Itunes is unable to browse album covers on this computer
Fake Album Covers
2013.03.21 05:49 thebenolivas Fake Album Covers
Where the covers are made up & the music doesn't matter
2010.04.11 06:24 LieutenantClone /r/buildapc - Planning on building a computer but need some advice? This is the place to ask!
Planning on building a computer but need some advice? This is the place to ask! /buildapc is a community-driven subreddit dedicated to custom PC assembly. Anyone is welcome to seek the input of our helpful community as they piece together their desktop.
2011.04.14 05:13 jaxspider Album Art Porn
High quality images of album art.
2024.05.21 19:22 sunnynukes A list of Min Heejin’s weird pattern of behavior
I think it’s a good time for people to revisit some of Min Heejin’s previous personal and creative choices. When you see everything together it no longer looks like a couple of coincidences but a long leading pattern of behavior
I’ve tried to link as much as I can. Please let me know if need to edit or add anything. None of the MV links are the actual music videos and are instead stills posted on Imgur
-Hyein’s top in the Attention MV was a bralette while the older members all were more covered up. Hyein is 14 in this MV
-In the Attention MV their laptop falls to the ground as they’re on a video call and the people on the other end watch them dance
-Minji wears a shirt that says pimp is yours
-Min Heejin does a interview with BE(ATTITUDE) Magazine. She talks a bit about Hyein
-Min Heejin posts a picture on Instagram that includes the Histoire de Melody Nelson album by Serge Gainsbourg on display in her apartment. The album’s storyline is about a middle age man who takes a 14 year old’s virginity
-Min Heejin posts a picture on Instagram of Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting’s nude scene from the 1968 movie Romeo and Juliet. Olivia was 15 at the time of filming and Leonard was 16. (The actors have actually sued Paramount over the nudity in this scene you can read about it here)
-Min Heejin posts several pictures that include a “Baby Brooke” picture as decoration in her apartment. Brooke Shields was extremely sexually exploited as a child
-Min Heejin posts a picture that includes a still from the 1974 film Le Farò de Padre. The IMDb page for the film. The plot is an older man plans to marry a mentally-challenged, sex-crazed, adolescent girl.
-Danielle gets styled like Mathilda from Léon the Professional. Mathilda is played by 12 year old Natalie Portman and there are many inappropriate themes/hintings between her and the titular character who was portrayed by 46 year old Jean Reno.
There are also these two posts that she made but I do not know who they are if they are also celebrities/actors. I’m also sorry for the bad screenshot quality of her Instagram posts, she has since deleted these so these screenshots are from Twitter
-Min Heejin responds to the Instagram post controversy in a interview with JoongAng Ilbo.She says that all of the pictures of minors she had on her wall were gifted to her from a couple years ago. She also says that pimp is yours and Cookie are slang.
-The music video of OMG is taking place in a mental hospital with all of the members having different mental issues.
-Haters are directly talked to at the end of the OMG MV as one of the members stops another one from writing a hate comment on Twitter and tells the other member it’s time to go. The hate comment says “Does anyone else feel uncomfortable watching the MV?”
-NewJeans gets into a controversy ahead of their ETA release as there are many similarities with a Spanish terrorist cult(Euskadi Ta Askatasuna). The teaser video said starting Mikel, Maria, and Eva which are names people connected to the cult. The release date of ETA(July 21st) was also the date of two separate cult attacks in different years.
-The MV for Cool With You stars Jung Hoyeon as a woman who follows around and falls in love with a man who is unable to see her as she is some sort of invisible entity like Eros. She is able to become human after standing naked in the rain. The 5 members of NewJeans are basically her guardian angels and have been watching over her the entire time including a scene where Hoyeon gets on top of the man as he’s sleeping
Min Heejin worked at SM Entertainment from 2002 until 2018. These are some controversial moments that she was involved in during that time at SM
please note that I did not actively follow her career at that point so if I got any information wrong please let me know
-The Happiness MV from Red Velvet references the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and 9/11. The MV was edited to get rid of the collage.
-Red Velvet releases Ice Cream Cake which is filled with sexual innuendos. The ages of the members at this point are 23, 21, 21, 18, and Yeri being 16.
-This photoshoot for Red Velvet’s Rookie which I personally think fetishizes the members in a Lolita style. Yeri is 17
-Shinee’s topless photoshoot for Sherlock. Jonghyun’s body had too much muscle definition so they photoshopped it to make his body more boyish.
-The MV for NCT Dream’s My First And Last includes the members being students who are in love with their female teacher. The members ages at this point are also 18, 17, 16, 16, 16, 15, and 15.
-The MV for NCT 127’s Fire Truck includes shooting a young looking girl with water.
-The MV for Super Junior’s Devil had a 14 year old actress
Related to the recent Kakaotalk texts that were leaked where Min Heejin calls some of the members fat - here is a predebut video of the members of NewJeans talking with Min Heejin. The girls are only eating vegetables
submitted by sunnynukes to kpop_uncensored [link] [comments]
I’ve tried to link as much as I can. Please let me know if need to edit or add anything. None of the MV links are the actual music videos and are instead stills posted on Imgur
-Hyein’s top in the Attention MV was a bralette while the older members all were more covered up. Hyein is 14 in this MV
-In the Attention MV their laptop falls to the ground as they’re on a video call and the people on the other end watch them dance
-Minji wears a shirt that says pimp is yours
-Min Heejin does a interview with BE(ATTITUDE) Magazine. She talks a bit about Hyein
Our youngest member is cool and sophisticated. She came to my home one day and we ate together, went to the bookstore, and walked around the neighborhood, talking about this and that. There was a passing awkwardness, but after a while it felt like I was taking a walk with a friend. She’s got so many talents and amazing skills. She’s young, but thoughtful, with that innocence they have at that age. I still remember bathing in her refreshing energy, and the sublime weather only added to the effect.-NewJeans officially releases Cookie which is filled with sexual innuendo lyrics. Their ages at this point are 18, 17, 17, 16, and 14. Cookie was written by two native English speakers.
-Min Heejin posts a picture on Instagram that includes the Histoire de Melody Nelson album by Serge Gainsbourg on display in her apartment. The album’s storyline is about a middle age man who takes a 14 year old’s virginity
-Min Heejin posts a picture on Instagram of Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting’s nude scene from the 1968 movie Romeo and Juliet. Olivia was 15 at the time of filming and Leonard was 16. (The actors have actually sued Paramount over the nudity in this scene you can read about it here)
-Min Heejin posts several pictures that include a “Baby Brooke” picture as decoration in her apartment. Brooke Shields was extremely sexually exploited as a child
-Min Heejin posts a picture that includes a still from the 1974 film Le Farò de Padre. The IMDb page for the film. The plot is an older man plans to marry a mentally-challenged, sex-crazed, adolescent girl.
-Danielle gets styled like Mathilda from Léon the Professional. Mathilda is played by 12 year old Natalie Portman and there are many inappropriate themes/hintings between her and the titular character who was portrayed by 46 year old Jean Reno.
There are also these two posts that she made but I do not know who they are if they are also celebrities/actors. I’m also sorry for the bad screenshot quality of her Instagram posts, she has since deleted these so these screenshots are from Twitter
-Min Heejin responds to the Instagram post controversy in a interview with JoongAng Ilbo.She says that all of the pictures of minors she had on her wall were gifted to her from a couple years ago. She also says that pimp is yours and Cookie are slang.
-The music video of OMG is taking place in a mental hospital with all of the members having different mental issues.
-Haters are directly talked to at the end of the OMG MV as one of the members stops another one from writing a hate comment on Twitter and tells the other member it’s time to go. The hate comment says “Does anyone else feel uncomfortable watching the MV?”
-NewJeans gets into a controversy ahead of their ETA release as there are many similarities with a Spanish terrorist cult(Euskadi Ta Askatasuna). The teaser video said starting Mikel, Maria, and Eva which are names people connected to the cult. The release date of ETA(July 21st) was also the date of two separate cult attacks in different years.
-The MV for Cool With You stars Jung Hoyeon as a woman who follows around and falls in love with a man who is unable to see her as she is some sort of invisible entity like Eros. She is able to become human after standing naked in the rain. The 5 members of NewJeans are basically her guardian angels and have been watching over her the entire time including a scene where Hoyeon gets on top of the man as he’s sleeping
Min Heejin worked at SM Entertainment from 2002 until 2018. These are some controversial moments that she was involved in during that time at SM
please note that I did not actively follow her career at that point so if I got any information wrong please let me know
-The Happiness MV from Red Velvet references the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and 9/11. The MV was edited to get rid of the collage.
-Red Velvet releases Ice Cream Cake which is filled with sexual innuendos. The ages of the members at this point are 23, 21, 21, 18, and Yeri being 16.
-This photoshoot for Red Velvet’s Rookie which I personally think fetishizes the members in a Lolita style. Yeri is 17
-Shinee’s topless photoshoot for Sherlock. Jonghyun’s body had too much muscle definition so they photoshopped it to make his body more boyish.
-The MV for NCT Dream’s My First And Last includes the members being students who are in love with their female teacher. The members ages at this point are also 18, 17, 16, 16, 16, 15, and 15.
-The MV for NCT 127’s Fire Truck includes shooting a young looking girl with water.
-The MV for Super Junior’s Devil had a 14 year old actress
Related to the recent Kakaotalk texts that were leaked where Min Heejin calls some of the members fat - here is a predebut video of the members of NewJeans talking with Min Heejin. The girls are only eating vegetables
Min Hee Jin: How is it?
Hyein: It’s so good. I think after coming here, I got used to this healthy taste. So now I like such foods.
Min Hee Jin: Wow, finally something good to hear. Hyein originally liked meat, though.
Hyein: Yeah. I still like meat but, well.
2024.05.21 13:20 elvinelmo May’s Top Laptop Recommendations: Gaming, Productivity, Student, and General Use 👩💻🎮📚
Looking for a new laptop? Whether you’re a gamer, a student, or need a versatile workhorse, we’ve got you covered. Check out our curated list of laptops across different price ranges and find the perfect fit for your needs! 💻🔥
Gaming and Productivity
CPU - Following the graphics card, the processor stands as the second most pivotal element in your gaming laptop. Although the GPU generally bears the brunt of gaming demands, the CPU significantly influences overall system performance and holds the potential to bottleneck the GPU's capabilities. Gaming laptops housing more robust GPUs are often accompanied by 8-core processors. In the mid-range spectrum spanning $400 to $800, you'll typically find quad-core CPUs. While dual-core CPUs can handle gaming, they aren't optimal since sustaining boosted clock speeds might not always be achievable.
Here is how the most popular CPUs stack up to each other
😔Ryzen 3 3200U 👉i3-1115G4 👉Ryzen 5 3450U👉 Ryzen 5 3550H 👉i7-1255U👉i7-1355U👉Ryzen 5 5500U 👉Ryzen 5 7530U👉 Ryzen 7 5825U 👉Ryzen 9 5900HS 👉Ryzen 5 7535HS 👉Ryzen 9 5900HX 👉 Ryzen 7 6800H 👉Ryzen 9 6900HS👉Ryzen 9 7940HS👉i7-1260P👉i7-12650H 👉Ryzen 9 6900HX👉 i7-12700H👉 i7-12800H 👉 i9-12900H 👉 i9-12900HK 👉 i7-12800HX 👉i7-13620H 👉i9-12900HX👉i9-13980HX 😀
RAM is generally the most straightforward laptop component to upgrade. So, if you're working with a tight budget, you have the option to choose a laptop with lower RAM and later upgrade it yourself. Overspending on RAM is unnecessary; 16 GB is sufficient for gaming. However, considering 32 GB can provide future-proofing for your laptop.
Storage-wise, if your budget permits, it's advisable to select a laptop equipped with an SSD for storage. An SSD can significantly enhance a laptop's speed, particularly when compared to an HDD. This translates to reduced boot times and quicker load times, resulting in noticeably improved performance.
Please don't hesitate to offer your thoughts or pose any questions related to the laptops listed here. Your input is appreciated.
Please note I'm using affiliate links which means I'll receive a small percent of the purchase if you use this link! This is at no additional cost to you.
submitted by elvinelmo to SuggestALaptop [link] [comments]
Gaming and Productivity
| Name | Specs | Price | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP Victus | 15.6" Full HD 144Hz Gaming Laptop AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 8GB RAM DDR5 512GB SSD Backlit Windows 11 Home Bundle with 64GB USB Flash Drive | $565 | This laptop offers solid gaming performance at an affordable price. While it may lack some refinements, it’s definitely worth considering for budget-conscious gamers and multitaskers alike. |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 82SB0001US | 15.6" FHD - 120Hz - AMD Ryzen 5 6600H - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 - 8GB DDR5 RAM - 256GB NVMe Storage - Windows 11 Home | $649 | While it won’t blow you away, it gets the job done for everyday computing and casual gaming |
| MSI CYBORG 1512043 | 15.6" 144hz Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7 - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD | $799 | Great gaming laptop |
| MSI GF63 12VE-066US | 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop: 12th Gen Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB DDR4, 512GB NVMe SSD | $858 | Powerful CPU that is great for productivity work, its GPU is not bad either |
| MSI Pulse GL66 12UGKV-464 | 15.6" FHD 144Hz Gaming Laptop: Intel Core i7-12700H RTX 3070 16GB 512GB NVMe SSD, Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 1 | $999 | A solid choice for gamers with its Intel Core i7 and RTX 3070. The 144Hz display ensures smooth gameplay. 🎮🔥But the GPU is a bit dated |
| Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-781P | Intel 12th Gen i7-12650H NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 15.6” FHD 144Hz IPS Display 16GB DDR5 1TB Gen 4 SSD | $1119 | A well-rounded gaming laptop with a powerful RTX 4060 GPU and ample storage so no need to upgrade it yourself |
| MSI Katana B13VGK-484US | 15.6" 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop: 13th Gen Intel Core i7, RTX 4070, 16GB DDR5, 1TB NVMe SSD, USB-Type C, Cooler Boost 5, Win11 Home | $1330 | A worthwhile entry as one of the best value for money gaming laptops on the market. |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 PH16-71-74UU | 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700HX NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 16" 2560 x 1600 240Hz G-SYNC Display 16GB DDR5 1TB Gen 4 SSD | $1399 | A worthwhile entry as one of the best value-for-money gaming laptops on the market. Ideal for gaming and content creation. 🎮 |
| ASUS ROG Strix G16 G614JIR-AS94 | 16” ROG Nebula Display 16:10 QHD 240Hz, NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070, Intel® Core™ i9-14900HX, 16GB DDR5-5600, 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD | $1899 | A premium gaming laptop with an impressive QHD 240Hz display, Core i9 processor, and RTX 4070. Designed for serious gamers. 🎮 |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 7 | 16" 240Hz Display, Intel Core i9-13900HX(24-core), GeForce RTX 4080, 64GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD | $3099 | A powerhouse with a 24-core Intel Core i9, RTX 4080, and massive 64GB DDR5 RAM. For extreme gaming and productivity. 🎮🔥💼 |
Student & General Use
| Name | Specs | Price | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS C423NA Chromebook (refurb) | 14" HD Laptop (Intel Dual Core Celeron Processor N3350, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 64GB SSD | $123 | A budget-friendly Chromebook suitable for basic web browsing and productivity tasks. Ideal for students or casual users. |
| Acer Aspire 3 A315-24P-R7VH | 15.6" Full HD IPS Display AMD Ryzen 3 7320U Quad-Core Processor AMD Radeon Graphics 8GB LPDDR5 128GB NVMe SSD | $299 | Offers decent performance with an AMD Ryzen 3 processor and Full HD display. Good for everyday use. |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 | AMD Ryzen5-5500U 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) 8GB Memory 512GB SSD Storage Windows 11 | $319 | A budget-friendly laptop with a decent processor and storage. Suitable for light tasks and web browsing. |
| Lenovo Ideapad 5 | 15.6" FHD IPS Laptop, AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Abyss Blue, Windows 11 Home, 82SG00BLUS | $499 | |
| HP Envy x360 2-in-1 | 15.6" FHD IPS Glass Touchscreen AMD Hexa-core Ryzen 5 7530U (Beats i7-1255U) 16GB RAM 512GB SSD | $569 | Versatile 2-in-1 laptop with a powerful Ryzen 5 processor, ample RAM, and SSD storage. Great for productivity and entertainment. |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | 14" 1920x1200 100% sRGB Touch Screen Display Intel Core i7-1355U Intel Iris Xe 16GB LPDDR5 512GB Gen 4 SSD | $599 | A sleek ultrabook with an Intel Core i7 processor, good RAM, and a high-resolution touch display with high color accuracy |
| SAMSUNG Galaxy Book3 NP750XFG-KB2US | 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1355U Processor / 16 GB / 512GB, Thin and Light, FHD Screen | $769 | Thin and light laptop with an Intel Core i7 processor, suitable for productivity tasks and multimedia consumption. |
| HP ProBook 450 G10 | 15.6" FHD Display, 13th Gen Intel 10-Core i7-1355U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) | $845 | A business-oriented laptop with a powerful Intel Core i7 processor and ample RAM and a solid build. Designed for professional use. |
| Samsung Galaxy Book4NP940XGK-KG1US | 14", Intel Core 7 Ultra Processor 512GB, 16 GB RAM, 3K AMOLED (2880 x 1800) Touchscreen | $1449 | Premium laptop with a stunning AMOLED display, powerful Intel Core 7 Ultra processor, and ample RAM. Great for content creators and professionals. 🎨✨ |
| LG Gram 16Z90R-K.ADB9U1 | Intel 13th Gen Core i7 Evo Platform, Windows 11 Home, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD | $1589 | An ultralight laptop with impressive specifications, including a large SSD. Ideal for portability and performance. |
Here is how the most popular GPUs stack up to each other
😔 Intel HD Graphics 4600 👉 Vega 7 👉 Intel Iris Xe Graphics 👉 MX450 👉 RX 5500M 👉 GTX 1650 👉 RTX 3050 👉 RTX 3050 Ti 👉 RTX 4050👉 RTX 3060 👉 RTX 4060👉RTX 3060 Ti 👉 AMD RX 6700 XT 👉 RTX 3070 👉 RTX 3070 Ti 👉 AMD RX 6800 👉 RTX 3080 👉 RTX 3080 12GB 👉 RTX 3080 Ti 👉 AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT👉 RTX 4070 👉 RTX 3090 👉 RTX 3090 Ti 👉 RTX 4070 Ti 👉 AMD RX 6900 XT 👉 AMD RX 6950 XT 👉 AMD RX 7900 XT 👉 RTX 4080 👉 AMD RX 7900 XTX 😀CPU - Following the graphics card, the processor stands as the second most pivotal element in your gaming laptop. Although the GPU generally bears the brunt of gaming demands, the CPU significantly influences overall system performance and holds the potential to bottleneck the GPU's capabilities. Gaming laptops housing more robust GPUs are often accompanied by 8-core processors. In the mid-range spectrum spanning $400 to $800, you'll typically find quad-core CPUs. While dual-core CPUs can handle gaming, they aren't optimal since sustaining boosted clock speeds might not always be achievable.
Here is how the most popular CPUs stack up to each other
😔Ryzen 3 3200U 👉i3-1115G4 👉Ryzen 5 3450U👉 Ryzen 5 3550H 👉i7-1255U👉i7-1355U👉Ryzen 5 5500U 👉Ryzen 5 7530U👉 Ryzen 7 5825U 👉Ryzen 9 5900HS 👉Ryzen 5 7535HS 👉Ryzen 9 5900HX 👉 Ryzen 7 6800H 👉Ryzen 9 6900HS👉Ryzen 9 7940HS👉i7-1260P👉i7-12650H 👉Ryzen 9 6900HX👉 i7-12700H👉 i7-12800H 👉 i9-12900H 👉 i9-12900HK 👉 i7-12800HX 👉i7-13620H 👉i9-12900HX👉i9-13980HX 😀
RAM is generally the most straightforward laptop component to upgrade. So, if you're working with a tight budget, you have the option to choose a laptop with lower RAM and later upgrade it yourself. Overspending on RAM is unnecessary; 16 GB is sufficient for gaming. However, considering 32 GB can provide future-proofing for your laptop.
Storage-wise, if your budget permits, it's advisable to select a laptop equipped with an SSD for storage. An SSD can significantly enhance a laptop's speed, particularly when compared to an HDD. This translates to reduced boot times and quicker load times, resulting in noticeably improved performance.
Please don't hesitate to offer your thoughts or pose any questions related to the laptops listed here. Your input is appreciated.
Please note I'm using affiliate links which means I'll receive a small percent of the purchase if you use this link! This is at no additional cost to you.
2024.05.21 13:19 LaptopDealsTM May’s Top Laptop Recommendations: Gaming, Productivity, Student, and General Use 👩💻🎮📚
Looking for a new laptop? Whether you’re a gamer, a student, or need a versatile workhorse, we’ve got you covered. Check out our curated list of laptops across different price ranges and find the perfect fit for your needs! 💻🔥
Gaming and Productivity
CPU - Following the graphics card, the processor stands as the second most pivotal element in your gaming laptop. Although the GPU generally bears the brunt of gaming demands, the CPU significantly influences overall system performance and holds the potential to bottleneck the GPU's capabilities. Gaming laptops housing more robust GPUs are often accompanied by 8-core processors. In the mid-range spectrum spanning $400 to $800, you'll typically find quad-core CPUs. While dual-core CPUs can handle gaming, they aren't optimal since sustaining boosted clock speeds might not always be achievable.
Here is how the most popular CPUs stack up to each other
😔Ryzen 3 3200U 👉i3-1115G4 👉Ryzen 5 3450U👉 Ryzen 5 3550H 👉i7-1255U👉i7-1355U👉Ryzen 5 5500U 👉Ryzen 5 7530U👉 Ryzen 7 5825U 👉Ryzen 9 5900HS 👉Ryzen 5 7535HS 👉Ryzen 9 5900HX 👉 Ryzen 7 6800H 👉Ryzen 9 6900HS👉Ryzen 9 7940HS👉i7-1260P👉i7-12650H 👉Ryzen 9 6900HX👉 i7-12700H👉 i7-12800H 👉 i9-12900H 👉 i9-12900HK 👉 i7-12800HX 👉i7-13620H 👉i9-12900HX👉i9-13980HX 😀
RAM is generally the most straightforward laptop component to upgrade. So, if you're working with a tight budget, you have the option to choose a laptop with lower RAM and later upgrade it yourself. Overspending on RAM is unnecessary; 16 GB is sufficient for gaming. However, considering 32 GB can provide future-proofing for your laptop.
Storage-wise, if your budget permits, it's advisable to select a laptop equipped with an SSD for storage. An SSD can significantly enhance a laptop's speed, particularly when compared to an HDD. This translates to reduced boot times and quicker load times, resulting in noticeably improved performance.
Please don't hesitate to offer your thoughts or pose any questions related to the laptops listed here. Your input is appreciated.
Please note I'm using affiliate links which means I'll receive a small percent of the purchase if you use this link! This is at no additional cost to you.
submitted by LaptopDealsTM to LaptopDeals [link] [comments]
Gaming and Productivity
| Name | Specs | Price | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP Victus | 15.6" Full HD 144Hz Gaming Laptop AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 8GB RAM DDR5 512GB SSD Backlit Windows 11 Home Bundle with 64GB USB Flash Drive | $565 | This laptop offers solid gaming performance at an affordable price. While it may lack some refinements, it’s definitely worth considering for budget-conscious gamers and multitaskers alike. |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 82SB0001US | 15.6" FHD - 120Hz - AMD Ryzen 5 6600H - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 - 8GB DDR5 RAM - 256GB NVMe Storage - Windows 11 Home | $649 | While it won’t blow you away, it gets the job done for everyday computing and casual gaming |
| MSI CYBORG 1512043 | 15.6" 144hz Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7 - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD | $799 | Great gaming laptop |
| MSI GF63 12VE-066US | 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop: 12th Gen Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB DDR4, 512GB NVMe SSD | $858 | Powerful CPU that is great for productivity work, its GPU is not bad either |
| MSI Pulse GL66 12UGKV-464 | 15.6" FHD 144Hz Gaming Laptop: Intel Core i7-12700H RTX 3070 16GB 512GB NVMe SSD, Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 1 | $999 | A solid choice for gamers with its Intel Core i7 and RTX 3070. The 144Hz display ensures smooth gameplay. 🎮🔥But the GPU is a bit dated |
| Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-781P | Intel 12th Gen i7-12650H NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 15.6” FHD 144Hz IPS Display 16GB DDR5 1TB Gen 4 SSD | $1119 | A well-rounded gaming laptop with a powerful RTX 4060 GPU and ample storage so no need to upgrade it yourself |
| MSI Katana B13VGK-484US | 15.6" 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop: 13th Gen Intel Core i7, RTX 4070, 16GB DDR5, 1TB NVMe SSD, USB-Type C, Cooler Boost 5, Win11 Home | $1330 | A worthwhile entry as one of the best value for money gaming laptops on the market. |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 PH16-71-74UU | 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700HX NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 16" 2560 x 1600 240Hz G-SYNC Display 16GB DDR5 1TB Gen 4 SSD | $1399 | A worthwhile entry as one of the best value-for-money gaming laptops on the market. Ideal for gaming and content creation. 🎮 |
| ASUS ROG Strix G16 G614JIR-AS94 | 16” ROG Nebula Display 16:10 QHD 240Hz, NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070, Intel® Core™ i9-14900HX, 16GB DDR5-5600, 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD | $1899 | A premium gaming laptop with an impressive QHD 240Hz display, Core i9 processor, and RTX 4070. Designed for serious gamers. 🎮 |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 7 | 16" 240Hz Display, Intel Core i9-13900HX(24-core), GeForce RTX 4080, 64GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD | $3099 | A powerhouse with a 24-core Intel Core i9, RTX 4080, and massive 64GB DDR5 RAM. For extreme gaming and productivity. 🎮🔥💼 |
Student & General Use
| Name | Specs | Price | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS C423NA Chromebook (refurb) | 14" HD Laptop (Intel Dual Core Celeron Processor N3350, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 64GB SSD | $123 | A budget-friendly Chromebook suitable for basic web browsing and productivity tasks. Ideal for students or casual users. |
| Acer Aspire 3 A315-24P-R7VH | 15.6" Full HD IPS Display AMD Ryzen 3 7320U Quad-Core Processor AMD Radeon Graphics 8GB LPDDR5 128GB NVMe SSD | $299 | Offers decent performance with an AMD Ryzen 3 processor and Full HD display. Good for everyday use. |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 | AMD Ryzen5-5500U 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) 8GB Memory 512GB SSD Storage Windows 11 | $319 | A budget-friendly laptop with a decent processor and storage. Suitable for light tasks and web browsing. |
| Lenovo Ideapad 5 | 15.6" FHD IPS Laptop, AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Abyss Blue, Windows 11 Home, 82SG00BLUS | $499 | |
| HP Envy x360 2-in-1 | 15.6" FHD IPS Glass Touchscreen AMD Hexa-core Ryzen 5 7530U (Beats i7-1255U) 16GB RAM 512GB SSD | $569 | Versatile 2-in-1 laptop with a powerful Ryzen 5 processor, ample RAM, and SSD storage. Great for productivity and entertainment. |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | 14" 1920x1200 100% sRGB Touch Screen Display Intel Core i7-1355U Intel Iris Xe 16GB LPDDR5 512GB Gen 4 SSD | $599 | A sleek ultrabook with an Intel Core i7 processor, good RAM, and a high-resolution touch display with high color accuracy |
| SAMSUNG Galaxy Book3 NP750XFG-KB2US | 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1355U Processor / 16 GB / 512GB, Thin and Light, FHD Screen | $769 | Thin and light laptop with an Intel Core i7 processor, suitable for productivity tasks and multimedia consumption. |
| HP ProBook 450 G10 | 15.6" FHD Display, 13th Gen Intel 10-Core i7-1355U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) | $845 | A business-oriented laptop with a powerful Intel Core i7 processor and ample RAM and a solid build. Designed for professional use. |
| Samsung Galaxy Book4NP940XGK-KG1US | 14", Intel Core 7 Ultra Processor 512GB, 16 GB RAM, 3K AMOLED (2880 x 1800) Touchscreen | $1449 | Premium laptop with a stunning AMOLED display, powerful Intel Core 7 Ultra processor, and ample RAM. Great for content creators and professionals. 🎨✨ |
| LG Gram 16Z90R-K.ADB9U1 | Intel 13th Gen Core i7 Evo Platform, Windows 11 Home, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD | $1589 | An ultralight laptop with impressive specifications, including a large SSD. Ideal for portability and performance. |
Here is how the most popular GPUs stack up to each other
😔 Intel HD Graphics 4600 👉 Vega 7 👉 Intel Iris Xe Graphics 👉 MX450 👉 RX 5500M 👉 GTX 1650 👉 RTX 3050 👉 RTX 3050 Ti 👉 RTX 4050👉 RTX 3060 👉 RTX 4060👉RTX 3060 Ti 👉 AMD RX 6700 XT 👉 RTX 3070 👉 RTX 3070 Ti 👉 AMD RX 6800 👉 RTX 3080 👉 RTX 3080 12GB 👉 RTX 3080 Ti 👉 AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT👉 RTX 4070 👉 RTX 3090 👉 RTX 3090 Ti 👉 RTX 4070 Ti 👉 AMD RX 6900 XT 👉 AMD RX 6950 XT 👉 AMD RX 7900 XT 👉 RTX 4080 👉 AMD RX 7900 XTX 😀CPU - Following the graphics card, the processor stands as the second most pivotal element in your gaming laptop. Although the GPU generally bears the brunt of gaming demands, the CPU significantly influences overall system performance and holds the potential to bottleneck the GPU's capabilities. Gaming laptops housing more robust GPUs are often accompanied by 8-core processors. In the mid-range spectrum spanning $400 to $800, you'll typically find quad-core CPUs. While dual-core CPUs can handle gaming, they aren't optimal since sustaining boosted clock speeds might not always be achievable.
Here is how the most popular CPUs stack up to each other
😔Ryzen 3 3200U 👉i3-1115G4 👉Ryzen 5 3450U👉 Ryzen 5 3550H 👉i7-1255U👉i7-1355U👉Ryzen 5 5500U 👉Ryzen 5 7530U👉 Ryzen 7 5825U 👉Ryzen 9 5900HS 👉Ryzen 5 7535HS 👉Ryzen 9 5900HX 👉 Ryzen 7 6800H 👉Ryzen 9 6900HS👉Ryzen 9 7940HS👉i7-1260P👉i7-12650H 👉Ryzen 9 6900HX👉 i7-12700H👉 i7-12800H 👉 i9-12900H 👉 i9-12900HK 👉 i7-12800HX 👉i7-13620H 👉i9-12900HX👉i9-13980HX 😀
RAM is generally the most straightforward laptop component to upgrade. So, if you're working with a tight budget, you have the option to choose a laptop with lower RAM and later upgrade it yourself. Overspending on RAM is unnecessary; 16 GB is sufficient for gaming. However, considering 32 GB can provide future-proofing for your laptop.
Storage-wise, if your budget permits, it's advisable to select a laptop equipped with an SSD for storage. An SSD can significantly enhance a laptop's speed, particularly when compared to an HDD. This translates to reduced boot times and quicker load times, resulting in noticeably improved performance.
Please don't hesitate to offer your thoughts or pose any questions related to the laptops listed here. Your input is appreciated.
Please note I'm using affiliate links which means I'll receive a small percent of the purchase if you use this link! This is at no additional cost to you.
2024.05.21 07:56 Hot_Bandicoot_3839 How to Retrieve Data from Encrypted Apple APFS Volume
 | https://preview.redd.it/b1wcu1pmxp1d1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a1adeed597b6d88347e8606da572f4993a3611db submitted by Hot_Bandicoot_3839 to datarevivalsquad [link] [comments] Unlike HFS+, the modern Apple APFS file system—used in macOS 10.13 High Sierra and later—supports disc encryption by default. It can therefore protect critical user data at the file system level without providing the extra abstraction that Core Storage does. Its state-of-the-art security features notwithstanding, the technology is unable to guarantee against data loss. A power outage or human mistake are two of the many possible causes. Fortunately, files erased from an encrypted APFS volume on an internal or external drive can be recovered with the correct password or recovery key. After that, it can be restored to any secure location, barring catastrophic damage that has destroyed the disk's component parts that contain the metadata and encryption key file, among other things, that are necessary to decrypt the data. To decrypt your Apple storage and recover the encrypted data in BLR BitLocker Data Recovery, RAID, or Network RAID editions, simply follow the instructions that are provided. See the second instruction if you plan to use BLR Professional Data Recovery. Regarding the Standard, RAID, or Network RAID editions of BLR Tools1. Connect your Apple APFS-locked device to the PC.Attach the portable hard drive encrypted to your Mac. If it's internal storage, you'll need to take it out of the computer and use it as a secondary drive on another computer, or you can use the BLR BitLocker Recovery tool for the recovery to start your Mac in a secure environment. It is also possible to work on the same Mac, but in order to do so, System Integrity Protection must be disabled, as detailed in Unblocking access to macOS drives. However, the latter choice is not recommended because there is a high likelihood of overwriting the data. Moreover, as the linked article goes on to explain, data cannot be recovered from the system drives of Mac models that depend on Apple's M1 (Apple Silicon) or T2 security chips. 2. Run BLR BitLocker Data Recovery Tool Standard Recovery after installation. Enter the correct username and password to open the software with elevated privileges. In the left pane, the programme will list every drive that is connected. Each physical device's logical volumes will appear beneath it. 3. Locate the necessary encrypted APFS volume from the list that appears. Check if an APFS partition—designated by a yellow padlock icon—is present in the list. 4. To access the application's content, decrypt the storage. Even if the file system is marked as accessible, until it is decoded, no valid data can be obtained from it. To do this, select the "Decrypt encrypted APFS volume" option from the volume's context menu by opening it. Enter the correct user password in the dialogue that appears, or copy and paste the recovery key into the appropriate field. 5. In order to recover lost or deleted files, perform a scan on the decrypted volume. The volume will unlock and its contents will be available within the programme following a successful decryption. You can also use the storage to scan for lost or deleted files. Select only APFS from the list of file systems when using the "Scan this storage" tool from the toolbar, then click the "Start scan" button. 6. Once the required recovered elements have been verified, save them to a different location. Once the scanning process is complete, use the application's reconstruction of the file system to locate the necessary folders and files. Next, select "Define selection", check the boxes that correspond to them, and click "Save selection." Next, designate a secure location for the copy to be stored. Regarding BLR Tools1. Link the computer to the encrypted Apple APFS device.Connect the external drive that is encrypted to the Mac. You can either use the BLR Data recovery software to boot your Mac in a safe environment or extract the system disc from the machine and attach it to another computer as secondary storage if you need to work with it. If you disable System Integrity Protection as outlined in Unblocking access to macOS drives, you can still work on the same Mac, but it is not advised due to the high risk of data overwriting. Furthermore, on Mac models that use Apple's M1 (Apple Silicon) or T2 security chips, data recovery from internal drives is not possible. For further details, please see the provided article. 2. Run BLR BitLocker Data Recovery after installing it. Once the correct user and password have been entered in the pop-up window, launch the programme with administrative privileges. In the left pane's list of connected storage devices, the application will show all of the attached drives. Logical volumes will be arranged beneath each physical device. 3. Select the required encrypted APFS volume from the storage list. Search the list for the required encrypted APFS partition, which will be indicated by a yellow padlock icon. 4. To open the data, use the decryption tool that the software has provided. The partition is marked as accessible, but until it is decoded, the data inside cannot be read. Select the "Decrypt encrypted storage" option from the volume context menu, then opt for the "APFS volume decryption" technique. Enter the recovery key, complete with dashes, or enter the correct user password in the designated field. 5. Look through the decrypted storage to recover lost or deleted files. The available files will be viewable in the software interface once decryption is finished. By scanning the storage, you can also locate the ones that were lost or erased. Select the appropriate tool from the toolbar, deselect all other file systems, save APFS, and then click "Start scan" to begin the scan. 6. After selecting the necessary recovered items, copy them to a different disc. Once the process is complete, you can locate the necessary folders and files by browsing the file system that the programme has restored. Click "Define selection", check the ones you want to save, then click "Save selection." Next, decide which safe destination folder to put the saved items in. |
2024.05.21 05:22 wood_chomper A man has been drinking molten wax from my candles.
I first started noticing that something was wrong around 3 months ago. At the time, I was working from home and would usually light a scented candle while I worked, which usually helped me relax and stay focused on my work. I would usually burn through a candle a week, but over time, the candles started to take less time to fully burn up. At first, I thought that this was because of a change in ingredients the company that made the candles used, but the problem persisted after I switched candle brands, which I once again blamed on the candle manufacturers.
I kept this belief for another week until the first incident. While getting up from my computer desk, which faces away from the candle, to take a quick bathroom break, I caught a glimpse of the lit candle. A two-inch layer of molten wax rested on another three-inch layer of solid wax, the wicks rising out at first and being somewhat visible through the molten layer, finally breaking the surface and being slowly burned away. The flames flickered as I swung the door open and walked out of the room. When I returned 10 minutes later, the molten layer was gone, and the wicks had been shortened so that the flames rested right above the solid layer of the wax. At first, I thought that the glass jar that contained the candle was leaking, but after a short inspection, I was only able to find two small drops of candle wax that had solidified right next to the candle on the bedside table. I still had 2 hours of work left to do, but I was too lost in thought and was unable to do any work for the rest of the day.
Every night before I go to sleep, I like to read for at least 30 minutes, and while reading, I usually light a candle. Around 4 days later, I had mostly forgotten about the incident and went back to using candles. Due to my naivety, it returned.
I fell asleep while reading with a candle lit on my bedside table. I woke up to loud slurping noises. As I opened my eyes, the brightness of the light I had not turned off almost blinded me. As my eyes tried to readjust to the light and focus on what was in front of me, I saw a somewhat humanoid dark gray to light blue blur that contrasted with the white paint on the walls behind it. Another gray line stretched from the shape's head to the candle on my bedside table. I could feel my heart skip five consecutive beats. I opened my mouth and tried to force out a scream for help, but the pressure I applied to my throat was way beyond what it was able to handle, leading me to only produce a light wheezing sound. I tried to sit up or to at least prop myself up, but my muscles failed me. Trying to push myself up with my arms felt impossible. As I stared at the figure that had suddenly appeared in my room, my eyes finally managed to focus, making it possible for me to see the intruder who was now staring at me. The figure was a man at least 7 feet tall, fully naked; he looked bloated; his eyes were bloodshot and looked like they would pop out of their sockets; at any point, his skin was a grayish light blue.
HIS LIPS
His lips extended from his mouth like an elephant's trunk, which had been split in half. The lips extended from the man's face to the candle; the flames had been put out. He was using his lips as a makeshift straw, slowly sucking up all the molten wax from the candle, which had fully liquified while I was asleep. I laid in bed, unable to move, unable to scream for help, staring until he emptied the jar. His lips retracted back to his face, the molten wax solidifying on their tips and cracking, flakes of wax falling off the man's lips and falling to the floor. The man grinned, staring at me. The ridges and gaps between the teeth were filled in with wax, making it impossible to make out where one tooth ended and the next one began. The man opened the door he was standing next to, but instead of walking out of the room, he stepped behind it. His face peered at me from above the door, and then once again, like he had done to drink the wax, the man puckered his lips, which stretched from his mouth and floated to me. I shook and tried to roll over away from him. I wanted to get up and run, but my fear had taken over my body. Tears flowed from my eyes. He kissed me on the cheek, leaving flakes of wax and light moisture. He retracted his lips and lowered his head behind the door.
I don't remember falling asleep, but when I woke up, I saw the empty glass jar, which at one point contained the candle. Even though I had hoped that what had happened was a dream, it wasn't. I still had flakes of wax on my cheek, and on my bedroom floor, the wax in the jar had disappeared. I called the police, but they were unable to find anyone in my apartment; they also could not find any evidence of a break-in.
After the break-in, I started looking for a new apartment to move to, thinking that the man was tied to the building I was in, but even though I had thrown out all of my candles, I could not stomach spending another hour in my apartment, constantly looking over my shoulder or walking around with my back pressed up against the wall to not allow it to creep up on me. Thankfully, my friend Emma was able to let me stay over at her apartment while I looked for a new one for myself.
Me and Emma have been friends since we were 8, and we've been there to support each other when times get rough. This isn’t the first time I've had to stay over at her house for an extended amount of time; in fact, I have had to stay over at Emma’s as many times as she has had to stay over at my apartment, whether it was because of evictions after losing a job, breakups, or a candle wax drinking squatter. I didn't even know if it was human. I mean, sure, it looked like one, but human lips are not supposed to do what his did, and somehow it didn't have a reaction to molten wax being poured down its esophagus. I didn't tell Emma about what happened—the details at least—I just told her that a man had broken into my house and was watching me sleep. The only people I told the truth to were my therapist and the cops, and all of them disregarded what I told them as my mind making things up after a traumatic event.
For a while, I believed what they said—I mean, why wouldn’t I?—but then I started seeing him again. For a few days, I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me again like it had done during the night of the incident. For split seconds out of the corner of my eye, I would see the outline of a tall, bloated figure. At first, they were hours apart, but after a while, it became constant. He was standing in each room I passed, in every single dark corner I glanced past, and then he spoke.
“FeeD MeEeee”
It stood in the kitchen, peering over from a small gap between the fridge and the sink, where the trash can that had been knocked over onto its side usually stood. His voice was raspy, and every word that came out of his mouth was distorted as if he were gargling water, but still, I could somehow clearly make out each word he said from over 15 feet away.
“Please just leave me alone I… why are you following me?”
I shouted at the figure, the same fear that had taken over my body during the night I saw him for the first time paralyzing me, making it impossible for me to move anything other than my eyes, eyelids, and mouth.
“i’M sTarviNg, I nEEd You To FeEd ME”
It replied again. Now, stepping out from behind the fridge, he stepped directly onto a rotten banana. Its mushy brown content’s seeping out of the peel under the pressure of his decomposing foot, which was covered in scabs, and took up the same grayish light blue color as the rest of his body. He mostly looked the same; his bloodshot eyes bulged from their sockets, but now his tongue was swollen. It peeked out from between his bloated, cracked gray lips; it stared at me, waiting for an answer.
“Ok, I’ll.. I’ll feed you, but please just... leave me alone.”
I replied, the tone of my voice shifting into high-pitched squeals with every quick breath I took. He looked satisfied by my response. He somehow squeezed his bloated body back into the gap that was at least four times smaller than him. After peering over at me from above the fridge, he bent over backwards, his spine releasing a series of sickening cracks until he was fully obscured by the fridge, and then he vanished.
Still barely in control of my body, I limped over to the couch tucked away in the back corner of the living room, it took me at least 10 minutes to steady my breathing and 20 more to fully regain control of my body again but as soon as I did I ran out the house and to the nearest store, during the 15-minute walk he stared at me through dark windows and the backs of cars, peered out at me from gaps between leaves in the trees and bushes, he even followed me into the store staring at me from the middle of deserted isles before disappearing right before my eyes were able to fully catch him, once I finally got the candles I randomly picked four off of the shelves and rushed to the self checkout.
When I arrived home, I had 2 hours before Emma got off work. I didn't want to feed it while she was home, and I didn't want her to see it. I pulled out two of the candles from the black plastic bag and placed them on the kitchen table, the first a light blue candle named “Garden Rain” and the second a red candle named “Juicy Watermelon." I pulled out a lighter from one of the drawers Emma used after her stove stopped lighting on its own and lit each of the 6 wicks on the candles. As soon as I started seeing the wax melt under the heat of the burning wicks, I dropped the lighter onto the table next to the candles and ran out of the room. I could not stomach seeing that thing again; even just thinking about it made me shudder and hyperventilate. The paralyzing fear that seeing him caused me made me want to vomit.
At least 30 minutes later I started to hear it drink even though the living room and kitchen were separated by a wall, even though I had closed the door I could still hear what at first started as slurping sounds which were followed up by loud gulps, then it stopped, and once again 30 minutes later it started drinking, as the slurping started once again I heard the door to the apartment crack open, it was Emma, as she stepped through the door I saw her carrying two large brown paper bags of groceries in her hands, she was headed to the kitchen.
“Hey let me grab those for you”
I said running over to her, my voice shaking.
“Oh, thanks. Are you… okay, you look scared?”
My eyes shot wide open in a mixture of fear and surprise. I said the first thing that came to mind.
“Yeah just umm… I didn't expect you to come home so early and I got a bit spooked”
“shit sorry, I know I should have called you, work let me off early today,”
I started to turn away from her walking to the kitchen.
Trying to keep her away from the kitchen I told her to wait for me in the living room because I wanted to talk to her about something. I didn't know what I would talk to her about but that was a problem for future me to resolve, somehow it worked.
“What's that sound?”
She called out to me while walking towards the living room couch. It took me a few seconds to come up with an excuse.
“I think it’s the sink, or the pipes at least”
I opened the door to the kitchen with my eyes closed at first hesitant to look knowing what would be greeting me. slowly prying my eyes open I started to see its outline, my muscles started to lose strength as the details of the man came into my view, I felt the grocery bags start to slip from my arms, my knees buckled, face first I fell onto the kitchen floor scattering the groceries all over the floor, I mixture of a light scream and a yelp escaped from my mouth as my body made contact with the floor, Emma concerned for my safety ran into the kitchen, she didn't scream, using all of the strength and mobility I had left in my muscles I rolled over expecting to see her face drenched in terror, her body frozen still unable to move just like my body had done the first time that I saw him, but Emma looked concerned, the man was gone, she crouched down beside me.
“Oh my god are you ok? What happened?”
I looked around observing my surroundings.
“I um… I… I tripped on the little thing at the bottom of the doorframe”
I finally managed to blurt out another excuse, not being able to remember what the name of a door sill was. I started to sit up using a part of the energy that had returned to my body, pain pulsed through my chest and arms, Emma looked at me with a concerned face.
“You've been acting really weird since I got home, are you sure you're ok?”
“Yeah… I think I’m just having one of those days you know”
The confusion on Emma’s face said that she didn’t know and to be honest I didn't either, I guess my luck of pulling random excuses out of my ass ran out, Emma thought that she triggered some sort of PTSD response after barging into the house unannounced at first apologizing then trying to change the subject to stop my trembling which I was still unsuccessfully trying to hide from her.
“Did you buy candles?”
Emma asked picking the groceries apart from the garbage that spilled out the can that the man had knocked over, placing them on the table next to the now half-empty glass jars, the flames flickered above the inch or so of molten wax the man was unable to finish drinking.
“Yeah I’ve been struggling with work lately, they usually help me focus”
“Huh Interesting combination you’ve got going on here”
She looked at me and smiled slightly, I smiled back and chuckled to seem normal.
“Yeah even I don't know what I was trying to accomplish here, to be honest”
I tried to help Emma clean up the spilled groceries but she did not let me, she told me that I needed to recover like I had been in a car crash instead of having taken a little tumble. After a few seconds of silence, Emma spoke again.
“Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about earlier?”
A quick jolt of stress shot through my body, in a jumbled mess of lies and fear I had forgotten what I had told Emma, I sat there in silence for a few seconds unable to come up with an excuse
“I…umm… I don’t remember, it wasn't anything serious though”
“Damn did you hit your head too?”
She said once again proudly smiling at her joke.
At this point Emma picked up the last bag of potato chips from the floor and placed it on the table, then she opened the fridge and started loading the groceries into it.
“Anyway I gotta go get back to work’’
I blurted out after a few more seconds of awkward silence.
“Alright well good luck”
I walked over into the living room and sat down in front of my workstation, which now consisted of a laptop sitting on a small foldable TV tray that had just barely enough room left on it to fit a small USB mouse.
The last thing I remember, before I fell asleep, was me mindlessly scrolling through apartment listings while Emma watched a random 90’s horror movie I’m positive only had a budget of $500.
I woke up with a light stinging pain shooting through my dry throat, and a dim hissing sound caused by thousands of water drops striking the ground outside filled the room. I pressed the spacebar on my laptop, the brightness of the screen blinding me temporarily, after taking a few seconds to let my eyes readjust I managed to make out the time, 3:45 AM. A strong smell I was unable to make out the origin of assaulted my nostrils. Lavender.
The smell hitting my nose had the same effect on me that I would expect smelling salts would have on a weightlifter right before they set a world record. Before I knew it my legs were moving on their own at an almost uncontrollable pace, fighting back against my mind which was telling them to slow down after years of being used to navigating both mine and Emma’s apartment as steadily as possible to not bother the neighbors.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity I stood before Emma’s bedroom door, a faint, yellow, pulsating light radiated from a lamp and snuck out of a small gap between the door and the doorframe, reluctantly I pushed my left hand up against the door, my right hand grasping onto the door frame for a sense of stability, once the door was fully agape I scanned the inside of the room my heart skipping a beat for every humanoid shadow cast up onto the wall by the lights from the wicks which were set ablaze and were being slowly burnt away.
I walked into Emma’s room and made my way over to her bedside table to put out the candle, as I stepped closer towards her, her face became more defined, I could finally make out her features, she was awake, but no she could not have been, even though her eyes were wide open they never blinked, she didn't even move slightly, as I moved closer I finally managed to fully make out the expression of pure terror on her face, her mouth wide agape as if she was about to release a deafening screach, but she could not have, a single drop of solidified wax dribbled out of the corner of her mouth and clung to her cheek, my eyes traced the cream colored path back towards her mouth, first up her cheek then between the corner of her mouth and finally behind her teeth, there instead of her tongue or the roof of her mouth I saw a wall of wax which had filled in the entirety of her mouth.
I fell to my knees and hunched forward supporting my body weight with my arms, I was too late, I resisted the urge to vomit and got back up onto my feet, a mixture of tears and snot slid down my face and onto my lips, shaking now I slowly started limping over towards my phone which I had left on the couch next to where I had awoken just minutes before, just minutes before my life was destroyed because of my lies if I had just told Emma what I had gone through, if I had just told her what had happened on the night of the incident which now seemed trivial, even if she thought that I was crazy, I know that she would have complied just to make me feel comfortable.
It took me at least 30 seconds of repeated attempts to stabilize my hands enough to properly dial 911. “Someone broke into my apartment and hurt my friend” was the only reasonable explanation I could come up with that would not get the operator to hang up on me thinking that this was a prank call.
I sat there in the living room for an agonizing 10 minutes, crying, my sadness slowly transformed into anger towards myself, and my mind raced thinking of all the lies I’d told, I kept thinking that if I had just told her the truth she would not have been laying there in her bed, her body bloated, “every single orifice has signs of forced penetration and has been filled with what seems to be candle wax” is what was written on her autopsy report.
For a few days I was the main suspect in Emma’s murder, but due to the almost unstoppable crying and the unresponsive state that I was in when the police arrived, mixed with the lack of evidence of me having a way to produce 30 pounds of candle wax led to me being released out of police custody, but because I was the main suspect I was not told any details about what had fully happened to Emma, for days all I had to work off of was the image of her face frozen in terror, and a short glance I caught of her bloated body as she was being carted out on a stretcher.
I recounted every single word of our last conversations over and over again until they became permanently etched into my brain.
Emma’s parents originally wanted to cremate her, as that is what she had somewhat jokingly asked for whenever the topic of funerals came up, well she had joked about wanting to have had unpopped popcorn shoved down her throat before she was sent off to “scare the shit out of the guy cremating me” but due to all the wax which would have been impossible to get out of her body they were forced to bury her.
A few days before Emma’s funeral her body disappeared.
After Emma’s death, her parents took me into their home, after reading the autopsy reports and seeing her corpse they had thrown out every single candle they owned which made their home the safest choice I had, still, this did not stop me from buying a machete and keeping it under my bed, just in case.
