That's a Hip-Hop Music Video

Did anyone else find that both interactive introverts and now we're all doomed take inspiration from Bo Burnham shows. Some of these things are a bit pedantic but I wanted an exhaustive list that had these little reminders. This isn't to say Dan shouldn't be inspired ultimately all art is inspiration. But yeah didn't know if anyone thought the same thing?

• "Everything is fine" reminds me of "Welcome to the show" from what. Also there is an element of Bo talking to himself and so does Dan
• The end of "Everything is fine" is a tad like "We think we know you".
• The audience visibility is reminiscent of when Bo puts the lights on the audience in "Make Happy"
• Dan's joke about airplane food is like Bo's joke about hand dryers
• When Bo Burnham lists terrible things in "Welcome to the Internet" from Inside it's a bit like Dan's segment regarding Door 1 & 2 containing terrible things from the Internet. Dan even says "Welcome to the Internet".
• Dan parodies vloggers in the clips shown behind him which is like when Bo parodies reaction content in "Inside"
• at 37 mins 35 seconds Dan quotes "Art is Dead"
• The rant about capitalism does remind me of "That is how the World Works" by Bo Burnham
• He rants about Jeff Bezos similar to the "Jeff Bezos" song by Bo
• He peforms an acoustic version of "Everything is Fine" which is like when Bo performs an acoustic version of "Are you Happy?" at the end of "Make Happy"
• Dan sits down at the end for a "real chat" similar to the end of "Make Happy"
• When Dan talks about him spending ticket money on lights it is like Bo Burnham talking about wanting his name in lights in "Art is Dead".

From least good to greatest masterpiece
Aquarius:
I just find it a little too much out there...not bad, just a little weak and all over the place. Which is fair, since it's their first album
Vector:
Vector is just kinda there, to me. It used to be one of my favourites, but now it's just kind eh. I really like The Good Doctor and Puzzle box, but the other tracks don't speak as much to me. It is still a really good album and i find it a lot better than Aquarius
The mountain:
This is controversial. Now we are getting to the good stuff and therefore, the ranking is getting rather difficult. I think my placement of this album can be explained by me preferring the later, more heavy stuff. And while I can certainly enjoy the Jazz elements here, The mountain just end up as a really good HAKEN album, but no their greatest to me.
Affinity:
I love affinity. But it ls held back by a couple of songs that are "just good". Songs in question are Red Giant and Bound By Gravity. They're not bad songs, they just hold the 2.nd part of the album bacl, when compaired to all the classics on the first part, such as Initiaie, 1985 and The Architect. The song that saves side 2 of the album is The Endless knot.
Visions
Visions is honestly overlooked in my opinion. It has a really unique and intiresting story, clearly inspired by Dream Theater's Metropolis pt 2. Then it has all the reocurring melodys and leidmotis binding it all together. Lastly, Visions is perhaps HAKENS greatest album closer and one of their best songs. And apart from the title track, Nocturnal Conspiracy, The Minds eye and Deathless are absolutely beautifull.
Fauna
What I love about Fauna is how Vibrant and varied the album is. It starts out with the Djenty Taurus, then goes into Nightingale and Alphabet of me, one of HAKENs most experimental songs. And then there's the linear drum groove from sempiterbal beings and the megaphone on Beneath the white rainbow. Elephant never forget is propably the weirdest thing they've written and it's so cool. Finally, Eyes of ebony is a really good closing track.
Virus
What can I say? Prosthetic is HAKENs best opening track with the guitar and drums building up, then exploding with the rest of the band kicking in. Invasion is dark and mysteriuos, carrousell and The Strain are beautifull and dark at the same time. Canary Yellow brings so many different emotions with it. Then there's the entire Messiah complex. This only rivalled by Visions as Hakens greatest composition. Only stars finally gives the listener a break to reflect on the past 50 minutes and the tale of the Cockroach king. This albums works excellent as a sequel to Vector, improving and building upon lyrics and melodies from that album.

