#the ape who guards the balance | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

jinxedyaart · 1 year ago

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A little too Similar part 4

A/N This is still story building but I got some wips of when they hang out more together I promise!

Leo fixes up their posture, putting up the happy face before starting to guide the group again. As they continued the tour of the outside building, spewing out facts of certain places they've passed. Arms pointing at different points of interest as they chatted. Passing a few omnics outside the building with relatively normal looking clothing, expect for the guns they carried on their sides. They were outside guards from what it seemed.

Looping the visitors back inside the building, going back to the main statue again. Leading them down the stairs behind it to the real facility. The little one, once again was looking down at the stairs rather than forward, reaching out for Valen's arm for balance. Which the omnic happily responded in putting his arm out, helping leo walk down them. Gaining a bit of interest from the others as they looked at the captain infront of them. Clearly confused as to why they did that. Before anyone could point out the strange actions, they stopped as they came face to face with the double doors. Valen put his arm down to rush over to them, forcing the doors to open as wide as they could to accommodate the size of the party. As leo fixed their glasses, two other omnics whipped their attention to the sudden movement. Racing over to hold open the doors with their legs, looking down at their captain passing through. Saluting at them as quickly as they could. Both echoing a 'good morning captain.' Leo replied with a simple 'good morning boys' continuing down the room.

"This is the real facility in which we make and sprouse up our latest equipment. Our best normally hang around their work, only moving around if asked most of the time. Since some of their work gets damaged from the outside gangs while they patrol just outside the umm.. just outside the uh...the uhh.."

Leo froze up in the spot, whole expression confused as they tried to remember what that word was. Scrunching their small eyebrows, snapping their fingers just in front of their chest as if to force themself to remember. Tipping their head subtly to the left, then shifting it back straight. Mumbling ums and uhs, shifting to Valen who tilted their head to Leo. Mimicking their captain's train of thought.

"What's the word I'm looking for.. like area but not exactly area.. like the outside of what I protect.."

They questioned the omnic who also was similarly stumped, being brought out of his train of thought by Winston's voice.

"The parameter? Is that what you mean?"

He asks, fixing his glasses as well as his posture. Walking up to the small one infront of them.

"YES! Ah thanks Winston."

Leo spun around to face the ape on the other side of them, a grateful smile on their face. Spinning back to lead the party to their facility's conference room.

Passing some more workers and projects on the way. The group scanned around the large space curiously. Spotting different cliches working around the space. People fixing trucks and cars alike. Omnics and humans alike at a table cleaning up a quick game of cards in a small hidden corner made from the spaces in-between said vehicles. Few of those who worked under Leo turned to the Overwatch group as they passed, smiling at them from where they were. The little one came to a halt, ending up in front of a glass door. Taking out some keys from one of their pants pockets. At first struggling to find the right key. Showing the right one to Valen then promptly putting it inside the door handle, easing the door open. The room was similar to the one the Overwatch company has, just with a bigger table and barely any windows to point outside. In the middle of the room was the same table with holographic abilities, a few differences was it didn't show a globe and it had more compartments hidden just under the screen. Portraying the block they protect instead. The table was slightly covered at one end with drawings while the other was as clean as it could be with some scratches showing signs of frequent use as of recent. Simple office chairs lined the sides of it while the top and bottom end had chairs equivalent to those of top gamers. One a navy blue almost black while the other had a similar shade of money green all over it. Just behind the green chair was a white board with a few times written on it. A schedule on the top left hand side written out in black marker. Next to it was the date and a few magnets holding up a variety of things. Ranging from child like drawings to pictures of a few random people who seemed more akin to possible gangsters. In bold letters was todays date and OVERWATCH COMING in blue marker taking over most of the board. Behind the board was some fake plants, certain leaves had some punctures on it clearly the animals chewed on it. The wall behind the navy blue chair was a few more screens well TVs. Varying in sizes from medium to large, displaying a more recent photo of the siblings as a screen saver. Another screen had 4 animals as the screen saver. 2 large dogs and 2 normal cats. The dogs had their mouths open in a doggy smile while one cat napped and the other sat right in the middle of the dogs as if it was guarded by them. On the right side wall was a single window showing the backyard of the top building. Along with some more photos lined next to it. Looking down next to the same chair were two large pet beds. One purely black on the left and a nice off white covered in different colored furs to the right. Across from it was the open glass door or well the only door to enter and exit from. The wall a cloudy glass to have some privacy from the workers, but who ever entered the room could see clearly out the door.

"Apologies for the dog beds. I hope you're all not allergic. My dogs tend to stay in here while I'm out and about on business around the block. But they are home at the moment probably whining or messing with the cats."

Spoken out so nonchalantly as they close the door once they confirmed everyone made it inside the spacious room. Flicking on some more artifical light since the screens did little to illuminate that large room well for a meeting of this nature. They needed to make the right atmosphere for a good sounding meeting and being in a dim room with screens screamed malicious intent.

Taking their seats besides Leo and Valen who were still standing. Moving to where the navy blue chair was. Pushing it back to grab some papers from a cabinet in the table then pushing the chair to their body to sit down at the table. Valen was still standing right next to said chair, arms crossed out of view. Turning his attention to his captain awaiting the meeting to start.

Getting comfortable, Leo puts the folder down onto the table. Touching a few holograms to bring up a few more bits of information. Placing their left elbow on the table, holding up their head by their cheek.

"Now let's officially begin. Formally, I am known as Siren, my code name. My real name is Leo E Varela-Gonzales, the new leader of El Cielo de Puerto Rico. Though many know my eldest brother by his Code name Fuego as the leader. But due to some familial issues he has past on and it befell me to continue this company in his honor. I've been watching the Overwatch company for many years, cheering on from the sidelines. From my younger years to the first and second disbanding. Hearing the controversy of the black watch organization and other things that you have all heard of before I'm sure. Once I've caught wind of Overwatch coming back, I've cultivated as much as I could and messaged you, Winston, once I felt I've had enough to give you."

