#vehicle shipping agent

[inter-cityautotransport]

Should I Hire a Shipping Agent for Heavy Equipment Transportation? Exploring the Benefits and Pitfalls

Introduction

Transporting heavy equipment and cars can be a complex and daunting task, especially if you're not familiar with the intricacies of logistics and shipping. Whether you're a business owner in need of reliable transportation for heavy machinery or an individual looking to ship your vehicle, you might be wondering if it's worth hiring a shipping agent to assist you. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the world of heavy equipment transportation and car shipping in Chicago, highlighting the potential pitfalls and benefits of enlisting the services of a shipping agent.

The Importance of Heavy Equipment Transportation

Heavy equipment transportation is a crucial component of various industries, including construction, agriculture, and manufacturing. Whether you're moving excavators, bulldozers, or industrial machinery, the logistics of transporting such equipment require careful planning, expertise, and specialized equipment. Here are some key aspects to consider when deciding whether to hire a shipping agent:

Expertise and Experience

One of the primary benefits of hiring a shipping agent for heavy equipment transportation is their expertise and experience in handling such shipments. Shipping agents have a deep understanding of the unique requirements and regulations involved in moving heavy equipment safely and efficiently. They can navigate the complexities of logistics, ensuring that your equipment reaches its destination without issues.

Compliance with Regulations

Heavy equipment transportation involves compliance with various local, state, and federal regulations. These regulations encompass weight limits, permits, and safety standards. Failing to adhere to these rules can result in costly delays, fines, and even equipment damage. A shipping agent is well-versed in these regulations and can ensure that your shipment complies with all necessary requirements.

Specialized Equipment

Transporting heavy equipment often requires specialized trailers, cranes, and rigging equipment. Shipping agents have access to this specialized equipment or can arrange for it, ensuring that your equipment is loaded and transported safely. This eliminates the need for you to source and manage such equipment yourself.

Cost Efficiency

While it may seem counterintuitive, hiring a shipping agent can often be more cost-effective than attempting to manage the transportation process independently. Agents have established relationships with carriers and can negotiate competitive rates for you. Additionally, they can minimize the risk of costly delays and damage, saving you money in the long run.

Insurance Coverage

Accidents can happen during transportation, and it's essential to have proper insurance coverage in place. Shipping agents typically offer insurance options or can help you navigate the insurance process to protect your valuable equipment during transit.

Car Shipping Pitfalls

While the benefits of hiring a shipping agent for heavy equipment transportation are clear, the same considerations apply when shipping a car, with some additional car shipping pitfalls to keep in mind:

Vehicle Damage

Shipping a car, whether it's a personal vehicle or part of a dealership's inventory, carries the risk of damage during transit. Without professional assistance, you might not have access to the necessary safeguards, such as enclosed carriers or secure strapping, to protect your vehicle from dings and scratches.

Hidden Costs

Attempting to handle car shipping independently can lead to hidden costs. These might include fees for permits, storage, and unexpected delays due to logistical issues. A shipping agent can provide you with a comprehensive quote that covers all potential expenses upfront.

Time and Stress

Coordinating the logistics of car shipping can be a time-consuming and stressful process. A shipping agent can take the burden off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your move or business operations.

The Chicago Logistics Scene

Chicago logistics, as a major transportation hub in the United States, plays a pivotal role in the logistics and shipping industry. The city's central location and extensive network of roads, railways, and waterways make it a strategic choice for transporting heavy equipment and vehicles. If you have transportation needs in the Chicago area, a shipping agent with local expertise can offer significant advantages.

Benefits of Hiring a Chicago-Based Shipping Agent:

Local Knowledge

Shipping agents based in Chicago have a deep understanding of the city's logistics landscape, including traffic patterns, regulations, and potential challenges. This knowledge can prove invaluable when planning and executing transportation operations within the city.

Faster Response Times

A local shipping agent can provide quicker response times and on-the-ground support in case of unforeseen issues, such as last-minute changes or delays. This ensures that your shipments remain on schedule.

Network of Local Partners

Chicago-based shipping agents often have established relationships with local carriers and service providers, which can lead to smoother and more cost-effective transportation solutions.

Free Quotes for Heavy Equipment Transportation and Car Shipping

When considering whether to hire a shipping agent for your transportation needs, it's essential to gather quotes to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of their services. Many reputable shipping agents offer free quotes to potential clients. These quotes should outline all expenses, provide a clear breakdown of services, and offer a timeline for your transportation project. By obtaining multiple quotes from different agents, you can compare prices and services to make an informed decision.

Conclusion

Hiring a shipping agent for heavy equipment transportation and car shipping, especially in a logistics-intensive city like Chicago, can provide numerous advantages. From their expertise and experience to compliance with regulations and access to specialized equipment, shipping agents play a pivotal role in ensuring your shipments reach their destinations safely and efficiently. Furthermore, they can save you time, reduce stress, and potentially lower overall transportation costs.

If you're considering heavy equipment transportation or car shipping, take advantage of free quotes from reputable shipping agents in the Chicago area. Evaluate the benefits and pitfalls discussed in this guide, and make an informed decision that aligns with your transportation needs and budget. Ultimately, hiring a shipping agent can prove to be a valuable investment in the safety and success of your transportation projects.

Looking to transport your vehicle safely and hassle-free? Look no further! Trust us to handle your vehicle transportation needs with care and professionalism. Your satisfaction is our top priority!

[ablobwhowrites]

I have come back with more memes but it's m/n hanging out with the Decepticons and kinda helps him accept his vehicon self

When the Vehicons and m/n are having a sleepover

How agent Fowler found out be like:

Shockwave teaching vehicon m/n about Cybertron.

Tfp telling the other versions what happened to Vehicon m/n.

The aftermath:

(I love these memes, thank you for blessing me with them, also I'm putting all the stuff about this m/n under vehicon m/n tag, so that's how you'll be able to see some vehicon m/n stuff)

I love this and also how some people say that m/n should get a transformation mode and I was thinking like of him being a vehicon with flight mode (cause they are silly, I like them) also eventually m/n will be able to transform but it’s kinda hard for him to do it so he has to wait a bit before being able to become his plane or car mode.

Given the chance knockout or shockwave would tear apart Silas if they get their servo’s on him (let’s be honest everyone would do this) also sometimes m/n thinks of revenge and wanting to make Silas suffer, as the metal prison m/n is locked can be used as the guillotine of Silas’s own demise.

M/n likes to watch cartoons with bee, he still can’t go outside cause no vehicle mode to disguise himself but sometimes he does sneak out on top of the base if he can so he could and acree joins him sometimes just sitting there for a bit enjoying the peacefulness of the morning or night (they just chill like that, also m/n is extremely frightened by arachnid cause even if m/n is in a new body, bro is just a easier target for arachnid to take)

Vehicon m/n: “then I was put in this body, I can’t survive without it now”

Tfa y/n: “that’s rough buddy….wanna go play a racing game back at the base with me and bumblebee?”

Vehicon m/n: “yeah…”

Also a little thing agent fowler found out of m/n's disappearance cause him and m/n's parents are friends and promised to find him, fowler also was the one to help m/n see his parents again to know he was okay (mentally and some what physically no but still, bro is alive)

also very yandere transformer universe want and will kill Silas, also the vehicons go on shenanigans around the ship with m/n if they can and sometimes give m/n some of their energon stash and they would basically gossip with m/n about some stuff that's been or had happen in the past.

Vehicon M/n when Silas or arachnid isn't going to bother him anymore

The yandere's seeing Silas like

Do y’all know finding Frankie? That new horror parkour game? I wanna make yandere fic’s about it dude. Also just know I watched transformers one

[kingghoost]

I loveloveLOVE your cityspeaker AU! Also with the fact here on Earth it's not THAT uncommon to refer to a vehicle as "she" or even "he" sometimes, meanwhile Ratchet hiding calling OP anything other than "it" to prevent mass freakout, do you think it's possible Ratchet thinks the humans are hiding other cybertronians because of cultural misunderstandings?

That would be a funny situation!