Stand Name: Safe And Sound
References: Song by Capital Cities
​
Abilities:
Main Power - Protective Shields: S&S can create shields made of light. The shield size is limited to S&S's current vision, so if it were to be blinded or unable to look around properly, they're vulnerable to sneak attacks. Another thing is that the shield's strength is based on the reason the shield has been put up. If the user wants to protect something dearly, the shields could be nearly unbreakable like diamonds. If the user desires to deceive compliance, the shield will be flimsy and weak, easily breakable from a single punch.
Side Power - Empthatic Flowers: instantly bloom from the top of S&S's head. Their meanings in floriography are connected to the strength behind the shields and how strong they are.
​
Power: E Speed: B Range: C Durability: ? Precision: E Potential: A
​
Appearance: A 5'6 artificial humanoid wearing a navy blue pinstripe suit with yellow belts surrounding the cuffs, shoulders, bellow chest, hips and knees, all of which are plastered with a giant crash test symbol. Its body appears as a plastic crash test dummy with a smiley face. S&S has three flowers blooming from the top of its head connected to the desires of its abilities. From blue Windflowers coming from the desire to protect to Snapdragons coming from the desire to deceive.

I was crazy about this channel on youtube that kept posting abstract hip hop instrumentals in the form of 20-30 min mixtapes, I believe the guy made it all, there was like 70-100 videos uploaded, with about 5k subs, the videos had 200 views up to 9k. He kept posting almost every two months or so, with videos going back to 2017/18. This is all from my faded memory, so some remembrances about this could be not quite right.
I searched all around on youtube and rym lists using keywords, but could not find it. The style is very similar to Cities Aviv type of rap, kinda sound collage, very abstract and full of instrumental only moments, lo-fi, but I believe it was all sample based, like the owner of the channel did not sing over it.
What I remember most is the aesthetic of the channel, which was quite middle eastern kinda vibes, like the header of the channel was this Persian elephant with tapestry on it, with some abstract dots on it, I don't remember the channel picture, but could be something like this also. The thumbnails of the mixtapes were like this also, some of those had like nude eastern woman with their traditional clothes, and some abstract shit on it, I don't know if this last part is quite right, but I do remember some boobs.
I believe this is all I can remember right now, no clue about the name of the channel or the name of the videos/mixtapes.

Went to a wedding on Saturday, thought I would be able to dance for a few songs.
Then yesterday afternoon came nerve pain, from my hips down to my feet. Muscle spasms and numbness and shooting burning pain. Woohoo!
Can't walk or sit without intense pain so I called out of work today. Again.
Feeling that old familiar mix of anger and defeat. If I can't use my body to dance in celebration for one night, what is it for?
Not looking for advice, just wanted to post somewhere people understand the pain and the anger. Trying desperately not to spiral. Thank you for reading.

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT very good at narrating fight scenes so it may end up being a bit overly cinematic and awkward. Apologies in advance.
Special thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating the NoP universe.
I'd also like to thank u/xskipy10 for their awesome fanart of the main cast as well as their recent Tohba meme and their fanart of Michael baysitting. You're work is a treasure!
Thank you as well to u/Accomplished-Golf-59 for his take on Michael, Teylim, and Tohba in his submission for the Banner Art Contest, and u/Spacer_Catgirl4969 for their awesome music video featuring a pixel-art Dohkar in his bar. Be sure to give ALL of these awesome creators your love and support.
And let's not forget u/Guywhoexists2812 who has been an awesome source of memes as well as sick pixel art, such as THIS and THIS!!!! And even THIS!!!!!! Thank you so much!
Today, we join Michael as he is shown Lohrek's old music studio, and Tey does her absolute best to prove to him that he deserves to be loved and cherished for who he is. Will Michael finally learn to accept the love and affection that his family is all too willing to give? LETTUCE...continue...
CW: Violence, Death, Mild Implied Gore
First
Previous
Songs Mentioned/Used: Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Memory Transcript Subject: Dohkar, Venlil Bartender Date:[Standardized Human Trme] January 15, 2137
The silence… The pure, deafening, silence was the worst part of all of this. My bar…my bar that I had all the love and pride for in the world…the symbol of my second chance at life…was in shambles.
