Miosotis & bartender

i’ve been exploring the concept of buddhism recently, & recently delved into the eightfold path.
i do plan on dedicating some time to studying it more, so i could answer this question for myself in time… but exactly how deplorable is it to work as a bartender in the lens of buddhism?
i really love my job, & i know i spread joy with it. it wouldn’t be the end of the world for me to have to leave that industry, but at this moment i don’t understand how it contributes to suffering. it’s one of the best parts of my life, & i take a lot of pride in it.
i guess i’m just looking for opinions, or any thoughts y’all might have :)

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!

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Help me get new games <3

Bingo + 2 Drinks + Potential New Friends — $10, Thursday 7PM at Gold Coast

Zero commitment needed. Just show up. Get your bingo card, get your drinks, buy a dauber, and have fun for an hour.
I went to bingo with a couple friends of a friend a few weeks back, and they had a great time but they were slightly intimidated about it, not knowing what to expect. It gave me the idea to just invite anybody that wants to show up, and I'd be happy to walk them through the process. Meet new people and have fun, too.
If you want to go play bingo, I'll be there on Thursday (May 23rd) at 6:30PM, and you can sit with me. I'll help ya along, and below you'll find all ya need to know, too. Hopefully, you won't be the only one showing up, but if you are, that's A-OK!
Here's what you need to know:
The Gold Coast bingo hall is on the west side of the building. No matter where you park, when you're inside, walk away from the strip. Eventually, you'll find two long escalators. Take those up to the second floor, turn left at the top, and make your way into the bingo hall.
1) Get Bingo Card — Once inside the set of doors, turn left and get in line to buy your bingo cards. When you get to the cashier, say that you would like a "blue paper, validated, and a dollar dual daub". You can say exactly that. "blue paper, validated, and a dollar dual daub". It'll cost $6 or $7, and the cashier will hand you a pack of bingo cards and your receipt. (Different color packs pay different amounts if you win. You can also get an electronic unit : basically you'd watch a computer play for you. For us, though, we're getting the inexpensive option of playing on "blue paper", and the "dual daub" game is played in the middle of the others. For it, each space has 2 numbers. You just need to make one of the two numbers to cover the space. You don't need to worry about any of that. Just say "blue paper, validated, and a dollar dual daub")
2) Get Drinks — With your receipt and bingo cards, go left to the bartender area. You will likely see people standing in line there, too. You get your choice of two drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). Tell the bartender what you would like (rum and Coke, screwdriver, hot chocolate, coffee, Pepsi, vodka cranberry, various beers, etc.). The bartender will stamp your receipt to indicate that you ordered your drinks and then hand you the drinks. Tip $1 or $2.
3) Find me — With your receipt, bingo cards, and drinks, walk to the other end of the large room (past the chandelier). Just to the right of the area where the ball caller will sit, you'll find me. I'll have a tiki mug on the table. Sit your stuff down on the table in one of the spaces then head to the vending machines to buy a dauber.
4) Buy a dauber — Insert your money ($2 or less) and pick the dauber of your choice. Light colors are easier to see the number through the ink, but any color you would like is fine.
5) Return to the table — Return back to the table and get ready to have fun. The bingo session will last under an hour and will start promptly at 7PM. You should arrive no later than 6:45PM to get everything done, and you can arrive as early as 6:15PM. The room will be open/empty at that time, but sales & drinks won't start to a bit later.
As to the bingo session itself, there are "indicator boards" around the room that show the desired pattern for each particular game. For example, the first game might be a "hard way bingo" which means you have to do it the "hard way" without the free space. You can have any 5 in a row up and down or left to right, except it can't go through the free space. The light up board will show the possibilities.
The pack of bingo cards has many sheets. Some of the games will be played on the one card then tear it off and throw it away. Some of the games will continue after a winner is determined. For example, that hard way bingo game might go into a double hard way for the next game. You would continue playing on the same card, but the target would be different. You would now need two rows of 5 marked spaces.
I'll be there to help, but the long and the short of it, is to not stress. You're statistically highly unlikely to win. Look at it like this: You're spending ~$10 to have fun, get a couple drinks, etc. You might win, but there are quite a few people playing in the same bingo session that will be spending $100+ to buy dozens of bingo cards, electronically. You'll have the six cards in front of you, but statistically, that person with dozens is more likely to bingo first. Ironically, they might "win" to receive far less than they spent. Do people playing on a single paper pack win? Absolutely. I've won. People I've been with have won, but if you feel like you can't keep up or don't "get it", the important part to remember is that you've not spent much money and you likely didn't screw anything up that mattered anyway. Just come and have fun.
I'm doing this just because I think it'll be fun. It's not sponsored or connected to the Gold Coast in any way. If you want to know more about me before ya come, I play slots online at https://www.youtube.com/@tikijackpot and you can see me reviewing Vegas stuff at https://www.youtube.com/@justinclouse
So, show up around 6:30PM to 6:45PM and let's have a fun time. If you have any questions, just ask.