I was laying on the bed in their guest bedroom The day that the police informed Emma’s parents about her disappearance, the bedroom is right above the front porch of the house, at first I heard them ring the doorbell which was followed up by 3 powerful knocks on the door, for about a minute I laid there on the bed listening to muffled voices exchanging distorted words I was barely able to make out which slowly transformed into distorted weeps, curious I lifted myself up from the bed, made my way over to the window and carefully lifted the bottom panel making Shure to not make too much noise, the distorted muffled sounds started forming into coherent words “We checked the security footage but the only strange thing we could see was a 5 second time jump” one of the officers spoke in a serious and almost monotone voice “which meant that the security guard who was the only person in the building had to climb down 2 flights of stairs walk through a 40 foot long hallway and then drag her body back up stairs and out of the building in 5 seconds” Emma’s mom let out yelp “ but don’t worry ma'am that’s actually good news because we know that her corpse is still somewhere within the building and was probably brought to the wrong floor by an intern, we’ve already warned all of the staff at the hospital to keep an eye out, and we also sent 5 officers to search the hospital”
I could not believe what I was hearing, my breathing quickened, but this time instead of fear I felt anger, that fucker stole her corpse and was probably in the weird separate plane of existence he always went back to after terrorizing me, cutting off chunks of her body, melting her, and drinking her.
I closed the window Emma’s mom's cries once again turned into a muffled rumble which was only possible to make out if you knew what to look for, I took a few steps back away from the window planning to lay back down, not wanting to bother Emma’s parents. I bumped into something, not something, someone, its fleshy towering form as solid as a wall sent me tumbling forward, I knew it was him, he had returned to take me too, to stretch his swollen cracked lips, push them down my esophagus, fill my lungs and stomach with wax. But despite all of that this time I was not scared, I was angry, and I was not going to stand there in terror like I had the last time I saw him.
I fell forward onto my knees my face missing the window sill just by mere inches, I put my hands onto the floor, lifted one of my knees, and rotated 180 degrees now facing the monster, to the right of him pushed up against the wall was the bed, light from the sun reflected off of the metallic button which kept my machete in it’s sheathe, the man started to stretch his lips, they were moving towards me, waving a wiggling through the air like a snake slithering towards me.
I dove towards the bed one of my feet pushing off of the floor and the other pushing against the wall which creaked under the pressure applied to it, I flew for a few moments before slamming down onto the carpet and sliding forward, the heat generated by my skin brushing against the carpet released a sharp stinging pain throughout my body, my outstretched arm landed just a few inches short of the machete, I quickly bent my arms, pushing my body up and crawled towards the machete. my fingers wrapped around the handle I spun around, my back pushed up against the bedside table, once again facing the man, he was still facing the window but his lips faced me and were just a few feet away from me, for what felt like minutes but was most likely no longer than a second, I struggled to hook my finger under the strap securing the machete into its sheath, as the lips inched towards me the man started producing gurgling noises, he was regurgitation wax.
I finally pulled the machete out of its sheath, I swung the blade at the man's lips, the blade was not met with any resistance as it sliced through the man’s lips which landed on the carpeted floor with an audible thud, the man did not have a physical reaction to my counter-attack, his lips kept creeping towards me, once again I slashed at the lips, still no reaction, I repeated this at least 3 more times.
I wanted to kill him, I wanted to take revenge for what he had done to Emma, but fighting back was pointless. I realized that no matter how much I tried to hurt it, I could not kill him, I could not get rid of him.
My rage dissipated and a mixture of fear and sadness crept in, and soon took over my body, I screamed for help, I screamed in fear, in agony, tears streamed down my face as the man's lips finally reached my face, he wasn’t met with any resistance as his lips snuck between mine, pried my jaw open and finally started to slide down my esophagus.
I heard the cops run up the stairs, they started banging on the door asking if I was okay only to have been met with muffled screams, hot wax started to pour down inside of me, the stinging pain of the heat made me want to plunge the machete which I had dropped onto the ground next to me into my stomach to create a gaping wound that the wax would hopefully funnel out of, the texture of the man's slippery, oily lips matched with the poison like flavor of the wax caused me to start gagging, I felt my insides bulging like at any moment my intestines would have been filled to the point where they would pop, I wanted to vomit, the drain myself of the filth I was filled with, but his lips had plugged my throat not allowing anything to get out.
Hearing my muffled screams the cops started kicking the door down, the man retracted his lips, the suction aided my attempts at cleansing my insides, I got onto my hands and knees streams of molten wax pouring out of me, solidifying on the the carpet, with another loud thud the door swung open slamming into the wall, the man was gone.
That’s the last thing I remember before I passed out, but according to one of the doctors who was in the ambulance that brought me to the hospital, I was still semi-responsive during the first 10 minutes of the ride to the hospital.
Approximately 13.4 pounds of wax were removed from my body, the doctors said that I was in a critical condition and some of them did not expect me to make it.
One of the officers who was there the day the man attacked me took a report of what had happened to me, due to the unmistakable evidence of what had happened to both me and Emma, and the fact that this was the 3rd instance of me reporting something like this the police finally started investigating who this man might have been.
Around a month later I was discharged from the hospital and once again have been staying in the living room of Emma’s parent's house.
I’ve been seeing the man again, candles were not allowed in the hospital I stayed at, which means that he’s probably very hungry, he’s close to attacking me again, I know it, he wants to finish what he started and I don't know if I have the power to fight back, I’m not sure if defeating him is even possible, I’m tired.
I’ve been seeing Emma too, her bloated, reanimated corpse often appears to be standing next to the man. If I let him take me will I get to join them? I’ve tried asking but they don’t answer, they just stare, I can’t keep living in constant fear, always looking over my shoulder, I miss Emma.
submitted by wood_chomper to scarystories [link] [comments]
I kept this belief for another week until the first incident. While getting up from my computer desk, which faces away from the candle, to take a quick bathroom break, I caught a glimpse of the lit candle. A two-inch layer of molten wax rested on another three-inch layer of solid wax, the wicks rising out at first and being somewhat visible through the molten layer, finally breaking the surface and being slowly burned away. The flames flickered as I swung the door open and walked out of the room. When I returned 10 minutes later, the molten layer was gone, and the wicks had been shortened so that the flames rested right above the solid layer of the wax. At first, I thought that the glass jar that contained the candle was leaking, but after a short inspection, I was only able to find two small drops of candle wax that had solidified right next to the candle on the bedside table. I still had 2 hours of work left to do, but I was too lost in thought and was unable to do any work for the rest of the day.
Every night before I go to sleep, I like to read for at least 30 minutes, and while reading, I usually light a candle. Around 4 days later, I had mostly forgotten about the incident and went back to using candles. Due to my naivety, it returned.
I fell asleep while reading with a candle lit on my bedside table. I woke up to loud slurping noises. As I opened my eyes, the brightness of the light I had not turned off almost blinded me. As my eyes tried to readjust to the light and focus on what was in front of me, I saw a somewhat humanoid dark gray to light blue blur that contrasted with the white paint on the walls behind it. Another gray line stretched from the shape's head to the candle on my bedside table. I could feel my heart skip five consecutive beats. I opened my mouth and tried to force out a scream for help, but the pressure I applied to my throat was way beyond what it was able to handle, leading me to only produce a light wheezing sound. I tried to sit up or to at least prop myself up, but my muscles failed me. Trying to push myself up with my arms felt impossible. As I stared at the figure that had suddenly appeared in my room, my eyes finally managed to focus, making it possible for me to see the intruder who was now staring at me. The figure was a man at least 7 feet tall, fully naked; he looked bloated; his eyes were bloodshot and looked like they would pop out of their sockets; at any point, his skin was a grayish light blue.
HIS LIPS
His lips extended from his mouth like an elephant's trunk, which had been split in half. The lips extended from the man's face to the candle; the flames had been put out. He was using his lips as a makeshift straw, slowly sucking up all the molten wax from the candle, which had fully liquified while I was asleep. I laid in bed, unable to move, unable to scream for help, staring until he emptied the jar. His lips retracted back to his face, the molten wax solidifying on their tips and cracking, flakes of wax falling off the man's lips and falling to the floor. The man grinned, staring at me. The ridges and gaps between the teeth were filled in with wax, making it impossible to make out where one tooth ended and the next one began. The man opened the door he was standing next to, but instead of walking out of the room, he stepped behind it. His face peered at me from above the door, and then once again, like he had done to drink the wax, the man puckered his lips, which stretched from his mouth and floated to me. I shook and tried to roll over away from him. I wanted to get up and run, but my fear had taken over my body. Tears flowed from my eyes. He kissed me on the cheek, leaving flakes of wax and light moisture. He retracted his lips and lowered his head behind the door.
I don't remember falling asleep, but when I woke up, I saw the empty glass jar, which at one point contained the candle. Even though I had hoped that what had happened was a dream, it wasn't. I still had flakes of wax on my cheek, and on my bedroom floor, the wax in the jar had disappeared. I called the police, but they were unable to find anyone in my apartment; they also could not find any evidence of a break-in.
After the break-in, I started looking for a new apartment to move to, thinking that the man was tied to the building I was in, but even though I had thrown out all of my candles, I could not stomach spending another hour in my apartment, constantly looking over my shoulder or walking around with my back pressed up against the wall to not allow it to creep up on me. Thankfully, my friend Emma was able to let me stay over at her apartment while I looked for a new one for myself.
Me and Emma have been friends since we were 8, and we've been there to support each other when times get rough. This isn’t the first time I've had to stay over at her house for an extended amount of time; in fact, I have had to stay over at Emma’s as many times as she has had to stay over at my apartment, whether it was because of evictions after losing a job, breakups, or a candle wax drinking squatter. I didn't even know if it was human. I mean, sure, it looked like one, but human lips are not supposed to do what his did, and somehow it didn't have a reaction to molten wax being poured down its esophagus. I didn't tell Emma about what happened—the details at least—I just told her that a man had broken into my house and was watching me sleep. The only people I told the truth to were my therapist and the cops, and all of them disregarded what I told them as my mind making things up after a traumatic event.
For a while, I believed what they said—I mean, why wouldn’t I?—but then I started seeing him again. For a few days, I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me again like it had done during the night of the incident. For split seconds out of the corner of my eye, I would see the outline of a tall, bloated figure. At first, they were hours apart, but after a while, it became constant. He was standing in each room I passed, in every single dark corner I glanced past, and then he spoke.
“FeeD MeEeee”
It stood in the kitchen, peering over from a small gap between the fridge and the sink, where the trash can that had been knocked over onto its side usually stood. His voice was raspy, and every word that came out of his mouth was distorted as if he were gargling water, but still, I could somehow clearly make out each word he said from over 15 feet away.
“Please just leave me alone I… why are you following me?”
I shouted at the figure, the same fear that had taken over my body during the night I saw him for the first time paralyzing me, making it impossible for me to move anything other than my eyes, eyelids, and mouth.
“i’M sTarviNg, I nEEd You To FeEd ME”
It replied again. Now, stepping out from behind the fridge, he stepped directly onto a rotten banana. Its mushy brown content’s seeping out of the peel under the pressure of his decomposing foot, which was covered in scabs, and took up the same grayish light blue color as the rest of his body. He mostly looked the same; his bloodshot eyes bulged from their sockets, but now his tongue was swollen. It peeked out from between his bloated, cracked gray lips; it stared at me, waiting for an answer.
“Ok, I’ll.. I’ll feed you, but please just... leave me alone.”
I replied, the tone of my voice shifting into high-pitched squeals with every quick breath I took. He looked satisfied by my response. He somehow squeezed his bloated body back into the gap that was at least four times smaller than him. After peering over at me from above the fridge, he bent over backwards, his spine releasing a series of sickening cracks until he was fully obscured by the fridge, and then he vanished.
Still barely in control of my body, I limped over to the couch tucked away in the back corner of the living room, it took me at least 10 minutes to steady my breathing and 20 more to fully regain control of my body again but as soon as I did I ran out the house and to the nearest store, during the 15-minute walk he stared at me through dark windows and the backs of cars, peered out at me from gaps between leaves in the trees and bushes, he even followed me into the store staring at me from the middle of deserted isles before disappearing right before my eyes were able to fully catch him, once I finally got the candles I randomly picked four off of the shelves and rushed to the self checkout.
When I arrived home, I had 2 hours before Emma got off work. I didn't want to feed it while she was home, and I didn't want her to see it. I pulled out two of the candles from the black plastic bag and placed them on the kitchen table, the first a light blue candle named “Garden Rain” and the second a red candle named “Juicy Watermelon." I pulled out a lighter from one of the drawers Emma used after her stove stopped lighting on its own and lit each of the 6 wicks on the candles. As soon as I started seeing the wax melt under the heat of the burning wicks, I dropped the lighter onto the table next to the candles and ran out of the room. I could not stomach seeing that thing again; even just thinking about it made me shudder and hyperventilate. The paralyzing fear that seeing him caused me made me want to vomit.
At least 30 minutes later I started to hear it drink even though the living room and kitchen were separated by a wall, even though I had closed the door I could still hear what at first started as slurping sounds which were followed up by loud gulps, then it stopped, and once again 30 minutes later it started drinking, as the slurping started once again I heard the door to the apartment crack open, it was Emma, as she stepped through the door I saw her carrying two large brown paper bags of groceries in her hands, she was headed to the kitchen.
“Hey let me grab those for you”
I said running over to her, my voice shaking.
“Oh, thanks. Are you… okay, you look scared?”
My eyes shot wide open in a mixture of fear and surprise. I said the first thing that came to mind.
“Yeah just umm… I didn't expect you to come home so early and I got a bit spooked”
“shit sorry, I know I should have called you, work let me off early today,”
I started to turn away from her walking to the kitchen.
Trying to keep her away from the kitchen I told her to wait for me in the living room because I wanted to talk to her about something. I didn't know what I would talk to her about but that was a problem for future me to resolve, somehow it worked.
“What's that sound?”
She called out to me while walking towards the living room couch. It took me a few seconds to come up with an excuse.
“I think it’s the sink, or the pipes at least”
I opened the door to the kitchen with my eyes closed at first hesitant to look knowing what would be greeting me. slowly prying my eyes open I started to see its outline, my muscles started to lose strength as the details of the man came into my view, I felt the grocery bags start to slip from my arms, my knees buckled, face first I fell onto the kitchen floor scattering the groceries all over the floor, I mixture of a light scream and a yelp escaped from my mouth as my body made contact with the floor, Emma concerned for my safety ran into the kitchen, she didn't scream, using all of the strength and mobility I had left in my muscles I rolled over expecting to see her face drenched in terror, her body frozen still unable to move just like my body had done the first time that I saw him, but Emma looked concerned, the man was gone, she crouched down beside me.
“Oh my god are you ok? What happened?”
I looked around observing my surroundings.
“I um… I… I tripped on the little thing at the bottom of the doorframe”
I finally managed to blurt out another excuse, not being able to remember what the name of a door sill was. I started to sit up using a part of the energy that had returned to my body, pain pulsed through my chest and arms, Emma looked at me with a concerned face.
“You've been acting really weird since I got home, are you sure you're ok?”
“Yeah… I think I’m just having one of those days you know”
The confusion on Emma’s face said that she didn’t know and to be honest I didn't either, I guess my luck of pulling random excuses out of my ass ran out, Emma thought that she triggered some sort of PTSD response after barging into the house unannounced at first apologizing then trying to change the subject to stop my trembling which I was still unsuccessfully trying to hide from her.
“Did you buy candles?”
Emma asked picking the groceries apart from the garbage that spilled out the can that the man had knocked over, placing them on the table next to the now half-empty glass jars, the flames flickered above the inch or so of molten wax the man was unable to finish drinking.
“Yeah I’ve been struggling with work lately, they usually help me focus”
“Huh Interesting combination you’ve got going on here”
She looked at me and smiled slightly, I smiled back and chuckled to seem normal.
“Yeah even I don't know what I was trying to accomplish here, to be honest”
I tried to help Emma clean up the spilled groceries but she did not let me, she told me that I needed to recover like I had been in a car crash instead of having taken a little tumble. After a few seconds of silence, Emma spoke again.
“Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about earlier?”
A quick jolt of stress shot through my body, in a jumbled mess of lies and fear I had forgotten what I had told Emma, I sat there in silence for a few seconds unable to come up with an excuse
“I…umm… I don’t remember, it wasn't anything serious though”
“Damn did you hit your head too?”
She said once again proudly smiling at her joke.
At this point Emma picked up the last bag of potato chips from the floor and placed it on the table, then she opened the fridge and started loading the groceries into it.
“Anyway I gotta go get back to work’’
I blurted out after a few more seconds of awkward silence.
“Alright well good luck”
I walked over into the living room and sat down in front of my workstation, which now consisted of a laptop sitting on a small foldable TV tray that had just barely enough room left on it to fit a small USB mouse.
The last thing I remember, before I fell asleep, was me mindlessly scrolling through apartment listings while Emma watched a random 90’s horror movie I’m positive only had a budget of $500.
I woke up with a light stinging pain shooting through my dry throat, and a dim hissing sound caused by thousands of water drops striking the ground outside filled the room. I pressed the spacebar on my laptop, the brightness of the screen blinding me temporarily, after taking a few seconds to let my eyes readjust I managed to make out the time, 3:45 AM. A strong smell I was unable to make out the origin of assaulted my nostrils. Lavender.
The smell hitting my nose had the same effect on me that I would expect smelling salts would have on a weightlifter right before they set a world record. Before I knew it my legs were moving on their own at an almost uncontrollable pace, fighting back against my mind which was telling them to slow down after years of being used to navigating both mine and Emma’s apartment as steadily as possible to not bother the neighbors.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity I stood before Emma’s bedroom door, a faint, yellow, pulsating light radiated from a lamp and snuck out of a small gap between the door and the doorframe, reluctantly I pushed my left hand up against the door, my right hand grasping onto the door frame for a sense of stability, once the door was fully agape I scanned the inside of the room my heart skipping a beat for every humanoid shadow cast up onto the wall by the lights from the wicks which were set ablaze and were being slowly burnt away.
I walked into Emma’s room and made my way over to her bedside table to put out the candle, as I stepped closer towards her, her face became more defined, I could finally make out her features, she was awake, but no she could not have been, even though her eyes were wide open they never blinked, she didn't even move slightly, as I moved closer I finally managed to fully make out the expression of pure terror on her face, her mouth wide agape as if she was about to release a deafening screach, but she could not have, a single drop of solidified wax dribbled out of the corner of her mouth and clung to her cheek, my eyes traced the cream colored path back towards her mouth, first up her cheek then between the corner of her mouth and finally behind her teeth, there instead of her tongue or the roof of her mouth I saw a wall of wax which had filled in the entirety of her mouth.
I fell to my knees and hunched forward supporting my body weight with my arms, I was too late, I resisted the urge to vomit and got back up onto my feet, a mixture of tears and snot slid down my face and onto my lips, shaking now I slowly started limping over towards my phone which I had left on the couch next to where I had awoken just minutes before, just minutes before my life was destroyed because of my lies if I had just told Emma what I had gone through, if I had just told her what had happened on the night of the incident which now seemed trivial, even if she thought that I was crazy, I know that she would have complied just to make me feel comfortable.
It took me at least 30 seconds of repeated attempts to stabilize my hands enough to properly dial 911. “Someone broke into my apartment and hurt my friend” was the only reasonable explanation I could come up with that would not get the operator to hang up on me thinking that this was a prank call.
I sat there in the living room for an agonizing 10 minutes, crying, my sadness slowly transformed into anger towards myself, and my mind raced thinking of all the lies I’d told, I kept thinking that if I had just told her the truth she would not have been laying there in her bed, her body bloated, “every single orifice has signs of forced penetration and has been filled with what seems to be candle wax” is what was written on her autopsy report.
For a few days I was the main suspect in Emma’s murder, but due to the almost unstoppable crying and the unresponsive state that I was in when the police arrived, mixed with the lack of evidence of me having a way to produce 30 pounds of candle wax led to me being released out of police custody, but because I was the main suspect I was not told any details about what had fully happened to Emma, for days all I had to work off of was the image of her face frozen in terror, and a short glance I caught of her bloated body as she was being carted out on a stretcher.
I recounted every single word of our last conversations over and over again until they became permanently etched into my brain.
Emma’s parents originally wanted to cremate her, as that is what she had somewhat jokingly asked for whenever the topic of funerals came up, well she had joked about wanting to have had unpopped popcorn shoved down her throat before she was sent off to “scare the shit out of the guy cremating me” but due to all the wax which would have been impossible to get out of her body they were forced to bury her.
A few days before Emma’s funeral her body disappeared.
After Emma’s death, her parents took me into their home, after reading the autopsy reports and seeing her corpse they had thrown out every single candle they owned which made their home the safest choice I had, still, this did not stop me from buying a machete and keeping it under my bed, just in case.
I was laying on the bed in their guest bedroom The day that the police informed Emma’s parents about her disappearance, the bedroom is right above the front porch of the house, at first I heard them ring the doorbell which was followed up by 3 powerful knocks on the door, for about a minute I laid there on the bed listening to muffled voices exchanging distorted words I was barely able to make out which slowly transformed into distorted weeps, curious I lifted myself up from the bed, made my way over to the window and carefully lifted the bottom panel making Shure to not make too much noise, the distorted muffled sounds started forming into coherent words “We checked the security footage but the only strange thing we could see was a 5 second time jump” one of the officers spoke in a serious and almost monotone voice “which meant that the security guard who was the only person in the building had to climb down 2 flights of stairs walk through a 40 foot long hallway and then drag her body back up stairs and out of the building in 5 seconds” Emma’s mom let out yelp “ but don’t worry ma'am that’s actually good news because we know that her corpse is still somewhere within the building and was probably brought to the wrong floor by an intern, we’ve already warned all of the staff at the hospital to keep an eye out, and we also sent 5 officers to search the hospital”
I could not believe what I was hearing, my breathing quickened, but this time instead of fear I felt anger, that fucker stole her corpse and was probably in the weird separate plane of existence he always went back to after terrorizing me, cutting off chunks of her body, melting her, and drinking her.
I closed the window Emma’s mom's cries once again turned into a muffled rumble which was only possible to make out if you knew what to look for, I took a few steps back away from the window planning to lay back down, not wanting to bother Emma’s parents. I bumped into something, not something, someone, its fleshy towering form as solid as a wall sent me tumbling forward, I knew it was him, he had returned to take me too, to stretch his swollen cracked lips, push them down my esophagus, fill my lungs and stomach with wax. But despite all of that this time I was not scared, I was angry, and I was not going to stand there in terror like I had the last time I saw him.
I fell forward onto my knees my face missing the window sill just by mere inches, I put my hands onto the floor, lifted one of my knees, and rotated 180 degrees now facing the monster, to the right of him pushed up against the wall was the bed, light from the sun reflected off of the metallic button which kept my machete in it’s sheathe, the man started to stretch his lips, they were moving towards me, waving a wiggling through the air like a snake slithering towards me.
I dove towards the bed one of my feet pushing off of the floor and the other pushing against the wall which creaked under the pressure applied to it, I flew for a few moments before slamming down onto the carpet and sliding forward, the heat generated by my skin brushing against the carpet released a sharp stinging pain throughout my body, my outstretched arm landed just a few inches short of the machete, I quickly bent my arms, pushing my body up and crawled towards the machete. my fingers wrapped around the handle I spun around, my back pushed up against the bedside table, once again facing the man, he was still facing the window but his lips faced me and were just a few feet away from me, for what felt like minutes but was most likely no longer than a second, I struggled to hook my finger under the strap securing the machete into its sheath, as the lips inched towards me the man started producing gurgling noises, he was regurgitation wax.
I finally pulled the machete out of its sheath, I swung the blade at the man's lips, the blade was not met with any resistance as it sliced through the man’s lips which landed on the carpeted floor with an audible thud, the man did not have a physical reaction to my counter-attack, his lips kept creeping towards me, once again I slashed at the lips, still no reaction, I repeated this at least 3 more times.
I wanted to kill him, I wanted to take revenge for what he had done to Emma, but fighting back was pointless. I realized that no matter how much I tried to hurt it, I could not kill him, I could not get rid of him.
My rage dissipated and a mixture of fear and sadness crept in, and soon took over my body, I screamed for help, I screamed in fear, in agony, tears streamed down my face as the man's lips finally reached my face, he wasn’t met with any resistance as his lips snuck between mine, pried my jaw open and finally started to slide down my esophagus.
I heard the cops run up the stairs, they started banging on the door asking if I was okay only to have been met with muffled screams, hot wax started to pour down inside of me, the stinging pain of the heat made me want to plunge the machete which I had dropped onto the ground next to me into my stomach to create a gaping wound that the wax would hopefully funnel out of, the texture of the man's slippery, oily lips matched with the poison like flavor of the wax caused me to start gagging, I felt my insides bulging like at any moment my intestines would have been filled to the point where they would pop, I wanted to vomit, the drain myself of the filth I was filled with, but his lips had plugged my throat not allowing anything to get out.
Hearing my muffled screams the cops started kicking the door down, the man retracted his lips, the suction aided my attempts at cleansing my insides, I got onto my hands and knees streams of molten wax pouring out of me, solidifying on the the carpet, with another loud thud the door swung open slamming into the wall, the man was gone.
That’s the last thing I remember before I passed out, but according to one of the doctors who was in the ambulance that brought me to the hospital, I was still semi-responsive during the first 10 minutes of the ride to the hospital.
Approximately 13.4 pounds of wax were removed from my body, the doctors said that I was in a critical condition and some of them did not expect me to make it.
One of the officers who was there the day the man attacked me took a report of what had happened to me, due to the unmistakable evidence of what had happened to both me and Emma, and the fact that this was the 3rd instance of me reporting something like this the police finally started investigating who this man might have been.
Around a month later I was discharged from the hospital and once again have been staying in the living room of Emma’s parent's house.
I’ve been seeing the man again, candles were not allowed in the hospital I stayed at, which means that he’s probably very hungry, he’s close to attacking me again, I know it, he wants to finish what he started and I don't know if I have the power to fight back, I’m not sure if defeating him is even possible, I’m tired.
I’ve been seeing Emma too, her bloated, reanimated corpse often appears to be standing next to the man. If I let him take me will I get to join them? I’ve tried asking but they don’t answer, they just stare, I can’t keep living in constant fear, always looking over my shoulder, I miss Emma.
2024.05.21 01:39 Cumsabit I'm 32 Years old married + 1 amazing child, im wheelchair bound since October 2022 - Never got a diagnosis.
Im in a relation with my wife since High School, since 2010 or so, we both went to the Military first her than me cause im 2 years younger, when she finished i started my journey, during that time in the military it was really hard for me to depart from her, i love and loved her the same since we've met during a school trip abroad, i think for both of us it was a love from the first sight. Since than she was my second half, i can't live without her, can't imagine a day waking up without her hy my side, we had some ups and some downs especially when we were younger, but never seperated for a moment, we had a very strong relationship, we welcomed our son in 2016, it was my happiest moment of my life after our marriage, we married in Prauge, and when we came back home we made another weeding for our friends and family.. At the beginning we had some financial struggle like many other young couples We worked 6/7 days a week, we started to save up, and when i started to notice the stress she experience on her work place i decided to change her life for good, cause such an amazing person like her deserves more than that, so meanwhile i was working at my place i was allowed a smartphone / laptop, and iv started creating our own niche business, worked 8 hours a day + 10 more on our current side project barley slept, ate, lost weight from 90 kilo to 54, i haven't had time to prep meals, but i grinded my ass out, in 2016 we officially staryed making sustainable amounts of money to keep me home to do it full time, and thats when our kiddo was born, so she also had enough financial freedom to stay at home and take care of our child without having all that burden of going to work, nannies, early kindergartens etc.... She stayed at home for the next 5 years raising our child and taking care of him. Since i was working from home i started to drink here and there some whisky, some beers, but not something crazy, i work from home i earn enough money, and she decided to get a small job as extra to save up some money for travelling and buying our first home, we had months with over $100,000 of income, at around late 2018 everything was going up hill, and all of a sudden, our payment methods placed a big halt over our business, and its the first time my life went downhill, I've lost clients, payments were all on hold, for a second my life was at its peak next second felt like im down in the dumps, had to figure out what to do next, had countless hours of research how to sort it out, called every possible banking institution world wide starting from United Stated, endingin Dubai, and thankfully light shined on us, and we made a deal with out local Visa/ and bank to let us accept further payments, we got our first SIP, we starrted to earn again, and life went on perfectly up until my father was diagnosed with throat cancer, where i had to work 24/7 alone on my project and somehow take care of my father, take him to chemo, radiations, countless doctor visits, he won his battle, he came out cancer free and it was a big day for all of us! We were certain that this battle was over, yet a month after he finished his treatment he cold me early morning and said something is wrong, he cough blood, and asked me to rush him to the hospital, dressed up rush on max allowed speed, picked him and my mom up, wife stayed at home with my kiddo, and we went to the emergency room in a hospital 40 Kilometers away from our little town, there he was placed to the emergency room, and we've beem told to wait until a throat doctor will be available to check on him, we wait for over an hour, while i went to speak to the doctors my mom shouted to come help, me and the docots when i approached him, he was holding this toilet thingy where people pee and it was all full of blood, he couldn't take a single breath, he was dying, he tried to stand ip and grasp some air while drowning in his own blood, there was blood everywhere, he was covered in it a huge pool beneth him, at some point he just fainted and me and my mom were the old people around him, while doctors were to afraid tovget closer to him, it was a horror movie, they placed him under few surgeries, his main arthary was punctured and his brain stopped getting oxyen and blood supply, a week later he passed away, while we were giving hope for his survival, one second he was the most happiest men in the world for beating his fight against that horrible thing, next second his helpless eyes knowing he is about to did, trying to ask me for help, it was an traumatic experience for me and my mom, during that year i had horrible nightmares, i heard him gurgle when felt a sleep, i saw blood everywhere, i was depressed that i lost my father in such a horrible way, and during that time my only support was my wife and mom, me and mom helped each other to keep sainity, and here i staryed to drink a bit more, work hard and drink, never fainted never faught or argued with my wife, she was fine with that, and im not talkig about a bottle of whisky a day or something but yeah 6/8 bottles of beer, listened to music while i was doing my job for my clients at this moment she was starting her job at a special store for home stuff, so i took care of my son, fed him, went to the park so he would play with friends, and when she came back home she made meals, some house stuff, showered him, placed him to sleep, and i was her light station before sleep, we talked stuff up, she tried a lil to help me coup with my dads passing, bit she never were able to understand the pain i went through, stuff started to get little better, more Family BBQ partirs, we finally started to laugh, and my mom was shininv, cause she saw me there happy, she saw our kiddo, and she were thankful to her husband that she has us now to fully support her and help her, at this point my mother in law also decided to move from a big city to iur little town to "be closer to her daughter" not really, she started to rent a house a mile away from us, and i was happy that my wifes mother also living near to us, and that my wife will be see her more often, she also become part of our family after years living far away from us, when she came her husband (boyfriend) also started to get sick so she basically dumped him, and he passed away due to unknown reason (its important) we all went to the funeral it was another hit, after my dad he was for me like a second father i could talk too, few month after his passing her my wife grandmother who was living with my wife mom, started to stumble, stopped walking and was bed bound her cognetive functions also went downhill ina month she couldnt recognize her clise ones which was a hard moment for my wife, so she found an elderly house a care home so people will take care of her, while she is keeping all her social security money, a year later the grandmother passed away, i staryed to suspect that something ain't right, first her husband than her mother, but never put enough accent on that, in 2022 around September i started to feel really really ill, i started puking 4-6 times a day,, couldn't hold food, couldn't hold fluids i went to the Emergency place in our city and they gave me pills to stop me from puking, and now i started to stumble, fisr i felt at home when trying to get me some water, next fall occured on my way to the store, and another time when her mom asked me to help her with the computer, it lasted few more days untill i was unable to stand, use my hands i all become stiff my hands stopped worked and finally i was rushed to the hospital after a whole month of hell, when i arrived the Hospital i had memory issues, i couldn't tell what day it is, short memory is gone, i could recognize, wife, mom and kiddo, but i couldn't recall what i ate today, i could say good morning 10 tjmes a day to my wife, my eyes were running left and right that what i was told, i did all checkups at the hospital, they thought a brain injury or tumor, they took spinal fluids, blood work, urine tests, nailz, and hair tests, they couldn't find anything besides one drug test they ran randomly on me, they found around 870 mg of Benzodiaziapm in my blood test, i never even knew what that thing wmis, until my doctor started asking me question about that substance, if i ever took those pills, and i said no, i have no idea what that is and where it came from, when my cognitive functuons started to get better on week 4, i was in the Intensive care, monitors to keep me checked so i wont have lung failure, i asked my wife randomly to check her mom house for those pills, and guess what? She found that same pill box in her kitchen drawer, while she was on vacation with her friend, so we immediately started to suspect her mom, her mom was about go lose her current house and she knew i have a very good business that my wife also helping me earning money, she staryed to ask wierd questions which my friends confirmed, she always asked my wife if she kniws how to run the business, when i heard about that, i was proud of my wife that she finally can help me out at home dealing with clients, thats when my mother in law started to work on a plan to get rid of me, as she did in the past, she pisioned me during september on my 29th Birthday, thats right when i started to feel ill, after i was released from the hospital i left disabled in a wheelchair, my wife had to shower me, help me dress up, and feed me, i was peeing in containers and i couldn't even go number 2 cause from my chest down i lose all muscle control, i couldnt lift arms, legs, poop, and do simple day to day stuff, thankfully i was approved as a disabled person 110%, and since than im 2 years trying to recover, my legs still dont work, i cant feel heat, always numbbess, tingling sensation below wasted, and neurological pain which i try to coop with without and pills, crying at nights, alot, hard for me to get sleep, im always cold, i feel uselss, worthless, i feel like a burden on my wife, so last 26 of April i had a friend who came to visit we had some booze, nothing too crazy, we had some good time, laughed and i went to bed, while my wife downed two bottles of whisky with my friend, he noticed she got too drunk so he started to emoty her glass when she wasn't looking, after that she came to the room staryed shouting on me, mentally abusing me and telling that im stuff about she wants to leave me and son and start living her own life without us, she had enough of marriage, on the morning she couldn't remember that night at all, my friend helped me to get from wheelchair in bed, and than left her in the kitchen alone, where she continued to drink, i woke up arounx 7 AM she was missing from home, went to grab more liquor or beers i have no idea and the argument continued so i asked her to go get some sleep, and she thankfully did, when she woke up she had a good laugh about her behavior and i slipped on that as a one time occurance, i agreed to never have booze again at home, especially with her cause she cant handle it, on the 9th of may its a victory day for me, cause my grandfathers fought world war two, i bought few beers to raise a glass, for the celebration, and instead to be with me while we watch the Victory day parade, she suddenly decided to go for a walk, i left home alone my mom was with my kid, all went smooth up until 1 AM when i tried to call her, she answered and told me that she will be home soon, and afterwards stopped responding to my calls, my mom talked to her, and she said that she is near the neighborhood and will arrive soon, but she never arrived i started to worry, called her dozens of times she havent oicked up the phone, she ended up staying a night at her moms place for no particular reason, in the morning she came back told me that she wants a divorce cause she is young and want to travel thebworld and live a normal life and not stay like a jurse with me, she had enough of me beign sick, and usless (note im still the only one who brings income home) and she said she dont care about the kid anymore andi can have him (PS she also started ozempic course 6 weeks prior) so her therapist said she must stop using this stuff cause it cause mental problems, its 3rd week now she havent had a single shot, and all what happend became a bad dream for both of us, she regrets the stuff she said to me, and everything staryed to settle down, and today she broke again and startrd doing that again with the same demands she wanna leave after someone told her i was eating in a restaurant with my kid and i had a 300 cc beer on the table, i came back home all was great until today, when she was told about that beer, and it triggerdd her so hard that she want my signature and divorce, i love her, i need her and that she and our son is my only reason to live, and i cant let her go cause she is all of my life, and she doesn't care anymore.... She just want to leave me a disabled man with an 7 year old son, and kove to her mom. I haven't said anything bad to her, i didnt had an argument, never raised my arm on her, never done anything wro g to her especially with my conditikn where i barley hold a glass of water. I never thought about suicide cause i value my life and my mother, and son, i would never do harm to myself, but i feel like im lost, i lost everything in my life even though she is snoring right besides me when i write this, its feels like she enoys inflicting pain on me, mental pain she laughs when i cry, if feels like it give her pleasure, she was never like that before, and it hurts even more, since she started ozempic she started to say "she hopes she dies, she dont wanna live anymore, she had enough of been a mom, and a wife" stuff like that which she never said before, nor there was a real reason for thay, im not an abuser, i never done anything to her, and again im helpless man who is now disabled from chest and down, and im fighting to recover even 35% of body cobtrol would be huge for me, and instead lifting my soirit taking me in my wheelchair for walks outside, cooking me food instread of me ordering every god damn mill, i still lover her, i still want her to be with us, but it seems she already decided long ago that she doesn't love me anymore but never said that until she lost 30 kg with this hellish drug she injected.
Im lost i have no one to tell that, no one would really want to hear me talking about my struggles and a falling apart relationship with the best person i met in my life, my best friend, my wife, the mither of our child, my angel who changed ke for good, who found potential in, who inspired me to do better than i ever did before, i can't lose her, i won't lose her, i pray every night so she will change her mind! I really need her, im afraid to stay alone, im afraid to raise my kid in this state alone, and i dont want my kid to grow with only one parent because his mom dcided she wants to quit on us.
Uf anybody have anything warn to say, support ke, or kaybe an advise to approach her and try to fix that, the whole situatuon statlrted on the 26/27th of April and we are going through that until now, its getting better last few days as she let ke to hug her, and she aloowed ke ro give her a kiss on her cheek and after yesterday meal with my kid and that 300cc bottled beer, she at it again ;(
Sorry about this crazy block of text i doubt anyone gonna read that, but i would appriciate anything.
Thank you so much, George.
submitted by Cumsabit to Marriage [link] [comments]
Im lost i have no one to tell that, no one would really want to hear me talking about my struggles and a falling apart relationship with the best person i met in my life, my best friend, my wife, the mither of our child, my angel who changed ke for good, who found potential in, who inspired me to do better than i ever did before, i can't lose her, i won't lose her, i pray every night so she will change her mind! I really need her, im afraid to stay alone, im afraid to raise my kid in this state alone, and i dont want my kid to grow with only one parent because his mom dcided she wants to quit on us.
Uf anybody have anything warn to say, support ke, or kaybe an advise to approach her and try to fix that, the whole situatuon statlrted on the 26/27th of April and we are going through that until now, its getting better last few days as she let ke to hug her, and she aloowed ke ro give her a kiss on her cheek and after yesterday meal with my kid and that 300cc bottled beer, she at it again ;(
Sorry about this crazy block of text i doubt anyone gonna read that, but i would appriciate anything.
Thank you so much, George.
2024.05.21 01:19 Ok-Angle-3645 cover art not showing up?
i have been importing some cds into my itunes library on my windows computer, and the artwork is bot showing up even after i click on album info and try to use a file as artwork. is there any way to fix this?
submitted by Ok-Angle-3645 to AppleMusic [link] [comments]
2024.05.20 21:11 dandanmusicman Making an advert for The HU live at Glastonbury album. Shall I leave in the line about the cows? Currently on presave/preorder.
 | submitted by dandanmusicman to numetal [link] [comments] |
2024.05.20 19:33 VURORA Solving failure to import photos from IPhone to PC after years of issues on w10 and still on w11?
Hi, everyone! So I have about 12k photos on my iphone that needs to be backed up to my pc. I originally found a method that worked for me but it has been a long time and I rebuilt my pc so that is gone. Therefore Im going to make this post so that I can hunt for the solution and hopefully have something solid set up for everyone. I will start by listing some methods and why they did or did not work.
Methods;
submitted by VURORA to Windows11 [link] [comments]
Methods;
- Open file explorer and directly open the DCIM folder on the iphone, This works but my main issue is that the photo files themselves do not have their correct dates in their details. For example a photo that I know is a year old states that it was created etc the day that I copied the dcim folder over and it was modified 2 days ago (Not sure why). Now for a good amount of the other photos etc the modified date looks accurate but unfortunately its not enough for this to be reliable. So if you dont care about the date then go this method.
- Windows photos, I dont even know where to begin, I have had issues with this for YEARS and am pissed that I dont remember what the original fix was. Anyways the app will eventually recognize all of the photos on your device. Once that is done then you will need to either hit Select new, Select all, or choose the photos you want to import. Selecting new only is viable if you got some photos in from your phone previously. Selecting all will get about ~2k photos in before it will just error out by saying "photos partially imported ### photos failed to import". If you select the photos that failed to import it will immediately fail. if you select some of the photos to import it will immediately fail. If you select one of the photos to import it will immediately fail. Resetting the photo app via its windows settings option did not fix the issue. Rebuilding the app via its windows photo settings did not fix the issue. Changing Iphone cables did not fix the issue.
- Itunes
- Cloud, I cant afford a cloud based service that can hold this amount of media as its been a while since I backed it up. Also google photos is kinda useless outside of desktop, specifically that theres no way to force upload or see progress, the app was even telling me that it uploaded all the photos i asked it to upload to a specific album and on my desktop or on anyone that I shared it to the album was empty.
- Apple support, I actually went all the way with apple support a few years back I believe on my 8s. At the time I was a bit more computer savvy taking programming classes etc and so when i explained all of my issues to apple I was actually transferred to the higher higher up tech support guys. One of them stayed on the phone with my for hours as we went through this sending him logs etc. We finally found that it was some insanely obscure issue causing this, something was failed or corrupt and I cant remember what it was but the dude said wow that was weird havent seen that before. I was speaking with tech support for atleast 4 days straight trying to solve it.
2024.05.20 16:46 Warm-Possession8369 Top 10 AI Tool Directories or Listing Sites - 2024
Choosing the right website to promote AI tools depends on your specific goals, target audience, and the nature of your AI products or services. Here are some considerations and steps to help you make an informed decision.
To cut down on that time, AI tool directories were created. Serving a vast user base of internet users, these directories offer everything from newsletters to enormous collections of all kinds of AI tools. We've listed some of the top AI tool directories we could locate for you in this article.
Target Audience: Tech enthusiasts, developers, entrepreneurs Strengths: Comprehensive database, advanced search filters, user reviews, curated lists Unique Features: AIs for specific tasks (e.g., coding, writing), "Ask the AI Expert" forum, news and events section
Strengths: Intuitive interface, personalized recommendations, tool comparisons, free trials and discounts Unique Features: "Matchmaker" tool to find tools based on needs, AI-powered content creation tools, live chat support
Target Audience: AI beginners, curious minds Strengths: Beginner-friendly explanations, diverse tool categories, blog articles, and tutorials Unique Features: "AI Glossary" for demystifying jargon, "AI Use Cases" section with real-world examples, community forum for discussions
Strengths: Focus on data-driven tools, advanced analytics features, detailed tool reports Unique Features: API integration for developers, "AI Trends" section with market insights, curated "Best of" lists for specific needs
Target Audience: Early adopters, trendsetters, tech enthusiasts Strengths: Discover the latest AI tools, community voting and feedback, curated collections by experts Unique Features: "Makers" section to showcase AI-powered projects, "Ask Me Anything" sessions with tool creators, "Product Hunt AI Awards" for top tools
Target Audience: Creative professionals, marketers, content creators Strengths: Focus on creative AI tools, curated "AI Art" and "AI Music" sections, in-depth tool reviews and tutorials
Unique Features: "AI Challenges" for testing and learning AI skills, "AI Community" for developers to collaborate, "AI News" section for industry updates
Target Audience: Everyone! Strengths: Diverse user base, lively discussions and debates, up-to-date information on the latest AI developments Unique Features: "AMA" sessions with AI experts, curated lists and resources, "Career Advice" section for AI professionals
By using AI tool directories like Toolio.ai and others mentioned, you can find the perfect tools to enhance your projects and productivity. Visit these directories today and explore the wealth of AI tools available to meet your needs.
submitted by Warm-Possession8369 to u/Warm-Possession8369 [link] [comments]
To cut down on that time, AI tool directories were created. Serving a vast user base of internet users, these directories offer everything from newsletters to enormous collections of all kinds of AI tools. We've listed some of the top AI tool directories we could locate for you in this article.
How to Promote AI Tools in 2024
Understand Your Target Audience
Identify the key demographic and user base for your AI tools. Consider factors such as industry, job roles, and geographic location. This understanding will guide you to platforms where your target audience is most active.Research Industry-specific Platforms
Explore industry-specific websites or platforms that cater to your target audience. For example, if your AI tool is designed for healthcare, you might consider platforms that focus on health tech or medical innovation.Evaluate General Tech Platforms
Look into general technology and AI-related platforms where developers, businesses, and enthusiasts gather. Websites like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and AI-related forums can be good places to share and promote your AI tools.Consider Social Media Platforms
Utilize social media channels to promote your AI tools. Platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Reddit have active communities interested in AI and technology. Engage in conversations, share updates, and participate in relevant groups.Review AI-specific Directories and Hubs
Explore directories and hubs specifically dedicated to AI tools and technologies. Platforms like TensorFlow Hub, Hugging Face, or PyPI (Python Package Index) can be effective for showcasing and promoting your AI projects.Collaborate with Influencers and Bloggers
Identify influencers, bloggers, and thought leaders in the AI space. Collaborating with them to review or endorse your AI tools can significantly increase visibility and credibility.Participate in Conferences and Events
Consider participating in AI conferences, webinars, and industry events. These platforms provide opportunities to showcase your tools to a targeted audience and connect with potential users.Optimize for Search Engines
Ensure that your website is optimized for search engines (SEO). This will help your AI tools rank higher in search results, making it easier for users to discover them.Top 10 AI Tool Directories
1. Toolio.ai
Toolio.ai is a standout choice among AI tool directories, experiencing phenomenal growth of 3,411% in unique user visits over the past 90 days. With its well-curated collection of AI tools arranged into several categories, it offers a seamless browsing experience. The platform is designed to save users time by allowing them to quickly find the AI tools they need. Toolio.ai's homepage features the most browsed categories, and users can search for the ideal AI tool in seconds. To celebrate its rapid growth, Toolio.ai offers a special promotion where users can list their tools for just $1, making it an attractive option for developers and companies looking to gain exposure. This directory covers a wide range of AI tools to meet diverse needs.2. Famous AI Tools
Famous AI Tools is a comprehensive directory featuring a well-organized collection of AI tools across various categories. Its homepage highlights the most popular categories, making it easy for users to find tools quickly. Famous AI Tools allows you to browse tools efficiently, saving time and effort.3. Make An App Like
Make An App Like offers more than just a list of tools. It provides weekly newsletters and an extensive library of AI tools that are properly organized. This directory helps users stay updated with AI advancements and newly released tools.Target Audience: Tech enthusiasts, developers, entrepreneurs Strengths: Comprehensive database, advanced search filters, user reviews, curated lists Unique Features: AIs for specific tasks (e.g., coding, writing), "Ask the AI Expert" forum, news and events section
4. Favird
Favird stands out with its unparalleled browsing features. It includes additional subcategories for more precise searches, significantly shortening the time needed to find the ideal AI solution.Strengths: Intuitive interface, personalized recommendations, tool comparisons, free trials and discounts Unique Features: "Matchmaker" tool to find tools based on needs, AI-powered content creation tools, live chat support
5. Aixploria
Aixploria is an AI platform promoting community involvement. It features a form-based area where users can submit their AI research discoveries, benefiting the community by sharing valuable information and keeping the list of AI tools current.Target Audience: AI beginners, curious minds Strengths: Beginner-friendly explanations, diverse tool categories, blog articles, and tutorials Unique Features: "AI Glossary" for demystifying jargon, "AI Use Cases" section with real-world examples, community forum for discussions
6. TopTools AI
TopTools AI is renowned for featuring the most widely used AI tools globally. The directory includes tools for writing, picture generation, coding, and more, making it a top choice for AI tool discovery.Strengths: Focus on data-driven tools, advanced analytics features, detailed tool reports Unique Features: API integration for developers, "AI Trends" section with market insights, curated "Best of" lists for specific needs
7. Product Hunt AI
Product Hunt AI is ideal for discovering the latest and most innovative AI tools. It features community voting and feedback systems, curated collections by experts, and showcases AI-powered projects.Target Audience: Early adopters, trendsetters, tech enthusiasts Strengths: Discover the latest AI tools, community voting and feedback, curated collections by experts Unique Features: "Makers" section to showcase AI-powered projects, "Ask Me Anything" sessions with tool creators, "Product Hunt AI Awards" for top tools
8. Synthesia AI Tool Library
Synthesia is focused on enabling anyone to produce video content without traditional equipment. The platform aims to transform content creation and unleash human creativity through AI.Target Audience: Creative professionals, marketers, content creators Strengths: Focus on creative AI tools, curated "AI Art" and "AI Music" sections, in-depth tool reviews and tutorials
9. AI Parabellum
AI Parabellum offers a well-curated collection of AI tools arranged into several categories, providing a seamless browsing experience. It features the most popular categories and allows users to search for the ideal AI tool quickly.Unique Features: "AI Challenges" for testing and learning AI skills, "AI Community" for developers to collaborate, "AI News" section for industry updates
10. Futurepedia
Futurepedia claims to have a library of over 1500 AI tools for various uses, each carefully categorized for easy navigation. This extensive collection makes it a top choice for AI tool discovery.11. AI & ML Subreddit
The artificial subreddit is an ideal resource for AI enthusiasts. With over 500,000 members, it covers chatbots, AI generators, daily headlines, and industry developments. Users can share their work and seek assistance from the community.Target Audience: Everyone! Strengths: Diverse user base, lively discussions and debates, up-to-date information on the latest AI developments Unique Features: "AMA" sessions with AI experts, curated lists and resources, "Career Advice" section for AI professionals
Use Case of AI Tools
Provide Comprehensive Documentation
When promoting on platforms like GitHub or other developer communities, provide comprehensive documentation for your AI tools. Clear and well-organized documentation enhances the user experience and encourages adoption.Utilize Paid Advertising
Consider using paid advertising on platforms like Google Ads or social media to reach a broader audience. Target your ads based on relevant keywords and demographics.Conclusion
AI tools have a wide range of applications across various industries, leveraging machine learning algorithms, data analytics, and computational power to perform tasks that traditionally required human intelligence. These tools can automate repetitive tasks, analyze large datasets, and perform natural language processing, among other functions.By using AI tool directories like Toolio.ai and others mentioned, you can find the perfect tools to enhance your projects and productivity. Visit these directories today and explore the wealth of AI tools available to meet your needs.
