#venusian atmosphere

[venusianwonders]

Some lightning strikes on Venus are actually meteors!

[spacenutspod]

Embark on an interplanetary journey with SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 59, where we unravel the enigmatic atmosphere of Venus and its waterless environment. Discover the startling new study that suggests Venus lost its water reserves to space, leaving it with a mere fraction of Earth's water despite their similar origins. The episode dives into the complex chemical reactions in Venus's atmosphere that may have turned a once Earth-like planet into a scorching, inhospitable world. Next, we explore the innovative ideas NASA is considering for future lunar logistics, including a magnetic railroad system designed to transport materials across the Moon's surface. This system could revolutionize the way we build and sustain lunar bases, pushing the boundaries of off-world construction and resource utilization. The episode then shifts to the launch of a cutting-edge satellite from the International Space Station. This new eye in the sky aims to provide early warnings of volcanic eruptions by detecting trace gases, a game-changer for disaster preparedness and environmental monitoring. Join us as we delve into these cosmic developments and more, including the implications of AI biases and the latest in tech from Apple. Tune into SpaceTime with Stuart Gary for a deep dive into the latest astronomical insights and technological advancements. (00:00) This is spacetime series 27, episode 59, for broadcast on 15 May 2024 (00:42) Study claims Venus loses twice as much water every day through dissociative recombination (06:16) NASA is looking at building a railway on the moon to transport freight (16:23) Ultra processed junk foods associated with higher risk of premature death, study finds (18:52) Apple has formally released its new Apple Air and Apple Pro iPads (24:15) Spacetime is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Apple podcasts Support the show and access ad-free episodes at https://www.spreaker.com/show/spacetime. Follow our cosmic conversations on Twitter @stuartgary, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Join us as we unravel the mysteries of the universe, one episode at a time. This episode is proudly supported by NordPass. Secure your digital journey across the cosmos with a password manager you can trust. Find your stellar security solution at https://www.bitesz.com/nordpass. Listen to SpaceTime on your favorite podcast app and follow us on Twitter @stuartgary, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

[deep-space-netwerk]

So Venus is my favorite planet in the solar system - everything about it is just so weird.

It has this extraordinarily dense atmosphere that by all accounts shouldn't exist - Venus is close enough to the sun (and therefore hot enough) that the atmosphere should have literally evaporated away, just like Mercury's. We think Earth manages to keep its atmosphere by virtue of our magnetic field, but Venus doesn't even have that going for it. While Venus is probably volcanically active, it definitely doesn't have an internal magnetic dynamo, so whatever form of volcanism it has going on is very different from ours. And, it spins backwards! For some reason!!

But, for as many mysteries as Venus has, the United States really hasn't spent much time investigating it. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, sent no less than 16 probes to Venus between 1961 and 1984 as part of the Venera program - most of them looked like this!

The Soviet Union had a very different approach to space than the United States. NASA missions are typically extremely risk averse, and the spacecraft we launch are generally very expensive one-offs that have only one chance to succeed or fail.

It's lead to some really amazing science, but to put it into perspective, the Mars Opportunity rover only had to survive on Mars for 90 days for the mission to be declared a complete success. That thing lasted 15 years. I love the Opportunity rover as much as any self-respecting NASA engineer, but how much extra time and money did we spend that we didn't technically "need" to for it to last 60x longer than required?

Anyway, all to say, the Soviet Union took a more incremental approach, where failures were far less devastating. The Venera 9 through 14 probes were designed to land on the surface of Venus, and survive long enough to take a picture with two cameras - not an easy task, but a fairly straightforward goal compared to NASA standards. They had…mixed results.

Venera 9 managed to take a picture with one camera, but the other one's lens cap didn't deploy.

Venera 10 also managed to take a picture with one camera, but again the other lens cap didn't deploy.

Venera 11 took no pictures - neither lens cap deployed this time.

Venera 12 also took no pictures - because again, neither lens cap deployed.

Lotta problems with lens caps.