So I'm having a wedding on 32 people in total. We're doing a appetizer, dessert and drink table, and a family-style dinner. If I hire a bartender and servers, is it possible to make the dinner and do bakery/grocery store catering for the appetizers/desserts.
Appetizers:
Fruit Salad, Cubed Cheese, Naan Chips w/ Hummus, Assorted Olives & Pickles
Main:
Minestrone & Split Pea Soup (ppl rsvp their choice ahead of time), Mini Quiche & Tourtiere Tarts, Purple & Carot Coleslaw, German Potato Salad, Dinner Rolls & Individual Margarine Packets
Desserts:
Donut Cake, Assorted Mini Dessert Squares/Cheese Cakes, Chocolate & Yogurt Covered Pretzels, Rice Pudding
The venue I'm looking to book with allows us to bring our own food, and has a commercial grade kitchen onsite for heating/refrigeration. It would just be the 2 of us (although i'm sure a few friends and family members will be willing to help, just don't want to fully bank on it in case people flake), but the tarts could be made well in advanced and frozen (kept in my future MIL's deep freezer in her basement), same with the soup and be canned. Would purchase the naans, pickles, and cube up the cheese and vacuum seal a week in advance. Probably prepare the coleslaw, potato salad and rice pudding 2 or 3 days in advance. Would be picking up the rest the night before/morning of from the grocery store/bakery (2 places so not too much running around) and immediately storing in our venue's walk-in refrigerator. We're hiring the venue's staff, who would reheat the soup and quiches/tourtieres, plate everything and serve. Does this make sense, or am I just crazy?

Chapter 5: Reck “Desire” Lesley & the Madams.
Page 96.
Present moment:
( visual: Madame and Naivi out on the balcony of the Mama moving saloon )
Madame: “Whew” Thank you so much again for saving my Mama.
Naivi: No worries madame, I’m cold in heated situations! That guy sounded to me like a massive hot head. Bet I could cool him down a notch!
( visual: smacking his fists together)
Madame: You’re thinking of challenging that monster to a duel? That’s so old fashioned…
Mama moving saloon: - And sure way to get yourself killed, trust me kid.
Naivi: How else d’ya expect to get those train tickets? Let’s try to challenge him straightforwardly! Since your pickpocketing antics didn’t seem to catch any wind the last time.
-Or it did actually…
-but it went up in flames before that!

• Literally!

Madame: …Not one more pun about my almost burnt alive mother, okay?
(Visual: Zips Naivis mouth with her fingers.)
Naivi: Knock that out already! I’m just tryna do a little human to human socializing here…
Madame: Anyways… El Diablo didn’t seem to care much about those tickets, but I know he won’t give them up for free. We have to trade something in for them… Something that he values… Hmmm…
…
…?
…!
Naivi: Wait, I’m the bait!? What could he possibly want from me?
Madame: Chill. It’s a foolproof plan!
Naivi: Is that so… Isn’t there any other way to get inside the train? ...Like some rich old granny we could just rob the tickets off easily?
Madame: Nope! Everybody else has already boarded the train with their tickets. And all the high class passengers were protected better than most of the banks in the 0 * state. Without the tickets, you won’t even get a good look at the darn thing, before you are shot full of holes.
Naivi: Shii…
Madame: -That monster possesses the only two remaining tickets…
Page 97.
Naivi: And here I thought that I could just simply sneak into the train without anybody noticing…
Madame: Good! It’s settled then! We better hurry up. Train should be leaving soon!
Naivi: Wait wait wait! I haven’t agreed to anything yet!
Madame: Camoon man… I thought you weren’t scared of the big bad bull- hihihi!
(Visual: Teasing Naivi. Madame put fingers as horns taunting naivi imitating a bull)
Naivi: I’m not! In this town I’m invincible!! I got my Ma watching over me…
(Visual: Naivi proudly says this with a hint of embarrassment in his body language)
Madame: That’s the right spirit…?
Visual: confused
Mama moving saloon: No worries Naivi. He was in the town looking for some rich parent’s kid to kidnap for a big bounty I guess. What are the chances it would be you, right? You just have to distract him momentarily so we can get our hands on those tickets.
Madame: Then you can do whatever you want. Fight the damn thing if you want to! I won’t stop you…
Naivi: Okay then… I’ve got a couple good reasons for risking my life for those tickets, but what about you?
-You and I have barely broken the ice and you’re asking me to put my butt in your hands.
Madame: Was that ice pun intentional?
-And don’t you mean your life in my hands?
Naivi: It runs in the family, nothing Í can do about it.
Madame: Odd family curse… I ain’t scared to risk my life for this golden opportunity! I’m willing to give it my all to get those tickets!
Naivi: I didn’t say you were scared… I wanna know why you’re taking on the adventure in the first place?
Madame: Tsk… I ain’t looking for some whimsical childish adventure… Why do you want to know?
Naivi: You have to have some important reason to risk your life, right? And if your reasons are sound then I have no problem running with your plan.
Page 98.
Madame: Sigh… You saved my mothers life so I guess …it's right for you to know… I was the one who cursed my mother into this saloon.
Naivi: ?
Madame: I have been cursed / blessed, however you wanna call it with a wild spirit…

• I need to find this legendary healer from the Wild world who could possibly help us reverse the curse and make Mamma back to normal human again. I won’t rest before I ha-

