Martlet and Papyrus are two names that are rather famous throughout the Undertale and Undertale yellow communities. Of course, there are many things that come to mind when you here both names. Papyrus for example is the loud. arrogant, but kind skeleton that is the brother to the funny Skeleton Man (Sans). Martlet on the other hand you might remember as kind of a mother figure to clover if you support the idea of momlet or maybe just the puzzle loving bird friend of clover. Each of these characters have unique fates for each Fanfiction a member of our beloved community writes. Whether its romance, tragedy, or a simple slice of life fanfic. So where do these two falls in my little world of a second human monster war. Well, it might be a bit more complex than one might think.
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Opening UN Archives.

The second monster human war was the most destructive war in history and resulted in the destruction of several Undertale AUs and monster race losing 90% of their population all because they followed a racist and mentally Ill scientist name Chujin. As tragic of this sounds it doesn't mean people tried to improve the aftermath and make life easier. Papyrus and Martlet are a good example of this.
Martlet was born in the human year 1959 at an unknown date. Accounts of her early life and parents have been lost to history to due Asgor and the monsters general poor record keeping with Alphy's and Chujin being the only ones who kept some records of sorts. It's possible this poor record keeping is why Chujin thought the monster population was bigger than it actually was. What we do know is Martlets part the events of what the United Nations Elimination of Monsters Coalition calls Undertale Yellow are and some of her life just before the events. It's suggested by Human historians that Martlet got into puzzles when she was possibly 12 in human years but that's just a rough idea. Interviews with her few surviving friends state that she made her first puzzle at 6 years old in monster years which is roughly 14 years old in human years. To further complicate things is the fact that different monsters age differently than others with Martlets species having the closest correlation to human years out of all monsters.
Payrpus birth and exact age are harder to track down. All we know is that he and his brother Sans (Currently living in New Ebot in Colorado. Mt Ebot is in Colorado) appeared in the underground out of nowhere in 1980 on the [Redacted] of [Redacted]. Papyrus took a job as a royal guard somewhere between 1980-1981 and met Martlet possibly around that time. We both know based on William Henderson's interview with Papyrus and a mention by Flowey that they exchanged blueprints for their respective puzzles on occasions and while Papyrus describes her as his closest friend Sans stated that "She was simply my brothers pen pal" whether this was Sans simply messing with Willaim Henderson or him saying the true we'll never know.
EVENTS OF UNDERTALE YELLOW
The turning point in Martlets life came on May 12th when a certain kid named Clover fell into the underground. Clover was born on the 4th of July 1969 though his family moved to the to the town of Ebot Colorado in 1978. He never got to meet his father until 1975 due to his father's enlistment into the Unified states of the Americas army during the Vietnam war. (1962-74. This is an Alternate Vietnam the US still loses however) When his father came back, he was a drunken and PTSD ridden mess. Clover's mother was little better as she was rather neglectful and lazy. Clovers Unhealthy Family life would play a role into going ahead with his plan to find the forgotten 6 children who had gone missing throughout the 60s and 70s. He developed a fascination with cowboys when watching western movies (Particularly the old ones) along with a cowboy attire. He wore this attire proudly. Due to his family life, he matured rapidly. When his friend Integra (The soul integrity) went missing when she was dared to climb MT Ebot it was the final nail in the coffin for him and he began to prepare himself for an expedition into the mountain. He bought a Coll-Wesson revolver and rope by stealing money from his father. (He was beaten for this) on May the 12th he climbed Mt Ebot and jumped into the underground and died.... Oh, wait no Flowey brought him back to life without him knowing. Clover then met Flowey around 30 minutes later starting his journey.
Martlet in the meantime was lazily relaxing in one of the many checkpoints in the Snowdin area. The exact time she met clover is unknown, but it was most likely 1 hour after she had sent a list of suggestions to how Payprus could improve his puzzles. Martlet originally tried to follow protocol and capture clover however after seeing how peaceful clover was, she gave up on it. Then after their failed attempt to get to the hot lands, the fiasco in the wild east, and meeting Ceroba and Chujin, Ceroba (Chujin is alive in my story, but Kanko is not and was killed by integrity according to Chujin) was revealed to want clovers soul to bring back Kanako. Chujin was horrified at the thought of killing an innocent kid and went against his wife's wishes (Unknown to the others this was a ploy to gain trust) Martlet and clover spoke briefly on a hotel rooftop before going with Starlo and Chujin to face Ceroba. Ceroba knocked Martlet, Starlo, and Chujin (Who was only pretending) out. Clover battled it out with Ceroba on the 13ths of May. Clover came close to winning until Chujin drove a knife through his back killing him. Chujin then asked Ceroba to not use clovers soul to bring back monster kind but to instead to give it to Asgor so monster kind can be free. (Chujin is still the royal scientist in my AU) Ceroba after some arguing agrees with Chujin as Martlet and Starlo begin to wake up. Chujin calls the royal guard who apprehend Starlo but Martlet Barely escapes by flying away.
Knowing her time was now limited she sent the last Blueprints to Papyrus before the royal Guard burst into her home at around midnight and captured her. Martlet and Starlo were executed by undying on the 14th of May early morning. While Martlets story came to an end her legacy and puzzles did not as Papyrus received her blueprints on the 14th and would hide them from the royal guard.
EVENTS OF THE SECOND HUMAN MONSTER WAR AND PAPYRUSES RISE TO FAME.
Papyrus would with the help of Sans create more puzzle's and preserve Martlets puzzles. Then on September 4th, 1984, Frisk fell into the underground and was killed by Undying. After this Papyrus was ordered to destroy his puzzle's as they now had no use to monster kind as the invasion of the surface was inevitable. Papyrus as a sign of things to come suggested instead of destroying the puzzles they should be used to entertain monster kind's children. Undying would allow it and Papyrus who still wanted to hunt the humans though his loyalty was shaken by martlets execution agreed to be in the first wave out of the underground. On the 10th of September the monster climbed up to the surface for the first time.
The sight was so breathtaking many simply forget that they were invading. Chujin fear that the humans would be waiting for them up on the surface ready to exterminate monster kind was proven false within the first day as no human was spotted on the first day. Chujin still refused to believe reports and still ordered the invasion forward. Papyrus spent the first day trying to make more puzzles. On the 11th the town of Ebot was spotted and attacked by Asgors army and Chujins boss monsters and axis models. Papyrus was in the attack but quickly simply broken down as he watched the monsters slaughter humans indiscriminately. What made Papyrus ultimately desert the Royal Guard was the Human police's along with the 9th National Guards battalions last stand as they bought time for the civilians to evacuate the time. Papyrus stated in his interview with William Henderson decades later "IT WAS THEN ON THAT DAY I KNEW WE HAD LOST THE WAR. THE HUMANS PROVED BOTH BRAVER AND FAR KINDER THAN THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND MONSTER KIND!! IF THE GREAT PAPYRUS COULD GO BACK IN TIME HE WOULD HAVE GLADLY FOUGHT WITH THOSE BRAVE HUMANS!!"
Papyrus and later his brother Sans would go into hiding for most of the war until 1996 when they switched sides and joined the Commonwealth of Britannia's army. They would serve in the Commonwealths army until 1998 when they both retired. It was around this time when Papyrus began his journey to help the entertainment industry and carry on Martlets puzzle making legacy. The second human monster war by the time he had retired had gone on for 14 brutal years and large amounts of homes and cities had been destroyed. Papyrus would turn his attention to entertaining the many children who had lost their fathers and mothers during the ongoing conflict by hosting's puzzle solving challenges. Many of these puzzles' Martlets puzzles, and these proved to be a favorite among human children. Sans also helped and had stopped being lazily for once in his life.
When interviewed by William Henderson and asked what inspired him to do this he stated. "THE GREAT PAPYRUS SIMPLY DOESNT WATCH AS CHILDREN CRY IN THEIR SLEEPY AND REMAIN SAD. ITS NOT WHAT THE GREAT PAPYRUS DOES." The entertainment industry caught onto what Papyrus was doing in 2000 and offered to not only to fund his puzzle challenges but to make them into a game show of sorts. The show "Papyruses puzzles" was born as a result of this and has remained popular ever since. Sans found his calling in the fast-food industry and opened up his own fast-food chain to honor Grillbies who had died during the war. Papyrus would give a lot of credit to Martlet for helping him discover puzzles and funded the building of a statue in her honor.
WHAT PAPYRUS IS DOING NOW.
Papyrus is currently these days is donating much of his money to the protection of the underground charity and has recently created the Blue Bird Puzzle Corporation (Refence to Martlet). Martlet was dug up by UNEMC soldiers (United Nations Eliminations of Monsters Coalition) and was buried under a second statue made in her honor in Snowdin next to the Statue of Clover and the 6 other souls. Papyrus pays a visit to her grave once very 6 months. An inscription on her statue reads "The one that inspired THE GREAT PAPYRUS to make puzzles."

After the blueprints for The Plate were created, they needed a way to build it, and the idea of a submarine came up. The submarine would scrape the ice off from beneath Antradand, and replace it with 4 feet of molten iron, which would be used to hold the six pontoons. the submarines would be named, Under Surface Plate Construction Vehicle, or USPCV for short.
The pontoons would have to be added quickly before the ice on the sides of Antradand melted too, causing Antradand to sink. the pontoons would have a temporary bridge on the bottom of them, and would have buoyancy control, and twenty 0.2 mile tall spikes on the top of the pontoon, with ten on each side. the pontoons would be nudged around by submarines until it reaches the designated spot, where then it'd ram itself upwards into the bottom of Antradand at the same time as another pontoon on the opposite side of Antradand, where then the bridge is detached, and pontoons secured in place by molten iron on each side.
After multiple different ideas were considered, Antradands government settled with this one, and the construction began. over 200 USPCVs were built, with each one being 510ft long, 50ft tall (80ft with scraper), and 65ft wide.
The USPCV would have 2 large tanks on each side to hold the molten iron, and 3 dispensers on the roof behind the scraper, which would extrude the molten iron. Due to the size of the USPCVs and how many would be built, they would be completely unpainted to save resources, and after the plate was finished, all USPCVs would be scrapped for their resources.
The entire construction took 15 years to finish with the help of Denmark, Germany, Canada, The United States, Mexico, England Ireland, Indonesia, France, Australia, Austria, China, Japan, Iran, Finland, Brazil, Argentina, Peru & South Korea.
After all the ice melted, the lost ice was replaced by rock, dirt, and sand by conventional means, which took another 5 years.
After the construction of The Plate was finished, all USPCVs were scrapped except for one, which was sold to the Arctic History & Preservation Museum in Antradands state of Bronid.