They fix up their posture so both elbows rested on the table, linking their fingers together to form a concave plateau which their chin could rest on. Slanting their head noticably with a small smile on their lips. The air changing around them as they did so. A slightly amused yet alluring all at the same time.

"I offer Armies of men willing to fight for you, Guns and Ammunition for all soldiers, Vehicles which can withstand even the strongest of attacks. More doctors well trained but willing to know more from the ones you have such as Dr Angela. I even offer up my own services and abilities as well, in this fight.. All I ask for in return is equal protection and assistance for what I protect."

Angela turned to leo in surprise that they also had doctors on hand. Not that she minded training others but it still surprised her. Their dark eyes focused on Winston's face to show their serious of this offer as they finished their proposal. Smile dropping quickly in an effort to physically show it. Never once really turning to the blue eyed doctor to fully gage her expression. Leo knows they are making an offer they can't refuse easily. They know they captured their needs perfectly. Awaiting a rebuttal from the leader across from them. Leering around the room for anyone to answer or to simply affirm, only to have the cowboy enraptured the void's gaze. His brown eyes catching the little one's void like eyes, inhaling the aura in the room.

"What kinds of abilities do ya have? If ya don mind me askin' Sweetheart."

He sat back more comfortably with a cocky attitude filling the air around him. Their soft features slowly crinkle up into a smile. A challenge is what he's asking really but Leo knew better than to take up a man with such an attitude just yet. Mei was the first to nod her head in agreement to the cowboy, with the others soon following suit. They were all curious about what else they can tribute physically to the team.

Leo responded with opening the folder on the table and bringing back a few holographic files as well. Spinning both to better show the group. Sprawling out the paper files on the table so each could take a good look at each one. Opening and closing their thumb and pointer finger to the holographic one to make it bigger for the group as well. A picture was on the top right hand corner of each paper file. Everyone could tell it was an older picture of them in their youth. Their long curly dark brown hair cascaded down their soft oval face. Big glasses held up by an un pierced nostrils, the septum was still there though. Their eyes a warmer tint to it as a small cute smile scrunched up their upper lip into said barbell. The files all had different dates on top the pages. With the paper ones being oldest and holographic ones being the newest iteration.

"I'm sure you all know the mythical creatures of folklore called sirens. They have the ability to hypnotize any and all who find it attracted to it or even weak minded people who desire an alluring creature for more promiscuous things. Their sharp claws and assassin like reflexes are also another thing they've been told to have. I however have the same singing ability and claws which the same rules apply although I am unable to shape-shift nor control water. My nails can grow out or unsheath like a cat in a way. I can also control the frequency of my voice with the newer modifications that my doctor has made on my vocal cords. All here in these specific files about myself. My skills are best suited for undercover jobs which Intel is obtained or possible crowd control if the event ever arises. However I am more of a glass cannon when it comes to hand to hand combat. I have the ability to send out kicks with full force but after a few punchs from the enemy I'm out of the fight. So I do use more back handed um.. tactics to tilt the fight in my favor. Street rules as my brothers and I liked to call it."

They move to grab another holographic file, a more indepth version of what their powers can do. All their training and even all modifications of their body as well can be read on the large file. Some even had a few doctor notes at the bottom which caught Angela's eyes. These were newer and clearly more experimental if anything. That's what truly caught the doctor's attention. Shifting her eyes back up as they noticed a small blur of movement to the side Leo's body. Seeing they were pointing with their full arm to Valen, who didn't seem to care much.

"Valen here is like my amplifier which helps me reach more people if I need an entire group to hypnotize or make dormit. But if you require my services for specific jobs then he will have to stay and watch over this place in my absence. Lucio might be a good substitute if the situation calls for it."

Winston grabs a few paper files, skimming the lines of each one. Even angela takes one as she would be the head doctor to assure the modifications wouldn't be malfunctioning. She read over the doctors notes first, her face slowly going back to the little one then back down. Leo pauses to allow everyone to fully read the files, fixing up her right elbow to the table to hold her head from her cheek. She holds onto the paper with a slight worry, turning to her leader then back at the little one. Once Winston had his full of information, he puts down the files one by one. Looking at the holographic one last, stretching out his hand with a small 'may i?'. Hearing a small 'of course' from Leo. Giving him the holograph with a small smile.

"How do you have all of these things in just a few years?"

The mammal questioned, voice laced with both worry but also conviction as he passed his eyes over it. Clearly he was worried this was from underground means. The question doesn't throw them off instead they looked more used to being asked it rather than afraid of answering it.

"Some were given to us from the blocks older gangsters which knew my brother in his um.. his wilder days, if i must say. Some are from government officials who live in the area as well who gave us better connections. They also helped with certain, more powerfull equipment. Hell, even the guards who protect the outside of this very building are old gangsters who met my eldest brother when he was 20 years of age. These people watched my growth and respect me enough to put a few cents into the cause. So some are from more older questionable means but the rest are given to us from the same government that assisted you back in the day. So dont think its all bad news or something along those lines, please.."

They reiterated back to him. Flicking up a few glass chips on the table's screen protector with the tip of their thumb nail. Valen smacked their hand softly to stop them from messing the screen more infront of company. He found it rude to do that in front of others in this building no less. The tone they spoke with filled the others with a slight calm. Shifting their small body against the chair, pushing themself into the back of it. Kicking up their legs over their chest in retaliation of Valen's hand smack. The small sound produced from it grab the attention of the others, all whipping their head to the proximity of it. Seeing Leo making themself more comfortable in the chair, rocking back in forth just subtly. Rubbing the new reddening part of their back hand from the smack.

"Like I said beforehand, I've spent the past 4 or so years cultivating as much as I could from those who are willing, to even have a good offer for you. While this company has been under my care, I've made sure that people didn't have anything against me to use against you in the upcoming battle."