For Venera 13 and 14, in addition to the cameras they sent a device to sample the Venusian "soil". Upon landing, the arm was supposed to swing down and analyze the surface it touched - it was a simple mechanism that couldn't be re-deployed or adjusted after the first go.

This time, both lens caps FINALLY ejected perfectly, and we were treated to these marvelous, eerie pictures of the Venus landscape:

However, when the Venera 14 soil sampler arm deployed, instead of sampling the Venus surface, it managed to swing down and land perfectly on….an ejected lens cap.

[makingspiritualityreal]

The reason Venus is associated with topics of both love and death is because these subjects suggest the maximal level of finality and entrapment, but also freedom from both.

The finality of death is in its inevitability. That doesn’t need to be explained. With love, it is a bit more complex, but try remembering witnessing yourself or someone else, who really, truly loves someone and is bonded to them. Love is a bubble, that envelops both parties, that you carry everywhere with you. You can not be physically with your object of love, but both parties can’t help but still think of each other. That feeling is lasting, and you carrying that person with you doesn’t feel like a conscious choice.

You can see that theme present in Venus Nakshatra fiction. A very good example is “Bridges of Madison County” starring Bharani native Meryl Streep. That movie made me want to rip all my hair off, but it is such a good representation of the Venusian fate. SPOILERS AHEAD.

The theme of the movie is a connection between two star crossed lovers, who can’t ever be together because when they meet, it is by accident (or destiny) after one of them is already married and has a family with someone else. Ultimately, after an intense weekend together they part forever, but despite being otherwise engaged in their own physical lives, a successful career, a seemingly happy family, they never forget each other and their mutual emotional and spiritual connection has remained a baseline of their lives. They die still thinking of each other, despite never sharing any more physical experiences.

This is exactly how Venus can poison your life. It can sour every moment in the background, ruin the feeling of your daily life through its atmosphere or make simple things beautiful. Venus requires of one patience and complete honesty with one’s internal whims and fancies, since subconsciously they will haunt us anyway, even if repressed or denied.

Venus Nakshatra natives can find themselves in relationships others would describe as toxic, but they simply know, that a temptation, if not explored, will forever bother them, like an itch you need to scratch. They are not afraid to dive into those experiences that pull them at their core, for better or for worse, and they emerge transformed, until they find something truly of value.

[apod]

2025 May 11

The Surface of Venus from Venera 14 Image Credit: Soviet Planetary Exploration Program, Venera 14; Processing & Copyright: Donald Mitchell & Michael Carroll (used with permission)

Explanation: If you could stand on Venus -- what would you see? Pictured is the view from Venera 14, a robotic Soviet lander which parachuted and air-braked down through the thick Venusian atmosphere in March of 1982. The desolate landscape it saw included flat rocks, vast empty terrain, and a featureless sky above Phoebe Regio near Venus' equator. On the lower left is the spacecraft's penetrometer used to make scientific measurements, while the light piece on the right is part of an ejected lens-cap. Enduring temperatures near 450 degrees Celsius and pressures 75 times that on Earth, the hardened Venera spacecraft lasted only about an hour. Although data from Venera 14 was beamed across the inner Solar System over 40 years ago, digital processing and merging of Venera's unusual images continues even today. Recent analyses of infrared measurements taken by ESA's orbiting Venus Express spacecraft indicate that active volcanoes may currently exist on Venus.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250511.html

[seafoamreadings]

week of march 30th, 2025

these are written predominantly for the *rising* signs but they are also intuitively "channeled" enough that they should work for any dominant energy you have! (try your sun if you don't know rising, or more advanced readers can try moon, anywhere you have a stellium, etc and see what works best for you!)

aries: you're dealing with the confusing yet perhaps also nearly psychedelic experience of neptune in your sign. but that's not all, because your ruling planet mars, from watery cancer, reminds you of his existence on and off this week too. you may be deeper in your feelings than you are accustomed to being. don't act too rashly, because decisions can be rather hard to reverse.

taurus: although things are still likely to be volatile due to last week's events, this is a quite romantic time for you in many ways. what arises may or may not be permanent (likely not...) but that's no reason not to enjoy it. stopping to smell the roses doesn't last forever.