So, I just started playing Sons of the Forest recently and one thing that really struck me about the game is how involved and active the building system is, even compared to the first game. Placing down individual logs to build fences and walls, cutting out the doors and windows yourself, actually chopping your own firewood... really reminded me of those parts in Robinson Crusoe that are just about the more "mundane" things about survival. Unfortunately for me, I'm not really a big horror guy, but the game is very much focused on them. There's still plenty to enjoy and do for a few dozen hours, slowly building a very lovely looking base, exploring the island for new tools and materials, progressing the story and so on. I would still absolutely recommend it to people who aren't into horror and just wanna play without the cannibals (which the game thankfully offers very easily). However, it also got me wondering if there are any other games out there like that, where building a base isn't just quickly plopping down floors and walls because you've got 50 wood in your inventory. Closest games I could think of would be Medieval Dynasty and Project Zomboid. The buildings are unfortunately very paint by numbers in MD, so you can't really do your own thing like you do in the forest, but you do require multiple tools and can't carry a large amount of materials, need to upgrade the structure to keep out cold and stuff like that. And Project Zomboid leans very hard into the hardcore mostly-urban zombie survival, which isn't exactly what I'm looking for.
So, yes, please let me know if you know of anymore games where building is more active and involved. Doesn't have to be the exact same way as it is in SOTF, I'm just looking to put a little bucket list together to check out building systems that differ from the usual blueprint system in games like Rust, Ark etc.

link at bottom:
Several states have taken action over the last two years in an effort to block the implementation of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the United States.
Indiana was the first state to pass legislation relating to central bank digital currency. Enacted in 2023, the law explicitly excludes a CBDC from the definition of money under the state's Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). The law amends the definition of money to specify, “The term does not include a central bank digital currency that is currently adopted, or that may be adopted, by the United States government, a foreign government, a foreign reserve, or a foreign sanctioned central bank.”
A similar law was enacted in Florida last year, and this year South Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah followed suit. A Nebraska bill repealing the capital gains tax on gold and silver also changed the definition of money in the state tax code to exclude CBDC.
This year, Indiana took a second step to hinder the implementation of a CBDC with the enactment of a measure prohibiting state agencies from accepting payments made with a central bank digital currency for any service, tax, license, permit, fee, information, or other amount due the governmental body. It also bars government agencies from requiring payments to be made with a central bank digital currency.
Additionally, under the law, state government bodies are prohibited from advocating for or supporting the testing, adoption, or implementation of a central bank digital currency by the United States government.
Alabama, North Dakota, and Georgia have passed similar laws.

Impact

It remains unclear how changing the definition of money in the UCC and other steps taken at the state level would play out in practice against a CBDC if the federal government attempts to implement one.
The UCC is a set of uniformly adopted state laws governing commercial transactions in the U.S. According to the Uniform Law Commission, “Because the UCC has been universally adopted, businesses can enter into contracts with confidence that the terms will be enforced in the same way by the courts of every American jurisdiction. The resulting certainty of business relationships allows businesses to grow and the American economy to thrive. For this reason, the UCC has been called ‘the backbone of American commerce.’”
Passage of this legislation would, as noted by one opponent of the legislation, put a CBDC “into the bucket of ‘general intangibles” – rather than money, and wouldn’t ban its use completely.
But it could still potentially gum up the works and make it difficult for the government to fully implement a CBDC.
Opponents of the strategy and supporters of CBDC generally take the position that states can’t do anything to stop a CBDC, since – according to their view – under the supremacy clause “any federal law on this point will automatically override state law.”
We’ve heard this song and dance on other issues before. That’s what they said when California legalized medical marijuana in 1996. It didn’t quite turn out that way.
In the ramp-up to the 1996 vote on Proposition 215, voters were repeatedly told that legalization of marijuana, even for limited medical purposes, was a fruitless effort, since, under the supremacy clause, any such state law would be automatically overridden by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA). At best, opponents told Californians, the state would end up in a costly, and losing court effort.
But despite those warnings, Californians voted yes, setting in motion the massive state-level movement we see today, where a growing majority of states have legalized what the federal government prohibits. Ultimately, the federal government will likely have to back down, even if just to save face, because it has become impossible to fully enforce its federal prohibition over this massive state and individual resistance.
A similar scenario played out in response to the REAL ID Act of 2005. The national ID system still isn’t fully up and running more than 17 years after the “final deadline” for full implementation.
Why not?
Because a significant number of states decided not to participate, drug their feet, or in some cases, simply provide residents with a choice to opt-out. Federal officials have confirmed that state-level roadblocks to implementation are the primary reason for the continuing delays.
“Roadblock” is likely how this and other state-based strategies to oppose a CBDC will play out. This is part of James Madison’s four-step blueprint for how states can stop federal programs.
But, as can be seen so far with issues like marijuana and the REAL ID Act, whether a federal program is implemented or not ultimately gets down to the number of roadblocks put up by states, and more importantly, the willingness of the people to participate, or not.

What Is CBDC?

Generally speaking, digital currencies are virtual banknotes or coins held in a digital wallet on a computer or smartphone. The difference between a central bank (government-imposed) digital currency and peer-to-peer electronic currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum is the value of CBDC is backed and controlled by the government, just like traditional fiat currency.
Governments sell the idea of CBDC by promising to provide a safe, convenient, and more secure alternative to physical cash. We’re also told it will help stop dangerous criminals who like the intractability of cash. But there is a darker side – the promise of control.
At the root of the move toward government digital currency is “the war on cash.” The elimination of cash creates the potential for the government to track and even control consumer spending.
Imagine that all cash disappeared this morning and all that was left was a government-controlled digital currency. You would be forced into doing all business electronically with this government money. It would be impossible to hide even the smallest transaction from the government’s eyes. Something as simple as your morning trip to Dunkin would be known by government functionaries. As Bloomberg put it in an article published when China launched a digital yuan pilot program in 2020, digital currency “offers China’s authorities a degree of control never possible with physical money.”
Governments could even “turn off” your ability to make purchases. Bloomberg described the level of control a digital currency could give Chinese officials.

The PBOC (People's Bank of China) has also indicated that it could put limits on the sizes of some transactions, or even require an appointment to make large ones. Some observers wonder whether payments could be linked to the emerging social-credit system, wherein citizens with exemplary behavior are ‘whitelisted’ for privileges, while those with criminal and other infractions find themselves left out. ‘China’s goal is not to make payments more convenient but to replace cash, so it can keep closer tabs on people than it already does,’ argues Aaron Brown, a crypto investor who writes for Bloomberg Opinion.

Economist Thorsten Polleit explained the level of Big Brother-like government control possible with the advent of a digital euro in an article published by the Mises Wire.
As he put it, “The path to becoming a surveillance state regime will accelerate considerably” if and when governments begin issuing CBDC.
In 2022, the Federal Reserve released a “discussion paper” examining the pros and cons of a potential U.S. central bank digital dollar. According to the central bank’s website, there has been no decision on implementing a digital currency, but this pilot program reveals the idea is further along than most people realized.
https://www.moneymetals.com/news/2024/05/17/several-states-take-steps-to-block-a-central-bank-digital-currency-003192

I just wanted to say what an amazing experience it's been so far. I have roughly 40 hours in the game, and in the early hours it was actually scary to see the Xenon slowly creep into Hatikvah's Choice I, which was an area my traders went through a lot. At a certain point, they even built a defense station, which meant I couldn't even use that trade route anymore. I only had a few million and couldn't even build a single destroyer, so I decided to focus more on producing advanced electronics and bringing hull parts to the sector, which seemed to have helped, because all of the sudden there were argon fleets flying around (I doubt that I had that much influence, but I guess the economy managed to recover after 40 hours)
Eventually, the Terrans showed up with a huge fleet. I'm guessing between 50 and 100 ships, my whole screen was LIT UP. They absolutely annihilated the Xenon, and I immediately took the opportunity to build a defense station there for a mission I had (honestly the best money maker for me right now).
After an hour, the station was still not done due to a shortage in hull parts and turret components, and the Xenon started to come in again since the Terrans left. They started attacking my station which was still in construction, and a large group of Argon destroyers were just sitting there doing nothing. Most of the ships attacking the station were just fighters, so I went in with my Frigate and killed about 8-10 of them, and I managed to save the station with 5% hull left... After that the lazy Argon destroyers came out to clear up the rest lol. I was fortunately able to build the station and get a nice paycheck out of it.
Yesterday, I got my first mission to board a L mining ship, which was a first for me, and that got me 12 million which was huge. I'm sitting on about 30 million credits right now, which seems like a lot, but is an absolute joke when I see the cost of some of the late-game blueprints.
Right now my focus is to greatly expand the station in Argon prime, and produce Advanced electronics + hull parts while supplying everything with miners to reduce cost. I'm guessing it makes more sense to invest that 30 million into logistics, instead of buying 1-2 destroyers.
Any other tips for a newbie like me? Thanks in advance !

Hey Reddit fam! 🚀 Struggling to climb the YouTube ranks? I've dove deep into the secrets of optimizing video titles and stumbled upon a game-changer SEO system that can skyrocket your visibility. In this mega-post, I'll break down how simple tweaks to your titles, combined with the mysterious power of CTR manipulation, can transform your YouTube game. Get ready to unleash the potential of your videos and dominate those search results!
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Video Transcript Analysis and Outline for an In-Depth Reddit Post

Transform Your YouTube Strategy with Advanced SEO Techniques

Exploring the dynamic world of YouTube video ranking requires a deep dive into not just the basics of SEO but into advanced tools and strategies that can catapult your content to the top. This post unpacks everything from title optimization to leveraging AI for marketing success. Here's what we will cover amnd there is a webinar replay at the bottom of the post with live demo!

