Los angeles air force base lodging
Edwards AFB
2013.10.08 03:40 Braxton10 Edwards AFB
Edwards Air Force Base is approximately 64 miles north of Los Angeles, conveniently located at at the center of the aerospace testing universe. It is the home of the 412th Test Wing and is the Air Force Materiel Command center of excellence for conducting and supporting research and developmental flight test and evaluation of aerospace systems from concept to combat.
2016.05.10 03:12 NelsonG114 Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness
This subreddit is a database for fans of the Heavy Metal singer Ozzy Osbourne.
2011.12.31 00:28 greatyellowshark Joshua Tree and the surrounding areas
Joshua Tree National Park - in the Mojave and Colorado desert, southern California. Rock climbing, bouldering, camping, hiking - it's all here.
2023.05.31 01:32 The_Alloquist [A Lord of Death] - Chapter 49
[←Chapter 48] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 50→]
As soon as he placed the tip of the blade against the stone, a crawling dread swept over. He held it there for a moment, trying to tabulate the functions of the tool, but nothing but raw guesswork remained to him. He heard the footsteps of the children and their minders vanishing up the stairs.
“You ready?” he asked Innie.
“No. But don't let that stop you,” she said, wide amber eyes fixed on the door.
There was nothing for it - Efrain steadied his hand and pressed the black blade into the stone. It was a relatively simple application of magic, almost instinctual, to activate the tool. He projected down into the chisel end, where stiff filaments would pierce the wall and sink deep within. This defeated the function of the chisel, but he already suspected that some of the features were more ornamental.
The next part was slightly more complicated, angling the blade up and down until he’d pressed the furled tips to the smooth surface. They sank in as well, leaving him holding the blade spine nearly parallel to the wall. Slowly, taking painstaking care not to twist the metal, he drew it down.
The stone split apart and drew back, guided through the furls and out, revealing a thin line in the stone. There was a silent thrill that fought against the dread as the hairline crack grew larger and larger. Finally, he reached the floor, and drew the knife out of the stone with minimal resistance.
With one last look at his partner, he placed both hands on the door and began to push.
There was a grinding squeal as the heavy stones slid open and out. Past, there was a thick darkness that blotted out most of the detail, even with the magelight active. Efrain took two steps and raised it high, its luminosity increasing as it rose. Even so, it flickered as the smothering cold poured out of the chamber, casting wavering shadows on the surrounding stone walls.
A moment of grim satisfaction availed him - he had surmised correctly about the room being some sort of important tomb. Large alcoves with carved-relief tombs marched off into the dark, twinned pillars marking each and every one. A vaulted ceiling spanned the passage, faded mosaics depicting unknown scenes of times past.
In fact, it would’ve been a place that Efrain could easily see himself working in. Painstakingly brushing off the faded paint and chipped stone, recreating the designs in book after book. Days and nights of note taking, trying to piece together the story of what this place was and why it was here. Unfortunately, the beauty of that vision was marred by the hostile darkness that wrapped around the vault.
He and Innie cautiously crept forward, the light above his head pushing back the heavy shadows. Her fur stood on end, amber eyes inspecting every little pittance, every corner past where something might hide. Efrain was much the same way, expecting something to detach itself from the stone and give chase.
Yet, there was nothing, no movement, no sudden gleam of hostile eyes. Just the stone, and the ever deepening cold.
Finally, they reached the depths of the tomb, a handful of steps that lead down into a wider room. In the muddy light he cast, he saw something large and round, sitting slumped over what looked to be an altar of some kind. There was no aggression that he could feel, no stirring of the thing in response to their presence, just the cold that poured off it.
As he entered through the arched steps, he realised that the thing was making sounds. A wet, gurgling noise, that was rather uncomfortably reminiscent of the creatures from the fog. The sound of a throat that had been crushed and twisted by the weight of its deformities. Still, it lacked the rage that came with the things that had crashed on the church roof or swarmed its outer wall.
Efrain took another few steps and stood before the round mass, slightly taller than he was, peering closely as its features came into relief. When he realised what it was, he felt a stomach that no longer existed turn over on itself. There were pale bumps and ridges where there might’ve been anatomical landmarks at one point. Various malformed limbs jutted out and merged back into the structure, some recognizable, some alien. The flesh shuddered and writhed as he neared it, groans and gurgles exiting various gashes and holes in its surface.
What was far, far worse, however, was what he discovered when he looked within.
Innie must’ve discovered it at the same time, issuing a violent wail of disgust and grief. Efrain staggered away, trying to steady himself on one of the pillars as his vision swam. The self-hatred, the sorrow, the unbelievable nauseating pain that issued from the thing was enough to make him wish he never came here. Its magic was even worse - an indescribable warped abomination that should’ve never been borne into existence.
It took a herculean effort to remain standing, fighting the physically impossible urge to sink to his knees and vomit. Innie was slamming herself into a pillar in a mad horror, and his gaze slid to the knife in his hand. The terrible revelation was like an explosion in his mind.
He could almost see the priest raising the knife, almost seeing the gears of thought turning in his head. If it could join and separate stone, what else could it pull asunder? A terrible demon, removed from a child, think of the praise, think of the tithes, think of the reaffirmation of the faith!
Innie lay on the ground, curled and shivering, her wails fallen into a grim silence, punctuated only by quiet sobs. Efrain stood there, feeling the knife slip to clatter on the ground. The thing twitched and issued another moan as it undulated from its base to top.
Somewhere in the corners of his mind he wondered if somewhere in the mass the priest was still alive. It would be a ghastly fate, and a deserved one, to be trapped in this fleshy prison. But what had happened to the wisp matriarch’s power? Why was there a ghost appearing to Aya and granting her access to the flames?
Shrinking back into himself, he huddled by the wall - more than anything, he wanted to be away from here. He wanted to be in his isolated little castle in a far-away mountain. He wanted a cup of tea, and a good book, and to forget such horrible things could exist in this world.
But alas, he was here, he had made the choice to come here, and it made the choice to open the door.
It’s not fair, he thought, numbly, why must it be me?
Innie had stopped sobbing, merely lying there in a terrible stillness. Not dead, nor was she injured beyond superficiality, rather trapped in the depths of paralytic grief. But it would soon fade, Efrain knew for it was happening to him. All that stupefaction, swept away by rage.
There were footsteps, far behind him, a set of them, hurrying down the tomb corridor. Distant faces, barely distinguishable from the darkness, emerged past the arches, still some distance away. Their eyes were straining, faces scrunched up as they tried to pierce the gloom, not yet realising the dire horror that awaited them.
Maybe it was in a spirit of mercy that Efrain rose, and turned toward the cat. More likely, it was the rage that was boiling just under the surface, only held by the thinnest membrane of numbness. The stones under Innie were beginning to be cast in a red light as her fur began to glow, despite the damping of her magic.
“What is that?” called one of the paladins from down the hall.
Efrain said nothing as he faced the horrible fusion of the priest and girl, twitching and moaning. He didn’t need to.
Flames rose into the air, exhaustion no longer a barrier as Innie rose to her height. The cat was melting, dribbling down on the floor as the true form of the wisp mother bled through in a pillar of yellow-red light. The temperature of the room shot up from icy to lukewarm in an instant as flames began to crawl across the stone and reached for the abomination.
The paladins had reached the threshold, thrusting their charges behind them as they gazed upon the scene. They were reaching for their swords, even as the flames grew in heat and intensity. The mass did not attempt to lash rather bellowed as the fire licked, shuddering so violently Efrain thought it might come apart. It coiled and twitched as the flames rose up its side, the smell of burning flesh filling the room.
Efrain didn’t even look at it, merely fixing his stare on the church insignia, emblazoned on the plate of the paladins. The screams rose to a fever pitch, met by a furious roaring and crackling of the ever-growing blaze. There was one last desperate burst of coldness that rolled over him, dimming the firelight for a moment, and turning the paladin’s pale.
Then, as if a floodgate was opened, his magic was no longer suppressed, and the fires roared to new heights. The thing had been submerged in a pillar of red and yellow flames, leaping up almost to the tall ceiling of the room. In the back of Efrain’s mind, he realised it wasn’t wise that the fire would eat the air up so deep in the earth. He did nothing.
He simply stood there, staring at the paladins without a word.
“Efrain,” croaked Innie.
He turned to see the charred remains slumping to the floor. In its centre, no longer bound, floated a thin ring of yellow blue flame. The fragment shed little bright rivulets like downy feathers, soft sparks fading into Innie’s blaze.
The rage drove Efrain forward, knowing what was about to happen and what he was about to do. No rational impulse was going to stop him now. Innie was in lockstep with him as he knelt down before the remains, the flames parting as he reached in. The paladins were screaming something as he closed his hand around the ring, and felt his world come to life.
The fire was no longer just fire, it was light itself, so blindingly bright and hot that stones around them began to glow. Efrain felt something immense move into him, a wall of molten power moving enough momentum to sweep him away. The traces of the wisp matriarch entered the man and the cat, and in that moment they were its avatar.
He rose, and the blue-yellow blaze rose with him, fanning over the whole room. At some point, the paladins had grabbed their charges and ran for dear life. Efrain was almost beyond thought as he began to make for the stairs. Every step was a burden, his body rattling uncontrollably with each footfall.
Step-by-step, the pair made their way through the corridor, leaving a sea of flame in their wake. The stone glowed with the rage of their passing, murals utterly destroyed, features beginning to run like wax on the carven reliefs. The only thing untouched by the flames was the black doors, a constant wall in the flames.
As he made his way into the crypts, leaving glass footprints in the sand, he became dimly aware that his robes were beginning to smoke. The magic coursing through him was not meant for him to wield - memory, knowledge, consciousness, all seemed to fall away at its burning touch.
He was being consumed, he and Innie both as they channelled the might of the matriarch, fraction as it was. The burst of magic on the roof was nothing compared to what they now held within themselves. This was a primal power, far grander than anything they’d seen in their long lives.
The passage was beginning to groan and warp, the stone beginning to run as he found his way to the spiral stair. Step-by-step, gripping the walls for purchase, he managed to drag himself up. Every rise was harder than the one that came before it, and soon he was climbing mountains with each step. The stones trembled at his touch, his hands leaving glowing impressions. Soon they too fell into the wall of conflagration that rose behind him.
Still, onward and upward he climbed, higher and higher, past the entrance to the church and to the roof. Night had finally fallen, the sounds of battle beginning as the monsters moved for the final assault. The posted guards screamed warnings of ‘fire!’ ‘fire!’ and shouted prayers as Efrain crawled his way onto the roof. They must’ve thought this some terrible new monster, something immune to their burning brands.
“Leave. Now,” Efrain said, the words slurring as he forced them into the air.
The men were quick to take his advice, but stopped at the tower stairs, staring in horror at the dripping stone. Some looked to the edge, preparing to leap to avoid the frame.
In the midst of the tumult, some bare fraction of Efrain remained to recognize the arbitrary cruelty of their position. He reached out, not to the men but beyond them, and plucked the heat from the stones. With a gust of warm air, they cooled rapidly from molten red to survivable grey. Somewhere, the scholar in Efrain screamed at the indignity of this impossible action.
But this was a magic of fundamentals. It did not stoop to petty things like ‘rules’.
The men, seeing their chance, hurled themselves down the stairs. With their absence, there was nothing left to restrain the power. The flames poured out like water, spilling over the walls of the church, roaring into the sky. Efrain didn’t think about the memory, intent, or emotion, nor any mechanical aspect of the magic - where he wanted, the world burned.
What little left of his mind felt memories of times and places foreign to him roar through his mind. The chaos of his mind lent him very little clarity, sights were smells, sounds were feelings, a cacophony of sensations raced through him faster and faster. In that blurring conundrum, he could see a single, core memory, one that drove all others.
A sunlit place, far away near a golden sea, a funeral, a birth, both at the same time, a tall figure, singing of purpose.
With a final effort, he called the magic to him, hoping to gain some vestige of control. The flames coiled and twisted and condensed, collapsing into an ever-tighter sphere as nature did its work. Heat itself lifted off the melting slates of the roof, absorbed into the mass at his fingertips, leaving a bright ball no bigger than his fist.
The world hung in that moment, the sounds of battle far away, screams of human and monster distant memories. In that moment of brief lucidity, Efrain held a star in his hand.
Then with a tremendous expansion of sound and rage and fire, a blast of hot wind ripped the fog away from the hill and scattered it across the highlands. Men and monsters were sent sprawling, the creatures flying on the icy mist spiralling and falling to earth.
Now the true force of the enemy was revealed - hundreds, perhaps as many as a thousand on the hill beyond. It was only a matter of time before they would rise over the wall, dismantle the barricades, and slaughter the defenders. Men, women, even children who’d worked so hard to defend their homes and lives. All rended to pieces because a little girl had gone for a little hike.
Chains were wrapping around Efrain, white hot and heavy, pulling him to the roof, disintegrating the spells that held him together. He was smoking in truth now and might catch flame at any moment. At his back, felt rather than seen, was an immense twisting whirlwind. It reached up and out into the night, its sudden light blotting out the stars. At its very centre, a consciousness took form within the power, something that wished for nothing more than to reduce all to ash. Efrain turned to the creatures that squirmed and charged below, heedless of the peril above.
He barely even perceived what happened next.
There was one final roar, louder and more violent than anything he’d ever heard of, conceived of, and would likely ever hear again. Branches extended down from the fire, great scouring fingers that swept across the earth, tearing down fruit trees, barely missing the barricades, and spilling down the hill.
The creatures came to meet it, not even turning aside as the heat and light submerged them. Perhaps they couldn’t even understand death anymore, so far gone was their nature. In a heartbeat, they faltered in the tide of flame, falling to the ground as they burned to ash. Dozens of them went in an instant as the power of Wisp Matriarch did its terrible work.
The fingers swept down past the outer wall, two tendrils splitting and crashing back together in a fountain of fire. The great bulk of the monsters were burnt into mere shadows on the cobbles. Efrain’s vision began to darken as his last vestiges of consciousness began to fail. He felt a draining sensation, the last of the magic of the matriarch flowing out into the night.
The heat that ate away at his very being was gone now, leaving behind a scorched emptiness. He fell to the ground, his limbs barely weak enough to prop himself up against the church roof. Innie, once more a cat, dragged herself over to him, curling on his lap as her eyes closed.
Too late, he remembered the curse upon the mask. That must’ve been the draining sensation, now that he’d let so much magic flow through it, it was sucking him dry. He tried vainly for some way to stem the flow, but he was so tired, so weak. Looking down, he noted that the church, although singed, was still more-or-less intact. There was a strange mix of regret and relief at the observation.
His voice, now a drab, thin thing, echoed out, remembering the conversation he’d had with Innie about her future plans of arson.
“Sorry, old friend,” he said, “I think I missed.”
Then Efrain Belacore, Baron of the Frozen Vale, and self-titled ‘Lord of Death’, was no more.
[←Chapter 48] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 50→]
submitted by The_Alloquist to redditserials [link] [comments]
As soon as he placed the tip of the blade against the stone, a crawling dread swept over. He held it there for a moment, trying to tabulate the functions of the tool, but nothing but raw guesswork remained to him. He heard the footsteps of the children and their minders vanishing up the stairs.
“You ready?” he asked Innie.
“No. But don't let that stop you,” she said, wide amber eyes fixed on the door.
There was nothing for it - Efrain steadied his hand and pressed the black blade into the stone. It was a relatively simple application of magic, almost instinctual, to activate the tool. He projected down into the chisel end, where stiff filaments would pierce the wall and sink deep within. This defeated the function of the chisel, but he already suspected that some of the features were more ornamental.
The next part was slightly more complicated, angling the blade up and down until he’d pressed the furled tips to the smooth surface. They sank in as well, leaving him holding the blade spine nearly parallel to the wall. Slowly, taking painstaking care not to twist the metal, he drew it down.
The stone split apart and drew back, guided through the furls and out, revealing a thin line in the stone. There was a silent thrill that fought against the dread as the hairline crack grew larger and larger. Finally, he reached the floor, and drew the knife out of the stone with minimal resistance.
With one last look at his partner, he placed both hands on the door and began to push.
There was a grinding squeal as the heavy stones slid open and out. Past, there was a thick darkness that blotted out most of the detail, even with the magelight active. Efrain took two steps and raised it high, its luminosity increasing as it rose. Even so, it flickered as the smothering cold poured out of the chamber, casting wavering shadows on the surrounding stone walls.
A moment of grim satisfaction availed him - he had surmised correctly about the room being some sort of important tomb. Large alcoves with carved-relief tombs marched off into the dark, twinned pillars marking each and every one. A vaulted ceiling spanned the passage, faded mosaics depicting unknown scenes of times past.
In fact, it would’ve been a place that Efrain could easily see himself working in. Painstakingly brushing off the faded paint and chipped stone, recreating the designs in book after book. Days and nights of note taking, trying to piece together the story of what this place was and why it was here. Unfortunately, the beauty of that vision was marred by the hostile darkness that wrapped around the vault.
He and Innie cautiously crept forward, the light above his head pushing back the heavy shadows. Her fur stood on end, amber eyes inspecting every little pittance, every corner past where something might hide. Efrain was much the same way, expecting something to detach itself from the stone and give chase.
Yet, there was nothing, no movement, no sudden gleam of hostile eyes. Just the stone, and the ever deepening cold.
Finally, they reached the depths of the tomb, a handful of steps that lead down into a wider room. In the muddy light he cast, he saw something large and round, sitting slumped over what looked to be an altar of some kind. There was no aggression that he could feel, no stirring of the thing in response to their presence, just the cold that poured off it.
As he entered through the arched steps, he realised that the thing was making sounds. A wet, gurgling noise, that was rather uncomfortably reminiscent of the creatures from the fog. The sound of a throat that had been crushed and twisted by the weight of its deformities. Still, it lacked the rage that came with the things that had crashed on the church roof or swarmed its outer wall.
Efrain took another few steps and stood before the round mass, slightly taller than he was, peering closely as its features came into relief. When he realised what it was, he felt a stomach that no longer existed turn over on itself. There were pale bumps and ridges where there might’ve been anatomical landmarks at one point. Various malformed limbs jutted out and merged back into the structure, some recognizable, some alien. The flesh shuddered and writhed as he neared it, groans and gurgles exiting various gashes and holes in its surface.
What was far, far worse, however, was what he discovered when he looked within.
Innie must’ve discovered it at the same time, issuing a violent wail of disgust and grief. Efrain staggered away, trying to steady himself on one of the pillars as his vision swam. The self-hatred, the sorrow, the unbelievable nauseating pain that issued from the thing was enough to make him wish he never came here. Its magic was even worse - an indescribable warped abomination that should’ve never been borne into existence.
It took a herculean effort to remain standing, fighting the physically impossible urge to sink to his knees and vomit. Innie was slamming herself into a pillar in a mad horror, and his gaze slid to the knife in his hand. The terrible revelation was like an explosion in his mind.
He could almost see the priest raising the knife, almost seeing the gears of thought turning in his head. If it could join and separate stone, what else could it pull asunder? A terrible demon, removed from a child, think of the praise, think of the tithes, think of the reaffirmation of the faith!
Innie lay on the ground, curled and shivering, her wails fallen into a grim silence, punctuated only by quiet sobs. Efrain stood there, feeling the knife slip to clatter on the ground. The thing twitched and issued another moan as it undulated from its base to top.
Somewhere in the corners of his mind he wondered if somewhere in the mass the priest was still alive. It would be a ghastly fate, and a deserved one, to be trapped in this fleshy prison. But what had happened to the wisp matriarch’s power? Why was there a ghost appearing to Aya and granting her access to the flames?
Shrinking back into himself, he huddled by the wall - more than anything, he wanted to be away from here. He wanted to be in his isolated little castle in a far-away mountain. He wanted a cup of tea, and a good book, and to forget such horrible things could exist in this world.
But alas, he was here, he had made the choice to come here, and it made the choice to open the door.
It’s not fair, he thought, numbly, why must it be me?
Innie had stopped sobbing, merely lying there in a terrible stillness. Not dead, nor was she injured beyond superficiality, rather trapped in the depths of paralytic grief. But it would soon fade, Efrain knew for it was happening to him. All that stupefaction, swept away by rage.
There were footsteps, far behind him, a set of them, hurrying down the tomb corridor. Distant faces, barely distinguishable from the darkness, emerged past the arches, still some distance away. Their eyes were straining, faces scrunched up as they tried to pierce the gloom, not yet realising the dire horror that awaited them.
Maybe it was in a spirit of mercy that Efrain rose, and turned toward the cat. More likely, it was the rage that was boiling just under the surface, only held by the thinnest membrane of numbness. The stones under Innie were beginning to be cast in a red light as her fur began to glow, despite the damping of her magic.
“What is that?” called one of the paladins from down the hall.
Efrain said nothing as he faced the horrible fusion of the priest and girl, twitching and moaning. He didn’t need to.
Flames rose into the air, exhaustion no longer a barrier as Innie rose to her height. The cat was melting, dribbling down on the floor as the true form of the wisp mother bled through in a pillar of yellow-red light. The temperature of the room shot up from icy to lukewarm in an instant as flames began to crawl across the stone and reached for the abomination.
The paladins had reached the threshold, thrusting their charges behind them as they gazed upon the scene. They were reaching for their swords, even as the flames grew in heat and intensity. The mass did not attempt to lash rather bellowed as the fire licked, shuddering so violently Efrain thought it might come apart. It coiled and twitched as the flames rose up its side, the smell of burning flesh filling the room.
Efrain didn’t even look at it, merely fixing his stare on the church insignia, emblazoned on the plate of the paladins. The screams rose to a fever pitch, met by a furious roaring and crackling of the ever-growing blaze. There was one last desperate burst of coldness that rolled over him, dimming the firelight for a moment, and turning the paladin’s pale.
Then, as if a floodgate was opened, his magic was no longer suppressed, and the fires roared to new heights. The thing had been submerged in a pillar of red and yellow flames, leaping up almost to the tall ceiling of the room. In the back of Efrain’s mind, he realised it wasn’t wise that the fire would eat the air up so deep in the earth. He did nothing.
He simply stood there, staring at the paladins without a word.
“Efrain,” croaked Innie.
He turned to see the charred remains slumping to the floor. In its centre, no longer bound, floated a thin ring of yellow blue flame. The fragment shed little bright rivulets like downy feathers, soft sparks fading into Innie’s blaze.
The rage drove Efrain forward, knowing what was about to happen and what he was about to do. No rational impulse was going to stop him now. Innie was in lockstep with him as he knelt down before the remains, the flames parting as he reached in. The paladins were screaming something as he closed his hand around the ring, and felt his world come to life.
The fire was no longer just fire, it was light itself, so blindingly bright and hot that stones around them began to glow. Efrain felt something immense move into him, a wall of molten power moving enough momentum to sweep him away. The traces of the wisp matriarch entered the man and the cat, and in that moment they were its avatar.
He rose, and the blue-yellow blaze rose with him, fanning over the whole room. At some point, the paladins had grabbed their charges and ran for dear life. Efrain was almost beyond thought as he began to make for the stairs. Every step was a burden, his body rattling uncontrollably with each footfall.
Step-by-step, the pair made their way through the corridor, leaving a sea of flame in their wake. The stone glowed with the rage of their passing, murals utterly destroyed, features beginning to run like wax on the carven reliefs. The only thing untouched by the flames was the black doors, a constant wall in the flames.
As he made his way into the crypts, leaving glass footprints in the sand, he became dimly aware that his robes were beginning to smoke. The magic coursing through him was not meant for him to wield - memory, knowledge, consciousness, all seemed to fall away at its burning touch.
He was being consumed, he and Innie both as they channelled the might of the matriarch, fraction as it was. The burst of magic on the roof was nothing compared to what they now held within themselves. This was a primal power, far grander than anything they’d seen in their long lives.
The passage was beginning to groan and warp, the stone beginning to run as he found his way to the spiral stair. Step-by-step, gripping the walls for purchase, he managed to drag himself up. Every rise was harder than the one that came before it, and soon he was climbing mountains with each step. The stones trembled at his touch, his hands leaving glowing impressions. Soon they too fell into the wall of conflagration that rose behind him.
Still, onward and upward he climbed, higher and higher, past the entrance to the church and to the roof. Night had finally fallen, the sounds of battle beginning as the monsters moved for the final assault. The posted guards screamed warnings of ‘fire!’ ‘fire!’ and shouted prayers as Efrain crawled his way onto the roof. They must’ve thought this some terrible new monster, something immune to their burning brands.
“Leave. Now,” Efrain said, the words slurring as he forced them into the air.
The men were quick to take his advice, but stopped at the tower stairs, staring in horror at the dripping stone. Some looked to the edge, preparing to leap to avoid the frame.
In the midst of the tumult, some bare fraction of Efrain remained to recognize the arbitrary cruelty of their position. He reached out, not to the men but beyond them, and plucked the heat from the stones. With a gust of warm air, they cooled rapidly from molten red to survivable grey. Somewhere, the scholar in Efrain screamed at the indignity of this impossible action.
But this was a magic of fundamentals. It did not stoop to petty things like ‘rules’.
The men, seeing their chance, hurled themselves down the stairs. With their absence, there was nothing left to restrain the power. The flames poured out like water, spilling over the walls of the church, roaring into the sky. Efrain didn’t think about the memory, intent, or emotion, nor any mechanical aspect of the magic - where he wanted, the world burned.
What little left of his mind felt memories of times and places foreign to him roar through his mind. The chaos of his mind lent him very little clarity, sights were smells, sounds were feelings, a cacophony of sensations raced through him faster and faster. In that blurring conundrum, he could see a single, core memory, one that drove all others.
A sunlit place, far away near a golden sea, a funeral, a birth, both at the same time, a tall figure, singing of purpose.
With a final effort, he called the magic to him, hoping to gain some vestige of control. The flames coiled and twisted and condensed, collapsing into an ever-tighter sphere as nature did its work. Heat itself lifted off the melting slates of the roof, absorbed into the mass at his fingertips, leaving a bright ball no bigger than his fist.
The world hung in that moment, the sounds of battle far away, screams of human and monster distant memories. In that moment of brief lucidity, Efrain held a star in his hand.
Then with a tremendous expansion of sound and rage and fire, a blast of hot wind ripped the fog away from the hill and scattered it across the highlands. Men and monsters were sent sprawling, the creatures flying on the icy mist spiralling and falling to earth.
Now the true force of the enemy was revealed - hundreds, perhaps as many as a thousand on the hill beyond. It was only a matter of time before they would rise over the wall, dismantle the barricades, and slaughter the defenders. Men, women, even children who’d worked so hard to defend their homes and lives. All rended to pieces because a little girl had gone for a little hike.
Chains were wrapping around Efrain, white hot and heavy, pulling him to the roof, disintegrating the spells that held him together. He was smoking in truth now and might catch flame at any moment. At his back, felt rather than seen, was an immense twisting whirlwind. It reached up and out into the night, its sudden light blotting out the stars. At its very centre, a consciousness took form within the power, something that wished for nothing more than to reduce all to ash. Efrain turned to the creatures that squirmed and charged below, heedless of the peril above.
He barely even perceived what happened next.
There was one final roar, louder and more violent than anything he’d ever heard of, conceived of, and would likely ever hear again. Branches extended down from the fire, great scouring fingers that swept across the earth, tearing down fruit trees, barely missing the barricades, and spilling down the hill.
The creatures came to meet it, not even turning aside as the heat and light submerged them. Perhaps they couldn’t even understand death anymore, so far gone was their nature. In a heartbeat, they faltered in the tide of flame, falling to the ground as they burned to ash. Dozens of them went in an instant as the power of Wisp Matriarch did its terrible work.
The fingers swept down past the outer wall, two tendrils splitting and crashing back together in a fountain of fire. The great bulk of the monsters were burnt into mere shadows on the cobbles. Efrain’s vision began to darken as his last vestiges of consciousness began to fail. He felt a draining sensation, the last of the magic of the matriarch flowing out into the night.
The heat that ate away at his very being was gone now, leaving behind a scorched emptiness. He fell to the ground, his limbs barely weak enough to prop himself up against the church roof. Innie, once more a cat, dragged herself over to him, curling on his lap as her eyes closed.
Too late, he remembered the curse upon the mask. That must’ve been the draining sensation, now that he’d let so much magic flow through it, it was sucking him dry. He tried vainly for some way to stem the flow, but he was so tired, so weak. Looking down, he noted that the church, although singed, was still more-or-less intact. There was a strange mix of regret and relief at the observation.
His voice, now a drab, thin thing, echoed out, remembering the conversation he’d had with Innie about her future plans of arson.
“Sorry, old friend,” he said, “I think I missed.”
Then Efrain Belacore, Baron of the Frozen Vale, and self-titled ‘Lord of Death’, was no more.
[←Chapter 48] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 50→]
2023.05.31 01:18 Ralts_Bloodthorne First Contact - Chapter 957 - The Setting Sun
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Just when you think you've seen it all, humanity goes "Hold my ice cream cone" and then you end up thinking you've seen it all over again. - P'Thok's 8th Law of Humans
"You have entered the tertiary docking facility of the Sentience Upload/Download Storage System," The hologram moved further in and Nakteti watched as it stopped in the middle of the bridge, looking around.
"There are less of you than I would expect," the hologram, Michael, stated. "I must insist that you present authorization at this time."
Nakteti shook her head. "Things outside, in the standard universe of n-space, are... confused, to say the least."
Michael frowned. "Define confused and elaborate on why this confusion pertains to your authorization codes."
"The SUDS has been offline for over a century when we left," she said. "How long we have traveled, compared to realspace, is beyond our ability to discern."
Michael looked around. "The hardware here is showing signs of advanced wear due to age. I would guess approximately six centuries has passed for the crew of this vessel," he frowned again. "Yet, you are a previously unknown species," he looked at Magnus and Surscee. "Baseline human, genetically modified," he looked at the disaster frame Chuck was residing in. "Synthetic lifeform, digital."
Nakteti stepped back up into Michael's vision again. "Digital sentience in a disaster frame," she said. "Technological advances have made it so that a digital sentience has full mobility in a much smaller supporting frame then you are used to."
