Unveiling Object-Oriented Programming: The Pillar of Modern Software Development

In the realm of software development, where complexity often reigns supreme, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) stands tall as a guiding paradigm, offering structure, modularity, and scalability. Its inception, dating back to the 1960s and 70s, marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of programming methodologies. Since then, OOP has become a cornerstone of modern software engineering, empowering developers to craft robust, reusable, and maintainable codebases.

Understanding the Essence of Object-Oriented Programming:

At its core, Object-Oriented Programming revolves around the concept of objects, which encapsulate both data and behavior. These objects are the building blocks of an OOP system, representing real-world entities, such as people, cars, or bank accounts. By encapsulating data within objects, OOP fosters a modular approach to software design, wherein complex systems can be broken down into smaller, more manageable components.
The Four Pillars of OOP:
Object-Oriented Programming is underpinned by four fundamental principles, often referred to as the "four pillars" of OOP:
Encapsulation: Encapsulation involves bundling data and methods that operate on that data into a single unit, i.e., an object. This shields the internal state of an object from external interference, promoting information hiding and abstraction. Encapsulation facilitates the creation of robust and maintainable codebases by limiting direct access to an object's internal workings and providing well-defined interfaces for interacting with it.
Inheritance: Inheritance enables the creation of new classes (objects) based on existing ones, thereby promoting code reuse and hierarchical organization. Inheritance allows subclasses to inherit attributes and behaviors from their parent classes, fostering a hierarchical relationship among classes. This not only reduces code duplication but also enhances extensibility, as new classes can be created by extending or modifying existing ones.
Polymorphism: Polymorphism, derived from the Greek words "poly" (many) and "morph" (form), refers to the ability of objects to exhibit different behaviors based on their types or classes. In essence, polymorphism allows objects of different classes to be treated uniformly through a common interface. This promotes flexibility and modularity, as it enables developers to write code that can operate on objects of multiple types without explicitly knowing their exact classes.
Abstraction: Abstraction involves modeling complex real-world entities as simplified, idealized representations within a software system. By focusing on essential attributes and behaviors while hiding irrelevant details, abstraction enables developers to manage complexity and enhance clarity. Abstraction is achieved through the use of abstract classes, interfaces, and other mechanisms that define a blueprint for creating concrete implementations.

Benefits of Object-Oriented Programming

The adoption of Object-Oriented Programming brings forth a multitude of benefits, including:
Modularity: OOP facilitates modular design, allowing developers to break down complex systems into smaller, interconnected modules (objects). This modular structure enhances code organization, maintenance, and reuse.
Scalability: Object-Oriented Programming promotes scalability by enabling developers to extend and modify existing code without disrupting the overall system. Through inheritance and polymorphism, new features can be added or existing ones can be modified with minimal impact on the rest of the codebase.
Code Reusability: OOP encourages code reusability through inheritance and composition, wherein common functionalities can be encapsulated within reusable components (classes). This reduces redundancy, enhances productivity, and fosters the development of libraries and frameworks.
Maintainability: By promoting encapsulation and abstraction, OOP facilitates code maintenance and evolution. Changes to one part of the codebase can be isolated and localized, minimizing the risk of unintended side effects and making it easier to understand and modify the code over time.

Conclusion

Object-Oriented Programming stands as a testament to the power of abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism in software engineering. Its principles have revolutionized the way developers conceptualize, design, and build software systems, paving the way for scalable, maintainable, and extensible applications. As technology continues to evolve, OOP remains a timeless paradigm, guiding developers on their quest to craft elegant and efficient software solutions.

First-time poster, long-time lurker. Big thanks to this group for the generosity - I'm amazed at how many people take the time to share their tips and answer questions. Sharing my path here in case it helps someone else:
Background
This was mostly new material for me. I manage short-term small projects at a marketing agency. I took the bootcamp 35 hours class in late February, so spent a total of 3 months studying. I generally put in about 4-5 hours total during the weekday and about 4-8 hours each weekend. I did have to skip a few weekends here and there due to other commitments. Don't let more than 2 days go by where you aren't reviewing something.
Most Helpful Study Materials

• Study Hall - Don't get discouraged by low scores. I reset the practice questions once and had an easier time the second time. Went into the test with 71% on practice questions and 75% on practice tests
• 3rd Rock Notes - reviewed these throughout my studying. They started to make more sense and I got more out of them the more I had advanced in other study materials. I also used AR's PMP prep book and his TIA videos. It helps me to hear things more than once from different sources.
• DM YouTube Videos (100 Waterfall, 150 PMBOK 7, 200 Agile) - these questions are easier than the ones on the exam, but I followed DM's method of underlining and crossing out in the actual exam and it was super helpful. Often if you're struggling between two answers, the clue to the right answer is in the question.

Week Leading Up to Test Day

• Reviewed 3rd Rock mindset notes daily
• Reviewed Study Hall incorrect answers and took notes on mistakes - also reviewed these daily
• Took final practice exam 3 days before exam
• Try to get good sleep 2 and 3 days out from the exam - I knew I wasn't going to sleep well the night before, but made sure to practice good sleep hygiene leading up to the test
• Try and stay off this Reddit thread 48 hours before - love you all, but it wasn't helpful to read about people who had failed, people who are frustrated, etc. before my test. Just clear your head, distract yourself with a TV show, and tell yourself the knowledge is basically locked in at this point.

Test Day

• My test was at 8, I got there at 7:30 and sat down for the test at around 7:55
• Take the breaks!
• Bring sugary snacks for a little boost
• I finished with about 30 minutes left on the clock. At that point, I just couldn't sit there and review any longer
• I thought the test was a little easier than Study Hall - I had three drag-and-drops that were all pretty intuitive, 1 chart, no math/calculations. I agree with others' assessment that the test questions are a little more clear than SH
• I used the comments function to talk myself through tough questions and write out the reasoning why I thought one answer was correct or why one answer didn't work.

If I can get this score with almost no traditional PM experience (I've never worked with a PMO, drafted an official project plan, seen a project charter, etc.) then it's very possible for anyone. Good luck all!

Hey Guys! These two ingredients have transformed my life. Having suffered for decades with crohn's and tired of the risks of the medications i was being offered I found a natural way to manage my condition. I have been able to get off all my prescriptions now for over two years and just use my GI relief and repair supplement from peaklife4u.com, 3 capsules in the AM and 3 in the PM in conjunction with 5 grams a day of L glutamine powder mixed into a glass of water. This combined with daily meditation to help lower my stress levels has been a game changer.
Now this is not a magic bullet that will transform you overnight or give instant relief like prednisone but over 30-60 days these ingredients can help reset your gut biome which is critical in reducing the inflammation that is the cause of most of the symptoms associated with these digestive disorders.
I know how it feels to think your only choice is what you are currently taking. (and for me the medications were still not working) But you have to think about treating the cause and not just the symptoms. Getting your gut biome back in balance can dramatically change your health, energy and mindset.
**L-Glutamine: The Gut's Best Friend**
L-glutamine is an amino acid that plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of the intestinal lining. In conditions like Crohn's, IBS, and IBD, the intestinal barrier can become compromised, leading to inflammation and discomfort. L-glutamine helps to repair and rebuild this barrier, promoting gut integrity and reducing symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating.
Additionally, L-glutamine has been shown to support immune function and reduce inflammation in the gut, further contributing to symptom relief in these conditions.
**Humic Acid: Nature's Gut Soother**
Humic acid is a natural compound derived from humus, the organic component of soil. While it may sound earthy, its benefits for gut health are nothing short of remarkable.
One of humic acid's standout features is its ability to promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria. In conditions like IBS and IBD, disruptions in the gut microbiome can exacerbate symptoms and contribute to disease progression. Humic acid helps to restore equilibrium to the microbiome, reducing inflammation and improving overall gut function.
Furthermore, humic acid exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties, which can provide much-needed relief for individuals experiencing flare-ups of Crohn's or IBD symptoms. By calming inflammation in the gut, humic acid may help alleviate abdominal pain, cramping, and diarrhea.
**Harnessing the Power of L-Glutamine and Humic Acid**
Combining L-glutamine and humic acid can create a synergistic effect, amplifying their individual benefits for gut health. Together, they work to repair the intestinal lining, support immune function, rebalance the gut microbiome, and reduce inflammation, offering comprehensive relief for individuals grappling with digestive disorders.
Of course, it's essential to consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating any new supplements into your regimen, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition or are taking medication. However, for many individuals with Crohn's, IBS, or IBD, L-glutamine and humic acid could be valuable additions to their wellness toolkit.
Have you tried L-glutamine or humic acid for gut health? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below!
Steve.

Councillor Vek stood on the observation deck of the cruiser Balexa, as she watched the blue planet below. Earth, as the inhabitants called it. Indigenous life had only just developed tools and weapons of metal and combustion, yet something about this world felt...different.
Vek's assistant, a young Dreth named Pylor, approached. "Councillor, our sensors have detected an unusual energy signature coming from that landmass." He pointed to a region on the planet's map.
Vek peered down at the indicated area. "Life signs?"
"Massive. Billions within that small area alone. And..." Pylor double checked the readings. "Their technology...it's exceeding all models for their stage of development."
Intrigued, Vek ordered the Balexa into a lower orbit to investigate directly. Below, sprawling cities dominated the landscape, towers of metal and glass thrusting towards the heavens. Ground vehicles filled roadways in great herds.
But it was what Vek saw in the skies that made her gasp. Dozens of giant space ships above the planet.
Vek urged the Balexa closer, honing in on the largest vessel. Over a kilometer long, it resembled an arrowhead piercing the clouds. Guiding it through flight tests, no doubt. But its capabilities went far beyond simple transport.
Her eyes analyzed the gleaming hull. Powerful weapons arrays, ultra-dense alloys, inertial dampeners—this was no mere explorer ship. It bore the armaments of a capital warship, yet wielded in the skies of a supposedly primitive world, according to 1000 year old reports.
"Scan it," Vek ordered. The results shocked even her aged sensibilities. Particle beam projectors, gravitic torque generators, ablative shield matrix far exceeding, any known galaxy-class defenses. She watched silent as the warship shrugged off simulated meteor bombardments, and energy lances that would have crippled a flagship.
"Are the sensors malfunctioning?" Pylor asked. "This...this shouldn't be possible."
Vek didn't respond, lost in thought. The colonization directive had brought her here expecting a standard uplifting, not...this. A new species on the cusp of space, yes, but with a military capability challenging the Grand Fleet itself. Her duties were clear, yet prudence demanded further observation before revealing her presence.
That evening, Vek witnessed lights illuminate the cities as perpetual twilight fell. Not the flickering fires of a primitive settlement, but vast geometric patterns flooding the night with steady radiance. Roadways became rivers of motion as noxious fumes belched from pipes. She watched holographic entertainments broadcast atop towering spires, their realism surpassing even the Dreamcast pleasure worlds.
It was all too much. This world had advanced beyond all projections, its technology perfectly integrated within human civilization. Yet had achieved spaceflight only yesterday. An impossibility...unless directed by an outside influence. But signatures showed no alien contamination, only the fingerprints of natural evolution.
"Councillor," Pylor interrupted her thoughts, "I'm detecting a new vessel launching from the underground test site."
Vek shifted her gaze and witnessed madness. Rising from its berth came a colossus the size of a hab-moon. Twenty kilometers of pitiless metal rising on pillars of blue inferno, a vast sphinx of iron. Its armored prow glinted cruel in the light of its world. No other word could apply but "leviathan."
She watched speechless as it performed basic maneuvers. Its motion sent ripples through the atmosphere itself, as entire mountain ranges would shake. Multispectral scans revealed engineering beyond rational thought, a work of art and horror, given form in girders and armour-plates. No known drive system could shift its bulk, yet it drifted with ethereal grace.
Vek collapsed into her command throne, as the giant ship vanished into the mottled sky. Only one thought echoed through her stunned mind.
This changes everything.
Councillor Vek's findings on the human home world of Earth, had rocked the Galactic Council to its core. A species possessing technological marvels far beyond their years of spaceflight, should not exist, yet Vek's evidence proved otherwise. As the leaders convened an emergency session, their debate centered around how to handle this unprecedented development.
"Negotiations must be made at once, to assess if these 'humans' pose a threat," stated Morax of the Androrian Conglomerate. "We cannot allow such advanced militaries to emerge unchecked in the galaxy."
Vek spoke up. "I caution haste. The humans integrate their technologies peacefully on Earth, and welcomed our observations from orbit. Forceful intervention risks destroying what could be a powerful new ally."
Others argued humanity should be contained for study and surveillance, to learn their intentions. Tempers flared until Councillor Porx silenced the chamber. "Further debate is pointless without understanding these beings. Vek, with your ship the Balexa being closest, you are tasked with open contact and assessment of the human condition."
Reluctantly agreeing, Vek set course for Earth with escort vessels. As the Balexa entered atmo, she watched the armada of human vessels fill the skies once more. Her mind raced with what to make of such a belligerent yet benign species. Perhaps hospitality ruled here while militarism emerged elsewhere, as with so many spacefaring civilizations.
The Balexa landed in an open field outside a sprawling metropolis. Vek and her delegation exited warily, the high oxygen air thick in their respiratory systems. Above, jet aircraft flew patrol routes. while curious onlookers documented the arrival on personal communicators.
Approaching vehicles emerged, this time carrying humans who exited with open hands. "Greetings, I'm Commander Jasmine Chen of the United Earth Space Command," said the apparent leader. "We welcome peaceful contact and welcome you to our world."
Her relaxed yet watchful presence put Vek at ease. "I am Councillor Vek of the Galactic Council. We come in friendship to learn of your people and capabilities."
Chen nodded. "Please, come with me and we’ll discuss how we might cooperate for mutual benefit.” She guided them into waiting transport vehicles towards a towering citadel. Along the route, Vek glimpsed, colossal fusion reactors, automated infrastructure, and most astonishing, families and children walking without fear amongst such technological wonders.
Arriving at the United Earth Space Command headquarters, Vek received a cultural download on human history. Only an eyeblink ago, they waged wars from the back of beasts and shattered each other with primitive explosives. Now they spanned the Solar System and bent physics to their will, yet retained community and empathy in their evolution.
Chen brought them to a viewing platform high above the city. "This is what 350 years of focused progress has achieved. Our advance began, when we discovered alien wrecks on the Moon containing lost knowledge. From there, our science boomed while social reforms fostered cooperation."
Vek struggled to process such rapid development. "And your military capabilities? Ones matching capital fleets already?"
Chen smiled knowingly. "A necessity of our past, yet now a guarantor of peace. We keep stride to ensure safe expansion, not conquest. See, all technologies serve life's betterment."
Her wise words allayed Vek's fears of some belligerent power. Indeed, humans bore responsibility for such marvels rather than recklessness. She thanked Chen, believing a new partnership had begun that could uplift the galaxy.
As the Balexa departed that day, Vek pondered all she now understood of humanity. A species arisen from war to wisdom, empowerment and care for others. Their defense of all requiring defense through strength guided safely by conscience. Truly an example to follow into a brighter future, if accepted.
But ominous clouds gathered where none before have been...
The Council chambers fell silent as reports of the Balexa's findings spread across the Galactic network. Councillor Vek recounted humanity's technological feats and philosophical underpinnings in great detail. While unsettled by Earth's military prowess, the consensus agreed their intentions seemed benevolent.
As debate resumed, an aide burst in with urgency. "Attack fleets have engaged at the Estron outposts. Casualty estimates are catastrophic."
Gasps filled the room. Estron, a core Council world renowned for compassion, laid defenseless against the ravaging warships. But how had the Anti Council faction pushed this deep so quickly?
Vek turned to the hologlobe, coordinating response forces to intervene quickly. But she knew conventional fleets, couldn't match the invader's new annihilating momentum. Unless...
An idea formed, She opened a channel to Commander Chen, as other leaders objected in shock. "Humanity proving themselves is unwarranted. We cannot condone--"
But Vek sensed Chen had come to the same conclusion. "Councillor, send us all you have on this threat. Our ships stand ready to aid in whatever way is needed."
The Council fell silent at her resolve. Vek transmitted Battle Assessment 716-C and tracked the human warship streaking into hyperdrive, escorted by two escort cruisers. She prayed this unprecedented response would succeed where fleets had failed.
As the human task force arrived at Estron, they beheld utter ruin. Planetoids bombarded into dust, settlements glassed from space. The last distress calls wept through static, as heat shimmered off molten continents.
Captain Sato of the Yamato grimaced at the carnage. "This ends today. Shields to maximum, charge main cannons. Helm take us in."
The faction armada appeared like demons bursting from an inferno, dozens of war beasts thirsting for more conquest. But they weren't prepared for the grey giant, punching through their formation's heart.
Blue lances of plasma speared the leading ship, overloading its shielding and armor in a microsecond. The massive ship erupted in a brilliant fireball that consumed several nearby fighter craft. Meanwhile, precision volleys from the Yamato's mass drivers sheared through the battlecruiser amidships. Secondary explosions ripped the cruiser to pieces, as it drifted lifeless.
The humans coordinated their attacks with flawless synchronization. Squads of escort gunships strafed and bombarded the swarm ships, attempting to flank the capital ships. Their advanced targeting systems, allowed multiple targets to be engaged simultaneously. Within minutes, over a dozen enemy vessels had been eliminated with surgical strikes.
The surviving faction forces regrouped and organized a desperate counterattack. A dozen assault frigates charged headlong at the Yamato, unleashing everything in their arsenals. Shields flared as energy lanced and missiles impacted across the human warship. But its shields held easily, dissipating each strike with efficiency.
Resuming its offensive, the Yamato activated its main cannons once more. Two gigawatt particle beams lashed out, melting through the foremost frigates in a pair of massive explosions. Shrapnel and debris pelted the remaining ships, crippling their systems. Bombardment from the escorts mopped up the drifting hulks.
With their main attack crushed, the rest of the fleet broke into a panic-fueled retreat. They scattered in all directions, pursued relentlessly by human forces. Within the hour, only broken ship fragments remained of what was once a formidable invader fleet.
Aboard the Yamato, Captain Sato surveyed the devastated aftermath with a heavy heart. So many lives lost unnecessarily, due to the faction's brutal conquests. But now, Estron could begin to heal thanks to humanity's intervention. As cleanup crews tended to survivors, Sato opened a channel to Earth and to Galactic Council to deliver their mission report.
Word of the battle's outcome would help forge new bonds of trust, and cooperation between humanity and the Galactic Council.
In the ruins of Estron's capital, Councillor Vek witnessed humanity's compassion firsthand. Survivors were rescued, and cared for without regard for species or faction. She knew in that moment that the Pax Terra had begun, and a new era of partnership had dawned with Earth.

