Past muscle and fitness magazines

I’ve been running 17x9 +20 on coilovers and my wheels stick out past the fenders (I didn’t know what offset was when I bought them) and they scrape on the fender lip. To stop the rubbing I had to raise the car a bit and slightly roll the fenders. I want to go lower because it’s the whole reason I got the coilovers. I want to get new wheels that will fit better under the car. I want to know what the best wheel size would be to lower the car without fender rubbing. I like the look of 18 inch wheels but I want to make sure I get a size that won’t cause problems. My fenders are rolled about 45 degrees up, so they aren’t flat on the quarter panels, but there’s a little more room. I’m not really interested in cambering the rear because I would need to buy camber plates and I would burn through tires. I’m thinking if the wheels are flush then I can lower the car without rubbing. Any input would be very helpful. Thanks.

Hey, I’m a 24M moving into Boston from out of state for a new job opportunity at the beginning of July. I’m looking for a living situation with a roommate or multiple roommates in a location that is easily commutable to Back Bay, since that’s where my new role is located. I’m open to either gender, but would just prefer roommates around the same age as me. Would love to be friends since I won’t know a lot of people after moving! Little about me:

• Love playing/watching sports and keeping fit (basketball, volleyball, football, spikeball, lifting, etc.)
• Enjoy watching movies/game shows
• Very social but would be respectful of any roommate’s personality
• Have no pets, and keep clean
• Do not care about the other individual’s drinking/social tendencies since I’m used to all sorts of roommates in the past (have gotten along great with all of them)

I have a car but am debating whether or not to bring it there depending on how needed/expensive it would be. Need my own bed/bath and my budget can be flexible, but prefer to keep under $1600 monthly if possible. Feel free to dm/comment if interested, would love to sort this out!

i 16 Male, 5'11 have been trying to gain weight for my whole life. From the past 2 months, i started hitting the gym and focus on my diet. From then I have been eating 3000 calories a day, somedays i even hit 4000 calories. I have not gained a pound of weight. My summer holidays are starting in 15 days. they last a month or so. I wanna gain weight and muscle as much as humanly possible even if i feel like shit. How much calories do I need to hit and how much gym should I do to maximize the growth and weight gain.

https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-in-zane-in-the-membrane
Header Image ^[Imgur]
It’s not a Cypress Hill song, it’s a new issue of Canon Fodder!
By now, you’ll no doubt have made headway through the latest Operation in Halo Infinite —titled “Banished Honor”—which was accompanied by a new Waypoint Chronicle based around a simple question: “What would the story of a Spartan who joined the Banished be?”
We had the perfect character lined up to tell that story, one who hasn’t been seen since the end of Hunt the Truth's second season all the way back in 2015.
Welcome back, Ilsa Zane.

THE THIRD LIFE

Our ninth Waypoint Chronicle has arrived, which follows on from the concluding events of Hunt the Truth where a Guardian awakens on the colony world Laika III. Broadly, these events are concurrent with the story that unfolds in Halo 5 as Cortana lays claim to the Mantle, rallies AIs to her cause, and sets about imposing an imperial peace upon the galaxy.
Where Hunt the Truth saw the mantle of narrator pass from journalist Benjamin Giraud to undercover ONI agent Maya “FERO” Sankar in its second season, that torch is once again passed on to a character who made her presence felt in this story... the rogue Spartan known as Ilsa Zane.
Halo: The Third Life is available here on Halo Waypoint, as a free PDF, and in audiobook format on YouTube.
“October 2558. After being taken prisoner by the Banished as chaos erupts across the galaxy, Ilsa Zane’s hunt for the truth leads her to a new stage of life she never expected...”

EMPTY THRONE

Last issue, we gave you a totally legitimate look at the cover art of Halo: Empty Throne. Art is in the eye of the beholder, and unfortunately the powers that be decided that we could do better than a screenshot made in Halo 3's Forge mode in ten minutes with some crudely edited-in elements... it was a close call, really, but we ultimately pivoted towards something with the vibe of it having come from an incredibly talented and brilliant artist—namely, Will Staehle, whose other work you can check out here.
So, here you go. Here’s the official cover art for Halo: Empty Throne, coming later this year.
Pre-order your copy of Halo: Empty Throne here!
Cover art of Halo: Empty Throne illustrated by Will Staehle depicting a young girl and a Spartan emerging from a blue explosion coming from a Forerunner structure
“2559. It has been a year since the rogue artificial intelligence Cortana seized control of the Domain, an otherworldly dimension housing a vast information network. With an array of Forerunner weapons at her disposal, Cortana set out to enforce an authoritarian peace on the civilizations of the galaxy. But as the United Nations Space Command flagship Infinity prepares to strike against Cortana at Zeta Halo, another plan has also been set in motion.
An ancient access point hidden on a seemingly insignificant human colony has become the focus of a parallel effort to claim the Domain and its immeasurable capabilities. The UNSC, however, needs a key: a living, forsaken product of an old war. As a new generation of heroes rise to meet this challenge and Cortana's pursuit of control reaches a desperate and sudden crescendo, a cunning, ruthless warrior emerges from the shadows of the Banished, who has vowed to fill the new power vacuum by any means necessary....”

THE BANISHED SPARTAN

ILSA ZANE
Cropped profile image depicting Ilsa Zane surrounded by fire and Banished banners ^[Imgur]
RANK: Bloodstar BIRTH WORLD: Kholo DATE OF BIRTH: June 11, 2528 APPEARED IN: Halo: Initiation, Hunt the Truth, Halo: The Third Life
Born on the Outer Colony world Kholo, Ilsa Zane was just eleven years old when she lost her parents and everyone she had ever known as the Covenant descended upon her home and reduced its surface to glass. Taken to the remote colony Asphodel as a ward of the state, Zane remained largely silent and solitary until coming of age in 2547, where she was conscripted into UNSC military service.
In 2550, Zane was selected as a candidate for the prototype phase of the SPARTAN-IV program. Though she survived the augmentation process, additional experimental cocktails caused severe neurological damage to Zane. After escaping the facility, she was recovered by Admiral Mattius Drake and integrated into the rebel group known as the New Colonial Alliance.
In the immediate aftermath of the Covenant War, Zane led a group of operatives who attempted to commandeer the UNSC Infinity —securing it as the flagship of the New Colonial Alliance and to prevent the UNSC from deploying it to police independent colonies. This plan was thwarted by Spartan Sarah Palmer, who ejected Zane into space where the rogue Spartan was once more rescued by Drake, who was on standby in a nearby Prowler.
Following this, Zane served as an acquisitions specialist for weapons and materiel, as well as a ruthless instructor for mercenary and rebel groups that joined the New Colonial Alliance, forging them into a veritable fighting force in preparation for a large-scale strike against the UNSC. However, the awakening of the Guardians in 2558 waylaid these plans, leaving Zane as a prisoner of the Banished—with whom she ultimately came to find both common cause and brotherhood.

BANISH THY HONOR

Halo: Tales From Slipspace - Hunting Party
Image ^[Imgur]
What does it mean to be Banished?
To be Banished is to seek to liberate oneself, to pledge loyalty not to false promises of divine ascension but to the fearsome might and will exemplified by Atriox.
Service is welcome from any species, of any previous affiliation or loyalty—from the lowliest Unggoy thrall to the mightiest Sangheili warrior, and all between and beyond.
Power is its own end. In the wake of the Covenant War, opportunity is rife to carve up the remnants of the fallen empire’s vast resources and obtain technology that furthers the prime directive of the Banished: to never bow again, a “reclamation” all their own of freedom.
Following decades of calamitous conflict that has left even the most capable commanders war-weary, it is the Banished that are energized and fortified in purpose and will. Payment for those who share common cause with Atriox comes in blood and sport and spoils.
But those who would choose this path must unshackle themselves from ties to the past—unbind themselves from old masters, cast off their piety, and banish their sentimental devotion to honor.
Only then can one become a true vessel for victory.
Only then is one truly Banished.

THIEVING MITTENS

Halo: Escalation Issue #3 page depicting a showdown between Spartan Scruggs, who has taken Admiral Hood hostage, and Spartan Palmer, Chieftain Lydus, and Arbiter Thel 'Vadam ^[Imgur]
Why would a Spartan go rogue?
It’s an apt question. After all, Spartans are meant to represent paragons of humanity in both strength and spirit. But across the generations of Spartans, there have been traitors, rebels, or those who simply wanted to leave the UNSC behind to live on their own terms.
For the Spartan-IIs, these examples came as a result of their training—of recognizing and rebelling against the horrific context of their situation.
In the “Homecoming” episode of Halo Legends, Daisy-023 and several of her fellow candidates sought to escape the program following the augmentation procedures that killed or maimed many of their brothers and sisters, but were ultimately brought back into the fold.
Likewise, in the Halo: Evolutions short story “Pariah,” Soren-066 was left disfigured by the augmentations and was gradually radicalized by a technician named Partch, eventually attempting to escape Reach and join the Insurrection. Indeed, the Spartan who sought to apprehend Soren was Randall-037, who later appeared in Halo: Nightfall where we learned that he had evaded the UNSC after the Battle of Vodin in 2532, even starting a family before ONI eventually caught up to him over a decade later, "reversing" many of his augmentations in exchange for release from UNSC service.
Looking to the Spartan Field Manual, originally released back in 2018, we can gain further insight into the risk of rogue Spartans as it applies to the SPARTAN-IV program:
STOLEN GAUNTLET
Nevertheless, the SPARTAN-IV selection process is not foolproof. Spartan-IVs are soldiers with preexisting philosophies and loyalties, and even the most carefully screened candidate can react to their augmentation and training in unexpected ways. Individual Spartans represent a strategically significant level of combat power and pose a major security threat if their loyalty is compromised.
The STOLEN GAUNTLET fail-safe protocol has been created to provide training and permissive rules of engagement for special agents tasked with tracking down and swiftly neutralizing rogue Spartans.
~ Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual, p. 86
Rogue Spartans
Halo Mythos artwork by Isaac Hannaford depicting Mickey's betrayal of Buck and Romeo in Halo: New Blood ^[Imgur]
Ilsa Zane represents the earliest example of this manifesting as a critical issue for the Spartan-IV program, and she is far from a singular example.
In Halo: Escalation, we see Spartan Vladimir Scruggs—another New Colonial Alliance defector—attempt to sabotage the peace talks between Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam and Chieftain Lydus.
Another prominent example is Michael Crespo in Halo: New Blood, who became disillusioned with being sent to kill other humans in the wake of the Covenant War and defected to the United Rebel Front with fellow Spartan Rudolf Schein.
Of course, defecting is one thing, but what is it about the Banished that would be attractive to a rogue Spartan? That is something wholly contingent upon the individual, and at present there is a specific example we can examine: Ilsa Zane.
Having been discarded by the UNSC after falling victim to experimental augmentation cocktails that ravaged her body and mind, she was eventually left for dead by Admiral Drake as well—she was herself “banished” from the places she had sought to belong. This, in combination with her proclivity for violence and a ruthless mindset, led her to discover a certain kinship with the Jiralhanae on Laika III, leading her to willingly pledge herself and the New Colonial Alliance to the Banished.
In the words of Spartan Scruggs: "I am a Spartan. But what you fight for isn't always the same as who you fight for."