2024.05.20 15:56 soft-ott "10 Must-Ask Questions When Choosing an IPTV Provider"
 | "10 Must-Ask Questions When Choosing an IPTV Provider"https://preview.redd.it/udagzdu67l1d1.jpg?width=740&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=15cfccf7d18c91b777c26d1d5c1656f7b240f522Are you tired of flipping through endless channels on your cable or satellite TV, only to find nothing worth watching? Well, it's time to revolutionize your TV viewing experience with IPTV. With the ability to stream thousands of channels from around the world, IPTV offers a whole new way to enjoy your favorite shows, movies, and sports. Whether you're a football fanatic or a binge-watcher, IPTV has got you covered. By connecting to the internet, you can access a wide range of content, including live TV, movies, TV series, and even catch-up services. Say goodbye to cable and hello to the future of television. Experience the freedom of choice and flexibility that IPTV provides. No more being tied down to a set schedule or limited selection. With IPTV, you have the power to decide what, when, and how you want to watch. So, why wait? Join the millions who have already embraced IPTV and start enjoying the endless possibilities it offers. Upgrade your TV experience today and discover a whole new world of entertainment. What is IPTV?IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, is a digital streaming service that delivers television content over the internet rather than through traditional satellite or cable TV formats. This technology allows you to stream live TV channels, on-demand videos, movies, TV series, and more directly to your television or any other device with internet connectivity. IPTV works by using an internet protocol suite to transmit television signals, which are then decoded and displayed on your screen. Unlike traditional TV services, IPTV provides a more interactive and personalized viewing experience.IPTV offers a vast selection of channels from around the world, giving you access to content from different countries and cultures. Whether you're interested in news, sports, movies, documentaries, or lifestyle programs, IPTV has channels to cater to every taste. Additionally, IPTV allows you to watch your favorite shows at your convenience, with features like catch-up TV, allowing you to access programs that you may have missed. With IPTV, the possibilities are endless. Benefits of IPTV
How does IPTV work?IPTV works by using internet protocol technology to transmit television signals over an internet connection. The process involves several steps:
Types of IPTV servicesThere are three main types of IPTV services available:
Choosing the right IPTV providerWhen it comes to choosing an IPTV provider, there are several factors to consider:
Setting up IPTV on different devicesSetting up IPTV on different devices can vary depending on the platform and the IPTV provider. Here's a general guide on how to set up IPTV on popular devices:
IPTV subscription plans and pricing~IPTV subscription~ plans and pricing can vary depending on the provider and the package you choose. Here are some common pricing models you may come across:
IPTV channel options and customizationOne of the key advantages of IPTV is the wide range of channel options and customization features available. IPTV providers typically offer an extensive selection of channels from different genres and countries. You can find channels for news, sports, movies, TV series, documentaries, and more. This variety allows you to personalize your channel lineup based on your interests and preferences.Many IPTV providers also offer customization options, allowing you to create your own channel lists or save your favorite channels for easy access. Some providers even offer advanced features like channel filtering, parental controls, and multi-screen viewing, enhancing your overall IPTV experience. Additionally, IPTV providers often update their channel lineup to include new channels and content. This ensures that you always have access to the latest shows, movies, and live events. Common issues and troubleshooting tips for IPTVWhile IPTV offers a seamless viewing experience, occasional issues may arise. Here are some common issues you may encounter and troubleshooting tips to resolve them:
Conclusion: Is IPTV the right choice for you?~Soft-Ott IPTV~ offers a revolutionary way to enjoy television content, providing a wide range of channels, on-demand options, and customization features. With IPTV, you have the freedom to watch your favorite shows, movies, and sports on your own terms. Whether you're looking for a live TV experience, on-demand content, or time-shifted viewing, IPTV has options to suit every preference.Before diving into the world of IPTV, consider your viewing habits, budget, and device compatibility. Research and compare different IPTV providers to find the one that offers the channels, features, and pricing that align with your needs. Upgrade your TV experience today and embrace the endless possibilities of IPTV. Say goodbye to cable limitations and hello to a whole new world of entertainment. Join the millions who have already embraced IPTV and discover the future of television. The power to choose, customize, and enjoy is in your hands. Take the time to read reviews, compare prices, and check out the channel lineup offered by soft-ott.com: https://www.soft-ott.com/iptv-trial |
2024.05.20 14:26 robxburninator [FOR SALE] PUNK, PSYCH, HARDCORE, ROCK! Expensive HEAT & DEALS!
So so so so many record collections have ended up in storage and it's time to clean some out. Anything without an obvious grade is VG+ or better. Get in touch if you need more grading info or anything else.
$6 UNLIMITED SHIPPING
-------------------- RECORDS!!!!! --------------------
512K BYTES - "COMPUTER MUSIC" - USSR, Amazing pioneering synthesizer record. Part Cold Wave, part Devo, part… it’s awesome. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIP7-NsiMvU $15
AMPERE - “ALL OUR TOMORROW’S END TODAY” (10”) - $18
AMPERE / FUNERAL DINER - “SPLIT 9”” (yes a fucking 9”) - $40
AGRABATTI - “BEYOND THE SUN” - (rad psychedelic space rock record) $8
ATOMIC ROOSTER - “DEATH WALKS BEHIND YOU”- FIRST UK press, gatefold has some wear but the cover image looks really really nice. VG+ vinyl, sounds so good. $50
BEASTIE BOYS - “ILL COMMUNICATION” - sealed / new european - $25
THE BEATLES - “RUBBER SOUL” "РезиноВаЯ Душа" - my favorite Beatles/soviet pressing. Cyrillic hiding in the normal cover. $20
THE BEATLES - "Битлз" (WHITE ALBUM) - USSR pressing - the White album double LP with a small, but significant change on the inside of the gatefold and obviously, different cover. - $30
The BEATLES - “HELP” - Soviet press, beatles heads are glued onto random people’s bodies and the flags don’t even spell “help”. Seems unhinged honestly. $18
BIRDS IN A ROW - “COLLECTED” - $10
BIRDS IN A ROW - “YOU ME AND THE VIOLENCE” - $15
BLACK SABBATH - “SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH” - ussrussian press with the radical cover that people covet. These are getting harder and harder to find. $30
BL’AST - “BLOOD!” - still sealed! $8
BORIS- “ABSOLUTEGO” - repress of the early-Boris hour long single. One of my favorite things they ever did, a fancy double LP, and packaging is ace. $20
BRAVEYOUNG - “BLOOM” - $18
BRAVEYOUNG - “WE ARE LONELY ANIMALS” - $40
CAPSULE - “BLUE” - $8
COLISEUM - “COLISEUM” - (black and gray vinyl) - $15
COMADRE - “A WOLF TICKET” - $15
COMADRE - “BURN YOUR BONES” - $15
COMADRE - “COMADRE” (cleawhite vinyl) - $40
COMADRE - “THE YOUTH” (white/red) - $40
COMADRE - “BURN YOUR BONES” - $15
RY COODER - “PARADISE AND LUNCH” - $8
OCTAVIO CORVALAN - “MICROCUENTOS” OG Folkways in shrink still!
CREEDENCE - “BAYOU COUNTRY” - shiny VG++ vinyl, niceee shape - $10
CREEDENCE - “GREEN RIVER” shockingly clean vinyl! - $10
Crow - “Last Chaos” - ANARCHY CHAOS DESTRUCTIONNNNN one of the best japanese hardcore LP’s of all time. Prank repress, clear and red vinyl. $30
CYMANDE - “SECOND TIME ROUND” - OG press, their best record. VG+ all around, sleeve has some wear so weaker but still better than VG I think and it’s still awesome. Gatefold baby. $45
ELIZABETH COLOUR WHEEL - “NOCEBO” - sealed, new copy - $14
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY - “THOSE WHO TELL THE TRUTH SHALL DIE…” - $15
FRACTION - “MOON BLOOD” -LP + 10”, super deluxe record - $180
FUNERAL DINER / EVYLOCK - “SPLIT” 10” - $14
GENERATION OF VULTURES - “HOWL AND FILTH” - $8
GIANT / TIDES - red/white vinyl - $10
GIANTS - “THEY THE UNDESERVING” (greenish vinyl?) - $12
GISM - “DETESTATION” - $12
H-100’S - “DISMANTLED” - The greatest clevo hardcore. $15
HELMS ALEE - “SLEEPWALKING SAILOR” - Sealed, new copy - $15
HOT CROSS - “FAIR TRADES AND FAREWELLS - NM-/IN SHRINK! - $35
HRVRD - “FROM THE BIRD’S CAGE” - cleawhite vinyl - $40
JAY Z - “THE BLACK ALBUM” bougt in 2003 and never opened. Sealed, new - $30
JAZZ BAND BALL - “POLISH JAZZ” - the famous ellington record, $10
KYLESA - “KYLESA” white vinyl - $18
REINHARD LAKOMY - “DAS GEHEME LEBEN - ELECTRONICS” - Kraut minimal/ambient synth stuff from the GDR. $15
LED ZEPPELIN - “IV” + “V” (both records) -USSR classic alternate cover on Zoso and the weird take on the fifth zeppelin album, “Houses”. Obviously the “IV” cover is an all time masterpiece, worth looking at just to see how insane it is, but the cover on “V” is low-key insane. $40
LOMA PRIETA - “I.V.” - sealed/new - $12
MASTER - “MASTER” - Early 1980’s thrash straight out of the USSR. If you dig american and british takes on this style, you will love Master! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ00b9R-maE $15
MEN WITHOUT HATS - “SAFETY DANCE” shaped picture disc single - $20
“METALMANIA 87” - OPEN FIRE / STOS - Polish thrash and speed metal split. If you like thrash metal and you like metal that’s fast as hell, this is for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1eKX6NkOMM $18
MONO - “HOLY GROUND” triple LP, blue vinyl - $50
MONTEGO JOE & MARIE BROOKS - “ETHNIC DANCES OF BLACK PEOPLE” - extremely hard to find with the book that teaches the dances. Classic dj bait, top copy - $30
THE NEVILLE BROTHERS - “THE NEVILLE BROTHERS” lovely og copy - $10
MIKHAIL OKUN JAZZ TRIO - “Концерт В Олимпийской Деревне” - USSR era jazz from Georgian and Russian musicians. Very very good - $16
PALLBEARER - “SORROW AND EXTINCTION” - purple/blue vinyl - $30
PALLBEARER - “FOUNDATIONS OF BURDEN” - red/blue vinyl - $40
PLEASE INFORM THE CAPTAIN THIS IS A HIJACKING - “DEFEAT OR HUMILIATE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” - $40
THE POGUES - “RED ROSES FOR ME” - VG+ $40
PROPAGANDHI / I SPY - “SPLIT” - blue screened cover, $50
PROPAGANDHI - “TODAY’S EMPIRES, TOMORROW’S ASHES” - sealed/new - $20
PROPAGANDHI - “LESS TALK MORE ROCK” - sealed/new - $18
PYGMY LUSH - “OLD FRIENDS” - $10
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - “QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE” - 2011 sealed! - $70
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - “LIKE CLOCKWORK” - $20
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - “RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE” 20th anniversary, 180g /sealed! - $20
RATATAT - “WILDCAT” - open in shrink - $14
RUSSIAN CIRCLES - “EMPROSE” - sealed - $20
PHAROAH SANDERS - “KARMA” - early/mid 70’s press - VG+ for sure - $50
SKORPIO - “GYERE VELEM!” - Polish prog inspired funk. It’s cool. $10
SMALL FACES - “FROM THE BEGINNING” - 4men pressing - $12
THE STROKES - “IS THIS IT?” - sealed / new copy - $18
SWING KIDS - “DISCOGRAPHY” - $15
THE TAMLINS - “BALTIMORE
HORACE TAPSCOTT - “THE CALL” analogue remastered, sealed copy - $20
TRAGEDY - “DARKER DAYS” - NM-/VG+ - $25
YOUNG WIDOWS - “OLD WOUNDS” - $12
YOUNG WIDOWS - “IN AND OUT OF YOUTH” - $10
YOUNG WIDOWS - “EASY PAIN” - $8
V/A - “JAZZ JAMBOREE ‘74” - Killer polish jazz concert - $10
---------------------- $5 RECORDS! 5 FOR $20!--------------------------
BACCHUS - “BACCHUS” - white vinyl - $5
BRAIN FLANNEL - “SLEEP ROUGH” the greatest- $5
BRAVO FUCKING BRAVO - “II” - $5
THE CATALYST / MASS MOVEMENT OF THE MOTH - red/white $5
RY COODER - “BORDERLINE” - $5
DES ARK / BEN DAVIS - “BATTLE OF THE BEARDS” - (heartbreaker of a record) - $5
BOB DYLAN - “BLONDE ON BLONDE” - rough shape, early copy, sleeve is maybe VG-/G++ vinyl plays. Includes two copies of the record and one sleeve. One is a very early/first “360 sound” label. Lol $5
BOB DYLAN - “ANOTHER SIDE OF” - rough all around, early/first copy though. $5
GHOSTLIMB - “CONFLUENCE” - $5
GHOSTLIMB - “INFRASTRUCTURE” - $5
THE HOLY MOUNTAIN - “ENTAILS” - gray vinyl - $5
THE HOLY MOUNTAIN - “BLOODSTAINS ACROSS YOUR FACE IN DECLINE” - white vinyl, $5
IN FIRST PERSON - “LOST BETWEEN HANDS HELD TIGHT” - $5
KAKISTOCRACY - “KAKISTOCRAZY” - $5
LOUISE CYPHRE / SHIKARI - 10” SPLIT - $5
MALADIE / DROWNING WITH OUR ANCHORS - 10” SPLIT - $5
MASS MOVEMENT OF THE MOTH - “OUT SPACE” $5
MASS MOVEMENT OF THE MOTH / THE CATALYST - $5
MEN AT WORK - “BUSINESS AS USUAL” - with the printed inner - $5
MIDLAKE - “ACTS OF MAN” - sealed - $5
SOUVENIR’S YOUNG AMERICA - “SEPTEMBER SONGS” $5
TEAM ROBESPIERRE / BREVATOR - $5
TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR / WOLVES - $5
UW OWL - “THORN ELEMENTAL” - $5
ULTRA DOLPHINS - “MAR” $5
ULTRA DOLPHINS - “WHY ARE YOU LAUGH” - $5
UMLAUT - “HAVOC WREAKERS” - (basically catharsis) - $5
VANILLA FUDGE - “BEST OF” love this cover art - $5
submitted by robxburninator to VinylCollectors [link] [comments]
$6 UNLIMITED SHIPPING
-------------------- RECORDS!!!!! --------------------
512K BYTES - "COMPUTER MUSIC" - USSR, Amazing pioneering synthesizer record. Part Cold Wave, part Devo, part… it’s awesome. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIP7-NsiMvU $15
AMPERE - “ALL OUR TOMORROW’S END TODAY” (10”) - $18
AMPERE / FUNERAL DINER - “SPLIT 9”” (yes a fucking 9”) - $40
AGRABATTI - “BEYOND THE SUN” - (rad psychedelic space rock record) $8
ATOMIC ROOSTER - “DEATH WALKS BEHIND YOU”- FIRST UK press, gatefold has some wear but the cover image looks really really nice. VG+ vinyl, sounds so good. $50
BEASTIE BOYS - “ILL COMMUNICATION” - sealed / new european - $25
THE BEATLES - “RUBBER SOUL” "РезиноВаЯ Душа" - my favorite Beatles/soviet pressing. Cyrillic hiding in the normal cover. $20
THE BEATLES - "Битлз" (WHITE ALBUM) - USSR pressing - the White album double LP with a small, but significant change on the inside of the gatefold and obviously, different cover. - $30
The BEATLES - “HELP” - Soviet press, beatles heads are glued onto random people’s bodies and the flags don’t even spell “help”. Seems unhinged honestly. $18
BIRDS IN A ROW - “COLLECTED” - $10
BIRDS IN A ROW - “YOU ME AND THE VIOLENCE” - $15
BL’AST - “BLOOD!” - still sealed! $8
BORIS- “ABSOLUTEGO” - repress of the early-Boris hour long single. One of my favorite things they ever did, a fancy double LP, and packaging is ace. $20
BRAVEYOUNG - “BLOOM” - $18
BRAVEYOUNG - “WE ARE LONELY ANIMALS” - $40
CAPSULE - “BLUE” - $8
COLISEUM - “COLISEUM” - (black and gray vinyl) - $15
COMADRE - “A WOLF TICKET” - $15
COMADRE - “BURN YOUR BONES” - $15
COMADRE - “THE YOUTH” (white/red) - $40
COMADRE - “BURN YOUR BONES” - $15
RY COODER - “PARADISE AND LUNCH” - $8
OCTAVIO CORVALAN - “MICROCUENTOS” OG Folkways in shrink still!
CREEDENCE - “BAYOU COUNTRY” - shiny VG++ vinyl, niceee shape - $10
CREEDENCE - “GREEN RIVER” shockingly clean vinyl! - $10
Crow - “Last Chaos” - ANARCHY CHAOS DESTRUCTIONNNNN one of the best japanese hardcore LP’s of all time. Prank repress, clear and red vinyl. $30
CYMANDE - “SECOND TIME ROUND” - OG press, their best record. VG+ all around, sleeve has some wear so weaker but still better than VG I think and it’s still awesome. Gatefold baby. $45
ELIZABETH COLOUR WHEEL - “NOCEBO” - sealed, new copy - $14
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY - “THOSE WHO TELL THE TRUTH SHALL DIE…” - $15
FRACTION - “MOON BLOOD” -LP + 10”, super deluxe record - $180
FUNERAL DINER / EVYLOCK - “SPLIT” 10” - $14
GENERATION OF VULTURES - “HOWL AND FILTH” - $8
GIANT / TIDES - red/white vinyl - $10
GIANTS - “THEY THE UNDESERVING” (greenish vinyl?) - $12
GISM - “DETESTATION” - $12
H-100’S - “DISMANTLED” - The greatest clevo hardcore. $15
HELMS ALEE - “SLEEPWALKING SAILOR” - Sealed, new copy - $15
HOT CROSS - “FAIR TRADES AND FAREWELLS - NM-/IN SHRINK! - $35
HRVRD - “FROM THE BIRD’S CAGE” - cleawhite vinyl - $40
JAY Z - “THE BLACK ALBUM” bougt in 2003 and never opened. Sealed, new - $30
JAZZ BAND BALL - “POLISH JAZZ” - the famous ellington record, $10
KYLESA - “KYLESA” white vinyl - $18
REINHARD LAKOMY - “DAS GEHEME LEBEN - ELECTRONICS” - Kraut minimal/ambient synth stuff from the GDR. $15
LOMA PRIETA - “I.V.” - sealed/new - $12
MEN WITHOUT HATS - “SAFETY DANCE” shaped picture disc single - $20
MONTEGO JOE & MARIE BROOKS - “ETHNIC DANCES OF BLACK PEOPLE” - extremely hard to find with the book that teaches the dances. Classic dj bait, top copy - $30
THE NEVILLE BROTHERS - “THE NEVILLE BROTHERS” lovely og copy - $10
MIKHAIL OKUN JAZZ TRIO - “Концерт В Олимпийской Деревне” - USSR era jazz from Georgian and Russian musicians. Very very good - $16
PALLBEARER - “SORROW AND EXTINCTION” - purple/blue vinyl - $30
PALLBEARER - “FOUNDATIONS OF BURDEN” - red/blue vinyl - $40
PROPAGANDHI / I SPY - “SPLIT” - blue screened cover, $50
PROPAGANDHI - “TODAY’S EMPIRES, TOMORROW’S ASHES” - sealed/new - $20
PROPAGANDHI - “LESS TALK MORE ROCK” - sealed/new - $18
PYGMY LUSH - “OLD FRIENDS” - $10
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - “QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE” - 2011 sealed! - $70
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - “LIKE CLOCKWORK” - $20
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - “RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE” 20th anniversary, 180g /sealed! - $20
RATATAT - “WILDCAT” - open in shrink - $14
RUSSIAN CIRCLES - “EMPROSE” - sealed - $20
PHAROAH SANDERS - “KARMA” - early/mid 70’s press - VG+ for sure - $50
SKORPIO - “GYERE VELEM!” - Polish prog inspired funk. It’s cool. $10
SMALL FACES - “FROM THE BEGINNING” - 4men pressing - $12
THE STROKES - “IS THIS IT?” - sealed / new copy - $18
SWING KIDS - “DISCOGRAPHY” - $15
THE TAMLINS - “BALTIMORE
HORACE TAPSCOTT - “THE CALL” analogue remastered, sealed copy - $20
TRAGEDY - “DARKER DAYS” - NM-/VG+ - $25
YOUNG WIDOWS - “OLD WOUNDS” - $12
YOUNG WIDOWS - “IN AND OUT OF YOUTH” - $10
YOUNG WIDOWS - “EASY PAIN” - $8
V/A - “JAZZ JAMBOREE ‘74” - Killer polish jazz concert - $10
---------------------- $5 RECORDS! 5 FOR $20!--------------------------
BACCHUS - “BACCHUS” - white vinyl - $5
BRAIN FLANNEL - “SLEEP ROUGH” the greatest- $5
BRAVO FUCKING BRAVO - “II” - $5
THE CATALYST / MASS MOVEMENT OF THE MOTH - red/white $5
RY COODER - “BORDERLINE” - $5
DES ARK / BEN DAVIS - “BATTLE OF THE BEARDS” - (heartbreaker of a record) - $5
BOB DYLAN - “BLONDE ON BLONDE” - rough shape, early copy, sleeve is maybe VG-/G++ vinyl plays. Includes two copies of the record and one sleeve. One is a very early/first “360 sound” label. Lol $5
BOB DYLAN - “ANOTHER SIDE OF” - rough all around, early/first copy though. $5
GHOSTLIMB - “CONFLUENCE” - $5
GHOSTLIMB - “INFRASTRUCTURE” - $5
THE HOLY MOUNTAIN - “ENTAILS” - gray vinyl - $5
THE HOLY MOUNTAIN - “BLOODSTAINS ACROSS YOUR FACE IN DECLINE” - white vinyl, $5
IN FIRST PERSON - “LOST BETWEEN HANDS HELD TIGHT” - $5
KAKISTOCRACY - “KAKISTOCRAZY” - $5
LOUISE CYPHRE / SHIKARI - 10” SPLIT - $5
MALADIE / DROWNING WITH OUR ANCHORS - 10” SPLIT - $5
MASS MOVEMENT OF THE MOTH - “OUT SPACE” $5
MASS MOVEMENT OF THE MOTH / THE CATALYST - $5
MEN AT WORK - “BUSINESS AS USUAL” - with the printed inner - $5
MIDLAKE - “ACTS OF MAN” - sealed - $5
SOUVENIR’S YOUNG AMERICA - “SEPTEMBER SONGS” $5
TEAM ROBESPIERRE / BREVATOR - $5
TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR / WOLVES - $5
UW OWL - “THORN ELEMENTAL” - $5
ULTRA DOLPHINS - “MAR” $5
ULTRA DOLPHINS - “WHY ARE YOU LAUGH” - $5
UMLAUT - “HAVOC WREAKERS” - (basically catharsis) - $5
VANILLA FUDGE - “BEST OF” love this cover art - $5
2024.05.20 14:24 Stage-Piercing727 Best Clear Sticker Papers
 | submitted by Stage-Piercing727 to u/Stage-Piercing727 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/pwnh4fcwqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68c65f6d28b85f9b50a2b9e916053166a490fbb8 Discover the magic of adhesive brilliance with our roundup of Clear Sticker Papers! Perfect for crafting, scrapbooking, and DIY projects, these top-rated papers provide a transparent background that allows your artwork to shine. Browse through our selection of top products and find the ideal papers to complete your creative vision. Read on for our comprehensive guide and take your project to the next level with Clear Sticker Papers today! The Top 17 Best Clear Sticker Papers
Reviews🔗Clear Printable Sticker Paper Sethttps://preview.redd.it/5sinpkswqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06c9fe41a503998eb2b6748e02d4171e905e7df9 Once I got my hands on the WeLiu Printable Transparent Sticker Paper, I couldn't wait to unleash my creativity. The 25 sheets of vinyl sticker printer paper in standard size 8.5x11" were a joy to work with, and the compatibility with most inkjet printers made it incredibly versatile. However, it's worth noting that they aren't compatible with Epson Eco pot printers. One thing that really stood out for me was the clear adhesive vinyl sticker paper, which was not only waterproof but boasted an improved crystal clear and shiny finish, making my projects pop. And the permanent adhesion and tear resistance ensure the stickers are durable, perfect for indoor use on various solid surfaces, including projects that add fun and personality to life and work. Using the WeLiu clear sticker paper was a breeze. It dries incredibly quickly after printing, improving work efficiency and allowing for the enjoyment of colorful patterns or exquisite and smooth labels. The applications are endless, making it perfect for DIY personalized stickers for label text, logos, commercial slogans, mural decorations, diary covers, suitcases, furniture cabinets, refrigerators, and so much more (not recommended for t-shirts). While the WeLiu Printable Transparent Sticker Paper provides endless possibilities for customizing your life, it's essential to note that it does have a poor waterproof effect. Thus, using it on surfaces with liquid, saturation, or submersion is not recommended, as it will smudge the beautiful printed pattern. Despite this minor drawback, the ease of printing and application makes me absolutely love the WeLiu Printable Transparent Sticker Paper. Simply insert one sheet at a time into the inkjet printer, let it dry for a few minutes, cut and round the edges for quicker and easier peeling, and finally, clean and dry the chosen surface before applying the vinyl sticker. Overall, I can't recommend the WeLiu Printable Transparent Sticker Paper enough. It's the perfect addition to any crafting or DIY enthusiast's toolkit, offering endless possibilities for personalizing your life and creating stunning projects. 🔗Transparent Laser Printer Sticker Paper for DIY Personalizationhttps://preview.redd.it/6cavzbfxqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d6f98e3a7d796908a7fea34ca877df7b7885ba7 I recently had the chance to try out these transparent label papers for myself, and I have to say they've been a game-changer in my DIY decorating projects. The 8.5x11 inch size is perfect for covering larger areas without having to fuss over individual stickers. Plus, the full sheet format means I can customize the entire surface easily. One thing that stood out to me was how versatile these stickers are. They work perfectly with my laser printer - no jams or smudges! I used them to create personalized stickers for my office supplies, making it easy to identify them at a glance. And because they're 100% transparent, they don't obscure any part of the design underneath. However, there are a few minor drawbacks worth mentioning. Firstly, the packaging could use some improvement; it would be nice to receive the product in a neatly sealed box with instructions or labels included. Additionally, one reviewer mentioned issues with ink holding on the paper - I didn't experience this myself, but it's worth keeping in mind. Overall, I'm really happy with these clear sticker papers and would recommend them for anyone looking to add a personal touch to their belongings. 🔗DIY Customizable Transparent Sticker Paper for Inkjet Printershttps://preview.redd.it/j2hq6klxqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c370a3622eef6fbe30838cde82a0a6c29d5c3462 Using WeLiu's Printable Transparent Sticker Paper in my daily life has been quite an adventure! The glossy effect adds a touch of sophistication to every sticker I create, and the 15 sheets in one package are perfect for all my DIY needs. A unique highlight of this product is the super transparent quality, making it stand out from other sticker papers. However, it's important to note that it isn't waterproof, so using these stickers indoors is your best bet. Another thing I particularly loved is the ease of tearing the liner from any corner, streamlining the process and allowing me to peel off the stickers without a hitch. The waiting time of 1-5 minutes to allow the ink to dry may seem tedious at first, but it ensures the sticker's longevity and prevents unsightly smudging. In conclusion, WeLiu's Printable Transparent Sticker Paper is a must-have for every crafter or DIY enthusiast. Its glossy surface, super transparent quality, and easy-to-tear-off liner make it a top choice in the world of stickers. Just remember to use it indoors, and you're good to go. 🔗Clear Inkjet Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper for 25 Sheets (Waterproof, Glossy)https://preview.redd.it/m3upql5yqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf247d50e46954bdf8392b0b083cd66bc8ad6c8c I recently picked up this Clear Printable Vinyl for my Inkjet Printer, and I couldn't be happier with my choice. The 25 sheets of clear sticker paper are perfect for creating high-quality labels and stickers that are smudge-proof and waterproof. What I love most about this vinyl is how easy it is to use with my inkjet printer, and the quality of the final product is top-notch. The material is highly durable, made of waterproof and chemical-resistant material, which is a major plus. I find that the sheets are also compatible with most cutting machines, making it a versatile choice for various projects. However, there were some downsides to this product. I noticed that the vinyl can be slightly tricky to work with, especially when it comes to ensuring proper adhesion. Additionally, the sheets are not repositionable, which can be a little frustrating during the application process. In summary, the Clear Printable Vinyl for Inkjet Printer offers a great balance of quality and durability, making it a solid choice for those looking to create professional-looking labels and stickers. While it may have some minor drawbacks, the overall experience with this product has been mostly positive. 🔗Waterproof and Durable A4 Transparent Vinyl Sticker Paper for Inkjet/Laser Printerhttps://preview.redd.it/w7vfrrdyqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86c1532cb38332a6bdedc46434a2af1d483b0f52 The waterproof clear vinyl sticker paper I've been using lately has been a game-changer for all my DIY projects. It measures 25 sheets of A4 size that fit perfectly in most inkjet or laser printers. This translucent vinyl comes with an impressive 70% diaphaneity, allowing my photos, posters, or any other designs to have a beautiful, vibrant appearance. One of the aspects I loved about this sticker paper is its versatility, making it suitable for not just office or school but also home use. It adheres to a variety of surfaces including metal, plastic, glass, and even cardboard. However, for inkjet printers, make sure to use pigmented ink for better results. If you're using dye ink instead, use clear laminate vinyl on your prints or clear varnish spray to make them waterproof. Though it's a tad on the thicker side at 80μm, I appreciate how this sticker paper is extremely durable and withstands harsh weather conditions, even months of direct sunlight and rain. It also boasts being scratch-resistant and tear-proof, further showcasing its resilience. One minor issue I had with this product was when it arrived, it was in a rolled-up form which caused it to be a bit crumpled. Nevertheless, a little weight applied over a few days will do the trick of flattening it out. Overall, this waterproof sticker paper has made my DIY projects more vibrant and weather-resistant, definitely worth a try! 🔗Eco-friendly Matte Clear Sticker Paper (20 Sheets)https://preview.redd.it/gu48p4syqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ffb5542c52ed6a2e59d757b7d6328bd082f3a7d9 Earlier this month, I found myself in need of some creative materials for an upcoming project. That's when I discovered this 90% Clear Sticker Paper for my inkjet printer. With 20 sheets in a pack, I was excited to get started on my vision. The sheets are of great quality, they ensure that my designs turn out vibrant and sharp. One day, while working on a particularly intricate design, I noticed how durable these stickers were. Not only did they not smudge with frequent handling, but they also maintained their color and brightness. It was quite a relief to see my work preserved in such a way. However, one thing that came as a bit of a letdown was their thickness. It felt a bit too thick to stick it on extremely curved surfaces. Regardless, for everything else, it's been a joy to work with. 🔗Transparent Semi-Super Sticker Paper, Compatible with Inkjet Printershttps://preview.redd.it/adp11o7zqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32bce06bdebc62572a1dca38238c5ff2cb645fd4 I recently stumbled upon the 20-sheet semi-super clear sticker paper for my inkjet printer by Yennsey, and it's been a game-changer in my label-making escapades. The pack comes with eight and a half by eleven-inch sheets, which are compatible with most inkjet printers and craft cutters. It's a simple yet effective solution for various DIY projects, from wedding invitations to party labels. One of the standout features of this sticker paper is its high-quality, glossy clear vinyl. It not only adds a touch of elegance but also makes the labels durable and waterproof. I've used them on glass, plastic, and metal surfaces, and they stick perfectly without causing any damage upon removal. The removable adhesive is a nice touch, too; it allows me to adjust the stickers during application and ensures no residue is left behind. However, there's one issue I've encountered. The stickers tend to smudge and scratch easily, especially during the printing process. To avoid this, I recommend running a test copy on a standard sheet of paper before using the sticker paper to ensure optimal settings. Overall, I've been very satisfied with the Yennsey sticker paper. Its compatibility with various inkjet printers and craft cutters makes it a versatile option for all your labeling needs. As for the smudging issue, it's a relatively small inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, and it hasn't affected my overall enjoyment of the product. 🔗Matte Clear Sticker Paper for Laser Printers (20 sheets) - 8.5 x 11 Incheshttps://preview.redd.it/3v56oghzqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=938da58ae582560a04a16f63275b607aac791272 I recently purchased the Paper Plan Clear Sticker Paper for my laser printer, and I must say, it has made my DIY projects so much fun and easy. The sheets are perfectly sized at 8.5 x 11 inches and are compatible with any laser printer, which makes them very versatile. One of the highlights of this sticker paper is that it produces vibrant colors, making it perfect for custom artwork and company logos. The ink dries in just a few minutes, allowing me to apply the sticker soon after printing. Plus, its self-adhesive nature makes it easy to stick on surfaces like wood, glass, and ceramic. On the downside, this product is only compatible with laser printers, so if you don't have one, you'll have to invest in one before using this sticker paper. Additionally, there might be a waiting period if the company has a lot of orders, so keep that in mind if you're in a hurry. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase of the Paper Plan Clear Sticker Paper. The quality is excellent, and the end results are truly professional-looking. If you're into DIY projects or need custom stickers for your business, I highly recommend giving this product a try. 🔗Cricut Printable Clear Sticker Paper for Custom Sticker Designshttps://preview.redd.it/l7386itzqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b26f37e70bdc70f8e9091136ed3b00230137a4f9 So, I tried out this Cricut Printable Clear Sticker Paper, and boy, it's really something! You can create customized stickers using your own designs or photos. I used it for some home decor, and my kids loved putting the stickers all over their bedrooms. The transparency of the stickers gave them a sleek look that blended well on any surface. One thing that was really great about this product was the ease of use. It was simple to design and print my own stickers. Another highlight was the vibrant colors that came out without the need for any color correction. However, one downside I found was the difficulty in cutting the stickers perfectly; the edges were a little jagged at times. Another issue was the stickiness of the backing paper, which made it a bit challenging to remove the stickers cleanly. Sometimes, there would be tiny bits of paper left behind. Lastly, the thickness of the sticker paper could be an issue for those with printers that struggle to handle thick paper. In summary, this Cricut Printable Clear Sticker Paper is perfect for someone looking to have fun with customized stickers, decals, and labels. However, be aware that there might be some challenges with cutting and removing the stickers. 🔗High Quality Glossy Clear Labelshttps://preview.redd.it/kby8cua0rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0cab5f1da12ceba20df292731d3b57f3ff1084b6 As a product reviewer, I recently had the opportunity to test out Avery's Glossy Clear Rectangle Labels, and I'm happy to report that they have made a noticeable difference in my labeling projects. The first thing that caught my eye was the stunning glossy finish on these labels. When applied to glass or metal surfaces, they practically disappears, giving a clean and professional look to any item. One of the features that stands out most about Avery's labels is their unique Sure Feed technology. This feature ensures that the labels feed smoothly through the printer without creating jams or smudges. As someone who has dealt with countless printer jams in the past, I can't stress enough how much of a lifesaver this has been for me. Another highlight is the strength and reliability of its adhesive backing. After attaching my labels to various surfaces, I've had zero issues with them peeling or curling up. And for those who need a label that can withstand a little moisture or weather, you'll be pleased to know that these labels are water-resistant. However, these labels do come with some minor drawbacks. For one, they aren't compatible with industrial printers or those designed specifically for labeling purposes. Additionally, the glossy finish can make it slightly difficult to read labels that include fine text or small details. All in all, I'm very impressed with Avery's Glossy Clear Rectangle Labels. They've managed to create a durable, versatile, and visually appealing product that's perfect for both personal and professional use. If you're in the market for high-quality labels, I'd highly recommend giving Avery's Glossy Clear Rectangle Labels a try. 🔗Inkjet-Printable Waterproof Vinyl Sticker Paper for Crafts and DIYhttps://preview.redd.it/kc4ijzi0rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=023643a3c741b15b7d89fe6aa02e0c1b8fd69c15 I had been crafting with paper for years, but I always felt limited with the creative possibilities. That was until I discovered Koala Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper. This magical paper has completely transformed my DIY projects, allowing me to breathe life into my designs like never before. The quality of the vinyl sticker paper is top-notch. As soon as you print out your images or text, they come out vibrant and clear. Plus, the paper's strong adhesive ensures that your stickers will stick to solid smooth surfaces without falling off, even after some water rinsing. One of my favorite features of this sticker paper is its water-resistance. It's perfect for projects that might get wet or damp, like coasters or name tags for a beach party. The ink doesn't bleed, smear, or smudge, which means your designs will always look sharp no matter how much they've been through. However, there's been one minor issue I noticed in some cases - the ink may take a bit longer to dry than stated in the product description. I discovered this while working on a time-sensitive project of customized tumblers. To avoid smearing issues, I would recommend waiting at least an hour or two after printing before applying your stickers. Despite this minor inconvenience, I've been incredibly happy with my experience using Koala Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper. It's allowed me to bring new levels of creativity into my crafting projects, and I can't imagine going back to regular paper now. If you're looking for a versatile material that offers strong adhesion, water-resistance, and stunning print quality, then I highly recommend giving Koala Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper a try. 🔗Premium Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper for Inkjet Printerhttps://preview.redd.it/v74rg5z0rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=090686e9ca936c70be87fb56829964a85ef23541 After spending a week using Gwybkq's Clear Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper for my inkjet printer, I can say that I'm quite impressed with its performance. The paper is of a glossy finish, giving my stickers a sleek and professional look. The weight of the paper is just right – not too thin and not too thick, making it easy to handle. Plus, the 8.5 x 11-inch size is perfect for creating a variety of sticker designs. However, there are a couple of cons worth mentioning. Firstly, the color accuracy could be improved as I noticed slight variations in color due to differences in lighting and computer monitor resolutions. Secondly, the paper takes a bit longer to dry compared to some other vinyl sticker papers I've tried in the past. Overall, I'm happy with the Gwybkq Clear Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper and would recommend it to those who need clear sticker paper for their inkjet printer. Just be sure to have a well-lit workspace and patience for drying time! 🔗Transparent Clear Sticker Paper for Inkjet Printer - Neato MaxClearhttps://preview.redd.it/axkxvxc1rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d9173b3e60437108f938afe275e2ed549b32c89 I have been using Neato's transparent vinyl sticker paper for various DIY projects and I'm absolutely in love with it. The clarity of the stickers is impeccable, and it's incredible how well the colors printed on it. I tried using this for decorating my daughter's birthday party invitations and even customized some beer cans for a friend's housewarming party. It's amazing how versatile and easy to stick these stickers are. Plus, they are compatible with both inkjet and laser printers. It's such a joy to see the endless possibilities of what I can create with this sticker paper. However, the only downside I experienced was that the sticker paper, though high-quality and weatherproof, is a bit on the costly side. But considering how multi-purpose and durable it is, I believe it's worth the investment. In conclusion, Neato's transparent vinyl sticker paper has brought a whole new level of customization and creativity into my daily life, whether it be for personal or professional use. I am thoroughly impressed and would definitely recommend it to others! 🔗Clear Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper for Inkjet Printer, 50 Sheetshttps://preview.redd.it/ahbvu5r1rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7507ca13c75f9a93d082243c9b85d9ff22b7eef As a dedicated crafter, I recently had the chance to try out the Gwybkq Clear Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper for Inkjet Printer. I must say, this product has truly changed my DIY game. The 50 sheets of clear, transparent labels not only caught my eye but also made my sticker-making projects look more professional than ever. One of the highlights of this product for me was its quick-dry feature. I've dealt with many sticker papers that take ages to dry, leaving smudge marks all over my designs when I try to apply them. But with this vinyl sticker paper, I was able to peel off the stickers within minutes without any issues. Another feature that stood out was how easily it handled my inkjet printer. Some sticker papers tend to jam or produce poor-quality prints, but not this one! My prints came out crisp and clear every single time. However, I did experience a few minor inconveniences. For instance, the glossy finish may be great for some projects, but it can be quite reflective under certain lighting conditions, making it difficult to read text or see intricate details in some cases. Additionally, while the adhesive is strong, I noticed that the edges of the stickers can sometimes curl up if not applied correctly. Despite these minor cons, I would still highly recommend the Gwybkq Clear Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper for anyone looking to elevate their crafting projects. The high-quality prints, quick-dry feature, and ease of use make it a valuable addition to any crafter's toolbox! 🔗Transparent Vinyl Sticker Paper for Inkjet Printershttps://preview.redd.it/s2kayu22rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb927526c8a90bd29ef6ee95ad0b4d7e1007974 As a product tester, I tried this Transparent Clear Inkjet Printer Vinyl Sticker Paper for my DIY projects and to be honest, it was quite a letdown. While the material is indeed waterproof, the ink smudged and came off too easily, making it unfit for long-term use. To make matters worse, the adhesive isn't as strong as advertised, causing the stickers to curl at the edges and peel off. However, this vinyl sticker paper does live up to its promise of compatibility with both inkjet and laser printers. In fact, it was quite easy to work with, especially when using an inkjet printer. Its glossy clear appearance gives a professional finish to your designs, but it's worth mentioning that the material is actually glossy white in real life, which could be misleading for some customers. Another highlight is its quick-drying feature. Ink dries within five minutes, offering a high-sticky and high-stable surface for your designs. However, this also makes it prone to smudging, as the ink doesn't dry completely, causing it to smear easily. In summary, while this Inkjet Printer Vinyl Sticker Paper has some promising features, the poorly executed ink resistance and weak adhesive make it difficult to recommend for anyone looking for a long-lasting, quality product. It's best to keep looking for a more reliable option. Buyer's GuideIf you're in search of high-quality clear sticker papers for your next creative project, there are several important features and considerations you should keep in mind. Understanding these points will help you make a well-informed decision when purchasing your sticker papers.Material and DurabilityThe choice of material plays a significant role in the durability and performance of your clear sticker paper. It's essential to look for options made from high-quality materials such as polyester or vinyl, which provide long-lasting resistance to water, UV rays, and regular wear and tear. https://preview.redd.it/1tghskg3rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=902ef9cc2816c75dce1fcd2bcc69885f00278d21 Adhesive StrengthConsider the adhesive strength of the sticker paper. Depending on your intended application, you may require different levels of adhesion. Permanent adhesive is best for applications where you do not want the sticker to be removable, while repositionable adhesive is ideal for projects that may require adjustments during application.Thickness and Dimensional StabilityThe thickness of clear sticker paper can affect the quality and appearance of the finished product. A thicker option will provide a more substantial feel and better resistance to creasing and tearing. Additionally, look for papers with good dimensional stability, ensuring that they maintain their shape and size over time.Print QualityThe quality of the print on clear sticker paper is crucial for achieving professional-looking results. Ensure that the paper can handle your preferred printing method, such as inkjet or laser, and delivers high-resolution, vibrant, and long-lasting prints. https://preview.redd.it/ca9mcks3rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0cf605846a707c4b915c65ab1c1afd713696c944 Ease of UseThe clear sticker paper should be easy to work with, allowing for quick and efficient cutting and application. Look for options with a user-friendly coating, minimizing the chance of smudging or smearing during the printing and cutting process.Compatibility with Printer ModelsEnsure that the clear sticker paper you choose is compatible with your specific printer model. Incompatible materials may cause issues with print quality, feed compatibility, or worse, damage your printer. Always check the compatibility list provided by the paper manufacturer.Customer Reviews and ReputationBefore making your purchase, consider the reputation of the brand and the feedback given by previous buyers. Reading genuine customer reviews can provide a good understanding of the product's overall quality, performance, and user satisfaction. https://preview.redd.it/qeyedf25rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d52a24979c79e4386983eb64551ec752316125c7 FAQ1. What are clear sticker papers used for?Clear sticker papers are used to create custom stickers by providing a clear or transparent background for printed designs. They are ideal for craft projects, DIY creations, product labels, and decals.2. Can I use colored printers with clear sticker papers?Yes, colored printers can be used to print on clear sticker papers. However, the printed designs may not appear as vibrant as they would on white or matt paper due to the transparent background. To enhance the appearance, consider using white ink or printing on the back of the clear paper. https://preview.redd.it/i8kayua5rk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2086b59a7f0f6bf93ef01885e2863d9ebba1797b 3. Does the adhesive on clear sticker papers leave residue?No, the adhesive on high-quality clear sticker papers typically does not leave residue when removed. However, it is essential to follow the application guidelines and maintain room temperature to ensure proper adhesion and easy removal.4. Are clear sticker papers suitable for outdoor use?Yes, some clear sticker papers are designed for outdoor use, providing water and UV resistance. Be sure to check the product specifications before purchasing to ensure it meets your requirements.5. How do I apply stickers created with clear sticker papers?To apply stickers created with clear sticker papers, follow these steps:
6. Can I laminate stickers created with clear sticker papers?Yes, you can laminate stickers created with clear sticker papers to enhance their durability and protect them from moisture and UV rays. Use a clear laminate, and apply it to the front of the sticker to maintain the transparent appearance.7. How do I store unused clear sticker papers?It is essential to store unused clear sticker papers in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep them in their original packaging or an airtight container to protect them from moisture and dust.8. How can I print on both sides of clear sticker papers?To print on both sides of clear sticker papers, follow these steps:
9. Can I use my home printer to print on clear sticker papers?Yes, you can use a standard inkjet printer to print on clear sticker papers. Ensure that your printer is compatible with the paper type and adjust the settings accordingly. Some printers may require specific cartridges or inks for optimal results.10. How do I cut stickers created with clear sticker papers?To cut stickers created with clear sticker papers, either use a sharp pair of scissors or invest in a cutting machine designed for paper crafts. Always ensure that the cutting tool is clean and sharp to guarantee precise cuts and a smooth finish.As an Amazon™ Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. |
2024.05.20 13:15 MirkWorks Excerpts from Beautiful Fighting Girls by Saito Tamaki (Chapter 6 The Emergence of the Phallic Girls) II
High Context
Expression takes many forms. In this book I have interpreted the word media in a broad sense and treated each form of expression that I have discussed as an independent medium. What, then, is the reason for the existence of multiple media like manga, anime, and film? Are these simply multiple forms for mediating the same reality? Not at all. Multiple media exist in order to support multiple fictions. We clearly perceive the form of a particular expression at the same time as we take in its content. The various media function as a kind of context, or a transparent and continuous totality that attaches meaning to content. In this instance the media themselves attain their own unique contextuality. For example, we are not in the least confused if a heroine who breaks down in tears in a television drama suddenly appears smiling in a commercial during the break. This is because it is very easy for us to shift instantaneously between the context of the drama and the commercial.
In an earlier work I referred to this idea of the unique contextuality of each medium as the “representation context,” in order to use it in a more limited sense. This is because it is possible to use the media form itself as a form of representation. As I explained in chapter 1, my use of the term context is based chiefly on a combination of the ideas of G. Bateson and E. T. Hall, which I Have also explained in greater detail elsewhere. For our purposes here, it is possible to understand the contexts contributing to expression as existing in hierarchical strata. In the case of manga, the first context level is that of the narrative that gives meaning to the characters’ actions. Above that is the genre of the narrative - the expressive context that determines whether it is to be taken seriously or as a gag. The representational context is one level above this. Or, if we order them from top down, the process by which we understand the content of a manga can be understood as a hierarchical series of stages beginning with the work’s representational context (manga), proceeding to its expressive context (genre), on to the narrative context, and finally to the comprehension of the content. Of course, in actual fact we have to admit that this sort of hierarchy is ultimately not valid. It goes without saying that content and context exist in a relationship based on simultaneous and mutual corroboration. Therefore I should emphasize that the notion of representation context serves only for convenience of description and is not in any sense an isolatable object.
It is possible, for example, to think of visual media in the order of their dependence on representational contextuality. Contextuality in this case refers to the degree to which the form of expression itself determines the context expressed. In order of descending contextuality, then, we have anime, manga, television, film, and photographs. The statement “I saw a photograph,” for example, conveys no meaning on its own. But the statement “I saw an anime” evokes a relatively concrete image in the listener’s mind. This is because the anime form restricts the range of content much more than does the photograph. In other words, anime has the highest level of contextuality and photography the lowest. Here I follow Hall in calling this the “high context” nature of anime. In general, we can say that more popular forms of expression tend to be higher context (as in the difference between classical and popular music). In visual media, the less information conveyed on the screen, the higher the context (this being the difference between television and film). Thus “cool” media (with low levels of detail) tend toward higher context.
Let us think more concretely about the high-context nature of anime and manga. We have already established that form and content are intricately connected in both. In the case of these expressive forms, we can easily makes guesses about the content and authorship even of works that we know nothing about. Even a single frame of the work will be enough to tell us the genre, the orientation of the content, and sometimes even the identity of the author. Moreover, the instantaneous switching between the “gag” and “serious” modes that would be unthinkable in film but forms part of the grammar of anime (its so-called yakusoku [conventions]) can be explained only on the basis of this high-context nature.
I think of high context as the sensibility that emerges when there is no sense of distance between the producer and the consumer of a given media form. Once we immerse ourselves in this high-context space, the meaning of all stimuli is grasped instantaneously. Inevitably, emotional codes are more easily transmitted here than verbal ones. This high-density transmissibility enables extremely high levels of concentration and absorption.
Intersubjective Mediation, or Media Theory
Based on what I have said above, we can identify the difference between film and anime or manga first in terms of contextuality.
Is this the place for us to move to a discussion of media theory? Is the desire for the beautiful fighting girls a sign of an internal transformation, an “implosion” and extension brought on by our contemporary media environment? In some senses this may be true, but in others it is certainly not.
The development of the media environment has in fact partly transformed the structure of our society. The development of the mass media industry itself is one manifestation of this transformation. Its influence on the economy and on education has, of course, been enormous. But to what extent does this transformation penetrate our inner worlds?
In clinical terms there has not been the slightest structural transformation. The structure of our neurotic subjectivity remains intact, just as Freud discovered it a century ago. If asked to prove this, most analysts would say that it is not their role to offer general proofs of anything. This, too, has not changed in a hundred years. Analysts can speak about the truth. But, or perhaps therefore, they cannot prove what is true. But, or perhaps therefore, they cannot prove what is true. To say that the structure of the subject is intact is to say that the structure of desire has been maintained. What needs to be emphasized here is that, in order for the structure of desire to be maintained, the object of desire must constantly change. If the object of our desire looks different than it did a hundred years ago, this is only a change in appearance that results from the continual maintenance that we as subjects have performed on the structure of that desire. Yes, the development of media has brought about an outward change, a superficial change in the objects of our desire.
From this we can derive at least two psychoanalytic hypotheses. If we use Lacan’s divisions, the stability of the subject denotes primarily the stability of the relationality between the Symbolic and the Real. Moreover, the internal transformation that Marshall McLuhan referred to as “implosion” can be considered mainly as having emerged as a change on the level of form in the Imaginary. Herein lies one of the thorniest difficulties of media theory. If voice and writing are themselves already forms of media, what exactly have modern media been able to add to the equation? The transformation of the subject in the Imaginary can always make it seem as if nothing has happened. As long as this is the case, the appearance of media theory will remain in the always-awaited future, and its conclusions will only continue to be deferred.
But perhaps there is something to be gained nonetheless by taking a detour here and considering the mutual operations of the media environment and the Imaginary. The development of media is clearly most striking in the visual realm. Already we are able in principle to see any sort of image whatsoever. If we so desire, we can also keep large numbers of images in our possession on a computer hard drive. There is no little significance in the fact that, as is so apparent in the case of the ever-increasing functionality of the personal computer, it has become very easy for us not just to preserve but to reproduce, manipulate, and transmit visual information about all sorts of experiences. Our imaginary has been dramatically expanded and accelerated by the media, or extended through “implosion.”
The diversification of methods of mediation has had a number of effects. One of these is the potential impoverishment of content and form. As was clear in the case of the beautiful fighting girls, the narratives in a diversified media environment are surprisingly similar to each other. As I pointed out in chapter 5, there are hundreds of examples of the beautiful fighting girl genre, but only thirteen story lines. From the 1990s on, no new story lines emerged, and new works were simply rearrangements of old ones. In this case at least, we can say that, while the diversification of media may contribute to the outward diversification of the works, we need to be aware of the possibility that it encourages the involution of the genre as a whole.
The more information is exchanged, the more redundancies there are and the more monotonous it becomes. For example, now that communication by personal computer has become the norm, people read and perhaps write enormous amounts of text every day . As a result, we see developing a common “computer style” of writing that is excellent for transmitting information but extremely limited in its capacity for description and definition. The impoverishment of visual information is most evident in the spread of anime-style images.
So what is this about? Increasing the level of detail or rendering movement more subtly in anime would take exponentially more money and time. But of course these luxuries are not always possible. On the other hand, too much abbreviation reduces the images to mere signs and makes for a very dreary representation (like the Saturday morning cartoons in the United States, where the only facial movements are blinking eyes and opening and closing mouths). The solution to the problem in Japan was, I believe, the introduction of the “big eyes and small mouth” that has become the tradition in Japanese anime.
