Here is a summary of the announced upcoming game updates for patch 7.0 (Dawntrail expansion) from today’s Live Letter (LL 81). The information below is complied mainly from the officially translated live stream of the event, as well as FFXIV Discord's translation channel coverage of the event. The stream can be watched in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh5piV-0MWQ.
There was a fair amount of gameplay footage shown of the new content (particularly of the new/updated job actions and two brand new jobs), but I only pulled a few points of relevant information from it, rather than summarizing it all. But, as usual, please let me know if I missed anything major!
Patch 7.0: Dawntrail
Officially releases on July 2, 2024
Early access period for pre-orders begins Friday, June 28, 2024; 48-hour pre-launch maintenance beings Wednesday, June 26th
Job Updates
Job Actions Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx2vW0TAJKQ
Note: Today’s presentation was not meant to be a detailed breakdown of ALL planned job changes and additions, just a basic overview of some of the noteworthy adjustments. Full gameplay will be previewed during the current media tour, with complete details on all of the job adjustments, potency changes, etc. to come with the patch notes for 7.0 after launch maintenance begins.
Action Change Settings - To address button bloat, certain actions will be replaced by their follow-up counterparts on the same button upon use, instead of the follow-up actions being on a separate button. However, for those who would prefer it the old way, this setting allows you to choose whether or not those changing actions will be replaced by their follow-up counterparts.
Adjustments to Tanks

• Rampart and job-specific 30% damage reduction abilities will be upgraded in the 90s level range
• Reprisal’s duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the 90s level range

Paladin

• The second and third executions of Atonement have been changed to new actions with separate animations (the Atonement button will change to these actions automatically, so button presses will remain the same)
• A new action that can be executed after Blade of Valor will be added
• In order to execute Goring Blade, you will need to have Fight or Flight activated

Warrior

• A new action, which can be executed after three executions of Fell Cleave or Decimate while Inner Release is active, will be added
• A new action that can be executed after Primal Rend will be added
• Visual effects and animation of Inner Chaos will be adjusted

Dark Knight

• To reduce the number of inputs during burst damage phases, Blood Weapon will upgrade into Delirium, and the effects of Blood Weapon will be added to Deliirium
• A new action that can be executed after Living Shadow will be added

Gunbreaker

• A new action that can be executed after Fated Circle (via Continuation) will be added
• A new 3-step combo that can be executed after Bloodfest will be added (no cartridge cost)

Adjustments to Melee DPS

• Second Wind’s potency will be increased in the 90s level range
• Feint’s duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the 90s level range

Monk

• Basic combo mechanics will no longer center around maintaining a buff or DoT; instead, performing actions in a certain order will increase the next action’s potency. Adjustments will be
• Can accumulate up to a total of ten chakra while Brotherhood is active, to prevent chakra overflow
• There will be a potency buff to Six-Sided Star if executed while you have ten chakra stacks

Dragoon

• To reduce positional requirements for the single-target combo, the 5th combo action has been changed to a new non-directional action, Drakesbane (Fang and Claw/Wheeling Thrust will change to Drakesbane, so input execution will remain the same
• To facilitate maximum damage output at the beginning of a battle, Life of the Dragon will be available without accumulating Dragon Gauge
• To reduce the number of inputs during burst damage phases, certain actions will be removed or adjusted

Ninja

• Huton’s effect has been moved to a trait and will always be active (Huton will be changed to an AoE attack which grants the effect of Hidden)
• Actions which extend the duration of Huton’s effect will be adjusted in accordance with the above change
• Due to these adjustments, the Windmill logo in the job gauge will be removed

Samurai

• To simplify recast management, Tsubame-gaeshi will be changed to be executable after Meikyo Shisui
• Hakaze, Tenka Goten, and Midare Setsugekka will be upgraded into new actions
• Traits will be added that shorten the recast time for Hissastsu: Guren and Hissastsu: Senei

Reaper

• Plentiful Harvest’s effect will no longer increase the Shroud Gauge by 50, and instead will allow execution of Enshroud (now can be used when gauge is at 51 or more without waste)
• A new action that can be executed while Enshrouded will be added
• Hells’ Ingress and Hell’s Egress will have reduced cool down when Enhanced Harpe is activated

Viper

• Link to Viper job overview and gameplay demonstration in the livestream
• A fast-paced job that fluidly shifts between dual-wield blades and double-bladed strikes
• Has a similar total number of actions as other jobs, but is designed so that fewer actions need to be set on the hotbar
• Executing actions will build a job gauge, which can then be expended in an enhanced “Awaken” phase
• When applying buffs to yourself as well as debuffs to the enemy, certain other actions will be enhanced depending on which buffs/debuffs are active
• In addition to close-range melee attacks, there are also some long-range attacks available should you need to fight from afar

Adjustments to Ranged Physical DPS

• Second Wind’s healing potency will be increased in the 90s level range
• Damage reduction of job-0specific defensive abilities will be increased to 15% in the 90s level range

Bard

• Mage’s Ballad, Army’s Paeon, and the Wanderer’s Minuet will be changed into buffing actions which do not attack enemies
• Pitch Perfect will be changed into an AoE attack for ease of use in encounters with multiple enemies
• Single-target and AoE procs (Straight Shot Ready/Shadow Bite Ready) will be merged into one proc for better ease of use

Machinist

• Barrel Stabilizer will no longer increase Heat Gauger by 50, and instead will allow execution of Hypercharge (can now be used when gauge is at 51 without waste)
• A new trait which accumulates charges for Drill will be added

Dancer

• A new action that can be executed after Flourish will be added
• A new action which consumes Esprit and can be executed after Technical Finish will be added
• Certain skills currently triggered by Standard Step may now be executed without having to go through the step actions

Adjustments to Magical Ranged DPS

• Swiftcast’s recast will be reduced to 40 seconds in the 90s level range
• Addle’s duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the 90s level range

Black Mage

• Various adjustments will be made to streamline certain aspects of the job, such as restoring MP upon landing ice spells while Umbral Ice is active, instead of passively over time
• A new action which repositions Ley Lines beneath the caster once will be added

Summoner

• Solar Bahamut, a new summon akin to Bahamut and Phoenix, will be added (new summon rotation will be: Solar Bahamut - Bahamut - Solar Bahamut - Phoenix)
• A new attack action that can be executed after Searing Light will be added
• Summoner will keep Resurrection for Dawntrail, but may have it removed in 8.0

Red Mage

• Manafication will no longer increase Black Mana and White Mana by 50, and will instead allow the execution of enchanted swordplay actions without cost (can now be executed while mana is at 51 or more without waste)
• The AoE enchanted swordplay combo beginning with Enchanted Moulinet will now consume a total of 50 Black Mana and White Mana, similar to its single-target counterpart
• Whenever Embolden is executed, an attack ability will be enabled

Pictomancer

• Link to Pictomancer overview and gameplay demonstration in the livestream (I found this job much easier to understand by watching the demonstration, BTW)
• Job actions centered around Aether Hue elemental attacks (Red = Flare, Green = Aero, Blue = Water) and Motifs (Creature, Weapon, and Landscape)
• Aether Hue attacks build a gauge that can be expended on White elemental Holy attacks as well as Subtractive Pallette, which upgrades your other elemental attacks to higher-potency elements.
• Creature Motif involves rendering parts of a creature (eg. a Moogle) via attacks that will eventually summon the creature for a higher-powered attack
• Weapon Motif is a fast triple-cast combo
• Landscape Motif is a longer-cast action that deals damage to enemy and grants buffs to self and party members

Adjustments to Healers

• Swiftcast’s recast time will be reduced top 40 seconds in the 90s level range

White Mage

• A new action allowing the caster to quickly move forward will be added
• A new AoE attack, which can be executed up to 3 times after Presence of Mind, will be added
• New trait that increases Tetragrammaton stack number will be added

Scholar

• Seraphism, a new action which changes the caster’s appearance and enhances healing magicks, will be added
• A new AoE attack that can be executed after Chain Stratagem will be added; it will include a DoT
• A new trait that reduces recast time for Recitation will be added

Astrologian

• The card system will no longer be RNG based, and will instead simultaneously draw cards with offensive, defensive, and curative effects
• Every 60 seconds, you can draw one set of four cards (divided under Lord of Crowns or Lady of Crowns), each card having different effects, and you can use the cards in that set depending on your situational needs
• Astrodyne will be removed with the discontinuation of astrosigns
• New trait that increases Essential Dignity stack number will be added

Sage

• Eukrasia will now enhance Dyskrasia II into Eukrasian Dyskrasia, an AoE attack which deals damage over time to enemies within range
• A new party buff, which heals party members whenever the caster casts a spell, will be added (basically a ranged version of Kardion, but will only be in effect for a limited amount of time)
• New trait that reduces the recast time of Soteria will be added

PvP Updates

• Viper and Pictomancer will be added to PvP in 7.0
• New PvP actions, action adjustments, and adjustments to existing PvP maps are currently planned for 7.1
• Crystalline Conflict ranked matches will;; be in preseason between 7.0 and 7.1 (rankings will not be updated, but tiers and Crystal Credit will be affected by wins and losses

New Characters

• Two new NPCs that will appear in the Dawntrail MSQ were discussed: Bakool Ja Ja and Koana, who will both be competing for the throne of Tural. Bakool Ja Ja is a two-headed Mamool Ja, similar to Gulool Ja Ja, and Koana is the male Miqo’te from the Dawntrail poster.
  Other Information
  
• Benchmark software/graphics update: Some adjustments have been made based on feedback on the original benchmark. These include adjustments to lighting in the character creator, as well as corrections to graphical oddities in character models (addressing things like Keeper of the Moon Miqo’te teeth and Lalafell mouths/teeth). These adjustments will be incorporated into a new benchmark available for download, in addition to the game itself with Dawntrail. Information about a release date for the new benchmark will be announced later.
  
• Free Fantasia: Starting in 7.0, there will be a new NPC in Ul’dah with a low level quest that can be completed for one free Fantasia per character.
  
• In addition, using a Fantasia will now grant a 60 minute period during which you can make additional adjustments to your character after re-entering the game world if you are not satisfied with how the adjustments look in game. There is no limit to how many additional times you can tweak your character within this 60 minute period.
  
• Fall Guys collaboration event returns from May 23rd to June 10th
  
• Mountain Dew promotional event (US only): enter codes found under caps of specially marked Man. Dew products to receive points that can be redeemed for rewards, including in-game rewards such as a “Mountain Zu” mount and a consumable drink item.
  
• Preorders now open for new merchandise on the Square Enix store
  
• Immerse Gamepack version 2.2 available now: https://embody.co/ffxiv
  
• KFC promotional event is returning to Japan; details to be announced later
  
• Next Live Letter (LL 82), summarizing upcoming additions for 7.0, scheduled for June 14th
  

Hello everyone! BigHedDjango here, tunes for this week to help you out.
Weekly photo: https://i.imgur.com/88KGCCS.png
All feedback on tunes is appreciated - good or bad. Specially when tunes are bad. At the end of the day I am just the mechanic and you guys are the racers. Do not hesitate irrespective of your tuning knowledge or racing skills!
Tuning method: 1. Stock look - stock wheel rims and size, no aero (unless absolutely necessary for handling and stability) 2. Tuned for automatic/manual players by not skipping clutch+gearbox upgrades 3. Max performance with max handling possible 4. All cars tuned vs. Unbeatable AI, tracks/weather conditions are now unknown since time travel no longer works. Since release AI has been inconsistent between many car types and weather conditions, not every car will win 10/10 races vs Unbeatable AI without rewind/restart abuse 5. Bodykit used if it does not hurt performance

___ 

Forzathon Weekly Challenge - Time to Play

2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray * Tune - 142 362 222 * Easy to use; Decent grip even in rain; Good braking; Lacks S1 top speed; 6-gears; Sigala wide body kit; Chevrolet rear wing; Custom rims; v1 * Event Lab BP - Easy Win Drag Strip - 812 084 897

___ 

Trial - MX-5 Drive

Road Racing - Mazda MX-5 - A 800

NOTE: Try to block and slow down AI and help teammates in order to win. One player on the team needs to take at least P3 and slow down the AI for a guaranteed win

2016 Mazda MX-5 * Tune - 446 488 045 * Fastest option; v1
2005 Mazda Mazdaspeed MX-5 * Tune - 386 598 479 * Low A class top speed; v1
1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata * Tune - 686 056 119 * Lacks braking; Lacks A class top speed; v2 - rebuild, smoother, faster
2013 Mazda MX-5 * Tune - 159 091 037 * Low A class top speed; v1

___ 

Event Lab 1 - Eagle Forest Raceway

Modern Supercars - A 800

2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante * Tune - 171 863 878 * Playlist car; Good braking; Low A class top speed; Slowish car overall; Stock engine; True Purist; v1
2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe * Tune - 575 887 945 * Tune by Naitsab243; Custom rims; Rear aero

___ 

Event Lab 2 - Emerald GP Circuit

Retro Hot Hatch - B 700

1974 Honda Civic RS * Tune - 689 859 387 * FWD; Meta car; Meta tune; Lacks top speed; Wide body kit + Classic rear wing + Custom rims; Dry only; v2

___ 

Seasonal PR Stunts

2010 Mosler MT900S * Tune - 106 016 211 * Superb grip; Good handling but oversteery; v3

Speed Trap - Northern Passage - Extreme Track Toys - S2 998

• Start at least 0.7 miles from the west

Speed Trap - Escarpment - Extreme Track Toys - S2 998

• Start 0.5 miles from the west. Turn in hard on final right hand corner, can even cut offroad