The windows were shattered, the door broken off it’s hinges. Shelves full of memorabilia from my life, and the lives of those I cared about were knocked to the ground, their contents scattered and broken.
The air was full of fear. Anyone who didn’t manage to get out in time were now lined up against the walls at flamer-point. Parents held onto their confused and frightened pups, keeping themselves between them and the pilot lights.
Khornel was surrounded on all sides. The table she’d hid behind saved her from the glass shards of the windows blasting in, but once the exterminators were inside, there wasn’t anything she could do.
Mike was cornered on the stage. The semi-circle of fans and listeners had been replaced with a ring of fire. There had to be at least a dozen officers in this bar, and over half of them were all closing in on him. It was just like what happened to Loh all over again. The way they encircled him, slowly inching closer, while I once again could do nothing.
I stared across the bar at another flamer pointed directly at me. It’s wielder stared at me with eyes full of spite and hatred through the tinted visor. My paws twitched slightly. After what happened to Loh, I’d made it a point to keep a weapon under the bar just in case of something like this happening again, but if I so much as moved, I’d be in flames before I could even think of helping Mike.
“You filthy, tainted, TRAITOR! Every single officer here looked up to you like a hero! How could you throw in your lot with predator filth?!
For a moment, any fear or worry I did have was replaced with annoyance and anger. These morons, these misguided fools still believed that I was someone to be admired? Was THIS what my legacy led to? Holding a bar full of innocent people hostage?
“Oh yes, I, Dohkar the Star Exterminator who took down an entire pack of shadebeasts by myself. That’s the story you were told, right?”
Their grip on the flamer tightened, but I could still see their shaky resolve.
“Well it’s a LIE. That “pack” was just a family of four. One sickly mother shadebeast and three pups. And I killed them all in the slowest, most painful way possible, with fire. And in the process, I maimed an innocent child and got her locked away in that torture facility for EIGHTEEN CYCLES.”
It was hard to tell if they believed me or not, but it didn’t stop them from doubling down on their twisted beliefs.
“You were everything all of us strived to be. The harsh training, the missed meals, Albiel’s punishments, we put up with all of it was so we could be even HALF the exterminator you were. So that MAYBE we could become what The Chief wanted you to be. But now I know the truth. You’re nothing but a disgrace!”
“A disgrace?! The gall!”
My heartrate spiked as my eyes turned to Telvrin, still sat at his stool. His eyes were filled with disgust as he glared at the exterminator in front of me.
“Shut it, old man!”
“No. You listen here, you whiny, little, brat! I was an exterminator for longer than you’ve even been alive. And I have NEVER been so disgusted by a Guild’s actions in my life. Ha! I thought all that nonsense in Dawn Creek was just propaganda until I found out what you lot were up to!”
“Telvrin, don’t do anything stupid.”
He ignored me, hopping from his stool and getting straight in the exterminator’s face. Other officers in the bar turned and began watching the old exterminator’s rant, just waiting for an excuse.
“We, ALL OF US, are born with a natural fear of predators. We can’t control it, but that’s why WE exist. Exterminators are meant to fight AGAINST that fear, making the galaxy a safe place so the people can live their lives free of the fear programmed into them. But you? You wield that fear like some kind of sick cudgel against the very people you're SUPPOSED to protect!”
“BACK OFF!”
“You call Dohkar a disgrace, but he had this parody of a Guild pegged from the beginning. You lot are the very antithesis of everything we exterminators are supposed to be!”
[Warning!: Anxiety Response Spiking Rapidly!: Attempting To Compensate…]
“Telvrin, STOP!!!”
I panicked as I pleaded with him. I wasn’t the only one. Many in the bar were silently begging for him to just shut up and stop antagonizing them. The other exterminators began slowly closing in. Every last bit of tension in the room was concentrating in one spot.
“I’M WARNING YOU, OLD MAN!”
“Dohkar isn’t the disgrace here. YOU ARE! That musician on stage may be a human, but the only predator I see is YO-“
PTTCCHHZZZZZZZZZZZTT!!!!!!!!