The only parts of a manga that cannot be drawn by assistants are the face, and particularly the eyes, of the main characters. The author’s style appears in its most concentrated form in the facial expression and the eyes. The shortcut technique that resulted from this was to divide up the drawing of the background among assistants and make the characters like simple signs. This made possible the division of labor. Then, to avoid making the characters too much like mere signs, the facial expression, particularly the eyes, and the hands are drawn with great care. Among all the human organs, these occupy the position closest to the grammatical subject. Drawing the eyes and hands with special care has the same value as inserting text. Or, to put it the other way around, as long as the eyes and hands are carefully drawn, the rest can be abbreviated. Then one can add more facial expressions and make them more complex with manpu. This procedure enables the streamlining of the production process while also effectively communicating a wide variety of subtle emotional codes, making it easy for the viewer to identify emotionally. This is likely the origin of the too-large eyes and tiny mouth that Westerners so often point out in Japanese manga and anime. The anime image is the result of a sophisticated technique that enables a maximum of communication with a minimum of lines.
One noticeable trend in recent years, which may have to do mostly with keeping costs down, is that even as the images are drawn with greater and greater sophistication of design and coloration, they tend to move much less. The appearance of movement is skillfully produced by blurring the image, using flashes of lights, and bank sequences [19*. Bank sequences, or Bankukatto, are sequences of animation that can be used repeatedly, such as when a heroine is transforming or assuming a decisive pose.], but on closer inspection there is actually very little movement. The impact of “anime images” results from drawings so refined that this sort of thing no longer appears unnatural. Moreover, because there is no need for the drawings to be particularly intricate, they can be easily digitized, which makes it possible to transfer them into a computer game without altering them. This style of drawing, which is devoid of texture and consists only of fine lines and surfaces, helps smooth the flow of the so-called media mix as the images are transplanted from comics to anime to film, games, figurines, and toys.
The space of manga and anime has introduced easily shareable code systems into our Imaginary. This shareability, in turn, introduces elements of polymorphous perversion into that space. As a result, in the 1980s we first became aware of a very important fact, namely, that even the objects of our sexuality were shareable through the mediation of manga and anime. This realization led to the explosive growth of sexualized images in this space. Of course, the wholesome notion that manga and anime are basically for children exists even now. But even this constraint was converted into a useful technique. Depicting sex in a context that is for children almost inevitably produces undifferentiated, which to say polymorphously perverse, effects. <also, and a much darker scene between the protagonist Utena and the antagonist Akio in the episode The Prince Who Runs Through the Night, a friend pointed this out to me, in terms of what it’s depicting and how True it is. The disassociation and ambivalence that suffuses a traumatic event…>.
To create an autonomous object of desire within the fictional space of manga and anime: was this not the ultimate dream of the otaku? They sought to create fiction not as a stand-in for the “real” sexual object, but fiction that had no need to be secured by reality. For this to work, not even the most elaborately constructed fictional worlds would suffice. In order for fiction to attain its own autonomous reality, it would have to be desired for its own sake. Only then would reality bow down to fiction.
“Fiction” versus “Reality”
Earlier I referred rather casually to the contrast between “fiction” and “reality.” Of course, I do not accept this contrast naively. In fact, it is my belief that everyday reality is itself nothing more than a fiction (or fantasy) and that it is fundamentally impossible to draw a strict distinction between them. One reason that I raise the distinction nonetheless is in order to think once more about “Japan.” The art critic Sawaragi Noi has argued that Japan functions as what he calls a “bad place” and that any act of expression that attempts to escape from that place can only end up by making it worse and getting caught in a vicious circle. If such a place can be hypothesized, it is entirely possible that it could also subsume the place of manga and anime that I have been discussing here. For now I call that space “Japanese space” and contrast it with another unique representational space, which I call “Western space.”
As I pointed out earlier, in Japanese space the distinction between fiction and reality is not completely in effect. The distinction itself is in fact based on a Western idea. **In his theory of ideals Plato begins with a three-part distinction between the ideal, reality, and art, and places art at the bottom of the hierarchy because it is only an imitation of reality. In Plato’s system there is only a series of copies, with the copy of the ideal being reality and the copy of reality being art. Art must content itself with the lowly position of being a copy of a copy, an imitation of an imitation. Added to this is the influence of Judeo-Christian culture, which rejects idolatry. In “Western space,” even today “reality” is made to conform strictly to this ranking. In this context the notion of the “Reality of fiction” is already attenuated by being subjected to all sorts of constraints.
<"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" Matthew 5:28.>
For example, in American popular culture the most privileged fiction form is film. To be made into a film is the ultimate proof of the success of any narrative, whether it originates as a novel or a play. Of course, there are any number of reasons for this, but one is surely the belief that live-action film is the most accurate imitation or reproduction of reality. The impact of live-action film is supported by the belief that what it portrays is a faithful reproduction of reality. In my opinion there is absolutely no difference between the fictionality of live-action film and animated ones; it is just that anime is considered more fictional because it is under the constraint of having to be drawn by someone. For this reason animated films have almost no chance of winning the Academy Award for Best Picture and will always remain a genre inferior to film.
Thinking about censorship practices makes this even clearer. Censors in Japanese space seem for the most part uninterested in the symbolic value of what they are censoring. As long as the genitals are not portrayed explicitly, they will allow even the most depraved images to be shown. In Western space, however, images are censored according to their symbolic value. The censors are not interested in the trivial question of whether or not the genitals are visible, but reserve their strictest scrutiny for obscenity and perverse content. A recent example is the cover for Marilyn Manson’s CD Mechanical Animals. In the composite photograph, Manson appears nude as he glares at the viewer, but with the smooth groin and small breasts of a young girl. This level of perversion does not cause the least problem in Japan. But in the United States it create quite a scandal, with several large music stores refusing the carry the album. One could list any number of similar examples of this difference in the way Japanese and Americans judge an image obscene. Of course, even in Japan this sort of taboo on images still lingers when it comes to the Imperial family, but even that is losing the force it once had. In fact, that taboo has become so weak that it would shock even Okuzaki Kenzo. We are now living in an age when it is possible to publish a manga depicting a bomb thrown at Princess Masako during a parade, and the romance between Princess Kiko and Prince Akishino has been made into an anime. In other words, we still do not have the slightest idea what it is that defines depravity.
One conclusion that we can draw from this comparison is that visual expression in Western space is symbolically castrated, while Japanese space there is only imaginary castration, at most. For example, in Western space any image that symbolizes the penis is censored, while in Japanese space as long as you do not portray the penis itself anything goes. In this ironic sense I would suggest that Japanese media enjoy the great freedom of expression. The problem arises with this freedom itself.
In Japanese space, fiction itself is recognized as having its own autonomous reality. As I mentioned earlier, in Western space reality is always in the superior position, and the fictional space is not allowed to encroach on it. Various prohibitions are introduced to establish and maintain this superiority. It is not permitted for example, to produce images depicting sexual perversion. This is because fiction must not be more real (riaru) than reality. Fiction must be carefully castrated so that it does not become too appealing. This is what I mean by symbolic castration.
It is often remarked that the heroines of Western comics and anime are for the most part not very cute. They often include beautiful women and naked bodies, but rarely do they directly represent characters as sexually attractive. This cannot be explained simply as a result of a discrepancy in technical skill or differing notions of beauty. In the case of an actual Hollywood actress, Japanese and American fans are likely to speak in similar ways about her sexual attractiveness. But the situation is very different when it comes to heroines who appear as drawn images. Betty Boop, for example, may be drawn in a sexy outfit (with a garter belt!), but she is more like a parody of a sexy actress. Her fans are not immediately captivated by Betty’s sexual charms.
To continue with our discussion of Western space, we might remember that 1957 saw the creation of the so-called Comics Code Authority that formulated self-regulatory codes for comics in the United States and effectively spelled the end of the golden age of American comics. At the time juvenile delinquency had become a hot-button issue, and comics were singled out as a contributing factor. Among comic fans the formation of the CCA is referred to as the “Total Disaster.” The list of restrictions is as absurdly detailed as the rules at a Japanese high school. A few items that stand out on the list are
It is thus quite possible to analyze the differences between Japan and the United States from the perspective of regulations. But what I want to stress here is that these rules show all the symptoms of an excessive defense reaction. No matter how popular comics had become by the 1950s, they could hardly compete with film. Nevertheless, they were much more severely regulated, to the point of destroying an entire genre of expression. Would it be too much to see in this an echo of what we might call the West’s iconographic taboo? The highly detailed and concrete restrictions on the depictions of sexuality are particularly remarkable. In these restrictions we can clearly see operating the obsessive idea that images themselves must not be sexually attractive.
Pornography must be considered as part of this discussion of the visual expression of sexuality. Pornography, needless to say, prizes images that are realistic and highly practical. In the decline of roman poruno and the rise of adult video, for example, one can see the pursuit of convenience and practicality. Pornographic images trend toward being more suitable for private consumption, reproduction and distribution gets easier, and pornographic expression gets more and more explicit. But in the Japanese space this leads to another contradiction: namely, the existence of “porno comics.” I want to stress once again that I am speaking of pornography in general here, not of “erotic expression.” It is perhaps only in Japan that pornography has taken the form of comic books and attained a certain popularity in doing so. Of course, there are porno comics that are meant to be used as masturbation aids in the West as well, but on a scale that does not even being to compare with that of Japan.
It seems absurd that such an enormous market would emerge for pornographic comics in a country where “hair nudes” are everywhere and people are somewhat bored even of adult videos. As I pointed out earlier, anime-style drawing has been hugely influential in this genre as well. In terms of their correspondence to everyday reality, there is no less realistic style of drawing. Despite this, however, these kinds of representation have been widely preferred as a medium for pornography. This would be entirely unimaginable in Europe or the United States, and the contrast points to a significant cultural difference.
Of course, there is a historical background to this as well. According to Timon Screech of the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, the so-called shunga that were produced in such huge quantities in the Edo period were used by the masses as masturbation aids.
If that is in fact the case, we should also be able to find the roots of manga and anime in the Edo period, in a culture in which sexual desire was both stimulated and satisfied by drawn images. The issue here, needless to say, has something to do with anything like the symbolic expression of eros. The problem that we have arrived at instead is that of the immediacy of the drawn image.
As I have already pointed out, there are many fans of anime and manga in the West. But they are virtually unanimous in their hatred for so-called tentacle porn. They believe that sexuality does not belong in animation. What do Japanese otaku think about this? If they were shown this sort of pornographic work they would either give a wry smile or launch into a lengthy discussion of the history of adult anime using works like Cream Lemon (Kuriimu remon) and Legend of the Overfiend (Urotsukidoji) as examples. I cannot help but see in this difference another huge contrast between Japanese and Western otaku.
Leaving aside the question of whether it is possible to read in this the traces of taboos and repression, for now let us reiterate the minimal facts of which we can be certain. In the Western space of popular culture, it is exceedingly rare to find drawn iconic images of cute little girls and erotic nudes. In that space there is an unconscious censorship of drawn images, and their reality is kept within certain limits. The type of caricatures so conspicuous in Disney’s animations can even be considered as a technique of exaggeration for the purpose of repression. Constant and meticulous efforts are made in this space to prevent drawn images from attaining their own autonomous reality. In other words, drawn images are always kept in the position of being substitutes for objects that exist in reality.
In Japanese space, on the other hand, it is permissible for all sorts of sites to have their own autonomous reality (riariti). In other words, real (riaru) fictions do not necessarily require the security of reality (genjitsu). There is absolutely no need in this space for fiction to imitate reality. Fiction is able to clear a space around itself for its own reality (riariti ku kan). The appeal of drawn images of little girls, for example, is a crucial element in the production of this reality (riariti). Here, fiction must establish a logic of sexuality all its own. This is because, in Japanese space, sexuality is the most important factor upholding reality (riariti). Of course, this is not true only of anime. Why else, for example, did the artistic traditions of the past put so much emphasis on the depiction of women? Why do rakugo raconteurs spend so much time extolling the pleasures of womanizing? And why do manga instruction courses always begin with how to draw a boy-girl couple? All of these things, which are particular to Japan, suggest that in this space it is sexuality that upholds the reality of fiction (kyoko no riariti).
So let us accept the autonomy of fiction and put forward the thesis that this autonomy is a necessary precondition for the beautiful fighting girl to emerge. If this is the case, we cannot in any sense see in them the reflection of “everyday reality.” It would not be permissible, for example, to infer from the popularity of beautiful fighting girls that girls are being empowered in the real world. It is the stubborn habit of seeing fiction as an imitation of reality, which is hard even for the Japanese to resist, that is at the root of this misunderstanding. The misunderstanding may be logically consistent, but that same logical consistency is also precisely what renders it invalid.
Getting back to our discussion of the image in Japanese space, I repeat that representations in this space do not undergo symbolic castration. There are some gestures toward imaginary castration with regard to sexual codes, but these are barely functional, and in the end they actually come closer to initiating a drive toward the disavowal of castration. The disavowal of castration is of course the initial condition for sexual perversion, which is why this space exhibits such an affinity for perverted objects. All sorts of images come to occupy various positions within this ecosystem of autonomous reality, and the space begins to overflow with meanings rendered through sexual and other codes. In this place, so highly charged with meaning because of this sheer verbosity of codes, context is privileged over any single disarticulated code. Meaning is transmitted instantaneously here, but its provenance can never be traced back to a single code.
This sort of high-context representational space can sometimes lose some of its reality effect if it is circulated too widely and understood too easily. How might it resist this attenuation of reality? One way is, of course, through sexuality. As I have argued several times already, sex is a necessary component for a narrative to seem real. The various struggles and manipulations surrounding sexuality (i.e., “romance”) are what introduce a core of reality into a narrative.
The widespread transgression of sexual limits in Japanese representational culture can also be interpreted in light of the high-context nature of Japanese space. High-context expressive space is, by nature, incapable of making full use of the effects of structural and formal reality. Instead it is the intensities that emerge at moments of shifting and switching from one context to another that are used to create reality effects. In the highest context spaces of anime and manga, most important are those gestures capable of transcending the context of heterosexual desire. The various characteristics of the beautiful fighting girls, which include hermaphorditism, transformation (i.e., accelerated maturation), and the strange mixture of proactivity (i.e., fighting ability) and passivity (i.e., cuteness), all help facilitate the emergence of this transcendental reality. That all manner of perversions should be evoked in their presence is only natural.
[To be continued... The Phallic Girl as a Form of Hysteria]
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Expression takes many forms. In this book I have interpreted the word media in a broad sense and treated each form of expression that I have discussed as an independent medium. What, then, is the reason for the existence of multiple media like manga, anime, and film? Are these simply multiple forms for mediating the same reality? Not at all. Multiple media exist in order to support multiple fictions. We clearly perceive the form of a particular expression at the same time as we take in its content. The various media function as a kind of context, or a transparent and continuous totality that attaches meaning to content. In this instance the media themselves attain their own unique contextuality. For example, we are not in the least confused if a heroine who breaks down in tears in a television drama suddenly appears smiling in a commercial during the break. This is because it is very easy for us to shift instantaneously between the context of the drama and the commercial.
In an earlier work I referred to this idea of the unique contextuality of each medium as the “representation context,” in order to use it in a more limited sense. This is because it is possible to use the media form itself as a form of representation. As I explained in chapter 1, my use of the term context is based chiefly on a combination of the ideas of G. Bateson and E. T. Hall, which I Have also explained in greater detail elsewhere. For our purposes here, it is possible to understand the contexts contributing to expression as existing in hierarchical strata. In the case of manga, the first context level is that of the narrative that gives meaning to the characters’ actions. Above that is the genre of the narrative - the expressive context that determines whether it is to be taken seriously or as a gag. The representational context is one level above this. Or, if we order them from top down, the process by which we understand the content of a manga can be understood as a hierarchical series of stages beginning with the work’s representational context (manga), proceeding to its expressive context (genre), on to the narrative context, and finally to the comprehension of the content. Of course, in actual fact we have to admit that this sort of hierarchy is ultimately not valid. It goes without saying that content and context exist in a relationship based on simultaneous and mutual corroboration. Therefore I should emphasize that the notion of representation context serves only for convenience of description and is not in any sense an isolatable object.
It is possible, for example, to think of visual media in the order of their dependence on representational contextuality. Contextuality in this case refers to the degree to which the form of expression itself determines the context expressed. In order of descending contextuality, then, we have anime, manga, television, film, and photographs. The statement “I saw a photograph,” for example, conveys no meaning on its own. But the statement “I saw an anime” evokes a relatively concrete image in the listener’s mind. This is because the anime form restricts the range of content much more than does the photograph. In other words, anime has the highest level of contextuality and photography the lowest. Here I follow Hall in calling this the “high context” nature of anime. In general, we can say that more popular forms of expression tend to be higher context (as in the difference between classical and popular music). In visual media, the less information conveyed on the screen, the higher the context (this being the difference between television and film). Thus “cool” media (with low levels of detail) tend toward higher context.
Let us think more concretely about the high-context nature of anime and manga. We have already established that form and content are intricately connected in both. In the case of these expressive forms, we can easily makes guesses about the content and authorship even of works that we know nothing about. Even a single frame of the work will be enough to tell us the genre, the orientation of the content, and sometimes even the identity of the author. Moreover, the instantaneous switching between the “gag” and “serious” modes that would be unthinkable in film but forms part of the grammar of anime (its so-called yakusoku [conventions]) can be explained only on the basis of this high-context nature.
I think of high context as the sensibility that emerges when there is no sense of distance between the producer and the consumer of a given media form
Intersubjective Mediation, or Media Theory
Based on what I have said above, we can identify the difference between film and anime or manga first in terms of contextuality.
Is this the place for us to move to a discussion of media theory? Is the desire for the beautiful fighting girls a sign of an internal transformation, an “implosion” and extension brought on by our contemporary media environment? In some senses this may be true, but in others it is certainly not.
The development of the media environment has in fact partly transformed the structure of our society. The development of the mass media industry itself is one manifestation of this transformation. Its influence on the economy and on education has, of course, been enormous. But to what extent does this transformation penetrate our inner worlds?
In clinical terms there has not been the slightest structural transformation. The structure of our neurotic subjectivity remains intact, just as Freud discovered it a century ago. If asked to prove this, most analysts would say that it is not their role to offer general proofs of anything. This, too, has not changed in a hundred years. Analysts can speak about the truth. But, or perhaps therefore, they cannot prove what is true. But, or perhaps therefore, they cannot prove what is true. To say that the structure of the subject is intact is to say that the structure of desire has been maintained. What needs to be emphasized here is that, in order for the structure of desire to be maintained, the object of desire must constantly change. If the object of our desire looks different than it did a hundred years ago, this is only a change in appearance that results from the continual maintenance that we as subjects have performed on the structure of that desire. Yes, the development of media has brought about an outward change, a superficial change in the objects of our desire.
From this we can derive at least two psychoanalytic hypotheses. If we use Lacan’s divisions, the stability of the subject denotes primarily the stability of the relationality between the Symbolic and the Real. Moreover, the internal transformation that Marshall McLuhan referred to as “implosion” can be considered mainly as having emerged as a change on the level of form in the Imaginary. Herein lies one of the thorniest difficulties of media theory. If voice and writing are themselves already forms of media, what exactly have modern media been able to add to the equation? The transformation of the subject in the Imaginary can always make it seem as if nothing has happened. As long as this is the case, the appearance of media theory will remain in the always-awaited future, and its conclusions will only continue to be deferred.
But perhaps there is something to be gained nonetheless by taking a detour here and considering the mutual operations of the media environment and the Imaginary. The development of media is clearly most striking in the visual realm. Already we are able in principle to see any sort of image whatsoever. If we so desire, we can also keep large numbers of images in our possession on a computer hard drive. There is no little significance in the fact that, as is so apparent in the case of the ever-increasing functionality of the personal computer, it has become very easy for us not just to preserve but to reproduce, manipulate, and transmit visual information about all sorts of experiences. Our imaginary has been dramatically expanded and accelerated by the media, or extended through “implosion.”
The diversification of methods of mediation has had a number of effects. One of these is the potential impoverishment of content and form. As was clear in the case of the beautiful fighting girls, the narratives in a diversified media environment are surprisingly similar to each other. As I pointed out in chapter 5, there are hundreds of examples of the beautiful fighting girl genre, but only thirteen story lines. From the 1990s on, no new story lines emerged, and new works were simply rearrangements of old ones. In this case at least, we can say that, while the diversification of media may contribute to the outward diversification of the works, we need to be aware of the possibility that it encourages the involution of the genre as a whole.
The more information is exchanged, the more redundancies there are and the more monotonous it becomes
So what is this about? Increasing the level of detail or rendering movement more subtly in anime would take exponentially more money and time. But of course these luxuries are not always possible. On the other hand, too much abbreviation reduces the images to mere signs and makes for a very dreary representation (like the Saturday morning cartoons in the United States, where the only facial movements are blinking eyes and opening and closing mouths). The solution to the problem in Japan was, I believe, the introduction of the “big eyes and small mouth” that has become the tradition in Japanese anime.
The only parts of a manga that cannot be drawn by assistants are the face, and particularly the eyes, of the main characters. The author’s style appears in its most concentrated form in the facial expression and the eyes. The shortcut technique that resulted from this was to divide up the drawing of the background among assistants and make the characters like simple signs. This made possible the division of labor. Then, to avoid making the characters too much like mere signs, the facial expression, particularly the eyes, and the hands are drawn with great care. Among all the human organs, these occupy the position closest to the grammatical subject. Drawing the eyes and hands with special care has the same value as inserting text. Or, to put it the other way around, as long as the eyes and hands are carefully drawn, the rest can be abbreviated. Then one can add more facial expressions and make them more complex with manpu. This procedure enables the streamlining of the production process while also effectively communicating a wide variety of subtle emotional codes, making it easy for the viewer to identify emotionally. This is likely the origin of the too-large eyes and tiny mouth that Westerners so often point out in Japanese manga and anime. The anime image is the result of a sophisticated technique that enables a maximum of communication with a minimum of lines.
One noticeable trend in recent years, which may have to do mostly with keeping costs down, is that even as the images are drawn with greater and greater sophistication of design and coloration, they tend to move much less. The appearance of movement is skillfully produced by blurring the image, using flashes of lights, and bank sequences [19*. Bank sequences, or Bankukatto, are sequences of animation that can be used repeatedly, such as when a heroine is transforming or assuming a decisive pose.], but on closer inspection there is actually very little movement. The impact of “anime images” results from drawings so refined that this sort of thing no longer appears unnatural. Moreover, because there is no need for the drawings to be particularly intricate, they can be easily digitized, which makes it possible to transfer them into a computer game without altering them. This style of drawing, which is devoid of texture and consists only of fine lines and surfaces, helps smooth the flow of the so-called media mix as the images are transplanted from comics to anime to film, games, figurines, and toys.
The space of manga and anime has introduced easily shareable code systems into our Imaginary. This shareability, in turn, introduces elements of polymorphous perversion into that space. As a result, in the 1980s we first became aware of a very important fact, namely, that even the objects of our sexuality were shareable through the mediation of manga and anime. This realization led to the explosive growth of sexualized images in this space. Of course, the wholesome notion that manga and anime are basically for children exists even now. But even this constraint was converted into a useful technique. Depicting sex in a context that is for children almost inevitably produces undifferentiated, which to say polymorphously perverse, effects. <also, and a much darker scene between the protagonist Utena and the antagonist Akio in the episode The Prince Who Runs Through the Night, a friend pointed this out to me, in terms of what it’s depicting and how True it is. The disassociation and ambivalence that suffuses a traumatic event…>.
To create an autonomous object of desire within the fictional space of manga and anime: was this not the ultimate dream of the otaku? They sought to create fiction not as a stand-in for the “real” sexual object, but fiction that had no need to be secured by reality. For this to work, not even the most elaborately constructed fictional worlds would suffice. In order for fiction to attain its own autonomous reality, it would have to be desired for its own sake. Only then would reality bow down to fiction.
“Fiction” versus “Reality”
Earlier I referred rather casually to the contrast between “fiction” and “reality.” Of course, I do not accept this contrast naively. In fact, it is my belief that everyday reality is itself nothing more than a fiction (or fantasy) and that it is fundamentally impossible to draw a strict distinction between them. One reason that I raise the distinction nonetheless is in order to think once more about “Japan.” The art critic Sawaragi Noi has argued that Japan functions as what he calls a “bad place” and that any act of expression that attempts to escape from that place can only end up by making it worse and getting caught in a vicious circle. If such a place can be hypothesized, it is entirely possible that it could also subsume the place of manga and anime that I have been discussing here. For now I call that space “Japanese space” and contrast it with another unique representational space, which I call “Western space.”
As I pointed out earlier, in Japanese space the distinction between fiction and reality is not completely in effect. The distinction itself is in fact based on a Western idea
<"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" Matthew 5:28.>
For example, in American popular culture the most privileged fiction form is film. To be made into a film is the ultimate proof of the success of any narrative, whether it originates as a novel or a play. Of course, there are any number of reasons for this, but one is surely the belief that live-action film is the most accurate imitation or reproduction of reality. The impact of live-action film is supported by the belief that what it portrays is a faithful reproduction of reality. In my opinion there is absolutely no difference between the fictionality of live-action film and animated ones; it is just that anime is considered more fictional because it is under the constraint of having to be drawn by someone. For this reason animated films have almost no chance of winning the Academy Award for Best Picture and will always remain a genre inferior to film.
Thinking about censorship practices makes this even clearer. Censors in Japanese space seem for the most part uninterested in the symbolic value of what they are censoring. As long as the genitals are not portrayed explicitly, they will allow even the most depraved images to be shown. In Western space, however, images are censored according to their symbolic value. The censors are not interested in the trivial question of whether or not the genitals are visible, but reserve their strictest scrutiny for obscenity and perverse content. A recent example is the cover for Marilyn Manson’s CD Mechanical Animals. In the composite photograph, Manson appears nude as he glares at the viewer, but with the smooth groin and small breasts of a young girl. This level of perversion does not cause the least problem in Japan. But in the United States it create quite a scandal, with several large music stores refusing the carry the album. One could list any number of similar examples of this difference in the way Japanese and Americans judge an image obscene. Of course, even in Japan this sort of taboo on images still lingers when it comes to the Imperial family, but even that is losing the force it once had. In fact, that taboo has become so weak that it would shock even Okuzaki Kenzo. We are now living in an age when it is possible to publish a manga depicting a bomb thrown at Princess Masako during a parade, and the romance between Princess Kiko and Prince Akishino has been made into an anime. In other words, we still do not have the slightest idea what it is that defines depravity.
One conclusion that we can draw from this comparison is that visual expression in Western space is symbolically castrated, while Japanese space there is only imaginary castration, at most. For example, in Western space any image that symbolizes the penis is censored, while in Japanese space as long as you do not portray the penis itself anything goes. In this ironic sense I would suggest that Japanese media enjoy the great freedom of expression. The problem arises with this freedom itself.
In Japanese space, fiction itself is recognized as having its own autonomous reality. As I mentioned earlier, in Western space reality is always in the superior position, and the fictional space is not allowed to encroach on it. Various prohibitions are introduced to establish and maintain this superiority. It is not permitted for example, to produce images depicting sexual perversion. This is because fiction must not be more real (riaru) than reality. Fiction must be carefully castrated so that it does not become too appealing. This is what I mean by symbolic castration.
It is often remarked that the heroines of Western comics and anime are for the most part not very cute. They often include beautiful women and naked bodies, but rarely do they directly represent characters as sexually attractive. This cannot be explained simply as a result of a discrepancy in technical skill or differing notions of beauty. In the case of an actual Hollywood actress, Japanese and American fans are likely to speak in similar ways about her sexual attractiveness. But the situation is very different when it comes to heroines who appear as drawn images. Betty Boop, for example, may be drawn in a sexy outfit (with a garter belt!), but she is more like a parody of a sexy actress. Her fans are not immediately captivated by Betty’s sexual charms.
To continue with our discussion of Western space, we might remember that 1957 saw the creation of the so-called Comics Code Authority that formulated self-regulatory codes for comics in the United States and effectively spelled the end of the golden age of American comics. At the time juvenile delinquency had become a hot-button issue, and comics were singled out as a contributing factor. Among comic fans the formation of the CCA is referred to as the “Total Disaster.” The list of restrictions is as absurdly detailed as the rules at a Japanese high school. A few items that stand out on the list are
- “Divorce shall not be treated humorously nor represented as desirable.”
- “If crime is depicted it shall be as a sordid and unpleasant activity.”
- “In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished [sic] for his misdeeds.”
- “Policemen, judges, government officials and respected institutions shall never be presented in such a way as to create disrespect for established authority.”
It is thus quite possible to analyze the differences between Japan and the United States from the perspective of regulations. But what I want to stress here is that these rules show all the symptoms of an excessive defense reaction. No matter how popular comics had become by the 1950s, they could hardly compete with film. Nevertheless, they were much more severely regulated, to the point of destroying an entire genre of expression. Would it be too much to see in this an echo of what we might call the West’s iconographic taboo? The highly detailed and concrete restrictions on the depictions of sexuality are particularly remarkable. In these restrictions we can clearly see operating the obsessive idea that images themselves must not be sexually attractive.
Pornography must be considered as part of this discussion of the visual expression of sexuality. Pornography, needless to say, prizes images that are realistic and highly practical. In the decline of roman poruno and the rise of adult video, for example, one can see the pursuit of convenience and practicality. Pornographic images trend toward being more suitable for private consumption, reproduction and distribution gets easier, and pornographic expression gets more and more explicit. But in the Japanese space this leads to another contradiction: namely, the existence of “porno comics.” I want to stress once again that I am speaking of pornography in general here, not of “erotic expression.” It is perhaps only in Japan that pornography has taken the form of comic books and attained a certain popularity in doing so. Of course, there are porno comics that are meant to be used as masturbation aids in the West as well, but on a scale that does not even being to compare with that of Japan.
It seems absurd that such an enormous market would emerge for pornographic comics in a country where “hair nudes” are everywhere and people are somewhat bored even of adult videos. As I pointed out earlier, anime-style drawing has been hugely influential in this genre as well. In terms of their correspondence to everyday reality, there is no less realistic style of drawing. Despite this, however, these kinds of representation have been widely preferred as a medium for pornography. This would be entirely unimaginable in Europe or the United States, and the contrast points to a significant cultural difference.
Of course, there is a historical background to this as well. According to Timon Screech of the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, the so-called shunga that were produced in such huge quantities in the Edo period were used by the masses as masturbation aids.
If that is in fact the case, we should also be able to find the roots of manga and anime in the Edo period, in a culture in which sexual desire was both stimulated and satisfied by drawn images. The issue here, needless to say, has something to do with anything like the symbolic expression of eros. The problem that we have arrived at instead is that of the immediacy of the drawn image.
As I have already pointed out, there are many fans of anime and manga in the West. But they are virtually unanimous in their hatred for so-called tentacle porn. They believe that sexuality does not belong in animation. What do Japanese otaku think about this? If they were shown this sort of pornographic work they would either give a wry smile or launch into a lengthy discussion of the history of adult anime using works like Cream Lemon (Kuriimu remon) and Legend of the Overfiend (Urotsukidoji) as examples. I cannot help but see in this difference another huge contrast between Japanese and Western otaku.
Leaving aside the question of whether it is possible to read in this the traces of taboos and repression, for now let us reiterate the minimal facts of which we can be certain. In the Western space of popular culture, it is exceedingly rare to find drawn iconic images of cute little girls and erotic nudes. In that space there is an unconscious censorship of drawn images, and their reality is kept within certain limits. The type of caricatures so conspicuous in Disney’s animations can even be considered as a technique of exaggeration for the purpose of repression. Constant and meticulous efforts are made in this space to prevent drawn images from attaining their own autonomous reality. In other words, drawn images are always kept in the position of being substitutes for objects that exist in reality.
In Japanese space, on the other hand, it is permissible for all sorts of sites to have their own autonomous reality (riariti). In other words, real (riaru
So let us accept the autonomy of fiction and put forward the thesis that this autonomy is a necessary precondition for the beautiful fighting girl to emerge. If this is the case, we cannot in any sense see in them the reflection of “everyday reality.” It would not be permissible, for example, to infer from the popularity of beautiful fighting girls that girls are being empowered in the real world. It is the stubborn habit of seeing fiction as an imitation of reality, which is hard even for the Japanese to resist, that is at the root of this misunderstanding. The misunderstanding may be logically consistent, but that same logical consistency is also precisely what renders it invalid.
Getting back to our discussion of the image in Japanese space, I repeat that representations in this space do not undergo symbolic castration. There are some gestures toward imaginary castration with regard to sexual codes, but these are barely functional, and in the end they actually come closer to initiating a drive toward the disavowal of castration. The disavowal of castration is of course the initial condition for sexual perversion, which is why this space exhibits such an affinity for perverted objects. All sorts of images come to occupy various positions within this ecosystem of autonomous reality, and the space begins to overflow with meanings rendered through sexual and other codes. In this place, so highly charged with meaning because of this sheer verbosity of codes, context is privileged over any single disarticulated code. Meaning is transmitted instantaneously here, but its provenance can never be traced back to a single code.
This sort of high-context representational space can sometimes lose some of its reality effect if it is circulated too widely and understood too easily. How might it resist this attenuation of reality? One way is, of course, through sexuality. As I have argued several times already, sex is a necessary component for a narrative to seem real. The various struggles and manipulations surrounding sexuality (i.e., “romance”) are what introduce a core of reality into a narrative.
The widespread transgression of sexual limits in Japanese representational culture can also be interpreted in light of the high-context nature of Japanese space. High-context expressive space is, by nature, incapable of making full use of the effects of structural and formal reality. Instead it is the intensities that emerge at moments of shifting and switching from one context to another that are used to create reality effects. In the highest context spaces of anime and manga, most important are those gestures capable of transcending the context of heterosexual desire. The various characteristics of the beautiful fighting girls, which include hermaphorditism, transformation (i.e., accelerated maturation), and the strange mixture of proactivity (i.e., fighting ability) and passivity (i.e., cuteness), all help facilitate the emergence of this transcendental reality. That all manner of perversions should be evoked in their presence is only natural.
[To be continued... The Phallic Girl as a Form of Hysteria]
2024.05.20 11:11 ConsequenceSure3063 Best Cheap Record Players
 | submitted by ConsequenceSure3063 to u/ConsequenceSure3063 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/h2otmifhsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c5c861857f43994bcef21572bde0b9f2ac7e2f3 Are you a vinyl enthusiast seeking the perfect record player without breaking the bank? Look no further! Our comprehensive guide to Cheap Record Players showcases a range of affordable options that won't sacrifice sound quality or durability. Discover the best options for music lovers on a budget, featuring top-rated brands and models. Get ready to spin your favorite records without spinning your wallet! The Top 14 Best Cheap Record Players
Reviews🔗C62 Record Player with Speakers - Blackhttps://preview.redd.it/1mpw9rdisj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cdc7e8827faf5ca08afd43a536e8af11999496e1 The C62 Record Player with Speakers has been an absolute game-changer in my vinyl listening experience. For someone who appreciates high-quality sound, the C62 doesn't disappoint. The record player effectively combines a vintage aesthetic with modern features, making it an attractive addition to any room. The built-in speakers provide crystal-clear audio, giving a new life to my old vinyl records. One of the most satisfying parts of using the C62 is how easy it is to set up. Even if you're a newbie in the world of vinyl, the clear instructions make it a breeze to get started. Moreover, its minimalistic design, with just a couple of knobs to control, ensures that operating the record player is a breeze. The versatility of the C62 is another major plus. Not only does it play vinyl records, but it also connects to Bluetooth devices, allowing you to stream your favorite digital playlists. This feature makes the C62 an excellent choice for any music lover, whether you're a seasoned vinyl enthusiast or just beginning your vinyl collection. In terms of build quality, the C62 feels sturdy and well-built. Its heavy steel platter and three vibration control feet make it resistant to any unwanted vibrations, ensuring a smooth and high-quality sound experience. This might not be the most portable record player out there, but for those who prioritize performance over portability, the C62 delivers. However, one minor downside could be the size. Although its compact size makes it an excellent choice for small spaces, the C62 might not be the best option for those with a vast vinyl collection, as storing your records could be a bit challenging. In summary, the C62 Record Player with Speakers is a fantastic investment for any music lover who appreciates high-quality sound and a mix of vintage aesthetics with contemporary features. Its ease of use, exceptional sound quality, and versatility make it an attractive option, despite its size. If you're ready to dive into the world of vinyl, the C62 is definitely worth considering. 🔗3-in-1 Jensen Turntable CD Radio, Cassette and AM/FM Stereo Speakershttps://preview.redd.it/29h0cw1jsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=322cac97127b49ad8ce22207f6f95faf3fb87e1d I recently got the Jensen 3-speed turntable CD radio, cassette, and AM/FM set and I can't express how happy I am with my purchase. I remember using my dad's old turntable and the nostalgia it brings back is just priceless. This one is a modern twist to the classic turntable - it plays not only vinyl records but also CDs and cassettes. Plus, it has an AM/FM tuner so I can listen to my favorite radio stations. What I love about this product is that it is versatile. The turntable allows me to play 3-speed records, which gives me a variety of options. The CD player accepts both regular and rewriteable discs, while the cassette deck, although it looks a bit fragile, still works perfectly fine. This device also comes with features such as repeat of songs and tracks, skip/search forward and backward and random play. The blue back-lit LCD display and programmable memory adds a nice touch to the whole setup. It's super user-friendly; even my grandma could figure it out! And let's not forget about the stereo headphone jack, perfect for those late-night listening sessions without disturbing anyone. However, one downside I noticed is that the build quality isn't top-notch. It feels a bit plasticky and might not hold up over time. Another thing is that the speakers lack bass. But hey, considering how affordable this product is, these are minor quibbles. In conclusion, if you're looking for a nostalgic music player that combines old school charm with modern convenience, the Jensen 3-speed turntable CD radio, cassette, and AM/FM set is definitely worth checking out. Just remember to handle it with care due to its somewhat delicate build. 🔗Modern Vinyl Record Player Stand with Bluetoothhttps://preview.redd.it/2cwcvp3ksj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63086a99a802cc861f3473c204dd54ed3159055a First of all, let me tell you about my experience with this Victrola Liberty Bluetooth Record Player. The moment I set my eyes on it, I was thrilled. Its retro design, available in on-trend colors, instantly captured my fascination. The built-in features like the CD player, FM radio, and USB player made it a versatile piece of entertainment. Plus, the ability to record from vinyl directly to USB without using a computer was intriguing. The unit stands tall with four long legs and four short rubber feet. This unique design not only adds to its charm but also provides two different decorative options. The dimensions are just right - measuring 17.10 x 15.70 x 11-in and weighing 14.68 lbs. It's easy to move around and fits perfectly into any space. While the sound quality is commendable, filling the room with a rich, full tone, the construction could use some improvement. The turntable feels a bit flimsy, especially the auto-stop button that sometimes fails to work. Also, there's a little wobbling when a record is on, but not enough to cause any skipping. In terms of usability, setting up this record player is a breeze. Even someone who's new to vinyl could get it up and running in no time. The included instructions are concise and clear. However, I did encounter a few issues with the build. First, it seems like there hasn't been much care about handling during shipping. The packaging was good, but it's not enough to prevent some minor damages. Second, I wish the legs could be secured better to ensure they don't pop out from under the record player. Overall, despite its drawbacks, I believe the Victrola Liberty Bluetooth Record Player does offer a blend of vintage charm and modern convenience. It performs well, especially for its price point, and it's a nice addition to any room's décor. If you're looking for a stylish and functional record player that won't break the bank, I'd recommend giving this one a try. 🔗Stylish Modern Convertible Sleeper Chair- Light Grayhttps://preview.redd.it/5f8bh35ksj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=88c81c5e17ceb35e16ada64a7e9886a5f7158953 Victrola Journey+ Signature Bluetooth Record Player Cream is a classic-meets-modern record player that's not only easy on the eyes but also on the ears. I recently found myself delving into my old vinyl collection after dusting off this nifty little device. Firstly, the sound quality is amazing. Whether it's an old classic or a modern tune, the three-speed record player delivers sharp, clear audio every time. However, I must admit, the built-in speakers may lack the bass some might crave for, especially when playing groovy tunes from the 70s or 80s. The Bluetooth connectivity was a game-changer for me. It allowed me to stream my favorite tunes from my phone through the record player, giving me the best of both worlds - the charm of vinyl and the convenience of digital music. The headphone jack was also a nice touch, perfect for those intimate listening moments. In terms of usability, this record player is as simple as it gets. The controls are straightforward, and setting it up was a breeze. Plus, the suitcase-styled design makes it incredibly portable. I ended up carrying it to a few parties, and it was a hit among the guests. The build quality is top-notch. The grey color adds a modern twist to the classic design, making it a stylish addition to any room. The unit is sturdy and well-built, indicating that it will last a long time. In summary, the Victrola Journey+ Signature Bluetooth Record Player Cream is an excellent choice for anyone looking to revive their vinyl collection with some modern flair. It's easy to use, portable, and delivers great sound quality. Highly recommended! 🔗Classic 3-in-1 Bluetooth Record Player with 3-Speed Turntablehttps://preview.redd.it/zmuxergksj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c49e36831940e82a1119a6542eb9e132001e8c3 As a vinyl enthusiast, I was excited to try out the Innovative Technology 3-in-1 Avery Bluetooth Record Player. The product's attractive design instantly caught my eye, and the built-in Bluetooth connectivity was a nice added bonus. One of the standout features of this record player is its three-speed turntable, allowing me to play all of my favorite vinyl records at varying speeds. The built-in speakers provide decent sound quality, which made listening to my vinyl collection an enjoyable experience. However, one issue I encountered was the lack of a Bluetooth output connection, making it difficult for me to connect the player to my existing sound system. Additionally, the built-in speakers do not offer the best bass response, but this can be easily remedied by connecting external speakers. Overall, the Innovative Technology 3-in-1 Avery Bluetooth Record Player is a great addition to any vinyl lover's collection, offering a solid blend of style and functionality. While there are a few minor drawbacks, such as the lack of a Bluetooth output connection and the need for external speakers, these issues do not detract from the overall enjoyment of using this record player. I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking to dive into the world of vinyl or for those who want to enjoy their old vinyl collection with a touch of modern convenience. 🔗Audio Technica Fully Automatic Vinyl Record Turntablehttps://preview.redd.it/siw7hrwksj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=222851be3ff67bba2f17f156d09ab9d0526cdd58 Discover the joy of vinyl with the Audio Technica AT-LP60X-GM automatic turntable. I've been using this product for a while now and it's been a game-changer. The fully automatic belt-drive operation with two speeds, 33-1/3 and 45 RPM, ensures smooth playback of your favorite vinyl records. One of the standout features of this turntable is its anti-resonance, die-cast aluminum platter. This not only adds to the aesthetics but also significantly reduces vibrations and noise during playback, enhancing the overall listening experience. The redesigned tonearm base and headshell have also made a noticeable difference in improved tracking and reduced resonance. The integral Dual Magnet phono cartridge with a replaceable diamond stylus (ATN3600L) provides rich audio quality, promising hours of listening pleasure. The AC adapter manages AC/DC conversion outside of the chassis, effectively reducing noise in the signal chain. What I particularly love about this turntable is its portability and compact design. It's easy to move around and fits seamlessly into any room setting. However, the hinged detachable dust cover could be a bit sturdier to better protect my vinyl records. In terms of performance, this turntable performs exceptionally well, especially given its attractive price point. While it may not impress the audiophiles, it's a perfect introductory turntable for vinyl enthusiasts or anyone looking to explore the world of vinyl. So, if you're in search of a reliable, easy-to-use turntable that won't break the bank, I highly recommend the Audio Technica AT-LP60X-GM automatic turntable. You won't be disappointed! 🔗Victrola Retro 3-Speed Record Playerhttps://preview.redd.it/rxrq46alsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92e692a340ab0a4084b2dd960f3f580ecd1a759b I recently got my hands on the Victrola 3-in-1 Bluetooth Record Player with Built-in Speakers, and it's been quite a nostalgic journey for me. This record player is a perfect blend of old-school charm and modern convenience. The three-speed turntable (33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM) plays all my favorite vinyls, transporting me back to the days when music was a tangible experience. One feature that really stands out is the ability to record your favorite music directly to a USB, no computer needed. It's like having a personalized mixtape from the past. Plus, its Bluetooth compatibility lets me stream music wirelessly from my smart device, making it versatile for both old and new tunes. However, there are some downsides too. The build quality feels a bit flimsy, and the tone arm can be quite slow to lower, which might annoy some users. Additionally, the sound quality isn't top-notch compared to higher-end models, but considering the price point, it's quite reasonable. In conclusion, if you're looking for a budget-friendly record player with a touch of vintage charm, the Victrola 3-in-1 Bluetooth Record Player might be worth considering. But if you demand impeccable sound and robust build quality, you might want to explore other options. 🔗Crosley Cruiser Plus Bluetooth Suitcase Turntable in Tourmalinehttps://preview.redd.it/mpsiwytlsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06afd439e958d9f8e6f49289347ca1cce768602d Once a vinyl enthusiast, always a vinyl enthusiast. That's my motto ever since I got my hands on the Crosley Cruiser Plus Turntable - Tourmaline. It just blends old school music with modern technology seamlessly. When I first unboxed it, I was instantly charmed by its charming suitcase-style shell. It gave off a vintage vibe that I absolutely loved. Plus, the built-in Bluetooth receiver and stereo speakers took the convenience factor up a notch. Navigating through the Turntable is a breeze. The adjustable pitch control and 3-speed feature (33 1/3, 45 & 78 RPM) gave me the flexibility to play any vinyl record I wanted. And don't even get me started on the Bluetooth in/out capability. It was like having a digital music player and a vinyl record player all wrapped into one device. One day, I had the brilliant idea of connecting my phone to the turntable and playing some of my favorite vinyl-to-digital remastered tracks. The sound quality was phenomenal, a perfect blend of digital clarity and analog warmth. Now, if only it didn't skip randomly sometimes. . . Despite the occasional skip, the Crosley Cruiser Plus Turntable has been a reliable and enjoyable companion on my vinyl adventure. It's portable, easy to use, and best of all, it beautifully blends the charm of old school vinyl with the convenience of modern technology. 🔗Boytone 7-in-1 Bluetooth Vinyl Turntable Systemhttps://preview.redd.it/8k1fhuamsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16e234baadad60c77fe643eae00bed8b2fb54efd I recently got my hands on the Boytone Bt-24djm Turntable with Bluetooth Connection, and let me tell you, it's been a game-changer in my music listening experience. As a vinyl enthusiast, I often find myself struggling to integrate my old records into my modern music setup. However, this 7-in-1 system has made that a breeze. Not only does it have a 3-speed turntable, but it also includes radio, cassette, and auxiliary options. One highlight from my experience is the MP3 encoding feature. It has allowed me to convert vinyl, cassette, radio, and aux audio into a digital format, making it super easy to enjoy my old school tunes on my phone or computer. The sound quality is impressive for a system at this price point. The two stereo speakers with bass boost deliver clear, dynamic sound that has breathed new life into my vinyl collection. However, there are a few cons to consider. The speaker wires are quite short, which made it necessary for me to purchase extensions. Additionally, the lack of tone or equalizer controls is a miss. While the sound quality is good, it would be nice to have more control over the bass, mid-range, and treble. Overall, I'm very pleased with the Boytone Bt-24djm Turntable with Bluetooth Connection. Its range of features and ease of use make it a great addition to any music lover's collection. 🔗Bluetooth Vinyl Record Player with Built-In Stereo Speakers, 3-Speed Belt-Driven Turntable, AUX, RCA & Headphone Socketshttps://preview.redd.it/h7lvdhimsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fdffb7283d99d4d0d43c03eba3995207882c40b I recently got my hands on this Bluetooth-enabled vintage vinyl record player and it's been a fantastic addition to my music collection. The first thing that caught my eye was the sleek, retro design that adds a touch of class to any room. But, it's not all about looks. The built-in Bluetooth function makes it incredibly easy to connect and play my favorite digital music from my phone or tablet, while the 3-speed belt-driven turntable lets me enjoy all of my vinyl records at various speeds. One of the standout features for me is the high-sensitivity stylus, which does an excellent job of accurately reading record information. The audio output is decent for its size, and I appreciate the added flexibility of the 3.5mm Aux-in and RCA output options. However, the built-in speakers could be better, so I sometimes connect it to my external speaker system for a more immersive listening experience. Some drawbacks I noticed are the relatively low power output, which might not be able to fill a big room with sound, as well as the lack of an adaptive speed feature. Additionally, the build quality feels a bit flimsy and the accompanying instructions could be clearer. Overall, this Bluetooth record player is a stylish and functional addition to any music lover's collection, offering a nostalgic vinyl listening experience with modern connectivity. It's not perfect, but for its price point, it's definitely worth considering. 🔗Bluetooth Vinyl Turntable with 40W Stereo Speakershttps://preview.redd.it/ahns6evmsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=edcb6ea16a14d60ab3ff7a3d2bccc28ca6f76331 As a music enthusiast, I've had my fair share of turntables, but the Arkrocket Cassini has truly stood out. Upon receiving it, I was blown away by its stunning walnut finish and sleek design. The ease of setup was impressive, making it truly user-friendly. However, what truly captured my attention was the sound quality this turntable delivers. It uses a moving magnet cartridge system, which offers a stable playback, allowing my vinyls to be enjoyed in all their glory. This turntable also supports Bluetooth, giving me the flexibility to connect with wireless speakers or headphones when I want. The included 40Watt bookshelf speakers are a cherry on top, providing clear and powerful sound. The only con I noticed was that the turntable is a bit on the heavier side, making it a little less portable than some other options. However, this is a minor inconvenience for the incredible listening experience it provides. Overall, I highly recommend the Arkrocket Cassini for anyone looking to enhance their vinyl listening experience. 🔗Vintage-Style Turntable System with Stand and Bluetoothhttps://preview.redd.it/ylpgk0unsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38f03521bb8c5787dea7218dbbf4fcb3db23a35a I recently got my hands on the Magnavox MD708 Stereo Suitcase Turntable System with Stand and Bluetooth, and believe me, this little beauty has brought back some serious nostalgia. Not only does it look like it's straight out of the 60s, but it performs just as well! This turntable is quite a workhorse. It plays all my vinyl records with impeccable sound quality, helping me relive those classic tunes from the good old days. The built-in radio and Bluetooth connectivity options are an added advantage, making it versatile enough to handle all my music needs. However, there are a couple of things that could have been better. While the sound quality is top-notch, I wish the volume could go a little louder. Also, attaching the legs was a bit tricky for me, but nothing that couldn't be managed with patience. Overall, I'm extremely happy with my purchase. Magnavox has done it again - creating a quality record player that not only looks vintage but also delivers on performance. If you're a vinyl enthusiast, you'll definitely appreciate what this turntable has to offer. 🔗Gemini TT-900WW Vinyl Record Player with Bluetooth and Dual Stereo Speakershttps://preview.redd.it/5m4ehg1osj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fcfb44889f3b432fa1c1a97575c5c40fb31bd0ff When I first tried the TT-900WW vinyl record player from Gemini, I was honestly quite blown away. This sleek turntable stereo system is not only easy to set up, but it also has a modern design that complements any decorated room. The turntable itself is made from a sturdy material, while the built-in dual stereo speakers provide clear and warm sound. The TT-900WW features advanced connectivity options that make it perfect for digital music streaming. I was able to stream my favorite songs from my mobile devices or computer wirelessly via Bluetooth, as well as connect via USB and play 33-1/3 and 45 RPM vinyl records with the included adapter. The fact that this vinyl record player can handle both analog and digital music made it an all-in-one sound system for me. One of the standout features is the adjustable tone control which lets you customize the sound according to your liking. This helps to create a more immersive listening experience with depth and clarity. Another thing that I really appreciated was the sleek, minimalist design of the turntable. It's compact size makes it perfect for small living rooms, bedrooms or offices. However, one downside to the TT-900WW is the quality of the build. While the turntable is sturdy, the rest of the unit feels a bit cheaply made, especially the knobs and buttons. Another con is that the speakers, though decent for beginners, may not satisfy audiophiles looking for a high-end sound experience. However, with a price tag under $200, it's a great option for anyone looking to get into vinyl collecting. Overall, I would definitely recommend the Gemini TT-900WW Vinyl Record Player with Bluetooth and Dual Stereo Speakers White, especially for beginners or those on a budget. The sound quality is good, and the advanced connection options make it perfect for both analog and digital music listening. 🔗Classic Record Player with 5 Records for Kidshttps://preview.redd.it/tdlin9nosj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb58dad098c1c28b33bf979e34f1231b1050efc3 When the Fisher-Price Record Player arrived at my doorstep, I couldn't help but feel a flood of nostalgia. I remember playing with this toy as a child, winding up the music box and listening to nursery rhymes on the vinyl records. Fast forward to today, and it's fascinating how the enduring charm of classic toys still holds up. The first thing that caught my eye was the vibrant colors of the record player. It instantly took me back to my childhood days when toys were a lot simpler yet equally entertaining. The carrying handle is also a nice touch, making it easy to carry around the house or even take it to parties or playdates. Kudos to Fisher-Price for keeping things authentic with this retro-inspired design. However, not everything was perfect. Upon using the toy, I noticed that the music quality has taken a backseat. The sound is significantly louder and tinny, unlike the soft melodies I remember from my childhood. Additionally, the packaging was quite disappointing, with some parts damaged during shipping. Overall, the Fisher-Price Record Player is a nostalgic reminder of simpler times. While it may not be perfect in terms of sound quality, its familiar design and handheld convenience make it a fun toy for kids today. It's an enjoyable way to introduce children to the magic of vinyl records and classic nursery rhymes. Buyer's Guidehttps://preview.redd.it/ltozz9zosj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a7210474cfc727da0fd6caaff47a4414053bb2d8 Important Features in Cheap Record PlayersWhen shopping for a cheap record player, there are certain features you should keep an eye out for to ensure you get the best product within your budget. These include:
Considerations when Buying Cheap Record PlayersBefore purchasing a cheap record player, consider the following factors:
https://preview.redd.it/ryeb86rpsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f345cbc43bde5f130e4f50ffbc3df721b08a592 General Advice for Cheap Record Player UsersTo make the most out of your cheap record player, follow these tips:
FAQhttps://preview.redd.it/ejg1b6rpsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02ee58f736c6c93720cdd7635c491a9bdaa96fac What is a record player?A record player, also known as a turntable, is a device that plays vinyl records. It features a stylus (needle) that reads the grooves on the record and converts them into sound waves, producing music.How much do cheap record players typically cost?Record players can range widely in price, from budget models to high-end options. Cheap record players usually cost between $50 and $150, depending on features and quality. https://preview.redd.it/u18beh6qsj1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=135096b300d7e1b1f5142f4e792ce427c114c106 What are the benefits of using a cheap record player?