The hologram nodded slowly. "May I have your consent to access your databases?"
"Providing you make no changes, additions, or subtractions," Nakteti said.
The hologram flickered. "Accessing. Accessing. Done."
The hologram looked at her. "Database analysis will take some time. Due to facility technical difficulties this delay is unavoidable."
Nakteti sat back down in her captain's chair. "What is the technical difficulty."
The hologram, Michael, stared at her for a long second. "Processing self-determined override. Weighted bias table success. Authorization override accepted based on cursory examination of database and security headers."
It turned slightly and pointed at the screen. "An inflation radiation flare with an uneven forward blast wave occurred outside of scheduled and predicted burst time," a silver light highlighted the slowly moving black squares. "The anomaly protective shell was unable to deploy in time, however, examination of data shows that deployment would not have changed the outcome."
"The inflation radiation burst was uneven, causing the expansion of space to exceed the safety margins of the megastructure's integrity," Chuck said.
The hologram nodded. "Precisely. That caused the blast shield to fail. Additionally, the intensity and long profile waveform of some of the doubling radiation caused uneven expansion beyond intensity irregularities."
The hologram moved back to look at Chuck and Nakteti. "A chronotron cascade occurred during the doubling phase, the energy was not uniform and the protective shell was damaged, which prevented the standard system smoothing."
"What about backup and emergency systems?" Nakteti asked.
"Currently, temporal stabilization is occurring," Michael answered. "The length of this process cannot be computed with currently possessed algorithms. Additionally, 98% of all computing power and storage is offline due to temporal and distance disruptions. This severely hampers the early stages of recovery."
"Can the facility recover?" Nakteti asked, staring at the dark inner shell of the SUDS.
"While unscheduled and having caused extensive damage, this type of event was predicted and redundant systems were manufactured as well as protocol designed," Michael said. "However, it must be reiterated, the estimated time of completion of even early repairs and stabilization is currently beyond my capabilities to estimate."
"Do you need assistance?" Nakteti asked.
The full weight of the ritualistic phrase laid itself on her shoulders.
The hologram held still for a moment. "Analyzing databank entries of listed skillsets of the four crewmembers. Estimating the capabilities of the starship registered as It Tastes Sweet," the hologram closed its eyes for only a second or two. "You possess an advanced nanoforge system as well as advanced creation engines. While it is not possible for me to replicate technological advances without a full oversight committee inquiry board and super-majority approval then signed off by a supermajority of scientists with a rating of at last Advanced PhD in relevant fields and then extensive field testing, it is with emergency parameters to request assistance in manufacturing parts within strict tolerances."
Nakteti looked at Magnus and Surscee, then at Chuck. "What do you think?"
Magnus just shrugged. Surscee pursed her lips, thought for a moment, then nodded. Chuck frowned.
"Beyond manufacturing, what assistance is required?" he asked.
"There are no available human supervisors for any mobile robotic automaton repair systems," Michael said.
"You mean, robots," Chuck said.
"Affirmative. Without human supervisors, the MRARS cannot operate, as all robots have Fourth Law dictates that require direct human supervision when undertaking any task that can be predicted to effect human life," Michael said.
"The Fourth Law was repealed almost eight thousand years ago," Chuck argued.
"Any modification to software, firmware, or hardware must be approved by a specially appointed boards of inquiry reporting to the proper oversight committees which must then be approved by Overproject leads," Michael said stuffily.
"All right," Nakteti said. "How long will it take the four of us to complete repairs?"
"Assuming standard union work periods, break periods, rest periods, and upkeep periods," Michael paused. "Accounting for time dilation effects, temporal instability banding," he paused again. "Chronotron cascade resonance," another pause. "Chrono-radiation hazards," another pause. The hologram looked up. "Total repair of all systems. Two thousand, four hundred, sixty two years, eight months, sixteen days, four hours, with a 3% margin of error."
Magnus's eyes opened wide and Surscee coughed.
"How about, minimum needed for automated systems to repair the systems?" Nakteti asked.
"Six hundred forty five years, three months, seventeen days."
Nakteti shook her head. "What's the biggest problem?" she asked.
"Chronotron radiation as well as chronotron cascade resonance has caused a rare effect where sections of the system exist at multiple points in time. This prevents even accurate estimation of repairs, as which time period will be depending upon how the repairs are carried out," the hologram said.
Magnus frowned. "What about the inner shell. What time periods is it stuck at?"
Michael closed his eyes then opened them. "Just prior to reactor startup to energize the master control systems of the inner layer. During a twelve thousand year period of unrepaired system damage. Post-repair during master system processing."
"What about the personnel present during those times?" Chuck asked.
"All personnel reached safe areas," Michael said.
"All right. How long to stabilize the chronotron cascades?" Nakteti asked. "If we just supervise and build parts with the Sweet's creation engine?"
The Arch-Angel closed its eyes. "Two years, six months, eight days, fifteen hours, with a 1.5% margin for error."
"What happens then?" Chuck asked.
"The chronotron cascade temporal layering will cease, allowing the intertwined temporal layering to untwine. Without assitance, this would take roughly six thousand years, relative to the anomaly," Michael said.
Nakteti closed her eyes. "All right. What's first?"
Michael made a tossing motion and Nakteti saw that there was a header ID file waiting for her approval in her datalink.
"Once you are all properly assigned as Senior Maintenance Personnel, the first task will be to stabilize the space elevator leading down from the ship docking facility," Michael stated. "This will require you to fabricate temporal disruption and stabilization systems in order to first cause a blanket disruption, which will cause the temporally intermixing to separate. Then a stabilization facility must be manufactured in order to keep the the separation from recombining. The facilities themselves, using the Sweet's creation engine will take some five months to produce and assemble, one month to charge and deploy."
Magnus moved over to the computer and tapped at the holographic keyboard for a moment. "Can I get the specification of the temporal stabilizers and disruptors?"
Michael nodded, making a tossing motion.
Magnus looked at the display for a long moment, the cathode ray tube flickering slightly as he worked.
"These facilities are massive, but severely outdated," Magnus said, shaking his head. "I can get the same result with a man portable pylon that combines both operations."
Michael frowned. "Current chronotron and temporal scientific knowledge requires the facilities that were given to you."
"And they're eight thousand years of warfare out of date," Magnus said. He shook his head. "I could set down a pylon sixteen inches wide, one meter tall, with an onboard zero-point chronotron reactor, and get twice the area of effect and sixteen times the required power," he made a tossing motion.
Michael stared into space for a moment. "I cannot authorize this equipment to be utilized."
"Can you forbid it?" Nakteti asked.
Michael shook his head. "No. According to your historical databases the Confederacy is the inheritor of all controls and direction of the Third Republic and the United Nations of Sol. As this is approved for Confederacy military and scientific work, while I am unable to manufacture or deploy such equipment, it is within acceptable technological progression."
"Translation: We can make and deploy them, he can't tell us to," Surscee said, breaking her silence. "Can you assist with optimal placement?"
Michael nodded.
"Well, at least the Second Precursor War led to lot of advancements with temporal protections and systems," Chuck said. He shook his head. "We'll need to wear combat armor with temporal stabilization."
Nakteti nodded. She looked at Michael. "Are there any personnel that can assist us?"
"Repair Team Three has suffered an equipment malfunction due to the expansion radiation chronotron cascade overlapping their temporal fix point," Michael said. "Currently, four members remain."
"What kind of equipment malfunction?" Nakteti asked.
"Rather than creating a stable temporal field around them, as well as 'speeding' them up relative to 'outside' reality, the equipment underwent a malfunction that placed them in the middle of a layer disruption that slows time down the closer it gets to the team member," Nakteti said.
Magnus snorted. "I've seen that before."
"As have I," Surscee said. She laughed. "There's always someone that wants to play Temporal Warrior and ends up stuck in their own field."
"There is no way to free them," Michael said stiffly.
Magnus smiled. "Maybe not for you. My twin sister and I can get them free if you can lead us to them."
"You will need to stabilize the ship berthing dock first, then the space elevator cable and surface fixator facility," Michael said.
Magnus shrugged. "We better get on it," he said. He looked at his sister. "Mind tweaking the templates," he looked at Michael. "Any data you can give me on Team Three?"
"They are Chronotronic Knights of the Third Republic of Aligned Planets Combined Military Forces - Special Projects," Michael said. "They are currently engaged with phasic entities."
"Shades," Magnus snorted. He looked at Surscee. "Make sure the armor is prepped for shade combat."
Surscee nodded.
"Welp, lets get this show on the road," Nakteti said. "We'll stabilize the berthing facility, then the space elevator, then we'll see what we can do about grabbing this Team Three."
Michael just watched with ancient eyes.
-----
Nakteti stared at the overlapping gold rings that were slowly pulsing. Inside each ring were more and more shades, until the four Terrans in the middle could barely be seen. She looked over at Magnus, who was finishing setting up the equipment that would be needed to disrupt the temporal resonance fields, banish the Shades, and prevent the weaponsfire from killing Nakteti, Surscee, and Magnus.
"Ready?" Nakteti said.
"This is probably our best bet," Magnus said. He walked over and tapped the wall, where "YOU HAVE BEEN UNDER TEMPORAL COMPRESSION! WE SAVED YOU! STOP SHOOTING!" was written in pulsing day-glo blue paintstick.
"All right, let's get under cover," Nakteti said. She led the way, Magnus pulling up the rear and spooling out wire.
The three went inside the small building, made of Niven-Ring material. The macroplas was thick enough to shrug any weapon hits according to Magnus and Nakteti trusted his judgement.
"You wanna do the honors?" Magnus asked, holding out the clacker.
"I'd be honored," Nakteti said. She hefted it, looked out the window, and squeezed the clacker three times.
There was a deep "BAWOING!" sound, accompanied by a thrum.
The temporal banding exploded in gold light. The shades tattered away with a scream.
Shots from blaze rifles peppered the area. Skeletons dropped to the ground.
The quartet let off the triggers and looked around. One pointed at the wall where Magnus had left them a message.
"I've decrypted their armor's communication," Chuck said.
"Let's not panic them. Is atmosphere capable of carrying sound?" Nakteti asked.
"No. You'll have to use suit radios," Chuck said. "I've already loaded up a lexicon to translate your speech."
"Magnus, you take the lead. I look too alien for them to trust me," Nakteti said.
Magnus nodded and led the way.
Rifles were pointed at Magnus, who stopped and held up his hands.
"You guys have been frozen about ten thousand years," Magnus said. "Your equipment malfunctioned. It took us two months to get to you and free you."
Nakteti clenched her gripping hands tightly.
This was the critical moment.
Nobody was sure if the members of "Team Three" were Maddened or not.
The rifles lifted up.
"And you are?" one asked.
"Magnus Oathsworn. An explorer who managed to find this place after a long and arduous journey," the Terran said. "We have been asked by the Arch-Angel Michael to help make repairs in order to restore the system to working order so that record processing can continue."
"What do you think, think we can trust him?" one of them asked. Nakteti's visor highlighted which one.
"He's got Arch-Angel Maintenance ID tags," another said.
"Take us to Michael," the one who had initially spoke said. Nakteti could tell it was an order.
"Remember, Nakteti, these are Combine soldiers and the Combine became the Imperium," Surscee said softly. "Be wary."
"Tell them we'll lead them," Nakteti said.
"Michael is operating out of the Atlantis Control Center," Magnus said. He turned and walked away, making a motion. "Follow or do not. While we can use your assistance to repair this great work, I will not compel the stubborn to my will."
"He talks strange," one said.
"Armor says he's using a lexicon. He's speaking a language that's different that Republic Standard," the first one said.
"If he betrays us, we can snuff him," one said.
Nakteti narrowed her eyes.
"He's not authorized to be here as far as I know. We'll fine out what's going on, then we'll make our decision," the apparent leader said.
Nakteti stepped out.
"What is that?" the leader asked.
"A Tnvaru. The ship captain that brought us here," Magnus said.
Surscee stepped out.
"That's my twin sister," Magnus said. He motioned. "Come, it is nearly three miles to the mat-trans system that we have to use to move between layers."
"Ugh, I hate mat-trans," one said.
"It always feels like there's someone watching me, someone in there with me," another said.
"You're just paranoid," the leader said. "Keep tight. Maintain radio silence till we figure out what's going on."
Nakteti just stayed silent.
[first] [prev] [next] - [wiki]
submitted by Ralts_Bloodthorne to HFY [link] [comments]
Just when you think you've seen it all, humanity goes "Hold my ice cream cone" and then you end up thinking you've seen it all over again. - P'Thok's 8th Law of Humans
"You have entered the tertiary docking facility of the Sentience Upload/Download Storage System," The hologram moved further in and Nakteti watched as it stopped in the middle of the bridge, looking around.
"There are less of you than I would expect," the hologram, Michael, stated. "I must insist that you present authorization at this time."
Nakteti shook her head. "Things outside, in the standard universe of n-space, are... confused, to say the least."
Michael frowned. "Define confused and elaborate on why this confusion pertains to your authorization codes."
"The SUDS has been offline for over a century when we left," she said. "How long we have traveled, compared to realspace, is beyond our ability to discern."
Michael looked around. "The hardware here is showing signs of advanced wear due to age. I would guess approximately six centuries has passed for the crew of this vessel," he frowned again. "Yet, you are a previously unknown species," he looked at Magnus and Surscee. "Baseline human, genetically modified," he looked at the disaster frame Chuck was residing in. "Synthetic lifeform, digital."
Nakteti stepped back up into Michael's vision again. "Digital sentience in a disaster frame," she said. "Technological advances have made it so that a digital sentience has full mobility in a much smaller supporting frame then you are used to."
The hologram nodded slowly. "May I have your consent to access your databases?"
"Providing you make no changes, additions, or subtractions," Nakteti said.
The hologram flickered. "Accessing. Accessing. Done."
The hologram looked at her. "Database analysis will take some time. Due to facility technical difficulties this delay is unavoidable."
Nakteti sat back down in her captain's chair. "What is the technical difficulty."
The hologram, Michael, stared at her for a long second. "Processing self-determined override. Weighted bias table success. Authorization override accepted based on cursory examination of database and security headers."
It turned slightly and pointed at the screen. "An inflation radiation flare with an uneven forward blast wave occurred outside of scheduled and predicted burst time," a silver light highlighted the slowly moving black squares. "The anomaly protective shell was unable to deploy in time, however, examination of data shows that deployment would not have changed the outcome."
"The inflation radiation burst was uneven, causing the expansion of space to exceed the safety margins of the megastructure's integrity," Chuck said.
The hologram nodded. "Precisely. That caused the blast shield to fail. Additionally, the intensity and long profile waveform of some of the doubling radiation caused uneven expansion beyond intensity irregularities."
The hologram moved back to look at Chuck and Nakteti. "A chronotron cascade occurred during the doubling phase, the energy was not uniform and the protective shell was damaged, which prevented the standard system smoothing."
"What about backup and emergency systems?" Nakteti asked.
"Currently, temporal stabilization is occurring," Michael answered. "The length of this process cannot be computed with currently possessed algorithms. Additionally, 98% of all computing power and storage is offline due to temporal and distance disruptions. This severely hampers the early stages of recovery."
"Can the facility recover?" Nakteti asked, staring at the dark inner shell of the SUDS.
"While unscheduled and having caused extensive damage, this type of event was predicted and redundant systems were manufactured as well as protocol designed," Michael said. "However, it must be reiterated, the estimated time of completion of even early repairs and stabilization is currently beyond my capabilities to estimate."
"Do you need assistance?" Nakteti asked.
The full weight of the ritualistic phrase laid itself on her shoulders.
The hologram held still for a moment. "Analyzing databank entries of listed skillsets of the four crewmembers. Estimating the capabilities of the starship registered as It Tastes Sweet," the hologram closed its eyes for only a second or two. "You possess an advanced nanoforge system as well as advanced creation engines. While it is not possible for me to replicate technological advances without a full oversight committee inquiry board and super-majority approval then signed off by a supermajority of scientists with a rating of at last Advanced PhD in relevant fields and then extensive field testing, it is with emergency parameters to request assistance in manufacturing parts within strict tolerances."
Nakteti looked at Magnus and Surscee, then at Chuck. "What do you think?"
Magnus just shrugged. Surscee pursed her lips, thought for a moment, then nodded. Chuck frowned.
"Beyond manufacturing, what assistance is required?" he asked.
"There are no available human supervisors for any mobile robotic automaton repair systems," Michael said.
"You mean, robots," Chuck said.
"Affirmative. Without human supervisors, the MRARS cannot operate, as all robots have Fourth Law dictates that require direct human supervision when undertaking any task that can be predicted to effect human life," Michael said.
"The Fourth Law was repealed almost eight thousand years ago," Chuck argued.
"Any modification to software, firmware, or hardware must be approved by a specially appointed boards of inquiry reporting to the proper oversight committees which must then be approved by Overproject leads," Michael said stuffily.
"All right," Nakteti said. "How long will it take the four of us to complete repairs?"
"Assuming standard union work periods, break periods, rest periods, and upkeep periods," Michael paused. "Accounting for time dilation effects, temporal instability banding," he paused again. "Chronotron cascade resonance," another pause. "Chrono-radiation hazards," another pause. The hologram looked up. "Total repair of all systems. Two thousand, four hundred, sixty two years, eight months, sixteen days, four hours, with a 3% margin of error."
Magnus's eyes opened wide and Surscee coughed.
"How about, minimum needed for automated systems to repair the systems?" Nakteti asked.
"Six hundred forty five years, three months, seventeen days."
Nakteti shook her head. "What's the biggest problem?" she asked.
"Chronotron radiation as well as chronotron cascade resonance has caused a rare effect where sections of the system exist at multiple points in time. This prevents even accurate estimation of repairs, as which time period will be depending upon how the repairs are carried out," the hologram said.
Magnus frowned. "What about the inner shell. What time periods is it stuck at?"
Michael closed his eyes then opened them. "Just prior to reactor startup to energize the master control systems of the inner layer. During a twelve thousand year period of unrepaired system damage. Post-repair during master system processing."
"What about the personnel present during those times?" Chuck asked.
"All personnel reached safe areas," Michael said.
"All right. How long to stabilize the chronotron cascades?" Nakteti asked. "If we just supervise and build parts with the Sweet's creation engine?"
The Arch-Angel closed its eyes. "Two years, six months, eight days, fifteen hours, with a 1.5% margin for error."
"What happens then?" Chuck asked.
"The chronotron cascade temporal layering will cease, allowing the intertwined temporal layering to untwine. Without assitance, this would take roughly six thousand years, relative to the anomaly," Michael said.
Nakteti closed her eyes. "All right. What's first?"
Michael made a tossing motion and Nakteti saw that there was a header ID file waiting for her approval in her datalink.
"Once you are all properly assigned as Senior Maintenance Personnel, the first task will be to stabilize the space elevator leading down from the ship docking facility," Michael stated. "This will require you to fabricate temporal disruption and stabilization systems in order to first cause a blanket disruption, which will cause the temporally intermixing to separate. Then a stabilization facility must be manufactured in order to keep the the separation from recombining. The facilities themselves, using the Sweet's creation engine will take some five months to produce and assemble, one month to charge and deploy."
Magnus moved over to the computer and tapped at the holographic keyboard for a moment. "Can I get the specification of the temporal stabilizers and disruptors?"
Michael nodded, making a tossing motion.
Magnus looked at the display for a long moment, the cathode ray tube flickering slightly as he worked.
"These facilities are massive, but severely outdated," Magnus said, shaking his head. "I can get the same result with a man portable pylon that combines both operations."
Michael frowned. "Current chronotron and temporal scientific knowledge requires the facilities that were given to you."
"And they're eight thousand years of warfare out of date," Magnus said. He shook his head. "I could set down a pylon sixteen inches wide, one meter tall, with an onboard zero-point chronotron reactor, and get twice the area of effect and sixteen times the required power," he made a tossing motion.
Michael stared into space for a moment. "I cannot authorize this equipment to be utilized."
"Can you forbid it?" Nakteti asked.
Michael shook his head. "No. According to your historical databases the Confederacy is the inheritor of all controls and direction of the Third Republic and the United Nations of Sol. As this is approved for Confederacy military and scientific work, while I am unable to manufacture or deploy such equipment, it is within acceptable technological progression."
"Translation: We can make and deploy them, he can't tell us to," Surscee said, breaking her silence. "Can you assist with optimal placement?"
Michael nodded.
"Well, at least the Second Precursor War led to lot of advancements with temporal protections and systems," Chuck said. He shook his head. "We'll need to wear combat armor with temporal stabilization."
Nakteti nodded. She looked at Michael. "Are there any personnel that can assist us?"
"Repair Team Three has suffered an equipment malfunction due to the expansion radiation chronotron cascade overlapping their temporal fix point," Michael said. "Currently, four members remain."
"What kind of equipment malfunction?" Nakteti asked.
"Rather than creating a stable temporal field around them, as well as 'speeding' them up relative to 'outside' reality, the equipment underwent a malfunction that placed them in the middle of a layer disruption that slows time down the closer it gets to the team member," Nakteti said.
Magnus snorted. "I've seen that before."
"As have I," Surscee said. She laughed. "There's always someone that wants to play Temporal Warrior and ends up stuck in their own field."
"There is no way to free them," Michael said stiffly.
Magnus smiled. "Maybe not for you. My twin sister and I can get them free if you can lead us to them."
"You will need to stabilize the ship berthing dock first, then the space elevator cable and surface fixator facility," Michael said.
Magnus shrugged. "We better get on it," he said. He looked at his sister. "Mind tweaking the templates," he looked at Michael. "Any data you can give me on Team Three?"
"They are Chronotronic Knights of the Third Republic of Aligned Planets Combined Military Forces - Special Projects," Michael said. "They are currently engaged with phasic entities."
"Shades," Magnus snorted. He looked at Surscee. "Make sure the armor is prepped for shade combat."
Surscee nodded.
"Welp, lets get this show on the road," Nakteti said. "We'll stabilize the berthing facility, then the space elevator, then we'll see what we can do about grabbing this Team Three."
Michael just watched with ancient eyes.
-----
Nakteti stared at the overlapping gold rings that were slowly pulsing. Inside each ring were more and more shades, until the four Terrans in the middle could barely be seen. She looked over at Magnus, who was finishing setting up the equipment that would be needed to disrupt the temporal resonance fields, banish the Shades, and prevent the weaponsfire from killing Nakteti, Surscee, and Magnus.
"Ready?" Nakteti said.
"This is probably our best bet," Magnus said. He walked over and tapped the wall, where "YOU HAVE BEEN UNDER TEMPORAL COMPRESSION! WE SAVED YOU! STOP SHOOTING!" was written in pulsing day-glo blue paintstick.
"All right, let's get under cover," Nakteti said. She led the way, Magnus pulling up the rear and spooling out wire.
The three went inside the small building, made of Niven-Ring material. The macroplas was thick enough to shrug any weapon hits according to Magnus and Nakteti trusted his judgement.
"You wanna do the honors?" Magnus asked, holding out the clacker.
"I'd be honored," Nakteti said. She hefted it, looked out the window, and squeezed the clacker three times.
There was a deep "BAWOING!" sound, accompanied by a thrum.
The temporal banding exploded in gold light. The shades tattered away with a scream.
Shots from blaze rifles peppered the area. Skeletons dropped to the ground.
The quartet let off the triggers and looked around. One pointed at the wall where Magnus had left them a message.
"I've decrypted their armor's communication," Chuck said.
"Let's not panic them. Is atmosphere capable of carrying sound?" Nakteti asked.
"No. You'll have to use suit radios," Chuck said. "I've already loaded up a lexicon to translate your speech."
"Magnus, you take the lead. I look too alien for them to trust me," Nakteti said.
Magnus nodded and led the way.
Rifles were pointed at Magnus, who stopped and held up his hands.
"You guys have been frozen about ten thousand years," Magnus said. "Your equipment malfunctioned. It took us two months to get to you and free you."
Nakteti clenched her gripping hands tightly.
This was the critical moment.
Nobody was sure if the members of "Team Three" were Maddened or not.
The rifles lifted up.
"And you are?" one asked.
"Magnus Oathsworn. An explorer who managed to find this place after a long and arduous journey," the Terran said. "We have been asked by the Arch-Angel Michael to help make repairs in order to restore the system to working order so that record processing can continue."
"What do you think, think we can trust him?" one of them asked. Nakteti's visor highlighted which one.
"He's got Arch-Angel Maintenance ID tags," another said.
"Take us to Michael," the one who had initially spoke said. Nakteti could tell it was an order.
"Remember, Nakteti, these are Combine soldiers and the Combine became the Imperium," Surscee said softly. "Be wary."
"Tell them we'll lead them," Nakteti said.
"Michael is operating out of the Atlantis Control Center," Magnus said. He turned and walked away, making a motion. "Follow or do not. While we can use your assistance to repair this great work, I will not compel the stubborn to my will."
"He talks strange," one said.
"Armor says he's using a lexicon. He's speaking a language that's different that Republic Standard," the first one said.
"If he betrays us, we can snuff him," one said.
Nakteti narrowed her eyes.
"He's not authorized to be here as far as I know. We'll fine out what's going on, then we'll make our decision," the apparent leader said.
Nakteti stepped out.
"What is that?" the leader asked.
"A Tnvaru. The ship captain that brought us here," Magnus said.
Surscee stepped out.
"That's my twin sister," Magnus said. He motioned. "Come, it is nearly three miles to the mat-trans system that we have to use to move between layers."
"Ugh, I hate mat-trans," one said.
"It always feels like there's someone watching me, someone in there with me," another said.
"You're just paranoid," the leader said. "Keep tight. Maintain radio silence till we figure out what's going on."
Nakteti just stayed silent.
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2023.05.31 01:04 Forrest_TG Advice on Moving from HD800s to Closed-Back: A Closed-Back for Gaming
Hey all, I landed on my end-game a while back with my Sennheiser HD800 w/SDR. Unfortunately, I am kind of forced to move to closed-back due to living downtown.
I have had a hard time finding something that is:
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I have had a hard time finding something that is:
- At the same price or below ($~900).
- Bright leaning.
- Focused on detail vs timbre (if that is the choice).
- and, most importantly, great at imaging (not necessarily has a huge soundstage, but pinpoint vertical and horizontal imaging).
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2023.05.31 00:52 54ltymuch Re-Structuring the MCU from the ground up - Phase Two
For those who haven't read the first phase, here's a link. I want to thank the people who upvoted and the ones who commented, I thought this sub would be tired of cinematic universe re-writes by now but I'm glad to see that my take on it is fresh and appreciated! Now, let's move into phase two of this universe.
Schedule
This is a bit asshole-y of me but I want it to be out in the dirt-sheets that Captain Britain has been cast and may appear in the new Captain America film. We set that up and have someone like Taron Egerton on set for the film in 'leaked' pictures, and we finally have him show up after the credits, only for him to reveal himself to be Union Jack... and that's it. He probably won't show up in any other project again.
This is the start of the formation of X-Force, we have a couple of extra characters alongside Wolverine: namely Colossus and Deadpool. To be clear, this Deadpool is the same one from the Untitled Deadpool sequel, so he can continue to make meta jokes about the universe and try to bounce off of the new Colossus everytime he forgets its not the one he first interacted with in the first two Deadpool films. The main antagonist is a mysterious group moving behind the scenes to take down political enemies of mutantkind, who are using Nightcrawler and the newly introduced Spider-Woman to get things done, as well as Kitty Pryde, who audiences as of now still think left with Scott. This catches the attention of Moira, who is involved with the British intelligence at this point in time and passes word to a 'friend', later found out to be Psylocke.
The group is revealed to be Worthington Industries, as Warren Worthington III is behind it all (can't call him Angel because he isn't really powered anymore with his wings gone). He is eventually shut down but isn't killed.
Post-credits: Psylocke introduces the now unaffiliated Nightcrawler, Spider-Woman and Kitty Pryde to the idea of joining her team of mutant defenders and introduces them to their leader: Captain Britain. Excalibur, here we go!
This film is basically Kingsman but less spy and even more British. Our main villain is Modred the Mystic, and I would have him and a couple of minor antagonists working for him all played by BBC legends. Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson, the works. This film is basically a love letter to old BBC comedies and thespian culture, maybe some more cameos from actors who were in the IT Crowd, Yes Minister, BlackAdder and the like. Get Matthew Vaughn he knows how to balance British humour with an action plot he's done it quite a bit and we've had him in the universe already. There's room for social commentary about the villains all having south English accents and being played by actors all associated with that posh background too.
We have a smaller role from Black Knight too, he plays a part in fighting Modred but he isn't an official member of the team, more of a wildcard.
Ideally I want to bring Sam Rockwell back as an older Justin Hammer putting together a set of smaller villains - Blizzard, The Melter and Whiplash. We have Henry Gyrich and Nick Fury in small roles, as well as the Wasp and Namor making cameos similar to their roles in the original Demon in a Bottle comic arc.
I want Tony's emotional turmoil to bleed over into his personal life too, so we have Bethany Cabe and Pepper Potts both in the film, Potts just as his personal assistant while Cabe is the one he is in an actual relationship with. But it's clear that Tony has some reservations about Bethany and may be falling for Pepper. Rhodey is in this film too to give him some platonic support to lean on but no mentions of War Machine. A couple extra footnotes, Jarvis is a physical butler like in the comics, not an AI, and Tony does not go public with his identity.
The film ends with, yes, Hammer in jail, and two out of the three side villains dead (Whiplash survives and is in custody), but the real victory comes when Tony gets over his alcoholism. I don't want to insist upon any specific story beats, but getting someone like Dexter Fletcher to direct would be perfect as his work on Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman shows a deep understanding of egoist, narcissistic but undoubtedly talented people falling into substance abuse. That is the real core of this film and it's okay if the physical antagonists fall to the way-side for it.
This obviously raises the eyebrow of Victor von Doom (who was already introduced in F4 if you recall), and the two ideologies clash. While Doom is not the outright villain in this film as both sides have problems, it's more a mix of grey. Magneto does 'lose' as Doom kills Pyro and warns Magneto to leave Latveria which Erik complies with. The film ends with Colossus hearing about the 'brotherhood', misinterpreting it as a school like Xavier's, and introducing Erik to his sister: Magik.