gemini: mercury retrograde interacting with the lunar nodes is like your ruling planet being like, in a double retrograde. and you're just coming off an eclipse and neptune is changing signs so, don't dwell too much on anything. a little embarrassment or hiccup here or there won't be remembered in a year, most likely. maybe not even tomorrow. focus on what really matters.

cancerians: so much has happened that you could be forgiven for forgetting that mars is still in the shadow of his retrograde through your sign. this week he reminds you, bringing up themes you grappled with a month or two ago. don't they seem so different now?

leo: the vibe is creative yet emotional. partly in a watery way but also with lots of aries fire. fire and water meet to sizzle and steam, which can be a lot of fun and/or not so much. find healthy outlets for big feelings and passions and don't put yourself in any situations that will bring you trouble.

virgo: one of the less pleasant tendencies of your sign (and your opposite/sister sign, pisces) is towards making a martyr of yourself, no matter how noble your reasons may be for it (sorry). such tendencies are aggravated this week for you. it may feel like a romantic gesture but it's not likely to help much. you can be of great service without putting yourself in such a position.

libra: as a new relationships era kicks off for you, simultaneously you have a highly venusian week ahead. venus being retrograde makes it not necessarily easy, but it suits you anyway. there may be some tragic beauty to it or an operatic drama. it's not fun per se but it can certainly give you a thrill.

scorpio: the good thing about pisces activity for you is that under all circumstances it encourages, even requires, the pursuit of fun and pleasure. this week is wild but no exception. meanwhile, plenty of rest is also critical.

sagittarius: these are tense times, and your home life/family of origin may one way or another provide more tension than you would like, or can easily handle. you will have to find ways to adapt. the writers and creators among you may also experience some blockages and will definitely experience strangeness: these things are temporary and in flux, so don't wallow in self pity about it any more than is strictly necessary.

capricorn: much like your neighboring sign sagittarius, but with a quite different tone, this period has a lot to do with your home life and family of origin. your neighborhood and siblings may be recurring themes too. perhaps you move back in with parents, or aging parents come to rely more on you, for example, by moving to your neighborhood.

aquarius: this week be more careful than usual with money and resources. don't waste your time or services on people who don't appreciate them. at the same time, they are never wasted on kind acts from the heart. expect nothing in return. and for goodness sake don't go picking any fights! you won't win, in this atmosphere.

pisces: your ruling planet beginning to traverse aries after so long at home in your sign may feel like an empty space in your heart. mercury and venus retrograding in your sign will not be there much longer either. on the other hand, in many ways it's all a weight off your shoulders! so look for ways in which your troubles have ended, even if only some of them, even if only partly.

watch the transit posts in real time to have the best guide through your week. want a little more? have a look at my patreon or ko-fi.

check out my etsy for a private reading or fill out this form to set up a reading through venmo, cashapp, or paypal.

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Venusian Lava Flows

Venus is often known as Earth's twin, given its similar size and proximity. But, thanks to its runaway greenhouse effect, Venus is a hellish landscape buried beneath a hot atmosphere of carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid.  (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech; research credit: D. Sulcanese et al.; via Gizmodo) Read the full article

[middlenamesage]

I’ll let you in on a little secret: “Pretty privilege” is not nearly as real as Venusian privilege. 🤫 💖

Disclaimer: I’m not speaking on the latter from personal experience, as my natal chart does not grant me the status of “Venusian” in the slightest. But Mars conjunct my Venus has made me very motivated to understand Venus; seemingly especially when I’m going through Mars transits because these two characters can not be separated in my psyche!

Before I even learned astrology in depth, I always noticed it wasn’t necessarily the physically prettiest people/women who get all the offers, praise, and support coming to them. The way I used to term it, “personality privilege” is a lot more substantial than the concept of “pretty privilege” that people like to cite. Because I always noticed the privileges were most coming to those whose vibe felt most warm and open, and/or whose vibe had an aura of knowing and exercising their deservingness when it comes to receiving support or attention.

