Jan Karski’s identity was discovered by the Nazi occupiers in Poland, and he was unable to return home. He stayed in Washington DC, and earned his PhD at Georgetown University. After graduating, he began teaching at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. Jan remained at Georgetown for forty years, teaching generations of American political leaders about East European and international affairs and comparative government. Jan’s students included Bill Clinton and Madeleine Albright. Jan wrote several books about the Holocaust, and gave lectures around the world about the horrors he witnessed, and the tragic inaction of world leaders. He was determined to make sure the Jews of Poland were not forgotten.

Jan said that he had two missions in life. The first was to bear witness to the genocide of the Jews of Europe. The second was to reveal the tragic indifference of Allied leaders.

In 1965, Jan married Pola Nirenska, a Polish Jew who was an acclaimed dancer and choreographer. He adored her, but Pola was scarred by losing 75 (!) members of her extended family in the Holocaust, and suffered from mental health issues. Pola tragically killed herself in 1992.

Jan Karski was honored as Righteous Among the Nations by Israeli Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem. He was made an honorary citizen of Israel and received many other awards and honors in Poland, the United States, and Israel. He was nominated for a Nobel Prize. In 2000, Jan Karski was formally recognized as a human rights hero by the UN General Assembly. Soon after, Jan died in Georgetown at age 86. Jan continued to be honored posthumously, and in 2012 President Obama awarded him the country’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has been the subject of multiple books, plays and movies. There is a statue of Jan sitting on a bench on Madison Avenue in New York City.

For bearing witness to genocide and speaking truth to power, we honor Jan Karski as this week’s Thursday Hero.

[steviebeans]

For the WIP game, whistleblower please ! :)

Buuuckle up it’s political and DARK and been rotting in my WIPs for a year.

Whistleblower

Premise: power corrupts. 

Dumbledore versus Riddle - think Berlin Wall. Blood purity. Magical world but no hogwarts. Dumbledore had the ‘moral’ high ground, but employed the same methods in the dark. (Think American politics)

Regulus and Sirius grew up on Riddle’s side. Sirius escaped at twenty, Reg 17, left behind. Beaten to an inch of his life being interrogated about how his brother possibly could’ve escaped, first by parents, then authorities. 

Thrown into a river to die, he survives thanks to to fate and the Rosier twins, similarly societally disgraced. Their parents were killed for allegedly being informants for the other side (they weren’t).

With the twins’ help, he managed to get in with the underbelly of society; drug dealers and prostitutes, and was masterful enough to make and trade drugs in exchange for information. Meets Dorcas - who worked as a server and knows a lot of powerful gossip. Expert in wandless magic. (Her parents viewed wands as a liability before they were outlawed)

Collected information, names and places of higher government officials. Barty + Evan pro thieves and able to get into places and get even more information. Pandora a forger, made fake documents. Information was collected not to tear down, but as blackmail if anyone tried to stop them. Reggie wants revenge for himself and wants to be reunited with sirius. Dorcas, for herself. Evan and Pandora because of their parents. Barty, for his father who sacrificed his mother and Barty to get himself on the other side.

In this world, there’s a “diplomat” between governing agencies. In reality, he sells information to the highest bidders and both governments think he’s loyal to them alone. Very shrewd. Diplomat hears a rumor Regulus is still alive, catches a peak of him when he follows Dorcas home. He tries to bring them in, but duel happens, and they get away.

They make it out, by the skin of their teeth, and the fake documents work for a beat, and they settle into a tenement on the poorer side of Dumbledore’s area. Idea to lay low.

It almost works ;)