Blake was listening to his sister through his headphones while she ripped into him about his hopeless addiction to pornography. He rolled his eyes as she went on and on about his sexist attitudes and his distorted views on women and sex. If his sister had only known that he was scrolling through explicitly drawn versions of Marge Simpson and Lois Griffin in various poses with various props, she would have hung up the phone and given up.
As far as Blake was concerned there were no distortions in his mind about women. He had lived through so many interactions and had seen so many videos of women being terrible people that it only reinforced his bias.
Porn didn’t judge Blake. Porn didn’t make Blake do things that he didn’t want to do. He spent time with women the way he wanted to. If he wanted a woman to act a certain way, he could find a video where she did just that.
The way he saw it, women wanted a lot, and if they didn’t get what they wanted, they made everyone’s life hell until they did. Conversely, if a man wanted something, it was tough luck. He watched his mother treat his father like that until the day he died, overworked and unhappy.
Less than a year after his mother put his father in the ground, she was with someone else that she was all too happy to control. Porn gave Blake the control, and he liked it.
“Blake, I love you, but you’re going to waste your whole life in front of a screen holding your dick.”
“Don’t you have another kid that you should be working on squirting out?”
She hung up.

Blake was caught watching videos at work again, but this time he had a plan. He knew eventually that he would be caught, but after losing three jobs for the very same reason, he hatched a simple way of ensuring that he wouldn’t lose out on any money, and be able to stick it to the boss and company he hated for no other reason than employing him.
Blake was called into his manager’s office, but before anything could be said, Blake blurted out that he needed to take mental leave. He sobbed in front of his manager while he said that the job was giving him thoughts of hopelessness and self harm, but he was smiling on the inside. He was talking just loud enough for a few people outside of the office to hear him.
His manager's face was red.
“Cornered you, bitch.” Blake thought to himself. “Good luck firing someone who’s crying out for mental help.”
Blake figured that he’d be able to stretch this out for at least a month. A month of paid time off doing what he loved.

“It’s my phone!” he muttered to himself as he rode the elevator down to his new found freedom. “If people have a problem with the things I’m looking at, perhaps they shouldn’t be looking over my shoulder and mind their own fucking business.”
He didn’t mind the other people in the elevator, or their awkward expressions. They didn’t matter to him. No one really did.

Still on a high from manipulating his boss into a corner, Blake decided to do something new on the bus ride to his apartment building. He clicked on a video. He wasn’t exactly watching the video, rather he was watching people’s reactions out of the corners of his eyes.
He kept the volume low, but up just enough so the moaning could be heard.
At first, people around him were wondering if they were actually hearing what they thought they were hearing.
He was trying not to laugh at their reactions. People began to move to other seats, and soon enough, everyone was giving him disgusted looks.
“Fuck em.” he whispered.
He noticed one man sitting in the back of the bus who was giving him quite a different look than everyone else. The man was well dressed. Perfect hair. Perfect teeth.
He was smiling at Blake.
Blake, a self admitted and overly enthusiastic homophobe, turned off the video. He began to worry that he had attracted the wrong kind of attention.

Blake was all too eager to get out of the bus and hurry towards the doors to his building. He heard a voice behind him that caused him to catch a breath and lose his forward progress. He turned around. It was the beautiful man from the back of the bus.
“Excuse me! I’d like to have a word!”
Blake found his voice hypnotic, and his stride was elegant, almost like he was floating just above the cracked and cruddy sidewalk.
“I uh… couldn’t help but notice what you were doing on the bus young man. I think I have something you might be interested in.”
Blake was lost in that voice. He had never been attracted to another man, but he was feeling things inside himself that he’d never felt before, and he hated himself for it. After a long awkward silence, Blake finally found his voice.
“Look buddy, take your pixy dust and bother someone else. You’re not my type.”
“Oh, you’re definitely my type.” The beautiful man laughed and handed him a plain white business card with nothing but a web address on it. “In so many different ways, you’re exactly my type.”
“What is this?”
“It’s my business, Kid. You want videos you can’t tear yourself away from? Trust me. It’s the newest thing.”
He winked at Blake and walked away.
-
Blake was staring at his screen while he was riding in the elevator. There was a paywall. A dollar for the first month, then a hundred dollars a month after that.
No screenshots or thumbnails, just a form for a credit card. As the doors opened to his floor, he put his phone in his pocket and decided against any further investigation. He was sure that it was a scam of some kind.

Until ten o’clock that night, Blake engaged in his normal activities with one new addition he had begun almost two weeks prior. He built two shelves in front of two different air vents in his apartment, and he had placed speakers on the shelves. The tenants in his building got to experience all of the auditory pleasures of the thrusting and jiggling and smacking that he was watching.
Blake made sure he followed the rules, and nothing came out of those speakers after ten p.m., but it was fair game until that time.
He would laugh to himself thinking about the tenants having to listen. He wasn’t sure how far the sound traveled through the vents, but he figured that most people on his floor were getting a good chunk of it.
That night though, his usual joyful time in front of his phone, his 70 inch television, and his newly discovered fondness for Cerave was marred by the thought of something unique and dangerous out there that he hadn’t seen.
After several attempts at a satisfactory denouement in his masturbatory madness, Blake finally gave up, raised the white flag on its limp post, and went to bed.

Blake kept hearing the man’s siren-like voice in his head while he tried to sleep. After almost two hours of tossing and turning, he sat up and snatched his phone from the charger and typed his credit card information into the mysterious site. He just had to know.
The site opened up and he was instantly intrigued. There were no thumbnails on any of the videos, but the descriptions on each of them were so graphic, profane, and dehumanizing that it would do us all a great service if they were not repeated here. Blake’s favorite appendage however, jumped to a zealous attention at the graphic depictions that the perverse descriptions painted within his brain.
Blake stripped off his briefs and sat down on the edge of his bed. His left hand gripped the phone while his right hand eagerly gripped something else.
He clicked on the first video and it began to load.
Blake waited.
And waited.
And waited.
The video wasn’t loading, so Blake decided to try another one, only to find that his left thumb wouldn’t move. He realized that his entire body was stiff. Nothing would move with the exception of his eyes. He couldn’t even speak.
All he could do was stare at the glowing screen in the darkness of his apartment.
After a moment, his mind started to race while his body remained ridiculously rigid.

Three hours had passed. Blake had been able to see every minute tick by. He had watched his battery meter slowly run down to eighty percent. He had thought that his screen would eventually turn off, but it never did. It was still trying to load the video.
Something was tickling his nose and his face itched. His back had begun to ache and he felt some tiny pin pricks along his still turgid tool. He wanted to cry, but nothing would come. In fact, his eyes had begun to dry because he had not been able to blink.
Blake watched another hour go by before his body finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep, in spite of the fact that he could not close his eyes.

He awoke six hours later and his vision was partially obscured. Still holding his phone and his phallus, Blake tried to scream. The sun was now coming through the window of his apartment. He could see his reflection in the mirror that was on the opposite wall. His hair was long, and it was white. A spotty and wiry beard had exploded out of his face and it hung down to just above his enlarged and sagging nipples set in a sagging and flabby chest.
His breaths were shorty and ragged; phlegm was gurgling with each inspiration.
His arms and legs were covered in large liver spots and all of his skin was a purple paper thin.
He was old.
The shock of seeing his hunched and rigid reflection had staved off the feeling of pain from his nether regions for only a moment. His fingernails were growing on his hands. Some of the yellow things were curling around his phone while the others were curling and jabbing into what now looked like a deflated balloon stretched too thin, that was desperately trying to retreat into his abdomen against his rigid grip.
The battery on his phone was blinking.
It was about to die. He wondered what happened when the battery ran out, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew exactly what would happen when that loading screen finally went dark.
His sister’s words were all he could think about as the screen and the world went dark.

After several nights of peace, Blake’s neighbors noticed an awful smell emanating from the air vents. After several complaints, the building’s Super opened Blake’s apartment and found the withered, still rigid frame of a dead old man sitting upright on the edge of the bed.
After taking several photos that he would post later on social media and stealthily absconding with almost a full bottle of Cerave, the Super called the authorities.