[Warning!: Transcript File Corrupting!: Memory Overlap Detected!]
. . .
I see Loh in the exact center of a room, tied down to a chair. I know what that chair is. I know what it does. I want to reach through the screen, pull him free, but I can’t…
PROTECT…HERD…
“Dohkar…They say this message will be sent to you… I know what they mean to do…but you mustn’t blame yourself. All I ask is that you watch over them. Watch over my family, Dohkar…”
“HURRY IT UP, PRIMITIVE!!”
A voice shouts from just off-screen. I want to reach through the screen, and tear them apart for what they’re about to do, but I can’t…
MUST…HERD…PROTECT…HERD…
“We…found out the gender… Did I tell you that? It’s a boy, Dohkar. We’re going to have a precious little baby boy…”
“I SAID HURRY IT UP, TAINT!!”
“Maximum charge…”
“Sir?”
“I said…MAXIMUM…”
“Y-yes, sir…”
That voice… It’s him… Albiel... He knows what that chair will do… He knows…and he doesn’t care…
NOT…HERD…KILL…NOT…HERD…
VVRRRRRRRRRMMMMM!!!!
Loh… Please…
HERD…PROTECT…HERD…
“Protect him, Dohkar. Protect my son… We’ve already picked out a name… His name… My son’s name will be-“
“Now…”
PTTCCHHZZZZZZZZZZZTT!!!!!!!!
“TOOOOOHHHHBAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! TEYLIM!!!! TOOOOOOHHHHBBBBBAAAAAAAAA!!!!!”
[WARNING! WARNING!: STRESS LEVELS FAR EXCEEDING ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS!]
My claws dig into my paws as my fists clench, drawing blood.
Rage… PROTECT…HERD…
My teeth squeak and squeal as the grind against each other…
Anger…. PROTECT…HERD…
An audible growl escapes my muzzle as I glare at the exterminator standing over Telvrin, shock baton still in hand. Every herd member in the room stares on, their own anger building as the glare daggers at the monster that just struck down one of their own.
NOT…HERD…KILL…KILL…KILL…
My gaze shoots towards the corner of the room as I instantly notice the circle around Michael closing in…
HERD…PROTECT…HERD…
“Any last words, Predator?”
I have to help. I have to do something. I can’t let one more single member of the herd get hurt… No more… No more! NO MORE!!!
PROTECT…GUARD…FIGHT…KILL…
My sight focuses. Something in my legs wants to do something I’m not sure they’re even capable of. Something in my face feels like it should be moving, sensing, huffing, but the only thing there is my mouth.
I focus on Michael, looking for any way I can help him. He gives me a look. He knows about my hidden weapon. He gives me a wink…before bringing the mic closer to the speakers…
I know what he’s doing…
My ears pin back in anticipation for what will come next. Many of the herd around me notice, and follow suit, covering their ears. Knowing full well what will happen with the mic so close, Michael let’s out his war cry.
“FUCK THE GUILD!!!!!”
His shout is immediately followed my an ear-splitting, teeth-rattling ring as the microphone sends feedback through the speakers. The exterminators closest to him collapse entirely, dropping their weapons and writhing on the ground, clasping their ears. The one in front of me drops their weapon as well. Any who don’t are still sent reeling from the sound. Before any of three can recover. He cries again.
“FUCK THE FEDERATION!!!!”
Another shout. Another ear-piercing ring. Many have now taken a knee, trying frantically to cover their ears under their suits. One finally finds the strength to stand back up right in front of Michael. But before they can try anything, Michael cries one last time.
“AND FUCK…!”
“YOU!!!!!!!!!”
PANG!!! CRASH!!!!!
Time slows as Michael picks up the mic stand and swings it, the weighted base making contact with the beleaguered exterminator’s visor, shattering it and sending them flying directly into a table.
Everyone freezes. Herd, exterminators, everyone. We all freeze, just staring at the limp exterminator, laying against the overturned table. All except me. I had my distraction. I had my opening.
