Tick bite allergic reaction

Hello I have a 5 year old male ferret that has started periodically wheezing since early yesterday. I took him to the Emergency Vet on Thursday because he wasn’t eating and was very lethargic. He also wasn’t going to the bathroom. Anyways they had told me that after X-rays and blood work done that he had gas pockets and fluid in his stomach and the only solution was to try exploratory surgery because they didn’t know the cause. I brought him home and he got a lot better. He was eating again and had more energy. And finally was going to the bathroom again. I then took him to my vet on Saturday and they think he most likely has a stomach ulcer. They gave me medication for him (Amoxi, Metronidazole, and Omeprazole) and he’s been taking it well with a little bit of wet food. But since yesterday he’s been have wheezing fits for a few seconds every couple of hours. I called my vet and asked if it could possibly be an allergic reaction to one of his medications and they told me it is unlikely. His blood work and X-rays didn’t show any respiratory issues. Not really sure what to do. Any help is appreciated.

've been using this eye cream for three days and have developed lines that I didn't have before. Is this temporary lines due to allergic reaction? Will this go away?

TLDR: I have a cat that's super sketchy and avoidant to us humans. I'm worried about his behaviors cause we have to move 4 states away soon and his behavior will be a deterant.
We have 3 cats. The middle one is the oddest ball of them all. So much it's concerning because we are selling the home and moving 20 hours away in the next 2 months.
He's named Junji and I feel like we've cursed him with that name cause of his strange behavior. His a Tuxedo, big boy. Not over weight but very long and bigger than our older cat, that's a tabby male.
We've had him for about a good two and a half years and he just now began to not immediately run/hide when we try to pass by him. And thats only if we avoid eye contact and speak outloud as we do so.
He especially runs and hides from my husband more often because of a incident of trying to get him to the vet a few weeks into us having him and my husband used a broom to push him into the cat crate from under the couch. He did NOT like that.
Here are the following things we've noticed about him that perplexes us:

• He's eyes are always dilated. He's almost always has that "deer in the headlights" look. Especially when we've startled him.
  
• He's constantly getting his claws stick on the Cat Tree and blankets. Any attempt to walk over and help sends him in a panic.
  
• He doesn't cover his poop in the litter boxes. We always know when he's just used the bathroom.
  
• He doesn't really groom himself either. If anything I see the other two licking his head, ears and behind. He'll purposely go up to them to initiate the cleaning.
  
• He's a lap cat but only when me and my husband are on the couch watching a show/movie or playing a game. He loves being pet and belly/paw rubs but if we try to sit up to adjust or self's or reach for something like a drink or remote he will bolt away like we've just bite him or something. I have to play the waiting game when he lays on me to sneak and get his claws cut or use cat cleaning wipes when he's relaxed too. It's like playing Russian Roulette, everytime.
  
• is it the definition of a scardy cat. Courage the dog, WHO?! I've watched him approach a stray peice of fur on the floor like it was ticking bomb. He's done the same to anything on the floor (even things I know he's seen before, like my shoes/socks by the wall or a empty food bowl) He'll jump at a cough or the glad air filter too.
  
• Lastly but most prominent is that he runs or backs away from us at times during the week, like he hasn't been living with us for the past 2, almost 3 years. We can literally sit and play with the feather and labor toy all day with him but the minutes we stop and try to reach down or pet him, he's under the couch for 30 minutes. Sometimes we won't see him until the next morning. Especially when we have a guest over or the front door bell gets biased or opened. The the biggest cats in the house and yet he manages to squeeze under the couch everyday. I know I shouldn't laugh but I can always hear him coming out from under it and once saw his legs hanging out like a pancake.
  

The only thing I can even think of for him being this way is that "he's not all there." I've watched him sit but the water fountain and just look at the water, not even drinking it. Every time I clean it and put it back out he approached it like man first discovering fire.
But he's so smart. He's the only cat that know how to get the treats out of the cat ball and treat try be bought. He's also learned how to unscrew top of the the slow-feeders we bought to keep my oldest cat from over eating.
This poor cat is an enigma. And I want to get his back to the vet but I can never approcah him, much less with a cat carrier now.
I'm even concerned he might have asthma. I've caught him under the couch wheezing after he did a marathon on playing with his cat siblings. It was scary and has happened twice. I wouldnt even know if we could give him treatment the way he's so flighty about us humans.
I'm so worried this across country move will stress him out so much into another wheezing attack. Moving across state with the first cat alone was a slight headache, now I have 3 cats and one I've never even tried to pick up, alone get into a car.
Does anyone have suggestions or experience with a sketchy cat like this or tips on traveling long distances with them?
P.s, We got him from a Cats/Kittens Only shelter and as a teenager and they said he spend majority of his kitten months Is quantine cause of being sickly. Aside fro. That first vet visit because of his sneezing fits, and the possible asthma, he hasn't shown any others health concerns.

Have you guys ever asked her how can you join if you are allergic to goat blood I wonder what her reaction would be lmao

So here is the thing with today’s stream. People got mega hyped literally the whole world was watching and expecting something big. And when I say the whole world, I don’t mean only the apes around the universe but obviously also the other side - the media, the regulators the Hedgefcks, the banks….waiting and praying for the slightest mistake, the tiniest hint, the one not careful word to pin him down.
And quite a few apes as I can see from the comments where left a bit puzzled and disappointed.
So seriously what did we expect? That he comes out and tells us shorts are fcked and we will bring down that rotten rigged system ? Let’s be real…
BUT what he said was not only perfectly harmless and exactly what he could and should have said without risking getting into any trouble. It was actually very telling for everyone of us who switched on his brain to listen.
So what he was saying on his stream was that his thesis has evolved, he now hast trust in the management to turn the company around and while you could say not so much has shown so far, three years are not too long of a time and let’s see what happens from here.
Perfect words of a genuine longtime investor who buys and holds and hopes for the best. No food at all for the dark side to nail him.
NOW, you might think, ok and for that he needed to do a livestream after 3 years at this stage ?
And for that as a long term holder who patiently waits to see an improvement of the business in the future he would need to buy a ton of short term options with an expiry date in a few weeks ? And as he showed he hasn’t sold a single one while he could with hefty profit when the price exploded yesterday !
EXACTLY. ACTIONS TELL MORE THAN A THOUSAND WORDS.
So don’t focus too much on the stream where he is limited in what he can say, focus on his preferred means of communication where he can more freely convey messages.
Does he call himself the master of livestreams or does he call himself the MASTER OF MEMES ?
Do you think his innocent references to his memes in the stream were meaningless ?
Let’s recapture :
“Fine, I’ll do it myself !”
“It has never been done before.”
“Kansas city shuffle”
“Let’s go out with a Big Bang !”
Does that sound like famous last words of a long term investor hoping for a business turnaround sometime in the future, like someone who has dropped his thesis that shorts are fcked?
To me it sounds like someone who knows exactly what he is doing, who has a well thought through plan and is prepared to execute it meticulously. And who is too smart to fall into their traps.
Remember “It’s not about revenge, it’s a reckoning!” And “a piky reaction is quite a thing !”
So I’m damn sure the game is still on and the clock is ticking.
WE WILL SEE.