I'm thinking of when Team Prime first allied with the humans, Ratchet would drop the secrecy and refer to Optimus as "he" even before they discover he's a titan. Because of that custom though, they probably wouldn't think much of it/realize that he's referring to a sentient being.

One of the agents would eventually refer to one of their vehicles (a helicopter maybe?) as "she" which would really confuse Ratchet. He'd go like—"Uh.. You have other cybertronians on earth?" The idea wouldn't be too surprising to him, as he's aware of the fact that others of his kind were on Earth before him (Energon being hidden + those guys that were buried) He would be just shocked that he wasn't told.

After some clarification though, he'd understand that it's only a norm on Earth. He'd probably find it very silly!

Now imagine the government's shock when they find out Ratchet's ship actually does go by those pronouns...Because he's alive!

[saintsenara]

Thoughts on remadora?

thank you very much for the asks, anons!

while they are by no means my otp, i really enjoy remadora as pairing - and i think they’re fully up there among the canon couples in terms of being an amazing vehicle through which to explore all sorts of questions about life and love - which i am aware is a sufficiently controversial statement that it involves an immediate engagement with some discourse…

because remadora girlies [gender neutral] get an enormous amount of shit within the fandom, particularly from fans who consider wolfstar to be a more plausible pairing for lupin than tonks. i have seen remadora shippers called homophobes for simply enjoying the couple, justified with the bizarre idea that it disrespects remus' relationship with sirius [so... the non-canon one?] to put them together. i have seen tonks turned into a pathetic shrew who is trying to keep remus from the real love of his life by trapping him with an unwanted baby. i have seen remadora shippers get a lot of the usual stuff that people who prefer the canon-endgame couples do [that to ship a canon pair is boring, that it is indicative of a lack of talent, that it indicates an uncritical support for jkr] magnified to eleven because tonks has the temerity to be a barrier to remus’ relationship with the fandom’s favourite hot and brooding man.

obviously, this is bullshit - primarily because its unreasonable and cruel to invest so much time and energy being mean to people because of their harry potter shipping preferences [fandom should never be that deep].

but it’s also a disappointment to me personally because it means that it can be very hard to find the sort of remadora i like without looking like i’m coming to contribute to the pile-on. because where many remadora fans and i don’t see eye-to-eye is that i have absolutely no interest in thinking about them as a relationship which is actually functional. and, all too often, i find myself sifting through fics which do prefer to interpret them like this - as romantic and passionate and stable - largely, i think it’s fair to say, as a defensive move against the tide of “urgh, imagine shipping that” nonsense - even though all the evidence of canon is that they are… very much not.

i am aware of the pottermore article which smoothes the edges of lupin’s canonical reaction to tonks’ feelings for him in half-blood prince - but, while i read this as something of a retcon to make the relationship more palatable, i also don’t think that assuming that both tonks and lupin’s attraction to each other was sincere precludes them being as dysfunctional as they canonically are. i don’t go in for the common anti-remadora argument that tonks “forces” him into a relationship with her - it’s clear in half-blood prince that it’s not only her who has discussed her feelings with molly and arthur weasley, lupin is definitely flirting with her when they pick harry up in order of the phoenix, lupin is an adult man [no matter other power imbalances between him and tonks - such as the fact that she is an agent of the state which oppresses him] who possesses the capacity to refuse her advances, and - since teddy’s conception is not immaculate - he has no issue with enjoying a sexual relationship with her even if he then wants to run away from the product of that.

instead, what i like with remadora is that they reveal something which goes against the grain of the rest of the series: that love is not always enough. throughout the seven-book canon, we see time and time again the idea that love - and, crucially, love-as-noble-suffering and love-as-sacrifice - is enough to overcome any problem. entire civil service collaborating with a terrorist regime? don’t trouble yourself, love has won. your mother dying in childbirth leaving you to be neglected in a state institution? your own fault you’re not interested in love.

i understand the genre reasons for this, but i also love the way in which lupin especially exists on the margins of these genre conventions [just as he exists on the margins of wizarding society!]. i’m always struck in deathly hallows that he’s the only person who’s actually realistic about the demands of war - particularly when he tells harry that it is breathtakingly naive for him to think he can get through the fighting without having to shoot to kill - and that part of him having to be shuffled out of the way when harry tells him to return to the pregnant tonks is because, were the story focused on realism, the idea of a wanted man who is considered an unhuman by the state fleeing in order to guarantee the safety of his wife and unborn child becomes eminently reasonable and harry's defense of the nuclear family embarrassingly unradical.

and so i like the idea of lupin seeing tonks - and tonks seeing lupin - initially as just a bit of fun, as the two of them being just two chill single people who think the other is hot and interesting and want to bang because of it.

[which is something fandoms in general really struggle with as a concept. we like epic love stories - and you won't find me objecting to that! - but we're less good at thinking about casual sexual attraction or transient friendships, and how these can be transformative and meaningful without having to end up going any sort of distance.]

and i then like the idea of the relationship being forced into a profundity it doesn’t really have the juice to sustain by the sheer avalanche of grief which besets the two of them - sirius, dumbledore, mad-eye, ted - and by the pressure of the war and the fact that the order is scrambling and the hangover of remus' self-destruction in half-blood prince which makes each cling to the other as a life-raft. i like remadora as something codependent and messy and strange and sad, and i don’t think this prevents it being sincere and fun and based in mutual attraction, but instead that these positive qualities can exist in conjunction with the fact that, without the war, it would have been a summer of fucking and that was probably it.

on tonks herself, i don’t think i can say it better than @evesaintyves in this meta on her character. i’ve been really uncomfortable with quite a lot of stuff i’ve seen recently which has taken against the idea that tonks can be meaningfully read as queer on the basis of what we find in the text, above all because it so often comes with the implication that one cannot imagine her in her canon endgame pairing and presume that she’s something other than straight or cisgender. eve sets out an excellent case for tonks as bolshy and liberated and in tune with herself and fun and confused and in flux and still figuring stuff out about who she is and where she’s going - and this translates, may i say, to an astonishingly beautiful way of writing her, lupin, and the dysfunction inherent between them which i highly recommend you read.

[oldschoolfrp]

Went to a con, played a bunch of games, and bought a lot of new miniatures this year, mostly historicals including a lot of plastics. But the Sunday flea market is the most anticipated moment of the weekend's shopping. After sorting through my haul some of the highlights include

A 1979 Ral Partha Evil Lord on Litter; I've already sourced his missing throne back.

A bag full of Rogue Trader era Citadel metal vehicles, including 4 complete dreadnoughts from 1987 and an assortment of marine and ork speeders, bikes, trax and buggies.

One metal Sister of Battle from the first 1997 release, ready to purge heretics with fire.

A bunch of 6mm sci-fi battlesuit infantry made for Ogre Miniatures in 1993, to (briefly) hold urban terrain areas against advancing cybertanks.

And a bag of Babylon 5 Wars/ACTA ships, including a shadow omega -- I believe that kit was from the early 2000s by Mongoose, using parts from Agents of Gaming's original 1990s omega and shadow vessel models.

Because no game is "dead" as long as you play it again, and because the recent flood of miniature-agnostic indie games shows no signs of slowing down.

[quetzalpapalotl]

For my like 10 followers that aren't into Transformers, here is a list of things that are totally canon for the IDW Transformers comics (2005-2018):

Two guys had a meetcute in the morgue of an euthanasia clinic because one guy wanted to kill himself and the other was looking for his dissappeared husband among the corpses. They get married. They seemingly don't talk about what they're going to do once they find the second guy's husband that they're still looking for. The suicidal guy has had other 3 husbands but he erased his memory of that because he's bad at dealing with grief.

The suicidal guy's ex (not one of his dead husbands) is the Autobot second-in-command and had a pet mad scientists that made him war crime machines. They ended up invented the concept of having a child, but then the Autobot SIC had the scientist thrown into the torment nexus because he felt bad about doing war crimes and wahted to stop. He didn't actually stop doing war crimes.

Optimus Prime annexes Earth.

A guy invents time travel to save his unrequited crush's life

God is a real person but he's not actually a deity and is currently a therapist whose license was revoked for getting unprofessionally close to his patients. Everyone who knew his license was revoked died so he just kept on practicing.