Speed Zone - Camino Del Cielo - Extreme Track Toys - S2 998

• Start at least 1.3 miles away on the north east road. Enter the east gate at full throttle, feather brake for first right hand corner and final hairpin only. You can also start max 1 mile from the west cause need to brake immediately upton entering the west gate
  

NOTE: All Championships are locked at Highly Skilled difficulty

Championship 1 - Picking Favorite

Road Racing - Forza Cover Cars - S1 900

2013 Dodge SRT Viper GTS Anniversary Edition (Maybe not an option) * Tune - 301 899 128 * Meta car; Meta tune; Good grip; Oversteer but no traction loss; * Lacks S1 top speed so sprints with lots of corners or circuits only; * Drag tires - great launch, weak at slow corners, tuned for wet roads as well; * Stock engine; Custom rims; Full aero; Rear diffuser; Sideskirts; v1
2013 Dodge SRT Viper GTS * Tune - 693 168 484 * Stock engine; v3
2014 Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 * Tune - 204 826 092 * Fast; Stock engine; True Purist; v3
2016 Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 * Tune - 156 811 181 * Stock tirebombs; Good grip; Excellent braking; 7-gears; Stock engine; True Purist; v2
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS * Tune - 246 355 163 * Stock rear wing; Stock engine; v1
2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray * Tune - 142 362 222 * Easy to use; Decent grip even in rain; Good braking; Lacks S1 top speed; 6-gears; Sigala wide body kit; Chevrolet rear wing; Custom rims; v1

___ 

Championship 2 - Going the Distance

Road Racing - GT & Super GT - A 800

2012 Jaguar XKR-S * Tune - 173 823 336 (v4)
2013 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S * Tune - 963 723 177 * Decent grip; Good top speed; Stock engine; Hot Wheels tune; v1
2010 Maserati Gran Turismo S * Tune - 547 023 206 * Lacks braking; Stock engine; v2
2017 Aston Martin DB11 * Tune - 153 787 435 * Stock engine only; v2
2021 Lexus LC 500 * Tune - 305 052 584 * Playlist car; Stock engine; v1
2019 Aston Martin Vantage * Tune - 404 086 715 * Downgraded to A class; Good handling but slow overall; Stock engine; v2

___ 

Treasure Hunt - Blame Impala

What to do: Using any Chevrolet Impala either get an Ultimate Wreckage skill or maybe lots of wreckage skills

___ 

RALLY ADVENTURE DLC

Seasonal PR Stunts

Speed Trap - La Cantera - Mustang - A 800

2018 Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 * Tune - 589 436 345 * Start ~500 yards in the east dirt hairpin

Championship 3 - Mustang Rally

Night Rally - Mustang - A 800

2018 Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 * Tune - 589 436 345 * Good mid-speed accel; Comfortable to drive; v2
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 * Tune - 246 848 148 * Superb; v2

___ 

HOT WHEELS DLC

Seasonal PR Stunts

Speed Zone - Supersonic Spiral - Lamborghini - S1 900

2016 Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 * Tune - 156 811 181 * Start at least 0.7 miles away on the north east track (try to spawn in small loop)

Championship 4 - It's Race-a-Bull

Speed - Lamborghini - S1 900

2016 Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 * Tune - 156 811 181 * Stock tirebombs; Good grip; Excellent braking; 7-gears; Stock engine; True Purist; v2
2014 Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 * Tune - 204 826 092 * Fast; Stock engine; True Purist; v3
2016 Lamborghini Aventador SuperVeloce * Tune - 124 905 282 * Arcade racing game car; Excellent braking; Stock engine only; True Purist; v2

___ 

Event Lab Blueprints!

Easy Win Road Sprint - 696 659 852
Easy Win Road Circuit - 177 632 200
Easy Win Dirt Trail - 991 376 926
Easy Win Dirt Scramble - 135 436 707
Easy Win Cross Country Sprint - 114 199 871
Easy Win Cross Country Circuit - 181 401 852
Easy Win Street Scene Sprint - 134 229 457
Easy Win Drag Strip - 812 084 897

___ 

Horizon 4 and 5 Tunes Archive!

https://www.reddit.com/useBigHeadDjango/comments/r4ptt6/forza_horizon_4_and_horizon_5_tunes_archive/

___ 

Thank you to everyone for your downloads, uses, likes, follows, shares and feedback! Check my in-game profile for more tunes. You can check my reddit profile for more content
📸 Also don't stop yourself from checking out my photos on the creative hub. Wow! What beautiful photos! 📸
Don't hesitate to ask if you need any help!
🛠️ I am open to requests for cars you might want me to tune! It would also help me understand FH5 tuning better. So let me know the car and class and I'd get back to you! 🛠️

___ 

Have a great week! 🥳

Hello everyone! BigHedDjango here, tunes for this week to help you out.
Weekly photo: https://i.imgur.com/88KGCCS.png
All feedback on tunes is appreciated - good or bad. Specially when tunes are bad. At the end of the day I am just the mechanic and you guys are the racers. Do not hesitate irrespective of your tuning knowledge or racing skills!
Tuning method: 1. Stock look - stock wheel rims and size, no aero (unless absolutely necessary for handling and stability) 2. Tuned for automatic/manual players by not skipping clutch+gearbox upgrades 3. Max performance with max handling possible 4. All cars tuned vs. Unbeatable AI, tracks/weather conditions are now unknown since time travel no longer works. Since release AI has been inconsistent between many car types and weather conditions, not every car will win 10/10 races vs Unbeatable AI without rewind/restart abuse 5. Bodykit used if it does not hurt performance

___ 

Forzathon Weekly Challenge - Time to Play

2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray * Tune - 142 362 222 * Easy to use; Decent grip even in rain; Good braking; Lacks S1 top speed; 6-gears; Sigala wide body kit; Chevrolet rear wing; Custom rims; v1 * Event Lab BP - Easy Win Drag Strip - 812 084 897

___ 

Trial - MX-5 Drive

Road Racing - Mazda MX-5 - A 800

NOTE: Try to block and slow down AI and help teammates in order to win. One player on the team needs to take at least P3 and slow down the AI for a guaranteed win

2016 Mazda MX-5 * Tune - 446 488 045 * Fastest option; v1
2005 Mazda Mazdaspeed MX-5 * Tune - 386 598 479 * Low A class top speed; v1
1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata * Tune - 686 056 119 * Lacks braking; Lacks A class top speed; v2 - rebuild, smoother, faster
2013 Mazda MX-5 * Tune - 159 091 037 * Low A class top speed; v1

___ 

Event Lab 1 - Eagle Forest Raceway

Modern Supercars - A 800

2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante * Tune - 171 863 878 * Playlist car; Good braking; Low A class top speed; Slowish car overall; Stock engine; True Purist; v1
2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe * Tune - 575 887 945 * Tune by Naitsab243; Custom rims; Rear aero

___ 

Event Lab 2 - Emerald GP Circuit

Retro Hot Hatch - B 700

1974 Honda Civic RS * Tune - 689 859 387 * FWD; Meta car; Meta tune; Lacks top speed; Wide body kit + Classic rear wing + Custom rims; Dry only; v2

___ 

Seasonal PR Stunts

2010 Mosler MT900S * Tune - 106 016 211 * Superb grip; Good handling but oversteery; v3

Speed Trap - Northern Passage - Extreme Track Toys - S2 998

• Start at least 0.7 miles from the west

Speed Trap - Escarpment - Extreme Track Toys - S2 998

• Start 0.5 miles from the west. Turn in hard on final right hand corner, can even cut offroad

Speed Zone - Camino Del Cielo - Extreme Track Toys - S2 998

• Start at least 1.3 miles away on the north east road. Enter the east gate at full throttle, feather brake for first right hand corner and final hairpin only. You can also start max 1 mile from the west cause need to brake immediately upton entering the west gate
  

NOTE: All Championships are locked at Highly Skilled difficulty

Championship 1 - Picking Favorite

Road Racing - Forza Cover Cars - S1 900

2013 Dodge SRT Viper GTS Anniversary Edition (Maybe not an option) * Tune - 301 899 128 * Meta car; Meta tune; Good grip; Oversteer but no traction loss; * Lacks S1 top speed so sprints with lots of corners or circuits only; * Drag tires - great launch, weak at slow corners, tuned for wet roads as well; * Stock engine; Custom rims; Full aero; Rear diffuser; Sideskirts; v1
2013 Dodge SRT Viper GTS * Tune - 693 168 484 * Stock engine; v3
2014 Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 * Tune - 204 826 092 * Fast; Stock engine; True Purist; v3
2016 Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 * Tune - 156 811 181 * Stock tirebombs; Good grip; Excellent braking; 7-gears; Stock engine; True Purist; v2
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS * Tune - 246 355 163 * Stock rear wing; Stock engine; v1
2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray * Tune - 142 362 222 * Easy to use; Decent grip even in rain; Good braking; Lacks S1 top speed; 6-gears; Sigala wide body kit; Chevrolet rear wing; Custom rims; v1

___ 

Championship 2 - Going the Distance

Road Racing - GT & Super GT - A 800

2012 Jaguar XKR-S * Tune - 173 823 336 (v4)
2013 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S * Tune - 963 723 177 * Decent grip; Good top speed; Stock engine; Hot Wheels tune; v1
2010 Maserati Gran Turismo S * Tune - 547 023 206 * Lacks braking; Stock engine; v2
2017 Aston Martin DB11 * Tune - 153 787 435 * Stock engine only; v2
2021 Lexus LC 500 * Tune - 305 052 584 * Playlist car; Stock engine; v1
2019 Aston Martin Vantage * Tune - 404 086 715 * Downgraded to A class; Good handling but slow overall; Stock engine; v2

___ 

Treasure Hunt - Blame Impala

What to do: Using any Chevrolet Impala either get an Ultimate Wreckage skill or maybe lots of wreckage skills

___ 

RALLY ADVENTURE DLC

Seasonal PR Stunts

Speed Trap - La Cantera - Mustang - A 800

2018 Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 * Tune - 589 436 345 * Start ~500 yards in the east dirt hairpin

Championship 3 - Mustang Rally

Night Rally - Mustang - A 800

2018 Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 * Tune - 589 436 345 * Good mid-speed accel; Comfortable to drive; v2
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 * Tune - 246 848 148 * Superb; v2

___ 

HOT WHEELS DLC

Seasonal PR Stunts

Speed Zone - Supersonic Spiral - Lamborghini - S1 900

2016 Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 * Tune - 156 811 181 * Start at least 0.7 miles away on the north east track (try to spawn in small loop)

Championship 4 - It's Race-a-Bull

Speed - Lamborghini - S1 900

2016 Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 * Tune - 156 811 181 * Stock tirebombs; Good grip; Excellent braking; 7-gears; Stock engine; True Purist; v2
2014 Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 * Tune - 204 826 092 * Fast; Stock engine; True Purist; v3
2016 Lamborghini Aventador SuperVeloce * Tune - 124 905 282 * Arcade racing game car; Excellent braking; Stock engine only; True Purist; v2

___ 

Event Lab Blueprints!

Easy Win Road Sprint - 696 659 852
Easy Win Road Circuit - 177 632 200
Easy Win Dirt Trail - 991 376 926
Easy Win Dirt Scramble - 135 436 707
Easy Win Cross Country Sprint - 114 199 871
Easy Win Cross Country Circuit - 181 401 852
Easy Win Street Scene Sprint - 134 229 457
Easy Win Drag Strip - 812 084 897

___ 

Horizon 4 and 5 Tunes Archive!

https://www.reddit.com/useBigHeadDjango/comments/r4ptt6/forza_horizon_4_and_horizon_5_tunes_archive/

___ 

Thank you to everyone for your downloads, uses, likes, follows, shares and feedback! Check my in-game profile for more tunes. You can check my reddit profile for more content
📸 Also don't stop yourself from checking out my photos on the creative hub. Wow! What beautiful photos! 📸
Don't hesitate to ask if you need any help!
🛠️ I am open to requests for cars you might want me to tune! It would also help me understand FH5 tuning better. So let me know the car and class and I'd get back to you! 🛠️

___ 

Have a great week! 🥳

Was typing these up for my friend who isn't able to watch and thought I may as well post them here. If any clarifications are needed let me know, I will fix it. I won't be going through Viper and Pictomancer, as they would require much more explanation than I am willing to go into lol, plus I want to explore them when they release myself. As with the disclaimer on the stream, this is NOT a full list of all changes and may be subject to change

Tank

• Rampart and other 30% damage reducing abilities will be upgraded at level 90+
• Reprisal will be increased to 15seconds at level 90+

Paladin

• big 3 move blade combo (starting with confeitor) gets an additional move
• MP generating move (atonement) gets changed from a stack of 3 charges into a 3 move combo
• Goring blade can now only be used under Fight or Flight

Warrior

• adds two new abilities that are available after using certain abilities with Inner Release active

Dark Knight

• To reduce inputs during burst, Blood Weapon will now upgrade into Delirium
• New ability added for when Living Shadow is active
• Living Shadow no longer uses Blackblood

Gunbreaker

• New action added that can be used after Fated Circle
• New 3-step combo after using Bloodfest
• Sonic Break can now only be used under No Mercy

Melee DPS

• Second Wind gets increase healing in 90+
• Feint gets increased to 15secs in 90+

Monk

• Job no longer centered around maintaining buff or DoT, performing actions in order will increase next actions potency
• Can accumulate up to 10 charkra while Brotherhood is active