I’m not sure when Michael’s pad was knocked over, nor did I know what song it had randomly decided to start playing over the speakers. But as I pulled out the sidearm from under the counter, and aimed it directly at the head of the exterminator that had electrocuted Loh Telvrin, I didn’t care either.
NOT…HERD…PROTECT…HERD…
I simply let the calm, soothing, chords of the organ calm my nerves as I aimed…and fired…
BANG!!!
LORD, HELP ME!!!
I CAN’T…CHAAAAAAAAAANGE!!!!!
And just like that…the whole herd around me, upon seeing what these INTRUDERS!!! NOT…HERD…
These ATTACKERS!!! NOT…HERD…
THESE PREDATORS HAD DONE TO ONE OF OUR OWN, they moved in as one. Without their fire, without their power, without our fear, these attackers no longer had any control over the herd.
We descended on them like animals.
LOOOORD, I CAN’T CHANGE!!!
WON’T YOU FLYYYYY HIIIIIIGH, FREEEEE BIIIIIIIRD!!! YEEEAAAHHH!!!!
PROTECT...THE...HERD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wailing guitars filled my ears as I hopped over the counter and charged. My gaze darted from herd member to herd member in a daze.
Multiple herd tackling a lone attacker to the ground.
Threat neutralized…
I duck under a shock baton from my right. My tail swings almost on its own, sweeping their legs out from under them. They only get to grunt from the fall before a bolt silences them.
BANG!!!
Threat neutralized…
I look up and see another of the herd. She’s fending off additional attackers from behind cover. Another attacker approaches her from behind.
PROTECT THE HERD!!!
BANG!!!
The attacker cries out as another bolt from my weapon catches their knee, sending them to the ground. The herd member’s feathers ruffle when she sees the threat. A kick to the head knocks the attacker unconscious.
Threat neutralized…
“DOHK!!! DUCK!!!”
My gaze shoots forwards, seeing the large member of the herd in front of me. His forward facing eyes, blue eyes glare with hatred at something behind me. I duck forward as he sends a glass mug soaring over my head.
SMASH!!!
My eyes follow the mug as it smashes directly into the visor of another attacker, staggering them and opening them up for a shot.
BANG!!!
Threat neutralized.
I turn back towards the herd member to thank him, only to spot another attacker coming up behind him with a flamer.
PROTECT THE HERD!!!
I won’t fail him again…
BANG!!!
The bolt catches the attacker in the shoulder, making them drop their weapon and use their free paw to grab at their wound. They don’t have time to react before the mic stand connects, smashing them to the ground.
PANG!!!
Threat neutralized.
He turns back to me and nods before moving to protect his fellow herd mates. My gaze darts to the left as I hear a frightened shriek. A pair of pups is being chased by an attacker. They dare attack the children as well?
PROTECT THE HERD!!!
I raise my sidearm, but hold my fire as another herd member shrieks in rage, placing herself between the attacker and her children. Her teeth and claws flash as they’re brought to bear.
“Not MY pups, you BITCH!!!”
Another shriek erupts from the mother as she flings herself at the attacker, scratching and clawing and biting, before finally getting a good grasp on them.
“SCULLY!!”
I follow her gaze back towards another herd member, guarding the children. His eyes widen with realization as he immediately turns around and puffs out the quills on his back like a wall of spikes. The attacker cries out in pain as the mother flings them in his direction. I don’t need to watch the rest.
Threat neutralized.
“MICHAEL!!!”
I immediately turn back to my right and reel in horror as I see an attacker jamming a shock prod into the side of the large herd member.
PROTECT THE HERD!
He growls in pain as he drops to one knee. I raise my sidearm to fire, but someone else does before me.
BANG!!!
The feathered herdmate throws her sidearm to the ground and runs over to the downed attacker, holding the wound in their leg where the bolt hit. Before they can so much as speak, she plants her foot in their gut, before continuing to kick and stomp at them.
“YOU! DON’T! BRAHKING! HURT! HIM! YOU! BRAHKING!-“
“‘Nel! ‘NEL! Easy! Easy! I think you got ‘em!”