I have had a bad case of type 2 rosacea for a few years now but just started treatment a week ago. I started soolantra 1% on Sunday, and I was applying every night until last night when I stopped because my cheeks (where my flare ups are) have been really itchy. I know that sometimes it gets worse before it gets better, but I haven't seen many people say it caused itching, and the stuff I did read about itching implied that it could be from an allergic reaction. So my question is, should I stop using it after only 4 days because it is causing itching, or is that a normal side effect and should I continue with it? I also have azaleic acid I can try but I wanted to see if soolantra was effective first.

One date wonder
Recently i’ve met a few girls online and they seemed really interested in me. We shared similar interests and vibed well over text and even talking in the phone. Once they were comfortable enough they let me take them on a date and 3 week in a row the same thing has happened we go on a date overall while date goes well until the end. These were just casual dates exploring the city and maybe getting a bite to eat and just chatting. By the end of the date each time they all had the same type of reaction it was just like they wanted to leave or go home and i respected that and either took them home or parted our ways just to wake up the next day blocked on everything. Honestly these dates don’t get that deep where we are talking about anything that i think would scare them away? Honestly i’m not sure i usually keep religion and politics out for the first date which i feel like would be something that may make someone immediately not like your ideas or whatever. I’m 22 btw so maybe it’s just dating at this age? I’m starting to lose hope honestly 3 weeks in a row same thing and i just started dating again since my last relationship. maybe im super weird? maybe im a catfish? idk help

Recently i’ve met a few girls online and they seemed really interested in me. We shared similar interests and vibed well over text and even talking in the phone. Once they were comfortable enough they let me take them on a date and 3 week in a row the same thing has happened we go on a date overall while date goes well until the end. These were just casual dates exploring the city and maybe getting a bite to eat and just chatting. By the end of the date each time they all had the same type of reaction it was just like they wanted to leave or go home and i respected that and either took them home or parted our ways just to wake up the next day blocked on everything. Honestly these dates don’t get that deep where we are talking about anything that i think would scare them away? Honestly i’m not sure i usually keep religion and politics out for the first date which i feel like would be something that may make someone immediately not like your ideas or whatever. I’m 22 btw so maybe it’s just dating at this age? I’m starting to lose hope honestly 3 weeks in a row same thing and i just started dating again since my last relationship. maybe im super weird? maybe im a catfish? idk help

I know, I probably should have gotten this out a few weeks ago, before Memorial Day weekend, but better late than never.
I won't lie, Idaho offers a ton to do with you dogs, horses, and even the odd cat. However, every summer comes with tragedy too. I'd like to share some guidelines to help people prevent this from happening to them.
New is Stressful

• Many animals enjoy going new places and having new things to explore, however, please keep in mind that new is stressful and may manifest as behaviors that mean your animal is less predictable than it would be at home.
• Changes in weather from home may reveal aches and pains. Aches and pains can bring out uncharacteristic aggression.
• Changes to routine may set your critter on edge. Being on edge can bring out uncharacteristic aggression.
• New flora and fauna can bring out allergies that make your companion miserable. Being miserable can bring out... you guessed it... uncharacteristic aggression. (Benadryl is usually safe, please talk to your vet about treating for allergies before departing your home port.)
• A distressed animal may run off looking for familiar stomping ground. They will not find it. Every year we take pets out of the woods that are deaths door. Some don't make it. Some do. Restraining animals is the best way to keep them safe.
• Even an animal accustomed to travel may experience this, especially as they age.
• Moral of the story here: don't assume that your animal will act as it does at home. Keep distance from other animals until you've gauged their reaction a few times, and keep a look out for stressed body language. It may be of value to put them through their old training paces a few times while on vacation to reinforce the idea that the rules are still the rules. Restraint is the best charm against loss.

Leashes!

• Have a leash so that if someone requests that you leash your critter as they pass by you can do that. It's just good manners. Please, if someone asks for a leash just do it. They may have a reactive dog, or a dog that is experiencing an issue and they deserve to have the space they need to get to safety.
• Many (but not all) of Idaho's trails have leash rules. This means a physical leash, not an e-leash. I'd also advise not using a retractable lead, as these are prone to breaking at the worst possible times.
• In many cases, such as the Trail of The Coeur d' Alenes, the leash is for the protection of the delicate ecosystems the trail transverses, and helps protect recovering but fragile wildlife populations in the area. It is also, in certain sections, for the protection of the animals, as many of Idaho's trails transverse polluted locations. When a trail requires a leash, please leash/restrain all animals for their own safety.
• Wildlife preys on smaller and even sometimes medium-sized domesticated animals every year. Small dogs and cats are at especial risk of being violently attacked by eagles and raptors. A leash is pretty much the deciding factor if the eagle wins or not.
• While I realize some service animals are usually worked off-lead, for some of these trails, it's pretty dangerous to go off the pavement/gravel. Please get a long lead (horse exercise lines come in quite a few sizes) that will allow the service animal to work but be restrained from harm or wildlife. Or consider having another person carry the leash. If that's not feasible, please reconsider the trail. I'm sorry, but it's not worth the possible damage to your trained service animal if they fall off trail into dangerous water or interact with aggressive wildlife.
• Most Idaho towns have leash laws and pets should be restrained when walking in towns or cities. If a trail that doesn't otherwise require a leash transverses a town, the pet should be leashed.
• Just because you see dogs off lead, that doesn't mean that people are following the rules. When in doubt, restrain your pet.

Wildlife and Pests

• Idaho has ticks and fleas galore. I recommend treating the animal with a preventative before arriving. It's much easier to prevent them than treat them.
• Idaho is home to several highly aggressive wasp species, some which live in the ground. Falling into or sticking a nose into the nest is a recipe for a terrible day, or even an absolutely ruined vacation.
• Make sure you are up to date on rabies vaccines. Rabies is rare but horrible.
• Wildlife is wild. Especially in early summer when mommas still have babies, wildlife can be extremely aggressive.
• If your pet detects wildlife, your best choice is to move along quickly and make noise.
• Please keep in mind that even relatively non-dangerous wildlife can be extremely aggressive when protecting babies. Even songbirds will dive bomb those that get too close to a nest! Prairie Dogs and Weasels can bite and these bites can turn foul quickly.

The Great Outdoors

• Most Idahoan surface water is contaminated with something. While it's probably fine to swim or wade to cool off in most bodies of water, no one should be drinking from those water sources unless it's been treated/filtered.
• If your dog or cat knows how to catch fish (some do) please make sure you know if fish from that area can be eaten or not before you let them enjoy their treat. (If your horse knows how to fish, you are a total badass and I want video.)
• Compared to the east, the woods out west are significantly larger and significantly less safe. Hazards aren't marked, they may be completely unknown. A friend of mine was in the business of trying to find old mining shafts in Northern Idaho, and well, we might know where about 50% of them are, but probably not much more than that. Staying lower and nearer roads is safer.
• Carry a first aid kit specifically for you animal that can treat allergies, poison oak or ivy, snake bites, and general bites.
• Know where the closest vets and emergency vets are to your campsite and have those numbers ready to go when you get back to service areas.
• Note: Our woods are not well served by cell phone coverage. Plan accordingly. Some sections may not have the best reception with satellite either.