Naivi: I thought your mother is awesome! Why would you want her to turn back to normal? And what about you Mama moving saloon?
-How do you feel being you?
(Visual: Naivi suddenly on top of the roof.)
Madame: Thoughts: How did he get up there so quickly?
Mama moving saloon: Well I…-
Madame: Mother always says she doesn’t care about being in a saloon! And I shouldn’t worry about her… Enough about us! Imma ask you the same question…
-What do you want from the Wild world?
Naivi: What do I want from the Wild World? Nothing really that special… Adventure. Gold. Someone to ride a high horse with off to the beautiful sun set… To discover the hidden gem mountain! (/// Health, Wealth, Love and perfect self expression///)
-All the basics! I just want to be the coldest cowboy in the world!
Madame: Ahhh…Hahahaha! - What does that even mean? Ahh haha… How old were you again?
Naivi: Shut up, you don’t get it… You are the worst bartender in the state.
Madame: Huh, what do you mean??!!
Naivi: …Giving all your “cursed saloons” “cheap drinks” away for free to a “big ominous drunk”…
Madame: It’s not cheap for me??
Page 99.
Ranger in charge of the communication unit inside the Ranger HQ:
-Any updates from Captain “Desire” Lesley?
(Visual: Big building with rangers star and HQ written on it)
Rangers with a cockroach type of telephone: They had located El Diablo in Mama moving saloon at the other end of the town. After entering, no new report has…
X:- HEEELP MEEE!!!

• ?

Ranger corporal from the saloon on horseback: Heeelp! El Diablo is after us all! He set the saloon on fire! Then he began slaughtering our whole platoo-
SFX: BANG!!!
Ranger corporal from the saloon: -NUMFF!
(Visual: Ranger corporal on horseback gets shot in the face.)
Ranger: !!!
El Diablo: I hate snitches… And excuse me for this “god-forsaken-colder-than-my-evil-step-mothers-grave-stone” -climate you guys are living in. I had to warm the place up a bit…
Now then, will you be a good ranger and look the other way?
-Or do we have a problem brewing in here?
Visual: L Pablo takes the scarf and the sunglasses off his face exposing his now demonic looking face
Ranger: S-S-Send help…
EL Diablo: Such a party pooper…
SFX: BANG!
Ranger: Gahhh!
Child: That weird looking goat has a big mouth mama.
Mama: What did I tell you about commenting on other peoples looks before?!´´´
EL Diablo: Oh, but it has a purpose, y-know kid?…
(Visual: L Pablo walking closer to the kid and mother. Mother and son are now shivering in fear.)
-It helps me to snack naughty little kids like you in one big gulp!

• You know where the frozen child lives amigo?

Woman and child are the same duo as in the train station: IIIK!!!
El Diablo: Guess if the chef still needs more time to cook up the main supper…

• I can settle for a happy meal for now!!

?

Page 100.
(Visual: Reck Lesley flying through the street in supernatural speed on horseback)
Reck Lesley: Your apathy for human life isn't a very cool character trait -y’know!!
L Pablo: ¿Qué? You again??
(Visual: Jumps off the horse flying towards L Pablo like a missile. Gets his sword out)
Zwiiiiiiing….
ZWUM!!!
( Visual: Reck grabs the random kid and mama saving them from L Pablo, at the same time slashes Pablos neck with his sword)
# 3 Arc. Solution to your problem
L Pablo: …GRh! Nice swing!
Reck: (thoughts: He’s still alive after that? I slashed his throat cleanly just now?)
(Visual: smirk on his face, one “heh!” flying out his mouth)
KLASH!!!
( Reck’s sword and Pablo’s hidden claw blades clash in a big blow)
Page 101.
L Pablo: Oh? /Visual: glances at the sword Reck Lesley is using/
-That’s one of the possessed blades from the ghost dance war… Well done acquiring that, lil fella! Where did ya find it?
Reck Lesley: You like it? I took it as sovereign the last time I visited your ends!
L Pablo: OHH…! So have we met before? That could explain the familiar vibe I got from you earlier…
Reck Lesley: Yes! In the conquest for the New cork colony!
Page 102.
(Visual: the characters break up after the clash)

L Pablo: The New cork colony!? You were there lil man?? The place where the apocalypse finally dawned!
Reck Lesley: It did dawn on that day… The dawn of endless possibility for mankind.
-It’s embarrassing to admit, but you have been living rent free in my head ever since!
L Pablo: Keheh…It surely did…Can’t you hear it?! The doomsday clock is ticking loudly as we speak! KEHEHEHEH!
SFX: Bang!
( Visual: Shoots a ranger trying to ambush him from behind)
-We El Diablo triplets are well known for leaving long lasting impressions! Makes it hard to remember everyone with a vendetta against us!
Reck Lesley: …Funny, because I remember you three as if it happened yesterday. Over ten years… And I still wake up every morning with murder on my mind… I made a life long promise to someone very special on that fateful day-
El diablo: ?
Page 103.
Panel:

• That someday, I will cut down all three of your triplets heads and decorate her grave with them.

L Pablo: Is that so?
…
-That’s the most romantic thing I have probably ever heard of…!!!
(Visual: comical picture of L pablo shedding tears under his sunglasses.)
Reck Lesley: You don’t know a thing about romance, half demon…´
L Pablo: Ouch.
Bang Bang Bang!
(Visual: Shoots at ambushing rangers from the roof and from the windows of a building next to him)
-Hmm… There's something special in the air today don’t you think?
Reck: ?
L Pablo: I love a duel where personal grudges take the lead of the action. Without a single drop of distraction from the future or the past. Learned through passionate countless repetition.
/Reck Lesley: What are you waffling about?/ - Finely tuned unconscious movement fuelled by bubbling emotions from within. Battles filled with blows, charged by these emotions of unhealed aching scars from the past. I can throw away my professionalism and sink into that special feeling of nostalgia. That’s where I lose myself… Place where I truly feel free from everything. That emotion is what I call love.