ARMORY INFINITUM

The Ravager was a new weapon introduced to the sandbox in Halo Infinite, though it made its fictional debut in Halo: Shadows of Reach.
“The cacophony of gunfire was replaced by the sizzle of shock rifles and the thump-hiss of ravagers.”
~ Halo: Shadows of Reach, Chapter 21
Featuring a semi-automatic, three-round burst and a charge ability that can create a burning pool for area-of-effect damage, the Ravager quickly became a favorite tool of Jiralhanae warlords for its capacity to flush out garrisoned infantry.
A unique version of the weapon, the Rebound Ravager, can be found in the possession of Captain Arthoc—a high value target the Master Chief encountered on Zeta Halo. Rounds fired by this weapon have the ability to bounce, to which the words of Agent Washington from Red vs. Blue may come to mind: “It bounces? Who designs a gun that bounces?!”
Halo Infinite screenshot of Arthoc ^[Imgur]
ARMORY OF RECKONING CAPT ARTHOC FWD: RAVAGER
The Armory of Reckoning—it is a fitting name for the tools of conquest and destruction birthed from its forges.
When we advanced on the human remnants that had sought shelter within their crashed ship, I requested of Commander Bannix an augmented version of the plasma tossers produced by the Forge of Torograd.
Where we have mastered both spike and spear in our weaponry since before the Immolation, infusion matter remains an object of study for our alchemists. I was informed by the Screecleaver that there is a great savant stationed on Oth Liqattu who has sought to unlock further secrets of this fetid power, applying it to our own troops and many of our vehicles.
It is said that prolonged exposure to this corrosive bile can addle the mind and rot the body... that is good, for there are many small spaces in human ships. The capacity for this weapon to launch projectiles that bounce before erupting into toxic piles was of great use in flushing our foes from cover. How they flailed and danced to our battle song!
It is my understanding that pure infusion matter is pumped throughout Forerunner facilities, so we must dedicate resources to finding these wellsprings within the substructures of this ring. I shall bring this to Tremonius once he has returned from investigating a disturbance at his outpost.

MERIDIAN SLOANCOMING

Last month saw the arrival of Halo: Battle Born's rerelease, featuring two new short story “adjuncts” which we took a closer look at in our previous issue.
On April 30, the rerelease of Halo: Meridian Divide hit the shelves and—as folks have noticed—there's another adjunct in this one as well!
MERIDIAN HOMECOMING
Halo 5 screenshot of a Promethean Knight on Meridian ^[Imgur]
Completing the trifecta of new adjuncts in these rereleases is “Meridian Homecoming,” which is set in the immediate aftermath of Cortana’s final sacrifice on Zeta Halo in December 2559.
With the leader of the Created dead, the future of this fledgling faction has been thrown into doubt. High Auxiliary Sloan has returned to Meridian where he occupies a Promethean Knight’s carapace and wanders the vast glasslands of his home to find his own fate.
Of course, fans who followed the Precipice short story series last year (which accompanied Halo Infinite's recurring FIREWALL events) know that Sloan has emerged as a new leader within the Created and set into motion the creation of the Executors. “Meridian Homecoming” gives us a small moment in time with Sloan as he contemplates what the concept of home means to him, Cortana’s unfulfilled promise of salvation, his regrets over how he departed from Meridian, and the memories held within a Promethean Knight that set him on a new path.

COMMUNITY LORE CORNER

For this month’s Community Lore Corner, we kick things off with GammaCompanyMark who has put together a media order for the Halo series if you really, really want to experience it in some form of “timeline order.”
The fine folks at JumperScape have been adapting some of the lore and stories we’ve put out for Halo Infinite, beginning with the Intel drops we did for Season 2: Lone Wolves. (If you can believe it, it’s just passed the two-year mark for when this season launched!)
We recently discovered Lore VoidCat while checking out the latest Halo lore content on YouTube, and he has put together a fantastic series of videos about various expanded universe aspects—from every blade of the Covenant, to recounting the stories of various games and books, and more. Here’s one of his latest!
Would it be surprising if you learned that Covenant Canon has put out a new video featuring some... you guessed it, Covenant canon? In his latest release, we take a look at every known Arbiter throughout the Halo universe’s history.
Every now and then, the nostalgic longing for those halcyon days of 2007 return, which is exactly what you will feel when watching Meaning In-Between and Frogarchist's exploration of how mystery was a core thematic pillar of Halo 3.
And finally, David and Ian of Podcast Evolved have done a new “book club” episode on one of our previous Waypoint Chronicles: Saturn Devouring His Son.
With that, it’s time to sign off for this month’s issue.
If you haven’t already checked out Halo: The Third Life, be sure to do so—and if you have, well, go and read or listen to it again! Let the gears of speculation turn for what is depicted on the cover art for Halo: Empty Throne (don’t forget to secure your pre-order), and you can get your in-game Ilsa Zane cosplay sorted by completing the Banished Honor Operation Pass!
We depart with our favorite Ilsa Zane comic panel for your entertainment.
Halo: Initiation panel of Ilsa Zane shutting of the UNSC Infinity's original AI, Aine, saying "Quiet you." ^[Imgur]
This post was made by a script written and maintained by the Halo mod team to automatically post blogs from Halo Waypoint. If you notice any issues with the text output or think this was posted by mistake, please message the mods.