Dragoon

• To reduce positional in the single target combo, the fifth combo action has been changed to a new non-directional action, Drakesbane. (wheeling thrust/fang of claw will change into Drakesbane when used)
• Life of the Dragon will now be available without accumulating Dragon Gauge
• To reduce inputs during burst, certain actions will be remove/adjusted
• Spineshatter Dive has been replaced with a gap closer that deals no damage

Ninja

• Huton's effect has been moved to a trait and will always be active
• Huton now changed to an AoE attack which grants the effect of Hidden, similar to Suikon
• Actions which increased Huton's duration will be adjusted accordingly

Samurai

• To simplify, Tsubame-gaeshi will be changed to be executable after Meikyo Shisui
• Hakaze (first ability in single target combo), Tenka Goken (2 symbols) and Midare Setsugekka (3 symbols) will be upgraded into new actions

Reaper

• Plentiful Harvest no longer increases Shroud Gauge by 50, instead just allows execution of Enshroud
• New action added for when Enshroud is active

Physical Ranged DPS

• Second Wind increases in potency at 90+
• Class specific defensive abilities (Troubador, Tactician and Shield Samba) get increased to 15% damage reduction

Bard

• Songs will be changed into buffing actions which do not attack enemies
• Pitch Perfect will be changed into an AoE attack for ease of use with multiple enemies

Machinist

• Barrel Stabilizer no longer increases Heat Gauge by 50, instead allows free execution of Hypercharge
• New trait which accumulates charges for Drill

Dancer

• New action that can be used after Flourish
• New action which consumes Esprit and can be executed after Technical Finish

Magical Ranged DPS

• Swiftcast's recast will be reduced to 40secs at 90+
• Addle's duration will be increased to 15seconds at 90+

Black Mage

• Various adjustments made to streamline certain aspects, i.e. restoring MP upon landing ice spells while Umbral Ice is active, instead of passively
• New action which repositions Ley Lines beneath the caster

Summoner

• Solar Bahamut, a new summon akin to Bahamut and Phoenix will be added
• New action that can be executed after Searing light will be added

Red Mage

• Manafication no longer increase Black and White Mana by 50, increase allows the execution of enchanted swordplay actions without cost
• The AoE enchanted swordplay combo beginning with Enchanted Moulinet will now consume a total of 50 black and white mana, similar to single target
• New finisher will be added

Healer

• Swiftcast's recast will be reduced to 40secs at 90+

White Mage

• New action that allows the caster to [move quickly forward](https://fxtwitter.com/lacelaziestatus/1791085647039791348)
• New AoE attack, which can be executed up to 3 times after using Presence of Mind

Scholar

• Seraphism, a new action that changes the caster appearance and enhances healing magic will be added
• New AoE attack that can be executed after Chain Stratagem will be added

Astrologian

• Card system will no longer be random, and will isntead simultaneously draw cards with offensive, defensive and curative effects
• Astrodyne will be removed with the discontinuation of astrosigns
• Essential dignity will get 3 stacks

Sage

• Eukrasia will now enhance Dyskrasia II into Eukrasian Dyskradia, an AoE attack which deals DoT
• New party puff, which heals nearby party members whenever the caster casts a spell, will be added

Poll is here: https://strawpoll.com/eNg69G88enA
Please select the job that you plan to start day 1 of Dawntrail on, or what role you may be in for a static, or if you're still fully undecided. Thank you for participating!
For those of you that participated in the poll back in February, thank you! This is essentially the same poll, but now that the job action trailer was released, I'm looking to find out if there's a significant sway in people's opinions after watching it.
Unsurprisingly, Viper and Pictomancer were #1 and #2 respectively in the first poll, with Warrior coming up as a distant #3. Physical ranged dps was the lowest chosen overall with only 13 votes across all options for it. Thanks for participating, and feel free to discuss your opinions in the comments!

Saw this in the 90's, on a vhs. Was a sort of a filler before what ever else was on that vhs. Something educational I'm sure.
Hand painted backgrounds, watercolour and such, hand drawn animation all the way. Characters don't pop out, more like blend with everything.
Not overly cartoony like Disney, more real life like Soviet Union/Czechoslovakia animation style.
Definitely a lot older than 80's or 90's.
No words are spoken, mainly exclamations and murmurs and sorts. Nature sounds and background noises.
The start scene is of a beautiful, vibrant green forest. Long trees, lots of different greens and leaves. Then there is a clearing of sorts. A man walks in from the right, carrying a basket. Full body is shown. Looks like irl person, but more plainly drawn. Possibly gathering berries and mushrooms. Stops by a tree, closer shot of him. Finds an egg from below a tree, looks around but sees no nest. Puts it in his basket. Camera moves back to original position. Walks back where he came.
Next scene is of him driving away from the forest, wiggly road, then more and more cars are around him as he nears the city he lives in. Very noisy. Cars go horizontally on the screen, over bridge and roads. Everything turns more grey and concrete is everywhere. He parks and goes to his apartment. Colors are dull.
He walks towards the camera to a desk with a lamp on it. Gently puts his basket down and takes the egg from it. Places it in a small box with tissues and moves a desk lamp over it, turning it on. Sits down and watches the egg. Elbows on desk and palms on his cheeks. Clock ticks in the background as time moves on.
A close up of the egg. The egg makes shell breaking sounds. He is overjoyed and can't wait for it to hatch. And it does. But not a baby bird is seen. It's a baby snake. The snake has funnily enough more cartoony eyes than him. Seems to be an adder (European Viper). It obviously thinks him as his "mom". So happy to see him. He sighs, not sure about it at first, but decides to take care of it.
Time goes on and the snake grows. They have become a bit close. He chuckles a lot at their shenanigans. His place has a bit more color.
It is spring time again, and we see the man put the snake to his basket. Humming and all. Out he goes to the greyness. Then a cacophony of cars driving horizontally again, until only he is seen driving towards the forest by the wiggly road. It is more silent, nature sounds are back.
In the forest, he arrives at the same spot he found the egg in. He gently places the basket down and ushers the snake to check out their surroundings. Snake leaves in the end, saying goodbyes by flicking it's tail?? and the man smiles, chuckles and leaves the area.
The end.
So a sort of educational short film. Don't pick up random eggs and if you do, nurture them and bring back to forest when ready to live there.
But yeah, this is all I can remember. Not the title, not the creators or even what came after this short cartoon.
Anyone else remember this and whom possibly made it?

Hi, I’ve been unable to decide which next Porsche I am going to buy. Currently own a 2022 Macan GTS. My biggest concern is depreciation… I have not been following the market for either cars so I’m here, hoping someone would know more than me.
Option 1 981 GT4 (2016) 40k miles
Option 2 992 Base (2020) 35k miles
The 992 is a bit more expensive $10k USD but I don’t mind paying it if it depreciates the same as a GT4 approaching its 10 year mark.
I went to the dealer and drove the 718 GTS and thought it was really SMALL. Not a big fan of it. I like bulky coupes like 992. Ideally 992 is what I want but if its going to depreciate like hell like any of my AMGs were, then I’m not going to bother. I heard only GT Porsche will hold value. I’m only going to keep the GT4 when it hits 10 year mark till 2026, not looking forward to pay a fortune to fix it. So I’d like to know your opinions on it. Please help me out. I’m lost even after watching countless videos.
Note: I only drive about 3000-5000 miles max a year. I have been hit with depreciation in the past 10 years trading in my car at dealer for new (used) ones, hoping to get something else that dealer wants and won’t lowball me.

Hi, I’ve been unable to decide which next Porsche I am going to buy. Currently own a 2022 Macan GTS. My biggest concern is depreciation… I have not been following the market for either cars so I’m here, hoping someone would know more than me.
Option 1 981 GT4 (2016) 40k miles
Option 2 992 Base (2020) 35k miles
The 992 is a bit more expensive $10k USD but I don’t mind paying it if it depreciates the same as a GT4 approaching its 10 year mark.
I went to the dealer and drove the 718 GTS and thought it was really SMALL. Not a big fan of it. I like bulky coupes like 992. Ideally 992 is what I want but if its going to depreciate like hell like any of my AMGs were, then I’m not going to bother. I heard only GT Porsche will hold value. I’m only going to keep the GT4 when it hits 10 year mark till 2026, not looking forward to pay a fortune to fix it. So I’d like to know your opinions on it. Please help me out. I’m lost even after watching countless videos.
Note: I only drive about 3000-5000 miles max a year. I have been hit with depreciation in the past 10 years trading in my car at dealer for new (used) ones, hoping to get something else that dealer wants and won’t lowball me.

Any veteran reader who comments in the newbie thread will be banned from WoT for 5 days. Please read the full the rules before commenting.
This is the newbie thread. Visit the veteran thread if you have already read the series.
For more information, or to see the full schedule for all previous entries, please see the wiki page for the read-along.
BOOK FOURTEEN SCHEDULE
This week we will be discussing Book Fourteen: A Memory of Light, Chapters 19 through 24.
Next week we will be discussing Book Fourteen: A Memory of Light, Chapters 25 through 30.

• April 17, 2024: Prologue and Chapter 1
• April 24, 2024: Chapters 2 through 6
• May 1, 2024: Chapters 7 through 12
• May 8, 2024: Chapters 13 through 18
• May 15, 2024: Chapters 19 through 24 <--- You are here.
• May 22, 2024: Chapters 25 through 30
• May 29, 2024: Chapters 31 through 36
• June 5, 2024: Chapter 37 (Part 1)
• June 12, 2024: Chapter 37 (Part 2)
• June 19, 2024: Chapters 38 through 49 and Epilogue
• June 26, 2024: A Memory of Light - Final Thoughts & Trivia

​

• July 3, 2024: Short Stories
• July 10, 2024: The Wheel of Time - Final Thoughts & Trivia

CHAPTER SUMMARIES
I have provided summaries for each chapter below and hidden them behind spoiler tags. There are no spoilers within the summaries. I've tried to make them as factual and unbiased as possible. If, however, you want a completely blind read through, then ignore what's behind the spoiler tags and proceed to the discussion below. I will not be guiding that in any way, so post any thoughts and questions you have. It will be other new readers who reply to you.
​
Chapter 19: The Choice of a Patch
Chapter Icon: Dice
Summary:
Elayne and Bashere realize they have been trapped between the army from Andor and another coming from the south. Rand meets Egwene in the White Tower and renews their friendship, reveals to her and Gawyn that Galad is Rand's half-brother, and discovers the seals Egwene has are fakes.
Mat is given ceremonial armor and his nails are lacquered to denote him as one of the Blood.
​
Chapter 20: Into Thakan'dar
Chapter Icon: Spears & Shield
Summary:
Egwene and her forces continue destroying Trollocs when an enormous gateway opens to reveal a large army with hundreds of Sharan channelers. Aes Sedai holding the power are attacked and slaughtered. Egwene and Gawyn hide until his Warder cloak.
Rand warns Aviendha that the Forsaken will attack once he engages the Dark One. He announces he will go to Shayol Ghul tomorrow.
​
Chapter 21: Not a Mistake to Ignore
Chapter Icon: Bull & Roses
Summary:
Bryne admits he should not have delayed his attacks against the Trollocs. Androl worries about Logain's darker attitude and Pevara worries the Turning broke Logain.
​
Chapter 22: The Wyld
Chapter Icon: Viper
Summary:
Egwene wakes and watches the Sharans sorting prisoners. Demandred arrives and introduces himself as Bao, the Wyld, and leader of the Sharan army. He sends a challenge to the Dragon. Perrin and Gaul track Hessalam to the command tent in Merrilor. Cyndane appears and tells Perrin he should learn to leave the World of Dreams at will and reveals Hessalam was invading Bashere's dreams.
​
Chapter 23: At the Edge of Time
Chapter Icon: The Age Lace Unraveling
Summary:
Gawyn leads Egwene out of hiding by using one of the Bloodknife rings. Egwene is saved by Leilwin. At Thakan'dar, Aviendha organizes circles and attack plans.
Rand begins climbing Shayol Ghul and Nynaeve notices his old wound has reopened as his blood stains the rocks. Thom guards the entrance to the cave and Rand forms a circle with Nynaeve and Moiraine. A voice thunders, "IT IS TIME. LET THE TASK BE UNDERTAKEN."
​
Chapter 24: To Ignore the Omens
Chapter Icon: Seanchan Helmet
Summary:
Mat convinces Tuon to move the army to support the Amyrlin's. Elayne rallys her army in Cairhien. The Windfinders battle the Dark One with the Bowl of the Winds to prevent tempests from destroying them. Ituralde wins a battle against Trollocs, but knows more will attack.

Please read the full the rules before commenting.
This is the veteran thread. Visit the newbie thread if this is your first time reading.
For more information, or to see the full schedule for all previous entries, please see the wiki page for the read-along.
BOOK FOURTEEN SCHEDULE
This week we will be discussing Book Fourteen: A Memory of Light, Chapters 19 through 24.
Next week we will be discussing Book Fourteen: A Memory of Light, Chapters 25 through 30.