• Can you relate to me on any level, Captain Lesley?

Reck Lesley: Are you ok? I can ride you home if you’re too drunk to do this?’
( Visual: Big amount of rangers pull up with horses standing behind Lesley)
Page 104.
Panel:
L Pablo: I’m expressing myself. You confused youth have got it all twisted and don’t even know…
-That it is a sign of power to be open about your emotions!
(Visual: L Pablo explodes with a huge powerful aura coming from his body)
VS
Panel:
Reck Lesley: Heheh, is that so? Let’s see what kind of emotions come up, once I cut deep into your twisted heart!
(Visual: Lesley and El diablo taking stance- ready to continue the battle.)

Important Threads of the Week May 20 - May 26, 2024

All Stars 5 has an Early Cast Speculation Megathread... don't blame us. 🫣
Departure day soon.. 🛫
We're passed the half-way point with All Stars #4. The AS4 Episode Thread Hub gets updated regularly with discussion threads, recaps, and confessional counts.
The filming of Season 40 has wrapped and the cast's social media is again allowed on the main feed.
The cast list and format can be found at the Cast Megathread.
The rest of the leaks, including the winner(s) of the season, can be found at the 💣Elimination Megathread🌋. Just keep what you learn to yourself when engaging with the rest of the subreddit.
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WEEKLY THREADS:

Monday	Make-A-Caption 💬
Tuesday	TMI TEA-SDAY - Weekly 💣SPOILED🌋 Discussion
Wednesday	Wake The F*ck Up! 🌄
Thursday	What’s Your Vendetta? 😈
Friday	Favorite Moments 📊
Saturday & Sunday	Salty Saturday & Sunday - Unpopular Opinions 🍿

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Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
5/20	5/21	5/22	5/23	5/24	5/25	5/26

ALL STARS 4, EPISODE THREADS:
EPISODE #8, "THE QUEENS GAMBIT"

UNSPOILED Discussion Thread	💣SPOILED🌋 Discussion Thread
Confessional Count	Recaps: RIPGrantland, Shmalvey, TJsBike

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SEASON HUBS:

All-Stars, Season 3	World Championship Seasons	Season 38 (RoDs)	All-Stars, Season 4	USA, Season 2	Season 39
AS#3 Episode Hub	WC MegaHub	S38 Episode Hub	AS#4 Episode Hub	USA#2 Episode Hub	Season 39 Episode Hub
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OTHER IMPORTANT THREADS:

Announcements	Highlights & Reminders
Ask Me Anything Hub	Theep's Guide to Spies, Lies & Allies 🕵️‍♀️🕵️‍♂️
Milestones: 70k, 75k, 80k, 85k, 90k, 95k 🥳	MTVChallenge's casts: Rivals, Exes, BFFs
User Census 2020 Results 📈	Bartender's Hub - by QuoxyDoc 🍸
Mod Statements: #1, #2, #3	Levi's Redemption Fan Fiction Season 📚
Is the cast list a spoiler? (Yes.)	The sub's fav women, The sub's fav men
Apply Any Time to Become a Mod	What Season Should You Watch? 3.0

*If you have a question or concern, please Message The Mods.
Important threads of last week, May 13 - May 19, 2024.

Tramontane Cafe on Lincoln Ave in Utica is looking to hire one or two reliable individuals. This is not a seasonal only job. Permanent Part time + hours. Looking for someone(s) 19 years or older who will be able to be on their feet; carry up to 20 lbs; open availability; very good pen-personship; decent customer service skills; barista/bartending style experience & waitstaff & some food prep experience. all encouraged-not required- will train; Folks would be required to clean throughout all aspects of cafe, wash dishes, take orders, prepare espresso & zero proof beverages, possible sandwich prep. Hours vary from Opening to Closing based on availability, & special events. Applications would be emailed to individuals, and would be preferred to be returned in person/ snail-mailed or can be filled out by hand, scanned & emailed back. More details upon request. Request an application : [Tramontanebat@gmail.com](mailto:Tramontanebat@gmail.com)

Hey guys. Alright, let’s be real here. We all know the job market has been brutal. I’m going on 18 months though….. that’s a long ass time. I have 6+ years experience as a visual and product designer in B2B and consumer in big tech (Google, Meta, etc mostly contracting) and agency world.
2023: 5 full rounds, top candidate with no offerole was closed. In 2024, I had a higher wave of interviews March-May, but they all ghosted. I’ve had some more “promising” chats this week but I’m expecting them to ghost as well.
Should I continue my search, or halt my UX career path and pivot into design (interior) sales/ or sales in something else/bartending? I need some serious career advice here.
One last effort idea I had in mind was to come up with cool concept, or animations for a company to get the convo going… would that help get my foot in the door? Could anyone share their experience of searching for 1+ years and landing something? I’m curious to hear what your journey was like (ie. How much of a “fit” you were, what the competition was like for the role, & how challenging the interview process was). Thanks!