How do I know if a cheap record player is good quality?Look for a solid build, sturdy platter, and a well-designed tonearm. Additionally, consider user reviews and ratings to gauge the overall quality and performance of a specific model.Do cheap record players have built-in speakers?Some cheap record players come with built-in speakers, while others require external speakers or headphones. Models with USB output or Bluetooth connectivity can be connected to external speakers or headphones for better sound quality.What should I consider when buying a cheap record player?
How can I maintain my cheap record player?
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2024.05.20 08:30 prajnene X-Ray Inspection System Market Analysis, Growth, Size, And Share
The global x-ray inspection system market size was valued at USD 2.27 billion in 2022 and is expected to be worth USD 2.37 billion in 2023. The market is projected to reach USD 3.44 billion by 2030, recording a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period.
Security concerns are increasing across the world due to rising number of crimes such as illegal smuggling. Governments are taking various precautions and measures to ensure public safety. This factor has boosted the demand for x-ray inspection systems across airports and other public spaces. These machines are also used to verify the quality of raw materials and detect the most minute damages in the final product. The growing use of these instruments in a wide range of industries is expected to amplify the x-ray inspection system market growth.
Fortune Business Insights™ displays this information in a report titled, "X-Ray Inspection System Market, 2023-2030."
~LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED IN THE REPORT~
· North Star Imaging Inc. (U.S.)
· Nikon Metrology, Inc. (U.S.)
· Nordson Corporation (U.S.)
· YXLON International GmbH (Germany)
· VJ Group, Inc. (U.S.)
· Mettler Toledo International Inc. (U.S.)
· Ametek, Inc. (U.S.)
· Viscom AG (Germany)
· ViTrox Corporation Berhad (Malaysia)
· Test Research, Inc. (Taiwan)
Browse In-depth Summary of This Research Insight:
https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/x-ray-inspection-system-market-105227
~Segments:~
Rising Adoption of Digital Imaging Solutions to Carry Out Non-Destructive Testing to Fuel Market Progress
Based on technique, the x-ray inspection system market is classified into film-based imaging and digital imaging. The digital imaging segment is expected to dominate the x-ray inspection system market share as digital x-rays instantly transform the captured image into digital data, which can be viewed within seconds. Moreover, the increasing demand for non-destructive tests from various sectors will further bolster the demand for digital imaging.
Direct Radiography to Witness Robust Adoption due to Innovations in Medical Imaging Technologies
Based on digital imaging, the market is segmented into computed tomography, computed radiography, and direct radiography. The direct radiography segment will dominate the market due to the launch of futuristic scanning technologies in the healthcare sector. Direct radiography does not require intermediate processing steps to receive digital signals, making the scanning process more accurate and easier.
Rising Security Concerns to Augment Demand for Ultra-HD Scanning Technology
Based on scanning technology, the market is classified into HD and ultra-HD. The ultra-HD segment might hold the largest market share due to growing security problems at public places, transit stations, and airport terminals.
Aerospace & Defense Sector to Increase Reliance on 3D Imaging Solutions to Boost National Security
In terms of dimension, the market is classified into 2D and 3D. The 3D segment held the largest market share in 2022 as the aerospace & defense industry is becoming more reliant on 3D imaging machines to enhance public safety.
Non-Destructive Testing to Lead due to High Demand for Advanced Inspection Services
Based on application, the market is divided into PCB & passive electronics inspection, non-destructive testing, foreign contaminants inspection, agricultural, bird & animal imaging & inspection, flaw detection & dimensional inspection, leak detection & weld verification, physical properties estimation, case depth determination, and others. The non-destructive testing segment is expected to dominate the market share due to rising demand for quality inspection services from various industry verticals.
Product Use to Increase in Oil & Gas Sector with Growing Demand for Inspection of Oil & Gas Infrastructure
Based on end-user, the market is into oil & gas, energy & utilities, food processing, healthcare & pharmaceuticals, agricultural, bird & animal imaging & inspection, aerospace & defense, industrial manufacturing, automotive, and others. The oil & gas segment is estimated to dominate the x-ray inspection system market as these inspection systems are being widely used in the oil & gas sector to inspect the level of corrosion and welding issues that are a part of the oil & gas infrastructure.
With respect to region, the market covers North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.
~Report Coverage:~
The report has encompassed many factors such as research & development capabilities, optimization of operations, quality control, and raw material production. It offers important information on the market forecast, trends, and competitive landscape of the key players. Besides the abovementioned factors, the report encompasses several factors boosting the market’s growth.
~Drivers and Restraints:~
Implementation of Safety Norms to Protect Environment will Boost Market Growth
Governments and regulatory agencies across the world are rolling out a wide range of strict safety regulations to protect public health and the environment. Industry verticals have to comply with quality and safety standards to adhere to the strict norms. x-ray inspection technologies can help industries comply with these regulations by detecting flaws in structures, pipelines, and other machines.
However, shortage of skilled labor force and high machine costs might hamper the x-ray inspection system market growth.
~Regional Insights:~
North America to Dominate Market Share due to the Presence of Reputed OEMs
North America dominated the global market in 2022 and might maintain its dominance during the forecast period due to the growing base of renowned OEMs and service providers. These OEMs are producing smart x-ray inspection products and solutions to boost their customer base.
Asia Pacific held a significant market share due to the development of advanced infrastructure in key countries. These nations are increasing their investments in infrastructure projects, such as railways, highways, and power plants, which will boost the product demand and fuel the regional market growth.
~Competitive Landscape:~
Key Players to Enter into Corporate Growth Strategies to Boost Market Presence
The market has a vast presence of key players such as Nikon Metrology, Inc., Nordson Corporation, YXLON International GmbH, and North Star Imaging Inc., among others. These firms engage in various corporate growth strategies, such as acquisitions, mergers, technological innovations, partnerships, and new product launches, to expand their market presence.
~Key Industry Development:~
April 2022 - Smiths Detection, one of the world’s most renowned threat detection and security screening technology providers, won a contract through its local partner Donggok Precision Co., Ltd. As per the contract, Smiths Detection was expected to deliver a wide range of futuristic baggage screening machines for Terminal 1 of the Incheon International Airport in South Korea.
submitted by prajnene to u/prajnene [link] [comments]
Security concerns are increasing across the world due to rising number of crimes such as illegal smuggling. Governments are taking various precautions and measures to ensure public safety. This factor has boosted the demand for x-ray inspection systems across airports and other public spaces. These machines are also used to verify the quality of raw materials and detect the most minute damages in the final product. The growing use of these instruments in a wide range of industries is expected to amplify the x-ray inspection system market growth.
Fortune Business Insights™ displays this information in a report titled, "X-Ray Inspection System Market, 2023-2030."
~LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED IN THE REPORT~
· North Star Imaging Inc. (U.S.)
· Nikon Metrology, Inc. (U.S.)
· Nordson Corporation (U.S.)
· YXLON International GmbH (Germany)
· VJ Group, Inc. (U.S.)
· Mettler Toledo International Inc. (U.S.)
· Ametek, Inc. (U.S.)
· Viscom AG (Germany)
· ViTrox Corporation Berhad (Malaysia)
· Test Research, Inc. (Taiwan)
Browse In-depth Summary of This Research Insight:
https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/x-ray-inspection-system-market-105227
~Segments:~
Rising Adoption of Digital Imaging Solutions to Carry Out Non-Destructive Testing to Fuel Market Progress
Based on technique, the x-ray inspection system market is classified into film-based imaging and digital imaging. The digital imaging segment is expected to dominate the x-ray inspection system market share as digital x-rays instantly transform the captured image into digital data, which can be viewed within seconds. Moreover, the increasing demand for non-destructive tests from various sectors will further bolster the demand for digital imaging.
Direct Radiography to Witness Robust Adoption due to Innovations in Medical Imaging Technologies
Based on digital imaging, the market is segmented into computed tomography, computed radiography, and direct radiography. The direct radiography segment will dominate the market due to the launch of futuristic scanning technologies in the healthcare sector. Direct radiography does not require intermediate processing steps to receive digital signals, making the scanning process more accurate and easier.
Rising Security Concerns to Augment Demand for Ultra-HD Scanning Technology
Based on scanning technology, the market is classified into HD and ultra-HD. The ultra-HD segment might hold the largest market share due to growing security problems at public places, transit stations, and airport terminals.
Aerospace & Defense Sector to Increase Reliance on 3D Imaging Solutions to Boost National Security
In terms of dimension, the market is classified into 2D and 3D. The 3D segment held the largest market share in 2022 as the aerospace & defense industry is becoming more reliant on 3D imaging machines to enhance public safety.
Non-Destructive Testing to Lead due to High Demand for Advanced Inspection Services
Based on application, the market is divided into PCB & passive electronics inspection, non-destructive testing, foreign contaminants inspection, agricultural, bird & animal imaging & inspection, flaw detection & dimensional inspection, leak detection & weld verification, physical properties estimation, case depth determination, and others. The non-destructive testing segment is expected to dominate the market share due to rising demand for quality inspection services from various industry verticals.
Product Use to Increase in Oil & Gas Sector with Growing Demand for Inspection of Oil & Gas Infrastructure
Based on end-user, the market is into oil & gas, energy & utilities, food processing, healthcare & pharmaceuticals, agricultural, bird & animal imaging & inspection, aerospace & defense, industrial manufacturing, automotive, and others. The oil & gas segment is estimated to dominate the x-ray inspection system market as these inspection systems are being widely used in the oil & gas sector to inspect the level of corrosion and welding issues that are a part of the oil & gas infrastructure.
With respect to region, the market covers North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.
~Report Coverage:~
The report has encompassed many factors such as research & development capabilities, optimization of operations, quality control, and raw material production. It offers important information on the market forecast, trends, and competitive landscape of the key players. Besides the abovementioned factors, the report encompasses several factors boosting the market’s growth.
~Drivers and Restraints:~
Implementation of Safety Norms to Protect Environment will Boost Market Growth
Governments and regulatory agencies across the world are rolling out a wide range of strict safety regulations to protect public health and the environment. Industry verticals have to comply with quality and safety standards to adhere to the strict norms. x-ray inspection technologies can help industries comply with these regulations by detecting flaws in structures, pipelines, and other machines.
However, shortage of skilled labor force and high machine costs might hamper the x-ray inspection system market growth.
~Regional Insights:~
North America to Dominate Market Share due to the Presence of Reputed OEMs
North America dominated the global market in 2022 and might maintain its dominance during the forecast period due to the growing base of renowned OEMs and service providers. These OEMs are producing smart x-ray inspection products and solutions to boost their customer base.
Asia Pacific held a significant market share due to the development of advanced infrastructure in key countries. These nations are increasing their investments in infrastructure projects, such as railways, highways, and power plants, which will boost the product demand and fuel the regional market growth.
~Competitive Landscape:~
Key Players to Enter into Corporate Growth Strategies to Boost Market Presence
The market has a vast presence of key players such as Nikon Metrology, Inc., Nordson Corporation, YXLON International GmbH, and North Star Imaging Inc., among others. These firms engage in various corporate growth strategies, such as acquisitions, mergers, technological innovations, partnerships, and new product launches, to expand their market presence.
~Key Industry Development:~
April 2022 - Smiths Detection, one of the world’s most renowned threat detection and security screening technology providers, won a contract through its local partner Donggok Precision Co., Ltd. As per the contract, Smiths Detection was expected to deliver a wide range of futuristic baggage screening machines for Terminal 1 of the Incheon International Airport in South Korea.
2024.05.20 08:18 FancyInvestment397 Best Online Casinos in Ireland
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2024.05.20 04:02 Jexvite GORILLA TAG TIMELINE/LORE AS OF OG CAVES UPDATE
So, this is really long but I think it's worth the read as there has been nothing else like this in the Gtag community before. I have been working on this almost every day since Valentines Day Update 2022. I have changed it, restarted it, and updated it for every new Gtag update. I will make Updates to the in the future as it seems like we are getting more updates and more maps in the future.
Updates are not always literal, for example, the Human Tag Update only shows that humans exist or once existed in the Gorilla Tag world. The Monkes are not literally wearing masks that resemble humans. This logic applies to every update unless it's just cosmetics or a new map. Also, it's really weird at the first few Chapters so just stick with it or skip ahead. Ask any question in the comments about why I put the things I put and if you want evidence.
Most recent Updates to this are in Chapters 8, 14, 15, and 16
BI = Before Infection AI = After Infection
Prologue: Gods
4,500,000,000 BI - 212,001 BI
When Earth is formed, two gods form with it to rule over the planet. Mother Nature, the god of life and nature, and the Illuminati, the god of chaos and ice. Mother Nature usually takes the form of a 3,000-foot-tall tree called the Tree of Life, while the Illuminati takes the form of an ice pyramid with an ice eye in the center. Mother Nature creates life to populate Earth while the Illuminati constantly tries to kill it.
Chapter 1: The Rise and Fall of Humanity
212,000 - 200,001 BI
Humans, the most powerful species on Earth has cut down the Tree of Life and taken Mother Nature out of control. This leaves the Illuminati to slowly creep into the modern society. Some Humans form a cult around it, and they are the most powerful people on Earth. That means, the Illuminati can tell them to do something, and they can affect the most powerful nations on the planet.
Eventually, the Illuminati tricks the humans into fighting each other. The biggest nations on the world begin to go to war with some of the biggest possible nukes. They destroy the surface of the Earth causing it to go into a nuclear ice age. The Illuminati, an ice god, now has full control over Earth. Anytime life appears, it almost instantly dies. However, some humans were able to survive and eventually, the ice age comes to an end, and no god is in control of Earth.
Chapter 2: Monke
200,000 BI - 1,001 BI
After hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, Humans have evolved into a new species called Monkes. Monkes are gorilla-like apes that can survive the harshest of conditions. Their diet consists of grass and bugs. Some bugs and patches of grass have survived over the past few million years.
Mother Nature has started to take back control of the world as she creates the Tree of Life and a whole forest around it in a crater from a nuke. Many Monkes travel to this crater and end up being trapped as the forest is on a lower level then the rest of the crater.
Chapter 3: Rise of the Monkes
1,000 BI - 601 BI
All other Monkes go extinct meaning that the only remaining Monkes are in this crater. One day the Monkes decide to finally make the jump as they all jump down into the forest. Most of them die, but the few that survive are left without legs. About 100 Monkes are alive and they quickly learn to use their arms like legs.
Unfortunately, just like there Human ancestors, the first thing they do is cut down the Tree of Life and use its wood. This leaves Mother Nature powerless again. The wood from the Tree of Life will last them for thousands of years. They build bridges, tree houses, ramps, and a gazebo in the forest. All the children of the surviving Monkes also don't have legs making it now a fundamental part of their species.
They hollow out the inside of the Tree of Life's stump and start to build tunnels out of it. These tunnels reach out to all over the crater. One tunnel leads to a small set of canyons covered in sand. Another tunnel leads to a massive flat, rocky, landscape in the other side of the crater. The final tunnel goes straight down into the ground until it hits a large cave filled with crystals.
They build mines underneath the cave and harvest the large crystals. These crystals are radioactive because of the ancient nukes. The Monkes harvest the crystals and start to use them in technology. They create lamps, litghtposts, lights, signs, and even their greatest accomplishment a computer.
Chapter 4: The City
600 BI - 30 BI
The large, flat, rocky landscape they discovered has a lot of useful recourses in it. Over the next few hundred years they build an entire city with large skyscrapers and new technology that is widespread. There are thousands of Monkes now living in The City. The forest and canyons have become vacation places for most Monkes, and the homes of the most rich or important Monkes.
The Monkes decide to have a leader, so a rich family decides to step up and become the royals of the Monkes. There king is named Yorick, and their queen is named Lucy. They both live in a basement-like area rights next to the main entrance into The City. Queen Lucy also turns the canyons into an industrial area and improves quality of life for the main populous.
King Yorick and Queen Lucy have a son named Blue. By the time Prince Blue was 13 he already starting his dream job of being a scientist.
Chapter 5: The Hunt War
29 BI - 21 BI
A tunnel is dug in city after, and they dig all the way until the edge of the crater. The walls of the crater look like large mountains from down below and they are extremely cold. They accidentally cause an avalanche, and the base of the walls are filled with snow and ice. From this avalanche comes the god of chaos and ice, the Illuminati. The Illuminati causes many snowstorms and causes a sort of Ice Age.
Queen Lucy tries to keep everyone calm and civil. However, the Illuminati is able to influence the Monkes minds and causes chaos and destruction to happen all throughout Monke society. After years of pure chaos, the Monkes are able to split into two factions, The Monkes, and the Smiles. They also are helped by newly discovered species that came with the Ice Age. These species are Penguins, Polar Bears, Snow Owls, and many other species that live in the cold. These species were the only survivors of the ancient human war that nearly killed Earth. Over the past few hundred thousand years, they have all migrated across the world, and have worked together even if they were from different poles of the Earth.
The royal scientist, Prince Blue has created many new technologies before. During the war, he creates a Hunt Watch. A Hunt Watch is a watch that targets the nearest enemy to you. Once you touch that enemy with the watch on, they turn into an Ice Monke and can easily be shattered to bits. Over time, this technology allowed them to win the war and bring somewhat order back.
Chapter 6: The Ice Monkes
20 BI - 1 BI
Many Ice Monkes were not killed in the war, usually they were turned into Ice Monkes but were able to get away before being shattered. The Ice Monkes are still just regular Monkes except they are made of ice, can't go near heat, and are fragile. Even though the war was over, the Ice Monkes were still treated horribly. In this already hard time period, the Ice Monkes had absolutely nothing. Many veterans of the war still had their Hunt Watches, causing many more Ice Monkes to be formed.
Meanwhile the Illuminati builds snow castles for itself in the forest. This means that the mountain base was safe to enter now. To lighten the spirit of this dark time they built a large waterslide in this new area. Many murders and crimes still happen throughout The City, but one day it gets out of hand. King Yorick is assonated, his head was chopped off in the middle of The City. The now lonely Queen Lucy keeps his skull in her home.
Chapter 7: The Infection
0 AI - 3 AI
Ever since the bombs dropped hundreds of thousands of years ago, a volcano has slowly been forming in the crater. Now, the volcano has fully formed and is erupting. All the snow and ice are melted, the Illuminati is gone, the caves are flooded, and the mines are caved in. The base of the walls still has snow but lots of it melts and reshapes its surface.
In the lava was an extremophile virus that can survive the lavas heat. It is radioactive and spreads very quickly. This virus is called the Infection, and many Monkes get it. The infected Monkes get resistant to lava, they get stronger, they get faster, there skin is replaced with lava, and they have an uncontrollable instinct to hunt down normal Monkes and infect them.
The infected spread everywhere but The City is able to be kept safe and nobody can enter or leave The City. After a few years the volcano stops erupting, but the Infection stays around.
Chapter 8: Calming Down
4 AI - 6 AI
Prince Blue finds a cure for the Infection, some Monkes are given jobs to specifically leave The City and cure a ton of infected Monkes. They start doing this and it actually works. The cure is called Kai Juice. Anytime someone enters The City, they are given Kai Juice just in case. It is no longer dangerous to leave The City as if you get infected you can immediately drink some Kai Juice and go back to normal.
The caves and mines are drained and dug up. The old caves and mines completely caved in and revealed even more caves underneath. They start mining again and find loads of dinosaur bones along with a 40-foot-long crystal. Prince Blue has a son named Pink, but unfortunately during such great times, Queen Lucy dies of old age. Blue becomes King Blue and Pink becomes Prince Pink. There is a massive funeral for Queen Lucy that spans from The City all the way to the forest. They burn her body and put her ashes in a vase beneath a grave.
Chapter 9: Exploration
7 AI - 17 AI
A large tunnel is found on the forest walls, they follow it, and it leads out of the crater. Just on the other side of the crater is a beach covered in ancient, broken, human buildings. King Blue sees this and is the first to figure out that there was a complex civilization before them.
A few years later, they have made boats to sail out into the ocean and have built shops to supply the ships on shore. The ocean and beach are also home to many new animals. Meanwhile, King Blue discovered that if an infected Monke stays infected for multiply years, they harden and become rock. When they harden, they can't infect anything, but they can't be cured either. They also get even stronger, even faster, and their rock skin is almost impenetrable.
Chapter 10: The Tree of Life
18 AI - 47 AI
King Blue has been studying everything he can since he became king, and he has noticed that it is possible to revive the Tree of Life. For hundreds of years the Tree of Life's stump has been sitting in the forest, so King Blue is going to be the first one to do anything about it.
Over the next decade they nurture the stump and help it constantly until the Tree of Life has fully grown back. The only problem is that the Tree of Life is almost a mile tall, and they can't climb up that. King Blue and his engineering team spend the next few years building a rocket. When they are finished, they put it in the middle of The City and launch it. On the rocket is a team of explorers and engineers to work on top of the Tree of Life.
When on top of it they build large platforms along with massive rocks wheels and other things powered by winds. When they come back down, months later, they tell everyone what they built. The rocket becomes the main form of transportation in between The City and the Tree of Life’s top. The public uses that rocket to get up there because now people live on top of the Tree of Life in a place called Cloudtown.
Chapter 11: Calm Before the Storm
48 AI - 54 AI
King Blue and his team start to develop a new rocket after realizing how well they built the first rocket. The second rocket they build is not in The City and much larger. They build this rocket for years before eventually, it is done. It launched, flew out of the atmosphere, and took a 3-day journey through space until they landed on the Moon.
The Illuminati has created a being named Humbug. Humbug appears as a 30-foot-tall snowman. Humbug also has the abilities to change size, change the size of other things, transform, and transform other things. He takes the form of an old Monke named Santa Claus. In the form of Santa, he would give out presents to everyone and create ridiculously large birthday cakes for everyone. Everyone loved him and had no idea of his true form. He would use his powers every now and then to shrink people down and kidnap them. Over time he would slowly transform them into children's toys that he would give out to the people. However, the Santa form broke down over time. His red clothes and white beard becoming gray. But the public still loved and cherished him.
Chapter 12: Humbug
55 AI - 62 AI
Humbug reveals his true form and takes over The City. He shrinks down King Blue and Prince Pink. He then mutilates and transforms them into monsters called the Monkeyes. He traps them in a miniature maze and throws Monkes in there to be killed by their previous leaders. Everything is covered in snow once again by the Illuminati, but he still is not fully in control. Humbug takes over everything the Monkes have made before climbing his way up the Tree of Life. Humbug makes it up there and destroys Cloudtown in an attempt to take control over the Tree of Life. This does not work.
Over a few years, the Monkes have been able to create something called a Tesla Coil. The Tesla Coil is a machine that can take away Humbugs powers and use it against him. Humbug's powers are stripped away, and the Monkes take back control. Humbug is shrunken down and trapped in a miniature maze. The Monkes also start to use his powers to make themselves super big. However, with King Blue and Prince Pink turned into monsters, and Humbug overthrown, the Monkes have no leader.
Chapter 13: The Giants War
63 AI - 75 AI
The Monkes have been living peacefully for a few years, but eventualy, the different sizes start to look down on each other. This leads into the Giants War, where the different Monke sizes fight for 9 years. Eventually, the Monke population dwindle so much, that the war ended. The Monkes that did not change their size did not interact with the Monkes that changed their size. Now, tiny Monke skulls and giant Monke skulls are littered everywhere, and the only surviving Monkes are the ones that never changed their size.
Chapter 14: Peace
76 AI - 90 AI
The Tree of Life grows massively and repairs the damage done by Humbug years ago. Countless new branches and huge leaves sprout from its trunk. This allows the Monkes to make their way back up to the treetop with a newly repaired rocket. Cloudtown is rebuild, slowly, but rebuilt nonetheless. This is called, New Cloudtown.
A year after the Giants War ends, the skulls and bodies are cleared out. The City was practically empty as most buildings were either destroyed, damaged, or tilted over in the war. Many Monkes just went to New Cloudtown to survive as going anywhere else other than The City would mean being attacked by Infected Monkes. Also, during this time, the mutated monsters that were once King Blue and Prince Pink were killed by another Monke for sport. Their souls go on to become ghosts that wander the city. King Blue's soul becomes a ghost called the Ghost Wanderer, and Prince Pink's soul becomes a ghost called the Ghost Lurker.
The population has grown more, and the Monkes have created sports to celebrate the era of peace. These sports are Hockey, Watersoccer, and Paintbrawl. This happens during the fall where Lucy's spirit flies out from her grave and starts playing with some random civilian Monkes. She then reunites with the souls of her son and grandson in the forms of the Ghost Wanderer and the Ghost Lurker.
Chapter 15: Advancements
91 AI - 100 AI
A new type of plant is found in New Cloudtown. This plant sprouts large leaves with handle-like stems. These plants are called Glider Vines. The leaves of Glider Vines are used as gliders to fly around New Cloudtown.
The Monkes are unable to explore anymore. The ocean is too vast, they never got back from explorers they sent into the ocean, and the crater walls are too high to climb. So, they spend a few years creating an artificial environment that they can change on a will. They do this by using a Tesla Coil that harness Humbug's powers. In the first testing of it, they try to bring back the vast cave systems they found hundreds of years ago. It was an attempt to make infinite recourses. It turns out as a failure, everything is extremely broken and blocky. After much testing, they have it so it could be a tundra, a swamp, an ancient temple, and basically anything else. This underground, artificial environment is called Rotation.
They decide to excavate a larger area for Rotation. They then finish their original plan of recreating that same ancient cave system. This time it works, and it looks just like how it did hundreds of years ago. However, during the excavating of the larger area, the long dead Queen Lucy's vase finds itself in Rotation. Minor Monkes enter this cave and start mining, but when they discover Lucy's vase, they open it. From her long dead ashes rises the confused, lost, and insane spirit of Lucy. She has been trapped underground in the dark for almost a century now and has gone insane. The minors call her the Burnt Lucy, a dark reflection of their long dead Queen.
Chapter 16: The Return of Humbug
101 AI - ??? AI
The usage of the Tesla Coil attracts Humbug. He is able to escape the miniature maze the Monkes trapped him in, and slowly make his way to Rotation. When he arrives, he is able to get some of his powers back from the Tesla Coil, but he is noticed by the Monkes.
One of the first things Humbug does is kidnap three Monkes and turns them into small monsters called Monkeyes. He places them in the tiny maze that he was once trapped in.
submitted by Jexvite to GorillaTag [link] [comments]
Updates are not always literal, for example, the Human Tag Update only shows that humans exist or once existed in the Gorilla Tag world. The Monkes are not literally wearing masks that resemble humans. This logic applies to every update unless it's just cosmetics or a new map. Also, it's really weird at the first few Chapters so just stick with it or skip ahead. Ask any question in the comments about why I put the things I put and if you want evidence.
Most recent Updates to this are in Chapters 8, 14, 15, and 16
BI = Before Infection AI = After Infection
Prologue: Gods
4,500,000,000 BI - 212,001 BI
When Earth is formed, two gods form with it to rule over the planet. Mother Nature, the god of life and nature, and the Illuminati, the god of chaos and ice. Mother Nature usually takes the form of a 3,000-foot-tall tree called the Tree of Life, while the Illuminati takes the form of an ice pyramid with an ice eye in the center. Mother Nature creates life to populate Earth while the Illuminati constantly tries to kill it.
Chapter 1: The Rise and Fall of Humanity
212,000 - 200,001 BI
Humans, the most powerful species on Earth has cut down the Tree of Life and taken Mother Nature out of control. This leaves the Illuminati to slowly creep into the modern society. Some Humans form a cult around it, and they are the most powerful people on Earth. That means, the Illuminati can tell them to do something, and they can affect the most powerful nations on the planet.
Eventually, the Illuminati tricks the humans into fighting each other. The biggest nations on the world begin to go to war with some of the biggest possible nukes. They destroy the surface of the Earth causing it to go into a nuclear ice age. The Illuminati, an ice god, now has full control over Earth. Anytime life appears, it almost instantly dies. However, some humans were able to survive and eventually, the ice age comes to an end, and no god is in control of Earth.
Chapter 2: Monke
200,000 BI - 1,001 BI
After hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, Humans have evolved into a new species called Monkes. Monkes are gorilla-like apes that can survive the harshest of conditions. Their diet consists of grass and bugs. Some bugs and patches of grass have survived over the past few million years.
Mother Nature has started to take back control of the world as she creates the Tree of Life and a whole forest around it in a crater from a nuke. Many Monkes travel to this crater and end up being trapped as the forest is on a lower level then the rest of the crater.
Chapter 3: Rise of the Monkes
1,000 BI - 601 BI
All other Monkes go extinct meaning that the only remaining Monkes are in this crater. One day the Monkes decide to finally make the jump as they all jump down into the forest. Most of them die, but the few that survive are left without legs. About 100 Monkes are alive and they quickly learn to use their arms like legs.
Unfortunately, just like there Human ancestors, the first thing they do is cut down the Tree of Life and use its wood. This leaves Mother Nature powerless again. The wood from the Tree of Life will last them for thousands of years. They build bridges, tree houses, ramps, and a gazebo in the forest. All the children of the surviving Monkes also don't have legs making it now a fundamental part of their species.
They hollow out the inside of the Tree of Life's stump and start to build tunnels out of it. These tunnels reach out to all over the crater. One tunnel leads to a small set of canyons covered in sand. Another tunnel leads to a massive flat, rocky, landscape in the other side of the crater. The final tunnel goes straight down into the ground until it hits a large cave filled with crystals.
They build mines underneath the cave and harvest the large crystals. These crystals are radioactive because of the ancient nukes. The Monkes harvest the crystals and start to use them in technology. They create lamps, litghtposts, lights, signs, and even their greatest accomplishment a computer.
Chapter 4: The City
600 BI - 30 BI
The large, flat, rocky landscape they discovered has a lot of useful recourses in it. Over the next few hundred years they build an entire city with large skyscrapers and new technology that is widespread. There are thousands of Monkes now living in The City. The forest and canyons have become vacation places for most Monkes, and the homes of the most rich or important Monkes.
The Monkes decide to have a leader, so a rich family decides to step up and become the royals of the Monkes. There king is named Yorick, and their queen is named Lucy. They both live in a basement-like area rights next to the main entrance into The City. Queen Lucy also turns the canyons into an industrial area and improves quality of life for the main populous.
King Yorick and Queen Lucy have a son named Blue. By the time Prince Blue was 13 he already starting his dream job of being a scientist.
Chapter 5: The Hunt War
29 BI - 21 BI
A tunnel is dug in city after, and they dig all the way until the edge of the crater. The walls of the crater look like large mountains from down below and they are extremely cold. They accidentally cause an avalanche, and the base of the walls are filled with snow and ice. From this avalanche comes the god of chaos and ice, the Illuminati. The Illuminati causes many snowstorms and causes a sort of Ice Age.
Queen Lucy tries to keep everyone calm and civil. However, the Illuminati is able to influence the Monkes minds and causes chaos and destruction to happen all throughout Monke society. After years of pure chaos, the Monkes are able to split into two factions, The Monkes, and the Smiles. They also are helped by newly discovered species that came with the Ice Age. These species are Penguins, Polar Bears, Snow Owls, and many other species that live in the cold. These species were the only survivors of the ancient human war that nearly killed Earth. Over the past few hundred thousand years, they have all migrated across the world, and have worked together even if they were from different poles of the Earth.
The royal scientist, Prince Blue has created many new technologies before. During the war, he creates a Hunt Watch. A Hunt Watch is a watch that targets the nearest enemy to you. Once you touch that enemy with the watch on, they turn into an Ice Monke and can easily be shattered to bits. Over time, this technology allowed them to win the war and bring somewhat order back.
Chapter 6: The Ice Monkes
20 BI - 1 BI
Many Ice Monkes were not killed in the war, usually they were turned into Ice Monkes but were able to get away before being shattered. The Ice Monkes are still just regular Monkes except they are made of ice, can't go near heat, and are fragile. Even though the war was over, the Ice Monkes were still treated horribly. In this already hard time period, the Ice Monkes had absolutely nothing. Many veterans of the war still had their Hunt Watches, causing many more Ice Monkes to be formed.
Meanwhile the Illuminati builds snow castles for itself in the forest. This means that the mountain base was safe to enter now. To lighten the spirit of this dark time they built a large waterslide in this new area. Many murders and crimes still happen throughout The City, but one day it gets out of hand. King Yorick is assonated, his head was chopped off in the middle of The City. The now lonely Queen Lucy keeps his skull in her home.
Chapter 7: The Infection
0 AI - 3 AI
Ever since the bombs dropped hundreds of thousands of years ago, a volcano has slowly been forming in the crater. Now, the volcano has fully formed and is erupting. All the snow and ice are melted, the Illuminati is gone, the caves are flooded, and the mines are caved in. The base of the walls still has snow but lots of it melts and reshapes its surface.
In the lava was an extremophile virus that can survive the lavas heat. It is radioactive and spreads very quickly. This virus is called the Infection, and many Monkes get it. The infected Monkes get resistant to lava, they get stronger, they get faster, there skin is replaced with lava, and they have an uncontrollable instinct to hunt down normal Monkes and infect them.
The infected spread everywhere but The City is able to be kept safe and nobody can enter or leave The City. After a few years the volcano stops erupting, but the Infection stays around.
Chapter 8: Calming Down
4 AI - 6 AI
Prince Blue finds a cure for the Infection, some Monkes are given jobs to specifically leave The City and cure a ton of infected Monkes. They start doing this and it actually works. The cure is called Kai Juice. Anytime someone enters The City, they are given Kai Juice just in case. It is no longer dangerous to leave The City as if you get infected you can immediately drink some Kai Juice and go back to normal.
The caves and mines are drained and dug up. The old caves and mines completely caved in and revealed even more caves underneath. They start mining again and find loads of dinosaur bones along with a 40-foot-long crystal. Prince Blue has a son named Pink, but unfortunately during such great times, Queen Lucy dies of old age. Blue becomes King Blue and Pink becomes Prince Pink. There is a massive funeral for Queen Lucy that spans from The City all the way to the forest. They burn her body and put her ashes in a vase beneath a grave.
Chapter 9: Exploration
7 AI - 17 AI
A large tunnel is found on the forest walls, they follow it, and it leads out of the crater. Just on the other side of the crater is a beach covered in ancient, broken, human buildings. King Blue sees this and is the first to figure out that there was a complex civilization before them.
A few years later, they have made boats to sail out into the ocean and have built shops to supply the ships on shore. The ocean and beach are also home to many new animals. Meanwhile, King Blue discovered that if an infected Monke stays infected for multiply years, they harden and become rock. When they harden, they can't infect anything, but they can't be cured either. They also get even stronger, even faster, and their rock skin is almost impenetrable.
Chapter 10: The Tree of Life
18 AI - 47 AI
King Blue has been studying everything he can since he became king, and he has noticed that it is possible to revive the Tree of Life. For hundreds of years the Tree of Life's stump has been sitting in the forest, so King Blue is going to be the first one to do anything about it.
Over the next decade they nurture the stump and help it constantly until the Tree of Life has fully grown back. The only problem is that the Tree of Life is almost a mile tall, and they can't climb up that. King Blue and his engineering team spend the next few years building a rocket. When they are finished, they put it in the middle of The City and launch it. On the rocket is a team of explorers and engineers to work on top of the Tree of Life.
When on top of it they build large platforms along with massive rocks wheels and other things powered by winds. When they come back down, months later, they tell everyone what they built. The rocket becomes the main form of transportation in between The City and the Tree of Life’s top. The public uses that rocket to get up there because now people live on top of the Tree of Life in a place called Cloudtown.
Chapter 11: Calm Before the Storm
48 AI - 54 AI
King Blue and his team start to develop a new rocket after realizing how well they built the first rocket. The second rocket they build is not in The City and much larger. They build this rocket for years before eventually, it is done. It launched, flew out of the atmosphere, and took a 3-day journey through space until they landed on the Moon.
The Illuminati has created a being named Humbug. Humbug appears as a 30-foot-tall snowman. Humbug also has the abilities to change size, change the size of other things, transform, and transform other things. He takes the form of an old Monke named Santa Claus. In the form of Santa, he would give out presents to everyone and create ridiculously large birthday cakes for everyone. Everyone loved him and had no idea of his true form. He would use his powers every now and then to shrink people down and kidnap them. Over time he would slowly transform them into children's toys that he would give out to the people. However, the Santa form broke down over time. His red clothes and white beard becoming gray. But the public still loved and cherished him.
Chapter 12: Humbug
55 AI - 62 AI
Humbug reveals his true form and takes over The City. He shrinks down King Blue and Prince Pink. He then mutilates and transforms them into monsters called the Monkeyes. He traps them in a miniature maze and throws Monkes in there to be killed by their previous leaders. Everything is covered in snow once again by the Illuminati, but he still is not fully in control. Humbug takes over everything the Monkes have made before climbing his way up the Tree of Life. Humbug makes it up there and destroys Cloudtown in an attempt to take control over the Tree of Life. This does not work.
Over a few years, the Monkes have been able to create something called a Tesla Coil. The Tesla Coil is a machine that can take away Humbugs powers and use it against him. Humbug's powers are stripped away, and the Monkes take back control. Humbug is shrunken down and trapped in a miniature maze. The Monkes also start to use his powers to make themselves super big. However, with King Blue and Prince Pink turned into monsters, and Humbug overthrown, the Monkes have no leader.
Chapter 13: The Giants War
63 AI - 75 AI
The Monkes have been living peacefully for a few years, but eventualy, the different sizes start to look down on each other. This leads into the Giants War, where the different Monke sizes fight for 9 years. Eventually, the Monke population dwindle so much, that the war ended. The Monkes that did not change their size did not interact with the Monkes that changed their size. Now, tiny Monke skulls and giant Monke skulls are littered everywhere, and the only surviving Monkes are the ones that never changed their size.
Chapter 14: Peace
76 AI - 90 AI
The Tree of Life grows massively and repairs the damage done by Humbug years ago. Countless new branches and huge leaves sprout from its trunk. This allows the Monkes to make their way back up to the treetop with a newly repaired rocket. Cloudtown is rebuild, slowly, but rebuilt nonetheless. This is called, New Cloudtown.
A year after the Giants War ends, the skulls and bodies are cleared out. The City was practically empty as most buildings were either destroyed, damaged, or tilted over in the war. Many Monkes just went to New Cloudtown to survive as going anywhere else other than The City would mean being attacked by Infected Monkes. Also, during this time, the mutated monsters that were once King Blue and Prince Pink were killed by another Monke for sport. Their souls go on to become ghosts that wander the city. King Blue's soul becomes a ghost called the Ghost Wanderer, and Prince Pink's soul becomes a ghost called the Ghost Lurker.
The population has grown more, and the Monkes have created sports to celebrate the era of peace. These sports are Hockey, Watersoccer, and Paintbrawl. This happens during the fall where Lucy's spirit flies out from her grave and starts playing with some random civilian Monkes. She then reunites with the souls of her son and grandson in the forms of the Ghost Wanderer and the Ghost Lurker.
Chapter 15: Advancements
91 AI - 100 AI
A new type of plant is found in New Cloudtown. This plant sprouts large leaves with handle-like stems. These plants are called Glider Vines. The leaves of Glider Vines are used as gliders to fly around New Cloudtown.
The Monkes are unable to explore anymore. The ocean is too vast, they never got back from explorers they sent into the ocean, and the crater walls are too high to climb. So, they spend a few years creating an artificial environment that they can change on a will. They do this by using a Tesla Coil that harness Humbug's powers. In the first testing of it, they try to bring back the vast cave systems they found hundreds of years ago. It was an attempt to make infinite recourses. It turns out as a failure, everything is extremely broken and blocky. After much testing, they have it so it could be a tundra, a swamp, an ancient temple, and basically anything else. This underground, artificial environment is called Rotation.
They decide to excavate a larger area for Rotation. They then finish their original plan of recreating that same ancient cave system. This time it works, and it looks just like how it did hundreds of years ago. However, during the excavating of the larger area, the long dead Queen Lucy's vase finds itself in Rotation. Minor Monkes enter this cave and start mining, but when they discover Lucy's vase, they open it. From her long dead ashes rises the confused, lost, and insane spirit of Lucy. She has been trapped underground in the dark for almost a century now and has gone insane. The minors call her the Burnt Lucy, a dark reflection of their long dead Queen.
Chapter 16: The Return of Humbug
101 AI - ??? AI
The usage of the Tesla Coil attracts Humbug. He is able to escape the miniature maze the Monkes trapped him in, and slowly make his way to Rotation. When he arrives, he is able to get some of his powers back from the Tesla Coil, but he is noticed by the Monkes.
One of the first things Humbug does is kidnap three Monkes and turns them into small monsters called Monkeyes. He places them in the tiny maze that he was once trapped in.
2024.05.20 02:23 NotSoSlimShady1001 The Spirit of a Predator - Chapter 25: An Open Door
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Memory Transcription Subject: Hileen, Krakotl Fugitive Recovery Agent
Date [standardized human time]: November 28th, 2136
It'd been a while since I sat in Marlig's office for a talk face-to-face. Given the agency's secluded location at the edge of the downtown region, it was a chore to drop by when it wasn't for business, but I'd deemed the matter at hand to be worth my time.
I passed by Nampi at her desk on my way to the door and she gave me a coy glare as I carried on. Trying to ignore her risible ear waggle, I turned the corner to the door with my boss’s name painted on the glass panel where I could hear the frantic crumpling of paper.
Quietly, I entered Marlig's office without prompt as I knew he hated to be spooked by knocking. My mentor was surprisingly spry for a bird at his age, sorting through papers with one wing and an eye while using his talons with the other to set away the papers he had splayed out.
“Hileen!” he chirped. “Glad you could make it in today. I was just finishing up my paperwork. Take a seat.”
It was always nice to hear him drop the professional motif for a more grandfatherly attitude when speaking in person. I did as he suggested and took a seat while he grumbled to himself over the sorting. My eye caught a few of the old contracts he was rifling through and saw that some dated back to his days as an agent.
Eventually, he left some sitting out as he sequestered the rest back into their files, sorted by a dichotomy that only he and Nampi could comprehend fully. He motioned with a wing for me to peruse and I turned the first one to face me to find it was my first contract, signed by me in a sloppy fashion. “This takes me back a couple of years.”
“Slick bastard thought he could get away on a forklift but you showed him! Certainly more exciting than my first day!”
“Mm-hmm. And it was when I nearly got impaled that you had the idea to commission all of us utility vests.”
He chuckled, “I really should’ve done so sooner. Cuts and scratches were already a risk, but a forklift was a new one!”
I flipped through the pages of each report, finding that Marlig's notes were filled with praises of my work. There were highs and lows, but I was flattered to find that the grizzled krakotl held my performance in such high regard.
“Flawless interception!” read one footnote about me catching a runner. “Couldn't have done it better myself!”
Marlig waited patiently as I browsed quickly through each page, realizing more and more how the notes also marked improvements in my work. How I found it easier to talk down a rowdy client, or apprehend them in the case that they were beyond helping on my part. Flowery language plastered most pages with him fawning over my work as a doting father would to his prodigal child.
The trend took a sharp turn as the notes became fewer and more critical the closer the dates reached to the present. I brushed the others aside with a wing to peruse the final paper. “And this…”
“Is Tac. Your latest contract. The most recent in a line of declining performance since the interview. This has become a pattern, Hileen, and its consequences are beginning to reach beyond yourself. Paji and Vesek resigned recently for personal reasons, which leaves us even less hands on deck than before. That's four people to cover the entire municipal region, and maybe even beyond, should needs arise. Three, if we include this little probation I have you on.”
“What was I supposed to do? Marlig, these ‘jobs’ you've got us working on overstep the contracts we were signed on with. Our job is to make sure people obey their court-mandated duties, not drag them off to the facilities ourselves!”
“... So the trip we took to the facilities did bother you.”
A sigh clicked in my throat as he reminded me. “Is that what happens to the people we take in, Marlig? Is that what would've happened to your wife?”
His feathers ruffled.
“That's what happens to those who are too dangerous to the general public to be left roaming free. Not everyone we deal with winds up there, but everyone can be subject to it. Miskela sued for her exoneration and proved in court that she was not diseased. I brought you there to show you how it helps the people, but I see now that it was a mistake. I understand why you were so perturbed, really, but it's how things have been for centuries. It's how we've protected ourselves from the dangers out there.”
“You were willing to let Barsul be interned there, too.”
Marlig flinched and sighed as he swept the papers towards himself once I'd signaled I was done. He turned one eye to me while he sorted them.
“There's no room for favoritism, girl. I negotiated for him to be allowed to walk free, and look where that got me. That boy - your neighbor - suffered the consequences of my nepotism. So too would the girl, had nobody intervened.”
“Like Richard.”
“The human, yes. Or you. Or the police. Where does this sudden obsession with humans come from, anyway? I get notifications of you talking about the acceptance of them all the time on forums.”
“Does it even need explaining?”
“Well, I guess not, no, but it's certainly an about-face from the way you used to talk about them with me beforehand.”
“People can change, for better or worse. Which one I fall under remains to be seen.”
Marlig stroked at the plumage on his neck as he finished his sorting. “I hope it's the former, for your sake. Was there any reason you came to talk, or were you just checking that I hadn't gone senile?”
“Well, I was hoping to borrow your secretary for the evening.”
He perked up while his eyes narrowed and he laced his fingers together with curiosity. “You… want to spend an evening with Nampi?”
“It's not what you're insinuating, but yes.”
“I was insinuating nothing,” he warbled coyly. “Go ahead and take her, and make sure to split the bill at dinner.”
“Pain-in-the-ass geezer. I'll keep in touch if your friend causes any more trouble.”
“Keep in touch regardless. Miskela and I get lonely in our old age,” he called back. “Take care.”
I stepped out into the hallway and turned toward the desk where I could hear the secretary's claws tapping furtively at her keyboard. Nampi sat silently with her ears and tail in a relaxed position that implied a bored demeanor. There was barely any response as I stood before her, waiting politely for her acknowledgment that never came.
Hesitantly, I cleared my throat.
An ear raised in acknowledgement, but her focus remained on the screen of her computer. “Mhm?”
“Do you…?”
Her ear rotated toward me, though she still maintained a passive attitude as she continued to glare mindlessly at the monitor.
“Are you free this evening?”
“Well, I'm quite booked, I believe. Why do you ask?”
I was surprised at her curt, dry tone. She hadn't spoken with me like this since we first got to know one another.
“Well,” I started. “I realized something. Every time we went out, whether it was clubbing, or dinner, or even walking around the parks, you always footed the bill. And so…”
Slowly, her other ear perked up and I saw her keystrokes slow down as she listened in.
“I wanted to return the favor?”
Her lips smacked as she opened her mouth, though paused before she spoke. “How could you possibly do that?”
“With a little gesture of friendship.”
Nampi's horizontal pupil turned up toward me and her tail twitched.
I continued, “So that belt you're wearing? It's the same belt you've worn since we first met. And I know you're the pragmatic type who'd never spend a credit more than she needs to, except for all the times you do"- her ears twitched in indignance -"I wanted to see about getting you a little something… extra?”
Her paws raised from the keyboard and she leaned in, resting her snout on her palms. “Go on.”
The bubbly venlil's tail sold out her collected facade as it twitched with anticipation. She was cornered and she didn't even know it yet.
“Well, I found just the place on the other side of town where we can start. It's a place almost as rich and indulgent as yourself.”
“The Platinum Paw? I mean3”
Her ears folded back in embarrassment as she cracked. She wasn't cut out for acting anyway.
“So that's what it's called! Jeez, I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was called. Now what do you say? We go over there and find you something nice—”
I hadn’t even finished my thought before Nampi had grabbed her bag and was out the door, giving me a playful tail flick that said come and get me.
The place I suggested was in a shopping center on the opposite side of town, though easily accessible because of its proximity to the transport rails. Nampi had insisted on grabbing something to eat beforehand and so now gleefully bit into a bundle of stalks that had been “grilled” as explained from the food truck we'd stopped at.
Her tail flicked back and forth with her usual enthusiasm as we entered the massive complex of stores. The roofless plan allowed the natural, orange sun to flood the upper levels while artificial lighting illuminated the ground level wherever the light couldn't reach.
The place was built in the last decade by the previous City Magister in a bid for popularity, though ultimately for naught as he would lose the vote following a scandal involving an iftali priestess and a carved bar of soap. I had to say that despite being sick in the head, he sure had a great sense of decor.
Nampi snacked away, joining me in admiring the scenery as we continued to the place I’d planned out for us. Aimless chatter all melded together into a single, thrumming murmur as pedestrians navigated the many levels and stores offered in the place.