Now I know that this is Venusian energy in a nutshell. And I’ve confirmed the presence of a strong Venus in the people I had always known that struck me as having a lot of offers and support coming to them and being well-liked and recognized by others, but who weren’t necessarily all that conventionally physically attractive.

What matters more if you wish to manifest people giving more to you is in most cases not a major physical makeover; it’s an energetic makeover. Having “I’m pretty and deserving” consciousness and feeling energetically open to people is where the “privilege” most lies!

I’m not exactly the one to give advice on how to project more Venusian energy, and frankly I’m personally not even really trying to gain more of the stereotypical Venus energy embodied by The Empress. While it would be nice to ultimately have a less conflicted relationship with my own Venus, I’m not conflicted about one thing: She’s in fire🔥♌️, so the interpersonal prowess of Venus truly isn’t my main focus with her; learning to self love and self validate has been. I’m proud🦁 of my emotional independence, even if it can be a little extreme, and the stereotype that Leo Venus needs undue attention from others has never resonated with me! Have we forgotten that fire is individuality and independence? Most of my life experiences have given me no other option than to learn how to self validate if I want more validation. This also is due to having multiple neurodivergencies and having built some walls around me due to trauma, that make me seem less open… but I think that still fits a Venus placement not most focused on social graces, and a wounded Venus from a lifetime of being conjunct a stronger Mars! ❤️‍🩹

Maybe other fire Venuses or Martian Venuses or people that have Venus in any setup where she’s not in an advantageous position to charm people with her social skills will relate. 🤗 Our paths might be different; for us embracing that we’re focusing on self acceptance in our journeys to find peace, and recognizing that we possibly also have very emphasized lessons in our journey on how to keep certain people out of our lives, is likely to be the best way to remain authentic to ourselves while helping our Venuses.

So it appears I do have advice for people who have walked a similar path with Venus as me. 🔥♂ And I have plenty of observations about the energy of Venus that can draw privileges from others to it, even though I think that for a fire Venus, continuing to focus on embracing my authenticity even when it’s in no way popular is how I’ll eventually start feeling more capable with the social sides of Venus, and feeling more others appreciating her too.

⭐️🪐 Basic astronomical fact I only learned recently: Venus has the hottest climate of all the planets! And the reason she’s hotter than the planet closer to the Sun is because Venus’s atmosphere is made up of gases that trap heat. To me this represents the way Venusians have honed the skill of radiating warmth themselves. All that alluring heat she puts off can really draw in others. But it’s also her responsibility to use the warmth to be reciprocally giving in her relations with others… if Venus doesn’t give much and just takes, her atmosphere can start to feel more like Hell than like inviting warmth.

Wishing a successful journey for all in evolving with and embracing your Venus… however that may look! We all deserve to know comfort and peace. 🌷

[ad-caelestia]

basic terminology for cosmic witches

astral - connected to or resembling the stars

celestial - heavenly; relating to the sky or outer space

celestial body - any natural body that exists outside of Earth’s atmosphere

chaos - the void before the universe or cosmos was created

cosmic - relating to the universe or cosmos

jovian - relating to Jupiter

lunar - relating to the Moon

martian - relating to Mars

mercurian / mercurial - relating to Mercury

neptunian - relating to Neptune; higher octave of Venus

planetary - relating to the planets

plutonian - relating to Pluto; higher octave of Mars

saturnian - relating to Saturn

solar - relating to the Sun

stellar - relating to the stars

uranian - relating to Uranus; higher octave of Mercury

venusian - relating to Venus

zodiac - a circle of celestial longitude divided into 12 sections, each section represented by a different astrological sign

© 2025 ad-caelestia

[countesspetofi]

Today in the Department of Before They Were Star Trek Stars, William Shatner guest stars in "Cold Hands, Warm Heart," episode 3 of the second season of The Outer Limits (original air date September 26, 1964).