Councillor Vek stood on the observation deck of the cruiser Balexa, as she watched the blue planet below. Earth, as the inhabitants called it. Indigenous life had only just developed tools and weapons of metal and combustion, yet something about this world felt...different.
Vek's assistant, a young Dreth named Pylor, approached. "Councillor, our sensors have detected an unusual energy signature coming from that landmass." He pointed to a region on the planet's map.
Vek peered down at the indicated area. "Life signs?"
"Massive. Billions within that small area alone. And..." Pylor double checked the readings. "Their technology...it's exceeding all models for their stage of development."
Intrigued, Vek ordered the Balexa into a lower orbit to investigate directly. Below, sprawling cities dominated the landscape, towers of metal and glass thrusting towards the heavens. Ground vehicles filled roadways in great herds.
But it was what Vek saw in the skies that made her gasp. Dozens of giant space ships above the planet.
Vek urged the Balexa closer, honing in on the largest vessel. Over a kilometer long, it resembled an arrowhead piercing the clouds. Guiding it through flight tests, no doubt. But its capabilities went far beyond simple transport.
Her eyes analyzed the gleaming hull. Powerful weapons arrays, ultra-dense alloys, inertial dampeners—this was no mere explorer ship. It bore the armaments of a capital warship, yet wielded in the skies of a supposedly primitive world, according to 1000 year old reports.
"Scan it," Vek ordered. The results shocked even her aged sensibilities. Particle beam projectors, gravitic torque generators, ablative shield matrix far exceeding, any known galaxy-class defenses. She watched silent as the warship shrugged off simulated meteor bombardments, and energy lances that would have crippled a flagship.
"Are the sensors malfunctioning?" Pylor asked. "This...this shouldn't be possible."
Vek didn't respond, lost in thought. The colonization directive had brought her here expecting a standard uplifting, not...this. A new species on the cusp of space, yes, but with a military capability challenging the Grand Fleet itself. Her duties were clear, yet prudence demanded further observation before revealing her presence.
That evening, Vek witnessed lights illuminate the cities as perpetual twilight fell. Not the flickering fires of a primitive settlement, but vast geometric patterns flooding the night with steady radiance. Roadways became rivers of motion as noxious fumes belched from pipes. She watched holographic entertainments broadcast atop towering spires, their realism surpassing even the Dreamcast pleasure worlds.
It was all too much. This world had advanced beyond all projections, its technology perfectly integrated within human civilization. Yet had achieved spaceflight only yesterday. An impossibility...unless directed by an outside influence. But signatures showed no alien contamination, only the fingerprints of natural evolution.
"Councillor," Pylor interrupted her thoughts, "I'm detecting a new vessel launching from the underground test site."
Vek shifted her gaze and witnessed madness. Rising from its berth came a colossus the size of a hab-moon. Twenty kilometers of pitiless metal rising on pillars of blue inferno, a vast sphinx of iron. Its armored prow glinted cruel in the light of its world. No other word could apply but "leviathan."
She watched speechless as it performed basic maneuvers. Its motion sent ripples through the atmosphere itself, as entire mountain ranges would shake. Multispectral scans revealed engineering beyond rational thought, a work of art and horror, given form in girders and armour-plates. No known drive system could shift its bulk, yet it drifted with ethereal grace.
Vek collapsed into her command throne, as the giant ship vanished into the mottled sky. Only one thought echoed through her stunned mind.
This changes everything.
Councillor Vek's findings on the human home world of Earth, had rocked the Galactic Council to its core. A species possessing technological marvels far beyond their years of spaceflight, should not exist, yet Vek's evidence proved otherwise. As the leaders convened an emergency session, their debate centered around how to handle this unprecedented development.
"Negotiations must be made at once, to assess if these 'humans' pose a threat," stated Morax of the Androrian Conglomerate. "We cannot allow such advanced militaries to emerge unchecked in the galaxy."
Vek spoke up. "I caution haste. The humans integrate their technologies peacefully on Earth, and welcomed our observations from orbit. Forceful intervention risks destroying what could be a powerful new ally."
Others argued humanity should be contained for study and surveillance, to learn their intentions. Tempers flared until Councillor Porx silenced the chamber. "Further debate is pointless without understanding these beings. Vek, with your ship the Balexa being closest, you are tasked with open contact and assessment of the human condition."
Reluctantly agreeing, Vek set course for Earth with escort vessels. As the Balexa entered atmo, she watched the armada of human vessels fill the skies once more. Her mind raced with what to make of such a belligerent yet benign species. Perhaps hospitality ruled here while militarism emerged elsewhere, as with so many spacefaring civilizations.
The Balexa landed in an open field outside a sprawling metropolis. Vek and her delegation exited warily, the high oxygen air thick in their respiratory systems. Above, jet aircraft flew patrol routes. while curious onlookers documented the arrival on personal communicators.
Approaching vehicles emerged, this time carrying humans who exited with open hands. "Greetings, I'm Commander Jasmine Chen of the United Earth Space Command," said the apparent leader. "We welcome peaceful contact and welcome you to our world."
Her relaxed yet watchful presence put Vek at ease. "I am Councillor Vek of the Galactic Council. We come in friendship to learn of your people and capabilities."
Chen nodded. "Please, come with me and we’ll discuss how we might cooperate for mutual benefit.” She guided them into waiting transport vehicles towards a towering citadel. Along the route, Vek glimpsed, colossal fusion reactors, automated infrastructure, and most astonishing, families and children walking without fear amongst such technological wonders.
Arriving at the United Earth Space Command headquarters, Vek received a cultural download on human history. Only an eyeblink ago, they waged wars from the back of beasts and shattered each other with primitive explosives. Now they spanned the Solar System and bent physics to their will, yet retained community and empathy in their evolution.
Chen brought them to a viewing platform high above the city. "This is what 350 years of focused progress has achieved. Our advance began, when we discovered alien wrecks on the Moon containing lost knowledge. From there, our science boomed while social reforms fostered cooperation."
Vek struggled to process such rapid development. "And your military capabilities? Ones matching capital fleets already?"
Chen smiled knowingly. "A necessity of our past, yet now a guarantor of peace. We keep stride to ensure safe expansion, not conquest. See, all technologies serve life's betterment."
Her wise words allayed Vek's fears of some belligerent power. Indeed, humans bore responsibility for such marvels rather than recklessness. She thanked Chen, believing a new partnership had begun that could uplift the galaxy.
As the Balexa departed that day, Vek pondered all she now understood of humanity. A species arisen from war to wisdom, empowerment and care for others. Their defense of all requiring defense through strength guided safely by conscience. Truly an example to follow into a brighter future, if accepted.
But ominous clouds gathered where none before have been...
The Council chambers fell silent as reports of the Balexa's findings spread across the Galactic network. Councillor Vek recounted humanity's technological feats and philosophical underpinnings in great detail. While unsettled by Earth's military prowess, the consensus agreed their intentions seemed benevolent.
As debate resumed, an aide burst in with urgency. "Attack fleets have engaged at the Estron outposts. Casualty estimates are catastrophic."
Gasps filled the room. Estron, a core Council world renowned for compassion, laid defenseless against the ravaging warships. But how had the Anti Council faction pushed this deep so quickly?
Vek turned to the hologlobe, coordinating response forces to intervene quickly. But she knew conventional fleets, couldn't match the invader's new annihilating momentum. Unless...
An idea formed, She opened a channel to Commander Chen, as other leaders objected in shock. "Humanity proving themselves is unwarranted. We cannot condone--"
But Vek sensed Chen had come to the same conclusion. "Councillor, send us all you have on this threat. Our ships stand ready to aid in whatever way is needed."
The Council fell silent at her resolve. Vek transmitted Battle Assessment 716-C and tracked the human warship streaking into hyperdrive, escorted by two escort cruisers. She prayed this unprecedented response would succeed where fleets had failed.
As the human task force arrived at Estron, they beheld utter ruin. Planetoids bombarded into dust, settlements glassed from space. The last distress calls wept through static, as heat shimmered off molten continents.
Captain Sato of the Yamato grimaced at the carnage. "This ends today. Shields to maximum, charge main cannons. Helm take us in."
The faction armada appeared like demons bursting from an inferno, dozens of war beasts thirsting for more conquest. But they weren't prepared for the grey giant, punching through their formation's heart.
Blue lances of plasma speared the leading ship, overloading its shielding and armor in a microsecond. The massive ship erupted in a brilliant fireball that consumed several nearby fighter craft. Meanwhile, precision volleys from the Yamato's mass drivers sheared through the battlecruiser amidships. Secondary explosions ripped the cruiser to pieces, as it drifted lifeless.
The humans coordinated their attacks with flawless synchronization. Squads of escort gunships strafed and bombarded the swarm ships, attempting to flank the capital ships. Their advanced targeting systems, allowed multiple targets to be engaged simultaneously. Within minutes, over a dozen enemy vessels had been eliminated with surgical strikes.
The surviving faction forces regrouped and organized a desperate counterattack. A dozen assault frigates charged headlong at the Yamato, unleashing everything in their arsenals. Shields flared as energy lanced and missiles impacted across the human warship. But its shields held easily, dissipating each strike with efficiency.
Resuming its offensive, the Yamato activated its main cannons once more. Two gigawatt particle beams lashed out, melting through the foremost frigates in a pair of massive explosions. Shrapnel and debris pelted the remaining ships, crippling their systems. Bombardment from the escorts mopped up the drifting hulks.
With their main attack crushed, the rest of the fleet broke into a panic-fueled retreat. They scattered in all directions, pursued relentlessly by human forces. Within the hour, only broken ship fragments remained of what was once a formidable invader fleet.
Aboard the Yamato, Captain Sato surveyed the devastated aftermath with a heavy heart. So many lives lost unnecessarily, due to the faction's brutal conquests. But now, Estron could begin to heal thanks to humanity's intervention. As cleanup crews tended to survivors, Sato opened a channel to Earth and to Galactic Council to deliver their mission report.
Word of the battle's outcome would help forge new bonds of trust, and cooperation between humanity and the Galactic Council.
In the ruins of Estron's capital, Councillor Vek witnessed humanity's compassion firsthand. Survivors were rescued, and cared for without regard for species or faction. She knew in that moment that the Pax Terra had begun, and a new era of partnership had dawned with Earth.