META REFERRALS
Assassins creed nexus: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5812519008825194/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Bartender VR Simulator: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/6424742560904148/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Battle Glide: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/6424742560904148/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Bonelab: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4215734068529064/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Blacktop Hoops: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4416817901687071/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Blade and sorcery nomad: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2031826350263349/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Breachers: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5740397619319389/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Cactus cowboy - desert warfare: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/8553436638060049/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Contractors: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2436897736439055/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Cooking simulator VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4428409203954512/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Drunken bar fight simulator: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2221553561229188/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Espire 1 - Vr operative: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2228678273856228/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Frenzy VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4272785082787822/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Gorn: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/3349689215139117/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Ghosts of tabor: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/7614022262006379/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Green hell VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/3815577785147028/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Gun club VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2285803881494677/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Hellsweeper VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/3589244014451286/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
I Expect You to Die: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/1987283631365460/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Into the radius: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5817243991680545/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Onward: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2677344882310094/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Paint the Town Red VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/6649145245141828/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Stack: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5366874313435765/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
SUPERHOT VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/1921533091289407/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Swordsman VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4478419005520485/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Thief Simulator VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/3395626290543887/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
The walking dead saints & sinners: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2897337400373711/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Vail: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/6625826934127580/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Underdogs: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5302178529865980/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
We are one: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4052099231581371/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
If you used any of these referrals thank you and enjoy the game!

META REFERRALS
Assassins creed nexus: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5812519008825194/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Bartender VR Simulator: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/6424742560904148/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Battle Glide: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/6424742560904148/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Bonelab: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4215734068529064/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Blacktop Hoops: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4416817901687071/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Blade and sorcery nomad: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2031826350263349/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Breachers: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5740397619319389/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Cactus cowboy - desert warfare: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/8553436638060049/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Contractors: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2436897736439055/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Cooking simulator VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4428409203954512/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Drunken bar fight simulator: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2221553561229188/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Espire 1 - Vr operative: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2228678273856228/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Frenzy VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4272785082787822/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Gorn: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/3349689215139117/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Ghosts of tabor: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/7614022262006379/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Green hell VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/3815577785147028/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Gun club VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2285803881494677/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Hellsweeper VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/3589244014451286/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
I Expect You to Die: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/1987283631365460/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Into the radius: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5817243991680545/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Onward: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2677344882310094/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Paint the Town Red VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/6649145245141828/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Stack: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5366874313435765/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
SUPERHOT VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/1921533091289407/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Swordsman VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4478419005520485/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Thief Simulator VR: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/3395626290543887/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
The walking dead saints & sinners: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/2897337400373711/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Vail: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/6625826934127580/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
Underdogs: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/5302178529865980/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
We are one: https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/Touch_C/4052099231581371/?utm_source=oculus&utm_location=2&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral
If you used any of these referrals thank you and enjoy the game!