Heat and Water

• Generally speaking, Idaho is dry heat, and that can feel cooler to people accustomed to humid summers. However, that doesn't mean that our heat isn't dangerous.
• Pavement can burn! If you can't put your palm against the pavement or ground for a solid ten seconds, your pet should NOT walk on it! If you are doing a long walk, check again as it gets warmer throughout the day. Turn back early to avoid injuries. Also, consider boots for emergencies.
• Know how to recognize and treat heat issues: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/heat-stroke-in-dogs
• Every year I see dehydrated dogs at street fairs, farmers markets, and just out and about. Dogs cannot cool down when dehydrated and need frequent offerings of water. Humans can gulp, I believe horses can too, but cats and dogs cannot. A good rule of thumb is to offer them water every half-hour AND every time you take a swig from your water bottle. If you are resting, offer them water during the full duration of the rest, as most dogs will drink a little, rest, and then drink some more.
• Overly chilled water can be dangerous, cool verging warm water is better for hydration and the prevention of heat stroke.
• A deeply dehydrated pet may decline water. If it's hot and they aren't drinking at all, it's an emergency.
• Mechanical means of cooling, such as AC and Cooling vests are great, but not a sure shot. Pets should never be left unattended in a scenario that if either of these items failed, they would overheat and die.

Vehicles

• Before leaving a pet in a vehicle, consider this: if you passed out in the store and were taken to the hospital and had to spend three hours there, would you pet die? If so, don't leave them.
• A car, parked in the shade, with the windows down, can still be hotter inside than it is outside.
• Shade in Idaho moves around quickly compared to shade in more southerly locations. A spot that is deeply in shade at 9am may be barely in shade at 10am.
• Pets in vehicles should be checked on every 20 minutes at a minimum and on the hottest days, it's really unsafe for them to be in there at all.

Wishing you and all your fuzzy friends happy memories of your Idaho Vacation!

I'm 30 years old and I just took my first food allergy test and found out I am allergic to Wheat Eggs Milk Tuna Peanuts Sunflower seed oil
My doctor said I don't have have any serious reaction to it. I want to know how important is it to cut those foods out of my diet which would be hard because those foods are in my everyday diet?

I wanna try out trans tape since I got a job recently that I really can't wear a binder for out of safety. do ya'll have any tips for beginners, anything I should know? in case it's useful, I'm a D/DD size (not sure which exactly lol) so I'm wondering how I can get the tape to work on a large chest. I also am worried about having an allergic reaction to the adhesive, so brand suggestions would be great regarding that. thanks guys🤟

For some background: my boyfriend and I are both 28 years old and gay. We’ve been in a long distance relationship for 6 months and I’ve been going out to see him every weekend since we started dating, sometimes staying for a week or even longer at a time because my job is remote and I have the capability to work anywhere. He’s also come and stayed with me a few times as well. Our relationship felt so right from the start, we’re alike in so many ways and neither of us were really looking for a relationship at the time. It just sort of happened and progressed rather quickly. In addition, when we met, he was 2 months out of rehab and was in there for a cocaine addiction. In addition to that, he also has Bipolar Disorder; diagnosed in his early twenties and goes to therapy regularly and has been on medication up until March.
Back in March, he felt like his current medication was making him feel really flat and wasn’t seeing any benefit from it. His psychiatrist switched him to a new medication called Caplyta, and everything spiraled from there. I was back at home when everything occurred, so I wasn’t with him during this time. The day he first took it, I remember he said he had an extreme headache and was going to sleep it off. When he woke up, his throat was itchy and some hives on his face neck and chest. Not linking it to the medication, he continued taking it for a few more days.
About 2-3 days starting the new med, the itching in his throat became swelling and the rash on his face neck and chest got worse. He was starting to say things that didn’t make sense, and even started hallucinating. We would be on FaceTime and he would think I was there with him and would ask me to go do something for him or grab something for him, when in reality I was back home 3 hours away. Fast forward another day or two later, his behavior got stranger and stranger. The things he was saying weren’t making sense, he would be texting me weird things that he normally wouldn’t, and he seemed really high strung and was starting to freak me out to the point I called his sister and best friend to go do a wellness check on him. When they got there, they convinced him to go to the hospital and went with him. The doctors confirmed he did indeed have an allergic reaction to the medication as well as adverse psychological symptoms, and his sister got in contact with his psychiatrist and was told to immediately stop the medication. After a few days, he slowly came down from his mania and his allergic reaction symptoms dissipated as well. He said he didn’t remember much from that whole week at all. Finally, at the end of the week, I was able to make it out to him and see him. At the time, I had my suspicions that it wasn’t just a manic episode/allergic reaction to his med that was going on, I had suspected that he relapsed and confronted him about it. He swore that it was just the medication and that it was by far the worst manic episode he’s ever had in his life and it terrified him.
Fast forward to last week, for some reason the whole March situation really started bothering me again, so I went through his phone. We’ve always had each other’s passcodes since we started dating. I looked through his phone for almost an hour, and nothing seemed weird or abnormal, and I even felt good seeing the way he talks about me to his friends and family when I’m not around. Telling them that he’s never been with a better person in his life and that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. Then I scrolled back in his Instagram messages and found messages with this guy. The guy is “straight” and has a girlfriend. They had been messaging during that week in March, and in those messages I discovered that he cheated on me that week and also relapsed. After reading everything and having a nasty fight with my boyfriend, I drove 3 hours home and told him I was done, or at the very least needed to leave immediately. He denied everything and said he had absolutely no clue what I was talking about, even though I told him I took pictures of all the messages. He still denied it. I sent everything to the girlfriend of the guy as well, because she didn’t deserve to be in the dark either. She didn’t believe me, saying it was a very serious accusation and would need more proof than just the messages, and wanted to hear it from my boyfriend. Later that night when I was finally home, I got a text from his best friend saying that he had texted her saying “I know I fucked up, I just don’t remember doing it at all. I hardly remember what happened that week at all”.
Two days after I got home, he texted me and said that he was so sorry, that he loves me very much and that if I didn’t want anything to do with him ever again, that was 100% valid, but he just wanted a chance to speak to me. So I gave him that chance. We talked on the phone for 3 hours, and he told me that after I left he went through his Instagram messages and found the messages himself. He said that him going back and reading the messages was him finding out for the first time what he had done, and he immediately got sick to his stomach. After he saw the messages, he said his phone was on do not disturb for 2 days, didn’t leave his house, and was absolutely embarrassed and disgusted with himself. He said he was so disgusted not by only what he did to me, but by how he let himself down by ruining his (at the time) 6 months of sobriety. He told me that he will do absolutely everything he possibly can to try to make this right because he’s in love with me and can’t believe what he did. Throughout the entire discussion, he took full accountability for everything he did even though he doesn’t remember doing it. I told him that if I decided to work through this with him, HUGE changes needed to happen. I told him that I wasn’t 100% breaking up with him, but that we needed to take a step back and I probably needed a few weeks before I was ready to come back and see him again, and that in those few weeks I expect to see him make his promises reality. I asked him if he genuinely loves me, and if he does how he could do what he did. He said that he has no excuse for what he did, and that he truly doesn’t remember what happened at all, and he said he also knows that’s not an excuse by any means but that he just truly does not remember. He said he doesn’t even remember where he got the cocaine from and that the fact that he can’t even remember that terrifies him. He said he’s never cheated prior to this, but he’s been cheated on, and knows exactly how I’m feeling and that every feeling and the distrust I currently have towards him is 100% valid.
The next day, he made an emergency appointment with his therapist and told her everything that happened and he gave me access to his entire AppleID and iCloud keychain, giving me access to all of his passwords and I can even see his text messages on my Macbook if I want. Over the past week, he also gave me access to his ring cameras. He went and got STD tested because said that I shouldn’t have to be the one to do that, that this was his fault and he would go and pay for the tests. He went and got his Vivitrol shot for alcohol and substance abuse that he hasn’t had since February, because back in February after he got the shot he thought he was ready to stop getting it, so he stopped. He apologized to my mother on Facetime; sobbing, saying that he will do everything possible to make this right and will spend his life trying to make up this up to me and that I was the love of his life. He said even wants to come up with a plan so the next time he has a manic episode we can avoid something like this happening ever again.
I know being manic and relapsing and not being able to remember anything that happened is absolutely not an excuse for what he did, but I do see how such circumstances can be a recipe for this sort of thing to happen. And aside from the one instance in March where he definitely relapsed and cheated on me, I’ve had no other suspicions of him using any other time or cheating on me. I truly believe he’s been sober up until that week in March, and after. I think his episode put him in a very vulnerable place mentally, and he made a huge, HUGE mistake. I do think he really loves me, but he has some serious issues that he needs to work on, and he agrees.
The rest of his phone was not of any concern. The way he talks about me to his friends, his family, coworkers, he just gloats about me and says how unbelievably lucky he is. His friends and family are completely devastated and confused by what he did, because not only did he hurt and disappoint me, but them too. They’ve taken my side in this situation entirely and have been so incredibly supporting towards me.
Reddit, I just need to know, have you ever been through something like this with a partner, and got through it? I know a lot of you are going to say “once a cheater, always a cheater” but I believe people make huge mistakes and that people can make huge changes if they truly want to and put the effort in. I just need advice.