Link for all the chapters available for free here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road
Deep in the groaning halls of sinew and bone he awaited his audience with the god. At a wave of his hand the ribs which held up the ceiling contracted, tendons shifting within the pink walls of the chamber as the jagged, calcareous spurs that composed the doorway sank back into the spongy masses of tissue, revealing a passage curving down and out of sight.
Menash stood before the yawning portal and considered eternity. This was no an idle thought: here in the Dawning Chamber, the concept was very real. His father, Yulan, had stood in this exact spot times beyond count. When he was struck down in his prime by the Night Weaver and her Leaper offspring, torn limb from limb as he fought to defend Chthonis from a raiding party, Menash’s uncle, Aqavarr, had carried his broken remains over that grinning threshold to join the hosts of the dead, never to return.
A hot and heavy exhalation rattled up out of the depths, wafting in the acrid scent of the bonding pools and the wet slithering sound of the rebirthing canals. Menash felt a crackle of static in the corners of his mind before the signal sharpened and he heard It whisper distinctly:
“Enter…”
The familiar dread crept its way up the small of his back, and he gave a little shiver. No matter how many times he had communed with the Vitalus, he’d never been able to shake the feeling of his utter insignificance. But he persevered, walking bravely down the slurping passage, past the rows of broad antechambers lining either side of the hallway. Each one held a slumbering shape immersed in a cryogenic bath, towering hulks of muscle encased in ribbed and riveted plates of chitin. No two were alike in size or physiology, but all seemed to emanate the same primeval aura of dread that tickled Menash’s fight-or-flight-instinct, skewing it very much towards the latter response. These were the Hollowores, soulless avatars of the Vitalus, each one a tool capable of eradicating an entire species. As Menash approached, one of the living weapons stirred to life. A pronged, anvil-shaped head emerged from the bath, umbilical feeder tubes detaching from its armored flanks as the rest of its bulk followed, its mauve exoskeleton as sleek and shiny as amethyst. The Hollowore extended legs as thick as grown pine trees and lifted itself above him, its pairs of crushing pincers dripping amniotic fluids as it herded him towards the central room.
Bundles of white gossamer filaments spread all across the floor, encircling steaming pools of pus and acid. He saw arms and legs, sensory organs and entire exoskeletons being knitted before his very eyes, the amino acid chains being stitched on a layer at a time, the weeping pus evidence of microphages fighting off possible infections as the Vitalus did Its work.
These were the next generation of exomorphs, yet to be assigned to their hosts. It was here that Vitalus constantly improved the only thing that could ensure the continued survival of Menash’s subspecies. Exomorphs were bonded to Gallivants at birth, the organisms supplying their hosts with the means to breathe an atmosphere they was never meant to endure, and the strength to fight in a world that was red in tooth and claw. They were as swift as the summer wind and could multiply their host’s muscular power by up to twelve times their natural output.
But for all their God-given might, Gallivants were still mortal. They could and often did perish in the endless struggle for existence that the Vitalus called the Great Game. But even in death they could still commit their essence to posterity, passing down their defining traits through the malleable genetic code of the gilt helix. It was the Vitalus’ greatest boon; through the gilt helix a single individual could become a progenitor of an entire generation, becoming at one stroke the father of whole nations and peoples.
One day he too would prove worthy of the honor that Yulan had earned with his life. But he was not alone in that ambition. Menash was annoyed to find the crimson-clad Vezda and the cowardly Racek waiting for him inside, standing next to a large ball of filaments that hung from a tonsil-like growth hanging from the walls.
This node pulsed, emitting a small storm of bioelectric activity, networks of fungi conveying commands in the form of oscillating voltages to their communities of symbiotic bacteria, the latter containing greigite mineral crystals aligned in the shape of electromagnetic coils. Other networks hidden in the walls modulated and amplified the signals, and the three Gallivants steeled themselves for the onrushing flood of information as the Vitalus tapped into their minds.
He was a candle before the raging heart of the thunderstorm. For an instant Menash touched a fraction of Its intelligence, the divisions of time and space rolling back as they joined the ocean of shared consciousness, becoming one with the living systems of Arachnea. From the tiniest aeroplankton floating above the waves of the golden coastlines, to the herds of ultrapods munching their way through swathes of trees in the savannahs. Menash felt himself pushing up out of the soil, longing and lusting and reaching for the sunlight with a trillion green fingers uncurling, alive with the furious movement of life.
But what was that flicker of orange to the east? That searing heat, that prickling pain spreading like a cancer down his side?
The Vitalus scooped them up and hurled them headlong into hell itself. A roaring wildfire was sweeping into the heart of the eastern rainforests. Menash tasted ash and ruin, felt pieces of himself wither and burn, his branches tongues of fire, wood cracking from the intense blaze, sap boiling instantaneously upon contact and rupturing, splitting him right down the grain. He fled in terror, running, slithering, digging, swimming, flying away in crazed panic from the walls of red death closing in on him. As his skin flaked off in clumps of charcoal he looked back and saw it towering over the treetops, the epicenter of this howling vortex of destruction: the grey behemoth. Its burnished metal hide gleamed like copper, reflecting the fury of the conflagration burning well into the night.
Menash pulled his mind away before it was lost forever in the storm of electric potentials. He saw Racek and Vezda swaying on their feet, breathing hard and fast.
“Heart of the World,” he managed to gasp, “What is your bidding?”
The Hollowore maneuvered itself until it was facing him directly. Tiny beady eyes fixed him in their blank gaze. The node emitted a blue pulse and the creature shuddered as it received the signal. It opened a maw powerful enough to chew boulders into gravel and rumbled:
“This one is the alpha which survived first contact with anomalous variable. It will tell Us what occurred, and from whence this threat emerged.”
“It came from the karst mountain range, where the yellowjacket Amit live,” Menash replied, “It was destroying the largest mound in that area, massacring its inhabitants. It brought the mountain down on them—we’ve never seen anything like it. Zildiz was the first on the scene. She warned us not to approach, and that it was dangerous, but some of us,” here he cast an angry look at Vezda, “Some of us went ahead and tried to scavenge from the bodies of the dying. Then the behemoth ignited the air and burned scores of us to cinders.”
“Irrational. Why did you do this?”
“W-we thought that you had spawned the grey behemoth,” Menash stammered, embarrassed to say the least, “That it was the newest addition to the Great Game, another species of ultrafauna that would help perfect Arachnea.”
“Not so. It was made by an evil far older than the All-In-One,” replied the Vitalus, “It is called a Divine Engine. In cycles past, this evil sought to undo this world and all that inhabit it. In that, it almost succeeded.”
Menash felt his blood run cold at those words.
“Is it the only one of its kind?” Racek piped up. Menash and Vezda both bristled at his interruption; subordinates were only supposed to speak when spoken to.
“There were several deployed here in Our infancy. We had thought them all destroyed in the War of Creation.”
“Your Munificence,” Racek went on, heedless of the venomous looks he was getting from the other two, “Most of us survived because Zildiz persuaded us to dive into the river. She saved all our lives! But as I washed up on the riverbank, I saw the behemoth casting a seedpod into the skies. I did not see where it landed, but it was travelling in a high arc due east. Is this the behemoth’s method of reproducing? If so, then how many offspring can it generate from this one seed?”
The Vitalus met his questions with a minute of silence. Menash had never known It to take so long to respond to a query, and felt another stab of unease in his gut. Unless he was imagining things, the Vitalus seemed genuinely disturbed by the scenario that Racek has raised, enough to convince Menash that the danger was far from hypothetical.
“That is a distant possibility,” It said somewhat cryptically, “Regardless, We cannot allow the Engine’s continued existence.”
“Then it must be destroyed,” Vezda said, her barbed tail eagerly perking up.
“We are not certain that it can be,” the Vitalus said, and Menash heard Racek audibly gulp at the admission.
“But Your Omniscience, you alone are the arbiter of growth and decay,” Vezda said in disbelief, “Surely you can unmake this monster as well?”
“Perhaps. The Divine Engines were built to withstand the extremes of temperature, gravity, atmospheric pressure, acidity and irradiation found on semi-inhabitable exoplanets. Worlds of bareness and desolation, glassed by thermonuclear bombardment or infested with alien microorganisms. In the wars of Our youth, the Betrayers used tungsten-alloy warheads fired from space platforms to crack their bulkheads. Not even Our vessels, the Hollowores, could damage them in any significant way. We will need time to gather the raw materials and fabricate the weapons needed to end this threat.”
“What must we do?” Menash asked.
“If this variable is not dealt with, it could upset the delicate balance We have sacrificed so much to achieve. Already the wildfire it has caused will release close to 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and destroy 2.3 million acres of forest before Our countermeasures can stop it. Time is our limiting factor. If the Engine cannot be destroyed now, it must be restrained.”
“It hasn’t moved an inch since we last saw it,” Vezda said brightly, “Maybe it has already died?”
“Yes, and maybe your mother was a horka toad,” Racek said snidely. Vezda scowled and took a step towards him, then stopped as she remembered that she trod on hallowed ground.
“Not so. It has merely gone dormant. Having expended its fuel, it is now running on the bare minimum of its reserves. My children, you must ensure that it does not wake again. Establish a quarantine zone around the Engine and let none approach, on pain of death. The Leaper kindreds will secure the ground while the Gallivants patrol the skies.”
Vezda and Menash exchanged troubled looks. Nobody wanted Leapers establishing a foothold in what was essentially a buffer zone between their subspecies. Once allowed to settle in a habitat, it would not take long for them to adapt and become masters of their new territory. Ousting them would become a battle of attrition, and given the lower birthrates of Gallivants, it was not one they could long afford.
“Respectfully, we do not require assistance from our brother kindred,” Menash ventured, “We are more than capable of safeguarding the area ourselves.”
The node throbbed again, the bioelectric flashes taking on an angry purple hue. With a sound like the grinding of a millstone the Hollowore clashed its claws together impatiently. All three of the mortals took a hasty step back.
“The alpha will obey, or another will be found that can,” the Vitalus growled at them, “All subspecies will observe a general truce during this period. This is a temporary addition to the Great Game. Those that serve Us well shall be rewarded. We shall also enlist the aid of your terrestrial cousins, as well as the Cataphract clans to replenish the soil, and lone Saints who shall rove beyond the quarantine zone.”
Menash’s unease deepened. The Vitalus was bringing together four different kindreds, some of which killed each other on sight, in a move that reeked of desperation. The kindreds had worked together before, of course, on complex projects such as altering rainfall patterns and husbanding struggling species, but never so many at once. This was bound to end in bloodshed.
“Those that break the truce shall be chemically neutered, and their gilt helix purged from the existing gene pool,” the Vitalus continued, “You will maintain this quarantine until We have dealt with the Engine.”
“It is understood!” Menash and Vezda said at once.
“But what about Zildiz?” Racek blurted out, again risking his entire lineage by speaking out of turn, “She might still be alive out there!”
“He’s right,” Menash found himself agreeing despite his dislike for Racek, “She’s our alpha, after all. It would be a shame to lose her helix. Do we have your leave to send out a party to recover her?”
The Vitalus pondered the request for a moment, then crushed his hopes when it said:
“Regrettable, the loss of the female. Valuable stock for the breeding program. But it has not responded to Our signals—it is unlikely to have survived. The female Vezda shall take up its duties as alpha.”
“But Your Benevolence—” both men cried out in unison.
“It is decided. She has risked the Great Game, and must abide by its outcome. To speak more on this would risk Our displeasure,” the god warned.
“We can’t spare the manpower anyway,” Vezda pointed out, trying not to look too pleased at Its decision. She darted a quick look at Menash, long enough for him to see the selfish desire festering in her heart. He turned away from her in disgust, baring his blades by the slightest of margins to let her know what he thought of her, then asked the Vitalus:
“But what of the Engine’s seedpod? Should we search for it?”
“Negative!” the Vitalus boomed, its node reinforcing the word with a spike of activity that sent needles of pain spearing into their heads, “We shall complete this task. It is dangerous and can be entrusted to no other.”
The Hollowore angled its massive head towards the cavernous ceiling, armored flaps on its back sliding aside as it unfurled sets of rigid sixty-meter wings. A wide sphincter on the roof gaped open and Menash saw the evening sky awash with the stars in their milky multitudes. The Hollowore took a deep breath through the spiracles lining its thorax and abdomen, pumping air through a pair of hollow tube-like protuberances under either of its wings. Menash and the others quickly scampered to a safe distance. Seconds later there was a scream of chemical combustion and the Hollowore rose into the evening skies, leaving behind a long trail of superheated gases, the backwash almost knocking Menash off his feet. They watched as the Hollowore gained altitude, making straight for the columns of billowing smoke on the horizon, a sweeping shadow blotting out the light of the heavens.
The Vitalus’ mental presence receded with it. When it did not return, they took it to mean that they were dismissed and likewise took flight and headed for Chthonis. They were hardly out of the Dawning Chamber when Vezda seized the scrawny Racek by his wings and anchored her feet right up against his back.
“Funny little man, are you? Crack jokes at my expense again, and I’ll see to it that you’ll never fly again!” she snarled, yanking hard. Racek yelled as his wings threatened to pop out of their sockets.
“Stop!” Menash said, ramming his shoulder into her and knocking the smaller male out of her grip. Vezda rounded on him, blades out and her tail aquiver with rage.
“As for you! No one should speak to the Vitalus like that!” she shrieked, “Much less gainsay It! Are you trying to get us all killed? It is the source and continuance of life itself—”
“But the Vitalus doesn’t always consider the individual scale of things,” Menash reasoned, controlling his rising anger as he tried to defuse the situation, “Its scope of thought is beyond ours. Therefore it is up to us to look after each other. None of us can win the Great Game alone. We need people like Zildiz for the species to prosper.”
“Your logic is flawed,” Vezda spat, “Empathy is a sham devised by the selfish action of the gene, which seeks only to preserve itself. At least I am honest enough to look after my own interests. Your obsession with that whore is misplaced. Heed my words, Menash. What happened today marks a change in the Great Game. Only the ruthless will reap the rewards of this era. Think on that, and act accordingly.”
The female darted off in another direction, leaving the two behind.
“Thanks,” Racek said, rubbing at his sore shoulders, “My, my. She’s really taking her promotion very seriously, isn’t she?”
“This doesn’t make us friends,” Menash said shortly, “We share a common interest, that’s all.”
The two flew together in silence for a time, the dark canopy unrolling below their feet. Racek had always been a bitter rival for Zildiz’s affections. In the mating seasons he and Menash had flown the damsel-dance against each other countless times, racing and dogfighting at top speed through the dense bamboo thickets in an effort to impress her.
But each time she had always chosen Menash. Naturally. He was the stronger, the braver, the son of the Scourge who had slain hundreds on his lightning raids into Leaper territory. Their pairings had been brief and passionate, yet she had always laughed at the end and gone on her merry way, a rose petal borne on a scented breeze, the dalliance as meaningless to her as other concerns like eating or breathing.
But not to him. Right now, all that mattered was her. And Racek was the only one in the whole wide world who knew exactly how he felt. Did that mean he could be trusted? Menash considered the enormity of what he was about to do, and wavered. Then he saw her face in the darkness of his home, the face she wore when they were all alone together, and he took a deep breath before breaking the silence, saying:
“I’ll be in charge of the quarantine. I can arrange for you to disappear for a few days. I can have one of the younglings mimic your magnetosynaptic signal, make it seem like you’re with the rest of us.”
“You’d do that? For me?” Racek said in astonishment.
“Hah. Not for you,” Menash laughed softly. He looked Racek straight in the eyes and continued: “What’ll it be, then?”
If he so much as hesitates, I’ll have to kill him here and now, Menash told himself.
“Why, yes. Yes, of course!” the little brown male said vigorously.
“Good,” Menash sighed with relief, “She’ll be very grateful to whoever brings her home. I’d do it myself, but as an alpha I can’t risk being seen as disobedient.”
“Then why give me this chance? After all that’s passed between us?”
“I should have thought that was obvious,” Menash replied. Racek digested that for a bit, then out of nowhere said:
“If I find her—when I find her—I’ll tell her exactly who it was that sent me.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Bah! Just so we’re even, that’s all,” Racek grinned, his mouthparts slanting askew.
“Thanks, I guess. I’d…I’d appreciate that. You do understand what we’re risking here, right?”
“Sure. We’ll be total genetic write-offs if we’re caught. But it’s not like I wanted to see tiny ugly Raceks running around the house anyway. What about you, though? Why are you putting your neck on the chopping block?”
“You know why,” Menash said quietly, his thoughts still lingering on her face.
“Yes,” Racek agreed with a wistful air, “Yes, I suppose I do.”
And the pair spoke no more until they reached Chthonis.
Link for all the chapters available for free here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road