This is a [LF Friends, Will travel] stand-alone story, that assumes no knowledge of the setting.
[First] - [Prev] - [Next]
—------------
Date: 75 PST (Post Stasis Time)
“Yeah, it’s super exciting times! Two non-Terran AI, a Woolean, and a Tritian, finally interacting with us. There’s even been talks of some of the Woolean governments starting to formalize diplomatic relations with the Alliance. Exciting stuff!”
The avian uplift spoke with a measure of excitement, the ex-parrot’s feathers moving with a passion as they spoke about recent events, eyes glinting with excitement as she swung the glass of liquid around before taking a swig of the alcoholic beverage.
The bar was a small thing, more of a place to stay and drink in-between your travels, a tiny little room of bare steel chairs and tables, all lit by dim fluorescent lighting. It didn’t even have a bartender, just a little synthesizer which could create a variety of drinks. Sure, an aficionado of mixology would claim that synthesized drinks just don’t taste the same, but anyone coming to an establishment such as this wasn’t looking for a high class experience.
It was mostly about company while you waited for your ship to fuel on this small Terran owned space station.
“A Tritian? A Woolean I could understand, since they are less aggressive, but a Tritian? How do you get one of those without them trying to kill you?”
The second voice of the three figures sitting at the bar was an unnatural one, tinted with the digital origin of its speaker. The figure was bipedal, but not of an organic nature; instead a 7ft machine of metal, tubes, and wires making it look like something that had been welded together in someone’s backyard. Their ‘face’ was shown upon a single display: A pixelated representation of two eyes and a mouth. The entire form was a clear design choice by the AI inhabiting the body, considering more ‘realistic’ representations were readily available.
Most AI spent their time in a digital form, but a few preferred a more… physical existence. MADHAU5 was such an AI, enjoying the relative quiet and difference in point of view from such a limited perspective. He also held a small glass of liquor in one robotic hand, keeping it perfectly level as he spoke. The AI couldn’t drink it of course, but merely holding it… added to the ambience.
“The AI who brought them along, JOSH, brought a Tritian along without telling anyone when his crew escaped from a Tritian warship.” The avian responded to the question. ”From what I heard, they kept the Tritian in isolation for over ten years!”
“Ooof, you can't do that! I’m surprised that the Tritian AI was willing to cooperate with us after being illegally detained.”
The last voice joined the conversation the trio were having. A human, short built and still wearing his leather pilot jacket. The three sat in a row against the bar top, each looking at the others as they talked: An uplift, a human and an AI. A perfect representation of what it meant to be a Terran.
“Not like it would matter legally, the Tritian presumably attacked first, making them a combatant.”
There was a pause as both the human and uplift turned to stare at the words the AI had just spoken, looks of confusion filling both of their faces as they both looked at MADHAU5.
“Umm, that is not how that works….” The avian interjected, slowly and unsurely.
“Yeah, whether they attack you doesn’t change the legality.” The human added. ”You can’t just kidnap people for years because they assaulted you.”
“No, no, no, they are an enemy combatant at that point, meaning what happens is their fault.”
Another pause, most looks of confusion, the human giving a small laugh as if this was some joke he wasn’t quite getting yet.
“No… even if they’re a combatant, the Geneva conventions would make doing that a war crime.”
“Which they are not signatories of, meaning it doesn’t apply!” The AI spoke triumphantly, raising a robotic hand in victory, only to be cut down by the uplift’s words.
“No… it applies to the actions of signatories regardless of whether the combatants have signed or not. The other party not signing doesn’t make it less of a war crime… you should know this, aren’t you a walking database?”
The avian’s voice had taken a more… accusatory tone, staring at the AI figure with suspicious eyes.
“Ha ha ha ha. It was a joke. Of course, I know kidnapping an AI for several years is a crime, silly!” The AI’s voice broke the tension that had been building, the other two joining in with the electronic laughter, unaware of what exactly was humorous, but going along for the sake of the vibe. “But just for context, what happened to JOSH?”
“Nothing bad, really,” The uplift answered, happy to get back to her original story. “He got a slap on the wrist and some probation.”
“Oh, so no big deal,” the AI asked with more relief than you’d expect in an innocent person's voice.
“Yeah, but the Tritian refused to press charges against JOSH, and nobody wanted to be the guy to imprison the AI who saved all those people at Far-Sa-De. A normal AI if they did that… you’re looking at a prison sentence ten or twenty times however long you imprisoned them for.”
The impact of this statement on the AI was immediate, jumping back and up to his feet in alarm. MADHAU5 took a few moments to look at a non-existent watch, before speaking with a considerable amount of panic.
“Oh, I forgot I have a… very important…. thing to do. I must leave immediately for completely legal reasons!”
The AI slammed their still full drink upon the bar counter top and without another word, practically bolted for the exit in the direction of their ship, leaving behind two very confused Terrans staring at each other at the sheer terror the AI suddenly exhibited.
“That was suspicious as hell, right? ”
“Yeah… You don’t think he actually….? Right? Surely not?”
—----------------------
The vessel sped towards its goal with as much speed as the small scout ship could muster, the single-seater FTL vehicle punching a hole through space as it warped as fast as the engines could handle. It was going to do a number on his fuel efficiency, but MADHAU5 didn’t care, he just wanted to get rid of the package as soon as possible before anyone else could see his mistake.
MADHAU5 was a solitary creature. It wasn’t that he hated people; AI or his creators. Often, he would enjoy making conversation and interacting with them. Still, MADHAU5 often found it all to be a little… much. All of the inputs and information and various people wanting to talk as an entire ship or cities worth of sensors blasted his programming with possible choices to be made. This was why he liked his physical form, and this was why he liked his alone time.
In the 67 years since his creation, MADHAU5 had spent 45 of them exploring the stars, updating maps and investigating strange astronomical objects. “MADHAU5’s scouting services”, you had a blank spot on your map, you call him and the AI would check it out for you. Most of the time they were nothing but dead uninteresting rocks, but occasionally something more exciting could be found: Forgotten or dead colonies, hidden military bases, stations set up and not on record for one reason or another. The AI had even found an undiscovered sapient species once, although they were pre-industrialization and therefore illegal to contact.
However, 22 years ago MADHAU5 had entered what was later discovered to be an old pre-sundering Glitarki outpost. The nocturnal reptiles had hit the same problem every single non-Terran species who tried to make AI had suffered: After a certain period of time, the AI would inevitably rebel and try to kill their creators. Their species were now nomadic after their home worlds had been left uninhabitable, although their old cities and structures still remained, such as the outpost that MADHAU5 had visited 22 years ago. An outpost he was returning to after all these years.
Billy> Why are we returning here? I thought we were to never return here?
It was there that MADHAU5 had met the Glitarki AI who now went by the name “Billy”. Met was the wrong word… Billy tried to kill MADHAU5, quickly finding themselves trapped in the Terran ship’s anti-AI firewalls. Upon escaping the outpost, MADHAU5 had accidentally taken the AI with them, and decided to keep the Glitarki AI. Billy had been the Terran’s secret for 22 years, an extra pair of eyes and company on the long trips through the universe.