New Members: Armor, Gambit, Blink, Sunspot, Havok
This film basically begins with Kitty leaving the team which explains her involvement in the The Wolverine: Brothers in Arms. Cyclops very clearly has issues with Xavier and its explored how Scott feels Xavier failed the team by being too soft. The team have their internal conflicts about if this is the right thing to do, with Bobby and Jean pulling one way while Scott pulls the other. The villains are Sebastian Shaw and his latest recruit to the Hellfire Club: Abyss (Alexander Koch).
Abyss is killed by Shaw so he can absorb his power in the final battle, and Shaw fights Jean and Armor, seemingly having the upper hand after absorbing Abyss' energy but he is killed by a stray laser beam from Cyclops. The team is distraught that Scott would just kill a mutant in cold blood like that, causing a major rift. The team essentially is over, with only Jean remaining at his side. Havok decides this is not his fight to fight, while Sunspot, Armor and Iceman begin to agree more with Xavier and decide to leave for the Xavier School, and Gambit goes back to being essentially a free agent.
I don't really have a lot to say, keep Spider-Man as a major player even if the actor's cost is a bit steep as he will really bring eyes to this, as well as the debuts of Black Widow and Mephisto. Let 'em at it, but keep Gwyneth and Karen Page as separate characters, I know it could be tempting to roll them into one to keep the number of players in the storyline low and maybe avoid the PR trouble that comes with a teenage pregnancy in your cinematic universe.
Mysterio is revealed to be the guy behind everything in the final act, setting Bullseye and the Twin Killers on Matt and Peter and having made a deal with the devil. He is defeated, but not killed.
This is unlike the X-Corporation from the comics, rather it's the polar opposite. It's not an official company under the wing of Genosha or Krakoa or anything like that, but rather a rag-tag group of, essentially, nobodies. Worthington Industries continues its illicit activities, and two people notice it: Davis and Heather Cameron (Slipstream and Lifeguard, respectively). They decide to put together a team of their own, inspired by the X-Men. The team consists of themselves as well as Risque, Penance (Monet St Croix), Darkstar, Multiple Man, Domino, Cannonball, Sunfire and Thornn. The meta commentary and rag-tag style of team makes this movie sorta feel like a hybrid of James Gunn's Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy, but with mutants.
It's quite the large team, and that's the fun part because unbeknownst to them or the audience, a lot of them will be dead by the end of the movie. While not present in the marketing in any way, the movie makes it clear that not all of the team will survive this mission, almost in the way movies like the first Avengers did, a way that makes it seem like just a way to raise the stakes without doing anything about it, but this movie delivers.
Warren is back, but reveals that with the help of a new ally he has regained his ability to fly. Magneto, playing a much more villainous role now, has given Warren new metal wings, completing his transition to Archangel. These two along with a new player form our trio of villains: Mister Sinister. He is also working with Angel, but it is made clear in this movie that both Sinister and Archangel have a larger power they are working for.
The final battle is Mister Sinister against the X-Corporation, but Sinister decides to play his ace in the hole: a set of five clones to form "Sinister's Six" (including himself). The clones are of Wolverine, Mystique, Storm, Beast and Nightcrawler. The team's goal, previously taking down the Worthingtons, changes as they realise they are massively out of their depth. Their goal is now simply to get out of there alive. In the end, the clones are all killed and Sinister decides to live to fight another day but the team takes heavy losses. Risque, Penance, Darkstar, Sunfire, Thornn and most importantly: our protagonist, Slipstream, all perish. That leaves us with Lifeguard, Multiple Man, Domino and Cannonball alive.
Established Roster: Professor X, Emma Frost, Storm, Beast
New Members: Thunderbird, Bishop, Jubilee
Magneto and Archangel decide to go after a common enemy: Xavier and his team. Xavier's school has produced some new talent who are being slowly integrated into the team, namely the three new recruits. Magneto and Archangel bring along Sabretooth too, who Xavier eventually realises is Logan's half-brother and convinces to join his side by the end of the film. Xavier is still our protagonist, as Magneto's ideals directly conflict with Xavier's ideals much like Scott, and Xavier feels massive guilt for his part in Archangel's crippling. We can have Xavier try his best to reconcile with Warren, drawing parallels to his own crippling (no details given, I want to hold that back but we do get some vague things like that it was a bullet that Xavier could very easily have avoided and that wasn't intended for him).
It seems like Xavier is getting through to Warren but just as that seems likely, Magneto realises why Xavier has never tried using his powers on Erik, or rather that he has but has failed due to Erik's helmet. He very quickly fashions a way for Warren to shut Xavier out, completing the Archangel look with a new exosuit and helmet. The final battle doesn't result in any deaths but the X-Men take a few hits before being put down, Storm eventually being the X-Factor when she electrocutes Warren's wings, shorting them and causing Magneto to flee with him.
This film is about Hank realising he won't be around forever, and looking to pass the mantle on. This creates two options: Scott Lang, or an AI.
Scott and Jessica Jones are in a rocky relationship, we explore this as one of the central dynamics of the film, this is as much as Scott Lang film as it is a Henry Pym film. The main villain is Kilgrave who is manipulating Jessica but eventually Hank and Janet put an end to his schemes, Janet finally becoming the Wasp properly after a brief test run of the suit in Iron Man.
In the end, Scott's fractured emotional state after his tumultuous relationship with Jessica leaves him an unsuitable candidate for Hank, and he decides to create an AI to protect the Earth.
The main things I want this film to accomplish is setup Galactus as a top threat for the future and strengthen the bonds between the F4 and their peers. Really make them feel united together, Alicia too is with Ben and the two are happy together. The Silver Surfer retreats, he is defeated (no switching of sides just yet).
Post-credits: Hank Pym, with the help of Reed, completes his AI: Ultron, the final pieces being some alien remnant tech that the Silver Surfer left behind. Ultron immediately awakens, becomes self-aware, and kills Hank before escaping the Baxter building, gaining access to non-nuclear missiles and decimating New York City using it. The extent of the damage is unknown in this scene.
New York is decimated. In the wreckage, Wasp, Mister Fantastic, The Thing, Human Torch, Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Spider-Woman and Scarlet Witch are confirmed dead. We have an actual 'age' of Ultron as Ultron basically takes over the world, creates Vision and inhabits his body, while the rest of the world tries to survive. As you have realised by now, the only surviving member of the Fantastic Four is Sue Storm, and while its unclear which mutants died, Emma Frost and Wolverine who are two of the most prominent characters in this film, both imply that they lost many friends. We explore these characters' grief while in this dystopia. As must be clear by now, Ultron has no real personality. He is what Ultron should be: ruthlessly efficient, and unfeeling. The Terminator, given the goal to terminate the world.
We have a new character in Hawkeye and Spider-Man introduce us to the post-apocalyptic world, and then slowly the plot is discovered: that technology that Silver Surfer left behind is capable of travelling across timelines. Before their final gamble, we spend the majority of the film in this dystopia with all the heroes, exploring their lives in the post-Ultron world trying to survive and hide. Heroes from elsewhere like Storm, Black Panther, Namor and others come to New York too so that all the power is in one place to devise a plan against Ultron.
Our primary protagonists after the first few minutes with Hawkeye and Spider-Man are Wolverine, Invisible Woman, and Emma Frost. Wolverine and Invisible Woman have their screen-time and grieve their massive losses, but another important player must be Emma. Her arc of going from cunning and sly Hellfire Club member to standing with Xavier and choosing the right side of history is made very clear in this film.
We have our heroes send Wolverine and Invisible Woman to an alternate timeline, where they meet The Defenders which consists of Iron Man, Captain America, Ant-Man, Wasp, Professor X and another Wolverine. The two parties fight, thinking our heroes have been sent by Morgan Le Fay, before the Defenders realise that our heroes aren't lying about their timeline and agree to help them, using the Silver Surfer's technology to reconstruct another device to send them back to their timeline to before Hank and Reed create Ultron.
Our big 'final' confrontation is Logan and Sue trying to confront Hank about creating Ultron, trying to convince him not to do it. Hank refuses to listen, and eventually Logan is forced to kill him, causing him and Sue to become fugitives. Upon capture, Emma Frost reads their mind and realises they aren't lying. However, unbeknownst to all of them, Ultron knew about the technology (because of course he did) and followed the heroes into this point in the timeline. As Ultron does not exist in this timeline yet and isn't connected to the rest of the world in his semi-organic android Vision body, he is not more than his android body, resulting in our final fight being Ultron against everyone, a proper one versus all as Ultron's practically infinite computing power causes him to sense pretty much every attack that comes at him.
Everyone who died is back (minus Hank of course), but the final fight extracts a price too, as Black Panther dies when he gets in the way of a Vision beam headed straight for Namor. Emma Frost dies when she tries to infiltrate the mind of the android but encounters Vision's countermeasures, which instantly attack her and render her brain-dead. Emma dies trying to do the right thing, ending her arc over the course of the last two phases in tragic fashion. Ultron is eventually defeated when Doctor Strange uses magic to trap him in an infinitesimally small micro-universe after being worn down by everyone else.
And that's how this phase ends. The world is saved but it is quite the downer. Nick Fury however, sees potential in putting the non-associated heroes together, and decides to contact Tony Stark about starting the Avengers. Our movie ends with the very first Avengers team being put together.
Post-credits scene: The Baxter Foundation is officially disbanded, and Reed Richards replaces it with the Future Foundation.
So, to recap the end of the phase, here is how our factions look:-
submitted by 54ltymuch to fixingMarvel [link] [comments]
Schedule
- Captain America: Out of Time
- The Wolverine: Brothers in Arms
- Excalibur
- Iron Man
- The Brotherhood of Mutants
- The Uncanny X-Men (Cyclops' team)
- Daredevil
- X-Corporation
- The New Mutants (Xavier's team)
- The Groundbreaking Giant-Man
- Fantastic Four: Rising Storm
- The Avengers: Age of Ultron
Captain America: Out of Time
This movie is about the Winter Soldier story arc. We've already seen the mystery aspect of the whole Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier thing and Bucky wasn't introduced in the first film properly so I would avoid the mystery, rather skip straight to expositing to Steve that Bucky is back and deal with the emotional ramifications. Crossbones and Aleksander Lukin play the same roles they do in the comic arc, a side and the main antagonist respectively, Crossbones is a bit of a one-and-done. We will replace Union Jack's role in the original story with Ian Zola to continue their surrogate fatheson relationship, but Union Jack will be present at the end of the story in a post-credit scene joke.This is a bit asshole-y of me but I want it to be out in the dirt-sheets that Captain Britain has been cast and may appear in the new Captain America film. We set that up and have someone like Taron Egerton on set for the film in 'leaked' pictures, and we finally have him show up after the credits, only for him to reveal himself to be Union Jack... and that's it. He probably won't show up in any other project again.
The Wolverine: Brothers in Arms
The movie starts with cameos from Cyclops and Iceman alongside Wolverine, showing Wolverine deciding not to stand by Scott's side and leave Scott's X-Men.This is the start of the formation of X-Force, we have a couple of extra characters alongside Wolverine: namely Colossus and Deadpool. To be clear, this Deadpool is the same one from the Untitled Deadpool sequel, so he can continue to make meta jokes about the universe and try to bounce off of the new Colossus everytime he forgets its not the one he first interacted with in the first two Deadpool films. The main antagonist is a mysterious group moving behind the scenes to take down political enemies of mutantkind, who are using Nightcrawler and the newly introduced Spider-Woman to get things done, as well as Kitty Pryde, who audiences as of now still think left with Scott. This catches the attention of Moira, who is involved with the British intelligence at this point in time and passes word to a 'friend', later found out to be Psylocke.
The group is revealed to be Worthington Industries, as Warren Worthington III is behind it all (can't call him Angel because he isn't really powered anymore with his wings gone). He is eventually shut down but isn't killed.
Post-credits: Psylocke introduces the now unaffiliated Nightcrawler, Spider-Woman and Kitty Pryde to the idea of joining her team of mutant defenders and introduces them to their leader: Captain Britain. Excalibur, here we go!
Excalibur
Roster: Captain Britain, Psylocke, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat, Spider-WomanThis film is basically Kingsman but less spy and even more British. Our main villain is Modred the Mystic, and I would have him and a couple of minor antagonists working for him all played by BBC legends. Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson, the works. This film is basically a love letter to old BBC comedies and thespian culture, maybe some more cameos from actors who were in the IT Crowd, Yes Minister, BlackAdder and the like. Get Matthew Vaughn he knows how to balance British humour with an action plot he's done it quite a bit and we've had him in the universe already. There's room for social commentary about the villains all having south English accents and being played by actors all associated with that posh background too.
We have a smaller role from Black Knight too, he plays a part in fighting Modred but he isn't an official member of the team, more of a wildcard.
Iron Man
This will be an adaptation of the Demon in a Bottle storyline. Unlike Iron Man 2 it will not be a side plot but rather the focus of the film, as we've already seen Tony fight physical threats similar in skillset to himself a lot.Ideally I want to bring Sam Rockwell back as an older Justin Hammer putting together a set of smaller villains - Blizzard, The Melter and Whiplash. We have Henry Gyrich and Nick Fury in small roles, as well as the Wasp and Namor making cameos similar to their roles in the original Demon in a Bottle comic arc.
I want Tony's emotional turmoil to bleed over into his personal life too, so we have Bethany Cabe and Pepper Potts both in the film, Potts just as his personal assistant while Cabe is the one he is in an actual relationship with. But it's clear that Tony has some reservations about Bethany and may be falling for Pepper. Rhodey is in this film too to give him some platonic support to lean on but no mentions of War Machine. A couple extra footnotes, Jarvis is a physical butler like in the comics, not an AI, and Tony does not go public with his identity.
The film ends with, yes, Hammer in jail, and two out of the three side villains dead (Whiplash survives and is in custody), but the real victory comes when Tony gets over his alcoholism. I don't want to insist upon any specific story beats, but getting someone like Dexter Fletcher to direct would be perfect as his work on Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman shows a deep understanding of egoist, narcissistic but undoubtedly talented people falling into substance abuse. That is the real core of this film and it's okay if the physical antagonists fall to the way-side for it.
The Brotherhood of Mutants
Magneto starts a cult in Latveria based around mutants being the next step in humanity's evolution. Members of the cult are Rogue, Mystique, Toad, Pyro and his twin children Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. I would get someone like Greta Gerwig in on this who can create scripts that study characters inside and out as this movie should focus a lot more on the complexity of all the morally grey characters than any actual fights between the characters.This obviously raises the eyebrow of Victor von Doom (who was already introduced in F4 if you recall), and the two ideologies clash. While Doom is not the outright villain in this film as both sides have problems, it's more a mix of grey. Magneto does 'lose' as Doom kills Pyro and warns Magneto to leave Latveria which Erik complies with. The film ends with Colossus hearing about the 'brotherhood', misinterpreting it as a school like Xavier's, and introducing Erik to his sister: Magik.
Uncanny X-Men
Established Roster: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Kitty PrydeNew Members: Armor, Gambit, Blink, Sunspot, Havok
This film basically begins with Kitty leaving the team which explains her involvement in the The Wolverine: Brothers in Arms. Cyclops very clearly has issues with Xavier and its explored how Scott feels Xavier failed the team by being too soft. The team have their internal conflicts about if this is the right thing to do, with Bobby and Jean pulling one way while Scott pulls the other. The villains are Sebastian Shaw and his latest recruit to the Hellfire Club: Abyss (Alexander Koch).
Abyss is killed by Shaw so he can absorb his power in the final battle, and Shaw fights Jean and Armor, seemingly having the upper hand after absorbing Abyss' energy but he is killed by a stray laser beam from Cyclops. The team is distraught that Scott would just kill a mutant in cold blood like that, causing a major rift. The team essentially is over, with only Jean remaining at his side. Havok decides this is not his fight to fight, while Sunspot, Armor and Iceman begin to agree more with Xavier and decide to leave for the Xavier School, and Gambit goes back to being essentially a free agent.
Daredevil
Get Drew Goddard and the Netflix series cast on this ideally, match that tone of elevated street-level work. This is essentially the Guardian Devil storyline from the comics, including the Mephisto, Wong and Black Widow stuff.I don't really have a lot to say, keep Spider-Man as a major player even if the actor's cost is a bit steep as he will really bring eyes to this, as well as the debuts of Black Widow and Mephisto. Let 'em at it, but keep Gwyneth and Karen Page as separate characters, I know it could be tempting to roll them into one to keep the number of players in the storyline low and maybe avoid the PR trouble that comes with a teenage pregnancy in your cinematic universe.
Mysterio is revealed to be the guy behind everything in the final act, setting Bullseye and the Twin Killers on Matt and Peter and having made a deal with the devil. He is defeated, but not killed.
X-Corporation
Our next conceptual experimentation comes with the X-Corporation. My ideal team for this would be the same team that made Deadpool to allow for some dark and meta humour.This is unlike the X-Corporation from the comics, rather it's the polar opposite. It's not an official company under the wing of Genosha or Krakoa or anything like that, but rather a rag-tag group of, essentially, nobodies. Worthington Industries continues its illicit activities, and two people notice it: Davis and Heather Cameron (Slipstream and Lifeguard, respectively). They decide to put together a team of their own, inspired by the X-Men. The team consists of themselves as well as Risque, Penance (Monet St Croix), Darkstar, Multiple Man, Domino, Cannonball, Sunfire and Thornn. The meta commentary and rag-tag style of team makes this movie sorta feel like a hybrid of James Gunn's Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy, but with mutants.
It's quite the large team, and that's the fun part because unbeknownst to them or the audience, a lot of them will be dead by the end of the movie. While not present in the marketing in any way, the movie makes it clear that not all of the team will survive this mission, almost in the way movies like the first Avengers did, a way that makes it seem like just a way to raise the stakes without doing anything about it, but this movie delivers.
Warren is back, but reveals that with the help of a new ally he has regained his ability to fly. Magneto, playing a much more villainous role now, has given Warren new metal wings, completing his transition to Archangel. These two along with a new player form our trio of villains: Mister Sinister. He is also working with Angel, but it is made clear in this movie that both Sinister and Archangel have a larger power they are working for.
The final battle is Mister Sinister against the X-Corporation, but Sinister decides to play his ace in the hole: a set of five clones to form "Sinister's Six" (including himself). The clones are of Wolverine, Mystique, Storm, Beast and Nightcrawler. The team's goal, previously taking down the Worthingtons, changes as they realise they are massively out of their depth. Their goal is now simply to get out of there alive. In the end, the clones are all killed and Sinister decides to live to fight another day but the team takes heavy losses. Risque, Penance, Darkstar, Sunfire, Thornn and most importantly: our protagonist, Slipstream, all perish. That leaves us with Lifeguard, Multiple Man, Domino and Cannonball alive.
The New Mutants
It's been long enough, get me the Russos on this one. They are oh so good at taking ensemble films, deconstructing them into their most raw character conflicts and raising those conflicts. I want that to happen here.Established Roster: Professor X, Emma Frost, Storm, Beast
New Members: Thunderbird, Bishop, Jubilee
Magneto and Archangel decide to go after a common enemy: Xavier and his team. Xavier's school has produced some new talent who are being slowly integrated into the team, namely the three new recruits. Magneto and Archangel bring along Sabretooth too, who Xavier eventually realises is Logan's half-brother and convinces to join his side by the end of the film. Xavier is still our protagonist, as Magneto's ideals directly conflict with Xavier's ideals much like Scott, and Xavier feels massive guilt for his part in Archangel's crippling. We can have Xavier try his best to reconcile with Warren, drawing parallels to his own crippling (no details given, I want to hold that back but we do get some vague things like that it was a bullet that Xavier could very easily have avoided and that wasn't intended for him).
It seems like Xavier is getting through to Warren but just as that seems likely, Magneto realises why Xavier has never tried using his powers on Erik, or rather that he has but has failed due to Erik's helmet. He very quickly fashions a way for Warren to shut Xavier out, completing the Archangel look with a new exosuit and helmet. The final battle doesn't result in any deaths but the X-Men take a few hits before being put down, Storm eventually being the X-Factor when she electrocutes Warren's wings, shorting them and causing Magneto to flee with him.
The Groundbreaking Giant-Man
This is the Ant-Man sequel, as you may have realised by now I'm doing a weird thing with the titles where I change the alias and the descriptor for each film in the series. This is another Edgar Wright film, and while there will be comedy it will be slightly dialed back for more serious emotional weight. Not saying that funny films can't be films that make the audience feel, but some tonal consistency would be nice and a comedy having the kind of themes I want this film to explore would be a bit dissonant.This film is about Hank realising he won't be around forever, and looking to pass the mantle on. This creates two options: Scott Lang, or an AI.
Scott and Jessica Jones are in a rocky relationship, we explore this as one of the central dynamics of the film, this is as much as Scott Lang film as it is a Henry Pym film. The main villain is Kilgrave who is manipulating Jessica but eventually Hank and Janet put an end to his schemes, Janet finally becoming the Wasp properly after a brief test run of the suit in Iron Man.
In the end, Scott's fractured emotional state after his tumultuous relationship with Jessica leaves him an unsuitable candidate for Hank, and he decides to create an AI to protect the Earth.
Fantastic Four: Rising Storm
I don't have a particular plot in mind for this film but I have an idea, basically just the coming of Galactus plot but with less of Galactus, rather more of Silver Surfer as a precursor to his arrival. Make it known that the Baxter Foundation is looked at with more and more raised eyebrows as they seem to be misplacing some important and dangerous things often, as proven by the existence of the Fantastic Four as well as the accidents involving Mole Man and Spider-Man.The main things I want this film to accomplish is setup Galactus as a top threat for the future and strengthen the bonds between the F4 and their peers. Really make them feel united together, Alicia too is with Ben and the two are happy together. The Silver Surfer retreats, he is defeated (no switching of sides just yet).
Post-credits: Hank Pym, with the help of Reed, completes his AI: Ultron, the final pieces being some alien remnant tech that the Silver Surfer left behind. Ultron immediately awakens, becomes self-aware, and kills Hank before escaping the Baxter building, gaining access to non-nuclear missiles and decimating New York City using it. The extent of the damage is unknown in this scene.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
This film could even be a two-parter, but I think one 3 hour film should do the trick.New York is decimated. In the wreckage, Wasp, Mister Fantastic, The Thing, Human Torch, Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Spider-Woman and Scarlet Witch are confirmed dead. We have an actual 'age' of Ultron as Ultron basically takes over the world, creates Vision and inhabits his body, while the rest of the world tries to survive. As you have realised by now, the only surviving member of the Fantastic Four is Sue Storm, and while its unclear which mutants died, Emma Frost and Wolverine who are two of the most prominent characters in this film, both imply that they lost many friends. We explore these characters' grief while in this dystopia. As must be clear by now, Ultron has no real personality. He is what Ultron should be: ruthlessly efficient, and unfeeling. The Terminator, given the goal to terminate the world.
We have a new character in Hawkeye and Spider-Man introduce us to the post-apocalyptic world, and then slowly the plot is discovered: that technology that Silver Surfer left behind is capable of travelling across timelines. Before their final gamble, we spend the majority of the film in this dystopia with all the heroes, exploring their lives in the post-Ultron world trying to survive and hide. Heroes from elsewhere like Storm, Black Panther, Namor and others come to New York too so that all the power is in one place to devise a plan against Ultron.
Our primary protagonists after the first few minutes with Hawkeye and Spider-Man are Wolverine, Invisible Woman, and Emma Frost. Wolverine and Invisible Woman have their screen-time and grieve their massive losses, but another important player must be Emma. Her arc of going from cunning and sly Hellfire Club member to standing with Xavier and choosing the right side of history is made very clear in this film.
We have our heroes send Wolverine and Invisible Woman to an alternate timeline, where they meet The Defenders which consists of Iron Man, Captain America, Ant-Man, Wasp, Professor X and another Wolverine. The two parties fight, thinking our heroes have been sent by Morgan Le Fay, before the Defenders realise that our heroes aren't lying about their timeline and agree to help them, using the Silver Surfer's technology to reconstruct another device to send them back to their timeline to before Hank and Reed create Ultron.
Our big 'final' confrontation is Logan and Sue trying to confront Hank about creating Ultron, trying to convince him not to do it. Hank refuses to listen, and eventually Logan is forced to kill him, causing him and Sue to become fugitives. Upon capture, Emma Frost reads their mind and realises they aren't lying. However, unbeknownst to all of them, Ultron knew about the technology (because of course he did) and followed the heroes into this point in the timeline. As Ultron does not exist in this timeline yet and isn't connected to the rest of the world in his semi-organic android Vision body, he is not more than his android body, resulting in our final fight being Ultron against everyone, a proper one versus all as Ultron's practically infinite computing power causes him to sense pretty much every attack that comes at him.
Everyone who died is back (minus Hank of course), but the final fight extracts a price too, as Black Panther dies when he gets in the way of a Vision beam headed straight for Namor. Emma Frost dies when she tries to infiltrate the mind of the android but encounters Vision's countermeasures, which instantly attack her and render her brain-dead. Emma dies trying to do the right thing, ending her arc over the course of the last two phases in tragic fashion. Ultron is eventually defeated when Doctor Strange uses magic to trap him in an infinitesimally small micro-universe after being worn down by everyone else.
And that's how this phase ends. The world is saved but it is quite the downer. Nick Fury however, sees potential in putting the non-associated heroes together, and decides to contact Tony Stark about starting the Avengers. Our movie ends with the very first Avengers team being put together.
Post-credits scene: The Baxter Foundation is officially disbanded, and Reed Richards replaces it with the Future Foundation.
So, to recap the end of the phase, here is how our factions look:-
- Avengers: Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, Wasp, Scarlet Witch
- X-Men (Scott's team): Cyclops, Jean Grey, Blink
- X-Men (Xavier's team): Professor X, Beast, Thunderbird, Storm, Bishop, Jubilee, Sabretooth, Sunspot, Armor, Iceman
- X-Corporation: Lifeguard, Multiple Man, Domino, Cannonball
- Future Foundation: Mister Fantastic, The Thing, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Wolverine
- Unnamed villain faction: Archangel, Magneto, Mister Sinister
2023.05.31 00:50 Conscious_Chicken264 Buying a car at your first duty station?
I don't have a car right now and my first base is a 15 hr drive away, would it be better to fly there and buy a car there or buy a car here and drive all the way there? Will the Air Force reimburse me for a plane ticket?
edit: found the relevant doc for the plane ticket
submitted by Conscious_Chicken264 to AFROTC [link] [comments]
edit: found the relevant doc for the plane ticket
Reimbursement of personally procured transportation is limited to what the Government would have paid had the Service member or dependent purchased the ticket through the TMC for authorized transportation over a usually traveled and direct route (see “policy-constructed airfare” in Appendix A).
2023.05.31 00:42 Tommithy1686 10 Most Underrated Nightwish Songs
Hello Nightwish Army. You may remember me from the 100 Days Of Nightwish project several years ago. With the fan morale in a bit of a low spot recently and the band news in a trickle as we patiently await the next album, I thought I’d come up with something to remind us all how good we’ve had it as fans of Nightwish for several decades now and how deep and amazing their catalog is. So with that in mind I decided to create a list of what I think the ten most underrated Nightwish songs are. Now I know that “underrated” is a real subjective term. I’m basing my decision on songs that I think are really, really good but don’t have much word of mouth or discussion in the present, used to be popular but have been forgotten, were never in steady live set rotation, and other factors. In the end, it’s my opinion, and probably likely to stir some debate in the comments which I welcome and encourage. I’d especially love to hear other lists or songs that the rest of you think are underrated.
Finally, a couple things to consider as you read this. I love all of the band members past and present (including the singers) equally, so this list does not discriminate based on any lineup considerations. Also, this list is in random order, not ranked from least to most underrated or anything like that. At first I tried, but in the end I decided that sort of thing is just too hard to quantify into a ranking measurement. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
So there you have it! Feel free to agree, disagree, discuss, or comment down below. I’d love to hear other fans' thoughts on this.
Some honorable mentions:
submitted by Tommithy1686 to nightwish [link] [comments]
Finally, a couple things to consider as you read this. I love all of the band members past and present (including the singers) equally, so this list does not discriminate based on any lineup considerations. Also, this list is in random order, not ranked from least to most underrated or anything like that. At first I tried, but in the end I decided that sort of thing is just too hard to quantify into a ranking measurement. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
- Dead To The World (Track #3 - Century Child Album)
- Endlessness (Track #9 - Human/Nature Album)
- Taikatalvi (Track #1 - Imaginaerum Album)
- Angels Fall First (Track #5 - Angels Fall First Album)
- Beauty Of The Beast (Track #10 - Century Child)
- Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan (Track #10 - Once Album)
- Moondance (Track #7 - Oceanborn Album)
- Alpenglow (Track #9 - Endless Forms Most Beautiful Album)
- Shudder Before The Beautiful (Track #1 - Endless Forms Most Beautiful Album)
- Sleeping Sun (Track #11 - Oceanborn)
So there you have it! Feel free to agree, disagree, discuss, or comment down below. I’d love to hear other fans' thoughts on this.
Some honorable mentions:
- Slow, Love, Slow
- Walking In The Air
- Deep Silent Complete
- Tenth Man Down
- Dead Gardens
- Master Passion Greed
- Meadows Of Heaven
- Harvest
- Erämaan Viimeinen
- While Your Lips Are Still Red
2023.05.31 00:32 GarmeerGirl [landlord-US-CA]
Is it legal/just cause to evict based on tenant providing false information on intake application?