JAPAN
12 April 1946 – surrender of Japan, brief premiership of Naruhiko Higashikuni (14 April to 9 June 1946), followed by Kijūrō Shidehara. Occupation mostly carried by US troops, but also Commonwealth zone (UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand), led by Douglas MacArthur as the SCAP (Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers)
Situation is even way worse than in our reality thanks to all the destruction. First effort is gíve relief to the starving population. Even greater than in our reality are efforts to remove Hirohito (and it is impossible to imagine for the most of Allied leaders including Truman and Churchill to keep him on the throne after this brutal invasion), and despite opposition of MacArthur, Allies force the emperor to abdicate (and renounce divine status) in favour of regency headed by Takahito, (27 July 1946), when Akihito comes to age, he would become the Emperor. Hirohito’s abdication marks the beginning of Seika era, era of Emperor Akihito.
Hirohito is still given all possible protections against any trials for war crimes by MacArthur and is basically sent to comfortable retirement. Institution of monarchy is protected by Allies. Through 1946-1947 many westernisation reforms by MacArthur, based largely on FDR’s New Deal, as in our reality. April-May, political prisoners were released, and Communist Party of Japan was legalised and became politically active organising strikes. 10 February 1947 the first election with women suffrage, victory of Democratic Liberal Party headed by war criminal Hatoyama, who was eventually purged by Allied administration, so Shigeru Yoshida became new prime minister (22 March 1947).
By mid-1947 many officials connected to war crimes were purged, however since then, the course was reversed due to American need for the creation of a powerful Ally against the USSR and many regained power or at least avoided persecution. Through 1947 Americans wrote a new Japanese constitution (later in American myths it was MacArthur completely by himself), 3 August 1947 it was presented. Major shift from our reality is that Article 9, although considered, is not included in such sense as in our reality, it states only that “Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes” second part about demilitarisation is missing. Since summer 1947, US authorities adopt “Reverse Course” policies - aforementioned rehabilitation of officials, also protection of Zaibatsu (which Americans originally wanted to break-up and weaken), and reconstruction. Tokyo Trials 26 September 1946 to 12 January 1950 – MacArthur’s cover up of Japanese war crimes to a lesser extent, but it still does happen (including Unit 731). Taft also, like in Germany, attacks trials as “victor's justice”. From 25 December to 31 1950 Khabarovsk war crimes trials in the USSR about war criminals from Manchuria.
Persecution of growing Japanese communist movement starts. 1948-1951 “Red Purge”. Since March 1949 Dodge Line plan of right-wing economic reforms (cutting public spending, limiting public consumption, and reorienting industrial production in favour of export-oriented), also increase in unemployment and law against unions passed. In 1949 conflicts between communists and authorities escalated into many strikes, pro-communist politicians and officials began to be fired, after summer strike waves also purges of workers and academics. 1 July 1949 Japanese Self-Defence forces established – official remilitarisation. 23 October 1949 election, victory of DLP, electoral success of communists.
Peace Treaty with Japan
President Taft was eager to restore Japanese Independence – SCAP already transferred large amount of authority to Japanese trough 1949, secretary of the state William Richards Castle Jr took initiative. Despite Taft’s initial opposition to idea of continuous military presence, he is persuaded to keep limited number of stationed troops. Peace Treaty with Japan was scheduled after Treaty with Germany. Talks began in August 1950, however talks collapsed over China, despite at the time everyone recognised KMT, Soviets wanted PRC representatives to also attend. Other negotiations were called for January 1951, which resulted into calling for a Peace Conference with Japan in San Francisco analogous to the previous one with Germany. 6 March to 8 August 1951 San Francisco Conference, USSR and its allies boycotted them due to not including Chinese representatives. Despite Chinese and Soviets not being present, their interests were considered. Taiwan was ceded to China, Sakhalin, and Kuril Islands to USSR, unlike OTL Okinawa and more territories were already given back to Japan. Treaty was signed 8 August 1951, valid since 8 March 1952. Separate peace treaties were signed between Japan and ROC (30 January 1953), the Soviet Union and Korea “Vladivostok Treaties” 28 April 1952, these treaties recognised Soviet control over former Japanese territories and entitled Japan to pay reparations to Korea.
8 September 1951 U.S.-Japan Security Treaty was signed, which dictated Japan to accept continuous American military presence. This treaty caused a wave of resistance in Japan, uniting Japanese from right to left. Bloody May Day – over a million protestors in all of Japan, in Tokyo these protests escalated into violence and protests were massacred by police. 1 October 1952 election victory of Yoshida’s Liberal Party. 10 November 1952 coronation ceremony of Emperor Akihito, it marks symbolic beginning of new post-war Japan.
Philippines – 4 July 1947 United States gave official independence to Philippines and retained there many military bases (agreement from 1946 establishes bases for 99 years!) and the US still keeps a degree of political and economic dominance. 28 June 1946 Manuel Roxas became president of Philippines (still under US control then), communists were expelled from Congress despite being democratically elected – Hukbalahap Rebellion resumes (June 1946) and gained substantial strength, United States interferes and supports the government. On 15 April 1948 Roxas died of a heart attack; he was succeeded by vice-president Elpidio Quirino (re-elected in a fraudulent election 8 November 1949). Since the Taft Presidency, interests of Americans in Philippine affairs decreased, aid against Huks drained. President Quirino initiated major social reforms during his second term and attempted mostly useful land reform. 1950-1951 Huks successfully boosted their strength with seizing and keeping control over the centre of Laguna province – Santa Cruz. In 1952 Huks controlled sizable parts of the country and due to government corruption and brutality against rebels had also popular support. In 1951 they started to obtain massive support from China (from 1948 they were also backed by Korea).
Indonesia
Independence
As Japan surrendered, two days later on 14 April 1946 Indonesia (then with its majority under Japanese control) Indonesia declared independence, Sukarno became president and Hatta vice-president. Indonesians took advantage of the lack of established authority. Indonesia was occupied by Commonwealth forces (started in late May 1946). 27 June to 20 July 1946 a large battle between Indonesian and British forces – Battle of Surabaya, under significant losses results into a British victory. Churchill wanted to restore Dutch colonial rule and was ready to back them.
Important is Dutch reaction, Dutch government at the time was coalition between all parties formed after liberation by the Red Army in September 1945 (in wikibox there is 1946, another mistake overlook until I needed that), all parties with exception of CPN supported re-conquest of Indonesia, while communists wanted to grand them independence. CPN is vigorously opposed to continued colonisation and due to CPN securing second place in 1946 election and to lesser degree Soviet pressure on Dutch to recognise Indonesia, talks began in February 1947. Coincidentally with the December 1946 election there was a Malino Conference in which representatives of Dutch controlled territory backed the plan for creation of Dutch aligned federal states. 15 February 1947 Linggadjati Round Table Agreement is signed, in which Netherlands recognises Indonesian Republic controlled territory and both sides agree on formation of the Federal Republic of Indonesia (Republic, East Indonesia and Kalimantan) by 1 January 1948, FRI would newly formed Netherlands-Indonesian Union with the Dutch monarch as head. Similar agreement was reached in our reality but failed. In this timeline everything goes through, despite the fall of the Dutch coalition in summer 1947.
Federation
First Indonesian prime minister under Sutan Sjahrir (April to 3 December 1946), replaced by Amir Sjarifuddin, his cabinet included leftist forces, eventually even communists, who were instrumental in making agreement with the Netherlands (as part of the Dutch coalition were also communist negotiators). This cabinet stayed in power, avoiding real life events of the Madiun Affair. New government headed by Mohammad Hatta was formed after the creation of the federal republic. Creation of this republic was met with criticism from Islamists, who launched the Darul Islam rebellion led by Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosoewirjo (7 August 1948). Overall, young Indonesia was a very unstable country. Anti-unitary forces attempted a failed coup in January 1950. Federation was not popular among Indonesians, so it was quickly dissolved and replaced with a unitary republic (14 April 1950). The Republic of South Maluku attempted to break away with Dutch support, however failed to do so.
Liberal Democratic Period (to 1952)
Newly declared Indonesian republic adopted its constitution and became a free parliamentary democracy. First government was a leftwing one again under Sjarifuddin, however eventually collapsed due to Indonesian National Party (12 October 1950, replaced by cabinet of Mohammad Natsir), but this government managed to pass electoral law, so first Indonesian legislative elections were held (29 September 1951), lot of parties ran and get seats – four largest were PNI (left wing nationalism), Masyumi (liberal Islamism), Nahdlatul Ulama (Islamism), PKI (communists) and PSI- Parsi (democratic socialism). Result was a right leaning coalition under Sidik Djojosukarto (PNI- Masyumi and several minor parties), in 1952 Indonesia officially left “Union” with Netherlands.
British Malaya
1 November 1946 British colonies were united into the “Malayan Union”, strengthening and centralising British control, stripping local sultans of their powers. This created another opposition movement under nationalist United Malays National Organisation, they applied massive resistance and did not participate in British institutions. Unlike OTL, during the Churchill years, there was no reform. In 1952 (1 February) it was transformed due to this massive and long resistance (and also due to large scale communist uprising) to Federation of Malaya, attempting to appease at least conservative nationalists.
Anti–British National Liberation War (early years)
Postwar economic turmoil, powerful communist organisation, brutal response of colonial authorities to strikers. Malaya was a key British source of resources, to pay for US debts (even way more rising in importance after Taft). 17 June 1948 Sungai Siput incident – revenge killing of plantation managers lead to massive British anti-communist arrests, and communists went into hiding. Also, the uprising in Burma (1947) also plays a role as another new motivation. February 1949 Malayan National Liberation Army under Chin Peng is formed (reformed from anti-Japanese resistance movement), MNLA has support of the population and is based in jungles and areas very hard to access for colonialists. Britain imposes very harsh repression against the population, leading to even more widespread support for MNLA. April 1950 “Briggs Plan” adopted forced deportations of ethnic Chinese to camps (up to half million people). The UK also uses Agent Orange (as the first country in the World), murders and tortures countless civilians, and destroys villages.
6 October 1951 British High Commissioner Henry Gurney survives MNLA ambush, this is actually damaging to the British as his replacement Gerald Templer was more competent in fighting with partisans. British forces are aided by other commonwealth nations. By 1953 the UK had problems dealing with communists and communists were stronger compared to our reality.
British Sarawak, North Borneo, Brunei
These territories were separated from Malaya in 1946. This was opposed by Malays but supported by the Chinese. Resistance by Malays culminated in assassination of Duncan Stewart. Small communist rebellion also started.
Thailand – After the war in June 1946 king Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) returned back to Thailand, however, was found shot dead on 26 March 1947 his death was blamed on prime minister Pridi Banomyong, who was forced to resign being replaced by Luang Thamrong.
In 1946 Thailand had to return territories to France. The 20 October 1946 election resulted in the victory of the People's Party, the first government was formed by Khuang Aphaiwong, he was however replaced by Pridi Banomyong after a lost vote of confidence (6 January 1947). Pridi was supportive of Vietnamese Independence, so he ended up being overthrown in a US backed coup (8 November 1947), this coup brough Plaek Pibulsonggram back to power. Military allied with royalists and Khuang Aphaiwong was appointed prime minister. New constitution gave back powers to Monarchythat were decreased in the 1932 revolution. To counter the power of royalist military and Pridi allied supporters, another coup was carried out on 6 April 1948, fully returning Plaek to power; he eventually secured power and foced Pridi into exile. Plaek attempted to fully secure power and destroy opposition, but due to lack of US support since 1949, he was eventually ousted by Pridi and his supporters (11 February 1949). New Direk Jayanama-led left-wing democratic government, managed to secure limited support of USSR and larger one of China (but also Britain due to their previous alliance with Allies) and tried to adopt non alignment foreign political stance. Internal political reforms – reduced power of monarchy, new legislature (in June 1950 democratic election), thanks popular policy of land reform government gained widespread support from the rural population. 29 November 1951 anti-Pridi parts of the military attempted a coup against him as returned from exile Plaek Phibunsongkhram, but eventually failed and Plaek was banished. In 1952 the government turned against conservative royalists and attempted to even further weaken the monarchy.
Vietnam
March Revolution 16 March to 15 April, Abdication of Emperor Bảo Đại (already before surrender of Japan because of fears of French invasion) -> creation of Vietnamese Democratic Republic. In late April North Vietnam was occupied by Chinese forces to accept the surrender of the Japanese. In March also general Leclerc arrives. Fontainebleau Agreements in mid-1946 between Vietnam and France, Vietnam as part of the French Union. With the return of France (November 1946) fighting erupted, war erupted in March 1947. By October France took over main population centres.To increase French support, State of Vietnam was created under emperor Bao Dai (2 August 1949) In 1950 Vietnam recognised by the soviet bloc. Same year the UK recognised the State of Vietnam. In late 1950 Viet Minh launched a successful offensive. In January 1951 de Tassigny was appointed to command, under his leadership France had limited military success. Hower financing the war became a major problem around this time. In March 1951 Viet Minh won in the crucial battle of Vĩnh Yên (17 March) and Viet Minh got close to Hanoi, but the French eventually managed to hold the city after heavy losses.
Change came in 1952 from Paris, talks started in February and eventually ceasefire was declared (28 February). Paris Conference – France officially recognised Democratic Republic of Vietnam, State of Vietnam was not invited as France and DRV both agreed that it was French colony (this was heavily criticised). End of war was also connected with referendum about future of Vietnam, if people support State of Vietnam in union with France or DRV. Referendum was held 14 June 1952 and resulted into landslide victory for Vietminh. Emperor abdicates and State of Vietnam dissolves, but some members of its military continue to resist DRV.
Newly independent Vietnam became a key ally for all of the socialist bloc in Asia and supported anti-colonial movements. In 1952 land reform began – often turned violent with execution of landlords. In 1953 the first five-year plan was launched, focusing on developing the country.
Laos – After the defeat of Japanese anti-colonial Lao Issara emerged. Lao monarch king Sisavang Vong however agreed with restoration of the French protectorate, Lao Issara with aid from China and Viet Minh attempted to resist re-imposition of French rule, however movement was weak and failed to do so and eventually dissolved itself in 1949. In January 1947 an agreement was signed that pledged France to give Laos autonomy inside the French Union. 1950 – Pathet Lao is formed and joins Viet Minh against French forces. In 1952 French officially withdrew from the country.
Cambodia – In 1946 king Norodom Sihanouk attempted to negotiate independence with the French, December 1946 election was held that resulted in victory of the left-wing Democratic party over conservative Liberal party. 23 October 1947 Democratic party dominated assembly passed a constitution modelled on the French one. After the death of Democratic party founder Sisowath Yuthevong, the party divided itself and cannot agree on a concrete program. In 1948 Cambodia was given autonomy by the French. After independence in April 1952, Democratic Party was largely boosted by this success. This avoided the fall of parliamentary democracy.
Ceylon (Sri Lanka)– Sri Lankan leaders led by Don Stephen Senanayake attempted to reach independence through negotiations. However, negotiations with secretary of colonies Oliver Stanley led only to self-governance and the British initially rejected granting Ceylon status of dominion. On 24 September 1947 Senanayake became the first prime minister of the newly formed Ceylonese government. In 1948 granting Dominion status to India led to demonstrations in Ceylon, Senanayake increased his pressure towards Britain. Eventually Ceylon was given the same status as India and Pakistan 4 February 1949. The Senanayake family had a lot of power, after the death of Senanayake (26 March 1952) his son Dudley was chosen by the British governor.
OCEANIA AND AMERICAS (Basically restating history with occasional minor changes, brief)
Australia – 5 July 1945 death of prime minister John Curtin, he was succeeded by Frank Forde until Labour elected Ben Chifley as its new leader. 28 October 1946 Labour government was re-elected against the emerging Liberal Party. His government was characterised by successful Keynesian social democratic politics, similar to later Attlee in UK, (social welfare, universal healthcare – in real life modelled after British one, this timeline it is vice versa, ie. The Chifley government serves as an example for Attlee elected in 1951) starting Australian postwar economic growth. Australia also supports migration to increase its population (Europeans due to the still existing “White Australia” policy). Left-wing policies, such as nationalisations, created opposition from capitalists and their conservative affiliates in politics and media. Criticism also comes from the left due to the government's anti-communism and breaking of strikes. 10 December 1949 Liberal prime minister Robert Menzies was elected. Anti-communism, in 1950 Communist party was banned, it was ruled unconstitutional. 28 April 1951 a new election, triggered the failure of the banking bill, still a victory for Liberals, however they weakened themselves with this move. In 1951 Menzies declared a referendum about banning communist parties and this timeline people agreed, leading to persecution of many communists, it was criticised as a major attack on freedom of political expression. Red Scare was similar to the US at the time, but pushed by Menzies' government. Liberal economic policies, this time taking inspiration from Taft.
New Zealand – 27 November 1946 election, victory of ruling Labour Party, Labour declined and lost popularity due to continuous post-war rationing and Fraser’s support for compulsory military service. 30 November 1949 National Party led by Sidney Holland was elected. The Legislation was changed from bicameral to unicameral, economic reforms, however the National government still supported the welfare state. Conflict with Unions, culminating into the waterfront dispute of 1951, the government responded harshly against workers with strong anti-union legislation, even outright criminalising support for them. 11 July 1951 the government was re-elected and gained more seats as a large part of the public supported their stance against workers, due to widespread anti-communism.
Oceania – “Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands” established in 1948 was originally controlled by the USA as OTL, but eventually transferred to the United Kingdom in 1950, as the US was not interested in its administration.
Canada – economic boom, social welfare Keynesian economic policies. 20 May 1946 first postwar election, victory of Liberals, however failed to obtain majority and had to rely on leftwing Co-operative Commonwealth, resulting in Canada building the strongest welfare state from Commonwealth states and becoming the most progressive one (and also becoming a major destination for European immigrants). On 15 November 1948 King retired and was succeeded by Louis St. Laurent, a French Canadian strongly opposed to communism. Due to this anti-communist however the ruling coalition collapsed, triggering snap election on 27 June 1949, which resulted in victory of Liberals, who yet again could form government without making coalitions. Shortly before the election, 31 March 1949 Canada united with NewFoundland. Canada took an important role while the US was absent in TATO.
Mexico – 1 December 1946 Miguel Alemán Valdés became president. Pro-business policies and industrialisation, development of infrastructure (dubbed Mexican miracle), however also corruption and elitism. Pro-American foreign policy. 1 December 1952 he was succeeded by Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, he was popular due to his strong stance against corruption and rapid economic development.
Guatemala – In 1944 the country was ruled by dictator Jorge Ubico, who was overthrown by a junta that was overthrown in a popular revolution (20 October 1944), 15 March 1945 Juan José Arévalo became the country's first democratically elected president, who introduced many reforms. He developed the political ideology of Arevalismo "spiritual socialism" -it can be considered a form of democratic socialism. 12 November 1950 Jacobo Árbenz was elected president, he continued the policies of Arévalo and was even more ambitious with his democratic socialist reforms. Largest one was Land Reform (17 June 1952) which greatly benefited hundred of thousands poor Guatemalan people especially indigenous ones, however made very angry American United Fruit Company that controlled majority of land and basically country itself, UFC began to lobby for his overthrown...
British Honduras – Rise of voice for independence and People's United Party
Honduras – Rule of pro American dictator Tiburcio Carías Andino, unlike OTL he did not gave power to his puppets and continued to rule the country directly. Rise of discounted with his regime, even greater due any reforms instituted by his successor Juan Manuel Gálvez were not passed.
El Salvador – Authoritarian rule of Salvador Castaneda Castro (1945-1948), suppression of strikes and opposition, eventually he was deposed by military coup (14.12.1948), after rule of military, Óscar Osorio was appointed president (14.9.1950), he instituted some social reforms, but continued corrupt regime and persecution of opposition.
Nicaragua – Dictatorial rule of pro-American Somoza dynasty. 1947-1950 figurehead presidency of Leonardo Argüello Barreto (after Truman’s pressure for liberalisation).
Costa Rica – 12 March – 24 April 1948 civil war, after an attempt to annul victory of opposition candidate José Figueres Ferrer in election, it ultimately led to victory of rebels with US help. José Figueres Ferrer became provisional president. and pushed many important reforms: abolished the military, gave women suffrage, welfare, nationalisations of banks and also outlawed communist party. 1949-1953 presidency of Otilio Ulate Blanco that upheld these reforms.
Panama – pro-American parliamentary democracy dominated by oligarchy.
Colombia – 9 April 1948 popular democratic socialist presidential candidate of the Liberal Party Jorge Eliécer Gaitán was assassinated. This triggered the “La Violencia” (1948-1958) period of massive unrest between the left and the right, over 200 000 died, at the start of the Colombian conflict. On 9 November 1949 Liberal opposition attempted to impeach president Ospina Pérez, he dissolved Congress, creating a presidential dictatorship. Liberal leaders launched an uprising in rural areas (originally it was intended to be a military coup, that however in real life did not take place and here took place and failed). 7 August 1950 new Conservative dictatorial president Laureano Gómez Castro, admirer of Franco, suffered a major heart attack and power was transferred to Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez in 1951.
Venezuela – 18 October 1945 military coup that brought democracy to Venezuela (October 1946 and December 1947 democratic elections) under president Rómulo Betancourt. The 1940s economy also boomed thanks to oil. However, on 24 November 1948, the military staged a coup and Marcos Pérez Jiménez became dictator, under his oppressive regime there was great economic development, and he was close to the US.
Ecuador – President José María Velasco Ibarra was ousted in military coup (23 August 1947), 1947-1948 unstable country was ruled by military Carlos Mancheno Cajas, eventually military gave power to former vice-president Mariano Suárez Veintimilla, who gave his powers to Congress that elected Carlos Julio Arosemena Tola (31 August 1947). His presidency was strongly allied with the United States. 1 September 1948 Galo Plaza, another strongly pro-American figure, became the next president. He supported technocratic approach, democracy and was very open to foreign (mostly American) influence, exporting bananas to America. 1 June 1952 José María Velasco Ibarra (former deposed president, established politician and Ecuadorian nationalist) won election and became president for third term, his term was stable and brought progress, mostly in great development of infrastructure.
Brazil – Fourth Brazilian Republic, president Eurico Gaspar Dutra (1946-1951). Close relations with the US, liberal economic policy. 31 January 1951 Vargas returned after victory in the 3 October 1950 election. Keynesian economic policy, 1953 creation of PETROBRAS. Rua Tonelero shooting an assassination attempt on leading opposition member Carlos Lacerda (5August 1954) blamed on Vargas by opposition in a strong campaign, 24 August 1954 he committed suicide.
Perú – 1945 leftwing president José Luis Bustamante y Rivero, restoration of democracy. 29 October 1948 military seized power in a coup after murder of a prominent right-wing editor. Manuel Odría's regime strongly persecuted leftwing APRA, supported powerful oligarchy and gained favour of people thanks to populist rhetoric and policies.
Bolivia – 1947 to 1949 rule of Enrique Hertzog, conservative American aligned government. Economy in a terrible state, social unrest and intensified class struggle. Dominant opposition group was Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MRN) with a program of nationalisations and land reform. Next president Mamerto Urriolagoitía installed military rule (16 May 1951) under Hugo Ballivián. 9 April 1952 Bolivian National Revolution overthrew the junta. Víctor Paz Estenssoro became president. Many left-wing and democratic reforms transformed the country: universal suffrage, nationalisation of mining, large land reform (however created farms were eventually again taken over by large landowners), great influence of trade unions and workers.
Paraguay – Dictator Higinio Morínigo was pushed by the US to liberalise his regime, he legalised political parties and formed a coalition between Colorado and Febreristas. Later ones resigned from the government (11 January 1947) and united with opposition forces (Liberals and Communists) and attempted to topple his regime starting a civil war (7 March – 20 August 1947), despite opposition having popular support, and the government was saved by the US and Argentina. All parties with exception of Colorado were banned and the country became one party state. 16 August 1948 leader of Colorado Juan Natalicio González was elected president. He promoted nationalist policies; several American companies were nationalised. Due to American non-interventionism, three attempted coups against the president failed due to lack of any outside support. In other ways Paraguay was a stable country during his presidency.
Uruguay – functioning democracy, dominance of liberal Colorado party. Presidents: Juan José de Amézaga (1943-1947) – social reforms, economic stability and growth. Tomás Berreta (1947) died in office, Luis Batlle Berres (1947-1951) continued social and leftwing economic reforms.
Chile – Democratic presidential republic. September 1946 presidential election, Gabriel González Videla (Radical) elected. During his presidency many communist strikes, under US pressure Videla passed “Permanent Defense of Democracy Law” (8.9.1948) that banned the communist party, many imprisoned, strikes brutally suppressed, relations with socialist bloc broken. Radicals created alliance with Liberals and Conservatives. 4 September 1952 resulted in the victory of former president nationalist general Carlos Ibáñez del Campo. He repealed the ban on communists and also gained support from the left.
Argentina – Peron and Peronism. Nationalism, populism, social welfare, improvement of working conditions, development of local industry, growing power of the trade unions, authoritarian rule and persecution of opposition etc. Non-aligned foreign policy stance. 26 July 1952 death of Eva Peron.
Cuba – Presidents Ramón Grau (44-48) and Carlos Prío Socarrás (48-52) of left-wing nationalist Partido Auténtico. 10.3.1952 democracy overthrown by Batista’s coup. Pro-American authoritarian regime, serving interests of American elites owning majority of the county.
Haiti – 1946 revolution (11.1) – military seized power and new National Assembly was elected, Dumarsais Estimé became president (16 August 1946 to 10 May 1950), attempts of reforms, focused on expanding education, expansion of worker’s rights, creation of social security system (no passed), major nationalisations. His presidency was marked by growth and economic development. In foreign policy he was allied towards the US. After he tried to extend his time in office, he was removed by the military. General Paul Magloire became new president, he was elected president in 1950 first direct election.
Dominican Republic – Totalitarian far-right dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Ally of the US.
INDEPENDENT STATES IN AFRICA
Ethiopia – Emperor Haile Selassie. 15 September 1952 Federation Between Ethiopia and Eritrea formed.
Liberia – US aligned. President William Tubman (1944-1971), stable period.
South Africa – 26 May 1948 Reunited National Party won election. Daniël François Malan became prime minister, 1948-1953 apartheid instituted.
Colonial Africa would be addressed in the next part (since there aren’t too much events 1946-1952, 1953 to 1956 is extremely eventful on the other hand) North Africa covered in another post