The Transformative Power of Daily Walking: A Path to Health and Happiness
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, amidst the constant flood of notifications and obligations, it's easy to overlook one of the simplest yet most powerful activities available to us: walking. Often overshadowed by more intense forms of exercise, daily walking is an underrated gem that holds the key to numerous physical, mental, and emotional benefits.
Physical Health Boost
Walking may seem mundane compared to high-intensity workouts, but its health benefits are nothing short of remarkable. Just 30 minutes of brisk walking each day can significantly improve cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It strengthens bones, muscles, and joints, promoting longevity and vitality.
Mental Clarity and Creativity
Beyond its physical perks, walking is a tonic for the mind. Stepping away from screens and immersing oneself in nature or simply the rhythm of footsteps allows the brain to unwind and recharge. Research shows that walking enhances cognitive function, boosts memory, and stimulates creativity. Many great minds, from Aristotle to Steve Jobs, have embraced walking as a catalyst for inspiration and problem-solving.
Emotional Wellbeing
Walking isn't just about putting one foot in front of the other—it's a journey inward as well. Engaging in regular walks offers a precious opportunity for introspection and self-reflection. It's a chance to unplug, tune into the present moment, and cultivate mindfulness. The rhythmic motion of walking soothes the mind, alleviates stress, and lifts mood by releasing endorphins, nature's own mood enhancers.
Connection and Community
Walking has a unique ability to foster connection, both with oneself and with others. Whether strolling solo along a serene path or joining a group for a neighborhood walk, it's a shared experience that transcends barriers and fosters camaraderie. Walking together encourages conversation, empathy, and a sense of belonging, strengthening social bonds and nourishing the soul.
Practical Tips for Starting a Walking Routine
Embarking on a daily walking practice doesn't require elaborate plans or expensive equipment. Start small and gradually increase duration and intensity as fitness improves. Choose comfortable footwear, dress appropriately for the weather, and prioritize safety, especially when walking in low-light conditions. Experiment with different routes to keep things interesting, whether exploring local parks, urban trails, or scenic countryside.
Conclusion
In a world characterized by constant motion and perpetual distraction, the simple act of walking offers a sanctuary of stillness and a path to holistic well-being. By incorporating daily walks into our lives, we can reap the countless benefits for body, mind, and spirit. So lace up those shoes, step outside, and let each stride be a testament to the transformative power of putting one foot in front of the other.

#VUKE #60m #Stock───────────
Ensemble model * Overview: The synthetic investment attractiveness indicator equals 17 (out of +/-100). The model ensemble suggests the market will tend to be bullish in the nearest future.
Optimal past * Optimal past: The optimal lookback period for modelling is currently 261 candles. The market is currently bullish, appreciating by 10.0% during the latest phase.
Elliot Waves * Elliot Waves: The market's trend has changed and currently goes up.

• Elliot Waves Settings: Elliot Waves were updated. The current wavelength is 34.

Price Bound Modelling * HAR model at confidence level 95.0%: the HAR model forecasts volatility of 0.3364% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 36.94 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 36.74 or above 37.15.

• BRW VaR at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 36.94 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 36.83 or above 37.07.
  
• Historical simulation at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 36.94 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 36.83 or above 37.07.
  
• Multifractal range at confidence level 95.0%: in the next 256 candles, the price will fluctuate around 37.21 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 34.0 or above 40.02.
  
• Fibonacci with seven retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 37.06 at the level of 100.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 35.98 at the level of 76.4%.
  
• Fibonacci with five retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 37.06 at the level of 100.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 35.31 at the level of 61.8%.
  
• Fibonacci with four retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 37.06 at the level of 100.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 35.31 at the level of 61.8%.
  
• MVaR bounds at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 36.94 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 36.81 or above 37.06.
  

Forecast * MA model at confidence level 95.0%: the MA model forecasts a return of 0.0256% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 36.94 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 36.74 or above 37.14.

• AR model at confidence level 95.0%: the AR model forecasts a return of 0.0256% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 36.94 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 36.8 or above 37.08.

Stability Indicators * Generalised extreme value: According to the indicator, the market is stable

• Power law: According to the indicator, the market is unstable
  
• Student degrees of freedom: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  
• Tukey lambda: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  

Seasonality test * Seasonality test: According to the generalised seasonality test, there are no seasonal effects on the market.
Distribution analysis * Best-fit distribution: Best-fit distribution has changed, and now it is Laplace
───────────
Not investment advice.
#VUKE #60m #trading #Distribution analysis

#EURUSD #60m #Forex───────────
Ensemble model * Overview: The synthetic investment attractiveness indicator equals 6 (out of +/-100). The model ensemble is uncertain with regards to future market movements.
Optimal past * Optimal past: The optimal lookback period for modelling is currently 171 candles. The market is currently bullish, appreciating by 0.0% during the latest phase.
Elliot Waves * Elliot Waves: The market's trend has changed and currently goes down.

• Elliot Waves Settings: Elliot Waves were updated. The current wavelength is 13.

Price Bound Modelling * HAR model at confidence level 95.0%: the HAR model forecasts volatility of 0.0685% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 1.08 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 1.08 or above 1.08.

• BRW VaR at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 1.08 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 1.08 or above 1.08.
  
• Historical simulation at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 1.08 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 1.08 or above 1.08.
  
• Multifractal range at confidence level 95.0%: in the next 256 candles, the price will fluctuate around 1.08 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 1.07 or above 1.1.
  
• Fibonacci with seven retracements: the price is likely to rebound upward from the nearest Fibonacci support of 1.08 at the level of 76.4%. The nearest Fibonacci resistance is 1.09 at the level of 100.0%.
  
• Fibonacci with five retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 1.09 at the level of 100.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 1.08 at the level of 61.8%.
  
• Fibonacci with four retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 1.09 at the level of 100.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 1.08 at the level of 61.8%.
  
• MVaR bounds at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 1.08 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 1.08 or above 1.08.
  

Forecast * MA model at confidence level 95.0%: the MA model forecasts a return of 0.0087% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 1.08 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 1.08 or above 1.08.

• AR model at confidence level 95.0%: the AR model forecasts a return of 0.0087% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 1.08 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 1.08 or above 1.08.