Optimus Prime pretends to be havig divinely-inspired visions to get out of situations.

Tumblr exists in-universe.

There's a guy named Centurion who was made to think he's Bumblebee because when his ship crashed a scientist brainwashed them into thinking they were classic Transformers characters to see what happens. Thousands of years later he gets involved in human wars and remembers he's not Bumblebee. He develops a self hatred so great he lets a G.I. Joe villian use him for his schemes. Centurion then has his consciousness fused with a human named Mike Power and lives perpetually with the biggest identity crisis of history.

Another guy also had his memories messed with and has lived multiple human lives (he may be Gilgamesh) when he's actually a Transformer secret agent. He's overcoming his own identity crisis through the power of sheer vanity. He also owns the in-universe equivalent of Facebook and Apple.

On at least 3 occasions Transformers used another Transformer's corpse as a vehicle. And on 1 occasion they used a corpse as a replacement limb (the guys alternate mode was a leg)

The Transformers on planet Cybertron at some point forgot that gender is a thing. There are lost colonies from before this so gender is still a thing in those.

One of those cybertronian colonies sends a delegate after millennia of absence and her bodyguard hates the place so much she causes a terrorist attack just as an excuse to go home, people die. The delegate was like "that was bad but we can move past this" and forgives her.

The Decepticons rewired their own soldiers into bombs and dropped them on people.

The Decepticons also rewired Autobots into anti-personnel live mines that would explode when they good too stressed and needed to be handled by people that could defuse them while keeping them calm.

Transformers are allergic to magic.

A guy has a fanzine dedicated to the Autobot Black-ops where he writes fanfiction. It's so popular multiple people are on a mailing list to have it downloaded directly to their brains when a new issue comes out.

A Decepticon's plan to deal with population decline is to make a bunch of organic babies, have them grow up and make more babies and then transplant their souls to Transformers bodies. He got as far as growing one (1) baby. Tbh, you could erase this whole plot and the story wouldn't suffer much.

Starscream who is a backstabbing liar who cares only for himself becomes president. He routinely neglects and endangers the population for his own ends. He was the best leader Cybertron ever had at the time.

[klausinamarink]

Oop let's try this again; for the birthday fics: “Because you’re a jinx!” angsty Steddie established relationship, chasing fame Eddie and some guy Steve who gets discovered while Eddie's band keeps being passed over? Platonic hellcheer and platonic Stobin.

I couldn’t find a way to put in the platonic ships but it’s still Steddie. Enjoy the angsty flavour electric boogaloo.

It was supposed to be Eddie’s lucky day.

This was supposed to be his time. The moment when the rich suits would look at Eddie and immediately offer him the contract that finally pushed his music to fame.

But it was just another fucking mediocre performance. Only a few people out of the dozens in the crowd cheered, but that was worse than getting no response at all. Nobody even went up to them for an autograph, their numbers, Instagram handles, music samples, anything that would’ve made the night worth it.

Eddie stayed silent and seething for the whole drive home. The rest of the band left on their own respective vehicles, though Jeff had lingered longer to say something that Eddie mentally filtered out. Probably some shitty encouragement or a call to quit. 

His hands tightened around the wheel. Eddie felt the pulsing headache crawl to the back of his eyes. Goddamnit, he needed to sleep.

Maybe in Steve’s arms, but for once, Eddie just wanted to be alone for tonight. 

After he parked the car and trudged the stairs back to his apartment, Eddie bit his lip until he tasted the sting of copper. 

He was so tired. Not just physically, but in very foul shape that took its claws into him. It was the apathetic crowds and uninterested advisors. How the rest of the band delayed practice more and more. The bland methodical act of cutting up another piece of his shrinking soul as a muse for his lyrics. 

But still. He was close to that single star of recognition. Eddie had to taste it.

Unlocking the door, Eddie kept himself from collapsing until he dropped his guitar case and landed face-first on the couch. 

In the bedroom, he could catch some muffled conversation, the floor creaking as Steve paced back and forth inside. 

Eddie frowned and checked his phone for any missed messages. Steve hadn’t texted him since five,  soon after Eddie had left for the worst night of his life. It was almost eleven now. So why was his boyfriend still up and talking to someone?

Before Eddie could try and get up, the door opened and Steve came out, his phone in hand. Steve glanced up and stopped in his tracks when he saw Eddie. He gave a bright smile.

“Hey, babe! You okay?” 

Eddie groaned. If he had the energy, he could scream into the pillows.

The floor creaked as Steve approached and gently laid a hand on his back. “Was the band okay?”

Eddie groaned again, unable to hold himself back from pressing against Steve’s hand. He could really use a fucking massage. Or some quick, stress-relief sex. “It’s fucking awful. It’s always fucking awful.”

Steve made a sympathetic noise, “I’m sorry to hear that, Eds.”

Eddie lifted his head up and peered at Steve. Despite his words, there was an odd light in Steve’s eyes and his lips were fighting desperately not to smile.

“What is it?” He asked.

Steve had the nerve to look spooked, “Uh, well, I don’t want to ruin your mood-”

“What is it?”

Steve stared at him for a moment before he sighed like it was the start of a serious discussion.

“You know that audition I did back in Chicago two weeks ago?” Steve bit his lip. It only revealed the cracks of excitement on his face and Eddie already knew what he was about to say. “Well, my agent called and said that I’m officially casted. I’m gonna be in a HBO show!”

Record scratch.

Eddie only stared at Steve as the news hit him with the speed of a truck. When he saw Steve’s smile in full glory, he only saw blank faces who spat at him with rejection and disappointment and ‘try better’s. 

How the fuck does Steve get so many gigs when Eddie could barely find an open venue in advance? And now he’s going to work for fucking HBO, Jesus Christ-

Steve was frowning at him, “You- are you not happy?”

“Of course, I am!” Eddie said quickly. It felt hard to speak when there was something now stuck and burning in his throat. He got up from the couch and walked to the kitchen. He needed a drink. Maybe not alcohol, though tempting. But some actual water but he was too exhausted and sober for this shit. 

“I’m always here to support my wonderful and talented boyfriend who never misses an audition. Who always gets a spot in whatever he plays in, even if it’s a fucking diaper commercial or a glorified extra who gets five more cents than his less impressive boyfriend.” 

As he spoke, his words became more tinted with venom. Eddie took an empty glass and filled it under the tap. He almost choked from gulping it down in one go. It cooled his throat, but the burning simply expanded through his veins.

“Okay, you’re mad.” Steve said slowly, now behind him.

Eddie laughed bitterly, “Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. They taught you that in acting class or was it a trick from your last ex?”

“Jesus, okay, Eddie.” Steve put his hands on Eddie’s shoulders but Eddie shook him off with more force than necessary. “You’re obviously in a bad mood and my news isn’t making it better, but you did ask and-”

Eddie whirled around. He was seeing red at the corners of his vision. “And now it’s my fault?!”

Steve backed away, his hands up in a plea of surrender. His face pinched with concern and hurt. “Eddie, let’s, let’s just go to bed. Take a shower-”

“Stop treating me like I’m a child!” 

“Fuck, even a child would tell me what’s making them this upset!”

“You wanna know why I’m so upset? Huh?” Eddie smacked a hand against Steve’s chest, pushing his boyfriend away. “Take a guess with your ‘subtlety’ talents and maybe you can fucking figure it out.”

“No, I- Eds, baby-” Steve stopped to take a breath. He looked back at Eddie with more firmness, but he saw the way Steve’s ego was crumbling in his eyes. “Can you please just tell me why are you acting like this? Was it because I did something or-?”

Eddie’s anger flared. It touched the back of his mouth so he spat it all out like a dragon. “Oh, everything you do with your squeaky clean and easy career is the reason why I’m pissed at you. You get all of these stupid roles to play some stupid character Twitter would make discourse for while I have spent the last three years trying to find someone who’s willing to listen to my band play in a goddamn studio! But I keep missing these opportunities for some reason that I’m starting to think that we’re cursed or shit.”