Understanding YouTube Titles and Their Impact

• The significance of titles in video ranking
• Real-time demonstration on optimizing titles for better rankings

Introducing the Rank Attack SEO System

• The evolution from basic SEO to the Rank Attack SEO System
• How CTR manipulation tools evolved over time

Leveraging AI for Cutting-edge Marketing

• The role of AI in modern marketing strategies
• Examples of AI tools that can amplify your content's reach

SEO Beyond YouTube: Boosting Web Page Rankings

• The interconnectedness of YouTube and Google rankings
• Strategies for enhancing web page SEO through YouTube

The Power of CTR Clicks and Engagement Signals

• A breakdown of CTR clicks and why they matter
• How engagement signals contribute to your video’s success

Practical Steps to Optimize Your YouTube SEO

• A step-by-step guide to utilizing the Re-Optimizer tool
• Incorporating CTR manipulation for exponential growth

Post Body:
Optimizing your YouTube titles might seem like basic advice, but the reality is that a well-crafted title is your first step towards ranking success. Demonstrations have shown that tweaking your video titles can significantly impact their visibility and searchability (embed a clip here showcasing the title change impact).
When it comes to advanced YouTube SEO, the Rank Attack SEO System introduces a nuanced approach. It’s not just about hitting the right keywords but also about engaging with tools like the first CTR manipulation tool introduced in 2014, evolving into what we now know as SerpAttack (embed video clip of the Rank Attack SEO system explanation).
AI has fundamentally changed the marketing landscape, offering tools that can think, analyze, and optimize faster than ever before. Incorporating AI into your strategy means staying ahead of trends and being able to predict audience behaviors in ways that were previously impossible.
But YouTube SEO isn’t just about dominating YouTube search results. It’s also about leveraging YouTube success to boost your website's Google rankings. This interconnected strategy ensures that success in one area can lead to gains across the board, a concept that has been largely overlooked.
CTR clicks and engagement signals play a pivotal role in how content is ranked. Unlike passive views, CTR clicks show active audience engagement, which both YouTube and Google’s algorithms favor. Encouraging viewers to interact, from leaving comments to sharing links, enhances these signals (Show a short clip demonstrating how CTR improvement affects rankings).
Finally, taking actionable steps towards optimizing your content involves a detailed analysis of your current strategy, identifying areas of improvement, and applying tools like Re-Optimizer to make meaningful changes. With tools like SerpAttack, you can kickstart your journey towards improved visibility and engagement, ensuring that your content reaches its intended audience.
In conclusion, mastering YouTube SEO is more than just a checklist. It’s about understanding the tools at your disposal, from AI to advanced analytical software, and using them to craft a strategy that speaks directly to your audience. Whether you’re a seasoned creator or just starting, the journey towards SEO mastery begins with a willingness to experiment and adapt. Share your experiences, questions, or any insights you might have on navigating the complex world of YouTube SEO. Let's learn and grow together!
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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.

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kny au fanfic idea
(characters not included: zenitsu, tanjiro, nezuko) (zenitsu has been replaced with genya, all my homies love genya) (i think if i showed this note to a psychologist id be diagnosed with yippee on the spot :/)
follows the story of a young girl who runs away from home after she is turned into a demon by her crazed scientist/doctor of a father, mauling and eating her blind younger brother in the process of her transformation during the sengoku period. after waking up in the taisho era after sleeping for 512 years. later she meets giyuu after getting deja vu from recognizing his silhouette as a mysterious swordsman who took her in. after she questions him about what its like to be a demon slayer, she declares she wants to become a demon slayer as well. he gives her an oni mask to ward off evil spirits that may try to sway her off the path of good, and wishes her the best of luck during her travels.
Slayer’s Corps. The corps is recognized by the government and is treated like secret service work. the government is often behind the main funding aside from the Ubuyashiki Household. the government and the ubuyashiki household are working together behind the scenes to locate and research the blue spider lily and its properties utilising spies to find any information available.
demon slayers are typically trained by specialized trainer slayers in groups. however if certain slayers are of vip status or acquire special permission from higher ups in the corps they are allowed to obtain special private training from registered hashiras. Other exceptions are if a hashira chooses a tsuguko which is a pupil whos purpose is to take over their masters title of hashira and only be with them on major missions.
Every four or five months slayers of each respective demon slayer rank is gathered to test their strength to see if they qualify to rank up in the corps. This is determined by a mutual three round duel between two slayers. One slayer being of higher level, the other being a lower level. If the higher level slayer wins, no changes are made between the two slayers. If the lower level slayer wins the slayers ranks are swapped. If by any chance there is a tie, the lower ranked slayer will rank up while the higher level slayer will remain stagnant. Middle level slayers are determined to duel with a lower or higher level slayer depending on the amount of demons killed. this number of demon kills is tallied and counted by each demon slayers kasugai crow. when a slayer reaches a certain rank they are given the option to fight a hashira to obtain their rank. this is entirely optional however. if one fails at their attempt to defeat a hashira there is a minimum one year grace period between each challenge. if they win they will swap places with the hashira if all spots are taken. (ten in total)
as well as the physical test, hashiras are a part of the judicial and legal system of the corps and assist in making decisions along with the Ubiyashikis. therefore they must be knowledgeable about slayer history and lawmaking. this knowledge is tested in an exam that is graded harshly and score below 90% is a fail meaning that slayer must complete the test a month later until they pass or give up trying. the test consists of 125 questions and has similar properties to that of an iq test. the only exception is if a slayer is appointed to the hashira level by the Ubuyashikis directly (i.e. Muichiro). Once the test has been passed only then are lower ranked demon slayers allowed to challenge a hashira for their place if need be.
All hashiras are accompanied by at least four high level demon slayers at all times. These high level demon slayers live and train with their accompanying hashira(s). Upwards of two selected juniolow level demon slayers by the Ubuyashiki Household or the hashira may accompany said high level team to better learn the means of teamwork and/or familiarize themselves with mission when they become more veteraned slayers. These later more experienced slayers are more trusted and capable with being let on missions on their own with the assistance of close allies of their choosing. Or they can stay with their assigned hashira once at a higher level. if the assigned hashira dies the associating slayers will branch off with other hashiras or start tight nit non-hashira squads of their own.
due to the dwindling number of slayers passing the entrance test per year, younger less experienced slayers are becoming more valuable to the corps. such as if up to ten lower level slayers end up KIA a hashira squad will be brought in as back up. this however drastically increases the work flow of the hashiras and their squad mates. this heightened stress and work load causes higher risk of injury and exhaustion when in already constant threat of being bombarded or found by one or more very powerful demons at all times.
the only way for a demon slayer to retire is through death. if a hashira lives beyond the age of 50, and have the ability to train new slayers, that hashira will still be fully registered however they are placed on the back burner and can be called to full time duty. such as if a spot is empty or if the corps is in the midst of a large scale fight and needs backup. in order for a veteran to be brought back into the corps full time they must prove they are still able to fight such as being able bodied, mentally stable(???), etc. this can be completed by completing the mandated training needed to become a certified demon slayer.
if a hashira has a successor of their breathing technique (calling it a style has always been a bit weird to me) and becomes a hashira that previous hashira will be given the royalties same to that of a veteran hashira no matter the age/age gap. however if said successor dies, the predecessor must retake their place as a hashira in their stead. (etc. rengoku dies, his father goes back on the job)
nichirin blades that are used throughout the demon slayer corps are made of a special type of magma forged from Mount Unzen, which is infused with the sun due to only being able to be harvested during the day. this material is unable to be scratched and can last forever if handled with care and expertise.
wisteria flowers are a type of flower commonly used in medicines and antioxidants because of its soothing properties making it very common in products such as sleep medicine and vitamin supplements in low enough doses. it is also very volatile to demons. however in order to cause enough damage to a demon to slow it down with wisteria one would need an incredibly high amount of it on hand possibly a third of a full grown trees worth. however because of its drowsing properties even a human become weakened by wisterias affects and can cause permanent physical damage if in close enough vicinity for a prolonged amount of time. this can cause someone to lose physical strength which can be life or death for a demon slayer. fortunately humans are stronger to the affects of wisteria than demons. demons slayers are also taught to cover their tracks from being followed by demons with a small bag of wisteria tied to their person at all times which even in small amounts block the senses of any nearby demon and deter them. (dosage suggests intaking wisteria)
demon slayer uniforms are traditionally unisex and are made of thin fibres of the same material as the nichirin blades in order to prevent normal melee low level demon attacks from reacher a slayers skin such as scratches and bites. however this black material is also quite weighted when worn as clothing making movement in the uniform harder as well as uncomfortable to wear in warmer seasons. because the fabric is so dense the edges of the cloth need to be stitched with very heavy fabric to prevent unraveling from the stress meaning they are to be repaired up to three times per year when worn reularly. these uniforms are corps mandated and are not to be customized through mediums such as dyes, bleaches, hemming, cropping, or tearing. damaging the material in ways such as these makes the nichirin fabric less effective allowing more harm to come to the wearer in combat. however customization such as sewing, embroidery, and accessories are allowed as they do not take away from the properties of the nichirin fabric. kyahans (the leg warmer-like things) are to close the gap between the hakama (pants) and the legs to reduce ripping at the seams and stop any demons attacks from below to get under the hakama leg and damage the slayer or trip them as well as improve overall mobility on foot. the only times a slayer can be out of uniform is when in company of a wisteria house or on an espionage mission which are given directly from the Ubuyashikis.
in order to prevent high level personnel such as hashira from being identified by demons of espionage by unique physical characteristics they all each recieve a black cloak to cover themselves with when in highly densed areas.
as japan embraces a more western identity throughout the taisho era, the ubuyashiki household implemented a western judicial system in the decision making with the head of the ubuyashiki clan acting as the judge l and the hashiras acting as the defending and accusatory parties as well as jury. all hashiras will make a statement to either defend the person on trial or go against them. copies of testimonies and eye witness cases are also given to the hashiras and a brief statement of the case is given to the head of the ubuyashiki clan.
once a slayer passes final selection to become a demon slayer they obtain a kasuguy crow and a slayer pack which includes small nichirin sword refills, rope, and a basic first aid kit from the corps. they are then assigned one of many nichirin sword smiths and will
Breathing Techniques and Forms breathing techniques use different stances for activation in order to assist with more oxygen going to the places needed to perform each technique.
thunder breathing needs more oxygen in the legs in order to perform high speeds attacks. water breathing needs more oxygen in the brain in order to make weightless, exact, and fluid movements.
this necessary oxygen transfering is slightly altered by those who make new styles based on existing styles.
because there is less oxygen going to the rest of the body it takes serious practice for someone to be able to last more than 10 minutes without collapsing.
before a demon slayer learns a breathing technique they must master total concentration breathing from the training of a teacher. once the slayer has mastered tcb only then are they allowed to be taught techniques to further enhance their skills unless given a pardon for special reasons. breathing styles are taught after the entrance test to become a demon slayer from higher up demon slayers and hashiras. after the entrance exams slayers are heavily encouraged to learn a breathing technique however it is not mandatory
Main/Secondary Character Names and Personalities (given names are put before family names so i dont confuse my little baby english brain)
OC: Etsuko Onimane (Kanji: 悦子 鬼真似) Yōko Kobayawaka (Kanji: 洋子 小早川)
(put backstory here). wears baggy clothes to hide from the sun when travelling during the day. due to her unable to form calluses on her hands to grip her swords because of her demonhood she resorts to gloves which also help futher hide her skin from contact with the sun. she also has to stress about the fear of any slayer possibly killing her in a misunderstanding. because she is a different kind of demon she doesnt burn in the sun but rather melts. this is an extremely gruesome process.
Genya Shinazugawa
Genya strives to become a strong slayer like his older brother Sanemi to make him proud and finally acknowledge him. this character is untrusting of others as a front to avoid being hurt as well as being abrasive and unwelcoming. due to his family being killed by his demon-turned mother he will have severe difficulties befriending/trusting etsuko. by consuming demons he is able to have superhuman senses much like that of a demon and copy the demons blood demon art. the more flesh of demons he consumes the stronger he becomes. however this means it is easier for him to lose control and can not step into sunlight as long as he has demonic abilities. if he eats more than one demon he gains more than one bda however it weakens all current bda’s in genyas system by the amount of bda’s (2 bda’s weakens them both by 50%). because of his ability to consume and harness the power of demons he is unable to perform breathing techniques. had he never have consumed demons in the first place he would be able to but no longer can.
Inosuke Hashibira
Raised by upper moon two, doma, he is a wild child who decides to become a demon slayer out of his want to have fun and become strong like doma unaware of his adopted/step-father’s identity and his connection to inosukes mother. This character often runs head first into confrontation whilst completely ignoring his own well being in the process sometimes causing missions to temporarily go off track because of his tendency for trail blazing and not following orders from his superiors, possibly at risk of his termination from the corps if his actions continue. doma is aware of inosukes actions however is not threatened by him working with the Slayers Corps. he is infact rather encouraging of him to get stronger knowing inosuke could never defeat him on his own nor his own accord and does not perceive him as a threat. this character does not see etsuko as a threat because of her demeanor and unlikeness to any other demon. this character also doesnt know doma is a demon.
Supporting Cast Akaza, Shinjuro, rest of characters
all explained in a separate document
Demons/Antagonists Muzan, Akaza, etc.
All demons are under the cruel and watchful eye of muzan kibutsuji as if they were to ever falter and sway from his will or be deemed useless he will dispose of them himself indiscriminately whether they were an uppermoon or not.
the fourteen strongest demons under muzans rule are called the kizuki with the weakest eight being called the lower rank kizuki and the strongest six being the upper rank kizuki.
due to the existence of muzans cells in each demons body and with muzan being unable to be in the sun, no demon has been able to withstand/conquer the sun.
certain moon phases effect demons strength and abilities. during a solar eclipse demons are able to stand in the day without getting burnt but only for a handful of minutes. super moons increase the overall strength of demons as well as their blood demon art abilities. blood moons/lunar eclipses work very similarly to super moons but to a much more extreme degree. this also means that demon attacks are more frequent during winter months and the opposite in the summer months
demons
ranking system for moon phases:
Demon King - Blood Moon Upper One - Upper Full Moon Upper Two - Upper Waxing G. Moon Upper Three - Upper Quarter Moon Upper Four - Upper Waxing Crescent Moon Upper Five - Upper Waning Moon Upper Six - Upper New Moon Lower One - Lower Full Moon etc…
please tell me if i should add or take away anything so far. please keep in mind this blueprint is a wip.