Background: I was a bit by a lone star tick approximately two weeks ago. I believe it was attached at least 2-3 days before removal, potentially even 4 at most.
The day after removal I went to the doctor and they prescribed me a single dose of doxycycline, which I took that day. A couple days later I felt super fatigued, joint pain, chills, and like I was in a brain fog. I went back to the doctor that day and they then gave me a 2 weeks course of doxycycline. A couple days into the doxycycline the symptoms have pretty much disappeared besides random joint aches.
However, the bite area is growing redder and enlarging slightly. It is not itchy or pussing, so I’m not sure if this is normal. I’m worried that even on antibiotics that the bite area is looking worse.
I go back to the doctor for a follow up soon, and I’ll have about 4 days left on the doxycycline when I go. I’d like to run bloodwork and see what’s wrong before stopping the antibiotic. Should I push for them to prescribe more or is two weeks of doxycycline enough??

I got bit by something when I was weeding my overgrown lawn on either May 22nd or 26th. On June 5th, I noticed a very alarming, red, circular mark had formed around the bite. After a quick Google, I made an appointment and saw my doctor yesterday. She confirmed that while we live just outside of the normal range for deer ticks, we have had a few cases of Lyme here.
My doctor wasn't convinced that the mark was indicative of Lyme, but thankfully, when I told her that I wanted to treat it anyway, she said that she would do the same thing in my place. She prescribed 10 days of doxycycline hyclate 100mg, which I started yesterday evening. This morning, I took it on an empty stomach, which my doctor and the pharmacist both advised. Of course, I puked it up 45 minutes later, so now I'm at home trying to figure out a path forward that includes keeping the pills down. 😅
Google eventually brought me here, and the wealth of knowledge y'all have put together here has brought me a lot of peace of mind. Thank you all for being here. I'm in my 30s, and I really had no idea that Lyme was still so prevalent. I'm angry that so many folks are suffering long term effects after receiving inadequate treatment.
Once I figure out how to keep these doxycycline pills down, I'm going to make sure I get my prescription extended to at least 30 days. If I can't keep the pills down, I'll insist on trying amoxicillin. I'm also looking at picking up grapefruit seed extract too. It's thanks to y'all, from your discussion and wiki here, that I've got a clear treatment plan in front of me. I know there's a lot I can't control, but focusing on what I can control alleviates a lot of my anxiety.
I'm going to keep reading through the wiki and also find a link or two to share with my doctor when I ask for a longer prescription. If y'all have any additional info/tips y'all are willing to share, I would be very grateful. 🖤

I had sex with a prostitute 13 days ago, I wore a condom. Right after sex that same night like an hour or 2 after I started feeling irritated. I got tested the next day (I know too early) and everything came back negative but still feel irritation. No other symptoms like bumps sores pain while peeing just the irritation. It comes and goes and so far at its worse it’s mile irritation. So my question is, is it an std or sti? Or did I have an allergic reaction to the condom?

Hello I’m (25 F) finally getting help for my allergies after a lifetime of being sick, periods of no medical insurance, and just getting used to always feeling miserable and counting it as the new normal lol. I got tested on a skin prick test earlier this week and reacted to 64 out of 68 allergens which I expected a lot as I hive up the second I walk outside. The test made me extremely light headed, I got chills and almost passed out. 😅 I also wanted to add I have had hives constantly for about 5 years straight and I do have terrible asthma which they gave me a lot of asthma medication at the allergy appointment as well. I have had several allergies & asthma since childhood but it has gradually gotten worse over the years.
We were going to do a food allergy test but we’re going to do a blood one as they did test for all the nuts and I reacted to everything (tree nuts, peanuts, coconuts), I should mentioned cashews and other tree nuts have gotten worse for me over time. I used to eat them and have minimal reactions, now one bite sends me into anaphylactic shock within an hour, even being in a room I will get hay fever, hives, and feel my throat closing up without me eating them. Other foods such as eggs and dairy give me bad stomach problems. I was diagnosed with oral allergy syndrome as most raw fruits and veggies give me a reaction, and pretty much anything else I eat gives me acid reflux which I just deal with pepcid lol.
I’ve come to realize all my issues that I’ve been to the doctor separately for links back to this. I’ve been to the doctors for constant migraines the past few years and they just told me to do neck stretches which I do daily and doesn’t help. I recently got an endoscopy bc I’m constantly having really bad acid reflux which spiked during pregnancy and they said they see I have GERD but to keep taking Pepcid. My pregnancy was spent vomiting multiple times a day until I developed severe pre-eclampsia that had my liver failing so I had to deliver 3 months early, apparently that can also be common among MCAS patients. I also have had kidney issues since 17 but unsure if that’s related or not. I did go into remission with my allergies during pregnancy which was cool but they returned the second I delivered. 😅
Sorry for this long thing as I just found out about it the other day but to anyone experienced does this make sense to ask about MCAS to my doctor based on my history? I feel like if it’s not this or something else, then I guess I just have terrible health at 25 years old which absolutely sucks. If people think I should ask about it, how would I go about it? I usually get pushed away by doctors so I stopped being seen unless it’s life threatening, even going to an allergist was a big step. Would I ask my allergist or go to someone like a gastroenterologist where I got my endoscopy done? Thanks for any information and sorry again for such a long post!

