Wade held Jasmine in his arms as he flew a low height down the long road to another section of the staryard, Tina on his back and Nathan and F right behind them in the air. Together, the five glided across the base grounds, taking care as to not irritate the aerial security during their search for the meeting room. Being outside for the flight, the group considered it a blessing that Wade's 'enhanced cooling unit' allowed his body to tolerate the breaching sun in the still cloudy sky, which, according to F, was dangerous to drones like her due to the inefficient cooling she and disassembly drones like her suffered from. Given F's physical fault, she had to fly under shady areas in order to safely traverse the base at day.
Originally, Wade and his friends had planned to walk to the meeting zone, but after running into a trooper experiencing a health mishap, the group did what they could to help the distressed officer. By the time he was brought to the medical ward by other soldiers, Wade found that him and his team would be at least a few minutes late if they kept on their way with their walk.
Deciding to speed things up, Wade, understanding the concern for performing such an effort, opted to carry the Fowleys around the base to the meeting area. Reluctantly, F decided to come along, carrying Nathan in a similar manner that Wade was carrying Jasmine. Taking notice of the time on his HUD, which read, "9:47 AM", Wade scouted for the building he and his friends were directed to. "8072" He said to himself, the number being for the building that would house the imminent meeting.
"They said it was down here, right?" Wade asked aloud to Tina before stopping himself in mid-air, the girl holding onto him tightly as he tried to speak over the growing sound of a retrofit Apache flying overhead.
Looking about, Tina nodded as she spotted the target building. "Yes, I believe that's the one over there!" Pointing past his head, Wade followed her finger to a large building ahead at his right. The structure was moderately tall, only about two stories high, with several soldiers and officers going in and out of the building. Wade smiled as he noticed the target number, as well as the big, bold words describing the building's designation. "8072, Briefing Center B"
"Good eye, honey. Hang on!" Continuing his low glide, Wade zoomed towards the building's entrance before stopping just meters above the ground, his two friends close behind as they slowed down as well. The troopers around them initially looked startled by the sudden arrival of Wade and his group, but quickly regained their composure as Wade hovered still above them.
"At ease! Just visitors." One of the soldiers declared as they identified the newcomers, who touched down before Wade let Jasmine down to her feet, Tina hopping onto the ground along with her.
Putting his hands up, Wade apologized for his swift surprise. "Sorry for the scare, we got delayed for a meeting we're invited to."
The soldier gave an understanding nod as he replied to the former worker drone sternly. "I can see that, just be a bit more careful next time, Mr. Carter. You gave the boys here quite a scare."
Wade returned the gesture in embarrassment as F put a hand to his back, chuckling at his efforts as Tina questioned the officer. "Is Mrs. J in there? She's the one who called for us."
The guard gave his reply as Wade and Tina pulled out their IDs for clearance. "Yes she is, Miss. The meeting's set to begin in under ten minutes." Checking the two drones' IDs, Jasmine and the others pulled out theirs as well, the watchman motioning another trooper over to verify the group. Once the guard finished checking the five's cards, he nodded in approval as the watchman spoke once more. "You're clear to enter."
"Thank you Sir, again, sorry about that spook back there." Wade replied with a smile as the trooper gave one of his own, the disassembly drone and his allies making their way towards the office door before stopping upon the call of a voice.
"Hey, Felice!" Wade turned to find the origin of the voice, F doing the same as the two quickly spotted a quartet of soldiers walking excitedly towards F. The disassembly drone glanced to her friends with a smile before turning back to the approaching entourage.
Wade examined the four troops as they got closer: Two human men, one woman, and a male worker drone. One of the male soldiers had short, blonde hair, and a small scar to the right side of their face. The second man bore a tan skin tone and had black hair, with blue strips that went down slightly in a mullet style. The woman bore a set of long, dark green hair, with the hair going down and over her left shoulder. As for the worker drone, he wore the standard green soldier helmet, single eye visor and all. He had no hair on him from what Wade could tell, and bore a pair of whiteish purple eyes on his visor.
As F walked over to the soldiers, the same one that called to her spoke again. "Felicity, I didn't expect to see you around here today! Where you been?"
The girl soldier interrupted his initial chatter. "Hang on Carlos, do you even know if she remembers us?"
"Aye, don't she have one o' them memory locks, or sumthin?" The drone added in a heavy Scottish accent.
F waved her hand as she replied to the group. "Easy, everyone. Thankfully I still got my memories, courtesy of my technician back at Central." Lowering her hand, F let down her usual persona as she gave a wide smirk to the soldiers, clearly pleased to see them. "Good to see you guys around here."
The soldiers gave light cheers to F as they all embraced her, the group having a surprise reunion as Wade and the others watched in surprise. These must've been F's old colleagues from when she was in the service, Wade thought. Quite the coincidence for them to be here at this base of all places.
Not bothering with the convenience of the matter, Wade shook the thought off as he and his friends watched F and her old friends breaking the hug, Tina wrapping an arm around her boyfriend as the second male human spoke to her in what the two discerned as Spanish. "Ay, who your new friends, F?"
"Oh, these guys?" F replied in the same language, quietly startling Wade and the others as they had never heard her speak like that until now. Glancing over to Wade, F motioned him and the others to come over. "Everyone, these are some friends I made in the past few days. Wade, Nathan, Tina, and Jasmine." She pointed her hand to the four as she said each of their names. "I met the boys here during my time on Ceres. Jasmine and Tina here are sisters."
The four soldiers gave various forms of excitement, ranging from hearty laughs to low woops and even a whistle from one of the guys. As F stood next to her old teammates, they each introduced themselves to Wade and his friends. The blonde soldier went first. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you all, name's Carlos, Lieutenant Marksman."
"I'm Private Alvaros, good with close-range and stealth operations." Said the tan soldier with a salute.
"Sergeant Lucia Vasquez, usually the one who leads this bunch around these days." The female warrior stated with a humorous smirk.
"And Corporal Duncan Wallace, at your service!" The soldier drone stated proudly as he saluted to the bunch in front of him, who gave warm smiles as Wade shook his hand.
"Quite honored to meet you all, seems you have quite the history with F." The former worker drone said as Carlos patted F on her back.
"Oh, we do! She's the one who took charge when we didn't! Did you all hear of the Pasting of Nola VI?" Jasmine and Tina gave nods of affirmation while Wade, not as familiar with such history, held his hand up in a questioning manner.
"I think, wasn't that the battle where the Navy just barely held the outpost in that system? From the Stryker Clan?" Wade asked as Carlos nodded approvingly to him.
"That's right, and if Felice weren't there, WE would've been the ones getting pasted!" Carlos' statement brought victorious cheers and "oorahs" from the group, F letting a blush loose as she chuckled at her team's praise of her efforts.
"Well, that's not wrong." Although she didn't want to break off from her friends and discuss the past few years since they'd last met, F remembered the briefing. Clearing her throat, she continued. "And as much as I'd like to chat about the good times, I've been called to a meeting here, as have Wade and his crew."
The soldier group gave understanding looks to F as Lucia spoke up. "Thought so, Carl here was real eager to see you, though."
"Maybe we can talk after the meeting?" Nathan proposed as the soldiers collectively nodded in agreement, F readying a smartcomm attachment before turning to face her friends again.
"We're probably getting low on time, you all go in, I'll catch up in a sec." Wade nodded in acknowledgement before taking Tina's hand, the lover drones continuing towards the briefing center as Jasmine and Nathan followed behind them.
Passing through the door, the four guests observed a short hallway, which seemed to split into two paths as they came closer to the other end. Looking to a sign on the wall above, they saw arrows pointing to two separate areas, "Primary Briefing Room; Main Lobby + Secondary & Tertiary" Going to the right, they entered the moderately active lobby, several officers walking and standing about in mass chatter. Walking over to the desk up against the wall to their left, Wade and his group waved a hand to the occupying attendant.
"Welcome, what do you need?" The desk attendant asked as Tina raised a finger to reply.
"We're here for a meeting, Mrs. J called us here."
The attendant nodded in understanding before directing an arm towards the other end of the room, where a single door stood. "She should be in the second briefing room down that way."
"Thank you." Tina replied warmly before she and Wade began walking towards the door, their friends behind them as they proceeded into the room.
The room beyond the door was quite sizable, a large circular table occupying the middle with several chairs surrounding it. The walls went up a few meters, with four whiteish blue lights illuminating the room. On the wall opposite to Wade and Tina were three monitor screens, all of which showed the USN in bright blue. In several of the seats were faces both familiar and unfamiliar, several men and women in varying styles of uniforms conversing about quietly or taking notice of the recent visitors. Standing up near the monitors were three people: A decorated officer whom Tina identified as a ship captain, and the so-called operatives, Tessa, albeit as a hologram, and J.
Walking slowly into the room, Wade gave a low wave of his hand as he tried to hide his nervousness. Noticing his shyness in front of the officers, Tina held his hand and rubbed his arm comfortingly while returning a pleasant smile to the staff in the room.
"Ah, Wade, Tina. Glad to see you all here." J stated with a smile as she scanned the group, raising a digital eyebrow as she noticed one missing guest. "Or, most of you, I see. Did F run off somewhere?"
Wade shook his head as he replied to his fellow disassembly drone. "Oh, no. She just ran into some old friends, she should be back-"
"Right now." F finished aloud as she entered the room, seemingly having heard Wade speaking about her absence. The warrior drone fast walked to Wade's team, taking a seat near them as they prepared to do the same. "Not too late, are we?"
"Not at all." The standing officer answered as the group took their seats, Wade and Tina sitting next to each other as they got comfortable. The captain examined the lot for a moment, glancing to J as he asked about them. "So, these are the ones you helped rescue from the Mojave?"
"Yes Captain, and they helped us out greatly in turn. This is Wade Carter, one of the captured drones whom became a disassembly drone before we could mount the rescue. The luckiest one, if you ask me." Motioning her arm over the others, she continued. "And there's his girlfriend, Mrs. Tina Fowley, and her sister Jasmine." Smirking to F and Nathan, she finished her friends' introductions. "And these two are Serial Designation F and Mr. Nathan, whom I've heard were once under your ranks."
The military captain gave a welcoming smile to the five as they returned the gesture, eyeing F and Nathan specifically before speaking to them. "Indeed they were, we still have records on their contributions to the colonies." Eyeing F, he continued. "Though, in Mrs. F's case, I won't blame her if she doesn't remember us. We've been very well aware of JCJenson's 'memory suppression' protocols when it comes to their DDs."
F laid back in her seat with a smug look as she replied to her former superior. "Well, my friend on the station's a good tech gal. She's... waived that hindrance from me."
"I see, that means your still with us, am I right, Mrs. Lee?" Unlike her friends next to her, F was not startled by her original name being said aloud, rather smiling proudly as she saluted to the captain. "Good to see you again."
"Pleased to be here, Sir." F replied as she lowered her arm, glancing to her companions next to her as J spoke up.
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Captain Preston Mitchell, commander of the USNV Vickers down at the stardock."
Wade gave a respectful salute to Preston as he spoke first. "It's an honor to meet you, Sir."
"Thank you, Mr. Carter. I've heard about your efforts from J, you did an admirable job back there, son." Wade failed to hide an embarrassed blush from the compliment, but it quickly faded as a beep sounded from a small device on the table. It was swiftly silenced by the captain as he tapped a button on the small, pyramid shaped timer, then facing Wade's group before continuing. "Though, as much as we could use some small talk, it'll have to wait till later."
"Indeed, we're running late at this point." Said another officer, a highly decorated member of the base with dark skin, dark grey hair and a thin beard. He immediately won the attention of everyone in the room as he spoke up. "I'm General Hugh Hood, overseer of this base. I'm certain you know some of the reasons you're here with us, correct?"
Wade nodded as he spoke to Hood. "Yeah, it's cause of those rogue agents from the JCJenson corporation." Glancing to J, the corporate drone nodded in affirmation before speaking herself.
"Tessa and I spent the last hours of yesterday evening clearing up the matter with General Hood, along with several other officials stationed here." She stopped as the middle monitor behind her flashed with a banner at the top, reading, "INCOMING TRANSMISSION", and in place of the USN emblem was a textless version of the JCJenson logo. Below the profile image was another two lines of text. "N. Jenson (Company Exec); Comms Source: Yottrite IV"
"And also told our boss about what happened here too, he wanted to give his say on this ordeal." Looking to the general, J asked him, "May I put him on?"
Hood only gave a nod of approval to the corporate drone before she picked up a remote on the table and tapped a button, accepting the call as the picture shifted to show a middle-aged man in a pristine-looking business suit on the screen.
Wade and Tina glanced to each other before J introduced their guest on the screen. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the CEO of JCJenson: Mr. Noor Jenson."
Jenson gave a pleased nod to his subordinate as he spoke to J. "Thank you for the pleasantries, J. I see we are ready to discuss our plans on dealing with this 'recall' disaster I've bore witness to on the news this morning?"
J nodded as she replied to her boss. "Indeed, I've explained to General Hood here about our efforts yesterday, and, as of recent, we've just received a message from a source we believe to be close to the company."
Mr. Jenson looked down to J attentively as he spoke to her. "Well, that's quite intriguing news, J. Do you have this message available for us to view?" J and Hood both nodded in affirmation, but didn't get an immediate reply as Jenson gazed to Wade and his friends. "...And I presume these are some of the drones rescued from one of the factories?"
Again, J nodded to her superior before explaining her colleagues. "Yes Mr. Jenson, the two drones at the front in particular were among those taken by the Administrator and their subordinates." Pointing an arm to Wade and Tina, she introduced the drone couple. "The disassembly drone here is Mr. Wade Carter, a brother to his-technically speaking-owner, the late Ron Carter. The latter helped us recover Wade during an initial raid inside the Nevada facility." When bringing up Ron, J gave an apologetic look to Wade as to show she did not mean to be offending on him and his brother's relationship. "And this is his romantic partner, Mrs. Tina Fowley. I heard she and her sister Jasmine are pilots."
Jenson looked over the two drones as his obedient employee described them to him, quietly sighing as Wade and Tina returned the gaze with nervous smiles. Once J finished, Jenson spoke to Wade. "I... would say it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Carter. But, given recent events, I don't hold fault to you for feeling frustrated at me for my... former subordinate's actions."
Wade shook his head lightly, taking Jenson's light apology with a faint smile as he replied to the CEO. "Actually, I don't. The only person I have such feelings put towards is," He hesitated for a moment, his anger at Dr. Halloway returning for a short moment before he eased himself. "..That bastard Halloway."
"The feeling's mutual, Mr. Carter. Dr. Halloway has been trying my patience for years now, especially with you and your fellow disassembly drones." Looking to J, then F, he returned his gaze to Wade before questioning him on his new body. "I don't know if J has told you of this, but if there's one truth my company has admittedly not held up to for a while, it's our quality. Recently, some of my research staff here made blueprints for an upgraded variant of the disassembly drone design. It's intended to fix several faults we expected to be nonexistent previously, most notably that atrocious cooling unit."
As a schematic pulled up on the left monitor, everyone glanced to the improved design before F spoke up about it. "If I may ask, Mr. Jenson, how big of an improvement is this new cooling unit supposed to be?"
"Good question, F. Frankly, it's supposed to do away with the issue entirely. Saves us from sacrificing enormous supplies of oil for the poorly built unit in the previous iterations. We even tested it with a repaired drone just a few days ago, and it worked flawlessly." Then, glancing to Wade again, he questioned the former worker drone on his new form. "Speaking of, how does your enhanced body feel, Mr. Carter? I'm certain it feels better to not have to-"
"Actually, Mr. Jenson," Wade interrupted, pulling out one of his canteens as he answered the CEO on his upgrades. "I guess Halloway changed up the blueprints, cause unfortunately this new cooling unit didn't cure the overheating problem. I... kinda learned that the hard way." Wade glanced to Tina apologetically, still feeling bad from her seeing him eat the corpse of the dead murder drone back at the factory.
The corporate CEO grimaced in frustration as he took in Wade's statement, already intolerant of the head researcher's actions as he replied. "...I was worried about that, Edgar always likes to run things his own way, making excuses for that 'Administrator' he watches over." Taking an agitated breath, he continued on with his spew on the two culprits of yesterday's events. "It was only because of all the very impressive creations and enhancements she and her research team provided that I tolerated them for so long, but this..." Sitting up straight in front of the camera, Jenson finished sternly. "J said the Administrator... Cyn, I believe? She was apparently something worse than we presumed originally, and I'm very inclined to believe so after yesterday."
"As well as the program tied to the Administrator, the AbsoluteSolver." J clarified before receiving an agreeing nod from Mr. Jenson, standing corrected on his placing of blame.
Raising a hand, Nathan asked about the supposed plans. "Yeah, about this "Solver Project", what do we plan to do about that?"
"Good question, Nate." Tessa replied as she crossed her arms before looking to Jenson and beginning her explanation. "Initially, we were going to investigate the other factories spread across Earth in order to get some more info on the Administrator before things get worse. But, just this morning, it seems someone else saved us the trouble." Just as Tessa neared the end of her sentence, J held up the remote again, tapping a few buttons before the left monitor shifted to show a slightly grainy video onscreen.
The video only showed a single being, a worker drone, dressed in a chrome suit and bearing a set of yellow eyes. Behind them was what appeared to be a vacant room, a few shelves holding many books within them standing still in the back. The drone's visage indicated they were filled with immense anxiety, terrified of being caught as they spoke quietly to the camera.
"I can only hope someone gets this in time, they're gonna be on me once they find out the transmitter screens are down!" Turning the camera, he showed what appeared to be a large factory room, several more of the mysterious conveyor belts like at the factory slotted next to each other. It was hard to discern every detail due to not only the window reflection, but also the dark lighting in the inactive conveyor room. Filming the room beyond, the drone continued. "Dr. Halloway's a madman, he's got more of those stolen drones being brought here and he's going to be overseeing it in the afternoon tomorrow! I've seen what happened back in Nevada, I can't take this any longer! I'm at coordinates ##.######, -###.###### Please, send someo-"
The suspicious, partially scrambled transmission immediately cut off to static, leaving Wade, Tina, and their friends with confused expressions as Tessa spoke up. "Yeah, that caught me by surprise too."
"So, that guy says they got more drones being sent 'there', but... where is there, exactly?" Jasmine asked with immense curiosity.
"I was hoping you'd ask that, Mrs. Fowley." The technician replied as she glanced to J, who tapped a few more buttons on the remote before speaking over her boss-friend.
"While the transmission itself isn't much to work off of, our friends from Comms over here managed to intercept the signal earlier, and even better, discern where it originated from." As J started her explanation, the screen shifted once more to show a large city, with one skyscraper highlighted in red as it was zoomed towards on the screen. "That scrambled audio wasn't a simple glitch, it was intentionally done so as to hide key information for us to uncover. Upon cleaning up the message, we managed to recover a set of coordinates, which direct to this structure here, in San Francisco."
Wade and his friends stared at the building in shock, examining the tall structure as it stood over the shorter buildings in the city. Tina broke the silence in her gaze. "So, this is another factory? It looks... terribly different from the one we got out of."
"Not exactly, Mrs. Fowley." Mr. Jenson answered, Tina and the others looking to him as he continued. "THAT is the Administrator's main laboratory, its location was kept on the down low so other authorities and terrorist groups wouldn't find out what the buildings true purpose was." Sighing, Jenson completed his reply. "But, with this recent mistake of Halloway's, that place has lost all purpose for us at the company."
Wade raised a hand to speak. "So, we're going to pounce on that place? Get Halloway before he runs off again?"
"Exactly." General Hood replied as he looked up to Mr. Jenson. "This whole 'recovery/recruitment' effort has gotten out of hand all across Sol. We've gotten countless reports of people being killed because of this, be it the brutal robberies here in Nevada or the bloodbath on Ceres. Even if Mr. Jenson refuses to cooperate, this has become a dire matter for us now. One way or another, this insanity will be stopped with due haste."
The CEO nodded in acknowledgement before explaining his own plans for the mission. "Speaking of cooperation, upon seeing what was happening at Earth, I ordered a detachment of our corporate starships in orbit at the time to depart for Sol in order to help with investigating the situation. They're not warships, but they are well-armed. I'll dispatch them to your authority upon concluding this call." Glancing to Wade and his team for a moment, Jenson continued. "As for the mission, I may not have much of a say, but let it be known that you have my blessing to do whatever it takes to end this madness. I don't care what you do with Halloway or any of his lackeys, or what happens to that facility down there... I want that program shut down."
"Thank you for the extra hands, Mr. Jenson. We'll make sure this Administrator is dealt with." Hood replied gratefully as Wade sat firm in his seat, Tina and the others following suite.
"General?" The former worker drone said aloud, catching Hood's attention before he made his request. "I know I'm not a soldier, but I want to help with dealing with Halloway and his grunts. After what he did, after losing my brother, I can't rest until I see that man stopped."
Tina raised a finger as well. "As do I, Wade could use a hand with those people, and given how we did during our escape run out of that place, I think the two of us make quite the duo." She glanced to Wade with a smirk as she referenced their combat prowess when flying together.
Nathan and F stood up before the latter gave her own request. "Sir, I wish to take part in this mission as well. I can also recommend Wade for you too, as I fought alongside him during the factory raid."
"Wouldn't mind giving a hand myself! And I'm sure my pal Kurtis would love to help, he's here at the base too!" Nathan added with a confident smirk, the group's determination encouraging Jasmine to stand up as well.
"I'd like to help too." She stated simply, a smile on her face as the general and his companions observed the five guests.
Admittedly, Hood knew it would be a bit absurd to allow these people to take part in an operation which would certainly involve bloodshed, especially considering most of them merely had civilian status at the moment. But, upon careful evaluation of the five, their desire to see this problem dealt with, and the fact that some of them had experience on the field...
He paused his train of thought as Captain Mitchell spoke to him. "General? I read up on the Fowleys' files when we recovered Mrs. Jasmine here, they provided service in their early careers." He smirked to the pilot sisters as he finished adding his say. "And to be frank, we need more people like them here. The records we have of them showed them to be damn fine pilots."
Tina blushed at the praise from Mitchell as she spoke to the general. "That is true, we uh... did get discharged for our... 'fancy maneuvering'."
"Sir?" Jasmine said, the general's attention on her as she added to the conversation. "Even if our flying is a bit out of protocol, Tina saved a lot of people on that starjet a few days back. I can promise you, she's an excellent woman to have at the wheel."
Glancing to Wade again, Hood took in his face, one of begging desperation as he spoke once more. "Please, Sir. My brother, the troops he brought from the Coalition, Halloway's gotten them all killed cause of this. I want to do this. I HAVE to do this, at least for them."
The good general took a deep, quiet breath, considering his decision once more before finally revealing it to Wade and his friends. "Mr. Carter, Fowleys? I'm probably making myself a fool for saying this, but you're permitted to assist us in this mission."
The drone couple contained their gratefulness in the form of ecstatic grins as Wade replied to the general. "Thanks, General. We won't let you down."
"And Mrs. Lee?" Hood said as he glanced to F, who returned the gesture as he told her, "You're technically under Mr. Jenson's authority, whatever his answer is, it's mine as well."
Bringing her yellow-orange eyes to her CEO, F awaited Mr. Jenson's answer. "F, yes? I heard Mr. Hood call you by a different name just now, I assume you have some experience with the army?"
The warrior drone nodded as she explained herself. "I once inherited the name of Felicity Lee, Mr. Jenson. I served under the USN Defense Forces before joining the DD Division." Then, glancing to the military staff near her, she finished with, "I had hoped to provide my enhancements to the Force one day."
Jenson gave a hint of a proud smile as he finally gave his decision. "Well, it seems you'll finally get that chance. From now on, even after this mission on Earth is over with, you're hereby dispatched to serve under the USN."
F admittedly couldn't hide her excited smirk as she flung a salute to her now former boss. "Thank you Sir!"
Looking up to Jenson, General Hood asked the CEO, "Mr. Jenson, how long until your ships can reach Earth?"
Jenson glanced down at his communication console as he answered the military leader. "At max speed, their Ion drives should be able to bring them into orbit in as little as one to two days. I believe there should be some ships within the system that could help as well."
"Signal them when you can, Mr. Jenson. We could use all the help we can get from them." The CEO nodded to Hood as he stood firmly to the viewer, the general turning to face Wade and his colleagues. "And Mr. Carter? We'll be mobilizing our forces immediately after this meeting concludes. It'll be a minute, but I want you to gather whatever items and belongings you'll need for this operation. Be ready to head to the flight pads in no more than three hours."
"Understood Sir!" Wade said with a salute, Tina, Jasmine and Nathan giving their own as Jasmine raised a finger.
"What about the area around the lab? That place looks like it's in the middle of the city."
J raised a finger as she told Jasmine and the others about their resolution of the civilian obstacle. "Shortly after reporting our findings on the transmission, Hood told us that they were sending in some teams to clear out the civilian population within several miles of the facility. Once we get there, it should be of no concern."
Jasmine sighed in relief as Tina spoke up. "So the people should be safe from any sort of danger?"
"Correct, Mrs. Tina." Preston answered before continuing. "Given the resistance Halloway and his men showed during the Coalition's raid, they most certainly won't hold back there."
"One more thing, Sir." Nathan asked. "The Coalition's going to help us out with this too, right?"
"You can count on it, Mr. Nathan." The Vickers' captain replied as he looked to J, then to Jenson as he spoke further. "I met the leader of the Coalition's detachment working with us when I was introduced to J and Mrs. Elliott here, they intend to see this conflict finished. I highly doubt they're willing to sit back and let us do this by ourselves."
"And their help will be much appreciated." Hood added, everyone's attention returned to him as he looked to Tessa, curious eyes scanning her holographic form. "And Mrs. Elliott, if I may. Do you mind heading down here to assist us in our investigations later on?"
"Funny you say that, General. I'm almost done with my own snooping around on the JCJ up in orbit, Cyn has some small departments of hers aboard, and I thought I'd gather some more intel before coming down." Glancing to Mr. Jenson, she saw him giving an understanding nod before returning her gaze to the military staff. "I should be down there by the evening, judging by where you're located."
"Do what you must, Mrs. Elliott. We could use whatever you find." Hood replied firmly as he turned once more to the JCJenson CEO. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Jenson. We will get to the bottom of this."
"It's my pleasure, General." Glancing to J and Tessa, he spoke to them once more. "J? Contact me when you've finished with Halloway and his Administrator."
"It'll be done, Mr. Jenson." The obedient servant answered before saluting firmly, receiving a final nod from her boss before he ended the transmission.
With their off-world guest out of the way, Hood looked to Wade and his friends, J, Tessa and Captain Mitchells sharing the gaze with them as the general spoke to them in finality. "Well, you know what comes next everyone. You're all dismissed for now. And remember, landing zone by 1300."
"We'll be there Sir." Wade said with a nod as he and his friends stood up, pushing in their chairs before making their way out to the door.
As they neared it, Wade stopped for a moment as they heard Hood call to one of his friends. "And F?" The soldier drone looked to the general as he continued. "Before we depart, would you mind changing your uniform? I believe it could help with identifying you from the other disassembly drones more easily." Glancing to J, then back to F, he finished with, "I recall hearing about the most formidable drones having clones prepared, yes?"
"Correct, Sir. I'll stop by the nearest barracks while I can." F replied before turning back to the door with her colleagues, Wade opening the door for them all as they passed through. After them, Wade passed through himself, shutting the door to the meeting room as he returned to the lobby.
Walking about together, F spoke to Wade and the others. "Well, that went smoothly. I'll be heading down to the barracks, then head over to your place to help out."
"Actually," Wade replied, raising a finger up as he asked his fellow murder drone, "You think you could bring your friends over? We could get to know each other while we're getting ready."
F glanced to Nathan with a smile before returning her eyes to Wade. "I could see about that. You're gonna like them, I can promise you that."
Taking Tina's hand, Wade walked with his girlfriend alongside Jasmine and the others, nearing the hallway they came through as they prepared for the walk back to the apartment.