Shatner plays the first astronaut to enter the atmosphere of Venus. While there, he experiences 8 minutes of communications failure and memory loss. Upon returning to Earth he starts having fainting spells, flashback-like nightmares, and a drastically lowered body temperature. It eventually becomes clear that these symptoms are only the beginning of a strange physical transformation.

Other Trek connections:

Shatner's physician is played by legendary character actor Malachi Throne. He provided the voice of the Talosian Keeper in the Star Trek pilot "The Cage," and returned as Commodore Mendez in the bookend segments when it was repackaged as the Season 1 episode "The Menagerie." He was also seen as Romulan Senator Pardek in the Next Generation two-parter "Unification," and appeared in James Cawley's fan production Star Trek: Phase II. He was Gene Roddenberry's first choice to play the Enterprise's medical officer, but declined the role.

James Sikking, who plays a botanist studying Venusian flora in "Cold Hands," also portrayed Captain Styles of USS Excelsior in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. In real life, he was a close friend of Leonard Nimoy.

[holistic-girlhood]

Venus in Taurus – The Sensual & Grounded Space

Your home should feel like a sanctuary—luxurious yet comforting, indulgent yet natural. With Venus in Taurus, your space must engage all five senses, creating an atmosphere that is beautiful, tactile, and deeply grounding. This means plush textures, natural materials, rich earth tones, and a slow-living aesthetic that promotes relaxation and pleasure.

Your Venusian home is about ease, stability, and indulgence—a place where you can unwind, nourish yourself, and embrace quiet luxury. Every piece should feel high-quality and intentional, with no unnecessary clutter, just timeless elegance. Look for curved furniture, high-quality fabrics like linen and velvet, and decorative accents that feel earthy yet refined. Lighting should be soft and warm, mimicking candlelight for a cozy, intimate atmosphere.

What to Look Out For

Warm, earthy color palettes—soft neutrals, warm browns, sage greens, muted golds, and creamy ivories.

Organic, timeless furniture—curved silhouettes, handcrafted wooden pieces, and velvet or linen upholstery.

Plush textures & tactile indulgence—cashmere throws, silk pillowcases, ceramic dishware, and woven rugs.

Natural materials—wood, stone, terracotta, rattan, and brushed brass accents.

Soft, ambient lighting—warm-toned candles, soft-glow pendant lights, and vintage-style lamps.

Your home should ground you in beauty, pleasure, and peace—a haven of slow, sensual living.

[venusianwonders]

New discoveries about the Venusian atmosphere may show a past with water

[jpitha]

Between the Black and Grey 49

First / Previous / Next

The sound of Fen's high heels clicked on the terrazzo floor with an intimidating intensity. The 'thock thock thock' noise echoed in the hall ominously. As she strode down the hall, people would quietly stick their head out of their doors - well after she passed - to see where she was going. She was alone, and walked fast enough that the small cape that was part of her daily uniform fluttered behind her.

The pressure doors in the hall slid open with a whine of servos as she walked, deeper and deeper into the palace. As she passed, they slammed shut and the seals swelled with pressure. The lower levels ran at positive pressure, partly to help keep the Venusian atmosphere out of the lower levels, and partly to keep anything down here in. She was much further than the decorated, beautiful parts of the palace. Those were for the tourists and the dignitaries. As she walked down ramps and through halls, the terrazzo turned into tile and then bare concrete, looping down ramps and through halls.

Deep, deep in the Palace, in the parts where only the secret police, secret military detachments, and secret investigators work, Fen strode into the main office, the pressure door unlocking and sliding open for the Empress. The two people sitting at their desks facing the door both jumped simultaneously in surprise. They both immediately stood and bowed quickly

"E-Empress! What-" The one on the left started to speak, but before they could continue, Fen glared at them and continued walking.

As Fen walked through the office, people looked up from cubes, saw her expression, and quickly averted her eyes. Everyone in the palace had learned in the past year that Fen was known to have dark moods, and if you got caught in the crossfire, it was... 'career limiting.' She made her way to the director's office and everyone out on the floor sighed in relief that it wasn't them.