The Lesser Engine seemed to whimper, just before its animalistic head was crushed under the heavy heel of the Logos Armor. Petra was looking around, her armor covered in hellish grime, pieces of fiery cables, her hammerhead scraped in some places by the metal chitin of the warpforged abominations. A swing of her weapon decapitated a screaming techpriest, and she could see her sons advance behind her, focusing their fires onto the creatures that hadn’t come into her range.
She raised her arm and the bolter array built onto it sang four times, each bolt hitting and penetrating into the bronze hull of a monster. A movement in the side of her view immediately made her turn, and Petra placed herself right behind the Automata that was raising its shield to parry the volley of ammunition that a vomiting amalgamation of tin and steel was spewing out. The machine painted in the colors of the legion marched towards it, shield still forward as it was raising its hammer. Another Domitar joined in, and they started hammering down the bear, striking at the places that Petra indicated them to with her Logos.
Not even leaving them a moment of respite, a shriek echoed through the halls of the corrupted forgeworld, announcing the arrival of a new transformed machine, this time using the shape of a massive scorpion of brass, painted in red - probably actual blood. A True Daemon Engine.
“Stay behind”, Petra ordered her own troops. “Only the Iron Circle will engage with me. Provide cover fire”. Immediately her soldiers reorganized themselves, walking slightly back while she moved towards the warped machine. It was big, but not so much more than some beasts she had taken down during the Great Crusade.
The Logos Bolt Array roared in rapid succession, spitting explosive shells that burst on the thing’s pincer shell it was protecting itself with. The cannon on its tail aimed at the little group approaching, and fired in response. The bullets managed to pierced the shield of one of the Automata, bringing it to the ground in skittering motions as the Primarch ran to the machine.
The shell of the left pincer bent under the shock of her hammer, but could see the interior mechanisms and integrity were still completely fine. As the monster hissed, she growled and climbed onto it, before it could move its appendix. Her array fired again, aiming at the creature’s low head, and it was assailed by the other Automata. Alas, the legion’s machines could do little when even their Primarch’s strength was only sufficient to dent its exterior, their hammers clanging with sound but no damage. The Engine shrieked and spun on its feet, sweeping the footing of the Domitars with its armored tail, almost shaking Petra off of its great body.
The Breaker of Stone jumped, landing her hammer onto the machine’s head, keeping its optics away from herself. The Automata had started to stand up, some of them already trying again to impair the Daemon Engine. The Scorpion managed to snatch the shield arm of one of the Domitars into its pincers, immediately starting to grind it, then using its second arm to crush its body, neutralizing it into a cloud of sparks and noises of bent iron.
A volley of missiles exploded onto its body, making it stumble a step or two. Petra’s Tyrant Siege Terminator squad had established a perimeter around them, alongside three Devastation squads of Space Marines armed to the teeth. The Lady of Iron used the opportunity, clasping her two hands around her hammer, and smashed the face of it onto the mechanical head, cracking the glass of its baleful eye.
Letting one hand on her weapon go, she shoved her fist into the eye, fully shattering it and grasping at cables, opened fire eight times, before pulling the sparkling fiber out. The creature’s feet skittered and scraped onto the ground, flailing as well as it could with its weakening strength under the hands of the Primarch and the shields of the Automata pressing against its body.
Her soldiers approached slowly, step by step and always keeping their visors onto the fallen beast. It stopped moving. Petra allowed herself a breath, before turning to her sons. The Terminator and the Devastation squads were meticulously reloading their weapons, while her tactical squads surveyed the corridors they arrived through, one of them moving further in the dark halls of the Forge World.
When her Marines were ready, she nodded a signal to her soldiers, and they moved forward. Not even five steps were made when she turned on her heels, hearing a sound from behind her.
[The. Beast. Sings].
Three words that echoed into the large, empty hall. Her blood curled hearing it. This wasn’t normal speech. She had mechanically translated it, only understanding what the means of transmission was after hearing the full sentence.
[The. Beast. Sings].
Scrap-code.The Chaos speech reserved for the machines. An odious parody of the already-nonsensical Lingua Technis in usage within the Cult of Mars. And the carcass was speaking it. She activated the Logos’ system used to communicate orders to the Automata accompanying them.
“Killswitch protocol, immediate deactivation”. She commanded, not willing to even let a chance at her Automatas being corrupted. The Iron Warriors moved to surround the legion’s Iron Circle, carefully laying them down and locking their joints.
[The Beast sings]. It was continuously psalmoding, like a broken disc, accelerating. [The Beast sings The Beast sings The Beast sings The Beast sings]- until she put her hands on its neck, her fingers slowly bending the metal, and she pulled at it until the head was separated from the neck in a horrible noise of brass. Petra switched her comms to contact the scouting unit sent forward.
“Watch out for any signal of chaotic machines, warn us at any movement”. She turned to the corridors that had been used by some of the Techpriests that had ambushed them, eyeing the corpses with disgust.
They had all been chanting the same fucking thing. The Beast sings. What even was the beast? She had first encountered this name on another forge world, where some of her Warriors had been hunted by a strange Warp Machine. It had disappeared moments before she arrived on site herself, and she had stored it away in her memories, until it resurfaced some time later on another planet, another corrupted cult dedicated to the Dark Mechanicum. And another time, it had fled an hour before she had reached the deployment zone.
At first, the writings had been about “The Beast wakes”. Then, “The Beast writhes”. “The Beast forges”, all in Scrap-code, again and again. Until they came here, to the Forge Worlds of the moons of Cercantyle, themselves orbiting around a planet that had fallen to the corruption and whispers of the Warp.
Vibrations. Noises. Explosions.
She turned her head toward the sound, raising one of her Bolt array in overwatch, but didn’t see anything. She didn’t see anything other than her Marines, prudently observing the source of the noise.
“Squad Iota, what is your status?”
No answer came back. She motioned to her Terminators, who placed themselves forward and raised their weapons.
“Squad Iota, respond”. Her answer was the same as for her first question. “We probably lost them. Squad Alpha and Beta, watch over the corridor. Squad Gamma to Epsilon, survey the other entries. I don’t want any surprises”.
She accessed a cogitator, trying to see if she could garner any information from the eight-point covered machine, growling when she saw all was written in Scrap-code too. Fucking lunatics, even more annoying the the “normal” Mechanicum cultists.
Large arrivals of metal, used for weaponry and vehicle propulsors. Well, alongside daemons that were used by the warped tech priests to inhabit those machines. Copious amounts of fuel, menial slaves and engineers had been brought here. She felt a chill creep up her spine. Petra raised her eyes from the cogitator, definitely weirded out. Because it was a familiar feeling. But not the same. Unnatural.
Again, vibrations, noises, explosions. This time so much closer, almost detonating where her squads Alpha and Beta were standing. “Form up!”, “Ambush!” She could hear her soldiers shout, spreading out to avoid cluster explosions, and moving into covers behind ruined machines and skull-decorated wall fragments. The Tyrant Siege squad was the first line, having survived the blast with little to no injuries thanks to the more robust Cataphractii armors.
Her helmet’s visors didn’t show her any movement coming from the corridors. Petra ran diagnostics seeing the shapes of the explosions on the ground, approaching her troops. The screens showed her trajectory probabilities, drawing predictions and attempting to locate the enemy’s position. She raised her eyes, just before one of squad Delta’s marine shouted “Contact! Above!”
There it was. A massive construct of plasteel, ceramite, and armaplas, exiting from a higher-level hallway, reactors spewing out warp-fire.
It was pristine.
Unlike the Daemon Engines and chaos machines she had destroyed and taken apart, it showed no decorations in honor to the Chaos Gods, no brass or gold trims organized in spikes and curves. No, this one was slick, almost T’au like in appearance, but with definitive elements of Imperial structure. The silver metal of its hull was reflecting lights.
A humanoid body about twice her size made up the centerpiece of it, a large construct latched onto its back, and a large ring circled around the main body. Multiple cannons on the back, three-gatling guns onto each arm, and Petra could even see it was shielded by technology akin to Iron Halos. A weapon of war that saw no surrender, no end to its decimation. The blood-red shining eyes fixated solely upon her.
The Beast was hovering above them, imitating what Space Marines had been called, and Angel of Death. And the Beast sang.
It opened fire on her troops and her, six gatling guns rotating and ejecting shells by the hundreds in a few seconds, and five of her sons fell before they could put their shields in a carapace to protect themselves from the projectiles. Her Terminators responded in the same way, hardly bothered by the bullets raining down on them and shouldering Combi-Bolter, the deafening noise of their weapons adding to the cacophony that the Beast was already composing.
It was fast. When her Tyrant Siege squad added their missiles to the exchange, it seemed to reave through the air as a broadsword, moving out of the way of the projectiles, never ceasing to shoot, and worse, beginning to circle around the less protected Tactical Marines, pinning them down, its traits piercing through the gray ceramite, again and again. Petra’s Bolt Arrays were shooting non-stop, her Logos calculating and predicting the movements of the flying machine, but her munitions were crushed against the Force-Field deployed around it.
“Get to cover! Use the corridors to hide yourself!” Petra ordered her troops, placing herself away from the eyes of the machine while using the Logos’ systems to reboot the Automata. Even though they were mostly equipped for close quarter combat, she had conceived the Olympia Bolt Cannon to arm them in addition to their bodyguard abilities she now used as first battle ranks, shielding her soldiers.
Thanks to her Trinket, always one to bring any advantage to their side in negotiations, she had had far enough to experiment multiple formations, and was satisfied with the weaponry they were now using - if the Iron Warriors were able to bring the Beast to the ground, they would fall upon it with their Graviton mauls.