A troupe of children passed by us, held in a chain of tails and arms as they were escorted by a pair of venlil who I assumed were students and teachers on a school trip. I caught a whiff of a sweet, aromatic breeze and found it to come from a perfume shop on the same level as us; naturally, venlil were not to be found inside.
We passed a fountain where a couple sat on the edge, their tails twined together as they giggled and flirted. I turned and caught Nampi watching them as well, though she awkwardly returned to sucking the remains of her meal from her claws when we made eye contact. Her ears lifted when I raised a wing to signal to the store we were going to stop at first.
“Platinum Paw, The Greatest Fashion Emporium For Everyone!”
The title alone was painfully cliche, taken to the tenth power by the brightly lit store taking up three department slots. Despite the flashy exterior, though, it was the best place to shop for belts, brooches, and bracelets alike. Customers who looked like they earned my yearly salary in a week browsed the higher end brands while I brought my friend to the section I wanted to show her.
Her ears were held up as we stood together next to a shelf chock full of fashionable bags and bandoliers of every variety.
“Pick one,” I told her.
Nampi's ears shot to a straight pose in surprise, “Any?”
“Within reason. I've got a few extra credits to blow and I know nobody better to spend it on.”
With an inviting headtilt, I let Nampi peruse the shelves at her leisure. Her lips pursed together and her tail flicked with glee as she fingered at every piece that caught her eye. I chuckled at her outburst of enthusiasm while turning to find my own items to gloss over.
A breeze from outside nipped at my beak while I considered what I’d like to purchase. The place dripped with an atmosphere of faux hospitality, from the bright blue-stained floorboards to the radio prattling off advertisements in a sickeningly sweet tone to the faint, fruity aroma of scented cleaner. It was oppressive as only a fissan-owned company could be to the senses.
What I wouldn’t pay to see how a human would fare in such an environment.
I knew they were social creatures at least, but I had no doubt that the predatory senses of a human, so honed to hunting, would get overstimulated in this center of gaudy indulgence. Knowing I was something of a predator myself made me sympathize provided that even I had to squint to keep the pale lights inside from searing my eyes. I could only imagine how the arboreal eyes of a Terran would fare. I was so lost in thought imagining how lost the Terrans would be that I could almost ignore the obnoxious giggling and metallic rattling coming from behind me.
Risking a peek at the source, into my sight came a pair of venlil, one a male carrying a pair of bags as well as a couple more strapped to his belt. The bored expression in his eyes was not one of a man who was in high spirits. The other venlil was a woman who was the source of the noise.
Her mottled gray pelt was accented by a tasteful belt design, free of almost any practical functions but not flashy or excessive in garnishment either. At least, that’s what I would say, were it not for the braid of beads that dangled on the belt, jingling with each bounce of the lively woman’s stride. It was clear that such a gaudy accessory was intended to draw attention to her, though why was a mystery. Certainly, the shiny braids seemed designed as decoration first and practical second.
She turned about and I faced back to my browsing before she could catch me staring. Nampi was nowhere in sight, though I figured she was somewhere behind the shelf, sifting through every accessory on the section I'd suggested.
Clink.
Something pelted to my immediate right. I tilted my head to spot a tree nut shell clattering to the floor. Without being able to guess where it came from, I had to wonder what could've launched it over this way. Even with my keen eyesight, nobody in the crowd seemed to be a suspect.
Clink.
Another shell pelted my vicinity, ricocheting off of the floor and hitting the shelf I was standing next to. I ruffled my feathers in frustration - clearly, someone was trying to get my attention, though I couldn't make out who it was. Out of the corner of my vision, the woman from before eyed me curiously as I looked about, though I wasn't interested in engaging with her.
Thwack.
One more shell came flying and, unfortunately, the aim on this one was true, nailing me on the beak. Irritated, I stormed out of the store to find the source of the instigator. I scanned over the bodies to find anyone who could've been responsible for this indignity, eventually concluding that it came from the dining area across the walkway.
Whoever was responsible was in for an earful and I was already structuring which of the offender's family members would be acceptable as fodder for stray words. As I approached, I found the tables were mostly empty save for one, which made my heart begin to drop as I met eyes with the only occupant. Suddenly, I was much less inclined to hurl insults.
“Oh, hi there!” Qitel called out in a sickly sweet tone. “Come, take a seat! We have much to discuss!”
The Exterminator clutched a bag of tree nuts in his claws, a pile of discarded shells already gathered on the table next to him. He grabbed another as I approached, effortlessly prying the shell in half between two claws and tossed the contents into his mouth. “Good protein, these,” he commented as I sat down.
“Must be for that good arm you've got there,” I mumbled. I caught sight of a couple of bags beneath his chair, seemingly from one of the tech stores contained within the center.
“Bah, it's guesswork. So how are you? I haven't heard from you since we worked together!”
“I was just spending time with a friend, shopping and enjoying my time off.”
“Your time off? Oh, am I interrupting something?”
His snide tone irked me, though now wasn’t the time for interjections. “You are, Qitel,” I replied with no shortage of vitriol in my tone. “But I see no harm in chatting for a bit.”
“Good, because I have some merchandise”- he reached into his belt pocket and deposited a couple of items onto the table -“and you’re just the person to look into it, human sympathizer.”
I drew a terse breath in shock, but my worries were quelled when I considered that if Qitel had the power to do anything about it, he would’ve done so instead of approaching me so discreetly. A glance down at the item on the table showed that he was presenting what looked to be a tracker as well as a personal drive. “Found in the garbage,” he told me.
“The guild resorts to dumpster diving when they already have such a bloated budget now?”
“No, featherbrain, I have decided to keep this for myself. These items were found together, sealed in a plastic pouch, and placed in a garbage bin. The city has bans against electronics being placed into public bins, and so I was curious why this wound up in there. Managed to get my coworker, a techie, to crack it open and…”
Qitel reached into his belt again, glowering at me with the same condescending gaze he’d given me when I first saw his face. He seemed to revel in digging for the item as slowly as possible to waste my time. Finally, he found whatever he was looking for and revealed it as a printed piece of paper, folded into eighths. The snobby yotul threw the unfurled paper on the table and rolled it toward me.
I craned my neck to look at the parchment, though I was immediately perplexed by the text on it; it appeared to be some sort of form, going by the boxes with words on the inside, followed by blank lines. “Found on the drive, here,” Qitel told me, jabbing a claw to the storage. “Translator shows it as Terran writing.”
Drawing my holopad from my satchel, I held it over the paper with the translator to get an understanding. Surely enough, the language on it came up positive as a variant of Terran writing and I was affirmed in it being a form of some sort based on the wording of the text. The boxes seemed like an odd sort of job application, asking for the typical name, contacts, and prior work experiences, but quickly took a strange turn as it began asking for where their home on Earth was prior to arrival, what family they had on Venlil Prime if any, and where they worked, implying that they were seeking individuals who were already employed.
I knew little about human employment methods, but I didn’t imagine that sourcing individuals from other jobs was the most efficient way to gain a workforce. Terran service industries already dotted the planet while many humans also found work in local environments. So what was the angle that the creator of this application was going for?
Most concerningly was that the paper had no insignia, identifying marks, or noted address to return the form to. “And where did you find it again?”
“In the garbage, alongside this intact tracker that was activated at the time of recovery. Y’know, when I was dumpster diving. Text on the document showed it was addressed to one ‘Choctaw Nexus’.”
“A pseudonym of some sort?”
“Clearly. Short sorting through the archives shows the first name traces back to the group out east - perhaps you've heard about them. How the name and the items we have here are connected is beyond my understanding, but-”
“Well, this has been an absolutely riveting discussion about your collection of trash, Qitel,” I told him as I stood up to leave. “But this really sounds like an issue to be resolved by your fellow guildsmen.”
The sound of another shell splitting rang out as I turned away.
“I'm not through talking with you, predator.”
The sting as a piece nailed me in the back of the head prompted me to whirl back around, sticking my beak in the insolent yotul's snout. “Perhaps you've forgotten, little man,” I cooed in an equally bittersweet tone to the one he gave me before. “The krakotl never had a problem with settling issues the old-fashioned way before the interview. Try me and find out why I'm in the line of work I am.”
“Oh, we wouldn't want that in such a"- he waved his paw to a group of passersby who had stopped to gawk at my display -”public forum. Please, contain yourself.”
I had to force the feathers on my back to settle and I raised my head away from him. “What else is it you wanted, then?”
“Well, I'd appreciate if you took this merchandise off my paws,” he told me as he brushed the electronics and printout toward me.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you're closer to the humans than I'd ever care to be, and may be able to find out who this Choctaw Nexus is. Something about the package just feels… off. And I know when to trust my feelings. Besides, we both know that you know where Tac is, don't we?”
“I don't-”
“We have videographic evidence that you conspired with a human - of the aforementioned squatters, no less - and let the kid escape. You're not as sneaky as you think, and if we find this ‘Choctaw Nexus’ turns out to be a bad actor that can be traced back to them - and by extension, you - well, there’d be no talking down my boss from having you dealt with. By helping me find out who this is, you may yet be able to clear your name of any wrongdoing.”
I clenched my beak tightly to maintain a straight face. Qitel stood up with a flourish and discarded the bag he was carrying in a bin.
“See, the krakotl were never special for using threats and bullying to get results. It's because you were good at killing predators,” he jeered. “Now, if you don't mind, this primitive has appointments to attend to… old lady who got trampled courtesy of the humans and all. You stay out of trouble, Hileen, and stay in touch.”
The self-assured marsupial melded into the crowd in a matter of seconds, leaving me with a table containing dumpster trophies and a pile of shells. Reluctantly, I swept the shells into my wing and dumped them into the bin before gathering the other two items he'd left me and stuffing them into my bag. I'd been gone from Nampi long enough and she would notice my absence before long.
Crossing the walkway again, I could spot from where I stood that Nampi was indeed still in the Platinum Paw. I approached, and soon I found that while she didn't seem to have noticed me stepping away, she was definitely in a soured mood based on the sagging of her ears and tail. With my talons clacking on the floorboards, I hustled to her side and her mood chippered up ever so slightly as she heard me approach.
I chimed in, “Find anything?”
“Everything. I want everything, Red, and I can't decide on what I want. They all just look so great!”
From behind, a voice called out, “Nampi!”
We both jumped at the exclamation and turned about to spot the venlil lady I'd seen before spring from behind the shelf. The man poked his head from behind the shelf too, though less enthusiastically and with yet another bag in his clutches. My friend's eyes widened in surprise with her tail and ears perking up in kind. With a light in her eyes, she exclaimed, “Nalek!”
The two embraced with shrill squeals and laughter as Nalek's accompaniment and I traded awkward glances.
“It's been too long!”
“You never stayed in contact!”
The women exchanged giddy greetings and the pompous stranger turned to me, leering over me as though she was sizing me up.
“Who's your friend here?”
“Oh she's actually my-...”
Nampi paused for a moment, looking back to me.
“Yeah, she's a friend.”
“A friend,” Nalek repeated while her eyes flicked between Nampi and I. “Right.”
Somehow, I get the impression that that was judgemental.
“I'm Hileen, by the way,” I chirped, “if names are to be exchanged.”
“Hileen, that's a lovely name! And such plumage to match, it's a wonder you aren't swarmed by suitors!”
Internally, I groaned at the notion. The idea of being approached by someone to state their interest in me made me queasy, to say the least. Thankfully, I never had that issue growing up as most of the other drakes in school were too busy chasing girls who didn't have a lousy pigmentation mutation such as myself.
“I'm flattered,” I told Nalek before turning to the man whose name had yet to be introduced. “May we get your name?”
“Sask.”
His response was succinct and tonally flat, though there was a brief silence as I expected him to elaborate. Nalek's beads jingled as she lashed him on the calf with her tail.
“I'm Sask, Nalek's fiancée,” he added, throwing her a look to see if she was satisfied.
Nampi gasped with her paws over her snout. “Fiancée! Nalek, you're getting married and you never even told me!”
“Well, I felt a little guilty since it technically broke our pact we made when we were pups. You remember that?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I? ‘Let she who bonds through betrothal first be cast out unto the world for all to admonish her!’”
Sask and I both gave inquisitive expressions. “You two spoke like that as pups?” Sask asked.
“Well, I'm paraphrasing,” Nampi admitted with a playful ear waggle. “But you get the gist.”
“Indeed, they do, sweet Nampi. Now, may I ask what you're doing bringing your avian friend here into this store on this fine claw?”
“Oh, no no, she's the one treating me! Isn't that right, Red?”
I saw her tail twitch and was sure it took restraint not to tickle my neck with it as we stood before her old friend.
“She's been a good friend,” I explained. “So I wanted to reverse the roles for once and treat her to something myself.”
Nampi skipped over to me and wrapped her arm around me, glancing back to her old friend. “See? We'd all be so lucky to have a… friend like her.”
“So I've witnessed. But perhaps you're a bit stuck, as I've seen you prancing up and down these aisles for a while, no? Maybe you don't know what you want?”
“Nalek, you know I've never been good about making my mind up.”
“Some things never change, you ditz. Tell you what: you and Sask go find us a seat and we can catch up all we'd like when we're not taking up aisle space, yes? So shoo! I'll help Hileen here pick one out for you!”
With a bored grunt, Sask made off with the goods he had strapped to himself, followed by Nampi who gave me one more playful tail flick before dashing off into the crowd. I looked back to the mottled snout of Nalek who watched her friend wander off with a wistful glance.
“She was my first, you know.”
“Your what now.”
“Love. Way back when we were growing from pups into young adults back in private education, we explored much together. We saw each other through a lot, including the less savory parts of finding a mate. When Nampi realized it wasn't the boys she was into, she turned to me, and I offered my hand as her stalwart companion… to a point.”
“You weren't interested in her the same way?”
“I'd grown up seeing her as a sister of sorts, so ultimately, when we split it off, we stayed close as friends and she never seemed to be bothered by it. She struggled to find others in school who had the same interests as herself, but she never fussed about it.”
Nalek's claws browsed over a set of pouched bandoliers made with intricate embroidering. “Have you two… spent the night together? Alone?”
Spiritually, I reeled from the inquiry. The whiplash from that question was equitable to being smacked by a human. “Wha- why? How's that pertinent to the subject at hand?”
“That sounds like a ‘yes’ to me,” she purred with a smug glance my way.
I didn't need to begin to list the different ways such a question was violating to our privacy, and yet this woman was treating it like a game.
“Not really your concern, ma'am.”
Nalek chuckled as she picked out one of the bandoliers and inspected it with her claws. “I'd like to think that she and I still have that old connection, despite everything. And to that end, I know that she's no slag and doesn't trust easy. To see her be so vulnerable around you and to talk so highly of someone who's clearly below her income level as a predator…”
She stretched the bandolier out to appreciate the design in its entirety.
“Well, that's something special. Here"- she foisted the accessory into my wings as I stood gobsmacked -"this just screams her name.”
“This is, like, double my budget.”
“Love don't come cheap, darling. You wanna see good things happen, sometimes you've gotta step out of your comfort zone and grasp for it!”
“I'm being lectured by a rich woman on finances.”
“It's a philosophy that goes beyond money, ‘Red.’ The humans have a saying, in their horrendously predatory nomenclature, that contains a kernel of truth: ‘you miss every shot you don't take’.”
Yep, that's definitely a human phrase.
Nalek's steely braid rattled with every flick of the tail as we proceeded through the checkout.
“You want things to change between you and her?” she continued. “Don't just wait for it to happen.”
She let the conversation rest there as we finished the purchase, possibly to let me recuperate mentally from the damage done to my account. Outside, we found our respective partners sitting at a table with Sask looking up in boredom as Nampi chatted away, though she immediately shut up and turned to me with excited flicks of her tail as she saw what I was carrying.
I held it toward her and she happily shot to her feet, effortlessly removing the tags with her claws and clipping it to her belt. Nalek clapped and waggled her tail as the giddy lady did a whirl about to let us admire the accessory. While I'd have preferred one with pockets to give it a more practical use, I decided to let Nalek have the victory as our mutual friend clearly enjoyed it.
The rest of the paw was a blur as the two friends chatted without end until Sask eventually reminded his betrothed that they had a schedule to attend to. Though Nalek offered to call us a taxi home as a gesture of kindness, I saw through her ruse to determine that she was trying to pull a fast one on me - the clever ear flick she gave as we boarded the automated vehicle sold it for me.
We sat in the seats as the vehicle took the express ride home.
Nampi cleared her throat before she spoke, “Thank you for taking some time to spend with me, I know you've had a lot less free time as of late.”
“It's a prison of my own design, if I must be honest. A feedback loop of working a job that doesn't guarantee a paycheck to pay for rent that keeps going up, and thus needing to work more.”
The venlil giggled and chided me, “You really should've stayed in university.”
“There's a lotta 'should haves’ that've led me to this point. No use wondering what could have been.”
“There's always a use for wondering what could have been, Hileen.”
She wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Every decision I make, I always wonder what I could've done differently that it'd have turned out better,” she explained as she waved her free paw to the sky. “It's how you grow as a person, Red.”
Her silky pelt felt heavenly in contrast to the chilly air from outside, making it hard to let her words sink in.
“You rich types seem chock full of philosophy. I wonder if I'll become a brooding orator when I get some cash to my name.”
The cab filled with laughter as we veered around the final corner to my neighborhood, as it was the closest stop. The door popped open accompanied by a chime from the drone, signaling for me to depart.
But before my talons could even hit the pavement, I felt Nampi's scrawny arms wrap around my waist and she let out a pitiful mewl again.
“You don't need to get off here,” she told me with a pouty expression. “We can spend the rest of the paw at my place.”
“I'd love it, but I need to water my plants and get the month's bills sorted before they're due. Again.”
One claw at a time, I plucked her paws from around my waist and the childish venlil conceded, giving me another ear waggle as I departed. “I'll see you tomorrow?” I asked her.
“If you still have eyes by then, then you can bet your ass!”
“I still don't gamble.”
“You'll come around to it eventually.”
I shut the door to the taxi and watched as it carted away the one venlil who I ever truly felt on the same wavelength as. Fiddling with the lock felt like more of a chore than usual at this time as I felt a little voice tugging at the back of my head.
“You miss every shot you don't take.”
The lock felt jammed as I began to jiggle it more vigorously with the electric key. Either the RFID or NFC readers were messed up, as the lock refused to accept my key. I looked up and down the street, though Nampi was now long gone for me to rescind my earlier rejection.
“Every decision I make, I wonder what I could've done differently.”
The door rattled as I grew more and more infuriated with the lock. Qitel's smug expression as he threatened me so boldly in public played back in my head, and I wondered what would've happened had I decided to go through with insulting his mother. Better yet, I wondered what could've been had I not backed down in the face of his unflinching confidence.
Bzzt. The lock rejected my key again.
“Raagh! You fucking useless hunk of junk!”
I squawked in anger and kicked against the door, careless of the consequences of having Markol back down here to admonish another of his tenants for causing a ruckus. The walls were surprisingly sturdy for how ineffective the venlil architecture looked on the surface and I reeled back in pain as my leg throbbed.
Click.
I looked to my left to see that it wasn't my door that came open, but that of the twins. The door cracked open ever so slightly, no doubt nudged by the force of my tirade and I sighed. Nobody was expected to be home at this time, with Vili being away and Luka leaving early to get a head start.
Luka had been given a stern talking-to by the landlord for allowing one of those cats into his apartment through neglect, and I was disappointed that he seemed to have not learned his lesson this time. In fact, it seemed he hadn't even thought to lock the door this time.
I took it upon myself to shut the door for him before turning back to my own apartment door. Grasping the key with one talon, I turned it ever so gently, though the lock still refused to give in.
With a bit more force, the torsion applied to the key felt as though it should've snapped it by now. Markol sure didn't waste any expense for the security for this place, doubtlessly as a result of his history in electronic security, but I wished now that he had provided a way in that didn't rely on privately sourced locks.
Considering my options as I stood trapped outside, I realized that I had never gotten around to paying for a new lock for Tadi. I'd considered contacting her to inform her that Tac had made it out of town safely, but that'd involve also telling her that her son was now in the care of humans as if that was a better outcome to her.
Stepping out front, I realized that there was one more option I hadn't considered: my window. I usually forgot to lock it after I was through letting air circulate and I was silently grateful to myself for this absentmindedness now more than ever. Sticking a foot on the threshold, I lifted myself in a way that'd allow me to have leverage to force the window open.
The window made me fight for every inch, but I felt a strange satisfaction as it slowly opened up into an entrance that I could squeeze my way through. I let out a sigh as my talons clicked against the cool floor and slid the window shut.
I laid my satchel on the couch and turned back to the door, ready to unleash my fury on the disobedient object. But as I reached for the lock to manually open the door, I noted that the lights on the RFID interface both flashed at once, blinking erratically. Red and green flickered without rhyme or reason, indicating that it was both active and inactive.
As pretty as the colors were, I now knew that Markol's locks were not as reliable as he had touted them about: typically, such would not occur unless the device was damaged deliberately, and yet nothing indicated that I'd had uninvited guests. One could pray that those cats didn't secretly know how to cobble together an ECM jammer, but my personal wager was on faulty equipment.
Settling in, I browsed my favorite soaps on the television. For what was intended to be a day of relaxation and show of affection for a friend, I found myself rather wound up over all the things that added up. Couples threw around flowery words and swooned over one another on screen as I felt the tension diffuse. My holopad rang and I turned it over to spot that Nampi was informing me that she'd arrived home safely.
>>> Feels empty here, all alone.
She made sure to drive the point home with a sticker of a venlil making a pouty expression.
Next time, I thought to myself, I'll get it right for you, Nampi.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Hileen, Krakotl Fugitive Recovery Agent
Date [standardized human time]: November 28th, 2136
It'd been a while since I sat in Marlig's office for a talk face-to-face. Given the agency's secluded location at the edge of the downtown region, it was a chore to drop by when it wasn't for business, but I'd deemed the matter at hand to be worth my time.
I passed by Nampi at her desk on my way to the door and she gave me a coy glare as I carried on. Trying to ignore her risible ear waggle, I turned the corner to the door with my boss’s name painted on the glass panel where I could hear the frantic crumpling of paper.
Quietly, I entered Marlig's office without prompt as I knew he hated to be spooked by knocking. My mentor was surprisingly spry for a bird at his age, sorting through papers with one wing and an eye while using his talons with the other to set away the papers he had splayed out.
“Hileen!” he chirped. “Glad you could make it in today. I was just finishing up my paperwork. Take a seat.”
It was always nice to hear him drop the professional motif for a more grandfatherly attitude when speaking in person. I did as he suggested and took a seat while he grumbled to himself over the sorting. My eye caught a few of the old contracts he was rifling through and saw that some dated back to his days as an agent.
Eventually, he left some sitting out as he sequestered the rest back into their files, sorted by a dichotomy that only he and Nampi could comprehend fully. He motioned with a wing for me to peruse and I turned the first one to face me to find it was my first contract, signed by me in a sloppy fashion. “This takes me back a couple of years.”
“Slick bastard thought he could get away on a forklift but you showed him! Certainly more exciting than my first day!”
“Mm-hmm. And it was when I nearly got impaled that you had the idea to commission all of us utility vests.”
He chuckled, “I really should’ve done so sooner. Cuts and scratches were already a risk, but a forklift was a new one!”
I flipped through the pages of each report, finding that Marlig's notes were filled with praises of my work. There were highs and lows, but I was flattered to find that the grizzled krakotl held my performance in such high regard.
“Flawless interception!” read one footnote about me catching a runner. “Couldn't have done it better myself!”
Marlig waited patiently as I browsed quickly through each page, realizing more and more how the notes also marked improvements in my work. How I found it easier to talk down a rowdy client, or apprehend them in the case that they were beyond helping on my part. Flowery language plastered most pages with him fawning over my work as a doting father would to his prodigal child.
The trend took a sharp turn as the notes became fewer and more critical the closer the dates reached to the present. I brushed the others aside with a wing to peruse the final paper. “And this…”
“Is Tac. Your latest contract. The most recent in a line of declining performance since the interview. This has become a pattern, Hileen, and its consequences are beginning to reach beyond yourself. Paji and Vesek resigned recently for personal reasons, which leaves us even less hands on deck than before. That's four people to cover the entire municipal region, and maybe even beyond, should needs arise. Three, if we include this little probation I have you on.”
“What was I supposed to do? Marlig, these ‘jobs’ you've got us working on overstep the contracts we were signed on with. Our job is to make sure people obey their court-mandated duties, not drag them off to the facilities ourselves!”
“... So the trip we took to the facilities did bother you.”
A sigh clicked in my throat as he reminded me. “Is that what happens to the people we take in, Marlig? Is that what would've happened to your wife?”
His feathers ruffled.
“That's what happens to those who are too dangerous to the general public to be left roaming free. Not everyone we deal with winds up there, but everyone can be subject to it. Miskela sued for her exoneration and proved in court that she was not diseased. I brought you there to show you how it helps the people, but I see now that it was a mistake. I understand why you were so perturbed, really, but it's how things have been for centuries. It's how we've protected ourselves from the dangers out there.”
“You were willing to let Barsul be interned there, too.”
Marlig flinched and sighed as he swept the papers towards himself once I'd signaled I was done. He turned one eye to me while he sorted them.
“There's no room for favoritism, girl. I negotiated for him to be allowed to walk free, and look where that got me. That boy - your neighbor - suffered the consequences of my nepotism. So too would the girl, had nobody intervened.”
“Like Richard.”
“The human, yes. Or you. Or the police. Where does this sudden obsession with humans come from, anyway? I get notifications of you talking about the acceptance of them all the time on forums.”
“Does it even need explaining?”
“Well, I guess not, no, but it's certainly an about-face from the way you used to talk about them with me beforehand.”
“People can change, for better or worse. Which one I fall under remains to be seen.”
Marlig stroked at the plumage on his neck as he finished his sorting. “I hope it's the former, for your sake. Was there any reason you came to talk, or were you just checking that I hadn't gone senile?”
“Well, I was hoping to borrow your secretary for the evening.”
He perked up while his eyes narrowed and he laced his fingers together with curiosity. “You… want to spend an evening with Nampi?”
“It's not what you're insinuating, but yes.”
“I was insinuating nothing,” he warbled coyly. “Go ahead and take her, and make sure to split the bill at dinner.”
“Pain-in-the-ass geezer. I'll keep in touch if your friend causes any more trouble.”
“Keep in touch regardless. Miskela and I get lonely in our old age,” he called back. “Take care.”
I stepped out into the hallway and turned toward the desk where I could hear the secretary's claws tapping furtively at her keyboard. Nampi sat silently with her ears and tail in a relaxed position that implied a bored demeanor. There was barely any response as I stood before her, waiting politely for her acknowledgment that never came.
Hesitantly, I cleared my throat.
An ear raised in acknowledgement, but her focus remained on the screen of her computer. “Mhm?”
“Do you…?”
Her ear rotated toward me, though she still maintained a passive attitude as she continued to glare mindlessly at the monitor.
“Are you free this evening?”
“Well, I'm quite booked, I believe. Why do you ask?”
I was surprised at her curt, dry tone. She hadn't spoken with me like this since we first got to know one another.
“Well,” I started. “I realized something. Every time we went out, whether it was clubbing, or dinner, or even walking around the parks, you always footed the bill. And so…”
Slowly, her other ear perked up and I saw her keystrokes slow down as she listened in.
“I wanted to return the favor?”
Her lips smacked as she opened her mouth, though paused before she spoke. “How could you possibly do that?”
“With a little gesture of friendship.”
Nampi's horizontal pupil turned up toward me and her tail twitched.
I continued, “So that belt you're wearing? It's the same belt you've worn since we first met. And I know you're the pragmatic type who'd never spend a credit more than she needs to, except for all the times you do"- her ears twitched in indignance -"I wanted to see about getting you a little something… extra?”
Her paws raised from the keyboard and she leaned in, resting her snout on her palms. “Go on.”
The bubbly venlil's tail sold out her collected facade as it twitched with anticipation. She was cornered and she didn't even know it yet.
“Well, I found just the place on the other side of town where we can start. It's a place almost as rich and indulgent as yourself.”
“The Platinum Paw? I mean3”
Her ears folded back in embarrassment as she cracked. She wasn't cut out for acting anyway.
“So that's what it's called! Jeez, I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was called. Now what do you say? We go over there and find you something nice—”
I hadn’t even finished my thought before Nampi had grabbed her bag and was out the door, giving me a playful tail flick that said come and get me.
The place I suggested was in a shopping center on the opposite side of town, though easily accessible because of its proximity to the transport rails. Nampi had insisted on grabbing something to eat beforehand and so now gleefully bit into a bundle of stalks that had been “grilled” as explained from the food truck we'd stopped at.
Her tail flicked back and forth with her usual enthusiasm as we entered the massive complex of stores. The roofless plan allowed the natural, orange sun to flood the upper levels while artificial lighting illuminated the ground level wherever the light couldn't reach.
The place was built in the last decade by the previous City Magister in a bid for popularity, though ultimately for naught as he would lose the vote following a scandal involving an iftali priestess and a carved bar of soap. I had to say that despite being sick in the head, he sure had a great sense of decor.
Nampi snacked away, joining me in admiring the scenery as we continued to the place I’d planned out for us. Aimless chatter all melded together into a single, thrumming murmur as pedestrians navigated the many levels and stores offered in the place.
A troupe of children passed by us, held in a chain of tails and arms as they were escorted by a pair of venlil who I assumed were students and teachers on a school trip. I caught a whiff of a sweet, aromatic breeze and found it to come from a perfume shop on the same level as us; naturally, venlil were not to be found inside.
We passed a fountain where a couple sat on the edge, their tails twined together as they giggled and flirted. I turned and caught Nampi watching them as well, though she awkwardly returned to sucking the remains of her meal from her claws when we made eye contact. Her ears lifted when I raised a wing to signal to the store we were going to stop at first.
“Platinum Paw, The Greatest Fashion Emporium For Everyone!”
The title alone was painfully cliche, taken to the tenth power by the brightly lit store taking up three department slots. Despite the flashy exterior, though, it was the best place to shop for belts, brooches, and bracelets alike. Customers who looked like they earned my yearly salary in a week browsed the higher end brands while I brought my friend to the section I wanted to show her.
Her ears were held up as we stood together next to a shelf chock full of fashionable bags and bandoliers of every variety.
“Pick one,” I told her.
Nampi's ears shot to a straight pose in surprise, “Any?”
“Within reason. I've got a few extra credits to blow and I know nobody better to spend it on.”
With an inviting headtilt, I let Nampi peruse the shelves at her leisure. Her lips pursed together and her tail flicked with glee as she fingered at every piece that caught her eye. I chuckled at her outburst of enthusiasm while turning to find my own items to gloss over.
A breeze from outside nipped at my beak while I considered what I’d like to purchase. The place dripped with an atmosphere of faux hospitality, from the bright blue-stained floorboards to the radio prattling off advertisements in a sickeningly sweet tone to the faint, fruity aroma of scented cleaner. It was oppressive as only a fissan-owned company could be to the senses.
What I wouldn’t pay to see how a human would fare in such an environment.
I knew they were social creatures at least, but I had no doubt that the predatory senses of a human, so honed to hunting, would get overstimulated in this center of gaudy indulgence. Knowing I was something of a predator myself made me sympathize provided that even I had to squint to keep the pale lights inside from searing my eyes. I could only imagine how the arboreal eyes of a Terran would fare. I was so lost in thought imagining how lost the Terrans would be that I could almost ignore the obnoxious giggling and metallic rattling coming from behind me.
Risking a peek at the source, into my sight came a pair of venlil, one a male carrying a pair of bags as well as a couple more strapped to his belt. The bored expression in his eyes was not one of a man who was in high spirits. The other venlil was a woman who was the source of the noise.
Her mottled gray pelt was accented by a tasteful belt design, free of almost any practical functions but not flashy or excessive in garnishment either. At least, that’s what I would say, were it not for the braid of beads that dangled on the belt, jingling with each bounce of the lively woman’s stride. It was clear that such a gaudy accessory was intended to draw attention to her, though why was a mystery. Certainly, the shiny braids seemed designed as decoration first and practical second.
She turned about and I faced back to my browsing before she could catch me staring. Nampi was nowhere in sight, though I figured she was somewhere behind the shelf, sifting through every accessory on the section I'd suggested.
Clink.
Something pelted to my immediate right. I tilted my head to spot a tree nut shell clattering to the floor. Without being able to guess where it came from, I had to wonder what could've launched it over this way. Even with my keen eyesight, nobody in the crowd seemed to be a suspect.
Clink.
Another shell pelted my vicinity, ricocheting off of the floor and hitting the shelf I was standing next to. I ruffled my feathers in frustration - clearly, someone was trying to get my attention, though I couldn't make out who it was. Out of the corner of my vision, the woman from before eyed me curiously as I looked about, though I wasn't interested in engaging with her.
Thwack.
One more shell came flying and, unfortunately, the aim on this one was true, nailing me on the beak. Irritated, I stormed out of the store to find the source of the instigator. I scanned over the bodies to find anyone who could've been responsible for this indignity, eventually concluding that it came from the dining area across the walkway.
Whoever was responsible was in for an earful and I was already structuring which of the offender's family members would be acceptable as fodder for stray words. As I approached, I found the tables were mostly empty save for one, which made my heart begin to drop as I met eyes with the only occupant. Suddenly, I was much less inclined to hurl insults.
“Oh, hi there!” Qitel called out in a sickly sweet tone. “Come, take a seat! We have much to discuss!”
The Exterminator clutched a bag of tree nuts in his claws, a pile of discarded shells already gathered on the table next to him. He grabbed another as I approached, effortlessly prying the shell in half between two claws and tossed the contents into his mouth. “Good protein, these,” he commented as I sat down.
“Must be for that good arm you've got there,” I mumbled. I caught sight of a couple of bags beneath his chair, seemingly from one of the tech stores contained within the center.
“Bah, it's guesswork. So how are you? I haven't heard from you since we worked together!”
“I was just spending time with a friend, shopping and enjoying my time off.”
“Your time off? Oh, am I interrupting something?”
His snide tone irked me, though now wasn’t the time for interjections. “You are, Qitel,” I replied with no shortage of vitriol in my tone. “But I see no harm in chatting for a bit.”
“Good, because I have some merchandise”- he reached into his belt pocket and deposited a couple of items onto the table -“and you’re just the person to look into it, human sympathizer.”
I drew a terse breath in shock, but my worries were quelled when I considered that if Qitel had the power to do anything about it, he would’ve done so instead of approaching me so discreetly. A glance down at the item on the table showed that he was presenting what looked to be a tracker as well as a personal drive. “Found in the garbage,” he told me.
“The guild resorts to dumpster diving when they already have such a bloated budget now?”
“No, featherbrain, I have decided to keep this for myself. These items were found together, sealed in a plastic pouch, and placed in a garbage bin. The city has bans against electronics being placed into public bins, and so I was curious why this wound up in there. Managed to get my coworker, a techie, to crack it open and…”
Qitel reached into his belt again, glowering at me with the same condescending gaze he’d given me when I first saw his face. He seemed to revel in digging for the item as slowly as possible to waste my time. Finally, he found whatever he was looking for and revealed it as a printed piece of paper, folded into eighths. The snobby yotul threw the unfurled paper on the table and rolled it toward me.
I craned my neck to look at the parchment, though I was immediately perplexed by the text on it; it appeared to be some sort of form, going by the boxes with words on the inside, followed by blank lines. “Found on the drive, here,” Qitel told me, jabbing a claw to the storage. “Translator shows it as Terran writing.”
Drawing my holopad from my satchel, I held it over the paper with the translator to get an understanding. Surely enough, the language on it came up positive as a variant of Terran writing and I was affirmed in it being a form of some sort based on the wording of the text. The boxes seemed like an odd sort of job application, asking for the typical name, contacts, and prior work experiences, but quickly took a strange turn as it began asking for where their home on Earth was prior to arrival, what family they had on Venlil Prime if any, and where they worked, implying that they were seeking individuals who were already employed.
I knew little about human employment methods, but I didn’t imagine that sourcing individuals from other jobs was the most efficient way to gain a workforce. Terran service industries already dotted the planet while many humans also found work in local environments. So what was the angle that the creator of this application was going for?
Most concerningly was that the paper had no insignia, identifying marks, or noted address to return the form to. “And where did you find it again?”
“In the garbage, alongside this intact tracker that was activated at the time of recovery. Y’know, when I was dumpster diving. Text on the document showed it was addressed to one ‘Choctaw Nexus’.”
“A pseudonym of some sort?”
“Clearly. Short sorting through the archives shows the first name traces back to the group out east - perhaps you've heard about them. How the name and the items we have here are connected is beyond my understanding, but-”
“Well, this has been an absolutely riveting discussion about your collection of trash, Qitel,” I told him as I stood up to leave. “But this really sounds like an issue to be resolved by your fellow guildsmen.”
The sound of another shell splitting rang out as I turned away.
“I'm not through talking with you, predator.”
The sting as a piece nailed me in the back of the head prompted me to whirl back around, sticking my beak in the insolent yotul's snout. “Perhaps you've forgotten, little man,” I cooed in an equally bittersweet tone to the one he gave me before. “The krakotl never had a problem with settling issues the old-fashioned way before the interview. Try me and find out why I'm in the line of work I am.”
“Oh, we wouldn't want that in such a"- he waved his paw to a group of passersby who had stopped to gawk at my display -”public forum. Please, contain yourself.”
I had to force the feathers on my back to settle and I raised my head away from him. “What else is it you wanted, then?”
“Well, I'd appreciate if you took this merchandise off my paws,” he told me as he brushed the electronics and printout toward me.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you're closer to the humans than I'd ever care to be, and may be able to find out who this Choctaw Nexus is. Something about the package just feels… off. And I know when to trust my feelings. Besides, we both know that you know where Tac is, don't we?”
“I don't-”
“We have videographic evidence that you conspired with a human - of the aforementioned squatters, no less - and let the kid escape. You're not as sneaky as you think, and if we find this ‘Choctaw Nexus’ turns out to be a bad actor that can be traced back to them - and by extension, you - well, there’d be no talking down my boss from having you dealt with. By helping me find out who this is, you may yet be able to clear your name of any wrongdoing.”
I clenched my beak tightly to maintain a straight face. Qitel stood up with a flourish and discarded the bag he was carrying in a bin.
“See, the krakotl were never special for using threats and bullying to get results. It's because you were good at killing predators,” he jeered. “Now, if you don't mind, this primitive has appointments to attend to… old lady who got trampled courtesy of the humans and all. You stay out of trouble, Hileen, and stay in touch.”
The self-assured marsupial melded into the crowd in a matter of seconds, leaving me with a table containing dumpster trophies and a pile of shells. Reluctantly, I swept the shells into my wing and dumped them into the bin before gathering the other two items he'd left me and stuffing them into my bag. I'd been gone from Nampi long enough and she would notice my absence before long.
Crossing the walkway again, I could spot from where I stood that Nampi was indeed still in the Platinum Paw. I approached, and soon I found that while she didn't seem to have noticed me stepping away, she was definitely in a soured mood based on the sagging of her ears and tail. With my talons clacking on the floorboards, I hustled to her side and her mood chippered up ever so slightly as she heard me approach.
I chimed in, “Find anything?”
“Everything. I want everything, Red, and I can't decide on what I want. They all just look so great!”
From behind, a voice called out, “Nampi!”
We both jumped at the exclamation and turned about to spot the venlil lady I'd seen before spring from behind the shelf. The man poked his head from behind the shelf too, though less enthusiastically and with yet another bag in his clutches. My friend's eyes widened in surprise with her tail and ears perking up in kind. With a light in her eyes, she exclaimed, “Nalek!”
The two embraced with shrill squeals and laughter as Nalek's accompaniment and I traded awkward glances.
“It's been too long!”
“You never stayed in contact!”
The women exchanged giddy greetings and the pompous stranger turned to me, leering over me as though she was sizing me up.
“Who's your friend here?”
“Oh she's actually my-...”
Nampi paused for a moment, looking back to me.
“Yeah, she's a friend.”
“A friend,” Nalek repeated while her eyes flicked between Nampi and I. “Right.”
Somehow, I get the impression that that was judgemental.
“I'm Hileen, by the way,” I chirped, “if names are to be exchanged.”
“Hileen, that's a lovely name! And such plumage to match, it's a wonder you aren't swarmed by suitors!”
Internally, I groaned at the notion. The idea of being approached by someone to state their interest in me made me queasy, to say the least. Thankfully, I never had that issue growing up as most of the other drakes in school were too busy chasing girls who didn't have a lousy pigmentation mutation such as myself.
“I'm flattered,” I told Nalek before turning to the man whose name had yet to be introduced. “May we get your name?”
“Sask.”
His response was succinct and tonally flat, though there was a brief silence as I expected him to elaborate. Nalek's beads jingled as she lashed him on the calf with her tail.
“I'm Sask, Nalek's fiancée,” he added, throwing her a look to see if she was satisfied.
Nampi gasped with her paws over her snout. “Fiancée! Nalek, you're getting married and you never even told me!”
“Well, I felt a little guilty since it technically broke our pact we made when we were pups. You remember that?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I? ‘Let she who bonds through betrothal first be cast out unto the world for all to admonish her!’”
Sask and I both gave inquisitive expressions. “You two spoke like that as pups?” Sask asked.
“Well, I'm paraphrasing,” Nampi admitted with a playful ear waggle. “But you get the gist.”
“Indeed, they do, sweet Nampi. Now, may I ask what you're doing bringing your avian friend here into this store on this fine claw?”
“Oh, no no, she's the one treating me! Isn't that right, Red?”
I saw her tail twitch and was sure it took restraint not to tickle my neck with it as we stood before her old friend.
“She's been a good friend,” I explained. “So I wanted to reverse the roles for once and treat her to something myself.”
Nampi skipped over to me and wrapped her arm around me, glancing back to her old friend. “See? We'd all be so lucky to have a… friend like her.”
“So I've witnessed. But perhaps you're a bit stuck, as I've seen you prancing up and down these aisles for a while, no? Maybe you don't know what you want?”
“Nalek, you know I've never been good about making my mind up.”
“Some things never change, you ditz. Tell you what: you and Sask go find us a seat and we can catch up all we'd like when we're not taking up aisle space, yes? So shoo! I'll help Hileen here pick one out for you!”
With a bored grunt, Sask made off with the goods he had strapped to himself, followed by Nampi who gave me one more playful tail flick before dashing off into the crowd. I looked back to the mottled snout of Nalek who watched her friend wander off with a wistful glance.
“She was my first, you know.”
“Your what now.”
“Love. Way back when we were growing from pups into young adults back in private education, we explored much together. We saw each other through a lot, including the less savory parts of finding a mate. When Nampi realized it wasn't the boys she was into, she turned to me, and I offered my hand as her stalwart companion… to a point.”
“You weren't interested in her the same way?”
“I'd grown up seeing her as a sister of sorts, so ultimately, when we split it off, we stayed close as friends and she never seemed to be bothered by it. She struggled to find others in school who had the same interests as herself, but she never fussed about it.”
Nalek's claws browsed over a set of pouched bandoliers made with intricate embroidering. “Have you two… spent the night together? Alone?”
Spiritually, I reeled from the inquiry. The whiplash from that question was equitable to being smacked by a human. “Wha- why? How's that pertinent to the subject at hand?”
“That sounds like a ‘yes’ to me,” she purred with a smug glance my way.
I didn't need to begin to list the different ways such a question was violating to our privacy, and yet this woman was treating it like a game.
“Not really your concern, ma'am.”
Nalek chuckled as she picked out one of the bandoliers and inspected it with her claws. “I'd like to think that she and I still have that old connection, despite everything. And to that end, I know that she's no slag and doesn't trust easy. To see her be so vulnerable around you and to talk so highly of someone who's clearly below her income level as a predator…”
She stretched the bandolier out to appreciate the design in its entirety.
“Well, that's something special. Here"- she foisted the accessory into my wings as I stood gobsmacked -"this just screams her name.”
“This is, like, double my budget.”
“Love don't come cheap, darling. You wanna see good things happen, sometimes you've gotta step out of your comfort zone and grasp for it!”
“I'm being lectured by a rich woman on finances.”
“It's a philosophy that goes beyond money, ‘Red.’ The humans have a saying, in their horrendously predatory nomenclature, that contains a kernel of truth: ‘you miss every shot you don't take’.”
Yep, that's definitely a human phrase.
Nalek's steely braid rattled with every flick of the tail as we proceeded through the checkout.
“You want things to change between you and her?” she continued. “Don't just wait for it to happen.”
She let the conversation rest there as we finished the purchase, possibly to let me recuperate mentally from the damage done to my account. Outside, we found our respective partners sitting at a table with Sask looking up in boredom as Nampi chatted away, though she immediately shut up and turned to me with excited flicks of her tail as she saw what I was carrying.
I held it toward her and she happily shot to her feet, effortlessly removing the tags with her claws and clipping it to her belt. Nalek clapped and waggled her tail as the giddy lady did a whirl about to let us admire the accessory. While I'd have preferred one with pockets to give it a more practical use, I decided to let Nalek have the victory as our mutual friend clearly enjoyed it.
The rest of the paw was a blur as the two friends chatted without end until Sask eventually reminded his betrothed that they had a schedule to attend to. Though Nalek offered to call us a taxi home as a gesture of kindness, I saw through her ruse to determine that she was trying to pull a fast one on me - the clever ear flick she gave as we boarded the automated vehicle sold it for me.
We sat in the seats as the vehicle took the express ride home.
Nampi cleared her throat before she spoke, “Thank you for taking some time to spend with me, I know you've had a lot less free time as of late.”
“It's a prison of my own design, if I must be honest. A feedback loop of working a job that doesn't guarantee a paycheck to pay for rent that keeps going up, and thus needing to work more.”
The venlil giggled and chided me, “You really should've stayed in university.”
“There's a lotta 'should haves’ that've led me to this point. No use wondering what could have been.”
“There's always a use for wondering what could have been, Hileen.”
She wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Every decision I make, I always wonder what I could've done differently that it'd have turned out better,” she explained as she waved her free paw to the sky. “It's how you grow as a person, Red.”
Her silky pelt felt heavenly in contrast to the chilly air from outside, making it hard to let her words sink in.
“You rich types seem chock full of philosophy. I wonder if I'll become a brooding orator when I get some cash to my name.”
The cab filled with laughter as we veered around the final corner to my neighborhood, as it was the closest stop. The door popped open accompanied by a chime from the drone, signaling for me to depart.
But before my talons could even hit the pavement, I felt Nampi's scrawny arms wrap around my waist and she let out a pitiful mewl again.
“You don't need to get off here,” she told me with a pouty expression. “We can spend the rest of the paw at my place.”
“I'd love it, but I need to water my plants and get the month's bills sorted before they're due. Again.”
One claw at a time, I plucked her paws from around my waist and the childish venlil conceded, giving me another ear waggle as I departed. “I'll see you tomorrow?” I asked her.
“If you still have eyes by then, then you can bet your ass!”
“I still don't gamble.”
“You'll come around to it eventually.”
I shut the door to the taxi and watched as it carted away the one venlil who I ever truly felt on the same wavelength as. Fiddling with the lock felt like more of a chore than usual at this time as I felt a little voice tugging at the back of my head.
“You miss every shot you don't take.”
The lock felt jammed as I began to jiggle it more vigorously with the electric key. Either the RFID or NFC readers were messed up, as the lock refused to accept my key. I looked up and down the street, though Nampi was now long gone for me to rescind my earlier rejection.
“Every decision I make, I wonder what I could've done differently.”
The door rattled as I grew more and more infuriated with the lock. Qitel's smug expression as he threatened me so boldly in public played back in my head, and I wondered what would've happened had I decided to go through with insulting his mother. Better yet, I wondered what could've been had I not backed down in the face of his unflinching confidence.
Bzzt. The lock rejected my key again.
“Raagh! You fucking useless hunk of junk!”
I squawked in anger and kicked against the door, careless of the consequences of having Markol back down here to admonish another of his tenants for causing a ruckus. The walls were surprisingly sturdy for how ineffective the venlil architecture looked on the surface and I reeled back in pain as my leg throbbed.
Click.
I looked to my left to see that it wasn't my door that came open, but that of the twins. The door cracked open ever so slightly, no doubt nudged by the force of my tirade and I sighed. Nobody was expected to be home at this time, with Vili being away and Luka leaving early to get a head start.
Luka had been given a stern talking-to by the landlord for allowing one of those cats into his apartment through neglect, and I was disappointed that he seemed to have not learned his lesson this time. In fact, it seemed he hadn't even thought to lock the door this time.
I took it upon myself to shut the door for him before turning back to my own apartment door. Grasping the key with one talon, I turned it ever so gently, though the lock still refused to give in.
With a bit more force, the torsion applied to the key felt as though it should've snapped it by now. Markol sure didn't waste any expense for the security for this place, doubtlessly as a result of his history in electronic security, but I wished now that he had provided a way in that didn't rely on privately sourced locks.
Considering my options as I stood trapped outside, I realized that I had never gotten around to paying for a new lock for Tadi. I'd considered contacting her to inform her that Tac had made it out of town safely, but that'd involve also telling her that her son was now in the care of humans as if that was a better outcome to her.
Stepping out front, I realized that there was one more option I hadn't considered: my window. I usually forgot to lock it after I was through letting air circulate and I was silently grateful to myself for this absentmindedness now more than ever. Sticking a foot on the threshold, I lifted myself in a way that'd allow me to have leverage to force the window open.
The window made me fight for every inch, but I felt a strange satisfaction as it slowly opened up into an entrance that I could squeeze my way through. I let out a sigh as my talons clicked against the cool floor and slid the window shut.
I laid my satchel on the couch and turned back to the door, ready to unleash my fury on the disobedient object. But as I reached for the lock to manually open the door, I noted that the lights on the RFID interface both flashed at once, blinking erratically. Red and green flickered without rhyme or reason, indicating that it was both active and inactive.
As pretty as the colors were, I now knew that Markol's locks were not as reliable as he had touted them about: typically, such would not occur unless the device was damaged deliberately, and yet nothing indicated that I'd had uninvited guests. One could pray that those cats didn't secretly know how to cobble together an ECM jammer, but my personal wager was on faulty equipment.
Settling in, I browsed my favorite soaps on the television. For what was intended to be a day of relaxation and show of affection for a friend, I found myself rather wound up over all the things that added up. Couples threw around flowery words and swooned over one another on screen as I felt the tension diffuse. My holopad rang and I turned it over to spot that Nampi was informing me that she'd arrived home safely.
>>> Feels empty here, all alone.
She made sure to drive the point home with a sticker of a venlil making a pouty expression.
Next time, I thought to myself, I'll get it right for you, Nampi.
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If you are unable to pass your CompTIA Certification Exam, get paid help from Online Helpers at Hiraedu!
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CompTIA is vendor-neutral, so the skills you learn can be applied to any product. Other certifications, such as Cisco and Microsoft, are vendor-specific, meaning that the skills you learn only focus on a specific product. Starting with a vendor-neutral certification like CompTIA’s can help you build a foundation of skills that allows you to dive deeper with a vendor-specific certification.
CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association) is a well-established and respected name in the IT industry, offering a range of certifications that cater to various skill levels and career paths. With the ever-evolving nature of technology, it's crucial to stay ahead of the curve and invest in certifications that open doors to new opportunities. In this blog, we'll explore the benefits and career prospects of choosing CompTIA certifications.
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- Industry Recognition: CompTIA certifications are widely recognized and respected by employers globally, demonstrating your expertise and commitment to the field.
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- IT Project Manager: CompTIA Project+ certification can lead to roles like IT project manager, project coordinator, or team lead.