Hello everyone, Covenant, Wei, and Duodex here to go over the rest of our technology changes in this new Progress Report. We will go over the rest of the completed changes in each part of our tech trees and doctrines. There are some uncompleted sections that will be finished in a future version, but this will not have any impact on the gameplay. We will start by covering the small changes to trees already covered in Part 1 or trees that are very similar to vanilla.
The Infantry Tech Tree:
The infantry tree has one relatively major change since the last PR. We have decided that Mechanized equipment and Amtracs should be included in the infantry tree. Originally they were going to be in the tank tree back when we were considering making an NSB equivalent for the tanks but with the choice to only do base game tanks it made more sense to include the Mechanized in the infantry tree instead.
The Air Tech Tree:
The air tree has one small change since the last PR, we have moved scouts to be connected to air interceptors instead of as a subtech. Due to scout planes only being available with the La Resistance DLC we needed to add an alternate tech for players who didn't own LaR but this proved impossible in the old implementation. Instead we have attached them to the tree.
The Artillery Tech Tree:
The Artillery Tech tree is an expansion of the vanilla tree. This choice was made not out of laziness but because artillery, conventional anti-tank, and conventional anti-air guns did not develop that much between 1948-1964 OTL. With that in mind the Kalterkrieg artillery tree will be an extension/light modification of the vanilla tree to fit the timeline and that's it. Missile-based anti-air and anti-tank weapons are in the missiles tech tree instead of this one to not over complicate/confuse everything.
Electro-Mechanical Engineering Tree:
Much like the artillery tree the Electro-Mechanical Engineering Tree (or Electronics in game) will effectively be a time shifted version of the vanilla tree with one small change. The growing importance of aircraft and air warfare made us consider adding a tech related to air-traffic control as post-ww2 there were a number of developments in this field that came with the improvements in radio and radar technologies. The 1946, 1952, 1956, and 1960 radar technologies will have a technology connected to each named Air Control (4 in total) that will improve stats such as mission efficiency, accident chance and bad weather penalty.
There is also the rocketry tree that is on the right of the side. The original plan was to incorporate a space race mechanic to the later rocketry techs but instead of developing a half-assed mechanic or delaying release to finish it we have decided to leave it to the future. The early techs do however improve rocket artillery and are required to unlock the first missiles tech (much like vanilla).
Now let's cover tech that is quite different from vanilla…
Armour Tree:
The armour tree is not an extension of vanilla in any way and has two branches in it, Light Armour and Main Battle Tanks. The tanks in each also have subtechs to represent variants of these tanks with the light tanks having amphibious tanks as a subtech and the MBT’s have a subtech for Self-Propelled Anti-air and Self-Propelled Artillery. There are also a number of intermediate upgrade techs that improve certain stats.
There are 4 light tank models researchable, a 1945, 1948, 1952, and a 1960 model with each having an amphibious tank subtech. In between tank 2 and 3 and 4 there are gun and speed upgrades which improve soft attack and speed respectively.
For Main Battle tanks there are 3 models, (though the first model is considered a medium tank) a 1945, 1948 and 1960 model. Between 1948 and 1960 there are 2 upgrades for armor, gun and chassis as well as a general upgrade. The general upgrade is required before the 1960 model can be researched and the general upgrade requires at least both of one upgrade line be researched. Each MBT model has subtechs for SPAA and SPA/SPG which benefit from the upgrade techs.
Some of you may be wondering why there are no heavy tanks or tank destroyers. I assure you this was not a mistake but a conscious choice. We decided that both lost their use post-war and it would be useful to add each to the tech tree. While some heavy tanks were developed by the allied powers post WW2 they were very quickly made obsolete in favour of Main Battle Tanks. The same thing happened with Tank destroyers though they were also hampered by the creation of improved anti-tank weapons like RPGs.
Industry Tree:
While the industry tree is inspired by vanilla some explanation is required due to some effects used in the tree. There are 4 branches to the industry tree, Construction, Industry, Resources, and Oil.
The construction branch is simple. There are 4 techs that improve construction speed with 3 mutually exclusive choices in-between. The choice you make is between improving the land cultivation in a state or receiving improving the civilian economy in a random owned state. Due to some limitation with the engine the location of the factory is only shown in the hover tooltip and not the research effect window.
The production branch has 4 techs that improve efficiency and 3 pairs of techs that improve dockyard and factory output. The dockyard and factory techs are not mutually exclusive (though I don't recommend researching it if you are a landlocked nation).
The resources branch has 4 techs that extraction and in-between them are 3 sets of techs that add steel, chromium, tungsten or aluminium if certain conditions are met. You will gain 5% production of the specific resource in each state that produces 20 or more of said resource. Due to the aforementioned engine issue the states that gain extra resources are only available by hovering over the tech.
The Oil branch is simple, it has 4 techs that each improve how much fuel is gained from oil and refineries.
Missiles Tree:
Missiles are obviously an important part of any Cold War mod and as such that has earnt them their own tree. There are 3 (technically 4 but the 4th is smaller) branches to the missile tree, ballistic missiles, surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, and anti-tank missiles. Ballistic and SAMs require the basic guided missiles (like from vanilla to be researched).
Ballistic missiles and SAMs both have basic and improved tech as well as an intermediate upgrade. Ballistic missiles use the vanilla mechanic for missiles while SAM equipment are used for a SAM support battalion. The reason neither has a unique mechanic (yet) is that we felt that having a half-finished or buggy to use mechanic would be more frustrating than just using vanilla. Ballistic missiles also have 2 subtechs, cruise missiles which right now just increase the strategic bombing strength of ballistic missiles but I hope in future to add cruise missiles (this is yet another limitation created by Paradox where we can’t make unique versions of rocket sites). Ballistics and SAMs also share a subtech that is ship-based missiles that add both anti-ship and ship-based SAM equipment modules.
The air-to-air branch has 3 techs that each improve air attack. As we have chosen not to make a BBA version of the air tree (I, Covenant do not want to deal with balancing BBA planes and NSB tanks so that's why. I also just don't like it in general) the air-to-air techs just add general improvements to attack. There are also 2 IR (infra-red) air-to-air missile techs that improve night attack. These require the research of 2 IR experimentation techs that improve other stats.
Lastly the anti-tank missiles branch has a pre-req tech, optical guidance that you need to research to unlock anti-tank gun 3 which you need to unlock basic anti-tank missiles. Our justification for this is that anti-tank missiles only started to become viable after 1960 which is outside the mod timeframe.
Secret Weapons Tree:
The secret weapons tree is our least complete tree and we will explain why but first the branches. There are 3 branches, atomic weapons, biological warfare, and flamethrowers. Currently the atomic weapons branch has only some techs working, biological warfare is unfinished whereas flamethrowers have actual effects.
The atomic weapons branch is currently, if effectively a retooling of the vanilla atomic techs. You must research basic atomic research, then atomic piles (which allows the building of reactors), then bomb research (which adds research speed), then finally the atomic bomb actually unlocks nukes. The other atomic techs do not do anything but we plan on working on custom nuclear mechanics after release.
The flamethrowers branch has 4 techs, each improves the soft-attack of all infantry and motorized units but it also has a negative impact. Whenever a nation researches flamethrowers that nation gains a -20 opinion modifier with every other nation on earth. This is to illustrate that since the end of the war (and its rampant usage by Russia and Japan) the world now sees flamethrowers as cruel weapons and a war-crime. As such any nation who is seen to be improving their flamethrowers is viewed negatively. Nations that start with flamethrowers will not have this opinion modifier though. We plan to do something similar for biological weapons research.
Land Doctrines:
For our land doctrines we decided to have 4 choices for land doctrines, those being combined operations, maneuver warfare, deep battle and asymmetrical warfare. Instead of covering every element of these doctrines, which would take forever I will give an overview of what each doctrine entails and tease a few of the bonus each gives.
Combined operations encompass the intricate orchestration of diverse military elements, pooling resources and expertise across multiple branches or services of a nation's armed forces, alongside potential collaboration with allied forces. This synergy fosters a unified approach towards achieving strategic objectives, leveraging the unique strengths of each component to enhance operational effectiveness on land, at sea, and in the air.
Maneuver warfare epitomizes a dynamic military strategy characterized by fluidity, agility, and rapidity in troop movements. It emphasizes exploiting enemy vulnerabilities, disrupting their cohesion, and seizing advantageous positions, rather than relying solely on brute force or attrition. Through swift and decisive actions, maneuver warfare seeks to outmaneuver and outwit adversaries, capitalizing on the element of surprise to gain tactical superiority and achieve operational success.
Deep battle embodies a strategic doctrine aimed at penetrating deep into enemy territory to target their rear areas, lines of communication, and critical infrastructure. By striking at the heart of the opponent's logistical and organizational support systems, deep battle disrupts their ability to sustain military operations, eroding their resilience and weakening their overall combat effectiveness. This approach emphasizes the importance of coordinated and synchronized offensives across multiple fronts, enabling forces to exploit vulnerabilities and capitalize on fleeting opportunities.
Asymmetrical warfare signifies a paradigm shift in military engagement, where conventional power differentials are challenged by asymmetric tactics and unconventional strategies. In asymmetric conflicts, weaker forces often employ guerrilla warfare, insurgency, terrorism, or other irregular methods to undermine the strengths of more conventionally powerful adversaries. By leveraging innovation, adaptability, and asymmetry in tactics, asymmetrical warfare seeks to offset numerical or technological disadvantages, maximizing the impact of limited resources and achieving strategic objectives through asymmetric means.
Naval Doctrines:
Naval doctrines similarly also have 4 choices for doctrine. These are brown water navy, green water navy, blue water navy, and naval supremacy (with a shared escort related tree between the last two). I will do the same as army doctrine and explain each while teasing some effects.
Brown water navies primarily operate in inland or shallow coastal waters, focusing on riverine and littoral areas. Their vessels are typically smaller and more maneuverable, optimized for navigating rivers, estuaries, and other confined waterways where larger naval vessels may struggle to operate effectively. Brown water navies are often tasked with patrolling and securing waterborne trade routes, conducting riverine warfare, and supporting ground operations in coastal regions, playing a vital role in maintaining maritime security and stability in these environments.
Green water navies operate in the near-coastal zones and littoral regions of the open ocean, possessing the capability to project power and influence within a limited range from their home shores. These navies typically deploy a mix of surface combatants, submarines, and maritime patrol aircraft to safeguard territorial waters, protect maritime trade routes, and deter potential threats in their immediate maritime vicinity. While green water navies may lack the global reach of blue water navies, they play a crucial role in defending coastal territories and exerting maritime control over critical strategic areas.
Blue water navies are capable of operating across vast oceanic expanses and projecting power on a global scale. Equipped with aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines, blue water navies possess the capability to conduct sustained naval operations far from their home bases, projecting force and protecting national interests worldwide. Blue water navies are essential for power projection, sea control, and maritime dominance, enabling nations to influence events in distant regions, respond to crises, and protect vital sea lanes of communication crucial for global trade and commerce.
Naval supremacy represents the pinnacle of maritime power projection, embodying unparalleled dominance and control over the world's oceans. Exemplified by nations like the United States during the Cold War and the Royal Navy from during Britain's Imperial Century, naval supremacy entails not only the capability to operate globally but also the unrivaled ability to dictate the terms of maritime engagement and shape international affairs through naval strength alone. Beyond the capabilities of a traditional blue water navy, a nation with naval supremacy commands an overwhelming advantage in both conventional and strategic terms, with a fleet comprising advanced aircraft carriers, stealthy submarines, state-of-the-art surface combatants, and comprehensive maritime surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Such a navy not only safeguards vital sea lanes and strategic choke points but also projects influence across all maritime domains, ensuring unrivaled deterrence and the ability to decisively intervene in any maritime theater of operations. Naval supremacy confers not just military superiority but also significant diplomatic leverage, shaping the geopolitical landscape and underpinning a nation's status as a global maritime hegemon.
Air Doctrines:
For now we are using vanilla air doctrines. We understand this may be disappointing but none of us possessed enough knowledge of different cold war air doctrines to create something good enough. Air doctrines of the cold war is also not something that is documented in an easy to access and absorb place like the others so for now nothing is in place but we will endeavour to produce something post-release.
I hope you all enjoy messing around with the tech we have created for Kalterkreig. I am sure you will find weird and wonderful ways to break them and which equipment is meta and which is not.