For now, she unlocked the joints, and restarted their systems, the chest light flaring up green. One of the red eyes of the flying construct lowered to look at them, and immediately after, directed one of his arms in the same direction, the three gatlings starting to spin again, landing some hits that scratched their surfaces, resulting in one of the Domitar-Ferrum having a chestplate opened, and a pauldron bent under the heavy fire before it could raise its shield.
Did it have an unlimited amount of ammunition? Urgh, it had probably far enough to wage battle against them for hours on end, and they were currently engaged in a Forge-world. It could fly away any moment, and find some station to re-arm itself.
Petra opened her comms, directing her soldiers directly to always harass the Beast, forming into firing patterns as three squads gained altitude in the maze that was the architecture of the Forge-World. She counted. Eleven soldiers had been lost. Five were also injured - though not gravely enough that they had to stop fighting. A glance at the damaged automata let her know that it could still be pushed to fight, and could endure more damage. She opened cover fire to move herself, approaching her soldiers so that she would not be stuck in the middle of an open-space.
“Phase Four, Hammer Protocol”, she ordered on the Logos, and her soldiers moved as well as they could to accomplish their missions. Every single trigger belonging to a soldier under her command was pulled into a deafening noise that echoed into the large hall, lights of tracer fire producing a continued source of radiance that she wouldn’t even need the night vision provided by her helmet.
Even though the Conversion field around the Beast was sparkling, progressively advancing to the point where it would need to be deactivated to not overload, it was reaching it far too slowly for Petra’s taste. Frustration was building up faster in her.
Some movement in the construct made her change her focus, as she tried to identify why it was moving the way it did. The gatling guns on its right arm had folded back into the back construct part, and now it was a long, thin and rectangular armament that was attached to its arm. And aimed at her. A glance at it indicated her it was warped T’au technology, modified to be usable alongside those demonic systems. She felt a cold sweat immediately.
Mass launcher. Heavy Rail Cannon.
Petra stepped away in a blink, unsure even her armor would be perfectly safe from a weapon like that, a single instant later the place she had been in was shot at.
Light. Noise.
Silence.
A Warrior behind her had been less lucky, its upper body part simply erased by the projectile’s impact, which didn’t even explode.
It had penetrated into the metallic ground, dug deep until the meager warning lights of the hall couldn’t shed shine onto it. The body of her Marine fell onto the ground, blood finally flowing out as though it had briefly not realized it had been killed.
She processed it into the back of her mind, running to find some cover that would hide her from the weapon. It seemed however that the Daemon Engine didn’t have in mind to continue using its Rail Cannon, and started to rise, floating higher. She had another bad feeling. And she was rarely wrong on such occasions. It put away the arms that were latched onto its arms, and extended its hands forward.
Something started to roll on the horizontal ring, and exited the top of the back construct in the same way, stopping halfway, above the Beast’s head. Multiple dots of red upon light-gray surface, and Petra already knew it was multiple missile pod systems.
“Find cover!” she heard one of her soldiers scream out. Petra ordered the Domitars to defend the Marines that weren’t equipped with Boarding Shields like her Breacher Squads. Noises like pings emitted by the Machine started to rise, accelerating in tempo and volume.
It brought its hands downwards, a conductor's movement. The orchestra, a symphony of technological-brought death, began.
The Beast sings.
The sounds of their thrusters weren’t the one she was used to hearing from missiles in flight, no, it was far worse. Whispers, murmurs, talks, shouts, wails, screeches, howling. The noises each projectile was making were separate voices of pain and suffering, or shrieks of rage and anger.
A choir that the Beast was directing, the missiles following his hands, cues and downbeats, the screaming and bellows harmonizing to form a music that would be beautiful, if it weren’t so haunting, dangerous and in such an inopportune moment.
Petra locked her armor completely, focusing on defending against the missiles that were going for her. She recognized it. She crouched, protecting her head with her arms, and the noises of all missiles exploding at the same time, a fortississimo overbearing on her ears, and the shaking was the same as being just beside a Titan Ordnance weapon firing.
The instant she was safe, running diagnostic operations on the Logos integrity, she forced herself to move despite the shock she was feeling. Not just physical. The music It had imitated before the missiles exploded. She knew it perfectly. From its start, to the Da Capo, to its end and crescendo, with every single note in between.
Because she knew the composer. Because she was beside him when he composed. Because HE composed FOR HER. Because it was Trinket’s piece. A horrible, abominable parody, spitting on every musical pattern and expression he spent days and nights writing while she was drawing architectural blueprints and building dioramas of the multiple Olympia’s cities they oversaw reconstruction of.
The shared name of Elysia, the location of their planned Forever Home, and of the hymn they had decided on.
And nothing was making her more mad than the twisted parody of her favorite music, turned into something so… She didn’t even find the words for the utter disgust she was going through. Nor for her anger.
“Cover me! Switch back to Phase three, Protocol Nemea!”
Petra exited the smoke left by the detonation after shouting her order, and went straight for the broken corpse of the Brass Scorpion, teeth clenched. Hearing the weapons of her sons firing behind her, she swore she would destroy that thing, and free Trinket from its grasp. She had not a single doubt he was in it. Being the core of the Beast. She caught the tail of the machine monster, and dragged it to turn the Demolisher cannon that formed its parody of a mouth in the direction of Trinket’s prison.
Using the commanding functions of the Logos, she connected to the machine’s body, bluntly deleting every piece of Scrap-Code that she could, as the chaotic construct was off for now, and when she was done, she booted the firing systems up.
She was hearing the roaring of the Beast’s gatling guns, firing ceaselessly to kill her sons, the crackling noise of Boarding Shields and Karceri Shields as the hailing rain of bullets was caught against their power fields.
Petra’s will, translated into cybernetics commands, made the legs of the Scorpion skitter and rise, angling its maw at the flier. After a few seconds loading, and preparing the weapon, the Scorpion opened fire, crossing the distance between source and target in barely a breath. The noise of the detonation echoed the same as the missiles the Beast had previously fired in its orchestral volleys.
The flying machine trembled, the iron halo’s field crackling, turning on and off until it finally shut down.
“Now!” Petra shouted to her Warriors. “Engage Phase five, suppressing fire!” Exiting their covers, most of her Marines aimed and opened fire at the Engine. She aimed at its reactors when it showed its back to her, shooting with all eight of her shrapnel bolt array. As it lowered slightly, she calculated her odds. Satisfied, she started running toward it, accelerating to some of the fastest speeds she had reached on her feet, motivation and desperation both pumping fire into her veins of iron.
Using the ruined machinery that strewed the ground, she gained elevation, and fully jumped to catch on the ring surrounding the core construct. Its three eyes looked at her, and Petra could swear she could see them burning in hatred. It tried to aim its gatling at her, but she moved faster, opening fire without restraint straight at its arm, a barrage of bolts that started to tear through the weaknesses in the metal that she saw.
Unable to fly correctly anymore, the Beast lowered even more, to the point where the Automata, coming running at it, could extend their hammers to latch on the ring and body, pinning it down. Petra let go of the outer ring, and walked straight toward the core unit, ignoring the warnings that one of her sergeants was directing to her.
She couldn’t hear anything over a ringing in her ears suspiciously resembling the melody of Elysia.
She finally reached it, extending her hand toward its head, and ripped it off without a care, watching with satisfaction as the three-eyed lights faded from the optics. She tossed it aside. Under her awaiting hands was the gesticulating body of an iron maiden that jailed the person she wanted to see most.
Weaknesses.
In the frame, in the ossature, in the hull. She reached and grasped, and bent, and pulled, and tore, destroying the malignant thing bit by bit, piece by piece, seeing her soldiers in the corner of her eyes, but not registering anything other than the slowly opening torso of the machine.
Finally.
Finally.
Finally, she ripped open the cockpit, to be met with such a cherished and such a haunted sight. Her Velvet Glove. Her Trinket.
Finally.
“FeFe…” she whispered. She could feel her eyes water behind the iron skull of her helmet.
It was an abominable sight. Everything was him. Nothing was his. As the song, it was a parody of who he was.
It was his hair: white and in long locks. It wasn’t: oily, greasy and unkempt.
It was his body: olive skin and the same scars as she remembered. It wasn’t: skeletal, gaunt, emaciated and hollow. Ribs almost piercing out from under his naked dry skin.
It was his eyes, the same turquoise, the same golden decoration he had asked her to graft under the left one to mask one scar he had there. It wasn’t: there were no lights in those glassy and foggy balls, and the gold was tarnished, rusted.
His lips were parched and scarred, his eyelids scratched, and she was trembling seeing the sight.
He was missing an arm, cables and wires directly plugged into his torn flesh.
A ruined enveloppe.
A single terminal was held in his sickly thin fingers, showing characters writing on a loop. Two words. It wasn’t Scrap-Code, nor was it Lingua-Technis, nor even was it Gothic, be it low or high. No, it was their native tongue of Olympia.
Two words, repeating on a loop like a mad chant line after line.
Σκότωσέ με.
Kill me.
Kill me.
Kill me.
Kill me.
Kill me.
Petra slowly reached to her helmet, its hissing pops signaling the depressurization. She removed it, her braided lock falling onto her shoulder as she put it aside.
“No”.
She reached toward him, cupping his cheek in her gauntlet, as large as his head, not applying any bit of force. Her hand was trembling. She pulled his body from the machine’s carcass, carefully disconnecting the cables thanks to the Logos’ programming properties. She cradled his broken, shattered form in her arms like carrying a newborn. She could barely feel his heartbeat. Her vision of him was riddled in weaknesses that usually inhabited her vision, so, so many onto his form.
She tilted to whisper in his ear.
“I’m bringing you back home. We’ll go together. Do you remember, FeFe? To Elysia”.
She almost broke down when she saw a sign of recognition on his part when he heard that name. Just slightly, almost imperceptible, his eyes widened.
A Spark.