• April 17, 2024: Prologue and Chapter 1
• April 24, 2024: Chapters 2 through 6
• May 1, 2024: Chapters 7 through 12
• May 8, 2024: Chapters 13 through 18
• May 15, 2024: Chapters 19 through 24 <--- You are here.
• May 22, 2024: Chapters 25 through 30
• May 29, 2024: Chapters 31 through 36
• June 5, 2024: Chapter 37 (Part 1)
• June 12, 2024: Chapter 37 (Part 2)
• June 19, 2024: Chapters 38 through 49 and Epilogue
• June 26, 2024: A Memory of Light - Final Thoughts & Trivia

​

• July 3, 2024: Short Stories
• July 10, 2024: The Wheel of Time - Final Thoughts & Trivia

CHAPTER SUMMARIES
I have provided summaries of each chapter we will be discussing. I've tried to make them unbiased, but if you see anything that could be construed as spoilery, please point them out because I'm using these same summaries in the newbie thread. I'd like to keep their experience as spoiler-free as possible, so even if I make a tiny mistake, please let me know.
I usually make a comment for each chapter, but feel free to start your own comment thread to discuss anything you want.
​
Chapter 19: The Choice of a Patch
Chapter Icon: Dice
Summary:
Elayne and Bashere realize they have been trapped between the army from Andor and another coming from the south. Rand meets Egwene in the White Tower and renews their friendship, reveals to her and Gawyn that Galad is Rand's half-brother, and discovers the seals Egwene has are fakes.
Mat is given ceremonial armor and his nails are lacquered to denote him as one of the Blood.
​
Chapter 20: Into Thakan'dar
Chapter Icon: Spears & Shield
Summary:
Egwene and her forces continue destroying Trollocs when an enormous gateway opens to reveal a large army with hundreds of Sharan channelers. Aes Sedai holding the power are attacked and slaughtered. Egwene and Gawyn hide until his Warder cloak.
Rand warns Aviendha that the Forsaken will attack once he engages the Dark One. He announces he will go to Shayol Ghul tomorrow.
​
Chapter 21: Not a Mistake to Ignore
Chapter Icon: Bull & Roses
Summary:
Bryne admits he should not have delayed his attacks against the Trollocs. Androl worries about Logain's darker attitude and Pevara worries the Turning broke Logain.
​
Chapter 22: The Wyld
Chapter Icon: Viper
Summary:
Egwene wakes and watches the Sharans sorting prisoners. Demandred arrives and introduces himself as Bao, the Wyld, and leader of the Sharan army. He sends a challenge to the Dragon. Perrin and Gaul track Hessalam to the command tent in Merrilor. Cyndane appears and tells Perrin he should learn to leave the World of Dreams at will and reveals Hessalam was invading Bashere's dreams.
​
Chapter 23: At the Edge of Time
Chapter Icon: The Age Lace Unraveling
Summary:
Gawyn leads Egwene out of hiding by using one of the Bloodknife rings. Egwene is saved by Leilwin. At Thakan'dar, Aviendha organizes circles and attack plans.
Rand begins climbing Shayol Ghul and Nynaeve notices his old wound has reopened as his blood stains the rocks. Thom guards the entrance to the cave and Rand forms a circle with Nynaeve and Moiraine. A voice thunders, "IT IS TIME. LET THE TASK BE UNDERTAKEN."
​
Chapter 24: To Ignore the Omens
Chapter Icon: Seanchan Helmet
Summary:
Mat convinces Tuon to move the army to support the Amyrlin's. Elayne rallys her army in Cairhien. The Windfinders battle the Dark One with the Bowl of the Winds to prevent tempests from destroying them. Ituralde wins a battle against Trollocs, but knows more will attack.

i’m trying again with my ex and it seemed to me a mutual decision but last night we got in an argument bc i sent him a tiktok but he refuses to watch anything i send bc “they’re too long”. i only sent it bc it was smth ab relationships and i thought what they said in the video was important and he replied back saying “important to YOU”. that hurt. then he doubled down by saying “you get emotional very fast”…word for word. that’s not even the reason i’m writing this post. while he let me gts hurt and crying, he followed the girl he unfollowed INFRONT of me 2 days ago bc i didn’t feel comfortable with them being so close friends, meeting after our break up. since he said he wanted to try again, he unfollowed her. but last night while i was up crying and being hurt, he followed her back. i just want to get out of this, but i feel too attached.