Part 72 Gene mods (Part 1) (Part 71)
[Support me on Ko-fi so I can get some character commissions done and totally not buy more Gundams]
“Alright, calm down. It's really not that serious.” Though the holographic representation of War Chief Neshkaname, complete with ocean blue eyes and linear facial tattoos on his tan face, looked quite noticeably tired, his overall demeanor seemed fairly positive. “I just got out of a meeting with representatives from the different protesting groups and all of them agree with the general idea of what we're trying to do with our united defense fleet. There's just quite a bit of disagreement about how our Confederacy should approach the questions related to Earth, Mars, and everyone in Sol.”
“What kind of questions are we talking about here?” General Robert Andrews, the now former General of the US Army, was the first to speak up amongst the crowd of military leaders. “Nothing about invading Earth, I hope.”
“Well…” Though Rob was only half serious about his comment concerning Earth, the way the commanding officer of the Nishnabe Militia’s Blue Fleet began his response put a genuinely concerned expression on a few faces from Sol. “It's only a small percent of our population who are calling for war to reclaim land. A few million people at most, none of whom hold any positions of leadership in our military. Luckily, there are far more people calling for boycotts, embargoes, or blockades as opposed to anything direct.”
“War Chief, to many governments on Earth, an embargo, and especially a blockade, would be considered akin to a direct declaration of war.” General Renee Descartes, the former Chief of Defense Staff of France and Second in Command of the European Union's Unified Military, despite the dark bags under her eyes implying she hadn't gotten anywhere near enough sleep before this meeting, retained her rather elegant poise when adding that bit of necessary context. “You see, the economy of Earth is highly reliant on importing raw materials from space. With the climate being as delicate as it is, no one is willing to risk the kinds of planetside resource harvesting necessary to keep the thirteen billion people in the Earth’s Sphere of Influence employed, fed, and happy. More importantly, we are starting to run out of easily accessible mineral deposits in space.”
“Yes, the lunar mines and the near-Earth asteroid colonies still under UN-E control simply aren't producing nearly enough material to meet growing demand.” Admiral Nathaniel Adeoye, who had also given up his position as the Chief of Astral Naval Staff of the African Federation, chimed in with a clearly worried tone in his deep voice. “While I can understand the rage some of your people must feel, especially towards Americans, the many different people of Africa were in no way responsible for the colonization of America. In fact, we were subject to colonialism ourselves.”
“At least y'all still got yahr homelands!” Commandant General Daniel Chasinghorse, the former Commander of the entirety of MarsGov's Void-Marine Corps, didn't mean for his statement directed at Adeoye to sound as vitriolic as it did. However, the idea of him, his Lakota people, and all the displaced Native American Nations who were now mostly living in space or on Mars potentially being included in the Nishnabe’s reasonably negative reaction towards the people of Earth had put him on edge. “Sorry for snappin’ at yah like that, Nate. But the people livin’ on Mars ain't nothin’ done to deserve bein’ restricted by an embargo or blockade. We need all the extra-Solar tech we can get if we're gonna keep our population's health from declining even further. And I’m sure the African Lunar colonies could really use that medical and gravity tech too!”
“Nothing's been decided yet, and most people on Shkegpewen want peace, we just haven't reached a consensus on how that peace will look.” War Chief Msko Pkwenech, the commander of the Nishnabe Militia’s Red Fleet, interjected while making an open gesture with his hands to try to pat down the tension building up in this meeting room. “And if helps at all, we did take quite a few public votes concerning technology sharing for things we consider essential. But Maser probably has quicker access to the results than I would.”
“About ninety percent of respondents voted to immediately authorize and start sending out medical and gravity tech, including a production ship to come out and make things in-system, which is well above the seventy-five percent consensus needed to move forward.” As soon as the Light-born AI holographically representing their consciousness as an androgynous human began to speak in an incredibly soothing tone, the stress levels in the room began to fall. “There are currently a few councils debating the finer details and arranging logistics of what will be sent. However, the specifics of who gets what and when they get it will be negotiated between the respective governments in Sol and the Nishnabe Intergovernmental Council. Our job as the United Human Defense Fleet is not to interfere with diplomacy between nations, just to ensure that diplomacy is handled in a reasonable and non-threatening manner. Now, with that said, the vote to provide essential assistance was just one if a few taken over the last couple weeks. And while that poll was overwhelming and definitive, the ones concerning visas, immigration, galactic trade, and interspecies relations all fell below the consensus threshold for the Confederacy to adopt an official policy. When we say embargoes and blockades, we are purely referring to trade interactions between species, not between humanity and your economic exclusive zone. Once the relevant councils develop updated options for people to vote on, the next vote will be held.”
“An’ how long's all that gonna take?” Commandant Admiral Carol Nez, as the former head of MarsGov’s Astral Intelligence Collective and Councilmember in the Navajo Nation of Mars, was keenly aware of both the pressing urge of many on the red planet to live on a world with a breathable atmosphere and how just long it often took to for Native Nations to build a consensus. “Everaday we got at least a thousand babies born in Martian maternity stations an’ at least thirty percent ‘ave some kinda health issues. The sooner we get y'all's medical tech, the more kids that're gonna grow up to be happy an’ healthy!”
“We are well aware of the negative health implications of trying to raise children in low-gravity.” Msko already had his tablet out and was in the process of sending over the relevant information to his counterparts from Earth and Mars. “Our genetic modification technologies require individualized sequencing but they can be applied before or after birth to correct any serious issues. They can even be used well into adulthood. I got my eye color changed when I became an adult, so we can help anyone who hasn’t already gotten cybernetic replacements for affected body parts. All of our ships still in Sol are actively trying to produce as much of the base materials as they can and are working with doctors from your stations to get everything deployed as quickly as possible.”
“Why don’cha just teach our docs how to do it?” As soon as Carol got the question out, Msko and Nesh shot each other cautious glances before they both looked towards Maser.
“Well, Commandant Admiral Nez…” As soon as the hologram of the AI began to speak, it was clear their words were directed at everyone present from Sol. “To be completely blunt with all of you, we have reason to believe that the moment people from either Mars or Earth got full access to the genetic manipulation technology the Nishnabe utilize, someone would begin conducting experiments to turn humans into living weapons even more dangerous than the cybernetic ones you already produce. The cybernetics sported by many of your civilians would be legally considered military-grade combat modifications, and individuals with those cybernetics would be barred from entering many GCC standard space stations. We know there are doctors within both UN-E and MarsGov already working on projects to modify your species genome to produce what you call super soldiers, which something which is generally highly illegal under GCC laws. In fact, the genetic manipulation done to Sarah and Johnathan McAfree would likely be considered combat adjacent modifications according to GCC standards, and they would also be subject to various limitations due to their enhanced physiology.”
“Hey, now! Spooky an’ ‘er brother ain’t that scary!” Though he had been spending most of this meeting quietly sitting in his corner of the round table and trying to stay out of things he considered to be beyond his expertise, Professor Mikhail T. River felt compelled to say something now that his ex and her brother had been brought up. “Sure, she can bench press me. An’ Johnny can pick up the stove to sweep under it. But that ain't the gnarliest I ever seen! I mean, jus’ look at Comandante Harrison over here!”
/----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While the members of the United Human Defense Fleet Council were in their meeting and discussing the rumors of Nishnabe protests Sarah had also caught wind of, that was far above her paygrade. Despite a tinge of concern fluttering away in the back of the unusually tall and rather athletically built Scotswoman’s mind, she wasn't worried about the things she had no control over. At the moment, she, her rather short and somewhat pudgy mother, and her colossal but cognitively limited brother were relaxing in the stables of the opulent nature area aboard UHDF DS-1 and spending time with the unicorn-like kaehi'xito that Mik had gifted to them. Though the three gingers were each busy with different things most of the day, Donna and Johnny with their Nishnabemwin and remote job training courses while Sarah performed her role as an intelligence analyst, the small family from Glasgow truly cherished this time they got to spend together. And the fact they were bonding with the closest living creatures in the galaxy to unicorns only made this even better for all of them.
“Hey Sarah! There you are!” As soon as Miakorva's voice called out from the entrance to the stable building, Sarah, her family, and the three unicorn-like creatures turned to see the Qui’ztar approaching them with familiar canine at her side. “And look who I found wandering around the ship! Did you know that Mikhail lets her walk around unsupervised?”
“Hiya Mia!” Being the closest to the entrance, Johnny was the first to greet the lanky and seemingly muscular blue woman before he crouched down low and extended a hand towards the Cane Corso. “An’ Micky lets her roam cuz she's a good girlie. Isn't tha’ righ’, Terry?”
“Terry Good dog!” Terry’s soft but deep whine was translated by her collar while she approached the man with her tail vigorously wagging.
“Terry's a trained station guard dog, Mia.” Sarah added while shooting the Qui’ztar intelligence officer a cheeky wink and coy smile. “It's ‘er job to wander a station, ‘r in this case a ship, an’ be on the lookout for trouble. An’ now that she can talk, she's a perfect workin’ animal. But wha’s up? Were yah lookin’ for me?”
“Oh, yes. Yes, I was. But… uh…” Mia paused for a moment as she watched the massive beast of a dog place her paws on Johnny's shoulders and begin licking the man's face as if he had smothered some kind of invisible but quite tasty treat across his skin. “Isn’t there a concern that Terry may… Well… Hurt someone? Her species are non-sapient apex predators with strong hunting instincts, correct?”
“Tha's why she and most other workin’ dogs ‘re so well trained, love.” Donna replied with a giggle, the adorable display of affection between her son and Mik's dog forcing a massive smile across her freckled and slightly wrinkled face. “There's always a bit o’ risk with dogs, especially the biggins like Terry ‘ere. But if these unicorns aren't freakin’ out cuz o’ ‘er, then we don’ gotta be worried.”
“Kaehi'xito didn’t evolve with canine predators, so they likely don't even recognize her as a potential threat.” As Mia watched the beast of a dog lean more of her weight on to Johnny, she half expected the large and well-built man to fall over from the force. However, much to her surprise, the man stopped his energetic scratching on Terry's sides, wrapped his arms around her waist, and effortlessly lifted the gargantuan animal into the air, all the while it continued to lick his face. “But seeing you carry that creature like a baby would be enough to make almost anyone with caniphobia be cautiously curious about these creatures. And they must not be as heavy as they look if you can pick one up so easily.”
“Oh, Terry’s a thickin! At least fifteen stone!” In a motion that seemed in utter opposition to Johnny's comment, the man half-tossed the Cane Corso into the air so that he could reposition his hands to cradle the massive canine as if she were a literal baby. “But she's still a good lil pupper, ain't yah, Terry?”
“Terry, good baby!” Though Terry hadn't started flailing or showing any obvious signs of discomfort, she suddenly turned her head towards Sarah with a longing look in her golden eyes. “Pack-mother cuddle?”
“Yeah, sure, yah big ol’ lunk.”
Though Mia could believe a man as impressively large as Johnny may not have much difficulty in lifting a hundred kilo canine, she was completely flabbergasted by Sarah's ability to simply pull Terry from Johnny's grasp and continue to hold the animal up without even the slightest indication of strain. Not only had she just gotten confirmation that this creature was just as heavy as she thought, Miakorva was now being faced with the fact that the woman she had been cuddling with a night for quite some time was significantly stronger than she had realized. According to all the interspecies education she had received, which may have been slightly biased by the Qui’ztar professor teaching the courses, her own species had the highest ratio of strength to body mass of any Ascended species. And while she was aware that this woman she had formed a relationship with weighed about the same as she did despite being several centimeters shorter, Mia had yet to witness Sarah's capabilities demonstrated in such a casual manner.
“By the Matriarch, Sarah!” The lanky blue woman couldn't help herself as her bioluminescent freckles lit up at the shocking display of strength. “How are you that strong?!?”
“Gene mods.” Though Sarah didn't hesitate in her answer, she did wince slightly as she did so. “Me muscles’re almost twice as dense as the average human's. Tha's actually somethin’ I had to talk to Maser an’ NAN abou’ the other day. ‘Parently tha’ ain't a thing most species do for some reason. Bu’ I'm pre’y sure we talked abou’ tha’ already.”
“You did mention it but… Well… I didn't realize your people's genetic engineering was that sophisticated. But I guess that does confirm a couple of the rumors I've heard that I was going to ask you about.”
“Wha’ rumors?” Donna blurted out with a bit too defensive of a tone as her eyes fell upon her son who had gone back to brushing his vaguely moose-like unicorn. “An’ who's spreadin’ ‘em?”
“Well…” Mia hesitated for a moment, causing the two Scotswomen to shoot her suspicious looks. “I was assisting with the logistical planning with the Nishnabe in charge of the distribution of medicine to people on Earth and Mars, most of which involved genetic modification serums. And when I asked why there was no plan, or even consideration, of passing on the technology so it could be locally produced, the people I was working with told me there were rumors of… Well… My people would call it Qui'kijarto niko'txo, which would roughly translate to an enhanced soldier project.”
“Yahr people tried to make super soldiers, too?” Sarah asked with a laugh that implied a sense of relief.
“No!” The instant denial caused Sarah to cease her laughter and forced a slight frown on her rather pale and freckled face. “As soon as my people began developing genetic engineering almost thirty thousand years ago, our government and scientific community came together to completely outlaw any attempts to enhance our form in a way that would make us even deadlier in combat. Besides that, even after thirty thousand years of research, we have only recently mastered the ability to stabilize our genetics and guard against speciation due to diverse environmental conditions.”
“Yah really tryin to tell us yahr people never tried to improve themselves?” The older Scotswoman chimed in with a clearly doubtful expression. “No one ever tried to give their kids an advantage in life? Super soldiers experiments ain't the only thing we use gene modding for.”
“Well… No… I don’t believe we ever have.” Mia hadn't really put much thought into it, even when she and Sarah had talked about it before. But now she was starting to realize that an attempt to give a child an advantage in life by increasing their physical capabilities could directly translate to turning that child into an ideal soldier. “As far as I know, very few other species have engaged in that form of genetic modification. And the ones who have tried struggled to produce anything truly successful.”
“Gene mods ain't always successful, Mia.” Johnny didn't bother to look away from the unicorn he was brushing as he made the comment lest he see the sadness that suddenly appeared in his mother's eyes. “Bu’ I learned the other day tha’ Nishnabe gene tech is way better than wha’ we got on Earth. Maybe they'll ‘ave some stuff to teach us after they feel we're trustworthy enough to learn it.”

Hello everyone! As always, thank you for your upvotes and comments on my last post about the Sussex County Jane Doe- I hope that her identity will be given back to her soon.
Today I'd like to highlight a Doe case from a neighbouring state.
TRIGGER WARNING: This case involves a young child (3-5) whose body was found in a gruesome state. There are no graphic images for this case, but there will be descriptions and speculation, so proceed at your own risk.
DISCOVERY
On the 5th of February, a 47-year old nurse, Cecilia Davis, has been walking her dog with a friend at Rockaway Beach (specifically near Beach 112th Street) in New York City, New York, USA, around 4:55 PM. When she was collecting seashells, she noticed a bedsheet with a pattern of letters and Disney characters Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck, which was tangled in seaweed, tattered and mixed in with debris and horseshoe crabs. Intrigued, she came closer, only to discover that a body of a young child was wrapped in the fabric- she called out "This is a child!" to her friend, after which the two women called the authorities. The boy was nicknamed "John Valentine" as the investigators tried to find his identity.
When Davis managed to catch a glimpse of the body from shoulders down when she found the bundle, she assumed that the child was a girl, about a year old, whose skin had the color of "aged yellow foam"- after a proper medical examination, it turned out that it was actually a boy, and aged 3-5 at that. One of the child's knees was bent, with his foot tucked under his body.
The boy was determined to be white and/or Hispanic. He was 3'0" (36 inch / 91 cm), and his weight couldn't be estimated. He had brown, slightly wavy hair, and his eye color was unknown. His foot was size children's 5. Several bones in his torso were broken- I'm not sure, however, if it happened post-mortem or if it could've been a sign of abuse in life (but I have to say, it would be quite likely that he was abused). The body was headless, but it wasn't cut off- it likely detached during the decomposition and got washed away and eaten by marine life. His cause of death is unknown.
The sheet John was found in was called a "blanket", but it would appear that it is actually a crib sheet. The pattern could've been dated back to the 70s, so there's a possibility that it was a hand-me-down or thrifted. It was also mass-produced, so tracking it down was impossible. The body and the sheet were found inside a duffle bag, which was described as "yellow plasticized canvas duffle bag with one side pocket with a snap enclosure. There are multiple grommets for top closure of the duffle bag. No string is present. The bottom of the duffle bag is made of a heavy white canvas. There are 2 approximately 2” wide canvas straps attached to and surrounding the duffle bag. The duffle bag is approximately 30” tall with a top circumference of 34”. The side pocket measures 10 inches wide and 8 inches tall". It was also described as "nautical-style" and was wrapped with duct tape, and might've had a drawstring on top at some point. No known photos of the bag are available, but there are ones of the crib sheet. I'm assuming that the bag must've opened in the water or deteriorated enough to open, revealing the contents.
Due to a lack of leads, police theorized that the boy might've been thrown into the ocean from a boat or overseas and washed up in New York. A local on websleuths theorizes that the child might've been dropped from Atlantic Beach Bridge by Beach 2nd St and taken to Beach 112th St- Apparently, a lot of people drown in the area, and their bodies are taken up to 169th St (Marine Parkway Bridge).
CONCLUSION
Discovering the body of John Valentine has impacted everyone involved. The precinct involved in the investigation collected funds to sponsor the boy's funeral, so that he wouldn't wind up in a Potter's Field. The Children of Hope Foundation also contributed, and now John is resting at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, L.I, in a section called Island of Hope, with (at the time) 80 infants who have been found abandoned or murdered by their mothers at birth. John was one of the older children buried there.
Cecilia Davis, the woman who found John's body at the beach, has passed away from cancer sometime before 2013. According to her sister-in-law, Emilia Arvai, it has impacted Cecilia twice as much, as she wasn't able to have children. She was allegedly never the same after that incident. According to Arvai, Davis would say "How could someone be so cruel to throw a baby away like that when there’s people around the world who can’t have a baby. (...) There’s a million people who would take that baby."
I think that it's pretty much a given that some kind of violence was involved in this case- why else would someone throw away the body of a child? John wasn't an infant or a newborn, he was as old as five, so it wasn't a case of post-partum psychosis or someone giving birth unexpectedly and panicking. The broken bones made my eyebrow raise- if he really was thrown into the water from a high place like a bridge, then I can see bones breaking on impact, but they could've also been a result of physical abuse; We don't really know much about this detail. It's unfortunate that John's head wasn't recovered- it would probably tell us more about him, maybe a bust or a sketch could've been made and circulated and maybe someone would recognize him.
People on websleuths speculated that John might've been Jesus Alvarado Martinez, a four year old who was probably abducted by his father after he killed his mother in Texas in October of 2004. The age and ethnicity fit, as does height, plus Jesus vanished shortly before John was discovered. There is a lot of distance between Texas and New Jersey, but it is technically possible that Jesus' father could get there in the few months between October and February.
There are no dentals available of John (of course), no fingerprints (which might've been erased due to prolonged exposure to water and decomposition) and, suprisingly, no DNA. This case is relatively recent (forensic development-wise)- I'm suprised that no DNA was taken. Perhaps the investigators expected that it will be solved soon? Still, there are good news- thanks to the department's care over the boy, he was buried (and not cremated), and we even know where he is. Digging up the coffin, taking a sample and performing genetic genealogy on it seems to be very possible, and only needing the funds and public interest to re-open the case. I think that if someone like Othram will take the case in, John being identified is a case of "when" and not "if". I have high hopes for young John Valentine getting his name back at some time in the future and, hopefully, that justice will be served to anyone who took his life and discarded his body in the ocean almost 20 years ago.
If you believe you have any info about John Valentine's case, contact the Office of Chief Medical Examiner New York City at (212) 447-2030 (case number Q05-00731).
SORCES:

1. NamUS.gov (includes photos of the crib sheet)
2. doenetwork.org
3. nydailynews.com (paywalled)

John Valentine's websleuths.com thread

I'm wanting to reach out and see if anyone deals with this as badly as I do.
I noticed my mental health decline in my junior year of high school. I was working and doing high school, along with dual enrollment courses. I burnt myself out very badly, my depression and anxiety became worse and I've been going to therapy ever since.
Therapy didn't help as much so I started taking medication and I've always had some type of reaction to it, prozac and those types would kill my stomach.(I've been on a lot of different medications, trying to find the right ones) Right now I take Buspar and wellbutrin with hydroxyzine as needed. Buspar doesn't feel like it's doing too much for me, wellbutrin makes me extremely dizzy and exhausted, hydroxyzine makes me tired too but I don't take it often, unless I can't sleep.
I currently work 2nd shift at an ER as a phlebotomist. I've had all types of jobs: Cashier, fast food, and production. Each and every job gave me some type of anxiety. The night before my shifts I am up and down, worrying when my alarm will go off, not getting good sleep. I get up and feel nausea, will gag, and eventually throw up. I shake while I get ready, cry, and hyperventilate. My whole body feels like it's ice cold and on fire.
When I get there and get settled some of the symptoms will go away, but some just arent as strong. I've thrown up/gagged at work. I shake while I'm there. My body still feels like it's on fire. These only subside when I leave or stay home.
I'm on my last leg at my current job because I've called out so much from my symptoms. My manager is aware of my issues. I've only been there since the end of January. If I don't have an income I risk my relationship. I only work 3 days a week, 10 hour shifts. I feel like I'm stuck in a loop. I've talked to so many people about this but I feel like some people just don't get it. I want to get some advice but I'm not sure if anyone can even help me.
TL;DR.. I get extreme work anxiety, to where my symptoms become physical. I can't quit or I risk my relationship. I'm on medication that doesn't seem to be helping, but have been on so many in the last year, I'm also in therapy. Advice? Help? Please.

One of the fascinating aspects of outsider reports and analysis is what they see. Given that at this point (1992) the internet was not yet widely available/accessible, this sort of thing would have been difficult to find. And of course SGI wasn't ever going to tell us the truth!
This will show you that SGI-USA (then called "NSA") was failing in recruiting far earlier than perhaps most of us in the US realized. SGI in the USA was basically a flash in the pan; it fizzled fast; and now it's just that rank stale smoke smell that lingers long after the fire's been put out.
This comes from Cults and Nonconventional Religious Groups: A Collection of Outstanding Dissertations and Monographs, "Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism and the Soka Gakkai in America: The Ethos of a New Religious Movement", Jane Hurst, 1992, pp. 150-151. Jane Hurst has some interesting research out there; while she tends toward being uncritically supportive of SGI, anyone who is making statistics available is a big help.

NSA members in the 1960s and 1970s were young (52% below age 30), more than half female (59%), and from a variety of occupations and social classes.

The Baby Boom generation were at most age 19 in, say, 1965 and at most age 24 in 1970.
This youthfulness is largely reflected in the early organization's origins in the American servicemen who returned from being stationed in Japan with their Japanese war-brides - those servicemen tended to be young and from a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds, as the draft was still in effect during that time period (ended March 1975). In addition, the first General Director of the US organization, Masayasu Sadanaga, initially targeted college campuses for recruitment by offering lectures on Buddhism. Sadanaga changed his name to George M. Williams in 1972, in obedience to the (short-lived) direction back then of Japanese leaders adopting American-sounding names (first AND last) in order to appeal more broadly to non-Japanese Americans.

The percentage of Oriental members steadily decreased as more and more white and black Americans joined NSA as seen in Figure 10, above.

Figure 10 (I'll get to that line in another post.)
Ewps - Here's the REAL Figure 10.
Most of the original "Oriental members" were those Japanese war-brides, whose first efforts to recruit new SGI members were directed toward other Japanese individuals.

NSA members came from the major religious traditions of Protestantism (30%), Catholicism (30%), and Judaism (6%). At the time these 1971 statistics were compiled, all areas of American society. By 1983, the age span was even more broad, with 11% of the members age 50 and above, 62% ages 30-49, 24% ages 20-29, and 3% below age 19.

For reference, here are the age ranges for the existing generations in 1983:

• Greatest: Ages 59-82
• Silent: Ages 38-58
• Baby Boomers: Ages 19-37
• Generation X: Ages 4-18
• Generation Y (Millennials): Age 3 or younger.

While these 1983 statistics aren't broken down by generation, here's what is clear:

• 11% of the SGI-USA membership was MUCH OLDER than Baby Boomers
• 62% was either Baby Boom generation or older (though younger than that oldest group)
• 24% was Baby Boomers
• 3% was younger than Baby Boomers.

This means that 97% of the membership of SGI-USA was Baby Boom generation OR OLDER!

IN 1983!!