Before you downvote and move on, Tl;dr is sailing good, core gameplay loop should be dull and easy, mini game should be fun but I wanna turn off my brain and click for hours if I need to.
The reason that I voted no was that I though that sailing fit more as a mini game than a skill.
I’m not going to tell you that I want OG 2007scape no changes reeeee. But a super fun skill just doesn’t fit what we have already.
The skills started off incredibly basic and progressed into something fun over time. What kept us going in these super basic skills is the interactions with other players, asking their woodcutting level, flexing your 70 woodcutting, and then over time more unique and fun ways to do the skill we’re added.
We started off with:
Woodcutting: chop log
Mining: mine rock
Firemaking: make fire
How I would design the skill, therefore, would be incredibly basic.
Firstly, we need very repeatable activities which require 0 brain and can be done over and over with no heavy requirements.
I would suggest something like: board an NPC’s ship similar to trawler, you help out as a crew member where you bail, fix things, cook supplies, help with ropes, help with navigation.
All of these things could be maxed by going between them or AFKed by just doing one or two which are close by.
Xp and efficiency could then be closely tied in to cooking, crafting and construction levels which would allow you to perform tasks better and more consistently.
Next, some sort of salvaging where you actually help other sailers salvage their goods. This wouldn’t actually impact other players but you would be helping out the NPCs who are the ones at the salvaging lot.
This could be a very simple task that could involve tick manipulation for faster rates and include a more afk method.
Now that we have the basics down it’s time for the actual fun part.
What you would gain from all of this is access to new sailing routes which make charters free. You can now get anywhere around the game, to different areas on the coast with higher levels, for free. Going on these routes would also give sailing xp and can either be done manually or automatically.
Doing it automatically would grant much less xp but be a fast way of transport around the world.
Doing it manually would involve all of the things that you have been learning as a crew member but now with your own ship.
Increasing your sailing level, con level, crafting level and such will increase the ships that you can build which will be faster, bigger and stronger.
Increasing your ship will allow you to get to new places and use new, faster routes because the waters are more violent. Using smaller ships will also allow you to get to new fishing locations with buffs to fish received as well as a new type of fish.
These can be cooked inside your boat and can be dropped for efficiency or sent to your boat storage which can only be unlocked at a harbour so that you can bank them later.
Now that the core gameplay loop is sorted, I would then implement a ‘sailing update! New mini game!’ Where you can now sail the oceans hunting for treasure and bring it to the salvaging yard, like has been shown in recent videos.
This isn’t perfect but I could see this being a skill. I think there is too much focus on the sailing part of sailing being the main gameplay loop which I feel does not fit the current skills that we have.
I want the sailing part to be fun, where you can just explore open oceans and find islands and treasure without worrying about levelling the skill, but also for the core gameplay loop to be very dull and repetitive, just like everything else is. Then, doing the unique ways is fun, but when you need to turn your brain off you can still do 3 hours of mindless salvaging.
But that’s just my 2 cents. What do you think?

((I felt a spark of creativity and wanted to write this and dip my toes into maybe starting to write fanfiction and what better way to start than my ultimate favorite ship!)) [Little bit of a sad excerpt so be warned]

 The rain came down in heavy sheets, pounding into her clothes with icy pricks along her skin where the water soaked through the fabric of her black dress. Her umbrella did very little to shield her from the weeping rain and the chilled winds, but she appreciated the cover for her tears. She hadn't cried tears like this since Nero, but for the last 6 months, she cried often, and didn't care much ti hide it anymore. Wednesday stalked along the grounds of her home, determined but defeated steps towards her destination. She took the opportunity to sniffle under the cover of her boots squelching into grassy mud. Her home was a simple 4 room Cottage on a 5 acre plot of land with a huge yard surrounded by thick forest. Once upon a time she this was paradise for Wednesday, but nowadays it's only a painful reminder of what once was. She had come alone, as she always did on this day, having left Thing in the cottage by himself. She did this same ritual every year, for the last Year, on the 28th of each month. It was June now, and the entire month had been dull blur of numbing dread and painful memories that once tasted oh so sweet. The storm clouds blotted out the sun but Wednesday wouldn't have been able to see past the spray of water to her face anyway. She made her way under a huge oak tree towards the back her land, in a clearing in her forest. The tree stood tall and proud, shouldering the burden of Wednesday's grief through a the front of its trunk, where the bark had been scratched off and the letters "WA + EA" were etched into the exposed wood. The solemn seer placed her hand over the etching, her tungsten wedding band sticking out along her pale hand. She shuffled a few steps to the right to stand before an ornate head stone, the crest of a wolf sculpted at the top. Wednesday gracefully sat down on the wet grass, not caring for her clothes as she tucked her legs to the side. She closed her umbrella and laid it to the ground as she carefully removed a hot pink orchid from her person. Carefully, the seer placed the orchid in the maw of the white-marble wolf. "When they told me you were gone, I screamed. I wailed and I cried and I screamed. As loud as I could. I halfway hoped that if you could hear me screaming on your way to the afterlife, you would turn around and come back to me," Wednesday said, her voice monotone and devoid of emotion. As opposed to the usual cadence to her voice, the words instead came out exhausted and beaten. Another round of hot tears began to fall as her bottom lip began to tremble. Wednesday stood, and ran her hand over the top of the wolf-statue's head, and placed a kiss on the nose. "Happy Birthday... Cara mia..." she spoke with a whisper. She didn't like the idea of disturbing this place with too much sound. It was her sanctuary, a final remaining thread of peace in a minute sanctuary she forged herself after she laid her heart to rest here. It was her favorite place after all, the countless full moons where she would lay with her wolf under the oak tree. Wednesday lingered for a moment, staring at the words etched into the marble, "Enid Addams June 2006 - January 2036 The Raven's Wolf, Beloved Wife" with a heavy sigh and a sniffle as the tears began to subside, Wednesday made her way back to the cottage that wouldn't feel like home anymore, not while her soul remained incomplete. 

Synopsis:
An engineer in another world—blending science and magic to achieve greatness in a world where skills and levels reign supreme.
—
Ethan was just a plain old engineer, but everything changed when he was reborn into a world of skills, levels, and magic. With his advanced knowledge far ahead of the time period he finds himself in, this new reincarnated life will be much different than his last, especially because he can construct, deconstruct, and reconstruct runes—something no one else can do.
But with royal politics, looming tax collectors, a mountain of debt, dungeon incursions, cults, and hostile fantasy races mixing together into a cocktail of bullshit that threatens to bury his dreams; Ethan must bridge the gap between steel and sorcery to grow stronger.
First < Previous Next >