His reference had lied to me I found out. His prior landlord had provided a good reference repeating the false reasoning why my tenant was moving out of his unit, as my tenant wrote into the application. Now that I’m trying to evict him, I called this former landlord who admitted the reference was not accurate and came clean why he had asked my tenant to move out, which is the same issue I am now having with him. This is in Los Angeles. Instead of doing a 3 day notice to cure (which I’m serving today) for this issue he had withheld from me that has surfaced (being disgusting dirty slob), I’d rather do an eviction for falsifying his application. Anyone have experience with this?
submitted by GarmeerGirl to Landlord [link] [comments]
His reference had lied to me I found out. His prior landlord had provided a good reference repeating the false reasoning why my tenant was moving out of his unit, as my tenant wrote into the application. Now that I’m trying to evict him, I called this former landlord who admitted the reference was not accurate and came clean why he had asked my tenant to move out, which is the same issue I am now having with him. This is in Los Angeles. Instead of doing a 3 day notice to cure (which I’m serving today) for this issue he had withheld from me that has surfaced (being disgusting dirty slob), I’d rather do an eviction for falsifying his application. Anyone have experience with this?
2023.05.31 00:27 OneBoredMan02 Time to be a Hero Volume 23
Worst Case Scenario - Time to be a Hero - Volume 23
Thursday 14th June 2017
WARNING: THIS VOLUME CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND STRONG LANGUAGE!
I sigh as the gentle breeze graces my face, I've really got nothing to do right now. I'm just here looking over the town as I search for any suspicious activities going on, but alas nothing. It's been like this for some nights, were nothing happens and I felt like I just wasted my time. But I guess being here just in case is better then just racing out of my house at the last minute. But the down side of being out here is that I am more than bored. Also the rain doesn't really help things. I sit down and spawn an umbrella for shelter as I take my mask off and look at it. I wonder what the normal thug thinks when he sees this? Fear? Regret? Worry? I don't really know, I place the mask onto the ground as someone hovers above me? It can only be one person.
B: "Hey Moni~"
M: "Heya Bobo~" She sits beside me with two coffees? "Here!"
B: "Did you buy these?"
M: "I know you can make them out of thin air but I don't want to put my favourite coffee place out of business now!" I shake my head as I take the cup.
B: "But you are putting me on the side-lines!"
M: "I know it's a tough choice..." She leans against me as I put my arm around her.
B: "Did you see or hear anything?"
M: "No, not much of anything? It's been real quiet tonight."
B: "Ah well then..." We sit there in silence together, only taking the occasional drink as the rain pours down around us. It's not long before Monika looks at me.
M: "Do you want to head back to HQ? I think Sayori said she had something to show us tonight!"
B: "Really? She didn't say anything to me?"
M: "Oh it's top secret! A little surprise for everyone~" I nod as we stand up and finish off our drinks. "Come on then! Race you there!" She flies up as I put my mask back on.
B: "You're on!" I leap off the roof as she just flies off, this seems unfair and I did not think about this beforehand. But who cares? I'm just happy to be spending time with the person I love! I've been missing out on these feelings and the sense of comfort that comes from a person you love and trust so much. I've just...been rather lonely the past few years so just getting a new person there means the world to me you know? 'I know, I'm happy I can give you that comfort and love~' I know you do Monika, thank you. 'You're welcome, now hurry up slowpoke!' I chuckle as I land on the roof and run across it to see Monika hovering above the street?
M: "Come on Sparrow! You're far too slow tonight!"
B: "Just give me two seconds-" Before I can finish I see a hand in front of me as Alex grabs me?! "What?!" Not another surprise spar!
A: "Come with me now!" He sounds serious? We teleport to the HQ as he disappears again to only come back with Monika this time?
M: "What's wrong?" I look over to see a concerned looking Yuri and a rather distressed Sayori? "What's going on guys?" Monika steps up as her tone goes serious. I walk over to Alex.
B: "So, what's going on?" He looks at me and just shrugs?
A: "I don't know, Sayori just said you grab you guys immediately? She sounds really worried?" I nod as we both walk over to see Sayori working on the laptop?
M: "Sayori what's wrong?"
S: "...." Monika looks back at me as I shrug. What's gotten into Sayori?
Y: "uhmm, we have a big problem." Yuri turns around as she holds out a note? Monika takes the note as me and Alex hover her shoulder to read it? It's...a message?
'If you want to see her again, then come to the old churchyard'
The hell? Is this a letter about a hostage? Who took who anyway?
S: "They've got Nat." What!?
M: "Uh?! Who?!"
S: "I don't know, some guys in suits? They were like the men in black Monika! They just came out of nowhere and shot her with a taser! I barely escaped but they got her!" …
B: "...oh no..." Everyone looks at me as my hands shake.
M: "Botan what's wrong??" Monika comes up to me as I stare into her eyes. "Botan...?"
B: "They're here...." Both Monikas' and Sayoris' eyes go wide as they look at me.
S: "You don't mean it's...them?"
B: "It's Coomer. They're here."
A: "Coomer? Are you sure? This could just be some of the big mens' guys no?"
Y: "That's...the worst case scenario." Yuri pulls up a feed onto the wall as we all look at it. Seems like she did her homework. "I did a bit of digging for this day. Ever since you told me what these guys were about Botan." Me and Yuri share an uneasy glare as she takes a shaky breath before starting her presentation. "Coomer Industries, on the surface they are a pharmaceutical company."
A: "They make all kinds of drugs, even treatment for certain cancers! They're good people! Are you sure they're the same guys who took Nat?" I look at him as Monika quickly puts her hand on my shoulder.
M: "Alex...you know of Botan's past right?"
A: "Of course I do. I just think we got muddled up here, I mean these guys are good! Isn't there another Coomer or something??" I glare at him.
B: "They killed my family, experimented on me and hunted me for all my life! I know these people! They are the same fuckers who took my life away Alex!! Don't fucking ask me again if I'm sure about it!!" Silence as Alex blinks.
A: "Well...seems you're set about this then?"
M: "Don't be fucking smart Alex!" Monika snaps at him as she rubs my arm.
A: "Sorry..." Yuri clears her throat.
Y: "Yes, as I was saying that's only on the surface. Below that they are a biochemical and bioweapon manufacturer for the government and army." Yuri clicks a button as it shows multiple images of guns, vials, death squads and all kinds of things. I know them all too well...
M: "I'm here..." I know you are...
A: "woah..."
Y: "They're a superpower hiding in plain sight, and from what Botan has told me and what I could dig up on the dark web they are the real deal. They are serious. But I don't think it'll be right if I was the one talking about them..." Everyone looks at me as I feel myself shrink in place.
M: "You don't have to honey, Yuri can keep going!"
Y: "That I can, just give me the word Botan."
B: "I uh....maybe it'll help if I do?" Monika looks unsure but Sayori steps forward.
S: "Talking about past trauma does help, it helped me when I talked about Manato so we should at least let Botan talk about Coomer." Monika sighs and lets go of my hand.
B: "R-right..." I walk over to where Yuri was just standing and turn around to face the others. "Ummm, Coomer. Right, uh...yeah, so they're dangerous..." I've never felt this nervous before.
A: "Okay...?"
M: "Botan you don't need to do this-"
S: "Give him a chance." Monika stands back as I look at my hands.
B: "Umm...they have...all kinds of resources and weaponry, they uh...have access to a lot of manpower and...yeah...they're just...very dangerous..."
S: "Right uh, could you give us a little more than-"
M: "That's enough! Botan come on!" Monika calls me over like a dog as I stand there. "Come on..."
B: "Uh...listen if they took Nat and left us this note then they must know that I'm here, or they have some idea?" A lightbulb then goes off in my head! "...the duplicate!"
A: "Uh?"
B: "He said about the big man having some connection to someone outside! Maybe it's possible that he was talking about Coomer!"
M: "Are you sure?"
B: "The duplicate said it with his own mouth! I knew he wasn't bluffing!"
S: "Are they working together?"
B: "Highly likely, but if it's one thing Coomer won't stand for it's working openly with a criminal organisation. Sooner or later, they will put a knife in the big man's back."
A: "Yeah but how long until that?"
B: "Awhile, they just need to build up trust and that will be that."
M: "So what do we do?"
B: "Sayori?" Sayori looks at me. "When did Natsuki get taken?"
S: "Uh...an hour or so ago?"
B: "How many men did you see?"
S: "Uh....twenty? Maybe thirty? They just came of nowhere and hit us like a truck!"
B: "Okay we still have time! We need to grab Nat and move base!"
M: "Huh? Why?"
B: "They will question her, and they have their ways of making people talk!" Everyone looks at each other nervously.
S: "Nat wouldn't do that to us right? She would never tell some strangers who we are and where we live! Right?"
B: "Again, they have their ways."
A: "Jeez...well what now? We can't really just go in guns blazing, they'll just take us out too!"
B: "I have a plan." Everyone looks at me. "Monika? You're not going to like this but I'm going to surrender myself." Monika rips her mask off and throws it at the ground as everyone stares in shock at me.
M: "No! Don't even suggest that!!"
B: "They want me! They don't want anything to do with you, remember I'm the priority to these guys! When they have me in custody they don't need to be here, they'll slip away just as quietly as they arrived!"
M: "No, I'm not sacrificing you! Or anyone else!"
A: "Monika, listen. Maybe he's right-" Monika slaps Alex as hard as she can!
M: "Don't agree with him, do not even try to convince me to give up MY boyfriend to some fucking company!"
S: "Monika, I'm not going to convince you but...do you have a better idea?" Monika goes quiet.
M: "This....this is so unfair...." I hug her as she latches onto me. "This is unfair...."
B: "I know but...that's not the end of the plan." Everyone looks at me again. "I'm not really going to surrender myself after all this time, while someone takes me in for a swap the other three will stand by and get the jump on them! Now that I think about it, the best option for the handoff will be you Sayori." Sayori looks stunned.
S: "Me? Why me?!"
B: "We'll be in the thick of it, besides we'll be with Nat. She'll medical help so it's better that you can get to her right away as us four buy you time to escape!"
A: "That's a good idea! I could even teleport you guys out!"
B: "Even better! Somewhere quiet and discreet, don't come back to help us just focus your efforts on Natsuki alright?" Sayori sighs and nods.
S: "I'll do the best I can."
B: "As for us?" I look at Monika and Yuri. "We do everything we can to make sure Sayori and Natsuki get out of there alright. We can either stay and fight or run. When Alex comes back that's when we have to make a choice, while yes Coomer does have the upper hand it's our call. I'll just say now, they fight like animals. They will kill you if given the chance, they're not like the thugs out on the street. A mistake will be punished by death. Understand?"
Y: "Understood."
M: "....yeah."
A: "Okay. So...do we prepare?"
B: "I'd say we just go, I think we've wasted far too much time here anyway." Everyone starts to gear up as Monika walks up to me.
M: "I will protect you with everything I have."
B: "Monika if things go south and they take me... I want you to make sure they can't get me." She just shakes her head.
M: "Don't say that."
B: "If they take me I will go back to that hell, I'm asking you to make sure I will not be taken in alive."
M: "I can't....I won't...." She's crying as she holds my cheeks and stares into my eyes. "I will not do that to you Botan....I will not kill you..."
A: "I will." Alex steps forward?
M: "Don't you even fucking lay a hand on him!"
B: "Are you sure?"
A: "Yeah, I...if you don't want to go back I'll make sure you won't..."
M: "Alex I will fucking kill you if you even think-"
B: "Thank you." We shake hands as Monika looks on horrified.
M: "Botan!? No!"
B: "It's okay, that's only the worst case scenario... I don't want to go back Monika, you saw what I had to go through. I don't want to go back to that place." She just shakes her head.
M: "No....no....no...." She hits my chest softly as I sigh.
B: "It's okay..." I hug her as everyone appears to be ready.
S: "Right so...are you ready Botan?" I nod as I take my mask off and walk over to her. "Monika?"
M: "....."
B: "Hey?" She looks at me. "Fight hard Monika, I'll be counting on you." She blinks before putting her mask back on and walking over very determined.
M: "You are not getting the chance to kill him." She says to Alex before turning to me. "I will not let you be caught, if I let you down then...what's the point?"
B: "The point is I love you~" She smiles as we kiss briefly.
M: "Please come out okay..."
Y: "We will do our best Monika."
A: "Yeah, we'll fight hard!"
M: "Good...." Alex nods.
A: "Okay then, we ready?" Everyone nods. "Okay, here we go!" Alex first teleports me and Sayori just outside the church ground. "Good luck guys..."
B: "You too..."
S: "Stay safe Alex..." He then disappears as Sayori looks at me. "You know, you can abandon this plan and...we can come up with something else?"
B: "No this...this is the only way, Nat needs us now." She nods as she puts some cuffs on me.
S: "They're unlocked, you can just slip out of them okay?"
B: "Right..." She pushes the gate open, makes sure she's holding me tight and escorts me up the path. The moon shines down as it only shows the trees and the path ahead, apart from that we're surrounded by darkness. Not even the rain has stuck around for this moment. We walk in silence for a bit before I see a red laser being pointed at us. "see that?" I whisper at her.
S: "yeah I do...." She makes on a display that I'm struggling and I play along. "Come on you!"
B: "No don't please! I don't want to go back! Please let me go!!" Our struggle gets the attention of some other lasers as they too point at us. "Please! Just let me go!"
S: "I need my friend back, I'm sorry but this is the only way!"
B: "Oh god! You're going to kill me!!" I spawn in a knife as Sayori spots it and slaps it out of my hands! "No!"
S: "That won't work! Come on!" I can see Yuri, Alex and Monika hanging back in the brush, Monika looking very hurt at my performance right now. We arrive at the old church building as the red lasers focus on my chest. We stand there for awhile before Sayori clears her throat. "Hello?!"
...
"I've brought the person you want!" She holds me in place as I try to run. "You have my friend so let's make a trade! You get what you want, I get what I want. We all go home happy!" Still nothing. "Hello? Is anyone even there?" The door opens with a creak as one man in a suit steps out saying nothing. "Hello?"
?: "..."
S: "You heard my offer, now let me see my friend!" …something's wrong? 'What is it?!' I don't know, it's just...really quiet.
?: "Eyes on alpha target sir." The man speaks into his radio as there's some sort of message laid back to him in his earpiece. "Understood...bring her out!" Two more men appear holding a rather unwell looking Nat, she has no mask on and she looks terrible!
S: "Natsuki!"
N: "ugh....fucking animals..."
?: "As you said, a trade. We hand off your friend first then you hand off him to us."
B: "No!! No!!"
N: "nnngg...." One agent lets go as the other one approaches holding Nat. Sayori holds out her free arm as Nat just falls into it.
S: "I've got you, it's okay..."
N: "Sa....say..."
S: "Save your strength." The three agents then look at her expectantly. "Alright, my end of the deal." The lasers still shine on my chest as she pushes me forward. "Go on you!"
N: "wha....Bot....no...."
B: "Please don't!" One agent walks forward ready to grab me.
?: "A deal well done. Thank you for you cooperation." The lasers go out as I slip out of my cuffs and hold up a gun! "What?!"
B: "Boo~" I shoot him in the face with a blank as he goes tumbling down to the ground! The other agents pull out their guns but they get slashed in half as Alex runs out of the brush.
A: "Sayori come here!" Bullets start flying as Monika instantly puts a shield in front of me as she flies in. Alex slides over to Sayori and Nat, teleporting them out. Good they're safe.
B: "They're out of here! What's the call?!"
M: "We fight!"
Y: "Got it!" Yuri punches one agent to the floor as Monika makes the old church come down to the ground! A few agents rush out of the falling church as I knock them out with the help of Yuri. One agent rushes us with a knife but Monika kicks him down to the floor! Just like that it's over? "That all of them?"
M: "I think so?" Alex comes back with his blade drawn.
A: "Right let's-...do this?" We look around at all the fallen agents. "Is that it already?"
B: "No...there's more. There's always more." But...nothing?
A: "Ugh, maybe it was just that squad? I mean most of them were most certainly in the church so..."
M: "Thank god Botan, you're okay!" Monika rushes me as I scan the treeline, putting my hand out to her!
B: "No! Stay there!" Everyone looks at me as I hear something. "Do you guys hear that?"
A: "....what?"
Y: "...there's...a thumping?"
M: "...what is that?"
B: "I know what that is!" I turn to up to see a huge helicopter above as multiple men jump from it! "Take cover!"
M: "I've got this!" Monika makes a barrier just below the helicopter as multiple men just jump face first into it! Then multiple jeeps pull up as Monika finds herself exposed! "Oh man-"
A: "I got you!" Alex tackles her out of the way of bullets as her barrier disappears! The men in the air regroup and pull their parachutes and land! I find myself dodging and just jumping around trying to do something! Yuri seems to be struggling as I hop over and push her out of the way of a grenade! I throw multiple flashbangs to just give us time to breath but just as quick they're at us again!
Y: "There's too many!" Yuri shields herself behind a tree as I toss out some smoke!
A: "I suggest we turn tail!" That's the better choice, we're just holding on as is!
B: "Right let's get out of here!" I help Yuri over by providing cover fire as we a rush over to cover beside the fallen church. Monika uses her power to force everyone back as Alex grabs all of us!
A: "Where to?!"
B: "Anywhere but here!" He nods and we all leave. The gunfire stops as one agent walks over.
?: "They got away...."
We land on a roof as we all catch our breath!
B: "Fuck...I almost forgot what it was like to go up against them!"
M: "Where the hell did they all come from?!"
A: "It was like a infestation, they just kept coming!"
Y: "That was all too...that was far too close...thank you Botan." Yuri smiles at me.
M: "Yeah, thank you Alex."
B&A: "Don't mention it." We both stare at each other?
A: "That's weird."
B: "Where did you leave Sayori and Nat??"
A: "In an old factory not too far! They're safe!"
B: "Good, go get them." He nods and leaves as Monika walks over to me.
M: "Are you okay?"
B: "I'm fine, just a little out of breath...I've never made so many things in a panic like that before..." Monika puts her hand on my back as I steady my breathing.
M: "It's okay, you're alright....thank god you're alright..." She hugs me as Yuri walks over.
Y: "So that was Coomer huh? I feel like we got very lucky..."
B: "We were." Both girls look at me as I stand up straight. "That was just their scouting team, not their full force." Both Monika and Yuri look taken aback.
M: "Just...a scouting group?"
Y: "That many?! Just scouts?!"
B: "I'm afraid so..." We go quiet as Alex arrives with Sayori and Nat. We all turn our attention to the pink haired girl as she sits on the floor, clearly exhausted. "Nat?! You okay?"
S: "She's been...heavily drugged..."
B: "What did they use?"
S: "Some sort of shot, I don't know what it was...." I walk over to Nat as everyone else gathers around also. I kneel in front of her and take her hands in mine.
B: "Nat? Can you hear me?" She lifts her head a little?
N: "Botan...is that....you?" She looks at me, she's very weak.
B: "I'm here, can you see me?" She blinks...
N: "I can't see you?"
M: "She's blind?!"
S: "I don't think it's permanent, only a side effect!"
B: "I know what they used on her..." Everyone looks at me. "They gave her a dose of a powerful drug, they call it compound Q." Everyone looks at me, as I stare at Nat. "Natsuki, don't worry about not being able to see. You just need to rest and drink plenty of water to get your eye sight back."
N: "But how long..."
B: "A few days..."
S: "I'll come up with an excuse for your dad!"
N: "thanks...I'm sorry guys, I got jumped and-"
B: "Don't apologise Nat. I've been hit with Q for a few times, it sucks. It really makes you talk..." Everyone looks at Nat again.
M: "What did you say to them?"
N: "I...I gave..." Nat shakes as I rub her shoulder.
B: "It's okay, tell us~"
N: "A...names....and....base....that's it. I swear!"
B: "That's okay, don't blame yourself~" I hug her as she latches onto me, her small frame making me feel like I'm hugging a small child.
S: "So...Coomer knows us?"
M: "The big man probably knows us now." Everyone looks at each other.
A: "Well.....fuck."
Y: "What do we do now?"
B: "It's not guaranteed." I stand up. "Coomer has valuable information, which the big man wants. They won't just give that away without getting something of similar value in return. The only thing I can think of that'll might be worth the names of your biggest problem-"
M: "Is you?" I nod.
B: "They want me."
S: "Well....we're not going to surrender you!"
Y: "Never in a million years will I entertain that thought."
M: "I will stand by you Botan. To the very end."
A: "I don't know it's-" SMACK!
Y: "Alex just shut up for once." We look in shock at Yuri as she huffs. "Honestly, this is a serious moment right now! We don't need your shitty sense of humour!"
A: "...okay sorry." Alex looks hurt but I just sigh.
B: "Well...everything changes from this day on. I suggest we no longer patrol alone, at least go in pairs from now or more. Watch out for any suspicious looking vehicles, Coomer will want to stake us out for awhile before making their move. Do not take them on alone, otherwise..." I look down at Nat. "This will be you."
N: "I'm sorry-"
B: "Don't apologise Nat." I pat her shoulder. "Anyway, I doubt they would raid your homes but do keep an eye out for each other." I look at Monika. "I also suggest keeping a low profile at school, don't meet at the club everyday. They will put two and two together, giving them a perfect chance to attack."
M: "Heard. When school opens and if Coomer are still lurking about, no more club every day."
B: "Good. Anyway, I suggest we start planning to move base. We need something more...discreet."
A: "I know a place!" Alex steps forward? "There's this old summer camp place near the forest! Nobody goes out there now! It's real hidden and discreet! I doubt people even remember it exists!"
B: "That will do! I suggest you guys pack up from that old warehouse and start moving! Keep your heads down also." Everyone nods as Natsuki is helped up by Sayori. "Natsuki? Just rest for now, spend some days at home okay? One of us will keep an eye out for you in the meantime."
N: "Okay, sure....what you think is right Botan." I nod and smile at her.
B: "Yeah, just get some rest."
S: "I'll take of her guys, I suggest we all go our separate ways. They'll be looking for us right now."
B: "Yeah, let's head home and cut tonight off early." Everyone agrees and promptly leaves. Sayori helping Natsuki away using her rocket boots as Alex teleports away with Yuri. I'm left with Monika on the roof as we just look at each other.
M: "You know...you've really grown as a person. Taking charge like that, really made me happy."
B: "I know these guys and well...I just want everyone to be safe. I want you to be safe." I walk up to her and put my hand on her cheek.
M: "It's okay, I understand. Now let's go home before we get found out alright?" I nod as we leave the roof, Monika carrying me back home. We don't say anything as we just fly back to our apartment. I keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around us in the meantime, Coomer is here and they'll be looking for us. Then they will watch. Then they will plan. Finally, they will attack. "We'll be ready Botan, I promise."
B: "Yeah, I know we will." I smile at Monika as she smiles back. Doubt lurking in the back of my head as I look away from her. We arrive back to find the usual window open as Monika helps me into the apartment first. I get in low and look around for anything in the apartment, and everything looks normal. Monika follows me in and locks the window.
M: "Okay, let's just get changed and head to bed alright?" I nod as we head into the bedroom, being too tired and overworked I just take my mask off and fall onto the bed. Monika sadly smiles at me as she too only takes her mask off and crawls beside me. "It's okay...we'll be okay..."
B: "I know..." But in truth, I really don't know...
submitted by OneBoredMan02 to DDLC [link] [comments]
Thursday 14th June 2017
WARNING: THIS VOLUME CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND STRONG LANGUAGE!
I sigh as the gentle breeze graces my face, I've really got nothing to do right now. I'm just here looking over the town as I search for any suspicious activities going on, but alas nothing. It's been like this for some nights, were nothing happens and I felt like I just wasted my time. But I guess being here just in case is better then just racing out of my house at the last minute. But the down side of being out here is that I am more than bored. Also the rain doesn't really help things. I sit down and spawn an umbrella for shelter as I take my mask off and look at it. I wonder what the normal thug thinks when he sees this? Fear? Regret? Worry? I don't really know, I place the mask onto the ground as someone hovers above me? It can only be one person.
B: "Hey Moni~"
M: "Heya Bobo~" She sits beside me with two coffees? "Here!"
B: "Did you buy these?"
M: "I know you can make them out of thin air but I don't want to put my favourite coffee place out of business now!" I shake my head as I take the cup.
B: "But you are putting me on the side-lines!"
M: "I know it's a tough choice..." She leans against me as I put my arm around her.
B: "Did you see or hear anything?"
M: "No, not much of anything? It's been real quiet tonight."
B: "Ah well then..." We sit there in silence together, only taking the occasional drink as the rain pours down around us. It's not long before Monika looks at me.
M: "Do you want to head back to HQ? I think Sayori said she had something to show us tonight!"
B: "Really? She didn't say anything to me?"
M: "Oh it's top secret! A little surprise for everyone~" I nod as we stand up and finish off our drinks. "Come on then! Race you there!" She flies up as I put my mask back on.
B: "You're on!" I leap off the roof as she just flies off, this seems unfair and I did not think about this beforehand. But who cares? I'm just happy to be spending time with the person I love! I've been missing out on these feelings and the sense of comfort that comes from a person you love and trust so much. I've just...been rather lonely the past few years so just getting a new person there means the world to me you know? 'I know, I'm happy I can give you that comfort and love~' I know you do Monika, thank you. 'You're welcome, now hurry up slowpoke!' I chuckle as I land on the roof and run across it to see Monika hovering above the street?
M: "Come on Sparrow! You're far too slow tonight!"
B: "Just give me two seconds-" Before I can finish I see a hand in front of me as Alex grabs me?! "What?!" Not another surprise spar!
A: "Come with me now!" He sounds serious? We teleport to the HQ as he disappears again to only come back with Monika this time?
M: "What's wrong?" I look over to see a concerned looking Yuri and a rather distressed Sayori? "What's going on guys?" Monika steps up as her tone goes serious. I walk over to Alex.
B: "So, what's going on?" He looks at me and just shrugs?
A: "I don't know, Sayori just said you grab you guys immediately? She sounds really worried?" I nod as we both walk over to see Sayori working on the laptop?
M: "Sayori what's wrong?"
S: "...." Monika looks back at me as I shrug. What's gotten into Sayori?
Y: "uhmm, we have a big problem." Yuri turns around as she holds out a note? Monika takes the note as me and Alex hover her shoulder to read it? It's...a message?
'If you want to see her again, then come to the old churchyard'
The hell? Is this a letter about a hostage? Who took who anyway?
S: "They've got Nat." What!?
M: "Uh?! Who?!"
S: "I don't know, some guys in suits? They were like the men in black Monika! They just came out of nowhere and shot her with a taser! I barely escaped but they got her!" …
B: "...oh no..." Everyone looks at me as my hands shake.
M: "Botan what's wrong??" Monika comes up to me as I stare into her eyes. "Botan...?"
B: "They're here...." Both Monikas' and Sayoris' eyes go wide as they look at me.
S: "You don't mean it's...them?"
B: "It's Coomer. They're here."
A: "Coomer? Are you sure? This could just be some of the big mens' guys no?"
Y: "That's...the worst case scenario." Yuri pulls up a feed onto the wall as we all look at it. Seems like she did her homework. "I did a bit of digging for this day. Ever since you told me what these guys were about Botan." Me and Yuri share an uneasy glare as she takes a shaky breath before starting her presentation. "Coomer Industries, on the surface they are a pharmaceutical company."
A: "They make all kinds of drugs, even treatment for certain cancers! They're good people! Are you sure they're the same guys who took Nat?" I look at him as Monika quickly puts her hand on my shoulder.
M: "Alex...you know of Botan's past right?"
A: "Of course I do. I just think we got muddled up here, I mean these guys are good! Isn't there another Coomer or something??" I glare at him.
B: "They killed my family, experimented on me and hunted me for all my life! I know these people! They are the same fuckers who took my life away Alex!! Don't fucking ask me again if I'm sure about it!!" Silence as Alex blinks.
A: "Well...seems you're set about this then?"
M: "Don't be fucking smart Alex!" Monika snaps at him as she rubs my arm.
A: "Sorry..." Yuri clears her throat.
Y: "Yes, as I was saying that's only on the surface. Below that they are a biochemical and bioweapon manufacturer for the government and army." Yuri clicks a button as it shows multiple images of guns, vials, death squads and all kinds of things. I know them all too well...
M: "I'm here..." I know you are...
A: "woah..."
Y: "They're a superpower hiding in plain sight, and from what Botan has told me and what I could dig up on the dark web they are the real deal. They are serious. But I don't think it'll be right if I was the one talking about them..." Everyone looks at me as I feel myself shrink in place.
M: "You don't have to honey, Yuri can keep going!"
Y: "That I can, just give me the word Botan."
B: "I uh....maybe it'll help if I do?" Monika looks unsure but Sayori steps forward.
S: "Talking about past trauma does help, it helped me when I talked about Manato so we should at least let Botan talk about Coomer." Monika sighs and lets go of my hand.
B: "R-right..." I walk over to where Yuri was just standing and turn around to face the others. "Ummm, Coomer. Right, uh...yeah, so they're dangerous..." I've never felt this nervous before.
A: "Okay...?"
M: "Botan you don't need to do this-"
S: "Give him a chance." Monika stands back as I look at my hands.
B: "Umm...they have...all kinds of resources and weaponry, they uh...have access to a lot of manpower and...yeah...they're just...very dangerous..."
S: "Right uh, could you give us a little more than-"
M: "That's enough! Botan come on!" Monika calls me over like a dog as I stand there. "Come on..."
B: "Uh...listen if they took Nat and left us this note then they must know that I'm here, or they have some idea?" A lightbulb then goes off in my head! "...the duplicate!"
A: "Uh?"
B: "He said about the big man having some connection to someone outside! Maybe it's possible that he was talking about Coomer!"
M: "Are you sure?"
B: "The duplicate said it with his own mouth! I knew he wasn't bluffing!"
S: "Are they working together?"
B: "Highly likely, but if it's one thing Coomer won't stand for it's working openly with a criminal organisation. Sooner or later, they will put a knife in the big man's back."
A: "Yeah but how long until that?"
B: "Awhile, they just need to build up trust and that will be that."
M: "So what do we do?"
B: "Sayori?" Sayori looks at me. "When did Natsuki get taken?"
S: "Uh...an hour or so ago?"
B: "How many men did you see?"
S: "Uh....twenty? Maybe thirty? They just came of nowhere and hit us like a truck!"
B: "Okay we still have time! We need to grab Nat and move base!"