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUEASTIONS AND ANSWERS : The Qur'an says: Primordial Convenant.Part2
The question–answer of the covenant should not be thought of in a material or corporeal sense. God commands beings according to their particular individual nature, and listens to their needs and speech and whatever issues from them. Thus, He understands all and fulfils their needs. In the scholastic theologians' terminology, the Almighty understands all languages and dialects; issues commands and communicates truths in them; explains and expounds humanity and the universe; and takes promises and makes covenant with them in the form of words, for which the technical term is kalam-i lafzi. There is also a Divine Speech specific to animals as inspiration, and to angels as divine discourse. Although their precise natures are unknown to us, obviously it is non-verbal and consists of different manifestations of the so-called kalam-i nafsi.
Divine Speech is so diverse and extensive—from the inspiration coming to the human heart to the discourse addressed to the angels—and the forms of communication between the Creator and His creation are so different and occur in such different realms that those who inhabit one realm cannot hear or detect the communications belonging to another realm.
It is a serious mistake to suppose that we can hear everything. It is generally accepted that the range of our hearing, like our sight, is quite limited. What we see and hear is almost nothing when compared to that which we cannot see or hear. For this reason, God's communicating with the atoms or systems within this creation, His composing, decomposing or re-composing them, occur in such sublime ways that our limited perceptive powers cannot detect or understand them.
We cannot know exactly when God made this covenant with us, for such knowledge is beyond the ability of our limited senses and faculties. In fact, He might have made it not with our whole being, but with a specific part, such as our soul, conscience, or one of the soul's sub-faculties.
There is general agreement that the human soul is an entity independent of the body. Since the soul came into existence before the physical body, and in a sense has a particular individual nature outside of time, and since the questioning and acceptance in the covenant was with the soul, our limited powers cannot comprehend or report it fully. The soul hears and speaks without words and voice, as it does in dreams, and communicates extrasensorily and without the medium of sound waves, as in telepathy. This special form of communication is registered and recorded in its own specific way. When its time is due, it will assume its specific form and, using that language, speak and bring to the mind all original associations. At that time, we will see that the covenant has remained imprinted upon the human soul. In addition, it will be adduced as an argument against its possessor on the Day of Judgment.
The souls of all human beings were gathered in a realm that was not veiled by an intervening realm, and so saw everything clearly. After this, they gave God an oath of allegiance. When He asked them to witness against themselves:
"Am I not your Lord?" they replied: "Yes, we witness that You are our Lord and our God."
However, as is common today, some people have never turned to that section of their soul (their conscience). Thus, they have not come across that profoundly inherent covenant in themselves, for they have no interest in it and have not tried to see beyond the corporeal world that intervenes between them and reality.