The door to the director's office slid open and Director Gagnon sat at his desk, impassive. He was familiar with the Empress' requests. Additionally the front desk people had warned him she was on her way down. "Empress. Please, have a seat. Can I bring you a coffee? Tea? Something else?"

"Director Gagnon you know why I am here."

"Fen, I assure you-"

"You will address me as Ḙ̶̲̆͜m̵̨͙̉̆̐ͅp̸̩̼͗r̵̡̘̯͋̓̌͘ę̷͐͋͆͘ṡ̶̝̙͋̄ͅṣ̴͓̘̄"

He flinched at the Voice. He had known that unlike the previous Empress, she wasn't afraid to use it, but it hadn't been turned upon him yet. "Y-yes, Empress, I apologize w-wholeheartedly. But let me assure you that I do not k-know what you are referring to."

Fen nearly shook with rage. "I will ask you once more. Then I will ask again with the Voice. If I have to ask with the Voice, you will tell me, and then you will join him. Where is Tam'itarr."

The Director stood and bowed immediately "Empress you m-must understand, we have been devoting our resources to ensuring that you are safe when undertaking your myriad tours of the new Gates as well as r-rooting out any sedition as p-per our original edict."

"Å̴̘̣̇n̵͇͠s̷̲͐ẉ̶͍̇e̶̢͍̒ř̸̛̲ ̴̟̣͆̈m̸̳̀͂y̴̔ͅ ̶̖͓̅̉q̸̡͇̌́u̶̺͋̋e̷̘͛̏ś̷͙t̵̳̱͒ì̵̞̔ö̸̳́n̸̬̜̓!"

"We don't have him!" The Director squeaked. "He was tipped off to our work and ran. We can't find him."

"Director, why do I have a secret police if they can't do anything SECRETLY!" Even though she was not tall, Fen in heels, with her daily regalia on cast an intimidating profile. Her uniform was cut like a military uniform, but made of a much richer fabric. It was a deep purple with gold highlights and she had a cape on her shoulders made of the same material. Her boots where tall, black, and mirror polished.

Director Gagnon's eyes widened, and sweat glistened on his forehead. Fen had left the door to his office open, and the outer area was utterly silent. "Your goons made such noise that Tam'itarr was tipped off and has dropped off grid. Now what was going to be a simple smash and grab will turn into a whole thing." Fen snapped her fingers.

The door to the outer office opened and four figures in armored pressure suits appeared, each carrying a battle rifle across their chests with the barrel down. As they tromped down the isle single file, everyone freely stared. Their reflection stared back, distorted by the mirror polish on the black suits. They took up station behind Fen.

"Director Gagnon. You are relieved. I will be taking my Dreadnought and I will seek out Tam'itarr myself." She turned her back on him. "Take him away."

Two of the soldiers got on either side of the Director and placed their hands under his arms. They easily lifted him out of the chair and when he started to struggle, one of them pressed something to the back of his neck, and he fell limp. As they dragged him out, Fen turned and looked at the office. "You." She pointed at a woman sitting near the office. "You're director now. What's your name?"

"R-Regan Olivier, E-Empress." She was a young woman, maybe in her late twenties and she was terrified.

"Congratulations, Director Olivier. I hope you do better than your predecessor." Fen said, as she walked out of the office.

****

Helen Raaden sat at a large wooden desk, reading a pad. There was a pot of coffee next to her, with a delicate china cup on a saucer. Every few seconds, she touched the pad, turning the page.

"Yes, Fen?" She said without looking up. "Did Gagnon find Tam'itarr?"

"No. His goons spooked him and Tam went to ground. Now I have to go in loud with my Dreadnought and make an example until someone turns him in."

"Hmm, I figured as much" Helen turned another page. "He was a career bureaucrat, never was very good at hiring people." Helen looked up. "Is he alive still?"

Fen nodded. "Yes. He's getting sent to Luna for retirement." Looking around, she found a mug on a tray near the door. She grabbed it, sat in front of Helen's desk, took the pot of coffee and poured her some.