“Eds, it can’t-”

“And don’t you say you know how it feels like because you never knew how to fucking fail, Stevie! Everything you do is just rich executives giving you silver platters. I bet they all want that Harrington blowjob.”

Steve gasped softly and shook his head. He now had his arms around himself like it would protect him. “That’s not true- Why are you even saying these things to me?!”

“Because you’re a jinx! Because you’re Steve Harrington and I hate your dumb luck!”

Eddie’s words echoed across the apartment as he breathed heavily. He wouldn’t be surprised if it went out the windows and into the streets. 

Steve held an unbelievably idiotic expression. Mouth half-open, a slack jaw, glossy eyes that just stared at Eddie without any more light shining in them.

Finally, he spoke so quietly that Eddie had to strain to hear, “Okay… I’m going to Robin’s.”

With that, Steve hurried out, having some decency to not slam the door.

And then it was just Eddie, alone in the kitchen with the nasty thoughts and words that would soon bite back at him.

[noxturnalnymph]

Believer

Dave York x F!Partner(FBI), Chubby Dave York vs Tractor Beam (2.3k)

Summary: Submission for Beef’s October Fic Prompt Challenge - Dave York Made Me Believe:

Someone must be a non-believer (reader or Dave)

The following wording: Dave was not one who liked to be influenced to do anything, let alone that.

The X-files must be mentioned or referenced at least once.

Warnings: spooky pacific northwest vibes, all-around silliness, no sex, references to tall blue vibrating aliens (iykyk) A/N: Thank you to @strang3lov3 for green-lighting this premise and for editing away all my many mistakes. I love you @beefrobeefcal. I told you I would only write about aliens of the Ice-Planet-variety and I think this fits the bill. Happy Halloween!

Dave’s partner simultaneously snaps shut her flip phone and guns the engine, causing the car to lurch forward and the Big Mac he’s holding to slam against his chest. Special sauce dribbles down his tie as Dave shoots her a deadly side-eye.

“That was the division director we met on Tuesday,” she offers by way of explanation, typing in an address in the GPS as she drives, oblivious to the burger collision she’s just caused. “He gave us this location he wants us to check out,”

“Is there a lead on the shipping container theft?” Dave mumbles with his mouth full, as he smushes a napkin to his tie, smearing the greasy sauce further into the fabric. 

“No, it has nothing to do with that, but we’re the only critical incident response unit in the area so he wants us to make contact right away.”

She finishes speaking and then immediately turns her music - an Alanis Morissette CD she’d shoved into the deck - up as loud as she can. Dave has only been working with this agent for a week and even though she came highly recommended, he finds her to be quite irritating. He tries to dab more sauce away from his tie as he finishes his fast food dinner, opting instead to remove the tie completely by the time the car comes to a halt behind a sole forest service cruiser on a long, foggy stretch of road.

“We’re here,” his partner says, grabbing his milkshake and taking it with her out of the vehicle.

“We’re-, where the fuck are we?” Dave says to an empty car as she closes the door and starts walking towards the woods.

Dave exits the vehicle and trudges into the tree-line where he saw his partner disappear, his footsteps crunching on dried pine needles and the crisp air of the approaching evening creeping down his open collar. He wishes he had worn his suit jacket today but since he’s put on a few pounds it doesn't fit him very well anymore, so he left it at the hotel.

He emerges in an eerily still clearing to find his partner standing alongside a forest ranger who appears to be speaking with two hunched figures, huddled under thick blankets. She swivels her head, eyebrows climbing up her forehead as she spots him, and heads towards him with bounding steps. As she approaches Dave grabs the milkshake container out of her hands only to find it empty.

“That was mine,” he grumbles.

“You can afford to share,” she snarks, motioning towards his distended belly. “This is really interesting; see those two girls over there?” she points to the only two people besides government employees in the small field. 

“Yeah, I think so,” Dave mutters sarcastically.

“They’re claiming they were abducted by aliens,” she exclaims.

“Aliens?” Dave repeats.

“Isn’t that awesome?”

“What the-, like little green men, aliens?” Dave huffs, incredulous that they’d be pulled away from a major port theft investigation to be sent to the middle-of-nowhere north of Seattle for this insanity; a couple of local kooks claiming they were probed by space men. 

“Hopefully big blue aliens,” she replies excitedly.

Before he can ask what she means she is practically skipping back towards the small group, and Dave doesn’t have it in him to join. He knows she’s experienced enough to handle this kind of call - a complete waste of his time - and so instead he shuffles around the clearing. He takes a small flashlight out of his pocket to fight against the encroaching darkness settling as the sun dips behind the evergreen treeline.

Flashing his light on the ground he notices the tall grass is still wet from the morning dew, as if the sun didn’t get a chance to touch this little clearing in the woods today. He walks around the edges of it, noting how odd it is that there seems to be a perfectly oval patch of trees missing among these thick woods. As he rounds the circle he approaches the group and can see now that the huddled figures are two women, both pale and shaking. 

He makes eye-contact with the forest ranger - an older gentleman with a graying mustache - each of them giving the other a subtle nod as he passes by. He watches as his partner writes on the small spiral-bound bound notebook she keeps in her blazer pocket. He can’t say she’s not a good agent, she’s been very knowledgeable and thorough so far, but she’s just so-. Dave loses his train of thought as he tunes into the conversation.

“I’m not sure,” the young woman with glasses whispers. Dave spots floral tattoos cascading across her chest before she draws the blanket closer together. “Colette would have had a better view of them since I was face down on the table the whole time.”

His partner - eyes down and still writing notes - turns to the other woman, whose long, dark hair is unbound by the blanket she is bundled in and is gently blowing in the breeze.

“So, how would you describe them? Were they tall, maybe over seven feet? Would you describe their coloring as a shade of blue or steely gray? Did you notice any horns on their heads? Or fangs?”

“Well- Ummm,” the woman stammers.

Dave puts his hands on his hips and gives his partner a look that he hopes communicates the ‘what the fuck are you doing?’ thoughts screaming inside his head. 

Before he can give voice to any of his thoughts he notices the long-haired woman has stopped speaking and is staring at him, slack-jawed. His partner looks back over her shoulder and sees his pissed-off look, mouthing ‘what?’ and then beckoning him forward. He shook his head. Dave was not one who liked to be influenced to do anything, let alone that. He would absolutely not be participating in this charade. His partner turns back to the conversation and since she got no response from the second woman - Colette, apparently - she turns back to the tattooed woman.

“Did you hear them speaking any kind of words you could understand?” his partner questions.

“Actually, yes, but I don’t think you’re gonna believe me,” she answers. 

“What did they say? Maybe you heard a kind of humming or a vibrating resonance too?”

Dave rolls his eyes and sees the second woman still staring at him, her eyes glazed over. He feels like he’s being punk’d, that this trip out to the damp, darkening woods is someone’s idea of a poorly-executed practical joke. Annoyed that his time is being wasted when he could be back at the hotel with his feet up and his pants unbuttoned, he turns away from the group and continues inspecting the area. He shines his flashlight back and forth as he walks, seeing nothing but his shoes getting more muddy with each step.

Suddenly, his light catches on a small, shining piece of silver. Bending over with a huff, he picks it up, turning it over in his hands. It’s a cylindrical shape the size of two of his fingers with a rounded end, like an oversized rivet. He doesn’t think aliens would use such primitive technology and tosses it into the air, chuckling to himself as he catches it and tucks it into his pocket.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees a small light flashing inside the forest that continues beyond the small clearing. He turns to say something to his partner but she’s busy talking and he’s a bit creeped out by the fact that the long-haired woman is still staring at him with heavily lidded eyes, mouth still slightly ajar. He ducks into the dark provided by the heavy tree cover and heads towards the strange blinking.

He continues walking, the light farther away than he initially thought. He has to heft himself over a large fallen tree trunk that spans left and right as far as his eyes can see and then hop a small creek that runs through the low point he’s come across. On the other side of the running water he sees the blinking light, larger now that he’s up close. The only problem is that it’s about 10 feet up in a tree, making it almost impossible for him to see exactly what it is. 