M: "Huh? Why?"
B: "They will question her, and they have their ways of making people talk!" Everyone looks at each other nervously.
S: "Nat wouldn't do that to us right? She would never tell some strangers who we are and where we live! Right?"
B: "Again, they have their ways."
A: "Jeez...well what now? We can't really just go in guns blazing, they'll just take us out too!"
B: "I have a plan." Everyone looks at me. "Monika? You're not going to like this but I'm going to surrender myself." Monika rips her mask off and throws it at the ground as everyone stares in shock at me.
M: "No! Don't even suggest that!!"
B: "They want me! They don't want anything to do with you, remember I'm the priority to these guys! When they have me in custody they don't need to be here, they'll slip away just as quietly as they arrived!"
M: "No, I'm not sacrificing you! Or anyone else!"
A: "Monika, listen. Maybe he's right-" Monika slaps Alex as hard as she can!
M: "Don't agree with him, do not even try to convince me to give up MY boyfriend to some fucking company!"
S: "Monika, I'm not going to convince you but...do you have a better idea?" Monika goes quiet.
M: "This....this is so unfair...." I hug her as she latches onto me. "This is unfair...."
B: "I know but...that's not the end of the plan." Everyone looks at me again. "I'm not really going to surrender myself after all this time, while someone takes me in for a swap the other three will stand by and get the jump on them! Now that I think about it, the best option for the handoff will be you Sayori." Sayori looks stunned.
S: "Me? Why me?!"
B: "We'll be in the thick of it, besides we'll be with Nat. She'll medical help so it's better that you can get to her right away as us four buy you time to escape!"
A: "That's a good idea! I could even teleport you guys out!"
B: "Even better! Somewhere quiet and discreet, don't come back to help us just focus your efforts on Natsuki alright?" Sayori sighs and nods.
S: "I'll do the best I can."
B: "As for us?" I look at Monika and Yuri. "We do everything we can to make sure Sayori and Natsuki get out of there alright. We can either stay and fight or run. When Alex comes back that's when we have to make a choice, while yes Coomer does have the upper hand it's our call. I'll just say now, they fight like animals. They will kill you if given the chance, they're not like the thugs out on the street. A mistake will be punished by death. Understand?"
Y: "Understood."
M: "....yeah."
A: "Okay. So...do we prepare?"
B: "I'd say we just go, I think we've wasted far too much time here anyway." Everyone starts to gear up as Monika walks up to me.
M: "I will protect you with everything I have."
B: "Monika if things go south and they take me... I want you to make sure they can't get me." She just shakes her head.
M: "Don't say that."
B: "If they take me I will go back to that hell, I'm asking you to make sure I will not be taken in alive."
M: "I can't....I won't...." She's crying as she holds my cheeks and stares into my eyes. "I will not do that to you Botan....I will not kill you..."
A: "I will." Alex steps forward?
M: "Don't you even fucking lay a hand on him!"
B: "Are you sure?"
A: "Yeah, I...if you don't want to go back I'll make sure you won't..."
M: "Alex I will fucking kill you if you even think-"
B: "Thank you." We shake hands as Monika looks on horrified.
M: "Botan!? No!"
B: "It's okay, that's only the worst case scenario... I don't want to go back Monika, you saw what I had to go through. I don't want to go back to that place." She just shakes her head.
M: "No....no....no...." She hits my chest softly as I sigh.
B: "It's okay..." I hug her as everyone appears to be ready.
S: "Right so...are you ready Botan?" I nod as I take my mask off and walk over to her. "Monika?"
M: "....."
B: "Hey?" She looks at me. "Fight hard Monika, I'll be counting on you." She blinks before putting her mask back on and walking over very determined.
M: "You are not getting the chance to kill him." She says to Alex before turning to me. "I will not let you be caught, if I let you down then...what's the point?"
B: "The point is I love you~" She smiles as we kiss briefly.
M: "Please come out okay..."
Y: "We will do our best Monika."
A: "Yeah, we'll fight hard!"
M: "Good...." Alex nods.
A: "Okay then, we ready?" Everyone nods. "Okay, here we go!" Alex first teleports me and Sayori just outside the church ground. "Good luck guys..."
B: "You too..."
S: "Stay safe Alex..." He then disappears as Sayori looks at me. "You know, you can abandon this plan and...we can come up with something else?"
B: "No this...this is the only way, Nat needs us now." She nods as she puts some cuffs on me.
S: "They're unlocked, you can just slip out of them okay?"
B: "Right..." She pushes the gate open, makes sure she's holding me tight and escorts me up the path. The moon shines down as it only shows the trees and the path ahead, apart from that we're surrounded by darkness. Not even the rain has stuck around for this moment. We walk in silence for a bit before I see a red laser being pointed at us. "see that?" I whisper at her.
S: "yeah I do...." She makes on a display that I'm struggling and I play along. "Come on you!"
B: "No don't please! I don't want to go back! Please let me go!!" Our struggle gets the attention of some other lasers as they too point at us. "Please! Just let me go!"
S: "I need my friend back, I'm sorry but this is the only way!"
B: "Oh god! You're going to kill me!!" I spawn in a knife as Sayori spots it and slaps it out of my hands! "No!"
S: "That won't work! Come on!" I can see Yuri, Alex and Monika hanging back in the brush, Monika looking very hurt at my performance right now. We arrive at the old church building as the red lasers focus on my chest. We stand there for awhile before Sayori clears her throat. "Hello?!"
...
"I've brought the person you want!" She holds me in place as I try to run. "You have my friend so let's make a trade! You get what you want, I get what I want. We all go home happy!" Still nothing. "Hello? Is anyone even there?" The door opens with a creak as one man in a suit steps out saying nothing. "Hello?"
?: "..."
S: "You heard my offer, now let me see my friend!" …something's wrong? 'What is it?!' I don't know, it's just...really quiet.
?: "Eyes on alpha target sir." The man speaks into his radio as there's some sort of message laid back to him in his earpiece. "Understood...bring her out!" Two more men appear holding a rather unwell looking Nat, she has no mask on and she looks terrible!
S: "Natsuki!"
N: "ugh....fucking animals..."
?: "As you said, a trade. We hand off your friend first then you hand off him to us."
B: "No!! No!!"
N: "nnngg...." One agent lets go as the other one approaches holding Nat. Sayori holds out her free arm as Nat just falls into it.
S: "I've got you, it's okay..."
N: "Sa....say..."
S: "Save your strength." The three agents then look at her expectantly. "Alright, my end of the deal." The lasers still shine on my chest as she pushes me forward. "Go on you!"
N: "wha....Bot....no...."
B: "Please don't!" One agent walks forward ready to grab me.
?: "A deal well done. Thank you for you cooperation." The lasers go out as I slip out of my cuffs and hold up a gun! "What?!"
B: "Boo~" I shoot him in the face with a blank as he goes tumbling down to the ground! The other agents pull out their guns but they get slashed in half as Alex runs out of the brush.
A: "Sayori come here!" Bullets start flying as Monika instantly puts a shield in front of me as she flies in. Alex slides over to Sayori and Nat, teleporting them out. Good they're safe.
B: "They're out of here! What's the call?!"
M: "We fight!"
Y: "Got it!" Yuri punches one agent to the floor as Monika makes the old church come down to the ground! A few agents rush out of the falling church as I knock them out with the help of Yuri. One agent rushes us with a knife but Monika kicks him down to the floor! Just like that it's over? "That all of them?"
M: "I think so?" Alex comes back with his blade drawn.
A: "Right let's-...do this?" We look around at all the fallen agents. "Is that it already?"
B: "No...there's more. There's always more." But...nothing?
A: "Ugh, maybe it was just that squad? I mean most of them were most certainly in the church so..."
M: "Thank god Botan, you're okay!" Monika rushes me as I scan the treeline, putting my hand out to her!
B: "No! Stay there!" Everyone looks at me as I hear something. "Do you guys hear that?"
A: "....what?"
Y: "...there's...a thumping?"
M: "...what is that?"
B: "I know what that is!" I turn to up to see a huge helicopter above as multiple men jump from it! "Take cover!"
M: "I've got this!" Monika makes a barrier just below the helicopter as multiple men just jump face first into it! Then multiple jeeps pull up as Monika finds herself exposed! "Oh man-"
A: "I got you!" Alex tackles her out of the way of bullets as her barrier disappears! The men in the air regroup and pull their parachutes and land! I find myself dodging and just jumping around trying to do something! Yuri seems to be struggling as I hop over and push her out of the way of a grenade! I throw multiple flashbangs to just give us time to breath but just as quick they're at us again!
Y: "There's too many!" Yuri shields herself behind a tree as I toss out some smoke!
A: "I suggest we turn tail!" That's the better choice, we're just holding on as is!
B: "Right let's get out of here!" I help Yuri over by providing cover fire as we a rush over to cover beside the fallen church. Monika uses her power to force everyone back as Alex grabs all of us!
A: "Where to?!"
B: "Anywhere but here!" He nods and we all leave. The gunfire stops as one agent walks over.
?: "They got away...."
We land on a roof as we all catch our breath!
B: "Fuck...I almost forgot what it was like to go up against them!"
M: "Where the hell did they all come from?!"
A: "It was like a infestation, they just kept coming!"
Y: "That was all too...that was far too close...thank you Botan." Yuri smiles at me.
M: "Yeah, thank you Alex."
B&A: "Don't mention it." We both stare at each other?
A: "That's weird."
B: "Where did you leave Sayori and Nat??"
A: "In an old factory not too far! They're safe!"
B: "Good, go get them." He nods and leaves as Monika walks over to me.
M: "Are you okay?"
B: "I'm fine, just a little out of breath...I've never made so many things in a panic like that before..." Monika puts her hand on my back as I steady my breathing.
M: "It's okay, you're alright....thank god you're alright..." She hugs me as Yuri walks over.
Y: "So that was Coomer huh? I feel like we got very lucky..."
B: "We were." Both girls look at me as I stand up straight. "That was just their scouting team, not their full force." Both Monika and Yuri look taken aback.
M: "Just...a scouting group?"
Y: "That many?! Just scouts?!"
B: "I'm afraid so..." We go quiet as Alex arrives with Sayori and Nat. We all turn our attention to the pink haired girl as she sits on the floor, clearly exhausted. "Nat?! You okay?"
S: "She's been...heavily drugged..."
B: "What did they use?"
S: "Some sort of shot, I don't know what it was...." I walk over to Nat as everyone else gathers around also. I kneel in front of her and take her hands in mine.
B: "Nat? Can you hear me?" She lifts her head a little?
N: "Botan...is that....you?" She looks at me, she's very weak.
B: "I'm here, can you see me?" She blinks...
N: "I can't see you?"
M: "She's blind?!"
S: "I don't think it's permanent, only a side effect!"
B: "I know what they used on her..." Everyone looks at me. "They gave her a dose of a powerful drug, they call it compound Q." Everyone looks at me, as I stare at Nat. "Natsuki, don't worry about not being able to see. You just need to rest and drink plenty of water to get your eye sight back."
N: "But how long..."
B: "A few days..."
S: "I'll come up with an excuse for your dad!"
N: "thanks...I'm sorry guys, I got jumped and-"
B: "Don't apologise Nat. I've been hit with Q for a few times, it sucks. It really makes you talk..." Everyone looks at Nat again.
M: "What did you say to them?"
N: "I...I gave..." Nat shakes as I rub her shoulder.
B: "It's okay, tell us~"
N: "A...names....and....base....that's it. I swear!"
B: "That's okay, don't blame yourself~" I hug her as she latches onto me, her small frame making me feel like I'm hugging a small child.
S: "So...Coomer knows us?"
M: "The big man probably knows us now." Everyone looks at each other.
A: "Well.....fuck."
Y: "What do we do now?"
B: "It's not guaranteed." I stand up. "Coomer has valuable information, which the big man wants. They won't just give that away without getting something of similar value in return. The only thing I can think of that'll might be worth the names of your biggest problem-"
M: "Is you?" I nod.
B: "They want me."
S: "Well....we're not going to surrender you!"
Y: "Never in a million years will I entertain that thought."
M: "I will stand by you Botan. To the very end."
A: "I don't know it's-" SMACK!
Y: "Alex just shut up for once." We look in shock at Yuri as she huffs. "Honestly, this is a serious moment right now! We don't need your shitty sense of humour!"
A: "...okay sorry." Alex looks hurt but I just sigh.
B: "Well...everything changes from this day on. I suggest we no longer patrol alone, at least go in pairs from now or more. Watch out for any suspicious looking vehicles, Coomer will want to stake us out for awhile before making their move. Do not take them on alone, otherwise..." I look down at Nat. "This will be you."
N: "I'm sorry-"
B: "Don't apologise Nat." I pat her shoulder. "Anyway, I doubt they would raid your homes but do keep an eye out for each other." I look at Monika. "I also suggest keeping a low profile at school, don't meet at the club everyday. They will put two and two together, giving them a perfect chance to attack."
M: "Heard. When school opens and if Coomer are still lurking about, no more club every day."
B: "Good. Anyway, I suggest we start planning to move base. We need something more...discreet."
A: "I know a place!" Alex steps forward? "There's this old summer camp place near the forest! Nobody goes out there now! It's real hidden and discreet! I doubt people even remember it exists!"
B: "That will do! I suggest you guys pack up from that old warehouse and start moving! Keep your heads down also." Everyone nods as Natsuki is helped up by Sayori. "Natsuki? Just rest for now, spend some days at home okay? One of us will keep an eye out for you in the meantime."
N: "Okay, sure....what you think is right Botan." I nod and smile at her.
B: "Yeah, just get some rest."
S: "I'll take of her guys, I suggest we all go our separate ways. They'll be looking for us right now."
B: "Yeah, let's head home and cut tonight off early." Everyone agrees and promptly leaves. Sayori helping Natsuki away using her rocket boots as Alex teleports away with Yuri. I'm left with Monika on the roof as we just look at each other.
M: "You know...you've really grown as a person. Taking charge like that, really made me happy."
B: "I know these guys and well...I just want everyone to be safe. I want you to be safe." I walk up to her and put my hand on her cheek.
M: "It's okay, I understand. Now let's go home before we get found out alright?" I nod as we leave the roof, Monika carrying me back home. We don't say anything as we just fly back to our apartment. I keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around us in the meantime, Coomer is here and they'll be looking for us. Then they will watch. Then they will plan. Finally, they will attack. "We'll be ready Botan, I promise."
B: "Yeah, I know we will." I smile at Monika as she smiles back. Doubt lurking in the back of my head as I look away from her. We arrive back to find the usual window open as Monika helps me into the apartment first. I get in low and look around for anything in the apartment, and everything looks normal. Monika follows me in and locks the window.
M: "Okay, let's just get changed and head to bed alright?" I nod as we head into the bedroom, being too tired and overworked I just take my mask off and fall onto the bed. Monika sadly smiles at me as she too only takes her mask off and crawls beside me. "It's okay...we'll be okay..."
B: "I know..." But in truth, I really don't know...
2023.05.31 00:15 startech416 Anomaly [Chapter 7]
CW: Gore, corpses, immolation and combat
Physically transcribed memory: Michael Perst, Civilian
Date [standardized human time]: October 26th, 2136
I stand silently with my group, noticing the light rain and chill in the air. I'm glad I bundled up, so I turn my attention to Cilmora and Ellem. They seem to be deep in conversation about their experience on earth and how beautiful it is, if only it were on better terms. I look over to Alexander; he seems to be talking to the group of UN soldiers that we’re attached to. He seems to be trying to tell some sort of joke to them; the corner of my mouth pulls into a smirk.
As it stands, our group of four is attached to a UN strike team solely based on the fact that we’ll be treading into territory that has confirmed sightings of multiple scattered federation escape pods. To top it off, there was a chance there could be a downed federation transport cruiser with even more federation troops on the Nebraska and Iowa border. I grimace at the thought, hoping that nothing escalates further.
I’m pulled from my thoughts, feeling someone tugging at the hem of my jacket. I instinctively snap my head to my right and lock my gaze onto the brightly colored venlil in my party before I can attempt to correct myself. Ellem’s reaction is almost instantaneous. Shrinking down on herself and flinching at my response, she begins to weakly punch out a response.
"T-transport is r-ready to leave, s-sorry I didn’t mean to do t-that to you!" An almost pleading tone is layered at the end of her sentence.
My expression softens, and I only glance at her. I still can’t shake that tense feeling from my mind since I’ve arrived here. I feel terrible for her, and to apologize for something so simple. I let out a sigh. "I’m the one who should be apologizing, Ellem; you did nothing wrong." I was just stuck in thought and lost track of time. I’m just jumpy, that's all." I gave a closed smile.
She calms down and nearly returns to her bubbly self. We idly chat as we make our way to the transport truck to make our way to the outskirts. I sit myself beside Cilmora, and Ellem takes a seat to my left. The truck begins its journey, and only the sound of the tires rippling across the fresh rainfall is heard. Ellem turns to me, and at the corner of my vision, it seems like she wants to ask a question but stops herself. She has an odd look on her face, but her tail seems restless.
I make sure not to look directly at her. "What's on your mind? It looked like you wanted to ask something." She looks up at me and says, "Yes, I wanted to ask what you were thinking about that gave you that look." A puzzled expression crosses my face, and I ask her what she means.
She fidgets a bit. "You were like that for [20 minutes] just standing still with this look; I finally had enough courage to look at your eyes. And it was as if you weren’t there; it was nerve-racking. You looked like a mannequin.."
Anxiety ricochets inside my chest, but I don't show it. Instead, I let out a laugh to play the entire thing off. "Yeah, you’d be right; I just get that look when I’m really thinking about things. Truth be told, I don’t have an explanation as to why; I just do." This seems to put her at ease; her tail is no longer sporadically fidgeting as it was. "What I was thinking about is pretty important, so I’ll tell you."
I explain this not only to Ellem but also to the rest of the crew. I was running before and after, hoping that this would be just a normal recovery effort. Overall, I’m just getting a bad feeling about it, and I hope no one gets hurt. "That's all I’ve been thinking about; just make sure you guys stick close and keep your vests on."
They all give off a nod, and before I can go back to sitting in silence, Cilmora speaks up. "I mean, with all these predators here, I feel pretty safe if anything were to happen." Some cheers from various UN soldiers on the transport sound out. "You know how to fight Michael, so I think we should be all good," Alexander says with a grin.
After a while, the truck stopped and allowed us all to disembark from it. From the looks of it, we’re in the rural offshoots of the city. Scanning the area, I see a couple of houses that lead into a small residential park, and across from that, I see a small school. We decided to split into two squads; the opposite squad will slowly go through the residential area and take the transport truck with them, while the squad I’m with will check the school and surrounding businesses. Before we head out, the squad leader in the group I’m with advises us all to make sure our communications are working. As a final check is made, we set out on the mission.
As we slowly made our way around the back of the school, I press-checked my rifle. Making sure everything is set and clear, I continue in the back of the group. Making sure that Ellem, Cilmora, and Alexander were sandwiched between the UN troops and myself. As we round another corner, the squad leader motions for us to stop. We all freeze and look over to what appears to be a soccer field, which appears to be an abandoned escape pod. From the UN troops reaction, I’d wager they’re federation in design.
With my suspicions confirmed, I take a ragged breath and carry my rifle at a low stance. The squad lead advises the other team of what they’ve found; they radio back and advise they’ll rendezvous back to assist. However, they say it could be a bit as they’ve already found civilians. They give the all-clear to move forward, and eventually we do. We begin to move again and make our way to a set of double doors, I can’t help but shake this odd smell. It almost smells like barbecue?
I instinctively shoulder my rifle and aim it towards the field and the escape pod, attempting to ignore the smell, only barely catching it when the wind blows at a certain angle. Scanning the field, I notice patches of what appears to be burnt grass adjacent to the crash site. Maybe something caught fire after the crash, and I noticed a rather large burnt patch. I turn the knob on my variable zoom scope, and I can see it more clearly, and I wish I hadn’t.
My heart hitches into my stomach, and my mouth becomes painfully dry as I begin to sweat. Before the group can enter, I yell in a hushed tone through gritted teeth, and the group freezes and looks back at me. I’m still staring, my eyes glued to the horrible sight in front of me. The body is burnt to a crisp, producing more carbon than human. Their lips and eyes curled in a frozen scream as the last thing they felt was being burned alive. The wind blew against me, and I got that smell again.
I quickly moved over to the squad leader. "There's a burnt corpse somewhat near the shuttle; it's human." I say it as calmly as I can, and his eyes lock onto mine as a shocked look spreads across. I wordlessly hand him my rifle and point to where he should look. He does so, and the same emotions I’m feeling flood over him. He silently hands me my rifle, advising everyone to stay together. He quickly radios into the other group and advises them that there are active exterminators on site.
At the mention of exterminators, the feeling of the room changed dramatically. Especially from Ellem and Cilmora, Ellem seemed uncomfortable with the idea that these exterminators were present. If they did that, then it’s only a matter of time before we run into them. Something that weighed on my mind was: what species in the Federation breathes fire?
We quickly moved into the school, making sure to stick close. We were in a side hallway that led to an ever-larger one with classrooms on each side. Papers and supplies were littered everywhere, along with abandoned book bags and more. Thankfully, it looks like everyone left in a hurry; however, there's no telling if anyone's been left behind. We begin to check the classrooms and search for any civilians.
As time passes, we check the last classroom in the hallway; everything seems to be normal, or as normal as an abandoned school can be. As soon as we’re about to exit the classroom, our radios beep to life as the other squad radios back. It sounds like the other team is being engaged as the sounds of gunfire and yelling can be heard. "Squad 2-2, this is Squad 2-1. Be advised we have engaged the enemy in the suburbs near the public pool break, be advised we are under heavy suppressive fire. The area is crawling with hostiles. Can you rendezvous to assist, over"
Just as the squad leader was about to key up a response, we all froze as we heard a group of muffled voices in the atrium down the hall. I looked at my group, and then to the soldiers, the squad leader hesitated for just a moment before keying up. "Negative, positive contact with the enemy; I repeat positive contact with the enemy, over."
I glance over to my group and say, "Stay here; we will call you when we need you. This is going to get dangerous, so we will let you know." Alex was about to say something before Cilmora cut them off. "What? We didn’t volunteer just to hide in a room when stuff goes bad; we’re coming with you!" she said just above a whisper. My eyes narrow towards her. "Fuckin aye, fine, just stick behind us when it kicks off." They all nod, and I turn my attention to the soldiers. We quickly formulate a plan, and that plan is to overwhelm and blindside them.
Quietly, we all shifted out of the room. The voices grow louder, stealing a peek at our mysterious friends. I glance over and see them. Most of them are wearing full body suits of some kind; three of them are those bird people; if I remember correctly, they’re Krakotls; and two of them look like squid people. I can’t seem to remember what they were called. It dawns on me that the weapons they have are flamethrowers. A shiver runs down my spine as my brain connects the dots.
I glance over at the soldiers, steel my nerves, and try to control my breathing. Everything I’ve done so far is coming to a point, popping up here even though I’m out of my element. I need to come out of this. There's so much in the world I haven’t seen or done; I don’t know why I’m here, but maybe it was to do something good.
One of the soldiers readies what looks like a flashbang; they pull the pin holding the handle before finally bending around the corner and tossing it as close as they can to the group. Even though we weren’t close to where it was thrown and we were behind cover, the resulting concussive force could be felt in our chest. And the sound that ripped through the corridors was matched. I silently thanked myself for my hearing protection as the squad leader gave us the signal.
The first thing I could see upon leaving our safe haven was how the federation troops were reeling from the flashbang. Completely disoriented, we took our chances to fire upon them. I sighted in on one of the krakotls that was fumbling with their flamethrower. I zero in on what I assume is a liquid canister.
One
Two
Three
Three rapid shots: two to the canister and one to their head Before they drop to the ground, the canister detonates, showering the group in a rain of fire. I site in the next two, it seems they neglected to grab their suits helmets; ear-piercing screeches from the group bounce off the tile.
One
Two
Three
Before the second bird could even ready their flamethrower at me, screaming and wailing as they attempted to put out the flame that encompassed their head, another rain of hellfire emitted from the blast. Physically feeling the warmth that was emitted from the fireball fueled me to continue. I focus my efforts on one of the squid people.
One
Two
Three
Two positive center mass shots, with one clipping what would be considered their dome, the UN troops finishing off the rest. As I’m about to say something, the fire sprinklers rupture, causing the alarm to sound. It seems the flamer shots were a tad too messy, I’m about to say something to the rest of the group, but I’m cut off.
An arc of energy crashes above me, missing its shot. I quickly look down an opposite hallway and see federation troops; thankfully, none of them appear to have flamethrowers. The squad leader yells a command to take cover. I slam my shoulder into a corner edge, giving me an optimal view of the threat down the hallway. Different shades of energy race down the hallway, slamming into walls and edges. I quickly peeked out.
One
Two
Three
More have arrived; is this the ship that was mentioned?
One
Two
Three
I hear a yelp of pain emit from behind me. I quickly regain cover and look back to see that Cilmora was hit; thankfully, it looks like it barely clipped her. A rich blue color drips from her leg. "Are you okay?" Behind her cover, I can see her nod through gritted teeth, and Ellem immediately begins to treat her. Rage begins to boil inside of my chest. These were the first people to introduce me back into the world, ones that I could call friends. My hands tighten around my rifle, and my breathing becomes sharper as things feel like they’ve slowed down. I peek from my cover.
One
Two
Three
Two are down, center mass through and through.
I break cover and race down the hallway into a classroom; thankfully, it seems that we’re pushing them back a bit. I peak once again.
One
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Three
Three this time, their bodies make a wet smack as they hit the ground. I sprint to the adjacent class room to repeat the process.
One
Two
Three
My body feels like someone else is piloting it, I’m no longer me at this moment. I can hear the rest of the group pushing up as well, I’m close enough to see their faces, and I can see their fear?
One
Two
Three
I’m at the end of the hallway, on the right, it has a small hallway to lockers like the one we entered through. I began to break and make my way towards the last one, and before I round the corner, I hear them yell something to me.
"YOU’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE MY ALIVE, YOU FILTHY FUCKING PREDATOR, I’M NOT SOMEONE'S FUCKING DINNER!"
I ignore it, and round the corner, my thoughts are linear.
One
Two
..Three?
The squid person slumps over, all center-mass shots. What draws my attention is the grenade in each of his hands, no longer tied to his grip. I noticed their spoons beside his body; my reaction was delayed due to the tunnel vision. I attempt to retreat and yell for the rest of the group to take cover. Before I can fully round the corner, they detonate, sending me soaring in the air. I can feel the shrapnel enter my body. What do I do? Is this it?
My legs are in the air, and I need to control where I land. I can’t breathe; I can’t do anything. Am I going to die? I can hear Ellem yelling my name. I can hear Cilmora yelling for help; where's Alex?
Too many thoughts enter my head; I’m confused. Maybe if I try and turn this wa-
And then I land; my head impacts the tile with a sickening CRACK.
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submitted by startech416 to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]
Physically transcribed memory: Michael Perst, Civilian
Date [standardized human time]: October 26th, 2136
I stand silently with my group, noticing the light rain and chill in the air. I'm glad I bundled up, so I turn my attention to Cilmora and Ellem. They seem to be deep in conversation about their experience on earth and how beautiful it is, if only it were on better terms. I look over to Alexander; he seems to be talking to the group of UN soldiers that we’re attached to. He seems to be trying to tell some sort of joke to them; the corner of my mouth pulls into a smirk.
As it stands, our group of four is attached to a UN strike team solely based on the fact that we’ll be treading into territory that has confirmed sightings of multiple scattered federation escape pods. To top it off, there was a chance there could be a downed federation transport cruiser with even more federation troops on the Nebraska and Iowa border. I grimace at the thought, hoping that nothing escalates further.
I’m pulled from my thoughts, feeling someone tugging at the hem of my jacket. I instinctively snap my head to my right and lock my gaze onto the brightly colored venlil in my party before I can attempt to correct myself. Ellem’s reaction is almost instantaneous. Shrinking down on herself and flinching at my response, she begins to weakly punch out a response.
"T-transport is r-ready to leave, s-sorry I didn’t mean to do t-that to you!" An almost pleading tone is layered at the end of her sentence.
My expression softens, and I only glance at her. I still can’t shake that tense feeling from my mind since I’ve arrived here. I feel terrible for her, and to apologize for something so simple. I let out a sigh. "I’m the one who should be apologizing, Ellem; you did nothing wrong." I was just stuck in thought and lost track of time. I’m just jumpy, that's all." I gave a closed smile.
She calms down and nearly returns to her bubbly self. We idly chat as we make our way to the transport truck to make our way to the outskirts. I sit myself beside Cilmora, and Ellem takes a seat to my left. The truck begins its journey, and only the sound of the tires rippling across the fresh rainfall is heard. Ellem turns to me, and at the corner of my vision, it seems like she wants to ask a question but stops herself. She has an odd look on her face, but her tail seems restless.
I make sure not to look directly at her. "What's on your mind? It looked like you wanted to ask something." She looks up at me and says, "Yes, I wanted to ask what you were thinking about that gave you that look." A puzzled expression crosses my face, and I ask her what she means.
She fidgets a bit. "You were like that for [20 minutes] just standing still with this look; I finally had enough courage to look at your eyes. And it was as if you weren’t there; it was nerve-racking. You looked like a mannequin.."
Anxiety ricochets inside my chest, but I don't show it. Instead, I let out a laugh to play the entire thing off. "Yeah, you’d be right; I just get that look when I’m really thinking about things. Truth be told, I don’t have an explanation as to why; I just do." This seems to put her at ease; her tail is no longer sporadically fidgeting as it was. "What I was thinking about is pretty important, so I’ll tell you."
I explain this not only to Ellem but also to the rest of the crew. I was running before and after, hoping that this would be just a normal recovery effort. Overall, I’m just getting a bad feeling about it, and I hope no one gets hurt. "That's all I’ve been thinking about; just make sure you guys stick close and keep your vests on."