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[Part 1] [Part 2]
Admiral Pyraxis drummed his talons on his desk. A rhythmic sound, which he found quite comforting. Arranged on his desk stood various fine wines he had procured by means of ordering mass confiscation of alcohol from the Humans.
“Sir, are you sure the local drink isn’t affecting your judgement?”
And that was the sound of Pyraxis’s greatest headache - his incessant subordinate, Krystak, who was only one rank lower than him and undoubtedly waiting for the perfect opportunity to usurp Pyraxis.
“No, Krystak, I am quite unaffected by these beverages,” he lied, “also - you’re out of line speaking to me like that.”
Krystak bowed his head in apology. Taking a glug from a bottle gripped in his right hand, he gestured for Krystak to begin his debrief.
“Well, we have seen a 6.2% increase in attacks since last month. Of those, most have been unsuccessful, but we took approximately 17,800 fatalities this month, which is an 8% increase from last month. Efforts to locate major concentrations of exiled army units have failed, however, we succeeded in raiding weapons caches on all settled continents. Counter intelligence is working diligently to root out urban resistance, but rural resistance is unfortunately going to take a lot longer than predicted to eradicate.”
“We also managed to get some industrial and mining operations going without them being immediately blown up, which is good progress.”
Pyraxis took another long gulp of wine, before standing up, “I need you to get this damned planet under control! Is that clear? Because in five local cycles, the colonisation fleet will arrive. If they get here and it’s still a warzone, we will both be replaced. I don’t care how many people you have to kill to do it. Exterminate even more if you have to. Understood?”
Krystak opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it and nodded.
“Dismissed.”
He saluted, then marched out of Pyraxis’s office.
“Fucking Humans,” he muttered to himself. At least they had some decent swear words. Staring out the window at Earth, he downed the rest of his bottle, and passed out.

“I feel I have to tell you that what you are about to embark on is a suicide mission. Not one of you is expected to come back alive. If that isn’t your cup of tea, there is no shame in backing out now.” A few people in the back surreptitiously left the hall everyone had gathered in.
After a moment, the speaker - one general Mathews - resumed his briefing.
“This attack is one of many coordinated strikes which will - if successful - cripple the enemy’s ability to fight, and may just win us the war. Of those of you gathered here, most will partake in the main attack. The target is located on the Isle of Man - specifically, the old RAF base Jurby. It has been converted into a base of operations. All you need to know is that another, smaller force, will infiltrate the base. In order to complete their objective, you will need to divert as many troops away from the north of the base as possible.”
“Jurby has been turned into a fortress - our intel says there are at least five thousand Salvad troops on the island, and of those, one thousand are located within or near Jurby. Your goal is not to beat them, but distract them. You will be granted heavy weapons - in fact, everything we have at our disposal is going into this attack.”
Robert stood in the back, leaning against the wall, observing the reactions of the men around him.
“You will have the aid of local resistance forces, but they are not to be relied upon for anything other than intel - they are not combat troops. You will deploy under the cover of night. Our numbers should double when we reach the rendezvous point at Kidsdale prior to departure - we’re calling in everyone for this. The Salvads don’t have a seaborne navy, which is important for us, since you will be landing by boat.”
This had an interesting reception - mostly of shock, a bit of scorn. Once the chatter had died down, the general continued.
“We have commandeered numerous small civilian boats. There should be enough to carry everyone over to the Island. You will land on the west coast, south of Jurby. From there, Alpha team under Johnson will advance north to Jurby, where you will attack with everything you’ve got. Use the element of surprise, draw the enemy out. Beta team under Simmons will advance to St. Judes to cut off enemy land reinforcements. Charlie team under Smith will protect your rear from attack. There can be no radio chatter on the way over - we really need the element of surprise. Once they know you’re there, try to limit comms since we have no idea if they can decrypt our signals.”
“Hold out for as long as possible. The attack is scheduled to begin at 2400 hours two days from now. Gather your equipment, and prepare for a long march to the rendezvous. I will follow you up to that point. Questions?”
Robert lost interest at that point. He shook the ache out of his legs and walked through to the gathering spot for the infiltration team. He knew a few faces. A couple of Royal Marines were present, and some exiles from mainland europe. There were eight of them total, although apparently their team was thirty strong.
Where the rest of this little suicide squad was, he had no idea.

Robert decided he really didn’t like whoever had come up with this part of the plan. They were not going with the main force, but were instead going to a different rendezvous to board a submarine. They would then ride this submarine to the Isle of Man. It would be 2 AM when they disembarked three kilometres north of Jurby. This would give the main attackers two hours to draw away the majority of the guards.
Robert did not like submarines. They would be boarding HMS Anson at HMNB Clyde. The reason this base hadn’t been destroyed by the Salvads was because out of sheer luck it was empty during the landings. They would have to be there at exactly the right time, as the sub would only wait for twenty minutes maximum, before leaving to do the mission without them.
The journey would be about eleven hours. That meant eleven hours cramped inside a submarine, underwater. Because of course they would be submerged for the whole journey. It only made sense, after all.
This was going to suck.

Admiral Pyraxis was in an irritable mood. He’d had to learn the meaning of another Earth word: drunk. Then he had to learn the meaning of hangover. Then he spent more time than necessary examining the capacities of his own liver.
He knew he was letting the drink get to him. But he was too stressed, and needed a way to relax. He was still somewhat sure that it wasn’t affecting his decision making that much.
Picking up his communicator from the floor, he punched in a code, then held it up to his head.
“Report on the project.”
“Understood. I’m coming down to inspect it.”
Putting in a different code, he once again spoke into the device, “Prepare my shuttle for departure. Destination is Immunisation Facility 3.”

Robert decided if he survived this, he would never ride a submarine again. The boarding had gone like clockwork. He now had half a day to become acquainted with the rest of the team.
One guy stood out - he was wearing a gas mask and spoke with a muffled accent. Perhaps German?
“Guten Tag, Gentlemen. My name is Corporal Müller, but you may call me Tobias - I am in charge of this operation. We will split into three teams. In the hold are three backpacks - these have the bioweapon. I would be very careful not to drop them. The strongest guy in each squad will carry one. There are three main silos. Deploy the weapon, then get out. Any questions?”
Robert raised his hand, “Yeah, what's with the mask?”
“I wear this because I am hideously deformed! Ja, I was in France, and received a large dose of radiation from the…erm…fireworks. I have about five days until I suffer critical organ failure, so I figured I would go out on my own terms - in glorious combat!”
“Oh. Right.”
“I nearly forgot! Here, you all need to take a cyanide pill with you. We cannot risk anyone being captured,” he said, taking out a tray from behind him and enthusiastically offering the pills up to everyone.
Well, that's just wonderful. Robert took one and put it in his jacket pocket.
Robert acquainted himself with the rest of the team, and found somewhere to lie down. He knew it was going to be an arduous journey.