They backed their body away from their table, linking their hands in front of their legs. Perching their cheek on their right knee, closing one eye before yawning a bit. Opening their eye again to do a half lidded stare across the room at Winston. Not noticing the ninja slowly growing worry as they moved.

"I ain't no black watch, i'll tell you that. The record for this place is as squeaky clean as it can be. We are very open armed to any and all that need us. We feed the people here with home cooked meals. Children run around the streets woth no fear of dying anymore. I personally don't want overwatch to be in a fight without a few allies. And I'm trying to make sure you're all aware I have many helpful allies I can give you, as long as you're willing to protect my things in return. I'm not asking for a pardon nor am I asking for potential hush money or secret deals. I wanna help the same people who helped many other families in the omnic crisis. This time, we wanna help you in return. A form of payment to you for protecting us."

Their head lifts just a tad off their knees, a lazy smile on their lips. Eyes a dull shining black as they buzzed around the room to each face. Stopping at Winston's form getting up from the table. Making Leo nervous that they may have done something wrong. As they even begin to spew out apologies, The large mammal smiles.

"I'm glad we had this meeting with you then. You sure know how to talk you're way into things haha! I was at first nervous about this and I'm sure everyone one was."

He opens his arms to motion his side of the room. Angela stands up with Winston, nodding her head then the others follow suit. Genji was at first nervous but stood when Angela's hand touched his shoulder armor. She begins with a happy tinge to her voice. He stood up looking at Leo's expression. Clearly they too were nervous from the sudden motion everyone took.

"We welcome you to Overwatch, Captain!"

As Angela spoke, Winston moves towards Leo, extending his hand for a handshake. His face a full friendly smile. Cautiously getting out of their chair, they scanned the room again. The air felt exciting, it shook them to their core. They did it! They finally are moving their dream along! Overwatch now had an agreement for their company. As they stood up, they smiled gleefully at Winston. Zipping over to take his large hand into theirs. Cupping one hand over his and shaking it firmly. A soft shriek leaving their throat.

"I'm glad we both came to an understanding! I won't let you down, I'm sure of it!"

The group chuckles a bit from their response. They giggle nervously as the group did. Pausing the shaking to look up at Valen who handed Winston a card.

"This is our card with many different ways to contact both Leo and me if you can't reach them. So please keep in touch with us. Or maybe we could set up an appointment to see the overwatch base."

The pair nod to each other then to the others in the room. This would be a great help moving forward. For both parties and both know it.

As the meeting sadly came to an end, Overwatch had to go back to their base to continue fixing up some more. And with the few gifts in hand from Leo, they'll be well prepared for it. Bits of strong metal and some blue prints they had for modifications of their own vehicles were the gifts given to them. Winston held onto the metal carefully, not wanting to hit anyone with it on the way to the jet. Leo, of course, walked them back out to the jet, staying at the door, not wanting to get too close to the jet. shaking hands with a few people. Winston got yet another handshake,and so did Angela, Mei, Lucio and lastly Cole. He tipped his head down and winked at the little one with a smile. Genji and Lena being the only two whom didn't get a handshake. Lena was already in the pilot seat waving happily as she got her gear on, meanwhile genji held onto the blue prints and stayed a bit closer to the jet waiting for both Angela and Cole to board first. His gaze falling to their body language. He could tell they werent used to getting up early with how much fatigue was written all over them. Nodding his head down to Leo as a goodbye as he finished scanning them.

"We can't wait to host ya in our point Lil Missy. Maybe we can put those skills of yours to the test.. I'd certainly enjoy seeing what you could do."

Cole spoke smugly as he walked backwards to the jet, nearly bumping into genji who was awaiting his friend to finish his "flirting". Scoffing at the man's attempts. He was cocky with how he flirted with them. He was toying and genji knew it. He was then slightly shocked by the reply Cole managed to get from Leo.

"Oh I'm sure you'd enjoy seeing what I could do Lil Cowboy. Who knows maybe I'll surprise you. You'd definitely enjoy that."

They laugh a bit in their response. Both men were taken aback from the firey response Cole managed to get. Leo shifts their weight a bit, blowing a kiss to Cole before laughing even more at the cowboy's open mouth. Now it was Genji's turn to laugh a bit, as he turned to his friend's face who couldnt recover quickly from shock. This is going to be fun for him and they both know it. Someone whose willing to playfully flirt back to Cole with no hesitation.. genji wasn't gonna hear the end of it.

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newstfionline · 1 month ago

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Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Florida neighbors band together to recover (AP) When ankle-deep floodwaters from Hurricane Helene bubbled up through the floors of their home, Kat Robinson-Malone and her husband sent a late-night text message to their neighbors two doors down: “Hey, we’re coming.” The couple waded through the flooded street to the elevated front porch of Chris and Kara Sundar, whose home was built on higher ground, and handed over their 8-year-old daughter and a gas-powered generator. The Sundars’ lime-green house in southern Tampa also became a refuge for Brooke and Adam Carstensen, whose house next door to Robinson-Malone also flooded. The three families met years earlier when their children became playmates, and the adults’ friendships deepened during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. So when Helene and Hurricane Milton struck Florida within two weeks of each other, the neighbors closed ranks as one big extended family, cooking meals together, taking turns watching children and cleaning out their damaged homes. “Everyone has, like, the chain saw or a tarp,” Robinson-Malone said Sunday. “But really the most important thing for us was the community we built. And that made all the difference for the hurricane rescue and the recovery. And now, hopefully, the restoration.”

Thousands march in Spain to demand affordable housing (Reuters) Thousands protested on Sunday in Madrid to demand more affordable housing amid rising anger from Spaniards who feel they are being priced out of the market. “Spaniards cannot live in their own cities. They are forcing us out of the cities,” said nurse Blanca Prieto, 33. Spain is struggling to balance promoting tourism, a key driver of its economy, and addressing citizens’ concerns over unaffordable high rents due to gentrification and landlords shifting to more lucrative tourist rentals. Residents of the Canary Islands and Malaga have also staged protests this year against the rise in tourist rentals. Seasonal hospitality workers struggle to find accommodation in these tourism hot spots, with many resorting to sleeping in caravans or even their cars.