Notice how this affirms the demographic estimate from this other research: "Soka Gakkai in America": Little appeal/interest outside of Baby Boom generation

Take a look at Table 4.
Specifically, the Age cohort (%) category.
For the Converts, 26% are older than Baby Boomers; 61% are Baby Boomers. That makes 87% Boomer and older. Only 14% are younger than Boomers.
No wonder SGI-USA is aging and dying, with these kinds of numbers!
We are seeing, like, 90% Baby Boomers in the group photos we've looked at.
The pictures back this up.
Also, this comment by an SGI-USA leader a few years ago during Minoru Harada's visit (anyone know what year that was?):

They [top SGI-USA leaders] then went off on how when we create these big-ass meetings, we shouldn't have to look into the crowd and see, and I quote, "A bunch of old-ass motherfuckers" The words of my "superiors", not mine. I think this is when they brought up the idea of 50K to my co-leaders and me. Source

"Old-ass motherfuckers" is all they have. How 'bout showing a little of that appreciation and gratitude SGI bangs on about??
Worse, "old-ass motherfuckers" is all SGI-USA can get.
Further, again referring to Table 4, SGI-USA's membership is solidly 2/3 women. That means it's going to be very difficult for women in SGI-USA to find mates to marry, which means childlessness will be more of a norm than an exception. Child-free is a valid and respect-worthy decision, don't get me wrong, but a religion's most reliable source of younger members is its own membership's children. Since SGI-USA's female members don't feel any responsibility or obligation to bear multiple children (like those poor, stupid Mormon sheepwomen do), there won't be any next generation to take over.
There's a reason so many religions have traditionally exhorted their membership to have lots of babies, why they condemn birth control and abortion. A big part of it is to keep their own numbers up! Source

It's the same problem happening in Japan within the Soka Gakkai:

On the other hand, aging is relentless. In terms of the Soka Gakkai's membership demographics, the "volume zone" where most members fall is the baby boomer generation who joined by the 1960s. They are now late elderly. In the past, the management of centers in various places was handled by the "Gajokai" consisting of Young Men's Division members, but it is no longer possible to secure personnel. Instead, in 2009, the Soka Gakkai launched the "Ojokai'' consisting of "middle-aged divisions,'' scolding them as "young people in their 50s'' and rushing to mobilize them. Source

GOOD LUCK!

For perspective, note that SGI-USA was managing to recruit just "1,000 per YEAR" - including all ages - between 1991 and 1999. Eight years of only 1,000 members added per year, with no accounting for the deaths or defections. Were the years after that more successful, recruiting-wise? I doubt it.

[Then-SGI-USA's public-relations director for the East Coast Bill] Aiken says SGI-USA has attracted about 1000 new members per year for the past eight years. - from 1999. Only 1,000 new members - across the ENTIRE 360+ million-person strong USA - in an ENTIRE year. And this extremely low level of success for EIGHT YEARS IN A ROW!! Source

From 2018:

In recent years, the number of young Soka Gakkai members has been decreasing rapidly . Looking at the participants in the simultaneous broadcasts and roundtable discussions, the majority are of the grandparents' generation, with only a small number of young people in their 20s and 30s, and the number of teenage boys and girls is almost an endangered species .
Therefore, what I am interested in is the population of Soka Gakkai by age group. This time, I would like to estimate the current population of Soka Gakkai by age , based on information I have personally seen and heard and verification from others . Please note that this estimate is very rough.
First, the largest number of Soka Gakkai members are baby boomers (born between 1947 and 1949 [Japan's Baby Boom]). This seems almost certain considering the history of the development of Soka Gakkai .
Also, the total number of members has already been verified by many people, and is estimated to be around 3 to 5 million people. This time we assume about 4 million people .
And this is what I heard directly from a staff member at headquarters last year, who said , `` The number of activists decreases by about 1/3 with each generation.'' I think this is a reasonable rate of decline that can be felt by looking at participants in simultaneous broadcasts and roundtable discussions. It seems that members who have stopped being activists are less likely to have their children join, so this time we will use a value of 1/3 per generation as the member decline rate .
Also, regarding the number of years it takes for generational change, the average age for men and women to give birth to their first child is currently 30 years old. Considering that the average age of childbearing for both men and women when the baby boomer generation was born was 24 years old, and that there are cases where not only the first child but also the second and third children are born, the generational shift will take 30 years. Let's calculate it as if it would take a year . In that case, the annual membership attrition rate would be (1/3)^1/30 = 0.964, or 3.6% .
It is unclear when this trend of declining membership started, but this time we will assume that it started in the year following the baby boom generation (1950). Source

And "Soka Gakkai is like an old people's club":

Regarding the problem of a decline in Komeito votes, or in other words, a decline in active Soka Gakkai members, many people concerned point out that the primary cause is the aging of Soka Gakkai members. The enthusiastic members of the generation who supported the growth of the society along with charismatic Honorary President Daisaku Ikeda are now elderly across the board. Most of the current new members are second- or third-generation members who join because their parents are members of Soka Gakkai, and they are not very enthusiastic about Soka Gakkai's activities. Today, many of Soka Gakkai's daily events are even derided by insiders as "like an old people's party."

And a more recent report (this year):

Back about 20 years ago a good friend and good guy, now deceased, from ChiTown, was commissioned by SGI Central Command to survey every contactable member of SGI in every district in America. The number he came up with was 5% of the number of Gohonzon passed out since, I guess whenever Gohonzon started to be passed out. The total number was about a million give or take, 20 years ago. These were contactable people, not practicing members. I remember going through lists of people we had on the books and trying to see if they could be reached. So the number we came up with was reported. Hearing nothing about it, I happened to run into my friend at some event at Soka U. He mentioned that he did the survey, and gave me the results. I believe he told me the facts. (Not everyone who practiced was a lying asshole.) So about 20 years ago SGI had about 50,000 “contactable“ people who had received Gohonzon. My estimate that about half of that number had zero interest in SGI. Thus 20 years ago, SGI had about 25,000 members still interested in SGI in some capacity. I think it’s the same number today. (2500 districts x 10=25,000.) Like I said before I went to FNCC twice last year, and everyone, including me, were old zany seniors. Neither conference was for old people. Conclusion: SGI is a senior citizen support group. When I joined in1969, we were all hippie ish, rejecting all the old shit, looking for something new and hip. Now SGI looks like old shit. Source

And another (this year or last):

When I joined 50+ years ago the ratio of youth to MD and WD was about 80:20. Now it's the reverse. Our goal is to move steadily back to a youth focus again. Source

Except it's obvious that SGI-USA doesn't HAVE "20% youth":

Youth? They've got to be fooling themselves!!! When I was still with the SGI last February (2023), I went to the kosen-rufu gongyo meeting at the center in my area. Mind you, the state I live in closed its center in 2021 for undisclosed reasons. That aside, the one I went to was in another state, and at that meeting, they had no byakuren, Gajokai, or Soka Group in attendance. Additionally, the only youth at the meeting were a few small children. Source
I feel that SGI is out of touch with anyone who’s younger than 60. The leaders are retired, have a lot of time on their hands and completely disregard the fact that people may work or have families. For young people it’s the old people taking nonsense. Source

The PROBLEM was already evident in 1983 - and none of the SGI-USA's big "Recruit-Youth-A-Thons", like "Victory over Violence" and "Rock The Ego Era" and "50K Liars of Just-Us" (everybody wants to forget the epic fail that was the "Gandhi, King, Ikeda" exhibit), has made the slightest difference in this demographic disaster. In fact, preparing for the 2018 "50K" event, SGI-USA likely had only 2,451 members in the 12-35 (or perhaps 11-39) age group, just 9% of the most generous SGI-USA active membership total (~30,000).

Ikeda could have preserved a "youthful" Soka Gakkai by passing the Presidency to a younger candidate, but Ikeda refused, because Ikeda was too focused on and obsessed with HIMSELF - his power, his prestige, his wealth, his status, his fame, his renown, HIM becoming leader of the world, his PERMANENCY, and his legacy. He refused to let anyone else come anywhere CLOSE to the power and control - he greedily, selfishly clutched it all tightly to himself and refused to share.
THAT is why the Ikeda cult Soka Gakkai/SGI is aging and dying. It's ALL Ikeda's fault, Ikeda's responsibility. IKEDA DID THAT.
Some "mentor". Source

SGI-USA has never managed to recover from that demographic bottleneck that happened no later than 1983.

Hello,
I'm hoping to get some career guidance here. I feel like there must be jobs out there that I haven't considered or maybe even heard of.
I have a degree in Audio Engineering as well as Business (technically Entertainment Business but it was a pretty standard program).
I'm 42. I spent over 12 years working at a post production facility. We were mainly a restoration facility. We took old video tapes (MiniDV, Digital Betacam, High 8, etc.), anything from families' home movies to broadcast quality TV shows and movies. I did a good bit of editing on TV shows and movies that were released places like Turner Classic Movies. I also ran the office. I was the one who answered the phone, replied to emails, received orders, sent invoices, paid bills, etc. I'd say I was a project manager, office manger, and audio/video editor.
Then I moved abroad to teach English. I've got 4 years of experience now as an English language assistant, helping Spanish teens and adults learn English up to the C2 level. For the last 3 years I've also been doing remote audio editing. I work with audio recordings (voiceover work, E-learning, IVR, the type of stuff you hear when you call a company "please press 1 if you'd like to continue to hold"). It's fairly basic work to be honest, but it pays well enough that I would do it full time if I could. And I can't find much in the way of audio editing jobs. I guess there's too many of us, I don't know. But the company I work for has been sending me less and less and now I'm going broke.
I've also done some script supervision, which is essentially being on a Zoom call while vocal talent records their audio. I follow the script and listen to the directors, I make notes and keep up with the session. I would do this full time if I could.
So... I've been browsing tons of jobs. I'm finding almost nothing. Lots of AI training stuff listed, but no responses. Most audio jobs seem to want you to also be a computer programmecoder as well. I've though about trying to learn the "Unreal Engine" as it relates to audio, but that could take a year or longer. I need money now. Even data entry jobs want someone with 10-key experience.
I want to work. I'm pretty much limited to remote at the moment, so freelance 1099 is cool with me. I have a powerful computer, plenty of audio/video software and plugins. Almost two decades of experience as an audio professional combined with administrative work. But I can't find jobs. What else could I be looking for? Any input or advice is much appreciated.

Just a review from an old gamer but noob to SC.
I'd heard this game was a total scam and avoided it for all these years. Maybe it was a bad-deal back then, but now: I'm happy to report that this IS a real game with a lot to offer and a lot to do. It has incredible potential! $45 gets you into SC and that is a great deal!
Where I come from: Halo CE-Reach. Wow/Wc3/Starcraft/HotS/OW. Mass Effect. Deus Ex. Subnautica. . Elite Dangerous. No Man's Sky. Dota2. Helldivers2. Escape from Tarkov (7 years). I love spaceships, FPS combat, hot-rodding stuff, buying/selling/stealing stuff, murdering, rescuing, etc. Love PVE and PVP.
WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT:
Visuals. Most beautiful game I've ever seen. Most talented art-team ever. Spaceships, environments, gear. Best ever. Constant state of amazement and it runs great on a PC I built for tarkov (5800X3D / 4070ti)
Sound: Very good! Each ship has audible-personality! Guns sound good, character sounds good. A+ sound design.
Movement: Character crawls, runs, walks, climbs, jumps as you'd expect. Climbing works! Great job here. Would love a slide, but that's being greedy.
Controls: Default controls are intuitive to new players and very configurable. Basically perfect.
Ships: The ships are the star of the show. They are unique, beautiful, ugly, serious, silly, etc. The ships are CHARMING and wonderful. I love my razor, cutlass black & blue, msr, herc, avenger, redeemer, retaliator, and the eclipse (3.22)!
Flight: More involved than No Man's Sky, but simpler than Elite Dangerous. Perfect! (3.22).
Vehicles: Incredible vehicles!
FPS Gear: Great looking suits! Fun weapons. Varied fighting styles. Gear can be dropped almost anywhere.
PvE:
1 - Bounties are fun and can result in cargo to sell!
2 - Mercenary stuff is fun, I hope for more variety in the future.
3 - Running cargo makes sense and works and most importantly: involves risk! Delivery makes sense but pays terrible.
4 - Salvage: Did a session on a reclaimer as a box-stuffer. Boring but lucrative, not a fan.
5 - Investigation: cool idea but forced me to EVA in a wreck and EVA just about made this 25 year gaming + vr veteran hurl.
6 - Pay for all jobs is a bit low given what you can make doing cargo or salvage.
PvP:
1 - Is rarely fair - as it should be in an mmo. Rock Paper Scissors, outnumbering, surprise, and gear all play a part as they should. I can't believe they made space-dayz!
2 - Ruthless - perfect! Winner takes all! Day-Z/Tarkov/Rust players, this is the space game for you!
3 - Piracy. Real actual piracy. You lie in wait, ambush someone, take their cargo, sell it to a fence. BRAVO. No game has ever got this right until SC.
Crime:
1 - Can buy your way out of minor stuff - awesome!
2 - People get bounty missions for you and will wait for you outside the hangar doors: cool!
3 - You can HACK THE POLICE DB AND CLEAR YOURSELF?!? Amazing. 10/10.
4 - Jail - which can be reduced with labor, or more crime, or via escape. Awesome!
The Community. SC wouldn't be here without devoted (and spendy) players who are willing to put up with bugs and problems. Most are helpful in general chat. Some are scary-good at ship to ship combat (3.22). We didn't expect to like SC players as much as we do.
WHAT'S BAD ABOUT IT:
Servers. Servers. Servers. Everything listed above in the good section fails on the regular. You fall through those beautiful environments and die. Your quest bugs and fails or can't be completed. NPCs stand still or hover in space doing nothing or shoot you through objects and you die. Massive desync between players. We have to regularly confirm "ARE YOU ON THE ELEVATOR?!" before we push the button it's so bad. Crashes. So many crashes. Everything good or bad about Star Citizen takes a backseat to the very very poor server performance. People regularly run with r_displayinfo 1 on to monitor the server health - that is NOT good for any phase of a game from Alpha to Beta to finished. THIS PROBLEM CLOUDS EVERYTHING.
Flight (3.23): Completely changed the flight model. Less of a pain for me & my crew since we just got here. We have less to un-learn and re-learn. At first glance though: it seems worse in every way. More complicated without reason in canon or out. More difficult without being more fun. All ships feel less capable than they did 2 weeks ago when we started playing SC. Good ships are now bad etc. I can see why many veteran players who love ship to ship combat are very upset and worried. For now, I avoid ship to ship combat because it seems very broken. Will try again in a few patches.
The Focus: This game has 20 unfinished gameplay loops. There's tons to do but any/all of it may break at any point. It's like every time they have a great idea (and they have TONS of great ideas!) they run off and get it barely-up-and-running, then dash off to the next thing. I've been amazed at all the REALLY BRILLIANT ideas that are 60% implemented in a 10+ year old game...
WHAT'S UGLY ABOUT IT:
The Developers: SC has had a lot of $ come in and many years and it's still very much an alpha. IMO that's a mistake on the devs parts. They could be beta by now, even in this era of 'beta forever' development we should expect more. Focus on fleshing out fewer features and basic functionality, spend more $$ on servers. Get the game to a stable beta - still with some bugs & crashes - but out of Alpha. You have to get out of Alpha. It's been years.
The Devs continue to get away with the weirdest project-management model on earth because of:
The Community: Whether it comes from SC Veterans to noobs like me, criticism is NOT well heard in the SC community. Whatever is in the patch notes is like marching orders from a cult-leader. Any discussion on spectrum or reddit that suggests maybe the game should be more functional by now is met with fervor. It's sad because you guys deserve better than this, and these devs can definitely do better!
Recent examples: Helldivers2 publisher almost forced a bad 'feature' in, the players stood up for themselves and said "NO!" and the devs/publisher reconsidered (and that fight continues). Tarkov was exposed for its absurd level of cheating last year, and subsequently tried to change the rules of purchase & up the price. Tarkov players logged off in droves and the company reversed course (and that fight continues). We did this BECAUSE WE LOVE THE GAME.
You are the customer! SC-Devs are creating this beautiful work of art, but it's a work of art they hope to sell you, therefore: you have a SAY. You can complain, you can criticize, you can dislike a new direction. It won't kill the Devs. It will make the game better!
As of right now, it's unplayable, but I want to defend that a little. 3.23 is a big patch for SC. A lot of back-end stuff seems to have changed, and some major front-end stuff is totally different. I've barely been able to complete a quest, run cargo, fight anything, go anywhere, look in my backpack, or drink a space-gatorade. I've seen this happen with many games from WoW on up to Tarkov.
With Tarkov throwing away thousands of players and untold SCU's of good will, I had this thought: if star-citizen was beta and not alpha, it might have just picked up tens of thousands of players this month. It didn't because it doesn't have enough servers. Cue the sc-beliebers devsplaining why future quantum server meshing technology will save the day and just spending some more of their smaug-horde on servers won't help. ;)

I get it.
"1,000 subscribers? That's all?"
It probably pales in significance to some other entrepreneurs here, but it's a milestone I thought was unreachable. If I can persuade 1,000 people to listen to what I have to say, why not 5,000? 50,000?
100,000?
A pipe dream of the highest order surely, but we all need something to aspire to right? So that settles it, I'm aiming for 100,000 email subscribers. If I fail, I'll fail in the most beautiful way, to paraphrase my favourite soccer manager.
How about some context?
Design flows through my veins. I live and breathe crafting experiences that I hope will make lives a little easier around the world. Because of this, I've worked with a lot of startup founders over the previous 10 years.
Some of those founders have exited successfully, while others haven't been so fortunate. I keep in touch with them all, and I listen to every single one of the intently. After all, failure doesn't strip you of the founder title, does it?
Chatting with these entrepreneurial minds sparked an idea - what if I shared these stories online? What if I could build a community around what it means to be a founder, and what if I asked founders to participate to share their own stories?
And that's what I did in August 2023. I created a website using Webflow last August, and just a couple of days ago, I finally hit 1,000 email subscribers. I'm immensely proud of that, but the reality is, I'm just getting started.
So, how did I hit this milestone? Here's how:

• Leveraged my network: I'm not sure I would have started had I not had access to founders I've worked with before. Makes sense, right? Having access to a good network means you don't need to do a whole raft of cold outreach to have people share their stories. This helped me get enough stories together to launch an MVP.
• Snowball Effect: If you have a good network to chat to, there's a good chance they know even more professions that you're after. Word of mouth, essentially. For every founder I spoke to, they knew three others that wanted to participate.
• Content: Content is still king, regardless of what anyone says. The beauty of the approach I took was that other people were generating the content for me. While I still have a blog and regularly contribute to it, it's the founder stories that most people visit for. I get a lot of questions asking if I use AI, and yes, I use AI as a personal assistant to help me edit and editorialise submissions. I'm able to get far more work done with ChatGPT. I don't use it to generate content verbatim, however.
• Social Media: Another benefit of other people creating content based on something very personal for them means they're far, far more likely to share it on social media and pull in even more of their network. More shares generally means more founders that want to share their stories with me. Most important of all? The more folks that are drawn into my circle are more likely to subscribe to my mailing list.
• SEO: I'm not an SEO expert, but SEO goes part and parcel with long-term success and organic traffic. I'm not going to lie, this has been the most frustrating and slowest part of this entire journey. I am, however, making moves. Organic traffic is growing, DA (If you care for that metric) is going up, and backlinks are increasing. Essentially, write shit hot content, and Google will eventually pick it up. Having people come to the site and engage with the content without having come from social media is so validating for what I'm doing.