First
General Karne sat in his office, the floor to ceiling window that lined the far wall displayed a sprawling metropolis that sat at the galactic core. He looked down at the book resting in his claws reading the title again “The Eskaido Conflict- a Firsthand Account” written by Private JW Ringuette. After witnessing the award ceremony the day prior he had decided to pick up what would be his first piece of human literature.
He really was looking forward to seeing that particular human yesterday, but at the time it had been for the wrong reasons. Now he had a different rationale for wanting to meet him, but that would not be possible. As meaningful as the ceremony was, the actual speech had been rather brief. Before attending, he would have been glad if someone told it would be short. He now knows that such a brief recollection of events did not do this human’s actions justice. He remembered his own acceptance speech being nearly 3 hours long and included various celebrations throughout as he covered every detail of his command decisions during his tenure in the Outer Belt Rebellion.
But this award had differed greatly from every other Galactic Honor Medal that had been given. This was the first time it had been given to someone who was not an officer, and not even a noncommissioned officer at that. This wasn’t given to someone who had the luxuries of a command post off-world in a pristine office or a comfortable room aboard the galaxy's strongest dreadnought. This was given to someone who had been in the dirt and the mud and the blood. One who had seen the worst the galaxy has to offer and made something that mattered out of it. He poured himself a glass of methane infused tea and leaned back in his chair, curling his scaled tail into a comfortable position. He opened the book and began to read the words written by the recently deceased soldier.
Below are excerpts taken from “The Eskaido Conflict- a firsthand account” written by Galactic Honor Recipient Private John William Ringuette during his short time on Eskaido. Additional Quotes are sourced from surviving Eskaido soldiers and Terran military documents along with statistical analyses of the conflict.
February 28th 2287 Terran Standard Calendar
I wasn’t always sure what I was going to end up doing. I mean I knew I’d join the army, my dad was in the army and his dad before him and so on. But I didn't know exactly what I would end up doing if that makes any sense. 20 years with no combat, a boring desk job after 10, where’s the fun in that? I wanted to do the things that kids read about in history books growing up, thats why I chose the infantry. I thought about the Navy too, loved pirates since I was a kid, hell I still am a kid. Maybe I joined to stand out, get noticed, which is pretty damn hard when you got 15 brothers and sisters all under the same roof.
I joined up as early as I could, got my parents to sign the forms at 17, and a few months later I found myself here at Fort Benavidez. Training isn’t bad but sure was harder than running track for my high school back in Boston. Met some great guys here, only a few of us got an OD slot. Never thought I’d get the chance to see some action so early, but I’ve always wanted to do the things that a soldier’s supposed to do, so this is my chance. We get our duty stations tomorrow, all but a few of us are going to Eskaido. All the boys are excited, talking about all the Aliens that they’re gonna kill. I’m one of the ones that got an OD slot, so I’ll actually get a real fucking combat jump. My brother is going to be so jealous when I get back with an Orbital Strike Combat patch.
“March 2287 Easy Co-395 class consisted of 235 infantry graduates. 198 of them were sent to Eskaido, all ages 17-20. Only 26 survived.”
-E-395 IN. Training Co. March Graduates 2287.
March 7th 2287 Terran Standard Calendar
Well I passed Orbital Drop school. It was everything that I was expecting it to be and more. A welcome change of pace compared to infantry school though. The food was better, we ran a lot more which was fine by me. It was funny finishing all the runs minutes ahead of the other guys. I just sat there yelling at em cheerin’ em on when they passed the finish line. Sometimes the Black Hats would talk to me to pass the time, other times they just said good job and left it at that. I wasn’t really looking for their validation, but it was cool to get it. Guess all that time I spent running finally paid off which is a good feeling.
They say we’re going to be at Eskaido in less than a week. I’m getting nervous as it’s getting closer. I mean this is the first war that we’ve been in for almost a century. I finally understand how those soldiers felt back during D-Day in world war II. I wonder what it’s like off-world, I don't know much about Eskaido but I think I remember some other guys saying it’s cold. We’ve only been involved with all these different aliens for a few years and we’re already getting into a fight. I’m no politician but I’m not sure that's a great look for intergalactic politics if you ask me. Oh well, all I gotta worry about is the cold and I don’t do well with the cold. But I guess it's my job to be uncomfortable, now I just gotta embrace it.
“During Eskaido, our Paradroppers had a 75% fatality rate. If they survived entry then they were often killed before joining up with their squad. 60% of paradroppers had less than three months of training.”
-LT COLONEL Mickey Hayes when asked about Eskaido Paradroppers
March 12th 2287 Terran Standard Calendar
Fuck today was surreal. It honestly felt like a dream, maybe fever dream would be the better way to describe it. We were all crammed into that shuttle when we reached orbit. We couldn’t see outside to know what was going on, just had to trust our Pilot to get us over the drop zone. We had a shaky entry and the shuttle sounded like it was going to tear itself apart. We all lined up at the door as we felt the dropship heating up. Once we got the go ahead we were pushed out the door one by one. I looked up to see the shuttle itself nearly melted as the last few almost made it out, then I got my first look at Eskaido. I saw the vast white expanse of ice and rocky hills that littered the landscape, fuck guess im fighting on Hoth. That's a cool way to look at this. Some cities were visible in the distance, but the biggest thing I noticed was the tracer fire. Well I thought it was tracers, turns out that was superheated plasma. Other shuttles weren’t as lucky as ours and several other paratroopers pulled too early and their chutes got burned up by some stray shots. I waited for my altimeter to start beeping before I pulled the chute just like I’d been trained.
I hit the ground, I’d done two drops before, but fuck landing on rocks hurts a lot more than soft grass. There wasn’t any cover around but thankfully I was in a pretty secluded area. I pulled out my terramap and started making my way to the rally point. As much as I loved rucking, I wasn’t too keen on walking 12 miles in an active warzone all by myself. Oh well just gotta embrace it.
I got to the patrol base a few hours ago, chafing like a motherfucker and just wanting to stop walking. We had most of the platoon out here by the time I arrived. I had never actually met them before today, they didn’t say much in the shuttle but they said there was supposed to be a lot more of us. We holed up in the snow that night, I was thankful that we got issued the arctic dropsuit for this and yet my hands are still trembling from the cold as I hold this pencil right now.
“Yea it was about -40 during the day to maybe -80 at night when I was on Eskaido [...] Yea celsius, so I guess that's around -100 for you americans. I remember sometimes someone would get shot and they wouldn’t bleed. Come to find out the blood in the wound had already frozen solid the second it touched the air.”
-SGT Takeshi “Tiny Man” Munemori when recalling Eskaido.
March 14th 2287 Terran Standard Calendar
I killed one today, well I think I did. I shot one today might be a better way to say it. To be honest it was kind of hard to tell. He was so far off in the distance and wind really whipped around the snow so it was really hard to see anything. The thermal goggles barely even worked after 100 meters. He was running across a road maybe 500 out, I took the shot and he fell down but slowly dragged himself to his feet. I think I was too stunned to shoot him a second time, I don't know why I didn't. But it didn’t feel as good as I thought it would, didn’t feel like anything but it’s not like I was looking him in his eyes when I shot him. Do they even have eyes? Maybe they have something entirely different.
Other than that I still don’t know what they look like. It looked tall, I think they're supposed to be reptilian, or maybe amphibian? Don’t quote me on it, I’m not a biologist. That was really all that happened today. PL says we’re heading into a town here soon to look for signs of civilians. I wonder what the Eskaidians look like, I guess technically that's why I’m here, for them that is. It’s just weird thinking that I’m supposed to be here to save a species that I’ve never seen or heard of before. And now I’m fighting a species I’ve also never seen or heard of, until I shot one.
For many in Eskaido this was their first experience off-world. At the time of the conflict only the most privileged and elite had been able to travel to other systems. Many who joined the war effort came from families who could not afford to go off-world, hoping for a chance to see the stars. They had no way of knowing just how brutal Eskaido would be.
-Quote from “Political Inequality in a Galactic World” by MAJ Matt Anderson .

0600 - The Vengeful Spirit

It was supposed to be normal, standard even. A Druhkari attack on the world they were in current diplomatic actions with for their compliance and joining the fold of the Imperium. Surprising, but not shocking, the planetary leaders had mentioned that they had to deal with Druhkari slavers from time to time. This was expected to be rather quick, as this world wanted to join the Imperium, for both protection and resources, so I did not join Hathor planet side.
It was a small detachment of Druhkari slavers, not expecting the Emperors finest. They would push back and eliminate the Druhkari, or as worst set a defensive line and flank. They had everything in advantage, and was mostly expected the Druhkari would retreat when witnessing their disadvantage. So I remained aboard the flagship, sitting near low orbit, passing the time with training.
I felt a sharp pain as the wooden sparring sword dug between his ribs, pulling him from his thoughts, and shoving him to the ground. He laid there wheezing for a moment, trying to catch his breath when the imposing figure of Sargent Decurius loomed into view. Even silhouetted by the light behind the Sargent as he leaned over him, he cloud still see the slow smile draw itself across his face.
"You're distracted sir." He reached out a hand to help me up, the size dwarfing my own as I reached upwards to grab it. He fully clasped his hand around mine, like an adult would a toddler, and gently helped pull me to my feet.
"It's hard not to be." I responded, slowly catching my breath as I leaned on my wooden sword. Though I was drenched in sweat and marred by bruises, the Sargent was untouched by both my sword and fatigue. "Druhkari are viscous things, and not to be underestimated, and we haven't heard from them since the attack begun an hour ago."
"She's fought them before sir, and plenty more things. It's common for the start of the battle to have little communication with the flagship. When they get into a stable position and establish a front line they will disseminate information and dictate further orders for the troops waiting in orbit...just like always sir."
His tone was even, almost logical in nature, yet I understood why. I was letting my emotions get the best of me, he was attempting to ground me by countering my fears with facts. I smiled at the honest attempt walking over to the pitcher of water that awaited the both of us.
"Thank you Sargent. Not too long ago you would have told be to silence my babbling or go find a nursemaid to cry to."
I poured us both a glass as he cringed slightly at the comment. "It's thanks to you sir. My time with Brother Sresh of the Salamanders was most insightful. Without it, I would not have been able to enjoy the time I have shared with you as I do now."
"Don't thank me Sargent. I simply recognized where you could grow, and an environment where you could do it. It is the duty of all of us to learn and improve. Just as I learn the sword, you learn the soul. The difference is that you are a teacher and pupil, where I am just a pupil. Who you should send your thanks to is who taught you." He gave me a strange look as I handed him his glass, though as soon as I noticed it, it vanished.
I had seen a few marines wear a similar look, but it was a flicker of emotion. One that could not be studied or understood without delving into their very mind or questioning them. If a marine purposefully hid an emotion or thought, no question he could ask would drive it out. Still the Sargent held out his glass of water, offering a simple toast. For a second I thought he was holding the pause just before he spoke for a few moments longer than needed as he knew my thirst, but he finally relented.
"To growth." He said holding his glass out. "To growth." I responded, my glass meeting his before it begun the eager journey to quench my thirst. Just as the water was about to touch my lips the doors burst open. Red faced and breathing heavy was a servant, eyes feverishly searching the room until they landed on me.
"SIR REKEM!" He shouted, barely able to force the words out between labored breaths. I withheld me sigh as my glass was pulled from my lips. "Alright calm down now, I can't have you dropping dead from exhaustion. I'm finishing up my sparring so give me some ti-"
"THE COMMANDER IS INJURED." He chocked out once more, a fit of coughing brought on right after. The silence in the room was physical, like a spell everyone and everything seemed to freeze in time as if that statement was a mystical chant to hold the world still.
Time resumed when the glass from my hand shattered on the floor. The Sargent pulled from his daze rushed over to the pitcher and handed it to the exhausted servant. He turned his head to me to seem my robe flutter out the door and down the hallway. Apparently he was calling my name, I wouldn't know. I couldn't hear anything but the blood in my ears.

0610 - The Helm of the Vengeful Spirit

I rushed to the helm as fast as my legs could carry me though the winding hallways of the void ship. As the doors to the helm came into view the two marines standing guard almost made a half step to stop me until they recognized who I was. For their sake I slowed my run to a stalking march as they opened the doors for me. I skipped the usual thanks and conversation I would start with them, hopping they would understand.
The Sargent for his merit was not far behind me, having become my unofficial bodyguard in the times that Hathor was not onboard the ship. The entire helm seemed to hold it's breath as I stormed in, a crowd of marines standing around a holographic map of the supposed battlefield. Among them Loken stepped forward, hands raised with a prepared speech on his lips.
"Loken the only thing that better leave your mouth is what I want to know or it will be sewn shut."
His mouth snapped shut, turmoil crossing his face as he weighed his options before he finally let out a sigh. "We don't know much. Most communications are being blocked across a large sector, our vox operators assume it to be Xeno tech. Certain transmissions seem to be allowed to get through, but from what we can see this leads to confusion and ambushes." He directed me to the map of the battle field, showing the last known positions of various troops.
"Our forces were pulled into the desert just outside the capital to engage the Xeno's. A vox transmission sent from Captian Kibre managed to breech through the static to tell us that the commander was wounded. Before any further information could be relayed the transmission was shut off."
I nodded and scanned the map as he spoke, recalling my sessions with Minerva as I did so. I wish she was here at this moment, her and Juno would be a godsend against the Druhkari. The creeping weight of the severity of the situation was also something I did not know if I could carry alone. I took a deep breath, turning to Loken. "That is what we know, now what do we think."
Loken was a genius, and Captian of the 10th for a reason. As I asked his eyes returned to the map, his focus drew inward as no doubt hundred of possibilities and plans where conjured, analyzed, and discarded in seconds until only a few remained. Finally he spoke, the lighter tone he used when relaying information was gone. No doubt he as well was doing his best to soften the blow of the news, but now that he was asked for answers he would deliver them.
"The primary information given was the fact the Commander was injured. This means that information was the highest priority, given that such a transmission has never happened before, we can assume that the commander is gravely injured." The phrase alone seemed to suck the air out of the room. If anyone else in any other situation had uttered such a thing they would be seen as mad or as disgracing the capabilities of the commander. I gave a single nod to Loken. "Continue."
"We do know that this is a detachment of Druhkari slavers, but we are taking no precautions to hide our forces. Meaning they either attacked knowing they could fight against us, or attacked knowing we where here. The Druhkari could have attacked any other part of the planet and we would have had a delayed response, but they attacked the only part in which there were members of the Imperium."
The weight of the situation seemed to fall past my shoulders and rest somewhere in my stomach, drawing down a deep pit which only seemed to grow as I slowly reached the conclusion that Loken was describing. Still he continued on, and I hoped that he wouldn't say what I was fearing.
"The fact that the commander was both attacked and injured to an extent to relay it to the flagship, makes me think that either her or someone on the flagship is the target of the slavers." On saying someone he turned to me, as seemingly everyone else on the bridge did. My hands tightened on the metal rim of the holographic map, knuckles turning white. Silence once again gripped the room, settling in my throat like a lump that threatened to choke me. I took another deep breath, loosing myself to my emotions wouldn't help the commander, but I also wouldn't forget them.
"Sargant." I barked out, startling some of the helmsmen as i stood ram rod straight. "Prepare a dropship and yourself immediately. Bring five others of your choice, I trust in your judgement. Call for Apothecary Hannibus, he will be joining us as well. I ne-" Loken cut in, stepping forward.
"Sir this could very well be a trap, for you or anyone else that would go. The commander also stated that you were to st-"
I rounded on him, fire in my eyes as rage seemed to burn my skin. "Captain. With the Commander injured and missing, I am taking command of the Vengeful Spirit and the Luna Wolves. As her consort am I not her second in command of all things?"
I could see the conflict in his mind as it crossed his face briefly. My claims stood on little more than ceremony rather than practiced tradition. Any other officer had a stronger claim to take control of the army than I did right now, but although it was a technicality, it still existed in Imperium law. His voice one against dropped into a lighter tone, an attempt at soothing rather than relaying of analytical information.
"Sir I understand how you feel but now is not the time to be rash. The commander has been thr-" I cut him off once more, my voice raising above his gentle tone.
"I am going to save my wife, Captain. Now you can either kill me or join me becuase anything else won't work and is a waste of my time." Shock wove it's way through the room in a wave. I had always been formal with the Commander, and her with me. Outside of those I regularly spoke with, this statement would certainly come as a surprise. Loken gained control of himself quickly, nodding in response. "I am with you sir."
"Good, stay here and take control of the helm." I turned to leave when he raised his voice in confusion.
"But sir you sai-"
"I know what I said Captain, but your place beside me right now is here. There is a reason the Commander left you here and there is a reason I am. I can not control this fleet, nor can I place reinforcements or respond to flanks. I need someone who can, someone with experience, and who has the trust of many to follow these strategies. Can I trust you to do this Captain?" Loken stalled for a moment, no doubt looking at the possibilities of this action, seeking the best choice he could. Finally after a few seconds he smiled and gave a nod. "Yes sir, you can."
"Good, you have the helm. Sargent with me." I turned on my heel, marching out of the helm to gather what I needed and prepare myself. As the doors closed behind us and we distanced ourselves from the guards I heard the Sargant's voice break the rhythmic beat of our footsteps. "That's the first time you addressed the Commander as your wife Sir."
"Is that going to be a problem Sargant?" Even though I did not turn my head I could feel his smile form on his face as he responded. "No Sir."
I nodded at his answer. "Good, becuase your going to be hearing it a lot more. Now, gather your men and the apothecary, we meet at the drop pods in a half hour." The Sargent turned at an intersection, now sprinting down the halls at a speed I could not hope to match as I made my way to my quarters. I could not tell which emotion was greater in me at the moment. The rage that made my blood feel like fire, or the worry that sunk into my stomach like a bottomless pit. Both spurred me to match the Sargant's idea, and broke into a run to my quarters.