Russian Strikes on Ukrainian Ports Target Shipping (NYT) Russia has stepped up its assaults on Black Sea port infrastructure and civilian shipping in recent days, in what Ukraine says is an attempt to disrupt its exports and damage its economy. The attacks are part of an intensifying campaign of strikes on the city of Odesa and the region along Ukraine’s southern coast. Since last Monday, Russia has carried out five attacks in the area, killing 14 civilians and injuring 28, the U.N.’s Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported on Friday, citing local authorities. The strikes on ships were mostly aimed at those flying flags of small countries unlikely to retaliate against Russia. Last Monday, a container ship under the flag of Palau was hit, Ukrainian official said. The day before that, a missile damaged a vessel under a Saint Kitts and Nevis flag, according to the regional military administration.

Pakistan’s internet slows to a crawl as blame falls on government (Washington Post) Mobile internet in Pakistan has been painfully slow for over two months. Now, technology experts and political activists are accusing the government of intentionally throttling the internet to suppress political protesters. Digital rights activists fear that Pakistani officials are installing new controls to more tightly monitor social media and to censor political content.

China’s ‘New Great Wall’ Casts a Shadow on Nepal (NYT) The Chinese fence traces a furrow in the Himalayas, its barbed wire and concrete ramparts separating Tibet from Nepal. Here, in one of the more isolated places on earth, China’s security cameras keep watch alongside armed sentries in guard towers. High on the Tibetan Plateau, the Chinese have carved a 600-feet-long message on a hillside: “Long live the Chinese Communist Party,” inscribed in characters that can be read from orbit. Just across the border, in Nepal’s Humla District, residents contend that along several points of this distant frontier, China is encroaching on Nepali territory. The Nepalis have other complaints, too. Chinese security forces are pressuring ethnic Tibetan Nepalis not to display images of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, in Nepali villages near the border, they say. “This is the new Great Wall of China,” said Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, the former provincial chief minister of the area. China’s fencing along the edge of Nepal’s Humla District is just one segment of a fortification network thousands of miles long that Xi Jinping’s government has built to reinforce remote reaches, control rebellious populations and, in some cases, push into territory that other nations consider their own.

Sri Lanka closes schools as floods hammer the capital (AP) Sri Lanka closed schools in the capital Colombo and suburbs on Monday as heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the island nation. Heavy downpours over the weekend have wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, flooding homes, fields and roads. Three people drowned, while some 134,000 people have been affected by flooding, according to the country’s Disaster Management Centre. Sri Lanka has been grappling with severe weather conditions since May, mostly caused by heavy monsoon rains. In June, 16 people died due to floods and mudslides.

Can the Government Get People to Have More Babies? (NYT) In 1989, Japan seemed to be an unstoppable economic superpower. Its companies were overtaking competitors and gobbling up American icons like Rockefeller Center. But inside the country, the government had identified a looming, slow-motion crisis: The fertility rate had fallen to a record low. Policymakers called it the “1.57 shock,” citing the projected average number of children that women would have over their childbearing years. If births continued to decline, they warned, the consequences would be disastrous. Taxes would rise or social security coffers would shrink. Japanese children would lack sufficient peer interaction. Society would lose its vitality as the supply of young workers dwindled. It was time to act. Starting in the 1990s, Japan began rolling out policies and pronouncements designed to spur people to have more babies. The government required employers to offer child care leave of up to a year, opened more subsidized day care slots, exhorted men to do housework and take paternity leave, and called on companies to shorten work hours. In 1992, the government started paying direct cash allowances for having even one child (earlier, they had started with the third child), and bimonthly payments for all children were later introduced. None of this has worked. Last year, Japan’s fertility rate stood at 1.2. In Tokyo, the rate is now less than one. The number of babies born in Japan last year fell to the lowest level since the government started collecting statistics in 1899. Now the rest of the developed world is looking more and more like Japan.

The Brewing War With Israel Is Boosting Iran’s Young Hard-Liners (Foreign Affairs) The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s influential, ideological armed force, has been riven by divisions between its older, conservative commanders and its younger, radical ranks. The former generally favor exercising some restraint when it comes to Israel, whereas the latter want to go directly after the Islamic Republic’s nemesis. Typically, the older elite have held more influence with the supreme leader. But as more and more IRGC commanders and partners have been killed, the younger generations have gained the upper hand. They have done so by questioning the competence of their elders but also by suggesting that some IRGC elites are actually Israeli assets, including Esmail Ghaani, the IRGC commander who controls Iran’s Quds force—which, in turn, controls Iran’s network of proxy militias. After Israel killed Nasrallah, Khamenei’s calculus appears to have been shaped by this younger cohort. It is part of why Khamenei launched the October 1 attack.

Netanyahu Is Killing Us To Set Us Free? Logic, Grief And Resistance In Beirut (Daraj/Lebanon) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed us, the Lebanese people, and offered us a gift: a massacre. He sent soldiers to the Lebanese border town of Maroun al-Ras, raised an Israeli flag there, and sent the picture to the whole world. Netanyahu, who has so far killed more than 40,000 Palestinians and about 3,000 Lebanese, addressed us directly—and said that he is killing us for the sake of our future [by destroying Hezbollah]. Netanyahu tells us that he wants to give us after killing us, a homeland, one that is no more than a graveyard and no less than a colony. This speech he addressed to us is truly amazing, a summary of what awaits us if Netanyahu, owner of the “massacre doctrine,” achieves what he wants.

U.S. to Deploy Missile Defense System and About 100 Troops to Israel (NYT) The United States is sending an advanced missile defense system to Israel, along with about 100 American troops to operate it, the Pentagon announced on Sunday. The move will put American troops operating the ground-based interceptor, which is designed to defend against ballistic missiles, closer to the widening war in the Middle East. It comes after Iran launched about 200 missiles at Israel on Oct. 1 and as Israel plans its retaliatory attack. The THAAD battery, a mobile defense system, will give the Israel Defense Forces another layer of protection to defend cities, troops and installations from short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles like those deployed by Iran in its last attack.