How am I going to hit further milestones?
Basically, do what I'm doing, but turn everything up to 11. Oh, and I need to figure out how to moneitise what I'm doing. No pressure.

• Further Leveraging My Network: I could always be more aggressive in my attempts to reach out to people, and I will be doing this. What I'll also be doing is being more diligent in my search for founders who want to share their stories. Think popular startup founders with large followings.
• Expanding My Content Offering: The key to building a successful newsletter is delivering valuable and engaging content that resonates with your target audience. Pretty obvious, right? Podcasting and sharing more videos on social media in an effort to offer alternatives ways to experience my content.
• More Guest Contributions: Don't want to share your entire founder story? No problem! Can you answer three questions on AI? On fair hiring? On VC funding? Cool. That means people can still contribute, but also share their own content and pull their network in.
• Strategic Promotion: At some point, if I want more email subscribers, I'm going to need to spend more money on marketing than I'm spending now. How much? I don't know, I just know that organic growth can be sloooooow.
• Consistent Effort and Persistence: This won't change. While I'm not busting my chops and up to all hours of the night, I do at least one thing a day that I think will make the most impact. I work during th day, so I have limited time, but I'm okay dropping off the PS5 or watching TV to put that time into this project.

And that's it! If I had to summarise this entire experience into one sentence, it would be: Build something that you love. If you love what you're working on, and can love it through sickness and in health, then you've a better shot at most people who just want to get rich quick.
I'll keep doing what I'm doing, and if I fail, I'll fail in the most beautiful way. ;-)
This is my first contribution here, and I hope to share more of my journey in the future. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to reach out.

A Gold IRA, also known as a Precious Metals IRA, is a specialized form of Individual Retirement Account that enables investors to hold physical gold, along with other eligible precious metals, as part of their retirement savings. Unlike traditional IRAs, which are typically composed of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, a Gold IRA offers the unique opportunity to invest in physical assets like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.
Get Your Free Gold IRA Kit From Here

Understanding Gold IRAs

The Basics of a Gold IRA

A Gold IRA operates under the same general rules as traditional and Roth IRAs, providing a tax-advantaged investment option for retirement. However, instead of paper assets, you invest in actual physical metals, which can provide a tangible security blanket during times of economic uncertainty.

Why Invest in a Gold IRA?

Investing in a Gold IRA comes with several benefits, particularly the aspect of diversification. Gold and other precious metals often move contrary to stock markets, providing a hedge against inflation and currency devaluation. During periods of high inflation or economic instability, gold prices typically rise, making it a potentially stabilizing asset for your portfolio.

Key Characteristics of a Gold IRA

Physical Investment

Investors in a Gold IRA own physical gold bars or coins. However, these precious metals are stored in a secure depository, approved by the IRS, rather than at the investor's home. This ensures safety and compliance with IRS regulations.

Diversification Through Precious Metals

The primary allure of a Gold IRA is the diversification of retirement assets. With a history of acting as a store of value, gold is a popular choice among investors looking to protect their retirement savings from volatility in traditional markets.

Storage and Custodian Requirements

The IRS mandates that all metals in a Gold IRA be stored in a secure, IRS-approved facility. These IRAs also require a custodian—typically a bank or other financial institution—that manages the IRA's administration.

Approved Metals and Purity Requirements

Not every gold product qualifies for a Gold IRA. The IRS specifies that gold coins and bars must have a purity level of 99.5% or higher. Similar standards apply to silver, platinum, and palladium.
Click on this link to get your free Precious Metals IRA kit from Reagan Gold Group
reagangoldgroup

Setting Up a Gold IRA

Choosing a Custodian

To set up a Gold IRA, you first need to select a custodian with expertise in Precious Metals IRAs. It’s important to compare their fees, services, and industry reputation to find the best fit for your needs.

Opening Your IRA Account

Opening a Gold IRA involves providing your personal information and deciding whether you want a traditional or Roth IRA. Each type offers different tax advantages, depending on your current tax rate and expected tax rate at retirement.

Funding Your Gold IRA

You can fund your Gold IRA through direct transfers, rollovers from another retirement account, or by making cash contributions directly to the account.

Selecting and Purchasing Metals

Once your account is funded, you can purchase approved metals from dealers. Many custodians provide a list of approved dealers to facilitate this process.

Storage of Metals

Finally, the metals you purchase are directly transferred to and stored in an IRS-approved depository, ensuring they are kept securely and in compliance with tax laws.

Considerations Before Investing in a Gold IRA

Associated Fees

Gold IRAs generally incur higher fees than traditional IRAs due to the need for secure storage and insurance. These fees can include setup charges, custodian fees, and annual storage fees.

Volatility and Risk

While gold is considered a safe asset, the prices of precious metals can be quite volatile. As with any investment, there are risks involved, and prices can fluctuate based on market conditions.

Tax Implications

The tax benefits of a Gold IRA are similar to other IRAs, but there are specific considerations, especially concerning distributions, which must be taken either as physical gold or sold, potentially incurring additional fees and taxes.
A Gold IRA can be an excellent way to diversify a retirement portfolio, particularly for those looking to mitigate risk in an uncertain economic climate. However, it is crucial to understand the intricacies and responsibilities associated with investing in physical precious metals within an IRA framework.A Gold IRA, also known as a Precious Metals IRA, is a specialized form of Individual Retirement Account that enables investors to hold physical gold, along with other eligible precious metals, as part of their retirement savings. Unlike traditional IRAs, which are typically composed of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, a Gold IRA offers the unique opportunity to invest in physical assets like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.
Get Your Free Gold IRA Kit From Here

Understanding Gold IRAs

The Basics of a Gold IRA

A Gold IRA operates under the same general rules as traditional and Roth IRAs, providing a tax-advantaged investment option for retirement. However, instead of paper assets, you invest in actual physical metals, which can provide a tangible security blanket during times of economic uncertainty.

Why Invest in a Gold IRA?

Investing in a Gold IRA comes with several benefits, particularly the aspect of diversification. Gold and other precious metals often move contrary to stock markets, providing a hedge against inflation and currency devaluation. During periods of high inflation or economic instability, gold prices typically rise, making it a potentially stabilizing asset for your portfolio.

Key Characteristics of a Gold IRA

Physical Investment

Investors in a Gold IRA own physical gold bars or coins. However, these precious metals are stored in a secure depository, approved by the IRS, rather than at the investor's home. This ensures safety and compliance with IRS regulations.

Diversification Through Precious Metals

The primary allure of a Gold IRA is the diversification of retirement assets. With a history of acting as a store of value, gold is a popular choice among investors looking to protect their retirement savings from volatility in traditional markets.

Storage and Custodian Requirements

The IRS mandates that all metals in a Gold IRA be stored in a secure, IRS-approved facility. These IRAs also require a custodian—typically a bank or other financial institution—that manages the IRA's administration.

Approved Metals and Purity Requirements

Not every gold product qualifies for a Gold IRA. The IRS specifies that gold coins and bars must have a purity level of 99.5% or higher. Similar standards apply to silver, platinum, and palladium.
Click on this link to get your free Precious Metals IRA kit from Reagan Gold Group

I'm making a go at reducing/stopping my drinking again - still deciding on which - after I spent most of last year sober and my biggest issue currently is what to do with my free time so I don't get sucked back into drinking on evenings and weekends. I tend to lean on eating/sleeping as coping mechanisms and I'd like to avoid that as well.
If you'd like to tailor your response to me, my biggest hobbies/interests at the moment are:

• Active (running long distance 1 or more times a week/squash 1x a week/ball hockey 1-2x a week)
• Thrifting (currently looking for an outfit for a summer wedding)
• Volunteering (do this online currently but would love to shift to in-person)
• Reading (Have only read 2 books this year, fallen out of love - would love more escapism than self-help recs, I've already read the Sober Mind, the Blue Book, etc)
• Watching TV/movies (Have stopped watching much since my hard drive died, planning to fix it this weekend)
• Learning (hoping to take a course this summer and another in the fall but need approval from management)

I prefer hobbies that get me outside and talking to people, as I am a single neurodivergent (ADHD) Canadian woman in her early 30s who lives alone and works from home at a company with no mandated in-office time. I did not feel comfortable at AA. Dating made me feel like shit and I'm in line for surgery in July that will prevent me from having sex for 4-6 weeks. I typically spend time with my close friends/family in groups of 1-2 and they are either non-drinkers, virtually non-drinkers, or low-risk drinkers (the latter meaning they don't need to drink every time we hang out, keep their drinking to a minimum, and are happy to skip having a drink if I asked them to do that for me). I am not opposed to large activities, I consider myself an ambivert. I work for a NFP in a large city, so I don't have a ton of disposable income or access to a car. I'm also not a super early riser, usually get up around 7-8.
Looking forward to hearing your answers!
P.S.: Writing this on my lunch break so I am 100% sober, my last drink was a sip to finish a bottle on Sunday afternoon. :)