General Mathews stood dramatically at the head of his force. The wind was strong, but the surf was calm enough to board the boats. It was dark as well. He had requested a red cape for his speech, which was billowing behind him. It would have been a more potent image if it wasn’t so dark. As it was, he could barely see to the end of the crowd gathered before him.
There was no moonlight either - the strike had been carefully planned to take place under heavy cloud coverage. And so far, their luck had held. Standing on top of some crates, with a microphone connected to a meagre sound system, he puffed up his chest.
Tapping the mic, he winced as it squealed. Slapping it a couple more times, he began to speak.
“Before me, I do not see an army. I do not see the best of the best. I do not see heroes; for the heroes died in the first attack. They died on the front lines, charging into certain death. We are the ones who remain. And you ask yourself, what can a couple of thousand men do?”
“Fighting an enemy we cannot beat, with weapons we can’t match and resources we can’t equal, not for a thousand years. What is the point? Madness!”
“We are martyrs. The heroes have fallen long ago. It falls to us to do the dirty work. We are the ones who ask for no thanks and will go forgotten by all; but do not fear! Our actions stand in place of our identities, and they will echo through the annals of history, for today we take the fight to them! Today, we charge into the jaws of death, just like our countrymen, only this time we can win!”
“You heard me right! We can win this war. Our job is simple. Fight, and die. And God willing, our comrades will complete their mission, and sentence the invader to eternity whichever hell they belong in. Today, we die. This is not a battle we can possibly survive, but we will sure as hell fight. Remember those words of Churchill, spoken so many years ago.”
“Feel the defiance of humanity coarse through your veins! Cast your thoughts to the Greeks at Thermopylae, or our forefathers at Rorke’s Drift! Pavlov’s house! Invoke the spirit of Saragarhi! Remember the Guards’ last stand at Westminster, where the road ran slick with Salvad blood!”
“For today, we cast our die for a future we will never see, and children we will never meet! We will not go quietly into that good night! Rage! Rage against the dying of the light!” The men cheered, overpowering the scream of the air and the rage of sea.
“To arms!”
Adrenaline swells in tensed muscles.
“Blood will be spilled!”
The clatter of weapons ringing in ears.
“On this day, our blood will stain the streets!”
They don’t cheer now; they roar.
“The blood of Terra will flow!”
They surge forward to the boats, a force of nature, with the defiance of a cornered beast.
“Rise, defenders of Earth! From every corner of our planet you came, and to the seas you will return! Fear no death, for death is on your side! If this is to be the dying gasp of Humanity, then let it be the greatest last stand in history!”
And as the warriors boarded their craft, general Mathews tossed away the key to his jeep, and slipped into the crowd. Which was impressive, given his rather pompous appearance.

Jacob, an absolute unit of a man - who never seemed far from getting his huge frame stuck in the doorways - yelled down the length of the compartment we were staying in.
“Captain says fifteen minutes to drop site!”
Tobias stood and said, “All right gentlemen, gather your equipment and prepare yourselves - the sea is cold this time of year.” Robert froze. “We’re not landing?” Tobias laughed, then suffered a bout of wet coughs. Recovering, he looked up, “No. The submarine will drop us off as close as possible, and we will have to wade the rest of the way. Maybe swim a little.”
This day just kept getting worse and worse.
Admiral Pyraxis was having yet another argument with Krystak when an aide came with alarming news.
“I’m sorry?”
“It's immunisation site three, sir! They’re reporting an attack on the island!”
Krystak, ever the opportunist, spoke up. “Correct me if I'm wrong, admiral, but is that not the location of project-”
Pyraxis snapped.
“I KNOW, SHUT UP!”
Taking some time to gather his thoughts, he spoke in a more reasonable tone.
“Summon the Zirrack, get them on my shuttle.” The aide looked shocked, “Y-you’re going down there?”
“Yes, now hurry up.”
Pyraxis dismissed Krystak and marched to his shuttle, seething with rage. Obviously, there was no way the Humans could know about what was hidden under the facility. It was probably just a few militants trying to sabotage operations in Europe. However, it pays to be cautious - hence Pyraxis bringing the Zirrack Crimson Brigade, his personal bodyguard.
An elite unit made up of the best Salvad troops, subjected to genetic enhancement and wearing crimson ceremonial armour - which was very much not for show.

Robert waded through the breakers, soaked all up his back with ice-cold water. The whole group panned out, advancing slowly up the beach, rifles at the ready. Robert was using a British army L85A1, along with a Glock 19 as a sidearm. They all had NVGs, although they wouldn’t be massively effective considering advanced Salvad thermal-concealing clothing.
The surf was calm, and distant rumbling of the clouds could be heard. He wished he’d worn thicker socks to protect against the biting cold of the sea. Dead quiet, they ran up the sand and into the grass. The crackling of gunfire could be heard fairly close by.
Jacob glared at a sign. “You can’t seriously expect me to believe that this place is called Cronky Bing,” he whispered. Robert squinted at the sign, and sure enough, it read: Cronk y Bing Nature Reserve.
"At least we're where we need to be," Tobias said. "Now let's get moving."
The team began a careful march through the fields, towards their target at Jurby. Deploying his night vision, Robert could see the silhouette of the Silos to be targeted, a large building that must have been the factory, and some squat structures which were most likely barracks.
The gunfire became louder the closer they got, with erratic explosions keeping Robert on edge. The flash of muzzles and bright light of Salvad plasma weapons became visible, reflecting on the clouds. Advancing to the last hedgerow before the base itself, the team’s sniper and spotter set up, easily disappearing into the bushes thanks to their ghillie suits.
“Okay, everyone split up into your teams. One target for each team. Get in, deploy it, and get out,” Tobias said. “Do not destroy the silos. Best of luck.”
Splitting up, the teams sprinted towards the border fence of the complex. No Salvads were spotted until they were halfway there, but the moment weapons were raised, the sniper took them out in quick succession. Tobias led Robert’s team up the fence, where they cut a hole with bolt cutters and crawled through. Tobias motioned to spread out, while Jacob and a couple of others moved towards their designated silo. They would have to climb the ladder to the access port at the top in order to deploy the payload.
It was just as they reached the ladder that they all heard the hum of engines approaching.

“Where the fuck is the rest of Beta team?” Johnson yelled at Simmons.
“They must have been blown off course-”
Johnson cut him off, “How do you lose half your team? You're needed at full strength!”
“Calm down! They probably just landed further south than intended. I’ll take what men I have and we’ll just have to wait for the rest to catch up.”
Johnson seethed. But eventually, he just growled and ordered his men to move out. They had gathered in the centre of a little town called The Cronk, which lay about three kilometres south of the enemy compound. Alpha team set off at a brisk pace north, while the weakened Beta team moved northeast to cut off the Salvad route of reinforcements at St. Judes - reinforcing Salvad troops would most likely come along the main road from Ramsey on the east coast, where they would meet a nasty surprise.
And Charlie team were ordered to stay right where they were, and protect from an attack in the rear.
Johnson’s force lined the hedgerows facing Jurby. He had dispatched a portion of his force to secure the church sitting on a slight incline, which used to overlook the prison before it was demolished by the Salvads. Johnson checked his watch, then gave the order. Three rocket launchers fired into the base - two hitting guard towers, and the third hitting a barracks and caving in the roof.
Alarms blared, and Salvads rushed out - many without any of their armour - and frantically tried to find out where the attack was coming from. They were met with machine gun fire from the Humans. Johnson grinned as he watched swathes of enemies get mowed down. Hefting a grenade launcher, he began to help blow them to pieces. Gunfire at the church suggested that the squad sent there had encountered resistance.
His eyes bulged when a Salvad in the complex levelled the church with an anti-tank weapon.
That guy didn’t stay alive for long, as the marksmen among Alpha team exacted revenge. Once the shock of their attack began to wear off, deadly accurate return fire began to rain on them, plasma tearing through their superficial cover.
The real battle had started.

Meanwhile, Beta team managed to sneak unnoticed all the way to St Judes, where they laid their trap - landmines, hidden gun emplacements, the whole deal. Kicking in doors, they took up positions in windows and on roofs. Snipers spread out outside the village in the fields, ready to pick off any reinforcements.
It didn't take long for the call for help to reach Ramsey. It took even less time for the armoured response to come driving up the road.