The internet is a strange place, inadvertently designed to bring out the best and worst in people. People can be whoever or whatever they want to be. For predators and malignant narcissists and who live in their own delusions to begin with, it's like a hunting ground. They can create whatever persona they wish, fill their victims' heads with lies and half-truths that paint them out to be someone they are not, and by the time their victim actually meets them, it's too late - they've already created an image in their mind of this perfect person the narcissist has convinced them they are, and it usually takes time before the curtain comes down, the lies fall apart, and the mask breaks away.
I'm no saint, and I've learned my own tough lessons from the internet. I grew up under not-so-great circumstances, only getting 5 years of education before I turned 18 and was largely raised by a computer screen. Along the way, I catfished a woman in her mid-20's when I was 14-16 years old. It wasn't intentional at first, I told everyone that I was in my mid-20's and I worked as a bouncer at a bar in NYC. I never meant any harm, I was just raised by a computer and spent all my time alone playing MMOs and learned quickly that if I told people how old I was, they'd stop playing with me. So a bouncer seemed like a job I could bullshit about easily enough, and I was a big dude at 6'1 260lbs so I figured I could maybe pass it off as legit if it ever got hectic.
I started playing with this woman in her 20's and her husband frequently. We became friends fast, and soon we were virtually inseparable on the game. Her marriage ended up not working out, and after they separated she told me she had feelings for me. I should've admitted I wasn't who I said I was then, but I was young and dumb and she was the only real friend I had, so I kept up the ruse. Eventually I did come clean, and she broke it off with me not long after. We stayed friends, albeit with my heart hurting pretty bad, for a few months afterwards - until she met Jack.
When she first told me about Jack, he sounded like a great catch. He had his own IT business in Canada, was a couple years older but not by much, and she was infatuated with him. Obviously I was crushed and didn't handle it well, being a practically feral teenager at the time, so not long after they started getting serious she ghosted me altogether. I was around 17 at the time, and shit started going off the rails for me. After I got out of juvie, I started drinking heavily on a near-daily basis and selling and doing drugs. This led to a lot of pathetic, inebriated, desperate attempts to contact her and apologize for how I acted.
After months of being ignored, eventually grief and regret turned to anger, and finally acceptance. When the pain passed and I came to my senses a bit, I had an epiphany and realized that if I loved her as much as I thought I did, the best thing for both of us would be to let her go. I was a high school dropout with no job, selling drugs to get by. She had 2 kids, and what kind of life could I provide for them? She made the right choice, my age and the fact I made a grown woman fall in love with a teenager not withstanding, and as bad as it hurt I realized it was selfish of me not to accept the way things were and leave her alone, so I did.
10 years or so later, I had gotten my shit together. Worked my way up from cleaning dead shit out of swimming pools, to an entry level position at an environmental consulting firm, to a Project Manager at one of the largest firms in the field in the DC area. I'd met someone, got her pregnant, and for some reason I felt a pull to contact her again. Not to rekindle an old flame, but because she had been a tremendously positive influence on my life in a time where I had few. She was the first good thing I had in my life at a time when I was sleeping on old blankets on a hard floor in an abusive home, and what I'd held onto from our time together wasn't our romantic relationship, it was the best friend I'd ever had. And something made me want to tell her that all that work she put into getting my head right wasn't in vain, and I'd finally made it out of the gutter.
So I messaged her on Facebook, and to my surprise she actually responded. We started talking again, and soon it was back to every day. When my baby mama got back on drugs and turned abusive and was putting my daughter's life in jeopardy on a near-daily basis, she was the one who convinced me I could fight for custody - that I had to fight for custody. So I did, and I won, and I've had full custody of of my daughter since she was 6 months old and for the 10 years since.
But eventually we parted ways again. I'd started seeing someone, and part of me knew I couldn't commit to another woman while I was still carrying on with her. Our relationship had started turning romantic again, and she had dropped some hints about old Jack that would come to the forefront later, but she wasn't ready to leave him and I didn't want to be that guy, so I sent her a message explaining why we had to stop talking, apologized, and ghosted her.
7 more years went by after that night. The relationship I abandoned her for soured quickly when I found out that chick was a carbon copy of my baby mama, and I quit dating to focus on my career and raising my daughter. But on the long, 2+ hour commutes each way from work, I often found myself stuck pondering the "what ifs". What if I hadn't ghosted her? What if our age gap wasn't there, and we'd never had to split up to begin with? I knew in my soul I was never going to find someone like her again, but I made peace with it. I imagined her happy life, her kids with Jack, and convinced myself I made the right choice.
Then COVID hit, and near the start of it, I stumbled on a post on reddit about this dude who sent his high school sweetheart a message many years later apologizing for how he treated her and telling her how her presence impacted him, and I thought to myself, "Hey, I did that!". So I started writing a reply, and for the first time told the story of this girl and I. I'd never told a soul about what happened with us, not even my family or closest friends. Maybe it was the stigma of having an online relationship back in those days that carried over, or maybe it was just too personal to share with my friends or family. It got long, so eventually I just decided to start a new thread. When I was done, it was so long I figured no one would ever read it, but I hit submit anyway and put my phone down and got back to work.
Well, I was wrong. People did read it - a lot of people. Soon my phone started blowing up. Thousands of comments, hundreds of DMs, people offering me book deals and asking if they could have the rights for a screenplay or have me on their podcasts. It was fucking surreal, and being generally a private person who tries to fly under the rader, it got overwhelming fast. Eventually I reached out to her again on Facebook, warned her about what happened, and apologized for putting her business out there.
She didn't respond for a couple weeks, and when she did we started talking again almost immediately. And then in mid-April 2020, she told me that she needed to talk to me. She spilled everything, and told me exactly who Jack was. How he would hack into her devices to spy on her, threaten to kill her and her partner if she ever left him, say vile things to her and her daughters, calling the young girls cunts and bitches. How he alienated all her friends and family, and kept them all isolated in the house her parents bought them that he would rarely leave.
And I felt deceived too. All those years I'd convinced myself that she was happy, that she got together with Jack and was living the life she deserved. In reality, Jack intentionally got her pregnant not long after he flew out to her state the first time. He quickly moved into her house, and refused to work or provide not only for her kids or their kids, but for the other 3 children he abandoned in Australia and Canada who he had no relationship with, with 3 different women he victimized in the same manner. When she was 8 months pregnant with their first kid, she was working nights doing hospice care while he sat on his ass playing videogames all night and talking to his ex. In 17 years, this fucking loser with 7 kids by 4 women worked a grand total of 5 weeks, quit his job, claimed he got PTSD from the experience, and somehow manipulated his way into getting SSDI for it. They survived off SSDI and her parents' charity for years.
But Jack was reading all of this, because like I mentioned earlier, he was hacking her devices and watching us talk remotely. Jack knew the jig was up, and slowly started to unravel. She told him she wanted a divorce, and that she was not going to sever her friendship with me again. And he pretended to take that well, going as far as to try to befriend and manipulate me. He tried every trick to keep her he'd done for years - telling her he was going to get help and would change first, then when that failed he made suicide threats and somehow got his therapist to call her and tell her as long as she didn't leave him he wouldn't kill himself, and then he tried to intimidate her. Eventually he went off the rails completely and sexually assaulted her when he thought she was sleeping.
She called me from her parents' house crying the night it happened, and I convinced her to file a police report. She did, and a couple weeks later Jack got removed from the home, served with a protective order, and charged for sexual abuse. This of course did nothing to stop Jack - he broke into their house a couple days later when she and the kids were out to upload a folder of revenge porn to his Google Drive under the guise of wanting to drop off a cake for her birthday.
Then the stalking started. Jack would relentlessly message her all day and night on Facebook, switching between rage, trying to garner sympathy, convince her he would change, and threatening self-harm. We later found out via a cyber forensics report that he was hacking into the laptop she had taken with her while she hid at her parents' and had been so bold as to steal her Victim Impact Statement and send it to all his World of Warcraft buddies as a joke.
And he didn't just stalk her, he came for me too. Constant unauthorized attempts to access my accounts for everything from Windows to my bank, spam calls and emails - shit, the wormy little fuck even got his friends to stalk my social media and pretend to be strangers to gaslight me. I ignored all of it, and he got desperate enough to send me a lovely message attempting to extort and blackmail she and I, claiming he had "all my posts" but wouldn't do anything with them if I called him. The tipping point for me is when he subscribed to my small YouTube channel - which had nothing on it but 3 videos of my daughter. That veiled threat wasn't lost on me.
But Jack fucked up. I don't know if he thought his insane nonsense would scare me off, or if in his delusions he really thought he was the bad mother fucker he convinced himself he was, but Jack didn't know jack about me. I'm a crazy fuck too, and while he was sitting on his fat ass playing World of Warcraft all day every day for the past couple decades, I was selling drugs and hanging with some of the grimiest mother fuckers Baltimore had to offer. I've seen and experienced a lot of real violence outside a computer monitor, and the prospect of a violent resolution to this saga didn't phase me a whole lot. I'd spent years trying to be a better person and avoid conflict, but I sure as shit wasn't afraid of it either. Leading up to this point, I was already trying to calm myself down and talk myself off the ledge and not pack my guns and drive out there to keep watch until the police did their thing and put him away, which took a lot longer than it should have - this fucking guy violated his protective order 80 times in just a couple weeks.
So I called him, and he spent the next 26 minutes crying over the phone like a drunk little bitch, while I tried my best to be kind and to talk him off the ledge. And yes, I did record it, and yes it is hysterical listening to it now in hindsight, and yes I still have the recording. Anyway, I told him he was scaring the shit out of her and the kids, and he promised to leave us alone and I told him if he could chill the fuck out I would try to talk her into giving him more access to the kids. The next day, she got an email from her first ex-husband - Jack had reached out to him with a link to my reddit post trying to get help from him to come after me, which he promptly shut down and sent to her.
The next few weeks were terrifying as Jack descended further into madness and became more scared and desperate. He knew she was gone and not coming back, and he was facing real charges and real jail time, and while Jack is a fucking moron in a lot of ways, I'm sure he knew a fat, greasy computer nerd with a sex offense conviction wasn't going to have a good time in County. Jack was a murder-suicide waiting to happen, the police were doing nothing to stop his stalking, and I felt powerless to help her. Eventually after he sent her $50 over PayPal at 4:00am with what appeared to be a suicide note, I had enough. I called the DA's office, asked them why the fuck this was being allowed to happen, and promised them I'd been taking meticulous notes and if anything happened to her I would be taking it straight to the media. The DA told me if I was going to make threats the conversation was over, but sure enough he was finally arrested not long after.
Ironically we had remained platonic friends through most of this, but the shared experience of dealing with this psycho brought us closer together and things quickly changed. We knew he wasn't going to stop when he got out of jail, I felt responsible for her safety after my stupid reddit post started this chain of events that led to Jack's unraveling, and with the world seemingly coming apart during COVID, decided if we were ever going to meet it felt like it was now or never. So I booked a plane ticket across the country, spent a week with her and her family, and a few days after I came home she flew out to visit me and meet my family.
We went into it with no expectations. I fully accepted we might not click and our relationship would go back to being platonic. For my part, I just wanted the closure of finally meeting this person who had such a profound impact on my life before COVID mutated or something and killed us all.
But we did click, and the next two weeks were life-changing. I met and cooked for her entire extended family the day after I arrived, and it went well. While I was there I got her mom's email address, and after I went home I had an idea. I knew her parents had met in DC, so I emailed her mom and asked her for a list of places that were special to her, and she told me about the church her parents had met in. I asked her to keep our conversation secret so it would be a surprise, and she did.
So when she comes out to the east coast, I take her on a tour through DC and park the car a few blocks down the street from the church. As we're walking by, she notices the church and comments on how beautiful it is.
I keep it cool and respond, "Yeah, that's a pretty important place.".
She looks at me and says, "Oh? Why's that?".
"That's where your parents met.".
She audibly gasps, giddily bounces a bit, starts to cry, and we pulled down our masks (fuckin covid) and kiss. Her reaction is easily one of the greatest memories in my life. What I didn't know at the time, was that her parents had told her about that church since she and her siblings were kids. When the church changed denominations, the church took the angel statue off the top and brought it back to her home state, and her parents had taken them to see it a few times throughout her childhood.
Anyway, getting sidetracked here, the sappy love story stuff is a different story altogether.
A month after we met for the first time, I had quit my job, sold everything I couldn't fit in my sedan, and she flew back out and drove across the country with my daughter and I.
Sounds crazy as hell, and it was, but it worked out better than it should have. I got a good job making more than I did back home right away, her kids loved me, and my daughter loved her and adjusted to her new home fast. And by the time Jack got out of jail for felony cyberstalking, sexual abuse, and Intimidation of a Witness in a Domestic Violence case, we had cameras all over the house, and I had taught my fiancee how to shoot - which she quickly became better than me at.
But Jack's time in jail didn't slow him down, and the 2-10 year suspended sentence didn't deter him at all. As a matter of fact, on his first day out one of the first things he did was start trying to hack her accounts again. He managed to con an elderly couple he knew threw World of Warcraft from a different state into letting him live with them, and from there he spent a lot of time and energy stalking us and hacking our devices to the best of his ability. He also convinced these poor, very stupid elderly people from his videogame to bankroll a lengthy, expensive divorce. Somehow a man who hadn't worked in almost 20 years managed to run us into over $50,000 in legal fees in two years. How a marriage with zero assets turned into a two year battle when both parties were officially in poverty before the divorce, or how the family courts never saw through the bullshit is beyond me.
To Jack's credit, he did a pretty good job remaining a thorn in our side. Largely due to the complete and utter ineptitude and indifference of the police and District Attorney who could and should have put a stop to his bullshit at any point in that time. Old Jack got hit with a permanent criminal stalking injunction and a 10-year protective order along with his probation, and no amount of effort on our part would get the police, DA, or probation to put a stop to it, despite mountains of evidence.
He successfully managed to draw the divorce out right up to the wedding we planned a year and a half prior, with his attorney putting in motion after motion to delay the process. With all our family and friends coming from all over the country and as far away as Japan, we accepted our wedding would just be a celebration and not an official wedding. Until the night before the wedding, she got a call from her attorney - he had made a call to the clerk's office at the court and got her to move the paperwork to finalize the divorce to the top of the pile, and she was officially divorced. Our wedding would be a real wedding after all, and despite Jack's best efforts, he lost again. We had the wedding on a remote ranch that we rented for a week, and foolishly decided to cater and decorate ourselves, which would have been a colossal undertaking without the extra 4 hours to drive into town and get our marriage certificate at the courthouse. But we pulled it off and it was everything we could have hoped for and then some, and we were officially married.
Jack of course didn't stop after the divorce was finalized. The list of shit he tried to do to us before and after that is too long to spell out in an already too long post, but here are some choice bits:
He wrote a demented letter to the oldest of his kids with her who severed her relationship with him, calling my wife and her mother "vipers and cowards" and promising we would "answer for what we've done sooner or later".
He continuously hacked our computers, miscellaneous accounts tied to our emails, and any other devices he could get into - dropping in remotely via Amazon Alexa, phones, etc.
He set up bots to send us thousands of spam emails, sign us up for dozens of international newsletters all at once, and requests for consultations for things like solar panel installations.
He told the kids vile lies about my wife and I, although the most egregious was when he used a court-ordered therapy appointment with his second oldest daughter to accuse me of distributing child porn, told the therapist I am an "evil man", and told him I wasn't safe to be around his daughters. This led to her being forensically interviewed by the police, where she spelled out what happened, but of course they did nothing.
He gave the two youngest children cell phones to sneak into our house, with Google accounts activated and location tracking turned on.
He sent packages to our house 5 times in the space of a few months, one of which was addressed to himself and contained nothing but a bag of Stevia and a pack of gum. These packages generally came to our door the day before his scheduled visitation with the kids.
During this time my bank account was hacked four times in the span of just a few months with nearly identical fraudulent charges. In each of these instances, I had completely changed my bank account information.
He filed false reports with CPS twice, alleging we were beating the children, locking them in the closet, and not feeding or bathing them. This led to a CPS agent coming to our house to investigate.
We brought all this to the police over and over as it happened, and they did nothing. The DA running the case wasted 5 months subpoenaing a fake email address that we told them when we reported it was fake and spoofed. After finding out about that, we went to the DA's office to find out what the fuck was going on. A Victim's Advocate met with us, and was horrified about how the case was handled, looked up the prosecutor assigned to the case, rolled her eyes and said "Oh...it's Stephanie", confirming what we already knew - this prosecutor was completely incompetent, an elect3d politician moonlighting as a prosecutor. She called us the next day to tell us the actual DA called a meeting and a warrant was put out for Jack's arrest. For some inexplicable reason, they pulled the warrant back, and the advocate told us it was because the DA was pursuing more serious charges.
Then, they stonewalled us. The Victim's Advocate we had met with that actually tried to help us was moved off our case, and the new one assigned refused to talk to us or return our calls. The few exchanges we had with her, she made it abundantly clear she had the DA Office's interests in mind and not ours. We decided to just stay quiet and let the process play out and hope for the best, up until we received an email on Friday night before Election Day from the Detective telling us Stephanie had closed the case. I assume she didn't want her incompetence coming to light, and didn't want to shut the case down before Election Day knowing we would be on the warpath.
Eventually, Jack caught wind that he was officially under criminal investigation, but clearly had no idea they were never going to press charges. He got quiet for a bit, until he was ultimately let off probation early. We still get the occasional reminder he's out there watching, but his fear of going back to jail and the belief it might happen cowed him a bit. So instead he harasses us through the family courts, filing constant bullshit motions with no evidence to support them, and for some reason the courts let it continue. Somehow a man who makes ~$800 from SSDI and is only paying $30 a month total to support his 3 kids with my wife is able to fund tens of thousands of dollars worth of legal proceedings every year, and no one in the family courts has ever stopped to ask how he is paying for it or why all this money isn't being spent on supporting these children.
But despite Jack's best efforts, his bullshit hasn't worked. My wife and I have been together for four years soon, and married for two. His kids call me dad and hate his guts, only seeing him because the courts force them to. I continue to advance in my career, landing two major promotions in the past 2 years and now running a division in one of the largest companies in my field in this part of the country. I just enrolled in college to go back to school and get a degree in family law with a focus on domestic violence. The most frustrating part of the whole experience with ol' Jack was having no one to turn to when all the institutions who were supposed to keep this from happening ignored us, and even though I'll be well into my mid 40's before I accomplish my new goals, I plan to advocate for domestic violence victims and do everything I can to lobby for change to these laws to keep as many people as I can from going through what my wife and I did. I learned that the only way to beat these people at their game is to play on the same field right along with them, and that's what I intend to do.
My wife went back to work too once she healed from some of the trauma, making $30 an hour as a personal assistant for a fella who's had two movies made about his life. Our kids struggled a bit with school and dealing with all their biological parents' issues, but they quickly turned it around and have been excelling. We're all happy, healthy, and doing better now than ever.
As for Jack? Well, he's pushing 50 and still spending his days alone, playing World of Warcraft and jerking off in this old couple's basement. Nothing has changed there, and now he's too fat, old, and visibly an enormous fucking loser to victimize women in the same way he did in his youth. I have no doubts he'll find another victim eventually, probably when these old weirdos bankrolling his life now finally wise up, but one thing Jack forgets is that karma is a mother fucker, and I have a giant database of evidence that I can and will send out to whoever I please to help pull that mask down and keep him from doing this to someone else. Nothing is more appealing to a potential love interest than hearing their man cry like a drunk bitch for 26 minutes to the man he claims stole his wife, while simultaneously admitting to sexually assaulting said wife.
As wonderful as it would have been for Jack to go to prison where he can't hurt anyone again, there is some catharsis knowing Jack will forever be in a prison of his own making. His children want nothing to do with him, and he'll never see them graduate or walk them down the aisle. Jack will die miserable and alone, and in his narcissistic delusion will still be blaming everyone else for the colossal failure of his life, while continuing to fail to grasp the one thread that ties all his misery together - himself.
And since he somehow manages to find and stalk most of my social media, I'd wager Jack will end up reading this too. I hope he does in all honesty. And Jack, if you are reading this, I want you to know that you can kick, flail, manipulate and lie, cry and complain until you're red in the face. None of it matters. You don't matter. You'll leave this world alone, as sad and bitter as you are now, and the world will be a better place for it.

Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Christie emerged from the bathroom once her nerves had calmed and found one of the chateau’s windows that looked out on the western ridgelines. She reached into her handbag and produced a stick of lipstick, sighted on a curve of blackness intersecting a particular constellation rising into the night sky, and pushed a discreet button on the base. The task force now had confirmation that Rayker was inside the chateau and the machine would be set in motion.
As she turned to head back to the party, Christie saw a different range of mountains in the corner of her eye. A fishhook stabbed into the muscle of her heart and tugged, while she was nearly overwhelmed with nausea. For a moment, a dusty valley surrounded her, the rocky ground coursing with streams of blood. The ghostly white face of Rose Djallen was before her, life fading from her eyes. Christie wanted to gasp, but she let the pain wash over her in silence, as they had all done so often. A moment’s concentration brought her back to the present, and the dangerous operation ahead.
Rayker’s expression had been so devoid of warmth—as though she wore her psychotic nature with pride. Christie couldn’t understand how someone could be so inhuman. She wondered what would happen if Rayker sensed the trap that was closing around her. Christie knew that she, and probably some of the guests, would be taken hostage. No doubt the dozens of Rangers stalking through the darkness would break cover, racing through the night to rescue her, with one particularly hard-headed individual out front. The highly skilled operators now preparing their own move on the chateau would fight their way inside, killing anyone who resisted them. The Banshee, their well-armed gunship, would break its cloak, leaving its position behind Ambrosia’s second moon to rain hellfire down on the small army that provided security for the Helvetic League’s pleasure planet. Rayker would probably die in a hail of gunfire—giving Rose her deserved retribution—for the Valkyrie would eagerly sacrifice their own lives before leaving one of their own behind.
Then the news of the incident would spread, and humanity’s thirty-seven worlds would talk of nothing else but the secret army of super soldiers that protected them from the arsenal of the Jotnar—an ancient and extinct civilization, who’s abandoned weapons and warships littered the stars. Nations, corporations and crime syndicates would find ways to track down those weapons, exploiting their incredible destructive power for their own selfish purposes. There would be war, billions would die, and, like those who had preceded them, humanity would probably wipe itself out.
Rose had died protecting Christie from Rayker’s drone army, but she had also died to uphold Valkyrie’s ancient responsibility.
That operation had ultimately saved the planet Caldera, but in the chaos and confusion of the battle Rayker had managed to slip away. The organization had spent nearly two years trying to hunt her down, but she was too skilled, too deeply enmeshed in the Helvetic League’s underworld.
The council of chiefs, Valkyrie’s inscrutable governing body, had agreed to form Task Force Nemesis under the command of General Smyrna. She was assigned the Mountain Ranger’s Bravo company—the Venomous Vipers—a Raider squadron of elite counter terrorists, and a task unit from Orbital Demolition Team Four. Supported by the Banshee and guided by Christie’s intelligence gathering unit, their mission statement was simple—do whatever it took to kill or capture Allana Rayker.
As they made slow, painstaking process, they began to receive indications that their target had rejoined her old corporate paymasters at VennZech, the most powerful weapons manufacturer in the galaxy. Then, the news broke that Joakkim Meissner, one of Rayker’s suspected allies, had been promoted to Chief Executive, arranging his party on Ambrosia to celebrate.
He had also invited one of the League’s rising stars in physics. The brilliant young doctor Ernst Kolar was a specialist in theoretical energy development. He had recently published a paper describing a theoretical anti-matter reactor alarmingly similar to those that powered the warships and killing machines of the Jotnar. Christie’s team leader, Jiao Zhang, had offered the high-confidence assessment that Rayker would refuse to let such an asset out of her sight. And, on the protected world of Ambrosia, what could she have to fear?
But Valkyrie had been breaking through Helvetic security barriers since the creation of the quasi-imperial state, and had become extremely good at it. And so, the operation had been set in motion.
Christie took a deep breath and prepared herself, soothing away any traces of nervousness. She left the outer hall and re-entered the party.
***
“Olympus, Olympus, Olympus,” a voice intoned through Kayla’s headset.
The code word signaled that Christie had identified Rayker in the chateau, and the operation was a go. A double burst of static followed; a squad-level transmission from Kes. It was the order to take out the security guards.
Kayla and Ray had crawled as close as they could to their position, readied their stun rifle and waited patiently. As the signal came in, the men had pushed away from their boulder rest spot and were resuming their patrol through the woods. Kayla waited until their line of sight had passed her, before she stood slowly, weapon aimed. A faint rustle told her that Ray had done the same.
The guard at the back, still slurping from a water bottle, fell a little further behind. The stun rifle’s projectile hit him in the neck, shocking his nervous system into an overload state. He seized and dropped to the ground, unconscious. The men ahead of him span and there was a mechanical thump from Ray’s weapon. Her shot struck center mass, and another figure collapsed, just as Kayla pulled the trigger again. The last guard went down quickly, but, to Kayla’s shock, seemed to remain conscious. He struggled on the ground like a dying fish as he tried to reach for his radio, so she sprinted forward and kicked him in the head.
Kayla wrinkled her nose and cursed quietly. The scientist who had trained her squad on the weapon had explained that a failed shot would result in the victim emptying the contents of their bowels and bladder. Looks like she had been right.
“Three down,” she muttered into her helmet mic. “No other contacts in sight.”
Even so, she continued to scan the distant trees carefully.
Ray secured the guards with serum injections while Tian and Yak, the other two members of the fire team joined them. The projectiles were gathered into Tian’s rucksack, and, when the rest of the squad arrived, they moved off through the trees together, climbing the slope until they reached another crest, and a chain link fence.
Half a mile away from the chateau, the main security compound provided a base for the guard’s rapid reaction force. The compound had a single entrance and out of the blockhouse blue light flickered to the loud chatter of an excited racing commentator.
Kayla stopped in the shadows of the trees and waited patiently. The air above her head snapped and cracked as rounds shot past, impacting security cameras and sensors around the compound. The bullets were a large caliber, but with a thermic charge core. Each strike glowed brilliantly as intense temperatures melted through their targets, leaving no evidence of what had neutralized them.
She grinned. Thandi was going to work, and though her presence and skill made Kayla feel much more confident, she would still tease her about doing the ‘easy part’ later.
In the near distance, there were a pair of flashes and loud zaps as the base’s generator and backup went out to EMP charges. Another squad from their platoon was working their own approach. That made Kayla nervous. The two elements would soon have to meet up, and nothing could be more dangerous to those who owned the night than confusing each other for the enemy.
She took her team around the base to the now dark main gate as the on-duty guards emerged to check on the loss of power. Stun rifle shots knocked them out, and the squad regrouped behind the cover of a vehicle bay, while Kayla identified the largest building in the compound and watched it attentively.
They waited patiently until the silence was broken by a new voice on the radio.
“Eyes on the barracks, north side. No movement.”
“South side clear,” Kayla confirmed.
“Approaching,” the other squad leader said.
Kayla waited until she saw shapes emerging from the shadows and sprinting behind the back of the large structure. Then, one leaned out from the corner, watching. Kayla tapped a control on her helmet, and a perfect white line broke through her grey world, pointing towards the figure. She was answered with a similar flash of infra-red energy, and her anxiety eased.
Kes, who had also been watching, tapped her shoulder, and Kayla led off towards the barracks.
From outside the Rangers could make out the annoyed calls of men and women stumbling around in the darkness. One emerged from a side door and nearly got off a shout before Tian tackled him and knocked him out. The two squads moved quickly, cracking open doorways and rolling gas grenades inside.
Invisible and odorless, the gas contained the signature compound Valkyrie used to erase memories. The Rangers waited a few minutes, safe behind their face masks, then entered and confirmed that all inside were unconscious. Kes and Thandi smashed a few liquor bottles against the walls, while others dragged the bodies into the main room, and distributed more ‘evidence’.
Eventually, Kes called ‘all clear’, and Kayla emerged from the building into the night, lifting her faceplate to breathe in some fresh air. She saw her fire team, Ray, Tian and Yak, heading to the vehicles to place EMP charges, and began to follow them, when a sharp rap on her helmet brought her up short.
She turned to see Thandi, vizor up, and an expectant expression on her face.
“Was that a curse word I heard earlier?” Thandi asked, keeping her voice low.
Kayla shook her head. “Negative. I was providing a biological assessment of the dude.”
“Ick. Two in the barracks were uh… in the middle of something when they passed out. I had to pull them apart.” She pulled a face. “That was gross.”
Kayla winked at her friend, who was spiritual enough for the both of them. “Unmarried, I bet. Your god approves.”
Thandi nodded gratefully, then shot her a look. “He’s not just my—"
Kes marched over, her expression severe. “Do either of you have EMP charges left?” she demanded.
“Yes Corporal,” Kayla nodded, and patted her rucksack.
“There’s a couple of transports left in the north corner. Get on it, then rejoin us on the east fence. Come on, we need to move quickly!”
Kayla scampered away, buzzing with energy. The squad still had to head for the chateau, and take up their position in the perimeter that was slowly drawing tighter around Rayker. She glanced at the dark mountains around her. In a dozen locations, radar arrays, missile defenses and communications stations were being similarly neutralized by small teams of Valkyrie from the various units. Soon they would have their prey, and Kayla privately hoped that she wouldn’t surrender.
***
Christie found Doctor Kolar, alone as usual, in the main hall and painfully out of place at such a large social gathering. He nursed a champagne glass, and smiled at passersby. Christie stared at him until their eyes met, and he quickly looked away, pretending to study one of Meissner’s diamond statues.
She walked in his direction, and as she passed, she flashed him a shy smile. Then, returning to her coterie of admirers, she looked back with another friendly expression.
Kolar cautiously approached the group, obviously unsure of what to do. The men ignored him, but the second he managed to breach the outer mass of bodies, Christie was on him.
“Oh hello! I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure!” she cried, extending her hand and beaming like a searchlight.
The other men frowned as they lost her attention.
“Um… All mine,” stammered Kolar. “Sorry. I’m—”
“Doctor Kolar, isn’t it?” interrupted a renowned and pompous pianist. “You’re working on space batteries for VennZech weapons research, or some such thing?”
“Well…” Kolar gulped. “We’re starting a new project on micro-singularities at the Planck scale, you see the current theory on weak—”
“It’s weak, you say?” The pianist laughed raucously as he slapped the doctor’s back. “Well, I never would have guessed, old boy.”
“Tell me, Zotty,” Christie cut in, addressing one of the other men, “Didn’t you just tell me this was one of Meissner’s inner circle?” she tottered forward slightly as she spoke.
“Correct,” the elder son and heir apparent of the largest media corporation in the League replied with a smile. He lifted his gaze from her bosom. “Doctor Kolar’s work is vital for the Maestro.”
Kolar smiled gratefully. “Indeed. Well, it’s about energy generation.”
“Oh, I hope you aren’t helping him make more of those dreadful bombs,” Christie said, and pouted. “War is very wrong! Really, I don’t know why they haven’t sanctioned the company for some of the absolutely horrid things they produce.”
The surrounding billionaires nodded their approval, while Kolar flushed. “No… well, I mustn’t talk about it, but I shouldn’t be getting involved in that side of VennZech’s business.”
“Quite right.” Christie nodded. “Oh, but you’re dry.” She turned to a waiter, grabbed a pair of glasses from his tray and handed one to Kolar.
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie

Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Christie emerged from the bathroom once her nerves had calmed and found one of the chateau’s windows that looked out on the western ridgelines. She reached into her handbag and produced a stick of lipstick, sighted on a curve of blackness intersecting a particular constellation rising into the night sky, and pushed a discreet button on the base. The task force now had confirmation that Rayker was inside the chateau and the machine would be set in motion.
As she turned to head back to the party, Christie saw a different range of mountains in the corner of her eye. A fishhook stabbed into the muscle of her heart and tugged, while she was nearly overwhelmed with nausea. For a moment, a dusty valley surrounded her, the rocky ground coursing with streams of blood. The ghostly white face of Rose Djallen was before her, life fading from her eyes. Christie wanted to gasp, but she let the pain wash over her in silence, as they had all done so often. A moment’s concentration brought her back to the present, and the dangerous operation ahead.
Rayker’s expression had been so devoid of warmth—as though she wore her psychotic nature with pride. Christie couldn’t understand how someone could be so inhuman. She wondered what would happen if Rayker sensed the trap that was closing around her. Christie knew that she, and probably some of the guests, would be taken hostage. No doubt the dozens of Rangers stalking through the darkness would break cover, racing through the night to rescue her, with one particularly hard-headed individual out front. The highly skilled operators now preparing their own move on the chateau would fight their way inside, killing anyone who resisted them. The Banshee, their well-armed gunship, would break its cloak, leaving its position behind Ambrosia’s second moon to rain hellfire down on the small army that provided security for the Helvetic League’s pleasure planet. Rayker would probably die in a hail of gunfire—giving Rose her deserved retribution—for the Valkyrie would eagerly sacrifice their own lives before leaving one of their own behind.
Then the news of the incident would spread, and humanity’s thirty-seven worlds would talk of nothing else but the secret army of super soldiers that protected them from the arsenal of the Jotnar—an ancient and extinct civilization, who’s abandoned weapons and warships littered the stars. Nations, corporations and crime syndicates would find ways to track down those weapons, exploiting their incredible destructive power for their own selfish purposes. There would be war, billions would die, and, like those who had preceded them, humanity would probably wipe itself out.
Rose had died protecting Christie from Rayker’s drone army, but she had also died to uphold Valkyrie’s ancient responsibility.
That operation had ultimately saved the planet Caldera, but in the chaos and confusion of the battle Rayker had managed to slip away. The organization had spent nearly two years trying to hunt her down, but she was too skilled, too deeply enmeshed in the Helvetic League’s underworld.
The council of chiefs, Valkyrie’s inscrutable governing body, had agreed to form Task Force Nemesis under the command of General Smyrna. She was assigned the Mountain Ranger’s Bravo company—the Venomous Vipers—a Raider squadron of elite counter terrorists, and a task unit from Orbital Demolition Team Four. Supported by the Banshee and guided by Christie’s intelligence gathering unit, their mission statement was simple—do whatever it took to kill or capture Allana Rayker.
As they made slow, painstaking process, they began to receive indications that their target had rejoined her old corporate paymasters at VennZech, the most powerful weapons manufacturer in the galaxy. Then, the news broke that Joakkim Meissner, one of Rayker’s suspected allies, had been promoted to Chief Executive, arranging his party on Ambrosia to celebrate.
He had also invited one of the League’s rising stars in physics. The brilliant young doctor Ernst Kolar was a specialist in theoretical energy development. He had recently published a paper describing a theoretical anti-matter reactor alarmingly similar to those that powered the warships and killing machines of the Jotnar. Christie’s team leader, Jiao Zhang, had offered the high-confidence assessment that Rayker would refuse to let such an asset out of her sight. And, on the protected world of Ambrosia, what could she have to fear?
But Valkyrie had been breaking through Helvetic security barriers since the creation of the quasi-imperial state, and had become extremely good at it. And so, the operation had been set in motion.
Christie took a deep breath and prepared herself, soothing away any traces of nervousness. She left the outer hall and re-entered the party.
***
“Olympus, Olympus, Olympus,” a voice intoned through Kayla’s headset.
The code word signaled that Christie had identified Rayker in the chateau, and the operation was a go. A double burst of static followed; a squad-level transmission from Kes. It was the order to take out the security guards.
Kayla and Ray had crawled as close as they could to their position, readied their stun rifle and waited patiently. As the signal came in, the men had pushed away from their boulder rest spot and were resuming their patrol through the woods. Kayla waited until their line of sight had passed her, before she stood slowly, weapon aimed. A faint rustle told her that Ray had done the same.
The guard at the back, still slurping from a water bottle, fell a little further behind. The stun rifle’s projectile hit him in the neck, shocking his nervous system into an overload state. He seized and dropped to the ground, unconscious. The men ahead of him span and there was a mechanical thump from Ray’s weapon. Her shot struck center mass, and another figure collapsed, just as Kayla pulled the trigger again. The last guard went down quickly, but, to Kayla’s shock, seemed to remain conscious. He struggled on the ground like a dying fish as he tried to reach for his radio, so she sprinted forward and kicked him in the head.
Kayla wrinkled her nose and cursed quietly. The scientist who had trained her squad on the weapon had explained that a failed shot would result in the victim emptying the contents of their bowels and bladder. Looks like she had been right.
“Three down,” she muttered into her helmet mic. “No other contacts in sight.”
Even so, she continued to scan the distant trees carefully.
Ray secured the guards with serum injections while Tian and Yak, the other two members of the fire team joined them. The projectiles were gathered into Tian’s rucksack, and, when the rest of the squad arrived, they moved off through the trees together, climbing the slope until they reached another crest, and a chain link fence.
Half a mile away from the chateau, the main security compound provided a base for the guard’s rapid reaction force. The compound had a single entrance and out of the blockhouse blue light flickered to the loud chatter of an excited racing commentator.
Kayla stopped in the shadows of the trees and waited patiently. The air above her head snapped and cracked as rounds shot past, impacting security cameras and sensors around the compound. The bullets were a large caliber, but with a thermic charge core. Each strike glowed brilliantly as intense temperatures melted through their targets, leaving no evidence of what had neutralized them.
She grinned. Thandi was going to work, and though her presence and skill made Kayla feel much more confident, she would still tease her about doing the ‘easy part’ later.
In the near distance, there were a pair of flashes and loud zaps as the base’s generator and backup went out to EMP charges. Another squad from their platoon was working their own approach. That made Kayla nervous. The two elements would soon have to meet up, and nothing could be more dangerous to those who owned the night than confusing each other for the enemy.
She took her team around the base to the now dark main gate as the on-duty guards emerged to check on the loss of power. Stun rifle shots knocked them out, and the squad regrouped behind the cover of a vehicle bay, while Kayla identified the largest building in the compound and watched it attentively.
They waited patiently until the silence was broken by a new voice on the radio.
“Eyes on the barracks, north side. No movement.”
“South side clear,” Kayla confirmed.
“Approaching,” the other squad leader said.
Kayla waited until she saw shapes emerging from the shadows and sprinting behind the back of the large structure. Then, one leaned out from the corner, watching. Kayla tapped a control on her helmet, and a perfect white line broke through her grey world, pointing towards the figure. She was answered with a similar flash of infra-red energy, and her anxiety eased.
Kes, who had also been watching, tapped her shoulder, and Kayla led off towards the barracks.
From outside the Rangers could make out the annoyed calls of men and women stumbling around in the darkness. One emerged from a side door and nearly got off a shout before Tian tackled him and knocked him out. The two squads moved quickly, cracking open doorways and rolling gas grenades inside.
Invisible and odorless, the gas contained the signature compound Valkyrie used to erase memories. The Rangers waited a few minutes, safe behind their face masks, then entered and confirmed that all inside were unconscious. Kes and Thandi smashed a few liquor bottles against the walls, while others dragged the bodies into the main room, and distributed more ‘evidence’.
Eventually, Kes called ‘all clear’, and Kayla emerged from the building into the night, lifting her faceplate to breathe in some fresh air. She saw her fire team, Ray, Tian and Yak, heading to the vehicles to place EMP charges, and began to follow them, when a sharp rap on her helmet brought her up short.
She turned to see Thandi, vizor up, and an expectant expression on her face.
“Was that a curse word I heard earlier?” Thandi asked, keeping her voice low.
Kayla shook her head. “Negative. I was providing a biological assessment of the dude.”
“Ick. Two in the barracks were uh… in the middle of something when they passed out. I had to pull them apart.” She pulled a face. “That was gross.”
Kayla winked at her friend, who was spiritual enough for the both of them. “Unmarried, I bet. Your god approves.”
Thandi nodded gratefully, then shot her a look. “He’s not just my—"
Kes marched over, her expression severe. “Do either of you have EMP charges left?” she demanded.
“Yes Corporal,” Kayla nodded, and patted her rucksack.
“There’s a couple of transports left in the north corner. Get on it, then rejoin us on the east fence. Come on, we need to move quickly!”
Kayla scampered away, buzzing with energy. The squad still had to head for the chateau, and take up their position in the perimeter that was slowly drawing tighter around Rayker. She glanced at the dark mountains around her. In a dozen locations, radar arrays, missile defenses and communications stations were being similarly neutralized by small teams of Valkyrie from the various units. Soon they would have their prey, and Kayla privately hoped that she wouldn’t surrender.
***
Christie found Doctor Kolar, alone as usual, in the main hall and painfully out of place at such a large social gathering. He nursed a champagne glass, and smiled at passersby. Christie stared at him until their eyes met, and he quickly looked away, pretending to study one of Meissner’s diamond statues.
She walked in his direction, and as she passed, she flashed him a shy smile. Then, returning to her coterie of admirers, she looked back with another friendly expression.
Kolar cautiously approached the group, obviously unsure of what to do. The men ignored him, but the second he managed to breach the outer mass of bodies, Christie was on him.
“Oh hello! I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure!” she cried, extending her hand and beaming like a searchlight.
The other men frowned as they lost her attention.
“Um… All mine,” stammered Kolar. “Sorry. I’m—”
“Doctor Kolar, isn’t it?” interrupted a renowned and pompous pianist. “You’re working on space batteries for VennZech weapons research, or some such thing?”
“Well…” Kolar gulped. “We’re starting a new project on micro-singularities at the Planck scale, you see the current theory on weak—”
“It’s weak, you say?” The pianist laughed raucously as he slapped the doctor’s back. “Well, I never would have guessed, old boy.”
“Tell me, Zotty,” Christie cut in, addressing one of the other men, “Didn’t you just tell me this was one of Meissner’s inner circle?” she tottered forward slightly as she spoke.
“Correct,” the elder son and heir apparent of the largest media corporation in the League replied with a smile. He lifted his gaze from her bosom. “Doctor Kolar’s work is vital for the Maestro.”
Kolar smiled gratefully. “Indeed. Well, it’s about energy generation.”
“Oh, I hope you aren’t helping him make more of those dreadful bombs,” Christie said, and pouted. “War is very wrong! Really, I don’t know why they haven’t sanctioned the company for some of the absolutely horrid things they produce.”
The surrounding billionaires nodded their approval, while Kolar flushed. “No… well, I mustn’t talk about it, but I shouldn’t be getting involved in that side of VennZech’s business.”
“Quite right.” Christie nodded. “Oh, but you’re dry.” She turned to a waiter, grabbed a pair of glasses from his tray and handed one to Kolar.
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Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie

Good morning everyone. I’ll have links in a moment since my Reddit drafts aren’t showing up(yippee mobile app). As an aside, I think I can get Friday’s post ready so you guys have that to look forward to.
Once again I return bearing this little conglomeration of words called a short story based in Ralt’s universe. If you missed the First Part, or the last part, I suggest going back and reading that.
————————————————————— “Thinning Mar-gite numbers before ConFed fleet engagement was always a major headache. Our ships were thrown into the grinder, only to be sent back to repair yards after one engagement. The 75th Ghost fleet wasn’t even at half strength and being told to engage the enemy with no extra support to give the attacking fleet a chance. To our credit, anything below an asteroid sized cluster of Mar-gite would uselessly crash headfirst into our formation and get torn apart by fighters alone. The fleet itself could almost handle a moon sized cluster, provided we weren’t ambushed.
What we encountered upon the fleet’s return to conflict was a system that had multiple moon sized clusters spread throughout, and still growing. The outer edge of the system had multiple clusters of mar-gite that would keep our fighters busy while we moved to engage the two moons orbiting the first planet. We took no chances, and made sure to visually confirm that the moons weren’t pretending before entering orbit and starting our landing cycles for ground troops. For the first planet, the troops were able to properly set down and clear the planet. Deep scans were taken as clone marines defended their camps while waiting for the order to move and clear the planet. While Admiral Bannon coordinated that effort, I moved Battlestars and cruisers into a defensive formation, watching and waiting for the inevitable swarm to begin moving toward us, knowing it would be a chaotic mess that would require every ounce of my attention.
It wasn’t until the first underground explosion that our plan came into fruition. Our Vipers had finally landed to re-arm after their multi-hour return trip from the Oort Cloud when the first sign of movement hit my screen. The culprit was the third planet in the system, which looked as if a copy of the planet had taken off from said planet and formed into a massive swarm. As it coalesced into a dwarf planet sized mass the swarms around it began to filter into the mass. What our fleet was facing was a single swarm spread out to the size of Holy Terra itself.
I didn’t hesitate, and gave the order. All ten of my missile tubes were loaded with fusion warheads, and with the turn of two keys, all were sent at once toward the incoming swarm. Shortly after, the Ares did the same, followed by the Artemis class Battlestars sending the two Nukes aboard their ships as well. My first wave of ten Nukes slammed into the outer ring and gave a hole for the second wave of ten. Any pilots spaceborne had already turned away from the flashes as the sixteen missiles from the supporting Artemis classes reached our sensors.
We had shown our hand. None of our ships had any nukes left, and with our creation engines offline to prevent the EM flashes from corrupting them, we had no way to replenish them in battle. I glanced over to my XO, and then to the comms officer. It was time to move forward as a vanguard force.
One Columbia, Ten Artemis, and twelve Valkyrie class Battlestars vanished from orbit in a flash of white, and reappeared only one and a half light seconds away from the enemy. We pointed all guns forward, launched all our Vipers, and began the vicious space battle for the Houpus system.” —————————————————————
(Next chapter link)
Fleet makeup spreadsheet

I don't actually care about aliens, or AI, or the nature of consciousness, or any of that stuff. I like it when cool shit happens in space. Vikings are cool. "Space Vikings" is exactly what it sounds like, and it's extra cool. Battlestar Galactica was cool too, and it took place in space. The Cylons were ok, but not why I watched it. I liked the parts where they argued in the CIC and flew Vipers and looked dope in their weird double tank tops and had sex with each other and killed Cylons. Foundation (the book series) was ok, but really more of it should have been in space. I really liked the parts of the Expanse (the TV show) in the Belt, because it was like a world but also...it was in space. But they weren't as cool as the parts on the Rocinante.
I like good characters. They don't need to be extremely subtle or agonize a lot over their choices (some of that is okay). Primarily they should do cool shit.
Reasonably good prose is a big plus.

I know this is a lot, so sorry in advance. Also, sorry for the way the videos were recorded, OBS has them cropped like that due to the resolution I play on, but I don't properly know how to fix it.
As of right now, I'm in the middle of Silver 1 (my peak), but I feel like the whole time I've played, since last summer, I've never truly improved. I can tell aspects of my game have individually improved (i.e aim), but overall my play hasn't. I've recently started taking it a bit more serious, watching games back, trying to notice what all has gone wrong when I die, paying more attention to timing, etc. However, my Silver 1 brain can't always grasp concepts on my own, so I came here looking for a bit more help. I currently play either a controlleinitiator role, normally between Skye or Clove/Viper, but sometimes I'll fill if I feel like it's necessary.
Attached are some various VODs, feel free to just skim and search for highlights if necessary.
https://youtu.be/nBQ9u0q4ltA
https://youtu.be/hn5-f8_vEN4
https://youtu.be/IQDLcBYjU8Y
https://youtu.be/Wm2PaCGcV74
Thanks in advance!

Regina gets all "motherly" on her older sister.
No, wrong. She gets all TRITONY. Except...
"I hate you, how dare you mate with that scoundrel!" Instead of "HUMANS! I'm prejudice against them! Ariel!!!!!!!!"
I mean, at least Triton came around (because Eric saved Ariel) after screaming at Ariel for saving Eric, which is more than I can say about REGINA!
Also, actually, that mirror thing Regina did, which is called STALKING. Yep, Regina STALKED Zelena...was not exactly Triton but Young Sister's Watching You creepy as f***.
Zelena did not bother telling Regina, "You do realize, with all that salivating you do in that mirror that BELLE is the one who gave me the idea to date Sir Dead Guy, eh?" Belle is the one who said, "You might want to get Hades in the sack! It's time, love. You haven't done it in a long time, right? It's growing back. I think...you've only had the baby, what, five days ago? Postpartum bodies, who gets them? Me, I'm getting morning sickness even though my husband told me I was pregnant SIXTY SECONDS ago...I'm super smart though!" (I'm frankly amazed they didn't make Belle be nine months along already and drop the baby at Hades' feet, all wth is that??? A baby? Is it Will's?)
Yes, Zelena never would have stopped guarding her heart if BELLE hadn't talked sense into her. So...Regina can thank Belle because she's a better Young Sister than Regina is.
I absolutely hate Regina's attitude toward Zelena. I GET Zelena's a total jerk to her up until she's in the underworld and the writers chiseled off her psychotic energy. But Regina thinks she's a GOOD PERSON because she won't let anyone kill Zelena?
That's BULLS***. I don't know what the writers are smoking, but you know what makes someone a good person? Compassion. Merely NOT KILLING SOMEONE doesn't make you a good person. You don't have to be a murderer to be a truly terrible person. Cora really f***ed Regina up because she never listened to her. Regina repeatedly complained that Snow and co were too self-righteous...then she becomes TEN THOUSAND times more self-righteous than any of them ever are.
And that's saying a lot. Considering when Anton was raging at them, Snow said, "We're good!" Who does that? In real life? That's cringey, but I guess if we're saying they grew up with fictional people brains, it kinda works...
I know some people disagree with me, but it really bothers me how Regina acts toward Zelena in s6, when Zelena is genuinely TRYING to be a good person. NOBODY was that nasty to Regina, even GRUMPY, when she tried to turn a new leaf.
And if I wished Regina had gotten tired of everyone treating her cruelly when she was trying to be a good person in s2 and wished she'd blast them already and go, "Fine, I'll be evil, just like yall want," in s6, Regina is like a parole officer sniffing Zelena's breath every time she gazes off into a sunset. It would've been a lot more realistic if that tight chokehold Regina had on Zelena made the wicked come out...with no remorse attached. And it'd be all Regina's fault. There IS no compassion. If you want to be angry about her r**ing Robin, I'd get it, but she's angry because Zelena AND ROBIN saved Regina from Hades but Robin had to die and Zelena got to live.
For aaaaaalllllllll Regina "nobody gets to kill my sister", in s6, she shows the audience if Hades had killed Zelena and Robin lived instead, she'd be happy. Because Regina lives in the land of "I wish my life were different" instead of being kind to what people try to love her who she has left. Zelena is really trying in s6...and Regina is the one who TOLD HER TO KISS HADES and start his heart. Sure, Zelena should've ignored her. But you can't tell someone to do something then hate them forever because they LISTENED TO YOU.
Regina wasn't mad about Robin's r***, she was just feeling like a better person (when she r***d Graham for probably 35 years then KILLED him because he was coming out of the coma, so to speak). But when Robin dies...and Zelena saves her life...Regina's thong gets stuck. So snide, so self-righteous. I like her better when she'd smiling smugly and destroying random people's happiness than when she goes around acting better than Zelena because Zelena is trying to open her heart to Regina and Regina is being snooty.
Basically, empaths dressed in vipers clothing are extremely obnoxious.
And far as the whole Cora thing goes...let's remember...she gave Zelena up as a baby thinking Zelena would be eaten by wolves. S5 has a flashback where she goes to get her to save Regina's life (and while this is definitely a "new idea" instead of an old plan, lets pretend it was planned all along), and when she goes to get her, she sees Zelena's adopted father about to hit her.
And what does Cora do? She throws her back to be beaten by the adoptive father.
THEN SHE TRIES TO CONVINCE ZELENA SHE LOVES HER. Why does she even want to MEET Zelena? For Regina. To help Regina.
Then she makes up some bs before she departs about how she cares about Zelena, so she goes to heaven. No, Cora. No, you don't care about Zelena at all. You just lied.
People do it all the time, make up some grand sob story about how they care about you purely to guide you into biting the bullet they have reserved for you.
If Cora cared about Zelena (I don't care if she had her heart or not), the time to stop bsing would be when she saw that guy about to hit Zelena. She would not have sent Zelena back to him if she cared about her on any level.
I really wish the writing had not forgiven Cora. They should have just made her actually be accountable for the bad things she did. But the ONLY thing she did that wasn't totally shitty was explain to Regina that Hades can't be changed by something as simple as "love". Then the second she goes to heaven, Regina forgets all about that, and she tells Zelena to make wild love to Hades.
Then she gets mad at Zelena when she goes and does exactly that.