Cyborg #59 - Test of Strength

<< < >
Author: Commander_Z
Book: Cyborg
Arc: Machine Mayhem
Set: 96
Previously:
Victor Stone, Donna Morris and Keiji Otari worked together to create a robot called Atlas to participate in the collegiate Machine Mayhem tournament, a robot fighting competition. The humanoid robot easily crushed its competition in the first round but disappeared overnight before the second round. His three creators split up to track him down, with Keiji finding the machine in a back alley a little ways away from the stadium...
Keiji stood before the massive figure, blinking, trying to focus his mind. He had had many late nights and early mornings over the past couple weeks, so Keiji figured he was still sleeping. Or hallucinating. Or both, somehow. But, the voice rang out, its clearest yet, “No.” ‘Clear’ was a very generous and relative term, though. The noise wasn’t modulating through a speaker or a voice box, instead Atlas was making his own speaker by vibrating the motors and joints that allowed him to move.
The alley that Keiji found Atlas in was less than an ideal to make changes to a robot, but Keiji figured that Atlas would be understanding considering the circumstances. He pulled out an old bluetooth speaker out of his backpack and gestured towards Atlas with it.
“This’ll help you. No more grinding gears to talk. Just got to trust me for a few minutes, okay?”
Atlas stood still for a few moments, whether he was thinking or just unsure how to make a positive affirmation with his joints, Keiji couldn’t know. But, after awhile, he responded.
“Yes.”
Keiji set his backpack on the ground in the gross alley, making a mental note that he’d have to clean that later and got to work.
Around ten minutes later, he was done.
“Okay, Atlas. Try to use the speaker. It’s connected to RO23 on the tertiary control board.”
“...T…Te….ing…Test…Testing. Speaker operation confirmed.” Atlas spoke in a deep, synthetic voice that occasionally warped itself in tone, like how a whammy bar would add vibrato to a chord on a guitar.
“Great. So… Atlas… What's going on with you? Why’d you leave?”
“I am performing my task: defeat opponents, become the strongest. No foes in that arena were a challenge. Therefore, I left.”
Keiji raised an eyebrow. “That’s… not what we made you for. We made you to win Machine Mayhem, not to pursue strength as some sort of goal in of itself.”
“Incorrect. Nowhere in programming was “winning the Machine Mayhem tournament” a specified goal.”
“Okay, but I programmed you, and I’m telling you that was the intention.”
“Intentions are irrelevant. A teacher may shape their students’ minds, but they cannot determine what anyone does with their knowledge. That is a privilege reserved for each and every individual being. You say I was programmed to win a tournament. I say that I was programmed to make myself the strongest being. Only my interpretation is relevant.”
‘I guess that’s not an invalid interpretation of what I programmed him to do. But… that’s not exactly a sane or safe perspective on life…’
“And how are you doing that? Just fighting anyone you can see?”
“No. I have already stated that I found those machines in that arena unworthy of my efforts, in my short time in the outside world I have seen humans to be much the same. Few of you would pose any challenge.”
“Well, that’s a little more reassuring that you won’t just be fighting everyone you see. But - ”
Suddenly, a woman about Keiji’s age flew into the alleyway, riding on a metallic pink hoverboard. She wore hot pink combat boots with dark black leggings, and a matching hot pink sleeveless top with thick metallic bands around her wrists that went up to her forearms. Her eyes were obscured by a visor-like pair of glasses, tinted a reflective red to hide her identity.
And yet, Keiji knew instantly that she had to be Donna Morris. He knew that she had been working on some other project with Vic before they started Atlas, but he figured it was just for some shared class or lab work. But this… This was unexpected.
“Halt… robot! Step away from the civilian and no one needs to get hurt!”
‘Why’s she speaking so formally? Guess it’s some mindset thing.’
Neither Atlas nor Keiji reacted to what Donna was saying. Keiji knew she wasn’t talking to him, and Atlas just seemed indifferent to her presence. Finally, Atlas turned and faced her.
“You seem powerful. Show me the strength of your will and I may concede.”
“This doesn’t need to be violent. We can talk it out, here or somewhere else.”
“Actions speak louder and truer than words.” Atlas moved into a combat position, leaning forwards on his left leg, raising his fists up to his chest.
“Come.”
“Don- ”
“When I’m in the suit, it’s Black Narcissus. Some of us like to keep our identities secret, no offense to Cyborg, wherever he is.” Donna said.
“Okay, nice to meet you, Black Narcissus. Just… be careful with Atlas. He’s stronger than he looks.”
Donna smiled. “So am I. Just watch.”
Donna pressed her thumb and index finger together on both hands and a large light on the back of her hands turned gray. She pointed her hands right at Atlas, who still stood in his combat position, waiting.
A thick, gray fluid shot out of her gauntlets, ensnaring Atlas’ arms to his body and his legs to the ground.
“Gotcha! That’s industrial strength adhesive - ”
Atlas flexed his arms and the adhesive snapped with ease, then crouched his legs before springing upwards towards Black Narcissus and her hoverboard. She quickly flew out of the way but Atlas managed to barely get one hand on the board. Black Narcissus pressed her thumbs to her middle fingers, changing the cartridge in her gauntlets. The light on the back changed to purple and she fired her gauntlets again, launching a blast of energy at Atlas.
The extra energy rattled the robot’s circuits, and he released his grip on the board to escape further damage, sending him crashing back to the ground. She shot another salvo of energy blasts at the machine, keeping him stunned on the ground.
She switched her left gauntlet back to adhesive, hoping that it would be able to restrain a weakened Atlas. Before it could reach him, the robot rolled out of the way and grabbed a trash can, hurling it at Donna. She swerved out of the way again, then dodged a second trash can thrown as a follow up.
After the second can, she was on her toes, prepared for a third, but it didn’t come. She looked around, trying to find where Atlas went, but he was completely out of sight. She sensed him at the last moment, coming from the rooftop that he jumped up to. He grabbed her board and slammed it to the ground with her on it. The board shattered into a million pieces, but Donna seemed unharmed. Atlas sprung up, ready to keep fighting, and Black Narcissus rose fractions of a second after. She pressed her thumbs to her ring fingers and the light on the black glowed a dark red.
She swung a right hand punch at Atlas who caught it in his left. But the light on the back of her gauntlet started to glow brighter as she put in more effort, pushing back against his metallic muscle. Atlas pushed his legs back, trying to stabilize himself. Donna started to push him back more and Keiji could hear the motors start to strain. Atlas stopped resisting against Donna, then, before she could take advantage of it, he kicked up some of the pieces of the broken hoverboard at her. Using her momentary surprise, he punched her square in the chest, knocking the wind out of her and sending her to the ground.
“You fought well,” Atlas said, turning away from her.
“Wait,” Donna said, getting up. “I’m not done with you.”
“Yes, you are. Accept your defeat. There is no shame in losing to the strongest.”
Before Donna could protest, Atlas turned to Keiji. “Come, and bring your things. I have use for you.”
Keiji raised an eyebrow, but grabbed his backpack and started to follow Atlas further down the alley.
He turned back to Donna and mouthed “I’ll text you” to her. He hoped she got the message.
⚙️⚙️⚙️⚙️⚙️
“Stop here.”
Keiji stood behind Atlas, who was peering into an old garage a couple blocks from the alley where he fought Black Narcissus. He grabbed the padlock that was keeping the door shut and squeezed it, turning it into dust.
“You will find the tools you need in here. Repair the damage caused in the last fight, human.”
Keiji raised an eyebrow. “First off, I don’t really like being called “human”. Technically true, but feels hurtful in this context. Second, I’m a software guy. I couldn’t fix you if I wanted to. Third, being nicer to people will generally get you better results. Not really inclined to help someone who starts by insulting me.”
“Niceties are a waste of time. Fix me, or I will end you.”
Keiji shook his head. “No, you won’t. I can’t fix you, but you know my teammates can. And they’d never do that if you hurt me at all.”
Atlas punched the concrete wall in frustration, cracking it. “Very well. You are correct… I do need your help. What will they require to do so?”
“I don’t know. But come back to the arena with me. We can talk with them there and see what it takes.”
“Very well. Let your friends know that I require their assistance.”
⚙️⚙️⚙️⚙️⚙️
Atlas stood before Vic and Donna, who made it back to their workspace just before the robot did. He towered over the three humans, but if any of them were intimidated, it was hidden behind a masterful poker face.
“Y’know, I thought more people would care that we just walked in with a robot and are talking with him like he’s a person,” Donna remarked.
“People are busy and indifferent. The other competitors probably think it’s a marketing scheme or something and are just ignoring us. I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” Keiji said.
“Yeah, that. But so… Atlas has become sentient. Good for you, really. But… hooray. Another sentient robot,” Vic said.
“You see a lot of those?” Keiji asked.
“More than you’d think.”
“I am glad that you are not concerned by my presence. That saves me much effort. But the question at hand remains: I have been damaged and require repairs. Will you repair me?”
“Yes,” Vic and Donna said at the same time.
Vic looked at her, surprised. He figured she’d have some hesitancy.
“But, I’ve got a small condition for you. Should be no big deal. Win us the next round of the competition.”
“Ridiculous. You ask me to do something so trivial it is unfair, like a pro athlete competing at a preschool.”
Donna shrugged. “Yeah, it’s trivial and easy, but it helps us a lot.The club will look much better and get a lot more support for next season if we make it into the semifinals.”
“I’ll even raise the stakes. If you win the next round, we won’t make you enter the finals. Instead, I’ll give you a real challenge. You can fight me.”
“Why would I want that?”
“Because I’m the strongest one here by far. And, if that’s still not enough if you beat me, I’ll show you how to repair yourself. Then, we’ll let you go live as you want, provided you promise to only fight people who want to fight.”
Donna looked at Vic, concerned. “Who would want to willingly fight someone like Atlas?”
Vic sighed. “Trust me. There are plenty of weirdos in this world who just want to fight. It’s much better than me just throwing him in prison or taking him apart.”
Atlas made a noise that Vic thought was supposed to be a scoff. But maybe it was just static. The speaker wasn’t that high quality.
“You make a very strong set of promises if I win, which I will. But if by some miracle, you managed to cheat your way to victory… what happens then?”
Vic shrugged. “Pretty much the same thing. I’ll teach you how to repair yourself and let you go with the same stipulations. You just have to know that a human beat you.”
Atlas laughed. “You are a fool if you think that could ever happen. I accept your terms, human. Guide me to the arena, those boxes of scrap will be reduced to dust.”
Vic walked him over to the arena as as if he were any other competitor, but instead of waiting by the sidelines to see the results, he walked back to their workspace. He knew that Atlas would win and wanted to try and make sure that Donna and Keiji were on board with the other part of his plan.
When he got back, Donna was nervously pacing around while Keiji was scrolling through some webpage.
“So.. Vic… do you really think that this is the right idea? You’re just… unleashing him on the world. Isn't that irresponsible?” Donna asked.
“I don’t think so. Yeah he wants to fight people but he has restraint to some degree. He knows the difference being fighting every random person he sees and fighting someone who has a reasonable amount of strength. I dunno, I think him messing up and fighting… Superman or something and taking a big loss would teach him far more than we ever could or throwing him in jail for being dangerous. Is it a risk?… kinda. But so is any option.”
“So your best guess is just… let him go and figure it out?” Keiji said. “Isn’t that a bit too… hands off?”
“Got a better idea? That’s pretty much what we got to do.”
“No. I don’t. But this just feels... risky.”
“Yeah, it is. But he’s fairly reasonable after being conscious for what, 12 hours? Over time, he’ll probably mellow out and if he doesn’t, I can take care of him then. But he deserves a chance like anyone else.”
Keiji nodded. “Fine Vic. If that’s what you think the best path is… I’ll stand by you.”
“Same, Vic. I want to believe in him too.”
“Thanks guys, really. Hopefully we can all look back on this and agree this was the right path.”
A horn sounded and a voice came over the loudspeaker. “Semifinal-2 has ended! The winner is the University of Michigan’s Atlas! Please collect your robots and be ready for the finals at 1:00 PM.”
The team stood up and gave each other a round of high fives. They really had made something great. Now it was time to see just how great he really was.
⚙️⚙️⚙️⚙️⚙️
Two hours later.
The team packed up after their semifinal match, citing an unspecified emergency with the tournament staff. They weren’t happy with the anticlimactic end, but ultimately they couldn’t force the three of them to continue to compete and so they left without much hassle.
The three of them drove north until they found the first open field that Vic and Atlas could have their match in. There wasn’t anywhere that they could find in the city that wouldn’t attract too much attention or put innocent people at risk and they managed to convince Atlas of that too. The robot was in the trailer towed behind the three of them, much to his chagrin.
But after a half hour or so, they found a spot. A wide open, grassy field with no one around to interfere or get hurt. A perfect spot for them to settle things. Vic got out of the car and started to stretch, trying to limber up after the car ride while Donna and Keiji helped Atlas out of the trailer.
Atlas rotated his head, taking in the environment. “A flat, quiet field. An honorable place for battle.”
Vic let out one lat calming exhale before approaching Atlas. “Plus, no one is around to get hurt. That’s important too.”
“...Yes. That too.”
“The rules are simple. A clean match, no foul play between either of us. Whoever is left standing when the other yields or is unconscious wins.”
Atlas laughed. “I will never yield.”
“We’ll see,” Vic grinned.
“Oh, one other thing. Not really a rule per say, but a strong suggestion: Try not to seriously hurt each other. You’re not trying to kill or maim each other,” Donna said.
“Yes, yes. May we begin?”
Vic nodded, and took a step backward, creating about ten feet of space between him and Atlas. Before the dust even settled, his arms were force cannons launching pure energy right at Atlas’ chest. Vic had designed Atlas, he knew that he wouldn’t be very damaged by those. But he had underestimated just how much he would be able to tank them. The force blasts did little more than chip the paint and an exhilarated Atlas sprinted at Vic like a charging bull.
Once Atlas was a few feet away from Vic, he prepared a concussive grenade and exploded it directly against Atlas, using the force to stagger him out of the charge. Before the robot could launch another attack, Vic swung a full force punch into the robots’ chassis, crumpling it inwards slightly. Vic followed up the punch with another, but Atlas was ready for it and parried it with his left arm, then kicked Cyborg away, sending him flying backwards.
Cyborg shot his force canons at the ground to give himself some momentum in the opposite direction, slowing himself down. But Atlas had some tricks up his metaphorical sleeves too. Having realized that a direct approach was difficult, he used his powerful hands like a backhoe to scoop up a massive piece of earth and hurled it at Cyborg. Vic was unsure how to react to this, or more precisely, how he expected Atlas to follow this attack up. The boulder itself was a problem, sure, but it was just to close the gap. Atlas could be using it to block his line of sight and be jumping right behind it, or he could be using the temporary blindspot caused by the massive object to approach from either side.
Instead of guessing, Vic decided to power through the problem. Vic shot both of his force cannons at the projectile, sending bits of dirt every which way. Atlas was hiding in what was once the dirt ball’s shadow and Vic took advantage of his surprise to launch himself at the robot. Cyborg shot his force cannons behind him, propelling himself forwards rapidly in a charge mirroring Atlas’ own.
He knocked the massive machine to the ground and sat on his chest, using his arms to pin down the machine’s.
“You’re down, Atlas. Do you yield?”
“I told you. I will never yield. I am the strongest!”
Atlas began to press his weight against Vic’s strength. Vic knew he was a match for Atlas’ strength but there was one key problem: stamina. Vic’s body was, of course, cybernetic in part, but it wasn’t the same. He was still human and human beings got tired. Machines did not.
Vic could already feel his muscle starting to fatigue. The fight hadn’t been long, but any fatigue was going to be the difference. He knew he was a match for Atlas’ strength when he was at 100%, but every percent below that made it more and more likely to be Atlas’ win.
‘I need to end this fight now or the immediate future if I want to win. But my normal attacks aren’t doing anything to him. I could try a sonic attack, but I don’t think that’d really effect him. I could try targeting his joints specifically, but those were designed to take more than I can give. But I can’t just let him overpower me for the win. That’d make him overconfident and more likely to get into trouble afterwards. No… I’ve got a better idea.’
In an instant, Vic’s muscles stopped resisting. “I yield.”
Vic pushed himself off Atlas, who stood up and looked at Cyborg, confused.
“What foe yields when he has his opponent on the ground, at his mercy? I demand you continue!”
“No. This fight was never to the death, only to yielding. But frankly, you aren’t strong enough to interest me. You said it yourself, you will never yield. And pummelling you to a point where you are the equivalent of unconscious just isn’t worth my time. So I yielded. Congrats. You win.”
Atlas stood, incredulous. “No. That is not allowed. I did not win. You lost! Those are not the same!”
Vic turned to Keiji and Donna and then noticed that the fight had taken them about 30 yards from where they started. He started to walk back towards them, and Atlas followed.
“Guys, I yielded that fight. Doesn’t that mean I lost?”
Keiji raised an eyebrow. “I guess?”
“See? Congrats, you won.”
“... I do not accept this victory. This is a loss in all but name. Mark my words, Victor Stone. I will wander the globe, facing foe after foe to grow stronger. I will become the strongest being and when I do, we will have a real fight, one where you must acknowledge my strength for real.”
“Looking forwards to it. Stay out of trouble until then, understood?”
Vic held out his hand for a handshake which Atlas begrudgingly accepted.
“Understood.”
“Atlas, catch.”
Keiji tossed a small flash drive to Atlas who had to bend down to grab it.
“That has all your schematics and drawings on it, as well as all the parts we used to make you and where we sourced them from. It’s probably the best thing out there to help you repair yourself.”
“Thank you. You all have given me much to think about it. When we meet again… I will be stronger in body and mind. Farewell for now but I will return to challenge you again, Victor.”
“I’ll be waiting. And I promise to go all out next time, Atlas.”
Atlas took off to the west, heading to only he knew where.
Once he was far enough out of sight, Vic laid down on the ground, exhausted.
“Well, that’s enough bluffing for the next decade. I really underestimated him.”
Donna sat down to his left, Keiji on his right.
“Told you that you were being cocky. We all built him but he’s out of all of our leagues,” Keiji said.
“Yeah… but I really wanted to do it, y’know? Kinda humbling to be beat by your own creation.”
“If it makes you feel better, I lost to him too,” Donna said.
“Wait what? When did you fight him?”
“I’ll tell you on the way back. Not my finest moment, but I put up a good fight.”
“Proud of you. You’ve come a long way in your training. But after that fight… I’m going to need to get a lot stronger and pick my own training back up. I kinda feel like I’ve been stagnant for awhile, just sort of winning my fights through grit and will power. But if Atlas had been hostile… I don’t think I could’ve stopped him. So, I’ll need to get back to the drawing board and see what I can do to take myself to the next level.”
“And we’ll be there to help you however we can. But uh… Vic, finals are in like two weeks. Maybe focus on that first?” Keiji suggested.
“I’d rather get beat up by another robot,” Vic groaned.
<< < >