They all give off a nod, and before I can go back to sitting in silence, Cilmora speaks up. "I mean, with all these predators here, I feel pretty safe if anything were to happen." Some cheers from various UN soldiers on the transport sound out. "You know how to fight Michael, so I think we should be all good," Alexander says with a grin.
After a while, the truck stopped and allowed us all to disembark from it. From the looks of it, we’re in the rural offshoots of the city. Scanning the area, I see a couple of houses that lead into a small residential park, and across from that, I see a small school. We decided to split into two squads; the opposite squad will slowly go through the residential area and take the transport truck with them, while the squad I’m with will check the school and surrounding businesses. Before we head out, the squad leader in the group I’m with advises us all to make sure our communications are working. As a final check is made, we set out on the mission.
As we slowly made our way around the back of the school, I press-checked my rifle. Making sure everything is set and clear, I continue in the back of the group. Making sure that Ellem, Cilmora, and Alexander were sandwiched between the UN troops and myself. As we round another corner, the squad leader motions for us to stop. We all freeze and look over to what appears to be a soccer field, which appears to be an abandoned escape pod. From the UN troops reaction, I’d wager they’re federation in design.
With my suspicions confirmed, I take a ragged breath and carry my rifle at a low stance. The squad lead advises the other team of what they’ve found; they radio back and advise they’ll rendezvous back to assist. However, they say it could be a bit as they’ve already found civilians. They give the all-clear to move forward, and eventually we do. We begin to move again and make our way to a set of double doors, I can’t help but shake this odd smell. It almost smells like barbecue?
I instinctively shoulder my rifle and aim it towards the field and the escape pod, attempting to ignore the smell, only barely catching it when the wind blows at a certain angle. Scanning the field, I notice patches of what appears to be burnt grass adjacent to the crash site. Maybe something caught fire after the crash, and I noticed a rather large burnt patch. I turn the knob on my variable zoom scope, and I can see it more clearly, and I wish I hadn’t.
My heart hitches into my stomach, and my mouth becomes painfully dry as I begin to sweat. Before the group can enter, I yell in a hushed tone through gritted teeth, and the group freezes and looks back at me. I’m still staring, my eyes glued to the horrible sight in front of me. The body is burnt to a crisp, producing more carbon than human. Their lips and eyes curled in a frozen scream as the last thing they felt was being burned alive. The wind blew against me, and I got that smell again.
I quickly moved over to the squad leader. "There's a burnt corpse somewhat near the shuttle; it's human." I say it as calmly as I can, and his eyes lock onto mine as a shocked look spreads across. I wordlessly hand him my rifle and point to where he should look. He does so, and the same emotions I’m feeling flood over him. He silently hands me my rifle, advising everyone to stay together. He quickly radios into the other group and advises them that there are active exterminators on site.
At the mention of exterminators, the feeling of the room changed dramatically. Especially from Ellem and Cilmora, Ellem seemed uncomfortable with the idea that these exterminators were present. If they did that, then it’s only a matter of time before we run into them. Something that weighed on my mind was: what species in the Federation breathes fire?
We quickly moved into the school, making sure to stick close. We were in a side hallway that led to an ever-larger one with classrooms on each side. Papers and supplies were littered everywhere, along with abandoned book bags and more. Thankfully, it looks like everyone left in a hurry; however, there's no telling if anyone's been left behind. We begin to check the classrooms and search for any civilians.
As time passes, we check the last classroom in the hallway; everything seems to be normal, or as normal as an abandoned school can be. As soon as we’re about to exit the classroom, our radios beep to life as the other squad radios back. It sounds like the other team is being engaged as the sounds of gunfire and yelling can be heard. "Squad 2-2, this is Squad 2-1. Be advised we have engaged the enemy in the suburbs near the public pool break, be advised we are under heavy suppressive fire. The area is crawling with hostiles. Can you rendezvous to assist, over"
Just as the squad leader was about to key up a response, we all froze as we heard a group of muffled voices in the atrium down the hall. I looked at my group, and then to the soldiers, the squad leader hesitated for just a moment before keying up. "Negative, positive contact with the enemy; I repeat positive contact with the enemy, over."
I glance over to my group and say, "Stay here; we will call you when we need you. This is going to get dangerous, so we will let you know." Alex was about to say something before Cilmora cut them off. "What? We didn’t volunteer just to hide in a room when stuff goes bad; we’re coming with you!" she said just above a whisper. My eyes narrow towards her. "Fuckin aye, fine, just stick behind us when it kicks off." They all nod, and I turn my attention to the soldiers. We quickly formulate a plan, and that plan is to overwhelm and blindside them.
Quietly, we all shifted out of the room. The voices grow louder, stealing a peek at our mysterious friends. I glance over and see them. Most of them are wearing full body suits of some kind; three of them are those bird people; if I remember correctly, they’re Krakotls; and two of them look like squid people. I can’t seem to remember what they were called. It dawns on me that the weapons they have are flamethrowers. A shiver runs down my spine as my brain connects the dots.
I glance over at the soldiers, steel my nerves, and try to control my breathing. Everything I’ve done so far is coming to a point, popping up here even though I’m out of my element. I need to come out of this. There's so much in the world I haven’t seen or done; I don’t know why I’m here, but maybe it was to do something good.
One of the soldiers readies what looks like a flashbang; they pull the pin holding the handle before finally bending around the corner and tossing it as close as they can to the group. Even though we weren’t close to where it was thrown and we were behind cover, the resulting concussive force could be felt in our chest. And the sound that ripped through the corridors was matched. I silently thanked myself for my hearing protection as the squad leader gave us the signal.
The first thing I could see upon leaving our safe haven was how the federation troops were reeling from the flashbang. Completely disoriented, we took our chances to fire upon them. I sighted in on one of the krakotls that was fumbling with their flamethrower. I zero in on what I assume is a liquid canister.
One
Two
Three
Three rapid shots: two to the canister and one to their head Before they drop to the ground, the canister detonates, showering the group in a rain of fire. I site in the next two, it seems they neglected to grab their suits helmets; ear-piercing screeches from the group bounce off the tile.
One
Two
Three
Before the second bird could even ready their flamethrower at me, screaming and wailing as they attempted to put out the flame that encompassed their head, another rain of hellfire emitted from the blast. Physically feeling the warmth that was emitted from the fireball fueled me to continue. I focus my efforts on one of the squid people.
One
Two
Three
Two positive center mass shots, with one clipping what would be considered their dome, the UN troops finishing off the rest. As I’m about to say something, the fire sprinklers rupture, causing the alarm to sound. It seems the flamer shots were a tad too messy, I’m about to say something to the rest of the group, but I’m cut off.
An arc of energy crashes above me, missing its shot. I quickly look down an opposite hallway and see federation troops; thankfully, none of them appear to have flamethrowers. The squad leader yells a command to take cover. I slam my shoulder into a corner edge, giving me an optimal view of the threat down the hallway. Different shades of energy race down the hallway, slamming into walls and edges. I quickly peeked out.
One
Two
Three
More have arrived; is this the ship that was mentioned?
One
Two
Three
I hear a yelp of pain emit from behind me. I quickly regain cover and look back to see that Cilmora was hit; thankfully, it looks like it barely clipped her. A rich blue color drips from her leg. "Are you okay?" Behind her cover, I can see her nod through gritted teeth, and Ellem immediately begins to treat her. Rage begins to boil inside of my chest. These were the first people to introduce me back into the world, ones that I could call friends. My hands tighten around my rifle, and my breathing becomes sharper as things feel like they’ve slowed down. I peek from my cover.
One
Two
Three
Two are down, center mass through and through.
I break cover and race down the hallway into a classroom; thankfully, it seems that we’re pushing them back a bit. I peak once again.
One
Two
Three
Three this time, their bodies make a wet smack as they hit the ground. I sprint to the adjacent class room to repeat the process.
One
Two
Three
My body feels like someone else is piloting it, I’m no longer me at this moment. I can hear the rest of the group pushing up as well, I’m close enough to see their faces, and I can see their fear?
One
Two
Three
I’m at the end of the hallway, on the right, it has a small hallway to lockers like the one we entered through. I began to break and make my way towards the last one, and before I round the corner, I hear them yell something to me.
"YOU’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE MY ALIVE, YOU FILTHY FUCKING PREDATOR, I’M NOT SOMEONE'S FUCKING DINNER!"
I ignore it, and round the corner, my thoughts are linear.
One
Two
..Three?
The squid person slumps over, all center-mass shots. What draws my attention is the grenade in each of his hands, no longer tied to his grip. I noticed their spoons beside his body; my reaction was delayed due to the tunnel vision. I attempt to retreat and yell for the rest of the group to take cover. Before I can fully round the corner, they detonate, sending me soaring in the air. I can feel the shrapnel enter my body. What do I do? Is this it?
My legs are in the air, and I need to control where I land. I can’t breathe; I can’t do anything. Am I going to die? I can hear Ellem yelling my name. I can hear Cilmora yelling for help; where's Alex?
Too many thoughts enter my head; I’m confused. Maybe if I try and turn this wa-
And then I land; my head impacts the tile with a sickening CRACK.
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2023.05.31 00:06 jvonm Resume input? I know it's not great, that's why I'm asking
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2023.05.31 00:05 tlp500 Alyssa farah griffin
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2023.05.30 23:33 ctesni9271 Elgin is even busier than before!
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2023.05.30 23:12 D1-HATER [HAUL] 9.7KG Haul To California
![[HAUL] 9.7KG Haul To California](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/9Y1zYbmxKrmxbVpS41WSYZ8JORQEB2Ba1NV4YyPKbgU.jpg "[HAUL] 9.7KG Haul To California") | submitted by D1-HATER to Pandabuy [link] [comments] |
2023.05.30 23:06 Lonely_white_queen The bloody ghost
There is no chance we could have prepared for this, the Winged Empire has found something AGAIN we hadn't planned for, and now as we are slowly picked off all I want to do is punch my commander in the face.
This entire debacle started about two months ago now. I was leading the spearhead into the enemy lines, and for months before we had been pushing them back easily.We thought within another year we would have humanity off that planet. It might take a century to crush the Winged Empire and another to destroy the remnants, but we would win.
That was till I retrieved the report that ended it all. Our flack and anti-air teams had been strong for months, even with how mobile the enemy's aircraft was, but our adaptation of their anti-air systems made them easier to kill. Then our anti-air teams suddenly came across a target they found impossible to kill.
The aircraft moved without reason, no pilot could ever control it, it moved more like a bird than a plane, its wings moved independently, each metallic surface bending like flesh. Yet it clearly wasn't, it flew over our gun emplacement at Mach speeds dropping bombs and firing missiles, yet from the reports something was wrong. I refused to believe it till I saw it but I couldn't go to our anti-air lines as I was needed in the front.
Although my lead of the campaign quickly came to an end, our anti-airlines had been thoroughly dismantled and our resupply was stopped by this one aircraft that had quickly been joined by many of its kind.
It was on our final push attempting to gain new fronts in the enemy lines when I first saw the beast.
The first thing to happen was the enemy lines fell quiet as we charged into their trenches only to find they were empty. Along the trench walls, falls guns were set up and every gun had a crude system set up where a weight filled with water would slowly pull on the trigger till it fired.
As we walked through the trenches trying to find any intel we could send back to base.
It's then we heard the beast for the first time. I came running out of the trench to the sound of something crashing in the center of no-man's land, only to see a ghostly white creature standing there. I wasn't instantly proven my men were not wrong, it was colossal about twice the size of a normal human aircraft but supported itself on several small spindly feet. Four were on the end of what I assume were its wings while another two were at the end of its tail on long thin legs.
The creature looked at us with curiosity. I couldn't see its eyes as it was clearly an aircraft originally I assumed they were behind the windshield while two colossal engines came out of its body ahead of its tail legs.
Slowly I clambered up onto the top of the trench and walked towards it holding out my hand trying to calm the creature. My men instantly started to call it the blood ghost, I had no idea why they called it that the only part that made sense was the ghost part as the entire creature was white except the tip of the engines and the frame of the windshield.
As I drew closer the creature opened its mouth, I suddenly understood why my men had called it the blood ghost. As it shifted its wings opened showing blood-red threads of skin and the inside of its mouth was entirely red.
“Do not treat me like a mindless beast foe of my masters. Why do you fight, warriors of the false empire.” I recoiled in fear and surprise as the beast spoke in perfect Terran standard.
“Y-you can talk?” For a moment the beast seemed to think about whether it should speak or not. “Answer my question alien, your answer will determine if you live or die.”
I stood for a moment thinking of an answer and only came up with one. “I fight because those are my orders, if I do not my family and I will be punished.”
The beast reared up on its hind legs. “Such a pathetic reason, you hold no ideals of your own, you only fight for your own desire, I always question my master's orders but I see the dragon empress was right. So as the monarch of the Aerodargon, I will put the mindless animals down.”
I froze up as the beast lunged at me biting down on my arm, it lifted me up into the air as with many smaller arms I hadn't seen before reached into the equivalent of a bomb bay in its stomach and removed several missiles.
It finally bit down on my arm fully and tossed me away like a ragdoll into the trenches as it began to toss the missiles at my men like javelins, as along its nose on the left side a section of its skin peeled back with a metallic clink before the sound of a rotary cannon spinning up was heard and bullets began to fly from it.
Several of my men instantly started to fire back, our plasma rounds bouncing off its skin or simply sizzling away.
As my soldiers quickly fell they started to run from the fighting, a few of them grabbed me as I bled out and dragged me into the tree line to escape.
As we vanished into the trees, the beast relaxed and watched us as we left, as if it was stalking its prey. “I've hunted prey much deadlier than you on Earth, and an Aerodargon never forgets its prey.”
We hoped the beast was bluffing, no animal could hunt its prey as far as we ran, as I and my men healed our wounds we found a disturbing truth, many of my men who were struck by bullets found that the bullets we pulled out were actually teeth, about 20 cm long and 5 wide they were colossal but nowhere near as large as the ones in its jaw.
As we stayed hidden in the woods we knew our assault had collapsed as we watched our starships fall from the sky. So we devised a plan, there was a logistics point within a nearby city that we should be able to call a rescue ship. But we had to split into small groups to avoid that beast and military patrols.
Slowly we made our way to the city, over the weeks-long march we lost many men, by the time we had started with 80 men, and by the time we got to the supply point, there were only 30 of us remaining.
We did our best to get in contact with our forces, as one by one we were picked off by snippers, but every time we tried to get through our communication either were blocked or just couldn't find their target as our fleet slowly was pushed further back, our failure on this world had created a domino of failures.
We had no options further except to surrender or fight our way out, and neither was possible with our orders, but the beast's question to my surprise sat in the back of my mind.
With no way out we decided to take the honorable exit, one by one my men took their own lives disintegrating their bodies with their plasma pistols till I was the last one left.
I stood for a moment between the piles of ashes, looking up into the buildings I could see maybe a hundred glints of snipper scopes.
But as I was ready to take my own life I heard it again, the engines of that beast getting louder before it shot over me, a white and red streak shot through the air circling the courtyard I was standing in before it came to land on a skyscraper its many claws digging into the steel frame causing tonnes of rubble to fall to the streets below.
Again I found myself enthralled as I watched the beast change from the rigid perfectly shaped form of an ancient Terran aircraft to the beast, hundreds of blood-red tendrils stretched between the wings that formed its arms and the main body.
In a display of power, the beast clambered up the tower till it was at its peak and just looked at me. It didn't smile, laugh, grin or anything, it didn't attack or move, it just sat clinging to the tower breathing as it looked at me.
In anger I brought my pistol up to the beast ready to fire on it but before I could several sniper shots all at once pierced my head.
—------------------------------------------------------
As the body fell to the ground the Aerodargon jumped from the building landing on the street below tossing up dust. Its white body emerged from the dust cloud as one of the snipers came out from the buildings.
For the moment the Areodargon stood in front of the body before leaning down and biting on his feet, tossing his body into the air and opening its jaw letting the body fall into its maw swallowing it whole.
Slowly the snipper walked up to the Aerodargon and ran their hand along its cold skin. “You ident take too long to think of eating that one Arolan. Something different?”
Arolan snapped his head around defensively bearing his teeth, caught off Garud by the snipper as he had been so indulged in eating the body. As soon as he realized who was there, he relaxed as he stood up on his legs to their full height.
“This man had no soul, he was nothing more than a robot taking orders so I treat him as such.”
“Hummm, we're lucky to have your kind on our side.”
“I am not loyal to your kind, Tailon. I am loyal to my makers, I am loyal to you only as long as you are loyal to humanity. Do not take my peace with you as loyalty, I would consume you just as readily.”
Tailon walked around in front of Arolan tossing her rifle over her back. “Yes, but I am loyal to humanity, I was born under the winged empire's wing, I would die before going back to the curse my parents saw under the first empire.”
Arolan looked down at her for a moment before chuckling. “You are the only one to speak to me so brashly Tailon, your strong soul is why I indulge you so willingly, now, let us return to the enterprise before we are left on this barren rock for the rest of the war.”
Hopping into the air the twin engines that were a part of Arolan’s body burst into life sending a warm gust of air across the land as he shot into the air leaving Tailon behind for her to walk over to a transport truck the other snippers were clambering into.
submitted by Lonely_white_queen to HFY [link] [comments]
This entire debacle started about two months ago now. I was leading the spearhead into the enemy lines, and for months before we had been pushing them back easily.We thought within another year we would have humanity off that planet. It might take a century to crush the Winged Empire and another to destroy the remnants, but we would win.
That was till I retrieved the report that ended it all. Our flack and anti-air teams had been strong for months, even with how mobile the enemy's aircraft was, but our adaptation of their anti-air systems made them easier to kill. Then our anti-air teams suddenly came across a target they found impossible to kill.
The aircraft moved without reason, no pilot could ever control it, it moved more like a bird than a plane, its wings moved independently, each metallic surface bending like flesh. Yet it clearly wasn't, it flew over our gun emplacement at Mach speeds dropping bombs and firing missiles, yet from the reports something was wrong. I refused to believe it till I saw it but I couldn't go to our anti-air lines as I was needed in the front.
Although my lead of the campaign quickly came to an end, our anti-airlines had been thoroughly dismantled and our resupply was stopped by this one aircraft that had quickly been joined by many of its kind.
It was on our final push attempting to gain new fronts in the enemy lines when I first saw the beast.
The first thing to happen was the enemy lines fell quiet as we charged into their trenches only to find they were empty. Along the trench walls, falls guns were set up and every gun had a crude system set up where a weight filled with water would slowly pull on the trigger till it fired.
As we walked through the trenches trying to find any intel we could send back to base.
It's then we heard the beast for the first time. I came running out of the trench to the sound of something crashing in the center of no-man's land, only to see a ghostly white creature standing there. I wasn't instantly proven my men were not wrong, it was colossal about twice the size of a normal human aircraft but supported itself on several small spindly feet. Four were on the end of what I assume were its wings while another two were at the end of its tail on long thin legs.
The creature looked at us with curiosity. I couldn't see its eyes as it was clearly an aircraft originally I assumed they were behind the windshield while two colossal engines came out of its body ahead of its tail legs.
Slowly I clambered up onto the top of the trench and walked towards it holding out my hand trying to calm the creature. My men instantly started to call it the blood ghost, I had no idea why they called it that the only part that made sense was the ghost part as the entire creature was white except the tip of the engines and the frame of the windshield.
As I drew closer the creature opened its mouth, I suddenly understood why my men had called it the blood ghost. As it shifted its wings opened showing blood-red threads of skin and the inside of its mouth was entirely red.
“Do not treat me like a mindless beast foe of my masters. Why do you fight, warriors of the false empire.” I recoiled in fear and surprise as the beast spoke in perfect Terran standard.
“Y-you can talk?” For a moment the beast seemed to think about whether it should speak or not. “Answer my question alien, your answer will determine if you live or die.”
I stood for a moment thinking of an answer and only came up with one. “I fight because those are my orders, if I do not my family and I will be punished.”
The beast reared up on its hind legs. “Such a pathetic reason, you hold no ideals of your own, you only fight for your own desire, I always question my master's orders but I see the dragon empress was right. So as the monarch of the Aerodargon, I will put the mindless animals down.”
I froze up as the beast lunged at me biting down on my arm, it lifted me up into the air as with many smaller arms I hadn't seen before reached into the equivalent of a bomb bay in its stomach and removed several missiles.
It finally bit down on my arm fully and tossed me away like a ragdoll into the trenches as it began to toss the missiles at my men like javelins, as along its nose on the left side a section of its skin peeled back with a metallic clink before the sound of a rotary cannon spinning up was heard and bullets began to fly from it.
Several of my men instantly started to fire back, our plasma rounds bouncing off its skin or simply sizzling away.
As my soldiers quickly fell they started to run from the fighting, a few of them grabbed me as I bled out and dragged me into the tree line to escape.
As we vanished into the trees, the beast relaxed and watched us as we left, as if it was stalking its prey. “I've hunted prey much deadlier than you on Earth, and an Aerodargon never forgets its prey.”
We hoped the beast was bluffing, no animal could hunt its prey as far as we ran, as I and my men healed our wounds we found a disturbing truth, many of my men who were struck by bullets found that the bullets we pulled out were actually teeth, about 20 cm long and 5 wide they were colossal but nowhere near as large as the ones in its jaw.
As we stayed hidden in the woods we knew our assault had collapsed as we watched our starships fall from the sky. So we devised a plan, there was a logistics point within a nearby city that we should be able to call a rescue ship. But we had to split into small groups to avoid that beast and military patrols.
Slowly we made our way to the city, over the weeks-long march we lost many men, by the time we had started with 80 men, and by the time we got to the supply point, there were only 30 of us remaining.
We did our best to get in contact with our forces, as one by one we were picked off by snippers, but every time we tried to get through our communication either were blocked or just couldn't find their target as our fleet slowly was pushed further back, our failure on this world had created a domino of failures.
We had no options further except to surrender or fight our way out, and neither was possible with our orders, but the beast's question to my surprise sat in the back of my mind.
With no way out we decided to take the honorable exit, one by one my men took their own lives disintegrating their bodies with their plasma pistols till I was the last one left.
I stood for a moment between the piles of ashes, looking up into the buildings I could see maybe a hundred glints of snipper scopes.
But as I was ready to take my own life I heard it again, the engines of that beast getting louder before it shot over me, a white and red streak shot through the air circling the courtyard I was standing in before it came to land on a skyscraper its many claws digging into the steel frame causing tonnes of rubble to fall to the streets below.
Again I found myself enthralled as I watched the beast change from the rigid perfectly shaped form of an ancient Terran aircraft to the beast, hundreds of blood-red tendrils stretched between the wings that formed its arms and the main body.
In a display of power, the beast clambered up the tower till it was at its peak and just looked at me. It didn't smile, laugh, grin or anything, it didn't attack or move, it just sat clinging to the tower breathing as it looked at me.
In anger I brought my pistol up to the beast ready to fire on it but before I could several sniper shots all at once pierced my head.
—------------------------------------------------------
As the body fell to the ground the Aerodargon jumped from the building landing on the street below tossing up dust. Its white body emerged from the dust cloud as one of the snipers came out from the buildings.
For the moment the Areodargon stood in front of the body before leaning down and biting on his feet, tossing his body into the air and opening its jaw letting the body fall into its maw swallowing it whole.
Slowly the snipper walked up to the Aerodargon and ran their hand along its cold skin. “You ident take too long to think of eating that one Arolan. Something different?”
Arolan snapped his head around defensively bearing his teeth, caught off Garud by the snipper as he had been so indulged in eating the body. As soon as he realized who was there, he relaxed as he stood up on his legs to their full height.
“This man had no soul, he was nothing more than a robot taking orders so I treat him as such.”
“Hummm, we're lucky to have your kind on our side.”
“I am not loyal to your kind, Tailon. I am loyal to my makers, I am loyal to you only as long as you are loyal to humanity. Do not take my peace with you as loyalty, I would consume you just as readily.”
Tailon walked around in front of Arolan tossing her rifle over her back. “Yes, but I am loyal to humanity, I was born under the winged empire's wing, I would die before going back to the curse my parents saw under the first empire.”
Arolan looked down at her for a moment before chuckling. “You are the only one to speak to me so brashly Tailon, your strong soul is why I indulge you so willingly, now, let us return to the enterprise before we are left on this barren rock for the rest of the war.”
Hopping into the air the twin engines that were a part of Arolan’s body burst into life sending a warm gust of air across the land as he shot into the air leaving Tailon behind for her to walk over to a transport truck the other snippers were clambering into.
2023.05.30 22:57 surprise_banana The Air Force should give you the option to stay at a base until retirement.
If you’ve been stationed somewhere for 13-16 years and you’re settled, the Air Force should give you the option to stay there til retirement.
Nothing mandatory, but an option. Like a program to say “yeah, I’m settled.” And they can check manning and see if you fit. Most likely if you’re a tech or master there’s others in the same shoe who can move, and most likely, wants to. I’m pushing 14 and a half years at the same base and I wouldn’t want to PCS at this point. I’m settled, and pretty rooted here.
submitted by surprise_banana to AirForce [link] [comments]
Nothing mandatory, but an option. Like a program to say “yeah, I’m settled.” And they can check manning and see if you fit. Most likely if you’re a tech or master there’s others in the same shoe who can move, and most likely, wants to. I’m pushing 14 and a half years at the same base and I wouldn’t want to PCS at this point. I’m settled, and pretty rooted here.
- it would give a knowledgeable SME for the Aircraft or equipment (maintainer), process/Limfac/shortfalls for admin, or infrastructure for CE.
- it would reduce thrash for families who are well founded in a school system and members who are active in the community.
- it would set members up better for retirement if they already own a home. (For those not interested in renting)
- as unfortunate as it is, a SNCO who PCS’s to a new base only to ride out the three remaining years sometimes won’t do much to look out for people because they’re just counting the days.
2023.05.30 22:51 Archives-H I volunteered for an expedition to get off death row. I never should have entered the Sea of Green.
Before I begin my story I must maintain that my sentence to death was a wrong and vile thing to do. I maintain that I am not a killer. I did not kill the schoolchildren the authorities decided to hang me for.
My sentence to death, I must maintain, is a huge misunderstanding. There must be forces out there against me, who conspired to put me in prison for this very experiment, this accursed expedition.
I am not deranged. I am not insane.
The man in the odd multicolored sweater paid me a visit a week before my scheduled execution date. “You are the former schoolteacher Chet Adami?” he asked, polite, offering me a plastic cup of coffee.
I nodded, taking a sip. “I didn’t kill those kids,” I reiterated, for about the thousandth time. “Are you the uh, priest guy? That comes before-”
He shook his head and waved away the guards. “My name is Canopy Hydrangea,” he introduced, extending a hand. I shook it. “I understand you may not be guilty, despite what the state believes.”
I nodded. “Finally, someone who-”
He cut me off. “I’m not interested in your story. Whether you die or not is of no consequence to the people I represent,” he continued. “But I am here to offer you a deal. There’s a place the people I represent need exploring, and I need volunteers.”
He produced a sheet of paper and a pen. “This agreement,” he clasped it into my hands, “has you join a team of expendable, uh, volunteers such as yourself on this expedition. You get in, get the things we need, and get out- and you’re free for life.”
This was better than dying in prison.
I asked him what place this was that I’d be sent to. He told me I had to sign the form first. “I’ll do it, then,” I cheered, signing the document.
He smiled and patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll even give you a whole new identity,” he offered. And with that, he seized the document away from me and left the building.
Within hours I was blindfolded, sedated, and transported. When I awoke I was strapped to a bed in a helicopter, with four others beside me, all beginning to wake up.
The man who’d offered me the deal was there too, sucking on a lollipop while rearranging documents and photographs.
These images, I assumed, was the place they wanted us to explore. They were mostly all aerial photos, a sea of endless green and the occasional bird. And yet, there was more- images of impossible landscapes, dreamlike beings.
“Ah, you guys are awake!” he clapped once, and walked over.
The next few moments were a flash as he re-injected us with some sort of blue, wriggling substance. It was cold, and I swear it pulsed inside my arm.
Then we had landed, and the group was quickly taken inside a compound. We were freed and sat down in some sort of meeting room. More people were inside.
A blue haired lady joined the man.
“Welcome, volunteers,” he announced, pointing to a projector. “You are all, save for one, prisoners on death row,” he reminded. “This offer today is simple- you enter the forest, travel to an outpost we have recently lost contact with,” he turned on the projector, displayed a bright red cylinder labeled ‘SYSTEM RECORDER-A32’, “and recover this data module.”
The woman spoke next. “Easy, right?” she counted us. “We’ll provide maps,” she gestured to tablets. “But this forest is different.”
They proceeded to explain the reason they need ‘volunteers’ for the assignment then.
We were on an island somewhere in the Java Sea. The island had a massive forest in the center, one that at first glance seemed as normal as ever. This changed when an international mining company sent in a team of geologists to determine if there was anything of note beyond the forest.
This team never returned.
Nor did a second team, armed with weapons. Or an environmentalist group that ventured in to document new species. So then the organization our recruiters had come from entered the forest.
We were on the outskirts of the forest, at a place they were calling Ake Base.
Over the past month, they had begun to map the forest and determine why so many hadn’t returned. The reason was illogical- the forest was bigger than the island itself.
Drones that ventured in should have come out the other side- yet remained inside the forest, encountering bizarre phenomena and creatures undocumented.
Every so often, the forest would slope downwards, revealing a new layer with new and distinct ecosystems.
“Recently though,” Canopy concluded, “we’ve lost contact with several outposts in the third layer to eighth layers.” He changed the slide to one of the lost outposts, standing alone amidst a vibrant, alien forest. “You enter the forest, get to your team’s assigned outpost, get back out with the data and you’ll be set for life.”
“Does anyone choose to rescind their agreement?” the woman asked. “It’s either death, or this, and frankly, your chances here aren’t that better.”
There were some who raised their hands. “Hell no!” a man shouted. “I’m goin’ back to life!” The woman had them taken away. We heard gunfire outdoors. No life row for him.
Whoever they were- they were serious about this.
They started to call out names and assign teams.