Admiral Pyraxis gazed out his shuttle window at the storm clouds they were headed into. The power of nature on this planet was truly staggering to him. Of course he had seen storms back home, but those were gusts of wind compared to the thunderstorms here on Earth.
He felt the turbulence as his shuttle descended into the clouds, and part of him became nervous, just for a moment. He soon chastised himself; there was nothing to fear down there. So why did his gut tell him otherwise?
The shuttle smoothly landed at the Immunisation facility, where Pyraxis and his guard disembarked, only to be greeted with deafening gunfire far too close for comfort. As they walked away from the ship, it suddenly got hit with several successive blasts, tearing it apart. Pyraxis dove to the ground, shell shocked. Gathering himself, he screamed at the Zirrack, “Half of you, deal with those humans! Kill them all! The rest of you, with me.”
They silently obeyed, moving towards the sound of fighting. Pyraxis stormed into the facility's command centre, enraged. Barging into the control room, he searched for the base commander. Seeing him, the commander saluted, then - rather pointlessly - said “Sir! The base is under attack!”
Pyraxis glared at him. “I know. All the explosions gave it away.”“What should we do?” the commander stammered.
“What should- what are you, stupid? Deploy the garrison!”
The trembling commander blabbered his apology and scurried away.
Turning to the nearest worker, he ordered them to call in all the troops on the island. It was at this point that Pyraxis may have completely snapped. This is because a private burst into the room, and said, “Hostiles have breached the northern border!”
Suffice it to say, Pyraxis was not happy. Once he was done screaming at his subordinates, he ordered the inoculations extracted immediately to prevent their destruction.
Brandishing his pistol, he stormed out of the command centre with his guards. “Find the saboteurs. Prevent them from damaging anything.”

Robert never thought he would see a man physically tear a Salvad apart with his bare hands, but that is precisely what Jacob did. The victim was running towards the sounds of fighting, when Jacob jumped him from the side and went berserk. Robert stared with morbid fascination.
Moving through the compound, they easily overcame the few guards who stumbled upon them in quick fashion. Reaching the silo, Jacob and two other men began the climb up the ladder while the others secured the area.
“Contact, front! Multiple-”
A scream cut through the air as the speaker was blasted apart by plasma fire. Robert dove for cover, catching a glimpse of some red-clothed figures.
“Who the fuck are these clowns?” he yelled to Tobias, who shrugged from behind the crate he was using as cover.
Peaking around the corner of a wall, Robert saw who they were dealing with.
At least five. More?
He fired a burst at one, and swore upon seeing the rounds deflect harmlessly off of their armour. He motioned to Tobias to provide covering fire. Counting down with his fingers, he nodded at Tobias, and sprinted back through the facility. A couple of stray rounds flew near him as he ran. Finally, he saw what he needed.
A dead guard. And importantly, his weapon. It was worth seeing if it would have an effect. Running back to the fight with his newly liberated weapon, he hid at the edge of one of the barracks. From there, Robert saw Tobais loading an RPG. Quickly and efficiently, Tobias readied the weapon, and peaked round the corner.
Firing, he hit one of the red bastards point blank. It was not pretty - burning flesh and scraps of armour flew in all directions. The others did not like that, and began advancing, spraying fire at anything that moved, resulting in another guy’s head getting blown apart. Robert anxiously watched the group climbing the silo - they were about to be spotted. Pressing every button on the Salvad rifle until it seemed to work, he took a deep breath, and fired at the fancy dress fucks (as he had decided to name them). The first few hits did not penetrate their armour, but with several successive hits parts of the plate began to melt. So, it worked. They immediately returned fire, forcing Robert to duck back behind his corner.
He eyed the wall with fear as it began to melt under the pressure of enemy weaponry, and took a few steps back. He could still see the guys scaling the silo. They were just about to reach the top. Just a little further…
One of the Salvads saw them. It aimed its weapon up, and shot the man behind Jacob. He went tumbling down to the ground, the sickening splat of the impact echoing throughout the facility.
Gritting his teeth, Robert once again peeked from his cover to provide covering fire and distract the Salvads. As he ducked once more, a Salvad shot missed his head by a hair’s width, melting through the wall behind him.
He held his breath, watching Jacob pull himself and the payload up the last few rungs of the ladder. Enemy fire began to rain on them.
Come on…come on!
Just as it looked like Jacob would be hit, he pulled himself over the side and out of the enemy line of sight.

“Fuck! We need support over here!”
Johnson’s men had been repelled and were being forced back in the centre, with their hard-won position at the church’s ruins under threat of encirclement. Casualties were unknown, but high.
“It always sounds better in a speech.” Johnson muttered, “Oh, glory, saving humanity. I don’t see the general out here dying with us-”
Just then, he glanced over at the smouldering church, and saw a ridiculous looking figure, who appeared to be wearing some sort of cape...
“Oh, fuck me.”
He watched, dumbfounded, as general Mathews engaged Salvad troops in hand to hand combat with his bayonet. The fight was obscured by smoke as the general dramatically executed a downed Salvad. If a middle aged man with a bad back and a tendency to favour tea and biscuits over any kind of physical exertion could do that... what was Johnson waiting for?

Beta team was initially successful, destroying or disabling several armoured vehicles as they entered St. Judes in a single file convoy. However, the convoy recovered quickly, deploying their troops and demolishing every building in the town. The vehicles fanned out into the fields, where several more fell to landmines, but the rest were able to provide deadly fire support.
The members of Beta team who had landed too far south caught up only as the fighting began, and found themselves out of position and disorganised, with many fleeing in all directions and any semblance of order evaporating. Having levelled St. Judes, the armoured convoy resumed the drive to Jurby, albeit with significantly more caution.
Beta team radioed all other teams, alerting them of the breakthrough.
Charlie team was effectively holding back Salvad reinforcements in the south, having dug in at the Cronk and Ballaugh. Smith ordered guerrillas further inland to sabotage the Salvad communication array, and succeeded before anyone was the wiser. Salvad armoured columns from Peel lay burning, dotted across the landscape.
This favourable state of affairs only lasted until enemy air support arrived.
It was a slaughter.

“Can we get more men from Charlie team?” Johnson radioed, only to have his spirits sunk as the news came through.
Charlie team had been destroyed by enemy air strikes. Soon after, Simmons radioed to say that Beta team had been smashed, and were retreating.
Johnson’s heart sank. He probably had less than half his own men left, and enemies were closing in on all sides. He sincerely hoped that the mission had been successful.

Jacob yanked open the hatch to the silo, and deployed the payload without further thought, holding his breath as he did so. Tying a rope from his pack to a rail, he repelled down the side of the silo as quickly as possible, immediately taking cover. His comrade was not so lucky, getting shot on his way down. Jacob sprinted to find the others, cursing as a shot grazed his side, sending him sprawling on the ground.

