#up with the star

[ialpiriel]

Six years ago, after killing her father, she was stripped of her name, then sold into gladiatorial slavery in the Dead Nation, an imperialistic slaver nation consuming huge portions of the Midwest. Now, three days after a coup that started with the Iconoclast's cannibalistic destruction of the previous Warlord, the Iconoclast asks her--wouldn't you like like to make everyone have to respect you? Wouldn't it be nice to have power and make them all listen? She agrees, and ascends into power as the Nameless Warlord. And then the assassination attempts start.

Paperback | Kindle | Gumroad (PDF) | itch.io (PDF) | itch.io (audio)

My novel Up With the Star comes out today, Friday, September 8! It features a whole cast of queer characters and is set in an America that has fallen apart and reformed itself into scores of smaller states, some at war with each other, some at peace, some federated, some not. The main character is one of the Nameless, a manufactured underclass produced by one of the largest political bodies on the North American continent. She hails from a small state that was formed by christofascist secessionists around a century before the story starts, and was cast out after her values failed to align with those of her birthplace, in a rather spectacular manner.

After the Iconoclast's violent assassination of the previous leader of a different political body, she's nominated to take his place by the Iconoclast, as well as her friends Conway--an ex-POW who now works in commerce--and Marta--a highly-regarded trauma surgeon at the gladiatorial pits, the home of post-dissolution America's favorite sport, the site of quite a lot of augury and oracular functions, and the main characters "workplace." She takes the job on the offering of being able to spite the people who made her Nameless. Wouldn't it nice to be powerful and respected? Wouldn't it be nice to be in charge, just once?

Great for people who like adult transmasc characters, characters who are struggling with christianity, doctors, scenes about food, estranged families, fictional grandmas, and people motivated by spite, and can tolerate suicidal ideation, blood, violence, christianity, and sex scenes.

[vangoghcore]

by cocorrina.co

[sadmages]

Having ocs is fucked up they make you wake up and think stuff like what if i learn to code in renpy and make this into a visual novel. Who said that

[jojaxcola]

Sam has really grown up since I left. He's a man now. I wish I could've been there for him.

[startrekvsfaceapp]

[maureen2musings]

Villarrica, Chile

__explorenatures

[marspebbles]

a howling ray of light pierces my eyes

the bells of parting toll

the answer born out of the history built by god

tastes like sand

[artsymeeshee]

Slowly planning out ideas for the winter themed Pines family bonding moments so here’s their winter outfits! (Well. Specifically for inside)

[qrbits]

penacony game night! 🍕🎮 (zoom in for a bunch of easter eggs :])

[markscherz]

Meet the seven new frog species we just named after iconic Star Trek captains!

Artwork by A. Petzold, CC BY-ND 4.0

At the right time of year along rushing streams in the humid rainforests that stretch the length of Madagascar's eastern and northern mountain ridges, otherworldly trills of piercing whistles can be heard.

Are they birds? Insects? Communicator beeps? Tricorder noises?

No, they're little treefrogs!

Boophis janewayae. Photo by M. Vences, CC BY-SA 4.0

Until recently, we thought all of the populations of these little brown frogs across the island were one widespread species, Boophis marojezensis, described in 1994. But genetics in the early 2000s and 2010s showed that there were several species here, not just one.

Now my colleagues and I have shown that they are in fact eight separate species, each with unique calls!

These whistling sounds reminded us so much of Star Trek sound effects that we decided to name the seven new species after Star Trek captains: Boophis kirki, B. picardi, B. janewayae, B. siskoi, B. pikei, B. archeri, and B. burnhamae.

Photos of all new species described by Vences et al. 2024. CC BY-SA 4.0

I subtly and not-so-subtly built some Star Trek references into the paper, but probably the best one is this one:

'Finding these frogs sometimes requires considerable trekking; pursuing strange new calls, to seek out new frogs in new forests; boldly going where no herpetologist has gone before.'

— Vences et al. 2024

There’s a real sense of scientific discovery and exploration here, which we think is in the spirit of Star Trek.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that there are at least two Trekkies amongst the authors (including yours truly). As fans of Star Trek, we are also just pleased to dedicate these new species to the characters who have inspired and entertained us over the decades.

On a personal note, this marks a milestone for me, as it means I have now described over 100 frog species! I am very pleased that the 100th is Captain Janeway's Bright-eyed Frog, Boophis janewayae (if you count them in order of appearance in the paper)—she is probably my favourite captain, and I really love Star Trek: Voyager.

You can read more about the discovery of these new species on my website! You can also read the Open Access paper published in Vertebrate Zoology here.

[orcaking]

✷ ✷ ✷

[ID: Digital illustration of a nude trans masculine person, cropped from thigh to shoulder. They are leaning back, holding a small dagger pointing between their legs. They have red top surgery scars, and a hairy chest and stomach. Two pale silhouettes of hands reach around the figure, as if stroking their belly and thigh. The figures are surrounded by a border of leaves and red flowers, with a star in the center overhead. There is an 8 pointed star covering the figures groin. The piece is done in a minimal color palette of black, red, and warm beiges and yellows. /. End ID]

[spirkbitch]

differences i’ve noticed between TOS and TNG

[askfordoodles]

Mages when they run out of mana 🤣

[supertaliart]

A continuation of my previous Skywalker Twins comic - feat Yoda part 3

[ahhrenata]

he’s the reason i fell in love with Star Wars.

slightly animated version on instagram :)