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Hello everyone, I'm on summer vacation and I want to play this game with my brother. We've played a few hours before but had to stop now I'm starting a new world with basically zero knowledge. I don't want any crazy mods just QOL stuff mostly, I know about the walking through pipes mod but what else is nice? The main thing I hated was deleting large chunks is there a mod that let's you select and delete? Also are there any mods that give you a bunch of blueprints for basic stuff? (Or like a way to download them in bulk Idk how this works) Would also be nice as I don't have 100s of hours to spend on the game I just want to enjoy it and finish it in 3 - 6 weeks.

I've only been searching for a few days for the game that has been calling to me recently, but I'm starting to get the feeling that it doesn't exist. So, I'm finally just making my own post instead of searching others' before I decide to give up for now.
I'm looking for a specific kind of open-world, sandbox style life sim game in a fantasy setting that combines elements of survival, crafting, base building, exploration, and action/adventure/RPG. The aesthetic needs to be classic high fantasy, ideally with different biomes. I want the option to live in a human medieval style village/town/castle, but also the option to have a little cottage deep in a magical elven forest. I'd prefer something colorful and dazzling with interesting flora and fauna (like in Subnautica). I don't want cutesy, blocky graphics like in a mobile game or games like My Time at Portia. I have a Switch, but I'd prefer a PC game. Also, there needs to be a pretty good character customization system with high fantasy races (elves, halflings, dwarfs, etc.) and cosmetics (craftable, ideally).
The game would be heavily exploration focused, with much of the gathering for crafting done through exploration, but with some farm sim elements on a small scale (like a garden). I don't want a heavy focus on large scale farming. All the repetitive clicking and tedium is just not for me. I want the exploration bits to feel like Dragon's Dogma (or DD2). I want to get lost in a vast and interesting world while hunting/foraging and fight crazy monsters, but maybe not quite so many as in DD2. I want a less stressful experience than that. Almost like a cozy game, but with some visually stunning and at least somewhat interesting combat. Ideally there'd be some kind of skill progression system.
I want to be able to craft magical weapons/armoartifacts. The crafting system should also include lots of tools and decor as well. I want to be able to build a home, but I'd prefer the building not to be too complex. I get stressed when there's lots of pieces that I have to figure out, Lego style. I'm not opposed to that (and quite enjoy that sometimes in games like NMS and Planet Zoo), but I'd like the option to use blueprints (like in Planet Zoo) or maybe find-and-fix or buy something already built and customize it how I like.
I'd also like there to be a community of some sort. NPC's or other players or both. I'd like to be able to have a profession to use as an interface between my exploration and gathering activities and this community. There should be an economy or barter system and questing and such.
I don't really want to have to achieve this via a heavily modded game that doesn't have all these systems natively (like modded Skyrim). If there is a game that already has many of these systems in place and just needs to be lightly modded to have all of them or to have the fantasy setting or modern graphics, then that's okay.
I'd also rather not get this through an MMORPG, but if there's one that is very casual and solo-friendly and has great exploration focus and survival elements, then I'd try it. I just don't want the focus to be a main story with bosses and raids and such. I'd be interested in some story/RPG elements, but I want it to be, at it's core, a life sim game.
To summarize:

• What I want:
  • Exploration focused life sim
  • Classic high fantasy genre
  • Colorful and visually stunning with multiple biomes
  • Character customization
  • Modern 3D graphics (doesn't need to be amazing, just nice looking)
    • The visuals of a game like Subnautica in a fantasy setting would be ideal
  • Survival and crafting systems (including weapons/armoartifacts and tools and decor)
    • Crafting cosmetics/clothing would be a bonus but not necessary
  • Interesting and visually appealing combat system with skill progression
  • Base/home building with blueprints or some other shortcut for lazy building
  • Small scale farming (like gardening)
  • Community of NPCs/players/both with an economy, professions, questing...
• What I don't want:
  • Any genre that isn't fantasy
  • Only one biome or just a small map that can be explored very quickly
  • Cutesy, blocky or 2D graphics with sprites
  • Too much or too difficult combat (something more casual)
  • Overly complex building system
  • Large scale farming or very farming focused
  • Heavily modded game with many of the required systems missing natively
    • not modded Skyrim
  • MMORPG
    • not a hard no, but not preferable unless very casual/solo-friendly

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I have had some pretty disappointing experiences with games that are still in EA... I am willing to try one, if it's the only option, but I'd rather not.

In the realm of construction, two common terms often arise pre-engineered buildings (PEBs) and ordinary steel structures. Both have their unique characteristics and applications, but understanding their differences is crucial for making informed decisions in construction projects. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the dissimilarities between pre-engineered buildings and conventional steel structures, shedding light on their design, fabrication, advantages, and applications.
What is a Pre-engineering Building (PEB)?
A Pre-engineered Building (PEB) is a type of structure that is designed and manufactured off-site using prefabricated components, primarily made of steel. These components are engineered and fabricated in a controlled factory environment according to specific design requirements and standards. Once manufactured, the prefabricated components are transported to the construction site for assembly. PEBs are known for their efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and versatility in various construction applications. They offer rapid construction times, customization options, and durability, making them a popular choice for industrial, commercial, and institutional buildings.
Process of Pre-engineering Building:

1. Design and Engineering:

 The process begins with thorough design and engineering using advanced computer-aided design (CAD) software.
 Engineers create detailed blueprints and structural calculations to ensure the integrity and safety of the building.
 Factors such as load-bearing capacity, wind resistance, and seismic considerations are taken into account during the design phase.

1. Component Manufacturing:

 Once the design is finalized, prefabricated steel components are manufactured in a controlled factory environment.
 These components include columns, beams, roof trusses, purlins, wall panels, and other structural elements.
 Precision machinery is used to fabricate the components according to the specifications outlined in the engineering drawings.

1. Transportation to Site:

 After manufacturing, the prefabricated components are transported to the construction site using trucks or containers.
 Careful planning is essential to ensure timely delivery and minimize disruptions to the construction schedule.
 Components are packaged and loaded onto transport vehicles with consideration for their size, weight, and structural integrity.

1. On-Site Assembly:

 Upon arrival at the construction site, the prefabricated components are unloaded and organized for assembly.
 Skilled laborers, including steel erectors and construction workers, begin the process of erecting the structural framework.
 The components are assembled according to the engineered drawings and specifications, using specialized equipment such as cranes and lifts.

1. Installation of Roofing and Cladding:

 Once the structural framework is in place, roofing and cladding materials are installed to enclose the building envelope.
 Roof panels, wall panels, and insulation materials are carefully positioned and secured to provide weatherproofing and thermal insulation.
 Attention to detail is crucial to ensure proper alignment, sealing, and structural integrity of the building envelope.

1. Integration of Building Systems:

 Electrical, plumbing, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other building systems are integrated into the structure as required.
 Wiring, piping, ductwork, and fixtures are installed according to building codes and safety standards.
 Coordination between different trades is essential to ensure seamless integration and functionality of the building systems.

1. Finishing Touches:

 Once the structural and mechanical components are in place, finishing touches such as interior partitions, doors, windows, and finishes are added.
 Quality checks are conducted throughout the construction process to verify compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
 Final inspections may be performed by building inspectors or third-party consultants to certify the completion and safety of the pre-engineering building structure.

1. Handover and Occupancy:

 Upon completion of construction, the pre-engineering building structure is handed over to the owner or client.
 Occupancy permits and certificates of compliance are obtained from regulatory authorities to authorize the use and occupancy of the building.
 Training and orientation sessions may be conducted to familiarize occupants with the operation and maintenance of the building systems.
Advantages of Pre-engineering Building Structures:

1. Speed of Construction: PEBs offer significantly faster construction times compared to traditional building methods. The use of prefabricated components streamlines the construction process, reducing labor and time requirements.
   
2. Cost-Effectiveness: Due to standardized design, efficient manufacturing processes, and reduced on-site labor requirements, PEBs are cost-effective. This results in overall cost savings for construction projects.
   
3. Flexibility and Customization: Despite their standardized components, PEBs offer flexibility in design and customization. Engineers can tailor the building's dimensions, layout, and finishes to meet specific project requirements.
   
4. Durability and Strength: Steel, the primary material used in PEBs, boasts exceptional durability and strength. This makes PEB structures resistant to adverse weather conditions, seismic forces, and structural degradation over time.
   
5. Versatility in Applications: PEBs find diverse applications across various industries, including industrial warehouses, commercial buildings, agricultural structures, and institutional facilities. Their versatility allows for the construction of a wide range of building types to suit different needs.
   
6. Energy Efficiency: PEBs can be designed to incorporate energy-efficient features such as insulation, natural lighting, and ventilation systems. This helps reduce energy consumption and operational costs over the building's lifespan.
   
7. Minimal Site Disruption: Since much of the fabrication work is done off-site, PEB construction minimizes disruption to the surrounding environment and neighboring properties. This is particularly advantageous in urban areas or sites with limited space.
   
8. Quality Control: The manufacturing process of PEB components in a controlled factory environment allows for strict quality control measures. This ensures consistency in product quality and adherence to industry standards.
   
9. Sustainability: PEBs are considered environmentally friendly due to the recyclability of steel and the reduction of construction waste associated with off-site fabrication. Additionally, their energy-efficient design contributes to lower carbon emissions over time.
   
10. Long-Term Value: With their durability, low maintenance requirements, and energy efficiency, PEB structures offer long-term value to building owners. They provide a reliable and sustainable solution for meeting evolving construction needs.
    

Applications of Pre-engineering Building Structures:

1. Industrial Warehouses and Factories: PEBs are widely used in the construction of industrial warehouses, manufacturing plants, and factories. Their spacious interiors, clear spans, and ability to accommodate heavy machinery make them ideal for housing production facilities and storage areas.
   
2. Commercial Buildings: From retail outlets and supermarkets to offices and showrooms, PEBs offer a cost-effective solution for constructing various commercial buildings. Their versatile layouts and aesthetic appeal make them suitable for a wide range of retail and business establishments.
   
3. Agricultural Structures: PEBs find application in the construction of agricultural buildings such as barns, storage sheds, and livestock shelters. Their durable construction and customizable design allow farmers to create efficient and functional spaces for storing equipment, feed, and livestock.
   
4. Institutional Facilities: Schools, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions benefit from the rapid construction and cost efficiency of PEBs. These structures can be tailored to accommodate classrooms, auditoriums, gymnasiums, and administrative offices, meeting the evolving needs of educational facilities.
   