Chapter 02

-1-
Roland cursed under his breath as he trudged down the muddy path toward Lord Theodore's manor. The late early morning sun cast long shadows, painting the desolate landscape in an even bleaker light.
Why was it only him who had to deal with Lord Theodore's bullshit? Just last night, Roland had to take care of all the complaints from the bar he'd found Lord Theodore at. Not to mention, he had to pay compensation to the wenches from his own personal funds.
And that wasn't even half the things he'd done yesterday alone.
After all, Lord Theodore was either busy abusing his power and bullying the people of the town, gambling, drinking, getting wasted with his face stuck up a prostitute, or doing his fourth favorite activity which, naturally, was a combination of the latter three. The man wasn't the brightest, but he wasn't quite dumb enough to avoid dealing with the problems the town of Holden faced.
Roland shook his head when he made it to the estate gates. As expected, there were guards, servants, and soldiers dashing left and right, but he was ignored. It was time to beg Lord Theodore to attend to his duties. None dared stop him, for he was a [Knight] appointed to Lord Theodore by his father—Lord Alexander Lockheart—and an acting advisor while said lord was being, well, his usual idiotic and selfish self.
So, Roland did what he had to; he moved past them all, and made for Lord Theodore's sleeping quarters where a handful of maids were all fussing about like hens with their heads chopped off.
Lord Theodore's quarters were not large by noble standards, but impressive all the same. Lavish and gaudy, just as he expected. Tapestries and drapes were hung up high all about the walls, and on the ground, there were expensive fur carpets.
After moving past the maids and butlers who were currently shuffling about like a horde of ants whose nest was threatened by a boar, he stopped before a silk drape that barred the way to Lord Theodore's bedchambers.
"Lord Theodore," he called.
Silence.
"Lord Theodore?"
Nothing.
Feeling a little annoyed, Roland frowned. "Lord Theodore," he called again. "With all due respect, are you presently attired?"
Nothing but a muffled sound came from the other side. Roland grimaced, and looked up at the ceiling in exasperation before dropping his hand and tugging the curtain aside. The inside of the bedchamber wasn't much to look at. Just your average nobleman's bedroom with a canopy bed big enough to fit twelve women side-by-side.
Most did, in fact, do just that.
A bookshelf stood on each wall, and at the far end was another drape that led to an enclosed balcony where he had the gall to throw his used clothes through during summer.
"Greetings, my lord," Roland said.
Lord Theodore, however, didn't answer.
He sat in front of a full-length mirror on the dresser. He had this listless sort of look, like he just didn't know how to deal with things. It wasn't an expression he'd ever seen on the man's face.
"Lord Theodore, are you well?" Roland inquired, a sliver of unease creeping into his voice. Though he found the young lord childish—given he was barely eighteen years old—Lord Theodore was his responsibility. He'd been Roland's responsibility when he was a little brat, and even now.
Theodore gave a startled response. "Ah, Roland? Yes, I am quite well."
"My lord, with all due respect, I implore you to be truthful. Has something transpired?"
Roland was anxious now. While he harbored no particular fondness for Lord Theodore, a sworn oath bound him to protect and care for the Baron. Granted, his master, Lord Theodore's own father, had afforded him considerable autonomy within Holden's borders—heck, he could even go as far as beating up Lord Theodore without consequences, if Roland deemed it reasonable and necessary—but his code of honor held oaths sacred. The son of the house Varian would rather lose an arm and his birthright than break a single [Oath] made.
"No, truly, I'm fine."
"If that is the case," Roland acknowledged with a curt nod, "then I bear news."
Lord Theodore furrowed his brow. "Good news, I trust?"
"I'm afraid not," Roland sighed. "Yesterday, our patrol in the Deadwoods encountered a band of brigands...…"
Lord Theodore's frown deepened. "While banditry is a common occurrence, it often heralds further troubles. Elaborate, Roland."
"Indeed, my lord," Roland continued, "these brigands weren't merely causing a ruckus. Apparently, they were engaged in combat with a rather formidable creature, vaguely humanoid in form."
Lord Theodore's posture stiffened. "Vaguely humanoid? Can you provide further details?"
Roland shook his head. "Limited information, I'm afraid. Only reports of unnatural speed reached our ears; it appeared to be engaged with wolves. Both fled upon human-contact, however."
Lord Theodore stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Did our men prevail against the brigands? And this creature—surely Captain..." he paused, searching for the man's name.
"Thomas," Roland supplied.
"Ah, yes, Thomas. Holden is geographically close to the Deadwoods. Sir Thomas wouldn't simply abandon such a threat near the bordertowns, would he? He and I may not see eye to eye on certain matters, but... surely he wouldn't leave such a threat unaddressed." Lord Theodore said.
Roland hesitated. "Captain Thomas chose to bypass us and directly inform the Crown of their discovery. He remained tight-lipped regarding specifics despite repeated inquiries."
Lord Theodore hummed thoughtfully. "If Thomas deems it worthy of the Crown's attention, then it surpasses our jurisdiction. Let's hope for their swift and decisive action. What of the brigands? Eliminated, I presume?"
"So it seems," Roland replied. "All but one met their demise. The sole survivor remains in a cell, though maddened beyond reason."
"I see. Is that for now?" Lord Theodore leaned back in his chair.
"Not quite, my lord. We've had a recent outbreak of the Blight, and we suspect it was an intentional spread. Unfortunately, the culprit remains unidentified."
Theodore's expression morphed into one of genuine shock. "Are these two seemingly unrelated issues connected, perhaps?" He asked.
"It appears to be the case, my lord." A sigh escaped Roland's lips. The Blight—a magical sickness that eats away at your life force, causes lethargy, nausea, and kills you, all while your body radiates a pervasive foul odor. It had recently taken hold on a few people of Holden. Why or how, Roland did not know.
"Those afflicted have been quarantined in a secure location far from Holden to prevent further contagion. Our physicians are doing their utmost to manage them. However, several have died already, and the remaining victims exhibit signs of feral behavior—meaning, they have already entered the late stage, I'm afraid. It's become imperative that they remain under quarantine, lest they either bite other humans—given there's hunger for raw flesh in the late stage—or they could infect the crops, causing them to decay. Consequently, the farmers, understandably anxious, have retreated into their homes."
They were likely waiting for their lord, incompetent as he may be, to deal with the situation. Yet, he had his hand up a wench's skirt more than actually trying to fix the issues... What can I do with him? Roland sighed.
Lord Theodore rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Roland."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Do you think the Merchant Guild would let me have another loan?"
Roland's lips thinned into a line, but he shook his head. "Regrettably, my lord, they would not. The Merchants' Guild has been cautious lately. There was this whole unpleasant affair with a prominent [Merchant Lord] named Bertram, you might know the name. Used to flaunt more gold jewelry than some of the highborn nobles. Turns out, he was embezzling.
"Apparently, he manipulated the Guild's books for months. Inflated trade contracts with nonexistent suppliers from faraway lands, siphoned off the extra profit into his own pockets. Clever, gotta give him that. Even forged shipping manifests to keep it all looking legit.
"Nasty business, that. Apparently, the esteemed Lord Bertram decided a little vacation was in order after everything, and wouldn't you know it, he packed a rather hefty sum from the Guild's coffers along for the ride as well. We're talking a near royal-wedding-sized dowry here, my lord. Vanished, all of it.
"The details are still murky, but rumor has it Bertram might have gotten tangled with pirates operating from the Broken Isles. One of the [Pirate Kings], perhaps—or most likely. So, the Merchants' Guild has been refraining from giving out loans. And, my apologies to say this, my lord, but you're a high-risk individual, and you already have quite the debt with them... They wouldn't want to give more."
Lord Theodore already had a mountain of debt on his name... The interest rate was more than what Lord Theodore could pay off even if the crops did better than planned. Given that the Adventurers' Guild of this sector had been rather short on manpower lately due to a dungeon incursion in the town, Corinth, lying beside theirs and given that Lord Theodore had a tendency for tax evasion and then laundering… Yeah, they were royally fucked. Even if in this situation, Lord Theodore wanted a loan for himself... Roland just gave up. Maybe it was time to return to his master, Lord Theodore's father, and just ask him to appoint him somewhere else—he couldn't deal with this scumbag anymore, not in his current state.
"I see, they wouldn't. Not surprising. It seems I'm going to have to hire a [Necromancer] by my lonesome."
Roland blinked. "That's..." a shock, Roland stopped himself from saying. [Necromancers] cost a hefty sum, and given that Lord Theodore was already under debt and likely the financial situation of Holden was anything but optimal, hiring a [Necromancer] would've put a huge dent in Holden's already meager reserves. However, Roland hadn't imagined, not in his wildest dreams, that Lord Theodore would be employing one by his lonesome.
Throughout his life, Roland had known this man to not even spare a thought to anything that wasn't his immediate self-gratification, or his amusement and satisfaction. How was the wastrel noble suddenly going to change?
"My lord, my apologies for asking, but why do you require a [Necromancer's] assistance?" Roland finally asked, schooling his shocked expression.
"Oh, I have some... theories regarding the Blight." Lord Theodore grinned. "And a [Necromancer] might just be someone who we need in order to solve this problem once and for all."
Roland was shocked to his core, once more. "But, my lord, the treatment for the Blight isn't something common folk can afford? So, how...?"
"Nonsense, Roland. Forget that rudimentary concoction they peddle as a cure. I envision a more... permanent solution. Issue a commission at the Adventurers' Guild—a [Necromancer] or perhaps a [Witch], their talents are equally suited for this task."
"Yes, my lord." Roland bowed, failing to comprehend what Lord Theodore was planning on doing.
-2-
When Roland left, Ethan found it easier to relax. The stiff, aristocratic manners these people employed were rather annoying to bear with. No, they were rather hard to imitate, more accurately. Because despite his efforts, he'd still found it hard to match their ways, but it was doable. Not good enough, yet, but doable.
"How should I, going forward, act, then?" he muttered. "Because if I've understood a single thing, it is this: Theo's character as I know it now will ruin any chance of me, well, earning anything, be that respect, wealth, power, or all three. Should I continue as him, then, or completely overhaul Theodore's character and pretend it's some epiphany? A spiritual enlightenment, perhaps?"
Ethan shook his head. Whatever it may be, he wasn't planning on being like Theo. Let's go with a gradual change in mannerism.
First, however, he needed to deal with the Blight issue. Which would be easily dealt with—all he had to do was pay the [Necromancer], or [Witch], from his own pouch. Then, he needed to figure out this town's financial status and everything else in order to organize a working infrastructure and create new financial opportunities. Afterwards, he could move onto his 'character', if that is indeed what his situation required. There's a lot to do.
Before everything, however, a bath.
After all, he reeked of sweat and alcohol, among other not-so pleasant scents.
...
It took no more than a few minutes for a handful of servants to prepare the bath. Hot water steamed inside the spacious tub as soap bubbles glistened—soap that was far too expensive for the common folk. Despite being a luxury, its quality was arguably trash. Regardless, this was all the people had in this world. A strong scent of lavender permeated the air and tickled his nose as he undressed. A few maids had prepared for his comfort and placed a silken bathrobe alongside a set of towels on a small table near the bathtub before he'd dismissed them, ordering them to inform the kitchen staff that he would like his meal soon.
Ethan relaxed his shoulders, took the robe with one hand, and tossed it carelessly nearby. It was fine silk. Ethan shook his head before proceeding with an easy grace into the water. It was hot. Yet, Ethan felt rather cold, despite the heat. It helped him relax, and with it, the stiff persona that was Lord Theodore faded.
Ethan sank deeper, letting his long blond locks loose. A quick thought made him bring his hand forward. What if... he could make a fire? Just a little one, like a candle flame. How cool would that be? He focused, willing a tiny spark to appear on his fingertip. Nothing. Just a sputter and a fizzle.
"Hmm," he mumbled, undeterred. "Maybe I need to practice."
He doubted it was just understanding. After all, the skill [Elemental Spells] had given him the barest hints of the basics of how to create a basic spark of flame. He lacked control over mana. [Magic Perception] allowed him to view his mana—flowing, fast-moving streams and spiraling, coiling vortexes. It was chaotic; it was a mess! Maybe if he calmed it down, he could actually make something happen?
Easier said than done, he quickly learned. When he moved it, it took no less effort than bending metal with brute force. The feeling was there, and the will, too. Just the act of 'moving' it alone was a herculean effort. It seemed nigh impossible.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong?
Humming, Ethan looked through the snippets of memories he'd gotten from Theodore. The memories, he found, weren't entirely useless; as his mind drifted back and forth from those flashes, he did remember something Theodore had seen last night... There! A memory from last night—a drunk mage at the bar, showing off with a fireball for some girl who didn't seem too impressed.
"Let's see how that trick works," Ethan grinned.
With [Magic Perception], he saw how the spell flowed. The "spell" was, in a way, forced outwards into reality through the use of symbols he quickly recognized as runes—at least that was what he assumed after seeing the fireball.
Ethan could easily recall the shape of the rune that'd appeared before the fire took form on top of the mage's hand.
I'm pretty sure it's not possible to view runes. I assume, at least, from what little fragments of memories I got from Theo. Anyway, let's move my mana in the shape, then.
He imagined the shape on top of his hand and willed the mana to pour into it. Soon, rune motes started forming out of thin air, ripping into reality. Forming into a shape he willed, a rune burned brightly and loudly atop his palm. As he drew his hand forward, flames burst into life, flickering before fizzling out.
[Basic Magic Script] — Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2!
Congratulations! You have gained skill: [Basic Rune Creation]!
"Whoa." Ethan stared at his hand, a wide grin splitting his face. So that's how it works! Runes, huh? That's awesome! Ethan felt like a child again. He couldn't wait to try again, this time with a smaller flame, as it appeared that a fireball was far too much for his lacking skill and control. Magic... it was epic stuff!
Before that, however, he looked at the new skill he'd gained.
~Basic Rune Creation – Level 1~
Type: Active
Effect: You have grasped the fundamental concept of using runes to channel and shape your mana for basic magical effects. The Connection between two of your skill—[Magic Perception] and [Basic Magic Script]—has resulted in the creation of a new skill. You can now create simple runes that allow for the manipulation of elemental energy on a small scale. As your skill level increases, you will be able to create more complex runes, allowing for more powerful and versatile spells. You may also learn to combine runes for even greater magical effects.
Ethan stared. Reading the description was a quick matter of concentration. It took him by surprise, however, when he realized it. Rune creation? Huh. Does that mean I can create anything? The thought alone was exciting. What about rune motes? Rune motes were fragments of runes, combining certain fragments could result in a full rune. I saw them congregating into the shape of a rune, but is it possible to just create rune motes and not a full rune? I should try.
Regardless of his thoughts, it was creation—
—and Ethan loved creation. Even as a child, he had never gotten tired of tinkering with things. He still recalled the time he'd gotten his first Lego set. Just putting random pieces together with no thought for a bigger picture—he'd loved that. He'd loved doing all sorts of stuff with Legos, creating different castles or other complex structures, but it was building something completely random and ridiculous, yet unique nonetheless, which gave him the most sense of satisfaction. It was fun. It was a hobby—a hobby that ignited in him a fire of passion for innovation.
It was then the thought of being a civil engineer had sprung up in his mind. To put it simply, a civil engineer is responsible for planning, designing, and constructing buildings. Though, that was just a general term. Ethan would have been perfectly happy had he chosen that. Unfortunately, his father had wanted him to become a boxer, instead.
The man wanted to become one himself in his prime, but due to health issues, he'd quit right before making it to a big league. He'd hoped his son would achieve what he couldn't and bring victory for the family. Even though Ethan hadn't exactly planned boxing as his future, but who could refuse the pressure his old man put on him? Especially when he'd been just a little boy?
It was another matter entirely that Ethan fell in love with boxing, too, as it made him feel alive. The sensation of a punching bag slamming against his fists? Nothing quite made his blood boil like that.
And oh, fighting in the ring. There was just something about the sport Ethan couldn't resist.
Something about creation, fighting, and experiencing a bit of both, had Ethan wishing he could try the other options that lay in front of him now.
Could he make a real spaceship, in this world?
It sounded silly as fuck and he knew it. Nonetheless, the temptation was still there, hovering and nagging at the edge of his mind, as ridiculous as his previous thoughts might have been.
Spaceships are cool, dammit.
That thought suddenly gave Ethan pause. "Let's just return to practice."
This time, fire flickered atop his fingertips for a second longer.
Another second was added on top of that after his third try.
The light was dim. However, it did mean something: improvement.
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2!
Grinning like an idiot, Ethan sank deeper into the hot bath water and brought his other hand up to repeat the exercise for the next half an hour or so, occasionally reading a notification that would come every now and then.
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 2 -> Lvl 3!
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 3 -> Lvl 4!
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 4 -> Lvl 5!
But no matter what, he couldn't get it to level up to level 6, nor could he level up [Basic Magic Script] from level 2 to 3.
Why not, though? I'm doing—
"Don't rush," he chided himself. "Your control is pitiful, shaping is trash, and your spellcasting is akin to tossing stones into the sea without even knowing how to make it bounce—guesswork is all you are, but it's a good start, I suppose."
As he set a handful of candle-like flames afloat on all five of his fingers, his lips quirked into a wide smirk. It was only a party trick. For now, that is. I need to find more about magic and learn. I've been winging it.
That was true; he didn't understand anything about magic. All he'd done so far was try to emulate the rune he'd seen in the memory snippet through the help of [Magic Perception] and cast a few party tricks. Was that impressive? He had literally no comparison to base off of, thus why he knew he needed to learn more.
Theodore's memories proved to be useless in this regard, too. His father hadn't found him worthy enough to be assigned a mage as a tutor. Theodore was a disappointment through and through, and that's why he'd been sent to rule the bordertowns.
He could cast the spell, yes, but he didn't understand the underlying concepts that fueled the magic or what the process was.
-3-
Ethan descended down the stairs that would lead him to the dining room where breakfast had already been laid out for him. Two maids were present as well. It was a feast of the likes he'd only ever read in fairy tales. Fried, scrambled, boiled eggs. Different shapes, sizes, and cuts. Cakes and pies in varying quantities and sizes. Grilled meat, smoked and salted. How could he ever eat everything alone?
Ethan exhaled and then dove in; however, he still maintained decorum as it was imperative to do so given that he was a noble now. Regardless, once done, he made it to the meeting room given that he had some people to meet today.
"Barely breaking even," Ethan muttered, flicking the parchment in his hand. He frowned at the financial situation of Holden, the town he was in charge of. The bordertowns consisted of a series of towns lying on the periphery of the borders. Each town was a barony in name, and nobles—especially troublesome nobles—were often sent here to practice ruling and to make them accustomed to how the common folk lived, so they could empathize with the people they ruled.
With how many bandits the region had had lately, the Blight, debt, tax, and interest that'd ramped up, Ethan's current situation was mind-fucking at best and a keg waiting to explode at worst.
I don't want to deal with Theo's issues.
Not only was this whole situation something Ethan did not want in the slightest, a whole can of worms that were Theo's problems was thrust into his hands. Ethan had held no fantasies of getting isekai'd. That was suicide in his books. He'd have been more than happy to die and meet oblivion. But now that he was here…
Leaning back into his chair, Ethan rubbed his eyes. Yeah, he needed to deal with everything and make the best of his situation to live a comfortable life. When Roland returned with a man in tow, Ethan hummed.
The man was young, younger than Roland, even. Black hair and sharp green eyes. He held himself high with confidence and Ethan recognized him instantly. Isn't he that mage from the bar?
"My lord," Roland bowed. "I have brought a [Necromancer] as per your command."
The [Necromancer] bowed and with a thin smile said, "Pleased to be at your service, my lord. The name's Jack."
Hm. So he wasn't a mage but a [Necromancer].
"Likewise," Ethan replied with a nod, then leaned forward, smiling. "Say, Jack, would you like to be part of a business opportunity?
First < Previous Next >
Patreon Discord

Experienced DM of over 25 years, 8 years professional, for a 5 player high quality campaign of mythical proportions. From the lead designer of Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age: Origins, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic...
At the dawn of time, a war between the gods and Titans left the world of Thylea forever changed. Thousands of years later, the first mortals arrived, carried by ship and dragon.
You are one of the heroes called by prophecy to end the conflict once and for all. Poets will sing of your deeds for centuries to come... if you survive.
What can you expect from this epic campaign and me?
• Will run from 8 pm PST for about 4 hours.
• The campaign will be ran at the apex of my skills tailored around the characters and the player actions. This setting uses variants that will accelerate your character to mythical levels as well. Including many crafting options and close to 600 feat options you wont find anywhere else. Leading to great character customization that you will not find in other games.
• Transparent and Reliable DM who understands everyone is part of the group, and that a person is sitting behind their PC.
• As a wargamer expect the most effective tactics the encounters presented in the module can bring, while staying true to what an RPG is and its narrative.
• Smaller party size, having at maximum 5 players, helps to keep the party alive, while still allowing the freedom to work character plots in for a more personal experience.
• While I am a fan of good tactics in combat, I am a bigger fan about letting the game go in unexpected directions! No rails here.
• Premium Graphics! I value good game flow, as such I spend a lot of time creating handouts and visuals for the players, and an excellent landing page that will keep you informed.
• I optimize Roll 20 as best I can, no unnecessary pages and art. Expect the game to run as best as Roll 20 can. (which sometimes can be clunky)
• If a session cant be run on the scheduled date, the possibility of me running either a one shot, my living world west marches style campaign, or side quest may come up for you and other players available. This may include other players from Discord, all great players!
• Potential downtime chatting and dice rolling on discord, to handle personal tasks and elements that can be handled away from table time.
• Answers to any questions, and whatever advice I can give out either for Players or other GMs.
What do I expect of you?
• Long term commitment, be ready to commit please. I pride myself in completing campaigns I run. I expect you to be there to the end, and maybe more.
• Ages 25+ friendly to all! I tailor to an older crowd, you can expect a mature set of gamers in the discord, as I find younger crowds have a dynamic lifestyle that is not ideal for long term commitment. If younger than 25 and interested please message me.
• Please respect the other players in the table and discord. Treat them as you would yourself and friends.
• Be an adult about the game, if your sensitive to some subjects, such as horror and sanity please bring this up to me, as mature elements will come into play.
• Be as creative and innovative as you can be both in and outside of combat! I really enjoy personalizing the module if possible to the players and their story.
• An account for Discord, free to download and simple to set up.
• Payments done after each game, however If you didn't enjoy yourself, no charge for the next session! Please bring this up to me so I can work with you to bring out the best out of each session.
• Everyone has a life outside of our games, players have the option to join in Discord to listen in on the session for those who travel often or just cant make it to the PC in time. No Charge for listening and voicing your character opinions!
• Any questions let me know.
Who is your DM?
My name is Nelson, I'm 40 and have been playing TRPGs for almost 25 years now back since AD&D. DMing nearly all that time and now DMing professionally for about 8 years now. I'm a huge fan of fantasy novels, horror movies and rpg/tactics games such as FF tactics, X-Com, Divinity, Elden Ring. I personally love Tarantino, Mobster films, StarWars (old ones), and movies such as Donny Darko, and other random cult films. I have great knowledge of most rule books, and have some minor home brewed changes I use myself in my campaigns that I feel add depth/challenge. I am also well versed in other RPG systems which I run at times for my players. Players will receive links to all variants and guidelines once they join.
Why the value?
While this is first a hobby for me, it has now become my life pursuit. You will get what you pay for! At 8 years of running games on roll20 and Foundry, I feel I have learned plenty to run as best and efficient as possible, while providing the right excitement and tension a session needs! Expect a dedicated group, great community in discord and a very well fleshed out campaign. Many Life DMs find a spot here as a player, and many players find more than one spot in multiple games. Some have for nearly 8 years now!
Outside of that I have recently found myself when I do have any time for anything outside of my wife and kids. I put a lot of time and care into all my sessions and work with the players as best I can to accommodate them and help draw the adventure out of everyone. I add plenty of elements to the module such as Fate Cards, Strongholds, Advanced Scripting and tables for aspects such as Status Effects, Blood, Weather, Critical effects, etc. I love having great visuals, which I'm always working on as I obsess over my current campaigns! As such the prep times for the game have become huge now, and VTTs while fun to use, can be very clunky to use. I also like to run a more personal, dynamic game instead of an 6-8 player game that a lot of online gamemasters tend to run. This also includes adjusting the challenges and the story for the party, expect your character, not just the party, to be challenged in ways unique to the player.
The application process for everyone tends to be a headache. I find that the fee has helped me keep things running smooth since I can quickly tell who can commit/invest to the campaign and their level of dedication, and who they are. While it does take a few weeks to set up the right group, I can if possible group up like minded players for the journey. You can expect the campaign to run until the end with a competent, mature group. I'm always available on discord if possible to answer any questions or just to chat. The discord server you will join is currently full of helpful players, that provide a good community of passionate players, and who knows maybe they might be part of your next adventure. And ultimately your patronage allows me the freedom to purchase art packages, battlemaps, handouts, better audio, the many monthly subscriptions I commit to TRPGs, etc. all which help add to the immersion and excitement, but also allow me to give back to not just the group, but to our the community.
Thank you for taking the time to read this wall of text, and for checking out my game.
Hope you can join me in this unforgettable adventure!
I also run other games during the week if you are interested in joining. Including other systems, private games, and even solo ran adventures. If you are interested please message me so I can accommodate you if a spot is open.

I'm a noob (50 hours and haven't beaten the game yet) and I keep reading how the game is so diverse and nothing is necessary and you can win using different systems and all... but seriously, how do you beat this game without some kind of missile defense?
I feel like my shields are useless because I'll have a great run and everything will be going well, and then I run into a ship with a simple, fast charging missile launcher, and it will wreck me hard. Evasion doesn't protect me.
Since I'm a noob I've been trying to keep things simple by not messing around too much with extra systems like drones or cloaking or whatever, but I'm beginning to think drone control is 100% required to beat the game. I die to missiles every time.
So is a defense drone just necessary? Is there any other way to deal with missiles? Evasion is nice but it doesn't seem to do the trick.

Printify is a print-on-demand (POD) and dropshipping platform that allows you to create and sell custom products without having to hold any inventory.
I’ve been testing it out, and trust me, there’s a lot to explore. With over 900 products to choose from – everything from clothes and games to pet gear, accessories, and home decor – you’re bound to find something that catches your eye.
But here’s the burning question — Is Printify actually worth using? Does it deliver on its promises? That’s what we’re here to figure out together.
In this in-depth review, I’m diving deep into everything Printify has to offer. We’ll look at its features, pricing plans, and most importantly, its pros and cons.
Hopefully, by the time we’re done, you’ll have a clear idea of whether Printify is a good fit for your creative ideas and business goals.
So, buckle up and let’s get started.

What is Printify and How Does It Work?

Printify is a leading print-on-demand service that allows users to create and sell custom products without managing inventory or upfront costs. They connect users to a network of print providers who produce and ship products directly to customers.
The company was founded in 2015 in Riga, Latvia by Artis Kehris, Gatis Dukurs, and James Berdigans.
Since launching nine years ago, Printify has become a go-to platform for over 6 million merchants. Together, they’ve sold a staggering amount of products — over half a billion dollars worth.

How Does Printify Work?

Now, let’s talk about how Printify works and here’s a brief overview of it:

• Sign up and create an account: The first step is to create a free Printify account.
• Choose your products: Browse Printify’s extensive catalog of products, including t-shirts, mugs, hoodies, phone cases, and more. Select the items you want to customize and sell.
• Design your products: Use Printify’s free mockup generator or upload your own designs to create unique products.
• Connect your store: Integrate your Printify account with your online store (e.g., Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce). This allows you to automatically sync your product listings.
• Start selling: When a customer places an order in your store, Printify automatically receives the order details.
• Printify handles production and fulfilment: Printify’s printing partners print your design on the product and ship it directly to your customer under your brand.
• You get paid: You set your own retail prices for your products. After Printify deducts its costs (product and shipping), you keep the profit. So, that’s how the Printify system works.

Printify Features and Functionality

Printify comes with many powerful features that make it one of the best print-on-demand (POD) services on the market. Let’s kick off this Printify review by looking at these features in more detail.

#1. Integrations

Printify works seamlessly with all the big names where you sell online, so you can reach more customers and grow your business.
Whether you’re using your own website or an online marketplace (or both), Printify’s got you covered.
Here’s a quick list of all the places you can connect Printify to:

• Your own website: Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, PrestaShop
• Online marketplaces: Etsy, Amazon FBA, Walmart, eBay

And if you need something a little more custom, they’ve got an API for that too.