Helen raised an eyebrow, but didn't look up. "I would have ordered him to stop breathing right there in the office as a warning to others." She continued to read for a few minutes. As she read, Fen sipped her coffee and crossed and uncrossed her legs. "How goes the Gate deployment?" Helen asked, casually.

"We've accelerated construction to two a month. I would like to go faster, but we cannot without another shipyard and more material. We're this close to having to disassemble Ceres for raw material as it is."

"I mean..."

She shook her head. "No, they're supportive. I don't need to make more enemies. I'll find the raw material elsewhere." Fen took another sip. Helen always had good coffee.

Another few moments went by.

Helen closed the pad with a snap. "Fen, why are you here? Really."

Fen looked at Helen, the mask fallen, her eyes wide. She put her hands out, palms up. "What am I doing Helen? This whole 'intimidating Fen' thing is - I will admit - sometimes kind of fun, but it's not who I am."

It's who you need to be

"No, it's who you need to be. Fen, the Empire works when there's a strong Empress. Someone to lead by example. Someone to make sure everyone falls in line. Someone with vision. You've built more gates in one year than the previous three empress' built in 10; I'm impressed."

We are as well. You are doing quite well.

Helen stood up and started pacing. "Not only that, but you attend every Gate opening. You link there, give a speech, and take the Gate home. You're showing everyone that even though we still have wormhole generators - and still use them - that we're not above using the Gates. It's quite clever."

Though, we think you should be using the Gates more. Why even link anywhere?

Fen tried to ignore the Nanites speaking in her head. They always chimed in with opinions and options and - sometimes - catty observations. For the most part, they were pleased with her work.

"Fen you need to be feared and loved in equal measure. Melody knew that, I knew that, my daughter... mostly knew that, my granddaughter sadly never learned." She continued pacing. "You should have killed the Director. Spaced him, or had him shot. Something visible. It explains to everyone the price of failure."

"He was hauled away by my guards, unconscious. Everyone in the secret police will know to keep their heads down." Fen picked up the coffee pot and shook it. Empty.

"That's just it Fen, they're the secret police! Do you not think they have connections? They'll see that you sent him to Luna. They'll see that you're a soft touch. No, this will not do." Helen sat back down and opened her pad. Her fingers danced over it for a moment. "There. I've send the termination order. He'll never make it off the transport."

"You're countermanding my orders?" Fen's shock nearly overrode her anger.

"I am giving the order you should have given. If you want to be a success then we need to be like steel." Helen closed the pad again.

Fen stood. "Helen, you ơ̵̻̹b̵̛͕͒̈e̸̼̓̈̕y̷̗͒̌ ̵̛̗̘̒̚m̵̯͔̊é̶̳͋͝. Not the other way around. Do not countermand my orders again." She turned on her heel and walked stiffly out of Helen's office. The door clicked shut.

"Yes, Empress." Helen said, grinning.

****

"-can't believe she had the unmitigated gall to-" Fen was muttering to herself as she stomped back up towards the upper palace.

Well she has a certain way she wants things done. We tend to agree with her most of the time.

"But I am the Empress, not her. I say what happens, I give the orders, I decide."

This is true, Empress. And you used your Voice to ensure that it remains that way.

"You're not doing anything to her, are you? Letting her get around my Voice?"

Never Empress, your word is law.

Fen walked into her office. It was a pleasing bustle of activity. She had a staff of over one hundred people who personally reported to her. Helen had mentioned that when she ruled, her staff was small, and Melody's even smaller, but the Nanites pointed out that previous Empress' had staff in the hundreds or even thousands. Fen decided that she needed all the help she could get, and staffed up with experts from all over Sol and beyond.

A young K'laxi bounded up to Fen as she came in. "Empress! The latest Gate has been completed a week ahead of schedule. Shall we deploy it?"

"Already? That's excellent news Heni'tara. Attach it to my Dreadnought. I am leaving for Gren space, and I will install it while I am out."

He snapped a perfect human style salute, and his tail and ears flicked. "Yes, Empress!"

Fen moved to turn away and then turned back. "Heni - will you accompany me? I could use your expertise with the Gate deployment."