[Warning!: Stress Levels Returning To Acceptable Levels!: Transcript Integrity Verified…]
The herd mem- No. Mike’s words finally seem to snap me out of my haze. A shook my head before cradling it in my paws. My head was throbbing, but the music had stopped…and things were finally quiet.
I looked back up at Michael and Khornel. He had a hand on his side while still keeping the other on Khornel’s shoulder. She was a complete nervous wreck now that the adrenaline had worn off.
“Are…a-a-are you okay?”
“Yeah… A bit done around the edges, but I’m fine. You saved me.”
He looked back towards me, giving me a weak smile.
“You both did.”
I…did...? I…DID save him…protect him… At least…I think I did…
My mind was a complete mess. Every last bit of me ached. My chest felt like it was twisting in knots as I panted and huffed to try and get a hold of my breathing.
What the HELL happened?
The herd…
My mind focuses and I turn around.
“Is everyone alright?”
I looked back at the rest of the bar. It was an even bigger mess than before, but…it was quiet again. A dozen exterminators littered the floor of my bar. It was hard to tell which, if any, were still alive, but they were all down.
That wasn’t what I was worried about, though. I was more worried about my people.
Protect the herd…
The parents that had been holding their pups were now covered in cuts and bruises, but their children were safe and unharmed, if more than a title terrified. Trivah and Scullen looked particularly bad, slumped over next to the booth they’d been sitting at before. Trivah was more roughed up, and her paws had a rather unhealthy amount of orange on them that I was guessing wasn’t hers.
Scullen , on the other paw, just seemed exhausted, but had more than a little bit of that orange on his back, coating his quills. They were both a wreck, but alive, and holding each other.
Thankfully, Trilly and Dailo were perfectly safe, hidden underneath the booth’s table. Scared, worried, and definitely needing help, but safe.
Safe…
Suddenly, my mind immediately remembers how this whole thing started.
TELVRIN!
Protect the herd…
I sprinted back towards the bar and immediately found him. His heartbeat was faint and irregular, but it was there. Still, he was already an old man who had no place getting into fights like this. Those shock batons might have adjustable settings, but even the weakest setting couldn’t be good for his health. He needed a doctor, and he wasn’t the only one.
“Who has their pad?! Someone get Dr. Forrik on the line!”
“O-on it!”
Khornel went back to her table and found her pad. The screen was cracked, but from the looks of it, she was still able to use it.
“W-what should we do with…them…”
Many in the crowd looked at the downed exterminators nervously. The intensity of the moment and rush of adrenaline had long since worn off from all of us.
“Tie up the ones that are still alive. The ones that aren’t…toss them outside…”
Reluctantly, the townspeople began following my orders, gathering weapons and supplies from the exterminators. I…decided to handle the bodies myself…
The rest simply continued restraining the officers still alive and doing their best to tend to our wounded until Dr. Forrik arrived.
“I’ve called him! He’s on his way with an ambulance!”
A vice rang out from deeper in the bar.
“We’ll never move everyone with just one ambulance!”
I already could feel an argument brewing between everyone, but with what’s going on, that was the LAST thing we needed.
“Then keep searching the exterminators until you find one with keys. We’ll use the exterminator vans outside to transport the wounded. Get to it!”
The bar came to life with movement as we all got back to work. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long for Dr. Forrik to arrive with the ambulance. He and his nurse staff only paused for a moment when they saw the state of my bar.
“Tenets preserve… What the hell happened here?”
“THEY happened.”
Mike pointed an accusatory finger at the small group of unconscious and wounded exterminators tied up in the corner of the room…along with the half a dozen dead ones outside…
Why… Why couldn’t you have just listened?
Pointless. This was ALL so damned POINTLESS! None of it had to be this way! Not just this paw, not just this town, but this whole damn pointless war!