He can’t hear his partner talking this deep in the woods and any leftover sunlight from the opening in the forest behind no longer reaches him. He’s thinking how glad he is to have his flashlight with him as he draws the beam of it up the trunk of the tree to the flashing device. He halts any movement, sucking in a breath when the trembling light reaches it and his eyes grow wide at what he sees. 

The device is being held in tiny hands between two small, yellow, cylindrical-shaped beings wearing what look to be denim overalls, who stare at him with large eyes blinking behind silver-rimmed goggles. One is about two feet tall with one eye and the other is over a foot taller with two eyes and a stalk of hair that sticks straight up. 

They are all frozen in place, staring at each other until he hears a sound behind him, like tiny feet shuffling on dried pine needles. He slowly turns to look back and sees an even smaller two-eyed being holding something out in his hands towards Dave.

“Bah-nah-na?” it asks, in a high-pitched nasally voice.

Dave doesn’t have time to think about how much whoever put him up to this must be laughing, he only thinks about getting the fuck out of there, and he immediately turns and starts running away. He doesn’t scream when both legs go ankle-deep in the cold creek or when he catches a foot under a root, twisting his leg at an unnatural angle. He does, however, let out a loud grunt when he slams his overweight body into the forgotten fallen tree trunk, prostrating himself against the ground, knocking all the wind out of his lungs.

He begins to mutter curses but freezes again when a bright light beams down on him from above, illuminating a blinding circle around him. No fucking way, he thinks. Then he feels it, a force drawing him upwards towards the light. It lifts his arms first, then his legs, his head leaves the ground and he begins to reach out, belly still touching the forest floor, clawing at the ground in a desperate attempt to find something to grab onto.

Twigs and leaves crunch beneath his hands, his futile attempt to clutch onto something failing as his heavy middle is lifted several inches off the ground. He puts his arms and legs beneath him and then - on all fours - scrambles out of the beam of light. It seems to take a moment for the light to find him again, he watches as it zig-zags around the ground, before finally locking onto him several feet away. 

He hasn’t been able to get very far and he’s panting, winded at the physical effort, when the force begins to draw him up again. This time he does cry out, he screams for his partner only for the sound of his voice to be sucked above him, like screaming into the raging wind. He is lifted fully off the ground now, several feet up, and he’s still shouting and pawing wildly at the air.

He hears a metalling ‘clunk’ sound and hears several items drop onto the ground beneath him. Before he can wonder what they are he sees them float past his face, more rivets like the one in his pocket. The light dims for a moment as the force lessens slightly, dropping him halfway back to the ground. When it resumes its upward pull on him it appears to struggle, moving even slower than before. He hears several more clunking noises and then the light goes out completely, the invisible force dropping him back down to the ground.

He lets out another groan as he hits the hard ground once again but this time he doesn’t waste any time, jumping to his feet as quickly as possible and heaving himself forwards. He bursts back into the clearing - now completely dark - and two flashlights point at his red, damp face.

“York, what the hell?” he hears his partner’s voice from behind one of the flashlights.

He heads towards the voice as she moves the flashlight along his body, most likely seeing the evidence of his time scrambling in the dirt and his mad dash through the dark woods. He feels the bones in one of his feet throbbing and knows there are scratches all over his face from branches he ran into during his escape.

“I-, there-, it-, they-”, with each word he manages to get out he stops to take three gulping breaths.

“York, relax, you’re gonna give yourself a heart attack, big guy,” she says, as the ranger offers him a canteen of water, which he gladly accepts and begins to swallow down.

“I- I saw them,” Dave finally sputters, the canteen rattling in his trembling hands.

“Who?” she asks, brows knitted together.

“Them,” Dave whispers, eyes wide as he looks upwards at the sky.

“Very funny, York, ha ha,” she says, dripping with sarcasm.

“No, I-”

“I know this isn’t your thing but don’t worry, there’s two other agents who just showed up and they’re gonna take this case off our hands.”

“What? Who?” he says, eyes scanning the treeline in the dark - for people or creatures unknown.

“I dunno, some hot guy and a pretty little redhead. Let’s get back to the car, we can stop at Dairy Queen on the way back to the hotel and get you another milkshake.”

[mysticstarlightduck]

Friday Kiss Tag!💖

Thanks for the tag, @the-golden-comet (here)!

Rules: From your Story/WIP, share a snippet of your characters kissing. It can be any kiss, from familial pecks on the cheek, platonic kisses, forehead kisses, to full-blown makeouts

Okay! Since I don't have many actual kiss scenes for my current main WIPs, I'll go with a scene that falls under the Familial Peck category (thus it is in no way shape, or form shipping, its just innocent sibling fluff)!

Mine's a both cute/fluffy and kinda sad scene as well, from my WIP Scrapyard Boys, so let's get to it!

Rhys fiddled with his fingers, leaning on the glass panel that surrounded the train's cargo area, watching the neon lights of the city below. From this height and the bullet train's speed, the multicolored lights formed streaks in the sky, as the vehicle flew by like a flash. After being cooped up in that hellhole some called a lab for years, this sight was quite splendid. And to be frank, any mundane sight that wasn't chalk-white walls and emotionless faces walking around like clipboard-holding ants, would be awesome.

Completely immersed in the view below, letting his mind wander absently for the first time in a long time. The soft hiss of the train cutting through the air outside, the city sprawling and swirling down below, the soft smells that filled the cargo space: a whiff of leather from the bags stacked around them, the familiar scent of fuel, even the nagging smell of plastic - he didn't know how much he'd missed this until now and --

-- A yelp rang out beside him.

The teen almost jumped out of his own skin, accidentally hitting his head on the glass beside him, hand flying into his chest as his heart skipped a beat. Startled out of his peaceful musings by the sudden, unexpected sound, Rhys snapped his head to the side, and he saw his twin, sitting there beside him.

He'd been so awestruck by the overwhelming freedom they were experiencing, that he'd forgotten - for the briefest of seconds -about Gwyn, sleeping beside him. Or rather who had been sleeping beside him. The source of the yelp became apparent as soon as he locked eyes with her, now harried, hyperventilating, clinging to his hoodie for dear life.

A nightmare - Rhys didn't even need to ask to know. He'd had his fair share of those too, and in fact, it was usually him who woke himself up screaming most nights. An uncomfy side-effect of spending one's teen years in a government lab trying to make superheroes.

"Hey, hey." Rhys placed his hands on Gwyn's shoulders, nudging her to look at him, "We got out, we aren't there anymore."

The girl crosses her arms over her chest, hugging her knees to her chest, with a nervous pout, tears starting to subside "I know that. I know that." Gwyn frowns, leaning her head on his shoulder, "But what if they take us back?!"

Rhys considers it for a moment. He hadn't thought about that, actually. And it isn't something he'd like to imagine. At least not right now. So he gives her a prankster smile, "Nah, they won't. If they try, we can beat 'em. We'll freeze the agents they send after us into icicles before they even know what hit them, and they'll leave us alone after a while."

She looks up at him, hesitant, wiping at her eyes with the back of her sleeve, "You sure?"

Rhys wasn't sure. But he didn't let it show. "Look around you," He gestured to their surroundings, and the beautiful sights of the glowing city below, "If we got out of that place, we can stay out. We can do anything we want, and they can't stop us."

Gwyn finally gives him a mischievous smile of his own, tear streaed face brightening up, "Then I want," The girl pondered for a moment, brows furrowed, trying to think of what she wanted to do with their newfound freedom, "- I want to have ice cream and eat all the candies we can find. Then make a huge bowl of popcorn and watch those cheesy horror movies you liked."

Rhys' eyes light up, and for a moment, he felt like that kid again, before getting caught up in all of this, "Good plan!" He exclaimed, practically giddy, "Man, I can't wait for us to find Adrien's place - then we'll convince him to let us buy all the ice cream we want!"

"Oh, don't count on it. If he's still the same cheapskate Adrien we knew, his pantry probably consists of energy drinks, chicken nuggets, and a day-old confetti cake from the corner store." She quipped, smile growing brighter as she snorted out a laugh, "Oh, and cigarettes, can't forget the cigarettes."