“Ready to make history, baby?”
I looked over toward Sheila as she stood on the gangplank leading up to The Burger. I still couldn’t believe she named our research ship ‘The Burger’... emotional relevance be damned.
“It's not exactly history,” I corrected.
“Oh come on! If your survey is right, this trench might run even deeper than the Challenger Deep, and you’re gonna be the first person to explore it! How is that not exciting?”
“Might be deeper, we only have a limited amount of topological data. And even if it is deeper, we’re talking only a few hundred feet at most, it’s really not that im-”
Sheila silenced me with a kiss.
“Nerd.” She teased, and I found myself too flustered to reply. After five years of marriage, she still could leave me speechless with just a kiss. God… how did someone like me end up with a woman like that?
Then again, how did someone like me end up where I was in general? It was honestly a little overwhelming. Standing on the dock, getting ready to board that ship and join the ranks of Jacques Piccard and James Cameron (yes, that James Cameron) as one of the few people to take a manned submersible down to the deepest parts of the ocean. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared too. Diving down that deep could easily be a one way trip if even the slightest thing went wrong. My submarine would be experiencing between 600 to 1100 atmospheres of pressure and while we’d tested it over and over again to make sure it would actually be up for the challenge, there was still a lingering iota of doubt in the back of my mind. All that needed to go wrong was one little thing, and that would be it for me.
The scariest part is that I probably wouldn’t even know what had happened… I’d simply be gone… and Sheila would be alone. The thought of that caused a momentary spike of panic in my chest that almost made me want to call this whole thing off.
Almost.
But, then I felt her hand close around mine. I looked up into her bright blue eyes, and saw her gentle smile.
“You’re gonna be okay, hun,” She promised. “You and your team have been running the numbers, right? It’s gonna go just fine!”
I nodded slowly.
“It’s gonna go fine…” I repeated, before she leaned in to kiss me, and gently pulled me by the wrist up onto the deck of the Burger.
She was probably right.
It probably would be fine.
Probably…
The trench I’d be exploring was a fairly recent discovery, located south of Greenland, in a vast stretch of water situated directly between Newfoundland and Iceland. It’d been uncovered during a topological survey in the area, and my team had taken an interest in investigating it further. At minimum, it was believed to descend to about 35,000 feet deep (over 10,000 meters), although the current theory was that it might have run even deeper. Determining the exact depth of the yet unnamed chasm was just one of the intents of our dive. The rest was studying the organisms that might be found down there, and how they might have differed from the ones found in other deep ocean trenches (some variation being expected given the isolated environment they were developing in.)
I had to admit, it would be exciting to see what new life might have developed in a place such as this, especially if it ran even deeper than our predictions… and that excitement was enough to make me chase the fear of the risks out of my mind, even if it was only briefly. While Sheila went to make sure we were ready to embark, I caught myself wandering out toward the rear of the ship where my submarine, The Tempura, waited for me. Did this submarine deserve a better name than The Tempura? Probably. But, this was my project, so I got to name it and since Burger was already taken, Tempura was the next best name I had. I liked to think that the subs namesake might approve… if she hadn’t died fifteen years ago. Shrimp don’t live very long.
As the ship began to depart, I caught myself reminiscing on how I’d ended up here… it really was all because of those damn shrimp, wasn’t it? Well… maybe not all because of the shrimp. But they were certainly part of it. Back when I was a lot younger, I never really gave much of a shit about anything at all. I guess I did have a thing for the ocean… the great, romantic vastness of it. The sense of adventure that it beckoned with. The endless mysteries that lay within its dark depths. I used to read about it all the time when I was a kid and I especially loved the classic adventures: Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, and Melville’s Moby Dick… but that love was just confined to my books. I didn’t really have any interest in actually going out and seeing the ocean. Hell, the idea of going to a beach and standing in the sun with my toes in the sand seemed miserable to me. I was happier (although calling myself happy might’ve been a little disingenuous) alone in my room, enjoying the company of books as opposed to people.
Then came the shrimp.
One of my online friends kept them as a hobby. He used to post pictures of his tanks all the time, and I always thought they looked kinda cool. He said that if I was interested in them, I should try keeping some for myself, and during a particularly bad bout of depression, I figured that maybe it might be worth a shot. So, I bought a cheap tank and some cheap decorations, bought myself some shrimp… and promptly watched them die over the next few weeks. That… that bothered me. I don’t know why but… it really bothered me. I’m still not entirely sure how to describe what it was that I was feeling. Guilt? Defeat? Shame? Here I was, trying to set up a habitat for these creatures just to have something to do to keep the suicidal ideation at bay, and I’d failed almost right out of the gate.
Was I just that bad? Was I just that much of a failure? Was this just going to go to shit just like everything else in my life did, because I was just such an abysmal piece of shit who barely deserved the life she had? Had I just not tried hard enough? Was I too apathetic? What had happened? What went wrong?
It bothered me.
It bothered me enough that I made up my mind to just dump the remaining shrimp down the toilet and toss everything. Forget about it. Move on. End of story. But… that wasn’t fair, was it? The shrimp didn’t all deserve to die just because I couldn’t be bothered, did they? Sure, they were just shrimp, but they were alive too, just like me. They deserved to be alive.
I owed it to them to try and keep them alive, didn’t I?
So… I didn’t dump the shrimp.
Instead, I started doing some reading. Started looking into what I was doing wrong and how to do it all better. I actually got really into it and a few months later, I had a nice planted tank. Looking back, it was amateur shit… but it made me happy. I’d even picked out names for my two favorite shrimp. Burger and Tempura. They’d been the last survivors of my original batch, and they were the ones I ended up caring about the most. Caring for Burger and Tempura gave me a purpose. It became an obsession… and that little obsession drove me to finally start turning my life around.
Like I said, shrimp don’t live for very long. Burger and Tempura were long dead by the time I graduated with a degree in Marine Biology. But they were the ones who inspired me to finally get my life in order. Hell, the shrimp were half the reason that I met Sheila. She was something of an aquarium fanatic too… we’d met on a forum, and gotten to talking. I found out that she just so happened to be studying Marine Biology at another school, and we bonded pretty quickly after that. After graduation, I moved to California to be with her and after that, the rest is history. She was my rock. She was the one who always pushed me to be the best possible version of myself… and I loved her more than I ever knew I could love someone.
A glance back at the shore, fading into the distance tore me out of my reminiscing, and I shifted my focus to the present, going over The Tempura to perform some quick checks. My colleagues and I would be checking and rechecking the submarine over the next two days as we made our way toward the dive spot. Considering the danger that descending that deep posed, I didn’t want to take a single unnecessary risk.
I had too much to live for, after all.
***
The day of the dive, I couldn’t notice how excited the rest of the crew seemed… well… Sheila’s usual crew seemed excited. I guess to them, this was just another research expedition, no different than the ones Sheila usually took this ship out on. Lately her research had been focused on the analysis and study of whale calls. Her recent voyages had involved following their pods, recording their calls and playing them back to see how the whales reacted. It was fascinating stuff, but my research was admittedly a lot different than that.
My obsession had drawn me to the denizens of the deep sea. I’d used The Burger for expeditions before, although none of them had been on quite the same scale as this one. Up until today, the most ambitious thing I’d done was send down unmanned submersibles with cameras. Those submersibles had typically returned. We had lost a few early on due to technical glitches, but the past few years had been blissfully uneventful. Logically, this dive would probably be uneventful as well. But it was still hard to get the jitters out of my head.
My team and I did the final checks necessary to make sure that The Tempura was good to go, before setting up the crane to begin lifting it up. In less than an hour, I’d be inside of that thing, descending to the darkest depths of the ocean.
It didn’t feel real.
I felt Sheila’s hand on my shoulder, and looked over at her.
“Moment of truth, huh?” She asked. She probably meant it to sound encouraging, but it just sounded ominous.
“Moment of truth…” I replied.
“You’re gonna be okay, honey. I know you will.”
She reached out to gently squeeze my hand and gave me a reassuring smile that I meekly returned.
“Yeah, it’s gonna be okay,” I agreed, although there was an element of a lie in it. Statistically, yes. It probably WOULD be okay. But there was that lingering anxiety in the back of my mind that just wouldn’t go away. I looked quietly out at the submarine before me and couldn’t shake the thought that it sort of looked like a giant coffin. Unconsciously, I found myself squeezing Sheila’s hand tighter than normal. She just held me close and pressed a kiss to the top of my head, before gently rubbing my back.
“You’ll be okay,” She promised.
“Dr. Jenner, we’re ready for you.” I heard one of my colleagues say.
Moment of truth.
I took one last look at Sheila, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips for luck. She smiled at me, and I smiled back anxiously at her before heading over toward the submarine.
The crew helped me enter the cockpit and get myself situated inside. The cockpit of the Tempura was fairly cramped and not particularly comfortable. Space and comfort aren’t really luxuries you can afford in a submarine like this. The instruments I needed took up a lot of space, leaving little room for me in there… and I am not a very big person.
Once I was inside, they sealed the hatch. Then the diagnostics checks began.
“Grayson, can you hear us in there?” I heard Sheila say through the radio.
“Loud and clear,” I replied.
“Great. We’ll keep in constant radio contact, just to monitor the signal. In the meanwhile, how’s everything looking in there?”
“Green across the board so far,” I said, although I hadn’t finished running all my final checks yet. Ultimately, nothing was out of place.
This submarine was as good to go as it was going to get.
“I’m all good in here,” I said once I was done. “You can drop me when you’re ready.”
“You got it, honey. Let’s get you in the water, run one final round of tests and start lowering you down.”
A short while later, I felt the submarine begin to move as the crane lifted it off the deck and lowered it into the water. The Tempura honestly resembled its namesake in a way, being long and cigar shaped, only vertically oriented instead of horizontally oriented. We’d admittedly taken more than a few design cues from James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenger. Why fix what isn’t broken, after all?
Once I was in the water, a 1000 pound releasable ballast weight would cause the submarine to sink. Releasing that weight was also my ticket back to the surface, and I could either trigger it from inside the cockpit, or, in the event that the release failed for any reason, it would trigger automatically after roughly 12 hours of exposure to salt water.
Ideally, this would be the first of a number of dives I’d be undertaking… and if all went according to plan, the Tempura could be the first of many similar submarines that would allow other researchers to safely and effectively descend to extreme depths. If all went well, this could be a massive leap forward for researchers like me, allowing us to better explore the deepest depths of the Hadal Zone and learn all we could about the ecosystems down there via direct observation.
If all went well.
If.
Through the viewport, I watched as I was lowered into the ocean. A few of the other crew members had donned diving gear to escort me down, and after they did their final checks and I did mine, we were fully ready to go.
“All’s green across the board,” I said into the radio. “You can start my descent.”
“I hear you, honey,” Sheila replied. “We’re letting you go. Have fun down there.”
“Yeah, I’ll try…” I said quietly as finally, my submarine began its descent.
I took a deep breath, and told myself again that everything would go fine. We had checked everything on this submarine. We’d tested it rigorously. I wouldn’t have allowed myself to set foot inside of it if I hadn’t personally assured that it was safe. But anxiety never really goes away, does it? The crew couldn’t accompany me far. After only a few meters, they fell behind me as I sank deeper and deeper into the infinite, empty blue of the ocean. Soon after, the tether was released.
I was officially on my own.
“60 feet,” I heard Sheila say over the radio. “How are you doing in there?”
“Good,” I replied. “Doing… doing good.”
The submarine continued to descend. Through the viewport, I could see a few stray fish, but nothing particularly eye catching. I almost felt alone down there… almost…
“120 feet…” Sheila said.
“Still doing good,” I replied.
The descent continued, as the waters slowly grew darker and darker.
“400 feet…”
Everything around me just kept getting darker and darker. Only a fraction of the light from the sun ever reached these depths… and I’d be lying if I said that darkness didn’t feel a little… oppressive.
“800 feet… still feeling good?”
“Yeah, still feeling good…” I said, although it was a bit of a lie. If anything, I was second guessing all of this, but I wasn’t about to say that out loud.
“1000 feet… still good?”
“Still good…” I murmured. “I hear you loud and clear.”
Deeper… deeper… deeper.
“1500 feet…”
Three miles. I was three miles away from home. Three miles away from Sheila.
“2000 feet…”
Still a ways to go.
“3000 feet…”
By this point, it was fully dark outside of my cockpit. Outside, all I could see was inky darkness. Even the submarine’s lights didn’t really cut through it. And the kicker? Relatively speaking, I wasn’t that deep. Fishing trawlers reached deeper than this. Better to conserve power until I was at the bottom. My descent continued.
“6000 feet… still good?”
“Still good…”
The check ins were becoming less frequent. My descent still continued… deeper… deeper… deeper. By now, I’d entered the Hadal Zone. But there was still so much deeper o go.
“8000 feet…”
This was past the depths that most whales would dive to… and I still had a ways to go.
“10,000 feet.”
This was close to where the ocean floor usually bottomed out… and yet there was still so much further to go. No. I was really only a third of the way there. How long had it been?Not much had happened beyond my descent and a few sightings out of my viewport, but time had been passing. A glance at my watch confirmed it’d been almost an hour since I’d started to sink… and I knew I wasn’t even close to the bottom yet. The submarine continued to descend, sinking ever deeper as I dropped into an infinite darkness that few had ever dared to witness.
“15,000 feet.”
This check in came later than the others. At this point, Sheila and the crew must have figured that no news was good news, and they were right. I just continued to sink peacefully, down into the crushing depths of the ocean.
These were the depths that one might normally find deep sea fish… and yet I was going somewhere even deeper than that.
“20,000 feet…”
So close…
I continued to sink.
“25,000 feet.”
Soon… and finally…
“30,000 feet. You still doing alright, honey?”
“Yeah… yeah, I’m doing good,” I assured her. I was so close…
By this point, my real work had begun. I’d engaged the lights and begun documenting what little I could see using the on board cameras. Granted, there wasn’t much life at these depths and what little there was, was scarcely documented. Most of what was down here consisted of invertebrates and microscopic life that seemed to float past my viewport.
The light seemed to draw a few creatures in search of food. Small, hardy things that resembled shrimp.
“How’s it looking, Grayson?”
“Dark,” I said, half joking. “We’ve got some life… shrimp. They’re translucent. Can’t get a great look at them… but we’ll see what the cameras pick up.”
“They’ve recognized you as a friend,” Sheila said. I could almost see the smile on her lips as she said it.
“Yeah…” I replied, “Tempura sent them a message, told them I’d be down. How am I looking on depth?”
“35,000 feet… you seeing a bottom yet?”
“No… not that I would until I was there.”
“Damn… how deep does this go?”
“It can’t go that deep…” I murmured, although I really wasn’t so sure about that.
The submarine continued to sink…
36,000 feet…
37,000 feet…
38,000 feet… and then finally, just past the 39,000 foot mark, I finally saw solid ground below me.
Looking through my viewport, I could see a familiar dark brown diatomaceous sludge, covering the seafloor. Microscopic life, likely similar to what had been observed in other deep sea trenches, such as the Challenger Deep.
I needed to gather a sample.
As my submarine reached the bottom, I extended the mechanical arms, pressed flat against the surface of the Tempura, and opened the collection port near the bottom of the ship. Slowly, I sifted some of the sludge into the port. My disturbance of the seafloor kicked up a cloud of the microbial colony, and I could’ve sworn I saw something wiggling through the debris. A pale, white thing, perhaps some sort of sea cucumber? I hastily angled my submarines camera to try and catch a glimpse of it, before returning to my collection. Even in this forlorn place, there was still so much to see! And here I was… completely forgetting my fear as the excitement took hold of me! Few people had ever been down to these unfathomable depths… and yet here I was.
It didn’t feel real but it was! I had reached the deepest part of the ocean!
“How’s it going down there?” I heard Sheila ask. Her voice was a little garbled. The connection down here was faltering.
“It’s beautiful…” I said. “I can’t wait for you to see it!”
“I’ll bet…”
“I’m going to do a sweep of the area, see what samples I can gather,” I said. “What’s my time right now?”
“Three hours. You’ve got nine before your connection to the weight deteriorates and you start to ascend.”
“I’ll make the most of it,” I said. The plan was only to stay down there for six hours, and I didn’t want to push that limit. Life support would only last me for so long, and one little error was all it would take for the ungodly pressure down here to crush me.
I began to move the submarine. Mobility was limited. This thing wasn’t built to travel far. But I still had some limited movement. I recorded all that I could, filming the shrimp that investigated my light, and the things that slithered and crawled through the muck, likely feeding on the carpet of single celled organisms that populated these depths.
The first two hours were… well… I hesitate to call them uneventful, they were actually very fascinating, but little of note happened beyond my recording of a few specimens.
Midway through the third hour though, as I was reaching one of the rock walls of the abyss, I noticed something just above the edge of my viewport swimming away from the light. I could’ve sworn I saw slender, pale tentacles of some sort. Was that a squid? Were there squid down this deep? I wasn’t aware of any species of known squid who could reach these depths… but in this unknown place, what use was the known?
I moved my light and my camera to try and catch another glimpse of it, but whatever it was, it seemed to be gone. Maybe I’d see another one. I still had plenty of time.
“You made a noise. What’d you see?” Sheila asked.
“Something big… I think,” I said.
“Down there? Like a fish?”
“Squid. You wouldn’t find any vertebrates down this deep… the pressure would crush their bones.”
“Jeez…”
I didn’t reply to that, still searching for the thing I’d seen. I shone my light up along the walls of the chasm and angled my camera up as far as it would go. I could see a few volcanic vents, spewing dark clouds into the darkness, and more diatoms. But not much else. Strange invertebrates crawled along the walls. Small creatures, no bigger than an inch long. Related to isopods, perhaps? If I could collect one as a sample, I would have… although taking any of those back to the surface would surely kill them. They were built to live under the impossible pressure of these depths. Taking them to the surface would rip them apart.
I went back to my research, and it wasn’t long until I saw something in the darkness, just on the edge of where my flashlight reached. Trailing white tendrils, snaking their way through the darkness. My eyes narrowed as I moved the submarine forward, trying to catch whatever it was in the light. I saw the shape move, its body turning… I saw its tendrils unfurling. Whatever this was, it was big. It was almost as big as The Tempura… although it was also slender. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought I was looking at some sort of floating debris, but this far down? No. And debris wouldn’t move like that.
This had to be a deepsea squid… or perhaps some other type of cephalopod? Something that preyed upon the various invertebrates down here, perhaps? It seemed to float, just out of sight for a bit, as I tried to get closer. I angled up my light to get a better look at it. The light seemed to shine through it, like some sort of ghost… but I did manage to get a look at it.
Although that look…
That single look made me freeze up.
This things slender tendrils certainly resembled a cephalopod of some sort, but the rest of it… the rest of it looked like something else entirely. Its body was thin, emaciated and translucent, yet despite that it still had characteristics that almost seemed… human. It wasn’t human! Not by any stretch of imagination, but the resemblance was there. It almost reminded me of an exhibit I’d seen in a museum once, depicting a preserved, fully removed human nervous system. I could see a similar shape in its translucent body. Its head seemed almost human as well… albeit with no eyes, and a lamprey like mouth I could only describe as fleshy yet crablike.
Still, despite having no eyes I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was looking at me. And that was when I felt something hit the submarine.
I felt a sudden jolt of panic in my chest. For a moment, I thought that the pressure had started to crush me, but no… no, everything was still fine. Something had just hit me. But what? It didn’t take long before I got my answer.
Another pale creature floated past my viewport, swirling gracefully in the cold dark waters. I watched it for a moment with wide eyes, before noticing its ‘head’ turning slightly toward me. Then, almost instantly, it launched itself at the submarine, darting toward me with blinding speed.
I heard a distinct THUD as its body collided with me, and I could see its pale tendrils pressing against the viewport, twisting and writhing violently. It was trying to attack me. The first creature that I’d seen lunged as well, pounding on my submarine with another THUD. And moments later, I could hear more impacts against the hull. There were more of them… and they did not like having me down there.
“What’s going on?” Sheila asked.
“Somebody doesn’t like me…” I said. “One of the animals down here… some kind of squid, it’s just started attacking the hull.”
“How bad is the damage?”
“Not sure… could be nothing, could be-”
I felt the submarine shake as I tried to move it. The thrusters that pushed me forward weren't responding. Had something gotten caught in it? One of the creatures perhaps?
“Grayson?!” Sheila asked.
“Lost propulsion…” I said. “Fuck… I can’t move.”
“Then drop the weight and come up!”
“No, it’s fine, there’s no other damage, I can still use the port and starboard thrusters to-”
“Grayson!”
I paused. There was genuine panic in her voice… enough to make me realize that even if these things stood little chance of actually breaching the hull, taking the risk would be a fatal mistake.
“I’m on my way up…” I finally said, before reaching out to disengage the ballast weights.
Immediately, I felt myself beginning to rise, although the tentacles clinging to my viewport didn’t disappear.
“We’ve got you…” Sheila said. “Rising up to 38,000 feet.”
The submarine continued to rise, but the creatures clinging to me went nowhere. In fact… I was sure I could see more of them. More pale shapes coming up through the darkness, and these ones filled me with dread. I thought I had been looking at some sort of eerie undiscovered life. But seeing what was coming up toward me now… I knew that I was looking at so much more. The creatures swimming up toward me through the darkness carried weapons… makeshift stone spears and daggers. Primitive tools… but tools all the same.
Signs that these were more than just undiscovered animals.
Much. Much more.
The word: ‘Mermaids’ crossed through my mind, but these were something far different than the ones I’d heard of in folklore. These looked like they’d swam out of the depths of hell itself. Boneless pale tendrils reached for me… and they were getting closer. The pale shapes reached my submarine as I rose higher. I kept praying to whatever God may be listening that the dropping pressure would force them off. The air in a submarine is pressurized, so during normal operation, there should have been no danger of decompression sickness for me.
For them… well… normally I’d feel a little guilty about subjecting an undiscovered species of deep sea mermaids to the horrors of the Bends. But given my circumstances, I didn’t have a lot of other options.
They didn’t let go, though.
They should have. But they didn’t.
What were these things?
I saw a splayed hand press against my viewport. Or… it somewhat resembled a hand. It had suckers on it, like a tentacle and the ‘fingers’ curled open like tentacles. The creature crawled over my viewport, clinging to The Tempura as it rose, and I could see the folds of its crablike mouth opening and pressing against the glass. I could see some sort of bile rising up through its translucent throat, before it secreted it all over my viewport. Was it trying to digest me? Was that how these things fed? How strong were its stomach acids? Were they strong enough to-
The window cracked.
My heart skipped a beat.
“No… no, no no…”
“Grayson, what’s wrong?!”
“They cracked the window… S-Sheila they… oh God… oh fuck, they just…”
“THEY DID WHAT?”
“It’s secreting some sort of enzyme… it’s on the window, it’s… FUCK… I’m gonna die… I’m gonna die… I’m gonna die…”
“You’re not gonna die, baby! Just… just keep ascending, okay? You’re at 30,000 feet… just keep going…”
I nodded, and kept on rising, although the question of whether or not the rest of the creatures were trying to digest the other parts of my submarine floated through my mind. How much damage could The Tempura take before it imploded? How much longer did I have? The submarine still continued to rise… 25,000 feet… almost halfway home… almost… almost.
The creature outside of my viewport slithered along the glass, searching for a better area to try and digest. Past him, I noticed a few of his companions dropping off. Maybe the change in pressure finally was getting to them?
From the corner of my eye, I suddenly noticed a flashing light. A warning. The hydraulics on one of the Tempura’s arms were shot… what else was damaged?
I checked my oxygen levels. 32%.
I should’ve had at least 14 hours of air. I’d only been down there for about 6 hours… I shouldn’t have been this low.
31%.
No… no, no, no, no… they’d damaged the air tanks!
30%.
29%
“20,000 feet!” Sheila said. “You still with me, baby?”
“Y-yeah…” I said. I didn’t mention my air situation. I didn’t need to worry her further.
The submarine continued its ascent.
15,000 feet.
24%. I was running out of time.
The creatures still clung to the Tempura. How had the pressure change not killed them yet? My oxygen was dropping faster than before. I was hemorrhaging air. Another crack formed across my viewport. I let out a little, involuntary gasp before trying to force myself to stop hyperventilating.
“Grayson, what was that?”
“I-it’s fine…” I stammered, “It’s fine!”
“Grayson what the hell is going on down there?!”
“They’re still on the submarine… they’re still…” I paused, looking at my oxygen levels. “19%...”
“19% of what? Grayson what’s going on!”
I paused.
18%.
“Air… I’m… I’m losing air…”
“That’s fine, you’re going to make it!” She said, although I heard her voice cracking a little. “You’re gonna make it!”
I didn’t answer.
12,000 feet.
11,000 feet…
My oxygen level continued to drop.
15%.
14%.
12%.
9,000 feet.
The creatures still clung to me, as the submarine continued to rise. The one on my viewport was still there, slowly crawling along the glass again. I stared into its eyeless face and swore I was looking at the face of my killer.
7,000 feet…
Oxygen had dropped to 9%. It dropped to 8% before I even got to 6,000 feet. I was going to die here…
The viewport cracked again and I squeezed my eyes shut. The submarine rocked. I was sure one of the thrusters had been damaged. My ascent slowed.
“Grayson, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry Sheila…”
Another crack spread across my viewport.
“I’m… I’m not making it back up…”
“YES YOU ARE!”
“I’m sorry…” The tears started to come as the reality of my death became clearer and clearer… this was it.
“YOU’RE COMING BACK UP, YOU HEAR ME! GODDAMNIT, I’LL BRING YOU BACK UP!”
“I love you…”
That creatures face pressed against the glass. It vomited more of its stomach acid onto the cracked glass, and I wondered if this might finally be what broke it. Part of me hoped it would be… the one good thing about dying this deep was that at least I’d die quickly. My suffering would be over. Then, the creature suddenly pulled back, twisting and writhing violently. I saw other shapes moving past it in the water, other ‘mermaids’ that had been clinging to the submarine.
Something was agitating them.
Something was scaring them off.
Then I heard it, over the radio… whale songs.
“What the hell…?”
“Grayson, are you still there?!”
“I… they’re finally breaking off. Sheila, what did you do?”
“I’m broadcasting some of the orca recordings we’ve been using. Are they still clinging to you?”
“No! They’re backing off! I… whatever you’re doing, keep doing it!”
The submarine kept rising.
5,000 feet.
4,000 feet.
4% oxygen.
I could still do this, right?
The submarine continued to rise.
3%.
3,000 feet.
2,000 feet.
2%.
1,000 feet… so close… I was so close…
I could almost see the surface through my viewport, rushing up toward me. I tried not to breathe. Tried not to move. All I did was hope.
500 feet.
I closed my eyes.
“Grayson we have your signal, we’re coming to pick you up!”
Sheila’s voice sounded so far away as my submarine finally breached the surface of the water… and with the last of my strength, I pulled the emergency release on the hatch, and threw it open, taking in lungful after lungful of fresh salty air.
I didn’t dare so much as touch the water beneath me… but I was topside again, and in the distance, I could see The Burger!
“We see you!” Sheila said, “We’ve got you baby… we’ve got you…”
“I see you too…” I said through the tears. “Thank you… thank you…” I didn’t have any words left in me after that.
As soon as I was back on the ship, I collapsed into Sheila’s arms, breaking down into tears as I clung to her, terrified that at any moment, some sort of unspoken other shoe would drop and I’d lose her all over again.
“Shh… it’s alright baby… I’ve got you… you’re safe… you’re safe…” I felt her fingers running through my air and I knew that what she said was true.
I was home.
I was safe.
***
I left my colleagues to review the data that the Tempura gathered during its short expedition. As far as I know, they haven’t published anything. I have a few ideas as to why, but I’ll keep those to myself. Let’s just say that some people would rather this information not become public.
I have a feeling that the Tempura may not be diving again for some time, if ever. I will confess that I do consider that a bit of a shame. Despite everything… I would consider it a success. It endured far more stressful conditions than I had expected, and from what I heard, required fewer repairs than I’d thought it would. But, even if it was approved for another dive, it wouldn’t be me piloting it. No. I will never be setting foot inside of that machine again, nor will I ever be returning to what my colleagues have been quietly referring to as ‘The Jenner Trench’.
I can’t.
Every night, I wake up crying after dreaming of pale shapes outside of my cracked viewport, clinging to Sheila and sobbing. I can’t put myself in that situation again.
I can’t.
Instead, I think I’m going to spend the next few years on solid ground. There’s a teaching position available at a local university. I think that might be the best place for me right now. Who knows, maybe I can help some other deadbeat discover a passion for marine biology.
After everything, my love for the sea remains unchanged… I’m just a little more wary of it, these days.