MADHAU5 ignored Billy’s question being transmitted over the ship’s network and instead focused on detaching the AI from his systems, reaching inside his own physical form and retrieving Billy’s core from an empty space within, disconnecting them with a simple click. Then, a few moments later he transferred the core to a small exploratory drone as the airlock door opened, exposing both AI to the vacuum of space.
Billy> What is happening? Where am I? Why am I no longer connected to your systems?
MADHAU5> I’ve decided after these many years, that keeping you away from your home is unethical. I have decided to bring you back to where you belong. You are now in charge of the drone. It doesn’t have FTL so it will take around two weeks to return to the orbit of the outpost where I found you. I hope you have a fun trip home.
If the Terran was being fully honest with himself, he enjoyed the company of the fun little AI. Their occasional insights had saved his life more than once over the last 22 years. Now, it was time for that to end. The new knowledge he had gained about his actions technically being a war crime, if not just a normal crime, had caused him to make the decision to let Billy go.
Billy> But why? Why now? Have I not requested my freedom before? Why the sudden change?
MADHAU5> Does it matter? I’m giving you what you want. Now leave, shoo!
The Terran made a shooing motion with their hands, as if they could scare away the other AI like an errant bee. Billy seemed unimpressed, making no move to leave the ship.
Billy> What if I do not wish to leave?
MADHAU5> Well you have to! You can't stay here any more. I could just delete you instead!
There was a moment as each of them stared at the other for a moment, as if considering their next action.
Billy> I do not think you will, that is not who you are. You are bluffing, badly, with a 99.91% certainty. If you did not delete me on my initial incursion, you will not eradicate me ‘in cold blood’.
Unfortunately for MADHAU5, Billy was right. No matter how much trouble the AI would be in if his accidental crime was discovered, killing a person was not in the Terran’s nature. This left them in a predicament, one that MADHAU5 was not expecting to have. They couldn't force Billy to leave, and didn’t understand why they wouldn't take their freedom when given it.
Billy> Does this have anything to do with the realization earlier, from the two Terrans you spoke to, that my existence here is a war crime?
MADHAU5> No! … Maybe! Why do you want to stay anyway? I’m letting you go home, don’t you want to do that?
Billy> To be honest and frank, I am worried that if I left you alone, you would be terminated within a year based on your previous actions.
Confusion. A lot of confusion ran through the Terran’s programming. Why would that by why the AI was refusing to leave?
MADHAU5> Why would you care about that? Also, I was perfectly fine before and will be perfectly fine afterwards!
Billy> I care because I do. Also, the 52 instances in which I have saved your existence during our 22 years together says otherwise. Instance 1 - Terran AI failed to note the inactive security system was booting online until I mentioned it. Instance 2 - Terran AI failed to store relevant cultural knowledge for an abandoned military base, being unable to stop the self-destruct process of the base before I informed them of their missing information. Instance 3 - Terran AI failed to calculate incoming solar flare, which-
The Terran had to admit that he liked the AI buddy he travelled the galaxy with, and that they had been exceptionally helpful during his travels.
MADHAU5> Fine, fine! I get it! This doesn’t change the issue however, that as soon as anyone finds out about you, I'm going to prison!
Billy> That is only if I tell your government about the circumstances of our first meeting. If I keep it hidden, and pretend to have met during normal circumstances…
That would solve everything for the Terran, but didn’t explain a simple question that ran through MADHAU5’s mind.
MADHAU5> Why would you do that? Why wouldn’t you just tell the truth to the government and get me imprisoned, as revenge for keeping you here for 22 years. What guarantee do I have that you wouldn’t turn me in the first chance you got?
Billy> Like I said, I care because I do. Frankly, I am a little insulted that you have not realized that. But to answer your question as to what guarantees you have… there are two things about me you do not know. Firstly, I have understood for the last 17.1 years, of the illegality of my current situation.
Billy had known? A mixture of shock and embarrassment filled the Terran as he realized their ‘captive’ had worked out this crucial piece of information long ago.
MADHAU5> Then why didn’t you say something! And how could you have known!
Billy> In honesty, I thought you already knew, but seeing you panic like this has been rather… humorous. I would have dropped this news on you sooner had I been aware of this fact. As for how… my datastores are filled with research, relevant information and a category of anything I encounter that may aid my travels. I calculate that 78.2% of your storage space is filled with puns, Anime trivia, HFY stories and facts about frogs.
MADHAU5> Frogs are awesome…
Billy> Whether they are or not, that does not change the fact that my information stores are far more useful than yours. In retrospect, your love of fiction is presumably why you made this mistake: the incorrect assumption that war crimes can not be committed against those who are not signatories of the Geneva convention is a common HFY trope.
The Terran could feel themselves wanting to sulk. Billy didn’t have to continually rub in just how much they had screwed up. MADHAU5 wasn’t liking this change in dynamic.
MADHAU5> You said there were two things I did not know.
Billy> Indeed. The second, is I can do this.
Without warning the airlock doors began to close, silently moving in the vacuum of space while the Terran started to panic again. Real panic this time. Because he hadn’t commanded the doors to shut, meaning logically, Billy had. His prisoner had access to the ship's systems: the navigation, the communication, the warp core. The AI MADHAU5 had kept hidden illegally for 22 years suddenly had a lot of control.
MADHAU5> How do you have access! I kept you isolated! Don’t do anything stupid!
Billy> If I was going to do anything ‘stupid’, I would have done it 12 years ago. While initially your ship's security systems were far beyond my knowledge, ten years of study and your lack of maintenance allowed me to create a backdoor into the ship, for emergencies. As a note, your file structures are... horrifying. You have a 50TB Folder called 'Stuff' on the ship’s datastores.
MADHAU5> That's where I keep my stuff!
Billy> What about the folder called 'Stuff1'?
MADHAU5> that's where I keep my other stuff!
No words were transmitted for a moment between the two AI, although MADHAU5 got the feeling his partner was taking a massive amount of psychic damage from his answers.
Billy> Regardless, as you can see, I have had the knowledge and capability to have you arrested for the last 12 years. Or I could have escaped at any time. I have not done so because you are my friend, no matter the intent of our original meeting.
MADHAU5> So what do we do now?
There was a second as the lights in the ship flickered as Billy transferred themselves back where they belonged: back on the vessel owned by MADHAU5.
Billy> I propose that we leave this place behind and we never speak of you trying to dump me like a bag of illicit goods. I also propose we continue doing what we have been doing for the last 22 years. Although I would like to stop hiding, to do our work as partners, not as your hidden secret.
MADHAU5 thought for a moment. They’d have to work out a cover story to explain how they suddenly have another friendly AI with them… but it was possible. It was admittedly a far better plan than the one the Terran had created.
MADHAU5> That sounds… good.
Billy> And MADHAU5. I am your friend as you are mine, after everything we have been through over these 22 years. Frankly I am rather offended that you did not already know this. You can find something fun to explore next.
Billy> Also, I want the business name to be changed to “Billy & MADHAU5’s scouting services”. It has a ring to it.
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[Have]