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2024.05.19 16:00 BrodogIsMyName Frontier Fantasy - Chap 39
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Edited by WaveOfWire
- - - - -
Two days… It had been two days that Tracy had gone to sleep while Harrison was working, only to come back in the morning to see him still in the workshop. She knew he was damn productive, sure, but that really couldn’t be healthy. Apparently, it had something to do with the weird bowl of orange… soup… that Cera gave him. No way was it just caffeine; any amount of the stuff would have been filtered out of his system by now. He mentioned a tingling feeling too…
Damn, she did not know enough about drugs to even start assuming what that massive alien had Harrison fucked up on. At least the scanner said he was ‘fine’—if you ignore the other glaring issues the machine brought up. Plus, he said he didn’t mind it. Either way, he managed to complete the weaving component and a few other electrical backbones of the fabricator last night, so the project was practically done, and after seeing the engineer work himself half to death, she was dead-set on finishing it.
She was currently tits-deep into the upper manufacturing portion of the towering machine. It took a tall step-stool—on top of the nearby desk—for her to push her small shoulders through the even smaller access panels high on the everything-printer. It was difficult to fit her torso in, but she managed, holding a flashlight between her teeth as she fiddled with a stubborn series of mechanical ‘hands.’ Nothing new. The situation reminded her of the ‘shop back on Mars; it had the same ever-present scent of copper and industrial sealant. All that was missing was her dad’s ancient tunes blasting through some shitty speakers… Hold on…
The modular component in her grip was successfully attached with a resonating thock. Tracy squirmed out of the dim wire-filled crevice, trying her best to not rip her only tank-top on any bolts or corners, and getting a face-full of the bright flood-lights illuminating the workshop. She scowled and blocked out the searing light with a hand, but she was a bit too late to avoid going half-blind.
“Are the mechanical manipulators in?” Harrison grunted, poking his head out underneath the printer’s floor-adjacent maintenance hatch. She looked down at him as she tried to blink off the spots in her vision. His hair was messy, barely kept in line by his habit of combing through it with his fingers. The areas around his eyes were dark and sunken… Guess that’s what two all-nighters did to a man. He’d be seeing the hat man or start hallucinating if he didn’t get any sleep soon… but then again, the two of them were so close to finishing the fabricator…
“You bet.” She gave him a thumbs up, slamming the panel cover closed. “Feel free to test it.”
He nodded and slid back underneath the machine. “Gotcha”
She gently stepped off the stool and slid off the side of the desk, stretching herself out. If her piss-poor sitting posture or her tank-top puppies hadn’t already fucked her spine up, bending over backward to build this fabricator sure as hell would. She sat down next to the panel where Harrison resided, resting her back against the fabrication tower. Her excited voice broke the muffled noises of the engineer’s work. “So… Harrison?”
“Hmm—”
“—Mind if I play some music?”
The sounds from the hatch stopped, followed by his muffled, shocked tone echoing from beneath the fabricator. “You have music!?”
She smirked at seeing the expression on his face when his head popped out again. “I sure do… Did you seriously not download any to your data pad?”
He slipped out from beneath the fabricator fully, huffing as he took a knee beside her. The scent of melded rubber, wire, and his liquid labor reached her nose not-so-unpleasantly. “You would not believe how much of a pain it is to repair an entire barracks without it… So, yeah, I didn’t.”
“Sooooooooo, whatcha wanna listen to? I’ve got almost everything on here—besides the super niche, of course.” She pulled her data pad out, swiping to the massive music folder
“You wouldn’t like the kinda music I listen to; It’s ancient.”
She gave him a lighthearted, annoyed glare. “Welcome to the club… Now what’ll it be?”
“It’s Old Earth kind of ancient… but alright” He looked up at the ceiling in thought, lips pursed. “Do you have anything from Styx or Sweet?”
She stared at him incredulously, her smirk turning into a fully-fledged smile. “Oh my God. You are an absolute dork! You actually listen to Golden Age music?”
His brows raised, accusatory. “And you somehow know exactly who those bands were and what age of Old Earth music they came from?”
She smugly leaned in closer. “That’s because I’m just as much of a nerd with that kinda music as you apparently are.” She quickly looked upward, addressing the workshop AI. “Sebas, connect nearby speakers to my data pad’s audio.” Tracy elbowed the engineer lightly as the PA system chirped its affirmation. “Now, Mr. Golden Age music, which albums do ya want me to queue up?”
- - - - -
The two of them listened to music for hours, tossing on songs they liked as they came to mind while they worked. Harrison had a ton of recommendations that spanned all over the Golden Ages and some twenty-first century classics. She didn’t even know half of them, but she was vibing either way, adding on her own taste by intermingling some older rock tracks and newer electronic beats. The playlist was steadily built up as the day went on. Thank God her dad showed her a vast array of tunes; she might not have been able to keep up with the engineer if her old man hadn't.
It made the work go by so fast, their conversations blurring as they jumped from topic to topic. They discussed whatever came to mind—old hobbies, old jobs, and old interests. A lot was left behind in Sol… At least she knew that the only other human on the planet was more interesting than a soulless workaholic. It turned out that he was a pretty big history buff, and he apparently read a lot about the colonization of the Sol system and the various wars of independence thereafter. Curious, she asked where the interest stemmed from, and he explained that his grandfather was an admiral in the Slavic-Europan deep-ice submarine fleet, which explained how Harrison’s mother was able to afford to immigrate to Mars from Europa.
He could also play an acoustic guitar, and, unfortunately for Tracy, he wasn’t even the slightest bit interested in printing one out, citing that it was a waste of time and material that would be better used elsewhere. That didn’t stop her from writing a note on her data pad to do so later, though. She hadn’t seen someone play one of those in years—the last time was probably in some old music video from the early twenty-second century. What a shame. She would have liked to hear some of the Europan songs his grandmother taught him.
On the bright side, the man seemed to take an interest in her odd hobbies. He brought up the folder of 3D models that she accidentally uploaded to the inter-module system and asked where she got the inspiration for what was in it. Boy, was he not ready for her ‘WarHalberd40k’ lore dump. Props to the guy for not standing up and leaving the workshop throughout her rambling. He even asked questions about the different factions and their weapons, which she was more than happy to talk about.
She also ended up going over the other franchises and hobbies she was interested in, such as robotics and the like. The only interruptions to their chat were the occasional Akula or Craftsman asking for insight regarding the various tasks he had allotted to them, or Shar coming in to check up on Harrison between guard shifts.
The new dynamic of the group was pretty interesting, to say the least. Tracy hadn’t been out to interact with the whole lot of Malkrin, but she definitely noticed how they treated the engineer. They’d started to look up to him in a way ever since he started showing off technology. In a little over two days, the man had shown them that he could provide the materials for a brick house, fine clothing—especially by the alien’s standards—armor, and delicious food. That wasn’t even mentioning the other benefits the technician heard a few of the ‘banished’ talking about over their meals: heating, electric lights, and other assorted machines.
She’d be feeling pretty happy about herself if she was in his position, having so many look up to him and be grateful at the same time. He seemed to view it a lot more robotically, however, only striving to get the basics done. Luckily for him, his basics were their luxury.
That wasn’t all there was to the topic; the engineer lamented about how the colony was going through food just as quickly as materials. The meals weren’t the direct issue he had, more that he had to start focusing on long-term resource harvesting rather than directly preparing for a literal horde of monsters—which wasn’t exactly ideal. It was a good thing that they just so happened to take on an influx of Malkrin then…
Either way, they finally finished the ‘totally legal modification’ for the fabricator, meaning they could at least partially address the latter half of his worries. The whole process of ripping out an old printer and replacing the parts for a new one felt a lot easier than she imagined… even if it took her at least forty-eight hours to complete it… with help from Harrison. Maybe that was why it felt so easy… She supposed the colony overseers didn’t choose the man for no reason, so his skills made sense.
“So… what do we want to print out first?” Tracy questioned, having finished testing the last major component.
The engineer stretched his arms up into the air and rotated his shoulders, then pulled back the desk’s chair and took a seat. “I’ve had just one thing in mind since the start of this whole project.”
Her brows raised in a mix of excitement and curiosity. She leaned forward, looking at the computer monitor from over his shoulder. “Oh? What’s that, then?”
A smirk formed along his cheek, the computer mouse rapidly clicking through the blueprint folder. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about what kind of firearm we need since I started dabbling in belt-fed weapon systems.” He opened one final file, a short loading bar preceding the exploded assembly view of… “An M2 Browning machine gun. It’s more than powerful enough to kill in one shot, while also being capable of fully-automatic fire, with a capacity of however many rounds we want in a belt-box.”
“Uh…huh…” She gave a skeptical nod and took a step back, not exactly sold on the idea. “It looks ancient. It’s kinetic, right? Why aren’t we using energy-based weapons? Don’t we have a gunpowder shortage coming up?”
He moved his chair off to the side to look back at her. “We just can’t; Simple as. We’ll need who knows how many more AI cores before we can get started on that level of equipment, Trace,” he huffed, returning his gaze to the specifications of the firearm. “This isn’t the most ‘modern’ weapon we can make, but its twenty-first century counterpart helps with an improved design… somewhat. And, as I said before, it should be more than capable of killing a bug in one shot, so Shar can just tap-fire it to save ammunition.”
Her head tilted quizzically. “Shar?”
“Yup,” he returned confidently. “It’s the perfect weapon for her.”
She raised a brow. “How so?”
He held his hand up, counting his reasons on his fingers. “She’s always on the front line with a shield, she can absolutely handle the weight and recoil, her four arms make reloading it simple, plus she’ll need something with range and power that isn’t a spear. So, why not? And, if for some reason, she doesn’t want to use it, we can just convert it into a turret—which is something I was planning on doing anyways with however more M2s we print out later.”
“I doubt she’ll say no to any gun you give her,” Tracy chuckled while shaking her head, inadvertently causing her bangs to cover her eyes.
“Fair enough,” he conceded with a bob of his head. “What do you think, then? What kinda weapons do you have in mind?”
She reapplied her goggles into an impromptu hairband, feeling a smirk cross her face. “Thought you’d never ask. What purpose do we need these guns to fulfill? Hordes I’m guessing?”
“That’s the idea, yeah. That doesn’t mean they all need to be machine guns, though.” He tapped the belt-fed shotgun beside him.
“Well, lemme see what we’re working with first.” She suddenly stepped forward, leaning over Harrison’s seat to access the keyboard and mouse. Her arms briefly rubbed against him, forcing him to roll his chair backward. She suppressed a giggle at seeing his incredulous frown.
Her eyes quickly traced the hundreds of individual files, clicking through all sorts of folders, each arranged from pre-twenty-first century ‘antiques,’ to more modern iterations of kinetics and particle weaponry. There was… a lot on there—almost too much to reasonably comb through. Why? Did the colony overseers just say ‘fuck it’ and put whatever they could find on here? Were they expecting the pioneers to make a museum of everything?
She sighed, standing up straight and facing Harrison. “Y’know, I’m actually impressed you managed to find that M2-whatever in there…”
He shifted in his seat, resting an elbow on the desk. “Yup, there’s a lot. I’m almost tempted to just make several of those machine guns and just call it a day, but I feel like that’d be too much of a strain on resources, no?”
“I don’t really know enough about how you fight those spider-crab things, or how to get more gunpowder, so… maybe?” She shrugged, biting her cheek in contemplation. “You might just wanna make a few smaller caliber weapons… like, uh… those old kinetic service rifles. If your pump-action shotgun works fine, I’m sure some normal guns would work just fine for now, right?”
He hardily gripped his firearm, hauling it up to his lap. “Depends on what you mean by ‘smaller caliber.’ The whole reason why the KS-23 here works—” he pulled out a massive shell from the ammo belt, displaying it on his palm. “—is because the twenty-three-millimeter round has enough energy transfer to mess up any bug's shell and insides. I’d say the smallest rounds we could use would be point-two-forty-three caliber to get any similar results.”
Brief flickers of grungy orange shells and gnashing teeth marred Tracy’s sight. She forcibly suppressed them, distracting herself with dry humor and a strained laugh. “Guess those fuckers can really take a punch, huh?”
He shook his head somberly. “I couldn’t imagine going up against them without a gun… Anyway, I like your idea of a standard rifle for now. Then, when we have some product lines up, we can go a little more in depth into personal weapons.”
“So are you gonna take one?” She hopped up on the desk, letting her legs swing off the side.
“Don’t think so, no. I’ll stick with my shotty.” The internals of the heavily modified weapon rattled as he held it up and inspected it. “Doesn’t mean I’ll keep it as is. I’m thinking of printing a laser aiming module so I can point-fire it accurately, and maybe a melee-oriented muzzle brake or a lighter chassis to reduce weight… Not sure though.”
She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, her cheeks in her palms. “Melee-oriented? Oooooh, like a chain-sword or something?”
His short chuckle coerced a smirk to her face. “No, not like that. More something to use as a bludgeoning tool. Right before the blood-moon, I ended up getting just as much use out of this shotgun as a hammer than as a… well, a shotgun.”
“That’s pretty fuckin’ metal. So are you just gonna make the barrel into a giant bayonet?”
He nodded. “Not exactly a bayonet, but something more like a door-breaching break.”
A short silence settled on their conversation, the faint sounds of the fabricator’s hum and distant woodwork coming to light. Right, there was an outside world… She’d been too caught up talking to Harrison for however many hours it had been. She wondered how successful the fisherwomen were in collecting, and how things had been for the others working on the wood storage shack. Maybe it was already completed? The sun peered through the cargo bay door, proving that it was only about midday. What else would they work on today?
“Hey,” she ventured.
“Hm?” the engineer hummed, his eyes focused on the monitor beside the technician.
She scooted closer to his keyboard. “What’re we doing after this?”
“What do you mean?”
She leaned backward, propping herself up on two hands. “Project wise; what’s the next big thing?”
“Uhmmm…” he muttered, interacting with the computer for a few more seconds before finally meeting her gaze. “Well, I’ve just allocated the fabricator to print out the M2, three FALs—wood furniture, of course—then there’s the magazines and ammunition, so we’ve got a lot of time to kill. The next big thing is definitely going to be metal procurement, and— Oh, right!” Harrison stopped mid-sentence, reaching into his backpack and pulling out several finger-sized metallic cubes, a sudden fire in his eyes. “Okay, so a while ago, during an encounter with three colossi, Shar and Akula found a cave with some ‘surface’ metal deposits. I took a piece off to analyze, but never got the chance to until last night. Anyway, we don’t have any machines to examine the ore, so I made use of the recycler and broke it down to its baser components.”
She nodded along, seeing where he was going with his explanation. “I’m guessing those shiny cubes are the metals from the ore?”
“Sure is. So, as it turns out, we have a pretty damn close supply of not only iron, but also, zinc, sulfur, and a small amount of cadmium. I talked with Sebas about it and did a little research. We believe it’s something akin to sphalerite, given its composition and looks, which implies it’s a sedimentary exhalative deposit. That means there must have been some volcanic…”
Harrison continued talking about underwater deposits and ancient rock formations, bringing up some theories brought forward by the now 4-AI-core-powered Sebas, delving into the current land mass’ history and possible ore output. A lot of it went over the tradewoman’s head, but she still listened intently… Honestly, she could have listened to the man talk about finding metals for hours. It was sort of like the podcasts she used to listen to while completing colonist training, but even more personal and somehow easier to get lost in…
“…find some other minerals further down like silver, but it also might be an active lava zone. Again, these are all theories and this world could just throw the fundamentals of geology away as it does for physics. Anyway, sorry for going on for so long about that, just thought it’d be important for getting some metals in the future.”
“No, no,” Tracy assured, alleviating him of concern with a wave of her hand. “If there’s anything the colony overseers emphasized, it was farming and mineral acquisition. Don’t worry.” She smiled, pointing a thumb to herself. “I just wanna know how I can help.”
“Actually, I’ve a few things only you can do. I’d like to make use of your impressive drone-making expertise for a few applications, if you don’t mind.”
The task of keeping eye contact slipped into an impossible feat in the span of a singular second, planting a pang of embarrassment on her reddened face, forcing her to inspect her fidgeting hands. “I-I wouldn’t say ‘impressive’… b-but what do you have in mind?”
She could see him raise a brow out of the corner of her vision. “Well, after what you’ve shown me with the reconnaissance flyers, I’d like your help in setting up a more permanent ‘net’ of them to scour the meadow and parts of the nearby forest to look out for any approaching hordes. I don’t want to be snuck up on… again…”
‘Again.’
She noted his small frown and sunken eyes, both a little more exaggerated than they already were. It wasn’t like she’d deny his request, but the pangs of empathy over their shared situation all but solidified her resolve. It was the least she could do. She could help him. She would help him.
The technician exhaled slowly, taking on a more serious and understanding tone than before. “I… can do that. For sure. What else?”
“I appreciate it.” He gave a wane smile. “I’ll help you with whatever you need for the project. For the other drones, I’m thinking about a small exploration vehicle to map out caves around us and mark any minerals, as well as a submersible to look for potassium deposits in the ocean.”
“So… search bots?” She crossed her arms, confidence growing; those were her specialty. “Depending on how long the fabricators take and what kind of base drones are in the blueprint folders, I should be able to get those done in no time. All I need to know are the search cues for potassium and how many drones you want.”
He quickly shuffled a few folders on the computer, turning the monitor for her to see some scientific documents with various images and walls upon walls of text. “There’re plenty of resources for that on here for what to look for, and there’s always Sebas, so feel free to ask him since he can just sort through the data for you anyway. If you can, I’d like it if you could focus on the submersible after the reconnaissance drones.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll be right on it, then.” She gave him a thumbs up, slipping off his desk and toward her own.
“I’ll bring you lunch in a bit. Imma go check on the others,” he called.
Her stomach grumbled at the mention, her head turning to give him an appreciative smile. “Oh! Thanks!”
\= = = = =
Avian creatures chirped from their perches in the trees nearby. The wind softly rustled red leaves as grass gently gave way to calculated footfalls. A warm sun laid its light on Shar’khee’s neck. It was surprisingly pleasant, were one to take the time to notice. The mainland was a confusing place for the paladin, with its disparate representations of nature contrasting so heavily. Some days were filled with blood and ravenous beasts, while others were left within the domain of simplicity and beauty. She was content to have the latter, yet it felt like a facade veiling the former—a soft exterior covering the maliciously spiked interior. Never could she leave herself to carelessness, no matter how welcoming it might be.
Hence why she worked to ensure the safety of the star-sent’s castles and their inhabitants, her days largely spent patrolling for any roaming swarms that may wish to cause them harm. She typically used the routine to think, but today offered little in the way of solitude. This time, she was accompanied by the previously banished guardswoman, and was tasked with instructing the new one, though the specifics of what such lessons should entail were vague. Still, Shar’khee did all that she could so as not to disappoint Harrison, so she could only attempt to meet his expectations of her.
She told the yellow-skinned female of the threats that the settlement faced, how one was to defeat them, and what to expect from the beasts. The guardswoman was directed to practice her form with the spear in both thrusts and throwing for some time afterward, proving herself to be well-built. Such was expected of her profession after all.
It was pleasing to have another capable of patrolling the settlement’s outskirts for swarms, as it would greatly impact how effectively the colony could react to such a threat. If her routine was to suffer for the colony’s well-being, she was happy to show the new one her patrol route and note what to look out for.
The guardswoman was not a perfect student, however. Shar’khee never addressed it directly, but the yellow-skinned female obviously discredited the danger posed by the abhorrent, not-so-subtly shrugging off any warnings.
…That was until they stumbled upon the ‘hyena-boars,’ as Harrison called them.
The beasts resided in a clearing not too far from the castles, carelessly meandering across the sea of tall grass. Shar’khee quickly crouched, dragging the guardswoman down with her. Once she assessed that the creatures were not an imminent danger, she decided it would be an excellent opportunity to show the new one how to properly engage a threat. She was about to propose the idea, yet her speech was silenced just as swiftly.
Orange flashes darted through the trees around the glade. Taloned feet and gnashing teeth tore across the ground toward the unsuspecting beasts at the center. It was much too late for them. They were slow. Surrounded. Unaware. It was as quick as it was vicious, the forest’s reds turning a deeper crimson hue in a moment's notice underneath the abhorrent’s brutality.
Gangly monstrosities gnawed and ripped at the dead creatures, brief glimpses of raw flesh and white bone protruding from the small spaces between the clumped-up beasts. Repulsive wet splatters of blood and gore overlapped the calm noises of the forest, the grisly scene serenaded by the softest of nature’s symphonies. It was a sickening juxtaposition.
Shar’khee bit back the unease and steeled herself. They were within twenty paces—close enough to smell the abhorrent’s vile stench of rot and bile, yet far enough so as not to be noticed. She briefly considered backing away and retreating, her focus bouncing between the different avenues of escape, or how to cover her footst—
Crack.
Several sets of feral, eyeless maws snapped in their direction, the blood dripping off freshly dampened teeth. The guardswoman gasped, Shar’khee’s gaze following to see the mistake: a singular broken branch crinkled as a yellow-colored foot raised off the splintering twig.
The paladin exhaled sharply and smoothly stood up, brandishing two spears and her shield. Her glare settled on the still crouching guardswoman. “You are to stay behind my shield and let them appr—ch. Rem—ber what I have told you. Aim for their maws when you thrust y—r lance.”
The other female nodded, shakily pulling out her own weapons with unsteady placement hampering her grip. There was an obvious nervousness to her gaze. Hesitance. That would not do.
Shar’khee faced the prowling abhorrent her knuckles shifting hue as she prepared for their advance, for there was no chance that they wouldn’t. True to her experience, the stalking turned to a gallop with several clicks of grotesque tongues, the swarm bolting toward her as one. She snarled and slammed her bulwark into the ground, letting the approaching beasts skewer themselves amongst its spikes.
There were only ten—a paltry amount. She had defended against magnitudes more, and yet she still stood. What is more, they were mindless. Uncoordinated. They would be but stains in the cloth she used to clean her armor. Perhaps, if they were fortunate, they might leave a furrow in her shield to remember them by. Her arms tensed as the first leapt.
One by one, the abhorrent fell, their repulsive green blood splattering under her thrusts. Each awaiting corpse tore across the grove’s grass, lunging to their deaths with gaping maws and unfeeling hunger, yet she did not yield. Their shells were crushed by her shield and impaled by her Goddess-blessed spears, becoming but one more smear across their surface. Ten motionless lumps lay before her, seeping their ichor into the soil, none having passed the barrier she became. Dead, just as the Creator intended. She remained vigilant for a few moments longer, watching for any more of the disgusting creatures.
None showed themselves, finally allowing blood to flow to her fingers once again. The shield’s heavy presence weighed down her back, the blood flicked off of her spears before she returned them to their place.
“Are y–u well?” Shar’khee addressed the frozen Malkrin, wiping away the splatter on her bracers. The guardswoman stared at the small pile of deceased creatures, her heavy breaths and widened eyes moving from the spear from her singular kill. The paladin huffed. “We are fort—ate that there were so few.”
“F-Few? God help us…” Her horrified, stunned gaze slowly met the paladin’s. “Y-You said there were hundreds on the crimson nights? H-How do you… They were s-so fast.”*
”As I h–ve warned,” Shar’khee affirmed.
“You are a paladin! You all exaggerate your feats… I thought it was just a facade!”
“I have no r—son to lie,” she returned tersely, shrugging off the insult to her station and shaking her head. “The mainl—d is far more dangerous than ten gnash—g beasts; more so than that of your island hamlet. Pick yourself up. We m—t inform the others of this incursion.”
The yellow-skinned female snarled, furrowing her brows at the ground in frustration. At whom…? Shar’khee? Herself? Regardless, the female promptly gathered her composure, pushing air through clenched jaws. A step forward had her feet splash in the small pool of blood, the Malkrin nodding toward the paladin to continue back to the castles.
“…for the village.”
Shar’khee paused in her stride and faced her, frowning at the determination and anger leaking through the intent. “W—t was that?”
Her question was returned with honesty, a huffed voice marred by vexation. “Paladin, how am I to defend my village-mates as I am now?”
“‘As you are now?’ What do you m—n?”
The guardswoman stared down at her spear, wood creaking under her grip. “I have faltered before what you deem a paltry threat, and the thought of an even greater one sows dread deep within my bones. I wish… I wish to be better prepared to defend those of my village. I cannot help but see their faces on those of the furred creature in the clearing, and yet, even if I am so close, I am just as unable to protect them.”
Shar’khee stared down the yellow female, a long gaze taking in a rare showing of sincerity. “Y—r fears are one we all share, new one. Do not be ashamed of them. All t—t matters is that you do not let them rem—n mere fear, but make them your strength. So tell me, do you wish to impr—e? To ensure they do not fall while you are support—g them?”
The yellow-skinned female released a shuddering breath that bled off the worst of her indecision, a newly invoked flame flaring within her visage. “I do, paladin. I seek to protect and to be of use.”
“Then, if you wish to make y—rself resilient in the face of all that opposes us, it would be my undertak—g to forge you anew. Fortunately, Harrison has ordered such already, and his guidance shall prove ever useful, should you pursue it.”
The guardswoman shuffled in place at the star-sent’s mention, her eyes slipping downwards. “He is of a great many resources, but I would rather receive your teachings than those of a craftsman… or that of a male, deity-sent he might be.”
She placed a palm on the female’s shoulder. “He is far more than you might ever k—w. Regardless of if you ac—pt his guidance, I commend your conviction. However—” Her hand gripped tighter, though not enough to instill hostility. “—understand that you are protecting more than just your vi—age-mates.”
The new one nodded, staring up at the paladin with stallwart resolve. “Of course. I shall be in your tutelage, then.”
Shar’khee smiled. “T—n let us begin.”
\= = = = =
Akula was becoming increasingly certain that she knew how her parents once felt. The green-skinned fisherwoman was currently rotating between the many tasks placed upon her, guiding the newcomers through the minutia of their tasks so they might live up to the potential Harrison saw within them. She was gratified to have her own talents recognized by the Creator, but it also placed a great many responsibilities in her talons. Of course, she handled each new addition with finesse befitting her heritage, never once balking from the increasing demands. If anything, she felt validated; it was required of her as a female anyway, was it not? The more feminine-appropriate labor and management one undertakes, the higher authority they were granted.
It began with a simple assignment to oversee the chef’s introduction to the star-sent’s provided cooking appliances. As fascinating and convenient as utilities were, she held no interest in preparing any more food than she already had, but teaching another to operate the machines would alleviate such requirements of her. She reluctantly accepted the task when it was proposed, especially considering the fact that Harrison was much too busy with his other projects to bother with something as benign as cooking. His work was more valuable elsewhere.
The task itself went well, and the pink-skinned chef was quick to pick up on the use of the various kitchen devices, as well as the smoker. A grin had grown when she considered the possibility of all males understanding such domestic things readily, yet her mirth at removing the masculine job required of her was short-lived. Despite the newly initiated Malkrin’s success, Harrison had Akula frequently return to oversee the numerous cooking operations being conducted. That was in tandem with the back-to-back fishing trips made by both herself and the newly acquired females.
…Which was something else the green-skinned cycle-worshipper was ordered to oversee.
She had left the chef to his devices after producing another batch of partially seasoned meals, returning to the Creator with hopes of a break. He applauded her efforts with a nod and tersely spoken appreciation, then quickly pushed two spearguns into her hand and directed her to the ocean, where the twins were ‘working with jack shit,’ as the busy male said. She was to give the fisherwomen the tools and make sure they were used properly, and offer additional assistance in acquiring ‘enough fish to have us fed for a little bit.’
So, she left to complete the given task, feeling somewhat appreciative that her speargun was of superior quality to those she would be delivering—the newcomers were only afforded the lesser, roped-bolt version. It was only natural that she was in possession of their greatest assets, of course; the star-sent saw her as the only one capable of wielding such fantastic ammunition, showing trust that was rightfully placed in her. That did not mean the gray-skinned females were unsatisfied with their own gifts, however. The twins were swiftly caught up on the ‘manual of arms’ and sent to work, somehow managing to keep up with Akula in spite of their land-based origins. The two were fast enough to outpace the cycle-worshipper in sheer speed, but their lack of numerous winters spent traversing deeper waters meant they required frequent rests, breaking the ocean’s surface after every third captured fish or so.
Still, she had to appreciate their dedication to their task. They never complained about Akula pushing them further to reach the star-sent’s vague objective. Such a task was entrusted to her—and by proxy, the other two—and thus it would be completed, no matter how much her comfortable bed… couch called her tiring muscles.
The group of three hauled net after full net of fresh meat to the chef—and sewist, who later joined him—forcing him to relegate much of the catch to long-term storage as the kitchen simply could not deal with the surplus. At least three-quarters of the fish were put to slow cook in the now Malkrin-sized smoker. The craftsman had upgraded it with a kit provided by Harrison, who had recycled much of the dining room and workshop furniture to accommodate it. The Creator’s showcased urgency to gather materials was clearly not unfounded… It was admirable how he used what little he had left to ensure food would not be scarce. Additionally, the apparatus exuded an excellent scent for all the survivors to enjoy, the earthy aroma drawing in some of the other Malkrin for their breaks or meals.
Those were not the end of the cycle-worshiper’s tasks, however. She was also required to report on Shar’khee’s progress in training the guardswoman—helping to recycle the small swarm of abhorrent they cleared earlier—as well as the wood storage building’s progress. Indeed, she was advising and assisting however and wherever applicable. To say she was seen all around the settlement would be an understatement.
Nevertheless, she was appreciative to see her efforts bearing fruit by sundown. The processing of their meals from sea to plate was quite efficient, and those that Akula taught were now well-practiced in their duties. The twin fisherwomen dove from wave to wave, bringing fish back to the barracks, where the cook and sewist swiftly worked to transfer the meat to pans and smoker hooks alike. Then, the remnants of the Sea Goddess’ aquatic gifts would be subsequently recycled and given purpose anew as biofuel or perhaps future fertilizer.
The endless onslaught of duties and responsibilities had enlightened her, in a way. She could see where Harrison came from now; having a working project go from one point to another without input nor difficulty was a sight to behold, and it made her swell with pride. It was a surmountable feat to teach the barbaric ground-worshippers to do something properly.
…Well, they were not horrible Malkrin, so perhaps simply calling them ‘uninitiated’ was a more apt descriptor…
No matter the tribulations faced, and no matter how draining her new authority might be, her rest at the end of the day would be one that was well-earned, and it would be had with a sense of satisfaction. She deserved it, and perhaps that extended to the rest of the settlement as well.
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Next time on Total Drama Anomaly Island - Mine! Mine! Mine!
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Edited by WaveOfWire
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Two days… It had been two days that Tracy had gone to sleep while Harrison was working, only to come back in the morning to see him still in the workshop. She knew he was damn productive, sure, but that really couldn’t be healthy. Apparently, it had something to do with the weird bowl of orange… soup… that Cera gave him. No way was it just caffeine; any amount of the stuff would have been filtered out of his system by now. He mentioned a tingling feeling too…
Damn, she did not know enough about drugs to even start assuming what that massive alien had Harrison fucked up on. At least the scanner said he was ‘fine’—if you ignore the other glaring issues the machine brought up. Plus, he said he didn’t mind it. Either way, he managed to complete the weaving component and a few other electrical backbones of the fabricator last night, so the project was practically done, and after seeing the engineer work himself half to death, she was dead-set on finishing it.
She was currently tits-deep into the upper manufacturing portion of the towering machine. It took a tall step-stool—on top of the nearby desk—for her to push her small shoulders through the even smaller access panels high on the everything-printer. It was difficult to fit her torso in, but she managed, holding a flashlight between her teeth as she fiddled with a stubborn series of mechanical ‘hands.’ Nothing new. The situation reminded her of the ‘shop back on Mars; it had the same ever-present scent of copper and industrial sealant. All that was missing was her dad’s ancient tunes blasting through some shitty speakers… Hold on…
The modular component in her grip was successfully attached with a resonating thock. Tracy squirmed out of the dim wire-filled crevice, trying her best to not rip her only tank-top on any bolts or corners, and getting a face-full of the bright flood-lights illuminating the workshop. She scowled and blocked out the searing light with a hand, but she was a bit too late to avoid going half-blind.
“Are the mechanical manipulators in?” Harrison grunted, poking his head out underneath the printer’s floor-adjacent maintenance hatch. She looked down at him as she tried to blink off the spots in her vision. His hair was messy, barely kept in line by his habit of combing through it with his fingers. The areas around his eyes were dark and sunken… Guess that’s what two all-nighters did to a man. He’d be seeing the hat man or start hallucinating if he didn’t get any sleep soon… but then again, the two of them were so close to finishing the fabricator…
“You bet.” She gave him a thumbs up, slamming the panel cover closed. “Feel free to test it.”
He nodded and slid back underneath the machine. “Gotcha”
She gently stepped off the stool and slid off the side of the desk, stretching herself out. If her piss-poor sitting posture or her tank-top puppies hadn’t already fucked her spine up, bending over backward to build this fabricator sure as hell would. She sat down next to the panel where Harrison resided, resting her back against the fabrication tower. Her excited voice broke the muffled noises of the engineer’s work. “So… Harrison?”
“Hmm—”
“—Mind if I play some music?”
The sounds from the hatch stopped, followed by his muffled, shocked tone echoing from beneath the fabricator. “You have music!?”
She smirked at seeing the expression on his face when his head popped out again. “I sure do… Did you seriously not download any to your data pad?”
He slipped out from beneath the fabricator fully, huffing as he took a knee beside her. The scent of melded rubber, wire, and his liquid labor reached her nose not-so-unpleasantly. “You would not believe how much of a pain it is to repair an entire barracks without it… So, yeah, I didn’t.”
“Sooooooooo, whatcha wanna listen to? I’ve got almost everything on here—besides the super niche, of course.” She pulled her data pad out, swiping to the massive music folder
“You wouldn’t like the kinda music I listen to; It’s ancient.”
She gave him a lighthearted, annoyed glare. “Welcome to the club… Now what’ll it be?”
“It’s Old Earth kind of ancient… but alright” He looked up at the ceiling in thought, lips pursed. “Do you have anything from Styx or Sweet?”
She stared at him incredulously, her smirk turning into a fully-fledged smile. “Oh my God. You are an absolute dork! You actually listen to Golden Age music?”
His brows raised, accusatory. “And you somehow know exactly who those bands were and what age of Old Earth music they came from?”
She smugly leaned in closer. “That’s because I’m just as much of a nerd with that kinda music as you apparently are.” She quickly looked upward, addressing the workshop AI. “Sebas, connect nearby speakers to my data pad’s audio.” Tracy elbowed the engineer lightly as the PA system chirped its affirmation. “Now, Mr. Golden Age music, which albums do ya want me to queue up?”
- - - - -
The two of them listened to music for hours, tossing on songs they liked as they came to mind while they worked. Harrison had a ton of recommendations that spanned all over the Golden Ages and some twenty-first century classics. She didn’t even know half of them, but she was vibing either way, adding on her own taste by intermingling some older rock tracks and newer electronic beats. The playlist was steadily built up as the day went on. Thank God her dad showed her a vast array of tunes; she might not have been able to keep up with the engineer if her old man hadn't.
It made the work go by so fast, their conversations blurring as they jumped from topic to topic. They discussed whatever came to mind—old hobbies, old jobs, and old interests. A lot was left behind in Sol… At least she knew that the only other human on the planet was more interesting than a soulless workaholic. It turned out that he was a pretty big history buff, and he apparently read a lot about the colonization of the Sol system and the various wars of independence thereafter. Curious, she asked where the interest stemmed from, and he explained that his grandfather was an admiral in the Slavic-Europan deep-ice submarine fleet, which explained how Harrison’s mother was able to afford to immigrate to Mars from Europa.
He could also play an acoustic guitar, and, unfortunately for Tracy, he wasn’t even the slightest bit interested in printing one out, citing that it was a waste of time and material that would be better used elsewhere. That didn’t stop her from writing a note on her data pad to do so later, though. She hadn’t seen someone play one of those in years—the last time was probably in some old music video from the early twenty-second century. What a shame. She would have liked to hear some of the Europan songs his grandmother taught him.
On the bright side, the man seemed to take an interest in her odd hobbies. He brought up the folder of 3D models that she accidentally uploaded to the inter-module system and asked where she got the inspiration for what was in it. Boy, was he not ready for her ‘WarHalberd40k’ lore dump. Props to the guy for not standing up and leaving the workshop throughout her rambling. He even asked questions about the different factions and their weapons, which she was more than happy to talk about.
She also ended up going over the other franchises and hobbies she was interested in, such as robotics and the like. The only interruptions to their chat were the occasional Akula or Craftsman asking for insight regarding the various tasks he had allotted to them, or Shar coming in to check up on Harrison between guard shifts.
The new dynamic of the group was pretty interesting, to say the least. Tracy hadn’t been out to interact with the whole lot of Malkrin, but she definitely noticed how they treated the engineer. They’d started to look up to him in a way ever since he started showing off technology. In a little over two days, the man had shown them that he could provide the materials for a brick house, fine clothing—especially by the alien’s standards—armor, and delicious food. That wasn’t even mentioning the other benefits the technician heard a few of the ‘banished’ talking about over their meals: heating, electric lights, and other assorted machines.
She’d be feeling pretty happy about herself if she was in his position, having so many look up to him and be grateful at the same time. He seemed to view it a lot more robotically, however, only striving to get the basics done. Luckily for him, his basics were their luxury.
That wasn’t all there was to the topic; the engineer lamented about how the colony was going through food just as quickly as materials. The meals weren’t the direct issue he had, more that he had to start focusing on long-term resource harvesting rather than directly preparing for a literal horde of monsters—which wasn’t exactly ideal. It was a good thing that they just so happened to take on an influx of Malkrin then…
Either way, they finally finished the ‘totally legal modification’ for the fabricator, meaning they could at least partially address the latter half of his worries. The whole process of ripping out an old printer and replacing the parts for a new one felt a lot easier than she imagined… even if it took her at least forty-eight hours to complete it… with help from Harrison. Maybe that was why it felt so easy… She supposed the colony overseers didn’t choose the man for no reason, so his skills made sense.
“So… what do we want to print out first?” Tracy questioned, having finished testing the last major component.
The engineer stretched his arms up into the air and rotated his shoulders, then pulled back the desk’s chair and took a seat. “I’ve had just one thing in mind since the start of this whole project.”
Her brows raised in a mix of excitement and curiosity. She leaned forward, looking at the computer monitor from over his shoulder. “Oh? What’s that, then?”
A smirk formed along his cheek, the computer mouse rapidly clicking through the blueprint folder. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about what kind of firearm we need since I started dabbling in belt-fed weapon systems.” He opened one final file, a short loading bar preceding the exploded assembly view of… “An M2 Browning machine gun. It’s more than powerful enough to kill in one shot, while also being capable of fully-automatic fire, with a capacity of however many rounds we want in a belt-box.”
“Uh…huh…” She gave a skeptical nod and took a step back, not exactly sold on the idea. “It looks ancient. It’s kinetic, right? Why aren’t we using energy-based weapons? Don’t we have a gunpowder shortage coming up?”
He moved his chair off to the side to look back at her. “We just can’t; Simple as. We’ll need who knows how many more AI cores before we can get started on that level of equipment, Trace,” he huffed, returning his gaze to the specifications of the firearm. “This isn’t the most ‘modern’ weapon we can make, but its twenty-first century counterpart helps with an improved design… somewhat. And, as I said before, it should be more than capable of killing a bug in one shot, so Shar can just tap-fire it to save ammunition.”
Her head tilted quizzically. “Shar?”
“Yup,” he returned confidently. “It’s the perfect weapon for her.”
She raised a brow. “How so?”
He held his hand up, counting his reasons on his fingers. “She’s always on the front line with a shield, she can absolutely handle the weight and recoil, her four arms make reloading it simple, plus she’ll need something with range and power that isn’t a spear. So, why not? And, if for some reason, she doesn’t want to use it, we can just convert it into a turret—which is something I was planning on doing anyways with however more M2s we print out later.”
“I doubt she’ll say no to any gun you give her,” Tracy chuckled while shaking her head, inadvertently causing her bangs to cover her eyes.
“Fair enough,” he conceded with a bob of his head. “What do you think, then? What kinda weapons do you have in mind?”
She reapplied her goggles into an impromptu hairband, feeling a smirk cross her face. “Thought you’d never ask. What purpose do we need these guns to fulfill? Hordes I’m guessing?”
“That’s the idea, yeah. That doesn’t mean they all need to be machine guns, though.” He tapped the belt-fed shotgun beside him.
“Well, lemme see what we’re working with first.” She suddenly stepped forward, leaning over Harrison’s seat to access the keyboard and mouse. Her arms briefly rubbed against him, forcing him to roll his chair backward. She suppressed a giggle at seeing his incredulous frown.
Her eyes quickly traced the hundreds of individual files, clicking through all sorts of folders, each arranged from pre-twenty-first century ‘antiques,’ to more modern iterations of kinetics and particle weaponry. There was… a lot on there—almost too much to reasonably comb through. Why? Did the colony overseers just say ‘fuck it’ and put whatever they could find on here? Were they expecting the pioneers to make a museum of everything?
She sighed, standing up straight and facing Harrison. “Y’know, I’m actually impressed you managed to find that M2-whatever in there…”
He shifted in his seat, resting an elbow on the desk. “Yup, there’s a lot. I’m almost tempted to just make several of those machine guns and just call it a day, but I feel like that’d be too much of a strain on resources, no?”
“I don’t really know enough about how you fight those spider-crab things, or how to get more gunpowder, so… maybe?” She shrugged, biting her cheek in contemplation. “You might just wanna make a few smaller caliber weapons… like, uh… those old kinetic service rifles. If your pump-action shotgun works fine, I’m sure some normal guns would work just fine for now, right?”
He hardily gripped his firearm, hauling it up to his lap. “Depends on what you mean by ‘smaller caliber.’ The whole reason why the KS-23 here works—” he pulled out a massive shell from the ammo belt, displaying it on his palm. “—is because the twenty-three-millimeter round has enough energy transfer to mess up any bug's shell and insides. I’d say the smallest rounds we could use would be point-two-forty-three caliber to get any similar results.”
Brief flickers of grungy orange shells and gnashing teeth marred Tracy’s sight. She forcibly suppressed them, distracting herself with dry humor and a strained laugh. “Guess those fuckers can really take a punch, huh?”
He shook his head somberly. “I couldn’t imagine going up against them without a gun… Anyway, I like your idea of a standard rifle for now. Then, when we have some product lines up, we can go a little more in depth into personal weapons.”
“So are you gonna take one?” She hopped up on the desk, letting her legs swing off the side.
“Don’t think so, no. I’ll stick with my shotty.” The internals of the heavily modified weapon rattled as he held it up and inspected it. “Doesn’t mean I’ll keep it as is. I’m thinking of printing a laser aiming module so I can point-fire it accurately, and maybe a melee-oriented muzzle brake or a lighter chassis to reduce weight… Not sure though.”
She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, her cheeks in her palms. “Melee-oriented? Oooooh, like a chain-sword or something?”
His short chuckle coerced a smirk to her face. “No, not like that. More something to use as a bludgeoning tool. Right before the blood-moon, I ended up getting just as much use out of this shotgun as a hammer than as a… well, a shotgun.”
“That’s pretty fuckin’ metal. So are you just gonna make the barrel into a giant bayonet?”
He nodded. “Not exactly a bayonet, but something more like a door-breaching break.”
A short silence settled on their conversation, the faint sounds of the fabricator’s hum and distant woodwork coming to light. Right, there was an outside world… She’d been too caught up talking to Harrison for however many hours it had been. She wondered how successful the fisherwomen were in collecting, and how things had been for the others working on the wood storage shack. Maybe it was already completed? The sun peered through the cargo bay door, proving that it was only about midday. What else would they work on today?
“Hey,” she ventured.
“Hm?” the engineer hummed, his eyes focused on the monitor beside the technician.
She scooted closer to his keyboard. “What’re we doing after this?”
“What do you mean?”
She leaned backward, propping herself up on two hands. “Project wise; what’s the next big thing?”
“Uhmmm…” he muttered, interacting with the computer for a few more seconds before finally meeting her gaze. “Well, I’ve just allocated the fabricator to print out the M2, three FALs—wood furniture, of course—then there’s the magazines and ammunition, so we’ve got a lot of time to kill. The next big thing is definitely going to be metal procurement, and— Oh, right!” Harrison stopped mid-sentence, reaching into his backpack and pulling out several finger-sized metallic cubes, a sudden fire in his eyes. “Okay, so a while ago, during an encounter with three colossi, Shar and Akula found a cave with some ‘surface’ metal deposits. I took a piece off to analyze, but never got the chance to until last night. Anyway, we don’t have any machines to examine the ore, so I made use of the recycler and broke it down to its baser components.”
She nodded along, seeing where he was going with his explanation. “I’m guessing those shiny cubes are the metals from the ore?”
“Sure is. So, as it turns out, we have a pretty damn close supply of not only iron, but also, zinc, sulfur, and a small amount of cadmium. I talked with Sebas about it and did a little research. We believe it’s something akin to sphalerite, given its composition and looks, which implies it’s a sedimentary exhalative deposit. That means there must have been some volcanic…”
Harrison continued talking about underwater deposits and ancient rock formations, bringing up some theories brought forward by the now 4-AI-core-powered Sebas, delving into the current land mass’ history and possible ore output. A lot of it went over the tradewoman’s head, but she still listened intently… Honestly, she could have listened to the man talk about finding metals for hours. It was sort of like the podcasts she used to listen to while completing colonist training, but even more personal and somehow easier to get lost in…
“…find some other minerals further down like silver, but it also might be an active lava zone. Again, these are all theories and this world could just throw the fundamentals of geology away as it does for physics. Anyway, sorry for going on for so long about that, just thought it’d be important for getting some metals in the future.”
“No, no,” Tracy assured, alleviating him of concern with a wave of her hand. “If there’s anything the colony overseers emphasized, it was farming and mineral acquisition. Don’t worry.” She smiled, pointing a thumb to herself. “I just wanna know how I can help.”
“Actually, I’ve a few things only you can do. I’d like to make use of your impressive drone-making expertise for a few applications, if you don’t mind.”
The task of keeping eye contact slipped into an impossible feat in the span of a singular second, planting a pang of embarrassment on her reddened face, forcing her to inspect her fidgeting hands. “I-I wouldn’t say ‘impressive’… b-but what do you have in mind?”
She could see him raise a brow out of the corner of her vision. “Well, after what you’ve shown me with the reconnaissance flyers, I’d like your help in setting up a more permanent ‘net’ of them to scour the meadow and parts of the nearby forest to look out for any approaching hordes. I don’t want to be snuck up on… again…”
‘Again.’
She noted his small frown and sunken eyes, both a little more exaggerated than they already were. It wasn’t like she’d deny his request, but the pangs of empathy over their shared situation all but solidified her resolve. It was the least she could do. She could help him. She would help him.
The technician exhaled slowly, taking on a more serious and understanding tone than before. “I… can do that. For sure. What else?”
“I appreciate it.” He gave a wane smile. “I’ll help you with whatever you need for the project. For the other drones, I’m thinking about a small exploration vehicle to map out caves around us and mark any minerals, as well as a submersible to look for potassium deposits in the ocean.”
“So… search bots?” She crossed her arms, confidence growing; those were her specialty. “Depending on how long the fabricators take and what kind of base drones are in the blueprint folders, I should be able to get those done in no time. All I need to know are the search cues for potassium and how many drones you want.”
He quickly shuffled a few folders on the computer, turning the monitor for her to see some scientific documents with various images and walls upon walls of text. “There’re plenty of resources for that on here for what to look for, and there’s always Sebas, so feel free to ask him since he can just sort through the data for you anyway. If you can, I’d like it if you could focus on the submersible after the reconnaissance drones.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll be right on it, then.” She gave him a thumbs up, slipping off his desk and toward her own.
“I’ll bring you lunch in a bit. Imma go check on the others,” he called.
Her stomach grumbled at the mention, her head turning to give him an appreciative smile. “Oh! Thanks!”
\= = = = =
Avian creatures chirped from their perches in the trees nearby. The wind softly rustled red leaves as grass gently gave way to calculated footfalls. A warm sun laid its light on Shar’khee’s neck. It was surprisingly pleasant, were one to take the time to notice. The mainland was a confusing place for the paladin, with its disparate representations of nature contrasting so heavily. Some days were filled with blood and ravenous beasts, while others were left within the domain of simplicity and beauty. She was content to have the latter, yet it felt like a facade veiling the former—a soft exterior covering the maliciously spiked interior. Never could she leave herself to carelessness, no matter how welcoming it might be.
Hence why she worked to ensure the safety of the star-sent’s castles and their inhabitants, her days largely spent patrolling for any roaming swarms that may wish to cause them harm. She typically used the routine to think, but today offered little in the way of solitude. This time, she was accompanied by the previously banished guardswoman, and was tasked with instructing the new one, though the specifics of what such lessons should entail were vague. Still, Shar’khee did all that she could so as not to disappoint Harrison, so she could only attempt to meet his expectations of her.
She told the yellow-skinned female of the threats that the settlement faced, how one was to defeat them, and what to expect from the beasts. The guardswoman was directed to practice her form with the spear in both thrusts and throwing for some time afterward, proving herself to be well-built. Such was expected of her profession after all.
It was pleasing to have another capable of patrolling the settlement’s outskirts for swarms, as it would greatly impact how effectively the colony could react to such a threat. If her routine was to suffer for the colony’s well-being, she was happy to show the new one her patrol route and note what to look out for.
The guardswoman was not a perfect student, however. Shar’khee never addressed it directly, but the yellow-skinned female obviously discredited the danger posed by the abhorrent, not-so-subtly shrugging off any warnings.
…That was until they stumbled upon the ‘hyena-boars,’ as Harrison called them.
The beasts resided in a clearing not too far from the castles, carelessly meandering across the sea of tall grass. Shar’khee quickly crouched, dragging the guardswoman down with her. Once she assessed that the creatures were not an imminent danger, she decided it would be an excellent opportunity to show the new one how to properly engage a threat. She was about to propose the idea, yet her speech was silenced just as swiftly.
Orange flashes darted through the trees around the glade. Taloned feet and gnashing teeth tore across the ground toward the unsuspecting beasts at the center. It was much too late for them. They were slow. Surrounded. Unaware. It was as quick as it was vicious, the forest’s reds turning a deeper crimson hue in a moment's notice underneath the abhorrent’s brutality.
Gangly monstrosities gnawed and ripped at the dead creatures, brief glimpses of raw flesh and white bone protruding from the small spaces between the clumped-up beasts. Repulsive wet splatters of blood and gore overlapped the calm noises of the forest, the grisly scene serenaded by the softest of nature’s symphonies. It was a sickening juxtaposition.
Shar’khee bit back the unease and steeled herself. They were within twenty paces—close enough to smell the abhorrent’s vile stench of rot and bile, yet far enough so as not to be noticed. She briefly considered backing away and retreating, her focus bouncing between the different avenues of escape, or how to cover her footst—
Crack.
Several sets of feral, eyeless maws snapped in their direction, the blood dripping off freshly dampened teeth. The guardswoman gasped, Shar’khee’s gaze following to see the mistake: a singular broken branch crinkled as a yellow-colored foot raised off the splintering twig.
The paladin exhaled sharply and smoothly stood up, brandishing two spears and her shield. Her glare settled on the still crouching guardswoman. “You are to stay behind my shield and let them appr—ch. Rem—ber what I have told you. Aim for their maws when you thrust y—r lance.”
The other female nodded, shakily pulling out her own weapons with unsteady placement hampering her grip. There was an obvious nervousness to her gaze. Hesitance. That would not do.
Shar’khee faced the prowling abhorrent her knuckles shifting hue as she prepared for their advance, for there was no chance that they wouldn’t. True to her experience, the stalking turned to a gallop with several clicks of grotesque tongues, the swarm bolting toward her as one. She snarled and slammed her bulwark into the ground, letting the approaching beasts skewer themselves amongst its spikes.