#2. Product Catalog

Printify has a huge catalog with over 900 fantastic products to choose from. Just for comparison, their biggest competitor, Printful, only has around 230.
With Printify, you can find everything from t-shirts and mugs to doormats, wall art, festive decorations, phone cases, and even gift wraps. This gives your business so many choices and the freedom to offer your customers something for every occasion.

#3. Shipping

Printify takes care of everything after your customer clicks “buy.” They print your design on the product and ship it straight to their door.
This is a huge time-saver, as you don’t have to worry about packing or shipping anything yourself. You even get to choose the return address on the package, so it looks like it’s coming from you.
One thing to keep in mind is that Printify doesn’t offer custom packaging yet, which could be a drawback if you’re trying to create a unique brand experience.
Also, remember that the advertised shipping time isn’t always the same as the actual delivery time, which might take a bit longer.

#4. Order Management

Printify also helps you keep track of your orders. You can easily see how many sales you’ve made and track the progress of each order, whether it’s in production, on hold, ready to ship, or already out for delivery. It’s really useful for checking on how your business is doing.
The only downside is that each place you sell your products (like Etsy or your own website) has its own separate dashboard for orders.
It would be even better if they had one main dashboard where you could see all your sales in one place, no matter where they came from.

What Makes Printify Special?

Ever wondered why so many people rave about Printify? It boils down to two awesome things: more choices and bigger profits.
First off, they blow other platforms like Printful out of the water with their massive selection. Seriously, there are nearly four times the number of products to choose from. That means you’re bound to find something your customers will go crazy for.
Second, Printify usually puts a little extra cash in your pocket with each sale. Yep, you get a slightly higher profit margin per item, and who doesn’t love that?
Bottom line: more choice + more profit = a winning combo for sellers like you.

Printify Pricing: Which Plan is Right for You?

Using the Printify platform itself is free. You can create an account, design products, and integrate with your online store at no cost.
You only pay when you order a product, either as a sample for yourself or to fulfil a customer’s order. The cost of each product will depend on the specific item, the printing options you choose, and the shipping destination.
Printify also offers a Premium subscription plan for high-volume sellers, which gives you a 20% discount on all products and additional features for $29/month or $24.99/month if billed annually. However, this is optional, and the free plan is sufficient for most users.
Here’s a quick breakdown of Printify pricing packages:

PLANS NAME	FREE	PREMIUM
Price	$0	$24.99 per month (billed annually)
Stores Per Account	5	10
Product Designs	Unlimited	Unlimited
Product Catalog	Yes	Yes
Integrations	Yes	Yes
Customer Support	24/7 via live chat or contact form	24/7 via live chat or contact form

You can find more information about Printify’s pricing and subscription options on their website.

Printify Setup Process

I had a really smooth experience setting up Printify. All you need to do is create a free account to get started. Once you’re in, you can browse their product catalog, upload your own designs, and pick what you want to sell.
The big thing is connecting Printify to your store, whether it’s your own website or online marketplaces like Etsy. I connected mine to both Shopify and Etsy, and it was an easy process because they’re all built to work together.
If you’re using Shopify like me, here’s a quick rundown of how to connect Printify:

• Head to your Printify dashboard and click on “Manage My Store” in the upper left-hand corner (under your store name).
• Find Shopify in the list of options and click the “Connect to Shopify” button.
• Type in your Shopify website address and click “Connect.”
• Follow the steps to install Printify on Shopify.

By the way, you can also do this from within Shopify if that’s easier for you.

Is Prinitify Easy to Use?

Printify is easy and simple to set up. I had no trouble uploading my designs onto the products I wanted to sell, and connecting my store was super simple.
Creating a custom product was surprisingly easy — just pick the product, choose your provider (who will actually print it), upload your design, add some variations, and publish. My new product was ready to go, and automatically synced with my store.
One thing I really liked was how Printify takes care of everything after the sale. Once your store is connected, any orders that come in are automatically sent to Printify. They handle the printing, shipping, and everything else, so your customer gets their order directly.
There are tons of products to choose from, and you get to pick who you want to print them. This gives you a lot of control over the quality, how long it takes, and how much it costs. It’s a great way to make sure your customers get exactly what they want.

Printify Security System

Printify does a good job of keeping your account safe with its built-in security features, but it also gives you some extra tools to control your security.
You can decide if you want to approve each order before it goes into production, get notified when your order is shipped, and even automatically send delayed orders to production so you don’t have to worry about them.
One thing to note is that Printify doesn’t let you add extra users to your account, so you can’t set up different roles and permissions for them.

Printify Customer Service and Support

Printify offers multiple channels for customer service and support, such as:

• Help Center: Their comprehensive Help Center covers various topics, from getting started to managing orders and payments. You can browse articles or search for specific issues.
• Live Chat: You can chat with a virtual agent, Snappy (who can answer many common questions and guide you to relevant resources), or request to speak with a live support agent through the chat feature on their website.
• Contact Form: If your query isn’t urgent or you prefer email communication, you can fill out a contact form on their website. They will typically respond within a short time frame.
• Order-Specific Support: If you have a problem with a specific order, you can report the issue directly from the order details in your Printify account. This helps expedite the resolution process.

Printify doesn’t do phone support for everyone (unless you’re on their Enterprise plan) but don’t worry.
Their live chat is open 24/7, and anyone can use it. I gave it a shot and was really happy with how fast they got back to me and how helpful they were.
Honestly, it was way better than most other live chats I’ve tried.

Who Is Printify Best For?

Printify is best for:

• Entrepreneurs and small business owners: who want to start or grow an online business without investing in inventory or equipment.
• Creatives and designers: who want to sell their designs on a variety of products, without having to worry about production or fulfilment.
• Ecommerce store owners: who want to expand their product offerings without having to manage additional inventory.
• Social media influencers: Individuals with a large following who want to offer merchandise to their fans.
• Anyone looking for a side hustle: Those who want to start an online business with minimal upfront investment.

Printify is not the best option for:

• Businesses that need complete control over the production process: Printify partners with third-party print providers, so businesses may not have as much control over the quality or production time of their products.
• Businesses that need large quantities of products: Printify is better suited for small to medium-sized orders.

Printify Pros and Cons

I’ve used Printify myself and it’s pretty awesome for print-on-demand. It has some downsides, though.
Here’s my quick take on the biggest pros and cons I’ve found.
Pros:

• Free Forever Plan: A generous free plan with no product limits for up to five stores is a fantastic entry point for beginners and small businesses.
• Beginner-Friendly: Easy to use, even for those without prior experience in e-commerce or print-on-demand.
• Large Product Selection: With Printify, you’ll find tons of awesome products to customize – from clothes and accessories to home decor and everything in between.
• Unlimited product designs on all plans: This flexibility lets you experiment with different designs without restrictions.
• Free Mockup Generator: This is a valuable tool for visualizing your designs on products before you start selling them.
• Easy Integration: Seamlessly connecting Printify to your existing website or online marketplace saves time and effort in setting up your store.
• Global Reach: The shipping network allows you to reach customers worldwide.
• Shutterstock integration: This provides access to a vast library of high-quality images and graphics that can be used for product designs.

Cons:

• No Custom Packaging: This can be a drawback for those who want to create a strong brand identity. You won’t be able to add your logo or custom designs to the packaging.
• Shipping Can Be Slow: This can be frustrating for customers who expect fast delivery, and it can also lead to negative reviews.
• No Phone Support: Limited to email and chat support, which may not be ideal for urgent issues.

Printify Review: Final Thoughts

Printify is a game-changer for sellers like you and me. It frees us from the hassle of stocking up on products we might never sell. Instead, we can design custom apparel, accessories, and more, and only make them when someone orders.
As a business owner, I know how much time and energy each customer order takes. That’s why I love how Printify simplifies things and takes some of the load off my shoulders.
Sure, Printify has its downsides. Shipping can be pricey and slow, and the product quality isn’t always consistent. But with a little extra research on their forums and ordering samples beforehand, I’ve had a great experience with them.
If you’re looking to build an online store without the headaches of inventory and shipping, Printify is a fantastic option. It gives you easy access to creating, ordering, and shipping your own unique designs.
Well, that wraps up my review on Printify. The best way to see if it’s right for you is to give it a try – their free plan is a great starting point. Just click the button below to sign up and explore what Printify has to offer.

There are really a lot of things I'd like to see added, but here are a few that seem to be really important glaring errors:

1. quick casting: like in the Witcher 3. What's the point of 20 powers if can only use one at a time in combat. It'd be really nice if you could use 4-5 in combat without having to pause the game. Witcher 3 solved this problem nicely with quick casting. Hold RB, then press x,y,a,or b. Gives you access to 4 different spells on demand.
   
2. Vary enemy numbers and locations: The game has become so utterly simple because I know how many enemies are going to be in each location, and exactly where they spawn. I even know what direction they'll be facing. Why can't the game generate enemy NPC's in random locations and numbers in each POI? I mean, why wouldn't that have been the default setup? Who's idea was it to have the NPC's, numbers, loot, locations, and etc... be exactly the same every time you go to a certain POI? Come on guys...
   
3. So tired of killing pirates: Why is it that there isn't a single other sentient alien in the entire galaxy? There are humans and there are animals. But there are no intelligent aliens of any kind. Seems like kind of a huge gap in the game. I mean, at the end of the day, every time I play the game, the bottom line is that I ran around and killed a bunch of pirates. That's it.... I mean, have the creators never seen Star Trek before? I mean, at the very least, you could make a planet of green people. Obviously I'm joking. But seriously, the ONLY opponents in this game are humans and occasional alien animals. Why aren't terrormorphs intelligent?
   
4. Every planet and moon is essentially identical: I know there's a lot of variety, but really there isn't. I can land my ship on every planet, get out and run around, there are ZERO rivers, ZERO large scale mountains, ZERO canyons.... I mean, if you really travelled to 100 different planets and moons in the galaxy, there would be places where the whole moon was ice, or molten magma, or whatever, and there would be planets that had more holes than swiss cheese, and planets with super huge rivers of liquid metal or magma, and planets with huge cracks and canyons that you couldn't possibly cross, or mountains that were 10's of thousands of feet high, and planets with forests and or plants that are so overgrown and thick that you couldn't possibly walk through them. I mean, every planet and moon in this game, is basically like a state park. No real changes in elevation, no real hazards, no thick forests that you can't just run through.
   
5. Why is there nothing to do for fun: I mean this is a problem in most every game. Once you play through the story, that's it, you're done. There's nothing else to keep your attention or give you a reason to play more. Well, here's a solution. What do people do in real life? They have ENTERTAINMENT.... Bowling, concerts, go-kart racing, bumper cars, carnivals, sailing, juggling, cycling, mountain biking, going to strip clubs, going to dance clubs, you get the idea. Why is it that there is not a single example of this in the entire game? I mean, okay, I guess you can say that the Astra Lounge sort of qualifies. But it's a total failure at an attempt to make a night club. There is nobody gambling, nobody getting in bar brawls, there are no attractive women dancing, etc... Don't the game's creators have lives? Don't any of them go out and have fun ever? Seems like nobody at Bethesda has any concept of what people enjoy doing in their personal time. Let me give you some suggestions. Sex, drugs, rock and roll, sports, competitions, hobbies, tinkering, cosplay, etc...
   

I mean, how is there not a single strip club in Neon? How is there not a single bowling alley in New Jemison? How is there not a baseball field anywhere? For god sake, put some real life into this galaxy! You created an absolutely beautiful game that has the potential to keep me locked in and playing for the rest of my life. But not if there isn't anything fun and enjoyable to do.
I could go on and on. But I have other things I have to do...

Hi everyone, just a simple sale. Three bars at spot.
📊 Kitco Silver $31.22
Proof
2 x 100oz Engelhard - $3122 ea 1 x 25oz Apmex - $780.50
Accepting Zelle, PPFF, Cashapp, crypto in order of preference. I can ship first to well-established members. Please see my feedback. Shipping is + $9 for priority, or your choice of shipping/insurance at cost. Thanks for reading!

Hi all!
I'm a complete beginner to PC building and am in the market for one in the general future as I'm sensing my 6 year old gaming laptop is beginning to slow down. I wanted to see what kinds of parts would be ideal for my usage.

What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using 

I'll most likely only be using this for gaming. League of Legends, Binding of Isaac, RDR2, NBA 2K, Cyberpunk 2077, Skyrim. Plus, I'd love to be able to play future large games like Elder Scrolls 6, GTA 6, if it's not the case that they come out in 10 years haha.
I'm hoping that it will be able to run these games on at least medium settings (but honestly, I've lived my life on low settings, so I won't be too bothered if not). I definitely prioritize FPS and low lag over high graphics.

What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes? 

Hard line maximum is probably $1000, but I'd love to be in the $800 range. Since I'm a pretty casual gamer, I'm hoping that it'll allow me to save more money. The lower the better!

When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy. 

I'm just trying to get a sense of things, especially what kind of specs I'll need for my gaming needs. I'll probably realistically buy one within the next 3 months.

What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc\) 

Tower, parts, and OS.

Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location? 

In California. There is a Mircocenter within 50 miles, so I can definitely go. But I'm unfamiliar with it and would love to know what I would go for.

If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated. 

I'll probably be using a regular wired keyboard and cheap wired mouse that I have. My monitor is a Dell S2721QS 27 Inch 4K UHD, but I'm not too set on getting the best possible graphics for the monitor.

>**Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?** 

Sounds intense! Probably not.

Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc) 

I will need to be able to connect to WiFi, as the router is very far from my room.

Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?** 

I'd prefer a simple build (probably black), with no RGB or other bright lights. The sleeker and less bulky the better, but I understand that it's not going to be like a Mac Mini haha. Only real preference is no RGB.

Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference 

I believe so? I don't have anything prepared, so I'm guessing I'm going to have to buy Windows. Since it's just going to be used for gaming, probably any cheap, basic Windows. I've only ever had computers where Windows was already installed, so I'd love to be educated on this if anyone has a strong opinion!
Thank you in advance!

Hey everyone, just been buying quite a few headphones recently and kinda need to clear house. All of these are absolutely flawless in like new/open box condition. Feel free to ask any questions. I will offer discounts for combined shipping if you're buying multiple (likely around a $10 reduction each). All shipments will be via UPS sent out on the same or next day as purchase and payments via PayPal invoice, so everything is G&S. All prices include CONUS shipping. Thanks!
Timestamps: https://imgur.com/a/DCgYxUo
Philips SHP9600 - Very warm and vibe-y set of open backs, has a very inviting mid bass bump without losing all of the mids and highs. Definitely a good entry into open backs. $50.
Mackie MC 450 - Designed for mixing, mastering, and critical listening from a company that specializes in studio monitors. Excellent detail and very reference tuned. These have sometimes been described as a baby DT 1990 and that's not a wrong title. $120.
Focal Elegia - Beautifully built in France, these things ooze class. The sound is quite expansive and "open" feeling for a closed back. They're just a solid headphone backed with impressive dynamic driver tech. $250.
AKG K361 - A headphone unfortunately plagued by QC issues on release (this is a later model that doesn't have any problems), these are a nice everyday every occasion closed back. Easily powered by literally anything, foldable, and with a tuning that sticks very close to the Harman target, they're just plain nice to listen to. No murderous treble to be found here. $80.
Beyerdynamic TYGR 300R (cable modded) - These have been modified to have a detachable 3 pin mini XLR connector by yours truly. Just a fun, thumpy, and detailed open back. Pretty simple and pretty good. $150.
Sennheiser HD 560S - An extremely neutral open back reference headphone that would be great for mixing and mastering on a budget with a small twist of classic Sennheiser tuning. Smooth, accurate, and just a headphone without much to complain about. $130.
Have a good day/night everyone!

(Author‘ Note: This is my first story. Any writing advice is heavily appreciated. Also I do not have a full understanding of the physics and or total capabilities of any real life technologies presented within the story, but im doing my best in research and understanding their complexities.)
OG Chapter 01: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/s/jF22D3HtX1
Previous: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/s/bhIAJhgC9O
[Next]
 

Location: Groombridge 1618; Current year: 2089

Current time: ; Current in-system location: Unknown

Dervin‘s thoughts were racing. Competing about what should frighten him more.
Should it be the fact that it had been 9 top of the line UTN vessels, that were seemingly destroyed with no effort what so ever or should it be that they had no idea where the enemy vessel even was and what it‘s true capabilities were or lastly, that they were alone with the nearest manned star system being one light year away, but that thought was pointless as FTL-drives were only mounted on destroyer class and higher vessels and even, if they made the trip with their conventional engines it would take 10 years and their oxygen supplies were only made too last for about 4 month, if stretched to emergency rationing that was.
To summarize they were alone, cut of from help, had no ability to flee and forced to fight a highly advanced extraterrestrial threat, that had apparently crushed 9 UTN vessels with ease after having disabled one for more than 20 minutes with only one attack.
When he started looking around the room, still deep in thought, he noticed how everyone in it was experiencing something similar though in their own way.
Crewman Harry seemed paralyzed with fear, unmoving adding to that was the fact that plastered on his face was a mile long stare.
Dervin’s eyes then wandered over to Radioman Jenna. Her face strictly aimed at the screen of her terminal, with her hands pressing the same combination of buttons over and over again. Even though he didn’t know the exact buttons pressed, he could assume what was happening.
She was letting the scanners check and recheck and keep checking, if they didn’t pick up any life sign of the, now classified as destroyed, UTN ships, but she probably knew, that it was a futile action.
Her face was only partially visible to him, but the half he could see, displayed her eyes that were frantically going up and down the screen containing the scanner data as if possessed or wanting to change the reality of the situation through her intense stare alone.
Dervin‘s train of thought abruptly came to a stand still, when he became aware of the words spoken around him, courtesy of his Captain, Levin Renheart, who stood next to his chair, located in the middle of the room. One hand clenched around the back of it to keep himself stationary in the zero-gravity environment.
He was afraid himself. It was palpable in his voice, but at the same time there was a certain determination to fight that fear. Expressed in his eyes. A fire that hadn‘t been put out.
„… I get it sailors. None of you asked for this situation when signing up and most of you never thought it would even happen, but we need to put aside our fear, because we have a duty and I need you to perform this duty. For our loved ones back at home, for our fellow sailors and marines who might die, if we dont act and for our dead sailors, who bravely faced this threat. We need to fight for all of them and this time we need to win, because if we dont warn humanity about this threat then humanity will face dire consequences. So I ask of you Harry, Jenna and Dervin to follow me into battle, will you?“
The captains words resonated in Dervin’s mind slowly eliminating the poison, that was fear and building up and antidote of courage and purpose.
So he did the only thing he thought was right and saluted his captain with the simple words: „ I will sir!“
His actions were first copied by by Radioman Jenna. „It would be an honour sir.“
And lastly by Crewman Harry with a somewhat shaky salute and a distraught voice saying. „I will fight by your side, till the end sir!“
At that Captain Levin returned the salute with his free hand for multiple seconds until he dropped the salute.
In response Dervin and the others stopped theirs as well, but kept their attention on Captain Levin awaiting his next set of orders.
„First of are there anymore systems left, that require repair or restart?“
Dervin, after a short examination of his screen responded: „No sir. All that could be repaired has been, both AASRR drones have reentered the ship and all computer systems have reactivated at this point. Meaning we are as combat ready as we‘ll get.“
„Crewman Harry get ready to deploy any and all weapons mounted on the ship. I want the all safeties off and ready to fire at a moments notice.“
A voice now imbued with renewed vigor acknowledged: „Consider it done, sir.“
„Lastly, Radioman Jenna give me all sensor data focussed on our current location and on any active buoy‘s that could give us an advantage in finding the enemy ship, before it finds us.
Dervin heard a resolute „Sir, yes sir.“
Dervin occupied the following short frame of time by running a simulation on how their amour would stand up to attacks of similar magnitude as the one that hit them before. The results were grim. The computers came to the conclusion that depending on a number of factors such as what was hit and the angle of attack the Around Sol would only be able to take one or at maximum four more hits before being rendered glorified space dust or a floating debris fields.
It was the almost hopeful voice of Jenna that broke the current semi silence: „Sir, we have picked up a radio signal sent out by a sensor probe about 600 light seconds out. Additionally this probe was deployed by the destroyer UTN Wolf359c. Something survived the engagement between the 9 UTN ships and the alien vessel!“