Netanyahu tells U.S. that Israel will strike Iranian military, not nuclear or oil, targets, officials say (Washington Post) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the Biden administration he is willing to strike military rather than oil or nuclear facilities in Iran, according to two officials familiar with the matter, suggesting a more limited counterstrike aimed at preventing a full-scale war. In the two weeks since Iran’s latest missile barrage on Israel, its second direct attack in six months, the Middle East has braced for Israel’s promised response, fearing the two countries’ decades-long shadow war could explode into a head-on military confrontation. It comes at a politically fraught time for Washington, less than a month before the election, and President Joe Biden has said publicly he would not support an Israeli strike on nuclear-related sites. When Biden and Netanyahu spoke Wednesday—their first call in more than seven weeks after months of rising tensions between the two men—the prime minister said he was planning to target military infrastructure in Iran, according to a U.S. official and an official familiar with the matter.

Is Israel deploying a ‘surrender or starve’ strategy in Gaza? (Washington Post) Northern Gaza, already pummeled by a year of ruinous war, is in the grips of a punishing new Israeli offensive. Israeli forces encircled the battered Jabalya refugee camp in a bid to “systematically dismantle terrorist infrastructure,” according to an IDF statement. Israel issued evacuation orders to some 400,000 remaining residents in northern Gaza, telling them to go to areas farther south that are already teeming with the displaced and still hit by Israeli bombardments. Airstrikes have killed dozens. Aid workers described a catastrophic scene. “It is like hell to be honest,” Fares Afana, the head of ambulance services in northern Gaza, told The Washington Post in a voice note on Sunday. Israeli forces were attacking the Jabalya refugee camp “for the third time and its surroundings in Beit Lahya and Beit Hanoun,” Afana said, and the camp was surrounded “from all sides.” Humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders said Friday that thousands of people—including five of its staffers—were trapped in the Jabalya camp. “Nobody is allowed to get in or out—anyone who tries is getting shot,” Sarah Vuylsteke, a project coordinator for the organization, said in a news release. The intensifying siege will “continue as long as required in order to achieve its objectives,” the IDF said in a statement. It comes alongside an apparent blockade. No food trucks have entered at all in October. Such a tactic may fuel further accusations that Israel is deliberately starving Palestinians in Gaza.

#headlines #news

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undercurrent-ink · 2 years ago

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Old traditions (2)

Tonight is going to be a firework lit time for Wendy and the rest. I have to tend other matters during it all. Oh it's going to be grand as well. We've been waiting for a long time to proceed further. I'd have to thank those gullible agents for spouting off freely; I'll just have to use the truth poison later on them.

My companions will be entertained. We'll get our power once again. I'll never give up till I rot away! It's my job to aid my family underground. Honor, loyalty to our dethroned king will forever be held high!

Kimono walked over to two fuzzy creatures under moonlit skies. One was like the night herself with the other being lackluster.

"Ebony," The Octoling's gaze landed on the lackluster one, "Tabby. I hope your research is going to be useful."

"Of course it is! Besides, your pod is tanked and ready."

"Oh~" She rushed over to a large tank, her hands touching the glass. Five large bodies looked back with love and loyalty.

"Make me proud. You got this." Kimono leered at a lever.

Electricity danced along the surface of water.

"Release them." Kimono obliged.

Five bodies shot into the new body of water, going depths deep; waiting. A familiar silhouette grazed along. Seeing nothing out of the norm, The Great Zapfish entered for a good cool off. Swimming along with a free sense of comfort swirling around they couldn't see or prepare for what waits.

A brush of a dosal fin sent the Zapfish fleeing taking to the skies only for sharp teeth belonging to a green, purple war painted, sea wolf, penetrate through thick scales, dragging them down while wailing a cry of pain to their people. Harpoons anchored to muscle with a red hue in the night.

Caught off guard.

5 to 1.

All or none.

Attack after attack.

Zap after zap.

Whaling of mercy after whaling of mercy.

The Great Zapfish floated up to the surface. Spent.

A net dragged them to land.

Body ridden with bites and harpoons.

Fins mercilessly torn to fine, blue dyed, ribbons.

"Big catch!" Yowled out Ebony.

Joy was splattered by a snap of a fan with yellow surrounded blue eyes roared in command.

Kimono looked at The Great Zapfish, "Take it away. Cover everything up. Make it like magic."

Tabby and Ebony bowed, "Yes ma'am!"

The morning sun shined on the glorious shrine castle waking up all own are morning hunters. Teams of turf warriors and their Flagdolls converse, except for one team and their Flagdoll. Training was a must. Perfect balance of mind, body, ink must be maintained and focused.

"Alright everyone, go eat."

"Finally!"

"Will you wait up!"

"You better hurry or it'll be all gone!"

"Hold it right there Ms. Hue!" Kimono walked over to the Octosquid, who was trying to sleek by like an eel, "You and I have some arrangements. Come."

All she could do was let out a sigh. She followed along side with Kimono.

"Back straight. Tail arched." Wendy listened and followed the younger Octoling's orders.

"I see you've grown use to appearing mighty. Now, to pamper and rehearse. Our time approaches."

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@new-squidbese-fattoon and @laylayeh

And anyone else!

[>:3 hehehehe. Don't you want to see the Great Zapfish go ape shit? Also I know it's been a while so I decided to finish this one up.]

#old traditions

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strawberrycriisiis · 10 months ago

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@koraichalcum

... y o u.

.....YOU AGAIN.

DOWN IN MY DEN ONCE MORE.......DISTURBING TERRITORY......BRINGING IN MORE OF YOUR MISERABLE KIND IN.......EXPOSING OPENINGS FOR RIVALS TO ENTER-!