Stability Indicators * Generalised extreme value: According to the indicator, the market is stable

• Power law: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  
• Student degrees of freedom: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  
• Tukey lambda: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  

Seasonality test * Seasonality test: According to the generalised seasonality test, there are no seasonal effects on the market.
Distribution analysis * Best-fit distribution: Best-fit distribution has changed, and now it is Power
───────────
Not investment advice.
#EURUSD #60m #trading #Distribution analysis

#VOO #60m #Stock───────────
Ensemble model * Overview: The synthetic investment attractiveness indicator equals 10 (out of +/-100). The model ensemble suggests the market will tend to be bullish in the nearest future.
Optimal past * Optimal past: The optimal lookback period for modelling is currently 46 candles. The market is currently bullish, appreciating by 1.0% during the latest phase.
Elliot Waves * Elliot Waves: The market's trend has changed and currently goes down.

• Elliot Waves Settings: Elliot Waves were updated. The current wavelength is 3.

Price Bound Modelling * HAR model at confidence level 95.0%: the HAR model forecasts volatility of 0.1655% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 478.74 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 477.44 or above 480.04.

• BRW VaR at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 478.78 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 476.16 or above 481.01.
  
• Historical simulation at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 478.79 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 476.29 or above 481.04.
  
• Multifractal range at confidence level 95.0%: in the next 256 candles, the price will fluctuate around 480.07 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 422.29 or above 530.32.
  
• Fibonacci with seven retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 483.21 at the level of 100.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 471.07 at the level of 76.4%.
  
• Fibonacci with five retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 483.21 at the level of 100.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 463.57 at the level of 61.8%.
  
• Fibonacci with four retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 483.21 at the level of 100.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 463.57 at the level of 61.8%.
  
• MVaR bounds at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 478.8 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 476.35 or above 480.92.
  

Forecast * MA model at confidence level 95.0%: the MA model forecasts a return of 0.0015% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 478.74 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 475.34 or above 482.19.

• AR model at confidence level 95.0%: the AR model forecasts a return of 0.0015% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 478.74 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 476.35 or above 481.18.

Stability Indicators * Generalised extreme value: According to the indicator, the market is stable

• Power law: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  
• Student degrees of freedom: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  
• Tukey lambda: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  

Seasonality test * Seasonality test: According to the generalised seasonality test, there are no seasonal effects on the market.
Distribution analysis * Best-fit distribution: Best-fit distribution has changed, and now it is Generalised normal
───────────
Not investment advice.
#VOO #60m #trading #Distribution analysis

#BTCUSD #60m #Crypto───────────
Ensemble model * Overview: The synthetic investment attractiveness indicator equals 23 (out of +/-100). The model ensemble suggests the market will tend to be bullish in the nearest future.
Optimal past * Optimal past: The optimal lookback period for modelling is currently 363 candles. The market is currently bearish, depreciating by 1.0% during the latest phase.
Elliot Waves * Elliot Waves: The market's trend has changed and currently goes down.

• Elliot Waves Settings: Elliot Waves were updated. The current wavelength is 3.

Price Bound Modelling * HAR model at confidence level 95.0%: the HAR model forecasts volatility of 0.5548% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 61268.39 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 60709.19 or above 61827.6.

• BRW VaR at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 61266.09 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 60823.77 or above 61644.63.
  
• Historical simulation at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 61266.74 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 60824.88 or above 61646.47.
  
• Multifractal range at confidence level 95.0%: in the next 256 candles, the price will fluctuate around 61906.76 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 53792.97 or above 66675.0.
  
• Fibonacci with seven retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 61774.38 at the level of 50.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 60497.95 at the level of 38.2%.
  
• Fibonacci with five retracements: the price is likely to rebound downward from the nearest Fibonacci resistance of 61774.38 at the level of 50.0%. The nearest Fibonacci support is 60497.95 at the level of 38.2%.
  
• Fibonacci with four retracements: the price is likely to rebound upward from the nearest Fibonacci support of 60497.95 at the level of 38.2%. The nearest Fibonacci resistance is 63050.81 at the level of 61.8%.
  
• MVaR bounds at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 61309.21 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 60773.61 or above 61623.96.
  

Forecast * MA model at confidence level 95.0%: the MA model forecasts a return of 0.0631% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 61310.42 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 60642.54 or above 61978.31.

• AR model at confidence level 95.0%: the AR model forecasts a return of 0.0631% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 61310.42 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 60838.62 or above 61782.23.

Stability Indicators * Generalised extreme value: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain

• Power law: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  
• Student degrees of freedom: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  
• Tukey lambda: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  

Seasonality test * Seasonality test: According to the generalised seasonality test, there are no seasonal effects on the market.
Distribution analysis * Best-fit distribution: Best-fit distribution has changed, and now it is Laplace
───────────
Not investment advice.
#BTCUSD #60m #trading #Distribution analysis

#BRENT #60m #Commodities───────────
Ensemble model * Overview: The synthetic investment attractiveness indicator equals -5 (out of +/-100). The model ensemble is uncertain with regards to future market movements.
Optimal past * Optimal past: The optimal lookback period for modelling is currently 197 candles. The market is currently bearish, depreciating by 2.0% during the latest phase.
Elliot Waves * Elliot Waves: The market's trend has changed and currently goes down.

• Elliot Waves Settings: Elliot Waves were updated. The current wavelength is 21.

Price Bound Modelling * HAR model at confidence level 95.0%: the HAR model forecasts volatility of 0.2945% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 82.05 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 81.65 or above 82.44.

• BRW VaR at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 82.06 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 81.73 or above 82.39.
  
• Historical simulation at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 82.06 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 81.73 or above 82.4.
  
• Multifractal range at confidence level 95.0%: in the next 256 candles, the price will fluctuate around 82.98 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 73.28 or above 86.62.
  
• Fibonacci with seven retracements: the price is likely to rebound upward from the nearest Fibonacci support of 81.54 at the level of 0.0%. The nearest Fibonacci resistance is 84.14 at the level of 23.6%.
  
• Fibonacci with five retracements: the price is likely to rebound upward from the nearest Fibonacci support of 81.54 at the level of 0.0%. The nearest Fibonacci resistance is 85.75 at the level of 38.2%.
  
• Fibonacci with four retracements: the price is likely to rebound upward from the nearest Fibonacci support of 81.54 at the level of 0.0%. The nearest Fibonacci resistance is 85.75 at the level of 38.2%.
  
• MVaR bounds at confidence level 95.0%: in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 82.1 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 81.6 or above 82.29.
  

Forecast * MA model at confidence level 95.0%: the MA model forecasts a return of -0.0465% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 82.03 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 81.48 or above 82.59.

• AR model at confidence level 95.0%: the AR model forecasts a return of -0.0465% in the next candle, the price will fluctuate around 82.03 and with 95.0% probability will not go below 81.64 or above 82.42.

Stability Indicators * Generalised extreme value: According to the indicator, the market is stable

• Power law: According to the indicator, the market is unstable
  
• Student degrees of freedom: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  
• Tukey lambda: According to the indicator, the stability of the market is uncertain
  

Seasonality test * Seasonality test: According to the generalised seasonality test, there are no seasonal effects on the market.
Distribution analysis * Best-fit distribution: Best-fit distribution has changed, and now it is Laplace
───────────
Not investment advice.
#BRENT #60m #trading #Distribution analysis

Hi,
Photo : https://imgur.com/a/pK5Hc94
In past few months I found that my left side of my face is more tender and then I palpated a small pea/been sized tube like mass under my Zygomatic bone. I had scheduled dentist appointment for like 2 moths and today he looked at me. I have papilla visible on the left side too and I had left side cavity with left side Gingivitis in upper and lower tooths.
By normal palpation ( relaxed, closed mouth ), it is not noticeable ( maybe a little ) but when I take my index and middle finger and point them straight under Zygomatic bone, and use my nail to move up and down, I feel it and it is like straw that is bigger on the side of parotid and then narrowing and going straight to papilla. It is visible when I open my mouth and strongly flex masseter muscle ( also more easily palatable ).
When I tried to measure it, it is maybe around 1.8cm long ( X ) and 5-6mm wide ( Y ) and maybe 3mm thick ( Z )?
Firstly doctor didn't saw anything but then told me that it looks like my left side is little swollen and it is maybe a stone, that those are common. He also look on it 3 times, 2 in laying position and one in standing position. He palpated it on the skin and also from the inside the mouth. He also looked at my papilla and were performing some salivary flow tests.
His final words were: Stenson duct papilla enlarged suspect from trauma ( bites ) with dilatated duct and small left side swelling. He told me to not worry about and that he will check it in 3 moths during next visit. He just fixed my left side cavity and told me try eat sour sweets to increase salivary production.
I asked if there is need to maybe to go to ultrasound and he told me that it is not needed.
I just want to be sure, should I go and try to find another opinion from other dentist or maybe schedule ENT? He was more focusing on fixing cavity that on my gland. I am scared it can be cancer and let it be there for at least 3 more months will not do any good. Just to mention, when I massage it , I feel flow of saliva and sometimes it is better for few days, also I don't think it is increasing or decreasing in size during past months ( 2-3 ). When I check statistics, where is about 6 : 100 000 chance of cancer and 1:100 000 chance of stone forming.
Thank you!