Rhys laughed despite himself, nodding with a sly smirk, and mimicking a talk-show host's voice and posture, "Presenting: 'Adrien Rosetrom' and his not-so-brilliant podcast on 'how to wreck your lungs'. But the million-dollar question remains - will our star's dubious lifestyle let him outlive young adulthood?"

The twins broke out laughing, both at the absurdity of his joke and the fact that it was, in fact, somewhat true - that, combined with the adrenaline leaving their system, led to a pretty manic mix. A few moments later, the duo settled down, taking a moment to catch their breath with a giddy sigh, tension and fear almost forgotten.

After silence filled their surroundings once more, the only sounds that remained were the whoosh of air outside the bulletproof glass and the soft, barely noticeable whirring of the train's inner workings.

Leaning back against the window, Rhys pulled his twin closer, holding her in a one-armed hug, and Gwyn scooched closer, peeking over him to see the cities below. As she looked away, his smile faded. Rhys forced himself not to think of the agents that might come after them. The white walls of the lab flashed before his eyes. Whirring machines, needles drawing blood, and screens monitoring their every step.

He didn't want to go back at all.

Pulling his twin closer, he found himself placing a quick kiss on her messy head of hair, "...No one's gonna find us again."

He said, partially to her, but mostly, 80% mostly, to himself. Trying, and honestly failing, to soothe the anxiety that had begun to rage in the back of his mind after her comment. In his arms, Gwyn hugged him back and nodded, now focused on the sights outside. Eventually, they watched the train leave the city behind, now flying over the inky blue of the ocean, spotted white by clouds, - a sight they'd never seen before, and which thankfully helped bring his mind back to more pleasant topics, for a moment.

Despite that, long after Gwyn had fallen asleep again, Rhys' eyes couldn't help but stay glued to the horizon line, burning, fighting against the tiredness he felt.

It all seemed too unreal.

What if she was right? What if they couldn't run away? What if... this wasn't real? What if they ended up brainwashed like Laserstorm? Spectre's perfect puppets? Rhys' mind raced with those thoughts and a thousand others, spiraling, stocking the panic he'd forgotten he could feel. And deep down, despite knowing that they had indeed gotten out, that they had indeed made the most of an insanely lucky error of their supervisor, he feared that he let himself close his eyes and fall asleep, they would wake up back in that stark white room once more.

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart, @ray-writes-n-shit

@writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams, @the-letterbox-archives @differentnighttale

@wyked-ao3 and OPEN TAG

[mensfactory]

1935 Duesenberg SJ Gurney-Nutting Speedster

The Speedster body was fitted to chassis number 2614, which is believed to be the last Duesenberg chassis produced in 1935. The body was designed by A. F. McNeil and built by J. Gurney Nutting & Co. Ltd. in the fashionable Chelsea district in London. 

The one-of-a-kind luxury automobile was built for Maharaja Holkar of Indore, India and commissioned through a British sales agent R.S.M Automobiles Ltd of London. 

Destined for a life of royalty, the Gurney Nutting Speedster was built with unique, lavish features including a rumble seat with a concealed fold-down step built into the sides of the body for easy access, as well as red and blue lights on the front fender to indicate whether the Maharaja (red) or Maharani (blue) was driving the vehicle.

Upon its completion, the Duesenberg was delivered to the Maharaja’s mansion in Santa Ana, California due to fears of Japan invading India. After the tension in the region dropped, the automobile was shipped to India, then disappearing over time and thought to be lost until its rediscovery in 1959. 

The outstanding auto was brought back to the U.S., eventually acquired by General Lyon. Restored with all of its royal touches retained, the 1935 Duesenberg placed first in the Maharaja Class at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and will now be showcased at the 2019 La Jolla Concours d’Elegance under the Registered Class: American Classics Open (1920-1948).

[drconstellation]

Lifting the Veil on the Bentley

Because I’ve been talking about the Bentley being Crowley’s black horse of late, I’ve had a nudge to talk about the number plate. I know it’s explained as an easter egg in relation to Monty Python, but I think we can explore it a bit further than that.

It’s worth having a quick look at this older post from @fuckyeahgoodomens where they explain the inspiration was from an animated scene from Monty Python's Meaning of Life .

The following is from the linked article.

As a nod to Terry Gilliam, who once tried to do a movie version of Good Omens, Gaiman and Mackinnon threw in a little reference to Gilliam’s origins doing animation for Monty Python. “The license plate of Crowley’s Bentley is ‘Curtain’ backwards,” Gaiman said, because of the writing on the mausoleum in the suicidal leaves section of Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. “Curtain backwards, like it’s the final curtain,” Mackinnon explained.

Before I get into all the connotations of “curtains,” there should be two things you notice about the “CURTIN” written on the mausoleum. The first is the spelling itself. It’s shortened to look like the Irish surname Curtin, so the mausoleum appears to belong to a real person. Curtin is an anglicized version of Mac Curtain, which means Son of the Crooked, or Son of the Harp, as the ‘crooked’ refers the hunchback shape of the Irish harp. I wouldn’t read too much into that, its probably more just a way of getting an actual curtain reference into that scene.

The other thing is that is not just backwards, it is mirror-image, as if you are looking at it from the other side of the mirror. So we should ask ourselves – which side are we looking from? And why does this matter?

While director Mackinnon mentions it referring to the “final curtain,” we need to start even further back than that to understand what the final curtain is, because even that has two meanings, even if only in a general sense. But because this is the GOmens AU, you can guarantee we’re going to find out there is more to it than that.

We need to go beyond the veil.

To go “beyond the veil” has become a euphemism for passing into death, or that unknowable place people go once they die. It was originally a figurative reference to the area in a Jewish Temple that was separated from the main body of the Temple by decorative curtains, called veils. The veils were specially woven, often with the image of a Cherubim woven in by a skilled worker; it was not allowed to be sewed on or added later. Each panel of the veil would display a different face of the Cherubim, such as the lion on one side, an eagle on the other, and so on. Only the priests could go past the veil into the most holiest of places. The veil was symbolic of separating men and their sins from the glory of God.  

The word ‘veil’ can be translated into English as ‘curtain,’ so the two words are almost interchangeable in respect of this discussion. I was interested to see that the word veil comes from the Latin word velum, which also means ‘sail,’ as in “to move, to drive a vessel or vehicle forward.” I have previously commented that the Bentley should probably be a “she,” as traditionally all ships were female, and that’s a tradition we still see carried into the modern day, thousands of years after its origin. I’ve even seen modern day space probes – little ships sailing the solar system – referred to as she! But I’ll not be pedantic about it, don’t worry.

Keep your hands off my bitch, bitch.

So the curtain, or veil, is the boundary between life and death. Only – we are seeing it from the other side. And in the GOmens AU this “other side” is very real, and one Aziraphale and Crowley walk through with both ease and without much thought. They are agents of those on the other side of the veil, yet they walk with Humanity in a solid reality on the surface of the Earth. They know the other side is real. When wee Morag complains about Elspeth’s body-snatching activity that the ones she digs up and sell won’t be able to go to Heaven because they will be cut up, Aziraphale tries to tell her it’s not like that, but she's not listening:

WEE MORAG: Aye. Tell that to the poor souls who will not get into heaven 'cause their bodies are all chopped into wee pieces. AZIRAPHALE: Well, that isn't how it actually… CROWLEY: Heaven isn't all it's cracked up to be, you know. WEE MORAG: It's no right. I'm telling you. CROWLEY: Yeah.

For humans, though, there is supposed to be no return once you cross that threshold.

When we, the viewer, see the two worlds meet, it's usually signaled by the presence of fog, mist or smoke. When Lesley the delivery driver meets Death, the fog arrives, as he is no longer in the living world. When Aziraphale and Crowley leave Tadfield Manor, we have smoke telling us we are seeing two different times and places at once - the past and the present are overlaid on one another.

The Bentley must exist in both the Human and subliminal worlds at the same time - how else can it drive like it does? It doesn't really need Crowley's hands on the wheel to guide it. It couldn't have started out like that - it was made by humans, but we all know the Bentley is more than just a car now.