This is not a plan for my REDONE project, but just an idea I had while I was rewatching Attack of the Clones and making some changes to Episode 2 REDONE.
A lot of influences and ideas Lucas had for Attack of the Clones were sound: a blooming love story within the political backdrop at the center of the civil war, Palpatine using the war to gain power, Anakin's disillusionment with the ways of the Jedi, a hidden web of conspiracies setting for the war, and Dooku as this Jedi renegade who has defected to the Separatists. It has a lot of cool ideas, which is why frustrating the film fumbles at materializing them.
Aside from the romance between Anakin and Padme, the major failing of Attack of the Clones is that Lucas fails to show the turmoil of people of the galaxy, which would create a condition for Palpatine to rise. It is part of the reason why the politics in this movie is so boring because it doesn't dramatize the politics. Game of Thrones showed the general audience can get into a political epic.
So I decided to make a new outline, one that is faithful to Lucas' vision, ideas, and influences, while fleshing them out to make a more coherent story, also taking some cues from The Empire Strikes Back.
I also borrowed from and built upon the AOTC fixes I have done in the past:
https://old.reddit.com/fixingmovies/comments/qoftgq/in_attack_of_the_clones_padm%C3%A9_should_have_been/
https://old.reddit.com/fixingmovies/comments/z5m5wf/in_the_dooku_duel_in_attack_of_the_clones_obiwan/
Crawl:
The galaxy is falling asunder. Thousands of solar systems have declared their intentions to leave the Galactic Republic to create the CONFEDERACY OF INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS.
This Separatist movement, supported by various conglomerates like the TRADE FEDERATION, mercilessly strikes back the crumbling Republic with the mass-produced Droid Armies.
Senator Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo, is arriving at Alderaan to discuss the critical issue of granting Chancellor Palpatine emergency powers to assist the overwhelmed Jedi....
Alderaan:
The story begins with the right dab in the middle of the massive war that is yet to be called the "Clone Wars". We see Padme Amidala, now a Senator, arriving with her aide Cordé at the beautiful planet of Alderaan. After the Battle of Naboo, Padme Amidala became sort of a star--a prominent voice against the Separatist tyranny--but she is adamant against the Emergency Powers Act. This act is an amendment to the Galactic Constitution, which will grant Palpatine limitless powers, including bypassing the Senate to create a standing army to fight the Separatists. She meets Senator Bail Organa, the representative of Alderaan. Alderaan is a major progressive voting block, and Padme is here to unify the opposition against the constitutional amendment before the Senate votes on it. She has enough clouts and popularity to stop the amendment. Bail agrees with her that the emergency powers could be authoritarian, but he believes in the necessity of a centralized standing army.
As they discuss this matter, with Padme saying, "The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it", the meeting is adjourned abruptly when a city-wide alert is raised. They look outside to witness the Separatist battle fleet filling the sky, blinding the sunlight, and beginning a massive invasion of Alderaan. We switch to Count Dooku on the Separatist battleship (at this point, we don't see his face and learn his name), who reports to the hologram of his Master Darth Sidious that he has caught Senator Padme Amidala in the basket. Sidious smiles, "Good, good..."
Unknown Planet somewhere in the Outer Rim Territories:
Meanwhile, we switch to the battlefield on the other side of the galaxy. The local planetary military, under the command of the local government, is retreating from the relentless Droid Army. The Republic is continually losing the war, and we see the ineffectiveness of the planetary forces. Here, we see Anakin and Obi-Wan are commanding the withdrawal of their troops. Realizing some of the Republic forces are pinned down and on the verge of annihilation, Anakin disobeys Obi-Wan's orders to go to save the troops alone. In an act of courage, Anakin manages to save the troops and returns. As the Republic forces retreat, Obi-Wan scolds Anakin. With this, we understand Anakin's character--reckless but selflessly cares for his friends--and see his relationship with his Master Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan is struggling as a Master to Anakin Skywalker. This is because Obi-Wan didn't take Anakin because he has a connection with him. He was entrusted out of obligation and duty for his dead Master Qui-Gon Jinn (whose name does not even get mentioned in the movie). So obviously, it is no wonder their relationship seems broken. Anakin feels attachments and all the emotions the Jedi Code forbids. He thinks Obi-Wan is too strict and cold--only one-minded about missions and duties.
Coruscant:
As the Jedi head to Coruscant, Anakin has a nightmare of her mother Shmi Skywalker. She's still trapped on Tatooine as a slave, and he wonders what happened to her.
Anakin returns to Coruscant to earn a decoration for his service by the Jedi Council. Master Dooku, is seated as one of the prominent members of the Council (so it can be an actual twist when Dooku is later revealed to be a bad guy). He is on good terms with Obi-Wan and Anakin since he was Qui-Gon Jinn's Master. Chancellor Palpatine is here, too, congratulating Anakin for his heroic effort. Palpatine suggests giving Anakin a reward. Anakin asks for a leave to return to Tatooine to see his mother. Much to Anakin's dismay, the Council rejects this on the grounds that the Jedi should let go of their past and attachments. The Jedi, especially Padawans, are strictly under the discipline with no autonomy. They cannot go anywhere they want. Instead, Dooku decides to give Obi-Wan and Anakin a non-combat mission as a prize, which is to find Padme. The Alderaanians are currently unable to reach Padme. Their mission is to find her and bring her back safely.
Regards to the hotly controversial emergency powers, the Jedi Council, like the public, is divided on this issue. Obi-Wan and Dooku are supportive of the amendment. Both show their distaste toward the Senate and the politicians in handling the crisis, "Don't forget she's a politician. They're not to be trusted", "It's been my experience that Senators are only focused on pleasing those who fund their campaigns... and they are more than willing to forget the niceties of democracy to get those funds". This is why they are shown to be very much supportive of Palpatine's controversial policies that can be perceived as authoritarian. Palpatine gets stuff done. In contrast, Anakin is apolitical--he never cared about politics.
Alderaan:
Anakin and Obi-Wan depart to a ravaged Alderaan. The battle is ongoing, and the Alderaanian forces seem to be unable to beat back the Droid Army. Here, the Jedi meet Senator Bail Organa for the first time, who is overseeing the Alderaanian forces. The battle resembles the Civil War battle from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, in which both sides are dug in the trenches and unable to penetrate each other's defense line. Bail informs the Jedi that Padme's emergency powers talk was held in Aldera in ruins, currently occupied by the Separatists, and she would be stuck there--under their captive or hidden out of the enemy sight. The Separatists are entrenched in Aldera--a city protected by a massive energy shield. Bail informs the Jedi that they are on schedule and under their continued bombardment of the city, the enemy shields would be overwhelmed in a further month. Both Jedi are stunned, but they have no choice.
In the enemy stronghold in Aldera, we quickly learn why Dooku gave the assignment to find Padme to Anakin and Obi-Wan. It's because the Separatists are unable to find Padme, who seemingly has disappeared. If she had been rescued by the Republic, she would be on the news, which means she is still somewhere in Aldera. Dooku reports to the hologram of his Master that he cannot find Padme. Dooku is then Force-choked by his Master. Dooku pleads to his Master, promising him that he will get her.
Meanwhile, the Alderaanian troops watch the HoloNet broadcast of the current Senate session. As a major progressive voting block, Alderaanians and Senator Bail Organa used to be against granting emergency powers to the Chancellor, but this invasion has changed their mind. Palpatine has firmly established himself as a wartime Chancellor. Through the hologram, Bail Organa gives a speech in favor of the amendment and votes for it, which sways the rest of the Senate to his side. The amendment has passed. Palpatine says, "I love democracy. I love the Republic. Once this crisis has abated, I will lay down the powers you have given me!"
Meanwhile, a week has passed, and the trench warfare is ongoing. In Aldera, Corde--Padme's body double--is helping Padme hide in the underground subway tunnel. Corde leaves to get her more food and water but is then caught by the droids. The droids present her to Dooku. Corde is shocked to find that Jedi Master Dooku is the leader of the Separatist movement Dooku raises his hands and unleashes the Force lightning to torture her to open her mouth to locate Padme.
The newly created "Grand Army of the Republic" has arrived at Alderaan, wearing shining white armor. They are welcomed enthusiastically by the Alderaanian forces. Obi-Wan is surprised that the standing army has already been dispatched to warfare, so he tries to talk with them, but they seem... "different".
Anakin arrives, bearing "lunch", a cloth full of live insects and worms, which he casually reports he got from inside the CIS base after discovering an underground entrance into the city, running through the sewers beneath the protective shield. Obi-Wan scolds Anakin for being reckless. While the new Republic army installs the even more powerful cannons to bombard of the shield above ground, Anakin guides Obi-Wan the way through the sewers and into the underground levels of the city. Obi-Wan suspects Padme is dead at this point, but Anakin can sense her, due to the strong bond they formed during The Phantom Menace--he can feel she is holding his japor snippet tight. From there, they make their way to the shield generator chamber. Anakin wants to fight the droids, but Obi-Wan stops him. Obi-Wan simply blows up the shield generator by using small spherical bombs and pointing out that there are alternatives to fighting. With the shield down, the white-armored Republic troopers begin a full-scale attack on the city.
As Corde finally confesses to Dooku where Padme is hiding, the droids rush in to inform Dooku that the shield is deactivated. Dooku orders the droids to go after Padme while hurrying to flee.
The battle of Aldera is chaotic. The Republic troopers are aggressive and far more competent than the local planetary forces, dispatching the battle droids. Anakin rushes into the Separatist-ran POW camp alone to search for Padme. Instead, he finds a dying Cordé. She apologizes to Anakin, disheartened in thinking she had failed her duty to her mistress. She tells Padme is hiding in the underground subway tunnel of Aldera, and in her last grasp, tells him that Dooku is behind the Separatists. Anakin initially does not believe her, but there is no time to go and tell Obi-Wan about this. Anakin races to the underground tunnel. While Obi-Wan is looking for Anakin, he stumbles on the two corpses of the Republic troopers, whose helmets are cracked. He takes a closer look and discovers that these troopers have identical faces.
Anakin finds Padme, who has been hiding all these years. At first, she doesn't recognize him, for he has grown so much. Anakin is glad that she kept her word about keeping his japor snippet. However, the battle droids are rushing into the tunnel, and they both flee. Obi-Wan comes to rescue them. When Anakin is about to inform him of the last words of Padme's body double, "Master" Dooku is standing alongside Obi-Wan, listening to Anakin. Dooku asks him to hand Padme over to him. Anakin refuses, saying that he will be the one taking her to Coruscant. Obi-Wan allows him, for Anakin has been missing Padme for a long time. Anakin and Padme board his ship and leave Alderaan in haste.
Obi-Wan turns to Dooku to inform him that all Republic troopers are clones. Dooku pretends to be surprised. Bail suggests looking into Kamino--the civilization highly proficient in cloning technology.
Coruscant:
This is where Anakin and Obi-Wan's storylines diverge in two. Obi-Wan and Dooku arrive at Coruscant and visit the Archives. Kamino doesn't show up in any data. Dooku says, "If an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist!" Dooku heads off, and Obi-Wan is not satisfied.
Obi-Wan visits Yoda currently training Younglings. The scene goes the same as the film's, except at the end, Master Dooku barges into the room and says Anakin has still yet to be returned to Coruscant with Padme. Yoda predicts Anakin must have gone to Tatooine. Obi-Wan is frustrated with his apprentice, complaining that Anakin is too reckless and refuses to obey his command.
Obi-Wan: "I realize now what you and Master Yoda knew from the beginning... the boy was too old to start the training and..."
Yoda: "Obi-Wan, have faith that take the right path he will."
Yoda surprisingly asks Obi-Wan to trust his apprentice rather than control him. This makes Obi-Wan rethink his relationship. In order to bridge the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan's arc is that he must see Anakin as a man and respect him. Obi-Wan forms a connection with him by understanding Anakin's point of view ("What I told you was true, from a certain point of view."). Obi-Wan realizes maybe the Jedi Code is too rigid, and a sense of duties and obligation alone can't make one a great Jedi. This character arc lends well to The Clone Wars TV series and Revenge of the Sith, in which Obi-Wan evolved into a more quippy, light-hearted character who has a drastically different personality from TPM and AOTC. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan would become more understanding of each other, and as a result, their clash at Mustafar becomes more heartwrenching.
Anyway, Yoda orders Obi-Wan to go to Kamino to investigate the Clone Army. Dooku, learning where Padme has gone, smiles. He contacts and sends his army of bounty hunters to Tatooine. Jango Fett is not the only bounty hunter Dooku hired. Dooku orders them to use Anakin's mother Shmi Skywalker as bait.
Kamino:
From here, Obi-Wan's plotline is pretty much identical to the film's. He investigates Kamino, learns it was the Jedi Master who ordered the creation of the clone army for the Republic to prepare for the war, figures out that the bounty hunter Jango Fett is the genetic template for the clones, then Obi-Wan fights and chases him to Geonosis.
Geonosis:
There, Obi-Wan discovers Dooku in the middle of the conversation with the Separatist leaders. He realizes Dooku is the true mastermind of the Separatist Confederacy, and the new Separatist army is amassing to attack the Republic systems.
Tatooine:
For Anakin's co-occurring storyline, it is also largely similar. Anakin and Padme discuss politics and democracy, and Padme's ideals. Anakin sees politics as a simple matter, "That sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me", "Well, if it works...", as well as discussing Anakin's frustration with the Jedi Code. Anakin hates the Separatists because the slaver guilds have allied themselves to the Confederacy. Anakin keeps having a nightmare of her mother, and now she is dying in his dream.
Later, Padme awakes to find out that the ship has landed on Tatooine, not Coruscant. She is upset and argues with Anakin. He lied to her. He finally reveals what he learned about Dooku and says Tatooine is the safest location. Anakin believes the Jedi Council is compromised and can't trust it anymore, though Padme knows that is not the only reason. It is partially for Anakin to meet his mother again. His former owner Watto reveals that he sold Shmi to a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars, who then freed and married her. They then get the Lars family, who tell Anakin that the Tusken raiders have abducted Shmi just recently. Padme allows him to leave her and track down the Tuskens, for she will be safe under the guard of the Lars family.
Anakin locates the campsite where one of Dooku's bounty hunters, having paid the Tuskens to kidnap Shmi, is torturing her in a tent. When the bounty hunter leaves, Anakin frees Shmi, who dies in his arms. The bounty hunter returns to the tent and is quickly apprehended by an enraged Anakin. Anakin "forces" him to make him confess who hired him. The bounty hunter says it is Dooku, and Anakin kills him after confirming his suspicion. Hearing the noise, the Tusken raiders surround the tent. Anakin massacres the entire tribe. Now, Anakin has personal stakes in defeating Dooku, and facing him is crucial in Anakin's arc in the story, unlike how he had no idea who Dooku even was in the film.
Anakin returns to the Lars homestead and finds out that the Lars family is held hostage by Dooku's bounty hunters. Anakin fights the bounty hunters to free Owen and Beau, but Cliegg is murdered. Despite Anakin's best efforts, the bounty hunters escape Tatooine with Padme to Geonosis. Anakin feels guilty about forsaking his duty and leaving her to the homestead.
Anakin races back to his ship, on which Anakin receives the message from Obi-Wan warning the Republic and the Council about Dooku and the imminent Separatist attack on the Republic. Anakin contacts the Council about what happened to Padme. Mace Windu orders Anakin to return to Coruscant. Don't do anything out of impulse. The Council will take care of it. Trust in the Council's judgment. Here, Anakin is facing two paths. Be a good, little, nice Jedi, and follow the Council's order, or chase after Dooku to save Padme and Obi-Wan. This is the point at which Anakin tests his resolve. Anakin makes a decision to go against the Jedi code (Attachment is forbidden) and get to Geonosis alone.
Geonosis:
Obi-Wan is held captive while Dooku comes along. Instead of Dooku revealing there is a Dark Lord of the Sith controlling the Republic (there is no reason for Dooku to spill the beans here), the confrontation with Dooku forces Obi-Wan to grow out of Qui-Gon Jinn's death. He should face the fact that his Master's Master has turned to the dark side because of the strict Jedi Code and the Republic's corruption. After all, Obi-Wan investigated the clone army, which was apparently commissioned by a member of the Jedi Council. And then the Republic will use the clone army--this immoral slave force--in the war. Then Dooku persuades Obi-Wan to join him. They both agree that they are dissatisfied with the ways the Republic and the Jedi Order handle things, so maybe Obi-Wan can see Dooku's point of view. Dooku should be a personification of what Anakin COULD become, concerning Obi-Wan that Anakin can succumb to the same fate as Dooku. This motivates Obi-Wan to gain some understanding with his apprentice Anakin.
From this point, the story is nearly identical to the movie. Anakin fights the Geonosians in the factory but also gets captured. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme are pushed to the execution arena (don't have Anakin and Padme kiss here) and fight the beasts. The Jedi Knights arrive to rescue.
Here's the crucial difference. Instead of Padmé safely boarding the gunships and escaping the arena battle with the Jedi and the clones, she gets captured by Dooku during the arena fight. Dooku holds Padmé as a hostage and announces it to the Jedi, stopping the arena battle. Dooku says he will kill her if the Jedi continue resisting. Anakin insists they should surrender, however, all the Jedi glance at each other and arrive at the same conclusion: they will fight. This fuels Anakin's resentment toward the Jedi.
At the last moment, the clones arrive, blasting and destroying the battle droids. Dooku takes Padmé and flees. He has another idea of what to do with her. The clones and the Jedi escape, and the Battle of Geonosis begins. Now, there are personal character-related stakes for Anakin. Anakin is adamant about chasing Dooku from the start of the battle. The battle is now an obstacle for Anakin to catch up with Dooku, blocking the gunship's path. Instead of the conflict between Anakin and Obi-Wan on the gunship being "stop the gunship to rescue Padmé fell on the desert", which ends up pointless in the story, now, the conflict is that Obi-Wan believes this is a trap to lure Anakin. Obi-Wan shouts at Anakin not to follow Dooku. But angered by the other Jedi's lack of care for Padmé during the arena fight, Anakin ignores his warning and heads to rescue Padmé alone.
Catching up to Dooku in the hangar, Anakin finds that Dooku is holding Padme captive. Dooku taunts Anakin by holding Padme in the air with the Force choke, which echoes what Anakin does to Padmé in Revenge of the Sith. Now, Anakin's rashed charge at Dooku makes more sense because there is a clearer trigger for Anakin to act this way. Dooku hurls Padmé away, and the lightsaber fight commences. During the duel, Dooku reveals that he is the one who ordered to torture of his mother. Anakin gets all the more angry and impulsive, and predictably, gets his hand chopped off.
Instead of Yoda arriving late to save Anakin, it should have been Obi-Wan arriving late. In the movie, you get a supposedly "Master versus Apprentice" dialogue between the two, and you don't feel anything because you don't even know Dooku was Yoda's apprentice beforehand. Yoda vs Dooku was not built up, but Obi-Wan vs Dooku was built up. This is a student of the student going against the old Master, and these two characters having the dialogue makes more sense.
The fighting between Obi-Wan and Dooku is fierce but cut short when Dooku brings down a pillar over Anakin, forcing Obi-Wan to break off his attack to save him. Dooku then moves to his escape ship, forcing Obi-Wan to make a choice: a mission--that is stopping Dooku and ending the entire Clone Wars--or Anakin's life. Sacrificing a few to save the many. Although Obi-Wan should pick the first option as a Jedi Knight of the Republic, he eventually chooses Anakin's life. Dooku escapes.
Coruscant:
After the battle, Dooku arrives at Coruscant to meet Sidious as in the film, but Dooku reports one more thing to Sidious. He says that Anakin has fallen to the dark side for the girl.
Coruscant is currently holding a massive military parade through the city, resembling Roman Triumph, to celebrate the victory over Geonosis, while Palpatine is publically revealing the existence of the clone army. The citizens love Palpatine and see the hope that the Republic might win the war. The Jedi will also join the parade, with each Knight leading a battalion of clone troopers.
Preparing to be part of the parade, Anakin and Obi-Wan, for the first time in the story, have a heart-to-heart conversation, not a rigid Master-Student lecture. Anakin realizes he has been too reckless. His brash act of confronting Dooku alone costs him his arm and he apologizes to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan then gives some respect to Anakin, for he has successfully protected Padme. In a way, Obi-Wan and Anakin go through the opposite character arcs. Obi-Wan changes from someone who supports Palpatine and, as he discovers the hidden conspiracies, to someone who is now against him and his emergency powers. Anakin, after witnessing what Dooku has done to his mother, is now looking for blood and vengeance against the Separatists--staunchly supporting more authoritarian measures to fight the war. This change goes alongside Anakin's embrace of more radical emotions.
Before Anakin and Obi-Wan depart to join the parade, Obi-Wan senses love between Anakin and Padme. Secretly, Padme kisses Anakin for the first time (No marriage as it comes across as too abrupt at this point).
As the Jedi march alongside the clone troopers, Obi-Wan secretly discusses with his Masters in the line his finding that it was likely Dooku who ordered the creation of the clone army for the Republic. Yoda and Mace Windu warn them to not reveal this secret to anyone else. They discuss if Dooku is the mysterious Sith Lord (Maul's Master) they were looking for... or maybe Dooku is the new apprentice of this mysterious Sith Lord. If there is another Sith Lord, he could be residing within the Republic's power structure. They found themselves fighting another war inside the Republic.
Palpatine oversees the parade from the top, while the citizens of the Republic cheer. Anakin gladly pledges his loyalty to the most powerful Chancellor in history, while Padme watches the parade with visible frustration as her efforts to stop Palpatine's emergency powers have utterly failed.
I tried to keep the general story elements the same. I focused on fixing what was already in the story rather than discarding it. I fleshed out the characters to be more active and get to have more choices in the decisions. The politics are more integrated into the character drama rather than being in the background. The character arcs for Anakin and Obi-Wan are clearer, with the climax concluding each arc. Instead of Anakin and Padme hiding on Naboo and just playing the patty cake for half of the film, the story is more aggressive and focuses on the war itself. Dooku's concept is utilized to the fullest as he manipulates the Jedi from within and firmly establishes him as Anakin's arch-villain. Padmé falling in love with Anakin makes more sense because she sees how far Anakin is willing to go to save her, especially in the climax. Anakin earns her love, not handed out to him. The romance is constantly developing to the end.
The qualm with the outline is how Anakin finds Padme in Aldera. Dooku sends Anakin and Obi-Wan to Alderaan so that they can find her for Dooku, only for Dooku to go to Alderaan himself and torture Padme's body double to learn about where Padme is. Dooku sending the Jedi then becomes pointless anyway. Another problem is that Padme only meets Anakin at the midpoint, so she doesn't interact with Anakin all that much, and the relationship doesn't get enough time and development.
Aside from those issues, I found the final outline to be more satisfying and tighter in my Episode 2 REDONE. Maybe sometime later someone would do a full rewrite treatment based on this outline lol.