hi! im pretty new to enneagram and so far i think i might be a 9w8. i filled out the questions in the intro. im hoping to get some help or closure on typing myself. im sorry for the long text in advance lol.
• How old are you? What's your gender? Give us a general description of yourself. Im 15 and a girl, ive doubted my gender few times though i dont really "feel" like a girl or anything and i like it when people mistake me for a man, i mostly identify as i girl cause its the easiest for me. im a pretty average student. i used to be "gifted" or something like that but now im just average (im ok with that). i have a few friends and thats pretty much it.
• Is there a medical diagnosis that may impact your mental stability somehow? no i did visit a psychologist a few times. i stopped because it didnt really help me and i saw no point in it.
• Describe your upbringing. Did it have any kind of religious or structured influence? How did you respond to it? My biological father was mostly absent from my early childhood (since i was 3) and doesnt live with me. pretty soon my mom got a boyfriend and they got married so ive had a step dad since i was 3. im not very close to either of my parents. we dont really show affection much to each other and so on. both of my parents are atheist and my grandparents on my moms side are also atheist. my grandma is a jehovas witness and used to bring me to "church" with her when i was little. i was always very curious about it and i used to think a lot about whether or not god was real and if i should convert. i always came to the conclusion thats hes not real and im atheist. i vividly remember that when i was little my grandpa asked me if he should be christian or not and i asked him if he had time to go to church to which he replied no so i came to the conclusion that he should be atheist too.
• If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed? if i could send my friends videos and texts sometimes then yes. i dont really mind being alone and i can take care of myself. i can entertain myself on my own. i wouldnt feel lonely or refreshed really since being alone is sort of the norm for me. i spend most of my free time in my room alone.
• What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities? i like crafty activities like knitting, crochet, sewing and embroidery. i also like reading, learning about stuff im interested in. this can be pretty much anything, music, film, fashion, philosophy, religion and so on. im not really good at sports. i can still enjoy them though if its with friends and its not too serious or competitive. im not a very competitive person and i dont like the pressure people can create in team sports. i enjoy cycling because its more individual and i can go at my own pace, i dont have to rely on anyone and no one has to rely on me.
• How curious are you? Do you have more ideas then you can execute? What are your curiosities about? What are your ideas about - is it environmental or conceptual, and can you please elaborate? im curious but i usually dont ask people many questions, i can satisfy myself with the answer they give. especially if its something personal, if they dont want to answer or are vague theres probably a reason and i dont want to bother them and make them uncomfortable. i have a lot of things i want to do, such as getting better at playing guitar reading and so on. i usually dont really act on this. not for any particular reason i just cant bring myself to do it. im mainly curious about thing like art and fashion history, philosophy and theology, i also find drugs and their side effects and such interesting. i dont really have many ideas. if they are they are usually conceptual such as songs and paintings.
• Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be? i dont really like leadership. i cant imagine myself doing it long term, i wouldnt be able to put up with people that long. i dont like when people complain or ask many follow up questions so that would drive me crazy. although if theres a project or something and no one else wants to lead im willing to do it since stuff still needs to get done. if i was a leader my leadership style would probably be pretty permissive, as long as stuff gets done im okay with pretty much anything.
• Are you coordinated? Why do you feel as if you are or are not? Do you enjoy working with your hands in some form? Describe your activity? id like to think in somewhat coordinated. although i can be clumsy at times. i like working with my hands. i play guitar and i like to knit and crochet.
• Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particular artistic but can appreciate art please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer. I like music a lot, i listen to it a lot and it means a lot to me. ive always found comfort in it. when i was younger i really liked melanie martinez and it was basically all i listened to. now i listen to and im open to many different genres. my favourite genre is probably emo and rock though. i also play guitar and enjoy it a lot. sometimes i write lyrics to song too. i used to draw since i was 6 but when i was 13 i stopped because i started comparing myself too much and it didnt make me happy anymore.
• What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them? i dont really care much about the past. whats done is done and i cant do anything to change it. its a waste of time to dwell on it too much. of course it is good to reflect and think about your actions once in a while. i dont really care much about the future either. well not mine specifically. i dont have a specific plan or goal for myself. im just gonna see what life brings me mostly. although i do think it is important to think about the future as a society in terms of climate change and similar issues. i care the most about the present since its what i have the most direct impact on. as cheesy as it might sound i sort of just "live in the moment".
• How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so? depends on if i can do it and if i like the person. if its something like giving them a napkin or something else thats simple then sure why not. if its something like explaining i usually say no because im not really good at explaining and i often dont understand things myself. if i would help someone its usually because i dont have a reason not to. i think its better to be nice if tou can even you don't necessarily like the person cause you can avoid unnecessary conflict that way.
• Do you need logical consistency in your life? not really. i dont care for things being logical and i dont think everything needs a reasoning or to be logical.
• How important is efficiency and productivity to you?im not really efficient or productive myself, so i guess not really. of course if something is urgent ill do it as fast as i can. but otherwise i think there are more important things than that. i think the actual of process of doing something can be enjoyable not just what comes out of it.
• Do you control others, even if indirectly? How and why do you do that? i dont if i control others, im not aware of it at least. i dont think i have that big of an influence on someone else.
• What are your hobbies? Why do you like them? I like to play guitar because i like music and the feeling of being to engage with it more deeply. i also like to sing. i like reading because i think there are many interesting stories to tell.
• What is your learning style? What kind of learning environments do you struggle with most? Why do you like/struggle with these learning styles? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses? my learning style is mainly verbal. i like to write things down and say then out loud. i usually explain things to myself or i pretend im presenting or explaining what im learning to someone else. i sometimes have trouble with things involving a lot of math and sometimes even logical thinking. i often times cant grasp these concepts cause i cant imagine it in my head. i struggle with learning environments that have a lot of distractions. but i cant focus if its completely quiet i like to play some kind of background noise such as white or brown noise. i like classes involving creativity the most since i can just do anything i want. i dont have trouble with coming up with new things and creative things to do.
• How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks? Or do you have a tendency to wing projects and improvise as you go? I usually put off things till the last minute so i dont really have time to strategize most of the time. i just do and think of things as i go. usually this works for me and it doesn't stress me out. i do tend to make plans to be "productive" and break up my work into smaller parts this doesnt really work out for me most of the time though.
• What are your aspirations in life, professionally and personally? i dont have many aspirations or goals. just standard things like to get into college and stuff i dont really know what i want to do yet. im leaving it up for myself in the future to decide what i should do that will fulfill me. my main goal is just to be happy with myself and where i am in life, nothing really specific.
• What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why? my fear is being completely alone for the rest of my life. and not being happy with myself. although i dont really seek out people and their presence i still like affection and fitting in. i really value my friends and i want to have them along my side. i want to accept myself and who i am. i want to be a version of myself that i like. physical touch makes me uncomfortable, and also verbal affection such as compliments too. i often dont know how to respond. when people hug me i often just stand there and if someone touches me i often immediately try to get away. i dont know how to respond to compliments and verbal affection well, partially because i dont really believe it. i hate dishonest people who cant be themselves and try to be someone else to please others. its very sad for me to watch and i just dont like it in general, it can also get annoying.
• What do the "highs" in your life look like? to be honest i dont think ive ever had a "high". most of the time i just feel mostly neutral. the only "high" i have when im laughing with friends or something.
• What do the "lows" in your life look like? i usually lay in bed all day and dont do anything. i cant even bring myself to shower, eat or brush my teeth. if i eat its usually just plain bread or something that requires no effort. i do have some phases where i cry very often, almost every day. i try to hide either usually and cry when im alone but sometimes its too much and i just cry in front of people. when they ask me if im ok i say yes and i try to deny anything being wrong.
• How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often, or do you pay attention to what's around you? If you do daydream, are you aware of your surroundings while you do so? i daydream very often. almost every day. if im bored and have nothing to do (i dont have my phone) ill daydream. im aware of my surroundings to some extent. usually im also listening to music while doing this. when i daydream i tend to walk around my room in back and forth. even when im reading a book, watching a film or a tv show i often envisipn myself there and stop watching/reading to imagine myself there and insert myself into the story.
• Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about? i would probably sing to myself and daydream. i dont think i would think about many things to be honest.
• How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it? i havent made many important decisions, but i usually take some time to think it through. i might change my mind afterwards but not do anything about since i already decides and dont want to complicate things. i would probably tell myself its meant to be that way.
• How long do you take to process your emotions? How important are emotions in your life? i usually dont really let my emotions out unless its happiness. emotions are quite important to me. i often base my decisions around them. because i want to be comfortable.
• Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going? How often? Why? usually if i disagree i just dont say anything. i dont agree or disagree. if i dont agree and dpnt want to talk to that person then ill just try to politely exit the conversation. i dont feel the need to please others with what i have to say. people have different opinions and thats ok. if im talking about something friends and i disagree im not afraid to say it though. i do try to be polite about it though to avoid conflict.
• Do you break rules often? Do you think authority should be challenged, or that they know better? If you do break rules, why? I dont really break rules. i dont feel the need to. at least i dont do it deliberately. i think authorities should be challenged if theyre unfair and oppressive. if i break rules its because ultimately i can do anything i want. i try to be smart about it and not get in trouble though. if breaking the rules would hurt someone i wouldnt do it.