Vice admiral Krystak had a solemn look on his face. Before him were the rest of the Salvad high command, all recalled for an emergency meeting.
“It seems our leader has gotten himself in quite some trouble. We have no communications, and satellite imaging is obscured by the storm. We have no idea the scale of the attack on Immunisation site three, or the status of Admiral Pyraxis. We must consider him compromised. Would you agree?”
Carefully neutral expressions and subtle nods all around.
Perfect.
“In these exceptional circumstances, we must take precautions. It is stipulated that the Vice Admiral must assume the position of Admiral in such circumstances. Agreed?”Careful nods all around. Nobody spoke up.
“As such, does the council agree to grant me the title of Admiral and the powers that come with it, in order to rectify the situation?”
They all looked at each other. Then, one by one, nodded in agreement.
“Then let us make haste. I presume you are all aware of Pyraxis’s little project buried under the facility. The research there must not be discovered by the Humans. As such, I move to allow the retrieval of all usable material from the facility, and to order the subsequent destruction of the facility to prevent a security breach. All in favour?”
The Salvad’s gathered looked weary, but soon crumbled under peer pressure.
All agreed. A rational decision, given the information available. They all knew it was a thinly veiled coup, and none wanted to put a target on themselves.
Krystak, now the Admiral and commander of all Salvad operations in Sol, growled softly as he revelled in his victory.
The foresight of the ambitious is often lacking.

Robert watched as the cargo haulers flew in, barely stopping as they lifted the entire silos, and then flying away at top speed. A few half-hearted pot shots were taken at them to reinforce the notion that the Salvads had foiled the dastardly human plan.
It had been a close thing. They hadn’t expected the Salvads to order an accelerated extraction. Robert now hid inside one of the barracks with a couple of others, including Tobias - who was methodically taping a claymore to his chest.
He stopped what he was doing when he heard a clatter somewhere far off, followed by the sound of footsteps.
Robert held his breath. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he tensed, ready to run.
He could hear their chatter. By the sound of their movements, they had panned out and were searching every nook and cranny.
Gripping his rifle with white knuckles, he waited for the nearest footsteps to near even more, before charging out of cover. Firing his stolen weapon in a continuous burst into the Salvad’s face, forcing him back. The plasma melted the faceplate, and boiled the Salvad inside - evidenced by its' screaming.
Hunched over to avoid the fire of the other Salvads, Robert sprinted to the body and extracted a knife from one of its pockets. The knife had an ornate design, and a thin glowing red rim along the edge. The balance felt completely off.
Diving behind a toppled bunk, Robert tried to make himself as small as possible. A stray enemy shot scorched the side of his abdomen, the intense heat instantly cauterising the wound. A few centimetres to the right, and he would be trying to stop his organs from falling out.
“Fuck!”
A small chunk of flesh had been carved away by the shot, and he screamed as his fried nerve endings made their displeasure known.
“Bitch!”
He half ran, half stumbled through the barracks, crashing through the first doorway he saw. On the other side was a slope, heading down into a lower level. With the sound of fighting, he saw no choice but to go further down. It looked like a laboratory of some sort, with pristine white walls and ceilings. Robert wandered into a vast chamber, where human bodies lay on operating tables in various states of dissection, with more suspended in vats filled with a sickly green liquid. Pausing to take this all in, Robert promptly vomited, and ran in another direction.He was determined to get out of that awful place as soon as possible. Hearing footsteps behind him, he threw himself onto the floor behind a cabinet to hide. Stolen gun at the ready, he strained his ears for any sign of the enemy.He didn’t have to wait long. Striding into the room, three of the red-clothed-pricks fanned out. Sneaking a look, he saw one of them wasn’t wearing a helmet - sign of a comically arrogant superior officer. They were speaking.
The officer sounded angry.
Taking his chance, he peaked his weapon around the cabinet, and nailed one of the soldiers in the head. He crumpled to the floor instantly. The other one, not missing a beat, spun and fired at Robert, forcing him to cower behind the rapidly melting cabinet.
Crawling to the other end, he peaked again, and was able to shoot the soldier’s weapon, disabling it. Unfortunately for Robert, his bad luck once more reared it’s ugly head, and the Salvad rifle stopped working.
Out of charge?
Casting the spent weapon aside, he charged the Red Salvad. *Where's the officer?*All too late, he realised his mistake. As he body-slammed the Salvad, the officer appeared from behind a wall, pistol raised. Robert’s “borrowed” Salvad knife found its way into his grip, and the glowing edge of the blade burrowed through the Salvad’s armour. Robert twisted it into the Salvad’s neck, severing the spine, and shoving the now-deceased body to the ground.
This left him facing off with the officer. Perhaps Robert had seen too many films, as he expected some kind of evil speech. Instead, the officer shot him, and he fell down.
He entered a world of pain, body convulsing on the floor. The once-pristine tiles were rapidly changing colour around him. It felt like some of him was missing. Taking a look at the damage, he wished he hadn’t. His brain sort of stopped working at this point, overwhelmed and high on adrenaline.
Robert fumbled for his Cyanide pill as the Salvad strolled over.
In the corner of his eye, he saw a shape appear at the door in the back. A human, covered with burns and scorched flesh underneath torn uniform. A distinctive gas mask adorned his face. The individual raised a pistol with shaking arms, and fired.
A single bullet hit the Salvad in the neck, spewing a fountain of blood in front of him. The Slavad cried out, and fell flat on his face.
Tobias limped over and kneeled beside Robert.
“Hey, I got you. Look at me. I got you.” he said, panting.
“And here I was, thinking… you were dead, Toby.”
“Heh, I very nearly was. Those freaks had a flamethrower! Here, let me help you up.”
Grunting, Tobias lifted Robert by the arm, supporting his weight. After a bit of rearranging themselves, the two limped their way back into the barracks. Bodies lay strewn everywhere, and the building was on fire and filling with smoke.
Kicking down the door to the outside, they stumbled out into the fresh sea air. The sound of battle could still be heard far off, though they paid it no heed. Stumbling away from the base, the pair made the short journey to the beach.
Robert lay down, and Tobias kneeled beside him. “What time do you think it is?” asked Robert. The Sun was just beginning to rise, with a few rays penetrating the morning sky. The storm had cleared, replaced wth a hesitant blue.
“Not a clue,” Tobias wheezed. The waves were breaking mere metres away from their feet, lapping at the shore and blissfully uncaring of the violence occurring inland.
“Just hold on a little longer. I think we’ll get to see a sunrise, of a sort.” said Robert. His gaze was fixed at a point just above the horizon. From that little point, a speck of light was rapidly growing, heading right for them.
They joined hands, clasping each other in a tight grip.
Here, the man who fought out of spite lay. Next to him, the man who fought out of habit. Both were terrified of dying. Both were now too tired to care. Bleeding and hurting, they finally rested. Their war, at least, was over.
Jacob had died just a few minutes earlier, in the fight in the barracks.
Pyraxis did not die when he was shot in the neck, as the bullet missed his airpipe. He stumbled out a different exit, only to see the sky brighten. Ironically, the killing blow was dealt by his own people. This irony was not lost on him.
The entire island was destroyed, every living thing perishing under orbital bombardment, leaving a crater and no evidence of the deeds done there, heroic or cowardly.
Save for its legacy, in the form of plague the likes of which the Salvad’s had never witnessed.
Author’s note:
I think this may be some of my best work yet. I put a lot of effort into the concepts and -especially- detailing the attack, which I’m quite proud of. It was a bit slower than I wanted getting this one done due to external factors, but I managed it in the end. Given how long it’s ended up, perhaps I should have split it up more, but oh well. I’d like to say thank you to anyone and everyone who took an interest in this little series - the support means a lot to me. If you read this far, thank you.