I did my best to focus on working, helping Dr. Forrik load the wounded onto the ambulance and the exterminator vans, starting with the most in need of help…Telvrin…
Trivah was next, and was followed out by the rest of her family. Many others had been injured from the sudden all-out brawl. I still didn’t understand what came over me, over ALL of us. Something about seeing Telvrin get electrocuted just set something off in my head…
Protect the herd…
Once everyone was loaded up and on their way to the clinic, the only ones left in the bar were me, Mike, Khornel, and the other half of the patrons who were still unharmed. Mike was the first to speak up.
“What were they doing here, Dohk? Why attack NOW?”
I thought for a moment. The fact is, we knew SOMETHING would happen, just not when, where, or why. I tried to think back.
It was right when Mike was finishing his first song when I got a call on my pad from that prick, Agent Tevis. I didn’t get the full picture from him, but he mentioned losing contact with his team inside the Guild Office. Why he wasn’t doing any investigating himself was anyone’s guess. But him losing contact with the rest of the investigation team and THEN The Guild decides to attack? That CAN’T be a coincidence.
I still didn’t have enough information to make a solid theory, but it seemed to me that those investigators might have finally found the smoking gun they were looking for. Even so, that alone wouldn’t be enough to elicit this kind of response on its own.
Then…a thought occurred to me, something I hadn’t really considered. But after Mike rubbed at his side again, most likely nursing the small burn he got from the shock baton, I remembered something from my time with The Guild… Suddenly, it clicked…
I wonder…
“Tell me… On Earth, what happens when you corner an injured animal…?”
Mike seemed to think for a moment before responding.
“It…lashes out…”
I knew it.
That had to be it. Hell, this wouldn’t even be the first time it’s happened. In recent cycles, even before first contact with the humans, more and more Guilds and facilities had been getting exposed for the corrupt disgraced that they are. And almost every single time, those organizations begin to lash out as soon as they start losing control.
And now it was happening here. The whole town, even their once fervent followers have turned on them, protesting at their door. The Magistrate has them under investigation, and now, with no more allies and no more sway, they’ve now been backed into a corner.
“That’s what you think this was? Them ‘lashing out?’”
“Until we know more, yes. I think The Guild and facility’s leaderships are getting ready to make a break for it, and THIS was just them tying up any loose ends on the way out.”
A grim atmosphere fell over the bar. It only broke when Mike’s head shot back up, his eyes wide with realization…and horror…
“Wait…ANY loose ends?!”
As soon as I saw the sheer terror in his eyes, I knew EXACTLY what he meant.
[Warning!: Stress Response Spiking Rapidly!: Attempting To Compensate…]
TEYLIM!
Protect the herd!
They wouldn’t!
They would… They have…
I checked my sidearm. It still had decent charge left in it. I would’ve charged out the door right then and there…if I didn’t still have a whole bar full of panicked people to look after. Instead, I walked up to Mike…and held out the weapon, pointing out the three things he’d need to know.
“Cartridge release, safety, trigger. Keep your finger off of it until you’re ready to fire. GO.”
Leaving Teyrin here, he grabbed the weapon and darted for the door, only to be stopped by Khornel.
“I’m coming with you.”
“You sure?”
She simply nodded, and the two were off.
Please… PLEASE be alright…
With an aching pain in my chest, I turned and headed back towards the kitchen where I’d left my pad.
I had a call to make…
That incompetent bastard Tevis BETTER still be alive!!!
Next

Test for Echo is the opening song and title track of the sixteenth studio album Test for Echo (1996). How do you rate this tune? The options go from skippable (You can almost see the circuits blowing) to outstanding (The treasure of a life).
Writing credits: Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Lyrics: Neil Peart, Pye Dubois
Contemporaneous band member quote: "Is there anybody out there? That's what the title is all about. Everybody needs an 'echo,' some affirmation, to know they're not alone. Sometimes that can be life's most precious discovery - somebody out there who feels the way you do. You ask yourself 'Am I crazy?,' 'Am I weird?,' and you need some affirmation: the echo. While the answer to those questions may still be 'Yes!,' it's good to know that you're not the only one. You are not alone..." -Neil in the Test for Echo tour book (1996)
Rush Official YouTube Channel link
This song hit number one on the US Mainstream Rock chart as a radio promo single in 1996.
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