Hey everybody!! The last time I posted I think I was down to 167ish and now I’m at 145!! SW: 199.9 CW: 145.0 I’m very happy with the effects overall and I’ve been having little to no nausea recently - my issue is for the past few days I’ve been having the WORST heartburn like my whole chest hurts and I’m 6 months into using Zepbound and having really experienced this before.
Wondering if something I did set this off? I know I haven’t been amazing with water recently and I did have one really carb-y meal on Mother’s Day which I’m thinking maybe set it off. Would love to hear if anyone else is experiencing something similar and what they recommend.
Also I’m hoping to get a little advice. I’ve been tracking my weight on a VeSync scale that records a bunch of data on my body etc etc and it seems like on top of losing body fat I have been losing a little muscle as well. I’m still in the “excellent” range for muscle mass but I am a bit worried about this — it’s hard for me to eat a lot of general anymore and I think I’ve already been focusing on proteins (I thought), any advice ?
Also just because I’m here already — it’s SO weird buying clothes now I have to try on every size - going from an XL to a M/S was unexpected even though I obviously knew that I was losing weight

I have big exams in the next 2 months and I am wondering is it enough to train every muscle group once a week to mentain my muscles. I am working out for 2 years and fitness level is high but I dont know how much I need to do to mentain my muscles. Before I was training 5 times a week and each workout lasted for 2 hours and 40min. I would keep the same workouts but I would just do every muscle group once a week

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Memory transcription subject: Herq, Tilfish Junior Exterminator
Date [standardized human time]: December 3rd, 2136
“Understood, on our way.” Frankie stuffed his radio away.
“W-What? More Arxur?” I shivered.
“Don’t think so. Hope not. We gotta go to the van.”
The human didn't give me time to reply as he stepped over the body like it wasn’t even there. Swallowing some bile, I took aimed steps around it. The smell of blood wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It wasn’t any worse than burning flesh.
The stomps of Frankie’s boots down the stairs reminded me to keep moving. I scuttled down the stairs, turning the corner to see another body I was forced to step around. Two of them had come after us, two who were even more eager than the first group we encountered.
“Do you t-think it’s the same ones from before?” I asked.
The human grunted. “Hell if I know. But I wouldn’t doubt it one bit if it was. Guy got his ego hurt, and wanted some revenge. God knows if he was waiting there for an ambush.”
“They… couldn’t have known about the weapons, right?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. He at least knew we were stranded without a vehicle. Maybe put his bets on us getting some transport.”
I didn’t have much time to ponder it. Frankie was already peeking outside the building, shotgun raised. I came up behind him, checking behind as we scooted out of the building. Once he was confident, Frankie dashed towards the van.
We came upon it quickly. I was glad the Arxur he shot was on the other side to spare me from the gore. He turned around to the backside of the van, where his face contorted. “Holy shit.”
“What?” I asked, coming around next to him.
The scaly legs are the first thing I saw. They led up to its back, which looked like it had exploded. Blood was nearly everywhere around the gray, and I even thought I saw a piece of bone. My whole body begged me to run away from the gore, to find a corner to throw up in, but I couldn't look away. And that didn't even cover the Yotul.
The green-stained wraps around his legs were the first thing I noticed after the hulking mass of reptile. His right paw was a bleeding mess haphazardly wrapped in a loose bandage, and his other was curled around an Arxur gun—its gun, I realized. His face had speckles of red on it, much like the rest of the van. There was what could only be described as a huge gun beside him.
Relief washed over his features once he saw us, and he let the weapon clatter onto a bloody crate. “Where’s Luke?”
I watched Frankie for any signs of turning feral, despite the improbability of it ever happening. The copious amount of blood was more than enough to drive any predator into a crazed frenzy, but still Frankie showed enormous restraint. If anything, he almost looked… disgusted by it. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
He took a quick breath to steady himself. “Uh, Dusty took a few rounds, he’s patching her up. I see you can… handle yourself.”
“No,” the Yotul spat back. “It almost…” His voice broke, and he shook his head.
Frankie nodded. “Let’s get moving. I’ll… clear the way, if you could help him, Herq.” The human crouched down and gripped the monster's legs and gave a tug. He started sliding the body out of the way, a trail of blood marking every crate it was slumped over.
I took a step forward, suppressing a gag at the sights and smells. It was like walking into a predator’s den. Dark and damp and terrible, with evidence of what happened drowning my entire field of view. “W-What happened? It looks-”
“I shot the bastard.”
I twitched my antennae. “R-Right.” I took several breaths before finding the strength to proceed. I tried to ignore the blood marked across the walls and creeped in, though I couldn’t ignore the green smears that were on the crates. I did my best to avoid stepping on… anything, really.
The Yotul grabbed a red box full of first aid supplies and set it by his right side. He began to peel off the green-stained gauze on his paw. “I need an extra paw for this.”
“Of course. You’re Reno, right?” He ignored me. I felt a shiver spread through my carapace as he revealed the wound. “T-Those look like-”
“Yeah, I know.”
I gave him a flick of my antennae. He raised a bottle of what I assumed to be antibiotic solution, which I took. I gingerly uncapped the bottle and murmured, “This is going to sting.”
“Do you constantly state the obvious? Just get it over with.”
I took his paw in my feeler and generously poured it over the wound. He let out a small groan, but nothing more. I wiped it, then took some gauze and began wrapping it far better than he could with just a paw and a mouth. I tightened it, and sealed it with some adhesive.
“There. I-I think that’s good, but I don’t commonly work with other species.”
“I can tell.” The Yotul began to get up on their injured legs.
“A-Are you sure you should be walking?” He ignored me again. I stuck out an arm to help him. “Here, at least-”
“I don’t need your help,” he spat, slapping me away with annoyance. He shakily stood up, leaning precariously against the side of the van atop the crates.
I waved my antennae with concern. “I… Let me know if-”
“I won’t,” he coldly said, not giving me so much as a glance back as he hobbled out of the van.
I don’t blame him. The Arxur looked like he was inches away from tearing him apart. Not to mention the claw marks on his wrist… I can’t imagine what happened to him just moments ago.
I crawled out of the van after him, glad to be out, but probably not nearly as glad as him. Frankie came from around the van and dusted his hands.
“That was gross.” He turned to Reno. “You’re up already? Your legs are-”
“Worry about them when we’re in the truck. We need to get the fuck away from here.” He leaned against the van, catching his breath. He was clearly in pain, but didn’t want to show it.
“Gotcha. Luke should be—ah, right there.”
I followed his gaze, spotting the truck rolling towards us with its cracked windows and decorated doors. It stopped right beside the van. A human stepped out, the same one from the predator disease facility. He took one look at Reno, worry spreading across his face. “Holy shit.”
Reno grunted. “That’s what Frankie said.”
“I… We can talk in the truck,” Luke decided.
“Is my gun still in the building?”
“In the backseat.”
The Yotul lowered his head, letting out a breath of relief. I didn’t understand how much a simple firearm could possibly mean to him, but I wasn’t about to question him about it.
Lieutenant Holtas came to the other side of the van, whistling once he saw the crate. “Damn, this is… a lot.”
“Enough to turn the tide, I hope?” Frankie asked.
“There’s a chance it might be… If there’s anything left once we get back. Two of their bunkers are already swarming with Arxur.”
“T-Two?” I stammered. “Which ones?”
The predator shook his head dismissively. “Talk later.”
I shook my antennae in irritation, until another human then emerged from around the truck. It was the dark-skinned, dark-haired human from before as well, Dusty. Her vest had several lesions across it, far more than the few Frankie had received during his gutsiness. She wasn’t unscathed, however, as her left sleeve had been pulled up, revealing a stripe of bandaging. Her eyes regarded me with an expression I couldn't decipher, turning into a more shocked expression when they saw Reno. “...Damn.”
The Lieutenant turned to her. “Keep an eye out from where they came. Reno, do the same for the other side of the street. I’m not looking to get ambushed again.”
The two signaled their understanding. Luke’s gaze lingered a little longer on the wounded Yotul as he hobbled to retrieve his weapon from the truck.
Frankie grunted from behind me, picking up two big and bloodied crates. “Open the doors, would ya?”
I obliged, yanking open the hatches to the truck so the burly human could deposit the weapons. Luke walked past me, saw the mess in the back of the van, and shook his head while muttering something. Still, he crouched and grabbed two crates in each hand.
I couldn’t very well just stand around, so I begrudgingly walked over and picked the cleanest crates I could manage while repelling the numerous dry heaves my body wanted to conjure. I hefted them up, and followed the same path as Luke and Frankie.
I passed Dusty, who groaned, rubbing her left arm. “Why do these idiots use such a small caliber? You’d think they’d want to kill the people they’re shooting at.”
I nervously tilted my antennae. “You would… hope so.”
“They enjoy the thrill of the hunt,” Reno growled. “Use it to just incapacitate their prey. Dead ones don’t squirm while they’re eaten.”
An uncomfortable silence fell over the street. As we continued to load the human armaments into the truck, the two kept a cautious set of eyes out on either side of the street. Frankie managed to fit the big gun back into its respective crate while Luke stared at it, incredulously. Dusty glanced back with a similar look, which gave me the feeling the predators were all thinking the same thing. The only one who didn’t break his focus was Reno.
The van got emptier, the truck got fuller, and soon enough we were ready to leave this place for good. Luke gave us the clear and got into the driver seat. Frankie took the front passenger seat, leaving the three of us to squeeze into the back. The windshield left a lot to be desired, and I wondered if Luke would even be able to see through it.
It was cramped, to say the least. I was forced into the side, with the Yotul in the middle, while Dusty filled in the remaining seat. From someone looking in from outside, it would be a very strange sight to behold.
She slammed the door shut. “Tight fuckin’ fit. Hope we have enough fuel.”
“Won’t be an issue,” Luke said, sending the engine revving as we began to accelerate.
Thank Formi we’re finally leaving. How long have I been awake for? How long have the Arxur been in Tepisil? And how are the exterminators from the human camp doing? There’s far too much to worry about.
I hoped Tealk was fine in the hatchery’s bunker. That is, if it wasn’t already compromised. Tepisil was given the tiny mercy of just a small warning prior to any bombs dropping. The shelters were likely packed to the brim. Just waiting for the Arxur to come.
“Frankie, give me some light, would ya?” Dusty ordered. She had pulled Reno’s hindlegs on her lap, and was now inspecting them with the help of Frankie’s flashlight. I could see the green blood that had leaked down his legs from the wounds, along with pieces of black debris.
Reno had no choice but to let Dusty tend to him. I tried my best to ignore the blood she was forcing out by ripping through the bandages, though I gagged upon seeing her dig into his flesh with a pair of tweezers, pulling out a small bullet while he hissed in pain. Those were the only noises for a time while the human used a strange syringe to push some sort of foam into the wound, then tightly wrapping his legs.
She did a better job than I ever could’ve. At this point, it shouldn’t have impressed me that the predators had a concept of medicine or even treatment for the wounded, rather than just leaving the weak for dead. The amount of care she put into someone from another species spoke volumes to the humans’ empathetic capacity.
The streetlights of the city finally receded from us. I could almost feel the weighty air in the truck lighten, like a part of the despair had been left behind in Dirlsil. It wouldn’t last for long.
At some point in the middle of all the crop fields, Frankie cleared his throat. “Can I be the one to break the silence? ‘Cause Reno shot that gray with a whole bloody anti-materiel rifle.”
“God, I’m glad somebody finally fucking said it. Point blank, too,” Dusty said.
The Yotul didn’t offer a response, only stared off into the distance. I felt nothing but sympathy for him. They meant well, but I suspected they did more harm than good. The humans clearly had no idea what he’d just gone through; the fear, the uncertainty, the possibility of being eaten alive. I had a feeling the only reason he was alive was because of his quick thinking, the Arxur’s cockiness, and luck.
Luke cleared his throat. “Uh, how did you fare, Frankie? I saw the marks on your vest.”
My human grunted. “Barely even felt them hit me. Once the shooting started we dove back into the toy shop. Arxur are damn cocky bastards, but I don’t reckon they’re used to whatever they’re chasing fighting back so hard. Shot one, ran up the stairs, shot the other. Easy as that.”
It was not, in fact, as easy as that. I was terrified the entire time. It was Frankie who did everything, and even then, he screamed and shouted during the entire encounter. He was fearless in the face of fear while I had been useless. Again. My only saving grace was that I didn’t freeze like I did at the PD facility, even if that meant I merely ran instead. I felt a stab of anger mixed with regret, an entirely unwelcome feeling that I decidedly earned.
I can’t rely on the Terrans forever. At some point, my uncontrollable fear is going to cost lives. I… I can’t let fear be the driver.
“We had four of the fuckers on us,” Dusty said. “Retreated into the store opposite yours. We were doing just fine ‘till one of them tossed a grenade.”
I felt Reno tense up to me. He had a thousand-lightyear stare.
“Then they came in after us, separated us from Reno. They were fucking relentless, didn’t give us a chance to fight. Forced us all the way back into the stockroom, then kept pushing their luck. Finally had a corner, then the bastards leapt forward rather than being smart, getting me tagged. Hurts like hell just thinking about flexing the muscle.”
“God, can we change the subject? I regret asking,” Lieutenant Holtas said, shifting uncomfortably. “Frankie, you want to try again with the UN? And Herq, now that you’re with us, can you contact Von and inform him of what happened?”
I almost flinched when he said my name. “Y-Yeah, of course.” I started to pull out my holopad. I hovered over Tealk’s contact before moving to Von’s. I tapped the icon, and it rang for only a second before he picked up.
“Herq?”
I pulled the pad closer, overhearing Frankie start his own call to the UN. “Yes, it’s me. We made it out of Dirlsil with the weapons, and we’re in one piece.”
“Formi is that good to hear. I won't sugarcoat it, things have gotten much worse. You may have heard it from the humans, but cattle shuttles just landed around Bunker Four… which has no one to defend it. Bunker Six had contact and they are at a stalemate, but won't stay that way. I… sincerely hope you brought lots of ammo.”
I swallowed a lump in my throat. “I can’t say for certain what the predators brought with us… We’re driving as fast as we can, we expect to be there in forty minutes.”
“Too long… The grays are already going into buildings, trying to flush them out. We don’t have the firepower.”
“I… We need a rally point in order to distribute them as fast as possible.”
“One advantage is that they aren’t using their numbers prowling the empty buildings on the outskirts… Shit, Polle is calling me… It’s about Bunker Six. Listen, I’ll send you more information when I can. Call me ten minutes before you reach the city.”
“Yes, of course. Please, stay safe.”
“We both know that isn’t going to happen. Hurry.”
A tone signified he hung up the call. I tentatively swirled my antennae, seeing my company look away. “I-I’m guessing everyone heard that?”
Reno flicked his ears, and the humans nodded from the front seats. A steady silence came over us. It was probably well into the early hours of the morning at this point. My body was tired, and my mind more so. I knew well that I should have been more scared or worried, but I simply didn’t have the energy. It was like Frankie said earlier.
“Who wants a granola bar?” Frankie abruptly barked.
Luke shrugged. “I mean…”
The two humans accepted his offer, not like they had much choice since they were already being distributed. A bar was put into Reno’s paws, and suddenly, I was holding one too.
“It… doesn’t have meat, does it?” I asked.
“No, you idiot. I don’t eat meat,” Reno hissed, unwrapping his food.
“Sorry… I just wanted-”
“It’s just a bar of sugary grain. You’d think you would know by now that humans aren’t going to hurt you, or do anything else ‘predatory.’” He said the last word with distaste, like it personally offended him. He was clearly more used to the primates than I was, or ever could be. I knew they wouldn’t mean me any harm, but it was hard to shake off the thoughts that always lingered in my mind when around predators.
I thought his behavior was simply fried nerves from his close call with the Arxur, but there was something more to it, something bitter in his tone that hinted at more than just the last encounter. It reminded me of hearing about his outburst at my sister, Tealk, back at the hatchery. It didn’t sit right with me, but I wasn’t in any position to ask him about it, especially not at that moment.
Dusty was already stuffing the bar into her mouth, not much caring for how revolting I found it. I’d gotten used to their toothy smiles, but seeing her take a bite, just like she would chow down on a piece of bloody meat… If I wasn’t so hungry after so many hours, I would’ve lost my appetite.
Reno bit into the bar, and I carefully unwrapped mine, ignoring the female’s sickening mouth movements. I gave a cautionary sniff before taking a small nibble. It was acceptable, even good considering I hadn’t eaten for so long. I took another bite, then another, and then I noticed Dusty looking at me.
I couldn’t help the way my muscles tensed in agitation. She was instinctively sizing me up, now that food was on her mind. “W-What is it?” I stuttered.
She raised her eyebrows, glancing away. “Nothing. Just the way you move your hands, er… tarsals? Tarsals, across your mandibles when you eat. It’s… nevermind.”
My… tarsals? I flexed a feeler, inspecting it like something was wrong with it. I looked back at the predator, who was now looking out the window. At least she wasn’t… staring at me anymore. Humans got stranger every moment I spent with them. I thought there was a glimmer of hope that they wouldn’t all be as strange as Frankie, but that clearly had yet to be proven.
I took another small bite. Before I knew it, I had eaten the whole thing and had nothing left to occupy the time. There were only dark crop fields outside our truck, and predators or the predator-diseased inside. Nothing to distract me from the knowledge that Sillis was going to fall. Nothing to distract me from the thoughts telling me to give up, to run away, like a coward.
A muted atmosphere of haunting tranquility came over our vehicle, one that everyone silently and willfully acknowledged. We all knew what we were driving towards.
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Thanks to u/WCR_706 for proofreading. And, of course, thanks to SpacePaladin15 for the wonderful universe.