This is not a plan for my REDONE project, but just an idea I had while I was rewatching Attack of the Clones and making some changes to Episode 2 REDONE.
A lot of influences and ideas Lucas had for Attack of the Clones were sound: a blooming love story within the political backdrop at the center of the civil war, Palpatine using the war to gain power, Anakin's disillusionment with the ways of the Jedi, a hidden web of conspiracies setting for the war, and Dooku as this Jedi renegade who has defected to the Separatists. It has a lot of cool ideas, which is why frustrating the film fumbles at materializing them.
Aside from the romance between Anakin and Padme, the major failing of Attack of the Clones is that Lucas fails to show the turmoil of people of the galaxy, which would create a condition for Palpatine to rise. It is part of the reason why the politics in this movie is so boring because it doesn't dramatize the politics. Game of Thrones showed the general audience can get into a political epic.
So I decided to make a new outline, one that is faithful to Lucas' vision, ideas, and influences, while fleshing them out to make a more coherent story, also taking some cues from The Empire Strikes Back.
I also borrowed from and built upon the AOTC fixes I have done in the past:
https://old.reddit.com/fixingmovies/comments/qoftgq/in_attack_of_the_clones_padm%C3%A9_should_have_been/
https://old.reddit.com/fixingmovies/comments/z5m5wf/in_the_dooku_duel_in_attack_of_the_clones_obiwan/
Crawl:
The galaxy is falling asunder. Thousands of solar systems have declared their intentions to leave the Galactic Republic to create the CONFEDERACY OF INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS.
This Separatist movement, supported by various conglomerates like the TRADE FEDERATION, mercilessly strikes back the crumbling Republic with the mass-produced Droid Armies.
Senator Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo, is arriving at Alderaan to discuss the critical issue of granting Chancellor Palpatine emergency powers to assist the overwhelmed Jedi....
Alderaan:
The story begins with the right dab in the middle of the massive war that is yet to be called the "Clone Wars". We see Padme Amidala, now a Senator, arriving with her aide Cordé at the beautiful planet of Alderaan. After the Battle of Naboo, Padme Amidala became sort of a star--a prominent voice against the Separatist tyranny--but she is adamant against the Emergency Powers Act. This act is an amendment to the Galactic Constitution, which will grant Palpatine limitless powers, including bypassing the Senate to create a standing army to fight the Separatists. She meets Senator Bail Organa, the representative of Alderaan. Alderaan is a major progressive voting block, and Padme is here to unify the opposition against the constitutional amendment before the Senate votes on it. She has enough clouts and popularity to stop the amendment. Bail agrees with her that the emergency powers could be authoritarian, but he believes in the necessity of a centralized standing army.
As they discuss this matter, with Padme saying, "The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it", the meeting is adjourned abruptly when a city-wide alert is raised. They look outside to witness the Separatist battle fleet filling the sky, blinding the sunlight, and beginning a massive invasion of Alderaan. We switch to Count Dooku on the Separatist battleship (at this point, we don't see his face and learn his name), who reports to the hologram of his Master Darth Sidious that he has caught Senator Padme Amidala in the basket. Sidious smiles, "Good, good..."
Unknown Planet somewhere in the Outer Rim Territories:
Meanwhile, we switch to the battlefield on the other side of the galaxy. The local planetary military, under the command of the local government, is retreating from the relentless Droid Army. The Republic is continually losing the war, and we see the ineffectiveness of the planetary forces. Here, we see Anakin and Obi-Wan are commanding the withdrawal of their troops. Realizing some of the Republic forces are pinned down and on the verge of annihilation, Anakin disobeys Obi-Wan's orders to go to save the troops alone. In an act of courage, Anakin manages to save the troops and returns. As the Republic forces retreat, Obi-Wan scolds Anakin. With this, we understand Anakin's character--reckless but selflessly cares for his friends--and see his relationship with his Master Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan is struggling as a Master to Anakin Skywalker. This is because Obi-Wan didn't take Anakin because he has a connection with him. He was entrusted out of obligation and duty for his dead Master Qui-Gon Jinn (whose name does not even get mentioned in the movie). So obviously, it is no wonder their relationship seems broken. Anakin feels attachments and all the emotions the Jedi Code forbids. He thinks Obi-Wan is too strict and cold--only one-minded about missions and duties.
Coruscant:
As the Jedi head to Coruscant, Anakin has a nightmare of her mother Shmi Skywalker. She's still trapped on Tatooine as a slave, and he wonders what happened to her.
Anakin returns to Coruscant to earn a decoration for his service by the Jedi Council. Master Dooku, is seated as one of the prominent members of the Council (so it can be an actual twist when Dooku is later revealed to be a bad guy). He is on good terms with Obi-Wan and Anakin since he was Qui-Gon Jinn's Master. Chancellor Palpatine is here, too, congratulating Anakin for his heroic effort. Palpatine suggests giving Anakin a reward. Anakin asks for a leave to return to Tatooine to see his mother. Much to Anakin's dismay, the Council rejects this on the grounds that the Jedi should let go of their past and attachments. The Jedi, especially Padawans, are strictly under the discipline with no autonomy. They cannot go anywhere they want. Instead, Dooku decides to give Obi-Wan and Anakin a non-combat mission as a prize, which is to find Padme. The Alderaanians are currently unable to reach Padme. Their mission is to find her and bring her back safely.
Regards to the hotly controversial emergency powers, the Jedi Council, like the public, is divided on this issue. Obi-Wan and Dooku are supportive of the amendment. Both show their distaste toward the Senate and the politicians in handling the crisis, "Don't forget she's a politician. They're not to be trusted", "It's been my experience that Senators are only focused on pleasing those who fund their campaigns... and they are more than willing to forget the niceties of democracy to get those funds". This is why they are shown to be very much supportive of Palpatine's controversial policies that can be perceived as authoritarian. Palpatine gets stuff done. In contrast, Anakin is apolitical--he never cared about politics.
Alderaan:
Anakin and Obi-Wan depart to a ravaged Alderaan. The battle is ongoing, and the Alderaanian forces seem to be unable to beat back the Droid Army. Here, the Jedi meet Senator Bail Organa for the first time, who is overseeing the Alderaanian forces. The battle resembles the Civil War battle from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, in which both sides are dug in the trenches and unable to penetrate each other's defense line. Bail informs the Jedi that Padme's emergency powers talk was held in Aldera in ruins, currently occupied by the Separatists, and she would be stuck there--under their captive or hidden out of the enemy sight. The Separatists are entrenched in Aldera--a city protected by a massive energy shield. Bail informs the Jedi that they are on schedule and under their continued bombardment of the city, the enemy shields would be overwhelmed in a further month. Both Jedi are stunned, but they have no choice.
In the enemy stronghold in Aldera, we quickly learn why Dooku gave the assignment to find Padme to Anakin and Obi-Wan. It's because the Separatists are unable to find Padme, who seemingly has disappeared. If she had been rescued by the Republic, she would be on the news, which means she is still somewhere in Aldera. Dooku reports to the hologram of his Master that he cannot find Padme. Dooku is then Force-choked by his Master. Dooku pleads to his Master, promising him that he will get her.
Meanwhile, the Alderaanian troops watch the HoloNet broadcast of the current Senate session. As a major progressive voting block, Alderaanians and Senator Bail Organa used to be against granting emergency powers to the Chancellor, but this invasion has changed their mind. Palpatine has firmly established himself as a wartime Chancellor. Through the hologram, Bail Organa gives a speech in favor of the amendment and votes for it, which sways the rest of the Senate to his side. The amendment has passed. Palpatine says, "I love democracy. I love the Republic. Once this crisis has abated, I will lay down the powers you have given me!"
Meanwhile, a week has passed, and the trench warfare is ongoing. In Aldera, Corde--Padme's body double--is helping Padme hide in the underground subway tunnel. Corde leaves to get her more food and water but is then caught by the droids. The droids present her to Dooku. Corde is shocked to find that Jedi Master Dooku is the leader of the Separatist movement Dooku raises his hands and unleashes the Force lightning to torture her to open her mouth to locate Padme.
The newly created "Grand Army of the Republic" has arrived at Alderaan, wearing shining white armor. They are welcomed enthusiastically by the Alderaanian forces. Obi-Wan is surprised that the standing army has already been dispatched to warfare, so he tries to talk with them, but they seem... "different".
Anakin arrives, bearing "lunch", a cloth full of live insects and worms, which he casually reports he got from inside the CIS base after discovering an underground entrance into the city, running through the sewers beneath the protective shield. Obi-Wan scolds Anakin for being reckless. While the new Republic army installs the even more powerful cannons to bombard of the shield above ground, Anakin guides Obi-Wan the way through the sewers and into the underground levels of the city. Obi-Wan suspects Padme is dead at this point, but Anakin can sense her, due to the strong bond they formed during The Phantom Menace--he can feel she is holding his japor snippet tight. From there, they make their way to the shield generator chamber. Anakin wants to fight the droids, but Obi-Wan stops him. Obi-Wan simply blows up the shield generator by using small spherical bombs and pointing out that there are alternatives to fighting. With the shield down, the white-armored Republic troopers begin a full-scale attack on the city.
As Corde finally confesses to Dooku where Padme is hiding, the droids rush in to inform Dooku that the shield is deactivated. Dooku orders the droids to go after Padme while hurrying to flee.
The battle of Aldera is chaotic. The Republic troopers are aggressive and far more competent than the local planetary forces, dispatching the battle droids. Anakin rushes into the Separatist-ran POW camp alone to search for Padme. Instead, he finds a dying Cordé. She apologizes to Anakin, disheartened in thinking she had failed her duty to her mistress. She tells Padme is hiding in the underground subway tunnel of Aldera, and in her last grasp, tells him that Dooku is behind the Separatists. Anakin initially does not believe her, but there is no time to go and tell Obi-Wan about this. Anakin races to the underground tunnel. While Obi-Wan is looking for Anakin, he stumbles on the two corpses of the Republic troopers, whose helmets are cracked. He takes a closer look and discovers that these troopers have identical faces.
Anakin finds Padme, who has been hiding all these years. At first, she doesn't recognize him, for he has grown so much. Anakin is glad that she kept her word about keeping his japor snippet. However, the battle droids are rushing into the tunnel, and they both flee. Obi-Wan comes to rescue them. When Anakin is about to inform him of the last words of Padme's body double, "Master" Dooku is standing alongside Obi-Wan, listening to Anakin. Dooku asks him to hand Padme over to him. Anakin refuses, saying that he will be the one taking her to Coruscant. Obi-Wan allows him, for Anakin has been missing Padme for a long time. Anakin and Padme board his ship and leave Alderaan in haste.
Obi-Wan turns to Dooku to inform him that all Republic troopers are clones. Dooku pretends to be surprised. Bail suggests looking into Kamino--the civilization highly proficient in cloning technology.
Coruscant:
This is where Anakin and Obi-Wan's storylines diverge in two. Obi-Wan and Dooku arrive at Coruscant and visit the Archives. Kamino doesn't show up in any data. Dooku says, "If an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist!" Dooku heads off, and Obi-Wan is not satisfied.
Obi-Wan visits Yoda currently training Younglings. The scene goes the same as the film's, except at the end, Master Dooku barges into the room and says Anakin has still yet to be returned to Coruscant with Padme. Yoda predicts Anakin must have gone to Tatooine. Obi-Wan is frustrated with his apprentice, complaining that Anakin is too reckless and refuses to obey his command.
Obi-Wan: "I realize now what you and Master Yoda knew from the beginning... the boy was too old to start the training and..."
Yoda: "Obi-Wan, have faith that take the right path he will."
Yoda surprisingly asks Obi-Wan to trust his apprentice rather than control him. This makes Obi-Wan rethink his relationship. In order to bridge the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan's arc is that he must see Anakin as a man and respect him. Obi-Wan forms a connection with him by understanding Anakin's point of view ("What I told you was true, from a certain point of view."). Obi-Wan realizes maybe the Jedi Code is too rigid, and a sense of duties and obligation alone can't make one a great Jedi. This character arc lends well to The Clone Wars TV series and Revenge of the Sith, in which Obi-Wan evolved into a more quippy, light-hearted character who has a drastically different personality from TPM and AOTC. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan would become more understanding of each other, and as a result, their clash at Mustafar becomes more heartwrenching.
Anyway, Yoda orders Obi-Wan to go to Kamino to investigate the Clone Army. Dooku, learning where Padme has gone, smiles. He contacts and sends his army of bounty hunters to Tatooine. Jango Fett is not the only bounty hunter Dooku hired. Dooku orders them to use Anakin's mother Shmi Skywalker as bait.
Kamino:
From here, Obi-Wan's plotline is pretty much identical to the film's. He investigates Kamino, learns it was the Jedi Master who ordered the creation of the clone army for the Republic to prepare for the war, figures out that the bounty hunter Jango Fett is the genetic template for the clones, then Obi-Wan fights and chases him to Geonosis.
Geonosis:
There, Obi-Wan discovers Dooku in the middle of the conversation with the Separatist leaders. He realizes Dooku is the true mastermind of the Separatist Confederacy, and the new Separatist army is amassing to attack the Republic systems.
Tatooine:
For Anakin's co-occurring storyline, it is also largely similar. Anakin and Padme discuss politics and democracy, and Padme's ideals. Anakin sees politics as a simple matter, "That sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me", "Well, if it works...", as well as discussing Anakin's frustration with the Jedi Code. Anakin hates the Separatists because the slaver guilds have allied themselves to the Confederacy. Anakin keeps having a nightmare of her mother, and now she is dying in his dream.
Later, Padme awakes to find out that the ship has landed on Tatooine, not Coruscant. She is upset and argues with Anakin. He lied to her. He finally reveals what he learned about Dooku and says Tatooine is the safest location. Anakin believes the Jedi Council is compromised and can't trust it anymore, though Padme knows that is not the only reason. It is partially for Anakin to meet his mother again. His former owner Watto reveals that he sold Shmi to a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars, who then freed and married her. They then get the Lars family, who tell Anakin that the Tusken raiders have abducted Shmi just recently. Padme allows him to leave her and track down the Tuskens, for she will be safe under the guard of the Lars family.
Anakin locates the campsite where one of Dooku's bounty hunters, having paid the Tuskens to kidnap Shmi, is torturing her in a tent. When the bounty hunter leaves, Anakin frees Shmi, who dies in his arms. The bounty hunter returns to the tent and is quickly apprehended by an enraged Anakin. Anakin "forces" him to make him confess who hired him. The bounty hunter says it is Dooku, and Anakin kills him after confirming his suspicion. Hearing the noise, the Tusken raiders surround the tent. Anakin massacres the entire tribe. Now, Anakin has personal stakes in defeating Dooku, and facing him is crucial in Anakin's arc in the story, unlike how he had no idea who Dooku even was in the film.
Anakin returns to the Lars homestead and finds out that the Lars family is held hostage by Dooku's bounty hunters. Anakin fights the bounty hunters to free Owen and Beau, but Cliegg is murdered. Despite Anakin's best efforts, the bounty hunters escape Tatooine with Padme to Geonosis. Anakin feels guilty about forsaking his duty and leaving her to the homestead.
Anakin races back to his ship, on which Anakin receives the message from Obi-Wan warning the Republic and the Council about Dooku and the imminent Separatist attack on the Republic. Anakin contacts the Council about what happened to Padme. Mace Windu orders Anakin to return to Coruscant. Don't do anything out of impulse. The Council will take care of it. Trust in the Council's judgment. Here, Anakin is facing two paths. Be a good, little, nice Jedi, and follow the Council's order, or chase after Dooku to save Padme and Obi-Wan. This is the point at which Anakin tests his resolve. Anakin makes a decision to go against the Jedi code (Attachment is forbidden) and get to Geonosis alone.
Geonosis:
Obi-Wan is held captive while Dooku comes along. Instead of Dooku revealing there is a Dark Lord of the Sith controlling the Republic (there is no reason for Dooku to spill the beans here), the confrontation with Dooku forces Obi-Wan to grow out of Qui-Gon Jinn's death. He should face the fact that his Master's Master has turned to the dark side because of the strict Jedi Code and the Republic's corruption. After all, Obi-Wan investigated the clone army, which was apparently commissioned by a member of the Jedi Council. And then the Republic will use the clone army--this immoral slave force--in the war. Then Dooku persuades Obi-Wan to join him. They both agree that they are dissatisfied with the ways the Republic and the Jedi Order handle things, so maybe Obi-Wan can see Dooku's point of view. Dooku should be a personification of what Anakin COULD become, concerning Obi-Wan that Anakin can succumb to the same fate as Dooku. This motivates Obi-Wan to gain some understanding with his apprentice Anakin.
From this point, the story is nearly identical to the movie. Anakin fights the Geonosians in the factory but also gets captured. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme are pushed to the execution arena (don't have Anakin and Padme kiss here) and fight the beasts. The Jedi Knights arrive to rescue.
Here's the crucial difference. Instead of Padmé safely boarding the gunships and escaping the arena battle with the Jedi and the clones, she gets captured by Dooku during the arena fight. Dooku holds Padmé as a hostage and announces it to the Jedi, stopping the arena battle. Dooku says he will kill her if the Jedi continue resisting. Anakin insists they should surrender, however, all the Jedi glance at each other and arrive at the same conclusion: they will fight. This fuels Anakin's resentment toward the Jedi.
At the last moment, the clones arrive, blasting and destroying the battle droids. Dooku takes Padmé and flees. He has another idea of what to do with her. The clones and the Jedi escape, and the Battle of Geonosis begins. Now, there are personal character-related stakes for Anakin. Anakin is adamant about chasing Dooku from the start of the battle. The battle is now an obstacle for Anakin to catch up with Dooku, blocking the gunship's path. Instead of the conflict between Anakin and Obi-Wan on the gunship being "stop the gunship to rescue Padmé fell on the desert", which ends up pointless in the story, now, the conflict is that Obi-Wan believes this is a trap to lure Anakin. Obi-Wan shouts at Anakin not to follow Dooku. But angered by the other Jedi's lack of care for Padmé during the arena fight, Anakin ignores his warning and heads to rescue Padmé alone.
Catching up to Dooku in the hangar, Anakin finds that Dooku is holding Padme captive. Dooku taunts Anakin by holding Padme in the air with the Force choke, which echoes what Anakin does to Padmé in Revenge of the Sith. Now, Anakin's rashed charge at Dooku makes more sense because there is a clearer trigger for Anakin to act this way. Dooku hurls Padmé away, and the lightsaber fight commences. During the duel, Dooku reveals that he is the one who ordered to torture of his mother. Anakin gets all the more angry and impulsive, and predictably, gets his hand chopped off.
Instead of Yoda arriving late to save Anakin, it should have been Obi-Wan arriving late. In the movie, you get a supposedly "Master versus Apprentice" dialogue between the two, and you don't feel anything because you don't even know Dooku was Yoda's apprentice beforehand. Yoda vs Dooku was not built up, but Obi-Wan vs Dooku was built up. This is a student of the student going against the old Master, and these two characters having the dialogue makes more sense.
The fighting between Obi-Wan and Dooku is fierce but cut short when Dooku brings down a pillar over Anakin, forcing Obi-Wan to break off his attack to save him. Dooku then moves to his escape ship, forcing Obi-Wan to make a choice: a mission--that is stopping Dooku and ending the entire Clone Wars--or Anakin's life. Sacrificing a few to save the many. Although Obi-Wan should pick the first option as a Jedi Knight of the Republic, he eventually chooses Anakin's life. Dooku escapes.
Coruscant:
After the battle, Dooku arrives at Coruscant to meet Sidious as in the film, but Dooku reports one more thing to Sidious. He says that Anakin has fallen to the dark side for the girl.
Coruscant is currently holding a massive military parade through the city, resembling Roman Triumph, to celebrate the victory over Geonosis, while Palpatine is publically revealing the existence of the clone army. The citizens love Palpatine and see the hope that the Republic might win the war. The Jedi will also join the parade, with each Knight leading a battalion of clone troopers.
Preparing to be part of the parade, Anakin and Obi-Wan, for the first time in the story, have a heart-to-heart conversation, not a rigid Master-Student lecture. Anakin realizes he has been too reckless. His brash act of confronting Dooku alone costs him his arm and he apologizes to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan then gives some respect to Anakin, for he has successfully protected Padme. In a way, Obi-Wan and Anakin go through the opposite character arcs. Obi-Wan changes from someone who supports Palpatine and, as he discovers the hidden conspiracies, to someone who is now against him and his emergency powers. Anakin, after witnessing what Dooku has done to his mother, is now looking for blood and vengeance against the Separatists--staunchly supporting more authoritarian measures to fight the war. This change goes alongside Anakin's embrace of more radical emotions.
Before Anakin and Obi-Wan depart to join the parade, Obi-Wan senses love between Anakin and Padme. Secretly, Padme kisses Anakin for the first time (No marriage as it comes across as too abrupt at this point).
As the Jedi march alongside the clone troopers, Obi-Wan secretly discusses with his Masters in the line his finding that it was likely Dooku who ordered the creation of the clone army for the Republic. Yoda and Mace Windu warn them to not reveal this secret to anyone else. They discuss if Dooku is the mysterious Sith Lord (Maul's Master) they were looking for... or maybe Dooku is the new apprentice of this mysterious Sith Lord. If there is another Sith Lord, he could be residing within the Republic's power structure. They found themselves fighting another war inside the Republic.
Palpatine oversees the parade from the top, while the citizens of the Republic cheer. Anakin gladly pledges his loyalty to the most powerful Chancellor in history, while Padme watches the parade with visible frustration as her efforts to stop Palpatine's emergency powers have utterly failed.
I tried to keep the general story elements the same. I focused on fixing what was already in the story rather than discarding it. I fleshed out the characters to be more active and get to have more choices in the decisions. The politics are more integrated into the character drama rather than being in the background. The character arcs for Anakin and Obi-Wan are clearer, with the climax concluding each arc. Instead of Anakin and Padme hiding on Naboo and just playing the patty cake for half of the film, the story is more aggressive and focuses on the war itself. Dooku's concept is utilized to the fullest as he manipulates the Jedi from within and firmly establishes him as Anakin's arch-villain. Padmé falling in love with Anakin makes more sense because she sees how far Anakin is willing to go to save her, especially in the climax. Anakin earns her love, not handed out to him. The romance is constantly developing to the end.
The qualm with the outline is how Anakin finds Padme in Aldera. Dooku sends Anakin and Obi-Wan to Alderaan so that they can find her for Dooku, only for Dooku to go to Alderaan himself and torture Padme's body double to learn about where Padme is. Dooku sending the Jedi then becomes pointless anyway. Another problem is that Padme only meets Anakin at the midpoint, so she doesn't interact with Anakin all that much, and the relationship doesn't get enough time and development.
Aside from those issues, I found the final outline to be more satisfying and tighter in my Episode 2 REDONE. Maybe sometime later someone would do a full rewrite treatment based on this outline lol.