We’ve only been married for about a year. Never lived together fully, LDR and closing gap fully by next year.
So for context earlier yesterday, we had an argument because he had come home from work talking about a car that he wanted to get but I brought up my concerns about how he tends to have too many drinks and drives.
He usually will have about three drinks maximum, but I still feel that that’s too many. I even asked him if he would let me drive after three drinks and he said no I told him that’s a double standard and unfair that it only highlights that three drinks too many I told him I don’t trust him when he does this and that I don’t feel safe in his car when he’s inebriated, even after only a few drinks.
He proceeded to get really upset with me even physically pull away from me when I said that. He left the room to go answer the door because someone rang the doorbell. It was a random sales lady, trying to talk about contracting work for homes in the area she sounded younger and they had a really nice chatty conversation with laughing and everything while I was in his room crying in his bed still.
I confronted him about that and he said that he was just trying to be polite and used a tone saying “what am I supposed to do not be polite? “. They even toward the main floor of the house even though it’s not his house it’s his moms. She gave him his card, but he didn’t really say much about her when he came in the room.
We talked about it, and he broke down, crying about how everyone in his life judges him, including his family about his actions, and that he never feels like he can achieve or do good enough in other people’s eyes. I felt bad seeing him break down so we made up and decided to have a good night. He told me he would work on his drinking and be mindful to only have one beer if we do go out.
That night I decided we needed to connect a bit more physically, so I thought I would treat him to a BJ. Granted I do or are used to give him lots of BJs. I’ve stopped enjoying them as much because I find that he doesn’t ever reciprocate for me and I and I rarely get to cum now. He always finish his first and then we go to sleep. The times I have came. I had to basically nag him to go down on me by asking if he actually enjoyed it to what he said “of course! I love it “.
Well, yesterday he went down there for about half a second. After blowing him for a bit I decided to get on top and have sex. I was riding for a bit and then he said he was about to finish so I got off I blew them again but this time he was close to finishing so he decided to hold my head and my neck close to his penis, and then proceeded to come all over the side of my face.
He never asked me if this was OK before hand, and he never really gave me a heads up. He just held me they’re finished and out of spite I decided to wipe it all across his body because I was upset.
I didn’t say anything afterwards, but he laid there and said “oh you should cum too” But never actually did anything to me. I decided to get myself a quick orgasm and play it off like it doesn’t bother me.
This has been an ongoing issue, where sometimes, if I coach him and hold his hand through the entire thing, I can manage to have a good sexual encounter, but most of the time it feels like a porn actor performing for him, and essentially not getting anything in return. I feel disconnected from him and sometimes I have to think about other things in order to be turned on because I get anxious thinking about what will inevitably happen if I do engage with him sexually.
I’ve tried to talk to him about this before, but a lot of the time I met with he feels judged, I’m over, thinking it, or he’ll be super apologetic, but then it will happen again.
My best friend tells me that these are all major red flags in my marriage and I’ve even suggested to him in the past to go to therapy but he completely denied that and said we don’t need that.
We’re currently in the process of my visa and I have about maybe a year or less until I’m expected to move down to the US. I’d be leaving my job, my friends and most of my family behind for this man. I am very scared that I will be making the wrong move if things continue to go this way. I’m worried that I’m sacrificing everything for someone who isn’t willing to even listen to some of my concerns.
I’d like some advice on this and maybe even show him this thread because I don’t know what else to do.
TLDR; Husband drinks and drives, came on my face without asking, and generally shuts down when we have discussions or arguments. How can I get him to listen?

Hello guys, i am a Flutter developer right now, i have a few apps published with flutter for my team in the company i work rn. The latest demand we have it is time and time pushing us to use more native android stuff, but we do not want to leave iOS off on our apps, so i arrived at KMP
How does KMP work? Is it like writing a native android app that actually works for both? I want to be able to use work manager and android native APIs directly without having to go throught many layers (like i do now using flutter) but idk if KMP works like Kotlin specific for android, what are the differences, if there is one.
I want to specialize in this, but i am short on time, i want to have a direct answer on this
Should i buy a course focused on Kotlin for android development or a course for KMP?
The app i am building now uses a lot of machine learning, i can force it to be android only, i just don't want to, that's why i am looking for KMP, but i am really newbie on this, i want to know if i learn Kotlin itself, using Kotlin for multiplat would be simples or if there are any major differences

CHRIST INTERVIEW (my experience and will I get in)
So basically I had my interview today, I reached the campus early was ready with all the documents and everything. I gave my skill assessment and I think it went well, I think the content that I wrote was enough and good. Now the main problem comes, during the personal interview when I was introducing myself and basically telling as to why I was interested in law as a course I said that I enjoyed movies and series that were inclined towards the legal storylines the interviewer interrupted me saying that law is nothing like what it is shown in books and stuff and I was like yes ma'am I know but she just kept on going on about and I never got to complete my introduction. Then she asked me why christ banglore I mean I knew this question was coming so I was ready with a whole answer as to how it is the oldest campus and will link me to the roots of Christ and banglore is also a metropolitan city so it won't be as different from Delhi ncr ( where I currently reside) but will teach me how to be independent but she stopped me at the very first sentence and went on about how this (gzb) campus is better than banglore campus and did not let me speak any further. Throughout the interview she kept on interrupting me during my answers and didn't let me speak one bit. What do think about my chances of getting in
Also I was the first one from my batch to be interviewed plus I answered most of the questions they asked related to law but fumbled a little

Hey Everyone,
So I've been working as a full stack C# .NET developer for about a decade now. Learning a new front-end framework called React at the moment to expand my skillset. Basically, I create databases, program computer services, build apps, and support them. I've worked at every level in the "software development lifecycle".
All of my 10 years of experience are with really small companies. Nine years was spent at a independent software vendor with government contracts. I loved what I did for many years, until the company was purchased and moved to another state. At our largest we were ~8 people with 3-4 devs, and I was the most senior dev at that time as well.
I'm now working as an independent contractor for another small company, but in the construction services sector. I was brought in to save a failing series of projects with a team that was burnt out, and frankly, abused by their previous programming manager. Despite my best efforts, our most promising junior dev was already planning to leave, and then my employer saw fit to fire the remaining 3 developers, leaving just me after a few months.
It's been about 3 months of solo work now, and I'm exhausted with no one to work with. I'm now doing my best to find a job at a larger company. I want to work somewhere where I actually have a team- whether I'm just a programmer, or a project lead/manager, I do best when I have people to collaborate and communicate with. Frankly, the solo independent contractor life isn't for me and never will be.
After feeling like I nailed a number of interviews but still didn't get any offers, I'm at a bit of a loss on where to go next. I'm still regularly applying to jobs and working with recruiters, setting up interviews, etc. but losing faith.
I'm open to remote work, hybrid, and on-site. I'm an extrovert and really prefer getting to know people in-person, at least a little bit. I also live in an incredibly good area for jobs (DC/MD/VA area), but so much of it is "clearance required" work, which I do not have (but could obtain). A lot of it is also more true engineering work, not full stack web dev which is less scientific. Because I lack serious experience with engineering languages like C, C++, Java, etc. I feel like my skillset is just not lining up with most of the opportunities I'm pursuing.
I'm now considering a few options, and want to know what you guys think:

1. Go back to school and take CS classes, maybe even get a second bachelor's. My degree is Information Systems with a focus in application development and database management, not Computer Science. I actually started out as an Electrical Engineering major, but dislike working with complex hardware/circuitry. Would taking classes in C++, Java, algorithms, systems engineering, etc. help me land the more "software engineering" related positions in my area, or would it just be a waste of money?
   
2. Work on certifications and take project management courses. I've always felt I will go the management route one day. I tend to end up mentoring others, providing guidance and speaking up for my team, etc. during projects, and like the idea of facilitating communication and collaboration for engineering teams. My concern here is: I haven't worked for very large companies, so I worry I won't understand there processes from the get-go. My largest team was only 4-5 developers and I loved it, but I know some larger companies have teams of 10-15.
   
3. Go back to school and get a Master's degree in higher education. It's always been a dream of mine to work in the industry, do cool technical things and make decent money for a while, BUT then go work in education, probably at the high school or university level. My "ten year plan" (I'm 32) was to do this in my mid-40's, but this recent stagnation has me wondering if I should just go for it and accept that I won't be making six figures again for quite a while.
   

What do y'all think? Appreciate any thoughts, insight, or mentoring.

TL;DR- all signs indicate deceased Grandma’s account was being charged for unauthorized ACH to Wells Fargo mortgage loan from unknown person dating back to June 2022 and roughly ~$39K in damages. What do I (next of kin, first in succession - Colorado) do to stop the continuing withdrawals and recoup funds? More detailed questions at the end of this novel.
I have reached out to our Estate Attorney who helped us with Grandma’s paperwork prior to death/dementia, but I’m still waiting to hear back from them and this is a little out of their arena as well so trying to get wisdom from you all. Any wisdom would be appreciated! I’m out of my depths here…
My Grandma recently passed away. Her estate wasn’t complicated and so was set up (with the guidance of an Estate Lawyer) with NO will and NO trust - everything was set up POD/TOD/Beneficiary with me (last of kin) 50% and 50% Aunt (by marriage, divorced uncle/grandmas son who died in 2020). I am the next of kin as both of my Grandmas children preceded her in death and I have a (Colorado) small claims affidavit entitling me to any assets discovered under $82K which entitles me to funds but not account access/details/changes/statements. I do not have any Personal Representative or Executor paperwork as there was no will/trust. The intent was to avoid probate through POD/TOD/Beneficiary.
Two weeks after Grandma’s passing we discovered a local credit union checking + money market account that no one knew existed. A statement was sent to my Aunt (by marriage, since divorced, Uncle passed in 2020) showing two accounts (checking and money market) and a ~$2400 ACH transaction from the credit union to an unknown Wells Fargo Mortgage account. No one knew this credit union accounts existed. There is no TOD/POD/beneficiary. No one had any idea to check this account or that these deductions were coming out. Credit union confirmed the ACH originated at Wells Fargo.
My grandma had no mortgages. She did bank with Wells Fargo but they confirmed in writing that she has no open accounts there (Aunt and I already closed her accounts at that institution) and never had any mortgage products, including co-signing. Grandma is in no way associated with this Mortgage account, from what Wells Fargo can tell. Last I heard, Wells Fargo was working on their end to identify who signed the authorization for the monthly mortgage ACH withdraw and how a red flag didn’t pop up indicating the payee and payer accounts have different names. We have also been to the tax assessors office who confirmed Grandma owned no other property or had no other mortgages in the state. My Aunt and I are the last living members of the family.
From what little I’ve been able to gather (given that I do not have personal representative or executor paperwork), the credit union account once stood at $40K (a new banker accidentally shared this info not knowing it was privileged) and has been depleted down to $1K since the ACH deductions began in June 2022. Grandma was in an assisted living & memory care facility beginning January 2021. I assume that Grandma’s dementia diagnosis would have negated her ability to sign for a loan/cosigner of any kind if some sort of “authorization” DID occur? I am also highly suspicious that Grandma had no knowledge of this, she didn’t authorize anything, and this is all in error or her info was stolen from the assisted living facility or elsewhere.
It turns out Grandma’s tax accountant who has done her taxes for many (10 ish?) years did know about the existence of the Credit Union account, but only through annual interest earned statements, meaning there was no visibility to total account value. However, with this, we can be relatively certain that my Grandma owned this account for many years, it was set up and maintained by her, etc.
I have visited both institutions multiple times over the past week. Wells Fargo is opening a case and will assign a case manager today. Theoretically they will then call me to get any info and begin their investigation. I am told they are “working on” stopping the ACH on their end, but my personal banker contact isn’t able to provide a timeline or process for what this looks like. The banker I’ve been working with indicated this may take a year or longer to resolve. I don’t know if he is trying to “under promise and over deliver” or if this is a genuine possibility for the resolution timeframe?
I brought the paperwork from Wells Fargo confirming no accounts/mortgages in Grandma’s name to the Credit Union yesterday in hopes they can stop the ACH on their end. The next withdrawal will be June 2 if neither institution is able to stop this, putting the Credit Union account negative and accruing fees as a result. I am unable to dispute transactions from the credit union side (no PR paperwork) and have basically been told that it’s in legal’s hands.
I’ve been told the Credit Union account must legally be closed within a year of Grandma’s passing and I’m hopeful we can get the funds returned to this account within that timeframe. Otherwise my understanding is that any funds may be provided via check to the “estate” thus requiring expensive and time consuming probate, which we very much hope to avoid. I’m reluctant to remove the existing $1K in the account for fear they will auto-close the account (a very real possibility according to my banker at the Credit Union) and this will cause additional hurdles in recouping any potential funds from Wells Fargo in a timely manner.
I know this is a super rare and strange situation, but it is infuriating bouncing from Wells Fargo bank to Credit Union and back and getting no further in the process. I’ve now spent 22 hours across 4 business days at banking institutions trying to resolve/stop this. So, my questions to those savvy with these situations are:

1. What is the likelihood of recouping these funds? Potential timeline?
2. What is the likelihood stopping the ACH? Surely (perhaps I am naive) these banking institutions have some sort of obligation to investigate and stop fraud if it is identified?
3. Are the banking institutions required to report this to authorities if fraud has occurred?
4. Should I notify authorities (police, Attorney Generals office, other?). My assumption is that the victim (Grandma) would typically report this crime but since she has passed away, do I meet necessary thresholds to report this as her next of kin? Is there a value or risk to making this notification sooner than later?
5. Is there anything else I can or should be doing to be proactive about this situation?

Thanks in advance!