Hello there. I am a teen who is currently trying to start doing athletics. I go to the gym regularly, and I would say (and so would google) that my strength is a fair bit above average. My weight and height are both normal and in the healthy range. However, I seem to be not athletic at all. I did high jump with my peers today, and those who are way skinnier, shorter and less fit than me got a higher jump. I don't know if it is my technique, but I did terribly. The same thing in sprints and running, I am quite slow in general. And before any of you ask, no I am not one of those "gym bros" who don't train legs, like I said my strength is above average (for my weight) including my leg strength. Is there something specific I need to train? A certain muscle or group? Please help I am struggling to find answers online.

Hello there. I am a teen who is currently trying to start doing athletics. I go to the gym regularly, and I would say (and so would google) that my strength is a fair bit above average. My weight and height are both normal and in the healthy range. However, I seem to be not athletic at all. I did high jump with my peers today, and those who are way skinnier, shorter and less fit than me got a higher jump. I don't know if it is my technique, but I did terribly. The same thing in sprints and running, I am quite slow in general. And before any of you ask, no I am not one of those "gym bros" who don't train legs, like I said my strength is above average (for my weight) including my leg strength. Is there something specific I need to train? A certain muscle or group? Please help I am struggling to find answers online.

Hello, I could use some advice. I purchased an Acty with AC, under 100k kms from CFJ recently, and after payment, the seller was getting the Acty ready. It was overheating and the mechanic told them:
"There was less water in the engine and if he put water at proper level, water leaks from manifold and he has to replace it, but unfortunately the part is no longer available so he cannot fix it. Also he suggested us to give up the truck because even we fix it, it was overheated many times in the past and engine was damaged allover. Also A/C is not working.
We have decided we cannot send this truck because we know you will have trouble."
I bought this Acty because I live in a hot climate, need AC, and wanted lower mileage. They offered me a replacement option that had door rust and asked me to accept it, saying they'd paint it. It had a lot more kms and i ultimately declined and asked for a refund. The seller is stating, ok, we'll just send you the bad one.
My question: is there really nothing I can do here? I feel the condition violates the terms of CFJ on the invoice:

1. CAR FROM JAPAN presents information about the condition and function of vehicle(s) accurately, to the best of its ability and knowledge. By purchasing vehicle(s) from CAR FROM JAPAN, the Buyer understands and agrees that the vehicle(s) might be an USED one, the conditions are described as honestly as possible, and vehicle(s) are not guaranteed to be same as the image the Buyer might have about the vehicle(s). The Buyer cannot put forth a claim on the vehicle(s) condition upon delivery.
   • An Acty that doesn't drive without overheating, and doesn't have working AC doesn't fit an honest description of the vehicle, IMO
2. After CAR FROM JAPAN have received the payment of invoiced amount within deadline, if CAR FROM JAPAN cancels the deal for unavoidable reasons (for example, natural disaster, the product has been damaged or not available), CAR FROM JAPAN will refund the Buyer 100% of the amount received, and CAR FROM JAPAN will bear the bank cost for the refund.
   • Their "decision" to not send the truck because they know its trash seems to fit the product being damaged.

I'm still waiting on CFJ to respond as I asked them directly, rather than working with the sales rep I'm assigned for this vehicle. Just thought I'd ask the community for any ideas or recommendations.