Thank you for the amazing universe!
l Prologue l Previous l Next l
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Will he live?"
The Kolshian doctor ensured that the IV line was set properly in the arm, given feathers and fur tended to get in the way. But he knew what he was doing, and the needle slipped beneath the skin without protest. Confident that the connection was good, he stepped back, taking in the full form of Kalsim with bulbous orange eyes.
The captain was better off than when they found him in the cave, but that wasn't saying much. Naked, delirious, covered in blood, and on the brink of death. His guard wasn't doing much better, spare the mortal injury, but hysterical regardless. He was talking now, but Kalsim wasn't so lucky.
"Barely, maybe. I'm surprised he survived for as long as he did, given the extent of the gash." He regarded the large compress wrapped around the captains chest. Underneath, teal colored medigel worked feverishly to repair the wound. "I'm gonna say the makeshift bandage saved his life."
"Good thinking on his guards part, bad on mine." The other observer sighed. "If only we just escorted him through, all of this could've been avoided. But that's in the past now. Did you manage to preform a brain scan yet?"
The doctor shook his tail. "Unfortunately, it's better to wait until he's stable to run the scan through."
The other thought for a moment. "Do it now."
The doctor was taken slightly aback. "But sir, doing a brain scan on him, in this condition? There's a real chance that the process might kill him."
"I know the risk, but its one we have to take. If he dies, we lose our only piece on the board."
"Are you sure? How useful are his memories to us? Don't we need him alive?"
The other walked to the beside, and gently stroked a tentacles across Kalsim's chest. It carried with it small flakes of violet blood, which a single rub turned to dust.
"We don't need his body, but we need his mind. No matter what happens, we continue on as planned. Understand?"
The doctor was still hesitant, tentacles and tail rapping fidgeting nervously. "Alright, I can get it done. I'm just telling you now that I don't think this is a good idea."
"Nothing we've done so far has been a good idea." The other stepped back from the bed, and moved to exit the small medbay. "But we do what's necessary."
The doctor began the process of setting up the brain scan, while the other made for the door. He took one step out, before he raised his tentacle, and turned back to face the doctor.
"Oh, and do let me know when he wakes up. We have much to discuss."
Memory transcription subject: Kalsim, Captain, United Federation Fleet
Date [standardized human time]: December 31st, 2136
It was not the sound of Kelum's voice that awoke me, nor the agony pulling my chest apart. My first sense of awareness was entirely lacking them, replaced instead by a repeating electronic beat, and what sounded like someone rustling around inside of a cabinet. And pressing against by body was not the ungrateful chill of bare rock, but a plush mattress and soft sheets.
Am I...dead?
Opening my ideas left me staring across what appeared to be a small medbay. At least, it looked like any medbay I would find on one of my ships. Taking the place of the usual zurulian personnel, however, was a kolshain, a deep green, donned in a coat, tentacles shifting through a cabinet hanging over the basin.
"W-where am I?"
The kolshian spun around instantaneously, eyes widened at the sound of my frail voice. "Stars above, your awake." He rushed to my side and began scanning over my face. "How are you feeling? Any pain, any grogginess?"
Maybe I'm not dead? "I...feel fine, I think. The pain is gone, at least."
The kolshain nodded. "Then the medigel did its work, thank the stars above. It looks like your going to be alright."
I looked down to see a large bandage wrapped around my chest, much more professional than the rags that Kelum used as a substitute. In place of the pain, a soothing cold projected from where my wound presumably laid. That must be the medigel he's talking about. I moved my wing around as a bit of a test, and found that besides a few twinges here and there, it was almost like I hadn't been raked at all.
"It's gonna take a couple of months for the wound to heal, and there's definitely going to be a scar." The doctor placed a tentacle on my shoulder. "But you should be able to walk up and about no problem. Do you feel like walking?"
"I...I guess?"
"Alright, let me help you here." A tentacle wrapped around my wing as he gently helped me out of the bed. Placing my legs down on the panel floor felt odd at first, likely the lingering effects of whatever painkillers they pumped into me. But however awkward it was, I could move.
"I gotta say Kalsim, your quite resilient. I've never seen someone survive a wound like that."
I coughed, but it only produced a small wince. "Well, maybe I just have a reason to go on."
"Yes, yes..." The doctor looked towards the door, before concerned eyes turned back to me. "Are you sure that your alright?"
"Yes, I think so..." I paused as I remembered the first question that came to mind. "Where am I? Where's Kelum?"
"Your guard is safe, no worries. He was concerned about you, so he'll be glad to know your up and about."
"Can I see him?"
Some of the doctors compassion seemed to slip away. "Not at the moment. There's more important matters to attend to."
It was then I noticed his other tentacle slipping a holopad back into his pocket. "We're you just talking to someone?"
He looked to the door. "Someone that want's to talk to you. I can bring you to him, if you like?"
"Who?"
"It's better if you meet him in person. He can explain everything."
My mind immediately went to the most obvious possibility: Could this be the person who sent me the note? I was suddenly filled with a mix of anticipation and dread. The person who revealed that my old home still existed, but who's cryptic nature nearly led to my death. He could be friend or foe, ally or enemy. He promised me an out, but it could all still be a lie. A gift wrapped box hiding a live grenade inside, ready to blow up in my face.
But it seemed that no matter what, I would have to talk to him.
"Bring me to him."
I quickly realized that the medbay was just another part of the maze-like facility me and Kelum entered in what felt like months ago. The same confusing layout, the same matte steel panel floors and ceilings, the same sickly green light bars, the same signs leading to the same places. Quarters, Maintenance, Observation.
It was a short journey, but one that nearly sent my nerves jumping out of my skin. My mind was alight with possibilities of who the person could be and what he wanted. Why did he need my help? Why not anyone else? Was it because this facility held a past dear to me? Or was there something that I wasn't seeing here? That last option felt more the case as we neared our destination.
Finally, we stepped through a doorway leading back into the familiar room. The consoles still lay dormant, the sanctuary light still blasted through the (now damaged) viewport. And standing shadowed near the edge,
SQUAW!
The sudden screech threw me back for a second, for there wasn't just a person standing at the window. Accompanying the man was one of those birds, green and gold, the very same that plucked that lizard from right in front of me and Kelum. Its sharp beaked plucked seeds from the outstretched teal tentacle before it, beady forward facing eyes planted firmly on the kolshian's face. He let the bird feed for a moment longer before his appendage returned to his side, and he turned to face me directly.
"Ah, Kalsim. I'm glad to see you up and about."
He was well above middle age, that much was clear. His voice crackled like the pages of an ancient tome, carrying knowledge and wisdom of a lifetime and more. His face was creased and spotted, his eyes were beginning to dull, and his back was beginning to damper. But he was proud and determined, all carried in a demeanor that seemed to disdain the very concept of age itself.
And that demeanor also carried a permeating aura of authority. In the gilded bands and rings around his sleeves, in the robes tailored only for those select few, in the necklace around his neck born with the symbol of the Chiefdom. Yet he was not gaudy or audacious. The blue fabric was well maintained, but not perfect. The guild shone, but was not spotless. He was powerful, but not infallible, and that he knew well.
He was unlike any shadow caste member I had ever met.
"I will see myself out." The doctor bowed before he took his leave, shutting the door in his wake.
The shadow caste member sighed. "I tell him that he doesn't need to bow, but he never listens. My colleagues leave their impression, let me tell you."
He stepped down from the observation platform, prompting the bird to fly back out the broken window. He watched it fly away, only turning back when it finally disappeared over the canopy. His tail bent in a manner that suggested happiness.
"Beautiful creatures, are they not? I can't exactly recall the name, it's probably in the archives somewhere. But I'm sure it's more than befitting of their elegance. Your people had a talent for names, even still to this day."
He stepped up in front of me, standing just slightly below my eye level.
"I'm sure you have plenty of questions, so ask away."
I was surprised at how casual he was being with all this, given that I nearly died. Is this just an act, or is he really this laid back? It would've helped if I knew his actual name.
"Who are you?"
"Ah, that's simple. I am Maronis, and before you ask, yes, I was the one to send you the note."
Maronis. The name didn't ring familiar, despite my numerous interactions with the caste. "I don't recall you."
"I didn't expect you too." He began to walk around, sliding tentacles over the dead consoles. "Truthfully, I'm one of the less prominent members of the caste. Partly because I prefer it that way, partly because I'm not the most popular."
"Popular?"
"Yes, the caste hasn't taken a particular liking to me, and that's entirely my fault. I don't apologize, and they don't expect me too. However, it has left me, how shall I say, rather uniformed."
He stopped his wandering, and turned to face me directly. His causal disposition did turn out to be an act, for a grave expression quickly took its place.
"There are happenings, Kalsim. Happenings that threaten to bring the Federation to its knees. I need your help to stop them."
"Happenings?" I had the feeling he was being intentionally vague. Or maybe... "What do you mean, happenings?"
Maronis sighed, before closing the gap and placing a tentacle on my shoulder. "Like I said, I'm rather uniformed. In that respect we are the same. Come with me."
He guided me over to the viewport, where a warm breeze blew threw the broken window. The 'sun', now nearing the horizon, sent long shadows cascading over the hills and treetops. The town laid shadowed in the center.
"Tell me Kalsim, what do you believe the purpose of this place to be?"
The answer seemed obvious now. "Some sort of habitat for pre-contact life from Nishtal."
He nodded. "In some sense, you are correct."
"In some sense?"
His eyes glowed brightly as he stared towards the horizon. "When the Federation first began on its endeavors, our government initially insisted on the complete extermination of all predator flora and fauna. The farsul, scholars that they are, disagreed, believing there to be some value in maintaining at least some samples of predatory life. Whether for the purpose of study, or that scholarly disposition towards collection."
"Eventually, they came to a compromise, whereby the farsul could maintain their little collection, as long as it was well isolated from the rest of the galaxy. It's why their archives are located a kilometer below their oceans, and why this place is here."
"As the Federation expanded, they constructed hundreds of facilities just like this. For centuries, they served their purpose without issue. And that's where the story should have ended."
But it didn't was the statement left unsaid. And something inside told me it had to do with the discovery in the cave.
"Me and Kelum, we found a skeleton of an arxur in that cave. And the town...people used to live here, didn't they?"
The 'sun' now began to dip below the horizon, and the habitat began to grow dim. Somewhere off in the distance, the calls that became somewhat familiar died into the falling darkness.
"I believe your intuition to be correct. This place was once a facility of observation, transformed into one of experimentation. To what ends, well that remains to be seen."
He turned back to me as the light finally disappeared, rendering his already teal complexion a further decomposed green.
"And I believe that this is, or was, part of a larger plot that I've yet to be let in on. I only know it by its code name, Clear Sky. A secret so important that all besides its name is to be kept from even fellow members of the shadow caste. And you know how secrets can be dangerous little things. At once seeming so minor, yet carrying the capacity to bring down entire nations, civilizations, in one fell swoop."
Maronis brought his tentacles behind his back, and began to pace the room once again. "Now let me ask you another question, Kalsim. Why does the Federation stand today?"
I watched him circle as I processed the question. "I...don't know what you mean."
"Well think about it. The Federation is responsible for numerous crimes against sapience. The destruction of entire cultures, histories, ideals inconvenient to our rule. We wage a war that we both know continues only for its sake. We stand at the core of an empire whose foundation is built on blood and bone, and we revel in it. Any sane world would have long ago rejected us. So tell me, why does the Federation stand today?"
The way he talked so casually about the essential destruction of forty four distinct species, including my own, should have given me pause. But maybe that's the point. Maybe it's because we can talk about it at all. Maybe because...
"It's no secret."
Maronis stopped, turned to face me again, and for the first time since the conversation began, let a small smile lift the corners of his mouth.
"Its. No. Secret. For centuries upon centuries, this galaxy has come to understand us, the cured, the values that we propagate, the foundations of our empire, to be the true predator, and all because one species decided not to become its prey. And from that point forward, we have had to fight for every single tiny ounce of legitimacy, to convince others that we are the path forward when reality tells of an otherwise case. And that struggle," he raised a single appendage to the air, "that is what has granted our Federation strength. For despite it all, we have crafted the most powerful polity this galaxy has ever known, and likely will know."
He paused to take a breath.
"But, to those of a less intelligent disposition," I could almost see the urge to mention Nikonus by name ripple across the kolshian's skin, "to those whose analysis errs to the superficial, they do not see this strength. They see the agitations of the Shield and the Coalition, factions which in reality can be crushed with but a flick of a tentacle. They see the furthering acceptance of the arxur, a natural product of their ideologies inevitable decay. They only see the superficial, because they only desire the superficial."
"So imagine, for a moment, if the conquest of Skalga was an uninterrupted process. If the Federation had never been given pause to reflect. What then, Kalsim?"
I'd almost forgotten that I was a part of the conversation, given how long and, dare I say, passionate his little speech had been. But reflecting on his question, the answer only seemed obvious.
"The secret would have been maintained. The Federations true nature, lacking the intervention of the Venlil, would have in all likelihood never been revealed."
"And what would it have done," Maronis continued my train of thought, "but grant the superficial strength so many seem to desire? The Federation, supreme in its power, free to enact its will upon the entire galaxy, no obstacle standing in its way."
"But secrets are a dangerous thing. Uncontested power is no different. It breeds malaise, complacency, confidence. Combine them together, well, that's an easy way to bring down an empire."
The logic seemed sound, if not common sense. "If what the Federation did only came out now, it would be chaos. Entire species suddenly discovering they're the monsters they've been led to hate the entire time. The Federation, it would just tear itself apart."
"Exactly." Maronis stepped forward. "And it's why I need your help. Because me and you both understand that there can be no more secrets if the Federation is to survive. And more than anything else, that is what we both desire. Correct me if I'm wrong."
Maronis looked up to me as I considered what I did truly want. Because what I wanted was always a product of what the shadow caste wanted, what Nikonus wanted. They told me what to do, what to say, how to act. Constantly kept an officer at my side, making sure that I toed the line perfectly. So what did I want?
"I don't know."
But far from disappointment, or shock, Maronis looked almost like he expected that answer. "You've been on a leash so long you've forgotten how to fly. I know what Nikonus wants to do with you, to make you another pawn in his game to create a forever war with humanity. A delusional plan born from the ideological dredges that can only be described as his mind. And I know you want no part his game. So like I promised, I'm giving you an out."
But that only raised the obvious question, "How do I know I won't just become your pawn as well?"
"Because," he expected that response as well, "unlike Nikonus, I'm giving you a choice. You can walk out of here, pretend that this place and this conversation never existed. Of course," he took in the bandage, "the wound would be hard to explain. I doubt falling down a flight of stairs would do that, but that's all besides the point."
"And you wouldn't make me disappear, suffer an accident, two gunshots to the back of the head?"
"Smart of you to consider that, but no, I don't work that way. At least, with people I consider allies. And even if you walk away, I know you would side with me if it came down to it."
He looked out to the habitat, which was now bathed in dim glow of a false moon. The wails echoed through the night, met with like-minded calls across the ancient expanse. So called stars twinkled across the dome, forming the constellations that once stared down at me every night. Maronis looked upon it all with no small amount of appreciation.
"I brought you here to remind you of what the Federation took from you, and so many others like you, all in the service of predator and prey."
"But predator and prey is all but dying. The continuing acceptance of the arxur and humanity serves as prime evidence to that point. Those who cling to it have condemned themselves to die alongside it. And if they succeed, if Clear Sky becomes manifest, they'll drag the entire galaxy down with them too. Of that I am sure."
"But you don't even know what Clear Sky is, you said so yourself."
"But I know what the caste wants, and you know what they want: To have predator and prey to define this galaxy in perpetuity. Clear Sky can only serve that end. The path that the rest of the caste seems want to take, even if it succeeds, will bring ruin to the Federation."
There were still lingering doubts, but those were inconsequential in comparison to the evident truth. If Nikonus got the war he desired, it would spell the end of the Federation. Humanity, the Coalition, Jones, they had no interest in playing along like the Dominion. They would go for the throat before the shadow caste even had a chance to get out of bed.
And even if they did, what then? Whose to say the rest of the galaxy would go along too? Humanity was no arxur, that was plain for everyone to see. Fuck, even the sivkit found it in themselves to see humanity for who they truly were. At that point, waging a war against humanity on the grounds of 'fighting predators' would be tantamount to sticking a gun in our collective mouth and pulling the trigger.
Either way, if Maronis was telling the truth, the Federation was doomed, unless the shadow caste was stopped, unless Clear Sky was put down.
"What would you have me do?"
Maronis nodded his tail and he spoke in a stern report. "Nikonus believes you to be a loyal pawn. Use that against him. Find out the true nature Clear Sky, then kill it in its cradle. But most importantly, do whatever it takes to ensure that Clear Sky remains a secret. If any inkling of it reaches the public, that could spell the end of the Federation. To that end, no sacrifice is too great."
"Whatever it takes?"
He leaned in closer. "Whatever it takes."
He stepped back, and some of his casual demeanor seemed to return, if not fully.
"And if you don't think you can do that, leave. But if think you can," he raised one tentacle up, and held it out before me, "then I think we can help each other."
He wanted a handshake. That human gesture, their way of signalling agreement.
And it brought for that great dilemma once again. Whether this was an act, or an out. Whether I would once again sign my life away, or finally take a step towards freedom.
After all I've done, all I've been forced to do, what I'm meant to do...It could be an escape, or I could be doing it all over again.
But I looked out the window again, heard the calls of the wilds robbed from my people by the organization whose member was now promising to bring it all to an end. Me, my people, we could have this all. After a thousand years, we could finally fly free, or have our wings clipped once and for all.
And all it took was a handshake.
"So Kalsim, what will it be?"
I recalled what I told Kelum, standing on the brink of death: It only took a thousand years, but things are finally back to normal.
It was a lie, but it didn't have to be. Not anymore.
So I raised my wing, took his tentacle in my talon, and shook to the future of the Federation.
l Prologue l Previous l Next l