Hi everyone. Just a simple wtb post. Looking for a 1/10th gold coin (prefer 24k and BU) and a couple bullion ounces of silver if you have it as well. Maples/ase/brit etc… best deal gets my money! Thanks!
Will pay ship on top of the metals. Can pay with Venmo or Ppff. Higher priority to high trade users.
*PENDING

My husband and I recently returned from the transatlantic cruise on Anthem of the Seas. I love a review, so I figured I'd share some though about our recent experience in case anyone is interested!
Overall thoughts: This cruise was an incredible experience. We wanted to do something special for our honeymoon, and this definitely fit the bill. We received excellent service all over the ship. Food was pretty good, but I'd probably skip Chops next time.
Cabin: We were in Cabin 13132, a standard balcony cabin. It was clean and well maintained. There was plenty of storage, we had no trouble putting all of our things (including 20 books) away. We chose the cabin because it was about halfway between the elevators and the "secret" doors to the Solarium. We knew we'd spend the majority of our mornings in the Solarium, so being that close to it was a significant benefit. I've seen many warnings about not being right under the pool deck, but we really didn't notice much noise. There was the occasional sound of chairs being moved around, but nothing that kept us awake. I imagine it might be different if we were under the main pool instead of the Solarium.
We always love having a balcony cabin. The weather was mild enough that we sat out there several evenings to watch the sunset and have a drink. We also slept with the balcony door open a few times.
Food: After some disappointing experiences in the MDR last time we sailed Anthem and on Liberty last summer, we decided to prioritize dining in other locations on this cruise. We went to the Windjammer for dinner most nights. It was excellent. The food was good, and the service was fantastic. They made sure any empty plates were cleared from the table almost immediately. Dining in the Windjammer also made our refillable soda mugs more valuable. We wouldn't have gotten anywhere near as much use if we were regularly in the MDR.
For breakfast, we ate at the Solarium Bistro almost every day. It's a smaller selection than the Windjammer, but it's less chaotic. I found breakfast to be the busiest meal in the Windjammer. The Solarium Bistro still has a good selection, including a custom omelette station. We had lunch at the Solarium Bistro several times, and dinner twice. It was excellent. The maitre d', Rowell, seems to be everywhere at once. He seated guests, helped with reservations, at one point he was manning the toaster during breakfast. The energy he put into the restaurant was mirrored by the rest of the staff, and made it one of the best dining experience on the ship.
We ate at a bunch of different spots for lunch. Sorrento's was pretty good. The pizza was always hot and fresh. The Doghouse was a nice change of pace. I wish it was open longer. The Windjammer was a reliable option for lunch, but we were more likely to dine at the Solarium Bistro.
We had dinner in the MDR three times, and it was fine. Nothing special. Excellent service, food was so-so. It's very strange to me how the MDR and Windjammer can be serving the same thing, but the quality is better at the Windjammer. We also had breakfast there twice, primarily because we both love the Market Vegetable Breakfast Bowl. It was just as good as we remembered.
It was our honeymoon, so we splurged and did quite a bit of speciality dining on this trip, to mixed results. We went to Chops twice for dinner, and it was alright. We liked the lamb better than the steak. I enjoyed Jamie's Italian much more than Chops. The risotto rosso was delicious, and the short rib was perfectly tender. We also did Chops and Jamie's for lunch. Again, Jamie's was the clear winner. My husband had lunch at Izumi one day, which he was very pleased with.
On three occasions, we ordered room service. I ordered lunch one day, which came quickly and was exactly as ordered. We put out a hanger for a breakfast order to be delivered between 6:30 and 7:00. When it hadn't arrived by 7:30, and needing to meet for our shore excursion by 8:30, we figured the tag had been taken by another guest and decided to go out to get breakfast. Later, we saw the fee charged to our account, then credited back, and found a little tray of treats waiting in the room with a note rhat said "Courtesy of the Room Service Team" when we got back that evening. It was the first port day of the trip, I can only guess they got very backed up and we were gone by the time they tried to deliver our order. The treats were a nice touch. We also did late night room service one evening. Again, it was delivered quickly.
Activities & Things to Do: When it's just my husband and I, we mostly want to read books and look at water. As usual, we did a great job in meeting that goal. I was usually in the Solarium by 7:30. The chair next to me was still free when he came up, which was around 8:30 most days. We'd enjoy our books and the view of the ocean until lunchtime. After lunch, we usually napped, played card games, or read on our balcony. There were a ton of activities on the calendar for this cruise: trivia, sports, talks about special interests, crafts. If we wanted to, we could have been busy every minute of the day.
Bars/Drinks: Part of what I love about Royal is how accommodating they are of non-drinkers. We got the Refreshment Package and definitely made it worth the money. All of the bartenders we encountered were wonderful. They were happy to make me an NA drink. Drink service in the Solarium was great. There was constantly someone coming around for bar service. When I went up to the bar myself, there was little to no wait most of the time, and the bartenders were always friendly. We also visited the Schooner Bar quite a bit. Again, the folks working there were friendly and helpful. I got hooked on the virgin lavender daiquiri. It was sweeter than I usually go for, but I enjoyed it a lot. I also enjoyed the virgin pineapple guava sangria, which was just the pineapple guava juice plus club soda. They usually make it with Sprite, but had no issue doing it with club soda, which reduces the sweetness by a lot. The only NA beer available was Heineken 0.0. It's perfectly acceptable, but given the increasing variety of NA beers on the market, I wish they had an additional option. Still, maybe it's for the best since it's not included in the Refreshment Package.
Entertainment: We went to the Welcome Aboard show, which was good fun. We're pretty sure the comedian was the same one as we had on Liberty last summer. We tried to go to the late night comedy show, but it was very disorganized. The previous show let out of the theater less than 30 minutes before, and trying to get in and find a seat was the biggest crowd crush we experienced on the entire trip. We ended up bailing. We saw a magic show with Martin Brock. If he's an entertainer on your cruise, make sure to go. He was one of the best I've ever seen. We also attended a couple of game shows, which were good fun. And then there was Spectra's Cabaret. We'd seen it before and enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this performing was a little disappointing. I think the person who plays Spectra makes a huge difference in the overall energy of the show. Unfortunately, our Spectra was lackluster. The rest of the cast was excellent, though. They've got some very talented dancers.
Ports: After a week at sea, our first port of call was Madeira. It was the first day of the flower festival, and we were concerned about transportation and traffic. We decided to do an excursion through Royal. We did the "Charming and Easy Madeira" bus tour. It was very low key, we were the youngest people on the tour by quite a bit. The tour made a few stops at different places with excellent views, including Pico do Areeiro, the highest point accessible by car. If we ever get back to Madeira, I'd like to explore on our own, but I'm glad we opted for the tour this time.
The next port was A Coruna. This was our favorite by far. The ship docks right downtown, so it's easy to explore on your own. We mostly just walked around. Saw some statues and public art. Spent some time in Xardíns de Méndez Núñez watching people play with their dogs. We also got a bite to eat at Bo&Go La Marina. I'd definitely recommend it for coffee and dessert.
Our final port was Le Havre. The ship docks in an industrial area, very similar to Bayonne. There's a shuttle bus that does a circuit of the ship, downtown, and the mall. It was $5 for an all day pass. Shuttles came every 15 to 20 minutes. It was Ascension Thursday, so a lot of places were closed. We tried two different cafes, neither was open. We ended up walking around town, and spending time sitting in a park. It was a nice, relaxed day.
Post-cruise: We disembarked in London. We had a transfer to London scheduled by our TA, but they gave the driver the wrong terminal. Once he figured out where we were, it was a very pleasant trip to London. We stayed at the Melia Kensington Square, which was in a perfect location. We dropped off our bags and walked to Kensington Gardens, wandered around a bit, and got ice cream at the Albert Memorial. Once our room was ready, we freshened up and went to the Victoria and Albert Museum for a couple of hours. We barely scratched the surface, but it was a very cool experience.
We flew home on Norse Atlantic, in premium economy. The service on the flight was excellent. The food was surprisingly good, much better than we expected. We wouldn't hesitate to fly with them again.
Final thoughts: We figured this would be a once in lifetime experience, but before we were halfway through the cruise, we were discussing when we could realistically do it again. It'll probably be for our 10th anniversary, since we won't have to sort out childcare at that point.
We've got 433 days until our next cruise, on Symphony of the Seas out of Bayonne. It'll be our first experience on an Oasis class ship, and we're bringing the kiddo along. Until then, I'll be living vicariously through everyone posting here!

Are variable speed and inverter units the same thing?
How much more should I expect a 2 ton HVAC system plus either gas furnace or heatpump to cost if it upgraded to variable speed vs a basic single speed?
Because of all the extra complexity and added labor hours to troubleshoot and repair these units, I would probably need pay extra to get a labor warranty for the length of the parts warranty. How much should I expect to pay for that?
I heard that the system boards on these higher end systems are extra fragile and should be installed behind surge protection since power surges would be excluded from warranty coverage. How much extra for that?
Then the proprietary parts will not be available on the technician's truck like they would be with simple stage systems. So, I would always end up with 2 service visits for every issue because there will normally be a minimum of 1 business day wait for parts, up to 5 days shipping. Then maybe weeks of delay if there is a national back order. So, to be covered for this scenario, I would need to have a portable a/c unit stored in the garage at a costs of an additional $600 or so.
Any other costs to plan for?
Shorter life span on the fancier systems meaning doing it all over again in 15 years or less vs 20+ years with a simple good quality system?