Anger made him careless on approach. The trees and brush had cracked away in his headlong fury so much so he could not stop momentum when she was in sight-! The blunt claws meant to swipe and crush her beneath his palm had just managed to graze her shoulder instead before he collided against a boulder in a burst of rubble and dust.

He shook it off with a pained hiss and turned to lock gaze on a NUISANCE.

WAS LIVING THE FIRST TIME DOWN NOT ENOUGH??? DOES THIS WRETCHED WARM BLOOD ENJOY TAUNTING THE VERY VERY THIN LINE SHE WALKS UPON??? DID SHE AND HER ACCURSED PACK OF APES NOT UNDERSTAND TO STAY AWAY??? THAT HE WAS THE LAW OF LAND ITSELF GIVING CLEAR ORDERS??

YOU LIVED ONLY BECAUSE I TOLERATED IT!!! YOU'RE ALIVE SOLELY BECAUSE I DECIDED IT, YOU INFERIOR WELP!!!

But he picked up her vile scent fresh in the restless bright caverns below. It was THEY who stepped into his territory AGAIN, disrupted balance and let new beasts in-!!!

I'LL KILL YOU-!!!

The Guardian of Paradise's roar shakes the air and cinder flares from his nostrils-

better make a move.

She entered Area Zero out of curiosity, for once. Going against her instinct, her fears, everything she chastised her friends for, she returned up there -- luckily, unknowingly to her, in a day where her father wasn't constantly vigilant, and wouldn't be able to follow her GPS in there.

She went down mostly because of that tree. She barely got a glimpse of it when she went looking for Terapagos, but there was... something about it. Something calming, in that death trap.

"Just a quick peek won't hurt", she told to herself, being sure to tell the guards at the entrance she had no intentions to cause trouble and checking if Miri was in for a ride down there before jumping in. Because being scared of a stupid giant hole was, in fact. Stupid.

...or, at least, that's what she thought. Until she delved too deep.

---

She just landed on the lowest level of Area Zero when she heard a rumbling coming from... way too close ot her. ...no, no that wasn't a rumble. Miraidon reacted just the same.

It was a growl. A growl she was way too familiar with.

"--no"

Why is it here. Why is it here?! It wasn't there last time she went in that god forsaken crater, she was sure it just-- went somewhere else, maybe to sleep forever or something! Taking some steps back, Fresa's heart started beating as fast as it could, bumping hard against her chest.

"No no no, w-wait--!"

The Apex roars, she screams in return, stumbling backwards and raising both hands in front of her face as it they could protect her from an attack she was sure was incoming-- --and then a second metallic roar echoes in those caves as Miraidon moves between her and the other Paradox, electricity running down its spine as it prepared himself to protect her, if necessary.

She might be paralyzed by fear, but he won't stand there and wait for another young human to have a piece bitten off from her!

#˚ ⋆｡˚ 🍓 interactions 🍓 ˚｡⋆ ˚#koraichalcum #:) hey

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bookishardor · 1 year ago

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A Last Journey to Lorien~

Or, A Dream Comes True Again.

In October 2019 I wrote a short blog entry about a course of events that I could owe to a book I pulled from a box in eleven years earlier.

The Ape Who Guards the Balance by Elizabeth Peters set the trajectory of my life on that otherwise unremarkable day, and the knowledge that I simply skipped home none the wiser of how deeply it and its author would affect my life still gives me goosebumps.

I have looked back at that moment countless, and at all the moments that stemmed from it, with elated and sometimes stupefied astonishment. Moments that include choosing to attend Hood College because I read MPM lived in Frederick and had an honorary degree from that institution, pursuing my budding interest in archaeology/art history and Egyptology, and even traveling to Egypt.

After graduating college, I discovered and helped cultivate the most amazing community of fans on Twitter, and through that channel TeamRamses and Beth Mertz, MPM’s daughter. The two of them have been such joys to get to know and talk to on social media, the main forum for the MPM fans I know. It’s not often I run across people who know the books in real life, so being able to talk to fans from around the world online is important to me.

Funnily enough, it is rarer for me to find casual fans of MPM’s work than it is for me to find people who actually knew her.

In 2017 with the launch of The Painted Queen, I met the owner of Wonder Book, Chuck, who had been dear friends with MPM, as well as Ray and Jay, Egyptologists who not only knew MPM, but also purchased and moved into her Frederick home a few years after her death.

Eventually I would come to work at Wonder Book, and in that fateful October of 2019, I was invited to see the house and gardens, MPM’s Lorien.

One might suppose with that jewel in my proverbial crown, that this would be the end of a superbly lovely and incredible tale.

Oh, Dear Reader, it was not the end.

At the end of April of this year, I had the privilege to attend Malice Domestic—an annual conference of mystery writers and readers. TeamRamses and myself were kindly invited by Beth to be a part of the fun in honoring her mother, and while I was only able to be there for that Saturday’s events, I had the most wonderful time.

I brought along my mother and one of my best friends—my roommate from college actually, so you could say I kind of owe MPM even more for the push that had me attending Hood—and we had a blast listening to the panels and walking the book room. You all likely know how hard it was for me to not snatch up a million books to buy in that room…

And then it was time for the panel. And here is where I met TeamRamses for the first time in person. There is something so special about meeting someone who loves a book series and author just as much as you do, even if online, and then to finally be able to hug and talk face to face. And TeamRamses is so easy to talk to, and so insightful about books and fandom. Chatting with her on the balcony outside later in the evening while we waited for the banquet was delightful. We talked books and television, and brought up all of our favorite topic: Who is your dream Amelia Peabody cast? Maybe we can run a panel on that someday. Or better yet, a panel about a show itself! Wishful thinking, I know.

The authors gathered on the panel for MPM discussed her amazing characters and her lasting influence over their own works. As soon as Gigi Pandian opened the discussion on Amelia, with an introduction along the lines of, “Peters’ most famous and beloved heroine” I felt a suspicious tingling in my eyes. As Amelia might say, just a bit of dust, nothing more!