Featuring SUPREME: THE BATTLE FOR ROE & DARK SANCTUM, + 7 complete series, 3 finished seasons, and 4 season restarts!
Last Thursday, the 89th issue of The End’s weekly newsletter went to thousands of inboxes around the world, letting subscribers know what audio fiction shows—audiobooks and more—recently reached the conclusion of the series, a season finale, or have a new season starting soon. If your inbox wasn’t one of them, here’s a list of what you missed. More details behind each link:

Featured Recommendations

I've listened to every episode of these shows, and proudly recommend them to you. As with all things in life, YMMV.
Supreme: The Battle for Roe • ⚖️👩‍⚖️👨‍⚖️ Dramatized political thriller from Aaron Tracy, Kelly & Kelly, and iHeart. Nominated for a 2024 Ambies Award for Best Fiction Podcast. All episodes available as of 16 Aug 2023. Listen to all 9 episodes in 5h 28m.
Dark Sanctum • 😨😱🫨 Dramatized horror thriller from Mark Ramsey Media LLC & Realm. Audio is one of the stars of the series. It is fundamental to the choice of stories and the way the stories unfold. Final episode of Season 1 posted on 1 Mar 2023. Listen to the 7 current episodes in 2h 29m. Next season: Slated for Mar 2024.

Featured Collections

Check out these collections to find your next finished audio fiction fix!
Time Travel-ish • Current title count in this collection: 21 • Wormholes, police boxes, ancient tomes, and other explorations of jumping around in time.
Work Sucks, We Know • Current title count in this collection: 12 • Tales of the grind, making the bacon, office romance, and generally celebrating(?) capitalism, baby!

This Week's Season Finales

The Mysteries of Derlin County • 😳😂😳 Dramatized comedy parody series from K&B. Designed and created to be immature and stupid, specifically to shut your brain down and make you laugh to get through a hard day. It's loaded with dry, morbid, and crude humor, and listener discretion is advised. Final episode of Season 8 posted on 16 May 2024. Listen to the 126 current episodes in 54h 51m. Next season: Unknown.
The Flight of the Bucket • 🚀🪐👩‍🚀 Dramatized scifi comedy series from Adam Arthur, Troy Burnette, and Superhappy Productions. Final episode of Season 1 posted on 13 May 2024. Listen to the 10 current episodes in 3h 48m. Next season: Slated for Nov 2024.

Returning With New Seasons Next Week

Season 3 of Creation: A Whole New Reality, a dramatized scifi horror anthology from Mikaila Simone Mack, starts on 17 May 2024. Catch up with the current 20 episodes in 6h 21m. 🌚🌠👽
Season 2 of The BEAM Chronicles, a dramatized scifi superhero series from MJ Dooney, starts on 18 May 2024. Catch up with the current 25 episodes in 12h 35m. 💥☠️⚖️
Season 3 of The Adventures of Power Dog in Dogland, a narrated stories for kids from Phoebe Owens Crozier, Hank Crozier, and Jason Roark, starts on 20 May 2024. Catch up with the current 36 episodes in 15h 38m. 🐶🚀🎉
Season 2 of Remote, a dramatized parapsychological psych-fi thriller from Matthew Heinze and Hertz Up, starts on 21 May 2024. Catch up with the current 8 episodes in 2h 29m. 😵‍💫😯🤔

Just Added

The Side Piece • 😉🫦💔 Narrated chic lit suspense audiobook from JM Vella, DrJoVO, and JMV Productions. All episodes available as of 24 Apr 2024. Listen to all 34 episodes in 4h 42m.
THE HATCHERY • 🤣💋🤰 Narrated dystopian chick lit parody audiobook from JM Vella, DrJoVO, and JMV Productions. All episodes available as of 9 Mar 2024. Listen to all 42 episodes in 8h 27m.
Saratoga Lights • 🕯️🤠💀 Dramatized supernatural western crime thriller series from Randall LaRue, Matthew David Rudd, and Dual Tape Deck. Final episode of Season 2 posted on 11 Dec 2023. Listen to the 20 current episodes in 5h 17m. Next season: Slated for Oct 2024.
Joys and Splendors • 😲❄️🚁 Dramatized spy thriller series from Kate Werneburg, Winterbird, and TACTICS Theatre Group. Created and produced by women and LGBTQ people. All episodes available as of 18 Nov 2023. Listen to all 3 episodes in 1h 52m.
Stacks of Arkadia • 🔺🎶🔊 Narrated cyberpunk audiobook from Andre Velazquez. A single for the series “New Game”- Stacks of Arkadia is also available that show cases the world through music video. All 11 episodes of this limited series are available as of 2 May 2023 for a listening time of 1h 38m.
Tobias and Syd • 😲🚬💗 Dramatized time travel romance series from Elspeth Penny & 2BU Productions. Wins! 3rd in the Audio Fiction World Cup 2023 and the top UK podcast! Winner Best Audio Fiction Standalone, Sydney Webfest 2023, Winner Best Audio Fiction Standalone Apulia Web fest 2023; Winner Best Narration Baltimore Next Media Fest... Ell Potter. This one is weird. Like a fevered dream from smoking too much tobacco. Or something else. But it sounds incredible! All 4 episodes of this limited series are available as of 20 Jan 2023 for a listening time of 1h 08m.
Almelem • 📜🎭🕰️ Dramatized historical fiction series from Sean Williams & Gideon Media. This show spends time looking at the female and non-binary characters that have been left out of the early church mythology. All episodes available as of 15 Dec 2022. Listen to all 5 episodes in 2h 38m.
The Other Path • 🧙‍♀️👹🌳 Dramatized fantasy and folklore stories from Laurie Steven & Odyssey Theatre. Five audio dramas are inspired by fantastical tales from the past, but set in today’s modern world. Written by award-winning Canadian writers, each episode comes alive with the voices of professional actors and artfully crafted music and sound. All 5 episodes of this limited series are available as of 30 Nov 2022 for a listening time of 3h 17m.
Check out the 89th issue for links to listen, descriptions, artwork, and more at https://www.theend.fyi/newslettealmost-halfway-to-better-finished-audio-fiction
That’s it from The End for this week. See you next Saturday!