It chooses the music to play on its radio, it refuses to speed when taking Aziraphale to Edinburgh until Crowley yells at it, it tries to follow the angel after he gets out at the end of the journey. How it got like this we will probably never find out, but we figure its become an extension of Crowley by close association, much like Aziraphale tends to influence the world around him without effort as well.

In terms of it being a black horse - well, now we get into some interesting stuff!

Horses have been companions to humans for longer than cars have been around, so there is lots of lore and symbology associated with them. Previous metas around S2 have focused on "dark horses," as they were specifically mentioned twice in the script. But a dark horse is not necessarily a black horse, and vice versa, so lets look at some of the aspects of black horse symbology in particular that could be relevant to the Bentley and it role in traveling between worlds.

Horses were the original vehicle of the ancient world. While Famine was supposed to ride a black horse (the others were white, red and pale green for pestilence,) the black horses could also be messengers of death, a demon bringing death or a guide to the afterlife. In the Illiad, Achilles sacrifices four horses on the funeral pyre to accompany Patroclus to Hades.

[Edit: I've just put myself through the pain of watching S2E6 again, for reasons, and realised why the ethereal lift is in the entrance to the Dirty Donkey - because a black horse is a guide between worlds! Of course!]

They became associated with the Devil during the Middle Ages as the church tried to break the link to old pagan rites. The broomsticks witches ride are supposed to represent horses. And then there is the sexual connection to horses...which leads in a round-about way to the practice of nailing horseshoes up for luck and protection. Although perhaps the burning horseshoe on Jasmine Cottage is more directly linked to the story of St Dunstan tricking the Devil and making him promise he would never cross the threshold of a house that had a horseshoe nailed to the door.

Our favourite Bentley has been beyond veil and returned. Though it was kept valiantly alive through the sheer will of Crowley to escape the unnatural flames of the Sigil of Odegra, it expired at the Tadfield airbase once Crowley arrived and finally released it. It was only appropriate that Crowley took a moment to acknowledge its service.

Then Adam restored it the next day. Resurrected it, one could say.

Time for the "final curtain" to wrap this meta up.

To "face the final curtain" is another euphemism for facing death, or at least an ending. It's the final curtain of a theatre show, after the encores are done. Its the final fall of the curtain at the end of a run. Sometimes we might say its just "curtains" for something or someone, meaning it will be ending, as a shortened form. But both Aziraphale and Crowley knows death isn't the end; its a beginning as well. Its just matter of perspective to them.

I've seen other writers associate this final curtain with the first Armagedon't, and now we appear to maybe be facing the "big one" in S3 - the Second Coming. I think that is too simplistic an association, especially for GO. The reversed side of the veil could be so many things: the final battle, the ability of our ethereal heroes to move between worlds, it could even be Crowley returning from the "death" of being one of the Fallen. As always, the meaning will be need to be considered within the context of the scene, and which side of the curtain we are looking from.

[inter-cityautotransport]

Planning Your Car Shipping Budget: A Comprehensive Guide

Transporting your vehicle, whether it's a car, motorcycle, or heavy equipment, can be a daunting task. There are numerous factors to consider, from selecting the right shipping method to choosing a reliable transport company. One of the most critical aspects of this process is budget planning. In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss the various factors that influence your car shipping budget, including motorcycle shipping, heavy equipment hauling, auto transport, and car shipping containers. By the end of this article, you'll be well-prepared to make informed decisions about your car shipping budget.

Introduction

When you need to transport your vehicle, it's important to plan your budget carefully to ensure a smooth and cost-effective process. Your budget will depend on various factors, such as the type of vehicle you're shipping, the distance it needs to travel, the shipping method, and the transport company you choose. Let's break down each of these factors and provide you with a step-by-step guide to planning your car shipping budget.

Understanding Your Vehicle Type

The type of vehicle you need to ship plays a significant role in determining your budget. Different vehicles come with unique requirements and costs. Here are the key considerations for common types of vehicle shipping:

Car Shipping

Car shipping is the most common form of vehicle transportation. It's important to consider factors such as the make and model of your car, its size, and its condition. These aspects can affect the cost of shipping. Classic cars, luxury vehicles, or oversized cars may require specialized transport and, as a result, a higher budget allocation.

Motorcycle Shipping

Motorcycle shipping is a specialized service with its own set of considerations. The cost of shipping a motorcycle will depend on factors like the distance, type of transport (enclosed or open), and whether you're shipping a single bike or multiple motorcycles. Additionally, if your motorcycle is a rare or vintage model, it may require extra care and therefore, a higher budget.

Heavy Equipment Hauling

Transporting heavy equipment, such as construction machinery or industrial vehicles, can be a complex and expensive process. These vehicles are oversized and may require special permits. The cost of heavy equipment hauling is influenced by the weight, size, and type of equipment you're transporting. Additionally, the complexity of the route and the necessity of pilot vehicles can affect your budget significantly.

Auto Transport

Auto transport encompasses the shipping of various vehicles, including cars, trucks, SUVs, and more. The cost will vary based on the type of vehicle, distance, and the chosen transport method. It's important to consider whether you need door-to-door service or terminal-to-terminal service, as this can influence your budget.

Choosing the Right Shipping Method

The choice of shipping method also has a substantial impact on your budget. There are two primary methods: open transport and enclosed transport.

Open Transport

Open transport is the most cost-effective option for car shipping. In this method, your vehicle is loaded onto an open-air trailer along with other vehicles. While this method is budget-friendly, it exposes your vehicle to the elements, including weather and road debris.

Enclosed Transport

Enclosed transport provides a higher level of protection for your vehicle. It involves shipping your vehicle in a closed container or trailer. This method is ideal for classic cars, luxury vehicles, and motorcycles, as it shields them from external elements and potential damage. However, it typically comes at a higher cost compared to open transport.

When deciding between open and enclosed transport, consider the value of your vehicle, its vulnerability to damage, and your overall budget. If your budget allows, opting for enclosed transport can provide peace of mind.

Calculating the Distance

The distance your vehicle needs to travel is a critical factor in your budget planning. Car shipping costs are typically calculated based on the miles to be covered. Longer distances will naturally result in higher shipping costs. It's essential to consider the following:

Local Shipping

Local shipping, where your vehicle is transported within the same city or a nearby area, will be less expensive compared to long-distance or cross-country shipping. In these cases, you may even have the option to transport your vehicle on your own.

Long-Distance Shipping

For long-distance car shipping, especially when moving between states or across the country, you can expect a higher budget requirement. The cost will increase with the mileage, and you may need to factor in overnight stays for the driver, fuel, and toll fees.

Researching Transport Companies

Selecting a reputable and reliable transport company is crucial in planning your car shipping budget. Here are some key steps to consider:

Obtain Multiple Quotes

Collect quotes from several transport companies to get a better understanding of the market rates. Make sure you provide accurate information about your vehicle type, distance, and desired transport method when requesting quotes.

Check for Licensing and Insurance

Verify that the transport companies you're considering are properly licensed and insured. This ensures that your vehicle is protected in case of any unforeseen incidents during transport.

Read Reviews and Check References

Research the reputation of the transport companies by reading online reviews and asking for references. A company with a solid track record of delivering vehicles safely and on time is worth the investment.

Avoid Extremely Low Quotes

While it's tempting to choose the lowest-priced option, be cautious of extremely low quotes. They may indicate subpar service or hidden fees that could inflate your budget later.

Additional Budget Considerations

In addition to the main factors discussed above, there are other aspects to consider when planning your car shipping budget:

Timing

The time of year can impact your budget. Peak seasons for car shipping, such as summer, tend to have higher rates due to increased demand. If possible, schedule your transport during the off-peak season to save on costs.

Delivery Speed

The delivery speed is another factor that can influence your budget. If you need expedited shipping, you can expect to pay more for faster service. Standard shipping, on the other hand, is usually more budget-friendly.

Additional Services

Consider any additional services you might need, such as vehicle tracking, vehicle storage, or door-to-door service. These extras can add to your budget, so make sure to factor them in.