Chapter Two - Part One
Second Half
__________________
Beginning of Entry…
StarDate: Redacted
Perspective: Major Commander Michael Irons
Species: Human, Humanoid Mammalian Species, no tail.
Description: 5 feet 2 inches [1.6 meters] to 6 feet 9 inches [2.1 meters] average height. 185 lbs [84 kilograms] average weight.
Longevity: 70 to 500-year life expectancy with life extension medical tech.
Unique Trait: Resilience and Indomitable Will.
Place: New Paris (Capital City)
Location: New Eden Prime
In the early hours, as the dawn cast a pallid light over New Eden Prime, the situation unfolded with urgent clarity. Major Commander Michael Irons, alongside Captain Adam Richter, adjusted his Raider armor, his eyes scanning the horizon where the silhouettes of enemy ships began to materialize. Both men were seasoned veterans, their faces etched with the lines of many battles, their demeanor calm yet alert. They awaited instructions as they stood amid the bustling rally point filled with soldiers and militia.
Their focus shifted as Colonel Nick Estrada approached, his imposing figure cutting through the morning mist, the tension palpable in the air. The urgency of the situation had drawn commanders and soldiers alike, all responding to the blare of alarms that had roused the colony from sleep and into action. Colonel Nick Estrada approached, his presence commanding immediate attention. His frame was not just physically imposing but carried the authority of a man who had seen countless skirmishes and emerged victorious. The commanders snapped to attention, though the informality of the crisis allowed for a quicker exchange.
Colonel Estrada, known for his strategic acumen, surveyed the gathered officers before speaking. "Gentlemen," he began, his voice carrying over the crowd. "Major Commander Irons, Captain Richter, the enemy fleet is now visible. We're seeing a full spectrum—we're up against a formidable enemy. Reconnaissance has identified a significant fleet composition—strike craft, corvettes, frigates, and troop transports. They're not just probing our defenses; they're here for a full-scale invasion."
Major Commander Irons nodded solemnly, absorbing the gravity of the situation. The enemy's intentions were clear: to overwhelm and conquer. "Do we have any intel on their motivations, sir?" he asked, his mind racing through potential strategies.
Estrada's eyes narrowed as he reviewed the latest data on his tactical pad. "Current assessments suggest their primary objective could be resource acquisition or territory expansion. Given the organized nature of their fleet, we can't rule out the possibility of them establishing a forward operating base," he explained, his finger tracing possible invasion routes on the holographic display before them.
Irons' jaw tightened at the assessment. "Have we identified their point of origin or any specific markings that could tell us who we're dealing with?" he asked, his mind racing through the catalog of known hostile factions and their usual tactics.
Captain Richter, ever the tactician, chimed in, "If we can disrupt their landing operations and take out their troop transports, we might slow their advance and buy us some time to fortify positions."
"Not yet," Estrada replied, turning to gaze at the display screen that showed the advancing ships. "Their configurations are unfamiliar, which suggests they're not from any known hostile group within our usual conflict zones. This could be a new player or a proxy force from a rival colony. But it's clear they want New Eden, as the orbital forces were obliterated in minutes."
Estrada, after careful consideration, turned to face the digital map highlighting strategic points around the colony. 'That's a start, but we need a comprehensive plan,' he declared. 'Irons, your units will be crucial in the eastern sector, where their fleet appears most concentrated. Richter, your teams will be our shield in the orbital defenses; we cannot allow them to establish a foothold there."
Richter chimed in, his voice steady despite the escalating tension. "We need to assess their capabilities and intentions quickly. Are they aiming for strategic locations, or is this an outright attempt to overwhelm and occupy?"
Estrada nodded, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information. "Our immediate objective is to hold them at bay and protect civilian areas. I've already ordered evacuations where necessary. Irons, I need your units to fortify the eastern sector. It's closest to their projected landing sites."
"And I'll take the western approach," Richter added quickly. "It has fewer natural barriers, so I'll set up mobile defenses there."
Estrada approved with a brisk nod. "Good. I'll coordinate the orbital defenses to cover your flanks. We can't let them gain a foothold. Whatever their motive, it ends here."
The officers acknowledged their orders, understanding the critical nature of their tasks. Estrada continued. "We'll use the tram system for rapid redeployment. Keep your communications lines open, and expect dynamic orders. We need to be as adaptable as they are aggressive."
As the meeting drew to a close, Major Commander Irons felt the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders. The survival of New Eden Prime hinged not only on their military prowess but also on their ability to outmaneuver an enemy whose capabilities remained largely shrouded in mystery.
With a final nod from Estrada, Irons and Richter dispersed to relay orders to execute their assignments; Irons felt the weight of the imminent conflict pressing down. Each step they took was heavy with the resolve to protect their home, knowing the enemy loomed just beyond the horizon, ready to test the mettle of New Eden's defenders. This wasn't just another border skirmish or a pirate raid. The scale of the invasion suggested a well-planned offensive by a formidable enemy.
Returning to his command post, Irons pulled up the tactical displays, which showed live feeds from drones and satellites tracking the enemy's advance. Each ship was marked in red and moved steadily towards New Eden's defensive perimeter.
"Let's show them what New Eden is made of," he muttered to himself, a mix of resolve and anticipation coursing through his veins.
This was his colony, his home, where his family and millions of others lived and dreamed of a peaceful future among the stars. Today, the peace and survival of the colony depended on his actions and those of his comrades.
As the first enemy ships entered range, Irons gave the order. "All units, engage at will. Prioritize frigates and anything making landfall. We hold the line, no matter what."
Back at the rally point, as shells began to crisscross the morning sky and the first explosions blossomed in the distance, Estrada and Richter coordinated their sectors' defenses, adjusting to the flow of battle. Each report, each burst of static on the comms, added to the day's growing chorus—a chorus filled with the sounds of a colony defending its very existence.
Above them, the sky turned from morning gray to the dark of smoke and fire, the battle for New Eden truly underway. As the alien forces made their ground assault on New Paris, Major Commander Michael Irons quickly marshaled his defensive strategies. The invaders had exploited a slight weakness at the equator of the planet's shield, where the northern and southern fields met, allowing a fraction of their invasion force to penetrate. This strategic breach had permitted several enemy corvettes and frigates to support the ground troops as they marched toward the city.
The morning sky, once clear and promising, was now darkened by the presence of enemy ships. Their shadows cast an ominous pall over the city as their engines roared menacingly overhead. Irons, stationed at the command post just on the outskirts of New Paris, observed the advancing enemy through his binoculars, his heart racing with adrenaline and cold determination.
Despite the thinning of their numbers due to the shield's resistance, the invaders pushed forward with relentless determination. Their landing crafts, equipped to penetrate the weakened shield points by slowing their descent, deployed troops directly into the fray. This strategic insertion allowed them to bypass the stronger defenses and land a significant force just outside the protective barrier of New Paris.
Irons, stationed at the command post, monitored the unfolding chaos through live drone feeds. The images displayed a grim tableau: columns of alien soldiers advancing toward the city, their movements methodical and unhurried, supported by the ominous silhouettes of their air support. The enemy's tactical acumen was evident in every maneuver, challenging the defenders of New Eden to adapt swiftly.
"Prepare all air defense units and activate the aerial defense batteries," Irons commanded into the comm, his voice steady despite the escalating threat. The air around him buzzed with the hurried movements of soldiers and the crackling of radio communications. The colony's air defense force, though robust, was significantly outnumbered without the support of their orbital fleet, which had been decimated in earlier skirmishes. "Target their air support first. We cut off the head, and the body will falter."
Acknowledgments crackled through his earpiece as his orders were relayed down the chain of command. New Eden's air defense force, though robust, was not designed for such a multifaceted assault. The absence of fleet support from orbit, a disadvantage painfully felt by every soldier on the ground, meant that each shot from the aerial defense batteries had to count.
On the battlefield, the sounds of warfare escalated. Explosions rippled across the early morning sky, painting it with streaks of fire as the colony's defenses engaged the invading air units. Irons watched as each successful strike brought down an enemy craft, each plummeting vessel a small victory in the shadow of an overwhelming threat.
Yet, even as they held the line against the aerial assault, the ground forces braced for the inevitable confrontation. The alien troops, undeterred by the resistance from above, continued their steady march towards New Paris. Their ranks, though reduced, remained formidable—a sea of figures clad in armor that glinted under the rising sun, their weapons poised for battle.
"The shields are holding, but we can't let them gain any more ground," Irons muttered, analyzing the tactical map that glowed with indicators of enemy movement. The slight gap in the shield at the equator was a glaring risk, one that could not be ignored. "Reroute additional units to the southern sector," he instructed, pointing to the area where the shield's weakness was most pronounced. "Fortify our positions there. I don't want a single invader breaking through."
His focus then shifted to the city's defenses. New Paris, a symbol of human resilience and ingenuity on the frontier, was fortified with multiple layers of defenses designed to repel invaders and protect its citizens. But today, those defenses would face their greatest test.
"We're on our own," Irons acknowledged, his gaze sweeping across the room filled with operators and strategists. "Every soldier, every pilot—we're what stands between them and the city. We hold them here, at the edge, before they can reach the heart of our home."
As the enemy's ground forces drew closer, the clash became imminent. Irons could see the front lines through the drones—human soldiers taking positions, their bodies tense with anticipation, their weapons trained on the approaching threat. The air crackled with the energy of impending combat, a mixture of fear, determination, and the indomitable will to protect their planet.
"Engage at maximum range," Irons commanded. "Use the terrain to our advantage. Make them come to us through the kill zones."
The enemy's corvettes and frigates hovered menacingly, coordinating the ground troops as they continued their relentless march toward the city's defenses. Irons could see the troops adjusting their formations and a tactical maneuver meant to optimize their approach under cover of their aerial support.
"Focus fire on those corvettes flanking to the east," Irons directed, pointing to the screens displaying satellite imagery. The operators quickly relayed his commands, adjusting the colony's firepower towards the threatening vessels.
Despite the heavy onslaught, the morale among Irons' men was resolute. They were well-trained and prepared to defend their home against all odds. The sound of anti-aircraft fire filled the air, a relentless symphony of defiance against the invading forces. Explosions lit up the morning sky as some of the enemy crafts took hits, their debris raining down and igniting small fires upon the rugged terrain of New Eden Prime.
Irons turned his attention back to the ground troops, noting the enemy's attempt to regroup after each barrage. "They're testing our defenses, looking for weak points. Make sure all sectors are covered and reinforce any undermanned positions," he instructed his lieutenants.
The battle was fierce, with every moment critical. The enemy's numerical advantage was evident, but the defenders of New Paris were determined to make every shot count. The city's aerial defense batteries worked in overdrive, targeting the enemy's air support in an attempt to level the playing field. The city's shield generators protected the city from any aerial bombardment from the frigates. Only the ground forces were a threat as long as the city's shield generators held, but with every strike from those frigates, the shield became weaker.
As the enemy advanced, a sudden and intense firefight erupted at the southern barricade. Irons watched through surveillance feeds as his troops engaged the enemy, their laser rifles cutting through the morning mist. The ground shook with the impact of heavy artillery, a relentless exchange that tested the resolve of every soldier under his command.
"Keep the pressure on! Push them back!" Irons shouted over the radio, his voice a beacon of command amidst the chaos. The troops responded with renewed vigor, their shouts and gunfire merging into the cacophony of battle.
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