5. Recreational Centers and Sports Complexes: PEBs are used in the construction of recreational centers, sports complexes, and gymnasiums, providing versatile spaces for indoor sports, fitness activities, and community events. Their large clear spans and customizable layouts make them suitable for housing sports courts, spectator seating, and amenities.
   
6. Aircraft Hangars and Aviation Facilities: PEBs are commonly utilized in the construction of aircraft hangars and aviation facilities. Their spacious interiors, high ceilings, and ability to accommodate large aircraft make them ideal for housing airplanes, helicopters, and related equipment.
   
7. Logistics and Distribution Centers: PEBs play a crucial role in the construction of logistics and distribution centers, serving as warehouses and storage facilities for inventory management and supply chain operations. Their efficient design and rapid construction times help meet the demands of modern logistics operations.
   
8. Cold Storage Facilities: PEBs can be adapted for use in cold storage facilities, where temperature-controlled environments are required for storing perishable goods such as food products and pharmaceuticals. Their insulated panels and customizable layouts make them suitable for maintaining specific temperature conditions.
   
9. Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Structures: In emergencies and disaster relief efforts, PEBs can be deployed quickly to provide temporary shelters, medical facilities, and command centers. Their modular design and ease of assembly make them valuable assets in responding to humanitarian crises and natural disasters.
   
10. Retail Outlets and Showrooms: PEBs are utilized in the construction of retail outlets, showrooms, and shopping centers, providing efficient and cost-effective spaces for displaying merchandise and serving customers. Their customizable designs allow retailers to create attractive storefronts and functional interiors to enhance the shopping experience.
    

What is an ordinary steel structure?
An ordinary steel structure refers to a building or structure where steel components are fabricated and erected on-site according to specific engineering drawings and calculations. Unlike pre-engineered buildings (PEBs), where prefabricated components are manufactured off-site and assembled on-site, ordinary steel structures involve more traditional construction methods.
In an ordinary steel structure, steel beams, columns, and other structural elements are fabricated and welded or bolted together at the construction site. These components are typically customized to fit the specific requirements of the building design, allowing for greater flexibility in architectural design and layout.
The construction process for ordinary steel structures involves on-site fabrication, assembly, and installation of steel components, which may require skilled labor and specialized equipment. While this the method offers flexibility in design and customization, it may also result in longer construction timelines and higher labor costs compared to pre-engineered buildings. Ordinary steel structures find application in a wide range of building types, including commercial buildings, industrial facilities, residential complexes, bridges, and infrastructure projects. Their versatility, strength, and durability make them a popular choice for projects where customized design solutions and structural integrity are paramount.
Process of Ordinary Steel Structure Construction:

1. Design and Engineering:

 Conceptualization: The process begins with conceptualizing the building design based on the client's requirements, architectural vision, and functional needs.
 Structural Design: Experienced engineers create detailed structural drawings and calculations, considering factors such as building codes, load requirements, and architectural specifications.
 Material Selection: The type and grade of steel are selected based on structural requirements, environmental conditions, and budget constraints.

1. Material Procurement:

 Steel Procurement: High-quality steel beams, columns, plates, and other structural elements are procured from reputable suppliers. The steel may be sourced in various forms, including rolled sections, plates, and pipes.
 Additional Materials: Other materials such as bolts, welding electrodes, and protective coatings are also procured as per the project requirements.

1. Fabrication:

 Cutting and Shaping: The steel components are cut, drilled, and shaped according to the engineering drawings using cutting-edge machinery such as CNC (Computer Numerical Control) plasma cutters, saws, and drills.
 Welding or Bolting: Steel components are assembled by welding or bolting, depending on the design requirements and structural considerations. Skilled welders ensure precise and strong connections between the structural elements.

1. Transportation to Site:

 Logistics Planning: A logistics plan is developed to coordinate the transportation of fabricated steel components to the construction site. Factors such as transportation mode, route optimization, and handling procedures are considered to minimize delays and ensure safety.
 Loading and Transport: Fabricated steel components are loaded onto trucks or trailers and transported to the construction site. Care is taken to secure the components properly to prevent damage during transit.

1. On-Site Assembly:

 Site Preparation: The construction site is prepared, including clearing the ground, leveling the foundation, and setting up temporary facilities.
 Erection: Skilled laborers erect the steel framework according to the engineered drawings and specifications. This process involves lifting and positioning steel beams, columns, and other structural elements using cranes and other lifting equipment.
 Connection: Steel components are connected using welding, bolting, or a combination of both to ensure structural integrity and stability. Connections are inspected to verify compliance with safety standards and engineering requirements.

1. Installation of Secondary Elements:

 Roofing and Cladding: Roofing and wall cladding systems are installed to provide weatherproofing and insulation. This includes attaching metal roof panels, wall panels, and insulation materials as per design requirements.
 Doors, Windows, and Finishes: Doors, windows, and other architectural finishes are installed to complete the building envelope. Interior finishes such as partitions, flooring, and ceiling systems may also be installed as per the project specifications.

1. Quality Assurance:

 Inspection and Testing: Quality checks are conducted throughout the construction process to ensure compliance with safety standards, building codes, and project specifications. This includes visual inspections, non-destructive testing, and material testing as required.
 Corrective Actions: Any defects or discrepancies identified during quality inspections are addressed promptly through corrective actions to maintain the integrity and quality of the steel structure.

1. Handover and Maintenance:

 Final Inspection: Upon completion, a final inspection is conducted to verify that the steel structure meets all contractual requirements and regulatory standards.
 Handover: The completed steel structure is handed over to the client, along with relevant documentation and warranties.
 Maintenance Guidelines: The client is provided with maintenance guidelines and recommendations to ensure the long-term performance and durability of the steel structure.
Advantages of Ordinary Steel Structures:

1. Versatility in Design: Ordinary steel structures offer flexibility in architectural design, allowing for customized solutions to meet specific project requirements. Architects can create unique and aesthetically pleasing designs using steel's inherent properties and versatility.
   
2. Strength and Durability: Steel is known for its exceptional strength and durability, making it an ideal material for constructing load-bearing structures. Ordinary steel structures can withstand harsh environmental conditions, including wind, seismic activity, and heavy snow loads, ensuring long-term structural integrity.
   
3. Speed of Construction: Compared to traditional construction methods, steel structures can be erected more quickly due to off-site fabrication and assembly of steel components. This results in shorter construction timelines and reduced labor costs, making steel structures a cost-effective choice for time-sensitive projects.
   
4. Cost-Effectiveness: Despite the initial investment in material procurement and fabrication, steel structures offer long-term cost savings. The speed of construction, reduced labor requirements, and minimal maintenance contribute to lower overall project costs over the life cycle of the building.
   
5. Environmental Sustainability: Steel is a highly recyclable material, with a significant portion of steel used in construction being sourced from recycled sources. Additionally, steel structures can be dismantled and repurposed at the end of their lifespan, reducing waste and environmental impact.
   
6. Fire Resistance: Steel has inherent fire-resistant properties, providing greater protection against fire hazards compared to other building materials such as wood. This enhances the safety and security of occupants in steel structures, reducing the risk of fire-related damage and loss.
   
7. Design Consistency and Quality Control: The off-site fabrication of steel components allows for strict quality control measures to be implemented in a controlled factory environment. This ensures consistency in product quality and adherence to engineering standards, resulting in structurally sound and reliable steel structures.
   
8. Adaptability and Expansion: Steel structures offer flexibility for future expansion or modification due to their modular design and ease of integration with additional components. Building owners can easily adapt steel structures to accommodate changing needs or technological advancements over time.
   
9. Longevity and Low Maintenance: Steel structures have a longer lifespan compared to traditional building materials, requiring minimal maintenance and repairs over time. The inherent corrosion resistance of steel, when properly coated, contributes to the durability and longevity of steel structures.
   
10. Space Utilization: Steel structures offer clear spans and column-free interiors, maximizing usable floor space and allowing for efficient utilization of space. This makes steel structures suitable for a wide range of applications, including industrial warehouses, commercial buildings, and recreational facilities.
    

Difference Between Ordinary Steel Structures and Pre-Engineering Building Structures:

1. Construction Process:

 Ordinary Steel Structures: Involves on-site fabrication and assembly of steel components, including beams, columns, and trusses, according to specific engineering drawings and calculations.
 Pre-Engineering Building (PEB) Structures: Utilizes prefabricated steel components manufactured off-site and transported to the construction site for assembly. PEBs follow standardized designs and manufacturing processes, reducing on-site fabrication time and labor.

1. Design Flexibility:

 Ordinary Steel Structures: Offer greater flexibility in architectural design and customization, allowing for unique and intricate building configurations to suit specific project requirements.
 PEB Structures: Have standardized designs and components, which may limit architectural flexibility compared to ordinary steel structures. However, PEBs offer customizable options within predetermined parameters to accommodate various building layouts and functionalities.

1. Construction Time:

 Ordinary Steel Structures: Typically have longer construction timelines due to on-site fabrication and assembly processes, as well as the need for customization and detailing.
 PEB Structures: Offer faster construction times compared to ordinary steel structures due to the use of prefabricated components and standardized designs. PEBs can be erected quickly, reducing overall construction duration and project lead times.

1. Cost Considerations:

 Ordinary Steel Structures: May incur higher initial costs due to the labor-intensive on-site fabrication process and customization requirements. However, long-term costs may vary depending on factors such as maintenance and operational efficiency.
 PEB Structures: Are often more cost-effective in terms of both initial construction costs and overall project expenses. Standardized designs, efficient manufacturing processes, and reduced on-site labor contribute to cost savings in PEB construction.

1. Architectural Flexibility:

 Ordinary Steel Structures: Provide greater architectural freedom and versatility, allowing for complex designs, irregular shapes, and customized features to meet specific aesthetic and functional preferences.
 PEB Structures: Offer flexibility within standardized parameters, allowing for customization of dimensions, layouts, and finishes. While PEBs may have limitations in architectural complexity compared to ordinary steel structures, they provide efficient and practical solutions for various building applications.

1. Quality Control:

 Ordinary Steel Structures: Quality control measures are implemented throughout the fabrication and assembly process to ensure compliance with engineering standards and specifications.
 PEB Structures: Benefit from rigorous quality control in the manufacturing of prefabricated components, leading to consistent product quality and adherence to industry standards. However, on-site assembly practices also play a crucial role in maintaining quality in PEB construction.

1. Applications:

 Ordinary Steel Structures: Widely used in diverse applications, including commercial buildings, industrial facilities, bridges, and infrastructure projects, where customization and architectural freedom are paramount.
 PEB Structures: Find extensive application in industries such as manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and aviation, where speed, cost-effectiveness, and standardized designs are critical for efficient construction and operations.
How G Skyeagle Infra Can Help and Suggest Better Structure Technology:

1. Expertise and Experience: G Skyeagle Infra brings years of expertise and experience in the construction industry, specializing in both ordinary steel structures and pre-engineered building structures. Our team of professionals understands the unique requirements of each project and can provide tailored solutions to meet client needs.
   