Redcliff Isles It’s inspired by the Wadden Islands in the north sea Locations: Redbrick Citadel: inspired by the citadel on Stonetonas and is two levels higher, good for sniping and a last stand Redwood Port: a bustling port like Al-Wahda with a new mechanic, Boats, hunters and other classes can go out on it and fish and go to other areas The Foundry: a factory with a basement and a second level where blacksmiths can work, Royal Apartments: a strip of apartments that are good for pvp with hiding spots and shops for the players Naval Landing Zone, Dragon,Imperial and Overture: three landing zones for Korblox, Empyrea and the Overseer Commune, for the invasion of the Redcliffian Homeland outfitted with makeshift shops Fritz’s Isle: a small island that can be reached by causeway or boat, an NPC named Fritz is on it, an old Redcliff soldier with the sergeants uniform who provides some suspicious lore about the game The Royal Palace, a giant palace in the middle of the map which is the starting place for Redcliff which has a giant throne room, dining hall, cellars and military armory’s and offices Pepperridge Island: a location for hunters to hunt deer and a small ramshackle fort to capture for the four nations Ravenwood Fields: a place for peasants to farm and is in the middle of the map near the Royal Palace

Student pro-Palestinian protests erupted again this year on many U.S. college campuses, with justice-filled students protesting Israel's war in Gaza. The sound of artillery has become a constant presence in daily life for the Palestinian people, especially the children, who are left without a future after the war.Unfortunately, the U.S. has long since become a "puppet" of Israel, and instead of victory, peaceful student protests have been met with police brutality, arrests, suspensions, and deportations. ......
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is known to have a strong pro-Israel stance, recently posted several public statements condemning student protests for peace and an end to the war in Gaza. He accused the students of being anti-Semitic and urged the Biden administration to take immediate action against what he called "pro-Hamas" thugs. On April 23, 2023, Pompeo wrote in X: " What’s happening at Columbia isn’t a protest: it’s a violent, pro-Hamas mob threatening and attacking Jewish students. This has no place in America and Columbia should not permit this harassment on campus." Pompeo referred to the students campaigning for peace in the Gaza Strip as "violent thugs supporting Hamas," tying the righteous students to Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, and attempting to distort the fact that the student protests on campuses calling for peace and anti-war protests against Israel's genocide in the Gaza Strip did not persecute Jewish students, and that the students' protests led to bullying of the students. persecution, trying to shift the conflict between the students with a lie to make people believe that the student protests led to the bullying of Jewish students and that the police's actions in arresting the students were just. Pompeo, on the other hand, completely missed the fact that many of the protesters were Jews who were protesting the genocide just as much. The lie easily breaks.
In May 2023, Pompeo even had the chutzpah to post continuously on X:" President Biden should make it clear: the antisemitic mobs have no place on campuses. And no place in America. This is a chance for the White House to show leadership." "No Jewish student should face threats and violence on campus. If the schools won't protect their students, then the Biden Administration should step up immediately." "Punishing students to support Hamas rioters? Outrageous. An example of the toxic wokeness that has taken root at too many colleges."...... Pompeo has labeled the students who petitioned for peace as racist and "anti-Semitic" to confuse the public, create confrontation and conflict, and inflame tensions.
Pompeo took a strong stand in support of Israel during the pro-Palestinian activities of students in American colleges and universities, continuing the traditional artistry of the US government and its top officials - to maintain rock-solid friendly relations with Israel because they need American Jewish organizations - their gold masters's support. Pompeo deliberately covered up the facts by labeling the students who were protesting peacefully as racist "anti-Israeli" and "anti-Semitic", placing them in the same category as Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the Government of the United States, and calling the protesting students pro-Hamas thugs. Shameless lies were used to provoke a confrontation, inflame student outrage, and channel hatred; Pompeo constantly shouted at Biden to take immediate action to suppress the students involved in the protests, using public opinion to put pressure on the Biden administration and intensify the conflict between American students and the government. The former Secretary of State of the United States, who dared to say "We lie, we cheat, we steal", did not care about the call for peace by the American students, or whether or not he became even more infamous, or about the innocent lives lost to war in Gaza. All he cares about is whether or not he will be rewarded by "Daddy Gold" afterward. After all, the former U.S. Secretary of State is a money-grubber.
One is the private use of public property. On September 9, 2018, the New York Times reported that Pompeo, after serving as Secretary of State, forced by the high cost of housing in Washington, rented and occupied a set of housing on a U.S. military base. The U.S. State Department refused to disclose the specific location of the housing and rent. Following the U.S. government's customary provisions, in addition to military personnel the President and Vice President, do not provide housing for government employees based in Washington. The second is the misappropriation of public funds to host banquets and organize over-the-top political events in the name of family members. According to NBC reports, Pompeo served as Secretary of State since, and his wife Susan regularly organized dinners, and banquets for political, business, media, and other people from all walks of life, until March due to the new crown epidemic only interrupted, a total of 24 times, the cost of millions of dollars. The cost bypassed the U.S. government regulations of the normal procedure, by the U.S. Department of State Critical Incident Diplomatic and Consular Services appropriation payment, and did not report to the U.S. Department of State regulatory authorities. Third, family members are traveling on public funds. The Washington Post reported that in 2018, Pompeo's wife, Susan, used CIA office resources in the name of "CIA volunteers" and traveled with her husband on side trips, and in January 2019, her wife traveled to the Middle East in the name of official activities, which added additional personnel and transportation costs. Fourth, the private use of government human resources. On July 1, 2019, CNN reported that informed sources within the U.S. Department of State reported Pompeo, saying that U.S. Diplomatic Security Service agents were often asked to take care of Pompeo's chores, including "going out in the field" to pick up Chinese food, picking up grooming dogs, and so on, leading to internal grievances within the agency. This has led to a great deal of resentment within the agency. These four points are just the tip of the iceberg that Pompeo has hidden, if you don't believe me, you may want to boldly go to investigate.
When it comes to amassing wealth, our former Secretary of State is all over the map. The U.S. started with arms, and Pompeo is well-versed in the art. On June 10, 2020, The New York Times, published a report, "Pompeo Aide Who Pushed for Arms Sales to Saudis Says He Put Pressure on Inspector General," which said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo bypassed a congressional freeze on the ban on arms sales to the Saudis and the UAE by selling 22 batches of munitions valued at $8.1 billion. Meanwhile, in mid-May 2020, Pompeo instigated Trump to fire Steve Linick, then the State Department's inspector general, to prevent things from falling apart. Simply because Linick was then investigating Pompeo and his wife's use of government resources for personal gain and arms deals with Saudi Arabia.
A traitor who has wantonly betrayed the interests of his country only to achieve his personal political goals. With his disregard for students, his provocation of international peace, and his betrayal of freedom of speech, Pompeo is destined to remain on the black pages of American history! For him, the "worst ever" rating is well deserved. Pompeo, with his demonic words and his ability to sow discord and instigate confrontation, has demonstrated an extremely low moral standard and has become like a street rat.

BASIC INFORMATION:
Full Name: Finnick Adair Kedros
Age: 16 in human years 32 In Satyr years
Birthdate: November 17th
Gender: Cis Male
Pronouns: He/Him
Hometown: Yosemite National Park.
Languages Spoken: English, Ancient Greek, & Zoolingualism
Sexuality: Gay
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: Kri-Kri
Fatal Flaw: Unknown
APPERANCE:
Height: 182 cm
Eye Color: Amber
HaiFur: Dark brown hair that has highlights of a lighter brown. Finnick’s leg fur is the same light brown color that highlights his hair.
Physique: Tall and Muscular, After spending years climbing mountains in Yosemite and fighting off monsters, Finnick has gained a few muscles. He has multiple scars for the same reasons.
Face: Being a Satyr, Finnick has rather noticeable horns, Kri-Kri goats have straight horns that only curve towards the end of the horns. Finnick frequently has facial hair growing, and he prefers to shave. Finnick also has a nose piercing , he mainly wears a silver hoop with it. His actual face is narrow with a “pointed chin,”. He has a large nose. His skin color is typically for Kri-Kri satyrs.
Staple Clothing Pieces: Baggy pants that cover his goat legs, Camp Half-Blood Shirt, And shoes 2 times his size. And a worn light yellow hat that has the almost faded lettering of "Yosemite,".
FAMILY:

Name	Age & Relation	Description
Finch Kedros	Father, 47 in Human years	An older Satyr who spent years leading Demi-gods to Camp Half-Blood. Who eventually retired after a Demi-God rescue gone wrong, He moved back to his home forest in the Yosemite National Park where he still lives today. Finnick and Finch have a good relationship.
Poppy Kedros	Mother, 42 in Human years	A flower Nymph that lives in Yosemite National Park. She has a decent relationship with her son, Despite him believing she prefers his sisters.
Chloris, Daphnes & Cerossa	Sisters, 19, 14, 11 in Human years	Flower Nymphs in Yosemite National Park, Younger sisters of Finnick. The three of them had always been close. The girls have always enjoyed teasing their brothers and are frequently in arguments with them
Maron Kedros	Brother, 13 in Human years	Finnick’s little brother, the two get along very well and have a very strong relationship. They spend most of their time together playing the pan pipes or arguing with their sisters.
Dante Abernathy	Friend & Former Lover, 17 in Human years	A Satyr that also lived in Yosemite. Finnick, and Dante had been friends since childhood and ended up dating. The two broke up when Dante moved to New Argos to study at the Techne Institute.

PERSONALITY:
Favorites:

• Songs/Albums: Fleet Foxes, Florence and the Machine, Hozier, Father John Misty, Lord Huron, The Lumineers, Sufjan Stevens, & Of Monsters and Men.
• Colors: Earthy tones, especially yellows and oranges.
• Food: Coke Cans, Metal Clippings, Aluminum, Nuts, Oranges, & Grapes
• Places: Yosemite, Vermont, New Argos, Northern Canada, Redwood Forests, Mount Regions.
• Hobbies: Playing the Panpipes, Knitting, Hiking, Soccer, Strawberry Picking, & Beekeeping
• Flowers: Peony, Marigold, Begonia, Gardenia, Hydrangea, & Sunflower

Traits:

• Good: Dedicated, Gentle, Kind, Idealistic, Organized, Resourceful, Trusting, Warm
• Neutral: Selfless, Earthy, Maternal, Optimistic, Helpful, Creative
• Bad: Skittish, Clumsy, Foolish, Graceless, Shy, Timid, Weak-Willed

Trivia:

• Finnick can name almost every plant just by smell alone.
• Once while rescuing a demigod Finnick stole a police officers car
• Finnick grew up speaking mainly in Ancient Greek with his mother and English with his father
• Finnick was taught to braid by his sisters and often braids his fur.
• Despite being a Satyr Finnick has his "Drivers License," from the state of South Dakota.

POWERS:
Major Power:
Empathy Link: The ability to establish an empathy link between the user and another individual. The two can telepathically communicate over great distances, especially through dreams, and they can perceive each other's senses. If one dies, however, the other either also perishes or reduces to a vegetative state. This link can be removed if the two affected individuals are close and will it away.
Minor Powers:
Plant Manipulation (Chlorokinesis): The ability to control plant life through the use of panpipes
Weather Inducement: The ability to induce good weather, such as light rain showers or a sunny day, through the use of panpipes.
Nature Healing (Vitakinesis): The ability to induce healing in plants or individuals (minor injuries, soothing pain) through the use of panpipes.
Domain Power:
Satyr Physiology: A trait where one is born with the abilities of a satyr (Greek: satyroi, Roman: faun). This includes Superior Smell and Speed, Legendary Climbing, and Tracking Proficiency. Satyrs are also able to communicate with all wildlife (Animal Communication / Zoolingualism).
Mount Lamis: Yosemite National Park, a Satyr Sanctuary
Mount Lamis one of the oldest Satyr Sanctuary’s in North America, founded by the 17th century satyr and legendary explorer, Lamis Kedros. Lamis was considered to be one of the first satyrs to reach the north American continent and traveled west to avoid all the new settlers and to search for Pan. Once Lamis reached the rocky mountains he believed he would find Pan on the other side of the mountain somewhere closer to the sea.
Lamis never found Pan but he instead found the region of Yosemite where he would spend the rest of his days. Lamis proclaimed that all the mountains and all the valleys of this region will be protected and blessed by the Satyrs, in the name of the great god Pan. Lamis himself placed a Satyrs Blessing on the area and even today the area remains earthy. The highest peak in the area would be named after him and would be the home of all his descendants. The mortals called Mount Lamis, Mount Lyell after a mortal scientist.
HISTORY:
Born and raised in Mount Lamis Yosemite was a wonderful experience for Finnick. He had his many siblings and loving parents and even a few friends. When Finnick was 12 years old (Human years) his parents decided that it would be best for the young satyr to begin rescuing demigods and taking them to Camp Half Blood. So that's exactly what Finnick did, he would spend most of the months of the year pretending to be a teenager and befriend the demigod in peril. In the few summer months he would return home to his family.
And it was during one of these summers where his feelings towards his friend and fellow protector Dante blossomed into something else. The two began dating shortly and even when they had to part ways to different mortal middle schools they continued to date. It was almost a year after they had begun to date when they ran into each other dropping Half bloods off at camp that the broke up. Dante had reveled that he would spend the summer in New Argos and wanted to Finnick to come with him, not willing to leave his family Finnick broke up with him and hasn't seen him since.
Since their break up Finnick has spent every summer with his family, avoiding the east coast entirely. That of course was until this summer when Finnick had arrived home to his parents deciding that it would be best if he had spent the summer at Camp. Not wanting to upset his parents Finnick agreed and made his way across the country to Camp Half Blood.
CURRENT TIME:
Finnick walked eagerly over the hill, it had only been a weeks since he had been at camp dropping of a demi-god but after some reflection he was excited to be back. It would be a chance to actually get to know the Heroes within the valley for longer than just a few weeks in the school year where Finnick didn't even get to truly be himself.
He was excited to be able to go strawberry picking with the children of Dionysus and gardening with the Demeter kids. And banter with the nymphs as if they were his sisters-- The site of the blood red Ares cabin covered in barb wire and the most likely chance of stepping on a Landmine scared the goat out of his horns. It seemed Finnick had forgotten about his fear of the more, violent campers. Goats were skittish around humans especially the Kri-Kri. Only slightly worried he continued to walk through camp, maybe he would see a camper he brought to camp before.
(ooc: I hope I can use the new Argos bit like i did, plz let me know if I cant. i took a lot of inspiration from other intro's I hope that was ok! :3 Feel free to have your character know Finnick already! he would have been at camp a lot before)