My team, was small, four of us. There was a mercenary named Leo who kept talking about the food the organization had brought us. He seemed pleasant, charismatic, and I almost forgot he was a criminal.
There was a scientist called Anya who, as she joked, was ‘serving infinite life sentences’ for crimes against humanity. She was given the codes and a booklet of things to watch out for in what they called the ‘Sea of Green’.
Then there was Gail. She was quieter than the three of us, and had an almost eerie vibe to her. She didn’t tell us what she’d done to get here, but she was there nonetheless.
Thankfully, we were given the closest- and safest outpost. A little place in Layer Three, marked by the map as only a few hours walk away.
We set off the next day.
The forest, in the beginning, seemed to almost invite us in. The birds chirped and danced, unafraid of mankind. We even fed them the nuts we’d been given as breakfast rations, which they seemed to enjoy.
About an hour in, things changed. The light from the sun barely pierced the canopy, and at times, we had to utilize our flashlights to see what was in front of us. Leo took the lead, hacking away at the branch and vine in front of us.
The forest was starting to look like a jungle- and yet, as we traversed it never seemed to choose which one it wanted to be.
“Wait!” Anya hissed, as we crossed a stream that seemed oddly familiar. She read from the booklet, then to the map on tablets we’d been given. “We’ve made a circle.”
Leo shook his head. “That’s impossible,” he insisted. “I don’t remember turning.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, catching up from behind.
Anya shared the booklet. “It’s one first phenomena researchers encounter,” she explained. “This place plays tricks on us- we need to follow the stream.”
“But then,” Gail pointed out, “we’d be going in the wrong direction.”
“Trust the book,” Anya concluded. We followed the stream then, and the path started to grow denser, as if the forest hated us for traveling further. But the path was right, and the forest changed as we journeyed.
An hour later the forest had changed. It had sloped downwards a bit, inviting us to the second layer of the maze. The trees seemed higher, and the light was now gone completely.
This was when we started to hear it. Click-click.
“What was that?” I asked, turning. Click-click.
Anya rushed through the book. “It’s not documented.”
Click-click. And then we saw lights in the distance, lights that as we continued walking, were revealed to us as bulbous fruit on the trees that glowed an eerie electric blue.
Click-click. “You sure it’s not in that book?” Leo questioned, switching his machete out for a gun. Click-click.
The clicks were getting louder, each one sending a jolt of uneasy fear down my spine. We moved closer together now, fearing the unknown that were in these- A bush in front of us rustled. Leo aimed his weapon.
A deer- no, something like a deer popped out, gently squawking. It was… wrong in every sense, but it seemed more occupied in chewing a flower than us.
The small creature had the antlers of a deer, yes, but it also had the face of an old man. Not to mention six fists full of thumbs at the end of its legs. It inspected a glowing fruit with it’s odd thumbs.
“Ew,” Gail commented, disgusted. “What the hell is that?”
Anya didn’t have time to look for answers before a black, insectine limp shot out of one of the bulbous fruits and impaled the deer-thing. It screamed an all too human scream and struggled.
We backed away- and by then, the noise was overwhelming. Click-clickClick-clickClick-clickClickclickClickclickClick-clickClick-click. They erupted from every single one of the bulbous fruits, and things began to pour out of them.
The limbs, see, were attached to a head. The a simple sphere that opened into buzzsaws of teeth that grotesquely clicked as they opened. The face-deer only screamed as the clicking creatures devoured it.
“Run!” Leo reminded, shooting as some started to near us. “Run!”
That shook us out, and we ran, terror in our very veins. They seemed more interested in the fallen deer than us- but we still ran until we could no longer.
Actually, it was until I fell off and entered the third layer.
A weight appeared on my chest and I fought it off, thinking I was about to die- but the soft, furry creature atop me jumped off. It wasn’t one of the clicking monsters.
And then I realized the third layer was bright. The trees themselves were glowing now, not the insect fruits of before. And there were a whole host of new, bizarre creatures.
The thing I’d pushed off was some sort of rabbit, covered in glowing blue stripes. If layer two had been a forest of darkness this was it’s very opposite.
In the skies there were ribbons of glowing creatures- thin kites on an unseen wind. The trees were alive with all sorts of furried friends, darting here and there and eating odd colored berries that didn’t seem real.
Anya pointed and spoke, “Look!” It was the outpost, in ruins.
“But what attacked it?” Gail murmured, as we walked over.
We entered through a hole in the wall. The place was oddly peaceful, calming, now home to bioluminescent little ants that dotted the place. Occasionally, one or two of the face-deer would appear, licking the dots up with twin tongues that emerged from it’s too-human face.
“Cute,” Leo joked, picking one up and stroking it. It screamed back at him, chilling and he dropped it. “Never doing that again.”
The place was… too peaceful. And- “what happened to their bodies?” I posited. “If they were attacked- where’s their blood? Their corpses?”
Anya shrugged. “It is odd- perhaps they got devoured.” She gestured to the many oddities around us. “But you’re right, there should be bones, at least.”
This was when we heard the screaming. And all of a sudden every single creature retreated away, disappearing from view, save for the tiny ants inside with us. The screaming was a cacophony of voices, realer than the ones we’d heard from the face-deer.
“I think we need to go,” Leo whispered, holding out the red ‘data module’ in his hands. “Now.”
The screaming got ever closer, and the trees in front of the outpost, beyond a window, started to shake. “I concur.”
We were backing away when we heard the squelching of something loud and heavy. Turning around, we saw the screaming creature we’d heard. It was massive, fleshy, and filled with tiny gaping holes, some filled with eyes, all rising, breathing as one.
I nearly threw up. But that was for a different reason.
The holes were one thing. But the screaming, severed bodies of dozens of people attached the the eye-full monster was another. They screamed and screamed, their bodies unneatly joined and sown into the creature.
It sniffed the air and walked over to the glass, looking in as we hid. “What is it?” I squealed. “What the hell is that?”
The face of a victim in military clothes appeared at the window, screaming, face slowly popping, skin repairing and being digested all at once. Anya flipped through the pages. “They called it a Fleshweave. It absorbs bodies and eats them that way.”
That would explain the lack of bodies we’d seen.
The window shattered- and the thing began to force itself on it, flesh turning to churned cylinders through the window. The bodies, crushed further, screamed some more.
So we ran as the beasts fell into the room with a plop. And despite it’s heavy, gluttonous form it charged forwards, faster than it looked.
Out the outpost we went. I felt a meaty hand hit me and then I fell. It stalked towards me, but a gunshot from Leo burst it’s pus-ridden hand, covered my in grotesque, viscous liquid.
I picked myself up and ran from the screaming thing, up the steep slope and climbing onto the second layer.
I fell again, but Anya caught me, helping me up.
Leo did the same for Gail- but she slipped and fell back into the third layer. The thing approached her, all of it’s pulsing eyes upon her. “Help me!” she bellowed. “Don’t leave me-”
Leo prepared to jump down- but it was too late. The Fleshweave simply picked her up and it opened it’s skin, forging her into her body- er, her top half,- it severed the rest.
“Go!” I snapped, dragging the mercenary to action. The creature behind us lifted itself onto the dark forest and continued to follow.
Gail, merged with the other unfortunate bodies, screamed. I almost stopped in terror from the sound, but flight-or-fight forced me to continue.
Click-click. We found ourselves back in the center of the abode with the insect fruit. And the insects were clearly attracted to the stench of decay the monster emanated. Limbs emerged, and the face-beetles jumped up and swarmed the creatures.
I don't know if the creature was killed by it. I only remember Gail’s face as the insects started to pick her body- and so many others like her- apart.
The way out seemed harder than going in, but we made it. We survived. We reached the outpost and handed our data module to the man who’d offered us the deal. “Impressive,” he congratulated. “You’re the first team back.”
“I want out now,” I panted. “Back to real life.”
He patted me on the shoulder and gave me a sad smile. “According to the world you’ve already died by suicide in your cell,” he informed. “See, there’s a way the people I work for have operated so cleanly for the past few centuries.” He paused and took a step back. “We can’t afford loose ends, see, and you’ve shown us you have the guts to survive Bandai La- er, the Sea of Green.”
I took a step back, panicking. “What do you mean?”
He sighed. “We can’t give you a new life and risk exposing our operation here,” he explained. “And we still need ah, expendable people to lead us to whatever’s in the center of the island.” He handed me a can of soda. “Welcome to your new life. The Company really values your dedication as a treasured employee.”
But I don’t want this. I was promised freedom. And they can’t keep me from exposing them- I’ve typed this up and Anya did something to the tablet so I can receive and post things online.
I’m not sure if this’ll work. But if it is: I’m on an island somewhere in the Java Sea. There’s a forest that goes on forever and I’m being held as some sort of explorer by some Company.
Find me. Before I die.
submitted by Archives-H to nosleep [link] [comments]
My sentence to death, I must maintain, is a huge misunderstanding. There must be forces out there against me, who conspired to put me in prison for this very experiment, this accursed expedition.
I am not deranged. I am not insane.
The man in the odd multicolored sweater paid me a visit a week before my scheduled execution date. “You are the former schoolteacher Chet Adami?” he asked, polite, offering me a plastic cup of coffee.
I nodded, taking a sip. “I didn’t kill those kids,” I reiterated, for about the thousandth time. “Are you the uh, priest guy? That comes before-”
He shook his head and waved away the guards. “My name is Canopy Hydrangea,” he introduced, extending a hand. I shook it. “I understand you may not be guilty, despite what the state believes.”
I nodded. “Finally, someone who-”
He cut me off. “I’m not interested in your story. Whether you die or not is of no consequence to the people I represent,” he continued. “But I am here to offer you a deal. There’s a place the people I represent need exploring, and I need volunteers.”
He produced a sheet of paper and a pen. “This agreement,” he clasped it into my hands, “has you join a team of expendable, uh, volunteers such as yourself on this expedition. You get in, get the things we need, and get out- and you’re free for life.”
This was better than dying in prison.
I asked him what place this was that I’d be sent to. He told me I had to sign the form first. “I’ll do it, then,” I cheered, signing the document.
He smiled and patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll even give you a whole new identity,” he offered. And with that, he seized the document away from me and left the building.
Within hours I was blindfolded, sedated, and transported. When I awoke I was strapped to a bed in a helicopter, with four others beside me, all beginning to wake up.
The man who’d offered me the deal was there too, sucking on a lollipop while rearranging documents and photographs.
These images, I assumed, was the place they wanted us to explore. They were mostly all aerial photos, a sea of endless green and the occasional bird. And yet, there was more- images of impossible landscapes, dreamlike beings.
“Ah, you guys are awake!” he clapped once, and walked over.
The next few moments were a flash as he re-injected us with some sort of blue, wriggling substance. It was cold, and I swear it pulsed inside my arm.
Then we had landed, and the group was quickly taken inside a compound. We were freed and sat down in some sort of meeting room. More people were inside.
A blue haired lady joined the man.
“Welcome, volunteers,” he announced, pointing to a projector. “You are all, save for one, prisoners on death row,” he reminded. “This offer today is simple- you enter the forest, travel to an outpost we have recently lost contact with,” he turned on the projector, displayed a bright red cylinder labeled ‘SYSTEM RECORDER-A32’, “and recover this data module.”
The woman spoke next. “Easy, right?” she counted us. “We’ll provide maps,” she gestured to tablets. “But this forest is different.”
They proceeded to explain the reason they need ‘volunteers’ for the assignment then.
We were on an island somewhere in the Java Sea. The island had a massive forest in the center, one that at first glance seemed as normal as ever. This changed when an international mining company sent in a team of geologists to determine if there was anything of note beyond the forest.
This team never returned.
Nor did a second team, armed with weapons. Or an environmentalist group that ventured in to document new species. So then the organization our recruiters had come from entered the forest.
We were on the outskirts of the forest, at a place they were calling Ake Base.
Over the past month, they had begun to map the forest and determine why so many hadn’t returned. The reason was illogical- the forest was bigger than the island itself.
Drones that ventured in should have come out the other side- yet remained inside the forest, encountering bizarre phenomena and creatures undocumented.
Every so often, the forest would slope downwards, revealing a new layer with new and distinct ecosystems.
“Recently though,” Canopy concluded, “we’ve lost contact with several outposts in the third layer to eighth layers.” He changed the slide to one of the lost outposts, standing alone amidst a vibrant, alien forest. “You enter the forest, get to your team’s assigned outpost, get back out with the data and you’ll be set for life.”
“Does anyone choose to rescind their agreement?” the woman asked. “It’s either death, or this, and frankly, your chances here aren’t that better.”
There were some who raised their hands. “Hell no!” a man shouted. “I’m goin’ back to life!” The woman had them taken away. We heard gunfire outdoors. No life row for him.
Whoever they were- they were serious about this.
They started to call out names and assign teams.
My team, was small, four of us. There was a mercenary named Leo who kept talking about the food the organization had brought us. He seemed pleasant, charismatic, and I almost forgot he was a criminal.
There was a scientist called Anya who, as she joked, was ‘serving infinite life sentences’ for crimes against humanity. She was given the codes and a booklet of things to watch out for in what they called the ‘Sea of Green’.
Then there was Gail. She was quieter than the three of us, and had an almost eerie vibe to her. She didn’t tell us what she’d done to get here, but she was there nonetheless.
Thankfully, we were given the closest- and safest outpost. A little place in Layer Three, marked by the map as only a few hours walk away.
We set off the next day.
The forest, in the beginning, seemed to almost invite us in. The birds chirped and danced, unafraid of mankind. We even fed them the nuts we’d been given as breakfast rations, which they seemed to enjoy.
About an hour in, things changed. The light from the sun barely pierced the canopy, and at times, we had to utilize our flashlights to see what was in front of us. Leo took the lead, hacking away at the branch and vine in front of us.
The forest was starting to look like a jungle- and yet, as we traversed it never seemed to choose which one it wanted to be.
“Wait!” Anya hissed, as we crossed a stream that seemed oddly familiar. She read from the booklet, then to the map on tablets we’d been given. “We’ve made a circle.”
Leo shook his head. “That’s impossible,” he insisted. “I don’t remember turning.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, catching up from behind.
Anya shared the booklet. “It’s one first phenomena researchers encounter,” she explained. “This place plays tricks on us- we need to follow the stream.”
“But then,” Gail pointed out, “we’d be going in the wrong direction.”
“Trust the book,” Anya concluded. We followed the stream then, and the path started to grow denser, as if the forest hated us for traveling further. But the path was right, and the forest changed as we journeyed.
An hour later the forest had changed. It had sloped downwards a bit, inviting us to the second layer of the maze. The trees seemed higher, and the light was now gone completely.
This was when we started to hear it. Click-click.
“What was that?” I asked, turning. Click-click.
Anya rushed through the book. “It’s not documented.”
Click-click. And then we saw lights in the distance, lights that as we continued walking, were revealed to us as bulbous fruit on the trees that glowed an eerie electric blue.
Click-click. “You sure it’s not in that book?” Leo questioned, switching his machete out for a gun. Click-click.
The clicks were getting louder, each one sending a jolt of uneasy fear down my spine. We moved closer together now, fearing the unknown that were in these- A bush in front of us rustled. Leo aimed his weapon.
A deer- no, something like a deer popped out, gently squawking. It was… wrong in every sense, but it seemed more occupied in chewing a flower than us.
The small creature had the antlers of a deer, yes, but it also had the face of an old man. Not to mention six fists full of thumbs at the end of its legs. It inspected a glowing fruit with it’s odd thumbs.
“Ew,” Gail commented, disgusted. “What the hell is that?”
Anya didn’t have time to look for answers before a black, insectine limp shot out of one of the bulbous fruits and impaled the deer-thing. It screamed an all too human scream and struggled.
We backed away- and by then, the noise was overwhelming. Click-clickClick-clickClick-clickClickclickClickclickClick-clickClick-click. They erupted from every single one of the bulbous fruits, and things began to pour out of them.
The limbs, see, were attached to a head. The a simple sphere that opened into buzzsaws of teeth that grotesquely clicked as they opened. The face-deer only screamed as the clicking creatures devoured it.
“Run!” Leo reminded, shooting as some started to near us. “Run!”
That shook us out, and we ran, terror in our very veins. They seemed more interested in the fallen deer than us- but we still ran until we could no longer.
Actually, it was until I fell off and entered the third layer.
A weight appeared on my chest and I fought it off, thinking I was about to die- but the soft, furry creature atop me jumped off. It wasn’t one of the clicking monsters.
And then I realized the third layer was bright. The trees themselves were glowing now, not the insect fruits of before. And there were a whole host of new, bizarre creatures.
The thing I’d pushed off was some sort of rabbit, covered in glowing blue stripes. If layer two had been a forest of darkness this was it’s very opposite.
In the skies there were ribbons of glowing creatures- thin kites on an unseen wind. The trees were alive with all sorts of furried friends, darting here and there and eating odd colored berries that didn’t seem real.
Anya pointed and spoke, “Look!” It was the outpost, in ruins.
“But what attacked it?” Gail murmured, as we walked over.
We entered through a hole in the wall. The place was oddly peaceful, calming, now home to bioluminescent little ants that dotted the place. Occasionally, one or two of the face-deer would appear, licking the dots up with twin tongues that emerged from it’s too-human face.
“Cute,” Leo joked, picking one up and stroking it. It screamed back at him, chilling and he dropped it. “Never doing that again.”
The place was… too peaceful. And- “what happened to their bodies?” I posited. “If they were attacked- where’s their blood? Their corpses?”
Anya shrugged. “It is odd- perhaps they got devoured.” She gestured to the many oddities around us. “But you’re right, there should be bones, at least.”
This was when we heard the screaming. And all of a sudden every single creature retreated away, disappearing from view, save for the tiny ants inside with us. The screaming was a cacophony of voices, realer than the ones we’d heard from the face-deer.
“I think we need to go,” Leo whispered, holding out the red ‘data module’ in his hands. “Now.”
The screaming got ever closer, and the trees in front of the outpost, beyond a window, started to shake. “I concur.”
We were backing away when we heard the squelching of something loud and heavy. Turning around, we saw the screaming creature we’d heard. It was massive, fleshy, and filled with tiny gaping holes, some filled with eyes, all rising, breathing as one.
I nearly threw up. But that was for a different reason.
The holes were one thing. But the screaming, severed bodies of dozens of people attached the the eye-full monster was another. They screamed and screamed, their bodies unneatly joined and sown into the creature.
It sniffed the air and walked over to the glass, looking in as we hid. “What is it?” I squealed. “What the hell is that?”
The face of a victim in military clothes appeared at the window, screaming, face slowly popping, skin repairing and being digested all at once. Anya flipped through the pages. “They called it a Fleshweave. It absorbs bodies and eats them that way.”
That would explain the lack of bodies we’d seen.
The window shattered- and the thing began to force itself on it, flesh turning to churned cylinders through the window. The bodies, crushed further, screamed some more.
So we ran as the beasts fell into the room with a plop. And despite it’s heavy, gluttonous form it charged forwards, faster than it looked.
Out the outpost we went. I felt a meaty hand hit me and then I fell. It stalked towards me, but a gunshot from Leo burst it’s pus-ridden hand, covered my in grotesque, viscous liquid.
I picked myself up and ran from the screaming thing, up the steep slope and climbing onto the second layer.
I fell again, but Anya caught me, helping me up.
Leo did the same for Gail- but she slipped and fell back into the third layer. The thing approached her, all of it’s pulsing eyes upon her. “Help me!” she bellowed. “Don’t leave me-”
Leo prepared to jump down- but it was too late. The Fleshweave simply picked her up and it opened it’s skin, forging her into her body- er, her top half,- it severed the rest.
“Go!” I snapped, dragging the mercenary to action. The creature behind us lifted itself onto the dark forest and continued to follow.
Gail, merged with the other unfortunate bodies, screamed. I almost stopped in terror from the sound, but flight-or-fight forced me to continue.
Click-click. We found ourselves back in the center of the abode with the insect fruit. And the insects were clearly attracted to the stench of decay the monster emanated. Limbs emerged, and the face-beetles jumped up and swarmed the creatures.
I don't know if the creature was killed by it. I only remember Gail’s face as the insects started to pick her body- and so many others like her- apart.
The way out seemed harder than going in, but we made it. We survived. We reached the outpost and handed our data module to the man who’d offered us the deal. “Impressive,” he congratulated. “You’re the first team back.”
“I want out now,” I panted. “Back to real life.”
He patted me on the shoulder and gave me a sad smile. “According to the world you’ve already died by suicide in your cell,” he informed. “See, there’s a way the people I work for have operated so cleanly for the past few centuries.” He paused and took a step back. “We can’t afford loose ends, see, and you’ve shown us you have the guts to survive Bandai La- er, the Sea of Green.”
I took a step back, panicking. “What do you mean?”
He sighed. “We can’t give you a new life and risk exposing our operation here,” he explained. “And we still need ah, expendable people to lead us to whatever’s in the center of the island.” He handed me a can of soda. “Welcome to your new life. The Company really values your dedication as a treasured employee.”
But I don’t want this. I was promised freedom. And they can’t keep me from exposing them- I’ve typed this up and Anya did something to the tablet so I can receive and post things online.
I’m not sure if this’ll work. But if it is: I’m on an island somewhere in the Java Sea. There’s a forest that goes on forever and I’m being held as some sort of explorer by some Company.
Find me. Before I die.
2023.05.30 22:47 Slight-Anteater-8390 One Year, One Week old Tesla Model 3
https://instagram.com/p/Cs4YM80SDRt/
1 year. 1 week. Owned Blastoise for 53 weeks and man… what an awesome experience. Took this car everywhere from Los Angeles (a couple of times), to Portland (countless times), to San Francisco, to Vancouver, BC, to Cascade mountains, to Ocean Shores, to Long Beach and daily driving, totaling 35,329 miles driven.
Was skeptical about electric vehicles, especially battery degeneration but so far, it seems like the battery is still very healthy.
How do I know it’s very healthy? With a small sample from today’s driving, drove 183 miles and the car consumed 38 kWh. With an efficiency of 207 Watt hour (Wh) per mile. Averaging 60 mph and outside temp about 70 F. Blastoise has a 75 kWh battery pack. Math breakdown: With an efficiency of 207 Wh/mi. 1 kWh = 4.831 miles. 75 kWh x 4.831 = 362 miles. On a good day, this car can still travel over 350 miles in one full charge. Now that’s amazing!
In larger sample size. Blastoise traveled 35,329 miles, averaging 239 watt hour per mile and consumed a total of 8,430 kWh. After driving all four season in various weather conditions and driving conditions, in one full charge, Blastoise can go about 313 miles. 45 miles less then an EPA range of 358 miles. Approximately 87% battery life remain. But that number is arbitrary. I expect during warmer months the efficiency will be better and the battery degradation will improve. All in all, this 2022 Tesla Model 3 is absolutely amazing!
Let’s talk about money saved compared to gas. My previous car was a 2010 Honda Civic.
In the past year, IF I drove the Civic 35,000 miles, it would have consumed 1,000 gallons of gasoline. I would have paid roughly $4,300 in gas. *(Civic mpg is about 35mpg, average gas price for the past year I’d say is ROUGHLY $4.30/gal)
Past year, I drove Blastoise about 35,329 miles consumed 8,430 kWh and it would have costed $917 in electricity IF I charged at home the whole time but I didn’t. Did some super charging on road trips, so I estimated $1,100 in total electricity cost counting both at home charging and super charging. *(Blastoise efficiency is 239 Wh, with an average electricity rate of .11 cents and super charging )
Saving me roughly $3,200. Also did no maintenance except adding windshield fluid and occasionally add air to the tires, which is free at Costco, and tire rotations, which is also free at discount tires. All in all savings of over $3,500!!!
submitted by Slight-Anteater-8390 to electricvehicles [link] [comments]
1 year. 1 week. Owned Blastoise for 53 weeks and man… what an awesome experience. Took this car everywhere from Los Angeles (a couple of times), to Portland (countless times), to San Francisco, to Vancouver, BC, to Cascade mountains, to Ocean Shores, to Long Beach and daily driving, totaling 35,329 miles driven.
Was skeptical about electric vehicles, especially battery degeneration but so far, it seems like the battery is still very healthy.
How do I know it’s very healthy? With a small sample from today’s driving, drove 183 miles and the car consumed 38 kWh. With an efficiency of 207 Watt hour (Wh) per mile. Averaging 60 mph and outside temp about 70 F. Blastoise has a 75 kWh battery pack. Math breakdown: With an efficiency of 207 Wh/mi. 1 kWh = 4.831 miles. 75 kWh x 4.831 = 362 miles. On a good day, this car can still travel over 350 miles in one full charge. Now that’s amazing!
In larger sample size. Blastoise traveled 35,329 miles, averaging 239 watt hour per mile and consumed a total of 8,430 kWh. After driving all four season in various weather conditions and driving conditions, in one full charge, Blastoise can go about 313 miles. 45 miles less then an EPA range of 358 miles. Approximately 87% battery life remain. But that number is arbitrary. I expect during warmer months the efficiency will be better and the battery degradation will improve. All in all, this 2022 Tesla Model 3 is absolutely amazing!
Let’s talk about money saved compared to gas. My previous car was a 2010 Honda Civic.
In the past year, IF I drove the Civic 35,000 miles, it would have consumed 1,000 gallons of gasoline. I would have paid roughly $4,300 in gas. *(Civic mpg is about 35mpg, average gas price for the past year I’d say is ROUGHLY $4.30/gal)
Past year, I drove Blastoise about 35,329 miles consumed 8,430 kWh and it would have costed $917 in electricity IF I charged at home the whole time but I didn’t. Did some super charging on road trips, so I estimated $1,100 in total electricity cost counting both at home charging and super charging. *(Blastoise efficiency is 239 Wh, with an average electricity rate of .11 cents and super charging )
Saving me roughly $3,200. Also did no maintenance except adding windshield fluid and occasionally add air to the tires, which is free at Costco, and tire rotations, which is also free at discount tires. All in all savings of over $3,500!!!
2023.05.30 22:39 Slight-Anteater-8390 One Year, One Week old Model 3
https://instagram.com/p/Cs4YM80SDRt/
1 year. 1 week. Owned Blastoise for 53 weeks and man… what an awesome experience. Took this car everywhere from Los Angeles (a couple of times), to Portland (countless times), to San Francisco, to Vancouver, BC, to Cascade mountains, to Ocean Shores, to Long Beach and daily driving, totaling 35,329 miles driven.
Was skeptical about electric vehicles, especially battery degeneration but so far, it seems like the battery is still very healthy.
How do I know it’s very healthy? With a small sample from today’s driving, drove 183 miles and the car consumed 38 kWh. With an efficiency of 207 Watt hour (Wh) per mile. Averaging 60 mph and outside temp about 70 F. Blastoise has a 75 kWh battery pack. Math breakdown: With an efficiency of 207 Wh/mi. 1 kWh = 4.831 miles. 75 kWh x 4.831 = 362 miles. On a good day, this car can still travel over 350 miles in one full charge. Now that’s amazing!
In larger sample size. Blastoise traveled 35,329 miles, averaging 239 watt hour per mile and consumed a total of 8,430 kWh. After driving all four season in various weather conditions and driving conditions, in one full charge, Blastoise can go about 313 miles. 45 miles less then an EPA range of 358 miles. Approximately 87% battery life remain. But that number is arbitrary. I expect during warmer months the efficiency will be better and the battery degradation will improve. All in all, this 2022 Tesla Model 3 is absolutely amazing!
Let’s talk about money saved compared to gas. My previous car was a 2010 Honda Civic.
In the past year, IF I drove the Civic 35,000 miles, it would have consumed 1,000 gallons of gasoline. I would have paid roughly $4,300 in gas. *(Civic mpg is about 35mpg, average gas price for the past year I’d say is ROUGHLY $4.30/gal)
Past year, I drove Blastoise about 35,329 miles consumed 8,430 kWh and it would have costed $917 in electricity IF I charged at home the whole time but I didn’t. Did some super charging on road trips, so I estimated $1,100 in total electricity cost counting both at home charging and super charging. *(Blastoise efficiency is 239 Wh, with an average electricity rate of .11 cents and super charging )
Saving me roughly $3,200. Also did no maintenance except adding windshield fluid and occasionally add air to the tires, which is free at Costco, and tire rotations, which is also free at discount tires. All in all savings of over $3,500!!!
submitted by Slight-Anteater-8390 to TeslaModel3 [link] [comments]
1 year. 1 week. Owned Blastoise for 53 weeks and man… what an awesome experience. Took this car everywhere from Los Angeles (a couple of times), to Portland (countless times), to San Francisco, to Vancouver, BC, to Cascade mountains, to Ocean Shores, to Long Beach and daily driving, totaling 35,329 miles driven.
Was skeptical about electric vehicles, especially battery degeneration but so far, it seems like the battery is still very healthy.
How do I know it’s very healthy? With a small sample from today’s driving, drove 183 miles and the car consumed 38 kWh. With an efficiency of 207 Watt hour (Wh) per mile. Averaging 60 mph and outside temp about 70 F. Blastoise has a 75 kWh battery pack. Math breakdown: With an efficiency of 207 Wh/mi. 1 kWh = 4.831 miles. 75 kWh x 4.831 = 362 miles. On a good day, this car can still travel over 350 miles in one full charge. Now that’s amazing!
In larger sample size. Blastoise traveled 35,329 miles, averaging 239 watt hour per mile and consumed a total of 8,430 kWh. After driving all four season in various weather conditions and driving conditions, in one full charge, Blastoise can go about 313 miles. 45 miles less then an EPA range of 358 miles. Approximately 87% battery life remain. But that number is arbitrary. I expect during warmer months the efficiency will be better and the battery degradation will improve. All in all, this 2022 Tesla Model 3 is absolutely amazing!
Let’s talk about money saved compared to gas. My previous car was a 2010 Honda Civic.