There were only ten—a paltry amount. She had defended against magnitudes more, and yet she still stood. What is more, they were mindless. Uncoordinated. They would be but stains in the cloth she used to clean her armor. Perhaps, if they were fortunate, they might leave a furrow in her shield to remember them by. Her arms tensed as the first leapt.
One by one, the abhorrent fell, their repulsive green blood splattering under her thrusts. Each awaiting corpse tore across the grove’s grass, lunging to their deaths with gaping maws and unfeeling hunger, yet she did not yield. Their shells were crushed by her shield and impaled by her Goddess-blessed spears, becoming but one more smear across their surface. Ten motionless lumps lay before her, seeping their ichor into the soil, none having passed the barrier she became. Dead, just as the Creator intended. She remained vigilant for a few moments longer, watching for any more of the disgusting creatures.
None showed themselves, finally allowing blood to flow to her fingers once again. The shield’s heavy presence weighed down her back, the blood flicked off of her spears before she returned them to their place.
“Are y–u well?” Shar’khee addressed the frozen Malkrin, wiping away the splatter on her bracers. The guardswoman stared at the small pile of deceased creatures, her heavy breaths and widened eyes moving from the spear from her singular kill. The paladin huffed. “We are fort—ate that there were so few.”
“F-Few? God help us…” Her horrified, stunned gaze slowly met the paladin’s. “Y-You said there were hundreds on the crimson nights? H-How do you… They were s-so fast.”*
”As I h–ve warned,” Shar’khee affirmed.
“You are a paladin! You all exaggerate your feats… I thought it was just a facade!”
“I have no r—son to lie,” she returned tersely, shrugging off the insult to her station and shaking her head. “The mainl—d is far more dangerous than ten gnash—g beasts; more so than that of your island hamlet. Pick yourself up. We m—t inform the others of this incursion.”
The yellow-skinned female snarled, furrowing her brows at the ground in frustration. At whom…? Shar’khee? Herself? Regardless, the female promptly gathered her composure, pushing air through clenched jaws. A step forward had her feet splash in the small pool of blood, the Malkrin nodding toward the paladin to continue back to the castles.
“…for the village.”
Shar’khee paused in her stride and faced her, frowning at the determination and anger leaking through the intent. “W—t was that?”
Her question was returned with honesty, a huffed voice marred by vexation. “Paladin, how am I to defend my village-mates as I am now?”
“‘As you are now?’ What do you m—n?”
The guardswoman stared down at her spear, wood creaking under her grip. “I have faltered before what you deem a paltry threat, and the thought of an even greater one sows dread deep within my bones. I wish… I wish to be better prepared to defend those of my village. I cannot help but see their faces on those of the furred creature in the clearing, and yet, even if I am so close, I am just as unable to protect them.”
Shar’khee stared down the yellow female, a long gaze taking in a rare showing of sincerity. “Y—r fears are one we all share, new one. Do not be ashamed of them. All t—t matters is that you do not let them rem—n mere fear, but make them your strength. So tell me, do you wish to impr—e? To ensure they do not fall while you are support—g them?”
The yellow-skinned female released a shuddering breath that bled off the worst of her indecision, a newly invoked flame flaring within her visage. “I do, paladin. I seek to protect and to be of use.”
“Then, if you wish to make y—rself resilient in the face of all that opposes us, it would be my undertak—g to forge you anew. Fortunately, Harrison has ordered such already, and his guidance shall prove ever useful, should you pursue it.”
The guardswoman shuffled in place at the star-sent’s mention, her eyes slipping downwards. “He is of a great many resources, but I would rather receive your teachings than those of a craftsman… or that of a male, deity-sent he might be.”
She placed a palm on the female’s shoulder. “He is far more than you might ever k—w. Regardless of if you ac—pt his guidance, I commend your conviction. However—” Her hand gripped tighter, though not enough to instill hostility. “—understand that you are protecting more than just your vi—age-mates.”
The new one nodded, staring up at the paladin with stallwart resolve. “Of course. I shall be in your tutelage, then.”
Shar’khee smiled. “T—n let us begin.”
\= = = = =
Akula was becoming increasingly certain that she knew how her parents once felt. The green-skinned fisherwoman was currently rotating between the many tasks placed upon her, guiding the newcomers through the minutia of their tasks so they might live up to the potential Harrison saw within them. She was gratified to have her own talents recognized by the Creator, but it also placed a great many responsibilities in her talons. Of course, she handled each new addition with finesse befitting her heritage, never once balking from the increasing demands. If anything, she felt validated; it was required of her as a female anyway, was it not? The more feminine-appropriate labor and management one undertakes, the higher authority they were granted.
It began with a simple assignment to oversee the chef’s introduction to the star-sent’s provided cooking appliances. As fascinating and convenient as utilities were, she held no interest in preparing any more food than she already had, but teaching another to operate the machines would alleviate such requirements of her. She reluctantly accepted the task when it was proposed, especially considering the fact that Harrison was much too busy with his other projects to bother with something as benign as cooking. His work was more valuable elsewhere.
The task itself went well, and the pink-skinned chef was quick to pick up on the use of the various kitchen devices, as well as the smoker. A grin had grown when she considered the possibility of all males understanding such domestic things readily, yet her mirth at removing the masculine job required of her was short-lived. Despite the newly initiated Malkrin’s success, Harrison had Akula frequently return to oversee the numerous cooking operations being conducted. That was in tandem with the back-to-back fishing trips made by both herself and the newly acquired females.
…Which was something else the green-skinned cycle-worshipper was ordered to oversee.
She had left the chef to his devices after producing another batch of partially seasoned meals, returning to the Creator with hopes of a break. He applauded her efforts with a nod and tersely spoken appreciation, then quickly pushed two spearguns into her hand and directed her to the ocean, where the twins were ‘working with jack shit,’ as the busy male said. She was to give the fisherwomen the tools and make sure they were used properly, and offer additional assistance in acquiring ‘enough fish to have us fed for a little bit.’
So, she left to complete the given task, feeling somewhat appreciative that her speargun was of superior quality to those she would be delivering—the newcomers were only afforded the lesser, roped-bolt version. It was only natural that she was in possession of their greatest assets, of course; the star-sent saw her as the only one capable of wielding such fantastic ammunition, showing trust that was rightfully placed in her. That did not mean the gray-skinned females were unsatisfied with their own gifts, however. The twins were swiftly caught up on the ‘manual of arms’ and sent to work, somehow managing to keep up with Akula in spite of their land-based origins. The two were fast enough to outpace the cycle-worshipper in sheer speed, but their lack of numerous winters spent traversing deeper waters meant they required frequent rests, breaking the ocean’s surface after every third captured fish or so.
Still, she had to appreciate their dedication to their task. They never complained about Akula pushing them further to reach the star-sent’s vague objective. Such a task was entrusted to her—and by proxy, the other two—and thus it would be completed, no matter how much her comfortable bed… couch called her tiring muscles.
The group of three hauled net after full net of fresh meat to the chef—and sewist, who later joined him—forcing him to relegate much of the catch to long-term storage as the kitchen simply could not deal with the surplus. At least three-quarters of the fish were put to slow cook in the now Malkrin-sized smoker. The craftsman had upgraded it with a kit provided by Harrison, who had recycled much of the dining room and workshop furniture to accommodate it. The Creator’s showcased urgency to gather materials was clearly not unfounded… It was admirable how he used what little he had left to ensure food would not be scarce. Additionally, the apparatus exuded an excellent scent for all the survivors to enjoy, the earthy aroma drawing in some of the other Malkrin for their breaks or meals.
Those were not the end of the cycle-worshiper’s tasks, however. She was also required to report on Shar’khee’s progress in training the guardswoman—helping to recycle the small swarm of abhorrent they cleared earlier—as well as the wood storage building’s progress. Indeed, she was advising and assisting however and wherever applicable. To say she was seen all around the settlement would be an understatement.
Nevertheless, she was appreciative to see her efforts bearing fruit by sundown. The processing of their meals from sea to plate was quite efficient, and those that Akula taught were now well-practiced in their duties. The twin fisherwomen dove from wave to wave, bringing fish back to the barracks, where the cook and sewist swiftly worked to transfer the meat to pans and smoker hooks alike. Then, the remnants of the Sea Goddess’ aquatic gifts would be subsequently recycled and given purpose anew as biofuel or perhaps future fertilizer.
The endless onslaught of duties and responsibilities had enlightened her, in a way. She could see where Harrison came from now; having a working project go from one point to another without input nor difficulty was a sight to behold, and it made her swell with pride. It was a surmountable feat to teach the barbaric ground-worshippers to do something properly.
…Well, they were not horrible Malkrin, so perhaps simply calling them ‘uninitiated’ was a more apt descriptor…
No matter the tribulations faced, and no matter how draining her new authority might be, her rest at the end of the day would be one that was well-earned, and it would be had with a sense of satisfaction. She deserved it, and perhaps that extended to the rest of the settlement as well.
- - - - -
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Next time on Total Drama Anomaly Island - Mine! Mine! Mine!
2024.05.19 15:53 Gazooonga [Diary of a Press-Ganged Saurian] #1
Just another fun little story idea I had. I am still working on Humans are the violent ones but I like to bounce around and experiment with ideas to see what I really like. I also suck at writing more casual stories, as they give me severe writer's block as I try to map out how to make a scene feel genuine in my head, but I promise I'll update that soon. If you like this story and want to see more, then like and comment. I'll gladly continue this series as well.
Start of Personal Log
Humans don't like being told what to do. They don't like being commanded, put in their place, or snubbed. It was an inexorable, inalienable trait of humans, at least any noteable humans, to go against any authority that they believed was against their interests.
Humanity would not fit amongst the stars. Few ever did. It was a trait of most successful species to be willful, ambitious, and to desire more. But once they reached the stars the new (and simultaneously very old) pecking order either quashed any spirit such species had or simply eradicated them. Countless tomb worlds and diaspora served as painful reminders of what became of the nails that chose to stick out. The hammer of order would always strike. There could be no compromise, the very soul of the authority that held the Jurisdiction together relied on a show of unmatched power, or at least the illusion of item.
In reality, the Jurisdiction was an old, fat, and lazy beast. It filled its belly on the corpses of empires far and wide, and sated its bloodlust on the shattered dreams of hopeful cubs. It had every right to, for none could challenge it: there were no new frontiers to explore, nor were there any other enemies to conquer. The Milky Way, as humans had so strangely dubbed our cradle galaxy, as well as Andromeda, had long since been warred over and settled for millennia before humanity had arrived, bright-eyed and with familiar yet otherwise foolish dreams of cooperation and prosperity. The Jurisdiction did not cooperate, nor did it ensure prosperity. Oh, it claimed it did, but in reality it simply took. The rest was just the peace that came with not being the direct target of the biggest fish in the pond. The humans didn't like that, but they had no choice.
Slavery was a common tribute. The Jurisdiction had no use for other resources: it simply took. No, it wanted those who could facilitate that unequal exchange, those raised in a world where the only morality was the one set by your lord. The Jurisdiction was held together by expectations, obligations, and dury more than any kind of shared dream, so when you were ordered to take you did so without question. Humanity was new: they had no niche or value that set them apart, but they had a penchant for killing and taking, so the Jurisdiction gave them a taste of how the galaxy worked. They killed and they took. The humans didn't like that, but what choice did they have?
Humans were strange. They learned, but not in the way most species learned. Most species learned to adapt in a passive way, to adhere to the world around them. They flowed like water, moving past and around obstacles and confirming to the boxes they were assigned too. Humans didn't confirm, nor did they adapt: they made their circumstances fit their desires. They would not move around obstacles, but rather smash through them, and they refused to stay in one box for too long. The Jurisdiction merely saw them as a particularly loud nuisance, but those who faced their wrath knew better.
It is said that when a beast seeks to make an example, it shall humble its rival by killing it's cubs. Children were one of those universal constants that brought entire communities together: the Sok’klar saw their hatchlings as gifts, shaped by the fruitful currents of the universe in perfect harmony. The Yarrack saw each and every newborn whelp as an uncut gemstone, ready to be shaped into something magical. Humanity oftentimes referred to their offspring as angels, or spirits of unbridled good sent by the gods themselves. Children were seen by most of the galaxy as gifts.
The Jurisdiction saw them as a lever to inflict suffering. It had become quite effective at enacting psychological punishments on those that stood up and spoke out. You dare to disobey? You believe you can speak out? Your gifts shall be taken from you, and you shall be without joy.
Humans didn't like this, but the Jurisdiction would have their pound of flesh, and humankind would kneel. And they did. But humans were patient creatures: most species who retained that trait of willful spit also lacked patience.
I had long since become desensitized to the Jurisdiction’s actions: it was simply how the universe worked now, as if it were a constant akin to gravity. Cruelty was the unspoken rule of this seemingly unending age, where our lives never appeared to move forward or backwards, only lay dormant. The Jurisdiction had been the unyielding authority that ruled the galaxy for thousands of years, venerable yet feared all the same.
And for the longest time I was just another cog in its wheel. My name is Kalnuracht Sedjuur-Noumar VII, and was the scion of the noble house Sedjuur-Noumar. I was born into what most would describe as veiled apathy, living a life that could be attributed to the privileged class of feared scribes that enacted the will of those above. I was an administrator and nothing more. And now I am doomed to be far less than that in the eyes of my former constituents within the endless administration. I am the only scion, as is tradition, and without an heir I am the last of my house, our name to be scrubbed from the records, worthless, meaningless, and forgotten.
I am merely Kalnuracht, nothing else and nothing more. I have seen from their eyes, the eyes of the downtrodden, and it makes my crimes of association with the Jurisdiction feel all the more damning on my worthless soul. I am worthless to the world, and this is my story.
End Personal Log #1
Start of Neural Lace Narrative Log #1
They came from the black like carrion birds in the night, encircling our convoy as if it were a dying animal ready to be picked clean without remorse. There was no warning, no list of demands sent out as civilized peoples did, nor was there either any requirement for unconditional surrender nor chance to parlay, as was done so under letter of marque: this was an unmistakable call for violence and nothing else. They sought to reduce us to slag and scavenge the rest.
So, as one would expect, the entire bridge of the ship was nearing a panicked state. This was not the actions of those practicing civility, but rather the common behaviors of despoiling barbarians, the kind that tore their way through the dark reaches of the galaxy as if they owned it.
“Wayfinder, what do your probes see?” Shouted the ship’s sovereign. He was an older Kar’Rowmach, an amphibious cephalopod species with a venerable history within the Jurisdiction going back thousands of years. Normally one such as him would be above me if it weren't for the fact that I was under the authority of the Jurisdiction’s seal of office. He didn't like me very much, but most of his kind shared the same sentiment.
“All dark, honorable Sovereign: the sensor arrays are wailing but the feedback we're reviewing is beyond incomprehensible,” the wayfinder replied with a certain restrained temper in his voice. The Sok'klar wayfinder swayed gently, his tentacled limbs grasping different metallo-liquid braille output arrays, the liquid gallium flexing and reshaping unnaturally to allow him to to take in multiple different sources of sensory output at once, with the primary navigation computer plugged into the cybernetics surrounding his opaque, gelatinous head and plugging directly into his tube-shaped brain.
The Sovereign cursed in Loskat and pointed to his bridge crew while I simply sat in the back, near the Sovereign’s symbolic throne. “Prepare countermeasures and spool up the warp drive, we cannot allow the amanuensis to be taken! He carries sensitive information that only he can translate and transcribe!”
As the bridge crew nodded and began fiddling with their own systems, I preened my feathered hide anxiously. I wasn't a fighter: us nobles of the cloth were the educated minority above all else, not those who waged war or partook in hard labor. Special cybernetics in my brain allowed me to translate triple-encoded messages that usually took a ducal signet codekey or above to parse, but even without that I was a skilled mathematician and logician. I had terabytes worth of knowledge stored within the hardware installed in my head, all well protected of course, but if I were to die it would still be a waste. I could only imagine the damage any malcontenders could do with it if they were able to get their filthy hands on me.
Suddenly, the ship rocked, and the gallium overhead display began to form crescendos like I'd never seen before. “Sovereign, decks A-3 through C-12 are venting atmosphere and our coolant systems have been obliterated,” the Wayfinder spoke in an almost serene voice, as if he was completely unconcerned by current events. I knew they were simply incapable of tonal displays, but it was unnerving nonetheless. “Once we jump, we will not be able to risk another until the vacuum of the void can reduce temperatures to acceptable levels within the plasma capacitors.”
“Damn them,” the armored nautiloid hissed, his barbed feelers coiling in frustration, “May the currents take them. What are our options? what can we see? This fleet cannot fall to the void today, not with such vital cargo.” My hackles rose lightly at the Kar’Rowmach referred to me as some object rather than an esteemed amanuensis of the Jurisdiction, but I bit my forked tongue. Now was not the time to squabble with the sovereign over who was what and what titles I deserved, not while he was so desperately attempting to keep what semblance of order within his fleet that he had left.
I could not blame the crew for being panicked either: wars were practically mythologized now, having been long since rendered obsolete with the rise of the Jurisdiction, and that felt like an eternity ago. Now, either being levied into or joining a ducal naval force was simply another career, more akin to serving as an officer of the law rather than a fully fledged soldier. Minimal training was required, most of it being the technicals of one's duty rather than any kind of combat conditioning, so expecting a fleet to actually be prepared for a combat scenario in a universe where peace was the norm was laughable.
“We are practically blind, Sovereign,” stated the Sok'klar Wayfinder, “our probes are offline, and shipboard graviton displacement sensory arrays have been rendered unreliable at best.”
“What about the particle emission array? Has there been a spike in radioactivity where we were hit?”
The Wayfinder seemed to think for a second, his gelatinous form flexing and morphing a bit before answering. “Affirmative, a jump from negligible to forty billion becquerels along decks A through E-5 on our starboard side.”
“Torpedoes…” the Sovereign hissed, stroking his barbed feelers, “Human Torpedoes. Only those primitives would rely on crude nuclear warheads.” He then turned to his militant leaders on the ship. “Noddos, Rel’ads: organize your phalanxes and prepare to repel boarders. We are bound to be assailed by those rancorous primates, and I want their skulls piled at my feet if they dare set foot on our ship.”
“Your wish is our command, Sovereign,” the two militant commanders spoke as one. Noddos, a large bipedal with multiple sets of curved spines running down his back, a pair of graceful horns sprouting from his head, and multiple rows of sharp teeth in his snout, bowed first, followed by Rel’ads, a marsupial with long saberteeth and thick fur. They both must have been fierce warriors in their own right to each lead a phalanx. They wore thick, semi-powered armor and held dueling polearms alongside their usual plasma casters, and seemed completely unfazed by the situation we were in. As they stomped out of the brightly lit bridge, I let out a quiet squawk of discontentment. “Sovereign, why haven't we jumped again? We are wasting precious time.”
“I am working on it, you spineless beaurocrat!” He warbled back, his feelers tensing in anger, “besides, it's not as if you're the one who will be spilling blood today, amanuensis, so flatten your wretched beak or I shall weld it shut with a plasma torch.
I was about to reply with something indignant, but the ship rocked again, this time causing the lights to flicker and the air to become… thick. The skin under my feathers began to blister, and I became lightheaded and confused. “Seal the damnable vents, initiate radiation scrubbers, and activate secondary life support!” Shouted the Sovereign, “Their nuclear weapons are rendering the ship inhospitable!”
I coughed up magenta blood accidentally, and I could feel more seeping from under my eyes. Some of the crew was in a similar position, but others were more resistant to radiation than I. The Sok'klar seemed completely at ease as he ran his tentacles across his morphic braille arrays before calmly announcing the ship’s status. “I've regained some control over our probes: ten, twelve, and seventeen are active and fully functional, the rest are either still malfunctioning or permanently inoperable. A rapid rise in localized radiation is also interfering with the detection of graviton displacement; we can't sense photon redirection, thus readings will remain inconclusive.
“Wayfinder, damn you, get me some kind of out here! We're easy prey until we can respond in kind!”
“Negative, something has gone awry with our processing hub, I am attempting to troubleshoot-”
And with that, the Wayfinder’s bulbous head exploded in a cascade of opaque lavender blood, covering the front half of the deck crew like a morbid art piece. Some of the crew screamed and shouted in terror before removing their cranial adaptors and choosing to interact with their displays manually. Others died just as quickly, unable to unplug in time as their brain stems fried or their blood boiled. It was a horrible way to go, having your insides neutralized by your own cybernetics, so I was glad I wasn't connected to the system.
“Cybernetic warfare! All systems are to be considered compromised, switch to manual settings or you'll be killed!”
The lights in the bridge flickered again, and the displays went haywire. The bridge crew, which obviously weren't acquainted with working without being hard-linked into the mainframe, moved at a much slower pace.
“Launch missile pods A through F and set to self-target after five hundred kilometers, then rely on their ballistic coordinates to begin firing broadsides! If we can't see the humans due to their meddling, we'll just have to feel them.” Shouted the Sovereign, “and got me a detailed report on the ship’s diagnostics readings. I need to know if this flagship is still capable of escaping or if we'll have to scuttle it and retreat on another.”
“Acknowledged, Sovereign, launching now,” affirmed another deck officer as he swiped across his own gallium output array. I could hear the dull thunk, thunk, thunk of missiles pushing out of their pods before racing off to their intended targets, then the mechanical whirring as the pods rotated to be reloaded by slaves in the lower decks. I was regaining my bearings as the many horrible sensations of being overwhelmed by radiation poisoning were beginning to subside, but I still felt as if I had been microwaved. The air was stale, the crew was horribly sick as well, and even the sovereign himself seemed to be on his last leg. I was beginning to believe that I might die here.
“Sovereign, a message from the lower decks,” shouted a communications officer, his chitin scraping against itself as he turned quickly, “they're requesting reinforcements, something about being overrun.”
“Impossible,” the Sovereign hissed out in a vain attempt to exude confidence, “We must outnumber the humans, they always go for bigger targets out of arrogance.”
“I've received reports that it's not just humans: the primates seem to make up only a third or so of the assailing force, along with some Phaeldaer and Vrex.”
The commander slammed his clawed hands down on his own output array in a fit of rage, obviously overwhelmed by the circumstances, “Then this wasn't just a typical assault, but something more sinister!” The nautiloid warbled, blood seeping from his shell as the full effects of the radiation took hold, “Get Rel’ads on the line, have him divert all spare lances to the lower decks or else we'll lose the only offensive capabilities we can use.”
“Rel'ads has gone dark, Sovereign, his vitals are critical.”
“Then either get me Rel'ads tail-leader or get me Noddos!” He screamed in rage, “don't give me this nonsense! If we don't pick it up we're all going to die, is that what you want?”
“No, Sovereign, I'm simply overwhelmed-”
“We're all overwhelmed! By the tides, I'm dying of radiation poisoning you nincompoop! Get me something I can work with!”
The officer didn't even acknowledge the Sovereign after that, simply turning back to his display. Eventually, the Sovereign was able to get Noddos on the line.
“Sovereign, two thirds of my phalanxes have been decimated by combat with the primitives and the radiation, the rest are in shambles. We must retreat and fortify elsewhere!”
“Then the ship is compromised! Rel'ads is unresponsive and the lower decks are swarming with intruders. We must evacuate the amanuensis to another ship.”
Just as the Sovereign spoke, I heard several gentle thumps rattle against the bridge’s door, and it made me uneasy. Some of the bridge crew seemed to feel the same, as they looked incredibly nervous and some even drew their sidearms. Just as the sovereign turned to give further orders, the door blew inward with a deafening explosion, followed by shouting and gunfire. Several of the bridge officers were dispatched quickly, brain matter and blood splattering against the delicate electronics. Others were shot in the legs, the torso, or in any other exotic yet non-vital body parts. The humans poured in, brandishing primitive ballistic firearms and jury-rigged energy weapons while wearing scavenged, legion-grade powered armor.
The Sovereign was the next to go, but he wasn't afforded an honorable death. He was shot along the arm with a particularly potent plasma caster, burning off his clawed hand and cauterizing the wound, the acrid smell of roasting chitin filling the already hot and cramped bridge. He fell back against his output array, the gallium reaching new highs and lows as more diagnostics and casualty reports were delivered, and he clutched his stump angrily. “I'll burn every last one of you in the foundries! I'll tie you to stakes, cover you in wax and set you alight! Your screams will be broadcasted all over the galaxy!”
One human warrior stomped up and slammed the butt of his rifle into the sovereign’s face, shattering his facial plates and causing blue blood to splatter across his section of the bridge. “Shut the fuck up, you mutant lobster,” the human said before dragging him by both antennae towards the center of the bridge and receiving a stained breeching axe from one of his comrades. “Emmanuel, start recording. We need proof.”
The other human nodded and pressed a button on his armor before lifting up his gun again. The rest of the humans fanned out, holding everyone else at gunpoint. I tried to get up and sneak out, but a human grabbed me by my neck and nearly wrung it out as he forced me to my knees and pointed a sidearm to my skull. “Get down, you piece of shit, before I blow your brains out too.”
“Damnable primate,” I hissed, but he bashed me in my skull with the base of his sidearm’s grip and sent me sprawling, making my already pounding headache worse. Another human shouted at him in a language I didn't recognize, but he sounded furious. The first brought me back up to my knees again, and I complies with a hiss and a groan, blood still leaking from my eyes and mouth and my world was spinning.
The Sovereign struggled, but he was weak from the radiation poisoning and he couldn't exactly resist on account of his lost arm. The human with the breaching ax kicked the Sovereign down and forced him to kneel before lifting up the breeching ax and splitting his chitinous head down the middle with one powerful swing, sending more blood and brains across the floor. “Execution confirmed, take his antennae just in case and we've got ourselves a bounty. Now all we need is that ugly cat’s teeth and the fat hedgehog-thing’s grimy spines and we'll be in business. Although, they do have skulls… we might as well just take their heads.”
The real horror of the situation dawned on me at that moment: they were going to kill us all, or maybe worse. They mentioned a bounty for the commanders, and multiple of the higher ranking ship officers were already dead, their brains splattered against the walls or their bodies torn apart by gunfire. I wasn't dead yet, but that didn't mean much since I wasn't an immediate threat.
“Alright, round them up and bring all the grunts to the hanger bay, then kill the rest,” the leader of the humans said in such a lackadaisical manner that his complete disregard for life almost made me sick… almost. I had seen worse from the Jurisdiction before, but usually that was from me delivering some kind of ordered judgment on a world that had sinned against order. I might have simply been the messenger, but I had seen many of the outcomes. “And make sure to collect whatever proof of bounties you can, we'll need to deliver them to the office to get cashed out. Don't let this be a repeat of last time where Juarez fucking forgot to take a few heads and it ended up cutting our profits in half, the fucking retard.”
Some of the humans chuckled at that as they dragged more of the senior officers away, out of the room and into the hall,where I heard gunshots. The rest of the bridge crew froze in place, different fear instincts kicking in. The remaining Sok'klar corralled together into what seemed to be a singular, semi-congealed mass as if to try and trick the humans into believing that they were much bigger and much more threatening than they actually were. The one Thei’chi on the bridge, an ensign who had clearly thought this would be a simple mission, bore her curved fangs at the humans and growled as they approached, her hackles completely vertical and her eyes dilated. They quickly muzzled and bound her before beating her over the head with a gun stock, sending her sprawling onto the ground. Many others simply cooperated, eyes wide and yet simultaneously empty, as if they couldn't quite process that the ship had been taken and the commanding officers were being executed as the rest were escorted to the hangar.
“Get the damn messenger down to the hanger as well, we need whatever data's in his ugly lizard head, then we can decide on what to do with him.”
I spat at him in spite, as if to try and seem brave, but it was clearly an empty gesture. “You won't get anything, primate! You couldn't possibly crack the encryption!”
The human holding me seemed to wind up for another swing, but the commanding officer simply held up his hand to stop my tormentor before strolling over to me. He knelt down and removed his helmet, revealing a beige-colored face covered in scars, wiry black hair cut down to the scalp, and multiple tattoos. “You're really fucking mouthy for a hostage,” he said before punching me across my beak faster than I could register. I heard a sharp crack as his fist connected, and my head spun again as the metallic taste of blood pooled into my mouth. “I'd advise you to shut up, but I'm sure you won't listen: you aristocratic types are so full of yourselves. Maybe I should have you flogged in the public square until your vocal chords give out once we rip those cybernetics from your head, huh? How's that sound?”
“It won't matter… it won't change anything… the Jurisdiction will hunt you down.”
“Maybe, but I doubt it will happen for some time: they really suck at doing anything that requires effort, even when they're mad enough. They just keep sending their rabid lapdogs to try and smoke us out, and they always end up full of holes,” the human officer said with a smirk, his yellowish-white teeth and green eyes sending shivers down my spine as he drew his knife. “They're just horrible at their job, you know? You've all gotten so lazy and incompetent after being able to just take what you want without resistance, and now that you've met people who are angry and crazy enough to fight back you act as if we're committing some grave injustice,” he placed the knife against my throat, the flat just underneath my now bent beak, “No, we just took a few pages out of your book, ‘cept we've got standards. No kids, for one…” he seemed to look off into the distance as his sneer deepened, “but it's more than that, we don't attack the defenseless in general and we still win against you all in fair fights.”
I went to say something else snarky, but he quickly grabbed my thin tongue with his fingers and yanked it out, blood from my mouth pulling to the floor as he held the blade of his knife against it. “No no, none of that. Say one more thing and I'll cut that rancid little tongue of yours out of your mouth and feed it to you,” he hissed at me, pressing the blade down just hard enough to draw blood. “Do you know what it's like to see a planet turn into a tomb?" he asked me, gritting his teeth, “Do you know what it's like to see everything you've ever known crumble to ash and glass, all the life and the green stripped away leaving nothing but bones? I do. I've seen it happen to countless worlds, and my grandfather always told me stories of how you bastards did it to Earth. He still prays in its direction five times a day, to Mecca, but he knows the Kaaba is gone now, or maybe it's still there, buried in the bones of those who sought refuge there.”
I didn't care for the human’s nonsensical beliefs, but I did care to correct him. “I've seen it before, and I'll see it again. And so will you, it's inevitable. The Jurisdiction will always have its judgment fulfilled, there is no alternative.”
“One day, I hope we can rectify that,” he said, then he sheathed his knife and slammed my head against the metal floor with enough force to nearly knock me out. As I lost consciousness, I could hear him speak. “Take him to the Chop Doc, and make sure the cybernetics don't get damaged: they're supposedly more valuable than any bounty on this ship.”
Warning: Severe radiation poisoning detected. Flush system immediately.
Warning: Neural Lace removal detected, chance of neurological damage high. Proceeded with caution.
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Start of Personal Log
Humans don't like being told what to do. They don't like being commanded, put in their place, or snubbed. It was an inexorable, inalienable trait of humans, at least any noteable humans, to go against any authority that they believed was against their interests.
Humanity would not fit amongst the stars. Few ever did. It was a trait of most successful species to be willful, ambitious, and to desire more. But once they reached the stars the new (and simultaneously very old) pecking order either quashed any spirit such species had or simply eradicated them. Countless tomb worlds and diaspora served as painful reminders of what became of the nails that chose to stick out. The hammer of order would always strike. There could be no compromise, the very soul of the authority that held the Jurisdiction together relied on a show of unmatched power, or at least the illusion of item.
In reality, the Jurisdiction was an old, fat, and lazy beast. It filled its belly on the corpses of empires far and wide, and sated its bloodlust on the shattered dreams of hopeful cubs. It had every right to, for none could challenge it: there were no new frontiers to explore, nor were there any other enemies to conquer. The Milky Way, as humans had so strangely dubbed our cradle galaxy, as well as Andromeda, had long since been warred over and settled for millennia before humanity had arrived, bright-eyed and with familiar yet otherwise foolish dreams of cooperation and prosperity. The Jurisdiction did not cooperate, nor did it ensure prosperity. Oh, it claimed it did, but in reality it simply took. The rest was just the peace that came with not being the direct target of the biggest fish in the pond. The humans didn't like that, but they had no choice.
Slavery was a common tribute. The Jurisdiction had no use for other resources: it simply took. No, it wanted those who could facilitate that unequal exchange, those raised in a world where the only morality was the one set by your lord. The Jurisdiction was held together by expectations, obligations, and dury more than any kind of shared dream, so when you were ordered to take you did so without question. Humanity was new: they had no niche or value that set them apart, but they had a penchant for killing and taking, so the Jurisdiction gave them a taste of how the galaxy worked. They killed and they took. The humans didn't like that, but what choice did they have?
Humans were strange. They learned, but not in the way most species learned. Most species learned to adapt in a passive way, to adhere to the world around them. They flowed like water, moving past and around obstacles and confirming to the boxes they were assigned too. Humans didn't confirm, nor did they adapt: they made their circumstances fit their desires. They would not move around obstacles, but rather smash through them, and they refused to stay in one box for too long. The Jurisdiction merely saw them as a particularly loud nuisance, but those who faced their wrath knew better.
It is said that when a beast seeks to make an example, it shall humble its rival by killing it's cubs. Children were one of those universal constants that brought entire communities together: the Sok’klar saw their hatchlings as gifts, shaped by the fruitful currents of the universe in perfect harmony. The Yarrack saw each and every newborn whelp as an uncut gemstone, ready to be shaped into something magical. Humanity oftentimes referred to their offspring as angels, or spirits of unbridled good sent by the gods themselves. Children were seen by most of the galaxy as gifts.
The Jurisdiction saw them as a lever to inflict suffering. It had become quite effective at enacting psychological punishments on those that stood up and spoke out. You dare to disobey? You believe you can speak out? Your gifts shall be taken from you, and you shall be without joy.
Humans didn't like this, but the Jurisdiction would have their pound of flesh, and humankind would kneel. And they did. But humans were patient creatures: most species who retained that trait of willful spit also lacked patience.
I had long since become desensitized to the Jurisdiction’s actions: it was simply how the universe worked now, as if it were a constant akin to gravity. Cruelty was the unspoken rule of this seemingly unending age, where our lives never appeared to move forward or backwards, only lay dormant. The Jurisdiction had been the unyielding authority that ruled the galaxy for thousands of years, venerable yet feared all the same.
And for the longest time I was just another cog in its wheel. My name is Kalnuracht Sedjuur-Noumar VII, and was the scion of the noble house Sedjuur-Noumar. I was born into what most would describe as veiled apathy, living a life that could be attributed to the privileged class of feared scribes that enacted the will of those above. I was an administrator and nothing more. And now I am doomed to be far less than that in the eyes of my former constituents within the endless administration. I am the only scion, as is tradition, and without an heir I am the last of my house, our name to be scrubbed from the records, worthless, meaningless, and forgotten.
I am merely Kalnuracht, nothing else and nothing more. I have seen from their eyes, the eyes of the downtrodden, and it makes my crimes of association with the Jurisdiction feel all the more damning on my worthless soul. I am worthless to the world, and this is my story.
End Personal Log #1
Start of Neural Lace Narrative Log #1
They came from the black like carrion birds in the night, encircling our convoy as if it were a dying animal ready to be picked clean without remorse. There was no warning, no list of demands sent out as civilized peoples did, nor was there either any requirement for unconditional surrender nor chance to parlay, as was done so under letter of marque: this was an unmistakable call for violence and nothing else. They sought to reduce us to slag and scavenge the rest.
So, as one would expect, the entire bridge of the ship was nearing a panicked state. This was not the actions of those practicing civility, but rather the common behaviors of despoiling barbarians, the kind that tore their way through the dark reaches of the galaxy as if they owned it.
“Wayfinder, what do your probes see?” Shouted the ship’s sovereign. He was an older Kar’Rowmach, an amphibious cephalopod species with a venerable history within the Jurisdiction going back thousands of years. Normally one such as him would be above me if it weren't for the fact that I was under the authority of the Jurisdiction’s seal of office. He didn't like me very much, but most of his kind shared the same sentiment.
“All dark, honorable Sovereign: the sensor arrays are wailing but the feedback we're reviewing is beyond incomprehensible,” the wayfinder replied with a certain restrained temper in his voice. The Sok'klar wayfinder swayed gently, his tentacled limbs grasping different metallo-liquid braille output arrays, the liquid gallium flexing and reshaping unnaturally to allow him to to take in multiple different sources of sensory output at once, with the primary navigation computer plugged into the cybernetics surrounding his opaque, gelatinous head and plugging directly into his tube-shaped brain.
The Sovereign cursed in Loskat and pointed to his bridge crew while I simply sat in the back, near the Sovereign’s symbolic throne. “Prepare countermeasures and spool up the warp drive, we cannot allow the amanuensis to be taken! He carries sensitive information that only he can translate and transcribe!”
As the bridge crew nodded and began fiddling with their own systems, I preened my feathered hide anxiously. I wasn't a fighter: us nobles of the cloth were the educated minority above all else, not those who waged war or partook in hard labor. Special cybernetics in my brain allowed me to translate triple-encoded messages that usually took a ducal signet codekey or above to parse, but even without that I was a skilled mathematician and logician. I had terabytes worth of knowledge stored within the hardware installed in my head, all well protected of course, but if I were to die it would still be a waste. I could only imagine the damage any malcontenders could do with it if they were able to get their filthy hands on me.
Suddenly, the ship rocked, and the gallium overhead display began to form crescendos like I'd never seen before. “Sovereign, decks A-3 through C-12 are venting atmosphere and our coolant systems have been obliterated,” the Wayfinder spoke in an almost serene voice, as if he was completely unconcerned by current events. I knew they were simply incapable of tonal displays, but it was unnerving nonetheless. “Once we jump, we will not be able to risk another until the vacuum of the void can reduce temperatures to acceptable levels within the plasma capacitors.”
“Damn them,” the armored nautiloid hissed, his barbed feelers coiling in frustration, “May the currents take them. What are our options? what can we see? This fleet cannot fall to the void today, not with such vital cargo.” My hackles rose lightly at the Kar’Rowmach referred to me as some object rather than an esteemed amanuensis of the Jurisdiction, but I bit my forked tongue. Now was not the time to squabble with the sovereign over who was what and what titles I deserved, not while he was so desperately attempting to keep what semblance of order within his fleet that he had left.
I could not blame the crew for being panicked either: wars were practically mythologized now, having been long since rendered obsolete with the rise of the Jurisdiction, and that felt like an eternity ago. Now, either being levied into or joining a ducal naval force was simply another career, more akin to serving as an officer of the law rather than a fully fledged soldier. Minimal training was required, most of it being the technicals of one's duty rather than any kind of combat conditioning, so expecting a fleet to actually be prepared for a combat scenario in a universe where peace was the norm was laughable.
“We are practically blind, Sovereign,” stated the Sok'klar Wayfinder, “our probes are offline, and shipboard graviton displacement sensory arrays have been rendered unreliable at best.”
“What about the particle emission array? Has there been a spike in radioactivity where we were hit?”
The Wayfinder seemed to think for a second, his gelatinous form flexing and morphing a bit before answering. “Affirmative, a jump from negligible to forty billion becquerels along decks A through E-5 on our starboard side.”
“Torpedoes…” the Sovereign hissed, stroking his barbed feelers, “Human Torpedoes. Only those primitives would rely on crude nuclear warheads.” He then turned to his militant leaders on the ship. “Noddos, Rel’ads: organize your phalanxes and prepare to repel boarders. We are bound to be assailed by those rancorous primates, and I want their skulls piled at my feet if they dare set foot on our ship.”
“Your wish is our command, Sovereign,” the two militant commanders spoke as one. Noddos, a large bipedal with multiple sets of curved spines running down his back, a pair of graceful horns sprouting from his head, and multiple rows of sharp teeth in his snout, bowed first, followed by Rel’ads, a marsupial with long saberteeth and thick fur. They both must have been fierce warriors in their own right to each lead a phalanx. They wore thick, semi-powered armor and held dueling polearms alongside their usual plasma casters, and seemed completely unfazed by the situation we were in. As they stomped out of the brightly lit bridge, I let out a quiet squawk of discontentment. “Sovereign, why haven't we jumped again? We are wasting precious time.”
“I am working on it, you spineless beaurocrat!” He warbled back, his feelers tensing in anger, “besides, it's not as if you're the one who will be spilling blood today, amanuensis, so flatten your wretched beak or I shall weld it shut with a plasma torch.
I was about to reply with something indignant, but the ship rocked again, this time causing the lights to flicker and the air to become… thick. The skin under my feathers began to blister, and I became lightheaded and confused. “Seal the damnable vents, initiate radiation scrubbers, and activate secondary life support!” Shouted the Sovereign, “Their nuclear weapons are rendering the ship inhospitable!”
I coughed up magenta blood accidentally, and I could feel more seeping from under my eyes. Some of the crew was in a similar position, but others were more resistant to radiation than I. The Sok'klar seemed completely at ease as he ran his tentacles across his morphic braille arrays before calmly announcing the ship’s status. “I've regained some control over our probes: ten, twelve, and seventeen are active and fully functional, the rest are either still malfunctioning or permanently inoperable. A rapid rise in localized radiation is also interfering with the detection of graviton displacement; we can't sense photon redirection, thus readings will remain inconclusive.
“Wayfinder, damn you, get me some kind of out here! We're easy prey until we can respond in kind!”
“Negative, something has gone awry with our processing hub, I am attempting to troubleshoot-”
And with that, the Wayfinder’s bulbous head exploded in a cascade of opaque lavender blood, covering the front half of the deck crew like a morbid art piece. Some of the crew screamed and shouted in terror before removing their cranial adaptors and choosing to interact with their displays manually. Others died just as quickly, unable to unplug in time as their brain stems fried or their blood boiled. It was a horrible way to go, having your insides neutralized by your own cybernetics, so I was glad I wasn't connected to the system.
“Cybernetic warfare! All systems are to be considered compromised, switch to manual settings or you'll be killed!”
The lights in the bridge flickered again, and the displays went haywire. The bridge crew, which obviously weren't acquainted with working without being hard-linked into the mainframe, moved at a much slower pace.
“Launch missile pods A through F and set to self-target after five hundred kilometers, then rely on their ballistic coordinates to begin firing broadsides! If we can't see the humans due to their meddling, we'll just have to feel them.” Shouted the Sovereign, “and got me a detailed report on the ship’s diagnostics readings. I need to know if this flagship is still capable of escaping or if we'll have to scuttle it and retreat on another.”
“Acknowledged, Sovereign, launching now,” affirmed another deck officer as he swiped across his own gallium output array. I could hear the dull thunk, thunk, thunk of missiles pushing out of their pods before racing off to their intended targets, then the mechanical whirring as the pods rotated to be reloaded by slaves in the lower decks. I was regaining my bearings as the many horrible sensations of being overwhelmed by radiation poisoning were beginning to subside, but I still felt as if I had been microwaved. The air was stale, the crew was horribly sick as well, and even the sovereign himself seemed to be on his last leg. I was beginning to believe that I might die here.
“Sovereign, a message from the lower decks,” shouted a communications officer, his chitin scraping against itself as he turned quickly, “they're requesting reinforcements, something about being overrun.”
“Impossible,” the Sovereign hissed out in a vain attempt to exude confidence, “We must outnumber the humans, they always go for bigger targets out of arrogance.”
“I've received reports that it's not just humans: the primates seem to make up only a third or so of the assailing force, along with some Phaeldaer and Vrex.”
The commander slammed his clawed hands down on his own output array in a fit of rage, obviously overwhelmed by the circumstances, “Then this wasn't just a typical assault, but something more sinister!” The nautiloid warbled, blood seeping from his shell as the full effects of the radiation took hold, “Get Rel’ads on the line, have him divert all spare lances to the lower decks or else we'll lose the only offensive capabilities we can use.”
“Rel'ads has gone dark, Sovereign, his vitals are critical.”
“Then either get me Rel'ads tail-leader or get me Noddos!” He screamed in rage, “don't give me this nonsense! If we don't pick it up we're all going to die, is that what you want?”
“No, Sovereign, I'm simply overwhelmed-”
“We're all overwhelmed! By the tides, I'm dying of radiation poisoning you nincompoop! Get me something I can work with!”
The officer didn't even acknowledge the Sovereign after that, simply turning back to his display. Eventually, the Sovereign was able to get Noddos on the line.
“Sovereign, two thirds of my phalanxes have been decimated by combat with the primitives and the radiation, the rest are in shambles. We must retreat and fortify elsewhere!”
“Then the ship is compromised! Rel'ads is unresponsive and the lower decks are swarming with intruders. We must evacuate the amanuensis to another ship.”
Just as the Sovereign spoke, I heard several gentle thumps rattle against the bridge’s door, and it made me uneasy. Some of the bridge crew seemed to feel the same, as they looked incredibly nervous and some even drew their sidearms. Just as the sovereign turned to give further orders, the door blew inward with a deafening explosion, followed by shouting and gunfire. Several of the bridge officers were dispatched quickly, brain matter and blood splattering against the delicate electronics. Others were shot in the legs, the torso, or in any other exotic yet non-vital body parts. The humans poured in, brandishing primitive ballistic firearms and jury-rigged energy weapons while wearing scavenged, legion-grade powered armor.
The Sovereign was the next to go, but he wasn't afforded an honorable death. He was shot along the arm with a particularly potent plasma caster, burning off his clawed hand and cauterizing the wound, the acrid smell of roasting chitin filling the already hot and cramped bridge. He fell back against his output array, the gallium reaching new highs and lows as more diagnostics and casualty reports were delivered, and he clutched his stump angrily. “I'll burn every last one of you in the foundries! I'll tie you to stakes, cover you in wax and set you alight! Your screams will be broadcasted all over the galaxy!”
One human warrior stomped up and slammed the butt of his rifle into the sovereign’s face, shattering his facial plates and causing blue blood to splatter across his section of the bridge. “Shut the fuck up, you mutant lobster,” the human said before dragging him by both antennae towards the center of the bridge and receiving a stained breeching axe from one of his comrades. “Emmanuel, start recording. We need proof.”
The other human nodded and pressed a button on his armor before lifting up his gun again. The rest of the humans fanned out, holding everyone else at gunpoint. I tried to get up and sneak out, but a human grabbed me by my neck and nearly wrung it out as he forced me to my knees and pointed a sidearm to my skull. “Get down, you piece of shit, before I blow your brains out too.”
“Damnable primate,” I hissed, but he bashed me in my skull with the base of his sidearm’s grip and sent me sprawling, making my already pounding headache worse. Another human shouted at him in a language I didn't recognize, but he sounded furious. The first brought me back up to my knees again, and I complies with a hiss and a groan, blood still leaking from my eyes and mouth and my world was spinning.
The Sovereign struggled, but he was weak from the radiation poisoning and he couldn't exactly resist on account of his lost arm. The human with the breaching ax kicked the Sovereign down and forced him to kneel before lifting up the breeching ax and splitting his chitinous head down the middle with one powerful swing, sending more blood and brains across the floor. “Execution confirmed, take his antennae just in case and we've got ourselves a bounty. Now all we need is that ugly cat’s teeth and the fat hedgehog-thing’s grimy spines and we'll be in business. Although, they do have skulls… we might as well just take their heads.”
The real horror of the situation dawned on me at that moment: they were going to kill us all, or maybe worse. They mentioned a bounty for the commanders, and multiple of the higher ranking ship officers were already dead, their brains splattered against the walls or their bodies torn apart by gunfire. I wasn't dead yet, but that didn't mean much since I wasn't an immediate threat.
“Alright, round them up and bring all the grunts to the hanger bay, then kill the rest,” the leader of the humans said in such a lackadaisical manner that his complete disregard for life almost made me sick… almost. I had seen worse from the Jurisdiction before, but usually that was from me delivering some kind of ordered judgment on a world that had sinned against order. I might have simply been the messenger, but I had seen many of the outcomes. “And make sure to collect whatever proof of bounties you can, we'll need to deliver them to the office to get cashed out. Don't let this be a repeat of last time where Juarez fucking forgot to take a few heads and it ended up cutting our profits in half, the fucking retard.”
Some of the humans chuckled at that as they dragged more of the senior officers away, out of the room and into the hall,where I heard gunshots. The rest of the bridge crew froze in place, different fear instincts kicking in. The remaining Sok'klar corralled together into what seemed to be a singular, semi-congealed mass as if to try and trick the humans into believing that they were much bigger and much more threatening than they actually were. The one Thei’chi on the bridge, an ensign who had clearly thought this would be a simple mission, bore her curved fangs at the humans and growled as they approached, her hackles completely vertical and her eyes dilated. They quickly muzzled and bound her before beating her over the head with a gun stock, sending her sprawling onto the ground. Many others simply cooperated, eyes wide and yet simultaneously empty, as if they couldn't quite process that the ship had been taken and the commanding officers were being executed as the rest were escorted to the hangar.
“Get the damn messenger down to the hanger as well, we need whatever data's in his ugly lizard head, then we can decide on what to do with him.”
I spat at him in spite, as if to try and seem brave, but it was clearly an empty gesture. “You won't get anything, primate! You couldn't possibly crack the encryption!”
The human holding me seemed to wind up for another swing, but the commanding officer simply held up his hand to stop my tormentor before strolling over to me. He knelt down and removed his helmet, revealing a beige-colored face covered in scars, wiry black hair cut down to the scalp, and multiple tattoos. “You're really fucking mouthy for a hostage,” he said before punching me across my beak faster than I could register. I heard a sharp crack as his fist connected, and my head spun again as the metallic taste of blood pooled into my mouth. “I'd advise you to shut up, but I'm sure you won't listen: you aristocratic types are so full of yourselves. Maybe I should have you flogged in the public square until your vocal chords give out once we rip those cybernetics from your head, huh? How's that sound?”
“It won't matter… it won't change anything… the Jurisdiction will hunt you down.”
“Maybe, but I doubt it will happen for some time: they really suck at doing anything that requires effort, even when they're mad enough. They just keep sending their rabid lapdogs to try and smoke us out, and they always end up full of holes,” the human officer said with a smirk, his yellowish-white teeth and green eyes sending shivers down my spine as he drew his knife. “They're just horrible at their job, you know? You've all gotten so lazy and incompetent after being able to just take what you want without resistance, and now that you've met people who are angry and crazy enough to fight back you act as if we're committing some grave injustice,” he placed the knife against my throat, the flat just underneath my now bent beak, “No, we just took a few pages out of your book, ‘cept we've got standards. No kids, for one…” he seemed to look off into the distance as his sneer deepened, “but it's more than that, we don't attack the defenseless in general and we still win against you all in fair fights.”
I went to say something else snarky, but he quickly grabbed my thin tongue with his fingers and yanked it out, blood from my mouth pulling to the floor as he held the blade of his knife against it. “No no, none of that. Say one more thing and I'll cut that rancid little tongue of yours out of your mouth and feed it to you,” he hissed at me, pressing the blade down just hard enough to draw blood. “Do you know what it's like to see a planet turn into a tomb?" he asked me, gritting his teeth, “Do you know what it's like to see everything you've ever known crumble to ash and glass, all the life and the green stripped away leaving nothing but bones? I do. I've seen it happen to countless worlds, and my grandfather always told me stories of how you bastards did it to Earth. He still prays in its direction five times a day, to Mecca, but he knows the Kaaba is gone now, or maybe it's still there, buried in the bones of those who sought refuge there.”
I didn't care for the human’s nonsensical beliefs, but I did care to correct him. “I've seen it before, and I'll see it again. And so will you, it's inevitable. The Jurisdiction will always have its judgment fulfilled, there is no alternative.”
“One day, I hope we can rectify that,” he said, then he sheathed his knife and slammed my head against the metal floor with enough force to nearly knock me out. As I lost consciousness, I could hear him speak. “Take him to the Chop Doc, and make sure the cybernetics don't get damaged: they're supposedly more valuable than any bounty on this ship.”
Warning: Severe radiation poisoning detected. Flush system immediately.
Warning: Neural Lace removal detected, chance of neurological damage high. Proceeded with caution.