But truthfully, I felt briefly overwhelmed. It’s been nearly 10 years since MPM’s passing, but being in a roomful of people celebrating her and thinking of Amelia and seeing her so vividly in my mind as I have for 15 years, sort squeezed the breath from me for a second. All of this culminated when we all realized that Barbara Rosenblatt, the voice of Amelia, was in the crowd and graciously answered a fan’s question, and illuminated us all on MPM’s more mischievous side.

When it was time for the banquet later that evening, I was seated at the same table as Gigi Pandian and some of MPM’s old friends; her veterinarian and her husband and son. It definitely still hits me in hindsight, how incredibly lucky I was to have gotten that seat. To be able to talk to an author so influenced by MPM. To hear first-hand accounts from the friends that knew her so well, including a riveting tale involving a treed raccoon and some rather presumptuous hunters. I have added each little detail I’ve picked up from her friends to my ever-increasing regard for the woman. In hearing these stories, I know I am beyond fortunate.

At the next table, Beth and TeamRamses sat with Beth’s family and Chuck. Barbara Rosenblatt was also in their set, and when I turned suddenly to find Chuck standing with her at my side…Reader, you should have seen how wide my eyes got. I could feel them become starry saucers. I shook her hand and thanked her—in my mind for all of the beautiful narration she has done for the Amelia books and beyond—though in reality it probably looked like I was just thanking her for standing next to me. Let’s be honest, I kind of was. Chalk one up for me being completely calm and smooth, certainly. If you ever read this, Barbara, I promise I’m more eloquent when I’m not star-struck!

Unfortunately, I was unable to stay for the entire award ceremony that night, but I took with me so much from that dinner and the people I shared it with. To them I also wish to say, “Thank you.”

The drive home gave me time to reflect. What a wonderful day. What a wonderful gathering of people. What a wonderful woman MPM had been. I turned to my friend, not for the first time that day mind you, and asked, “So when are you gonna read Amelia?”

On the following Sunday I was invited, along with my mother and TeamRamses, to visit Lorien again once more before Ray and Jay move.

Now, as I said before, I’d been to Lorien once, in the fall of 2019. But coming around that corner and seeing the house on that little rise again…

At this rate, I feel most everyone has seen photos of the house and gardens. I don’t know if I could paint that same scene with words that can’t be gleaned from those images. If you have not seen the photos, you can likely Google the real-estate listing, or find it on the Facebook fan page: Another Shirt Ruined. I recommend it; they’re a feast for the eyes.

Nothing I say could do it justice, but there are a few things that can’t be extricated from photos, and I’ll do my best to explain here.

Once the visual beauty and appeal of the home has settled around you the next thing you notice is the scent. In fact, you may notice it as soon as you enter the solarium, but the architecture and bright glass walls of the room dazzle, where the smell calms. It permeates the air until you can’t help but pay attention, until it ensconces itself in your memory. Weeks later and I can still recall it; I think I always will be able to.

I’m not exactly sure what it was entirely. Lavender, undoubtedly, as Jay had it hanging in the kitchen, but also the earthy smells of the garden and trees outside. And perhaps, the stone itself imparted a lingering trace of aroma. The overall effect was dreamy and sweet and I could only imagine many a quiet, rainy day in that room, sipping coffee and dozing while the rain ran down the windows and accentuated the smell of the air.

The next thing you notice is the love.

It’s in the very bones of that house. It’s in MPM’s desk and chair that were still in situ. It’s in the bookshelves and artwork and posters that were still hanging in the rooms and up the stair case. It’s in the custom Egyptian murals of the bathroom and the tiles on the kitchen floor and backsplash. And of course, it’s in the gardens; where beloved pets were buried and where so much time and care was given to creating a paradise. It’s in the stories I heard about gatherings and exploits her friends and family recalled.

And that’s where the love was most. In the people that gathered at the open house that day.

As we all walked the rooms of the home, listening to Beth and asking questions, I know we all fell into pockets of personal reverie. Where we could just imagine the life of the woman who’d lived there, who’d filled each room with her blazing personality. It felt like that I had actually met her before, in a sense. And it felt like I could turn a corner and find her there, petting a cat or tending a plant, or writing away at her desk.

After a tour of the house, TeamRamses, my mother, and I took a turn through the garden, ruminating on all the reasons why it would be so easy to never leave the property. It’s simply idyllic, even in the misty weather of that day.

And love was to be found lastly in the performance given by Barbara Rosenblatt.

As a delightful treat for all of us, before she had to drive back up to NYC, Barbara read an except from The Curse of the Pharaohs, the second book in the Amelia Peabody series. Fans will know the scene well—where Amelia and Emerson return to Evelyn’s to collect their progeny…little baby Walter Peabody Emerson.

Ramses, to those of us who know him best.

It was surreal to stand there in MPM’s home and listen to Barbara read. I’m still in a daze thinking about it. A little teary, too. I never gave audio books the time of day until I thought to try the Amelia recordings as a reread method. And to hear her voice come alive in the home where so many of the stories were written? To hear Emerson bellow and Evelyn laugh, to hear baby Ramses proclaim in somber, serious tones, “it is a femuw. A femuw of a winocowus…”

I have said before that somewhere in my mind and heart, I am always in the desert of Amarna with Amelia and Emerson. The first book in the series is my favorite for so many reasons, least of which is the nostalgia and peace it brings me. My original copy is well loved, and I know pieces of it by heart. Part of me is sitting with them at the fire, looking at the stars and listening to the jackals, chiding Walter and Evelyn’s young love, and scoffing at Lucas. Part of me is always snickering at the feelings brewing between Amelia and Emerson, even as he sets his own pocket on fire and she bosses him around.

In the same vein, I know part of me will always be standing in that solarium with MPM’s nearest and dearest, listening to Barbara read. The smell of lavender, rain, and stone in the air, the sound of all our laughter, and the sense of MPM just out of eyeshot, chuckling with us all.