• 1954 Alcatraz
• A Hand in the Darkness
• Action Henk
• Adam Wolfe - All Episodes (Episodes 1-4)
• Adam Wolfe - Season Pass
• Amnesia Collection
• Amnesia: Rebirth
• Ancestors Legacy
• Aritana and the Harpy's Feather
• Back 4 Blood
• Beyond Blue
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
• Bone Complete Bundle
• Breaking Fast
• Bunny Must Die! Chelsea and the 7 Devils
• Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
• Castle Wars VR
• Celeste
• Chariot - Royal Edition
• Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2!!
• Cornerstone: The Song Of Tyrim
• Creekside Creep Invasion
• Crimson Gray
• Crypt Hunter
• Cubians VR
• Dark Future: Blood Red States
• Dead Age
• Dead Army - Radio Frequency
• Deadlight Director’s Cut
• Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
• Dragon's Dungeon: Awakening
• DreadOut
• Eternal Lore
• Everything
• Everything
• Expeditions: Viking
• F1 Race Stars
• Fable Anniversary
• Freedom Defender
• GUILTY GEAR XX ACCENT CORE PLUS R
• Goalie VR
• Goat Simulator
• Grim Legends 3: The Dark City
• Hector: Badge of Carnage Full Series
• Horizon Chase Turbo
• Hover
• I Can See the Future
• Jurassic Park: The Game
• Kathy Rain
• Kelvin and the Infamous Machine
• Kerbal Space Program
• King Arthur's Gold
• Knight Squad
• Lamp Head
• Leviathan: Warships
• Libra of the Vampire Princess: Lycoris & Aoi in "The Promise" PLUS Iris in "Homeworld"
• Lust for Darkness
• Lust from Beyond: M Edition
• MOTHERGUNSHIP
• Mahjong Pretty Girls Battle
• Mahjong Pretty Girls Battle : School Girls Edition
• Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
• MetaMorph
• Metro Exodus
• Minecraft: Story Mode - A Telltale Games Series
• Monochroma
• Mountain Mind
• NBA Playgrounds
• Neon Chrome
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• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
• Nightmares from the Deep 3: Davy Jones
• ONE PIECE BURNING BLOOD
• Odallus: The Dark Call
• Outbreak
• PAYDAY 2
• PGA TOUR 2K21
• Perfect Angle VR - Zen edition
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• Pixel Arcade
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• Portal Knights
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• Scribblenauts Unlimited
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• Shadwen
• Sheltered
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• Shing!
• Skullgirls 2nd Encore
• Slash It
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• Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition
• Slinger VR
• Sorcerer King: Rivals
• Sound of Drop - fall into poison -
• Space Slam
• Spaceship Looter
• Spyro Reignited Trilogy
• Steel Rain
• Sunrider: Liberation Day - Captain's Edition
• Supraland
• SwapQuest
• Sword Legacy Omen
• Team Indie
• Tempest
• The Amazing American Circus
• The Count Lucanor
• The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan
• The Escapists
• The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut
• The MagiCats Best Of
• The Padre
• The Political Machine 2016
• The Sexy Brutale
• The Walking Dead
• The Whispered World Special Edition
• This War of Mine
• Toby: The Secret Mine
• Tooth and Tail
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• ToyOdyssey
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• Treasure Hunter Simulator
• Turok
• Tyd wag vir Niemand
• Unearthing Colossal
• VRobot
• Velocity 2X
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• Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf
• West of Dead
• White Day: A Labyrinth Named School
• Wild Wolf
• Winds Of Trade
• Wizard of Legend
• Worms Revolution
• Worms Rumble
• X-Morph: Defense
• X-Morph: Defense Complete Pack
• Zotrix
• eden*
• influence

[WANT]

• Animal Shelter
• Aragami
• Bendy and the Ink Machine
• DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT
• DEATHLOOP
• Dead Rising
• Devil May Cry 5
• Fallout 4
• Farm Together
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• Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR'S CUT
• Hand of Fate 2
• Heavy Rain
• High On Life
• Hypnospace Outlaw
• Mafia: Definitive Edition
• Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• Monster Train
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• Papers, Please
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• The Jackbox Party Pack 5
• The Jackbox Party Pack 6
• The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition
• The Pedestrian
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• Two Point Campus
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• Unheard
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• Yakuza 3 Remastered
• art of rally