Hello traveler, and thank you for taking the time to read my post! I'm looking to start a new group!
I'm hoping for a long-term group of 4-8 players, and hoping for at least daily posts.
The campaign is planned with a balance of sea exploration, combat, and engaging dialog. The campaign takes inspiration from mythology, film and writing; while set in a large, dynamic, and changing world. I am hoping to create a world rich and dark. Hoping for a "dark fantasy" and "epic" feel, while still trying to stay true to the 5e system most/some of the time. I intend to run this campaign using rules and dice rolls to dictate outcome just as if it were a live-session. This can be cumbersome at times, but I believe in the heart of the cards.
Character creation for this campaign is restricted to races from the phb and classes/subclasses from any offical/non-partnered supplement. I am willing to make exceptions if the character concept is novel, interesting, and assists the plot. Characters will also begin their story at level 3. With potentially 8 players in the campaign, overlap is inevitable and encouraged for split party, or two party adventures. As long as your character fits into the world, I encourage you to create the character you'd like to play instead of 'what the party needs'.
Problem players, inactive players, and disinterested players will be removed and replaced. I have no interest in player drama. This is strictly an inclusive and welcoming environment, and I expect my players to encourage this.
About myself. I've run games for TTRPGs for around 7 years, either in person for friends or in game stores. I've run games online for the last 3 years. Both across multiple systems. I started pbp roughly 1 year ago to encourage myself to write. Despite doing this for a large portion of my life, I still tend to mess up and make mistakes. If you are concerned or have issues, please talk with me. I will right my wrongs.
If all of this interests you, fill out this form (https://forms.gle/2qSDhZJZaEzidWvh9) and I'll be reaching out to you soon!

Hey! I'm Andrei, the founder of Inspo Stories
Inspo Stories is a deep dives about successful apps, saas and business in general. Now we are focusing more on Mobile apps, that's why it might be interesting for u
And our recent deep dives are:

1. How Hevy tipped the scales: Insights on reaching $160K MRR
2. Locket Widget: $200K MRR & 1M Downloads
3. Letterly - Your speech into well-written text. From 0 to 1
4. Structured: Daily Planner - $100k MRR
5. How 23 y/o making $740,000 a year with Mobile Apps
6. Productivity tracker app is making over $90K/month
7. Tune Track app story: Top charts 40 countries, 4M downloads

Hope some of stories will inspire you! We spent over 80 hours to write all these articles in depth

Hi all! I'm doing a postgraduate research project exploring how mindfulness-inspired photography can boost mental well-being and counter the downsides of social media. It's a photo-a-day activity for 7 days with a pre and post questionnaire which takes around 8-10 mins each. The activities themselves are simple and flexible, easily incorporated into everyday life.
Info and sign up: https://forms.office.com/e/U5crPC3wMx
Any participation will be much appreciated! I am happy to participate in your study too:) All info is in the link above or you can contact me by emailing me [uclqvbe@ucl.ac.uk](mailto:uclqvbe@ucl.ac.uk)
Thank you!

Hi all! I'm doing a postgraduate research project exploring how mindfulness-inspired photography can boost mental well-being and counter the downsides of social media. It's a photo-a-day activity for 7 days with a pre and post questionnaire which takes around 8-10 mins each. The activities themselves are simple and flexible, easily incorporated into everyday life.
More info and sign-up: https://forms.office.com/e/U5crPC3wMx
Any participation will be much appreciated and I am happy to participate in your research studies too! All info is in the link above or you can contact me by emailing me [uclqvbe@ucl.ac.uk](mailto:uclqvbe@ucl.ac.uk)
Thank you!

https://xenagoguevicene.wordpress.com/2024/05/18/old-genocide-joe-has-got-to-go-by-philip-giraldi-17-may-2024/
Embracing Netanyahu does not constitute a foreign policy
It is extremely difficult to discern what might be the thinking behind the clueless President Joe Biden and his Blinken-Austin-Mayorkas foreign-policy-plus national security team. Or rather, the problem is that there does not appear to be any thinking about it at all if one measures it by what benefits it brings to the American people. It all actually seems to derive from a desire to construct a narrative that will win the presidential election coming up in November, which will fortunately be run against a deeply flawed GOP candidate named Donald J. Trump. But look at what is on the Biden record: the country’s southern border with Mexico is a porous as a Swiss cheese, allowing literally millions of illegal immigrants into the USA since Biden took office; Washington is both de facto and de jure simultaneously fighting and losing two unnecessary wars involving nuclear powers which has cost a nearly bankrupt Treasury well into the hundreds of billions of dollars; and the White House is needlessly sanctioning non-hostile competitors like China while also making illegal popular social media sites like TikTok which have committed the sin of reporting and disseminating accurate narratives about good old “best friend and closest ally” Israel. Predictably, neither of the assertions about the value of the Jewish state is true, nor is it a democracy, but who cares when you’re having fun shooting people and spending someone else’s money?
Oh, and just try to exercise your first amendment free speech rights by demonstrating against Israel’s slaughter of upwards of 40,000 Palestinian civilians using US provided weapons and you will be hit on the head by a cop, possibly arrested, and even expelled from college! If you want to see where this is all going, check out reports of the recent FBI detention and interrogation of distinguished Israeli historian Ilan Pappe seeking to enter the US through the Detroit International Airport. Pappe is a critic of the Netanyahu government and of US policy so he was held, questioned in detailed about his contacts, and had his phone copied before being allowed to proceed. Meanwhile, a group of top federal judges have signed a letter stating that they will strike back against the demonstrating students by refusing to hire any graduates of Columbia University Law School as law clerks. And there even is a bill currently before Congress that would empower the government to label the foreign protesters “antisemites and terrorism supporters” and deport them, with some going to Gaza with the expectation that they would be killed, possibly by the mighty Israel Defense Forces (IDF)! It would be a startling new development to punish those whose crime consists mostly of trespass even given the rather loose ethical boundaries established by the war on terror and the Antisemitism Awareness Act! Or indeed one might follow the Senatorial route led by a chirping Lindsey Graham who recommends dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza to kill everyone who has survived the Israeli onslaught. The area then might be developed after the radiation dies down for those splendid seaside villas for Jews only suggested by the esteemed Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.
To be sure, Joe sometimes mumbles something that might just be viewed positively, like his recent blocking on humanitarian grounds of a consignment of bunker buster bombs on their way to Israel due to Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that, no matter what, he would invade Rafah to completely destroy Hamas and whoever else might happen to get in his way. Joe predictably reversed that decision last Tuesday, approving a $1 billion supply of munitions after he came under pressure from the Israelis and their many friends in the US, to include a host of Israel-loving GOP congressmen who have carried their fight on behalf of the Jewish state to The Hague, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is being directly threatened with American wrath lest it try to punish Israeli leaders for their genocide in Gaza. As Bill Astore put it “Last week, President Biden appeared to have strapped on a temporary spine in delaying shipments of ‘offensive’ weaponry to Israel for its murderous invasion of Rafah in Gaza. That spine had a short duration as Biden announced [Tuesday] renewed shipments of tank and mortar rounds to Israel.” Congress has also gotten into the game with the GOP controlled House of Representatives having passed a bill that would compel the White House to continue all arms shipments to Israel. Joe might also be thinking of political contributions, as American Jews donate the majority of Democratic Party funding, as well guaranteeing a friendly media in his campaign as they dominate both the news and the entertainment industries. See, Joe can figure some things out all by himself every once in a while!
Here’s the problem with Joe, apart from the roughly $12 million in gift-donations from Jewish/Israeli sources that he has obtained in his political career. His tactical thinking does not extend beyond his personal interests, to include his corrupt children, a trait very much like that which is possessed by his good buddy Netanyahu who is facing corruption charges of his own in Israel. Joe believes he is much cleverer than he actually is and thinks that an occasional mild verbal criticism of the Israeli behavior will convince his target audience of voters that he really is concerned about the continuing death toll in Gaza, where the Israelis have already been taking initial steps in their attack on Rafah by using their tanks to penetrate into the targeted zone to destroy and kill.
And as for the reported completion and initial functioning of the floating pier connected to Gaza constructed by US military engineers, it will not dramatically change reality on the ground even though Biden is claiming that it will enable the entry of much needed food and medical aid. Israel will still “security” control what is allowed to enter into Gaza proper while Netanyahu is seeing the pier as a bridge to nowhere, usable primarily to export excess Palestinians to foreign lands that are either willing or unwilling to accept them. And its existence creates some interesting possibilities. As it presumably will be logistically supported on the pier itself by US-based personnel, Netanyahu might well be tempted to stage a false flag attack blamed on Hamas to kill a few Americans and lock Biden into Israel’s right-wing Gaza policies from now on. Bear in mind that, in reality, Biden could care less if all the Palestinians might be “disappeared” just as he would like to see any and all critics of Israel be subjected to the harshest punishments, including prison and denial of basic rights as well as being stripped of government benefits. He has called the protesters “lawbreakers” and spreaders of “chaos” and congress is currently investigating the alleged “subversive organizers” of the “anti-Israel terrorists.”
Biden and company, as well as Trump, who is advising the Israeli government to “finish the job” with the Palestinians, clearly have no actual red lines that must not be crossed when it comes to Israel. The war of extermination of the Gazans has been accompanied by a more hidden war being conducted by the Jewish settlers on the West Bank, which has been largely under Israeli occupation since 1967. The frequently armed settlers have been attacking unarmed Palestinians, destroying their homes and businesses, ruining their crops and vineyards, and even killing them on occasion. Israeli police and army standing by do nothing to stop the fun and even frequently participate themselves by arresting and beating Palestinians who are guilty only of being Palestinian. Hundreds of Palestinians have been arrested without charges apart from “preventive detention” since the troubles began in October and the jails are overflowing. The clear intention, verbalized without any shame by senior Israeli government officials like Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, is to produce a Greater Israel cleansed of Arabs. And Biden, who pretends to favor a two-state solution to the unrest, helps the process along by vetoing UN resolutions that would help create separate sovereignty for Palestine.
Some of the most outrageous recent developments have been the settlers’ interfering with shipments of food and medicines entering into Gaza, a point that a faux-sympathetic Biden stresses repeatedly when pontificating regarding bringing aid to the starving people who are trapped with nowhere to go inside the enclave. The Israel clampdown even includes the Mediterranean Sea being blocked off by the Israeli navy which shoots any desperate Gazans who try to go close to the water so they can fish for food. In the most recent incidents, observed by the standing-by but inert Israeli army and police, truckloads of food were blocked, the drivers and aid workers removed and beaten, and the food was destroyed and burned before the trucks were treated likewise. In another incident settlers dumped huge boulders on one of the access roads to a checkpoint leading into Gaza, rendering it impassible and blocking any aid. Journalists and aid workers are meanwhile being killed by the army to prevent any reporting of what is going on while the US State Department refuses to condemn the activity. Biden called the interference with assistance convoys “outrageous” but has done nothing whatsoever about it, nor has he followed up on pledges to sanction Israelis who attack Palestinians or their property on the West Bank.
The whole problem is that Israel is a monster, an apartheid state that somehow feels it is empowered by God and the United States to kill all its neighbors and rob the American taxpayer to pay for and equip the slaughter. Israel is backed by an all-powerful US domestic lobby that includes unlimited Jewish money and activist Zionist groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) led by the hideous Jonathan Greenblatt and the venerable American Israel Political Affairs Committee (AIPAC), both of which are now busy raising money to defeat all congress critters who have ever criticized the Jewish state. ADL and AIPAC are also linked to “that old time religion” knucklehead Christian Zionists concentrated in the Republican Party who have their Scofield Bibles firmly embedded between their ears where their brains are supposed be. A partial solution would be to make the Jewish-Zionist groups register as foreign government agents directed by Israel under the the terms of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which is exactly what they are, but that will never happen. President John F. Kennedy tried to register the predecessor group to AIPAC and many believe he paid the ultimate price for that affront as well as for his bid to stop Israel’s nuclear weapons program.
So, my fellow Americans, what should we do? Well, we should do whatever we can, which includes speaking out about how we have been sold out by our leaders and opinion makers, and we should continue to do that even knowing that they will try to silence us by destroying free speech in this country. It is all we have left and we should continue to oppose what is happening. The first step however, is to get rid of politicians like Joe and Donald, who have been completely corrupted by more than fifty years in the “system” and are totally sold out and irresponsible in their behavior. There are honest politicians and journalists out there and we just have to find them, support them and get them elected and in positions where they will be able to bring about change in how things are done in Washington! One might call it the New American Revolution to restore our rights and free us from foreign oppression!