I write my own story, from time to time. I’m not very disciplined with it, at least, not as much as I used to be. I have varying feelings about it, and I don’t imagine it will ever be much more than a tale of my own whimsy. But I do feel like every time I add even a little bit to it, that I’m adding to a love letter to MPM. And I do think I could add endlessly to a love letter to MPM. Writing my story, reading her books, talking to fans and friends on Twitter—it’s my way of saying thank you, thank you, thank you a million times over to an author I owe so much to.

So does the story end with the last visit to Lorien, the last glimpse into the sanctuary of a woman I can only wish to have met? Maybe. But so many things have happened these last 15 years that can find threads trailing back to my decision to read that book.

I can’t wait to see where she leads me next.

#amelia peabody #elizabeth peters #mpm #barbara mertz #barbara michaels #mine #blog post #essay

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warningsine · 1 year ago

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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. fighter jets launched airstrikes early Friday on two locations in eastern Syria linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Pentagon said, in retaliation for a slew of drone and missile attacks against U.S. bases and personnel in the region that began early last week.

The strikes reflect the Biden administration’s determination to maintain a delicate balance. The U.S. wants to hit Iranian-backed groups suspected of targeting the U.S. as strongly as possible to deter future aggression, possibly fueled by Israel’s war against Hamas, while also working to avoid inflaming the region and provoking a wider conflict.

Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Friday that the strikes near Boukamal by F-16 and F-15 fighter aircraft targeted a weapons storage facility and ammunition storage facility used by the IRGC and affiliated groups. “Both facilities were destroyed,” he said. “We currently assess there were no casualties in the strikes.”

A senior U.S. military official said there had been Iranian-aligned militia and IRGC personnel on the base and no civilians. The official would not say how many munitions were launched by the jets.

A senior defense official said the sites were chosen because the IRGC stores the types of munitions there that were used in the strikes against U.S. bases and troops. The two officials briefed reporters after the strikes on condition of anonymity to provide details on the mission that had not yet been made public.

Syrian opposition activists confirmed the U.S. strikes in Syria’s eastern province of Deir el-Zour. Omar Abu Layla, a Europe-based activist who heads the Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet, said the main target was an area known as “the farms” outside the town of Mayadeen. He said it is an important transit site where weapons from Iran are stored before being shipped to Lebanon.

He said the second strike hit an area known as the “green belt” in the Boukamal area that borders Iraq. According to Abu Layla, some people were evacuated before the strikes because the retaliation was expected. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said ambulances were seen rushing to the area but it wasn’t clear if there were casualties.

Meanwhile Friday, an Iranian semiofficial news agency, Tasnim, said gunmen in east Syria fired 10 rockets on a base housing American troops in retaliation for the U.S. airstrikes. A U.S. official confirmed the rocket attack and said there were no reported casualties.

And the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group for several Iran-backed groups, said fighters attacked al-Assad airbase in western Iraq with a suicide drone. U.S. officials said it was shot down a few kilometers away and did not hit the base.

According to the Pentagon, as of Friday there had been at least 20 attacks on U.S. bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17. Ryder said 21 U.S. personnel were injured in two of those assaults when drones targeted al-Assad airbase in Iraq and al-Tanf garrison in Syria.

In a statement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the “precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17.”

In a letter sent Friday to congressional leaders, President Joe Biden wrote: “The strikes were intended to establish deterrence and were conducted in a manner to limit the risk of escalation and avoid civilian casualties. I directed the strikes in order to protect and defend our personnel, to degrade and disrupt the ongoing series of attacks against the United States and our partners, and to deter Iran and Iran-backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further attacks on United States personnel and facilities.”

The senior defense official told reporters that the airstrikes will have a significant impact on the ability of Iranian proxy groups to continue to attack U.S. forces. Asked what groups were targeted, the official said there are several that can have different names, but the U.S. holds Tehran responsible for funding, arming, equipping and directing the proxies. The official said the airstrikes were not designed to expand the conflict in the region, but to compel Iran to direct the militia groups to cease the attacks on American bases and personnel.

The Biden administration has not accused Iran of having a direct role in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and has said it appears so far that Tehran was not aware of it beforehand. But the U.S. has noted that Iran has long supported Hamas and has raised concerns that Iran and its proxies could turn the conflict into a wider war.

Austin said the U.S. does not seek a broader conflict, but if Iranian proxy groups continue, the U.S. won’t hesitate to take additional action to protect its forces.

According to the Pentagon, all the U.S. personnel hurt in the militant attacks received minor injuries and all returned to duty. In addition, a contractor suffered a cardiac arrest and died while seeking shelter from a possible drone attack.

The retaliatory strikes came as no surprise. Officials at the Pentagon and the White House have made it clear for the past week that the U.S. would respond, with Ryder saying again Thursday that it would be “at the time and place of our choosing.”

The latest spate of strikes by the Iranian-linked groups came in the wake of a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital, triggering protests in a number of Muslim nations. The Israeli military has relentlessly attacked Gaza in retaliation for the devastating Hamas rampage in southern Israel nearly three weeks ago, but Israel has denied responsibility for the al-Ahli hospital blast and the U.S. has said its intelligence assessment found that Tel Aviv was not to blame.

The U.S., including the Pentagon, has repeatedly said any strike response by America would be directly tied to the attacks on the troops, who are focused on the fight against Islamic State militants in the region. They said the strikes are not connected to the war between Israel and Hamas.

Such retaliation and strikes against Iranian targets in Syria after similar attacks on U.S. bases are routine.

In March, for example, the U.S. struck sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard after an Iranian-linked attack killed a U.S. contractor and wounded seven other Americans in northeast Syria. American F-15 fighter jets flying out of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar struck several locations around Deir el-Zour.

U.S. officials have not publicly tied the recent string of attacks in Syria and Iraq to the violence in Gaza, but Iranian officials have openly criticized the U.S. for providing weapons to Israel that have been used to strike Gaza, resulting in civilian death.

#Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps #syrian civil war #iran #syria #us

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