2. Customized Design Solutions: Our company can offer customized design solutions for clients seeking ordinary steel structures, leveraging our expertise in architectural design and structural engineering. We work closely with clients to understand their vision and provide innovative design concepts that maximize functionality and aesthetics.
   
3. Efficient Construction Methods: G Skyeagle Infra is well-versed in efficient construction methods for both ordinary steel structures and PEB structures. We can recommend the most suitable construction approach based on project requirements, timelines, and budget constraints, ensuring optimal efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
   
4. Technology Integration: Our company stays abreast of the latest advancements in construction technology and materials, allowing us to suggest better structure technology for our clients. Whether it's incorporating sustainable building materials, energy-efficient systems, or innovative construction techniques, we strive to enhance project outcomes and performance.
   
5. Comprehensive Project Management: From conceptualization to completion, G Skyeagle Infra provides comprehensive project management services, overseeing every aspect of the construction process. We ensure seamless coordination between stakeholders, adherence to timelines, and quality control throughout the project lifecycle.
   

By leveraging our expertise, experience, and commitment to excellence, G Skyeagle Infra can help clients navigate the complexities of construction projects and suggest better structure technology solutions that align with their goals and objectives.

Author’s Notes:
Finally, I’m back yet again! I finally got the time to write this wonderful little story project again; Senior year of high school has me super busy. I’ll be leaving for Air Force Basic Training in early June to go be a 5th Gen Crew Chief, so expect a roughly 5-6 month hiatus until I can keep writing.
I also got a PS2 emulator running on my PC, so I did a playthrough of each of the three Ace Combat games featured for that console, as well as 7 and Project Wingman. In later parts, you’ll definitely be able to tell the inspiration I got from all of the games.
I forgot to mention this in my last part, but last year I was able to head to Norfolk and see the USS George Washington in person, which was really cool. Writing about it is one thing, but actually getting to go on it and walk around was another experience entirely.
This part was kind of hastily put together to give you guys something to read, since It’s been way too long since I got a part for you. Once I get time after BMT and Tech School, I’ll continue and eventually finish off the story (If I can fit it in between doing MX stuff all day). Story wise, this part is just a setup for the massive port raid that will happen in the next part; I’m planning 2 more parts after that to finish off the story. Overall this project’s been fun, but I have to cap it off eventually.
Happy Reading!
…
“Alright, settle down, settle down.”
All the members of VF-102 quickly stopped talking to each other and looked towards the front of the room.
The CO then pulled down the paper map attached to the ready room wall. He pointed to the large port city that was slightly inland and surrounded by topographical marks denoting mountainous terrain on all sides.
“Before we can hit their fleet in port, we have to get through their coastal defenses.”
The CO pointed to a narrow stretch of water on the map that opened up into the large bay.“
“The kingdom we’re up against were smart with their port city positioning; they have an island in the middle of this strait with a heavy stone fortress on it. From the imagery we were able to collect on it, the fort apparently acts as a naval defense platform for their main port city. In conjunction with the strait, it’s a perfect defensive position to lock down entry and exit into the bay. We’re going to hit the fort today before we hit their fleet early tomorrow.”
Each pilot and RIO nodded in understanding.
“We’re sending four of you up as a two-ship strike package alongside VFA-86. Those assigned to hop today are going to get MK83s with Snakeyes to do the initial strike, and then the Hornets are going to mop up with some Mavericks and Rockeyes. The rest of you flying today are going to run the usual CAP up along the coastline.”
The CO gave out crew assignments for the fort strike package, which included Type and Wizard in Diamondback 110, and another Tomcat crew in Diamondback 113.
“The fort island is roughly Alcatraz Island-sized, so four MK83s rippled should be sufficient enough to crack the outer walls of the fort. Just be careful, as we don’t know if they have any Triple-A or not. Other than that, you guys are dismissed. Good luck out there.”
Type and Wizard hopped up and headed out of the ready room with the other VF-102 pilots and RIOs following. They weaved through the narrow gray halls of the carrier slipping past Sailors while hanging onto their flight bags and helmets.
…
As the evening sun shined down on the carrier deck, Type walked up to the Plane Captain waiting next to Diamondback 110.
“Hi, how’s it going?”
“All good sir, we just pulled the pins and the Ordnance guys just finished up fitting on the Sparrows.”
“Perfect, let’s get rolling with the preflight.”
The Plane Captain nodded, and got to work doing the final preflight check alongside Type and Wizard.
…
After the preflight, Type and Wizard both climbed the ladders to the aircraft and got seated. Both of them fit on their Woodland camouflage-covered helmets and flipped down the dark visors. Type ran through the comms check with Wizard, and started up the aircraft.
After the aircraft was started and all the systems were good, the Sailors on deck pulled out the cart connections and drove it away. Wizard dropped the canopy, and the Director in front marshaled them out from their parking spot.
…
Lining up on Catapult 4 behind 113, Type watched as two of the VFA-86 F/A-18Cs on Catapults 1 and 2 were tandem launched with the other two Hornets waiting behind the blast deflectors. Type brought the Tomcat through the catapult connection process, with the Shooter signaling him in.
…
Both Shooters for 3 and 4 signaled for engine start right as both blast panels were raised. The Cat 3 Shooter knelt down and sent his arm forward, followed by the Cat 4 Shooter.
113 was sent from the deck first, with 110 following soon after. Wizard gripped his handlebars as the Tomcat rattled with the catapult launch, while Type applied backwards stick pressure as soon as the Tomcat left the deck. He quickly pulled the gear switch up as well, rolling left with 113 right as the gear doors sealed.
…
Coming high to Angels 6 at Mil Power, both 102 Tomcats formed up with the Hornets that had CBUs equipped; Sidewinder 402 and 406. The other two Hornets with Mavericks on their wings, Sidewinder 404 and 411, caught up and formed up behind them.
The six-ship traversed north at 450 knots before reaching 5 miles out from the fort.
…
Before they descended in, each aircraft engaged their Master Arm switches and readied up their ordnance. 404 and 411 warmed up their Mavericks, while 113, 110, 402, and 406 each readied up their bombs.
“Warden, 113, Master Arm on.”
“110, Master Arm.”
Type had ‘ORD’ indicated on his HUD, with the impact point cross displayed on the lower end.
In the back, Wizard flicked the weapons station switches for the centerline pylons on and rotated the bomb selector to the ‘Ripple’ setting.
“Scope’s clear, hit the deck and ingress. Cleared hot on target.”
“113 Roger, goin’ in.”
Diamondback 113 pitched down and broke through the heavy cloud layer, with each aircraft following. Each of them reached roughly 500 feet off the water’s surface and leveled off. Sidewinder 404 and 411 split left and right to line up their Mavericks.
Right before they encountered the fort, each pilot noticed a large stone bridge spanning the length of the bay with 113 doing a full 360-degree right roll as the flight passed over it.
402 and 406 slowed down ready to lob their Rockeyes up and into the fort, while 110 and 113 made slight adjustments to line up with the west and east wall lengths of the fort.
Popping up extremely low over the fort’s walls, the Tomcats started the strike.
“Ready for drop….Shit, that’s flak!”
On the walls of the fort, cannon operators quickly tried to react to the airstrike by raising their flak cannons towards the incoming aircraft. Some of them opened up, creating thin stretches of black flak puffs around the four fighter aircraft rapidly approaching.
113 made it over the western wall stretch and dropped their four MK83s, which opened their fins and slowed down behind the aircraft.
With a small delay, Type pulled the trigger for weapons release. Both him and Wizard audibly heard ThThThThunk come from the underside of their aircraft.
“Pickle, Pickle, Pickle!”
…
On the top of the fort walls, archers and flak cannon operators watched with fear-filled wide eyes as large green cylinders with fins slowly came down on them. They accepted their fate as they detonated on impact, blowing stone everywhere and collapsing the wall sections. Ammunition dumps in the walls detonated with a chain reaction, causing even more destruction.
…
The pilot of Sidewinder 404 finished up locking his target on the island; a large naval cannon reminiscent of an Ottoman siege cannon. Looking at his MFD, he noted the lock indication for his Maverick and hit the weapon release, calling out:
“404, Rifle, East Cannon.”
The AGM-65F ignited and slid off its rail with its optics focusing directly on the massive naval cannon, impacting it a short time later. Soon after, a Maverick from Sidewinder 411 impacted the large cannon on the west side of the island, blowing it to bits.
“Shack Cannons, 404, defending Triple-A…”
…
The other two Hornets pitched up into burner with both pilots attempting to line up their HUD CCIP markers on the center of the fort.
As they popped up, the flak started to get more intense. Both pilots pushed into burner to drop quickly.
“406, Pickle!”
“402, Pickle…”
The CBU-100s detached from underneath the Hornets, coming in an upwards arc over the fort. Each bomb split open, releasing a large amount of smaller bomblets which coated the fort’s central structure. Anything or anyone in the blast radius was now dust.
“406, egressing-”
As Sidewinder 406 split left, the Hornet flew through a flak burst and took structural damage. The cockpit was penetrated by metal shards, impacting the pilot in his left arm and torso. He also took hits to the left end of his helmet, with his visor becoming cracked.
“Shit, I’m hit!”
…
Type and Wizard listened over the radio while climbing up back over the clouds with the rest of the aircraft, getting more and more concerned as 406 seethed in pain. Each aircraft was able to egress successfully, but Sidewinder 406 was trailing smoke and was starting to have engine issues as well.
“Warden, 406…..Took a hit…”
“406, Warden copies.”…
Warden relayed the information back to the controllers onboard CVN-73, who scrambled the Crash Teams for the hit Hornet. Sidewinder 406 was brought to the front of the pattern, and lined up for a trap. Getting the most assistance out of his aircraft systems as he could, he successfully put down the Hornet with a 1-wire while fighting his bleeding and severe pain.
A tug quickly pulled the Hornet out of the landing area, allowing the rest of the aircraft to trap. As the canopy raised, the Crash Team Sailors in their silver firefighting equipment pulled the injured pilot out, who was clutching his bleeding shoulder.
…
As Type and Wizard trapped and taxied off of the wires, they looked at the empty and damaged Hornet sitting off to the side.
“Man, hope he’s alright…”
“Yeah, too damn close today.”
They parked their Tomcat, and shut down the aircraft.
…
In the ready room, the CO went over the HUD footage from 110 and 113 for the debrief.
“That’s a mission success, we took out the fort and we have an open path for the port strike in sixteen hours. The only issue is, one of 82’s guys was hit during the strike. Thank God he made it back alive; it would’ve been bad had we lost him out here.”…
With the naval fort down, CVW-1 has a clear opening into the enemy kingdom’s main port for their anti-shipping strike. The injured Hornet pilot serves as a warning for all of them:
This conflict won’t be an easy one.