Heni'tara's tail bushed out and twitched slightly. "I would love that, Empress. Yes! I have a few ideas about how to improve the deployment process. We could optimiz-"

Fen grinned and put her hands out, gesturing for him to slow down. "I'm glad you're excited Heni, but tell the deployment techs, not me. Wear your uniform and my sigil and they'll listen to you."

"Yes! Empress! Of course, Empress! Oh, I should go and pack, I'll head to your ship right away." He bounded away, barely touching the floor with excitement.

Fen continued though the office and came to a small pool of humans, K'laxi and Innari sitting together. "Do you have the report on the Sefigan ready?"

"We're putting the finishing touches on it now, Empress. It will be ready for publication in two days." One of the Innari in the group trilled happily, their breathing mask no impediment to their speech.

"Give me the high level now please."

"Yes, Empress." A human stood and bowed quickly. "The Sefigan government - Hardclans - are divided about your overtures for them to be human clients. Half of them think it's an excellent idea and a way for them to gain an advantage over the Gren. The other half think it's a poisoned cup which will bring about their downfall. We believe that when you push for an answer, they will defer."

She nodded. She had heard as much from the Secret Police. "Hmm, and what about my offer of installing more Gates?"

A K'laxi in the group piped up. "They are unanimous in support of that. Humanity is the only group making and installing Gates, and everyone wants greater access to the Galaxy. The Sefigans are planning on petitioning you for permission to colonize one of the empty systems once you install a Gate there."

"We believe this is an opportunity for you to get the support of the Sefigans. Trade a colonization opportunity for client status." The Innari nodded their head and their iridescent feathers shimmered in the light.

Fen nodded. "Good. Put out a rumor that I will grant colonization rights in exchange for client status."

"Empress!" The entire group stood and saluted as one.

[mindblowingscience]

It's official. Astronomers peering at the atmosphere of Venus have directly detected clear signs of atomic oxygen in daylight, hanging about above the planet's toxic clouds. Atomic oxygen is known to exist in the planet's atmosphere, according to theoretical models, and has even been directly detected directly on Venus' nightside; but the dayside detection means we have new insight into the dynamics of the Venusian atmosphere, and the circulation patterns therein, say a team led by physicist Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers of the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

Continue Reading.

[makingspiritualityreal]

Contrary to popular opinion in Astrology circles that associate Libra with relationships, as the polarity of Aries and the exaltation of Saturn, Libra actually functions best in solitude.

The Sun, exalted in Aries, is lonely because it has no equals, but it functions among people. It is the leader of people. Libra is among people but separated from them, either alone or interacting only with one’s closest circle, and these relationships are based on freedom and non attachment.

Just like Saturn, Libra’s task is to learn self sufficiency and enjoying one’s company and being able to handle oneself. Then, any external addition to one’s own company is a cherry on top, and you end up only picking the people you really like, not ending up with someone by default. Libra is where desperation for a compulsive presence of another is supposed to die, and a natural, unforced enjoyment of another is born.

That’s why Libra is a Venusian sign, because to externally have what is really valuable in your life, you need to be discerning and know how to value your own energy first. Then, any additional relationships you create are based on that strong foundation.

This is also why the ultimate sign of exaltation for Venus is not Libra, but Pisces. In Pisces we enter into a truly divine union, where the relationship is based on common connection with God, so your love becomes the reflection of God’s love. That serene atmosphere is also conducive to creating a family, Pisces being a Jupiterian sign, and all these elements bring ultimate bliss to the expansion of a relationship life.

Pisces is the ultimate sign of romance with life through romance with God. Libra is the ultimate romance with God through independence.

[weakfleshwillingsoul]

When i was a kid and dreaming about being an astronaut or an exobiologist i used to fantasize about being one of the people they might send to live on mars to spend fifty years in study and silence slowly coaxing microorganisms out of alien sleep i can just imagine the peace and quiet they should send monks to other planets like missionaries. Does god exist way under that venusian sulfuric atmosphere or did he burn up on entry