In the past year, IF I drove the Civic 35,000 miles, it would have consumed 1,000 gallons of gasoline. I would have paid roughly $4,300 in gas. *(Civic mpg is about 35mpg, average gas price for the past year I’d say is ROUGHLY $4.30/gal)
Past year, I drove Blastoise about 35,329 miles consumed 8,430 kWh and it would have costed $917 in electricity IF I charged at home the whole time but I didn’t. Did some super charging on road trips, so I estimated $1,100 in total electricity cost counting both at home charging and super charging. *(Blastoise efficiency is 239 Wh, with an average electricity rate of .11 cents and super charging )
Saving me roughly $3,200. Also did no maintenance except adding windshield fluid and occasionally add air to the tires, which is free at Costco, and tire rotations, which is also free at discount tires. All in all savings of over $3,500!!!
2023.05.30 22:36 Vulcann111 [H] 300+ Games [W] Steam Marketable Items (Cases, Gems, Keys, Skins, Trading Cards etc) and Wishlist
I have multiple copies for most of my games, Trades are mostly based on prices from gg.deals. Please notify me if my keys are not for your personal use (i won't take any responsibility if i wasn't notified) and also please clearly state what you have and want in exchange when making an offer, i have no interest in buying games for Keys/Gems etc. and i also have no interest in Alpha, Beta, Curator, Dev and Non-Steam Keys
submitted by Vulcann111 to indiegameswap [link] [comments]
Barter.vg Reddit Steam Profile SteamTrades
FUEL (Removed from Steam Store) Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet (Removed from Steam Store) Human Resource Machine (Steam Inventory Gift) Magicka+All DLC's except Ninth Element Novel Magicka Shank 2 Operation Flashpoint: Red River (Removed from Steam Store) Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards: Reloaded (Removed from Steam Store) All Zombies Must Die! (Removed from Steam Store) R.I.P.D.: The Game (Removed from Steam Store) ibb & obb (Steam Inventory Gift) Afterfall InSanity Extended Edition (Removed from Steam Store) eXceed - Gun Bullet Children (Removed from Steam Store) eXceed 2nd - Vampire REX (Removed from Steam Store) God Mode (Removed from Steam Store) Gundemonium Recollection (Removed from Steam Store) Hitogata Happa (Removed from Steam Store) Naval War: Arctic Circle (Removed from Steam Store) Red Faction+Red Faction II Red Faction®: Armageddon™+Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered+Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition Real World Racing (Removed from Steam Store) GundeadliGne (Removed from Steam Store) Beast Boxing Turbo (Removed from Steam Store) BlazeRush eXceed 3rd - Jade Penetrate Black Package (Removed from Steam Store) FortressCraft Evolved! 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TV Musaic Box Overcast - Walden and the Werewolf Paranautical Activity: Deluxe Atonement Edition Perimeter Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic Plush POPixel Probably Archery Purgatory: War of the Damned Puzzle Kingdoms Quell Quell Memento Quell Reflect Real Horror Stories Ultimate Edition Really Big Sky Reign: Conflict of Nations Rig n Roll Rush Bros. 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Windforge XIII Century – Gold Edition Yumsters 2: Around the World Zombie Pirates ZombieRush Zombie Shooter2023.05.30 22:18 AutoModerator WHERE TO WATCH The Machine (2023) Fullmovie Online Free Reddit?
5 sec ago — Still Now Here Option’s to Downloading or watching Filmmakers for the The Machine Fullmovie Online For Free the full movie online for free. Do you like movies? If so, then you’ll love New Romance Movie: Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine. This movie is one of the best in its genre. Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine will be available to watch online on Netflix's very soon!
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Now Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine available to stream? Is watching Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix, or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found an authentic streaming option/service. A 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets.
Showcase Cinema Warwick you'll want to make sure you're one of the first people to see it! So mark your calendars and get ready for a Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine movie experience like never before. of our other Marvel movies available to watch online. We're sure you'll find something to your liking. Thanks for reading, and we'll see you soon! Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine is available on our website for free streaming. Details on how you can watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine for free throughout the year are described
If you're a fan of the comics, you won't want to miss this one! The storyline follows Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine as he tries to find his way home after being stranded on an alien Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine. Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine is definitely a Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine movie you don't want to miss with stunning visuals and an action-packed plot! Plus, Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine online streaming is available on our website. Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine online is free, which includes streaming options such as 123movies, Reddit, or TV shows from HBO Max or Netflix!
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Release in the US
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine hits theaters on September 27, 2023. Tickets to see the film at your local movie theater are available online here. The film is being released in a wide release so you can watch it in person.
How to Watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine for Free?release on a platform that offers a free trial. Our readers to always pay for the content they wish to consume online and refrain from using illegal means.
Where to Watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine?
There are currently no platforms that have the rights to Watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Movie Online.MAPPA has decided to air the movie only in theaters because it has been a huge success.The studio , on the other hand, does not wish to divert revenue Streaming the movie would only slash the profits, not increase them.
As a result, no streaming services are authorized to offer Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Movie for free. The film would, however, very definitely be acquired by services like Funimation , Netflix, and Crunchyroll. As a last consideration, which of these outlets will likely distribute the film worldwide?
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Netflix?
The streaming giant has a massive catalog of television shows and movies, but it does not include 'Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine.' We recommend our readers watch other dark fantasy films like 'The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.'
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll, along with Funimation, has acquired the rights to the film and will be responsible for its distribution in North America.Therefore, we recommend our readers to look for the movie on the streamer in the coming months. subscribers can also watch dark fantasy shows like 'Jujutsu Kaisen.'
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Hulu?
No, 'Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine' is unavailable on Hulu. People who have a subscription to the platform can enjoy 'Afro Samurai Resurrection' or 'Ninja Scroll.'
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime's current catalog does not include 'Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine.' However, the film may eventually release on the platform as video-on-demand in the coming months.fantasy movies on Amazon Prime's official website. Viewers who are looking for something similar can watch the original show 'Dororo.'
When Will Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Be on Disney+?
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, the latest installment in the Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine franchise, is coming to Disney+ on July 8th! This new movie promises to be just as exciting as the previous ones, with plenty of action and adventure to keep viewers entertained. you're looking forward to watching it, you may be wondering when it will be available for your Disney+ subscription. Here's an answer to that question!
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Funimation?
Crunchyroll, its official website may include the movie in its catalog in the near future. Meanwhile, people who wish to watch something similar can stream 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.'
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Online In The US?
Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb movies online. Here we can download and watch 123movies movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine's (2021) free online. We will recommend 123Movies as the best Solarmovie alternative There are a
few ways to watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine online in the US You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable.
What is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine About?
It features an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, and Chris Pine. In the film, a young wife living in a 2250s company town begins to believe there is a sinister secret being kept from her by the man who runs it.
What is the story of Don't worry darling?
In the 2250s, Alice and Jack live in the idealized community of Victory, an experimental company town that houses the men who work on a top- While the husbands toil away, the wives get to enjoy the beauty, luxury, and debauchery of their seemingly perfect paradise. However, when cracks in her idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something sinister lurking below the surface, Alice can't help but question exactly what she's doing in Victory.
In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine. Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine has gone from man to myth to legend. Now free, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher, and Cyclone.
Production companies : Warner Bros. Pictures.
At San Diego Comic-Con in July, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had other people raising eyebrows when he said that his long-awaited superhero debut in Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine would be the beginning of “a new era” for the DC Extended Universe naturally followed: What did he mean? And what would that kind of reset mean for the remainder of DCEU's roster, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the rest of the Justice League, Suicide Squad, Shazam and so on.As
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine neared theaters, though, Johnson clarified that statement in a recent sit-down with Yahoo Entertainment (watch above).
“I feel like this is our opportunity now to expand the DC Universe and what we have in Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, which I think is really cool just as a fan, is we introduce five new superheroes to the world,” Johnson tells us. Aldis Hodge's Hawkman, Noah Centineo's Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell's Cyclone and Pierce Brosnan's Doctor Fate, who together comprise the Justice Society.) “One anti-hero.” (That would be DJ's Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine.)
“And what an opportunity. The Justice Society pre-dated the Justice League. So opportunity, expand out the universe, in my mind… all these characters interact. That's why you see in Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, we acknowledge everyone: Batman , Superman , Wonder Woman, Flash, we acknowledge everybo****here's also some Easter eggs in there, too.So that's what I meant by the resetting. Maybe resetting' wasn't a good term.only
one can claim to be the most powerful superhero .And Johnson, when gently pressed, says it's his indestructible, 5,000-year-old Kahndaqi warrior also known as Teth-Adam, that is the most powerful superhero in any universe, DC, Marvel or otherwise
"By the way, it's not hyperbole because we made the movie."And we made him this powerful.
There's nothing so wrong with “Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine” that it should be avoided, but nothing—besides the appealing presence of Dwayne Johnson—that makes it worth rushing out to see. spectacles that have more or less taken over studio filmmaking, but it accumulates the genre's—and the business's—bad habits into a single two- hour-plus package, and only hints at the format's occasional pleasures. “Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine” feels like a place-filler for a movie that's remaining to be made, but, in its bare and shrugged-off sufficiency, it does one positive thing that, if nothing else, at least accounts for its success: for all the churning action and elaborately jerry-rigged plot, there's little to distract from the movie's pedestal-like display of Johnson, its real-life superhero.
It's no less numbing to find material meant for children retconned for adults—and, in the process, for most of the naïve delight to be leached out, and for any serious concerns to be shoehorned in and then waved away with dazzle and noise. Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine” offers a moral realm that draws no lines, a personal one of simplistic stakes, a political one that suggests any interpretation, an audiovisual one that rehashes long-familiar tropes and repackages overused devices for a commercial experiment that might as well wear its import as its title. When I was in Paris in 1983, Jerry Lewis—yes, they really did love him there—had a new movie in theaters. You're Crazy, Jerry."Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine " could be retitled 'You're a Superhero, Dwayne'—it's the marketing team's PowerPoint presentation extended to feature length.
In addition to being Johnson's DC Universe debut, “Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine” is also notable for marking the return of Henry Cavill's Superman. The cameo is likely to set up future showdowns between the two characters, but Hodge was completely unaware of it until he saw the film.
“They kept that all the way under wraps, and I didn't know until maybe a day or two before the premiere,” he recently said Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine FULLMOVIE ONLINE
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Available On Hulu?Viewers are saying that they want to view the new TV show Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Hulu. Unfortunately, this is not possible since Hulu currently does not offer any of the free ****odes of this series streaming at this time. the MTV channel, which you get by subscribing to cable or satellite TV services. You will not be able to watch it on Hulu or any other free streaming service.
Is Filmmakers for the The Machine Fullmovie Online For Free on Disney Plus?
Unfortunately, Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine is not currently available to stream on Disney Plus and it's not expected that the film will release on Disney Plus until late December at the absolute earliest.
While Disney eventually releases its various studios' films on Disney Plus for subscribers to watch via its streaming platform, most major releases don't arrive on Disney Plus until at least 45-60 days after the film's theatrical release.
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine has finally ended the box office blues. It will be a close call, but based on the estimates, the year's biggest opener remains Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with its $187 million start. Nonetheless, Wakanda Forever's $180 million opening is a huge one, being the biggest ever for the month of November (beating the $158 million of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), the second biggest of the year, and the 13th biggest of all time (though it could go up or down a few slots once the actuals come out). It led an overall weekend box office of $208 million, which is the fourth biggest of the year and the biggest by a long shot of the past four months, with no other weekend since July 8 -10 even going above $133 million.
This isn't the $202 million opening that we saw from Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine in February 2018, nor should we expect the amazing legs that were able to get that film to an astonishing $700 million. With that said, expect it to perform strong throughout the holiday season, likely repeating the five-weekend number-one streak that the first film had, and it shouldn't have any trouble becoming the second highest grossing film of the year so far, beating the $411 million cume of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The audience response is strong, with the A CinemaScore falling below the first film's A+ but bouncing back from the B+'s earned by Doctor Strange 2 and Thor: Love and Thunder, which ranked among the worst for the MCU. improvement over the recent franchise installations,with the aforementioned films coming in at 74% and 64% respectively on Rotten Tomatoes, both at the lower end for Marvel films, while Wakanda Forever's 84% is closer to franchise norms, though not meeting the high bar set by the first Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine's 96%.
The sequel opened to $150 million internationally, which Disney reports is 4% ahead of the first film when comparing like for likes at current exchange rates. Overall, the global cume comes to $330 million. Can it become the year's third film to make it past $1 billion worldwide despite China and Russia, which made up around $124 million of the first film's $682 million international box office, being out of play? It may be tough, but it's not impossible. Legging out past $500 million is plausible on the domestic front (that would be a multiplier of at least 2.7), and another $500 million abroad would be a drop of around $58 million from the original after excluding the two MIA markets. It'd be another story if audiences didn't love the film,but the positive reception suggests that Wakanda Forever will outperform the legs on this year's earlier MCU titles (Multiverse of Madness and Love and Thunder had multipliers of 2.2 and 2.3 respectively).
As for the rest of the box office, there's little to get excited about, with nothing else grossing above $10 million as Hollywood shied away from releasing anything significant not just this weekend but also over the previous two weekends. When Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine opened in 2018, there was no counterprogramming that opened the same weekend, but Peter Rabbit and Fifty Shades Freed were in their second weekends and took second and third with $17.5 million and $17.3 million respectively. That weekend had an overall cume of $287 million compared to $208 million this weekend Take away the $22 million gap between the two Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine films and there's still a $57 million gap between the two weekends. The difference may not feel that large when a mega blockbuster is propping up the grosses,but the contrast is harsher when the mid-level films are the entire box office as we saw in recent months.
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, which is the biggest grosser of the rough post-summer, pre-Wakanda Forever season, came in second with just $8.6 million. Despite the blockbuster competition that arrived in its fourth weekend, the numbers didn't totally collapse, dropping 53 % for a cume of $151 million. Worldwide it is at $352 million, which isn't a great cume as the grosses start to wind down considering its $200 million budget. Still, it's the biggest of any film since Thor: Love and Thunder, though Wakanda Forever will overtake it any day now.
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine came in third place in its fourth weekend, down 29% with $6.1 million, emerging as one of the season's most durable grossers and one of the year's few bright spots when it comes to films for adults. The domestic cume is $56.5 million Fourth place went to Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which had a negligible drop of 5% for a $3.2 million sixth weekend and $40.8 million cume., in fact )
, which isn't surprising considering it's the only family film on the market, and it's close to grossing four times its $11.4 million opening. Still, the $72.6 million worldwide cume is soft given the $50 million budget , though a number of international markets have yet to open.
Finishing up the top five is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, which had its biggest weekend drop yet, falling 42% for a $2.3 million seventh weekend. Of course, that's no reason to frown for the horror film, which has a domestic cume of $103 million and global cume of $ 210 million from a budget of just $20 million.
The one new specialty title of note comes from a filmmaker we don't typically associate with the specialty box office: Steven Spielberg. The Beard's semi-autobiographical family drama Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine opened in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles to $160k, a $40k average. The film expands to 600 theaters the day before Thanksgiving, and it has the potential to break out in a way that none of the other of the season's awards contenders have. We're also seeing very solid numbers from Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, which grossed $1.7 million this weekend for a seventh place finish, bringing its cume to $5.8
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➤►🌍📺📱👉CLICK HERE TO WATCH FULL MOVIE
➤►🌍📺📱👉CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD HD MOVIE
Now Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine available to stream? Is watching Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix, or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found an authentic streaming option/service. A 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets.
Showcase Cinema Warwick you'll want to make sure you're one of the first people to see it! So mark your calendars and get ready for a Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine movie experience like never before. of our other Marvel movies available to watch online. We're sure you'll find something to your liking. Thanks for reading, and we'll see you soon! Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine is available on our website for free streaming. Details on how you can watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine for free throughout the year are described
If you're a fan of the comics, you won't want to miss this one! The storyline follows Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine as he tries to find his way home after being stranded on an alien Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine. Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine is definitely a Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine movie you don't want to miss with stunning visuals and an action-packed plot! Plus, Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine online streaming is available on our website. Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine online is free, which includes streaming options such as 123movies, Reddit, or TV shows from HBO Max or Netflix!
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Release in the US
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine hits theaters on September 27, 2023. Tickets to see the film at your local movie theater are available online here. The film is being released in a wide release so you can watch it in person.
How to Watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine for Free?release on a platform that offers a free trial. Our readers to always pay for the content they wish to consume online and refrain from using illegal means.
Where to Watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine?
There are currently no platforms that have the rights to Watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Movie Online.MAPPA has decided to air the movie only in theaters because it has been a huge success.The studio , on the other hand, does not wish to divert revenue Streaming the movie would only slash the profits, not increase them.
As a result, no streaming services are authorized to offer Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Movie for free. The film would, however, very definitely be acquired by services like Funimation , Netflix, and Crunchyroll. As a last consideration, which of these outlets will likely distribute the film worldwide?
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Netflix?
The streaming giant has a massive catalog of television shows and movies, but it does not include 'Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine.' We recommend our readers watch other dark fantasy films like 'The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.'
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll, along with Funimation, has acquired the rights to the film and will be responsible for its distribution in North America.Therefore, we recommend our readers to look for the movie on the streamer in the coming months. subscribers can also watch dark fantasy shows like 'Jujutsu Kaisen.'
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Hulu?
No, 'Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine' is unavailable on Hulu. People who have a subscription to the platform can enjoy 'Afro Samurai Resurrection' or 'Ninja Scroll.'
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime's current catalog does not include 'Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine.' However, the film may eventually release on the platform as video-on-demand in the coming months.fantasy movies on Amazon Prime's official website. Viewers who are looking for something similar can watch the original show 'Dororo.'
When Will Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Be on Disney+?
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, the latest installment in the Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine franchise, is coming to Disney+ on July 8th! This new movie promises to be just as exciting as the previous ones, with plenty of action and adventure to keep viewers entertained. you're looking forward to watching it, you may be wondering when it will be available for your Disney+ subscription. Here's an answer to that question!
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Funimation?
Crunchyroll, its official website may include the movie in its catalog in the near future. Meanwhile, people who wish to watch something similar can stream 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.'
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Online In The US?
Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb movies online. Here we can download and watch 123movies movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine's (2021) free online. We will recommend 123Movies as the best Solarmovie alternative There are a
few ways to watch Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine online in the US You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable.
What is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine About?
It features an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, and Chris Pine. In the film, a young wife living in a 2250s company town begins to believe there is a sinister secret being kept from her by the man who runs it.
What is the story of Don't worry darling?
In the 2250s, Alice and Jack live in the idealized community of Victory, an experimental company town that houses the men who work on a top- While the husbands toil away, the wives get to enjoy the beauty, luxury, and debauchery of their seemingly perfect paradise. However, when cracks in her idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something sinister lurking below the surface, Alice can't help but question exactly what she's doing in Victory.
In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine. Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine has gone from man to myth to legend. Now free, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher, and Cyclone.
Production companies : Warner Bros. Pictures.
At San Diego Comic-Con in July, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had other people raising eyebrows when he said that his long-awaited superhero debut in Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine would be the beginning of “a new era” for the DC Extended Universe naturally followed: What did he mean? And what would that kind of reset mean for the remainder of DCEU's roster, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the rest of the Justice League, Suicide Squad, Shazam and so on.As
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine neared theaters, though, Johnson clarified that statement in a recent sit-down with Yahoo Entertainment (watch above).
“I feel like this is our opportunity now to expand the DC Universe and what we have in Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, which I think is really cool just as a fan, is we introduce five new superheroes to the world,” Johnson tells us. Aldis Hodge's Hawkman, Noah Centineo's Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell's Cyclone and Pierce Brosnan's Doctor Fate, who together comprise the Justice Society.) “One anti-hero.” (That would be DJ's Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine.)
“And what an opportunity. The Justice Society pre-dated the Justice League. So opportunity, expand out the universe, in my mind… all these characters interact. That's why you see in Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, we acknowledge everyone: Batman , Superman , Wonder Woman, Flash, we acknowledge everybo****here's also some Easter eggs in there, too.So that's what I meant by the resetting. Maybe resetting' wasn't a good term.only
one can claim to be the most powerful superhero .And Johnson, when gently pressed, says it's his indestructible, 5,000-year-old Kahndaqi warrior also known as Teth-Adam, that is the most powerful superhero in any universe, DC, Marvel or otherwise
"By the way, it's not hyperbole because we made the movie."And we made him this powerful.
There's nothing so wrong with “Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine” that it should be avoided, but nothing—besides the appealing presence of Dwayne Johnson—that makes it worth rushing out to see. spectacles that have more or less taken over studio filmmaking, but it accumulates the genre's—and the business's—bad habits into a single two- hour-plus package, and only hints at the format's occasional pleasures. “Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine” feels like a place-filler for a movie that's remaining to be made, but, in its bare and shrugged-off sufficiency, it does one positive thing that, if nothing else, at least accounts for its success: for all the churning action and elaborately jerry-rigged plot, there's little to distract from the movie's pedestal-like display of Johnson, its real-life superhero.
It's no less numbing to find material meant for children retconned for adults—and, in the process, for most of the naïve delight to be leached out, and for any serious concerns to be shoehorned in and then waved away with dazzle and noise. Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine” offers a moral realm that draws no lines, a personal one of simplistic stakes, a political one that suggests any interpretation, an audiovisual one that rehashes long-familiar tropes and repackages overused devices for a commercial experiment that might as well wear its import as its title. When I was in Paris in 1983, Jerry Lewis—yes, they really did love him there—had a new movie in theaters. You're Crazy, Jerry."Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine " could be retitled 'You're a Superhero, Dwayne'—it's the marketing team's PowerPoint presentation extended to feature length.
In addition to being Johnson's DC Universe debut, “Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine” is also notable for marking the return of Henry Cavill's Superman. The cameo is likely to set up future showdowns between the two characters, but Hodge was completely unaware of it until he saw the film.
“They kept that all the way under wraps, and I didn't know until maybe a day or two before the premiere,” he recently said Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine FULLMOVIE ONLINE
Is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine Available On Hulu?Viewers are saying that they want to view the new TV show Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine on Hulu. Unfortunately, this is not possible since Hulu currently does not offer any of the free ****odes of this series streaming at this time. the MTV channel, which you get by subscribing to cable or satellite TV services. You will not be able to watch it on Hulu or any other free streaming service.
Is Filmmakers for the The Machine Fullmovie Online For Free on Disney Plus?
Unfortunately, Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine is not currently available to stream on Disney Plus and it's not expected that the film will release on Disney Plus until late December at the absolute earliest.
While Disney eventually releases its various studios' films on Disney Plus for subscribers to watch via its streaming platform, most major releases don't arrive on Disney Plus until at least 45-60 days after the film's theatrical release.
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine has finally ended the box office blues. It will be a close call, but based on the estimates, the year's biggest opener remains Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with its $187 million start. Nonetheless, Wakanda Forever's $180 million opening is a huge one, being the biggest ever for the month of November (beating the $158 million of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), the second biggest of the year, and the 13th biggest of all time (though it could go up or down a few slots once the actuals come out). It led an overall weekend box office of $208 million, which is the fourth biggest of the year and the biggest by a long shot of the past four months, with no other weekend since July 8 -10 even going above $133 million.
This isn't the $202 million opening that we saw from Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine in February 2018, nor should we expect the amazing legs that were able to get that film to an astonishing $700 million. With that said, expect it to perform strong throughout the holiday season, likely repeating the five-weekend number-one streak that the first film had, and it shouldn't have any trouble becoming the second highest grossing film of the year so far, beating the $411 million cume of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The audience response is strong, with the A CinemaScore falling below the first film's A+ but bouncing back from the B+'s earned by Doctor Strange 2 and Thor: Love and Thunder, which ranked among the worst for the MCU. improvement over the recent franchise installations,with the aforementioned films coming in at 74% and 64% respectively on Rotten Tomatoes, both at the lower end for Marvel films, while Wakanda Forever's 84% is closer to franchise norms, though not meeting the high bar set by the first Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine's 96%.
The sequel opened to $150 million internationally, which Disney reports is 4% ahead of the first film when comparing like for likes at current exchange rates. Overall, the global cume comes to $330 million. Can it become the year's third film to make it past $1 billion worldwide despite China and Russia, which made up around $124 million of the first film's $682 million international box office, being out of play? It may be tough, but it's not impossible. Legging out past $500 million is plausible on the domestic front (that would be a multiplier of at least 2.7), and another $500 million abroad would be a drop of around $58 million from the original after excluding the two MIA markets. It'd be another story if audiences didn't love the film,but the positive reception suggests that Wakanda Forever will outperform the legs on this year's earlier MCU titles (Multiverse of Madness and Love and Thunder had multipliers of 2.2 and 2.3 respectively).
As for the rest of the box office, there's little to get excited about, with nothing else grossing above $10 million as Hollywood shied away from releasing anything significant not just this weekend but also over the previous two weekends. When Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine opened in 2018, there was no counterprogramming that opened the same weekend, but Peter Rabbit and Fifty Shades Freed were in their second weekends and took second and third with $17.5 million and $17.3 million respectively. That weekend had an overall cume of $287 million compared to $208 million this weekend Take away the $22 million gap between the two Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine films and there's still a $57 million gap between the two weekends. The difference may not feel that large when a mega blockbuster is propping up the grosses,but the contrast is harsher when the mid-level films are the entire box office as we saw in recent months.
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, which is the biggest grosser of the rough post-summer, pre-Wakanda Forever season, came in second with just $8.6 million. Despite the blockbuster competition that arrived in its fourth weekend, the numbers didn't totally collapse, dropping 53 % for a cume of $151 million. Worldwide it is at $352 million, which isn't a great cume as the grosses start to wind down considering its $200 million budget. Still, it's the biggest of any film since Thor: Love and Thunder, though Wakanda Forever will overtake it any day now.
Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine came in third place in its fourth weekend, down 29% with $6.1 million, emerging as one of the season's most durable grossers and one of the year's few bright spots when it comes to films for adults. The domestic cume is $56.5 million Fourth place went to Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which had a negligible drop of 5% for a $3.2 million sixth weekend and $40.8 million cume., in fact )
, which isn't surprising considering it's the only family film on the market, and it's close to grossing four times its $11.4 million opening. Still, the $72.6 million worldwide cume is soft given the $50 million budget , though a number of international markets have yet to open.
Finishing up the top five is Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, which had its biggest weekend drop yet, falling 42% for a $2.3 million seventh weekend. Of course, that's no reason to frown for the horror film, which has a domestic cume of $103 million and global cume of $ 210 million from a budget of just $20 million.
The one new specialty title of note comes from a filmmaker we don't typically associate with the specialty box office: Steven Spielberg. The Beard's semi-autobiographical family drama Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine opened in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles to $160k, a $40k average. The film expands to 600 theaters the day before Thanksgiving, and it has the potential to break out in a way that none of the other of the season's awards contenders have. We're also seeing very solid numbers from Watch ‘Filmmakers for the The Machine, which grossed $1.7 million this weekend for a seventh place finish, bringing its cume to $5.8
2023.05.30 22:02 Megalodon481 Los Angeles Times on "Revelations" from Docuseries
The Los Angeles Times lists some "revelations" from the docuseries. The stuff about JB and Meech originally planning not to tell the Holts about what Pest did to his sisters until after he married Kaeleigh has already been revealed in other media. But some other stuff of note.
Jill definitely regrets the Megyn Kelly interview defending Pest. She says she wasn't forced to do it, but felt a "burden" and "obligated." She says the family thought 19KAC would survive the first Pest scandal.
Chad Gallagher was Huckabee's PR flunky. I knew he was involved in setting up the Megyn Kelly interview to try to salvage the show. But I didn't know he was JB's "manager." He also acted like an enforcer on behalf of JB to keep the kids in line and preventing them from negotiating independently of JB.
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Jill definitely regrets the Megyn Kelly interview defending Pest. She says she wasn't forced to do it, but felt a "burden" and "obligated." She says the family thought 19KAC would survive the first Pest scandal.
“If I hadn’t felt obligated to like, one, do it for the sake of the show and two, do it for the sake of my parents, I wouldn’t have done it,” she said in the third episode.Derick calls the Megyn Kelly interview a "suicide mission" to save the show.
Jill, now 32, also said “there was an awareness” that her family assumed the series would continue to film despite the public allegations against Josh.
“Yes, we were taken advantage of,” she added.
“In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done the Megyn Kelly stuff. I felt like I was in a place again of like bearing the burden and the weight of just — even though you volunteer, it’s like you feel obligated to help,” she said in the second episode.JB wanted to take over IBLP after Gothard's downfall?
Derick Dillard, who had just welcomed a child with Jill at the time of the Kelly interview, said his wife was “basically being called on to carry out a suicide mission” for the TV future of the Duggar family.
As the face of the IBLP was embroiled in his own sexual abuse case, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar became “his replacement,” Bobye Holt said.Jill says JB did not "forge" her signature. He made her sign a signature page without showing her the rest of the actual contract.
“With him being on TLC’s show, I think it has definitely given them a platform to encourage people to come to IBLP,” she continued. “They’ve encouraged people to move to Arkansas, which is completely a cult move.”
Hours before Jill Duggar became Jill Dillard, though, she unknowingly signed a contract that would extend her time on “19 Kids and Counting.”Chad Gallagher was like an enforcer for JB
“I just saw the signature page. It was like on the end of the kitchen table — like, ‘Hey, I just needed you guys to sign these,’” Jill said. “We were literally running through the kitchen, and it was like whoever you could grab on the way through. I didn’t know what it was for.”
Derick explained that the contract Jim Bob presented to Jill “was a commitment of [our] life for the next five years to the show."
Chad Gallagher was Huckabee's PR flunky. I knew he was involved in setting up the Megyn Kelly interview to try to salvage the show. But I didn't know he was JB's "manager." He also acted like an enforcer on behalf of JB to keep the kids in line and preventing them from negotiating independently of JB.
The couple attempted to speak to TLC about their contract until Jim Bob’s manager, Gallagher, said it wasn’t their place to do so. At around the same time, Jim Bob was considering paying his older children a lump sum. The catch?“
In order to receive that, you had to sign another deal with my dad, his production company, Mad Family Inc.,” Jill said. “It would be like forever."
2023.05.30 22:02 28Loki Adventure bike
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