Conclusion

Planning your car shipping budget is a crucial step in ensuring a smooth and stress-free vehicle transport process. Whether you're shipping a car, motorcycle, heavy equipment, or any other vehicle, understanding the factors that influence your budget is key. Take the time to research and obtain multiple quotes from reputable transport companies. Consider the type of vehicle, distance, and shipping method that best fits your needs and budget. By making informed decisions, you can confidently transport your vehicle while staying within your planned budget.

Remember that quality and reliability should not be compromised in favor of a lower budget. Your vehicle's safety and condition are of utmost importance, so choose a transport company that can provide the level of service and protection you require. With proper planning and careful consideration, your car shipping experience can be efficient, cost-effective, and stress-free.

[traintrainingmontage]

Astro's excellent art reminded me that I should post my own headcanons regarding people seeing the engines' faces:

-My hc is that people only start seeing the engines' faces when they consider the engines to be "theirs"/one of their own, or in other words, part of their communities/families. They have to see the engines as more than tools; they must consider the engines as important to their community/family as each other. Thus, when engines first came to Sodor, the Sudrians couldn't see their faces at all.

-However, as the railways became more popular and people gained a genuine affection and appreciation for their railways and local engines, the engines' faces started appearing/being perceptible.

-A similar phenomenon happened with steamships, but to land-dwellers outside of those who lived at the ports, these tales were seen as mostly superstition. This also happened with buses.

-Whispers of boats having faces were considered conspiracies and mad ravings by the government until off-duty agents started seeing these vehicles in their hometowns/communities and seeing the faces for themselves. The government began to move, hoping to take the ships and "study" them, but because they were somewhat slow on the draw, there was a lot of public backlash against the government's moves, which protected a lot of privately owned ships. However, there were likely many ships that got "studied" anyway.

-When engines started showing the same awakening and intelligence, people were already on guard against the government's schemes. As such, those in the government who wished to study the phenomenon of sapient machines decided to play it subtle.

-The eventual national push for standardization and dieselization was secretly born from the hope of not just creating better machines in the name of progress, but also an army of engines that, upon creation, were already indoctrinated to have a set of values mandated by the government, essentially a train-ed force that could be used for various purposes. They would still have their own personalities, but would generally be more obedient to authority. Sir Topham Hatt read the writing on the wall, and as a lover of steam engines and their multi-faceted personalities, he negotiated for his railway to be as independent from BR as possible as early as possible.

[justabigoldnerd]

Thank you so much @cha-melodius for the tag!!!

I feel like I'll be able to get back to "I Am Your Lover (I Am Your Jailor)" soon!!!

But for now, here's a bit from "The X-Men From U.N.C.L.E." (again, may or may not remain or become the ship of theseus of scenes lmao)

Solo had never seen a battlefield, but the scene smelled like what he imagined a war zone would. He could almost feel the grit of char in his teeth and clogging his throat. “Mein Gott,” Gaby breathed, bringing up her hand to chew the skin of her nails. The destruction wasn't an unfamiliar sight to her, Solo knew that. Her pain and disbelief lay old and buried. Even so, he pried the other hand from where it gripped the fabric of her coveralls and held it in his. Her voice shook slightly when she whispered, “I'm gonna–”

“Yeah,” Solo nodded in agreement, and Gaby let go of his hand to hurriedly turn off her radio. Then, almost meekly, she took it again and stared down at her lap. The car in front of them slammed on its brakes and the doors were open before it came to a full stop. Solo set his jaw and glanced at the Russian agent to his left. He was watching the chaos with a detached look in his eyes, and made no move to exit the vehicle. ‘I'm going to get out of the car. Will you be alright on your own?’ Gaby startled at the voice in her head, then scoffed. ‘I have managed so far.’ Solo gave her hand a squeeze, then shifted towards Illya, “Could you open your door, please?” “We were ordered to stay,” Illya glared at him stubbornly. “Are you gonna make me crawl over you? Because one way or another I am exiting through that door.” “Fine,” he snarled, and for a brief moment, Solo worried the handle of the door would rip off from the force with which the man pulled it. Illya shouldered it open and ducked out, letting Solo climb out after him. “Thank you kindly,” Solo winked at him, buttoning back his blazer. He didn't dwell on the slight sweetness added to the citric bite of Illya's flustered state.

No pressure tagging @pippinoftheshire @huggiebird @too-young-to-fall-in-love @times-up-alone-tonight @heytheredeann

@yallwildinrn @nicijones @the-golden-comet @thattripleabattery and anyone else who wants to join!!

[nocandnc]

Since you're a hardcore shipper for both Yuriloe and Fionky... what if the two couples bumped into each other and had themselves a double date~?

Hi there~ Am I hardcore?! I suppose I do love my shipping outbursts...! Hmm, a double date huh... although I love their potential, I don't see Fionky becoming a couple until much later in the story - not for years even. Yuriloe on the other hand (Yurichlo? Chluri? SSSx2!? The fanbase needs to come to a consensuses!!) I can see happening much sooner.

With that in mind, here is my proposed scenario:

Yuri and Chloe start dating for real, abet tentatively. Eager to meet her brother's girlfriend, Yor gets Loid to arrange a group date between the four of them. However! Something comes up that prevents the Forgers from going. Yor is dismayed at losing a chance to learn about her potential sister-in-law and ruining the double date Yuri was surely looking forward to! (He wasn't.)

In an attempt to cheer Yor up For The Mission Twilight calls on Franky and Fiona to pose as a couple and join Yuri and Chloe instead. He insists it's a good opportunity to probe two SSS officers for info while sussing out the status of their relationship for Operation Strix.

So the group go on their double date. Fiona is less than enthused but it was a direct request from Twilight and she'll do her job damn it. Franky is mildly terrified but hey, it's a date with a pretty lady! Two ladies in fact, and the second one is unexpectedly cute for an SSS officer...? Franky gets distracted by Chloe's (polite, obligatory) friendliness all too soon into the evening. Now Fiona is mad all over again because here she is putting on her very best Girlfriend act and this scouring pad of a man is ignoring her for the enemy? Really? Right in front of her salad??

Yuri meanwhile is still a little unsure about this whole romance thing, but Yor sounded so happy when he accidentally mentioned going on a late night stakeout coffee date the other week, so maybe Chloe was on to something? But Yor wasn't even here, so what was the point? Not even that damn Loidy came! He'd sent a "family friend" over instead, who was currently making eyes at his girlfriend of all things. His girlfriend! Suddenly Yuri is very sure indeed, taking every opportunity to make physical contact with Chloe for rest of the evening while glaring daggers at Franky Franklin.

Chloe hides her disappointment at not getting to meet Yuri's sister and infamous brother-in-law, exchanging pleasantries with the peculiar couple across from her through a well-crafted smile. The other woman at the table has quite the poker face herself, but with all of Fiona's questions rounding back to the topic of work Chloe figures she must be the nervous type. Fiona's... husband? Franky, is much more talkative. So much so that Chloe is troubled to keep up. She glances at her date now and again for assistance, but the young man is still stuck sulking over his sister's absence - or so Chloe thinks before Yuri abruptly takes her hand in his, squeezing tightly.

The two couples claw their way through dinner and part ways with no lives lost, somehow. Yuri's aggression fades exponentially as he drives Chloe home. By the time they reach her doorstep he's clear headed and embarrassingly aware of how touchy he'd been with her out of the blue. He sputters a quick farewell while turning to leave, but a gentle grip on his coat sleeve stops him dead. The goodnight kiss Chloe gives him is even gentler. Fiona's at peak aggression when she slows her car to a crawl along Franky's street. She contemplates telling him to tuck and roll before coming to a complete stop instead. Franky is mentally in shambles - he's convinced Yuri Briar has some kind of ESP with the amount of psychic damage his glares dealt. And even worse, the relationship between the two SSS agents seemed totally lovey-dovey!! Franky heaves a sigh and mumbles to his frosty accomplice about writing a report for Twilight before moving to exit the vehicle. He gets one foot out the door before he's suddenly yanked back towards the driver's seat by his lapel. Franky locks eyes with Fiona as she tells him in the iciest tone possible that he'll be looking at no one but her on their next date - she'll make sure of it.

Mission failed successfully?

...

I think this turned into a shoddy fanfic halfway through sorry 'bout that.